PMID- 1403480
TI  - An investigation of internal phase losses during the microencapsulation of
      fragrances.
AB  - Prototype fragrances, prepared from common fragrance components, were extracted
      with water, recovered, and characterized by gas chromatography before and after
      the water treatment, revealing a significant loss of the more water-soluble
      components. Unextracted prototype fragrances were also microencapsulated by a
      gelatin/gum arabic coacervation process. The microencapsulated fragrance oils
      were recovered from the microcapsules, using pepsin enzyme to open up the
      capsules. Comparison of GC results of microencapsulated fragrance oil versus
      unencapsulated oil showed many of the changes could be ascribed to solubility
      losses of the more water-soluble components to the process water. Deliberate
      inclusion of toluene as a fragrance component in one of the prototype fragrances
      showed that some losses of highly volatile fragrance components can be expected
      during microencapsulation; but because most fragrance components do not approach
      the volatility of toluene, such losses are expected to be minimal. Chromatograms
      taken before and after microencapsulation of two commercial fragrances are
      discussed.

PMID- 1403481
TI  - Drug encapsulation in alginate microspheres by emulsification.
AB  - A method based on an emulsification process was developed for the production of
      calcium alginate microspheres. Isopropyl alcohol and acetone, which are strong
      dehydrating agents, were used to aid in the hardening and drying of the
      microspheres. However, the amount of drug encapsulated was very low. This was due
      to the drug being soluble in the dehydrating solvents. In the absence of the
      solvents a high percentage of drug was encapsulated, and this was further
      increased by forming the microspheres by phase inversion. It was also found that
      a suspension of the drug particles was required for effective microencapsulation.
      The efficiency of drug encapsulation generally increased with the ratio of drug
      to encapsulating material. The microspheres produced were free-flowing and most
      of them were smaller than 150 microns.

PMID- 1403482
TI  - In vitro stability of liposomes in the presence of polymers, trehalose and sodium
      taurocholate.
AB  - We report the influence of synthetic polymers, trehalose and sodium taurocholate
      on the stability of both MLVs* and SPLVs prepared from a range of lipids
      including synthetic polyhydroxyl lipids. In the absence of cryoprotective agents
      liposomes were found to release greater than 90 per cent of encapsulated marker
      when exposed to freeze-thawing or freeze-drying procedures. In the presence of
      polyvinylpalmitate a marginal enhancement of stability towards freeze-drying was
      observed, the effect being most marked with cholesterol-containing liposomes.
      Trehalose was also found to stabilize all preparations investigated towards
      freeze-drying. In particular SPLVS prepared from (C18:0, C14:0-GMG):EPC:C
      retained in greater than 90 per cent of the entrapped marker. Addition of
      polymers to trehalose-containing SPLVS did not further increase the stability.
      SPLVS prepared from lipids possessing a high transition temperature demonstrated
      enhanced stability in the presence of bile salts. This effect was most marked
      with SPLVs prepared from (C18:0, C22:0-GMG):C.

PMID- 1403483
TI  - Dependence on pH of permeability towards electrolyte ions of poly(L-lysine-alt
      terephthalic acid) microcapsule membranes.
AB  - Permeation of electrolyte ions through poly(L-lysine-alt-terephthalic acid)
      microcapsule membranes was studied as a function of the pH of the medium at
      different ionic strengths. When the pH of the medium was varied, the permeation
      rate for 5-sulphosalicylate anions, as well as phenyltrimethylammonium cations,
      was slow at pH values lower than 4, showed a sudden and large increase in the pH
      range between 4 and 6, and thereafter remained unchanged. This remarkable change
      in the permeation rate was found to be produced by an abrupt increase in the
      microcapsule size observed in the same pH range. Increase in the ionic strength
      of the medium at pH values higher than 6 increased the rate of anion permeation
      but decreased the rate of cation permeation due to increase in the screening
      effect of salt ions on the negative charges in the microcapsule membranes.

PMID- 1403484
TI  - In vivo distribution and antitumour activity of liposomal 3',5'-O-dipalmitoyl-5
      fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine.
AB  - 3',5'-O-dipalmitoyl-5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (FUdR-dipalmitate), a lipophilic
      prodrug of 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (FUdR), was incorporated in different types
      of liposomes. The in vivo distribution and intrahepatic deacylation of liposomal
      FUdR-dipalmitate was found to be strongly dependent on liposome composition and
      on drug to lipid ratio. The use of fluid-type liposomes (egg PC/PS/CHOL) rendered
      FUdR-dipalmitate more susceptible to enzymatic breakdown than solid-type
      liposomes (DSPC/DPPG/CHOL). A decrease of the retention of the drug in the body
      was also obtained when FUdR-dipalmitate was incorporated in solid-type liposomes
      with high drug to lipid ratio (1:10) than with low ratio (1:50). In spite of
      these substantial differences in the rates at which FUdR was liberated from
      liposomes with different fluidity, size, or drug to lipid ratio, only minor
      differences in therapeutic effect were observed in a number of murine tumour
      models (P388 leukaemia, Lewis Lung carcinoma, B16 melanoma and a C26
      adenocarcinoma liver metastasis model). The lipophilic prodrug of FUdR exhibited
      antitumour activity at 100-600 times lower doses than the free drug. However, at
      these therapeutic doses FUdR-dipalmitate was also far more toxic. This prohibited
      the use of higher doses to increase antitumour activity.

PMID- 1403485
TI  - Polymeric pseudolatices bearing pilocarpine for controlled ocular delivery.
AB  - The pseudolatex-based ocular formulations of pilocarpine were prepared using
      different combinations of Eudragit RS 100 and polyvinyl pyrrolidone for prolonged
      and controlled release of the drug. The designed system was essentially based on
      polymeric pseudolatex dispersion. The process variables that effect the latex
      particle size, drug loading and release profiles of drug were studied.
      Preparations were evaluated for their in vitro performance with regard to release
      profile and diffusion co-efficient. The designed system exhibited linear
      relationship between cumulative drug release (Q) and square root of time (t0.5).
      The products selected on the basis of in vitro characterization were studied for
      in vivo performance evaluation. It was observed that the preparations exhibited
      in vivo prolonged therapeutic efficacy. Thus polymer based pseudolatices hold
      promise for controlled pilocarpine ocular delivery.

PMID- 1403486
TI  - Erythrocyte based delivery system of primaquine: in vitro characterization.
AB  - Primaquine phosphate, an antimalarial drug, was loaded in erythrocytes by the
      process of endocytosis. The encapsulation of 0.1-0.15 mg of drug ml-1 of packed
      erythrocytes was achieved. The loaded cells attained spherical shape and
      exhibited higher osmotic fragility and lower resistance to turbulence shock as
      compared with normal cells. Glutaraldehyde treatment stabilized the cells which
      were noted to be resistant to the osmotic and turbulence shocks. In vitro release
      of drug and haemoglobin was also retarded upon treatment of loaded erythrocytes
      with glutaraldehyde. The studies suggest the potentiality of primaquine-loaded,
      glutaraldehyde-treated erythrocytes as an intravenous drug delivery system for
      casual prophylaxis and radical cure of malaria.

PMID- 1403487
TI  - Preparation and in vitro evaluation of slow release ketoprofen microcapsules
      formulated into tablets and capsules.
AB  - Ketoprofen powder was encapsulated with Eudragit RL/RS polymer solutions in
      isopropanol-acetone 1:1, using a simple and rapid method. Microcapsules were
      prepared using Eudragit solutions with different RL/RS ratios. The encapsulation
      process produces free-flowing microcapsules with good drug content and marked
      decrease in dissolution rate. The retardation in release profile of ketoprofen
      from microcapsules was a function of the polymer ratio employed in the
      encapsulation process. In vitro release of ketoprofen from microcapsules either
      filled in gelatin capsules or compressed into tablets, using calcium sulphate as
      diluent, confirmed the efficiency of the encapsulation process for preparing
      prolonged release medication. A capsule formulation with optimum sustained
      release profile was suggested.

PMID- 1403488
TI  - Preparation and physical evaluation of microcapsules of hydrophilic drug
      cyclodextrin complexes.
AB  - An emulsion-solvent evaporation method for preparation of microcapsules
      containing water-soluble 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin complex of a
      lipophilic water-insoluble drug, hydrocortisone, is described. The release of the
      drug from the microcapsules was determined in simulated gastric fluid. The drug
      release rate from the microcapsules could be controlled by addition of a
      plasticizer and it was sustained over extended time. Addition of solubilizing
      compounds to the dissolution medium did not affect the drug release rate.

PMID- 1403489
TI  - Release kinetics of fluphenazine from biodegradable microspheres.
AB  - Fluphenazine-loaded microspheres were prepared using biodegradable lactide and
      lactide-co-glycolide polymers. Sustained release of fluphenazine was achieved
      with fluphenazine loadings of up to 30 per cent in both the lactide and lactide
      co-glycolide polymers. Fluphenazine release from microspheres was found to
      increase with increasing drug loading and was most rapid from the poly-L-lactide
      co-glycolide microspheres. The release profiles showed a 'lag' period followed by
      an accelerating release phase and in some cases a decay period, i.e. the release
      profiles were sigmoidal and fitted the Prout-Tomkins equation (Prout and Tompkins
      1944). Consequently it was considered that polymer degradation, the primary rate
      determining step controlling drug release, occurred by a mechanism involving
      propagation of active sites, drug release reflecting the spread of this
      degradation throughout the polymer.

PMID- 1403490
TI  - Preparation and evaluation of abietic acid microcapsules by a solvent evaporation
      technique.
AB  - Abietic acid was isolated from rosin N Grade (ISI) by a simple process and the
      product was further standardized. Sulphadiazine microcapsules were prepared by
      the solvent evaporation technique, using abietic acid as a wall-forming material.
      Discrete, spherical and free-flowing microcapsules were obtained by phase
      separation induced by solvent evaporation using bentonite as a solid emulsifier.
      The prepared microcapsules were evaluated for drug content, wall thickness, flow
      properties, size distribution, density and in vitro dissolution studies in
      gastric fluid. The effect of various process variables such as agitation speed,
      coat-core ratio, etc., on the micromeritic and release characteristics has been
      described.

PMID- 1403491
TI  - Poly(4-vinylpyridine)-coated liposomes: stability studies and release of
      acetylsalicylic acid.
AB  - Liposomes of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and dicetylphosphate (DCP)
      reacted with 4-vinylpyridine (4-VP) to form a salt and, subsequently,
      autopolymerized for form poly(4-vinylpyridine) (poly(4-VP))-coated liposomes. The
      conditions for optimization of polymer coating have been determined; also, the
      effects of polymer coating on liposome stability, the encapsulation of ASA and
      its release kinetics have been measured. The coating efficiency was maximum at a
      DMPC:DCP 1:1 mole ratio, at pH 4.0 in acetate buffer, and a polymerization time
      of 40 min. The polymer-coated liposomes were stable in 2 mM sodium cholate and 4
      per cent isopropanol solutions, as determined from turbidity measurements, versus
      a 20-25% decrease in stability of uncoated liposomes. The encapsulation
      efficiency of ASA reached a maximum of 9 per cent at DMPC:DCP 1:1 mole ratio. The
      release of ASA at 37 degrees C, pH 7.0 was characterized by an initial fast
      release (85 and 63 per cent in 20 min from uncoated and polymer-coated liposomes,
      respectively) followed by a slow, constant release rate up to 140 min. Thus,
      autopolymerization of a polymerizable monomer at liposome surfaces represents a
      potentially feasible stabilization approach for liposomes exposed to sodium
      cholate solutions with greater retention of solute than uncoated liposomes.

PMID- 1403492
TI  - Release kinetics of salbutamol sulphate from wax coated microcapsules and
      tableted microcapsules.
AB  - Microcapsules of salbutamol sulphate were prepared using beeswax and carnauba wax
      as coating materials. In vitro release kinetics were studied following the zero
      order, first order and Higuchi equations. Beeswax alone was not effective but
      beeswax and carnauba wax combinations were suitable in controlling the in vitro
      release of the drug. Microcapsules were compressed into tablets to get a
      controlled release oral dosage form. Release from tableted microcapsules was
      significantly more prolonged than the respective batches of the microcapsules.
      Best data fit with the highest correlation coefficient for the tableted
      microcapsules was obtained for first order.

PMID- 1403493
TI  - Bioadhesive polymer-grafted starch microspheres bearing isosorbide dinitrate for
      buccal administration.
AB  - A polymer-grafted mucoadhesive system bearing isosorbide dinitrate was prepared
      for buccal administration. Polymer grafting of starch microspheres modified drug
      release and surface characteristics of microspheres. Bioadhesion and factors
      affecting bioadhesion were studied. Process variables that could affect
      microsphere size, and as a result the release of the drug, were also studied. It
      was observed that compression of grafted starch microspheres modified drug
      release and extended drug action via slow release following buccal application.
      Prepared system(s) were characterized for drug release and in vivo performance
      and compared with conventional oral treatment. The systems were noted to be
      promising.

PMID- 1403494
TI  - Improvement of a microencapsulation with aqueous core by factorial design.
AB  - Preparation of microcapsules with aqueous core and polyamide walls is influenced
      by several factors. We improved the stability of walls and size of capsules by
      simultaneous variation of four factors: total ratio of polymer, ratio of amines
      to acid chlorides, concentration of surfactant and speed of stirring. Use of
      factorial design minimizes the number of experiments and permits us to know the
      influence of these factors and of their interactions. By increasing the ratio of
      amines to acid chlorides and with a low concentration of total polymer, we
      obtained more stable capsules. Surfactant had a negative effect on the hardness
      of the polymer.

PMID- 1403495
TI  - Polyacrylate resin microcapsules for taste masking of antibiotics.
AB  - Various microencapsulated dosage forms were prepared to limit the release of an
      antibiotic in solution for up to 3 days and in the oral cavity following per oral
      administration. An experimental antibiotic, clarithromycin (TE-031), was used in
      these studies. The drug was first encapsulated in gelatin followed in some cases
      by crosslinking with glutaraldehyde. The gelatin microcapsules were then coated
      with acrylic resins (Eudragit), whose solubility properties vary according to pH.
      A non-solvent coacervation technique was used to apply the Eudragit resins. It
      was found that crosslinking the gelatin retarded release of TE-031 somewhat
      relative to that from uncrosslinked gelatin microcapsules in a 72h release
      experiment conducted at room temperature. Coating the gelatin microcapsules with
      Eudragit resins L100, S100, or E100 slowed the release of TE-031 further still;
      less TE-031 was released over 72 h from the Eudragit-coated formulations prepared
      with crosslinked gelatin compared with formulations prepared with uncrosslinked
      gelatin. The Eudragit E100-coated crosslinked gelatin microcapsule formulation
      was most effective in preventing release of the TE-031 under simulated conditions
      of storage in an aqueous solution.

PMID- 1403496
TI  - Microencapsulation of terbutaline sulphate by the solvent evaporation technique.
AB  - Terbutaline sulphate microcapsules were prepared by coacervation-phase separation
      (solvent evaporation) technique using ethyl cellulose as a coating material.
      Acetone, ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol were employed as solvents for
      coating material. Microcapsules were evaluated for their drug content, particle
      size distribution (microscopic method), flow properties, bulk density, in vitro
      dissolution, drug release kinetics and surface characteristics (scanning electron
      microscopy).

PMID- 1403497
TI  - Peritoneal exudates from microencapsulated rat islets of Langerhans xenografted
      mice presenting characteristics of potentially cytotoxic non-specific
      inflammation.
AB  - Grafted polyacrylamide microencapsulated islets of Langerhans in the peritoneal
      cavity of mice did not survive more than a few days, perhaps owing to a non
      specific inflammatory reaction or an immune rejection. To assess the two
      hypotheses, we used flow cytometry (FACS) to analyse cell populations of empty or
      islet-loaded microcapsules grafted in the peritoneal cavity of mice, and
      performed cytotoxic assays with proteases secreted by inflammatory cells. An
      immune rejection did not seem to occur, but the degree of inflammation could
      explain the short life of the grafts.

PMID- 1403498
TI  - Pseudomembranous colitis following resection for Hirschsprung's disease.
AB  - Enterocolitis is the most common cause of significant morbidity and death in
      Hirschsprung's disease. Although most cases respond to nasogastric decompression,
      antibiotics, and colonic evacuation, some children have an unusually fulminant or
      protracted clinical course. Four cases are reported of pseudomembranous colitis
      (PMC) that developed 1 to 18 months (mean, 8 months) after definitive surgery for
      Hirschsprung's disease (Soave endorectal pull-though, 2; Duhamel procedure, 2).
      While all children presented with fever, abdominal distention, and diarrhea,
      indistinguishable from typical Hirschsprung's enterocolitis, the clinical course
      was fulminant in two cases, both of whom died of septic shock. Postmortem
      examination in both showed extensive colonic pseudomembranes despite
      identification of Clostridium difficile toxin and subsequent vancomycin therapy
      (initiated late in the clinical course). Two children in the series had
      protracted hospitalizations and eventually required diverting enterostomy despite
      recognition of C difficile toxin and treatment with enteral vancomycin, in one
      child necessitating multiple courses of antibiotic therapy. Awareness of the
      virulence of PMC associated with Hirschsprung's disease (even after definitive
      resection) should prompt submission of stool specimens from any child who
      presents with enterocolitis for both C difficile culture and toxin levels. On the
      basis of our experience it is our policy to initiate a prompt course of
      vancomycin by rectal lavage or nasogastric tube in all children with
      Hirschsprung's enterocolitis, pending culture results, in view of the significant
      morbidity and mortality exemplified by cases in this review.

PMID- 1403499
TI  - Sirenomelia: case of the surviving mermaid.
AB  - This report describes a neonate with sirenomelia who was recently treated at
      British Columbia Children's Hospital. Prenatal diagnosis was made at 29 weeks'
      gestation. Survival was not anticipated. Cesarean-section at term showed a live
      2,375-g infant with excellent Apgar scores. Anomalies noted were fused lower
      extremities, imperforate anus, colon atresia, bilateral fused pelvic kidneys with
      renal dysplasia, pelvic and sacral dysplasia, and genital abnormalities.
      Laparotomy and colostomy were performed. All other anomalies are compatible with
      life and she is neurologically normal. Eventual separation of the lower
      extremities is planned. This is the second reported case of survival in a patient
      born with sirenomelia.

PMID- 1403500
TI  - The bowel management tube: an effective means for controlling fecal incontinence.
AB  - Regular bowel washout enemas have been used as a method of management of fecal
      incontinence. The effective administration of a washout enema to a child with
      weak anal sphincters is often a problem. Using a new silastic balloon-tipped
      enema catheter (bowel management tube [BMT]) of our design, we prospectively
      studied its effectiveness in a group of children who suffered fecal incontinence.
      Thirty-one children were studied over a 1-year period. Their diagnoses included
      meningomyelocele (19), postoperative Hirschsprung's disease or imperforate anus
      (10), and other (2). Before and after starting the BMT enema system, clinical
      assessment and a diary, which graded the degree of fecal incontinence and
      satisfaction with the system, were completed. Five patients failed to benefit
      because of noncompliance (3) or balloon extrusion (2). Three more patients
      discontinued the use of the tube system. Twenty-three patients achieved
      successful results with this system as evidenced by a significant amelioration in
      their fecal incontinence and their unwillingness to give up the use of the BMT.
      We conclude that the use of a regular washout enemas with BMT can be an effective
      method for control of fecal incontinence in children.

PMID- 1403501
TI  - Motility and sensation of the rectosigmoid and the rectum in patients with
      anorectal malformations.
AB  - Motility of the rectosigmoid and rectum and reservoir function of the rectum
      after surgery for anorectal malformations were investigated in 32 patients (17
      with high type, 6 with intermediate type, and 9 with low type anomaly) aged 5 to
      16 years. All 32 patients were examined manometrically as well as with a newly
      devised myoelectrical method. Manometry showed that the values of maximum anal
      pressure and anorectal pressure difference in the high type were significantly
      lower than those in the low type. However, the incidence of contractile activity
      of the rectosigmoid was not significantly different between these two groups. The
      threshold sensation pressure and the maximum tolerable pressure in the high type
      were significantly higher than those in the low type, and the rectal compliance
      in the high type was significantly lower than that in the low type.
      Electromyography was recorded at 8 cm and 5 cm from the anal verge. Two types of
      slow waves were observed, a faster rhythm and a slower rhythm. Their frequency
      was similar in the three groups. However, the numbers of spike bursts in the high
      type and intermediate type were significantly higher than those in the low type.
      These results indicate that in addition to an inadequate anal resting pressure a
      loss of optimal rectal sensation or rectal reservoir function might be associated
      with fecal incontinence in the high type and that increased spike bursts might
      play some role in rectal motility.

PMID- 1403502
TI  - Congenital urethral fistula with normal anus: a report of two cases.
AB  - Congenital rectourethral or anourethral fistulae without imperforate anus in
      males are rare, representing less than 1% of anorectal malformations. We report
      our experience with two males with "N type" urethral fistulae. One, a 5-year-old
      boy, presented with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) and passage of
      urine per anus. Investigations included a voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG), which
      demonstrated a fistula from the urethra to the anus. On physical examination, a
      small perianal opening was noted just outside the anus, which drained a small
      amount of urine after voiding. The fistula was excised via a perineal approach.
      The second patient is a 5-year-old boy with a long history of recurrent UTI
      requiring multiple hospitalizations since the newborn period. Chronic renal
      failure developed as a complication of repeated urinary tract infections.
      Investigations showed a single hydronephrotic pelvic kidney and a small bladder.
      He underwent numerous diagnostic and reconstructive procedures including
      cystoscopy and augmentation cystoplasty. Recurrent infections continued and an N
      type anourethral fistula was eventually diagnosed. The fistula was located
      between the anal canal and the membranous urethra. An anterior perineal approach
      was also used. Both fistulae were easily located, and reconstructive surgery of
      the urethra was not required. Postoperative VCUGs in both patients were normal.
      They have been free of infection with normal urinary continence since resection
      of the fistula. Congenital N type anourethral fistulae are rare, but should be
      considered in cases of recurrent urinary tract infections. The diagnosis may be
      missed by endoscopic procedures, but VCUG should demonstrate the fistulous tract.

PMID- 1403503
TI  - Blunt traumatic disruption of the thoracic aorta: a rare injury in children.
AB  - Rupture of the thoracic aorta secondary to blunt chest trauma is an exceedingly
      uncommon injury in pediatric patients. We present a case of blunt traumatic
      aortic disruption in a 10-year-old child who was successfully managed by primary
      aortic repair using partial cardiopulmonary bypass. The epidemiology and
      pathophysiology of this injury, with particular reference to children, is
      reviewed. The ongoing controversies regarding the diagnosis and operative
      management of this injury are summarized.

PMID- 1403504
TI  - Adult-to-neonate lung transplantation: anatomic considerations.
AB  - Babies born with severe pulmonary hypoplasia are unsalvageable despite maximal
      therapy including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Using ECMO as a
      bridge to transplantation, reduced-size lung grafts (pulmonary lobe or segment)
      could expand the pool of cadaver donors and may allow for HLA-matched living
      related transplants. We tested this concept first in the piglet model and
      developed the technical maneuvers necessary to perform lobar and segmental lung
      transplants from adult pigs into neonatal piglets. Prior to clinical application,
      a systematic evaluation of anatomic considerations for reduced-size human lung
      transplantation was needed. A series of human adult and neonatal cadaver thoracic
      dissections were performed to determine the adult pulmonary lobe or segment with
      the proper size, orientation, and vascular and bronchial anatomy for use as a
      neonatal lung transplant. The adult right middle lobe (RML) is the best candidate
      for neonatal left lung replacement. The adult RML, once removed, can be rotated
      180 degrees around its superior-inferior axis and the vessels and bronchus align
      well in the left chest of the neonate. The RML may require further reduction to
      fit into the neonatal left chest. Selective arterial perfusion of the RML showed
      the anterior segment to be a near-perfect match for fit and anatomy. This
      technique may eventually permit living-related lung transplantation.

PMID- 1403505
TI  - Juvenile hemangiomas involving the thoracic trachea in children: report of two
      cases.
AB  - Two 3-month-old girls presented with posterior mediastinal juvenile hemangioma
      (JH), a benign tumor rarely found in the mediastinum. Incomplete resections were
      performed. Over 4 and 7 months, respectively, the hemangiomas recurred and grew
      through the tracheal wall into the tracheal lumina, reducing the airway by 90% in
      one case and 70% in the other. The recurrences were resected, including five
      tracheal rings in the first case and four in the second. In case 1 the tumor
      recurred in the trachea 2 months later. A tracheostomy was performed, and
      corticosteroids were administered for 6 months. The tumor involuted and the
      patient was decannulated after 18 months; she is doing well 7 years later. The
      patient in case 2 has been well in the 18 months since her second operation.
      Airway obstructions can be treated by tracheal resection when conservative
      management fails.

PMID- 1403506
TI  - Rigid bronchoscopy in the pediatric age group: diagnostic effectiveness.
AB  - Over a 15-year period, 277 diagnostic bronchoscopic procedures were carried out
      at the Winnipeg Children's Hospital using rigid bronchoscopic instrumentation.
      The objective of the review is to examine contribution to final diagnosis made by
      the procedure. The patient population included 60% male and 40% female patients
      ranging from the first day of life to 18 years (mean age, 6 years). Indications
      for bronchoscopy fell into two large groups, including 60% of patients with
      evidence of lower airway disease and 30% of patients with evidence of upper
      airway obstruction. In patients with upper airway obstruction, half were found to
      have a congenital underlying cause and half were due to an acquired lesion. In
      85% of patients, a specific diagnosis was reached and this proved to correlate
      positively with the preoperative diagnosis in 80% of patients and negatively in
      20%. Definitive treatment in patients with upper airway obstruction included
      surgical intervention in one third of patients. Patients with lower airway
      disease were diagnosed as having consolidation in 43%, atelectasis in 39%, and
      bronchiectasis in 18%. Disease localized most frequently to the left lower and
      right upper lobes and in only 10 of 168 patients was a congenital cause
      determined. Among 168 patients, 30 had surgical treatment as the definitive
      management with the majority of patients treated medically. Bronchoscopy was
      shown to contribute to diagnosis in 88% of patients examined. Bronchoscopy was
      carried out with a complication rate of 3% and no mortality.

PMID- 1403507
TI  - The use of indium 111 leukocyte scans in children with inflammatory bowel
      disease.
AB  - Indium 111 leukocyte (WBC) scans have been used in the investigation of
      inflammatory bowel disease in recent years, but their use in children is not well
      described. We reviewed our experience with 281 indium 111 scans over an 8-year
      period in a total of 109 children with inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's
      disease 70, ulcerative colitis 39). One hundred twenty-eight indium 111 scans
      done within 2 weeks of a radiographic contrast study, endoscopic examination, or
      surgical procedure were evaluated for diagnostic accuracy. Analysis showed that
      indium 111 scans were accurate when compared with conventional diagnostic tests
      and operative findings. This noninvasive imaging technique can play a useful role
      in the management of children with inflammatory bowel disease.

PMID- 1403508
TI  - Diaphragm of the gallbladder: a case report.
AB  - Gallbladder anomalies are rare and normally affect its shape, size, and position.
      We report on a 3-year-old boy with a gallbladder divided transversally by a
      windsock-type diaphragm, isolating the fundus from the rest of the biliary tree.
      Bilobed and multiseptated gallbladder have been described before, but this is the
      first isolated case of a congenital hourglass gallbladder.

PMID- 1403509
TI  - Agenesis of the gallbladder in duodenal atresia: two case reports.
AB  - Agenesis of the gallbladder not associated with biliary atresia is quite rare. We
      wish to report two patients with gallbladder agenesis in association with
      duodenal atresia without biliary atresia. Liver biopsy in one patient was notable
      for an absence of both inflammation and ductal pathology. The unremarkable
      postoperative course included normal direct bilirubins and a HIDA scan that
      demonstrated very good bile excretion into the duodenum. Both children are doing
      quite well in follow-up.

PMID- 1403510
TI  - Cholelithiasis in newborns and infants.
AB  - Cholelithiasis in infants is rare, and has usually been associated with
      hemolysis, ileal disease, congenital anomalies of the biliary tree,
      hyperalimentation, and prolonged fasting. With the increased use of abdominal
      ultrasonography (US), more cases of cholelithiasis are being discovered. We
      report our experience with 13 infants diagnosed on abdominal US to have
      gallstones. There were 9 boys and 4 girls with an average age at diagnosis of 2.6
      months (range, 0 to 9 months). Predisposing factors could be identified in only 6
      of the 13 patients. Two patients with obstructive jaundice underwent
      cholecystectomy and common bile duct exploration. One patient with
      choledocolithiasis and common bile duct dilatation was observed. His stone passed
      spontaneously, with resolution of symptoms. Ten patients without cholestasis
      remained asymptomatic, with disappearance of lithiasis in five of them. Neonatal
      cholelithiasis is more common than previously suspected; it seems to affect males
      more often than females and is usually not associated with known predisposing
      factors. It appears to be a temporary, self-limiting phenomenon, and an
      aggressive approach is not warranted in the asymptomatic infant. Surgical or
      radiological intervention should be reserved for the symptomatic patients or
      those with underlying lithogenic disorders.

PMID- 1403511
TI  - Coagulopathy associated with large sacrococcygeal teratomas.
AB  - Twelve neonates with sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) have been treated at British
      Columbia Children's Hospital over the past 5 years. Clinically significant
      coagulopathy developed in four of these neonates and two died, one before
      surgical intervention could be undertaken. Disseminated intravascular coagulation
      (DIC) was found in one patient and thrombocytopenia in another on preoperative
      laboratory studies. Etiology of the coagulopathy is unclear, but appears to be
      multifactorial. Although several clinical reviews have noted mortalities due to
      exsanguinating hemorrhage, no study has focused solely on this issue. The
      diagnosis of SCT in the neonate at high risk for development of coagulopathy is
      usually made prenatally. Premature labor is often precipitated by associated
      polyhydramnios and large tumor size. Fetal distress, prematurity, and low birth
      weight are common. Presence of placentamegaly, hydrops fetalis, and congestive
      heart failure are ominous prognostic signs. Early identification of patients at
      increased risk for development of hemorrhagic complications may allow
      optimization of their management. Cesarean section should minimize trauma to the
      SCT during delivery. Expeditious resection of the lesion may improve survival.

PMID- 1403512
TI  - Cystic neuroblastoma.
AB  - In the newborn, cystic masses of the adrenal gland are unusual findings and most
      are secondary to hemorrhage. We present a patient with a clinical history typical
      for adrenal hemorrhage who was found to have a thick walled cystic adrenal mass
      on both physical and ultrasound examination. During evaluation the mass decreased
      in size, but vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) levels were
      elevated. Laparotomy and left adrenalectomy confirmed the diagnosis of a cystic
      neuroblastoma. Adrenal cyst, adrenal abscess, and cystic neuroblastoma are all
      rare entities in the newborn. We recommend that all cystic masses of the adrenal
      be evaluated by urinary VMA and HVA and that the possibility of cystic
      neuroblastoma be kept in mind when an adrenal cystic mass is followed
      nonoperatively.

PMID- 1403513
TI  - Inguinal hernias in very low birth weight infants: incidence and timing of
      repair.
AB  - Although the increased occurrence of inguinal hernias (IH) in premature children
      is well known, its incidence in the very low birth weight (VLBW, < 1,500 g)
      subpopulation has not been previously established. Additionally, because of
      associated problems, these children present the surgeon with a dilemma in regards
      to the most appropriate time for repair. We sought to determine the incidence of
      IH, rate of incarceration, perioperative problems, and to possibly define the
      ideal time for correction. Between 1977 and 1987, 1,933 children under 1,500 g
      birth weight were admitted to our neonatal intensive care unit. Of these, 1,391
      lived for at least 28 days and were followed until 20 months corrected age. IH
      was diagnosed in 222 of 1,391 (16%) of those who survived 28 days or more. IH
      occurred in 174 of 670 (26%) of the boys and 48 of 721 (7%) of the girls. The
      incidence by side was right 19.8%, left 14.9%, bilateral 61.7%, and was unclear
      3.6%. Of the 222 infants with IH, 192 were operated at our institution at a mean
      postnatal age of 28 weeks (range, 5 to 110 weeks). Of these, 35 were operated
      prior to neonatal discharge. One or more incarcerations occurred in 35 VLBW
      operated at this hospital. In only one infant, an emergency operation was needed
      because of irreducibility. There was no operative mortality and minimal
      morbidity. Five recurrences occurred during the 20 months' follow-up. This series
      establishes the incidence of IH in VLBW (during the first 20 months). The wide
      range in age at operation suggests that no single criterion can be established
      for ideal timing of repair.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403514
TI  - The nutrition of the fetus with intestinal atresia: studies in the chick embryo
      model.
AB  - This article examines the effects of experimental prenatal intestinal obstruction
      on the growth and blood composition of chick embryos. Intestinal atresia (IA) was
      produced by bipolar bowel electrocoagulation in fertile eggs on the 14th day of
      incubation. The chicks killed on the 19th day were measured, weighed, and blood
      sampled. Twenty-three control, 10 sham-operated, and 11 IA chicks were studied.
      Animals with IA were severely undernourished by weight (43.4 +/- 4.7 v 70.3 +/-
      7.6% of egg weight, P < .001) and length (15.3 +/- 1.1 v 18.1 +/- 0.9 mm tibial
      length, P < .001) in comparison with sham-operated ones. Their hematocrit was
      slightly lower, and total protein increased. Prealbumin was absent in their sera
      and albumin, alpha and beta globulins were significantly decreased, whereas gamma
      globulin was greatly increased. Sodium, potassium chloride, urea, and glucose
      remained within normal limits. The lack of placenta in the avian embryo precludes
      any supply of nutrients by this route and the ingestion of amniotic fluid, which
      is protein-rich after the 13th day of incubation, when the opening of the
      seroamniotic connection allows albumen to be mixed with it, becomes the main
      source of nutrients until hatching. Obstruction of the main incoming avenue by IA
      induces severe malnutrition in this model which relies on this route to a greater
      extent than the human fetus. In spite of the obvious biological differences
      between the avian embryo and the human fetus, the present evidence supports the
      hypothesis that prenatal interruption of the amniotic fluid transit contributes
      to fetal undergrowth in IA.

PMID- 1403515
TI  - New techniques in fetal surgery.
AB  - Optimal fetal management during and after fetal surgery has been limited by an
      inability to reliably monitor the fetal heart rate and temperature, and by a lack
      of access to the fetal circulation. In order to solve these problems, we used
      early third trimester fetal sheep to develop: (1) an implantable radiotelemetry
      device that transmits the fetal electrocardiogram and temperature, and (2) an
      intraosseous access technique. A miniaturized radiotelemeter was implanted
      subcutaneously in the axilla of four fetal sheep. Safe implantation of the
      radiotelemeter was technically feasible and the device reliably recorded the
      fetal electrocardiogram and temperature both intraoperatively and
      postoperatively. Although many possible routes for access to the fetal
      circulation have been tried experimentally and clinically for both resuscitation
      and blood sampling, none have proven satisfactory. We assessed the use of
      intraosseous access in fetal sheep (n = 6) for both infusion and blood sampling.
      Access with an intraosseous needle was obtained in both sheep fetuses and human
      fetal cadavers. Blood gas values (pH, PCO2, and PO2) obtained from the medullary
      cavity of fetal sheep accurately reflected peripheral venous values.
      Resuscitation drugs reached the fetal circulation via the intraosseous route:
      sodium bicarbonate elevated venous bicarbonate levels from 28.4 +/- 1.7 to 31.8
      +/- 2.1 mEq/dL (P < .05); injected glucose increased venous glucose levels by 520
      +/- 108 mg/dL (P < .01); and injection of calcium chloride elevated venous
      calcium levels from 11.8 +/- 0.7 to 15.2 +/- 2.2 mEq/dL (P < .05).(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403516
TI  - Management of catastrophic neonatal midgut volvulus with a silo and second-look
      laparotomy.
AB  - The case of a neonate with midgut volvulus and severe intestinal ischemia
      extending from the ligament of Treitz to the midtransverse colon is presented.
      Management consisted of abdominal silo application at the initial exploration to
      obviate the adverse physiological consequences of increased intraabdominal
      pressure from reperfusion edema of the intestine. The majority of the intestine
      was salvaged, and a short segment of ileum was resected. This method of treatment
      resulted in optimal ventilatory status, renal function, and cardiac performance.
      The advantages of temporary prosthetic wound coverage in selected cases of midgut
      volvulus include greater physiologic stability through the avoidance of
      "intraabdominal hypertension" and the ability to monitor the status of the
      intestine at the bedside.

PMID- 1403517
TI  - Neonatal gastrointestinal perforations.
AB  - Neonatal gastrointestinal perforation has been associated with mortality rates of
      40% to 70%. Over the past 20 years, 81 infants (46 boys and 35 girls) were
      treated for a gastrointestinal perforation at this institution. Perforation
      occurred from birth to 50 days (average, 8.2 days). Etiologies included
      necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) (68%), meconium ileus (10%), and idiopathic
      gastric perforation (7%). Seventy-six infants underwent surgical exploration and
      five infants, considered too small or too sick to withstand a laparotomy, were
      treated with peritoneal lavage only. There were 29 deaths, an overall mortality
      of 36%. Ninety percent of the death occurred in patients with NEC, while all
      patients with gastric perforations survived. There has not been a significant
      improvement in survival in recent years, partly because of an increase in the
      proportion of NEC-related perforations. However, there is a narrowing of the
      mortality gap between low birth weight and normal weight infants. As the risk
      inherent to laparotomy in neonates is decreasing, other factors, such as the
      underlying etiology or the site of perforation, play a more important prognostic
      role.

PMID- 1403518
TI  - Clinical factors affecting mortality in children with malrotation of the
      intestine.
AB  - In children with symptoms secondary to malrotation of the intestine, a
      retrospective statistical study was undertaken to identify factors associated
      with an increased risk of mortality. Between 1964 and 1989, laparatomy was
      performed on 182 children. For study purposes, the children were divided into
      three groups. Group I included 71 patients with an obstruction only in the
      duodenum. The remaining 111 children, all of whom had midgut volvulus, were
      further divided; those without gut necrosis (79) into group II, and those with
      necrosis (32) into group III. One child each died in groups I and II, and 15 in
      group III. In all children we evaluated the relationship between mortality and
      age at presentation, presence of associated serious abnormalities, time from
      onset of symptoms to surgery, and the presence of necrotic bowel. For group III,
      we considered the influence of percentage of bowel resected on mortality. In
      these 182 children the factors associated with an increased risk of mortality
      were presence of necrosis (P < .0001), presence of other abnormalities (P =
      .0008), and younger age (P = .0084). Time from onset of symptoms to surgery was
      not associated with statistically increased risk of mortality. The 1% mortality
      noted in children without intestinal necrosis (group I and II) was related to
      associated abnormality. For group III the estimated probability of survival
      ranged from .999 for patients with 10% of intestinal necrosis to .351 for whose
      with 75% of intestinal necrosis, assuming the best prognostic conditions (patient
      older than 3 months with no associated serious abnormalities).

PMID- 1403519
TI  - Gastroschisis wringer clamp: a safe, simplified method for delayed primary
      closure.
AB  - When primary abdominal wall closure in a newborn with gastroschisis cannot be
      accomplished safely, placement of a reinforced Silastic silo facilitates delayed
      primary closure (DPC). In this report we describe our experience with the
      gastroschisis wringer clamp (GWC). The GWC is an autoclavable, 140-g, aluminum
      alloy device reminiscent of an old wringer washing machine. It consists of two
      apposing serrated rollers that pull the Silastic silo through a slotted base
      plate. This protects the intestine and converts the circular defect into a
      vertical slit to ease DPC. The GWC is adjusted daily on the awake newborn in the
      nursery and the magnitude of each adjustment is gauged by the infant's cardiac
      and pulmonary status. For the past 10 years we have cared for 116 newborns with
      gastroschisis. The average birth weight was 2,530 g (range, 1,380 to 3,300 g).
      Eighty-six infants (74.1%) have undergone primary closure. The remaining 30
      infants (25.9%) were treated by placement of a Silastic silo and application of
      the GWC, forming the basis of this report. The DPC operation was performed an
      average of 6.7 days (range, 3 to 23 days) following the application of the silo.
      Extubation was usually possible prior to the DPC, with the mean length of
      mechanical ventilation being 3.8 days. Three patients developed serious
      complications including two dehiscences of the silo-fascia interface. There were
      no deaths in this group of 30 patients. The GWC offers many technical advantages
      and can be easily reversed when the infant's cardiopulmonary status deteriorates.
      We advocate its adoption as a method of choice in the newborn with gastroschisis
      who requires DPC.

PMID- 1403520
TI  - Unilateral leg edema caused by abdominoscrotal hydrocele: elegant diagnosis by
      MRI.
AB  - A 5-month-old boy presented with bilateral hydroceles since birth and right leg
      edema. An ultrasound of the pelvis showed a 4-cm cystic mass that was diagnosed
      as a teratoma or cystic hygroma. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed, which
      showed a dumbbell shaped contiguous, fluid filled mass extending intraabdominally
      through the inguinal canal from the scrotum. The cystic portion in the right
      iliac fossa was lying on the right iliac vessels, which were patent. A bilateral
      hydrocelectomy was performed, and the intraperitoneal sac was completely excised
      through the inguinal incision. The edema of the right leg disappeared a few days
      after surgery.

PMID- 1403521
TI  - Cloacal exstrophy: prenatal diagnosis before rupture of the cloacal membrane.
AB  - Embryologically, cloacal exstrophy is thought to result from persistence and
      subsequent rupture of the infraumbilical cloacal membrane during the fifth
      embryonic week. We report a case of cloacal exstrophy in which a prenatal
      diagnosis was made prior to rupture of the cloacal membrane. A routine ultrasound
      at 17 weeks' gestation demonstrated monoamniotic twins. One twin was normal, but
      the other was found to have a sacral myelomeningocele, "rocker-bottom" feet,
      splaying of the pubic rami, and a large cystic mass protruding from the
      infraumbilical anterior abdominal wall. A repeat ultrasound was performed at 22
      weeks, with the same findings. At 26 weeks, further examination showed
      disappearance of the abdominal cyst, a small omphalocele, no demonstrable
      bladder, and the suggestion of prolapsed bowel inferior to the umbilical cord
      insertion. After delivery at 34 weeks, the abnormal twin was found to have the
      typical findings of cloacal exstrophy, myelomeningocele, bilateral lower limb
      anomalies, and extremely foreshortened small bowel. Rupture of the presumed
      cloacal membrane after 22 weeks in this case is inconsistent with our current
      understanding of the embryology of this anomaly, and should stimulate a
      reexamination of the current concepts. If the characteristic features are
      recognized, cloacal exstrophy can be diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound, permitting
      prenatal counseling and appropriate perinatal management.

PMID- 1403522
TI  - The kidney in the fetal rat model of congenital diaphragmatic hernia induced by
      nitrofen.
AB  - This paper explores whether there is a correlation between kidney and lung
      growths in an experimental model of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) induced
      by intragastric administration of Nitrofen (115 mg/kg) in olive oil on time-dated
      pregnant Wistar rats at the 9th day of gestation. For comparison we used pregnant
      rats treated with olive oil alone. Twenty-nine normal fetuses from 3 control rats
      and 24 left CDH fetuses from 6 Nitrofen rats were studied. Fetal (3.6 +/- 0.8 v
      4.9 +/- 0.4 g, P < .001) and total lung (2% +/- 0.5% v 2.6% +/- 0.3% of body
      weight, P < .001) weights were significantly decreased in animals with CDH.
      Kidneys were also smaller in CDH animals although not significantly (0.7% +/-
      0.1% v 0.8% +/- 0.1% of body weight, P = .05) and were also histologically
      immature. Regression of kidney weight on body weight for both groups yielded
      regression lines that were identical at analysis of covariance and all data
      points from the CDH group were within the control group 95% confidence limits.
      After converting raw data into lung/body and kidney/body weight ratios, no
      inverse correlation suggesting a feedback mechanism of growth regulation between
      both organs could be found. Since nitrofen acts through modifications of the
      thyroid hormone status in both dam and fetus, altered maturation of several
      organs should be expected although some of them, like the lung, are the leading
      targets. The present CDH rodent model is probably different from the human
      malformation in spite of the striking anatomic similarities between
      them.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403523
TI  - A rare intrapericardial mass in a neonate.
AB  - We describe a rare case of a neonate born with an intrapericardial mass composed
      of extralobar pulmonary sequestration and a cyst of bronchogenic origin. After an
      uneventful delivery, this full-term newborn was noted to be grunting and
      indrawing. He remained tachypneic despite adequate management for bilateral
      pneumothoraces. Diagnostic studies showed a 3 x 3 x 4 cm diameter cystic lesion
      in the anterior mediastinum causing posterior-lateral displacement of the
      superior vena cava. The heart itself was structurally normal. Bronchoscopy and
      esophagoscopy failed to detect any structural abnormalities. At 3 weeks of age,
      sternotomy and resection of the lesion was performed. The mass was clearly
      intrapericardial and consisted of sequestrated pulmonary tissue with a unilocular
      mucus filled bronchogenic cyst. Small systemic tributaries fed the lesion from
      the posterior-superior aspect. There was no connection with the heart or great
      vessels. Postoperative recovery was uneventful.

PMID- 1403524
TI  - Rhabdomyosarcoma arising within congenital pulmonary cysts: report of three
      cases.
AB  - Over the past 9 months, three cases of primary pulmonary rhabdomyosarcoma have
      been treated at British Columbia Children's Hospital. Two patients (aged 24 and
      37 months) presented with spontaneous pneumothoraces and had cystic changes in
      the affected lung on chest radiograph. The third patient (aged 42 months) was
      evaluated for chronic cough, fever, and failure to thrive. Chest x-ray showed a
      large mass in the left lower lobe as well as mediastinal adenopathy. All three of
      these lesions originated within congenital lung cysts, one a peripheral
      bronchogenic cyst and the others cystic adenomatoid malformations. This report
      suggests that there is a significant risk for the development of rhabdomyosarcoma
      within malformed pulmonary tissue.

PMID- 1403525
TI  - Extracellular fluid and total body water changes in neonates undergoing
      extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
AB  - After being placed on extracorporeal life support (ECLS), newborn patients
      typically weight 5% to 30% more than their birthweight. Recovery and eventual
      decannulation from ECLS is associated with a return to baseline weight or
      birthweight values after a pronounced diuresis. It has been assumed that the
      increases in weight in these patients are due to increases in extracellular fluid
      (ECF) and total body water (TBW). This study was undertaken to prove or disprove
      this hypothesis. ECF space was measured using the compound sodium bromide and TBW
      was determined with the use of deuterium oxide (nonradioactive heavy water).
      Fluid compartment measurements were made prior to the institution of ECLS,
      immediately after placement on bypass, approximately every other day while on
      bypass, and a final measurement was made once the patient was off bypass. Sodium
      bromide concentration was analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography, and
      deuterium oxide concentration was measured by the falling drop method. Eight
      newborns with respiratory failure were placed on either venoarterial (4 patients)
      or venovenous (4 patients) ECLS for an average of 106 hours (range, 71 to 219
      hours). Pre-ECLS TBW was high in the neonates (87% of total body weight v the
      normal of 75% to 80%). Mean values for each fluid compartment were corrected for
      the additional volume of the bypass circuit when the patient was on bypass. ECF
      increased immediately after the institution of ECLS; however, both ECF and TBW
      decreased during the bypass run, and post-ECLS levels of ECF and TBW were similar
      to those found prior to ECLS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403526
TI  - Resection of the primary tumor is appropriate for children with stage IV-S
      neuroblastoma: an analysis of 37 patients.
AB  - Current recommendations for treatment of children with IV-S neuroblastoma (NB)
      indicate that "supportive care is the cornerstone of therapy" and resection of
      the primary tumor is not mandated. The presentation and clinical management of 37
      IV-S NB patients from three pediatric oncology centers were retrospectively
      reviewed. The 22 boys and 15 girls presented at an average age of 107 days
      (range, 4 to 616 days). Primary tumor sites were identified in the adrenal gland
      in 19 children, the thorax in 5, the retroperitoneum in 4, and 1 each in the
      pelvis and kidney. At the time of presentation, metastatic disease was documented
      in the liver (27), bone marrow (19), skin (7), and regional lymph nodes (7).
      Massive hepatomegaly (below the umbilicus) was demonstrated in 18 patients.
      Twenty-eight children (76%) have survived on average 90 months following
      diagnosis. Eight patients (22%) died; six of disease and two of complications of
      therapy (mean, 9.6 months). One child was lost to follow-up. Only 3 of the 37
      patients (8%) were managed solely by supportive care and all are alive.
      Extirpation of the primary tumor was accomplished in 24 individuals (65%). Twenty
      patients underwent excision at diagnosis and four had delayed resection with few
      postoperative complications and no deaths related to resection. One death
      resulted from progression of disease in a child who had tumor removal.
      Chemotherapy as a single treatment or in combination with radiation was used in
      10 children with three children surviving (30%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403527
TI  - Improved outcome utilizing spinal anesthesia in high-risk infants.
AB  - The development of apnea following general anesthesia in high-risk infants (less
      than 60 weeks postconceptual age) has been reported up to 37%, prompting the
      routine admission of these children following minor surgical procedures. One
      hundred forty high-risk infants (American Society of Anesthesiologists category
      greater than or equal to 2) were prospectively evaluated after undergoing
      surgical procedures normally performed as outpatients in low-risk babies. All
      patients had spinal anesthesia for their operations. The mean gestational age for
      these infants was 30.8 +/- 3.7 weeks (minimum, 24 weeks) with a mean birth weight
      of 1,466.0 +/- 638.8 g. The mean postconceptual age and weight at the time of
      surgery were 44.8 +/- 7.8 weeks and 3,336 +/- 1,242 g, respectively. Difficulty
      in administering the spinal anesthetic occurred in 6 cases (4.2%). Postoperative
      complications occurred in 5 children (3.8%). They were: postoperative fever (2),
      transient bradycardia (2), and apnea (1). The four cases of postoperative fever
      and bradycardia were insignificant and required no medical intervention. The
      single case of apnea occurred in a premature infant who received a supplemental
      dose of intravenous midazolam. Length of operation in these cases ranged from 15
      minutes to 95 minutes (mean, 53 minutes), with two incidents of inadequate
      anesthesia occurring in this cohort. Mean duration of anesthesia was 146 minutes
      (range, 50 to 240 minutes) and was directly dependent on dosage administration of
      the agents. These data indicate that the use of spinal anesthesia in high-risk
      infants is safe and effective for surgical procedures generally performed as
      outpatients (3.0% minor complication rate, 0.8% major complication
      rate).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403528
TI  - Growth hormone reverses impaired wound healing in protein-malnourished rats
      treated with corticosteroids.
AB  - Corticosteroid (CS) administration amplifies the inhibitory effect of protein
      malnutrition (PM) on wound healing. Abdominal surgery in protein malnourished
      patients receiving corticosteroids (eg, advanced malignancy, transplant
      recipients) may be complicated by wound dehiscence or anastomotic breakdown.
      Although preoperative parenteral nutrition can reduce the incidence of these
      complications, this is not possible in patients requiring urgent surgical
      intervention. In a previous report we demonstrated that postoperative growth
      hormone (GH) administration could restore normal wound healing in PM rats. This
      study evaluates the effect of GH on wound healing in PM rats treated with CS.
      Forty-eight female Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 180 to 210 g were divided into
      four groups: (1) normally nourished; (2) PM only; (3) PM + CS; and (4) PM + CS +
      GH. PM rats (groups 2 to 4) received 5.5% protein chow every other day for 8
      weeks. Control rats (group 1) received 23.4% protein chow for the same duration.
      Group 3 and 4 rats received prednisolone (2 mg/kg, intramuscularly) during the
      last 3 weeks of PM. All animals underwent precise 5-cm midline celiotomies.
      Postoperatively, rats in all groups were given 23.4% protein chow. Group 3 and 4
      rats continued to receive CS postoperatively. Group 4 rats were given GH (0.5
      mg/d, intraperitoneally) postoperatively for 5 days. Wound testing was performed
      on the 6th postoperative day after removal of the sutures. A balloon inserted
      into the peritoneal cavity through the vagina was gradually inflated. The
      pressure at which the wound disrupted was recorded as the wound bursting
      strength.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403529
TI  - Cultured epidermal autografts: a life-saving and skin-saving technique in
      children.
AB  - The recent more widespread availability of cultured keratinocytes has increased
      their clinical applicability in pediatric surgical problems. In life threatening
      burns (3 patients) and in elective procedures (3 patients) we have used sheets of
      cultured epithelial autografts. Body surface area affected ranged from fifteen to
      85%. Five patients were successfully treated in one grafting session and one
      required four sessions. Take of the cultured keratinocytes ranged from 75% to
      95%. Follow-up as long as 30 months has shown the skin to be comparable to if not
      superior to conventional split thickness grafts. The use of cultured
      keratinocytes allows wound coverage without expansion of the affected body
      surface area seen with conventional split-thickness skin grafting. Although there
      is an initial delay in the preparation of the grafts, the overall results have
      been excellent and suggest the more frequent use of this method.

PMID- 1403530
TI  - Early induction of IL-6 in infants undergoing major abdominal surgery.
AB  - Cytokines are immunoregulatory molecules that are important mediators of the host
      response to stress and infection. Infants and children undergoing major surgery
      are particularly at risk of developing sepsis and have altered metabolic
      responses to surgical stress compared to adults. We have investigated the
      temporal sequence of cytokine responses in six infants (mean age, 11 +/- 7.5
      months) undergoing pull-through operation for Hirschsprung's disease and
      correlated them with hemodynamic and biochemical parameters. Tumor necrosis
      factor (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were
      measured by ELISA preoperatively, intraoperatively (hourly), and 24 and 48 hours
      postoperatively. IL-6 levels increased significantly in all cases within 2 hours
      of commencement of the operation (P less than .01) and were maximal 24 hours
      postoperatively. No significant changes in IL-1 beta levels (mean range, 70 to
      110 pg/mL) were seen in these patients. TNF levels were undetectable (less than
      20 pg/mL) throughout the study. Cortisol levels were increased in all patients
      during operation. Serum C-reactive protein levels were first detected 24 hours
      postoperatively and continued to increase 48 hours postoperatively.
      Hemodynamically, heart rate increased during the first 3 hours of operation and
      correlated with increase in IL-6 levels. Blood pressure and temperature changes
      did not correlate with cytokine levels. This study identifies IL-6 as the
      earliest detectable cytokine response associated with major surgery in infants.
      It also suggests that IL-6 can be unregulated, independently of other cytokines,
      in response to surgical stress.

PMID- 1403531
TI  - Experience with a nurse practitioner program in the surgical department of a
      children's hospital.
AB  - Manpower limitations are occurring in residency programs because of fewer
      residency positions and increasing governmental regulations. This limitation
      prompted the development of a program to utilize pediatric nurse practitioners
      (PNPs) in our Department of Surgery. Two began in September 1989. Their role was
      similar to that of the junior resident and included collaborative management of
      patients, admission evaluations, discharges, and a variety of procedures. The
      impact of this program was evaluated by questionnaire to attending surgeons,
      house staff, and parents. There were 123 surveys mailed (12 attending surgeons,
      46 residents, 65 parents). The overall response rate was 51% (100% attending
      surgeons, 57% residents, and 38% parents). Only two of the attending surgeons had
      previous experience working with a PNP. All attending surgeons were enthusiastic
      about the PNP role in managing their patients and felt the PNP had decreased the
      workload of the resident. Eighty-three percent did not feel the PNP interfered
      with resident learning; 17% were undecided. Eleven of 12 felt the PNP had helped
      communication between them and their patients; one was undecided. The resident
      responses were assessed by level of training. Among senior residents, 82% felt
      the PNP had decreased the workload of the junior resident and 91% viewed the PNP
      as a valuable resource, whereas 87% of the junior residents felt the PNP
      decreased their workload and 100% felt the PNP was a valuable resource. None of
      the residents felt the PNP interfered with their learning and 73% of the junior
      residents and 55% of the senior residents felt the PNP contributed to their
      learning.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403532
TI  - The splenic snood: an improved approach for the management of the wandering
      spleen.
AB  - A wandering spleen is in constant danger of torsion and infarction. Splenectomy,
      the traditional treatment, leaves children in danger of postsplenectomy sepsis.
      Three children with wandering spleens were treated by a new splenopexy technique,
      the splenic snood. After detorsion, the spleens were wrapped in polyglycolic mesh
      and anchored by the mesh subdiaphragmatically in the left upper quadrant. All
      have retained their spleens which have remained where anchored up to a 4-year
      follow-up. The simplicity and technical ease of the splenic snood operation
      recommend it as an improved method to avoid splenectomy and safely normalize
      intraabdominal anatomy in the management of the wandering spleen.

PMID- 1403533
TI  - Response to Haemophilus influenzae type B conjugate vaccine in children
      undergoing splenectomy.
AB  - Asplenic children are at increased risk for serious infection with polysaccharide
      encapsulated bacteria including Haemophilus influenzae type b (HIB),
      Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Neisseria meningitidis. Immunization with
      polysaccharide vaccines is recommended for children undergoing splenectomy. In
      1987 a new more immunogenic HIB vaccine was licensed in the US to replace the
      pure HIB polysaccharide vaccine that was licensed in 1985. This polysaccharide
      conjugate vaccine consists of the HIB polysaccharide linked to a protein carrier,
      diphtheria toxoid. Therefore, we evaluated the immune response of children
      undergoing splenectomy to HIB-conjugate vaccine. Thirteen children (7 with
      Hodgkin's disease, 4 with idiopathic thrombocytopenia, 2 with hereditary
      spherocytosis) aged 3 to 19 years were immunized with HIB-conjugate vaccine prior
      to splenectomy and serum was obtained following splenectomy. In addition, 15
      healthy control children aged 2 to 14 years were immunized with the pure
      polysaccharide HIB vaccine for comparison. The patients undergoing splenectomy
      who received the HIB-conjugate vaccine had a geometric mean IgG anti-HIB antibody
      concentration of 48,106 ng/mL versus 10,786 ng/mL for the control patients who
      received the pure polysaccharide vaccine (P = .01). The presumed protective level
      of antibody is 1,000 ng/mL and all children were well above this concentration.
      Therefore, we propose that children undergoing splenectomy be immunized with an
      HIB-conjugate vaccine.

PMID- 1403534
TI  - Successful splenorenal shunt for emergent control of variceal bleeding in a small
      child.
AB  - A 8.6-kg, 10-month-old boy with idiopathic cavernous transformation of the portal
      vein developed variceal hemorrhage refractory to nonoperative management. A
      distal splenorenal shunt was performed while the bleeding was controlled with
      balloon tamponade. Hemorrhage was successfully controlled with no recurrent
      bleeding and the shunt remains patent at 1 year of follow-up.

PMID- 1403535
TI  - The risk of abdominal operations in children with ventriculoperitoneal shunts.
AB  - Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts are the operations of choice for patients with
      hydrocephalus in most pediatric hospitals. Children with VP shunts frequently
      undergo abdominal operations unrelated to their shunts, which might lead to shunt
      infections or to malfunctions related to adhesions. Although prophylactic
      antibiotics are usually used in this setting, there are few data to support their
      use, or to assess other risks to the shunt from the abdominal procedures.
      Consequently, we reviewed the records of 37 children with VP shunts who underwent
      a total of 44 abdominal operations. In 8 cases, the genitourinary (GU) tract was
      opened (ureteral reimplantation, bladder augmentation, nephrectomy), whereas in
      18 patients the gastrointestinal (GI) tract was opened (appendectomy,
      gastrostomy, small/large bowel resection). In 18 operations neither GI nor GU
      tract was opened (lysis of adhesions, herniorrhaphy, orchiopexy). Antibiotic
      coverage was highly variable: 9 received no antibiotics, 9 received antibiotics
      only postoperatively, 4 were given antibiotics only preoperatively, and in 22
      cases antibiotics were given both preoperatively and postoperatively. One shunt
      that was involved in a periappendiceal abscess was exteriorized and later
      successfully replaced. In the remaining cases, no episodes of shunt infection or
      malfunction occurred in 1 to 10 years of follow-up. Likewise, no abdominal
      cerebrospinal fluid pseudocysts formed as a result of abdominal adhesions. These
      data demonstrate that children with VP shunts can safely undergo abdominal
      operations, even when the GI or GU systems are opened, with minimal risk of shunt
      infection or malfunction. Rigid protocols of prophylactic antibiotics cannot be
      supported by this series.

PMID- 1403536
TI  - Mycotic thromboaneurysmal disease of the abdominal aorta in preterm infants: its
      natural history and its management.
AB  - Five infants with mycotic complications of umbilical artery catheterization were
      evaluated with abdominal ultrasound and followed serially to document their
      natural history. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was always the
      infecting organism. There were one female and four male infants and they weighed
      between 900 and 1,200 g at birth. While two of the catheters were positioned in
      the abdominal aorta, three were located above the diaphragm. The predominate
      signs and symptoms included: thrombocytopenia, unexplained anemia, renal failure,
      hypertension, and embolic phenomena to the toes. Real-time ultrasound always
      proved sufficient for diagnosis. Serial studies detected the initial aortic
      thrombosis in three patients and accurately documented its progression to
      aneurysmal disease over 10 days in one patient and 17 days in another. Three of
      the infants were diagnosed with aneurysms at their initial examination. Of the
      five patients, three were treated nonoperatively and died of complications of
      their aortic disease. One patient was discovered at operation to have necrotic
      ischemic intestine. Aortic repair was postponed and he died of septic
      complications. The remaining patient underwent a PTFE interposition graft and
      survived for 6 months, dying of pulmonary failure with autopsy confirmed graft
      patency.

PMID- 1403537
TI  - Mucosal morphology in isolated bowel segments: importance of exposure to luminal
      contents.
AB  - An isolated bowel segment (IBS) is a loop of intestine that has been freed from
      its mesenteric attachment after the development of vascular collaterals between
      the antimesenteric surface of the gut and the host organ. Surgical creation of
      such artificially vascularized isolated bowel segments is of interest to
      researchers for a variety of studies, and may be useful in the treatment of short
      bowel syndrome, allowing longitudinal division of the remaining small bowel to
      double its length. We created four surgical variants to study the ability of the
      collateral blood supply to maintain mucosal integrity in the presence or absence
      of normal luminal contents. In all groups, a collateral blood supply was created
      in a 5- to 7-cm segment of adult rat jejunum by hepatoenteropexy (Iowa model II).
      In Thiry-Vella (T-V) and isolated bowel segment (IBS) rats, this segment was
      exteriorized at both ends to exclude luminal contents. Control and IBS in
      continuity (IBS-C) loops were left in continuity. The mesentery of IBS and IBS-C
      rats was divided 5 weeks later, leaving the experimental segment entirely
      dependent on the collateral circulation. All animals were harvested at 7 weeks
      after the initial surgery. Tissues were analyzed for mucosal weight, protein
      content per centimeter of bowel, length of villi, depth of crypts, DNA content,
      and sucrase activity. We found that segments retaining luminal continuity had
      significantly higher mucosal weight and DNA content per centimeter of bowel
      compared with exteriorized loops.

PMID- 1403538
TI  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in children: initial experience and recommendations.
AB  - Our initial experience with laparoscopic cholecystectomy in children and the
      modification of techniques required for pediatric surgical patients is reported.
      Six children aged 6 to 17 years underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for
      symptomatic cholelithiasis. All patients had biliary colic and did not require
      concomitant intraabdominal surgical procedures. Average operative time was 89
      minutes; none were converted to open cholecystectomy. One patient returned home
      the evening of surgery, two patients were discharged the following morning, and
      two patients were discharged 2 days following the procedure because of their
      distance from home. There were no complications. All patients have remained
      asymptomatic on follow-up of 1 to 5 months. Based on this initial experience,
      several changes in the technique as reported in adults are recommended. Due to
      the softness and laxity of the anterior abdominal wall, an infraumbilical
      incision for the 10-mm camera trocar is more cosmetically acceptable and just as
      efficient. There is a smaller intraabdominal space with which to work, tempting
      one to overinflate the abdomen for better visualization. Care should be taken to
      ensure that the intraabdominal pressure does not exceed 15 mm Hg despite the
      small volumes required to do so. Placement of the second epigastric incision is
      more inferior and lateral than the standard recommendation for adults. The cystic
      duct must be controlled as early as possible in the operative course to prevent
      egress of stones from the gallbladder into the common duct. In one patient, these
      migrating stones were milked back into the gallbladder and a second clip placed.

PMID- 1403539
TI  - The atonic baggy rectum: a cause of intractable obstipation after imperforate
      anus repair.
AB  - Three children with successful imperforate anus repairs had chronic, intractable
      obstipation and recurrent fecal impaction refractory to diligent medical therapy.
      All had massive stool-filled rectums up to 14 cm in diameter on abdominal
      radiographs. They responded well to resection of the baggy atonic rectum with low
      anterior anastomosis. The massively dilated atonic rectal pouch in some children
      with repaired imperforate anus can demonstrate abnormal motility characterized by
      poor peristalsis and propulsion. This results in recurrent obstipation,
      impaction, and soiling refractory to the usually successful medical management.

PMID- 1403540
TI  - Sacrococcygeal teratoma: the experience of four decades.
AB  - To determine the extent of progress in the treatment of sacrococcygeal teratomas
      (SCTs), we evaluated the experience with 73 patients over 40 years. The medical
      records of the children were reviewed for demographics, histology, clinical
      course, and outcome. Therapy differed depending on the type of SCT, histology,
      and decade of diagnosis. The female:male ratio was 4.2:1 and did not vary
      significantly with the histology of the tumor. Fifty-seven patients presented
      with benign disease. There were five recurrences in this group, only one of which
      did not have an initial coccygectomy. One tumor, originally thought to be benign
      with immature elements, had a local recurrence at 7 months, 10 months, and 16
      months after the original operation and was discovered to have embryonal
      carcinoma with nodal involvement. This child was treated with chemotherapy and is
      disease-free at 7 years. Morbidity in the benign group included 3 postoperative
      wound infections. Three infants died, one before operation with beta-hemolytic
      Streptococcus sepsis. Two neonates died in the early postoperative period, one on
      day 1 with a ruptured subcapsular hematoma of the liver, and the second on day 2
      with disseminated intravascular coagulation/sepsis. Benign SCT occurs at a
      younger age than malignant tumors. The average age of presentation of benign
      tumors is 20 days versus 468 days in children with malignant disease. The
      technique of wide resection of benign lesions with coccygectomy is helpful in
      preventing recurrence and has changed little over the last four decades.
      Malignant SCT occurred in 16 children (22%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403541
TI  - Prognostic factors and outcome in patients 21 years and under with colorectal
      carcinoma.
AB  - This study aims to identify significant predictors of survival in pediatric and
      adolescent colorectal carcinoma. We retrospectively analyzed our experience with
      29 histologically verified cases, of which 20 were resected for cure. Variables
      analyzed as predictors of survival included: (1) resectability, (2) regional
      nodal involvement, (3) depth of invasion, (4) grade, and (5) interval from
      symptom onset to diagnosis. Signet ring or anaplastic lesions were considered
      high grade. Survival curves were generated on both the overall group and those
      resected for cure. Multivariate analysis was performed on the overall group. The
      median age at diagnosis was 19 years (range, 10 to 21). Median follow-up in
      survivors was 4.7 years. Signet ring tumors occurred in 45% and another 24% were
      poorly differentiated. Seventy-six percent presented with regional lymph node
      metastases. The median survival for the overall group was 16 months, whereas that
      for those undergoing complete resection was 33 months. In patients undergoing
      resection for cure, grade (P = .005), regional nodal involvement (P = .007), and
      depth of invasion (P = .03) were significant predictors of outcome in univariate
      analysis. In the overall group these variables as well as resectability and
      distant metastases were significant in univariate analysis. In multivariate
      analysis high-grade lesions and lymph node involvement were highly correlated, as
      were resectability and metastases. Thus, either variable (but not both) of each
      pair added information to the multivariate model. In patients resected for cure,
      positive nodes or high histological grade became the only significant predictors
      of survival.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403542
TI  - Transhiatal esophagectomy and colonic interposition for caustic esophageal
      stricture.
AB  - From January 1986 through 1990, 70 children (42 boys, 28 girls) with esophageal
      stricture resulting from ingestion of caustic potash underwent simultaneous
      esophagectomy and colonic interposition utilizing the transhiatal esophageal
      approach. At the time of the procedure, their ages ranged from 14 months to 6
      years (mean, 3.2 years). Thoracotomy was needed in one patient due to accidental
      injury to the tracheal during esophageal mobilization. There were 3 deaths from
      respiratory failure. Otherwise, morbidity was low, and there were satisfactory
      long-term functional results. The use of isoperistaltic left colon based on both
      ascending and descending branches of the left colic vessels resulted in survival
      of all grafts. End-to-side esophagocolic anastomosis decreased the incidence of
      both postoperative leak (2 instances) and late stenosis (1 case needed surgical
      revision). Construction of a length of colonic graft equal to the gap between the
      esophagus above the stricture and the stomach and fixation of the graft to the
      edge of the esophageal hiatus reduced the incidence of late colonic redundancy in
      the chest; this did occur in 4 cases but was not associated with dysphagia.
      Routine pyloroplasty and anterior cologastric anastomosis to the gastric antrum
      contributed to the absence of gastrocolic reflux and peptic ulceration in this
      series.

PMID- 1403543
TI  - Transventricular dilation for critical aortic stenosis in neonates.
AB  - Critical aortic stenosis (CAOS) is not compatible with life when the ductus
      arteriosus closes. We have treated 11 consecutive cases with isolated CAOS.
      Symptom presentation was in the early neonatal period and diagnosis was made
      noninvasively at a mean age of 4 days. All were operated on with transventricular
      dilation (TVD) at a mean age of 4.7 days. There was no early mortality. There
      were two late deaths due to fibroelastosis. Both had the smallest aortic anulus
      diameter (5 mm). Two other patients had aortic root replacement, one at the age
      of 6.5 weeks due to intractable heart failure, and the other at the age of 3
      months due to increasing gradient. In these two cases elective surgery was made
      possible by a successful TVD in the early neonatal period. TVD in this material
      was not associated with any early mortality, which makes this procedure a good
      alternative in the treatment of CAOS.

PMID- 1403544
TI  - Prolonged extracorporeal support for nonneonatal respiratory failure.
AB  - Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is effective for newborns with
      pulmonary failure unresponsive to conventional therapy. However, ECMO for the
      older child and adult has been controversial and not widely utilized. Over 4
      years, 24 patients (aged 4 months to 16 years; 11 boys, 13 girls) underwent
      venoarterial ECMO (duration, 7 to 19 days) for respiratory failure. The diagnoses
      were: viral pneumonia (7), hydrocarbon aspiration (6), sepsis with adult
      respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (2), bacterial pneumonitis (2), tracheal
      stenosis (1), bilateral pulmonary contusion (1), diaphragmatic hernia with ARDS
      (1), ketoacidosis with ARDS (1), pulmonary artery injection of hydrocarbon (1),
      drowning (1), and epiglottis with barotrauma (1). Pre-ECMO blood gas ranges (and
      means) were PO2 18 to 65 (46), and PCO2 47 to 112 (65). Nineteen patients
      received dopamine, dobutamine, or other inotrope for associated cardiac and/or
      renal failure. Cannulation for ECMO was through neck or groin vessels in 17, and
      sternotomy in 7. ECMO flow rates were 150 to 250 mL/kg/min, to maintain PO2
      greater than 100 and PCO2 less than 40. Nine patients (41%) survived ECMO, with
      eight long-term survivors, (4 hydrocarbon aspiration or injection, 1 pulmonary
      contusion, 1 viral pneumonia, 1 ARDS, 1 barotrauma), three of whom have mild
      neurological deficit. All patients with sternotomy, and 8 of 15 with neck and/or
      groin cannulation, required 1 to 5 explorations for hemorrhage while on ECMO. All
      survivors had primarily pulmonary failure; patients with combinations of
      pulmonary, cardiac, and renal failure did not survive. ECMO can be life-saving in
      the child with isolated pulmonary failure, but its efficacy in patients with
      multiorgan failure is uncertain.

PMID- 1403545
TI  - Surgical complications and procedures in neonates on extracorporeal membrane
      oxygenation.
AB  - We report our experience from May 1985 to January 1991 with surgical
      complications and procedures performed in neonates on extracorporeal membrane
      oxygenation (ECMO) (218 venoarterial and 7 venovenous bypass). Eleven children
      older than 1 month were excluded. Total complications were 96 in 67 patients and
      included: bleeding (37), problems with initial cannula placement (17), thrombus
      formation (15), hemothorax, pneumothorax, or effusions (11), mechanical problems
      (11), and miscellaneous (5). Forty-eight procedures were performed in 37 patients
      while on ECMO. These were recannulation or reposition of cannulas (14), tube
      thoracostomy (11), cardiac surgery (6), cardiac catheterization (4), repair of
      congenital diaphragmatic hernia (5), thoracotomy (4), and others. Twenty-eight
      complications occurred in 15 of the 27 patients who died. Mortality rate was 12%
      for the entire group. Primary causes of death were hypoplastic lung (11), cardiac
      (8), sepsis (4), intraventricular hemorrhage (2), and pulmonary hypertension (2).
      No deaths were due solely to complications except for the two patients with
      intraventricular hemorrhage. Mortality in neonates who had complications while on
      ECMO was significantly higher (P less than .005) than in patients without
      complications. Hemorrhagic and thoracic complications were associated with higher
      mortality (P less than .001). Mortality was not affected by mechanical problems,
      thrombus formation, or catheter-related problems. While on ECMO cardiac defects,
      diaphragmatic hernia, lobar emphysema, and other conditions can be safely
      corrected. The use of echocardiography to position the cannulas, better control
      of coagulation factors and improvement in equipment may ultimately decrease
      complications.

PMID- 1403546
TI  - Echocardiography in the preoperative evaluation of vascular rings.
AB  - Vascular rings may produce tracheal and/or esophageal compression in infants and
      children. Traditionally recognized fluoroscopically, the exact anatomy of the
      ring and appropriate surgical correction are determined intraoperatively. The
      role of preoperative echocardiography was examined. Twenty patients with
      symptomatic vascular rings were evaluated preoperatively with echocardiography at
      this institution. Their ages ranged from 10 days to 11 years (mean, 17 months).
      There were 9 boys and 11 girls. Most (17/20) presented with respiratory symptoms
      in the first year of life, although in 3 patients dysphagia was the primary
      complaint (at birth, 4 months, 9 years). All underwent initial evaluation with a
      barium esophagogram prior to the echocardiogram. Surgical correction was
      subsequently performed and the exact anatomy identified. All barium esophagograms
      were interpreted prospectively as demonstrating a "vascular ring." Although often
      suspected fluoroscopically, the actual type of ring was correctly identified by
      echocardiogram in all cases including determination of the dominant arch and
      associated anomalies. The types of vascular rings included double aortic arch
      (10), right aortic arch with left ligamentum arteriosum and/or aberrant left
      subclavian artery (6); aberrant right subclavian artery (2), and pulmonary artery
      sling (2). Barium esophagogram remains the best screening test for children in
      whom a vascular ring is suspected. However, echocardiography is a useful
      noninvasive complementary examination to confirm the diagnosis, clarify anatomy,
      and exclude other major intracardiac pathology prior to surgical correction.

PMID- 1403547
TI  - Pericardial flap interposition for the definitive management of recurrent
      tracheoesophageal fistula.
AB  - From 1974 to 1988, six children with fistula recurrence following primary
      tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) repair have been managed at our hospital.
      Reclosure of the fistula with pleural flap interposition was used as the initial
      corrective procedure in five patients, with an 80% incidence of second TEF
      recurrences. Due to these discouraging results, we have abandoned this technique
      and instead favor fistula reclosure with interposition of a pedicle of
      vascularized pericardium between the esophageal and tracheal suture lines. The
      pericardial pedicle is easy to mobilize, effectively isolates the tracheal and
      esophageal suture lines, and eliminates the often difficult task of finding
      sufficient pleural tissue for fistula interposition in small infants.
      Furthermore, the vascularized pedicle serves as a template for the ingrowth of
      neomucosa from the existing esophageal mucosa should an anastomotic leak occur.
      Since adopting this approach, we have used this technique on four children, three
      of whom had second recurrences after pleural interposition, and have had no
      evidence of recurrent fistula formation at follow-up ranging from 2 to 6 years.
      With at least a 20% incidence of second recurrences reported following
      conventional management with fistula closure and pleural interposition, we
      believe use of a pericardial flap in the management of the recurrent TEF is the
      most appropriate surgical procedure.

PMID- 1403548
TI  - Delayed primary anastomosis for esophageal atresia: 18 months' to 11 years'
      follow-up.
AB  - In 1977 we started treating babies with isolated esophageal atresia by delayed
      primary anastomosis and in 1981 reported our early experience in five cases
      treated between 1977 and 1979. Since 1979, 11 further consecutive cases have been
      managed by initial gastrostomy followed by delayed primary esophageal
      anastomosis. Their mean gestation was 35 weeks (range, 28 to 40 weeks) and mean
      birth weight was 2,040 g (range, 1,140 to 2,720 g). The esophageal gap between
      the two ends when assessed initially at fluoroscopy ranged from 2.2 to 4.5 cm
      (mean, 3.2 cm). Age at delayed primary anastomosis ranged from 6 to 20 weeks.
      Anastomotic leak occurred in three babies in the immediate postoperative period
      and all were successfully managed conservatively. Eight of the 11 patients
      developed anastomotic strictures; seven cases required 1 to 5 esophageal
      dilatations. One patient who did not respond to multiple esophageal dilatations
      required resection of an esophageal stricture. One patient died at 15 months of
      age of unrelated causes. The 10 surviving patients have been followed-up from 18
      months to 11 years. At follow-up, seven patients were eating normally. Three
      patients had swallowing difficulties and all three were found to have esophageal
      strictures on barium swallow, two of them also had gross esophageal reflux and
      hiatus hernia. The height and weight in the 10 patients varied from 3rd centile
      to 75th centile. Delayed primary anastomosis is feasible in cases of isolated
      esophageal atresia and the patient's own esophagus is the best. A more aggressive
      approach should be applied to gastroesophageal reflux in these patients.

PMID- 1403549
TI  - Repair of long tracheal defects with cryopreserved cartilaginous allografts.
AB  - Tracheoplasties with various autografts (cartilage, periosteum, pericardium) have
      been used in the treatment of long-segment tracheal stenosis. Previous studies
      have shown that cartilage allografts survive transplantation on a long-term basis
      in various sites of the body. In this study we set out to determine if
      cryopreserved cartilage and cryopreserved tracheal allografts would survive when
      used to cover tracheal defects in animals. A rectangular defect (2.8 +/- 0.3 cm
      long and incorporating 50% of tracheal circumference) was created in the thoracic
      trachea of 18 piglets. The defect was covered with the excised tracheal segment
      in 6 (group A, control group), with a cryopreserved tracheal allograft in 6
      (group B), and with a cryopreserved cartilage allograft harvested from the
      scapula in 6 (group C). The allografts were cryopreserved, by a standard slow
      freezing technique, at -80 degrees C for more than 21 days. All animals survived
      the grafting procedure and were killed after 2 months. None had signs of airway
      obstruction. Using the trachea above the defect as the standard, the mean
      sagittal narrowing of the airway in the repaired trachea was 0.4 mm in group A,
      0.7 mm in group B, and 0.6 mm in group C; the coronal diameter in normal and
      grafted trachea was similar. The lumen of all grafts was lined by regenerating
      respiratory epithelium, and cilia were seen in many. Some cartilage was
      reabsorbed in group A and B but cartilage islands were present in all. In group
      A, reabsorption of cartilage was minimal. These findings suggest that segments of
      trachea or cartilage allografts can be cryopreserved, stored, and, subsequently,
      used when necessary for tracheoplasty.

PMID- 1403550
TI  - Severe tracheomalacia associated with esophageal atresia: results of surgical
      treatment.
AB  - This study reviews our experience from 1977 to 1991 with 32 children born with
      esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula (EA-TEF) who later underwent
      surgery for severe tracheomalacia. Indications for surgery included dying spells
      (21), inability to extubate the airway (nasotracheal tube 5, tracheotomy 3), and
      recurrent pneumonia (3). Diagnosis was confirmed by chest x-ray, esophagogram,
      and bronchoscopy. Aortopexy was performed in 31 of 32 children; a splint without
      aortopexy was used in one older girl. Splinting was also necessary in two of the
      31 at the initial operation, when aortopexy failed to prevent tracheal collapse.
      There were four initial failures. Currently, 29 children are well (median follow
      up, 6.6 years). Two have a tracheostomy in place, and one, who had a vascular
      ring divided after aortopexy, died at home of unknown cause 1 month later. These
      findings indicate that aortopexy provides long-term relief of severe symptoms of
      tracheomalacia associated with EA-TEF in almost all affected children. When
      aortopexy fails, the insertion of an airway splint may succeed; otherwise,
      tracheostomy is necessary.

PMID- 1403551
TI  - The balloon posterior tracheal split: a technique for managing tracheal stenosis
      in the premature infant.
AB  - Congenital tracheal stenosis (CTS) in the premature infant almost invariably
      leads to death for lack of effective reconstructive techniques. We hypothesized
      that the complete or near complete cartilaginous rings of CTS have a weak point
      in the posterior portion. Aggressive balloon dilation would result in a posterior
      longitudinal disruption of the trachea, and an expanded tracheal wall would be
      created after an appropriate period of endotracheal stenting. Three premature
      infants with multiple anomalies and CTS were treated with endoscopic posterior
      tracheal splitting, dividing the trachea as predicted. Although two died of
      complications of congenital heart disease 2 weeks after the procedure, the third
      child is alive and well at 9 months of age without airway symptoms. The posterior
      tracheal wall also split when we performed the procedure in a fresh cadaveric CTS
      patient. We believe that balloon dilation may prove to be a valuable technique in
      the treatment of premature infants with congenital or acquired tracheal stenosis
      and/or in children with such complex diseases that major surgery is precluded.

PMID- 1403552
TI  - Acquired lobar emphysema (overinflation): clinical and pathological evaluation of
      infants requiring lobectomy.
AB  - Acquired lobar "emphysema" (overinflation) (ALE) is an increasingly recognized
      complication of advanced bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). To refine current
      concepts regarding patient management and pathogenesis, we examined clinical and
      pathological features of six infants with ALE who did not have obstructing
      intraluminal lesions and who underwent lobectomy after failing nonoperative
      management. All had severe neonatal respiratory distress and required prolonged
      ventilatory support (average, 2 months) with peak inspiratory pressures greater
      than 30 mm Hg and 100% oxygen. ALE developed between 3 weeks and 20 months of age
      (median, 5 months), with lobar hyperinflation, atelectasis, and mediastinal
      shift. Selective bronchial intubation provided only transient benefit.
      Videobronchoscopy demonstrated no intraluminal obstructing lesions in five
      patients. In one child, ALE became clinically apparent only after laser excision
      of an endobronchial cicatrix. All infants had bronchomalacia with the involved
      lobar bronchus being most severely affected. Ventilation-perfusion scans
      demonstrated severe impairment of both ventilation and perfusion in the involved
      lobes. The decision to perform lobectomy was based on clinical parameters and
      failure of non-operative management. After lobectomy, all children dramatically
      improved. However, only three of six were alive 2 to 3 years later; one infant
      died of unrelated causes at 6 weeks; and two died of progressive respiratory
      insufficiency 13 and 24 months postlobectomy. Microscopic evaluation of the lung
      demonstrated findings of late-stage BPD with peribronchial and interstitial
      fibrosis, parenchymal overinflation, and alveolar septal disruption.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403553
TI  - Reduced-size lung transplantation from adult to neonatal sheep.
AB  - Lung transplantation continues to be limited by donor availability. This shortage
      is particularly acute in the pediatric population. A model was developed in sheep
      to simulate human pulmonary transplantation from adults into newborns. Pulmonary
      allografts were performed in 8 neonatal lambs (less than 10 days old) weighing
      between 2.5 and 5 kg. Unrelated adult sheep donors were used (weighing 55 to 82
      kg). The recipient body weight was approximately 6% that of the donor, but ranged
      from 4% to 8%. Ipsilateral or contralateral upper lobe allografts were used,
      although the latter required inversion prior to implantation. All venous
      anastomoses utilized left atrial cuffs. The pulmonary arterial and bronchial
      anastomoses were constructed end-to-end. Following implantation the lobes were
      further contoured to fit within the recipient hemithorax using a linear surgical
      stapler. Animals were immunosuppressed with cyclosporine. Two animals died 1 week
      postoperatively but the remaining six survived 1 to 5 months. Postoperative lung
      scans at 10 to 14 days confirmed satisfactory ventilation and perfusion of the
      allografts. All vascular anastomoses were intact at postmortem examination.
      Primary bronchial healing accomplished without an omental wrap. We conclude that
      successful lung transplantation can be performed from adult donors into neonatal
      recipients. Preservation of the maximal arterial and venous length during native
      pneumonectomy is essential to allow matching of the vascular cuffs. Short donor
      lobar bronchi may be responsible for the reliable primary healing. Improved
      immunosuppression will be required to assess long-term function and growth of
      these reduced-size allografts.

PMID- 1403554
TI  - Experience with a total muscle-sparing approach for thoracotomies in neonates,
      infants, and children.
AB  - We have adopted a total muscle-sparing technique for thoracotomies in infants and
      children. The technique preserves the latissimus dorsi and serratus anterior
      muscles and provides excellent exposure for most thoracic and mediastinal
      operations. Thirty-two such procedures have been performed with only one
      complication, a small wound seroma. Use of this technique may not only decrease
      postoperative pain and splinting, but may decrease the incidence of scoliosis and
      muscle dysfunction found in children having undergone thoracotomies as infants.

PMID- 1403555
TI  - Biology of fetal wound healing: collagen biosynthesis during dermal repair.
AB  - The rapid restoration of tissue integrity and breaking strength in healing fetal
      wounds is mainly a function of fetal wound collagen. In this study, the fetal and
      adult tissue responses to injury were characterized in terms of changes in
      collagen biosynthesis. Linear wounds and unwounded skin were incubated with
      radioactive proline, and collagen synthesis was measured as isotope incorporation
      into collagenase-sensitive protein. Likewise, noncollagen protein synthesis was
      represented by isotope incorporation into collagenase-resistant protein. Adult
      wounds demonstrated a preferential stimulation of collagen as compared with
      noncollagen protein synthesis after wounding. In contrast, both collagen and
      noncollagen protein synthesis were significantly elevated in the fetus during the
      first 5 days postwounding. Despite marked increases in fetal wound collagen
      synthesis above both unwounded fetal skin and adult wound levels, fetal wounds
      exhibited no evidence of excessive collagen deposition or scar formation after
      wounding. These findings suggest that the fetal response to tissue injury is a
      function of the distinctive qualities of fetal fibroblasts associated with the
      extracellular wound matrix and may involve rapid collagen turnover and
      degradation.

PMID- 1403556
TI  - Fetoscopic surgery for the treatment of congenital anomalies.
AB  - Fetoscopic techniques may broaden the indications for prenatal surgical
      intervention by obviating the risks of hysterotomy. For example, congenital
      obstructive uropathy has been treated by open vesicostomy and percutaneous
      catheter placement. The open approach is appropriate only for highly selected
      fetuses because of the inherent risks, whereas catheter drainage, though a safer
      procedure, is only useful for short-term therapy late in gestation due to
      frequent catheter obstruction and migration. The natural history of congenital
      obstructive uropathy mandates the need for improved therapy earlier in gestation,
      in order to salvage fetuses who would otherwise die of renal failure and
      pulmonary hypoplasia. We have developed a potential solution to this problem in
      which surgery is performed on the fetus without the risks of hysterotomy.
      Endoscopic fetal surgery uses a telescopic lens and operating instruments that
      are passed through small "ports" in the uterus. A bubble of CO2 is used to
      displace amniotic fluid and provides excellent visualization in a magnified
      field. This approach is considerably less invasive than open fetal surgery and,
      therefore, is less likely to provoke preterm labor. In this study we corrected
      obstructive uropathy in midgestation fetal lambs using a new, expandable wire
      mesh stent that is placed endoscopically and should provide more reliable bladder
      drainage than existing catheters. The fetoscopic surgical approach can
      potentially expand the indications for in utero surgery by decreasing fetal
      risks, facilitating intervention earlier in gestation, and reducing preterm
      labor. As a consequence, the potential now exists to correct non-life-threatening
      malformations in utero.

PMID- 1403557
TI  - Postoperative apnea in infants.
AB  - This is a review of 127 neonates evaluated for postoperative apnea and
      bradycardia (A&B) after inguinal surgery. The patients could be divided into
      three groups based on postconceptional age (PCA) at operation. Ten of 29 patients
      operated on at PCA of 33 to 39 weeks developed episodes of A&B. Preoperative
      assessment was not reliable in their identification. In the second group of 54
      patients at PCA 40 to 44 weeks, 8 developed A&B, whereas in the third group of 44
      patients at PCA of 45 to 60 weeks 1 patient developed A&B. In the latter two
      groups preoperative assessment identified all patients at high risk. We conclude
      that after PCA of 40 weeks patients at risk for A&B can be identified
      preoperatively. Patients operated on up to 39 weeks PCA should all be observed in
      the hospital.

PMID- 1403558
TI  - Operative intervention for pediatric liver injuries: avoiding delay in treatment.
AB  - To identify the physiological and anatomic factors that characterize the need for
      operative management of blunt pediatric liver injuries, the case records of 106
      pediatric trauma victims with liver injuries over a 6-year period were reviewed.
      Sixty-nine patients were managed without operation (nonoperative) and 37
      underwent operation, 7 with penetrating and 30 with blunt liver injuries. Of
      these 30 patients, 21 underwent laparotomy due to blunt liver injuries
      (operative); the remaining 9 patients required operation due to associated
      intraabdominal injuries. Nine (45%) of the 21 operative patients had major
      hepatic vein or retrohepatic vena caval injuries, 7 of whom died. Overall
      mortality was 9.4% (10/106). When nonoperative and operative groups were
      compared, those who underwent laparotomy due to blunt liver injuries: (1) had
      significantly lower Champion and Pediatric Trauma Scores due to multisystem
      injury; (2) had 25% or greater lobar disruption with pelvic blood collections on
      computed tomography scan; (3) underwent early transfusion within 2 hours of
      admission (18/21); and (4) were frequently found to have a major hepatic vein or
      retrohepatic vena caval injury at the time of operation. Only one patient
      successfully managed without operation received greater than 30 mL/kg of blood
      products within 24 hours of admission. As selective nonoperative management of
      pediatric liver injuries gains widespread acceptance, the identification of
      factors that predict the need for operative intervention will limit the potential
      risks of delay in treatment.

PMID- 1403559
TI  - Sarcomas of the flexor fossae in children: is amputation necessary?
AB  - Successful management of sarcomas of the extremities in children implies not only
      achievement of local control but also satisfactory function and maintenance of
      the growth potential. The popliteal and antecubital fossae, because of their
      complex neurovascular anatomy, all of which is essential, make resection with
      satisfactory margins difficult. We reviewed our experience with 14 patients (3 to
      20 years old; median, 13 years) with soft tissue sarcomas arising in the
      popliteal (11 patients) or antecubital (3 patients) fossae. There were four
      rhabdomyosarcomas (3 alveolar, 1 embryonal) and 10 other sarcomas, the most
      frequent being synovial sarcoma (5 patients). Chemotherapy was given to all
      patients with rhabdomyosarcomas. The one patient presenting with metastatic
      disease was treated, after biopsy of the primary, by chemotherapy and radiation
      and survived 21 months. In three patients, the primary management was an above
      the-knee amputation and two of three survived (3 and 43 months). In 10 patients a
      wide local excision of the primary tumor was performed. Radiation therapy was
      administered to five, either as external beam (3 patients) or as brachytherapy (2
      patients). In this group, there were no local recurrences. Four patients remain
      free of disease (4 months to 18 years) and one developed pulmonary metastasis.
      Among the five non-irradiated patients, three developed local recurrences,
      requiring above-the-knee amputation for disease. The fourth patient relapsed in
      the lung and only one of the five is free of disease at 36 months. Of the 8
      patients not treated with amputation, one acquired a leg length discrepancy,
      which required correction, and one has a minimal extension deficit of the
      knee.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403560
TI  - Allopurinol prevents intestinal permeability changes after ischemia-reperfusion
      injury.
AB  - Under normal conditions the intestinal mucosa is impermeable to potentially
      harmful materials from the intestinal lumen. Mucosal disruption promotes
      bacterial translocation, which is postulated to be a fuel source for sepsis and
      multiorgan failure. We have previously demonstrated that mesenteric ischemia
      reperfusion (I/R) injury increases intestinal permeability (IP); however, the
      mechanism remains unclear. This study was designed to examine the hypothesis that
      changes in IP, after I/R injury, are mediated by xanthine oxidase-generated,
      oxygen-derived free radicals. Thirty-three Sprague-Dawley rats (weighing 300 to
      400 g) were included in this study. Group 1 (n = 10) received enteral
      allopurinol, a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, 10 mg/kg daily for 1 week prior to
      mesenteric ischemia. Group 2 consisted of 11 untreated, ischemic animals. Groups
      1 and 2 were subjected to superior mesenteric artery occlusion with interruption
      of collateral flow for 20 minutes to produce ischemic injury to the intestine. An
      additional 12 rats (group 3), served as nonischemic controls (sham). A loop of
      distal ileum was isolated and cannulated proximally and distally to allow luminal
      perfusion with warmed Ringer's lactate at 1 mL/min. IP was determined in all
      groups by quantitatively measuring the plasma-to-luminal clearance of chromium
      (51Cr)-labeled ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) at baseline, during ischemia
      and 20, 40, and 60 minutes after reperfusion. Complete ischemia produced
      significant increases in IP over baseline values in the untreated rats (group 2,
      baseline: 0.49 +/- 0.006, ischemia: 0.149 +/- 0.039) compared with sham rats
      (baseline: 0.41 +/- 0.006; ischemia: 0.047 +/- 0.009) or allopurinol-treated rats
      (baseline: 0.098 +/- 0.020, ischemia: 0.073 +/- 0.012, P less than
      .001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403561
TI  - Hypoxia-induced bacterial translocation in the puppy.
AB  - Because hypoxia is one of the most common major stresses to which a neonate is
      exposed, we postulated that it alone might be the cause of intestinal bacterial
      translocation, which could be the underlying etiology of neonatal sepsis. An
      animal model, in which hypoxia is the sole stress, was developed in our
      laboratory and tested in 18 puppies to determine the effect of hypoxia and
      reoxygenation on intestinal bacterial translocation. In group I (n = 8),
      following laparotomy and cannulation of the superior mesenteric vein (SMV), the
      FIO2 was decreased from 21% to 9% for 90 minutes followed by reoxygenation at 21%
      for 120 minutes. The abdomen was closed and the animals were allowed to recover.
      After 24 hours the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs), spleen, and liver were
      harvested for bacterial determination and the ileum and jejunum for histological
      evaluation. Group II (n = 7) was treated the same as group I with the FIO2
      maintained at 21%. Group III (n = 3) animals were killed, without intervention,
      for bacterial analysis. In group I, the systemic PO2 decreased by 75%, SMV PO2
      decreased by 64%, and oxygen delivery to the small bowel decreased by 80% in
      comparison with group II. The mean arterial pressure and cardiac output were not
      significantly different between group I and group II; however, the mucosal blood
      flow was decreased by 60% (P less than .001) in group I. Arterial and SMV blood
      lactic acid levels were unchanged in group I in comparison with group II,
      suggesting that anaerobic metabolism was not initiated in the splanchnic
      circulation during hypoxia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403562
TI  - Recognition of recurrent gastroesophageal reflux following antireflux surgery in
      the neurologically disabled child: high index of suspicion and definitive
      evaluation.
AB  - Multiple symptoms suggestive of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) developed in 181 of
      240 children (75%) with profound neurological impairment (NI) following operative
      management of GER. Diagnostic testing was performed in 102 children, 56% of
      patients with symptoms. Recurrent GER was evident on one or more diagnostic
      studies in 46% of children evaluated. Significant differences (P less than .05)
      were found in the testing protocols of children with studies positive for GER and
      those individuals with negative tests. Children with study-documented recurrent
      GER: (1) had testing conducted at a more remote time postoperatively; (2)
      received a greater number of total tests; (3) were evaluated by more than one
      type of diagnostic test; and (4) underwent upper endoscopy and pH monitoring more
      frequently. No single clinical symptom was predictive of study-documented
      recurrent GER. These results suggest that recognition of recurrent GER after an
      antireflux operation in a child with profound NI requires a high index of
      suspicion. Definitive evaluation of children with postoperative symptoms demands
      repeated testing over time and the use of more than one type of diagnostic test.
      A contrast study should be used to evaluate the mechanical properties of the
      fundoplication and esophagoscopy and/or esophageal pH monitoring to assess the
      physiological control of GER.

PMID- 1403563
TI  - Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the extracellular matrix protein,
      laminin, in Hirschsprung's disease.
AB  - Previous immunohistochemical studies have shown an abnormal distribution of
      extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, including laminin, in the smooth muscle
      layer of muscularis externa in Hirschsprung's disease (HD) bowel. These findings
      supported the hypothesis that an abnormal ECM microenvironment may be responsible
      for the failure of migration and/or development of the neural crest cells in the
      gut in HD. In order to determine the cause of the abnormality in laminin
      distribution, solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and immunoblots were
      used to quantitate the ECM protein laminin and characterize its subunits,
      respectively, in extracts of the dissected smooth muscle layer of the muscularis
      externa. In the aganglionic bowel, laminin (median concentration, 32.4 ng/mg of
      tissue) was found to be present in significantly greater quantity than in both
      the normoganglionic bowel of the same specimen (median, 17.2 ng/mg, P less than
      or equal to .05) and the normal bowel of age-matched controls (median, 9.7 ng/mg,
      P less than or equal to .05). Laminin concentration was also found to be
      significantly higher in normoganglionic HD bowel (median, 17.2 ng/mg) than in age
      matched control specimens (median, 10.8 ng/mg, P less than or equal to .05). No
      difference was observed in the subunit composition of laminin in HD and control
      extracts analysed by immunoblot after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This
      study demonstrates a quantitative abnormality of laminin in the bowel in HD,
      supporting the hypothesis that "abnormal microenvironment" may have a role in the
      pathogenesis of HD.

PMID- 1403564
TI  - Pulmonary growth and remodeling in infants with high-risk congenital
      diaphragmatic hernia.
AB  - Infants born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) have pulmonary
      hypoplasia, but the pattern of postnatal growth in these lungs has not been
      documented. The lungs of 21 children dying with CDH were analyzed to determine
      how the pulmonary morphology changed with age. The patients were stratified into
      three age groups for ANOVA analysis (less than 8 days, 8 to 21 days, greater than
      21 days). Morphometric techniques previously described were used. Lung volume and
      weight as well as pulmonary artery length and diameter increased with age (P =
      .04), whereas the number of airway generations was similar for each group. Radial
      alveolar number also increased, particularly in the contralateral lung (P = .02).
      The percentage of intraacinar artery muscularization decreased with age (P =
      .02), while larger intraacinar arteries showed a nonmuscular structure, again
      particularly in the contralateral lung (P = .004). It is concluded that: (1)
      significant lung growth does occur postnatally at the alveolar level after CDH
      repair; and (2) there is postnatal vascular remodelling resulting in larger and
      less muscular arteries. These changes should contribute to a decrease in
      pulmonary arterial hypertension over time. However, the time period over which
      these changes occur exceeds the current limitations of invasive support measures
      such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Elucidation of the factors
      responsible for this growth could result in new therapeutic strategies to enhance
      or accelerate postnatal pulmonary development in infants with CDH.

PMID- 1403565
TI  - Lessons to be learned.

PMID- 1403566
TI  - The challenge of transferring responsibility for diabetes management from parent
      to child.
AB  - To emancipate from their parents, children and adolescents with diabetes
      eventually must assume responsibility for self-care. The challenge that parents
      and health care professionals face is deciding when and how to transfer this
      responsibility from parent to child. Inappropriate transfer of self-care
      responsibility can precipitate poor metabolic control and strain parent-child
      relationships. By planning the gradual transfer of this responsibility based on
      children's cognitive abilities, maturity level, demonstrated self-care skills,
      and family environment factors, health care providers can minimize these
      problems.

PMID- 1403567
TI  - Relationships between parental ratings of infant temperament, risk status, and
      delivery method.
AB  - One hundred forty parents rated the temperament of their infants between the ages
      of 4 and 8 months. Analyses of the data examined the relationships between
      temperament and infant risk status (high or low), delivery method (vaginal or
      cesarean section), and the combined effects of infant risk status and delivery
      method. Although high-risk and low-risk infants were similar on the easy
      difficult profile ratings of the revised infant temperament questionnaire, high
      risk infants were rated more adaptable and more positive in mood than were the
      low-risk infants. Low-risk infants delivered by cesarean section were rated less
      optimally on three of the temperament factor scores, including withdrawal, mood,
      and adaptability. Interpretations of these findings are discussed and suggestions
      are offered for nurse practitioners and their provision of pediatric care to
      infants and their families.

PMID- 1403568
TI  - Negotiating with clinical agencies for nurse practitioner student experiences.
AB  - Selecting appropriate agencies and preceptors for pediatric nurse practitioner
      (PNP) students is vital for an optimal clinical educational experience. Agencies
      that are committed to the role of the nurse practitioner are usually willing to
      teach students. This article explores the process of negotiating clinical
      placement for PNP students. Those PNPs who wish to serve as preceptors may also
      benefit from this information.

PMID- 1403569
TI  - Implementation of "Open Airways" as an educational intervention for children with
      asthma in an HMO.
AB  - This article describes the adaptation and implementation of an existing pediatric
      asthma-management educational program, Open Airways, for members of a large group
      practice health maintenance organization. Seventy-four children ages 4 to 14
      years and their families were randomized into one of seven class cohorts as part
      of a larger study of pediatric asthma management. The Open Airways program was
      modified to increase the emphasis on behavioral change and medication information
      and to reflect the different sociodemographic makeup of the population, compared
      with that for which the program was developed. Of the 74 families, 62 attended at
      least one class, and 47 of these attended five or more classes. Evaluations after
      classes suggest an increase in parental confidence in managing their child's
      asthma and an earlier use of medications. Health care providers may be able to
      adapt similar programs for successful use with their populations.

PMID- 1403570
TI  - School injuries: what we know, what we need.
AB  - Schools are the site of a substantial number of unintentional injuries each year.
      Current knowledge regarding the study of causes and implications of school injury
      is summarized in a review of the research literature. A discussion of future
      investigations and better management of school injuries focuses on research
      issues, practical management, and nursing concerns. Operational definitions and
      reporting mechanisms are emphasized as research needs. Practical management and
      nursing concerns include routine reporting, student supervision, treatment of
      injuries, communication with parents, and legal (liability) responsibilities.

PMID- 1403571
TI  - Physiologic sequelae of prematurity: the nurse practitioner's role. Part VIII.
      Neurologic conditions.
AB  - Advances in neonatal care enable smaller and sicker babies to survive. These
      babies are at increased risk for long-term neurologic sequelae: intraventricular
      hemorrhage, hydrocephalus, and seizures. This article, the eighth in a series,
      deals with the follow-up of premature infants with these sequelae, including
      recognition of shunt infections and failure, recognition and treatment of
      seizures, and immunization of preterm infants with neurologic problems.

PMID- 1403572
TI  - Alcohol use by children.

PMID- 1403573
TI  - Breast masses in adolescent girls.

PMID- 1403574
TI  - Standards for pediatric immunization practice.

PMID- 1403575
TI  - Hepatitis B resources review.

PMID- 1403576
TI  - Modulation of human gingival fibroblast cell metabolism by methyl mercaptan.
AB  - Methyl mercaptan (CH3SH) is a malodorous compound whose levels are elevated in
      mouth and crevicular air of individuals with active periodontal disease. Since it
      may play a role in the disease process, its effects were evaluated using human
      gingival fibroblast cultures and viable porcine unkeratinized oral mucosal tissue
      sections. Results showed that the protein content of CH3SH-exposed cell cultures
      pulsed with [14C]-labelled glycine and proline was decreased by approximately
      25%. Furthermore, this deleterious effect was irreversible in test cultures
      subsequently incubated for 24 h in a control 95% air/5% CO2 mercaptan-free
      environment. The supporting slab-gel electrophoresis profiles yielded evidence
      that exposure to CH3SH caused an alteration in collagen metabolism and a pooling
      of Type I procollagens. In addition, DNA synthesis was suppressed in CH3SH
      exposed cultures by 44.1% at the 24 to 26 h peak of DNA synthesis. This is a true
      inhibition and not a shift in peak of maximum DNA synthesis as the shape and
      location of time-course curves of control and test systems is very similar.
      Proline transport study using [14C]-proline indicated a reduction in proline
      transport in the range of 40 to 50% in cultures exposed for 24 to 30 h to CH3SH.
      Significantly even 15 min exposure to 6.7 ng CH3SH/ml of incubating atmosphere
      suppressed proline transport by approximately 24%. This indicates that even brief
      exposure to low concentrations of CH3SH has a significant adverse effect on
      proline transport. Fluorescent staining of tissue sections exposed to mercaptan
      indicated that the agent elevated the number of cells stained with vital
      dye.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403577
TI  - Analysis of chondroitin sulfate isomers in the periodontium of the monkey using
      high-performance liquid chromatography.
AB  - Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) was extracted from monkey periodontium, consisting of
      gingiva, periodontal ligament, alveolar bone and cementum, and from dental pulp
      and dentin by digestion with Pronase E. Unsaturated disaccharide isomers formed
      by chondroitinase AC digestion from chondroitin sulfate were labeled with
      dansylhydrazine and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. These
      tissues showed different molar ratios of the unsaturated chondroitin sulfate
      disaccharides. The ratio of delta Di-4S to delta Di-6S was lowest in the dental
      pulp, followed by the gingiva, periodontal ligament, dentin, alveolar bone, and
      cementum, in that order. It was greater in the calcified than in the uncalcified
      tissues.

PMID- 1403578
TI  - Platelet-derived growth factor reduces the inhibitory effects of
      lipopolysaccharide on gingival fibroblast proliferation.
AB  - Lipopolysaccharide from a variety of bacterial sources is known to inhibit
      gingival fibroblast proliferation and synthetic activity and has been implicated
      in the pathogenesis of periodontal inflammation. However, it may be involved not
      only in pathogenesis but also be responsible for delayed wound healing following
      periodontal therapy. The aim of this investigation was to determine whether the
      inhibitory effect of LPS on gingival fibroblast proliferation could be reversed
      by growth factors. Human gingival fibroblasts were cultured in the presence of
      varying concentrations of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) or Salmonella
      enteritidis LPS to determine the optimal concentrations for stimulation and
      inhibition of proliferation respectively. The effect of PDGF on LPS inhibition of
      fibroblast proliferation was studied by combining PDGF and LPS together at the
      outset of the experimental period or adding PDGF to cells which had been
      previously primed with LPS. Cell proliferation was monitored by incorporation of
      3H-thymidine into precipitable DNA. The results indicated that maximal inhibition
      of fibroblast proliferation was obtained with 50 micrograms/ml LPS and maximal
      stimulation of proliferation with 5 ng/ml PDGF. PDGF was found to restore the
      proliferative activity of the cells exposed to LPS to approximately 60% of their
      control counterparts. A similar value was obtained for cultures exposed to PDGF
      after an extended priming period of LPS exposure. Subtle differences were noted
      in the time taken for cells to complete their cell cycle in the various culture
      conditions and this may reflect variations in subpopulations of cells in their
      response to various mitogenic stimuli. Overall the results indicate that PDGF has
      the capacity to significantly negate and reverse the inhibitory effects of LPS on
      human gingival fibroblast proliferation.

PMID- 1403579
TI  - Inhibition of human endothelial cell proliferation in vitro in response to n
      butyrate and propionate.
AB  - The study aimed to investigate the effects of n-butyrate and propionate on the
      proliferation and viability of human endothelial cells in culture. Proliferation
      was assessed by a 24-hour bromodeoxyuridine pulse labelling and immunoperoxidase
      method and viability was assessed by a colorimetric viability (MTT) assay.
      Endothelial cells were isolated from human umbilical vein by collagenase
      digestion. Experiments were performed on 96-well plates and cultures were exposed
      to different concentrations of n-butyrate and propionate for 2 days. n-butyrate
      and propionate caused significant reductions in the proliferation of endothelial
      cells at concentrations of 1.25 mM and 10 mM respectively (p less than 0.05); the
      reduction in proliferation was dose-dependent for both agents. n-butyrate was a
      more potent inhibitor of proliferation than propionate. However, there were no
      significant effects on the viability of the cells with both agents up to the
      highest concentrations tested (25 mM). The data indicate that n-butyrate and
      propionate inhibit endothelial cell proliferation which may contribute to the
      pathogenic effects of dental plaque in periodontal disease.

PMID- 1403580
TI  - Longitudinal monitoring of humoral antibody in subjects with destructive
      periodontal diseases.
AB  - Fifty-one subjects (16-61 years old) with evidence of prior destructive
      periodontal disease were monitored clinically and immunologically at bi-monthly
      intervals for up to 5 yr. Periodontal disease activity, determined as new
      attachment loss, was detected in 33 of these subjects. Only 4 of 51 subjects
      failed to show an elevated serum antibody level to any of the 18 subgingival
      species tested. The antibody level threshold established for periodontally
      healthy subjects was exceeded most often in diseased subjects with serum antibody
      to Actinobacillus sp., P. gingivalis, E. corrodens, C. concisus, F. nucleatum and
      P. intermedia in that order. In general, most serum antibody levels to
      subgingival species remained relatively consistent for periods as long as 5 yr.
      However, major increases and decreases in antibody could be detected to at most
      one or two species in individual subjects. In addition, prolonged, steady
      increases and decreases in antibody to specific species could be detected in
      certain subjects. These findings suggest that major changes occurring in serum
      antibody may reflect fluctuations in the nature of the infection. Differences
      were observed in the antibody level to specific species when subjects were
      divided into subsets on the basis of clinical criteria. These included high
      levels of antibody to A. actinomycetemcomitans Y4 in LJP and RPP subjects and to
      A. actinomycetemcomitans 29523 in LJP and GJP subjects.

PMID- 1403581
TI  - A preliminary evaluation of the use of a redox agent in the treatment of chronic
      periodontitis.
AB  - A small-scale clinical trial was carried out to evaluate the effect of a redox
      agent, methylene blue, on microbiological and clinical indices of chronic
      periodontitis. Methylene blue was applied subgingivally on a daily basis for 7 d
      to 25 test sites in 7 patients and the sites evaluated clinically and
      microbiologically for up to 14 d: 25 control sites in the same patients received
      sterile water. The test sites showed statistically significant differences from
      the control sites in terms of changes in a number of clinical and microbiological
      indices. In the test sites the proportions of anaerobes, Gram-negative anaerobes,
      spirochetes and motile bacteria decreased, as did the crevicular fluid flow,
      while the proportions of facultative anaerobes and cocci increased. These changes
      are indicative of a shift towards periodontal health. No significant differences
      were observed between the test and control sites in terms of bleeding on probing
      or pocket depth. The encouraging results of this preliminary study suggest that
      the use of redox agents in the treatment of chronic periodontitis warrants
      further investigation.

PMID- 1403582
TI  - Phospholipase A2 in rat gingival tissue.
AB  - Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is a proinflammatory enzyme in the synovial fluids of all
      -and sera of some--patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Due to the similarities in
      pathogenesis between rheumatoid arthritis and periodontitis, we sought to study
      the enzymatic properties of PLA2 in periodontal tissue. In this study, we
      demonstrated PLA2 activity in rat gingival tissue, about 80% of which was present
      in the cytosolic fraction. We characterized the cytosolic PLA2 enzyme with
      respect to substrate specificity, sensitivity to detergent, Ca2+ ion dependency
      and optimum pH. We found that phosphatidylethanolamine, rather than
      phosphatidylcholine, was the preferred substrate, the Ca2+ ion was essential for
      the expression of PLA2 activity, the enzyme was active over a broad pH range,
      with the optimum at pH 9.0, and sodium-deoxycholate inhibited the enzyme activity
      strongly in a concentration-dependent manner. These results are consistent with
      those which have been obtained with synovial fluid PLA2 and suggest that gingival
      PLA2 may be involved in the pathogenic processes of gingivitis and periodontitis.

PMID- 1403583
TI  - Micropuncture measurements of interstitial fluid pressure in normal and inflamed
      gingiva in rats.
AB  - Interstitial fluid pressure (IFP) in normal and inflamed gingiva of rats was
      measured by sharpened glass capillaries (diameter 2-4 microns) connected to a
      servocontrolled counterpressure system ad modum Wiederhielm. Gingival
      inflammation was induced by a steel ligature placed unilaterally around the first
      maxillary molar. After 8 weeks, the ligature was removed and measurements of IFP
      in normal and experimentally inflamed gingiva were made by puncture through the
      intact oral epithelium. Average IFP on the control side was 3.5 mm Hg in free,
      and 7.4 mm Hg in attached gingiva. Compared to the control side, IFP on the
      experimental inflamed side was elevated significantly (p less than 0.05) both in
      free and attached gingiva. In the ligated inflamed side IFP in free gingiva
      averaged 6.7 mm Hg, whereas in attached gingiva it showed a mean value of 10.4 mm
      Hg. Histological examinations showed a dense infiltrate of inflammatory cells in
      the connective tissue, while the contralateral control side showed normal
      features of epithelial and connective tissue. The present finding of increased
      IFP in the inflamed gingiva may in theory contribute to augmented crevicular
      fluid flow during inflammation.

PMID- 1403584
TI  - Flurbiprofen effect on gingival crevicular fluid prostaglandin and thromboxane
      levels in humans.

PMID- 1403585
TI  - Gingival crevicular fluid gelatinase and its relationship to periodontal disease
      in human subjects.
AB  - Collagenolytic enzymes released by neutrophils are associated with the
      destruction of periodontium in periodontal diseases. Measurement of these enzymes
      in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) could be used to test for periodontal diseases
      and thereby simplify diagnosis. To test this hypothesis, gelatinase (MMP-9) was
      analyzed in GCF samples with a simple assay system. GCF was collected by a
      mouthrinse method from 10 patients with gingivitis (G); 10 well-treated and
      maintained periodontitis patients (TP) without detectable loss of attachment; and
      9 patients with recurrent loss of periodontal attachment (greater than 2 mm)
      and/or abscess formation (RP). Clinical measurements including tooth mobility
      (MOB) and gingival attachment level (GAL) were made monthly for a maximum of 10
      months. Active and latent forms of gelatinase were measured by a functional assay
      using gelatin substrate-gel enzymography and the activities were quantified by
      laser densitometry. Reproducibility analysis demonstrated that the assay (inter
      gel, inter-assay, inter-scan) and diurnal variations were small compared to
      biological variation. The presence of active gelatinase was detected in 97.8% of
      TP samples, 86.4% of RP samples, but in only 11.4% of G samples. In addition, the
      mean active gelatinase activity was found to be significantly higher (p less than
      0.001) in the RP (71,006 U) than the TP (43,814 U) groups, both of which were
      higher (p less than 0.001) than the G group (2824 U). During periods of
      attachment loss, samples from the RP group exhibited a 2-fold increase of mean
      active gelatinase activity (129,414 U).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403586
TI  - The effect of titanium implant abutment surface irregularities on plaque
      accumulation in vivo.
AB  - The purpose of this study was 2-fold to: 1) evaluate in vitro the surface texture
      of titanium implant abutments after exposure to plastic scalers, an air-powder
      abrasive system, rubber cup polishing with flour of pumice, and untreated control
      abutments; and 2) compare plaque accumulation in humans on abutments treated with
      the above methods. In part I, 5.5 mm abutments were instrumented for 30 seconds
      per 90 degrees segment with the respective methods. The surface character was
      compared to untreated controls using SEM at 260X magnification. The control
      abutments revealed prominent milling marks and small pits; plastic scalers
      slightly smoothed the milling marks and created microscratches; the air-powder
      abrasive largely obliterated the milling marks and caused some surface pitting;
      the rubber cup with flour of pumice removed the milling marks and created a
      smooth swirl pattern. None of the instrumentation appeared to roughen the
      surface. In the clinical experiment (part II), four abutments, one of each type,
      were placed in 12 patients for a period of 7 days, during which the patients
      performed no oral hygiene. At the end of 7 days, the abutments were retrieved and
      processed for SEM. A digitizer and software program were used to determine the
      percent of total abutment surface area covered by plaque. The demarcation of
      supragingival and subgingival plaque was well delineated. The total mean percent
      surface area of plaque ranged from 52.06% for the air-powder abrasive to 55.29%
      for the plastic scalers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403587
TI  - Effect of subgingival irrigation with chlorhexidine during ultrasonic scaling.
AB  - This study examines the effect of a chlorhexidine irrigant during ultrasonic
      scaling and root planning and compares clinical results with those obtained using
      a water irrigant. The irrigant was delivered either through a conventional or a
      recently-introduced ultrasonic scaler, which allows the irrigant solution to be
      passed through the inside of the scaler tip. The study utilizes a split-mouth
      design and contrasts the effectiveness of both instruments in improving
      periodontal health, as measured by standard clinical indices. A preliminary
      investigation of patient tolerance to treatment performed throughout the clinical
      trial was also undertaken. Statistical analysis at the 3 and 6 month post
      treatment stage revealed no significant differences between the 4 experimental
      groups in respect of probing attachment levels (P > 0.5), bleeding index (P >
      0.1), or plaque index (P > 0.05). Clinical attachment gain assessed by probing
      ranged from 0.6 to 0.9 mm. Chlorhexidine increased patient tolerance in 77% of
      cases and the new model ultrasonic scaler was favored over the traditional model
      in 70% of cases. The magnitude of the tolerance differences was however not
      statistically significant. The possible potential of the new scaler and of
      chlorhexidine as an irrigant to reduce patient discomfort is worthy of further
      investigation than was possible in this study.

PMID- 1403588
TI  - Serum levels of tetracycline during treatment with tetracycline-containing
      fibers.
AB  - Four adult patients with at least 8 teeth that had attachment loss of 5 to 10 mm
      which bled on probing were included in this study. Polymeric tetracycline (TCN)
      containing fibers were placed and left in the pockets for a period of 10 days.
      Plasma samples were collected at baseline, 1 hour, 3 hours, 3 days, and 10 days
      after fiber placement. The mean length of fiber used averaged 187 cm with a range
      of 160 to 222 cm. The maximum TCN dose per patient averaged 105 mg with a range
      of 91 to 126 mg producing no detectable serum level greater than 0.1
      micrograms/ml. This level was found in 3 of the 4 subjects at 3 hours after fiber
      placement and in 1 subject at 3 days after fiber placement. Transient and
      insignificant levels of TCN became available systemically shortly after the
      placement of multiple fibers. The dose of TCN in each patient was well tolerated
      and was not associated with any serious adverse effects.

PMID- 1403589
TI  - Efficacy of preprocedural rinsing with an antiseptic in reducing viable bacteria
      in dental aerosols.
AB  - This double-blind, controlled, cross-over, clinical study evaluated the effect of
      preprocedural rinsing with an antiseptic mouthrinse on the level of recoverable
      viable bacteria in an aerosol generated during a typical dental procedure.
      Eighteen subjects participated. Following 24 hours of abstention from all oral
      hygiene procedures, subjects received a 10-minute ultrasonic scaling of a
      randomly selected one-half of their mouth which served as the unrinsed control.
      They were then randomly assigned either antiseptic mouthwash or a control rinse
      and rinsed with 20 ml for 30 seconds, after which the remaining half mouth
      (experimental side) was scaled ultrasonically for 10 minutes. During each 10
      minute scaling period aerosolized bacteria were collected on a sterile filter
      using a modified vacuum air-sampling device. Microbes captured on the sterile
      filter were quantitated by overlaying the filters onto trypticase soy agar,
      incubating the filters aerobically at 37 degrees C for 24 to 72 hours, and
      counting the resulting colony forming units (CFU). Preliminary experiments had
      confirmed that neither the collection method nor residual antiseptic mouthwash in
      the aerosol adversely affected the number of viable bacteria recovered from the
      filter. Rinsing with the antiseptic mouthwash produced a 94.1% reduction in
      recoverable CFUs compared to the non-rinsed control, while the control rinse
      produced a 33.9% reduction. The difference between the mouthwash and control was
      statistically significant (P < .001). This study indicates that preprocedural
      rinsing with an antiseptic mouthwash can significantly reduce the microbial
      content of aerosols generated during ultrasonic scaling and may have potential in
      office use as part of an infection control regimen.

PMID- 1403590
TI  - Measuring clinical attachment: reproducibility of relative measurements with an
      electronic probe.
AB  - During the past few years, improvements in detecting longitudinal changes in
      clinical attachment or alveolar bone density have been introduced. For example,
      constant-force electronic probes and computer-assisted subtraction analysis of
      longitudinal radiographs have been reported to be more sensitive and reproducible
      in detecting changes in clinical attachment or alveolar bone density,
      respectively. Use of these new technologies requires that sources of measurement
      error be identified and their contribution quantified. This study investigated
      the reproducibility of a constant-force electronic probe in a careful clinical
      setting. Measurements were performed from individually fabricated acrylic stents.
      Three groups of subjects were selected for the study: 10 adults without oral
      disease, 10 adults with gingivitis, and 10 adults with moderate periodontitis.
      Four probing designs were employed to investigate the reproducibility of the
      probe. In design A, the probe tip was left in the sulcus between successive
      probings. In design B, the probe tip was removed from the gingival margin between
      probings but the next probing followed immediately. In design C, successive whole
      mouth probings were interrupted by a 5-minute interval and a mouth rinse. In
      design D there was a 4-week interval between each successive probing. Three
      measurements were taken at each site for each design. The main purpose of this
      study was to identify variance components in the attachment level variation. The
      maximum probing error standard deviation ranged from 0.2 to 0.3 mm depending on
      the periodontal health of the subject. This level of variation is considerably
      smaller than that found in most previous studies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1403591
TI  - The effect of a number of commercial mouthrinses compared with toothpaste on
      plaque regrowth.
AB  - Mouthwashes are frequently used as adjuncts to oral hygiene. However, for some
      products there is little supportive evidence that rinses provide greater benefits
      than plain water or additional benefits to the plaque inhibitory action provided
      by toothpaste. This study was a single blind, randomized, cross-over design in
      which 6 rinses were compared for inhibitory action against plaque regrowth. The
      formulations were a cetylpyridinium chloride rinse, a prebrushing detergent
      rinse, a peroxyborate rinse a toothpaste slurry rinse, a chlorhexidine rinse, and
      a saline rinse. From a zero baseline, plaque regrowth at day 5 was significantly
      reduced by chlorhexidine compared to peroxyborate; and, in turn, significantly
      reduced by peroxyborate compared to the other rinses. There were no significant
      differences between saline or a toothpaste slurry and the cetylpyridinium
      chloride or prebrushing rinse products. The findings would appear pertinent to
      the value of the respective rinses as adjuncts to oral hygiene.

PMID- 1403592
TI  - The relationship between reduction in periodontal inflammation and diabetes
      control: a report of 9 cases.
AB  - The established correlation between diabetes and periodontal diseases and the
      increasing prevalence of Type II diabetes in the general population indicate that
      dental practitioners will probably treat an increasing number of diabetic
      patients. Despite the fact that there is little scientific evidence to support
      the concept, it has been generally accepted that treatment for periodontal
      disease in diabetic patients may reduce insulin requirements and improve
      metabolic balance. However, to date no one has evaluated the effects of
      periodontal therapy on the metabolic state of the poorly-controlled diabetic
      patient. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effect of
      controlling gingival inflammation on blood glucose levels as determined by
      glycosylation of hemoglobin and albumin.

PMID- 1403593
TI  - Tissue concentration and localization of tetracycline following site-specific
      tetracycline fiber therapy.
AB  - The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the concentration and
      location of tetracycline hydrochloride in tissue adjacent to periodontal pockets
      treated with a tetracycline impregnated fiber. A secondary objective was to
      determine if the presurgical placement of fibers had any adverse effects on
      healing following periodontal surgery. The study population consisted of 10
      patients with at least 2 pockets in both maxillary quadrants of > or = 5 mm in
      depth and exhibiting bleeding on probing. After an initial scaling and root
      planing, placebo or tetracycline fibers were randomly assigned by quadrant to 2
      non-adjacent pockets. Fibers were removed at the time of surgery; i.e., day 8,
      and periodontal surgery was performed utilizing a flap incision that allowed
      biopsy of 1 interdental papilla from each of the 2 test sites in each quadrant.
      One biopsy was analyzed for tetracycline concentrations by high performance
      liquid chromatography (HPLC). The second biopsy was examined by both light and
      ultraviolet fluorescence microscopy to determine the location of residual
      tetracycline and the intensity of inflammatory cell infiltrates. Results showed
      that the tissue concentration of the antibiotic in tetracycline treated sites was
      64.4 +/- 7.01 ng/mg (ng of tetracycline/mg tissue weight) which corresponds to 43
      micrograms of tetracycline and was below levels of accurate measurement in
      placebo treated sites. Tetracycline tissue concentrations corresponded to the
      ultraviolet fluorescence microscopy with a Pearson correlation coefficient of r =
      0.92. Tetracycline fluorescence was noted in the soft tissue wall ranging from 1
      to 20 microns.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403594
TI  - Psoriasis-associated periodontitis: a case report.
AB  - Psoriasis with oral manifestations is rarely seen. It has been reported in the
      past either as an oral manifestation of this skin disease or lichen planus
      accompanying psoriasis. Very few periodontal lesions associated with dermatologic
      psoriasis have been reported in the literature. This report describes a case of
      psoriasis in which exacerbation of the cutaneous disease was accompanied by
      gingival epithelial changes and periodontal bursts, together with a report on the
      light microscopy of biopsies from periodontal lesions.

PMID- 1403595
TI  - The dimensionality of Type A behavior within a stressful work simulation.
AB  - The present study was conducted to examine the dimensionality of overt Type A
      behaviors elicited in a simulated stressful work environment. University students
      played a managerial role while being subjected to time and work-load pressures,
      and completed the Survey of Work Styles (SWS; Jackson & Gray, 1989). Eighteen
      behaviors, coded by two raters based on audiovisual recordings, yielded
      relatively high interrater reliabilities. Principal components analysis revealed
      four primary factors: Hurriedness, Irritability, Tension of the Lower
      Extremities, and Restlessness. These factors contribute to an understanding of
      Type A behavior in that they are the first to be derived from a purely
      observational approach rather than a combination of observational and self-report
      methods. Consistent with previous research, differential correlations between the
      factors and the SWS subscales supported a multi-dimensional interpretation of the
      Type A behavior pattern. Present findings are compared to those of previous
      studies of Type A dimensionality.

PMID- 1403596
TI  - The personality of young adult couples and wives' work patterns.
AB  - The influence of personality in 63 couples at the time of family formation on
      wives' work patterns 15 years later was examined in variable-centered and
      person/couple-centered ways. Four factor dimensions on the Adjective Check List
      assessed personality. Work patterns were assessed with measures of type, amount,
      and status of work and with schematic work narratives describing characters and
      plots abstracted from wives' mid-life data. Hierarchical regression analyses
      showed individuality of husbands to affect work outcomes after wives' college-age
      goals, their young adult personality, and the duration of marriages were taken
      into account. Conjoint high-low patterns of individuality in 34 couples were
      associated with different schematic work stories. These stories show distinctive
      personality and relational correlates at age 27. They flesh out and qualify
      hypotheses that individualistic partners would be open to women's careers and
      would show revealing strategies of combining self- and other interests in the
      transition to parenthood.

PMID- 1403597
TI  - Stability of self-esteem: assessment, correlates, and excuse making.
AB  - We examined stability and level of self-esteem as predictors of excuse making;
      the extent to which self-ratings of stability are related to a statistical index
      of self-esteem stability; and the relations between stability and certainty of
      self-esteem and a variety of other psychological constructs. Regarding excuse
      making, our findings indicated that for high self-esteem individuals, instability
      was related to greater excuse making following success, but not following
      failure. However, for low self-esteem individuals, instability was related to
      greater excuse making following failure, but not following success. Other
      findings indicated that self-ratings of stability were only minimally related to
      a statistical measure of stability based on repeated assessments of self-esteem
      obtained in naturalistic contexts. Finally, stability of self-esteem was not
      significantly correlated with certainty of self-esteem. In addition, the pattern
      of correlations that emerged between certainty and other constructs suggested
      that uncertainty reflects the phenomenal experience of a tenuous self-view. On
      the other hand, stability of self-esteem appears to reflect the extent to which
      one's self-view is malleable, which may not be completely available to conscious
      awareness. Our discussion focuses on the nature of self-esteem stability and the
      roles of stability and level of self-esteem in reactions to evaluative events.

PMID- 1403598
TI  - [Ionizing treatment of food].
AB  - After a description of the principles of the radiation treatment of food, the
      main applications in food industry are listed. Then, the status on possible
      identification methods for irradiated foodstuffs is described, with a special
      view on the coordinated action of the Community Bureau of Reference (CEC).

PMID- 1403599
TI  - Influence of physico-chemical parameters on the release kinetics of ketoprofen
      from Poly(HEMA) crosslinked microspheres.
AB  - This report analyses the release of Ketoprofen from Poly(HEMA) microspheres
      crosslinked with EGDMA at different crosslinking ratios and loaded by soaking in
      saturated solutions of the drug. Release appears to be influenced by the
      dissolution of Ketoprofen in the hydrogel and it is strictly correlated with the
      diffusibility of the drug in the gelled matrix. The release rate of the drug in
      the hydrogel rises with the increase in the diffusional conductance and the
      release kinetics approaches zero order particularly at the higher values of the
      diffusional conductance.

PMID- 1403600
TI  - [Clinical aspects of receptors; from animal models to physiopathological
      concepts. Experience with fenfluramine].
AB  - The fenfluramine racemate belongs to a new therapeutic class of molecules acting
      on food intake, without psychostimulant or addictive potential. This molecule was
      extensively studied in the treatment of obesity and its action was better
      understood by studying the dextrogyre and levogyre enantiomers. New methods
      allowed to show that dexfenfluramine (the dextrogyre isomer) worked through a
      serotoninergic activity which was responsible for the effect on food intake and
      disorders of eating behavior. New pharmacological concepts have emerged by using
      this molecule and new animal models, nearer to human pathology, were found
      (stress induced eating, carbohydrate selection...). Molecular Biology and
      Neurosciences have already led to a better knowledge of the central mechanism of
      action of the molecule by describing its effect on receptors and binding sites;
      however a lot of other concepts remain to be discovered.

PMID- 1403602
TI  - [Reactions and interactions of drugs].

PMID- 1403601
TI  - [Mechanism of action of hypolipemic drugs].
AB  - Hypolipemic drugs decrease the plasmatic concentrations of atherogenic
      lipoproteins, especially LDL. Two main drug families are used: fibrates and
      inhibitors of HMG CoA reductase. Fibrates act essentially as an activator of
      lipoprotein lipase and by increasing the catabolism of triglyceride rich
      lipoproteins. Further, they have a slight and non specific inhibitory effect on
      HMG CoA reductase activity, while, the new drug family of "statines" have a high,
      specific inhibitory effect on this essential enzyme of the cholesterol synthesis
      pathway. This enzymatic inhibition decreases the cholesterol synthesis and
      increases the activity of the hepatic LDL receptors, which are in charge of LDL
      elimination from the body. Resins entrap biliary salts and increase the
      cholesterol loss in feces and induce an over expression of the LDL receptors of
      the hepatocytes. Probucol inhibits atherogenesis by decreasing both LDL and HDL
      cholesterol and delaying LDL oxidative processing which is now believed to be one
      of the major factors of atherogenicity.

PMID- 1403603
TI  - Comparative effects of chloroflavone congeners as inducers of hepatic microsomal
      monooxygenases in rats.
AB  - The inductive effects of pretreatment with 10 synthetic chloroflavone isomers and
      congeners (80 mg/kg/d for 3 d, i.p.) on hepatic microsomal monooxygenases were
      examined with male Wistar rats. All chloroflavone congeners, except 3'
      chloroflavone (CF), significantly increased (1.2- to 2-fold) the content of total
      cytochrome P-450 (P-450s) in microsomes. The effects of these congeners were
      evaluated based on the activities of microsomal aminopyrine N-demethylase,
      aniline hydroxylase and scoparone (6,7-dimethoxycoumarin) O-demethylase, and the
      CO difference spectrum and sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoretogram of
      cytochrome P-450s. The results were compared with those of phenobarbital (PB), 3
      methylcholanthrene (MC) and PB plus MC. Based mainly on effects on the CO
      difference spectrum and ratio of the two O-demethylase activities of scoparone,
      2'-CF and 2',4'-dichloroflavone (DCF) were categorized as the PB-type, 4'-CF and
      6,8-DCF as the MC-type, 3',6-DCF and 3',5',6-trichloroflavone as weak MC-type,
      and 6-CF and 2',6-DCF as mixed (PB plus MC)-type inducers. A comparison of
      chloroflavone isomers and congeners indicated that (1) the presence of the 2'
      chloro substituent of the flavone system is a minimal requirement for exhibiting
      the PB-type effect, (2) the absence of the 2'-chloro substituent is possibly that
      for exhibiting the MC-type effect and (3) the induction potencies by individual
      chloroflavone congeners may not be related to the degrees of chlorination.

PMID- 1403604
TI  - The biological fate of sodium prasterone sulfate after vaginal administration. I.
      Absorption and excretion in rats.
AB  - The absorption and excretion of sodium prasterone sulfate (PS) (sodium
      dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate) were studied in rats after vaginal administration
      of 14C-PS. In late pregnant rats, maximum plasma level (Cmax) appeared at 2-4 h
      after dosing and both Cmax and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve
      (AUC) increased proportionally with increased dose up to 4.0 mg/kg. The
      radioactivity administered was almost completely recovered from urine and feces
      during a 72 h postdosing period. The percentages of radioactivity excreted in
      urine and feces were 58% and 40% of the dose, respectively. The biliary excretion
      was 46% of the dose within 48 h and about half of the radioactive biliary excreta
      entered the enterohepatic circulation system. The vaginal absorption of PS was
      markedly affected by the estrous cycle stage and the progress of pregnancy. The
      vaginal absorption of PS was predominant at metestrus and diestrus and during
      late pregnancy.

PMID- 1403605
TI  - YM-14673, a new thyrotropin-releasing hormone analog, augments long-term
      potentiation in the mossy fiber-CA3 system of guinea pig hippocampal slices.
AB  - Effects of a new thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) analog, N alpha-[[(S)-4-oxo
      2-azetidinyl]carbonyl]L-histidyl-L-prolinamide dihydrate (YM-14673), which
      improves experimentally induced memory dysfunction, on long-term potentiation
      (LTP) in the mossy fiber-CA3 system, were investigated using guinea pig
      hippocampal slices. At concentrations of 10(-7) M and 10(-6) M, YM-14673
      significantly augmented LTP in a concentration dependent manner. The magnitude of
      effect of 10(-6) M YM-14673 was similar to that of 10(-6) M TRH. As LTP in the
      hippocampus is regarded as an elementary process of memory and learning, the
      augmenting effect of YM-14673 on LTP in the present study may contribute to this
      drug's ability to remedy memory dysfunction.

PMID- 1403606
TI  - An application of microdialysis to drug tissue distribution study: in vivo
      evidence for free-ligand hypothesis and tissue binding of beta-lactam antibiotics
      in interstitial fluids.
AB  - To prove the free-ligand hypothesis for extravascular equilibration and tissue
      binding mechanism of beta-lactam antibiotics, the microdialysis technique has
      been employed for the lung, the muscle and the liver in rats. Cefminox, a cephem
      antibiotic, and SY5555, a new penem antibiotic, were used in the present study.
      During the constant infusion of each antibiotic with simultaneous infusion of
      antipyrine, the microdialysis studies were performed and the dialysate
      concentrations were determined. The dialysate concentration was extrapolated to
      the in vivo unbound concentration in tissue interstitial fluids (Cisf,u)
      according to the extrapolation method which was derived from the clearance
      concept. This extrapolation method incorporates the effective dialysis
      coefficient of a reference compound, antipyrine, which is used to correct the
      difference between in vivo and in vitro permeabilities of microdialysis fiber.
      The values of Cisf,u values for cefminox and SY5555 in the lung, muscle and liver
      were close to the unbound concentrations in the venous plasma leaving these
      organs. Furthermore, good coincidences were obtained between the unbound
      concentrations of SY5555 in lung and muscle interstitial fluids estimated from
      the total concentrations in homogenized tissues and those extrapolated by the
      microdialysis studies. Consequently, the present microdialysis studies provided
      the in vivo evidence that 1) the free-ligand hypothesis for extravascular
      equilibration of beta-lactam antibiotics is true, and that 2) beta-lactam
      antibiotics are restricted in the interstitial space in a noneliminating organ
      and bind only with albumin existing in this space.

PMID- 1403607
TI  - Coexpression of vimentin and glial fibrillary acidic protein in glial cells of
      the adult rat pineal gland.
AB  - In the present work, coexpression of vimentin (VIM) and glial fibrillary acidic
      protein (GFAP) is demonstrated in the glial cells of the adult rat pineal gland.
      Serial consecutive Epon semithin sections (0.5 microns thick) were alternately
      immunostained for VIM and GFAP. GFAP positive cells and processes were found in
      the proximal region of the pineal gland, near the pineal stalk. Most of these
      cells were also immunostained for VIM in adjacent semithin sections. The
      significance of the coexpression VIM-GFAP and the restricted location of GFAP
      positive cells is discussed in relation with the maturation of pineal glial
      cells.

PMID- 1403608
TI  - Paradoxical effects of melatonin on spontaneous neuronal activity in the striatum
      of sham-operated and pinealectomized rats.
AB  - The acute effects of intravenous melatonin on spontaneously active striatal
      neurons in sham-operated and pinealectomized rats were studied. Extracellular
      recordings in a total of 76 neurons showed that only 19 did not modify their
      spontaneous activity after melatonin injection. In sham-pinealectomized rats,
      neural firing decreased in most cells (80% of neurons), and increased in only
      5.7% of the neurons after indole administration (100 ng/kg body weight). However,
      in the group of rats pinealectomized 7 days earlier, the injection of melatonin
      (at the same dose as above) significantly increased the excitatory response
      (44%), while the number of cells showing inhibitory response decreased (17%).
      Moreover, a small percentage (4.9%) of neurons in pinealectomized rats displayed
      a biphasic response (initial decrease followed by an increased firing). These
      results demonstrate that aMT can modulate the activity of striatal neurons, and
      suggest that other compounds of pineal origin (e.g., vasotocin) may change
      effects of aMT on basal ganglia neurons.

PMID- 1403609
TI  - Components of the melatonin message in the response to photoperiod of the tammar
      wallaby (Macropus eugenii).
AB  - Female tammars experiencing long-day photoperiod (LD 15:9) are in a reproductive
      state termed seasonal quiescence. After a change to LD 12:12, a sequence of
      endocrine events, dependent on a melatonin message being interpreted during the
      next 3 days, leads to the disappearance of a morning pulse of prolactin on day 4,
      and to reactivation of the quiescent corpus luteum by day 8. Elements of the
      message were investigated in three experiments. In experiment 1, tammars on LD
      15:9 were injected with melatonin 2.5 hr before lights out on 0-5 successive
      days. All those receiving four or five daily injections, and six of ten receiving
      two or three injections, reactivated. In experiment 2, tammars on LD 15:9 were
      injected with melatonin or oil on 5 consecutive days to achieve a lengthening of
      the period of elevated melatonin from 9.0 hr to 9.5 hr, 10 hr, 10.5 hr, and 11.5
      hr respectively. One of five tammars experiencing 10 hr and seven of ten
      experiencing the longer periods reactivated. In experiment 3, tammars on LD18:6
      received melatonin 6 hr, 6 + 3 hr or 3 hr before lights out for ten successive
      days. Between injections the melatonin concentrations returned to basal levels.
      The treatments thus provided a skeletal increase in the profile of melatonin from
      6 to 9 hr or 6 to 12 hr. All those treated at 6 + 3 hr reactivated and three of
      five treated at 6 hr only reactivated. We conclude that the tammar stores
      information about the change in the maximum duration of elevated melatonin
      experienced each night and, after three successive periods in which the duration
      is greater than 10.5 hr, it reactivates. Since reactivation cannot occur until
      completion of the third dark phase, the processing center must be active during
      the fourth day, prior to the abolition of the prolactin peak.

PMID- 1403610
TI  - Prolonged suppression of serum concentrations of melatonin in prepubertal
      heifers.
AB  - Our objective was to suppress the daily surge of melatonin in serum of
      prepubertal dairy heifers by manipulating intensity of light (Experiment 1) and
      duration of exposure to light (Experiment 2). Heifers in Experiment 1 were
      exposed to either 12 hr of darkness (000 lux, control), or 400, 800, or 1,200 lux
      of light during the last 6 hr of their usual 12-hr nocturnal period. During this
      6-hr exposure to various intensities of light, melatonin concentrations were
      similar to their respective daytime baseline values measured under 400 lux of
      light, but were 62% to 82% lower than melatonin concentrations during their
      nocturnal surge period. Suppression of melatonin concentrations was similar
      between 400 and 1,200 lux of light. In Experiment 2, heifers were exposed to LD
      8:16, LD 16:8, LD 20:4, or LD 24:0 photoperiods (1,200 lux) for 4 months.
      Throughout treatment, concentrations and durations of the melatonin surge were
      suppressed in the LD 24:0 group and were greatest (during the nocturnal period)
      in the LD 8:16 group. Concentrations of prolactin in serum were elevated in
      animals under long days relative to LD 8:16 treatment and respective pretreatment
      periods. In conclusion, continuous light at an intensity of 1,200 lux suppressed
      the nocturnal surge of melatonin, but increased secretion of prolactin for at
      least 4 months in prepubertal heifers.

PMID- 1403611
TI  - On the orienting value of attitudes: attitude accessibility as a determinant of
      an object's attraction of visual attention.
AB  - Four experiments tested the hypothesis that objects toward which individuals hold
      attitudes that are highly accessible from memory (i.e., attitude-evoking objects)
      are more likely to attract attention when presented in a visual display than
      objects involving less accessible attitudes. In Experiments 1 and 2, Ss were more
      likely to notice and report such attitude-evoking objects. Experiment 3 yielded
      evidence of incidental attention; Ss noticed attitude-evoking objects even when
      the task made it beneficial to ignore the objects. Experiment 4 demonstrated that
      inclusion of attitude-evoking objects as distractor items interfered with Ss'
      performance of a visual search task. Apparently, attitude-evoking stimuli attract
      attention automatically. Thus, accessible attitudes provide the functional
      benefit of orienting an individual's visual attention toward objects with
      potential hedonic consequences.

PMID- 1403612
TI  - Terror management and tolerance: does mortality salience always intensify
      negative reactions to others who threaten one's worldview?
AB  - Terror management research has shown that reminding Ss of their mortality leads
      to intolerance. The present research assessed whether mortality salience would
      lead to increased intolerance when the value of tolerance is highly accessible.
      In Study 1, given that liberals value tolerance more than conservatives, it was
      hypothesized that with mortality salience, dislike of dissimilar others would
      increase among conservatives but decrease among liberals. Liberal and
      conservative Ss were induced to think about their own mortality or a neutral
      topic and then were asked to evaluate 2 target persons, 1 liberal, the other
      conservative. Ss' evaluations of the targets supported these hypotheses. In Study
      2, the value of tolerance was primed for half the Ss and, under mortality-salient
      or control conditions, Ss evaluated a target person who criticized the United
      States. Mortality salience did not lead to negative reactions to the critic when
      the value of tolerance was highly accessible.

PMID- 1403613
TI  - Marital processes predictive of later dissolution: behavior, physiology, and
      health.
AB  - Seventy-three married couples were studied in 1983 and 1987. To identify marital
      processes associated with dissolution, a balance theory of marriage was used to
      generate 1 variable for dividing couples into regulated and nonregulated groups.
      For studying the precursors of divorce, a "cascade" model of marital dissolution,
      which forms a Guttman-like scale, received preliminary support. Compared with
      regulated couples, nonregulated couples had (a) marital problems rated as more
      severe (Time 1); (b) lower marital satisfaction (Time 1 and Time 2); (c) poorer
      health (Time 2); (d) smaller finger pulse amplitudes (wives); (e) more negative
      ratings for interactions; (f) more negative emotional expression; (g) less
      positive emotional expression; (h) more stubbornness and withdrawal from
      interaction; (i) greater defensiveness; and (j) greater risk for marital
      dissolution (lower marital satisfaction and higher incidence of consideration of
      dissolution and of actual separation).

PMID- 1403614
TI  - Empathy: a physiological substrate.
AB  - The relation between empathy (defined as the ability to perceive accurately how
      another person is feeling) and physiology was studied in 31 Ss. Ss viewed 15-min
      martial interactions and used a rating dial to indicate continuously how they
      thought a designated spouse was feeling. Rating accuracy was determined by
      comparing Ss' ratings with identical self-ratings obtained previously from the
      target spouse. Physiological linkage between S and target was determined using
      bivariate time-series analyses applied to 5 autonomic and somatic measures
      obtained from the S during the rating task and from the target spouse during the
      original conversation. Accuracy of rating negative emotion was greatest when S
      and target evidenced high levels of physiological linkage across time. Accuracy
      of detecting positive emotion was related to a state of low cardiovascular around
      in the S, but not to physiological linkage between S and target.

PMID- 1403615
TI  - Accuracy in perceptions of interpersonal interactions: effects of dysphoria,
      friendship, and similarity.
AB  - Conflicting views of depressives' interpersonal accuracy were addressed in an
      investigation of the accuracy of mild depressives (dysphorics) across differing
      social contexts. Women who were either friends or strangers and who were either
      similar or dissimilar in level of dysphoria conversed about 3 topics: a neutral
      topic, their own disclosure of a personal problem, and their partner's
      disclosure. Dysphorics were not more accurate in general than nondysphorics.
      After self-disclosure, all women more accurately detected sympathy from a similar
      stranger. After the partner's disclosure, women also better detected the mood of
      a similar partner. When interacting with nondysphoric strangers, however,
      dysphorics underestimated their partner's sympathy toward them. Implications for
      cognitive and interpersonal theories of depression and for depressives'
      relationships are discussed.

PMID- 1403616
TI  - Psychosocial development in adulthood: a 22-year sequential study.
AB  - Data supporting the notion of adult personality stability are challenged by the
      present findings, in which developmental change was demonstrated using the
      Eriksonian-stage-based Inventory of Psychosocial Development (IPD;
      Constantinople, 1969). A sequential design over the ages 20-42 was used on 2
      cohorts of college students and alumni originally tested in 1966 and 1976-1977
      (ns in 1988 = 99 and 83, respectively), and a 3rd cohort of college students in
      1988-1989 (n = 292). Results of longitudinal, cross-sectional, and sequential
      analyses challenged ideas about personality stability, with evidence of
      increasingly favorable resolutions of the early Eriksonian psychosocial stages up
      through the oldest age studied. There was evidence of a trend over the past
      decade toward less favorable resolution of ego integrity versus despair. The
      findings were interpreted in terms of developmental change processes during the
      adult years interacting with culturally based environmental effects on
      psychosocial development.

PMID- 1403617
TI  - Multiple protective and risk factors for drug use and abuse: cross-sectional and
      prospective findings.
AB  - A conceptual elaboration was developed that incorporates many risk and protective
      factors, and both direct and moderating (buffering) influences on drug
      involvement were tested. From prospective data, 14 factors related to drug use
      were selected and assigned empirically to either a multiple protective index
      (PFI) or a risk factor index (RFI). Analyses examined the relationships of the
      RFI, PFI, and their interaction on measures of cigarette, alcohol, cannabis,
      cocaine, and hard drug use cross-sectionally in late adolescence and later in
      young adulthood. These same variables were used to predict alcohol, cannabis, and
      cocaine abuse 8 years later. Vulnerability as measured by the RFI, PFI, and their
      interaction was highly associated with drug use in adolescence, moderately
      associated with certain types of drug use in young adulthood, and strongly
      associated with heightened drug problems in adulthood.

PMID- 1403618
TI  - General and specific support expectations and stress as predictors of perceived
      supportiveness: an experimental study.
AB  - Fifty-four undergraduates and their mothers participated in an experiment to
      evaluate hypotheses derived from a theory of perceived social support (Pierce,
      Sarason, & Sarason, 1990). Regression analyses indicated that the variables in
      the model accounted for 14.83% and 40.93%, respectively, of the variance in
      students' perceptions of their mothers' behavior assessed during 2 standardized
      laboratory situations. Unique effects were found for students' expectations for
      support from and conflict with their mothers in both pre- and posttask
      situations, although the effect of conflict was contrary to prediction in the
      pretask situation. Stress had an impact only in the posttask situation. Students'
      general expectations for support had no unique impact in either situation.
      Implications for the role of general and specific expectations for support and
      conflict, and situational factors, in theories of perceived social support are
      discussed.

PMID- 1403619
TI  - The effect of normative beliefs on anticipated emotions.
AB  - In 3 experiments, Ss were asked how they would or should make hypothetical
      decisions and how they would react emotionally to the options or outcomes. The
      choices were those in which departures from proposed normative models had
      previously been found: omission bias, status quo bias, and the person-causation
      effect. These effects were found in all judgments, including judgments of
      anticipated emotion. Arguments against the departures affected judgments of
      anticipated emotion as well as decisions, even though the arguments were entirely
      directed at the question of what should be done. In all but one study, effects of
      these arguments on anticipated emotion were as strong as their effects on
      decisions or normative beliefs. Thus, in many situations, people think that their
      emotional reactions will fall into line with their normative beliefs. In other
      situations, some people think that their emotional reactions have a life of their
      own. It is suggested that both normative beliefs and anticipated emotions affect
      decisions.

PMID- 1403620
TI  - The role of diagnosticity in stereotype formation: perceiving group means and
      variances.
AB  - Three experiments tested the hypotheses that while forming stereotypes of social
      groups, people abstract the central tendency and variability of different
      attribute dimensions to determine which ones best differentiate the groups and
      that more differentiating dimensions are more likely to become stereotypical in
      the sense of becoming strongly associated with the groups in memory. Supporting
      these hypotheses. Experiment 1 found that, after viewing behaviors performed by
      members of 2 groups, Ss characterized the groups more in terms of attribute
      dimensions indicating larger differences between the central tendencies of the
      groups, and Experiment 2 showed that this effect did not occur when Ss formed
      impressions of only 1 group. Experiment 3 found that Ss also characterized groups
      more in terms of attribute dimensions indicating lower within-group variability.

PMID- 1403621
TI  - Once a boring task always a boring task? Interest as a self-regulatory mechanism.
AB  - A process was proposed through which individuals regulate their motivation to
      perform necessary but uninteresting activities over time. If committed to
      continuing, individuals may engage in interest-enhancing strategies that can
      change the activity into something more positive to perform. In Study 1 Ss
      performed novel tasks and generated strategies to make regular performance
      interesting. In Study 2 Ss actually used these strategies primarily in conditions
      indicating a self-regulatory attempt: The task was currently boring, there was a
      perceived reason to continue (alleged health benefit), and a relevant strategy
      was available. Strategy use was associated with a change in activity definition
      and greater likelihood of subsequently performing the activity. In Study 3 Ss
      beliefs about how to maintain motivation to perform more everyday activities
      emphasized the importance of regulating interest relative to other self
      regulatory strategies.

PMID- 1403622
TI  - Gender and self-esteem.
AB  - Where does self-esteem (SE) come from? Three experiments explored the idea that
      men's and women's SE arise, in part, from different sources. It was hypothesized
      that SE is related to successfully measuring up to culturally mandated, gender
      appropriate norms--separation and independence for men and connection and
      interdependence for women. Results from Study 1 suggested that men's SE can be
      linked to a individuation process in which one's personal distinguishing
      achievements are emphasized. Results from Study 2 suggested that women's SE can
      be linked to a process in which connections and attachments to important others
      are emphasized. Study 3 demonstrated that failing to perform well on gender
      appropriate tasks engendered a defensive, compensatory reaction, but only in
      subjects with high SE. These findings are discussed with regard to their
      implications for the structure and dynamics of the self.

PMID- 1403623
TI  - Self-concept change and self-presentation: the looking glass self is also a
      magnifying glass.
AB  - Studies 1 and 2 showed that identical behaviors had greater impact on the self
      concept when performed publicly rather than privately. That is, the self-concept
      is more likely to change by internalizing public behavior than by internalizing
      behavior that is identical but lacks the interpersonal context. The self-concept
      change extends even to behavioral changes and occurs even when participants are
      unaware of being observed. In addition, those who are high in self-monitoring are
      more likely to internalize their behavior than those who are low in self
      monitoring. Study 3 provided evidence about what components of a public situation
      affect the internalization of behavior. Choice about making the self-portrayal,
      drawing on episodes from one's own past rather than relying on a yoked script,
      and expecting future interaction with the audience all increased the
      internalization of a public behavior.

PMID- 1403624
TI  - The aggression questionnaire.
AB  - A new questionnaire on aggression was constructed. Replicated factor analyses
      yielded 4 scales: Physical Aggression, Verbal Aggression, Anger, and Hostility.
      Correlational analysis revealed that anger is the bridge between both physical
      and verbal aggression and hostility. The scales showed internal consistency and
      stability over time. Men scored slightly higher on Verbal Aggression and
      Hostility and much higher on Physical Aggression. There was no sex difference for
      Anger. The various scales correlated differently with various personality traits.
      Scale scores correlated with peer nominations of the various kinds of aggression.
      These findings suggest the need to assess not only overall aggression but also
      its individual components.

PMID- 1403625
TI  - Optimism, coping, psychological distress, and high-risk sexual behavior among men
      at risk for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
AB  - In a cohort of gay men responding to the threat of acquired immunodeficiency
      syndrome (AIDS), dispositional optimism was associated with less distress, less
      avoidant coping, positive attitudes as a coping strategy, and fewer AIDS-related
      concerns. Men who knew they were seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus
      (HIV) were significantly more optimistic about not developing AIDS than men who
      knew they were seronegative for HIV. This AIDS-specific optimism was related to
      higher perceived control over AIDS and to active coping among seropositive men
      only and to health behaviors in both serostatus groups. There was no relation of
      optimism to risk-related sexual behavior. It is concluded that optimism is
      psychologically adaptive without necessarily compromising health behavior. It is
      also concluded that it is useful to distinguish between event-based optimistic
      expectations and dispositional optimism.

PMID- 1403626
TI  - The motivational and emotional consequences of considering positive or negative
      possibilities for an upcoming event.
AB  - The hypothesis that attention to negative possibilities for an upcoming event can
      have advantages for performance in comparison with a more optimistic approach was
      examined in 2 studies. Focus of attention to positive or negative possibilities
      for a social interaction was manipulated for Ss previously identified as
      optimists or defensive pessimists in the social domain. In Study 1, negatively
      focused defensive pessimists performed better in their conversations than
      positively focused defensive pessimists on several dimensions (e.g., talk time,
      perceived effort, and sociability). Optimists' behavior was unaffected by the
      focus manipulation. However, all negatively focused Ss felt worse after their
      conversations than did positively focused subjects. Study 2 examined the
      cognitive process by which a negative focus may lead to positive behaviors. Some
      pessimists may benefit from an initial negative focus that is not accompanied by
      lowered expectations and that actually facilitates positive thoughts about the
      self.

PMID- 1403627
TI  - Gender characteristics and adjustment: a longitudinal study.
AB  - The present study used a prospective longitudinal design to investigate the long
      term developmental implications of gender-related interests and traits. Archival
      data were available for Ss in the R. R. Sears, Maccoby, and Levin (1957) study.
      Men, who at age 12 endorsed interests and undesirable traits more typically
      associated with women, had poorer social-personal adjustment at ages 31 and 41.
      No effects were found for women. Feminine expressive traits at age 31 did not
      impact on 41-year-old adjustment for either men or women, whereas masculine
      instrumental traits were positively related for both. These findings support a
      multidimensional view of gender and indicate that harsher consequences follow
      when adolescent boys endorse nontraditional gender-related interests and
      undesirable traits than when girls do so.

PMID- 1403628
TI  - The four faces of eve: a typological analysis of women's personality at midlife.
AB  - In an analysis of adult personality structure, types are defined as prototypes
      rather than as discrete categories. Using inverse factor analyses of archival Q
      sort descriptions, 4 type factors were replicated in a cross-validation design.
      These prototypes are interpreted as Individuated, Traditional, Conflicted, and
      Assured and are related to Rank's (1945) theoretical analysis of different modes
      of adjustment. These prototypes capture particular combinations of personality
      dimensions, such as Ego Resiliency, Ego Control, and the Big Five, and converge
      with the types identified by Block (1971). Further analyses using 13 clusters of
      scales from 3 broad-band self-report inventories validated the Q-sort-based
      interpretations and showed a distinct and theoretically consistent patterning for
      each of the types.

PMID- 1403629
TI  - Leaving the lesbian lifestyle.

PMID- 1403630
TI  - Can homosexuals really change?

PMID- 1403631
TI  - Is marriage worth the work?

PMID- 1403632
TI  - Faith in recovery. Spiritual support after an acute MI.
AB  - Data from a sample of ninety AMI patients indicate that the majority of these
      patients find that their spiritual views are a source of help, both at hospital
      discharge and during early recovery at home. Conversely, a small group of these
      patients said they did not receive help. Since the remainder of the patients were
      unsure if they received help from their religious or life views, I believe that
      all AMI patients could benefit from spiritual care provided by Christian nurses.
      Findings also indicate that subjects who experienced spiritual support at home
      also experienced decreased stress.

PMID- 1403633
TI  - For Pete's sake.

PMID- 1403635
TI  - Rethinking the Golden Rule.

PMID- 1403634
TI  - Sexual harassment--what should I do?

PMID- 1403636
TI  - Detection of incident HIV infection by PCR compared to serology.
AB  - In order to determine the most sensitive method for the early detection of HIV
      infection, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serology were compared using
      matched peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and serum samples taken
      sequentially at 3-month intervals on 17 HIV seroconverters. All samples from the
      time of enrollment in the study to the time of seroconversion were studied.
      [There were only two of the 17 cases where PCR and antigen positivity preceded
      EIA detectable seroconversion.] Initially, one of these cases was found to be PCR
      positive 11 months prior to seroconversion, however DNA fingerprinting techniques
      indicated that the early positive specimen did not belong to the subject in
      question. In a single subject, PCR was negative at the time of serologic evidence
      of infection but was positive at the next sampling 3 months later. In the
      remaining 14 cases, PCR was positive at the same sample time as full or partial
      seroconversion as determined by three EIA screening tests and Western blot. EIA
      antibody screen tests showed variability in detection of early HIV antibodies. We
      found no evidence for prolonged HIV infection prior to seroconversion. PCR offers
      little if any advantage over serology in the early detection of HIV infection in
      adults.

PMID- 1403637
TI  - Acidification modified p24 antigen capture assay in HIV seropositives.
AB  - The p24 antigen is only detectable in a minority of asymptomatic HIV infected
      individuals, which is in part felt to be secondary to immune complex formation
      with p24 antibody. We sought to determine if the recovery of p24 antigen could be
      enhanced by an acidification procedure in an attempt to dissociate p24 antibody
      antigen complexes. We tested 291 HIV antibody positive serum samples in
      duplicate, comparing the standard Coulter p24 Antigen Assay with the same assay
      which was modified by pretreating samples for 60 min with 1.5 M glycine (pH 1.85)
      and then neutralizing the sample with 1.5 M Tris (pH 9.0). Using the assay cutoff
      (approximately 7.8 pg/ml), the standard assayed sera and the acid pretreated sera
      were positive in 65/291 (22.3%) and 167/291 (57.4%) of the samples, respectively.
      This difference between procedures was statistically significant (p < 0.0001) by
      McNemar chi 2. There was also a statistically significant difference between
      Walter Reed stages for p24 antigen quantification by ANOVA (p < 0.0001). We have
      demonstrated that the detection of p24 antigen may be significantly enhanced by
      acid pretreatment of sera which dissociates immune complexed antigen. We have
      also shown significant differences exist between Walter Reed stages for
      quantitative p24 antigen levels. Enhanced detection of p24 antigen may be
      important prognostically and may allow for the monitoring of antiretroviral
      therapy.

PMID- 1403638
TI  - Cytokine dysregulation in AIDS: in vivo overexpression of mRNA of tumor necrosis
      factor-alpha and its correlation with that of the inflammatory cytokine GRO.
AB  - The human immunodeficiency virus establishes an intimate interaction with the
      immune system. The virus can use cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha
      (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 (Il-1), to regulate its own expression by modifying
      the normal immunoregulatory network. We demonstrate that mRNA of the cytokine TNF
      alpha from peripheral blood mononuclear cells is overexpressed in virtually all
      patients with AIDS who do not have active opportunistic infections compared with
      uninfected volunteers (p < 0.0001). This overexpression correlates with elevated
      mRNA levels of the recently discovered GRO (p < 0.05), a cytokine involved in the
      inflammatory response.

PMID- 1403639
TI  - AIDS incidence and income.
AB  - Since 1987, the annual increases of AIDS incidence among homosexual and bisexual
      men have slowed but the increases among other risk groups have continued
      unabated. Although indirect evidence suggests the incidence change is related to
      medical care for HIV disease delaying the onset of AIDS, other explanations are
      also possible. To examine the incidence change from a different perspective, we
      classified the residents of Philadelphia (PA, U.S.A.) with AIDS by the per capita
      income of their census tracts of residence. AIDS incidence increased steadily in
      the lowest income tercile, showed continuing but smaller increases after 1987 in
      the middle tercile, and was level after 1987 in the highest income tercile. The
      relationship between income and changes of incidence persisted after
      stratification on race or mode of infection with HIV. Income was associated with
      private medical insurance at the time of diagnosis of AIDS (59% privately insured
      in the highest income tercile, 24% in the lowest) and with median survival after
      a diagnosis of AIDS (467 days in the highest tercile of income, 359 days in the
      lowest). These observations are consistent with a medical treatment benefit that
      reaches the highest tercile of income and does not reach the lowest one.

PMID- 1403640
TI  - AIDS prevalence by income group in Philadelphia.
AB  - We sought to track recent changes in AIDS incidence and prevalence in the city of
      Philadelphia (PA, U.S.A.) using morbidity and mortality data reported to the
      health department. We stratified the data by the mean per capita income in census
      tracts where people with AIDS resided. Estimates made without adjustment for the
      time lag between events and their entry into the database undercount both recent
      AIDS diagnoses and recent AIDS deaths. Therefore, we used a previously published
      method to adjust for the lag in reporting diagnoses and developed a method to
      adjust for the lag in reporting deaths. We calculated prevalent cases as the
      difference between cumulative cases and cumulative deaths. Between 1988 and 1990,
      annual AIDS incidence per 100,000 Philadelphia residents increased by 21% (from
      25.9 to 31.4) and AIDS prevalence per 100,000 population increased by 62% (from
      30.2 to 48.8). AIDS prevalence increased 113% (from 29.8 to 63.6) in low-income
      tracts, 88% (from 27.8 to 52.3) in middle-income tracts, and 14% (from 32.5 to
      37.2) in high-income tracts. The 62% increase in AIDS prevalence and the shift
      toward people in poorer neighborhoods imply a need for public funding for AIDS
      care that is far larger than would be suggested by the general 21% increase in
      AIDS incidence over the same period.

PMID- 1403641
TI  - A model-based estimate of HIV infectivity via needle sharing.
AB  - Critical to understanding the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus via
      needle sharing among drug users is the infectivity, i.e., the conditional
      probability of infection given injection with a shared, contaminated syringe. A
      simple mathematical model was constructed that relates infectivity to the
      prevalence of infection in needles used by drug users, the mean shared injection
      frequency among drug users, the probability that a needle is disinfected prior to
      use, and the mean AIDS incubation time. Three of these parameters have been
      estimated using data from the New Haven, Connecticut legal needle exchange
      program. Using the polymerase chain reaction to test for the presence of HIV
      proviral DNA in a sample of returned needles, we determined that 67.5% were HIV
      positive. We were able to estimate shared injection rates and disinfection rates
      from surveys of drug users enrolled in the needle exchange and our syringe
      tracking system. Current estimates of the mean AIDS incubation time are available
      in the literature. Our model implies that the probability of infection per
      injection with a contaminated syringe equals 0.0067, which is slightly higher
      than the transmission probabilities of 1/300 to 1/200 estimated from needlestick
      studies, and a factor of 3 higher than estimates of the probability of HIV
      transmission per vaginal sex act from a infected man to an uninfected woman.

PMID- 1403642
TI  - HIV testing and sexual behavior among intravenous drug users in Bangkok,
      Thailand.
AB  - The relationships between previous HIV counseling and testing and sexual behavior
      were examined among injecting drug users in Bangkok. Six hundred one i.v. drug
      users (IVDUs) were recruited from drug treatment programs in November of 1989. A
      standardized interview on AIDS risk behavior was administered and a blood sample
      was collected for HIV testing of the 601 people. Fifty-six percent reported that
      they had not been previously tested (NPT), 15% had previously tested positive
      (PT+), and 29% had previously tested negative (PT-). Previous testing was
      associated with higher levels of safer sex and contraception with primary
      partners: 56% of the PT+ people with regular partners reported using condoms at
      least some of the time with that partner, compared with 28% of the PT- and only
      20% of the NPT people. Similarly, 89% of the PT+ and 72% of the PT- people,
      compared with 59% of the NPT people, reported practicing some form of
      contraception with regular partners. The results strongly support the utility of
      HIV counseling and testing as a method of reducing heterosexual and perinatal HIV
      transmission among IVDUs in Bangkok.

PMID- 1403643
TI  - Influence of HIV-1 infection and cigarette smoking on leukocyte profiles in
      homosexual men. The Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study.
AB  - The interaction between the effects of HIV-1 infection and cigarette smoking on
      leukocyte profiles was studied in 307 HIV-1 seroconverters in the Multicenter
      AIDS Cohort Study (MACS). Longitudinal data for white blood cell (WBC) counts,
      WBC differentials, T cell subsets, and smoking behavior were collected
      semiannually for up to 7 years. Prior to seroconversion, total WBC count
      increased in direct proportion to daily cigarette consumption, but this effect
      disappeared within 3 years of seroconversion. Analyses of WBC subsets
      (lymphocytes, monocytes, and granulocytes) and lymphocyte subsets (CD4+, CD8+ and
      non-T[CD3-]) showed that smoking had only minor effects on the proportions of
      these cells. In contrast, HIV-1 seroconversion was associated with a dramatic
      decrease in CD4+ lymphocyte percentage, a large increase in CD8+ lymphocyte
      percentage, a small increase in total lymphocyte percentage, and small decreases
      in the non-T lymphocyte and granulocyte percentages. These findings indicate that
      the effect of smoking on CD4 cell counts is (a) nonspecific, (b) maximal in
      seronegative individuals; and (c) lost by 3 years after seroconversion. Although
      the mechanism of the loss of smoking-induced leukocytosis after seroconversion
      remains to be determined, our results suggest that the effects of smoking are not
      likely to be important in the clinical use of leukocyte measurements, including
      measurements of CD4 lymphocytes, in individuals who have been HIV-1 seropositive
      for more than 3 years.

PMID- 1403644
TI  - National study of knowledge of AIDS, testing patterns, and self-assessed risk
      among health care workers.
AB  - We conducted a study to assess the level of AIDS knowledge, testing behavior
      patterns, and self-assessed risk of contracting AIDS for a representative sample
      of health care workers in the United States. The study was based on data
      collected in the 1989 AIDS Knowledge and Attitudes Supplement to the National
      Health Interview Survey. Health care workers in four occupational groups were
      compared with other members of the labor force and with one another. The survey
      included 1,620 respondents identified as health care workers and 25,217
      respondents with occupations other than in health care. Health care workers were
      more knowledgeable about AIDS than were other workers; approximately 55% and 25%,
      respectively, reported knowing a lot about AIDS. They were also more likely to
      have been tested (34%) than other workers (24%) and to have done so voluntarily
      (28% versus 14%). Health care workers also believed they had higher risk of
      contracting AIDS (8% versus 3%), although they were about equally likely to
      report being in one of the six high-risk groups. Among health care workers, those
      in the health diagnosing occupations were the most knowledgeable about AIDS (74%
      reported knowing a lot) and were the most likely to have been tested (41% were
      tested at least once). Health service workers were the least knowledgeable; only
      38% reported knowing a lot about AIDS and only 26% reported being tested.

PMID- 1403645
TI  - Racial misclassification of American Indians with AIDS in Los Angeles County.
AB  - American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) appear to be underrepresented in AIDS
      surveillance statistics. We estimated the accuracy of racial classification and
      reporting completeness of AIDS among AI/ANs in Los Angeles County by surveying
      community-based organizations (CBOs) that provide services to persons with AIDS
      and then comparing the survey to AIDS surveillance data. The surveyed CBOs
      reviewed 6,500 records and found 60 Native American (the classification used by
      CBOs for AI/ANs) clients with AIDS compared with six AI/AN AIDS cases reported to
      the Los Angeles County AIDS surveillance registry. Racial classification was
      evaluated for 37 (62%) of the 60 Native American CBO clients. Only 11 (30%) of
      the 37 were verified as AI/ANs. The remaining 26 (70%) misunderstood the racial
      nomenclature and were reclassified by the CBOs as other races. Of 10 verified
      AI/AN clients for whom names were available, eight (80%) had been reported to the
      AIDS registry. However, seven (88%) of these eight were erroneously reported as
      other races. Racial misclassification accounts for much of the
      underrepresentation of AI/ANs in the Los Angeles County AIDS surveillance
      registry.

PMID- 1403646
TI  - The human immunodeficiency virus tat protein increases the transcription of human
      Alu repeated sequences by increasing the activity of the cellular transcription
      factor TFIIIC.
AB  - The HIV Tat protein is able to upregulate the transcription by RNA polymerase III
      of cotransfected or endogenous cellular Alu-repeated sequences in both HeLa and
      Jurkat T cells. This effect is mediated by an increase in the activity of
      transcription factor TFIIIC, which binds to the B box in the RNA polymerase III
      Alu promoter. This is the first example of an effect of the Tat protein on the
      transcription of a cellular gene or on the activity of a cellular transcription
      factor. The significance of this effect for the life cycle of HIV and its
      interaction with infected cells is discussed.

PMID- 1403647
TI  - Clonal dominance: cause for a limited and failing immune response to HIV-1
      infection and vaccination.
AB  - Oligoclonal and monoclonal antibody populations against different HIV-encoded
      proteins are common in sera from healthy HIV-1-infected individuals. This is
      especially important when it includes functional antibody repertoires directed at
      neutralizing cell free virus or inhibiting cell fusion of virus-infected cells.
      In the host, during the acute viral syndrome following HIV-1 infection, a rapidly
      replicating, cell-free and genotypically homogeneous viral population is known to
      arise from the transmitted viral inoculum. Dominant B and possibly T cell clones
      responsible for both functional and nonfunctional antibodies appear to arise
      early in response to this initially homogeneous cell-free viral population
      heralding seroconversion. During the viremic phase, deposition of cell-free virus
      as either complement coated or as immune complexes (iccosomes) within the
      germinal centers results in continued and long-term boosting of primed B cells.
      This saturation of antigen presenting germinal centers and the presence of
      limited, immunodominant cross-reactive epitopes on the envelope glycoprotein of
      the closely-related and immune selected viral quasispecies in the host appear to
      continue the boosting effect of the primed secondary response. This repertoire
      freeze appears to be responsible for limiting the recruitment of new uncommitted
      B cells to other functional epitopes or affinity maturation of B-cell clones to
      escape variants and the subsequent production and quality of functional antibody
      against the evolving/selected virus populations. This may include in addition to
      neutralizing and cell fusion inhibiting antibody, direct complement-fixing and/or
      NK-directed antibody-dependent cell-mediated antibody as well as various
      effector, helper, or T cell-mediated activity. In addition to antiviral antibody
      responses, antibody directed to other invading pathogens or opportunistic
      organisms may also be clonaly restricted. Antibody facilitating infectivity or
      blocking effective immunity may also be included in this phenomena and thus be
      over represented by such a mechanism. AIDS vaccines utilizing the envelope must
      identify these epitopes to avoid creating clonal dominance and therefore possibly
      limit the breadth and specificity of a humoral response following infection.
      Furthermore, immunotherapeutic approaches designed to recruit humoral immune
      effector function must be able to overcome the dominance of noneffective
      antibodies and restore a normal polyclonal immune response against HIV. Further
      research, therefore, into the humoral and cellular dysregulating properties of
      the HIV-1 envelope is warranted.

PMID- 1403648
TI  - Report of a consensus workshop, Siena, Italy, January 17-18, 1992. Early
      diagnosis of HIV infection in infants.
AB  - To promote progress in the research and development of early diagnostic tests for
      HIV in young children an international workshop was held on January 17-18, 1992,
      in Siena, Italy. Experts on pediatric AIDS, diagnostic retrovirology, and
      immunodiagnosis discussed and summarized the state-of-the-art and made
      recommendations for general application of several tests and further evaluation
      and continued research for other candidate tests. From the discussions it was
      clear that the field has advanced beyond the time when it was necessary to wait
      until the infant reached 18 months of age before attempting the diagnosis with
      conventional serologic tests for HIV. About half of infected infants can now be
      identified at birth, approximately 90% by 3 months of age, and almost all by 6
      months of age using HIV culture and polymerase chain reaction assays. IgA
      antibody tests and p24 antigen tests have also proved useful, although they are
      not as sensitive in newborn infants. The fact that HIV can be detected in only
      one-half of infected infants at the time of birth points to the need for further
      research on the timing of transmission and the natural history of perinatally
      acquired HIV infection to understand the limitations of current early diagnostic
      tests and to develop new approaches to overcome these problems.

PMID- 1403649
TI  - Uses and implications of the contextual approach to child custody decisions.
AB  - Child custody litigation signals parental conflicts that have serious
      implications for a child's long-term development. The authors describe a family
      systems approach to child custody decision making--the contextual approach,
      derived from contextual family theory. A case study analysis and pilot study
      illustrate the use of the approach with a small group of families who turn to the
      legal system to resolve custody or visitation disputes. The findings suggest the
      approach's usefulness in helping families create alternatives to continued
      disputation. The findings also reinforce the need for further research to test
      the preventive potential of the approach in reducing returns to court.

PMID- 1403650
TI  - In support of sibling inclusion: a literature review.
AB  - The responses of siblings to a childhood mental illness have been conceptualized
      in different ways. When siblings have not been ignored, they have been viewed
      most frequently as an influence upon the illness or as subject to the same
      dynamics that were believed to have caused the mental illness. As
      conceptualizations of the causes of mental illness have changed, the literature
      on siblings has changed to focus on the impact of the illness on the sibling. How
      siblings and sibling relationships are conceptualized has important implications
      for clinical research and practice. More research is needed to understand the
      sibling experience in childhood mental illness. Clinicians can do more for the
      family if all of the family dynamics and responses to the illness are explored.

PMID- 1403651
TI  - A forest of matches.

PMID- 1403652
TI  - Difficulties with teens: can nursing consultation help?
AB  - Child/youth problems and psychiatric hospitalizations are increasing. A
      literature review suggests that there is an increased need for more nurses with
      the knowledge and skills necessary to work in this specialty area. The review
      also suggests that providing psychiatric nursing consultation services is one way
      to help direct care staff to strengthen or develop these skills. The authors
      describe a consultation project that took place on a newly developed 15-bed
      adolescent program in a 30-bed private psychiatric hospital. They examine the
      effectiveness of consultation sessions, ascertained through both verbal and
      written evaluations of staff members. The outcome suggests that psychiatric
      nursing consultation services can be an important contribution in expanding the
      knowledge base of direct care staff (child care specialists and nurses) who work
      with the hospitalized adolescent psychiatric patient.

PMID- 1403653
TI  - Practicing in partnership with families in the inpatient setting.

PMID- 1403654
TI  - The Attending Nurse: a new role for the advanced clinician.
AB  - The Attending Nurse Model as a unique role for the advanced practitioner was
      implemented and evaluated in an acute care psychiatric setting with an adolescent
      patient population. Program evaluation results demonstrated that the Attending
      Nurse role increased general satisfaction and role clarity while decreasing role
      tension. In addition, the role increased communication with patients' family
      members. Comparisons are made between the traditional primary nurse and the
      Attending Nurse roles.

PMID- 1403655
TI  - [Recent advances in the carbon-carbon bond forming reactions with alpha
      chlorosulfides].
AB  - This review describes our recent studies on the carbon-carbon bond forming
      reactions of alpha-chlorosulfides with arenes, alkenes, and alkynes. Applications
      of these reactions to the synthesis of natural products are also presented.

PMID- 1403656
TI  - [Asymmetric synthesis of nitrogen-containing biologically active compounds
      utilizing intramolecular aminocyclization to olefin of secondary allylic
      alcohols].
AB  - The progress of the asymmetric syntheses of nitrogen-containing biologically
      active compounds such as pyrrolidine, pyrrolizidine, indolizidine alkaloids, and
      unusual amino acids has been reviewed. Our recent advances in taking advantage of
      stereoselective aminocyclization of homochiral N-alkenyl urethanes and
      thioimitates containing allylic hydroxyl group have provided an attractive entry
      into the functionalized pyrrolidine skeletons as chiral building blocks. A
      promising approach to a number of biologically active compounds such as alkaloids
      has emerged.

PMID- 1403657
TI  - [Protective effects of the bark of Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc. on experimental
      liver injuries].
AB  - The methanol extract from the bark of Myrica rubra SIEB. et ZUCC. showed
      protective effects on liver injuries induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and
      alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) in rats. In this study, the fractions and
      some compounds from the bark of M. rubra were investigated for the protection
      against CCl4 inducing liver injuries in rats. The active principles for the
      protection were recognized in two fractions (M-3 and M-5 Fr. 1) obtained from the
      methanol extract, and one of the active principles in the fraction (M-3) was
      found to be myricanol 5-O-beta-D-(6'-O-galloyl)-glucopyranoside. In addition,
      these fractions protecting liver injuries induced by CCl4 showed significant
      protective effects against cholestasis induced by ANIT.

PMID- 1403658
TI  - [Subcellular distribution of porphyrins and anti-lipid peroxidative effect in
      protoporphyrin-administered rat liver].
AB  - The distribution and the anti-lipid peroxidative effects of porphyrins in the
      hepatic subcellular fractions in rats were studied after intravenous
      administration of protoporphyrin (PP). PP and/or PP-derived porphyrins were
      mainly distributed in the membrane-containing fractions of 600 x g-, 10,000 x g-
      and 100,000 x g-sediment from the liver homogenates of rats receiving a 20 mg/kg
      dose of PP. The lipid peroxidation induced by L-ascorbic acid in the fractions of
      600 x g-, 10,000 x g- and 100,000 x g-sediment from the PP-treated rats was
      suppressed during 1-168 h, 1-168 h and 12-168 h, respectively, after the PP
      treatment. The suppression of the peroxidation in the liver mitochondria from the
      PP-treated rats was further enhanced by the addition of the hepatic cytosol from
      the PP-treated rats. The extent of the suppression by the addition of the cytosol
      from the PP-treated rats at 24 h after the PP administration was greater than
      those at 0 and 168 h after the PP administration. These results indicate that PP
      and/or PP-derived porphyrins distributed in the liver still exert antioxidative
      actions and that there might exist some unknown factors enhancing the actions in
      the hepatic cytosol.

PMID- 1403659
TI  - [Effect of shikonin and its derivatives, pentaacetylated shikonin (MDS-004) on
      granuloma formation and delayed-type allergy in experimental animals].
AB  - Of twelve reduced and acetylated derivatives of shikonin, a chemical constituent
      of Shikon, the accelerating activity on granuloma formation and the inhibitory
      activity on delayed-type allergy were investigated in order to find a compound
      having more characteristic effect than shikonin on wound healing in experimental
      animals. As a result, it was found that a reduced and pentaacetylated derivative
      of shikonin, MDS-004, has more excellent pharmacological activity. MDS-004 (0.1-1
      mg/pellet) accelerated dose-dependently felt-pellet-induced granuloma formation
      when given topically together with felt-pellets in rats. It also produced strong
      inhibition against delayed-type allergies (ear edema) caused by oxazolone and
      dinitrofluorobenzene by topical application of up to 1 mg/ear to the ear skin of
      mice; its potency was far superior to that of shikonin. Orally administered MDS
      004, unlike shikonin, inhibited carrageenan-induced hind paw edema, and exhibited
      tendency to heal acetic acid-induced gastric ulcer in rats. However, MDS-004, as
      well as commercial wound healing drugs tested and shikonin, did not show any
      healing action in the incised and open wound models in rats, if applied topically
      to the wound as 5 and 10% powders. On the other hand, MDS-004 did not produce
      irritative action on the ear skin at a topical dose of 1 mg/ear different from
      shikonin, and any behavioral changes after oral administration of 100 mg/kg in
      mice. These results suggest that a white powder MDS-004, different from deep
      purple shikonin, has accelerating action on granuloma formation without
      irritative action and stronger inhibitory action on delayed-type allergy by
      topical application than shikonin.

PMID- 1403660
TI  - [Determination of sennoside A in oriental pharmaceutical decoctions containing
      Rhei Rhizoma by ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography].
AB  - A simple method using ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography was
      established for the rapid and precise determination of sennoside A in oriental
      pharmaceutical decoctions containing Rhei Rhizoma. This method was compared with
      other two methods, i.e. ion-suppression and phosphate buffer methods. Sennoside A
      was eluted without interference in this ion-pair method, while the determination
      of sennoside A was interfered by co-existing components in the other two methods.

PMID- 1403661
TI  - [Pharmacological studies on leaf of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng. IV.
      Effect of 50% methanolic extract from Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng.
      (bearberry leaf) on melanin synthesis].
AB  - Effects of 50% methanolic extract (U-ext) from the leaf of Arctostaphylos uva
      ursi (L.) Spreng. (bearberry leaf) on melanin synthesis were investigated in
      vitro. The U-ext and arbutin isolated from the bearberry leaf had an inhibitory
      effect on tyrosinase activity. Furthermore, the U-ext inhibited the production of
      melanin from dopa by tyrosinase and from dopachrome by autoxidation. These
      results suggest that the bearberry leaf was found to be an effective inhibitor of
      the production of melanin.

PMID- 1403662
TI  - [Molecular interaction in pharmaceutical solution, solubilization, partition, and
      stability of drugs].
AB  - The pharmaceutical studies carried out by the author during 40 years were
      reviewed from the viewpoint of molecular interaction. Included subjects are:
      electrostatic interaction between drug ions, ion pair formation and its partition
      to organic phase, drug solubilization by adjuvants, partition of drugs between
      aqueous and micellar phases, cyclodextrin inclusions, human serum albumin binding
      and drug stability related to the esterase-like activity of the albumin, and oral
      liposome preparation of vitamin K1. The drug stabilities related to those
      molecular interactions were emphasized.

PMID- 1403663
TI  - [Development of multicomponent immunoassay and micro-localization analysis by
      laser-photoacoustic and microscopic image analyzer].
AB  - Laser photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) has a potential to be developed as a
      sensitive and solid-phase analytical method and was applied to enzyme
      immunoassay. The test sample for immunoassay was prepared by adsorbing multi
      component immunoglobulins on a nitrocellulose membrane filter. Human lambda- and
      kappa-chains, which are used as a principal indication of malignant
      lymphoreticular disease, and immunoglobulin G were used as model proteins, and
      PAS immunoassay was applied to the individual detection of these three proteins
      in the urine. Furthermore, in order to develop a sensitive analysis for
      particular biological components in tissues or cells, laser photoacoustic
      microscopy (PAM) and video intensified microscopy (VIM) were developed. PAM was
      shown to be applicable to the detection and quantification of human lambda-chain
      in a micro-region of the tissue sections of the human fetal spleen and pancreas.
      VIM was applied to the detection of stimulation-response processes in a cell. By
      using neutrophils which are stimulated by many substances and produce active
      oxidants as the results, dynamic changes in the stimulation-response process in a
      living cell were visualized as fluorescence or chemiluminescence images by the
      VIM system.

PMID- 1403664
TI  - [Determination of synephrine in oriental pharmaceutical decoctions containing
      Aurantii nobilis pericarpium by ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography].
AB  - A simple method using ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography was
      established for the rapid and precise determination of synephrine in oriental
      pharmaceutical decoctions containing Aurantii Nobilis Pericarpium. An ODS column
      and a mixture of water, acetonitrile, sodium dodecyl sulfate and phosphoric acid
      (65:35:0.5:0.1) as a mobile phase were used for the separation. Synephrine was
      eluted without interference by other co-existing components within 15 min.

PMID- 1403665
TI  - [Oxidation of hydrogen sulfide with cell-free extract of Hyphomicrobium neptunium
      ATCC 15444].
AB  - Soluble (Fr. 1) and membrane (Fr. 2) fractions were prepared from the cell-free
      extract of Hyphomicrobium neptunium ATCC 15444, and their effects on the
      oxidization of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) were studied. When H2S gas was supplied to
      Fr. 1 and Fr. 2, sulfur in both fractions and the majority of thiosulfate ion in
      Fr. 1 were detected. The sulfide-oxidizing activity in Fr. 2 but not in Fr. 1 was
      inhibited by the addition of diethyldithiocarbamate, suggesting that Fr. 1 and
      Fr. 2 have different types of sulfide-oxidase, and that Fr. 2 would include
      cytochrome c dependent sulfide oxidase. It was also found that thiosulfate ion
      was formed from sulfur and sulfite ion by adding Fr. 1. However, the pronase
      treatment of Fr. 1 did not influence on the formation of thiosulfate ion. These
      results suggest that H2S was oxidized to sulfur and sulfite ion by two types of
      sulfide oxidase and sulfur oxidase in H. neptunium ATCC 15444, and that the
      sulfite ion changed rapidly to thiosulfate through a non-enzymatic reaction with
      sulfur.

PMID- 1403666
TI  - [The mechanism of the renal excretion of disopyramide in rats. I].
AB  - The mechanism involved in the renal excretion of disopyramide (DPM) is still
      incompletely understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the renal
      handling of DPM and the interactions between DPM and several organic anionic or
      cationic drugs related to the renal tubular secretion, using the renal clearance
      and renal cortical slices uptake techniques in rats. The clearance ratio of DPM
      was greater than that of glomerular filtration and this suggests the tubular
      secretion of DPM. The clearance ratio of DPM did not change after infusion of
      either anionic drugs (p-aminohippurate and probenecid) or a cationic drug
      (cimetidine). The results of time and concentration-dependent experiments using
      renal cortical slices demonstrated that DPM was accumulated against a
      concentration gradient by a saturable process. Inhibition of uptake by 2,4
      dinitrophenol and cyanide indicated an energy dependence. DPM uptake was
      considerably inhibited by the cationic drugs, cimetidine and quinine, suggesting
      that DPM was transported by the cation transport mechanism. Probenecid, a
      competitor for the anion transport mechanism, moderately inhibited DPM uptake.

PMID- 1403667
TI  - [Limonoids in Phellodendron amurense (Kihada)].
AB  - Limonoids and their glucosides in the seeds and barks of Phellondendron amurense
      (Kihada) were analyzed. The seeds contained limonin (1950 ppm), obakunone (20
      ppm), limonin 17-beta-D-glucopyranoside (820 ppm) and obakunone 17-beta-D
      glucopyranoside (1360 ppm). The barks contained limonin (6760 ppm), obakunone
      (1240 ppm) and nomilin (270 ppm).

PMID- 1403668
TI  - Binary combination effects of some pharmacologically active chemicals as
      promoters of tumorigenesis.
AB  - Identification of potential interactions in exposures either to simultaneous or
      sequential combinations of carcinogenic chemicals and chemicals that modify
      carcinogenesis poses considerable difficulties in human health risk assessments.
      Studies of experimental carcinogenesis over the past four decades have revealed
      that many pharmacologically active agents possess tumorigenesis-promoting
      properties. The effort to identify the possible chemical structural basis of
      interactions of binary combinations of carcinogenic chemicals and chemical agents
      that modify carcinogenesis led to the identification of a class of structurally
      diverse and pharmacologically active tumorigenesis promoters that are known as
      pharmaceuticals. The chemical class-class interactions of carcinogens and
      pharmaceutical agents with reported tumorigenesis-promoting properties and the
      possible biochemical mechanism(s) that underlie such interactions are discussed.

PMID- 1403669
TI  - Physiological modeling of disposition of potential tumor-imaging
      radiopharmaceuticals in tumor-bearing mice.
AB  - Radiopharmaceuticals have great potential in the early detection of human tumors.
      Three potential 99mTc-labeled platinum compounds based on cisplatin have been
      synthesized and tested in tumored mice. This report presents the analysis of the
      disposition data obtained after a single intravenous injection with an empirical,
      physiologically based pharmacokinetic model. The radioactivity of each
      radiopharmaceutical after administration was measured in blood, urine, and 15
      tissues, including tumor. Parameters included in the model were tissue volumes
      (experimentally determined), tissue blood flows (determined from literature
      values), tissue:blood extraction ratios (determined by nonlinear least-squares
      regression with MULTI-FORTE), and clearance terms (also determined by nonlinear
      least-squares regression). Data were weighted by the reciprocal of the square of
      the observed values. Good fits to the experimental data were obtained. As
      expected, the compound producing the best tumor:blood profile (3) also had the
      highest tumor extraction ratio (6.2 versus 2.0 and 1.3 for 1 and 2,
      respectively). Total body clearance values for the radioactivity associated with
      the three compounds 1-3 were calculated to be 0.09, 0.04, and 0.016 mL/min,
      respectively. Analysis of data with such an empirical, physiologically based
      model may assist future development of suitable tumor-imaging agents.

PMID- 1403670
TI  - Release of polyionizable compounds from submicrometer oil-in-water emulsions.
AB  - A novel, general, theoretical equation that describes the release of
      polyionizable compounds from submicrometer emulsions was derived and evaluated.
      The model accounts for simultaneous partitioning, interfacial activity, and
      adsorption to surfactant for n independent drug species and j surfactant species
      in a single emulsion system. Under the appropriate conditions, this model
      collapses to a previously described model for submicrometer emulsions. The model
      was tested for submicrometer emulsions containing a model dibasic compound
      (quinine sulfate). Drug release behavior was observed at pH 3.00, 5.07, and 7.50
      in the presence and absence of an anionic surfactant (sodium lauryl sulfate). At
      each pH, the proposed theory describes the observed release behavior. At all pHs
      studied, a substantial amount of quinine was adsorbed to the surface of the oil
      droplet. Presumably, this behavior was largely the result of electrostatic
      attraction between ionized drug and sodium lauryl sulfate at the oil-water
      interface. Adsorption constants were evaluated for complexation of cationic and
      dicationic species of quinine to sodium lauryl sulfate, and the adsorption
      constant of the cationic species was larger, presumably because of the ionic
      nature of the surfactant.

PMID- 1403671
TI  - Chloride-37 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic study of binding of
      salicylic acid and other hydroxybenzoic acids to the band 3 anion transport
      protein of human erythrocytes.
AB  - Chloride-37 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to investigate the
      displacement of chloride (Cl-) from binding sites on band 3 anion transport
      protein in human erythrocytes by salicylic acid and five other hydroxybenzoic
      acids (HAs). All the HAs studied displaced Cl- from these binding sites. The
      association constants for binding of the HAs to band 3 anion transport protein
      were larger than that for Cl- and dependent on the specific structural features
      of the molecule, rather than general physicochemical characteristics.

PMID- 1403672
TI  - A kinetic study of the role of band 3 anion transport protein in the transport of
      salicylic acid and other hydroxybenzoic acids across the human erythrocyte
      membrane.
AB  - The mechanism of transport of salicylic acid and five other hydroxybenzoic acids
      across the human erythrocyte membrane was investigated. The specific anion
      transport inhibitor, 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid, reduced
      but did not totally abolish transport of these acids. This observation suggests
      that these acids are transported by two parallel processes, one involving the
      band 3 anion transport protein channel and the other probably involving passive
      diffusion of the un-ionized molecule. The activation energies for membrane
      transport were large (99-127 kJ.mol-1), an observation that is consistent with
      the rate-limiting step for anion transport being the conformational change of the
      band 3 anion transport protein.

PMID- 1403673
TI  - Transport of drugs through human erythrocyte membranes: pH dependence of drug
      transport through labeled human erythrocytes in the presence of band 3 protein
      inhibitor.
AB  - To reveal the role of the band 3 anion transport protein of the erythrocyte
      membrane in drug transport through the membrane, the possible effects of
      inhibitors of anion transport on the permeability of some anionic drugs were
      examined. The amounts of these drugs that permeated varied markedly with the pH
      of the outer medium around human erythrocytes that contained the band 3 protein
      inhibitor 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate (DIDS). In the pH range
      7.0-8.0, the membrane permeability of drugs through DIDS-treated erythrocytes was
      affected by a slight pH change (0.2), whereas that through the intact
      erythrocytes was not pH dependent. These results suggest that the band 3 protein
      acts not only as a channel for the transport of anions or some anionic drugs but
      also as protection for the transport system from changes in the pH of the outer
      medium.

PMID- 1403674
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of parenteral 13-cis-retinoic acid formulations in rats.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of three 13-cis-retinoic acid formulations were studied
      after intraperitoneal (ip) administration to rats. Rats were given ip injections
      of 2.5 mg of 13-cis-retinoic acid per 360 g of body weight; the drug was
      administered as an alkaline solution, suspended in corn oil, or as a mixture with
      polysorbate 80. The alkaline solution was also given intravenously (iv) via the
      tail vein as a control. The mean elimination rate constant, calculated from data
      from iv administration, was 0.72 +/- 0.088 h-1 (r = 0.988). The peak
      concentration in plasma and the time to reach this maximum were 14 mg/L and 0.5
      h, 22 mg/L and 2 h, and 10 mg/L and 1 h for the drug administered as an alkaline
      solution, suspended in corn oil, and as a mixture with polysorbate 80,
      respectively. The areas under the concentration-time curve (concentration in
      plasma versus time) were 34.9 +/- 8.78 mg.h/L for the iv dose and 34.1 +/- 9.97,
      62.4 +/- 32.3, and 25.9 +/- 12.0 mg.h/L for the ip doses of alkaline solution,
      suspension in oil, and mixture with polysorbate 80, respectively. Because of the
      rapid increase of concentration in plasma, which is identical to that of the iv
      profile, and the ease of its handling and preparation, the ip administered
      alkaline solution is the preferable formulation.

PMID- 1403675
TI  - Anticonvulsant properties of some Mannich bases of conjugated arylidene ketones.
AB  - Thirty 1-aryl-5-dimethylamino-1-penten-3-one hydrohalides and related compounds
      were prepared as candidate anticonvulsants and evaluated in maximal electroshock
      seizure (MES), subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole threshold, and neurotoxicity
      screens. Following administration by the intraperitoneal route, many of the
      compounds were active in the MES screen, whereas only 10% of the Mannich bases
      afforded protection in the subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole test. Quantitation of
      half of the compounds prepared revealed that many had activity comparable with
      that of clinically useful drugs in the MES screen. The anticonvulsant properties
      of eight of the compounds following oral administration were reduced considerably
      or abolished compared with those following intraperitoneal administration.
      Various synthetic strategies for future development of potential anticonvulsants
      are outlined.

PMID- 1403676
TI  - Effects of cytochalasin, colchicine, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid on
      linoleic acid transport across rat jejunal enterocytes.
AB  - The involvement and the site of interference of the cytoskeleton in the transport
      of linoleic acid across the rat jejunum was investigated by administration of
      microfilamentous and microtubular altering agents such as cytochalasin,
      colchicine, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). An isolated jejunal
      segment was perfused with a buffer containing labeled linoleic acid, and portal
      blood and perfusate samples were collected concomitantly at 5-min intervals and
      assayed for their radioactivity. At the end of the perfusion, the amount of
      radioactivity retained in the intestine was also determined. The results were
      analyzed by using a three-compartment physical model that allows the
      determination of mucosal and serosal permeability coefficients, from which
      changes in the permeability of the mucosal and serosal membranes were assessed.
      Cytochalasin decreased the permeability of the mucosal membrane to linoleic acid,
      but not that of the serosal membrane. The administration of colchicine, EDTA, or
      cytochalasin + colchicine increased the permeability of the serosal membrane but
      did not affect the mucosal membrane.

PMID- 1403677
TI  - Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in the design of controlled-release beads
      with acetaminophen as model drug.
AB  - Relationships between pharmacodynamics (drug concentration and effect) and
      pharmacokinetics were used to develop an oral, controlled-release-bead dosage
      form. Reported pharmacodynamic data were used with pharmacokinetic curves to
      identify effective therapeutic drug concentrations for optimum therapy for a drug
      with a "deep tissue" effective compartment. The commonly used, over-the-counter,
      non-narcotic, analgesic-antipyretic acetaminophen (APAP) was used as the model
      drug. Data reported in the literature were used to compare analgesic and
      antipyretic efficacy. Computer simulations were performed with MAXSIM (version
      3.01) to suggest a zero-order drug release useful for a 12-h, oral, sustained
      dosage form for antipyretic therapy in children, on the basis of current
      pediatric dosing of APAP. Coated APAP beads with the desired release rate were
      then developed with fluid-bed coating technology.

PMID- 1403678
TI  - Cholinomimetic compound distinct from caffeine contained in coffee. II:
      Muscarinic actions.
AB  - An extract with cholinergic activities was isolated from instant regular and
      decaffeinated coffees and purified. Intravenous injection of this cholinomimetic
      extract of coffee produced an abrupt depression in blood pressure and heart rate,
      changes that were distinct from those of known components of coffee, including
      caffeine, trigonelline, catechin, and chlorogenic acid. Pretreatment of the
      animals with naloxone, propranolol, isobutylmethylxanthine, hexamethonium
      bromide, and hemicholinium-3 chloride or bilateral vagotomy did not affect the
      cardiodepressive effects of the extract, whereas atropine completely abolished
      them. Direct injection of the cholinomimetic extract of coffee (20-100
      micrograms) into the periaqueductal gray area of the midbrain did not produce any
      cardiovascular effect. However, the extract of coffee did cause relaxation of
      isolated rat and rabbit aortic ring preparations that were contracted under
      norepinephrine. The cholinomimetic extract did not inhibit purified
      acetylcholinesterase. This pharmacologic profile indicates that the
      cholinomimetic extract of coffee acts as a direct muscarinic agonist.

PMID- 1403679
TI  - Effect of surfactants on release of a highly water-soluble medicinal compound
      from an inert, heterogeneous matrix.
AB  - The release from a matrix compressed from a physical mixture of procaine
      hydrochloride, chlorinated poly(propylene), lactose, and a surfactant was
      investigated. With nonionic and cationic surfactants incorporated in the matrix,
      the release of procaine hydrochloride was linearly related to the square root of
      time, and as the concentration of the surfactants increased, the release was
      faster. When an anionic surfactant (sodium lauryl sulfate) was incorporated in
      the matrix, the release of procaine hydrochloride was linearly related to the
      square root of time; however, the release pattern depended on the concentration
      of the anionic surfactant. As the concentration of sodium lauryl sulfate
      increased to 4%, the release progressively slowed to a minimum because of the
      formation of a poorly soluble complex between the cationic procaine and the
      anionic surfactant. As the concentration of anionic surfactant increased further,
      the release increased as the complex was micellarly solubilized.

PMID- 1403680
TI  - Synthesis, cytotoxicity, hypolipidemic and anti-inflammatory activities of amine
      boranes and esters of boron analogues of choline and thiocholine.
AB  - Boron analogues of carbamoylcholine and thiocholine and esters of these analogues
      were prepared. These compounds were fairly stable toward hydrolysis and
      demonstrated moderate anti-inflammatory and hypolipidemic activities in mice. The
      hypolipidemic activity of the compounds at a dose of 8 mg/kg/day was equivalent
      in reducing lipid levels in serum to those of clofibrate at 150 mg/kg/day and
      lovastatin at 8 mg/kg/day. The compounds demonstrated significant cytotoxic
      activity against the growth of murine and human tumor cells; all were active
      against the growth of human HeLa-S3 uterine suspended cells, and some were active
      against murine L1210 lymphoid leukemia, human Tmolt3 leukemia cells, colorectal
      adenocarcinoma, KB nasopharynx, osteosarcoma, and glioma. These studies
      demonstrated that antimetabolite analogues of acetylcholine exhibit the same
      types of pharmacological activity as other boron-substituted betaine and amino
      acids. Furthermore, a strong positive correlation exists between hypolipidemic
      activity and cytotoxicity for these new choline derivatives, as has previously
      been demonstrated for other boron-containing amino acids, amides, esters, and
      peptides.

PMID- 1403681
TI  - Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of some N
      [pyridyl(phenyl)carbonylamino]methyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyrid ines.
AB  - Reaction of some picolines 5 with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (6) in acetone
      furnished methyl-substituted 2,4-dinitrophenylpyridinium chlorides 7. Further
      reaction with phenyl(pyridyl)carbonyl hydrazides 8 at room temperature furnished
      isolable 2,4-dinitroanilino derivatives 9, which were then refluxed in a
      water:dioxane mixture (1:4, v/v) to furnish the methyl-substituted
      phenyl(pyridyl)carbonyl iminopyridinium ylides 10. Reduction of the ylides with
      NaBH4 finally gave rise to the desired methyl-substituted
      phenyl(pyridyl)carbonylamino-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridines 11. The anti
      inflammatory activities of 11a-11l were determined with the carrageenan-soaked
      sponge model of inflammation in Sprague-Dawley rats, and the analgesic effects of
      these derivatives were assessed by suppression of acetic acid-induced writhing in
      male Swiss albino mice. All compounds tested showed moderate to good anti
      inflammatory and analgesic effects compared with indomethacin. Compound 11k was
      the most active analgesic, and 11h was the most effective anti-inflammatory agent
      among the methyl-substituted tetrahydropyridines.

PMID- 1403682
TI  - Kinetics of swelling of polymers and their gels.
AB  - The swelling limit or equilibrium swelling of semicrystalline or cross-linked
      polymers and of their gels upon immersion in liquids has been investigated
      extensively. Few studies, however, have dealt with the kinetics of swelling.
      Theoretical considerations, based on diffusion-controlled swelling, show that
      first-order kinetics do not apply, even though deviations during the initial and
      even middle stages of the swelling process may be relatively small. Extensive
      studies of swelling rate and equilibrium swelling of supported and unsupported
      gelatin films have been published. Diffusion was always fast. After it was
      completed, the rate of swelling was controlled by stress relaxation in the
      amorphous portion of the polymer network. The rate equations for this process,
      which also apply to regenerated cellulose, are shown to represent second-order
      kinetics with respect to the remaining swelling capacity. The following
      interpretation for the applicability of second-order kinetics to the swelling of
      semicrystalline polymers, such as gelatin and cellulose, is given. The rate of
      swelling is assumed to be directly proportional to the percent swelling capacity
      still available at a given time and to the total internal specific boundary area
      enclosing those sites capable of swelling that have not yet become hydrated and
      swollen at that time. The latter, in turn, is also directly proportional to the
      percent unrealized swelling capacity.

PMID- 1403683
TI  - Two-dimensional and deuterium-induced, differential-isotope-shift nuclear
      magnetic resonance characterization of potassium sucrose octasulfate and
      sucralfate.
AB  - Two-dimensional and deuterium-induced, differential-isotope-shift NMR
      measurements have made it possible to assign completely all of the 1H and 13C
      resonances of potassium sucrose octasulfate (K8SOS) and thereby prove complete
      sulfation of the sugar moiety during synthesis. In addition, a comparison of the
      13C NMR chemical shifts obtained for K8SOS and sucralfate made it possible to
      demonstrate that the sugar moiety in sucralfate is sucrose octasulfate (SOS8-).
      Finally, deuterium-induced, differential-isotope-shift and 13C NMR techniques
      were shown to be useful tools for detecting and characterizing carbon-containing
      impurities and hydrolysis products in solutions containing SOS8-.

PMID- 1403684
TI  - Improved high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of khellin and
      visnagin in Ammi visnaga fruits and pharmaceutical formulations.
AB  - An improved, simple, selective, and sensitive reversed-phase high-performance
      liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay for khellin and visnagin in Ammi visnaga L.
      fruits was developed by using an internal standardized technique. The HPLC column
      was a reversed-phase microBondapack C18 column, the mobile phase was water:
      methanol:acetonitrile (49:49:2), and the flow rate was 1.5 mL/min. Khellin and
      visnagin were detected and analyzed with a spectrophotometer set at 250 nm.
      Results of the HPLC analysis indicate a relative standard deviation of less than
      0.04%. The analytical procedure was used for the quantification of khellin in
      various pharmaceutical dosage forms, such as ampules, tablets, and suppositories,
      with relative standard deviations of 1.2, 1.4, and 1.7%, respectively. As little
      as 10 ng of khellin or visnagin could be detected accurately in less than 13 min.

PMID- 1403685
TI  - Oxidative decarboxylation of naproxen.
AB  - The decarboxylation of naproxen (1H) and its salt (1-) was achieved by means of
      chemical [Ce(IV) or S2O8(2-)] and electrochemical oxidation. The product patterns
      were compatible with mechanisms involving single-electron transfer from the pi
      system or the carboxylate moiety. The results are discussed in connection with
      the involvement of electron-transfer processes in the reported phototoxicity of
      naproxen.

PMID- 1403686
TI  - Solubilization and dissolution properties of a leukotriene-D4 antagonist in
      micellar solutions.
AB  - 7-[3-(4-Acetyl-3-hydroxy-2-propylphenoxy)propoxy]-3,4-dihydro-8- propyl-2H-1
      benzopyran-2-propionic acid (1) is a leukotriene-D4 antagonist that is quite
      insoluble in aqueous media. Increased solubilization of 1 was achieved in
      micellar solutions of polysorbate 80, sodium glycocholate, sodium taurocholate,
      lysolecithin, and sodium taurocholate plus monoolein. The intrinsic dissolution
      rate of 1 was measured in the presence and absence of polysorbate 80 at pH 7.0,
      8.0, and 10.0. In all the micellar solutions tested, the solubility of 1 was
      significantly increased. The intrinsic dissolution rate of this compound was also
      enhanced in micellar solutions of polysorbate 80 and with increasing values of
      pH. However, the magnitudes of the enhancement of the intrinsic dissolution rate
      were much less than expected from the enhancement of aqueous solubility.

PMID- 1403687
TI  - Alternative derivation for the gastrointestinal absorption residence time.

PMID- 1403688
TI  - A method for calculating the mean transit times and distribution rate parameters
      of metabolites without separate intravenous administration of metabolite.

PMID- 1403689
TI  - Vanadium and copper in clinical solutions of albumin and their potential to
      damage protein structure.
AB  - Solutions of albumin, for injectable use in humans, are shown to contain the
      transition metals vanadium, copper, and iron. Variation in the concentration of
      these metal ions among products from six different manufacturers suggests that
      problems of metal contamination arise through manufacturing processes. Vanadium
      concentrations correlated with the loss of tryptophan residues in albumin,
      whereas copper concentrations correlated with loss of thiol groups and tryptophan
      residues. Incubation of vanadate and cupric salts with the thiol group-containing
      molecules cysteine and glutathione resulted in reduction of the metal ions to
      lower oxidation states. Reduced forms of vanadium and copper were able to
      transfer electrons to molecular oxygen and produce highly reactive and damaging
      intermediates of oxygen, such as the hydroxyl radical.

PMID- 1403690
TI  - Use of fluorometry in assessing the efficacy of a cation-sensitive gel as an
      ophthalmic vehicle: comparison with scintigraphy.
AB  - Gelrite, a heteropolysaccharide that forms a gel in the presence of cations, was
      tested in humans for its efficacy as an ophthalmic vehicle by a nonivasive
      fluorometric technique. Fluorescein was used as the tracer, and its concentration
      in the anterior chamber was used as the principal measure of bioavailability. The
      gel afforded a twofold increase in penetration of fluorescein compared with an
      isotonic buffer solution; this increase is slightly more than can be obtained
      with simple viscous vehicles. The increase in penetration caused by Gelrite was
      confirmed by measurements of the contact time of fluorescein in the tear film
      with the cornea. Earlier experiments with scintigraphy suggested a considerably
      greater contact time of fluorescein with the cornea when Gelrite was used.
      However, this increased contact time may be because the technique also measures
      radioactive tracer that had dried out on the lid margins. Accordingly,
      significant quantities of fluorescein could be eluted from the lids after the
      penetration experiments were completed.

PMID- 1403691
TI  - An antidepressant principle of Lobelia inflata L. (Campanulaceae).
AB  - A crude methanolic extract of the leaves of Lobelia inflata exhibited
      antidepressant activity in mice. The extract was fractionated, monitored by the
      activity, to give beta-amyrin palmitate as an active component.

PMID- 1403692
TI  - Halogenated analogues of tamoxifen: synthesis, receptor assay, and inhibition of
      MCF7 cells.
AB  - This study was conducted to develop a ligand for imaging estrogen-receptor
      positive breast tumors by positron emission tomography or single photon emission
      computed tomography. We synthesized fluoro and iodo analogues of tamoxifen, and
      these halogenated analogues produced greater affinity for binding to the receptor
      than tamoxifen. Values of the inhibition affinity constants were as follows:
      tamoxifen, 15,000 nM; fluoromethyl-N,N-diethyltamoxifen, 2500 nM for the cis
      isomer and 500 nM for the trans isomer; and iodomethyl-N,N-diethyltamoxifen, 1500
      nM for the cis isomer and 1000 nM for the trans isomer. In studies of human MCF7
      breast tumor cell growth, concentrations that inhibited tumor growth in 50% of
      the cases were as follows: tamoxifen, 11 microM; fluoromethyl-N,N
      diethyltamoxifen, 4.5 and 11.8 microM for the cis and trans isomers,
      respectively; and iodomethyl-N,N-diethyltamoxifen, 2.4 and 6.3 microM for the cis
      and trans isomers, respectively. These studies suggest that both fluoro and iodo
      analogues of tamoxifen may be useful diagnostic compounds for predicting the
      response of estrogen-receptor-positive breast tumors to tamoxifen analogues used
      in chemotherapy.

PMID- 1403693
TI  - Biological activity of urease formulated in poloxamer 407 after intraperitoneal
      injection in the rat.
AB  - The advent of genetic engineering has resulted in a proliferation of protein
      pharmaceuticals available for a variety of therapeutic needs. However, the
      formulation and delivery of these proteins remain an intriguing challenge.
      Polymer-based protein drug delivery systems continue to be investigated, although
      many of the fabrication techniques used to incorporate proteins into the polymer
      matrix or device result in irreversible inactivation (denaturation) of the
      proteins. A well-characterized model enzyme, urease, was formulated in 33% (w/w)
      poloxamer 407 (Pluronic F-127) vehicle and injected intraperitoneally (ip) into
      rats in an attempt to achieve both preservation of biological activity and
      sustained release of the protein. The resulting ammonia concentration in plasma
      time profiles were compared with those for rats injected with an identical dose
      (27.6 units of activity per 200 g of body weight) of urease dissolved in pH 7
      phosphate buffer. Neither a pH 7 phosphate buffer solution nor poloxamer 407
      (33%, w/w) dissolved in pH 7 phosphate buffer, when injected ip into rats,
      resulted in elevated ammonia levels in plasma. The time to reach a maximum
      ammonia level in plasma was increased approximately threefold following the
      injection of the urease-poloxamer 407 formulation, compared with that in control
      rats administered an identical dose of urease in solution. In addition,
      hyperammonemia was extended almost threefold in treated rats compared with
      control rats, without untoward effects. However, prolonged hyperammonemia in
      animals receiving an ip injection of the urease-poloxamer 407 formulation may
      have potentially resulted from the reduced clearance of ammonia and ammonium ion
      in the proximal tubules of the rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403694
TI  - Studies of in vitro skin permeation and retention of a leukotriene antagonist
      from topical vehicles with a hairless guinea pig model.
AB  - A leukotriene antagonist [Ro 23-3544; 6-acetyl-7-[5-(4-acetyl-3-hydroxy-2
      propylphenoxy)pentyloxy] -3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-2-carboxylic acid; 1] was
      studied in vitro for its permeation through and retention in hairless guinea pig
      skin from various topical vehicles. Both the free acid and the sodium salt forms
      of the drug were used. The vehicles evaluated were polyethylene glycol 400,
      propylene glycol, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), C12-C15 alcohol lactates, dimethyl
      isosorbide, butyrolactone, methylpyrrolidone, hexyl laurate, isopropyl myristate,
      and caprylic/capric triglyceride (Neobee M5). For the salt form of the drug, the
      highest permeability coefficient and retention were obtained from DMSO and
      methylpyrrolidone, respectively. For the acid form, however, the highest
      permeability coefficient and retention were obtained from hexyl laurate and DMSO,
      respectively. The highest permeation and retention values were not obtained from
      the same vehicle for either the salt or the acid form of the drug. This
      observation questions the validity of using permeation (flux) measurements to
      screen topical drugs and formulations. Although the precise reasons for this lack
      of correlation between permeation and retention are not known at this time, this
      study has shown that the solubility parameters of the drug and the vehicles used
      may play an important role. It seems logical to conduct skin retention studies
      rather than flux measurements in evaluating drug delivery from dermatological
      products.

PMID- 1403695
TI  - Effect of iontophoresis on in vitro skin permeation of an analogue of growth
      hormone releasing factor in the hairless guinea pig model.
AB  - The shortened analogue of growth hormone releasing factor (GRF) Ro 23-7861 (1)
      has a molecular weight of 3929 daltons [equivalent to GRF (1-29)] and is more
      potent than the endogenous GRF (1-44). The in vitro hairless guinea pig model and
      vertical and horizontal diffusion cell assemblies were used to study the effect
      of iontophoresis on the permeability to skin of 1. The transport of 1 across the
      skin was studied by monitoring the rate of its appearance in the receiver
      compartment with a radioimmunoassay. No permeability of 1 was observed without
      iontophoresis, whereas with iontophoresis, the permeability of 1 was significant.
      For example, at a current density of 0.23 mA/cm2 and buffer concentration of 0.05
      M, the flux of 1 was 56.8 +/- 8.21 ng/cm2.h. The flux of 1 was independent of the
      design of the permeation apparatus, the electrodes, the donor and receiver
      volumes, the type of current (constant or pulsed), and the frequency of the
      pulsed current. The flux of 1 increased curvilinearly with the increase in salt
      concentration of the buffer and linearly with the increase in current.

PMID- 1403696
TI  - Effects of enzymatic inhibition and increased paracellular shunting on transport
      of vasopressin analogues in the rat.
AB  - The Ussing chamber technique was used as an oral absorption model for studies of
      the relative effects of the inhibition of enzymatic degradation and increased
      paracellular route on the transport of the poorly absorbed vasopressin analogues
      lysine vasopressin (LVP) and desmopressin (DDAVP). The rates of transport of LVP
      or DDAVP at 250 microM across ileum and colon segments were studied in the
      absence and in the presence of protease inhibitors (aprotinin and bestatin) and
      cytochalasin-B. During the different treatments, the rates of degradation of the
      peptides were also studied. Detectable amounts of LVP could only be measured on
      the serosal side of the intestinal segment in the presence of protease inhibitors
      or cytochalasin-B. The treatment with cytochalasin-B increased the rates of
      transport of both peptides severalfold, and the effect was reversible. We suggest
      that the Ussing chamber technique can be used to evaluate the reasons for low
      transport rates across intestinal membranes. The results also show that, apart
      from enzymatic degradation, the vasopressin analogues LVP and DDAVP have
      additional permeation problems; therefore, it may be necessary to increase the
      paracellular route to increase the absorption of these peptides.

PMID- 1403697
TI  - Preparation of potential anti-inflammatory agents from dehydroabietic acid.
AB  - Methyl 16-nor-16-carboxydehydroabietate (22), 16-nor-16-carboxydehydroabietinol
      acetate (23), methyl 7-keto-16-nor-16-carboxydehydroabietate (29), 16-nor-16
      carboxydehydroabietic acid (30), 16-nor-16-carboxydehydroabietinol (31), 7-keto
      16-nor-16-carboxydehydroabietic acid (32), methyl 7-hydroxy-16-nor-16
      carboxydehydroabietate (33), and 7-hydroxy-16-nor-16-carboxydehydroabietic acid
      (34) were prepared from dehydroabietic acid. Only 22 and 32 had weak anti
      inflammatory activity.

PMID- 1403698
TI  - Kinetics and mechanism of chlorine exchange between chloramine-T and secondary
      amines.
AB  - The kinetics and mechanisms of chlorine transfer from chloramine-T (CAT) to
      several amines are second order and independent of p-toluenesulfonamide
      concentration; thus, the reaction does not involve disproportionation of CAT to
      dichloramine-T. From the profile of pH versus rate, the following mechanisms were
      proposed: (1) reaction of the ionized species of CAT with the ionized amine
      (ionic mechanism) and (2) reaction of the un-ionized species of CAT with the un
      ionized amine (nonionic mechanism). The second-order, pH-independent rate
      constants calculated for the ionic and nonionic mechanisms were 1.6 and 5 x 10(6)
      M-1 s-1, respectively. Although these two mechanisms are kinetically
      indistinguishable, the rate constant for the nonionic mechanism is of the same
      order of magnitude as those calculated for similar chlorination reactions
      involving nonionizable chloramines, such as N-chlorosuccinimide, N
      chloroquinuclidine, and N-chloro-N-methylbenzenesulfonamide. The proposed
      mechanism for the chlorine exchange involves a molecule of water in a cyclic, six
      membered transition state.

PMID- 1403699
TI  - Structure-activity considerations in kinetics and mechanism of chlorine exchange
      between chloramine-T and secondary amines.
AB  - To study the mechanism of N-chlorination of secondary amines by chloramine-T, the
      kinetics of the reactions of some aromatic-substituted analogues of N
      chlorobenzenesulfonamide with various secondary amines were determined. The
      importance of amine basicity and reactivity of the N-Cl bond of the N
      chlorobenzenesulfonamide was also assessed. The results indicate that a mechanism
      involving the un-ionized species of both reactants (i.e., a molecular mechanism),
      rather than an ionic mechanism, is operating and that the reaction most likely
      proceeds via a six-membered-ring transition state that incorporates a water
      molecule.

PMID- 1403700
TI  - Determination of a cephalosporin antibiotic, ceftibuten, in human plasma with
      column-switching high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet
      detection.
AB  - A column-switching high-performance liquid chromatographic assay combined with a
      heart-cutting technique and UV detection (LC/LC/UV) was developed to determine
      ceftibuten, a new oral cephalosporin, in human plasma. Plasma samples were
      directly injected into the first chromatographic column for sample cleanup and
      extraction. Thereafter, a switching valve, located at the junction of the first
      cleanup column and the second analytical column, opened during a 4-6-min interval
      after injection to transfer the segment containing ceftibuten into the analytical
      column for quantitation. The method was used routinely in pharmacokinetic studies
      and has the advantages of simplicity, improved sensitivity, and selectivity.
      Concentrations of ceftibuten in plasma over a range of 0.1-20 micrograms/mL can
      be determined with high precision and reproducibility. A single, oral, 200-mg
      dose of ceftibuten in humans resulted in a maximum concentration of 9.79
      micrograms/mL, an area under the plot of concentration of drug in plasma versus
      time (0-12 h) of 47.77 micrograms.h/mL, and a half-life of 3.2 h. These results
      document the utility of the LC/LC/UV method in clinical pharmacokinetic studies.

PMID- 1403701
TI  - Novel approach to estimate quality of binary random powder mixtures: samples of
      constant volume. II: Applications of equation to optimize tableting conditions.
AB  - In a companion communication, an equation (eq 1) of the homogeneity of binary
      random mixtures, which applies to constituents differing in particle size and in
      bulk density, was derived. The present paper demonstrates the practical
      applications of this equation in optimizing tableting conditions with respect to
      a high dose uniformity. Tablets of 50:50 (w/w) mixtures of coarse sucrose and of
      fine microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel PH 101)-talc vehicle were produced on a
      single-punch machine. Without a spin feeder, the tablets showed variations in
      content uniformity that were significantly higher than those estimated from eq 1.
      Correlation analysis between the individual mass and the content of the
      constituents of the tablets revealed this difference to be due to nonuniformity
      of the die filling and not due to incomplete mixing. Accordingly, the use of a
      spin feeder allowed production of tablets with higher dose uniformity, which
      conformed well with the theoretical optimum predicted with eq 1. Further
      variation of the processing conditions cannot improve the quality (i.e., varying
      the tableting speed resulted in equal or in poorer uniformity of dose content).

PMID- 1403702
TI  - Factors affecting iontophoretic mobility of metoprolol.
AB  - The effect of different factors on the iontophoretic transport of metoprolol was
      analyzed. In vitro experiments were first performed in a diffusion cell with a
      cellophane membrane. Comparison of different pH, buffers, and ionic strengths in
      the donor compartment showed that higher iontophoretic transport was obtained
      with phthalate buffer (0.01 M) at pH 3. When the current density increased, the
      flux of metoprolol also increased. A decrease in drug concentration or an
      increase in viscosity slowed down the iontophoretic transport of metoprolol. The
      fluxes of metoprolol through hairless rat skin were strongly enhanced compared
      with passive diffusion. Direct current seemed to be more efficient than pulse
      current. When the on:off ratio of the pulse current was reduced, the flux also
      decreased.

PMID- 1403703
TI  - A kinetic and mechanistic study of the hydrolysis of camptothecin and some
      analogues.
AB  - Quantitative rate and equilibrium constants for the hydrolysis of the lactone
      (ring E) in camptothecin (1) and analogues (2-5, all substituted in the A ring of
      1) at 25 degrees C in aqueous solution were determined by high-performance liquid
      chromatography with UV-visible detection and by UV-visible spectrophotometry. It
      was shown that the lactone was converted to the carboxylate in a pH-dependent
      equilibrium. No major differences were observed in rate and equilibrium constants
      for 1-5, a result suggesting that the mechanism of lactone hydrolysis is
      independent of a variety of substituents on the A ring. The conversion of the
      lactone to its carboxylate form occurred under neutral and basic conditions and
      appeared to be largely dependent on hydroxide ion. The conversion of the
      carboxylate to the lactone was observed under neutral and acidic conditions and
      was pH independent at pH values greater than 5 and dependent on hydronium ion at
      pH values less than 5. Significant incorporation of oxygen-18 into the lactone
      ring of 3, a water-soluble analogue of 1, was observed for the ring opening and
      subsequent ring closing of 3 in H2(18)O. This finding strongly suggests that the
      mechanism of lactone ring hydrolysis involved acyl cleavage rather than alkyl
      cleavage. Kinetic solvent isotope effects (kH2O/kD2O, where kH2O and kD2O are the
      rate constants in H2O and D2O, respectively), obtained over the pH-rate profile
      for 1, were used to speculate about the nature of the transition states involved
      in the opening and closing reactions of the lactone ring.

PMID- 1403704
TI  - Improvements in solubility and stability of thalidomide upon complexation with
      hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin.
AB  - Thalidomide is in clinical use for the treatment of graft-versus-host disease in
      leukemia patients after bone marrow transplant. Low levels of the drug in plasma
      after oral administration have made an intravenous thalidomide formulation
      desirable. Thalidomide, however, is sparingly soluble in aqueous solution (50
      micrograms/mL) and unstable. Complexation with hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin
      has significantly improved the aqueous solubility and stability of thalidomide.
      Results obtained with HPLC and 1H NMR spectrometry have demonstrated that the
      solubility is increased to 1.7 mg/mL and the half-life of a diluted solution is
      extended from 2.1 to 4.1 h. Hence, an intravenous thalidomide-hydroxypropyl- beta
      cyclodextrin solution has the potential to significantly improve current therapy
      for graft-versus-host disease by providing sustained high levels of drug in the
      plasma.

PMID- 1403705
TI  - A high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for dideoxyinosine in monkey
      plasma and urine.
AB  - A simple, reliable, reproducible, rapid, and sensitive method for high
      performance liquid chromatographic assay of dideoxyinosine (DDI) in macaque
      plasma and urine is described. The method is capable of detecting 25 ng of DDI on
      column.

PMID- 1403706
TI  - Qualitative analysis of the stability of the oxazine ring of various benzoxazine
      and pyridooxazine derivatives with proton nuclear magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy.
AB  - A series of 3,4-dihydro-1,3-benzoxazine and 3,4-dihydro-1,3-pyridooxazine
      derivatives was synthesized, and the hydrolysis of the derivatives was studied
      with proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The oxazine derivatives
      underwent various degrees of hydrolysis when H2O was added to dimethyl sulfoxide
      solutions of the compounds. The rates and extents of decomposition of the oxazine
      ring systems depended on the electronic effects of substituents within the
      molecules. Examination of the proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra that were
      generated during decomposition of the oxazines and trends in stability of the
      oxazine derivatives suggest the formation of an intermediate in the hydrolysis
      mechanism.

PMID- 1403707
TI  - Protection against chronic gastric ulceration in the rat with sulfhydryl
      containing agents.
AB  - Reserpine (intraperitoneal, 5 mg/kg every day for 5 days) produced chronic
      ulceration of the rat stomach 2 weeks postdose. Gavage with 1% DL-cysteine or DL
      methionine-S-methylsulfonium chloride at 1 mL/day for 2 weeks and 5 days
      protected against ulceration in 30% of the rats, and this protection extended to
      80% of cases with 2% solutions. Similar gavage with 5% solutions protected all
      rats against ulceration without significantly influencing the basal H+ output
      [13.1 +/- 0.3 and 14.2 +/- 0.2 mumol for DL-cysteine and DL-methionine-S
      methylsulfonium chloride, respectively, versus 15.1 +/- 0.4 mumol (mean +/-
      standard error of the mean; n = 10)]; that is, cytoprotection was achieved.

PMID- 1403708
TI  - Predicting the postconsolidation relaxation behavior of sodium chloride tablets.
AB  - A model that relates the interparticulate contact stress within a tablet matrix
      with the compaction stress has been developed. The model permits the application
      of nonlinear deformation kinetic analysis to quantification of the viscoelastic
      behavior of tablet constituents. Deformation kinetic analysis assumes that stress
      relaxation is controlled by thermally activated processes similar in character to
      those associated with chemical reaction kinetics. The model was tested by
      measuring the stress relaxation of sodium chloride compacts as a function of
      temperature and relative density. The experimental activation parameters agree
      with literature values within experimental errors.

PMID- 1403709
TI  - Alkaline hydrolysis of oligomers of tartrate esters: effect of a neighboring
      carboxyl on the reactivity of ester groups.
AB  - The importance and the effect of neighboring groups on the hydrolysis of
      polymeric esters were demonstrated. Several oligomers of poly(butylene tartrate)
      were synthesized, and their kinetic behavior was studied under alkaline
      conditions. The oligomers and their degradation products were monitored by HPLC
      and identified by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. The rates of
      hydrolysis measured at pH 5-8 and at 75 degrees C indicate that the degradation
      of the oligomers obeyed pseudo-first-order kinetics. The rate of hydrolysis among
      the homologous series of oligomers increased as the molecular weight increased.
      However, the increase in hydrolysis rate was not proportional to the number of
      ester linkages in the oligomers. This deviation was explained on the basis of
      electrostatic repulsion of the neighboring carboxylate group toward the hydroxide
      ion. The calculations revealed that the electrostatic effect was so great that
      the ester linkage adjacent to the carboxylate anion did not contribute to the
      overall rate of hydrolysis. The technique presented here can be extended to any
      multifunctional-group compound that has repeat units and can undergo a specific
      reaction that can be accurately measured.

PMID- 1403710
TI  - High-performance frontal analysis-high-performance liquid chromatographic system
      for stereoselective determination of unbound ketoprofen enantiomers in plasma
      after direct sample injection.
AB  - An on-line, high-performance frontal analysis (HPFA)-high-performance liquid
      chromatographic system was developed for the enantioselective determination of a
      low level of unbound ketoprofen (KP) that is in equilibrium with KP that is bound
      to protein. The system consists of three subsystems (HPFA system,
      preconcentration system, and chiral separation system) connected in series in the
      stated order via column-switching valves. When either a 300-microL portion of
      buffer solution containing 300 or 550 microM human serum albumin and 100 or 300
      microM racemic KP or a 300-microL portion of human plasma containing 12.5-100
      microM racemic KP was directly injected onto the HPFA column with the mobile
      phase at a low flow rate, KP was separated from proteins and eluted as a zonal
      peak with a plateau. The KP concentration in the eluant of the plateau region was
      the same as the unbound-KP concentration that was in equilibrium with protein
      bound KP in the initial sample solution. A 1-mL portion of the eluant of the
      plateau region was switched to the preconcentration system, where KP was adsorbed
      and condensed on an octadecylsilyl silica (ODS) column. The adsorbed KP was
      eluted out of the ODS column and transferred to the chiral separation system, via
      another switching valve, where the enantiomers of unbound KP were separated and
      determined. The results agree well with those obtained by the conventional
      ultrafiltration method.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403711
TI  - Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. V: Pyrylium salts in the synthesis of isozyme
      specific inhibitors.
AB  - Syntheses and physicochemical properties of 2,4,6-tri-, 2,3,4,6-tetra-, or
      2,3,4,5,6-pentasubstituted 1-(2-sulfonamido-1,3,4-thiadiazol-5-yl)pyridinium
      perchlorates are presented. The new compounds, putative inhibitors of membrane
      bound carbonic anhydrase, were tested for inhibitory action on the bovine red
      cell enzyme.

PMID- 1403712
TI  - Partition behavior of anilines in bulk-phase and high-performance liquid
      chromatographic systems: influence on correlation with biological constants.
AB  - The partition behavior of a mixed series of ring-substituted anilines in reversed
      phase high-performance liquid chromatographic systems is substantially different
      from that observed in a classical bulk-phase partition system with n-heptane as
      the aprotic reference solvent. On the basis of the equivalence of each ring
      substituent in the p-straight-chain methylene groups (v value) as a function of
      the fraction of organic solvent (acetonitrile or methanol) in the mobile phase,
      the biased partition behavior for imperfect homologues and heterologues is
      verified relative to that of perfect homologues. This behavior was tentatively
      attributed, mainly, to differences in the hydrogen bonding capacity of the
      compounds, which is associated with the electronic character of the working
      solvent. These differences cannot be normalized through the use of extrapolated
      initial partition coefficient (K'o) values because of carryover effects of the
      solvent. When the chromatographic partition constants (K') and K'o are used,
      correlations with previously determined intestinal absorption rate constants are
      definitely worse than the correlations with the reference n-heptane partition
      coefficients. Possible implications of these observations on lipophilicity
      biological activity correlations are briefly discussed.

PMID- 1403713
TI  - Basic cholane derivatives. XI: Comparison between acid and basic derivatives.
AB  - A series of hydroxycholan-24-amines was synthesized; the carboxyl group of
      starting unconjugated bile acids was transformed into a basic moiety [-NH2, 
      NHCH3, -N(CH3)2, or -NHCH2C6H5] at C-24. Solubilities, acidities, partition
      coefficients, and critical micellar concentrations were measured and compared
      with those of the corresponding bile acids. Because the steroid nucleus in the
      amines is the same as that in the bile acids, most of the physical-chemical
      properties of the two compound classes were similar. The amines were more soluble
      than the corresponding acids; solubilities depended mainly on the number of
      steroid hydroxyls and, to a lesser extent, on the side chain. Amines are strong
      bases in water, whereas unconjugated bile acids can be classified as weak acids.
      N-Benzylamino derivatives have higher log P (P is partition coefficient) values,
      as a consequence of the bulky hydrophobic substituent; the log P values were
      almost the same for the amines and the bile acids and depended on the steroid
      hydroxyls. Amines can self-aggregate at an acidic pH and form cationic micelles;
      the critical micellar concentrations of amines were of the same order of
      magnitude as those of bile acids. The introduction of a basic function in the
      side chain of the cholane moiety increased the antimicrobial activity toward most
      gram-positive strains.

PMID- 1403714
TI  - Peptide stability in drug development: a comparison of peptide reactivity in
      different biological media.
AB  - Degradation kinetics for several peptides that bind to the major
      histocompatibility complex on antigen-presenting cells were determined in both
      human serum (HS; 25%) and synovial fluid (SF; 25%) from patients with rheumatoid
      arthritis to test whether therapeutic intervention of rheumatoid arthritis by
      direct intrasynovial injection is feasible (at least in terms of peptide
      stability). Controls consisted of enzymatically immature 10% fetal calf serum and
      peptidase-rich 5% liver homogenate (all diluted with RPMI-1040 tissue culture
      medium). Peptide half-lives ranged from approximately 4 to greater than 10,000
      min, with most peptides showing half-lives of approximately 10-100 min. These
      studies show that, even though the populations of inflammatory and other cell
      types in SF and HS are different (and may, therefore, generate different
      peptidase profiles), the observed peptide stabilities in SF and HS are similar.
      This finding indicates that the effect of SF on peptide stability is similar to
      that of HS.

PMID- 1403715
TI  - Drug and vehicle deposition from topical applications: use of in vitro mass
      balance technique with minoxidil solutions.
AB  - The disposition of minoxidil and propylene glycol from topical solutions was
      measured by using an in vitro mass balance technique. The experimental approach
      included assessment of the following compartments of the skin and the diffusion
      cell as a function of time: (1) donor compartment; (2) hairless mouse skin
      surface, epidermis, and dermis; and (3) receiver compartment. Excellent mass
      balance was achieved for minoxidil at three doses. However, the recovery of
      propylene glycol depended on both application volume and time. The experiment
      involving the evaporation of propylene glycol and water from the propylene
      glycol:ethanol:water (20:60:20, v/v) mixture, which was placed in the well of a
      tissue culture plate at room temperature and 37 degrees C, substantiated the loss
      of vehicles to the air. When a thin application of 20 microL/cm2 was used, 60% of
      the propylene glycol was unaccounted for after 16 h. The evaporation of propylene
      glycol concentrated the solution to supersaturation, precipitated out the drug,
      and then stabilized the thermodynamic activity of the drug in the vehicle. The
      amount of formulation applied influences the rate of concentration and, thus, the
      time at which minoxidil precipitates. The precipitation limits the amount of
      minoxidil that can be absorbed and leads to poor percutaneous absorption of drug
      from the formulation.

PMID- 1403716
TI  - In vitro percutaneous absorption of thiamine disulfide from a mixture of
      propylene glycol and fatty acid.
AB  - The in vitro percutaneous transport of thiamine disulfide (TDS), an oxidized
      dimer of thiamine, from propylene glycol through excised abdominal rat skin was
      studied. The application of saturated, long-chain fatty acids [stearic acid
      (18:0), myristic acid (14:0), and lauric acid (12:0)] as enhancers to the system
      was also studied. TDS permeated through rat skin from propylene glycol with a
      flux of 2.5 +/- 0.8 micrograms/cm2/min. The flux was enhanced 31 times by 12:0
      and 1.4 times by 14:0 and was suppressed to 80% of its original value by 18:0.
      The absorption of TDS could not be explained by TDS permeating across a dialysis
      membrane, but the interaction between TDS and fatty acids may influence the
      system. The results show the possibility of developing a transdermal thiamine
      delivery system.

PMID- 1403717
TI  - Stereoselective urinary pharmacokinetics of dl-threo-methylphenidate and its
      major metabolite in humans.
AB  - Stereoselective urinary pharmacokinetics of dl-threo-methylphenidate (MPH) and
      its major metabolite, dl-ritalinic acid (RA), were examined in a cohort of
      healthy subjects. On two occasions, separated by one week, each subject received
      MPH.HCl either intravenously (10 mg) or orally (40 mg). Urine was collected in
      six time segments, up to 16 h after each dosing. In the first 2 h after oral
      administration of MPH, d-MPH found in the urine was 10-fold greater than the l
      antipode, whereas there was no significant difference between the amounts of MPH
      enantiomers excreted after the intravenous dose. Examination of RA content in the
      0-2-h urine samples after oral administration of MPH indicated the presence of
      higher levels of l-RA (d-RA:l-RA, 0.37), whereas after intravenous MPH, there was
      no significant difference between the amounts of RA enantiomers. Moreover, after
      oral administration of MPH, the ratio of d-MPH to l-MPH was approximately 10 in
      urine samples from each of the time segments. By contrast, after intravenous
      administration of MPH, the d:l ratio changed progressively from 1.16 in the 0-2-h
      urine sample to 9.06 in the 12-16-h sample. These observations suggest that,
      after oral administration of dl-MPH, the distortion in the ratio of MPH or RA
      enantiomers in urine samples was attributable to enantioselective presystemic
      conversion of MPH to RA rather than to enantioselective excretion.

PMID- 1403718
TI  - Nasal delivery of [14C]dextromethorphan hydrochloride in rats: levels in plasma
      and brain.
AB  - Dextromethorphan (DM) is a neuroprotective agent. The mechanism of action is
      believed to be by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor blockade. The concentration of DM
      in the brain is believed to be dose and route dependent. Delivery by the nasal
      route has received a lot of attention recently, because drug absorption from this
      route follows intravenous profiles with no first-pass effect. The uptake of DM in
      the brain from the nasal route was 65.9% compared with the intravenous route,
      whereas the plasma bioavailability from the nasal route was 78.8%. The nasal
      route is a viable alternative to the parenteral route for DM administration.

PMID- 1403719
TI  - Pulmonary deposition of inhaled terbutaline: comparison of scanning gamma camera
      and urinary excretion methods.
AB  - Deposition from a multidose powder inhaler (Turbuhaler, Astra) delivering 500
      micrograms of terbutaline sulfate per metered dose was compared by two techniques
      in a group of six healthy volunteers. The deposition of the radionuclide 99mTc,
      which was used to label terbutaline sulfate powder, was quantified by gamma
      camera (G-method). Simultaneously, the gastrointestinal absorption of swallowed
      drug was blocked with activated charcoal, and the amount of terbutaline in a
      urine sample, collected over a period of 48 h and corrected by a pharmacokinetic
      internal standard of intravenous deuterated terbutaline, was used as a measure of
      lung deposition (U-method). The mean (standard deviation) depositions in lung
      were 26.9 (3.8%) of the dose for the G-method and 21.1 (3.2)% of the dose for the
      U-method. Possible reasons for the differences between the two means are
      discussed. Both methods are suitable for assessing deposition from medical
      aerosol inhalers; the U-method requires access to gas chromatography-mass
      spectrometric equipment, and the G-method requires access to gamma camera
      facilities.

PMID- 1403720
TI  - Complexation of steroid hormones with cyclodextrin derivatives: substituent
      effects of the guest molecule on solubility and stability in aqueous solution.
AB  - The inclusion complexation of homologous derivatives of steroid hormones with
      cyclodextrins and 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (2-HP-beta-CD) was
      investigated with regard to underlying structure-interaction relationship. The
      interaction was studied by phase solubility analysis and stabilization effects of
      complex formation with 2-HP-beta-CD. The solubilizing and stabilizing abilities
      of 2-HP-beta-CD were generally more effective for testosterone derivatives than
      for estradiol esters. Within a homologous series of steroid hormones, the
      steepest linear solubility isotherms were found for 17-methyl and 3-methyl
      derivatives. The solubilization of steroid esters by 2-HP-beta-CD depended on the
      structure and length of the ester side chain. The interaction of 2-HP-beta-CD
      with the steroids was hindered by long-chain fatty acid ester groups. With
      increasing length of the side chain, a decline of the isotherms occurred and the
      phase solubility behavior changed from linear to exponential. Contrary to
      expectations, benzoylation of steroids considerably decreased the guest-host
      interaction. The observed rates of degradation of the steroid esters were
      significantly reduced by 2-HP-beta-CD, depending on the chain length, and
      correlated well with the order found in phase solubility analysis. The
      degradation showed no deviations from pseudo-first-order kinetics, and the
      degradation mechanism was not changed because of complexation. The results
      suggest that interaction of 2-HP-beta-CD with steroid esters involves the ester
      functions of the prodrugs and is more suitable for unsubstituted guest molecules.

PMID- 1403721
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of diazepam in the rat: influence of a carbon tetrachloride
      induced hepatic injury.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of diazepam in normal rats and in rats pretreated with
      carbon tetrachloride to induce hepatic cirrhosis (cirrhotic rats) was studied
      after intravenous and oral administration of the drug (4 mg/kg). Animals
      pretreated with this hepatotoxic agent showed a significant prolongation in the
      half-life of diazepam in plasma that is due more to an increase in volume of
      distribution rather than to a decrease in clearance. This study confirmed that
      diazepam was highly extracted by the rat liver and was not affected by the
      hepatotoxic agent, although there probably was a saturation of the activity of
      the cytochrome P450 enzyme when the drug was administered orally. Diazepam binds
      to plasma proteins to a high degree in both normal and cirrhotic rats; however,
      in the latter, a significant increase in the fraction of unbound drug in plasma
      was observed. Pretreatment of rats with carbon tetrachloride did not produce any
      change either in the distribution of diazepam into erythrocytes or in the
      disposition of the metabolite desmethyldiazepam.

PMID- 1403722
TI  - Novel approach to estimate quality of binary random powder mixtures: samples of
      constant volume. III: Range of validity of equation.
AB  - The validity of an equation developed to determine the quality of binary random
      mixtures (eq 1) was evaluated with tablets prepared from random mixtures of a
      coarse constituent A (sucrose) and fine constituent B [microcrystalline cellulose
      (Avicel PH 101)-talc] with the A:B ratios (w/w) varying from 10:90 to 80:20. With
      all A:B ratios, superior agreement was established between the random content
      variations determined with eq 1 and the content variations found in the tablets.
      The 80:20 ratio, however, was just at the boundary, and random quality was
      achieved with the 50-mg tablets but not with the 200-mg tablets because of
      segregation. From percolation theory, this result is a consequence of the small
      proportion by volume (bv) of B that is almost equal to the precolation threshold
      (Pcb) of B of 0.3. With bv less than Pcb, the fine constituent B does not form a
      coherent lattice, and eq 1 is no longer valid. To estimate the volume proportions
      av and bv from the mass proportions a and b, two methods were established. Method
      1 assumed the bulk densities of A and B to be representative and was used when av
      was higher than the percolation threshold (Pca) of A of 0.3 (a, 0.5). Method 2
      used the true particle density of A and was valid with av values of less than 0.1
      (a, 0.3), in which case the particles of A were dispersed as individuals in the
      matrix of B.

PMID- 1403723
TI  - Physicochemical characterization of a model intravenous oil-in-water emulsion.
AB  - Photon correlation spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy,
      electron microscopy, and small-angle X-ray scattering were used for the
      structural characterization of a model oil-in-water emulsion containing particles
      in the submicrometer size range. Additionally, small-angle X-ray diffraction,
      wide-angle X-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry were applied
      to raw materials and to binary mixtures. The majority of emulsion droplets have
      the characteristic of an ideal emulsion droplet, that is, a liquid lipid core
      covered by an emulsifier monolayer. However, the system contains a certain excess
      of emulsifier. Particles with bi- and/or oligolayer structures can be deduced.
      Double-emulsion droplets were detected. Large unilamellar vesicles were not
      found; however, the existence of small unilamellar liposomes (also referred to as
      small unilamellar vesicles or SUVs) seems likely. The proportion of all small
      nonmonolayer structures was quantified by nuclear magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy. No mixed micellar structures were detectable. Lysophospholipids
      were not detected in the aqueous phase, indicating their predominant
      incorporation into the emulsifier layers. Water-soluble phospholipid degradation
      products were found in the water phase. The existence of at least several
      monolayers of phospholipids does not seem to be a prerequisite for a stable
      soybean oil-in-water emulsion, in general.

PMID- 1403724
TI  - Influence of dielectric constant on sedimentation rate of concentrated
      suspensions of aluminum and magnesium hydroxides.
AB  - Sedimentation of dilute pharmaceutical suspensions obeys Stokes's law, which
      assumes that there is no interaction between particles. The behavior of
      concentrated pharmaceutical suspensions is generally interpreted by use of
      modifications of Stokes's law that do not consider chemical interaction between
      particles. Properties of the medium itself, such as dielectric constant and
      surface tension, have not been included in the established equations. The present
      work shows that the dielectric constant of the medium has a distinct effect on
      the rate of sedimentation of the systems investigated.

PMID- 1403725
TI  - Quantitative structure-activity relationship study of the biophysicochemical
      behavior of nitrosamine.
AB  - The partition coefficients of 14 aliphatic nitrosamines were measured in six
      water-organic solvent systems. Correlations between Hansch's hydrophobic
      parameter (pi) and Kier and Hall's topological index (1 chi) allowed pi to be
      substituted by 1 chi in the structure-activity correlations of the
      carcinogenicity data of the nitrosamines studied. The use of high-performance
      liquid chromatographic capacity factors of nitrosamines in these correlations is
      also discussed.

PMID- 1403726
TI  - Metabolism and distribution of 1-[14C]alprazolam in rats.
AB  - Using 14C-labeled alprazolam (1-[14C]APZ) as a model for 1-[11C]APZ, we evaluated
      the tissue distribution of total radioactivity and assessed the contribution of
      the polar metabolites of APZ (alpha-hydroxymethyl- and 4-hydroxy-APZ) to
      radioactivity levels in the plasma and brains of rats over the course of 1 h. The
      biodistribution data showed that the uptake of radioactivity by rat brain was
      0.31% of the injected dose per gram of tissue weight at 10 min postinjection.
      Pretreating rats reduced the levels in brain to 0.21% of the injected dose at 10
      min but had little effect on the distribution of radioactivity in plasma and
      other tissues studied. Analysis of the metabolites in plasma and brain
      homogenates by an extraction-thin-layer chromatography-liquid scintillation
      method revealed that greater than 94% of the radioactivity in the rat brain was
      due to 1-[14C]APZ over the course of 1 h. APZ, therefore, is stable to metabolic
      transformations in the rat brain, and the polar metabolites are readily
      conjugated and excreted so that their cerebral uptake is minimal.

PMID- 1403727
TI  - Adaptive computer program for determination of absorption profiles by numerical
      deconvolution: application to amoxicillin absorption.
AB  - We have developed a specific numerical deconvolution program for the Apple
      Macintosh microcomputer. After comparison with other methods, we used the program
      to evaluate the influence of nifedipine on the absorption and bioavailability of
      amoxicillin. The technique provided a model-independent approach. This study
      shows that the simultaneous administration of nifedipine with amoxicillin leads
      to a significant increase in both the total quantity of amoxicillin absorbed
      (+22%) and the rate of absorption. Parameters of clearance, volume of
      distribution, and elimination were unaffected. Numerical deconvolution analysis
      showed that nifedipine did not modify the absorption kinetics of amoxicillin,
      which are characterized by a lag time followed by a constant rate of absorption,
      suggesting zero-order kinetics with first-order kinetics at the end of the
      process. The results suggest the existence of a specialized, saturable transport
      molecule for this antibiotic.

PMID- 1403728
TI  - In vitro and in vivo release of poly(DL-lactic acid) microspheres containing
      neurotensin analogue prepared by novel oil-in-water solvent evaporation method.
AB  - Poly(DL-lactic acid) (PLA) microspheres containing a neurotensin analogue [NA;
      H(CH3)-Arg-Lys-Pro-Trp-tert-Leu-Leu-OEt.3HCl] were prepared by a novel oil-in
      water (o/w) solvent evaporation method, and the release behaviors were evaluated
      in vitro. About 20% of the loaded NA was released initially, and the subsequent
      release lasted for a month from microspheres prepared with PLA of molecular
      weight 2000 (PLA 2000). A smaller initial release from PLA 4000 and PLA 6000
      microspheres was found, but a lag time of 2-3 weeks during which the drug was not
      released was observed with PLA 4000 and PLA 6000 microspheres. The addition of
      relatively hydrophilic monoglycerides decreased the lag time, and a fairly
      constant release of NA was achieved. The pharmacokinetic behavior of NA from PLA
      2000 microspheres was studied in rats. The release of the drug after a
      subcutaneous injection exhibited pseudo-zero-order kinetics for 1 month. The
      initial release of the drug from the microspheres was reflected in a sharp
      increase of the plasma levels of the de-ester form of NA [H(CH3)-Arg-Lys-Pro-Trp
      tert-Leu-Leu-OH], and the subsequent steady-state levels agreed well with the
      predicted levels obtained from analysis of constant-infusion kinetics.

PMID- 1403729
TI  - Synthesis and biological activity of new 1,8-diaza-2,9,10-anthracenetrione
      derivatives.
AB  - Diels-Alder heterocycloaddition reactions of 2,5,8-quinolinetriones and 1
      azadienes afford 1,8-diaza-2,9,10-anthracenetriones, which are simple analogues
      of the antitumoral antibiotic diazaquinomicin A. Cytotoxicity in this series and
      antitumor activity of the lead compound, 6-methyl-1,8-diaza-2,9,10
      anthracenetrione, are reported.

PMID- 1403730
TI  - Prominent inclusion effect of dimethyl-beta-cyclodextrin on photoisomerization of
      the thromboxane synthetase inhibitor (E)-4-(1-imidazoylmethyl)cinnamic acid.
AB  - The direct photoisomerization of (E)-4-(1-imidazoylmethyl)-cinnamic acid (IMC), a
      thromboxane synthetase inhibitor, to its (Z)-isomer at pH 2.0 was decelerated by
      beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CyD) and heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin (DM
      beta-CyD). The photostationary composition [(Z)-isomer:IMC ratio] was shifted in
      favor of IMC. These effects were much greater with DM-beta-CyD than with the
      parent beta-CyD. The quantum yield of the photoisomerization was significantly
      decreased by complex formation with beta-CyDs, whereas the extinction coefficient
      of the guest was only slightly decreased. This situation was in sharp contrast to
      those observed in less polar solvents and suggests that the suppressing mechanism
      with beta-CyD is different from that with less polar solvent systems.
      Spectroscopic studies (ultraviolet, circular dichroism, and nuclear magnetic
      resonance) indicated that IMC is tightly included in an axial mode in the cavity
      of DM-beta-CyD and that the rotation of the photoreactive site is sterically
      hindered. The results suggest that the suppressing effect of beta-CyDs on the
      photoisomerization of IMC results mainly from a steric origin.

PMID- 1403731
TI  - Interaction of bovine serum albumin with the surface of a microcrystalline
      aluminum oxide hydroxide compound: a possible new type of phosphate adsorbent.
AB  - Aluminum hydroxide gel (ALG) has been effective for ameliorating acidosis
      associated with phosphatemia caused by hemodialysis. However, aluminum
      accumulation in the body causes severe side effects. As substitute for ALG, a new
      type of aluminum oxide hydroxide (tentatively named PT-A) was prepared with the
      hope of future clinical use. PT-A has a microcrystalline structure with a high
      resistance to pH change and has more phosphate-binding efficacy than ALG. It was
      tested for possible interaction with protein by adsorption test, zeta-potential
      analysis, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Bovine serum
      albumin (BSA) was chosen as a model protein. The interaction of BSA with PT-A
      depended on the amount of adsorbent. Protein adsorption occurred rapidly and
      reached the maximal level at near neutral pHs. Phosphate adsorption was not
      affected by the presence of BSA, but the interaction of BSA with PT-A was
      significantly reduced by the presence of phosphate. Zeta-potential changes on the
      surface of PT-A indicated that the positively charged surface of PT-A was covered
      with negatively charged phosphate ions that repelled negatively charged BSA
      molecules. X-ray diffraction patterns indicated no observable structural
      alteration caused by adsorption of BSA or phosphate, and scanning electron
      microscopy revealed that BSA covered the outer surface of PT-A but did not cover
      small pores, where phosphate can freely penetrate.

PMID- 1403732
TI  - Spectrofluorimetric study of the binding of 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate to
      bovine serum albumin.
AB  - We studied the binding of the fluorescent probe 1-anilinonaphthalene-8- sulfonate
      to bovine serum albumin by spectrofluorimetric techniques. The binding of this
      probe to bovine serum albumin was via two types of sites: one with a high
      affinity constant but relatively fewer in number and the other with a lower
      affinity constant but greater in number. The number of binding sites of each type
      of site and their respective association constants varied with the features of
      the moiety and the temperature. The results indicate that the simplistic
      interpretation involving a single type of interaction of hydrophobic nature can
      no longer be supported and that additional involvement of other, nonhydrophobic
      types of binding should be considered. This thermodynamic study allowed
      calculation of changes in enthalpy, Gibbs free energy, and entropy values that
      are consistent with this hypothesis.

PMID- 1403733
TI  - Lipidic peptides. V: Penicillin and cephalosporin acid conjugates with increased
      lipophilic character.
AB  - Lipophilic, double-ester derivatives of beta-lactam antibiotics with methylene,
      ethylene, and propylene spacers were prepared by crown-ether-assisted coupling of
      halogenoalkyl esters of 2-(tert-butoxycarbonylamino)decanoic acid to either
      penicillin G or cefuroxime. The hydroxyethyl ester of penicillin G and the tert
      butoxypropyl ester of cefuroxime were also prepared. The lipophilic, double-ester
      conjugates, the hydroxyethyl ester of penicillin G, and the tert-butoxypropyl
      ester of cefuroxime showed weak or no antibiotic activity in vitro, as expected.
      The lipophilic penicillin G conjugates and the tert-butoxypropyl ester of
      cefuroxime were active in vivo against a nonpenicillinase-producing strain of
      Staphylococcus aureus after subcutaneous administration. The penicillin G double
      ester with propylene spacer and the tert-butoxypropyl ester of cefuroxime were
      inactive in vitro, a fact indicating that both compounds were hydrolyzed in vivo,
      as desired. After oral administration, the lipophilic, double-ester conjugate of
      penicillin G with methylene spacer and the tert-butoxypropyl ester of cefuroxime
      were active.

PMID- 1403734
TI  - Talectomy for diabetic Charcot foot. An alternative to amputation.
AB  - A talectomy was performed because of Charcot degeneration during recovery from a
      hallux amputation. The patient was treated conservatively but Charcot
      degeneration continued, resulting in ulceration and dorsomedial dislocation of
      the talar head. The patient was hospitalized, and the talectomy was performed.
      The patient returned to normal activities.

PMID- 1403735
TI  - Surgical repair of a talar body nonunion.
AB  - Fractures of the talus are significant injuries and are usually intra-articular.
      The authors discuss the evaluation and management of a patient with a delayed
      union of a talar body fracture. Assessment of talar vascularity and joint
      integrity should be performed preoperatively. The role of internal fixation and
      continuous passive motion is discussed.

PMID- 1403736
TI  - Coumadin skin necrosis. Pedal manifestations.
AB  - The idiosyncratic dermatologic reaction to coumarin-like agents, most notably,
      Coumadin (warfarin sodium) has been well described in the world's literature.
      Although the incidence is reported to be less than 0.1% of patients treated with
      Coumadin, pedal cases tend to be striking and their treatment seemingly tenuous.

PMID- 1403737
TI  - Cystic bone lesion in the fifth metatarsal with subcutaneous rheumatoid nodule.

PMID- 1403738
TI  - Bilateral bipartite medial cuneiform. A case report.
AB  - A fracture to the intermediate cuneiform that was not definitively detected on
      routine radiographs because of the overlap of the cuneiform was presented.
      Weightbearing x-rays did not provide additional information. The anatomical
      location of the fracture was identified only after a computed tomography scan was
      performed. An incidental finding, bilateral bipartite medial cuneiforms, was also
      observed on the computed tomography scan, which contributed to the overlap on
      routine radiographs. The anatomy of the bipartite medial cuneiforms seen on
      computed tomography was similar to that described by Barlow in 1942.
      Retrospective comparison to the initial radiographs with the computed tomography
      scan sections did reveal bipartite medial cuneiforms on these films as well. The
      podiatric physician should keep bipartition in mind when evaluating x-rays for
      any osseous pathology, especially fractures.

PMID- 1403739
TI  - A successful technique for the treatment of diabetic neurotrophic ulcers.
AB  - Over 90% of the diabetic neurotrophic ulcers treated with the felted foam
      technique at the Cleveland Foot Clinic have completely healed. The average
      healing time for plantar ulcers has been approximately 8 weeks. After the
      ulcerations have healed, molded shoes or orthopedic shoes with Plastazote inserts
      are prescribed. The felted foam technique is simple to perform in an office
      setting and can be used by both the novice and the experienced practitioner.

PMID- 1403740
TI  - Achilles peritendinitis. A literature review with case report.

PMID- 1403741
TI  - Medial skive technique.

PMID- 1403742
TI  - Crescentic osteotomy.

PMID- 1403743
TI  - Public health.

PMID- 1403744
TI  - Tricorrectional bunionectomy.

PMID- 1403745
TI  - Calculating the surgically induced refractive change following ocular surgery.
AB  - Calculating the surgically induced refractive change following ocular surgery is
      important for evaluating the results of keratore-fractive procedures, smaller
      incisions and various wound closures for cataract surgery, and the effect of
      suturing techniques and suture removal following corneal transplant surgery. We
      present a ten-step method of calculating the spherical- and cylindrical-induced
      refractive change in a manner suitable for a programmable calculator or personal
      computer. Several applications are given including (1) adding the overrefraction
      to the spectacle correction, (2) determining the surgically induced refractive
      change from the preoperative and postoperative refractions, (3) determining the
      surgically induced refractive change from the K-readings, (4) rotating axes, (5)
      determining the power at meridians oblique to the principal meridians of a
      spherocylinder, (6) determining the coupling ratio, and (7) averaging axes.
      Standard methods for calculating and reporting aggregate results are also given.

PMID- 1403746
TI  - Hydrodynamic analysis of intraocular pressure changes during anterior chamber
      procedures.
AB  - Variations in intraocular pressure (IOP), observed by us and other authors in
      closed-system anterior chamber procedures, are explained using a simple
      hydrodynamic analysis based on the Bernoulli equation. Calculations show that the
      sudden increases in IOP (pressure spikes) measured during anterior segment
      surgery are due primarily to the small size of the infusion cannulas and are
      exacerbated by high infusion rates. Accurate measurement of these IOP variations
      requires placement of the pressure sensors in situ and is not possible by remote
      pressure sensing at the infusion line or the console. This work indicates that
      closed-system procedures could benefit from accurate monitoring of intraoperative
      IOP and could use these measurements for automatic IOP control during surgery.

PMID- 1403747
TI  - Prospective experimental study of factors related to posterior chamber
      intraocular lens decentration.
AB  - The effect of posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL) dimensions, design, style,
      loop fixation, and anterior capsular tears on decentration were investigated in
      an experimental model. Nine posterior chamber IOLs of various designs and styles
      with loop diameters between 12.0 and 14.0 mm and optic diameters between 5.0 and
      7.0 mm were implanted in human eyes obtained post mortem. Symmetrical and
      asymmetrical fixation were investigated in eyes with and without radial tears
      using the Miyake posterior view technique. Location of IOL loops proved to be the
      most significant factor in IOL decentration. Decentration was least with
      symmetrical bag/bag fixation and no radial tears (mean = 0.20 +/- 0.05 mm).
      Asymmetrical bag/sulcus fixation in the presence of anterior capsular tears was
      associated with the highest decentration rate (mean 0.68 +/- 0.28 mm). Optic size
      and total loop diameter had no apparent effect on IOL centration in the immediate
      postoperative period.

PMID- 1403748
TI  - Drug interaction with intraocular lenses of different materials.
AB  - The uptake and washout kinetics of four drugs representing different classes of
      ophthalmic medications were measured in intraocular lenses of different
      materials. The materials ranged from hydrogel lenses to poly(methyl methacrylate)
      (PMMA), Acrysof (acrylic/methacrylic), and two types of silicone lenses
      (Chiroflex and AMO SI-18NB). Uptake was determined after seven days of immersion
      in a large volume of Ringer's solution containing drug concentrations that
      equaled those found in aqueous humor 30 minutes to one hour after topical
      administration. Washout was determined after placing lenses in 1 ml of 0.9%
      saline for 24 hours. Only hydrogel lenses could be digested in acid to measure
      lens uptake directly. The PMMA, Acrysof, and silicone lenses behaved similarly
      toward gentamicin and dexamethasone--low uptake (less than 3.5 ng/mg lens) and
      low washout (less than 4.0%). Their uptake of norepinephrine was lower (less than
      0.7 ng/mg lens) but the washout varied from 29% (AMO silicone) to 100% (PMMA and
      Acrysof). The pilocarpine uptake was the lowest of drugs tested (less than 0.03
      ng/mg lens) and the washout varied from 1.5% (acrylic) to 100% (PMMA and
      Chiroflex silicone). Hydrogel lenses took up the most drug in the following
      order: dexamethasone greater than pilocarpine greater than gentamicin greater
      than norepinephrine. Washout was high, ranging from 83% to 98%. Despite the
      greater uptake and washout, the maximum drug uptake would only provide one-tenth
      of the greatest aqueous humor concentration that occurs after topical drug
      administration. Intraocular lenses of the materials tested did not interfere with
      the intraocular drug pharmacokinetics, nor did the data indicate that presoaking
      intraocular lenses of these materials in drugs would enhance post-surgical
      intraocular drug concentrations.

PMID- 1403749
TI  - Practice styles and preferences of ASCRS members--1991 survey. American Society
      of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.
AB  - A survey of the practice styles and preferences of 1991 ASCRS members with a U.S.
      zip code was performed in August 1991. Approximately 3,935 questionnaires were
      sent and approximately 40% (1,574) were returned after two months. Three main
      profile questions were used to cross-analyze the results: the age of the
      ophthalmologist, the volume of cataract surgery per month, and the geographic
      location. This report also compared the data with previously published surveys of
      the ASCRS and the Academy memberships.

PMID- 1403750
TI  - Changing trends in explanted intraocular lenses: a single center study.
AB  - Over a nine-year period, our practice removed 1,091 intraocular lenses. The most
      common type of lens requiring explantation was the closed-loop anterior chamber
      lens (58.6%). The Stableflex lens represented the largest percentage of all
      removed lens types (28.8%). The number of closed-loop anterior chamber lenses
      requiring removal peaked in 1988 and then gradually declined. All other lens
      styles have shown gradually increasing removal rates. Older style iris-fixated
      lenses and rigid anterior chamber lenses, which have not been implanted for
      several years, have increasing removal rates. Late breakage of fixational
      polypropylene sutures with pupil-supported iris-fixated lenses have occurred in
      five cases; the average time from implantation to suture breakage was 112 months.

PMID- 1403751
TI  - Explantation of posterior chamber lenses.
AB  - A consecutive series of 119 explanted posterior chamber lenses is reviewed.
      Seventy (58.8%) were removed because of dislocation or improper fixation, 15
      (12.6%) because of anisometropia, and 18 (15.1%) because of chronic inflammation.
      Sixty-two (52.1%) of these explantations probably occurred for reasons that can
      be avoided by changes in preoperative, operative, or postoperative techniques.
      The rate of posterior chamber lens explantations is quite low considering the
      large number of lenses implanted; with changing surgical techniques, we
      anticipate that the number of lenses requiring removal will decrease.

PMID- 1403752
TI  - Intraocular lens implantation in microphthalmic patients.
AB  - Microphthalmos is a developmental disorder of the eye consisting of a smaller
      than normal eye. This disorder can present as an isolated condition or associated
      with other systemic alterations. It is not uncommon for patients with
      microphthalmos to have congenital cataracts along with other ocular and systemic
      abnormalities. This paper reports the experience with 11 microphthalmic eyes of
      seven patients who had primary or secondary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation
      over a six-year period from 1985 to 1991. In all cases the IOL had a 13.5 mm or
      14.0 mm overall diameter and a 6.0 mm or 6.5 mm optic. It was difficult to obtain
      documentation of objective visual improvement in many of these cases because of
      the associated nystagmus. However, all patients reported subjective improvements.
      These results suggest that with proper technique and lens selection
      microphthalmic patients should be considered for IOL implantation with relative
      safety and success.

PMID- 1403753
TI  - Long-term study of children with implanted intraocular lenses.
AB  - We studied children between five and 15 years of age who were implanted with
      intraocular lenses (IOLs). The subjects comprised eight cases of traumatic
      cataract, 11 of congenital cataract, and six of steroid cataract. The follow-up
      ranged from four months to nine and one half years. Twenty of the eyes studied
      achieved a postoperative visual acuity of equal to or better than 20/40.
      Binocular function was retained in most cases. Postoperative complications
      included seven cases of posterior iris synechia, three of iris capture, one of
      transitory elevated intraocular pressure, and one of cystoid macular edema.
      Corneal endothelial studies were normal in the eyes in which posterior chamber
      IOLs were implanted.

PMID- 1403754
TI  - Study of acute intraoperative suprachoroidal hemorrhage.
AB  - Acute intraoperative suprachoroidal hemorrhage or effusion (AISH) was studied in
      a prospective manner over the past three years. In a general cataract surgery
      population of 2,523 patient eyes, 15 (0.6%) experienced an AISH. Results of a
      specific surgical management technique are presented. Surgical control of the
      AISH consisted of immediate closure of the incision and application of pressure
      directly to the eye. This tamponades the effusion or hemorrhage, which allows
      coagulation and completion of the case. There was no attempt to drain the
      suprachoroidal space. All cases were completed the same day, usually within an
      hour. The postoperative visual acuities were quite good--20/40 or better in 93%
      of cases. Factors contributing to AISH were 4+ brunescent nuclear sclerosis, the
      large incision used with nucleus expression extracapsular cataract extraction,
      and the combination of anticoagulation and systemic vascular disease.

PMID- 1403755
TI  - Effect of a superficial and a deep scleral pocket incision on the incidence of
      hyphema.
AB  - Deep tunnel scleral pocket incisions were developed to control surgically induced
      astigmatism following cataract and intraocular lens implantation surgery. A more
      superficial, shallow scleral pocket incision was developed to reduce the rate of
      postoperative hyphema. To test its effectiveness, a randomized prospective
      clinical study was performed. One hundred twenty-nine eyes of 129 patients were
      randomized: 66 to receive a deep tunnel pocket and 63 to receive the superficial
      pocket. In both groups the incision was made 3 mm posterior to the limbus. For
      the deep pocket cases, a blade setting of 0.27 mm was used and the wound was
      dissected forward toward the entry site, creating a long, deep, narrow tunnel.
      For the superficial wound cases, a 0.17 mm blade setting was used and the entire
      wound was dissected to the edge of the anatomic limbus, creating a thin scleral
      flap. The left side was then fanned out toward the left with the entry site
      slightly into clear cornea. At one day after surgery, 22 cases (34%) in the deep
      pocket group and four cases (6%) in the superficial pocket group had hyphemas.
      The difference in hyphema rates was statistically significant (P less than .001).

PMID- 1403756
TI  - Intraocular pressure following small-incision cataract surgery and polyHEMA
      posterior chamber lens implantation. A comparison between acetylcholine and
      carbachol.
AB  - Ninety patients who had phacoemulsification and implantation of a flexible
      polyHEMA intraocular lens (IOGEL 1103) were assigned to three groups. After
      evacuation of sodium hyaluronate retrolentally from the capsular bag, 0.5 ml of
      1% acetylcholine chloride, 0.01% carbachol, or balanced salt solution was
      instilled into the anterior chamber following wound closure. Intraocular pressure
      (IOP) was measured the day before, and six hours, 18 hours, and one week
      postoperatively. No topical or systemic antiglaucomatous drug was given during
      the study period. Preoperatively and one week postoperatively there was no
      significant difference between the three groups (P greater than .01). At six
      hours postoperatively the mean IOP decreased in the carbachol group (-2.8 mm Hg)
      and increased in the acetylcholine and control groups (+0.6 mm Hg and +/- 4.7 mm
      Hg) when compared with baseline pressures. At 18 hours the mean change from
      baseline was -3.0 mm Hg in the carbachol group, +0.8 mm Hg in the acetylcholine
      group, and +2.3 mm Hg in the control group. At six hours IOP exceeding 22 mm Hg
      was observed in ten of the control patients (30%) receiving balanced salt
      solution intracamerally and four of the acetylcholine patients (13.3%) but none
      of the carbachol patients. At 18 hours IOP remained above 22 mm Hg in three of
      the acetylcholine patients (10%) and four of the control patients (13.3%). Only
      one of the carbachol patients developed an increase of IOP up to 26 mm Hg at 18
      hours. Removal of viscoelastic substances from behind the IOL reduced the
      incidence of pressure spikes in the early postoperative period.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403757
TI  - Relationship between postoperative pupil size and disability glare.
AB  - A group of 40 postoperative cataract patients had Miller-Nadler glare testing
      performed before and after midpupillary pharmacologic dilation. The results
      indicated that pupillary enlargement is associated with increased glare
      disability. For that reason it is essential to maintain normal pupil shape and
      function after cataract surgery, a difficult task in cases with miotic pupils.

PMID- 1403758
TI  - Cortical cleaving hydrodissection.
AB  - In this technique, I/A of cortex as a separate step can be omitted, thereby
      eliminating that portion of the surgical procedure in which posterior capsular
      disruption most frequently occurs. Residual cortical cleanup is accomplished in
      the presence of a posterior chamber IOL which protects the poserior capsule by
      holding it remote from the aspiration port.

PMID- 1403759
TI  - Divide and conquer phacoemulsification. One-handed variant.
AB  - A one-handed variation of Gimbel's "divide and conquer" phacoemulsification
      technique is described. Instead of bimanual cracking, the lens sections are cut,
      rotated, cut, and removed in sequence.

PMID- 1403760
TI  - Preplaced inferior iris suture method for small pupil phacoemulsification.
AB  - A surgical method for managing poorly dilating pupils preoperatively is
      presented. A fine polypropylene suture is preplaced through the inferior iris
      sphincter prior to an inferior radial iridotomy in preparation for nucleus
      fracture endolenticular phacoemulsification. Placing the suture prior to the
      iridotomy assures proper aesthetic and functional alignment of the incised iris
      pillars, while enlarging the pupil inferiorly accommodates in-the-bag nucleus
      emulsification. This new surgical method maintains pupillary appearance and
      function postoperatively.

PMID- 1403761
TI  - Small pupil enlargement during cataract extraction. A new method.
AB  - A new method for enlarging a small pupil during cataract extraction is described.
      The technique is simple and safe, and uses new instruments that reduce or
      entirely eliminate the need to incise or suture the iris. This method of pupil
      enlargement can be used for extracapsular cataract extraction and
      phacoemulsification procedures.

PMID- 1403762
TI  - Posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation in a patient with oculocutaneous
      albinism.
AB  - A 56-year-old woman with tyrosinase-negative oculocutaneous albinism complained
      of gradually decreasing vision in the left eye. Her visual acuity was 20/300 in
      the right eye and hand motion in the left eye. She had pink skin and white hair
      and cilia. On examination, bilateral hypopigmented irides, an opaque lens in the
      left eye, a hypopigmented fundus in the right eye, and nystagmus were found. An
      extra-capsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL)
      implantation was performed. After retrobulbar anesthesia was administered, the
      nystagmus ceased temporarily. Postoperatively, visual acuity in the left eye
      improved to 20/200. We believe IOL implantation is useful in the treatment of
      cataracts in albino patients.

PMID- 1403763
TI  - Spontaneous extrusion of an intraocular lens implant.
AB  - A 51-year-old man with ankylosing spondylitis had intracapsular cataract
      extraction and anterior chamber lens implantation in the left eye in 1985. He had
      localized sclerokeratitis around the corneal section and a protracted anterior
      uveitis in the immediate postoperative period. He developed a spontaneous
      extrusion of the implant in 1991 (six years later). The extrusion was through a
      site 1.5 mm posterior to the previous surgical section. There was no corneal
      decompensation or corneal melt and no history of trauma. Signs of localized
      scleritis were present. It is suggested that anterior chamber lens implantation
      should be avoided under these circumstances.

PMID- 1403764
TI  - Consultation section. Attitudes regarding the concomitant use of anti-coagulants
      with elective cataract surgery.

PMID- 1403765
TI  - Capsular bag distension.

PMID- 1403766
TI  - Anterior capsular opacification: is aqueous the culprit?

PMID- 1403767
TI  - Pulmonary embolus in pregnancy.

PMID- 1403768
TI  - Understanding tuberculosis: implications for pregnancy.

PMID- 1403769
TI  - Challenging diagnosis: management of the obstetric patient with adult respiratory
      distress syndrome.

PMID- 1403770
TI  - Asthma and pregnancy: opportunities for enhancing outcomes.

PMID- 1403771
TI  - Alterations of the respiratory system in the neonate: implications for clinical
      practice.

PMID- 1403772
TI  - Exogenous surfactant therapy for premature infants.

PMID- 1403773
TI  - Does routine nursing care complicate the physiologic status of the premature
      neonate with respiratory distress syndrome?

PMID- 1403774
TI  - Transition to home: discharge planning for the oxygen-dependent infant with
      bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

PMID- 1403775
TI  - Dose-dependent toxicokinetics of L-689,502, a potent human immunodeficiency virus
      protease inhibitor, in rats and dogs.
AB  - L-689,502, N-[2(R)-hydroxy-1(S)-indanyl]-5(S)-(1,1-dimethylethoxy- carbonylamino)
      4(S)-hydroxy-6-phenyl-2(R)-(4-[2-(4- morpholinyl)ethoxy]phenyl)methyl hexanamide,
      is a potent inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus-1 protease. The effect of
      dose on the elimination kinetics of L-689,502 was studied in rats and dogs. After
      i.v. administration, total plasma clearance of L-689,502 in rats decreased with
      increasing dose; the clearance decreased from 181 ml/min/kg at 1 mg/kg to 86
      ml/min/kg at 20 mg/kg. Similar results were observed in dogs; clearance fell from
      29 ml/min/kg at 0.5 mg/kg to 17 ml/min/kg at 10 mg/kg. Bile flow in rats was
      retarded in a dose-dependent manner after a single i.v. injection of L-689,502.
      The cholestatic effect was reversible and maximal at 5 mg/kg i.v. Consistent with
      the cholestatic effect, L-689,502 caused an increase in serum levels of
      aminotransferase. After i.v. administration of L-689,502 (10 mg/kg), alanine
      aminotransferase increased from 50 to 370 IU/liter and aspartate aminotransferase
      from 120 to 700 IU/liter. Moreover, pretreatment of rats with L-689,502 resulted
      in a significant decrease in the elimination kinetics of antipyrine and
      diflunisal, as well as of L-689,502 itself. Collectively, these results suggest
      that the dose-dependent kinetics of L-689,502 in rats and dogs are more likely
      due to hepatotoxicity caused by the drug than to capacity-limited metabolism.

PMID- 1403776
TI  - A comparison of the potency of selective L-calcium channel blockers in human
      coronary and internal mammary arteries exposed to serotonin.
AB  - The actions of L-type calcium channel blockers on the contractile response to
      serotonin and to K(+)-depolarization have been studied in human coronary artery
      and in human internal mammary artery. The effect of ketanserin indicated that in
      both arteries serotonin action may be related not only to 5-serotonin2 but also
      to other serotonin receptors. In fura-2-loaded coronary and mammary arteries,
      exposed to serotonin (10 microM), nisoldipine (1 microM) and verapamil (10
      microM) reversed completely the increase in [Ca++] cyt but not the contraction.
      The Ca++ antagonist-resistant contraction was equal to 26.2 +/- 2.1% of controls
      (n = 57) in coronary artery and to 51.7 +/- 4.2% (n = 19) in internal mammary
      artery. The concentration inhibiting by 50% the tonic contraction to serotonin
      sensitive to calcium channels blockade was 61-fold lower in human coronary artery
      than in human internal mammary artery with nisoldipine, but only 3.7-fold lower
      with nifedipine. There was no significant difference with diltiazem and
      verapamil. When human coronary artery and human internal mammary artery were
      exposed to a 100-mM KCl depolarizing solution, their sensitivity to nisoldipine
      was not significantly different. Preincubation with calcium antagonists in a 40
      mM KCl solution reversibly increased the inhibitory effect of nisoldipine but not
      that of the other calcium antagonists. Comparison of radioligand and functional
      data shows that inhibition by calcium antagonists of the response to both
      serotonin and K(+)-depolarizing solution may be related to interaction with L
      type calcium channels. The results indicate that the very high sensitivity to
      nisoldipine of the tonic response evoked by serotonin in human coronary artery
      might be related to the voltage-dependence of this dihydropyridine.

PMID- 1403777
TI  - Serotonin-induced relaxation in canine coronary artery smooth muscle.
AB  - Serotonin (5-HT) is a potent contractile agonist in canine coronary artery devoid
      of endothelium; however, in higher concentrations 5-HT produces concentration
      dependent relaxation by activating an as yet uncharacterized receptor. This study
      explored the possibility that 5-HT-induced relaxation was mediated by interaction
      with a member of the 5-HT1, 5-HT2, 5-HT3, or 5-HT4 receptor family. 5-HT, 5
      carboxamidotryptamine and 5-methoxytryptamine produced concentration-dependent
      relaxation in vitro in tissues precontracted with prostaglandin F2 alpha (10
      microM). The agonist rank order potency for relaxation was 5
      carboxamidotryptamine > 5-HT > 5-MeOT. 8-hydroxydipropylaminotetralin (8-OH
      DPAT), dipropyl-5-CT, 5-methyltryptamine, sumatriptan, alpha-methyl-5-HT and 2
      methyl-5-HT did not produce significant relaxation. The 5-HT1/beta adrenergic
      receptor antagonist propranolol (1 microM) did not antagonize 5-HT-induced
      relaxation. 5-HT-induced relaxation was not blocked by tetrodotoxin (0.3 microM),
      suggesting that neuronal depolarization to release mediators from nerves was not
      responsible for the relaxation. Neither ketanserin (1 microM) nor ritanserin (1
      microM) antagonized 5-HT-induced relaxation, suggesting that 5-HT2 and 5-HT1C
      receptors do not mediate relaxation. ICS 205-930 (10 microM), a 5-HT3/5-HT4
      receptor antagonist, shifted the 5-HT concentration-response curve modestly to
      the right (pKB = 5.1 +/- 0.1). Cisapride, a 5-HT4 receptor agonist, was not
      effective either as an agonist (up to 10 microM), or as an antagonist (1 microM)
      of 5-HT-induced relaxation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403778
TI  - Pulmonary accumulation of propranolol in vivo: sites and physiochemical
      mechanism.
AB  - Despite the therapeutic importance of propranolol and the potential usefulness of
      propranolol extraction measurements for the assessment of lung disorders, the
      pulmonary disposition of propranolol remains poorly understood. The extraction,
      accumulation and distribution of propranolol in lungs of conscious and
      anesthetized sheep were investigated by indicator-dilution methods, lung lymph
      fistula preparations and bronchoalveolar lavage. Pulmonary extraction of
      propranolol from plasma (0.81 +/- 0.03) was significantly less than that of
      imipramine (0.89 +/- 0.03), not significantly different from that of lidocaine
      (0.74 +/- 0.03) and much greater than that of water (0.44 +/- 0.02), whereas
      there were no differences in apparent red blood cell extraction of each indicator
      from plasma in vitro as determined under similar conditions (0.08-0.1). Pulmonary
      accumulation of imipramine (78 +/- 3%), lidocaine (52 +/- 4%), propranolol (37 +/
      4%) and water (7 +/- 2%), after a single pass through the pulmonary circulation,
      correlated positively with octanol/saline partition coefficients but not with pKa
      values. After bolus i.v. injection of [3H]propranolol, tritium concentrations in
      lung lymph increased rapidly to exceed plasma concentrations within 60 min and
      tritium concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage equaled plasma concentrations 5
      to 15 min after injection. It is concluded that by a mechanism not involving
      molecular charge, propranolol permeates capillary endothelium and alveolar
      epithelium to accumulate in hydrophobic regions of the lungs. This study in
      normal sheep suggests that reduced propranolol extraction by damaged lungs
      reflects pathological alterations other than endothelial cell dysfunction, such
      as pulmonary edema.

PMID- 1403779
TI  - Antinociceptive actions of spinal nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents on the
      formalin test in the rat.
AB  - Subcutaneous injection of formalin into the dorsal surface of the hindpaw evoked
      a two-phased flinching (phase 1:0-9 min; phase 2: 10-60 min) of the injected paw.
      Intrathecal administration of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID)
      produced minimal effects upon phase 1, but showed a significant, though
      submaximal, dose-dependent suppression of the phase 2 response. Ordering of i.t.
      potency was (ID50 in nmol): indomethacin (1.9) > or = flurbiprofen (2.1) >
      ketorolac (5.2) > or = zomepirac (5.9) > S(+)ibuprofen (16) > or =
      ibuprofen(racemic) (19) > acetylsalicylic acid (27) > acetaminophen (250) > R(
      )ibuprofen (> 270) = 0. Intraperitoneal administration also produced a dose
      dependent inhibition of phase 2, but only at doses which were 100 to 1000 times
      higher than those required to produce similar effects after i.t. injection.
      Intrathecal and i.p. dose-response curves showed similar distinct plateaus of
      maximum achievable inhibition (intrinsic activity) of the phase 2 behavior,
      ranging from 20 to 50% of the control response. Varying the time of drug
      injection reveals that injection 9 min after formalin yielded effects the same as
      those observed when the agent was given 2 min before formalin. Pretreatment at
      longer intervals indicated that the duration of the antinociceptive effect was
      between 3 to 6 hr after the i.t. injection. The i.t. injection of the highest
      doses of the several NSAID were without significant effect upon the 52.5 degrees
      C hot plate test. These studies indicate that NSAID have a powerful effect upon
      spinal nociceptive processing evoked by the s.c. injection of formalin.

PMID- 1403780
TI  - Membrane potential in myenteric neurons associated with tolerance and dependence
      to morphine.
AB  - Chronic treatment of guinea pigs with morphine produces subsensitivity
      (tolerance) of the longitudinal smooth muscle-myenteric plexus preparation to a
      variety of inhibitory agonists (e.g., mu opioid, alpha adrenoceptor and adenosine
      receptor agonists) and supersensitivity (dependence) to a variety of excitatory
      agonists (e.g., nicotine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and potassium ions). The present
      investigation was to determine if these changes in sensitivity could be related
      to changes in electrical properties of the S and AH neurons in the myenteric
      plexus. S neurons from morphine-implanted animals were significantly depolarized
      (7 mV) relative to those from placebo-implanted animals, whereas the membrane
      potential of AH neurons was unchanged. Approximately 60% of S neurons were
      hyperpolarized by morphine. In this subset of neurons, membranes were
      significantly depolarized but the threshold was unchanged in morphine-implanted
      animals. This means that resting potentials of S neurons from tolerant
      preparations are closer to threshold. The hyperpolarization produced by morphine
      (0.1 microM) was similar in preparations from morphine- and placebo-implanted
      animals. Thus, the partially depolarized state of S neurons in the myenteric
      plexus is the cause of the subsensitivity and supersensitivity to agonists and
      can explain both tolerance and dependence. Changes in opioid receptors or their
      coupling to potassium channels do not appear to contribute to tolerance in the
      longitudinal smooth muscle-myenteric plexus.

PMID- 1403781
TI  - Aldose reductase and myo-inositol in endothelial cell dysfunction caused by
      elevated glucose.
AB  - A possible relationship between aldose reductase activity and myo-inositol levels
      and endothelium-dependent relaxations was examined in isolated rabbit aorta
      incubated with elevated concentrations of glucose (44 mM) for 6 hr to mimic
      hyperglycemic conditions. Rings of aorta incubated in elevated glucose and
      contracted submaximally by phenylephrine showed significantly decreased
      endothelium-dependent relaxations induced by acetylcholine compared with aorta
      incubated in control (5.5 or 11 mM) glucose. Acetylcholine-induced relaxations of
      aorta incubated in hyperosmotic mannitol (44 mM) were not different from those
      incubated in control glucose. Treatment with two structurally unrelated aldose
      reductase inhibitors, sorbinil or zopolrestat, or supplementation with myo
      inositol, prevented the abnormal acetylcholine relaxations of aortic rings caused
      by elevated glucose. No effects of sorbinil, zopolrestat or myo-inositol were
      observed on the response to acetylcholine of aorta incubated in control glucose.
      Neither sorbinil nor myo-inositol affected the increase in release of
      vasoconstrictor prostanoids caused by elevated glucose. These findings suggest
      that sorbitol accumulation and myo-inositol depletion contribute to the abnormal
      endothelial cell function caused by exposure to elevated glucose. The increased
      release of vasoactive prostanoids is either independent of, or possibly
      contributes to, the abnormal aldose reductase activity and/or myo-inositol
      depletion in intact blood vessels exposed to elevated concentrations of glucose.

PMID- 1403782
TI  - Cardiac effects of 3,5-diiodothyropropionic acid, a thyroid hormone analog with
      inotropic selectivity.
AB  - Thyroid hormone exerts a strong positive inotropic action on the heart and
      induces alpha-myosin heavy chain (MHC) gene expression. 3,5-Diiodothyropropionic
      acid (DITPA), a carboxylic acid analog with low metabolic activity, was observed
      to induce alpha-MHC mRNA in heart cell culture with EC50 approximately 5 x 10(-7)
      M. To determine if the compound has positive inotropic actions, the effects of
      DITPA and L-thyroxine on heart rate, left ventricular pressures, left ventricular
      dP/dt, myosin isoenzymes and hepatic alpha-glycerolphosphate dehydrogenase
      activity were compared in hypothyroid rats. Binding affinities of DITPA and
      triiodothyronine for bacterially expressed alpha-1 and beta-1 thyroid hormone
      receptors (TRs) also were determined. Over the dosage range of 150 to 1500
      micrograms/100 g, DITPA produced increases in left ventricular dP/dt comparable
      to those obtained with L-thyroxine at dosages of 1.5 to 15 micrograms/100 g, but
      with significantly less tachycardia. The increase in alpha-MHC mRNA was about the
      same with both compounds whereas alpha-MHC protein content and GPDH activity
      increased less with DITPA. These differences could not be explained by
      preferential binding of DITPA to TR subtypes. Because heart rate is a major
      determinant of myocardial oxygen consumption, DITPA is able to achieve increased
      cardiac performance at lower myocardial oxygen costs.

PMID- 1403783
TI  - The effect of the atypical antipsychotic drug, amperozide, on carrier-mediated
      striatal dopamine release measured in vivo.
AB  - The effect of the novel atypical antipsychotic drug, amperozide, on carrier
      mediated dopamine efflux was studied using in vivo microdialysis in the striatum
      of awake-behaving rats. Amperozide was infused directly through the dialysis
      probe. This local infusion produced a concentration-dependent increase in
      striatal dopamine overflow. This increase was attenuated when a Ca(++)-free
      perfusion medium was used. Local infusion of amperozide blocked dopamine efflux
      after the systemic administration of amphetamine in a concentration-dependent
      manner. The antagonistic effect of amperozide (50 microM) on amphetamine-induced
      efflux of dopamine was not attenuated under Ca(++)-free conditions. Similar to
      its effects on amphetamine-induced dopamine efflux, amperozide (50 microM)
      attenuated the increase in dopamine overflow produced by ouabain (10 microM) but
      not veratridine (15 microM). The systemic coadministration of amperozide (10
      mg/kg, i.p.) and haloperidol (2 mg/kg, i.p.) increased extracellular dopamine
      levels in an additive manner when compared to the increases observed after the
      administration of either drug alone. Overall, these data indicate that amperozide
      acts on the dopamine transporter to inhibit carrier-mediated release.

PMID- 1403784
TI  - Tamoxifen-resistant human breast cancer cell growth: inhibition by thioridazine,
      pimozide and the calmodulin antagonist, W-13.
AB  - Estrogen receptor (ER)-negative human breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and
      MDA-MB-435) and ER-positive derivatives of the MCF-7 cell line selected for
      growth in the presence of antiestrogens (LY2 and RR) were used as in vitro models
      of tamoxifen-resistant human breast cancer in this study. The sensitivity of the
      tamoxifen-sensitive (MCF-7) and tamoxifen-resistant human breast cancer cell
      growth to two noncytotoxic neuroleptic drugs, pimozide and thioridazine, and the
      anticalmodulin agent, W-13, were compared. Inhibition of cell growth was measured
      as a decrease in cell number following a 72-h incubation with drug. Growth of the
      ER-negative cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-435 was inhibited by all three
      drugs. The average Ki values in these two lines were 6.3 and 3.8 microM for
      pimozide and 4.1 and 15 microM for thioridazine, respectively. Both ER-negative
      cell lines were more sensitive than MCF-7 cells to growth inhibition by W-13. MCF
      7 cells selected for antiestrogen resistance were sensitive to growth inhibition
      by W-13 and thioridazine (LY2, average Ki = 10.4 microM; RR, average Ki = 5.2
      microM). LY2 and RR cells were resistant to pimozide except when treated with
      estradiol (Ki = 4.6 and 7.9 microM, respectively). Pimozide, thioridazine and W
      13 all exerted different effects on the distribution of human breast cancer cells
      within the cell cycle, suggesting that each drug may utilize a distinct pathway
      for inhibition of cell growth. We conclude that all three drugs are potential
      noncytotoxic alternatives to tamoxifen for the treatment of tamoxifen-resistant
      human breast cancer.

PMID- 1403785
TI  - Block of voltage-gated potassium currents by anticonvulsant U-54494A in mouse
      neuroblastoma cells.
AB  - U-54494A [(+-)-cis-3,4-dichloro-N-methyl-N-[2-(1- pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl]
      benzamide], an anticonvulsant and Na channel blocker, was examined for its
      interaction with delayed rectifier K channels in mouse neuroblastoma cells (NIE
      115) using whole-cell and inside-out configurations of the patch clamp
      techniques. U-54494A at anticonvulsant doses reversibly blocked the
      tetraethylammonium-sensitive outward K current in a time-dependent manner without
      affecting the current-voltage relationship. Analysis of the time-dependent block
      suggests interaction of U-54494A with the open state, but not with the resting
      state of the K channel. Furthermore, the drug showed no interaction with
      inactivated states of the K channel because it produced no noticeable effect on
      the steady-state inactivation curve or the recovery of the channel activity from
      inactivated states. The drug shifted the steady-state activation curve to a
      hyperpolarizing direction. This shift seems to result from underestimations of
      the maximal conductance of the K channel in the presence of U-54494A, because of
      its progressively increasing potency to block the K currents as the membrane
      potential became more depolarized. The potency of the drug was enhanced not only
      by depolarized membrane potentials, but also by raising the external pH. These
      results suggest that U-54494A interacts with a channel binding site which is
      located within the membrane electric field and approachable from the cytoplasmic
      side. The proposal was supported further by single channel recordings with inside
      out patches in which U-54494A induced flickery blocks of single channel openings
      of the delayed rectifier.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403786
TI  - Selective inhibitory effects of calcium channel antagonists on the two components
      of the neurogenic response of guinea pig vas deferens.
AB  - The effects of L-type calcium channel antagonists and omega-conotoxin on the
      contractile responses of guinea pig vas deferens were examined in vitro.
      Electrical stimulation of the postganglionic hypogastric nerve induced biphasic
      contraction consisting of rapid phasic and delayed tonic components. L-type
      calcium channel antagonists, such as diltiazem, verapamil and nicardipine, mainly
      inhibited the delayed tonic component, whereas omega-conotoxin mainly inhibited
      the rapid phasic component. Stimulations in the presence of prazosin and alpha,
      beta-methylene ATP induced rapid transient and delayed contraction, respectively,
      which were inhibited by omega-conotoxin and L-type calcium channel antagonists,
      respectively. Short-term stimulation with five pulses induced a small fast phasic
      contraction. This contraction, which could be desensitized by alpha, beta
      methylene ATP, was inhibited by omega-conotoxin, but not by L-type calcium
      channel antagonists. At the concentrations used in the present study, none of the
      calcium channel antagonists inhibited the contractions induced by exogenously
      added ATP or norepinephrine. These findings suggest that L-type calcium channel
      antagonists and omega-conotoxin inhibit the neurotransmissions mediated by
      norepinephrine and ATP, respectively, from the postganglionic nerve to the vas
      deferens of the guinea pig. Inhibition of the voltage-dependent calcium channel
      is discussed in relation to the mechanism of cotransmission in this preparation.

PMID- 1403787
TI  - Prejunctional muscarinic receptors in the deep muscular plexus of canine ileum:
      comparison with smooth muscle receptors.
AB  - Prejunctional muscarinic receptors from the deep muscular plexus of canine ileum
      were studied, and their properties were compared with those of the postjunctional
      receptors of the circular smooth muscle. In the purified synaptosomal fraction (a
      fraction containing primarily the axonal varicosities of deep muscular plexus),
      the muscarinic ligand N-[3H]methylscopolamine labeled an apparently homogenous
      population of receptors (nH = 1) with a Kd of 2.7 nM and a Bmax of 195 +/- 44
      fmol/mg protein (mean +/- S.D., n = 4). These receptors showed a high affinity
      for the M3/M1-selective antagonist 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine
      methiodide (pKi = 7.41); in contrast, the pKi values of pirenzepine (5.60),
      methoctramine (5.65) and AF-DX 116 (5.21) implied little selectivity for these
      subtypes. The binding properties of muscarinic receptors in the synaptosomal
      fraction were different from the binding properties of muscarinic receptors in
      the purified circular smooth muscle plasma membranes. Most notably, the circular
      smooth muscle receptors had significantly lower affinity for N
      [3H]methylscopolamine (Kd = 16 nM) with a Bmax value of 2088 +/- 276 fmol/mg. The
      affinities of the M2 subtype-selective muscarinic antagonists methoctramine and
      AF-DX 116 were similar in both membrane preparations. The receptor population
      associated with the deep muscular plexus synaptosomal fraction was linked to the
      inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity, as demonstrated by a concentration
      dependent, atropine-sensitive inhibition of the forskolin-stimulated enzyme in
      the presence of muscarinic agonists carbachol and oxotremorine. Based on the
      pharmacological observations presented here, the prejunctional muscarinic
      receptors in the axonal varicosities of deep muscular plexus are different from
      the postjunctional receptors present in the circular smooth muscle.

PMID- 1403788
TI  - Lipid solubility of sedative-hypnotic drugs influences hypothermic and hypnotic
      responses of long-sleep and short-sleep mice.
AB  - The anesthetic potency of many agents, including alcohols, barbiturates and other
      sedative-hypnotic drugs, is influenced by lipid solubility. Previous studies from
      our laboratory, however, have demonstrated that genetic factors influence this
      relationship. We have reported that mouse lines selectively bred for differences
      in duration of ethanol-induced anesthesia, the long-sleep (LS) and short-sleep
      (SS) mice, differ in sleep-time response to water-soluble, but not lipid-soluble,
      sedative-hypnotic drugs. The studies described here sought to determine whether
      this same relationship exists for the hypothermic response produced by 17
      sedative-hypnotic drugs in the LS and SS mice. Dose-response and time course
      relationships for hypothermic actions were determined and were compared with the
      dose-related anesthetic effects of the drugs. Hypothermic potencies increased
      along with lipid solubility for both the LS and SS mouse lines, but the rate of
      change differed for the two mouse lines. LS mice were more responsive to ethanol
      and other water-soluble drugs whereas the SS were more responsive to lipid
      soluble drugs; significant correlations were obtained between lipid solubility
      (log P-octanol-water partition coefficient) and relative LS-SS responsiveness to
      both the hypothermic and hypnotic actions of the 17 test drugs. Thus, both
      hypnotic and hypothermic actions of sedative-hypnotic drugs are correlated with
      lipid solubility. Possible explanation for these correlations include greater LS
      central nervous system sensitivity to water-soluble drugs and LS-SS differences
      in distribution of lipid-soluble drugs.

PMID- 1403789
TI  - A mechanistic study on enhancement of rectal permeability to insulin in the
      albino rabbit.
AB  - This study was conducted mainly to investigate the relative contributions of
      various mechanisms by which bile salts and EDTA may improve the in vitro rectal
      penetration of insulin in the albino rabbit. Insulin could not cross the rectal
      mucosa unless Na glycocholate or other penetration enhancers were present.
      Penetration enhancement was attributed primarily to Na glycocholate's ability to
      reduce the barrier function of the rectal membrane and to increase the fraction
      of insulin in its monomeric form, and secondarily to Na glycocholate's ability to
      protect insulin from proteolysis. Na glycocholate was more effective than Na
      taurocholate, but less effective than Na deoxycholate and polyoxyethylene-9
      lauryl ether in enhancing rectal insulin penetration. Although EDTA at 0.01 and
      0.1% did not affect rectal insulin penetration, it augmented the penetration
      enhancement effect of 1% Na glycocholate without causing additional damage to the
      rectal membrane, as judged by protein release. Such an action was attributed to
      the synergistic effect associated with: 1) an increase in the permeability of the
      paracellular pathway by EDTA and 2) an increase in the proportion of insulin in
      the monomeric form by Na glycocholate. Results from parallel in vivo experiments
      have indicated that it may be possible to achieve significant penetration
      enhancement by using a combination of otherwise membrane-damaging penetration
      enhancers which act by complementary mechanisms at concentrations that are both
      effective and well tolerated by mucosal epithelial cells.

PMID- 1403790
TI  - The discriminative stimulus effects of clozapine in pigeons: involvement of 5
      hydroxytryptamine1C and 5-hydroxytryptamine2 receptors.
AB  - Pigeons were trained to discriminate i.m. injections of the atypical
      antipsychotic clozapine (1.0 mg/kg) from saline in a two-key operant procedure.
      In substitution tests, compounds that shared antagonistic action at 5
      hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)1C and 5-HT2 receptors produced discriminative stimulus
      effects similar to clozapine: cyproheptadine, metergoline, mianserin, pizotifen
      and fluperlapine. 5-HT antagonists selective for 5-HT2 vs. 5-HT1C receptors
      (e.g., ketanserin, pirenperone, risperidone and methiothepin) failed to produce
      substantial clozapine-appropriate responding. Other serotonergic compounds failed
      to produce substantial clozapine-appropriate responding: the 5-HT3 antagonist,
      ondansetron; the 5-HT1A agonists, (+-)-8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin and
      BMY 14802; the 5-HT1A/1B agonist, RU24969; the 5-HT1A partial agonist, NAN190;
      the 5-HT1C/2 antagonist, mesulergine; the 5-HT1 agonist, I-5-hydroxytryptophane;
      and the 5-HT1C/2 agonist, quipazine. Other reference compounds such as the
      typical antipsychotics, chlorpromazine and thioridazine; the selective dopamine D
      2 antagonists, droperidol and sulpiride; the dopamine D-1 antagonist, SCH 23390;
      the antimuscarinics, atropine and scopolamine; the antihistamines, pyrilamine and
      diphenhydramine; the alpha-1 antagonist, prazosin; and the antidepressants,
      imipramine and chloromipramine also failed to produce clozapine-appropriate
      responding. Promethazine, cinanserin and amitriptyline produced only partial
      generalization to the clozapine cue. The results suggest that blockade of both 5
      HT2 and/or 5-HT1C receptors is important in the pharmacological mediation of the
      discriminative stimulus effects of clozapine. Blockade of 5-HT2 receptors appears
      not to be sufficient to produce clozapine-like discriminative stimulus effects.
      The precise role of 5-HT1C receptors in the clozapine discriminative stimulus is
      unclear due to the lack of compounds selective for this receptor.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403791
TI  - Gentamicin-induced hypercalciuria in the rat: assessment of nephron site
      involved.
AB  - Two independent techniques were used in anesthetized rats in an attempt to locate
      the nephron site of the reduced tubular calcium reabsorption accompanying acute
      gentamicin infusion. The first technique was that of lithium clearance used to
      assess proximal sodium (and secondarily calcium) handling. Observations that
      lithium clearance was comparable in control and gentamicin-treated animals (1.83
      +/- 0.39 vs. 1.46 +/- 0.14 ml.min-1 for first experimental period) suggests a
      lack of proximal effect of the drug. The second technique was that of tracer
      microinjection whereby superficial nephrons were injected with 45Ca and tubule
      calcium transport was assessed from the recovery of radioactivity in the final
      urine. 45Ca recovery values from distal microinjections were comparable in
      control and gentamicin-treated groups (81.1 +/- 2.0 vs. 77.7 +/- 4.6%). However,
      45Ca recovery values from proximal microinjections were significantly higher in
      the gentamicin group (9.4 +/- 1.0 vs. 3.5 +/- 0.8%; P < .001). These data suggest
      that the effects of gentamicin on renal calcium handling are mediated at a
      nephron site proximal to the distal tubule (i.e., loop of Henle or proximal
      tubule itself). Closer examination of individual proximal micropuncture data may
      point to an effect occurring predominantly in the pars recta of the proximal
      tubule or loop of Henle. Taken together, the results of both parts of the present
      study suggest that the early physiological effects of gentamicin on the kidney
      occur in a different nephron segment from any subsequent nephrotoxicity.

PMID- 1403792
TI  - Lack of tolerance and physical dependence upon repeated treatment with the novel
      hypnotic zolpidem.
AB  - Zolpidem is a new, short-acting hypnotic of imidazopyridine structure which binds
      selectively to a subpopulation of receptors involved in the action of
      benzodiazepines [omega 1 (BZ1) sites of the gamma-aminobutyric acidA receptors].
      The present study investigated whether tolerance and physical dependence develop
      after repeated treatment with zolpidem as is observed with benzodiazepines. Mice
      were given zolpidem or the benzodiazepine midazolam (2 x 30 mg/kg, p.o.) for 10
      consecutive days. Tolerance to central depressant effects (evaluated by recording
      spontaneous locomotor activity) and to anticonvulsant effects (measured against
      pentylenetetrazole-, electroshock- and isoniazid-induced convulsions) was
      assessed 42 hr after the last administration. A decrease in the latency to
      isoniazid-induced convulsions was taken as an index of physical dependence and
      was evaluated 3, 6, 14, 24, 42 and 67 hr after the end of chronic drug treatment.
      Repeated treatment with midazolam produced tolerance to its sedative and
      anticonvulsant activities as indicated by shifts of the dose-response curves by a
      factor of 3 to 5. Fourteen hr after discontinuation of treatment, spontaneous
      withdrawal was observed and lasted 3 days. When flumazenil was given 3 or 6 hr
      after the final midazolam injection, precipitated withdrawal was observed. In
      contrast, after repeated treatment with zolpidem, there was no change in its
      ability to produce sedative and anticonvulsant effects. Moreover, neither
      spontaneous nor flumazenil-induced precipitated withdrawal was observed in
      zolpidem-treated mice.

PMID- 1403793
TI  - Effects of intrauterine position on the hepatic microsomal polysubstrate
      monooxygenase and cytosolic glutathione S-transferase activity, plasma sex
      steroids and relative organ weights in adult male and female Long-Evans rats.
AB  - The intrauterine position of rat fetuses between siblings of the same or opposite
      sex has been reported to alter sexually dimorphic behavioral and reproductive
      traits in the adult. The intrauterine fetal position of adult rats is identified
      by a three letter code as mMm (a male, M, located between two male siblings, m-m)
      and fFf (a female, F, positioned between two females, f-f). This study sought to
      determine whether intrauterine location affected the hepatic polysubstrate
      monooxygenase and glutathione S-transferase activity, plasma sex steroid levels
      and organ weights in adult Long-Evans rats. The hepatic microsomal cytochrome P
      450 content was higher in females located in utero between two male littermates
      (mFm) than in females positioned between two females (fFf). NADPH cytochrome c
      reductase activity was higher in mMm males (positioned in utero between two
      males) than in fMf males (males contiguous to two female littermates) and female
      rats. Hepatic microsomal testosterone 2 alpha- and 6 beta-hydroxylase activity
      was undetectable in fFf female but both activities were measurable in mFm female
      rats. Testosterone 7 alpha-hydroxylase and 5 alpha-reductase activity was higher
      in females than in males, and higher in fFf than in mFm females. Glutathione S
      transferase activity was not altered by fetal contiguity in male and female rats.
      Adult mMm males had a higher plasma testosterone level and relative gonadal
      weight, and lower plasma estradiol concentration than fMf males. The plasma
      progesterone concentration of fFf female was lower than that of mFm female
      rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403794
TI  - In vitro and in vivo biotransformation and covalent binding of benzo(a)pyrene in
      Gunn and RHA rats with a genetic deficiency in bilirubin uridine diphosphate
      glucuronosyltransferase.
AB  - Like many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the environment, >30% of
      benzo(a)pyrene (BP), an environmental carcinogen and teratogen, is eliminated by
      glucuronidation, which competes with a toxifying pathway involving cytochrome P
      450-catalyzed bioactivation of BP to a carcinogenic reactive intermediate, BP-7,8
      diol-9,10-oxide. Genetic deficiencies in bilirubin UDP-glucuronosyltransferase
      (GT) occur in >5% of the population (Gilbert's disease, Crigler-Najjar
      syndromes), and this could predispose such people to the toxic effects of
      polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other environmental chemicals that are
      eliminated substantially by glucuronidation. This hypothesis was evaluated in
      vitro and in vivo in homozygous Gunn and RHA rats, both of which are genetically
      deficient in GT. [7,10-14C]BP was incubated with rat liver microsomes, NADPH and
      uridine diphosphate-glucuronic acid. BP and its metabolites, including its
      glucuronide conjugates, were measured by high performance liquid chromatography
      with a radioisotope detector, and the covalent binding of BP to microsomal
      protein was measured by liquid scintillation counting. Compared with Wistar
      (Gunn) controls and RHA homozygous normal controls, microsomes from homozygous GT
      deficient Gunn and RHA rats demonstrated 18.5 to 48.5% lower production of the
      glucuronide conjugate, with 2 to 3-fold greater covalent binding of BP (P < .05).
      Elevated BP covalent binding correlated with reduced glucuronidation in both Gunn
      (r = -0.705, P = .003) and RHA rats (r = 0.824, P = .001). In vivo, the covalent
      binding of [G-3H]BP to hepatic DNA and microsomal protein was enhanced 2-fold and
      1.5-fold, respectively, in homozygous RHA GT-deficient rats, compared with RHA GT
      normal controls (P < .05)(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403795
TI  - Chronic cocaine treatment suppresses basal expression of zif268 in rat forebrain:
      in situ hybridization studies.
AB  - Transcription regulatory factors are rapidly induced in brain by a wide variety
      of stimuli and may be important in coordinating changes in gene expression
      underlying neuronal plasticity. In addition to the transient activation profile
      typically displayed by many of these genes, zif268 exhibits prominent basal
      expression in the brain that is dependent on synaptic activity. Accordingly,
      zif268 may play a key role in regulating neuronal gene expression induced by
      naturally occurring stimuli. Acute cocaine administration (15 mg/kg i.p.)
      produces a robust and transient induction of several transcription factors in the
      brain, including zif268. In the present study we report that, in contrast to the
      acute effects of a single dose, chronic cocaine treatment (15 mg/kg i.p., twice
      daily for a total of 10 injections), produces a widespread suppression of basal
      zif268 mRNA levels in rat forebrain between 8 and 24 hr after the last cocaine
      injection. This reduction is not evident after a single injection of cocaine or
      comparable chronic treatment with a structural analog, procaine, that does not
      share cocaine's uptake inhibitor properties. The suppression of basal zif268
      expression may provide a mechanism for producing widespread effects of chronic
      cocaine administration on neuronal gene expression.

PMID- 1403796
TI  - Comparison of 5-hydroxytryptamine1A-mediated hyperpolarization in CA1 and CA3
      hippocampal pyramidal cells.
AB  - 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) hyperpolarizes hippocampal pyramidal cells in both
      areas CA1 and CA3 through an increase in potassium conductance. The receptor
      mediating the hyperpolarization in CA1 has been characterized as the 5-HT1A
      receptor, but has not been identified in area CA3. Intracellular recording
      techniques were used to record from CA1 and CA3 pyramidal cells in a hippocampal
      slice preparation. 5-HT agonists and antagonists were applied in known
      concentrations by bath perfusion. Antagonists were tested alone and for their
      ability to block the hyperpolarization elicited by 5-HT. The 5-HT1 agonist 5
      carboxyamidotryptamine and 5-HT were full agonists and the 5-HT1A-selective
      ligand 8-hydroxydipropyl-aminotetralin hydrobromide was a partial agonist in both
      CA3 and CA1. The rank order potency was 5-carboxyamidotryptamine > 8
      hydroxydipropyl-aminotetralin hydrobromide > 5-HT for both regions. The agonists
      were a half-log unit less potent and the maximum response elicited by 5
      carboxyamidotryptamine and 5-HT was greater in area CA3 than in area CA1. The
      selective 5-HT1A antagonist BMY 7378 and the 5-HT1A/2 antagonist spiperone were
      competitive in area CA1, but insurmountable in area CA3. Other 5-HT antagonists
      that were not effective in blocking the 5-HT-mediated hyperpolarization included
      ketanserin, odansetron and BRL 24924. Based on these results, we conclude that
      the hyperpolarization elicited by 5-HT in areas CA1 and CA3 is mediated by the 5
      HT1A receptor. However, there are significant differences in the nature of the 5
      HT1A receptor-mediated hyperpolarization that may be attributed to differences in
      receptor-effector number, receptor-effector coupling and/or the structure of the
      recognition site.

PMID- 1403797
TI  - Human anti-cytochrome P450 antibodies in aromatic anticonvulsant-induced
      hypersensitivity reactions.
AB  - Aromatic anticonvulsants such as phenytoin, phenobarbital and carbamazepine are
      associated with a hypersensitivity syndrome (fever, rash lymphadenopathy,
      hepatitis) suggestive of an immune component. We have identified immunoglobulin G
      antibodies in the sera of nine affected patients which recognize a 53-kD protein
      which is constitutively expressed and PB inducible in rat liver microsomes. No
      such reactivity was observed in sera from healthy controls, patients on chronic
      phenytoin therapy without toxicity or patients with hepatic failure not receiving
      anticonvulsants. Using highly purified rat hepatic cytochrome P450, P450 3A1 was
      identified as the major antigenic species, whereas less intense reactivity was
      noted with P450 2C11. P450 2C6 and 3A2 were minor antigens in some patients. In
      all patients, the apparent constitutive and phenobarbital-inducible expression of
      the antigen was a composite effect of antibodies reacting with at least two
      isozymes, one of which was constitutively expressed and the other PB inducible.
      In human liver, a 53-kD antigen was expressed to a greater extent in microsomes
      from a patient with a fatal hepatotoxic reaction to phenytoin compared to
      microsomes from normal liver or from a sulfonamide hepatitis patient. Western
      blotting with microsomes prepared from lymphoblastoid cell lines transfected with
      different human hepatic cytochromes P450 failed to identify P450s 1A1, 1A2, 2A3,
      2B6, 2C9, 2D6, 2E1, 3A4 or epoxide hydrolase as the target antigen.
      Identification of the antigen will be important in understanding the relationship
      between drug metabolism and the subsequent immune response in the pathogenesis of
      these rare but severe forms of drug toxicity.

PMID- 1403798
TI  - Regulation of cholecystokinin mRNA content in rat striatum: a glutamatergic
      hypothesis.
AB  - Changes in the cholecystokinin (CCK) mRNA content in rat striatum after the
      administration of specific glutamate and dopamine (DA) receptor agonists and
      antagonists were investigated. MK-801 (1 mg/kg i.p.), a selective noncompetitive
      N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-sensitive glutamatergic receptor antagonist, but not
      6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (1.1-9.2 micrograms i.c.v.), a competitive
      non-NMDA glutamatergic receptor antagonist, produced a time- and dose-dependent
      decrease in striatal CCK mRNA. The maximum inhibition (50%) was observed after a
      daily treatment for 1 week with MK-801 (1 mg/kg). The activation of NMDA
      receptors by a single injection of NMDA (1.4 micrograms i.c.v.) elicited an 80%
      increase in CCK mRNA in rat striatum 8 hr after the injection. These data suggest
      that glutamate exerts a tonic regulation on striatal CCK mRNA, mainly through
      NMDA-sensitive glutamatergic receptors. B-HT 920, a DA D2 receptor agonist and
      benztropine, a DA uptake blocker, increased striatal CCK mRNA. This increase was
      partially blocked by the concomitant administration of MK-801. Moreover, the DA
      receptor antagonist haloperidol, at a dose that per se failed to change CCK mRNA
      (0.3 mg/kg i.p.), partially blocked the increase in CCK mRNA elicited by NMDA.
      Similarly, the NMDA effect was attenuated in rats with a 6-hydroxydopamine
      induced nigrostriatal lesion. Our findings suggest that in rat striatum a complex
      DA-glutamate interaction tonically regulates CCK expression via D2 and/or NMDA
      receptor activation.

PMID- 1403799
TI  - Gastroprotective effects of thromboxane receptor antagonists.
AB  - The recent discovery of potent, specific, long-acting thromboxane receptor
      antagonists, like SQ 33,961, mandated that studies be conducted to follow up an
      earlier study, which showed potential antiulcer activity of the short-acting
      thromboxane antagonist, SQ 28,668, in the taurocholic acid gastric erosion model
      in rats. In experiments conducted with the same taurocholic acid protocol, SQ
      33,961 caused a dose-related reduction in taurocholate-induced gastric erosions,
      with an ID50 value of 12 micrograms/kg, i.p. In additional studies, aspirin and
      indomethacin were shown to produce gastric erosions in rats, and SQ 33,961 also
      inhibited gastric erosion in response to these anti-inflammatory drugs. The ID50
      values were 0.24 and 0.26 mg/kg i.p. vs. aspirin (200 mg/kg, p.o.) and
      indomethacin (200 mg/kg, s.c.), respectively. The inhibition of aspirin-induced
      gastric injury by SQ 33,961 was confirmed histologically. This gastroprotective
      activity was not peculiar to SQ 33,961, because the structurally unrelated
      thromboxane receptor antagonist, BM 13,505, also significantly inhibited the
      development of aspirin-induced gastric lesions. In a more severe model, SQ 33,961
      (10 mg/kg, i.p.) reduced gastric erosions by only 32% (not significant) 1 hr
      after ethanol ingestion (1 ml, p.o.) in rats. SQ 33,961 did not inhibit the
      antiphlogistic activity (carrageenan paw edema assay) of indomethacin, nor did it
      inhibit the analgesic activity (phenylquinone writhing assay) of aspirin. A dose
      of SQ 33,961 producing > or = 95% inhibition of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
      drug-induced gastric erosion (10 mg/kg, i.p.) produced a 37% reduction in the
      volume of gastric secretion without changing the titratable acidity of gastric
      contents.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403800
TI  - Suppression of hepatic drug metabolism by the interferon inducer,
      polyriboinosinic acid:polyribocitidylic acid.
AB  - Since the discovery that interferon inducers depress hepatic drug metabolism, the
      depressant action of cytochrome P450 (P450) has been demonstrated to be shared by
      cytokines such as interferon alpha/beta and interferon gamma as well as
      interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor. Because these cytokines are inflammatory
      mediators, it is not surprising that theophylline toxicity has been reported in
      patients with influenza B epidemic. Hence, to lay a foundation for studies of
      altered steroid and drug metabolism, the alteration of P450 isozymes was studied
      after polyriboinosinic acid:polyribocitidylic acid (poly I:poly C)
      administration. Twenty-four hours after poly I:poly C administration, hepatic
      P450 content decreased to 57% of control, whereas depression of other microsomal
      enzymes was less pronounced: P450 reductase (69%), cytochrome b5 (74%) and NADH
      cytochrome b5 reductase (85%). The depression of mRNA for cytochrome P450 1A1,
      1A2, 2C11 and 2E1 was more than 60% of the controls. Recovery of mRNA levels was
      not complete within 72 hr. The changes in mRNAs, in general, paralleled
      alterations of monooxygenase activities and P450 isozyme content suggesting that
      the effect of poly I:poly C is pretranslational for all P450 isozymes studied. No
      overt differential effect on P450 isozymes was found after an administration of
      poly I:poly C. This study complements the previous report which demonstrated down
      regulation of mRNA for cytochrome P450 2C11 and 3A2.

PMID- 1403801
TI  - Effect of ambasilide, a new class III agent, on plateau currents in isolated
      guinea pig ventricular myocytes: block of delayed outward potassium current.
AB  - The actions of ambasilide (LU-47110) on the action potential and membrane
      currents of isolated guinea pig ventricular myocytes were studied using voltage
      clamp techniques. Ambasilide (1 microM) prolonged the action potential (APD) at
      20, 50 and 90% repolarization by 11.2 +/- 4.3, 13.8 +/- 3.9 and 13.6 +/- 3.7%,
      respectively, compared to control (n = 10). APD prolongation was attributed to
      the block of delayed rectifier outward current (Ik) in a concentration-dependent
      fashion (0.01-10 microM). The effects on the APD and Ik were both partially
      reversed after perfusion with drug-free Tyrode's solution. The block of Ik by
      ambasilide was compared to that by E-4031 (5 microM), a putative selective
      blocker of that fast, inwardly rectifying component of Ik identified in guinea
      pig ventricle. E-4031 produced about 65% block of Ik for pulse durations between
      80 and 420 msec, but the block decreased as the pulse duration increased further,
      the block accounting for 34 +/- 5% of Ik at 6.3 sec. In contrast, the percentage
      of reduction of Ik by 10 microM ambasilide did not produce a consistent magnitude
      of block over a similar range of short depolarizations, but rather progressively
      decreased Ik as the pusle duration lengthened. Block at the end of a 2-sec pulse
      was about 48 +/- 8%, more block than could be attributed to an E-4031-sensitive
      current block alone. Whereas E-4031 (5 microM) shifted the activation curve of Ik
      10 mV toward positive potentials and decreased the slope factor, k, by about 4
      mV, ambasilide (5 microM) had no effect on these parameters.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1403802
TI  - Effect of thrombin on proliferation, contraction and prostaglandin production of
      rat glomerular mesangial cells in culture.
AB  - The effect of thrombin on mesangial cell function was investigated. Thrombin
      caused a dose-dependent increase in [3H] thymidine incorporation (EC50 = 0.36 +/-
      0.09 U/ml), intracellular calcium [(Ca++)i] mobilization (EC50 = 1.9 +/- 0.5
      U/ml) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production (EC50 = 0.25 +/- 0.02 U/ml) in rat
      glomerular mesangial cells. These effects were blocked by the thrombin inhibitor,
      hirudin (KB = 10.4 +/- 0.2 nM). The role of (Ca++)i mobilization and arachidonate
      metabolism in thrombin-stimulated proliferation was tested by the addition of the
      calcium channel blocker, nifedipine, and the cyclooxygenase inhibitor,
      indomethacin, to mesangial cell cultures. Indomethacin, at doses that completely
      inhibited the thrombin-mediated production of PGE2, had no significant effect on
      proliferation. The Ca++ channel blocker, nifedipine, inhibited both PGE2
      production and [3H] thymidine incorporation in a dose-dependent fashion, but only
      at concentrations considered nonspecific. In addition to its effects on PGE2,
      thymidine incorporation and Ca++ mobilization, thrombin caused mesangial cell
      contraction as determined by a substrate distortion technique. This effect was
      not inhibited by indomethacin. These results indicate that thrombin can alter
      mesangial cell function in vitro.

PMID- 1403803
TI  - Renal organic acid transport: uptake by rat kidney slices of a furan dicarboxylic
      acid which inhibits plasma protein binding of acidic ligands in uremia.
AB  - The furan dicarboxylic acid, 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropanoic acid (5
      propyl FPA), accumulates in uremic plasma and inhibits the binding of various
      drugs and marker ligands that are organic acids. 5-Propyl FPA is excreted
      unchanged in human urine and active tubular secretion is likely to be involved
      because of its high affinity for albumin. The uptake of 5-propyl FPA by rat
      kidney slices has been measured and compared with that of p-aminohippurate (PAH).
      The mean (+/- S.D.) slice/medium ratio for uptake of 5-propyl FPA (76 microM) was
      22.7 +/- 2.6 (n = 11) and for PAH (75 microM) was 15.9 +/- 3.2 (n = 9) after
      incubation for 90 min at 25 degrees C. 5-Propyl FPA (149-829 microM) inhibited
      the uptake of PAH (77 microM) in a concentration-dependent manner, and likewise,
      PAH (150-830 microM) inhibited the uptake of 5-propyl FPA (77 microM). The mean
      apparent Km and Vmax values for the uptake of 5-propyl FPA were 194 +/- 125
      microM and 55 +/- 28 nmol/g kidney/min, respectively, and 487 +/- 179 and 99 +/-
      46 nmol/g kidney/min, respectively, for PAH. The kinetics of inhibition of uptake
      of PAH by 5-propyl FPA were mainly competitive. 5-Propyl FPA is thus likely to
      undergo active tubular secretion in a similar way to PAH, and this furan
      dicarboxylic acid, therefore, has the potential to inhibit the renal excretion of
      various drugs, drug conjugates and other endogenous organic acids.

PMID- 1403804
TI  - Mechanism for the hepatotoxicity of the antiandrogen, nilutamide. Evidence
      suggesting that redox cycling of this nitroaromatic drug leads to oxidative
      stress in isolated hepatocytes.
AB  - The nitroaromatic drug nilutamide has been shown previously to undergo redox
      cycling in aerobic rat liver microsomes, being reduced by NADPH-cytochrome P-450
      reductase to a nitro anion-free radical which reacts with oxygen, to regenerate
      the parent drug, and form a superoxide anion dismuted to hydrogen peroxide. In
      the present study, the effects of nilutamide on isolated rat hepatocytes have
      been determined. After 6 and 8 hr of incubation with 0.5 mM nilutamide, lactate
      dehydrogenase was released in the incubation medium, and cell viability was
      decreased markedly. Consistent with a redox cycle producing reactive oxygen
      species, nilutamide increased nonmitochondrial (cyanide-resistant) oxygen
      consumption; the toxicity of nilutamide occurred sooner and was more extensive in
      the presence of sodium azide (an inhibitor of catalase). Consistent with an
      oxidative stress, the toxicity of nilutamide was associated with depletion of
      reduced glutathione, increased levels of glutathione disulfide, increased Ca(++)
      dependent phosphorylase a activity, oxidation and accumulation of cytoskeleton
      associated proteins and formation of blebs; toxicity was prevented by glutathione
      precursors, thiol reductants and/or antioxidants, such as L-cystine, L-cysteine,
      N-acetyl-L-cysteine, dithiothreitol, N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenylene-diamine and alpha
      tocopherol. Feeding the animals with a diet supplemented with 2% L-cystine
      increased the initial glutathione stores of hepatocytes and prevented nilutamide
      toxicity. It is concluded that nilutamide is toxic to isolated rat hepatocytes,
      as a probable consequence of an oxidative stress due to the redox cycling of this
      nitroaromatic compound.

PMID- 1403805
TI  - Flavonoid potentiation of contractile responses in rat blood vessels.
AB  - Certain bioflavonoids and phenolic compounds have long been known to enhance
      catecholamine responses, in vivo and in vitro. In the present studies the
      flavone, baicalein, potentiated nerve-stimulated contractions in vitro in rat
      tail and femoral artery isometric ring preparations. Inhibition of catecholamine
      reuptake with cocaine or catecholamine metabolism with tropolone and parglyine
      (monoamine oxidase and catecholamine-O-methyl transferase inhibitors,
      respectively) did not alter baicalein's ability to potentiate contractile
      responses to nerve stimulation. Baicalein (10(-5) M), the prototype flavone, also
      increased sensitivity to exogenous norepinephrine, serotonin, arginine
      vasopressin and to the noncatecholamine alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenergic agonists,
      cirazoline and tramazoline. Structure-function studies indicated that flavone
      potentiation required three contiguous A or B ring hydroxylations. Several
      nonflavone phenol derivatives with three contiguous hydroxyls also potentiated
      nerve stimulation responses. As baicalein is a potent lipoxygenase inhibitor,
      comparisons were made between potentiating ability and lipoxygenase inhibitory
      activity in a series of flavonoids. There was no direct correlation between
      inhibition of 12-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-eicosatetraenoic acid levels in thrombin
      stimulated human platelets and potentiation of contractile responses in the
      femoral artery. Additionally, the specific substrate analog lipoxygenase
      inhibitor, 5,8,11-eicosatriynoic acid, and the cyclooxygenase inhibitor,
      ibuprofen, were nonpotentiating. Ibuprofen pretreatment did not alter the
      potentiating action of baicalein. It is concluded that flavonoids with three
      contiguous hydroxyls on either the A or B ring increase in vitro vascular
      responsiveness via a post-synaptic process, independent of cyclooxygenase,
      lipoxygenase, monoamine oxidase or catecholamine-O-methyl transferase activity.

PMID- 1403806
TI  - Hemodynamic effects of GI 87084B, an ultra-short acting mu-opioid analgesic, in
      anesthetized dogs.
AB  - Hemodynamic effects of GI 87084B, a novel ultra-short acting mu-opioid agonist,
      were studied in anesthetized dogs. In these studies, GI 87084B (0.3-20
      nmol/kg/min i.v.) produced dose-dependent decreases in heart rate, arterial blood
      pressure, +dP/dt and cardiac output. Alfentanil produced similar effects but was
      less potent. After termination of the infusions (397 nmol/kg cumulative dose),
      the hemodynamic effects of GI 87084B dissipated over 30 to 40 min. The effects of
      alfentanil, however, persisted throughout the 60-min recovery period. Infusion of
      GI 87084B at lower dose rates (0.001-0.3 nmol/kg/min) in barbiturate-anesthetized
      dogs showed a threshold dose of 0.1 to 0.3 nmol/kg/min for effects on hemodynamic
      variables. After infusing 0.3 nmol/kg/min of GI 87084B for 10 min, hemodynamic
      variables recovered rapidly (10-20 min). Boli of GI 87084B (0.3-100 nmol/kg i.v.)
      produced dose-dependent decreases in the same hemodynamic variables. The duration
      of these effects increased from 5 to 20 min at 3 nmol/kg to 15 to 45 min at 100
      nmol/kg. Naloxone (0.063 mg/kg/hr) decreased the magnitude and duration of the
      effects of GI 87084B, suggesting that these effects are mediated through opioid
      receptors. In summary, GI 87084B produced hemodynamic effects consistent with mu
      opioid agonism when administered by infusion or bolus, but these effects were
      brief in duration compared to other opioids.

PMID- 1403807
TI  - Synergism in the autonomic regulation of parotid secretion of protein in sheep.
AB  - 1. Stimulation of the cervical sympathetic nerve continuously at 2 Hz, or in
      bursts of 1 s at 20 Hz every 10 s, for 5 min doubled the resting flow of parotid
      secretion in anaesthetized sheep and increased its concentration of protein. It
      also caused a significant increase in the concentration of potassium and
      decreased that of sodium: these latter effects were linearly inversely related.
      2. Stimulation of the parotid nerves (the parasympathetic innervation)
      continuously at 2 Hz increased the flow of parotid secretion over 15-fold which
      was significantly more than that which occurred in response to stimulation in
      bursts at 20 Hz. However, the latter pattern of stimulation significantly
      increased the concentration of protein in the saliva, which was not altered by
      stimulation at 2 Hz continuously. 3. Simultaneous stimulation of both the parotid
      and sympathetic nerves at 20 Hz in bursts substantially increased the output of
      protein from the gland, above that recorded in response to stimulation of either
      alone, without potentiating either the volume of secretion produced or the
      outputs of sodium or potassium. 4. The output of protein was also potentiated
      when both nerves were stimulated simultaneously at 2 Hz continuously but this
      pattern of stimulation elicited the secretion of a significantly smaller amount
      of protein. 5. All parotid responses to stimulation of the parotid nerves, either
      continuously at 2 Hz or in bursts at 20 Hz, were abolished by atropine (greater
      than or equal to 0.5 mg kg-1 I.V.), as was potentiation of protein secretion
      during combined stimulation with the sympathetic innervation. 6. Stimulation of
      the parotid nerves in bursts at a higher frequency (60 Hz for 1 s at 20 s
      intervals) elicited a sparse flow of parotid saliva in atropinized animals
      without significant increase in protein output, with or without simultaneous
      stimulation of the sympathetic innervation. 7. The results of these experiments
      show that secretion of protein by the parotid gland, in response to stimulation
      of the parasympathetic innervation, depends on the pattern of stimulation and is
      potentiated by concomitant stimulation of the sympathetic innervation in
      anaesthetized sheep.

PMID- 1403808
TI  - Mediation by nitric oxide of neurogenic relaxation of the urinary bladder neck
      muscle in sheep.
AB  - 1. Mechanical recordings were made in vitro from circularly oriented strips of
      the bladder neck muscle of sheep. In the absence of drugs, electrical field
      stimulation at frequencies of 0.2-1 Hz evoked clear-cut relaxations throughout 1
      min stimulation periods, while higher stimulus frequencies (2-8 Hz) evoked
      variable responses consisting of relaxation, contraction or a mixture of both.
      All of the responses were abolished by tetrodotoxin (10(-6) M). 2. The
      contractions were reduced by guanethidine (10(-6) M) and atropine (10(-6) M), so
      that in the presence of these drugs clear-cut relaxations were obtained at 0.2-8
      Hz stimulation, indicating that the relaxations were mediated by non-adrenergic,
      non-cholinergic (NANC) nerves. 3. The NANC relaxations were blocked by L-NG nitro
      arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis. The
      antagonism by L-NAME was reversed by L-arginine. 4. Another feature of the NANC
      relaxation was 'rebound contraction' which occurred when the stimulus was
      switched off. The rebound contraction was also blocked by L-NAME and restored by
      L-arginine. 5. The relaxations and rebound contractions were unaffected by either
      alpha,beta-methylene ATP (10(-5) M) or 2-methylthio ATP (10(-5) M). 6. S-Nitroso
      L-cysteine, a substance which spontaneously releases NO at physiological pH,
      mimicked the relaxation and rebound contraction produced by nerve stimulation. 7.
      It is concluded that nerve-evoked relaxation of the bladder neck is mediated by
      NO, or a closely related substance such as S-nitroso-L-cysteine.

PMID- 1403809
TI  - Kinetic and pharmacological properties of the M-current in rodent neuroblastoma x
      glioma hybrid cells.
AB  - 1. The M-like current IK(M,ng) in differentiated NG108-15 mouse neuroblastoma x
      rat glioma hybrid cells has been studied using tight-seal, whole-cell patch-clamp
      recording. 2. When calculated from steady-state current-voltage curves, the
      conductance underlying IK(M,ng) showed a Boltzmann dependence on voltage with
      half-activation voltage Vo = -44 mV (in 3 mM [K+]) and slope factor (a) = 8.1
      mV/e-fold increase in conductance. In 12 mM [K+] Vo = -38 mV and a = 6.9 mV. The
      deactivation reciprocal time constant accelerated with hyperpolarization with
      slope factor 17 mV/e-fold voltage change. 3. The reversal potential for
      deactivation tail currents varied with external [K+] as if PNa/PK were 0.005. 4.
      Steady-state current was increased on removing external Ca2+. In the presence of
      external Ca2+, reactivation of IK(M, ng) after a hyperpolarizing step was
      delayed. This delay was preceded by an inward Ca2+ current, and coincided with an
      increase in intracellular [Ca2+] as measured with Indo-1 fluorescence. Elevation
      of intracellular [Ca2+] with caffeine also reduced IK(M, ng). 5. IK(M, ng) was
      inhibited by external divalent cations in decreasing order of potency (mM IC50 in
      parentheses): Zn2+ (0.011) greater than Cu2+ (0.018) greater than Cd2+ (0.070)
      greater than Ni2+ (0.44) greater than Ba2+ (0.47) greater than Fe2+ (0.69)
      greater than Mn2+ (0.86) greater than Co2+ (0.92) greater than Ca2+ (5.6) greater
      than Mg2+ (16) greater than Sr2+ (33). This was not secondary to inhibition of
      ICa since: (i) inhibition persisted in Ca(2+)-free solution; (ii) La3+ did not
      inhibit IK(M, ng) at concentrations which inhibited ICa; and (iii) organic Ca2+
      channel blockers were ineffective. Inhibition comprised both depression of the
      maximum conductance and a positive shift of the activation curve. Addition of
      Ca2+ (10 microM free [Ca2+]) or Ba2+ (1 mM total [Ba2+]) to the pipette solution
      did not significantly change IK(M, ng). 6. IK(M, ng) was reduced by 9-amino
      1,2,3,4-tetrahydroacridine (IC50 8 microM) and quinine (30 microM) but was
      insensitive to tetraethylammonium (IC50 greater than 30 mM), 4-aminopyridine
      (greater than 10 mM), apamin (greater than 3 microM) or dendrotoxin (greater than
      100 nM). 7. IK(M, ng) was inhibited by bradykinin (1-10 microM) or angiotensin II
      (1-10 microM), but not by the following other receptor agonists: acetylcholine
      (10 mM), muscarine (10 microM), noradrenaline (100 microM), adrenaline (100
      microM), dopamine (100 microM), histamine (100 microM), 5-hydroxytryptamine (10
      microM), Met-enkephalin (1 microM), glycine (100 microM), gamma-aminobutyric acid
      (100 microM) or baclofen (500 microM).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1403810
TI  - The effects of a high sodium diet on the metabolism and secretion of vasoactive
      intestinal peptide in the rabbit.
AB  - 1. In view of previous observations that the metabolism of vasoactive intestinal
      peptide (VIP) is significantly increased in sodium-depleted rabbits, we wished to
      determine whether a high sodium intake also leads to alterations in VIP
      metabolism. We performed metabolic clearance studies in rabbits maintained on a
      high sodium diet and normal control diets. These studies were performed both
      before and after the administration of 1.5 mmol kg-1 of sodium intravenously to
      observe the effects of an acute increase in body sodium. 2. The rabbits
      maintained on the high sodium diet had a significantly lower basal plasma VIP
      level (P less than 0.025), a lower metabolic clearance rate (MCR) of the peptide
      (P less than 0.025) and a lower secretion rate (P less than 0.005), compared with
      the normal control animals. These differences were maintained following the
      intravenous sodium infusion. 3. The administration of the intravenous sodium
      infusion resulted in a further decrease in MCR in the rabbits on the high sodium
      diet (P less than 0.05). 4. These results confirm that VIP metabolism is affected
      by high dietary intake of sodium, as well as a low sodium intake, adding further
      support to the hypothesis that VIP may be involved in sodium homeostasis.

PMID- 1403811
TI  - Elevated muscle glycogen and anaerobic energy production during exhaustive
      exercise in man.
AB  - 1. The effect of elevated muscle glycogen on anaerobic energy production, and
      glycogenolytic and glycolytic rates was examined in man by using the one-legged
      knee extension model, which enables evaluation of metabolism in a well-defined
      muscle group. 2. Six subjects performed very intense exercise to exhaustion (EX1)
      with one leg with normal glycogen (control) and one with a very high
      concentration (HG). With each leg, the exhaustive exercise was repeated after 1 h
      of recovery (EX2). Prior to and immediately after each exercise bout, a muscle
      biopsy was taken from m. vastus lateralis of the active leg for determination of
      glycogen, lactate, creatine phosphate (CP) and nucleotide concentrations.
      Measurements of leg blood flow and femoral arterial-venous differences for oxygen
      content, lactate, glucose, free fatty acids and potassium were performed before
      and regularly during the exhaustive exercises. 3. Muscle glycogen concentration
      prior to EX1 was 87.0 and 176.8 mmol (kg wet wt)-1 for the control and HG leg,
      respectively, and the decreases during exercise were 26.3 (control) and 25.6 (HG)
      mmol (kg wet wt)-1. The net glycogen utilization rate was not related to pre
      exercise muscle glycogen concentration. Muscle lactate concentration at the end
      of EX1 was 18.8 (control) and 16.1 (HG) mmol (kg wet wt)-1, and the net lactate
      production (including lactate release) was 26.5 (control) and 23.6 (HG) mmol (kg
      wet wt)-1. Rate of lactate production was unrelated to initial muscle glycogen
      level. Time to exhaustion for EX1 was the same for the control leg (2.82 min) and
      HG leg (2.92 min). 4. Muscle glycogen concentration before EX2 was 14 mmol (kg
      wet wt)-1 lower than prior to EX1. During EX2 the muscle glycogen decline of 19.6
      mmol (kg wet wt)-1 for the control leg was less than for the HG leg (26.2 mmol
      (kg wet wt)-1). The muscle lactate concentrations at the end of EX2 were about 7
      8 mmol (kg wet wt)-1 lower compared to EX1, and the net lactate production was
      reduced by 40%. The exercise time during EX2 was 0.35 min shorter for the control
      leg, while no difference was observed for the HG leg. 5. Total reduction in ATP
      and CP was similar during the four exercise bouts, while a higher accumulation of
      inosine monophosphate (IMP) occurred during EX2 for the control leg (0.72 mmol
      (kg wet wt)-1) compared to the HG leg (0.20 mmol (kg wet wt)-1).(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1403812
TI  - Reversal of the cross-bridge force-generating transition by photogeneration of
      phosphate in rabbit psoas muscle fibres.
AB  - 1. Orthophosphate (P(i), 0.1-2.0 mM) was photogenerated within the filament
      lattice of isometrically contracting glycerinated fibres of rabbit psoas muscle
      at 10 and 20 degrees C. The P(i) was produced by laser flash photolysis of the
      photolabile compound 1-(2-nitrophenyl)ethylphosphate (caged P(i)). Caged P(i)
      caused a depression of tension that was much smaller than that caused by P(i). 2.
      Photolysis of caged P(i) produced a decline in isometric force composed of four
      phases: phase I, a lag phase (e.g. 1-4 ms at 10 degrees C) during which force did
      not change; phase II, an exponential decline by as much as 20% of the pre-pulse
      force; phase III, a partial force recovery (0-3% of the pre-pulse force); and
      phase IV, a further slow (0.5-3 s) decline to the steady value. Phases I, III and
      IV were largely independent of [P(i)] and are likely to be indirect effects
      caused by the caged P(i) photolysis. 3. Both the rate and amplitude of phase II
      depended markedly on [P(i)]. The amplitude of phase II was similar to the
      reduction of steady-state force by P(i). The rate of phase II increased with
      increasing temperature and [P(i)]. At high [P(i)] the rate began to saturate, and
      approached limits of 123 s-1 at 10 degrees C and 194 s-1 at 20 degrees C. 4. The
      rate of phase II was independent of sarcomere overlap, while the amplitude was
      proportional to tension at partial filament overlap. A control experiment using
      caged ATP showed that phase II was not produced by the photolytic by-products or
      the light pulse. The results suggest that phase II is associated with the force
      generating transition of the cross-bridge cycle. 5. Sinusoidal length
      oscillations at 0.5 and 2 kHz were used to measure muscle stiffness during phase
      II. Stiffness declined in a single exponential phase, with the same time course
      as phase II of the tension transient. The change in stiffness was 83 +/- 6% (mean
      +/- S.E.M., n = 10, 0.5 kHz) of the change in tension when both signals were
      normalized to their pre-flash values. 6. Analysis of the data shows that two
      steps are involved in force generation and P(i) release. The non-force exerting
      AM-ADP-P(i) cross-bridge state first isomerizes to form a force-exerting cross
      bridge state (AM'-ADP-P(i)). P(i) is then released to form a second force
      generating state, AM'-ADP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1403813
TI  - Sarcoplasmic reticulum buffering of myoplasmic calcium in bovine coronary artery
      smooth muscle.
AB  - 1. We tested the hypothesis that the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) buffers
      (attenuates) the increase in averaged myoplasmic free [Ca2+] (Ca(im)) resulting
      from Ca2+ influx. 2. Fura-2 measurements of Ca(im) were obtained in single smooth
      muscle cells freshly dispersed from bovine coronary artery. 3. Caffeine (5 x 10(
      3) M) elicited a transient increase in Ca(im) and depleted the SR Ca2+ store. In
      the continued presence of caffeine or 10(-5) M-ryanodine SR buffering of Ca(im)
      was inhibited. Subsequent exposure to high extracellular [K+] (greater than 30
      mM, equimolar Na+ removal) elicited a 2-fold more rapid and 2-fold greater peak
      increase in Ca(im) than high K+ elicited when SR buffering of Ca(im) was normal.
      The augmented increase in Ca(im) was inhibited 35% by 10(-5) M-diltiazem, 65% by
      2 x 10(-4) M-LaCl3, and 87% in Ca(2+)-free external solution. 4. When Ca(im)
      buffering capacity was increased by partially depleting the SR with a transient
      (1 min) exposure to caffeine, subsequent exposure to 80 nM-K+ solution increased
      Ca(im) almost 2-fold more slowly than 80 mM-K+ before depletion of Ca2+ from the
      SR. However, the influxing Ca2+ was sequestered by the SR and refilled it, as
      evident by the subsequent caffeine-induced Ca(im) transient being identical to
      the first. Increasing extracellular [K+] (thus, increasing depolarization and Na+
      removal) caused proportional increases in Ca(im) and the subsequent caffeine
      induced Ca(im) transients were proportionally larger, indicating a graded filling
      of the SR by Ca2+ influx. 5. Diltiazem (10(-5) M) inhibited the refilling of the
      SR achieved by 80 mM-K+, by 26%. Refilling was inhibited 76% by 80 mM-K+, Ca(2+)
      free solution, indicating the fraction of refilling dependent on influx of Ca2+
      through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, leak channels, and other influx pathways.
      Mild depolarization with 35 mM-K+ (no Na+ removal) often caused no increase in
      Ca(im), but influx through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels occurred because the SR
      Ca2+ store was refilled. Also, 10(-5) M-diltiazem or 10(-6) M-TA3090 inhibited
      the refilling to levels attributable only to leak influx of Ca2+. 6. All data
      support our hypothesis that the SR significantly attenuates the amount of Ca2+
      influx that accumulates to increase Ca(im).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1403814
TI  - Unexpected role of the oblique muscles in the human vertical fusional reflex.
AB  - 1. If a weak vertically oriented prism is inserted before one eye, binocular
      single vision is restored by vertically divergent eye movements (one eye turning
      upward, the other downward); and it is usually assumed that the vertical rectus
      muscles mediate that fusional reflex. 2. When vertically divergent eye movements
      occur, both eyes also systematically rotate in parallel around their lines of
      sight (conjugate cyclotorsion). The direction of these unexpected eye movements
      demonstrates that they must be due to the oblique muscles, not the vertical
      recti. 3. The magnitude of these conjugate torsional movements is large enough to
      imply that the oblique muscles, in producing such torsion, would simultaneously
      effect all the divergent vertical re-orientation of the eyes required by the
      targets. 4. The cyclotorsion is accompanied by systematic translation of the eye
      along a nasal-temporal axis; the direction and extent of that non-rotational
      displacement indicate that the eye movements of the fusional reflex may well be
      mediated exclusively by the superior oblique muscles, acting against fixed tone
      in the inferior oblique muscles. 5. This revised understanding of the oculomotor
      co-ordination involved in the vertical fusional reflex has significant
      implications for both neurophysiology and oculomotor surgery.

PMID- 1403815
TI  - Comparison of the actions of adenosine at pre- and postsynaptic receptors in the
      rat hippocampus in vitro.
AB  - 1. Intracellular microelectrode recordings were used to study the cellular
      location, the receptor pharmacology, and the mechanism of action of adenosine on
      pyramidal cells and presynaptic axonal endings in area CA3 of organotypic
      hippocampal slice cultures. 2. Adenosine (bath applied at 50 microM) caused a 10
      15 mV hyperpolarization of CA3 cells, as well as a 75-100% decrease in the
      amplitude of excitatory and polysynaptic inhibitory postsynaptic potentials
      (EPSPs and IPSPs). Adenosine had no effect on the amplitude of monosynaptic IPSPs
      elicited in the presence of excitatory amino acid receptor antagonists, but did
      reduce the amplitude of isolated EPSPs, elicited after blocking GABAA receptors
      and reducing subsequent epileptic bursts with excitatory amino acid receptor
      antagonists. These data indicate that adenosine receptors are located on
      excitatory, but not inhibitory, presynaptic elements. 3. The A1 receptor
      antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX, bath applied at 200 nM)
      blocked the pre- and postsynaptic actions of adenosine. DPCPX had no effect on
      the amplitude of control synaptic responses, suggesting that there is no tonic
      activation of adenosine receptors in hippocampal slice cultures under control
      conditions. The A1 receptor agonists R-N6-phenylisopropyladenosine (R-PIA)
      mimicked all pre- and postsynaptic actions of adenosine. 4. Pertussis toxin
      pretreatment (500 ng/ml for 48 h) prevented adenosine from activating
      postsynaptic K+ conductance, but not from inhibiting EPSPs. In contrast,
      stimulation of protein kinase C with phorbol ester (phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate, 1
      microM for 10 min) reduced the presynaptic, but not the postsynaptic, actions of
      adenosine. 5. Barium (bath applied at 1 mM) blocked the adenosine-activated K+
      conductance, but not the inhibition of isolated EPSPs by adenosine. 6. Adenosine
      at 0.03-1 microM reduced the frequency of, or blocked, spontaneous epileptiform
      bursting produced by bicuculline. DPCPX (200 nM) increased the rate of
      spontaneous bursting, consistent with a tonic activation of adenosine receptors
      during hyperactivity, and led to the development of prolonged ictal-like bursts,
      suggesting that the endogenous release of adenosine may contribute to the
      termination of epileptic bursts. 7. We conclude that adenosine acts at pre- and
      postsynaptic receptors which are pharmacologically indistinguishable.
      Postsynaptically, adenosine increases a barium-sensitive K+ conductance via a
      pertussis toxin-sensitive GTP-binding protein. The presynaptic action of
      adenosine must, however, be mediated by some other mechanism.

PMID- 1403816
TI  - Na(+)-HCO3- symport in the sheep cardiac Purkinje fibre.
AB  - 1. Intracellular pH (pHi) was recorded in isolated sheep cardiac Purkinje fibres
      using liquid sensor ion-selective microelectrodes in conjunction with
      conventional (3 M-KCl) microelectrodes (to record membrane potential). 2. In
      HEPES-buffered solution (pH0 7.4), pHi recovery from an intracellular acid load
      (20 mM-NH4Cl removal) was blocked by 1 mM-amiloride, consistent with the
      inhibition of Na(+)-H+ exchange. Replacement of the HEPES buffer with CO2-HCO3-
      caused a transient acidosis followed by an amiloride-resistant recovery of pHi to
      more alkaline levels (n = 43). This implies the presence of a HCO3(-)-dependent
      pHi regulatory mechanism. 3. Comparison of the membrane potential with the
      equilibrium potential for HCO3- ions (EHCO3) estimated during amiloride-resistant
      pHi recovery, showed that for polarized fibres (membrane potential Em
      approximately -80 mV), there was a net outward electrochemical driving force for
      HCO3- ions. Hence the amiloride-resistant pHi recovery cannot be explained in
      terms of passive HCO3- influx through membrane channels. 4. Removal of external
      Na+ (Na0+ replaced by N-methyl-D-glucamine) inhibited HCO3(-)-dependent pHi
      recovery, whereas removal of external Cl- (leading to depletion of internal Cl-;
      Cl0- replaced by glucuronate) or short-term removal of extracellular K+ had no
      inhibitory effect. We suggest that a Na(+)-HCO3- co-influx causes the recovery.
      Replacement of external Na+ with Li+ greatly reduced HCO3(-)-dependent pHi
      recovery indicating that Li0+ cannot readily substitute for Na0+ on the co
      transport. 5. The stilbene drug DIDS (4,4-diisothiocyano-stilbene-disulphonic
      acid, 500 microM) slowed HCO3(-)-dependent pHi recovery. 6. Depolarization of the
      membrane potential in high K0+ (44.5 mM) solution or with 5 mM-BaCl2 had no
      effect upon the rate of HCO3(-)-sensitive pHi recovery. This observation, when
      coupled with the fact that activation of HCO3(-)-dependent pHi recovery was
      associated with no consistent change of membrane potential, suggests that the
      Na(+)-HCO3- co-influx is electroneutral and voltage insensitive. 7. HCO3(-)
      dependent pHi recovery was unaffected by the Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl- co-transport
      inhibitor, bumetanide (150 microM). 8. The contribution of Na(+)-H+ exchange and
      Na(+)-HCO3- co-transport to net acid efflux was assessed. At a pHi of 6.6, we
      estimate that the co-transport should account for 20% of total acid equivalent
      efflux.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1403817
TI  - The electro-mechanical response of canine inspiratory intercostal muscles to
      increased resistance: the cranial rib-cage.
AB  - 1. The effect of graded increases in inspiratory airflow resistance on the
      electrical activity and the mechanical behaviour of the three groups of
      inspiratory intercostal muscles (parasternal intercostal, external intercostal,
      levator costae) situated in the cranial portion of the rib-cage has been studied
      in ten anaesthetized, spontaneously breathing dogs. The mechanical behaviour of
      the muscles was determined by measuring the respiratory changes in muscle length
      and the displacements of the rib. 2. During unloaded inspiration, the three
      muscles were active, the rib moved in the cranial direction, and the parasternal
      intercostal and levator costae muscles shortened; in most animals, the external
      intercostals shortened as well. 3. Graded increases in inspiratory airflow
      resistance elicited a progressive inhibition of parasternal intercostal activity
      and a gradual facilitation of external intercostal and levator costae activities.
      Concomitantly, the parasternal intercostals continued to shorten during
      inspiration. However, both the external intercostals and the levator costae
      progressively lengthened, and the rib was gradually displaced in the caudal
      direction. This pattern persisted after increases in chemical respiratory drive
      had developed. 4. Sectioning the phrenic nerve roots did not alter the electrical
      or the mechanical response of the parasternal intercostal muscles to loading, but
      it markedly affected the response of the external intercostals and levator
      costae. After phrenicotomy, the external intercostals and levator costae
      continued to shorten during loaded breaths, the rib continued to be displaced in
      the cranial direction, and although the rate of inspiratory muscle shortening and
      of rib motion decreased, the facilitation of external intercostal and levator
      costae activities was markedly reduced or abolished. 5. Lengthening of the
      external intercostals and caudal displacement of the rib was reproduced by
      isolated stimulation of the phrenic nerves. 6. The reflex facilitation of
      external intercostal and levator costae activities that takes place during
      inspiratory resistive loading thus results primarily from the collapsing action
      of the diaphragm on the cranial portion of the rib-cage and the consequent
      lengthening of these muscles. The mechanical effectiveness of this reflex
      facilitation, however, appears to be relatively small.

PMID- 1403818
TI  - The electro-mechanical response of canine inspiratory intercostal muscles to
      increased resistance: the caudal rib-cage.
AB  - 1. The effect of graded increases in inspiratory airflow resistance and airway
      occlusion on the electrical activity and the mechanical behaviour of the levator
      costae and external intercostal muscles situated in the caudal interspaces (zone
      of apposition of the diaphragm to the rib-cage) has been studied in spontaneously
      breathing dogs. 2. The external intercostal and levator costae muscles in the
      cranial interspaces were invariably active during unloaded inspiration and showed
      progressive facilitation of activity with increases in inspiratory resistance. In
      contrast, whether in the supine or in the prone position, the levator costae
      muscles of the caudal interspaces did not show any facilitation of activity, and
      the caudal external intercostal muscles never showed any inspiratory electrical
      activity, including during airway occlusion. 3. With graded increases in
      inspiratory airflow resistance, the cranial external intercostals demonstrated a
      gradual inspiratory lengthening and the cranial ribs were progressively displaced
      in the caudal direction. The caudal ribs, however, were invariably displaced in
      the cranial direction. As a result, the caudal external intercostals showed a
      progressive inspiratory shortening. 4. Shortening of the caudal external
      intercostals and cranial displacement of the caudal ribs were reproduced by
      isolated stimulation of the phrenic nerves. Thus, as inspiratory resistance
      increases, contraction of the diaphragm causes unloading, rather than loading, of
      the spindles present in the caudal external intercostal muscles. 5. After the
      phrenic nerves were sectioned, however, the caudal external intercostals
      invariably lengthened a substantial amount during inspiration, but they still did
      not show any inspiratory electrical activity. Accentuating the inspiratory
      lengthening of these muscles by external rib fixation and increasing the chemical
      respiratory drive did not elicit any inspiratory electrical activity either. The
      alpha-motoneurones of the external intercostal muscles in the caudal interspaces
      thus have very small central respiratory drive potentials with respect to their
      critical firing threshold.

PMID- 1403819
TI  - Role of cholecystokinin in the inhibition of gastric acid secretion in dogs.
AB  - 1. This study was designed to determine the involvement of cholecystokinin (CCK)
      in the gastric secretory responses to exogenous and endogenous secretagogues in
      conscious dogs with chronic gastric fistulae (GF), pancreatic fistulae (PF) and
      Heidenhain pouches (HP). 2. A meal of meat or intragastric application of peptone
      (300 mosM) increased secretion of HCl from the HP and pancreatic secretion of
      protein and plasma levels of gastrin, CCK and somatostatin. 3. The CCK receptor
      antagonist L-364,718 caused a further increase in the postprandial HCl secretion
      from the HP and in the plasma levels of gastrin and CCK but pancreatic output of
      protein and plasma concentration of somatostatin were significantly reduced. 4.
      Addition to intragastric peptone of 10% oleate or its acidification to pH 3.0
      profoundly inhibited the HP secretion and gastrin release but significantly
      increased pancreatic secretion of protein and plasma levels of CCK and
      somatostatin. Administration of L-364,718 reversed the fall in the HP secretion
      and plasma gastrin while significantly attenuating pancreatic protein secretion
      and plasma somatostatin levels. 5. Intragastric administration of hyperosmolar
      (1200 mosM) peptone also inhibited HCl secretion from the HP but this was not
      affected by L-364,718. 6. Exogenous CCK and bombesin (but not gastrin) caused a
      small increase in HCl secretion from the HP and marked stimulation of pancreatic
      protein secretion accompanied by a significant rise in plasma levels of gastrin,
      CCK and somatostatin. Administration of L-364,718 resulted in a further increase
      in the HCl response of HP to bombesin and in plasma levels of gastrin and CCK but
      caused a reduction in plasma levels of somatostatin. 7. We conclude that CCK
      released by a meal of meat, intragastric peptone, oleate or acidified peptone and
      intravenous bombesin exerts tonic inhibitory influences on gastric acid secretion
      and that this effect is mediated, at least in part, by somatostatin.

PMID- 1403820
TI  - Spontaneous sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release and extrusion from bovine, not
      porcine, coronary artery smooth muscle.
AB  - 1. We tested the hypothesis that the Ca(2+)-loaded sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of
      coronary artery smooth muscle spontaneously releases Ca2+ preferentially toward
      the sarcolemma to be extruded from the cell without increasing the average free
      myoplasmic [Ca2+] (Ca(im)) concentration. 2. The SR of bovine cells was Ca(2+)
      loaded by depolarization-induced Ca2+ influx. Release (unloading) of Ca2+ from
      the SR during recovery from depolarization was determined by Fura-2
      microfluorometry of Ca(im). The SR Ca2+ unloading was maximal following a long
      (14 min) recovery from depolarization, as shown by the 66% decrease in the peak
      caffeine-induced Ca(im) transient compared to the Ca(im) transient after a short
      (2 min) recovery. No increase in Ca(im) occurred during the long recovery. No
      unloading of the SR Ca2+ store was noted in porcine cells. 3. Approximately 80%
      of the outward K+ current in bovine and porcine cells was sensitive to
      subsarcolemmal Ca2+ (Ca(is)) concentrations. Whole-cell voltage clamp using
      pipette solutions with Ca2+ concentrations clamped between 0 and 1000 nM with
      Ca(2+)-EGTA or Ca(2+)-BAPTA buffers showed increasing K+ currents (normalized for
      cell membrane surface area) as a function of both membrane potential and Ca(is).
      Clamping of Ca(im) and Ca(is) was verified by the lack of changes in K+ current
      and Fura-2 ratio in response to Ca2+ influx, Ca(2+)-free external solution, or
      caffeine-induced Ca2+ release. At +30 to +50 mV the K+ current amplitude showed a
      similar sensitivity to Ca2+ as Fura-2. These data indicate that in this
      experimental preparation Ca(2+)-activated K+ current is a valid estimate of
      Ca(is). 4. Simultaneous Ca(im) and Ca(is) measurements in bovine cells which were
      not Ca(2+)-clamped (2 x 10(-4) M-EGTA pipette solution) showed that during the
      long recovery period the K+ current (reflecting Ca(is)) increased 55%, while
      Ca(im) did not change. 5. In quiescent bovine cells the Ca(is) was higher than
      Ca(im), while the higher resting Ca(is) gradient was not apparent in porcine
      cells. 6. The Ca(is) concentration was directly related to the amount of Ca2+ in
      the SR in bovine, but not porcine cells. Depletion of the SR in bovine cells by
      caffeine resulted in a 58% decrease in K+ current compared to the resting K+
      current. 7. Caffeine-induced Ca2+ release caused an increase in Ca(is) which
      preceded the increase in Ca(im) by approximately 2 s.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400
      WORDS)

PMID- 1403821
TI  - Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone suppresses fever and increases in plasma
      levels of prostaglandin E2 in the rabbit.
AB  - 1. The effect of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) on changes in
      body temperature and plasma levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were measured in
      the rabbit following intravenous injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS),
      rabbit endogenous pyrogen (EP), human recombinant tumour necrosis factor-alpha
      (TNF-alpha), human recombinant interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and
      intracerebroventricular injection of PGE2. 2. LPS (25 ng kg-1), EP (25
      microliters kg-1), TNF-alpha (11 micrograms kg-1) and IL-1 beta (5 ng kg-1)
      produced increases in body temperature simultaneously with increases in plasma
      PGE2 levels. alpha-MSH (5 or 10 micrograms kg-1) attenuated both the increase in
      body temperature and increases in plasma levels of PGE2. 3.
      Intracerebroventricular injection of PGE2 (500 ng) produced a monophasic increase
      in body temperature. alpha-MSH (5 micrograms kg-1) administered 20 min after PGE2
      had no effect on the hyperthermic response. 4. alpha-MSH (10 micrograms kg-1) had
      no effect on either body temperature or plasma levels of PGE2 in response to I.V.
      injection of sterile saline. 5. These data demonstrate that alpha-MSH inhibits
      both the pyrogenic actions of LPS, EP, TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta and their ability
      to increase PGE2 release without affecting the direct actions of PGE2, suggesting
      the possibility that alpha-MSH may prevent the synthesis of PGE2 either by
      preventing the actions or release of mediators such as TNF-alpha and IL-1 in
      response to LPS.

PMID- 1403822
TI  - Mechanical properties of skinned rabbit psoas and soleus muscle fibres during
      lengthening: effects of phosphate and Ca2+.
AB  - 1. Mechanical properties of permeabilized single fibres from rabbit psoas and
      soleus muscle were determined by measuring the length responses due to abrupt
      changes in load and the force responses due to isovelocity length changes at
      different phosphate and Ca2+ concentrations. 2. The length responses due to
      abrupt increases in load from psoas fibres showed a rapid lengthening during the
      change in load followed by a phase of lengthening during which the velocity
      gradually decreased. In soleus fibres an abrupt lengthening during the change in
      load was followed by a phase of lengthening during which the velocity remained
      constant or decreased slightly for increases in load to less than 1.45 of the
      isometric force (F0). For larger increases in load the velocity during this later
      phase first increased and thereafter decreased. 3. The initial force-velocity
      curve, derived from the early part of the isotonic responses after the change in
      load, as well as the late force-velocity curve derived from the force level
      attained during isovelocity length changes, were sensitive to phosphate.
      Phosphate caused a shift of the absolute force-velocity curves of both psoas and
      soleus fibres towards lower values of force. In psoas fibres, the relative force
      velocity curves derived by normalization of the force level to the force
      developed isometrically was shifted by phosphate to smaller velocities. In soleus
      fibres, the initial velocity at low and intermediate relative loads (less than
      1.75 F0) was increased by phosphate but at higher loads it decreased, while the
      late force-velocity curve showed an overall decrease in velocity. 4. The force
      responses during isovelocity lengthening of psoas fibres showed an early rapid
      increase in force followed by a slow rise in force. The position of this break
      point in force was sensitive to the phosphate concentration. In soleus fibres,
      the force responses without phosphate showed an overshoot followed by a slow rise
      in force. The overshoot diminished with increasing phosphate concentration. 5.
      Phosphate and Ca2+ affected the force responses in psoas and soleus fibres in
      different ways. When the isometric starting levels were the same, force during
      and after the length change at submaximal activation was always less than at
      maximal activation in the presence of 15 mM-phosphate. 6. The changes in the
      mechanical performance during lengthening caused by phosphate in psoas as well as
      in soleus fibres, are in agreement with a decrease in the average force per
      attached crossbridge.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1403823
TI  - Properties of spontaneous inward currents recorded in smooth muscle cells
      isolated from the rabbit portal vein.
AB  - 1. Characteristics of spontaneous transient inward currents (STICs) which
      produced membrane depolarization were analysed with the perforated patch
      technique in single smooth muscle cells isolated from the rabbit portal vein. 2.
      In K(+)-free solutions the amplitude of STICs was linearly related to membrane
      potential and the reversal potential (Er) was -3.0 +/- 0.9 mV. Replacement of
      external NaCl with NaI shifted Er to -40.0 +/- 1.0 mV. Substitution of external
      NaCl by NaSCN also moved Er to negative values but replacement of sodium with
      Tris and choline did not change Er. It is concluded that STICs are generated by
      an increase in chloride conductance. 3. STICs were abolished or reduced by the
      chloride channel antagonists anthracene-9-carboxylic acid (1 mM) and 4-acetamido
      4'-isothiocyanato-2,2'- stilbene-disulphonic acid (2 mM). 4. STICs were blocked
      by noradrenaline and caffeine which deplete intracellular calcium stores. This
      effect was reversible and this result indicates that the primary trigger for
      STICs is calcium released from intracellular stores and therefore STICs are
      calcium-activated chloride currents (ICl(Ca)). 5. Removal of calcium from the
      bathing solution abolished STICs in six out of seven cells but STICs persisted in
      Ca(2+)-free solution in one cell. When STICs were abolished in Ca(2+)-free
      external solution the size of the internal calcium store, as estimated from the
      noradrenaline-induced ICl(Ca), was not altered. It appears that an influx of
      calcium is usually necessary for STICs to be observed. 6. The frequency and
      amplitude of STICs were not altered by the voltage-dependent calcium channel
      antagonist cadmium (1 mM). However, in some quiescent cells influx of calcium
      through voltage-dependent channels did activate STICs. 7. It was concluded that
      in isolated portal vein cells STICs represent a Ca(2+)-activated chloride current
      which leads to spontaneous depolarization of the membrane and may play an
      important physiological or pathophysiological role to produce smooth muscle
      contraction.

PMID- 1403824
TI  - Ectopic activity in demyelinated spinal root axons of the rat.
AB  - 1. We have provoked ectopic discharges from demyelinated rat spinal roots by
      applying 1 mM-4-aminopyridine (4-AP), and recorded membrane currents and action
      potentials extracellularly by spike-triggered averaging. The demyelination was
      caused by intrathecal injection of diphtheria toxin, 6-9 days previously. 2.
      Mapping the distribution of membrane currents in the vicinity of an ectopic site
      showed that in most cases (eight out of twelve recorded) the impulses arose from
      one end of a continuously conducting internode, and conducted in both directions.
      In the remaining cases the impulses also arose from a site of demyelination. 3.
      The 4-AP-induced activity resembled the activity occurring spontaneously in some
      preparations, and was often highly regular (5-20 Hz). Recordings of membrane
      potential revealed a pacemaker potential, which was localized to the site of
      impulse initiation. One ectopic site was tested with applied currents and found
      to have a linear current-frequency relation for steady currents. 4. The time
      course of the pacemaker potential resembled that of the small after
      hyperpolarization seen in normal fibres, due to a slow K+ conductance (GKs).
      Tetraethylammonium and barium ions, which block GKs, made spontaneously active
      fibres fire much more rapidly, or to fire bursts of action potentials. 5.
      Possible mechanisms for these ectopic discharges are discussed. GKs appears to
      contribute to the pacing of the activity, but not its generation. The increased
      excitability of the active fibres could not be attributed directly to the loss of
      myelin, nor to extracellular K+ accumulation. We suggest that they may have been
      depolarized by stretch-activated or ligand-gated channels in the demyelinated
      axon membrane.

PMID- 1403825
TI  - Unitary A-currents of rat locus coeruleus neurones grown in cell culture:
      rectification caused by internal Mg2+ and Na+.
AB  - 1. We have used whole-cell and single-channel recording to study the transient
      outward potassium current (A-current) of rat locus coeruleus neurones grown in
      tissue culture. The A-current was largely inactivated at the resting potential,
      but could be activated from sufficiently negative holding potentials during steps
      positive to -50 mV. The current was sensitive to 4-aminopyridine. Another slowly
      activating, sustained current was similar to a delayed rectifier. 2. In the on
      cell configuration the unitary conductance of channels carrying A-current was
      40.9 +/- 2.2 pS (n = 6) with high external potassium (140 mM) and 14.8 +/- 1.4 pS
      (n = 11) with 3 mM [K+]o. The unitary current-voltage relation was not linear,
      but had a negative slope at very positive voltages in 3 mM [K+]o. The reversal
      potential changed with [K]o as expected for a K+ channel. 3. The open state
      probability of A-current channels was voltage dependent, reaching a peak of 0.78
      +/- 0.17 (seven patches). The relationships between both activation and
      inactivation and membrane potential were well fitted by Boltzmann expressions.
      Activation was half-maximum at a potential 71.9 +/- 11.8 mV (n = 4) positive to
      the resting potential (approximately -61 mV). Inactivation was half-complete 29.4
      +/- 3.8 mV (n = 4) negative to the resting potential. There was evidence from
      runs analysis for slow inactivation of channels. 4. Channels showed frequent
      visits to substates, the most readily identifiable of which had an amplitude 0.55
      +/- 0.04 (n = 5) of the fully open state. Other substates had amplitudes of
      around 0.25 and 0.75. Occupancy of substates was greater at negative membrane
      potentials. 5. A preliminary analysis of kinetic behaviour, treating visits to
      substates as openings, shows that open times are distributed as a single
      exponential. The open time was 16.2 ms (n = 4) at a voltage 100 mV positive to
      the resting potential, increasing with further depolarization. Closed times are
      distributed as the sum of three or four exponentials. First latency distributions
      are strongly voltage dependent and show a delay, giving a sigmoidal rise to the
      distribution. Increasing temperature increased unitary current and reduced mean
      open time. 6. The mechanism of the rectification seen in the unitary current
      voltage relationship was examined using excised, inside-out patches.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1403826
TI  - Effect of perfusion pressure on force of contraction in thin papillary muscles
      and trabeculae from rat heart.
AB  - 1. Increased coronary perfusion leads to increased myocardial contraction and
      oxygen consumption (Gregg's phenomenon) even when oxygen supply is presumably
      sufficient. Previous studies concerned whole hearts, however, in which local
      hypoxia may play a role. We developed techniques for internal perfusion of thin
      papillary muscles from rat heart. The influence of perfusion pressure on muscle
      contraction was studied. We investigated whether Gregg's phenomenon is due to (a)
      hypoxia, (b) stretch of the muscle fibres, or (c) increased contractility. 2. The
      effectiveness of the perfusion technique was demonstrated in four ways: (a) the
      diameter of the capillaries increased with perfusion pressure; (b) 14 +/- 4%
      (mean +/- S.D., n = 11) increase in muscle diameter was observed on a change of
      perfusion pressure from 0 to 50 cmH2O; (c) addition of India ink to the perfusate
      caused rapid staining of the entire muscle; (d) during internal perfusion and
      external superfusion peak force was mainly determined by the [Ca2+] in the
      internal perfusate. 3. An increase of perfusion pressure from 0 to 70 cmH2O
      induced 74 +/- 20% (mean +/- S.D., n = 11) increase in peak force of contraction.
      In the absence of internal perfusion peak force was not affected by approximately
      50% reduction of the PO2 in the bathing solution (from 700 to 350 mmHg). Hence,
      oxygen supply was not a limiting factor, i.e. the effect of internal perfusion on
      force was not related to hypoxia. 4. Segment length was measured with markers
      attached to the surface of the muscle. Perfusion-induced changes in segment
      length were negligible (-0.2 +/- 1.5%, n = 11). Force-length relationships at
      different perfusion pressures show that the perfusion-induced increase in force
      was generally larger than the maximum increase in force that could be induced by
      stretch. Furthermore, the time course of stretch and perfusion effects on force
      was different. We conclude that Gregg's phenomenon is not related to changes in
      fibre length, i.e. the hypothesis of pressure-induced stretch ('garden hose'
      effect) does not apply to papillary muscles. 5. The pressure-induced changes in
      the force-length relationship were similar to the changes obtained with
      interventions that increase contractility, such as increased [Ca2+]. 6. Since
      hypoxia and length effects were not involved, and the effect of perfusion
      pressure was similar to that of inotropic interventions, we conclude that Gregg's
      phenomenon is a change in contractility. Possible explanations include changes in
      the ionic composition or volume of the interstitium, and inotropic factors
      produced by the endothelium or intramyocardial neurons.

PMID- 1403827
TI  - Compared effects of serotonin on cervical and hypoglossal inspiratory activities:
      an in vitro study in the newborn rat.
AB  - 1. Experiments were performed on the brain stem-spinal cord preparation of
      newborn rats, in which the phrenic and hypoglossal nerves continue to show
      rhythmic respiratory activity in vitro, in order to compare the effects of
      serotonin (5-HT) on both activities and to analyse the mechanisms responsible for
      the depression by 5-HT of the hypoglossal activity. 2. Under control conditions,
      simultaneous recordings of the inspiratory discharges of hypoglossal and cervical
      roots showed that the two bursts did not start simultaneously and had different
      patterns (time-to-peak and peak values); this suggests that both pools of
      motoneurons did not share the same central drive(s). 3. Adding 5-HT and related
      agents to the bathing medium delayed and depressed the hypoglossal inspiratory
      discharge via activation of 5-HT2 receptors since these effects were elicited by
      5-HT2 agonists (alpha-methyl-5-HT and 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2
      aminopropane-HCl (DOI)) but not by 5-HT1 agonists (RU 24969 and (+/-)-8-hydroxy-2
      (di-N-propylamino)tetralin hydrobromide (8-OH-DPAT)). The 5-HT depression of the
      hypoglossal discharge was prevented by applying a pretreatment with a specific 5
      HT2 antagonist (ketanserin). Parallel to the hypoglossal discharge decrease, 5-HT
      elicited a permanent cervical root discharge along with a persistent inspiratory
      bursting. Adding the 5-HT precursor L-tryptophan to the bathing medium depressed
      the hypoglossal (XII) discharge without affecting the cervical one. 4. Local
      application of 5-HT within the hypoglossal motor nucleus decreased the
      hypoglossal output, revealing that the 5-HT depression of the hypoglossal
      discharge was at least partly mediated by the 5-HT effects at the level of the
      motoneurons. Local application of 5-HT within the cervical motor nucleus elicited
      a permanent firing in the cervical root with a persistent inspiratory bursting.
      5. Intracellular analysis confirmed the existence of differences in central
      respiratory drive between cervical and hypoglossal motoneurons under control
      conditions, as well as differences in response to 5-HT. All the hypoglossal
      motoneurons became silent under 5-HT bathing, and showed no change in the input
      membrane resistance, a moderate depolarization, and a delayed central respiratory
      drive with a decreased amplitude. The cervical motoneurons became more active
      during inspiration, despite a decrease in the amplitude of the central
      respiratory drive, which was compensated for by a large depolarization and an
      increased input membrane resistance. Some cervical motoneurons even fired at a
      low rate during expiration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1403828
TI  - Respiratory-related activity of lower thoracic and upper lumbar sympathetic
      preganglionic neurones in the rat.
AB  - 1. The segmental distribution of cell bodies of sympathetic preganglionic
      neurones projecting into the left lumbar sympathetic chain beyond the L4 ganglion
      was determined in rats using retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase.
      Labelled perikarya were found mainly in segments T13-L2 in the ipsilateral
      intermediolateral cell column. 2. Neurophysiological studies were conducted on
      this cell population in anaesthetized, vagotomized and artificially ventilated
      rats. 3. One hundred and thirty sympathetic preganglionic neurones were studied
      in spinal segments T13-L2, inclusive, after their antidromic identification
      following electrical stimulation of the left lumbar sympathetic chain between the
      4th and 5th lumbar ganglia; sixty-six had on-going activity and thirty of the
      remainder were activated by the ionophoretic application of glutamate. Their
      axonal conduction velocities were 0.5-12.5 m/s which is in the B and C fibre
      range. 4. The discharge patterns of these sympathetic preganglionic neurones were
      analysed in relation to phrenic nerve discharge. Of forty-eight neurones analysed
      in this manner five had peak firing during inspiration (inspiratory related),
      five during early expiration (post-inspiratory related), four during expiration
      (expiratory related) with the remainder having a firing pattern unrelated to
      phrenic nerve discharge (non-modulated). 5. The ECG-related patterns of discharge
      of the same forty-eight neurones were analysed. Twenty-one had an ECG-related
      pattern of discharge. Glutamate-activated quiescent neurones and those with on
      going activity had a similar incidence of such modulation. Sympathetic
      preganglionic neurones with each type of respiratory modulation were found to
      have an ECG-related firing pattern. 6. The patterns of discharge of these
      neurones have been compared to those recorded, in previous studies, from
      sympathetic preganglionic neurones located at T2 which had axons projecting into
      the cervical sympathetic nerve and 'sympathoexcitatory' neurones of the rostral
      ventrolateral medulla. There appear to be some differences in the respiratory
      modulations of baroreceptor-sensitive neurones found within each of the three
      populations. Consequently, it is suggested that supraspinal pathways, other than
      those arising in the rostral ventrolateral medulla, may be important in
      influencing the activity of baroreceptor-sensitive sympathetic preganglionic
      neurones.

PMID- 1403829
TI  - Role of potassium in the reflex regulation of blood pressure during static
      exercise in man.
AB  - 1. The relationship between [K+] in venous effluent blood and alterations in mean
      arterial blood pressure was studied during static handgrip contractions at 15 and
      30% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). 2. To further elucidate the
      importance of K+ in the reflex regulation of blood pressure a situation with
      normal recovery was compared with a situation in which 3 min of post-exercise
      occlusion was applied by arresting the circulation to the forearm just prior to
      the cessation of the contraction. 3. There was a temporal as well as quantitative
      correlation between venous [K+] and the blood pressure response during and after
      static exercise. During 30% MVC mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) attained 161.7
      mmHg and venous [K+] 5.8 mM, while the corresponding values during 15% MVC were
      121.5 mmHg and 5.0 mM. 4. In the occlusion period mean arterial blood pressure
      remained elevated above resting level and provided a measure of the magnitude of
      muscle chemoreflexes. In the same period venous [K+] was maintained at 5.3 mM and
      4.6 mM following 30% MVC and 15% MVC respectively. This is indicative of
      interstitial concentrations of above 8-10 mM. This level is sufficiently high to
      stimulate type III and IV muscle afferents involved in the reflex regulation of
      blood pressure, and strengthens the notion that K+ may play an important role in
      eliciting the pressor reflex. 5. In contrast to [K+] the time course of venous
      blood concentrations of lactate and ammonia (NH3) exhibited a clear dissociation
      from the blood pressure recordings.

PMID- 1403830
TI  - Computer simulation of carbachol-driven rhythmic population oscillations in the
      CA3 region of the in vitro rat hippocampus.
AB  - 1. We used simulations of the in vitro CA3 region of the hippocampus to analyse
      the 5 Hz population oscillations recorded experimentally in carbachol. 2. A
      simulation model of the in vitro CA3 region was constructed with 1000 pyramidal
      neurones and 200 inhibitory neurones (100 producing fast inhibitory postsynaptic
      potentials (IPSPs) and 100 producing slow IPSPs of delayed onset). Each neurone
      contained nineteen soma-dendritic compartments. Pyramidal neurones contained six
      voltage- and/or calcium-dependent ionic currents, whose kinetics were consistent
      with voltage-clamp data. The connectivity and waveform of unitary synaptic events
      for excitatory and fast inhibitory synapses were consistent with dual
      intracellular recordings. This network was shown to generate previously described
      network oscillations, including synchronized bursts recorded in the presence of
      GABAA blockers, and synchronized synaptic potentials observed during partial
      blockade of GABAA inhibition. 3. The model generated 5 Hz oscillations as
      recorded in carbachol under the following conditions: (a) excitatory synaptic
      conductance was within a limited range; (b) there was blockade of fast and slow
      IPSPs (consistent with the experimental lack of effect of bicuculline and
      phaclofen on carbachol oscillations and the known depression of IPSPs by
      acetylcholine); (c) the after hyperpolarization (AHP) conductance was reduced
      (consistent with the known pharmacology of carbachol); (d) the apical dendrites
      of the pyramidal cells were depolarized, as suggested by the carbachol-induced
      depolarization of pyramidal neurones. Each oscillation was associated in
      pyramidal cells with a burst of action potentials riding on a depolarizing wave.
      The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) type of excitatory synapse was not necessary for
      the oscillations to occur. 4. Progressive reduction of excitatory synaptic
      strength led to an oscillation of the same frequency, with bursts riding on
      smaller EPSPs (consistent with the experiment). Further reduction of excitatory
      synaptic strength abolished the population oscillation by uncoupling the
      neurones. When excitatory synaptic conductance was too large, population
      oscillations were attenuated as the cells switched from a bursting mode to a
      repetitively firing mode. 5. Increasing the AHP conductance prolonged the
      interburst interval as expected. Inclusion of slow IPSPs exerted a similar
      effect. 6. When fast IPSPs were included, an oscillation with different
      characteristics emerged: a 10 Hz oscillation that was gated by compound GABAA
      IPSPs. On any oscillatory wave, few pyramidal neurones fired, and the firing of
      individual neurones was irregular.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1403831
TI  - Cerebro-cerebellar projections from the ventral bank of the anterior ectosylvian
      sulcus in the cat.
AB  - 1. Stimulation of the ventral bank of the anterior ectosylvian sulcus (AESv)
      induced marked mossy fibre (MF) and climbing fibre (CF) responses in the
      cerebellar posterior vermis (lobules VI-VII) and moderate sized ones in the
      paraflocculus, paramedian lobules and crus I and II of the cat. The relay
      stations for these responses to the posterior vermis were investigated
      morphologically and electrophysiologically. 2. It can be considered that the MF
      responses were relayed at least in part via the dorsolateral, peduncular and
      paramedian pontine nuclei, since in these nuclei there were units orthodromically
      responsive to AESv stimulation and antidromically responsive to stimulation of
      the posterior vermis. The MF responses are thought to be relayed
      monosynaptically, since the distribution of axon terminals labelled after
      injection of wheatgerm agglutinin-conjugated peroxidase (WGA-HRP) into the AESv
      overlapped in these pontine nuclei with that of neurons labelled after injection
      of WGA-HRP into the posterior vermis. 3. It is thought that the CF responses are
      relayed in the caudomedial part of the medial accessory olive (MAOcm), because
      neurons in the MAOcm were orthodromically responsive to AESv stimulation and
      antidromically responsive to stimulation of the posterior vermis. 4. It is
      suggested that the cerebro-olivary projection which transmits the orthodromic
      responses in the MAOcm is indirect, via the superior colliculus (SC), because
      injection of WGA-HRP into the AESv labelled axon terminals not in the MAOcm but
      in the SC, and injection of WGA-HRP into the MAOcm gave rise to retrograde
      labelling of cells in the SC. Synaptic connections between the axon terminals of
      the cerebrotectal projection and the tecto-olivary neurons were demonstrated by
      extracellular unit studies in the SC. 5. The hypothesis that the CF responses
      were transmitted via the SC was supported by the finding that the CF responses
      disappeared transiently after muscimol or lidocaine was injected into the SC. 6.
      These findings provide evidence that the MF responses are transmitted at least in
      part via the cerebro-ponto-cerebellar projection, while the CF responses are
      relayed via the cerebro-tecto-olivo-cerebellar projection. These cerebro
      cerebellar pathways from the AESv are suggested to participate in conducting
      visual information to the posterior vermis.

PMID- 1403832
TI  - Presynaptic inhibitory effects of the peptides NPY, PYY and PP on nicotinic EPSPs
      in guinea-pig gastric myenteric neurones.
AB  - 1. Neuropeptide Y (NPY), peptide YY (PYY) and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) affect
      gastrointestinal effector systems. Although their precise mode of action is
      unknown it is suggested that their effects are partly mediated by enteric
      neurones. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of NPY,
      PYY, avian PP (aPP) and bovine PP (bPP) on the electrophysiological behaviour of
      gastric myenteric neurones using intracellular recording methods. 2. In all
      thirty-one neurones tested, electrical stimulation of interganglionic fibre
      tracts evoked cholinergic, nicotinic fast excitatory postsynaptic potentials
      (fEPSPs). NPY, PYY and bPP (10-500 nM) inhibited the fEPSPs in a concentration
      dependent manner. Additionally, these peptides reversibly abolished spontaneously
      occurring nicotinic fEPSPs. None of the peptides exhibited any effect on the
      response to exogenously applied acetylcholine or on the postsynaptic excitability
      of the neurones. The inhibitory effects on the fEPSPs could not be reversed by
      perfusion of the alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist, phentolamine (1 microM). 3. In
      contrast, aPP had no significant effect on fEPSPs even when perfused at the high
      concentration of 1 microM. 4. The results suggest that NPY, PYY and bPP, but not
      aPP, act presynaptically to inhibit acetylcholine release from myenteric neurones
      of the gastric corpus, thereby suppressing fEPSPs. The study indicates a
      modulatory role for NPY, PYY and bPP in synaptic interactions within the enteric
      nervous system.

PMID- 1403834
TI  - Oral infections in the immunocompromised host. International Association for
      Dental Research Symposium 19 April 1991, Acapulco, Mexico.

PMID- 1403833
TI  - Intracoronary veratrine attenuates carotid baroreceptor reflex regulation of
      blood pressure in conscious dogs.
AB  - 1. The effect of activation of left ventricular cardiac receptors on carotid
      baroreflex control of blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, and total
      peripheral resistance was determined in conscious dogs. Previous studies in
      conscious subjects assessed only the effect on baroreflex control of heart rate.
      2. Dogs with denervated aortic baroreceptors were equipped with aortic flow
      probes, cardiac pacing electrodes, and catheters in the aorta, vena cava, and
      left circumflex coronary artery. Both carotid sinus regions were prepared for
      reversible vascular isolation. 3. Left ventricular receptors were stimulated by
      an infusion of veratrine (0.1-1.0 micrograms kg-1 min-1) into the left circumflex
      coronary artery. 4. Veratrine infusion decreased control blood pressure only 10
      +/- 2 mmHg, but it decreased the range of baroreflex control of blood pressure by
      50% and decreased maximum baroreflex gain by 42%. Both the cardiac output and
      total peripheral resistance components of the baroreflex were attenuated. 5.
      Baroreflex control of blood pressure was unaffected by intravenous veratrine or
      by intracoronary infusion of vehicle. 6. Intracoronary veratrine had no effect
      after autonomic ganglionic blockade. 7. When cardiac output was kept nearly
      constant (by beta-adrenergic and cholinergic receptor blockade or by beta
      blockade and cardiac pacing), intracoronary veratrine still attenuated baroreflex
      control of blood pressure and total peripheral resistance. Veratrine impaired the
      ability of the baroreflex to utilize alpha-adrenergic mechanisms to control total
      peripheral resistance. 8. We conclude that activation of ventricular receptors
      attenuates baroreflex regulation of blood pressure in conscious dogs through an
      attenuation of baroreflex control of both cardiac output and total peripheral
      resistance.

PMID- 1403835
TI  - Changes in saliva of epileptic patients.
AB  - Unstimulated whole saliva samples of 27 indoor epileptic patients were studied on
      their protein composition using biochemical and immunochemical methods. A number
      of salivary proteins appeared at least partially to be hydrolyzed. In a number of
      saliva samples the concentration of carbohydrate-containing isoenzymes of amylase
      was reduced. In addition, the concentration of the 20 kD glycoprotein EP-GP was
      reduced by 60%. Sialic acid, the terminal sugar of the glycoproteins and mucins,
      was released for about 50% and in three salivas even nearly completely. Moreover,
      sialic acid- and fucose-containing epitopes could hardly be detected by
      monoclonal antibodies to human salivary mucins. As a consequence of this
      hydrolytic breakdown the saliva mediated aggregation of two S. sanguis strains
      had been reduced. In contrast, the aggregation of S. oralis had been maintained.

PMID- 1403836
TI  - Longitudinal study of parotid saliva in HIV-1 infection.
AB  - Parotid flow rate and chemistry of 78 HIV + gay/bisexual men and 27 HIV
      gay/bisexual controls were compared on a longitudinal basis at 4-month intervals
      over a 1 yr period for changes indicative of inflammatory or autoimmune diseases
      of the salivary glands, or reduced protective capacity toward oral opportunistic
      infection. Parotid saliva was examined for concentrations of sodium, chloride,
      phosphate, total protein, lysozyme, lactoferrin, secretory IgA, salivary
      peroxidase, histatin and albumin. Chloride, lysozyme and peroxidase were
      significantly higher in HIV + at all 3 examinations and increased in
      concentration over time. Although mean values for stimulated flow rate were not
      significantly different in the two groups over the year, there was a significant
      increase in the number of HIV + with reduced flow over time. In 6% of HIV + there
      was a marked reduction in flow rate and Sjogren's syndrome-like elevations in
      parotid chemistry but no enlargement. At all examinations low flow rate was
      significantly related to oral candidiasis; T4 levels were inversely related to
      oral candidiasis, but not to concentration of salivary components or flow rate;
      nor was AZT use. As a group the HIV + patients maintained normal flow rate and
      secreted normal or elevated concentrations of protective proteins. A subgroup,
      however, exhibited diminished flow over time and an increasing tendency to oral
      candidiasis and a diminution in output of histatins.

PMID- 1403837
TI  - Production of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (gelatinase/type IV collagenase) and 3
      (stromelysin) by cultured oral squamous cell carcinoma.
AB  - Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are believed to play an important role in tumor
      invasion and metastasis. MMPs have been identified as proforms of malignant tumor
      associated enzymes, such as procollagenase (proMMP-1) of M(r) = 53,000,
      progelatinase (proMMP-2) of M(r) = 72,000, proMMP-9 of M(r) = 92,000, and
      prostromelysin (proMMP-3) of M(r) = 59,000. Here we report that two cell lines of
      squamous cell carcinoma (SCC9 and SCC25) produce at least two matrix
      metalloproteinases (MMPs) in zymogen form, which have been identified as proMMP-2
      and 3 by indirect immunofluorescence technique, immunoblot analysis, and gelatin
      substrate gel enzymography. Additionally, a 92-kDa gelatinolytic
      metalloproteinase (proMMP-9) was detected by gelatin-substrate gel enzymography.
      We propose that the ability of these tumor cells to secrete MMPs plays an
      important role in the malignant behavior of oral squamous cell carcinomas.

PMID- 1403838
TI  - Point mutations in the Ha-ras oncogene are detectable in formalin-fixed tissues
      of oral squamous cell carcinomas, but are infrequent in British cases.
AB  - Oncogene expression in human neoplasia has been examined extensively in the past
      decade. More recently the advent of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has
      facilitated studies of oncogenes and other DNA structures. Those few studies
      which have so far searched for oncogene changes in oral cancer have utilized
      frozen specimens. We report here an adaptation of the PCR technique applicable to
      DNA extracted from archival specimens. Our data complement recent findings that
      Ha-ras mutations are infrequent in oral squamous cell carcinomas among white
      caucasoid populations.

PMID- 1403839
TI  - Oral changes in interleukin-2 treated patients: a preliminary report.
AB  - Immunotherapy with high doses of interleukin-2 (IL-2) in patients with metastatic
      cancer is accompanied by multiorgan side effects. To determine the effect of this
      treatment on oral tissues, 5 cancer patients receiving a course of recombinant IL
      2 (rIL-2) were followed. Oral pathology and subjective oral complaints were
      noted. Whole saliva parameters and routine blood and urine values were recorded
      daily before, during and after treatment. Mucositis and diminution of salivary
      flow occurred in all patients. Concomitantly, salivary sodium and protein were
      elevated.

PMID- 1403840
TI  - Experimentally induced ameloblastomas: a critical review.
AB  - This article reviews the experimental induction of ameloblastomas with emphasis
      on the acceptability of the induced tumors as being truly equivalent to
      ameloblastomas in humans. Attempts to induce odontogenic tumors in experimental
      animals have been made sporadically since the early 1960's but the yield of
      ameloblastomas has been low. Tumors resembling ameloblastomas, but not completely
      typical histologically and apparently lacking the invasive qualities of
      ameloblastoma, have been produced in mice using polyoma virus. However, the most
      typical ameloblastomas have been those induced in opossums, using
      ethylnitrosourea. Consequently, it is recommended that this model be used in any
      further attempts to produce ameloblastomas experimentally.

PMID- 1403841
TI  - Morphodifferentiation and histodifferentiation of the dental hard tissues in
      compound odontoma: a study of undemineralized material.
AB  - Dental hard tissues and mineralization at the enamel surface or in the
      ameloblastic epithelium were studied in 10 odontomas using undemineralized
      material. All the specimens showed a high degree of histo- and
      morphodifferentiation. Dentin formed the bulk of the tumors. Much of the enamel
      was prismatic and apparently normal and in almost every specimen were present
      enamel tufts and spindles. At greater magnification it could be seen that the
      prisms had a very irregular orientation. Cementum was mostly acellular. Calcified
      material formed focally in the intercellular portion of the enamel epithelium:
      this material showed a concentric layers arrangement.

PMID- 1403842
TI  - Acid production by Actinomyces viscosus of root surface caries and non-caries
      origin during glycogen synthesis and degradation at different pH levels.
AB  - Actinomyces viscosus strains, freshly isolated from root surface caries lesions
      and intact root surfaces, were studied for their glycogen synthetic and
      degradative activities at pH 4.5, 5.0, and 7.0 in a pH-stat. At all three pH
      levels, root caries origin of A. viscosus synthesized up to three times as much
      glycogen compared to non-root caries origin. Since root caries origin of A.
      viscosus strains initially synthesized large amounts of glycogen, a longer period
      of time was required to deplete this polymer, resulting in an extended period of
      acid production, even at pH 4.5 and pH 5.0. This study suggests that the ability
      of A. viscosus of root caries origin to synthesize large quantities of glycogen
      and subsequently degrade this stored polymer slowly with acid production, at
      acidic pH levels, may play an important role in the root caries process.

PMID- 1403843
TI  - Variants of the adenomatoid odontogenic tumor with a note on tumor origin.
AB  - Three rare variants of the adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (AOT) are described. A
      follicular AOT associated with an impacted and displaced 28, an extra-follicular
      variant mimicking a radicular cyst around the apex of 23 and a peripheral (epulis
      like) variant exhibiting a periodontal bone defect palatal to 21. On reappraisal
      of the origin and pathogenesis of the AOT, it would seem that this tumor or
      hamartomatous lesion is derived from odontogenic epithelium of the dental lamina
      complex or its remnants.

PMID- 1403844
TI  - Occurrence of oral leukoplakia and lichen planus in diabetes mellitus.
AB  - The occurrence of oral leukoplakia and lichen planus in 1600 patients with
      diabetes mellitus (815 type 1: insulin-dependent, 761 type 2: non-insulin
      dependent)-under care at the International Medicine Department-was studied.
      Precancerous lesions and conditions were diagnosed and grouped according to
      internationally accepted criteria. The prevalence of oral leukoplakia in diabetic
      patients was 6.2%, as compared to 2.2% in the healthy controls, that of oral
      lichen was 1.0% in the test-, and 0.0% in the control group. Leukoplakia and
      lichen both showed the highest occurrence in the second year of established
      diabetes, and their prevalence was higher among insulin-treated diabetics.
      Smokers were more often affected, by both kind of lesions, oral lichen showed a
      more frequent association with candidiasis. The prevalence of oral leukoplakia
      and lichen in diabetes mellitus patients was higher, than average ratios in
      population samples from the same country.

PMID- 1403845
TI  - Comparison between new saliva stimulants in patients with dry mouth: a placebo
      controlled double-blind crossover study.
AB  - Two new saliva stimulants: V6 and a mucin containing chewing gum were tested in
      this placebo-controlled double-blind crossover study. Forty-three patients (mean
      age 63 yr) complaining of dry mouth participated. The products were administered
      in a randomized order, and used for 2 wk each. The effect was evaluated by
      interviews and by determining changes in stimulated and unstimulated saliva flow
      rates. A positive effect was reported by 64%, 44%, and 26% of the patients using
      the mucin chewing gum, V6, and the placebo, respectively. More than 2/3 of the
      patients found the mucin chewing gum efficient at various times and situations.
      Sixty-one percent of the patients preferred the mucin chewing gum, 21% V6, and 5%
      the placebo product. Fifty percent of the patients had an increase in
      unstimulated salivary secretion rate from all products after 14 days regular use
      indicating a long-term effect.

PMID- 1403846
TI  - Purine modulation of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha)-induced premature
      luteolysis in vivo in nonpregnant sheep.
AB  - In two separate experiments, control and PGF2 alpha-treated unilaterally
      ovariectomized ewes received vehicle or adenosine every four hours through an
      exteriorized catheter installed either to parafuse the ovarian vascular pedicle
      of the remaining ovary containing a corpus luteum (CL) or to infuse intrauterine
      ipsilateral to the remaining ovary with the CL. Infusions were given every four
      hours from day 7 through day 22 postestrus or until ewes returned to estrus.
      Chronic infusion of vehicle intrauterine or parafusion of the ovarian vascular
      pedicle with vehicle in PGF2 alpha-treated ewes shortened the interestrous
      interval compared to controls (P less than 0.05). However, chronic parafusion of
      the ovarian vascular pedicle with adenosine in PGF2 alpha-treated ewes prevented
      a PGF2 alpha-induced premature luteolysis (P less than 0.05) but not when
      adenosine was infused chronically intrauterine (P greater than 0.05). It is
      concluded that adenosine can block a PGF2 alpha-induced premature luteolysis in
      vivo and may have roles in regulation of luteal secretion of progesterone but it
      is probably not the embryonic antiluteolysin of early pregnancy in ewes.

PMID- 1403847
TI  - Inhibition of thrombin-induced platelet activation by dioctanoylglycerol
      pretreatment is not correlated with the 47 kDa protein phosphorylation.
AB  - The effect of platelet pretreatment with moderate amounts of 1,2
      dioctanoylglycerol on subsequent thrombin-induced activation and its correlation
      with the degree of protein phosphorylation is studied. Protein kinase C
      preactivation (treatment with 1 microM dioctanoylglycerol for 20 min)
      significantly reduces thrombin-promoted platelet aggregation, cytosolic calcium
      rise, ATP-secretion and, albeit to a lesser extent, protein phosphorylation.
      Exposure of platelets to dioctanoylglycerol brings about a transient
      phosphorylation of a 47 kDa protein and a slight but more persistent
      phosphorylation of proteins of approximate molecular mass 26 and 68 kDa. It is
      hypothesized that the latter phosphoproteins are responsible for the inhibition
      of the thrombin-promoted platelet activation. Agonist-evoked aggregation is more
      affected by a long (20 min) rather than a short (1 min) pretreatment with
      dioctanoylglycerol, showing no correlation with the phosphorylation of the major
      substrates of protein kinase C.

PMID- 1403848
TI  - Comparison of second messenger formation in human keratinocytes following
      stimulation with epidermal growth factor and bradykinin.
AB  - We have examined the ability of recombinant human epidermal growth factor (EGF)
      and bradykinin (BK) to stimulate formation of inositol polyphosphates and sn-1,2
      diacylglycerol (DAG), and mobilize intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in adult human
      keratinocytes (KC). Inositol polyphosphates were resolved by high performance
      liquid chromatography coupled with flow detector spectroscopy. Free intracellular
      calcium was quantitated using digital ratio imaging fluorescence microscopy of
      fura-2 loaded KC. The mass amount of DAG was quantitated using the DAG kinase
      reaction. When comparing maximal doses of BK (0.1 microM) and EGF (200 ng/ml), BK
      stimulated larger increases in all second messengers measured. The majority of
      cells responded rapidly to BK with global increases in [Ca2+]i. Cells responding
      to EGF were fewer in number and slower to respond with the Ca2+ signal being less
      pronounced. Treatment of cells with pertussis toxin (PTX) for 24 h significantly
      attenuated the BK-stimulated inositol polyphosphate formation and [Ca2+]i while
      the EGF response remained unaffected in both parameters. BK (10(-9) to 10(-6) M)
      did not stimulate DNA synthesis in KC as measured by [3H]-thymidine incorporation
      when cultures were treated for 5 days. These results demonstrate that the
      coupling and biochemical signals produced by stimulation of BK and EGF receptors
      in human KC are different and suggests that stimulation of second messenger
      formation from inositol lipid hydrolysis may not be an absolute requirement for
      the initiation of cell proliferation.

PMID- 1403849
TI  - Protein kinases associated with isolated mitotic spindles from mammalian cells:
      identification of a casein kinase II-like enzyme.
AB  - Mitotic spindles isolated from prometaphase-arrested mammalian cells contain
      associated protein kinases that are extracted by high salt treatment. Their
      fractionation by ion-exchange chromatography reveals three major peaks of protein
      kinase activity that phosphorylate brain microtubule-associated proteins and
      differ in their substrate specificity. One of them has been identified as a
      casein kinaseII-like enzyme. A mitotic spindle-associated 325 kDa protein related
      to brain MAP1B is a major substrate for this casein kinase II-like enzyme.
      Another mitotic spindle protein kinase has been tentatively identified as a
      proline-directed protein kinase.

PMID- 1403850
TI  - Protein kinase C phosphorylates both serine and threonine residues of the mRNA
      cap binding protein eIF-4E.
AB  - Several lines of evidence indicate that phosphorylation of the 25 kDa mRNA cap
      binding protein (eIF-4E) stimulates the efficiency of translational initiation.
      While the protein kinases which catalyze this reaction in intact cells have not
      been completely identified, evidence suggests that protein kinase C
      phosphorylates serine residues of eIF-4E in intact cells. In this study we
      demonstrate that protein kinase C also phosphorylates threonine residues of
      recombinant human eIF-4E in vitro. Phosphorylation of threonine and serine was
      observed over a range of eIF-4E and salt concentrations. However, relatively low
      levels of phosphorylation were seen even under optimal conditions. Similar
      results were observed with native eIF-4E purified from human erythrocytes. These
      findings demonstrate that protein kinase C can phosphorylate both serine and
      threonine residues of eIF-4E in vitro, but suggest that protein kinase C may not
      be the primary enzyme that phosphorylates eIF-4E in vivo.

PMID- 1403851
TI  - Prosthetic management of dysphagia after a stroke--an unusual combination of
      problems: a clinical report.

PMID- 1403852
TI  - Rehabilitation with calvarial bone grafts and osseointegrated implants after
      partial maxillary resection: a clinical report.
AB  - Osseointegrated implants can be positioned on the nondefect side of a midline
      maxillary resection if there is sufficient residual bone. Axial loading of the
      implants is difficult because the axis of rotation for an obturator prosthesis is
      located along the palatal margin of the defect. Rotation of the prosthesis due to
      a class I lever will encourage stresses within the implants and the bone
      surrounding the implants on the nondefect side, and this may be detrimental.
      Placement of implants within the defect will prevent rotation of the prosthesis
      and encourage axial loading of the implants.

PMID- 1403853
TI  - Simplified fabrication of the interim denture using a vacuum-forming machine: a
      clinical report.

PMID- 1403854
TI  - Twelve-year clinical report on multiple endodontic implant stabilizers.

PMID- 1403855
TI  - Fracture resistance of composite and amalgam cores retained by pins coated with
      new adhesive resins.
AB  - This study determined the effects of coating pins with either Panavia EX or with
      4-META (Cover-Up) materials on the fracture resistance of pin-retained amalgam
      and composite cores. Gold-plated stainless steel (TMS) and titanium (Filpin) self
      threading pins were used. Findings of this study corroborated the findings of
      several other studies that the use of pins reduces the fracture resistance of
      restorations. However, coating the pins with adhesion promoters such as Panavia
      EX and 4-META materials has been found to be effective in improving the fracture
      resistance. Cross-preference was observed between TMS and Filpin pins; that is,
      Panavia material coating was more effective with TMS pins, while 4-META was more
      effective with Filpin pins.

PMID- 1403856
TI  - Clinical management of abutments with intracoronal attachments.
AB  - A method of preparing teeth to accommodate intracoronal attachments is presented.
      The resulting prosthesis incorporates a fixed partial denture with
      physiologically contoured crowns and a removable partial denture with a precisely
      determined path of insertion. These techniques stress the importance of surveyed
      diagnostic casts and coordinated tooth preparations for artificial crowns to
      facilitate treating complex cases.

PMID- 1403857
TI  - Effect of dentinal bonded resin post-core preparations on resistance to vertical
      root fracture.
AB  - An in vitro study was conducted to compare the resistance to failure of two
      restorative protocols for endodontically treated teeth. Half of 24 specimens
      received cemented cast post-core restorations and the other half were restored
      with dentin-bonded composite resin using the ferric oxalate, NTG-GMA, and the
      PMDM system developed by Bowen. The dentin-bonded resin post-core restorations
      provided significantly less resistance to failure than the cemented custom cast
      post-core. The dentin-bonded resin post-core fractured in every instance before
      the root fractured. A greater force was required to cause failure of the resin
      post as the cross-sectional area of the post increased.

PMID- 1403858
TI  - A comparative study of ceramic crown margins constructed using different
      techniques.
AB  - This study compares three variations of the direct lift-off technique utilizing
      porcelain materials with thermoplastic, modeling liquid, and visible light-cured
      resin carriers. Three commercially available materials were evaluated. Vita,
      Ducera, and Dentsply Spectrum. Measurements were made of the width of the
      marginal gap for three sites at each of four stages: (1) after the shoulder
      firing, (2) after the body-incisal firing, (3) after the glaze firing, and (4)
      after a correction firing. All techniques produced marginal gaps in the
      clinically acceptable range. Use of the Vita thermoplastic carrier porcelain
      material resulted in the smallest marginal gap at all but the body-incisal stage.
      Crowns done with the Ducera and Spectrum materials had statistically similar
      marginal gaps at all but the glaze stage, where the Ducera material crowns
      demonstrated the largest marginal gaps.

PMID- 1403859
TI  - Composite resin color change after vital tooth bleaching.
AB  - Color change of composite resin was determined with the Minolta Chroma meter (CR
      100) after four sessions of vital bleaching. Specimens of selected composite
      resin materials were subjected to vital bleaching (37% H3PO4/1 minute, then 30%
      H2O2/infrared light/30 minutes.) Specimens were stored in water between
      bleaching. Control specimens were used to determine the effects of water storage
      alone. Initial L*a*b* color readings were made on 24-hour hydrated specimens.
      Final L*a*b* readings were made on 24-hour hydrated specimens. Calculations were
      made for the delta E values for each specimen. Mean delta E values and standard
      deviations were obtained for each material. Two-way ANOVA and Newman-Keuls
      analyses showed significant (alpha = 0.05) color change for most bleached
      materials. Additionally, some materials had delta E values greater than 3. These
      were visibly lighter compared to their controls. Vital bleaching produced color
      change in most composites as measured with the Chroma meter. This technique may
      be used to lighten dark-colored or stained composite resin restorations.

PMID- 1403860
TI  - Effects of cement, cement space, marginal design, seating aid materials, and
      seating force on crown cementation.
AB  - An evaluation of the effects of a die spacer, the seating force, the marginal
      design, seating aid materials, and the cement type during cementation was
      conducted. Two stainless steel dies were used: one with a 1 mm shoulder and the
      other with a shoulder and a 65-degree bevel. Ten stone dies were produced from
      each metal die and half were painted with four layers of die spacer. The crowns
      were waxed on the dies and cast in a nonprecious alloy, and the seating of crowns
      was measured with a micrometer before and after cementation. Comparisons were
      made between zinc phosphate and glass ionomer cements under two seating forces of
      5 and 30 lb using an orangewood stick or E-Z-bite seating aid. ANOVA and the
      Newman-Keuls test revealed that the use of a die spacer, a heavier force of 30
      lb, and glass ionomer cement significantly improved crown seating. The beveled
      preparation led to superior crown seating when the heavier force or glass ionomer
      cement was used. The orangewood stick and bite device had a similar effect on
      crown seating.

PMID- 1403861
TI  - Effects of 'resin-compatible' cavity varnishes on composite resin microhardness.
AB  - Although the use of cavity varnishes with composite resins has traditionally been
      discouraged, several "resin-compatible" varnishes are currently available. This
      in vitro study evaluated the effects of resin-compatible cavity varnishes on a
      hybrid composite resin. The results of the study indicate that these varnishes
      soften the composite resin in contact with varnished dentin.

PMID- 1403862
TI  - Viscosity of monophase addition silicones as a function of shear rate.
AB  - The viscosity of monophase addition silicone impression materials was measured as
      a function of shear rate. The setting of mixed catalyst and base was prevented by
      addition of a small amount of phenyl propiolic acid. All products showed a 6- to
      10-fold decrease in viscosity with an increasing shear rate (shear thinning). The
      addition of phenyl propiolic acid had little or no effect on the viscosity of
      three materials. However, when added to the catalyst or base only of two
      products, it increased their viscosity and exaggerated the shear thinning effect.

PMID- 1403863
TI  - A secondary lingual casting for removable partial dentures.
AB  - This article describes a technique for constructing a nickel chromium alloy
      lingual casting that reinforces a removable partial denture against heavy
      anterior occlusion. The metal can be cast into a thin secondary casting, and it
      is easily etched and bonded to the resin anterior teeth and associated base. This
      type of lingual casting has the potential to provide a simple and effective
      solution to the problem of repeated fracture or displacement of anterior teeth in
      many restorations.

PMID- 1403864
TI  - Mandibular complete denture impressions with fluid wax or polysulfide rubber: a
      comparative study.
AB  - Some authors have stated that wax cannot be used to make impressions for complete
      dentures, while others have found that wax has some advantages over elastomeric
      impression materials. The purpose of this study was to compare mandibular
      impressions made with a fluid wax to those made with light-body polysulfide
      rubber. Fifteen maxillary and mandibular complete dentures were made using fluid
      wax as a final impression material. For comparison, 15 maxillary and mandibular
      complete dentures were made using light-body polysulfide rubber. The number of
      adjustments required over 1 year was recorded. No statistical difference in
      adjustments was noted between the two groups.

PMID- 1403865
TI  - The position of the neutral zone in relation to the alveolar ridge.
AB  - Included in this study are 21 edentulous patients. They were classified according
      to their period of edentulousness into two groups. One group was edentulous from
      1/2 to 2 years. The other group was edentulous for more than 2 years. The neutral
      zone (NZ) was located for each patient by using record bases, and an impression
      compound as the occlusion rim. A 30-gauge stainless steel wire was adapted along
      the center of the alveolar ridge on the final cast. A 24-gauge stainless steel
      wire was adapted and stabilized over the center of each occlusion rim. An
      occlusal view radiograph was obtained of each recording base and its cast. Each
      film was placed in a viewing box and the relationship between the images of the
      two wires in the buccolingual direction was studied in the anterior, premolar,
      and molar regions on the left and right sides. Where the two images coincided a
      zero score was given. In the case of buccal location a plus scores was given, and
      where there was a lingual location of the (NZ), a minus score was given. All
      measures were taken in millimeters. Statistical analysis was performed between
      the two groups. The longer the period of edentulousness, the more
      buccally/lingually located was the NZ.

PMID- 1403866
TI  - Denture tooth selection: an analysis of the natural maxillary central incisor
      compared to the length and width of the face: Part II.
AB  - This is the second part of a project conducted by the Removable Prosthodontic
      Faculty to compare the length and width of the maxillary central incisor with the
      length and width of the face. In this article, gender of the students was the
      main consideration. Three hundred fifty men and 138 women students participated
      in the project.

PMID- 1403867
TI  - Laboratory wear investigation of resin posterior denture teeth.
AB  - This investigation compared the wear resistance of three "improved" resin
      posterior denture tooth formulations with two conventional products on a
      mechanical toothbrush abrasion machine. The ability of the teeth to resist this
      type of abrasion was evaluated by determination of the weight loss during 339
      hours of brushing with firm nylon bristle toothbrushes. All brands exhibited
      negligible loss, with the conventional brands performing better than the
      "improved" formulations.

PMID- 1403868
TI  - Effect of repair surface design, repair material, and processing method on the
      transverse strength of repaired acrylic denture resin.
AB  - The transverse strengths of blocks of denture base acrylic resin repaired with
      autopolymerizing monomer and polymer and autopolymerizing monomer and heat-cured
      polymer were measured with a three-point bending test. Three repair joints were
      studied: butt, round, and 45-degree bevel. Three processing methods were used:
      bench cure, hydroflask with hot water for 10 minutes, and hydroflask with hot
      water for 30 minutes. The strengths of repairs made with round and 45-degree
      bevel joint designs were similar and significantly greater than those with a butt
      joint design. The strengths of repairs processed in a hydroflask for 10 minutes
      and 30 minutes were similar and significantly greater than those cured on the
      bench top. There was no difference in the strength of repairs made with
      autopolymerizing monomer and polymer and autopolymerizing monomer and heat-cured
      polymer.

PMID- 1403869
TI  - The knife-edge tendency in mandibular residual ridges in women.
AB  - To investigate the bone resorption pattern of the residual alveolar bone, the
      morphologic change that occurred in mandibles was analyzed with standardized
      lateral cephalographs of 30 edentulous patients (15 women and 15 men). The
      longitudinal morphologic changes were measured at the sagittal sections of the
      mandibular bony contour at the symphysis area on superimposed cephalographic
      tracings. To quantify the morphologic change, a knife-edge index (KEI) was
      developed as the area change divided by the height change. Geometrically, the
      higher value of KEI represents the greater tendency to become a narrow residual
      ridge. The KEI values were statistically higher in the women than in the men (p
      less than 0.002). In addition, the value of KEI seems to correlate with
      osteopenic change at the center point of the body of the second vertebra (p less
      than 0.01). The continuous bone resorption activity in the edentulous mandible of
      women seems to be emphasized at the labial and lingual surfaces of the residual
      alveolar bone, resulting in a knife-edge type of residual ridge.

PMID- 1403870
TI  - An analysis of the effect of mandibular length on residual ridge loss in the
      edentulous patient.
AB  - The relationship of mandibular length to residual ridge loss was studied in 22
      edentulous patients. Tracings made from cephalometric films taken at initial
      insertion of complete dentures and at 20 years after placement were measured.
      Mandibular length was determined to have no statistical relationship to the
      reduction in residual ridge height in either the maxillae or the mandible. In
      addition, alveolar bone loss in the one jaw had no relationship to the amount of
      loss in the other jaw.

PMID- 1403871
TI  - A surgical guide for implant placement.
AB  - Mounted diagnostic casts aid in determining whether sufficient space exists for a
      fixed cantilevered implant prosthesis. These casts are also used to construct a
      surgical guide. Such a technique is described.

PMID- 1403872
TI  - An appliance to correct mandibular deviation in a dentulous patient with a
      discontinuity defect.
AB  - The mandibular discontinuity defect is one of the most difficult problems in
      prosthetic dentistry. This article describes an appliance that has been used
      successfully in reducing or correcting the deviation in dentate patients who have
      experienced mandibular resection. It consists of a prefabricated integrated tube
      and plunger that are hinged to clear acrylic resin maxillary and mandibular
      appliances.

PMID- 1403873
TI  - Occlusal force after partial mandibular resection.
AB  - Surgical resection of a segment or loss of mandibular continuity can adversely
      affect most of the structures essential for maximum occlusal force. Five subjects
      who had partial mandibular resections for treatment of squamous cell carcinoma
      were studied. Occlusal force was recorded before and after cancer treatment and
      following prosthetic rehabilitation. A gnathodynamometer was used to record
      anterior occlusal force. Five edentulous and five dentate cancer-free subjects
      matched for age were studied to establish comparable normative data. The null
      hypothesis that partial mandibular resection would not affect maximum occlusal
      force was rejected (p = 0.0101). Mandibular resection did alter maximum occlusal
      force. The impact of the decrease in maximum occlusal force on masticatory
      function is yet to be determined.

PMID- 1403874
TI  - Tenderness on palpation and occlusal abnormalities in temporomandibular
      dysfunction.
AB  - Tenderness on palpation indicates objective painful symptoms. This study
      investigated the tenderness of the temporomandibular joint, muscles and their
      relation to occlusion in patients with temporomandibular dysfunction. Two hundred
      ten patients were examined; 96% had tenderness and 80% of cases of tenderness
      were diagnosed as occlusally related. The average number of tender areas was 5.4
      per patient, despite the contribution of occlusion. Tenderness was observed most
      frequently in the lateral pterygoid muscle, followed by the insertion of temporal
      muscle. There was no correlation of temporomandibular joint tenderness to muscle
      tenderness, while tenderness of certain muscles to each other was correlated.
      Differences were related to the state of occlusion in the number of tender areas,
      to the ratio to tenderness of elevator muscles to horizontally acting muscles,
      and to the frequency of unilateral tenderness. The association of muscle
      tenderness and occlusion was suggested.

PMID- 1403875
TI  - The effect of age on condylar asymmetry in patients with craniomandibular
      disorders of arthrogenous origin.
AB  - A group of patients with a craniomandibular disorder of arthrogenous origin
      demonstrated an age-related variation of condylar asymmetry with age. This may
      reflect a greater depletion of the mesenchymal cell layer, which is responsible
      for adaptation of the articular surface as age increases. This would then result
      in greater deterioration of the articular surfaces and a consequent decrease in
      condylar asymmetry.

PMID- 1403876
TI  - Wet versus dry enamel ablation by Er:YAG laser.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to observe tooth structure and pulpal temperature
      changes in extracted human teeth subjected to a pulsed Er:YAG (2.94 microns)
      laser. Two teeth were irradiated while dry and three teeth while moistened by a
      fine water mist. When the dry teeth were irradiated, there was minimal enamel
      ablation. SEM of the resulting surface showed rounded fragments of enamel rods,
      enamel melting, cracks, and smooth-edged voids. Intrapulpal temperature measured
      by thermal sensor rose more than 27 degrees C. When the laser application on the
      teeth was pulsed with a constant fine water mist, enamel and dentin were
      efficiently ablated. SEM of the resulting surfaces showed fissures and conical
      craters with sharp enamel projections remaining. Intrapulpal temperatures rose an
      average of 4 degrees C. These results indicate that pulsed Er:YAG (2.94 microns)
      used with a water mist removes enamel and dentin without producing significant
      pulpal temperature changes.

PMID- 1403877
TI  - A scanning electron microscopy study of the effect of bleaching agents on enamel:
      a preliminary report.
AB  - The effect of bleaching agents on the enamel surface was examined by scanning
      electron microscopy. The comparison of treated to untreated enamel revealed that
      the treated surface had increased surface change and porosity after the
      equivalent of 30 hours of exposure to the bleaching agent. The degree of
      alteration of enamel surface was not uniform and was influenced by cleanliness
      (oral hygiene) of the treated teeth and apparent variation in calcification. The
      enamel surface developed varying degrees of surface porosity and alteration.

PMID- 1403878
TI  - Effects of temporary cementation on permanent cement retention to composite resin
      cores.
AB  - This in vitro study compared the effects on retention of base metal cylindrical
      retainers placed on composite resin cores when pretreated with eugenol and
      noneugenol temporary cements. Sixty composite cores and base metal cylindrical
      retainers were tested. The cores were pretreated with eugenol and noneugenol
      temporary cements before eventual cementation with resin and zinc phosphate
      cements. Cemented core retention was measured by application of a compressive
      force to the cores in an Instron machine. Differences were found between the two
      permanent cements. Pretreatment with eugenol cement reduced retainer retention
      with resin cements, but had no effect with zinc phosphate cement. Pretreatment
      with noneugenol cement did not reduce retainer retention.

PMID- 1403879
TI  - A review of the strength properties of dental ceramics.
AB  - New ceramic materials for restorative dentistry have been developed and
      introduced in recent years. This article reviews advantages and disadvantages of
      dental ceramics, concentrating on strength properties. Included are factors
      affecting the strength of dental ceramic materials and the most common mechanisms
      for increasing the strength of dental ceramics. The properties of presently
      available materials such as dispersion-strengthened ceramics, cast ceramics, and
      foil-reinforced materials are discussed. Current research efforts to improve the
      fracture resistance of ceramic restorative materials are reviewed. A description
      of methods to evaluate the strength of ceramics is included, as a caution
      concerning the interpretation of strength data reported in the literature.

PMID- 1403880
TI  - Long-term outcomes for remedial students.
AB  - A recent survey of dental schools concluded that current efforts toward
      remediation are inadequate. A remedial waxing course providing recognition
      training before production attempts, emphasis on formative self- and peer
      evaluation of projects, and application of a highly structured format for
      ensuring relevant practice had been developed and favorably evaluated previously.
      The current report follows the progress of two differently trained remedial
      groups and the remainder of the class in two courses following remediation. On
      the five subsequent practical examinations analyzed, the experimental group
      continued to perform at the class mean. On one practical examination, the
      experimental group significantly outperformed the traditional group (p less than
      0.02). For three of the five examinations, the traditional group was
      significantly outperformed by the class. One of the six students in the
      experimental group required additional remediation. Of the seven in the
      traditionally remediated group, one left school and four required additional
      remediation. An apparent changing remediation pattern in the preclinical training
      period is described and possible reasons for the change are explored.

PMID- 1403881
TI  - A simplified intraoral surveying device.
AB  - This article describes an easily made and used intraoral surveying device that
      can aid the dentist in transferring needed preparation information from the
      diagnostic cast. This device also allows checking of the preparations as they are
      progressing. The device consists of a Proxabrush handle and a drafting lead.

PMID- 1403882
TI  - Accuracy and dimensional stability of a combined hydrocolloid impression system.
AB  - The accuracy of a combined hydrocolloid impression system was studied as a
      function of time of pour. There was little change in dimension between posts for
      all time intervals studied. No statistically significant differences were noted
      among the observation periods until 3 hours. The results indicate that for the
      impression system studied, a 3-hour pouring time can be used for transport to a
      commercial dental laboratory, provided the impressions are stored in 100%
      relative humidity. The hydrocolloid impression system tested resulted in a stone
      cast of slightly deviating dimensions compared with the master model. Therefore
      laboratory procedures should compensate for cement thickness, taking into account
      the minimal changes in dimensions of the die.

PMID- 1403883
TI  - The dimensional accuracy of rectangular acrylic resin specimens cured by three
      denture base processing methods.
AB  - The dimensional accuracy of rectangular acrylic resin specimens was examined when
      they were processed by three methods: a conventional method, the SR-Ivocap
      system, and a microwave curing method. The dimensional accuracy was evaluated by
      the change of the distance vector V, which is calculated by means of measurements
      of the distances between fixed points on specimens. The specimen cured by the SR
      Ivocap system exhibited less dimensional change (p less than 0.05) than those
      cured by the conventional and the microwave curing methods. The SR-Ivocap system
      might produce a more accurate denture base than the conventional and the
      microwave curing methods.

PMID- 1403885
TI  - Equipping a dental laboratory: fabricating a pressure pot.
AB  - A pressure pot has many applications in dentistry. This article describes a
      simple method of converting an everyday kitchen pressure cooker into one that can
      be used in dentistry. The technique is simple, and the components needed are
      readily available at a local hardware or department store. The advantage of this
      pressure pot is that it can be made for one third to one half the cost of
      purchasing one from a manufacturer.

PMID- 1403884
TI  - Microwave processing of cleft palate orthopedic expansion devices.
AB  - This article describes a method for making a palatal expansion device for use in
      conjunction with orthopedic repositioning of the premaxilla in patients with
      bilateral cleft palate. The technique of constructing the devices involves the
      microwave processing of a permanent soft liner and a heat-cured acrylic resin in
      a single-stage curing cycle. The resultant expansion device has the advantages of
      a soft liner for retention in the nasal cavity and an oral cavity surface that is
      smooth and closely adapted to the tissues. A paper cover is used during the
      flasking process, which allows packing of materials without displacement into
      undesirable locations.

PMID- 1403886
TI  - Improved acrylic resin provisional restorations.

PMID- 1403887
TI  - Simplifying the altered cast impression technique for distal-extension removable
      partial dentures.
AB  - This technique allows construction of a detachable custom tray by the dental
      laboratory before the distal extension RPD framework is returned to the dentist.
      This permits a framework try-in with unencumbered physiologic relief, rapid
      attachment of the custom tray, subsequent impression making, and possibly jaw
      relation records all in one patient visit.

PMID- 1403888
TI  - An alternative immediate complete denture impression technique.
AB  - An alternative immediate denture impression technique for extremely mobile teeth,
      utilizing amalgam condensers, has been presented. The apically applied pressure
      on the mobile teeth minimizes the risk of accidental tooth extraction during
      impression removal.

PMID- 1403889
TI  - A simple method for permanent identification of dentures.

PMID- 1403890
TI  - Simulation of lateral pressures to identify possible occlusal interference during
      sleep.

PMID- 1403891
TI  - Calculus and plaque removal from osseointegrated implant titanium abutments.

PMID- 1403892
TI  - Insertion adjustment of denture base surface contacting the mylohyoid ridge.

PMID- 1403893
TI  - Technique to diminish discomfort from the palatal injection.
AB  - A new technique for diminishing the discomfort of a palatal injection has been
      described. The technique utilizes a cotton pellet saturated with
      dichlorodifluoromethane spray held in contact with the tissue 5 seconds to freeze
      a small portion of the surface tissue. The injection needle then penetrates the
      frozen tissue with little discomfort to the patient.

PMID- 1403894
TI  - Evulsion of a percutaneous implant abutment: a clinical report.

PMID- 1403895
TI  - Alloplastic cranial implants made from computed tomographic scan-generated casts.
AB  - The complexity of cranioplasty increases with increased defect size. It is
      difficult to produce a symmetric, accurate implant presurgically or at the time
      of surgery when the defect is greater than 50 cm2. The procedure is also more
      difficult to perform when the defect is located in the temporal, infratemporal,
      or frontal areas. A new procedure generates a three-dimensional cast of the skull
      through computed tomography and computer-aided design reformation. This article
      describes the process of model generation and the production of a preprocessed
      cranial implant. To date, six cranial implants have been made with this
      technique. The whole head models are accurate and help the neurosurgeon
      prosthodontist team in the creation of a symmetric, anatomically correct
      restoration. It is the technique of choice for large implants or where the
      cranial bones are thin. It is not necessary to augment or alter the implant
      during surgery. The technique reduces surgical time, and postsurgical
      complications have been minimal.

PMID- 1403896
TI  - Sleep apnea prosthesis for dentate patients.
AB  - This article describes clinical and laboratory techniques for the fabrication of
      a sleep apnea prosthesis for a dentate patient. The treatment objective is to
      posture the mandible at an increased vertical and protrusive position to diminish
      or eliminate the collapse of the base of tongue into the oropharynx. During
      fabrication of the prosthesis, cephalograms are used to evaluate spatial change
      between the base of the tongue and the posterior pharyngeal wall.

PMID- 1403897
TI  - The design of a two-part acid-etched resin-bonded fixed partial denture.
AB  - A new framework design is presented for resin-bonded, acid-etched, fixed partial
      dentures. This innovative design divided the restoration into two parts, each
      with a separate path of insertion. The preparation of abutment teeth required
      minimal reduction and the pontic could not be displaced during function. Thirty
      five patients with missing posterior teeth have been treated with this
      imaginative approach and after approximately 2 years, there have been no
      debonding failures.

PMID- 1403898
TI  - Clinical evaluation of the gingiva around single-crystal sapphire endosseous
      implant after experimental ligature-induced plaque accumulation in monkeys.
AB  - This study was performed to evaluate clinical changes of the gingiva with plaque
      accumulation around the single-crystal sapphire implant. Four implants were
      inserted into mandibular and maxillary edentulous regions, and the superstructure
      was inserted 1 month after insertion of the implants in each of nine monkeys.
      Plaque control was maintained for 3 months after insertion to set up the
      baseline. Plaque was allowed to accumulate on one side by placing the ligature
      around the implant and natural teeth without any plaque control, and on the other
      side plaque control was continued for 9 months. Both the implant and natural
      teeth on the ligature side showed a significant increase in the clinical
      parameters of plaque index, gingival index, and probing depth. No significant
      difference was obtained between the implant and natural teeth. These findings
      indicate that plaque control is of great importance for maintaining the health of
      peri-implant gingiva.

PMID- 1403899
TI  - Radiotherapeutic management of an orocutaneous defect with a balloon-retaining
      stent.
AB  - Maxillary resection defects have traditionally been technically difficult to
      treat with conventional radiation therapy. The irregular contours of the defect
      lead to an uneven distribution of the radiation doses. The potential to
      undertreat defects of microscopic involvement may leave residual disease. Tissue
      morbidity is high at isolated "hot spots" or at locations of excessive dose
      distribution. The use of a water-filled balloon bolus in conjunction with a
      balloon-retaining stent can significantly improve treatment efficacy and decrease
      tissue morbidity. This article describes a technique for the fabrication of a
      balloon-retaining stent for an orocutaneous defect.

PMID- 1403900
TI  - Lip stent for positive pressure in keloid treatment.
AB  - The fabrication of a device to exert pressure on a keloid of the lip is
      described. In addition to providing uniform and adjustable compression, it is
      strong enough to resist distortion. It is also lightweight, easy to insert and
      remove, comfortable to wear, esthetically pleasing, easy to clean and fabricate,
      and inexpensive. The prosthesis is a two-component device made from clear acrylic
      resin assembled with a spring and screw. The stent should remain in place 12
      hours a day for 6 to 12 months.

PMID- 1403901
TI  - A shade guide for acrylic resin facial prostheses.
AB  - The value and success of a well-fitting and anatomically correct prosthesis are
      compromised if the color does not match the adjoining tissue. Color and color
      science are reviewed to help develop a simplified acrylic resin shade guide to
      aid in fabricating acrylic resin facial prostheses. This guide will help the
      clinician obtain a good intrinsic shade and minimize extrinsic coloration.

PMID- 1403902
TI  - The effect of a deprogrammer on the position of the terminal transverse
      horizontal axis of the mandible.
AB  - This study measured the amount of positional change in the terminal transverse
      horizontal axis of the mandible that results from altering undesirable
      neuromuscular influence. Centric relation records were made on 19 healthy
      subjects before and after deprogramming. The axis was located with a computerized
      axiograph, and the centric relation records were compared in vivo at the axis
      location. The positional change of the axis was quantified in three dimensions at
      an accuracy of +/- 0.05 mm. The net amount of positional change was compared to
      scores from the temporomandibular joint scale to test for correlation with the
      potential for developing a temporomandibular disorder. The findings showed that
      the amount of positional change in the terminal transverse horizontal axis in 18
      of 19 healthy patients after 12 hours of deprogramming was less than 0.5 mm and
      did not correlate with scores from the TMJ Scale.

PMID- 1403903
TI  - Effects of posterior teeth replacement on temporomandibular joint sounds: a
      preliminary report.
AB  - Previous reports have shown the prevalence of jaw clicking to be significantly
      higher in a population with missing posterior teeth compared with an dentulous
      population. This study presents a 2- to 5-year assessment of the effects of
      posterior teeth replacement on the amplitude of jaw clicking in subjects who were
      asymptomatic in all respects except jaw clicking. Patients requiring removable
      partial dentures (RPDs) were clinically and anamnestically examined and
      temporomandibular joint (TMJ) sounds were recorded using a modified stethoscope
      attached to an adjustable headgear. Amplified signals were displayed on a strip
      chart recorder. The amplitude of TMJ sounds at preinsertion of RPDs were 27.5 +/-
      17.7 dB at opening, and 11.1 +/- 12.7 dB at closing. Similar values after
      prosthesis insertion were 15.8 +/- 17.0 dB and 7.4 +/- 7.5 dB, respectively.
      Paired t test analyses showed significant differences in the amplitude of sound
      for opening and closing before inserting the prosthesis (p = 0.003) and for
      opening before and after treatment (p = 0.014). Following replacement of
      posterior teeth, the clicking amplitude decreased in 68% of recordings, remained
      unchanged in 11%, and increased in 21%.

PMID- 1403904
TI  - Report of the Committee on Scientific Investigation of the American Academy of
      Restorative Dentistry.
AB  - The committee screened several hundred articles, citing 518 published papers.
      Some are present quality in research, others provide clinical interest, and some
      are identified as misleading. New techniques in pulp physiology and pathology are
      reported. Laser use and techniques in prevention, restorative dentistry, and
      materials use are reported. Epidemiology of selected diseases and the results of
      various formulations for treatment are cited. Diagnosis of craniomandibular
      dysfunction is well represented as well as references to literature reviews and
      other sophisticated scientific investigation. Research on adhesives is presented
      in respect to bonding agents for dentin and enamel. Several clinical studies are
      included, along with customary laboratory reports on several materials.

PMID- 1403905
TI  - Resin-bonded cast coverage for fractured posterior teeth.
AB  - Enamel-dentin fracture without pulpal involvement of intact posterior teeth
      demands restoration of form and function while preserving as much sound tooth
      material as possible. A partial-coverage restoration cast in nonprecious metal
      and air-abraded and bonded to the tooth by an adhesive resin is suggested. The
      strong bond of the adhesive resin to the enamel and dentin of the tooth and to
      the air-abraded metal allows for simple fabrication of a cast partial coverage
      that requires only minimal tooth preparation.

PMID- 1403906
TI  - Effect of tray space on the accuracy of monophasic polyvinylsiloxane impressions.
AB  - The effect of tray space on the dimensional accuracy and stability of impressions
      made from four brands of monophasic polyvinyl siloxane material was assessed on
      the recovered stone casts by quantitative and qualitative methods. In general,
      both evaluation methods agreed that tray space and repeat pour did not affect the
      accuracy of the dies for individual castings. But disagreement was observed in
      the findings for fixed partial dentures (FPDs). Quantitative measurement of the
      interpreparation (IP) dimensions did suggest the possibility of a potential
      problem when a FPD is cast in one piece because of a significantly reduced
      distance between the two abutments. However, from the findings of this study it
      can be concluded that a rigid stock tray can be used with a monophasic polyvinyl
      siloxane impression material.

PMID- 1403907
TI  - The effect of disinfection procedures on flexural properties of denture base
      acrylic resins.
AB  - This study evaluates the effects of long-term disinfection immersion on the
      flexural properties of denture base resins; it was conducted against a background
      of increasing awareness of the importance of cross-infection control in dental
      clinics and laboratories. The transverse bend testing procedure used followed
      that specified in the International Standard for denture base polymers. The
      results demonstrate that alcohol-based disinfectants are not suitable for use
      with denture base materials of non-cross-linked acrylic resin.

PMID- 1403908
TI  - Linear dimensional variability of three denture base resins after processing and
      in water storage.
AB  - It has been shown that denture base resins shrink during curing and expand during
      storage in water. This investigation measured and compared linear dimensional
      changes of three denture base resins that occurred during processing and after
      storage in water for 30, 60, and 90 days. Triad, Accelar 20, and Lucitone 199
      long- and short-cured resins were studied, and it was found that Accelar 20 resin
      exhibited the least curing shrinkage and Lucitone 199 resin short-cured exhibited
      the most. However, no significant differences occurred between the groups. After
      90 days of water storage, the only resin that exhibited a shrinkage from the
      processed state was Accelar 20. All of the expansion or shrinkage changes were so
      small that they were not statistically significant and should not be clinically
      detectable.

PMID- 1403909
TI  - A vinyl polysiloxane die used to make interim restorations.
AB  - A die made of vinyl polysiloxane is a great aid for making interim restorations
      and for establishing correct gingival contours for finer restorations. This
      article describes the rationale and procedures for such a procedure.

PMID- 1403910
TI  - Composite resin layering: an esthetic technique for restoring fractured anterior
      teeth.

PMID- 1403911
TI  - Development of radiopaque acrylic resins for prostheses.

PMID- 1403912
TI  - Stresses at the dentinoenamel junction of human teeth--a finite element
      investigation.

PMID- 1403913
TI  - Pattern of tooth contacts in eccentric mandibular position in young adults.

PMID- 1403914
TI  - Effect of glass ionomer liners on bonding strength of laminate veneers.
AB  - This study compared shear bond strengths of porcelain laminate veneers,
      fabricated on refractory dies, which were lengthened incisally by 0.5 mm.
      Specimens were divided into four separate groups. In group A, the teeth were
      reduced 0.5 mm and the bonding was to enamel. The teeth of the remaining groups
      were reduced 1.0 mm and the bonding was to dentin. For two of the groups glass
      ionomer liners were applied before etching. Bonding to enamel was best, with
      cohesive fractures in porcelain. In the other groups, failure was adhesive in
      nature, occurring at the resin-tooth interface.

PMID- 1403915
TI  - Apparent intrusion of natural teeth under an implant-supported prosthesis: a
      clinical report.

PMID- 1403916
TI  - Comparison of the fracture strengths of ceramometal crowns versus several all
      ceramic crowns.
AB  - Fracture resistance to forces applied to the incisal edges of four types of
      anterior crowns was tested. Ceramometal crowns fractured at significantly higher
      values (720 psi) than the all-ceramic crowns (approximately 360 psi). No
      significant difference was found among the fracture values of the Dicor crowns,
      the aluminous porcelain jackets, and the crowns fabricated from Dicor veneered
      with aluminous body and incisal porcelain.

PMID- 1403917
TI  - The wear of enamel opposing shaded ceramic restorative materials: an in vitro
      study.
AB  - The wear rate of intact human enamel opposed by Olympia porcelain gold, Dicor,
      Ceramco porcelain, and externally shaded Dicor and Ceramco was investigated with
      an artificial oral environment. The enamel-material couples were subjected to
      300,000 masticatory cycles at a maximal occlusal force of 13.4 N while they were
      continuously bathed with 37 degrees C deionized water. Both the enamel and
      material surfaces were analyzed by use of a three-dimensional surface monitoring
      computer program, AnSur, to record the removal of the material and the maximal
      loss of vertical height. The enamel opposing the externally shaded materials
      abraded two to five times more than that opposing the unshaded materials and 10
      to 15 times more than enamel opposing gold. The wear rates for enamel opposing
      the gold and unshaded Dicor were similar both in the removal of material and in
      the loss in vertical height.

PMID- 1403918
TI  - The effect of adhesive luting agent-dentinal surface interactions on film
      thickness.
AB  - This study investigated the effect of luting agent-dentinal surface interactions
      on the film thicknesses of new adhesive luting agents. The method was in
      compliance with American National Standards Institution/American Dental
      Association (ADA) Specification No. 8 for zinc phosphate cement. In the control
      groups the luting agents were placed between two glass plates, as described in
      ADA Specification No. 8, but in the test groups the luting agents were positioned
      between a glass and a dentinal plate. The materials selected were zinc phosphate
      cement, glass ionomer cement, polycarboxylate cement, and a resinous cement with
      a dentinal bonding agent. A two-way analysis of variance was performed, and t
      tests were computed to compare glass with the dentinal plate within each
      material. Zinc phosphate and glass ionomer cements exhibited a significant
      decrease in film thickness when measured in contact with dentin, as compared with
      contact with the glass plate. However, polycarboxylate cement and the resinous
      cement with its dentin bonding agent showed a slight nonsignificant increase when
      contacting dentin, as compared with the glass plate. An explanation was offered
      and suggestions were made regarding future research.

PMID- 1403919
TI  - Shear strength of resin developed by four bonding agents used with cast metal
      restorations.
AB  - The evolution of the acid etch technique has made possible a more conservative
      approach to the fabrication of cast metal restorations. The resin bonding
      technique, however, places a greater burden for success on the selection of a
      bonding agent. This study examined the shear bond strength durability of cast
      metal restorations bonded to tooth structure with one of four metal adhesive
      bonding agents. Results indicated stronger bonds for restorations cemented with
      Panavia EX bonding agent than with any of the other bonding agents tested, both
      with and without exposure to thermal stress. Although it was one of the easier
      materials with which to work, Panavia EX bonding agent requires the additional
      step of applying an agent to prevent oxygen contact in the setting process.

PMID- 1403920
TI  - Method to measure the polymerization shrinkage of light-cured composites.
AB  - The polymerization shrinkage of light-cured dental composite resins has been
      reported to cause a marginal gap between the cavity wall and the restoration,
      leading to the premature and/or tensile stress failure of the composite
      restoration. This study measured the volumetric shrinkage of six light-cured
      posterior composites by measuring specific gravity differences between uncured
      and cured composite test specimens, using a modified version of ASTM method D792
      "Specific Gravity and Density of Plastics by Displacement." The measured
      volumetric shrinkage ranged from 1.35% to 3.22%.

PMID- 1403921
TI  - Amalcore strength recovery following refilling of access preparations with
      amalgam.
AB  - After endodontic treatment through an amalgam core, the recommended procedure is
      to replace the entire core. This study examined the strength achieved by
      restoring the access openings with dental amalgam and reported the type of
      failure during strength testing. Seventy-two Dispersalloy 8 x 8 mm cylindrical
      specimens were produced using controlled condensation pressures. The specimens
      were randomized in three groups: (1) controls, (2) 3 mm access preparations
      wetted with mercury-rich amalgam before restoration, and (3) 3 mm access
      preparations restored unwetted. The specimens tested for compressive strength
      were separated in two subsets. The unwetted group demonstrated significantly less
      strength than the control and wetted group (p less than 0.05), while the unwetted
      and wetted groups revealed significantly less strength than the control group (p
      less than 0.05). The mean diametral tensile strength recovery for the wetted and
      unwetted groups was 76% and 69%, respectively. The qualitative assessment of the
      fracture zones indicated that wetted specimens exhibited more fractures through
      the new amalgam core than the unwetted specimens (p less than 0.05). It would
      appear that amalgam refilling of access preparations through amalgam cores has
      clinical potential.

PMID- 1403922
TI  - Bar attachments for overdentures with nonparallel abutments.
AB  - Bar attachments are easily fabricated and provide increased retention and support
      for overdentures. Nonparallel root abutments can preclude the routine use of bar
      attachments unless modifications are made in the design. This article reviews
      several existing techniques to successfully fabricate bar attachments in
      overdenture patients with nonparallel abutments. In addition, three alternative
      methods are presented for placing bar attachments on abutments with divergent
      roots.

PMID- 1403923
TI  - Comparison of the retentive properties of a sleeve cast crown/core system with
      crowns cemented to conventional cast cores.
AB  - The retention of the crown to the core substructure is of great importance for a
      successful restoration. The aim of this study was to compare the retentive values
      of the Flexi-Cast post and its sleeve crown/core complex with that of a crown
      cemented to a conventional cast post. Forty single-rooted teeth divided equally
      into four groups were used. Flexi-Cast crown and cores were cemented to Flexi
      Cast posts in groups 1 through 3. Group 4, the control group, comprised crowns
      cemented to conventional cast cores. Groups 1 through 4 had retentive values of
      126.2, 135.5, 185.0, and 79.3 lb, respectively. Statistically, the increase in
      retention for all sizes of the Flexi-Cast crown and cores when compared with the
      control cast post and crown was found to be significant (p less than or equal to
      0.0001).

PMID- 1403924
TI  - The value of radiographic predictors of the rate of mandibular residual ridge
      resorption.
AB  - This study tested the relationships between the rate of mandibular residual ridge
      resorption and the following two variables: cortical thickness at the gonion, and
      the proportion of cortical bone at the symphysis. These parameters were also
      compared between men and women. Measurements of cortical thickness at the gonion
      on panoramic radiographs were compared with similar measurements on lateral
      cephalometric radiographs. The results showed that neither cortical thickness at
      the gonion nor the proportion of cortical bone at the symphysis could be used as
      radiographic predictors of the rate of mandibular bone resorption. The rate of
      resorption was significantly greater in men than in women, while cortical
      thickness at the gonion in women was significantly less than that in men.
      Furthermore, the authors concluded that cephalometric and panoramic measurements
      should not be used interchangeably.

PMID- 1403925
TI  - Changes in the mandibular rest position after removal of remaining teeth and
      insertion of complete dentures.
AB  - A 24-month study was conducted to determine changes in the mandibular rest
      position after removal of the remaining teeth and insertion of complete dentures.
      A total of 24 patients with at least 10 teeth acting as occlusal stops were
      included in this study. Serial lateral cephalometric radiographs were made for
      each patient on four occasions (1) before extraction (2) 7 to 10 days after the
      initial denture insertion (3) 12 months later, and (4) 24 months later. Two
      angular measurements and one linear measurement were made for each radiograph and
      compared. A statistically significant increase in the face rest height with a
      tendency for posterior mandibular rotation was recorded between stages 1 and 2.
      This initial posterior rotation was followed by a gradual forward and upward
      movement, which finally brought the mandibular rest position even below the
      preextraction levels. The findings confirm the concept of the variability of
      posture and suggest that the mandibular rest position is an unreliable means of
      reestablishing the vertical dimension of occlusion that existed before extraction
      of the natural teeth.

PMID- 1403926
TI  - Denture base resins: comparison study of color stability.
AB  - Several denture base resins have been recently introduced that provide easier or
      faster processing. Although these materials have adequate strength properties,
      the color stability is also of interest. This study evaluated the color stability
      of five denture base acrylic resins and one denture base repair resin. The
      samples were subjected to conditions of accelerated aging to test color
      stability. Five samples of each material were processed and aged for 100 and 300
      hours. The color stability was quantitatively measured using the Minolta Chroma
      Meter II. Color measurements were made before weathering and at 100 and 300 hours
      the color difference delta E was calculated for all samples. At 300 hours the
      color change of the materials was significantly different at p less than 0.01. It
      was found that: (1) the color of Lucitone Hy-pro and Acron was least affected by
      conditions of accelerated aging; (2) Triad, Accelar 20, and Perm demonstrated
      noticeable color changes; and (3) Compak-20 had an appreciable color change and
      was the least color-stable of the materials tested.

PMID- 1403927
TI  - Fatigue strength of cantilevered metal frameworks for tissue-integrated
      prostheses.
AB  - The design of the metal alloy framework in cantilevered sections of fixed tissue
      integrated prostheses, is critical. Several cross-sectional designs have been
      advocated, including the popular L-shaped beam, which permits the economical use
      of space for tooth placement. The fatigue strengths of 15 L-shaped cantilevered
      framework sections of the same metal alloy were tested. The castings were divided
      into three groups of five according to vertical wall heights of 4, 5, and 6 mm.
      Fatigue durability of each sample was determined by counting the number of cycles
      of vertical forces required to induce catastrophic failure. Statistical analysis
      revealed significant differences between all three groups in the cycles counted
      at failure (p less than 0.0019). Fatigue strengths improved significantly with
      increasing vertical wall height of the L-shaped cantilevered frameworks. In
      addition, beam flexure was shown to be indirectly proportional to fatigue
      strength. Theoretical beam deflection was calculated and shown to correlate with
      the actual beam deflection during the testing. Theoretical calculations in static
      bending specific for a cross-sectional design may aid in the predictability of
      fatigue strength.

PMID- 1403928
TI  - Retrieval of the resilient element in an osseointegrated implant system.
AB  - A fractured apical fragment of the resilient intramobile element within the IMZ
      dental implant cylinder is difficult to remove. The continued usefulness of the
      implant will be compromised if the fractured intramobile element is not removed.
      Two methods of retrieving the apical fragment without causing damage to the
      internal threads of the implant cylinder are described.

PMID- 1403929
TI  - Stress distribution around dental implants: influence of superstructure, length
      of implants, and height of mandible.
AB  - The stress distribution around dental implants was investigated by use of a two
      dimensional model of the mandible with two implants. A vertical load of 100 N was
      imposed on abutments or the bar connection. The stress was calculated for a
      number of superstructures under different loading conditions with the help of the
      finite element method. The length of the implants and the height of the mandible
      were also varied. A model with solitary abutments showed a more uniform
      distribution of the stress when compared with a model with connected abutments.
      The largest compressive stress was also less in the model without the bar. Using
      shorter implants did not have a large influence on the stress around the
      implants. When the height of the mandible was reduced, a substantially larger
      stress was found in the bone around the implants because of a larger overall
      deformation of the lower jaw.

PMID- 1403930
TI  - Phenytoin hyperplasia occurring under complete dentures: a clinical report.

PMID- 1403931
TI  - Periodontal and prosthodontic treatment of amelogenesis imperfecta: a clinical
      report.
AB  - A multidiscipline procedure has been described that provided prosthodontic
      restoration of esthetics and function for a patient with amelogenesis imperfecta.

PMID- 1403932
TI  - Effects of home bleaching preparations on composite resin color.
AB  - The lightening of teeth is done professionally by exposure to warm hydrogen
      peroxide solutions or at home with an active bleaching gel of perhydrol urea or
      carbamide peroxide. This study compared the effects of two commercial bleaching
      gels on the color of composite resin with those in a previous study using the
      dental office technique. Commercial composite resins test specimens were exposed
      to the bleaching gels or water (control) for 312 hours at 37 degrees C at 100%
      relative humidity. Color change value was calculated with before-and-after
      solution exposure L*a*b* color values. ANOVA (alpha = 0.01) revealed no
      differences in the color of the specimens after use of the test solutions. All
      color change values were less than 2 or the normal limit of visual acuity. No
      visual color change was evident for these composite resins. The at-home method
      recorded no shade-altering effects compared with the professional technique,
      which created a noticeable color change.

PMID- 1403933
TI  - Accuracy and bond strength of reversible with irreversible hydrocolloid
      impression systems: a comparative study.
AB  - Combinations of three reversible hydrocolloids with five irreversible
      hydrocolloids were evaluated for dimensional accuracy and bond strength. A
      stainless steel model representing two teeth prepared for a fixed partial denture
      was designed for an accuracy study. The recordings were made with a measuring
      microscope, and the tensile bond strength was determined with an Instron
      Universal Testing instrument. The accuracy of these materials was clinically
      acceptable, and the resulting models were suitable. The materials distributed by
      a common supplier exhibited better tensile strength, although one irreversible
      hydrocolloid, Jeltrate, performed well in the noncompanion combination groups.
      This reversible with irreversible hydrocolloid combination impression has an
      advantage compared with the traditional reversible hydrocolloid impression,
      because it does not require elaborate, expensive conditioning equipment and water
      cooled trays.

PMID- 1403934
TI  - Fatigue life of three core materials under simulated chewing conditions.
AB  - There has been an increase in the use of prefabricated post systems to restore
      endodontically treated teeth. Various restorative materials are being used as
      core buildups on these posts. The purpose of this study was to compare three core
      materials that are used with prefabricated stainless steel posts. Two types of
      prefabricated posts were placed in extracted teeth, followed by core buildups in
      amalgam, composite resin, or glass ionomer. The teeth were prepared for full cast
      crowns with the margins of the crown preparation extending 0.5 to 1.0 mm below
      the margins of the core buildup. Crowns were fabricated and cemented with zinc
      phosphate cement. A custom-designed chewing machine was used to cyclically load
      the teeth with vertical and horizontal forces for one million cycles or until
      failure occurred. Results indicated highly significant differences in the
      survival of the post-core-crown restorations depending on which core buildup
      material was used. Amalgam cores had the lowest failure rate, followed by
      composite resin cores. All teeth restored with crowns over glass-ionomer core
      buildup failed. The type of prefabricated post used had no effect on the survival
      of the post-core-crown restorations regardless of the core buildup used.

PMID- 1403935
TI  - Recording centric and eccentric occlusal disturbances with a new recording
      device.
AB  - A recording device termed a "Kleinrok Functiograph" was introduced to
      simultaneously document condylar- and tooth-guided mandibular movements on the
      same plate. The Functiograph instrument permitted objective monitoring of
      mandibular movement without tooth contact, with all tooth contacts, and allowed
      analysis of the correlation of these two recordings. After 10 years of conducting
      investigations on centric occlusion using the Functiograph instrument combined
      with clinical, radiographic, and electromyographic studies, it was possible to
      differentiate the horizontal Functiograph recordings of normal and disturbed
      centric occlusion at a clinically acceptable vertical dimension. Two types of
      centric occlusal disturbances were classified to accelerate diagnosis and
      standardize communication.

PMID- 1403936
TI  - Tensile bond strengths of three chemical and one electrolytic etching systems for
      a base metal alloy.
AB  - This study compared the tensile bond strength of Rexillium III disks etched by
      three chemical etching systems and the electrochemical etching technique. Cast
      Rexillium III disks were etched by the following etching systems:
      electrochemical, Assure-Etch, Met-Etch gel, and Etch-It gel. Thermocycled samples
      were loaded to failure in tension on an Instron testing machine using a crosshead
      speed of 5 mm/minute. Samples etched electrochemically yielded significantly
      greater bond strengths than those etched chemically (p less than 0.05). The rank
      of the groups was: Electrochemical greater than Assure-Etch = Met-Etch greater
      than Etch-It. Scanning electron micrograph evaluations of the etching patterns
      supported the bond strength determinations.

PMID- 1403937
TI  - Improved retention of acid-etched fixed partial dentures: a longitudinal study.
AB  - Debonding of acid-etched fixed partial dentures has been a problem since their
      introduction. A study was conducted to determine whether this problem could be
      resolved by modifying the mechanical retention of tooth preparations. Retentive
      grooves were prepared at the line angles to create mechanical locks for the resin
      bonded fixed partial denture. The 4-year retention of posterior resin-bonded
      fixed partial dentures improved from 60% to 95% by the placement of the proximal
      grooves. This study was conducted in a dental school clinic during a period of 10
      to 52 months. The results demonstrated that design modifications were necessary
      to improve clinical longevity so that the restoration could be considered
      "permanent" in the traditional sense. The less-experienced dentist may be more
      confident of the treatment with the recommended modifications and projected
      longevity.

PMID- 1403938
TI  - Microleakage of composite resin and glass ionomer cement restorations in
      retentive and nonretentive cervical cavity preparations.
AB  - Ketac Fil glass ionomer cement (GIC) and Scotchbond 2 dentinal bonding agent
      (DBA)/Silux Plus composite resin restorations were inserted in cervical cavity
      preparations of extracted human teeth. After thermocycling, the specimens were
      invested and sectioned longitudinally and horizontally through the center of the
      restoration. Microleakage was evaluated as a ratio of the extent of methylene
      blue dye penetration at the tooth-restoration interface. Although all
      restorations exhibited leakage, both the GIC and bonded composite resin
      restorations recorded less leakage in retentive than in nonretentive cavity
      preparations. Composite resin restorations in nonretentive cavity preparations
      showed significantly more dye penetration toward the pulpal chamber than the GIC
      restorations. Ketac Fil GIC restorations inserted without a matrix strip
      exhibited less leakage than those with a matrix strip. The most desirable results
      were recorded with Scotchbond 2 DBA/Silux Plus composite resin restorations in
      retentive preparations.

PMID- 1403939
TI  - Enhancement of antimicrobial properties of cavity varnish: a preliminary report.
AB  - Bacterial contamination beneath amalgam restorations has been a problem in
      restorative dentistry. Cavity varnish improves the marginal seal but possesses no
      antibacterial properties, and chlorhexidine gluconate is a known antimicrobial
      substance. This study investigated the efficacy of a chlorhexidine
      gluconate/cavity varnish mixture against Streptococcus mutans, S. salivarius, and
      Escherichia coli. The in vitro results indicated that the addition of
      chlorhexidine gluconate to cavity varnish improved its antimicrobial properties.

PMID- 1403940
TI  - The effect of cold treatment on the physical properties of stainless steel and
      titanium alloy endodontic posts.
AB  - This study determined whether cold treatment at -96 degrees C affected the
      mechanical properties of various compositions and sizes of the Flexi-Post system.
      The experiment was divided into four groups of posts. The two control groups were
      made up of untreated stainless steel (50 posts) and titanium alloy (40 posts).
      The two remaining cold-treated groups were made up of stainless steel (50 posts)
      and titanium alloy (40 posts). In each instance the bending or breaking forces
      were tested on a universal testing machine. Stainless steel Flexi-Post samples
      showed a significant (p less than 0.05) increase in strength, whereas titanium
      alloy posts showed no significant increase in strength as a consequence of the
      cold treatment.

PMID- 1403941
TI  - An in vitro evaluation of simplified quantitative diagnostic aids for detection
      of Candida albicans.
AB  - Sensitivities and abilities of quantitative detection for Candida albicans of
      five simplified diagnostic aids for candidosis or denture stomatitis--Microstix
      Candida, Stomastat medium, Mizuno- Takada medium, CA-TG medium, and "milk test"-
      were examined in vitro, and the characteristics or the indications for clinical
      use of these summarized.

PMID- 1403942
TI  - Dimensional accuracy and stability of acrylic resin denture bases.
AB  - Proponents of injection molding systems have claimed a number of benefits over
      conventional press-pack dough molding systems. The aim of this study was to
      evaluate a recently developed injection (dry heat) procedure of processing
      compared with press-pack dough molding utilizing three curing cycles. The
      dimensional accuracy and stability of acrylic resin bases produced by the two
      molding procedures were compared. Dimensional changes were assessed over a period
      of 4 months using an optical comparator. The results demonstrate that baseplates
      produced by the injection molding procedure exhibit less shrinkage than those
      produced by the conventional press-pack procedures.

PMID- 1403943
TI  - Application of the rotational path design concept to a removable partial denture
      with a distal-extension base.
AB  - Biomechanical considerations for use of the rotational path design concept to
      construct a removable partial denture for a patient with a tooth-bounded ridge on
      one side and a distal-extension ridge on the opposite side are presented. The
      various axes and arcs of rotation that occur during masticatory function are
      identified and their effects on the prosthesis and supporting structures are
      analyzed. Sequential steps in the necessary surveys of the master cast are
      enumerated. Critical details for the most effective and least deleterious
      placement of the rigid retentive element on the mesial surface of the posterior
      molar abutment (on the tooth-bounded ridge) are described.

PMID- 1403944
TI  - Effects of environmental factors on maxillofacial elastomers: Part III--Physical
      properties.
AB  - The physical properties of four currently used and two recently introduced
      maxillofacial prosthetic materials were evaluated after the materials were
      subjected to the following seven environmental variables: natural weathering,
      normal aging, two types of adhesives, two types of cleaning agents and cosmetics.
      Ultimate tensile strength, percent elongation, tear strength, and Shore A
      hardness were evaluated. The physical properties recorded for the currently used
      materials were consistent with previous studies. Although the properties of the
      recently introduced materials were similar to those currently in use, one of the
      new materials, A-2186, showed high strength values, although it was one of the
      softest materials tested. Unfortunately, this new material lost these
      advantageous characteristics as it was weakened and made harder by most of the
      tested environmental variables.

PMID- 1403945
TI  - Naturally occurring undercuts in the retention of an interim oculofacial
      prosthesis.
AB  - The use of adhesives in retaining maxillofacial prostheses has been advocated and
      applied for many years. Implant placement has reduced the need for adhesives in
      some patients but is impractical when ablative surgery is followed by radiation
      treatment. A technique is described that permits the rapid fabrication of an
      oculofacial prosthesis that uses naturally occurring orbital undercuts for
      retention, rather than adhesives that may further irritate radiated tissues.

PMID- 1403946
TI  - A study of 589 consecutive implants supporting complete fixed prostheses. Part I:
      Periodontal aspects.
AB  - Ninety-one consecutive edentulous patients who had been treated by means of fixed
      prostheses (n = 103) supported by Branemark implants (n = 589) were examined.
      Eighteen fixtures (3%) failed to integrate. After a mean loading time of 32
      (range 6 to 80) and 38 months (range 5 to 83) for fixtures in the maxilla and
      mandible, respectively, an additional 12 fixtures lost integration. The
      cumulative failure rate for individual fixtures after 6 years was 8.4% and 5% for
      maxillae and mandibles, respectively. Only one patient had to revert to complete
      dentures. For fixtures in the maxillae, the mean marginal bone loss was 0.7, 0.1,
      and 0.2 mm for each of the first 3 years of loading, respectively; for fixtures
      in mandibles, the corresponding values were 0.7, 0.2, and 0.1 mm. The loss in
      marginal bone height was equal in both jaws and was not related to bleeding on
      probing or to the preoperative resorption anatomy.

PMID- 1403947
TI  - Altered sensation following mandibular implant surgery: a retrospective study.
AB  - To determine the prevalence of complications involving altered sensation after
      implant surgery in the mandible, a retrospective questionnaire study was
      conducted of 266 patients treated with osseointegrated implants. Of the
      responding patients (80%), 37% reported altered sensation following implant
      surgery, with long-term changes occurring in 13% of patients. In more than 60% of
      symptomatic patients the onset was within 1 week of the first stage of surgery
      and most frequently involved the lip and chin. Resolution of transient changes
      usually occurred within 6 months and the majority of patients who reported
      alterations in sensation believed that the benefits of the implant surgery
      outweighed the disadvantages experienced. The prevalence of altered sensation was
      significantly higher in women compared with men and in those with a history of
      diabetes. These data indicate the need for prospective studies to further
      evaluate altered sensation after mandibular implant surgery so that specific risk
      factors can be identified and more accurate information made available to
      prospective patients.

PMID- 1403948
TI  - Kinesiographic three-dimensional evaluation of mandibular border movements: a
      statistical study in a normal young nonpatient group.
AB  - Mandibular border movements were studied in a group of 74 healthy young men and
      women with sound dentitions and class I molar relationships. Movements were
      directly performed by the subjects and recorded with a mandibular kinesiograph,
      and slopes of the first millimeters of motion in the anterior and lateral
      guidances were calculated. In anterior guidance, the sagittal plane slope was
      steeper in men than in women, whereas the horizontal plane slope showed no gender
      differences. In the lateral guidances, frontal plane slopes were steeper in men
      than in women, with no side differences. The horizontal plane slope presented no
      side or sex differences. Most of the subjects demonstrated asymmetric guidances
      for both protrusive and the laterotrusive movements. These findings suggest that
      criteria for defining the norm should include asymptomatic asymmetry instead of
      strict morphologic symmetric appearance.

PMID- 1403949
TI  - Evaluation of a technique for recording temporomandibular joint sounds.
AB  - Analysis of temporomandibular joints sounds may contribute to the differential
      diagnosis of temporomandibular joint disorders. In this article an advanced
      system for the recording of joint sounds is presented. The method proved to be
      reliable. The problem of filtering out artifacts has been solved to a great
      extent but not completely. Temporomandibular joint sounds measured with this
      technique vary considerably in energy, frequency spectrum, and peak-to-peak
      amplitude over 3 months, as well as within 1 day. These differences seem to
      reflect natural variations in joint sounds caused by the physical impossibility
      of performing identical jaw movements. The results indicate that joint sound
      characteristics do not yet offer a solid basis for inferences concerning the
      development of temporomandibular joint abnormalities in the clinical setting.

PMID- 1403950
TI  - Characterization of acquired denture pellicle from healthy and stomatitis
      patients.
AB  - Little information is available about the acquired pellicle layer that is formed
      on denture surfaces or its role in regulating microbial colonization of the
      prosthetic surface. Because denture-induced stomatitis is associated with
      increased numbers of Candida albicans and other microorganisms on the denture
      surface, the acquired denture pellicle (ADP) may play a role in modulating this
      colonization. This study examined and compared ADP from healthy patients and
      patients with stomatitis by chemical and immunochemical methods. The ADP was
      found to be composed of a selectively adsorbed layer containing salivary amylase,
      high molecular weight mucin (MG1), lysozyme, albumin, and sIgA. Salivary
      cystatins, proline-rich proteins, and low molecular weight mucin (MG2) were not
      detected. ADP amino acid composition was distinct from any of the ductal salivas,
      but had many similarities with enamel pellicle. Immunoblots of ADP from patients
      with stomatitis identified additional serum components, degradation products, and
      C. albicans cell components that were not detected in ADP from healthy patients.
      Quantification of these molecules in ADP could lead to a diagnostic test for oral
      mucosal disease underlying a denture base. Identification of specific molecules
      in denture pellicle that promote adhesion of C. albicans may elucidate a
      mechanism of fungal cell colonization on the denture surface. Future studies that
      chemically modify the denture acrylic resin surface to immobilize antimicrobial
      proteins may be a means of decreasing pathogenic plaque development.

PMID- 1403951
TI  - Leaching of nickel, chromium, and beryllium ions from base metal alloy in an
      artificial oral environment.
AB  - The use of base metal alloys in dentistry has gained wide popularity in recent
      years. However, claims of their safety have not been universally accepted. An
      artificial oral environment capable of reproducing three-dimensional force
      movement cycles of human mastication was used to determine whether nickel,
      chromium, and beryllium ions were leached from base metal alloy. Twelve pairs of
      crowns were articulated in the following combinations: metal versus metal, metal
      versus enamel, metal versus porcelain, and metal versus metal without chewing as
      a control. In a simulated 1-year period of mastication, the results showed that
      nickel and beryllium metals were released both by dissolution and occlusal wear.
      These findings suggest that if these conditions occur in the oral cavity, the
      stability of base-metal alloys is subject to question. Further studies are needed
      to determine whether the leaching reported has long-term consequences for
      patients receiving base metal restorations.

PMID- 1403952
TI  - Removable magnetic dental attachment that permits magnetic resonance imaging.
AB  - Magnetic dental attachments cause magnetic resonance image (MRI) degradation. A
      new magnetic dental attachment that allows removal of magnetic parts to exchange
      them for nonmagnetic parts was developed and tested. It allows high quality MRI
      with no change in occlusal vertical dimension. A volunteer test subject with
      combinations of attachments in place was examined by MRI. The images produced
      showed no degradation or distortion. Magnetic attachments for overdentures or
      maxillofacial prostheses should be removable to permit use of MRI.

PMID- 1403953
TI  - An indicator for fitting castings to a die.
AB  - This article describes a procedure for making an indicator to be used in fitting
      a casting to a die. It also describes how to use the indicator in the laboratory.
      The materials for making the indicator are inexpensive, present no health hazard,
      and are readily available at any arts and crafts store.

PMID- 1403954
TI  - Adaptation of overdenture abutments with visible light-cured resin.

PMID- 1403955
TI  - An advantage of the direct post and core technique.

PMID- 1403956
TI  - Temporary soft liners: a modified curing technique to extend liner longevity.
AB  - A modified curing technique that will extend the useful clinic life of temporary
      soft liners has been described. This technique offers the following distinct
      advantages over the traditional method of intraoral curing: (1) a liner that is
      less porous; (2) a liner that maintains its resilience intraorally for extended
      periods; (3) a liner that exhibits minimal discoloration over time; (4) increased
      density that allows adjustments to be made when necessary; and (5) minimized
      separation from the acrylic resin denture base.

PMID- 1403957
TI  - Palatal contour guide for positioning retentive framework for obturation for a
      hemimaxillectomy patient.

PMID- 1403958
TI  - Change in the air.

PMID- 1403959
TI  - Establishing the role of the clinical nurse specialist in postanesthesia care.
AB  - The postanesthesia clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is a relatively new and
      developed role, one that is needed and that can be justified in the specialty of
      postanesthesia care nursing. This article describes a model with components of
      expert practitioner, educator, researcher, consultant, and liaison. The sub-role
      of change agent pervades all other roles of the postanesthesia CNS. Establishment
      of the role is examined using change theory. Fitting this specialty CNS into the
      organization is briefly examined through systems theory. Integrating the role
      into the system requires role making, role taking, and steps to reduce the stress
      associated with establishing a new role. Communication with involved subsystems,
      such as postanesthesia staff nurses, management, anesthesia staff, and
      physicians, is vital to the success of the role. Through education and
      interaction, significance of the role can be demonstrated to establish the
      postanesthesia CNS as a vital partner in postanesthesia nursing practice.

PMID- 1403960
TI  - Collaborative governance in the postanesthesia care unit.
AB  - The administration at Schumpert Medical Center, Shreveport, LA, is committed to
      empowering the nursing staff. Due to this commitment, the postanesthesia nurses
      developed a collaborative governance program that is based on empowerment. This
      article discusses how to begin the development and implementation process,
      address staff concerns, and facilitate acceptance of the finished program by the
      staff. This program has become a successful model for the collaborative
      governance program at the author's hospital and has resulted in a stimulating and
      caring working environment for the professional.

PMID- 1403961
TI  - In a small way.

PMID- 1403962
TI  - Practical points in the management of malignant hyperthermia.
AB  - It is the purpose of this article to discuss malignant hyperthermia, including
      its incidence, pathophysiology, and treatment. Anesthetic implications and PACU
      nursing considerations are also addressed.

PMID- 1403963
TI  - Hemodynamic monitoring: what it tells you and what it doesn't, Part I.

PMID- 1403964
TI  - Hemodynamic monitoring: what it tells you and what it doesn't, Part II.

PMID- 1403965
TI  - Validation of concepts: the next step in instrument development for
      postanesthesia studies.
AB  - Validation of concepts through descriptive research is a major step in instrument
      development. The concept of hypothermia as observed in the postanesthesia patient
      is discussed, and data are compared with the North American Nursing Diagnosis
      criteria of hypothermia. What emerges from the data are items specific to
      postanesthesia patients, which have been labeled as inadvertent postanesthesia
      hypothermia (IPH). Thus, the importance of concept analysis in instrument
      development is emphasized because the omission of this step from instrument
      development may result in lack of clarity or "fuzzy data" in what is to be
      measured.

PMID- 1403966
TI  - Medical device reporting: a new challenge for perioperative nurses.
AB  - A variety of illnesses and other complications have been attributed to problems
      resulting from use of medical devices, implants, and instruments. A new law has
      implications for all health care facilities using medical devices. The Safe
      Medical Devices Act (SMDA) of 1990 mandates the reporting of complications
      related to the use of medical devices to the United States Food and Drug
      Administration. Reporting requirements of the SMDA could challenge the efficiency
      of information systems in health care facilities and add to the responsibilities
      of staff nurses. In the following article, the author discusses some implications
      of the new law.

PMID- 1403967
TI  - Silence: a powerful resource.

PMID- 1403968
TI  - Emergence and human conduct.
AB  - Emergence, the occurrence of novel, unpredictable human behavior, is an inherent
      aspect of human experience on both the individual and collective levels. In this
      article, we considered the ubiquitous nature of emergent events, indicated some
      of the ways such events manifest themselves, analyzed the personal and
      interpersonal processes that give rise to them, and suggested some of their
      implications for psychology and the other social sciences. Given the inescapable
      presence of emergence in human conduct, a redefinition of the goals and scope of
      social science may be desirable.

PMID- 1403969
TI  - Memory structure in the processing of advertising messages: how is unusual
      information represented?
AB  - Two models of memory structure--schema-copy-plus-tag (Graesser & Nakamura, 1982;
      Schmidt & Sherman, 1984) and associative-network/depth-of-processing (Craik &
      Lockhart, 1972; Hastie & Kumar, 1979)--were tested in a 2 x 2 between-subjects
      design. Type of argument (typical vs. atypical) and measurement interval
      (immediate vs. 2-day delay in recognition and recall) were manipulated in a print
      advertising context. Results indicated that atypical arguments (unusual
      information) prompt deeper processing of the entire message (implying an
      associative-network memory structure) rather than some part of the message (as
      would be hypothesized by the schema-copy-plus-tag formulation) and that this
      effect prevails under both immediate- and delayed-measurement conditions.

PMID- 1403970
TI  - Preventing smoking: evaluating the potential effectiveness of cigarette warnings.
AB  - We examined the potential effectiveness of U.S. government cigarette warnings in
      preventing adolescent smoking. In Study 1, 112 seventh graders rated the
      effectiveness of four currently required warnings and four possible other
      warnings and answered questions about the meaning of certain words in the
      warnings. In Study 2, 115 seventh graders attempted to recall the four current
      warnings; in Study 3, 103 eighth and ninth graders read all eight warnings one
      day and tried to recall them the next day. In Study 4, 25 seventh graders
      participated in a focus session in which they discussed the effectiveness of each
      of the eight warnings. The results of the studies showed that the four different
      evaluation strategies had convergent validity and that two current warnings and
      two proposed warnings are significantly more potentially effective than the other
      two current warnings. Our results also provided information about why some
      warnings are more potentially effective than others.

PMID- 1403971
TI  - Gender, academic achievement, and preferences for cooperative, competitive, and
      individualistic learning among African-American adolescents.
AB  - In this study, we investigated the relationships among gender, academic
      achievement, and student preferences for cooperative, competitive, and
      individualistic learning in a sample of 136 African-American adolescents enrolled
      in sixth and seventh grades in a school in Georgia. We used the Learning
      Preference Scale for Students (LPSS; Barnes, Owens, & Straton, 1978) to measure
      cooperative, competitive, and individualistic preferences. Three two-way ANOVAs
      (Gender x Academic Achievement) were conducted, in which the three learning
      preferences were the dependent variables. Gender had a significant effect on the
      preference for cooperative learning, with girls reporting a higher preference for
      this method than boys did. For the other two learning preferences, no significant
      gender differences were found. Academic achievement did not correlate
      significantly with any of the three learning preferences. A two-way interaction
      between gender and academic achievement was observed for competitive learning
      preferences. Girls' preferences for competition increased as academic achievement
      increased; boys' preferences for competition decreased as academic achievement
      increased.

PMID- 1403972
TI  - Friendship similarity during early adolescence: gender and racial patterns.
AB  - We studied the relationship of reciprocity, gender, and racial composition
      (Caucasian, African American, cross-race) of adolescent friendship dyads to
      similarity and proximity in 136 young adolescents. We found that adolescents
      selected friends who were of the same gender and race and that female dyads were
      more similar than male dyads on verbal achievement and several personality
      dimensions. Caucasian dyads were more similar than African American dyads on
      verbal achievement, mental alertness, and dominance. African American adolescents
      had more contact with their best friends outside school, whereas Caucasian
      adolescent friends had more in-school contact. African American students had
      fewer reciprocal relationships than the Caucasian students. Cross-race
      friendships were less reciprocal than same-race friendships. Race and gender were
      important in determining friendship patterns. Similarity and proximity were more
      important than reciprocity in understanding early adolescent friendships.

PMID- 1403973
TI  - Personality traits of a group of young adults from different family structures.
AB  - The impact of parental divorce and remarriage and young adults' gender on second
      order personality traits, such as extraversion, anxiety, tough poise and
      independence, was examined. The responses of 227 young adults on the Sixteen
      Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF; Cattell, Eber, & Tatsuoka, 1970) were
      subjected to a parametric multivariate analysis of variance. Results revealed
      significant differences between the anxiety scores of the young men and women as
      well as between those of the three different family-structure groups, but divorce
      and remarriage was not associated with either positive or negative personality
      development in this sample.

PMID- 1403974
TI  - Self-concept and sociometric outcomes: a comparison of only children and sibling
      children from urban and rural areas in the People's Republic of China.
AB  - We investigated differences in self-concept between 360 only children and 555
      sibling children in the sixth grade of three urban schools and three rural
      schools in the People's Republic of China. Peer perceptions and teacher
      perceptions were also collected using sociometric measures. Self-concept was
      determined by the Self-Perception Profile for Children (Harter, 1985).
      Comparisons of sibling children and only children showed no differences on self
      concept; however, urban residents had higher self-concept scores than children
      from rural areas, and boys scored higher than girls. No significant interaction
      effects between sibling status, gender, and residence were found.

PMID- 1403975
TI  - Reaction times and intelligence in Korean children.
AB  - Nine-year-old Korean children (N = 299) were tested for reaction time (RT) and
      intelligence measured by Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices. Reaction times
      were broken into decision times and movement times and into three degrees of
      complexity. The results showed low but generally statistically significant
      correlations between decision times and intelligence. Generally, no significant
      differences existed between movement times and intelligence. Boys showed
      significantly faster movement times than girls did.

PMID- 1403976
TI  - The role of the object in drive cathexis and psychosexual development.
AB  - Alternate axes are explored in the orthodox formulation of drive cathexis and
      psychosexual development, with implications for corresponding object relation
      modes engendered by these processes. Somatic and defensive aspects are shown to
      impact on the function of the "other" as the individual matures. The
      separation/individuation process is subsumed into this overall developmental
      continuum, and the centrality of the object as a focus in cathexis and drive
      delineation is critically evaluated. The homeostatic notion of equilibration is
      appealed to in synthesizing the factors emerging from the analysis.

PMID- 1403977
TI  - The relationship of impulsiveness to psychoticism and extraversion in elderly
      psychiatric patients.

PMID- 1403978
TI  - Replications and resolutions: dualistic belief, personality, religiosity, and
      paranormal belief in Australian students.

PMID- 1403979
TI  - Redescription of Phacodinium metchnikoffi (Ciliophora, Hypotrichida): general
      morphology and taxonomic position.
AB  - Living and stained specimens of Phacodinium metchnikoffi, collected near Madrid,
      Spain, were studied under light microscopy. Infraciliature was stained using a
      silver-impregnation procedure. The somatic infraciliature is composed of a
      relatively small number of discontinuous kinetics, formed by groups of few
      kinetosomes (pallets). The buccal ciliature is composed of an adoral zone of
      membranelles and a paroral formation otherwise unknown in ciliates, with many
      short kineties, which lie on a rigid stem. We propose that P. metchnikoffi is a
      primitive hypotrich and, consequently, we present a new classification system for
      hypotrichs.

PMID- 1403980
TI  - Penetration of the mosquito (Aedes aegypti) midgut wall by the ookinetes of
      Plasmodium gallinaceum.
AB  - We observed Plasmodium gallinaceum ookinetes in both intracellular and
      intercellular positions in the midgut epithelium of the mosquito Aedes aegypti.
      After epithelial cell invasion intracellular ookinetes lacked a parasitophorous
      vacuolar membrane and were surrounded solely by their own pellicle. Thus, the
      ookinete in the midgut epithelium of the mosquito differs from erythrocytic and
      hepatic stages in that the parasite in the vertebrate host is surrounded by a
      vacuole. The midgut epithelial cytoplasm around the apical end of invading
      ookinetes was replaced by fine granular material deprived of normal organelles.
      Membranous structure was observed within the fine granular area. Most ookinetes
      were seen intracellularly on the luminal side and intercellularly on the
      haemocoel side of the midgut epithelial cells. These observations suggest that
      the ookinete first enters into the midgut epithelial cell, then exists to the
      space between the epithelial cells and moves to the basal lamina where the
      ookinete develops to the oocyst.

PMID- 1403981
TI  - Trypanosoma cruzi infection of BSC-1 fibroblast cells causes cytoskeletal
      disruption and changes in intracellular calcium levels.
AB  - The disruption of vimentin and actin filaments of host BSC-1 fibroblast cells by
      Trypanosoma cruzi was investigated using a mouse monoclonal anti-vimentin
      antibody and rhodamine phalloidin, respectively. Indirect immunofluorescence
      microscopy demonstrated that infection of BSC-1 cells by T. cruzi caused
      disruption of both cytoskeletal components. The disruption was greater as
      infection progressed. Mechanisms other than mechanical ones may play a role in
      the disruption since disrupted cytoskeletal elements were well removed from the
      parasites. In the determination of intracellular calcium concentrations using
      Fura-2 AM, infected and uninfected cells both showed an initial increase in
      intracellular calcium levels. At later times of infection (3 to 5 days),
      intracellular calcium levels of infected cells were significantly lower than
      those of control cells. There was no specific localization of intracellular
      calcium in the infected host cells as determined by image analysis.

PMID- 1403982
TI  - Determination of taxonomic status of pathogenic and nonpathogenic Entamoeba
      histolytica zymodemes using isoenzyme analysis.
AB  - Entamoeba histolytica infection results in either asymptomatic colonization or
      invasion of host tissues leading generally to clinical symptoms. Zymodemes
      studies have demonstrated a correlation between isoenzyme profiles and clinical
      presentation. Thus, strains have been attributed to pathogenic or nonpathogenic
      groups according to their zymodeme. To determine the taxonomic relationship of
      these two groups, the isoenzyme profiles of 14 loci of 38 E. histolytica strains
      (pathogenic and nonpathogenic) and seven strains of other species of the same
      genus were analyzed. Genetic distance analysis clearly demonstrates the existence
      of two separate groups within the species E. histolytica.

PMID- 1403983
TI  - Surface domains in the pathogenic protozoan Tritrichomonas foetus.
AB  - The quick-freezing and freeze-etching techniques were used to analyze surface
      domains of Tritrichomonas foetus. The surface of the protozoan body was not
      smooth, presenting surface projections, except on the flagellar surface. Images
      of the actual surface of the anterior flagella revealed the presence of
      intramembranous particles that form rosettes, as observed on the protoplasmic
      fracture face. They may represent integral transmembrane proteins exposed at the
      cell surface. Surface specializations were also observed at the flagella base and
      where the recurrent flagellum attaches to the cell body.

PMID- 1403984
TI  - Sporulation of Marteilioides branchialis n. sp. (Paramyxea) in the Sydney rock
      oyster, Saccostrea commercialis: an electron microscope study.
AB  - The ultrastructure of sporulation of a new parasite, Marteilioides branchialis
      (Paramyxea), in the Sydney Rock oyster, Saccostrea commercialis, is described.
      The development is typical of other Paramyxea whereby a stem cell internally
      cleaves a secondary cell contained within a vacuole. It differs from other
      species in the phylum in that each secondary cell produces a single spore
      composed of two concentric cells, one within a vacuole of the other. This type of
      sporulation represents the simplest of all known Paramyxea. Infection results in
      focal gill lesions and was observed concurrently with an epizootic of another
      paramyxean, Marteilia sydneyi.

PMID- 1403985
TI  - The immobilization antigens of Tetrahymena thermophila are glycoproteins.
AB  - The four immobilization antigens controlled by the SerH locus in Tetrahymena
      thermophila have been isolated and partially characterized (Doerder, F.P. &
      Berkowitz, M.S. 1986. Purification and partial characterization of the H
      immobilization antigens of Tetrahymena thermophila. J. Protozool., 33:204-208).
      We show here, using immunoprecipitation and electrophoresis after labeling with
      35S-methionine, 14C-mannose, 14C-glucosamine, and N-Acetyl-D-[l-3H]glucosamine,
      that these proteins are glycosylated. We suggest the immobilization antigens in
      Tetrahymena may be anchored to the surface membrane by phosphatidylinositol
      glycans.

PMID- 1403986
TI  - Giardia lamblia: ultrastructural study of the in vitro effect of benzimidazoles.
AB  - Axenically grown Giardia lamblia trophozoites treated with low concentrations of
      the benzimidazole carbamates albendazole and mebendazole detach from glass
      culture tubes and lose viability. Scanning electron microscopic observations
      revealed that these drugs produce grotesque modifications of the cell shape of
      the parasite and disassembly of the adhesive disc. Transmission electron
      microscopy showed several stages of the fragmentation of adhesive discs with
      dispersion of microtubules and microribbons in the cytoplasm. Flagella appeared
      undamaged. In drug-treated trophozoites electron-dense precipitates were
      selectively deposited on microtubules and microribbons. The results indicate that
      the antigiardial effect of benzimidazoles is the result of binding to
      microtubules and subsequent alterations of the cytoskeleton. The electron
      microscopic observations also suggest that the drugs may bind to microribbon
      components of the adhesive disc, possibly giardin proteins.

PMID- 1403987
TI  - The interface between air and water: a perturbation source eliciting adaptive
      behaviour in ciliates.
AB  - Interference with the water-air interface, both direct (by contact with a flat,
      rigid surface) and indirect (by inducing a meniscus) caused the ciliated protozoa
      we investigated to actively collect in the water column or on the substrate
      directly under the area of altered surface tension. A crowding effect is observed
      in this "rest area" reaching plateau values within one hour after onset of the
      experiment. The simple experimental procedures described here induced analogous
      behaviour in both Paramecium caudatum (a swimmer) and Oxytricha bifaria (a
      crawler). The ciliates seem in this reaction to be seeking a refuge from
      vibrations transmitted by the free interface. Our discovery is discussed in its
      implications for the adaptive biology and ecology of these micro-organisms.

PMID- 1403988
TI  - Localization of a Toxoplasma gondii rhoptry protein by immunoelectron microscopy
      during and after host cell penetration.
AB  - We immunolocalized a Toxoplasma gondii rhoptry protein (ROP1) before and after
      parasite host cell invasion of human fibroblasts and TG180 murine sarcoma cells
      by electron microscopy and immunogold labeling using either a monoclonal antibody
      (Tg49) or a monospecific rabbit antiserum (alpha 249). At all stages of parasite
      growth ROP1 was found within the body but rarely within the peduncle of
      rhoptries, even in those that appeared empty. Immediately after host cell
      invasion ROP1 was associated with the parasitophorous vacuole membrane. Within
      hours after invasion the amount of ROP1 immunodetectable on the parasitophorous
      vacuole membrane was markedly decreased. The localization of ROP1 suggests a role
      in the early establishment of infection in host cells, consistent with previous
      work that has indicated that monoclonal antibodies to ROP1 (including the one
      used in these studies) interfere with the phenomenon of penetration enhancement.

PMID- 1403989
TI  - Schizogonic development of Leucocytozoon smithi.
AB  - The schizogonic development of Leucocytozoon smithi in the liver of
      experimentally infected turkey poults was examined by electron microscopy.
      Following intraperitoneal injection, sporozoites migrated to the liver and
      entered hepatic cells to become intracellular trophozoites. Three to four days
      post inoculation (PI), trophozoites underwent asexual multiple fission known as
      merogony or schizogony. Two generations of schizonts were observed. The primary
      or first generation schizonts, abundant on day 4 PI, appeared as interconnected
      cytoplasmic masses (pseudocytomeres). Each pseudocytomere was enclosed by a
      membranous vacuole and contained varying numbers of nuclei. As nuclear division
      and growth of the schizonts continued, larger discrete cytoplasmic masses or
      cytomeres were formed with rhoptries and multiple nuclei in various stages of
      division. Synchronous multiple cytoplasmic cleavage of the schizont resulted in
      the formation of numerous uninucleate merozoites. Second generation schizonts,
      which developed from hepatic merozoites released from primary schizonts, were
      abundant in hepatocytes on day 6 PI. Although tissue samples from liver, lung,
      spleen, kidney, intestine, brain, blood vessels and lymph nodes were examined,
      schizogonous forms were observed in liver only. No megaloschizonts were detected
      in any host tissue examined. Schizogonic development was completed by day 7 PI as
      merozoites developed into gametocytes within mononuclear phagocytes.

PMID- 1403990
TI  - Auditory sensitivity of the cichlid fish Astronotus ocellatus (Cuvier).
AB  - Auditory sensitivity was determined for the oscar, Astronotus ocellatus, a
      cichlid fish that has no known structural specializations to enhance hearing.
      Trained A. ocellatus behaviorally responded to sound stimuli from 200 Hz to 800
      Hz with best sensitivity of 18 dB (re: 1 mubar) to 21 dB for frequencies between
      200 and 400 Hz. This is significantly poorer than hearing sensitivity for fish
      classified as hearing specialists, but well within the range of hearing
      capabilities reported for non-specialist teleost species.

PMID- 1403991
TI  - The influence of stimulus duration on the delay tuning of cortical neurons in the
      FM bat, Myotis lucifugus.
AB  - 1. Echolocating bats use echo delay as the primary cue to determine target
      distance. During target-directed flight, the emitted pulses increase in
      repetition rate and shorten in duration as distance decreases. To determine how
      these parameters affect the delay tuning of neurons in the auditory cortex of the
      awake bat, Myotis lucifugus, we examined the responses of 104 delay-sensitive
      neurons as the pulse repetition rate (PRR) and duration were independently
      varied. Stimulus duration of 4, 2 and 1 ms and PRR of 5-100/s were used for both
      the pulse and echo to determine delay sensitivity. These parameter ranges span
      those used during the search, approach, and the initial terminal phases of
      echolocation. 2. As the stimulus duration was shortened, the range of PRRs for
      delay sensitivity was extended to higher rates in 41% of the neurons, narrowed or
      disappeared in 40%, and remained unchanged in 4%. The remaining 15% were not
      categorized since it was not possible to determine a trend in which the range of
      delay-sensitive PRRs changed with stimulus duration. 3. Three types of tracking
      neurons (i.e., neurons that change their best delay during target-directed
      flight) were found. For the first type, the best delay (BD) shortened with
      shorter stimulus duration, for the second type, BD shortened with both shorter
      stimulus durations and higher PRRs, and for the third type, BD shortened with
      higher PRRs. 4. These results suggest that the stimulus parameters of sonar
      emission influence delay tuning and hence processing by cortical neurons in FM
      bats.

PMID- 1403992
TI  - Temperature coupling in cricket acoustic communication. I. Field and laboratory
      studies of temperature effects on calling song production and recognition in
      Gryllus firmus.
AB  - Temperature effects on calling song production and recognition were investigated
      in the North American field cricket, Gryllus firmus. Temporal parameters of field
      recorded G. firmus calling song are strongly affected by temperature. Chirp rate
      and syllable rate increase, by factors of 4 and 2, respectively, as linear
      functions of temperature over the range in which these animals sing in the field
      (12 degrees-30 degrees C). Temperature affects syllable duration to a lesser
      extent, and does not influence calling song carrier frequency. Female phonotactic
      preference, measured on a spherical treadmill in the laboratory, also changes
      with temperature such that warmer females prefer songs with faster chirp and
      syllable rates. Best phonotaxis, measured as accuracy of orientation to the sound
      source, and highest walking velocity, occur in response to temperature-matched
      songs at 15 degrees, 21 degrees, and 30 degrees C. Experiments under semi-natural
      conditions in an outdoor arena revealed that females perform phonotaxis at
      temperatures as low as 13 degrees C. Taken together, the song and phonotaxis data
      demonstrate that this communication system is temperature coupled. A strategy is
      outlined by which temperature coupling may be exploited to test hypotheses about
      the organization of neural networks subserving song recognition.

PMID- 1403993
TI  - Temperature coupling in cricket acoustic communication. II. Localization of
      temperature effects on song production and recognition networks in Gryllus
      firmus.
AB  - Acoustic communication in Gryllus firmus is temperature-coupled: temperature
      induces parallel changes in male calling song temporal pattern, and in female
      preference for song. Temperature effects on song production and recognition
      networks were localized by selectively warming head or thorax or both head and
      thorax of intact crickets, then eliciting aggression song production (males) or
      phonotaxis to synthetic calling song (females). Because male song is produced by
      a thoracic central pattern generator (CPG), and because head ganglia are
      necessary for female song recognition, measurements of female phonotaxis under
      such conditions may be used to test the following competing hypotheses about
      organization of the song recognition network: 1. A set of neurons homologous to
      the male song CPG exist in the female, and are used as a template that determines
      preferred values of song temporal parameters for song pattern recognition (the
      common neural elements hypothesis), and 2. temporal pattern preference is
      determined entirely within the head ganglia. Neither selective warming of the
      head nor of the thorax was effective in changing female song preference, but
      simultaneous warming of head and thorax shifted preference toward a faster song
      in most preparations, as did warming the whole animal by raising ambient
      temperature. These results suggest that phonotactic preference for song temporal
      pattern is plurisegmentally determined in field crickets. Selective warming
      experiments during aggression song production in males revealed that syllable
      period is influenced but not completely determined by thoracic temperature; head
      temperature is irrelevant. The song CPG appears to receive some rate-setting
      information from outside the thoracic central nervous system.

PMID- 1403994
TI  - Evidence for a difference in syntactic knowledge between skilled and less skilled
      adult readers.
AB  - In two experiments, we investigated the relationship between reading ability and
      linguistic knowledge in adults. The results from Experiment 1 showed that good
      comprehenders performed more accurately than average comprehenders in a syntactic
      judgment task that required them to decide whether pairs of words served the same
      grammatical function in sentences. By contrast, the reader groups performed
      similarly when required to make semantic judgments about whether pairs of words
      were related in meaning. In Experiment 2, individuals were classified according
      to comprehension level and reading speed. Good comprehenders again performed more
      accurately than average comprehenders in the syntactic task but not the semantic
      task. We argued that differences in form-class knowledge could be associated with
      corresponding differences in syntactic-processing efficiency, and thus with
      variation in reading-comprehension skill generally.

PMID- 1403995
TI  - Bilingualism and cognitive development in relation to threshold theory.
AB  - A study was conducted to examine the relationship between bilingualism and
      cognitive development, as predicted by threshold theory. This theory maintains
      that there may be levels of linguistic proficiency which bilingual children must
      attain in order to avoid cognitive deficits and to allow the cognitive benefits.
      On the whole, the results were consistent with the theory, in that an overall
      bilingual superiority was found only for those children who had attained a high
      degree of bilingualism. An overall bilingual superiority was not found for those
      children who had attained lower degrees of bilingualism. These results are
      discussed further in relation to Bialystok's model.

PMID- 1403996
TI  - The psychological costs of screening for cancer.
AB  - The benefits of cancer screening programmes accrue to those who have cancer or
      identifiable precancerous conditions, and in whom the disease progression is
      slowed or halted by earlier intervention. The costs accrue to the rest of the
      population for whom there is no direct benefit to health. Attention has been
      given to the medical risks of screening procedures and to the economic costs, but
      there has been very little regard paid to the psychological costs. The aim of
      this paper is to evaluate the psychological impact of screening. Screening
      participants who are found to have untreatable disease, or for whom the
      interventions prove ineffective, have a greater proportion of their life as a
      cancer patient with all the associated psychological (and perhaps physical)
      distress, but no increase in their life expectancy. Those who receive false
      positive results may experience acute psychological distress produced by the
      prospect of a grave diagnosis before they are found to be free from serious
      disease. Even the procedure of screening itself, with the disturbance of the
      invitation, the discomfort of the tests and the wait for the diagnosis, can have
      a significant impact upon some patients. This paper evaluates the psychological
      costs which may be involved across the whole screening procedure, from the
      possible alarm of receiving an invitation to participate in screening, to the
      trauma of a cancer diagnosis for someone who had been unaware of any symptoms.

PMID- 1403997
TI  - The relationship of parenting styles and social competency to Type A behavior in
      children.
AB  - This study examined parenting styles, Type A behavior in parents and children,
      and social competence in children. Fifty 1st-6th grade children, parents, and
      their teachers participated. Type A behavior in parents was associated with a
      controlling style of parenting, but not with pressuring the child to achieve.
      Parenting styles of achievement pressure and high control were related to
      impatient and aggressive behaviors in children, as measured by the MYTH, a
      teacher-scored Type A behavior instrument. In addition, impatience and
      aggressiveness in the children were negatively correlated with the child's social
      competency and ability to function in school. Parenting practices, Type A
      behavior, and social competency in children may play important roles in the
      origins of detrimental components of Type A behavior, such as impatience and
      aggression.

PMID- 1403998
TI  - Active coping style is associated with natural killer cell cytotoxicity in
      asymptomatic HIV-1 seropositive homosexual men.
AB  - The aim of this study was to examine the hypothesis that a psychosocial model was
      associated with natural killer cell cytotoxicity (NKCC) in HIV-1 infection. A
      sample of 62 HIV-1 seropositive homosexual men at CDC stages II and III were
      given a psychosocial battery assessing life stressors, social support, and coping
      style. A regression model quantifying these variables along with control
      variables for alcohol use, substance use and nutritional status was estimated.
      Active coping style was directly and positively associated with NKCC, and trends
      toward a negative relationship of life stressors and a buffering effect of social
      support on lives stressors were also observed. The results suggest that (1)
      control variables should be included with psychosocial models and that (2)
      psychosocial factors, especially active coping, may have a deterrent effect on
      loss of NK cell function. Active coping style may merit a specific focus in
      future research of life stressors and the immune system.

PMID- 1403999
TI  - Couple therapy improves mental well-being in chronic low back pain patients. A
      controlled, five year follow-up study.
AB  - Fifty-six chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients participated in a controlled,
      prospective 5-yr follow-up study evaluating the long-term effects of five-session
      couple therapy. Twenty-eight patients were included both in the treatment group
      and in the control group. Outcome measures were self-reported psychological
      distress, marital satisfaction, health locus of control, pain and disability as
      well as clinical examinations. The reliability of the outcome measures was
      statistically analysed and found acceptable. At the 5-yr follow-up assessments,
      psychological distress was found to be decreased in the treatment group and
      increased in controls. The difference between the groups was significant. No
      difference was found in the other self-reported or clinical outcome measures. We
      conclude that couple therapy has a prolonged beneficial effect on the mental well
      being of CLBP patients.

PMID- 1404000
TI  - Participation in physical activity and cardiovascular fitness have different
      effects on mental health and mood.
AB  - The cardiovascular fitness, blood pressure, resting pulse, lung capacity and body
      fat of 246 subjects were measured and each subject completed activity, mental
      health and mood questionnaires. The results of this study support the hypothesis
      that participation in physical activity, rather than cardiovascular fitness, is
      the factor associated with better mental health and mood. Higher levels of
      physical activity were associated with better mood scores unless the individuals
      were unfit. This research has implications for how physical activity is
      prescribed; the emphasis needs to be on performing physical activity rather than
      improving fitness and should not be beyond the physical capabilities of the
      individual.

PMID- 1404001
TI  - Factors associated with psychological help-seeking in HIV disease.
AB  - The study was aimed at evaluating the psychosocial and psychopathological
      characteristics of individuals with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection
      seeking psychological help compared with a sample not seeking help. Two hundred
      and seventy-one HIV seropositive (HIV+ve) subjects belonging to three
      transmission categories (90 gay men, 154 intravenous drug users and 27
      heterosexuals) who were assessed at their first clinic appointment and offered
      access to psychological help were studied. Subsequently, it was found that 45
      (17%) took advantage of the offer of psychological help, and attended a
      specialist clinic, while 226 (83%) did not seek help. Stepwise logistic
      regression analysis was used to establish the characteristics of subjects who
      received psychological help. Results showed that five factors identified at the
      time of first clinic appointment were significantly associated with seeking
      psychological help subsequently: (1) having a current DSM-III-R Axis I
      psychiatric diagnosis; (2) being single; (3) belief of being affected by a
      serious physical illness (negative correlation); (4) higher level of education;
      and (5) no past or current history of substance misuse. The implications of the
      findings are discussed.

PMID- 1404002
TI  - Glossodynia--psychodynamic basis and results of psychopathometric investigations.
AB  - Between 1985 and 1988, 131 patients suffering from glossodynia were submitted to
      a careful examination that included a neurological work-up, a detailed
      psychiatric interview and a number of psychological tests. Particular attention
      was paid to psychosomatic and psychopathologic disorders. The average age of the
      patients was 55 yr, and 73% of them were female. In 40% of patients, the
      psychiatric interview revealed no psychopathological findings, while in most of
      them, a psychiatrically relevant disorder, usually depression, was found. All
      patients had an unremarkable neurological status, and the EEG's showed no
      pathological changes. Psychodynamic considerations in conjunction with the
      elevated scores for depressive mood, anxiety and tension suggest that glossodynia
      is an expression of a psychosomatic disorder.

PMID- 1404003
TI  - Validity and reliability of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) in a population
      study.
AB  - Alexithymia refers to the difficulties an individual has to experience and
      express his feelings. Various self-report questionnaires have been introduced to
      measure alexithymia, but only a few rigorous validity studies of this concept
      have been carried out in nonclinical populations. The aim of this study was to
      evaluate the psychometric properties of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) in a
      population sample of 1560 middle-aged men from eastern Finland. The modified
      version of the TAS applied in this study had a factor structure that matched the
      previous results and the theoretical concept of alexithymia. Internal consistency
      of the total TAS scale, as well as the 8 month retest reliability, were adequate.
      The TAS correlated fairly well with an interview-based evaluation of alexithymic
      features. The results suggest that the TAS could be a useful screening instrument
      for alexithymic features in a population study, but the scale would probably need
      some revisions.

PMID- 1404004
TI  - The stress of marriage to an alcoholic.
AB  - 1. Historically, wives of alcoholics have been described as having disturbed,
      pathological personalities that were instrumental in causing and maintaining
      their husbands' drinking. More recently, researchers have tended to support the
      view that the behavior of these women reflects their stressful circumstances. 2.
      The women in the study reported interpersonal, extrapersonal, and intrapersonal
      stressors. The most frequently reported and highest ranked stressor was their
      relationships with their husbands. 3. Sobriety does not necessarily mean that
      stressors disappear. 4. More research is needed for nurses to have the knowledge
      necessary to help wives of alcoholics to cope with their stressors.

PMID- 1404005
TI  - Disruptive, institutionalized elderly: a cost-effective intervention.
AB  - 1. Psychomotor agitation can be decreased without the use of physical or chemical
      restraints. 2. A structured activity program can be integrated into the treatment
      plan of disruptive patients. 3. Nurses working in long-term care settings are in
      positions to be advocates for change.

PMID- 1404007
TI  - Psychiatric nurses' attitudes toward and involvement in nursing research.
AB  - 1. The three major blocks to clinical nursing research are lack of time,
      knowledge, and administrative support. 2. Positive attitudes toward nursing
      research were found to be related to nurses' advanced levels of education. 3. Two
      strategies to foster the development of research skills are inservice education
      classes and individualized guided learning experiences. 4. Two essential
      resources for staff who are expected to engage in clinical research activities
      are statistical consultation and clerical services.

PMID- 1404006
TI  - The neglected elder: a family systems approach.
AB  - Abuse and neglect of older adults is largely an invisible problem. Those who are
      vulnerable are often hidden from the public eye. Troubled families
      characteristically maintain an isolated existence and, therefore, the
      mistreatment of elders can occur without the knowledge of neighbors or interested
      community members. Factors that operate to keep the problem hidden include
      society's emphasis on family privacy, the victim's unwillingness or inability to
      report the problem, stereotypes about the aged, and denial (Quinn, 1986).
      Although the problem of abuse and neglect of elders is not as prevalent as child
      maltreatment, it is a significant societal problem in need of increased public
      awareness. This article will focus on the treatment of elder neglect within the
      context of the family.

PMID- 1404008
TI  - Medication management, antidepressant drugs, and the elderly: an overview.
AB  - 1. Several factors may affect an elderly client's use of medications:
      polypharmacy, potentially leading to interactions; over-the-counter drugs taken
      without a physician's knowledge; noncompliance or poor compliance with medication
      regimens; and ageist beliefs. 2. Psychiatric nurses must be aware that the signs
      and symptoms they observe may be the result of normal physical or biological
      aging, psychosocial changes, disease-related changes, medication side effects, or
      a drug interaction. 3. Nurses must ask two questions when psychotropic drugs are
      used with elderly clients: What will be the onset, duration, magnitude, and
      characteristic action of a specific drug in an individual; and What are the
      characteristics of an "ideal" medication?

PMID- 1404009
TI  - Manual eases home care for patients with HIV/AIDS.

PMID- 1404010
TI  - Maintaining identity in elderly couples with chronic illness.
AB  - With the onset of chronic illness, it has been necessary for these couples to
      evaluate and redefine their separate as well as merged identities. As each of
      these individuals sought to realize a mature identity, role adjustments were
      required. Although not every member of the two illustrated couples had been able
      to accept the effects and concurrent responsibilities of chronic illness, the
      nurse practitioner was in a unique position to provide guidance. By reinforcing
      the importance of healthy identity states, these clients were able to merge
      temporarily and respond to their partner's basic needs, exchanging a sense of
      mutual satisfaction, and then to separate into distinct individual identity
      states. A major task of the older adult is to re-evaluate identity in light of
      the roles currently being played in life. Through this process, a workable
      philosophy of life and death should evolve. Most older people engage in a life
      review of accomplishments and failures, seeking to integrate the diverse elements
      to obtain an acceptable view of their life's worth (Kaluger, 1984). Couples
      experiencing chronic illness must reconsider the consequences of this illness
      state to adequately formulate healthy individual and merged identities. The role
      of the nurse practitioner is essential in providing guidance for adapting to the
      life changes confronting elderly couples with chronic illness while maintaining
      healthy individual and merged identities.

PMID- 1404011
TI  - Assessing geropsychiatric patients.
AB  - Although other disciplines involved in the care of geriatric patients with
      psychiatric or neurobehavioral problems have established assessment procedures,
      this is not the case for nursing. Some approaches to assessing geropsychiatric
      patients from a nursing perspective have been proposed (Baldwin, 1987; Burnside,
      1981; Ninos, 1985), but they have been limited in scope (Abraham, 1990b).
      However, with nursing assuming an increasingly central role in the
      multidisciplinary care of geropsychiatric patients and their families, a
      comprehensive and accepted method of multidimensional geropsychiatric nursing
      assessment is necessary. This method enables nurses to provide the best possible
      nursing care to patients and families while contributing effectively to
      multidisciplinary assessment and intervention. To this end, Abraham and
      associates (Abraham, 1990a; Thompson-Heisterman, 1992) developed the
      Psychogeriatric Nursing Assessment Protocol (PNAP). Previous articles have
      described the rationale and content of the PNAP (Abraham, 1990a; Thompson
      Heisterman, 1992). This article will draw on the authors' clinical experience in
      using the PNAP and will offer practical clinical strategies for assessment within
      the PNAP framework. The PNAP is presented in the Figure, and readers are referred
      to previous articles for detailed descriptions of the various aspects of the
      PNAP. A rating form has been developed for use with the PNAP that permits
      quantification of clinical observations and the determination of selected
      clinical scores.

PMID- 1404012
TI  - A portrait of homelessness.
AB  - The homeless elderly are vulnerable, silent, and fearful. Their trajectory into
      homelessness more often than not precludes recovery and takes them on a course
      toward early death or nursing home placement. Psychiatric nurses who work in
      community or acute care settings are in key positions to recognize elderly
      victims of homelessness, assess their needs, match them to services, start them
      on the road to recovery, and become their advocates. The definition of a homeless
      person as agreed on in the Report of the Federal Task Force on Homelessness and
      Severe Mental Illness (1992) is the one used in the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless
      Assistance Act (Public Law 100-77). A homeless person is someone "who lacks a
      fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence" and whose main nighttime
      residence is a "supervised public or private shelter designed to provide
      temporary living accommodations; an institution that provides a temporary
      residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; or a public or
      private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping
      accommodation for human beings." This definition, then, excludes those
      individuals living on the "fringes" in substandard or condemned housing, a
      condition that warrants attention in general and particularly among the elderly.

PMID- 1404013
TI  - Staff stress on an Alzheimer's unit.
AB  - Nurses working with the elderly encounter many complex and potentially stressful
      care situations. Nowhere is this more true than for nursing home staff who work
      in highly demanding, labor- and client-intensive jobs. A number of factors
      contribute to the high levels of stress found among nurses who work with the
      elderly, including continual exposure to physical and emotional pathology and
      death, and conflict with families, co-workers, supervisors, and representatives
      from other departments or professions (Goldin, 1985; Klus, 1980). When the stress
      level in a long-term care facility becomes overwhelming, role conflict,
      ambiguity, poor self-esteem, and burnout may ensue (Goldin, 1985; Heine, 1986;
      Klus, 1980; Morrow-Winn, 1985). The process of burnout is characterized by a
      progressive loss of idealism, energy, and purpose that eventually leads to
      emotional overextension and exhaustion (Price, 1984).

PMID- 1404014
TI  - Abuse among rural mentally ill.
AB  - Each American adult has the right to make individual decisions. These decisions
      include preferences in lifestyle, occupation, diet, housing, health-care
      treatment, and allocations of financial resources. The right to autonomous
      decision making is not limited to young or middle-aged adults, nor is it limited
      to those occasions during which the individual has the capacity to personally
      participate in the decisions (US Congress, 1987). The right also applies to
      elderly, incapacitated, mentally ill, or dependent adults. Because of this
      autonomy, no individual must suffer physical, psychological, or financial
      coercion. Based on these rights, all 50 states have enacted statutes to protect
      dependent adults and to authorize government intervention in cases of suspected
      adult abuse (Hunzeker, 1990). Iowa is one of the states that has enacted
      dependent adult abuse legislation, and in 1988, health-care practitioners in Iowa
      became mandatory reporters of adult abuse (Iowa Code, 1992). As mandatory
      reporters, all nurses who treat, counsel, examine, or attend dependent adults
      must observe the physical status and interpersonal relationships of their clients
      and significant others to identify potential conflict or injury. Categories of
      abuse recognized by the Iowa law include physical, sexual, and financial abuse,
      neglect by self, and neglect by another (Figure).

PMID- 1404015
TI  - What clinical experiences are needed before entering psychiatric nursing?

PMID- 1404016
TI  - Chronic pain and depression.
AB  - Because of the increased incidence of chronic disease and other health problems
      associated with aging, chronic pain is a common companion for the elderly. Pain
      is of great clinical importance, often associated with disability, loss of
      independence, and reduced quality of life. A fact that is of interest to
      psychiatric nurses is that many elderly with complaints of chronic pain also
      exhibit signs and symptoms of depressive disorders. Treating chronic pain
      conditions is complex and difficult, and health-care professionals are
      increasingly recognizing that psychological factors are often involved in the
      development and continuation of chronic pain problems. Depression is one of these
      influential variables. Increased understanding of the role of depression in the
      etiology and maintenance of chronic pain can improve assessment and intervention
      for the elderly with chronic pain complaints.

PMID- 1404017
TI  - Who's for CPR?

PMID- 1404018
TI  - Allergy: conventional and alternative concepts. Summary of a report of the Royal
      College of Physicians Committee on Clinical Immunology and Allergy.
AB  - Allergy is an exaggerated response of the immune system to external substances.
      It plays a role in a wide range of diseases. In some, such as summer hayfever,
      the symptoms are entirely due to allergy. In other conditions, particularly
      asthma, eczema and urticaria, allergy plays a part in some patients but not all.
      In these situations, allergy may either have a major role or provide just one of
      many triggers. In an individual patient's illness, the importance of allergy may
      change with time. The most common allergens (substances causing allergy) are
      grass and tree pollens, the house dust mite, products from pets and other
      animals, agents encountered in industry, wasp and bee venom, drugs, and certain
      foods. Food allergy presents a particularly difficult problem. Some individuals
      who react to food suffer from true food allergy but in others there is no
      evidence of an alteration in the immune system. Here the term 'food intolerance'
      is preferable. Conventional doctors treat allergy by allergen avoidance--where
      this is possible--and drugs that relieve symptoms. In a few selected cases, in
      which other methods have failed, immunotherapy (desensitisation or
      hyposensitisation) is recommended. Patients who consult practitioners of
      alternative allergy often do so because they are dissatisfied with the
      conventional approach to diagnosis and treatment, and sometimes because they have
      conditions which conventional doctors do not accept as having an allergic basis.
      There is a very wide range of alternative approaches to allergy, including the
      methods used by clinical ecologists, acupuncturists and homoeopathists. Hypnosis
      may have a small role to play in asthma, and similar claims for acupuncture need
      to be evaluated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1404019
TI  - Can consultants resuscitate?
AB  - Twenty-four of 53 hospital consultants responded to an offer to attend a
      resuscitation training course. Fourteen of them had never had resuscitation
      training. Their performance of basic life-support was assessed before and after
      training according to the Resuscitation Council UK recommendations. Their initial
      performance of basic life-support on a manikin was extremely poor. One hour of
      training and practice resulted in statistically significant improvements.

PMID- 1404020
TI  - Heart-smart youngsters. The Medicine-Gilliland Fellowship 1991.

PMID- 1404021
TI  - Vanishing syndromes.
AB  - Certain syndromes develop because of regression or shrinkage of essential
      pathways. This account draws attention to six conditions in which different
      mechanisms and pathways give rise to a scorched-earth policy and to strange
      clinical syndromes.

PMID- 1404022
TI  - Diagonal earlobe creases and atheromatous disease: a postmortem study.
AB  - The association between the grade of earlobe creases and degree of atheromatous
      disease was investigated in 376 postmortem examinations. Each earlobe crease was
      individually graded from 0 to 3. The risk of atherosclerosis as a cause of death
      was nearly doubled in men with grade 3 creases in both earlobes, and more than
      trebled in women with bilateral high-grade creases. The risk of death from
      myocardial infarction was 2.50 in men with high-grade creases and 3.70 in women.
      The earlobe crease is an important sign of atheromatous disease and it may be
      useful to include it in the clinical examination of patients.

PMID- 1404023
TI  - Steroid-induced bone disease. Conflicting views of respiratory and bone
      physicians.
AB  - Physician members of the Thoracic Society and the Bone and Tooth Society were
      circularised about their views on the prophylaxis, screening and treatment for
      steroid osteoporosis. Bone physicians were more active than respiratory
      physicians in screening and prophylaxis and were more likely to favour bone
      densitometry in assessment and bisphosphonates in treatment. Further studies are
      required to establish the value of prophylactic agents in steroid osteoporosis
      but meanwhile respiratory physicians should appreciate the value of the
      relatively simple technique of bone densitometry in assessment and consider
      whether they should be more active in prophylaxis.

PMID- 1404024
TI  - Guidelines for good practice in and audit of the management of upper
      gastrointestinal haemorrhage. Report of a joint working group of the British
      Society of Gastroenterology, the Research Unit of the Royal College of Physicians
      of London and the Audit Unit of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

PMID- 1404025
TI  - Training programmes for medical registrars. How we did it in the West Midlands.

PMID- 1404026
TI  - Animal welfare--the European dimension.

PMID- 1404027
TI  - A unifying hypothesis of body fluid volume regulation. The Lilly Lecture 1992.

PMID- 1404028
TI  - Science and medicine: implications for the future. Based on the Nuffield Lecture
      'medicine, science and the arts', at the Royal Society of Medicine on 16 April
      1991.

PMID- 1404029
TI  - A Chinese medical college.

PMID- 1404030
TI  - Recipe gravitas.

PMID- 1404031
TI  - Medical education in chaos.

PMID- 1404032
TI  - The trouble with guidelines.

PMID- 1404033
TI  - Guidelines and a proposed audit protocol for the initial management of an acute
      hot joint.

PMID- 1404034
TI  - An improved 'interim discharge letter'--a successful outcome from audit.

PMID- 1404035
TI  - Research in training posts.

PMID- 1404036
TI  - Surgical scoring, risk assessment and the surgeon.

PMID- 1404037
TI  - Tissue expansion.

PMID- 1404038
TI  - Breast cancer in Zaria, Nigeria.
AB  - A retrospective analysis of the clinical records of 129 women with breast cancer
      seen at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria has been carried
      out. The patients were young (median age 38 years), 64% were premenopausal and
      89% were parous and had practised prolonged breastfeeding. Patients typically
      presented with massive breast tumour (median diameter 10 cm) with matted axillary
      lymph nodes in 57%. Eighty-eight per cent of patients had stage III or IV
      disease, and in 85% the histological tumour type was infiltrating ductal
      carcinoma. Mastectomy was the main mode of treatment and the default rate both
      before and after treatment was high. The median crude survival period for our
      patients was only 1.5 years. The survival disadvantage is probably the result of
      the combined effect of delayed presentation by the patients, the preponderance of
      biologically very aggressive tumours and our grossly limited therapeutic
      modalities.

PMID- 1404039
TI  - Use of autologous fibrin glue in the treatment of splenic trauma: an experimental
      study.
AB  - There is little doubt that preserving the spleen will contribute to a much more
      favourable outcome in patients undergoing splenic surgery, as a result of
      avoiding the well known risks of splenectomy. Among many operative methods
      described for splenic salvage, application of autologous fibrin glue (AFG) is
      particularly promising because of its unique characteristics. The use of AFG has
      been evaluated and its efficacy and tissue compatibility assessed in the
      treatment of splenic trauma in 15 partially splenectomized New Zealand White
      rabbits. The application of the AFG to the resected splenic surface achieved
      complete haemostasis in all animals. The animals were divided into four groups
      and were killed at varying intervals ranging from 24 h to 10 weeks. During re
      exploration there was no evidence of recurrent bleeding and histopathological
      examination revealed progressive absorption of the AFG with a minimal
      inflammatory response. It is concluded that AFG is an effective haemostatic agent
      with good systemic and local compatibility and can be used in splenic salvage,
      which thereby avoids the use of non-autologous products with their risks of
      disease transmission.

PMID- 1404040
TI  - Management of pancreatic pseudocyst in childhood: an increasing role for
      percutaneous external drainage.
AB  - A total of four patients with a major pancreatic pseudocyst were treated by
      percutaneous pigtail catheter drainage. All patients recovered with complete
      resolution of the pseudocyst. There were no complications in relation to catheter
      insertion. Mean(s.d.) hospital stay was 56(15) days with a mean(s.d.) duration of
      catheter drainage and total parenteral nutrition of 21(14) and 35(9) days
      respectively. Percutaneous drainage is an appropriate method of first line
      therapy for non-resolving or enlarging pancreatic pseudocyst in children.

PMID- 1404041
TI  - Intestinal malrotation in Trinidad.
AB  - Fifty-one children under the age of 10 years admitted to a general hospital in
      Trinidad had a confirmed diagnosis of malrotation of the intestines. This was the
      primary diagnosis in 20 cases. Analysis of the records of these 20 revealed that
      one-half were less than 1 month of age at first presentation. Vomiting was a
      universal complaint, and nearly two-thirds were malnourished. Disturbed bowel
      habit, anorexia and abdominal pain were also reported. In 30% (six of 20) there
      were signs of dehydration; an equal number had features of intestinal
      obstruction. Radiological investigation provided the diagnosis in all but one
      child, who underwent surgical exploration with a provisional diagnosis of
      appendicitis. Although a volvulus was found in 35% of cases, no resections were
      necessary. A high rate of morbidity and a mortality rate of 15% highlight the
      problems involved in the surgical care of young infants.

PMID- 1404042
TI  - Pyloromyotomy through circumumbilical incision.
AB  - Twenty-two infants suffering from infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis
      underwent Ramstedt's pyloromyotomy using circumumbilical incision. There was no
      difficulty in delivering the pylorus out of the incision. Three patients
      developed wound infection, one patient developed wound dehiscence at the fascial
      plane and one patient developed stitch sinus. No incisional hernias were noted
      after a follow-up period ranging from 2 months to 4 years (mean 27 months). All
      scars were neat except that of the patient who developed wound dehiscence at the
      fascial plane and another who developed stitch sinus. This incision is cosmetic
      and gives access that is almost comparable to other incisions without a
      significant increase in the morbidity rate.

PMID- 1404043
TI  - Use of calcium alginate to pack abscess cavities: a controlled clinical trial.
AB  - Many conventional dressings are painful when removed, and may be detrimental to
      healing. In a pilot study ten consecutive abscesses, requiring incision and
      drainage, were packed with a calcium alginate dressing: this was well tolerated,
      its removal causing minimal pain. No adverse effects were attributable to its
      use. A controlled trial was therefore carried out to compare calcium alginate
      with the more traditional saline-soaked gauze for packing abscess cavities,
      following incision and drainage. Patients were randomized to receive either
      calcium alginate (16 patients) or gauze dressing (18 patients). At the first
      dressing change the patient marked on a linear analogue scale the pain
      experienced; the nurse noted similarly the ease of removal of the dressing.
      Calcium alginate was significantly less painful to remove after operation (P less
      than 0.01), and also easier to remove (P less than 0.01) than gauze dressings. If
      abscess cavities are packed after incision and drainage, calcium alginate appears
      to be an improvement on conventional dressings.

PMID- 1404044
TI  - Free microvascular tissue transfer in Newcastle upon Tyne.
AB  - One hundred and eleven cases of free tissue transfer were reviewed to assess the
      indications for, and results of, such procedures. More than 90% of cases were
      seen after treatment of tumour or trauma, with the most utilized flaps being the
      radial forearm, jejunum and latissimus dorsi. Fifteen per cent of cases required
      re-exploration of the anastomosis, of which more than 75% were salvaged.
      Haematoma formation and venous thrombosis were the commonest problems and were
      more successfully treated than arterial occlusion. The overall success rate was
      92%. Free microvascular tissue transfer is a useful and reliable technique,
      especially in the management of head and neck tumours and limb trauma. The most
      important factors relating to flap survival are the experience of the surgical
      team and the integrity of the anastomosis.

PMID- 1404045
TI  - Percutaneous angioplasty in a district general hospital: impact and implications.
AB  - Over a 2-year period 147 angioplasties were performed for stenoses or occlusions
      above or below the inguinal ligament. Most patients had intermittent
      claudication. The stenosis or occlusion was successfully dilated in 88% of cases.
      Successful dilatation produced a good result, as determined by improvement in
      Doppler pressures (63%), an increase in walking distance (60%) or limb salvage
      (66%). There have been 15 complications. Of seven distal emboli, three required
      operation and four were successfully treated with intra-arterial streptokinase.
      In three patients, immediate occlusion of the femoral artery required urgent
      operation, and one patient died following intra-arterial streptokinase and
      subsequent angioplasty. There were three further major haematomas, one requiring
      suture of the puncture site. Had angioplasty not been available, about half of
      the patients in this series would not have had an angiogram. Many of the
      remainder, not being suitable for vascular reconstruction, would have been
      treated conservatively. Thus a new group of patients is being defined for whom
      interventional treatment is now appropriate, and this has important revenue
      implications. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty is a safe and effective
      technique in carefully selected patients. Complications can occur, however, and
      the immediate availability of a vascular surgeon is essential.

PMID- 1404046
TI  - Contractures after burns: some observations from a 3-year review in Zimbabwe.
AB  - A retrospective study is presented of 53 consecutive patients (25 men, 28 women)
      with contractures following burns admitted to Mpilo Central Hospital between
      August 1988 and August 1991. Of the total, 85% were aged 12 years or less. Most
      of the patients (75%) came from rural areas and in 67% of cases where the nature
      of the burning agent was known, the burn resulted from an open fire. The site
      most commonly affected was the hand (51% of cases). Most of the contractures were
      released either by cross cutting and split skin grafting, or by using some form
      of flap. No major complications were encountered apart from a few minor wound
      infections which settled down on antibiotics and dressings. To reduce the
      incidence of contractures in our practice it is important to educate the rural
      community about the dangers of open fires especially to children. Rural health
      personnel should be encouraged to consider early referral of patients with burns
      likely to lead to contracture formation.

PMID- 1404047
TI  - Evaluation of a new non-woven theatre swab.
AB  - A new non-woven theatre swab was compared with traditional gauze in laboratory
      and clinical studies. Results of both clinical and laboratory-based studies
      showed the non-woven swab to be as effective as traditional gauze in terms of
      softness, conformability, ability to pad or pack, resistance to snagging and
      shredding, and ease of counting when wet. The non-woven swabs were also superior
      to gauze with regard to their ability to retain fluid. Manufactured from
      polyester and hemisynthetic viscose, the non-woven swabs can be produced to a
      uniform standard and are less expensive. It is concluded that the new non-woven
      material has practical and economic advantages over traditional gauze.

PMID- 1404048
TI  - Gastric volvulus caused by giant ovarian cyst.

PMID- 1404049
TI  - Jejunal diverticulum in a child presenting with small bowel obstruction.

PMID- 1404050
TI  - Mallet finger: long-term review of 100 cases.
AB  - One hundred cases of mallet finger are reviewed to assess the significance of the
      results of treatment. This study revealed that the mallet fingers with chip
      fractures and those without fractures showed satisfactory results in 85% of cases
      in the long term (32 months) with conservative treatment. Even though there was a
      statistically significant difference between the satisfied and unsatisfied
      patients in extensor lag (P less than 0.0001), arc of movement (P greater than
      0.001) and pinch grip (P greater than 0.001), none of these patients was willing
      to undergo surgery to improve their fingers.

PMID- 1404051
TI  - Comminuted Colles' fractures: a prospective trial of management.
AB  - Patients suffering from comminuted fractures of the lower end of the radius were
      treated by one of two protocols and followed for 6 months. One group was treated
      by a regime of percutaneous wiring based on the technique described by DePalma.
      This was compared with the results obtained from the conventional treatment of
      manipulation and application of plaster of Paris for similar injuries. Final
      function was found to be closely related to anatomical results and this was
      obtained earlier and with greater predictability in the wired group. There were
      statistically significant differences between the two groups at 6 months in
      extension (P less than 0.001), ulnar deviation (P greater than 0.05), grip
      strength (P less than 0.001), radial angle (P less than 0.0001), radial length (P
      less than 0.0001), and dorsal/volar angle (P greater than 0.0001). Using a
      modified McBride's system of scoring, the results were found to be directly
      correlated to the anatomical findings at the end of 6 months.

PMID- 1404052
TI  - Controlled prospective trial of wound management in elective hand surgery.
AB  - A total of 33 consecutive patients undergoing elective hand operations were
      randomly allocated 5 days after the operation either to have all dressings
      discarded or to continue with an occlusive bandage for a further 2 weeks.
      Assessments at 2 and 6 weeks showed that wound healing, hand function, symptoms
      and complications were identical in both groups. It was concluded that for
      selected patients early removal of hand dressings after surgery does not have any
      deleterious effects.

PMID- 1404053
TI  - Elbow fat pad sign: implications for clinical management.
AB  - The significance of the radiological fat pad sign indicating elbow joint effusion
      after trauma when a fracture is not visible remains controversial. This
      retrospective analysis of 45 cases examines the need for routine repeat
      radiography at 2-week review. At follow-up, 29 had normal repeat radiographs, two
      had undisplaced radial head fractures, three had no radiographs but were
      clinically well and 11 failed to attend. The incidence of fracture in those
      having repeat radiography was 6%. We conclude that routine repeat radiography is
      unnecessary.

PMID- 1404054
TI  - Aspiration cytology of the breast with immediate reporting: initial experience
      with 1000 patients in a district general hospital.

PMID- 1404055
TI  - Assessment of the reliability of the symptoms and signs of acute appendicitis.

PMID- 1404056
TI  - Casualty officers under-estimate the blood loss from fractures.

PMID- 1404057
TI  - Assessment of the reliability of the symptoms and signs of acute appendicitis.

PMID- 1404058
TI  - Assessment of the reliability of the symptoms and signs of acute appendicitis.

PMID- 1404059
TI  - Radon concentration in two largest cities in semitropical Taiwan.
AB  - Grab sampling either using the active charcoal method in combination with an
      ionization chamber or using a working level monitor was performed for the
      measurement of radon concentration in Taiwan's two largest cities Taipei and
      Kaohsiung. Long-term monitoring of radon concentration in dwellings and business
      buildings was also carried out with cellulose nitrate films as the alpha
      detectors. The average indoor radon concentration in these two cities is 17 +/- 6
      Bq m-3. The outdoor radon concentration is about one-half of that on average. As
      assessed according to the model of UNSCEAR 1988, the induced effective dose
      equivalent is 0.67 mSv y-1. Radon concentration in coal mines showed an average
      of 88.5 +/- 9.5 Bq m-3.

PMID- 1404060
TI  - Concentrations of radionuclides of size fractionated fly-ash emissions from a
      thermal power plant using Taiwan coal.
AB  - Coal, fly ash and bottom ash samples were taken from a 300-MWe coal-fired power
      plant with a daily coal consumption of 2400 tons. A high volume sampler coupled
      with several mesh testing sieves was used to separate fly ash samples into
      different size fractions. Determination of the concentrations of 40K, 238U,
      226Ra, 210Pb, 210Po, 228Th and 228Ra was carried out either by gamma or alpha
      spectrometry. For elements volatilized during combustion, their radionuclide
      concentrations decrease with increasing particle size. The enrichment factors for
      all radionuclides mentioned above were studied. Their values range from 31.0 for
      210Po to 2.2 for 228Ra. Of all radionuclides studied, 210Po and 210Pb are the
      most volatile elements; therefore, an increase in the natural radiation level
      should first be indicated by an increase in these two nuclides.

PMID- 1404061
TI  - Specific activities of 60Co and 152Eu in samples collected from the Atomic-Bomb
      Dome in Hiroshima.
AB  - Neutron-induced activities 60Co and 152Eu have been measured for samples
      collected from the Atomic-Bomb Dome locating at 161 m from the hypocenter of the
      Hiroshima Bomb. Specific activities 60Co/Co and 152Eu/Eu at the time of the
      detonation have been determined as 10.0 +/- 1.0 Bq mg-1 (steel sample S4) and 80
      +/- 9 Bq mg-1 (granite sample G1), respectively. Detailed measurements of 60Co
      and 152Eu activities for samples collected from various locations of the Dome
      show almost no directional dependence whether the sample faced to the epicenter
      or not, nor vertical height dependence between 17 m height and the ground level.
      In addition, 152Eu was not detected in the sample collected from the basement. It
      has been shown that the present 60Co activity value, the nearest steel one to the
      hypocenter, as well as other short distance data are systematically lower than
      the calculated values based on the neutron fluence of the DS86.

PMID- 1404062
TI  - Characterization through a data display of the different cellular responses in X
      irradiated small intestine.
AB  - Previous work on small intestinal radiation injury has reported changes in
      epithelial and non-epithelial tissues, but with few quantitative comparisons of
      different responses by individual cell types. The approach used here quantifies
      the responses of mouse duodenum to X-irradiation with 6 Gy, 10 Gy and 20 Gy,
      sampled three days after treatment, and 10 Gy sampled 6 hours, 1 day and 3 days
      after treatment. Tissue area measurements and counts per circumference for 13
      different structural elements are subjected to statistical tests. New data
      reported here for X-irradiation include the fact that cryptal cells do not
      respond uniformly, indicating that the crypt/microcolony cannot always be used as
      a standard unit in assessing radiation injury. Non-epithelial structures, such as
      submucosal arterioles, are also affected. The data display also includes control
      referenced ratios, from which are calculated Tissue Indices and a final
      Morphological Index, which estimates total structural damage. The Indices are
      useful in drawing attention to unexpected changes in extent or range of data
      sets. In addition, the Epithelial Index appears to be a sensitive indicator of
      radiation damage, even at low doses and early time points. The data display
      includes a graph of the total Indices and summary tables of data, and encourages
      close study of the constituent data points.

PMID- 1404063
TI  - Time course of histomorphometric alterations in nerve grafts without connection
      to a muscle target organ: an experimental study in sheep.
AB  - In 15 adult sheep, the saphenous nerve (28 +/- 1.8 cm) was used for ipsilateral
      or for cross-nerve grafting and was sutured to the proximal stump of the cut,
      motor-nerve branch of the vastus muscle. The distal end of the nerve graft was
      left without a target organ. Semi-thin cross sections of normal vastus nerves and
      saphenous grafts and of the distal ends of the grafts were analyzed by computer
      assisted planimetry, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months after the nerve-grafting
      procedure. Electronmicroscopy was also performed on specimens from the distal
      ends of the nerve grafts. Comparing the total number of myelinated nerve fibers
      in the distal end of the graft, the ipsilateral group showed an increase with
      time elapsed since nerve grafting, while the cross-over group showed a maximum
      after 3 and 6 months, and fewer fibers after longer periods of regeneration.
      Independent of the time passed since nerve grafting, the diameters of the
      myelinated nerve fibers were homogeneously thin in both experimental groups. Most
      interesting, the cross-nerve grafts did more poorly than the ipsilateral ones,
      even before they were influenced by the target muscle. With ultrastructural
      investigation, the ends of the grafts containing only a few myelinated fibers
      also showed a low number of unmyelinated fibers, but an increase of collagen
      fibers. The results have consequences for the clinical application of cross-nerve
      grafting.

PMID- 1404064
TI  - Nasal reconstruction with a thin, free flap prefabricated with a silicone sheet:
      case report.
AB  - When the reconstruction of facial tissue requires the use of a flap, this is best
      carried out with a thin flap that matches the texture of facial skin. For this
      reason, the authors often use postauricular and subclavicular donor sites. In the
      reported case, a prefabricated flap was created in the patient's subclavicular
      skin, by utilizing a silicone sheet and transferring the thoracodorsal vessels.
      Two weeks after the procedure, this prefabricated flap was transplanted with
      microsurgical techniques, to reconstruct the ala nasi, after a limited resection
      of a cavernous hemangioma that preserved the alar cartilage. A very favorable
      outcome was achieved.

PMID- 1404065
TI  - Vessel pathology and its clinical significance in toe transfer.
AB  - One hundred cases of toe transfer were subjected to histopathologic vessel
      examination. Results indicated that vascular injuries are crucially responsible
      for perioperative and postoperative crisis. A thorough resection of the abnormal
      vessel segment can prevent circulatory crisis and elevate the survival rate.

PMID- 1404066
TI  - Aneurysms of the palmar arch and a proper digital artery: case report and
      literature review.
AB  - The first reported case of multiple aneurysms of both the palmar arch and a
      proper digital artery is described. A palmar arch aneurysm was excised, and two
      end-to-end anastomoses were necessary to restore the blood flow. Microsurgical
      repair was the only possible treatment in this case. The authors believe that the
      vascular anatomy should always be restored as naturally as possible. No treatment
      was necessary for the more distal aneurysms.

PMID- 1404067
TI  - A technique for the treatment of neuroma in-continuity.
AB  - A surgical technique for the management of a neuroma in-continuity, in which
      motor function is preserved and sensory function is reconstructed with nerve
      grafting, is presented. Tedious and potentially damaging dissection within the
      neuroma in-continuity is avoided. The functioning motor fascicles are identified
      proximal and distal to the injury site with electrical nerve stimulation
      eliciting muscle contraction. These motor fascicles are preserved. The
      electrically silent and nonfunctioning sensory fascicles are divided proximal and
      distal to the neuroma and reconstructed with autogenous nerve grafts. These nerve
      grafts bypass the functioning motor portion of the neuroma in-continuity.

PMID- 1404068
TI  - An experimental study of ischemia following subcutaneous heterotopic intestinal
      graft: influence of arterial or venous occlusion.
AB  - A subcutaneously transferred intestinal model was prepared in the rat and
      experimental observations were conducted of serial histologic changes in the
      intestine and of acceptance rates, when the artery or vein in the pedicle was
      ligated at various times after transfer. Results showed 50 percent take in the
      artery-ligated group and 12.5 percent in the vein-ligated group, when performed 5
      days after transfer; 87.5 percent take in the artery-ligated group and 50 percent
      in the vein-ligated group, when performed 7 days after transfer; and 100 percent
      take for both groups, when ligation was performed 14 days after transfer.
      Consequently, it was concluded that venous occlusion constitutes a greater danger
      to successful transfer of intestine than arterial occlusion.

PMID- 1404069
TI  - Recovery after delayed nerve repair: influence of a pharmacologic adjunct in a
      primate model.
AB  - Inhibition of calpains in skeletal muscle by the tripeptide, leupeptin, after
      median-nerve transection in the mid-forearm and a delayed nerve repair of 3-weeks
      duration, was studied in a primate (Cebus apella) model. Results indicated that
      leupeptin facilitates axon regrowth and neuromuscular recovery after delayed
      nerve repair. Toxicologic testing showed that leupeptin, administered at 18 mg/kg
      intramuscularly, twice daily for 24 weeks after delayed nerve repair, did not
      adversely affect hematology, clotting, blood chemistry, or echocardiogram
      profiles. These data indicate that leupeptin is an effective and safe adjunct to
      delayed nerve repair.

PMID- 1404070
TI  - Utilization in Alberta's universal dental plan for the elderly, 1974-91.
AB  - Since 1973 the government of Alberta, a Canadian province of 2.4 million people,
      has funded a dental care plan for all residents over 64 years old and their
      dependents. It is the only dental plan in North America that covers all seniors
      and their dependents residing in a state or province. Under this plan, just over
      270,000 persons (in 1990-91) are eligible for comprehensive, premium-free dental
      services provided by dentists and denturists in private practice on a fee-for
      service basis. The plan's design, administration, utilization, and costs are
      reviewed. Utilization increased from 27 percent of eligibles using the plan in
      1974-75 to 44 percent in 1990-91, and the mean number of services per user rose
      from 4.9 to 6.9 during the same time period. Although the cost per eligible
      person has increased about 200 percent, from Canadian (C) $42 to C $131, these
      costs only began to exceed the rate of inflation in 1986-87. Even though just 12
      percent of the two main providers participating in the plan are denturists,
      nearly 22 percent of plan patients attended denturists rather than dentists for
      their complete dentures. Fees paid to dentists by the plan have decreased over
      time relative to the standard fees for the various services listed annually in
      the Alberta Dental Association fee guide. The apparent growth of direct
      additional billing by dentists of plan users to recover the difference between
      their usual fees and those paid by the plan and the effects of greater plan
      utilization are discussed, as are future potential difficulties in the plan's
      administration.

PMID- 1404071
TI  - Assessing dental practice quality by evaluating radiology items.
AB  - The DEMCAD dental office assessment instrument was developed to evaluate practice
      quality using Donebedian's quality assessment model of structure, process, and
      outcome. This previously validated instrument takes about six hours to complete.
      Subsequent analysis was undertaken to determine whether an abbreviated office
      assessment based on the evaluation of radiology items was sufficiently sensitive,
      specific, and practical to be used as a screening instrument for identifying
      dental offices with very low evaluation scores. Data for this analysis were
      obtained from 300 volunteer general dental practices evaluated in the field
      testing of the DEMCAD instrument. The nine radiology structure items predicted
      very poorly the overall structure scores. However, 13 radiology process items
      predicted overall process scores quite accurately. Four of the 13 radiology
      process items (periodontal diagnoses recorded, interdental bone shown on x-rays,
      caries diagnoses recorded, and current x-rays mounted) produced a combined R2 of
      .58. These four radiology variables predicted the 10 percent of the dental
      practices with the lowest overall process score with 87 percent sensitivity and
      93 percent specificity. This analysis showed that an abbreviated dental practice
      process quality assessment using oral radiology items in an audit of patients'
      records may be feasible as a screening test for dental office assessment.

PMID- 1404072
TI  - Smokeless tobacco habits and oral mucosal lesions in dental patients.
AB  - As part of a smokeless tobacco (ST) intervention study, we collected data on
      tobacco use habits and oral health for 245 male ST users aged 15 to 77. The study
      sample was identified during routine dental office visits and represents a
      relatively diverse population of patients. Oral health data collection included
      grading the clinical appearance of oral mucosal lesions using Greer and Poulson's
      classification system, as well as identifying and recording the primary anatomic
      location of ST placement. Results show that 78.6 percent of ST users had
      observable oral lesions, 23.6 percent of which were in the most clinically
      advanced category (degree III). Of the lesions noted, 85 percent were in the same
      location the patient identified as his primary area of smokeless tobacco
      placement. In a comparison sample of 223 non-ST-users with the same age
      distribution, only 6.3 percent had observable lesions. A multiple logistic
      regression model for ST users showed that lesion presence and severity were most
      significantly related to current frequency of ST use.

PMID- 1404073
TI  - Eligible veterans' choice between VA-covered and non-VA-covered dental care.
AB  - Veterans who were eligible for dental care in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
      facilities at no monetary cost responded to a mailed questionnaire. Seventy-one
      percent were aware that they were actually eligible for VA dental care. However,
      only 48 percent reported the VA as their only or primary source of dental care.
      Eligibility status, perceived quality of VA dental care, use of VA medical care,
      perception that one's income meets expenses, and perceived need for dental care
      were significant correlates of using the VA as one's current source of dental
      care. Level of formal education, perception that one's income meets expenses,
      transportation pattern, geographic distance from a VA facility, and eligibility
      status were significant correlates of using the VA as one's current medical care
      source. Research on VA utilization offers the opportunity to study issues of
      access to, and use of, a large public health care system whose patients largely
      receive care at no monetary cost. Veterans' use of VA dental and medical care is
      apparently influenced by a wide variety of factors, ranging from barriers to
      access to non-VA systems, to characteristics of the VA delivery system itself, to
      need for treatment.

PMID- 1404074
TI  - Fluoride concentrations in human and rat bone.
AB  - The most recent report on fluoride concentrations ([F]) in human bone was
      published over a decade ago. Such data are of interest in the context of changing
      patterns in systemic fluoride exposure. In the study reported here, bone samples
      were collected from 24 human subjects who underwent orthopedic surgery. Medical
      histories and the best possible life-time systemic fluoride exposure information
      were obtained from each subject. Bone samples were assayed for fluoride
      concentration using the acid diffusion, ion selective electrode method. For ash
      from whole bone, the lowest value was 378 ppm in a 16-year-old subject, and the
      highest value was 3,708 ppm in a 79-year-old person. Fluoride concentrations in
      bone were significantly correlated with age (r = .62). The regression line
      intercept at birth was 442 ppm, and the slope was 22 ppm per year. When measured
      separately, trabecular bone ash fluoride concentrations were significantly higher
      than the corresponding cortical bone values. Trabecular and cortical bone samples
      from rats' drinking water containing 75 ppm F were assayed for F. The mean
      trabecular bone fluoride concentration was significantly higher than the mean
      cortical bone concentration. There was close agreement between F assay results
      using a modification of the acid diffusion method and the method originally
      reported by Singer and Armstrong. The human bone ash [F] values reported in this
      study are similar to those reported from other North American subjects over the
      last three decades. These findings are of interest in the context of evidence
      indicating increased systemic fluoride exposure in the United States
      population.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1404075
TI  - A review of methods to forecast restorative treatment needs.
AB  - Decision makers in the areas of health policy, resource allocation, and manpower
      requirements rely implicitly on estimations of treatment needs on which to base
      their forecasts. The less specific the treatment-need estimate, the less precise
      the forecast. In previous decades, high caries rates were so prevalent that the
      dental profession could risk having inexact projections because overwhelming need
      and demand existed. However, rampant decay is no longer a common occurrence.
      Decay levels are declining in our nation's children and adults have fewer missing
      teeth. Therefore, restorative treatment needs and patterns in adult populations
      are transforming at a time when health care costs are spiraling and budget
      analysts at all levels of government are questioning the priority of continued
      support of dental care, dental education, and dental research at current levels.
      The purpose of this review is to present the existing methods of forecasting
      restorative treatment needs and to postulate the development of a new method
      based on the collective experiences of practicing dentists nationwide, an
      empirical method, to convert surface-specific oral health status data to
      restorative treatment need information. Need estimations based on empirical data
      would more accurately reflect the actual distribution of services that practicing
      dentists provide.

PMID- 1404076
TI  - Community dental health for Central America: an alternative model for health care
      delivery in the Third World.

PMID- 1404077
TI  - Mercury in dental amalgam--a public health concern?
AB  - Dental amalgam has been the subject of intermittent controversy since it was
      introduced into dental practice approximately 150 years ago. The controversy has
      centered on the use of mercury in dental amalgam and the potential health
      implications to dental patients and dental health professionals from mercury
      exposure. In recent years the debate over the use of dental amalgam has
      intensified due to several articles in professional journals and media coverage
      by television and the press. This paper reviews the recent literature regarding
      dental amalgam, describes the activities of the antiamalgamists, examines the
      alternatives to dental amalgam, and reviews the recommendations for additional
      research. The existing scientific evidence does not demonstrate that mercury in
      dental amalgam poses a public health hazard. However, researchers on both sides
      of the controversy agree that much remains to be examined about the health
      implications of dental amalgam and that the subject merits continued research.

PMID- 1404078
TI  - The development and practice of social dentistry in Germany.
AB  - The traditions of social dentistry in Germany represent early forms of dental
      public health development. It was promoted in dental care facilities where
      salaried dentists delivered services to target groups, i.e., schoolchildren and
      sickness fund members. They enabled larger numbers of patients to receive dental
      care, especially those of lower class origin who otherwise would have remained
      untreated because of lack of financial resources or scarcity of manpower. School
      dental clinics not only delivered dental treatment, but also distributed oral
      hygiene and nutritional information to school-aged children. Social dentistry in
      the prefluoride era in Germany pursued an egalitarian and social-class oriented
      concept of dental care delivery, aiming at compensating the detrimental effects
      that the private practice-based, fee-for-service financed dental care system had
      produced in the lower classes of the population. The impact of the Nazi regime
      nearly abolished the institutions of social dentistry. They never were restored
      in West Germany after World War II. In East Germany dental care had been
      organized according to traditions of social dentistry, i.e., delivering services
      in dental treatment centers. Since the unification of the two German states, the
      institutions of dental care delivery in former East Germany have been
      restructured to fit the private practice-based model of former West Germany,
      eliminating most of the social dentistry institutions in the country.

PMID- 1404079
TI  - Forging policy in the eye of the storm.

PMID- 1404080
TI  - Role of fluid from seminal vesicles and coagulating glands in sperm transport
      into the uterus and fertility in rats.
AB  - The relationship between the quantity of seminal vesicle secretion in the
      ejaculate, the percentage of spermatozoa reaching the uterus and fertility was
      studied in rats. Different portions of seminal vesicles were removed from male
      rats; 15 min after coitus (day 0), the numbers of spermatozoa in the uterus and
      vagina were counted and the vaginal plug characteristics were noted. Fertility
      was evaluated by the number of fetuses on day 14. A gradual decrease in the
      percentage of spermatozoa in the uterus was positively related to the reduction
      in seminal vesicle secretion, estimated by plug weight. This decline was not
      caused by a delay in sperm transport to the uterine lumen and the results
      suggested that the spermatozoa that fail to enter the uterus in the first minutes
      after coitus never enter. The vaginal plug weight, which is related to the
      seminal vesicle weight, and the position of the plug, which must be firmly lodged
      into the cervical opening, seem to be the most important conditions for promoting
      the rapid passage of spermatozoa into the uterus. When the seminal vesicles were
      partially removed, the plug was not tightly lodged and formed a 'cup' filled with
      spermatozoa. The number of fetuses did not show a close correlation with the
      quantity of seminal vesicle secretion. Studies of males in which the seminal
      vesicles had been removed indicated that a normal number of fetuses can be
      obtained despite low numbers of spermatozoa reaching the uterus. Ablation of the
      coagulating glands showed that, when there is no vaginal plug, no spermatozoa
      reach the uterus and fertility is suppressed. Nevertheless, the complete removal
      of coagulating glands is difficult; when small portions of these glands remain,
      the vaginal plug is formed and then fertility is achieved.

PMID- 1404081
TI  - Release of two-cell block by reduction of protein disulfide with thioredoxin from
      Escherichia coli in mice.
AB  - The development of mouse pronuclear-stage embryos in media containing various
      concentrations of thioredoxin was monitored and the influence of antithioredoxin
      immunoglobulin G (IgG) and heat-treated thioredoxin on the thioredoxin-induced
      effects was evaluated. A significant increase in the number of four-cell embryos
      (76.3%) and blastocysts (37.3%) was observed when embryos were cultured in the
      medium containing 50 micrograms thioredoxin ml-1 compared with the rates (55.8
      and 3.8%, respectively) in the basic medium. The number of blastocysts increased
      significantly to a maximum of 70.2% at 500 micrograms ml-1. The biological
      activity of thioredoxin was evident after dialysis, but was markedly impaired by
      the addition of anti-thioredoxin IgG to the culture medium. Treatment at 60
      degrees C for 5 min did not affect the enzymatic and biological activity of
      thioredoxin. More severe heat treatment (121 degrees C for 30 min) attenuated the
      enzymatic activity to 40% of its initial value and reduced the biological
      activity (number of blastocysts, from 77.8 to 51.6%). These results indicate that
      the effect of thioredoxin on the two-cell block is due to the thioredoxin
      molecule itself, and suggest that disulfide formation within or between proteins
      resulting from oxidative stress is one of the major causes of the two-cell block.

PMID- 1404082
TI  - Maintenance or stimulation of steroidogenic enzymes and testosterone production
      in rat Leydig cells by continuous and pulsatile infusions of luteinizing hormone
      during passive immunization against gonadotrophin-releasing hormone.
AB  - The importance of the pulsatility of luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion in
      maintaining key enzymes in the testosterone biosynthetic pathway in Leydig cells
      was studied using rats in which LH secretion was suppressed by passive
      immunization against gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and replaced by
      continuous or pulsatile i.v. infusions of exogenous LH, all delivering the same
      daily dose of the hormone (300 ng per 100 g NIDDK-ovine LH-24). Continuous
      infusions (12.5 ng per 100 g h-1) were compared with infusions of 1 min pulses
      every 2 h (25 ng per 100 g) and every 4 h (50 ng per 100 g). After 5 days of
      treatment in vivo with sheep anti-GnRH serum (or normal sheep serum) and LH (or
      vehicle), Leydig cells were purified and assayed in vitro for maximum production
      of testosterone stimulated by human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) and supported
      by 25-hydroxycholesterol and for the activities of cholesterol side-chain
      cleavage, delta 5-3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-delta 5-4-isomerase (3 beta
      HSD-isomerase) and 17 alpha-hydroxylase. Relative contents of cholesterol side
      chain cleavage and 17 alpha-hydroxylase were also quantified by western and
      immunoblotting analysis. Activity of 3 beta-HSD-isomerase was reduced by about
      40% by anti-GnRH treatment and was increased by all LH regimens in anti-GnRH
      treated animals, with no consistent pattern in the effects of the different LH
      regimens. Results for testosterone-producing capacity and the other two enzymes
      differed in several respects. Treatment with anti-GnRH serum markedly reduced
      basal, hCG-stimulated and 25-hydroxycholesterol-supported testosterone production
      (by 80-90%) and the activities of cholesterol side-chain cleavage (about 80%) and
      17 alpha-hydroxylase (about 65%). Infusion of exogenous LH in any of the regimens
      tested prevented these changes or increased the activities to values greater than
      those in normal serum-treated controls. Differences in immunodetectable contents
      of the two enzymes generally paralleled those in enzyme activities. There was a
      consistent trend in the effects of LH replacement regimens on these parameters of
      steroidogenic activity: continuous infusions were more effective than pulses at 2
      h intervals and these in turn were more effective than pulses at 4 h intervals,
      suggesting that the frequency of LH exposure is more important than the amplitude
      of individual exposures in maintaining Leydig cell steroidogenic
      function.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1404083
TI  - Stimulation of the release of [32P]guanosine 5'-diphosphate from G proteins in
      the rat anterior pituitary lobe by gonadotrophin-releasing and thyrotrophin
      releasing hormones.
AB  - Plasma membranes (1-2 mg protein) purified from the anterior pituitary lobes of
      adult male rats were incubated with 0.6 mumol [alpha-32P]guanosine 5'
      triphosphate (GTP) l-1 in an ATP-regenerating buffer at 37 degrees C for 60 min;
      during this incubation the [32P]GTP was hydrolysed and the nucleotide that was
      predominantly bound to the membranes was [32P]GDP. The release of [32P]GDP from
      the membranes was monitored at 37 degrees C; the amount released was proportional
      to the protein concentration and increased as a function of time. 5'
      Guanylylimidodiphosphate (Gpp(NH)p) increased [32P]GDP release by up to 30% at
      0.1 mumol l-1. Although 10 nmol Gpp(NH)p l-1 had no effect on GDP release, it
      appeared to stabilize the hormonal effect by blocking further GDP-GTP exchange.
      Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist and thyrotrophin-releasing hormone
      (TRH), at 0.1 mumol l-1 caused a maximum increase in the release of [32P]GDP of
      31-38%. The GnRH agonist (0.1 mumol l-1) stimulated GDP release by 21%, 24%, 17%
      and 14% at 30 s, 1, 2 and 5 min, respectively. TRH (0.1 mumol l-1) stimulated GDP
      release by 38%, 30%, 17% and 16% at 30 s, 1, 2 and 5 min, respectively. A GnRH
      antagonist also stimulated [32P]GDP release, albeit less effectively than GnRH
      agonist; the antagonist did not inhibit agonist stimulation of GDP release. These
      results indicate that ligand binding to the GnRH and TRH receptors results in
      interaction of the receptor with a guanine-nucleotide-dependent transducer
      protein (G protein) and activation of GTP-GDP exchange.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1404084
TI  - Isolation of serine protease from granulated metrial gland cells of mice and rats
      with lectin from Dolichos biflorus.
AB  - Granulated metrial gland cells were the only cells in the endometria of pregnant
      mice and rats that reacted histochemically with fluoresceinated lectin (DBA) from
      Dolichos biflorus. Cell extracts of uteri of pregnant animals, separated by
      sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and analysed by lectin
      overlay blotting, contained DBA-reactive, 40-50 kDa, doublet glycoprotein bands.
      This glycoprotein was purified on a DBA agarose affinity column. It was
      identified by amino acid sequencing as a serine protease closely related to
      granzymes of T lymphocytes. We conclude that this granzyme accounts for the
      selective reactivity of granulated metrial gland cells with fluoresceinated DBA
      in histological sections of uteri of pregnant rodents and show that DBA affinity
      columns can be used for purification of granzyme derived from granulated metrial
      gland cells.

PMID- 1404085
TI  - Maintenance of motility of fowl spermatozoa in vitro is prolonged by a low
      molecular weight factor derived from cultured chick embryo cells.
AB  - Gel filtration of a conditioned medium composed of the supernatant fluid removed
      from a 5-day culture of skeletal muscle cells from 9-day-old chick embryos with
      Bio-Gel P-2 revealed one peak of motility-prolonging activity (about 0.3 kDa),
      which was not present in fresh medium. Spermatozoa incubated in this fraction of
      the conditioned medium maintained their motility for at least 36 h at 37 degrees
      C. Both the formation of lipid peroxide and the leakage of lactic dehydrogenase
      of spermatozoa incubated in the conditioned medium fraction were lower than those
      incubated in the corresponding fresh medium. Initial rate of oxygen consumption
      of the spermatozoa incubated in the conditioned medium fraction increased
      compared with that of the fresh medium fraction. These results suggest that a low
      molecular weight factor(s) supplied by cultured cells effectively prolongs the
      motility of fowl spermatozoa, and that the effect could result from inhibition of
      the structural damage to the sperm membrane.

PMID- 1404086
TI  - Influence of photoperiod on the seasonal pattern of secretion of luteinizing
      hormone and testosterone and on the antler cycle in roe deer (Capreolus
      capreolus).
AB  - Annual variations in concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone
      in plasma were analysed in relation to the antler cycle in six adult male roe
      deer exposed to a natural photoperiod (latitude 46 degrees 10'N) and in four
      adult males maintained in a constant short-day photoperiod (8 h light: 16 h dark)
      for a year, from the winter solstice at which time both groups of animals had
      antlers in velvet. The animals were sampled, every 15 min for 2 or 4 h at
      intervals of one month for a year. Under both natural and experimental
      conditions, LH concentrations were high from January to March, but in the
      experimental conditions they decreased between April and May-June, whereas in the
      natural conditions they increased. Plasma LH concentration was lowest between
      July and November in animals under natural photoperiod, whereas under 8 h
      light:16 h dark photoperiod a second increase in plasma LH occurred between
      August and September. Between March and August, concentrations of plasma
      testosterone increased under natural photoperiod, whereas under experimental
      photoperiod there was a biphasic pattern of plasma testosterone with peaks
      between February and May and between September and November. Under natural
      photoperiod, antlers were cast in November, 369 +/- 6 days after the previous
      antlers were cast. Under experimental photoperiod, antlers were cast after 193 +/
      10 days, and a new set developed. The sexual cycle of the male appears to be
      initiated by an endogenous rhythm in winter and is then maintained by hormonal
      changes resulting from increasing photoperiod in spring.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1404087
TI  - The role of photoperiod on the initiation of the breeding season of the brushtail
      possum (Trichosurus vulpecula).
AB  - The role of photoperiod on the initiation of the breeding season of brushtail
      possums was investigated in possums housed in three light regimens: a short-day,
      a natural and a long-day photoperiod. Seven possums were housed in a natural
      photoperiod. Four possums were transferred to a short-day photoperiod (10 h
      light, 14 h dark) and eight possums to a long-day photoperiod (14 h light, 10 h
      dark) on 22 November, when the daylength was 13.34 h. The first rises in plasma
      progesterone concentrations were observed on 9 January +/- 9 days (n = 4), 11
      March +/- 6 days (n = 7) and 6 May +/- 6 days (n = 8), for possums held in short
      day, natural or long-day photoperiods respectively. Similarly, births were
      observed on 12 January and 14 February in the short-day group, from 3 March to 8
      May for the natural photoperiod group, and from 5 May to 8 August for the long
      day group. These results suggest that photoperiod is important in the timing of
      the breeding season. However, annual breeding will commence in a nonstimulatory
      long-day photoperiod. Thus a long-day photoperiod does not prevent breeding
      activity.

PMID- 1404088
TI  - Effect of duration of melatonin treatment on the onset and duration of oestrous
      cyclicity in ewes.
AB  - Forty-two Scottish Blackface ewes that lambed outdoors in March were removed from
      their lambs at the end of April and housed under natural daylength at 57 degrees
      N. Treatments (n = 7 ewes per treatment) commenced on 1 May and comprised daily
      oral dosing at 15:00 h with 3 mg melatonin dissolved in water and ethanol (4:1,
      v/v) for 30, 60, 90, 120 or 150 days. Control ewes received the vehicle alone.
      Ovarian activity was assessed by laparoscopy at monthly intervals with an
      additional interim observation in mid-July. Blood was sampled three times a week
      by jugular venepuncture and assayed for progesterone, prolactin and follicle
      stimulating hormone (FSH). Luteinizing hormone (LH) was determined in blood
      samples collected at 15 min intervals for 10 h on days 28, 60, 91, 119 and 150.
      Thirty days of melatonin treatment delayed (P < 0.01) first ovulation by about 1
      month (mean interval +/- SEM from 1 May to progesterone > 1 ng ml-1, 165 +/- 4.5
      days versus 132 +/- 9.2 days for controls). None of the ewes that received
      melatonin for 60 days ovulated before the end of melatonin treatment, but
      subsequently six of them did; the mean interval from 1 May to increased
      progesterone concentration was 75 +/- 1.2 days. All ewes receiving melatonin for
      90, 120 and 150 days ovulated with corresponding mean intervals of 83 +/- 2.7, 85
      +/- 1.3 and 87 +/- 2.2 days, respectively (P < 0.001 compared with
      controls).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1404089
TI  - Evidence that cortical granule formation is a periovulatory event in marsupials.
AB  - Formation of cortical granules was examined in superovulated oocytes from three
      marsupial species, brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) tammar wallabies
      (Macropus eugeniii) and grey short-tailed opossums (Monodelphis domestica) and in
      oocytes obtained during natural cycles in Macropus eugenii. Superovulation was
      induced by pregnant mares' serum gonadotrophin/gonadotrophin-releasing hormone
      (PMSG/GnRH) protocols and natural ovulation by removal of pouch young. Oocytes
      were collected after ovariectomy or by laparoscopically guided follicle
      aspiration into Hanks balanced salt solution (HBSS) supplemented with either 2.5%
      fetal calf serum (FCS) or 2.5% bovine serum albumin (BSA). Ovulated oocytes were
      collected by removing and flushing the oviducts with HBSS and fixed immediately
      for electron microscopy. There were no differences in the morphology or timing of
      formation of cortical granules between superovulated and naturally cycling
      animals. Cortical granules were absent from germinal vesicle (GV) stage
      follicular oocytes before the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge in all species. Dark
      cortical granules, similar in appearance to those seen in the oocytes of
      eutherian mammals, were found just beneath the plasma membrane (9 per 100 microns
      of plasma membrane) of preovulatory oocytes at germinal vesicle, metaphase 1 or
      anaphase 1 stages. In addition, they contained a number of less electron-dense
      cortical granules (12 per 100 microns plasma membrane). The cortical cytoplasm of
      preovulatory oocytes was rich in Golgi complexes actively involved in vesicle
      formation. Large numbers of dark cortical granules (90 per 100 microns plasma
      membrane) were found only in ovulated oocytes. A small number of cortical
      granules of lighter electron density were also present in ovulated oocytes. This
      suggests that the marsupial oocyte is following a very different timetable for
      cortical granule formation and accumulation from eutherian mammals and that
      oocytes of marsupials may not achieve cytoplasmic maturity until after ovulation.
      The significance of these events for fertilization and development remains to be
      established.

PMID- 1404090
TI  - Influence of gonadal hormones on odours emitted by male meadow voles (Microtus
      pennsylvanicus).
AB  - Free-living male meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) emit odours that are
      attractive to females at the beginning, but not at the end, of the breeding
      season. The effect of gonadal hormones on female-attractant cues was examined in
      males born and reared in long (14 h light day-1) and short (10 h light day-1)
      photoperiods that simulate daylengths in the breeding and nonbreeding seasons,
      respectively. Gonadectomy affected the attractant properties of odours emitted by
      long photoperiod, but not short photoperiod, males. Long photoperiod females
      preferred odours of intact rather than those of gonadectomized long photoperiod
      males, and odours of gonadectomized long photoperiod males rather than those of
      intact short photoperiod males. Females did not show a preference between the
      odours of intact and castrated short photoperiod males. Gonadal hormone
      replacement in males affected female responses to the odours emitted by long
      photoperiod, but not short photoperiod, gonadectomized males. Long photoperiod
      females did not display a preference between odours of intact long photoperiod
      males and gonadectomized long photoperiod males treated with testosterone or
      oestradiol. We conclude that in spring and summer gonadal hormones increase
      attractiveness of male odours; this effect may require aromatization of
      testosterone to oestradiol. Substrates that control attractiveness of odour cues
      in male voles appear to be unresponsive to androgens during the nonbreeding
      season.

PMID- 1404091
TI  - Osmotic shock of fertilized mouse ova.
AB  - The effect of osmotic changes on fertilized mouse ova was studied by measuring
      their survival, defined as development into hatching blastocysts, after exposure
      to various concentrations of ethanediol (ethylene glycol). In addition, a Boyle
      van't Hoff plot was derived from exposing ova to hypotonic and hypertonic
      solutions ranging from 0.1 to 2.8 osmol. Volume of ova was inversely proportional
      to osmolality over this range. Extrapolation of this relationship yielded a
      nonosmotic volume of the ova of 22.5%. Eighty-five per cent or more of the ova
      survived exposure to this wide range of concentrations and developed into
      blastocysts. The rate of development of ova exposed to anisotonic solutions was
      the same as that of controls. Ova underwent osmotic shock when abruptly diluted
      out of concentrated solutions of ethanediol with an isotonic solution. Their
      survival was highly dependent on the ethanediol concentration with which they had
      equilibrated before dilution, and the manner, rate and temperature of dilution.
      The longer the exposure to ethanediol the greater was the sensitivity of the ova
      to osmotic shock, reflecting permeation of ethanediol into the ova. Osmotic shock
      could be alleviated by dilution at a high temperature, and prevented by the use
      of sucrose as an osmotic buffer at 37 degrees C. Identification of the variables
      that influence osmotic shock of ova will be helpful in the systematic study of
      their cryopreservation.

PMID- 1404092
TI  - The contribution of the toxicity of a glycerol-egg yolk-citrate cryopreservative
      to the decline in human sperm motility during cryopreservation.
AB  - The contribution of the toxicity of glycerol-egg yolk-citrate (GEYC)
      cryopreservative medium to the loss of function of human spermatozoa during
      cryopreservation was determined by investigating the effect of mixing semen with
      the medium on sperm motility. The percentage of progressively motile spermatozoa,
      velocity (micron s-1) and lateral head displacement (micron) (mean +/- SEM, n =
      28) were 55 +/- 4.1, 47 +/- 2.7, 4.4 +/- 0.2 and 32 +/- 3.8, 40 +/- 2.5, 3.6 +/-
      0.25 and 15 +/- 2.5, 28 +/- 1.1, 2.8 +/- 0.15 in suspensions of washed
      spermatozoa prepared from fresh, GEYC-treated and frozen-thawed semen,
      respectively. The variables changed only slightly after incubation for 3 h. The
      toxicity of GEYC did not vary significantly between samples which survived the
      complete freeze-thaw cycle well or very poorly. The toxicity of GEYC is
      responsible for about 50% of the loss of progressively motile spermatozoa during
      the complete cryopreservation process, but has little effect on the quality of
      motility. Susceptibility to GEYC does not explain observed differences in the
      ability of semen samples to survive freezing.

PMID- 1404093
TI  - Changes in concentration of serum prolactin during social and reproductive
      development of the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta).
AB  - A homologous radioimmunoassay system developed for humans was used to measure
      prolactin concentrations in spotted hyaenas. Concentrations of prolactin showed a
      significant (P < 0.05) decrease in lactating females, which is consistent with
      the infrequent suckling pattern of this species. This lack of hyperprolactinaemic
      conditions during lactation may explain the ability of females to resume
      reproductive activity soon after the loss of a litter, or even during lactation.
      Prolactin concentrations did not increase significantly during dispersion in male
      spotted hyaenas. This conforms to the pattern observed for cortisol, but differs
      from that for androgen, which fluctuates significantly with social suppression.
      Although comparative data from other species provide some circumstantial evidence
      for hyperprolactinaemic conditions during male dispersal, no obvious deductions
      regarding the recorded inverse relationship between prolactin and cortisol
      concentrations in mature males could be made.

PMID- 1404094
TI  - The effect of decrease in body temperature with Nembutal on meiosis and ovulation
      after induction by gonadotrophin-releasing hormone and luteinizing hormone in
      adult rats.
AB  - Sodium pentobarbital (Nembutal) is often used to block the pro-oestrous
      luteinizing hormone (LH) surge in rats. Nembutal is also known to lower body
      temperature. This study was designed to investigate whether Nembutal affected the
      time course of meiosis and timing of ovulation induced by exogenous hormones, and
      whether the possible effects of Nembutal on these processes were related to
      temperature. Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), the GnRH-analogue Ovalyse,
      or rat luteinizing hormone (LH) were administered to trigger resumption of
      meiosis and ovulation; Nembutal (35 mg kg-1 body weight) or saline was given 10
      or 60 min later. Plasma profiles of LH were measured and Graafian follicles were
      studied histologically for meiotic progress and ovulation. Nembutal suppressed
      the spontaneous surge of LH at pro-oestrus and caused a long-lasting decrease in
      body temperature. If 1000 ng GnRH was given 2 h before the pro-oestrous LH surge,
      most of the oocytes had extruded a polar body 10 h later and most follicles had
      ovulated 14 h later. Nembutal given 1 h after GnRH delayed extrusion of the polar
      body and ovulation by about 2 h. Nembutal caused a similar delay in ovulation
      when it was administered after 100 ng of Ovalyse, and it also delayed meiosis
      when given after 1000 ng of LH. This effect of Nembutal was prevented if body
      temperature was maintained at 37 degrees C. The delaying effect of Nembutal on
      meiosis and ovulation induced by exogenous GnRH or LH is related to a long
      lasting decrease in body temperature.

PMID- 1404095
TI  - Spacing of fetuses and local competition in strains of mice with large, medium
      and small litters.
AB  - The tendency for fetuses to be evenly spaced along the uterine horn and the
      relationship of this to local competition between fetuses was examined in three
      strains of mice which characteristically produce large, medium and small litters.
      Local competition was assessed by correlating, within each uterine horn, the
      weight of each fetus or placenta with the mean distance to its immediate
      neighbours. Weights and distances were measured on day 19 of gestation, on the
      day before expected parturition and distances only on day 7. Average litter sizes
      (live fetuses) were 16.3 +/- 0.9, 11.7 +/- 0.6 and 7.2 +/- 0.5 (mean +/- SEM) in
      the large, medium and small litter strains, respectively (n = 7, 7 and 10,
      respectively). On day 19, the mean distance between fetuses was significantly
      less (P < 0.05) in the large strain (10.1 +/- 1.0 mm) than in the medium (14.0 +/
      1.2 mm) or small (13.5 +/- 1.0 mm) strains. Evenness of spacing, expressed as
      the standard deviation of distances between fetuses divided by the mean distance,
      improved from day 7 to day 19 of gestation in all three strains and effectively
      prevented local competition between fetuses in the medium litter (r = 0.04) and
      small litter strains (r = 0.17), but not in the large litter strain (r = 0.45, P
      < 0.01). Thus, local crowding does not seem to be detrimental to fetal growth in
      mice, except in strains specifically bred for large litters.

PMID- 1404096
TI  - Glycosphingolipids of rabbit endometrium and their changes during pregnancy.
AB  - The glycolipids of nonpregnant and pregnant rabbit endometrium were characterized
      using a combination of biochemical and immunochemical techniques. Quantitative
      analyses indicated a 70% decline in acidic glycolipid (ganglioside) content
      during early pregnancy (day 6), and a 2.5-fold increase in neutral glycolipid
      content during later pregnancy (day 26). The major gangliosides of rabbit
      endometrium were identified by thin-layer chromatography as GM3 and GD3, with
      minor amounts of GM1, GD1a and GT1b. The major neutral glycolipids were
      identified similarly as globo-series structures Gb3 and Gb4. Monoclonal
      antibodies (mAbs) directed to glycolipid antigens permitted the detection of
      additional glycolipid species, including sialylated, sulfated and fucosylated
      lacto-series structures. Difucosyl Ley structure (defined by mAb AH-6) and
      sulfated-galactosyl structure (defined by mAb VESP 6.2) were identified by
      indirect immunofluorescence along the luminal surface of the endometrium during
      the implantation period. Rapid changes in the glycolipid composition of
      endometrial cells during early pregnancy may facilitate embryo adhesion and
      trophectoderm outgrowth during implantation.

PMID- 1404097
TI  - Spontaneous degeneration of germ cells in normal rat testis: assessment of cell
      types and frequency during the spermatogenic cycle.
AB  - The occurrence of degenerating germ cells in the cycle of the seminiferous
      epithelium was measured in testicular tissues from eight normal adult rats.
      Testes were perfusion fixed, embedded in epoxy resin and, after sectioning a
      total of 180 randomly selected blocks at 1 microns, stained sections were
      examined by light microscopy; all cross-sectioned seminiferous tubules were
      categorized into one of 14 stages of the spermatogenic cycle. The number of
      degenerating cells per tubule was recorded in 2103 tubules. Degenerating germ
      cells were not detected at stages II-VI, and only rarely at stage VII (n = 366
      tubules) in which one primary spermatocyte and one step 19 spermatid degenerated.
      All other stages exhibited a greater incidence of degenerative germ cells,
      particularly at stage XIV where, on average, the frequency of degenerating cells
      per round seminiferous tubule was about 40 times greater than at stage VII. The
      results indicated that, in the normal adult rat testis, the germ cells are least
      at risk of degeneration as they pass through stage VII.

PMID- 1404098
TI  - Effect of prostaglandins on luteal function during early pregnancy in pigs.
AB  - Luteal cells were obtained by digestion of luteal tissue of cyclic (day 12) and
      early pregnant (days 12, 20 and 30) pigs. Suspensions of the dispersed luteal
      cells (5 x 10(4) cells ml-1) were incubated for 2 h in minimum essential medium
      (MEM) alone (control) and MEM with different concentrations of prostaglandin F2
      alpha (PGF2 alpha) and PGE2 (0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 1000 ng ml-1) and
      luteinizing hormone (LH) 100 and 1000 ng ml-1, or with combinations of LH + PGF2
      alpha and LH + PGE2. Net progesterone production was measured in the incubation
      media by direct radioimmunoassay. The overall response pattern of the luteal
      cells to exogenous hormones on day 12 of the oestrous cycle and pregnancy
      differed (P < 0.05) from treatment on day 20 and 30 of pregnancy. In general
      progesterone production was higher (P < 0.05) and the response to PGF2 alpha and
      PGE2 treatment was most obvious on day 12 of the oestrous cycle and pregnancy.
      Overall, PGF2 alpha stimulated progesterone production in a dose-dependent manner
      (P < 0.05). The response to PGE2 was of a quadratic nature (P < 0.05) in which
      the lowest and the highest doses of PGE2 were associated with a greater
      production of progesterone than were the intermediate doses. Treatment of luteal
      cells with PGF2 alpha + LH or PGE2 + LH caused overall inhibition (P < 0.05) of
      progesterone production compared with treatment with each hormone alone. This
      interaction was not affected by the dose of LH used. These findings indicate that
      PGF2 alpha and PGE2 are involved in the autocrine control of corpus luteum
      function.

PMID- 1404099
TI  - Origin of oestrus-associated glycoproteins in bovine oviductal fluid.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to determine whether the synthesis of an oestrus
      associated protein found in bovine oviductal fluid varies with oviductal region,
      stage of cycle or day of pregnancy. Explant culture was performed using oviducts
      recovered from naturally cycling animals either at oestrus or 12-14 days after
      oestrus. Three oviductal regions, the preampulla, ampulla and isthmus, were
      cultured individually in the presence of 20 muCi [35S]methionine in serum-free
      medium for 6 h at 37 degrees C. Synthesis of oestrus-associated protein was
      assessed by one-dimensional SDS-PAGE, fluorography and densitometry of
      radiolabelled bands. Significantly more oestrus-associated protein was
      synthesized by the ampullar region of the oviduct, although it was detected in
      explant culture media from both the isthmic and preampullar regions. A polyclonal
      antibody produced against oestrus-associated protein was used to localize the
      protein in paraffin-embedded sections of oviductal explant cultures and other
      bovine tissues. Localization of the protein in oviductal tissue sections varied
      with stage of cycle (oestrus > luteal > pregnant) and region of oviduct (ampulla
      > preampulla/isthmus). These findings indicate an effect of oviductal region and
      hormonal state (cycling versus pregnant) on the synthesis and secretion of the
      oestrus-associated protein. Lectin affinity studies indicated that
      galactosyl(beta 1,3)N-acetylgalactosamine and N-acetylglucosamine residues are
      associated with the oestrus-associated protein.

PMID- 1404100
TI  - Factors from fluid of the ovarian pocket that stimulate sperm motility in
      domestic hens.
AB  - Fluid was collected from the region of the peritoneum surrounding the ovarian
      pocket of domestic hens at about the time of ovulation. This fluid, diluted to
      10%, increased the motility of chicken spermatozoa by a maximum of sixfold at 40
      degrees C in vitro. Gel filtration revealed two peaks of motility-stimulating
      activity: one was identified as calcium and the other as a heat-labile substance
      of low M(r) (200). It is suggested that this motility-stimulating activity may
      facilitate fertilization, as spermatozoa are normally stored in a quiescent state
      within the oviduct and can be passively transported by cilia to the site of
      fertilization in the ovarian pocket.

PMID- 1404101
TI  - Expression of mRNA for follicle-stimulating hormone suppressing protein in
      ovarian tissues of cows.
AB  - The expression of bovine follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-suppressing protein
      (FSP) mRNA was investigated in different ovarian tissues of cows. Northern blot
      analysis, using a cDNA probe to bovine FSP, demonstrated that the FSP gene in the
      bovine ovary is highly expressed in a pool of isolated granulosa cells. Two bands
      (2.8 and 1.8 kb) were observed in all tissues expressing the mRNA. FSP mRNA was
      low in small antral follicles and increased in growing follicles to reach a
      maximum in preovulatory follicles. Low amounts of mRNA of steady state FSP were
      observed in all stages of the corpus luteum as well as in the corpus luteum of
      pregnant cows, in the corpus albicans and theca tissue, whereas this mRNA could
      not be detected in the liver. These results are consistent with the hypothesis
      that, in cows, FSP functions as an autocrine regulator in developing follicles to
      facilitate luteinization of granulosa cells.

PMID- 1404102
TI  - Plasma melatonin profiles of Romney Marsh sheep in natural photoperiod and in
      acutely extended darkness.
AB  - Plasma melatonin was measured at the summer and winter solstices and the autumn
      and spring equinoxes in Romney Marsh sheep held under natural conditions in South
      Australia (35 degrees S). The amount of melatonin detected was generally related
      to the extent of natural darkness, though the melatonin onset was particularly
      delayed after dusk in winter compared with other seasons. The duration of
      detectable melatonin was shorter in summer than at any other season. After each
      initial 24 h sampling, the sheep were resampled for a further 24 h in acutely
      extended darkness to mark the phase and duration of suprachiasmatic nuclei
      activity which is believed to be the source of the melatonin signal. The onset of
      high plasma melatonin was earlier than the time of natural sunset in spring and
      summer, but not different from the time of natural sunset in autumn and winter.
      The offset of high plasma melatonin was later than the time of natural sunrise at
      all times of year and particularly so in summer. Under the extended dark
      conditions, the duration of detectable melatonin was longer than that under
      natural photoperiod at all seasons of the year and the duration of melatonin was
      again shorter in summer than winter. If melatonin measurements under the
      conditions of extended darkness do reflect the phase and duration of
      suprachiasmatic nuclei function then the natural light of the photoperiod can,
      particularly during long photoperiod conditions, mask the expression of the
      pacemaker. The findings may have implications for the timing of the breeding
      season in Romney Marsh sheep.

PMID- 1404103
TI  - Observations on the turkey oviductal sperm-storage tubule using differential
      interference contrast microscopy.
AB  - Squash preparations of unfixed, uterovaginal junction mucosae revealed that
      openings to sperm-storage tubules were round or slit-like and were surrounded by
      either cilia, which were part of the uterovaginal junction surface epithelium, or
      nonciliated cells resembling the sperm-storage tubule epithelium. By focusing on
      different levels of the sperm-storage tubule (optical sectioning), connective
      tissue fibres and cells between individual sperm-storage tubules, epithelium and
      lumen of sperm-storage tubules containing resident spermatozoa were observed. An
      optical section through the sperm-storage tubule epithelium revealed basal nuclei
      and associated nucleoli, and refractile supranuclear lipid droplets. Luminal
      spermatozoa were distributed primarily in the distal third of the sperm-storage
      tubule and nearly always formed a tight bundle at its base. These spermatozoa
      were often observed slowly and synchronously oscillating. In two-thirds of the 30
      week-old, non-photostimulated hens, sperm-storage tubules were fully formed. In
      contrast, the remaining hens possessed bud-like surface invaginations lacking
      discernible lumina. It was concluded that differential interference contrast
      microscopy offers better spatial and optical resolution of the sperm-storage
      tubule than other modes of light microscopy.

PMID- 1404104
TI  - Effect of pregnant mares' serum gonadotrophin on the micromorphology of antral
      follicles in heifers, with special reference to atypical granulosa cells.
AB  - Five Dutch-Friesian heifers were injected i.m. with 3000 iu pregnant mares' serum
      gonadotrophin (PMSG) on day 10 of the oestrous cycle, to study the effects on the
      number and micromorphological quality of antral follicles (> or = 0.3 mm in
      diameter). The ovaries were collected 48 h after PMSG injection. As well as the
      presence of mitotic figures and the absence of pyknotic nuclei in the granulosa,
      atypical granulosa cells were found in nonatretic follicles. These cells had an
      oblong nucleus and stained with toluidine blue. They were characterized by their
      dark cell matrix, and the presence of numerous free ribosomes and intermediate
      filaments of varying quantity. Atypical granulosa cells were micromorphologically
      similar to fibroblast-like cells in the theca. Their presence coincided with the
      occurrence of degenerative changes in the cytoplasm of nearby granulosa cells and
      they were more frequent in atretic follicles. The presence of atypical granulosa
      cells in follicles hitherto called nonatretic is therefore probably associated
      with the onset of follicular atresia. In the PMSG-treated heifers, the mean
      number of large (> or = 6.0 mm in diameter) antral follicles was greater than in
      the control group (18.4 +/- 4.0 versus 3.0 +/- 1.0), because of an increase in
      the number of large nonatretic follicles (11.8 +/- 4.4 versus 0.4 +/- 0.2). After
      hormone treatment, the mean number of medium-sized (3.0-5.9 mm) nonatretic
      follicles also increased (6.4 +/- 1.3 versus 1.8 +/- 1.0). PMSG did not change
      the mean number of nonatretic follicles < 3.0 mm or that of atretic follicles in
      the different size categories. However, when follicles hitherto called
      nonatretic, with atypical granulosa cells, were taken together with the group of
      atretic follicles, PMSG appeared to increase the mean number of large atretic
      follicles (13.6 +/- 2.4 versus 3.0 +/- 1.0). The mean number of medium-sized and
      large nonatretic follicles without atypical granulosa cells was markedly
      increased (3.8 +/- 1.0 versus 0.2 +/- 0.2 and 4.6 +/- 1.9 versus 0.0,
      respectively). The data demonstrate that PMSG stimulates the formation not only
      of nonatretic follicles > or = 3.0 mm, but also of atretic follicles > or = 6.0
      mm.

PMID- 1404105
TI  - Superoxide dismutase activity, lipid peroxide production and corpus luteum
      steroidogenesis during natural luteolysis and regression induced by oestradiol
      deprivation of the ovary in pseudopregnant rabbits.
AB  - The relationship of oxygen free radicals to corpus luteum function in rabbits was
      explored during various stages of pseudopregnancy, including natural and induced
      luteal regression. Induced luteolysis was achieved during mid-pseudopregnancy by
      removal of an oestradiol capsule placed at the onset of pseudopregnancy, which
      suppressed ovarian oestradiol production. Activity of manganese superoxide
      dismutase (Mn SOD) was significantly and positively correlated with ovarian
      progesterone production (P < 0.01) throughout pseudopregnancy and during natural
      regression. Oestradiol deprivation for 12, 24 or 72 h resulted in declines in Mn
      SOD activity and progesterone secretion, although Mn SOD rose and corpus luteum
      steroidogenesis was restored to normal when the capsule was replaced for 48 h
      before assessment, having been removed for 24 h. Lipid peroxide and progesterone
      concentrations were not correlated, although a significant rise in lipid
      peroxides in the luteal tissue was detected after deprivation of oestradiol for
      72 h. Changes in progesterone production and Mn SOD activity were not associated
      with alterations in concentration of prostaglandin F metabolite. These data
      suggest that Mn SOD may be involved in regulating function of the corpus luteum
      during pseudopregnancy in rabbits and that oxygen free radicals may play a role
      in regression of corpus luteum in this species.

PMID- 1404106
TI  - Seasonal pattern of luteinizing hormone and testosterone pulsatile secretion in
      young adult red deer stags (Cervus elaphus) and its association with the antler
      cycle.
AB  - Blood from stages aged 15 months (n = 6) was sampled at monthly intervals every
      30 min for 24 h for 12 months, at 45 degrees S in New Zealand. Three extra
      samplings each for 24 h were carried out at about the anticipated time of antler
      casting. All samples were analysed for luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone
      and the resulting data further analysed by the Pulsar pulse detection routine.
      The animals were kept indoors under natural daylength and were fed ad libitum.
      All animals were weighed, antler status and size recorded and testes diameter was
      measured on each sampling day. Mean LH and testosterone pulsatily and plasma
      concentration varied seasonally. LH pulse frequency was low during autumn (2.5
      pulses in 24 h), winter (1.0-1.5 pulses in 24 h) and early spring (1 pulse in 24
      h) and lowest in late spring (0.2 pulse in 24 h) before rising in summer (1.0-4.0
      pulses in 24 h). LH pulse amplitude and mean plasma concentration were low (< 1
      ng ml-1) from March to November (autumn-spring); both rose to a peak in January
      (summer) of 3.4 and 1.6 ng ml-1, respectively. Testosterone pulse frequency was
      generally similar to LH except that slightly more pulses of testosterone than of
      LH were detected from March to November and more pulses of LH from November to
      February (summer). Testosterone pulse amplitude fell from March to November (5.3
      ng ml-1 to undetectable) although there was a conspicuous peak in July
      (midwinter) of almost 5 ng ml-1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1404107
TI  - Effect of testosterone and bovine follicular fluid on concentrations of
      luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone in plasma of castrated rams
      that are homozygous carriers or non-carriers of the Booroola fecundity gene.
AB  - Castrated adult FecBFecB and Fec+Fec+ Booroola rams were injected with charcoal
      treated bovine follicular fluid (bFF) (a source of inhibin-like activity) or
      given testosterone implants to examine whether the fecundity gene (FecB)
      influences sensitivity to negative feedback hormones in males. Mean
      concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
      did not differ between genotypes before treatment. In Expt 1, injections of 5 ml
      bFF, but not of 1 ml (each given four times at intervals of 8 h), significantly
      (P < 0.05) depressed concentrations of LH and FSH, but there was no effect of
      genotype. After treatment, gonadotrophin concentrations returned to pretreatment
      values and for 2-2.5 days scaled (divided by pretreatment mean) LH values (235 +/
      49 for FecBFecB and 96 +/- 26% for Fec+Fec+ rams; P < 0.05) and scaled FSH
      values (106 +/- 5 for FecBFecB and 85 +/- 5% for Fec+Fec+ rams; P < 0.05) were
      significantly higher in FecBFecB than in Fec+Fec+ rams in the group that received
      5 ml bFF. Irrespective of genotype, treatment with 5 ml bFF did not reduce mean
      FSH to concentrations observed in testis-intact rams. In Expt 2, Silastic
      envelopes were implanted subdermally to give physiological or supraphysiological
      circulating concentrations of testosterone. Both doses significantly reduced
      scaled LH values in a biphasic manner, such that there was an initial suppression
      followed by a short-lived increase. During the initial period of suppression in
      the lower dose group, mean scaled LH values were significantly higher in FecBFecB
      than in Fec+Fec+ rams (48.3 +/- 7.5 versus 23.1 +/- 5.5%; P < 0.05). Low doses of
      testosterone decreased LH pulse frequency in both genotypes but decreased (P <
      0.05) pulse amplitude and mean concentrations in the Fec+Fec+ animals only. In
      nonimplanted control rams, mean LH concentrations (in samples taken every 10 min
      for 12 h) were significantly lower in FecBFecB than in Fec+Fec+ rams (0.6 +/- 0.2
      versus 1.3 +/- 0.1 ng ml-1; P < 0.05). The mean FSH response to testosterone was
      not related to genotype. These data suggest that expression of the FecB gene
      results in an altered sensitivity of the pituitary gland to changes in negative
      feedback from testicular hormones and that, irrespective of genotype, neither
      testosterone nor inhibin-like activity alone can fully control FSH secretion in
      castrated rams.

PMID- 1404108
TI  - Influence of prenatal photoperiod on postnatal prolactin secretion in red deer
      (Cervus elaphus).
AB  - Plasma prolactin concentrations were higher (P < 0.001) in newborn red deer
      calves whose mothers had been maintained for the last 14 weeks of gestation in
      long days (18 h light) (group L, n = 9) than in those whose mothers had been kept
      over the same period in short days (6 h light) (group S, n = 5). After transfer
      of all hinds and suckled calves on the day of birth to constant intermediate
      daylength (12 h light), prolactin concentrations decreased exponentially (P <
      0.001) in group L calves, but not in group S, during the first 21 days.
      Thereafter, prolactin fell to a nadir in group L calves and rose to peak values
      in group S calves at 8-12 weeks post partum (P = 0.003), before converging again
      by 14 weeks. The pattern of prolactin secretion over the first 14 weeks of life
      was therefore significantly affected by prenatal photoperiod. Plasma prolactin
      concentrations in the adult hinds were higher (P < 0.001) in group L than group S
      at 4-10 weeks before parturition; they were similarly high around parturition and
      fell thereafter to baseline values after 7 weeks. These results provide evidence
      that deer fetuses respond to photoperiodic information, thereby acquiring a
      photoperiodic history in utero that influences postnatal responses to
      photoperiod.

PMID- 1404109
TI  - Arthritogenicity of Eubacterium species in the adjuvant arthritis model.

PMID- 1404110
TI  - Parvovirus arthritis mistaken for Lyme arthritis.

PMID- 1404111
TI  - Hypermobility of the joints in pediatric patients with endstage renal disease.

PMID- 1404112
TI  - Repetitive exercise induced ventricular tachycardia in a patient with rheumatoid
      arthritis taking low dose methotrexate.

PMID- 1404113
TI  - Myelodysplastic syndrome in association with erythema elevatum diutinum.

PMID- 1404114
TI  - "The cool patella sign".

PMID- 1404115
TI  - Erythropoietin: a hormone finds a purpose.

PMID- 1404116
TI  - Prolactin--a hormone with immunoregulatory properties that leads to new
      therapeutic approaches in rheumatic diseases.

PMID- 1404117
TI  - Links between fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndromes.

PMID- 1404118
TI  - The Parry Romberg syndrome of progressive facial hemiatrophy and linear
      scleroderma en coup de sabre. Mistaken diagnosis or overlapping conditions?

PMID- 1404119
TI  - Towards a model of pathophysiology of fibromyalgia: aberrant central pain
      mechanisms with peripheral modulation.

PMID- 1404120
TI  - The relation of extraarticular tenderness to inflammatory joint disease and
      personality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - We measured the pain tenderness threshold at 16 fibrositic tender points in 44
      consecutive patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) attending the outpatient
      rheumatology clinic of a university hospital. Pressure threshold measurements
      were transformed to z units to equalize the weights of the values at different
      anatomic sites and were then summed. This pain tenderness score correlated with
      the joint score index (p less than 0.02, r = -0.363), signifying a low pain
      threshold in the patients with a high joint score index. In contrast to this, the
      pain tenderness score was not explained by either personality factors or the
      generalized disease activity measuring variables (erythrocyte sedimentation rate,
      C-reactive protein). Our results show that the fibrositic point tenderness is
      real in RA, and that the tenderness is augmented near the active joints. The pain
      tenderness score of patients with RA is not affected by the subject's personality
      but may relate to sensitization of the pain fibers in arthritic joints.

PMID- 1404121
TI  - Calprotectin in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: relation to clinical and
      laboratory variables of disease activity.
AB  - Calprotectin (L1) is a major granulocyte and monocyte protein which is released
      during activation of these cells. The plasma level of L1 is thought to reflect
      disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In our cross sectional study of 70
      patients with RA, L1 had significant correlations with erythrocyte sedimentation
      rate (r = 0.50), C-reactive protein (r = 0.58), orosomucoid (r = 0.62), platelet
      count (r = 0.42), leukocyte count (r = 0.33) and IgM rheumatoid factor (r =
      0.32); and with the following clinical variables: number of swollen joints (r =
      0.24), grip strength (r = -0.22), PIP joint circumferences (r = 0.33) and a
      combined global assessment score (r = 0.24). L1 was higher in seropositive
      (median 14,861 micrograms/l) than seronegative patients (median 10,487
      micrograms/l) (p less than 0.03).

PMID- 1404122
TI  - Accelerated nodulosis during low dose methotrexate therapy for rheumatoid
      arthritis. An analysis of ten cases.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To obtain information on the occurrence of accelerated nodulosis
      during methotrexate (MTX) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), localization, size and
      presence in heart and lungs of these nodules, predisposing factors, relationship
      with other extraarticular manifestations (EAM) and their histological features.
      METHODS: Ten patients with accelerated nodulosis were studied. Four participated
      in a double blind study of MTX and azathioprine. Patient characteristics,
      localization, size and histopathology of new nodules were determined.
      Echocardiography and chest roentgenograms were performed. RESULTS: Accelerated
      nodulosis occurred exclusively during treatment with MTX in our double blind
      study. The estimated incidence was 8%. One patient reported was rheumatoid factor
      negative. Newly developed nodules were small, and located in the fingers in all
      patients and in additional sites in 7. Pretreatment nodules were not found in the
      fingers. In one patient nodules on the mitral valve were found, but this was not
      likely to be associated with the use of MTX. No new pulmonary nodules were found.
      Other EAM developed concurrently in 4 patients. Histopathology revealed typical
      rheumatoid nodules. In 3 patients nodulosis regressed after MTX was stopped. In 2
      of them they recurred after a rechallenge. CONCLUSIONS: Accelerated nodulosis
      during MTX for RA is not rare, and occurs despite good clinical response of
      polyarthritis. Rheumatoid factor positivity is not a prerequisite. New nodules
      are small and preferentially located in the fingers. Recurrence after rechallenge
      with MTX suggests causality.

PMID- 1404123
TI  - Psoriatic arthritis: clinical response and side effects to methotrexate therapy.
AB  - In the last decade, methotrexate (MTX) has emerged as a useful second line agent
      for a variety of arthritides. However, there still exists some reluctance for its
      wider use mainly because of concerns about its liver side effects. We describe
      our clinical experience with this drug in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The study
      group included 24 men and 16 women, with a mean age of 47 years (16-75), with
      oligoarticular (13) or polyarticular (27) involvement, with a mean disease
      duration of 12 years (1-36). Patients received a mean dose of 11.2 mg of MTX
      orally/week during a mean period of 34 months (6-132). Seven had been previously
      treated with other second line agents. Thirty-eight patients had an excellent or
      good response. In them, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate dropped in a mean of
      38 mm/h. Only 2 patients had a rather poor response. Two patients discontinued
      the medication because of side effects: leukopenia in one and stomatitis in the
      other. Eleven patients presented with liver test abnormalities: 3 mild, 6
      moderate and 2 severe. Seven patients had 11 liver biopsies. Except for one, none
      had evidence of cirrhosis or inflammation. Indeed, no changes were observed in
      the histopathology in those with repeated biopsies. The case reported as
      cirrhosis occurred very early in the course of MTX therapy. He continued taking
      MTX treatment without further deterioration of liver chemistry and/or histology.
      It is concluded that MTX is an effective and safe agent in PsA. Results also
      indicate that it is not necessary to perform liver biopsies on a routine basis.

PMID- 1404124
TI  - Glucocorticoid receptor in patients with lupus nephritis: relationship between
      receptor levels in mononuclear leukocytes and effect of glucocorticoid therapy.
AB  - We investigated the clinical significance of glucocorticoid receptor
      determination in 20 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who
      afterwards developed nephrotic syndrome. Glucocorticoid receptor concentrations
      in mononuclear leukocytes (MNL) in these patients were comparable with those in
      both other patients with SLE and healthy persons. Improvement in urinary protein
      excretion and in disease activity, which was scored according to the SLE Disease
      Activity Index system of the University of Toronto, closely related to the
      glucocorticoid receptor concentrations in MNL isolated from the corresponding
      patients. In summary, glucocorticoid receptor determination in patients with
      lupus nephritis may be a predictive clue for assessing responsiveness to
      glucocorticoid therapy.

PMID- 1404125
TI  - IgG autoantibody to the collagen-like region of Clq in hypocomplementemic
      urticarial vasculitis syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, and 6 other
      musculoskeletal or rheumatic diseases.
AB  - We previously found that the Clq precipitin in sera from patients with
      hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis syndrome is an IgG autoantibody to Clq.
      We report here a prevalence study of this autoantibody in 162 patients with
      musculoskeletal or rheumatic diseases including hypocomplementemic urticarial
      vasculitis syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and rheumatoid arthritis
      uncomplicated by vasculitis. The autoantibody, which binds only to the collagen
      like region of Clq, was found almost exclusively in hypocomplementemic urticarial
      vasculitis syndrome (100%) and SLE (35%) sera. Our results support the idea that
      among rheumatic diseases, anti-Clq autoantibody develops in disorders
      characterized by immune complex mediated injury, particularly of cutaneous and
      glomerular microvasculature.

PMID- 1404126
TI  - A radiographic comparison of erosive osteoarthritis and idiopathic nodal
      osteoarthritis.
AB  - Clinical, radiographic and histologic features suggest that inflammation is
      central to the pathogenesis of erosive osteoarthritis (OA). Since mediators of
      inflammation may activate osteoclasts and stimulate release of metalloproteinases
      in joint cartilage, we hypothesized that patients with erosive OA may have more
      joint space narrowing and less proliferative bone response (osteophytes,
      sclerosis) than those with idiopathic nodal OA. Hand radiographs of 33 patients
      with erosive OA and 33 age and sex matched patients with nodal OA were evaluated
      for prevalence and severity of joint space narrowing, osteophytes, subchondral
      sclerosis, subchondral cysts, erosions and subchondral collapse. While the
      prevalence and severity of OA was greater at each joint in erosive OA than in
      nodal OA, significant differences (p less than 0.05) were confined largely to the
      interphalangeal joints. Among patients with erosive OA, radiographic features of
      OA were more severe in joints with erosive changes than in joints that did not
      show erosive change (p less than 0.01 in most cases). Notably, when joints with
      erosive change were excluded, only joint space narrowing was more severe in
      patients with erosive OA than in the corresponding joints of patients with nodal
      OA (p less than 0.001). Our analysis did not support the hypothesis that
      inflammatory mediators modify chondro or osteoneogenesis in erosive OA.

PMID- 1404127
TI  - Effects of loading on the synthesis of proteoglycans in different layers of
      anatomically intact articular cartilage in vitro.
AB  - The anatomically intact articular cartilage (approximately equal to 2.5 cm2) of
      whole bovine sesamoid bones was cultured on its bone support. A load of 5 kg was
      applied intermittently at 0.3 Hz by a specially designed loading apparatus for 7
      days. [35S]-sulfate was added during the last 17 h of the experiment. Loading
      induced a 40% increase in [35S]-sulfate incorporation into aggrecans and an
      almost 3-fold increase in the synthesis of small proteoglycans. The loading
      effects occurred mainly in the upper half of the articular cartilage. Samples
      left unloaded for 7 days and then loaded for 7 days likewise showed an increase
      in [35S]-sulfate incorporation compared with unloaded controls.

PMID- 1404128
TI  - Bronchoalveolar lavage and transbronchial biopsy in spondyloarthropathies.
AB  - Fourteen patients (12 men, 2 women) with spondyloarthropathies underwent
      bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), transbronchial biopsy (TBB) and other respiratory
      investigations. BAL revealed lymphocytosis and increased nonaltered neutrophil
      polynuclears in a smoker and an isolated lymphocytosis in one patient with
      restrictive syndrome and radiographic apical fibrosis. TBB showed interstitial
      fibrosis in the 2 patients and in 3 others who are all nonsmokers and among whom
      2 had a restrictive syndrome. Subclinical alveolitis in spondyloarthropathies is
      absent. Interstitial fibrosis is not rare and its frequent association in a
      restrictive syndrome suggests a mechanical origin.

PMID- 1404129
TI  - Followup in psoriatic arthritis: relationship to disease characteristics.
AB  - We investigated whether patient disease characteristics can explain differences
      in patients registered at the psoriatic arthritis clinic before 1987 who were
      seen regularly (139, "regular") to those who had not been seen for 2 years before
      1989 (165, "inactive"). Despite a higher percentage of women in the regular group
      (p = 0.0058), logistic regression analysis identified no significant differences
      in disease severity or treatment at the first or last assessment before 1987. A
      followup study in 1989 revealed that of the 165 inactive patients, 20 had died
      and 64 had moved away. Of the 81 remaining patients, 18 were not interested, 18
      were seeing other physicians, and 45 returned for followup. The latter 45
      patients were compared to 85 of the regular patients who were seen during the
      same period. Both groups demonstrated similar disease attributes at first and
      last assessments before 1987. At their 1989 assessments, the same degree of
      disease progression was noted in both groups. Thus, loss to to followup appears
      to be random, and should not influence further studies of these patients.

PMID- 1404130
TI  - Effect of flurbiprofen on cytokine production by human monocytes and U-937 and
      THP-1 cell lines.
AB  - Possible effects of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) on inflammatory
      mediators other than arachidonic acid metabolites which might contribute to the
      antiinflammatory effects of these drugs have not been fully explored. We
      investigated the effects of an NSAID, flurbiprofen, on production of the
      cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta)
      and interleukin 6 (IL-6) by human peripheral blood monocytes and by the human
      cell lines U-937 and THP-1. Cytokine production was induced by 1 microgram/ml
      bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in both monocytes and cell lines, and cytokine
      levels in supernatants were measured by enzyme immunoassay. In monocytes, IL-6
      was the major product while in both cell lines, TNF alpha was the major product.
      Flurbiprofen caused moderate inhibition of IL-1 beta and TNF alpha production by
      stimulated monocytes, but did not affect IL-6 production. In contrast,
      flurbiprofen completely abolished IL-6 production by both cell lines and
      substantially inhibited IL-1 beta and TNF alpha production. These observations
      raise the possibility that inhibition of cytokine production by flurbiprofen may
      contribute to the antiinflammatory properties of this drug.

PMID- 1404131
TI  - Tetracyclines suppress matrix metalloproteinase activity in adjuvant arthritis
      and in combination with flurbiprofen, ameliorate bone damage.
AB  - Tetracyclines are potent inhibitors of 2 major matrix metalloproteinases which
      have been implicated in connective tissue degradation: collagenase and Type IV
      collagenase/gelatinase. We directly identified these enzyme activities in
      extracts of inflamed paw tissue from rats with adjuvant arthritis. Oral
      tetracycline therapy suppressed metalloproteinase activity in arthritic tissue,
      but even very high doses failed to exhibit substantial antiinflammatory efficacy
      (reduced joint swelling and paw diameter). Flurbiprofen, a conventional
      nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug, reduced inflammatory indices as expected. The
      combination of the 2 agents administered orally completely inhibited collagenase
      activity, significantly inhibited gelatinase activity and produced substantial
      normalization of radiographic joint damage, far greater than either drug alone.
      Tetracycline inhibition curves in vitro suggest that the collagenase in this
      tissue is not of fibroblast origin. Tetracycline derivatives might be useful
      adjuncts to prevention of tissue damage in chronic inflammatory arthritides.

PMID- 1404132
TI  - The fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndromes: a preliminary study of tender
      points and trigger points in persons with fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome
      and no disease.
AB  - Four experts on myofascial pain syndrome (MFP) performed trigger point
      examinations and 4 experts on fibromyalgia performed tender point examinations on
      3 groups of subjects (7 patients with fibromyalgia, 8 with MFP, and 8 healthy
      persons) while blinded as to diagnosis. Local tenderness was common in both
      disease groups (65-82%), but was elicited in a greater proportion of MFP experts'
      examinations (82%). Active trigger points were found in about 18% of examinations
      of patients with fibromyalgia and MFP, but latent trigger points were rare in all
      groups. A more liberal definition of trigger point, however, resulted in a 38 and
      23% positive rate among patients with fibromyalgia and MFP, respectively. Taut
      muscle bands and muscle twitches were common (50 and 30%, respectively) and noted
      equally in all 3 diagnostic groups. Problems with reliability were identified for
      taut bands, muscle twitch, and active trigger points. Our data are exploratory
      and tentative, but suggest that attention to definition and reliability are
      required to advance our knowledge of these common syndromes.

PMID- 1404133
TI  - The economic impacts of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - Our study documents the direct costs, family costs and community (extra school)
      costs. One hundred and twenty families with children who had juvenile rheumatoid
      arthritis (JRA) diagnosed by established criteria and who lived in New England
      were asked to participate. All data except inpatient charged were collected via
      questionnaire. The questionnaire return rate was 59% (N = 70). The mean
      annualized direct cost/child was 7,905 (inpatient, $1,717; outpatient, $5,700;
      and nonmedical, $488). Family costs averaged $1,524/year (out of pocket medical
      and nonmedical, $1,196; lost salary, $328), which represented 5% of mean family
      income. The mean extra school cost was $1,449/9 months. The economic impacts of
      JRA appear to be substantial.

PMID- 1404134
TI  - Intracranial findings in progressive facial hemiatrophy.
AB  - There have been infrequent reports of cerebral lesions associated with
      progressive facial hemiatrophy. Six children with progressive facial hemiatrophy
      were evaluated. Four were referred for evaluation of neurological deficits: 2
      with seizures, one with left hemiparesis and one with learning problems. The
      remaining 2 patients had only facial hemiatrophy. Cranial computed tomography
      (CT) in 5 patients revealed the bony and soft tissue defects, but cerebral
      calcifications were seen in only 3 patients. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging
      (MRI) demonstrated areas of increased signal in the ipsilateral white matter on
      T2 weighted images in all 5 patients with upper facial atrophy. Ipsilateral
      cerebral lesions with progressive facial hemiatrophy may be more common than once
      believed. MRI sometimes reveals abnormalities of the white matter even in
      patients without neurologic symptoms, and may be more sensitive than CT in the
      diagnostic evaluation of patients with progressive facial hemiatrophy.

PMID- 1404135
TI  - Antibodies to lipid A in pauciarticular juvenile arthritis: clinical studies.
AB  - IgG antibodies to monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL) are more concentrated in synovial
      fluids than in the blood of children with pauciarticular juvenile arthritis.
      Correlations between IgG anti-MPL levels and numbers of inflamed joints were
      highly significant in 2 of 10 patients followed for 8 years and suggestive in 2
      patients followed for shorter periods. A fifth patient had a correlation between
      IgM anti-MPL and joint count.

PMID- 1404136
TI  - Exocrine pancreatic function in children with systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - We examined the incidence and spectrum of pancreatic disease in pediatric
      systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We measured serum immunoreactive cationic
      trypsinogen (IRT) in 185 samples obtained from 35 patients with SLE. Fifteen
      patients (43%) had elevated IRT levels on at least one occasion. Serum samples
      were obtained in 20 of 35 patients before start of treatment. Seven of these 20
      patients (35%) had elevated IRT levels at diagnosis, which slowly returned to
      normal as their disease was controlled with treatment. A further 3 of these 20
      patients in whom we had sera at diagnosis had elevated levels at some course
      during their illness. Of the remaining 15 patients in whom sera was not available
      at diagnosis, 5 patients had increased IRT levels on at least one occasion. We
      show that elevated IRT levels are common in pediatric SLE, but there was no
      apparent association with drugs such as prednisone and azathioprine. However,
      high levels of IRT at the time of diagnosis may be related to an underlying
      disease component such as vasculitis.

PMID- 1404137
TI  - Childhood linear scleroderma: a possible role of thermography for evaluation.
AB  - Linear scleroderma is a rare, at times debilitating, disease with an
      unpredictable course. Currently, there is no satisfactory objective method for
      assessment of disease activity upon which to base therapeutic decisions. We
      evaluated 11 children with 18 linear scleroderma lesions (mean age 11.7 years,
      mean duration of disease 5.1 years) for disease severity and the presence of
      immunologic abnormalities, and attempted to correlate these results with
      thermography. Positive thermography was defined as warmer than surrounding skin
      or opposite limb by 0.5 degrees C. Six patients were thermography positive. Mean
      age, sex, disease duration and the presence of hypergammaglobulinemia and
      autoantibodies were similar in thermography positive and thermography negative
      patients. Six of 18 linear scleroderma lesions were thermography positive. All 3
      new or expanding lesions were thermography positive. All 3 lesions that were
      resolving clinically were thermography negative. Three of 12 lesions that were
      clinically unchanged over a 6-month period were also thermography positive. In
      summary, thermography is a noninvasive test that appears to demonstrate active
      lesions in linear scleroderma. It is not influenced by previous soft tissue
      damage induced by linear scleroderma and may enable better monitoring of the
      effectiveness of proposed therapies.

PMID- 1404138
TI  - Upper airway obstruction as the sole manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - A 51-year-old woman with a history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) suddenly
      developed laryngeal stridor. Rheumatoid factor was positive and the erythrocyte
      sedimentation rate was elevated, but she had no evidence of acute peripheral
      arthritis at this time. A flexible laryngoscopy revealed cricoarytenoid arthritis
      which was the sole clinical manifestation of active RA. Involvement of the
      cricoarytenoid joints must be considered in patients with RA with laryngeal
      stridor even in the absence of active peripheral arthritis.

PMID- 1404139
TI  - Drug induced systemic lupus erythematosus due to ophthalmic timolol.
AB  - We report a case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) apparently induced by
      topical use of ophthalmic timolol maleate, a beta adrenergic blocking agent. The
      patient developed fever, malaise, pleurisy and recurrent sterile pleural
      effusions while taking no medication other than timolol. Antinuclear antibodies
      in a homogenous pattern, and markedly elevated histone antibodies (IgG anti-(H2A
      H2B)-DNA) were present while antibodies to native DNA were absent. After
      discontinuation of the timolol, his symptoms improved promptly and the pleural
      effusions resolved. To our knowledge, this is the first report of timolol induced
      SLE.

PMID- 1404140
TI  - Jaccoud's arthropathy of the shoulders in systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - A man with longstanding systemic lupus erythematosus who developed anterior
      dislocation of both shoulder joints is described. He also had typical Jaccoud's
      deformities of his hands and feet.

PMID- 1404141
TI  - Systemic lupus erythematosus and pheochromocytoma.
AB  - A 40-year-old Chinese woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) developed
      labile blood pressure 3 years after her onset of high blood pressure.
      Pheochromocytoma was subsequently found and removed. Postoperatively her
      hypertension improved without change in her SLE activity. Our case demonstrates
      pheochromocytoma can be a cause of hypertension in SLE.

PMID- 1404142
TI  - Prosthetic knee infection due to Achromobacter xylosoxidans.
AB  - Achromobacter xylosoxidans is an aerobic gram negative organism that has been
      infrequently implicated in clinical infections in a variety of anatomical sites.
      We describe a case of a prosthetic knee infection due to Achromobacter
      xylosoxidans in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis receiving high dose
      prednisone.

PMID- 1404143
TI  - Heterotopic ossification presenting as acute arthritis.
AB  - We describe a patient with acute myeloblastic leukemia in remission who developed
      painful, swollen knees 6 weeks after being ventilated for acute respiratory
      distress syndrome. Synovial fluid analysis was nondiagnostic and initial
      radiographs of his knees were normal. Repeat radiographs 5 weeks later showed
      periarticular calcification and the diagnosis of heterotopic ossification was
      made. Heterotopic ossification should be part of the differential diagnosis of
      acute arthritis in critically ill patients.

PMID- 1404144
TI  - Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia following cyclosporine A and methotrexate treated
      rheumatoid arthritis.

PMID- 1404145
TI  - Methotrexate may lower seizure threshold in patients with epilepsy.

PMID- 1404146
TI  - Jaccoud's arthropathy in a patient with necrotizing vasculitis.

PMID- 1404147
TI  - A reappraisal of the measurement of disease occurrence in rheumatoid arthritis.

PMID- 1404148
TI  - Functional and immunochemical heterogeneity of antiphospholipid antibodies: a
      classification.

PMID- 1404149
TI  - The microbial cause of rheumatoid arthritis: time to dump Koch's postulates.

PMID- 1404150
TI  - Hit and run, hit and hide or permanent hit: why it is premature to dump Koch's
      postulates in rheumatic diseases.

PMID- 1404151
TI  - Renal involvement in primary antiphospholipid syndrome.
AB  - Our objective was to define the renal involvement in primary antiphospholipid
      syndrome (APS). We studied 20 patients with primary APS. Fourteen were women,
      mean age 34.4 years. None met ARA criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus. All
      patients underwent complete renal function studies. The presence of hypertension
      was also investigated. Renal disease was found in 5 patients, and was
      characterized by proteinuria, hypertension and renal failure. Kidney biopsy was
      performed in these 5 patients, showing thromboses of the microvasculature,
      mesangiolysis, mesangial interposition, electron lucent subendothelial material
      and ischemic obsolescence of glomeruli. Arterioles showed luminal narrowing due
      to medial hypertrophy, mucoid thickening of the intima, thrombosis and fibrosis.
      We found renal disease in 25% of our patients with primary APS. Biopsy findings
      were consistent with a thrombotic microangiopathy involving both arterioles and
      glomerular capillaries.

PMID- 1404152
TI  - Upper airway disease in systemic lupus erythematosus: a report of 4 cases and a
      review of the literature.
AB  - We report the occurrence of life threatening upper airway complications in 4 of
      158 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) admitted to our hospital
      over a 6-year period and review published reports on this complication. The
      patients included in our study were identified through a computer search of our
      hospital medical records. Patients' charts were reviewed and the diagnosis
      confirmed by currently accepted criteria. The clinical features of SLE in all the
      published cases were assessed and compared to those found in our patients. We
      found that although upper airway involvement is uncommon in SLE, occurring with a
      relative frequency of 4/158 patient admissions, endotracheal intubation in
      patients with active SLE may result in the development of life threatening upper
      airway complications. We suggest that patients with active SLE who require
      intubation should be observed for the development of upper airway symptoms.

PMID- 1404153
TI  - Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus at risk for Pneumocystis carinii
      pneumonia.
AB  - We describe 6 cases of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who
      developed Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. All were treated with high dose
      corticosteroids, and all developed the infection within 4 months of beginning new
      or revised cytotoxic therapy. All patients tested (5 of 6) were negative for
      human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Those patients who developed Pneumocystis
      carinii pneumonia had more severe lymphocytopenia (median 595 vs 833/mm3) and
      received higher doses of corticosteroids (median prednisone dose = 43 vs 20
      mg/day) than other patients with active SLE. A threshold lymphocyte count of
      350/mm3 identified 4 of 6 cases but only 1 of 20 controls. Patients with SLE
      treated with high dose corticosteroids and cytotoxic drugs and with severe
      lymphocytopenia may be at increased risk for this opportunistic infection.

PMID- 1404154
TI  - Macrophage infiltration in the skin of patients with systemic sclerosis.
AB  - We stained skin specimens from 31 patients with systemic sclerosis with
      monoclonal antibodies to macrophages and T lymphocytes to characterize the
      cellular infiltrates. Not only T lymphocytes but macrophages were also
      identified, and macrophages were observed between collagen bundles as well as
      around skin adnexa and vessels. In addition, the ratio of macrophages to T
      lymphocytes was high, particularly in severely affected skin. There was no close
      relationship with disease duration. Our results suggest that cutaneous
      macrophages always play a role in scleroderma.

PMID- 1404155
TI  - Mechanisms of pathogenesis in scleroderma. I. Overproduction of interleukin 6 by
      fibroblasts cultured from affected skin sites of patients with scleroderma.
AB  - Fibroblasts were cultured from affected skin sites of patients with progressive
      systemic sclerosis (PSS), from unaffected skin sites of the same patients, and
      from a healthy donor. The concentration of interleukin 6 (IL-6) in culture medium
      conditioned by the growth of early passage cells was determined by
      radioimmunoassay and by quantitative bioassay. Results demonstrated that
      fibroblasts from affected PSS skin produce from 6 to 30-fold higher levels of
      biologically active IL-6 compared to unaffected and control cells. In contrast,
      serum IL-6 concentrations in 6 of 8 patients examined were not significantly
      different from healthy donors. Serum IL-6 levels were elevated 2 to 3-fold in 2
      of 8 patients examined. Thus, the overproduction of IL-6 by affected scleroderma
      fibroblasts does not necessarily correlate with a systemic increase in IL-6, but
      may increase its concentration locally. In view of its biological activities,
      including stimulation of antibody production and T cell activation, the
      overproduction of IL-6 by PSS fibroblasts in the lesions may play a significant
      role in the pathogenesis of PSS and may profoundly influence the course of the
      disease.

PMID- 1404156
TI  - Mechanisms of pathogenesis in scleroderma. II. Effects of serum and conditioned
      culture medium on fibroblast function in scleroderma.
AB  - Scleroderma (progressive systemic sclerosis; PSS) is a connective tissue disorder
      in which excessive collagen is deposited in the skin and internal organs.
      Mediators of abnormal fibroblast function in PSS have not yet been identified.
      Our objective was to examine the possibility that factors present in serum from
      patients with PSS, or in culture medium conditioned by PSS fibroblast growth,
      serve to regulate fibroblast function. Fibroblasts from affected and unaffected
      skin sites of patients with PSS and from normal adult skin were cultured in the
      presence of various human sera or conditioned media. Results indicate that (1)
      the proliferative influence of serum of patients with PSS is not different from
      that of normal donors, (2) increased proliferation and procollagen gene
      expression are not linked in affected or unaffected dermal fibroblasts, and (3)
      affected PSS fibroblasts produce a stimulatory factor(s) for procollagen gene
      expression to which they are differentially sensitive.

PMID- 1404157
TI  - Management of suspected giant cell arteritis: a decision analysis.
AB  - We used decision analysis to compare 4 strategies for managing suspected giant
      cell arteritis (GCA): treat no patients, treat all patients, perform temporal
      artery biopsy and only treat positive cases, or biopsy and treat all cases
      irrespective of the result. The "treat no patients" strategy is preferred only if
      the likelihood of disease is less than 2%. The "biopsy and treat positive cases"
      strategy predominates for intermediate likelihood of disease (50%) and is
      insensitive to altering the probability of any key variables. The "biopsy but
      treat irrespective of the result" strategy becomes preferred at likelihood of
      disease of 81%. However, this result was sensitive to alteration of the key
      variables. Empirical therapy without biopsy would only be preferred if the
      likelihood of disease exceeded 90% and the disutility one attaches to treating
      under uncertainty is low at high probability of disease. Management of suspected
      GCA should be guided by the results of temporal artery biopsy in the majority of
      cases. At high likelihood of disease, temporal artery biopsy may be of value
      independent of its usefulness in determining management strategy. Further
      research should be directed towards improving the accuracy of diagnosis, defining
      the risk of iatrogenic complications and estimating utilities for the outcomes.

PMID- 1404158
TI  - Character of precolumbian North American spondyloarthropathy.
AB  - Shared characteristics and concurrent occurrence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and
      spondyloarthropathy in contemporary populations have compromised development of
      clear diagnostic criteria for distinguishing them. Although modern populations
      contain individuals with both RA and spondyloarthropathy, ancient populations
      often manifest only one. The presence of spondyloarthropathy as the sole erosive
      disease in selected ancient populations allows further clarification of its
      nature. The tendency towards pauciarticular, asymmetrical involvement, axial
      involvement and peripheral joint fusion in these populations clarifies diagnosis
      and distinguishes this phenomenon from RA. The significance of peripheral joint
      fusion appears to be unequivocally established on the basis of these findings.

PMID- 1404159
TI  - Pathogenetic role of Chlamydia, Yersinia and Borrelia in undifferentiated
      oligoarthritis.
AB  - We studied the cellular and humoral immune response to Chlamydia trachomatis,
      Yersinia enterocolitica and Borrelia burgdorferi in paired samples of peripheral
      blood and synovial fluid (SF) in undifferentiated oligoarthritis, reactive
      arthritis (ReA) and rheumatoid arthritis. Antigen specific lymphocyte
      proliferation was found in SF of 43% of patients with ReA and 34% of patients
      with undifferentiated oligoarthritis. C. trachomatis was the most frequent single
      agent. HLA-B27 was positive in 83% of patients with ReA and in 62% of patients
      with undifferentiated oligoarthritis with antigen specific lymphocyte
      proliferation. Antigen specific lymphocyte proliferation correlated poorly with
      the specific antibody response. Only chlamydial antigen was detected in SF cells
      using monoclonal antibodies. We conclude that some patients with undifferentiated
      oligoarthritis may have a forme fruste of ReA. This finding is important in view
      of recent evidence supporting the efficacy of antibiotic therapy in ReA.

PMID- 1404160
TI  - HLA-DP restricted Chlamydia trachomatis specific synovial fluid T cell clones in
      Chlamydia induced Reiter's disease.
AB  - Synovial fluid (SF) mononuclear cells from a patient with Chlamydia trachomatis
      induced acute Reiter's disease were directly by limiting dilution in a
      representative protocol using phytohemagglutinin in the cloning medium. Out of 76
      alpha beta-TCR+ CD4+ T lymphocyte clones, 7 were shown to specifically recognize
      C. trachomatis in a proliferation assay. The antigen recognition of these clones
      was HLA-DP restricted. Unexpectedly, 2 HLA-DR restricted clones showed a
      proliferative response to Yersinia enterocolitica O3, though the patient had no
      history of yersinia infection. The high frequency of SF derived T cells with
      specificity for species-specific chlamydial antigens and the limited diversity of
      HLA class II restriction of these clones may indicate an oligoclonal synovial T
      cell response to persistent intraarticular chlamydia.

PMID- 1404161
TI  - Prevalence of cartilage shards in synovium and their association with synovitis
      in patients with early and endstage osteoarthritis.
AB  - It has been suggested that incorporation of shards of fibrillated cartilage into
      the synovium is a cause of synovitis in osteoarthritis (OA). We examined the
      prevalence with which fragments of cartilage are seen in synovium, and their
      association with synovitis, in patients with endstage OA and early OA of the
      knee. Samples of synovium were obtained from 12 patients with endstage OA who
      were undergoing knee joint replacement and 30 with only mild/moderate
      radiographic changes of OA who exhibited articular cartilage changes of OA at
      arthroscopy. The presence of cartilage shards was sought in synovium from the
      medial and lateral tibiofemoral compartments and the suprapatellar pouch of each
      patient. Comparable volumes of the synovial lining from patients with endstage
      and early OA were examined, and tissue mononuclear cell infiltration was graded
      as an indicator of synovitis. Cartilage shards were seen in synovium from 7 of 12
      patients with endstage OA, all of whom had synovitis. No topographic relationship
      was found between shards and mononuclear cell infiltration. In contrast,
      cartilage fragments were not seen in synovium from any of the 30 patients with
      early OA, although 9 of them had full thickness cartilage ulcers and 17 had
      evidence of synovitis.

PMID- 1404162
TI  - Predicting outcome from intensive care for patients with rheumatologic diseases.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate 2 prognostic scoring systems in patients with an
      underlying rheumatologic diagnosis admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU).
      METHODS: A retrospective case series review, carried out at a medical ICU in a
      military referral hospital. All adult ICU admissions with a known rheumatologic
      diagnosis were evaluated during 28 consecutive months. There were 48 ICU
      admissions available for review in 36 patients (1.33 ICU admissions/patient)
      during the study period. All patients were assigned an APACHE II and TISS score
      based on the first 24 h of ICU admission. RESULTS: Eleven ICU admissions resulted
      in patient death (22.9%) and the remaining 37 admissions (77.1%) in patient
      survival and hospital discharge. Overall patient mortality was 30.6% for the
      study population. The APACHE II and TISS scores were each significantly different
      for survivor and nonsurvivor subgroups (APACHE II p less than 0.0001; TISS p less
      than 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: In this group of patients evaluated at a single
      institution both the APACHE II and TISS scoring systems allowed subgroup
      separation between survivors and nonsurvivors of ICU admission. However, these
      scoring methods demonstrated limitations in terms of outcome prediction when
      applied to the individual patient.

PMID- 1404163
TI  - Secondary avascular necrosis in coxarthrosis: a morphologic study.
AB  - Secondary subarticular avascular necrosis was observed grossly in 11.7% of
      femoral heads removed surgically because of osteoarthritis (OA). In most cases
      the necrosis was superficial, however in 15% of the 82 cases of secondary
      necrosis the necrosis was deep and wedge shaped similar in appearance to the
      lesions seen in primary subarticular avascular necrosis. Most of the lesions were
      seen in the early stage of OA and it is suggested that the lesion may interfere
      with the subsequent reparative phenomenon.

PMID- 1404164
TI  - HLA antigens in primary fibromyalgia syndrome.
AB  - HLA antigens, both class I (A,B,C) and II (DR), were determined in 60 patients
      with primary fibromyalgia syndrome and compared to 159 healthy controls. No
      significant association between primary fibromyalgia syndrome and alleles of the
      HLA system was detected.

PMID- 1404165
TI  - The arthropathy of hereditary arthroophthalmopathy (Stickler syndrome).
AB  - Hereditary arthroophthalmopathy (Stickler syndrome) is an autosomal dominant
      syndrome characterized by musculoskeletal, ophthalmic and dysmorphic facial
      features. A family is described illustrating diverse expressions of Stickler
      syndrome, including abnormalities not directly attributable to mutation of the
      type II procollagen gene. A review of the literature demonstrates a range of
      articular problems, several of which are not specific to Stickler syndrome, and
      might be encountered in either adult or pediatric rheumatology practice. Stickler
      syndrome may be underrecognized by rheumatologists, particularly if the
      significance of nonarticular clinical features or a positive family history are
      not appreciated.

PMID- 1404166
TI  - A nutritional screening test for use in children and adolescents with juvenile
      rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) has been demonstrated in about 35% of patients
      with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), but fewer than 8% of children with
      rheumatic diseases were reported in a national survey to have been seen by a
      pediatric dietitian. We demonstrate the development of a nutritional screening
      test for PEM in patients with JRA for use by all health care professionals.
      Nutritional assessment of 74 patients with JRA was conducted using a standardized
      11 variable profile comprised of upper body anthropometric and biochemical
      measurements. The sensitivity, specificity, predictive values and index of
      validity were calculated for individual and selected clusters of nutritional
      variables to predict the need for referral for PEM compared to the independent
      review by 2 pediatric dietitians to refer or not refer to a dietitian for further
      evaluation or care. Arm circumference less than or equal to 10th percentile for
      age and sex matched norms was selected as the screening test for PEM in patients
      with JRA due to a combination of excellent measurement characteristics
      (sensitivity 0.80, specificity 0.86, positive predictive value 0.90, negative
      predictive value 0.73, index of validity 0.88) and ease of measurement.

PMID- 1404167
TI  - SEA syndrome revisited: a longterm followup of children with a syndrome of
      seronegative enthesopathy and arthropathy.
AB  - Thirty-six of the 39 children originally described with the syndrome of
      seronegative enthesopathy and arthropathy, followed for a mean of 11 years after
      symptom onset, were found to have had a widely varied clinical course. Twelve of
      the 23 patients (52%) who originally did not have a seronegative
      spondyloarthropathy developed definite (6) or possible (6) seronegative
      spondyloarthropathies. The development of a seronegative spondyloarthropathy was
      associated with HLA-B27 (p = 0.0004) and the presence of arthritis (rather than
      arthralgia only) at the time of the original report (p = 0.05). For patients with
      arthritis, the development of a seronegative spondyloarthropathy was associated
      with arthritis onset after 5 years of age (p = 0.01).

PMID- 1404168
TI  - Primary antiphospholipid syndrome with multiorgan arterial and venous thromboses.
AB  - A 57-year-old man with no evidence of infection, vasculitis or connective tissue
      disease died with multiple organ thromboses after an acute illness. He was found
      to have lupus anticoagulant, IgG anticardiolipin antibody, false positive rapid
      plasma reagin, prolonged partial thromboplastin time, and thrombocytopenia.
      Venous and arterial thrombi leading to necrosis were found in his scrotum,
      testicles, upper and lower extremities, adrenals, kidneys, lungs, and brain. No
      other explanation could be found for his fatal illness, thus suggesting the
      primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). This is a documented case of primary APS
      associated with multiorgan arterial and venous thromboses of large and small
      vessels, presenting as a fulminant and fatal acute illness.

PMID- 1404169
TI  - Intracardiac mural thrombus mimicking atrial myxoma in the antiphospholipid
      syndrome.
AB  - A wide spectrum of cardiac involvement including valvular lesions, myocardial
      infarction and myocardial dysfunction has been reported in patients with
      antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), suggesting that cardiac manifestations may be
      part of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). We describe 3 patients (2 with
      primary APS and one with APS and SLE) who were found to have right atrial masses
      by echocardiography (transthoracic and/or transesophageal) and/or angiography,
      which were felt preoperatively to be atrial myxomata. Pathological examination of
      resected material showed only organized thrombus with calcification. We describe
      outcome 12 months to 7 years after resection of thrombus and document possible
      recurrence in one patient after 7 years. Intracardiac mural thrombus may be an
      additional cardiac manifestation of the APS, and presents considerable diagnostic
      confusion in its differentiation from atrial myxomata.

PMID- 1404170
TI  - Communicating hydrocephalus in systemic lupus erythematosus with antiphospholipid
      antibody syndrome.
AB  - We report a case of communicating hydrocephalus in a 24-year-old woman with
      previously undiagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) presenting with
      malignant hypertension, nephritis, serositis, and a seizure disorder of 16
      months' duration. The patient demonstrated features of the antiphospholipid
      antibody syndrome (APS). In proposing cerebral venous thrombosis as a possible,
      yet unproven, pathophysiologic mechanism for the hydrocephalus in this case we
      have reviewed and summarized literature relating to SLE, APS, hydrocephalus and
      pseudotumor cerebri. In cases of unexplained pseudotumor cerebri or
      hydrocephalus, a search for SLE and APS should be considered.

PMID- 1404171
TI  - Systemic lupus erythematosus presenting with myelofibrosis.
AB  - The 20-year-old girl we describe presented with myelofibrosis and systemic lupus
      erythematosus (SLE), which initially responded to treatment with corticosteroids
      but during a relapse 9 months later a bone marrow biopsy revealed no improvement
      in her myelofibrosis. As the cytotoxic treatments used to treat severe SLE may be
      associated with bone marrow suppression, it is important to consider the
      possibility of myelofibrosis complicating SLE, which, even when it is a
      presenting feature, may not readily respond to corticosteroids. When this girl
      was subsequently treated with high dose steroid and azathioprine her
      myelofibrosis went into remission.

PMID- 1404172
TI  - Streptococcus pyomyositis occurring in a patient with dermatomyositis in a
      country with temperate climate.
AB  - We describe a man in whom pyomyositis developed in a temperate climate. Three
      facts make this case unique. First the pyomyositis developed in someone with
      underlying dermatomyositis, this being the second reported case to our knowledge.
      Second, the organism involved was a Streptococcus and not a Staphylococcus as in
      most cases described, and the course of the disease was acute and not subacute as
      is usually reported. Finally, contrary to most described cases, surgical drainage
      was not necessary, probably because of the early diagnosis. Pyomyositis should be
      considered a possible cause of localized pain in patients with underlying
      inflammatory muscle disease.

PMID- 1404173
TI  - Concurrent temporal arteritis and Churg-Strauss syndrome.
AB  - We describe the case of a 41-year-old man who presented with clinical and
      histopathologic evidence of temporal artery lesions associated with the Churg
      Strauss syndrome. Pathological examination of the temporal artery showed
      panarteritis without giant cell formation or fibrinoid necrosis. We review the
      world literature concerning the vasculitides with features that overlap giant
      cell arteritis (GCA) and polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) and classify into 2 sub
      groups PAN with unusual temporal artery localization and GCA with variably
      disseminated arterial injuries. These cases emphasize the fact that not all
      arteritis involving the temporal arteries is GCA. Only 3 cases with temporal
      artery involvement and concurrent Churg-Strauss syndrome have been published.

PMID- 1404174
TI  - Computed tomography of the temporomandibular joint in rheumatoid arthritis.

PMID- 1404175
TI  - Prevalence of antithyroid antibody in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

PMID- 1404176
TI  - Human chorionic gonadotrophin and active ankylosing spondylitis.

PMID- 1404177
TI  - Ewing's sarcoma of the ilium mimicking an infectious sacroiliitis.

PMID- 1404178
TI  - Methotrexate induced early onset pancytopenia in rheumatoid arthritis: drug
      allergy? Idiosyncrasy?

PMID- 1404179
TI  - Methylprednisolone pulse therapy as primary management strategy in systemic lupus
      erythematosus.

PMID- 1404180
TI  - Anticardiolipin antibody syndrome.

PMID- 1404181
TI  - Atypical Cogan's syndrome in a 76-year-old woman.

PMID- 1404182
TI  - Rheumatic fever.

PMID- 1404183
TI  - Medical education and substance abuse.

PMID- 1404184
TI  - Philosophy of medicine: alternative or scientific.

PMID- 1404185
TI  - General practice in the post-Morgagni era.

PMID- 1404186
TI  - Don't jump the queue.

PMID- 1404187
TI  - General practitioners' use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in Tayside
      and Fife regions.
AB  - The objectives of this study were to assess the prescribing of non-steroidal anti
      inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) by general practitioners and to determine their
      attitudes to problems caused by this class of drugs. The study consisted of two
      parts. The first was a questionnaire survey among general practitioners in Fife
      and Tayside, and the second was an analysis of NSAID prescribing over 12 months
      among the doctors in the Carnoustie Health Centre, using duplicate prescriptions.
      In the questionnaire survey 61% of the general practitioners responded. The three
      most preferred drugs were buprofen (56%), naproxen (20%) and mefenamic acid (7%);
      choice of drug was determined by efficacy and personal experience.
      Gastrointestinal side effects were most frequently encountered, although there
      was little consensus amongst respondents as to their management. The duplicate
      prescription study showed that 14% of patients (1607 individuals) received at
      least one NSAID prescription in the year of study. Ibuprofen (31%), naproxen
      (20%) and piroxicam (15%) were most frequently prescribed and up to 16% of the
      patients were co-prescribed a gastroprotective agent; ranitidine (75%) was the
      most commonly prescribed. Despite the introduction of newer NSAIDs, ibuprofen and
      naproxen are still the most commonly prescribed drugs. Furthermore, although
      gastrointestinal side effects are commonly encountered, there is some uncertainty
      about their management.

PMID- 1404189
TI  - Cerebellar ataxia in the elderly.
AB  - In a retrospective study of 624 elderly patients referred with falls and gait
      disorders, 45 patients were found to have ataxia. Cerebrovascular diseases were
      the most common underlying cause of ataxia (15 patients, 37%). Nine patients had
      hereditary/degenerative cerebellar ataxia. History suggesting alcohol as an
      underlying cause was established in two patients with cerebellar ataxia. Three
      patients had normal pressure hydrocephalus and their condition improved
      remarkably after surgery. No definite cause was found in five patients. Cranial
      computed tomography (CT) showed cerebral atrophy in 16 patients and in three
      patients there was evidence of atrophy of the cerebellar vermis. Four patients
      had femoral neck fractures and three patients had other fractures. In a 5-year
      follow-up five patients died with bronchopneumonia (11% mortality) and patients
      with dementia showed rapid deterioration. All patients were referred to the day
      hospital for rehabilitation. The best treatment outcome was achieved in patients
      who had a single cerebrovascular accident with no cognitive impairment and in
      those whose ataxia was secondary to medication. Fourteen patients (44%) moved to
      residential care while 27 (66%) continued to live in their homes with community
      support. We concluded that there is no evidence of increased mortality in the
      elderly patients with cerebellar ataxia. CT scan is mainly helpful in diagnosing
      specific diseases such as tumours or hydrocephalus. A significant proportion of
      elderly patients with ataxia may have reversible or treatable conditions and can
      pursue an independent life.

PMID- 1404188
TI  - Prevalence of mitral valve prolapse in keratoconus patients.
AB  - Fifty patients with advanced degrees of keratoconus, requiring corneal
      transplantation, were screened for mitral valve prolapse by two dimensional
      echocardiography. The overall prevalence of 58% was found to be statistically
      higher than the prevalence of 7% found in a group of age and sex-matched
      controls. It was also found to be higher than the previously reported prevalence
      of 38% in a group of keratoconus patients with similar age and sex match to our
      series. The findings of our study in conjunction with the histopathological and
      biochemical similarities between the two conditions strongly suggest that they
      may be different manifestations of similar defects in collagen metabolism.

PMID- 1404190
TI  - Cardiopulmonary resuscitation training revisited.
AB  - The cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills of 50 junior hospital doctors (22
      house officers and 28 senior house officers) were assessed. Theoretical knowledge
      was measured by a multiple choice questionnaire and practical ability with the
      Laerdal Skillmeter Resusci Anne. Only 40% of the study group passed both tests.
      Those doctors who had previously received regular CPR training performed better
      in the practical test (P<0.05) than those who had not. Theoretical knowledge was
      unrelated to previous CPR training. It is recommended that junior hospital
      doctors should undergo regular CPR training every 6 months, in order to maintain
      their practical CPR skills.

PMID- 1404191
TI  - Loco-regional recurrence and survival after wide local excision, radiotherapy and
      axillary clearance for early breast cancer.
AB  - After breast conservation for early breast cancer which comprised wide local
      excision, axillary clearance and radiotherapy to the breast, 145 women have been
      followed prospectively for a median of 42 months. Local recurrence occurred in 11
      (7%) and axillary recurrence in three (2%). Distant recurrence has occurred in 32
      and accounted for 80% of all first recurrences. Local treatment failure has
      occurred in three women and would not have been prevented by mastectomy. Loco
      regional recurrence in the absence of preceding or synchronous distant disease
      was unusual and did not pose a significant clinical problem.

PMID- 1404192
TI  - Nail-biting in the population and its relationship to irritable bowel syndrome.

PMID- 1404193
TI  - Splenic rupture and infectious mononucleosis-splenectomy, splenorrhaphy or non
      operative management?

PMID- 1404194
TI  - Dental enamel growth, perikymata and hypoplasia in ancient tooth crowns.
AB  - This paper describes the hypoplastic defects commonly seen on the surface of
      ancient human tooth crowns, excavated from archaeological sites, and presents a
      new method for estimating the ages at which these defects were initiated during
      life. The method is based upon examination of microscopic incremental structures
      on the enamel surface and it is possible also to apply it to reconstruction of
      the sequence and timing of dental crown development. The method of examination is
      non-destructive and allows full use to be made of the large numbers of complete,
      unworn dentitions which are found amongst archaeological remains.

PMID- 1404195
TI  - The results of examinations of serious sexual offences: a review.

PMID- 1404196
TI  - Addiction: treatment and outcome.

PMID- 1404197
TI  - Which treatments work for alcohol-related problems.

PMID- 1404198
TI  - Barriers to education about alcohol.

PMID- 1404199
TI  - Primary care physicians and alcohol.

PMID- 1404201
TI  - Jeremy Schrecker's Life Spring and Bedrock at Hammersmith Hospital. A patient's
      poem.

PMID- 1404200
TI  - A structure for psychiatry at the century's turn--the view from Johns Hopkins.

PMID- 1404202
TI  - Medicine in San'a, Yemen 1937-1943.

PMID- 1404203
TI  - Hurthle cell carcinoma presenting with retroorbital metastasis.

PMID- 1404204
TI  - Dysthyroid eye disease with radiological features of orbital tumour.

PMID- 1404205
TI  - Haematological improvement with conservative management in an infant with
      myelodysplasia.

PMID- 1404206
TI  - Tendon contractures in hypercholesterolaemia.

PMID- 1404207
TI  - Familial precocious puberty in girls.

PMID- 1404208
TI  - Milk-alkali syndrome due to Caved-S.

PMID- 1404209
TI  - Acute angle closure glaucoma occurring after nebulized bronchodilator treatment
      with ipratropium bromide and salbutamol.

PMID- 1404210
TI  - Simultaneous temporal lobe and cerebellar abscess complicating acute otitis
      media.

PMID- 1404211
TI  - Benzodiazepines in anxiety management.

PMID- 1404212
TI  - Age changes in the teeth.

PMID- 1404213
TI  - Breast cancer and liver metastases--incidence, diagnosis and outcome.

PMID- 1404214
TI  - Alvarado score and acute appendicitis.

PMID- 1404215
TI  - Measurement of HDL cholesterol.

PMID- 1404216
TI  - Assisting the police with their enquiries.

PMID- 1404217
TI  - Treatment of glue ear by postural drainage.

PMID- 1404219
TI  - Inferior turbinates.

PMID- 1404218
TI  - Brown bowel syndrome associated with chronic oesophagitis and oesophageal
      stricture.

PMID- 1404220
TI  - Functional anatomy of the penguin flipper.
AB  - This study investigates the functional anatomy of the flipper of the jackass
      penguin (Speniscus demersus). The flippers of birds (n = 15) were dissected and
      described. Several adaptations from the typical avian wing were noted and reasons
      were proposed for these. The conclusion is that the osteological and myological
      adaptations of the flipper are designed to enable the penguin to progress very
      effectively through water, while the vascular adaptations provide a highly
      efficient mechanism for thermoregulation.

PMID- 1404221
TI  - A qualitative study of the attitudes of members of a developing community towards
      their dogs and veterinary services.
AB  - A university-based hospital serving mainly a developing community readily
      appreciated that its clientele was from a very different sociological and
      cultural background than that of the professional staff and that developed and
      developing communities and their pets exhibit different patterns in their health
      status, with most diseases being predominantly related to socio-economic
      predicament. The need for a community-orientated service was recognised. From
      1987 to 1988, the small animal outpatient clinic was used for an informal,
      unstructured sociological observation and interview-based study of the clientele
      and their pets. During this period, an informal educational programme was
      implemented to teach basic pet health care, and the efficacy of this programme
      was empirically gauged by comparing the knowledge and attitudes of first-time
      clients with those of regular clients. Regular clients appeared to become
      increasingly concerned about the health and management of their pets and the
      condition of their animals appeared to improve, with a corresponding decline in
      the degree of parasitism. The majority of clients however, still regarded the
      main reason for keeping dogs as the provision of some form of security. It also
      appeared as if improved attitudes towards household pets paralleled improvements
      in socio-economic status.

PMID- 1404222
TI  - Tick control on cattle with flumethrin pour-on through a Duncan Applicator.
AB  - Cattle were treated for tick infestation using 1% flumethrin pour-on applied
      through a self-medicating device known as the Duncan Applicator, in 4 situations
      in Zimbabwe. Moderate to heavy tick infestations were successfully controlled on
      cattle.

PMID- 1404224
TI  - Anaplastic tracheal squamous cell carcinoma in a cat.
AB  - A cat with primary intratracheal squamous cell carcinoma presented with severe
      dyspnoea and a dry cough. Radiographic changes included pulmonary hyperinflation
      and tracheal thickening at the thoracic inlet. On post mortem examination,
      proliferative, white, granular nodules in the trachea were confirmed to be an
      anaplastic squamous cell carcinoma.

PMID- 1404223
TI  - The diagnosis and treatment of bovine genital ureaplasmosis: a case study.
AB  - An outbreak of granular vulvitis and ulcerative posthitis in 24-month-old virgin
      Bonsmara heifers and bulls is reported. Ureaplasma was isolated locally from all
      the clinically infected cattle. There was marked clinical improvement within 3 d
      of the commencement of a 5 d course of tylosin administered intramuscularly at 10
      mg kg-1. Ureaplasma could not be cultured from the external genitalia of either
      heifers or bulls following clinical recovery. Details of the Ureaplasma culture
      media are given.

PMID- 1404225
TI  - Clinical and biochemistry findings, and parathyroid hormone concentrations in
      three horses with secondary hyperparathyroidism.
AB  - Three cases of horses with nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism (NSH) are
      described. The horses showed typical thickening of the maxillae and mandibular
      bones with or without lameness. Laboratory findings included elevated
      concentrations of parathyroid hormone (carboxy-terminal and mid-molecule
      fractions), alkaline phosphatase and an increase in the fractional excretion rate
      of serum inorganic phosphorus.

PMID- 1404226
TI  - Synthesis and antimalarial properties of 1-imino derivatives of 7-chloro-3
      substituted-3,4-dihydro-1,9(2H,10H)-acridinediones and related structures.
AB  - To improve upon the activity and properties of the 3-aryl-7-chloro-3,4- dihydro
      1,9(2H,10H)-acridinediones, a variety of 1-[(alkylamino)alkylene]imino
      derivatives (3) were prepared and shown to be highly active antimalarial agents
      in both rodents and primates. Among structural modifications prepared, including
      N10-alkyl and C2-substituted analogs, removal of the C9 oxygen, and introduction
      of an imino side chain at C9, the imines of the N10-H acridinediones were the
      most active compounds obtained. The [3-(N,N- dimethylamino)propyl]imino
      derivative of 7-chloro-3-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3,4-dihydro-1,9(2H,10H)-
      acridinedione (9aa) proved to be highly active in advanced studies in primates.

PMID- 1404227
TI  - Acyclic analogues of lipid A: synthesis and biological activities.
AB  - The synthesis of a series of novel acyclic analogues of lipid A, the lipophilic
      terminal of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), is reported. In these compounds, the
      reducing glucose unit of lipid A has been replaced by an acyclic analogue unit
      (abbreviated as AAU) consisting of a spacer (of varying length), an (R)-3
      hydroxytetradecanamido moiety (of varying configuration at the carbon of
      attachment), and a CO2H group. The AAU has been attached to the anomeric carbon
      of the nonreducing glucose unit of lipid A, either through glycosidic linkage or
      through an acyl linkage. Further, amide isosteres of these acyclic analogues have
      been prepared using suitably protected 2,3-diamino-2,3-dideoxyglucose instead of
      2-amino-2-deoxyglucose. All the compounds were well characterized and were tested
      for their ability to induce TNF-alpha in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages,
      to enhance nonspecific resistance to infection in mice and to induce endotoxic
      shock in mice. The results showed a dramatic dependence, for the first time, on
      the length of the spacer and on the configuration of the carbon bearing the amido
      group in the AAU part of the analogues.

PMID- 1404228
TI  - Synthesis and antibacterial activity of 1-(substituted pyrrolyl)-7-(substituted
      amino)-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-3- quinolinecarboxylic acids.
AB  - Seventeen quinolone compounds characterized by having a fluorine atom at the 6
      position, a substituted amino at the 7-position, and a substituted pyrrolyl at
      the 1-position were synthesized for the first time. The in vitro antibacterial
      activities of these compounds against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus
      were tested. Among these agents obtained, compound 24 showed significantly
      enhanced activity against S. aureus. The results indicate that there is much room
      for modifications at the N-1 position.

PMID- 1404229
TI  - Development, synthesis, and biological evaluation of (-)-trans-(2S,5S)-2-[3-[(2
      oxopropyl)sulfonyl]-4-n-propoxy-5-(3- hydroxypropoxy)-phenyl]-5-(3,4,5
      trimethoxyphenyl)tetrahydrofuran, a potent orally active platelet-activating
      factor (PAF) antagonist and its water-soluble prodrug phosphate ester.
AB  - (-)-trans-(2S,5S)-2-[3-[(2-Oxopropyl)sulfonyl]-4-n-propoxy-5-(3-
      hydroxypropoxy)phenyl]-5-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)tetrahydrofuran (10) is one of
      the most potent platelet-activating factor (PAF) antagonists in vitro and in vivo
      developed to date. This diaryltetrahydrofuran derivative evolved from
      modifications of MK 0287 which has been evaluated in clinical studies for asthma.
      Two structural modifications of MK 0287 were made: (1) elaboration of the 3'
      [(hydroxyethyl)sulfonyl] group to a beta-keto propylsulfonyl, and (2) replacement
      of the 5'-methyl ether by a 3-hydroxypropyl ether. Compound 10 potently and
      specifically inhibits the binding of [3H]-C18-PAF to human platelet membranes (Ki
      1.85 nM) and PMN membranes (Ki 2.89 nM). In vivo, 10 inhibits PAF-induced plasma
      extravasation and elevated N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAGA) levels in male
      rats with ED50 values of 60 micrograms/kg, po and 4 micrograms/kg, iv
      respectively, and inhibits PAF-induced bronchoconstriction in guinea pigs with an
      ED50 value of 15 micrograms/kg after intraduodenal administration. Compound 15, a
      water-soluble phosphate ester prodrug derivative of 10 is at least equipotent to
      10 in the in vivo models. Compound 19S, the primary and major metabolite of 10
      and 15, is equipotent in in vitro and in vivo models.

PMID- 1404230
TI  - Nonprostanoid prostacyclin mimetics. 2. 4,5-Diphenyloxazole derivatives.
AB  - 4,5-Diphenyl-2-oxazolenonanoic acid (18b) was synthesized and found to inhibit
      ADP-induced aggregation of human platelets with an IC50 of 2.5 microM. Acid 18b
      displaced [3H]iloprost from human platelet membranes in a concentration-dependent
      fashion, consistent with 18b inhibiting platelet function by acting as a
      prostacyclin mimetic. By inserting a phenoxy ring into the side-chain moiety of
      18b and systematically varying the pattern of substitution and length of the
      tethers, more potent inhibitors of platelet aggregation were identified. A
      phenoxy ring inserted centrally in the side chain proved to be the optimal
      arrangement but significant activity was observed when the aromatic ring was
      bound directly to the 2 position of the heterocycle. The meta-substituted cis
      (ethenylphenoxy)acetic acid 37 is the most potent platelet aggregation inhibitor
      synthesized as part of this study with an IC50 of 0.18 microM. Acid 37 displaces
      [3H]iloprost from human platelet membranes with an IC50 of 6 nM. The trans
      olefinic isomer of 37 (25p) is 72-fold weaker as an inhibitor of ADP-induced
      platelet aggregation, but the saturated derivative 25w (BMY 42393) is
      intermediate in potency. Structure-activity studies using 25w as a template
      focused on modification of the tethers intervening between the side-chain phenyl
      ring and the oxazole and carboxylate termini and substitution of the phenyl ring.
      These studies revealed that biological activity was sensitive to both the
      identity of the concatenating atoms and the pattern of ring substitution. The
      structure-activity relationships provide insight into the topographical
      relationship between the diphenylated oxazole ring and the carboxylic acid
      terminus that comprise the nonprostanoid prostacyclin mimetic pharmacophore.

PMID- 1404231
TI  - Nonprostanoid prostacyclin mimetics. 3. Structural variations of the diphenyl
      heterocycle moiety.
AB  - 4,5-Diphenyl-2-oxazolenonanoic acid (2) and 2-[3-[2-(4,5-diphenyl-2
      oxazolyl)ethyl]phenoxy]acetic acid (3) were previously identified as
      nonprostanoid prostacyclin (PGI2) mimetics that inhibit ADP-induced aggregation
      of human platelets in vitro. The effects on biological activity of substitution
      and structural modification of the 4- and 5-phenyl rings of 3 was examined.
      Potency showed a marked sensitivity to the introduction of substituents to these
      aromatic rings and only the bis-4-methyl derivative 9j, IC50 = 0.34 microM,
      demonstrated enhanced potency compared to the parent structure 3, IC50 = 1.2
      microM. Substitution at the ortho or meta positions of the phenyl rings,
      replacement by thiopheneyl or cyclohexyl moieties, or constraining in a planar
      phenanthrene system resulted in compounds that were less effective inhibitors of
      ADP-induced platelet aggregation. In contrast, variation of the heterocycle
      moiety revealed a much less stringent SAR and many 5- and 6-membered heterocycles
      were found to effectively substitute for the oxazole ring of 2 and 3. The
      diphenylmethyl moiety functioned as an effective isostere for 4,5-diphenylated
      heterocycles since 13aad showed similar platelet inhibitory activity to 3. With
      the exception of the 3,4,5-triphenylpyrazole derivative 13g, compounds presenting
      the (m-ethylphenoxy)acetic acid side chain discovered with 3 demonstrated
      enhanced potency compared to the analogously substituted alkanoic acid
      derivative. The structure-activity findings led to a refinement of a model of the
      nonprostanoid PGI2 mimetic pharmacophore.

PMID- 1404232
TI  - Flavones. 3. Synthesis, biological activities, and conformational analysis of
      isoflavone derivatives and related compounds.
AB  - A series of 2-alkylisoflavone derivatives 1 was prepared with the intent to study
      the importance of the phenyl group (at the 3-position) of the isoflavone in
      imparting antihypertensive activity and the substitution effects at the 2
      position of isoflavone. With the exception of the 2-isopropyl analog, the
      antihypertensive activity of these compounds appears to have a slow onset and
      long duration. None of the analogs appears better than the corresponding flavone
      (3) and 3-phenylflavone (2) analogs. An unsuccessful attempt to correlate the
      relationship between antihypertensive activity and the calculated torsional angle
      of C2-C3-C1'-C2' is discussed. Antiinflammatory activities of these compounds
      along with 7-(oxypropylamine)flavones were also evaluated and found to be not
      very potent. The antiinflammatory activity appears to be sensitive to steric
      effects of the alkyl group on the nitrogen and of substituents at the 2-position
      of the isoflavones, while the hydroxyl group of the propanolamine side chain is
      not essential.

PMID- 1404233
TI  - Renin inhibitors containing new P1-P1' dipeptide mimetics with heterocycles in
      P1'.
AB  - A series of renin inhibitors containing new P1-P1' dipeptide mimetics are
      presented. The P1-P1' mimetics were obtained from (4S,5S)-3-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)
      4-(cyclohexylmethyl)-5-[(omega- mesyloxy)alkyl]-2,2-dimethyloxazolidines 5b, 9,
      and 11b by nucleophilic substitution of the mesylate groups with the sodium salts
      of mercapto- and hydroxyheterocycles. Removal of the protecting groups and
      stepwise acylations with amino acid derivatives provided renin inhibitors with a
      length of a tripeptide. Replacement of P2 histidine by other amino acids
      maintained or enhanced renin inhibitory potency. By alteration of P3
      phenylalanine, compounds with IC50 values in the nanomolar range and stability
      against chymotrypsin were obtained. Finally, the effect of the C-terminal
      heterocycle on the renin inhibition was studied. Compound XVII was examined in
      vivo for its hypotensive effects. In salt-depleted cynomolgus monkeys, XVII
      inhibited plasma renin activity and lowered blood pressure after oral
      administration of a dose of 10 mg/kg.

PMID- 1404234
TI  - 6-Alkyl-12-formylindolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines. Syntheses, estrogen receptor binding
      affinities, and stereospecific cytostatic activity.
AB  - A number of 6-alkyl-12-formyl-5,6-dihydroindolol[2,1-a]isoquinolines were
      synthesized by the Bischler-Napieralski reaction from the respective 1-alkyl-2-(3
      methoxyphenyl)ethylamines and bromo-substituted (methoxyphenyl)acetic acid
      chlorides followed by a second ring closure reaction involving a base-generated
      benzyne intermediate. The methoxy functions in positions 3 and 9 or 10 were
      cleaved with BBr3 and the free hydroxy groups converted into the acetates. The
      enantiomers of the most potent derivatives were separated by liquid
      chromatography on triacetylcellulose. All of the compounds tested bind to the
      calf uterine estrogen receptor. The relative binding affinities (RBA) ranged from
      0.5 to 3.9 (17 beta-estradiol: RBA = 100) and were dependent on the position of
      the oxygen function in the indole moiety. The 3,10-diacetoxy derivatives showed
      higher RBA values than the corresponding 3,9-substituted tetracycles. There was
      no major difference in binding affinity between (+)- and (-)-enantiomers.
      Computer-assisted molecular modeling studies showed that the chiral carbon atom 6
      of the indoloisoquinoline is likely to mimic the C-11 atom of estradiol. In the
      mouse uterine weight test, only the 3,10-diacetoxy series exhibited weak
      estrogenic activity at higher doses. The antiestrogenic effects found with all
      the compounds varied considerably. Maximum inhibition of estrone-stimulated
      uterine growth was found for the ethyl derivative 7d (80% with 250
      micrograms/animal per day). All derivatives strongly inhibited the growth of
      human breast cancer cells in vitro. There was no significant difference between
      hormone-sensitive MCF-7 cells and hormone-independent MDA-MB 231 cells.
      Cytostatic activity was higher for the 3,9-substituted indoloisoquinolines than
      for the 3,10-analogues and dependent on the length of the alkyl group at C-6. The
      maximum effect was found with the butyl derivative 7g. When the enantiomers of
      the ethyl (7c), propyl (7e), and butyl derivative were studied, a strong
      difference in activity was observed between the stereoisomers. The IC50 values of
      the (+)-forms were usually only a tenth of those of the levorotatory isomers.
      Maximum cytostatic activity was found with (+)-7g: 85% inhibition at 1 x 10(-7) M
      in MCF-7 cells and 94% inhibition at 2.5 x 10(-7) M in MDA-MB 231 cells. This
      stereospecificity indicates a selective action on a biochemical target. Since no
      interaction with DNA was observed, the precise mode of action still remains to be
      elucidated.

PMID- 1404235
TI  - 6-substituted decahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acids as potent and selective
      conformationally constrained NMDA receptor antagonists.
AB  - We have prepared a series of 6-substituted decahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic
      acids, and structurally similar analogs, as potential N-methyl-D-aspartate
      receptor antagonists. There is a large body of evidence to support the use of
      such compounds as cerebroprotective agents in a variety of acute and chronic
      neurodegenerative disorders, where some component of glutamate-mediated
      excitotoxicity may exist. The compounds prepared were evaluated in vitro in both
      receptor binding assays ([3H]CGS19755, [3H]AMPA, and [3H]kainic acid) and in a
      cortical wedge preparation (versus NMDA, AMPA, and kainic acid) to determine
      affinity, potency, and selectivity. The new amino acids were also evaluated in
      vivo for their ability to block NMDA-induced lethality in mice. We synthesized
      many of the possible diastereomers of the decahydroisoquinoline nucleus in order
      to examine the spatial and steric requirements for affinity at the NMDA receptor
      and activity as NMDA antagonists. From our structure-activity relationship we
      identified two potent and selective NMDA receptor antagonists, the phosphonate-
      and tetrazole-substituted amino acids 31a and 32a, respectively, that show good
      activity in animals following systemic administration. For example, 31a and 32a
      selectively displaced [3H]CGS19755 binding with IC50S of 55 +/- 14 and 856 +/-
      136 nM, respectively, and selectively antagonized responses due to NMDA in a
      cortical wedge preparation with IC50S of 0.15 +/- 0.01 and 1.39 +/- 0.29 microM,
      respectively. And compounds 31a and 32a blocked NMDA-induced lethality in mice
      with minimum effective doses of 1.25 and 2.5 mg/kg (intraperitoneal),
      respectively. These novel amino acids are among some of the most potent NMDA
      antagonists described thus far, and are excellent candidates for development as
      neuroprotective agents for a number of CNS disorders.

PMID- 1404236
TI  - 5,5-disubstituted hydantoins: syntheses and anti-HIV activity.
AB  - A series of 5,5-disubstituted hydantoin derivatives was synthesized by alkylating
      5,5-bis(mercaptomethyl)-2,4-imidazolidinedione (3) with various
      halomethylaromatic or halomethylheteroaromatic precursors, or by using the
      Buchener-Berg procedure on the required ketone. When evaluated for their ability
      to inhibit HIV-induced cell killing and virus production in CEM or MT-2 cells
      only compounds 2, 4n, 4o, and 4i demonstrated modest activity, the latter with an
      IC50 = 53 microM.

PMID- 1404237
TI  - 2-Nitroimidazole dual-function bioreductive drugs: studies on the effects of
      regioisomerism and side-chain structural modifications on differential
      cytotoxicity and radiosensitization by aziridinyl and oxiranyl derivatives.
AB  - A series of 2-nitroimidazoles bearing side chains terminating in or containing
      aziridinyl and oxiranyl groups has been prepared, and the compounds were
      evaluated in vitro as hypoxia-selective bioreductively-activated cytotoxins and
      selected compounds tested for their radiosensitizing properties toward hypoxic
      mammalian cells. Compounds were either the regioisomers of analogues of the
      potent dual-functional 2-nitroimidiazole alpha-[(1-aziridinyl)-methyl]-2-nitro-1H
      imidazole-1- ethanol (RSU-1069, 1) with additional methyl groups or related
      oxiranes of varying side-chain length and type. Oxiranyl derivatives showed
      little differential toxicity, and those tested were less effective as
      radiosensitizers, and although these properties were influenced by side-chain
      length, differences were not great. Aziridinyl compounds related to 1 but with
      increased side-chain lengths were unstable. Methylation of 1 in various regions
      had little effect on radiosensitization and no clear advantages over 1 as
      differential cytotoxic drugs. Progressive methylation at C-3 was found to
      increase toxicity but decrease hypoxia selectivity. Incorporation of a
      cyclohexane side chain in 1,2-cis-2,3-trans-3-aziridin-1-yl-2-hydroxy-1-(2
      nitroimidazol+ ++-1- yl)cyclohexane (26) abolished hypoxia-selective toxicity and
      unexpectedly reduced radiosensitizing efficiency. Of the aziridines, 1-(2-nitro-1
      imidazolyl)-2-methyl-3-(1-aziridinyl)-2-propanol (20) was comparable in efficacy
      to 1 as a bioreductively-activated cytotoxin with slightly lower aerobic
      toxicity; however, the prodrugs of 1 remain as preferred candidates for clinical
      evaluation.

PMID- 1404238
TI  - 7,8-Dihydro-8-ethyl-2-(3-noradamantyl)-4-propyl-1H-imidazo[2,1-i]purin-5(4H)-one:
      a potent and water-soluble adenosine A1 antagonist.

PMID- 1404239
TI  - N-(1-oxododecyl)-4 alpha,10-dimethyl-8-aza-trans-decal-3 beta-ol: a potent
      competitive inhibitor of 2,3-oxidosqualene cyclase.

PMID- 1404240
TI  - Fatty acid amides: scooting mode-based discovery of tight-binding competitive
      inhibitors of secreted phospholipases A2.

PMID- 1404242
TI  - Oxidant and angiotensin II-induced subcellular translocation of protein kinase C
      in pulmonary artery endothelial cells.
AB  - We recently reported that nitrogen dioxide (NO2), an environmental oxidant,
      alters the dynamics of the plasma membrane lipid bilayer structure, resulting in
      increased phosphatidylserine content and angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor
      binding. Angiotensin II is known to elicit receptor-mediated stimulation of
      diacylglycerol (DAG) production in pulmonary artery endothelial cells. Because
      protein kinase C (PKC) is a phosphatidylserine-dependent enzyme and is activated
      by DAG, we examined whether NO2 resulted in activation and/or translocation of
      PKC from predominantly cytosolic to membrane fractions of these cells. We also
      evaluated whether NO2 exposure resulted in increased production of DAG in
      pulmonary artery endothelial cells. Exposure to 5 ppm NO2 for 1-24 hr resulted in
      significant increases in PKC activity in the cytosolic and membrane fractions (p
      less than 0.05 for both fractions) compared to activities in control fractions.
      Exposure to Ang II resulted in translocation of PKC activity from cytosol to
      membrane fractions of both control and NO2-exposed cells. This translocation of
      PKC from cytosolic to membrane fraction was prevented by the specific receptor
      antagonist [Sar1 Ile8] Ang II. Exposure of 5 ppm NO2 for 1-24 hr provoked rapid
      increases in [3H]glycerol labeling of DAG in pulmonary artery endothelial cells.
      These results demonstrate that exposure to NO2 increases the production of second
      messenger DAG and activates PKC in both the cytosolic and membrane fractions,
      whereas Ang II stimulates the redistribution of PKC from cytosolic to membrane
      fractions of pulmonary artery endothelial cells.

PMID- 1404241
TI  - TCDD causes stimulation of c-ras expression in the hepatic plasma membranes in
      vivo and in vitro.
AB  - A series of in vivo and in vitro experiments were conducted to determine the
      effects of 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) administered on the
      expression of c-ras. Differences in c-ras expression between control and TCDD
      treated groups were determined by immunoassay of p21ras protein, or indirectly
      measured by the specific binding of 3H-GTP to hepatic plasma membrane
      preparations. Intraperitoneal injection of sublethal doses of TCDD significantly
      elevated (P less than 0.05, Student t test) levels of hepatic p21ras protein in
      Sprague-Dawley rats and TCDD sensitive C57BL/6J mice. Such an increase occurred
      at an early stage of poisoning in the C57BL/6J mice. The earliest increase was
      detectable 6 hr after dosing, and the difference became statistically significant
      by 12 and 24 hr after dosing. In contrast, TCDD tolerant DBA/2J mice had only a
      marginal increase in hepatic p21ras protein which did not become statistically
      significant even at 24 hr host-dosing. TCDD evoked increases in hepatic p21ras
      protein of C57BL/6J mice were accompanied by the increase in the specific binding
      of GTP to hepatic plasma membranes. Column chromatography of solubilized rat
      hepatic membrane proteins on sephadex G-50 showed TCDD administration increased
      levels of a 3H-GTP binding protein with MW of approximately 21 Kd. 3H-GTP binding
      in total hepatic membranes was also elevated (P less than 0.05, Fisher PLSD
      multiple comparison test) 6 hr and 24 hr after dosing of C57BL/6J mice, but as
      expected the effect of TCDD was not as conspicuous as that found in the plasma
      membrane. TCDD treatment increased levels of a 21 Kd protein found in the in
      vitro translation products of RNA purified from guinea pig liver. This protein
      was identified as a c-ras protein based upon its ability to bind GTP,
      precipitation by a polyclonal antibody against the rasHa and Ki proteins and
      subsequent SDS-PAGE which showed a single protein band of approximately 21 Kd.

PMID- 1404243
TI  - The role of calcium ions for the expression of ricin toxicity in cultured
      macrophages.
AB  - Ricin toxin, which consists of two distinct polypeptide moieties, A and B chains,
      is cytotoxic to the cultured macrophage cell line, J774A.1. Ricin is a protein
      synthesis inhibitor, and incubating macrophages for 4 hours with ricin (1 pM to
      10 nM) in standard medium containing calcium and magnesium inhibited 3H-leucine
      incorporation into protein (97%, at 1 nM ricin). However, in Ca(2+)-free medium,
      protein synthesis was inhibited only 19%. EGTA pretreatment (to deplete
      intracellular calcium) also partly protected cells from protein synthesis
      inhibition, in spite of added calcium (2 mM) in the incubation medium. Decreased
      toxicity in the absence of extracellular calcium resulted from decreased toxin
      binding. Adding or deleting Mg2+ did not affect protein synthesis or binding of
      125I-ricin in cultured macrophages. We conclude that calcium is required for
      ricin to exert its inhibitory effect on protein synthesis in cultured
      macrophages.

PMID- 1404244
TI  - Modifiers of mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase catalyzed conversion of cyanide
      to thiocyanate in vitro.
AB  - The enzyme mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase appears to play an important role
      in the in vivo detoxification of cyanide. It does so by transferring sulfur to
      cyanide to produce thiocyanate, which is less toxic and may be excreted through
      the kidney. Several compounds were tested for their ability to affect the rate of
      enzyme catalyzed thiocyanate formation in vitro. The studies were carried out
      using both a partially purified bovine kidney extract and a highly purified
      enzyme preparation. Hypotaurine and methanesulfinic acid doubled
      sulfurtransferase activity in the partially purified extract at 30 mM, but
      inhibited the purified enzyme to 57% (hypotaurine) and 27% (methanesulfinic acid)
      of control activity at the same concentration. Pyruvate, phenylpyruvate,
      oxobutyrate, and oxoglutarate each inhibited the extract and purified forms of
      mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase. Phenylpyruvate was the most effective
      inhibitor, reducing activity to 0.2% of control values in the extract, and 11% of
      control values for purified MPST when added to the reaction at 30 mM. Other
      compounds tested (see Table 1) had a negligible effect on sulfurtransferase
      activity. A heat stable cofactor was found in boiled kidney extract which
      stimulated sulfurtransferase activity in the extract but inhibited
      sulfurtransferase activity in the purified enzyme, as was observed for
      hypotaurine and methanesulfinate. The boiled extract had no thiocyanate forming
      activity of its own. The cofactor operated in synergy with methanesulfinate, but
      independently of hypotaurine.

PMID- 1404245
TI  - Biological action of lantadene C, a new hepatotoxicant from Lantana camara var.
      aculeata.
AB  - Lantadene C (22 beta-2-methylbutanoyloxy-3-oxoolean-12-en-28-oic acid) isolated
      from the leaves of the hepatotoxic plant Lantana camara var. aculeata (Red) has
      been found to be identical with dihydrolantadene A reported earlier. Molecular
      structure of lantadene C has been deduced from single crystal X-ray diffraction
      analysis. It resembles lantadene A in the pentacyclic portion of the molecule but
      differs in the side chain region. Atom C-34 is cis to C-35 in lantadene C but is
      trans in lantadene A. Semisynthetic lantadene C was prepared by catalytic
      hydrogenation of lantadene A. Lantadene C was obtained in two forms, I and II.
      Form I was crystalline while form II was amorphous. Unlike lantadene A, both form
      I and II of lantadene C elicited strong hepatotoxic response in guinea pigs
      associated with decrease in fecal output, feed intake, hepatomegaly, hepatic
      injury at the cellular and subcellular level, increase in plasma bilirubin, and
      acid phosphatase activity. All the clinical signs, hepatic lesions, and changes
      in blood plasma typified lantana toxicity. This is the first report on the
      hepatoxicity of lantadene C. The interrelation of molecular structure and
      biological activity of lantadene A and C has been discussed.

PMID- 1404246
TI  - Whether cytochrome P450 induction accompanies glucuronosyl and glutathione
      transferase induction by isomers of dipyridyl appears unrelated to dose and iron
      chelation properties.
AB  - Administration of 4,4'dipyridyl to rats induces the activities of xenobiotic
      transferases (phase II drug metabolizing enzymes), UDP-glucuronosyl-transferase
      and glutathione-S-transferase, and also the concentration and activity of
      cytochrome P450 (a phase I drug metabolizing enzyme). 2,2'Dipyridyl, an isomer
      possessing iron chelation properties, only induces the phase II enzymes. Although
      the magnitude of the phase II induction by 2,2'dipyridyl increases with
      increasing dosages, the selective induction of only phase II activities remains
      inviolate. Co-administration of 2,2'dipyridyl does not prevent 4,4'dipyridyl from
      inducing cytochrome P450, suggesting that the iron chelation property is not the
      factor that precludes 2,2'dipyridyl from coordinately inducing cytochrome P450
      with the transferases.

PMID- 1404247
TI  - Effects of diphenyl ether herbicides on porphyrin accumulation by cultured
      hepatocytes.
AB  - Several diphenyl ether herbicides, such as acifluorfen methyl, have been
      previously shown to cause large accumulations of the heme and chlorophyll
      precursor, protoporphyrin, in plants. Light-induced herbicidal damage is mediated
      by the photoactive porphyrin. Here we investigate whether diphenyl ether
      herbicides can affect porphyrin synthesis in rat and chick hepatocytes. In rat
      hepatocyte cultures, protoporphyrin, as well as coproporphyrin, accumulated after
      treatment with acifluorfen or acifluorfen methyl. Combination of acifluorfen
      methyl with an esterase inhibitor to prevent the conversion of acifluorfen methyl
      to acifluorfen resulted in a greater accumulation of porphyrins than caused by
      acifluorfen methyl or acifluorfen alone. In vitro enzyme studies of hepatic
      mitochondria isolated from rat and chick embryos demonstrated that
      protoporphyrinogen oxidase, the penultimate enzyme of heme biosynthesis, was
      inhibited by low concentrations of acifluorfen, nitrofen, or acifluorfen methyl
      with the latter being the most potent inhibitor. These findings indicate that
      diphenyl ether treatment can cause protoporphyrin accumulation in rat hepatocyte
      cultures and suggest that this accumulation was associated with the inhibition of
      protoporphyrinogen oxidase. In cultured chick embryo hepatocytes, treatment with
      acifluorfen methyl plus an esterase inhibitor caused massive accumulation of
      uroporphyrin rather than protoporphyrin or coproporphyrin. Specific isozymes of
      cytochrome P450 were also induced in chick embryo hepatocytes. These effects were
      not observed in the absence of an esterase inhibitor. These results suggest that
      diphenyl ether herbicides can cause uroporphyrin accumulation similar to that
      induced by other cytochrome P450-inducing chemicals such as polyhalogenated
      aromatic hydrocarbons in the chick hepatocyte system.

PMID- 1404248
TI  - Species differences in membrane susceptibility to lipid peroxidation.
AB  - The susceptibility of liver microsomes to lipid peroxidation was evaluated in
      seven species: rat, rabbit, trout, mouse, pig, cow, and horse. Lipid peroxidation
      was measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances formed in the presence of
      either FeCl3-ADP/ascorbate or FeCl2/H2O2 initiating systems. For rat, rabbit, and
      trout microsomes, the order of susceptibility to peroxidation was rat greater
      than rabbit much greater than trout. The lack of peroxidation in trout microsomes
      could be explained by high microsomal vitamin E levels. Membrane fatty acid
      levels differed between species. Docosahexaenoic acid predominated in the trout,
      arachidonic acid in the rat, and linoleic acid in the rabbit. The contribution of
      individual fatty acids to lipid peroxidation reflected the degree of unsaturation
      with docosahexaenoic greater than arachidonic much much greater than linoleic.
      For all species except trout, the predicted susceptibility to peroxidation, based
      on the response of individual fatty acids, agreed well with directly measured
      microsomal peroxidation. With the exception of the trout, vitamin E content
      ranged from 0.083-0.311 nmol/mg microsomal protein between species, and low
      levels did not influence susceptibility to peroxidation. Trout microsomes
      peroxidized only after vitamin E depletion by prolonged incubation. The data
      indicate that below a vitamin E threshold, species differences in membrane
      susceptibility to peroxidation can be reasonably predicted based only on content
      of individual peroxidizable fatty acids.

PMID- 1404249
TI  - Changes in population density and distribution of Ixodes dammini (Acari:
      Ixodidae) in Wisconsin during the 1980s.
AB  - Changes in the density and distribution of Ixodes dammini, Spielman Clifford,
      Piesman & Corwin were assessed in Wisconsin by examining hunter-killed deer for
      ticks in 1981 and 1989. Deer examination sites were distributed widely across the
      state and included 23 sites in 1981 and 15 sites in 1989; 10 sites were visited
      both years. Between 1981 and 1989, I. dammini became more abundant throughout its
      range, and I. dammini range expanded into the southwestern portion of Wisconsin.
      I. dammini was not found in the eastern one-third of the state. When compared
      with 1981, the 1989 survey revealed significant increases in the proportion of
      infested deer in the southwest (Arena), higher levels of infestation of
      individual deer (number of ticks per individual deer) in the central west (Bangor
      W. Salem), and significantly less disparity between the proportions of infested
      male deer and infested female deer in the north (Spooner) compared with sites
      farther south. These results are consistent with a pattern of I. dammini range
      expansion from north to south, followed by an increase in population density in
      the colonized areas. Dermacentor albipictus Packard was present throughout the
      range of I. dammini and at sites in the northeastern quadrant of Wisconsin where
      I. dammini was not found. The range of D. albipictus did not change between the
      survey years, but its population density increased significantly at sites in the
      north. There is no evidence for interaction between the two tick species that
      might affect tick distribution or population density, nor can the greater number
      of I. dammini found in 1989 be attributed to increased tick activity because of
      warmer weather; temperatures were cooler in 1989 than 1981.

PMID- 1404250
TI  - Phlebotomine sandflies in Venezuela: review of the verrucarum species group (in
      part) of Lutzomyia (Diptera: Psychodidae) with description of a new species from
      Lara.
AB  - The series townsendi and verrucarum of the verrucarum species group of the
      phlebotomine genus Lutzomyia Franca are reviewed. Lutzomyia nadiae, new species,
      from the mountains of Yacambu, Lara State, is described. Distribution maps,
      illustrated keys, notes on medical importance, taxonomy, and ecology are
      presented for species in these series known from Venezuela.

PMID- 1404251
TI  - Survival and vertical distribution of larvae of Culicoides variipennis (Diptera:
      Ceratopogonidae) in drying mud habitats.
AB  - The ability of third and fourth instars of Culicoides variipennis (Coquillett) to
      survive in drying sandy loam soil was tested under simulated field conditions.
      Two hundred larvae were added to each of a number of soil-filled, plastic tubes,
      which were buried in the field and retrieved after 2, 5, and 7 d. Of 306 pupae or
      pupal exuviae recovered, 98.1% were in the top 2 cm of mud. Estimated larval
      mortality on day two ranged from 25.6 to 87.1% among three trials, and 92.3% of
      live larvae were in the top 2 cm. Estimated larval mortality on day 5 ranged from
      81.4 to 97.2%, and 75.5% of live larvae were in the top 2 cm. On day 7 mortality
      was 95.2-100%, and 63% of surviving larvae were in the top 2 cm. Some larvae
      dispersed as deep as 7-10 cm (the maximum depth in the tests). Larval tolerance
      of unfavorable drying conditions may allow relic populations to persist in some
      situations, but probably this is of little concern in control of this species
      through water management in most settings.

PMID- 1404252
TI  - Laboratory studies on the life cycle of Amblyomma marmoreum (Acari: Ixodidae) on
      two different hosts.
AB  - A comparative study was made of the life cycle of the tortoise tick, Amblyomma
      marmoreum Koch, on tortoises and guinea pigs under laboratory conditions. At 25
      degrees C and 85% RH with natural day length, duration of off-host stages
      (preoviposition, oviposition, incubation, and premolt) was similar for ticks fed
      on both hosts. Delay in preoviposition (up to 90 d) was observed in some gravid
      females. Larvae, nymphs, and adults had longer feeding periods on tortoises than
      on guinea pigs. Adult females fed on tortoises had greater engorgement wieght and
      ovipositional capacity than ticks fed on guinea pigs. It is suggested that the
      shortened feeding period of immature stages on mammalian hosts together with the
      occurrence of morphogenic diapause may be more important than previously
      recognized in determining whether the life cycle of A. marmoreum is completed in
      1 or 2 yr under natural conditions.

PMID- 1404253
TI  - Immunization of rabbits against nymphs of Amblyomma hebraeum and A. marmoreum
      (Acari: Ixodidae).
AB  - Himalayan rabbits immunized with homogenates prepared from nymphs of Amblyomma
      hebraeum Koch and A. marmoreum Koch ticks developed humoral and probably also
      cell-mediated immunity to their respective homogenates. Beta and gamma globulin
      levels and numbers of eosinophils and neutrophils increased significantly in
      inoculated rabbits. The recipient animals developed resistance to homospecific
      nymphal infestations. Cross resistance between the two species was not evaluated.
      Nymphs of both species that fed on inoculated rabbits demonstrated slightly
      shorter feeding periods, and their mean weights were significantly lower than
      nymphs that fed on Quil 'A' adjuvant-inoculated rabbits or on naive rabbits.
      Significantly higher proportions of nymphs from immunized animals failed to moult
      when compared with nymphs that fed on the two control groups. These parameters
      indicate that the inoculated rabbits had acquired protective immunity against
      nymphs of both ticks.

PMID- 1404254
TI  - Parasitic arthropods of sympatric meadow voles and white-footed mice at Fort
      Detrick, Maryland.
AB  - Twelve species of parasitic arthropods (one sucking louse, two fleas, one tick,
      and eight mites) were recovered from 51 meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus
      (Ord); whereas nine species (one sucking louse, one bot, three fleas, one tick,
      and three mites) were collected from 48 white-footed mice, Peromyscus leucopus
      (Rafinesque), live-trapped on the grounds of Fort Detrick, Frederick County, MD.,
      during 1990 and 1991. The most commonly collected arthropods from M.
      pennsylvanicus were the fur mite, Listrophorus mexicanus Fain (approximately
      2,720 specimens); the tropical rat mite, Ornithonyssus bacoti (Hirst) (987); the
      laelapid mites, Laelaps kochi Oudemans (733) and Androlaelaps fahrenholzi
      (Berlese (322); the sucking louse, Hoplopleura acanthopus (Burmeister) (121); the
      tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say) (47); and the chigger mite, Neotrombicula
      whartoni (Ewing) (45). Arthropod densities were lower on P. leucopus, from which
      the most frequently recorded species were the sucking louse, Hoplopleura
      hesperomydis (Osborn) (98 specimens); the fleas, Epitedia wenmanni (Rothschild)
      (85) and Orchopeas leucopus (Baker) (61); and the mite, A. fahrenholzi (83).
      Although six species of arthropods parasitized both species of rodents, only two
      of these, A. fahrenholzi and D. variabilis, were relatively common on both hosts.
      Therefore, although the habitats of both host species partially overlap, their
      associated parasitic arthropods remain principally host specific. The potential
      significance of these findings with respect to vector-borne disease transmission
      is discussed.

PMID- 1404255
TI  - Replication and tissue tropisms of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in
      experimentally infected adult Hyalomma truncatum (Acari: Ixodidae).
AB  - Adult Hyalomma truncatum Koch ticks were inoculated intracoelomically with
      Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus to examine tissue tropisms of this
      virus in ticks. Virus was recovered from all 185 ticks examined between 2 and 42
      d after inoculation with CCHF virus. Titers or virus recovered from unfed male
      and female ticks were essentially the same (means, 10(2.4) and 10(2.5) plaque
      forming units [PFU] per tick, respectively). Infection rates and titers recovered
      per gland for both salivary glands and reproductive tissues (ovaries and testes)
      were positively associated with blood feeding; average titers were 10-fold
      greater in organs from fed compared with those from unfed individuals. In
      contrast, neither the tick's sex nor feeding status (unfed or engorged) affected
      the titer of virus recovered from hemolymph (mean, 10(1.6) PFU/microliters).
      Although virus was recovered from Malpighian tubules, midgut, muscle, and nervous
      tissues from nearly all of the ticks tested, viral titers were consistently low.
      The increase in viral titer associated with blood feeding by ticks appeared to be
      due primarily to proliferation of tissue (e.g., salivary gland and reproductive
      tissues), rather than to increased replication in tissue already present.

PMID- 1404257
TI  - Differences in male mating response and female flight sounds in Aedes aegypti and
      Ae. albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae).
AB  - Aedes aegypti (L.) and Ae. albopictus (Skuse) showed similar rates and timing of
      insemination in the laboratory. Laboratory attempts at interspecific mating were
      unsuccessful. Because Ae. aegypti males are known to locate females by flight
      sounds, male response to sound was compared in the two species. Ae. aegypti males
      responded to female flight sounds with stereotypical orientation and mating
      behavior, whereas Ae. albopictus males seldom responded. Recorded flight sounds
      of females were sampled via computer digitization and compared. Ae. aegypti
      females produced louder sounds with more harmonics than Ae. albopictus. Males
      were tested for their ability to discriminate between the sounds of the two
      species. Ae. albopictus males did not respond to recordings of either Ae.
      albopictus or Ae. aegypti females. Ae. aegypti males responded preferentially to
      the recorded sounds of Ae. aegypti females. Thus, males of the two species use
      different mechanisms in locating mates. Ae. aegypti males rely more on sound than
      do Ae. albopictus males.

PMID- 1404256
TI  - Immune response of lizards and rodents to larval Ixodes scapularis (Acari:
      Ixodidae).
AB  - The house mouse (laboratory strain), Mus musculus (L.), the cotton mouse,
      Peromyscus gossypinus (LeConte), the broad-headed skink, Eumeces laticeps
      (Schneider), and the guinea pig, Cavia porcellus (L.), were successively infested
      five times with larvae of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say. Tick
      feeding success, engorgement weight, and subsequent molting success were measured
      after each infestation. A greater percentage of ticks (P less than 0.05) fed on
      M. musculus and E. laticeps than on P. gossypinus or C. porcellus. P. gossypinus
      expressed a transitory partial resistance, measured in percentage of ticks
      feeding, during the third infestation but showed increased tolerance during the
      fourth and fifth infestations. Ticks fed on E. laticeps were heavier than those
      fed on any other host (P less than 0.05). Those fed on M. musculus were heavier
      than those fed on P. gossypinus, but the difference was not statistically
      significant. On C. porcellus, only 1.6% of larvae from the third infestation and
      none thereafter engorged; weights of larvae from first and second infestations
      were higher (P less than 0.05) than those fed on M. musculus and P. gossypinus
      and lower (P less than 0.05) than those fed on E. laticeps. A greater percentage
      of larvae from E. latticeps and M. musculus (P less than 0.05) molted to nymphs
      compared with those from P. gossypinus and C. porcellus. Molting success was the
      same for ticks fed on P. gossypinus and on C. porcellus during the first and
      second infestations. M. musculus, P. gossypinus, and E. laticeps expressed no
      resistance (measured as percentage feeding, engorgement weight, and molting) to
      feeding by I. scapularis larvae after five infestations. Host serum was tested
      using an ELISA for detection of antibodies against I. scapularis salivary gland
      antigens before and after each infestation. Antibodies were detected after the
      second infestation and thereafter in C. porcellus, the only species to show
      antibodies or to express and maintain an acquired resistance to tick feeding
      throughout five infestations.

PMID- 1404258
TI  - Experimental transmission of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus by a
      strain of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) from New Orleans, Louisiana.
AB  - Experimental studies were undertaken to ascertain the vector competence of a
      strain of Aedes albopictus (Skuse) collected in New Orleans, LA, (Gentilly
      strain) for an epizootic (Trinidad donkey) strain of Venezuelan equine
      encephalomyelitis (VEE) virus. This strain of Ae. albopictus was significantly
      more susceptible to infection with VEE virus than were any of the four strains
      tested previously, including two from North America and two from South America.
      Likewise, dissemination (148 of 180) (82%) and transmission (40 of 88) (45%)
      rates were significantly higher in the Gentilly strain than in any of the strains
      previously tested. Analysis of the results of the present study along with those
      of a previous study with a second alphavirus, chikungunya (CHIK) virus, indicated
      that, although all three strains of Ae. albopictus tested were more susceptible
      to VEE virus than to CHIK virus, susceptibility to infection and dissemination
      with one alphavirus appeared to be directly related to susceptibility to
      infection and dissemination with the other virus and may indicate shared receptor
      sites for these two alphaviruses in Ae. albopictus.

PMID- 1404259
TI  - Attempted mechanical transfer of Ehrlichia risticii by tabanids (Diptera:
      Tabanidae).
AB  - The ability of tabanid mouthparts to retain and to transfer mechanically
      Ehrlichia risticii Holland, Weiss, Burgdorfer, Cole & Kakoma was evaluated by
      feeding flies on infected and noninfected mice and on capillary tubes containing
      infected cells and cell-free medium. Flies representing two genera and 29 species
      were collected at equine boarding stables, farms, and along riding trails in
      Wake, Johnston, and Duplin counties in North Carolina for the feeding trials. Two
      species, Tabanus fulvulus Wiedemann and T. pallidescens Philip, fed on mice but
      failed to transfer the pathogen from infected to susceptible mice. Chrysops
      vittatus Wiedemann, Tabanus americanus Forster, and T. sulcifrons Macquart
      transferred E. risticii-infected cells from capillary tubes containing infected
      cells in medium to tubes containing medium. These studies document that E.
      risticii-infected cells can be retained on mouthparts and potentially transferred
      by tabanids.

PMID- 1404260
TI  - Incompetence of roe deer as reservoirs of the Lyme borreliosis spirochete.
AB  - To determine whether the roe deer, Capreolus capreolus L. may serve as a
      reservoir host for the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson,
      Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner, evidence of spirochetal infection was sought
      in nymphal Ixodes ricinus (L.) that had engorged as larvae on roe deer. Sixteen
      roe deer were shot in Lyme disease enzootic areas of south-central Sweden during
      August-November 1990 and August 1991. An average of 276 (range, 84-658) larvae of
      I. ricinus was collected from each of 12 deer shot in August. Of those ticks that
      had fed on deer and then developed to the nymphal stage, the gut contents of 238
      were examined by phase-contrast microscopy. All these ticks were negative for
      spirochetes, whereas 4.2% contained Trypanosoma cf. cervi Kingston & Morton and
      15.1% contained the nematode Dipetalonema rugosicauda Meszaros & Sugar. A total
      of 396 nymphal ticks was collected by blanket-dragging during May-June 1991 and
      examined for spirochetes; 9.1% of these host-seeking nymphs were infected with
      spirochetes. Although the roe deer serves as a principal blood source for all
      stages of I. ricinus, it does not appear to serve as a major reservoir of B.
      burgdorferi.

PMID- 1404261
TI  - Modulation of host-immune responses by ticks (Acari: Ixodidae): effect of
      salivary gland extracts on host macrophages and lymphocyte cytokine production.
AB  - Ixodid tick infestation induces host acquired resistance, which involves
      immunoglobulin cell-mediated and complement-dependent effector pathways. Ticks
      have developed countermeasures to modulate host antiarthropod responses. Ixodid
      mediated host immunomodulation results in vitro in reduced responsiveness to T
      lymphocyte mitogens for cells obtained from infested hosts and impaired antibody
      responses to a thymic dependent antigen. Salivary gland extracts from days 0-9 of
      engorgement from unmated, female Dermacentor andersoni Stiles suppressed
      lymphocyte proliferative responses (LPS) to the T-cell mitogen Con A up to 68.4%,
      whereas responsiveness to E. coli LPS was enhanced. Cytokines assessed in this
      study included interleukin-1, IL-1, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha
      produced by macrophages, and interleukin-2, IL-2, and gamma interferon (IFN-G)
      secreted by T-lymphocytes. Salivary gland extracts prepared from tissues obtained
      on days 0-5 of engorgement suppressed IL-1 elaboration from 89.8% on day 0
      through 37.5% on day 6. Levels of TNF were reduced from 40.7 to 94.6% throughout
      the course of the study. Production of IL-2 was suppressed by 14.1-31.9%, and IFN
      G was reduced by 8.7-57.0%. Reduced IL-1 levels during the early phases of
      feeding indicated reduced host ability to activate T-lymphocytes and provide
      costimulatory, differentiation, and development signals for B-cells. Both IL-1
      and TNF are endogenous pyrogens and activate polymorphonuclear leukocytes.
      Activities of TNF and IFN-G include antiviral properties and induction of
      expression of class I and II major histocompatibility complex molecules, which
      are critical components in the recognition of antigen by T-lymphocytes. The
      autocrine role of IL-2 in proliferation of T-lymphocytes is central to the
      development of immune reactivity involving T-cell regulation or effector
      functions or both. Reductions in cytokine levels would suppress immune responses
      directed toward immunogens introduced into the host during the course of tick
      feeding. These results indicates that immunomodulation of the host during tick
      feeding facilitates engorgement and pathogen transmission.

PMID- 1404262
TI  - Comparative infections of epizootic and enzootic strains of Venezuelan equine
      encephalomyelitis virus in Amblyomma cajennense (Acari: Ixodidae).
AB  - To compare the potential for an enzootic or an epizootic strain of Venezuelan
      equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) virus to infect Amblyomma cajennense (F.), larval
      ticks were fed on guinea pigs (strain 13) inoculated with an enzootic viral
      strain of variant I-E (68U201) or on guinea pigs inoculated with an epizootic
      strain of variant I-A (Trinidad donkey). Peak viremias were 10(5.2) plaque
      forming units (PFU)/ml and 10(7.3) PFU/ml in guinea pigs infected with enzootic
      and epizootic viral strains, respectively. Ticks feeding on enzootic- and
      epizootic-infected hosts had viral titers of 10(2.5) and 10(3.9) PFU per tick,
      respectively, at drop-off. Although epizootic virus was recovered from 98% (127
      of 130) of larval ticks up to 16 d after drop-off, enzootic virus was recovered
      from 95% (19 of 20) at drop-off (mean titer, 10(2.5) PFU per tick), with recovery
      rates declining rapidly to 2 of 10 (mean titer, 10(1.4) PFU per tick) by 16 d
      after drop-off. Transstadially transmitted epizootic virus was found in 0.4% (12
      of 2,950) of unfed nymphs (mean titer, 10(2.8) PFU per tick) 63 d after drop-off,
      1% (5 of 521) fed nymphs 69 d after drop-off, and 1% (4 of 400) of unfed adults
      (mean titer, 10(3.6) PFU per tick) 106 d after drop-off. No enzootic virus was
      recovered from 4,600 unfed nymphs tested 63 d after drop-off.

PMID- 1404264
TI  - Patterns of sugar feeding in diapausing and nondiapausing Culex pipiens (Diptera:
      Culicidae) females.
AB  - In the laboratory, diapausing Culex pipiens L. females fed on a continuously
      available sugar source more frequently and longer after adult emergence than did
      non-diapausing females. They also showed an extended nocturnal pattern of sugar
      feeding compared with that of non-diapausing females. Differences between
      diapausing and non-diapausing females with respect to sugar feeding and host
      seeking behavior also were related to responses to volatiles from fruit and
      vertebrate hosts. In this Colorado strain of Cx. pipiens, increased sugar feeding
      by diapausing females during the first few weeks of adult life may be an
      adaptation that enhances overwintering survival.

PMID- 1404263
TI  - Cotton rats and other small mammals as hosts for immature Dermacentor variabilis
      (Acari: Ixodidae) in central Oklahoma.
AB  - Eight species of small mammals were evaluated as potential hosts for American dog
      ticks, Dermacentor variabilis (Say), in an upland, tallgrass prairie study site
      in central Oklahoma. Only hispid cotton rats, Sigmodon hispidus, and deer mice,
      Peromyscus maniculatus, were found to be important hosts for immature D.
      variabilis. Although D. varibilis larvae and nymphs frequently infested both
      cotton rats and deer mice, cotton rats were the most important host species for
      both immature stages in the study area. Cotton rats constituted 63.2% of the
      total 530 small mammals captured and were hosts to 85.2% of all larvae and 88.7%
      of all nymphs. Deer mice accounted for 19.8% of all small mammals captured and
      were hosts for 14.5% of the larvae and 10.8% of the nymphs recovered. The
      remaining small mammal species were hosts for less than 1% of the immature ticks
      collected. Larval infestations peaked during summer, whereas summer and spring
      peaks were noted for the nymphal infestations. The relative importance of cotton
      rats and deer mice as hosts for immature ticks could be largely, but not
      completely, explained by cotton rats being more than three times as abundant as
      deer mice. Attachment site data indicated that differences in grooming behavior
      also might be partially responsible for the larger infestations observed on
      cotton rats. Other possible ecological and behavioral explanations of the heavy
      infestations observed on cotton rats are discussed.

PMID- 1404265
TI  - Transmission of western equine encephalomyelitis virus by Argentine Aedes
      albifasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae).
AB  - Aedes albifasciatus (Macquart) has been considered a potential vector of western
      equine encephalitis (WEE) virus in Argentina because it has been found naturally
      infected, it is susceptible to infection per os, and its distribution and feeding
      habits are compatible with those of an epizootic and epidemic vector. Ae.
      albifasciatus females collected in the vicinity of Cordoba, Argentina, were
      highly susceptible to WEE virus perorally (ID50 less than 0.5 Vero cell plaque
      forming units) when fed on viremic chicks. Virus transmission trials were done 9
      to 16 d after infection by feeding potentially infected mosquitoes individually
      on chicks. Among 31 mosquitoes that survived the incubation period, six refed on
      susceptible chicks. Virus transmission by bite was demonstrated by five of six
      (83%) mosquitoes. Therefore, the final piece of evidence incriminating Ae.
      albifasciatus as a natural vector of WEE virus has been obtained. This is the
      first mosquito species to be incriminated as a vector of WEE virus in South
      America.

PMID- 1404266
TI  - Development and evaluation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for Plasmodium
      vivax-VK247 sporozoites.
AB  - An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the Plasmodium vivax-VK247
      (variant) circumsporozoite (CS) protein was developed and evaluated using
      sporozoites produced by feeding mosquitoes on Thai patients with
      parasitologically confirmed P. vivax infections. The ELISA had a detection
      threshold of fewer than 50 sporozoites. Using this assay in conjunction with an
      ELISA for the VK210 polymorph, nearly 16% of the 235 P. vivax cases produced
      sporozoites positive only for the variant; 69% produced sporozoites positive only
      in the VK210 assay; and 15% were positive in both assays, indicating mixed
      infections. Twelve cases (5%) produced sporozoites negative in one assay and with
      unexpectedly low activity in the other ELISA, indicating the possibility of other
      CS protein polymorphs.

PMID- 1404267
TI  - Bite-count evaluation of the repellency of N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide to
      larval Eutrombicula alfreddugesi (Acari: Trombiculidae).
AB  - Larvae of the pest chigger mite Eutrombicula alfreddugesi Oudemans, 1910,
      exhibited a low repellent threshold for N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (deet) in a
      field setting. Use of a deet-based repellent significantly reduced chigger mite
      infestation. Efficacy of aerosol formulations was significantly diminished with
      9% (AI) deet. E. alfreddugesi utilized both direct and indirect paths to infest
      the human body. Direct infestation led to the highest body region bite counts.
      Distribution of E. alfreddugesi bites over 15 regions of the human body fell into
      three zones of decreasing parasitism: the ankle/calf region (accessed through
      direct infestation); the groin, chest, back, armpits, and feet (accessed through
      indirect infestation); and the thighs, arms, buttocks, head, and neck, which were
      infrequently attacked or were unavailable to E. alfreddugesi.

PMID- 1404268
TI  - Kinetic development and decline of antiscrewworm (Diptera: Calliphoridae)
      antibodies in serum of infested sheep.
AB  - Sheep infested with screwworms, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), produced
      specific serum antibodies detectable by ELISA. Significant antibody levels were
      found beginning at 1 wk after infestation and persisting for 2 mo, with peak
      levels at 3 wk after infestation. Mean response values and corresponding larval
      survivorship were similar over a range of 25 to 200 larvae per individual sheep.
      Anomalous seropositive responses in some noninfested sheep suggested the
      possibility of cross-reactivity between antigens of screwworm and those of
      related myiasigenic blowflies.

PMID- 1404269
TI  - African swine fever virus infection in the Iberian soft tick, Ornithodoros
      (Pavlovskyella) marocanus (Acari: Argasidae).
AB  - One thousand six hundred Ornithodoros (Pavlovskyella) marocanus Velu larvae were
      fed on a pig infected with African swine fever virus (titer: 10(7.4) HAd50/ml),
      and 1,600 larvae were fed on an uninfected pig. Ticks in each group were compared
      for mortality rates, mean time to death for ticks that died, mean time from
      feeding to either molting or eclosion, percentage of ticks that eclosed or
      molted, and the number of blood meals per nymph or instar. Cumulative virus
      induced mortality for all immature stages (larvae to adult) of O. marocanus that
      had been fed as larvae on a pig infected with African swine fever was ca. 73%
      over a 390-d period. In contrast, less than 9% mortality was observed among ticks
      fed on uninfected pigs. Mean time to death for infected ticks was 15-87 d versus
      10-17 d for uninfected ticks. Differences in the premolt period (number of days
      from blood meal to molt) between infected and control ticks were not observed.
      Mean premolt periods for larvae and first-, second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth
      instar nymphs fed on pigs were 7, 9, 15, 11, 15, and 15 d, respectively. The
      majority of infected and all uninfected ticks required only one blood meal from
      pigs to molt. Mean weights for unfed second-, third-, and fourth-instar nymphs
      and males and females were 0.50, 0.67, 3.07, 3.63, and 5.91 mg, respectively.

PMID- 1404270
TI  - Nectar sources and age structure in a population of Aedes provocans (Diptera:
      Culicidae).
AB  - Gonotrophic-age structure of a population of Aedes provocans (Walker) and nectar
      sources used by adults were studied for 2 yr at a field site near Belleville,
      Ontario, Canada. Females emerged during a short period, and aging of the
      population was highly synchronous. Complete parity of the population was achieved
      within about 17 d in 1978 and 27 d in 1979. Some females completed as many as
      four gonotrophic cycles. This synchronous pattern of population aging is compared
      with patterns in other species of snow-melt Aedes, which typically age much more
      gradually. The pattern of synchronous aging permitted estimation of daily
      mortality rates from an index of population size derived from human-bait catches;
      peaks in the biting index were related to each gonotrophic cycle in the
      population. Nectar sources for adults were ranked according to abundance and the
      extent to which they were used by Ae. provocans, permitting a coarse,
      semiquantitative estimate of preferences. Ae. provocans obtained nectar from the
      extrafloral nectaries of one species and the floral nectaries of 19 species of
      angiosperms. Shrubs and trees, especially of the Rosaceae (primarily species of
      Prunus), were particularly important as nectar sources and bloomed concurrently
      with the appearance of nulliparous females. Sharp declines in the population of
      Ae. provocans were associated with the cessation of blooming of these plant
      species. It is hypothesized that the highly synchronous pattern of gonotrophic
      aging in Ae. provocans was attributable, in part, to the ready availability of
      nectar sources and bloodmeal hosts near breeding sites.

PMID- 1404271
TI  - Scanning electron microscopy of egg hatching of Anopheles albimanus (Diptera:
      Culicidae).
AB  - Scanning electron and light microscopic observations showed that egg hatching in
      Anopheles albimanus Wiedemann is aided by a chisel-shaped spine. This hatching
      tooth is surrounded by a thin flexible membrane fixed to a groove in the head of
      the larvae. Increased intracranial pressure may force the spine against the egg
      shell until a fissure is produced. Further opening of the egg is achieved by
      movements of the head and the entire body of the larva.

PMID- 1404272
TI  - Leishmania infantum MON-98 isolated from naturally infected Phlebotomus langeroni
      (Diptera: Psychodidae) in El Agamy, Egypt.
AB  - Leishmania infantum zymodeme MON-98 was isolated in El Agamy, Egypt. A total of
      15 (1.07%) Leishmania-like infections in the anterior midgut and in the head was
      found in 1,405 Phlebotomus langeroni (Nitzulescu); none of 1,785 Phlebotomus
      papatasi (Scopoli) was found infected. Four of the 15 cultures (26.7%) were
      indistinguishable from a reference L. infantum MON-98 strain using cellulose
      acetate electrophoresis. The isolation and identification of L. infantum MON-98
      from naturally infected P. langeroni confirms that this species of sand fly is
      the vector of visceral leishmaniasis in El Agamy.

PMID- 1404273
TI  - Tests for the existence of genetic determination or conditioning in host
      selection by Anopheles albimanus (Diptera: Culicidae).
AB  - The existence of sympatric populations within Anopheles albimanus Wiedemann with
      specific host preferences and the question of whether host selection has a
      genetic basis or is a learned characteristic were investigated. Progeny of wild
      females collected from corrals or human bait were reared in an insectary. F1
      females were fed on a cow or on a human host, allowed to oviposit, and then were
      released in an experimental hut divided into three compartments. The side rooms
      occupied by two human or one calf baits were connected by a "funnel-like" cone
      with the central room in which mosquitoes were released. Females were released at
      2000 hours and recaptured the next morning at 0600 hours. A fixed proportion of
      mosquitoes selected either host (approximately 65% cow and 35% human),
      irrespective of their parental origin or source of the first blood meal. The data
      indicate that the existence of cryptic populations with anthropophilic habits is
      unlikely and that a "learned" host selection also may be ruled out.

PMID- 1404274
TI  - Use of an aquatic light trap for monitoring larval population of Culex
      quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae).
AB  - An aquatic light trap was evaluated in wading pools placed in a greenhouse as a
      method of sampling populations of mosquito larvae. Three replicated experiments
      examined the effect of the color of a Cyalume light source and the vertical
      placement of the trap within the water column. Traps placed with the entrance
      funnel opening at the surface of the water collected significantly more fourth
      instar Culex quinquefasciatus than did those with the entrance submerged. When
      traps were placed near the surface of the water, those with blue, yellow, and
      white light sticks, as well as unlighted control traps, collected approximately
      the same number of larvae. Therefore, a small change in trap position was more
      important than the presence of a light source in the effectiveness of this
      aquatic light trap as a sampling device for mosquito larvae.

PMID- 1404275
TI  - Evaluation of devices for removing attached Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari:
      Ixodidae).
AB  - Three types of forceps and a commercially available device, the Tick Solution,
      were used to remove adult brown dog ticks, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille),
      from dogs. The Tick Solution proved least effective at removing ticks, requiring
      significantly more removal attempts compared with forcep-removal methods. Medium
      tipped angled forceps provided the best overall performance. Other advantages and
      disadvantages of the devices are discussed.

PMID- 1404276
TI  - Resuscitation policies--action required.

PMID- 1404277
TI  - In the genes or in the stars? Children's competence to consent.
AB  - Children's competence to refuse or consent to medical treatment or surgery tends
      to be discussed in terms of the child's ability or maturity. This paper argues
      that the social context also powerfully influences the child's capacity to
      consent. Inner attributes and external influences are discussed using an analogy
      of the genes and the stars.

PMID- 1404279
TI  - 'Aid-in-dying' and the taking of human life.
AB  - In several US states, the legalisation of euthanasia has become a question for
      voters to decide in public referenda. This democratic approach in politics is
      consistent with notions of personal autonomy in medicine, but the right of choice
      does not mean all choices are morally equal. A presumption against the taking of
      human life is embedded in the formative moral traditions of society; human life
      does not have absolute value, but we do and should impose a strict burden of
      justification for exceptions to the presumption, as exemplified by the moral
      criteria invoked to justify self-defence, capital punishment, or just war. These
      criteria can illuminate whether another exception should be carved out for doctor
      assisted suicide or active euthanasia. It does not seem, in the United States at
      any rate, that all possible alternatives to affirm the control and dignity of the
      dying patient and to relieve pain and suffering, short of taking life, have been
      exhausted. Moreover, the procedural safeguards built into many proposals for
      legalised euthanasia would likely be undone by the sorry state of the US health
      care system, with its lack of universal access to care, chronic cost-containment
      ills, a litigious climate, and socioeconomic barriers to care. There remains,
      however, common ground in the quest for humane care of the dying.

PMID- 1404278
TI  - Baby marrow: ethicists and privacy.
AB  - A family had a child in large part to use its marrow in the hopes of saving the
      life of an older child afflicted with leukaemia. Public response from medical
      ethicists was negative. This paper argues that what the family did was not
      clearly wrong and that the ethicists should not have made public pronouncements
      calling the morals of the family into question.

PMID- 1404280
TI  - Legislation on euthanasia: recent developments in The Netherlands.
AB  - Recently, new developments took place in the Dutch debate on the legislation of
      euthanasia. After a brief account of that debate, the article discusses a new
      government proposal for legislation in this field, which was submitted to the
      Dutch parliament in November 1991. This proposal relates not only to euthanasia
      but also to some other medical decisions concerning the end of life. The author
      concludes that, for several reasons, it is unsatisfactory.

PMID- 1404281
TI  - Measuring the ethical sensitivity of medical students: a study at the University
      of Toronto.
AB  - An instrument to assess 'ethical sensitivity' has been developed. The instrument
      presents four clinical vignettes and the respondent is asked to list the ethical
      issues related to each vignette. The responses are classified, post hoc, into the
      domains of autonomy, beneficence and justice. This instrument was used in 1990 to
      assess the ethical sensitivity of students in all four medical classes at the
      University of Toronto. Ethical sensitivity, as measured by this instrument, is
      not related to age or grade-point average. Sensitivity increases between the 1st
      and 2nd year and then decreases throughout the rest of undergraduate medical
      training, such that the 4th-year students identify fewer issues than those
      entering medical school. Students expressing a career choice of family medicine
      identify more issues than their peers. Several problems with the use of the
      instrument and the interpretation of the data were found. Nonetheless, these
      findings, if reproducible, are important and their meaning needs further
      discussion.

PMID- 1404282
TI  - Learning to see: moral growth during medical training.
AB  - During medical training students and residents reconstruct their view of the
      world. Patients become bodies; both the faults and the virtues of the medical
      profession become exaggerated. This reconstruction has moral relevance: it is in
      part a moral blindness. The pain of medical training, together with its
      narrowness, contributes substantially to these faulty reconstructions. Possible
      improvements include teaching more social science, selecting chief residents and
      faculty for their attitudes, helping students acquire communication skills, and
      helping them deal with their own pain. Most importantly, clearer moral vision
      requires time and scope for reflection.

PMID- 1404283
TI  - When loyalties are divided between teachers and patients.
AB  - Three situations are described where a junior doctor is required by his
      consultant to do something that he thinks is not in the patient's best interests.
      The dilemma is explored from the perspective of patients' interests being the
      doctor's first concern; of the importance of respect for medical teachers, and of
      the implications of an apprenticeship model of postgraduate medical training.

PMID- 1404284
TI  - Stress.
AB  - 'Stress' is a widely used word in clinical practice, the biological sciences and
      everyday life; but one which has little real value, serving mainly to confuse and
      confound rational thought. Whether it is described in terms of stimulus,
      response, or a combination of the two the definitions of stress are invariably
      found to be circular. We should stop using the word 'stress' and instead discuss
      specific stimuli or responses as appropriate. The author suggests that 'pressure'
      and 'tension' might provide suitable substitutes for everyday clinical practice.

PMID- 1404286
TI  - Open letter.

PMID- 1404285
TI  - Ethical questions about peer review.

PMID- 1404287
TI  - Alternative medicine: response to Kottow.

PMID- 1404288
TI  - 'Unprincipled QALYs'.

PMID- 1404289
TI  - National haemophilia B molecular genetic register.

PMID- 1404290
TI  - A new strategy for the genetic counselling of diseases of marked mutational
      heterogeneity: haemophilia B as a model.

PMID- 1404291
TI  - X inactivation as a mechanism of selection against lethal alleles: further
      investigation of incontinentia pigmenti and X linked lymphoproliferative disease.
AB  - Thirty-one females with incontinentia pigmenti (IP), 42 controls, and 11 females
      from four families segregating for X linked lymphoproliferative disease (XLP)
      were studied for evidence of skewed X inactivation by analysis of methylation at
      sites in the HPRT, PGK, and M27 beta (DXS255) regions of the X chromosome.
      Extensive skewing of X inactivation was present in blood from 4/42 (9.5%) control
      females and 11/31 (35%) of those with IP. This frequency of skewed inactivation
      was seen in both familial and sporadic cases of IP. Analysis of inactivation in
      mother/daughter pairs, both affected and control subjects, showed no familial
      consistency of pattern, arguing against specific mutations being associated with
      particular patterns of inactivation. In the only informative family where both
      mother and daughter were affected by IP and showed skewed inactivation, the IP
      mutation was on the active X chromosome. This argues against cell selection
      during early embryogenesis being the explanation for the skewed inactivation
      observed. These data confirm that skewed inactivation of one X is observed in
      lymphocytes from a significant minority of normal females, and is seen with
      raised frequency in IP heterozygotes. It is not, however, a universally observed
      phenomenon, and the relationship of X inactivity to the IP mutation appears to be
      complex. In the case of XLP, though skewed X inactivation patterns are seen in
      most disease carriers, the frequency with which this phenomenon occurs in normal
      females renders it an unreliable diagnostic marker for XLP carriers.

PMID- 1404292
TI  - Chromosomal localisation of a pseudoautosomal growth gene(s).
AB  - Although recent molecular studies in patients with sex chromosome aberrations are
      consistent with a growth gene(s) being present in the pseudoautosomal region
      (PAR), the precise location has not been determined. In this report, we describe
      a Japanese boy and his mother with an interstitial deletion in Xp22.3 and review
      the correlation between genotype and stature in six cases of partial monosomy of
      the PAR. The results indicate that the region from DXYS20 to DXYS15 is the
      critical region for the putative growth gene(s).

PMID- 1404293
TI  - The acrocallosal syndrome and Greig syndrome are not allelic disorders.
AB  - Acrocallosal syndrome is an autosomal recessive form of polysyndactyly associated
      with mental retardation and agenesis of the corpus callosum. There have been
      suggestions that it is allelic to the Greig cephalopolysyndactyly syndrome.
      Linkage analysis, using flanking markers, shows this suggestion is unlikely to be
      correct.

PMID- 1404294
TI  - Multipoint mapping of adult onset polycystic kidney disease (PKD1) on chromosome
      16.
AB  - Analysis of genetic linkage data in 33 adult onset polycystic kidney (ADPKD)
      families was carried out using probes for the D16S85, D16S84, and D16S94 loci.
      The data set of 33 families shows no evidence of genetic heterogeneity since one
      unlinked family was previously excluded. Two point linkage analysis showed
      maximum likelihood values of the recombination fraction of 0.07 for ADPKD and
      D16S85 (lod score 18.78), 0.02 for ADPKD and D16S84 (lod score 7.55), and 0.00
      for ADPKD and D16S94 (lod score 6.73). Multipoint analysis showed a maximum
      likelihood order of tel-D16S85-0.06-D16S84-0.02-(PKD1, D16S94)-cen with a
      multipoint lod score of 32.16. Analysis of rare recombinants lying close to PKD1
      gave results consistent with this order.

PMID- 1404295
TI  - Cartilage-hair hypoplasia in Finland: epidemiological and genetic aspects of 107
      patients.
AB  - Cartilage-hair hypoplasia (CHH) is an autosomal recessive form of metaphyseal
      chondrodysplasia characterised by short limbed short stature, hypoplastic hair
      growth, and impaired cell mediated immunity and erythrocyte production. The
      syndrome is exceptionally prevalent among the Finns and among the Old Order Amish
      in the United States; sporadic cases have been reported from other countries. An
      epidemiological and genetic study of CHH in Finland showed 107 patients, 46 males
      and 61 females, in 85 families. Eighteen of them had died, seven before the age
      of 1 year. The living patients ranged in age from 1 to 51 years, median 21 years.
      The incidence was estimated to be 1:23,000 live births. Consanguinity was found
      in two families and interfamilial relationships in 20 families. Geographical
      distribution of the birth places of the patients and their great grandparents
      showed accumulation in a small area in western Finland and regional clusters were
      seen in other parts of the country as well. The result of the segregation
      analysis was in accordance with recessive inheritance with reduced penetrance.

PMID- 1404296
TI  - Screening for phenylketonuria in a totalitarian state.
AB  - Living under a totalitarian regime has many effects on the structure, way of
      thinking, and relations in a society. However, it is the impact on neonatal
      genetic screening that we discuss in this paper. Genetic screening functions at
      the interface between health services and society at large. Being involved for
      over a decade in setting up the Bulgarian PKU screening programme, we have had to
      deal with ways and attitudes which may be difficult for the western mind to
      grasp. Yet comprehension is very much needed in the new world we are trying to
      create.

PMID- 1404297
TI  - Weyers' ulnar ray/oligodactyly syndrome and the association of midline
      malformations with ulnar ray defects.
AB  - We describe a two generation family with variable ulnar and radial ray reduction
      and midline craniofacial abnormalities. The features suggest a diagnosis of
      Weyers' ulnar ray/oligodactyly syndrome originally described in two isolated
      cases. Syndromes of ulnar ray reduction are briefly reviewed and the relationship
      between limb bud and midline development discussed.

PMID- 1404298
TI  - X inactivation patterns in females with Alport's syndrome: a means of selecting
      against a deleterious gene?
AB  - The patterns of X chromosome inactivation in 43 females from families segregating
      classic Alport's syndrome (AS) (X linked hereditary nephritis with deafness) have
      been analysed. AS carrier females have a most variable clinical course. The aim
      of the study was to establish whether there was any correlation between the X
      inactivation pattern of a carrier female and the severity of her disease. No
      correlation was found in DNA derived from peripheral blood lymphocytes. However,
      it remains possible that differential patterns of X inactivation may occur in the
      tissues affected by AS, namely the basement membrane of the kidney, eye, and ear.

PMID- 1404299
TI  - Autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (ADRP): a rhodopsin mutation in a
      Scottish family.

PMID- 1404300
TI  - New dysmorphic features in Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome.
AB  - We report a new case of Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome with a hypoplastic right
      kidney, persistent pulmonary hypertension, and mitral valve regurgitation. Other
      pertinent features included broad thumbs, broad big toes, syndactyly of the third
      and fourth fingers bilaterally, beaked nose, broad columella of the nose, patent
      ductus arteriosus, and motor and mental retardation. The testes were descended.
      The 3 month old patient had delayed motor and mental development corresponding to
      a 1 month old infant.

PMID- 1404301
TI  - 18p- syndrome and hypopituitarism.
AB  - A patient is described with 18p- syndrome and hypopituitarism. This is the first
      patient with this syndrome who has been shown to benefit from growth hormone
      therapy. Patients with this syndrome who have growth deficiency should be
      considered for evaluation for hypopituitarism, if the quality of their lives
      would improve with an increase in stature.

PMID- 1404302
TI  - Bilateral retinopathy, aplastic anaemia, and central nervous system
      abnormalities: a new syndrome?
AB  - A male infant was found to have bilateral exudative retinopathy at 6 months of
      age. A month later severe aplastic anaemia was diagnosed, eventually leading to
      the infant's death. Additional features of this seemingly new syndrome were
      intrauterine growth retardation, fine sparse hair, fine reticulate skin
      pigmentation, ataxia because of cerebellar hypoplasia, cerebral calcifications,
      extensor hypertonia, and progressive psychomotor retardation.

PMID- 1404303
TI  - Unknown syndrome: nasal hypoplasia, sparse hair, truncal obesity, genital
      hypoplasia, and severe mental retardation.
AB  - A 4 year old girl is described with severe mental retardation, peculiar face with
      nasal hypoplasia, sparse hair, genital hypoplasia, truncal obesity, puffy hands,
      and small feet with complete cutaneous syndactyly of the second and third toes.

PMID- 1404304
TI  - A mutation in exon 7 of the CFTR gene is common in the western part of France.

PMID- 1404305
TI  - Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.

PMID- 1404306
TI  - Williams syndrome and chromosome 18.

PMID- 1404307
TI  - Design characteristics for drug nebulizers.
AB  - Drug nebulizers should be designed to produce an aerosol which efficiently
      targets drug to the respiratory tract. In this article we review the basic
      principles of aerosol generation from both jet and ultrasonic nebulizers, and the
      factors governing respiratory tract penetration and deposition. We review methods
      for accurate measurement of aerosol dose and size, with emphasis on evaporative
      effects and the implications to drug nebulizer design. We identify three forms of
      drug aerosol waste attributable to: generation of non-respirable aerosol, losses
      to the environment, and dead volume solution; and we consider how each may be
      minimized through good nebulizer design. Finally, we compare the relative merits
      of jet and ultrasonic nebulizers, and conclude by predicting a new trend in
      future drug nebulizer therapy.

PMID- 1404308
TI  - Interference problems and screening in NMR and MRI.
AB  - A pragmatic approach to interference in NMR and MRI systems is presented with the
      objective of raising the awareness of problems associated with larger
      installations. The basic premise is that an installation is a system composed of
      interconnected sub-systems, each with its own idiosyncracies. Consequently all
      problems should be considered from this view-point. Practical warnings and
      solutions are given along with simple mathematical equations to permit one to
      calculate some interference effects. Most problems are associated with RF and
      gradient sub-systems, so the main content deals with degradation of the NMR
      signal by noise and coherent RF interference and with the interaction of sub
      systems. Attention is drawn to the correct identification of the source of a
      problem, and the importance of a well engineered solution. 'Quick-fix repairs'
      can lead to very baffling problems when the system is reconfigured for a
      different experiment.

PMID- 1404309
TI  - Biparietal diameter: an alternative measure of head growth in the low-birthweight
      infant.
AB  - Reliability and validity of biparietal diameter (BPD) compared with head
      circumference (HC) measurement as an index of cranial growth was assessed. A
      significant correlation between BPD and HC (r = 0.857; p less than 0.0001) and an
      interobserver reliability of 92% were found. Infants' age and sex had independent
      effects on BPD growth rate. Very sick infants had a lower increase in BPD rate
      than healthy controls. It is suggested that in sick premature infants, when the
      head is encumbered by various types of apparatus, this technique might prove more
      feasible than HC measurement.

PMID- 1404310
TI  - Portable maximum respiratory pressure measurement--a comparison with laboratory
      techniques.
AB  - We have evaluated a new, hand-held, electronic device to measure maximal
      respiratory pressures, and compared its performance in normal subjects against
      two pre-existing methods. This new device produces accurate, reproducible results
      and has the advantages of easy use and portability, which allow it to be used at
      the patient's bedside, outpatient clinic or pulmonary function laboratory.

PMID- 1404311
TI  - Medical device regulations in the New Europe.
AB  - We are now in 1992, the year of the 'Completion of the Internal Market'. Big
      changes in the ways in which medical devices will be controlled in Europe are on
      the way, but many healthcare professionals are unaware of these changes and what
      they will mean to them. This article explains the moves that are now under way to
      harmonize medical device legislation throughout Europe and the many features, new
      to the UK, that they will introduce.

PMID- 1404312
TI  - Effects of skin blood flow and temperature on skin--electrode impedance and
      offset potential: measurements at low alternating current density.
AB  - Skin--electrode impedance was determined at 100 Hz and 1 kHz between two
      disposable electrodes, 5 cm apart, at current densities < 65 microA.cm-2.
      Measurements were made on the volar skin of the forearm during cooling on
      cardiopulmonary bypass, and on the dorsum of the foot in the absence of skin
      blood flow during aortic aneurysm repair. Both the resistive and reactive
      components of the skin-electrode impedence showed an inverse linear relationship
      to temperature between 26 and 36 degrees C. The magnitude of the impedance change
      was different for each patient studied; resistance changes ranged from 0.03 to
      23.2 k omega. Degrees C-1 at 100 Hz and from 0.03 to 2.7 k omega. Degrees C-1 at
      1 kHz, while reactance changes ranged from 0.4 to 2.1 k omega. Degrees C-1 at 100
      Hz and from 0.04 to 0.18 k omega. Degrees C-1 at 1 kHz. Changes in skin-electrode
      impedance were not due to changes in skin blood flow. There was no consistent
      change in offset potential with temperature. Although the skin-electrode
      impedance increases as temperature falls, it is concluded that temperature
      effects at the skin-electrode interface are not responsible for the observed
      failure of evoked electromyography during clinical monitoring of neuromuscular
      function.

PMID- 1404313
TI  - Assessment of an infra-red non-contact sensor for routine skin temperature
      monitoring: a preliminary study.
AB  - The accuracy and reproducibility of a new non-contact sensor for monitoring skin
      temperature was examined. Thirty measurements taken by the device were compared
      with those taken by a commonly used thermocouple contact sensor. The result was a
      very high correlation coefficient (r = 0.9999). This accuracy was achieved with
      the probe held at an angle of 90 degrees 1 cm from the skin. Changes in angle and
      distance were found to contribute to measurement error. Little difference was
      found between 39 pairs of measurements taken of the left and right sides of
      subjects. However, intra-subject variability was noted with respect to the
      dermotomal segmental fields. Inter-tester reliability analysis resulted in a
      correlation of r = 0.937 involving two independent testers and 26 pairs of
      measurements. These preliminary data will be used for power calculations to study
      further the device which we found to be simple to operate, portable, and
      practical for routine clinical use. This sensor may have applications in the
      diagnosis of nerve and vascular disorders and in prospective monitoring of skin
      conditions such as bony areas at risk of pressure ulcers.

PMID- 1404314
TI  - Design and evaluation of an instrument to measure microcirculatory blood flow and
      oxygen saturation simultaneously.
AB  - There are compelling clinical advantages in being able to monitor, simultaneously
      and continuously, blood oxygen saturation and tissue perfusion from the same
      volume of tissue. We describe the design of a new instrument capable of combining
      both functions. It uses a laser diode at 805 nm to give a blood flow index and
      oxygenation information at that wavelength, and a pulsed LED at 660 nm to
      complete the estimation of oxygen saturation. By using a compensating
      photodetector these readings can be made relatively insensitive to sampling site.
      After calibrating the instrument on forehead sites it reliably read the oxygen
      saturation of sites on the thigh with a bias of -0.2% and a precision of +/- 1.7%
      relative to an IL 282 CO-oximeter.

PMID- 1404316
TI  - HSE scientist wins 1992 Beilby Award.

PMID- 1404315
TI  - An evoked compound electromyogram simulator with external microprocessor control
      facility.
AB  - A circuit for an evoked electromyogram simulator is described, which produces a
      biphasic triangular waveform similar to the evoked compound action potential seen
      during clinical quantitative neuromuscular monitoring. The device can produce a
      fading train-of-four sequence, which can be controlled using a single externally
      derived voltage. The simulator is useful for bench-testing of closed loop muscle
      relaxant administration systems, and for teaching aspects of neuromuscular
      monitoring in anaesthesia.

PMID- 1404317
TI  - Azole drug resistance in Candida species.

PMID- 1404318
TI  - Extracellular proteins as a potential marker of active Staphylococcus aureus
      infection in bone.
AB  - The potential of extracellular protein antigens of Staphylococcus aureus as
      markers of infection of bone was investigated by immunoblotting. Serum from
      patients with S. aureus bone infection showed levels of IgG antibodies to a
      preparation of soluble extracellular proteins of 17-81 kDa which were
      significantly higher than those found in serum from normal controls. By contrast,
      immunoblots of various whole cell or cell wall-derived antigens gave complex
      patterns of response which were unsuitable for positive diagnosis of S. aureus
      bone infection.

PMID- 1404319
TI  - The production of fatty acid modifying enzyme (FAME) and lipase by various
      staphylococcal species.
AB  - Eighty-six strains encompassing 11 species of coagulase-negative staphylococci
      were examined for the production of fatty acid modifying enzyme (FAME) and
      lipase. Staphylococcus schleiferi and S. saprophyticus most closely resembled S.
      aureus in that 80% of the strains produced both enzymes. In contrast, no strains
      of S. lugdunensis and S. haemolyticus tested produced these enzymes. S. simulans
      was unusual in that eight of 10 strains produced FAME, but only one produced
      lipase. Among the other species the proportion of strains producing both enzymes
      ranged from 10 to 60%. Generally there was a strong correlation between FAME and
      lipase production.

PMID- 1404320
TI  - The esterification of fatty acids by Staphylococcus aureus fatty acid modifying
      enzyme (FAME) and its inhibition by glycerides.
AB  - Fifty-five randomly selected Staphylococcus aureus strains were examined for
      fatty acid modifying enzyme (FAME) production. Of these, 20.4% did not elaborate
      the enzyme. Amongst the remaining strains, the lowest level produced in culture
      was 0.1 unit/10(9) cocci and the maximum was 2.01 U/10(9) cocci; the median level
      was 0.4 U/10(9) cocci. In a series of straight-chain saturated fatty acids with
      11-24 carbons, all could be esterified by FAME. However, those with 15-19 carbons
      were generally better substrates than the others. For a particular chain length,
      the unsaturated forms were better substrates than the saturated form.
      Triglycerides with unsaturated fatty acid side chains were potent inhibitors of
      FAME. Diglycerides were almost as active as triglycerides, but monoglycerides
      were much less inhibitory. FAME was purified by gel filtration followed by
      hydrophobic interaction chromatography on hexyl agarose. FAME and lipase may have
      a role in determining the survival of S. aureus in lesions.

PMID- 1404321
TI  - The production of a bactericidal monoglyceride in staphylococcal abscesses.
AB  - The treatment of abscess homogenates with calcium ionophores stimulated the
      production of a bactericidal lipid with properties indistinguishable from those
      of a previously unidentified bactericidal lipid that had been detected in
      staphylococcal abscesses. The lipid was identified as a monoglyceride by thin
      layer chromatography. It resembled the unidentified lipid in that it had a high
      specific activity, exhibited differential activity, was inhibited by
      Staphylococcus aureus delta toxin, lecithin and Ca++, and its activity was
      reduced by oxidation. Stimulation of monoglyceride production by calcium
      ionophore requires the joint presence of components from the sedimented and
      supernatant fractions of abscess homogenates, and was not produced if boiled
      homogenate was used. The addition of verapamil interfered with the production of
      monoglyceride in homogenates treated with calcium ionophore. Monoglyceride was
      produced only in abscess homogenates and not in homogenates of other normal
      tissues or tissues taken from mice infected with S. aureus. Calcium ionophore
      could be replaced by inositol triphosphate, suggesting that monoglyceride
      production involved the release of calcium from intracellular stores. The 2
      monoglyceride was the form originally produced in abscess homogenates, but this
      spontaneously isomerized to the 1-monoglyceride. The fatty-acid moiety of the
      monoglyceride consisted primarily of 16:0 and 16:1 fatty acids.

PMID- 1404322
TI  - Evaluation of the PhP system for biochemical-fingerprint typing of strains of
      Salmonella of serotype Typhimurium.
AB  - The Phene Plate (PhP) system of biochemical fingerprinting of bacteria is a
      computerised typing system, based on quantitative measurements of the kinetics of
      several biochemical reactions of bacteria grown in liquid medium in
      microtitration plates. For each isolate tested, it yields a biochemical
      fingerprint comprising several kinds of quantitative data which are useful for
      establishing similarities among strains with a personal-computer program. In this
      study, a set of 16 specific substrates was chosen to differentiate strains of
      Salmonella of serotype Typhimurium. The system was evaluated for its typability,
      reproducibility and discriminatory power in tests with a collection of 100
      epidemiologically unrelated Typhimurium strains and results were compared with
      those obtained by phage typing. At an identity level of 0.980, strains were
      assigned by this method to 51 biochemical phenotypes (BPTs), giving a diversity
      index of 0.963 and a resolution index of 0.210. In contrast, 24 phage types (PTs)
      were identified among these isolates (a diversity index of 0.901). The combined
      use of biochemical fingerprinting by the PhP system and phage typing
      discriminated 82 phenotypes (a diversity index of 0.994). Stability of markers in
      each of the methods was also evaluated after subculture of 20 strains for 21
      consecutive days. Only nine biochemical reactions were found that were subject to
      small, but measurable, changes for at least one isolate. These changes slightly
      decreased the mean similarity coefficients among strains but the overall BPTs of
      the strains showed changes in four strains (20%). In contrast, eight strains
      (40%) showed changes in their PTs after this treatment. It is concluded that the
      PhP system is a highly discriminatory and reproducible method for typing
      Typhimurium strains. It is easy to perform, and may be used alone or in
      combination with phage typing in epidemiological studies of Typhimurium strains.

PMID- 1404323
TI  - The use of biochemical fingerprinting, phage typing and antimicrobial
      susceptibility testing in the detection of epidemic strains of Salmonella of
      serotype Typhimurium in Iran.
AB  - A collection of 86 strains of Salmonella of serotype Typhimurium isolated from
      children with gastroenteritis in Tehran, Iran was examined for biochemical
      phenotype, phage type and antibiotic-resistance pattern. Twenty-seven biochemical
      phenotypes (BPTs), 14 discrete phage types (PTs) and 18 resistotypes (RTs) were
      identified. Fifty-three strains (62%) belonged to two major and probably related
      BPTs, whereas the other 33 isolates belonged to less common BPTs. The two
      predominant BPTs contained 26 strains of the same PT and 23 strains of the same
      RT. Different PTs and RTs of strains with similar BPT were sometimes observed,
      possibly reflecting antibiotic pressures in Iran. These results suggest that two
      major "clones" of Typhimurium strains are particularly common in Iran and,
      although each method alone adequately detected these and other less common
      "clones", biochemical fingerprinting provided additional information about
      relationships among strains.

PMID- 1404324
TI  - Treatment of experimental infections of mice with bacteriophages.
AB  - Bacteriophages for Acinetobacter baumanii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and
      Staphylococcus aureus were tested in experimental infections of mice to
      investigate their potential for the treatment of infections of man. As few as
      10(2) particles of an acinetobacter phage protected mice against 5 LD50 (1 x
      10(8)) of a virulent strain of A. baumanii, and phage was demonstrated to have
      multiplied in the mice. A pseudomonas phage protected mice against 5 LD50 of a
      virulent strain of P. aeruginosa, with a PD50 of 1.2 x 10(7) particles. A
      staphylococcal phage failed to protect mice infected with a strain of S. aureus.
      These studies support the view that bacteriophages could be useful in the
      treatment of human infections caused by antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

PMID- 1404325
TI  - Production of haemolysis and its correlation with enterotoxicity in Aeromonas
      spp.
AB  - A total of 147 clinical and environmental isolates of Aeromonas that included 14
      A. hydrophila, 60 A. sobria and 73 A. caviae strains was tested for haemolysin
      production and its correlation with enterotoxicity; 108 isolates produced beta
      haemolysis. For A. hydrophila and A. sobria, titres of haemolysin were 16-128
      HU/ml and for A. caviae, 16-64 HU/ml. In the ileal loop test, 82 (55.8%) strains
      of Aeromonas spp. produced enterotoxin. Of the beta-haemolytic strains, 72.7% of
      A. hydrophila, 58.6% of A. sobria and 68.6% of A. caviae isolates caused fluid
      accumulation in rabbit ileal loops. One strain each of alpha-haemolytic A. sobria
      and A. caviae, one of non-haemolytic A. sobria and nine of non-haemolytic A.
      caviae also caused a secretory response. The beta-haemolytic strains caused
      significantly more (p < 0.05) fluid accumulation than the alpha- and non
      haemolytic isolates regardless of their species designation. The remaining 65
      (44.2%) isolates belonging to the three species included alpha-, beta- and non
      haemolytic strains: they failed to cause fluid accumulation in the initial
      experiments but did so after one to three consecutive passages through rabbit
      ileal loops. Two alpha- and 13 non-haemolytic strains switched to production of
      beta-haemolysis when they showed positive ileal loop reactions. However, on
      repeated subcultures or on storage in the laboratory, all of them reverted to
      their original haemolytic character and no longer produced enterotoxic activity.

PMID- 1404326
TI  - Association of Haemophilus ducreyi with cell-culture lines.
AB  - The association of Haemophilus ducreyi with epithelial cell cultures was studied
      by light microscopy, electronmicroscopy and viable counts. Associated organisms
      were engulfed by epithelial cells and sequestered from the cell-surface
      environment. Large numbers of organisms within epithelial cells appeared to
      induce cell lysis and release of H. ducreyi. Such a mechanism occurring in vivo
      may assist H. ducreyi to evade the bactericidal action of polymorphonuclear
      leucocytes and may explain some of the tissue damage seen in genital ulcers
      caused by H. ducreyi.

PMID- 1404327
TI  - A pyrolysis mass spectrometry study of the non-pigmented Prevotella species.
AB  - Collection strains (21) and non-pigmented clinical isolates (96) provisionally
      identified as Prevotella spp. were classified numerically on the basis of
      pyrolysis mass spectrometry (PMS) data and reaction patterns in conventional
      tests (CTRPs) for volatile and non-volatile fatty acids, pre-formed enzymes and
      biochemical activity. PMS and CTRP classifications were compared with a previous
      classification based on visual analysis of SDS-PAGE patterns. Although the order
      of clusters differed, cross-tabulation of cluster membership revealed strong
      correlations between classifications. Cluster membership in the PMS
      classification correlated particularly well with SDS-PAGE results. CTRP clusters
      corresponded largely to the recognised species of Prevotella, but PMS and SDS
      PAGE divided two species into sub-groups: two in P. buccae and five in P.
      veroralis. The latter subgroups could be discriminated by small but consistent
      differences in CTRPs. An undesignated, well differentiated cluster of strains
      appeared closest to the main group of P. buccae strains in PMS and CTRPs. B. (P.)
      capillus could not be distinguished from P. buccae; these species are regarded as
      synonymous. Strains of P. zoogleoformans and B. (P.) pentosaceus were well
      separated from other strains in PMS. A complex comprising clusters of P. disiens,
      P. oralis, P. veroralis, P. loescheii and a further undesignated group similar to
      P. melaninogenica was well differentiated from P. buccae and P. oris in PMS;
      clusters corresponding to P. bivia, P. corporis, P. intermedia and P. denticola
      formed another complex.

PMID- 1404328
TI  - Appraisal of the total blood lymphocyte proliferation assay as a diagnostic tool
      in screening for tuberculosis.
AB  - The total blood lymphocyte proliferation assay (TLP) was evaluated as a screening
      test for infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and was compared with the
      tuberculin (Mantoux) skin test. The results of TLP assays performed on 33
      patients with tuberculosis and 37 non-tuberculous subjects were compared with
      results of skin tests performed in the previous year. There was a high
      correlation between skin test responses and TLP responses to PPD which was
      statistically significant. The sensitivity, specificity and the predictive value
      of a positive test were also similar for the skin test and TLP test. These
      findings suggest that the TLP test is as effective in screening for M.
      tuberculosis infection as tuberculin skin testing. Future research leading to
      further simplification of the TLP method may lead to it replacing intradermal
      skin testing.

PMID- 1404329
TI  - A simple and rapid method for the detection and identification of mycobacteria
      using mycobactin.
AB  - A system was developed for the identification of mycobacteria such as
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. avium, by thin layer chromatography of 55Fe
      labelled mycobactin. Approximately 2 x 10(3) mycobacteria were detected within 24
      h and little operator time or skill was required. M. avium, M. intracellulare and
      M. scrofulaceum were found to have lower requirements for iron than other
      mycobacteria and this may influence their growth in host organisms.

PMID- 1404331
TI  - The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare.

PMID- 1404330
TI  - Initial organ localisation of blood-borne Candida albicans in a rat model of
      disseminated candidosis.
AB  - The rat was evaluated as an experimental model for disseminated candidosis by
      quantitating blood clearance and initial organ localisation of 3H-leucine
      labelled Candida albicans after intravenous injection into the tail or portal
      vein. Viable or formalin-killed blastoconidia or viable blastoconidia with germ
      tubes were injected into experimental animals. Blood and tissue samples were
      obtained up to 24 h after injection and processed for liquid scintillation
      counting (to determine the distribution of labelled yeasts) and quantitation of
      viable organisms. Yeasts were cleared rapidly after intravenous (i.v.) injection
      by either route, i.e., < 5% of the radioactivity was detected in the blood after
      5 min. The liver and lung were the major organs that sequestered blood-borne
      yeasts 1 h after tail vein injection (42.5 SD 15% and 41.4 SD 6.4% of labelled
      yeasts injected, respectively). However, injections via the portal vein resulted
      in trapping of the yeasts predominantly by the liver. Recovery of radioactivity
      and viable yeasts from all organs except the kidneys decreased with time.
      Overall, the results indicated that the rat might serve as a reliable model for
      short-term studies on organ distribution and thus contribute to our understanding
      of tissue trophism in candidosis.

PMID- 1404332
TI  - Determination of the time of ovulation in chimpanzees by measurement of LH,
      estrone sulfate, and pregnanediol 3 alpha-glucuronide in urine: comparison with
      serum hormone patterns.
AB  - The concentrations of LH, total estrogens, and pregnanediol 3 alpha-glucuronide
      (PdG) were determined by specific radioimmunoassays on daily overnight urine
      samples obtained in 13 menstrual cycles of six adult female chimpanzees during
      the periods of increasing, maximal, and decreasing tumescence of the perineal sex
      skin. The peaks of estrogens and LH and the rise in PdG in urine accurately
      reflected the peaks of estradiol-17 beta and LH and the subsequent rise in
      progesterone in the serum of the same animals during the same menstrual cycles,
      and can be used to predict and verify the occurrence of ovulation, thus avoiding
      the repeated tranquilizations necessary to obtain daily blood samples.

PMID- 1404333
TI  - Quantification and excretion profiles of pteridines in primate urine.
AB  - Biopterin, 6-hydroxymethyl-pterin, isoxanthopterin, neopterin and, pterin were
      quantified in stress-free collected spontaneous morning urine samples from
      Callithrix jacchus, Saguinus fuscicollis, Saguinus labiatus, Saimiri sciureus,
      Presbytis entellus, Cercopithecus albogularis, Cercocebus torquatus, Macaca
      fascicularis, Hylobates concolor, Pongo pygmaeus, and Gorilla gorilla. In most
      species, biopterin was the most frequent urinary pteridine followed by neopterin.
      Sex differences in biopterin and neopterin excretion were observed in Gorilla
      gorilla and Pongo pygmaeus. Pterin and isoxanthopterin were only present in minor
      concentrations. 6-hydroxymethyl-pterin was barely detectable and not present in
      the urine of Saguinus labiatus, Saimiri sciureus, and both male Gorilla gorilla
      and Pongo pygmaeus.

PMID- 1404334
TI  - Age determination of common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) by radiographic
      examination of skeletal development.
AB  - Seventy-four animals were examined radiographically to determine the skeletal
      development of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) from 6 months of age.
      Twenty-one epiphyses were examined and five stages of ossification were described
      for each. The animals were divided into nine groups, according to age, and a
      table of the stage of ossification and age was produced, which may be used for
      determining the age of animals of unknown history.

PMID- 1404335
TI  - The baboon model under anesthesia for in vivo cerebral blood flow studies using
      single photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) techniques.
AB  - Single photon emission computed tomography of the brain can be useful in animal
      experimentation directed toward cerebral conditions. A well established and
      understood baboon model, necessarily under anesthesia, could be especially
      valuable in such investigations. Six normal baboons were studied under various
      anesthetic agents and their combinations: ketamine, thiopentone, pentobarbitone,
      and halothane. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) studies were performed with 99mTc-HMPAO.
      CBF effects from various anesthesia were detected, requiring careful choice of
      the anesthesia for cerebral investigations.

PMID- 1404336
TI  - Identification of two subclasses of IgA in the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes).
AB  - Chimpanzee secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) was separated into two fractions by
      chromatography using the terminal galactose-binding lectin Jacalin. The SIgA
      fraction bound by Jacalin was cleaved by Haemophilus influenzae IgA1 protease,
      whereas the SIgA nonbinding fraction was not cleaved. It is proposed that these
      fractions represent IgA1 and IgA2 subclasses because the presence or absence of
      galactose-terminal oligosaccharides (Jacalin binding) and susceptibility or
      resistance to IgA1 protease are properties that define human IgA1 and IgA2
      subclasses.

PMID- 1404337
TI  - Spontaneous cardiomyopathy and nephropathy in the owl monkey (Aotus sp.) in
      captivity.
AB  - Clinical and pathologic data were reviewed for 72 owl monkeys that died between
      January 1987 and May 1990 at the Center for Reproduction and Conservation of
      Nonhuman Primates in Iquitos, Peru. Tissue samples from 39 animals were examined.
      Hypertrophic cardiac disease (51% of animals examined), dilative cardiomyopathy
      (26%), and nephropathy (87%) were the most common diagnoses. The incidence of all
      three diseases appeared to increase with time in captivity. Nephropathy was less
      severe in colony-born animals.

PMID- 1404338
TI  - Membrane transport properties of L-2,4-diaminobutyrate revisited.
AB  - We explore here the special structural features of certain diamino acid analogs
      which may account for their intense accumulation into tumor cells, first observed
      for the Ehrlich ascites tumor cell for in vitro suspensions. This accumulation,
      which ordinarily occurs mainly by system A for its dipolar substrates, is so
      intense for these tripolar diamino acids accompanied by the chloride ion as well
      as by displacement, especially of the cellular potassium ion, that the cells
      swell to several times their normal volume and osmotic destruction arises. These
      structural features receive our reconsideration here toward understanding the
      energization of amino acid transport into cells, also toward identifying among
      them possible superior 11C-labeled tracers for imaging tumors in situ by positron
      emission tomography (PET). The possibility of therapeutic, perhaps osmotic,
      destruction of inoperable terminal gliomas by topical application of such amino
      acids by microdialysis has also been considered in preliminary tests by one of us
      (G.R.) and his associates.

PMID- 1404340
TI  - Sarcolemmal calcium binding sites in heart: I. Molecular origin in "gas
      dissected" sarcolemma.
AB  - Calcium in the myocardial cell is highly compartmentalized and a fast, an
      intermediate, a slow and a nonexchangeable calcium pool have been described. The
      fast pool contains 66% of the total cell exchangeable calcium in cultured
      neonatal rat heart cells with a t1/2 of less than 1.5 sec. Though the cellular
      origin of this fast pool is unknown, its rapidity and its displacement by La3+
      most likely places it at the sarcolemma or at least in rapid equilibrium with the
      sarcolemma. We isolated the sarcolemma of cultured neonatal rat heart cells using
      the gas-dissection technique, which yields a pure sarcolemmal preparation in less
      than a second, thereby precluding membrane changes which might occur during
      conventional plasma membrane isolation. We determined the calcium binding
      characteristics of these membranes, using an on-line technique to monitor 45Ca,
      which allows measurement of 45Ca binding characteristics in the presence of
      unbound 45Ca. Two classes of calcium binding sites were determined: (i) Kd of 13
      microM, capacity 7 nmol/mg and (ii) Kd of 1.1 mM, capacity of 84 nmol/mg. To
      assess the molecular origin of the sarcolemmal calcium binding we treated the
      membranes with a variety of enzymes. Protease or neuraminidase treatment did not
      cause large changes in these parameters. Simultaneous treatment with two
      different phospholipases C or the extraction of the lipids with isopropanol
      resulted in a dramatic loss of the low-affinity binding sites. These results, in
      association with previously defined sarcolemmal phospholipid distribution, places
      the low-affinity binding sites at the cytoplasmic leaflet. The physiological
      implication of this localization as it pertains to cellular calcium exchange is
      discussed.

PMID- 1404339
TI  - The structure and function of membranes--personal memoir.

PMID- 1404341
TI  - Sarcolemmal calcium binding sites in heart: II. Mathematical model for diffusion
      of calcium released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum into the diadic region.
AB  - We present a model for predicting the temporal and spatial dependence of [Ca] in
      the cardiac subsarcolemmal diadic region (cleft), following Ca release from the
      "feet" of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. This region is modeled as a disc 10 nm
      thick, 430 nm in radius, with or without Ca binding sites and open at its
      periphery to the cytosol. [Ca] is computed for three diffusion coefficients (100,
      20 and 4% of aqueous diffusion), following release of a 20-msec square pulse
      sufficient to produce 50% maximal contractile force, or repetitive release
      (400/min) of such pulses. Numerical solutions are obtained for the general
      diffusion/binding problem and analytic solutions for the case of no binding
      sites. For the middle value of diffusion coefficient, and in the absence of
      binding sites, [Ca] rises to approximately 1.5 mM in 20-msec and then falls to
      approximately 0.1 microM in less than 3 msec. Adding binding sites reduces peak
      [Ca] to approximately 0.6 mM but prolongs its decline, requiring approximately
      200 msec to reach 20 microM. For repetitive release [Ca] is greater than 100
      microM for roughly half of each cycle. Two major implications of the predicted
      [Ca] are: (i) The effect of Ca binding sites on [Ca] will cause Ca efflux from
      the cleft via the Na-Ca exchanger (Km(Ca) approximately 20 microM) to continue at
      a significant level for greater than 200 msec. (ii) The time constant for
      inactivation of release from the "feet" must be much greater than for activation
      if Ca-induced Ca release is to continue for greater than 1-2 msec.

PMID- 1404342
TI  - Whole-cell potassium current in rabbit corneal epithelium activated by fenamates.
AB  - Rabbit corneal epithelium contains a large-conductance, potassium-selective
      channel, which is a major contributor to the whole-cell current. In perforated
      patch recordings of the macroscopic current, the isolated cells studied had
      resting voltages of -41 +/- 20 mV and capacitances of 5.8 +/- 2.6 pF (mean +/- SD
      for n = 255). Activation of the channels was weakly voltage dependent. They
      opened at about -100 mV and reached an open probability of about 0.2 at +100 mV.
      The current was blocked by millimolar concentrations of external Ba2+ and
      quinidine. Diltiazem also blocked when applied to the external surface of the
      membrane. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents of the fenamate group were
      powerful activators of the channel at submillimolar concentrations when applied
      either to the inside or the outside of the channels. The mechanism of action
      which leads to his activation is not yet known.

PMID- 1404343
TI  - Three-dimensional analysis of cell nucleus structures visualized by confocal
      scanning laser microscopy.
AB  - Studies of the three-dimensional (3-D) organization of cell nuclei are becoming
      increasingly important for the understanding of basic cellular events such as
      growth and differentiation. Modern methods of molecular biology, including in
      situ hybridization and immunofluorescence, allow the visualization of specific
      nuclear structures and the study of spatial arrangements of chromosome domains in
      interphase nuclei. Specific methods for labelling nuclear structures are used to
      develop computerized techniques for the automated analysis of the 3-D
      organization of cell nuclei. For this purpose, a coordinate system suitable for
      the analysis of tri-axial ellipsoidal nuclei is determined. High-resolution 3-D
      images are obtained using confocal scanning laser microscopy. The results
      demonstrate that with these methods it is possible to recognize the distribution
      of visualized structures and to obtain useful information regarding the 3-D
      organization of the nuclear structure of different cell systems.

PMID- 1404344
TI  - Automated microdensitometry of nucleolar organizer regions using
      microspectrophoto-microscopy.
AB  - Nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) are major sites of ribosomal RNA synthesis,
      providing an index of transcriptional activity and possibly determining the
      malignant status of cells. Difficulties lie in quantifying them. This study
      reports a methodology to assist in the standardization of the assessment of
      interphase NORs. Regenerating hepatocytes, which have increased rRNA synthesis,
      were chosen as a model to test automated microdensitometry for silver-stained
      NORs. Quantification employed a microspectrophoto-microscope as a
      microdensitometer. Significant differences in silver-stained NORs in hepatocytes
      were recorded among treatment/fixative groups. As the quantitative method avoids
      subjective observer error and thus improves the accuracy of measurement, it would
      potentially have routine application to diagnostic pathology.

PMID- 1404345
TI  - SEM studies of surfaces hidden within bulk tissue: a simple technique to control
      the position and orientation of dry fracture planes.
AB  - A simple, reliable method for the exposure of specific structures hidden within
      bulk tissue for viewing by SEM is described. The method employs dry fracture
      after critical-point drying and differs from other dry fracture methods in that
      the fracture plane is 'engineered' by the experimenter, thus overcoming the
      tendency for natural planes of weakness within the specimen exclusively to define
      the fracture plane. The technique retains the simplicity of the very high-quality
      in situ cellular relationships normally associated with random dry fracture.
      Attention is given to novel means of circumventing the artefacts that are
      normally a problem with dry fracture techniques.

PMID- 1404346
TI  - Fixation for biological ultrastructure. I. A viscometric analysis of the
      interaction between glutaraldehyde and bovine serum albumin.
AB  - The increase in viscosity resulting from mixing concentrated solutions of albumin
      with dilute glutaraldehyde has been investigated. The viscosity changes are slow
      at first, very sensitive to small changes in glutaraldehyde concentration, and
      non-linear with time. The cross-linking of the albumin by glutaraldehyde seems to
      be retarded by the weak mechanical shear forces produced by the viscometer. The
      significance of these findings to the events in tissue fixation is discussed.

PMID- 1404347
TI  - Fixation for biological ultrastructure. II. Cross-linking of bovine serum albumin
      by nanosecond pulses of ionizing radiation.
AB  - Very large doses of ionizing radiation were delivered quickly to concentrated
      albumin solutions by pulses of 500 keV in air. The electrons penetrated the
      aluminium foil bottom of the test cell and into the solution. A dose of 4.6 Mrad
      (4.6 x 10(4) Gy) produced a gel in the albumin solution comparable to the long
      term effect of 0.36% glutaraldehyde in the same albumin solution. The cross-links
      created by the radiation leading to gel formation are probably irreversible and
      quite different from those leading to gelation in the glutaraldehyde-albumin
      reaction. Single large pulses of ionizing radiation may be useful for fast
      fixation of cells and tissues for microscopy.

PMID- 1404348
TI  - Family support, physical impairment, and adherence in hemodialysis: an
      investigation of main and buffering effects.
AB  - Patient noncompliance is a pervasive problem among end-stage renal disease (ESRD)
      patients. Previous studies have implicated social support as an important
      correlate of adherence behavior in other chronic illness groups, but little
      research has examined this relationship in a hemodialysis population. The present
      study examined the main and interactive effects of social support in the family
      and illness-related physical impairment with regard to patient compliance in a
      sample of 78 hemodialysis patients. Results indicated that patients holding
      perceptions of a more supportive family environment exhibited significantly more
      favorable adherence to fluid-intake restrictions than did patients reporting less
      family support. Family support was not associated with adherence to dietary
      restrictions. The effect of family support on fluid-intake adherence was not
      moderated by level of physical impairment. This pattern suggests that the
      influence of support on adherence is more attributable to a main or direct
      effect, as opposed to a buffering process in the face of increased physical
      impairment.

PMID- 1404349
TI  - Elevated serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels in practitioners of the
      Transcendental Meditation (TM) and TM-Sidhi programs.
AB  - Serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels were measured in 270 men and
      153 women who were experienced practitioners of the Transcendental Meditation
      (TM) and TM-Sidhi programs, mental techniques practiced twice daily, sitting
      quietly with the eyes closed. These were compared according to sex and 5-year age
      grouping to 799 male and 453 female nonmeditators. The mean DHEA-S levels in the
      TM group were higher in all 11 of the age groups measured in women and in 6 of 7
      5-year age groups over 40 in men. There were no systematic differences in younger
      men. Simple regression using TM-group data revealed that this effect was
      independent of diet, body mass index, and exercise. The mean TM-group levels
      measured in all women and in the older men were generally comparable to those of
      nonmeditator groups 5 to 10 years younger. These findings suggest that some
      characteristics of TM practitioners are modifying the age-related deterioration
      in DHEA-S secretion by the adrenal cortex.

PMID- 1404351
TI  - Sex roles, occupational roles, and symptom-reporting: a test of competing
      hypotheses on sex differences.
AB  - The sick-role, fixed-role obligations, symptom-reporting, and nurturant-role
      hypotheses of sex differences in utilization of health services and symptom
      reporting were tested against each other. Fifty-one nontraditional college
      students completed the Cornell Medical Index (CMI), the Bem Sex Role Inventory,
      and questions regarding their employment status. Employment status and feminine
      characteristics emerged as the best predictors of symptom-reporting on the CMI
      and suggested that the sick-role hypothesis may be empirically superior to the
      others.

PMID- 1404350
TI  - The effects of biofeedback-assisted relaxation on cell-mediated immunity,
      cortisol, and white blood cell count in healthy adult subjects.
AB  - The effect of biofeedback-assisted relaxation on cell-mediated immunity,
      cortisol, and white blood cell count was investigated in healthy adults under low
      stress conditions. Fourteen subjects were trained with biofeedback-assisted
      relaxation for 4 weeks, while 17 subjects were controls. The group trained in
      relaxation techniques showed increased blastogenesis, decreased white blood cell
      count, due to decreased neutrophils, and no change in cortisol in comparison to
      the control group. Subjects with lower initial anxiety scores and forehead muscle
      tension levels showed larger increases in blastogenesis and larger decreases in
      neutrophils than subjects with higher initial anxiety and muscle tension levels.

PMID- 1404352
TI  - Adherence to exercise interventions in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia.
AB  - The goals of this study were to determine the rate of adherence to exercise
      treatment of hypercholesterolemia and to identify personality and demographic
      factors associated with adherence. Of the 31 subjects entering the 26-week
      program, 12 attended 80% or more of the scheduled sessions. Adherence was
      positively associated with the perceived seriousness of hypercholesterolemia, the
      expectation of benefit from treatment, and depressed feelings of helplessness and
      hopelessness. Negative associations were identified between adherence and the
      perception of health status being under the control of chance or of powerful
      others. Older subjects were more likely to be adherers at 8 and 16 weeks but not
      at 26 weeks.

PMID- 1404353
TI  - The patterning of psychological attributes and distress by "job strain" and
      social support in a sample of working men.
AB  - As a test of the "job strain" (job demands-control) model, 297 healthy men aged
      30-60 were recruited at eight New York City worksites. The association among job
      demands and control, social support, and psychological outcomes was tested using
      both ANCOVA and moderated multiple regression, controlling for demographic
      variables. The job strain model was supported by various psychological outcome
      measures, with workers in "active" jobs reporting the highest level of Type A
      behavior, job involvement, and positive attributional style, workers in "low
      strain" jobs reporting the lowest job dissatisfaction and trait anxiety, workers
      in "passive" jobs reporting the most external locus of control and trait anxiety,
      and workers in "high-strain" jobs reporting the highest job dissatisfaction. Low
      social support was associated with greater symptomatology, and a significant
      three-way interaction (demands x control x support) for job dissatisfaction was
      observed. While selection of subjects into jobs may partially explain these
      findings, the results support the hypothesis that working conditions influence
      psychological attributes and distress.

PMID- 1404354
TI  - The effects of nonconcurrent and concurrent relaxation training on cardiovascular
      reactivity to a psychological stressor.
AB  - Eight patients in a cardiac rehabilitation program, after exposure to two
      psychological stressors approximately equivalent with respect to cardiovascular
      reactivity, were given nonconcurrent progressive muscle relaxation training and
      retested for reactivity. They were then provided with relaxation training
      concurrently with one of the stressors and exposed again to the two stressors. No
      significant effects for nonconcurrent progressive muscle relaxation training were
      detected. Concurrent training, in contrast, produced reductions in both systolic
      and diastolic blood pressure. Reductions resulting from training on the target
      stressor showed little tendency to generalize to the nontarget stressor; the
      discrimination was particularly well defined for systolic blood pressure. We
      conclude that muscle relaxation techniques are maximally effective in reducing
      reactivity to psychological stressors when relaxation training is provided
      concurrently with the stressor. Our findings further suggest that to inculcate
      the relaxation response reliably across different situations, specific training
      to enhance generalization may be needed.

PMID- 1404355
TI  - Dental visit satisfaction in a group of adults aged 50 years and over.
AB  - Studies have found that utilization of dental services is generally less common
      than utilization of medical services, particularly by older persons. Because
      satisfied dental patients were found to be greater users of the service than
      nonsatisfied patients, it was decided to investigate the correlates of dental
      visit satisfaction in older subjects. Predictions that satisfaction would be
      positively related to regular use of dental services and negatively related to
      dental anxiety were confirmed. The results also suggested that older dental
      patients have different expectations of their dentists than younger ones.

PMID- 1404356
TI  - Modularity of the slit protein. Characterization of a conserved carboxy-terminal
      sequence in secreted proteins and a motif implicated in extracellular protein
      interactions.
AB  - Since our characterization of the slit cDNA sequence, encoding a protein secreted
      by glial cells and involved in the formation of axonal pathways in Drosophila, we
      have discovered that the protein contains two additional sequence motifs that are
      highly conserved in a variety of proteins. A search of the GenPept database with
      the 73 amino acids at the carboxy terminus of slit revealed that this region
      contains significant similarity to a carboxy-terminal domain found in six other
      exported proteins. This observation has allowed us to define a new carboxy
      terminal protein motif. In addition, comparisons with a 202 amino acid domain
      residing between epidermal growth factor (EGF) repeats in slit shows this region
      to be conserved in laminin, agrin and perlecan and, strikingly, also to lie
      between EGF repeats in both agrin and perlecan. Our analysis suggests this motif
      is involved in mediating interactions among extracellular proteins. Consistent
      with our previous characterization of the slit protein, both new motifs are found
      only in extracellular proteins. The identification of these two conserved motifs
      in slit reveals that the entire 1469 amino acids of the protein are made up of
      modular regions similar to those conserved in other extracellular proteins.

PMID- 1404357
TI  - Predicting protein secondary structure with a nearest-neighbor algorithm.
AB  - We have developed a new method for protein secondary structure prediction that
      achieves accuracies as high as 71.0%, the highest value yet reported. The main
      component of our method is a nearest-neighbor algorithm that uses a more
      sophisticated treatment of the feature space than standard nearest-neighbor
      methods. It calculates distance tables that allow it to produce real-valued
      distances between amino acid residues, and attaches weights to the instances to
      further modify the the structure of feature space. The algorithm, which is
      closely related to the memory-based reasoning method of Zhang et al., is simple
      and easy to train, and has also been applied with excellent results to the
      problem of identifying DNA promoter sequences.

PMID- 1404359
TI  - By-passing immunisation. Human antibodies from synthetic repertoires of germline
      VH gene segments rearranged in vitro.
AB  - By display of antibody repertoires on the surface of a filamentous bacteriophage
      and selection of the phage by binding to antigen, we can mimic immune selection.
      Recently, by tapping the repertoire of rearranged V-genes from the peripheral
      blood lymphocytes of unimmunised donors, we succeeded in making human antibody
      fragments with different specificities, including both haptens and proteins, from
      the same library of phage. Now we have built a repertoire of human VH genes from
      49 human germline VH gene segments rearranged in vitro to create a synthetic
      third complementarity determining region (CDR) of five or eight residues. The
      rearranged VH genes were cloned with a human V lambda 3 light chain as single
      chain Fv fragments for phage display, and the library of phage panned by binding
      to each of two haptens, 2-phenyl-5-oxazolone (phOx) or 3-iodo-4-hydroxy-5
      nitrophenyl-acetate (NIP) coupled to bovine serum albumin (BSA). Many different
      antibody fragments were isolated which bound specifically to hapten, some with
      affinities in the micromolar range. The in vitro "immune response" to the hapten
      NIP was dominated by the 9-1 segment (VH3 family), and that to phOx by the VH26
      segment (VH3 family) with an invariant aromatic residue (Tyr, Phe, Trp) at
      residue 97 of CDR3. However, the isolation of phage against protein antigens
      proved more elusive, with a single phage binding to human tumour necrosis factor,
      and none to bovine serum albumin, turkey egg-white lysozyme or human
      thyroglobulin. Nevertheless, the work shows that human antibody fragments with
      specific binding activities can be made entirely in vitro.

PMID- 1404358
TI  - Characterization of "native" apomyoglobin by molecular dynamics simulation.
AB  - We have used molecular dynamics simulation methods to study the structure and
      fluctuations of "native" apomyoglobin in aqueous solution for a period of greater
      than 0.5 nanosecond. This work was motivated by the recent attempts of Hughson et
      al. to characterize the structure and motion of both this molecule and the less
      compact, acid stabilized I stage, using methods of pulsed H/2H exchange. The
      study of these systems provides new insights into protein folding intermediates
      and our simulation has yielded a detailed model for structure and fluctuations in
      apomyoglobin which complements the experimental studies. We find that local
      (short-time) fluctuations agree well with fluctuations observed for the
      holoprotein in aqueous solution, as well as results from the crystallographic B
      factors. In addition, the structural features we observe for native apomyoglobin
      are very similar to the holoprotein, in basic agreement with the findings of
      Hughson et al. By examining larger-scale motions, developing only over timescales
      in excess of a 100 picoseconds, we are able to identify conformationally "labile"
      and "non-labile" regions within native apomyoglobin. These regions correspond
      extremely well to those identified in the nuclear magnetic resonance experiments
      as unstable and stable "folding subdomains" in the I state of apomyoglobin.
      Overall we find that helices A, B, E, G and H show the least amount of motion and
      helices C, D and F move substantially over the timescales examined. The major
      motions, and the primary difference between the holo and apo structures as we
      have observed them, are due to the shifting motion of helices C, D and F into the
      vacant heme cavity. We also find that motions at the interface of helical
      segments can be large, with one important exception being the chain segment
      connecting helices G and H. This segment of chain interacts with the
      conformationally "non-labile" helix A to form a relatively rigid subdomain
      composed of helices A, G and H. We believe that these findings provide direct
      support for the suggestion of Hughson et al. that helices A, G and H constitute a
      compact subdomain that remains in a native-like conformation as the protein
      begins to unfold in environments of decreasing pH.

PMID- 1404360
TI  - Prediction of the activity and stability effects of site-directed mutagenesis on
      a protein core.
AB  - When theoretical methods are used to predict the properties of a given system,
      such as the effects of the substitution of a specific amino acid on the activity
      or stability of a protein as a whole, the accuracy of the prediction is directly
      dependent on the validity of the underlying model. A common error, however, is to
      attempt to improve a basically crude model by performing one aspect of the
      calculation in a rigorous manner. The accuracy of the model as a whole will
      remain limited by the crudest approximation or weakest assumption. To demonstrate
      the principle that nothing can be gained by performing extensive calculations
      using a basically crude underlying model we compare the predictive power of three
      models in relation to activity and stability data for 78 triple-site sequence
      variants of the lambda-repressor protein. This system has recently been analysed
      in terms of a conceptionally simple, but computationally elaborate model for the
      prediction of the energy of a protein in which amino acid residues in the core of
      the protein have been mutated. We show that comparable, if not better agreement
      with the experimental data can be reached using either of two much simpler
      models, based on straightforward structural considerations, which do not require
      elaborate calculations on a computer.

PMID- 1404361
TI  - Structure of the TFIIIA-5 S DNA complex.
AB  - The missing-nucleoside experiment, a recently developed approach for determining
      the positions along a DNA molecule that make energetically important contacts
      with protein, has been used to investigate the structure of the complex of
      transcription factor IIIA with a somatic 5 S RNA gene from Xenopus borealis. We
      detect three distinct regions of the 5 S promoter that are contacted by TFIIIA,
      corresponding to the A-box, intermediate element and C-box regions previously
      identified by mutagenesis experiments. The advantage of the missing-nucleoside
      experiment over mutagenesis is that additional information, directly related to
      the structure of the complex, is obtained. Of most importance is that contacts to
      each strand of DNA are determined independently, and can be assigned
      unambiguously as interactions with TFIIIA. Throughout the binding site the
      strongest contacts are made with the non-coding strand of the 5 S gene. The two
      groups of contacts at either end of the binding site (boxes A and C) are
      comprised of sets of approximately ten contiguous nucleosides for which the
      contacts are reflected, without stagger, from one strand to the other. In
      contrast, contacts in the center of the promoter (the intermediate element) are
      staggered about five base-pairs in the 5' direction with respect to each strand.
      These results, when analyzed in conjunction with the hydroxyl-radical footprint
      of the complex, support a model in which TFIIIA wraps around the DNA in the major
      groove of the helix for one turn at the two ends of the complex in boxes A and C,
      and lies on one side of the DNA helix in the center of the complex at the
      intermediate element.

PMID- 1404362
TI  - Structure of tropomyosin at 9 angstroms resolution.
AB  - We have used molecular replacement followed by a highly parameterized refinement
      to determine the structure of tropomyosin crystals to a resolution to 9 A. The
      shape, coiled-coil structure and interactions of the molecules in the crystals
      have been determined. These crystals have C2 symmetry with a = 259.7 A, b = 55.3
      A, c = 135.6 A and beta = 97.2 degrees. Because of the unusual distribution of
      intensity in X-ray diffraction patterns from these crystals, it was possible to
      solve the rotation problem by inspection of qualitative aspects of the
      diffraction data and to define unequivocally the general alignment of the
      molecules along the (332) and (3-32) directions of the unit cell. The translation
      function was then solved by a direct search procedure, while electron microscopy
      of a related crystal form indicated the probable location of molecular ends in
      the asymmetric unit, as well as the anti-parallel arrangement. The structural
      model we have obtained is much clearer than that obtained previously with
      crystals of extraordinarily high solvent content and shows the two alpha-helices
      of the coiled coil over most of the length of the molecules and establishes the
      coiled-coil pitch at 140(+/- 10) A. Moreover, the precise value of the coiled
      coil pitch varies along the molecule, probably in response to local variations in
      the amino acid sequence, which we have determined by sequencing the appropriate
      cDNA. The crystals are constructed from layers of tropomyosin filaments. There
      are two molecules in the crystallographic asymmetric unit and the molecules
      within a layer are bent into an approximately sinusoidal profile. Molecules in
      consecutive layers in the crystal lie at an angle relative to one another as
      found in crystalline arrays of actin and myosin rod. There are three classes of
      interactions between tropomyosin molecules in the spermine-induced crystals and
      these give some insights into the molecular interactions between coiled-coil
      molecules that may have implications for assemblies such as muscle thick
      filaments and intermediate filaments. In interactions within a layer, the
      geometry of coiled-coil contacts is retained, whereas in contacts between
      molecules in adjacent layers the coiled-coil geometry varies and these
      interactions instead appear to be dominated by the repeating pattern of charged
      zones along the molecule.

PMID- 1404363
TI  - Interchangeability of related proteins and autonomy of function. The
      morphogenetic proteins of filamentous phage f1 and IKe cannot replace one
      another.
AB  - The filamentous phage f1 and IKe infect a common host, are structurally highly
      similar and exhibit 55% identity at the DNA sequence level. Based on the idea
      that proteins that function autonomously will be more tolerant of multiple amino
      acid differences than proteins that must interact with other proteins to
      function, the ability of four individual proteins from f1 to substitute for their
      IKe equivalents to promote virus assembly in vivo has been examined. The
      reciprocal replacements were also examined. Only the single-strand DNA binding
      proteins (pV) were fully interchangeable. A minor capsid protein, pIX, was unable
      to substitute in assembly of the heterologous phage. Two proteins required for
      particle assembly that are not part of the phage particle, pI and pIV, were not
      interchangeable, although pIVf1 stimulated formation of a very small number of
      IKe particles in the absence of pIVIKe. The lack of interchangeability suggests
      that these morphogenetic proteins do not function autonomously, but rather
      interact with one or more phage proteins. The ability of certain overproduced
      proteins to interfere with assembly of wild-type f1 or IKe forms the basis for a
      model that suggests that phage assembly requires an interaction between pI and
      pIV.

PMID- 1404364
TI  - Mutational analysis of the "slippery-sequence" component of a coronavirus
      ribosomal frameshifting signal.
AB  - The ribosomal frameshift signal in the genomic RNA of the coronavirus IBV is
      composed of two elements, a heptanucleotide "slippery-sequence" and a downstream
      RNA pseudoknot. We have investigated the kinds of slippery sequence that can
      function at the IBV frameshift site by analysing the frameshifting properties of
      a series of slippery-sequence mutants. We firstly confirmed that the site of
      frameshifting in IBV was at the heptanucleotide stretch UUUAAAC, and then used
      our knowledge of the pseudoknot structure and a suitable reporter gene to prepare
      an expression construct that allowed both the magnitude and direction of
      ribosomal frameshifting to be determined for candidate slippery sequences. Our
      results show that in almost all of the sequences tested, frameshifting is
      strictly into the -1 reading frame. Monotonous runs of nucleotides, however, gave
      detectable levels of a -2/+1 frameshift product, and U stretches in particular
      gave significant levels (2% to 21%). Preliminary evidence suggests that the RNA
      pseudoknot may play a role in influencing frameshift direction. The spectrum of
      slip-sequences tested in this analysis included all those known or suspected to
      be utilized in vivo. Our results indicate that triplets of A, C, G and U are
      functional when decoded in the ribosomal P-site following slippage (XXXYYYN)
      although C triplets were the least effective. In the A-site (XXYYYYN), triplets
      of C and G were non-functional. The identity of the nucleotide at position 7 of
      the slippery sequence (XXXYYYN) was found to be a critical determinant of
      frameshift efficiency and we show that a hierarchy of frameshifting exists for A
      site codons. These observations lead us to suggest that ribosomal frameshifting
      at a particular site is determined, at least in part, by the strength of the
      interaction of normal cellular tRNAs with the A-site codon and does not
      necessarily involve specialized "shifty" tRNAs.

PMID- 1404365
TI  - X-ray diffraction study of di and tetra-ligated T-state hemoglobin from high salt
      crystals.
AB  - X-ray diffraction difference electron density maps at 3 A resolution obtained
      from di and tetra-ligated T-state hemoglobin (Hb) crystals are reported. Crystals
      isomorphous with native deoxyhemoglobin were obtained from ammonium sulfate
      solutions incubated with the synthetic allosteric effector RSR-56. RSR-56 binds
      at two symmetry-related Hb central water cavity sites and each molecule has major
      interactions with three different subunit side-chains; one effector with Arg141
      alpha 2 HC3, Lys99 alpha 1 G6 and Asn108 beta 1 and the other with the symmetry
      related residues, Arg141 alpha 1 Lys99 alpha 2 and Asn108 beta 2. Crystals
      mounted in a nitrogen filled glove box were di-ligated as previously found with
      polyethyleneglycol Hb crystals. Crystals mounted in air under a layer of mother
      liquor were bright red and showed all four heme groups ligated. The difference
      electron density from the di-ligated crystals showed atomic movements to be
      restricted to the immediate neighborhood of the heme groups and the allosteric
      effector. By contrast, the tetra-ligated structure showed extended difference
      electron density near amino acid residues around both alpha and beta heme groups
      and along the alpha 1/beta 2 interface. Ligation of the beta heme group appears
      to magnify the difference density around the alpha heme groups. There is no
      evidence of breakage of the Bohr salt bridge, His146 beta HC3----Asp94 beta FG1,
      in the crystal. The observed difference electron density maps may help to clarify
      the way the allosteric mechanism is triggered.

PMID- 1404366
TI  - Solution structure of a DNA octamer containing the Pribnow box via restrained
      molecular dynamics simulation with distance and torsion angle constraints derived
      from two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectral fitting.
AB  - The DNA octamer [d(GTATAATG].[(CATATTAC)], containing the prokaryotic upstream
      consensus recognition sequence, has been examined via proton homonuclear two
      dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect (2D NOE) and double-quantum-filtered
      correlation (2QF-COSY) spectra. All proton resonances, except those of H5' and
      H5" protons, were assigned. A temperature dependence study of one-dimensional
      nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra, rotating frame 2D NOE spectroscopy
      (ROESY), and T1 rho measurements revealed an exchange process that apparently is
      global in scope. Work at lower temperatures enabled a determination of structural
      constraints that could be employed in determination of a time-averaged structure.
      Simulations of the 2QF-COSY cross-peaks were compared with experimental data,
      establishing scalar coupling constant ranges of the individual sugar ring protons
      and hence pucker parameters for individual deoxyribose rings. The rings exhibit a
      dynamic equilibrium of N and S-type conformers with 80 to 100% populations of the
      latter. A program for iterative complete relaxation matrix analysis of 2D NOE
      spectral intensities, MARDIGRAS, was employed to give interproton distances for
      each mixing time. According to the accuracy of the distance determination, upper
      and lower distance bounds were chosen. The distance bounds define the size of a
      flat-well potential function term, incorporated into the AMBER force-field, which
      was employed for restrained molecular dynamics calculations. Torsion angle
      constraints in the form of a flat-well potential were also constructed from the
      analysis of the sugar pucker data. Several restrained molecular dynamics runs of
      25 picoseconds were performed, utilizing 184 experimental distance constraints
      and 80 torsion angle constraints; three different starting structures were used:
      energy minimized A-DNA, B-DNA, and wrinkled D-DNA, another member of the B-DNA
      family. Convergence to similar structures obtained with root-mean-square
      deviations between resulting structures of 0.37 to 0.92 A for the central hexamer
      of the octamer. The average structure from the nine different molecular dynamics
      runs was subjected to final restrained energy minimization. The resulting final
      structure was in good agreement with the structures derived from different
      molecular dynamics runs and exhibited a substantial improvement in the 2D NOE
      sixth-root residual index in comparison with the starting structures. An
      approximation of the structure in the terminal base-pairs, which displayed
      experimental evidence of fraying, was made by maintaining the structure of the
      inner four base-pairs and performing molecular dynamics simulations with the
      experimental structural constraints observed for the termini.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1404367
TI  - Loop mutations can cause a substantial conformational change in the carboxy
      terminus of the ferritin protein.
AB  - Although some protein folding theories sustain that the peptides (loops) that
      connect elements of more compact secondary structure may be important in the
      folding process, most of the data accumulated until now seems to contradict this
      notion. To approach this problem we have isolated and characterized a number of
      mutants in which the amino acid sequence of the peptide that connects helix D and
      helix E in the H-chain of human ferritin has been randomized. Our results
      indicate that, though no single loop residue is absolutely required for ferritin
      to attain the native conformation, most of the mutants that we have obtained by
      random regional mutagenesis, affect its folding/assembly process. This conclusion
      was reached utilizing a sensitive test that associates the color formed by a
      colony synthesizing a hybrid ferritin-beta-galactosidase protein to the ability
      of the ferritin domain to fold and assemble as the native protein. The
      characterization of the folding/assembly properties of our collection of mutants
      and the comparison of the mutant loop sequences, have allowed us to draw the
      following conclusions. Mutants that have positively charged residues at position
      159, 160 or 161 fail to assemble into the native protein shell and form an
      insoluble aggregate. Interestingly some loop amino acid sequences cause the E
      helix to reverse direction and to expose its COOH group, normally hidden inside
      the protein cavity, to the solvent. The propensity of a given ferritin mutant to
      fold into this "non-native" conformation can be attenuated by the introduction of
      Gly at position 159 and 164, as in the natural ferritin.

PMID- 1404368
TI  - Alpha-helix stability in proteins. I. Empirical correlations concerning
      substitution of side-chains at the N and C-caps and the replacement of alanine by
      glycine or serine at solvent-exposed surfaces.
AB  - The importance of amino acid side-chains in helix stability has been investigated
      by making a series of mutations at the N-caps, C-caps and internal positions of
      the solvent-exposed faces of the two alpha-helices of barnase. There is a strong
      positional and context dependence of the effect of a particular amino acid on
      stability. Correlations have been found that provide insight into the physical
      basis of helix stabilization. The relative effects of Ala and Gly (or Ser) may be
      rationalized on the basis of solvent-accessible surface areas: burial of
      hydrophobic surface stabilizes the protein as does exposure to solvent of
      unpaired hydrogen bond donors or acceptors in the protein. There is a good
      correlation between the relative stabilizing effects of Ala and Gly at internal
      positions with the total change in solvent-accessible hydrophobic surface area of
      the folded protein on mutation of Ala----Gly. The relationship may be extended to
      the N and C-caps by including an extra term in hydrophilic surface area for the
      solvent exposure of the non-intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded main-chain CO, NH or
      protein side-chain hydrogen bonding groups. The requirement for solvent exposure
      of the C-cap main-chain CO groups may account for the strong preference for
      residues having positive phi and psi angles at this position, since this alpha L
      conformation results in the largest solvent exposure of the C-terminal CO groups.
      Glycine in an alpha L-conformation results in the greatest exposure of these CO
      groups. Further, the side-chains of His, Asn, Arg and Lys may, with positive phi
      and psi-angles, form a hydrogen bond with the backbone CO of residue in position
      C -3 (residues are numbered relative to the C-cap). The preferences at the C-cap
      are Gly much greater than His greater than Asn greater than Arg greater than Lys
      greater than Ala approximately Ser approximately greater than Asp. The
      preferences at the N-cap are determined by hydrogen bonding of side-chains or
      solvent to the exposed backbone NH groups and are: Thr approximately Asp
      approximately Ser greater than Gly approximately Asn greater than Gln
      approximately Glu approximately His greater than Ala greater than Val much
      greater than Pro. These general trends may be obscured when mutation allows
      another side-chain to become a surrogate cap.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1404369
TI  - Alpha-helix stability in proteins. II. Factors that influence stability at an
      internal position.
AB  - The solvent-exposed residue Ala32 in the second alpha-helix of barnase was
      replaced by all other naturally occurring amino acids and the concomitant effects
      on the protein stability were determined. The results are assumed to reflect both
      the distinct conformational preferences of the different amino acids and also
      possible intrahelical interactions. The conformational preferences may be fully
      rationalized by invoking only a few physical principles. The results agree well
      with recently experimentally determined rank-order of helix-forming tendencies
      determined on a model peptide. There is very weak correlation between the results
      and the experimental host-guest values. There is a weak correlation between our
      results and the statistical helix propensities and a slightly better correlation
      with the positional-dependent statistical parameters of J. S. Richardson, and D.
      C. Richardson.

PMID- 1404370
TI  - Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic data of a Streptomyces scabies
      extracellular esterase.
AB  - X-ray quality single crystals of an extracellular esterase from pathogenic
      Streptomyces scabies were obtained by the hanging drop method. The crystals are
      monoclinic (space group C2, a = 161.1 A, b = 51.2 A, c = 124.2 A, beta = 100.6
      degrees) with two molecules related by a noncrystallographic dyad in the
      asymmetric unit, with a solvent content of approximately 64%. The diffraction
      pattern from fresh crystals extends beyond 2 A resolution using sealed tube CuK
      alpha radiation. The study has been initiated in order to elucidate the mechanism
      of this unusual non-serine-dependent esterase, and to gain better understanding
      of the molecular basis of the pathogenesis of the scab disease.

PMID- 1404371
TI  - Expression, purification and crystallization of the Vibrio harveyi
      acyltransferase.
AB  - We have obtained X-ray quality single crystals of Vibrio harveyi acyltransferase.
      The protein was obtained from V. harveyi by a gene mobilization expression
      system. The crystals are monoclinic (space group P2(1), a = 89.9 A, b = 83.6 A, c
      = 47.1 A, beta = 97.3 degrees) with two molecules related by a pronounced non
      crystallographic dyad in the asymmetric unit, with a solvent content of
      approximately 50%. The diffraction pattern from fresh crystals extends beyond 2 A
      resolution using sealed tube CuK alpha radiation. The elucidation of the three
      dimensional structure of this enzyme, believed to contain a proteinase-like
      catalytic triad, which resembles in many ways other eukaryotic fatty acid chain
      terminating enzymes, may have important consequences for our understanding of the
      molecular basis of the final stages of the synthesis of fatty acids.

PMID- 1404373
TI  - Crystallization of human beta-hexosaminidase B.
AB  - beta-Hexosaminidase is a lysosomal hydrolase that is important in the metabolism
      of sphingoglycolipids. beta-Hexosaminidase B and beta-hexosaminidase A are the
      major isozymes in normal human tissue. beta-Hexosaminidase B is a homodimer of
      beta subunits, and beta-hexosaminidase A is a heterodimer composed of an alpha
      and a beta subunit. Crystals of beta-hexosaminidase B (M(r) 112,000) have been
      grown using the handling drop technique. They are elongated hexagonal prisms with
      maximum dimensions of 0.2 mm x 0.2 mm x 0.7 mm. The space group is P6(1)22 (or
      enantiomorph); the unit cell dimensions are a = b = 114.2 A, c = 402.2 A, alpha =
      beta = 90 degrees, gamma = 120 degrees. The molecular mass and cell dimensions
      suggest that there is one dimer per asymmetric unit. Crystals diffract to 3.2 A
      resolution.

PMID- 1404372
TI  - Preliminary crystallographic analyses of the N-terminal lobe of recombinant human
      serum transferrin.
AB  - The N-terminal lobe of recombinant human serum transferrin (residues 1 to 337)
      has been crystallized in a form suitable for high-resolution three-dimensional X
      ray crystallographic analyses. Crystals are of the orthorhombic space group
      P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit cell dimensions of a = 44.9 A, b = 57.0 A and c = 135.9
      A, and diffract to beyond 2 A resolution. Further studies show that isomorphous
      crystals of specifically designed mutants of this protein can also be grown.
      Structural studies of both recombinant and mutant protein forms will provide a
      basis for understanding the mechanism by which human serum transferrin functions.

PMID- 1404374
TI  - Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of rusticyanin
      from Thiobacillus ferrooxidans.
AB  - Rusticyanin is a 16.5 kDa type I blue copper protein isolated from Thiobacillus
      ferrooxidans. This organism can grow on Fe2+ as its sole energy source.
      Rusticyanin is thought to be a principal component in the iron respiratory
      electron transport chain of T. ferrooxidans. As a component of the periplasmic
      space of an acidophilic bacterium, rusticyanin is remarkably stable at acidic pH.
      It is redox-active down to pH 0.2. Crystals of rusticyanin have been grown from
      solutions of PEG 8000 by the hanging-drop vapor diffusion method. The crystals
      are orthorhombic, space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit cell dimensions a = 32.36
      A, b = 60.37 A, c = 74.60 A. The crystals diffract to 2.0 A resolution and they
      are stable in the X-ray beam for at least two days.

PMID- 1404375
TI  - Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the methane monooxygenase
      hydroxylase protein from Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath).
AB  - Methane monooxygenase is a multicomponent enzyme system that catalyzes the
      conversion of methane to methanol in methanotrophic bacteria. Catalysis occurs at
      non-heme dinuclear iron centers contained in the hydroxylase component of the
      system, a dimer of composition alpha 2 beta 2 gamma 2. The hydroxylase protein
      from Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) has been crystallized from aqueous solutions
      containing polyethylene glycol, lithium sulfate, and ammonium acetate. The
      crystals are orthorhombic, space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with one dimer of relative
      molecular mass M(r) = 252,000 in the asymmetric unit. The unit cell dimensions
      are a = 62.6 A, b = 110.1 A, c = 333.5 A. The crystals diffract uniformly beyond
      2.5 A resolution. Crystals of the related hydroxylase from Methylosinus
      trichosporium OB3b have also been obtained.

PMID- 1404376
TI  - Three different but related gene clusters encoding gas vesicles in halophilic
      archaea.
AB  - We present an analysis of the chromosomal region comprising the gene cluster
      involved in gas vesicle (Vac) synthesis in Haloferax mediterranei (mc-vac-region)
      and Halobacterium salinarium (c-vac-region) and compare both of them to the
      plasmid located p-vac-region of H. salinarium. The p-vac-region of 9000 base
      pairs (9 kb) is more related to mc-vac (9.4 kb) of Hf. mediterranei than it is to
      the c-vac-region (8.3 kb) present in the same cell. The Vac- species Hf. volcanii
      becomes Vac+ following transformation with a fragment containing the entire mc
      vac-region. Also the p-vac-region transforms Hf. volcanii to a Vac+ phenotype,
      indicating that this gene cluster is sufficient for gas vesicle synthesis and
      does not depend on products of the c-vac-region. Each of these vac-regions
      contains, in addition to gvpA encoding the major gas vesicle protein, 13 open
      reading frames named gvpC through gvpO. Ten of these, gvpD through gvpM, are
      located upstream from gvpA in opposite orientation, while gvpC, gvpN and gvpO are
      found 3' to gvpA. The absolute requirement of gvpO for gas vesicle synthesis was
      demonstrated by transformation experiments. Northern analyses with RNA samples
      isolated during the growth cycle of Hf. mediterranei or of H. salinarium PHH4
      revealed that the mc-gvpD or c-gvpD mRNAs occur similar to the respective gvpA
      mRNA in stationary growth phase, while gvpF-gvpM are transcribed mainly during
      logarithmic growth. S1-nuclease mapping was performed to determine the
      transcriptional start site of the gvpD mRNA. The distance between the two
      divergent start sites of gvpA and gvpD mRNA is 109 base-pairs in mc-vac and p
      vac, while in the case of c-vac this distance is 22 base-pairs larger. The
      conservation of the various gvp products, characteristic features and their
      possible functions in gas vesicle synthesis are discussed.

PMID- 1404377
TI  - Occurrence of an actin-inserting domain in tensin.
AB  - We have previously described a protein called "insertin" that binds strongly to
      barbed ends of actin filaments and permits polymerization of actin filaments by
      insertion of actin monomers between the barbed ends and barbed end-bound
      insertin. We determined the amino acid sequence of insertin and found that the
      primary structure of insertin is almost identical to amino acid residues 862 to
      1212 of the actin-binding protein tensin.

PMID- 1404378
TI  - Mutation in the specificity polypeptide of the type I restriction endonuclease
      R.EcoK that affects subunit assembly.
AB  - We describe the isolation and characterization of a temperature-sensitive
      mutation within the hsdS gene of the type I restriction and modification system
      EcoK. This mutation appears to affect the ability of the HsdR subunit to interact
      with the HsdS subunit when forming an active endonuclease. We discuss the
      possibility that this mutant, together with another mutation described
      previously, may define a discontinuous domain, involved in protein-protein
      interactions, within the HsdS polypeptide.

PMID- 1404379
TI  - Role of integration host factor in stimulating transcription from the sigma 54
      dependent nifH promoter.
AB  - In a wide variety of nitrogen-fixing organisms among the Purple Bacteria (large
      division of Gram-negative bacteria) the nitrogen fixation (nif) operons are
      transcribed by an alternative holoenzyme form of RNA polymerase, sigma 54
      holoenzyme. Transcription depends on the activator protein NIFA (nitrogen
      fixation protein A), which catalyzes isomerization of closed complexes between
      this polymerase and a promoter to transcriptionally productive open complexes.
      NIFA-mediated activation of transcription from the nifH promoter of Klebsiella
      pneumoniae is greatly stimulated by the integration host factor IHF, which binds
      to a site between the upstream binding site for NIFA and the promoter, and bends
      the DNA. IHF fails to stimulate activation of transcription from this promoter by
      another activator of sigma 54-holoenzyme, NTRC (nitrogen regulatory protein C),
      which lacks a specific binding site in the nifH promoter region. As predicted, if
      the IHF-induced bend facilitates interaction between NIFA and sigma 54
      holoenzyme, substitution of an NTRC-binding site for the NIFA-binding site
      allowed IHF to stimulate NTRC-mediated activation of transcription from the nifH
      promoter. The stimulation was of the same order of magnitude as that for NIFA in
      the native configuration of the promoter-regulatory region (up to 20-fold). With
      purified NTRC and the substitution construct we could demonstrate that
      stimulation by IHF in a purified transcription system was comparable to that in a
      crude coupled transcription-translation system, indicating that the stimulation
      in the crude system could be accounted for by IHF. The IHF stimulation was
      observed on linear as well as supercoiled templates, indicating that the
      geometric requirements are relatively simple. We have attempted to visualize the
      arrangement of proteins on DNA fragments carrying the nifH promoter-regulatory
      region of K. pneumoniae by electron microscopy. IHF stimulated NIFA-mediated
      activation of transcription from the nifH and nifD promoters of Bradyrhizobium
      japonicum and less so from the nifH promoters of Rhizobium meliloti and
      Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, consistent with previous observations that stimulation
      is greatest at promoters that are weak binding sites for sigma 54-holoenzyme in
      closed complexes.

PMID- 1404380
TI  - Limited proteolysis unmasks specific DNA-binding of the murine RNA polymerase I
      specific transcription termination factor TTFI.
AB  - Previously we have shown that nuclear extracts from mouse cells contain a
      heterogeneous group of polypeptides (p65, p80, p90, p100) which form distinct DNA
      protein complexes on the 18 base-pair sequence element (termed Sal-box), which
      constitutes the murine rDNA transcription termination signal. These distinct
      proteins mediate cessation of RNA polymerase I (pol I) transcription elongation
      and release of the nascent RNA chains, indicating that they function as
      termination factor(s). Here, we report the biochemical analysis of the pol I
      specific transcription termination factor TTFI. We show that the heterogeneity of
      TTFI is due to limited proteolysis of a larger, 130 kDa precursor protein (p130).
      The DNA-binding activity of p130 is strongly reduced as compared to the
      proteolytic derivatives, indicating that the DNA-binding domain is repressed
      within the full-length molecule. We have used limited proteolysis to purify and
      functionally characterize a TTFI core polypeptide (p50) which still specifically
      binds to the Sal-box target sequence and directs rDNA transcription termination.
      The equilibrium constant of purified p50 to bind specifically to DNA is 9 x 10(9)
      M-1. Additionally, we demonstrate that TTFI binds to DNA as a monomer and that
      binding induces DNA bending. This observation suggests that not only specific DNA
      protein and protein-protein interactions but also conformational alterations of
      DNA may play a role in the termination process.

PMID- 1404381
TI  - Definition and polarity of action of DNA replication terminators in Bacillus
      subtilis.
AB  - The first stage in termination of chromosome replication in Bacillus subtilis
      involves arrest of the clockwise fork at the inverted repeat region (IRR),
      comprising the opposed IRI and IRII sequences, adjacent to the upstream region of
      the rtp gene, which encodes the replication terminator protein RTP. RTP binds to
      IRI and IRII. The ability of the IRR and its components to function as
      terminators, in conjunction with RTP, and their polarity of action have now been
      tested by the use of plasmids replicating in B. subtilis as unidirectional theta
      structures and into which potential terminator sequences were inserted in
      alternate orientations relative to fork movement. When the complete IRR was
      inserted into such plasmids and the new plasmids transferred into a B. subtilis
      strain overproducing RTP, it was able to block movement of a replication fork
      approaching from either direction. IRI and IRII were shown to function as polar
      terminators, each blocking movement of a fork when it approached from one
      particular direction but not the other. Furthermore, the polarity of action was
      in accordance with the IRR being able to operate as a replication fork trap.
      Thus, a fork approaching the IRR would pass through the first terminator
      encountered (IRI or IRII) and be halted by the second. The previously observed
      nonfunctioning of a particular orientation of chromosomal IRR as a fork arrest
      site probably reflects a limiting level of RTP in the cell. Interestingly, a 21
      base-pair core sequence spanning a single RTP binding site within IRI (the 47
      base-pair IRI contains 2 binding sites) was unable to arrest a fork approaching
      from either direction in the plasmid system. This suggests that both binding
      sites within an IR must be filled in order to function as an arrest site. It is
      possible that co-operative interaction between adjacent dimers within IRI or IRII
      provides the necessary conformation for causing fork arrest.

PMID- 1404382
TI  - Molecular cloning and analysis of the gene encoding the NADH oxidase from
      Streptococcus faecalis 10C1. Comparison with NADH peroxidase and the flavoprotein
      disulfide reductases.
AB  - The gene encoding the streptococcal flavoprotein NADH oxidase (NOXase), which
      catalyzes the four-electron reduction of O2-->2H2O, has been cloned and sequenced
      from the genome of Streptococcus (Enterococcus) faecalis 10C1 (ATCC 11700). The
      deduced NOXase protein sequence corresponds to a molecular mass of 48.9 kDa and
      contains three previously sequenced cysteinyl peptides obtained with the purified
      enzyme. In Escherichia coli, the expressed nox gene produced a catalytically
      active product, which retained its immunoreactivity to affinity-purified NOXase
      antisera. Alignment of the NOXase protein sequence with that of streptococcal
      NADH peroxidase (NPXase) revealed that the proteins are 44% identical. Among the
      most highly conserved segments is a sequence containing Cys42; this residue is
      known to exist as a stabilized cysteine-sulfenic acid (Cys-SOH) in NPXase and
      serves as the non-flavin redox center. In addition, three previously identified
      NPXase segments, known to be involved in FAD and NAD(P)-binding in other pyridine
      nucleotide-linked flavoprotein oxidoreductases, are strongly conserved in NOXase.
      Overall, the extensive homology observed between NOXase and NPXase suggests that
      the monomer chain fold of the oxidase closely resembles that of the peroxidase.
      Both sequences share limited but significant homology to those of glutathione
      reductase and other members of the flavoprotein disulfide reductase family. These
      and other considerations suggest that these two unusual streptococcal
      flavoproteins constitute a distinct class of FAD-dependent oxidoreductases, the
      flavoprotein peroxide reductases, easily contrasted with enzymes such as
      glutathione reductase and thioredoxin reductase.

PMID- 1404383
TI  - M ring, S ring and proximal rod of the flagellar basal body of Salmonella
      typhimurium are composed of subunits of a single protein, FliF.
AB  - The flagellar basal body, a major part of the flagellar motor, consists of a rod
      and four rings. When the fliF gene of Salmonella typhimurium, which was
      previously shown to code for the component protein of the M ring, was cloned and
      overexpressed in Escherichia coli, the FliF subunits formed ring structures in
      the cytoplasmic membrane. Electron microscopic observation of the purified ring
      structures revealed that each was composed of two adjacent rings and a short
      appendage extending from the center of the rings. Antibodies raised against the
      purified FliF protein decorated both the M and S rings of the intact basal body.
      We conclude that the FliF protein is the subunit protein of the M ring, and of
      the S ring and of part of the proximal rod of the flagellar basal body.

PMID- 1404384
TI  - Structure of striated microtubule-associated fibers of flagellar roots.
      Comparison of native and reconstituted states.
AB  - Several fiber systems are associated with the flagella and basal bodies of
      eukaryotic cells. Apart from the contractile and Ca(2+)-sensitive system-II
      fibers, these include the noncontractile system-I fibers that run parallel to
      flagellar root microtubules. Using electron microscopy and image reconstruction,
      we have investigated the structure of the system-I fibers of the flagellate green
      alga Spermatozopsis similis. The fibers were observed in three different states:
      (1) in situ, (2) after isolation of the intact fibers, (3) after disassembly and
      reconstitution of fibers in vitro from their 34 kDa subunit protein. The fibers
      are highly ordered; they show a constant repeat of 28 nm, they are polar, and
      they contain several transverse and longitudinal striations. A model is discussed
      showing the system-I fiber to be built from rod-like molecules with a staggered
      arrangement and identical polarities.

PMID- 1404385
TI  - Simplified methods for construction, assessment and rapid screening of peptide
      libraries in bacteriophage.
AB  - An efficient strategy has been devised for the construction of diverse peptide
      libraries in bacteriophage vectors. This strategy was used to generate a library
      of 4 x 10(8) random decapeptide inserts in the pIII protein of bacteriophage fd.
      A novel method for evaluating the genetic diversity of bacteriophage libraries
      based on colony hybridization with partially degenerate oligonucleotides has been
      developed. The decapeptide library was affinity-selected with a previously
      characterized monoclonal antibody specific for the V3 loop of the gp120 protein
      of HIV-1. Immunological screening, an efficient technique for the rapid
      identification of putative binding bacteriophage, is described. Hexapeptide
      sequences similar to those obtained from affinity selection of a hexapeptide
      bacteriophage library were obtained from the decapeptide library in all five
      frames. Immunological screening of 20,000 clones from the two libraries after two
      rounds of affinity selection rapidly identified antibody-binding sequences; 93%
      and 86% of the sequences obtained from the hexapeptide and decapeptide libraries,
      respectively, had IC50 values < or = 10 mM as free peptides.

PMID- 1404386
TI  - Structural requirements for viroid processing by RNase T1.
AB  - Viroids are replicated via a rolling circle-like mechanism in which (+) strand
      oligomeric intermediates have to be cleaved enzymatically to unit-length
      molecules followed by ligation to mature circles. A transcript of potato spindle
      tuber viroid, which is still infectious, consists of a monomeric molecule with
      only 22 additional nucleotides, thus doubling part of the central conserved
      region of viroids. It was shown that this transcript can be cleaved and ligated
      in vitro to circles by RNase T1. To elucidate the site and mechanism of
      processing, 16 different site-specific mutants of this longer-than-unit-length
      transcript were constructed and analyzed by in vitro processing with RNase T1,
      infectivity studies, temperature-gradient gel electrophoresis, and structure
      calculations. The wild-type sequence and several mutated transcripts are able to
      adopt a particular secondary structure which is the prerequisite for enzymatic
      cleavage and ligation by RNase T1. This "processing structure" exposes both
      potential cleavage sites in the nearest spatial neighborhood, thus favoring the
      subsequent ligation to circles. Those mutated sequences for which the formation
      of the processing structure is impossible or thermodynamically highly unfavored
      are not processed. The results demonstrate that the particular structural
      features of viroids enable them to be cleaved and ligated by one and the same
      enzyme, RNase T1. The in vitro mechanism may serve as a mechanistic model for
      cellular processing of viroids.

PMID- 1404387
TI  - Crystal and molecular structure of the A-DNA dodecamer d(CCGTACGTACGG). Choice of
      fragment helical axis.
AB  - The crystal structure of the dodecamer d(CCGTACGTACGG) has been determined at 2.5
      A resolution. The crystals grow in the hexagonal space group P6(1)22, a = b =
      46.2 A, c = 71.5 A with one strand as the asymmetric unit. Diffraction data were
      collected by the oscillation film method yielding 1664 unique reflections with an
      Rmerge of 0.04. The structure was solved by real-space rotational translational
      searches with idealized helical models of A, B and Z-DNA. The best agreement was
      given by an A-DNA model with its dyad axis along the diagonal crystallographic
      dyad axis, with an R-factor 0.43 and correlation coefficient of 0.59 for data
      between 10 and 5 A. Iterative map fitting and restrained least-squares refinement
      and addition of 40 solvent molecules brought the R-factor to 0.15 and the
      correlation coefficient to 0.97 for all data between 8.0 and 2.5 A. The
      stereochemistry of the atomic model is good, with a root-mean-square deviation in
      bond distances of 0.006 A. This is the first example of an A-DNA containing a
      full helical turn. The dodecamer displays a novel packing motif. In addition to
      the characteristic contacts between the terminal base-pairs and the minor grooves
      of symmetry-related molecules, there are also minor groove to minor groove
      interactions not previously observed. The packing leaves an approximately 25 A
      diameter solvent channel around the origin, along the c-axis. The presence of a
      prominent 3.4 A meridional reflection and other diffuse features in the
      diffraction pattern provided evidence for the presence of disordered B-DNA along
      the c-axis, which can be accommodated in these solvent channels. The molecular
      conformation of the dodecamer also displays novel features. The dyad-related
      halves of the molecule are bent at an angle of 20 degrees, and the helical
      parameters are affected by this bend. Unlike the shorter A-DNA octamers, the
      dimensions of the major groove can be directly measured. Novel correlations
      between local helical parameters and global conformational features are
      presented. Most of the solvent molecules are associated with the major groove and
      the sugar-phosphate backbone.

PMID- 1404388
TI  - The repertoire of human germline VH sequences reveals about fifty groups of VH
      segments with different hypervariable loops.
AB  - We have used the polymerase chain reaction and VH family-based primers to clone
      and sequence 74 human germline VH segments from a single individual and built a
      directory to include all known germline sequences. The directory contains 122 VH
      segments with different nucleotide sequences, 83 of which have open reading
      frames. The directory indicates that the structural diversity of the germline
      repertoire for antigen binding is fixed by about 50 groups of VH segments: each
      group encodes identical hypervariable loops. The directory should help in mapping
      the VH locus, in estimating somatic mutation and VH segment usage and in
      designing and constructing synthetic antibody libraries.

PMID- 1404389
TI  - Structural repertoire of the human VH segments.
AB  - The VH gene segments produce the part of the VH domains of antibodies that
      contains the first two hypervariable regions. The sequences of 83 human VH
      segments with open reading frames, from several individuals, are currently known.
      It has been shown that these sequences are likely to form a high proportion of
      the total human repertoire and that an individual's gene repertoire produces
      about 50 VH segments with different protein sequences. In this paper we present a
      structural analysis of the amino acid sequences produced by the 83 segments.
      Particular residue patterns in the sequences of V domains imply particular main
      chain conformations, canonical structures, for the hypervariable regions. We show
      that, in almost all cases, the residue patterns in the VH segments imply that the
      first hypervariable regions have one of three different canonical structures and
      that the second hypervariable regions have one of five different canonical
      structures. The different observed combinations of the canonical structures in
      the first and second regions means that almost all sequences have one of seven
      main-chain folds. We describe, in outline, structures of the antigen binding site
      loops produced by nearly all the VH segments. The exact specificity of the loops
      is produced by (1) sequence differences in their surface residues, particularly
      at sites near the centre of the combining site, and (2) sequence differences in
      the hypervariable and framework regions that modulate the relative positions of
      the loops.

PMID- 1404390
TI  - The crystal and molecular structure of the Rhizomucor miehei triacylglyceride
      lipase at 1.9 A resolution.
AB  - The crystal and molecular structure of a triacylglyceride lipase (EC 3.1.1.3)
      from the fungus Rhizomucor miehei was analyzed using X-ray single crystal
      diffraction data to 1.9 A resolution. The structure was refined to an R-factor of
      0.169 for all available data. The details of the molecular architecture and the
      crystal structure of the enzyme are described. A single polypeptide chain of 269
      residues is folded into a rather unusual singly wound beta-sheet domain with
      predominantly parallel strands, connected by a variety of hairpins, loops and
      helical segments. All the loops are right-handed, creating an uncommon situation
      in which the central sheet is asymmetric in that all the connecting fragments are
      located on one side of the sheet. A single N-terminal alpha-helix provides the
      support for the other, distal, side of the sheet. Three disulfide bonds (residues
      29-268, 40-43, 235-244) stabilize the molecule. There are four cis peptide bonds,
      all of which precede proline residues. In all, 230 ordered water molecules have
      been identified; 12 of them have a distinct internal character. The catalytic
      center of the enzyme is made up of a constellation of three residues (His257,
      Asp203 and Ser144) similar in structure and function to the analogous (but not
      homologous) triad found in both of the known families of serine proteinases. The
      fourth residue in this system equivalent to Thr/Ser in proteinases), hydrogen
      bonded to Asp, is Tyr260. The catalytic site is concealed under a short
      amphipatic helix (residues 85 to 91), which acts as "lid", opening the active
      site when the enzyme is adsorbed at the oil-water interface. In the native enzyme
      the "lid" is held in place by hydrophobic interactions.

PMID- 1404391
TI  - X-ray structure determination of telokin, the C-terminal domain of myosin light
      chain kinase, at 2.8 A resolution.
AB  - The three-dimensional structure of telokin, an acidic protein identical to the C
      terminal portion of smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase from turkey gizzard,
      has been determined at 2.8 A resolution and refined to a crystallographic R
      factor of 19.5% for all measured X-ray data from 30 A to 2.8 A. Crystals used in
      the investigation belonged to the space group P3(2)21, with one molecule per
      asymmetric unit and unit cell dimensions of a = b = 64.4 A and c = 50.6 A.
      Telokin contains 154 amino acid residues, 103 of which were visible in the
      electron density map. The overall molecular fold of telokin consists of seven
      strands of antiparallel beta-pleated sheet that wrap around to form a barrel.
      There is also an extended tail of eight amino acid residues at the N terminus
      that does not participate in beta-sheet formation. The beta-barrel can be simply
      envisioned as two layers of beta-sheet, nearly parallel to one another, with one
      layer containing four and the other three beta-strands. This type of beta-barrel,
      as seen in telokin, was first observed for the CH2 domain of an immunoglobulin
      fragment Fc. Telokin is an intracellular protein and, as such, does not contain
      the disulphide linkage between beta-strands B and F normally observed in the
      immunoglobulin constant domains. It does, however, contain two cysteine amino
      acid residues (Cys63 and Cys115) that are situated at structurally identical
      positions to those forming the disulphide linkage in the immunoglobulin constant
      domain.

PMID- 1404392
TI  - Contact potential that recognizes the correct folding of globular proteins.
AB  - We have devised a continuous function of interresidue contacts in globular
      proteins such that the X-ray crystal structure has a lower function value than
      that of thousands of protein-like alternative conformations. Although we fit the
      adjustable parameters of the potential using only 10,000 alternative structures
      for a selected training set of 37 proteins, a grand total of 530,000 constraints
      was satisfied, derived from 73 proteins and their numerous alternative
      conformations. In every case where the native conformation is adequately globular
      and compact, according to objective criteria we have developed, the potential
      function always favors the native over all alternatives by a substantial margin.
      This is true even for an additional three proteins never used in any way in the
      fitting procedure. Conformations differing only slightly from the native, such as
      those coming from crystal structures of the same protein complexed with different
      ligands or from crystal structures of point mutants, have function values very
      similar to the native's and always less than those of alternatives derived from
      substantially different crystal structures. This holds for all 95 structures that
      are homologous to one or another of various proteins we used. Realizing that this
      potential should be useful for modeling the conformation of new protein sequences
      from the body of protein crystal structures, we suggest a test for deciding
      whether a nearly correct approximation to the native conformation has been found.

PMID- 1404393
TI  - Analysis of the heat capacity dependence of protein folding.
AB  - This paper presents an analysis of plots of enthalpy versus heat capacity change
      at 25 degrees C for the unfolding of proteins and for the dissolution of gaseous,
      liquid and solid solutes, first reported by Murphy, Privalov & Gill. The negative
      slope in the enthalpy plot for proteins is interpreted as arising from a large
      penalty associated with burying polar groups in the protein interior. The small
      enthalpy changes that accompany protein unfolding at 25 degrees C are also
      discussed. It is argued that the combined effects of hydrogen bond formation and
      close packing predict a large positive enthalpy of unfolding. Electrostatic
      calculations indicate that the penalty associated with burying polar groups is
      large enough to effectively cancel these terms, leading to the small net enthalpy
      changes that are observed. The free energy changes associated with protein
      folding are also discussed. The free energy cost of burying polar groups largely
      compensates for the stabilizing contribution of the hydrophobic effect and would
      appear to account for the fact that proteins are marginally stable, independent
      of their size and of their relative hydrophobicities.

PMID- 1404394
TI  - Structure of a hinge-bending bacteriophage T4 lysozyme mutant, Ile3-->Pro.
AB  - The mutant T4 phage lysozyme in which isoleucine 3 is replaced by proline (I3P)
      crystallizes in an orthorhombic form with two independent molecules in the
      asymmetric unit. Relative to wild-type lysozyme, which crystallizes in a trigonal
      form, the two I3P molecules undergo large hinge-bending displacements with the
      alignments of the amino-terminal and carboxy-terminal domains changed by 28.9
      degrees and 32.9 degrees, respectively. The introduction of the mutation,
      together with the hinge-bending displacement, is associated with repacking of the
      side-chains of Phe4, Phe67 and Phe104. These aromatic residues are clustered
      close to the site of the mutation and are at the junction between the amino and
      carboxyl-terminal domains. As a result of this structural rearrangement the side
      chain of Phe4 moves from a relatively solvent-exposed conformation to one that is
      largely buried. Mutant I3P also crystallizes in the same trigonal form as wild
      type and, in this case, the observed structural changes are restricted to the
      immediate vicinity of the replacement. The main change is a shift of 0.3 to 0.5 A
      in the backbone of residues 1 to 5. The ability to crystallize I3P under similar
      conditions but in substantially different conformations suggests that the
      molecule undergoes large-scale hinge-bending displacements in solution. It is
      also likely that these conformational excursions are associated with repacking at
      the junction of the N-terminal and C-terminal domains. On the other hand, the
      analysis is complicated by possible effects of crystal packing. The different I3P
      crystal structures show substantial differences in the binding of solvent, both
      at the site of the Ile3-->Pro replacement and at other internal sites.

PMID- 1404395
TI  - Preliminary crystallographic studies of urease from jack bean and from Klebsiella
      aerogenes.
AB  - Ureases from both jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) seeds and Klebsiella aerogenes
      have been crystallized by the hanging drop method. The plant-derived urease
      crystals are regular octahedra analogous to those obtained by Sumner. Preliminary
      X-ray diffraction studies show that the crystals belong to the cubic space group
      F4(1)32, with a = 364 A, and appear to contain one or two subunits in the
      asymmetric unit. Using a synchrotron source, the crystals diffract to near 3.5 A
      resolution. Crystals of urease from K. aerogenes belong to the cubic space group
      I23 or I2(1)3, with a = 170.8 A and appear to contain a single catalytic unit per
      asymmetric unit. The crystals diffract to better than 2.0 A resolution and are
      well suited for structural analysis.

PMID- 1404396
TI  - Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction study of Lathyrus ochrus
      isolectin II complexed to the human lactotransferrin N2 fragment.
AB  - Isolectin II (LOL II) isolated from the seeds of Lathyrus ochrus has been
      crystallized in the presence of the N2 fragment (18,500 Da) isolated from human
      lactotransferrin, which contains an N-acetyllactosamine type biantennary glycan
      linked to Asn137. This is the first example of a legume lectin crystallized with
      an N-glycosylprotein. Crystals of the LOL II-N2 complex belong to the tetragonal
      space group (P4(1)2(1)2 or the enantiomorph) with cell dimensions: a = b = 63.5
      A, c = 251.9 A. They diffract well up to at least 3.5 A resolution and more
      weakly up to 2.8 A resolution. Assuming one functional half-entity in the
      asymmetric unit, an alpha, beta monomer complexed to one N2 fragment (24,500 Da +
      18,500 Da) would give a Vm of 2.95 A3/Da and a solvent content of approximately
      58%. SDS/polyacrylamide gels of the dissolved crystals show the presence of both
      the LOL II and N2 fragment.

PMID- 1404397
TI  - Crystallization and preliminary X-ray study of the cathepsin B complexed with
      CA074, a selective inhibitor.
AB  - Cathepsin B from bovine spleen has been purified and crystallized as a complex
      with a specific inhibitor CA074 [N-(L-3-trans-propylcarbamoyloxirane-2-carbonyl)
      L- isoleucyl-L-proline], using the hanging-drop method. The complex crystals
      obtained from 50 mM-citrate buffer (pH 3.5) belong to the tetragonal space group
      P4(1) (or P4(3)) with a = 73.06 A and c = 141.59 A, and diffract beyond 2.2 A
      resolution. There are two complex molecules per asymmetric unit giving a packing
      density of 3.37 A3/Da and indicating a high solvent content of 63.5%.

PMID- 1404398
TI  - Crystallization and X-ray examination of bovine adrenodoxin.
AB  - Crystals of adrenodoxin from bovine adrenocortical mitochondria were obtained by
      the hanging-drop vapor diffusion technique. The crystals belong to a hexagonal
      crystal lattice with cell parameters 172.50 A and 183.49 A. There are 12
      molecules in the asymmetric unit. The crystals diffract to beyond 4.0 A
      resolution.

PMID- 1404399
TI  - Amino acid sequence of yeast hemoglobin. A two-domain structure.
AB  - The complete amino acid sequence of a hemoglobin from yeast (Candida norvegensis)
      has been determined by peptide and cDNA sequence analyses. The protein is
      composed of 387 amino acid residues and its amino terminus was blocked by an
      acetyl group. A computer search showed that the sequence of 155 N-terminal
      residues has 39% homology with that of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin. On the other
      hand, the sequence of 230 C-terminal residues showed a small, but notable, degree
      of similarity with that of a methemoglobin reductase found in human erythrocyte,
      i.e. NADH-cytochrome b5 oxido-reductase. We therefore conclude that yeast
      hemoglobin consists of two distinct domains; one is a heme-containing oxygen
      binding domain of the N-terminal region and the other is an FAD-containing
      reductase domain found in the C-terminal region.

PMID- 1404400
TI  - Tunicate muscle actin genes. Structure and organization as a gene cluster.
AB  - We have isolated and determined the complete nucleotide sequences of two genes,
      HrMA4a and HrMA2, which encode the same muscle actin protein of the tunicate
      Halocynthia roretzi. HrMA4a and HrMA2 contain three exons, and the genes have
      intron-exon splice junctions at the same positions. The 5' flanking region of
      HrMA4a gene contains several potential regulatory elements. A TATA box is located
      at -30 and a CArG box found in regulatory region of vertebrate muscle-specific
      genes is located at -116. Seven E-box consensus sequences (CANNTG) known as
      binding sites for vertebrate myogenic determination factors are found within a
      500 base-pair portion of the 5' flanking region of HrMA4a gene. HrMA4a and HrMA2
      are separated by 1600 bases in genomic DNA and transcribed in the same direction.
      In addition to these genes, we have identified three other actin genes encoding
      muscle-type actins. All five actin genes are located in a 30 x 10(3) base-pair
      region of the genome and aligned in the same direction. This is the first report
      of a cluster of "vertebrate-type" muscle actin genes. The consensus sequences of
      5' flanking region are conserved among these five genes, suggesting that the
      expression of the genes is controlled coordinately. This may be advantageous for
      the accumulation of considerable amounts of actin proteins in rapidly developing
      embryos of this animal.

PMID- 1404401
TI  - Large ATP synthase operon of the red alga Antithamnion sp. resembles the
      corresponding operon in cyanobacteria.
AB  - The large plastid ATP synthase operon of the multicellular red alga Antithamnion
      sp. was cloned and the sequence of six ATPase genes determined. The operon
      resembles more the one from cyanobacteria than the ATP synthase operon of the
      chloroplast genome. The gene order is atpI, H, G, F, D and A, coding for the
      ATPase subunits a, c, b', b, delta and alpha, respectively. In green plants, the
      genes atpG and atpD are located in the nucleus. Unlike the situation in three
      published cyanobacterial ATP synthase operons, atpC, coding for the gamma
      subunit, is not a part of the rhodoplast operon. A single 4.5 kb transcript was
      detected with atpG, F, D and A gene probes that could span the whole operon, but
      no transcript could be detected with atpI and atpH probes. The end of an open
      reading frame preceding the atp genes shows remarkable homology to elongation
      factor TS from Escherichia coli. Behind the ATPase cluster, two open reading
      frames were detected that are not homologous to any known chloroplast gene. One
      of them may code for a transport protein of unknown specificity. Gene arrangement
      and sequence comparisons support the hypothesis of a polyphyletic origin of
      rhodoplasts and chloroplasts.

PMID- 1404402
TI  - Ultrastructural qualitative and quantitative data on the sporogenesis of the
      protozoan Abelspora portucalensis (Microspora, Abelsporidae): a different
      approach to the study of microsporidia.
AB  - The sporogenesis of the microsporidium Abelspora portucalensis was studied with
      electron microscopy. In qualitative terms, new aspects of the cytoplasmic
      ultrastructure of the schizont, sporont, and sporoblast are described: the
      presence of microtubules, of aggregates of small opaque vesicles, and of
      dispersed larger vesicles with clear matrix. The hypothesis that the opaque
      vesicles may represent the Golgi apparatus and the clear vesicles may correspond
      to the smooth endoplasmic reticulum is discussed. The use of standard
      stereological and statistical techniques gives us a new perspective on the
      development of this microsporidium. The most relevant quantitative data display
      that the amount of rough endoplasmic reticulum (either in relative or absolute
      terms) presents significant differences among the three stages, with the sporont
      showing the highest values; that the absolute (but not the relative) volume of
      the large vesicles significantly changes during sporogenesis with the highest
      values presented by the sporont; that the surface-to-volume ratio of the schizont
      and sporont cells is similar and significantly greater than that of the
      sporoblast cell; that the surface density of the nucleus in relation to soma
      remains constant in the three stages (on the contrary, the surface-to-volume
      ratio of the nucleus increases and its volumetric density diminishes); and
      finally, that the nucleolus decreases its relative and absolute volumes. The
      functional significance of these results is analyzed and the application of
      similar methodology in quantifying the effects of drugs upon microsporidia is
      suggested.

PMID- 1404403
TI  - Visual demonstration of the limb-forming zone in the chick embryo lateral plate.
AB  - The present study was undertaken to determine whether a visible Wolffian ridge,
      distinct from the lateral fold, can be identified in chick embryos. Ectoderm
      thickness was measured in stage 11-17 chick embryos. There was a general trend,
      from thin ectoderm in the midline, to an ectodermal thickening over the somites,
      intermediate mesoderm, and lateral plate. Other embryos were cut from the yolk,
      pinned out, and photographed. The lateral fold was then eliminated, and the
      embryo was rephotographed. The photographs reveal a definite opaic zone, distinct
      from the lateral fold, in stage 11-18 chick embryos. Furthermore, there is a
      direct correlation between the opacity of this cellular band and the limb-forming
      potential of grafted wing, flank, and leg regions (see Stephens et al., '89). At
      stages 11-14, the wing, flank, and leg exhibit a uniform opacity, and a uniform
      capacity for limb formation when grafted to a host celom. From stage 15 to stage
      18, the opacity in the flank diminishes, and its limb-forming capability
      disappears. This study demonstrates the presence of an opaic zone, which we have
      called the limb-forming zone (LFZ) along the lateral side of early chick embryos,
      which is independent of the lateral fold, is not as extensive as the lateral
      plate, and is not simply associated with ectodermal thickening, but which is
      directly correlated with limb-forming potential in the lateral plate.

PMID- 1404404
TI  - Vertebral development of the chick embryo during days 3-19 of incubation.
AB  - Chick embryo vertebral development has been studied during the period from 3 to
      19 days of incubation. Whole mount preparations stained with alcian blue for
      cartilage and alizarin red for bone show the vertebral bodies as cartilaginous at
      5 days, with dorsal spinous processes at 6 1/2 days, the onset of bone formation
      at the ventral and dorsal surfaces of the bodies at 13 days, ossification
      extending dorsally within the neural arches at 13 1/2 days, and bone development
      occurring throughout the vertebrae at 16 days. Descriptions at each time period
      center on the thoracic vertebrae with occasional inclusion of adjacent lower
      cervical and upper lumbar vertebrae. Histologic development is correlated with
      the Hamburger-Hamilton stages, which are based on external characteristics. The
      notochord and neural tube are well developed by 3 days and surrounded by
      sclerotome, myotome, and dermatome cells. Cartilage formation in the
      perinotochordal region of the vertebral body is seen at 5 days and precedes
      development of the neural arches and spinous processes. Separate centers of
      chondrocyte hypertrophy occur in the body (9 days), the lateral neural arches and
      the dorsal spinous process. Bone formation is under way at 13 days, beginning in
      the vertebral bodies. Intramembranous periosteal bone formation is seen adjacent
      to internal regions of chondrocyte hypertrophy. Vascular invasion of hypertrophic
      chondrocyte regions occurs, but the mechanism of endochondral ossification
      differs from that of mammals. The cartilage is resorbed by multinucleated
      chondroclasts and marrow round cells. Clumps of growth plate cartilage cells and
      matrix are surrounded occasionally by newly synthesized bone, but invasion of
      individual hypertrophic chondrocyte lacunae by vessels with bone deposition by
      accompanying osteoblasts on single trabeculae of cartilage does not occur. 3H
      thymidine autoradiography shows high uptake at 3 and 5 days in the germinal
      neuroepithelial cells of the neural tube (spinal cord) and notochord. By 7 days,
      notochordal uptake is markedly diminished, and no uptake of isotope occurs from 8
      days onward. Spinal cord uptake is highest in the first 8 days but persists in
      lessened amounts to 19 days. From 5 days onward, both undifferentiated
      mesenchymal cells and differentiated chondrocytes show positive 3H-thymidine
      uptake, but labeling is never seen in hypertrophic chondrocytes.

PMID- 1404405
TI  - Glomerular development and growth of the renal blood vascular system in Xenopus
      laevis (Amphibia: Anura: Pipidae) during metamorphic climax.
AB  - Microcorrosion casts of the renal vascular system of tadpoles of the Clawed Frog,
      Xenopus laevis, were observed by scanning electron microscopy. Glomerular
      differentiation was studied qualitatively and quantitatively during developmental
      stages 56-66 (metamorphic climax). The general structure of the renal vascular
      system corresponds to the pattern commonly found in anurans; however, the
      arterial supply has conspicuous connecting vessels that supply groups of
      glomeruli. In the dorsal part of the kidney, qualitative differentiation of
      glomerular structures precedes quantitative growth. The ventral part of the
      kidney has larger, well-developed renal corpuscles of nearly adult appearance.
      Four developmental stages of glomerulogenesis are distinguished morphologically
      and their glomerular and vascular growth is analyzed.

PMID- 1404406
TI  - Anatomy of synganglia, including their neurosecretory regions, in unfed, virgin
      female Ixodes scapularis say (Acari: Ixodidae).
AB  - The central nervous system of Ixodes scapularis is fused into a single compact
      synganglion. The esophagus runs through the synganglion and divides it into
      supraesophageal and subesophageal parts. The supraesophageal portion contains a
      single protocerebrum with four pairs of glomeruli, paired optic lobes and
      cheliceral ganglia, and a single stomodeal bridge. The subesophageal portion
      contains a centrally located network of commissures and connectives, a pair of
      palpal ganglia, paired olfactory lobes of the first pedal ganglia, four pairs of
      pedal ganglia, and a single opisthosomal ganglion. A retrocerebral organ complex
      (ROC) in close vicinity of the digestive tract, as described in some other tick
      species, apparently is lacking. Perhaps the function of the ROC is performed by
      the paired, large, ganglion-like bodies that lie anterolaterad to the cheliceral
      ganglia. The rind, which is formed from the neuronal somata and glial cells,
      surrounds the central fibrous core or neuropile. Neurosecretory cells (NSC) are
      distinct among rind cells due to their large size and concentration of
      cytoplasmic neurosecretions. NSC are present throughout the synganglion, although
      the subesophageal portion contains larger groups of these cells. Histological
      serial sections, stained with Meola's (Trans Am Microsc Soc 89:66-71, '70)
      paraldehyde fuchsin (PAF) procedure revealed 24 PAF-stained, putative
      neurosecretory regions in the synganglion of virgin, unfed females. All of these
      regions appear to be connected and associated with the nearest ganglion and are
      correspondingly named. Eighteen PAF-positive regions occur in the synganglion. In
      addition, PAF-negative (green-stained) cells occupy 6 distinct regions in the
      synganglion of unfed, unmated females.

PMID- 1404407
TI  - Ultrastructural quantitation of mitochondria and myofilaments in cardiac muscle
      from 10 different animal species including man.
AB  - The ultrastructural quantitative composition of normal myocardial cells has been
      studied in 10 different species: man, dog, pig, cat, rabbit, ferret, guinea-pig,
      rat, mouse, and bat. Volume densities of mitochondria, myofibrils, and cytoplasm
      were determined using morphometry. It was found that the content of mitochondria
      differs in various species ranging between 22.0-37.0%. It is a very specific and
      constant value for any particular species, the smallest having the highest
      content. A close correlation exists between the mitochondrial volume density,
      heart rate and the rate of basal oxygen consumption in any group of animals. The
      myofibrillar volume density shows no species variability. It was about 60.0% in
      all species. It is concluded that the mitochondrial volume density is a good
      indicator of the oxidative capacity of cardiac muscle and that the species
      specific normal ultrastructural myocyte composition should be a useful baseline
      in pathophysiological studies of the heart in various animals.

PMID- 1404408
TI  - Guanosine metabolism in adult rat cardiac myocytes: inhibition by acyclovir and
      analysis of a metabolic pathway.
AB  - The metabolic fate of transported guanosine was examined in adult rat cardiac
      myocytes. Freshly isolated cells were incubated with 50 microM 8-[3H]-guanosine
      and the purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) inhibitor acyclovir, and the
      nucleotide products extracted and examined for radiolabel distribution. Acyclovir
      inhibited guanosine incorporation into the 5'-nucleotide pool up to 66%. The drug
      did not inhibit guanosine transport. Other experiments using 5'-[3H]-guanosine
      and 8-[14C]-guanosine in concert as metabolic tracers showed both tritium and
      radiocarbon in the guanine nucleotide products. We concluded from this study that
      both a kinase (probably adenosine kinase) and the enzyme pair purine nucleoside
      phosphorylase/hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase are responsible for
      guanosine salvage in heart cells.

PMID- 1404409
TI  - Growth properties and biochemical characterization of collagens synthesized by
      adult rat heart fibroblasts in culture.
AB  - Collagen is the most important component of the extracellular matrix of the
      myocardium; it supports the myocytes and maintains the architecture of the heart.
      Collagen also participates in the myocardial response to various forms of
      pressure overload. Increased tissue collagen content occurs as a result of
      spontaneous or experimental overload-induced myocardial hypertrophy. In order to
      determine the mechanisms responsible for the increased collagen deposition in
      experimental cardiac hypertrophy, we established monolayer cultures of
      fibroblasts isolated from normal adult rat myocardium and studied their growth
      and biosynthetic characteristics. These cells have a doubling time of about 20h
      and synthesize and secrete several collagenous and non-collagenous proteins. We
      found that type I collagen was the major collagenous product of these cells
      representing 80% of total newly synthesized collagen. Most of the newly
      synthesized collagen was secreted into the culture medium as intact and partially
      cleaved procollagens. About 20% of the total collagen synthesized was type III
      collagen which was also secreted into the medium as a procollagen. A small
      proportion of type V collagen (less than 5%) was also synthesized by these
      cultures. Fibronectin which was identified by its mobility in SDS gel
      electrophoresis was quantified by immunoprecipitation with specific antisera and
      was the most abundant non-collagenous protein synthesized by these cells.
      Northern blot hybridization analysis demonstrated that these cells expressed
      transcripts for alpha 1 chains of types I and III collagen and for fibronectin.

PMID- 1404410
TI  - Ischemic but not reperfusion arrhythmias depend upon serum potassium
      concentration.
AB  - The effects of variations in serum concentrations of potassium on the occurrence
      and severity of ischemia- and reperfusion-induced arrhythmias have been studied
      in conscious rats. Serum potassium concentrations were modified by maintaining
      rats on diets which varied in potassium concentration, by treatment with
      hydrochlorothiazide, amiloride, spironolactone or infusions of potassium
      chloride. An inverse linear relationship was demonstrated between ischemia
      induced arrhythmias and log(e) serum potassium concentration such that a 50%
      reduction in arrhythmias occur with a 3.8-fold increase in serum potassium
      concentration. On the other hand, the incidence of reperfusion-induced
      arrhythmias after 7 min of regional ischemia prior to reperfusion in previously
      untreated rats were not influenced by elevation of serum potassium concentrations
      prior to and after reperfusion. Effects on ischemia-induced arrhythmias could not
      be explained by changes in blood pressure or heart rate. It is speculated that
      modification of potassium concentration in non-ischemic or border zone
      ventricular tissue may directly modify arrhythmogenesis due to ischemia but not
      that due to reperfusion.

PMID- 1404411
TI  - Myocardial myoglobin deficiency in various animal models of congestive heart
      failure.
AB  - Myoglobin is known to protect the mechanical function of the heart from hypoxia
      by acting as a sarcoplasmic oxygen reservoir and shuttle. We postulated a role
      for myoglobin in the pathogenesis of congestive heart failure. Several models of
      congestive heart failure were employed to test the hypothesis, including
      spontaneous inherited dilated cardiomyopathy in Doberman Pinschers, and heart
      failure produced by rapid ventricular pacing in dogs, volume overload in chickens
      and furazolidone toxicity in turkeys. Myocardial myoglobin was decreased by
      approximately 50% for all models (P less than 0.05). In Doberman Pinschers dogs
      which are predisposed to the development of dilated cardiomyopathy and have mild
      subclinical depression of cardiac performance, myocardial myoglobin (1.05 +/-
      0.22 mg/g) is approximately 50% decreased compared to healthy mongrel dogs (2.15
      +/- 0.52 mg/g), approximately twice as much as dobermans with heart failure (0.47
      +/- 0.25 mg/g) but similar to the concentration found in dogs paced to heart
      failure (1.09 +/- 0.34 mg/g). Myocardium from poultry had remarkably decreased
      myoglobin compared to mammals (34 +/- 4 micrograms/g) with heart failure produced
      either by furazolidone or salt toxicity causing a further 50% reduction. In the
      canine models of heart failure, myocardial myoglobin concentration was
      demonstrated to be correlated with biochemical and physiological indicators of
      myocardial performance, namely, mitochondrial and sarcoplasmic reticular ATPase
      activities, and cardiac output, systemic vascular resistance, pulmonary capillary
      wedge pressure and mean arterial pressure, respectively. Our data implicates a
      role for myoglobin deficiency in the pathogenesis of congestive heart failure and
      in the predisposition of doberman pinschers to dilated cardiomyopathy.

PMID- 1404412
TI  - Paradoxical effect of cerium on collagen synthesis in cardiac fibroblasts.
AB  - The present study examined the effect of cerium on collagen synthesis in cultured
      cardiac fibroblasts and explants. At 100 nM, a concentration comparable with that
      found in the cardiac tissue of patients with endomyocardial fibrosis, the element
      was found to enhance the incorporation of tritiated proline into collagen and non
      collagen proteins while at 10 microM, it had an inhibitory effect. Cerium was
      found to have no effect on rates of DNA synthesis in fibroblasts at 100 nM.
      However, at this concentration, the element markedly enhanced the incorporation
      of tritiated uridine into RNA, suggesting that cerium may act at the level of
      transcription to stimulate collagen and non-collagen protein syntheses. The
      stimulatory action of very low levels of cerium on collagen synthesis may
      contribute to the accumulation of collagen seen in endomyocardial fibrosis.

PMID- 1404413
TI  - Program and abstracts of the XIIIth European Section Meeting of the International
      Society for Heart Research (From Basics to Clinics). Heidelberg, Germany, 1-3
      October 1992.

PMID- 1404414
TI  - Prototypic sequences for human repetitive DNA.
AB  - We report a collection of 53 prototypic sequences representing known families of
      repetitive elements from the human genome. The prototypic sequences are either
      consensus sequences or selected examples of repetitive sequences. The collection
      includes: prototypes for high and medium reiteration frequency interspersed
      repeats, long terminal repeats of endogenous retroviruses, alphoid repeats,
      telomere-associated repeats, and some miscellaneous repeats. The collection is
      annotated and available electronically.

PMID- 1404415
TI  - Relative rates of nucleotide substitution at the rbcL locus of monocotyledonous
      plants.
AB  - We subjected 35 rbcL nucleotide sequences from monocotyledonous taxa to maximum
      likelihood relative rate tests and estimated relative differences in rates of
      nucleotide substitution between groups of sequences without relying on knowledge
      of divergence times between taxa. Rate tests revealed that there is a hierarchy
      of substitution rate at the rbcL locus within the monocots. Among the taxa
      analyzed the grasses have the most rapid substitution rate; they are followed in
      rate by the Orchidales, the Liliales, the Bromeliales, and the Arecales. The
      overall substitution rate for the rbcL locus of grasses is over 5 times the
      substitution rate in the rbcL of the palms. The substitution rate at the third
      codon positions in the rbcL of the grasses is over 8 times the third position
      rate in the palms. The pattern of rate variation is consistent with the
      generation-time-effect hypothesis. Heterogenous rates of substitution have
      important implications for phylogenetic reconstruction.

PMID- 1404416
TI  - Rapid evolution of the plastid translational apparatus in a nonphotosynthetic
      plant: loss or accelerated sequence evolution of tRNA and ribosomal protein
      genes.
AB  - The vestigial plastid genome of Epifagus virginiana (beechdrops), a
      nonphotosynthetic parasitic flowering plant, is functional but lacks six
      ribosomal protein and 13 tRNA genes found in the chloroplast DNAs of
      photosynthetic flowering plants. Import of nuclear gene products is hypothesized
      to compensate for many of these losses. Codon usage and amino acid usage patterns
      in Epifagus plastic genes have not been affected by the tRNA gene losses, though
      a small shift in the base composition of the whole genome (toward A+T-richness)
      is apparent. The ribosomal protein and tRNA genes that remain have had a high
      rate of molecular evolution, perhaps due to relaxation of constraints on the
      translational apparatus. Despite the compactness and extensive gene loss, one
      translational gene (infA, encoding initiation factor 1) that is a pseudogene in
      tobacco has been maintained intact in Epifagus.

PMID- 1404417
TI  - The nucleotide sequence of the entire ribosomal DNA operon and the structure of
      the large subunit rRNA of Giardia muris.
AB  - The total nucleotide sequence of the rDNA of Giardia muris, an intestinal
      protozoan parasite of rodents, has been determined. The repeat unit is 7668
      basepairs (bp) in size and consists of a spacer of 3314 bp, a small-subunit rRNA
      (SSU-rRNA) gene of 1429, and a large-subunit rRNA (LSU-rRNA) gene of 2698 bp. The
      spacer contains long direct repeats and is heterogeneous in size. The LSU-rRNA of
      G. muris was compared to that of the human intestinal parasite Giardia
      duodenalis, to the bird parasite Giardia ardeae, and to that of Escherichia coli.
      The LSU-rRNA has a size comparable to the 23S rRNA of E. coli but shows
      structural features typical for eukaryotes. Some variable regions are typically
      small and account for the overall smaller size of this rRNA. The structure of the
      G. muris LSU-rRNA is similar to that of the other Giardia rRNA, but each rRNA has
      characteristic features residing in a number of variable regions.

PMID- 1404418
TI  - Six strains of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 isolated in Japan and their
      molecular phylogeny.
AB  - Five strains of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) were isolated from
      five Japanese hemophilia patients. Two isolates, HIV-1[GUN-1] and HIV-1[GUN-2],
      were from brother patients with hemophilia B and the other three isolates, HIV
      1[GUN-3], HIV-1[GUN-4], and HIV-1[GUN-5], were from hemophilia A patients.
      Another HIV-1 strain, HIV-1[GUN-6], was isolated from a Canadian male homosexual
      with AIDS. The restriction endonuclease cleavage maps of the proviral genomes of
      these six HIV-1 strains revealed that they were apparently different from each
      other. The phylogenetic trees constructed using restriction maps and nucleotide
      sequences were quite similar, indicating that phylogenetic analyses of Japanese
      HIV-1 isolates can be done using restriction maps of the proviruses. Phylogenetic
      analyses showed that they were more closely related to HIV-1s which had been
      reported to be isolated from homosexual patients in the United States than those
      isolated from African patients. In particular, GUN-1 and GUN-2 isolates were on
      the branch of a San Francisco isolate, ARV2, while GUN-5 and GUN-6 isolates were
      on the branch of HTLV-IIIB-related isolates.

PMID- 1404420
TI  - Radionuclide-induced evolution of DNA and the origin of life.
AB  - Artesian groundwaters of high radionuclide concentration are ubiquitous and may
      have provided the large, sustained energy sources that were required to drive the
      multistage process of DNA and primordial cell evolution. The rapid, early
      development of the genetic code as well as its degeneracy can be attributed to
      exceptionally high radiation-induced mutation rates in this unique environment.
      The ability of double-strand DNA to direct enzymatic repair of radiation damage
      to single strands contributed importantly to its selective evolution. It is
      postulated that the polymerization of nucleotides took place at elevated
      temperatures within alpha-particle tracks of high ion and free-radical density,
      followed by rapid quenching to ambient conditions. It also is evident that
      radiation resistance and ploidy were important selection factors in cellular
      evolution.

PMID- 1404419
TI  - Conservation of mouse alpha A-crystallin promoter activity in chicken lens
      epithelial cells.
AB  - Previous transfection experiments have shown that 162 base pairs (bp) of the 5'
      flanking sequence of the chicken alpha A-crystallin gene are required for
      promoter activity in primary chicken lens epithelial cells (PLE), while only 111
      bp of the 5' flanking sequence are needed for activity of the mouse alpha A
      crystallin promoter in transfected chicken PLE cells or in a SV40 T-antigen
      transformed transfected mouse lens epithelial cell line (alpha TN4-1). The effect
      of site-directed mutations covering positions -111 to -34 of the mouse alpha A
      crystallin promoter fused to the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase
      (CAT) gene was compared in transfected chicken PLE cells and mouse alpha TN4-1
      cells; selected mutations were also examined in a nontransformed rabbit lens
      epithelial cell line (N/N1003A). In general, the same mutations reduced promoter
      activity in the transfected lens cells from all three species, although
      differences were noted. The mutations severely affected regions -111/-106 and 
      69/-40 regions in all the transfected cells examined; by contrast, mutations at
      positions -105/-99 and -87/-70 had a somewhat greater effect in the chicken PLE
      than the mouse alpha TN4-1 cells, while mutations of the -93/-88 sequence reduced
      expression in the alpha TN4-1 but not the PLE cells. A partial cDNA with sequence
      similarity to alpha A-CRYPB1 of the mouse has been isolated from a chicken lens
      library; mouse alpha A-CRYBP1 is a putative transcription factor which binds to
      the -66/-55 sequence of the mouse alpha A-crystallin promoter.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1404422
TI  - Statistical properties of the ordinary least-squares, generalized least-squares,
      and minimum-evolution methods of phylogenetic inference.
AB  - Statistical properties of the ordinary least-squares (OLS), generalized least
      squares (GLS), and minimum-evolution (ME) methods of phylogenetic inference were
      studied by considering the case of four DNA sequences. Analytical study has shown
      that all three methods are statistically consistent in the sense that as the
      number of nucleotides examined (m) increases they tend to choose the true tree as
      long as the evolutionary distances used are unbiased. When evolutionary distances
      (dij's) are large and sequences under study are not very long, however, the OLS
      criterion is often biased and may choose an incorrect tree more often than
      expected under random choice. It is also shown that the variance-covariance
      matrix of dij's becomes singular as dij's approach zero and thus the GLS may not
      be applicable when dij's are small. The ME method suffers from neither of these
      problems, and the ME criterion is statistically unbiased. Computer simulation has
      shown that the ME method is more efficient in obtaining the true tree than the
      OLS and GLS methods and that the OLS is more efficient than the GLS when dij's
      are small, but otherwise the GLS is more efficient.

PMID- 1404421
TI  - Statistical properties of bootstrap estimation of phylogenetic variability from
      nucleotide sequences: II. Four taxa without a molecular clock.
AB  - The statistical properties of sample estimation and bootstrap estimation of
      phylogenetic variability from a sample of nucleotide sequences were studied by
      considering model trees of three taxa with an outgroup. The cases of constant and
      varying rates of nucleotide substitution were compared. From sequences obtained
      by simulation, phylogenetic trees were constructed by using the maximum parsimony
      (MP) and neighbor-joining (NJ) methods. The effectiveness and consistency of the
      MP method were studied in terms of proportions of informative sites. The results
      of simulation showed that bootstrap estimation of the confidence level for an
      inferred phylogeny can be used even under unequal rates of evolution if the rate
      differences are not large so that the MP method is not misleading. The condition
      under which the MP method becomes misleading (inconsistent) is more stringent for
      slowly evolving sequences than for rapidly evolving ones, and it also depends on
      the length of the internal branch. If the rate differences are large so that the
      MP method becomes consistently misleading, then bootstrap estimation will
      reinforce an erroneous conclusion on topology. Similar conclusions apply to the
      NJ method with uncorrected distances. The NJ method with corrected distances
      performs poorly when the sequence length is short but can avoid the inconsistency
      problem if the sequence length is long and if the distances can be estimated
      accurately.

PMID- 1404423
TI  - Fetal cortical cells survive in focal cerebral infarct after permanent occlusion
      of the middle cerebral artery in adult rats.
AB  - Fetal rat cortical cells have been shown previously to survive at the periphery
      of cerebral infarction. The present study was designed to examine the ability of
      fetal cells to survive at the edge of the central core of ischemia. In three
      groups of 8 adult Sprague-Dawley rats, fetal cortical cells from ED 16 were
      stereotactically transplanted at 3 h, 24 h, and 7 days after unilateral middle
      cerebral artery occlusion. In 6 rats, fetal cells were transplanted by using the
      same coordinates, without arterial occlusion, for control. In the ischemic
      groups, overall graft survival was 85%, and in the control group, all grafts
      survived. Graft survival was determined by light microscopy. No significant
      difference was found in the survival of grafts transplanted at different
      intervals after middle cerebral artery occlusion. It is concluded that fetal
      cortical cells can survive in cerebral tissue undergoing severe ischemic change.

PMID- 1404424
TI  - In vitro models of mechanical injury.

PMID- 1404425
TI  - A monitored contusion model of spinal cord injury in the rat.

PMID- 1404427
TI  - Comment: modeling for drug development in spinal cord injury.

PMID- 1404426
TI  - Experimental spinal cord injury: a dynamic and verifiable injury device.

PMID- 1404428
TI  - Hemodynamic issues and vascular factors in acute experimental spinal cord injury.

PMID- 1404429
TI  - Chemical and cellular mediators in spinal cord injury.

PMID- 1404430
TI  - Spinal cord injury models: neurophysiology.

PMID- 1404431
TI  - Rapid quantification of tissue damage for assessing acute spinal cord injury
      therapy.

PMID- 1404432
TI  - Anatomic and behavioral outcome after spinal cord injury produced by a
      displacement controlled impact device.

PMID- 1404433
TI  - Problematic issues in spinal cord injury.

PMID- 1404434
TI  - Behavioral endpoint measures for preclinical trials using experimental models of
      spinal cord injury.

PMID- 1404435
TI  - Comment: need for standardization of animal models of spinal cord injury.

PMID- 1404436
TI  - Importance of pharmacologic considerations in the evaluation of new treatments
      for acute spinal cord injury.

PMID- 1404437
TI  - Criteria for valid preclinical trials.

PMID- 1404438
TI  - Glucose hypermetabolism after acute subdural hematoma is ameliorated by a
      competitive NMDA antagonist.
AB  - Intracranial hematomas occur in almost half of patients who sustain a severe head
      injury, and outcome is particularly poor in patients with acute subdural
      hematoma. We have measured regional cerebral glucose metabolism (2-deoxyglucose
      autoradiography) in a new rat model of acute subdural hematoma and compared the
      changes to those seen in sham-operated control animals and animals pretreated
      with a high-affinity competitive NMDA antagonist, D-CPP-ene. At 2 h after
      inducing the hematoma, a severe reduction in glucose use was seen in the cortex
      beneath the hematoma (less than 5 mumol/100g/min) consistent with a zone of
      histologic infarction seen in other studies. A band of markedly increased glucose
      use was seen in the periischemic zone, surrounding this infarcted tissue and
      throughout the hippocampus bilaterally (up to 142% increase). Both the zone of
      reduced glucose use and the volume of tissue with increased glucose metabolism
      were significantly reduced in the animals pretreated with D-CPP-ene. These data
      indicate that the neuroprotective effect of NMDA antagonists, seen in this and
      other models, may be mediated by reducing the increased metabolism that occurs
      probably due to glutamate release.

PMID- 1404440
TI  - Marital therapy formats: an analysis of acceptability ratings with married
      spouses.
AB  - One hundred thirty-five married individuals evaluated the acceptability of
      alternative therapeutic formats commonly employed in marital therapy. Distressed
      and nondistressed spouses were randomly assigned to experimental conditions
      including two types of educational information (descriptive and group-oriented)
      presented across three treatment formats (i.e., individual, conjoint, and group).
      Primary dependent variables included the Treatment Evaluation Inventory and the
      Semantic Differential. Results revealed that conjoint format was most acceptable,
      followed by group and individual, respectively. However, distressed spouses rated
      the group and conjoint formats as equal in acceptability. Group-oriented
      information increased nondistressed subjects' ratings of group format. The
      implications of these results for clinicians and researchers offering marital
      therapy are discussed.

PMID- 1404439
TI  - Brain levels of polyethylene glycol-conjugated superoxide dismutase following
      fluid percussion brain injury in rats.
AB  - Polyethylene glycol-conjugated superoxide dismutase (PEG-SOD) is being explored
      as an agent to reduce oxygen radical-mediated damage following brain injury. Yet
      little is known concerning the site of action of IV-administered PEG-SOD or the
      capacity of this conjugated enzyme to enter the brain. The purpose of this study
      was to determine the brain content of PEG-SOD in normal and fluid percussion
      injured rats. The fluid percussion device was attached over the right parietal
      cortex and a moderate (2.0 atm) intensity injury was produced. PEG-SOD was
      conjugated with 125I and given (2000 U/kg, 5 microCi/kg) to rats either 30 min
      before or 30 min after brain injury. Another group received [125I]PEG-SOD but was
      not injured. Plasma and left and right brain hemispheres were counted for
      [125I]PEG-SOD. Plasma levels of [125I]PEG-SOD declined similarly in all three
      groups during the 90-min period after IV administration. Brain [125I]PEG-SOD was
      low in control animals (0.034 U/g wet wt). In animals given PEG-SOD after injury
      the brain level was elevated sixfold in both the left and right hemispheres,
      compared to control. In rats given the drug before injury, [125I]PEG-SOD was 10
      times control level in the right hemisphere, which is the side on which the
      injury device is attached, and 6 times control level in the left hemisphere. We
      conclude that traumatic brain injury produces an increase in brain PEG-SOD. The
      exact cellular site of the increased brain PEG-SOD remains to be clarified.

PMID- 1404441
TI  - A group therapy format for the simultaneous treatment of marital and sexual
      dysfunctions: a case illustration.
AB  - This report describes a brief, 15-session couples group therapy format developed
      by a university-affiliated human sexuality clinic for the simultaneous treatment
      of marital and sexual dysfunctions. The major marital and sexual themes addressed
      in this group treatment design, an overview and description of the structure of
      the cognitive-behavioral approach, and a case illustration are presented.

PMID- 1404442
TI  - Constructing a sex and marital therapy frame: ways to help couples deconstruct
      sexual problems.
AB  - It has been pointed out that an integration of the fields of marital and family
      therapy and sex therapy is needed. This paper proposes a model for the
      integration of sex therapy and marital therapy. Recently, social constructionism
      has made its way into the marital and family therapy literature. Using social
      constructionist notions, the present paper proposes an alternative perspective to
      the traditional sex therapy models--one that incorporates a constructionist
      therapeutic stance utilizing the notions of sexual meaning systems and sexual
      scripts. In so doing, an integrated model of sex and couple therapy is presented.

PMID- 1404443
TI  - Psychometric characteristics of individuals with sexual dysfunction and their
      partners.
AB  - This study assessed psychological dimensions and marital adjustment of 52 couples
      in which one of the partners met operational criteria for hypoactive sexual
      desire or erectile dysfunction. Information was obtained independently from the
      dysfunctional subjects and their partners by means of validated inventories: the
      Derogatis Sexual Function Inventory (DSFI), Locke-Wallace Marital Adjustment Test
      (L-W), and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS). The global measures of sexual
      function and satisfaction of the DSFI showed marked impairment in all groups,
      while its subscale scores suggested characteristic differences in the profiles of
      the dysfunctional groups and their partners. In contrast to individual
      psychologic measures, the assessment of marital adjustment was within the scale's
      normative limits in all diagnostic groups. There is a need for controlled studies
      to better characterize sexual and marital dimensions in diagnostically well
      defined dysfunctional couples.

PMID- 1404444
TI  - An empirical examination into the sexuality of women with borderline personality
      disorder.
AB  - In the last decade, a great deal of research has been accomplished in the study
      of borderline personality, but the literature is yet to systematically examine
      the intimate relationships of individuals with this particular personality
      disorder. In doing so, this study compared a sample of female borderlines with an
      adequately matched sample of non-personality disorders (aged 23-33 years) using
      the following measures: the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Assertiveness, the Sexual
      Opinion Survey, the Sexuality Scale, and the Index of Sexual Satisfaction. In the
      borderline sample, about 50% of the women reported a childhood history of
      physical or sexual abuse, as compared to about 15% in the control group. Also,
      borderline women were found to have significantly higher sexual assertiveness,
      greater erotophilic attitudes, and higher sexual esteem. Despite these findings,
      the borderline group evidenced significantly greater sexual preoccupation, sexual
      depression, and sexual dissatisfaction. Implications for these findings and
      treatment issues are discussed.

PMID- 1404445
TI  - Noninvasive treatment for erectile dysfunction in the neurogenically disabled
      population.
AB  - Erectile dysfunction is the most prevalent sexual dysfunction in neurogenically
      disabled men. Studies of rehabilitation patients indicate that the restoration of
      sexual functioning is considered an important priority. This article reports on a
      pilot study of vacuum tumescence constriction therapy as a noninvasive method for
      use by a population with traumatic or nontraumatic neurologic disorders such as
      spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes mellitus. Of the 30
      patients who participated in the study, 17 purchased the device and over 50% of
      them reported using the device on a long-term basis. Frequency of coitus
      increased from 0.3/wk to 1.5/wk. Included in the study are methods used by
      patients to integrate the device into their sex life, the role of the patient's
      partner in the decision to purchase the device, and the rate of partner
      satisfaction. There were no reports of substantial morbidity. Thus, this method
      shows promise as a noninvasive treatment for men who are moderately to severely
      neurogenically disabled.

PMID- 1404446
TI  - Case-control studies of colorectal cancer mortality: is the case made for
      screening sigmoidoscopy?

PMID- 1404447
TI  - Roswell Park: the phoenix rises in Buffalo.

PMID- 1404448
TI  - Breast cancer prevention study initiated in Italy.

PMID- 1404449
TI  - Reduction in plasma or skin alpha-tocopherol concentration with long-term oral
      administration of beta-carotene in humans and mice.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Beta-carotene is one of the most commonly used compounds in clinical
      trials of chemopreventive agents in various neoplastic diseases. Animal studies,
      including our own, have documented that dietary beta-carotene can reduce plasma
      alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) levels, but few published studies have examined the
      clinical or pharmacokinetic ramifications of long-term, high-dose beta-carotene
      regimens on other fat-soluble vitamins such as alpha-tocopherol. PURPOSE: This
      study was designed to determine the effects of long-term beta-carotene
      supplementation on plasma concentrations of alpha-tocopherol in normal human
      subjects and in an experimental C3H/HeN mouse model. METHODS: In a double-blind
      study, 45 normal subjects were randomly assigned to receive 0 (placebo), 15, 30,
      45, or 60 mg of oral beta-carotene daily for approximately 9 months. Monthly
      plasma samples were collected. Thirty-five C3H/HeN mice were fed a basal diet
      with or without beta-carotene and treated topically with or without alpha
      tocopherol, except for the control mice, which received UV radiation for 27 weeks
      from week 3 to week 30. Plasma and dorsal skin samples were taken after 40 weeks
      and were analyzed for alpha-tocopherol and/or beta-carotene by high-performance
      liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Long-term dietary beta-carotene administration
      resulted in statistically significant reductions in levels of alpha-tocopherol in
      the skin and plasma of UV-irradiated mice. In the human study, the decrease in
      plasma alpha-tocopherol levels was progressive and significant between 6 and 9
      months of beta-carotene dosing in all dosage groups. The greatest decrease was
      observed during the 9th (last) month of dosing, with a decrease of 40% from
      baseline. All oral beta-carotene doses (15-60 mg/d), however, resulted in similar
      decreases in steady-state plasma levels of alpha-tocopherol and in only small
      differences in beta-carotene plasma levels. CONCLUSION: Long-term oral
      administration of beta-carotene decreased steady-state plasma concentrations of
      alpha-tocopherol. The lack of a significant dose-response effect between doses of
      beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol plasma levels is not unexpected, given the
      small differences in steady-state beta-carotene plasma levels in the four beta
      carotene dose groups. IMPLICATIONS: Studies are needed to determine how long-term
      beta-carotene dosing influences tissue distribution of dietary alpha-tocopherol.
      Careful surveillance for this and other potentially harmful nutrient interactions
      should become part of all long-term intervention studies.

PMID- 1404450
TI  - Screening sigmoidoscopy and colorectal cancer mortality.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sigmoidoscopy may reduce colorectal cancer mortality by identifying
      both cancers and precursor lesions (including polyps) for treatment; however,
      evidence regarding the efficacy of this technique as a screening procedure is
      extremely limited. PURPOSE: In the absence of data from randomized controlled
      trials, we performed a retrospective case-control study to determine if
      sigmoidoscopy screening is associated with a reduction in colorectal cancer
      mortality. METHODS: The medical records of 66 members of the Greater Marshfield
      Community Health Plan (GMCHP) who died of large-bowel cancer from 1979 to 1988
      were reviewed for history of screening for colorectal cancer (case subjects). For
      comparison, the records of 196 GMCHP members of similar gender, age, and
      enrollment duration were randomly selected for review (control subjects).
      RESULTS: History of screening sigmoidoscopy was much less common among case
      subjects (10%) than among control subjects (30%). Risk for death from colorectal
      cancer was reduced among individuals having had a single examination by screening
      sigmoidoscopy (odds ratio = 0.21; 95% confidence interval = 0.08-0.52), compared
      with the risk for those who never had one. The reduction in risk appeared to be
      limited to tumors in the rectum and distal colon. Neither fecal occult blood
      testing nor digital rectal examination was associated with a reduction in
      colorectal cancer mortality. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that screening
      sigmoidoscopy can substantially reduce mortality from cancers of the rectum and
      distal colon.

PMID- 1404451
TI  - Breast cancer risk: effects of estrogen replacement therapy and body mass.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic studies have focused on the association between breast
      cancer risk and a variety of lifestyle and exogenous factors. PURPOSE: The
      purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of alcohol consumption,
      cigarette smoking, oral contraceptive (OC) use, estrogen replacement therapy
      (ERT), and body mass on risk of breast cancer. METHODS: These variables were
      examined in a case-control study of 604 patients with newly diagnosed breast
      cancer and 520 control subjects who did not have breast cancer and were frequency
      matched for age, hospital, and time of diagnosis. These case patients and control
      subjects were part of an ongoing study of breast cancer by the American Health
      Foundation and were selected for interview from hospitals in the New York City
      area from January 1987 through December 1989. The data were analyzed by
      computation of odds ratios (ORs) for potential risk factors, with adjustment for
      age at diagnosis and other potential confounding variables and with
      stratification by menopausal status. RESULTS: We observed positive effects of ERT
      and high body mass on the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, particularly when
      each factor was examined in the absence of the other factor. In lean
      postmenopausal women, the adjusted summary OR associated with ERT was
      significantly elevated (OR = 2.0; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1-3.5; P <
      .01), and there was a statistically significant dose response of breast cancer
      risk with ERT duration (adjusted ORs = 2.0 for < 5 years and 2.2 for > or = 5
      years; positive trend, P < .02). Reciprocally, in women who did not receive ERT,
      high body mass (Quetelet index > 27) was a significant risk factor for
      postmenopausal breast cancer (OR = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.3-3.3; P < .02), and the
      linear trend in risk with increasing body mass was significant (positive trend, P
      < .02). The strongest effect of body mass occurred in women who were lean at age
      18 and gained enough weight to place them in the upper tertile of body mass at
      the time of diagnosis (OR = 2.6; 95% CI = 1.5-4.6; P < .01). There was no
      evidence of significant positive associations between breast cancer risk and
      cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, or OC use in any subgroup of these women.
      CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the hypothesis that excess adipose deposition
      heightens breast cancer risk in the postmenopausal years. Furthermore, they
      underscore the need for continuing investigation of the effects of exogenous
      estrogens on the development of this malignancy, particularly in lean
      postmenopausal women.

PMID- 1404452
TI  - Characterization of covalent DNA binding of morpholino and cyanomorpholino
      derivatives of doxorubicin.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The doxorubicin analogues cyanomorpholino doxorubicin (MRA-CN) and
      morpholino doxorubicin (MRA) were synthesized in an attempt to avoid the
      cardiotoxicity and drug resistance of doxorubicin therapy. MRA-CN forms
      interstrand DNA cross-links without requiring microsomal metabolic activation in
      the presence of reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) to
      form a product that alkylates DNA, but MRA requires metabolic activation.
      Alkylation produces DNA cross-links, which are associated with potentiation of
      the cytotoxicity of some drugs. PURPOSE: Our purpose was to study the DNA binding
      of MRA-CN and MRA with and without metabolic activation in order to better
      understand the mechanisms for cross-linking DNA. METHODS: We used [3H]MRA and
      [3H]MRA-CN, with the 3H labeled at C-2 and C-6 of the morpholino ring. MRA (10
      nM) was incubated with human liver microsomes with or without NADPH to measure
      DNA binding. In addition, a filter elution assay was used to determine the nature
      and extent of drug binding to DNA in the human ovarian carcinoma cell line ES-2.
      We studied the appearance of interstrand cross-links versus total DNA adducts in
      pBR322 plasmid DNA incubated with 100 nM MRA-CN in cell-free medium and then
      subjected to denaturation and agarose gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: Regardless of
      the extracellular concentration of the drug (1-100 nM), 85% of intracellular MRA
      CN was covalently bound to DNA, and the total amount of drug bound to DNA was
      proportional to extracellular drug concentration. No covalent binding of MRA to
      DNA was found in cells exposed to 10 nM MRA alone for 2 hours. In contrast, 10%
      of the intracellular drug was bound to DNA if the cells were exposed to MRA
      preincubated with human liver microsomes and NADPH. The percentage of plasmids
      containing at least one interstrand cross-link rose from 35% at 15 minutes to 92%
      at 2 hours. We estimate that eight molecules of MRA-CN were adducted per molecule
      of pBR322 DNA (or one drug adduct per 545 base pairs), with a minimum of 12% of
      the adducts forming interstrand cross-links. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest
      that the carbons at positions 2 and 6 of the morpholino ring of both MRA-CN and
      the activated metabolite of MRA are retained in the drug-DNA adduct. They also
      indicate that the formation of interstrand DNA cross-links by MRA-CN is preceded
      by formation of drug adducts to a single strand of DNA.

PMID- 1404453
TI  - Non-acquired immune deficiency syndrome-defining malignancies in a hospital-based
      cohort of human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients: Bordeaux, France, 1985
      1991. Groupe d'Epidemiologie Clinique du SIDA en Aquitaine.

PMID- 1404454
TI  - Case-control study of acute and nonlymphocytic leukemia.

PMID- 1404455
TI  - Long survival of patients with untreated gastric carcinoma.

PMID- 1404456
TI  - Partners in health-care reform.

PMID- 1404457
TI  - Explaining health disparities between African-American and white populations:
      where do we go from here?

PMID- 1404458
TI  - Violence as a public health priority for black Americans.
AB  - This study investigated the extent to which black public health and political
      leaders believe that reducing violence should be a national public health
      priority for black Americans when compared with other public health problems such
      as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, low birthweight, and access to health
      care. A survey asking whether violence in the black community is amendable to
      change and who (or what institutions) should be responsible for the reduction of
      violence was sent to 427 black health leaders, 326 black mayors, and 467 black
      legislators. Three hundred twenty responses were returned. Virtually all
      respondents placed violence as one of the top five, if not the highest, public
      health priority for black Americans. Health and political leaders differed in
      their beliefs about whether violence and violence-related behaviors can be
      ameliorated, and who should bear responsibility for the reduction of violence.
      While this survey had limitations, more than 300 black public health and
      political leaders indicated that violence among black Americans should be made a
      national public health priority. Policy implications are discussed, and a
      proactive role for the National Medical Association is advocated.

PMID- 1404459
TI  - Appendicitis in children: a continuing clinical challenge.
AB  - This article discusses the findings of a study of pre-adolescent children to
      determine if the mode of presentation of appendicitis had changed over the past
      10 years, if the incidence of perforations decreased with age, and if diagnosis
      related groups (DRGs) impacted the length of hospital stay. The charts of 42
      children under the age of 12 years who were discharged from two inner-city
      hospitals with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis from 1980 to 1989 were reviewed.
      There were 20 blacks and 22 whites, 26 males and 16 females with an average age
      of 7.31 years (range: 2 to 11 years). Over 95% of patients presented with right
      lower quadrant pain, 78% with guarding, 80% with a positive psoas sign, 93% with
      a positive Rovsing's sign, and 65% with rectal tenderness. Over 85% of patients
      had a history of nausea, vomiting, and anorexia. The mean duration of pain was
      52.8 hours and the mean temperature was 99.6 degrees F. The mean white blood cell
      count was 18,176 +/- 4682 for whites versus 14,615 +/- 5459 for blacks. At
      surgery 15/42 (36%) of patients had a perforation, 11 of whom had positive wound
      cultures. Escherichia coli was recovered in all 11 of these patients. The average
      duration of pain in the perforated group was 50.9 hours, and the average age was
      7 years. Eleven of these patients had normal bowel sounds on admission. Only 31%
      of the total cohort had a fecalith identified by pathology. The average
      postoperative length of stay was 6.5 +/- 2.5 days before the initiation of DRGs
      and 7.5 +/- 3 days afterward.

PMID- 1404460
TI  - Change in serum cholinesterase activity in Jamaican diabetics.
AB  - This study investigates the alteration of serum cholinesterase levels in
      diabetics and its possible relationship to blood glucose, insulin, triglyceride,
      and cholesterol levels. Fourteen phasic insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
      patients were compared with 10 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, 10 noninsulin
      dependent diabetes mellitus, and 10 normal controls. Each group was matched for
      age, sex, body mass index, and duration of diabetes. Mean age was 56.7 +/- 2.5
      years; mean body mass index, 24.0 +/- 0.8 kg/m2; and mean duration of diabetes,
      14.2 +/- 2.2 years. Serum acetylcholinesterase, insulin, triglyceride, and
      cholesterol levels as well as fasting blood sugar were all assayed using standard
      techniques. Results suggest an associated increase of serum acetylcholinesterase
      with triglyceride levels in diabetics and may point to a possible association
      between increased serum acetylcholinesterase and vascular complications in
      Jamaican diabetics.

PMID- 1404461
TI  - Ethnic distribution of primary central nervous system tumors in Washington, DC,
      1971 to 1985.
AB  - An ethnic analysis was made of 8947 cases of primary central nervous system (CNS)
      tumors seen at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), Washington, DC,
      from 1971 to 1985. Results showed a slightly higher frequency of primary CNS
      tumors in whites than in blacks with a white:black case ratio of 9:1 against the
      white:black population ratio in the United States of 7.4:1. Gliomas appeared to
      be twofold more frequent in whites than in blacks with a white:black case ratio
      of 12.1:1. However, meningiomas and pituitary adenomas were more common in blacks
      with a white:black case ratio of 6.7:1 and 4.2:1, respectively. When these
      results were compared with the results of a previous identical study using
      similar materials collected at AFIP from 1958 to 1970, the relative paucity of
      gliomas and higher frequency of meningiomas and pituitary adenomas in American
      blacks is again confirmed, thus re-emphasizing the importance of genetic factors
      in the genesis of primary CNS tumors. The remarkable decreasing white:black case
      ratio of primary CNS tumors as a whole (9:1 compared with 13.7:1) since 1970
      probably reflects the socioeconomic improvement of American blacks during the
      same period.

PMID- 1404462
TI  - Sexual behaviors of African-American male college students and the risk of HIV
      infection.
AB  - A survey of the rates of sexually transmitted diseases and protective sexual
      behaviors among a population of African-American male college students
      demonstrates that although monogamy, avoidance of casual sexual activity, and the
      avoidance of the use of drugs and alcohol during sexual activity tends to
      decrease the risk of exposure to human immunodeficiency virus, consistent condom
      use is the only sexually related behavior that is significantly protective.

PMID- 1404463
TI  - Fluoroscopic chest tube insertion and patient care.
AB  - Catheters and chest tubes may be placed under fluoroscopic control to reduce
      pleural effusions. This procedure has been adopted as a routine procedure at the
      UCLA School of Medicine in Los Angeles, California to improve patient care. This
      technique was modified for the placement of large chest tubes, which can be
      placed by a radiologist without multiple attempts or complications. Our
      experience with 2234 patients who underwent this procedure between 1977 and 1990
      is described.

PMID- 1404464
TI  - Macular degeneration: how big is the problem?
AB  - Almost every report on macular degeneration begins with a somber reminder that
      macular degeneration is the single most common cause of blindness in the elderly
      in the United States and Europe. Almost every report also confirms that there is
      no known successful approach to slowing, stopping, reversing, or preventing this
      syndrome. In the light of these devastating statements, it is difficult to
      explain the paucity of information about the disease process in general and its
      epidemiologic implications in particular. What little is known deals with
      prevalence rates; no figures are available regarding the incidence. Additionally,
      almost without exception, the prevalence numbers are based on the assumption that
      macular degeneration is a binomial (black and white) problem. However, macular
      degeneration, like all chronic diseases, exists in a potentially infinite number
      of shades of gray. Hence, when viewed as an achromatic continuum, macular
      degeneration is more prevalent than generally believed. Recognizing this disorder
      earlier invites the greater possibility of a cure or primary prevention.

PMID- 1404465
TI  - Painful subacute thyroiditis (de Quervain's thyroiditis).
AB  - Painful subacute thyroiditis (de Quervain's thyroiditis) usually occurs in
      association with systemic viral illnesses. This disorder may be manifested in
      various clinical forms. Primary care physicians must be aware of the clinical
      features of this disorder to make the correct diagnosis and treat appropriately.
      Three cases are reported to illustrate the different clinical manifestations of
      this disorder.

PMID- 1404467
TI  - The legacy of William Montague Cobb, MD, PhD (1904-1990).

PMID- 1404466
TI  - Complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
AB  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy with lasers or cautery is a feasible, effective, and
      worthwhile operative procedure that is subject to morbidity and mortality. There
      is unequivocal evidence that the complication incidence is directly related to
      the training and experience of the surgeon, applicability of basic principles of
      gallbladder and common duct surgery, and preventive measures toward iatrogenic
      injuries in gallbladder surgery. Continued and sustained investigation in
      laparoscopic cholecystectomy, technological developments in equipment, and the
      continued education of the surgeon in the applicability and use of laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy, intraoperative cholangiography, and choledocholithotomy are
      essential. At the St Francis Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1009
      laparoscopic cholecystectomies with lasers or cautery were performed between
      March 1989 and October 1991. There were 32 (3%) abandoned laparoscopic
      cholecystectomies with alternative open cholecystectomy. There were six
      extrahepatic ductal injuries and a complication incidence of 10.9%. The mortality
      rate was 0.38%. The average length of stay was 2 days. In comparison with
      standard cholecystectomy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a competitive and
      superior procedure in selected circumstances.

PMID- 1404468
TI  - Choroid plexus tumor in a child.
AB  - A 5-month-old infant is reported who presented with fever, nonspecific symptoms,
      a rapidly enlarging head, and a regression in motor development. Investigations
      subsequently confirmed the diagnosis of a choroid plexus papilloma.

PMID- 1404470
TI  - A patient's perspective on sickle cell disease treatment.

PMID- 1404469
TI  - Fibular strut grafting for fibrous dysplasia of the femoral neck.
AB  - When fibrous dysplasia affects the femoral neck, normal bone is replaced by fibro
      osseous dysplastic bone that is both mechanically weakened and biomechanically
      abnormal. Surgical management is recommended for persistent pain, progressive
      deformity, or impending fracture. Surgical options include curettage and
      cancellous bone grafting, osteotomy and nail-plate fixation, intramedullary
      rodding, and cortical bone grafting. We present the case of a patient with a
      painful, dysplastic lesion of the femoral neck who underwent cortical bone
      grafting using dual fibular strut grafts. To ensure long-term graft
      incorporation, the fibular cortical grafts bridged the lesion in the femoral neck
      and were securely anchored to the normal bone of the lateral femoral cortex and a
      head of the femur. No supplemental internal fixation was required. The biological
      basis for success of the fibular strut grafting procedure is that creeping
      substitution of the cortical graft necrotic bone does not replace the
      interstitial lamellae, which persist to lend structural support. Fibular strut
      grafting is an excellent procedure for fibrous dysplasia of the femoral neck.

PMID- 1404471
TI  - The African-American physician and community interaction.

PMID- 1404472
TI  - Gerontologists or geriatricians? That is the question.

PMID- 1404473
TI  - AIDS/HIV crisis in developing countries: the need for greater understanding and
      innovative health promotion approaches.
AB  - Epidemiologic data on morbidity and mortality have shown that the acquired
      immunodeficiency syndrome/human immunodeficiency virus (AIDS/HIV) epidemic is
      relatively widespread in the developing countries of the world, especially in the
      already economically deprived regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. Africa is estimated
      to have approximately 5 million seropositive individuals, and by the year 2000,
      this number is expected to include 10 million HIV-infected children. Improved
      control over this epidemic can only come through a greater understanding of the
      specifics of the disease and, eventually, the introduction of more effective and
      innovative health promotion campaigns targeted at medical personnel, traditional
      healers, families, and persons with AIDS. Comprehensive health promotion
      campaigns, carefully using mass media strategies in addition to more community
      based programs, all operating under "decentralized" AIDS control programs, are
      reasoned to be the most efficacious approach that African and other developing
      countries can use to successfully contain the AIDS/HIV epidemic. Given the
      reality of the following factors: Pattern II (ie, transmission of AIDS via
      heterosexual sexual activity) is the main mode of HIV transmission in Africa, the
      traditional dominant roles males have in sexual relations, and the positive
      relationship between sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS, health promotion
      campaigns must focus specifically on addressing at-risk culturally related sexual
      values and behaviors in African communities. Failure to address these and other
      related factors will certainly lead to an escalation of the AIDS/HIV epidemic in
      Africa and, therefore, concomitant devastation in the human and societal realms
      of the region.

PMID- 1404474
TI  - Amelioration of nephrotoxicity associated with synthetic oxygen transport media.
AB  - Use of synthetic oxygen transport media offers the potential advantages of
      reducing requirements for coadministration of blood products and oxygen at the
      scene of mass casualty situations. Previous studies have shown perfusions of
      isolated kidneys with stroma-free hemoglobin (SFH) to be physiological while
      those with Fluosol-DA (20% FDA) have been associated with low glomerular
      filtration rate, urinary flow rate, and fractional reabsorption of sodium and
      potassium (FrNa+ and FrK+). In the present studies, perfusions with SFH/FDA
      mixtures showed normal glomerular filtration rate, a 50% lower urinary flow rate,
      and FrNa+ values 3% to 5% higher than SFH controls. Compared with 20% FDA
      perfusions, nephrotoxic effects of SFH/FDA combinations were moderate. Compared
      with SFH/FDA mixtures, perfusion with 20% FDA showed lower urinary flow and
      glomerular filtration rates. Ultrastructural assessment of glomerular filter
      revealed that FDA emulsion particles were adherent to epithelial podocytes. We
      conclude that resuscitation with a mixture of SFH and FDA may ameliorate the
      previously reported nephrotoxicity associated with the use of FDA alone.

PMID- 1404475
TI  - A prognostic role for ceruloplasmin in the diagnosis of indolent and recurrent
      inflammation.
AB  - Ceruloplasmin is increased in infections, inflammatory diseases, and neoplastic
      diseases and may be scarcely visible to the naked eye because it imparts a faint
      green color to the serum. This poses an interesting question as to a possible
      prognostic role for ceruloplasmin in the diagnosis of persistent or recurrent
      infection. The clinical course of 50 patients with tainted serum was reviewed
      retrospectively and ceruloplasmin levels correlated with diagnosis and outcome.
      Group I consisted of 20 healthy controls with normal ceruloplasmin levels: 35.1
      +/- 2.0 mg/dL (range 25 to 45 mg/dL). Group II was made up of 23 surgical
      patients; 10 of these patients had elevated levels of ceruloplasmin, nine of whom
      had significant infections (64.2 +/- 3.2 mg/dL), and one patient was on estrogen
      (73.7 mg/dL). Group III consisted of 27 medical patients; 25 of these patients
      had elevated levels of ceruloplasmin, 20 of whom had infections (54.1 +/- 2.6
      mg/dL), and five had malignancies (61.0 +/- 3.0 mg/dL). Ceruloplasmin levels were
      consistently elevated in all patients with infections relative to controls (P
      less than .001) with a variable response in other disease states. Therefore,
      ceruloplasmin may be useful as a serum marker for indolent or recurrent
      infections.

PMID- 1404476
TI  - Civilian field surgery in the rural trauma setting: a proposal for providing
      optimal care.
AB  - Rural trauma presents unique problems for surgical care. While military surgeons
      are prepared to provide care at or near the scene of battle, civilian literature
      is devoid of reports for care provided by surgeons at sites of injury
      occurrences. Although these injuries are infrequent, they are more likely to
      occur in rural trauma settings. This article describes two cases of extremity
      injury that required amputation at the scene and presents a proposal for swift
      mobilization of appropriately trained surgeons to the scene with adequate
      instrumentation and lighting, which can significantly reduce the morbidity and
      mortality of these victims.

PMID- 1404477
TI  - Characteristics of high-risk adolescent outpatients with treponemal antibody.
AB  - This study analyzes variables associated with syphilis infection among
      adolescents attending a public medical clinic in the District of Columbia. All
      adolescent clinic patients found to have Treponema pallidum antibody from June 1,
      1989 through June 1, 1990 were included in the study. Medical records were
      reviewed for the following data: age, sex, presence or absence of court
      jurisdiction over the patient, chief complaint, concurrent infections, and the
      clinical stage of syphilis. The study population included 52 patients. The
      results revealed that male patients carry a higher risk of remaining undetected
      because only one third acknowledged any complaints prior to examination. This
      cohort study illustrates the predilection of syphilis for the indigent and
      underserved. Moreover, it highlights that insidious disease in adolescents is
      often unsuspected and undetected until routine screening tests are performed.

PMID- 1404478
TI  - Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for radiolucent stones.
AB  - Eleven patients with radiolucent urinary calculi were treated with shock wave
      lithotripsy. Nine of these patients experienced successful fragmentation of their
      stones and subsequent spontaneous passage of the calculi fragments. The majority
      of the stones were composed of uric acid alone or a mixture of uric acid and
      calcium oxalate. One stone with metabolites of triamterene also fragmented well.
      Uric acid calculi can be treated successfully with shock wave lithotripsy using
      adequate visualization by contrast injection.

PMID- 1404479
TI  - Risk factors for neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
AB  - Neuroleptic malignant syndrome, a rare and potentially fatal complication of
      antipsychotic drugs, is poorly understood. Equally poorly understood are the risk
      factors of neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Long-term and parenteral treatment
      with high doses of neuroleptic drugs are implicated as risk factors for the
      syndrome. Recently, attention has been drawn to the frequency of neuroleptic
      malignant syndrome in patients treated with a combination of haloperidol and
      lithium. This article reports a case in which the patient's risk factors for
      neuroleptic malignant syndrome included not only haloperidol and lithium but also
      a predisposition to substances of abuse.

PMID- 1404480
TI  - Prevalence of Lyme disease infection in Oklahoma.
AB  - Even though Lyme disease probably existed in Oklahoma prior to 1975 when the
      disease was first reported in Connecticut and even though ecological conditions
      favor a high prevalence, an unexpectedly low rate was evidenced in both a
      serological survey and the number of cases reported to the Oklahoma State
      Department of Health. Lyme disease does not appear to pose a significant public
      health threat in Oklahoma at the present time; however, the the presence of all
      the necessary factors for transmission and the rapidly increasing number of cases
      reported in nearby areas merits continued surveillance in this state. The need
      for consistent case definition is discussed.

PMID- 1404481
TI  - Mortality in the slave and white populations of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana,
      1850.
AB  - A review of mortality from the 1850 census mortality schedules of Natchitoches
      Parish, Louisiana has provided a snapshot of the health conditions of African
      American slaves. The cause of death was abstracted from the mortality schedule
      and categorized according to the ninth revision of the Manual of the
      International Classification of Diseases. Children under the age of 9 accounted
      for 44% of the total mortality. Sixty-four percent of all deaths recorded
      occurred in the slave population. Sixty-two percent of the slave deaths occurred
      in the male population. Leading causes of death were helminthiasis, whooping
      cough, fever, cholera, and pneumonia. Reports of mortality due to Cachexia
      Africana (dirt eating) among slaves are discussed.

PMID- 1404482
TI  - Reevaluation of dioxin bioconcentration and bioaccumulation factors for
      regulatory purposes.
AB  - Bioconcentration factors (BCF) or bioaccumulation factors (BAF) reported for
      2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD or dioxin) in aquatic environments
      encompass a wide range of values, from less than 1000 to 189,000 l/kg. These
      values are based on concentrations of TCDD in various environmental media
      including water, sediment, or food. Under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
      and its enabling regulations (40 CFR 100-140, 400-470), point source discharge
      limits are established so that the nominal receiving water concentration will not
      exceed the water quality criterion. To be consistent with this regulatory
      process, the water quality criterion should also be calculated using an
      accumulation factor that is based on a nominal water concentration. The
      regulatory process for developing a water quality criterion for TCDD requires the
      selection of a BAF that describes the relationship between the source to be
      regulated and the fish tissue concentration.

PMID- 1404483
TI  - In vitro embryotoxicity of petroleum creosote monitored via mouse preimplantation
      embryo culture.
AB  - A mouse preimplantation embryo culture system was utilized to characterize the in
      vitro embryotoxicity of petroleum creosote (PC), a complex mixture of aliphatic
      and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. ICR mouse embryos, collected on d 3.5 of
      gestation (blastocyst stage), were exposed for 1 h to varying concentrations of
      petroleum creosote in serum-supplemented culture medium. Parallel embryo cultures
      were exposed to PC in medium supplemented with rodent hepatic S9 microsomal
      fractions to monitor the role of bioactivation in PC-induced embryotoxicity.
      Embryos were subsequently cultured in control medium for 72 h and observed for
      viability as well as specific, time-dependent developmental end points--hatching
      and attachment to the culture dish at 48 h, and trophoblastic outgrowth with a
      distinct inner cell mass at 72 h. Embryonic viability varied in inverse
      proportion to PC concentration. Petroleum creosote caused embryolethal effects at
      concentrations of 33 micrograms/ml of culture medium and 54 micrograms/ml.
      Embryotoxicity was not observed at 22 micrograms/ml. Culture supplementation with
      rodent hepatic S9 fractions did not modify, either qualitatively or
      quantitatively, the embryotoxicity of PC in vitro. These findings implicate PC as
      a prenatal toxicant and support environmental and human health concerns regarding
      PC exposure from PC-containing chemical waste sites.

PMID- 1404484
TI  - Performance of an aquatic multispecies system in evaluating the effects of a
      model microbial pest control agent on nontarget organisms.
AB  - A recirculating multispecies test system was developed in conjunction with a
      study of the fate and persistence of a model microbial pest control agent on non
      target marine and freshwater organisms. The basic unit of the system was a 113-I
      glass aquarium with vertical biological filters in the center of the aquarium,
      such that two compartments were formed. This allowed the sequestration of
      predator and prey species within the same system. Organisms from six phyletic
      groups were subjected to a genetically altered strain of Pseudomonas putida for
      15-29 d in either artificial seawater or fresh water. The system was able to
      maintain the animals for these periods with a minimum of maintenance.
      Additionally, the system design lent itself to disinfection, dismantling, and
      rebuilding between experiments with a minimum of labor, and has potential for
      longer-term studies.

PMID- 1404485
TI  - Procedure for evaluating changes in respiratory symptoms of experimentally asthma
      induced guinea pigs by a personal computer.
AB  - An automated system was developed for evaluating changes in respiratory symptoms
      in guinea pigs over a long period with a personal computer. The data on breathing
      curves obtained with a body plethysmograph were analyzed to determine respiratory
      rate, expiration/inspiration ratio, ventilation ratio, and other parameters. With
      this system, respiratory changes in guinea pigs, such as increase or decrease of
      respiratory rate, expiration/inspiration ratio, and ventilation ratio, and death
      of animals could be easily observed. Investigation of delayed respiratory
      response to Candida albicans in sensitized guinea pigs and of the effects of SO2
      or NO2 exposures on its response was carried out using this system. Respiratory
      changes in delayed respiratory response were mostly increased respiration rate
      and succeeding expiratory prolongation being noted just before death. In the
      influences of SO2 or NO2 exposure on delayed respiratory response, increase of
      respiratory rate in NO2 and expiratory and inspiratory prolongation in SO2 were
      found. This system should prove useful for evaluating changes in respiratory
      symptoms due to toxic agents, medicines, and air pollutants in small animals.

PMID- 1404487
TI  - Acute toxicity, distribution, and metabolism of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (picric
      acid) in Fischer 344 rats.
AB  - Picric acid (2,4,6-trinitrophenol) is widely used in industry, by the military,
      and as a research/clinical chemistry reagent. Characterization of the toxicity of
      this chemical has been limited. Thus the acute toxicity, distribution, and
      metabolism of picric acid were investigated using Fischer 344 rats. The LD50 for
      picric acid following oral dosing of male and female rats was established as 290
      and 200 mg/kg, respectively. Blood gas analysis indicated severe acidosis during
      acute intoxication. Metabolism of picric acid was limited to reduction of nitro
      groups to amines. Metabolites isolated from urine included N-acetylisopicramic
      acid (14.8%), picramic acid (18.5%), N-acetylpicramic acid (4.7%), and
      unidentified components (2.4%). Approximately 60% of the parent picric acid was
      excreted unchanged. The plasma half-life for picric acid was 13.4 h with a gut
      absorption coefficient (ka) of 0.069 h-1. Twenty-four hours following oral
      administration of [14C]picric acid (100 mg/kg), the primary depots of
      radioactivity (per gram tissue basis) were blood, spleen, kidney, liver, lung,
      and testes. Respective tissue/blood ratios were 0.37, 0.31, 0.28, 0.26, and 0.22.
      All other tissue assayed had partition ratios < 0.20, with brain and adipose
      tissue having the least amount of radioactivity. Tissue/blood ratios were
      essentially maintained over a 48-h postadministration period. Binding (in vitro)
      of [14C]picric acid to plasma proteins (whole blood preparations) demonstrated
      both high- and low-affinity binding sites, with dissociation constants of 3.18 x
      10(-6) and 2.85 x 10(-4) M, respectively. The findings of this investigation
      provide information on the acute toxicity, metabolism, and distribution of picric
      acid, which can be used in risk assessment analyses and in the design of
      subchronic and chronic toxicity tests.

PMID- 1404486
TI  - Selected pesticide residues and metabolites in urine from a survey of the U.S.
      general population.
AB  - Residues of toxic chemicals in human tissues and fluids can be important
      indicators of exposure. Urine collected from a subsample of the second National
      Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was analyzed for organochlorine,
      organophosphorus, and chlorophenoxy pesticides or their metabolites. Urine
      concentration was also measured. The most frequently occurring residue in urine
      was pentachlorophenol (PCP), found in quantifiable concentrations in 71.6% of the
      general population with an estimated geometric mean level of 6.3 ng/ml. Percent
      quantifiable levels of PCP were found to be highest among males. Quantifiable
      concentrations of 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (5.8%), 2,4,5-trichlorophenol
      (3.4%), para-nitrophenol (2.4%), dicamba (1.4%), malathion dicarboxylic acid
      (0.5%), malathion alpha-monocarboxylic acid (1.1%), and 2,4-D (0.3%) were found,
      but at much lower frequencies. No quantifiable levels of 2,4,5-T or silvex were
      found. Preliminary analyses showed an apparent relationship between residue
      concentration and two measures of urine concentration (osmolality and
      creatinine). A large segment of the general population of the United States
      experienced exposure to certain pesticides, including some considered
      biodegradable, during the years 1976-1980.

PMID- 1404489
TI  - Ovine urinary metabolites of ethoxyquin.
AB  - Metabolites of ethoxyquin (EQ, 1,2-dihydro-6-ethoxy-2,2,4-trimethylquinoline) in
      the urine of sheep and rats were separated and identified by gas chromatography
      mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Sheep were given diets containing EQ or EQ.HCl (0.5%
      of total diet) and urine samples were collected for the first 24 h and for
      another 24-h period after 12 d of feeding. Rats were given EQ/corn oil (0.08 g
      EQ/d/rat) orally for 7 d and urine samples were collected at ambient temperature
      for a 24-h period following 6 d of dosing. The urine samples were extracted with
      ethyl acetate at pH 5, and the concentrated extracts were analyzed by GC-MS.
      Ethoxyquin was identified in all sheep urine samples collected during the first
      24 h of feeding, and EQ and hydroxylated EQ were identified in all urine samples
      collected after 12 d of feeding. In contrast, EQ, hydroxylated EQ, and
      dihydroxylated EQ were identified in urine collected from rats fed EQ for 7 d.

PMID- 1404488
TI  - Investigations in the use of mice exposed to mycotoxins as a model for growing
      pigs.
AB  - A series of experiments was conducted to determine the feasibility of using mice
      to screen for possible dietary mycotoxin interactions before testing them with
      swine. Selected mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON) and T-2 toxin, were fed to young
      mice, alone and in combination. The severity of effects on body weights caused by
      DON (0-20 mg DON/kg diet) was more pronounced in a dose-related manner when the
      animals were exposed to contaminated diets starting at 21 d of age than at 28 d
      (Experiment 1) as reflected in the analysis of variance. The relative variance
      among diets after 7 d was twice as great for the younger than for the older mice.
      In both age groups, the weight gain response was linear, similar to that seen in
      growing swine. In Experiment 2, a significant (p < .05) diet type x DON
      interaction for food consumption evident after 7 d, indicated that the effect of
      DON depended on the type of diet (freeze-dried vs. regular mash). There was no
      difference in food efficiency between diet type, but a strong dose-dependent
      effect due to DON was observed. When DON and T-2 toxin were fed together to young
      mice, a significant (p < .001) linear decrease in weight gain and food
      consumption was observed after 7 d on the contaminated diet as the toxin
      concentration increased.

PMID- 1404490
TI  - Interaction of multiple nuclear proteins with the promoter region of the mouse 68
      kDa neurofilament gene.
AB  - Four brain-specific, DNase I hypersensitive sites (HSS) have been mapped to the
      5' flanking region of the mouse 68-kDa neurofilament gene. These sites are
      contained within a 1.7-kb sequence that confers neuronal specificity of
      expression of this gene in transgenic mice. To identify DNA sequences that might
      be involved in gene regulation, the HSS situated near the promoter region has
      been analyzed by gel mobility shift assays and DNase I footprinting to
      investigate protein binding sequences. Of particular interest are two footprints
      localized to a 9-nucleotide sequence that flanks both the light and medium
      neurofilament gene in mouse and to a sequence that demonstrates partial homology
      to several promoter regions, including element-1, a motif required for neuron
      specificity in Drosophila. A prominent footprint was also detected at a sequence
      that contains a near-perfect palindrome centered at a PstI restriction site.

PMID- 1404491
TI  - Molecular cloning of a novel mRNA using an antibody directed against synaptic
      glycoproteins.
AB  - It has been suggested by a number of investigators that glycoproteins may play a
      role in the development and/or maintenance of synapses in the mammalian CNS. For
      many synaptic glycoproteins, however, little precise structural or functional
      information is available. In an effort to isolate probes specific to individual
      glycoproteins, we have screened a rat brain cDNA expression library with a mixed
      polyclonal antibody directed against concanavalin A-binding synaptic junctional
      glycoproteins. Using this approach, we have previously reported the cloning of
      SC1, a putative extracellular matrix glycoprotein found in adult brain (Johnston
      et al., Neuron 2:165-176, 1990). We now report the cloning and characterization
      of a second novel cDNA, which has been designated SC2. Northern blots show that
      this cDNA recognizes a 1.2-kb mRNA that is present throughout postnatal
      development in the rat. It is expressed at high levels in brain and is also found
      at lower levels in several other tissues. In situ hybridization suggests that the
      SC2 mRNA is strongly expressed by many types of neurons. Sequence data reveals a
      single open reading frame in the cDNA, encoding a putative hydrophobic protein
      with a calculated molecular weight of 36.1 kDa. Sequence analysis reveals some
      similarity between SC2 and 5 alpha-reductase, a microsomal membrane protein
      important in testosterone metabolism.

PMID- 1404493
TI  - Immunohistochemical and biochemical analysis of N-cadherin expression during CNS
      development.
AB  - The expression of the calcium-dependent adhesion molecule N-cadherin during chick
      embryo central nervous system (CNS) development was examined by
      immunohistochemistry and electrophoresis and immunoblotting. During histogenesis,
      N-cadherin is expressed at high levels in a uniform fashion in many regions of
      the CNS. However, during later stages of development, expression becomes
      restricted to the ependymal cells lining the ventricular system and in the
      choroid plexus. This down-regulation was confirmed by both immunohistochemical
      and biochemical techniques. The program of expression lags behind in the
      cerebellum in concert with the delayed development of this region of the brain. A
      high level of N-cadherin was found to be expressed in the brainstem and spinal
      cord floorplate, while a low level was detected at the optic nerve head. The
      results indicate that while, in general, the program of N-cadherin expression is
      similar in the retina and the brain, certain structures unique to the eye and
      brain express locally high or low levels of this adhesion protein.

PMID- 1404492
TI  - Analysis of promoter activity and 5' genomic structure of the neural cell
      adhesion molecule L1.
AB  - To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of
      expression of the neural cell adhesion molecule L1 and into the exon-intron
      structure of the L1 gene, a genomic clone from the mouse was characterized. The
      clone was identified by screening an EMBL3 library with an L1-specific cDNA probe
      and comprises approximately 15 kb, in which the first 2,206 nucleotides of the
      coding region are included. Of the 5 of 6 immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains
      sequenced, all are encoded by 2 exons, with the first exon being smaller than the
      second. The exon encoding the signal peptide is separated from a mini-exon
      containing 15 bp by a large intron, approximately 2.6 kb in length, whereas the
      other introns are smaller, with the coding information for the Ig-like domains 3
      5 clustered in a 1,643-bp-long fragment with introns only 110-217 bp in length.
      The 5' upstream region of the clone comprises 5 kb, with the first 112 bp lying
      upstream to the coding sequence and containing a start site for transcription. No
      consensus sequence for a TATA box was found. Consensus DNA sequences for the
      binding of the gene products of Hox 1.3, engrailed and bicoid, are localized
      upstream to the transcription start site. A 1,262-bp fragment containing part of
      the first exon showed promoter activity in neuroblastoma cells, but hardly in L
      cells and not in CHO cells, indicating that this fragment is sufficient for
      neural cell directed promoter activity.

PMID- 1404494
TI  - Secretion of apolipoprotein E by an astrocytoma cell line.
AB  - Apolipoprotein (apo) E is a predominant protein in developing mammalian brain and
      in damaged peripheral nerve. Of particular interest is the observation that
      astrocytes in the central nervous system cease to produce apoE after nerve
      damage, whereas an increase in apoE production results after peripheral nerve
      injury. Differences in the response to injury with regard to the production of
      apoE may be related to dissimilarities in the abilities of the central and
      peripheral nervous systems to regenerate. As there are few data concerning the
      regulation of apoE gene expression in extrahepatic tissues, we employed a human
      astrocytoma cell line (CCF-STTG1) as a model to study apoE production in
      astrocytes. CCF-STTG1 cells secreted apoE constitutively in serum-free media.
      Cholesterol added to the media as cholesterol:phospholipid liposomes (2-100
      micrograms/ml) or as human plasma LDL increased the amount of apoE secreted into
      the media, but had little or no effect on the relative abundance of apoE mRNA. By
      contrast, the commercially available triglyceride-phospholipid emulsion
      Intralipid added at dilutions of 1:50 to 1:500 caused a total inhibition of apoE
      secretion by the cells, but again, little change was noted in the relative
      abundance of apoE mRNA. Insulin (5 micrograms/ml) caused a 45-55% reduction in
      the amount of apoE secreted by the astrocytoma cells. Glucagon (5 micrograms/ml),
      on the other hand, did not increase apoE secretion, and apoE mRNA concentrations
      were not affected by either hormone treatment. ApoE was secreted from the
      astrocytoma cells associated with particles of plasma VLDL to IDL and HDL size.
      After feeding the cells with 20 micrograms/ml cholesterol as
      cholesterol:phospholipid liposomes, an increased proportion of apoE was secreted
      associated with the larger VLDL to IDL size particles, with a concomitant
      decrease in the proportion associated with the smaller HDL-size particles. When
      cells were incubated with 5 micrograms/ml insulin, most of the apoE was
      associated with the HDL-size particles. When cholesterol:phospholipid liposomes
      were added in the presence of insulin virtually all of the secreted apoE was
      found associated with the VLDL to IDL size particles. In summary, the regulation
      of apoE production in CCF-STTG1 cells in many respects resembles that of other
      cells, including hepatocytes. However, it is clear that there remain to be
      identified cell specific factors which regulate apoE production in astrocytes.
      The CCF-STTG1 cell line promises to provide a suitable model to investigate these
      questions.

PMID- 1404495
TI  - Advances in the use of the fluorescent probe fura-2 for the estimation of
      intrasynaptosomal calcium.
AB  - Fura-2 has been used to measure intracellular Ca2+ with great success in a
      variety of cell and subcellular preparations, including synaptosomes. There is,
      however, a great deal of variability in the reported estimates of resting
      intrasynaptosomal Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i). Fura-2 AM is highly lipophilic and passes
      readily across the plasma membrane into the cytoplasm, where it is de-esterified
      and trapped. The lipophilicity of fura-2, however, promotes the formation of
      micelles in aqueous media, which may impede the passage of the probe across cell
      membranes. Our results suggest that some of the variability in the reported
      [Ca2+]i estimates may be related to fura-2 de-esterification and loading
      efficiencies. The use of the nonionic detergent pluronic F-127 is recommended to
      prevent the formation of fura-2 micelles. The use of a detergent is not always an
      acceptable practice, however, especially in studies in which detergent-lipid
      interactions may influence membrane parameters. We found that fatty acid free
      bovine serum albumin (BSA) (0.25%) greatly increases the intrasynaptosomal
      concentration of the probe, resulting in a significant increase in the signal-to
      noise (S/N) ratio. The mechanism appears to be independent of effects of BSA on
      synaptosomal integrity and directly related to the prevention of fura-2 micelle
      formation, as evidenced by light spectroscopic scattering measurements. Thus, BSA
      appears to keep the probe in a form that crosses the synaptic plasma membrane
      more readily. The effectiveness of BSA in improving the loading of fura-2 into
      synaptosomes was comparable to the detergent pluronic F-127, making it possible
      to measure [Ca2+]i without compromising membrane integrity.

PMID- 1404496
TI  - Laminin and its neurite outgrowth-promoting domain in the brain in Alzheimer's
      disease and Down's syndrome patients.
AB  - Immunocytochemistry, radioimmunoassay, immunoblotting, Northern analysis, and
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique were applied to investigate the
      distribution of laminin and its neurite outgrowth domain in brains of
      neuropathologically verified cases of Alzheimer's disease and Down's syndrome.
      New antibodies against a neurite outgrowth domain of laminin were characterized
      and were used in localization of this peptide antigen in the human brain. Laminin
      was found as large punctate deposits in all plaques in the affected brains.
      Laminin synthesis was increased as assessed by RNA blotting and immunoblotting,
      and glial cells were heavily immunoreactive with antibodies for a neurite
      outgrowth-promoting peptide antigen of the B2 chain of laminin. This peptide
      antigen not only was produced by glial cells but also was deposited in the brain
      tissue. As this peptide antigen promotes neurite outgrowth at low concentrations,
      and is specifically neurotoxic at high concentrations, it may play a synergistic
      role with other molecules in inducing the sprouting and neurodegeneration
      occurring in brains of patients with either Alzheimer's disease or Down's
      syndrome.

PMID- 1404497
TI  - Morphological differentiation and proteoglycan synthesis regulate Alzheimer
      amyloid precursor protein processing in PC-12 and human astrocyte cultures.
AB  - A morphologically differentiated strain of rat pheochromocytoma (PC-12H)
      metabolically labeled with [35S]methionine and incubated with a phorbol ester
      displayed reduced 140-kDa and increased 15 kDa bands relative to cells incubated
      without phorbol ester after immunoprecipitation with antisera elicited by the C
      terminal peptide of the Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein (APP). These bands
      correspond to glycosylated full length APP and a C-terminal fragment previously
      reported by Anderson et al. (Neurosci. Lett. 120:126-128, 1991) to result from a
      cleavage within the amyloidotic A4 region of APP, which releases a 120 kDa
      extracellular fragment. The 15 kDa fragment, not immunoprecipitated with an
      antisera elicited by the N-terminal portion of A4 amyloid, is nonamyloidogenic.
      Incubation of these cells with p-nitrophenylxyloside, known to inhibit
      proteoglycan formation, also increased this nonamyloidogenic cleavage of APP. In
      contrast to these results, an undifferentiated low passage PC-12-L strain
      constitutively displayed rapid nonamyloidogenic APP cleavage. Incubation of PC-12
      L with phorbol ester did not affect the relative abundance of 140 or 15 kDa
      bands. Growth of PC-12-L with 7 S NGF or dibutyryl cAMP resulted in increased
      morphological differentiation and decreased APP cleavage which was now phorbol
      inducible. Similar analyses of dividing and senescent human astrocytes and normal
      and F-AD fibroblasts indicate 5-fold lower rates of mid-A4 APP cleavage. Phorbol
      esters decreased the 140 kDa APP band without affecting the intensity of the 15
      kDa band in these cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1404498
TI  - Effect of a discrete dorsal forebrain lesion in the rat on the expression of
      neuronal and glial-specific genes: induction of calmodulin, NF-L, SC1, and GFAP
      mRNA.
AB  - The influence of a localized tissue injury on the expression of genes encoding
      specific neuronal and glial proteins was examined using in situ hybridization. A
      pronounced induction of neuron-specific calmodulin (CaM) mRNA was evident within
      cells proximal to the wound site by 2 hours following a cortical lesion in rats.
      By 12 hours postlesion, intense signal corresponding to CaM mRNA was found to
      extend 1 mm from the wound site. Changes in the expression of mRNA encoding two
      additional neuronal proteins, the 68 kilodalton neurofilament protein and the
      extracellular matrix protein, SC1, were also evident at 12 hours following the
      cortical injury. Of the two glial proteins examined, a dramatic elevation in
      levels of mRNA for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was observed at the
      wound site by 12 hours postlesion. This intense labeling corresponding to GFAP
      mRNA was evident in the ipsilateral glial limitans and hippocampus as well as in
      the contralateral glial limitans. In contrast, the pattern of labeling for the
      beta-subunit of the S100 protein did not differ from that of control animals at
      either of the postlesion intervals examined. This study identifies four genes,
      CaM, GFAP, SC1, and NF-L, which are induced following a localized cortical injury
      and which encode mRNA species enriched in specific cell-types in the central
      nervous system.

PMID- 1404499
TI  - Organ injury scaling. III: Chest wall, abdominal vascular, ureter, bladder, and
      urethra.

PMID- 1404501
TI  - Improved outcome with hypotensive resuscitation of uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock
      in a swine model.
AB  - Recent animal studies have shown that aggressive saline infusion may produce
      significant mortality in models of moderately severe (20-30 mL/kg) uncontrolled
      hemorrhage. The postulated mechanism is an increase in hemorrhage that
      accompanies restoration of normal blood pressure. Although aggressive saline
      infusion and restoration of blood pressure appear indicated when hemorrhage is
      potentially lethal (40-45 mL/kg), we hypothesized that the attempt to restore
      blood pressure with aggressive saline infusion would not improve survival. This
      study used a swine model of severe uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock to compare the
      effects of resuscitation to mean pressures of 40 and 80 mm Hg. Twenty-four
      immature swine, each with a surgical steel aortotomy wire in place, were bled
      rapidly from a femoral artery catheter to a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 30 mm
      Hg. The aortotomy wire was then pulled, producing a 4-mm aortic tear and free
      intraperitoneal hemorrhage. When the pulse pressure decreased to 5 mm Hg, saline
      infusion was begun at 6 mL/kg/minute and continued as needed to maintain the
      following endpoints: group I (MAP = 40 mm Hg), group II (MAP = 80 mm Hg), and
      group III (no resuscitation). After a maximum saline infusion of 90 mL/kg, the
      infusate was changed to shed blood at 2 mL/kg/minute. Data were compared using
      analysis of variance and Fisher's exact test. One-hour survival was 87.5%, 37.5%,
      and 12.5% for groups I, II, and III, respectively. Intraperitoneal hemorrhage for
      the three groups was 8.2 mL/kg, 39.9 mL/kg, and 6.7 mL/kg. The amount of saline
      infused was 55.8 mL/kg in group I and 90 mL/kg in group II.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1404500
TI  - A decision analysis of traumatic splenic injuries.
AB  - We created a decision analysis model of the nonsurgical management of traumatic
      splenic injuries to clarify the risk of hospital survival, overwhelming
      postsplenectomy infection (OPSI) deaths, and transfusion-related deaths. We
      reviewed 72 cases of splenic injury at our institution to identify our
      transfusion requirements for successful observation (0.5 units), observation
      failure (1.0 units), and surgical splenic management (1.6 units). Using our model
      and baseline probabilities determined from the literature, we compared the
      nonsurgical management of splenic injuries with immediate laparotomy and found an
      increase in hospital survival with observation, but an over two-fold increase in
      the risk of transfusion-related death. The OPSI deaths were not markedly
      different between the two strategies. Overall, we found decision analysis useful
      in identifying important variables such as the probability of nontherapeutic
      laparotomy death or missed injury, and in clarifying the risk of the nonsurgical
      management of splenic injuries with regard to transfusion-related deaths and OPSI
      deaths.

PMID- 1404502
TI  - Prospective evaluation of preoperative fluid resuscitation in hypotensive
      patients with penetrating truncal injury: a preliminary report.
AB  - Although intravenous (IV) fluid therapy is routinely prescribed for hypotensive
      injury victims, there are concerns that elevating the blood pressure before
      hemorrhage is controlled may be detrimental. This is a preliminary report of an
      ongoing randomized study designed to evaluate the effect fluid resuscitation,
      delayed until surgical intervention, has on the outcome for hypotensive victims
      of penetrating truncal injury. In the first year, 300 consecutive patients with
      gunshot or stab wounds to the trunk who had a systolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg
      or less were entered into the study. Patients were excluded from the outcome
      analysis because of death at the scene or minor injury not requiring surgical
      intervention. The remaining study patients were randomized into (1) an immediate
      resuscitation group (n = 96) for whom IV fluid resuscitation was initiated in the
      ambulance and in the emergency center before surgical intervention, or (2) a
      delayed resuscitation group (n = 81) for whom IV fluid resuscitation was delayed
      until the time of surgical intervention. The two study groups were found to be
      well balanced with respect to anatomic injury severity, pretreatment vital signs,
      survival probability, and preoperative treatment times. There were no significant
      differences in the rate of survival to hospital discharge (immediate
      resuscitation group, 56%; delayed resuscitation group, 69%). There were no
      significant differences in the rate of postoperative complications. Further study
      is necessary to determine if it is advantageous to delay fluid resuscitation
      until surgical intervention.

PMID- 1404503
TI  - Prospective validation of criteria, including age, for safe, nonsurgical
      management of the ruptured spleen.
AB  - One hundred twelve cases of blunt splenic rupture were prospectively entered
      (October 1987-October 1991) into surgical or nonsurgical management groups using
      these criteria for the nonsurgical group: hemodynamic stability+age less than 55
      years+CT scan appearance of grade I, II, or III injury+absence of concomitant
      injuries precluding abdominal assessment+absence of other documented abdominal
      injuries. All ages were included and AAST injury scaling was used. Patients were
      grouped from the trauma room. The surgical treatment group included 66 patients
      (49 splenectomies, 17 splenorraphies). These patients were generally older and
      more severely injured, required more transfused blood, and a longer ICU stay. The
      nonsurgical group included 46 patients with 33 older than 14 years. There were 3
      patients over the age of 55 years inappropriately included in this group, and
      nonsurgical therapy failed in all three. Statistical analysis (chi 2) showed that
      more splenic injuries were observed and more spleens were saved with these
      criteria applied prospectively compared with a previous retrospective series in
      the same institution. Our series had a success rate of 93%, and validates the
      criteria used for safe, nonsurgical management of the ruptured spleen and adds a
      new criterion: a maximum age of 55 years.

PMID- 1404504
TI  - Physician review improves hospital DRG reimbursement in injury.
AB  - This was a prospective study of all DRG reimbursed trauma patients discharged
      during an 11-month period. Initial DRGs were assigned by hospital coding
      specialists (HCS). A surgeon (SURG) subsequently reviewed each chart and assigned
      DRGs to maximize reimbursement. The data for 244 patients were: age = 36.5 years,
      Trauma Score (TS) = 13.8, Injury Severity Score (ISS) = 16.9, and length of stay
      (LOS) = 10.3 days. Total charges for the 244 patients were $4,261,208 with an
      initial HCS projected reimbursement of $1,687,963. The SURG review resulted in a
      total projected reimbursement of $1,956,476, an increase of $268,513 in revenue
      (p less than 0.001). Charges correlated strongly with LOS and ISS. The HCS-coded
      and SURG-coded reimbursements also correlated positively with LOS and ISS, but to
      a lesser extent. The SURG review of DRG assignment improved hospital
      reimbursement for the injured patients. However, this reimbursement fell well
      below hospital billings.

PMID- 1404505
TI  - Coming of age: 1992 presidential address, Western Trauma Association.

PMID- 1404506
TI  - Blunt colonic injury--a multicenter review.
AB  - During the past decade there has been a shift in the management of injuries of
      the colon to primary repair without a protective diverting colostomy.
      Unfortunately, reports concerning this practice contain relatively few patients
      with blunt trauma and it is unclear whether the principles established for
      penetrating injury should be applied in the setting of blunt colon injury. A
      retrospective review of 54,361 major blunt trauma patients admitted to nine
      regional trauma centers from January 1, 1986, through December 31, 1990, was
      conducted. Statistical analysis of the data collected regarding 286 (0.5%) of
      these patients who suffered colonic injury revealed: (1) injury to the colon is
      found in more than 10% of patients undergoing laparotomy following blunt trauma;
      (2) available diagnostic modalities are unreliable in detecting isolated colonic
      pathology; (3) primary repair of full-thickness injuries or resection and
      anastomosis may be safely performed without diversion; (4) gross fecal
      contamination is the strongest contraindication to primary repair. Further, delay
      of surgery, shock, and the timing of antibiotic administration were not
      associated with significantly increased morbidity.

PMID- 1404507
TI  - The clinical utility of computed tomographic scanning and neurologic examination
      in the management of patients with minor head injuries.
AB  - The evaluation and management of patients with minor head injury (MHI: history of
      loss of consciousness or posttraumatic amnesia and a GCS score greater than 12)
      remain controversial. Recommendations vary from routine admission without
      computed tomographic (CT) scanning to mandatory CT scanning and admission to CT
      scanning without admission for selected patients. Previous reports examining this
      issue have included patients with associated non-CNS injuries who confound the
      interpretation of the data and affect outcome. We hypothesized that patients with
      MHI and no other reason for admission with normal neurologic examinations and
      normal CT scans would have a negligible risk of neurologic deterioration
      requiring surgical intervention. To validate this hypothesis we studied 2766
      patients with an isolated MHI admitted to seven trauma centers between January 1,
      1988, and December 31, 1991. There were 1898 male patients and 868 female
      patients; injury was blunt in 99%. A neurologic examination and a CT scan were
      performed on 2166 patients; 933 patients had normal neurologic examinations and
      normal CT scans and none required craniotomy; 1170 patients had normal CT scans
      and none required craniotomy; 2112 patients had normal neurologic examinations
      and 59 required craniotomy. The sensitivity of the CT scan was 100%, with
      positive predictive value of 10%, negative predictive value of 100%, and
      specificity of 51%. The use of CT alone as a diagnostic modality would have saved
      3924 hospital days, including 814 ICU days, and $1,509,012 in hospital charges.
      Based on these data, we believe that CT scanning is essential in the management
      of patients with MHI and that if the neurologic examination is normal and the
      scan is negative patients can be safely discharged from the emergency room.

PMID- 1404508
TI  - Pitfalls in the use of color-flow duplex ultrasound for screening of suspected
      arterial injuries in penetrated extremities.
AB  - We compared color-flow duplex ultrasonographic scanning (CFD) to arteriography in
      67 patients who sustained 75 penetrating injuries to the extremities without
      obvious arterial injury. There were 72 negative and three (4.0%) positive CFD
      studies and no failed attempts. With arteriography as the "gold standard," CFD
      had a specificity of 99% and a sensitivity of 50%, positive and negative
      predictive values of 66% and 97%, and an accuracy of 96%. Small pseudoaneurysms
      were missed in an axillary and an aberrant radial artery, and a genicular artery
      pseudoaneurysm was misread as originating from the popliteal artery. Cautious
      interpretation of negative studies appears warranted, particularly in the axilla
      and in bifurcated arteries. Extremity arteries should be completely imaged to
      rule out aberrant anatomy. Questionable studies should be confirmed
      arteriographically. With these caveats, color-flow duplex scanning may be useful
      for screening extremities with penetrating injuries thought to harbor occult
      arterial injuries.

PMID- 1404509
TI  - The deleterious effects of intraoperative hypotension on outcome in patients with
      severe head injuries.
AB  - Prehospital or admission hypotension doubles the mortality for patients with
      severe head injury (SHI = Glasgow Coma Scale score less than or equal to 8). To
      our knowledge no study to date has determined the effects of intraoperative
      hypotension [IH: systolic blood pressure (SBP) less than 90 mm Hg] on outcome in
      patients with SHI. This study examined 53 patients who had SHI and required early
      surgical intervention (surgery within 72 hours of injury). All patients were
      initially normotensive on arrival. There were 17 patients (32%) who developed IH
      and 36 (68%) who remained normotensive throughout surgery. The mortality rate was
      82% in the IH group and 25% in the normotensive group (p less than 0.001). The
      duration of IH was inversely correlated with Glasgow Outcome Scale using linear
      regression (R = -0.30; p = 0.02). Despite vigorous fluid resuscitation in the IH
      group, additional pharmacologic support was used in only 32%. These data suggest
      that IH is not uncommon after SHI (32%) and that it does have a significant
      effect on patient outcome.

PMID- 1404510
TI  - Impact of minimal injuries on a level I trauma center.
AB  - Overtriage (i.e.; transport of patients with minimal injuries to a trauma center)
      has been accepted as necessary to avoid missing clinically significant injuries.
      We reviewed our experience with 344 patients (ISS less than or equal to 4) who
      were admitted to a level I trauma center during a 2-year period. The trauma team
      was activated for 209 patients (TA), and emergency department referrals accounted
      for 135 (ED). One hundred seventy-three patients (TA = 64%, ED = 36%) met
      American College of Surgeons' Committee on Trauma (ACSCOT) field triage criteria
      (FTC). Mechanism of injury, especially ejection from a motor vehicle, was the
      most frequently utilized FTC indicator. We found no differences between the TA
      and ED groups relative to Trauma Score, Glasgow Coma Scale score, Injury Severity
      Score, length of stay, or ICU days. Mean total costs were higher for the TA group
      than for the ED group. The TA group had a higher nursing acuity level than the ED
      group. Compliance with FTC yields an inherent overtriage of minimally injured
      patients; however, noncompliance with FTC compounds the overtriage rate. Failure
      to comply with FTC is costly, labor intensive, and may represent misuse of the
      trauma system. We propose continual re-education of prehospital personnel,
      increased responsibility of all hospitals in the trauma center catchment area,
      and protocols for "downstaging" trauma resuscitation in minimally injured
      patients.

PMID- 1404511
TI  - Routine pelvic x-ray studies in awake blunt trauma patients: a sensible policy?
AB  - To evaluate the usefulness of routine pelvic x-ray films in the resuscitation of
      blunt trauma victims, 1395 patients were prospectively evaluated over a 13-month
      period. Of these, 810 (58%) were awake with Glasgow Coma Scale scores greater
      than or equal to 13 and were enrolled into the study. A history, with directed
      questions regarding pelvic pain, a clinical examination of the pelvis, and an
      anterior-posterior pelvic x-ray film (APPX) were obtained for each patient.
      Thirty-nine patients (5%) had fractures identified on the x-ray films. Of these
      patients with radiographically identified fractures, 34 (87%) complained of pain
      and had positive results on clinical examination, two (5%) either complained of
      pain or had positive results on examination and three (8%) had neither complaint
      of pain nor positive examination results. Of the 771 patients without fractures
      743 (96%) lacked pain complaints or positive examination results. The likelihood
      of fracture was greatest in patients with complaints of pain and positive
      examination results (65%) followed by patients with either complaint of pain or
      positive examination results (16%). Only three (0.4%) of the 743 patients having
      no complaints of pain and a negative clinical examination had fractures diagnosed
      roentgenographically. These were minor fractures that did not affect the clinical
      course. Total charges incurred to diagnose pelvic fractures in this low-yield
      patient group were $88,028. We conclude that the practice of obtaining a
      screening APPX is not necessary or cost-effective in the management of awake
      blunt trauma patients who do not complain of pain and who have normal pelvic
      physical examination results.

PMID- 1404513
TI  - Analysis of organ procurement failure at an urban trauma center and the impact of
      HIV on organ procurement at a regional transplantation center.
AB  - A 42-month experience with 100 patients with fatal head injuries was analyzed to
      identify areas of organ procurement failure. Thirty-six patients were ineligible
      for organ donation. Reasons for exclusion included advanced age (7), sepsis (16),
      hepatitis (1), systemic illnesses (3), and HIV infection or risk (9).
      Resuscitation failure (17 patients) and late deaths from failed support (16
      patients) left 31 potential donors. Of the 30 families asked to donate, 17
      consented (56.7%). Annual consent rates were 25%, 71%, 75%, and 67%. Efforts to
      improve organ procurement should focus on resuscitation and physiologic support
      of potential donors. To assess the impact of HIV infection or risk on organ
      procurement, a 3-year experience of the regional transplantation center (RTP) was
      reviewed. Of 1,714 referrals to the RTP from 102 hospitals, 1,120 were from
      trauma centers. The incidence of rejection because of HIV risk or infection was
      significantly higher in the trauma center group than in the group from non-trauma
      centers, 17.2% versus 10.2% (p less than 0.004). A similar difference was noted
      between metropolitan and suburban hospitals (p less than 0.0001). Hepatitis risk
      was comparable, 3.9% vs. 3.2%. The risk of HIV infection is emerging as a factor
      limiting organ donation at urban trauma centers.

PMID- 1404512
TI  - Base deficit stratifies mortality and determines therapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the association of base deficit with mortality and other
      factors affecting mortality. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Tertiary care
      center. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive samples of 3791 trauma patients admitted with
      an arterial blood gas sample taken in the first 24 hours. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
      Age, injury mechanism, head injury, shock (systolic blood pressure less than 90
      mm Hg), Revised Trauma Score, TRISS probability of survival Ps, and mortality.
      RESULTS: Most (3038) patients (80.1%) exhibited a base deficit. Base deficit,
      age, injury mechanism, and head injury were associated with mortality using
      logistic regression. Age less than 55 years, no head injury, and a base deficit
      of -15 mmol/L were associated with 25% mortality. Age greater than or equal to 55
      years with no head injury or age less than 55 years with a head injury and a base
      deficit of -8 mmol/L were associated with a 25% mortality. When shock was added
      to the model, all factors remained significant, and base deficit was supplemental
      to blood pressure. Base deficit also added significantly to the Revised Trauma
      Score and TRISS measurements. CONCLUSIONS: The base deficit is an expedient and
      sensitive measure of both the degree and the duration of inadequate perfusion. It
      is useful as a clinical tool and enhances the predictive ability of both the
      Revised Trauma Score and TRISS.

PMID- 1404514
TI  - Associated aortic rupture-pelvic fracture: an alert for orthopedic and general
      surgeons.
AB  - Blunt trauma patients with pelvic fractures have been shown to have a two-fold to
      five-fold increased risk of aortic rupture compared with the overall blunt trauma
      population. A retrospective review was performed to determine whether the
      relationship between aortic rupture and pelvic fracture could be further
      delineated using a pelvic fracture classification based on mechanism of injury.
      Of 4,157 consecutive blunt trauma patients, 371 (8.9%) had pelvic fractures, 34
      (0.8%) had ruptured thoracic aortas and 12 had both injuries. When pelvic
      fractures were classified according to vector of force, 10 of 12 (83%) aortic
      ruptures occurred in patients with an anterior-posterior compression fracture
      pattern, an incidence of aortic rupture eight times greater than that of the
      overall blunt trauma population. There was no increased incidence of aortic
      rupture among patients with any other pelvic fracture pattern. We conclude that
      the previously reported association between aortic rupture and pelvic fracture
      can be further specified to include, predominantly, those patients with an
      anterior-posterior compression fracture pattern.

PMID- 1404516
TI  - Preventable complications and death from multiple organ failure among geriatric
      trauma victims.
AB  - We reviewed 374 consecutive trauma patients over age 65 years to determine (1) if
      the emergency room Trauma Score (TS) could predict mortality, thereby improving
      ICU triage, and (2) the frequency of preventable complications in patients who
      died (n = 31). Fifty-two percent of deaths (n = 16) occurred in patients with TS
      = 15 or 16. Multiple organ failure/sepsis (MOF/S) was the most common cause of
      death overall (42%) and was also the most frequent cause of death in patients
      with a TS = 15-16 (63%). Nonsurvivors in the TS = 15-16 subgroup were older (80.9
      +/- 2.0 vs. 74.9 +/- 0.5 years, p less than 0.02) and had greater ISSs (15.8 +/-
      3.7 vs. 8.0 +/- 0.4, p = 0.001) than survivors. Patients with a TS less than 15
      suffered high overall mortality (45%). Preventable complications contributed to
      mortality in 32% of all deaths and in 62% of MOF/S deaths. Aggressive care to
      prevent avoidable complications may improve survival in elderly trauma victims.

PMID- 1404515
TI  - Percutaneous tracheostomy/gastrostomy in brain-injured patients--a minimally
      invasive alternative.
AB  - Tracheostomy and gastrostomy are frequent adjunctive procedures required in the
      management of patients with severe brain injuries to facilitate
      neurorehabilitation. We therefore evaluated the use of two minimally invasive
      surgical procedures, percutaneous tracheostomy (PT) and percutaneous endoscopic
      gastrostomy (PEG), in 27 patients with severe brain injuries. The mean age was 41
      +/- 4 years, and 23 (85%) were men. All patients were intubated, and 19 (70%)
      required mechanical ventilator support on the day of PT/PEG. The endotracheal
      tubes had been in place for 1 to 21 days (mean, 8.7 +/- 0.8). All patients were
      stable from their acute brain injury; 13 had intracranial pressure (ICP) monitors
      in place. The Seldinger technique, as described by Ciaglia, was employed for PT.
      Following PT, a PEG was inserted by a modification of the Sachs-Vine "push"
      technique. We were uniformly successful in placing these access tubes.
      Complications were minor and not clinically significant. Three of 13 patients
      (23%) with ICP monitors had a transient rise in ICP related to PT and one of
      these patients developed local subcutaneous emphysema. Another patient
      experienced a mild cellulitis at the tracheostomy site. Of note, there were no
      PEG-related complications. In conclusion, PT and PEG are readily learned,
      minimally invasive procedures. In our experience with patients with severe brain
      injuries combined PT/PEG is a uniformly safe alternative to gain long-term access
      to the airway and gut.

PMID- 1404517
TI  - Acute stabilization of the cervical spine by halo/vest application facilitates
      evaluation and treatment of multiple trauma patients.
AB  - The management of acute cervical spine injuries has traditionally used bed-based
      skeletal traction until all non-neurologic injuries have been evaluated. This
      treatment method substantially hinders the ability to transport patients and to
      perform imaging studies and surgical procedures. In contrast, early application
      of a halo/vest apparatus provides immediate cervical stabilization and
      facilitates the diagnostic work-up and treatment of the patients with multiple
      injuries. The records of all 78 patients admitted from February 1988 through June
      1991 who had acute cervical spine fractures, subluxations, or both with a risk of
      instability were reviewed. All patients were treated with halo/vests and no
      patient deteriorated neurologically following halo/vest application. Twenty-nine
      patients (37%) had a total of 55 associated injuries including long bone/pelvic
      fractures in 17, thoracic injuries in 13, closed head injuries in 11, facial
      fractures in 6, noncontiguous spinal fractures in 5, and abdominal injuries in 3.
      The mean injury Severity Score (ISS) was 18 (range, 9-54). While in the
      halo/vest, 43 patients (55%) had a total of 99 diagnostic studies completed and
      46 patients (59%) had a total of 76 surgical procedures performed. There were 35
      neurosurgical procedures on 32 patients and 41 non-neurosurgical surgical
      procedures on 24 patients. Over the past year, 20 of 21 patients (95%) had their
      halo/vest placed in the emergency department. The data demonstrate that many
      diagnostic and surgical procedures need to be performed on patients with unstable
      cervical spine injuries.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1404518
TI  - Nutritional assessment using a pulmonary artery catheter.
AB  - To determine if oxygen consumption (VO2) derived from the Fick equation (FE) can
      be used to determine energy expenditure (EE), 29 paired indirect calorimetry (IC)
      and FE VO2 determinations were obtained. The Weir equation was used to calculate
      EE from the FE VO2 value. There was a strong correlation between the methods (r =
      0.82, p less than 0.001). Mean EE by IC and FE was 2460 +/- 539 and 2372 +/- 787
      kcal/day, respectively, a difference of 88 +/- 467 kcal/day. A single IC
      determination is often used to guide nutrition for several days. To evaluate this
      practice, FE and IC determinations were repeated in 8 patients. There was a 19%
      difference in EE between initial and follow-up IC, which was identical to the
      mean difference between paired FE and IC measurements. FE can be used to estimate
      EE, and is as accurate as using a single IC reading to predict EE on subsequent
      days.

PMID- 1404519
TI  - The disparity between hypothermic coagulopathy and clotting studies.
AB  - Hypothermic patients commonly develop coagulopathy, but the effects of
      hypothermia on coagulation remain unclear because clinical laboratories routinely
      perform clotting tests only at 37 degrees C. Measurements of activated partial
      thromboplastin times (APTT), prothrombin times (PT), and thrombin times (TT) were
      performed on plasma from normothermic and hypothermic rats at a range of
      temperatures (25 degrees-37 degrees C) to assess the effects of hypothermia on
      apparent clotting factor levels and clotting factor activities. In general,
      clotting times were more severely prolonged when test temperatures were
      hypothermic than when body temperatures were hypothermic. Indeed, little to no
      prolongation resulted from body hypothermia alone. These findings reveal the
      observed disparity between clinically evident hypothermic coagulopathy and near
      normal clotting studies. Clotting studies performed at 37 degrees C will not
      confirm hypothermic coagulopathy. These results indicate that the appropriate
      treatment for hypothermia-induced coagulopathy is rewarming rather than
      administration of clotting factors.

PMID- 1404520
TI  - The role of laparoscopy in abdominal trauma.
AB  - Thirty-nine hemodynamically stable trauma patients were evaluated prospectively
      by laparoscopy before planned celiotomy. Laparoscopy was performed using a
      forward-viewing laparoscope connected to two high-resolution video monitors. The
      mechanism of injury was blunt trauma in eight, stab wounds (SWs) in 16, and
      gunshot wounds (GSWs) in 15. Laparoscopy correctly identified the presence of an
      intraperitoneal injury in 26 patients. Six other patients had retroperitoneal
      injuries, five of which were seen on laparoscopy. The remaining seven patients
      had no demonstrable intraperitoneal or retroperitoneal injuries, did not undergo
      celiotomy, and were observed without morbidity. In comparison with findings at
      surgery, laparoscopy identified injuries to the liver in eight of ten, to the
      diaphragm in three of three, to the colon in two of three, to the stomach in
      three of three, to the kidney in one of one, to the spleen in none of three, and
      to the small bowel in none of four patients. Visualization of the spleen was
      achieved in only one patient. The extent of the hemoperitoneum was underestimated
      from the laparoscopic examination in all nine patients with greater than 750 mL
      of peritoneal blood, four of whom had undetected active bleeding. Laparoscopy was
      performed easily in all patients and there were no complications associated with
      its use. In conclusion, the absence of an intra-abdominal injury was correctly
      identified with laparoscopy in 11 patients and laparoscopy may decrease the need
      for celiotomy in selected patients. However, the inability to "run the small
      bowel," visualize the spleen, and evaluate hemorrhage limits the utility of
      laparoscopy in determining which patients with laparoscopically visualized
      injuries will require celiotomy.

PMID- 1404522
TI  - Monoethylglycinexylidide production parallels changes in hepatic blood flow and
      oxygen delivery in lung injury managed with positive end-expiratory pressure.
AB  - Mechanical ventilation with high levels of positive end-expiratory pressure
      (PEEP) decreases hepatic blood flow (HBF) and hepatic oxygen delivery (HO2D).
      Noninvasive methods of detecting decreased HBF might prevent hepatic ischemia and
      dysfunction. Monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX) is a hepatic metabolite of
      lidocaine, used clinically to determine graft function following hepatic
      transplantation. In order to test the hypothesis that MEGX production would be
      affected by changes in hepatic hemodynamics associated with lung injury, 12 dogs
      were instrumented with femoral and pulmonary artery catheters. Splenectomy was
      performed and the portal and hepatic veins cannulated. The hepatic artery and
      portal vein were encircled with flow probes. Lung injury was induced in six
      animals (INJURED group) with oleic acid (0.08 mL/kg) and 10 cm H2O PEEP was added
      to correct subsequent shunt. Levels of MEGX were measured 15 minutes after
      injection of intravenous lidocaine (1 mg/kg). Levels of HBF, HO2D, and MEGX were
      measured at BASELINE, after lung injury (INJURY time point), and after addition
      of PEEP (PEEP time point). CONTROL animals (n = 6) were studied at the same time
      points but without lung injury or PEEP. Hepatic blood flow and hepatic oxygen
      delivery were significantly decreased after lung injury and further decreased
      after PEEP. Levels of MEGX were unchanged in the CONTROL group but were
      significantly reduced by lung injury and PEEP in the INJURED group. Decreased
      MEGX production may be a useful clinical indicator of reduced hepatic flow and
      oxygen supply in critical illness.

PMID- 1404521
TI  - An analysis of the relationship between fluid and sodium administration and
      intracranial pressure after head injury.
AB  - Severe head injury is the leading cause of traumatic death. When a severe head
      injury is combined with hypotension the mortality doubles. The use of
      asanguineous salt solutions to maintain blood pressure, however, may contribute
      to cerebral swelling and intracranial hypertension. For this reason, restrictions
      of fluids (FLD) and sodium (Na) have been advocated. To our knowledge, however,
      there are no clinical data to support this recommendation. We hypothesized that
      in adult patients sustaining severe head injuries (Glasgow Coma Scale score less
      than or equal to 8) with or without associated injuries: (1) FLD balance and
      total Na administered during the initial 72 hours of hospital admission are
      positively and significantly correlated with each other, and (2) total FLD, FLD
      balance, and total Na administration during the initial 72 hours are
      significantly and positively correlated with changes in ICP and adverse outcome.
      We retrospectively studied 40 adult trauma patients with severe head injuries. We
      found a significant correlation between total Na and FLD balance (R2 = 0.54; p
      less than 0.05). However, we found no significant correlation between total FLD
      and maximum ICP (R2 = 0.081), ICP score (R2 = 0.01), or outcome (R2 = 0.066), no
      significant correlation between FLD balance and maximum ICP (R2 = 0.000), ICP
      score (R2 = 0.000), or outcome (R2 = 0.01), and no significant correlation
      between total Na and maximum ICP (R2 = 0.000), ICP score (R2 = 0.001), or outcome
      (R2 = 0.02). We conclude that Na and FLD administration are not independent
      determinants of ICP during the initial 72 hours after brain injury.

PMID- 1404523
TI  - Thalamic hand: a late onset sequela of stroke and its influence on physical
      function after rehabilitation: two cases report.
AB  - Thalamic hemorrhage or infarction is one of the common causes of stroke. People
      who suffer from this type of cerebrovascular disease may develop thalamic
      syndrome which includes sensory disturbance, motor deficit and psychological
      problems. In this report, we introduce two cases of thalamic hemorrhage followed
      up for more than a half year after stroke. Delayed rigidity and choreodystonic
      type of involuntary movement over their paretic hand developed gradually. The
      metacarpophalangeal joints of the affected hand were kept flexed and the proximal
      and distal interphalangeal joints became extended. Thalamic hand is demonstrated
      in the appended pictures. Once the patient develops a thalamic hand, activities
      of daily living will be affected due to poor hand performance despite of high
      motor recovery stage. Early recognition and proper rehabilitation program for the
      patients with thalamic hand are emphasized.

PMID- 1404524
TI  - Traumatic tension pneumocephalus--intracerebral pneumatocele: a case report.
AB  - An 18-year-old Chinese man, suffering from head injury in a motorcycle accident,
      with right traumatic frontal intracerebral hemorrhage and frontal bone fractures,
      underwent emergency craniotomy with evacuation of hematoma at a local out-patient
      clinic and three months later, he suffered from CSF rhinorrhea. Headache, nausea
      and vomiting developed a week prior to admission. Tension pneumocephalus was
      diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) scan and plain skull X-ray. The fistula
      tract of the ethmoid sinus was investigated by radioisotope albumin (RISA)
      cisternography. The patient subsequently underwent emergency craniotomy for
      decompression. During the operation, we found that the intracerebral pneumatocele
      in the right frontal lobe communicated with the ipsilateral ethmoidal sinus,
      through which extracranial air ingressed and CSF egressed. This pneumatocele was
      unroofed and the fistula was temponaded by pericranial muscles and the Gelfomas
      sealed by tissue glue. Finally duraplasty was performed. Follow-up CT scan
      revealed that pneumocephalus subsided and the patient was cured of CSF rhinorrhea
      on discharge. As a surgical emergency, tension pneumocephalus can be successfully
      treated only by early diagnosis and early treatment.

PMID- 1404525
TI  - [Bleeding secondary duodenal diverticulum: a rare late complication following
      nephrolithotomy].
AB  - Secondary duodenal diverticula are due primarily to traction upon that section
      from some other cause such as ulcer, cholecystitis and so forth. It accounts for
      1.6 to 20% of all duodenal diverticula. Numerous reports of gastrointestinal
      hemorrhage from duodenal diverticula have appeared in the literature. But massive
      UGI bleeding due to secondary duodenal diverticulum, caused by nephrolithotomy,
      was a rare late complication. Here we present a case of a 63-year-old male
      patient who underwent a right side nephrolithotomy 10 and 8 years previously,
      then developed massive UGI bleeding suddenly. Pre-operative UGI series and
      gastroscopy showed chronic duodenal ulcer and duodenal diverticulum at second
      section where much blood clot was noted. In time, a successful operation was
      performed. This complication of secondary duodenal diverticulum was rare, so
      consideration regarding management and surgical approach was discussed.

PMID- 1404526
TI  - Intravenous dipyridamole technetium-99m MMI myocardial perfusion scintigraphy for
      detection of coronary artery disease.
AB  - To evaluate the efficacy of stress technetium-99m MMI (N-2-methoxy-2-methyl
      propyl isonitrile) myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (Tc-99m MMI) using
      intravenous dipyridamole for detection of coronary artery disease (CAD), we
      collected 66 cases (53 men, 13 women, aged 40-79 years old) between Sept. 1990
      and Oct. 1991. The cases were divided into two groups: group I involving 44
      patients received coronary arteriography (CAG) examination without previous
      percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or coronary artery bypass
      graft (CABG); group II embracing 22 patients received no CAG examination but all
      were suffering from old myocardial infarction (MI) evidenced by history and
      electrocardiography (ECG). All cases underwent Tc-99m MMI planar and single
      photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) both on intravenous dipyridamole
      stress and separate day rest tests. Of the 44 group I patients receiving both Tc
      99m MMI and CAG, 35 (79.5%) were positive and 7 (16%) were negative by both tests
      and another 2 (4.5%) were positive by CAG only. Of those positive by both tests,
      21 (60%) suffered from identical coronary arterial involvement, including 13 one
      vessel disease, 5 double-vessel disease and 3 triple-vessel disease. Of group II
      patients, 14 suffered from old inferior wall (IW) MI, 6 from old anterior or
      anteroseptal wall (AW) MI, 1 from old lateral wall (LW) MI and another 1 from
      combined old anterior and lateral wall (ALW) MI by ECG. Of the 14 patients with
      IWMI by ECG, all suffered from right coronary artery (RCA) disease but 7 (50%) of
      them from multivessel disease (MVD) by Tc-99m MMI. 5 of the 6 patients with AWMI
      by ECG suffered from left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) disease, but
      3 of them from MVD by Tc-99m MMI. Both patients with LWMI and ALWMI by ECG
      suffered from triple-vessel disease by Tc-99m MMI. The sensitivity of Tc-99m MMI
      in detecting CAD in group I was 95%, the specificity was 100%. The sensitivity
      for detection of individual coronary artery disease in LAD, left circumflex
      coronary artery (LCX) and RCA was 96%, 45% and 89% in this order and the
      respective specificity was 94%, 100% and 88%. In group II the sensitivity was
      95%. The overall sensitivity of intravenous dipyridamole Tc-99m MMI for detection
      of CAD in groups I and II was 95%; specificity was 100% and accuracy was 95%. In
      conclusion, stress Tc-99m MMI using intravenous dipyridamole is a valuable method
      for evaluation and detection of CAD.

PMID- 1404527
TI  - Quantitative measurement of muscle and subcutaneous fat thickness in newborn by
      real-time ultrasonography: a useful method for site and depth evaluation in
      vaccination.
AB  - In order to quantify muscle thickness and choose the appropriate site for
      intramuscular injection of vaccines in neonates, we used ultrasonography to
      measure muscle and subcutaneous fat thickness of anterolateral mid-thigh, upper
      outer quadrant of buttock and middle area of deltoid in fifty full term (group 1)
      and thirty low birth weight (group 2) infants. A Hitachi EUB40 real-time scanner
      and a 5 MHz transducer was used in the study. We delineated the normal
      distribution of muscle and subcutaneous fat thickness in mid-thigh, buttock and
      deltoid areas of full term and low birth weight infants. There was no significant
      difference between male and female infants in the two groups. Muscle and
      subcutaneous fat thickness in the thigh area was 11.8 +/- 1.9 mm and 3.8 +/- 0.4
      mm, respectively, in group 1; 8.6 +/- 1.7 mm and 2.7 +/- 0.5 mm in group 2.
      Figures in the buttock area were 10. 1 +/- 1.5 mm and 3.7 +/- 0.5 mm in group 1,
      6.9 +/- 1.2 mm and 2.7 +/- 0.7 mm in group 2; and in the deltoid area were 5.2 +/
      0.7 mm and 3.4 +/- 1.5 mm in group 1 and 3.8 +/- 0.8 mm and 2.3 +/- 0.6 mm in
      group 2. There was significant logarithmic correlation between muscle thickness
      and body weight (r = 0.6, 0.8, 0.6) and muscle thickness and body length (r =
      0.4, 0.6, 0.6) in thigh, buttock and deltoid areas of the low birth weight
      infants. In contrast, there was significant logarithmic correlation only between
      buttock muscle and body weight (r = 0.5) in the full term infants.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1404528
TI  - Reconstruction of the severely deficient acetabulum with the bipolar prosthesis
      and allo-autograft.
AB  - We reviewed the clinical results and radiographs of four patients who had
      revision of the acetabular component of a failed total hip arthroplasty with a
      bipolar socket supplemented by autoallograft to reconstruct massive bony defect.
      These patients were followed up from twelve to seventeen months. The clinical
      score was assessed by a modified d'Aubigne's rating score that assigned a maximum
      of 18 points. The preoperative clinical score ranged from 1 to 5 points (mean:
      3.25 points). The postoperative score improved to a range of 13-17 points (mean:
      15.25 points). Of the hips examined, nearly all were pain-free. The largest
      possible bipolar cup was used with solid structural allografting augmented by
      morseled cancellous autograft. These have been uniformly trouble-free with
      acetabular reconstitution. Cup migration was minimal or none. The follow-up
      periods were short and some migration is probably to be anticipated in the
      future. Although this technique was originally conceived as part of a staged
      procedure, it seemed as a definitive procedure yielding acceptable results for
      dealing with a severely deficient acetabulum. Larger series and longer periods of
      follow-up are demanded to support this assertion.

PMID- 1404529
TI  - [The management of sinus tracts of dental origin].
AB  - The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of conservative endodontic
      therapy of 86 fistulous cases of dental origin at the Department of Conservative
      Dentistry, Kaohsiung Medical College Hospital. Approximately 60% (52/86)
      endodontically treated teeth, with a minimum recall period of 6 months, were
      evaluated for success or failure. The results are as follows: (1) The overall
      success rate was 82.7% (43/52) fistulous cases. There was no significant
      statistical difference between male and female patients. (2) There was a better
      success rate with cases over a 2-year recall period than with cases under a 2
      year recall period, but there was no significant statistical difference between
      these two groups. (3) Cases with periapical pathosis less than 5 mm in diameter,
      had a better success rate than those with periapical pathosis larger than 5 mm in
      diameter, but there was no significant statistical difference between these two
      groups. (4) There was a 79.1% (34/43) success rate in non-surgically treated
      cases, and a 66.7% success rate (6/9, excluding three successfully retreated
      cases which had been originally treated with a non-surgical technique) in
      surgically treated cases.

PMID- 1404530
TI  - [Histological study of the change of pulp tissue during shedding of the deciduous
      tooth].
AB  - To understand the pulp change of root resorption of human deciduous teeth from a
      histological point of view, one hundred and twenty specimens were collected for
      study. The teeth (caries-free) were extracted for occlusal reason or because they
      exhibited various degrees of mobility and discomfort. The extent of root
      resorption was classified into five grades: Res. i, Res. 1/4, Res. 1/2, Res. 3/4
      and Res. Co., according to Moorrees et al. and Haavikko. All teeth were fixed in
      10% formalin (pH 7.2) immediately after extraction for 3-7 days. They were then
      decalcified for 14 days in 5% formic acid-sodium citrate, sectioned serially at 7
      microns and stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Masson's stain, and silver
      impregnated stain. All sections were examined under a light microscope. The
      results obtained were as follows: 1. While the root was resorbed more than one
      half way, some normal pulp was replaced by the connective tissue as in
      inflammation. Internal resorption could be seen. 2. By the time deciduous root
      resorption was essential as complete, normal pulp tissue was no longer present.
      3. Because the nerve degenerated during initial tooth resorption, there was no
      evidence that deciduous root resorption was under nervous control. 4. The present
      observation suggests that in addition to odontoclasts, several other cells such
      as fibroblast-like cells and macrophages, were actively involved in root
      resorption during the shedding of deciduous teeth.

PMID- 1404532
TI  - A possible role of heat shock proteins in human sperm motility.
AB  - The testicular spermatogenic stem and seminiferous tubular cells selectively
      synthesize heat shock proteins (Hsps) during heat stress. Hsps, synthesized from
      testicular cells and leukocytes, are identical in molecular masses as well as
      chemical properties. In this study, we induced the Hsps from leukocytes and
      investigated their in vitro effects on human sperm motility. Semen samples were
      divided into two parts, washed and unwashed. The whole blood was heated in 43
      degrees C for 15 minutes for induction of Hsps. A trans-membrane migration method
      was used to examine the effect of heated blood plasma on human sperm motility.
      The main heat-induced proteins of leukocytes were detected by 2-D electrophoresis
      and Coomassie blue stain. Leukocytes treated by heat produced a large amount of
      Hsp72 and Hsp80, while only a small amount was observed in that of non-heated
      leukocytes. The heated blood plasma inhibited motility of washed sperm in a
      manner that was dose-dependent. In the presence of seminal plasma fluid, however,
      the inhibitory effects of heated plasma on human sperm motility could not be
      observed. It was concluded that the heat-induced substance(s) from leukocytes,
      which being highly possible the Hsps, interfered the mobility of wash human sperm
      and the inhibition might be antagonized by seminal plasma.

PMID- 1404531
TI  - Types of dementia in Taiwan--a prospective study.
AB  - We prospectively investigated 100 consecutive inpatients with suspected dementia
      to evaluate the relative frequency of various types of dementia in a general
      hospital of Taiwan. Dementia was confirmed in 86 cases (86%) according to the
      dementia criteria of the third revised edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical
      Manual of Mental Disorders and Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (greater than or
      equal to 1). In contrast to the western developed countries, vascular dementia
      (VD) (35%) was the leading type of dementia, followed by Alzheimer's disease (AD)
      (27%), mixed VD and AD (MIX) (14%), and other degenerative diseases (10%). Ten
      cases (11.6%) of potentially treatable dementia were identified and 8 of 10 had
      good improvement after appropriate treatment. There were significant age
      differences among patients with MIX, AD and VD (p less than 0.01). Those with MIX
      were the oldest (72.12 +/- 9.4) followed by AD (69.70 +/- 8.52) and VD (64.81 +/-
      9.12). Males were slightly predominant in this series (male:female = 50:36). A
      comprehensive clinical investigation including laboratory tests,
      electroencephalography and CT are necessary in the assessment of demented
      patients in order to make correct etiological diagnoses which lead to appropriate
      treatment or management of this terrifying syndrome.

PMID- 1404533
TI  - Instrumented laxity test for the evaluation of posterior cruciate ligament
      reconstructed knee.
AB  - By making anterior and posterior drawer tests using "Laxity tester" is an
      objective way to evaluate the resting position of tibia plateau and knee laxity.
      This study followed up 16 cases of PCL reconstructed or pull-out repaired knees
      for an average of two years and seven months. A force of 20 1b was applied to
      evaluate knee laxity at 30 degree and 90 degree knee flexion. From paired t-test,
      the stability of reconstructed knees was not statistically different from that of
      control contralateral normal knees. The functional scores measured by the
      Gillquist scoring system for injured knees after reconstruction were
      satisfactory. Therefore the restabilized PCL deficient knees by the modified
      Clancy method or pull-out repair yielded good evaluation scores. The data of
      contralateral normal knee laxity obtained in this study was used as reference in
      pre-operative and post-operative evaluation of PCL injured knee.

PMID- 1404534
TI  - Intracranial meningioma.
AB  - Eighty-three patients with intracranial meningioma were retrospectively analyzed
      with regard to age, sex, anatomic location, mode of presentation and surgical
      outcome. The ages of the patients ranged from 11 to 77 years. Fifty-five (66%)
      were females and 28 (34%) were males. The peak incidence occurred between 40 and
      49 years. The locations of the meningioma were as follows: 42.2% in the
      convexity, 15.7% in the parasagittal, 12.1% in the tuberculum sellae, 8.4% in the
      sphenoid ridge, and three cases with multiple lesions. Forty-two percent of our
      series were found to have hyperostosis of the skull bone. There were 7 cases with
      cyst formations found through computed tomography (CT). Histological
      classification showed 48.3% to be of meningothelimatous type, while 18.4% were of
      psammomatous type. One of the multiple meningiomas showed two different
      histological types. The degree of perifocal brain edema at CT scan was found to
      be related to the symptoms, the size of the tumor and seizure attack. Fifty-three
      out of 54 patients with episodes of seizures were found to have perifocal brain
      edema, whereas the histological features were less significant. Seventy-one
      tumors were treated by total resection and 16 tumors by subtotal resection.
      Follow-up study from 1 to 7 years showed the rate of recurrence in the total
      resection group to be 11.3%; in the subtotal resection group without radiation
      42.9%, and in the subtotal resection group with radiation 66.7%. The over-all
      recurrence rate was 19.5% in our series.

PMID- 1404535
TI  - [Preparation and characterization of antibodies against Bungarus multicinctus
      venom by liposomes].
AB  - Bungarus multicinctus venom was incorporated into sphingomyelin-cholesterol
      liposomes which were stabilized with osmium tetroxide. The lethal toxicity of B.
      multicinctus venom in osmicated liposomes greatly decreased to 1.03% that of
      crude venom. Rabbits were divided into four groups for immunization. Group A was
      immunized with crude venom, group B and group C with osmicated liposomes, and
      group D with osmicated liposomes followed by the crude venom. Immunization was
      performed in the presence of Freund's adjuvant except for group B. The antibody
      levels during the course of immunization were measured by ELISA and the contents
      of precipitating antibody were determined by quantitative precipitin reactions,
      while that of non-precipitating antibody was determined by affinity
      chromatography. Although the immune response was not increased by incorporating
      lipopolysaccharide immunostimulant, the specific neutralizing capacity of
      purified antibody from the pooled antisera of group D was more potent than that
      of the others. The almost non-toxic osmicated liposomes of B. multicinctus venom
      may be useful immunogens for the production of antiserum for treatment of snake
      bites.

PMID- 1404536
TI  - Central odontogenic fibroma of the mandible--a case report.
AB  - A 32-year-old male was referred to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial
      Surgery, Kaohsiung Medical College Hospital, with the chief complaint of swelling
      in the region of the right mandibular angle. The histopathological examination
      confirmed the diagnosis of central odontogenic fibroma. A surgical enucleation
      with a surrounding bone trimming and an iliac bone graft was performed under
      general anesthesia. A three years follow-up showed good bone regeneration and no
      evidence of local recurrence.

PMID- 1404537
TI  - Splenic rupture as an infectious mononucleosis complication.
AB  - Splenic rupture is a rare yet serious complication associated with an infectious
      mononucleosis, especially in those patients with atypical clinical manifestations
      or those whose presentations are nonspecific or even completely asymptomatic.
      Since the death in these occasions is mostly attributed to acute massive
      hemorrhages, an early diagnosis and treatment is of paramount importance. This
      report illustrates that in infectious mononucleosis, one should be aware of the
      possibility of an unusual clinical presentation and the enlarged spleen may
      rupture spontaneously or by a causal traumatic force. White blood cell counts and
      their differentials at this catastrophic event may not be helpful in diagnosing
      infectious mononucleosis.

PMID- 1404538
TI  - A trial of adenosine for the termination of supraventricular tachycardia in
      infancy: a case report.
AB  - A 40-day-old male infant was admitted due to cough, anorexia and pale face. Rapid
      heart beat was found accidentally by auscultation. Electrocardiograms revealed
      supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) with a heart rate up to 250 beats per minute,
      and an absence of P waves. Intravenous bolus injection of 1 mg adenosine
      terminated the tachycardia, followed by transient complete atrioventricular
      block, then latent Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome with retrograde P waves.
      Adenosine may be a new trial for the termination of SVT, and also is a safe drug
      even in the presence of WPW syndrome.

PMID- 1404539
TI  - Thoracic manifestations of fungal diseases.

PMID- 1404540
TI  - Pathology of common pulmonary fungal infections.
AB  - The incidence of fungal pneumonias has increased dramatically since the 1960s,
      particularly in immunocompromised patients. Fungal infections may be divided into
      endemic and opportunistic varieties. In general, the truly pathogenic (endemic)
      fungi infect healthy individuals, and opportunistic fungi usually infect only
      immunocompromised hosts. Almost all common fungal infections are acquired by
      inhalation of contaminated soil, resulting in pulmonary infections. Once in the
      lungs, the fungi elicit tissue responses ranging from acute exudative reactions
      to granulomatous reactions. The pulmonary lesions may resolve, progress to a
      prolonged chronic course, or disseminate to other organs, resulting in systemic
      infections. The diagnosis of fungal infection depends on the demonstration of the
      organisms by culture or histology; serologic tests may confirm the diagnosis.
      Fungi in tissues can be identified by hematoxylin and eosin stains, but special
      stains such as Gomori's methenamine silver and periodic acid-Schiff reagent are
      often required for diagnosis.

PMID- 1404541
TI  - Clinical manifestations of pulmonary fungal infections.
AB  - Coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and blastomycosis are the
      most common deep pulmonary fungal infections encountered by the clinician. Each
      has a particular environmental habitat. As world travel increases, exposure to
      these infections becomes increasingly more common. The article reviews the
      microbiology, natural history, and clinical and laboratory findings of these
      diseases. Treatment options for these infections also are discussed.

PMID- 1404542
TI  - Pulmonary blastomycosis.
AB  - Pulmonary blastomycosis has a number of chest radiographic manifestations that
      may closely resemble those of tuberculosis, histoplasmosis, and other fungal
      diseases. Radiographic presentations of disease include airspace consolidation,
      nodular opacities, air bronchograms, masslike lesions, and military disease.
      Because the geographic distribution of blastomycosis overlaps that of
      histoplasmosis, distinguishing one from the other on the basis of the
      radiographic features may be difficult. In blastomycosis, the paucity of
      calcifications, lymphadenopathy, and cavitation is striking. The article reviews
      the clinical and radiologic features of blastomycosis and provides illustrative
      cases to enhance understanding of this disease.

PMID- 1404543
TI  - Pulmonary coccidioidomycosis.
AB  - Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal disease endemic in the southwestern desert area of
      the United States. The infection is acquired by inhalation of arthrospores, and
      60% of the infections are asymptomatic. Chest radiographic abnormalities are
      common and may even be seen in asymptomatic cases. In patients with acute
      infection, segmental or lobar consolidation and nodular or patchy pulmonary
      opacities are frequent. Hilar and mediastinal adenopathy may be present in 20% of
      cases, usually with parenchymal findings. A small pleural effusion may occur in
      20% of cases. Approximately 5% of patients with primary disease are left with
      chronic, residual lesions of the lung. These consist of nodules, cavities,
      pneumonia, adenopathy, pleural effusion, fibrosis, bronchiectasis, and
      calcification. Rarely, in about 0.5% of cases, the infection may disseminate to
      any organ. The chest radiograph demonstrates a miliary or reticulonodular pattern
      and mediastinal adenopathy. Overall the disease is benign in nature; but patients
      with severe, progressive pulmonary or disseminated disease often require medical
      and occasionally surgical management.

PMID- 1404544
TI  - Thoracic histoplasmosis.
AB  - Histoplasmosis is a fungal disease that is seen throughout the world. It is the
      most common systemic fungal infection in North America, and it is endemic in the
      Mississippi, Ohio, and St Lawrence River valleys. Its radiographic and clinical
      spectrum ranges from a totally self-limited disease with minimal or no
      radiographic findings to a rapidly progressive, disseminated, and sometimes fatal
      disease. The article discusses the various aspects of thoracic histoplasmosis
      with emphasis on the radiographic findings.

PMID- 1404545
TI  - Pulmonary cryptococcosis.
AB  - Cryptococcus neoformans is a ubiquitous soil fungus that rarely causes pneumonia
      in normal hosts but is a common cause of opportunistic infection. Pulmonary
      disease is initiated by inhalation of the organism, and a spectrum of
      radiographic manifestations can be seen. The most common finding is a poorly
      marginated nodule or mass. Lobar or segmental parenchymal opacities and, less
      commonly, a diffuse scattered nodular or reticulonodular pattern have also been
      observed. Associated adenopathy, pleural effusions, and cavitation are uncommon;
      when present, these are more common in immunocompromised patients. Establishing
      the diagnosis can be difficult, but pulmonary cryptococcosis should be considered
      in the differential diagnosis of patients in the proper clinical setting and with
      compatible radiographic findings.

PMID- 1404546
TI  - The spectrum of pulmonary aspergillosis.
AB  - Aspergillus species can produce a wide range of pulmonary disorders. Classically,
      pulmonary aspergillosis has been categorized into invasive, saprophytic, and
      allergic forms, all of which differ in their manifestations and therapy. More
      recently, however, other types of infection by this fungus have been recognized
      that do not fit into these traditional categories; an example is semi-invasive
      (chronic necrotizing) aspergillosis. In fact, these forms have features that are
      intermediate between those of the invasive and saprophytic types. The various
      types of aspergillosis can be regarded as constituting a continuous spectrum,
      ranging from invasive disease in the severely immunosuppressed patient to
      hypersensitivity reactions such as allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (and
      bronchocentric granulomatosis) in the hyperreactive patient. Between these
      extremes are chronic necrotizing disease seen in midly immunocompromised hosts,
      and the noninvasive aspergilloma, which is due to saprophytic growth within a
      previously diseased area of lung in an otherwise normal host. Other intermediate
      forms may be encountered, their behavior being determined by the host immune
      status in combination with the underlying lung morphology. The radiographic and
      clinical features of these various forms of pulmonary aspergillosis are reviewed,
      including the more recently reported forms of infection such as Aspergillus
      tracheobronchitis and aspergillosis associated with acquired immunodeficiency
      syndrome and cystic fibrosis. The proposed concept of a disease spectrum is
      emphasized.

PMID- 1404547
TI  - Actinomycosis and nocardiosis of the lung.
AB  - Actinomyces and Nocardia species are frequently overlooked pulmonary pathogens
      until their presence is histologically proved. These infections often are not
      considered in the differential diagnosis of lung disease because of the spectrum
      of their presentation, the similarity of their appearance to other granulomatous
      or neoplastic diseases, and coexistence of these infections with other pulmonary
      conditions. Pulmonary actinomycosis is characterized by pulmonary consolidation,
      frequently with cavitation and spread to contiguous tissues without regard for
      normal anatomic barriers. The appearance often is confused with that of
      bronchogenic carcinoma or other granulomatous infections, especially
      tuberculosis. Pulmonary nocardiosis most frequently develops in immunocompromised
      patients, and the incidence of this infection is increasing. The radiographic
      manifestations of nocardiosis are pleomorphic, but early recognition is essential
      to initiate appropriate therapy.

PMID- 1404548
TI  - Pulmonary zygomycosis: a radiographic and clinical spectrum.
AB  - Eight documented cases of pulmonary zygomycosis were analyzed retrospectively
      with regard to radiographic and clinical features. Predisposing factors were
      diabetes mellitus in six cases, lymphoblastic lymphoma in one case, and surgery
      to correct a tracheoesophageal fistula in one case. Two of the patients with
      diabetes had also undergone renal transplantation for diabetic nephropathy and
      were immunosuppressed. The more usual radiographic findings of pulmonary
      zygomycosis represent a spectrum that comprises a normal chest radiograph, a lung
      abscess, subacute or chronic pneumonia that often evolves into a lung abscess,
      and rapidly progressive fatal pneumonia. Awareness of the various presentations
      of pulmonary zygomycosis is important because early diagnosis and appropriate
      therapy clearly have been shown to improve the survival rate of these patients.
      Zygomycosis should be included in the differential diagnosis when patients with
      diabetes mellitus, patients with leukemia or lymphoma, or immunocompromised
      patients present with or develop perplexing pulmonary abnormalities.

PMID- 1404549
TI  - Fungal infections of the chest in infants and children.
AB  - Although fungal infections of the thorax are often asymptomatic in children,
      fungi are capable of producing significant pulmonary and mediastinal disease in
      this population. Young infants and immunocompromised children are at increased
      risk for fungal infections and often develop disseminated disease. Pulmonary
      fungal infections present with a wide variety of findings, many of which are
      nonspecific. The article reviews the clinical and imaging characteristics of the
      more important fungal diseases that affect the thorax of infants and children.

PMID- 1404550
TI  - The use of diarrhoeal management counselling cards for community health volunteer
      training in Indonesia: the HealthCom Project.
AB  - The Indonesian Ministry of Health relies on a network of over a million kader
      (community health volunteers) to bring primary health care to the village level.
      In West Java, the Department of Health's Control of Diarrhoeal Disease (CDD)
      Program recently carried out an extensive research and development effort to
      produce effective job aids for the kader in CDD and a training programme to teach
      their use. A set of counselling cards was produced to provide kader with a tool
      to diagnose and treat diarrhoea and teach the proper use of ORS. Researchers
      conducted a controlled evaluation in which they measured the cards' effectiveness
      through observations of kader performance and interviews with mothers they had
      counselled. In the intervention group, 15 kader underwent two days training in
      the use of the cards when diagnosing and advising treatment for cases of
      diarrhoea in their villages. The 16 control kader received comparable CDD
      training without the cards. Each group provided lists of local mothers they
      pledged to counsel during the coming weeks. Follow-up interviews were held with
      these mothers to test their level of knowledge on CDD and to observe their
      ability to mix ORS properly. Significant performance differences between the
      intervention kader and mothers, and the control kader and mothers, were
      demonstrated. The intervention kader were consistently more accurate in their
      diagnoses and recommendations for treatment with a mean of 83% accuracy vs 68%
      for the control kader. Mothers counselled by the intervention kader also prepared
      ORS significantly better than the mothers counselled by the control kader, with
      97 vs 74% accuracy.

PMID- 1404551
TI  - Influence of socioeconomic factors on the treatment and prevention of malaria in
      pregnant and non-pregnant adolescent girls in Nigeria.
AB  - The influence of socioeconomic factors on the treatment and prevention of malaria
      was investigated in 45 pregnant and a control group of 47 non-pregnant adolescent
      girls in the rural community of Imesi-Ile, Nigeria. The study consisted of focus
      group discussions and a house-to-house survey. During the survey, clinical and
      anthropometric measurements were taken of the girls and they were assisted in
      completing a prepared questionnaire which sought information on their methods of
      treatment and prevention of malaria. The results showed a higher incidence of
      malaria parasitaemia, anaemia and fever episodes in the group of pregnant
      adolescent girls. Both groups of girls use identical methods for the prevention
      of malaria but only a few pregnant girls as compared to non-pregnant girls
      receive modern hospital treatment for malaria. In particular, pregnant unmarried
      girls were less likely to receive antenatal care, to use the local health centres
      for the treatment of malaria and to adopt appropriate measures for the prevention
      of malaria. This trend was not due to aversion to hospital treatment since most
      people in the community prefer modern treatment of malaria to traditional or
      religious methods of treatment. The low utilization of hospital treatment by the
      pregnant girls was found to be due to perceived high cost of treatment at the
      health centres and to lack of privacy. We conclude that a malaria treatment
      service that utilizes modern methods and is both cheap and confidential will be
      preferred by pregnant adolescent girls in Imesi-Ile.

PMID- 1404552
TI  - Enterotoxigenic drug resistant plasmids in animal isolates of Escherichia coli
      and their zoonotic importance.
AB  - A study was undertaken to determine how widely drug resistant enterotoxigenic
      plasmids are distributed among the animal isolates of Escherichia coli, and their
      potential for exchange. Thirty-one strains of E. coli isolated from metritis,
      septicaemia and diarrhoea of animals were tested for the production of
      enterotoxins. Thirteen strains were enterotoxin producers. Five produced heat
      stable enterotoxins (ST), four heat-labile (LT) and four strains produced both
      (LT/ST) types of enterotoxins. Most of the enterotoxin producing E. coli strains
      were isolated from diarrhoeal sources, followed by septicaemia and metritis. Of
      the 13 enterotoxigenic E. coli, nine were resistant to various antibiotics which
      transferred their drug resistance partially or completely into an E. coli K-12
      recipient. Only one strain of serogroup 032, isolated from equine metritis,
      transferred ampicillin, oxytetracycline and doxycycline resistance and heat
      labile enterotoxin biosynthesis determinants en bloc. Plasmid DNA analysis of the
      exconjugants showed the presence of a 41.8 MDa conjugative plasmid. The presence
      of such autotransferable enterotoxin biosynthesis replicons in their unusual
      ecological niches such as metritis and septicaemia suggests the ubiquitous nature
      of enterotoxin genes which perhaps were selected and spread due to the presence
      of genes for drug resistance. The potential of cross-infection of human beings
      from animals and vice versa via such plasmids is discussed.

PMID- 1404553
TI  - Experimental infection of dogs with a Zimbabwean strain of Rickettsia conorii.
AB  - Seroconversion was demonstrated in dogs artificially infected with a Zimbabwean
      strain of Rickettsia conorii. No haematological or biochemical abnormalities were
      found and the only clinical signs observed were pain, erythema and oedema at the
      inoculation site and regional lymphadenopathy. Intermittent rickettsaemia was
      detected using the centrifugation shell vial technique up to 10 days post
      inoculation.

PMID- 1404554
TI  - The laboratory diagnosis of rickettsial diseases in Hong Kong.
AB  - Indirect immunoperoxidase (IP) tests against antigens of Rickettsia typhi, R.
      sibirica and R. tsutsugamushi were carried out on serum samples from 10 patients
      known to have high titres against one or more Proteus OX antigens in the Weil
      Felix (WF) test. The IP test confirmed rickettsial infection in nine of the 10
      patients, giving unequivocal indications of the grouping of the infecting
      Rickettsia species and, in one instance, showing a diagnostic IgM titre in a
      specimen taken on day 3 of the patient's illness. IP tests confirmed four cases
      of spotted fever group rickettsial infection, three cases of urban or murine
      typhus and two of scrub typhus.

PMID- 1404555
TI  - Visceral leishmaniasis with cysticercosis.
AB  - A chest wall nodule in a boy with relapsed proven kala-azar was found to contain
      a cysticercus. In the fibrous wall with lymphohistiocytic aggregates were
      mononuclear phagocytes containing amastigotes of L. donovani.

PMID- 1404556
TI  - Laboratory studies on Yersinia pestis during the 1991 outbreak of plague in
      Lushoto, Tanzania.
AB  - Thirty-one specimens from patients involved in an outbreak of plague were
      cultured. Suspicious isolates were presumptively identified by colonial
      characteristics, simple strains and by API 20E, and confirmed by inoculation into
      white mice. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was also done. The isolation
      rate of Y. pestis was 22.6%. All isolates were uniformly sensitive to
      tetracycline, streptomycin, sulphadimidine and chloramphenicol; moderately
      sensitive to erythromycin, and resistant to trimethoprim. Y. pestis was confirmed
      as a cause of the epidemic and sensitivity of Y. pestis to the four antimicrobial
      agents used was demonstrated. It is recommended that laboratories in zonal
      hospitals serving areas with plague foci should be provided with facilities for
      isolation and preliminary identification of Y. pestis in order to speed up
      diagnosis of plague outbreaks. Confirmation of the identity, biotyping and
      antibiotic susceptibility testing should be undertaken in a well established
      national reference laboratory. This appears to be the first publication on
      bacteriological investigations of human plague in Tanzania.

PMID- 1404557
TI  - Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli as a cause of diarrhoea among children in
      Singapore.
AB  - Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) was isolated from 2.7% of 2983 children
      under 3 years of age with diarrhoea in Singapore. Of the nine serotypes
      identified, the most common were 0126:K71(B16), 086:K61(B7) and 0127:K63(B8).
      Infants were at the greatest risk of contracting gastroenteritis due to EPEC, and
      female children were slightly more susceptible than males. Antimicrobial
      susceptibility tests showed that the EPEC strains were generally resistant to
      ampicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline and triple sulpha, but highly sensitive to
      ceftriaxone and gentamicin.

PMID- 1404558
TI  - Caesarean sections in developing and developed countries.
AB  - A clinical study of 1086 cases of caesareans done in the period 1987-1991 in a
      rural institute is presented with a review of the latest data from India and
      elsewhere. Of the women, 86.19% were between 20 and 30 years; 43.83% were
      primigravidas. The most common indications were obstructed labour and
      malpresentations. 17.76% of the emergency and 14.64% of registered obstetric
      admissions resulted in caesarean delivery. The status of caesarean births is very
      different in developed and developing countries though both face the problem of
      its very high incidence.

PMID- 1404559
TI  - Human infection by Phagicola sp. (Trematoda, Heterophyidae) in the municipality
      of Registro, Sao Paulo State, Brazil.
AB  - In 1988, nine cases of human parasitism by Phagicola sp. were diagnosed in the
      municipality of Registro (Sao Paulo State, Brazil) by stool examinations, in
      patients who ate raw mullet (Mugil sp.). Six (66%) of the nine patients suffered
      from flatulence and four (44%) had diarrhoeal episodes; six (66%) showed slight
      eosinophilia. On the same occasion, 61 dogs and 11 cats from Registro were also
      submitted to stool examination. Only one dog (1.6%) showed Phagicola eggs in the
      stool. All patients were treated with a single dose of praziquantel (50 mg kg-1
      body weight) and control stool tests performed on the 15th, 30th and 60th days
      post-treatment showed no trematode eggs.

PMID- 1404560
TI  - Acute intravascular haemolysis in Vanuatu following a single dose of primaquine
      in individuals with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.

PMID- 1404561
TI  - Intestinal obstruction due to Taenia saginata infection: a case report.
AB  - Surgical complications of Taenia saginata infection, the bovine tapeworm which
      man acquires by eating undercooked beef, are mentioned in standard texts;
      however, none of these seem to give any specific reference. Reported here is one
      case of acute mechanical intestinal obstruction due to a bolus impaction of
      Taenia saginata at the level of the ileocaecal valve. The rarity of this clinical
      presentation as well as the probable mechanism of obstruction are discussed.

PMID- 1404562
TI  - Chronic diarrhoea due to strongyloidiasis in a Nigerian with chronic renal
      failure: a case report.
AB  - A case of chronic diarrhoea due to infection with Strongyloides stercoralis in a
      Nigerian patient with chronic renal failure is presented. Due to the potential
      for fatal outcome in this infection, strongyloidiasis should be kept in mind as a
      cause of chronic diarrhoea in chronic renal failure patients in endemic areas.

PMID- 1404563
TI  - Typhoid fever and nephrotic syndrome--an unusual association.
AB  - We report a case of nephrotic syndrome seen in a 9-year-old boy having a
      significant temporal relationship with culture proven multidrug resistant
      Salmonella typhi infection. Such an association is quite unusual and probably has
      not been reported before.

PMID- 1404565
TI  - Necrotizing cervical fasciitis of unknown origin.
AB  - Necrotizing fasciitis is an acute soft-tissue infection rarely seen in the head
      and neck area. The case of a 29-year-old female with necrotizing cervical
      fasciitis of unknown origin is presented. These infections usually result from
      dental infections; this patient, however, denied any associated dental problems.
      The patient presented with an erythematous swelling over the anterior neck
      associated with a choking sensation and an elevated WBC suggestive of acute
      thyroiditis. After three days of hospitalization the skin over the anterior neck
      area became necrotic. Surgical debridement of the area was undertaken with
      significant improvement. Once wound healing had commenced a pedicled flap was
      used to reconstruct the large defect. Flap selection for closure of the defect is
      discussed. It is apparent that early recognition and surgical debridement of
      necrotizing fasciitis is vital to ensure a rapid recovery.

PMID- 1404564
TI  - Management of substernal goitre.
AB  - Goitres of the thyroid gland whose major component resides substernally would
      appear to have a different presentation and management protocol than those
      goitres that reside mainly in the neck. These goitres, as opposed to their
      supraclavicular counterparts, usually present with symptoms referrable to
      compression of the trachea or esophagus. Even in those patients who are
      asymptomatic, a precise history may elicit pertinent findings. Furthermore, these
      goitres do not respond to suppression and require surgical removal. The trans
      cervical approach is the most desirable, but the surgeon must be willing to enter
      the chest on that rare occasion. We reviewed the charts of 938 patients
      undergoing thyroid surgery who were registered in the Head and Neck Tumour
      Registry of the University of Toronto. Approximately 2.4% of patients had
      substernal goitres. Their history, pathology and ultimate surgical management
      will be discussed.

PMID- 1404566
TI  - Congenital fistula of the apex of the pyriform sinus: an overlooked phenomenon of
      debatable origin.
AB  - Fistula of the pyriform sinus apex is an often overlooked entity which generally
      manifests itself as acute suppurative thyroiditis or recurrent deep neck
      abscesses in children or young adults. Two cases are reported. Arguments in favor
      of a fourth pharyngeal pouch origin are stressed and the surgical management is
      described.

PMID- 1404567
TI  - Hemangioma of the masseter muscle.
AB  - Intramuscular hemangiomas are rare benign tumors of vascular origin. The masseter
      is the muscle most commonly involved in the head and neck. A case of
      intramuscular masseter hemangioma is presented, the literature reviewed, and
      appropriate diagnostic modalities discussed.

PMID- 1404568
TI  - Malignant melanoma of the upper respiratory tract and the oral cavity.
AB  - Twenty-six patients with mucosal malignant melanoma of the upper respiratory
      tract and of the oral cavity were seen at the oncologic departments of eastern
      Denmark from 1955 to 1989. There were 17 males and nine females with an average
      age of 65 years. Primary symptoms lasted from one to 24 months and depended on
      localization of tumor. Five patients had lymph node metastases at the time of
      diagnosis; one also had distant metastases. Ten patients had surgery as primary
      treatment, 10 had combined surgery and radiotherapy and six had radiotherapy.
      Complete remission after primary treatment was seen in 22 cases (85%) and lasted
      from three to 94 months. Seventeen patients had recurrence, six of these had
      recurrence twice or three times. The five-year crude survival was 35% and only
      one patient (4%) lived more than 10 years. Recurrence-free survival among the 22
      patients with initially complete response was 14%.

PMID- 1404569
TI  - Extracranial head and neck schwannomas.
AB  - Extracranial head and neck schwannomas are usually benign and rarely malignant
      tumors of peripheral nerve sheath origin. The clinical presentation of these
      tumors is reviewed in our series of 21 patients, emphasizing the diagnosis with
      dynamic infused CT scans. Management is suggested and outcome analysis is
      provided.

PMID- 1404570
TI  - The importance of nasal resistance in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
AB  - The importance of nasal airflow resistance in the pathogenesis of obstructive
      sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) remains contentious. We performed formal nocturnal
      polysomnography (PSG) on OSAS patients under conditions of baseline and reduced
      nasal resistance to answer two main questions. First, to what degree does
      baseline nasal airflow resistance influence upper airway collapse in OSAS
      patients? Second, in what proportion of the OSAS population is baseline nasal
      resistance contributing to the pathogenesis of upper airway collapse? Our study
      group consisted of 10 patients with a wide range of OSAS severity. Six of these
      patients had symptoms and clinical evidence of chronic nasal obstruction which,
      in some, was associated with markedly elevated nasal resistance. A placebo
      (normal saline) was instilled in the nose of each patient on the night of
      baseline data collection. On the treatment night of the study, nasal resistance
      was reduced by application of topical vasoconstrictor and insertion of vestibular
      stents designed to dilate the area of the nasal valve. Posterior rhinomanometry
      was used to measure resistance to nasal airflow immediately before and after each
      PSG study. Although treatment was associated with a subjective improvement in
      sleep quality and mean drop in nasal resistance of 73% (P less than 0.001), there
      was no significant improvement in sleep architecture, nocturnal oxygenation, or
      the amount of apnea experienced by patients. The most significant improvement was
      a reduced number of arousals/hour from 52.4 +/- 12.4 on placebo to 43.7 +/- 10.2
      on treatment (P less than 0.04).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1404571
TI  - Oncocytoma presenting as a choanal polyp: a case report.
AB  - Oncocytomas account for less than 1% of all salivary gland neoplasms.
      Histochemical methods and electron microscopy showing the large amount of
      characteristic mitochondria have made the definition of the tumor more precise. A
      solid oncocytoma originating in the nose and presenting as a choanal polyp is
      described. Pre- and postoperative CT scans are shown as light and electron
      microscopy photomicrographs. The tumor had no invasive or other malignant
      characteristics and was therefore classified as a benign oncocytoma.

PMID- 1404572
TI  - Stromal calcification in choanal polyp.
AB  - A 50-year-old man, presenting with headache, was suspected of having a malignant
      nasopharyngeal tumor on the basis of his CT results. A CT scan revealed diffuse
      calcification in a large nasopharyngeal polyp. Xeroradiography of the specimen
      demonstrated the calcifications to extend centrally along the stroma. The
      histology and the radiologic features of this choanal polyp, resulting from
      diffuse central calcification of the stroma, are a unique feature that might
      mimic malignancy.

PMID- 1404573
TI  - Is head-shaking nystagmus a sign of vestibular dysfunction?
AB  - It has been proposed that head-shaking nystagmus is a reliable test or indicator
      of vestibular dysfunction. Using a series of 340 patients and 20 controls, this
      paper compares the vestibular test data to head-shake test data to answer some of
      the questions about this poorly understood response. Head-shaking nystagmus
      appears to reflect the underlying spontaneous nystagmus and its direction has no
      relationship to the side of the vestibular asymmetry.

PMID- 1404574
TI  - Electrocochleographic recordings in chronic and healed perilymphatic fistula.
AB  - This study examined electrocochleographic recordings in 15 guinea pigs with
      perilymphatic fistulas. A chronic round window fistula was induced in each animal
      by insertion of a sigmoid stainless steel needle with the lumen intact. In the
      contralateral control ear, a similar needle was inserted with the lumen crushed.
      In this way the model compared acute (control group) versus chronic (experimental
      group) perilymphatic fisulae. Electrocochleographic recordings were obtained
      before, immediately after needle insertion, in a subset at two to three weeks
      after needle insertion, and again at 17-22 weeks when the fistulas had healed
      with the needles still in place. Minimal threshold changes were noted from the
      pre- to the acute post-condition. More marked elevation of threshold was noted
      for the 17-22 weeks condition. Threshold elevation was greater in the
      experimental ears but was present in the control ears. The SP/AP amplitude ratio
      was generally stable for the pre- to post-conditions in both ears. For the 17-22
      week epoch the SP/AP amplitude ratio was still fairly stable for the click
      stimulus but the ratio diminished for the toneburst stimuli. For the subset
      analyzed at 7-21 days the SP/AP amplitude ratio tended to increase for both
      groups for all stimuli although AP thresholds were normal.

PMID- 1404575
TI  - Gore-Tex implant as tissue filler in cheek-lip groove rejuvenation.
AB  - The cheek-lip grooves, often referred to as nasolabial folds, are one of the
      facial characteristics most commonly complained about by patients in all age
      groups. A variety of methods for correction have been proposed, using implants or
      autografts. Some of the methods have relied on diminishing the crest lateral to
      the groove thus camouflaging the depth of the cheek-lip fold. These procedures
      have proven to be of limited effect, either because of the amount of correction
      obtained or because they are short-lasting. The Gore-Tex implant proved its
      safety and biocompatibility over the past decade as a vascular graft. The
      characteristics of this implant material are described and compared to other
      commonly used synthetic implants. A surgical technique of applying the Gore-Tex
      soft tissue patch in facial aesthetic surgery, particularly in cheek-lip
      rejuvenation, is presented. This technique has been applied in 17 consecutive
      patients for the correction of prominent cheek-lip grooves with a follow-up
      period of eight months. Results showed satisfactory improvement without
      significant complications.

PMID- 1404576
TI  - Colored cocaine.

PMID- 1404577
TI  - Otitis media and CNS complications.
AB  - Intracranial complications from otitis media can be quite devastating to the
      patient if an early diagnosis is not made. Patients may develop meningitis,
      venous sinus thrombosis or cranial nerve palsies, as well as intracranial
      abscess. The presenting features in such cases may be subtle and include
      headache, nausea, vomiting, personality changes and signs of increased
      intracranial pressure as well as focal neurological deficits. A case of
      intracranial brain abscess is presented in a patient with a history of chronic
      otitis media with cholesteatoma. Delay in the diagnosis of intracranial
      complications of otitis media can lead to improper treatment with increased
      morbidity and mortality. The etiology and treatment of complications affecting
      the CNS is discussed.

PMID- 1404578
TI  - Deafness, dysphagia and a middle ear mass in a patient with neurofibromatosis
      type 2.

PMID- 1404579
TI  - Longitudinal evaluation of uterine myoma growth during pregnancy. A sonographic
      study.
AB  - Thirty-six pregnant women with a single uterine myoma were examined by
      ultrasonography at 2 to 4 week intervals. The initial diagnosis was made in 12
      patients before pregnancy and in the other 24 patients between 9 and 12 weeks of
      gestation. Thirty-four women had a scan 4 weeks after delivery. A reduction in
      size was observed in puerperium, which may indicate a return to its initial
      volume. Myoma growth was analyzed in different periods of gestation. An increase
      in volume during pregnancy was observed in 31.6% of cases. A statistically
      significant change in volume was noted between the first and the third trimesters
      (P < 0.001). The greatest increase in volume of myomas occurred before the 10th
      week of gestation. The relationship between myoma volume and myoma growth in the
      different gestational periods considered was not statistically significant. On
      the other hand, when myoma volume was related to complications during pregnancy
      or at delivery, a statistically significant difference was observed. Myomas with
      volumes greater than 200 cm3 show a higher rate of complications than those with
      volumes equal to or less than 100 cm3.

PMID- 1404580
TI  - Effect of verapamil on portal blood flow in patients with liver cirrhosis.
AB  - The effect of acute (80 mg orally) and prolonged (240 mg orally daily for 2
      weeks) verapamil administration on portal blood flow was studied in 12 patients
      with histologically proved alcoholic liver cirrhosis. Portal hemodynamics were
      examined by the ultrasonic duplex Doppler system. Thirty minutes after acute
      verapamil administration, the following parameters remained unchanged: (1) cross
      sectional area of the portal vein, from 1.52 +/- 0.41 to 1.51 +/- 0.43 cm2; (2)
      portal blood velocity, from 13.2 +/- 1.6 to 13.4 +/- 1.6 cm/s; (3) estimated
      volume of portal blood flow, from 931 +/- 96 to 954 +/- 103 mL/min; and (4)
      congestion index of the portal vein, from 15.1 +/- 8.3 to 15.6 +/- 8.8 cm,
      respectively (P = > 0.05). In addition, no significant changes in portal blood
      hemodynamics were noted after prolonged verapamil administration (P > 0.05).
      These results demonstrated that verapamil did not alter portal blood flow in
      patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis.

PMID- 1404581
TI  - An unusual sonographic appearance: the pyramidal gallstone.

PMID- 1404582
TI  - Various sonographic patterns of smooth muscle tumors of the gastrointestinal
      tract: a comparison with computed tomography.
AB  - To evaluate the sonographic patterns of smooth muscle tumors of the
      gastrointestinal tract, we analyzed 25 patients with histologically confirmed
      smooth muscle tumors. Sonography revealed no abdominal mass in seven patients
      (sonogram-negative), and abdominal masses in 18 patients (sonogram-positive). The
      mean size of tumors in the sonogram-negative group (4.5 +/- 1.5 cm) was smaller
      than that in the sonogram-positive group (11.4 +/- 3.5 cm). We classified the
      various sonograms into three patterns. Comparing the sonograms with the computed
      tomographic pictures of each pattern, we theorized that the different patterns on
      sonograms may be caused by tumor necroses of different sizes with or without gas
      in the necrotic cavity. For the necrotic tumors, the size of the necrotic area
      did not correspond to the size of the tumor. However, the tumors with necroses
      were significantly larger than those without necroses. A central necrosis was
      found in cases exhibiting both leiomyosarcoma and leiomyoma. On comparing the
      sonogram-positive and sonogram-negative groups, we found that the size and
      location of a tumor may affect the detection rate of that tumor by sonography.

PMID- 1404583
TI  - The "lying down" adrenal sign: a sonographic indicator of renal agenesis or
      ectopia in fetuses and neonates.
AB  - An inability to image the kidneys, severe oligohydramnios, and an empty
      (nonvisualized) urinary bladder are the most common sonographic findings in
      fetuses with renal agenesis. The same features, except for the oligohydramnios,
      are seen in neonates with renal agenesis. Failure to visualize a kidney in the
      usual flank location with or without demonstration of the kidney in an ectopic
      location may also be a feature in fetuses or neonates with renal ectopia. The
      adrenal gland has an unusual but distinctive appearance on longitudinal sonograms
      in these patients. Sonograms of 23 fetuses and six neonates referred for presumed
      bilateral or unilateral renal agenesis or ectopia were reviewed retrospectively
      for the presence of a flattened ("lying down") adrenal gland. At the time of the
      examination, the adrenal gland was not actively sought as a part of the fetal
      survey or postnatal examination but was found retrospectively in 48% of these
      subjects. Although this finding has been described previously, the emphasis was
      on this observation as a potentially confusing sonographic feature. This
      manuscript emphasizes the characteristic appearance of the adrenal gland which
      instead serves as a simple means of confirming that the kidney did not develop in
      the flank. Detection of a flattened ("lying down") adrenal gland is an
      observation that should be actively sought in all fetuses and neonates with a
      presumed diagnosis of renal agenesis or ectopia.

PMID- 1404584
TI  - Doppler flow velocity waveforms in fetal surveillance of twins: a prospective
      longitudinal study.
AB  - In 37 consecutive twin pregnancies, monthly Doppler sonographic measurements were
      made of blood flow velocity waveforms of the internal carotid and umbilical
      artery of each fetus. A total of 197 Doppler studies were performed. Of the 74
      infants, 23 were small for gestational age (SGA). Thirty-five of the SGA Doppler
      studies were abnormal, giving an overall sensitivity for predicting SGA fetus of
      58% and a positive predictive value of 71%. These data are not as sensitive and
      specific as our earlier data; however, Doppler criteria preceded sonographic
      diagnosis of SGA by a mean interval of 3.7 weeks and demonstrated better
      sensitivity and specificity. A combination of these parameters improves
      sensitivity to 84%. We conclude that Doppler velocimetry complements real-time
      ultrasonography for the early diagnosis of abnormal growth in twin pregnancies.

PMID- 1404585
TI  - Color Doppler sonography in the evaluation of the adult acute scrotum.
AB  - Color Doppler sonography (CDS) was used to evaluate 35 adult males with acute
      scrotal discomfort. Correlative nuclear scintigraphy was performed in 15
      patients. Surgical correlation was available in 10 patients with clinical follow
      up in the remaining 25. The complete absence of intratesticular color flow was
      used as our criterion for testicular ischemia. This was found to be 100%
      sensitive and 100% specific in 8 patients with surgically confirmed testicular
      ischemia. Spontaneous detorsion was noted in one patient with hyperemia
      demonstrated by color imaging. Increased color flow was found in 20 patients with
      the clinical impression of scrotal inflammation. Nuclear scintigraphy and color
      Doppler imaging had 100% agreement in 15 patients. Color Doppler sonography is a
      useful and highly accurate diagnostic method in the evaluation of patients with
      the acute scrotal syndrome. Color flow imaging is comparable to nuclear
      scintigraphy in the diagnosis of testicular ischemia.

PMID- 1404586
TI  - Lipoblastoma: diagnosis with computed tomography, ultrasonography, and color
      Doppler imaging.

PMID- 1404587
TI  - Color Doppler flow imaging of hepatic focal nodular hyperplasia.

PMID- 1404588
TI  - Prenatal sonographic diagnosis of a pontine lipoma.

PMID- 1404589
TI  - Sonographic recognition of unilateral megalencephaly.

PMID- 1404590
TI  - Spontaneous resolution of a sonographically complicated fetal ovarian cyst.

PMID- 1404591
TI  - Cap-independent translation by the 5' untranslated region of Theiler's murine
      encephalomyelitis virus.
AB  - The RNA genome of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis viruses, a picornavirus
      belonging to the genus Cardiovirus, is translated in infected cells to a
      polyprotein. Unlike cellular messages, the 5' end of the RNA is not capped, and
      the untranslated region (UTR) is quite long (1,064 nucleotides in size). In
      poliovirus and encephalomyocarditis virus, the 5'UTR is thought to mediate cap
      independent translation. We report here experiments to determine the role of the
      Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus 5'UTR in translation. Recombinant DNAs
      were constructed that were transcribed into bicistronic mRNAs encoding 5'
      chloramphenicol acetyltransferase intercistronic sequences linked to luciferase
      and a poly(A) 3' tail. The sequences of the 5'UTR, either complete or with
      sequential 5' deletions, were inserted into the intercistronic region.
      Bicistronic RNA transcripts were translated in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate or
      used to transfect BHK-21 cells, and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase and
      luciferase synthesis was quantitated. The results strongly suggest that the
      Theiler's virus 5'UTR promotes cap-independent translation and that the 5'
      boundary of the relevant signals resides 3' to nucleotide 500. Monocistronic
      mRNAs were synthesized by using an expression vector in which the 5'UTR
      containing deletions at the 3' terminus was inserted 5' to the coding sequences
      for luciferase. Analysis of luciferase translation in a rabbit reticulocyte
      lysate suggests that the 3' end of the translation initiation signal lies between
      nucleotides 1043 and 1053.

PMID- 1404592
TI  - Antioxidants selectively suppress activation of NF-kappa B by human T-cell
      leukemia virus type I Tax protein.
AB  - Oxygen radical scavengers, such as dithiocarbamates and cysteine derivatives,
      inhibit activation of the ubiquitous transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B
      (NF-kappa B) after treatment of cells with tumor necrosis factor, phorbol ester,
      and interleukin-1. An involvement of oxygen radicals was more directly evident
      from the induction of NF-kappa B by low concentrations of H2O2 and the
      demonstration that cells stimulated with various NF-kappa B inducers release H2O2
      and superoxide. In this study, we used the antioxidant pyrrolidine
      dithiocarbamate (PDTC) to investigate whether the activation of NF-kappa B by the
      viral transactivator Tax from human T-cell leukemia virus type I also depends on
      the production of reactive oxygen intermediates. The Tax-induced activation of
      the DNA-binding activity of NF-kappa B in Jurkat T cells was potently suppressed
      by micromolar concentrations of PDTC. Within the same concentration range, PDTC
      and two other dithiocarbamates also strongly interfered with transactivation of
      the long terminal repeat (LTR) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 by Tax but
      had no effect on transactivation of the same LTR by Tat. Transactivation of the
      human T-cell leukemia virus type I LTR by Tax was also barely influenced. Tax
      seems to activate NF-kappa B by a mechanism shared with all other inducers of NF
      kappa B tested so far. It appears that one of the pleiotropic activities of Tax
      leads to an enhanced production of oxygen radicals that are required for
      activation of NF-kappa B.

PMID- 1404593
TI  - Interference is controlled by segment 2 and possibly by segment 8 of the
      nondefective interfering influenza virus variant A/FM/1/47-MA.
AB  - On mouse adaption of A/FM/1/47, a variant, A/FM/1/47-MA (FM-MA), that had
      acquired the properties of increased virulence and interference was produced.
      Coinfection of cells with FM-MA and prototype strains of influenza virus yielded
      > 100-fold more FM-MA virus than prototype virus, whereas coinfection with the
      same prototype strains and the parental A/FM/1/47 virus produced equivalent
      yields, indicating that FM-MA had acquired mutations that confer the property of
      interference during mouse adaption. FM-MA is a nondefective interfering virus
      that grows to a high titer in vivo and in vitro. It has previously been shown
      that segments 4, 7, and 8 and possibly segment 5 account for the increased
      virulence. In this study we show by genetic analysis of FM-MA x A/HK/1/68
      reassortants that segment 2, coding for the polymerase-associated protein PB1,
      and possibly segment 8, encoding the NS1 and NS2 proteins, control the ability of
      FM-MA to interfere. Interference could not be overcome by increasing the titer of
      the coinfecting strain, but delaying FM-MA infection by 4 to 6 h did avoid
      interference. During interference of A/HK/1/68, protein synthesis was inhibited
      by less than 65% throughout coinfection. Given the kinetics of interference and
      the small perturbation in protein synthesis, interference appeared to occur at
      the level of late genome replication or virus assembly. Virulence and
      interference in FM-MA were not linked. An interfering avirulent FM-MA x A/HK/1/68
      reassortant, E07, was capable of protecting mice against lethal pneumonia due to
      a virulent noninterfering reassortant, H04.

PMID- 1404594
TI  - Brome mosaic virus RNA replication proteins 1a and 2a from a complex in vitro.
AB  - Brome mosaic virus (BMV) is a positive-strand RNA virus that encodes two RNA
      replication proteins, the helicaselike 1a and the polymeraselike 2a. 1a and 2a
      share extensive sequence similarities with proteins encoded by many other members
      of the alphaviruslike superfamily. While further purifying enzymatically active
      RNA-dependent RNA polymerase from plants infected by BMV, we observed that 1a,
      2a, and the polymerase activity all cofractionated through multiple independent
      purification steps. Moreover, using immunoprecipitation, we found that BMV 1a and
      2a proteins synthesized in rabbit reticulocyte lysates or insect cells can form a
      specific complex in vitro. Complex formation was more efficient when 1a and 2a
      were cotranslated than when they were mixed after independent synthesis. In an
      antibody-independent assay, in vitro-translated 1a protein was also found to bind
      to 2a protein fixed on a nylon membrane. A three-amino-acid insertion in 1a that
      blocks BMV RNA replication in vivo also blocked in vitro interaction with 2a,
      while another two-amino-acid insertion that renders the 1a protein temperature
      sensitive for RNA replication interacted in vitro with 2a at 24 degrees C but not
      at 32 degrees C. These results and previous genetic data suggest that the 1a-2a
      interaction observed in vitro is required for BMV RNA replication and may have
      direct implications for other members of the alphaviruslike superfamily.

PMID- 1404595
TI  - Identification of conserved amino acid residues critical for human
      immunodeficiency virus type 1 integrase function in vitro.
AB  - We have probed the structural organization of the human immunodeficiency virus
      type 1 integrase protein by limited proteolysis and the functional organization
      by site-directed mutagenesis of selected amino acid residues. A central region of
      the protein was relatively resistant to proteolysis. Proteins with altered amino
      acids in this region, or in the N-terminal part of the protein that includes a
      putative zinc-binding motif, were purified and assayed for 3' processing, DNA
      strand transfer, and disintegration activities in vitro. In general, these
      mutations had parallel effects on 3' processing and DNA strand transfer,
      suggesting that integrase may utilize a single active site for both reactions.
      The only proteins that were completely inactive in all three assays contained
      mutations at conserved amino acids in the central region, suggesting that this
      part of the protein may be involved in catalysis. In contrast, none of the
      mutations in the N-terminal region resulted in a protein that was inactive in all
      three assays, suggesting that this part of integrase may not be essential for
      catalysis. The disintegration reaction was particularly insensitive to these
      amino acid substitutions, indicating that some function that is important for 3'
      processing and DNA strand transfer may be dispensable for disintegration.

PMID- 1404596
TI  - Mammalian subtilisin-related proteinases in cleavage activation of the
      paramyxovirus fusion glycoprotein: superiority of furin/PACE to PC2 or PC1/PC3.
AB  - The fusion glycoprotein precursor of Newcastle disease virus is ubiquitously
      cleaved in the constitutive secretory pathway if it possesses an oligobasic
      cleavage motif (RRQR/KR), whereas the precursor is refractory to cleavage if the
      motif is monobasic (GR/KQGR). We examined the cleavage activity of the mammalian
      subtilisin-related proteinases furin/PACE, PC2, and PC1/PC3, which are thought to
      be responsible for proprotein processing in either the constitutive (furin/PACE)
      or the regulated (PC2 and PC1/PC3) secretory pathway, for the viral precursors
      with different cleavage motifs. Only furin/PACE was fully capable of cleaving the
      precursors with the oligobasic motif. PC2 and PC1/PC3 were incapable or only
      partially capable of cleaving at this motif. None of the proteinases cleaved the
      monobasic motif. These results suggest involvement of furin/PACE in viral protein
      processing in the constitutive secretory pathway.

PMID- 1404597
TI  - Subgenomic RNAs mediate expression of cistrons located internally on the genomic
      RNA of tobacco necrosis virus strain A.
AB  - Upon infection of tobacco protoplasts, the genomic RNA of tobacco necrosis virus
      strain A (TNV-A) accumulates linearly in time. The accumulation patterns of the
      two subgenomic RNAs resemble those of endogenous mRNAs in that the peak levels
      are reached after several hours. The accumulation of the 1.3-kb subgenomic RNA is
      delayed by 1 h compared with that of the 1.6-kb subgenomic RNA, which illustrates
      the important role of the subgenomic RNAs in the regulation of TNV-A gene
      expression. The locations of the 5' nucleotides of the subgenomic RNAs reveal
      that the 5'-proximal cistrons of the 1.6- and 1.3-kb RNAs encode an 8-kDa protein
      from open reading frame (ORF) 3 and the coat protein from ORF 5, respectively. In
      a wheat germ translation system, a synthetic transcript resembling the 1.6-kb RNA
      expresses both ORFs 3 and 4. Moreover, the synthesis of the 6-kDa protein from
      ORF 4 depends on the translation efficiency of ORF 3, suggesting that in vivo,
      ORFs 3 and 4 are both expressed from the 1.6-kb RNA. The major in vitro
      translation product of TNV-A genomic RNA is the coat protein. We show that the
      region upstream of the coat protein promotes internal initiation of translation
      in vitro. However, this region is functionally inactive in vivo, suggesting that
      TNV-A genomic RNA is not important for coat protein synthesis in plants.

PMID- 1404598
TI  - Induction of E1A-responsive negative factors for transcription of the fibronectin
      gene in adenovirus E1-transformed rat cells.
AB  - The level of fibronectin (FN) gene expression is very high in resting rat 3Y1
      cells but greatly decreased in adenovirus E1-transformed cells. To study the
      mechanism of this down-regulation, nuclear factors binding to the 5'-flanking
      region of the FN gene were analyzed by gel retardation assay and DNase I
      footprinting. Nuclear factors that were present in the transformed cells but
      nearly absent in resting 3Y1 cells interacted with multiple sites of the promoter
      region. Oligonucleotide competition with the FN promoter-chloramphenicol
      acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter constructs (pFCAT) for these factors in the
      transformed cells indicated that all of them had a negative effect on FN gene
      expression. Of them, a factor(s) (G10BP) binding to the G10 stretch from
      positions -239 to -230 and to two GC boxes consisting of the G10 stretch with one
      internal C residue insertion from positions -105 to -95 and -54 to -44 had the
      strongest repressive activity. Introduction of substitutive mutations into these
      G-rich sequences resulted in the increase in CAT activity of pFCAT in the
      transformed cells. The recognition sequences of G10BP and Sp1 overlap in two GC
      boxes. G10BP has stronger affinity for heparin and GC boxes than does Sp1,
      suggesting that G10BP may repress FN gene transcription by displacing Sp1.

PMID- 1404599
TI  - Transcription of viral late genes is dependent on expression of the viral
      intermediate gene G8R in cells infected with an inducible conditional-lethal
      mutant vaccinia virus.
AB  - There are three temporal classes of vaccinia virus genes: early, intermediate,
      and late. The object of this study was to determine the effects on virus
      replication of regulating the expression of G8R, an intermediate gene that
      encodes a late transcription factor. We inserted the lac operator adjacent to the
      RNA start site of the G8R gene in a recombinant vaccinia virus that
      constitutively expresses the Escherichia coli lac repressor to make expression of
      the G8R gene dependent on the inducer isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside
      (IPTG). In case repression would not be complete, we also weakened the promoter
      of the G8R gene by making a single-nucleotide substitution designed to reduce its
      basal level of transcription. The mutant virus replicated well in the presence of
      the inducer, although synthesis of the G8R-encoded 30,000-M(r) protein was only
      10% of that of the wild-type virus. In the absence of IPTG, (i) synthesis of the
      G8R protein was inhibited by more than 99% relative to that of the wild-type
      virus, (ii) synthesis of early and intermediate mRNAs appeared to be unaffected,
      (iii) intermediate proteins accumulated to higher than normal levels, (iv)
      synthesis of late mRNA and protein was reduced by about 90%, (v) viral DNA was
      replicated but incompletely resolved concatemeric molecules accumulated, (vi) not
      even the earliest stages of virion assembly were detectable by transmission
      electron microscopy, and (vii) virus yield under one-step growth conditions and
      plaque formation were 10(-3) and 10(-4) times the wild-type values, respectively.
      The defect in late gene expression could be overcome by transfection of a G8R
      gene that was not under lac operator control, as well as by addition of IPTG,
      further demonstrating the specificity of the repression. The correlation between
      decreased expression of the G8R intermediate gene and inhibition of late mRNA
      synthesis is consistent with the notion that the G8R product serves as an
      essential late transcription factor and supports a cascade mechanism of vaccinia
      virus gene regulation. In addition, the inducer-dependent vaccinia virus mutant
      provided a tool for selective inhibition of late gene expression while allowing
      synthesis of early and intermediate mRNAs and proteins.

PMID- 1404600
TI  - Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein transactivates the human
      immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat through induction of NF-kappa
      B activity.
AB  - The Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein (LMP) is an integral membrane
      protein that is expressed in cells latently infected with the virus. LMP is
      believed to play an important role in Epstein-Barr virus transformation and has
      been shown to induce expression of several cellular proteins. We performed a
      series of experiments that demonstrated that LMP is an efficient transactivator
      of expression from the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat
      (HIV-1 LTR). Mutation or deletion of the NF-kappa B elements in the LTR abolished
      the transactivation, indicating that the LMP effect on HIV expression was due to
      induction of NF-kappa B activity. Experiments in which the HIV-1 Tat protein was
      coexpressed in cells together with LMP showed that Tat was able to potentiate the
      transactivation. Surprisingly, a synergistic effect of the two proteins was
      observed even in the absence of the recognized target region for Tat (TAR) in the
      HIV-1 LTR.

PMID- 1404601
TI  - Mutations within the 5' nontranslated region of hepatitis A virus RNA which
      enhance replication in BS-C-1 cells.
AB  - Passage of human hepatitis A virus (HAV) in cell culture results in attenuation
      of the virus as well as progressive increases in the efficiency of virus
      replication in cell culture. Because the presence of identical mutations within
      the 5' nontranslated regions (5'NTRs) of several independently isolated cell
      culture-adapted HAV variants suggests that the 5'NTR may play a role in
      determining this change in virus host range, we constructed chimeric infectious
      cDNA clones in which portions of the 5'NTR of cell culture-adapted HM175/p35
      virus were replaced with cDNA from either wild-type virus (HM175/wt) or a second
      independently isolated, but closely related cell culture-adapted virus
      (HM175/p16). Substitution of the complete 5'NTR of HM175/p35 with the 5'NTR of
      HM175/wt resulted in virus with very small replication foci in continuous African
      green monkey kidney (BS-C-1) cells, indicating that 5'NTR mutations in HM175/p35
      virus are required for optimal growth in these cells. A chimera with the 5'NTR
      sequence of HM175/p16 retained the large foci of HM175/p35 virus, while the
      growth properties of other viruses having chimeric 5'NTR sequences indicated that
      mutations at bases 152 and/or 203 to 207 enhance replication in BS-C-1 cells.
      These findings were confirmed in one-step growth experiments, which also
      indicated that radioimmunofocus size is a valid measure of virus replication
      competence in cell culture. An additional mutation at base 687 of HM175/p16 had
      only a minor role in enhancing growth. In contrast to their effect in BS-C-1
      cells, these 5'NTR mutations did not enhance replication in continuous fetal
      rhesus monkey kidney (FRhK-4) cells. Thus, mutations at bases 152 and/or 203 to
      207 enhance the replication of HAV in a highly host cell-specific fashion.

PMID- 1404602
TI  - Macrophage-tropic human immunodeficiency virus isolates from different patients
      exhibit unusual V3 envelope sequence homogeneity in comparison with T-cell-tropic
      isolates: definition of critical amino acids involved in cell tropism.
AB  - Previous experiments indicate that the V3 hypervariable region of the human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope protein influences cell tropism of
      infection; however, so far no consistent V3 sequence can account for macrophage
      or T-cell tropism. In these experiments, we studied infectious recombinant HIV
      clones constructed by using V3 region sequences of HIV isolates from 16 patients
      to search for sequences associated with cell tropism. Remarkable homology was
      seen among V3 sequences from macrophage-tropic clones from different patients,
      and a consensus V3 region sequence for patient-derived macrophage-tropic viruses
      was identified. In contrast, V3 sequences of T-cell-tropic clones from different
      patients were highly heterogeneous, and the results suggested that sequence
      diversity leading to T-cell tropism might be generated independently in each
      patient. Site-specific mutations identified amino acids at several positions on
      each side of the GPGR motif at the tip of the V3 loop as important determinants
      of tropism for T cells and macrophages. However, a wide variety of mutant V3
      sequences induced macrophage tropism, as detected in vitro. Therefore, the
      homogeneity of macrophage-tropic patient isolates appeared to be the result of
      selection based on a biological advantage in vivo.

PMID- 1404603
TI  - Characterization of a baculovirus gene encoding a small conotoxinlike
      polypeptide.
AB  - We identified a gene of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus
      (AcMNPV) that encodes a small cysteine-rich polypeptide which has size and
      sequence similarity to omega-conotoxins, a class of calcium ion (Ca2+) channel
      inhibitors, found in the venom of cone snails. Transcriptional analysis indicated
      that the 159-bp open reading frame, which we named ctl, and a downstream 984-bp
      open reading frame are transcribed as a single 1.3-kb bicistronic late RNA. The
      mature ctl gene product was identified as a small secreted protein by high
      pressure liquid chromatography fractionation of extracellular fluid. Viruses with
      a site-specific deletion in ctl appeared normal with regard to the kinetics and
      virulence of infection, both in vitro and in vivo. Although we studied the
      behavior of wild-type and mutant virus-infected insects in some detail, a
      biological role for ctl in AcMNPV infection remains to be established.

PMID- 1404604
TI  - Sequence similarity between Borna disease virus p40 and a duplicated domain
      within the paramyxovirus and rhabdovirus polymerase proteins.
AB  - We report the sequence of a Borna disease virus clone (pBDV-40) that encodes a 40
      kDa protein (p40) found in the nuclei of infected cells. Comparative sequence
      analysis indicates that p40 is distantly similar to two different regions in the
      L-polymerase proteins encoded by paramyxoviruses and rhabdoviruses. The p40
      sequence similarity indicates a previously undetected duplication in these viral
      polymerases. Phylogenetic reconstruction suggests that the gene that encodes p40
      last shared a common ancestor with these viral polymerase genes prior to the
      duplication event. These findings support the hypothesis that Borna disease virus
      is a negative-strand RNA virus and suggest that p40 is involved in transcription
      and/or replication. The discovery of a duplication within the polymerase proteins
      of paramyxoviruses and rhabdoviruses has profound implications for the mapping of
      enzymatic activities within these multifunctional proteins.

PMID- 1404606
TI  - Mutational analysis of the gag-pol junction of Moloney murine leukemia virus:
      requirements for expression of the gag-pol fusion protein.
AB  - The gag-pol polyprotein of the murine and feline leukemia viruses is expressed by
      translational readthrough of a UAG terminator codon at the 3' end of the gag
      gene. To explore the cis-acting sequence requirements for the readthrough event
      in vivo, we generated a library of mutants of the Moloney murine leukemia virus
      with point mutations near the terminator codon and tested the mutant viral DNAs
      for the ability to direct synthesis of the gag-pol fusion protein and formation
      of infectious virus. The analysis showed that sequences 3' to the terminator are
      necessary and sufficient for the process. The results do not support a role for
      one proposed stem-loop structure that includes the terminator but are consistent
      with the involvement of another stem-loop 3' to the terminator. One mutant,
      containing two compensatory changes in this stem structure, was temperature
      sensitive for replication and for formation of the gag-pol protein. The results
      suggest that RNA sequence and structure are critical determinants of
      translational readthrough in vivo.

PMID- 1404607
TI  - Fusion mutants of Newcastle disease virus selected with monoclonal antibodies to
      the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase.
AB  - The Australia-Victoria (AV) isolate of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) induces
      fusion from within but not fusion from without. L1, a neuraminidase (NA)
      deficient virus derived from AV, has the opposite fusion phenotype from the wild
      type virus. It fails to induce the former mode of fusion, but has gained a
      limited ability to promote the latter. Monoclonal antibodies to antigenic site 23
      on the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) glycoprotein have previously been shown
      to select variants of the AV isolate that have altered NA activity or receptor
      binding affinity. By using an antibody to this site, variants of L1 have been
      selected. Three of the variants have gained an increased affinity for sialic acid
      containing receptors, as evidenced by the resistance of their hemagglutinating
      activity to the presence of reduced amounts of sialic acid on the surface of
      chicken erythrocytes. All four variants still have very low levels of NA
      activity, comparable to that of the parent virus, L1. The alteration in receptor
      binding affinity results in a decreased potential for elution from cellular
      receptors and correlates with an increased ability to promote both modes of
      fusion. A single amino acid substitution in the HN protein of each variant,
      responsible for its escape from neutralization, has been identified. These
      studies identify two HN residues, 193 and 203, at which monoclonal antibody
      selected substitution influences the receptor recognition properties of NDV and
      may influence its ability to promote syncytium formation.

PMID- 1404608
TI  - Oligomerization of hepatitis delta antigen is required for both the trans
      activating and trans-dominant inhibitory activities of the delta antigen.
AB  - Two forms of hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg) have different roles in the
      replication cycle of hepatitis delta virus (HDV); the small forms trans activates
      HDV RNA replication, whereas the large form suppresses it but is needed for
      virion assembly. To understand the mechanism of these regulatory activities, we
      studied the possible HDAg oligomerization and its role in HDV replication. In
      this report, we provide direct biochemical evidence for the in vitro and in vivo
      formation of homodimers and heterodimers between these two HDAg species. By
      deletion mutagenesis, we showed that this protein interaction is mediated by the
      leucine zipper-like sequence residing in the N-terminal one-third of HDAg.
      Furthermore, site-specific mutants with various substitutions on two of the
      leucine residues in this stretch of sequence had reduced or no ability to form
      HDAg dimers. Correspondingly, the small HDAg with mutations in the leucine zipper
      like sequence had reduced abilities to trans activate HDV RNA replication.
      Similar mutations on the leucine zipper-like sequence of the large HDAg also
      resulted in loss of the ability of large HDAg to inhibit HDV RNA replication. The
      in vivo biological activities of both forms of HDAg (trans activation and trans
      dominant inhibition of HDV RNA replication, respectively) correlated with the
      extent of HDAg oligomerization in vitro. Thus, we conclude that the small HDAg
      participates in HDV RNA replication as an oligomer form and that the large HDAg
      inhibits HDV RNA replication as a result of its complex formation with small
      HDAg. A "black sheep" model for the mechanism of trans-dominant inhibition by the
      large HDAg is presented.

PMID- 1404605
TI  - Complete nucleotide sequence, genome organization, and biological properties of
      human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in vivo: evidence for limited defectiveness
      and complementation.
AB  - Previous studies of the genetic and biologic characteristics of human
      immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) have by necessity used tissue culture
      derived virus. We recently reported the molecular cloning of four full-length HIV
      1 genomes directly from uncultured human brain tissue (Y. Li, J. C. Kappes, J. A.
      Conway, R. W. Price, G. M. Shaw, and B. H. Hahn, J. Virol. 65:3973-3985, 1991).
      In this report, we describe the biologic properties of these four clones and the
      complete nucleotide sequences and genome organization of two of them. Clones HIV
      1YU-2 and HIV-1YU-10 were 9,174 and 9,176 nucleotides in length, differed by
      0.26% in nucleotide sequence, and except for a frameshift mutation in the pol
      gene in HIV-1YU-10, contained open reading frames corresponding to 5'-gag-pol-vif
      vpr-tat-rev-vpu-env-nef-3' flanked by long terminal repeats. HIV-1YU-2 was fully
      replication competent, while HIV-1YU-10 and two other clones, HIV-1YU-21 and HIV
      1YU-32, were defective. All three defective clones, however, when transfected
      into Cos-1 cells in any pairwise combination, yielded virions that were
      replication competent and transmissible by cell-free passage. The cellular host
      range of HIV-1YU-2 was strictly limited to primary T lymphocytes and monocyte
      macrophages, a property conferred by its external envelope glycoprotein.
      Phylogenetic analyses of HIV-1YU-2 gene sequences revealed this virus to be a
      member of the North American/European HIV-1 subgroup, with specific similarity to
      other monocyte-tropic viruses in its V3 envelope amino acid sequence. These
      results indicate that HIV-1 infection of brain is characterized by the
      persistence of mixtures of fully competent, minimally defective, and more
      substantially altered viral forms and that complementation among them is readily
      attainable. In addition, the limited degree of genotypic heterogeneity observed
      among HIV-1YU and other brain-derived viruses and their preferential tropism for
      monocyte-macrophages suggest that viral replication within the central nervous
      system may differ from that within the peripheral lymphoid compartment in
      significant and clinically important ways. The availability of genetically and
      biologically well characterized HIV-1 clones from uncultured human tissue should
      facilitate future studies of virus-cell interactions relevant to viral
      pathogenesis and drug and vaccine development.

PMID- 1404609
TI  - Transcriptional analysis of multigene family 110 of African swine fever virus.
AB  - A transcriptional analysis of the 3.2-kb region of the African swine fever virus
      genome containing the five members of the multigene family 110 is presented. The
      mRNAs corresponding to the genes studied have short leader sequences with no
      intervening AUG codons before the translational start site, and their 3' ends map
      within a conserved sequence motif formed by a stretch of seven or more
      consecutive thymidylate residues. The possible role of this sequence as a signal
      for the 3'-end formation of African swine fever virus mRNAs is discussed. While
      four of the genes studied are actively transcribed from the beginning of the
      infection until the onset of virus DNA replication, the transcription of one of
      the members of the multigene family 110, the L270 gene, is silenced at an earlier
      time. A detailed analysis, including in vitro translation of mRNAs isolated from
      infected Vero cells, revealed that the L270 gene belongs to a small subset of
      early genes, designated immediate early, whose transcription is silenced before
      the onset of virus DNA replication. The transcriptional data obtained enabled us
      to generate the first detailed transcriptional map of a region of the African
      swine fever virus genome, thus opening the possibility of studying the cis-acting
      sequences involved in transcriptional control of the viral genes.

PMID- 1404610
TI  - Phenotypic progression of a rat lymphoid cell line immortalized by human T
      lymphotropic virus type I to induce lymphoma/leukemia-like disease in rats.
AB  - Rat lymphoid cells, TARS-1, immortalized by coculture with adult T-cell leukemia
      cells, were intraperitoneally injected into 65 newborn, inbred WKAH/Hkm rats. In
      most of the rats, tumor nodules were discernible 7 to 15 days after
      transplantation but were completely rejected within 5 to 6 weeks. Two rats with
      no tumor nodules exhibited gait disturbances and paralysis of the hind legs 3 to
      4 weeks after transplantation. Histological and hematological examinations
      revealed that a lymphoma/leukemia-like disease had developed in one of the two
      rats, and the T-lymphoid cell line WLeuk-1 was established from peripheral blood
      mononuclear cells from this rat. When the WLeuk-1 cells were transplanted into
      newborn WKAH/Hkm rats, the animals died of a lymphoma/leukemia-like disease
      within several weeks after transplantation, in contrast to their rejection of the
      TARS-1 cells. Southern blot and karyotype analyses revealed that WLeuk-1 cells
      had retained the marker chromosomes and human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV
      I) integration patterns of the parent cell line, TARS-1. The additional specific
      chromosome abnormalities 3p+,t (12;13), and Xq+ were found in the WLeuk-1 cells.
      Moreover, the expression of HTLV-I structural proteins was slightly depressed in
      WLeuk-1 cells, while that of the transacting factors p40tax and p21x, but not
      that of p27rex, was enhanced about fivefold compared with that in TARS-1. The
      transactivating function of p40tax was intact in WLeuk-1, as evidenced by
      enhanced interleukin-2 receptor alpha chain expression. These results suggest
      that aberrant expression of HTLV-I regulatory genes and alteration of cellular
      genes were associated with the phenotypic progression of the WLeuk-1 cell line.

PMID- 1404611
TI  - A recombinant human Fab expressed in Escherichia coli neutralizes rabies virus.
AB  - A recombinant human anti-rabies monoclonal antibody (MAb-57) Fab was prepared by
      cloning the heavy (Fd)- and light-chain domains into the same bacterial
      expression vector. To construct the recombinant Fab, mRNA was extracted from MAb
      57-producing hybridoma cells, reverse transcribed, and then amplified by
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by using oligonucleotides specific for
      immunoglobulin heavy- and light-chain DNA sequences. PCR-amplified Fd-chain cDNA
      was fused, in frame, between a bacterial leader peptide (PelB) at the amino
      terminus and a 10-amino-acid peptide tag at the carboxy terminus. The PCR
      amplified lambda-chain cDNA was also fused to the PelB leader peptide. The
      immunoglobulin Fab was then expressed as a dicistronic message in bacteria by
      using the isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside-inducible lactose promotor
      (lacZ). DNA sequencing was used to define the gamma-chain isotype (immunoglobulin
      G1) and VH (VHI) chain and VL (V lambda II) chain gene usage. The recombinant Fab
      (rFab57) specifically bound the rabies virus coat glycoprotein, while the Fd and
      lambda chains, when expressed individually, did not. The binding specificity of
      rFab57 was indistinguishable from that of the intact MAb in direct enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assays; however, the dissociation constant of rFab57 for rabies
      virus protein G was approximately 1 log10 U lower than that of complete MAb-57 in
      competition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. A fluorescent-focus inhibition
      assay showed that bacterially expressed rFab was capable of neutralizing rabies
      virus strain CVS-11. We conclude that a human Fab expressed in bacteria maintains
      its specificity and biologic activity.

PMID- 1404613
TI  - Maturation cleavage required for infectivity of a nodavirus.
AB  - Nodaviral morphogenesis involves formation of labile precursor particles, called
      provirions, which mature by autocatalytic cleavage of the 407-residue coat
      precursor protein between asparagine residue 363 and alanine residue 364. It has
      previously been demonstrated that maturation results in increased physicochemical
      stability of the virion. We show here that cleavage of coat protein in purified
      provirions of Flock House virus was accompanied by a five- to eightfold increase
      in specific infectivity. Cleavage-negative provirions, produced by site-directed
      mutagenesis of asparagine residue 363 to aspartate, threonine, or alanine,
      displayed no infectivity above revertant frequencies as measured by plaque assay.
      All viable revertants (nine of nine) restored asparagine to the mutated position,
      suggesting high specificity for asparagine at the cleavage site.

PMID- 1404612
TI  - Coexpression of the simian immunodeficiency virus Env and Rev proteins by a
      recombinant human adenovirus host range mutant.
AB  - Recombinant human adenoviruses (Ads) that replicate in the intestinal tract offer
      a novel, yet practical, means of immunoprophylaxis against a wide variety of
      viral and bacterial pathogens. For some infectious agents such as human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the potential for residual infectious material in
      vaccine preparations must be eliminated. Therefore, recombinant human Ads that
      express noninfectious HIV or other microbial proteins are attractive vaccine
      candidates. To test such an approach for HIV, we chose an experimental model of
      AIDS based on simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of macaques. Our data
      demonstrate that the SIV Env gene products are expressed in cultured cells after
      infection with a recombinant Ad containing both SIV env and rev genes. An E3
      deletion vector derived from a mutant of human Ad serotype 5 that efficiently
      replicates in both human and monkey cells was used to bypass the usual host range
      restriction of Ad infection. In addition, we show that the SIV rev gene is
      properly spliced from a single SIV subgenomic DNA fragment and that the Rev
      protein is expressed in recombinant Ad-SIV-infected human as well as monkey
      cells. The expression of SIV gene products in suitable live Ad vectors provides
      an excellent system for studying the regulation of SIV gene expression in
      cultured cells and evaluating the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of SIV
      proteins in macaques.

PMID- 1404614
TI  - Activation of the prolactin receptor gene by promoter insertion in a Moloney
      murine leukemia virus-induced rat thymoma.
AB  - The prolactin receptor (Prlr) and growth hormone receptor (Ghr) genes and the
      Moloney murine leukemia virus integration-2 (Mlvi-2) locus were mapped to mouse
      chromosome 15 and human chromosome 5 bands p12-p14. To examine the potential
      relationship between Mlvi-2 and the genes encoding the growth hormone receptor
      and the prolactin receptor, we determined the chromosomal location of all three
      loci in the rat, using a panel of rat-mouse somatic cell hybrids, and in the
      mouse, using a panel of (C57BL/6J x Mus spretus)F1 x C57BL/6J interspecific
      backcross mice. These analyses revealed that Ghr, Prlr, and Mlvi-2 map to
      chromosome 2 in the rat and to chromosome 15 in the mouse, in close proximity
      with each other. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of rat genomic DNA showed no
      overlaps between the gene encoding the prolactin receptor and the remaining loci.
      Moreover, expression of the prolactin receptor was not affected by provirus
      insertion in Mlvi-2. During these studies, however, we detected one T-cell
      lymphoma line (2779) in which the prolactin receptor gene was activated by
      provirus integration. Sequence analysis of polymerase chain reaction-derived cDNA
      clones showed that the prolactin receptor RNA message initiates at the 5' long
      terminal repeat and utilizes the splice donor site 5' of the gag gene to splice
      the viral sequences onto exon 1 of the prolactin receptor. This message is
      predicted to encode the intact prolactin receptor protein product. Exposure of
      the T-cell lymphoma line 2779 to prolactin promoted cellular proliferation.

PMID- 1404615
TI  - An adenosine at position 27 in the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 trans
      activation response element is not critical for transcriptional or translational
      activation by Tat.
AB  - Tat protein binds to the trans-activation response (TAR) element of human
      immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNAs and activates gene expression at the level of
      transcription in mammalian cell lines and translation in Xenopus oocytes. Certain
      residues within TAR are important for Tat binding in vitro, including residue A
      27, which appears to be able to be modified in a Tat-dependent manner in Xenopus
      oocytes (L. Sharmeen, B. Bass, N. Sonenberg, H. Weintraub, and M. Groudine, Proc.
      Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:8096-8100, 1991). Activation by Tat in oocytes occurs via
      a covalent modification of TAR-containing RNA. We have found that in both
      mammalian cells and Xenopus oocytes, conversion of A-27.U-38 or C-27.G-38 or C
      27.G-38 reduces activation. However, conversion to G-27.U-38 or G-27.C-38 had
      little or no effect on activation, and in oocytes, these mutant RNAs were still
      covalently modified. These data exclude a specific role for the adenosine at
      residue 27 for Tat activation but suggest a requirement for a purine at this
      position.

PMID- 1404616
TI  - Protein truncation is not required for c-myb proto-oncogene activity in
      neuroretina cells.
AB  - The v-myb oncogene of avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) differs from its normal
      cellular counterpart by a truncation at both its amino and carboxyl termini and
      by a substitution of 11 amino acid residues. We had previously shown that v-myb
      containing AMV, in the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor, transformed
      chicken neuroretina (CNR) cells. To understand the mechanism of c-myb activation,
      we have tested whether avian retroviruses that express the full-length c-Myb are
      also active on CNR cells. We have found that c-Myb, like v-Myb, strongly
      increases the basic fibroblast growth factor response of CNR cells and that these
      c-myb-expressing cells are able to grow in soft agar in the presence of the
      growth factor. We have also found that, in contrast to normal or v-myb-expressing
      AMV-transformed CNR cells, c-Myb-transformed cells express mim-1, a granulocyte
      specific gene. However, normal v-Myb- and c-Myb-expressing CNR cells all express
      the pax-QNR gene, a newly described paired and homeobox-containing gene
      specifically expressed in the neuroretina. We conclude that, in contrast to what
      has been described for hematopoietic cells, overexpression of c-Myb is sufficient
      to activate gene expression and to induce an abnormal behavior of CNR cells.

PMID- 1404618
TI  - Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gag-protease fusion proteins are
      enzymatically active.
AB  - We have introduced mutations into the region of the genome of human
      immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) that encodes the cleavage sites between the
      viral protease (PR) and the adjacent upstream region of the polyprotein
      precursor. Segments containing these mutations were introduced into plasmids, and
      the retroviral proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli. The mutations
      prevented cleavage between the PR and the adjacent polypeptide; however, other PR
      cleavage sites in the polyprotein were cleaved normally, showing that the release
      of free PR is not a prerequisite for the appropriate processing of HIV-1
      precursors.

PMID- 1404617
TI  - Minimal requirements for the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 V3 domain to
      support the syncytium-inducing phenotype: analysis by single amino acid
      substitution.
AB  - The third variable domain (V3) of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1
      external envelope contains determinants of cell tropism, cytopathicity, and
      infectivity and elicits antibodies able to block infectivity in vitro and in
      vivo. Our study encompassed point-mutational analysis of HXB-2 viruses containing
      patient-derived V3 regions and expressing a non-syncytium-inducing, low
      replicating phenotype in T-cell line SupT1. The mutation within V3 of a serine at
      position 306 into an also naturally occurring arginine (S to R) required an
      additional, naturally occurring mutation at position 320 (aspartate to glutamine,
      D to Q) or 324 (aspartate to asparagine, D to N) for full expression of the
      syncytium-inducing, high-replicating (SI) phenotype. The naturally occurring
      mutation of an aspartate into an arginine at position 320 (D to R) was sufficient
      for production of the SI phenotype. This study proves that introduction of a
      positively charged amino acid at position 306 or 320, previously shown to be
      strongly associated with the SI phenotype in field isolates (R.A.M. Fouchier, M.
      Groenink, N.A. Kootstra, M. Tersmette, H.G. Huisman, F. Miedema, and H.
      Schuitemaker, J. Virol. 66:3183-3187, 1992), is minimally required for production
      of SI viruses. In addition, naturally occurring mutations at residue 324 also
      modulate the virus phenotype.

PMID- 1404619
TI  - Restoration of cell surface CD4 expression in human immunodeficiency virus type 1
      infected cells by treatment with a Tat antagonist.
AB  - Productive infection of T lymphocytes with human immunodeficiency virus type 1
      (HIV-1) is accompanied by a diminution of surface CD4 receptors. Treatment of
      chronically HIV-1-infected CD4-negative T cells in vitro with the Tat antagonist
      Ro 5-3335 resulted in a drug dose-dependent decrease in virus protein production
      and a reciprocal increase in surface CD4 display. The drug-treated cells remained
      viable, showed significantly reduced levels of the full-length and spliced HIV-1
      mRNAs as detected by Northern (RNA) blot hybridization, and maintained integrated
      HIV-1 DNA. In immunoprecipitation studies with drug-treated cells, the levels of
      free 55-kDa CD4 protein increased and gp160 complexed with CD4 decreased in
      amount. These results show for the first time that certain cytopathogenic effects
      of chronic HIV-1 infection can be reversed by suppressing virus expression.

PMID- 1404620
TI  - Transcription of human respiratory syncytial virus genome RNA in vitro:
      requirement of cellular factor(s).
AB  - Extracts made from human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-infected Hep-2 cells
      synthesized mRNAs encoded by all known viral genes. In contrast, RSV
      ribonucleoproteins purified from infected cells failed to transcribe in vitro;
      transcription was restored by addition of a cytoplasmic extract of uninfected Hep
      2 cells, demonstrating that a cellular factor(s) has a role in RSV gene
      expression. Quantitation of the individual gene mRNAs transcribed in vitro
      revealed polarity of transcription of the genome.

PMID- 1404621
TI  - Genetic recombination in brome mosaic virus: effect of sequence and replication
      of RNA on accumulation of recombinants.
AB  - In order to facilitate the isolation of recombinants in brome mosaic virus, a
      series of duplication mutants with alterations in the RNA3 3' noncoding region
      has been engineered. The distribution of crossovers, which was observed to be
      dependent on the parental RNA3 sequence, supported the role of RNA structure in
      recombination. However, a negative correlation between replication of the
      parental RNA3 constructs and the accumulation of recombinant progeny confirmed
      the role of selection.

PMID- 1404622
TI  - Baculovirus gp64 envelope glycoprotein is sufficient to mediate pH-dependent
      membrane fusion.
AB  - The baculovirus gp64 envelope glycoprotein is a major component of the envelope
      of the budded virus (BV) and is involved in BV entry into the host cell by
      endocytosis. To determine whether gp64 alone was sufficient to mediate membrane
      fusion, the Orgyia pseudotsugata multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus gp64
      protein was transiently expressed in uninfected insect cells. Cells expressing
      the baculovirus gp64 protein were examined for membrane fusion activity by using
      a syncytium formation assay under various conditions of exposure to low pH. Cells
      expressing the gp64 protein mediated membrane fusion and syncytium formation in a
      pH-dependent manner. A pH of 5.5 or lower was required to induce membrane fusion.
      In addition, exposure of gp64-expressing cells to low pH for as little as 5 s was
      sufficient to induce gp64-mediated syncytium formation. These studies provide
      direct evidence that gp64 is a pH-dependent membrane fusion protein and suggest
      that gp64 is the protein responsible for fusion of the virion envelope with the
      endosome membrane during BV entry into the host cell by endocytosis.

PMID- 1404623
TI  - Laparoscopic operative retroperitoneoscopy: use of a new device.
AB  - Attempts at retroperitoneoscopy have mostly failed in the past due to the
      inability to create an effective pneumoretroperitoneum because of the dense
      areolar tissue binding the fat in the retroperitoneum, which could not be broken
      down merely by pneumo-insufflation. The newly devised balloon breaks the septae,
      lifts the peritoneum atraumatically and creates a workable space in the
      retroperitoneum. The view of the retroperitoneal structures provided is
      satisfactory. With this balloon dissector we have performed laparoscopic
      ureterolithotomy, renoscopy and renal biopsy, para-aortic lymph node biopsy and
      ligation of the internal spermatic vein.

PMID- 1404624
TI  - Laparoscopic cystectomy: initial report on a new treatment for the retained
      bladder.
AB  - The retained bladder of a 27-year-old paraplegic woman suffering from recurrent
      pyocystis was removed laparoscopically. Operative time was 130 minutes.
      Postoperative hospital stay was 5 days, which was significantly less than that in
      5 similar patients undergoing open cystectomy for vesical empyema in whom the
      mean hospital stay was 20.6 days. We believe that laparoscopic cystectomy
      represents a plausible, minimally invasive alternative to standard cystectomy for
      the symptomatic bladder left behind after supravesical urinary diversion.

PMID- 1404625
TI  - Stimulated release of urine histamine in interstitial cystitis.
AB  - The diagnosis of interstitial cystitis is primarily made based on clinical and
      cystoscopic findings with exclusion of other bladder diseases. Despite all of the
      efforts at definitive identification, interstitial cystitis lacks universal
      objective findings. Mast cell activation with associated histamine release has
      been postulated as an etiological factor leading to the symptom complex
      associated with interstitial cystitis. To investigate this hypothesis, a 3-step
      controlled prospective study was conducted. In step 1 reliability of urine
      histamine assay was critically examined, and the assay was established to be
      simple, reliable and valid. In step 2 random spot urine histamine levels (basal
      state) were measured in 25 noninterstitial cystitis and 15 interstitial cystitis
      patients (22.1 +/- 0.95 ng./ml. versus 19.2 +/- 1.19 ng./ml.). There was no
      significant difference in the random urine histamine levels between the 2 groups
      (p greater than 0.05). In step 3 urine histamine levels were measured before and
      after hydrodistention (acute stimulation) in 7 noninterstitial cystitis controls
      and 6 newly diagnosed interstitial cystitis patients under general anesthesia.
      The urine histamine-to-creatinine ratio was used to correct for the dilutional
      effect of normal saline used during hydrodistention. The urine histamine-to
      creatinine ratios of the control group showed no significant difference before
      and after hydrodistention. However, the difference in the urine histamine-to
      creatinine ratios of the interstitial cystitis group compared to the controls
      before and after hydrodistention was highly significant (p less than 0.001).
      Although measurement of random spot urine histamine alone (basal state) was not
      found useful to make the diagnosis of interstitial cystitis, measurement of urine
      histamine before and immediately after hydrodistention (acute stimulation) may
      become an important objective parameter to assist in the diagnosis of
      interstitial cystitis.

PMID- 1404626
TI  - Monoclonal antibody Ki-67 in the study of the proliferative activity of bladder
      carcinoma.
AB  - We studied the proliferative activity of bladder carcinoma using monoclonal
      antibody Ki-67, which is able to stain a nuclear antigen exclusively present in
      cells in the cell cycle, that is with activated deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). We
      used this immunohistochemical technique on neoplastic tissue removed by
      transurethral resection from 101 patients. A significant correlation was observed
      (p less than 0.003) between cells with activated DNA and histological grading,
      even though within the context of each grade we observed tumors with a different
      proliferation index. Furthermore, we studied the location of the activated cells
      in the context of the tumor. In invasive tumors (stages T1 to T4) cells with
      activated DNA were always present at the base of implant of the tumor and in the
      neoplastic tissue that infiltrates the bladder wall. In regard to noninvasive
      tumors (stage Ta), in 57% of the cases most cells with activated DNA were present
      in the vegetative portion of the tumor and there were no recurrences at followup,
      while in 43% of the cases such cells were present also or especially at the base
      of implant of the tumor, near the lamina propria. In the latter patients we
      observed a 94% recurrence rate. These results suggest that the
      immunohistochemical assessment of the proliferative activity of transitional
      tumors of the bladder, using monoclonal antibody Ki-67, and the evaluation of the
      location of stained neoplastic cells provide a more reliable estimate of
      biological aggressiveness than that obtained with histopathological patterns
      alone.

PMID- 1404627
TI  - Whole bladder wall photodynamic therapy with in situ light dosimetry for
      carcinoma in situ of the bladder.
AB  - We report on the preliminary results of 12 patients with multifocal carcinoma in
      situ of the bladder treated with whole bladder wall photodynamic therapy. The
      total light dose (scattered plus nonscattered light) measured in situ was 100
      joules per cm.2 in the first 6 patients (group 1) and 75 joules per cm.2 in the
      remaining 6 (group 2). These light doses correspond on the average to 27 joules
      per cm.2 and 15.5 joules per cm.2 nonscattered light as reported by other
      investigators. Followup ranged from 6 to 22 months (average 11.5). In group 1, 2
      tumors recurred after 6 and 9 months, respectively, and 2 other patients had a
      permanently shrunken bladder without evidence of disease. In group 2, 1 tumor
      recurred 5 months after photodynamic therapy. In this group the bladder capacity
      increased on the average to 135% of the pretreatment value 3 months after
      photodynamic therapy. All recurrences were in patients with a history of invasive
      bladder cancer (stages T1 and T2). These preliminary results demonstrate the
      importance of in situ scattered light dosimetry for minimizing local side effects
      of whole bladder photodynamic therapy.

PMID- 1404628
TI  - Urethral controlled bladder substitution: a comparison between the intussuscepted
      nipple valve and the technique of Le Duc as antireflux procedures.
AB  - A urethral controlled bladder substitute was constructed from a detubularized,
      double folded ileal segment in 40 male patients following cystoprostatectomy for
      bladder cancer. For reflux prevention patients were prospectively randomized to
      receive either an intussuscepted nipple valve or the ureters were implanted by
      the Le Duc mucosal trough technique. All patients had normal upper tracts
      preoperatively. Mean patient age, performance status and stage of cancer were
      comparable in both groups. Patients were evaluated 6 to 18 months
      postoperatively. In addition to history taking, assessment included excretory
      urography, ascending cystography and voiding cystourethrography. During the
      observation period all patients with nipple valves had normal radiographic
      appearance of the upper tracts without evidence of reflux. On the other hand,
      following the Le Duc procedure 12 of 38 renal units (31%) showed evidence of
      radiographic dilatation. Of the 12 units 11 had stenotic ureters and 1 had
      reflux. We conclude that nipple valves are more effective in reflux prevention
      and protection of the upper urinary tract in patients for whom an ileal
      neobladder is indicated.

PMID- 1404629
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging of traumatic posterior urethral defects and pelvic
      crush injuries.
AB  - A total of 18 patients 4 to 71 years old with complete occlusion of the
      prostatomembranous urethra from pelvic crush injury underwent magnetic resonance
      imaging (MRI) of the pelvis just before open urethroplasty. MRI studies included
      T2-weighted sagittal and coronal images as well as transaxial T1 and T2-weighted
      spin-echo images. Operative findings and erectile function were correlated with
      MRI findings. All patients underwent conventional cystography and retrograde
      urethrography. The mean interval from injury to operation was 5.5 months (range 3
      to 12 months) and followup averaged 12 months (range 3 to 40 months).
      Posttraumatic pelvic anatomy can be distorted and imaging in all 3 planes was
      needed. The severity and direction of prostatourethral dislocation, and the
      length of the urethral defect could be accurately determined, which often is not
      possible with conventional radiographic studies. MRI also demonstrated injuries
      at many locations along the erectile pathway, including sacral and ischial
      fractures as well as fractures and avulsions of the cavernous bodies. Pelvic MRI
      can accurately define the pelvic anatomy after crush injury and, therefore, it
      can provide useful preoperative information that cannot be obtained by
      conventional radiographic studies. Our results correlating MRI findings of
      cavernous avulsion with clinical impotence require further study.

PMID- 1404630
TI  - Successful outcome of artificial urinary sphincters in men with post
      prostatectomy urinary incontinence despite adverse implantation features.
AB  - A total of 75 men with post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence underwent
      artificial urinary sphincter implantation with a mean followup of 3.7 years.
      Average patient age at implantation was 67 years, with 30 men being 70 years old
      or older. In only 15 men (20%) was there no adverse implantation feature, while
      the remainder had adverse features, such as detrusor hyperactivity (44), bladder
      neck or urethral stricture disease (27), previous radiation therapy (11) and
      metastatic prostate cancer (11). Although men with ideal implantation
      characteristics, men with normal detrusors and men who underwent prostatectomy
      for benign disease had slightly better outcome in terms of urinary continence, in
      general each group of men with and without adverse features had satisfactory
      urinary continence. Other than men with a benign prostate, who fared better, each
      group of men with and without adverse features had equal need for device
      revisions. In conclusion, men with post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence should
      not be excluded from consideration for artificial urinary sphincter implantation
      based on the failure to meet ideal implantation criteria provided such adverse
      features are recognized and appropriately addressed.

PMID- 1404631
TI  - The hemodynamic pathophysiology of impotence following blunt trauma to the erect
      penis.
AB  - A total of 19 patients provided a history of impotence following blunt trauma to
      the erect penis during intercourse or masturbation, or after accidents. Corporeal
      veno-occlusive dysfunction was the most common hemodynamic abnormality (16 of 19
      patients, or 84%). A site-specific leak, which consisted of abrupt filling of the
      dorsal vein and/or corpus spongiosum from a focal site on the penile shaft, was
      demonstrated in 15 patients (79%). Cavernous artery insufficiency was found less
      often (7 of 19 patients, or 37%). A focal mid shaft cavernous artery occlusion
      was demonstrated in 5 patients (28%). It is hypothesized that the aforementioned
      hemodynamic abnormalities are caused by tunica and intracavernous vasculature
      injuries induced by the marked short-term pressure increases, which approach or
      exceed the tunica tensile strength during acute abrupt loading of the erect
      penis. This hypothesis is supported by direct recording of intracavernous
      pressures that exceeded 450 mm. Hg in response to angulation and manual
      compression of the penile shaft. Further evidence was created by a biomechanical
      model that was based on previously published intracavernous pressure-
      circumference patient data during dynamic infusion pharmacocavernosometry. Using
      a typical patient data set a 60% diminution of circumference at the site of
      abrupt loading was calculated to induce a 15% increase in circumference in the
      nonloaded portion of the penile shaft and an elevated intracavernous pressure
      exceeding 900 mm. Hg. The site-specific hemodynamic abnormalities were found to
      occur not only in patients with a classical penile fracture history but also in
      patients with injuries during masturbation or following accidents who had no
      acute penile swelling or ecchymosis. Thus, the erect penis is at risk for injury
      during any acute loading situation. It is likely that this erect trauma-induced
      hemodynamic pathology occurs more frequently than previously appreciated and that
      this type of impotence may be the underlying basis for many cases of idiopathic
      Peyronie's disease.

PMID- 1404632
TI  - Objective double-blind evaluation of erectile function with intracorporeal
      papaverine in combination with phentolamine and/or prostaglandin E1.
AB  - We performed a double-blind, crossover study using objective measurements to
      compare maximum rigidity and duration of erections with papaverine hydrochloride
      in combination with phentolamine mesylate and/or prostaglandin E1. The rationale
      for the protocol was to combine a smooth muscle relaxant (papaverine) with either
      or both vasodilating agents (phentolamine and prostaglandin E1) commonly used for
      injection therapy. The 7 volunteer patients with organic impotence documented by
      abnormal nocturnal penile tumescence testing were injected with 0.5 to 1.0 ml.
      papaverine (30 mg./ml.) in combination with phentolamine (0.5 mg./ml.) and/or
      prostaglandin E1 (5 micrograms./ml.). Each patient received 2 injections on each
      of 2 testing dates; injection 2 was given after tumescence resulting from
      injection 1 had subsided completely. The medications were given in a randomized,
      counterbalanced order following double-blind procedures. Patients evaluated the
      erections subjectively. In addition, the RigiScan device was used to measure
      maximum rigidity and duration of erections. All patients observed increased
      duration of erections with both combinations containing prostaglandin E1.
      Analysis of RigiScan measurements showed no statistically significant differences
      for maximum rigidity (p greater than 0.1) but significantly greater duration of
      erections with papaverine plus prostaglandin E1, and papaverine plus phentolamine
      plus prostaglandin E1 compared to papaverine plus phentolamine (p less than
      0.001). There was no statistical difference in rigidity or duration of erections
      between papaverine plus prostaglandin E1 and papaverine plus phentolamine plus
      prostaglandin E1. No patient reported significant penile pain with any of the
      injections. We conclude that the combination of papaverine and prostaglandin E1
      produces erections of longer duration than papaverine plus phentolamine and that
      no additional benefit is gained by adding phentolamine to a combination of
      papaverine and prostaglandin E1. Further studies are in progress to define
      optimal dose response curves for papaverine and prostaglandin E1 as individual
      agents and in combination.

PMID- 1404633
TI  - Results of surgical management of Peyronie's disease.
AB  - Peyronie's disease is often managed surgically when medical management fails and
      sexual function is impaired due to residual curvature or loss of erectile
      function. In this study 63 patients were treated surgically, with 25 receiving a
      penile prosthesis, 25 undergoing a tunica vaginalis graft and 13 undergoing the
      Nesbit ellipse procedure. The long-term surgical outcome as determined by sexual
      function indicated that the penile prosthesis group remained the most sexually
      active, followed by the Nesbit ellipse group with the tunica vaginalis graft
      group being the least sexually active. Incision of curvature with placement of a
      penile prosthesis for the surgical management of Peyronie's disease remains an
      approach that has excellent long-term functional results.

PMID- 1404634
TI  - Sclerotherapy with tetracycline for hydroceles in renal transplant patients.
AB  - A total of 17 patients with hydroceles following renal transplantation underwent
      sclerotherapy with tetracycline hydrochloride (10 ml. of a 5% solution of
      tetracycline in 1% lidocaine). A successful outcome was obtained in 15 patients
      (88%). Post-sclerotherapy hydrocelectomy was necessary in 2 patients (12%). No
      major complications (testicular loss, scrotal abscess or necrosis) occurred in
      any patient. Pain at injection was the only adverse effect. Tetracycline
      sclerotherapy for hydroceles appears to be an effective and safe procedure in the
      renal transplant population. We recommend this procedure as the initial treatment
      modality for hydroceles in patients with a renal allograft.

PMID- 1404635
TI  - Intraoperative varicocele anatomy: a macroscopic and microscopic study.
AB  - Varicoceles are found in approximately 15% of all men in the general population
      and up to 41% of all infertile men. However, the exact location and relationship
      of internal and external spermatic arteries, veins and lymphatics within the
      inguinal portion of the spermatic cord have not been previously well described in
      infertile men. The results of detailed intraoperative macroscopic and microscopic
      surgical dissections of the spermatic cord and gubernaculum of 83 infertile men
      with 115 palpable varicoceles are described. Enlarged veins exiting the testis
      and traversing the gubernaculum were present in 48% of the dissections. Enlarged
      external spermatic veins were detected in 74% of all spermatic cords. Typically,
      small internal spermatic veins drained into a large vein more proximally in the
      spermatic cord. An average of 3.6 lymphatics per spermatic cord was identified
      and preserved during the dissections. A solitary testicular artery was observed
      in 69% of the dissections. The testicular artery was adherent to the posterior
      surface of a large internal spermatic vein in 50% of the dissections and was
      surrounded by a dense complex of closely adherent veins in 30%. To decrease the
      incidence of postoperative varicocele recurrences we suggest a surgical approach
      that addresses all identifiable dilated and connecting veins. These findings
      suggest that surgical approaches that include intraoperative access to and
      ligation of low inguinal (external spermatic) and gubernacular veins may cause
      fewer recurrences, unligated small internal spermatic veins may be a cause of
      varicocele recurrence, and large internal spermatic veins should be individually
      identified, dissected and ligated since the testicular artery and lymphatics are
      often adherent to these veins. Optical magnification is important to facilitate
      identification of lymphatics, testicular arteries and small internal spermatic
      veins.

PMID- 1404636
TI  - Management of preexisting inflatable penile prosthesis during radical retropubic
      prostatectomy.
AB  - A potentially difficult technical situation exists when a man with a functioning
      inflatable penile prosthesis elects radical prostatectomy as treatment for
      localized prostate cancer. Between February 1988 and June 1991 we encountered 8
      men with a preexisting inflatable penile prosthesis who subsequently underwent
      radical retropubic prostatectomy. In 2 patients the reservoir portion of the
      prosthesis was in the perivesical space such that radical prostatectomy could be
      performed without difficulty. However, in 6 patients removal of the reservoir was
      necessary to complete the prostatectomy. In 3 of these 6 patients the reservoir
      was replaced at 3 to 6 months after radical prostatectomy and all 3 systems
      function well. The remaining 3 patients have not yet elected replacement of the
      reservoir. Only 1 patient had an infection and a complication attributable to the
      prosthesis. We believe that a preexisting inflatable penile prosthesis should not
      preclude successful radical retropubic prostatectomy, although temporary removal
      of the reservoir may be required.

PMID- 1404637
TI  - Retrieval of proximally migrated ureteral stents.
AB  - Proximal migration of Double-J ureteral stents is a rare complication. An
      atraumatic and effective method of retrieving the dislodged stent using a
      ureteral balloon is described.

PMID- 1404638
TI  - Selective sacral rhizotomy in the management of the reflex neuropathic bladder: a
      report on 17 patients with long-term followup.
AB  - During the last 6 years 24 patients with cervical or thoracic spinal cord
      injuries and a severe reflex neuropathic bladder underwent selective dorsal
      sacral rhizotomy with the aid of intraoperative neurostimulation and urodynamic
      monitoring. Preoperative and postoperative evaluation was available in 17
      patients. Followup ranged from 2 months to 5 years (mean 32 months). Mean bladder
      capacity increased significantly after rhizotomy (from 148 +/- 28.1 to 377 +/-
      52.9 ml., p less than 0.001), as did mean volume to first contraction (from 99 +/
      28.6 to 270 +/- 39.3 ml., p less than 0.001). No significant changes in bowel or
      erectile function were noted. Continence was improved in 94%, with 14 patients
      remaining completely dry and voiding with electrical stimulation or intermittent
      self-catheterization. The long-term results of selective sacral rhizotomy compare
      favorably to more aggressive alternatives, such as augmentation cystoplasty or
      urinary diversion.

PMID- 1404639
TI  - Effect of spinal cord ischemia on vesicourethral function.
AB  - We studied 9 patients with clinical evidence of spinal cord ischemia or
      infarction who had altered vesicourethral function. Of the patients 6 had some
      preservation of bladder and lower extremity sensation, a clinical pattern
      consistent with the anterior spinal artery syndrome. A total of 3 patients had a
      clinical picture more consistent with complete transverse myelopathy, since they
      had no preservation of bladder or lower extremity sensation. Despite sensory
      levels well above the sacral spinal cord segments, 6 patients had detrusor
      areflexia (4 with bethanechol supersensitivity and 4 with neuropathic changes in
      the perineal electromyograph) indicating longitudinal spinal cord involvement.
      Three patients had detrusor hyperreflexia with vesicosphincter dyssynergia,
      indicating some preservation of the sacral spinal cord. In 6 patients
      appreciation of pinprick in the lower extremities was absent or decreased but
      light touch or position sense was preserved. Bladder sensation was dissociated in
      4 of these 6 patients, since they had perception of bladder distention but loss
      of urge to void. These findings indicate that bladder distention is a sensory
      modality probably mediated via the posterior spinal cord, while the sense of
      urgency is probably conveyed by the anterior spinal cord.

PMID- 1404640
TI  - Unilateral renal cystic disease: a case presentation.
AB  - An infant who presented with a unilateral renal cystic process underwent
      nephrectomy due to hypertension. There was no evidence of any other disease
      process. Family history and investigation were negative for renal cystic disease
      or other genetic disease process. The pathology most resembled autosomal dominant
      polycystic kidney disease or a specific entity described as unilateral renal
      cystic disease.

PMID- 1404641
TI  - Managing apparent ureteropelvic junction obstruction in the newborn.
AB  - A total of 97 newborns with apparent ureteropelvic junction obstruction was
      evaluated from mid 1984 to 1989. Evaluation and management are described. Of
      these patients 39 with an affected kidney showing good initial differential
      function (greater than 35%) by diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid scan and 2
      showing diminished function (less than 35%) were followed nonoperatively. Six
      patients (15%) eventually required pyeloplasty for diminishing function (4),
      urinary tract infections (1) or symptoms of colic (1). The 4 patients with
      diminishing function improved after pyeloplasty to at least the initial level. A
      total of 12 patients with good initial function (greater than 35%) of the
      affected kidney underwent early pyeloplasty (within 6 weeks of diagnosis). They
      were compared to the similar group of patients managed nonoperatively and
      followed by sequential renal scans. Eventual changes in percentage differential
      function in the nonoperative and early surgery groups were +2.8% and +4.1%,
      respectively. Changes in extraction factor were +0.8% (nonoperative group) and
      +0.9% (surgery group). No statistically significant difference was found. In the
      kidney with apparent ureteropelvic junction obstruction and good function, an
      initial nonoperative approach with sequential renal scan followup and pyeloplasty
      as needed appears to be reasonable and has resulted in no permanent loss of
      function.

PMID- 1404642
TI  - Postpubertal genitourinary function following posterior urethral disruptions in
      children.
AB  - A total of 24 boys sustaining a simultaneous pelvic fracture and posterior
      urethral disruption was observed from the time of injury through puberty. Average
      length of followup was 6 years. In contrast to the adult, in whom the urethra is
      invariably injured at the prostatomembranous junction, the posterior urethral
      disruptions in the prepubertal patient were at 3 distinct locations: 1)
      supraprostatic in 4 patients, 2) transprostatic in 4 and 3) prostatomembranous in
      16. Prolonged followup through puberty in these children revealed that the
      frequency of complications was significantly higher for urethral injuries
      proximal to the prostatomembranous region compared to those at this latter site:
      impotence 75% versus 31%, intractable strictures following repairs 75% versus 12%
      and urinary incontinence 25% versus 0%. In summary, the prognosis of children who
      sustain a posterior urethral disruption should be based on the location of the
      injury and must remain guarded until the individual attains a postpubertal
      status.

PMID- 1404643
TI  - Transpubic-perineal urethral reconstruction in boys using a substitution graft.
AB  - A combined transpubic-perineal 1-stage approach was used for urethral replacement
      and proximal urethral repair in 6 boys: 4 were treated for a long proximal
      urethral stricture secondary to trauma and 2 with urethral atresia underwent
      replacement of the entire anterior urethra. All patients underwent a urethral
      substitution graft of either skin or bladder mucosa. Followup ranged from 2 to 8
      years with all patients continent.

PMID- 1404644
TI  - Congenital rupture of scrotum: an unusual complication of meconium peritonitis.
AB  - Congenital rupture of the scrotum caused by meconium peritonitis occurred in a
      newborn with clinical findings of the Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. Ruptured
      omphalocele and jejunal atresia were present. Surgical repair 3 hours after birth
      was successful.

PMID- 1404645
TI  - Transitional cell carcinoma associated with crossed renal ectopia and previous
      cyclophosphamide therapy.

PMID- 1404646
TI  - Spontaneous regression of histologically proved pulmonary metastases from renal
      cell carcinoma: a case with 5-year followup.
AB  - Spontaneous regression of biopsy proved metastatic renal cell carcinoma is rare.
      We describe a 39-year-old man who had histologically proved metastatic disease to
      the lungs after nephrectomy. The lesions had spontaneously regressed 3 months
      later. The patient remained without evidence of recurrence 5 years after
      diagnosis.

PMID- 1404648
TI  - Paratesticular fibrous pseudotumor in a patient with Gorlin's syndrome: nevoid
      basal cell carcinoma syndrome.
AB  - An 18-year-old man with Gorlin's syndrome (the nevoid basal cell carcinoma
      syndrome) underwent excisional biopsy of a fibrous pseudotumor of the tunica
      vaginalis. Preoperative ultrasound confirmed the extraparenchymal nature of this
      paratesticular lesion, permitting a transscrotal approach. The pathophysiological
      considerations suggest that this finding (to our knowledge the first such case
      reported in association with Gorlin's syndrome) may be more than coincidental.

PMID- 1404647
TI  - Complete ureteral transection associated with percutaneous lumbar disk
      nucleotomy.
AB  - A case of complete ureteral transection complicating percutaneous nucleotomy for
      disk herniation is reported. The ureteral lesion was contralateral to the
      percutaneous approach and was treated by intubated ureteroureterostomy, since
      complete section precluded endourological management.

PMID- 1404649
TI  - Malignant Leydig cell tumor of the testis in complete remission on o,p'
      dichlorodiphenyl-dichloroethane.
AB  - A 56-year-old patient is described who presented with retroperitoneal lymph node
      metastases 2 years after resection of a Leydig cell tumor of the left testis. The
      patient did not suffer from endocrinological imbalance. Surgical removal of the
      metastases alleviated abdominal symptoms for 1 year. o,p'-Dichlorodiphenyl
      dichloroethane (o,p'-DDD) treatment was started at the time of recurrence of the
      retroperitoneal mass and the appearance of a hepatic metastasis. Tumors were
      remarkably responsive to o,p'-DDD, since 2 complete remissions could be obtained
      for extended periods. The o,p'-DDD was tolerated reasonably well and serum levels
      of 15 to 20 mg./l. were sustained for many months. Unfortunately, the patient
      could not be cured with this effective treatment.

PMID- 1404650
TI  - Osteitis pubis as a complication of transrectal needle biopsy of the prostate.
AB  - We report a case of osteitis pubis complicating transrectal needle biopsy of the
      prostate. This case best supports direct trauma to the symphysis pubis as an
      etiology. A literature review of osteitis pubis is presented.

PMID- 1404651
TI  - Adenocarcinoma in a mullerian duct cyst.
AB  - A case of adenocarcinoma involving a mullerian duct cyst is presented. The
      presentation, treatment, and pathological and radiological appearance are
      discussed. The embryology and history of this entity are reviewed.

PMID- 1404652
TI  - Re: Pelvic pain without pelvic organs.

PMID- 1404653
TI  - Re: Venogenic impotence following dermal graft repair for Peyronie's disease.

PMID- 1404654
TI  - Suppression of prostaglandin E1-induced pain by dilution of the drug with
      lidocaine before intracavernous injection.

PMID- 1404655
TI  - Full-term pregnancy obtained with sperm recovered by seminal tract washout from
      an anejaculating, spinal cord injury man.

PMID- 1404656
TI  - Re: Staging relationships and outcome in early stage testicular cancer: a report
      from the Testicular Cancer Intergroup Study.

PMID- 1404657
TI  - Re: Antegrade approach to radical retropubic prostatectomy in patients with
      difficult apical dissection.

PMID- 1404658
TI  - Progression delay of prostate tumor skeletal metastasis effects by
      bisphosphonates.
AB  - Prostate tumor cell metastasis to the axial skeleton was induced in male
      Copenhagen rats using the intravenous injection of syngeneic metastatic R3327
      MATLyLu tumor cells and concomitant caval vein clamping. The proliferation of
      tumor cells in the lumbar region was monitored by the progression, within 19 days
      post tumor cell injection, of hindleg paralysis which appeared in these animals.
      Histology confirmed the presence of tumor cells within the lumbar spine in 100%
      of cases displaying hindleg paralysis. Treatment with either of the
      bisphosphonate drugs, Cl2MDP or APD, suppressed and delayed the development of
      hind leg paralysis. Bisphosphonate treatment may be expected to delay the onset
      of axial skeletal metastasis effects in prostate cancer patients.

PMID- 1404659
TI  - Ureteral compliance and histology in partial obstruction in a canine model.
AB  - Standardized partial ureter obstruction was achieved in 35 mongrel dogs in whom
      ureteral compliance and its relationship to histologic changes were studied over
      a period of 26 weeks. The partially obstructed ureter became dilated with
      thickened wall and showed muscle hypertrophy and connective tissue proliferation.
      The normal stellate configuration of the ureteral lumen gradually flattened and
      became entirely circular by the eighth week. The compliance of the obstructed
      ureter increased gradually after one, 2, 4, and 8 weeks but decreased thereafter
      at 12 and 26 weeks. At 8 weeks, the ureter was significantly more compliant than
      both, the unobstructed control ureter (p less than 0.005) and the 12 week and 26
      week partially obstructed ureters (p less than 0.005 & p less than 0.05
      respectively). The increase in ureteral compliance was proportional to the amount
      of muscle hypertrophy during the first 8 weeks while the subsequent decrease in
      compliance (at 12 and 26 weeks) was proportional to the amount of connective
      tissue proliferation. This study documents ureteral response, both functional and
      histologic, to partial obstruction in a canine model over 26 week duration.

PMID- 1404660
TI  - Localization and identification of T-(Gal beta 1-3GalNAc alpha 1-O-R) and T-like
      antigens in experimental rat bladder cancer.
AB  - A mouse monoclonal antibody and a rabbit polyclonal antibody against the T
      antigen (Gal beta 1-3GalNAc alpha 1-O-R) were used to study the distribution of T
      antigens in an experimental rat bladder cancer model. Neoplasia was induced in 28
      rats by intravesical installation of N-nitroso-N-methylurea (NMU) dissolved in
      acetate buffer. Fifteen rats were installed with acetate buffer, and served as
      controls. Urothelial samples were taken from all animals, the atypia was graded
      and detailed data on the location of the antibody binding structures were
      obtained by immunohistochemical methods. In addition, Western Blots of
      glycoproteins and thin-layer-chromatography (TLC) immunostainings of glycolipids
      extracted from normal and malignant tissue were performed to characterize the
      molecules presenting T-antigens. Examination of the histologic distribution of T
      antigens showed that both the monoclonal and the polyclonal reagents reacted with
      atypical cells in proportion to the grade of atypia, but showed no reaction in
      invasive cells. These results confirm previously obtained data on the T-antigen
      using peanut (arachis hypogaea) agglutinin (PNA), and support the structure
      identity as being the classical O-linked mucin type T-antigen. Western blots of
      tumor glycoproteins showed that the monoclonal and the polyclonal antibody
      reacted with epitopes different from that of PNA, but all the probes correlated
      with atypia. In addition PNA, as the only anti-T reagent, bound to glycolipid. By
      using well characterized and highly specific immunological reagents the present
      study shows that the T-antigen is a highly selective marker of urothelial atypia.

PMID- 1404661
TI  - Mechanism of ammonium transport: inhibition by potassium and barium.
AB  - Elucidating the precise mechanism of intestinal ammonium transport is critical to
      the understanding of the acidosis associated with intestinal urinary diversion.
      Unfortunately, it is incompletely understood and controversial. Recently, we have
      shown that furosemide and Ba2+ significantly inhibit ammonium absorption in the
      ileum. On the basis of this and other data, we have suggested that ionized
      ammonium absorption occurs via K(+)-transport pathways. The present study
      examines intestinal ammonium absorption and its inhibition by K+ and Ba2+
      utilizing a simplified in vivo system in rat distal ileum. Ammonium absorption
      demonstrates a tendency towards saturation at initial concentrations between 0
      and 300 mM/l. Above 300 mM/l. there was a marked increase in ammonium absorption
      suggesting a possible biological effect of high NH4+ concentrations on the
      intestinal segment. Potassium inhibits ammonium absorption. K+ (50 mM/l.)
      significantly inhibited ammonium at an initial concentration of 100 mM/l. (p less
      than 0.05) and K+ (100 mM/l.) inhibited ammonium absorption at both 50 and 100
      mM/l. (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.01 respectively). Potassium inhibition
      of ammonium absorption was lost at concentrations above 200 mM/l. suggesting that
      K+ inhibition occurs via a competitive mechanism. Ba2+ (25 mM/l.) was shown to be
      a potent inhibitor of ammonium absorption. This significant inhibition persisted
      at high initial ammonium concentrations suggesting a complex, noncompetitive
      mechanism of inhibition. In conclusion, this study provides important data
      further suggesting that ammonium transport in the intestine occurs via K+
      transport pathways, and suggests that the traditionally held mechanism of
      nonionic ammonium diffusion needs reevaluation.

PMID- 1404662
TI  - Alterations in bile following urinary intestinal diversion.
AB  - In order to determine whether alterations in bile occur which make it more
      lithogenic when intestinal segments are interposed in the urinary tract, 42
      female Sprague-Dawley rats had intestinal and urointestinal manipulations
      followed by analysis of bile constituents. Timed collections were obtained from
      the common bile duct which were analyzed for bile acids, phospholipids,
      cholesterol, bilirubin, volume, osmolality, pH, calcium, chloride, sodium, and
      potassium. Changes in bile constituents were identified following urinary
      diversion which were specific for the type of diversion and the segment of bowel
      used, but they were not of sufficient degree to cause significant changes in the
      lithogenicity of bile. This correlates well with the lack of clinical findings of
      cholelithiasis in children with urinary intestinal diversion.

PMID- 1404663
TI  - Endothelin in the urinary bladder. I. Synthesis of endothelin-1 by epithelia,
      muscle and fibroblasts suggests autocrine and paracrine cellular regulation.
AB  - The synthesis and localization of endothelin-1 were studied in human and rabbit
      bladder. In addition, the effects of endothelin-1 on smooth muscle tone and
      cholinergic neurotransmission were investigated in rabbit bladder. Endothelin
      like immunoreactivity was localized in the transitional epithelium, serosal
      mesothelium, and vascular endothelium; smooth muscle of the bladder (non
      vascular) and that of blood vessels; and fibroblasts. With in situ hybridization,
      transcripts of endothelin messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) were localized with
      the same cellular distribution as endothelin-like immunoreactivity, in bladder
      tissue. Northern blot analysis of bladder RNA confirmed the expression of
      preproendothelin-1 mRNA. Rabbit bladder strips in organ chambers contracted when
      exposed to endothelin-1 and this response was partially attenuated by calcium
      channel blockers or by removal of extracellular calcium. Transmural electrical
      stimulation of rabbit bladder strips elicited contractions that were greatly
      reduced by atropine. The remaining atropine resistant component was blocked by
      alpha, beta-methylene ATP, which desensitizes purinergic receptors. Endothelin-1
      caused a small but consistent attenuation of the atropine sensitive component of
      the neurogenic contraction, while it had no effect on the atropine resistant
      component. The localization of endothelin synthesis in epithelia, smooth muscle,
      and fibroblasts suggests that endothelin may act as an autocrine hormone in the
      regulation of the bladder wall structure and smooth muscle tone. In addition,
      endothelin-1 may regulate cholinergic neurotransmission by a paracrine mechanism.

PMID- 1404665
TI  - A mechanism of retrograde ejaculation after bilateral hypogastric nerve
      transections in the dog.
AB  - To pursue the mechanism of retrograde ejaculation after bilateral hypogastric
      nerve transections, the disability of the lumbosacral sympathetic trunk and the
      spermatic nerve to compensate bladder neck closure was investigated while both
      act as compensatory pathways for seminal emission. Five mongrel dogs were used
      for each experiment. By manual penis-stimulation, all dogs showed only retrograde
      ejaculation one month and six months after transection of bilateral hypogastric
      nerves. Bladder neck closure did not occur by electrical stimulation of either
      the lumbosacral sympathetic trunk or the spermatic nerve before and one month
      after transection of bilateral hypogastric nerves in all dogs examined and
      persistent relaxation of bladder neck was observed one and six months after
      transection of bilateral hypogastric nerves. The present results and our previous
      data indicate that retrograde ejaculation after bilateral hypogastric nerve
      transections is attributable to the absence of effective compensatory sympathetic
      pathways for bladder neck closure under the recovery of seminal emission by
      compensatory pathways.

PMID- 1404664
TI  - Endothelin in the urinary bladder. II. Characterization of endothelin receptor
      subtypes.
AB  - Endothelins (ET-1, ET-2, ET-3) are a family of regulatory peptides with diverse
      biological functions, including modulation of smooth muscle tone. To evaluate the
      possible role of endothelins in the control of the detrusor smooth muscle of
      urinary bladder, we have investigated the responses of isolated strips of bladder
      dome and base to endothelins, in organ chambers, and characterized the receptors
      for these isopeptides in bladder membranes. ET-1, ET-2 and to a lesser extent ET
      3 caused sustained concentration-dependent contraction of bladder dome and base.
      The contraction to endothelins, unlike the short-lived contraction produced by
      cholinergic agents, was long lasting and difficult to wash out. Equilibrium
      binding studies demonstrated that endothelin isoforms bound to bladder membrane
      receptors specifically, with high affinity (KD of 0.4-0.6 nM) and limited
      capacity (60-420 fmol/mg protein). Competition analysis showed two populations of
      receptors: one with high affinity for ET-1 and ET-2 and low affinity for ET-3 and
      another with high affinity for ET-1, ET-2 and ET-3. Chemical affinity labeling of
      endothelins to bladder membranes demonstrated that ET-1 and ET-2 were cross
      linked to three proteins (75, 52 and 34 kDa, respectively), whereas ET-3 was
      cross-linked mainly to a 34 kDa protein. The data obtained from equilibrium
      binding studies, competition analysis and cross-linking experiments suggest that
      at least two endothelin receptor subtypes exist in bladder tissue. These
      observations further suggest that bladder smooth muscle tone may be modulated by
      endothelin or an endothelin-like substance via interaction with specific receptor
      sites.

PMID- 1404666
TI  - The expression of C-jun and junB mRNA in renal cell cancer and in vitro
      regulation by transforming growth factor beta 1 and tumor necrosis factor alpha
      1.
AB  - The proto-oncogene C-jun acts as a transcriptional activator or repressor for
      numerous cellular genes, and the overexpression of these genes may cause
      malignant transformation. JunB inhibits c-jun's transforming activities. We
      investigated the expression of jun genes in renal cell cancer (RCC) and their
      regulation by cytokines and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-b1). The
      constitutive expression of c-jun was detected in 39 of 43 fresh frozen RCC, 5 of
      10 normal kidneys, and the expression of junB detected in 28 of 34 RCC, 5 of 6
      normal kidneys. C-jun was also found expressed in all 10 RCC tumor lines examined
      and junB was expressed at low levels in 6 of 10 renal tumor lines. TGF-b1 and
      tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) have been shown to alter the expression of
      jun genes in other tissue types. Additionally, TGF-b1, TNF-a, and gamma
      interferon (g-IFN) were shown to inhibit the growth of RCC. We found that TGF-b1
      highly augmented the expression of junB (mean of 34 folds, p less than .05), but
      did not significantly alter the expression of c-jun, the transforming gene. In
      contrast, TNF-a significantly enhanced the expression of both c-jun (mean fold
      enhancement of 2.1, p less than .05) and junB (2.2 folds, p less than .05).
      Interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and g-IFN did not significantly alter
      jun expression. The findings presented suggest that c-jun may have a role in
      inducing malignant transformation in RCC and a novel mechanism by which TGF-b1
      may exert its anti-tumor effects, via the activation of junB. Additionally,
      although TGF-b1, TNF-a, and g-IFN all have anti-proliferative actions on RCC in
      vitro, they were found to have different effects in altering jun expressions.

PMID- 1404667
TI  - Effects of adenosine on canine penile erection.
AB  - We investigated the hemodynamic effects of intracavernous injection of adenosine
      on canine penile erection. In all ten dogs studied, adenosine induced a dose
      dependent increase of intracavernous pressure (ICP). Adenosine (0.67 to 15
      micrograms/kg., B.W.) increased arterial blood flow by 83 to 325 percent above
      baseline levels and also increased venous resistance, which resulted in a full
      erection (ICP = 80 to 140 cm. H2O) for one to 7 minutes. The repeatability of the
      adenosine effect was confirmed in eight dogs. We found that adenosine, by virtue
      of its smooth muscle relaxation properties, can induce a dose-dependent increase
      of ICP and cause a full erection in dogs.

PMID- 1404668
TI  - Prophylactic and therapeutic carboprost tromethamine bladder irrigation in rats
      with cyclophosphamide-induced hemorrhagic cystitis.
AB  - Recently, prostaglandins have been shown to be effective agents for the treatment
      of cyclophosphamide-induced hemorrhagic cystitis. Among the prostaglandins
      studied is carboprost tromethamine, a PGF2a analog. To determine the
      effectiveness of carboprost tromethamine therapy on the urothelium, we induced
      hemorrhagic cystitis in 81 rats. These were divided into two treatment arms. One
      arm was treated prophylactically at the time of cyclophosphamide injection, and
      the other started treatment only after hemorrhagic cystitis was established.
      Animals were divided equally into groups receiving 0, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.6 mg.%
      carboprost tromethamine in 0.9% normal saline by continuous bladder irrigation.
      All bladders were examined grossly for edema and hemorrhage, then histologically
      for mucosal ulceration, congestion, and perivascular hemorrhage. Results from the
      prophylactic arm, as compared to those for controls, revealed that all groups
      except those treated only with 0.9% normal saline had a lower incidence of
      hemorrhagic cystitis (p less than 0.05). In the established hemorrhagic cystitis
      arm, the group treated with 1.6 mg.% carboprost tromethamine showed the best
      response (p less than 0.05), whereas the group treated with 0.9% normal saline
      showed the poorest response. This study reveals that hemorrhagic cystitis in the
      rat model may be prevented by prophylactic continuous bladder irrigation with
      carboprost tromethamine, whereas established hemorrhagic cystitis may be treated
      effectively with intravesical instillation of carboprost tromethamine. Although
      the mechanism of action of this prostaglandin on the urothelium is unknown, it
      appears grossly and histologically to decrease ulceration, perivascular
      hemorrhage, and congestion in the mucosa and submucosa.

PMID- 1404669
TI  - Synergy of radiation therapy and immunotherapy in murine renal cell carcinoma.
AB  - The treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma with immunotherapy has resulted
      in objective anti-tumor responses in 15-30% of patients. To enhance the
      therapeutic effects of immunotherapy, it is becoming evident that this approach
      should be combined with other treatment modalities. In this study, a
      spontaneously metastasizing murine renal adenocarcinoma (Renca), transplanted
      under the renal capsule, was treated with either radiation therapy, immunotherapy
      or a combination of both. In order to distinguish between the local and systemic
      effects of radiation therapy, total body irradiation was compared to irradiation
      of the tumor-bearing kidney only, or irradiation of the whole mouse with the
      tumor-bearing kidney shielded. Immunotherapy was administered with interleukin-2
      (IL-2) alone or with IL-2 and lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells. Combined
      radiation and immunotherapy induced a better anti-tumor response than either
      modality alone. The best response was obtained by local tumor irradiation and IL
      2 therapy and resulted in a significant reduction in primary tumor size,
      elimination of lung metastases and a significant increase in survival.

PMID- 1404670
TI  - A new porphyrin photosensitizer (PH1008) in model membranes, normal cells, and
      bladder cancer cells.
AB  - Newer photosensitizers continue to be sought for photodynamic therapy of bladder
      cancer particularly since local rather than systemic application is desired.
      Recent studies have indicated that a cationic dye, PH1008, a 13,17-N,N,N
      dimethylethylethanolamine ester of protoporphyrin, sensitizes the photolysis of
      red blood cells. The study described in this report was designed to investigate
      the plasma membrane partitioning of PH1008 model lipid system and to compare
      partitioning of PH1008 in normal transitional cells and bladder cancer cells in
      vitro. Partition coefficient (Kp) values characterizing the distribution of
      PH1008 between aqueous buffer and normal and malignant transitional cells were
      3.4 +/- 0.7 x 10(4) (CRL-7881) and 9.5 +/- 1.4 x 10(4) (HTB-9), resulting in a
      20% difference in membrane photosensitizer concentration at a particular
      photosensitizer concentration. Significantly higher (2-5 fold) differences are
      observed between tumor and surrounding normal tissue for systemically delivered
      photofrin II. Cell-bound drug was 30-fold (CRL-7881) and 80-fold (HTB-9) more
      fluorescent when compared to aqueous buffer. The combined effects of partitioning
      and bound fluorescence suggest that a 3.2-fold increase in fluorescence of
      transformed vs. normal bladder urothelium exists. This difference in fluorescence
      suggests that PH1008 might be more useful as a diagnostic tool than as a
      phototherapeutic agent.

PMID- 1404671
TI  - Effects of acute in vitro overdistension of the rabbit urinary bladder on DNA
      synthesis.
AB  - Urinary bladder outflow obstruction induces a myriad of structural and functional
      changes in the organ. Among the morphological responses to outlet obstruction is
      both hyperplasia and hypertrophy of specific cellular elements. The initial event
      which has been implicated in the initiation of the response to outflow
      obstruction is an initial period of high intravesical pressure and subsequent
      distention of the bladder. In a previous study, it was shown that at one day
      following partial outlet obstruction there was a marked increase in thymidine
      labelling of the urothelium, at 3-5 days, the labeling shifted from the
      urothelium to the interstitial and serosal elements. The current study was
      designed to determine if acute distention of the urinary bladder can induce an
      increase in DNA synthesis (3H-thymidine incorporation), and localize the
      increased DNA synthesis via autoradiography of 3H-thymidine. In this study, the
      bladders of adult male New Zealand white rabbits were mounted in isolated in
      vitro baths. Each control bladder was filled to either 5 or 20 ml. with saline,
      or distended to 120% of capacity. The bladders were incubated for 7 hours at
      which time 3H-thymidine was placed both within and outside the bladder for an
      additional one hour. At the end of the time the bladder was divided at the
      ureteral orifices into bladder body and base, and each body and base divided into
      two sections. One section of bladder body and base was quantitatively analyzed
      for both labelled and unlabelled DNA; the second section was fixed and prepared
      for autoradiography. The results can be summarized as follows: 1) Acute
      overdistention for 8 hours induced a slight decrease in the DNA concentration
      which was mediated by edema of the bladder wall. 2) Acute overdistention induced
      a 5-fold increase in 3H-thymidine incorporation in the bladder body and a 3-fold
      increase in the bladder base. Radioautoradiography of the overdistended bladders
      showed significant and substantial labelling which was confined to the urothelial
      basal cells. The control bladders showed little or no labelling. These results
      are consistent with the theory that acute distention following partial outlet
      obstruction initiates the proliferative response of the bladder to outlet
      obstruction, and the urothelium is the initial target of the proliferative
      response. Functionally, the proliferative response may serve to maintain the
      structural as well as functional integrity of the bladder.

PMID- 1404672
TI  - Three-dimensional intravascular ultrasound imaging of normal and diseased canine
      and human arteries.
AB  - This study reports three-dimensional reconstruction of two-dimensional
      intravascular ultrasound images obtained along 5 cm vessel segments. Each three
      dimensional image was produced by computerized "stacking" of a set of consecutive
      two-dimensional images (mode 90 images per set; range 32 to 256). Three
      dimensional images (n = 26) were obtained from 11 human normal and
      atherosclerotic arteries (three in vitro and eight in vivo) and five in vivo
      canine studies. In vivo human examinations included three iliac, one deep, and
      three superficial femoral arteries and one aortic dissection. Five in vivo canine
      vessels (three iliac stenoses and two aortic dissections) were imaged before and
      after intraluminal stent deployment. Images were displayed on a gray-scale
      monitor, allowing examination of vessel images as complete cylinders or
      longitudinal hemisections in any user-defined plane. This enabled global
      examination of vascular segments and identified luminal shape, wall thickness,
      and distribution and morphology of plaques. Reconstructions of aortic dissections
      illustrated the extent of the dissection and produced an anatomic picture of the
      false lumen. Three-dimensional imaging enhanced stent deployment by identifying
      the site for deployment, dimensions of the vessel lumen, and changes in
      morphology after stent insertion. There was good correlation in vessel dimensions
      measured by angiography, two-dimensional intravascular ultrasonography and
      longitudinal gray-scale reconstructions (r = 0.74 to 0.95; p = 0.34 to 0.001) but
      poor correlation with measurements from three-dimensional surface-rendered images
      (r = 0.13 to 0.48; p = 0.42 to 0.87). We conclude that three-dimensional
      intravascular ultrasound imaging is an innovative new method for identifying the
      type, extent, and spatial configuration of arterial disease, with promising
      diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

PMID- 1404673
TI  - Accuracy of duplex scanning for measurement of arterial volume flow.
AB  - This study examined the accuracy of duplex ultrasound measurements of volume flow
      in a baboon model. Volume flow (Vf) through the external iliac artery was
      calculated from measurements of blood velocity averaged over several cardiac
      cycles (time-averaged velocity [TAV]) and vessel cross-sectional area (A)
      measured from the B-mode image: Vf = TAV x A. Fourteen anesthetized baboons were
      studied with a duplex scanner with a 7 MHz imaging transducer and 5 MHz pulsed
      Doppler. B-mode ultrasound measurements of external iliac artery diameters (2.5
      +/- 0.2 mm) were used for calculation of cross-sectional area. Timed blood
      collections obtained through a cannula inserted into the common femoral artery
      and TAV measurements were obtained simultaneously during 6 to 15-second
      intervals. These measurements were repeated three to five times per animal with
      different flow rates each time. Flow rates ranged from 56 to 280 ml/min (170 +/-
      54 ml/min). Average velocity was 55 +/- 17 cm/sec. There was no significant
      difference between the two methods of volume flow measurement (Student t test).
      Linear regression analysis revealed a high degree of correlation (r = 0.90, slope
      0.95, and p = 0.0001). The absolute percentage error was 13% +/- 8%. Volume flow
      measured by duplex scanning correlates highly with timed blood collections. This
      method has potential application for the evaluation of diseased arteries and
      bypass grafts whose rates of flow and waveform patterns are similar to those of
      this experiment.

PMID- 1404674
TI  - Color Doppler imaging of infrainguinal arterial occlusive disease.
AB  - Few reports in the literature validate the use of color Doppler imaging (CDI) for
      the evaluation of lower extremity arterial occlusive disease, particularly in the
      tibial and peroneal arteries. This prospective, blinded study compares CDI to
      arteriography to address the following questions: (1) how well does CDI visualize
      arterial segments, including those below the knee? and (2) can CDI alone
      accurately classify the degree of occlusive disease? Twenty-nine men undergoing
      arteriography before a lower extremity arterial reconstructive procedure were
      studied with a color ultrasound scanner from the level of the inguinal ligament
      to the ankle. Color images were examined for the presence or absence of triphasic
      flow, poststenotic turbulence, color bruits, and collateral vessels. Among 636
      arterial segments adequately visualized by arteriography, > or = 90% were
      identified with color Doppler imaging, including the tibial and peroneal
      arteries. With color criteria only, specificity was > or = 92% for distinguishing
      < 50% from > = 50% lesions and > or = 93% for differentiating patent from
      occluded arteries. Sensitivity for detecting an occlusion was > or = 97% in the
      superficial femoral (SFA) and popliteal arteries and 83% in the tibial vessels.
      For identifying a > or = 50% stenosis, sensitivity was > or = 85% in the SFA and
      popliteal arteries but only 79% and 86% in the posterior and anterior tibial
      arteries, respectively. CDI reliably identifies vessel location from the level of
      the groin to the ankle. For the detection of occlusions, CDI is an accurate
      screening tool in the SFA and popliteal arteries but is less accurate in the
      tibial vessels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1404675
TI  - Developmental anomalies at the thoracic outlet: an analysis of 200 consecutive
      cases.
AB  - Anatomic observations were made during 200 consecutive transaxillary surgical
      procedures performed in 175 patients because of unremitting signs and symptoms of
      nerve or vascular compression at the thoracic outlet. There were 160 cases of
      brachial plexus compression and 40 cases of arterial or venous occlusion. In 132
      (66%) of these cases, single or multiple abnormalities were recognized that
      represented developmental variations previously described in anatomic dissections
      or in embryologic studies. There were 17 cases of cervical rib or first thoracic
      rib abnormalities and 20 supernumerary scalene muscles. Developmental variations
      were identified in 86 scalene and 39 subclavius muscles or their insertions.
      Comparisons revealed a higher percentage of developmental anomalies in this group
      of patients than in consecutive anatomic investigations reported in unselected
      populations. This information was interpreted in light of recent embryologic
      studies and histochemical and morphometric ultrastructural studies of scalene
      muscle. The preponderance of evidence suggests that neurovascular compression in
      the region of the thoracic outlet derives from a combination of these factors:
      predisposing morphologic variations, structural modifications conditioned by
      functional requirements, and changes in fiber type or myosin isoform consequent
      to trauma. The correlation of clinical syndrome with morphologic characteristics
      alone was significant only for the Paget-Schroetter syndrome.

PMID- 1404676
TI  - Peripheral vascular disease in heart transplant recipients.
AB  - The improved longevity of heart transplant recipients demands heightened
      awareness of the long-term complications of the procedure. Between 1979 and 1990,
      232 patients received 241 heart transplants at our institution. Accelerated
      coronary atherosclerosis occurred in 45 (19%) of the 232 patients, typically
      appearing within 2 years of transplantation, whereas peripheral vascular disease
      (PVD) appeared in 23 (10%) of the 232 patients, usually within 3 years of
      transplantation. In the patients with PVD, 13 had occlusive disease, nine had
      aneurysms, and one patient suffered a vertebral artery dissection. Accelerated
      coronary atherosclerosis afflicted 12 (52%) of the 23 patients affected by PVD (p
      < 0.05) and preceded the development of PVD in all 12. Logistic regression
      analysis revealed risk factors predictive of the development of PVD after
      transplantation to be a pretransplant history of ischemic cardiomyopathy and
      posttransplant hypertension and hypertriglyceridemia (p < 0.05), with the
      presence of more than one risk factor increasing the probability of development
      of PVD. Those patients thus identified as at risk should be closely monitored for
      the development of PVD. Aggressive medical management of hypertension and
      hyperlipidemia in this subpopulation may forestall or prevent the development of
      peripheral vascular disease after heart transplantation.

PMID- 1404677
TI  - Long-term results of compression treatment for lymphedema.
AB  - Although numerous operations have been devised for lymphedema, most surgeons
      manage this vexing condition by nonsurgical means. Previous studies by us showed
      that high-pressure (90 to 100 torr) sequential external pneumatic compression
      (SEP) reduced both limb girth and volume in a lymphedematous extremity. To assess
      the long-term effects of a program entailing (1) SEP, (2) elastic compression
      stockings to maintain the post-SEP girth, and (3) daily skin care, we reviewed
      the long-term courses of 49 patients managed by one surgeon. Limb girths measured
      at nine levels on the limb were obtained serially in follow-up (mean 25 months)
      by an independent observer to provide an objective response to therapy. The
      relative reduction in lymphedematous tissue was determined by the difference
      between the pretreatment, postacute treatment, and long-term treatment girths at
      nine points in the limb. In long-term follow-up, 26 of the patients maintained a
      full response (reduction at > 3 levels), whereas 10 maintained a partial response
      (reduction at < or = 3 levels). At late follow-up, calf and ankle girths were
      reduced by an absolute value of 5.37 +/- 1.01 and 4.63 +/- 0.88 cm in the full
      response group and 5.43 +/- 1.58 and 3.98 +/- 1.18 cm in the partial-response
      group over pretreatment measurements. The degree of subcutaneous fibrosis in
      relationship to the duration of the edema appeared to influence results greatly.
      The treatment of lymphedema with SEP and compression stockings is associated with
      long-term maintenance of reduced limb girth in 90% of patients.

PMID- 1404678
TI  - CHAT analysis of the influence of specific risk factors on late results after
      carotid endarterectomy.
AB  - The CHAT classification separates various current and historical presentations of
      cerebrovascular disease in an effort to determine important prognostic clues for
      management and prognosis. To evaluate known risk factors for late stroke and
      death, we followed up for an average of 44 months 633 patients who had undergone
      714 carotid operations. We analyzed the indication for surgery (by CHAT) and the
      effect of preoperative risk factors (age, hypertension, cardiac disease, tobacco
      use, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, renal disease, pulmonary disease, and total risk
      factor score) on the end points of late stroke and death. Ipsilateral stroke was
      uncommon after carotid endarterectomy: with life-table analysis, the probability
      of late stroke at 5 years after carotid endarterectomy was 3%. Among the 127
      patients with amaurosis fugax, the incidence of late stroke and of mortality was
      a combined total of 1% per year, and the 17 patients who had been first seen with
      permanent ocular stroke (blindness) fared equally well. The 28 patients who were
      first seen with vertebrobasilar symptoms and were treated by carotid
      endarterectomy also fared particularly well, with no late strokes or deaths
      within the first 5 years. Logistic regression analyses revealed that the various
      indications for carotid endarterectomy were associated with differing patterns of
      risk factors as significant predictors of late stroke or death. For patients
      first seen with asymptomatic lesions, only diabetes was an important predictor
      for late stroke (p = 0.05) and renal disease was the only marker for early death
      (p = 0.05). On the other hand, those factors were not significant risk factors
      for patients first seen with amaurosis fugax, for whom tobacco use was a negative
      predictor for stroke (p = 0.06) and male gender a negative predictor for early
      death (p = 0.03). After cortical transient ischemic attacks and carotid
      endarterectomy, there were no risk factors predictive of late stroke or of death.
      For patients with prior stroke, age was a very strong predictor of stroke (p =
      0.01) and both age and a history of cardiac disease were significant risk factors
      for early death (p = 0.007). In contrast to the results in reports of patients
      treated medically for transient ischemic attacks and stroke, we found that
      several risk factors appeared to play relatively minor roles. In conclusion,
      stroke after carotid endarterectomy was uncommon, least common after ocular
      symptoms, and most likely after permanent cortical stroke. Specific risk factors
      were less important for patients after carotid endarterectomy than for the
      medically treated stroke patient.

PMID- 1404679
TI  - Adverse effects of aspirin in the treatment of asymptomatic carotid artery
      stenosis. The VA Cooperative Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis Study Group.
AB  - We prospectively analyzed adverse effects of aspirin in a multicentered
      cooperative study undertaken to determine the role of endarterectomy in the
      treatment of asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. Persons with active peptic
      ulcer disease or known intolerance to aspirin were excluded from the study.
      Patients initially received 650 mg aspirin twice daily. After a 54-month
      recruitment period, 444 patients in 11 centers were followed up for as many as 8
      years (mean 47.9 +/- 27.9 months). Patients intolerant to 650 mg aspirin twice
      daily could be switched to enteric-coated aspirin or "low-dose" aspirin (80 to
      325 mg daily). At the conclusion of the study, we performed a cross-sectional
      analysis of aspirin usage and complications. Overall, there were 757 episodes
      reported wherein adjustments in study medications were made, including cessation
      and change in formulation or dosage. At the conclusion of the study, at the time
      of death, or at occurrence of a neurologic end point, 16% of patients were off
      medication entirely, 51% had been converted to enteric-coated aspirin, and only
      33% were taking regular aspirin with 27% of those having been placed on a reduced
      dosage. Adverse reactions were ascertained from 4954 patient visit records. In
      all there were a total of 837 adverse reactions reported, or one in every 5.9
      visits. The most frequently reported reaction was heartburn or stomach pain for
      which 372 episodes were reported in 184 (42%) patients. Nausea or vomiting
      occurred on 79 occasions in 58 patients, and bloody stools were reported 52 times
      in 41 patients. We conclude that high-dose aspirin therapy for asymptomatic
      carotid artery stenosis is poorly tolerated and that adverse reactions even to
      low-dose enteric-coated aspirin are common even in patients screened for aspirin
      intolerance.

PMID- 1404681
TI  - Magnetic resonance angiography of the carotid artery combining two- and three
      dimensional acquisitions.
AB  - To assess the agreement between magnetic resonance angiography and conventional
      angiography in the evaluation of carotid stenosis, 61 carotid arteries of 40
      patients were studied by combined two- and three-dimensional magnetic resonance
      angiography and conventional angiography. Stenosis of the internal carotid artery
      was categorized as mild, moderate, severe, critical, or complete occlusion. In 42
      arteries, the degree of stenosis according to magnetic resonance angiography
      correlated exactly to that found by conventional angiography. In the remaining 19
      carotid arteries, the magnetic resonance angiographic measurement of stenosis
      differed from the conventional angiographic measurement by only one size
      category. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient was 0.95 (p < 0.001). This
      study showed that by combining information from two- and three-dimensional
      magnetic resonance angiographic studies and making use of the advantages of each
      method, magnetic resonance angiography was comparable to conventional angiography
      in determining carotid stenosis. Magnetic resonance angiography tended to
      demonstrate a higher level of stenosis when there was a discrepancy. These data
      demonstrate that magnetic resonance angiography is a steadily improving
      technology. Although additional studies need to be done, it seems clear that
      magnetic resonance angiography will be an imaging modality comparable in accuracy
      to conventional angiography.

PMID- 1404680
TI  - Polytetrafluoroethylene interposition grafts for carotid reconstruction.
AB  - Polytetrafluoroethylene interposition grafts were used for carotid reconstruction
      in 26 operations performed in 23 patients during a 7-year period. There were 10
      men and 13 women with a mean age of 66 years. The indication for interposition
      graft placement was recurrent stenosis with inability to perform endarterectomy
      in nine operations, a severe kink or technical problem during endarterectomy in
      nine, aneurysmal changes of the artery in six, and thrombosis of the
      endarterectomy site segment with stroke in two. There were no perioperative
      deaths and no further perioperative neurologic complications. Follow-up with
      performance of yearly duplex scans was obtained in all patients, and the mean
      duration of follow-up was 36 months. One patient (4%) died of end-stage pulmonary
      disease during the study interval. Occlusion of the polytetrafluoroethylene graft
      occurred at 12 months in one patient (4%). Hemodynamically significant restenosis
      developed in two patients (8%), and two patients (8%) had mild restenosis.
      Evidence of a second restenosis developed in three of the nine patients who
      underwent polytetrafluoroethylene interposition graft placement for carotid
      restenosis. On the basis of our study results, we conclude that
      polytetrafluoroethylene can be used effectively for carotid reconstruction when
      an interposition graft is required. However, recurrent stenosis occurs. Patients
      who undergo polytetrafluoroethylene interposition graft placement for carotid
      restenosis appear to be at high risk for a second restenosis.

PMID- 1404682
TI  - Cerebrovascular magnetic resonance angiography: a critical verification.
AB  - Because simultaneous noninvasive noncontrast imaging of cervical and cerebral
      vasculature and brain is possible with magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and
      imaging (MRI), the following study was undertaken from July 1990 to January 1992.
      One hundred twenty-eight patients were examined with General Electric 1.5 Tesla
      MRI systems. Axially acquired volumetric three-dimensional time-of-flight MRA
      with 0.7 mm3 voxel size with regional maximum intensity projection after
      processing followed a two-dimensional time-of-flight localizing sequence. These
      two MRA sequences combined with spin-echo parenchymal brain MRI were compared
      with duplex scans, contrast angiograms, and surgical findings. Blinded readings
      by a radiologist and vascular surgeon allowed comparison of grades of luminal
      diameter narrowing (normal, mild, moderate, severe, and occluded) seen on MRA to
      be compared with those of Doppler and contrast angiography. Excluding 12
      nondiagnostically imaged internal carotid arteries (10 MRA) and limiting duplex
      correlation to within 5 days of the MRA examination allowed critical appraisal of
      182 internal carotid arteries. Exact correlation of grade of stenosis was
      obtained by the radiologist in 136 (74.7%) of 182 arteries and the surgeon in 138
      (75.8%) of 182 arteries. Spearman rank correlation analysis found rank
      correlation coefficients of 0.88 (p < 0.001) and 0.83 (p < 0.001), respectively,
      for the radiologist and vascular surgeon. Disagreement one category apart was
      found by the radiologist in 35 studies (19.3%) and the surgeon in 28 studies
      (15.4%). Two or more grades of disagreement were found by the radiologist in 11
      studies (6%) and the surgeon in 16 studies (8.8%). Contrast angiogram-MRA
      agreement was found in 86% of 36 internal carotid arteries. The degree of
      stenosis detected by MRA was concordant with surgical findings in 39 of 40
      patients. Thus MRA emerges as a useful and accurate method of obtaining
      cerebrovascular evaluation in clinical practice.

PMID- 1404683
TI  - Upper extremity arterial bypass distal to the wrist.
AB  - Seventeen arterial bypass procedures distal to the wrist have been performed in
      13 men and two women at the Oregon Health Sciences University during the past 9
      years. Ten patients had traumatic true or false aneurysms of the ulnar artery
      with digital embolization. Five patients with end-stage renal disease had severe
      hand and finger ischemia manifested by rest pain or digital ulceration resulting
      from widespread forearm and hand arterial occlusions. Patients with aneurysms of
      the ulnar artery underwent excision and reversed autogenous vein grafting (n =
      11) from the distal ulnar artery in the forearm to the superficial palmar arch.
      All the patients with end-stage renal disease had severe occlusive disease of the
      forearm and hand arteries and underwent a variety of procedures including radial
      radial bypass (n = 2), ulnar-ulnar bypass (n = 2), radial-radial bypass with
      takedown of a Brescia-Cimino fistula (n = 1), and brachial-radial bypass (n = 1).
      High-quality upper extremity and magnification hand arteriography was essential
      for operative planning and was available on all patients. Distal saphenous vein
      from the ankle or foot was the graft source in 16 procedures and basilic vein the
      source in one procedure. All operations were performed with headlight
      illumination, optical loupes, fine sutures, and microvascular instruments. There
      were no operative deaths or major complications. The mean follow-up period was 14
      months. Of the 17 grafts, 16 remained patent by clinical and vascular lab
      criteria. The single occlusion occurred in an ulnar aneurysm bypass and was
      accompanied only by mild intolerance to cold.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1404684
TI  - Modified polytetrafluoroethylene: indium 111-labeled platelet deposition on
      carbon-lined and high-porosity polytetrafluoroethylene grafts.
AB  - Platelet accumulation on carbon-lined (CL) and high-porosity (HP)
      polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts was investigated in vivo. In experiment 1,
      20 CL grafts and 20 control PTFE grafts, each 5 cm in length and 4 mm in
      diameter, were interposed into both carotid and femoral arteries of 10 dogs. In
      experiment 2, 12 HP grafts (90 microns mean internodal distance) and 12 control
      PTFE grafts were implanted in six dogs. Indium 111-labeled platelets were
      injected intravenously and the grafts were retrieved 48 hours later.
      Radioactivity of the grafts and a control segment of the carotid artery was
      counted. A graft platelet accumulation index (GPAI) was calculated as the ratio
      of emission from the graft compared to that from the control segment. The GPAI of
      the CL graft was significantly less than the GPAI of the control graft in both
      the carotid (control 29.7 +/- 5.46, CL 22.3 +/- 6.55; n = 9 [p < 0.05]) and the
      femoral arteries (control 30.7 +/- 9.65, CL 22.0 +/- 6.59; n = 9 [p < 0.05]).
      There was no significant difference in GPAI between the control and HP grafts in
      the carotid arteries (control 30.6 +/- 11.8, HP 31.5 +/- 9.71; n = 6) and in the
      femoral arteries (control 31.5 +/- 7.88, HP 34.0 +/- 4.97; n = 6). Carbon lining
      decreases platelet accumulation on PTFE grafts in the early postoperative period,
      and HP grafts do not exhibit increased platelet uptake.

PMID- 1404685
TI  - Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms: a new perspective.

PMID- 1404686
TI  - Inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm and the associated T cell reaction: a case
      study.

PMID- 1404687
TI  - Delayed postoperative bleeding from polytetrafluoroethylene carotid artery
      patches.

PMID- 1404688
TI  - A case of nutcracker syndrome: treatment by mesoaortic transposition.

PMID- 1404690
TI  - Women's health specialty, other issues on agenda of 'reframing' conference.

PMID- 1404689
TI  - Aneurysms and experimental atherosclerosis.

PMID- 1404692
TI  - Women's health action plan sees first anniversary.

PMID- 1404693
TI  - Antibodies to silicone detected in patients with severe inflammatory reactions.

PMID- 1404691
TI  - Specific HIV-related problems of women gain more attention at a price--affecting
      more women.

PMID- 1404695
TI  - NIH researchers get retraining assistance.

PMID- 1404694
TI  - First clinical study of breast implants launched.

PMID- 1404696
TI  - From the Food and Drug Administration.

PMID- 1404697
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. Pregnancy risks determined from birth
      certificate data--United States, 1989.

PMID- 1404698
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. Ectopic pregnancy--United States, 1988
      1989.

PMID- 1404699
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. Surgical sterilization among women and use
      of condoms--Baltimore, 1989-1990.

PMID- 1404700
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. FDA approval of second diphtheria, tetanus
      toxoids, and acellular pertussis vaccine.

PMID- 1404701
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. Trends in ischemic heart disease mortality-
      United States, 1980-1988.

PMID- 1404702
TI  - From the Center for Disease Control. Rapid health needs assessment following
      Hurricane Andrew--Florida and Louisiana, 1992.

PMID- 1404703
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. International Task Force for Disease
      Eradication.

PMID- 1404704
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. Tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use among
      high school students--United States, 1991.

PMID- 1404705
TI  - Female-to-male transmission of HIV.

PMID- 1404706
TI  - Female-to-male transmission of HIV.

PMID- 1404707
TI  - Weighing the risk factors in coronary artery bypass surgery.

PMID- 1404708
TI  - Coffee and plasma lipid levels.

PMID- 1404709
TI  - Diagnosis of brain death and organ donation.

PMID- 1404710
TI  - Near death in twins, reported 22 years ago.

PMID- 1404711
TI  - A population-based twin study of alcoholism in women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To clarify the role of genetic factors in the etiology of alcoholism
      in women. DESIGN AND SETTING: Personal structured psychiatric interviews
      conducted by researchers "blinded" to the status of the co-twin in an
      epidemiologic sample of 1030 female-female twin pairs of known zygosity from the
      population-based Virginia Twin Registry. MEASURES: Three definitions of lifetime
      prevalence of alcoholism based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
      Disorders, Third Edition, Revised criteria: (1) alcoholism with tolerance or
      dependence; (2) alcoholism with or without tolerance-dependence; and (3)
      alcoholism with or without tolerance-dependence or problem drinking. RESULTS:
      Using narrow, intermediate, or broad definitions, the probandwise concordance for
      alcoholism was consistently higher in monozygotic than in dizygotic twin pairs.
      Multifactorial threshold models suggested that the heritability of liability to
      alcoholism in women is in the range of 50% to 60%. CONCLUSIONS: The results
      support the hypothesis that genetic factors play a major role in the etiology of
      alcoholism in women. Women should be well represented in the efforts currently
      under way to elucidate the molecular basis of the genetic susceptibility to
      alcoholism.

PMID- 1404712
TI  - Differences in quality of care for hospitalized elderly men and women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyze whether important gender differences exist in the quality
      of hospital care provided to patients with four major medical conditions. DESIGN:
      Bivariate and multivariate comparisons of clinically detailed sickness at
      admission, quality, utilization, and outcome measures. SETTING: Acute care
      hospitals located in five states. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: A total of
      11,242 patients 65 years or older who were hospitalized with one of four
      diseases: congestive heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, pneumonia, and
      cerebrovascular accident. We derived our data from the nationally representative
      sample used to study the quality of hospital care for Medicare patients before
      and after the implementation of the prospective payment system. A hierarchical
      (nested) cluster sampling design was used to draw disease-specific samples of
      patients hospitalized in 1981, 1982, 1985, or 1986 in one of 297 hospitals
      located in 30 areas within five states. INTERVENTIONS: This was an observational
      study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sickness at admission, process, use rates, length
      of stay, discharge status, discharge destination, and mortality. RESULTS: Sex
      differences in sickness at admission varied by disease. There was some evidence
      that women received worse process of care, but the difference was very small. We
      found many similarities in the process and outcomes of care for male and female
      patients. CONCLUSIONS: After controlling for sickness at admission, age, and
      other important covariates, the in-hospital experiences of elderly men and women
      showed greater similarities than differences. The concern that sex bias enters
      into clinical decision making during hospitalization is eased, although not
      entirely eliminated.

PMID- 1404713
TI  - Environmental and familial contributions to insulin levels and change in insulin
      levels in middle-aged women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine familial and environmental variables associated with
      elevated insulin levels and changes in insulin levels in healthy, premenopausal
      women. METHODS: A population-based sample of 518 women (aged 42 to 50 years)
      completed baseline assessments of weight, cardiovascular risk factors, exercise
      behaviors, and glucose and insulin levels (fasting and 2 hours after a glucose
      load); 495 of the women were reevaluated after 3 years. RESULTS: Plasma insulin
      levels were related to weight, activity level, race, body fat distribution, and
      weight gain since age 20 years. Parental history of either diabetes or
      hypertension was also related to elevated insulin levels, independent of body
      mass index, with the highest insulin levels occurring in those women with a
      parental history of both diseases. Increases in plasma insulin levels over the
      years of follow-up were related to weight gain. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests
      that importance of using family history to identify women who may have elevated
      insulin levels and of intervening to prevent weight gain during middle age.

PMID- 1404714
TI  - Age at onset for familial epithelial ovarian cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To provide age-specific risks for ovarian cancer for relatives of
      ovarian cancer case patients. To characterize the age at onset for ovarian cancer
      for women with a single relative vs several relatives affected with ovarian
      cancer. DESIGN: Three previous studies were reexamined. The cumulative
      probability of ovarian cancer in first-degree relatives of women with
      histologically confirmed epithelial ovarian cancer and matched control subjects
      who participated in the Cancer and Steroid Hormone (CASH) Study was determined.
      The age of onset of ovarian cancer in women with and without relatives with
      ovarian cancer in a Washington, DC, case-control study was contrasted with that
      of women with at least two first-degree relatives studied at the National Cancer
      Institute (NCI). RESULTS: The CASH Study data showed that first-degree relatives
      of women with ovarian cancer had an increased risk for ovarian cancer, especially
      at older ages, when compared with relatives of control subjects. However, the
      median age at onset was the same among women in the Washington, DC, study with
      and without an affected relative. Among the women with an extensive family
      history of ovarian cancer studied at the NCI, the age at onset was considerably
      younger (47 years) than is typical for this disease (59 years). Of these, 17% had
      been diagnosed as having primary ovarian cancer by age 40 years. CONCLUSIONS:
      Women who have one first-degree relative affected by ovarian cancer are at
      greater risk for ovarian cancer but not at an age earlier than the general
      population. The small proportion of women who have several affected relatives
      are, however, at a greater risk of early onset of ovarian cancer. Prophylactic
      oophorectomy may be reasonable for these women.

PMID- 1404715
TI  - The postmenopausal estrogen/breast cancer controversy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview of the postmenopausal estrogen/breast cancer
      controversy emphasizing the sources of disagreement in the literature and their
      clinical and research implications. DATA SOURCE AND SELECTION: A MEDLINE search
      of the English-language literature and a review of bibliographies of meta
      analyses describing the association between postmenopausal estrogen use and
      breast cancer risk. DATA EXTRACTION: Twenty-four original articles and three meta
      analyses were reviewed. In addition, five studies that attempted to minimize
      detection bias were reviewed to assess the potential role of this bias on risk
      estimates. DATA SYNTHESIS: Among the original articles, risk estimates ranged
      from a protective to an adverse effect in women who ever used estrogens; no
      consistent quantitative effects of estrogens on breast cancer risk were found. In
      the meta-analyses, summary risk estimates were not significantly elevated in
      women who ever used estrogen. Findings from European-based studies may account
      for the increased risk associated with increasing duration of use reported in one
      meta-analysis. In studies that controlled for detection bias, risk estimates were
      1 or less in the ever-used category; there was no consistent effect across other
      categories of use. CONCLUSION: These findings do not support an overall increased
      risk of breast cancer in women who ever used postmenopausal estrogens or a
      conclusive or consistent effect across other measures of use. Cross-national
      differences in estrogen use and inequalities in breast cancer detection between
      estrogen users and nonusers may account for the increased risk estimates reported
      in some studies. Newer estrogen and progestin-opposed regimens need to be
      evaluated further.

PMID- 1404716
TI  - Reperfusion and revascularization strategies for coronary artery disease in
      women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: One third of all deaths in women in the United States each year are
      attributable to coronary heart disease. Gender differences exist in the course
      and management of patients with coronary heart disease. Few randomized trials
      have been conducted in women to evaluate effective therapeutic strategies. With
      the aim of developing rational approaches to women with coronary heart disease,
      we review gender-related outcomes with coronary revascularization and reperfusion
      therapies. DATA SOURCE: English-language journal articles and reviews on the
      subject of women with coronary heart disease or gender-specific responses to
      coronary heart disease management, from 1970 through 1992, identified through
      MEDLINE searching. STUDY SELECTION: Selected studies included only randomized
      controlled trials for topics related to thrombolysis, and articles considered to
      contribute significantly to the topic of women with coronary artery disease in
      the case of angioplasty and coronary artery bypass grafting. DATA EXTRACTION: Two
      reviewers participated in extracting the data with the aim of presenting a
      balanced and comprehensive review of the subject. DATA SYNTHESIS: Thrombolysis in
      acute myocardial infarction reduces mortality in men and women, although women
      may have a reduced mortality benefit compared with men. Angioplasty and the newer
      interventional devices result in greater procedural morbidity but similar if not
      better long-term outcomes in women. Women may have a greater mortality rate than
      men with coronary artery bypass surgery, although studies suggest that outcome
      after bypass surgery may depend more on coronary size and preoperative risk
      factors than on gender itself. CONCLUSIONS: The existence of gender differences
      in the course of coronary heart disease and response to revascularization and
      reperfusion strategies suggests the need for unique clinical approaches to the
      female patient with coronary heart disease and stresses the importance of
      developing randomized trials that enroll adequate numbers of women and that are
      designed to answer gender-specific questions.

PMID- 1404717
TI  - The premenstrual syndrome. New views.

PMID- 1404718
TI  - Factors affecting mammographic visualization of the breast after augmentation
      mammaplasty.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To measure the effect of various parameters on mammographic
      visualization of the breast after augmentation mammaplasty. DESIGN: Preoperative
      and postoperative mammography was performed in patients undergoing augmentation
      mammaplasty. The area of breast tissue visualized on each film was measured.
      Changes in the area visualized were correlated with a variety of different
      parameters. SETTING: The Breast Center, Van Nuys, Calif, a free-standing
      multidisciplinary breast diagnostic and treatment facility. PATIENTS: The 68
      women (126 breasts) represent a consecutive sample of patients undergoing
      augmentation mammaplasty for whom preoperative and postoperative mammograms were
      available. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Area visualized was correlated with degree of
      capsular contracture, implant position, type of mammography, preoperative breast
      size, implant size, and implant type. RESULTS: The major factor affecting
      mammography is capsular contracture. Little or no capsular contracture results in
      a 30% reduction in the area visualized; moderate or severe contracture results in
      a 50% reduction. Other important factors include implant position (improved
      visualization with implant beneath pectoral muscle) and type of mammography
      performed (slightly more tissue seen with displacement technique). Very small
      preoperative breast size yields increased visualization. Implant size and type
      have little or no effect. CONCLUSIONS: In most women with breast implants, there
      is a decrease in measurable breast tissue on the postaugmentation mammogram.
      Capsular contracture and implant position exert a profound effect; type of
      mammography performed and preoperative breast size are also significant.

PMID- 1404719
TI  - American women's health care. A patchwork quilt with gaps.

PMID- 1404720
TI  - Women's health research. Prescribing change and addressing the issues.

PMID- 1404721
TI  - Diagnostic breast imaging.

PMID- 1404722
TI  - Oral steroid therapy for asthma and contact dermatitis.

PMID- 1404723
TI  - A few words of advice from a woman of letters--Ann Landers.

PMID- 1404724
TI  - Somalia's death toll underlines challenges of post-cold war world.

PMID- 1404725
TI  - Infants, science may lose as liability is blamed for company pullout from HIV
      prevention trial.

PMID- 1404727
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. Asthma--United States, 1980-1990.

PMID- 1404726
TI  - From the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment.

PMID- 1404728
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. HIV infection, syphilis, and tuberculosis
      screening among migrant farm workers--Florida, 1992.

PMID- 1404729
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. Imported dengue--United States, 1991.

PMID- 1404730
TI  - Disseminated sporotrichosis.

PMID- 1404731
TI  - National health care reform: the aura of inevitability intensifies.

PMID- 1404732
TI  - National health care reform: the aura of inevitability intensifies.

PMID- 1404733
TI  - The NASA syndrome revisited.

PMID- 1404734
TI  - Americans with Disabilities Act.

PMID- 1404735
TI  - Errors in prescribing methotrexate.

PMID- 1404736
TI  - Primary care and health: a cross-national comparison.

PMID- 1404737
TI  - Neonatal homicide following Roe v Wade.

PMID- 1404738
TI  - Neonatal homicide following Roe v Wade.

PMID- 1404739
TI  - Access to care for poor children: necessary but not sufficient.

PMID- 1404740
TI  - Change in body weight and longevity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of body weight change on longevity. DESIGN:
      Cohort analytic study, following men from 1977 through 1988. SETTING: The study
      was conducted among Harvard University alumni with mean age of 58 years.
      PATIENTS: Alumni, free of cardiovascular disease and cancer, completed
      questionnaires on weight, height, cigarette habit, and physical activities in
      1962 or 1966 and in 1977 (n = 11,703). We assessed weight change between
      questionnaires, based on self-reported weights. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Mortality
      from all causes (n = 1441), coronary heart disease (n = 345), and cancer (n =
      459), determined from death certificates. RESULTS: Lowest all-cause mortality was
      among alumni maintaining stable weight (+/- 1 kg). With this category as referent
      (relative risk = 1.00), relative risks of death associated with losing more than
      5 kg, losing between 1 and 5 kg, (more than 1 kg and up to 5 kg) gaining between
      1 and 5 kg (more than 1 kg and up to 5 kg), and gaining more than 5 kg were 1.57
      (95% confidence interval, 1.34 to 1.84), 1.26 (1.10 to 1.46), 1.06 (0.90 to
      1.24), and 1.36 (1.11 to 1.66), respectively. For coronary heart disease
      mortality, relative risks were 1.75 (1.26 to 2.43), 1.43 (1.05 to 1.93), 1.28
      (0.91 to 1.80), and 2.01 (1.36 to 2.97), respectively. Weight change did not
      predict cancer mortality. Findings were not explained by cigarette habit,
      physical activity, or body mass index. We observed similar trends for follow-up
      between 1977 and 1982 and between 1983 and 1988. Those losing or gaining more
      weight also reported greater total lifetime weight loss, which may indicate
      weight cycling. CONCLUSIONS: Both body weight loss and weight gain are associated
      with significantly increased mortality from all causes and from coronary heart
      disease but not from cancer.

PMID- 1404741
TI  - Physicians' utilization and charges for outpatient diagnostic imaging in a
      Medicare population.
AB  - OBJECTIVES AND RATIONALE: For 10 common clinical presentations, we assessed
      differences in physicians' utilization of and charges for diagnostic imaging,
      depending on whether they performed imaging examinations in their offices (self
      referral) or referred their patients to radiologists (radiologist-referral).
      METHODS: Using previously developed methodologies, we generated episodes of
      medical care from an insurance claims database. Within each episode, we
      determined whether diagnostic imaging had been performed, and if so, whether by a
      self-referring physician or a radiologist. For each of the 10 clinical
      presentations, we compared the mean imaging frequency, mean imaging charges per
      episode of care, and mean imaging charges for diagnostic imaging attributable to
      self- and radiologist-referral. RESULTS: Depending on the clinical presentation,
      self-referral resulted in 1.7 to 7.7 times more frequent performance of imaging
      examinations than radiologist-referral (P < .01, all presentations). Within all
      physician specialties, self-referral uniformly led to significantly greater
      utilization of diagnostic imaging than radiologist-referral. Mean imaging charges
      per episode of medical care (calculated as the product of the frequency of
      utilization and mean imaging charges) were 1.6 to 6.2 times greater for self
      referral than for radiologist-referral (P < .01, all presentations). When imaging
      examinations were performed--including those performed in both physicians'
      offices and hospital outpatient departments--mean imaging charges were
      significantly greater for radiologists than for self-referring physicians in
      seven of the clinical presentations (P < .01). This result is related to the high
      technical charges of hospital outpatient departments; in office practice,
      radiologists' mean charges for imaging examinations were significantly less than
      those of self-referring physicians for seven clinical presentations (P < .01).
      CONCLUSIONS: Nonradiologist physicians who operate diagnostic imaging equipment
      in their offices perform imaging examinations more frequently, resulting in
      higher imaging charges per episode of medical care. These results extend our
      previous research on this subject by their focus on a broader range of clinical
      presentations; a mostly elderly, retired population; and the inclusion of higher
      technology imaging examinations.

PMID- 1404742
TI  - Physician ownership of physical therapy services. Effects on charges,
      utilization, profits, and service characteristics.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of physician ownership of freestanding
      physical therapy and rehabilitation facilities on utilization, charges, profits,
      and three measures of service characteristics for physical therapy treatments.
      DESIGN: Statistical comparison by physician joint venture ownership status of
      freestanding physical therapy and comprehensive rehabilitation facilities
      providing physical therapy treatments in Florida. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 118
      outpatient physical therapy facilities and 63 outpatient comprehensive
      rehabilitation facilities providing services in Florida during 1989. The data
      from the facilities were collected under a legislative mandate. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: Visits per patient, average revenue per patient, percent operating
      income, percent markup, profits per patient, licensed therapist time per visit,
      and licensed and nonlicensed medical worker time per visit. RESULTS: Visits per
      patient were 39% to 45% higher in joint venture facilities. Both gross and net
      revenue per patient were 30% to 40% higher in facilities owned by referring
      physicians. Percent operating income and percent markup were significantly higher
      in joint venture physical therapy and rehabilitation facilities. Licensed
      physical therapists and licensed therapist assistants employed in non-joint
      venture facilities spend about 60% more time per visit treating physical therapy
      patients than licensed therapists and licensed therapist assistants working in
      joint venture facilities. Joint ventures also generate more of their revenues
      from patients with well-paying insurance. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that
      utilization, charges per patient, and profits are higher when physical therapy
      and rehabilitation facilities are owned by referring physicians. With respect to
      service characteristics, joint venture firms employ proportionately fewer
      licensed therapists and licensed therapist assistants to perform physical
      therapy, so that licensed professionals employed in joint venture businesses
      spend significantly less time per visit treating patients. These results should
      be of interest to the medical profession, third-party payers, and policymakers,
      all of whom are concerned about the consequences of physician self-referral
      arrangements.

PMID- 1404743
TI  - The crisis in primary care and the role of medical schools. Defining the issues.
AB  - While a number of issues have diminished the attractiveness of primary care
      residency programs to USGs, the absolute number of residents in these programs
      has increased rather than diminished over the past decade, although the
      proportion of USGs choosing these fields has decreased. In the current arena of
      medical practice, there are many reasons why these fields are not among the most
      attractive, and there are several remedies that could be applied to increase
      their attractiveness. Focusing on medical schools as the sole cause of this
      dilemma, however, is the least effective way of accomplishing this objective; in
      addition, this will allow those truly able to increase interest in these fields,
      such as state and federal governments, to have a reason for not doing so. As long
      as the medical marketplace is sufficiently large enough to accommodate more than
      the number of graduates from US medical schools in "desirable" residency training
      positions, one can never effectively "force" a choice of residency training, nor
      should one. Primary care can be among the most rewarding of specialties, if
      adequately supported. It is this support that is lacking and must be addressed.

PMID- 1404744
TI  - Risk of suicide among persons with AIDS. A national assessment.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We sought to describe the rate, risk, trends, methods, and
      distribution of suicide among persons with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
      (AIDS) in the United States. DESIGN: We used National Center for Health
      Statistics multiple-cause mortality data from 1987 through 1989 to identify
      suicides among persons with AIDS (PWAs) and public-access AIDS surveillance data
      to determine person-years of observation of PWAs. PATIENTS: Residents of the
      United States with death certificates indicating suicide. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:
      Death certificates indicating both AIDS and suicide. RESULTS: In 1987 through
      1989, a total of 165 suicides among PWAs occurred in 45 states and the District
      of Columbia. All but one case were male. Among males the rate was 165 per 100,000
      person-years of observation, 7.4-fold higher than among demographically similar
      men in the general population. Self-poisoning with drugs was both the most common
      method (35%) and the method with the highest standardized mortality ratio (35).
      Suicide risk for PWAs decreased significantly (P < .05) from 1987 to 1989.
      CONCLUSION: Persons with AIDS have an increased risk of suicide, and assessment
      of such risk should be a standard practice in their care. These assessments
      should be carefully considered when potentially lethal medications are
      prescribed. The declining trend in suicide rates between 1987 and 1989 is
      encouraging; possible causes include emerging therapies for human
      immunodeficiency virus/AIDS, better psychiatric care for these patients, and
      lessened social stigma against PWAs.

PMID- 1404745
TI  - Guidelines for the diagnosis of rheumatic fever. Jones Criteria, 1992 update.
      Special Writing Group of the Committee on Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis, and
      Kawasaki Disease of the Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young of the
      American Heart Association.
AB  - The Jones Criteria for guidance in the diagnosis of acute rheumatic fever were
      first published by T. Duckett Jones, MD, in 1944 and have been revised over the
      years by the American Heart Association. The current guidelines are an update of
      these criteria. For the first time, the guidelines are designed to establish the
      initial attack of acute rheumatic fever. Major manifestations, minor
      manifestations, and supporting evidence of antecedent group A streptococcal
      infection are discussed. These updated guidelines expand on the available tools
      to diagnose streptococcal pharyngitis and clarify the available antibody tests
      for detecting antecedent group A streptococcal infection. At the present time
      echocardiography without accompanying auscultatory findings is insufficient to be
      the sole criterion for valvulitis in acute rheumatic fever. Finally, this article
      addresses overdiagnosis of rheumatic fever and lists exceptions to the Jones
      Criteria, including recurrent attacks in individuals with a history of rheumatic
      fever.

PMID- 1404746
TI  - Not myositis. A series of chance encounters.

PMID- 1404747
TI  - The myth of the abortion trauma syndrome.

PMID- 1404748
TI  - High-fat diets and breast cancer risk. The epidemiologic evidence.

PMID- 1404749
TI  - The American health care system and the 1992 election.

PMID- 1404750
TI  - A piece of my mind. No better or wiser, just braver and sicker.

PMID- 1404751
TI  - 'Basic benefits' have many variations, tend to become political issues.

PMID- 1404752
TI  - Using high-quality providers to cope with today's rising health care costs.

PMID- 1404753
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. Pneumonic plague--Arizona, 1992.

PMID- 1404754
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. HIV counseling and testing services, public
      and private providers--United States, 1990.

PMID- 1404755
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. Tetanus--Rutland County, Vermont, 1992.

PMID- 1404756
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. Elevated blood lead levels in adults-
      United States, second quarter, 1992.

PMID- 1404757
TI  - The rational clinical examination.

PMID- 1404758
TI  - The rational clinical examination.

PMID- 1404760
TI  - The rational clinical examination.

PMID- 1404759
TI  - The rational clinical examination.

PMID- 1404761
TI  - The Academic Medical Center and the health of the public.

PMID- 1404762
TI  - The Academic Medical Center and the health of the public.

PMID- 1404763
TI  - The magical medical media tour.

PMID- 1404764
TI  - The magical medical media tour.

PMID- 1404765
TI  - Deaths from asbestos: one physician's practice.

PMID- 1404766
TI  - Potential dangers of alcohol-based sunscreens.

PMID- 1404767
TI  - Guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac care.
      Emergency Cardiac Care Committee and Subcommittees, American Heart Association.
      Part I. Introduction.

PMID- 1404768
TI  - Guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac care.
      Emergency Cardiac Care Committee and Subcommittees, American Heart Association.
      Part II. Adult basic life support.

PMID- 1404769
TI  - Guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac care.
      Emergency Cardiac Care Committee and Subcommittees, American Heart Association.
      Part III. Adult advanced cardiac life support.

PMID- 1404770
TI  - Guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac care.
      Emergency Cardiac Care Committee and Subcommittees, American Heart Association.
      Part IV. Special resuscitation situations.

PMID- 1404771
TI  - Guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac care.
      Emergency Cardiac Care Committee and Subcommittees, American Heart Association.
      Part V. Pediatric basic life support.

PMID- 1404772
TI  - Guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac care.
      Emergency Cardiac Care Committee and Subcommittees, American Heart Association.
      Part VI. Pediatric advanced life support.

PMID- 1404773
TI  - Guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac care.
      Emergency Cardiac Care Committee and Subcommittees, American Heart Association.
      Part VII. Neonatal resuscitation.

PMID- 1404774
TI  - Guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac care.
      Emergency Cardiac Care Committee and Subcommittees, American Heart Association.
      Part VIII. Ethical considerations in resuscitation.

PMID- 1404775
TI  - Guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac care.
      Emergency Cardiac Care Committee and Subcommittees, American Heart Association.
      Part IX. Ensuring effectiveness of communitywide emergency cardiac care.
AB  - Cardiac arrest treatment continues to evolve. Adequate treatment of the
      individual patient requires that the whole ECC system function smoothly,
      consistently, and rapidly. To maximize communitywide survival rates, a careful
      evaluation of the entire chain of survival is required using standard
      measurements of performance. The challenge for the next decade is to establish
      this infrastructure and to conduct multicenter, prospective, controlled clinical
      trials to better define the key factors that will improve survival of cardiac
      arrest in every community.

PMID- 1404776
TI  - Emergency cardiac care. The science behind the art.

PMID- 1404777
TI  - The issue of CPR.

PMID- 1404778
TI  - Creighton University marks centennial.

PMID- 1404779
TI  - Family tree can yield lifesaving knowledge for patients at risk for hereditary
      cancers.

PMID- 1404780
TI  - Students challenged to make ethics part of their 'habit of thought'.

PMID- 1404782
TI  - Medical students take the ideal of service to new heights in the Dominican
      Republic.

PMID- 1404781
TI  - An ethicist's perspective on health care reform.

PMID- 1404783
TI  - Research turns to perhaps overlooked osteocytes in efforts to find answers to
      osteogenesis puzzle.

PMID- 1404784
TI  - Longitudinal study pursues questions of calcium, hormones, and metabolism in life
      of skeleton.

PMID- 1404785
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. Influenza vaccination levels, 1989-1991.

PMID- 1404786
TI  - A piece of my mind. A 'nonworkloaded' task.

PMID- 1404787
TI  - The self-reporting of cocaine use.

PMID- 1404788
TI  - The self-reporting of cocaine use.

PMID- 1404789
TI  - The self-reporting of cocaine use.

PMID- 1404790
TI  - The self-reporting of cocaine use.

PMID- 1404791
TI  - Drug testing and the toilet bowl blues.

PMID- 1404792
TI  - Reporting abuse of competent patients.

PMID- 1404793
TI  - Environmental tobacco smoke and heart disease: a correction.

PMID- 1404794
TI  - Socioeconomic status and risk for substandard medical care.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the socioeconomic status of the patient was
      associated with the risk of adverse events, defined as medical injuries caused by
      medical management, and the proportion of these events that resulted from
      substandard care. SETTING: 51 hospitals in New York State. METHODS: Rates of
      medical injury and substandard care by gender, race, income, and payer status
      were developed from reviews of 30,195 medical records in New York in 1984. We
      evaluated these socioeconomic parameters in a multivariate analysis, while
      controlling for hospital-level factors. RESULTS: We found that uninsured patients
      (odds ratio, 2.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.40 to 3.95) were at greater risk
      for substandard care. The characteristics of the hospitals to which patients were
      admitted did not affect this result. Race, gender, and income were not
      independently associated with risk for medical injury or substandard care in
      multivariate analyses. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the uninsured are at
      greater risk for suffering medical injury due to substandard medical care.

PMID- 1404795
TI  - Rates of avoidable hospitalization by insurance status in Massachusetts and
      Maryland.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether uninsured and Medicaid patients have higher rates
      of avoidable hospitalizations than do insured patients. DESIGN: We used 1987
      computerized hospital discharge data to select a cross-sectional sample of
      hospitalized patients. Population estimates from the Current Population Survey
      were used to estimate rates of admission, standardized for age and sex. SETTING:
      Nonfederal acute care hospitals in Massachusetts and Maryland. PATIENTS: All
      patients under 65 years of age who were uninsured, privately insured, or insured
      by Medicaid. Hospitalizations for obstetric and psychiatric conditions were
      excluded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Relative risk of admission for 12 avoidable
      hospital conditions (AHCs) identified by a physician panel. RESULTS: Uninsured
      and Medicaid patients were more likely than insured patients to be hospitalized
      for AHCs. Rates for uninsured patients were significantly greater than for
      privately insured patients in Massachusetts for 10 of 12 individual AHCs, and in
      Maryland for five of 12 AHCs. After adjustment for baseline utilization, the
      results were statistically significant for 10 of 12 AHCs in Massachusetts and
      seven of 12 AHCs in Maryland. For Medicaid patients, rates were significantly
      greater than for privately insured patients for all AHCs in each state before
      adjustment, and for nine of 12 and seven of 12 AHCs in each state, respectively,
      after adjustment for baseline utilization. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that
      patients who are uninsured or who have Medicaid coverage have higher rates of
      hospitalization for conditions that can often be treated out of hospital or
      avoided altogether. Our approach is potentially useful for routine monitoring of
      access and quality of care for selected groups of patients.

PMID- 1404796
TI  - Magnesium administration and dysrhythmias after cardiac surgery. A placebo
      controlled, double-blind, randomized trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether magnesium administration is effective in reducing
      postoperative morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery. DESIGN: Randomized,
      double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: A tertiary acute-care 500-bed
      university teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Over a 6-month period, 100 patients
      electively scheduled for cardiac surgery involving cardiopulmonary bypass were
      studied. INTERVENTIONS: Fifty patients were randomized to receive an intravenous
      infusion of magnesium chloride, 2 g, and 50 patients received placebo
      intraoperatively after the termination of cardiopulmonary bypass. RESULTS:
      Magnesium-treated patients had a significantly decreased frequency (P < .04) of
      postoperative ventricular dysrhythmias (eight [16%] of 50) compared with placebo
      treated patients (17 [34%] of 50). Patients who were normomagnesemic
      postoperatively had new supraventricular dysrhythmias less frequently (P < .03)
      than patients who were hypomagnesemic postoperatively (eight [17%] of 48 vs 19
      [37%] of 52). Compared with placebo-treated patients, magnesium-treated patients
      had significantly higher (P < .02) postoperative cardiac indices in the intensive
      care unit (2.8 +/- 0.1 vs 2.5 +/- 0.1 L/min per m2). Patients with postoperative
      total and ultrafilterable hypomagnesemia had postoperative ventricular
      dysrhythmias (P < .04) and required prolonged mechanical ventilatory support (P <
      .01) more frequently than patients without postoperative hypomagnesemia.
      CONCLUSIONS: Total and ultrafilterable hypomagnesemia are prevalent findings in
      cardiac surgery patients, and postoperative hypomagnesemia is strongly associated
      with clinically important morbidity. Magnesium administration decreased the
      frequency of postoperative ventricular dysrhythmias and increased the stroke
      volume and thereby cardiac index in the early postoperative period.

PMID- 1404797
TI  - Bone gain in young adult women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To test whether bone mass increases in healthy nonpregnant white women
      during early adult life after cessation of linear growth; and to test whether
      various self-chosen levels of physical activity and nutrient intake or use of
      oral contraceptives influences this increase in bone mass. DESIGN: Longitudinal
      prospective study of up to 5 years of 156 healthy college-aged women full-time
      students attending professional schools in universities in the Omaha, Neb, area.
      SETTING: University medical center. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of healthy
      women students from Omaha-area professional schools. Any candidate with an
      illness, condition, or medication (except oral contraceptives) thought to affect
      general health or bone mass was excluded. INTERVENTIONS: None. OUTCOME MEASURES:
      Clinical and family histories of disease, particularly osteoporosis; oral
      contraceptive use; bone mineral densities of the spine, forearm, and total body
      by dual- and single-photon absorptiometry; estimates of nutrient intake by
      repeated 7-day diet diaries; and measures of physical activity using a physical
      activity monitor. RESULTS: The median gain in bone mass for the third decade of
      life, expressed as a percentage per decade, was 4.8% for the forearm, 5.9% for
      lumbar bone mineral content, 6.8% for lumbar bone mineral density, and 12.5% for
      total body bone mass (P < .0001 in all cases). By both bivariate and multiple
      regression analysis the rate of gain in bone density of the spine was negatively
      correlated with age and positively correlated with calcium/protein intake ratio
      and physical activity (multiple r = .31; P = .004). Bivariate analysis showed
      that use of oral contraceptives was associated with greater gain in total body
      bone mass (r = .31, P = .01). The estimated age when mineral acquisition ceased
      ranged from 28.3 years to 29.5 years at the several study sites. CONCLUSIONS:
      Gain in bone mass occurs in healthy young women during the third decade of life.
      Physical activity and dietary calcium intake both exert a positive effect on this
      bone gain. Use of oral contraceptives exerts a further independent positive
      effect. Changes in life-style among college-aged women, involving relatively
      modest increases in physical activity and calcium intake, may significantly
      reduce the risk of osteoporosis late in life.

PMID- 1404798
TI  - Ethical values at stake in health care reform.

PMID- 1404799
TI  - Familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (codon 200 mutation) with supranuclear palsy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To identify a possible gene defect in a large kindred with atypical
      Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). SUBJECTS: Over 360 kindred members, with and
      without progressive dementia. METHODS: Family, hospital, and clinic records were
      reviewed. The DNA was extracted from paraffin-embedded brain tissue of two
      deceased patients, and from blood leukocytes of nine healthy persons at risk. DNA
      was subjected to polymerase chain reaction and then analyzed by restriction
      endonuclease and single nucleotide primer extension. RESULTS: Nine family members
      had progressive fatal neurological disease consistent with CJD without myoclonus
      or typical electroencephalographic findings. Supranuclear gaze palsy was present
      in all five patients who underwent eye examinations. Two neuropathologically
      confirmed cases and five of nine at-risk family members had an identical mutation
      (GAG to AAG, glutamic acid to lysine) in codon 200 of the amyloid gene (PRNP) on
      chromosome 20. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically atypical CJD with early supranuclear gaze
      palsy but without myoclonus or characteristic electroencephalographic periodicity
      patterns is associated with the codon 200Lys mutation in the largest CJD kindred
      yet reported. The clinical concept of familial CJD should be enlarged to include
      this unusual phenotype.

PMID- 1404800
TI  - Gene therapy for cancer.

PMID- 1404801
TI  - Evidence-based medicine. A new approach to teaching the practice of medicine.

PMID- 1404803
TI  - Call for papers on medical education.

PMID- 1404802
TI  - America's safety net. The wrong place at the wrong time?

PMID- 1404804
TI  - Playing favorites with patients.

PMID- 1404805
TI  - Attitudes and discourse: the words of medicine.

PMID- 1404806
TI  - How to create and maintain an article file.

PMID- 1404807
TI  - 'Don't get too comfortable'.

PMID- 1404808
TI  - At third meeting, menopause experts make the most of insufficient data.

PMID- 1404809
TI  - Is 'male menopause' real or just an excuse?

PMID- 1404810
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. Behaviors related to unintentional,
      intentional injuries, high school students--United States, 1991.

PMID- 1404811
TI  - From the Centers for Disease Control. Lead ingestion, ceramic glaze--Alaska,
      1992.

PMID- 1404812
TI  - The kappa statistic.

PMID- 1404813
TI  - The Los Angeles riots of 2014: how to avert them.

PMID- 1404814
TI  - Transparent polyurethane film as a catheter dressing.

PMID- 1404815
TI  - T-lymphocyte subsets in intravenous drug users with HIV-1 infection.

PMID- 1404816
TI  - T-lymphocyte subsets in intravenous drug users with HIV-1 infection.

PMID- 1404817
TI  - The spectrum of intent in fatal child abuse.

PMID- 1404818
TI  - Helmets for motor cyclists: lower fatal head injury rate but more crashes mean
      more study.

PMID- 1404819
TI  - A controlled trial of tacrine in Alzheimer's disease. The Tacrine Study Group.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare efficacy and safety of tacrine hydrochloride with placebo
      in patients with probable Alzheimer's disease. DESIGN: A 12-week, double-blind,
      placebo-controlled, parallel-group study. SETTING: Outpatients at 23 centers.
      PATIENTS: Men and women with probable Alzheimer's disease, at least 50 years old,
      mildly to moderately impaired, without other significant medical conditions.
      INTERVENTIONS: In the initial 6 weeks, patients received placebo, 20 mg/d of
      tacrine, or 40 mg/d of tacrine. In the second 6 weeks, half received the same
      treatment and half increased tacrine dose: those receiving placebo increased to
      20 mg/d, those receiving 20 mg/d increased to 40 mg/d, and those receiving 40
      mg/d increased to 80 mg/d. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Alzheimer's Disease
      Assessment Scale (ADAS) cognitive component and clinician-rated Clinical Global
      Impression of Change (CGIC). RESULTS: Four hundred sixty-eight patients entered.
      After 12 weeks, dose-related improvement was significant on the ADAS cognitive (P
      = .014), clinician-rated CGIC (P = .014), and caregiver-rated CGIC (P = .006).
      Comparison of 80 mg/d with placebo showed significant improvement on the ADAS
      cognitive (P = .015), clinician-rated CGIC (P = .016), and caregiver-rated CGIC
      (P = .028). Significant effects appeared as early as 6 weeks on the ADAS
      cognitive and caregiver-rated CGIC. Among patients receiving 80 mg/d of tacrine,
      51% achieved a four-point or greater improvement of the ADAS cognitive component
      after 12 weeks of treatment. Reversible asymptomatic transaminase elevations
      greater than three times normal occurred in 25% of patients. Other treatment
      related events included nausea and/or vomiting (8%), diarrhea (5%), abdominal
      pain (4%), dyspepsia (3%), and rash (3%). CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm the
      efficacy and safety of tacrine in some patients with Alzheimer's disease. After
      12 weeks, the magnitude of the treatment effect is clinically important and
      recognized by the physician and caregiver. Liver toxicity is reversible and
      easily detected by weekly alanine aminotransferase determinations.

PMID- 1404820
TI  - Acute myocardial infarction in the Medicare population. Process of care and
      clinical outcomes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the process of care and clinical outcomes associated with
      acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the Medicare population, and to examine
      differences in process of care and outcome of care as a function of patient age,
      gender, and race. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study using a longitudinal
      database created from Medicare utilization and administrative files. PATIENT
      POPULATIONS: A cohort of AMI patients covered by Medicare in 1987 and a random
      sample of Medicare patients without AMI. MAIN PROCESS AND OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS:
      (1) The use of coronary angiography, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and
      percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty during the first 90 days after a
      new AMI; (2) mortality at 30 days, 1 year, and 2 years; (3) reinfarction rates;
      and (4) reoperation rates for coronary artery bypass graft surgery and
      percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. MAIN RESULTS: Mortality rates
      were high: 26% at 30 days, 40% at 1 year, and 47% at 2 years. They varied greatly
      by age, less so by gender and race, and were high even among patients who
      survived the first 30 days. Compared with mortality, reinfarction was uncommon,
      occurring in 7.3% of patients. During the first 90 days, 23% of all patients
      underwent angiography and 13% underwent coronary revascularization (coronary
      artery bypass graft surgery, 8%; percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty,
      5%). The use of all three procedures decreased with age and was less common among
      women and blacks than among men and whites. Differential use by age and race was
      greater for angiography than for revascularization procedures. CONCLUSIONS: The
      prognosis following AMI in patients aged 65 years and above is much worse than is
      commonly realized. Procedure use in these patients varies as a function of gender
      and race, even though mortality does not. Further research is needed to reduce
      the mortality of elderly patients with AMI and to understand the significance of
      differences in procedure use on the basis of sociodemographic characteristics.

PMID- 1404821
TI  - Results of a second-opinion trial among patients recommended for coronary
      angiography.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of carrying out a second-opinion trial for
      patients urged to undergo coronary angiography and to assess the long-range
      outcome of such patients denied that procedure, and the criteria evolved for
      reaching such a conclusion. DESIGN: A case series of patients referred for a
      second opinion as to the need for coronary angiography. Patients were followed up
      by questionnaire, telephone call, and center visits. SETTING: Cardiovascular
      referral center and teaching hospital in Boston, Mass. PATIENTS: One hundred
      seventy-one patients with coronary artery disease (144 men, average age 60 years;
      range, 36 to 88 years). Three patients became unavailable for follow-up during a
      mean of 46.5 months. OUTCOME MEASURES: Concordant-discordant outcome as to the
      second opinion, cardiac events, invasive interventions, quality of life
      questionnaire, and level of symptoms. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-four (80%) of
      the 168 patients were judged not to require angiography; it was recommended in
      six. In 28 (16%) recommendation was deferred pending further studies. At a mean
      follow-up of 46.5 months among the 168 patients, there were seven cardiac deaths
      (annualized cardiac mortality of 1.1%); 19 patients experienced a new myocardial
      infarction (2.7% annualized rate), while 27 patients (4.3%) were judged to have
      developed unstable angina. Twenty-six patients (15.4%) ultimately underwent
      either coronary bypass or angioplasty. CONCLUSIONS: In a large fraction of
      medically stable patients with coronary disease who are urged to undergo coronary
      angiography, the procedure can be safely deferred. While there may be a
      limitation in terms of generalizing this experience to all patients with coronary
      disease, we reasonably conclude that an estimated 50% of coronary angiography
      currently being undertaken in the United States is unnecessary, or at least could
      be postponed.

PMID- 1404822
TI  - Health progress in the United States. Results of the 1990 objectives for the
      nation.

PMID- 1404823
TI  - Evaluation and management of the patient with syncope.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review the studies on diagnostic evaluation of syncope and to
      provide an approach to the diagnostic testing and management of this condition.
      DATA SOURCE: Published studies on the evaluation of syncope in the English
      language. STUDY SELECTION: Cohort studies and case series of patients presenting
      with syncope and focused studies of various diagnostic tests such as prolonged
      electrocardiographic monitoring, electrophysiologic studies, and upright tilt
      testing. Specific selection criteria were used in the case of prolonged
      electrocardiographic monitoring, in which all studies had to have performed at
      least 12 hours of monitoring. DATA EXTRACTION: Studies reviewed by the author.
      DATA SYNTHESIS: Studies in the 1980s have shown that a cause of syncope is not
      diagnosed in as many as 47% of the patients presenting with this symptom. When a
      cause of syncope is established, a history and physical examination lead to the
      identification of 56% to 85% of the causes. In the remaining patients, arrhythmia
      detection is a central issue. A major problem with the use of ambulatory
      electrocardiographic (Holter) monitoring in the diagnosis of arrhythmias is that
      symptomatic correlation with arrhythmias is rarely found (only 4% of patients).
      Increasing the duration of monitoring from 24 to 72 hours does not lead to
      increased yield of symptomatic arrhythmias. Patient-activated intermittent loop
      recorders that can be worn for several weeks may occasionally show a symptomatic
      correlation, but they are most useful in patients with multiple recurrences of
      syncope. Electrophysiologic studies are more likely to be abnormal in patients
      with underlying heart disease or those who have abnormalities on surface
      electrocardiogram. The most common abnormality found on electrophysiologic
      studies is inducible ventricular tachycardia. Upright tilt testing has been used
      to induce vasovagal syncope in patients with syncope of unknown cause. A positive
      response has been found in 26% to 87% of patients undergoing this type of
      testing. The specificity of this test needs to be further investigated. In
      patients with recurrent syncope of unknown cause, psychiatric evaluation should
      also be pursued for illnesses such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic
      disorder, somatization, and major depression. CONCLUSIONS: A directed approach to
      the evaluation is possible using the studies on diagnostic testing of syncope.

PMID- 1404825
TI  - Tacrine for treating Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1404824
TI  - What are we teaching about indigent patients?

PMID- 1404826
TI  - Chronic cough in children.

PMID- 1404827
TI  - Clinical decision making: from theory to practice. Applying cost-effectiveness
      analysis. The inside story.

PMID- 1404828
TI  - Cholera.

PMID- 1404829
TI  - Pattern of leucocyte acid phosphatase reaction in T-cell lymphoblastic leukaemia.
AB  - Acid phosphatase (AP) reaction is a specific cytochemical marker for T-cell
      lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL). Twenty six cases of ALL were diagnosed as T-ALL
      employing cytochemical profiles including AP and sheep red blood cell rosettes.
      Three district patterns of AP reaction were observed. On one end of the spectrum,
      100% of the positive blasts showed the classical dot-like reaction while on the
      other 100% showed a scattered reaction. Between the two a mixed pattern was
      observed with 30-80% of the positive blasts showing the dot-like reaction while
      the rest showed scattered pattern. Dot-like pattern showed L1 morphology, high
      counts and low SRBC rosettes while scattered showed L2 morphology, low counts and
      high SRBC rosettes. The pattern observed in our series differs from the dot-like
      reaction observed in T-ALL in the western series. We recommend that this pattern
      must be borne in mind when employing AP reaction for T-ALL diagnosis (JPMA 42:
      151, 1992).

PMID- 1404831
TI  - Anorectal melanoma in northern Pakistan.
AB  - Melanoma of the anorectum is a rare malignancy. At Armed Forces Institute of
      Pathology (AFIP), 11 cases were diagnosed over a 10 year period (1981-1990)
      constituting 14.2% of all primary malignant melanomas. The anorectum was the
      commonest site for noncutaneous melanomas (45.8%). The age group commonly
      affected was the fifth to seventh decade (72.7%). Most of the tumours were
      extensive involving both anal canal and rectum. The proportion of anorectal
      melanoma is much higher in our study as compared to western reports (0.4-1.6%).
      The distribution of noncutaneous melanomas in our population also differs, with a
      relatively lower proportion of ocular melanomas (33.3%) which are the commonest
      (80%) in western studies (JPMA 42: 155, 1992).

PMID- 1404830
TI  - Management of uric acid stone.
AB  - Uric acid stones are the most readily dissolvable of all types of urinary stones.
      By maintaining urinary pH between 6.2-6.8 with the use of sodium acid citrate or
      uralyt-U and reducing serum uric acid by allopurinol, we tried to dissolve 107
      stones in 67 patients. Ninety three (86.9%) stones were dissolved and 6 (5.6%)
      passed spontaneously within a period of one year. Eight (7.5%) stones were
      removed surgically or with ESWL. Five (7.5%) patients had stone recurrence over a
      period of 3 years follow-up. Serum uric acid was raised in 19 (28.5%) and urinary
      uric acid in 12 (18%) patients while urinary pH was low in 46 (69%) patients. For
      uncomplicated uric acid stones oral chemolysis on an out-patient basis is the
      treatment of choice. It is simple, safe and inexpensive. However, it requires
      rigid compliance by the patient and strict follow-up by ultrasonography (JPMA 42:
      153, 1992).

PMID- 1404832
TI  - Immunoglobulin classes G,A,M in brain tumours.
AB  - Serum of 37 brain tumour patients was studied for, Total protein, Protein
      electrophoresis, IgG, IgA, and IgM in an attempt to ascertain humoral immune
      response. Findings were compared with 20 healthy subjects, matched for age, sex
      and socioeconomic status. There was significant rise in alpha-II globulin, while
      IgG was suppressed in tumour patients. Decrease of IgG was more marked in
      patients with malignant tumours. Immunoglobulin A was low in children when
      compared with adults. Immunoglobulin M remained unchanged (JPMA 42: 157, 1992).

PMID- 1404833
TI  - Sclerotherapy with aqueous phenol for outpatient treatment of hydrocoele and
      epididymal cysts.

PMID- 1404834
TI  - Leprosy in Karachi.

PMID- 1404835
TI  - Haemoglobin, haematocrit and plasma fibrinogen in cigarette smokers.

PMID- 1404836
TI  - Renal angiomyolipoma: an uncommon tumour.

PMID- 1404837
TI  - Incomplete testicular feminization syndrome.

PMID- 1404838
TI  - Polycystic kidney disease associated with pregnancy.

PMID- 1404839
TI  - Surgical management of carotid artery disease--an Irish experience.

PMID- 1404840
TI  - How to insert a pulmonary artery floatation catheter.

PMID- 1404841
TI  - Cryptosporidiosis in Karachi.

PMID- 1404843
TI  - Screening of children with arrhythmias for arrhythmia development during diving
      and swimming--face immersion as a substitute for diving and exercise stress
      testing as a substitute for swimming.
AB  - We compared face immersion and exercise stress testing by diving and swimming as
      screening methods for arrhythmias induced by immersion in water. The subjects
      were 64 children with various arrhythmias who were tested using 5 methods:
      diving, swimming, face immersion in 25 degrees C water, face immersion in 6
      degrees C water, and a treadmill exercise test. Significant arrhythmias occurred
      during diving or swimming in 51 children, with 44 developing arrhythmias while
      diving. Both tachyarrhythmias and bradyarrhythmias were seen during diving, but
      17 children who also showed significant arrhythmias while swimming mostly had
      tachyarrhythmias. A comparison with the incidence of arrhythmias produced by
      diving showed that face immersion in cold water had a sensitivity of 88.6%, a
      specificity of 85.0%, a predictive value of 92.9%, and an accuracy of 87.5%.
      Arrhythmias were alleviated in 12.5%, unchanged in 79.7%, and aggravated in 7.8%
      of the subjects. Face immersion thus appeared to be a useful and adequate
      screening substitute for diving. Exercise testing was also compared with swimming
      (sensitivity, 52.9%; specificity, 100%; predictive value, 100%; and accuracy,
      87.5%). Arrhythmias were alleviated in 12.5% and unchanged in 87.5% of patients.
      Although exercise testing produced many false-negatives, all of the severe
      arrhythmias were reproduced.

PMID- 1404842
TI  - Emergency coronary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction--factors affecting
      acute restenosis in catheterization laboratory and reocclusion during
      hospitalization.
AB  - A total of 107 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction underwent
      emergency coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Restoration of blood flow with TIMI grade
      III was established by emergency PTCA in 101 patients (94.4%). "Acute restenosis"
      was defined as a lesion that, when dilated to less than 50%, narrowed again to
      more than 75% luminar reduction 5 min after the balloon inflation. Acute
      restenosis occurred in 39 patients (39%). Multivariate analysis selected 3
      factors associated significantly with an increased rate of acute restenosis: (1)
      dissection, (2) small balloon/artery diameter ratio and (3) low systolic blood
      pressure during PTCA. Reocclusion, which was defined as a total reobstruction of
      the lesion during hospitalization following emergency PTCA, was examined by
      predischarge coronary angiography. Acute restenosis correlated significantly with
      an increase in reocclusion rate. The incidence of documented reocclusion was 12%.
      Residual stenosis, multivessel disease and irregular dilation correlated
      significantly with an increased rate of reocclusion. The in-hospital and
      postdischarge mortalities were 5.6% and 2.1%, respectively. In summary, emergency
      PTCA produced a high angiographic success rate. Use of adequate balloon size and
      sufficient dilation correlated significantly with angiographic outcome in
      emergency PTCA. Patients with acute restenosis, high residual stenosis, irregular
      dilation, and multivessel disease would have a relatively high risk of
      reocclusion.

PMID- 1404845
TI  - Collagen in dilated cardiomyopathy--scanning electron microscopic and
      immunohistochemical observations.
AB  - The ultrastructural characteristics of collagen and the localization of collagen
      types were studied in formalin-fixed autopsied human hearts from patients who
      died in an advanced stage of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The three-dimensional
      architecture of collagen fibers was studied by scanning electron microscopy by
      using the cell-maceration method. The localization of collagen type I-VI was
      demonstrated immunohistochemically using monoclonal antibodies specific to each
      collagen following the treatment of specimens with trypsin. In the hearts
      obtained from control subjects without heart disease, there were no significant
      differences in the ultrastructure and localization of collagens between the fresh
      and the formalin-fixed hearts. Therefore, formalin-fixation did not affect the
      ultrastructure of collagen or the immunoreactivity. In DCM, a dense endomysial
      weave network consisting of fine fibrils was associated predominantly with
      collagen type I and III, associated moderately with type VI collagen, but less
      associated with type IV collagen. Perimysial collagen bundles and collagen
      strands increased both in number and thickness. The outstanding finding was the
      presence of giant coiled perimysial fibers measuring about 20-30 microns in
      diameter. The prominent increase in perimysial fibrosis was closely associated
      with the accumulation of both type I and type III collagen, and associated
      moderately with type VI collagen. Interestingly, type V collagen increased in the
      intracellular matrix of the myocardium in DCM. Type II collagen was not present
      in either normal or diseased hearts. These structural and immunohistochemical
      characteristics of collagen may provide insights important to assessing the
      pathogenesis of the cardiac lesion of DCM.

PMID- 1404844
TI  - Precordial ST segment elevation in acute ischemia caused by right coronary artery
      occlusion.
AB  - The purpose of this study is to determine why precordial ST elevation (V1 lead)
      occurs during acute occlusion of the right coronary artery (RCA). Nineteen
      patients with vasospastic angina, in whom ergonovine administration into RCA
      provoked spasms, were divided into 2 groups by precordial ST change during
      spasms. Group I (n = 6) had precordial ST elevation; group II (n = 13) had no
      precordial ST elevation. A subgroup, IIA was comprised 6 patients in group II
      with spasms in the RCA proximal segment (segment number less than 2 of AHA
      coronary classification). None had left coronary dominancy. There was no
      difference in collateral flow during spasms. Location of spasms in group I was in
      the RCA proximal segment, and was significantly more proximal compared to group
      II. There was no difference in sigma ST in II, III, aVF between group I and II or
      IIA. Max ST elevation time by which duration of ischemia was estimated was
      significantly longer in group I than in group IIA. Three patients in group I
      displayed precordial ST depression before elevation, in all of whom in sigma ST
      in II, III, aVF was higher during precordial ST elevation than during depression.
      During acute occlusion in the RCA proximal segment, precordial ST elevation is
      caused by ischemia of the right ventricular anterior wall. Furthermore,
      precordial ST elevation can occur in a patient with RCA dominance, even if
      ischemic injury in the left ventricular infero-posterior wall increases
      progressively.

PMID- 1404846
TI  - Impairment of sarcolemmal permeability in the acute ischemic myocardium--a study
      with ionic lanthanum probe method.
AB  - Impairment of sarcolemmal permeability after the initiation of acute ischemic
      myocardial injury was studied using an ionic lanthanum (La3+) probe in electron
      microscopy. Acute ischemic myocardium was induced by ligation of the left
      anterior descending coronary artery in dogs. In normal cardiac myocytes La is
      localized exclusively in the extracellular space. i.e. on the glycocalyx, in the
      T-system and in intercalated discs, with normal fine structures. In ischemic
      myocardial cells, La deposits were found in the cytosolic space in 22% of
      subendocardial cells with mild to moderate, but non-necrotic, fine structural
      changes as early as 30 min. The number of myocytes with La deposition increased
      with advancing ischemic injury, and necrotic fine structural changes were
      recognized following ischemia for 60 min. These results indicate that deposition
      of La occurs before the appearance of irreversible morphologic alterations in
      ischemic myocardial cells, and suggest an increased permeability of the
      sarcolemma for Ca2+ and the development of degradation of plasma membrane
      integrity.

PMID- 1404847
TI  - Residual critical coronary stenosis during myocardial reperfusion is deleterious
      to myocardial salvage in dogs.
AB  - Hyperemia, which occurs immediately after coronary reperfusion, injures the
      myocardium. Mild coronary stenosis may mitigate this hyperemia and thus may
      augment myocardial salvage. To test this hypothesis, left anterior descending
      coronary arteries of dogs were occluded for 3 h. Then, reperfusion was permitted
      without residual stenosis (group A, n = 17) or with 75% stenosis (group B, n =
      10). Regional myocardial blood flow (RMBF) was determined using colored
      microspheres. Dogs were sacrificed 1 week later to measure myocardial creatine
      kinase activity (CK) and for staining with triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC).
      The RMBF measured 5 min after reperfusion increased significantly (inner layer,
      171 +/- 16; outer layer, 165 +/- 11% of control) in group A. This hyperemia
      disappeared in group B (inner, 106 +/- 8; outer, 117 +/- 10% of control).
      However, the myocardial CK was more preserved (group A: inner, 31 +/- 4; outer,
      44 +/- 4%; and group B: inner, 21 +/- 6; outer, 29 +/- 5%), and the infarct size
      was smaller in group A than in group B (group A: inner, 44 +/- 6; outer, 33 +/-
      5; and group B: inner, 53 +/- 10; outer, 58 +/- 7% of the area at risk). We
      concluded that a residual stenosis of 75% at reperfusion abolishes the hyperemia
      but does not improve myocardial salvage.

PMID- 1404849
TI  - Spontaneous coronary artery dissection after a natural course for 10 years--a
      case report.
AB  - We encountered a patient with spontaneous coronary artery dissection complicated
      by acute inferior myocardial infarction. A 58-year-old male was admitted to our
      hospital due to acute inferior myocardial infarction in 1979. Coronary
      angiography performed 4 weeks after the onset showed a double lumen divided by a
      linear intimal flap in the right coronary artery, suggesting coronary artery
      dissection, but no apparent occlusion. Subsequently, he had been medicated with
      nitrates without any recurrent infarction. In February, 1989, 10 years after the
      first examination, coronary angiography was again performed and showed that the
      dissection had remained unchanged. Acetylcholine infusion into the right coronary
      artery induced coronary spasm. The prognosis of this condition seems to be better
      than has been generally considered, particularly in patients such as ours in whom
      the involvement of coronary spasm in the development of coronary artery
      dissection and myocardial infarction is suggested. When coronary spasm in
      controlled by treatment with nitrates or calcium antagonists, an uneventful
      course may be expected.

PMID- 1404848
TI  - Role of sympathetic nerve inhibition in the vasodepressor effect of bromocriptine
      in normotensive and hypertensive rats.
AB  - This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism of the hypotensive effect of
      bromocriptine (BRC), and to investigate whether or not the effects of BRC on the
      sympathetic nervous system are altered in hypertension. BRC was administered
      intravenously to normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). It
      elicited hypotensive effects dose-dependently in urethane-anaesthetized
      normotensive rats, an effect which was antagonized with metoclopramide.
      Pretreatment with intravenous hexamethonium attenuated the hypotensive effect of
      BRC. BRC decreased plasma norepinephrine (NE) without inhibiting the sympathetic
      nerve spikes recorded from the postganglionic sympathetic nerve bundle. The
      hypotensive effect of BRC was significantly greater in SHR than in Wistar Kyoto
      Rats (WKY). Decrease in NE by BRC was also significantly greater in SHR than in
      WKY. These results suggest that the hypotensive effect of BRC is induced by
      suppression of NE release, not by inhibition of sympathetic nerve spikes, and
      that the dopaminergic presynaptic inhibition is attenuated in SHR.

PMID- 1404850
TI  - A right atrial thrombus, attached to the inferior limb of the fossa ovalis.
AB  - A right thrombus was incidentally found in a 65-year-old male during mitral valve
      surgery. A mushroom-like thrombus was attached to the inferior limb of the fossa
      ovalis with broad based stalk. It developed in sinus rhythm and in the absence of
      evidence of blood stasis in the right atrium. The most likely pathogenesis of
      right atrial thrombus formation in this case is endocardial damage from right
      heart catheterization prior to surgery.

PMID- 1404851
TI  - Pseudoaneurysm of the distal aortic arch in Behcet's disease--a case report.
AB  - Behcet's disease, manifested as a triform of relapsing iritis, stomatitis and
      genital ulceration, is now recognized as a systemic vasculitis that affects both
      veins and arteries. However, aneurysms of the aortic arch associated with
      Behcet's disease are extremely rare. We report on a successfully resected
      pseudoaneurysm of the distal aortic arch in a patient with Behcet's disease. The
      aneurysm was evaluated preoperatively by computed tomography (CT), magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI) and intravenous digital subtraction angiography (DSA). We
      found that these non-invasive methods were quite useful for diagnosing the
      aneurysm in the aortic arch. Aneurysms enlarge rapidly when coupled with
      infection and are prone to rupture, thus requiring extensive surgical repair.
      However, since false aneurysm formations often occur at the site of anastomosis,
      postoperative follow-up should be monitored very closely.

PMID- 1404852
TI  - Fragmentation hemolysis in a patient with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
      and mitral valve prolapse.
AB  - We encountered a 65-year-old female with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
      and mitral valve prolapse who had infective endocarditis and hemolytic anemia.
      The infecting organism of endocarditis was group A streptococci. With regard to
      the etiology of the hemolytic anemia, fragmentation hemolysis was considered
      because fragmented red cells and elevated lactic dehydrogenase were observed.
      Haptoglobin was markedly decreased. Coombs' test, Ham's test and abnormal
      hemoglobin were negative. She had not had a hemolytic attack in the past.
      Ultrasonic cardiography showed asymmetrical septal hypertrophy, mitral valve
      prolapse and 285 mmHg of calculated pressure gradient in the left ventricle.
      Cardiac catheterization showed 115 mmHg of left intraventricular pressure
      gradient and mitral regurgitation (grade 2). Hemolysis was slightly improved
      after treatment with propranolol. Thus, fragmentation of the normal red cells
      seemed to be due to shear stress.

PMID- 1404854
TI  - [The 39th general meeting of The Japanese Association of Anesthesiology. Fukuoka,
      Japan, April 9-11, 1992. Abstracts].

PMID- 1404853
TI  - [56th annual scientific meeting of the Japanese Circulation Society. March 25-27,
      1992. Abstracts].

PMID- 1404855
TI  - [The prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma--the aspect of histological
      distribution to the renal tissue and serum level of beta 2-MG].
AB  - Beta-2-microglobulin (beta 2-MG) is a well-known tumor marker, particularly in
      patients with multiple myeloma (MM) in whom survival decrease in relation to high
      serum beta 2-MG concentrations. We investigated the level of serum beta 2-MG by
      radioimmunoassay (RIA) double antibody method in 14 cases of MM, 13 cases of
      benign monoclonal gammopathy, and 25 healthy controls. Beta-2-MG of the kidneys
      was stained by the MM by peroxidase-anti-peroxidase (PAP) method and clinical
      courses were compared. In controls, the serum beta 2-MG concentration increased
      with aging, and its concentration of MM was higher than that of controls. Most MM
      patients with positive beta 2-MG staining in glomeruli showed poor prognosis.
      Beta-2-MG staining of proximal and distal tubuli did not contribute to the
      prognosis of MM.

PMID- 1404856
TI  - [Clinical analysis of 10 patients with chronic lymphoid leukemia].
AB  - Ten patients with chronic lymphoid leukemia were analyzed for clinical
      characteristics, morphology and phenotype of leukemic cells. There were 3
      patients with T-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), 2 with T-prolymphocytic
      leukemia (PLL), 2 with B-CLL, 1 with B-PLL, 1 with non-T-non-B-CLL and 1 with
      Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. Although chronic lymphoid leukemia is usually
      characterized by proliferation of B-lymphocytes, our study revealed that 5 of 10
      patients had T-cell phenotype. A peripheral blood specimen of T-CLL showed small
      lymphocytes with a mature appearance and an irregular nuclear margin. Most of the
      cells lacked large azurophilic granules in the cytoplasm and nucleoli were also
      inconspicuous in the nucleus by light and electron microscopic examinations. In
      PLL, a majority of the cells were large lymphocytes with a prominent nucleolus
      and abundant basophilic cytoplasm which were more clearly observed by transmitted
      electron microscopic examination. The patients were treated with cyclophosphamide
      and prednisolone, but response to treatment was transient. The median survival
      time was 7 months for all patients, while that of T-cell lineage cases was only 1
      month. Therefore, new modalities of treatment must be investigated in the future.

PMID- 1404857
TI  - [Acute lymphoblastic leukemia with extensive demyelinated lesion of the brain
      stem during complete remission].
AB  - A case of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) which showed extensive demyelinated
      lesion of the brain stem during complete remission is presented. A 13 year-old
      girl who was diagnosed as ALL in February, 1987 was treated according to the
      TCCSG L84-11 protocol, which induced complete remission in June, 1987. Her
      condition had been stable until April, 1988 when she abruptly complained of gait
      disturbance, vertigo and anorexia. She was subsequently admitted to our hospital.
      At the time of admission, she had ataxic gait, horizontal nystagmus towards right
      at dextroversion, bilateral exaggerated patellar tendon reflex, emotional
      incontinence, urinary incontinence and left 6th and 7th nerve palsy. In the
      middle of May, right spastic hemipalesia and hypesthesia became apparent. Left
      caudal pontine-basal lesion was suspected and was confirmed by MRI. Her synptoms
      progressed. Five months after admission, suffered repeated central apnea and
      died. Autopsy disclosed extensive cervical spinal cord. Cerebrum and cerebellum
      were intact. No evident findings suggesting the etiology were obtained. Whole
      skull radiation, intrathecal methotrexate, cytosine arabinoside and
      hydrocortisone might have contributed to the development of the demyelinated
      lesion.

PMID- 1404858
TI  - [Overt leukemia from MDS associated with marked basophilia].
AB  - A 52-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of leukocytosis. She had
      been diagnosed with RAEB in another hospital in past time. At the admission, the
      white cell count was 30,900/microliter with blasts (14.0%) and marked basophilia
      (49.0%). Bone marrow aspiration revealed with 30.2% blasts and 21.1% basophils.
      Having obtained those results, diagnosis of RAEB in transformation was made.
      After admission, number of basophils in peripheral blood increased gradually, and
      level of histamine in serum was elevated significantly. Multiple peptic ulcers in
      stomach and bowel and high fever were induced due to histaminemia. Despite
      several therapy she died because of respiratory failure and septisemia. Although
      the mechanism of basophilia in this patient could not be clarified, there was a
      possibility that basophilia in this patient might be differentiated from leukemic
      clone because almost basophils in peripheral blood were mature and those had many
      granules including metachromasia by stained with toluidine blue.

PMID- 1404859
TI  - [Phenacetin-induced hemolytic anemia misdiagnosed as unstable hemoglobinopathy].
AB  - A 30-year-old woman was admitted in August 1984 with anemia. She had an initial
      hemolytic attack in 1977. Unstable hemoglobinopathy was suspected. Despite
      splenectomy in 1979, hemolytic attacks continued. On admission, she was anemic
      and cyanotic. Hb heat denaturation test was positive. However, the first
      structure of amino acid of hemoglobin was normal. A large amount of white powder
      was found in her belongings, and was later identified as phenacetin. N-acetyl-P
      aminophenol, a metabolite of phenacetin was demonstrated in her urine. Hemolytic
      attacks disappeared completely after she stopped taking phenacetin.

PMID- 1404860
TI  - [Malignant lymphoma developing from the wall of chronic empyema following
      artificial pneumothorax].
AB  - A 60-year-old man who had had chronic empyema following an artificial
      pneumothorax for pulmonary tuberculosis when he was 26 years old developed
      malignant lymphoma of the chest wall. The patient was admitted because of right
      pyothorax as a result of pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and underwent right
      thoracotomy. During lavage of the right thoracic cavity a tumor was found arising
      from the empyematic wall. Pathologic examination revealed that it was malignant
      lymphoma (diffuse large, immunoblastic, B cell type). Treatment with VEAP
      Bleomycin elicited a good response. Seven months after chemotherapy, the patient
      underwent thoracoplasty in addition to packing the cavity with the latissimus
      dorsi and the greater omentum. Following this, the patient received chemotherapy
      once a month for one and a half years, after which he was kept under close
      observation without treatment. Complete remission has now lasted for 49 months
      since the initial treatment. This is the first reported lymphoma case with
      closure of the empyematic wall and is remarkable since this patient has remained
      in complete remission for the last two years without any treatment.

PMID- 1404861
TI  - [Multiple hepatosplenic abscesses: successful treatment by continuous intraportal
      administration of amphotericin B in a case with acute promyelocytic leukemia].
AB  - A 40-year-old female was admitted in August 1989 with a diagnosis of acute
      promyelocytic leukemia (AML; M3). One course of modified-DCMP regimen induced
      complete remission in September, but she developed spiking fever at a nadir
      period of WBC after induction chemotherapy. CT revealed multiple hepato-splenic
      abscesses presumably due to candida infection. She was treated with intravenous
      administration of amphotericin B (AMPH-B) and other antifungal agents. Despite
      the hematological remission and prolonged use of these antifungal agents, high
      fever persisted. A catheter was inserted into the portal vein under ultrasonic
      guidance. AMPH-B was administered through the catheter: the initial dose was 3
      mg/day and was soon increased to 20 mg/day. Her fever subsided in 1 week, and the
      sizes of liver abscesses on CT reduced markedly. Chill and hypokalemia were
      observed during this therapy. The catheter was removed from the portal vein after
      29 days. Partial portal vein thrombosis was noted around the catheter tip. This
      case suggests the usefulness of intraportal administration of AMPH-B in patients
      with hematological malignancy developing multiple liver abscesses.

PMID- 1404862
TI  - [Studies on pseudo-Chediak-Higashi granules formation in acute promyelocytic
      leukemia].
AB  - Leukemic cells from acute promyelocytic leukemia containing pseudo-Chediak
      Higashi (P-CH) granules in a 38-year-woman were studied with ultrastructural and
      cytochemical techniques to evaluate the origin and nature of the granules. Wright
      Giemsa stain revealed giant granules to be azurophilic. Cytochemical stain
      revealed p-CH granules ot the basic of their peroxidase and glycoprotein content.
      Electron microscopy revealed numerous giant granules formed by fusion of
      azurophilic granules these morphological, different type granules were classified
      into four types, 1) circular granule with homogeneous matrix, 2) circular granule
      with heterogeneous change by autolysis, 3) Auer body-like granule with
      crystalline arrangement, 4) vacuolar formation. The results demonstrate that the
      Auer body-like granule of P-CH granules in leukemic cells is a morphologically
      variant type of the classical Auer body observed in common acute myeloid
      leukemia.

PMID- 1404863
TI  - [Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a patient with sarcoidosis (the sarcoidosis-lymphoma
      syndrome)].
AB  - A-31-year-old man with right cervical and supraclavicular lymphadenopathy was
      admitted in March, 1991. He was diagnosed as having muscular sarcoidosis at the
      age 8 year, and was treated with corticosteroids. Since age 18, his skin was
      erythematous and ulcerous, and later his skin became gradually atrophic. Lymph
      node biopsy revealed diffused large cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Lymphoma cells
      showed TCR-beta gene rearrangement by Southern blot hybridization. His lymphoma
      was refractory to CHOP and CHOP-Bleo regimens. Complete remission was achieved
      with cisplatin and etoposide. However, early relapse occurred, and he died of
      pulmonary hemorrhage 4 months after the diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's T-cell
      lymphoma. The so called "sarcoidosis-lymphoma syndrome" is uncommon in Japan. In
      9 of 10 cases previously reported, malignant lymphoma occurred during the course
      of sarcoidosis. Most of the sarcoidosis cases were chronic active type, and
      required systemic administration of corticosteroids. Hodgkin's disease coexistent
      with sarcoidosis as reported in other countries, was not found in Japan. These
      findings suggest that the low incidence of sarcoidosis-lymphoma syndrome in our
      country is due to the relative rareness of Hodgkin's disease. The sarcoidosis
      lymphoma syndrome possibly appears as a consequence of immunological
      abnormalities observed in sarcoidosis.

PMID- 1404864
TI  - [Evolution to megakaryoblastic leukemia observed in myelodysplastic syndrome with
      erythrolekemia-like features].
AB  - A 63-year-old man was admitted because of anemia and thrombocytopenia. The bone
      marrow was hypercellular with 66.6% erythroblasts with dysplasia and 19.8%
      blasts. Cytogenetically, MAKA (major karyotypic aberrations) containing 5q-, -7, 
      17, with karyotypic instability was observed. A diagnosis of erythroleukemia (FAB
      M6) was made. Six months later, immature neutrophils increased in the peripheral
      blood, and blasts and promyelocytes increased to 25.8% and 20.0% of marrow cells,
      respectively. Three months later, blasts asts increased to 33.0% in the
      peripheral blood. They were ultrastructually positive for platelet peroxidase.
      Phenotypically, 69% and 63% of blasts were positive for CD41b (GPIIb/IIIa) and
      CD42a (GPIb), respectively. Bone marrow biopsy showed marked proliferation of
      blasts and dysplastic megakaryocytes accompanied by reticulin fibrosis. These
      findings suggested evolution to megakaryoblastic leukemia (FAB M7). In most
      cases, M6 defined by the FAB criteria is stem cell disorder with multilineage
      involvement and major erythroid component. M6-like features may be observed in
      the evolutive phase to acute leukemia from myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).

PMID- 1404865
TI  - [Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura achieving complete remission by slow
      infusion of vincristine].
AB  - A case of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) which was successfully
      treated by slow infusion of vincristine (VCR) is reported. A 40-year-old female
      was admitted to our hospital because of sudden onset of genital bleeding. Her
      blood cell count showed severe anemia and thrombocytopenia. Biochemistry
      disclosed high titers of serum LDH. Based upon these findings, the patient was
      initially diagnosed as having Evans syndrome and was treated with steroid-pulse
      therapy and high-dose immunoglobulin. However, no response was obtained. A
      diagnosis of TTP was established when mental disturbance and renal dysfunction
      developed later. Aspirin and plasmapheresis relieved the mental disturbance and
      decreased serum LDH level, but anemia and thrombocytopenia were not corrected.
      Slow infusion therapy of 1 to 2 mg VCR was performed for 4 to 8 hours once a
      week, which dramatically improved the hematological abnormalities and controlled
      the disease. In conclusion, slow infusion of VCR may indicated, if initial
      standard therapies such as PE would fail.

PMID- 1404866
TI  - [A case of hemophagocytic syndrome with multiple myeloma].
AB  - A case with multiple myeloma complicated with hemophagocytic syndrome (HS) is
      presented. Because pancytopenia, liver dysfunction and increase of mature
      histiocytes in the bone marrow appeared rapidly a diagnosis of HS was made. The
      patient died of multiple organ failure, despite steroid therapy. Autopsy revealed
      marked invasion of hemophagocytic histiocytes not only into the bone marrow but
      also into many other organs such as the liver, lymph nodes and kidneys. HS is a
      histiocyte proliferative disorders, which is likely to be seen in
      immunocompromised hosts, but there is no previous report about HS and multiple
      myeloma.

PMID- 1404867
TI  - [Chimerism monitoring by VNTRs polymorphism analysis in a patient who received
      allogenic bone marrow transplantation].
AB  - A 39-year-old female diagnosed as acute myelogenous leukemia received allogenic
      bone marrow transplantation (BMT) pre-conditioned with busulfan and
      cyclophosphamide regimen from her HLA identical sibling. To distinguish donor and
      recipient cells, we analyzed variable numbers of tandem repeats (VNTRs)
      polymorphisms using a YNH-24 probe by Southern blot hybridization. VNTRs
      polymorphism analysis documented the engraftment of donor cells, relapse of
      recipient cells, and mixed hematopoietic chimerism. Assessment of the chimerism
      state is important for determining the prognosis of patients undergoing BMT, and
      VNTRs polymorphisms analysis is very useful for identifying the chimerism state.

PMID- 1404868
TI  - [Cytokines involved in plasma cell proliferative disorders].

PMID- 1404869
TI  - [Amino acid research--premises, frontiers, and prospects].

PMID- 1404870
TI  - [Tracer kinetics of amino acid].
AB  - In vivo turnover of an amino acid can be determined either by analysing the
      disappearance curve of a labeled amino acid after a single dose of labeled amino
      acid or by measuring the dilution of a continuously infused labeled amino acid at
      a steady state. From ethical concerns stable isotopically labeled amino acids,
      such as 13C-leucine and 15N-glycine have been routinely used to study amino acid
      kinetics with subsequent estimation of whole body protein turnover. Recently,
      instead of these 2 methods, pulse labeling by taking a single oral dose of
      labeled amino acid is more practical for the study of whole body protein
      turnover. We observed plasma 15N-glycine kinetics and urinary 15N excretion by a
      single oral dose of 15N-glycine simultaneously in healthy subjects and cirrhosis
      patients, and the results are discussed.

PMID- 1404871
TI  - [Phenylalanine transport in the living human brain by a dynamic PET of L-[2-18F]
      fluorophenylalanine].
AB  - The transport kinetics of L-[2-18F]-Fluorophenylalanine in the human brain were
      studied in one normal subject and 6 patients with brain tumor using a dynamic
      positron emission tomography. The tracer kinetics from blood to brain were
      described by two compartment model with K1 (influx) and k2 (efflux). The rate
      constants in normal brain tissue and tumor tissue were K1 = 0.045 ml/g/min, k2 =
      0.078 ml/g/min and K1 = 0.122 ml/g/min, k2 = 0.102 ml/g/min, respectively. The
      Michaelis-Menten constants (Kt and Tmax) for phenylalanine transport in the
      normal cortex were graphically estimated. The estimated Kt was 35 nmol/ml,
      whereas the Tmax varied with cerebral blood flow.

PMID- 1404872
TI  - [Membrane transport system of amino acids in the small intestine].
AB  - The membrane transport system of amino acids in the small intestine is reviewed.
      Amino acids are transported by three processes: 1) simple diffusion, 2)
      facilitated diffusion and 3) active transport. In the brush border membrane,
      there are at least six Na(+)-dependent systems (NBB, PHE, IMINO, beta, X-G,A, Y+)
      and the Na(+)-independent systems (L, beta, Y+). On the other hand, the
      basolateral membrane has at least four Na(+)-dependent systems (A, ASC, X-G,A, N)
      and three Na(+)-independent systems (asc, L, y+). These systems are discussed.

PMID- 1404873
TI  - [Mode of membrane transport of amino acids--the kidney].
AB  - In the kidney, more than 99% of filtered free amino acids are reabsorbed by the
      proximal tubule. The brush border membrane of this segment is known to possess at
      least 5 independent amino acid carriers; neutral alpha-amino, basic, acidic,
      neutral beta-amino and imino acid carriers. Ionic interactions have been shown to
      be markedly different among these carriers. Characteristics of the interaction
      were outlined for each carrier. Basolateral membrane carriers have not been
      investigated extensively, but existence of neutral amino acid carrier (s) devoid
      of ionic interaction has been established. In addition, a Na+ plus K+ gradient
      dependent transport has been identified for acidic amino acids and a Na+ exchange
      carrier has been suggested for basic amino acids. Also, asymmetric ionic
      interactions are suggested for luminal and basolateral membrane carriers for beta
      amino acids. Proton-dependent carrier (s) for di- and tri-peptides has also been
      identified in the proximal tubule.

PMID- 1404874
TI  - [Mechanism of amino acid transport at the liver plasma membrane].
AB  - Several amino acid transport systems have been known in the liver: sodium
      dependent systems A, ASC and N for neutral amino acids, a sodium-dependent system
      for glycine (system Gly), sodium independent systems L1 and L2 for neutral amino
      acids, and sodium dependent systems for anionic amino acids. Recent studies with
      isolated sinusoidal and canalicular membrane vesicles have revealed that sodium
      dependent transport of an anionic amino acid, glutamate, and glycine occurs at
      the canalicular membrane, not at the sinusoidal membrane. Furthermore,
      solubilization and reconstitution of systems A and N has been reported and a 100
      kD protein responsible for system N transport has been identified in the rat
      liver.

PMID- 1404875
TI  - [Molecular biological approach to mammalian amino acid transporters].
AB  - Several mammalian amino acid transporters have been purified from solubilized
      membranes to a single protein band with a molecular mass of 60-130 kDa. It has
      been demonstrated that the mammalian amino acid transporters are expressed in
      Xenopus oocytes following microinjection of mRNA from various cells and tissues.
      Using this expression system, a cDNA clone, encoding an amino acid transporter,
      has been isolated from a tissue cDNA library, and a topological model for the
      deduced protein is depicted. At present, the models for the structure of the
      three kinds of amino acid transporters are proposed, one of which is identical
      with an ecopropic retrovirus receptor.

PMID- 1404876
TI  - [Molecular biological aspects of amino acid metabolizing enzymes].
AB  - This article briefly describes the molecular biological aspect of studies on some
      enzymes involved in amino acid metabolism. Aspartate aminotransferase is one most
      extensively studied enzyme. Together with its three dimensional structure, recent
      studies using site-directed mutagenesis have led to the understanding of its
      structure-function relationships. Successful cDNA cloning of other
      aminotransferase has enabled us to understand the degree of homology in amino
      acid sequence. cDNAs for several amino acid decarboxylases were also cloned.
      Genomic structures for the enzymes involved in urea cycle have been studied.
      These studies have provided a molecular basis for some hyperammonemias. Its is
      strongly anticipated that the understanding of other metabolic disorders may be
      promoted by further accumulation of molecular biological data on the relevant
      enzymes.

PMID- 1404877
TI  - [Amino acids as a modulator of hormone secretion].
AB  - Amino acids stimulate or inhibit the releases of some pituitary, pancreatic and
      gastrointestinal hormones by oral or intravenous administration. These effects
      are clinically used as amino acid loading tests to examine the reserve of
      hormones, including growth hormone, insulin, glucagon, somatostatin, etc., and of
      use for the diagnosis of endocrine and gastrointestinal diseases. The mechanism
      of pituitary hormone release, induced by amino acids, has been explained by their
      actions on peptidergic and monoaminergic systems in the brain but it is still not
      known as for pancreatic and gastrointestinal hormones.

PMID- 1404878
TI  - [Advances in automated amino acid analysis].
AB  - Recent progress in the field of amino-acid analysis, characterized by the
      development of fully automated chromatographic equipment, is described. For
      separation and quantitation of free amino acids from biological fluid, such as
      blood and urine, ion exchange column chromatography followed by colorimetric
      detection of ninhydrin reactive products is the most widely adopted methodology
      in the clinical field. Analytic procedures are fully automated. The computer
      controlled pumping mechanism guarantees a precise buffer supply for separation
      and peak identification and peak height or/and area detection of each amino acid
      in the effluent are highly reproducible. Complete analysis of more than 30 amino
      acids in biological fluids can be performed within 2 hours. Amino acid analysis
      is now easily adopted in the routine clinical laboratory and is expected to
      contribute to the clinical diagnosis of amino acidopathies.

PMID- 1404879
TI  - [Inborn errors of amino acid metabolism--concepts and classification].
AB  - After the definition and the heredity of inborn errors of amino acid metabolism
      and a discussion of the incidence of these diseases, the four primary types of
      clinical features, namely 1) the prenatal, 2) neonatal (with acute onset), 3)
      mild, and 4) abortive types are described. The pathophysiology of brain damage is
      discussed. Based on recent findings, inborn errors of amino acid metabolism were
      classified according to their cause, 1) primary defect in catabolism, and 2)
      disturbances in the transport of amino acid. For each disease, the amino acids
      which can be detected in the plasma or in the urine are listed, along with the
      enzymes which are defective in each case.

PMID- 1404880
TI  - [Biochemical diagnosis and mass screening for hereditary amino acid disorders].
AB  - During the past 50 years, the development of both organic and analytical
      chemistry has greatly contributed to the discovery of new hereditary amino acid
      disorders. As a result, more than 80 new amino acid disorders have been
      discovered. More recently, the development of protein chemistry has made it
      easily to investigate the biochemical basis of these disorders. In this paper we
      present the status of biochemical diagnosis as well as mass-screening for amino
      acid disorders. The result of neonatal mass-screening for 4 amino acid disorders
      (PKU, MSUD, homocystinuria and histidinemia) from 1977 to 1990 revealed that the
      incidence of PKU is extremely rare in Japan when compared to European Countries,
      and the incidence of MSUD and homocystinuria are also less common in Japan. On
      the other hand, the incidence of histidinemia is higher in Japan than in Europe,
      however, a follow up study of more than 1,500 patients showed almost all cases
      developed normally without any dietary treatment.

PMID- 1404882
TI  - [Inherited metabolic disorders of the transsulfuration pathway].
AB  - Several inherited metabolic disorders of the transsulfuration pathway are
      discussed. They are hypermethioninemia, homocystinuria, cystathioninuria, beta
      mercaptolactate cysteine disulfideuria and sulfite oxidase deficiency (SOD).
      Primary coverage is given to homocystinuria and SOD. In the case of
      homocystinuria, metabolic defects include cystathionine beta-synthase deficiency,
      methylenetetrahydroforate reductase deficiency, and mutations in cobalamin
      metabolism. Their main clinical pictures, metabolic abnormalities, and treatment
      are also described. SOD appears in two cases as an isolated enzyme defect and a
      combined deficiency of sulfite oxidase and xanthine dehydrogenase that share a
      common molybdenum cofactor. The clinical, biochemical and neurological features
      of the two disorders are reviewed.

PMID- 1404881
TI  - [Prenatal diagnosis of inborn error of amino acid metabolism].
AB  - Prenatal diagnosis of inborn errors of amino acid metabolism was discussed from
      the viewpoints of its purpose, ethical problems, analysis methods, and sampling
      methods of the fetal tissues. In addition to the general discussion, our results
      of the prenatal diagnosis of 20 cases with nonketotic hyperglycinemia (NKH) were
      also reported. Nineteen cases were diagnosed by the enzymatic method, while one
      Finnish case was successfully diagnosed by DNA analysis, which is based on our
      observation that a missense mutation we identified accounts for 70% of the mutant
      alleles in Finland. The DNA analysis would be a great help for the prenatal
      diagnosis in Finland where the incidence of NKH is unusually high (1: 12,000
      births).

PMID- 1404883
TI  - [The dibasic amino acid metabolic disorders].
AB  - The ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD), arginase deficiency (ARD),
      Hyperornithinemia-Hyperammonemia-Homocitrullinuria (H.H.H) syndrome and Lysinuric
      protein intolerance (LPI) are characterized by the accumulation of the precursors
      of urea, principally ammonia because of the abnormal metabolism of ornithine,
      arginine and lysine which are the dibasic amino acid. We mainly described the
      recent knowledge for these disease and introduced the great advancement of the
      molecular biology in this field which makes us to give an early diagnosis for
      these disease to have an early treatment.

PMID- 1404884
TI  - [Metabolic disorders of amino acids due to enzyme mutation--branched-chain amino
      acids].
AB  - Three kinds of inborn error of branched-chain amino acids (valine, leucine
      isoleucine) are described with a focus on the findings in recent biochemistry and
      molecular genetics. Frequency of valinemia and leucinisoleucinemia is quite low
      but their significance is distinct because of our knowledge that at least two
      aminotransferases, one branched-chain keto acids dehydrogenase and two short
      chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenases are present in human, is based on the observations
      of these limited cases. In MSUD, the sequential study of each subunit cDNA
      reveals a close relationship between the clinical phenotypes and the various
      sites of mutation.

PMID- 1404885
TI  - [Inborn errors of imino acid metabolism].
AB  - Several conditions and disorders were caused by enzyme defects in metabolism of
      imino acids. Hyperprolinemia type I and type II, hyperhydroxyprolinemia,
      imidopeptiduria (prolidase deficiency) were related to proline and/or
      hydroxyproline metabolism. Sarcosinemia and abnormality in pipecolic acid
      metabolism were also classified as inborn errors of imino acid metabolism. In
      this brief review, the outline of these genetic conditions or disorders were
      described. Among the genetic enzyme defects, imidopeptiduria (prolidase
      deficiency) caused severe clinical problems. Other conditions were thought to be
      benign.

PMID- 1404886
TI  - [Abnormal metabolism of substances related to glycine and beta-alanine].
AB  - Glycine and serine are interconverted by serine hydroxymethyltransferase and
      hence share their metabolic pathways. In the rat the carbon skeleton of choline
      is derived from the alpha and beta carbons of serine through phosphatidylserine
      and is further converted to that of glycine through N-methylated molecules of
      glycine i.e. betaine, N-dimethylglycine, and sarcosine (N-methylglycine). Thus
      far, the production of a folate derivative of the active one carbon that is an
      essential material for purine nucleotides and thymidylate biosynthesis is the
      notable feature of this metabolic process. In the major degradative pathway for
      pyrimidine nucleotides, beta-alanine, one of omega-amino acids, is produced and
      further catabolized by beta-alanine: oxoglutarate transaminase which is suggested
      to be identical to that for gamma-aminobutyrate, another omega-amino acid.
      Disorders included in these metabolic pathways are succinctly reviewed.

PMID- 1404887
TI  - [Vitamin B6 dependency syndrome].
AB  - Many enzymes that require pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP), a coenzyme from a vitamin
      B6, are involved in amino acid metabolism. B6 dependency syndromes are defined as
      a group of metabolic disorders which are prevented or alleviated by non
      physiologically large doses of vitamin B6, and, hence, they are tacitly accounted
      for by some structural alteration in a responsible B6-dependent enzyme such as a
      decrease on the affinity for PLP as compared to the normal. In this article, the
      mode of binding the coenzyme is exemplified by the case of aspartate
      aminotransferase, a typical B6-dependent enzyme whose three-dimensional structure
      is known, and, several B6 dependency syndromes are briefly reviewed. Among these
      syndromes, the molecular basis of only gyrate atrophy has recently been defined
      by the identification of a mutation in the relevant enzyme, ornithine
      aminotransferase.

PMID- 1404888
TI  - [Inherited amino acid transport disorders].
AB  - Disorders due to inherited amino acids transport defect are reviewed. The
      disorders were categorized into three types of transport defects, namely, brush
      border membrane of epithelial cells of small intestine and kidney tubules
      (Hartnup disease, blue diaper syndrome, cystinuria, iminoglycinuria and lysine
      malabsorption syndrome), basolateral membrane (lysinuric protein intolerance) and
      membrane of intracellular organelles (cystinosis and hyperornitinemia
      hyperammonemia-homocitrullinuria syndrome). Pathogenesis, clinical feature,
      laboratory findings, diagnosis, genetics and treatment of these disorders are
      described, briefly. There is not much data for the transport systems themselves,
      so that further investigation in molecular and gene levels for transport systems
      is necessary to clarify the characteristics of the transport and heterogeneity of
      phenotypes in inherited amino acids transport disorders.

PMID- 1404889
TI  - [Cystinosis].
AB  - Recent progress of the study of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of a
      lysosomal transport disorder, cystinosis is reviewed. Cystinosis is an autosomal
      recessively inherited disease that is caused by the accumulation of cystine in
      lysosome due to lack of the cystine transport system in lysosome. Renal
      transplantation has been a successful treatment for the cystinosis patients who
      are in the end stage renal failure, and this therapy has markedly prolonged the
      life span of cystinosis patients. Recently, oral cysteamine therapy has been
      successful in the excretion of accumulated cystine in cystinosis patients, and in
      improving the symptoms. Studies are now under way to see if early (within a month
      of life) start of cysteamine therapy would achieve the most satisfactory
      therapeutic effect and maintain normal renal function.

PMID- 1404890
TI  - [Imbalance of amino acid metabolism in fulminant hepatitis and its management].
AB  - Fulminant hepatitis shows characteristic imbalance of amino acid levels;
      increased aromatic amino acid (AAA) and methionine. Elevated plasma AAA may cause
      hepatic encephalopathy and BCAA-enriched amino acids solution (BCAAs). Glucagon
      Insulin (G-I) therapy and artificial liver support system have been proposed to
      correct the imbalance of amino acids. BCAAs and G-I therapy correct the aberrant
      amino acid patterns and artificial liver support system, including plasma
      pheresis, and charcoal haemoperfusion has also been used to reduce plasma amino
      acids levels. While imbalance of amino acids level in fulminant hepatitis is a
      result of acute necrosis of a large proportion of hepatocytes, careful and
      sufficient management of the disease is essential to normalize amino acid
      profiles.

PMID- 1404891
TI  - [Amino acid metabolism in liver cirrhosis].
AB  - In patients with liver cirrhosis the fasting plasma alpha-amino nitrogen
      concentration is high as the rule, due to reduced clearance of total alpha-amino
      nitrogen. The urea cycle is diminished of its capacity in cirrhotic patients than
      in the control subject, and to compensate for this, the extrahepatic glutamine
      cycle capacity is enlarged in the patients. The following important topics were
      taken up in this mini review: some problems concerning Fischer ratio, amino acids
      metabolism and pH regulation in the liver, and the supplementation therapy with
      branched chain amino acids under the condition of organ relationship.

PMID- 1404892
TI  - [Amino acids metabolism and nutritional support in acute renal failure].
AB  - It has been claimed that conventional essential amino acid (EAA) solution may
      give rise to adverse effects such as hyperammonemia, in acute renal failure
      (ARF). On the other hand the majority the ARF treated recently have been
      complicated by multiple organ failure (MOF). These data indicate that a new
      regimen in nutritional support should be applied to those patients. A new amino
      acid solution for renal failure, containing not only EAA but also branched chain
      and non-essential amino acids, has been developed. We administered this solution
      as total parenteral nutrition (TPN) to ARF patients complicated by MOF.
      Continuous hemodiafiltration is simultaneously applied to remove excess water.
      The nutritional status and the deranged aminogram are improved by this treatment.
      We believe that an ARF patient complicated by MOF should be nutritionally
      supported with this new regimen.

PMID- 1404893
TI  - [Impaired amino acid metabolism and its management in chronic renal failure].
AB  - The protein and amino acids (AAs) metabolism are known to be impaired in the
      uremic patients. The etiology of those abnormalities is multifactorial, such as
      inadequate nutritional intake, protein-restricted diet, decreased urinary
      excretion of AAs, impaired activity of AAs-synthetic and/or-degrading enzymes,
      disturbed absorption, loss of AAs during dialysis, and abnormal transcellular
      movement due to hormonal abnormalities. As the nutritional supplement for the
      uremic patient, essential amino acid has been proposed. It was, however, reported
      to cause the hyperammonemia with or without encephalopathy in addition to fatty
      liver. Further investigation concerning the optimal composition of AAs solution
      for uremic patients is required to solve these problems.

PMID- 1404894
TI  - [Amino acid metabolism in surgical stress].
AB  - Amino acid metabolism under surgical stress, injury or infection was reviewed
      from the literature. The glucose-alanine cycle in coupling with branched chain
      amino acids (BCAA) metabolism plays a central role for gluconeogenesis, in such a
      catabolic state. Glutamine is as important as alanine for sparing glucose and
      furthermore for intestinal repair. Changes in plasma amino acid concentration and
      clearance following hepatectomy are described, and effects of BCAA solution are
      evaluated. It was suggested that BCAA improved the Fischer ratio by increasing,
      not only plasma BCAA level, but also AAA clearance.

PMID- 1404895
TI  - [Abnormal amino acid metabolism in diabetes mellitus].
AB  - Abnormal amino acid metabolism is sometimes observed among patients with diabetes
      mellitus. Of many amino acids, alanine and branched-chain amino acids such as
      valine, leucine, isoleucine show characteristic changes. In diabetic
      ketoacidosis, plasma concentration of alanine decreases and that of branched
      amino acid increases and the oxidation of branched-amino acids is enhanced.
      Splanchnic amino acid uptake is generally higher in diabetics and this level is
      partially restored by exercise. Some glycosylated proteins are used to estimate
      the condition of diabetes mellitus. Increment of urinary glycosylated amino acid
      excretion is reported in diabetics. Plasma homocysteine, reactive vascular
      injuring amino acid, increases in diabetics with nephropathy. Those abnormal
      amino acid metabolism would be restored after good glycemic control is obtained.

PMID- 1404896
TI  - [Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome].
AB  - Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) is a newly recognized disease, characterized
      by peripheral eosinophilia with scleroderma-like features. By July 1991, 1543
      cases of EMS, including 31 fatal cases, have been reported. Although
      epidemiologic studies strongly suggest the association of EMS with ingestion of L
      tryptophan (LT) containing a contaminant from a single manufacture, the
      pathogenesis of this disease is not well understood. The insight obtained from
      the study of EMS may be applicable to scleroderma or eosinophilic fasciitis.
      Recent advances in the understanding of clinical and pathologic features of EMS
      are reviewed.

PMID- 1404897
TI  - [Immuno-hematopoietic cytokine receptor family--its structure and function].
AB  - Receptors for immuno-hematopoietic cytokines are multi-chain complexes of
      membrane proteins. Molecular cloning of these cytokine receptor genes revealed
      the existence of a here-to-fore unidentified receptor superfamily. They are
      primarily characterized by a shared extracellular structure that may be involved
      in the formation of multi-chain receptor complex. Inspite of the lack of any
      catalytic function, several members of the superfamily are known to act as the
      transmembrane transducers of cytokine signals. Such molecules may interact
      physiologically/functionally with multiple intracellular catalytic molecules to
      generate signals. In this regard, potential involvement of protein tyrosine
      kinase and protein serine/threonine kinase in the post-receptor signalling has
      been described. Dysregulated activation of the cytokine receptor gives rise to
      transformation of immuno-hematopoietic cells.

PMID- 1404898
TI  - [Development and application of biosensors for medical field].
AB  - Methods for the selective determination of organic compounds in biological
      fluids, such as blood, are very important in clinical analyses. Most analyses of
      organic compounds can be performed by spectrophotometric methods, based on
      specific enzyme-catalyzed reactions. However, because of the complicated
      procedure, these methods cannot be applied directly to bed-side monitoring.
      Alternatively, biosensors based on enzymes and electrochemical transducers
      possess excellent sensitivity for biological substrates and can determine a
      single compound in a biological fluid directly without need for a prior
      separation step. Therefore, in the past several years, many kinds of biosensors
      have been developed, and implantable microbiosensors for a body organ have also
      been reported.

PMID- 1404899
TI  - [A study of hepatocellular transplantation].
AB  - Clinical liver transplantation has been done for patients with irreversible
      hepatic diseases, but the shortage of donor livers from heart beating cadavers
      has become very serious. Hepatocyte transplantation requires no vascular
      anastomosis and donor hepatocytes are easy to obtain from living donors and easy
      to preserve for a long time. In the animal experiments, transplanted hepatocytes
      survived in the spleen for long periods of time, and cytochemical investigation
      revealed differentiated liver functions, such as gluconeogenesis, albumin
      synthesis, bilirubin conjugation. Intrasplenic transplantation of hepatocytes
      relieved congenital disorders of liver enzymes in rats. Moreover, transplanted
      hepatocytes re-composed normal cord structures with hepatic sinusoids in the
      spleen of rats. Hepatocytes could also be isolated from human cirrhotic livers by
      a multi-perfusion method, and the viability was almost 80%. After the success in
      transplantation of human hepatocytes into the spleen of athymic mice, 6 patients
      have undergone clinical trial of intrasplenic hepatocyte transplantation without
      any complications. In the future, the progress of gene manipulation techniques
      may make possible rapid growth of transplanted hepatocytes. Intrasplenic
      transplantation of isolated hepatocytes provides an in-vivo experimental model to
      study cellular growth and functions in detail.

PMID- 1404900
TI  - [Introduction--gene diagnosis of infectious diseases].

PMID- 1404901
TI  - [Application of PCR to molecular epidemiology].

PMID- 1404902
TI  - [Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for molecular epidemiology of nosocomial
      infections].

PMID- 1404903
TI  - [Genetic diagnosis and molecular epidemiology of viral infections].

PMID- 1404904
TI  - [Genome of adenovirus and the molecular epidemiology of adenoviral infections].

PMID- 1404905
TI  - [Recent trend and progress in molecular diagnosis and epidemiology of (protozoan)
      parasitic diseases].

PMID- 1404906
TI  - [Molecular diagnosis of human parvovirus B 19 infections].

PMID- 1404907
TI  - [Nucleotide sequences of HBsAg in Japan].

PMID- 1404908
TI  - [Analysis of mutations in precore and core regions of HBV genome by PCR].

PMID- 1404909
TI  - [Detection of influenza virus using the polymerase chain reaction].

PMID- 1404910
TI  - [Analysis of mumps virus genome and application of the PCR for identification of
      the mumps virus strains].

PMID- 1404911
TI  - [Laboratory medicine and gene diagnosis in infectious diseases].

PMID- 1404912
TI  - [Prenatal diagnosis of rubella by genome detection].

PMID- 1404913
TI  - [DNA diagnosis of HIV-1 carriers by PCR].

PMID- 1404915
TI  - [Rapid identification of mycobacteria by hybridization protection assay (HPA,
      ACCUPROBE)].

PMID- 1404914
TI  - [Detection of HTLV-1 proviral DNA with nested PCR].

PMID- 1404916
TI  - [The highly-sensitive method of detecting mycobacteria from sputa by using PCR].

PMID- 1404917
TI  - [Toxin-typing by PCR of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin produced by
      Streptococcus pyogenes].

PMID- 1404918
TI  - [Genetic diagnosis of MRSA infection by PCR method].

PMID- 1404919
TI  - [Differentiation and detection of pathogenic determinants among diarrheogenic
      Escherichia coli by polymerase chain reaction using mixed primers].

PMID- 1404920
TI  - [Methods to detect the thermostable direct hemolysin gene and a related hemolysin
      gene of Vibrio parahaemolyticus by PCR].

PMID- 1404921
TI  - [Basic principles for genetic diagnosis of infectious diseases].

PMID- 1404922
TI  - [DNA sequence for Campylobacter species and their detection and identification by
      PCR].

PMID- 1404923
TI  - [Development and application of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA
      hybridization for detection of cholera enterotoxin-producing V. cholerae and
      other pathogens].

PMID- 1404924
TI  - [Genetic analysis of Shigella pathogenesis and rapid detection method of Shigella
      virulence gene by the polymerase chain reaction].

PMID- 1404925
TI  - [Detection of salmonellae by hybridization using nonradioisotopic DNA probes].

PMID- 1404926
TI  - [Detection and identification method of pathogenic Yersinia by PCR technique].

PMID- 1404927
TI  - [Rapid identification of nonfermentative gram-negative bacilli by photobiotin
      labeled deoxyribonucleic acid-deoxyribonucleic acid hybridization].

PMID- 1404928
TI  - [Clinical specimen preparation for genetic diagnosis].

PMID- 1404929
TI  - [Detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae by a DNA probe test].

PMID- 1404930
TI  - [Detection and identification of Legionella species by PCR].

PMID- 1404931
TI  - [Development of a DNA probe specific for Bacteroides fragilis: use of the cloned
      neuraminidase gene].

PMID- 1404932
TI  - [The rapid and sensitive detection of Listeria monocytogenes (the causative agent
      of listeriosis) by DNA amplification].

PMID- 1404933
TI  - [Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and the serovar determination using PCR and
      dot-blot hybridization].

PMID- 1404934
TI  - [Detection of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi DNA by polymerase chain reaction].

PMID- 1404935
TI  - [Rapid detection method for Mycoplasma pneumoniae by polymerase chain reaction].

PMID- 1404936
TI  - [Sensitive and specific detection of Candida albicans by polymerase chain
      reaction].

PMID- 1404937
TI  - [Detection of Pneumocystis carinii with DNA amplification].

PMID- 1404938
TI  - [Distinguishing between pathogenic and nonpathogenic isolates of Entamoeba
      histolytica by polymerase chain reaction].

PMID- 1404940
TI  - [Progress report on the DNA probe diagnosis of malaria].

PMID- 1404939
TI  - [Application of PCR technique for rapid identification of acanthamoeba].

PMID- 1404941
TI  - [The detection and characterization of drug resistant malaria parasites using
      genetic markers].

PMID- 1404942
TI  - [Molecular biology of Leishmania and diagnosis of leishmaniasis by DNA probe].

PMID- 1404943
TI  - [Diagnosis of trypanosomiasis with the parasite specific DNA probes--non
      radioactive probes and PCR methods].

PMID- 1404944
TI  - [A DNA-probe list for the development of diagnosis of infectious diseases].

PMID- 1404945
TI  - [Lysis protocol for bacteria].

PMID- 1404946
TI  - [Hybridization technology for DNA diagnosis of infectious disease and examples in
      commercially available kits].

PMID- 1404947
TI  - [Commercially available nucleic acid probes for infectious diseases].

PMID- 1404948
TI  - [Aqueous phase hybridization].

PMID- 1404949
TI  - [Microplate hybridization method].

PMID- 1404950
TI  - [Diagnosis of viral infections with an automatic machine for in situ
      hybridization and immunohistochemistry].

PMID- 1404951
TI  - [Genetic diagnosis and molecular epidemiology of bacterial infections].

PMID- 1404952
TI  - [Application of PCR for DNA diagnosis in infectious diseases].

PMID- 1404954
TI  - [Evaluation and selection of normal range calculation methods].
AB  - There are many methods for normal range calculation, and they give different
      values even with the same normal data sample. I proposed three parameters,
      accuracy, precision and robustness, for evaluating the calculation methods. A
      complicated calculation method, the distribution selection method, seems to be
      theoretically correct, but it shows unstable precision and inadequate robustness
      when the normal data contain a small amount of abnormal data. A method called
      "Clinical reference range program (CRRP)" is a robust method, and is applicable
      to the data which contains abnormal data. I also proposed a condition which
      defines the sample size required for the calculation using the precision
      parameter.

PMID- 1404953
TI  - [Present status and problems of the normal values (clinical reference range) of
      the laboratory tests--results of a questionnaire survey in university hospitals
      in Japan].
AB  - The normal values (clinical references range) of the laboratory tests differs
      among hospitals due to the differences in: (1) the kinds of instruments and
      reagents used, (2) how the population for study was selected and the size of the
      population was, (3) when the specimens were taken, (4) how they were stored until
      use, and (5) how the data obtained were calculated and (6) who evaluated the
      results. In this study, questionnaires regarding the above-mentioned points were
      sent to the heads of the clinical laboratories in 80 university hospitals in
      Japan. Answers were received from 71 laboratories (the rate of recovery was
      88.8%). The normal range of potassium, uric acid, total cholesterol, enzyme
      activities [ALP, LDH, CHE, AST (GOT) and ALT (GPT)] in the university hospitals
      in Japan varied. It is not ideal to use different reference values in different
      hospitals. However, it is impossible to prepare a standard manual to obtain the
      normal range at present. When the inter-hospital differences become small enough
      to obtain one normal range for the Japanese peoples, a standard manual for normal
      values should be made.

PMID- 1404955
TI  - [Factors that influence reference values].
AB  - The factors that influence reference values are briefly reviewed using our
      experimental data. The factors can be divided into the following 3 subfactors:
      analytical technology, selection of so called healthy person and statistical
      method. The most large effect came from a variety of physiological conditions in
      healthy persons, i.e., age, sex, diurnal and menstrual rhythms, drinking and
      smoking habits, diet, physical exercise, posture, tourniquet etc. A new concept
      of tow-step reference values "the basal value and the equivocal value" is
      postulated from the studies of the effect of these physiological conditions. The
      effects of the statistical methods for obtaining the distribution type of data of
      normal reference group and the 95% reference range were not so large. Then, we
      conclude that the reference values or the reference ranges should be made in your
      own laboratories using carefully selected healthy persons even if 30 or 50 small
      numbers are used.

PMID- 1404956
TI  - [Methods and normal ranges for predicting diseases].
AB  - Predictions of diseases require suitable laboratory tests, mathematical methods
      for analyzing data and true normal ranges. Normal ranges are to be defined as 95%
      range of test results obtained on healthy subjects. "Healthy" subjects here
      refers to the persons who are free of the particular disease now and previously.
      However, to confirm the disease-free condition, laboratory test result must be
      evaluated on the basis of a normal range. This is a dilemma. The only way to
      overcome this problem is to follow a cohort for 10 or 20 years. Some of the
      "healthy" subjects will be suffering from diseases, while the others will still
      remain free of disease. That the latter persons would be the truly "healthy"
      subjects. Therefore, by their laboratory data and/or specimens such as serum
      every year we can determine the differences between the laboratory data of the
      patients and the true healthy subjects. In this respect, the development of
      laboratory database systems and serum banks are essential. We report a
      mathematical method for selecting significant data items for such a database and
      decision-making.

PMID- 1404957
TI  - [Detection of mRNA in megakaryocytes using in situ hybridization].
AB  - The usefulness of in situ hybridization for detecting mRNA encoding various kinds
      of proteins in megakaryocytic cell lines (K562, HEL and CMK) was examined. Using
      in situ hybridization, glycoprotein (GP) IIIa mRNA was found to be present in
      K562, HEL and CMK cells. Both GPIb and GPIIb mRNA were also present in HEL and
      CMK cells, while only HEL cells expressed platelet factor 4 mRNA. These findings
      were identical to those obtained with Northern blotting. It should be emphasized
      that in situ hybridization was useful to clearly define each cell expressing
      platelet specific protein mRNA. The expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-6
      receptor mRNA in mononuclear cells prepared from bone marrow aspirates was
      examined. In situ hybridization study demonstrated the presence of IL-6 receptor
      mRNA in the recognized megakaryocytes only, while IL-6 mRNA was found to be
      present in the megakaryocytes and a few mononuclear cells. These findings suggest
      that differentiation and proliferation of normal megakaryocytes might be
      controlled by an IL-6 autocrine loop, and detection of IL-6 receptor mRNA might
      be useful to identify megakaryocytes.

PMID- 1404958
TI  - [Evaluation of clinical features, cytopathological findings and prognosis of
      histiocyte proliferative disorders].
AB  - Clinicopathological analysis was performed in 19 patients diagnosed clinically
      with malignant histiocytosis. Ultimately, 9 patients died and 10 are still alive.
      All 19 had fever of unknown origin. Among the 10 surviving patients, 6 recovered
      with only supportive therapy such as antibiotic treatment. One recovered with
      steroid therapy and 2 with VP (vincristine and prednisolone) therapy.
      Complications due to immunodeficiency were detected in one surviving patient and
      2 who died. All 9 patients who died had anemia, and 8 had thrombocytopenia.
      However, among survivors, only one had anemia and only 2 had thrombocytopenia.
      Chromosomal abnormality was detected in one patient who died. Histiocytic cells
      were classified morphologically into 3 types: immature, intermediate and mature.
      In 4 patients who died, histiocytic cells were immature, but in 4 others mature
      histiocytic cells were detected. In 5 of the 10 surviving patients, histiocytic
      cells were of the immature type. Immuno-histochemical analysis of the origin of
      histiocytic cells in 8 deceased patients showed T-zone histiocytes in one, T
      cells in one, monocyte phagocytic system (MPS) in 5, and histiocytes of unknown
      origin in one. Thus, malignant histiocytosis is a heterogenous entity including
      reactive histiocytic disorder, lymphocytic neoplasm and true histiocytic
      neoplasm. In histiocyte proliferative disorders, red blood cell counts and
      platelet counts are useful for assessing prognosis, while cytological findings
      only confuse this evaluation.

PMID- 1404959
TI  - [Evaluation of platelet aggregation test by grading curve].
AB  - In order to standardize the platelet aggregation test, we used the grading curve
      (GC) produced by plotting four concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 microM) of
      ADP and four concentrations (0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 micrograms/ml) of collagen,
      which are aggregation inducers, along the horizontal axis and plotting their
      individual rates (%) of aggregation 5 minutes after administration, along the
      longitudinal axis. The degree of platelet aggregation was classified in 6 stages
      (Types III, II, I, 0, -I and -II), ranging from marked increase to marked
      decrease, according to the GC of ADP aggregation in healthy subjects. Type I or 0
      ADP aggregation was observed in 78% of the subjects, and Type I collagen
      aggregation was observed in about 50% of the subjects, whereas patients with
      cerebral infarction showed distinct increases in Type III and II aggregations of
      both ADP and collagen. In most patients who were treated with antiplatelet drugs,
      the aggregation were Type 0, -I or -II. The concentration of inducer, which
      corresponded to the maximum 50% value of the GC (Max 50) was significantly
      correlated with the minimum concentration (threshold concentration) in ADP
      aggregation, at which secondary aggregation was induced even if it was
      reversible, and with the minimum concentration (threshold concentration) in
      collagen aggregation, at which the aggregation rate 5 minutes after
      administration increased to 50% or higher. The GC of platelet aggregation seemed
      to enable easy determination of the degree of aggregation, and was also
      considered to be useful for monitoring platelet aggregation during the
      administration of antiplatelet drugs.

PMID- 1404960
TI  - [Negative interference with peroxidase-coupled enzymatic serum creatinine assay
      by a hemostatic drug containing a hydroquinone structure].
AB  - We report a discrepancy between serum creatinine levels obtained by the method
      based on alkaline picric acid (Jaffe reaction) and that by automated analyzer
      employing enzymatic assay based on peroxidase-coupled reaction in a patient with
      renal dysfunction taking Ethamsylate, a capillary vessel stabilizer. Serum
      creatinine level obtained by the Jaffe reaction was 83 mg/l, and that by the
      enzymatic method was 22 mg/l. Recovery test of creatinine using the patient's
      serum showed 101 to 102% recovery by the Jaffe reaction and 77 to 89% by the
      enzymatic method. The same results were observed both in an in vitro test and in
      serum obtained from a healthy volunteer who had been given Ethamsylate
      previously. As the chemical structure of Ethamsylate includes a hydroquinone
      unit, it was thought that the compound may consume hydrogen peroxide produced by
      the reaction of peroxidase as the hydrogen donor and compete with the substrate
      used as the hydrogen donor for the color development. Thus evaluation of test
      results obtained by peroxidase coupled methods should be carefully interpreted in
      a patient who is consuming drugs which hydrogen peroxide such as hydroquinone.

PMID- 1404961
TI  - [Clinical assessment of urinary free L-fucose levels].
AB  - We measured urinary levels of free L-fucose in healthy subjects, patients with
      benign diseases, and patients with cancer using an automated analyzer and a newly
      isolated L-fucose dehydrogenase, and evaluated the clinical usefulness of the
      results. The values obtained were corrected for urinary creatinine as micromoles
      per gram of creatinine. The cutoff value, set at the mean + 2SD for the healthy
      subjects, was 250 mumol/g.Cr. Patients with gallbladder cancer, bile-duct cancer,
      liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, or cirrhosis of the liver had significantly
      higher levels of L-fucose than the healthy subjects. The diagnostic sensitivity
      for these five diseases, taken together, was 68% (144/213). Specificity for the
      detection of cancer was calculated by use of false positives for patients with
      cholelithiasis, hepatitis, and pancreatitis: it was 73% (76/104). Diagnostic
      accuracy for these seven diseases taken together was therefore 69% (220/317). We
      compared the positive ratio of the L-fucose level with that of the tumor markers
      AFD and CA19-9. The positive ratio of an L-fucose value above the cutoff was
      higher than the positive ratio of either marker in bile-duct cancer, gallbladder
      cancer, liver cancer, and pancreatic cancer. The results suggested that the
      urinary levels of free L-fucose reflected the metabolism of sugar chains of
      glycoconjugates, and may be usefully clinically as a tumor marker.

PMID- 1404962
TI  - [Creatine kinase activity and its isozyme levels in cord blood].
AB  - We measured creatine kinase (CK) levels of cord blood and evaluated them in
      relation to the degree of maturity and distress. The reference value of CK of
      cord blood in normal neonates was 209 +/- 99 U/l (mean +/- SD) and the percent
      values of the isoenzymes, CK-MM, CK-MB and CK-BB, were 86.7 +/- 6.2%, 5.1 +/-
      2.6%, and 8.1 +/- 5.4%, respectively. There was a positive correlation between
      the birth weight and CK, CK-MM, CK-MB and CK-BB levels of cord blood. The CK and
      CK-MM levels of cord blood in the neonates who were prematurely delivered and
      small-for-date were significantly lower than those in normal controls. The CK and
      CK-MM levels of cord blood in the neonates with low Apgar scores, 6-4 and 3-0,
      were 172 +/- 74, 145 +/- 73 and 104 +/- 63, 92 +/- 55 U/l, respectively, which
      were significantly lower than those in the neonates with the high scores (10-7),
      208 +/- 104, 183 +/- 92 U/l. The neonates with distress showed the low CK and CK
      MM values, 76 +/- 12 and 61 +/- 8 U/l. The CK and CK-MM levels of cord blood
      tended to decrease with prolongation of labor, but did not differ from each other
      among the neonates delivered by different modes. These results suggest that the
      CK and its isoenzyme levels are good indicators for the degree of maturity of
      neonates and the severity of neonatal distress.

PMID- 1404963
TI  - [Plasma lipid peroxides in the operation of esophageal cancer].
AB  - Lipid peroxides are formed by autooxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids found
      primarily in cell membranes. An increase level of lipid peroxides in the tissue
      therefore reflects membrane damage. We reported that water immersion restraint
      rats caused significant increase of gastric mucosal lipid peroxide which
      reflected on gastric mucosal injury. The gastric mucosal injury is also known as
      the post-operative complication due to physical stress. So we studied plasma
      lipid peroxide and its related substances in the operation of esophageal cancer.
      Lipid peroxide levels increased significantly in pre- and post-operation but
      temporal decrease was found during the operation. Vitamin E is thought to be an
      important structural component of biologic membranes and is believed to act as a
      free radical scavenger in lipid peroxidation. Vitamin E also increased in the
      patients of esophageal cancer and decreased significantly during the operation.
      Superoxide dismutase changed frequently during the operation but there was no
      deficit tendency in its changes. Catalase levels also changes frequently and
      showed temporal but statistical elevation after the operation. These results
      indicated that lipid peroxidation may contribute to the development of organic
      damage in the operation of esophageal cancer.

PMID- 1404964
TI  - [Endoscopic brushing cytology of esophageal lesions].
AB  - Endoscopic esophageal biopsy and brushing cytology were performed simultaneously
      in 121 cases, 25 of which were diagnosed as esophageal cancer by histologic
      examination of surgically resected material or at autopsy. Correct diagnosis was
      made in 88% of the cancer cases by endoscopic biopsy, and the same diagnostic
      rate was obtained by brushing cytology. Combination of the two methods revealed
      the cancer in 96% of the cases. There were no cases diagnosed as false-positive
      or false-negative by cytology. Three cancer cases were diagnosed as suspicious by
      cytology. Definite diagnosis was not made because of paucity of cells on the
      slide or of cellular atypism. For the improvement of accuracy in cytologic
      diagnosis it is important to sample adequate amount of cells, and in situ
      carcinoma cells should be differentiated from benign atypical cells in
      esophagitis.

PMID- 1404965
TI  - [Rapid diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis by amplification of mycobacterial
      DNA].
AB  - In patients with cervical lymph node swelling, prompt differential diagnosis of
      tuberculosis leads to an appropriate treatment. A method based on DNA
      amplification and hybridization for the rapid detection of Mycobacterium
      tuberculosis was used for demonstrating its specific DNA in cervical lymph nodes
      biopsied from seven patients. The DNA specific for Mycobacterium tuberculosis was
      detected in 5 patients. Four of them were histologically diagnosed as tuberculous
      lymphadenitis. In another case with necrotizing lesions but without granulomatous
      reactions, culture method subsequently revealed a positive result. In other 2
      cases, the diagnosis of tuberculosis was promptly excluded by both this method
      and conventional methods (histologic diagnosis/direct microscopy). The rapid
      detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by amplification of mycobacterial DNA is
      helpful particularly in differential diagnosis of cervical lymphadenopathy.

PMID- 1404966
TI  - [Event-related potential in patients with diabetes mellitus].
AB  - The event-related potential (ERP) was recorded for 24 patients with diabetes
      mellitus (age 67.5 +/- 8.5 years, mean +/- SD) and 28 healthy controls (age 61.0
      +/- 10.6 years) to elucidate the involvement of the central nervous system (CNS)
      in diabetes mellitus. ERP was recorded during auditory discriminative tasks. The
      latencies of N100, P200, N200 and P300 from the Pz region were measured. Patients
      with diabetes mellitus showed significant prolongation of N200 and P300 latencies
      compared with the normal subjects, while no significant differences in N100 and
      P200 latencies were found between the two groups. In six of 24 patients, the P300
      latency delayed beyond the 2SD of the appropriate age-related value estimated
      from the normal regression line. The delay of the P300 latency was not related to
      either the duration of illness, therapeutic methods, or metabolic control. From
      the present results, it would appear that higher brain function is impaired even
      in diabetic patients not manifesting overt CNS signs and symptoms.

PMID- 1404967
TI  - [The 39th General Meeting of the Japanese Society of Clinical Pathology.
      Nagasaki, Japan, October 14-16, 1992. Abstracts].

PMID- 1404968
TI  - [Effect of long-term administration of antisecretary drugs on rat gastric
      histamine synthesis and acid secretion--compare with omeprazole and cimetidine].
AB  - To investigate the effect of 6 weeks administration of proton pump inhibitor
      (omeprazole) and H2-receptor antagonist (cimetidine) on gastric histamine
      synthesis and acid secretion, we studied experimentally in the rat stomach. Then
      gastric mucosal histamine concentration, histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity
      and serum gastrin concentration, and HDC positive cell number were examined in
      time-course. The 6 weeks administration of omeprazole caused more increase of HDC
      positive cells than cimetidine. After cessation of administration with
      omeprazole, high plasma gastrin level immediately reduced. However the increase
      of gastric mucosal HDC activity and histamine concentration were prolonged,
      compared with cimetidine. These findings suggest to affect differently between
      omeprazole and cimetidine on gastric acid secretion after cessation of long-term
      treatment.

PMID- 1404969
TI  - [Morphological changes of extrahepatic bile ductal epithelia in hamsters feeded
      with lithogenic diet].
AB  - Experimental cholelithiasis was established by feeding hamsters with lithogenic
      diet. Morphological changes of extrahepatic bile ductal epithelia were observed
      under light and electron microscopes at weeks 1, 2, 4 and 6 after the treatment.
      Moreover, the changes of mucus composition in goblet cells, which were located
      among the epithelia, were particularly evaluated using High iron diamin-Alcian
      blue pH 2.5 (HID-AB) stain. Compared with the controls, goblet cells of both
      superior bile duct (S-BD) and inferior bile duct (I-BD) increased in number, but
      more prominently in I-BD than in S-BD. Furthermore, goblet cells of the controls
      mainly contained sulfomucin positive for the HID in their cytoplasm. On the other
      hand, goblet cells of the lithogenic diet group mainly contained sialomucin
      negative for the HID in their cytoplasm. Electron microscopy demonstrated the
      extensive accumulation of secretory granules in the cytoplasm of the epithelial
      cells of both S-BD and I-BD. These results suggest that cholelithiasis may
      enhance the mucus secretion from extrahepatic bile ductal epithelia, and that the
      mucus oversecretion results in the protective effect on biliary epithelia. On the
      other hand, it is suggested that the mucus oversecretion may cause the bile
      retention in extrahepatic bile ducts, and also may have relation to the
      choledochitis or pancreatitis associated with cholelithiasis.

PMID- 1404971
TI  - [A case of early esophageal adenocarcinoma arising in Barrett's epithelium].

PMID- 1404970
TI  - [Effects of urso-deoxycholic acid (UDCA) on alpha-naphthyl-isothiocyanate (ANIT)
      induced intrahepatic cholestasis in rats].
AB  - Using the ANIT induced model of cholestasis in rats, the therapeutic effects of
      UDCA to the intrahepatic cholestasis were evaluated by changes of serum chemistry
      and liver histology. ANIT was administered once at a dosage of 40 mg/kg b.w. per
      os and UDCA was given ad libitum for 7 days by a drinking water containing UDCA
      at 0.5 and 5.0% solution. In the period of bile duct epithelial degeneration and
      necrosis, effects of UDCA for jaundice was not detected, but hepato-cellular
      disturbances were appeared histologically. Moreover, the elevation of serum
      levels of chenodeoxy-cholic acid, deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid was
      accompanied. On the other hand, in the recovery stage of the bile duct
      epithelium, serum bilirubin was decreased significantly in the UDCA group which
      seemed to be related with the potent choleretic effect of UDCA. These results may
      indicate that UDCA is effective for the intrahepatic cholestasis in the case with
      no bile duct epithelial damage but in the presence of it hepato-cellular injury
      is introduced by the accumulated toxic bile acids in the blood.

PMID- 1404972
TI  - [A case of recurrent ischemic colitis associated with barium enema study].

PMID- 1404973
TI  - A case of smoldering adult T-cell leukemia associated with duodenal dilatation
      due to strongyloidiasis.

PMID- 1404974
TI  - [A case of Sweet's syndrome with intrahepatic cholestasis].

PMID- 1404975
TI  - [A case of gastric aberrant pancreas with pancreatic stone].

PMID- 1404976
TI  - [Calcium-dependent signaling of acid secretion in isolated parietal cells from
      guinea pigs and its modification by ethanol].
AB  - Treatment of isolated parietal cells from guinea pig gastric mucosa with ethanol
      caused a rapid increase in [Ca2+]i and concomitant decrease in the capacity for
      carbachol-stimulated acid secretion in a dose dependent manner. Carbachol rapidly
      increased the [Ca2+]i from trimethoxybenzoic acid 8-(diethylamino)-octyl ester
      sensitive intracellular pool. In contrast, the increase with ethanol was through
      La3+ sensitive Ca2+ channel from external source, which suppressed the Ca2+
      response subsequently stimulated with carbachol. Pretreatment of the cells with
      EGTA or La3+ completely prevented the elevation of [Ca2+]i with ethanol and
      preserved the Ca2+ response to carbachol. These findings indicate that ethanol
      induced elevation of [Ca2+]i may desensitize the stimulation of carbachol.
      Furthermore, treatment of the parietal cells with ethanol increased the activity
      of protein kinase C in both cytosolic and membrane fractions of the cells.
      Activation of protein kinase C with phorbol diester suppressed the capacity for
      acid secretion. These results suggest that ethanol may inhibit the carbachol
      stimulated acid secretion through the desensitization of Ca2+ response and the
      activation of protein kinase C.

PMID- 1404977
TI  - [An experimental pathologic study of acute small intestinal ischaemic in mongrel
      dogs--occluded proximal site of anterior mesenteric artery by balloon catheter].
AB  - We prepared experimental of small intestinal ischemia by occluding the inlet of
      the anterior mesenteric artery of adult mongrel dogs with balloon catheters. With
      these experimental models, the degree of tissue damage of the small intestinal
      mucosa, which became ischemic, was studied according to the different occlusion
      times of the anterior mesenteric artery (3, 5, 7, 10, 15 and 30 hours). As a
      result, ischemic mucosal lesions in the small intestine at an initial stage
      occurred on the antimesenteric side. In the gross findings of the mucosa when the
      occlusion time was within 5 hours, linear and spotted lesions appeared in a zone
      on the antimesenteric side. When the occlusion time was 7 hours or more, these
      lesions fused and the entire intestinal mucosa became a hemorrhagic lesion. By
      occluding the anterior mesenteric artery for 22-30 hours, all 6 experimental
      ischemic animals died.

PMID- 1404978
TI  - [Extraction efficacy on uptake of intraportally injected monoclonal antibody by
      human colorectal metastases in nude mice].
AB  - Route of administration is an important determinant in tumor uptake of monoclonal
      antibody (mAb). We studied the extraction efficacy of intraportal injection (IP)
      on tumor uptake over time in hepatic metastases of human colon carcinoma (HT
      29LMM) in nude mice. H-15, a murine IgG1 mAb reactive with HT-29LMM was labeled
      with I-125, and injected at dose of 0.1 microgram and 1.0 microgram intraportally
      (IP) or intravenously (IV). More than 3 animals per group were sacrificed
      immediately, 1 h, 24 h, 72 h, and 120 h following injection. Hepatic metastases,
      normal liver tissue, and blood were weighted and counted for radioactivity.
      Compared to IV, IP injection resulted in higher (P less than 0.01) percent
      injection dose per gram (%ID/g) in metastases at all time points for both doses.
      Metastases: blood and metastases: liver uptake ratios were higher (P less than
      0.05) on day 3 and 5 for both IP doses compared to IV doses. Significant
      improvement in tumor uptake was seen following IP injection of specific mAb; this
      has important implications on the design of clinical trials using mAb.

PMID- 1404979
TI  - [Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) for common bile duct stones].
AB  - We treated twenty-three patients with common bile duct stones (12 female, 11
      male, mean age: 67.1 years) by Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL). The
      stones were focused by ultrasonic or choledochographic localization. The twenty
      three patients received 53 ESWL treatments consisting of mean 2357 shocks per
      treatment at mean 18 kV. We performed ESWL in five cases with endoscopically
      unextractable common bile duct stones after endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST). In
      these cases, ESWL permitted stone disintegration and successful endoscopic
      extraction of the fragments. We performed ESWL in eighteen cases with common bile
      duct stones without EST. In fifteen of the eighteen cases (83%), fragmentation
      was achieved. The stone fragments were spontaneously discharged in ten cases
      (56%) after a median of 4 days following ESWL. In five cases, adjutant endoscopic
      procedures were performed. The complete fragmentation and the clearance rate for
      stones of diameter of less than 10 mm were higher than that for stones of
      diameter of more than 11 mm. In the cases with the stones of diameter of more
      than 10 mm, there is a very strong possibility that complete clearance is
      achieved by ESWL alone. No correlation was obtained for the effective results
      according to pretreatment number of stones. In eight of thirteen cases (62%) with
      gall bladder stones, complete clearance was achieved without EST. ESWL without
      EST can be thought as a rational treatment for preserving the function of papilla
      of Vater in the case of cholecysto-choledocholithiasis.

PMID- 1404980
TI  - [Imaging diagnosis of the insulinoma--the clinical usefulness of intraductal
      ultrasonography of the pancreas and color Doppler sonography].
AB  - 5 cases of small-sized insulinoma of the pancreas were studied to evaluate the
      ability of diagnostic imaging techniques to determine tumor location. Techniques
      used were extracorporeal ultrasonography, endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS),
      angiography, percutaneous transhepatic portal catheterization and CT. EUS was
      superior to the other modalities in diagnosing the location of insulinomas. We
      employed Color Doppler (CD) ultrasonography in one case and obtained color
      expression in the tumor and a pulsatile wave in the FFT analysis. Intraductal
      sonography of the pancreas (IDSP) was also performed in this case resulting
      peripheral echo-lucent, central echogenic mass. From these results, we expect
      that CD and IDSP will be useful in clinical application for diagnosing various
      tumors.

PMID- 1404981
TI  - [A case of hemangioma of the small intestine diagnosed by angiography].

PMID- 1404982
TI  - [A case report of fibroepithelial polyp of the gallbladder].

PMID- 1404983
TI  - [A case of splenic inflammatory pseudotumor].

PMID- 1404984
TI  - [Epidemiology of non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) in Japan].
AB  - The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence of NUD in Japan and to
      describe the clinical presentation of NUD. The population of this study consisted
      of the patients initially visited to our gastroenterology clinic during the
      period of one year from Feb. 1990 to Jan. 1991. Out of the total population, 106
      patients with dyspepsia were suspected of NUD according to the definition of AGA,
      and have received the endoscopy and ultrasonography to find the existence of
      organic disease. While 50 cases presented organic diseases (19 peptic ulcers, 16
      gastritis, 7 carcinoma, 4 gall stone, 4 esophageal disease), 56 cases were with
      no organic diseases and were regarded as NUD. NUD was more common in younger
      generation and was especially so in women under 40 years old. There was no
      significant difference in symptoms between NUD and organic diseases. On the other
      hand, peptic ulcer disease was frequently associated with sever epigastralgia,
      and smoking habit as a external factor, while abdominal fullness was predominant
      feature observed in NUD.

PMID- 1404985
TI  - [Endothelin levels under water-immersion stress in rats].
AB  - Rats with water-immersion stress-induced ulcer were prepared to determine the
      levels of ET in blood and gastric tissues, and their relationship with the
      gastric mucosal blood flow, PGs and pathogenesis in the gastric mucosa were
      evaluated. Pathology in the gastric mucosa appeared an hour after stress loading,
      while blood flow rate decreased significantly 30 minutes later. PGE2 increased 30
      minutes later, then decreased. PGI2 decreased significantly. Blood ET level was
      1.22 +/- 0.50 pg/ml for the controls, but this increased remarkably after one
      hour and significantly peaked after two hours of water immersion. The level of ET
      in the gastric tissues was 25.87 +/- 1.63 pg/g tissue for the controls, and this
      increased markedly after two hours of immersion, reaching a significant peak. In
      the present study, increased in endogenic ET due to stress were confirmed, and
      the results suggested the possibility of ET being involved in the pathogenesis of
      ulcer.

PMID- 1404986
TI  - [Hypergastrinemia and type A gastritis in Basedow's disease].
AB  - Hypergastrinemia is a very important clinical condition for the reason that a
      growing body of evidence obtained from animal and human experiments has revealed
      gastric carcinoids induced by hypergastrinemia. We investigated 35 patients with
      Basedow's disease (BD) to elucidate the mechanism of hypergastrinemia associated
      with BD as well as the relationship between type A gastritis and BD. Fasting
      serum gastrin levels in BD (296.1 +/- 251.4 pg/ml; mean +/- S.D.) were
      significantly (p less than 0.001) higher than those in age-matched 27 healthy
      subjects (106.1 +/- 69.2), and in the BD group, significant positive correlation
      was detected between fasting serum gastrin levels and thyroid hormones (i.e. T3
      and free T4). In the hyperchlorhydria group in BD with hypergastrinemia, the
      levels of fasting serum gastrin were normalized after euthyroidism was attained
      due to antithyroidal drugs. On the other hand, in the achlorhydria group in BD
      significant hypergastrinemia was persisted in spite of normalization of thyroid
      function. Twenty % of the BD patients had histologically proved type A gastritis
      with achlorhydria, and all patients with type A gastritis were older than 60
      years old. Endoscopic examination revealed that one patient with type A gastritis
      had an early gastric cancer. However, no gastric carcinoids were demonstrated in
      this study. In conclusion, the results described as above suggested, 1)
      hypergastrinemia observed in patients with BD may be induced by gastrin
      hypersecretion due to hyperthyroidism as well as type A gastritis, 2) BD patients
      with type A gastritis were recommended to undertake regular endoscopic
      examination for detecting gastric cancers as well as gastric carcinoids.

PMID- 1404987
TI  - [Intracellular pH of surface epithelial cells and the movement of bicarbonate
      ions under acid-base imbalance in gastric mucosa].
AB  - To investigate the effect of the acid-base imbalance on the gastric mucosal
      defense mechanism, the intracellular pH of gastric surface epithelial cells were
      measured with double-barreled H+ selective microelectrodes in the isolated antral
      mucosa of bullfrog stomach. By knowing the intracellular pH and the PCO2 of the
      serosal perfusate, the intracellular HCO3- concentration was estimated, and the
      rate of HCO3- secretion was directly measured with the pH-stat method in mounted
      preparations on a Ussing's chamber. Both the calculated intracellular HCO3-
      concentration and the rate of HCO3- secretion were dependent on the exogenous
      HCO3- supplied from the serosal perfusate. The alkaline tide raised the
      intracellular HCO3- concentration, thus increasing the mucosal buffering power
      against acid. Under mild respiratory acidosis, the production of endogenous HCO3-
      from the serosal CO2 was enhanced, and both the intracellular HCO3- concentration
      and the rate of HCO3- secretion were increased. As a result, the intracellular pH
      was maintained at a physiologically optimal level, and the ability of gastric
      mucosal protection was strengthened by enrichment of cellular bicarbonate supply.
      It is confirmed in this study that the maintenance of acid-base status in the
      cell is indispensable in the protection of gastric mucosa against acid invasion.

PMID- 1404988
TI  - [Clinical significance of measurement of PIIIP, laminin P1, type IV-C and 7S in
      patients with chronic liver diseases--with special reference to histological
      findings].
AB  - Four markers for hepatic fibrosis--N-terminal peptide of Type III procollagen
      (PIIIP), Laminin P1 (laminin), Type IV collagen (Type IV-C), and 7S domain (7S)-
      were measured in the sera of 90 patients with various chronic liver diseases
      diagnosed by liver biopsy--fatty liver (FL), chronic inactive hepatitis (CIH),
      chronic active hepatitis (CAH), and liver cirrhosis (LC)--and in the sera of 20
      healthy controls. The values of markers were compared with the grade of
      histologic findings of the liver. Four markers were significantly raised in the
      CAH group and the LC group, and they were considered to be indicators of hepatic
      fibrosis. PIIIP reflected necrosis and inflammation as well as fibrosis of the
      liver. Laminin, Type IV-C, and 7S reflected severe fibrosis. 7S was considered to
      be useful marker for liver cirrhosis.

PMID- 1404989
TI  - [Clinical evaluation of serum levels of monomeric dimeric and tetrameric
      pseudocholinesterases in patients with various liver diseases].
AB  - Serum levels of monomeric, dimeric and tetrameric pseudocholinesterases were
      measured by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in patients with various
      liver diseases and normal controls in order to evaluate their clinical
      significance. In patients with liver cirrhosis, serum levels of monomeric,
      dimeric and tetrameric were significantly lower than those in normal controls,
      patients with fatty liver and chronic hepatitis. The ratio of monomeric and
      dimeric to tetrameric in patients with liver cirrhosis was also significantly
      lower than that in normal controls, patients with fatty liver and chronic
      hepatitis. Serum levels of tetrameric, dimeric and monomeric were not
      significantly higher in the patients with fatty liver than in normal controls,
      but the ratio of monomeric and dimeric to tetrameric was significantly higher in
      patients with fatty liver than that in normal controls, patients with chronic
      hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. These findings suggest that the selective
      determinations of serum levels of monomeric, dimeric and tetrameric
      pseudocholinesterases are useful to estimate the metabolism of fat and protein in
      various liver diseases.

PMID- 1404990
TI  - [Down-regulation of liver regeneration by LAK cells--a study for effect of
      neuraminidase treated LAK cells on liver regeneration].
AB  - Both effect of LAK cells and neuraminidase treated LAK (N-LAK) cells on liver
      regeneration were investigated after 70% partial hepatectomy in mice. Intravenous
      transfusion of LAK cells suppressed the liver regeneration depending on cell
      numbers injected. N-LAK cells accumulated into regenerating liver 1.7 times in
      cell number compared with LAK cells. Injection of 5 x 10(7) LAK cells and N-LAK
      cells into hepatectomized mice suppressed the liver regeneration by 16.5% and
      53.8% respectively. These results indicated that suppression of the liver
      regeneration by LAK cells was dependent upon the number of injected LAK cells and
      the degree of accumulation of LAK cells into the liver, namely, LAK cells down
      regulate the regeneration of liver cells in the micro-milieu.

PMID- 1404991
TI  - [Treatment of hemobilia after percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography and
      drainage (PTCD)].
AB  - PTCD was performed in 206 of our patients during the past 6 years and 7 months.
      Of the 206, hemobilia occurred in 14 patients (6.8%). The hemorrhage was
      completely stopped by irrigation of the bile duct in 3 patients, compression with
      a larger catheter in 7 patients, and transcatheter anterior embolization (TAE) in
      4 patients. TAE was performed on the patients whose hemobilia could not
      controlled by the compression with a larger catheter. In TAE, either a steel coil
      or a sponge was used as an embolus. Rebleeding occurred in one patients for whom
      the right hepatic artery was chosen as a embolization site. Therefore, it was
      decided that the embolization was going to be done in all the hepatic arteries
      when the blood stream in the portal vein and preserved functions of the liver of
      the subjected patients including the one with rebleeding were fully normal. A
      complete control of the hemorrhage was obtained in all patients. The PTCD root
      caused hemobilia was removed after TAE in considering the possibility of
      rebleeding from the root, and a new PTCD root was made.

PMID- 1404993
TI  - [A case report of unclassified ulcerative lesion of the jejunum causing massive
      melena].

PMID- 1404992
TI  - [Studies on the influence of long-term doses of lipid peroxide generators on rat
      pancreas].
AB  - The role of oxygen derived free radicals or tissue lipid peroxides in the
      pathogenesis of chronic pancreatitis has not been established. To evaluate long
      term effects of tissue lipid peroxides in the pathogenesis of chronic
      pancreatitis, we treated Wistar male rats with 2,2'-azo-bis-(2-amidino-propane)
      dihydrochloride (AAPH) and/or linoleic acid (LA) for 3 or 6 months. Rats were
      divided into eight groups. A: Saline-treated rats for 3 months as control, B:
      AAPH 40 mg/kgw intraperitoneally, twice a week for 3 months, C: LA 0.5 ml/kgw
      intraperitoneally, every other week for 3 months, D: AAPH and LA for 3 months, E:
      Saline-treated for 6 months, F: AAPH for 6 months, G: LA for 6 months, H: AAPH
      and LA for 6 months. The results were as follows: Lipid peroxide contents of the
      pancreas were elevated in groups: C, D, G and H. Histological examination
      revealed epithelial hyperplasia of large pancreatic ducts, vacuolization of
      ductal epithelium, intraepithelial neutrophilic infiltration, periductal
      mononuclear cell infiltration (ductulitis and peri-ductulitis), and sporadically
      in the lobules, destruction of acinar cells, neutrophilic infiltration and
      ductular proliferation in the same groups. These findings indicate that tissue
      damage was more severe in the pancreatic ducts than in the acinar cells, however
      no damage was seen in the endocrine pancreas. Vitamin E content of the pancreas
      was decreased in groups: B, C, D, F, G and H. Tissue glutathione peroxidase (GSH
      Px) activity was increased in groups: D and H. Tissue catalase activity was
      increased in groups: D, G and H, but no change of superoxide dismutase (SOD)
      activity was seen in any of the groups. These results indicate that vitamin E may
      play the role of the main scavenger in the situation of a smaller dose of lipid
      peroxides, but when larger doses are administered, GSH-Px may play the main role
      as the scavenger in this experimental system.

PMID- 1404994
TI  - [A case report of chronic idiopathic colonic pseudoobstruction].

PMID- 1404995
TI  - [A case of metastatic Crohn's disease of the penis].

PMID- 1404996
TI  - [An autopsy case of pseudomyxoma peritonei associated with high plasma levels of
      CA19-9 and CEA].

PMID- 1404997
TI  - [A case of sulindac induced acute pancreatitis].

PMID- 1404998
TI  - [Effects of isosorbide dinitrate on Oddi's sphincter].

PMID- 1404999
TI  - [The 34th General Meeting of the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology.
      Utsunomiya, Japan, October 12-14, 1992. Abstracts].

PMID- 1405000
TI  - [1992 meetings held by subsections of the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology.
      Abstracts].

PMID- 1405001
TI  - [Industrialization and environmental protection--the approach to promotion
      environmentally development which maintains economic progress].

PMID- 1405002
TI  - [Relationship between autoimmune diseases and pneumoconiosis].
AB  - In recent years, with the aging of patients with pneumoconiosis, autoimmune
      diseases as a complication have been observed. One of the reasons for this may be
      that autoimmune diseases are prone to develop among the elderly. On the other
      hand, it has been reported that dust itself, such as silica for example, has
      adjuvant effect. A review of the recent literature published in Japan and abroad
      was made to clarify the relationship between pneumoconiosis and autoimmune
      diseases and the following results were obtained. 1) Disorders which accompany
      pneumoconiosis: Scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus
      (SLE), and disorders of the kidney and liver have been reported. In Japan, about
      30 cases of pneumoconiosis accompanied with autoimmune diseases have been
      reported. In many of the reports, patients with pneumoconiosis and scleroderma
      have a past history of exposure to silica. In both case studies and case control
      studies, patients with rheumatoid arthritis and history of silica exposure are
      prone to develop pneumoconiosis. 2) Immunological studies of patients with
      pneumoconiosis: As for humoral immunity, elevation of polyclonal gamma-globulin,
      especially IgG, has been often reported together with high positive rate of
      autoantibodies such as antinuclear antibodies. In cellular immunity, decreased
      delayed type skin reaction and decreased CD4/8 ratio have been reported. In human
      leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing the elevated frequency of DR4 has been reported.
      In the study of BAL increased production of superoxide anion O2- by alveolar
      macrophages has been observed. 3) EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES: Silica is well known for
      its toxicity to cells and also for its adjuvant effect. In the German Democratic
      Republic, patients with scleroderma and history of long term silica exposure are
      recognized as patients with occupational disease even though pneumoconiosis is
      not clearly demonstrated on X-ray film. It is difficult from this review to nrake
      a definite conclusion regarding the relation between silicosis and autoimmune
      diseases. There is a need to repeat this review of the literature on autoimmune
      diseases and pneumoconiosis in the near future.

PMID- 1405003
TI  - [Epidemiologic study on physical conditions related to work among the elderly].
AB  - The present study was conducted in order to examine the epidemiologic factors
      related to work capacity among the elderly. As study area, Ogimi Village in
      Okinawa Prefecture was selected by reason of the long life expectancy of the
      inhabitants. Medical examination and interview were conducted on 756 inhabitants
      aged 65 yr and older. Working status was classified into two groups, that is,
      working group and non-working group. The association between working status and
      related factors was examined by using multiple logistic regression analysis. The
      examined factors were as follows: sex, age, history of apoplexy, history of being
      down, history of falls, history of fracture, chewing ability, pain, exercise
      habit, hobby, education, number of family members, alcohol, smoking, food intake
      frequencies and medical indicators (blood pressure, ECG, Quetlet index, skinfold
      thickness, grip strength, one-leg test with eyes opened, albumin, total
      cholesterol, hemoglobin and HDL-cholesterol). The results of the analysis
      revealed that grip strength and one-leg test with eyes opened had a statistically
      significant correlation with working status (p < 0.01). From the results,
      maintenance of muscle strength and equilibrium function were found to be the
      physical conditions related to work among the elderly in the agricultural area.

PMID- 1405004
TI  - [Effect of hydrolysis conditions on the determination of urinary 2,5-hexanedione
      in workers exposed or not exposed to N-hexane].
AB  - In order to determine the optimal conditions of acid hydrolysis for urinary 2,5
      hexanedione (HD) measurement, the effects of urine pH or volume of HCl added to
      urine and hydrolysis period were studied using gas chromatography-mass
      spectrometry (GC-MS). When 0.3 ml of concentrated HCl was added to 3 ml of urine,
      complete hydrolysis to liberate HD was attained 2 h after the start of heating at
      100 degrees C for urine from non-exposed subjects. On the contrary, in urine from
      exposed subjects most of HD was liberated in 30 min at 100 degrees C, suggesting
      that the urinary substrates converted to HD by acid hydrolysis were different
      between exposed and non-exposed subjects. It was confirmed that hydrolysis for 2
      h at 100 degrees C with 0.3 ml of concentrated HCl added to 3 ml of urine gave
      the most reliable levels and the greatest amounts of HD in both urine from
      exposed and non-exposed subjects. Reference values were determined by the
      hydrolysis conditions presented here. In 84 males, 52 females, and 136 with sexes
      combined the urinary HD levels were 0.35, 0.49, and 0.39 mg/l (geometric mean),
      respectively. Urinary HD levels determined without hydrolysis (free HD) were less
      than 0.006 mg/l in 31 control subjects examined. In urine from exposed subjects
      the amount of free HD was about one-fifth of the total HD (free plus conjugated
      HD) as determined with acid hydrolysates, although the percentage of free to
      total HD varied from 0.4 to 28%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405005
TI  - [Utility of Mahalanobis distance in evaluating the results of health
      examination].
AB  - A method using Mahalanobis distance (D2), the general probability distance in
      multivariate analysis, was studied for evaluating the results of health
      examination. D2 of each subject was computed by a personal computer with a BASIC
      program, and those whose D2 values lay out of 95% confidence interval were
      considered to be abnormal. In the present study, the mean value and standard
      deviation come from a normal range of Japanese, and the correlation coefficients
      between two items were obtained from blood donors in the hospital. These three
      parameters were necessary for calculation of D2. To examine the availability of
      this method, the data of a health examination on 370 new employees from 18 to 25
      yr in age were analyzed with 9 items, including systolic pressure (SBP),
      diastolic pressure (DBP), serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase activity (GOT),
      serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase activity (GPT), serum gamma glutamyl
      transpeptidase activity (GGTP), serum total cholesterol (TCHO), serum
      triglyceride (TG), number of erythrocytes (RBC), and concentration of hemoglobin
      (Hb). It was shown that the data distributions of GOT, GPT, GGTP, and TG were log
      normal, and those of the other items were normal. With this method, 39 persons
      were also judged as abnormal from 46 subjects diagnosed to be abnormal by
      doctors, and the remaining 7 were missed but could be classed to be normal, as
      six of them had only slightly high levels of GPT (33-39 IU/l) and/or GGTP (42-57
      IU/l), and one had a slightly high SBP (146 mmHg).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1405006
TI  - [Sex difference of free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) level. III. Effect of
      estradiol on porphyrin metabolism, especially in FEP, in lead poisoned rats].
AB  - An experimental study of sex hormone on FEP level in rats was conducted to
      clarify sex difference of FEP level. A total of 42 male Donryu rats were divided
      into 7 groups; group I (control 1; olive oil injection without castration), group
      II (control 2; olive oil alone), group III (EL; estradiol in olive oil, 50
      micrograms/kg.BW), group IV (EH; estradiol in olive oil, 250 micrograms/kg.BW),
      group II' (Pb; Pb 5 mg/kg.BW), group III' (PbEL; Pb 5 mg/kg.BW + estradiol in
      olive oil, 50 micrograms/kg.BW) and group IV' (PbEH; Pb 5 mg/kg.BW+estradiol in
      olive oil, 250 micrograms/kg.BW). Excluding group I, all rats of the 6 groups
      were castrated. After one week from castration, estradiol was subcutaneously
      injected 4 times a week, and lead was intraperitoneally injected once a week for
      6 wk. Estradiol suppressed growth, Ht, Hb value and liver function, but did not
      show any evident effect on FEP, ALA-U and CP-U. Erythrocyte ALA-D activity in
      group IV' (Pb+estradiol at high dose) showed a level higher than that in group
      II' (Pb-treatment alone).

PMID- 1405007
TI  - [Effect of swimming on the distribution of metallic mercury in mice].

PMID- 1405008
TI  - [Visibility of fine asbestos fibers in transmission electron microscopy
      analysis].

PMID- 1405009
TI  - [Replacement of fluid lost due to sweating in a hot working-environment].
AB  - Replacement of fluid lost due to sweating in a hot working-environment was
      determined by measuring the body weight of 14 workers (53.6 +/- 7.1 years old) 5
      times during a working day. They were engaged in repairing and/or maintaining
      blast furnaces in an environment of 27.9-42.6 degrees C in WBGT. The amount of
      fluid consumption from a free intake of either green tea and tap water or green
      tea, tap water and glucose-electrolyte solution (Pocari, Otsuka Pharmaceutical
      Co., referred to as G-E solution) was compared. The body weight loss during work
      was 1.70 +/- 0.70 kg when free intake of fluids plus G-E solution was allowed,
      while it was 1.60 +/- 0.65 kg when G-E solution was not allowed. Fluid intake
      with G-E solution was 1.03 +/- 0.35 l, and they could rehydrate 61%. Without the
      G-E solution fluid, was 0.75 +/- 0.37 l (47% rehydration). Fluid intake with G-E
      solution was significantly (p < 0.05) larger than that without it. The body
      weight difference between pre -ad post-work was significant (p < 0.001), i.e., it
      was 0.26 +/- 0.52 kg while drinking G-E solution and 0.52 +/- 0.53 kg without it.
      These results suggest that restoration of body fluid after thermal dehydration
      takes place much faster when consuming G-E solution.

PMID- 1405010
TI  - A sandwich enzyme immunoassay for liver-specific antigen and its forensic
      evaluation.
AB  - We attempted to develop a method for the determination of liver injuries, using a
      liver-specific antigen as a marker. The liver-specific antigen (LSA) was purified
      from the human liver and the antibody to the human LSA only reacted with the
      liver extract using the immuno-dot-blotting technique. Depending on the
      immunohistochemical study, the LSA was found to be located within the cytoplasm
      of hepatocytes. A sensitive and specific sandwich enzyme immunoassay was then
      developed for the measurement of LSA. The detection limit of human LSA was 1
      fmol/tube (52 pg/tube) and this assay was not affected by hemolysis. The LSA
      levels in serum and blood from healthy subjects were distributed within a range
      below the detection limit. The LSA levels in the blood from cadavers whose livers
      had been damaged, were markedly elevated in comparison with the normal levels
      found in other cadavers (10-140 fold). No cross-reaction was observed with the
      liver extracts from several species (mouse, rat, guinea pig and rabbit). These
      results suggest that the measurement of LSA levels in blood will become a useful
      marker for the detection of liver injury.

PMID- 1405011
TI  - Further study of human salivary alpha-amylase polymorphism.
AB  - Genetic variants of salivary alpha-amylase were studied using isoelectric
      focusing in a pH gradient of 6-8 and silver staining methods. Five phenotypes
      which were tentatively named Amy1 N, Amy1 SN, Amy1 V1N, Amy1 V2SN and Amy1 V3N
      were detected. The phenotype frequencies in 371 unrelated Japanese were: Amy1 N =
      94.33, Amy1 SN = 2.43, Amy1 V1N = 0.54, Amy1 V2SN = 0.27 and Amy1 V3N = 2.43%,
      respectively. Although variant bands of Amy1 V1N were detected by immunoblotting
      method using anti-human salivary amylase, those bands were not stained by starch
      iodine method for the detection of amylase activity. This suggested that a
      mutation was occurred in the region of amylase molecule which showed the
      activity. Amy1 V2SN comprised the production of three Amy1 genes and indicated
      the duplication of Amy1 gene. The individuals showing Amy1 V3N phenotype accorded
      with those showing amylase variant by PAGE.

PMID- 1405012
TI  - Beta-endorphin secretion at the time of sudden death due to cardiac or
      respiratory failure.
AB  - Using male and female Wistar rats, pituitary response to cardiac and respiratory
      failure type (CFT and RFT) sudden death caused by the intravenous administration
      of KC1 and SCC, respectively, was examined by analyzing variation in pituitary
      immunoreactive beta-endorphin (IR-beta-EP) levels determined by radioimmunoassay
      after death and in circulating IR-beta-EP levels during periods of agony. In the
      pituitary gland of both sexes which differed significantly in ratio of the organ
      weight to body weight for CFT and RFT (CFT greater than RFT), IR-beta-EP was
      significantly less in RFT than in CFT (p less than 0.05). No variation in plasma
      IR-beta-EP was noted during short periods of agony in CFT, but it markedly
      increased during long periods of agony in RFT. The highest elevation at 2 or 4
      minutes after SCC administration was about 3 times the preadministration value
      for IR-beta-EP in males (p less than 0.01). But elevation in females was lower
      than in males. Rise plasma IR-beta-EP during agony of RFT is regarded to be of
      pituitary origin due to dexamethasone treatment. The pituitary was thus concluded
      to respond more to the fatal agony in RFT than in CFT.

PMID- 1405013
TI  - [Potentiation by carbon dioxide of carbon monoxide-induced death in the hypoxic
      condition].
AB  - This study was aimed at clarifying the effect of carbon dioxide (CO2) on the
      toxicity of carbon monoxide (CO) in the hypoxic condition. In order to evaluate
      the coexistent toxicity of CO2 and CO under hypoxic hypoxia, we investigated the
      difference of CO toxicity between under the hypoxic and hypercapnic hypoxia in
      point of lethality in conscious male mice. Furthermore, we measured blood gases
      (pO2 and pCO2), pH, COHb concentration, and blood pressure (BP) and heart rate
      (HR) in urethane anesthetized male rabbits inhaled with 2 toxic gases: N2-toxic
      gas (O2 5.0%, CO 1.8%, N2 93.2%) and CO2-toxic gas (O2 5.0%, CO2 16.0%, CO 1.8%,
      N2 77.2%). The animals were inhaled with the 2 toxic gases until the BP reached 0
      or 20 mmHg. In the latter case, when the BP reached 20 mmHg, the animals were
      inhaled with air and were intravenously infused with saline (20 ml/kg/30 min).
      Conscious mouse experiment: In the both types of hypoxia, LC50 were decreased
      with the decrease of O2 concentration and the LC50 of CO in hypercapnic hypoxia
      was significantly lower than that in nitrogen-replacement hypoxia in the range of
      12% and 9% of O2 concentration in male mice. BP 0 mmHg-group experiment in
      rabbits: All the rabbits inhaled with N2-toxic gas or CO2-toxic gas died. The
      time to BP 0 mmHg in CO2-toxic gas group (7.8 +/- 0.33 min) was shorter than that
      in N2-toxic gas group (11.5 +/- 1.00 min). Although both toxic gases lowered pO2
      level and elevated COHb% of the blood, CO2-toxic gas extremely elevated pCO2
      level by 80-100 mmHg corresponding to lowering the serum pH by 0.37-0.45. BP was
      firstly elevated during 2-3 minutes by inhalation of these toxic gases and was
      finally lowered to die. HR decreased continuously after the inhalation of toxic
      gases until the animals died. BP 20 mmHg-group experiment in rabbits:Recoveries
      of COHb%, pCO2 level and pH of the blood in N2-toxic gas intoxication were
      significantly faster than those in CO2-toxic gas group. The times to COHb 10%
      were 64.2 min and 78.2 min in N2-toxic gas and CO2-toxic gas, respectively. But,
      there was no significant difference between N2-toxic gas and CO2-toxic gas
      intoxications in the recoveries of pO2 level, BP and HR. The above results
      suggest that CO2 potentiates the CO-intoxication under hypoxic hypoxia and our
      methods of coexistent gas toxicity may be useful for examining the gas toxicity
      in fire accident.

PMID- 1405014
TI  - [Trace analysis for drugs and poisons in human tissues].
AB  - Despite continuous developments of analytical techniques in terms of sensitivity
      and accuracy, uncountable increase in number of chemical substances are brought
      into the field of forensic sciences to be analyzed. Based on the idea that
      progress in analytical technique to cope with the change of situation is always
      required, a research team including 10 members was organized to set up the most
      advanced methods at present to analyze the important drugs and poisons in
      biological materials for forensic purposes. Stimulant drugs such as
      methamphetamine and amphetamine were studied on the improvement of extraction
      procedure prior to mass spectrometric analysis. A conventional solvent extraction
      method was replaced by an extraction technique using Extrelut column. The
      technical procedure was simplified and the accuracy of measurement was improved.
      The changes in CO-Hb concentration in the whole blood in storage was examined
      with regard to the lapse of time and temperature, where a differential
      spectrophotometry was used. Useful information could be obtained from practical
      aspects. Analytical conditions of gas chromatography were revised on volatiles
      including alcohols, especially as to column conditions. The use of capillary
      column was recommended for sensitivity and peak separation. The optimum
      conditions for detecting barbiturates in the blood were examined. The combination
      of Sep-pak C18 cartridge with a capillary column for gas chromatography using
      nitrogen phosphorus detection was found preferable. Mass spectrometry of various
      kinds of local anesthetics was studied. Quantitative analysis of the drugs was
      examined on gas chromatography with a surface ionization detector. Three types of
      insecticides including organophosphorus, chlorinated and fluorine compounds were
      analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in order to establish a
      sensitive and selective method. The detection limits, calibration and
      reproducibility were examined. Herbicide, paraquat, was examined on the
      sensitivity, recovery, required time and costs in connection with methods of
      pretreatment and analytical procedure. A secondary spectrophotometry was found
      useful practically. Antimony in biological tissues was analyzed, using a
      flameless atomic absorption spectrometer with carbon tube atomizer. The time for
      analysis was reduced, and sensitivity was improved. Immunoassay method was
      examined from general aspects on drugs and hormones. Using antibodies specific to
      haptens, the dynamics of such antigens as drugs and hormones in the body tissues
      were observed. Interfering substances at the time of toxicological analysis were
      checked in order to obtain reliable information. Exact identification was found
      possible by using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. As described above, the
      research was made from the practical aspects of forensic toxicology, and
      meaningful results could be obtained from each study.

PMID- 1405015
TI  - [Reports on medico-legal data from massive investigation performed by the Medico
      Legal Society of Japan--weight and size of internal organs of normal Japanese
      today].
AB  - A statistical study was made on the weight and size of internal organs of normal
      Japanese. The most of them were judicially autopsied by forensic pathologists all
      over Japan up to 1989. In these materials, the following cases were excluded;
      cases with long postmortem intervals, with diseases or damages to many organs,
      receiving therapeutic transfusion or infusion and cases of death by fire. In
      every case, the data was neglected when the organ itself had abnormality or
      damage, but the data from other organs were included. Thus, the total number of
      cases was 5,144, comprising 3,322 males and 1,822 females. The materials used are
      as follows; sudden natural death 941 cases (18.4%), death due to wound(s) 2,476
      cases (48.4%), asphyxia 1,261 cases (24.7%), poisoning 257 cases (5.0%), death
      from cold 68 cases (1.3%), death due to burns 46 cases (0.9%) and others 62 cases
      (1.2%). The results obtained are presented in Table 1-12.

PMID- 1405016
TI  - Analysis of glycated albumin in postmortem blood samples as the diagnostic
      parameters of diabetes mellitus.
AB  - Glycated hemoglobin (GHb), fructosamine and glycated albumin (GA) in hemolytic
      sera from cadavers were analyzed for the postmortem diagnosis of diabetes
      mellitus. The levels of GHb and fructosamine were determined by boronate affinity
      chromatography and colorimetry, respectively. Albumin fraction was isolated from
      the samples by Affi-Gel Blue affinity chromatography. The glycated and non
      glycated molecules were separated by boronate affinity chromatography, and
      quantitated by bromcresol green method. Fructosamine could not be analyzed from
      highly hemolytic sera containing more than 10 g/l hemoglobin. In such samples,
      the levels of GHb and GA were deviated from the standard values, indicating their
      postmortem degradation. In less hemolytic samples, GA was as informative as GHb
      and fructosamine for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.

PMID- 1405017
TI  - [Identification of optical isomers of methamphetamine and its application to
      forensic medicine].
AB  - In order to identify optical isomers (d and l-) of methamphetamine (MAMP), GC-MS
      analysis using optically resolvable reagent of N-trifluoroacetyl-L-prolyl
      chloride (L-TPC) and HPLC analysis using chiral cellulose-based columns were
      compared. In analysis of d- or l-MAMP (M) of TPC (T) derivatives by the GC-MS,
      contrary to the expectation that only d(M)-L(T) or l(M)-L(T) could be detected
      chemically, two diastereomers of d(M)-L(T) and d(M)-D(T) for d-MAMP and two of
      l(M)-L(T) and l(M)-D(T) for l-MAMP were demonstrated respectively. This results
      was attributed to a small percentage of D-TPC present in L-TPC. For racemic (dl)
      MAMP, none of these four isomers could be individually isolated, and they were
      detected as two overlapping peaks. In the HPLC analysis using chiral columns, d-
      and l-isomers of MAMP and amphetamine (AMP) could be clearly isolated with merely
      one analytical procedure, and the l/d ratio was possible to calculate with
      facility. From the rats urine administered d- or l-MAMP, only the corresponded
      optically active form of the administered drug was detected, and when racemic
      (dl)-MAMP was administered, d-MAMP, l-MAMP and their metabolites AMP were
      distinctly detected. The l/d ratio calculated from amount of MAMP and AMP
      excreted in rat urine within 24 hr was not in accordance with that of the
      administered dl-MAMP (l/d = 1.01): the l/d ratio was 0.45 for MAMP and 0.58 for
      AMP, and 0.50 for the total of MAMP and AMP. The similar results were observed in
      case of racemic (dl)-AMP. From several human specimens obtained from the cadavers
      dead by MAMP poisoning, only d-MAMP and the metabolite d-AMP were detected, and
      neither l-MAMP or l-AMP were demonstrated. In particular, a high concentration of
      d-MAMP was detected in gastric contents, brain, lung and liver. From the MAMP
      powder in possession, only d-MAMP was detected. These results suggest that this
      chiral column-HPLC procedure could be applied to medicolegal practice and
      forensic scientific investigation.

PMID- 1405018
TI  - [Investigation of algorithm for the calculation of probability of paternity
      likelihood using personal computer program, including the application to
      parentage testing in the decreased party].
AB  - Algorithm for the computerized calculation of probability of paternity likelihood
      was investigated. The probability is calculated by Essen-Moller's formula as W =
      X/(X+Y) = 1/(1 + Y/X). The X value is also given as X = Hl, m, n/Kl, m, where kl,
      m and Hl, m, n are the probabilities of mother-child and mother-child-father
      combinations, respectively. In this study, four functions as F(PQ) = [1-(P not
      equal to Q)] x p x q, Z(RS) = (1- (R = S)), K(PQ,RS) = 1/2([(R = P) + (R = Q)].s
      + [(S = P) + (S = Q)].r).F (PQ)/Z(RS) and H(PQ, RS, TU) = 1/4([(R = P) + (R = Q)]
      [(S = T) + (S = U)] + [(S = P) + (S = Q)] [(R = T) + (R = U)]) x
      F(PQ).F(TU)/Z(RS) were created, where PQ, RS and TU were the genotypes of mother,
      child and the alleged father, P, Q, R, S, T and U were their alleles, and p, q,
      r, s, t and u were the allele frequencies. The equality or inequality in
      parenthesis was the relation operator which gave -1 or 0 when the expression was
      true of false, respectively. Then, three formulae as Y = n sigma k = l F([TU]k),
      Kl, m = 1 sigma i = l m sigma j = l K ([PQ]i, [RS]j) and Hl, m, n = l sigma i = l
      m sigma j = l n sigma k = l H([PQ]i, [RS]j, [TU]k) were obtained, where [PQ]i,
      [RS]j and [TU]k were one of the mother's, one of the child's and one of the
      putative father's genotypes considered from their phenotypes, respectively. Using
      these formulae, the probability of paternity likelihood could be calculated in
      every case. These formulae were programmed in BASIC language using a personal
      computer. Algorithm for the calculation of the probability in the deceased party
      was also investigated.

PMID- 1405019
TI  - [Three cases of acute methamphetamine intoxication--analysis of optically active
      methamphetamine].
AB  - Three typical cases of acute methamphetamine intoxication are reported. The
      concentrations of methamphetamine in the blood were 27.2, 6.43 and 0.60
      micrograms/ml, respectively. All three victims had been exposed to high
      temperature in a bathroom or a closed room in summer at the time of death.
      Macroscopic autopsy revealed hemorrhagic pulmonary edema, and histologically,
      diffuse contraction-band necrosis was evident in the myocardium in all cases. The
      absolute structures of six illegally available methamphetamine showed an (S)
      configuration with an optical purity of > 99% in enantiomeric excess and four
      were racemic form.

PMID- 1405020
TI  - [Analysis of thinner components using the Curie-point pyrolyzer-gas
      chromatographic method in the tissues of a victim fatally poisoned].
AB  - A 43-year-old male was found dead in the trunk of his car which was filled with
      thinner vapor. Thinner components in the tissues were analyzed using a gas
      chromatograph equipped with Curie-point pyrolyzer (Py-GC), and a gas
      chromatograph-mass spectrometer. The Py-GC method was able to analyze with very
      small materials. It was simple and quick but not as sensitive as the head-space
      gas chromatographic method. Toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes were detected in
      the tissues, and their presence was confirmed by gas chromatography-mass
      spectrometry. The concentrations of toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes in blood
      and the brain were 56.8, 6.8 and 4.5 micrograms/ml; and 203, 43.5 and 33.9
      micrograms/g, respectively. The cause of death was thus judged as be thinner
      poisoning.

PMID- 1405021
TI  - [A fatal case caused by organophosphorus insecticide intoxication and confirmed
      by the metabolite found in the blood].
AB  - An 83-year-old woman and two other members of her family were poisoned after
      eating lettuce prepared with Ethimethon Granule 6 instead of salt by mistake.
      Ethimethon Granule 6 is a mixture of organophosphorus pesticides, disulfoton and
      diazinon. All three were admitted to a hospital, and she died 22 h after
      ingestion and the others recovered. Disulfoton and diazinon in the remaining
      lettuce were detected and confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The
      pesticides, however, were not detected in the blood sample collected from the
      victim at autopsy. A metabolite of disulfoton, phosphorothiolate sulfone, was
      detected by FPD-gas chromatography, and confirmed by gas chromatography-mass
      spectrometry.

PMID- 1405022
TI  - [A case of suicide by an intravenous injection of pancuronium].
AB  - A 25-year-old male anesthesiologist was found dead in his room with an
      intravenous drip line connected with his leg. There were several empty ampules of
      pancuronium, midazolam and buprenorphine around him. Pancuronium and midazolam in
      the blood and urine samples collected at postmortem examination were detected by
      spectrofluorometry and ECD-gas chromatography, respectively. The concentrations
      of pancuronium and midazolam were 0.3 micrograms/g and 0.12 micrograms/g in the
      blood, respectively; 0.9 micrograms/g and 0.05 micrograms/g in the urine,
      respectively. The cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to respiratory
      muscle paralysis caused by pancuronium.

PMID- 1405023
TI  - [Research on nursing of bedridden elderly persons (1). Framework on nursing and
      nursing research on bedridden old persons].

PMID- 1405024
TI  - [Research on nursing of bedridden elderly persons (1). Concerning the terminology
      of "the bedridden old persons"].

PMID- 1405025
TI  - [Research on nursing of bedridden elderly persons (1). "Bedridden and bed-bound"
      and ADL as their assessment].

PMID- 1405026
TI  - [Research on nursing of bedridden elderly persons (1). The review concerning fact
      finding of bedridden and/or housebound elderly in Japan].

PMID- 1405027
TI  - [Research on nursing of bedridden elderly persons (1). Epidemiological studies on
      "bedridden period prior to death" in the elderly].

PMID- 1405028
TI  - [The descriptive study of quality of life among men in living with chronic
      ischemic heart disease: analysis on the aspects of daily life control and
      sexuality (4)].

PMID- 1405029
TI  - [A study of the function of nurse counseling: a phenomenological analysis of the
      counseling processes with hemodialysis patients (1)].

PMID- 1405030
TI  - [Approach to the research references in foreign languages. Analysing and
      composing articles (2)].

PMID- 1405031
TI  - Inhibitory reflex during bronchoconstrictions induced by histamine and Ascaris
      suum antigen.
AB  - We investigated the involvements of sympathetic and nonadrenergic nervous systems
      in the inhibitory reflex following bronchoconstriction in dogs. Inhalations of a
      0.00125% solution of histamine and Ascaris suum antigen (3 mg protein) to the
      bronchial side induced reflex tracheal constriction following
      bronchoconstriction. An intra-arterial infusion of 5 micrograms/min of atropine
      to the tracheal site changed the reflex tracheal constrictions by histamine and
      antigen inhalations into tracheal dilatations. The reflex tracheal dilatations
      were abolished by the combination of intra-arterial propranolol (100 micrograms)
      and transections of both the bilateral superior laryngeal nerves and the spinal
      cord at the C1 level. The reflex tracheal constrictions induced by histamine and
      antigen inhalations were increased with 100 micrograms propranolol. Furthermore,
      the reflex tracheal constrictions were enhanced by the combination of 100
      micrograms propranolol and transection of the spinal cord. These findings
      indicate that during the constriction of the bronchial smooth muscle, not only a
      reflex tracheal constriction mechanism but also one of reflex dilatation operates
      and that the latter reflex response may be mainly mediated by the sympathetic
      nerves, with partial involvement of the nonadrenergic nerves. This inhibitory
      reflex may attenuate asthmatic bronchoconstriction.

PMID- 1405032
TI  - Peptide leukotriene antagonistic activity of AS-35, a new antiallergic drug.
AB  - The effects of 9-[(4-acetyl-3-hydroxy-2-n-propylphenoxy) methyl]-3-(1H-tetrazol-5
      yl)-4H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-one (AS-35), a newly synthesized compound, on
      leukotrienes (LTs) antagonistic activities were investigated in vitro and in
      vivo. In isolated guinea pig preparations, AS-35 antagonized LTC4-, LTD4- and
      LTE4-induced contractions of the ileum with IC50 values of 8 nM, 4 nM and 3 nM,
      respectively. In the trachea, the agent also antagonized LTD4- and LTE4-induced
      contractions with IC50 values of 10 nM and 20 nM, respectively. However, LTC4
      induced tracheal contraction in the presence of L-serine borate was not
      antagonized by AS-35. Histamine-, acetylcholine-, serotonin- and bradykinin
      induced contractions of the ileum, carbachol-, prostaglandin D2-, prostaglandin
      F2 alpha-induced contractions of the trachea and LTB4-induced chemotaxis of rat
      polymorphonuclear leukocytes were not inhibited by AS-35. As to the in vivo
      models, AS-35 (i.v.) dose-dependently antagonized bronchoconstriction induced by
      i.v.-injection of LTC4 and LTD4 in anesthetized guinea pigs, but did not inhibit
      histamine-induced bronchoconstriction. Oral administration of AS-35 also
      antagonized LTD4- as well as antigen-induced LT-mediated bronchoconstriction. In
      addition, LTD4-induced increase in the cutaneous vascular permeability of guinea
      pig was inhibited by the drug (p.o.). These results indicate that AS-35 is an
      orally effective, potent and selective peptide LT antagonist.

PMID- 1405033
TI  - Inhibition of radiolabeled leukotriene-binding by AS-35 in guinea pig lung
      membrane fraction.
AB  - The inhibitory effects of 9-[(4-acetyl-3-hydroxy-2-n-propylphenoxy) methyl]-3-(1H
      tetrazol-5-yl)-4H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-one (AS-35), a peptide leukotriene
      (LT) antagonist, on specific bindings of radiolabeled LTC4 and LTD4 in guinea pig
      lung membrane were investigated to clarify the mechanism by which this agent
      inhibited LT-induced physiological responses. Binding assays were performed at 20
      degrees C in 50 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.4) containing 10 mM CaCl2, 10 mM MgCl2
      and 10 mM cysteine in the absence (LTD4 binding assay) or presence (LTC4 binding
      assay) of 80 mM L-serine borate. Scatchard analysis of each LT specific binding
      indicated a single and high affinity binding site with a Kd of 0.21 +/- 0.05 nM
      and Bmax of 808 +/- 71 fmol/mg protein for [3H]-LTD4, and with a Kd of 21.6 +/-
      3.8 nM and Bmax of 74.9 +/- 2.6 pmol/mg protein for [3H]-LTC4. Competition
      binding studies showed that AS-35 antagonized [3H]-LTD4 specific binding with a
      Ki value of 92.7 nM. In contrast, AS-35 was 100 times less effective in
      inhibiting [3H]-LTC4 specific binding, compared with [3H]-LTD4 specific binding.
      These results indicate that AS-35 interacts directly with peptide LTs receptors,
      especially the LTD4 specific binding site to produce its pharmacological effects.

PMID- 1405034
TI  - Improvement of drug-induced cardiac failure by NKH477, a novel forskolin
      derivative, in the dog heart-lung preparation.
AB  - The efficacy of NKH477, a novel water-soluble forskolin derivative, in improving
      cardiac failure was assessed in dog heart-lung preparations. Cardiac functions
      depressed by pentobarbital, propranolol or verapamil so that cardiac output had
      been reduced by about 40-50% of the respective control were all improved by
      NKH477 (10-100 micrograms) in a dose-dependent manner. With 100 micrograms
      NKH477, almost complete restoration of cardiac performance was attained in the
      respective cardiac failures. In the combination of NKH477 with ouabain (30
      micrograms), 30 micrograms of NKH477 completely restored the cardiac function
      depressed by pentobarbital, associated with a slight but not significant increase
      in heart rate. No arrhythmias were induced by any of the NKH477 doses used in the
      experiments. These results suggest that NKH477 should be subjected to clinical
      trials in the treatment of cardiac failure.

PMID- 1405035
TI  - The contraction mechanisms for norepinephrine in single cells prepared from
      tracheal smooth muscles of guinea pig of different ages.
AB  - Single cells were prepared from guinea pig tracheal smooth muscle and used in an
      experiment on the contraction mechanisms for norepinephrine and a study on the
      change of alpha 2-adrenoceptors with age. Specific bindings of [3H]p
      aminoclonidine to the single cells from the tracheal smooth muscles of 6- and 40
      week-old guinea pigs were saturable and analyzed by Scatchard plot. The maximum
      number of [3H]p-aminoclonidine binding sites was larger in the preparation from
      40-week-old guinea pigs than that from 6-week-old animals, while its dissociation
      constant did not change with age. The amount of prostaglandin F2 alpha released
      from the single cells was increased by norepinephrine, not affected by
      phenylephrine, and reduced by an alpha 2-antagonist such as yohimbine. The amount
      released by norepinephrine was significantly larger in the preparation from 6
      week-old guinea pigs than that from 40-week-old animals. These results suggest
      that the age-related decrease in the potency of norepinephrine is due to
      reduction in the amount of excitable prostaglandin F2 alpha released by the drug,
      but not to a change in the total amount of alpha 2-adrenoceptors or the
      dissociation constant of the drug with respect to these adrenoceptors.
      Furthermore, alpha 2-adrenoceptors in the tracheal smooth muscle cell play an
      important role in the release of prostaglandin F2 alpha and the production of
      contractile responses of these muscles.

PMID- 1405036
TI  - Inhibition of gastric glucosamine synthetase activity by oxygen radicals: a
      possible cause of decreased mucosal protective capacity.
AB  - To clarify the role of oxygen radicals in the mucus metabolism of the
      gastrointestinal tract, the effect of oxygen radicals on the activity of
      glucosamine synthetase, the rate-limiting enzyme of mucus synthesis, was
      investigated using homogenate derived from rat gastric mucosa. The simultaneous
      addition of both xanthine and xanthine oxidase caused a significant inhibition of
      the enzyme activity, and this decrease was counteracted by catalase, but not by
      superoxide dismutase. Hydrogen peroxide also caused a significant decrease in the
      enzyme activity; and this effect of hydrogen peroxide was counteracted by
      catalase and dithiothreitol, but not by mannitol, dimethyl sulfoxide and reduced
      glutathione. The inhibition of glucosamine synthetase activity by oxygen radicals
      is considered to be caused by the oxidation of sulfhydryl groups of the enzyme
      molecule. The present results also suggest that oxygen radicals in the
      gastrointestinal tract may induce the suppression of a protective mechanism of
      the gastric mucosa by inhibiting glucosamine synthesis activity.

PMID- 1405037
TI  - Neurochemical investigation on the effects of a new diphenylpiperazine calcium
      antagonist, KB-2796, on the central dopaminergic system of rats.
AB  - The effects of KB-2796, a new diphenylpiperazine calcium antagonist, on the
      striatal dopaminergic system of rats were investigated in comparison with various
      calcium antagonists and the dopamine antagonist chlorpromazine. The inhibiting
      effect of KB-2796 on [3H]spiperone binding to striatal membranes in vitro was
      weaker than those of chlorpromazine and the other diphenylpiperazine analogues,
      flunarizine and cinnarizine, and more potent than those of verapamil and
      nicardipine. Diltiazem and nifedipine were inactive. KB-2796 (30, 100 mg/kg,
      p.o.) had no effect on Kd and Bmax values of in vitro [3H]spiperone specific
      binding to striatal membranes obtained from the rat at 36 hr and 7 days after
      repeated administration for 18 days, whereas flunarizine (30 mg/kg, p.o.) and
      chlorpromazine (3 mg/kg, p.o.) increased Bmax values by 47% and 31%,
      respectively, at 36 hr, but not at 7 days after the final administration. At 1 hr
      after the single administration, KB-2796 (30, 100 mg/kg, p.o.) had no effect on
      the content of dopamine and its metabolites in the striatum, whereas flunarizine
      (30 mg/kg, p.o.) and chlorpromazine (3 mg/kg, p.o.) increased the level of
      homovanillic acid. These results indicate that flunarizine may affect
      dopaminergic neurotransmission by partially blocking dopamine D2 receptors, while
      KB-2796 has negligible in vivo effect on the dopaminergic system.

PMID- 1405038
TI  - Different pathways for Ca2+ influx and intracellular release of Ca2+ mediated by
      muscarinic receptors in ileal longitudinal smooth muscle.
AB  - Muscarinic receptor-mediated elevations in intracellular Ca2+ concentration
      ([Ca2+]i) in the longitudinal smooth muscle of guinea pig ileum were studied by
      the use of fura-2 fluorescence. Dose-response analysis indicated a difference in
      the potencies of carbachol (CCh) to increase [Ca2+]i in the presence and absence
      of extracellular Ca2+. For the increase in [Ca2+]i due to Ca2+ release from
      intracellular stores in the absence of extracellular Ca2+, the ED50 value of CCh
      was 3 x 10(-5) M. On the other hand, in the presence of Ca2+, the ED50 value was
      2.5 x 10(-7) M, indicating that a low concentration of CCh (less than 10(-7) M)
      caused influx of extracellular Ca2+ without Ca2+ release. Oxotremorine and
      pilocarpine induced Ca2+ influx, but were less potent inducers of Ca2+ release.
      CCh also stimulated the formation of inositol trisphosphates (IP3) with an ED50
      value of (4.5 x 10(-5) M), which was similar to that for Ca2+ release from
      intracellular stores. Treatment of the smooth muscle with neomycin (1 mM), a
      phospholipase C inhibitor, abolished both CCh-induced IP3 formation and Ca2+
      release from intracellular stores, but did not affect CCh-induced Ca2+ influx.
      These results suggest that the pathway for muscarinic stimulation of Ca2+ influx
      through plasma membranes is different from that for Ca2+ release from
      intracellular stores, which seems to be coupled with IP3 formation.

PMID- 1405039
TI  - Effect of Ca2+ antagonists on high-K+ evoked increase in [Ca2+]i in rat cerebral
      synaptosomes and hippocampal neurons.
AB  - By fura-2 fluorometry, we investigated the direct effects of Ca2+ antagonists
      including a new benzothiazepine, clentiazem, on the high-K(+)-evoked increase in
      the concentration of cytosolic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in rat cerebral synaptosomes
      and cultured hippocampal neurons. In both preparations, metal ions inhibited the
      high-K(+)-induced increase in [Ca2+]i, in the following order: La3+ greater than
      Cd2+ much greater than Ni2+. Although flunarizine and nicardipine inhibited the
      K(+)-induced increase in [Ca2+]i in synaptosomes, other Ca2+ antagonists,
      including clentiazem and nitrendipine, had little effect at 10 microM. In
      hippocampal neurons, clentiazem inhibited the K(+)-induced increase in [Ca2+]i at
      10 microM, as did flunarizine and nicardipine. However, nifedipine and
      nitrendipine had little effect in either cultured neurons or in synaptosomes.

PMID- 1405040
TI  - Circadian rhythm of plasma uric acid and handling stress-induced hyperuricemia in
      conscious cebus monkeys.
AB  - An apparent circadian rhythm of plasma uric acid and the effect of handling
      stress on plasma uric acid level in conscious cebus monkeys were demonstrated.
      The lowest level of plasma uric acid in the circadian rhythm occurred early in
      the morning and the highest, before bedtime at night. With experimental handling
      stress, the plasma uric acid level rose to much more than the maximum level of
      the circadian rhythm. Stress-induced hyperuricemia could be inhibited without an
      increase of urinary uric acid excretion by the minor tranquilizer diazepam at
      doses of more than 1 mg/kg, p.o. On the other hand, benzbromarone at 20 mg/kg,
      p.o. significantly inhibited the hyperuricemia with a hyperuricosuric effect,
      while probenecid at 50 mg/kg, p.o. had no effect on either the increased plasma
      uric acid or urinary uric acid excretion. Accordingly, it is concluded that the
      plasma uric acid level in conscious cebus monkeys easily fluctuates with
      experimental conditions and that the animals can be utilized to evaluate the
      hypouricemic and hyperuricosuric property of benzbromarone-like agents.

PMID- 1405041
TI  - The effect of nilvadipine, a dihydropyridine type calcium channel blocker, on
      local cerebral blood flow in rats.
AB  - The effect of nilvadipine, a dihydropyridine type calcium channel blocker, on
      local cerebral blood flow (lCBF) was investigated using the autoradiographic
      iodo[14C]antipyrine technique in rats. In control rats, lCBF in cortical areas
      and in the superior colliculus and inferior colliculus was higher than that in
      the hippocampus, septal nucleus, globus pallidus and substantia nigra.
      Nilvadipine (32 micrograms/kg, i.v.) increased lCBF in all structures
      (significantly in 11 of 21 structures) in spite of a 33% reduction in mean
      arterial blood pressure. These results confirm that nilvadipine has the ability
      to increase cerebral blood flow.

PMID- 1405042
TI  - Influence of adrenalectomy on chronopharmacological phenomenon of furosemide in
      rats.
AB  - The role of adrenal corticoids in the time-dependent changes in the effects of
      furosemide was examined. Furosemide (30 mg/kg) was given orally to
      adrenalectomized or sham-operated rats at 12 a.m. or 12 p.m. Urine volume and
      urinary excretion of sodium and furosemide for 8 hr were significantly greater at
      12 a.m. than at 12 p.m. in the sham-operated rats. However, such time-dependent
      changes in these parameters disappeared in the adrenalectomized animals. These
      findings indicate that adrenal corticoids are directly or indirectly involved in
      this event.

PMID- 1405043
TI  - [The influence of significant others on the formation of own self-image].
AB  - This study aims to verify how other persons influential for the formation of own
      self-image change during the period from pre-adolescence to early adolescence,
      and what sorts of dynamism operating among the self-image, self-image assumed by
      others (reflected self-image: RS), and the images of others (objective self
      image: O). A SCT questionnaire was administered to altogether 370 students of
      both sexes in 4th, 5th and 6th grades and freshman and sophomore year of junior
      high school. The significant others were identified on the bases of similarity
      between individual own self-image and ones assumed by others. All descriptions
      were classified as positive, negative or other, and the inter-relationships among
      them were examined. Findings were as follows: 1) Though the significant others in
      this period did not necessarily shift from their parents to chums, males were
      most susceptive to others' influence in the 6th grade, while females seemed to
      have already established their own self-images insusceptive to others by this
      age. 2) The significance of chums was confirmed for males throughout their school
      years. For females, however, no such trend was found, suggesting that any
      particular significant person would either appear in a later year or never be
      identified.

PMID- 1405044
TI  - [The effects of individual differences on self-evaluation maintenance model].
AB  - This study was conducted to examine the effects of individual differences in
      affiliation motivation, achievement motivation, and self-esteem on the self
      evaluation maintenance (SEM) model proposed by Tesser et al. (1984). One hundred
      and seventy college students answered a questionnaire for measuring affiliation
      motivation, achievement motivation, and self-esteem, and also assessed their own
      as well as their friends' academic achievements in their senior high school
      subjects with both high and low degrees of relevancy. For those who were high in
      affiliative motivation, a significantly greater difference between the own and
      the friends' achievements was found in the academic subjects with low rather than
      high relevancy. However, the same difference was also greater in the academic
      subjects with low rather than high relevancy for those who were low in their
      achievement motivation or self-esteem. These results suggest that individual
      differences in some variables such as affiliation motivation, achievement
      motivation, and self-esteem would play an important role in the SEM model.

PMID- 1405045
TI  - [The effects of fear on individual and group escape in a computer simulated
      maze].
AB  - The purpose is to compare the effects of fear on escape behavior of individual
      and group conditions, in a computer-simulated maze. CRT display did not provide a
      bird's eye view of the maze, to the subjects, but only cues, what they would see,
      if they were actually inside of the maze. In the group escape condition, bodies
      and behaviors of other people were also shown in the maze. Subjects often got too
      close each other and collided with each other. THE RESULTS: Fear increased the
      time and locomotion required to reach the exit, because of the occurrence of a
      "traffic jam" in the group escape condition, however, fear reduced time in the
      individual escape condition. In addition, fear influenced types of escape
      behavior, depending on the form of maze.

PMID- 1405046
TI  - [Structure and functions of self-recognition need in adolescent women].
AB  - The purpose is to propose a construct of self-recognition need, and to elucidate
      structure and functions of the need in adolescent women. First, 242 female
      subjects (average age 19.0) responded to a questionnaire. The results were factor
      analyzed to construct two scales of the need: self-recognition need scale and
      escape from negative information need. Inquiring these scales and their relation
      with maladjustment in daily life, the higher the maladjustment, the stronger
      their self-recognition need. In the second survey, 236 female subjects (average
      age 18.9) responded, RESULTS: (1) subjects with stronger self-recognition
      approached positively to many information seeking (even when they expect negative
      information about themselves), (2) self-recognition need showed positive
      correlation with motivation for praise acquisition and rejection avoidance. The
      implication of these results were discussed.

PMID- 1405047
TI  - [The effects of meaning information on heart rate, respiration, frontalis EMG,
      and peripheral temperature during imagery].
AB  - The present study investigated the effects of meaning information on
      psychophysiological responses during imagery. Eighteen undergraduates were
      divided into arousal and relaxation groups, which were then given arousal-meaning
      and relaxation-meaning-oriented trainings, respectively. After the training, the
      subjects were given the imagery test, and inter-heartbeat-interval (IBI),
      respiration, frontalis EMG, and peripheral temperature during neutral, snake, and
      social imageries were analyzed. The results showed that there was a significant
      main effect in IBI for groups: the arousal group demonstrated greater IBI changes
      than the relaxation group. Regarding EMG, significant increases were present
      during snake and social imageries in the arousal group, whereas no significant
      increase was observed in the relaxation group. No significant difference between
      groups was found in respiration and temperature. The results suggest that there
      are some situations that accompany their primary meanings, and that meaning
      oriented trainings can modify the structure of the response propositions.

PMID- 1405048
TI  - [The effects of role playing on prosocial behavior in preschool children].
AB  - The purpose was to examine the effects of two types of role-playing experience on
      prosocial behavior in preschool children. Subjects were 72 6-year-olds. In the
      Empathy role-playing (E), each pair of children enacted alternately a victim and
      an eyewitness using a glove puppet, in which the emphasis was only on empathizing
      with the victim. In the Empathy and Helping role-playing (EH), they enacted
      alternately a victim and a helper, in which the emphasis was on empathizing and
      helping a victim. In the Control role-playing (C), they played roles alternately
      of a customer and a salesman in a grocery store. All children were assessed as
      for helping and sharing behaviors for a real victim before and after the role
      playing session. In the comparison between pre- and post-tests for helping
      behavior. All groups (C, E, EH) increased helping tendency, but only in EH group
      the proportion of subjects, whose attitude changed from helper to non-helper. As
      for sharing behavior, all three groups increased the number of sharing
      significantly in the post-test.

PMID- 1405049
TI  - [A study of revised self-monitoring scale].
AB  - The present study attempted to construct the Japanese version of Revised Self
      Monitoring Scale (Lennox & Wolfe, 1984). Factor analysis of this scale yielded
      two factors: 1) Sensitivity to expressive behavior of others, 2) Ability to
      modify self-presentation. This scale and its two factors had acceptable internal
      consistency: these results were almost similar with the original study. In
      correlational analyses with other personality measures, this scale correlated
      positively with both Private and Public Self-Consciousness Scale and Maudsley
      Personality Inventory-E Scale, but positively or negatively with some scales of
      Yatabe-Guilford Personality Inventory (e.g., G, S: positively. I, T:
      negatively.). Moreover the correlations between the two factors and the above
      mentioned measures provided interesting results. The availability of this scale
      was discussed.

PMID- 1405050
TI  - [Type A personality and level of aspiration in preschool children: some basic
      characteristics of aspiration levels and their modifications by introducing risk
      taking and competitive situations].
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate some characteristics of aspiration
      levels of Type A preschoolers. Twenty-two Type A and twenty-one Type B subjects
      selected from 245 preschoolers were given three tasks: ball-throwing task 1, ball
      throwing task 2, and ringtoss task. After investigating some basic
      characteristics of aspiration levels in a standard situation (ball-throwing task
      1), risk-taking (ball-throwing task 2) and competitive (ringtoss task) situations
      were introduced in order to study the modifications of aspiration levels. The
      results indicated that Type A children showed higher aspiration levels than Type
      B children, but that no differences of changes in aspiration levels by
      introducing risk-taking and competitive situations were found between the two
      types. These results were discussed from the view point of formation of Type A
      characteristics.

PMID- 1405051
TI  - [Retrieval of faces from features described by eyewitnesses].
AB  - This experiment proposes a computer technique to find a witnessed one in the
      database of faces, from an eyewitness's feature description. The method is
      basically to choose the face with maximum likelihood for an eyewitness's
      description. The likelihood is derived from one of three models, in which the
      description of a features by a witness is based on either (i) judgement through
      all features, (ii) feature sampling with replacement, or (iii) feature sampling
      without replacement. Three models were assessed by free description task of
      facial features. RESULTS: these three models showed sufficient accuracy of
      retrieval, and the feature sampling without replacement model was superior to
      other two models.

PMID- 1405052
TI  - [An examination of two distinct aspects of anxiety in adolescence].
AB  - This study aimed at measuring and examining two aspects of anxiety in
      adolescence. After reviewing previous studies, it was hypothesized that anxiety
      concept has a positive aspect of human growth promotion in addition to a negative
      aspect of growth inhibition. In Study I, 20 preparatory items for both positive
      and negative anxiety were administered to 817 high school students with three
      other scales relevant to human growth: "purpose in life", identity dimension, and
      self-concept. Ten positive anxiety items and 15 negative items were selected,
      referring to pattern of factor loadings. These two anxiety scales were validated
      using three reference scales and responses of 12 neurotic clients as standards,
      and the mutual independence of two aspects was confirmed. In Study II, the
      characteristics of two aspects of anxiety in adolescence were examined, using the
      data of 817 high school students and 379 undergraduates. It was found that the
      level of positive anxiety increased through high school years, reaching a peak in
      freshman year, while the negative anxiety remained about the same level in the
      same period.

PMID- 1405053
TI  - [Effects of leader behavior on subordinate's upward influence tactics and
      relationship between subordinate and leader].
AB  - This study aimed at examining the upward influence tactics employed by
      subordinates toward their immediate superiors (the leader) in relation to the
      cohesiveness of a given group, leadership behavior on the part of the leader, and
      leadership behavior on the part of the group's top leader. The survey involved a
      sample of 120 nurses. Each nurse was asked to complete a questionnaire, which was
      prepared on the basis of an earlier preliminary study. The results of the group
      survey were as follows: (1) A nurse (the subordinate) generally gave play to the
      tactics of rationality and enthusiasm vis-a-vis a democratically inclined head
      nurse (the immediate superior); (2) coalition behavior was widely practiced in
      groups that were highly cohesive, while higher authority was employed vis-a-vis a
      democratically inclined top head nurse (the top leader); (3) the above-mentioned
      actions employing tactics of influence [(1) to (2)] had, in turn, an effect on
      the degree of response on the part of the head nurse (the leader) and on the ex
      post factor relationship between the two parties (nurse and head nurse).

PMID- 1405054
TI  - [Self-disclosure and loneliness].
AB  - This study examined the relationship between self-disclosure and loneliness. The
      self-disclosure questionnaire (ESDQ) and the loneliness scale (LSO, consists of
      two subscales, U-scale and E-scale) were administered to 114 female subjects
      (junior college students). Results show that self-disclosure scores were
      negatively related to the U-scale of loneliness (whether or not they believe in
      mutual sympathy among human beings), but not to the E-scale of loneliness
      (whether or not they are conscious of individuality of each individual). The
      results suggest that we have to specify the quality of loneliness in question,
      when we examine the relationship between self-disclosure and loneliness.

PMID- 1405055
TI  - [Saccadic eye movement guided by the visual form].
AB  - This report describes an experiment in which was measured the onset latency of
      the saccade to the peripheral target under three conditions of visual cues for
      the target location. In the central cue condition (the C-condition), the cue was
      an arrow presented in the central visual field. In the peripheral cue condition
      (the P-condition), the cue was the form in which the target was presented in the
      peripheral visual field. In the one-sided cue condition (the O-condition), the
      cue was the target itself. The saccade latency was measured by means of electro
      oculography. The results were; (1) the saccade latencies in the three conditions
      were significantly different from each other, (2) the latency was longest in the
      C-condition and shortest in the O-condition, (3) the difference in latency
      between the P and C-conditions was three times as large as that between O and P
      conditions, (4) the latency variance was significantly larger in the C-condition
      than in the other conditions, (5) the difference in the variances was not
      significant between the O and P-conditions. The results were interpreted in terms
      of (a) cognitive processing of visual form and (b) the characteristics of the
      saccade system.

PMID- 1405056
TI  - [Assessment of autonomic function by the spectral analysis of heart rate
      variability: an examination in a mirror drawing task].
AB  - The effect of an experimental task on autonomic function was investigated by
      spectral analysis of heart rate variability in 13 male college students. Power
      spectral density of heart rate variability has been said to contain two
      significant components: respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) as an index of cardiac
      vagal activity, and Mayer wave related sinus arrhythmia (MWSA) as an index of
      sympathetic activity with vagal modulation. Those two components were examined
      during a task of mirror drawing on the CRT. In order to eliminate the effect of
      respiratory rate on RSA, the respiratory rate was controlled at 15 breaths/min.
      Furthermore, the coefficient of variance of R-R interval (CV-RR) and the
      fluctuation of plethysmograph (PTG) were calculated simultaneously. Results
      indicated that, while RSA decreased significantly, MWSA did not change during the
      task. On the other hand, neither CV-RR nor PTG showed any significant differences
      during the task. These findings indicated that cardiac parasympathetic activity
      was diminished in the mirror drawing task. The significance of spectral analysis
      of heart rate variability were discussed.

PMID- 1405057
TI  - [Effect of interrun interval on serial pattern learning in rats].
AB  - The effect of interrun interval (IRI) on serial pattern learning was investigated
      in a runway. One of two serial sequences, a monotonic decreasing sequence (14-7-3
      1-0 food pellets) or a nonmonotonic sequence (14-1-3-7-0), was combined
      factorially with a short (30 s) or a long (30 min) IRI. Following 28 acquisition
      trials, a short (or long) IRI was transferred to the same sequence with a long
      (or short) IRI. It was found that anticipation of the O-pellet developed more
      rapidly in the group receiving a monotonic sequence with a 30 s IRI than that
      with a 30 min IRI in acquisition phase. The O-pellet was not anticipated by
      either of the two nonmonotonic groups. Anticipation was eliminated by the
      increase in IRI, whereas it was developed by the decrease in IRI in the monotonic
      sequence. These results suggest that time-related factors such as the decay of
      the memory of numbers of pellets are needed for Capaldi's memory discrimination
      theory.

PMID- 1405058
TI  - [An evaluation of the span and direction of spread of the concept "now" (Japanese
      ima): using both the dual scaling and factor analysis methods].
AB  - The purpose of this study was to obtain information about both the span and
      direction of spread of the concept "now" (Japanese ima) used in short sentences
      such as "I am--a student." 583 subjects were presented with 55 sentences, and
      were required first to rate on a 5-point scale the degree of spread of the
      concept used in each sentence, and then to express its span and direction in
      terms of seconds, minutes, ... years, decades, or centuries in both a past- and a
      future-orientation. The latter data were analysed using the Dual Scaling method
      which revealed three major solutions: "span", "direction", and "interrelation
      between the previous two". The former data were analysed using the Factor
      Analysis method which revealed six factors: "moment", "conversion",
      "limitlessness", "absorption", "limitation" and "hopelessness". Furthermore,
      second-order analyses were carried out using these six factors, revealing three
      further factors: "duration", "change" and "timelessness". It was concluded that
      these latter three factors were identical with the three solutions obtained by
      Dual Scaling.

PMID- 1405059
TI  - [Factors related to the maintenance of social interaction among withdrawn
      preschool children].
AB  - It is difficult for withdrawn children to enter a play and to maintain social
      interaction with other children. This investigation attempted to identify whether
      the difficulty was due to their incorrect perception of others' responses or due
      to the lack of their self-confidence. Forty-five 5- and 6-years old nursery
      school children enrolled in six day-care classrooms served as subjects. They were
      divided into high middle or low groups by the degree of withdrawal, and each
      child was asked to play with two other same-age peers. Analyses by the
      observation of video recordings and the interviewing of the children revealed
      that the low withdrawals could perceive other children's responses more correctly
      than any other group, whereas there was no difference among the three groups in
      self-confidence. Thus, it was interpreted that those highly withdrawal children
      cannot skillfully enter plays with other children because they were unable to
      perceive other children's responses correctly. After entering a play, they also
      remained solitary almost all the time. The highly withdrawn children tended to
      keep themselves alone, while the children in low and middle degrees of withdrawal
      seemed to attempt to join other children even after being rejected or neglected
      by other children.

PMID- 1405060
TI  - [Influence of affect on everyday memory: self-reference of retrieval cue].
AB  - There have been two views as to mood congruent recall: The one interprets it as
      an automatic process, while the other explains that it appears only when self
      referent information processing is running. In this study, one experiment was
      conducted in order to examine these two opposing views. By false feedback of task
      performance, positive or negative mood had been induced in each subject, who was
      given two "cue" words, and asked to retrieve everyday events. The result was that
      mood congruent recall occurred when the word "self" was presented as a cue; but
      no effect of mood with neutral cues. This result supports the hypothesis that
      mood congruent recall is found only when self-referent information is processed.
      However, such effect was not evident in positive mood condition. In positive mood
      condition, there remains a possibility that mood congruent recall may be an
      automatic process. The effects of mood on memory were discussed from various
      viewpoints.

PMID- 1405061
TI  - [The relationships between sympathetic and parasympathetic tones and
      cardiovascular responses during active coping].
AB  - The relationships between sympathetic and parasympathetic tones and a variety of
      cardiovascular measures were examined in 27 male college students subjected to an
      active coping, namely a reaction time task, for five minutes. The results
      demonstrated an enhanced sympathetic tone during the first one minute (P1),
      indicating the decreases of pre-ejection period (PEP), left ventricular ejection
      time, and electromechanical systole (QS2), and the increase of QT/QS2. The
      reactivities of QT/QS2 and PEP defined by mean changes in the P1 period differed
      in their relationship with cardiovascular responses in the last four minutes.
      Although the PEP reactivity was associated with the cardiac performance (stroke
      volume and PEP/LVET), the QT/QS2 reactivity was correlated with the mean blood
      pressure (MBP). The reactivities of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were
      defined by the residual difference obtained by subtracting values estimated by
      baseline RSAs from the mean value of changes during five minutes period. Subjects
      with high RSA reactivity (vagal withdrawal) showed higher heart rate and MBP than
      those with low RSA reactivity. The results are discussed with respect to the
      cardiac loading factors and hemodynamics.

PMID- 1405062
TI  - [Dyspnea and respiratory reflexes].
AB  - It has been suggested that afferents from intercostal muscles may play a role in
      the genesis of dyspnea. In this study, lower intercostal muscles were tapped or
      vibrated to induce a reflex, evoked potentials, and sensation. The tapping
      stimulus induced H reflex in the same muscle with a latency of 12 msec. Also the
      same stimulus induced evoked potentials in the cerebral cortex (N1: 19.8 +/- 1.2
      msec). This suggests projection of the intercostal muscle spindle afferents to
      the cerebral cortex. 100 Hz vibration induced a later component, presumably an
      event-related potential, at 250 msec after the onset of both the inspiratory and
      expiratory phase. Thus, it may be possible that intercostal muscle spindle
      afferents project to the cerebral cortex and play a role in respiratory
      sensation. It has been suggested that dyspnea is reduced by increasing
      inspiratory and expiratory intercostal muscle spindle afferents during the
      inspiratory and expiratory phases, respectively. Thus, stretching the inspiratory
      and expiratory intercostal muscles during the respective muscular contraction
      phase may be effective in reducing dyspnea.

PMID- 1405063
TI  - [Dyspnea sensation and chemical control of breathing].
AB  - In order to estimate the role of peripheral chemosensitivity in dyspnea
      sensation, we performed BH experiment under the acute or chronic hypoxic
      condition. The former was simulated by a given rate (0-3.2 mg/kg/hr) of doxapram
      infusion. The latter experiment was carried out during sojourn in Lhasa (3700 m),
      China. Subjects conducted BH by inhaling 7% CO2 in O2 and assessed dyspnea
      sensation by visual analog scale (VAS) while repeatedly measuring PCO2 at
      breaking point (BP). Lowering of resting PETCO2 by augmented ventilation was
      derived by doxapram infusion and during acclimatization at high altitude. The
      effect of PCO2 on VAS was enhanced by doxapram. However, altitude acclimatization
      resulted in attenuated effect of PCO2 on VAS despite of further development of
      hypocapnia. The rate of PCO2 elevation during doxapram infusion was reduced and
      it might be attributed to decreased body storage of CO2. On the other hand, its
      rate was tended to recover to sea level value after acclimatization at high
      altitude and it may have cancelled the mitigated dyspnea sensation. Thus, BHT
      almost comparable period in both acute hypoxia and during altitude
      acclimatization. These results suggest that CO2 storage in the body contributes
      to modify dyspnea sensation as well as augmented peripheral chemosensitivity.

PMID- 1405064
TI  - [Dyspnea and behavioral control].
AB  - Respiration is automatically regulated via chemo- and mechanoreceptors existing
      in and outside the lungs, but it is also controlled voluntarily by behavioral
      factors. Voluntary increase in ventilation accentuates dyspnea and the sensory
      intensity at a given ventilation does not differ from that of exercise-induced
      hyperventilation, but it is significantly smaller than that during hypercapnia or
      hypoxia. Voluntary constraint of ventilation augments dyspnea in proportion to
      the degree of constraint even under isocapnic hyperoxia, and the respiratory
      sensation during constrained breathing is qualitatively more discomfortable than
      that during hyperventilation. Changes in the level and pattern of breathing under
      constant levels of chemical stimuli increase respiratory sensations and the
      intensity of dyspnea is minimal near the spontaneous levels, which supports the
      hypothesis that breathing is behaviorally regulated in part to minimize dyspnea.
      The system of behavioral control of breathing appears to be involved in the
      maintenance of body homeostasis by modifying the respiratory output through
      respiratory sensations.

PMID- 1405065
TI  - [Dyspnea sensation during resistive loading].
AB  - To examine the relationship among the sensation of dyspnea, the respiratory
      muscle oxygen consumption (VO2 resp), minute ventilation and occlusion pressure,
      seven normal volunteers were studied during incremental dead space loading
      induced hyperventilation with and without inspiratory resistive load. Although
      the sensation of dyspnea and VO2 resp at the same level of minute ventilation
      increased with an increase in resistance, there appeared to be a unique
      relationship among the sensation of dyspnea, VO2 resp and occlusion pressure,
      which was not affected by inspiratory resistive loading from 0 to 20 cmH2O/l/sec.
      These results show that the ventilatory command signal is closely related to the
      dyspnea sensation. We also found that during incremental dead space loading the
      quality of the sensation changed relatively quickly at some point, where tidal
      volume was maximum with each resistive loading and the breathing pattern changed.
      In the other experiment, the functional residual capacity (FRC) decreased during
      inspiratory resistive and elastic loading. Because the decreased FRC was
      associated with the decrease in the dyspnea sensation, it was speculated that the
      subject decreased his FRC through a cortical response so that the sensation of
      dyspnea during loading decreased.

PMID- 1405066
TI  - [Relationship of respiratory muscle fatigue and respiratory effort sensation:
      mechanisms and treatment].
AB  - We investigated whether fatigue of the expiratory muscle may account for a change
      in the respiratory effort sensation in normal subjects. We also examined the
      effects of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) and a beta 2-agonist, fenoterol, on
      respiratory effort sensation during loaded breathing. Experiment 1: Expiratory
      threshold loading was performed until exhaustion or 30 min, to induce expiratory
      muscle fatigue. The respiratory effort sensation was scored using a modified Borg
      scale. The maximum static expiratory pressure during loading (PEmaxload)
      decreased with time, and the Borg score rose with time. The relationship between
      the sensory score and PEmaxload was virtually linear. Experiment 2: Twice daily,
      IMT was performed using a pressure threshold device for 15 min in each session.
      The inspiratory threshold was set to 30% of each subject's maximum inspiratory
      pressure (Plmax) and IMT was continued for 4 weeks. Respiratory sensation (Borg
      score) was evaluated during a progressive exercise test. IMT increased
      inspiratory muscle pressure by 30%. However, there was no change in Borg score
      during the exercise test. Experiment 3: Fenoterol (5 mg) was given 2 hours before
      the inspiratory threshold loading, and then threshold loaded breathing was
      continued until exhaustion or 60 min. Endurance time increased by 50% in
      fenoterol group compared to placebo group. The increase in Borg score with time
      was less in fenoterol group than in placebo group. The decrease in respiratory
      muscle strength after loading was comparable in both groups. We conclude that the
      increased respiratory effort sensation during expiratory threshold loading is
      closely related to expiratory muscle fatigue as indicated by the decrease in
      expiratory muscle force.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405067
TI  - [Relationship between anaerobic threshold and breathlessness during exercise].
AB  - We studied the possibility that during incremental exercise anaerobic threshold
      (AT) is associated with an increase in breathlessness in subjects with increased
      impedance or respiratory system. Six patients with chronic lung diseases (CLD)
      and six healthy subjects performed cycle ergometer exercise under two conditions;
      with free resistive loading and with 9 cmH2O/l/sec of inspiratory resistive
      loading (IRL). Ventilation, respiratory pattern, VO2, VCO2, were measured every
      15 sec by a metabolic cart, Minato Respiromonitor RM 300. AT was determined by V
      slope method. Mouth occlusion pressure (P0.1) was also measured in six subjects
      during exercise. The subjects selected a number of modified Borg scale (psi) to
      express their breathlessness during exercise by pushing a electrically
      potentiated remote button. Slopes of changes in psi with increasing work-load,
      delta psi/delta watt-slope, were calculated before and after V-slope AT, and each
      inflection point of VE, respiratory rate, VT/Ti, and VCO2. In order to evaluate
      which parameters are the most responsible for a change in psi, statistical
      significance (P-value) in changes of slope of each parameters were compared. The
      delta psi-slope increased with the highest significance after AT point. Under IRL
      the significance was more pronounced. There was a highly significant linear
      correlation between P0.1 and psi during exercise both under free resistive
      loading and IRL. In addition the increase of P0.1 with incremental exercise was
      characterized by a presence of inflection at a workload of V-slope AT in most of
      the subjects. From these results it was concluded that anaerobic threshold was
      closely associated with an increase of breathlessness during exercise via
      enhancing respiratory motor command.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405068
TI  - [Relation between dyspnea and personality in patients with pulmonary emphysema
      and healthy subjects].
AB  - To determine whether personality is related to dyspnea sensation, 19 healthy
      males and 17 male patients with pulmonary emphysema were tested for modified
      visual analog scale (VAS) during hypoxic and hypercapnic interventions.
      Personality was tested by both Yatabe-Guillford test and manifest anxiety scale.
      VAS score correlated positively with anxiety score during hypercapnia and
      inspiratory resistive loading under hypercapnia in healthy subjects. In patients,
      anxiety score correlated positively with VAS scores during hypoxia, hypercapnia,
      and resistive loading under hypercapnia. Scores for nervousness and cyclic
      tendency correlated with VAS scores during hypoxia and hypercapnia in patients.
      These results indicate close relation between anxiety and dyspnea in healthy as
      well as emphysematous subjects. In emphysema, nervousness and cyclic tendency are
      the additional determinants for dyspnea.

PMID- 1405069
TI  - [Dyspnea and rib cage distortion in postural changes].
AB  - We studied the topographical ventilatory motion and electrical muscle activity
      (EMG) of intercostal muscle within the rib cage for the patients complaining
      dyspnea produced mostly by their postural changes. There were inappropriateness
      between the rib cage motion and EMG and this inappropriateness was closely
      related to a sensation of dyspnea. We could relieve partly dyspnea by applying
      the negative pressure ventilator, because of prevention of a distortion of rib
      cage. Based on these clinical observation, we concluded that one of mechanism to
      sense dyspnea was the inappropriateness between motion and electrical muscle
      activity within the rib cage.

PMID- 1405070
TI  - [A study of chest X-ray classification of farmer's lung--correlation between X
      ray pattern and background factors].
AB  - Patients with farmer's lung were classified into five groups according to their
      chest X-ray pattern, and the background of each group was studied with respect to
      stage, severity, and prognosis. Type I group, which has fine nodular shadows on
      chest X-ray, showed a significantly high percentage of lymphocytes in BAL cells
      (p less than 0.01). Type V group, which has irregular patchy shadows on chest X
      ray, showed increased peripheral WBC counts, increased CRP score, and decreased
      PaO2 compared to the other groups. Type II, III, and IV groups, which are
      characterized by combined X-ray patterns such as nodular shadows, ring-like
      shadows, and irregular pulmonary markings, had no specific background features
      according to our study. Our results suggest that type I and type V groups are
      likely to represent acute phase and severe phase, respectively. We could not
      identify any significant factors indicative of chronic disease in terms of
      restrictive and diffusion impairment of pulmonary function tests and pathologic
      findings obtained by TBLB. The chest X-ray classification we proposed is useful
      for the diagnosis of the acute and severe stages of farmer's lung.

PMID- 1405071
TI  - [Relationship between clinical symptoms and nocturnal oxygen desaturation in
      sleep apnea syndrome and chronic lung disease].
AB  - Nocturnal oxygen desaturation (NOD) is commonly seen not only in sleep apnea
      syndrome (SAS) but also in chronic lung disease (CLD) including chronic
      obstructive lung disease even without sleep apnea. However, the relationship of
      NOD to clinical symptoms such as morning headache, sleep deprivation due to
      breathlessness, and daytime sleepiness is not known. In this study, we examined
      by polysomnography the relationship between several NOD indexes, parameters of
      apnea, and subjective symptoms in 25 patients with SAS and 22 patients with CLD.
      In addition, the relation between daytime arterial blood gas data and NOD
      indexes, parameters of apnea, was examined. In the SAS group, there were no
      differences in any parameters of NOD and apnea between patients with subjective
      symptoms and those without symptoms. However, in the CLD group, symptomatic
      patients had significantly lower lowest SaO2, higher mean SaO2, and longer total
      desaturation time. In both groups, daytime PaCO2 had a significant correlation
      with several NOD parameters such as mean SaO2, lowest SaO2, and total
      desaturation time. In the SAS group, daytime PaCO2 was also correlated with the
      parameters of apnea. On the other hand, daytime PaO2 was significantly correlated
      with mean SaO2 only in the CLD group. From these data, we conclude that in
      patients with SAS, daytime PaCO2 is a variable that is related to the degree of
      NOD, and that in patients with CLD, subjective symptoms and daytime PaO2 in
      addition to daytime PaCO2 are associated with NOD.

PMID- 1405072
TI  - [Probucol inhibits tobacco smoke-induced decrease in plasma anti-elastase
      activity and ferroxidase activity in rats].
AB  - Elastolytic enzymes and active oxygen species derived from leukocytes and
      alveolar macrophages during exposure to tobacco smoke, together with active
      oxygen species directly derived from tobacco smoke, are thought to play a crucial
      role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary emphysema by inactivating alpha 1 protease
      inhibitor (alpha 1 PI), a novel anti-elastase. We studied the inhibitory effect
      of probucol, an oral hypocholesterolemic agent, on tobacco smoke-induced decrease
      in plasma anti-elastase activity (EIA) and ferroxidase activity (FA) in conscious
      venous catheter instrumented rats. Rats exposed to the smoke of 5 cigarettes
      (nicotine 11 mg, tar 115 mg) in a plastic chamber showed a prompt increase in
      plasma COHb to 17.9 +/- 2.7%, and a prompt decrease in plasma EIA by -17.9% (p
      less than 0.05) and FA by -14.8% (p less than 0.01), which lasted for 6 hours
      after exposure. Rats administered probucol (1% probucol in food) for 3 days
      showed normal cholesterol plasma levels, and rats administered probucol for 4
      weeks showed hypocholesterolemic plasma levels. EIA and FA were not depressed
      after smoking, and lipid peroxide product (TBA reactive substance) in lung tissue
      (p less than 0.05) and serum (p less than 0.1) showed a smaller increase in
      association with a smaller decrease in the ratio of lung tissue GSH/GSSG (p less
      than 0.01) compared with control rats. These results indicate that probucol, via
      its antioxidant action rather than its cholesterol lowering effect, has a
      protective effect on lung exposed to tobacco smoke in terms of protease
      antiprotease balance and oxidant-antioxidant balance.

PMID- 1405073
TI  - [Manipulation, premedication, and chemoprophylaxis for fiberoptic bronchoscopy].
AB  - Manipulation, premedication, and chemoprophylaxis for fiberoptic bronchoscopy
      vary among institutions. We analyzed the actual conditions by means of a
      questionnaire distributed to 29 institutions. With regard to premedication, a
      combination of atropine sulfate and sedatives, such as hydroxyzine hydrochloride,
      was the most common method. In cases with heart disease and elderly subjects, a
      lower dosage or omission of atropine was common. In cases with marked anxiety,
      narcotics were prescribed. Bronchofiberscopic examination was performed under
      local anesthesia at all institutions. Lidocaine 4% was used for anesthesia of the
      orolarynx, and 2% was used for the tracheobronchus. For prophylaxis of infection,
      19 of 29 institutions prescribed antibiotics routinely or under certain
      circumstances. ECG was used in 14 institutions, and percutaneous oxygen
      monitoring in 5 institutions. It is concluded that the manipulation and
      premedication for fiberoptic bronchoscopy vary between institutions. It is
      necessary to determine more efficacious and safer methods for fiberoptic
      bronchoscopy.

PMID- 1405074
TI  - [Malignancies in patients with sarcoidosis].
AB  - We evaluated the occurrence and type of malignant tumors in 148 patients with
      sarcoidosis followed at the Okayama University Hospital. Nine patients had
      malignancies; in 2 of 9 patients the development of malignancy preceded that of
      sarcoidosis, and one patient presented with sarcoidosis and malignancy at the
      same time. Six patients developed six types of malignancy following the
      development sarcoidosis; one case each of stomach cancer, lung cancer, breast
      cancer, thyroid cancer, testicular tumor, laryngeal cancer, and chronic
      lymphocytic leukemia. There was no significant difference between sexes (3 males
      and 3 females). The mean age of the cancer group at the onset of sarcoidosis was
      56 years, which was significantly higher (p less than 0.05) than that of the
      control group. In these 6 patients, the mean interval from onset of sarcoidosis
      to detection of cancer was 11.7 years (range 1.5 to 30.2 years). The relative
      risk of malignancy was calculated based on the data for 148 patients with
      sarcoidosis with a total of 1371 person-years. The expected incidences of cancer
      for all sites and specific sites were estimated by applying age- and sex-adjusted
      person-years. The observed incidence of cancer was significantly (p less than
      0.05) greater than the expected incidence for thyroid cancer, laryngeal cancer,
      and leukemia. No significant difference in incidence was found for all sites or
      for the other sites of cancer. The increased cancer incidence in sarcoidosis may
      be secondary to immunological abnormalities associated with this disease.

PMID- 1405075
TI  - [Long-term effects and complications of home nasal CPAP therapy for obstructive
      sleep apnea patients].
AB  - We treated 23 patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) by nasal
      continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) at home, and examined the long-term
      compliance, clinical effects, and complications after NCPAP therapy. Nineteen
      patients continued and four patients discontinued the therapy during the mean
      observation period of 15 months, and the compliance was 83%. There was no
      significant difference in age, weight, and sleep data between the compliant group
      (C) and non-compliant group (NC). The causes of discontinuation of therapy were
      lack of adaptation to the apparatus (2 cases), improvement of clinical symptoms
      due to weight reduction (1 case), and induction of asthma attack (1 case).
      Disappearance of excessive daytime sleepiness, improvement of sleep quality, and
      disappearance of nocturia were observed in most cases, and disappearance of
      morning headache and improvement of sexual ability and emotional instability were
      also observed in several cases. Nine cases (39%) complained of discomfort due to
      the nasal mask and 6 cases (26%) complained of dryness of the mouth and nose,
      whereas 10 cases (43%) experienced no adverse effects. No serious complications
      were observed. These findings suggest that long-term home NCPAP is an effective
      and safe treatment for OSAS patients.

PMID- 1405076
TI  - [Endoscopic endobronchial metastasis].
AB  - Although the incidence of endobronchial metastasis in cases of extrathoracic
      tumors is 2 to 5 percent in autopsy reports, it is about 30 percent according to
      endoscopic examination (so-called endoscopic endobronchial metastasis). To
      confirm the nature of endoscopic endobronchial metastasis, we reviewed the
      records from 1980 to 1990, presuming the primary foci of metastasis. Of the 36
      patients with metastatic pulmonary tumor, 6 (16.7%) were diagnosed as having
      endobronchial metastasis endoscopically. The primary tumors were colonic cancer
      (2), prostatic cancer (2), cancer of the tongue (1), and renal cell carcinoma
      (1). The chest X-ray findings were nodular shadow (3), atelectasis (2), and hilar
      lymphadenopathy with atelectasis (1). Three patients were treated by lobectomy
      and the others by systemic therapy alone. The presumed primary foci of metastasis
      were peripheral lung (3), mediastinal lymph node (1), and undetermined (2). The
      results of the present study suggest that so-called endoscopic endobronchial
      metastasis does not necessarily imply metastasis to the bronchial wall.

PMID- 1405077
TI  - [Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid findings in rheumatoid arthritis].
AB  - Findings of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were compared among three groups
      of patients: rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with or without interstitial lung disease
      (ILD), and collagen disease other than RA accompanied by ILD. Regardless of the
      presence or absence of associated ILD, the RA groups showed higher numbers of
      neutrophils in BALF with a mean number about 10 times that of the collagen
      disease group. In contrast, the percentages of lymphocytes in the RA groups were
      lower than that in the collagen disease group. Classification of alveolitis on
      the basis of BALF findings revealed neutrophil type (N) in 55% of the RA patients
      and lymphocyte type (L) in 25%. In the collagen disease group, N was found in
      15.4%, and L in 38.5%. Regarding the lymphocyte subsets, many patients with RA
      accompanied by ILD had a CD 4/8 ratio of 1 or great. These findings suggest that
      highly characteristic neutrophil alveolitis is present in the pulmonary
      interstitium from the initial stage of RA.

PMID- 1405078
TI  - [Percent home stay, an index for the clinical evaluation of home oxygen therapy].
AB  - To evaluate the usefulness of % home stay as an index for evaluation of the
      clinical effects of long term home oxygen therapy (HOT), we retrospectively
      examined 70 consecutive cases with chronic respiratory failure treated by HOT in
      the Ogaki area. The clinical data, underlying diseases, and survival rate of the
      cases were similar to recent official statistics in Japan; thus, we considered
      these cases to be a representative population. For evaluation, we tentatively
      used a % home stay of 70% as the standard level, which was determined by the 25th
      percentile line. To examine the usefulness of this standard, we classified the
      study population into 2 groups (the group with % home stay of greater than 70%
      (Group A, n = 54), and the group with % home stay of less than 70% (Group B, n =
      16)), and compared the outcomes, survival rates, life situations, and background
      factors between these groups. As a result, there were significant differences in
      outcome (at home 34%, hospitalized 11%, and dead 22% in group A, and 6%, 44%, and
      50%, respectively in group B, p less than 0.05), survival rate (p less than 0.05
      by logrank test), and life situation between these groups. Thus, a % home stay of
      70% is thought to be a useful standard for clinical evaluation, because it
      reflects both the prognosis and quality of life of patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405079
TI  - [A study of epithelioid cell granulomas in transbronchial lung biopsy specimens
      of sarcoidosis patients--correlation between granulomas and clinical activity or
      chest X-ray lesions].
AB  - The 565 pulmonary tissue specimens taken from 155 sarcoidosis patients by
      transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) were studied by light microscopy. Particular
      attention was paid to the mean number and type of epithelioid cell granulomas,
      the mean number of giant cells, and the degree of lymphocyte cuffing,
      perigranulomal fibrosis, and granuloma confluence. The granulomas were divided
      into three types, hypertrophic, atrophic, and hyalinofibrous. In stage II and III
      patients, the mean number of granulomas and giant cells, the positive rate of
      hyalinofibrous granuloma, the relative proportion of the hyalinofibrous granuloma
      group, and the degree of fibrosis and confluence were significantly higher than
      those in stage O and I patients. The mean number of granulomas was related to the
      serum level of angiotensin converting enzyme and 67Ga uptake into lung
      parenchyma, but not to the cellular findings of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid
      (BALF). The lymphocyte count of BALF in the hypertrophic granuloma group was
      significantly higher than that in the atrophic and hyalinofibrous granuloma
      groups. CD4/CD8 ratio of lymphocytes in BALF was significantly lower in the
      hyalinofibrous granuloma group than in the other groups. In stage I patients, the
      resolution of intrathoracic lesions on chest X-ray was significantly more
      frequent in the atrophic granuloma group than in the hypertrophic granuloma
      group, 2 and 5 years after TBLB was performed. The pulmonary lesions had a
      tendency to persist for a long time in stage II and III patients with
      hyalinofibrous granuloma or granuloma confluence. Newly appearing pulmonary
      lesions showed hypertrophic granulomas as well as marked lymphocyte cuffing.

PMID- 1405080
TI  - [A case of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome with increased lung water content
      during sleep].
AB  - A 57-year-old man was admitted complaining of sleep disturbance. All night
      polysomnography showed a pattern of obstructive sleep apnea. We performed 201Tl
      scintigraphy to evaluate hemodynamic change and degree of stress on the right
      ventricle during sleep, and compared it with a 201Tl scintigram during
      wakefulness. We recognized 201Tl uptake by the lung in the 201Tl scintigram
      during sleep, but not during wakefulness. To determine the mechanism of 201Tl
      uptake by the lung during sleep, we measured lung water content during sleep by
      double indicator dilution method (Nihon Koden, NTV-1100). We recognized an
      increase of lung water content during sleep. We consider that the increase of
      lung water content during sleep is caused by sleep apnea, probably by hemodynamic
      change due to negative pleural pressure swings during sleep apnea.

PMID- 1405081
TI  - [A case of flomoxef-induced pneumonitis].
AB  - We report a case of flomoxef-induced pneumonitis. A 22-year-old man was treated
      with flomoxef following liver biopsy. A few days later he developed a high fever
      and severe dyspnea, and his chest X-ray film revealed diffuse reticulo-nodular
      shadows in both lung fields. We suspected interstitial pneumonitis due to
      flomoxef, and pulse therapy with methylprednisolone was started. He showed rapid
      recovery of symptoms and marked regression of pulmonary infiltration in his chest
      X-ray. Lymphocyte stimulation test was positive to flomoxef, which was compatible
      with the diagnosis of drug-induced pneumonitis. To our knowledge, there has been
      no previous case of pulmonary hypersensitivity to flomoxef reported in Japan.

PMID- 1405082
TI  - [An autopsy case of sarcoidosis associated with renal failure].
AB  - A 62-year-old woman presented with uveitis and abnormal chest X-ray (bilateral
      hilar adenopathy). Skin biopsy in 1983 had revealed non-caseating epithelioid
      cell granuloma consistent with sarcoidosis. Her serum biochemical investigations
      and exploratory laparoscopy suggested nodular liver cirrhosis, but biopsy was not
      performed. Both blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine values were within
      normal limits. She received prednisolone therapy of 15 mg daily initially, and
      later a maintenance dose of 5 mg daily. In 1985, she complained of skin itching
      and her laboratory data revealed severe renal insufficiency (BUN 97 mg/dl, serum
      creatinine 12.2 mg/dl) and hypercalcemia (corrected serum calcium level: 11.5
      mg/dl). Prednisolone treatment (40 mg daily) resulted in a dramatic improvement
      of renal function as well as other clinical abnormalities due to sarcoidosis,
      without any significant changes in liver function. She died of cerebral
      infarction in 1989. Autopsy showed interstitial nephritis with tubular calcinosis
      and hyalinized glomeruli. It is postulated that hypercalcemia due to sarcoidosis
      contributed to the renal failure in this patient. This case suggests that renal
      damage due to sarcoidosis may be reversible with appropriate corticosteroid
      therapy.

PMID- 1405083
TI  - [A case of aspirin-induced asthma due to ketoprofen adhesive agent].
AB  - A 40-year-old woman who had been diagnosed as having aspirin-induced asthma was
      admitted with stridor. She had a history of surgery for sinusitis and nasal
      polyps, and severe asthmatic attack requiring mechanical ventilation after
      administration of puranoprofen (Niflan). On the second day of hospitalization,
      she used a ketoprofen adhesive agent (Miltax, 30 mg) for a stiff shoulder.
      Stridor developed five hours later, progressing to a severe asthmatic attack with
      loss of consciousness, requiring mechanical ventilation. The serum level of
      ketoprofen was very high (81.7 ng/ml); therefore, provocation challenge test was
      performed to confirm the possible relationship between the ketoprofen adhesive
      agent and asthmatic attack. After closed patching of the agent (15 mg) on her
      lower leg, stridor developed, and FEV1.0 and PFR decreased, in association with
      an increase of the serum level of ketoprofen to a maximum of 38.0 ng/ml. These
      results show that the topical application of a ketoprofen adhesive agent induced
      the asthmatic attack by transdermal absorption in this patient.

PMID- 1405084
TI  - [A case of foreign body granuloma due to aspiration of a twig of Cryptomeria].
AB  - A 65-year-old man was admitted to Oita Medical School Hospital with complaints of
      hemoptysis and left anterior chest pain. Chest X-ray film showed a nodular
      shadow, about 1 cm in diameter, in the left S8 area. A specimen obtained by
      transbronchial biopsy showed no malignant findings. However, left lower lobectomy
      was performed because of the possibility of malignancy. The resected specimen
      contained a twig of cryptomeria within dark-red lung tissue. Histologically, the
      foreign body granuloma was surrounding a vegetable fiber. We had no information
      of an episode of pruning a cryptomeria and aspiration of a twig before the
      operation. Cryptomeria is an extremely rare bronchopulmonary foreign body, and
      the present case suggests that bronchopulmonary foreign body granuloma is an
      important disease in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary nodules.

PMID- 1405085
TI  - [A case of pulmonary infiltration with eosinophilia (PIE) syndrome induced by
      Saiboku-To (TJ96). Detection of ECF activity in lymphocytes stimulated with
      TJ96].
AB  - A case of PIE syndrome induced by Saiboku-To (TJ96) is reported. A 56-year-old
      woman had been treated for intractable bronchial asthma since the age of 42
      years. She had a history of PIE syndrome induced by disodium cromoglycate 4 years
      previously (Jpn. J. Thoracic Disease, 27.1.1989). To reduce the dose of
      prednisolone for her asthma, administration of TJ96 was started in Dec. 1989.
      After 5 months of TJ96 treatment, she developed dry cough, fever, and chest pain.
      Physical findings and laboratory examinations revealed pulmonary infiltrations in
      the right lung field and severe eosinophilia. Because of suspected drug-induced
      PIE, TJ96 was stopped and 30 mg/day prednisolone was administered. Her symptoms
      and laboratory abnormalities subsequently resolved. To confirm the diagnosis of
      drug-induced PIE syndrome, drug-induced lymphocyte stimulation tests with TJ96
      and other drugs were performed. TJ96 significantly induced lymphocyte
      blastogenesis with a stimulation index of 6.1. Moreover, the supernatant of the
      incubation mixture of TJ96 and peripheral lymphocytes from the patient showed
      marked eosinophil chemotactic activity. To our knowledge, there has been no
      previous report of PIE syndrome induced by TJ96. In addition, this is the first
      report of the detection of ECF activity in lymphocytes induced by an offending
      drug in vitro.

PMID- 1405086
TI  - [Three cases of surgical treatment of dumbbell neurogenic tumor of the
      mediastinum--evaluation of intraspinal extension in cases without clinical
      symptoms].
AB  - Three cases of dumbbell neurogenic tumor of the posterior mediastinum are
      reported. None of these cases had any clinical symptoms, and an abnormal mass
      shadow of the mediastinum had been detected on routine chest roentgenogram. In
      these three cases, however, myelogram and/or CT findings were suggestive of tumor
      extension to the spinal canal in various degrees. Two tumors were resected in two
      stage operations with combined thoracic and neurosurgical approaches, and the
      other case was treated by one-stage operation with the combined two approaches.
      All tumors were completely resectable without serious complications such as
      hemorrhage, leakage of spinal fluid, or neurologic deficit. Even in asymptomatic
      patients with neurogenic tumor located in the paravertebral region, it should be
      determined whether or not the tumor extends to the spinal canal through the
      intervertebral foramen, prior to planning the surgical procedure.

PMID- 1405087
TI  - [A case of endobronchial fibroma associated with recurrent pneumonia].
AB  - We present a case of endobronchial fibroma in a 59-year-old man admitted for
      repeated pneumonia, successfully treated by endoscopic Nd-YAG laser. His chest X
      ray showed an infiltrative shadow in the right lower lung field and a mass shadow
      within the truncus intermedius. Bronchoscopy revealed a polypoid mass with
      lobulated whitish surface, obstructing 90% of the lumen. A biopsy taken from the
      tumor was suggestive of fibroma histologically. Two previous case reports stated
      that endobronchial fibroma readily detaches from the bronchial wall during
      removal. The tumor was successfully removed without dropping any tumor fragment
      to obstruct the distal bronchus by means of biopsy forceps manually attached to
      an endoscope with endoscopic Nd-YAG laser. The resected tumor was mainly composed
      of collagen fibers with scanty spindle-shaped fibroblastic cells, which was
      considered consistent with endobronchial fibroma. Endobronchial fibroma is a rare
      benign lung tumor, and only seven cases have been reported in the Japanese
      literature. There was no recurrence at three years and nine months.

PMID- 1405088
TI  - [A case of systemic arterial supply to normal lung without sequestrated lung].
AB  - A 19-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of bloody sputum. His
      chest radiograph showed funicular shadows adjacent to the descending aorta in the
      left lower lobe and absence of vascular structures in the lower portion of the
      left hilum. His chest CT showed increased vascularity and slightly increased
      parenchymal density in the left basal segments. No cystic lesions were observed
      on CT. Angiographic examinations revealed that the left basal segments were
      supplied by an aberrant artery arising from the thoracic aorta, instead of the
      pulmonary artery. Left lower lobectomy was performed. Gross findings at surgery
      and histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of systemic arterial supply
      to normal lung without sequestrated lung. The main histological findings of the
      specimen were hemorrhage in alveolar spaces and dilatation of vessels. These
      findings seemed to correspond to the CT findings. We consider that CT is useful
      for the diagnosis of this disease.

PMID- 1405089
TI  - [A case of sarcoidosis presenting with Heerfordt's syndrome, associated with
      hepatosplenomegaly, pleural effusion, and ascites].
AB  - A 30-year-old female developed symptoms consistent with Heerfordt's syndrome
      (complete type) and was effectively treated with steroid. However, she developed
      hepatosplenomegaly, bloody pleural effusion, and ascites one year after
      discontinuation of steroid therapy. The symptoms were considered to be due to
      sarcoidosis since serum ACE level, and ACE level and OKT4/8 ratio in pleural and
      peritoneal effusions were significantly elevated, and readministration of steroid
      normalized these changes. Bloody pleural and peritoneal effusions are very rare
      complications of sarcoidosis.

PMID- 1405090
TI  - [A case of systemic lupus erythematosus associated with Sjogren's syndrome
      diagnosed by lung localization].
AB  - A 30-year-old female, diagnosed as having SLE and followed at our hospital while
      receiving oral prednisolone (5 mg/day) for about 6 months, was admitted because
      of fever and productive cough. Chest X-ray and CT scan showed a tumor-like
      homogeneous shadow in the right middle lobe. Antibiotic treatment was not
      effective. Specimens obtained by TBLB revealed massive infiltration of mature
      plasma cells and lymphocytes into the alveolar septa and interstitial tissues.
      These findings were considered compatible with lymphoid interstitial pneumonia.
      Associated conditions such as Sjogren's syndrome were suggested, but the
      diagnostic criteria of Sjogren's syndrome were not satisfied. Both the abnormal
      shadow on chest X-ray and the clinical symptoms markedly improved by increasing
      the dose of prednisolone (20 mg/day). After 3 months, however, bilateral BAL
      findings showed alveolar lymphocytosis, providing evidence that subclinical
      diffuse pulmonary involvement had continued. This case indicates that
      radiological appearance may vary depending on the extent of lung involvement,
      even if the histological features are identical. It is concluded that the present
      diagnostic criteria of Sjogren's syndrome must be reconsidered so as not to
      overlook subclinical and asymptomatic cases of Sjogren's syndrome.

PMID- 1405091
TI  - [A case of bucillamine-induced pneumonitis].
AB  - A 65-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis was treated with gold (gold sodium
      thiomalate), bucillamine, and other drugs. Gold was discontinued because of rash.
      Consequently she presented with high fever and alopecia, and was admitted with
      dyspnea. Chest X-ray showed diffuse bilateral reticulolinear infiltrates. The
      percentage of lymphocytes was increased and OKT4/8 ratio was decreased to 0.22 in
      bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). In lung tissue specimens obtained by TBLB,
      alveolitis with Masson's bodies was seen on light microscopy, and electron
      micrography showed interstitial edema with desquamated macrophages in the
      alveolar space and lipid-laden pericytes, secondary to extensive destruction of
      the alveolar-capillary barrier. After discontinuation of drugs, her symptoms and
      infiltrates on the chest X-ray resolved. Furthermore, the results of drug
      lymphocyte stimulation test (DLST) were positive for both drugs. We diagnosed
      this case as bucillamine-induced pneumonitis, since the symptoms developed after
      the administration of bucillamine; however, an interaction between bucillamine
      and gold may have contributed to the occurrence.

PMID- 1405092
TI  - [A case of chronic interstitial pneumonia with benign monoclonal gammopathy (IgM
      k) and thrombocytopenia].
AB  - A 53-year-old woman was admitted on 13th October 1988 with symptoms of dry cough
      and shortness of breath persisting for 1 year. On physical examination, fine
      crackles were audible over her back. Chest X-ray showed bilateral reticulonodular
      shadows and collapse of the bilateral lower lobes. Chest CT showed patchy areas
      of increased density distributed predominantly in the subpleural zone. Laboratory
      data on admission showed thrombocytopenia, hypergammopathy (IgG, 2044 mg/dl; IgA,
      286 mg/dl; IgM, 1645 mg/dl), and positive ANF. Further examinations demonstrated
      that anti-platelet and anti-centromere antibodies were positive in the serum, and
      the titer of PA-IgG was high (56 ng/10(7) platelets). Histopathological
      examination of the open lung biopsy demonstrated honeycombing and thickening of
      the alveolar walls, with slight infiltration of chronic inflammatory cells. These
      histopathological findings were comparable with usual interstitial pneumonia. We
      report a very rare case of chronic interstitial pneumonia complicated by benign
      monoclonal gammopathy and thrombocytopenia. Although it remains unclear, these
      abnormalities may have been caused by immunological mechanisms.

PMID- 1405094
TI  - [A case of sarcoidosis with primary acute pulmonary cavitation].
AB  - A 23-year-old man was admitted to our hospital on June 24, 1991, because of
      worsening chest X-ray findings of sarcoidosis. In August 1990, he was referred to
      our outpatient office, because of BHL and nodular lesions on chest X-ray film
      performed at his company 4 months earlier. At that time, serum ACE was elevated
      to 34.0 IU/l, and Ga scintigraphy showed abnormal uptake in bilateral lacrimal
      and salivary glands, mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes, and in the lung fields.
      TBLB specimen showed noncaseating epithelioid granuloma with giant cells and
      negative stains for acid-fast bacilli. Although it was planned to follow this
      patient without medication, he did not return to our outpatient department. In
      June 1991, because of worsening of lesions in the lung at annual checkup at his
      company, he was referred and admitted for steroid therapy. Chest X-ray film on
      admission showed BHL, multiple nodular lesions in both lung fields, and bullous
      change in the left upper lobe. Chest CT on admission showed three cavitating
      lesions within preexisting nodules. PPD skin test was negative, and sputum smears
      and cultures were repeatedly negative for pyogenic bacteria and acid-fast
      bacilli. Therapy was initiated with prednisolone 30 mg daily. Four months later,
      there was marked resolution of BHL and nodular lesions, and the cavitating
      lesions were no longer visible on chest X-ray film. From the clinical and
      radiological observations, it is concluded that the cavitating lesions in the
      present case were primary acute pulmonary cavitation in sarcoidosis, distinct
      from infection, bullae, or cystic bronchiectasis which are seen in the chronic
      and fibrotic stages of sarcoidosis.

PMID- 1405093
TI  - [A case of pulmonary sarcoidosis with B lymphocytosis in peripheral blood].
AB  - A 24-year-old man was admitted on October 14, 1988, with bilateral cotton-like
      shadows on chest X-ray film. Chest CT demonstrated multiple nodular shadows in
      bilateral lung fields. Laboratory data on admission showed peripheral blood
      lymphocytosis and slight decrease of serum IgG and IgA. ACE was within normal
      limits, and BALF findings showed no increase of lymphocytes. Surface marker
      analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes showed an increase of B lymphocytes of
      antibody independent stage (B1, B4, J5, OKB7, sIgM, and sIgD positive cells were
      increased). Southern blot analysis of peripheral blood showed no rearrangement of
      immunoglobulin chains (H chain and L chain). In order to differentiate
      sarcoidosis from lymphoproliferative disorder, open lung biopsy was performed.
      Pathologic study revealed multiple epithelial granulomas without caseation.
      Immunohistochemical study demonstrated no accumulation of B cells of the lung.
      This patient was pathologically diagnosed as having pulmonary sarcoidosis. The
      abnormal chest shadows gradually improved without therapy; however, B cell
      lymphocytosis and slight decrease of serum IgG and IgA persisted. In general,
      lymphocytopenia of peripheral blood is usual in sarcoidosis. We report a rare
      case of pulmonary sarcoidosis with polyclonal B lymphocytosis of antibody
      independent stage in peripheral blood.

PMID- 1405095
TI  - [Effects of inhaled and intravenous furosemide on bronchial hyperresponsiveness
      in patients with chronic congestive heart failure].
AB  - We studied the effects of inhaled and intravenous furosemide (40 mg) on bronchial
      responsiveness to acetylcholine (ACh) in patients with chronic congestive heart
      failure. The measurement of bronchial responsiveness was performed by inhaling
      doses of ACh and calculating the provocative concentration of ACh needed to cause
      a 20% fall in FEV1.0 (PC20-ACh). Intravenous furosemide (N = 11) had a marked
      diuretic effect (urine output 1014 ml (SEM 156) in 2 hours), but had no effect on
      resting pulmonary function and PC20-ACh. In contrast, inhaled furosemide (N = 10)
      had no effect on urine output and resting pulmonary function, but caused
      significant increase in PC20-ACh from 2.74 (GSEM 1.28) to 8.47 (GSEM 1.22) mg/ml
      (p less than 0.05). We conclude that inhaled furosemide, but not intravenous
      furosemide reduces bronchial hyperresponsiveness to ACh in patients with chronic
      congestive heart failure. The mechanism of this effect appears to be related to
      the ion transport system of airway epithelium.

PMID- 1405096
TI  - [Clinical use of the measurement of functional residual capacity during non
      panting breathing--study on healthy subjects and respiratory patients].
AB  - The functional residual capacity (FRC) has been measured by gas dilution
      technique (GA) and body plethysmographic technique (BP) using the panting
      maneuver (PA). However, this maneuver is difficult to perform for patients who
      experience discomfort in breathing, and in cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary
      diseases, the FRC value measured by panting maneuver overestimates the true FRC
      value. Thus, in order to minimize these factors, we measured FRC during non
      panting breathing (NP) using a BP device (BX-82, Minato Co., Osaka) and compared
      the results with the usual two methods. One hundred healthy subjects (Group I),
      72 patients with restrictive ventilatory disorder (Group II, %VC = 62.7%) and 66
      patients with pulmonary emphysema (Group III, FEV1.0% = 44.9%) were studied. All
      measurements were performed under 0.5 Hz respiratory frequency. The non-panting
      FRC measurement was performed by closing the mouth shutter of the BP for about
      500 msec at the end of both the expiratory and inspiratory phase. From the box
      volume change and mouth pressure change, lisajous curves were formed and fitted
      by linear regression method. From this regression line, the volume of FRC was
      calculated. The obtained data had no significant differences among them, and
      there was a significant relationship between each technique. The correlation
      coefficient of non-panting breathing technique in Group III was slightly poor
      compared with the other techniques, and we therefore tried to re-classify Group
      III into small groups according to the severity of obstruction. It was
      subsequently found that this technique did not have the tendency to give a higher
      FRC value with increase in obstructive disorder.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405097
TI  - [Effect of hypoxia on the sensation of dyspnea during hypercapnic ventilatory
      response in normal subjects].
AB  - We examined, in 32 normal adults, the effect of hypoxia on the sensation of
      dyspnea during hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR). The tests were conducted
      under two different levels of inspiratory O2 content, either hyperoxia (PETO2
      greater than 150 Torr) or hypoxia (PETO2 50-55 Torr), with simultaneous
      assessment of dyspnea sensation by visual analogue scaling (VAS). The sensation
      was evaluated either in relation to VE standardized by predicted MVV (the slope
      of VAS-VE regression line or VAS at VE 40%) or in relation to PETCO2 (the slope
      of VAS-PETCO2 line or VAS at PETCO2 55 Torr). Concomitant hypoxia significantly
      enhanced both the mean value of delta VE/delta PETCO2 and that of delta
      P0.1/delta PETCO2. The sensation of dyspnea did not differ between the two
      conditions when it was evaluated in relation to ventilation, whereas it was
      markedly greater during hypoxic HCVR when it was evaluated in relation to PETCO2.
      The hypoxic augmentation of the sensation, compared at PETCO2 55 Torr, could be
      explained by increase of the motor output from the respiratory center, since it
      was positively correlated with the relative change of VE, VTTI, and delta
      P0.1/delta PETCO2 (r = 0.70, p less than 0.0001; r = 0.63, p less than 0.0001; r
      = 0.40, p less than 0.05, respectively). From these findings, we conclude that
      hypoxia does not have a direct dyspnogenic effect, at least in normal subjects.

PMID- 1405098
TI  - [Pathological examination of 11 autopsy cases of acute onset interstitial
      pneumonia of unknown etiology].
AB  - In 11 autopsy cases of acute onset interstitial pneumonia of unknown etiology,
      all cases had thickening of alveolar septa with various degrees of lymphocytic
      infiltration and fibroblast proliferation. Only a few cases had edematous
      alveolar septa, which were weakly positive in alcian-blue staining. Intra
      alveolar, intra-alveolar duct and intra-bronchiolar organization was a
      characteristic finding. These findings may represent the repair phase rather than
      the exudative phase of diffuse alveolar damage. Localized bacterial pneumonia was
      superimposed in 3 cases, and neither Pneumocystis carinii nor viral inclusion
      bodies were identified in any case. The severity of fibrosis was not obviously
      correlated with the period of artificial ventilation. From these findings,
      terminal infection and oxygen therapy did not seem to significantly modify the
      course of acute-onset interstitial pneumonia. Further examination of autopsy
      cases as well as open-lung biopsy is important to elucidate the time course of
      acute-onset interstitial pneumonia.

PMID- 1405099
TI  - [Dyspnea and inspiratory muscle function during exercise in severe chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)].
AB  - Role of inspiratory muscle function in the genesis of dyspnea in COPD patients
      has yet to be fully studied. The present study investigated the possible
      relationship between respiratory muscle function and the sensation of dyspnea
      (modified Borg Scale) during exercise in eight patients with severe COPD (FEV1
      0.61L +/- 0.15L). The electrical activity of the diaphragm (EMGdi) was recorded
      with esophageal electrodes, and that of sternomastoid muscle (EMGsm) was recorded
      from the surface electrodes. The ratio of high frequency (150 to 350 Hz) to low
      frequency (20 to 47 Hz) power (H/L) of EMGdi and EMGsm was analyzed to assess
      inspiratory muscle fatigue, which was determined by a 20% fall of H/L ratio from
      the control value. Flow, volume, esophageal (Pes) and transdiaphragmatic pressure
      (Pdi) were measured. Tension time index (TTdi) was calculated from Pdi and the
      ratio of inspiratory time to total time for one cycle (T1/TTOT). At rest, we
      measured maximal esophageal pressure (Pesmax), maximal transdiaphragmatic
      pressure (Pdimax), maximal EMGdi (EMGdimax) and EMGsm (EMGsmmax). Progressive
      treadmill exercise test was performed, stating with 3 minutes' walk at a speed of
      0.75 mph at 0% grade, subsequently increasing the velocity at a rate of 0.25 mph
      and the elevation at a rate of 4% per stage. Exercise was discontinued at maximum
      respiratory effort sensation. Six of the eight patients showed diaphragmatic
      fatigue at their maximal exercise. With diaphragmatic fatigue, these patients
      were extremely dyspneic (Borg scale 9 or 10), and terminated the exercise. There
      were high correlations between the Borg scale and VE/MVV, and Pes/Pesmax and
      EMGsm/EMGsmmax, however, TTdi and EMGdi/EMGdimax showed less correlation with the
      Borg scale.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405101
TI  - [Clinical significance of scintigraphy in pulmonary aspergilloma].
AB  - In order to study the scintigraphic findings related to the pathophysiology of
      pulmonary aspergilloma, chest scintigraphy with T1-201 chloride and perfusion
      lung scintigraphy were performed in 18 and 19 patients with pulmonary
      aspergilloma, respectively. In T1-201 scintigraphy, accumulation of T1-201 in the
      diseased areas related to Aspergillus infection was observed in 18 of 19 foci.
      Roentgenographic findings related to the accumulation of T1-201 in the lesion
      were thickness of the cavity wall and pleural thickening adjacent to the cavity,
      but they showed no relation to the size of the fungus ball, and 2 cases without
      fungus ball showed positive results. Moreover, in T1-201 single photon emission
      computed tomography, accumulation of T1-201 was demonstrated in the area
      surrounding fungus ball. In addition, findings of inflammation such as
      leukocytosis, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, positive CRP and fever
      were observed in more than 50% of all cases. These results suggest that tissues
      surrounding the fungus ball, including the cavity wall and thickened pleura
      undergo inflammatory process secondary to infection by Aspergillus. Perfusion
      lung scintigrams showed decreased perfusion in all of 19 cases, which was more
      marked than that expected from the chest radiograph in many cases. In T1-201
      myocardial scintigraphy, visualization of the right ventricle was observed in 15
      of 18 cases. T1-201 chest scintigraphy and perfusion lung scintigraphy are useful
      for evaluation of the activity of the disease process, right ventricular
      overloading, and regional perfusion in pulmonary aspergilloma.

PMID- 1405100
TI  - [Clinical significance of respiratory infections associated with lung cancer
      patients].
AB  - An attempt was made to interpret the clinical significance of secondary
      infections associated with lung cancer. The incidence of secondary infections was
      51.4% in 214 in-patients with lung cancer in our institution in 1988 and 1989,
      and almost all of them had respiratory infections caused by commonly encountered
      bacteria. The incidence of infection was high in lung cancer of cell types other
      than adenocarcinoma, and in those with hypoalbuminemia, impaired cellular
      immunity and obstruction of the airway. The prognosis in patients with infection
      was much poorer than that in patients without infection. Major pathogens
      responsible for infection were Staphylococcus aureus including methicillin
      resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Haemophilus influenzae, Klebsiella spp. and
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These pathogens, except for H. influenzae, were isolated
      in the terminal stage in cases with airway obstruction and post cancer
      chemotherapy. The efficacy rate of 194 therapeutic regimens against infection was
      57.7%. It was thus found that the efficacy rate in 1988 and 1989 exceeded that in
      the 1970s. The effectiveness was very poor for infections caused by S. aureus and
      P. aeruginosa, and for cases with airway obstruction and marked impairment of
      pulmonary blood flow. The efficacy rate of single-drug regimens was 57.1%
      (80/140) and that of combined regimens was 59.3% (32/54). The above results
      indicate that a new combined therapy which includes a beta-lactam antibiotic as
      well as measures to improve the general health of compromised hosts are required
      in the treatment of secondary infections in these patients.

PMID- 1405102
TI  - [Energy metabolism, respiratory heat loss, and lung functions in patients with
      chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary fibrosis].
AB  - Resting energy expenditure (REE) and respiratory heat loss (RHL) were measured in
      17 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 7 patients with
      pulmonary fibrosis (PF), and 8 normal healthy subjects, three hours after a light
      breakfast. Correlations between these values, and also predicted basal metabolic
      rate (PreBMR) and normalized lung functions were assessed. REE, REE/Pre BMR, RHL
      and RHL/REE in all patients increased significantly compared with those of
      control subjects. When all the studied subjects were combined, significant
      negative relationships were found between REE, REE/PreBMR, RHL and RHL/REE and
      percent predicted values of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1.0),
      between RHL and RHL/REE and percent predicted values of vital capacity (VC), and
      between REE/PreBMR, RHL and RHL/REE and percent predicted values of carbon
      monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO). These results indicate that resting energy
      expenditure and respiratory heat loss increase in patients with COPD and PF in
      association with even slight to moderate deterioration of lung function.
      Therefore, elevated resting energy expenditure and respiratory heat loss need to
      be taken into account in determining caloric and water requirements of these
      patients.

PMID- 1405103
TI  - [Current status of pediatric home mechanical ventilation in Japan].
AB  - The first nationwide survey of pediatric home mechanical ventilation (HMV) was
      conducted. From 35 out of 149 medical centers investigated, 49 cases of HVM were
      reported. The patients ranged in age from 1 to 20 years, and the causes of
      respiratory failure were neuromuscular diseases (51%), central hypoventilation
      (33%), respiratory disorders (10%) and cervical cord injury (6%). Since 1983 when
      2 patients were discharged home on mechanical ventilation, more and more
      ventilator-dependent children have been sent home every year. However, home
      mechanical ventilation is not yet well recognized in Japan as an option for
      pediatric patients with chronic respiratory failure, and there are many problems
      to be solved. Firstly, very few, if any, hospitals have a designated home care
      team composed of physicians and other specialists. Secondly, the current health
      insurance system scarcely covers the cost of home ventilation. Thirdly,
      development of home use equipment, in particular, portable ventilators and
      monitors is imperative. There are 107 hospitalized patients in 56 institutions
      who are reportedly able to go home if a support system is established. A program
      for pediatric home mechanical ventilation should be urgently developed on a
      national basis.

PMID- 1405104
TI  - [Immunological reactions in patients with pulmonary aspergilloma].
AB  - A 52-year-old man with pulmonary aspergilloma is reported. In immunoassays, type
      I, III and IV hypersensitivity reactions of Gell & Coombs were observed. The
      finding of such immunological reactions, especially type I hypersensitivity, has
      rarely been observed in this disease. The present study was performed to
      investigate these reactions, especially to determine whether type I allergy
      participates in pulmonary aspergilloma. We reviewed 126 cases of pulmonary
      aspergilloma reported in the Japanese literature between January 1980 and April
      1991. The following results were obtained: Elevation of serum IgE was observed in
      49% of the subjects examined, positive IgE RAST score in 28%, precipitating
      antibody against A. fumigatus in 79%, and positive lymphocyte stimulation test
      using A. fumigatus antigen in 68%. In conclusion, type I, III and IV
      hypersensitivity of Gell & Coombs appears to participate in pulmonary
      aspergilloma. The occurrence of type I hypersensitivity is not rare in this
      disease.

PMID- 1405105
TI  - [Contents of chemical mediators in sputum in a case of mycoplasma pneumoniae
      bronchiolitis resembling bronchial asthma].
AB  - A case of Mycoplasma pneumoniae bronchiolitis with hypoxemia is presented. A 41
      year-old man was admitted to hospital because of fever, productive cough and
      dyspnea with wheezing of one month duration. On admission, bronchial asthma was
      suspected on the basis of reversible airflow obstruction and sputum eosinophilia.
      However, despite treatment with bronchodilators, his condition did not improve.
      Chest film and computed tomogram revealed small nodular shadows and tramlines in
      the bilateral lower lung fields, and pulmonary function tests indicated
      peripheral airway obstruction. Serologic titer for Mycoplasma pneumoniae was
      1:160. A diagnosis of bronchiolitis due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae was made.
      Improvement of lung function and roentgenographic findings was observed following
      administration of erythromycin and doxycycline. The concentrations of prostanoids
      in sputum were markedly higher than in cases of bronchial asthma, and decreased
      as he improved. These observations suggest that Mycoplasma bronchiolitis should
      be considered in the differential diagnosis of wheezing, and that measurement of
      prostanoids in sputum may be useful in the differentiation of infective
      bronchiolitis and bronchial asthma.

PMID- 1405106
TI  - [Two cases of chronic respiratory failure in intravenous methylphenidate
      (Ritalin) abusers].
AB  - Marked obstructive ventilatory impairment and diffusion disturbance were noted in
      two intravenous methylphenidate (Ritalin) abusers. In one patient, chest
      radiogram demonstrated pulmonary emphysema accompanied by bullae and atelectasis,
      and spontaneous pneumothorax was also present. The primary finding in the other
      patient was interstitial shadows. Both patients began to note dyspnea during
      exertion after about 10 years of use. Since radiography also disclosed pulmonary
      emphysema in an ex-companion of Ritalin abuse, and since the onset was at
      relatively young ages, these pulmonary disorders are considered to have been a
      result of intravenous Ritalin abuse. Intravenous drug abuse should be considered
      in patients with precocious emphysema or obstructive ventilatory impairment
      accompanied by diffusion disturbance.

PMID- 1405107
TI  - [A case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis presenting with copious sputum and marked
      obstructive impairment of lung function].
AB  - A 44-year-old male was hospitalized due to dyspnea and persistent cough with
      copious sputum (about 100 ml/day). Chest radiograph on admission showed
      hyperinflation and fine nodular shadows throughout both lungs, as well as a tram
      line appearance in the right lower lung field which suggested thickening of
      bronchial walls. Pulmonary function tests demonstrated moderate to severe
      reduction of %VC, FEV1.0 and PaO2. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed inflammatory
      change in the walls of proximal bronchi. Although his dyspnea resolved rapidly,
      productive cough and impaired lung function were persistent and improved very
      slowly over the one-month-period following admission. After resolution, similar
      symptoms were provoked again 5 to 6 hours after returning to his home, suggesting
      the recurrence of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Open lung biopsy was performed
      for the differential diagnosis of hypersensitivity, diffuse panbronchiolitis, and
      bronchial asthma, because neither transbronchial lung biopsy nor broncho-alveolar
      lavage was diagnostic. Histopathology of the open lung biopsy specimens revealed
      marked desquamation of bronchiolar epithelium in addition to bronchiolo
      alveolitis with epithelial granulomas, consistent with hypersensitivity
      pneumonitis. Copious sputum is a very uncommon clinical feature in
      hypersensitivity pneumonitis. We consider that the large volume of airway fluid
      was caused by epithelial ulceration of bronchioles and catarrhal bronchitis
      associated with hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

PMID- 1405108
TI  - [A case of chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis].
AB  - A 70-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus who was following a therapeutic diet
      showed an infiltrative shadow in the right upper lung field on chest
      roentgenogram in April, 1986. She was diagnosed as having pneumonia and was
      treated for five months with several antibiotics, but the abnormal shadow on
      chest roentgenograms increased in size. Therefore, she was admitted to our
      hospital in October 1986. Although tubercle bacilli were not isolated from her
      sputum or from materials obtained by bronchoscopic examination, we made an
      initial diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis based on the findings of chest
      roentgenograms, tomographs and CT scanning. In spite of treatment with
      antituberculous drugs, the infiltrative shadow with cavity on chest
      roentgenograms continued to increase in size, and the patient developed
      occasional hemoptysis. Percutaneous needle biopsy was performed in February 1987
      to establish a definite diagnosis, and the presence of Aspergillus fumigatus was
      confirmed by microscopic examination and culture. After treatment with miconazole
      and 5-FC for 3 to 4 months, the abnormal shadow on the chest roentgenogram
      gradually disappeared and was almost undetectable one year later. The clinical
      course of this patient was considered to be strongly indicative of chronic
      necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis, which was described by Binder et al. in
      1982.

PMID- 1405109
TI  - [A case of mediastinal malignant lymphoma with cardiac tamponade treated
      effectively with chemotherapy].
AB  - A 78-year-old man was admitted to the Nishinomiya Municipal Central Hospital with
      main symptoms of chest pain and dyspnea. Chest CT revealed a large mediastinal
      mass shadow, and echocardiography revealed pericardial effusion. Serum LDH was
      elevated. Therefore, malignant lymphoma was suspected to be the cause of cardiac
      tamponade. VEPA chemotherapy was commenced. Half way through the course of
      chemotherapy, serum LDH was decreased, the pericardial effusion had disappeared,
      and the mediastinal mass was reduced in size. A biopsy specimen of the
      mediastinal tumor revealed malignant lymphoma of diffuse large cell type, and
      immunoperoxidase staining of frozen sections demonstrated B cell origin. The
      pericardial effusion had not increased in size after four months, when the
      patient developed pneumonia and died. Autopsy revealed pericardial and atrial
      involvement by tumor. In conclusion, this case is very unusual in that (1)
      pericardial involvement was suspected on admission; (2) the pericardial effusion
      disappeared with systemic chemotherapy; and (3) cardiac metastasis was
      demonstrated at autopsy.

PMID- 1405110
TI  - [An autopsy case of Marfan syndrome with bronchiectasis and multiple bullae].
AB  - We report an autopsy case (27-year-old male) with Marfan syndrome, who died of
      chronic respiratory failure due to bronchiectasis and multiple bullae in both
      lungs. He had suffered from expectoration of massive amounts of sputum since the
      age of 15 years. At this time, chest roentgenogram had revealed bronchiectatic
      changes in the bilateral lower lung fields. Seven years later at the age of 22
      years, the formation multiple bullae in both lungs were added to the
      bronchiectatic changes on chest roentgenogram. Administration of erythromycin
      (400 mg/day) was started in February, 1987, and the massive sputum volume
      markedly decreased according to appearance of bullous formation. He was admitted
      to our department because of deterioration with chronic respiratory failure and
      right heart failure at 26 years in December, 1989. Although various therapy was
      performed, he died of chronic respiratory failure in February, 1990. Autopsy
      findings were as follows: (1) cyclindrical bronchiectatic changes in bilateral
      lower lobes and (2) extensive multiple bullae in the subpleural areas with
      bronchiectatic changes in the middle and bilateral lower lobes, with no
      bronchiectatic changes in the bilateral upper lobes. Several pulmonary disorders
      accompanying Marfan syndrome have been reported, especially in children. However,
      the present case demonstrated that fetal pulmonary involvement by Marfan syndrome
      may not present until adulthood, and affect both airways and lung parenchyma.

PMID- 1405111
TI  - [A case of acetaminophen-induced pneumonitis].
AB  - A 20-year-old woman took 1.2 g of acetaminophen for toothache. She subsequently
      developed a dry cough, pyrexia, and dyspnea. Chest X-ray revealed diffuse
      reticulo-nodular shadows in both lung fields. Broncho-alveolar lavage examination
      showed a marked increase in the total cell number and an increase in the
      percentage of eosinophils, neutrophils, and lymphocytes. Because drug-induced
      pneumonitis was suspected, all drugs were stopped and she was administered
      methylprednisolone. Consequently her symptoms resolved, and pulmonary function
      and chest X-ray findings improved remarkably. The lymphocyte stimulation test was
      positive for Norshin and its acetaminophen element. Based on these findings, the
      diagnosis of acetaminophen-induced pneumonitis was made. Acetaminophen
      intoxication is well-known, but to our knowledge this is the first reported case
      of acetaminophen-induced allergic pneumonitis in Japan.

PMID- 1405112
TI  - [A case of pulmonary metastasis from carcinosarcoma of uterus with subcutaneous
      implantation of tumor cells along the needle tract after percutaneous needle
      biopsy of lung].
AB  - A 68-year-old female who had undergone total hysterectomy for carcinosarcoma five
      months previously was noted to have a solitary nodular shadow in the right lung
      on chest X-ray. Percutaneous needle biopsy of the lung was performed via the
      right anterior chest wall, and the histologic findings showed metastasis from
      carcinosarcoma of uterus. Two months after needle biopsy, a chest wall mass
      appeared of the site of puncture of the lung needle biopsy. The mass was resected
      to relieve the chest wall pain and the specimen showed carcinosarcoma of uterus
      histologically. We consider that tumor cells were implanted to the chest wall
      along the needle tract after percutaneous needle biopsy of the lung. The
      postoperative chest computed tomogram showed the route of tumor implantation from
      the metastasis of right lung into the right chest wall. Dissemination and chest
      wall implantation of malignant cells after percutaneous lung needle biopsy have
      been rarely reported. However there are no reports of tumor implantation of
      sarcoma. The possibility of implantation of tumor cells along the needle tract
      after percutaneous lung needle biopsy should be carefully considered in cases of
      carcinosarcoma.

PMID- 1405113
TI  - [A case of invasive broncho-pulmonary aspergillosis associated with influenza A
      (H3N2) infection].
AB  - A 49-year-old man with high alcohol consumption was admitted with fever, cough
      and progressive dyspnea after a one week history of influenza-like symptoms.
      Chest X-ray film on admission showed diffuse peribronchial shadows and patchy
      infiltration in the right lower lung field. Chest X-ray film the following day
      and chest CT film on the 4th day of admission showed multiple nodular shadows and
      cavity formation. At bronchoscopy the bronchial surface was covered by white
      plaque, and Asp. fumigatus was subsequently cultured from BAL fluid. On the basis
      of suspected invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, anti-fungal agents were commenced.
      However, the shadows on chest X-ray increased, and the patient died on the 10th
      day of admission of respiratory failure and septic shock. Histological
      examination revealed bronchial wall invasion by hyphae of aspergillus and abscess
      formation in the pulmonary parenchyma. The precipitin antibody against
      aspergillus antigen was positive in reserved serum. Anti-Influenza A virus
      antibody (CF) was positive (X 256), and hemagglutination inhibition test of
      Influenza A (H3N2) was positive (X 2048) in serum on admission. The suppression
      of cellular immunity and destruction of the mucociliary system of airways induced
      by Influenza A infection was suspected to have predisposed to aspergillus
      superinfection.

PMID- 1405114
TI  - [A case of nephrotic syndrome associated with bronchogenic carcinoma].
AB  - A 58-year-old fisherman was admitted because of an abnormal chest X-ray shadow on
      the right side. Bronchoscopic examination revealed tumor of right B7.
      Transbronchial biopsy showed squamous cell carcinoma. He was treated with four
      courses of CDDP and PEP. Two years later, he developed nephrotic syndrome and
      relapse of lung cancer. Proteinuria and pedal edema continued. Renal biopsy
      revealed the characteristic light and immunofluorescent microscopic features of
      membranous nephropathy. Oral administration of low dose etoposide resulted in
      reduction of the carcinomatous lung lesion and a decrease in proteinuria as well
      as pedal edema.

PMID- 1405115
TI  - [A case of intrabronchial dissemination of candida pseudohyphae presenting as
      respiratory failure].
AB  - A 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of fever, skin eruption,
      leukocytopenia and liver dysfunction. He was receiving H2-blocker for gastric
      ulcer of the time he developed his symptoms. The H2-blocker was discontinued
      because of its possible association with leukocytopenia, and steroids were
      administered. On the 4th day of hospitalization, he suddenly developed expiratory
      wheeze and dyspnea, resembling an asthmatic attack. WBC was 400/mm3 with 65%
      neutrophils. Chest X-ray showed hyper inflation and increased thickness of
      bronchiolar walls. Bronchodilators had no effect and the patient died of
      respiratory failure on the 8th day. At autopsy, most bronchioles were filled with
      candida pseudohyphae. The large airways and lung parenchyma were not involved,
      except for focal bacterial pneumonia. Histological findings suggestive of
      bronchial asthma such as constriction of bronchial smooth muscle or infiltration
      of eosinophils were not observed Candida infection was also found in the pharynx,
      stomach, bowel, and kidneys. Candidiasis is becoming a more important
      contributory cause of death in compromised hosts. Although rare, this case
      suggests that patients with bronchopulmonary candidiasis present with expiratory
      wheeze resembling asthmatic attack.

PMID- 1405116
TI  - [A resected case of teratoma of the lung].
AB  - Teratoma of the lung in a 32-year-old female is reported. Abnormal shadow on
      chest X-ray film was noted at the age of 15 years. Her symptoms were subclinical
      fever, couch, hemosputum and frequent respiratory infections. Chest X-ray film
      and CT scan revealed a cyst with an intracystic solid mass in the left upper
      lung. Bronchogram demonstrated communication of the cyst with B5a and B5b
      bronchi. The left upper lobe was resected. Microscopic examination of the
      resected specimen revealed a mature teratoma of the lung. Teratoma of the lung is
      very rare. This case was diagnosed at surgery and was confirmed by microscopic
      examination.

PMID- 1405117
TI  - [A case of pulmonary eosinophilic granuloma with involvement of the ocular
      fundus].
AB  - A 37-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of abnormal shadows on
      chest X-ray film at routine medical examination. The chest X-ray showed diffuse
      granular shadows in the bilateral upper and middle lung fields. Chest CT showed
      multiple cystic lesions and nodular lesions. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and
      transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) were performed. Electron microscopic
      examination of BAL fluid revealed Langerhans' cells, and lung tissue specimen
      obtained by TBLB showed granuloma with infiltration of histiocytes and
      eosinophils. During the clinical course, the patient complained of cough and
      decrease of right visual acuity in association with an increase of abnormal
      shadows on chest X-ray. The lung disease gradually resolved after the cessation
      of smoking in spite of no therapy. In the right eye, an exudative lesion with
      retinal elevation was noted in the ocular fundus. Corticosteroid administration
      was effective for the treatment of this lesion. There was no pathological
      evidence of the right ocular lesion. However, the correlation of its clinical
      course with the lung disease suggests a relationship between the ocular lesion
      and pulmonary eosinophilic granuloma.

PMID- 1405118
TI  - [Clinical criteria for definition of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP)].
AB  - Clinical criteria for definition of IIP proposed in 1991 by the Project Team for
      Diffuse Lung Diseases Organized by Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare are
      reviewed. After the clinical roentgenological, and pathological researches of 92
      IIP patients, we concluded that IIP patients were grouped into two clinical
      types, acute and chronic, by their clinical courses and characteristic
      pathological findings. The latter is, moreover, grouped into two types, typical
      and atypical, by their morphological characteristics. The acute type are
      represented by alveolitis with marked edema and cell infiltration of alveolar
      wall, and by hyaline membrane formation. "Typical" of chronic types only have
      typical pathologic changes of interstitial pneumonia and/or fibrosis represented
      by honeycombing. "Atypical" have both those interstitial changes and intra
      alveolar scar formation and fibrosis due to organized pneumonia and secondarily
      occurred emphysema such as bulla as well. The continuity in clinical courses
      between acute and chronic types are still obscure.

PMID- 1405119
TI  - [Postoperative management in neonate after open cardiac surgery].
AB  - Recent advances in diagnostic method and preoperative care have allowed us to
      perform surgical repair in neonate. Important to the successful outcome of open
      cardiac surgery in neonate is cautious management in postoperative period. So we
      investigated the hemodynamics in the first 72 hours following open heart surgery
      for TAPVC, TGA and PAIVS. The hemodynamics in acute period are different
      according to patient age. Especially, early neonates under 14 days present low
      systemic blood pressure and high central venous pressure. So we must manage them
      according to their hemodynamic characteristics.

PMID- 1405120
TI  - [Malfunction of prosthetic valves: pathogenesis and diagnostic measure].
AB  - Modality of the malfunction of prosthetic valve often reflects the specific
      features of its design and materials of the prosthesis. During past 17 years, a
      total of 499 cases of valve replacements were performed in our institute and
      among them, 50 cases received redo surgery, in which 52 prosthetic valves were
      replaced due to their malfunctions. Those replaced prosthetic valves were
      analyzed in terms of their pathogenesis, onset durations and diagnostic methods
      of each type of malfunction. The malfunctions included hemolytic anemia,
      thrombosis or tissue overgrowth and tissue failure of bioprostheses. Hemolytic
      anemia was experienced in 8 cases with Starr-Edwards (S-E) 2320 (n = 7) and Omni
      Science (n = 1) both in the aortic position and those prostheses were replaced at
      1-9.6 (mean 4.5) postoperative years (POY). The linearized rate of the
      complication with the S-E 2320 was 3.0%/patient-years (p-y) and its actuarial
      event free rate was 62% at 11 POY. Operative findings disclosed cloth wear in 5
      and perivalvular leakage in 5 cases. Fourteen Hancock (H) and 3 Angell-Shiley (A
      S) bioprostheses experienced tissue failure of valves and they were subjected to
      reoperation at 3.2-10.0 (mean 6.5) POY. The linearized rates were 4.1%/p-y for H
      and 4.5%/p-y for A-S with actuarial event free rates at 12 POY of 59 and 56%,
      respectively. Prosthetic valve thrombosis and/or tissue overgrowth were seen in
      17 valves at 1.6-15.1 (mean 9.1) POY.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405121
TI  - [A clinical experience of continuous warm blood cardioplegia in two cases of
      repeat aortic valve surgery].
AB  - The continuous warm blood cardioplegia (CWBC) was used for myocardial protection
      during aortic cross clamping in two cases of repeat aortic valve operations with
      good results. Case 1: A 46-year-old man, who underwent an aortic valve
      replacement because of the rheumatic aortic regurgitation (AR) in 1978, have
      suffered from orthopnea due to para-prosthetic valvular regurgitation since 1983.
      He was revealed to have bi-ventricular hypertrophy with myocardial damage on ECG,
      EF 0.27 on UCG, PCWP 20 mmHg and severe AR on cardiac catheterization. Case 2: A
      43-year-old man, who had an aortic valvuloplasty for the non-rheumatic
      incompetency in 1981, have had a recurrent regurgitation, resulting in left
      ventricular hypertrophy accompanied by chest pain. Both cases were reoperated
      upon, having aortic valve replacement with mechanical prosthetic valves through
      the re-median sternotomy, utilizing CWBC with good recovery. CWBC provides an
      ideal circumstances for myocardial oxygen utilization during aortic cross
      clamping and moreover a benefit that needs not the wide dissection of the heart
      in a redo case because it has no need of topical cooling and ventricular
      defibrillation following aortic declamping. In conclusion, CWBC is very useful in
      a repeat aortic valve surgery.

PMID- 1405122
TI  - [Pulsed Doppler echocardiographic observation of left ventricular filling
      dynamics after aortic valve replacement in patients with chronic aortic
      regurgitation].
AB  - The 23 patients who underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic
      regurgitation (AR) from 1977 to 1990 were studied with pulsed Doppler
      echocardiography. The patients were divided into two groups. The A group
      consisted of 5 patients whose end-systolic volume index (ESVI) were more than 200
      ml/m2 and/or left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) were less than 0.35 before
      AVR. The B group consisted of 18 patients whose ESVI were less than 200 ml/m2 and
      EF were more than 0.35 before AVR. A Doppler volume sampler was placed at the
      center of mitral orifice to measure the transmitral inflow velocity after AVR
      (mean 28 months). Left ventricular filling dynamics were assessed by the peak
      velocity in the rapid filling phase (R), the peak velocity in the atrial
      contraction phase (A) and the ratio of A by R (A/R ratio) of mitral flow velocity
      pattern. The deceleration rate of early diastolic rapid inflow (DeR) determined
      as the slope a straight line drawn between the peak of early diastolic inflow and
      a point at half peak velocity on the fall side of the envelope. Result was as
      follows; 1) The DeR showed significant correlation with the EF (r = 0.56, p <
      0.01). The DeR showed significant inverse correlation with the ESVI (r = -0.52, p
      < 0.05). 2) The R velocity (mean 43.9 +/- 7.9 cm/sec) in group A was
      significantly lower than in group B (mean 61.4 +/- 18.6 cm/sec), (p <
      0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405123
TI  - [Analysis of mononuclear cell subpopulations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in
      acute rejection after lung transplantation in rats].
AB  - Changes of components of mononuclear cell subpopulations in bronchoalveolar
      lavage (BAL) fluid were analyzed during acute rejection after lung
      transplantation in an inbred rat model. All allotransplants (BN/LEW) developed
      progressive acute rejection from day two until day six, demonstrating severe
      perivascular and peribronchiolar infiltration of mononuclear cell subpopulations.
      The number of total cells and activated macrophages increased significantly in
      BAL fluid from vascular phase until alveolar phase of acute rejection. The number
      of T and B lymphocytes in BAL fluid increased in alveolar phase, but not in
      vascular phase of acute rejection. The increase of the number of activated
      macrophages in BAL fluid may be useful as a monitor of acute allograft rejection
      following lung transplantation.

PMID- 1405124
TI  - [Inhibition of acute rejection of heart graft in rats without immunosuppressants
      after intrathymic myocardial cell inoculation in the neonatal period].
AB  - There have been no successful cases reported of organ transplantation in
      application of neonatal immunological tolerance. Isolated myocardial cells from
      Lewis (LEW/Crj) rat hearts were inoculated into the thymus of incompatible King
      (WKAH/Hkm) rats. Ten weeks later the heart from LEW donor was transplanted
      heterotopically to the WKAH rat that had inoculated intrathymic myocardial cells
      without immunosuppression (n = 4, Group 1). Group 2 was made up of 4 isografts of
      heart transplantation (nontreated isograft). Group 3 was made up 4 allografts of
      heart transplantation (nontreated allograft). The animals were killed 7 days
      after transplantation, and early rejection was evaluated by accumulation of
      iodine-125 (125I)-labeled antimyosin antibody (AMA) uptake and confirmed by
      histological examination. In Group 1 & 2, the value of I-125 AMA uptake ratio was
      small (Group 1; RV: 1.28 +/- 0.28, IVS: 1.29 +/- 0.28, LV: 1.43 +/- 0.25, Group
      2: RV: 1.14 +/- 0.07, IVS: 0.95 +/- 0.06, LV: 1.16 +/- 0.21). This level of the
      value indicates that the rejection does not occur. On the other hand, in Group 3,
      the value was high (RV: 4.63 +/- 1.92, IVS: 4.42 +/- 1.75, LV: 4.45 +/- 1.73)
      compared with Group 1 & 2. This level indicate that the rejection is severe. In
      the histological studies, Group 3 showed necrosis of myocardial cells, while
      Group 1 with neonatal immunological tolerance showed only very mild lymphocytic
      infiltration. The histology of thymic tissue in Group 1, the LEW myocardial cells
      are surviving in the WKAH rat thymus.

PMID- 1405125
TI  - [Mitral valve surgery using combined superior-transseptal approach to the left
      atrium].
AB  - Although various approaches to the mitral valve surgery have been tried in the
      past, it still may be difficult to obtain a good surgical field, particularly in
      cases of small left atrium or reoperation. We performed mitral valve surgery in 6
      patients using the combined superior-transseptal approach to the left atrium
      proposed by Berreklouw. Exposure of the mitral valve was excellent and the
      operative procedure was simple in all cases. There were no differences in
      bleeding volume, length of operation or complication of arrhythmia between
      patients treated with this new approach and a group treated with conventional
      approach in our institute.

PMID- 1405126
TI  - [Clinical experiences of a new vascular graft prosthesis fabricated from
      ultrafine polyester fiber (Toray graft)].
AB  - A new low porous vascular prosthesis made of a textile of ultra-fine fiber was
      used clinically in ten patients for whom replacement of the ascending and/or arch
      aorta were performed. There were no operative deaths after initial operations,
      but one patient died after a second operation in which replacement of the thoraco
      abdominal aorta was performed. Nine survived patients are well for 50 days to 10
      months postoperatively. The new vascular graft prosthesis was very soft and
      pliable in clinical use, and the surgical needle penetrates easily the
      prosthesis. Although the new graft prosthesis can be used without preclotting
      under full heparinization, porosity of the graft, 100 ml/min/cm, revealed initial
      oozing of blood for a while just after releasing an aortic clamp. Therefore,
      preclotting of the graft is recommended under full heparinization. Because of
      rapid, even, and stable formation of neo-intima in the new graft confirmed by
      experimental studies of Noishiki et al., and soft and pliable characteristics of
      the graft, a wide-spread clinical use of the new graft is recommended in the
      surgery of aortic aneurysms as well as reconstruction of the congenital
      malformations.

PMID- 1405127
TI  - [A case of undifferentiated carcinoma of the thyroid with compression stenosis of
      the cervical and mediastinal trachea which was dilated by the expandable metallic
      stents].
AB  - The patient was a 64-year-old male with undifferentiated carcinoma of the thyroid
      which constricted the trachea. The radiation therapy did not reduce the size of
      the tumor, and did not improve the dyspnea. Bronchoscopy and tomography showed a
      compression stenosis of the cervical and mediastinal trachea. It was difficult to
      insert the T-tube because of the large mass of the neck. Therefore, three EMSs
      were inserted into the stenotic area of the trachea. Immediately after the
      insertion of the EMSs, the lumen of the trachea was dilated, and the dyspnea was
      improved. The patient died of the tumor 7 weeks after the insertion of the EMSs.
      Autopsy showed that the trachea was dilated by EMSs.

PMID- 1405128
TI  - [An experience of rapid, two-stage arterial switch operation for transposition of
      the great arteries and intact ventricular septum beyond the neonatal period].
AB  - A 2-month-old girl with transposition of the great arteries and intact
      ventricular septum was successfully repaired by rapid, two-stage arterial switch
      operation. Balloon atrioseptostomy and ligation of the ductus arteriosus was done
      elsewhere on 14th and 29th day after birth. On her first admission to our
      hospital at 2 months of age, left ventricular-right ventricular pressure ratio
      (LVp/RVp) was almost 0.5 and left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT) by
      echo cardiography was 3.5 mm. Because of these date, we selected rapid, two-stage
      arterial switch operation. On 74 days, the first-stage preparatory operation
      (pulmonary arterial banding and right modified Blalock-Taussig shunt) was
      undergone with the resultant LVp/RVp of 0.97. During a few days after the first
      stage operation, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by echocardiography
      was reduced to nearly 30%. But after this phase left ventricular function
      recovered rapidly and LVp/RVp, LVPWT and LVEF was 1.18, 6.3 mm and 66% on the 7th
      day. On the 9th day, the second-stage arterial switch operation was undergone as
      usual as in neonatal period without hard adhesion. Her postoperative course was
      uneventful.

PMID- 1405129
TI  - [A case of sliding commissuroplasty for the chordal rupture in the
      paracommissural area].
AB  - A 67-year-old female patient underwent mitral valvuloplasty for mitral
      regurgitation due to the chordal rupture at the posterior commissure. Sliding
      commissuroplasty was made to avoid large annular plication. Carpentier's
      prosthetic ring (30 mm) was sutured to remodel the annulus and to reinforce
      repair. Postoperative Left ventriculogram revealed no regurgitation. Sliding
      commissuroplasty is effective for mitral regurgitation due to commissural chordal
      rupture.

PMID- 1405130
TI  - [A case of traumatic right diaphragmatic hernia diagnosed by pleurography].
AB  - The diagnosis of traumatic diaphragmatic hernia is relatively easy on the left
      side, but is often difficult on the right, partly because the herniated organ is
      usually the liver. Recently, we experienced a relatively rare case of traumatic
      right diaphragmatic hernia and found that pleurography was useful for its
      diagnosis. This case is reported here together with some discussion of the
      literature.

PMID- 1405131
TI  - [A surgical case of coronary sinus ASD].
AB  - A case of coronary sinus ASD in a 56-years-old woman is reported. This defect was
      detected during operation for the first time. In this case, a LSVC was absent and
      coronary sinus opened into the left atrium. The defect was closed using a
      pericardial patch.

PMID- 1405132
TI  - [A case report of simultaneous procedure of Cabrol's operation and aortic arch
      replacement: method to reduce the duration of ischemic cardiac arrest].
AB  - A 57-year-old female underwent simultaneous Cabrol's operation and aortic arch
      replacement for aortic dissection. She was admitted with complaint of back pain.
      Aortography demonstrated acute dissecting aneurysm of the ascending, arch and
      descending aorta (DeBakey type I) as well as aortic valve regurgitation (Seller's
      II degree). The operation was undertaken using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) under
      hypothermia with selective cerebral perfusion. A new method to reduce the
      duration of ischemic cardiac arrest was applied. Initially a low-porosity woven
      Dacron tube graft (8 mm) was anastomosed to coronary arteries. Blood of CPB was
      perfused to this graft. This coronary perfusion contributed to shorten ischemic
      cardiac arrest time and cardiac function was favorable. This method to reduce the
      duration of ischemic cardiac arrest brought about good result.

PMID- 1405133
TI  - [A case of successful surgery for tetralogy of Fallot with single atrium, azygous
      connection and partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage in atrio-visceral
      heterotaxic syndrome].
AB  - A 2-year-old girl of heterotaxia associated with complex anomalies was reported.
      Major cardiac anomaly was tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), which associated with the
      interruption of the inferior vena cava, persistent left superior vena cava
      (PLSVC), common atrium and partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (PAPVD) to
      the coronary sinus. The two dimensional echocardiogram displayed the
      characteristic views of TOF and the additional interesting abnormalities near the
      mitral ring. The markedly enlarged and protruded coronary sinus by the
      association of PLSVC and PAPVD overlay along the posterior mitral leaflet and the
      abnormal muscular septum surrounded immediately above the anterior mitral
      leaflet. These structures created a sort of supramitral ring structure, although
      this was not important hemodynamically because of the association of single
      atrium and TOF preoperatively. At the operation the coronary sinus roof was
      resected along the posterior mitral leaflet as well as the abnormal muscular
      flange. The atrial septum was created with a porcine pericardium and the left
      superior vena cava was ligated. The postoperative course was not eventful.

PMID- 1405134
TI  - [A case report of aorto-pulmonary window associated with atrial septal defect].
AB  - The patient was a one-year-old boy, who underwent surgery with a diagnosis of
      atrial septal defect (ASD). During operation, aorto-pulmonary window (A-P window)
      which had not been detected by the preoperative examinations, was found.
      Therefore, the A-P window was divided prior to closing ASD. The patient is in
      good condition six months after the operation. The causes of the inaccurate
      preoperative diagnosis were discussed.

PMID- 1405135
TI  - [Surgical treatment of double aortic arch: report of a case associated with
      frequent respiratory infections].
AB  - A seven-month-old baby with double aortic arch was reported. He was admitted to
      our hospital with complaint of frequent respiratory infections shortly after
      birth. On examination, bronchofiberscopy revealed compression of the trachea and
      left main bronchus from behind and angiography showed complete vascular ring,
      namely double aortic arch with no other cardiac anomaly. Soon after the
      operation, stridor disappeared at rest, but mild stridor persisted on exertion.
      Three months later, he was re-admitted to our hospital because of pneumonia.
      Therefore, close observation is required for the patients with double aortic
      arch, even if the operation is effective.

PMID- 1405136
TI  - [A case of surgical repair for combined septal perforation and cardiac rupture
      after myocardial infarction].
AB  - The successful surgical repair of the combination of septal perforation and
      cardiac rupture after myocardial infarction was underwent on a 73-year-old man.
      Complete correction could be performed under the fibrillated heart state
      employing cardiopulmonary bypass, resulted in the early postsurgical cardiac
      performance.

PMID- 1405137
TI  - [A case of traumatic aortic valve rupture].
AB  - A case of aortic valve rupture as a result of blunt trauma by motorcycle accident
      is presented. A previously healthy 18-year-old male developed severe congestive
      heart failure 46 days after the initial trauma. There were crescentic tears in
      the right and non-coronary cusps parallel to and along the whole length of the
      cusps. The valve was excised and replaced with a 21 mm St. Jude Medical
      prosthesis. Following the procedure he made an relatively uneventful recovery and
      was discharged on the 83rd postoperative day. The possibility of damage to the
      heart valves in traffic accidents must be borne in mind since rapid deterioration
      can occur and early surgical therapy is essential.

PMID- 1405138
TI  - [A successful two-staged Fontan procedure for tricuspid atresia with bilateral
      superior venae cavae and left pulmonary arterial stenosis].
AB  - A 10-year-old boy with tricuspid atresia (type I-b), bilateral superior venae
      cavae and left pulmonary arterial branch stenosis was treated successfully by a
      two-staged Fontan procedure. At 7 years of age, left Glenn shunt was performed
      after creation of a communicating vessel between the right and left superior vena
      cava, using a GORE-TEX graft of 10 mm of diameter. Three years later, after
      having confirmed graft patency, Fontan procedure was achieved without any
      problems. We think the innominate vein creation by an artificial material was a
      key design for the following successful two-staged Fontan procedure in this case.

PMID- 1405139
TI  - [A case of small adenocarcinoma of the lung with giant bullae].
AB  - A 52-year-old male underwent right upper lobectomy for giant bullae which
      involved almost half of thoracic cavity and covered over the right upper lobe.
      Postoperative histopathological examination revealed emphysematous bullae of
      right upper lobe and adenocarcinoma (6 mm in diameter) was found in the bullae
      wall under the pleura. Since there was no metastasis in bronchial lymph nodes of
      upper lobe, additional procedure for lymph node dissection was not performed.
      Patient has been healthy for eight years after operation and there is no evidence
      of recurrent tumor. It is difficult to define the small lesion of neoplasma with
      giant bullae of lung. Therefore, the patient involved with bullae may require
      preoperative and intraoperative attentive investigation for possible malignant
      lesions.

PMID- 1405140
TI  - [Long-term results in 1,400 patients with coronary artery bypass grafting:
      saphenous vein vs arterial grafts].
AB  - To analyze and compare the effects of saphenous vein grafts (SVG) and arterial
      grafts (AG) on the long-term results of the coronary artery bypass grafting
      (CABG), retrospective nonrandomized studies were performed in 1,400 consecutive
      patients with CABG in terms of reoperation, postoperative transluminal coronary
      angioplasty (PTCA) to the grafts, actuarial survival rate, and cumulative event
      free rate. AG was used frequently in recent cases in which more diffuse and
      multiple vessel disease were encountered. No statistically significant
      differences were noted in any of the reoperation free rate, actuarial survival
      rate, success rate of the PTCA, and cumulative event free rate between SVG and
      AG, because the long-term results of the SVG was apparently better than reported
      Caucasian's long-term results, while those of the AG were as good as Caucasian's.
      Reoperation and PTCA for the AG were performed less than one year after the CABG
      in most cases and restenosis after the PTCA was rare. In contrast, those for the
      SVG were mainly done late postoperative period, and the incidence of the
      restenosis after the PTCA was very high. These results indicated that the main
      cause of the graft failure in the AG was technic-related, and that of the SVG was
      graft's atherosclerosis. We conclude from this study that AG should be indicated
      more extensively than SVG, but proper indication and application of the AG in
      various situations and technical improvement to avoid stenosis at anastomosis are
      important to improve the long-term results of the CABG.

PMID- 1405141
TI  - [Late results of coronary artery bypass grafting with the internal thoracic
      artery].
AB  - Between November 1981 and December 1991, 755 patients underwent isolated coronary
      artery bypass grafting. We compared postoperative events, graft patency and
      survival rates of the patients who received at least one internal thoracic artery
      graft (n = 517) with those of the patients who had only saphenous vein bypass
      grafts (n = 238). No significant difference was found between the 2 groups in
      patient's age at the operation, female ratio and the incidence of emergency
      operation. The operative mortality was not significantly different in either
      group. Graft patency was better for internal thoracic artery grafts than for SVG
      (ITA grafts 97.1%, SVG 85.6% p less than 0.0001). Graft-LAD patency rate was also
      better for ITA grafts than for SVG (ITA grafts 97.7%, SVG 86.8%, p less than
      0.0001). The incidence of late cardiac events (late cardiac death, reoperation,
      myocardial infarction) is lower in patients with ITA. Furthermore, patients who
      received ITA grafts had a better survival rate at 8 years (91.1% versus 85.3%, p
      = 0.048) than those who had vein bypass grafts alone. We conclude that the use of
      ITA grafts enhances the long-term benefits including long-term survival rate.
      This is the first observation in Japanese population.

PMID- 1405142
TI  - [Comparative studies of various conduits for myocardial revascularization with
      Kawasaki disease].
AB  - Between October 1976 and December 1991, 36 patients with Kawasaki disease
      underwent coronary bypass surgery. Comparisons were made from the postoperative
      morphologic condition of 4 conduits; saphenous vein graft (SVG n = 27), left
      internal thoracic artery (LITA n = 22), right internal thoracic artery (RITA n =
      5) and gastroepiploic artery (GEA n = 8). The patency rate of arterial grafts was
      100% at 1 month after surgery, and kept as high as 94.7% at 1-3 years after
      surgery. On the other hand, the patency rate of SVG was 90% at 1 month, but
      decreased to 52% at 1-3 years postoperatively. Arterial grafts sometimes showed
      string sign at 1 month after surgery, but the length and the diameter increased
      during 1 year after surgery. The internal thoracic artery showed superior flow
      potential compared with GEA. Thus, the internal thoracic artery is the first
      choice and GEA is the second as the graft material with Kawasaki disease. Long
      term result of SVG was very poor, so coronary revascularization only by the
      arterial grafts is recommended.

PMID- 1405143
TI  - [Coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with severe left ventricular
      dysfunction: internal mammary artery vs saphenous vein, evaluation immediately
      after surgery].
AB  - Comparative studies of the changes in left ventricular (LV) function immediately
      after aortocoronary bypass graftings (CABG) and early postoperative results were
      carried out in two groups of patients with severe LV dysfunction (ejection
      fraction less than 0.4), which consisted of 9 patients received internal mammary
      artery grafts (IMAG) to at least LAD and 14 with saphenous vein grafts (SVG)
      only. The utilization of IMAG was limited to the patients with stable
      preoperative hemodynamics, whereas SVGs were used even in the emergency CABG.
      Free flow of IMAG measured during operation was 55.7 +/- 25.5 ml/min, which was
      significantly lower than that (83.5 +/- 27.3) of SVG to LAD. Cardiac index, LV
      stroke volume index and LV stroke work index immediately after surgery were
      sufficiently maintained and recovered almost similarly in both groups.
      Postoperative peak CK-MB (19.7 +/- 10.4 IU/L) in IMAG group was significantly
      lower than that (23.9 +/- 10.7) in SVG group. There was no significant difference
      between the two groups in the incidences of postoperative IABP and noradrenaline
      dependence. There were two hospital deaths in SVG group, whereas no hospital
      death was experienced in IMAG group. These results indicate that an application
      of IMAG to LAD in the patients with severe LV dysfunction surely induces
      satisfactory recovery of hemodynamics immediately after CABG as well as SVG,
      provided that use of IMAG is limited to the patients with stable preoperative
      hemodynamics.

PMID- 1405144
TI  - [Choice of conduit in coronary bypass surgery].
AB  - Since 1987, arterial conduits have been used in 78 of 130 cases receiving
      coronary bypass surgery, including 25 treated by arterial conduits alone. The use
      of arterial conduits was mainly indicated to the anterior descending coronary
      artery (LAD), but the saphenous vein had to be used in 39 percent, 47 of 120
      cases receiving bypass grafting to the LAD for various reasons including a
      combination of multiple obstructive arteriosclerosis, multiple bypass graftings
      in the aged, unstable angina, emergency operation and no suitable artery for a
      conduit as indicated by preoperative angiography. Hereafter, arterial conduits
      for coronary bypass grafting to LAD should be used in many more cases to the best
      possible advantage.

PMID- 1405145
TI  - [Selection of graft materials in case of emergency coronary bypass surgery
      following failed angioplasty].
AB  - The clinical characteristics of selection of graft materials were analysed for
      patients undergoing emergency coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) following
      failed coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Ten emergency CABGs were performed from
      January 1983 to December 1991. Perioperative variables and follow-up were
      compared to 18 patients undergoing elective CABG after PTCA. The emergency group
      had shorter operative time (p less than 0.01) and shorter bypass time (p less
      than 0.05). Moreover the emergency group had decreased use of the internal
      thoracic artery (ITA) (40% vs 94.4%, p less than 0.01). There was no use of
      bilateral ITAs in the emergency group. There was not significant difference in
      hospital mortality and medium term follow-up between two groups. In conclusion,
      emergency CABG carries a significantly less use of ITA graft than elective CABG
      although ITAs are superior to SVGs about long term patency rate. So it is
      desirable that arterial graft should be used under an appropriate selection at
      emergency operation.

PMID- 1405146
TI  - [Coronary artery bypass grafting: does the use of arterial graft for coronary
      artery bypass grafting increase surgical risk?].
AB  - Since April in 1988 coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) was performed in 177
      patients and the clinical results were compared in SVG-group (n = 37) in which
      only saphenous vein graft (SVG) was used as a graft conduit and AG-group in which
      one arterial graft (AG-1 group, n = 92) or more than two arterial grafts were
      used (AG-2 group, n = 48). In SVG-group the age was older than that in AG-group,
      while coronary vessels were most involved in AG-2 group and the mean number of
      distal anastomosis increased more in AG-group. The total pump time and aortic
      cross clamping time showed no significant differences among the groups.
      Furthermore, the occurrence of perioperative myocardial infarction, requirement
      of intra-aortic balloon pumping, frequency of re-chest open for hemorrhage, or
      sternal infection showed no significant differences among the groups.
      Postoperative hospital deaths were in four (three cardiac deaths) of SVG-group
      and four (one cardiac and two graft-versus-host disease) of AG-group. These
      results suggest that the use of AG does not increase surgical risk and AG can be
      positively used for CABG.

PMID- 1405147
TI  - [Coronary artery bypass utilizing vein grafts: why didn't we use an arterial
      graft?].
AB  - Internal thoracic artery (ITA) grafts for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
      are superior to SVG in the long-term patency and survival. In spite of our effort
      to utilize ITA whenever possible, we still have some cases which have to receive
      only vein grafts. Among the consecutive 201 patients undergoing CABG in the past
      three years, 32 patients (16%) received only vein grafts. We compared these
      patients (SVG group) with those who received ITA grafts (ITA group). The SVG
      group consisted of all emergency cases and many cases with single and double
      vessel disease. In the SVG group, perioperative use of IABP was more frequent and
      operative mortality was higher, although the number of grafts was fewer (2.66 vs
      3.61) and aortic cross clamping time was shorter in this group. Main reasons for
      selecting only vein grafts were emergency surgery, inadvertent injury of ITA,
      inadequate ITA free flow etc. Technical refinement in the preparation of ITA is
      important to make possible wider application of arterial grafts for CABG.

PMID- 1405148
TI  - [Myocardial revascularization for ischemic heart disease without in situ internal
      thoracic artery grafting].
AB  - CABG was performed in 327 patients from 1989 to 1991. We used ITA grafts for the
      arterial conduit whenever this was possible. Since ITA grafting has become a
      routine procedure in CABG, we investigated the reasons why in situ ITA grafts
      were used in some of our patients. The number of CABG patients without in situ
      ITA grafts was 42 in 1989, 35 in 1990, and 9 in 1991. There was three main
      reasons for this: 1) problems with the coronary arteries or myocardium, 2)
      problems with the ITA grafts, and 3) problems with the patient. Although ITA
      grafts were not used in these cases, the indications for ITA grafting have been
      changed by our review. Use of ITA grafts need not be restricted for reasons of
      age or native coronary artery problems, but some patients will still be
      unsuitable for these grafts.

PMID- 1405150
TI  - [Physiological characteristics of arterial graft for coronary artery bypass
      surgery].
AB  - Arterial grafts have been used widely for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
      because of their excellent long patency. However, some clinical reports suggest
      that blood flow in arterial grafts may not be adequate compared with aorto
      coronary bypass grafting. Pressure in arterial grafts was measured in patients
      undergoing CABG. The pressure tracing in the ascending aorta (AA) was maintained
      during diastole. The systolic pressure wave in ITA and GEA was narrow, while the
      diastolic pressures fell rapidly: the diastolic pressure in GEA was lower than in
      ITA. The area under the pressure wave was measured in diastole and in systole.
      Although there was no significant difference in systolic areas, the diastolic
      area were lower in ITA than in AA, and lower in GEA than in AA and in ITA. These
      results clarified that arterial grafts which belong to the systolic-dominant
      systemic circulation have disadvantages over aorto-coronary bypass grafts, in
      terms of physiological suitabilities to the diastolic-dominant coronary
      circulation.

PMID- 1405149
TI  - [Analysis of preoperative predictors influencing early patency of coronary artery
      grafts].
AB  - Under the recent trend of popular use of arterial grafts, we investigated the
      predictors of coronary artery bypass graft patency using modified scoring system
      of Greenlane hospital. A total of 127 grafts including 58 arterial grafts (53 in
      situ ITA, 3 free ITA, and 3 GEA) and 69 saphenous vein grafts were placed in 43
      patients for average of 2.95 grafts per patient during the period from April 1990
      to December 1991. Early patency of arterial grafts (98.3%) were significantly
      better than that of saphenous vein grafts (91.3%) (p less than 0.01). With regard
      to recipient vessels, both coronary flow-demand score (= score of the size of
      perfused myocardium x viability index x index of proximal stenotic lesion/3) and
      distal run-off score influenced early graft patency significantly. It seems that
      better patency of arterial grafts were reflected on the bias that these grafts
      were preferentially placed on larger coronary arteries such as the left anterior
      descending artery, not on the advantage of arterial grafts.

PMID- 1405151
TI  - [Coronary artery bypass surgery with bilateral internal mammary artery].
AB  - Increasing number of coronary artery bypass surgery has been performed utilizing
      more arterial grafts because of poor long term patency rate of saphenous vein
      grafts. The risk of bilateral internal mammary artery grafting was studied in two
      groups of patients who were matched for recognized risk factors such as year of
      operation, age, gender, extent of coronary artery disease, left ventricular
      function, completeness of myocardial revascularization, and history of congestive
      heart failure. The patient groups differed in the fact that they received on
      internal mammary artery graft or two internal mammary artery grafts. The
      operative mortality rate was zero in either group. Analysis of operative and
      postoperative morbidity demonstrated no significant differences except for a
      slight increase in transfusion requirement, rate of wound infection and use of
      catecholamine in the group receiving two internal mammary artery grafts (p = 0.1,
      0.1 and 0.05, respectively). We conclude at this moment that bilateral internal
      mammary artery grafting does not increase surgical mortality but increases the
      use of catecholamine comparing with the ipsilateral internal mammary artery
      grafting. Since the cases analysed in this study are limited, definitive
      conclusion should be deferred.

PMID- 1405152
TI  - [Sequential coronary artery bypass using gastroepiploic artery].
AB  - We carried out sequential coronary bypass grafting using the gastroepiploic
      artery (GEA) as an in situ graft in seven patients. Four patients had sequential
      graft from the right coronary to the circumflex. Three patients were anastomosed
      to two or three peripheral branches of the right coronary artery. There were no
      early deaths. Postoperative angiograms revealed that the patency rate was 92.3%
      (12/13 anastomoses). Sequential GEA grafting is available to anastomose the
      peripheral branches of the right coronary and the circumflex where the in situ
      internal thoracic artery is difficult to access. Therefore, this procedure will
      be indicated for multiple coronary artery bypass grafting.

PMID- 1405153
TI  - [Problems and prevention in using arterial grafts for coronary artery bypass
      grafting].
AB  - The arterial graft has proved to be superior to the saphenous vein graft for
      coronary bypass grafting (CABG), because of its excellent long-term patency.
      However, there mains controversial on the choice of the arterial grafts. Six
      hundreds and twenty seven patients who had CABG using both arterial grafts and
      saphenous vein grafts, operated upon over 11-years period between 1980 and 1991,
      have been analysed. Some disadvantages and complications associated with the use
      of arterial grafts were demonstrated in our series. We discussed, the flow
      capacity, myocardial protection and postoperative complications in using arterial
      grafts for CABG.

PMID- 1405154
TI  - [Coronary revascularization with arterial bypass graft as a routine].
AB  - In the period from December 1989 until December 1991, coronary revascularization
      were performed on 68 patients using arterial grafts as a routine. The ages of the
      patients ranged from 43 to 85 years (average: 67.1 years), and there were 38
      males and 30 females. Twenty-seven patients had angina pectoris, 32 had old
      myocardial infarction and 9 had acute infarction. The bypass grafts used were 69
      left internal thoracic artery (LITA) grafts, 39 right internal thoracic artery
      (RITA) grafts, 68 right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) grafts and 3 saphenous vein
      (SV) grafts. Thus, 179 grafts were used and an average of 2.6 bypasses were
      created per patient. There was only one death in 57 elective operations.
      Investigation of postoperative graft patency was performed in the 167 grafts that
      could be examined angiographically after surgery. Only 7 were obstructed,
      yielding a patency rate of 95.9%. By using both the ITA and RGEA, in situ
      anastomoses with the most of the coronary arteries could be performed. This
      operative form is considered to be useful technique and may be expected to
      produce favorable long-term results.

PMID- 1405155
TI  - [An emergency coronary artery bypass for failed percutaneous transluminal
      coronary angioplasty with intractable ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation].
AB  - A 73-year-old man with effort angina after myocardial infarction is admitted for
      percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). During PTCA, the left
      anterior descending artery (LAD) was completely occluded. He was suffered from
      severe cardiogenic shock with systemic cyanosis and loss of consciousness. Under
      assist of intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) and cardiac massage, he was transferred
      to an operating room. Before the start of operation, cardioversion were required
      13 times because of repeat attacks of ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation.
      Coronary artery bypass was completed in 177 minutes after total occlusion of the
      LAD. At the 5th postoperative day, IABP could be discontinued, and at the 8th
      postoperative day, the patient was weaned from mechanical ventilation. He was
      transferred to the prior hospital for rehabilitation on the 65 days after
      operation. We must try to perform CABG for salvage of myocardium, even if a
      patient falls in severe cardiogenic shock presenting intractable ventricular
      tachycardia and fibrillation.

PMID- 1405156
TI  - [Right coronary spasm immediately after coronary artery bypass grafting for the
      left coronary artery].
AB  - Right coronary spasm immediately after coronary artery bypass grafting for the
      left coronary artery in a 39-year-old male is described. After the patient was
      returned to ICU, ECG at leads II, III, and aVF changed suddenly, ventricular
      tachycardia (right ventricle origin) and cardiac arrest ensured. As neither
      administration of drug nor application of D.C. was effective. The chest was
      reopened at ICU. Though there was sufficient flow in the left coronary artery
      bypass graft flow, the right ventricle did not constrict at all. Right coronary
      artery spasm was diagnosed, and, upon application of the direct cardiac massage
      and D.C. at the cardiac surface, cardiac rhythm and blood pressure were
      normalized. IABP was inserted to improve cardiac function, and the chest was
      closed. In addition, nitroglycerin and diltiazem were infused continuously. No
      spasm has occurred after this episode, and the patient has been discharged and is
      doing well.

PMID- 1405157
TI  - [Coronary artery bypass grafting in a patient with Kawasaki disease].
AB  - A 3-year-girl admitted because of angina at rest. She had been diagnosed as
      Kawasaki disease at the age of 3 months. At that time, a coronary aneurysm was
      detected by echocardiogram and aspirin had started to administer. At the age of 4
      months, a cardiac arrest occurred after severe heart attack because of inferior
      myocardial infarction. At the age of 2 years and 6 months, she started to
      complain of a chest pain even at rest. Coronary angiography was performed, and it
      showed total occlusion of RCA and LAD. However, LAD was vaguely filled by
      collateral flow from diagonal branch, and 201Tl scintigraphy showed myocardial
      viability of anteroseptal area. At operation, the size of ITA was 1.2 mm in
      diameter. Coronary artery bypass grafting to LAD by ITA was performed. Three
      weeks postoperatively, graft patency was confirmed by coronary angiography. The
      girl discharged with good ability of exercise. The ITA seemed to be the first
      choice of conduit for CABG even in a small child, and to be useful for
      progressive surgical treatment of Kawasaki disease.

PMID- 1405158
TI  - [Adult respiratory distress syndrome].

PMID- 1405159
TI  - [Techniques and problems of blood purification].

PMID- 1405160
TI  - [Urodynamic findings in patients with a urethral Kock pouch after radical
      cystectomy].
AB  - Urodynamic evaluation was performed in 11 male patients, who underwent radical
      cystectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection for bladder cancer followed by
      bladder replacement with a urethral Kock pouch, 3 to 21 months after the
      operation. Frequency of micturition were 4.9 +/- 1.5 times (mean +/- S.D.) during
      the day-time and 1.5 +/- 1.2 times during the night-time. Tidal volume of
      micturition ranged from 300 to 550 ml and residual volume from 10 to 30 ml.
      Urinary continence was completely preserved in all patients (100%) during the day
      time and 8 (72.7%) during the night-time. On pouchmetry, maximum capacity of the
      pouch was 429.2 +/- 82.4 ml, and intra-pouch pressure was 16.2 +/- 5.4 cmH2O at
      the capacity of 200 ml and 38.7 +/- 11.5 cmH2O at the maximum capacity. Maximum
      intra-pouch pressure on voiding was 80.0 +/- 19.4 cmH2O. Uroflowmetry
      demonstrated intermittent voiding curves in all the patients, with maximum flow
      rate of 15.2 +/- 6.5 ml/sec, voided volume of 405.9 +/- 80.7 ml and residual rate
      of 4.5 +/- 2.6%. Maximum intra-urethral pressure at the external urethral
      sphincter was 28.0 +/- 11.3 cmH2O when the pouch was empty and increased in
      response to pouch filling up to 64.7 +/- 27.0 cmH2O. Maximum urethral closing
      pressure and total profile length on the urethral pressure profile were 30.2 +/-
      12.4 cmH2O and 20.9 +/- 9.0 mm, respectively, with the pouch empty, and 23.2 +/-
      14.5 cmH2O and 20.0 +/- 7.6 mm, respectively, with the pouch full.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405161
TI  - [The clinical significance of tissue, blood and urine polyamine in renal cell
      carcinoma].
AB  - With the use of a newly developed and convenient enzymatic method, tissue, urine
      and blood polyamine (diamine, spermidine and spermine) levels were evaluated as a
      tumor marker of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in 50 cases with the disease.
      Furthermore, blood and urine polyamines were periodically determined and
      evaluated as a follow-up marker. The pretreatment three polyamine levels in
      tissue, blood and urine of the patients were all significantly higher than those
      of the controls. However, because of their low sensitivities, they were not
      always decisive for biochemical diagnosis of RCC. Tissue spermidine levels were
      increased with the advance of the stages. Tissue diamine level also showed a good
      correlation with the pathological grade. Tissue diamine was found to predict
      distant metastasis. Blood spermidine and urine diamine were useful as follow-up
      markers. In conclusion, combined determination of tissue, blood and urine
      polyamine levels was thought to be useful as tumor markers of RCC.

PMID- 1405162
TI  - [Results of curative or non-curative nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma
      invading adjacent organs].
AB  - We reviewed 12 patients who had undergone curative or non-curative nephrectomy
      for renal cell carcinoma invading adjacent organs (stage T4). 83 patients with
      renal cell carcinoma confined within the perirenal fascia (T1-T3) who had
      undergone nephrectomy served as controls. Of the 12 patients with T4 tumor 6 had
      undergone simultaneous excision of involved adjacent organs (hemicolectomy in 4,
      resection of the tail of pancreas in 5, splenectomy in 2). At operation 6
      patients with T4 tumor had distant metastasis, 3 had fixed lymph node metastases,
      and 4 had tumor extension into the main renal vein or vena cava. Although T4
      tumor had distant or fixed lymph node metastasis more frequently than T1-T3
      tumors, the incidence of gross tumor thrombus showed no such difference between
      T3 and T4 tumors. Postoperative follow-up of patients with T4 tumor showed that
      local recurrence developed within 9 months in 3 of 5 patients who had undergone
      curative excision, new distant metastasis developed within 6 months in 5
      patients, 1 patient died of acute renal failure in the early convalescence, 10
      patients died of the disease within 12 months and 1 died of the disease in 31
      months. Pathological examination showed that T4 tumors tended to be classified as
      grade 3, to extend in an infiltrating fashion and to have a sarcomatoid
      structure. Patients who had a tumor where these three histological features were
      dominant died to tumor within 3 months after nephrectomy. These results indicate
      that curative excision of T4 renal cell carcinoma is not only difficult, but
      frequently associated with early local recurrence and new distant
      metastasis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405163
TI  - [Clinical studies of the prognosis in cases of chance proteinuria and/or
      hematuria].
AB  - A total of 174 cases that consulted due to chance proteinuria and/or hematuria
      (CPH) were studied as to its clinical course, in particular patients' prognosis.
      They were selected from 311 patients on whom renal biopsy was performed from
      December, 1975 to December, 1985 in our institute. Furthermore, IgA nephropathy
      which occupied the major part of the CPH group was also studied as a prognostic
      factor. The CPH group showed 81% of disease stabilizing rate in 10 years' follow
      up. In various data such as chemical analysis of blood and urine, immunoglobulin
      levels, and renal function at the time of biopsy, daily urinary protein excretion
      (greater than 1 g/day) statistically showed a significant correlation to
      deterioration of the renal function during the follow up. However, hematuria was
      not found correlated. Of CPH group, 48% was diagnosed to be with IgA nephropathy.
      The patients with IgA nephropathy with CPH, comparing with the cases without CPH,
      were younger and had better renal function and milder change of renal mesangial
      proliferation. The 10 years-disease stabilizing rates of the disease were 81% in
      CPH and 63% in non CHP group. In conclusion, prognostic factors affecting renal
      function in the CPH group was found to be daily urinary protein excretion and, if
      diagnosed as IgA nephropathy by biopsy, pathological changes were also shown to
      be prognostic factors. Therefore, CPH patients having proteinuria over 1 g/day
      must be examined by renal biopsy and when IgA nephropathy is diagnosed, long time
      follow-up is necessary and re-biopsy for examination of pathological change
      during the interval is recommended.

PMID- 1405164
TI  - [Purification and properties of NAG A from human kidney].
AB  - In the present paper, we have reported the purification procedures of N-acetyl
      beta, D-glucosaminidase (NAG) A from human renal tissue as well as the enzymatic
      properties of NAG A. NAG A was purified to homogeneity by gel filtration methods
      using Sephacry S-400 and S-200, followed by affinity chromatography with TSK DEAE
      5-PW. The final activity of the enzyme was 1001 U/ml protein which was 506.6-fold
      that of the crude extract (supernatant of 20,000 x G of the homogenate). The
      molecular weight of NAG A was 140 kDa, consisting of two subunits of 30 kDa and
      57 kDa. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was 5.60. The optimal pH of the
      enzyme was between 4.7 and 4.9. The Km value of the enzyme for sodio-m-cresol
      sulfophtaleinyl-N-acetyl-beta, D-glucosaminide was found 0.177 x 10(-3) mol/l.
      Lectin affinity chromatographies using concanavalin A and wheat germagglutinin
      have demonstrated that major sugar-chains of the enzyme were the high mannose
      type and hybrid type with a fucose residue, and that a small amount of the
      complex type was contained.

PMID- 1405165
TI  - [Prognostic factors for progression of superficial bladder cancer].
AB  - To clarify prognostic factors for progression of superficial transitional cell
      carcinoma of the bladder (Ta, T1 and G1, G2), 159 patients, treated by
      transurethral resection from 1975 to 1988, were analysed concerning clinical
      findings, laboratory data, endoscopic findings and histopathological findings of
      the tumor. Histopathological findings included ABH blood group isoantigen (ABH)
      and Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen (T-ag) as well as other result. Twenty two cases
      in the series showed progression; 10 with up-grading and up-staging, 12 with
      either one of them. Advanced age, positive urinary cytology, multiple or broad
      base tumor, G2 or T1 tumor, negative ABH and abnormal T-ag were closely
      associated with progression. By multivariate analysis of these factors, ABH,
      stage of the tumor, T-ag and form were shown to be important prognostic factors
      in this order. ABH and T-ag were not correlated with other clinicopathological
      factors in predicting tumor progression. Therefore we concluded that ABH and T-ag
      were much important for prediction concerning potential for progression of the
      superficial bladder cancer.

PMID- 1405166
TI  - [Asymptomatic multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma].
AB  - From January 1982 to December 1989, we experienced seven multilocular cystic
      renal cell carcinomas (MLCRCCs) in 36 asymptomatic renal cancers incidentally
      diagnosed, and none in 23 symptomatic renal cancers (p less than 0.05). No
      multiocular cystic nephromas (MLCNs) appeared in either group. Though MLCRCCs
      have been considered to be, in general, extremely rare, they do occur in
      asymptomatic renal cancers. A multiloculated renal mass with thick septum
      discovered in an adult by ultrasonography or CT scan should be suspected as being
      a MLCRCC rather than a MLCN.

PMID- 1405167
TI  - [Results of deep dorsal vein ligation for venogenic impotence].
AB  - We treated seventy venogenic impotence with ligation of the deep dorsal vein of
      the penis. Their corporal veno-occlusive function was evaluated by dynamic
      infusion cavernosometry and cavernosography (DICC). Under local anesthesia, we
      made a longitudinal skin incision at the base of the penis. The deep dorsal vein
      was ligated and also a portion of this vein of 1.5 cm long was resected together
      with branches surrounding the vein. After the operation, the infusion rate
      determined by DICC was confirmed to be decreased in almost all patients. Thirty
      nine out of seventy cases had their erectile capability restored and reported
      that they could achieve sexual intercourse. Sixty one of the seventy cases showed
      full erection together with an intracavernous papaverine injection. However fifty
      percent of the sixty one patients who became capable of obtaining erection with
      the treatment had lost their erectile capability again within one year of the
      operation, however the other fifty percent were shown to maintain their erectile
      capability for up to three years. As four years after the treatment only thirty
      percent of those who had achieved the initial erectile capability still remained
      potent. This operation is easy to perform without any major complications, and
      its outcome is as good as that achieved by other more invasive venous ligation in
      the treatment of patients with venogenic impotence. We therefore conclude that
      penile deep dorsal vein ligation and partial resection of the vein one of the
      most useful treatments currently available for venogenic impotence and should be
      the treatment of choice.

PMID- 1405168
TI  - [A survey on urinary incontinence in the institutionalized elderly].
AB  - A survey on urinary incontinence in 161 (41 male, 120 female) institutionalized
      elderly was independently performed by urologists and attending nurses. Urinary
      incontinence was found in 107 cases (66%), with 76 cases (47%) suffering from
      severe leakage (more than 5 times a day and needs diaper). The prevalences of
      incontinence and severe leakage were 63% and 52% at geriatric hospitals, 59% and
      29% at intermediate care centers and 78% and 63% at nursing homes, respectively.
      The risk factors for incontinence were consciousness disturbance, urinary
      urgency, impaired mobility and dementia, and those for severe leakage were
      apathy, loss of urinary sensation, dementia and impaired mobility. The type of
      incontinence was considered functional one in 81% of cases. The agreement of the
      incontinence type evaluated by urologists and that by nurses was found in 90% of
      incontinent cases. Incontinence was estimated "incurable" in 54% of cases by
      attending nurses. These observations indicate a high prevalence of severe and
      "incurable" incontinence in the institutionalized elderly, urgently warranting an
      effective remedy for the increasing aged society.

PMID- 1405169
TI  - [Electromyographic study on the striated urethral sphincter of the male. An
      analysis with turns amplitude diagram].
AB  - The aim of this study is to clarify the physiology and pathophysiology of two
      striated urethral sphincters, the periurethral striated sphincter (PUS) and the
      external urethral sphincter (EUS), in the voiding cycle, using a selective and
      semi-quantitative electromyographic technique. Under ultrasonic guidance, two
      needle-electrodes were inserted into the two sphincters of 31 males (7
      neurologically normal, 13 with nuclear and/or infranuclear lesions, 11 with
      supranuclear lesions), and EMGs recorded during the whole cystometric course were
      analysed by the aid of Turns-Amplitude Diagram (TAD). The results obtained were
      as follows: 1) In neurologically normal cases, the increment of turns as well as
      amplitudes in EMGs of both the sphincters were observed with the bladder filling,
      and they were completely diminished at the onset of than voiding. 2) The
      increment of turns were more obvious than that of amplitudes in EMGs of both the
      sphincters. 3) More voluntary function could be assumed on EUS than PUS. 4) The
      functional sphincteric responsibility corresponding to the voiding cycle could be
      expressed by the direction and the length of the vectors obtained from TAD. 5) In
      neurogenic bladder cases, various abnormal sphincteric responsibility, such as
      the shortening and/or abnormal directions of the vectors, were found. With the
      results described above, this semi-quantitative assessment of sphincter EMG was
      thought to be useful to evaluate the abnormal activity of the urethral sphincter
      in neurogenic bladder cases.

PMID- 1405170
TI  - [Prophylactic intravesical instillation therapy in patients with superficial
      bladder cancer--results of a randomized prospective study].
AB  - A randomized prospective study was conducted for the purpose of investigating the
      efficacy of intravesical chemoprophylaxis of superficial bladder cancers.
      Eligible patients were randomized into three groups: 1) adriamycin (ADM) group;
      intravesical instillation with 50 mg of ADM dissolved in 100 ml physiological
      saline, 2) mitomycin C (MMC) group; intravesical instillation with 30 mg of MMC
      dissolved in 100 ml of physiological saline, 3) control group; transurethral
      resection or transurethral coagulation only. The characteristic features of our
      protocol consisted of frequent (six times) instillations of the drugs within two
      weeks after transurethral resection, followed by instillations on two consecutive
      days at four-week intervals for two years. Furthermore, large quantities (100 ml)
      of instillation fluid containing relatively low concentrations of the drugs (500
      micrograms/ml for ADM or 300 micrograms/ml for MMC) were employed. One hundred
      and forty-four patients have been submitted to the study; 110 patients were fully
      evaluable for recurrence and 34 patients were eliminated as non-evaluable
      patients. The cumulative five-year non-recurrence rates of the patients with
      multiple tumors were 32% in the MMC group, 25% in the ADM group and 7% in the
      control group. The cumulative non-recurrence rates of the ADM and MMC groups were
      significantly higher than that of the control group. It is considered that this
      instillation therapy with ADM and MMC is useful for preventing the recurrence of
      superficial bladder cancers.

PMID- 1405171
TI  - [Primary tumor of the ureteral stump following nephrectomy for non-malignant
      disease. A case report].
AB  - Primary tumor in the ureteral stump is rare. A 66-year-old woman visited our
      hospital because of microscopic hematuria. She had undergone right nephrectomy
      for the contracted kidney 36 years ago. Intravenous pyelography and cystoscopy
      showed no positive findings for hematuria. But urine cytology indicated class V.
      The flexible ureterorenoscopy disclosed a nonpapillary sessile tumor in the
      ureteral stump. We also did the biopsy of the tumor under the direct vision
      before open surgery. The specimen showed transitional cell carcinoma, grade 3.
      The ureteral stump was successfully removed. The flexible ureterorenoscopy was
      most useful for the diagnosis in this case.

PMID- 1405172
TI  - [A case of scrotal bladder hernia containing bladder cancer].
AB  - A 70-year-old man had a history of total laryngectomy for laryngeal cancer and
      bilateral inguinal hernia repair 5 years previously. The patient had suffered
      from difficulty with urination since then and had been treated for prostatic
      hypertrophy at our department. He developed microscopic hematuria from June 1991,
      and was admitted because a bladder tumor was detected by cystoscopy. Cystography
      showed a scrotal bladder hernia with filling defects in the bladder per se and
      the bladder hernia as well. Cystoscopy revealed tumors in the hernia and in the
      vicinity of the ureteral orifice. Biopsy indicated transitional cell carcinoma.
      Voiding cystourethrography showed normal urination and no residual urine.
      Excision of the tumor-containing hernia, partial cystectomy with right ureteral
      orifice, and reconstruction of the right inguinal canal were performed on October
      25, 1991. The postoperative course was favorable and he was discharged on the
      40th postoperative day. The tumors were respectively stage as TCC, G1, and pT1a,
      and TCC, G1 greater than G2, and pT1b. Thirty five cases of bladder hernia that
      have been reported in Japan. Eight cases of accompanied by cancer have been
      reported in Japanese (3 cases) and foreign (5 cases) literatures. These are
      reviewed and discussed.

PMID- 1405173
TI  - Art for art's sake.

PMID- 1405174
TI  - Medicine and business: traveling on the same road.

PMID- 1405175
TI  - COBRA and emergency room care (revisited).

PMID- 1405176
TI  - Ron Todd: a stern regulator with a low-key style.

PMID- 1405177
TI  - Education sessions cover AIDS, health insurance reform and RBRVS.

PMID- 1405179
TI  - AIDS in Kansas, 1981-91.

PMID- 1405178
TI  - The high-risk register for hearing loss in Kansas: some preliminary data.

PMID- 1405180
TI  - Tobacco--its use and abuse. 1925.

PMID- 1405181
TI  - Identifying systolic murmurs at the bedside.

PMID- 1405182
TI  - Tuberculin survey in Ethiopia.
AB  - For planning and implementation of effective national tuberculosis control
      programme (NTP) in Ethiopia, it is essential to know the real magnitude of
      tuberculosis problem. Previous tuberculin survey carried out during the period
      from 1953 to 1955 revealed the annual risk of infection 3.0%, and since then,
      there has been no survey. A new tuberculin survey was thus conducted during the
      period from December 1987 to April 1990. In order to get a sample of 47
      previously BCG unvaccinated children, aged 6 to 10 years, selected from each 480
      representative clusters of randomly selected 16 Woredas (districts), a total of
      26,529 children, approximately 55 in each cluster, were given tuberculin
      intradermal injection, and the reaction was read in 26,269 children (99.0%). A
      scar survey was done, and 23,695 had no BCG scar, while 2,574 (10.1%) had BCG
      scar. Out of the former, 2,503 children (10.6%) were positive, and the annual
      risk of infection thus calculated was 1.4%. Out of the latter, 591 (23.0%) were
      positive. The results of these two surveys indicate that tuberculosis showed
      decline in the past 37 years with the annual reduction rate of 2.2%, however, the
      trend might change in the future due to present pandemic of HIV infection.

PMID- 1405183
TI  - [The study of pulmonary tuberculosis in the elderly].
AB  - A clinical study of 52 patients diagnosed as having pulmonary tuberculosis at
      National Chiba-Higashi Hospital between 1988 and 1990 was performed. The cases
      ranged in age from 80-89 years; mean male patient age was 82.5, and mean female
      patient age was 84.3. Diagnosis of the cases were as follows: 19 discovered when
      checking into hospital because of chest symptoms; 14 diagnosed during the
      treatment of other diseases; 14 diagnosed during admission to the hospital for
      other diseases; and five cases were detected by chest X-rays. A total of 38
      cases, had received primary treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis, 11 cases had
      received secondary treatment, and three cases were receiving treatment for
      tuberculosis. Upon admission to the hospital after the detection of tuberculosis,
      19 cases tested positive to sputum smear examinations, six cases tested positive
      to culture examinations but negative to smear examinations, and culture
      examinations were negative in 27 cases. Regarding the chest X-ray findings, using
      the criterion of roentgenological classification for pulmonary tuberculosis
      established by the Japanese Society for Tuberculosis, two cases revealed type I,
      29 cases revealed type II, and 21 cases revealed type III. Cavitary cases were
      observed in 60% of the chest X-ray findings. Upon hospital admission, 18 cases
      were observed to have circulatory diseases, 16 cases had central nervous
      diseases, 12 cases had digestive diseases and 11 cases had respiratory diseases.
      Nine cases had malignant neoplasm, five cases had diabetes mellitus and 14 cases
      had other diseases. A total of 18 cases ended in death; six cases died of
      pulmonary tuberculosis, and 12 cases died of other diseases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405184
TI  - [A case of inflammatory bronchial polyp associated with pulmonary and bronchial
      tuberculosis].
AB  - A 67-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of cough and sputum. Chest
      X-ray revealed cavity and consolidation in the right upper lobe. Microscopical
      examination of stained specimens of sputum disclosed acid-fast bacilli
      (Mycobacterium tuberculosis). Cough and sputum resolved and cultures of sputum
      did not yield M. tuberculosis a month after administration of antituberculosis
      agents. However, a mass shadow in the right upper lobe was found 3 months later.
      Bronchofiberscopy revealed a polyp with a stalk at the orifice of right upper
      bronchus, which was elastic, soft in consistency, smooth surfaced, and movable.
      The pathological findings of the polyp showed non-specific inflammatory
      granulation which suggested to be inflammatory bronchial polyp. It was appeared
      in the healing process of bronchial tuberculosis.

PMID- 1405185
TI  - [Short course chemotherapy and relapse in pulmonary tuberculosis in Japan].
AB  - As far as short course chemotherapy of pulmonary tuberculosis is concerned, Japan
      is considered to have been a little behind the trend of the world in the past.
      However, since 1978 the concept of the chemotherapy has begun to be adopted in
      some hospitals and research councils (Cooperative Study Unit of Chemotherapy of
      Tuberculosis of National Sanatoria, Tuberculosis Research Committees, Ryoken),
      and then seems to be prevailing in other hospitals as the results of their
      gradual understanding. This movement has likely been accelerated since Dr. W. Fox
      came to Japan in 1978 at the invitation of Japanese Society of Tuberculosis and
      gave us much information and suggestion through his special lecture on short
      course chemotherapy of tuberculosis. Fifteen years have past since short course
      chemotherapy started in Japan. At this opportunity, I would like to review the
      results of short course chemotherapy studies reported by Japanese investigators.
      Bacteriological relapse rates in cases followed-up for three years and for from
      five to nine years after the end of short course chemotherapy were 1.9% (20 out
      of 1067) and 3.3% (26 out of 783), respectively. According to the analysis of the
      time of relapse after completion chemotherapy, bacteriological relapses could be
      divided into two types. One was early relapse which occurred within one year
      after completing treatment, and the other was late relapse which occurred two or
      three years after completing treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405186
TI  - [Elimination of tuberculosis in Japan].
AB  - According to the operational definition adopted at Wolfheze Workshop held in
      March 1991 (Table 1), tuberculosis low incidence countries are defined as those
      where the incidence of all forms of tuberculosis is less than 1 per 100,000. The
      incidence was 41.9 in 1990 in Japan, so that Japan cannot be considered as a low
      incidence country. Why is the incidence of tuberculosis so high in Japan? What
      part of population is affected by the tuberculosis disease? To solve these
      questions and to make clear the mode of development of tuberculosis, a study was
      carried out. Fortunately, both the annual risk of tuberculosis infection and the
      prevalences of persons with healed and/or fibrotic lesion in the lung are known
      from the results of the National Tuberculosis Prevalence Surveys carried out in
      1963 and 1973 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. From these data, the number of newly
      infected within 5 years and that of remote infections by age group were
      estimated. The former was divided into BCG vaccinated and non-vaccinated and the
      latter into persons with fibrotic lesion, with healed foci and without
      abnormality in the lung. (Table 2). The rates of development of tuberculosis
      disease according to the X-ray findings of the lung were observed at the five
      years follow-up study of all the examinees at the Prevalence Survey carried out
      in 1968. The ratio of development of the disease in those with recent infections,
      remote infections with fibrotic lesion, those with healed foci and those without
      abnormality was estimated as 20 : 10 : 2 : 1. (Table 3)(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1405187
TI  - Special consideration: rural health care delivery.

PMID- 1405188
TI  - Rural nursing centers: are they a reality?

PMID- 1405190
TI  - Restructuring health care systems with nurse practitioners in rural western
      Kansas: a feasibility study.

PMID- 1405189
TI  - One rural hospital's innovative maternity staffing pattern.

PMID- 1405191
TI  - Keeping up: literature resources available to nurses in Kansas.

PMID- 1405192
TI  - [Early results of surgical treatment of patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White
      syndrome].
AB  - Successful dissection of accessory pathways (AcP's) was performed in 19 of 20
      patients. 15 pts had single, 4 double and 1 patient had 3 accessory pathways
      (AcP's). The patient with 3 AcP's was operated twice. During the first operation
      two AcP's were eliminated. The third one was revealed during the postoperative
      electrophysiologic study. Verapamil facilitated its manifestation and
      localisation. No patient had syncope or atrio-ventricular tachycardia after the
      operation. In 3 of 10 patients who had atrial fibrillation before the operation,
      episodes of AF occurred in the early postoperative period. Conduction to the
      ventricles was through the normal conduction system. Dissection of AcP's
      prevented extremely fast ventricular response and syncope. After discontinuation
      of amiodarone more frequent ventricular premature beats occurred in patients with
      long history of cardiac arrhythmias, on drugs for a long time and in patients who
      had heart dilatation. Several months after the operation VEB were less frequent,
      probably because tachycardias did not occur, left ventricle geometry improved,
      and cardiodepressant drugs were discontinued. Previously these patients had been
      treated usually with combination of 2-3 such drugs. After the successful
      dissection of AcP's the patients lost the feeling of illness and do not feel
      being imperilled. Children can attend schools normally and some adult patients
      resumed their professional activities.

PMID- 1405193
TI  - [A case of perforation of the pericardial sac by Seldinger's catheter guide].
AB  - This is a case report of perforation by Seldinger's catheter leader into
      pericardial sack. The leader was inserted contrary-wise++ to the subclavian vein
      with the sharp end in front. The leader moved forward toward the venous system
      and perforated into the pericardial sack. The preceding steroid therapy which the
      patient had undergone due to asthmatic status resulted in mediastinitis after the
      primary surgery. Right technique of reoperation and intensive postoperative care
      led to patient recovery.

PMID- 1405194
TI  - [Left coronary artery-pulmonary artery fistula. Case report].
AB  - A case of a 45-year-old male with anterior descending branch of the left coronary
      artery fistula to the main pulmonary trunk is reported. The patient was admitted
      because of a retrosternal pain. ECG showed ST-elevation in leads V2-3. This was
      first episode of anginal symptoms. The authors suggest that the single episode of
      coronary pain may have been provoked by faintness (following alcohol consumption)
      in the mechanism of the steal syndrome or by coronary spasm. A fistula (on
      coronarography) was diagnosed (the coronary arteries showed no changes). The
      value of the shunt calculated via Flick's method was 1.1 l/min. Exercise test, 24
      hour ECG recording as well as stress thallium scintigraphy did not reveal post
      exertion ischemic changes. During a 17-month post hospitalization follow-up the
      patient reported no anginal symptoms. Because of the small shunt and asymptomatic
      follow-up no surgical treatment was recommended.

PMID- 1405195
TI  - [Non-pharmacological methods of the treatment of arrhythmia].

PMID- 1405196
TI  - [Enalapril improves hemodynamics and exercise tolerance in pulmonary heart
      disease caused by obstructive lung disease].
AB  - Chronic enalapril therapy was assessed in 11 patients with cor pulmonale due to
      chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Enalapril was added to the maintenance
      dose of diuretics and digitalis and when clinical stabilisation was achieved
      haemodynamics, spirometry, blood gases and maximal treadmill exercise test
      accompanied by +pulse oximetry were performed before and after 30 days, 10-20 mg
      a day, enalapril therapy. Haemodynamic study showed moderate but significant
      decrease in mean pulmonary artery pressure, from 24 +/- 3 to 21 +/- 5 mmHg (p =
      0.05). There were no substantial differences in cardiac output as well as in
      blood gases and spirometry after enalapril therapy. Slight decrease in oxygen
      delivery, on an average from 9157 +/- 3808 to 8074 +/- 3574 (p = NS), was
      accompanied by a concomitant fall in haemoglobin. We noted significant
      improvement of maximal exercise test results after enalapril therapy. Maximal
      workload achieved and the time of exercise increased. It was accompanied by
      subjective improvement as assessed by Borg scale. We observed no adverse effects
      of enalapril during one month therapy in patients with cor pulmonale and COPD.

PMID- 1405197
TI  - [The minimum one should know about percutaneous arterial angioplasty].

PMID- 1405198
TI  - [Is atherectomy an alternative to coronary angioplasty in ischemic heart
      disease?].

PMID- 1405199
TI  - [Effect of ventricular and sequential stimulation on the left- ventricular
      systolic function].
AB  - Left ventricular systolic function at rest was determined by echocardiography and
      Doppler in 20 patients after dual chamber pacemaker implantation due to second
      and third degree A-V block. Measurements were performed in each patient during
      VVI and DDD mode pacing at three different atrio-ventricular (A-V) intervals:
      100, 150 and 200 ms. The essential hemodynamic superiority of DDD stimulation
      over VVI mode in the form of significant increase of forward stroke volume index
      (SVI) and cardiac index (CI) during dual chamber stimulation at identical rate
      stimulation was observed. Closer individual analysis of the values of CI during
      DDD stimulation at three different A-V intervals (100, 150 and 200 ms) gave the
      possibility of programming optimal A-V intervals (the highest value of CI) for
      each patient. The sequential atrio-ventricular stimulation as compared to right
      ventricular stimulation essentially improves the left ventricular systolic
      function at rest in patients without symptoms of heart failure. Maximum
      hemodynamic advantage during DDD stimulation depends on individual selection of A
      V delay in each patient.

PMID- 1405200
TI  - [Calcium antagonists in the treatment of heart failure in patients with
      myocardial infarction. Experience with clinical use of intravenous dilcem
      (diltiazem)].

PMID- 1405201
TI  - [Plasma beta-endorphin level in "silent" myocardial ischemia during Holter ECG
      monitoring].
AB  - The results from recent studies suggest that the endogenous opioid beta-endorphin
      (beta-E) is related to pain modulation. Therefore, plasma beta-E levels were
      studied in 23 patients with essential hypertension (EH) and in 7 patients with
      coronary artery disease (CAD) during asymptomatic ischemic events and in 5
      patients with CAD during symptomatic ischemic events. Blood samples for beta-E
      were taken at the moment of silent ST depression, pointed with alarm by the real
      time ECG monitor "Q Med Monitor" (USA). Control blood samples were taken under
      the same conditions without ischemic events. Control plasma beta-E levels were
      significantly higher (p less than 0.01) in patients with EH as compared to that
      in both groups of patients with CAD (22.9 +/- 4.0 vs 7.0 +/- 1.9 and 4.5 +/- 1.6
      pmol/l). At the time of silent ischemia, beta-E showed a significant increase in
      patients with EH (+10.1 +/- 2.1 pmol/l, p less than 0.01) and in patients with
      CAD (+10.7 +/- 1.3 pmol/l, p less than 0.05) as compared to the control levels.
      However, plasma beta-E showed no increase (+1.0 +/- 0.6 pmol/l, p greater than
      0.1) during symptomatic ischemia as compared to the control levels. Thus,
      differences in the circulating levels of beta-E may be associated with the
      presence or absence of pain during myocardial ischemia.

PMID- 1405202
TI  - [Clinico-genealogical characteristics of patients with ischemic heart disease and
      different disorders of lipid metabolism].
AB  - The paper presents a clinical and genealogical characterization of 50 probands
      suffering from coronary heart disease concurrent with various lipid metabolic
      disturbances and 211 first-degree relatives whose data have been obtained from
      the probands' histories while making up their pedigrees. The prevalence of
      atherosclerosis among the first-degree relatives has been demonstrated to be
      related to the nature of lipid metabolic disturbances in a proband. Some
      dyslipoproteinemias in the proband have been characterized by early onset of
      coronary heart disease, stroke, and their grave course in close relatives.

PMID- 1405203
TI  - [Effect of the tourniquet test on fibrinolysis, thrombocytic hemostasis and the
      antithrombin III system in ischemic heart disease and exercise-induced
      stenocardia of the III-IV functional classes].

PMID- 1405204
TI  - [Effect of psycho-emotional stress test on the blood coagulation system and
      thrombocytic hemostasis in patients with stenocardia].
AB  - A total of 101 male patients (mean age 52.3 +/- 1.7 years) with documented
      coronary heart disease and stable angina and 25 healthy males (mean age 49.8 +/-
      2.0 years) were studied. Hemostatic parameters and catecholamine levels were
      determined at rest, at the peak of psychoemotional stress test and at 10 min of
      rest. During the test, the healthy subjects showed a protective activation of the
      anticoagulative hemostatic system that hindered intravascular blood coagulation.
      Some definite compensatory potentials of the blood anticoagulative system
      preserved in Type B behavior patients under the similar conditions. The patients
      with Type A behavior displayed enhanced intravascular coagulation and increased
      thrombogenic potential.

PMID- 1405205
TI  - [Substantiation of safe conducting of early bicycle ergometry in patients with
      myocardial infarct].

PMID- 1405206
TI  - [Comparative evaluation of cardiovascular function in patients after myocardial
      infarction during exercise test with the optimal and sub-optimal frequency of
      pedalling].
AB  - Cardiovascular function was studied in 59 patients with myocardial infarction
      during their bicycle ergometer exercise performance at optimal and +sub-optimal
      pedalling rates. The total performance at the optimal rate was found to average
      1.48 times more than that at the +sub-optimal rate. The efficiency of
      cardiovascular performance was achieved by a less increase in heart rate and
      systolic pressure. ECG changes resulting in exercise test cessation were observed
      in 7 and 30 cases at the optimal and +sub-optimal rates, respectively. It is
      concluded that physical training that fails to impose patients' rhythm and
      exercise capacity are more physiological and maximally safe.

PMID- 1405207
TI  - [Effect of corinfar on hemodynamic indicators and clinical manifestations in
      patients with ischemic heart disease and stenocardia during psycho-emotional
      stress].

PMID- 1405208
TI  - [Crystallogenic properties of serum lipid fraction in healthy persons and in
      patients with ischemic heart disease].
AB  - A crystallization method was proposed to assess disturbances in the lipid system;
      it was based on the interaction of a serum lipid fraction with a lecithin matrix.
      A total of 255 invidividuals were examined. A model experiment was performed by
      using chemically pure cholesterol (96 samples) and 10 different cholesterol
      esters (240 samples). There were a great differences in the frequency of various
      pattern structural types (homogeneous texture, fan crystals) in the healthy
      persons and patients. The test results were found to be related to the ratio of
      esterified to non-esterified cholesterol in the serum lipid fraction. The
      application of rheopolyglucin, , hemosorption, quantum hemotherapy in the
      patients contributed to normalization of crystallization test indices.

PMID- 1405209
TI  - [Effect of long-term treatment with prazosin and its combination with nadolol on
      the levels of blood hormones of the hypophyseal- gonadal system in patients with
      hypertension].
AB  - The levels of pituitary and gonadal hormones were measured by radioimmunoassay
      during a long-term (12-month) therapy with prazosin and its combination in 23
      patients aged 30-59 years who suffered from Stage II hypertensive disease.
      Prazosin monotherapy resulted in a significant decrease in prolactin levels,
      followed by inhibited elaboration of luteinizing, follicle-stimulating, and
      testicular hormones in the first 6 months of therapy without changing estradiol
      levels. The hypoprolactinemic effect of prazosin was significantly enhanced with
      an increase in therapy duration and more profound in patients who had high
      baseline prolactin levels and in younger patients. Prazosin in combination with
      nadolol was found to level off the hyperprolactinemic effect of the latter
      without potentiating the reduction in the levels of follicle-stimulating,
      luteinizing, and testicular hormones which was observed during therapy with each
      drug alone.

PMID- 1405210
TI  - [Study of myocardial perfusion in patients with hypertension].
AB  - Exercise 199Tl myocardial scintigraphic data were studied during dipyridamole
      test in 39 patients with Class II essential hypertension. Transient myocardial
      perfusion defects were revealed in 60% of patients with negative exercise test.
      Intraventricular administration of albumin microspheres in 8 females with normal
      coronary artery allowed the authors to detect areas of their accumulation at the
      same sites as in exercise 199Tl myocardial scintigraphy. Thus, the changes in the
      small vessels which are revealed by intraventricular albumin microspheres are one
      of the causes of impaired myocardial perfusion in patients with essential
      hypertension.

PMID- 1405211
TI  - [Peroxidation of membrane lipids and the antioxidant levels at various stages of
      development of "hypertensive" heart].

PMID- 1405212
TI  - [Changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes in patients with hypertension].
AB  - The authors examined the activity of the antioxidative enzymes superoxide
      dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GP) in the blood of patients with
      permanent essential hypertension and hypertensive crises and changes in the
      activity of these enzymes when monotherapy with the calcium antagonist corinfar
      was used. A total of 62 patients (age 52.7 +/- 0.7 years) with hypertension and
      25 apparently healthy volunteers (age 43.9 +/- 0.7 years) were examined. The
      activity of SOD and GP was found to be decreased by 33 and 22%, respectively, in
      patients with permanent hypertension and by 40 and 32%, respectively, during
      hypertensive crises. When hypertension was treated with corinfar, the activity of
      COD and GP was increased by 10 and 18%, respectively. Concurrently, these
      patients had subjective and clinical improvement. The findings suggest that
      impaired lipid peroxidation makes a great contribution to the pathogenesis of
      essential hypertension. It can be assumed that the use of antihypertensive agents
      producing effects on the level of lipid peroxidation products and the
      enhancements of the activity of antioxidative enzymes.

PMID- 1405213
TI  - [Surgical treatment of unstable stenocardia].

PMID- 1405214
TI  - [Current methods of mathematical analysis of cardiac rhythm].

PMID- 1405215
TI  - [Limitation of adrenergic cardiovascular damage by exogenous infusion of a
      regulatory peptide dalargin].

PMID- 1405216
TI  - [Changes in myocardial contractility and the myocardial microcirculatory bed in
      the post-ischemic period in relation to the degree of its hypothermic
      protection].

PMID- 1405217
TI  - [The role of the prostaglandin system in the cardioprotective effect of
      adaptation to hypoxia in stress].
AB  - The adaptation to periodic altitude hypoxia is known to have cardioprotective and
      antiarrhythmic effects in stress-induced and ischemic lesions. The effects are
      assumed to be associated with the enhanced activity of the body's stress-limiting
      systems, including prostaglandins (PG). Wistar rats were adapted in a hypobaric
      chamber at an altitude of 4000 m for 6 hours during 40 days. The levels of
      myocardial and plasma PGE, PGE2 alpha, PGI2, thromboxane A2 were measured by
      radioimmunoassay and those of plasma catecholamines by enzyme radioassay. In the
      myocardium, the adaptation showed a 2-fold increase in PGE levels, the PGE/PGE2
      alpha ratio and PGI2 levels rose by 70 and 73%, respectively, the
      PGI2/thromboxane A2 ratio remaining unchanged, while thromboxane A2
      concentrations also rose. In adaptation, the levels of PGE and PGI2 was 78 and
      60% higher, respectively. In restraint stress, myocardial and plasma PG levels
      proved to be substantially higher in adapted animals than in the controls, but
      stress-induced plasma catecholamine release, i.e. stress reaction, showed a 2-3
      fold decrease that in the controls undergoing the same stress. The findings along
      with the data on the cytoprotective and vasodilating action of PGE and PGI2
      suggest that enhanced activity of the myocardial and blood PG system is the
      important link in the mechanism responsible for the antistress impact of
      adaptation.

PMID- 1405218
TI  - [Prostacyclin-thromboxane imbalance after adrenergic damage of the heart and
      aorta and its correction with calcium antagonist finoptin and the adaptation to
      high-altitude climate].
AB  - Adrenergic cardiac and aortic lesion was reproduced by using intramuscularly a
      stress-necrogenic epinephrine dose of 2 mg/kg. Following 24 hours, the levels of
      malonic dialdehyde (MDA) as a TxA2 marker, were measured in the platelets. The
      antiaggregability of the aortic wall where PGI2 is synthesized was also examined.
      The adrenergic lesion was found to impair the platelet function-vascular wall
      balance, creating the condition for enhancing spontaneous platelet aggregation.
      This led to 50% death of experimental "lowland" rats. The short-term high
      altitude adaptation failed to substantially modify the death rates in adrenergic
      lesion, though the platelets showed a 30% decrease in MDA generation. The
      combination of high-altitude adaptation and the calcium antagonist finoptin
      completely prevented the stress-induced increase in the platelet generation of
      MDA, a TxA2 marker, which was followed by a drastic reduction (16.6% versus 50%)
      in sudden death cases among the rats during adrenergic cardiac and aortic lesion.

PMID- 1405219
TI  - [Dynamics of myocardial function in the complex treatment of patients with heart
      failure using isolated ultrafiltration (polycardiographic data)].
AB  - Sixty patients with Stages IIB-III chronic heart failure were examined. The main
      group included 30 patients on complex therapy involving isolated ultrafiltration
      (IUF), the other 30 patients who refused to have IUF comprised the control group.
      The patients from the main group had improvement in the phasic pattern of a
      cardiac cycle, which was associated with enhanced myocardial contractility and
      performance due to decreased preload. Improved phasic parameters observed after
      IUF sessions were sustained in the post-ultrafiltration period and different from
      those in the control group in which their significant changes were absent during
      treatment.

PMID- 1405220
TI  - [Comparison of the data of 24-hour ECG monitoring and the condition of the
      coronary bed in patients with the variants of the course of unstable
      stenocardia].
AB  - A total of 232 patients with various clinical types of unstable angina pectoris
      were examined. All the patients underwent coronary angiographic studies, 24-hour
      ECG monitoring. In 40.5% of the patients, 24-hour monitoring revealed transient
      ST segment changes which were not accompanied by pain in 47% of the cases. ST
      segment changes were equally encountered in patients with one-, two-, and three
      vessel disease in the presence or absence of pain. Ischemic ST segment changes
      generally occurred with an anginal episode in patients with crescendo unstable
      angina, whereas in those with more prolonged and intensified pain and angina at
      rest in particular, silent myocardial ischemic episodes were significantly more
      frequently recorded, which were more common in these patients with multivessel
      disease.

PMID- 1405221
TI  - [Myocardial catecholamine levels in patients with congenital and acquired heart
      defects].
AB  - Catecholamine levels were determined in the myocardial slices from 66 patients
      with congenital and acquired heart diseases by the trihydroxyindole++ method on a
      Lumilan fluorescence spectrophotometer. The patients were found to have greatly
      varying epinephrine and norepinephrine levels. The accumulation of catecholamine
      reflected, to a certain extent, the occurrence of disorders in relation to the
      functional load, hyperfunctions of the myocardium. Blood hypoxemia and myocardial
      hypoxia affected the status of the patients.

PMID- 1405222
TI  - [Pre-clinical ECG changes in patients with diabetes mellitus type 1].

PMID- 1405223
TI  - [Potential possibilities of using adrenergic beta blockers in chronic heart
      failure].
AB  - The study was undertaken to examine the efficacy of beta-adrenoblockers used in
      26 patients with chronic heart failure which had been caused by coronary heart
      disease in 12 patients, by rheumatic heart disease in 8 patients, by dilated
      cardiomyopathy in 5 patients, and by chronic myocarditis in 1 patient. beta
      Blockers such as oxprenolol, propranolol, and metoprolol were supplemented to the
      therapy of the patients with chronic heart failure who were resistant to cardiac
      glycosides, diuretics, and vasodilators. This resulted in functional class
      improvement by the New York Heart Association from 3.67 +/- 0.1 to 2.29 +/- 0.1.
      The authors defined the following predictors of the efficacy of beta-blockers in
      chronic heart failure: duration of the disease, diastolic pressure, cardiac
      rhythm, and left ventricular ejection fraction and discussed the mechanisms
      responsible for their positive effect in chronic heart failure.

PMID- 1405224
TI  - [Quantitative characteristics of the structure of myocardial tissue studied by
      analyzing the integrated backscattering of ultrasound].

PMID- 1405225
TI  - [Various aspects of the origin of the accent of the second cardiac sound].

PMID- 1405226
TI  - [Effects of restored coronary circulation on nature and character of arrhythmia
      during attacks of angina pectoris in patients with ischemic heart disease].
AB  - The nature and frequency of cardiac arrhythmias were studied in 23 patients with
      coronary heart disease during anginal episodes accompanied by ECG ST-segment
      depression and elevation. All the ischemic episodes were divided into 2 periods:
      (1) that from the onset of ST-segment displacement to its maximum; (2) that from
      the first period to the return of ST segment to the baseline position. The
      predictive poor ventricular arrhythmias were more frequently recorded in the
      second period of ST-segment displacement. The occurrence of arrhythmias was
      demonstrated to be related to the degree of ST-segment elevation (depression) and
      the duration of the first period of ischemic episode in the second period of ST
      segment displacement.

PMID- 1405227
TI  - [Dynamics of skin oxygen in patients with ischemic heart disease of the III-IV
      functional class under the effects of drug treatment].

PMID- 1405228
TI  - [Study of left ventricular blood filling during post-pacing ischemia: comparison
      of Doppler echocardiography and heart catheterization].
AB  - Left ventricular blood filling was performed in 72 patients by using pulsed
      Doppler echocardiography at rest and in postpacing ischemia. In 10 patients, non
      invasive examination findings were compared with the values of a left ventricular
      pressure curve which had been obtained in frequent atrial pacing. No changes in
      transmitral blood flow were found in patients without coronary heart disease,
      whereas 2 types of abnormal transmitral blood flow were detected in those with
      coronary heart disease in the postpacing period. The patients with Type I
      abnormal transmitral blood flow exhibited prolonged isovolumetric relaxation and
      slightly elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in the postpacing
      period when catheterization was conducted. Those with Type I ("pseudonormal")
      transmitral blood flow displayed more prolonged relaxation and significantly
      (greater than 20 mm Hg) elevated end-diastolic pressure. The pattern of changes
      in transmitral blood flow was not pathognomonic to any definite myocardial
      abnormality, but reflected the hemodynamics.

PMID- 1405229
TI  - [Characteristics of bioelectric activity of brain structures in patients with
      different types of tachyarrhythmia].
AB  - The paper gives the results of study of 81 patients with various paroxysmal
      tachyarrhythmias. All the patients underwent transesophageal pacing and
      electroencephalographic examinations. There was a relationship between EEG
      abnormalities and various tachyarrhythmias.

PMID- 1405230
TI  - [Effects of peripheral vasodilators on arrhythmia in patients with chronic
      coronary insufficiency].

PMID- 1405231
TI  - [Effects of adaptation to periodic hypoxia on the course of idiopathic
      arrhythmia, microcirculation and blood coagulation].

PMID- 1405232
TI  - [Anti-arrhythmia agents in heart failure].

PMID- 1405233
TI  - [Anti-arrhythmia and hemodynamic effects of allapinin during a course therapy in
      patients with circulatory failure].
AB  - The antiarrhythmic effects of allapinine were studied in 57 patients with chronic
      circulatory failure (CCF) and cardiac arrhythmias by employing 48-hour Holter
      monitoring. Allapinine was found to suppress premature ventricular contraction,
      group premature ventricular contraction and 'runs' of ventricular tachycardia by
      82.5, 88.6, and 93.1%, respectively. The antiarrhythmic activity of the agent was
      more pronounced in patients with coronary heart disease, Stages I-IIA CCF and
      left ventricular ejection fraction greater than 40%. In addition, in Stages I-IIA
      CCF allapinine increased myocardial contractility and left ventricular ejection
      fraction, whereas in Stages IIB-III CCF it showed a slight cardiodepressive
      effect. Thus, when given in the course therapy in patients with CCF, allapinine
      has a high antiarrhythmic activity and, to a lesser extent, affects central
      hemodynamics.

PMID- 1405234
TI  - [Long-term treatment of hypertensive patients with captopril, enalapril and
      prazosin].

PMID- 1405235
TI  - [A comparative analysis of 2 different approaches to implementing preventive
      measures in patients with borderline arterial hypertension].
AB  - Routine recommendations were used to prevent hypertensive disease in patients
      with borderline arterial hypertension without using drugs in one of the surveys.
      The other involved the same methods under constant control and psychological
      maintenance to continue preventive measures. The second approach was found to be
      more effective and to considerably increase the patients' compliance.

PMID- 1405236
TI  - [Organization of prevention and treatment of arterial hypertension in women at
      industrial enterprises in Vladivostok].

PMID- 1405237
TI  - [Immediate and long-term results of thrombolytic therapy in patients with
      myocardial infarct: the necessity of differential treatment].
AB  - Systemic thrombolytic therapy was performed in 273 patients with large myocardial
      infarction: 82 on streptokinase, 25 on tissue plasminogen activator, and 166 on
      streptodecase. The signs of recovered coronary blood flow were observed in 68,
      84, and 33% of the patients, respectively. The application of tissue plasminogen
      activator resulted in the maximum reperfusion. The success of thrombolytic
      therapy was related to the fibrinolytic system of a patient: reperfusion was
      achieved in 96% of patients having a high blood fibrinolytic activity and only in
      31% with a low one. The clinical effect of reperfusion was most profound in
      patients with Killip's Class III heart failure. The patients with early recovery
      of coronary blood flow developed twice more frequently, which was evidenced by a
      12-month follow-up. Fifty percent of patients with an ejection fraction of below
      40% died within the first year of the follow-up. The authors discuss whether one
      can use a differential therapy, including surgical tools for myocardial
      revascularization.

PMID- 1405238
TI  - [Clinico-functional correlations of left atrial myocardial excursions in patients
      with mitral valve defects].
AB  - The pre- and intraoperative drug maintenance was evaluated in 50 patients with
      mitral valvular disease and compared with the types of left atrial myocardial
      excursions. The maintenance with cardiac glycosides and diuretics was greatly
      different in 3 groups of patients with various types of left atrial myocardial
      excursions. In patients with Type I excursions the maintenance was minimal, in
      those with Type III excursions it was maximal, those with Type II excursions, it
      was intermediate. It is concluded that the functional characteristics of left
      atrial myocardial excursions may be used as an indicator of cardiac performance.

PMID- 1405239
TI  - [Features of blood lipid spectrum in a schoolchildren's population in Kharkov].
AB  - The blood lipid and lipoprotein spectrum was biochemically studied in 580 pupils
      aged 12-16 years. The normal value ranges were found for total cholesterol (TC),
      triglycerides (T), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein in
      the Kharkov schoolchildren population. The upper limits of lipid lipoprotein
      levels enabled patients with hyperlipoproteinemias to be identified in the
      studied age groups. The Kharkov children were demonstrated to have high TC and T
      levels and relatively low HDL cholesterol, i. e. they had unfavourable
      characteristics as to atherogenesis. The findings suggest that the factors that
      influence the formation of atherogenic dyslipoproteinemias should be further
      studied and the preventive measures aimed at normalizing the lipid spectrum
      should be implemented.

PMID- 1405240
TI  - [Morphometric characteristics of coronary atherosclerosis in different ethnic
      groups of Andizhan population].
AB  - A gross morphometric study of coronary atherosclerosis was performed in 554
      native males aged 20-59 years and 142 migrant males of the same age from Andizhan
      according to the WHO Expert Programme (Bull, WHO, 1976, vol. 53, p. 485). The
      migrants over 40 years displayed a greater extent of atherosclerosis (except
      lipid streaks) than did the natives; but there were small differences between the
      comparable groups of young persons under 40 years. A histometric study of the
      coronary arteries was made in 81 apparently healthy males indicated that fine
      dropped (mainly intracellular) lipid deposits were more common in the natives,
      mixed (fine- and coarse-dropped) and coarse-dropped lipid deposits occurring with
      cell breakdown were seen in the migrants. The thickness of atherosclerotic
      lesions in the coronary arteries was greater in the migrants. Varying degrees of
      coronary intimal hyperplasia were found in individuals from the comparable ethnic
      groups. The hyperplasia was more profound in the migrants. There was a direct
      relationship between its degree and the development of atherosclerotic lesions.

PMID- 1405241
TI  - [Prognostic significance of bicycle ergometry test in patients with myocarditis].
AB  - A total of 42 patients with rheumatic carditis were examined in the acute
      subacute period and following 3-5 years. Seventeen patients were diagnosed as
      having primary rheumatic carditis, 9 presented with tonsillogenic rheumatic
      carditis, and 16 had viral rheumatic carditis. The diagnosis of myocarditis was
      established on the basis of clinical, immunological, and virological findings.
      The study involved ECG, PhCG, PCG, and bicycle ergometer testing recordings.
      Groups of patients with good and poor prognosis were identified. Low threshold
      exercise, exercise-inadequate tachycardia, complex cardiac arrhythmias, phasic
      myocardial hypodynamic syndrome and volume exercise syndrome that are formed
      during performance are prognostically poor indicators. More profound electric and
      mechanic dysfunctions were observed in patients with tonsillogenic or viral
      myocarditis.

PMID- 1405242
TI  - [Acute heart failure and its treatment in cardiologic drug poisoning].
AB  - The causes of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and its associated early death were
      examined in 179 patients with acute intoxications due to amitriptyline,
      antiarrhythmic agents and cardiac glycosides. In the first hours of intoxication,
      various cardiac conduction disturbances were found to occur in 39.6% of the
      patients, among whom 11.7% died due to SCA predominantly in complete bundle
      branch block. The cause of SCA was an acute (contractile) heart failure that had
      run as cardiogenic shock and been associated with the specific selective action
      of the agents in question on cardiomyocytes. Premodulation of acute heart failure
      with membrane protective agents (unithiol, alpha-tocopherol, hydrocortisone),
      pharmacological antagonists (novodrin, alupent, isoprenaline), and the
      cardiotonic agent dobutamine enabled acute heart failure to be effectively
      treated, hemosorption to be made in early periods and cardiac events to be
      abolished in 80% of the patients, SCA mortality rates decreased from 11.7 to
      3.2%.

PMID- 1405243
TI  - [Functional significance of 2 pathways of energy transport in cardiomyocytes].
AB  - To study the relative roles of creatine kinase (CK) and adenylate systems in
      cardiac energy turnover, the effect of CK inhibitor, iodoacetamide- (IAA, 0.5
      mM), and 2-deoxyglucose-(DOG, 2 mM) induced) 65% depletion of adenine nucleotides
      at slightly decreased CK flux was determined in isolated rat heart. Both
      substances did not substantially affect contractile parameters of the isovolumic
      heart. However, an augmentation of cardiac work induced by isoproterenol addition
      was feeble and transient in IAA-treated hearts while the response of DOG-treated
      hearts was well preserved. The cardiac failure after IAA treatment was associated
      with irreversible fall in myocardial ATP content as evidenced by 31P-NMR
      technique. Furthermore, these hearts were unable to perform cardiac pump function
      due to insufficient cardiac filling and distensibility. The DOG-treated hearts
      exhibited 50% reduction in the pump function and were able to increase their work
      in elevated resistance. The results suggest that CK pathway is extremely
      important for both full cardiac relaxation and maximal contractile function.

PMID- 1405244
TI  - [A case of mitral valve prosthetics in subtotal left atrial thrombosis].

PMID- 1405245
TI  - [Effects of prolonged-action nitrates on platelet aggregation and prostaglandin
      formation].
AB  - Platelet aggregation and prostaglandin levels were examined in 50 patients with
      coronary heart disease concurrent with Functional Classes II-III angina who
      received nitroglycerin-retard (n = 20; Group 1), corovas (n = 20; Group 2), and
      placebo (n = 10; Group 3). Long-acting nitrates were found to exert a positive
      action on thrombocytic hemostasis as decreased platelet aggregation and reverse
      aggregation in 25% of the corovas-treated patients. Placebo failed to have the
      same action. Nitroglycerin-retard caused an increase in prostacyclin
      concentrations. Nitroglycerin-retard and corovas produced a clear-cut antianginal
      effect. They promoted the reduction in the number of anginal episodes and of
      nitroglycerin tablets used. No antianginal effect was absent when placebo was
      used.

PMID- 1405246
TI  - [Hemodynamic changes in bundle-branch block].
AB  - The paper gives the data on hemodynamic features in patients with bundle-branch
      block. Based on the data available in the literature, the authors outline
      hemodynamic abnormalities occurring in various bundle-branch blocks, mechanisms
      of their development, influences of hemodynamic changes occurring in the blocks
      on the general condition of patients.

PMID- 1405247
TI  - [Effects of calcium antagonists on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism].

PMID- 1405248
TI  - [Late ventricular potentials and left ventricular performance in patients with
      hypertrophic cardiomyopathy].
AB  - Twenty patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were examined. They were found
      to have late ventricular potentials in the disease, which were characterized by
      an increase in average QRS complex duration, a decrease in voltage, and a rise in
      the duration of last 40 msec of the QRS complex filtered. Such patients generally
      exhibited lower exercise tolerance in severe asymmetric left ventricular
      hypertrophy, which caused a significant deterioration of cardiac pump function.

PMID- 1405249
TI  - [Cellular mechanisms of impaired cardiac energetics in patients with dilated
      cardiomyopathy: decrease in mitochondrial respiration and creatine kinase
      expression].
AB  - The mitochondrial functional characteristics were assessed in the biopsy
      specimens from patients with various Functional Classes dilated cardiomyopathy
      (DCMP). The assessment was made by using endomyocardial biopsy specimens weighing
      2-4 mg which had been taken from 39 patients aged 19-64 years during coronary
      ventriculography and cardiac transplantation. The status of mitochondria and the
      efficiency of mitochondrial creatine kinase functioning were evaluated by
      recording the respiration of saponin-skinned muscular fibers. The maximum
      mitochondrial respiration rate calculated on a dry weight basis was not
      substantially different in all functional classes of DCMP, while the acceptor
      control index (Vmax/V0) and the level of creatine-activated respiration decreased
      with an increase in the functional class of DCMP. The findings show a good
      positive correlation between ejection fraction and creatine-stimulated
      respiration values and a linear negative correlation between this parameter and
      end-diastolic pressures. Thus, the respiratory parameters of mitochondria in the
      endomyocardial biopsy specimens may be used to assess the severity of cardias
      lesions.

PMID- 1405250
TI  - [Clinical effectiveness and effect on the sympathetic-adrenal system of a new
      calcium antagonist nisoldipine (Siscor) in hypertensive patients].

PMID- 1405251
TI  - [Comparative study of the action of Finoptin, Korinfar and Capoten in patients
      with stage II hypertensive disease].
AB  - The effects of Finoptin, Corinfar, and Capoten were examined in 154 patients with
      Stage II hypertensive disease. The calcium antagonists Finoptin and Corinfar, as
      well as Capoten were equal in lowering blood pressure and having a
      heterodirectional action on cardiodynamics: Finoptin exerted a positive inotropic
      effect in 46.3% and a negative one in 53.7%, corinfar in 66.7 and 33.3%,
      respectively, and Capoten in 37.5 and 62.5%. The baseline hemodynamic type fails
      to predict how the myocardium in a particular patient will respond to the
      antihypertensive drug. Nevertheless, Corinfar is more preferable in patients with
      hypertensive disease attended by hypokinetic circulation, Capoten is more
      preferable in those with its hyperkinetic variant. The baseline hemodynamic type
      makes an insignificant contribution to the activity of Finoptin.

PMID- 1405252
TI  - [Significance of left ventricular structural changes in arterial hypertension for
      the prolongation of electric cardiac systole].
AB  - Echocardiography was used to examine 93 patients with Stages I and II arterial
      hypertension with a view to clarifying the impact of structural changes occurring
      in the left ventricle in the course of the disease on the duration of electric
      systole. Left ventricular muscle mass was found to become larger with an increase
      in corrected Q-T interval duration, the upper dependence correlating better with
      concentric hypertrophy. The duration of electric systole increased with
      deteriorated left ventricular function. It was empirically concluded that the
      left ventricular mass index of 200 g was associated with prolonged Q-T interval,
      which was more than the normal parameters.

PMID- 1405253
TI  - [Methodologic features of determining renin-like activity in human arteries].
AB  - Human arterial tissue was shown to have renin-like activity. For its
      determination the authors propose methodological approaches. The optimum pH of
      renin activity in the vascular wall was found to be 5.8-6.0. The renin-like
      enzyme was ascertained to be present in the vascular wall as inactive and to be
      activated by trypsin. The renin activity was compared in the human vascular wall
      and human plasma. Their optimum pHs were nearly identical. The methodological
      features determined in this paper allowed one to differentiate the true renin
      like activity from the activity of acid proteases.

PMID- 1405254
TI  - [The baroreceptor reflex as a predictor of crises in arterial hypertension].
AB  - The sensitivity of baroreceptor reflex was determined by the "neck chamber"
      method at a pressure of 40 mm Hg in patients with mild, moderate and malignant
      arterial hypertension (AH). A 24-hour blood monitoring was performed in patients
      with mild and moderate AH. There was a negative correlation between the lowering
      values in blood pressure on baroreceptor stimulation and the incidence of
      hypertensive crises in all the groups. There was also a negative correlation
      between the baroreceptor sensitivity and the daily blood pressure variations in
      patients with moderate AH. The findings suggest that a decrease in baroreceptor
      sensitivity might be a predictor of the critical course of AH.

PMID- 1405255
TI  - [Effect of hemosorption on microcirculation, humoral autoimmunity and lipid
      peroxidation in patients with stable angina pectoris].
AB  - Microhemo- and lymphocirculation, capillary permeability, humoral autoimmunity
      and lipid peroxidation were determined in 46 patients with Functional Classes III
      IV stable angina concurrent with multiple atherosclerotic coronary lesions 24
      hours following the second hemosorption session. The clinical efficiency of
      hemosorption was observed in 47.8% of patients with stenotic coronary
      atherosclerosis refractory to antianginal therapy. In this group of patients,
      hemosorption led to accelerated microcirculation, increased microcirculatory
      reserve potentials and decreased microvascular resistance at rest and in reactive
      postischemic hyperemia. In patients with abnormal humoral autoimmunity and lipid
      peroxidation, hemosorption resulted in their hormalization.

PMID- 1405256
TI  - [Cardiolipin antibodies in patients with myocardial infarction and unstable
      angina pectoris].
AB  - The clinical value of IgG and IgM cardiolipin antibodies (CLa) was examined in 22
      patients with myocardial infarction and 9 patients with unstable angina (UA).
      Higher IgG levels were observed in 41% of MI patients and 55% of UA patients.
      There was a significant correlation between the detection of IgG CLa in patients
      with a history of myocardial infarction and the presence of left ventricular
      intracavitary thrombosis. The levels of IgG CLa were increased in 78% of patients
      with history of MI and in 32% without MI history. In addition, those of IgG CLa
      was higher in 80% of IM patients with signs of intracavitary thrombosis and in
      38% with cavitary thrombosis. The findings suggest that antibodies to cardiolipin
      (of IgG in particular) make contribution to the development of thrombotic events
      in patients with coronary atherosclerosis in the absence of autoimmune pathology.

PMID- 1405257
TI  - [Clinical and hemodynamic effect of piracetam (Nootropil) in elderly and very old
      patients with coronary heart disease in the outpatient rehabilitative period].
AB  - The clinical and hemodynamic efficiency of piracetam (nootporil) used in the long
      term combined therapy of elderly and senile patients with chronic coronary heart
      diseases was studied outpatiently. This drug led to a significant enhancement of
      the antianginal effect of the basic treatment, to more regression of clinical
      signs of chronic circulatory insufficiency, to positive central hemodynamic
      changes, higher exercise tolerance, lower energy consumption index per
      performance unit, increased adaptive potential of the circulatory system, and
      maintained optimal cerebral blood flow.

PMID- 1405258
TI  - [Clinical course of the disease, myocardial functional status and rheological
      properties of blood in patients with post-infarction cardiosclerosis and
      angiographically documented unchanged coronary arteries].
AB  - The clinical course of the disease, myocardial functional status and blood
      rheological properties were examined in coronary heart disease patients with
      postinfarction and angiographically evidenced intact coronary arteries. This
      group of patients was shown to be characterized by young age, acute onset of the
      disease and rather favourable prognosis. The abnormalities were caused by
      extended postinfarction asynergies, yet there was no significant progression of
      circulatory insufficiency even in patients with left ventricular aneurysm during
      a long-term follow-up (5.2 +/- 0.2 years). A correlation was found between the
      level of myocardial blood flow and the degree of disturbed blood rheological
      properties. It is suggested that impaired blood rheology along with altered
      coronary tone should determine the functional component of coronary resistance
      and represent a main mechanism of coronary insufficiency in patients with
      coronary heart disease and unchanged coronary arteries, as evidenced by
      angiography.

PMID- 1405259
TI  - [Phenotypic familial correlations of prostacyclin and thromboxane A2 levels in
      children and adolescents with or without hereditary predisposition to ischemic
      heart disease].
AB  - The familial correlations of prostacyclin and thromboxane levels were examined in
      90 children and adolescents from 70 families with hereditary coronary heart
      disease and in 56 of the same age from 38 families without hereditary
      atherosclerosis and their parents. The genetic factors were demonstrated to make
      a significant contribution to the phenotypic dispersion of prostanoids. The
      familial predisposition to the disease was ascertained to modify the pattern of
      familial correlations of prostacyclin and thromboxane levels as compared with no
      predisposition. The influence of familial and environmental factors was found to
      be more pronounced in the families of patients with coronary heart disease, and
      one of the important sequelae is thromboxane hyperproduction in the patients'
      wives.

PMID- 1405260
TI  - [Cardioprotective effects of adaptation to restraint stress and hypoxia].
AB  - Isolated rat heart experiments have revealed that restraint stress adaptation
      results in enhanced resistance of the isolated heart to reperfusion. There is
      also a higher resistance to the autolysis of the organelles isolated from the
      hearts of stress-adapted animals. This complex of changes is designated as a
      phenomenon of adaptive stabilization of structures (PhASS). The phenomenon
      developing in restraint stress adaptation substantially limits arrhythmias,
      contracture, contraction amplitude depression, and creatine kinase release into
      the perfusate in thermal damage to the isolated rat heart. Simultaneously, PhASS
      is accompanied by a multiple increase in five hsp70 isoforms with pI 5.8-6.3 in
      cytosol and two isoforms with pI about 6.3 in the nucleoplasm. Only two hsp70
      isoforms with pI about 5.8 accumulate solely in cytosol during adaptation to
      intermittent hypoxia. Consistently, the resistance of Ca(2+)-pump and nuclear DNA
      remains unchanged and the protection against reperfusion and thermal damage are
      several times less pronounced.

PMID- 1405261
TI  - [Effect of exogenous creatine phosphate on electrophysiologic myocardial
      parameters in overload heart failure].
AB  - Experiments with rats undergoing overload testing showed that exogenous creatine
      phosphate was likely to fail to penetrate into myocardiocytes and to affect their
      energy balance directly. However, during its long-term administration in energy
      deficiency, creatine phosphate was able to maintain cardiac pump function via
      activation of processes controlling sinus nodal automatism and atrioventricular
      conduction.

PMID- 1405262
TI  - [The course of chronic circulatory insufficiency in patients with primary
      pulmonary hypertension].
AB  - A physical and X-ray examination and echo-, electro- and phonocardiographies were
      performed in 29 patients with primary pulmonary hypertension. Their central
      hemodynamics was also conducted by introducing a Swan-Ganz flowing balloon
      catheter into the right cardiac cavities. With evolving chronic circulatory
      insufficiency, the patients showed profound hemodynamic changes both in the right
      (end-diastolic pressure in the right ventricle and atrium rose and ventricular
      stroke index dropped) and left (heart rate increased, cardiac and stroke indices
      decreased in the ventricle) ventricles. There were slight changes in peripheral
      hemodynamics. Pulmonary pressure became lower, but this fact cannot be considered
      to be positive as this led to significantly lower right ventricular stroke index
      that indicates the critical diminution in right ventricular performance, unlike
      cases successfully treated with peripheral vasodilators.

PMID- 1405263
TI  - [Experimental ultrasound contrast study of the myocardium].
AB  - The ultrasound contrast medium obtained by the original methods was administered
      into the left ventricular cavity and myocardium of 12 open-chest dogs by using a
      catheter. After its administration into the cavity there was its intensive
      contrast. When the ultrasound contrast was administered into the aortic root, the
      entire myocardium contrasted, on selective administrations of the contrast into
      the coronary arteries, the beds supplied by appropriate arteries contrasted. The
      ultrasound contrast study enabled the areas with impaired perfusion as echo
      negative "filling defects" to be detected and mapped. The imaging of myocardial
      blood flow in tomographic sections and real time allows one to regard it
      promising for clinical use.

PMID- 1405264
TI  - [Effect of high-frequency pulse ultrasound on experimental myocardial
      infarction].
AB  - The rat precardial region was exposed to single 30-minute and course radiations
      with pulse ultrasound at 2640 kHz before and after experimental myocardial
      infarction. Ligation of the left coronary artery caused an increase in 99mTc
      pirphotech accumulation by 243.4% as compared with the controls. Single and
      course ultrasounding after left coronary ligation substantially decreased rat
      myocardial isotope accumulation (by 130 and 179.1%, respectively) and reduced the
      number of complications, and prolonged animals' survival.

PMID- 1405266
TI  - [Origin of the aorta and pulmonary artery from the right ventricle: anatomic and
      echocardiographic comparisons].
AB  - The origin of the aorta and pulmonary artery from the right ventricle is a
      complicated and little studied congenital cardiac malformation. The A. N. Bakulev
      Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery, USSR Academy of Medical Sciences, have
      developed anatomic and morphological criteria for the malformation. With the
      criteria, echocardiograms from 64 patients were retrospectively analysed and
      their anatomic and echocardiographic comparisons were made. The findings revealed
      the echocardiographic measures of the aorta and pulmonary artery from the right
      ventricle and determines the optimal echocardiographic projections for their
      estimate.

PMID- 1405265
TI  - [Exercise-induced cardiodynamic changes in invalids after leg amputation].
AB  - Cardiodynamic studies by one-dimensional echocardiography were performed in 45
      disabled persons with various lower limb amputations at rest and during graded
      bicycle ergometer exercises. The disabled included males aged 20-40 years with
      posttraumatic limb amputations who had no respiratory and circulatory disorders.
      The results of the studies were comparable with the data obtained in the control
      group. The handicapped were found to have significant cardiodynamic changes which
      were regarded as sequelae of weight and vascular bed loss. On exercise, there was
      loss of capacity to adequately enhance venous return and left ventricular
      diastolic filling, which was evidenced by concurrently decreased end-systolic and
      end-diastolic volumes and no increased systolic ejection. At the same time there
      was a regular reduction in myocardial contractility.

PMID- 1405267
TI  - [Functional state of the heart in ventricular tachycardia as evidenced by
      radionuclide ventriculography].
AB  - The paper presents the results of examining the structural and functional
      parameters of the ventricles in 40 patients with ventricular tachycardia by
      radionuclide ventriculography on the first passage of a radioactivity bolus.
      Twenty patients had ventricular tachycardia resistant to antiarrhythmic agents.
      The patients with ventricular tachycardia were found to have systolic and
      diastolic dysfunction of the both ventricles. Lower pump function and higher
      volumetric parameters of the left ventricle in patients with refractory
      ventricular tachycardia concurrent with hyperkinesia of some right ventricular
      segments and abnormal velocity and time variables can be a criterion for
      resistance to antiarrhythmic agents in this group of patients.

PMID- 1405268
TI  - [Effect of thrombolytic therapy with intravenous streptokinase on the size of
      myocardial infarction estimated by the ECG QRS score system].
AB  - The impact of short-term intravenous large dose streptokinase injection on the
      myocardial infarction size estimated by a QRS score system was studied in 57
      patients with primary myocardial infarction admitted to hospital at least 6 hours
      following the onset of the disease. There was a lower myocardial infarction size
      despite its localization and the time of treatment initiation when thrombolysis
      was successful, as evidenced by non-invasive criteria. The reliability of the QRS
      score system used to estimate the myocardial infarction size increased when the
      patients with anterior or inferior myocardial infarction and those with
      successful and unsuccessful systemic streptokinase thrombolysis.

PMID- 1405269
TI  - [Structural and functional parameters of the myocardium and atrial natriuretic
      peptide in atrial fibrillation].
AB  - The plasma level of atrial natriuretic factor and its relation to intracardiac
      and systemic hemodynamic parameters were examined in patients with coronary
      heart, rheumatic and mitral valvular diseases, neurocirculatory dystonia which
      were complicated by atrial fibrillation. The concentration of atrial natriuretic
      factor was found to vary with the left ventricular myocardial mass, left atrial
      contractility, antiarrhythmic therapy intensity and efficacy.

PMID- 1405270
TI  - [Significance of platelet membrane destruction in vasospastic angina pectoris
      during its exacerbation].
AB  - The parameters of the structure and function of platelet membranes were examined
      in 30 patients with unstable vasospastic angina in relation to the outcome of the
      disease (myocardial infarction stabilization or development). The fractions of
      phospholipids (lysophosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, sphingomyelin,
      phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine), the levels of platelet membranous
      free and esterified cholesterol, plasma malonic dealdehyde and thromboxane B2,
      the activity of platelet superoxide dismutase and catalase were determined. The
      exacerbation of vasospastic angina was found to appear as accumulation of
      cholesterol (mainly of its fraction), an increase in platelet membranous levels
      of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and sphingomyelin, accumulation
      of malonic dealdehyde. These changes were more profound in cases with subsequent
      myocardial infarctions. There were differences in the dynamics of the examined
      parameters in relation to the outcome of the disease.

PMID- 1405271
TI  - [Anaerobic threshold in patients with chronic circulatory insufficiency].
AB  - To evaluate the severity of chronic circulatory insufficiency (CCI), 12 healthy
      subjects and 69 patients with cardiovascular diseases underwent exercise testing.
      Parameters such as anaerobic threshold (AT) and peak oxygen consumption (peak
      VO2) were measured by respiratory gas analysis to assess the circulatory
      insufficiency. AT decreased with an increase in New York Heart Association
      functional class and amounted to 18.9 +/- 4.3, 14.5 +/- 3.5, 11.6 +/- 2.9, and
      7.5 +/- 2.0 ml/min/kg in Classes 1, 2, 3, 4, respectively. The peak VO2 decreased
      as hCCI progressed. The findings suggest that the parameters of external
      respiration and gas exchange are closely associated with CCI pathophysiology. The
      parameters may be used as objective and valid criteria for the severity of CCI
      and its dynamics in the course of treatment.

PMID- 1405272
TI  - [Hirudin therapy and blood coagulability].
AB  - The changes in blood coagulative properties, which occur in the treatment with
      medical leeches, were studied in 57 patients with coronary heart, rheumatic and
      chronic pulmonary diseases. Hirudin therapy was established to affect blood
      coagulation. The leech salina penetrated into the skin wound to block hemostasis.
      Having entered the circulating blood, some part of the saliva normalized its
      impaired coagulative properties. The correction of the above abnormalities and
      related bleeding indicate it beneficial to use hirudin therapy in secondary
      coagulopathies and circulatory decompensation.

PMID- 1405273
TI  - [Hormonal aspects of the pathogenesis of cardiac arrhythmias in patients with
      hypertrophic cardiomyopathy].
AB  - Radioimmunoassay was used to measure thyroid, somatotropic, parathyroid hormones
      and cyclic nucleotides in 40 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and 14
      with hypertensive disease concurrent with asymmetrical myocardial hypertrophy. In
      the patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the mean blood concentration of
      thyroid, somatotropic, parathyroid hormones and cyclic nucleotides was generally
      within the normal ranges and similar to that in hypertensive patients with
      apparently healthy individuals. The patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
      concurrent with supraventricular arrhythmias exhibited higher blood levels of
      total and free thyroxine and thyroxine/thyroxine-bound globulin ration than did
      patients without arrhythmias. The patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
      concurrent with arrhythmias displayed increased blood levels of cyclic
      nucleotides. The findings suggest that thyroid hormones and cyclic nucleotides
      are likely to make contribution to the pathogenesis of arrhythmias in
      hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

PMID- 1405274
TI  - [Effect of emotional stress on catecholamine and dopa levels in some central
      nervous regions and in the heart of experimental animals].
AB  - The paper presents the results of examining the levels of dopamine,
      norepinephrine, epinephrine and precursors of their DOPA biosynthesis in the
      hypothalamus, hypophysis, medulla oblongata, adrenals and heart in miniature pigs
      exposed to acute stress. The acute emotional stress was shown to be characterized
      by a significant increase in the activity of the brain hypothalamic region,
      adrenals, peripheral portion of the sympathoadrenal system, as evidenced by
      higher norepinephrine release and hence lower neurotransmitter levels in the
      above structures. This resulted in abnormal physiological
      norepinephrine/epinephrine ratios in the central nervous system and heart,
      predisposing to myocardial metabolic and electric instability.

PMID- 1405275
TI  - [Hemodynamic effects of purine nucleosides in regional ischemia and reperfusion].
AB  - The rat hearts were subjected to 60-min ischemia by left coronary artery ligation
      followed by 60-min reperfusion, involving intravenous adenosine inosine or
      guanosine given in a dose of 1 mg/kg.min-1 in the first 30 minutes of
      reperfusion. Ischemia and subsequent reperfusion caused a progressive decrease in
      cardiac output and coronary blood flow. Adenosine was found to enhance coronary
      blood flow and increase cardiac and stroke outputs. Inosine produced nearly the
      same, but less pronounced effect. Guanosine increased cardiac output without
      changing coronary blood flow.

PMID- 1405276
TI  - [Features of ECG topograms in relation to the direction of cardiac electric axis
      in the frontal plane].

PMID- 1405277
TI  - [The use of fish oils to correct atherogenic dyslipoproteinemias].

PMID- 1405278
TI  - [The study of diastolic cardiac function in clinical practice].

PMID- 1405279
TI  - [Circadian rhythm in the clinical course of cardiovascular diseases. Clinical
      experience using Norvasc (amlodipine) in the treatment of patients with ischemic
      heart disease and arterial hypertension].

PMID- 1405280
TI  - [Prevention of ischemic heart disease (1st lecture)].

PMID- 1405281
TI  - [Use of magnesium sulfate in pirouette-type tachycardia (torsade de pointes) and
      other hyperkinetic ventricular arrhythmias].

PMID- 1405282
TI  - [Assessment of myocardial function and metabolism in patients during
      aortocoronary bypass surgery after hypoxia-reoxygenation].
AB  - The myocardial function and metabolism were assessed in 12 patients with coronary
      heart disease intraoperatively during aortocoronary bypass surgery. The
      antioxidative properties of the blood of the heart were found to become lower
      along with activated peroxidation after the major stage of an arrested heart
      operation, that correlated with depressed myocardial function.

PMID- 1405283
TI  - [Atherogenesis and serum levels of apolipoprotein E].
AB  - Serum apolipoprotein (apo) E levels and their relationship with age were examined
      in different age groups of healthy individuals of both sexes in a Lithuanian
      population. The serum concentrations of apo E in patients after coronary bypass
      were measured and patients suffered from diabetes mellitus were also examined.
      The mean levels of apo E were found to be higher in healthy males than those in
      healthy females only in young age. Serum apo E levels were inversely associated
      with age (P < 0.05). Apo E levels were significantly higher in males over 45
      years of age who suffered from coronary atherosclerosis and in males under 45 who
      had diabetes mellitus (types I and II) than those in healthy individuals (P <
      0.05). There was an insignificant difference in apo E levels among healthy and
      diabetic females (P < 0.05). The findings demonstrated the association of
      increased apo E levels with atherogenesis.

PMID- 1405284
TI  - [Hypoalphacholesterolemia and coronary disease (an approach using a factor
      analysis)].
AB  - The data obtained from a screening of 1,467 males aged 40-59 years made it
      possible to characterize the relation of dyslipoproteinemias, primarily
      hypoalphacholesterolemia, to the incidence of coronary heart disease and risk
      factors in males, by using factorial and multivariate analyses. The findings
      suggest that hypoalphacholesterolemia is closely associated with
      hypertriglyceridemia in its atherogenicity, thus from the clinical point of view
      low levels of HDL cholesterol should be used as a ground for thorough examination
      of lipid metabolism, with great emphasis on metabolic disturbances of
      triglyceride-rich lipoproteins.

PMID- 1405285
TI  - [Effects of lovastatin (mevacor) on platelet function in hypercholesterolemia in
      patients with ischemic heart disease].
AB  - The impact of a 4-week course of lovastatin (mevacor) therapy on platelet
      function was examined in 26 patients with coronary heart disease concurrent with
      hypercholesterolemia (the baseline plasma cholesterol level was 250 mg% or more).
      The agent was given in a daily dose of 20-40 mg. The agent in this dose was found
      to have no action on the thromboxane-prostacyclin balance in plasma, on the
      degree of ADP-induced aggregation and lipid peroxidation in platelets,
      phospholipid composition and levels of ester-bound cholesterol in platelet
      membranes. Free cholesterol tended to increase at the end of the 4th week of
      treatment. Despite the effective reduction of plasma levels of total and LDL
      cholesterols whose action on platelets is well known, there was no estimated
      decrease in the activity of platelets during lovastatin therapy.

PMID- 1405287
TI  - [Effects of laser therapy in patients with functional class II-IV effort angina
      (using instrumental techniques of the study)].
AB  - Infrared laser therapy using an arsenide-gallium laser was used in 54 patients
      aged 30-75 years who suffered from coronary heart disease. A positive clinical
      effect was achieved in 47 (87%) of 54 patients, as evidenced by the reduced
      number of nitroglycerin tablets used and improved bicycle ergometric, echo- and
      electrocardiographic parameters in the patients.

PMID- 1405286
TI  - [Effects of lovastatin therapy on the level of low density lipoproteins and
      atherogenic potential of serum in patients with ischemic heart disease and
      hypercholesterolemia].
AB  - The serum atherogenic potential in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD)
      concurrent with hypercholesterolemia (LDL cholesterol more than 200 mg/dl), which
      is able to cause accumulation of intracellular cholesterol in cultured cells has
      been recently shown to be directly related to the level of total cholesterol and
      LDL cholesterol. The study was undertaken to examine how a lovastatin-induced
      decrease in LDL levels affects serum atherogenicity in patients with CHD and
      hypercholesterolemia. It was shown that the therapy of 22 patients with CHD and
      hypercholesterolemia led to a reduction in total and LDL cholesterol levels on an
      average by 24% and 32%, respectively. There were 3- and 1.5-2-fold decreases in
      circulatory immune complexes and the atherogenic potential, respectively. The
      findings suggest that the significant reduction in serum LDL cholesterol levels
      in patients with CHD concurrent with hypercholesterolemia who take hypolipidemic
      therapy is followed by a decrease in the atherogenic potential.

PMID- 1405288
TI  - [Relationship of physical work capacity, blood pressure and other hypertension
      risk factors with the rate of erythrocyte Na/Li countertransport].
AB  - The relationship of physical working capacity (PWC), blood pressure and other
      arterial hypertension risk factors to the rate of red blood cell Na+/Li+
      countertransport was examined in a representative sample comprising 60
      individuals (22 males and 38 females) whose age was 35-54 years. Regression
      analyses demonstrated that there was no significant relationship between PWC and
      the rate of red blood cell Na+/Li+ countertransport, but a significant
      correlation was found between the rate of Na+/Li+ countertransport and "double
      product" (DP) as an indirect indicator of PWC and heart rate. Thus, there is a
      heart rate- and DP-mediated correlation between the rate of red blood cell
      Na+/Li+ countertransport and the level of PWC. The magnitude of a decrease in the
      rate of red blood cell Na+/Li+ countertransport depends inversely on the dynamics
      of heart rate in males and females and directly on the dynamics of DP in females.
      Hence, there is a direct relationship between the magnitude of a reduction in the
      rate of red blood cell Na+/Li+ countertransport and that of PWC increment during
      exercise.

PMID- 1405289
TI  - [Transesophageal electric stimulation of the left atrium in the diagnosis of
      ischemic heart disease in patients with arterial hypertension].

PMID- 1405290
TI  - [Comparative analysis of antiarrhythmic action and electrophysiological effects
      of a new benzodiazepine derivative gidazepam and ethacizin in arrhythmias of
      various genesis].
AB  - The antiarrhythmic and electrophysiological effects of the new benzodiazepine
      tranquilizer gidazepam versus ethacizin were examined in patients with cardiac
      arrhythmias. The antiarrhythmic effect of the agent was found during 24-day
      monitoring and simulated psychoemotional stress in 81% of patients with
      neurocirculatory dystonia and in 61% of patients with coronary heart disease. The
      antiarrhythmic effects developed with gidazepam-induced changes in
      electrophysiological properties of the cardiac conduction system. The preventive
      antiarrhythmic effect of gidazepam was demonstrated to be higher than that of
      ethacizin during stress in patients with arrhythmias of extra-ischemic genesis.

PMID- 1405291
TI  - [Clinical effectiveness of cordarone in combination with other anti-arrhythmia
      agents in refractory atrial fibrillation and adverse effects of the drugs].
AB  - The study was undertaken to examine 105 patients with various circulatory
      diseases complicated by atrial fibrillation. Patients with refractory atrial
      fibrillation who had taken combined antiarrhythmic therapy were found to be more
      responsive to the combinations of cordarone + kinilentin (quinidine disulphate)
      and cordarone + ethacizin. The combinations of cordarone+digoxin and cordarone +
      finoptin were demonstrated to be less beneficial.

PMID- 1405292
TI  - [Arrhythmia in athletes during length diving].
AB  - On diving at a distance of 50 m by arresting their breathing, some male athletes
      were shown to develop cardiac arrhythmias which occurred at min 2 of a
      restorative period and entirely disappeared at the end of the second-fifth min.
      It is essential to make further studies of the impact of diving on the cardiac
      rhythm in athletes in order to elucidate how these disturbances should be
      regarded: abnormal or physiological.

PMID- 1405293
TI  - [Results of closed mitral commissurotomy after 20-25 years].
AB  - The 20-25 year results of 486 closed mitral commissurotomies were analysed. The
      actuarial analysis demonstrated that 25-year survival was 59%, stable good
      results were 38%, repeated mitral interventions were performed in 31% of the
      patients. The patients' survival and functional results of commissurotomies
      depend on early surgery which should be done in patients with severe and acute
      mitral stenosis prior to the development of drastic valvular changes, calcinosis,
      regurgitation, atrial fibrillation, cardiomegaly, atrial thrombosis and other
      complications. Timely mitral commissurotomy is a rather effective palliative
      intervention in uncomplicated mitral stenosis.

PMID- 1405294
TI  - [ECG dynamics at rest and during exertion after mitral commissurotomy].
AB  - Four degrees of left atrial electrical activity were identified by ECG made
      before and after closed mitral commissurotomy in 70 patients with mitral stenosis
      and sinus rhythm. The critical electrical activity of the left atrium and
      hypertrophy of the right ventricle along with the typical auscultation pattern of
      mitral stenosis were found to cardiographically correspond to critical stenosis
      of the left atrioventricular ostium in most cases. The area of the mitral
      orifice, which was attributable to that of the body, was 0.6 to 0.8 cm2/m2. The
      patients with critical left atrial electrical activity were considered to be at
      risk for atrial fibrillation in the immediate postoperative period.

PMID- 1405295
TI  - [Assessment of the quality of life of patients with rheumatic mitral defects:
      methodological approaches].

PMID- 1405297
TI  - [Doppler echocardiography in the assessment of arteriovenous blood ejection in
      patients with ventricular septal defects].
AB  - To assess Doppler echocardiography used to determine blood ejection through
      ventricular septal defect, this procedure and cardiac catheterization were
      performed in 32 patients. Comparison of the findings showed a high correlation (r
      = 0.81; p < 0.05). To determine whether echocardiographic accesses are correctly
      chosen, volumetric greater circulation was measured from the suprasternal access
      in the ascending aorta and aortic arch, but volumetric lesser circulation was
      measured from the parasternal access in the pulmonary trunk and from the apical
      access of the projection of 4 chambers through the mitral orifice. The comparison
      of the findings showed a high correlation in this group. Twenty one patients were
      examined after plastic surgery of ventricular septal defect, who had been
      clinically suspected to have a residual shunting. An analysis of the findings
      made it possible to develop Doppler echocardiographic criteria for differential
      diagnosis of graft vibration due to arteriovenous blood ejection.

PMID- 1405296
TI  - [State of coronary circulation and results of 24-hour ECG monitoring in patients
      with refractory angina pectoris].
AB  - The paper compares the data of selective coronary angiography and 24-hour
      monitoring in 39 patients with refractory angina pectoris. Transient ST-segment
      changes were revealed in 79% of the patients, ST-segment depression occurring in
      54%, ST-segment elevation in 46%, T-wave inversion in 38%. A combination of ST-T
      interval changes and occurrence of ventricular premature contraction was found in
      a third of the examinees. There was no statistically significant correlation
      between the extent of major coronary lesion and the mean length of ST-segment
      displacements.

PMID- 1405298
TI  - [Effects of adaptation to periodic hypoxia on Ca2+ pump of the cardiac
      sarcoplasmic reticulum and its resistance to endogenous damaging factors].
AB  - The adaptation of rats to periodic "altitude" hypoxia in the altitude chamber (6
      hour daily at an altitude of 5000 m during a month) led to increased activity of
      the Ca2+ pump in the myocardial sarcoplasmic reticulum, which was associated with
      lower Kd values and higher calcium transport Vmax. When a cardiac homogenate was
      kept at 4 degrees C, autolysis resulted in a decrease in Ca2+ pump activity
      (which was more rapid in adapted animals than in the controls) and an equal
      increase in the levels of free calcium in the homogenates in the two series of
      experiments. The approximate data were obtained when a homogenate was incubated
      at 37 degrees C, but when it was incubated at 4 degrees C, the rate of Ca(2+)
      pump inactivation decreased 20-fold. Incubation in the presence of free radical
      oxidative inductors (Fe2+ ascorbate) led to high resistance of myocardial Ca(2+)
      pump in the adapted rats. The paper discusses the causes of myocardial Ca(2+)
      pump activation in periodic hypoxic adaptation and the mechanisms for its
      increased resistance to active oxygen, as well as their role in the
      cardioprotective effect of the adaptation.

PMID- 1405299
TI  - [Effects of bonnecor on transmembrane potentials of cardiomyocytes of the
      ventricular contractile myocardium of the intact heart and ventricular
      fibrillation].
AB  - The microelectrode technique has shown that bonnecor given in a dose of as many
      as 2 mg/kg increases the action potential amplitude, but when its dose is
      increased up to 3 mg/kg, the agent decreases the action potential amplitude of
      ventricular cardiomyocytes in the guinea-pig, the resting potential remaining
      steady. Administration of bonnecor prevents ventricular fibrillation after
      aconitine application and provokes ventricular fibrillation and flutter when the
      focus of ectopic automatism is formed.

PMID- 1405300
TI  - [Specific features of the regulation of coronary circulation during reperfusion
      after coronary insufficiency of different degrees].
AB  - Coronary insufficiency of various degrees was reproduced in experiments with
      anesthetized dogs by using coronary artery catheterization by progressively
      limiting the regional blood flow by 30, 50, 70, and 90%, the dog chest being
      closed. The specific features of regulatory reactions of cardiac vessels were
      also studied under subsequent reperfusion. It was shown that regulation of
      coronary circulation became changed in most cases after markedly limited coronary
      blood flow, as manifested by impaired reperfusion hyperemia and its rapid
      cessation that prevented the "payment" of blood flow debt and a secondary
      increase of cardiac vascular resistance above the preocclusive level. There was a
      significant relationship between the detected disorders and the degree of prior
      limited coronary perfusion.

PMID- 1405302
TI  - [Echocardiographic assessment of cardiac pump function using afterloading
      characteristics].
AB  - Seventy five patients and twenty healthy individuals were investigated by using
      cardiac ultrasound technique, followed by mathematical simulation of changes in
      left ventricular pressure during contraction. The findings show that the
      afterload characteristics based on a wealth of evidence for cardiac and left
      ventricular performance, unlike the conventional central hemodynamic parameters
      and cardiac phasic indices, enable the occult circulatory disorders to be
      revealed and the cardiac compliance with the arterial system to be assessed.

PMID- 1405301
TI  - [Atherogenic properties of phenothiazine drugs manifesting in cultured cells of
      the human aortic intima].
AB  - The effects of phenothiazine drugs on the levels of cholesterol in smooth cells
      of the human aortic intima. Two antiarrhythmics (ethacizin and ethmozine) and two
      neuroleptics (trifluoperazine and chlorpromazine) were evaluated. The three
      agents ethacizin, trifluoperazine, and chlorpromazine given in concentrations of
      10(-7) to 10(-5) M were ascertained to cause intracellular cholesterol
      accumulation, whereas ethmozine produced no effects on the intracellular levels
      of cholesterol. Ethacizin failed to cause cholesterol accumulation when the cells
      were incubated with ethacizin in the culture medium supplemented with lipid
      deficient serum. Ethacizin in a concentration o 10(-5) M was shown to inhibit the
      synthesis of cholesterol esters and had no action on the intracellular synthesis
      of steroids.

PMID- 1405303
TI  - [Doppler echocardiographic assessment of left atrial and left ventricular
      function during right bundle branch block].
AB  - Electrocardiographic, echocardiographic and Doppler echocardiographic studies
      were performed in 44 patients with coronary heart disease and complete right
      bundle branch block. The patients were found to have an impaired phase pattern of
      left ventricular systole and diastole as more prolonged length of its isometric
      relaxation and contraction, lower economic feasibility and efficiency of its
      contraction, moderate dilation and hypertrophy. Hemodynamic abnormalities in the
      left heart in these patients are closely correlate with the changes in the phase
      pattern of right ventricular systole and they turn out to be so greater as the
      degree of its hypertrophy is. In complete right bundle branch block, left
      ventricular pump dysfunction leads to decreased cardiac output and cardiac index,
      increased total peripheral vascular resistance, thus predisposing to impaired
      greater circulation.

PMID- 1405304
TI  - [Cardiac diastolic function in children and adolescents during prompt and long
      term adaptation to physical exercise].
AB  - To study the natural changes in cardiac diastolic function in ontogenesis at
      various stages of exercise adaptation, 65 males aged 10-17 years who go in for
      various kinds of sports developing primarily physical fitness have been examined.
      Long-term adaptation to cyclic muscular activity has been shown to result in a
      reduction in cardiovascular lability, an optimization of inclusion of myocardial
      functional reserves, and an increase in efficiency of using cardiac cycle time in
      response to myocardial restorative processes. High stages of exercise adaptation
      formed an additional mechanism responsible for diastolic filling at the expense
      of an atrial systole (an atrial mechanism of diastolic regulation).

PMID- 1405305
TI  - [Intraoperative myocardiography, a new method of regional myocardial function
      evaluation during aortocoronary bypass surgery].
AB  - Excursions of the myocardium in its revascularization area were recorded in 70
      patients with coronary heart disease. Myocardial dyskinesia correlated with low
      bypass blood flows, myocardial ischemia and infarction in the area of
      revascularization at any blood flow values. The evaluation of the diagnostic
      efficacy of myocardiographic symptoms suggested that myocardiography had some
      advantages. It was concluded that it was essential to include intraoperative
      myocardiography into the set of methods for examining patients with coronary
      heart disease during myocardial revascularizations.

PMID- 1405306
TI  - [Role of coronary collateral circulation in the compensation of disorders of
      myocardial perfusion and left ventricular function in patients with newly
      appearing angina pectoris].
AB  - The myocardial perfusion and left ventricular function were evaluated by bicycle
      ergometry and myocardial scintigraphy in 23 patients with primary angina taking
      into account the status of coronary collateral circulation in response to
      stenotic and occlusive atherosclerosis. In addition to severe occlusive disease
      of the coronary bed, most patients had significant disturbances of myocardial
      perfusion and left ventricular function, which were detected during exercise
      tests. In patients with compensatory collateral circulation in the coronary bed,
      such disturbances were less marked than in those without anastomoses. However
      collateral coronary circulation cannot be regarded to be of real value as it
      compensates impaired perfusion incompletely, but in some cases it can result in
      impaired myocardial vascularization apparently due to the steal syndrome.

PMID- 1405307
TI  - [Plasmapheresis in the treatment of patients with cardiovascular disorders].

PMID- 1405308
TI  - [ECG atrial complex changes in patients with diabetes mellitus].

PMID- 1405309
TI  - [Discussion of Professor V. S. Volkov's article, The role of spasm in the
      pathogenesis of angina pectoris, published in Kardiologiia, No. 12, 1990].

PMID- 1405310
TI  - [Drug treatment of arrhythmia. Clinical experience with anti-arrhythmia
      preparation ritmonorm (propafenone)].

PMID- 1405311
TI  - The cellular action of aldosterone in target epithelia.

PMID- 1405312
TI  - Effect of K depletion on renal K and Rb excretion: evidence for activation of K
      reabsorption.
AB  - Prolonged potassium depletion activates tubular transport mechanisms mediating
      potassium absorption. To study ion specificity and factors that modulate the
      activity of potassium transport pathways, fractional potassium excretion (FEK)
      was compared with that of rubidium (FERb) in control and potassium-depleted rats
      subjected to various experimental maneuvers. In control rats FEK considerably
      surpassed FERb (FEK/FERb 1.54 +/- 0.08; mean +/- SEM), whereas in potassium
      depleted rats FEK was significantly lower than FERb (FEK/FERb 0.72 +/- 0.05).
      Preferential retention of potassium compared to rubidium in potassium-depleted
      rats was accentuated (FEK/FERb 0.33 +/- 0.01) when residual potassium secretion
      was inhibited by amiloride and K-H exchange stimulated by increased distal buffer
      delivery (metabolic alkalosis). When distal fluid and buffer delivery were
      increased in control animals by acetazolamide, FEK and FERb rose in parallel. In
      potassium-depleted rats only FERb but not FEK was enhanced by acetazolamide.
      These data demonstrate that both potassium secretory and potassium absorptive
      transport pathways prefer potassium to its congener rubidium. Prolonged potassium
      depletion activates a potassium absorptive mechanism which is stimulated by
      increased distal buffer delivery and which transports potassium more effectively
      than rubidium.

PMID- 1405313
TI  - Cultured mesangial cells from autoimmune MRL-lpr mice have decreased secreted and
      surface M-CSF.
AB  - M-CSF has been implicated in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis in MRL-lpr mice.
      We recently reported persistently high levels of serum M-CSF in MRL-lpr mice as
      early as one week of age, not present in normal mice including C3H mice. In
      addition, M-CSF transcripts in MRL-lpr renal cortex increased with an increase in
      the severity of nephritis. Because glomerular mesangial cells (MC) secrete M-CSF,
      we investigated whether cultured MRL-lpr MC secrete more M-CSF than C3H MC.
      Paradoxically, unstimulated MRL-lpr MC secreted substantially less M-CSF than C3H
      MC [26 +/- 11 vs. 109 +/- 7 colony forming units (CFU)]. We then explored whether
      MC could express membrane bound M-CSF. We detected a 31 kDa form of membrane M
      CSF on both MRL-lpr and C3H MC. Fewer MRL-lpr MC than C3H MC (24 +/- 5% vs. 78 +/
      5%) expressed membrane M-CSF. Furthermore, the increase in the mean channel log
      fluorescence intensity on MRL-lpr MC was considerably less than in C3H MC,
      indicating a lower density of M-CSF on MRL-lpr MC. Because our prior studies
      established that MRL-lpr kidneys have enhanced expression of TNF alpha, we
      stimulated cultured MC with TNF alpha. TNF alpha increased M-CSF secretion by
      stimulated MRL-lpr by twofold over unstimulated MRL-lpr MC, but did not increase
      M-CSF in C3H MC. In addition, M-CSF secretion was modestly greater in stimulated
      MRL-lpr MC compared to stimulated C3H MC. In conclusion, this is the first report
      of membrane M-CSF detectable on cultured MC. These studies note that despite
      higher circulating M-CSF and renal M-CSF transcripts in MRL-lpr mice, cultured
      MRL-lpr MC have lower basal secreted and membrane bound M-CSF than cultured C3H
      MC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405314
TI  - Uninephrectomy enhances urolithiasis in ethylene glycol treated rats.
AB  - Uninephrectomy (uNX) usually induces compensatory hyperfunction of the remaining
      kidney in an attempt to preserve the homeostasis of body fluid composition. The
      present study used uninephrectomized Sprague-Dawley rats on a lithogenic diet
      (0.5% ethylene glycol, EG) to evaluate the influence on urinary stone formation
      and calcium oxalate crystal deposition of compensatory excretion of lithogenic
      substances in the remnant kidney. The results showed that there were no urinary
      stones or calcium oxalate crystal deposits in the intact or uNX rats fed a normal
      diet. In the EG feeding groups, the incidence of massive (grade 3) crystal
      deposits was significantly higher in the uNX rats (87.5%) than that in the intact
      rats (37.5%; P less than 0.05). The incidence of urinary stone formation was also
      higher in the uNX rats as compared to that of the intact rats, although the
      difference did not achieve statistical significance. The serum magnesium,
      phosphorus and creatinine increased significantly, whereas creatinine clearance
      (CCr), 24-hour urinary excretions of citrate, sodium, potassium and chloride
      decreased significantly in the uNX rats fed EG. These data indicate that
      uninephrectomy increases the vulnerability of the contralateral remnant kidney to
      urolithiasis and crystal deposition when the lithogenic risk factors are present.
      Furthermore, once the remnant kidney forms urolithiasis or massive calcium
      oxalate crystal deposits, the renal function is severely compromised.

PMID- 1405315
TI  - NaCl transport by Madin Darby canine kidney cyst epithelial cells.
AB  - The mechanism of NaCl transport across the epithelium of intact MDCK cysts grown
      in a collagen gel matrix was investigated. Double-barreled microelectrodes were
      used to measure basolateral membrane PD (Vbl), transepithelial PD (Vt), and
      intracellular (Cli) and intralumenal (Clcy) Cl- activities in cysts under
      different conditions. In a control Ringer's solution (RS), Cli (60 +/- 1 mM) and
      Clcy (107 +/- 2 mM) exceeded the values corresponding to electrochemical
      equilibrium across the basolateral membrane and epithelium, respectively. Cli was
      reduced by superfusing the cysts with a low Cl- RS (Cli, 20 +/- 3 mM), a low Na+
      RS (Cli, 40 +/- 4 mM), or by adding amiloride to the control RS (Cli, 46 +/- 1
      mM). Cli was unaffected by removal of either K+ or HCO3- from the RS or by adding
      furosemide or SITS to the control RS. Vbl in the control RS was -50 +/- 2 mV and
      was affected only by removal from the RS of K+ (Vbl, -31 +/- 3 mV) or HCO3- (Vbl,
      -29 +/- 4 mV) or by the addition of SITS to the control RS (Vbl, -59 +/- 5 mV).
      Vt in control RS was -2 +/- 0.2 mV (lumen negative), and was increased by
      reducing bath Na+ (Vt, -37 +/- 2 mV) but not by reducing bath Cl-. These data
      indicate that Cl- is secreted in a basolateral to apical direction by the cyst
      epithelium. Basolateral Cl- transport probably occurs mainly by an electroneutral
      Cl-/HCO3- exchanger. Transepithelial Na+ transport seems to occur via a
      paracellular route which appears to be cation selective. These experiments also
      support the existence, in the basolateral membrane, of a Na+/K+ ATPase, a Na+/H+
      exchanger, and possibly a Na+/HCO3-/CO3(2-) transporter.

PMID- 1405316
TI  - Hemodialysis related induction of interleukin-6 production by peripheral blood
      mononuclear cells.
AB  - Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has a complex spectrum of biological activities, for
      example, growth and differentiation of B cells and synthesis of acute-phase
      proteins by the liver. To evaluate the role of this cytokine in the inflammatory
      response induced by blood interaction with hemodialysis membranes, we have
      investigated the IL-6 synthesis and release in supernatant of 24-hour cultured
      peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from: (a) 10 hemodialyzed
      patients, (b) seven patients with advanced chronic renal failure (GFR less than
      or equal to 10 ml/min), and (c) eight healthy control subjects. In the same
      groups of subjects we evaluated the relationship between IL-6 synthesis and
      release and beta-2-microglobulin (beta 2m) production. Before and after dialytic
      treatment hemodialysis patient blood samples were drawn using the following
      criteria: (1) after two months of dialysis with cuprophan membranes, (2) after
      one and two months of dialysis with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) membranes, and
      finally, (3) after one further month of dialysis with cuprophan membranes. IL-6
      was determined after 72 hours of incubation of PBMC supernatant serial dilutions
      with IL-6-dependent hybridoma cell line, 7TD1. Compared to IL-6 synthesis in
      control subjects (6.0 +/- 5.6 U/3 x 10(6) PBMC/24 hr), hemodialyzed patients,
      when treated with cuprophan membranes, showed significantly higher value of IL-6
      production both before (23 +/- 13 U/3 x 10(6) PBMC/24 hr) and after (26.2 +/-
      11.3 U/3 x 10(6) PBMC/24 hr) the dialytic session.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1405317
TI  - Extrarenal cytokines modulate the glomerular response to IgA immune complexes.
AB  - Clinical episodes of IgA nephropathy coincide recurrently with microbial
      infections. Cytokines produced during such infections may play a role in the
      pathogenesis of IgA-associated glomerulonephritis. To test this hypothesis, we
      examined the influence of passively administered proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1,
      IFN-gamma and IL-6) on the development of glomerulonephritis in an experimental
      model of IgA nephropathy. Glomerular IgA immune deposits were induced in mice by
      administration of IgA anti-phosphorylcholine (PC) with either a PC-containing
      carbohydrate antigen of Pneumococcal C polysaccharide (PnC) or a protein antigen
      of PC-conjugated bovine serum albumin (PC-BSA). The effect of IL-1 on the IgA-PC
      BSA induced glomerular changes resulted in an increase of mesangial
      hypercellularity that was associated with mild proteinuria and hematuria. Mice
      treated with IL-1 and IgA-PnC developed diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis
      with proteinuria and hematuria. In contrast, IL-6 treatment with IgA-PC-BSA of
      IgA-PnC failed to exert any significant renal effect. The combination of IL-6 and
      IL-1, however, intensified the mesangial hypercellularity of the IgA-PC-BSA, and
      induced severe proliferative glomerulonephritis with inflammatory monocytes and
      neutrophils infiltrates in the IgA-PnC treated mice. These glomerular changes
      were also accompanied by increased proteinuria and hematuria. Similarly, the
      combination of IFN with IL-1 produced histologic changes and compromised renal
      function more than IFN or IL-1 exerted independently. These results suggest that
      extrarenal cytokines influence the renal response to IgA immune deposits. We also
      conclude that a synergy of multiple cytokines and nephritogenic antigens
      immobilized in glomerular IgA immune deposits may lead to rapid progression of
      IgA-associated glomerulonephritis.

PMID- 1405318
TI  - Renal effect of anti-hypertensive drugs depends on sodium diet in the excision
      remnant kidney model.
AB  - Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) are believed to protect remnant
      kidney, but all previous studies used the ligation model which causes severe
      hypertension, and very few have compared drugs in rats having similar control of
      blood pressure (BP). We compared rats with uremia obtained by 70% excision of
      total renal mass, a model which causes mild, late hypertension. Study I compared
      the effects of enalapril (E), cicletanine (C) and placebo (P) in uremic (U) rats
      fed a 0.50% (normal-high) Na diet. Study II compared the effects of E, C, P, and
      guanfacine (G) in U rats fed a diet restricted to 0.25% Na (normal-low). In study
      I, UP rats developed progressive hypertension (140, 146, 160 and 166 mm Hg at 3,
      6, 9 and 12 weeks), proteinuria (240 mg/day at 9 and 12 weeks) which were not
      affected by E or C. The occurrence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) led to the
      sacrifice of all rats after three months. All three groups had similar severe
      renal lesions (over 25% sclerosed glomeruli in 5 of 10 UP, 9 of 14 UE, 7 of 14 UC
      rats, with huge cystic tubular dilatations). In study II, rats could be
      sacrificed later (6 months) and had evidence of less severe renal disease. All
      the drugs tested prevented hypertension throughout the study (P less than 0.001),
      with lowest values in UE rats. E and G, but not C, reduced proteinuria. Renal
      damage was reduced with E and G, but not with C, despite similar BP in C and G
      rats. Thus, in contrast with what was obtained in the ligation model, ACEI
      affected neither the BP nor the renal lesions of rats made uremic by renal
      excision and fed a 0.50% Na diet. Moderate Na restriction improved the
      consequences of nephron loss and restored the anti-hypertensive effect of drugs.
      However, these drugs had a different effect on renal preservation: it was
      dramatic with E, good with G, and undetectable with C.

PMID- 1405320
TI  - Binding of serum immunoglobulins to collagens in IgA nephropathy and HIV
      infection.
AB  - The mechanism of the binding of IgA to the mesangium in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is
      unknown. Interactions between IgA and components of the mesangial matrix may
      contribute. We measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay the binding of serum
      IgA, IgG, and IgM from patients with IgAN, human immunodeficiency virus type I
      (HIV) infection, and healthy controls to purified native collagen types I to VI,
      and to an extract of normal kidney tissue. HIV infection is an appropriate
      disease control because of the lack of mesangial IgA deposits, despite high serum
      levels of IgA and IgA1-containing immune complexes. Increased levels of IgA
      binding to collagen types I and V and the kidney extract were found only in IgAN.
      Both IgAN and HIV-infected patients had increased IgA-binding to collagen types
      II, III, and VI. Preabsorption of the sera with gelatin substantially reduced the
      IgA-binding to collagen types I to IV, but not to types V and VI. This finding
      suggests that the binding to collagen type V is not fibronectin-mediated, but may
      reflect autoantibody formation. Thus, fibronectin-mediated IgA-collagen
      interactions are not specific for IgAN, and their pathogenetic role is
      questionable. The role of IgA anti-collagen type V antibodies requires further
      study.

PMID- 1405321
TI  - IL-1 alpha stimulated TNF alpha production by cultured human proximal tubular
      epithelial cells.
AB  - Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) production by proximal tubuli was studied
      by immunoperoxidase staining of 20 renal biopsies from transplant patients. A
      positive staining for TNF alpha on proximal tubuli was seen in nine out of 15
      patients with interstitial infiltrate, five without clinical significant
      rejection and four with moderate to severe interstitial rejection. TNF alpha was
      only expressed on tubuli within areas of interstitial infiltrate. Expression of
      TNF alpha in the mononuclear cell infiltrate was seen only in three patients with
      interstitial rejection. Absence of TNF alpha could be seen in biopsies with no
      renal abnormalities. To obtain more information on the regulation of TNF alpha
      production, proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTEC) cultures were established
      and assessed for production of TNF alpha. Heterogenicity in production of TNF
      alpha was found in 14 tested PTEC lines cultured under serum free conditions. The
      presence of IL-1 alpha in the cultures induced a time- and dose-dependent
      enhancement of TNF alpha production by PTEC. Enhanced production of TNF alpha was
      not seen after stimulation with other cytokines such as IL-2 or IFN gamma.
      Inhibition studies with cycloheximide indicated de novo synthesis of TNF alpha.
      Western blot analysis of supernatants of unstimulated and IL-1 alpha stimulated
      PTEC indicated a 17 kd product, a size similar to that of recombinant TNF alpha.
      Northern blot analysis revealed the presence of a 2.0 kb hybridization signal in
      total RNA of PTEC cultures and up regulation upon treatment of PTEC with 1 ng/ml
      of IL-1 alpha.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405319
TI  - Synthesis of renin by tubulocystic epithelium in autosomal-dominant polycystic
      kidney disease.
AB  - Evidence suggests an important role for the renin-angiotensin system in the
      pathogenesis of autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Therefore,
      we studied the presence of immunoreactive renin in renal biopsies and measured
      the concentrations of renin in cyst fluids. Normal kidneys and kidneys with renal
      artery stenosis were used for comparison. In ADPKD, immunoreactive renin was
      present in juxtaglomerular apparatus, associated arterioles, and in some cells
      within the connective tissue surrounding the cysts. Vascular immunoreactive renin
      was less prominent than in renal artery stenosis. Increased amounts of tubular
      immunoreactive renin were noted in polycystic kidneys, as compared to normal
      kidneys and kidneys with renal artery stenosis. Cyst fluids contained renin
      detected by Western analysis and enzymatic activity; concentrations were greater
      in gradient cysts than in nongradient cysts. Seventy-four percent of the renin in
      gradient cysts was active as compared to 23% in nongradient cysts and 15% in
      plasma. To determine whether cyst epithelial cells are capable of synthesizing
      renin, these cells were isolated in tissue culture. Enzymatic assay of extracts
      from these cells revealed the presence of renin-like enzymatic activity (1.3 +/-
      0.8 ng AI/mg protein/hr). The synthesis of renin by tubulocystic epithelium was
      confirmed by [35S]-methionine radiolabeling of cyst-derived cells, followed by
      immunoprecipitation and SDS-PAGE and by detection of renin mRNA by the polymerase
      chain reaction. These results indicate that the tubulocystic epithelium has the
      potential to synthesize renin. Elevated levels of active renin in renal cysts may
      be linked to the pathogenesis of hypertension in ADPKD. The occurrence of renin
      in the lining epithelium of cyst walls raises the possibility that abnormal
      expression of the renin-angiotensin system may, by a paracrine or autocrine
      mechanism, regulate epithelial hyperplasia in growing renal cysts.

PMID- 1405322
TI  - Developmental patterns of PDGF B-chain, PDGF-receptor, and alpha-actin expression
      in human glomerulogenesis.
AB  - Expression of PDGF B-chain and the PDGF receptor beta-subunit (PDGFR beta) is
      detected immunocytochemically during the development of glomeruli in human
      kidneys of 54 to 105 days gestational age. During the early stages (vesicular,
      comma-shape and S-shape) of glomerulogenesis, PDGF B-chain is localized to
      differentiating epithelium of the glomerular vesicle, while PDGFR beta is
      expressed in the undifferentiated metanephric blastema, vascular structures, and
      interstitial cells. During this stage PDGF may be acting as a paracrine growth
      factor and as a chemoattractant acting to recruit mesangial progenitor cells into
      the developing glomerulus. As the glomerular tuft forms, both PDGF B-chain and
      PDGFR beta can be detected in an arboreal pattern radiating from the hilus of the
      glomerular tuft. Immunocytochemical studies using markers specific to endothelium
      (Ulex europaeus I lectin, Factor VIII related antigen), and smooth muscle (alpha
      smooth muscle actin), indicate that the PDGF B-chain and PDGFR beta are both
      expressed primarily by mesangial cells. During this stage, PDGF may be acting
      primarily to provide an autocrine factor to mediate further mesangial cell
      proliferation. Glomerular expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin is limited to
      later stages of glomerulogenesis; at these stages the pattern of expression is
      similar to that of PDGF-B chain and PDGFR beta. The upregulation of mesangial
      PDGF, PDGFR beta, and alpha-smooth muscle actin expression that has been
      identified in some disease states in both humans and experimental animals appears
      to represent a recapitulation of this normal developmental process.

PMID- 1405323
TI  - A comparison of the responses to recombinant human erythropoietin in normal and
      uremic subjects.
AB  - The erythropoietic response to graded doses of recombinant human erythropoietin
      (epoetin alfa) was assessed in 24 hemodialysis patients by quantitative
      ferrokinetic studies, and measurement of the reticulocyte count and plasma levels
      of transferrin receptor protein. These responses were compared to those of 22
      normal subjects. Epoetin alfa was given intravenously at 15, 50 or 150 U/kg every
      other day for four injections. Three patients with chronic renal failure were
      restudied after renal function was restored following renal transplantation. The
      results of these three different measurements of erythroid function showed that
      the acute response to recombinant human erythropoietin was similar in normal
      subjects and patients with renal failure. We conclude that chronic uremia does
      not alter the responsiveness to erythropoietin in vivo.

PMID- 1405324
TI  - Angiotensin II does not increase renal prostaglandin E2 in response to pressure
      reduction.
AB  - Whether angiotensin II (Ang II) stimulates renal secretion of prostaglandin E2
      (PGE2) synthesized in response to pressure reduction was examined. PGE2 and Ang
      II in aortic and renal venous plasma were measured before and during renal
      arterial constriction in anesthetized dogs, with or without an intrarenal
      arterial infusion of an Ang II antagonist, losartan potassium (1 mg/min), or
      saralasin (3 micrograms/min). In other anesthetized dogs, two doses of Ang II (30
      and then 300 ng/min) were infused into the renal artery, and plasma Ang II levels
      and renal PGE2 secretion were measured. When renal perfusion pressure was reduced
      to 75 and 45 mm Hg by constriction, the renal secretion of PGE2 increased seven-
      and fourfold, respectively. Ang II levels in the renal venous plasma increased
      from 6.6 +/- 1.8 to 21.7 +/- 7.4 and then 48.1 +/- 15.3 pg/ml (both P less than
      0.05) as the pressure decreased. Neither losartan nor saralasin suppressed the
      response of renal PGE2 secretion to the pressure reduction. The intrarenal
      infusion of Ang II (30 ng/min) elevated the Ang II level in the renal venous
      plasma from 9.8 +/- 4.6 to 33.7 +/- 4.2 pg/ml (P less than 0.01), but did not
      increase PGE2 secretion. The higher dose (300 ng/min) of Ang II increased it, but
      the Ang II level in the renal venous plasma was 166 +/- 63 pg/ml. These results
      suggest that the greater part of the increased renal synthesis of PGE2 in
      response to pressure reduction is not mediated by Ang II.

PMID- 1405325
TI  - Plasma level of lipoprotein Lp(a) is high in predialysis or hemodialysis, but not
      in CAPD.
AB  - Plasma Lp(a) lipoprotein level was determined in chronic renal failure (CRF)
      patients, 24 before initiation of dialysis, 18 undergoing hemodialysis, and 24 on
      continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Eighteen healthy subjects were
      studied as controls. Median of Lp(a) level in both predialysis and dialysis
      patients was significantly increased: 23.5 mg/dl (range: 0 to 109) and 24.0 mg/dl
      (range: 1.4 to 90), respectively, as compared to healthy controls: 4.7 mg/dl
      (range: 1.8 to 27; P less than 0.001). By contrast, the median Lp(a) level in
      CAPD patients, 2.4 mg/dl (range: 0 to 39.5), was similar to the control group.
      Whether the CAPD procedure reduces the Lp(a) level in CRF patients has to be
      established in a prospective study.

PMID- 1405326
TI  - A longitudinal, five year survey of urea kinetic parameters in CAPD patients.
AB  - This study reports on the five years' evolution of the KT/V urea index and
      protein catabolic rate (PCR) in 16 CAPD patients who were treated with a constant
      daily dialysis dose. Total KT/V urea index decreased with time from a value of
      0.96 +/- 0.06 at the start to 0.55 +/- 0.05 at five years of treatment. This
      decline was due to the opposite changes of two important parameters affecting the
      index. First, the contribution of the residual urinary KT/V gradually decreased
      from 28.6% at the start to 8 to 9% after four years. Second, the distribution
      volume of urea calculated as a constant fraction of body weight gradually
      increased. The body weight increased from 58.2 +/- 2.79 kg at start to 70.6 +/-
      3.33 kg at five years. Peritoneal urea clearances and ultrafiltration rates
      remained stable. In 12 patients with stable body weight between 24 and 48 months,
      PCR decreased from 0.98 +/- 0.05 to 0.87 +/- 0.05 g/kg/day. A positive
      correlation between KT/V urea and PCR and a negative correlation between KT/V
      urea and number of hospitalization days, peritonitis rates and peripheral nerve
      conductivity was found. The same negative correlation was found when only the
      KT/V urea index obtained during the first year of treatment was considered. In
      conclusion, the KT/V urea index decreases in CAPD patients primarily because
      residual renal function decreases and body weight increases, while the peritoneal
      clearing for urea is maintained. The index correlates with some clinical
      parameters, and may have some prognostic value.

PMID- 1405327
TI  - Prazosin attenuates the natriuretic response to atrial natriuretic factor in man.
AB  - The effect of alpha-1-adrenoceptor blockade with 0.25 mg oral prazosin on the
      renal response to atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) 5 pmol/kg/min was examined in
      eight healthy male volunteers undergoing maximal water diuresis. ANF on its own
      decreased mean arterial blood pressure (P less than 0.05) without altering heart
      rate or increasing plasma norepinephrine. ANF increased urinary sodium excretion
      by 130% (P less than 0.01) from baseline value with accompanying 18% decrease (P
      less than 0.05) in PAH clearance (ERPF) without changing inulin clearance (GFR).
      When compared to placebo infusion, ANF infusion caused a significant increase in
      fractional excretion lithium (FELi), a marker of proximal tubular function.
      Fractional distal delivery of sodium, another marker of proximal tubular outflow
      as determined by free water clearance, was also increased during ANF infusion. As
      expected, ANF decreased distal nephron fractional sodium reabsorption as
      evaluated by both the "lithium method" and by the conventional "solute-free water
      method." Prazosin on its own had no effect on blood pressure, renal function or
      hormonal parameters. When given in combination with ANF, prazosin blunted the
      natriuretic effect of ANF from 130% to 35% (P less than 0.01). However, prazosin
      pretreatment did not influence the ANF-induced fall in blood pressure or ERPF nor
      the ANF-induced suppression of plasma aldosterone. We have therefore found
      evidence to support the hypothesis that at basal levels of sympathetic tone, the
      natriuretic effect of ANF in man is dependent on an intact sympathetic nervous
      system, since sympathetic blockade by prazosin blunts its sodium excretory
      effects.

PMID- 1405328
TI  - Effect of dialyzer geometry during hemodialysis with cuprophane membranes.
AB  - The effect of dialyzer geometry, both flat plate (FP) and hollow fiber (HF), on
      platelet and granulocyte activation during dialysis with cuprophane membranes was
      studied in 12 patients. A subset of six patients was restudied after correction
      of their anemia with recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO). Granulocyte count
      and aggregation in vitro fell significantly (P less than 0.01) at 20 minutes of
      dialysis, followed by a gradual return towards pre-dialysis values at 240
      minutes. Malondialdehyde (MDA), a product of free radical reactions generated by
      activated granulocytes, increased significantly during dialysis [predialysis MDA
      (median, range): 8.4 (5.8 to 11.6) nmol/ml, 240 minutes MDA: 9.7 (6.6 to 12.5)
      nmol/ml, P less than 0.01 Wilcoxon test). This increase, however, was not
      affected by dialyzer geometry or EPO therapy. Neither type of dialyzer was
      associated with significant platelet loss at the end of dialysis. Whole blood
      platelet aggregation in vitro (spontaneous and collagen-induced) decreased
      significantly, (P less than 0.01) during dialysis, the fall in spontaneous
      aggregation being significantly less following EPO therapy [spontaneous
      aggregation 240 minutes; pre-EPO: 34 (13 to 52)%; post-EPO 50: (16 to 76)%, P
      less than 0.01)]. The ratio of the platelet release proteins beta-thromboglobulin
      and platelet factor 4 increased significantly during dialysis, indicating
      platelet activation in vivo, although there was no effect of dialyzer geometry or
      EPO. Factor VIII von Willebrand Factor antigen, a putative marker of endothelial
      damage, was raised pre-dialysis, and increased further during dialysis,
      irrespective of dialyzer geometry or EPO. In conclusion, dialyzer geometry had no
      significant effect on granulocyte and platelet counts and activity during
      hemodialysis with cuprophane membranes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405329
TI  - Continuous arteriovenous hemodialysis: effect of dialyzer geometry.

PMID- 1405330
TI  - Long-term comparison between captopril and nifedipine in the progression of renal
      insufficiency.
AB  - To verify the hypothesis that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
      possess a unique renoprotective effect in progressive chronic renal disease, we
      decided to compare the effects of an ACE inhibitor and a calcium antagonist on
      both hypertension and the progression of non-diabetic renal insufficiency in a
      long-term study. A four-year, multicenter, prospective, randomized trial was
      conducted on 142 hypertensive patients (pts) with established chronic renal
      failure from six Italian nephrology departments. They were on standard
      antihypertensive therapy with a low-protein diet and underwent twice-monthly
      surveillance for a one year pre-randomization period. After that year, 121 pts
      were randomly allocated to captopril or slow-release nifedipine therapies for a
      three-year study period. The progression of renal insufficiency was monitored
      every two months. Blood pressure control was significantly better after
      randomization than during the year of standard antihypertensive therapy. The
      progression rate before randomization (BR) was definitely higher before than
      after randomization (AR): Creatinine clearance (CCr) change BR = -0.46 +/- 0.45
      ml/min/month, creatinine clearance change AR = -0.23 +/- 0.43 ml/min/month (P
      less than 0.01). After randomization, the mean blood pressure values were
      virtually the same throughout the three year period of the study in the two
      groups treated by captopril (group I), or nifedipine (group II).(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405331
TI  - ACE inhibitors in renal disease.

PMID- 1405332
TI  - Forefronts in nephrology: summary of the newer aspects of renal cell injury.

PMID- 1405333
TI  - Adequacy of dialysis: a critical analysis.

PMID- 1405334
TI  - Cytokine regulation of adenylate cyclase activity in LLC-PK1 cells.
AB  - Although several cytokines have been demonstrated to exert pleiotropic responses,
      there is little information on cytokine regulation of renal tubular epithelial
      cell function. In the present studies, we find that both T cell-derived (tumor
      necrosis factor-beta and interleukins 2 and 3) and monocyte/macrophage derived
      (tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 beta) cytokines promote basal,
      arginine vasopressin- and forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in
      cultured LLC-PK1 cells. No effect of TNF, IL-1 beta, and IL-2 to stimulate
      protein kinase C activity was observed. TNF-beta, IL-1 beta and IL-2 also
      modestly stimulated 3H release from 3H-arachidonic acid labeled cells. Mepacrine,
      a phospholipase A inhibitor, prevented TNF-beta stimulation of 3H release from 3H
      arachidonic acid labeled cells and TNF-beta potentiation of adenylate cyclase
      activity. TNF-beta potentiation of adenylate cyclase activity and stimulation of
      3H release from 3H arachidonic acid labeled cells was not prevented by pertussis
      toxin. These results demonstrate that several cytokines can stimulate adenylate
      cyclase activity while not affecting protein kinase C activity in cultured renal
      tubular epithelial cells. The effect of TNF-beta to stimulate adenylate cyclase
      appears to occur independent of pertussis toxin-sensitive substrate and may
      involve activation of phospholipase A.

PMID- 1405335
TI  - Glomerular hemodynamics and hormonal evaluation during starvation in rats.
AB  - The effects of total food deprivation on renal function were evaluated in normal
      Munich-Wistar rats submitted to starvation (S) periods of two to eight days
      (Groups S2 to S8). A prompt and sustained decrease in renal plasma flow (RPF) and
      an increase in total renal vascular resistance (TRVR) were observed after the
      second day, together with a gradual decrease in glomerular filtration rate (GFR)
      until the fourth day (40% in the S4 group, P less than 0.05). After this period,
      a spontaneous and progressive increase in GFR occurred in spite of continuing low
      RPF and high TRVR. Glomerular hemodynamics were evaluated in additional animals
      from groups S4 and S7. As observed for whole kidney GFR, mean single nephron (SN)
      GFR was reduced in group S4, but not in group S7. The decline in SNGFR in S4 was
      the result of a decline (approximately 40%) in glomerular plasma flow rate (QA)
      and glomerular capillary hydraulic pressure (PGC), due to a predominant increase
      (approximately 60%) in afferent arteriolar resistance. In S7, SNGFR and its
      determinants did not differ from the control. Angiotensin II (Ang II),
      prostaglandin (but not thromboxane A2, TxA2) inhibition blunted the alterations
      in whole kidney function observed in S4. Conversely in S7, the inhibition of
      vasoconstrictor agents (Ang II and TxA2) did not normalize GFR, suggesting that
      the intrarenal vasoconstriction could be an important factor to maintain GFR
      after a prolonged period of starvation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405336
TI  - Metabolic effects of 4-pentenoate on isolated dog kidney tubules.
AB  - The effects of 4-pentenoate (0.01 to 10 mM) were studied on suspensions of
      cortical tubules and of thick ascending limbs (TAL) prepared from dog kidneys.
      When cortical tubules were incubated with 1 mM glutamine, 4-pentenoate
      accelerated glutamine uptake, ammoniagenesis, and the production of alpha
      ketoglutarate, lactate and pyruvate, but decreased gluconeogenesis. With 5 mM
      glutamine, the marked accumulation of alpha-ketoglutarate reversed the net fluxes
      through the alanine and aspartate aminotransferases. When cortical tubules or TAL
      were incubated with lactate, its utilization and gluconeogenesis (in cortical
      tubules) were markedly decreased by 4-pentenoate. The mitochondrial NAD+/NADH
      ratio was markedly increased by 4-pentenoate in cortical tubules but not in TAL.
      The production of 14CO2 from 14C[1]-pyruvate or 14C-[1]-alpha-ketoglutarate was
      decreased by approximately 60% by 4-pentenoate in cortical tubules but not in
      TAL. In cortical tubules, these findings are best explained by depletion of
      mitochondrial free CoA, inhibition of pyruvate and alpha-ketoglutarate
      dehydrogenases and decreased mitochondrial NADH. By contrast, in TAL,
      accumulation of reducing equivalents probably resulted from the metabolism of 4
      pentenoate itself.

PMID- 1405337
TI  - Influence of ammonia and pH on protein and amino acid metabolism in LLC-PK1
      cells.
AB  - Metabolic acidosis inhibits protein synthesis (PS) and stimulates protein
      degradation (PD) in muscle and cultured myocytes but causes hypertrophy of the
      proximal tubule. The reason for this tissue-specific difference in response to
      acidosis is unknown, but it might be related to stimulation of renal ammonia
      production since ammonia reportedly increases PS and inhibits PD in cultured
      kidney cells. We examined how ammonia and pH could interact to change protein
      turnover in confluent LLC-PK1 cells. Varying extracellular pH from 6.95 to 7.60
      did not alter PS or PD even though intracellular pH changed predictably. Six
      millimolar NH4Cl did not change PS while 20 mM inhibited PS; there was no
      interaction with pH. This unexpected difference from the reported stimulation of
      PS by NH4Cl could be explained by our use of L-[U-14C]phenylalanine rather than
      radiolabelled leucine to measure PS. NH4Cl was found to inhibit leucine
      degradation which would increase radiolabelled leucine available for
      incorporation into protein. Either 6 mM or 20 mM NH4Cl inhibited PD measured as
      the release of L-[14C]phenylalanine from prelabelled protein. Experiments with an
      inhibitor of lysosomal function, chloroquine, suggest that NH4Cl inhibits
      lysosomal proteolysis. There was no interaction of cell pH and ammonia-induced
      changes in PD. Thus, the response of renal cells to acidification differs
      markedly from myocytes and ammonia changes protein turnover primarily by
      suppressing PD.

PMID- 1405338
TI  - Decreased O2 consumption by PMNL from humans and rats with CRF: role of secondary
      hyperparathyroidism.
AB  - Bactericidal ability of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) is impaired in
      chronic renal failure (CRF). This function of PMNL is mediated by the generation
      of oxidizing radicals and the latter event requires O2 consumption by these
      cells. The present study examined both basal and FMLP-stimulated rise in
      cytosolic calcium ([Ca2+]i) and O2 consumption of PMNL from normal subjects and
      hemodialysis patients and from CRF rats, and evaluated the potential role of
      secondary hyperparathyroidism of CRF on these properties of PMNL. Basal levels of
      [Ca2+]i were significantly higher, and FMLP-induced increments in [Ca2+]i were
      significantly lower in PMNL of both humans and rats with CRF than in normals.
      Basal and FMLP-stimulated O2 consumption were significantly lower in CRF subjects
      and rats than in normals. These derangements were prevented by prior
      parathyroidectomy of CRF rats or by their treatment with verapamil from day one
      of CRF. Also, therapy of rats with pre-existing CRF with this drug reversed the
      abnormalities in [Ca2+]i and in O2 consumption of PMNL. The data indicate that:
      (1) CRF is associated with derangements in the homeostasis of [Ca2+]i of PMNL and
      their oxygen consumption, (2) these abnormalities are, most likely, mediated by
      the state of secondary hyperparathyroidism of CRF, and (3) verapamil, which
      blocks the PTH-induced entry of calcium into cells, and prevents as well as
      reverses these PMNL dysfunctions. These results implicate the excess PTH of CRF
      in the genesis of the defective bactericidal function of PMNL, and assign a new
      dimension to PTH toxicity in CRF.

PMID- 1405339
TI  - Mild renal ischemia activates primed neutrophils to cause acute renal failure.
AB  - The role of neutrophils (PMN) in acute renal failure (ARF) is controversial.
      Although the development of acute renal failure (ARF) frequently occurs in
      situations where there is partial activation of PMN (primed PMN) and mild renal
      ischemia, the interaction between primed PMN and ischemic organs has not been
      studied in any biological system. To define the interaction between primed PMN
      and mild renal ischemia, kidneys were made ischemic for 10 minutes in situ and
      reperfused by the isolated kidney technique with untreated PMN or PMN primed with
      low concentrations of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or phorbol myristate acetate
      (PMA). We found that primed PMN had no effect on control (non-ischemic) kidneys
      and that untreated PMN did not cause injury to kidneys previously subjected to
      mild ischemia. However, addition of primed PMN to mildly ischemic kidneys caused
      severe injury. To determine the nature of renal injury, ischemic kidneys were
      reperfused with primed PMN and catalase (CAT) or the elastase inhibitor, Eglin C.
      In ischemic kidneys reperfused with LPS-primed PMN, Eglin C (but not CAT) was
      partially protective while in ischemic kidneys reperfused with PMA-primed PMN,
      CAT (but not Eglin C) was partially protective. Reperfusion with both CAT and
      Eglin C completely prevented the damaging effects of either LPS- or PMA-primed
      PMN. In conclusion, addition of primed but not untreated PMN causes ARF in mildly
      ischemic kidneys by PMN oxidant- and/or protease-mediated mechanisms. This
      synergism could account for the high frequency of ARF in conditions associated
      with prerenal azotemia and primed PMN.

PMID- 1405340
TI  - Ontogeny of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase-containing tubule cells in rat
      kidney.
AB  - Dopamine plays an important role in regulation of renal sodium transport.
      Proximal tubule cells produce dopamine after decarboxylation of L-DOPA via the
      enzyme aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC). The presence and cellular
      localization of AADC-like immunoreactivity (-LI) and AADC mRNA were examined
      during pre- and postnatal development in rat kidney by indirect
      immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization histochemistry. Few scattered
      condensations of AADC-immunoreactive (-IR) tubule cells forming a lumen were
      detected on gestational day 18. From gestational day 21, many AADC-IR tubule
      cells were observed in the inner cortex, whereas the outer cortex lacked AADC-LI.
      Within 24 hours of birth, AADC-IR cells in the inner cortex could be identified
      as proximal tubule cells. During day 3 and 5 there was an increase in number of
      AADC-IR proximal tubule cells in the inner cortex, leaving less amount of AADC
      negative cells in the outer cortex. Starting from day 8, AADC-IR cells could be
      seen in the outer cortex. An apparent decrease in AADC-immunofluorescence
      intensity was observed at 40 days, and at 80 days virtually no AADC-LI could be
      demonstrated. Intrarenal levels of dopamine showed a tendency to increase between
      3 and 20 days, and showed significant decreases between 20 to 40 days and between
      40 to 80 days. AADC mRNA was not detected in the kidney at 18 hours after birth,
      but could be observed in the inner cortex at 6 days. At 12, 19 and 40 days AADC
      mRNA was seen in the entire cortex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405341
TI  - Renal function after release of ureteral obstruction: role of endothelin and the
      renal artery endothelium.
AB  - Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) are
      decreased and mean arterial pressure (MAP) is increased after unilateral release
      of bilateral ureteral obstruction (BUO). An imbalance between vasoconstrictor and
      vasodilator substances may explain the hemodynamic alterations seen in this
      setting. The present study examines the role of endothelin-1 in such alterations.
      Rats with BUO (N = 10) had significantly lower GFR and ERPF (ml/min/kg body wt)
      than sham-operated rats (SOR, N = 9) (1.40 +/- 0.14 vs. 6.20 +/- 0.38 and 5.12 +/
      0.68 vs. 20.2 +/- 2.20, respectively) and significantly higher MAP (mm Hg) than
      SOR (154.9 +/- 3.2 vs. 120.6 +/- 1.7). Rats with BUO given a specific
      antiendothelin antibody (N = 8) had significantly higher GFR (2.10 +/- 0.12) and
      ERPF (7.46 +/- 0.95) than BUO control rats, but there were no significant changes
      in MAP (159.5 +/- 5.8). In SOR (N = 6), mechanical denudation of the main renal
      artery endothelium did not significantly affect renal function when compared to
      renal function in control SOR. However, the same maneuver significantly lowered
      GFR (0.64 +/- 0.17) and ERPF (1.67 +/- 0.36) in BUO rats (N = 5) when compared to
      BUO control rats. We conclude that: (1) endothelin-1 has a significant
      vasoconstrictor role in rats with BUO of 24 hours duration and accounts for a
      portion of the decrease in glomerular filtration rate seen in rats after
      unilateral release of bilateral ureteral obstruction, and (2) in the BUO setting,
      the net role of the renal artery endothelium is vasodilatory.

PMID- 1405342
TI  - A new method to localize active renin in tissues by autoradiography: application
      to dog kidney.
AB  - A method was developed to localize active renin in dog kidney sections using
      autoradiography to detect in vitro binding of the radiolabeled renin inhibitor,
      125I-H77. Light fixation by prior perfusion of the kidney with paraformaldehyde
      was used to immobilize renin without denaturing its binding activity. Snap frozen
      sections were cut on a cryostat and incubated with 125I-H77. Dry film
      autoradiography revealed discrete binding of 125I-H77 to the vascular pole of
      glomerulus as well as diffuse binding to the outer medulla and to the cortex.
      Binding of 125I-H77 to other aspartyl proteases in the latter two regions was
      then suppressed by addition of the aspartyl protease inhibitor, N-acetyl
      pepstatin (1 microM). This revealed only the juxtaglomerular binding and
      successfully suppressed binding of the radioligand to other sites. Light
      microscopic emulsion autoradiography revealed highly selective discrete labelling
      of the juxtaglomerular apparatus. Competition for this 125I-H77 binding by a
      series of structurally different renin inhibitors showed a close correspondence
      between their reported inhibitory potency for renin and potency in the binding
      system. This strongly suggests that the radioligand binds to the active site of
      renin immobilized in the kidney. These results demonstrate a new method to
      localize active renin in tissues using in vitro autoradiography and
      radioinhibitor binding. The method shows promise for localization and
      quantitation of tissue renin in extra renal tissues.

PMID- 1405343
TI  - Outcome of renal transplantation in children less than two years of age.
AB  - Twenty-two renal transplants were performed in 21 children less than two years of
      age at Children's Hospital. Fourteen were from living related donors and eight
      were from cadaveric donors. The five year patient and graft survivals of these
      recipients were compared to all other pediatric recipients between two and 18
      years of age who received renal transplants over the same time period. Five year
      graft survival for recipients less than two years of age was 86% following living
      related donor transplantation and 38% following cadaver donor transplantation.
      Older pediatric recipients aged between two and 18 years had a five year graft
      survival of 73% following living-related donor renal transplantation, which was
      similar to that for recipients less than two years of age. Although older
      cadaveric recipients had a comparable five year graft survival to younger
      recipients, at 42%, the patterns of graft loss were different. Graft failures in
      young recipients occurred within the first seven months post-transplant, whereas
      the older recipient's grafts failed more gradually. Actuarial five-year patient
      survival in recipients less than two years of age was 86% following living
      related donor renal transplantation and 70% following cadaver-donor renal
      transplantation. Recipients less than two years of age had a poorer patient
      survival than older recipients following both living-related donor renal
      transplantation (P = 0.06) and cadaver-donor renal transplantation (P less than
      0.05). These findings suggest that the graft survival of living-related donor
      renal transplantation in recipients less than two years of age is better than
      that of cadaver-donor renal transplantation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405344
TI  - Recombinant human erythropoietin treatment improves platelet function in uremic
      patients.
AB  - The effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) on primary hemostasis was
      tested in 19 hemodialyzed patients. Bleeding time, platelet aggregation and
      platelet interaction with vessel subendothelium (SE) under flow conditions were
      determined before treatment and after patients reached hematocrits greater than
      or equal to 30%. Two thrombotic events (an acute myocardial infarction and an AV
      fistula clotting) were recorded during the early stages of treatment. A
      shortening of average bleeding times (P less than 0.01), an increase in platelet
      count (P less than 0.01) and an improvement of platelet aggregation (P less than
      0.01) and of platelet-SE interaction (P less than 0.01) were observed. A low
      correlation index was found between hematocrit and bleeding time (r = -0.351, P
      less than 0.05). To assess a possible effect of rHuEPO on platelet function, the
      same parameters were evaluated before and after receiving three doses of rHuEPO
      (40 U/kg i.v. post-hemodialysis) in 14 of the patients. No changes in platelet or
      erythrocyte counts were observed, the mean bleeding time remained unchanged, but
      platelet aggregation induced by arachidonic acid (P less than 0.05), ADP (P less
      than 0.01) and ristocetin (P less than 0.05) improved. Perfusion studies
      confirmed moderate but significant increases in the parameters that quantify
      platelet-SE interaction (P less than 0.05). Improvement of ADP-induced
      aggregation correlated with the increase of platelet adhesion to SE (r = 0.675, P
      less than 0.05). We conclude that rHuEPO treatment improves primary hemostasis in
      uremia through an increase of red cell mass but also through a beneficial effect
      on platelet function, which is independent of the hematocrit rise.

PMID- 1405345
TI  - Role of inhibition of atrial natriuretic factor release in the down-regulation of
      salt excretion.
AB  - We investigated the role of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in the down
      regulation of sodium excretion (UNaV). Seven subjects were sequentially studied
      while ingesting a normal-salt diet (220 mmol NaCl/day, NSD), a very low-salt diet
      (20 mmol NaCl/day, VLSD) for six days, and again at NSD for nine days. After one
      day of VLSD, a negative salt balance of 85 mmol was achieved and plasma ANF
      decreased from 19.1 (SE 2.5) to 7.2 (SE 2.1) pg/ml, whereas plasma renin activity
      (PRA) and plasma aldosterone (ALD) increased after the third and second day,
      respectively. During restoration of volemia (NSD), ANF increased after the third
      day; in contrast, PRA and ALD decreased earlier. Seven other subjects kept at low
      salt diet (50 mmol NaCl/day) were studied during ANF infusion (at 2, 4, 8
      ng/min/kg body wt). Increases of ANF from 10.3 (SE 0.9) pg/ml (basal condition)
      to levels of 24.0 (SE 1.9) pg/ml (infusion study), occurring physiologically in
      the same subjects after NSD, evoked increases in UNa V that accounted for 62% of
      UNa V rise necessary to balance the NSD, whereas PRA or ALD did not change.
      Plasma ANF, unlike PRA or ALD, was directly correlated with UNa V. IN CONCLUSION:
      (a) ANF changes earlier than PRA and plasma aldosterone during VLSD; (b) PRA and
      ALD respond more promptly than ANF in the recovery from hypovolemia; (c) during
      ingestion of a low-salt diet, changes in plasma ANF by infusion account for more
      than half the increase in UNa V following the shift from low- to normal-salt diet
      independently of alterations in PRA and ALD.

PMID- 1405346
TI  - Uremic serum effects on peripheral blood mononuclear cell and purified T
      lymphocyte responses.
AB  - We have studied the effects of uremic serum on the activation state and function
      of normal lymphocytes in vitro, by examining both accessory cell-dependent and
      accessory cell-independent responses. Uremic serum was obtained from patients on
      conservative treatment and from the same patients after they have undergone six
      months of maintenance hemodialysis. Uremic serum inhibited the proliferative
      responses to mitogens and to recombinant IL-2 (rIL-2) of both peripheral blood
      mononuclear cells (PBMC) and purified T cell populations. However, the
      responsiveness to IL-2 of pre-formed lymphoblasts, obtained from both PBMC and
      purified T cells, in the presence of uremic serum was similar to that obtained in
      the presence of normal serum, or was even enhanced. Uremic serum did not affect
      the cellular IL-2 receptor alpha (IL-2R) generation though it inhibited
      significantly the release of soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and the production of
      IL-2 after mitogenic stimulation. Uremic serum from patients after six months of
      hemodialysis enhanced, but did not completely restore, proliferative responses
      and IL-2 production by control PBMC. Neither IL-1 nor IL-2R, which are present at
      elevated concentrations in uremic serum, appeared to be responsible for serum
      effects on in vitro responses of control lymphocytes. In conclusion, our results
      indicate that uremic serum affects both accessory cell-mediated and accessory
      cell-independent normal T cell responses. Uremic serum inhibition of T cell
      proliferation is associated with down-regulation of IL-2 synthesis by lymphocytes
      and the induction of an abnormal state of activation of lymphoblasts which is
      further enhanced following chronic hemodialysis.

PMID- 1405347
TI  - A monoclonal antibody (1G10) recognizes a novel human mesangial antigen.
AB  - We have identified a unique mesangial matrix protein of the human glomerulus by
      using a monoclonal antibody, 1G10, generated against culture human glomerular
      cells. By immunofluorescence, the antigen recognized by 1G10 (1G10 antigen) is
      present in mesangium and smooth muscle tissue and cannot be detected in any other
      tissue examined. Immunoelectron microscopy of glomeruli indicated that 1G10
      antigen is present exclusively in the mesangial matrix at the endothelial
      mesangial interface. The 1G10 antigen is also expressed by cultured mesangial
      cells, but not by cultured glomerular epithelial cells, umbilical endothelial
      cells or fibroblasts. 1G10 did not react with the mesangial matrix proteins
      [fibronectin (FN), laminin (LAM), collagen types I, III, IV, V, and VI (Col I,
      III, IV, V, VI), heparin sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG), or thrombospondin (TS)]
      present under normal and diseased states or smooth muscle antigens (myosin,
      actin), but did react with a 4 M urea extract of renal cortex and a 0.3%
      deoxycholate extract of isolated glomeruli. Two dimensional immunoblot analysis
      using the urea extract demonstrated the binding of 1G10 to an approximately 200
      KDa polypeptide with pI 6.0. On one dimensional immunoblot this band did not show
      cross react with polyclonal antisera to FN, LAM, Col IV, V, VI, HSPG or TS. This
      mesangial matrix component is trypsin and periodate sensitive, suggesting that it
      has the character of glycoprotein. In renal biopsy specimens from patients with
      mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (GN) and membranoproliferative GN, the
      expression of the 1G10 antigen increased along with mesangial hypercellularity or
      increased accumulation of mesangial matrix, but decreased in completely sclerosed
      glomeruli. No significant changes in 1G10 antigen expression was observed in
      membranous GN or minimal change nephrosis compared to normal glomeruli. This
      study suggests that the 1G10 antigen may not only be a useful marker for the
      clinical assessment of GN, but may also serve as a potential tool for the study
      of the pathogenesis of glomerular diseases characterized by cellular
      proliferation and mesangial matrix expansion.

PMID- 1405348
TI  - Differential effects of calorie restriction on glomeruli and tubules of the
      remnant kidney.
AB  - We have previously shown that 40% calorie restriction (CR) prevents renal injury
      21 weeks after 5/6 nephrectomy (Nx) in rats, regardless of whether protein intake
      was concurrently restricted or not. Growth retardation appeared to be a necessary
      prerequisite for the protective effects of CR. To further study these mechanisms,
      we performed 5/6 Nx in male F344 rats and pair-fed them with a control diet (ad
      lib group) or a high protein diet restricted by 40% so that protein intake was
      similar, but calorie consumption was reduced (CR group). Four weeks after 5/6 Nx,
      when glomerulosclerosis had not yet developed, we compared various parameters as
      follows in both dietary groups and sham operated rats: urinary protein excretion
      (uPr), GFR (14C inulin clearance), mean nephron GFR (MNGFR; GFR divided by total
      number of glomeruli), glomerular volume (VG), tubulointerstitial index (TII), a
      measure of tubular damage kidney weight (kidney wt), kidney IGF-I content by RIA,
      and IGF-I immunohistochemistry. CR ameliorated the increase of MNGFR, but not
      glomerular hypertrophy. TII, kidney wt and kidney IGF-I content were increased in
      the ad lib Nx group; these changes were alleviated by CR. Two weeks after 5/6 Nx,
      immunohistochemistry for IGF-I showed increased staining in superficial distal
      nephrons in the ad lib group, and this was also suppressed by CR. The occurrence
      of tubulointerstitial pathology prior to glomerulosclerosis, and the beneficial
      effects of CR on all parameters except Vg indicate a dissociation of mechanisms
      which result in tubular versus glomerular hypertrophy and damage.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405350
TI  - Chronic respiratory alkalosis induces renal PTH-resistance, hyperphosphatemia and
      hypocalcemia in humans.
AB  - The effects of chronic respiratory alkalosis on divalent ion homeostasis have not
      been reported in any species. We studied four normal male subjects during a four
      day control period (residence at 500 m), during six days of chronic respiratory
      alkalosis induced by hypobaric hypoxia (residence at 3450 m), followed by a six
      day eucapnic recovery period (500 m) under metabolic balance conditions. Chronic
      respiratory alkalosis (delta PaCO2, -8.4 mm Hg, delta[H+] -3.2 nmol/liter)
      resulted in a sustained decrement in plasma ionized calcium concentration
      (delta[IoCa++]p, -0.10 mmol/liter, P less than 0.05) and a sustained increment in
      plasma phosphate concentration (delta[PO4]p, +0.14 mmol/liter, P less than 0.005)
      associated with increased fractional excretion of Ca++ (+0.5%, P less than
      0.005), decreased phosphate clearance (-6.1 ml/min, P less than 0.025) and
      decreased excretion of nephrogenous cAMP (-1.5 nmol/100 ml GFR, P less than
      0.0025). Urinary phosphate excretion decreased by 15.4 mmol/24 hr on day 1 of
      chronic respiratory alkalosis (P less than 0.0025), but returned to control
      values by day 6 despite hyperphosphatemia. Serum intact [PTH] did not change.
      Sustained hypomagnesuria (-0.8 mmol/24 hr, P less than 0.05) occurred during
      chronic respiratory alkalosis and was accounted for, at least in part, by
      decreased fractional excretion of Mg++ (-0.7%, P less than 0.05) in the absence
      of change in plasma magnesium concentration. Serum 1,25(OH)2D levels were
      unchanged by chronic respiratory alkalosis. In conclusion, the decrease in
      nephrogenous cAMP generation despite unchanged serum intact PTH concentration
      suggests that chronic respiratory alkalosis results in impaired renal
      responsiveness to PTH as manifested by alterations in PTH-dependent renal calcium
      and phosphate transport.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405349
TI  - Role of the venous system in hemodynamics during ultrafiltration and bicarbonate
      dialysis.
AB  - A reduced venous compliance (VC) and inadequate venoconstriction may impair
      hemodynamics during hemodialysis, the first by impairing plasma volume
      preservation and by inducing a steep fall in central venous pressure (CVP) during
      minor plasma volume loss, the second by inadequate mobilization of
      hemodynamically inactive blood volume. For the protocol A, the relation between
      VC, the fall in plasma volume and the decline in central venous pressure (CVP)
      was assessed in 12 hemodialysis (HD) patients, aged 40 to 74 years, during
      isolated ultrafiltration (UF). The patients were ultrafiltrated for one hour at
      an UF rate of 1 to 1.5 liter/hr. VC was measured by strain gauge plethysmography
      with direct i.v. pressure measurements. CVP was assessed directly via a
      subclavian catheter. PVP was measured using the serial hematocrit method. VC
      correlated inversely with the fall in plasma volume (r = -0.66; P less than
      0.025) and with the fall in CVP (corrected for UF volume) (r = -0.62; P less than
      0.025). In the protocol B, the constriction of veins and resistance vessels was
      assessed sequentially during isolated UF and during UF combined with bicarbonate
      HD (UF + HD) by measuring the change in venous tone (VT) and vascular resistance
      (FVR) of the forearm. Twelve HD patients were studied (age 30 to 64 years). VT
      and FVR were measured using strain gauge plethysmography. The UF rate was equal
      during isolated UF and UF + HD (1 liter/hr). In six patients, the measurements
      were started with isolated UF and in six patients with UF + HD.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405351
TI  - Role of alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor in restraining peritoneal inflammation in
      CAPD patients.
AB  - The concentration and functional state of alpha 1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha 1
      PI) may modulate the expression of peritoneal phlogosis by affecting the activity
      of proteases and synthesis of autacoids. alpha 1-PI is detectable in peritoneal
      effluents of peritonitis-free patients. alpha 1-PI purified from peritoneal fluid
      of these patients was biologically active both in terms of inhibition of elastase
      activity and of synthesis of platelet activating factor (PAF). The biological
      activity of alpha 1-PI could therefore explain the absence of detectable amounts
      of PAF in peritonitis free patients despite the presence of intraperitoneal
      concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) that would be
      sufficient per se to induce the synthesis of PAF. In patients with acute
      infectious peritonitis, the concentration of immunoreactive alpha 1-PI was
      significantly increased in respect ot stable patients. However, alpha 1-PI
      purified from patients with acute peritonitis was functionally inactive both on
      proteolytic activity on elastase and on TNF alpha-induced PAF synthesis by
      purified human PMN. The loss of alpha 1-PI activity correlated with the number of
      peritoneal leukocytes and was probably dependent on oxidative inactivation.
      Indeed, treatment with reducing agent restored the inhibitory function of alpha 1
      PI. The inactivation of alpha 1-PI in patients with peritonitis was associated
      with the presence of PAF in peritoneal dialysates. These results suggest that
      alpha 1-PI prevents the proteolytic action and cell activation leading to PAF
      synthesis in peritonitis free patients. However, inactivation of its function by
      oxidants generated during the inflammatory process may lead to proteolytic injury
      and unrestrained synthesis of inflammatory mediators during peritonitis.

PMID- 1405352
TI  - Role of pathology indices in the management of severe lupus glomerulonephritis.
      Lupus Nephritis Collaborative Study Group.
AB  - The principal value of the renal biopsy in patients with SLE is as a therapeutic
      guide. Although semiquantitative indices of nephron loss (chronicity = CI) and
      acute potentially reversible inflammation (activity = AI) are reported by some to
      have separate values from traditional classifications of glomerular pathology as
      predictors of outcome and therapeutic guides, this point remains controversial.
      We have tested the predictive value of the AI and CI in a large group of patients
      with severe lupus glomerulonephritis (SLE GN) and a mean follow-up of 281 weeks
      +/- 116 (mean +/- SD). A total of 86 patients entered into the study of
      plasmapheresis in severe SLE GN by the Lupus Nephritis Collaborative Study Group,
      and long-term follow-up was available in 83. The predictive value of the AI and
      the CI was described over the entire range of cut-off points by the method of
      receiver operator characteristics (ROC). ROC analysis demonstrated that there was
      no level of either AI or CI that predicted the outcome of death or renal failure
      with sufficient sensitivity and specificity to be useful in the individual
      patient. The CI signifies renal damage and nephron loss, whereas the AI describes
      potentially reversible pathology. Neither the CI nor the AI taken by itself
      predicts individual outcomes of renal failure or death in patients with
      aggressively treated SLE GN. Since the indices fail to identify the patient whose
      disease will progress to renal failure, they are both insufficient as therapeutic
      guides and add little to the management of the patient with severe SLE GN.

PMID- 1405353
TI  - Up-regulated MHC-class II expression and gamma-IFN and soluble IL-2R in lupus
      nephritis.
AB  - Expression of MHC-class II molecules (HLA-DR and -DQ), serum gamma-interferon
      (gamma-IFN) and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels were studied in 35
      Japanese patients with lupus nephritis (LN) to clarify intraglomerular cellular
      activation and cytokine involvement in human LN. In 11 normal kidney specimens,
      HLA-DR(Ia1) was noted in glomerular tufts, but HLA-DQ was either not or was
      faintly detected in glomeruli by the indirect immunofluorescence technique. HLA
      DR and -DQ were observed mainly on the surface of glomerular endothelial cells in
      100% and 50% of 28 lupus kidney specimens except for necrotic or sclerotic
      lesions. HLA-DQ was expressed in a high incidence of 67%, 86% in patients with
      proliferative LN (WHO Class III-IV) and active lesions, respectively. Serum gamma
      IFN and sIL-2R levels were 1.2 +/- 0.2 U/ml and 190 +/- 24 U/ml (mean +/- SEM; N
      = 30) in normal controls, and elevated in patients with proliferative LN (4.1 +/-
      1.0 U/ml, 383 +/- 81 U/ml, N = 25), especially with active lesions (6.2 +/- 1.5
      U/ml, 500 +/- 110 U/ml, N = 14). Overall, glomerular lesions such as HLA-DQ
      expression, the activity index and leukocyte infiltration correlated positively
      with serum gamma-IFN levels (r = 0.55; P less than 0.01 for HLA-DQ, r = 0.68; P
      less than 0.001 for activity index, r = 0.38; P less than 0.05 for leukocyte
      infiltration), but not with serum sIL-2R levels, anti-DNA antibody titers and
      CH50 titers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405354
TI  - A PCR method for the quantitative assessment of mRNA for laminin A, B1, and B2
      chains.
AB  - Laminin, a basement membrane glycoprotein, is involved in the development of
      normal kidney and its dysregulation contributes to glomerulosclerosis in renal
      disease. Studies designed to assess the regulation of this molecule at the level
      of transcription have been hindered by the relatively low abundance of the mRNA,
      making standard techniques such as Northern hybridization and RNase protection
      difficult and inaccurate. In this report, we have utilized the polymerase chain
      reaction (PCR) to quantitate differences in laminin mRNA expression during normal
      development of the mouse kidney. We have constructed a synthetic template to be
      used as an internal standard for mRNA quantitative of laminin chains A, B1 and
      B2, and beta-actin. This DNA template can be used to generate complementary RNA
      which can be reverse transcribed and amplified simultaneously with 0.5 microgram
      of total cellular mRNA allowing for accurate and absolute quantitation of laminin
      mRNA by PCR.

PMID- 1405355
TI  - Endothelin receptor antagonism is protective in in vivo acute cyclosporine
      toxicity.
AB  - Endothelin (Et) has been implicated in cyclosporine A (CsA) nephrotoxicity. We
      have previously shown that CsA treatment in rats results in up-regulation of Et
      receptors specifically within the kidney. The role of Et in vivo CsA
      nephrotoxicity was therefore studied further with a new competitive antagonist,
      BQ-123, specific for Et(A) receptors (EtRA). Systemic administration of CsA in
      Munich-Wistar rats resulted in marked glomerular hypoperfusion and
      hypofiltration, with RPF in left and right kidneys falling by some 40% to 1.60 +/
      0.25 and 1.73 +/- 0.38 ml/min and GFR decreasing by some 20% to 0.61 +/- 0.05
      and 0.67 +/- 0.11 ml/min, respectively. Selective infusion of EtRA into the left
      renal artery following systemic CsA treatment had no effect on this hemodynamic
      pattern (RPF 1.58 +/- 0.29 and 1.92 +/- 0.34 ml/min and GFR 0.60 +/- 0.09 and
      0.70 +/- 0.08 ml/min in left and right kidneys, respectively, P = NS vs. CsA
      period). By contrast, intrarenal infusion of EtRA prior to systemic
      administration of CsA resulted in a strikingly different pattern of renal
      hemodynamics. Thus, EtRA pretreatment in the left kidney protected against
      glomerular dysfunction following CsA: RPF was maintained, 3.23 +/- 0.28 ml/min
      versus 2.96 +/- 0.31 (P = NS EtRA vs. EtRA + CsA), as was the GFR, 1.04 +/- 0.16
      ml/min versus 1.12 +/- 0.09 (P = NS). However, the contralateral right kidneys of
      these rats, not pretreated with EtRA, showed no protective effect: RPF decreased
      from 3.15 +/- 0.34 ml/min to 2.39 +/- 0.19 and GFR from 1.04 +/- 0.10 ml/min to
      0.85 +/- 0.07 (P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405356
TI  - A mechanism of glycine and alanine cytoprotective action: stimulation of stress
      induced HSP70 mRNA.
AB  - Studies done both in vitro and in vivo have shown that glycine and alanine
      protect kidney cells from stress injury. However, the mechanism(s) of this
      cytoprotection is unknown. Our aim was to test the hypothesis that the
      cytoprotective action is in part due to stimulation of gene(s) expression
      encoding stress protein synthesis. Experiments were carried out using heat shock
      as a model for stress in the opossum kidney cell line (OK cells). The induction
      of HSP70 mRNA was evaluated in cell monolayers exposed to 45 degrees C for 15
      minutes followed by a recovery period at 37 degrees C for either 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4,
      6 or 24 hours. The results demonstrate that the maximum level of HSP70 mRNA
      occurred at approximately three hours after heat treatment. Although the mRNA
      levels declined thereafter, appreciable amounts were still seen even 24 hours
      after heat-shock. To examine the effect of glycine or alanine on HSP70 mRNA
      levels and on the synthesis of stress protein, cultures were preincubated for 30
      minutes with Krebs-Henseleit buffer, pH 7.4, supplemented with either 1, 2, 5 or
      10 mM glycine or alanine, or with no added amino acids. Comparative studies were
      performed with 10 mM glutamate, aspartate, arginine or leucine. Following
      preincubation, cultures were heat-shocked (45 degrees C for 15 min) and then
      reincubated at 37 degrees C for three hours. Both glycine and alanine enhanced
      the level of HSP70 mRNA and the synthesis of 72, 73 kDa stress proteins, but
      neither amino acid induced HSP70 mRNA without concomitant heat
      treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405357
TI  - Molecular genetics of hereditary nephritis.

PMID- 1405358
TI  - Jean Hamburger 1909-1992.

PMID- 1405359
TI  - 15-Lipoxygenase products as leukotriene antagonists: therapeutic potential in
      glomerulonephritis.
AB  - In the first few hours following immune complex deposition and complement
      mediated neutrophil (PMN) infiltration, glomerular generation rates of the
      arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) derivatives leukotrienes (LT) C4, D4, and B4
      are stimulated markedly. These LTs exert effects on glomerular functions which
      include reduction in the glomerular ultrafiltration coefficient and glomerular
      filtration rates, exacerbation of proteinuria, and amplification of PMN-provoked
      glomerular damage through LTB4-induced PMN chemotaxis, adhesion, and activation.
      Following this early burst, glomerular LT synthesis is suppressed, macrophages
      replace PMNs, and glomerular generation of 15-S-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid [15
      (S)-HETE], a 15-lipoxygenase derivative of arachidonic acid and a precursor
      molecule for lipoxin (LX) biosynthesis, increases progressively over the ensuing
      days to weeks. Here, we summarize evidence supporting the notion that the
      activation of the 15-LO pathway in the wake of early 5-LO activity is a specific
      counter-inflammatory signal which limits and antagonizes the proinflammatory
      actions of leukotrienes.

PMID- 1405360
TI  - Role of cellular metabolites in progressive renal injury.

PMID- 1405361
TI  - Clinical strategies for arresting progression of renal disease.
AB  - The incidence of end-stage renal disease is increasing and this results in an
      enhanced requirement of renal replacement therapy facilities. This brings about a
      significant burden on health care budgets and makes strategies that slow down or
      even prevent deterioration of the renal function mandatory. Although large scale
      randomized, controlled and prospective clinical trials on the effect of blood
      pressure control on the course of renal function are lacking, there is
      circumstantial evidence from animal, epidemiological and clinical studies to
      state that treatment of hypertension to blood pressure values well within the
      normal range is most important to ameliorate the downhill course of renal
      function in patients with chronic renal failure. Moreover, treatment of
      hypertension is critical to reduce morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular
      disease in these patients, who have an increased risk for such events. Low
      protein diets, if possible with ketoacid supplement, are advocated to slow down
      the deterioration of renal function. However, based on the results of recent
      studies, low-protein diets may only have a moderate effect in patients with
      diabetic nephropathy and, possibly, in patients with chronic glomerulonephritis.
      The possibility of influencing renal ammoniagenesis by protein restriction or
      calcium carbonate administration, and an attenuation of alternative complement
      pathway activation and tubulo-interstitial injury, are challenging. Finally, in
      animal studies it has been found that abnormalities in serum lipid profile
      contribute to the progression of chronic renal failure, which may be prevented by
      pharmacological treatment of hyperlipidemia. Studies in humans concerning this
      subject are lacking at this moment, but treatment of hyperlipidemia is proper to
      reduce cardiovascular events.

PMID- 1405362
TI  - Treatment of immunologically mediated glomerular disease.
AB  - Many immunologically mediated glomerular diseases can be successfully treated,
      but clinicians should be wary of unproven claims of efficacy, be cognizant of
      long-term deleterious effects of treatment, and should select patients with a
      careful eye on the natural history of the untreated disorder. It is hoped that as
      we gain a better understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of the specific
      entities that a more rational form of therapy will emerge. The powerful tools of
      molecular biology and our better understanding of the inflammatory and scarring
      processes may provide new, highly effective and safe approaches to treatment.
      Like their predecessors, these approaches, however, will require very careful
      evaluation in human subjects by prospective controlled clinical trials. Even if
      we cannot favorably influence the immunological processes responsible for
      glomerular disease, attention to non-immunologic factors responsible for
      progression of disease, such as hypertension, may substantially slow the rate of
      progression of disease even in those patients whose fundamental disease process
      cannot be arrested or cured.

PMID- 1405363
TI  - Natriuretic peptides and the kidney: current concepts.
AB  - The field of study of natriuretic peptides becomes more complex as we enter the
      second decade since their discovery. The attractive hypothesis that a single
      peptide secreted by the atria could regulate the physiological responses to salt
      and water loading has proven simplistic. Rather the atrial natriuretic peptide
      story has opened the door on a whole family of peptides, secreted from the atria,
      the ventricles, the brain, and even the kidney itself, all working in concert to
      achieve this regulation. The regulation of renal function by natriuretic peptides
      is presumably the result of the integration of these different peptides effects.
      Thus while atrial derived NP circulates and has direct effects on the glomerulus,
      other sources of NP (such as the kidney) may be responsible for some of the
      tubular effects of NP. Further definition of the mechanisms of regulation of the
      kidney derived NP are needed before any further conclusions can be drawn.

PMID- 1405364
TI  - Is the aggressive management of hyperlipidemia in nephrotic syndrome mandatory?
AB  - The development of the nephrotic syndrome is associated with a lipid profile
      characterized by increased total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol.
      Although total high density lipoprotein (HDL) values may be in the normal range,
      there is frequently abnormalities of HDL subclasses, with reduction of the mature
      HDL2 subfraction. While these lipid changes may be considered a risk for
      atherosclerosis, they revert to normal with remission of the nephrotic syndrome.
      However, with chronic nephrotic range proteinuria, these abnormalities persist
      and may also be associated with increased levels of lipoprotein (a), increased
      levels of very light density lipoprotein and further reductions in HDL. These
      factors could all contribute to greater risk for atherosclerosis. Although
      coronary artery disease is frequently seen in patients with end-stage renal
      disease, and many uncontrolled studies in patients with chronic nephrotic
      syndrome have suggested an increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease, no
      prospective studies to evaluate relationship between lipid abnormalities and
      cardiac disease have been performed in patients with the nephrotic syndrome.
      Recent experimental data have also suggested a relationship between
      hyperlipidemia and progressive renal injury. Unfortunately, human epidemiological
      data are incomplete in correlating lipid changes with renal disease in patients
      with chronic nephrotic syndrome. No therapeutic trials have tested whether or not
      pharmacologic interventions will benefit either the cardiac or renal disease that
      ensues in patients with chronic persistent nephrotic syndrome. Thus, considerably
      more data are needed to help clarify this important area.

PMID- 1405365
TI  - Role of rHuEPO in treatment of uremic anemia prior to end-stage renal disease.

PMID- 1405366
TI  - What's new in peritoneal dialysis--an overview.
AB  - Patient survivals on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) seem
      similar to survivals on hemodialysis (HD) in comparable populations. Technique
      survivals are improving on CAPD as peritonitis rates fall with the use of
      disconnect devices. Advances in catheter design and catheter care appear to be
      improving catheter survivals. The peritoneal membrane appears usable for many
      years provided that recurring peritonitis can be avoided. Mesothelial cell
      transplantation, low calcium solutions, and urea kinetic modeling are important
      new areas of interest with potentials to improve the therapy. Evidence continues
      to mount that residual renal function is better preserved in CAPD than in HD.

PMID- 1405367
TI  - Improved solutions for peritoneal dialysis: physiological calcium solutions,
      osmotic agents and buffers.
AB  - Theoretical and clinical studies suggest that reduction of PD fluid calcium to
      1.25 mmol/liter allows administration of larger doses of calcium carbonate,
      improves phosphate control and obviates the need for aluminum gels in most CAPD
      patients, without increasing hypercalcemia or hyperparathyroidism.
      Hypermagnesemia can also be avoided by reducing PD fluid magnesium concentration
      to 0.25 mmol/liter. Although glucose is a safe, effective an cheap osmotic agent,
      it provides a short duration of ultrafiltration, and contributes to significant
      metabolic abnormalities. Amino acids and glucose polymer are potential
      alternatives to glucose, and early clinical studies are encouraging. The
      unphysiological concentration of lactate in PD fluids has been shown to have
      pathological consequences, and undoubtedly bicarbonate would be a preferable
      buffer. Manufacturing techniques are being developed to produce such a fluid. A
      fluid containing bicarbonate and the peptide glycylglycine (30:10 mmol/liter)
      gives a stable buffer with a pH of 7.35, but has only undergone animal studies so
      far. Glucose solutions have deleterious effects on the peritoneal membrane,
      particularly during episodes of severe peritonitis, and the high osmolality is
      toxic to peritoneal host defense cells. Prompt treatment of peritonitis, early
      removal of the catheter where necessary, and minimization of glucose exposure,
      may do much to lengthen the dialysis life of the peritoneum.

PMID- 1405368
TI  - The dose of hemodialysis according to dialysis prescription in Europe and the
      United States.
AB  - Prior research has shown that, controlling for age and diabetes, patients with
      end-stage renal disease in Europe generally have better rates of survival than do
      ESRD patients in the U.S. This analysis compares the dose of hemodialysis
      prescription in the two regions. Based on the European Dialysis and Transplant
      Association Registry (EDTA), the U.S. Renal Data System (USRDS), and other
      sources, European and U.S. ESRD patients were compared by demographic and
      anthropometric characteristics, dialyzer characteristics, and duration of
      dialysis treatment times. Average body weight and body mass indices were found to
      be similar for the ESRD populations of the two societies, suggesting the same
      overall requirements for dialysis therapy. During 1986 to 1988, dialyzers
      selected in Europe had a larger surface area by at least 20 percent compared to
      those selected in the U.S. In addition, duration of hemodialysis treatment times
      were on average 23.5% longer for EDTA patients. Dialyzer blood flows were not
      available for EDTA patients, but if EDTA blood flows resemble U.S. practices,
      total urea clearance per week was at least 29% higher in Europe than in the U.S.
      Combining similar patient characteristics with substantially greater total urea
      clearance per week, the hemodialysis prescription in Europe was substantially
      higher than in the U.S. for the time period of this study.

PMID- 1405369
TI  - Adequacy of CAPD: a quantitative approach.
AB  - In prescribing CAPD, general clinical practice is to use the standard regimen of
      2L x 4 exchanges/day without regard to patient size, nutritional status, or
      residual kidney function. The standard regimen is usually adjusted in a trial and
      error manner reacting to clinical symptoms, life style issues, and patient
      compliance. The purpose of this paper is to recommend an alternative,
      quantitative approach based on urea kinetics that is prospective rather than
      reactive, and objective rather than subjective. The value of urea kinetic-based
      hemodialysis therapy prescription is well established and applying this knowledge
      to CAPD is a good starting point. The importance of small solute clearances for
      CAPD adequacy can be established on both theoretical and clinical grounds. The
      value of the KT/V urea index, its calculation, scaling factors for CAPD
      hemodialysis comparisons, and the correlation between KT/V and weekly creatinine
      clearances are examined. Residual renal function has a significant impact on
      small solute clearances, and failure to adjust the therapy prescription to
      compensate for declining residual kidney function will have a detrimental impact
      on KT/V and the protein catabolic rate.

PMID- 1405370
TI  - Nutritional aspects on peritoneal dialysis.
AB  - Peritoneal dialysis is associated with metabolic and nutritional abnormalities
      due to the combined effects of uremia per se, glucose absorption from the
      dialysate and a variety of catabolic factors, such as protein and amino acid
      losses into the dialysate, poor appetite possibly reflecting insufficient removal
      of small solutes, and recurrent episodes of peritonitis. Signs of protein-energy
      malnutrition are common, especially in patients with minimal or no residual renal
      function. Variables that best correlate with the degree of malnutrition include
      serum albumin, midarm muscle circumference, clinical signs of muscle wasting and
      loss of subcutaneous fat, and a history of anorexia. The incidence of
      malnutrition is higher in females than in males and in diabetics than in non
      diabetics. CAPD patients generally have a lower protein intake than HD patients,
      but may have a lower average protein requirement than HD patients. Progression of
      malnutrition may occur in CAPD patients due to the synergistic effects of loss of
      residual renal function, underdialysis, anorexia and inadequate dietary intake.
      In underdialyzed CAPD patients, the amount of dialysis should be increased and
      measures should be taken to increase the supply of energy and protein. The use of
      amino acid-based dialysis fluid may provide new opportunities for compensation of
      dialytic losses of protein and amino acids, normalization of essential amino
      acids, supplementation of inadequate dietary protein intake, and improvement of
      the nutritional status in CAPD patients.

PMID- 1405371
TI  - HLA matching effect on five-year graft survival and half-life in the cyclosporine
      era.
AB  - From 1984 to 1990, a 6 to 10% increase in one-year graft survival was noted for
      patients matched or mismatched for HLA A, B, or DR locus antigens. This
      improvement was not attributable to matching. In the cyclosporine era, five-year
      graft survival of 0-ABDR mismatched first cadaver donor transplants was 61% in
      contrast to 45% survival for the worst 6-antigen mismatched grafts. The long-term
      half-life of 0-ABDR mismatched grafts was 10.7 years, compared with 6.4 years for
      the 6-antigen mismatched transplants. The cumulative survival years (a measure of
      impact) were twice as high for 0-ADR, 0-BDR and 0-AB mismatched grafts compared
      with 0-ABDR mismatches. On the basis of cumulative survival, five-year survival,
      and half-life, one might suggest sharing kidneys for 1-2 ABDR mismatch, 1 BDR, 1
      2 AB mismatch, and 1-ADR mismatch. Young patients (5 to 25 years old) had lower
      graft survival rates when receiving poorly mismatched grafts. HLA matching did
      not influence graft survival in Black recipients, whose half-lives were 3.8 to
      4.6 years for all matching categories.

PMID- 1405372
TI  - How to deal with the hyperimmunized potential recipients.
AB  - End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with high levels of anti-HLA panel
      reactive antibodies (PRA) represent an increasing group in which sensitization,
      induced by pregnancies, previous transplants, and blood transfusions,
      considerably delay the opportunity to receive a graft. Currently, more than 50%
      of the 4700 patients awaiting transplantation in France are sensitized, of which
      33% are defined as hyperimmunized (PRA greater than = 80%), and only 9.5% of the
      total number of transplants have been done in highly sensitized recipients. The
      magnitude of this problem, similar in Europe and North America, explains why more
      active strategies for managing hyperimmunized patients have been introduced
      during the past decade. Clearly, the simplest is finding of a well-matched organ
      that does not carry the HLA antigens against which the recipient has generated
      antibody, but that is limited by the number of shared grafts. The second is the
      development of a new cross-matching technique prior to transplantation. Attempts
      at immunoregulation of secreting B cell clones have been carried out using either
      hypertransfusions or injection of polyclonal Ig. Finally, removal and prevention
      of the resynthesis of HLA antibodies is a most attractive approach using
      immunoadsorption (IA) system with sepharose-bound protein-A columns. In our unit,
      fifteen ESRD patients with high levels of PRA were treated with IA. Infectious
      complications were not observed after IA and transplantation, and the procedure
      was well tolerated. In spite of the use of adjunctive immunosuppressive treatment
      with cyclophosphamide and prednisolone, this method produced only variable
      effects in lowering PRA levels, and was hampered by high de novo resynthesis of
      anti-HLA antibodies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405373
TI  - Antilymphocyte globulins in kidney transplantation.

PMID- 1405374
TI  - Kidney transplantation in diabetic patients: the University of Minnesota
      experience.

PMID- 1405375
TI  - New organ preservation solutions.
AB  - In 1969 we described a method for kidney preservation that used a brief flush
      with a new "intracellular" solution followed by ice storage. This paper
      stimulated research into optimizing solution composition culminating in the UW
      solution which is now the accepted standard. Further developments in the design
      of solutions for hypothermic organ preservation have proceeded along several
      paths, including: (1) modification and simplification of UW solution, (2)
      investigation of organ specific requirements, (3) addition of pharmacologic
      agents particularly calcium antagonists to flush solutions, (4) the concept of
      "microperfusion" for control of acidosis, (5) the use of solutions containing
      polyethylene glycol, and (6) the use of a terminal rinse solution. Broadly
      speaking, the results of these studies have shown that it is possible to improve
      upon the UW solution by simplification, eliminating several of the components,
      and that sodium variants, and pharmacological additives, such as chlorpromazine,
      may yield better results in experimental and clinical trials. It has also been
      found that there are special requirements for individual organs, rendering the
      concept of a universal solution unlikely. Of the promising new ideas,
      microperfusion and polyethylene glycol have been found to be very effective for
      heart preservation yielding for the first time virtually perfect 24-hour
      preservation. The concept of a terminal rinse to diminish reperfusion injury has
      strong experimental support and awaits clinical evaluation.

PMID- 1405376
TI  - The future of nephrology with special regard to advances in treatment.

PMID- 1405377
TI  - Race and diabetes as death risk predictors in hemodialysis patients.
AB  - Case mix and laboratory predictors of death risk were evaluated in 17,185
      hemodialysis patients. The laboratory variables most closely associated with the
      increased death risk borne by diabetic patients (relative to non-diabetics) and
      White patients (relative to non-Whites) were identified. The analyses of
      laboratory death risk predictors were similar to those previously reported. Serum
      albumin concentration is the most powerful death risk predictor among all of the
      variables, both case mix and laboratory. Statistical models including only case
      mix variables reveal both race (RRWhites = 1.42) and diabetes (RRdiabetes = 1.43)
      as significant predictors. Adding creatinine, albumin, and BUN concentrations to
      the model eliminated diabetes as a significant predictor. Creatinine and albumin
      accounted for most of the change. Adding only creatinine eliminated race. The
      data suggest that reduced visceral and somatic protein mass and/or metabolism may
      be important determinants of mortality in dialysis patients. Because differences
      in the concentrations of creatinine and albumin explain much of the risk
      associated with being White or diabetic, differences in nutritional status may
      explain the reduced survival observed in those groups. Therefore, clinicians
      should not simply accept without question the notion that diabetics and Whites
      are doomed to inferior survival.

PMID- 1405378
TI  - Which comes first, Kt/V or PCR--chicken or egg?
AB  - We previously hypothesized that PCR is dependent on Kt/V (urea). To test the
      hypothesis, 30 patients from two hemodialysis (HD) units with PCR values
      consistently less than 1 regardless of the Kt/V (urea) without an obvious cause
      (such as malignancy, peptic ulceration, etc.) were identified. These patients
      were randomized into an experimental group where an increase in the Kt/V (urea)
      was made or into a control group where a Kt/V (urea) remained unchanged. In the
      experimental group the minimal increment in Kt/V (urea) was 0.3 plus a minimum
      requirement of a Kt/V (urea) greater than or equal to 1. The control group were
      to maintain the existing Kt/V (urea) within +/- 0.2. Urea kinetic modeling was
      monitored monthly and the patients followed for three months. Of 30 patients, 18
      fulfilled the criteria (9 experimental; 9 controls). In the experimental group,
      the initial Kt/V (urea) was 0.82 +/- 0.19 (means +/- SD); the final Kt/V (urea)
      was 1.32 +/- 0.21 (P = 0.000). These patients had an initial PCR of 0.81 +/-
      0.08. This increased to 1.02 +/- 0.15 (P = 0.005). The control group had an
      initial Kt/V (urea) of 0.82 +/- 0.16. The final Kt/V (urea) was 0.87 +/- 0.15.
      Their initial PCR was 0.87 +/- 0.14 and the final PCR was 0.86 +/- 0.087 (P =
      NS). In the experimental group, the mean increments in Kt/V (urea) and PCR were
      0.49 +/- 0.17 and 0.21 +/- 0.16 (P less than 0.005).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1405380
TI  - Profile of patients on RRT in Europe and death rates due to major causes of death
      groups. The EDTA Registration Committee.

PMID- 1405379
TI  - Disturbed calcium metabolism in renal failure--pathogenesis and therapeutic
      strategies.
AB  - Absolute or relative deficiency of 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3 is thought to play a key
      role in the genesis of secondary (renal) hyperparathyroidism. Elevated
      concentrations of PTH and--less consistently--diminished concentrations of
      1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3 are demonstrable in a considerable proportion of patients
      with incipient renal failure. Increased PTH concentrations counteract to some
      extent the trend of 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3 production to decrease. When iPTH is
      elevated, prophylactic administration of 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3 is a logical
      procedure, even when patients have not yet reached end-stage renal failure. With
      the use of low doses, the incidence of side effects is low, and excessive
      lowering of PTH and bone turnover presumably can be avoided. Acute administration
      of 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3 to achieve brief episodes of peak plasma levels causes
      prolonged suppression of pre-pro-PTH mRNA in the parathyroid cell. This provides
      a rationale to treat symptomatic hyperparathyroidism with intermittent high dose
      1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3, either per os or i.v.

PMID- 1405381
TI  - Effects of calcitriol and non-calcemic vitamin D analogs on secondary
      hyperparathyroidism.

PMID- 1405382
TI  - Use of alkaline calcium salts as phosphate binder in uremic patients.
AB  - In order to prevent aluminum toxicity induced by the association of aluminum
      phosphate binder with 1 alpha(OH) vitamin D3 derivatives and the use of
      deferoxamine with its own hazards to diagnose and treat this toxicity, we have
      shown in 1982 that it was possible to replace the iatrogenic association of
      aluminum phosphate binder with 1 alpha OH vitamin D derivatives by oral calcium
      carbonate taken with the meals in order to bind phosphate and correct the
      negative calcium balance. This led to the disappearance of the crippling aluminic
      osteomalacia and adynamic bone diseases in our center. The effectiveness of CaCO3
      without 1 alpha(OH)D3 derivatives in the control of hyperparathyroidism in
      dialysis patients has been proven by the appearance in four patients of our
      dialysis population of an histological idiopathic adynamic bone disease
      associated with relative hypoparathyroidism, and by the finding that more than
      50% of our dialysis population treated by this sole treatment have plasma
      concentration of intact PTH below twice the upper limit of normal (that is, the
      threshold above which only significant histological osteitis fibrosa is
      observed). Besides the compliance problem, the limit of CaCO3 is the occurrence
      of hypercalcemia which occurs in about 8% of the measurements. Since calcium
      acetate binds twice as much phosphate for the same dose of elemental calcium as
      CaCO3, its use has been recommended. However, clinical experience has shown that
      in spite of the fact that half the dose of calcium element given as acetate does
      actually control predialysis plasma phosphate as well as CaCO3, the incidence of
      hypercalcemia is not decreased, probably because calcium availability at the
      alkaline pH of the intestine is much greater with Ca acetate. When hypercalcemia
      is frequent (and not explained by autonomized hyperparathyroidism, adynamic bone
      disease, overtreatment with vitamin D, granulomatosis or neoplasia) it is
      necessary either to decrease the dose of calcium and complete the necessary
      binding of phosphate by adding small doses of Mg(OH)2 or Mg carbonate, provided
      the dialysate Mg is decreased to 0.2 to 0.35 mmol/liter to prevent
      hypermagnesemia or to decrease the dialysate calcium (DCa) concentration. The
      decrease of DCa can be made either just when hypercalcemia occurs or on a
      systemic basis according to the amount of CaCO3 used and to the necessity of
      associating 1 alpha(OH) vitamin D3 derivatives.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1405383
TI  - Risk of adynamic bone disease in dialyzed patients.
AB  - Renal osteodystrophy presents with a spectrum of histologic abnormalities. A new
      entity characterized by a marked decrease in bone turnover without osteoid
      accumulation, that is, adynamic bone disease, has recently emerged. This new form
      was thought to be primarily related to aluminum accumulation. Since aluminum
      containing phosphate binders have been widely replaced by calcium salts, adynamic
      bone disease would be expected to disappear over time. However, not only is
      adynamic bone disease observed in the absence of aluminum intoxication, its
      incidence does not seem to have decreased. We conducted a retrospective study in
      1,803 patients on chronic maintenance dialysis who were biopsied during the last
      10 years and assessed the incidence of adynamic bone disease over time in an
      effort to elucidate the factors associated with its occurrence. Adynamic bone
      disease was first seen in 1984 in the laboratory. Its incidence increased
      gradually over the years and, in 1991, still affected approximately 20% of the
      patients. The primary factors associated with the occurrence of adynamic bone
      disease include: (a) aluminum accumulation which is currently found in 60% of the
      patients on chronic maintenance dialysis undergoing biopsies, (b) increasing age
      of the patients on dialysis, (c) diabetes, and, possibly, (d) chronic ambulatory
      peritoneal dialysis. The clinical relevance of adynamic bone disease deserves
      further study. At present, this entity is associated with a tendency towards
      hypercalcemia, aging of bone due to stunted bone remodeling, a condition which
      might be associated with impaired repair of physiologic microdamages, and
      accumulation of microfractures leading to mechanical incompetence and ultimately
      to higher risk of fractures.

PMID- 1405384
TI  - Dialysis related amyloidosis: a disease of chronic retention and inflammation?
AB  - Dialysis related amyloidosis (DRA) has become a major complication of long-term
      therapy in chronic hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis patients. DRA is
      characterized by the presence of beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m) in the amyloid
      fibrils. The pathogenesis of DRA is incompletely understood, but most likely is
      based on the uremic retention of beta 2m. In contrast, current evidence does not
      favor a significant role of an enhanced beta 2m synthesis rate in uremic
      patients. Apart from the beta 2m retention, posttranslational modification of the
      molecule also seems to be an important step in the amyloidogenesis, since, in
      addition to intact beta 2m, fragmented beta 2m or beta 2, with altered
      isoelectric properties can be detected in the DRA fibrils. The occurrence of
      these beta 2m species could be linked to a chronic intermittent stimulation of
      monokine release or other subclinical inflammatory processes during renal
      replacement therapy. Thus, it is possible that, as a consequence of repeated
      cellular activation, protease release and/or intracellular processing of beta 2m
      occurs. Renal transplantation has been shown to arrest the further progression of
      DRA. However, since transplantation is not feasible for a significant number of
      patients, non-transplant strategies to prevent DRA also need to be evaluated.
      Some, but not all, retrospective studies on DRA associated symptomatology in
      patients on chronic hemodialysis with high flux membranes have suggested a lesser
      prevalence in these patients as compared to patients treated with standard
      cellulosic membranes. To further clarify this issue and to test whether non
      transplant therapies indeed may play a role in the prevention of DRA, prospective
      studies will be needed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405385
TI  - Membrane selection and muscle protein catabolism.

PMID- 1405386
TI  - Polymorphonuclear cell function and infection in dialysis.
AB  - End-stage renal disease is characterized by enhanced susceptibility for
      infectious diseases, carrying an important risk of morbidity and mortality. In
      the host's defense against bacterial infection, a central role is played by
      phagocytic ingestion of bacteria, followed by their destruction after metabolic
      production of oxygen free radical species. Our studies have concentrated on the
      energy delivery by the hexose monophosphate shunt (HMS) to NAD(P)H-oxidase, the
      enzyme responsible for free radical production. This evaluation was realized by
      measuring, in whole blood, the CO2 produced from standard quantities of
      radiolabeled glucose, with data normalized for the number of polymorphs in each
      sample. Our studies indicate that: (1) glycolysis is disturbed in uremic
      outpatients from a SCrea of 6 mg/dl and a CCr of 15 ml/min; (2) similar
      functional disturbances are found in pre-dialysis blood samples of hemodialyzed
      patients; (3) this functional disturbance is further intensified during dialysis
      with cuprophan, which is not the case for non-complement activating dialyzers;
      (4) the response is especially suppressed towards Staphylococcus Aureus, the
      bacterial species responsible for the majority of infections in uremia; (5) that
      functional disturbances are mainly related to uremic toxicity, dialyzer membrane
      bio(in)compatibility, and uremic anemia. Biochemical disturbances in PMNL,
      induced by a multifactorial patho-physiologic process, may therefore be related
      to the enhanced incidence of infection in uremic patients.

PMID- 1405387
TI  - Role of nitric oxide in hemodialysis hypotension.

PMID- 1405388
TI  - [Foreign body aspiration in childhood].
AB  - Damage to the airways and lung parenchyma from aspiration is a common clinical
      problem with diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. The insult may be acute or
      chronic. The amount of concentration, chemical composition, and size of particles
      vary, and the lesion produced may be reversible or irreversible. Death may be
      immediate or late. Recovery may be complete, or crippling pulmonary disease may
      follow. In this review is reported on the aspiration of foreign bodies or liquids
      into the respiratory tract. Specialty: in infancy, esophageal foreign bodies may
      cause mainly respiratory symptoms. Adequate diagnosis and therapy are discussed.

PMID- 1405389
TI  - [Complex high altitude climate therapy for children and adolescents with
      neurodermitis constitutionalis atopica].
AB  - Neurodermitis constitutionalis atopica is a multifactor conditioned disease with
      a very wide range of aetiopathogenetic factors. A standard therapy does not
      exist. For children and young adults we have come to terms with a treatment
      concept, that consists in essence of 5 elements. Our basis is the dermatological
      and allergical treatment plan. We added and integrated factors of high mountain
      climate, psychotherapy as well as teaching- and children-garden-activities. This
      complex therapy is condition for optimal results in treating children and young
      adults.

PMID- 1405390
TI  - [Kidney involvement in parvovirus B 19 infection in a child].

PMID- 1405391
TI  - [Screening for fragile X syndrome in handicapped boys].
AB  - From a group of 201 mentally retarded boys 149 were clinically and
      somatometrically examined. Chromosomal analysis for detection of a fra(X)
      syndrome was undertaken, when more than 3 of the chosen examination parameters
      were suspicious or when anamnestic clues for X-chromosomally linked mental
      retardation were present. 89 boys fulfilled above requirements, 14 of these had a
      fra(X)-syndrome (15.7%). The following symptoms were found with outstanding
      frequency: hyperactivity, hypotonic muscles, enlargement of testes, increased
      length of hands, retarded development of speech, dermatoglyphic abnormalities. If
      more than 3 of these findings occur, a chromosomal analysis for exclusion of a
      fra(X)-syndrome should be performed.

PMID- 1405392
TI  - [Eye diseases and visual disability in extremely low birth weight infants].
AB  - 79 consecutively treated very low birth weight newborns (less than 1000 g) were
      systematically examined in the postpartal period and after a follow-up of 2 to
      5.5 years. Retinopathy of prematurity was found in 19 eyes of 10 children
      (maximum stage III-IV). At a minimum age of 2 and maximum age of 6 years, when 42
      of these children could be reexamined, including all children with earlier
      retinopathy of prematurity, 10 children suffered from minimal to moderate retinal
      pathology due to inactive retinopathy of prematurity (4 eyes with dragging of
      vessels and macula), but 9 children exhibited a minor visual disability due to
      strabism, higher ametropia, anisometropia, and amblyopia. This stresses the need
      for opthalmological follow-up in low birth weight babies with 6 months and 3-4
      years of age.

PMID- 1405393
TI  - [Biometric data of eyes after the onset of acute glaucoma].
AB  - Biometric measurements were performed in 67 patients after acute glaucoma and in
      67 patients of a matched control group. For patients with acute glaucoma the
      subjective refraction was +0.91 +/- 2.82 dpt, ocular axial length was 21.73 +/-
      0.96 mm, lens thickness was 4.95 +/- 0.63 mm and the ratio lens thickness to
      ocular axial length amounted to 2.27 +/- 0.29. There was a statistically
      significant difference between the glaucoma and the control group concerning the
      parameters subjective refraction, ocular axial length, lens thickness and the
      lens thickness to axial length ratio. A statistically significant positive
      correlation was found between corneal radius and axial length, both, in the
      control and the glaucoma group, a significant negative correlation between axial
      length and subjective refraction only in the control group. In contrast to other
      authors, who reported on patients with narrow angle glaucoma with and without
      acute attack; we found no significant difference. These results support the
      suggestion that biometric data do not allow a prediction whether a patient with
      narrow anterior chamber angle will suffer glaucoma attack or not. The etiology of
      this disease seems to have a multifactorial origin.

PMID- 1405394
TI  - [Perforating keratoplasty in endogenous eczema. An indication for systemic
      cyclosporin A--a retrospective study of 18 patients].
AB  - Endogenous eczema represents a considerable risk for perforating keratoplasty
      because of the associated chronic surface disorders and complex immunological
      disturbances. Between December 1986 through October 1991 we performed 24
      perforating keratoplasties in 20 eyes of 18 patients with endogenous eczema
      suffering from keratokonus, atopic keratokonjunctivitis and bullous keratopathy
      after intracapsular cataract extraction. During the follow-up period of 16 (3-48)
      months 6 transplants failed mostly due to surface problems as well as immune
      reactions and bacterial transplant infections. Systemically administered
      ciclosporin A was found to eliminate many of the previously unsolved problems. In
      summary, 18 out of 20 eyes achieved an improved visual acuity with clear
      transplants.

PMID- 1405395
TI  - [Eye changes in acanthosis nigricans maligna--possible effect of growth factors
      in the etiopathogenesis of this paraneoplastic disease picture].
AB  - A 64-year-old white male presented to our hospital with hyperplastic tarsal and
      to a lesser degree bulbar conjunctivae. Approximately one month later the full
      clinical picture of acanthosis nigricans maligna developed. In addition to
      ectropia of the lower eyelids he showed madarosis; neither the linea grisea nor
      the lacrimal points were discerneable. On gastroscopy a diffusely growing gastric
      adenocarcinoma adjacent to the cardia was found and later confirmed
      histopathologically. The computertomography of the abdomen demonstrated one
      solitary metastasis to one parapancreatic lymphnode. It is generally assumed that
      in the course of paraneoplastic syndroms products secreted by the tumor induce
      changes in the target organs, e.g. the conjunctiva and the skin. In the presented
      case (1) southern blot analysis of the tumor tissue proved an increase of
      Epidermal Growth Factor-receptors, (2) immunohistochemistry showed prominent
      staining for Transforming Growth Factor-alpha. In conclusion, this case is
      suggestive of a possible link between growth factors and acanthosis nigricans
      maligna.

PMID- 1405396
TI  - [Canthaxanthin retinopathy. Follow-up of over 6 years].
AB  - After long-term treatment with high dosages, canthaxanthin causes a
      characteristic retinopathy with circular, macula surrounding crystals. As changes
      in retinal functionning disappear relatively easily after withdrawal of the drug,
      the crystals dissolve rather slowly--over about several years. Five patients
      showing a profound crystalline retinopathy were re-examined with an average of
      69.7 months after withdrawal of the canthaxanthin-containing drug. Three of the
      patients were treated for erythropoetic protoporphyria (EPP) with Phenoro (2/5
      beta-carotene, 3/5 canthaxanthin), two sisters took a canthaxanthin-containing
      formulation (1/8 beta-carotene, 7/8 canthaxanthin) for cosmetic reasons. Two
      female patients complained about an increased glare sensitivity, which was
      explainable for one of them with a subcapsular cataract. The retinal crystals
      decreased quite differently. Minor deffects of the retinal pigment epithelium
      remained unchanged in two patients. They increased slightly in the female patient
      with the smallest crystal formation but highest plasma cholesterol. Shortly after
      withdrawal of the drugs usually an increase of a-wave amplituded of the
      electroretinograms was found. The a-waves returned to normal and the b-wave
      amplitudes showed an increase up to the final control paralleling the reduction
      of the retinal crystals. A- and b-wave peak latencies which were prolonged under
      treatment returned to normal.

PMID- 1405397
TI  - [Surgery of Tenon's capsule in squint operations].
AB  - There is a good chance to reduce the scaring between conjunctiva, Tenon's
      capsule, muscle and sclera after surgical treatment of rectus and oblique muscles
      if a careful reconstruction of Tenon's capsule is made. In the rare cases that
      you have to reoperate, you will experience the benefit of these additional
      stitches (7-0 vicryl) that restore the integrity of Tenon.

PMID- 1405398
TI  - ["Erroneous orthograde" direction of flow in the supratrochlear artery as a cause
      of Doppler ultrasound diagnostic error in severe (filiform; 90%) stenosis of the
      carotid bifurcation].
AB  - Author reports on mistake in Ultrasound-Doppler-Sonography by an neurologist. A
      82-year-old women with leftside Amaurosis fugax was referred by her family
      doctor, internist. Neurological examination, above all Doppler-Sonography,
      results in "normal findings". Examination by author however detected filiforme
      stenosis of left internal carotid artery in spite of "orthograde" direction of
      blood-flow in final branches of ophthalmic artery. This perhaps was the cause of
      neurological misdiagnosis.

PMID- 1405399
TI  - [Choroid ganglioneuroma in childhood].
AB  - The authors report on a case of a 4 1/2-year-old male child, who was referred
      because of a convergent microstrabisms of the right eye combined with amblyopia
      and minimal anisometropia and progressive decrease of the visual function from
      0.6 to 0.05 although occlussion-therapy was performed. Funduscopy showed a
      melanoma-like choroidal tumor temporal-inferior of the macula with shallow
      retinal detachment and severe cellular vitreal infiltration. Because of the
      progression the tumor was resected by the transscleral technique of Foulds
      (1983). Histology showed a ganglioneuroma of the choroid, which has not been
      reported in this localisation up to now. Usually it is found in the
      retroperitoneal area and in the mediastinum, specially in case of
      neurofibromatosis (Recklinghausen). This disease could not be objectified in this
      meanwhile 7-year-old boy. At the last control visual acuity was 1/20,
      ophthalmoscopy showed gross streaky depigmentation in the macular region, the
      retina was attached.

PMID- 1405400
TI  - [Retinal lymphoma--simulating uveitis].
AB  - A rare form of malignant large-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or reticulum cell
      sarcoma is confined to the eye and central nervous system (CNS). We report the
      case of a 62-year-old man, who presented with recalcitrant progressive uveitis in
      his right eye. Although lymphoma was suspected, the patient refused to undergo
      vitrectomy. Over one year he developed large blister-like solid scattered lesions
      of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in the same eye. Repetitive neuroimaging
      detected no CNS involvement. After developing optic disc-swelling and discrete
      RPE-changes in the left eye also, the patient agreed to enucleation of his right
      eye. Histopathology and Immuno-histochemistry revealed malignant intraocular
      large cell-lymphoma invading all eye-tissues. Liquor cytology showed lymphomatous
      cells. Suffering from high grade malignant lymphoma with CNS ivolvement, the
      patient had to undergo radiation therapy of the orbits and neuroaxsis as well as
      intravenous and intrathecal chemotherapy. Papilledema of the left eye resolved
      quickly and completely, RPE-infiltrations disappeared and led to discrete punched
      out lesions with no scarring, the lens remained transparent over the whole
      observation period of 25 months. the patient has been surviving for more than 52
      months after first suspicion of malignant lymphoma, he has retained full vision
      in his left eye until now.

PMID- 1405401
TI  - [Quantifying suture tension of corneal sutures with the suture forceps with
      strain gauge strips].
AB  - To achieve uniform tensions on corneal stiches a modified tying forceps was
      developed. This forceps provides the possibility to measure the tension which is
      put to a nylon thread (10-0) by means of surface mounted strain gauges detecting
      the forceps jaws' bending. The results are registered and displayed
      electronically. To obtain a preselected tension, a limit value switch and a tare
      unit is used. A first series of registrations showed reproduceable values and
      confirmed a linear correlation between forceps jaw bending and traction force. A
      prototype and possibilities of technical improvement are demonstrated.

PMID- 1405402
TI  - [PC software for evaluating the Farnsworth-Munsell 100-Hue test].
AB  - This computer program is designed for faster elaboration of the Farnsworth
      Munsell 100-Hue test. It is thus made user friendly, in that faultless input of
      data can be achieved, even by an untrained person. Evaluation is facilitated by
      the opportunity of representing two results at the same time. Examples of typical
      colour vision deficiencies are stored in a file and can then also be called up.
      Storing the results in a special data file helps to avoid the time consuming
      printing process. However, a hardcopy is supported by storing the last grafic in
      a standard PostScript-file, thus giving easy access to any printer. This program
      is applicable for IBM- or compatible PCs. Extensive use is possible by means of a
      software interface with the wide spread database-system DBASE.

PMID- 1405403
TI  - [125 years ophthalmopathology in Tubingen. Change in the times and spectrum of
      findings].
AB  - The beginning of ophthalmopathological activities at the University Eye Clinic
      Tubingen, Germany, can be dated back to the year 1868, as at this time the
      continuous counting of investigated, ophthalmological specimens was started. So
      the ophthalmopathological department in Tubingen will be 125 years old in 1993.
      In a review its history is described with particular regard to the first period
      and the change in the kind and frequence of diagnoses.

PMID- 1405404
TI  - [The most frequent causes of loss or impairment of vision in children and
      adolescents].
AB  - On the basis of examination of 100 persons aged 3-18 years registered in the
      Olsztyn Division of the Union of the Blind the authors determined the causes
      which led to the loss of vision or of its impairment. The most frequent cause of
      the invalidism of the visual system were: errors of refraction (32%), optic
      atrophy (24%), congenital cataract (16%), retinal and choroidal degeneration
      (9%), retrolental fibroplasia (6%), anophthalmia or malformation of the globe
      (4%), coloboma of the iris or choroid (3%), retinoblastoma (3%), injuries (2%)
      and congenital glaucoma (1%).

PMID- 1405405
TI  - [Eye burns in children and adolescents].
AB  - The authors present a material of 91 eyes in 66 children aged 2 days to 16 years,
      who sustained burns of the eyes. Fifty one eyes (1st group) was burned by thermal
      or chemical means, mainly by lime; 40 eyes (2d group) sustained chemico
      mechanical injuries caused by explosions of petards or miner's detonators.
      Bilaterality of the injuries was seen in 50 p.c. of cases of the 1st group and in
      25 p.c. of cases of the second group. Reduction of the visual acuity down to
      light perception was observed in 19.7 p.c. of cases of the 1st group and in 22.5
      p.c. of cases in the 2d one; at the same time 2 cases of this group became blind.
      The cause of deterioration of the visual acuity in the group of chemico-thermal
      trauma were the corneal opacities, in the group of mixed injuries--changes in the
      posterior segment of the eye.

PMID- 1405406
TI  - [Late results of the treatment of eye burns].
AB  - An analysis of patients treated in the Ophthalmic Department in Bydgoszcz for eye
      burns in the 10 years period from 1980 till 1990. Taken into account were the
      causes of burns, the treatment installed in the early period and in cases of late
      complications. All the patients were asked to call in for a control examination
      in order to compare the condition of the eyes at the date of discharge and in the
      long-lasting time. Among 118 eyes in 91 the visual acuity amounted 0.5-1.0, in
      the remaining 25 it was only hand movements--0.4. The main causes of low visual
      acuity were: corneal leucoma, secondary glaucoma, complicated cataract. The eye
      was enucleated in 2 patients because a painful ocular atrophy developed in the
      course of the pathological process. These were the cases of thermal burns
      combined with a mechanical injury. The obtained results were evaluated as
      sufficiently favourable and comparable to the data of other authors.

PMID- 1405407
TI  - [Prevention of amblyopia by active production of the macular fixation reflex in
      infants].
AB  - Among 1455 examined babies aged 3 months the authors found a lack of normal
      fixation reflex in both eyes in 155 and in 52 in one eye only. In these eyes the
      parents applied 3 times a day an alternate occlusion of eyes or of the master eye
      only showing the babies interesting toys. After 2 weeks 83 babies showed
      normalization of fixation and after following 2 weeks of over described occlusion
      only 8 of them did not reveal a normal fixation reflex. These babies exhibited
      also a convergent squint. The pleoptic treatment by means of an euthyscope was
      installed, followed by normalization of the fixation reflex in 3. The rest of the
      patients was treated with spheroprismatic glasses by localization method.

PMID- 1405408
TI  - [Cryotherapy of corneal burns].
AB  - Presented are the results of treatment of 59 patients with severe chemical and
      thermal burns of the cornea who--besides being subjected to a traditional
      procedure--were also treated by cryotherapy. In the majority of cases low
      temperature considerably hastened the process of the regeneration of corneal
      epithelium and the clearing up of its opacification. It considerably influenced
      the shortening of the treatment period and the improvement of the visual acuity.

PMID- 1405409
TI  - [Subconjunctival autohemotherapy of eye burns in our cases].
AB  - The authors present the results of subconjunctival autohemotherapy of thermal and
      chemical burns in 940 eyes which concerned 734 patients; simultaneously they
      discuss the causes of these burns. The obtained results confirm the very well
      known opinion that subconjunctival autohemotherapy applied together with the
      vasodilating drugs is still a very valuable method in the treatment of ocular
      burns.

PMID- 1405411
TI  - [Experimental studies of the effect of carbon monoxide on the retina of guinea
      pigs of different age].
AB  - Young and adult guinea pigs had been put in a chamber containing an 4-5 per cent
      addition of CO in the air. After 7 days of intoxication the authors performed a
      histopathological and histochemical examination of the retina. They discovered
      disturbances of the histological structure of the retina, a decrease of the
      content of nucleic acids and alkaline phosphatase and an increase of the acid
      phosphatase. The more pronounced intensification of the pathological changes was
      seen in the retina of younger individuals.

PMID- 1405410
TI  - [Results of the treatment of post-traumatic exogenous siderosis of the eye].
AB  - In the period of 3 years the authors observed 7 patients with an intraocular
      foreign body not diagnosed or to late treated. The signs of siderosis appeared
      very early (after some days) or did not appear even after 1-2 years. The absolute
      removal of the foreign body together with topical, intraconjunctival application
      of desferal and its general, intramuscular injections condition the withdrawal of
      siderosis and the preservation of vision, although the electroretinographical
      curve remains forever pathological. A scrupulous kinetic and static visual field
      examination may help in diagnosis of the ocular siderosis in cases of lack of
      electrophysiological instrumentarium.

PMID- 1405412
TI  - [Effect of drugs inhibiting the formation of hydroxide radicals on healing of
      experimental corneal ulcer].
AB  - The 60 per cent water solution of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was used in the
      investigations. It was instilled into the conjunctival sac of an eye with
      experimental corneal ulceration. The dimethyl sulfoxide is inhibiting the
      formation of hydroxide radicals which cause a damage of the tissue in the course
      of inflammation. Clinical observations as well as histochemical and
      histopathological examinations showed that ulcerations treated by dimethyl
      sulfoxide healed faster than those from the control group and reactions to acid
      mucopolysaccharides++ returned more rapidly to normal values.

PMID- 1405413
TI  - [Measurement of lens transparency in workers at risk of developing of
      glassblower's cataract].
AB  - The authors evaluated the transparency of lenses in persons on a stand
      predisposing to the formation of a glassblower cataract as well as in office
      clerks. They used for their measurements a fluorophotometer (Fluorotron Master)
      and an opacity lensmeter. In a group of 40 ironmasters they found a considerable
      fall in light transparency through the lens and a significant increase of the
      lens autofluorescence in comparison with a group of office clerks. The
      quantitative measurement of lens transparency by means of a fluorotron and a
      opacity lensmeter creates the possibility of an earlier detection of a ++pre
      cataract condition.

PMID- 1405414
TI  - [Condition of the corneal endothelium after penetrating injuries].
AB  - The examination of the corneal endothelium with a posttraumatic scar was
      performed by means of a corneal microscope with an endothelial cell counter in
      patients with traumatic cataract before its removal with simultaneous
      implantation of an artificial intraocular lens. It was established that the
      density of the endothelial cells in these eyes before surgery amounted 950
      3000/mm2. The density of the cells below this value creates a danger of formation
      of bullous keratopathy after the surgical intervention.

PMID- 1405415
TI  - [Study od visual evoked potentials in employees of the Chemical Works in
      Bydgoszcz].
AB  - Examined was a group of 50 persons aged 25-60 years employed in the Chemical
      Works in Bydgoszcz. The time of professional contact counted from 4 month to 31
      years. During this time the workers had contact with the following--at least 2-
      compounds: chlorine and its derivates, benzene, propylene, katolite, phosgene,
      isocyanianes, epichlorohydrine and others. In 33 among 50 examinees (66 p.c.) the
      authors detected a normal record of VEP. A pathological record was observed in 17
      persons (34 p.c.). The greatest per cent of pathological records concerned a
      group of professional practice amounting 20-29 years as well as persons
      undertaking the work before the 25th year of life. The most frequent pathological
      record of VEP was a curve with reduced amplitude of the P wave; the least
      frequently seen was the debasement of the amplitude together with the elongation
      of the latent time of this wave.

PMID- 1405416
TI  - [Analysis of the place of regulation of C-11 transmitters at the Tele-electronic
      Works "Telkom-Telfa" in Bydgoszcz from the point of view of visual hygiene].
AB  - The authors performed a detailed analysis of 100 positions of regulation of the C
      11 transmitters in the "Telcom-Telfa" ++Tele-electronic Works in Bydgoszcz. It
      was determined that the requirements for the condition of the eyes and the
      lighting at this workstand are considerable. Conclusions and recommendations
      tending to improvement of the working conditions are drawn up. Proposed is
      eventual rationale leading to the reduction of the eyestrain and facilitation of
      the work.

PMID- 1405417
TI  - [The incidental heart sound. Study of clinical diagnostic certainty and possible
      causes].
AB  - The diagnosis "innocent murmur" is made when there is no evidence for a heart
      disease either by history nor by examination, auscultation, electrocardiogram or
      echocardiography. The purpose of the present study was to determine the
      usefulness of echocardiography for diagnosing of an innocent heart murmur and
      further to compare the findings of ultrasound with those of the clinical
      examination. Children were accepted for the study after clinical examination and
      evaluation of the electrocardiogram (but before echocardiography) only when two
      independent pediatricians did not realize any symptoms of a heart disease. A
      total number of 200 children were examined; 121 were male and 79 female. 194
      children (97%) had an innocent murmur, six children (3%) a heart disease [atrial
      septum defect (3), bicuspid aortic valve (1), aortic stenosis (1) or pulmonary
      stenosis]. The sensitivity and positive predictive value of clinical examination
      and auscultation ranged from 92% to 99%, the specificity from 50% to 60%. In six
      cases the initial diagnosis had to be changed after echocardiography. Three times
      an innocent murmur was diagnosed as a heart disease and another three times a
      pathological murmur was regarded as innocent. Left ventricular bands were seen in
      53 (26,5%) children and they significantly correlated with the musical heart
      murmur (77%). If there was no false tendon, the murmur was mostly an
      uncharacteristic one (74% (less than 0,001). The echocardiographic findings were
      not different of those children without a murmur or heart disease. The average
      peak velocity in the ascending aorta was 143,1 +/- 23,6 cm/s (87-215 cm/s), the
      shortening fraction 36,2 +/- 6,3%. We could not find a correlation between
      velocity, shortening fraction and aortic diameter.

PMID- 1405418
TI  - [Bland-White-Garland syndrome. Clinical aspects, diagnosis, therapy].
AB  - The anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (Bland
      White-Garland Syndrome) is a rare congenital malformation reported to occur in
      0.25-0.5% of all congenital cardiac anomalies. The clinical and
      pathomorphological picture can be classified into 2 types: infantile or adult.
      The infantile type is thought to lack coronary collaterals; this explains the bad
      prognosis and symptoms of non-operated patients. In the adult type collaterals
      are present or have developed in time to provide adequate blood supply to the
      myocardium. No history of cardiac complains and a nearly normal ECG are common
      findings. Echocardiography and cardiac catheterisation are mandatory diagnostic
      tools. The value of new methods like NMR, "stop-flow" angiography and color
      doppler flow mapping is still in discussion. The reimplantation of the coronary
      artery and Takeuchi-Operation are well established surgical methods. The time for
      the operation and prognostic outcome are related to the preoperative underlying
      myocardial damage measured by left ventricular function.

PMID- 1405419
TI  - [Alcohol in pregnancy and fetal heart damage].
AB  - Alcohol abuse and addiction during pregnancy can induce damage of the heart
      muscle and heart defects in the offspring. Between 1973 and 1991 216 children
      with fetal alcohol syndrome were diagnosed and examined for congenital heart
      defects. In 63 children (= 29,1%) heart defects were present, established mainly
      by heart catheterization and/or echocardiography. Most frequently ventricular
      septal defects (24/63) and atrial septal defects (23/63) occurred, less frequent
      were AV-defects (3), PDA (3), Fallots teralogy (5), and other malformations (5).
      Biopsy during heart surgery in 3 children revealed histological and electron
      microscopic changes of alcohol-cardiomyopathy. Heart defects are predominantly
      found in children with higher degree of severity concerning the clinical
      syndrome, less frequently in alcohol effects (4/38 = 11%). Alcohol in pregnancy,
      even in the course of so called social drinking, usual drinking and binge
      drinking has to be considered as an essential and preventable co-factor within
      the multifactorial etiology of congenital heart defects.

PMID- 1405420
TI  - [Progress and change in nuclear magnetic resonance diagnosis of congenital and
      acquired heart defects].
AB  - Since 1987, the authors have examined 186 patients (76 girls, 110 boys) with a
      variety of congenital and acquired heart diseases by means of magnetic resonance
      imaging (MRI). The patients' ages ranged from 2 days to 20 years (mean age 3.97
      years). During the study new techniques were developed, which extend the
      applicability of MRI. Especially two-dimensional and three-dimensional
      angiography are demonstrated and discussed. Using all diagnostic tools offered by
      MRI more than 90% of cardiovascular malformations are correctly diagnosed. MRI is
      of unquestionable value in the evaluation of the thoracic and abdominal aorta and
      in demonstrating the vascular status in pulmonary atresia and anomalous pulmonary
      venous return. It may be useful if question arise in patients with complex
      lesions, intra- and extracardiac tumours and cardiomyopathies. Although MRI is
      still under investigation, it may play a major role in diagnosing congenital
      heart diseases.

PMID- 1405421
TI  - [PCB exposure of children in East and West Germany].
AB  - In order to assess the exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in children
      from East- and West-Germany 276 fat tissue samples were analysed. Total PCB
      concentrations were calculated by means of six PCB congeners: No. 28, 52, 101,
      138, 153 and 180. In children from East-Germany the mean total PCB levels
      amounted to 0.899 mg/kg (median 0.674) and were significantly higher than in
      children from West-Germany (0.766/0.555 mg/kg; p less than 0.05). Regional
      differences were only seen within East-Germany. In fat tissue of children with
      high intake of breast milk (lactation period greater than 12 weeks) PCB levels
      were significantly elevated compared to those with low intake of mother's milk
      (lactation period less than 12 weeks). A further reduction of PCB in our
      environment is necessary so that breast milk can be recommended for sucklings
      without any restrictions.

PMID- 1405422
TI  - [Measuring skin temperature in premature infants. Comparison of infrared
      telethermography and electric contact thermometry].
AB  - In a group of 6 premature infants, mean weight 1776 g, we measured skin surface
      temperatures, comparing infrared telethermography (San-ei Thermo-Tracer 6T62) and
      conventional skin thermometry (Eidatherm). Surface temperatures were measured at
      10 different sites, with the infants nursed in an incubator. The same methods
      were used to compare temperatures on the lower arm of an adult. The results of
      the two different techniques showed only minor differences of approximately 0,2
      degrees C. These discrepancies could be explained by problems of either method.
      They could also be attributed to the fact, that the emissivity of human skin is
      not exactly identical with the emissivity of a perfect black body. In clinical
      practice, infrared thermography and conductive thermometry can be used for
      determinations of body surface temperature of premature infants, also under the
      condition of high temperatures and high humidity within an incubator.

PMID- 1405423
TI  - [Laser Doppler flowmetry in newborn infants with low birth weight. The effect of
      differences in humidity on peripheral circulation].
AB  - In a group of 10 low birth weight infants we measured skin temperature using
      infrared thermography and laser Doppler flow in central and peripheral regions of
      the body. After elevation of incubator humidity from 40 to 80% skin temperature
      of the foot rose significantly (p less than 0.01). At the same time there was a
      significant increase (p less than 0.05) of laser Doppler flow. Temperature and
      laser Doppler flow in the area of the abdomen did not show significant changes.
      Low birth weight infants are able to regulate peripheral blood flow after changes
      of ambient humidity. With the method of laser Doppler flowmetry thermoregulatory
      responses in the microvascular bed can be measured in these infants.

PMID- 1405424
TI  - [Neurosonographic findings in premature infants and infants with intrauterine
      growth retardation with a birth weight below 1,500 grams].
AB  - The cranial ultrasound of 111 preterm infants were reviewed. 57 patients were
      appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and 54 small for gestational age (SGA). In
      the two groups, the incidence of peri-intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH),
      posthemorrhagic ventricular dilation (VM) and peri-ventricular leucomalacia (PVL)
      was compared. PIVH was more common in AGA than in SGA babies (36.8% vs 18.5%). In
      both groups (AGA and SGA), birth weight less than 1000 g should be considered a
      further risk factor for hemorrhagic brain lesion (72.2% in AGA babies less than
      1000 g and 20.5% ind AGA babies greater than 1000 g birth weight, p less than
      0.01) (34.8% in SGA babies less than 1000 g and 6.4% in SGA babies greater than
      1000 g birth weight, p less than 0.05). However, ischemic brain lesions (PVL)
      were not dependent from birth weight (p greater than 0.5). This study shows that
      low birth weight infants are an eterogeneous group of babies with different risk
      of hemorrhagic or ischemic cerebral lesion depending on gestational age and birth
      weight.

PMID- 1405425
TI  - [Respiratory death space and ventilation of newborn infants].
AB  - The effect of dead space reduction was studied in 10 VLBW infants (GA 26-31 wks,
      mean BW 1100 grms) on mechanical ventilation using a constant flow ventilator
      with a flow sensor device (Draeger Babylog 8000, Lubeck, Germany). Shortening of
      the endotracheal tube and removal of the flow sensor resulted in a calculated 50%
      reduction of dead space (-2.3 ml) and in a fall of tcpCO2 from (mean and range)
      45 (40-49) to 35 (31-36) mmHG. This corresponds to a increase of alveolar
      ventilation of 22% as predicted by calculation of the dead space changes. Further
      attempts were made in reducing dead space ventilation by using endotracheal tubes
      conceived for jet ventilation, using the jet entry for the inspiratory side, or
      by introducing a separate continuous inspiratory flow to the tip of the
      endotracheal tube. Besides a routinely performed shortening of the ET tube this
      means of ventilation was used with success in two VLBW infants with desperate
      respiratory situations who both survived, in an older infant with high-grade
      tracheal stenosis to wean him from the respirator and in three neonates with
      congenital diaphragmatic hernia in conjunction with delayed operative repair who
      could be weaned from respiratory support 4, 13 and 20 days post surgery. We
      conclude that dead space reduction is a means to achieve gentle ventilation and
      to reduce lung damage from artificial ventilation.

PMID- 1405426
TI  - [Is outdoor running exercise suitable for detecting bronchial hyperreactivity in
      children with mild episodic bronchial asthma?].
AB  - Bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) can be proved by various methods. 21 children, 14
      asthmatics and 7 healthy subjects were submitted to inhalative methacholine
      challenge as well as to 'free running' as a form of exercise challenge in a
      randomized sequence. For the methacholine inhalation a standardized procedure was
      followed and the provocative concentration defined (PC20) at which a decrease of
      more than 20% in FEV1 was found. There is no real standardisation for 'free
      running' (concerning temperature and humidity of the inspired air; individual
      level of exercise) but subjects had to run for 6 minutes while the heart rate
      should have been between 170 and 180 beats/minute. This increase in pulse rate
      relates to a submaximal work at which 60-85% of maximal O2 uptake are obtained. A
      decrease of 15% from basic value of FEV1 was defined as a positive result. By the
      use of methacholine inhalations we found 16 children (14 diseased, 2 controls) to
      be hyperreactive, whereas only 3 of them showed a positive result after 'free
      running'. We conclude, that firstly, methacholine provocations and exercise
      challenges assess different kinds of bronchial reactivity, secondly, 'free
      running' as a form of exercise is very difficult to standardize and therefore
      prone to errors and thirdly, 'free running' is not sensitive enough to assess BHR
      in children with mild asthma bronchiale if used as the only form of challenge.
      Problems concerning measurement of BHR are discussed.

PMID- 1405427
TI  - [The anion gap--screening for hyperlactatemia in critically ill children?].
AB  - Serum lactate provides important information about tissue perfusion in critically
      ill patients. Aim of this study is to evaluate anion gap as a screening method to
      detect hyperlactatemia at a pediatric intensive care unit. In infants and
      children of different ages and diagnosis we determined blood gases, electrolytes
      and lactate. Sensitivity of anion gap was increasing with increasing
      hyperlactatemia. For the total population the test exhibited a sensitivity of 64%
      and a specificity of 76%, respectively. The power of anion gap as a screening
      method to detect hyperlactatemia was similarly fair for all age groups. Therefore
      hyperlactatemia has also to be included in the differential diagnosis of non
      anion gap metabolic acidosis.

PMID- 1405428
TI  - [Prenatal diagnosis of primary megaureter].
AB  - 22 of 114 infants with prenatal diagnosis of urinary tract malformations (15
      boys) had obstruction of the ureterovesical junction caused by primary megaureter
      (n = 14), ureterocele (n = 7), or ectopic ureter (n = 1). Infants with
      infravesical obstruction or refluxing systems were excluded. All infants had a
      normal renal function and probably only 5 of them (23%) would have been diagnosed
      during infancy without prenatal diagnosis. A total number of 26 renal units was
      evaluated. Six infants had ipsilateral duplication with additional contralateral
      duplication (n = 2) or vesicoureteric reflux (n = 2). A nonfunctioning kidney or
      upper pole of duplication was noted in 7 units (5 with ureteroceles); in two
      instances a moderately dysplastic kidney was present. One boy with urinary
      infections developed renal scarring during follow-up. Conservative treatment was
      performed in 14 renal units while 12 units of 11 children had 22 operations (9
      temporary diversions) at a mean age of 4,6 months. A severe operative
      complication was noted in one infant. Conservative treatment is justified in many
      infants with primary obstructive megaureters but severe renal dysplasia may be
      present even neonatally. Yet we feel that prenatal diagnosis benefitted most
      infants, especially those with the most severe malformations.

PMID- 1405429
TI  - [Recommendations of the German Society of Pediatric Infectology for antibiotic
      therapy of group A streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis].

PMID- 1405430
TI  - Large amounts of 1 beta-hydroxylated bile acids in urine during taurine therapy.
AB  - The management of infants with cholestasis remains a difficult challenge. On the
      hypothesis that taurine is effective in treating neonatal cholestasis, taurine (1
      g/day, per os) was administered to 2 patients with neonatal hepatitis and the
      bile acids were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The
      serum levels of bilirubin and bile acids were significantly decreased by taurine.
      Before the treatment, cholic acid (CA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) were
      predominant (79.2% in both patients) in the urine. There was a significant
      elevation of 1 beta-hydroxylated bile acids (1 beta BA), especially 1 beta, 3
      alpha, 7 alpha, 12 alpha-tetrahydroxy-5 beta-cholan-24-oic acid (CA-1 beta-ol),
      in urine collected during the taurine therapy, and 1 beta BA became predominant
      (57.7-78.3%). Therefore, increased amounts of urine 1 beta BA were excreted
      during taurine administration. Taurine therapy is recommended, because it might
      be effective for treating neonatal cholestasis.

PMID- 1405431
TI  - A study on polyethylene glycol electrolyte lavage solution and sodium picosulfate
      combined pretreatment method for colonoscopy.

PMID- 1405432
TI  - The cystic growth of a subependymal giant-cell astrocytoma with tuberous
      sclerosis.
AB  - A case of a 7 year-old boy with subependymal giant-cell astrocytoma is reported.
      CT scanning of this patient for 6 years showed the cystic growth of the
      astrocytoma. The surgical indication and importance of periodic CT studies for
      subependymal giant-cell astrocytomas associated with tuberous sclerosis are
      discussed.

PMID- 1405433
TI  - Pattern recognition of continuity of discrete data points by scale changed plots.
AB  - Graphs composed of a large number of data points plotted on an appropriate scale
      enables us to pattern recognize a specific continuous curve. This principle was
      used to follow signals from proton nuclear magnetic resonance as a function of pH
      in a large biomolecule, staphylococcal nuclease. The analysis was automated by
      auto peak-picking routines and by transferring the results to a graphic program,
      Graphic Operating System (Roome & Peterson, 1985). Expansion and contraction of
      the scale made it possible to differentiate specific tyrosine and histidine
      titration curves. This type of analysis is applicable for assignment of specific
      curves from a large number of data points which change as a function of
      perturbations.

PMID- 1405434
TI  - Immunological study of the association between hepatocyte damage and HBc antigen.
AB  - To identify the target antigen during hepatocyte damage in hepatitis type B virus
      (HBV) infections, the expression of HBc and HBs antigens, and beta 2
      microglobulin (BMG) were studied in liver tissue. Serial changes of serum DNA
      polymerase (DNA-P) activity and HBV DNA were also measured. After the onset of
      acute hepatitis, HBs antigen in liver tissues was observed from many patients;
      but HBc antigen was rarely detected. In liver tissues of patients with chronic
      hepatitis, HBs antigen was consistently positive, irrespective of the changes in
      sGPT. On the other hand, HBc antigen was frequently positive both preceding and
      during the culmination period for sGPT. The distribution of HBc antigen in the
      hepatocyte was mostly cytoplasmic. During the same period the serum DNA-P and HBV
      DNA were frequently positive. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that reaction
      products with HBc antigen existed in the cytoplasm and the cell membrane. These
      results indicate that HBc antigens become the target, when HBV infected
      hepatocytes are eliminated.

PMID- 1405435
TI  - Invisible cardia cancer metastasis to the diaphragm.
AB  - The best surgical procedure to treat a carcinoma in the gastric cardia remains a
      controversy because the carcinoma is often advanced and there are other unknown
      factors. In this article the incidence of invisible metastasis from cardia cancer
      to the diaphragm will be analyzed using an experimental cardia cancer model and
      clinical studies. An experimental cardia cancer was induced by an endoscopic
      injection of VX2 cancer cells into the submucosal layer of the esophago-gastric
      junction in rabbits using a 27G needle and an Olympus BF-4B2 bronchofiberscope. A
      total of 26 cardia cancer models for Borrmann type 2 or 3 were produced. Of
      these, six (23%) had visible cancer metastases in the diaphragm, including 4
      cases with direct invasion and 2 cases with peritoneal dissemination on the
      surface of the diaphragm. Four (20%) of the remaining 20 were histologically
      found to have macroscopically-invisible cancer metastases mainly in the lymph
      vessels of the left hemidiaphragm. From 1985 to 1988, 22 clinical cases of cardia
      cancer were managed by a combined total gastrectomy with a partial diaphragm
      resection through a left thoracoabdominal approach. When widely resected,
      reconstruction was performed using a latissimus dorsi muscle flap. Six (27%) of
      these 22 were also histologically found to have macroscopically-invisible cancer
      metastases to the diaphragm, including 1 (11%) of the 9 well-differentiated type
      and 5 (39%) of 13 poorly-differentiated type adenocarcinomas.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405436
TI  - Retrospective studies of gastric subserosal (ss) cancer--in comparison to pm- and
      se-cancers.
AB  - The deepest gastric cancer invasion into the tela subserosa is expressed as the
      ss-cancer. Subserosal gastric cancers (ss) can be divided into 4 subtypes; ss
      alpha, ss beta, (ss gamma) and ss gamma, pathologically. These four subtypes were
      compared to cancerous invasion into the muscularis propria (pm-cancer) and
      cancerous invasion with serosal exposure (se-cancer). During the 10 years from
      1979 to 1988, a total of 938 cases with gastric cancer were resected in the First
      Department of Surgery, Kurume University Hospital. Of these, 104 (11.1%) cases
      were ss-cancers, consisting of 28 (27%) cases of ss alpha, 33 (32%) cases of ss
      beta, 4 (3%) cases of (ss gamma) and 39 (38%) cases of ss gamma. Pm-cancers and
      ss-cancers were most frequently observed in Borrmann type 2, macroscopically, and
      in the differentiated type, histologically. On the other hand, se-cancers were
      frequently observed in Borrmann type 3 and in an undifferentiated type. Positive
      lymph node metastases were found in 49.1% of pm-cancers, in 50.0% of ss-cancers
      and in 79.9% of se-cancers (p < 0.01), with no statistical difference in the
      positive lymph node metastasis rates for the subdivisions of ss-cancer. In ss
      cancer, however, there was a statistical difference in prognosis according to the
      tumor size, and according to the degree of subserosal infiltration. The 5-year
      survival rate was 82.3% for pm-cancer, 75.0% for ss-cancer and 34.7% for se
      cancer (p < 0.01).

PMID- 1405437
TI  - Gastric cancer surgery in the elderly.
AB  - Although there is a decreasing number of gastric cancer patients in Japan, the
      number of patients over 80 years of age is increasing. Forty patients over 80
      years of age (from 80 to 88 years) with gastric cancer (Group 1) during the 10
      years from 1980 to 1989 were retrospectively investigated and compared with those
      70-79 years of age (Group 2). The resectability rate was 80% in Group 1 and 89%
      in Group 2. Early gastric cancer was observed at a rate of only 25% in Group 1
      and 39% in Group 2. Pathologically, the differentiated type occurred in 78% of
      those in Group 1 and 68% of Group 2. Total gastrectomy was performed in only 6%
      of the resected cases in Group 1 and in 25% of Group 2. A combined resection
      including such operations as pancreatico-splenectomy or splenectomy (PS) was
      employed in none of the total gastrectomy cases in Group 1 and in 30% of Group 2.
      R3 gastrectomy was performed in none of the patients in Group 1 and in 21% of
      those in Group 2. Postoperative complications occurred in 25% of Group 1 patients
      and in 12% of Group 2 patients. Anastomotic leakage occurred in 3% of those in
      Group 1 and in 4% of those in Group 2. The 5-year survival rate was 47% for all
      the resected cases in Group 1 and 68% for Group 2. The 5-year survival rate was
      61% for those who underwent a curative (radical) gastrectomy in Group 1, and 84%
      for those in Group 2.

PMID- 1405438
TI  - ["Sexuality in old age homes"].

PMID- 1405439
TI  - [12000 nurses in Bonn].

PMID- 1405440
TI  - [The federal office of the German Nurses' Association in Eschborn. Interview by
      Eva Maria Krampe].

PMID- 1405441
TI  - [Report on the work of the Federal Secretariat].

PMID- 1405442
TI  - [The federal office of the German Nurses Association in Neuwied].

PMID- 1405444
TI  - [Facets of holistic medicine].

PMID- 1405443
TI  - [Touching in everyday professional life is touching us--summary of a thesis. In
      the hands of nurses].

PMID- 1405445
TI  - [A joyous hospice].

PMID- 1405446
TI  - [What nurses can do. Pain therapy 2].

PMID- 1405447
TI  - [To prevent intraoperative complications. Checking the quality of one's own
      work].

PMID- 1405448
TI  - [Where the human and the technical conditions match].

PMID- 1405449
TI  - [Nurses facing drug addiction and substance abuse. A decisive decennium].

PMID- 1405450
TI  - [Colloquium at the 1992 ISPA: "Women, men, dependencies" "You will fill your role
      as a real woman..."].

PMID- 1405452
TI  - [Image and identity of the aged. The quest for meaning].

PMID- 1405451
TI  - [The nurse in front of alcohol dependent patients. What attitude to adopt?].

PMID- 1405453
TI  - [Collaboration between hospitals and non-hospital nursing services. It also
      concerns children].

PMID- 1405454
TI  - [Functional deglutition disorders: etiology, diagnosis and therapy].

PMID- 1405455
TI  - [What are the advantages of patient education for asthma patients].

PMID- 1405456
TI  - [Possibilities of physical therapy in acute arthritis].

PMID- 1405458
TI  - [General stoma care. Basics].

PMID- 1405457
TI  - [The role of pharmacies in the ambulatory care of stomas].

PMID- 1405459
TI  - [Cystic fibrosis, a not very rare hereditary disease. Description, treatment
      possibilities and therapeutic concepts].

PMID- 1405460
TI  - [30 questions about your professional behavior].

PMID- 1405461
TI  - [Hand disinfection and hand washing].

PMID- 1405462
TI  - [Samuel Hahnemann--the originator of homeopathic medicine].

PMID- 1405463
TI  - Detection of extremely low levels of wild-type mitochondrial DNA in the liver of
      a patient with Pearson syndrome by a sensitive PCR assay.

PMID- 1405464
TI  - Detection of the A to G(3243) mutation of mitochondrial DNA in Japanese families
      with mitochondrial encephalomyopathies.

PMID- 1405465
TI  - Mitochondrial DNA deletion in an 8-year-old boy with Pearson syndrome.

PMID- 1405466
TI  - Vitamin-responsive pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency in a young girl with
      external ophthalmoplegia, myopathy and lactic acidosis.

PMID- 1405467
TI  - Assessment of deficiencies of fatty acyl-CoA dehydrogenases in fibroblasts,
      muscle and liver.

PMID- 1405468
TI  - Gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis in perfused livers from short-chain acyl-CoA
      dehydrogenase-deficient mice.

PMID- 1405469
TI  - Long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase in leukocytes and chorionic villus
      fibroblasts: potential for pre- and postnatal diagnosis.

PMID- 1405470
TI  - Genetic complementation analysis of mitochondrial 2-methylacetoacetyl-CoA
      thiolase deficiency in cultured fibroblasts.

PMID- 1405471
TI  - Significance of bound glutarate in the diagnosis of glutaric aciduria type I.

PMID- 1405473
TI  - Paediatric cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis.

PMID- 1405472
TI  - A new case of succinyl-CoA: acetoacetate transferase deficiency.

PMID- 1405474
TI  - Bone dysplasia associated with phytanic acid accumulation and deficient
      plasmalogen synthesis: a peroxisomal entity amenable to plasmapheresis.

PMID- 1405475
TI  - Zellweger-like phenotype in two siblings: a defect in peroxisomal beta-oxidation
      with elevated very long-chain fatty acids but normal bile acids.

PMID- 1405476
TI  - Human dihydroxyacetonephosphate acyltransferase deficiency: a new peroxisomal
      disorder.

PMID- 1405477
TI  - Prenatal diagnosis of Canavan disease.

PMID- 1405478
TI  - Partial N-acetylglutamate synthetase deficiency: a new case with uncontrollable
      movement disorders.

PMID- 1405479
TI  - Screening for tetrahydrobiopterin deficiency in newborns using dried urine on
      filter paper.

PMID- 1405480
TI  - Suspected pterin-4a-carbinolamine dehydratase deficiency: hyperphenylalaninaemia
      due to inhibition of phenylalanine hydroxylase by tetrahydro-7-biopterin.

PMID- 1405481
TI  - Hyperphenylalaninaemia presumably due to carbinolamine dehydratase deficiency:
      loading tests with pterin derivatives.

PMID- 1405482
TI  - Screening for defects of dihydropyrimidine degradation by analysis of amino acids
      in urine before and after acid hydrolysis.

PMID- 1405483
TI  - Adenylosuccinase deficiency: a newly recognized variant.

PMID- 1405484
TI  - Lipid peroxidation in homocysteinaemia.

PMID- 1405485
TI  - Ischaemic forearm testing in a patient with Ca(2+)-ATPase deficiency.

PMID- 1405486
TI  - Statistical properties of the Michaelis-Menten equation and their implication for
      inborn errors of metabolism.

PMID- 1405487
TI  - Converging pathways in Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1405488
TI  - Biologic and clinical heterogeneity of lymphoproliferative diseases of peripheral
      mature T lymphocytes.

PMID- 1405490
TI  - Cellular tropism and localization in the rodent nervous system of a
      neuropathogenic variant of Friend murine leukemia virus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We studied PVC-211 murine leukemia virus (MuLV) (1), a
      neuropathogenic variant of Friend MuLV, to determine its cellular tropism and
      distribution in the nervous system of infected rats and the factors that affected
      disease expression. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Rats from five different strains and
      mice from 3 strains were inoculated intracerebrally or intraperitoneally from
      birth to 10 days of age and observed for signs of neurologic disease and tumors
      for 24 weeks. Nervous system pathology, MuLV gp70 expression, and virus
      production were evaluated weekly for 4 weeks after perinatal infection of Fisher
      (F344) rats. Blood-brain-barrier integrity and ultrastructure were evaluated in
      21-day-old symptomatic infected rats. Microvessel and mixed glial cell cultures
      were prepared from brains of infected and uninfected 21-day-old F344 rats and
      evaluated for virus production, MuLV gp70 expression, and the presence of PVC-211
      MuLV DNA. RESULTS: Tremor, ataxia, spasticity, and hindlimb weakness occurred in
      rats and mice as early as 3 weeks after neonatal infection. Severity, latency,
      and progression varied among mouse and rat strains but exposure to PVC-211 MuLV
      before 6 days of age was required for disease expression. Rapid PVC-211 MuLV
      replication in brain capillary endothelial cells (BCEC) early in the perinatal
      period was followed by widespread astrogliosis, neuropil vacuolation, and
      finally, neuronal degeneration in the spinal cord, brainstem, cerebellum, and
      subcortex. MuLV gp70 expression in vivo increased during infection, was
      restricted to BCEC, but was not associated with perivascular inflammatory
      infiltrates. BCEC cultured from microvessel preparations but not astrocytes or
      microglia in mixed glial cell cultures isolated from infected rats contained PVC
      211 MuLV DNA, expressed MuLV gp70, and produced infectious virus. CONCLUSIONS:
      The rapid replication of PVC-211 MuLV that occurs in the nervous system of
      infected rodents is restricted to BCEC. These infected BCEC appear to play a
      critical role in initiating the astroglial response in this neurodegenerative
      process through mechanisms that remain to be defined.

PMID- 1405489
TI  - Beta protein precursor expression in human platelets and a megakaryocyte cell
      line. Possible implications for the origin of cerebral amyloidosis in Alzheimer's
      disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The origin of the amyloid beta protein (A beta) that is the main
      constituent of amyloid fibrils occurring in the senile plaques and
      cerebrovasculature of individuals afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease, Down's
      Syndrome, Hereditary Cerebral Hemorrhage with Amyloidosis--Dutch Type, and
      Sporadic Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy, is central to the pathogenesis of these
      disorders. Evidence exists to support a neuronal and/or a vascular origin. We
      have reported that platelets may serve as one possible source of the A beta
      sequence via an intact, membrane-associated Beta Protein Precursor (beta PP)
      which is encoded by a platelet transcript (BBRC 173:1292-1298, 1990).
      EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Immunoaffinity chromatography and western blotting of
      extracted cellular proteins, polymerase chain reaction amplification of beta PP
      mRNA, fluorescence activated flow cytometric analysis, and confocal scanning
      laser microscopy have been employed to characterize the presence and distribution
      of thrombocytic beta PP. RESULTS: Immunoblot analysis with antibodies specific
      for the carboxyl-terminal end of beta PP indicates that platelets and the Dami
      megakaryocyte cell line express membrane-associated species of intact beta PP
      ranging in molecular weight from 110 to 140 kilodaltons (kd), as well as carboxyl
      terminal reactive forms ranging from 16 to 22 kd. Thrombin stimulation of
      platelets induces the release of five soluble beta PP species, which possess
      apparent isofocusing points in the range of 4.1-5.5. By contrast, extracts of
      peripheral blood mononuclear cells enriched by ficoll centrifugation, endothelial
      cells and a B cell line were not immunoreactive by western blot, even though beta
      PP transcripts could be amplified by polymerase chain reaction. The distribution
      of platelet beta PP was localized by flow cytometric analysis and scanning laser
      microscopy, using fluorescein-labeled antibodies. Study of the subcellular
      distribution of platelet beta PP indicates that these translation products are
      accumulated in discrete foci throughout the thrombocyte, possibly corresponding
      to secretory granules. CONCLUSIONS: The size of the carboxyl-terminal forms of
      beta PP indicate that the A beta sequence is present as a membrane associated
      constituent in unstimulated platelets, and may represent alternative pathways of
      beta PP processing. Cleavage or other abnormal processing of platelet-associated
      beta PP in Alzheimer's disease provides one mechanism whereby cerebral amyloid
      might derive from the circulation.

PMID- 1405491
TI  - Myocardial heterogeneity and regional variations in response to injury.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Different regional variations in the heart with respect to structure,
      function, and metabolism are known. However, regional heterogeneity with respect
      to histochemical localization of enzymes under normal as well as different
      pathologic conditions remain to be described. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Histochemical
      localization of glycolytic, oxidative, and hydrolytic enzymes was done in right
      and left ventricles, atria, nodal tissue, and Purkinje system in isolated
      perfused rat hearts under control as well as different experimental conditions
      including calcium paradox, ischemia-reperfusion and oxygen-free radicals.
      RESULTS: Histochemical reaction for glycolytic enzyme glycogen phosphorylase as
      well as for acetylcholine esterase was more intense in the nodal tissue and
      Purkinje fibers, whereas oxidative enzymes showed intense reaction in the
      contractile cells of the ventricles. Calcium paradox caused more histochemical
      enzyme changes in the subepicardial layer. Ischemia reperfusion had more damaging
      effect in the subendocardial layer. Oxygen-free radicals caused transmurally
      focal injuries. This pattern of histochemical changes also correlated with
      ultrastructural injury in these regions. Ventricular muscle suffered marked
      decreases, whereas atrial muscle showed a relatively less decrease in different
      histochemical enzyme activities. Purkinje fibers were the least affected tissue
      in this respect. The differential changes were most sensitively reflected by
      glycogen phosphorylase followed by lactate dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase,
      isocitrate dehydrogenase and beta-hydroxybutyric dehydrogenase. CONCLUSIONS:
      Regional heterogeneity with respect to histochemical distribution of enzymes in a
      normal heart may have contributed to unique regional responses to different
      injuries, whereas transmural inhomogeneity in the ventricular response may have
      to do with the functional and/or metabolic transmural differences.

PMID- 1405492
TI  - Arteriopathy in macaques infected with simian immunodeficiency virus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An arteriopathy characterized by intimal and medial thickening and
      fibrosis was seen in 19 of 85 rhesus monkeys infected with simian
      immunodeficiency virus (SIV), a lentivirus with morphologic, genetic, and
      biologic similarities to HIV-1 and HIV-2. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: All cases of
      simian AIDS in rhesus monkeys at the New England Regional Primate Research
      Center, resulting from either experimental or naturally acquired SIV infection,
      were retrospectively examined for evidence of histopathologic changes to the
      vasculature. Of the 85 SIV-related deaths recorded in the pathology files to
      date, tissues from 19 animals were chosen for further study because of
      thickening, disruption, inflammation, or other abnormality to any layer of the
      vascular wall. The lesion was characterized by special stains, immunoperoxidase
      procedures, and ultrastructural examination. RESULTS: Affected monkeys of both
      sexes varied in age from 4 months to 17 years at the time of inoculation and
      survived from 41 days to 4 years after infection. Pulmonary arteries were
      affected in all 19 animals, while vessels in other parenchymal organs were
      involved less frequently. In addition to sometimes marked intimal thickening with
      luminal occlusion, the internal elastic laminae were fragmented and interrupted.
      Seven of 19 animals had pulmonary thromboses with varying degrees of organization
      and recanalization. Immunohistochemical studies, special stains, and
      ultrastructural analyses revealed the thickened intimae to be composed
      predominantly of collagen, extracellular matrix, and smooth muscle cells.
      Ultrastructurally, endothelial cells from both early (no intimal thickening) and
      advanced lesions were plump, vacuolated, and often disorganized and detached from
      the subendothelial space. Increased numbers of macrophages (CD68+) were found in
      the adventitia and occasionally in the thickened intima and media. Rare, fully
      differentiated macrophages (CD68+, 25F9+) were demonstrated in lumina of affected
      vessels, some of which expressed p27 SIV gag protein. However, the lesion was not
      uniformly associated with localization of either viral protein or RNA at the site
      using immunohistochemistry or in situ hybridization, respectively. A similar
      arterial lesion has been described in children with AIDS. CONCLUSIONS: The
      morphologic findings in macaques and their similarity to arteriosclerotic changes
      induced by experimental endothelial damage in other species collectively suggest
      that arteriopathy in AIDS may represent a manifestation secondary to primary
      endothelial injury.

PMID- 1405493
TI  - Transforming growth factor-beta regulates increased ductus arteriosus endothelial
      glycosaminoglycan synthesis and a post-transcriptional mechanism controls
      increased smooth muscle fibronectin, features associated with intimal
      proliferation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In previous studies we established that there are developmentally
      regulated increases in endothelial hyaluronan (HA) and heparan sulfate (HS), and
      smooth muscle cell fibronectin (FN) related to the formation of intimal cushions,
      structures essential to the postnatal closure of the ductus arteriosus (DA). In
      this report, we investigated the mechanisms underlying these features to
      ascertain whether they were independently or coordinately regulated. EXPERIMENTAL
      DESIGN: We determined by assessing HA polymer size and by pulse labeling with
      [3H]glucosamine whether the increased glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) incorporated in
      DA compared with aorta (Ao) endothelial cell matrices reflected increased
      synthesis of HA and HS rather than decreased degradation. We assessed whether
      transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) may be responsible for the increased
      DA endothelial GAGs and smooth muscle FN production by confirming the presence of
      TGF-beta in DA tissue using immunohistochemistry and by assessing the effect of
      adding neutralizing antibodies to the cell cultures. We next determined whether
      the level of regulation of the increase in FN in DA smooth muscle cells was
      transcriptional or post-transcriptional by relating protein synthesis to steady
      state mRNA levels and to mRNA levels after serum stimulation. Using northern blot
      analyses with specific probes, we also explored the possibility that the FN
      produced by the DA and Ao was qualitatively different in the proportion of
      isoforms containing the V95+ region associated with secretion or the EIIIB+
      region that has been related to migration. RESULTS: We observed that HA polymer
      size produced by DA and Ao endothelial cells was similar and we further verified
      using pulse labeling that the increase in DA compared with Ao endothelial GAGs
      reflected increased synthesis of HA and HS rather than decreased degradation.
      There was increased immunostaining for TGF-beta in DA compared with Ao tissue and
      we showed that TGF-beta neutralizing antibodies reduced synthesis of GAGs by the
      DA endothelial cells to the level of that seen in the Ao cells, but did not
      reduce DA smooth muscle cell FN synthesis. The increase in FN synthesis by DA
      compared to Ao smooth muscle cells was not associated with increased levels of
      steady-state mRNA for FN. Furthermore, following serum-stimulated increases in FN
      mRNA, the DA yielded greater amounts of FN protein compared to Ao smooth muscle
      cells. The increased FN production by the DA smooth muscle cells could not be
      attributed to a relative lack of degradation of FN protein or mRNA, or to
      qualitative differences which might influence secretion, as both cell types
      contained similar proportions of EIIIB+ and V95+ isoforms of FN. CONCLUSIONS:
      These results would suggest that, in contrast to the TGF-beta dependent increase
      in DA endothelial GAG synthesis, the increase in DA smooth muscle FN synthesis
      arises through differences in post-transcriptional regulation that are likely
      independent of TGF-beta.

PMID- 1405494
TI  - Immunomorphometric studies of proteinuria in individual nephrons of rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Heterogeneity of proteinuria among nephrons has been directly shown
      by micropuncture analysis of experimental models. Since the number of nephrons
      per kidney that are accessible for micropuncture is very small, we have developed
      a new immunomorphometric method for directly studying proteinuria in a much
      larger number of individual nephrons. This new method is based on the luminal
      surfaces of thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle (TAL) cells collectively
      functioning as an immunoabsorbent column for anti-Tamm-Horsfall protein
      antibodies that enter the urinary filtrate of that nephron. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN:
      The distribution of luminal IgG deposits formed in TALs after injection of anti
      Tamm-Horsfall protein antibodies was studied in three models of experimental
      proteinuria in rats to define the relationship between the formation of luminal
      deposits and the overall level of albuminuria and to test the utility of this
      method in analyzing the heterogeneity of luminal deposits among nephrons in other
      models. RESULTS: A close relationship between the magnitude of albuminuria and
      the distances that luminal IgG deposits extended along the straight course of
      TALs in individual nephrons of rats injected with rabbit anti-Tamm-Horsfall
      protein antibodies was established in a model of proteinuria with a uniform
      pattern of glomerular hemodynamics, heterologous immune complex nephropathy in
      rats. In models with more heterogeneous glomerular hemodynamics, autologous
      immune complex nephropathy and aminonucleoside nephrosis, greater heterogeneity
      in luminal IgG deposit formation among nephrons was demonstrated. The distances
      that luminal IgG deposits extended along TALs was more variable in these models
      than in heterologous immune complex nephropathy rats with comparable levels of
      albuminuria. CONCLUSIONS: Variability in the distances that luminal IgG deposits
      extend along TALs reflects heterogeneity among nephrons. The luminal deposit
      technique provides a new means for direct analysis of variability of dysfunction
      in many individual nephrons not accessible to micropuncture.

PMID- 1405497
TI  - The importance of research in ambulatory generalist practices.

PMID- 1405496
TI  - Coopetition in rural health education: the South Carolina AHEC model.

PMID- 1405495
TI  - Chromogranin A, chromogranin B and secretogranin II mRNAs in the pituitary and
      adrenal glands of various mammals. Regulation of chromogranin A, chromogranin B
      and secretogranin II mRNA levels by estrogen.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The chromogranin/secretogranin (Cg/Sg) acidic proteins are widely
      distributed in vertebrate species. They are thought to play a role in hormone
      packaging within secretory granules, in hormone secretion, and serve as
      prohormones for various proteolytic cleavage products. The genes for most members
      of the Cg/Sg family have been cloned, so hybridization analysis can be used to
      analyze the distribution and regulation of Cg/Sg mRNAs in various vertebrate
      species. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The method of in situ hybridization was used to
      localize chromogranin A, chromogranin B, and secretogranin II in adrenal and
      pituitary tissues from laboratory animals and from humans in order to analyze the
      distribution of various Cg/Sg mRNAs in these tissues. To gain some insight into
      the regulation and possible functions of specific Cg/Sg members, female rats were
      ovariectomized for different periods with and without estrogen replacement and
      the pituitaries were subsequently analyzed by in situ hybridization and Northern
      hybridization analyses. Combined ISH and immunohistochemistry were used to
      localize the specific cell types in normal rat pituitary that expressed the mRNA
      for chromogranin A, chromogranin B, and secretogranin II. RESULTS: All three
      Cg/Sg mRNAs were detected in pituitary and adrenal tissues of rats, mice, dogs,
      monkeys, and humans. Combined in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry
      using rat pituitary revealed that the glycoprotein hormone-secreting cells
      expressed all three Cg/Sg mRNAs in approximately equal amounts. Ovariectomy
      followed by estrogen replacement resulted in decreased levels of CgA and SgII
      mRNAs. In contrast, the level of CgB mRNA, that was not changed by ovariectomy,
      was increased after estrogen treatment, probably secondary to prolactin cell
      hyperplasia. CONCLUSIONS: The three principal Cg/Sg mRNAs are present in the
      adrenal and pituitary of various vertebrates. Estrogen plays a significant role
      in regulating the mRNA levels of different Cgs/Sgs suggesting functional and
      regulatory differences in Cg/Sg proteins.

PMID- 1405498
TI  - South Carolina AHEC's student development and recruitment program: a model for
      increasing minority participation in the health profession.

PMID- 1405499
TI  - Preclinical primary care--preceptorships and the student health coalition.

PMID- 1405501
TI  - Academic/private practice partnerships in the USC family medicine junior
      clerkship.

PMID- 1405500
TI  - Development and implementation of a multi-site junior core clerkship in family
      medicine.

PMID- 1405502
TI  - Community-oriented primary care in a rural community: the Hamptom County project.

PMID- 1405503
TI  - The Winnsboro Rural Primary Care Education Project. University of South Carolina
      School of Medicine.

PMID- 1405504
TI  - Williamston--a model rural practice for resident education.

PMID- 1405505
TI  - Practice-based education for family medicine residents in Prosperity, Abbeville,
      and Ninety-Six.

PMID- 1405506
TI  - Physician recruitment and retention: AHEC's role.

PMID- 1405507
TI  - Changing medical education for tomorrow's practice.

PMID- 1405508
TI  - History of the South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium (S.C. AHEC).

PMID- 1405509
TI  - Blindness in South Carolina.
AB  - In less than 40 years the number of people aged 55 and older will constitute
      almost a third of the United States population. With the median age in South
      Carolina increasing, the incidence of visual impairment and blindness will rise.
      Most of the leading causes of blindness in South Carolina are age related. Most
      of these causes can be prevented or treated resulting in the preservation of
      functional vision. By increasing public awareness of blindness prevention
      opportunities, a significant reduction in blindness in South Carolina can be
      attained. By eliciting the help of all health professions in South Carolina the
      incidence of visual impairment/blindness can be reduced.

PMID- 1405510
TI  - Laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy: a continuing evolution of surgical
      technique.

PMID- 1405511
TI  - Should South Carolina physicians incorporate their practices?

PMID- 1405512
TI  - William Osler and medical societies.

PMID- 1405513
TI  - Robert B. Taft, M.D., (1899-1951) and his "Radium Hound".

PMID- 1405514
TI  - Aging Koreans' perceived conflicts in relationships with their offspring as a
      function of age, gender, cohabitation status, and marital status.
AB  - The Youn Scale was used to assess aging Koreans' perceived conflicts in
      relationships with their adult offspring. The sample consisted of 623 elderly
      Koreans between the ages of 55 and 84 years. Results indicated that aging Koreans
      experienced significantly more conflicts in their relationships as they grew
      older. There were also differences in the perceptions of problems in
      relationships with their offspring between those who lived together with their
      adult children and the those who did not, and also between those who were married
      and those who were single. The findings imply that aging Koreans want to have
      qualitatively better (i.e., warmer and closer) relationships with their
      offspring, regardless of their bereavement status and cohabitation status.

PMID- 1405516
TI  - Hostile press measure of fear of failure and its relation to child-rearing
      attitudes and behavior problems.

PMID- 1405517
TI  - Cultural variations in sex typing: a comparison of students in the United States,
      Germany, and India.

PMID- 1405515
TI  - Gender and self-disclosure revisited: personal and contextual variations in self
      disclosure to same-sex acquaintances.
AB  - Male and female American students who differed in masculinity and in femininity
      self-disclosed to a same-sex stranger in contexts that made either
      social/expressive motives or instrumental motives salient. The results were
      consistent with the primary assertion that measures of sex role identity are
      better predictors of contextual variations in self-disclosure than is sex per se.
      Sex consistently failed to predict subjects' willingness to self-disclose, both
      within and across contexts, whereas femininity promoted self-disclosure in the
      context that was clearly social and expressive in character. Although masculinity
      failed to exert the expected facilitative impact on self-disclosure within the
      instrumental context, it nonetheless influenced the results; androgynous
      subjects, who scored high in both masculinity and femininity, were more self
      revealing across contexts than was any other group.

PMID- 1405518
TI  - An experimental comparison of two AIDS prevention interventions among young
      Zimbabweans.

PMID- 1405519
TI  - Environmental concern and cooperative-competitive behavior in a simulated commons
      dilemma.
AB  - Commons-dilemma simulation games are designed to examine behavior associated with
      preservation and destruction of slowly regenerating natural resources. In
      Experiment 1, 120 introductory psychology students in the United States were
      assigned to high- or low-environmental-concern conditions based on a median split
      of their scores from a pretest. They then played either a points game, in which
      they selected numerical points from a slowly regenerating pool, or a tree game,
      in which they harvested trees from a jointly managed forest. After the game,
      subjects were asked to sign a petition for an environmental cause, to participate
      in a litter pick-up, and to participate in a recycling drive. Neither
      environmental concern nor proenvironmental behaviors were related to commons
      dilemma performance. In Experiment 2, 57 other introductory psychology students
      were assessed on environmental concern and Machiavellian personality, size of
      other players' harvesting choices, and other players' altruistic choices, all
      correlated with subjects' outcomes in the game. Overall, cooperation and
      competition were more important than environmental concern in predicting behavior
      in the commons dilemma simulation game.

PMID- 1405520
TI  - Cognitive profiles of Japanese and Canadian kindergarten and first-grade
      children.
AB  - Japanese kindergarten and first-grade children were given the Canadian Cognitive
      Abilities Test (CCAT), with slight cultural modifications. Widely used in
      Canadian and American schools, the CCAT consists of three batteries: verbal,
      quantitative, and nonverbal. The sample consisted of 454 Japanese children (234
      boys, 220 girls). Results were examined by 3-month age intervals (chronological
      age range, 60 to 87 months of age). Subjects' scores were compared with CCAT
      norms, based on the performance of 3,500 Canadian children at each age level. On
      each battery, the Japanese children outperformed their Canadian counterparts, but
      the differential was most apparent on the verbal battery. Moreover, on the
      nonverbal battery for kindergarten Japanese children (ages 60 to 72 months),
      significant differences appeared only with the 60- to 63-month age cohort.
      Results indicate that the higher achievement of Japanese children was apparent by
      the time they entered kindergarten and that higher Japanese educational
      productivity could not be solely attributed to schooling effects. Furthermore,
      the data indicate that the early academic advantage of Japanese children may
      widen as they progress through their first year of school. (Longitudinal
      replication studies are suggested for examination of the long-range impact of the
      early cognitive advantage of Japanese children.)

PMID- 1405521
TI  - Evaluation of a rapist as a function of expressed intent and remorse.
AB  - Two studies were conducted to examine the effects of expressed versus denied
      intent and remorse on evaluation of a rapist. In both studies, the rapist was
      evaluated more negatively and was assigned a longer prison sentence when
      expressing rather than denying intent. The rapist received more favorable
      evaluations when expressing rather than denying remorse. Manipulation of the
      rapist's expressed remorse did not significantly affect the recommended prison
      sentence. However, the recommended prison sentence did correlate significantly
      with participants' perceptions of the rapist's remorse. A multiple regression
      analysis indicated that recommended prison sentence could be best predicted by
      attributions of cause, intent, and remorse. The results were related to a growing
      body of research on accounting strategies, responsibility, and excuse making.

PMID- 1405522
TI  - Loneliness in middle childhood.

PMID- 1405523
TI  - Relationship between parental education and academic achievement of Xhosa
      children from broken and intact families.

PMID- 1405524
TI  - Consistency in cognitive appraisal of a stressful event over time.

PMID- 1405525
TI  - Children's reactions to faces before and after minor facial surgery.

PMID- 1405526
TI  - The effects of initial level of self-esteem, gender, and task outcome on causal
      attribution and affective arousal.

PMID- 1405528
TI  - The relationship of vallecular residue to oral involvement, reduced hyoid
      elevation, and epiglottic function.
AB  - The purpose of this investigation was to identify certain variables that may
      result in vallecular residue after swallowing. The relationship between
      vallecular residue and oral-stage dysphagia, reduced hyoid elevation, and
      movement of the epiglottis was assessed in 330 patients referred to the speech
      pathology section for evaluation of oropharyngeal swallowing function. Patients
      with vallecular residue were more likely to have oral involvement or deviant
      epiglottic function, characterized by an absence of epiglottic inversion or
      incomplete inversion, than patients without vallecular residue. Although the
      primary focus of the study was between vallecular residue and the other select
      variables, the interrelationships among the three other variables were also
      studied. Patients with deviant epiglottic function were more likely to have oral
      involvement, reduced hyoid elevation, or vallecular residue than patients without
      deviant epiglottic function and patients with reduced hyoid elevation were more
      likely to have oral involvement than those with normal hyoid elevation.
      Multivariate analysis revealed that the relationship between oral involvement and
      deviant epiglottic function, present in the bivariate analysis, was not
      significant when controlling for other relationships in the model. The
      relationship between primary medical diagnostic category and the presence/absence
      of vallecular residue as well as the other dichotomous variables varied between
      and within diagnostic categories.

PMID- 1405527
TI  - Quantitative description of the dysarthria in women with amyotrophic lateral
      sclerosis.
AB  - Speech intelligibility and its phonetic and acoustic correlates were studied in a
      group of 10 women with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Intelligibility
      assessment with a word-identification test indicated that the most disrupted
      phonetic features pertained to velopharyngeal valving, lingual function for
      consonant contrasts of place and manner, and syllable shape. An acoustic
      signature analysis based on trajectories of the first and second formants in
      selected monosyllabic test words revealed that the mean slope of the second
      formant (F2) was reduced compared with that of a normal geriatric control group.
      This F2 slope reduction is interpreted to reflect loss of lingual motoneurons.
      Acoustic measures of phonatory function for sustained vowel prolongation
      demonstrated abnormalities in fundamental frequency, perturbations of frequency
      (jitter) and amplitude (shimmer), and signal-to-noise ratio. The data for women
      with ALS are compared with data for a normal geriatric control group of women and
      with data for a group of 25 men with ALS (Kent et al., 1990). Although the
      overall ranking of errors was similar for males and females with ALS, men were
      more likely to have impairments of voicing in syllable-initial position.

PMID- 1405529
TI  - Parent verbal interactions and speech rate: a case study in stuttering.
AB  - This single-case study of indirect stuttering treatment is intended to identify
      variables for further research. The study used post hoc analyses of changes in
      parent speech variables and changes in the child's stuttering. The analysis was
      conducted in two parts. Study I examined the relationships between the child's
      percent syllables stuttered and the parents' speech rates and percentages of
      nonaccepting statements, interruptions, questions, nonaccepting questions, and
      talk time. The only parent variable significantly correlated with the child's
      stuttering was the mother's speech rate. In Study II the child's percent
      syllables stuttered were subdivided into primary (effortless) and secondary
      (tense) stuttering. Each category was then correlated with the parent variables
      examined previously. Results suggested that the parent variables that were
      significantly related to the child's primary stuttering were not the same as
      those significantly related to her secondary stuttering. Specific parent
      variables are suggested for further study.

PMID- 1405530
TI  - A longitudinal study of stuttering in children: a preliminary report.
AB  - The objectives of this pilot study were to establish methods for longitudinal
      research of stuttering in children and to provide preliminary data on the
      variations that occur in disfluencies during the developmental course of
      stuttering. Twenty-seven preschool-aged children were followed for a minimum of 2
      years shortly after they began stuttering. Tape-recorded speech samples were
      obtained from the children at several intervals during this period. The number of
      various types of disfluencies was counted in the speech samples obtained in each
      testing period. Twenty-one children continued to be followed for varying periods
      of up to 12 years. Eighteen of the 27 subjects received a few speech treatment
      sessions during the initial period of the study, whereas 9 children did not
      receive direct treatment. Results indicated that for the two subgroups there was
      a marked deceleration over time in the mean frequency of stuttering-like
      disfluencies. Individual subjects' data showed considerable variability in the
      longitudinal development of disfluency but most subjects followed the patterns of
      the group means. Much of the reduction took place during the early stage of the
      disorder, especially near the end of the first year post-onset. There were
      indications that group differences between chronic and recovering stutterers
      become distinct by approximately 20 months post-onset.

PMID- 1405531
TI  - Vocal tract steadiness: a measure of phonatory and upper airway motor control
      during phonation in dysarthria.
AB  - Acoustic analyses of upper airway and phonatory stability were conducted on
      samples of sustained phonation to evaluate the relation between laryngeal and
      articulomotor stability for 31 patients with dysarthria and 12 non-dysarthric
      control subjects. Significantly higher values were found for the variability in
      fundamental frequency and format frequency of patients who have Huntington's
      disease compared with normal subjects and patients with Parkinson's disease. No
      significant correlations were found between format frequency variability and the
      variability of the fundamental frequency for any subject group. These findings
      are discussed as they pertain to the relationship between phonatory and upper
      airway subsystems and the evaluation of vocal tract motor control impairments in
      dysarthria.

PMID- 1405532
TI  - Locus equations as an index of coarticulation for place of articulation
      distinctions in children.
AB  - Locus equations were investigated as a phonetic index for children's production
      of stop + vowel tokens. Locus equations are straight-line regression fits to data
      points formed by plotting onsets of F2 transitions along the ordinate and their
      corresponding midvowel nuclei along the abscissa. Such functions for adult speech
      have been found to be extremely linear with slope and y-intercept values
      contrastively distinctive across place of articulation. Sixteen children, aged 3
      5 years, produced /bVt/, /dVt/, and /gVt/ tokens embedded in a carrier phrase and
      repeated in randomized order a minimum of three times. Six medial vowel contexts
      were used [i, I, ae, [symbol: see text], a, u]. Both individual and group mean
      scatterplots were extremely linear and highly remniscent of adult prototypes.
      While labial and velar slopes exhibited some degree of overlap, labial versus
      alveolar and alveolar versus velar slopes were significantly different. All y
      intercepts as a function of place of articulation were significantly different.
      Compared to adult norms, intersubject variability of slope and y-intercept ranges
      were greater for children. Locus equations can provide a phonetic descriptor for
      a child's attainment of stop place categories seeking to achieve the adult
      standard of a balance between coarticulatory adjustments and contrastive
      distinctiveness.

PMID- 1405533
TI  - Onset of stuttering in preschool children: selected factors.
AB  - This investigation provides updated information on the onset of stuttering,
      explores variations in the onset, and studies possible relationship of stuttering
      onset to the factors of age, gender, familial history, severity, and stress. Data
      were obtained for 87 preschool children through parent interviews, using a
      standardized questionnaire. Interviews were conducted within 12 months after the
      disorder was first diagnosed. Results for selected items indicated that onset
      tended to occur at an earlier age than was previously thought and was sudden
      and/or severe in a substantial number of cases. Physical or emotional stress and
      familial histories of stuttering were reported for many of the participating
      children. A significant gender factor was found. About twice as many boys as
      girls stuttered and girls began stuttering at a significantly earlier age. There
      was a positive relationship between severe stuttering and sudden onset. Several
      other tendencies for relationship between factors were either weak or not
      significant for the present sample size. The findings are discussed with special
      reference to the possible relationship between stuttering onset and maturational
      processes and the possible contribution of data on onset to the differentiation
      of stutterers.

PMID- 1405534
TI  - The relationship between communication attitude, anxiety, and depression in
      stutterers and nonstutterers.
AB  - People who stutter are frequently viewed as more anxious than nonstutterers and
      as being depressed. Further, a strong and pervasive stereotype is held by
      nonstutterers that people who stutter are guarded, nervous, and tense. This study
      examined self-perceptions of general state and trait anxiety, depression, and
      communication attitude in matched groups of stutterers and nonstutterers. Results
      refute the assertion that people who stutter are more anxious or depressed than
      those who do not. Anxiety and depression are not related to self-ratings of
      stuttering severity. Communication attitude is negative for this group of people
      who stutter and becomes increasingly negative as self-ratings of stuttering
      become more severe. People who stutter, grouped by severity rating, differed in
      the strength of the relation between measures of communication attitude, anxiety,
      and depression. Findings suggest that the anxiety of people who stutter is
      restricted to their attitude towards communication situations and that it is a
      rational response to negative communication experiences.

PMID- 1405535
TI  - Constancy of interstress intervals in the fluent speech of people who stutter
      during adaptation trials.
AB  - The constancy of interstress intervals (ISIs) was studied in the fluent speech of
      2 people who stutter during five adaptation trials. Counter to prediction, ISI
      constancy did not improve as an accompaniment to the reduction of stuttering from
      Readings 1-5. Overall, the subjects' ISIs were substantially more variable in
      duration than those of 2 nonstutterers. This was accounted for by the subjects'
      unusually long ISIs in utterances that placed greater demands on speech motor
      control processes. Implications for impairment source factors in stuttering are
      discussed.

PMID- 1405536
TI  - Did primitive man really talk like an ape?

PMID- 1405537
TI  - Commentary on "A theory of neuropsycholinguistic function in stuttering".

PMID- 1405538
TI  - Factors underlying neuropsychological test performance in chronic severe
      traumatic brain injury.
AB  - The neuropsychological test performance of subjects with traumatic brain injury
      (TBI) of the closed head type was investigated using a test battery consisting of
      traditional clinical instruments with expanded language measures. TBI subjects
      were specifically selected to include only those with a pattern of predominantly
      diffuse cerebral injury to allow conclusions regarding language performance in
      the absence of focal aphasia-producing lesions. Factor analysis of the test
      scores resulted in the extraction of three interpretable factors associated with
      performance on this battery: perceptual, general language, and mental efficiency.
      The results were compared to those obtained in previous factor-analytic studies
      of brain-damaged subjects, revealing patterns for the language/verbal subtests
      that diverged from those observed formerly. Two explanations are considered for
      these findings, the first interpretation centering on the notion of select
      impairments to specific cognitive processes and the second relating to
      impairments in the capacity to allocate resources effectively.

PMID- 1405539
TI  - Residual effects of preschool phonology disorders in grade school, adolescence,
      and adulthood.
AB  - This study used a cross-sectional design to examine the performance of people
      with a history of a preschool phonology disorder on measures of phonology,
      reading, and spelling at preschool age (n = 20), grade school age (n = 23),
      adolescence (n = 17), and adulthood (n = 17). Results showed that at each age
      group, subjects with a history of a disorder performed more poorly than control
      subjects matched for age, sex, and socioeconomic status in all domains.
      Comparisons across each successive age group revealed a higher performance on
      measures from preschool to grade school age, and a smaller but steady improvement
      from grade school age to adolescence to adulthood. Subjects with a history of
      other language problems, in addition to the phonology disorder overall, performed
      more poorly than subjects with a history of a preschool phonology disorder alone
      on the reading and spelling measures. These findings suggest that remnants of a
      preschool phonology disorder are detectable past grade school age and into
      adulthood.

PMID- 1405540
TI  - Diagnosing specific language impairment in adults for the purpose of pedigree
      analysis.
AB  - Two sets of diagnostic measures were administered to a group of 35 adults with
      well-documented histories of specific language impairment and to a control group
      of 35 normal language users. These measures involved the comprehension and
      production of words and sentences in formal and spontaneous speaking activities
      as well as measures of verbal memory and auditory temporal perceptual ability.
      One set of tasks was administered in a standard face-to-face setting and the
      other set was given over the telephone. Multivariate and univariate tests
      indicated that the adults with a history of specific language impairment
      performed more poorly on all tasks administered. A discriminant analysis of the
      two sets of measures indicated that four measures in each set identified language
      impaired individuals with 97% accuracy for the face-to-face battery and 95%
      accuracy for the telephone battery. These results suggest that it should be
      possible to diagnose specific language impairment in the adult family members of
      children with specific language impairment and therefore permit accurate
      construction of pedigrees for specific language impairment.

PMID- 1405541
TI  - Message-encoding techniques for augmentative communication systems: the recall
      performances of adults with severe speech impairments.
AB  - This study investigated the cognitive and linguistic processing demands of
      message-encoding techniques used to retrieve prestored messages from computer
      based augmentative communication systems. Twelve physically disabled adults with
      severe speech impairments participated in six counterbalanced experimental
      conditions, consisting of three encoding techniques (salient letter, letter
      category, and iconic codes), each in a personalized condition in which subjects
      selected their own codes and in a nonpersonalized condition in which codes were
      preselected by a clinician. In each of the experimental conditions, the subjects
      participated in five learning and testing sessions. During these sessions, the
      subjects learned the codes for lists of 80 messages, half of which involved
      concrete referents and half abstract concepts. Results indicated that the
      subjects were more accurate in recalling the codes to retrieve preprogrammed
      messages when using the two letter encoding techniques than when using the iconic
      technique. No reliable differences were found between recall performances with
      personalized codes and with nonpersonalized ones for any of the three encoding
      techniques. Code recall improved consistently across the series of learning
      sessions; there were no significant differences in the rates of learning across
      the encoding techniques. Subjects were found to be more accurate at recalling the
      codes to retrieve concrete messages than those to retrieve abstract messages.

PMID- 1405542
TI  - Instructing facilitators to support the communication of people who use
      augmentative communication systems.
AB  - A single-subject multiple-baseline design, replicated across three dyads, was
      used to examine the efficacy of instructing facilitators (i.e, significant
      others) to promote communication with people who use augmentative and alternative
      communication (AAC) systems. Facilitators were instructed in four 1-hour sessions
      to decrease their conversational control and provide more opportunities for the
      participants using AAC systems to communicate. Following instruction,
      facilitators decreased their rates of turn-taking and initiations and increased
      the proportion of turns that were responsive. Participants using AAC systems
      increased the frequency of their initiations. Following intervention, turn-taking
      and initiation patterns in the dyads were more reciprocal. Generalization
      occurred to the natural environment. Results suggest that facilitator instruction
      is an effective and efficient means of promoting greater participation in daily
      interactions by people who use AAC systems.

PMID- 1405543
TI  - Sources of variability in speechreading sentences: a generalizability analysis.
AB  - Generalizability theory (Cronbach, Gleser, Nanda, & Rajaratnam, 1972) was used to
      estimate the percentage of variance explained by three sources of variability in
      speechreading sentences: the subject, the talker, and the sentence materials.
      Videodisc recordings of the 100 CID Everyday Sentences (Davis & Silverman, 1970),
      spoken by a male and a female talker, were presented to 104 subjects with normal
      hearing. For performance on individual sentences (total number of words correct),
      the most important systematic sources of variability were the sentence (26.3%),
      the speechreader (10.5%), the talker (4.9%), and the interaction of talker and
      sentence (5.1%). Residual error accounted for 51.2% of the variance.
      Generalizability functions are presented, as a function of test length, for five
      models of test administration and interpretation. For 10-, 50-, and 100-item
      lists, generalizability is predicted to be .70, .92, and .96, respectively, for a
      single talker. Psychometric characteristics of these recordings of the CID
      sentences are also presented.

PMID- 1405545
TI  - The clinical utility of the P3 AERP in children with auditory processing
      disorders.
AB  - This study investigated whether the P3 AERP could be used to reflect behavioral
      changes resulting from therapeutic intervention in a group of children with
      central auditory processing disorders (CAPDs). Results showed a significant
      decrease in P3 latency, along with a significant increase in P3 amplitude,
      following a structured treatment program. No changes occurred in either the CAPD
      control group or in the normal control group. These results suggest that the P3
      AERP latency and amplitude measures are sensitive to changes in clinical status
      following a treatment program.

PMID- 1405544
TI  - Age-related differences in processing dynamic information to identify vowel
      quality.
AB  - This study examined age-related differences in the use of dynamic acoustic
      information (in the form of formant transitions) to identify vowel quality in
      CVCs. Two versions of 61 naturally produced, commonly occurring, monosyllabic
      English words were created: a control version (the unmodified whole word) and a
      silent-center version (in which approximately 62% of the medial vowel was
      replaced by silence). A group of normal-hearing young adults (19-25 years old)
      and older adults (61-75 years old) identified these tokens. The older subjects
      were found to be significantly worse than the younger subjects at identifying the
      medial vowel and the initial and final consonants in the silent-center condition.
      These results support the hypothesis of an age-related decrement in the ability
      to process dynamic perceptual cues in the perception of vowel quality.

PMID- 1405546
TI  - Performance over time of congenitally deaf and postlingually deafened children
      using a multichannel cochlear implant.
AB  - The speech perception performance of 10 congenitally deaf and 3 postlingually
      deafened children who received the Cochlear Corporation multichannel cochlear
      implant was examined and compared. The children were tested preimplant and at 6
      month intervals up to 2 years using the Monosyllable-Trochee-Spondee test (MTS),
      the Word Intelligibility by Picture Identification test (WIPI), and Phonetically
      Balanced Kindergarten (PB-K) or Northwestern University List 6 (NU-6) word lists.
      The postlingually deafened children exhibited significantly improved performance
      on open- and closed-set tests of word recognition after 6 months of implant use,
      a pattern similar to that of postlingually deafened adult implant users. In
      contrast, the congenitally deaf children did not exhibit measurably improved
      performance on speech perception tests until after 12 months or more of implant
      use. With as much as 18-24 months of use, however, some congenitally deaf
      children demonstrated limited open-set word recognition.

PMID- 1405547
TI  - The development and cross-validation of a self-report inventory to assess pure
      tone threshold hearing sensitivity.
AB  - Previous attempts to assess hearing loss by means of self-report survey items
      have shown only low to moderate correlations with actual audiometric measures,
      probably because these attempts used items with high face validity rather than
      laboratory-tested validity. Beginning with a pool of 108 items used with 384
      individuals, we developed a self-report inventory (see Appendix) suitable for
      group testing or survey administration, which appears to have high correlation
      with pure-tone hearing thresholds. The inventory was then cross-validated against
      laboratory audiometric measures in a separate sample of 422 subjects. The
      resulting 12-item Hearing Screening Inventory (HSI) was shown to be reliable with
      an internal consistency coefficient (alpha) of 0.89 and test-retest stability
      coefficient of 0.88. The correlation between pure-tone hearing thresholds in the
      better ear and the HSI scores for the combined samples was r = 0.81. The correct
      classification rate for the HSI was 92.1% for a low fence of 25-dB hearing level
      and 93.4% for a high fence of 55-dB hearing level. A conversion equation with
      estimated variability is also provided for point estimates of pure-tone hearing
      thresholds from the HSI scores. A copy of the inventory and scoring procedure is
      appended to this report.

PMID- 1405548
TI  - Some psychometric properties of the Test of Basic Auditory Capabilities (TBAC).
AB  - This study examined some psychometric properties of the Test of Basic Auditory
      Capabilities (TBAC). Two experiments are described that evaluate the psychometric
      functions and the test-retest reliability of the tests comprising the TBAC. The
      psychometric functions were established for young listeners with normal hearing
      and the test-retest reliability was evaluated both with young listeners with
      normal hearing and elderly listeners with hearing impairment. Results indicate
      that maximum scores on the TBAC are reached at presentation levels of at least 65
      75 dB SPL. In addition, the reliability analyses indicate that the TBAC is a
      reliable measure for both young listeners with normal hearing and elderly
      listeners with hearing impairment when at least one practice test is given.

PMID- 1405549
TI  - Equivalent ear canal volumes in children pre- and post-tympanostomy tube
      insertion.
AB  - Pre- and postoperative equivalent ear canal volume measures were obtained from a
      group of 334 children ranging in age from 6 weeks to 6.7 years. The purpose of
      the study was to develop volumetric guidelines for the determination of
      tympanostomy tube patency. For children 4 years and older, almost no ambiguity
      existed in making this determination accurately. For younger children, the pre-
      and postoperative distributions overlap. A criterion value of greater than or
      equal to 1.0 cm3 as an indicator of a tympanic membrane perforation appears to
      yield the lowest possible error rate. When both pre- and postoperative measures
      are available, a difference of greater than or equal to 0.4 cm3 can be used in
      conjunction with the absolute value to identify a patent tympanostomy tube.

PMID- 1405550
TI  - Detection and recognition of stop consonants by normal-hearing and hearing
      impaired listeners.
AB  - This study examined the possibility that hearing-impaired listeners, in addition
      to displaying poorer-than-normal recognition of speech presented in background
      noise, require a larger signal-to-noise ratio for the detection of the speech
      sounds. Psychometric functions for the detection and recognition of stop
      consonants were obtained from both normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners.
      Expressing the speech levels in terms of their short-term spectra, the detection
      of consonants for both subject groups occurred at the same signal-to-noise ratio.
      In contrast, the hearing-impaired listeners displayed poorer recognition
      performance than the normal-hearing listeners. These results imply that the
      higher signal-to-noise ratios required for a given level of recognition by some
      subjects with hearing loss are not due in part to a deficit in detection of the
      signals in the masking noise, but rather are due exclusively to a deficit in
      recognition.

PMID- 1405551
TI  - Frequency-importance functions for words in high- and low-context sentences.
AB  - The relative importance and absolute contributions of various spectral regions to
      speech intelligibility under conditions of either neutral or predictable
      sentential context were examined. Specifically, the frequency-importance
      functions for a set of monosyllabic words embedded in a highly predictive
      sentence context versus a sentence with little predictive information were
      developed using Articulation Index (AI) methods. Forty-two young normal-hearing
      adults heard sentences presented at signal-to-noise ratios from -8 to +14 dB in a
      noise shaped to conform to the peak spectrum of the speech. Results indicated
      only slight differences in 1/3-octave importance functions due to differences in
      semantic context, although the crossovers differed by a constant 180 Hz.
      Methodological and theoretical aspects of parameter estimation in the AI model
      are discussed. The results suggest that semantic context, as defined by these
      conditions, may alter frequency-importance relationships in addition to the
      dynamic range over which intelligibility rises.

PMID- 1405552
TI  - Accuracy of intramedullary alignment in total knee replacement.
AB  - The accuracy of a system of intramedullary alignment using 6 mm rods was assessed
      in 100 patients undergoing total knee replacements. Post-operative, full length
      weight-bearing X-rays were used; the mechanical axis from head was used as the
      reference axis. The method of calculating the errors produced by flexion and
      rotation of the limb in relation to the X-ray beam is described, the mean
      deviation from the mechanical axis in 100 cases being 0.67 degrees valgus with a
      standard deviation of 2.47 degrees. The maximum error was 6.68 degrees valgus and
      4.62 degrees varus. The purpose of this study is twofold, first to assess the
      accuracy of this system of intramedullary alignment and, second, to develop a
      method of correcting for apparent radiological misalignment using standard
      radiographic equipment.

PMID- 1405553
TI  - An experimental apparatus for the simulation of three-dimensional movements in
      orthodontics.
AB  - An apparatus for the study of three-dimensional force systems and the resulting
      movements during orthodontic treatment is presented. The instrument consists of
      two force-torque transducers which are capable of recording both forces and
      torques simultaneously, in all spatial directions. Each sensor has a measuring
      range of 15N (450 Nmm) and a resolution of 0.02 N (0.5 Nmm) and is mounted on a
      set of three translational and three rotational stages driven by stepping motors.
      Positioning accuracy is in the range of 1 micron and 0.01 degrees respectively.
      The apparatus is computer controlled and supported by comprehensive software.

PMID- 1405554
TI  - Aseptic loosening of the femoral component in cemented total hip replacement.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to identify factors which predispose to aseptic
      loosening of the femoral component in cemented total hip replacement. Its design
      was based on rigid selection criteria, so that successful and loose replacements
      which employed the same surgical technique were compared. Measurements of patient
      anatomy and of the insertion of the femoral component were made, by an accurate
      computer technique, on initial post-operative radiographs. Loosening was
      associated with heavier patients with a wider medullary canal which was flared
      proximally. This difference in anatomy led to differing distributions of cement
      in the successful and loose replacements. Medial cement-bone demarcation, at the
      mid-stem level, was also associated with loosening. These findings indicate the
      importance of optimizing the size of the prosthesis with respect to the femoral
      morphology.

PMID- 1405555
TI  - Oxygen exchange mechanisms in the human placenta: mathematical modelling and
      simulation.
AB  - An exact knowledge of the human fetus's respiratory mechanisms is still lacking;
      in particular, the role of human placental anatomy in oxygen exchange has not yet
      been studied satisfactorily. In this paper, a mathematical model of placenta as
      O2 exchanger between maternal and fetal blood was developed; it led to the
      solution of equations based upon diffusion laws and the haemoglobin dissociation
      curve. Particular care was taken to represent the regimen of laminar motion or
      whirling into the capillaries. Theoretical results were compared, under
      physiological conditions, with clinical data relating to fetal oxygenated blood p
      O2 during the second half of gestation (20th-38th weeks), and a theoretical
      confirmation of the decreasing effectiveness of placental O2 exchange during
      gestation was found. The result was able to describe oxygen exchange during a
      period in which clinical data are scanty (23rd-30th weeks). The effects of some
      pathological events on O2 exchange were then simulated. Model parameters were
      changed to simulate the effects on oxygen exchange of some typical pathological
      variations of placental anatomical features: exchange surface thickness and
      capillary length. The curves obtained for different gestational ages can easily
      be correlated with echographic measures of placental volume and dimensions of
      placental capillaries. The results also show that the human placenta is more
      sensitive to pathologies when it is young than at term of gestation.

PMID- 1405556
TI  - Pulse transmission and impedance characteristics of a non-uniform circulatory
      model.
AB  - In recent years, the technique of non-uniform transmission lines has been
      utilized in the synthesis of lines feeding antennae from transmitters, thereby
      maintaining matching over a wide band of frequencies and with varying load. For
      this reason, an electrical model based on that technique stems from the
      resemblance between the two systems: in both the feeding medium is non-uniform,
      and it is necessary to maintain a good response over a wide range of frequencies.
      Our non-uniform transmission line model of the arterial system, introduced in an
      earlier publication, supplies comprehensive answers to many questions dealing
      with the research into this system. Whereas in our earlier model the ohmic
      resistance R was considered small and not considered in the calculations, it is
      included in the present study. We have calculated the variation of the input
      impedance with the frequency and distance from the source, the effect of occluded
      main branches, augmentation of the pressure wave, the relationship between body
      size and heart rate and the matching of impedances at large bifurcations. We
      found that our calculated results agree very well with the quantitative results
      measured by other investigators in the field.

PMID- 1405557
TI  - Experimental results on the rewarming of a cryopreserved organ phantom in a UHF
      field.
AB  - We describe a UHF rewarming system which has been used to measure warming rates,
      and particularly the uniformity of warming on three orthogonal axes, in a rabbit
      kidney phantom 36 mm in diameter. The stabilizing effect is demonstrated of using
      an E-field directed along the temperature gradient (or normal to any surface of
      dielectric discontinuity). One hot spot remains unaccounted for. The average
      warming rates and power dissipation are related to the volumetric heat capacity
      of the phantom material at -30 degrees C.

PMID- 1405558
TI  - Development of a digital adaptive control system for PO2 regulation in a membrane
      oxygenator.
AB  - Regulation of gas exchange in artificial lungs (oxygenators) during
      cardiopulmonary bypass is normally achieved by manual control of the gas
      composition and flow in response to intermittent sampling of the arterial partial
      pressures of oxygen (PaO2) and carbon dioxide (PaCO2). Manual control often
      results in abnormal blood gases which have been implicated in patient morbidity
      as well as influencing perfusion safety. Fine control of PaO2 and PaCO2 may be
      achieved by a combination of an in-line blood gas monitoring system and a
      membrane type oxygenator which is automatically regulated. The overall dynamics
      of the oxygenation process and control system components are complex and have
      nonlinear, multivariable and time-varying characteristics. Consequently, an
      adaptive control system approach is necessary. The implementation of a digital
      self-tuning control regime for PaO2 is described here. The controller is based on
      an explicit Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) self-tuning control design which is
      presented using a polynomial equation approach. The controller performance was
      investigated in in vitro experiments. The self-tuner performed satisfactorily
      with various sensor/oxygenator combinations for blood flow and temperature load
      disturbances. In contrast, a nonadaptive (proportional-integral, PI) type of
      control system was found to be unsuitable.

PMID- 1405559
TI  - An optical three-dimensional technique for topographical descriptions of surgical
      implants.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to develop a noncontacting optical method for the
      topographical description of surfaces. The method is suitable for all types of
      surgical implants, including threaded ones. The TopScan 3D system employs a
      scanning spot and a stationary object at a relatively large working distance to
      enable proper object alignment, and the depth discrimination property of confocal
      laser scanning microscopy forms the basis of its surface profiling ability.
      Scanning is achieved by precision movement of the microscope objective along
      three orthogonal axes (X, Y, Z). Three-dimensional surface topographical maps are
      produced by performing a series of parallel XZ scans in Y steps. Eighty seven
      screw-shaped titanium implants were divided into five groups each with a
      different surface roughness. The five groups were obtained by varying the size of
      the blasting particles and by leaving one group 'as-machined'. By using the
      TopScan 3D approach, we were able to calculate different kinds of surface
      roughness parameters and to produce visual images from the groups. As expected,
      the surfaces blasted with large particles showed higher values for the surface
      parameters than those blasted with smaller particles; the latter had higher
      values than the 'as-machined' screws.

PMID- 1405560
TI  - Image processing system for interpreting motion in American Sign Language.
AB  - In this paper, an image processing algorithm is presented for the interpretation
      of the American Sign Language (ASL), which is one of the sign languages used by
      the majority of the deaf community. The process involves detection of hand
      motion, tracking the hand location based on the motion and classification of
      signs using adaptive clustering of stop positions, simple shape of the
      trajectory, and matching of the hand shape at the stop position.

PMID- 1405561
TI  - Development of a humidifier for patient ventilation using a semi-permeable tube
      to minimize system condensate.
AB  - Condensation in the external airways of patient ventilation systems using
      conventional warm-water humidifiers increases the risk of bacterial
      contamination. Condensate formation can be reduced by heating the external airway
      and reducing the length of tubing between the patient and humidifier. The method
      described incorporates the humidifying element within the interconnecting tubing
      itself. Air is supplied through two semi-permeable tubes, of
      polytetrafluoroethylene, which are encased in an outer shell. A warm-water jacket
      is maintained in the shell; this is the source of heat and water vapour which
      diffuses through the semi-permeable tube wall and into the patient's air supply.
      An evaluation of performance and an initial clinical trial are reported.

PMID- 1405562
TI  - Is fetal heart rate monitoring sufficiently sensitive to detect changes during
      labour?
AB  - Although fetal monitoring is a common clinical procedure, there is little
      quantitative evidence that it can detect changes occurring during labour. We
      present quantitative data comparing the first and second stage of labour, from 21
      labours resulting in a normal fetal outcome. A range of fetal heart rate
      variables was calculated from the output of a fetal heart rate monitor.
      Significant changes were detected in baseline fetal heart rate (P less than
      0.005), heart rate variability (P less than 0.05), number of dips (P less than
      0.01) and their depth (P less than 0.01). The results encourage confidence in the
      sensitivity of fetal monitoring for the detection of changes in a number of fetal
      heart rate variables during the course of labour.

PMID- 1405563
TI  - Use of hot wire anemometry to measure velocity of the limb during human movement.
AB  - Hot film anemometry, x-configuration probes were used in two experiments to
      evaluate their effectiveness at measurement of limb velocity. Data from tests
      with a probe attached to the end of a pendulum establish that the hot films
      measure velocity in the swing phase within 0.098 ms-1. The kinetic energy per
      unit mass of the pendulum was predicted within +/- 0.005 m2 s-2, from the
      measured velocity. In gait experiments with one human subject at speeds greater
      than 0.25 ms-1, the hot film anemometer and a video system predicted speeds
      within 0.083 ms-1. The hot film data are electronic signals that are easily
      stored and processed. The results from these experiments demonstrate that hot
      film anemometry is an effective and efficient method for direct measurement and
      analysis of the limb velocity.

PMID- 1405564
TI  - Technique for the application of physiological loading to soft tissue in vitro.

PMID- 1405565
TI  - Monitoring movement: an electronic event counter.

PMID- 1405566
TI  - Comment on: bending and fracture of the femoral component in cemented total hip
      replacement.

PMID- 1405567
TI  - Influence of metabolic, mechanical and physique variables on middle distance
      running.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine the variables that most limit middle
      distance run performance e.g. 800, 1500 and 3000 meters. A predictive research
      design was employed as 56 runners ran each of the three distances and were
      evaluated for VO2max, running mechanics, physique variables, ventilatory
      threshold, and anaerobic capacity and power. The data were analyzed by
      correlation procedures and stepwise regression analysis. The variables that most
      limited 1500 and 3000 meter (m) run performance were identical. Maximal oxygen
      uptake was the most important, but stride length and anaerobic capacity and power
      also contributed significantly. Run performance at 800 m was influenced by a
      considerably different set of variables. Peak velocity was most important, but
      VO2max, % fat and thigh length also contributed significantly. These data
      indicate that 1500 and 3000 m runners can compete favorably at either distance,
      while 800 m runners have a different profile and would experience difficulty
      competing at 1500 and 3000 meters.

PMID- 1405568
TI  - Effect of high velocity resistance training on peak torque, cross sectional area
      and myofibrillar ATPase activity.
AB  - The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of high velocity
      resistance (HVR) training on peak torque (PT), cross sectional area (CSA) and
      myofibrillar ATPase activity of the knee extensors. HVR training was performed in
      a circuit on hydraulic exercise equipment, 4 times a week for 5 weeks at an
      angular velocity of approximately 3.14 rad.s-1. Knee extension PT was determined
      on a Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer and CSA of the quadriceps femoris muscle was
      assessed using computer tomography (CT) scanning. Muscle biopsies were obtained
      from the lateral quadriceps muscle and were analyzed for myofibrillar ATPase
      activity. Knee extension peak torque was significantly increased at 1.57, 2.09,
      3.14, 3.66 and 4.19 rad.s-1. Myofibrillar ATPase activity and CSA was also
      significantly increased after HVR training. These findings showed that short-term
      high velocity resistance training enhances the in vivo torque/velocity curve
      especially at fast angular velocities and these changes are partly attributed to
      an increase in muscle CSA and activity of myofibrillar ATPase.

PMID- 1405569
TI  - Sports-related epiphyseal injuries of the lower extremity. An epidemiologic
      study.
AB  - Sports-related epiphyseal injuries in children and adolescents have been becoming
      more prevalent during recent years. We report 85 patients with epiphyseal
      fractures of the lower extremity treated in our hospital during the last twenty
      years, of which 60 were males and 25 females with an average age of 12.6 years
      (range 4 to 17 years of age). The injuries were sustained during soccer in 28%
      and during alpine skiing in 26% of the cases, of which the former was responsible
      for most of the injuries reported in males and the latter for those in females.
      The most frequently seen localizations were in the distal tibial epiphysis (31
      cases), followed by the distal fibula (17) and the proximal tibial epiphysis
      (15). Of the reported 85 epiphyseal fractures 30 were Salter-Harris type I
      injuries, 25 type II, 8 type III and 11 were type IV fractures, while 11 were
      avulsion fractures. Of these patients, 56% were treated surgically, while
      conservative treatment was chosen for 44% of the patients. Of the 49 patients
      available for follow-up, complications were documented in 9 instances, including
      3 leg length discrepancies, 4 axis deviations, one avascular necrosis of the
      femoral head and one case of osteomyelitis, of which 6 required corrective
      surgery.

PMID- 1405570
TI  - Strength training via high frequency electrical stimulation.
AB  - Twelve males and twelve females received 18 sessions of high frequency (2500 Hz)
      electrical stimulation of either the biceps brachii or triceps brachii muscles.
      Each session consisted of ten 10-second contractions separated by 50 seconds of
      rest. Pre- and post-test measurements included arm flexion and extension
      strength, endurance, girths and fatfolds. The analysis of variance revealed that
      there were no significant differences for any of the pre versus post parameters.
      These findings suggest that electrical stimulation, by itself, is not an adequate
      training stimulus in normal healthy muscles. The data support the contention that
      volitional training is required to gain strength.

PMID- 1405571
TI  - Effects of speed training on the fibre composition of the longissimus lumbaris
      muscle.
AB  - Thirty-six adult male and female Wistar rats were divided into three groups, each
      of which underwent different training programmes in which greater relevance was
      attached to the intensity of exercise than to its duration. Samples of the
      longissimus lumbaris muscle taken between the second and fourth lumbar vertebra,
      were stained with m-ATPase after acid preincubation at pH 4.4, and with NADH-TR.
      The most notable results obtained were: (a) none of the training programmes
      involved gave rise to changes in the ratio of type I: type II fibres; (b) the
      proportion of IIA fibres increased in all cases, while the proportion of IIB
      fibres decreased correspondingly; (c) the percentage of FT fibres decreased
      significantly, and in greater proportion than the decrease recorded in IIb
      fibres, and (d) specific speed training schedules led to greater changes in the
      fibre composition of this muscle.

PMID- 1405572
TI  - Blood lactate, glycerol and catecholamine in arm strokes, leg kicks and whole
      crawl strokes.
AB  - Lactate, glycerol, and catecholamine in the venous blood were determined in 8
      recreational swimmers following 60 sec of supramaximal arm strokes, kicks and the
      whole swim. The mean velocity of a whole stroke was higher than both arm strokes
      and kicks, and the mean velocity of arm strokes was higher when compared with
      kicks. There was a significant relationship between the mean velocity of arm
      strokes and the whole swim (r = 0.90; p less than 0.01). Peak blood lactate in
      the whole swim was higher than arm strokes (p less than 0.01) and kicks (p less
      than 0.01), and peak blood lactate in arm strokes was higher compared to kicks (p
      less than 0.01). The correlation coefficients between mean velocity and peak
      blood lactate in arm strokes, legs kick and whole swim were r = 0.72 (p less than
      0.05); r = 0.61 (n.s.) and r = 0.35 (n.s.), respectively. These results suggest
      (1) that lactate in the blood during the whole crawl stroke originates
      predominantly from the muscle groups which work the arm and (2) that glycogen
      included in the muscles of the upper body which is used during arm strokes was
      easily convertible into the propelling force during arm swim, while additional
      energy from the leg muscles is not fully sufficient to increase propulsion force
      in a linear manner.

PMID- 1405573
TI  - Respiratory muscle fatigue does not limit exercise performance during moderate
      endurance run.
AB  - The role of respiratory muscle fatigue in limiting exercise performance in well
      trained subjects is still controversial, especially as far as relatively short
      runs are concerned. To determine the occurrence of respiratory muscle impairment,
      we studied six well-trained athletes before, during (middle of the run) and after
      a 17 km run. They were all asked to produce the maximum effort they could during
      the race. Strength was assessed by measuring maximal inspiratory mouth pressure
      against close airways (MIP), dynamic lung volumes were monitored using a
      spirometer. No changes in forced vital capacity (FVC), maximal expiratory flow
      (PEF) and forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) were observed throughout the
      experiment. This suggested that functional residual capacity and subsequently the
      initial length of respiratory muscle were unchanged. Respiratory muscle strength
      did not significantly vary at the different time of measurements (154.8 +/- 20.9
      cm H2O at the beginning, 157.5 +/- 23.7 cm H2O after 7.5 km, 155.8 +/- 22.5 cm
      H2O at the end and 152.3 +/- 17.6 cm H2O after 30 min of recovery). We therefore
      conclude that respiratory muscle fatigue does not impair the exercise performance
      of well-trained athletes in a relatively short race. The difference between these
      results and others reported in literature, could be explained by the different
      degree of training of the subjects performing the race.

PMID- 1405574
TI  - Characteristics of the morphological and functional status of kayakers and
      canoeists.
AB  - A study of anthropometric and functional characteristics was conducted in a
      sample of 29 athletes, flatwater racers 18 kayakers and 11 canoeists. The results
      of morphological tests suggest an evident reduction of subcutaneous fat, above
      average values of limb circumferences (especially upper limbs) and of body mass,
      attributable to a high proportion of lean body mass. Trunk extension strength was
      to be below the average, while the strength of the remaining analyzed static
      movements were on the level of trained persons. Aerobic capacity, i.e. the
      functioning of the cardiopulmonary system, in the sample under discussion has
      shown above-average values, comparable to those obtained in athletes in the
      aerobic sports group. The results of discriminant analysis applied separately to
      morphological, dynamogenic and aerobic characteristics with the aim to identify
      possible differences between the two sports suggest that our sample constituted a
      homogeneous group, regardless of which of the two sports were practiced.

PMID- 1405575
TI  - Diet, hormonal, and metabolic factors affecting bone mineral density in
      adolescent amenorrheic and eumenorrheic female runners.
AB  - Seven adolescent female runners with secondary amenorrhea and six adolescent
      eumenorrheic female runners received dietary supplements of 1200 mg calcium
      carbonate and 400 IU vitamin D/d for 12 months. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the
      axial skeleton was measured by dual photon densitometry at the beginning and end
      of the 12 month period. Plasma estradiol and ionized calcium concentration were
      also determined. Bone mineral density decreased in two of the amenorrheic
      subjects, with the lowest estradiol values concurrent with the severest training
      regimen and highest calcium intake. There was a significant decrease in plasma
      estradiol concentration in the amenorrheic runners (p less than 0.05). Plasma
      ionized calcium and estradiol explained 99% of the variation in BMD (r2 = 0.999).
      A significant inverse relationship between plasma estradiol and miles run/week
      was observed (r2 = -0.748). Adolescent female runners who train extensively and
      have low plasma estradiol levels may be adversely affecting BMD despite
      supplemental calcium and vitamin D intake.

PMID- 1405576
TI  - Effect of treadmill exercise intensity on hepatic glutathione content and its
      relevance to mammary tumorigenesis.
AB  - These experiments assessed the role that exercise-induced alterations in
      glutathione metabolism might play in the acceleration of breast cancer
      development in rats subjected to nonexhaustive levels of treadmill running. The
      influence of intensity and duration of treadmill exercise on total and oxidized
      levels of liver glutathione was evaluated. Nonexhaustive exercise failed to alter
      the hepatic concentration of total glutathione. However, increasing exercise
      intensity resulted in tissue accumulation of oxidized glutathione, and an
      increase in the ratio of oxidized to total glutathione, indicative of an elevated
      level of intracellular oxidation. Although alterations in glutathione metabolism
      do not appear to be directly related to the effect of exercise on tumorigenesis,
      the role of oxidant-induced intracellular damage in this process is being
      investigated.

PMID- 1405577
TI  - The effects of cycling and marathon training on eighteen blood parameters.
AB  - Abnormal blood chemistry values may be normal for competitive cycling and
      marathon training, with significant differences (p less than 0.05) between the
      two groups. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of bicycle
      training and marathon training on fasting blood chemistry values. Ten significant
      differences (p less than 0.05) were observed between cyclists and marathoners on
      the eighteen blood parameters studied, with four of the blood parameters being
      outside the established laboratory norms of +/- 2 standard deviations. This was
      shown by the elevations in creatine phosphokinase levels in the competitive
      cyclists with the marathoners having higher than the normal ranges for lactate
      dehydrogenase and lower than normal ranges for hematocrit and red blood cells.
      Significant differences for albumin, cholesterol, creatine phosphokinase,
      globulin, hematocrit, lactate dehydrogenase, low density lipoprotein, total
      protein, red blood cells and triglycerides were observed between the groups.

PMID- 1405578
TI  - Hematological status in a group of male athletes of different sports.
AB  - Suboptimal hematological status has been often recorded in athletes involved in
      intense physical activity, particularly in middle and long distance runners. It
      appeared therefore interesting the study and comparison of athletes groups of
      different sports. One hundred eighty-one male athletes were tested and divided
      into seven groups according to sport exercise: cross-country skiing, cycling,
      fencing and tennis (joined together), rowing, running, soccer, swimming. For
      every athletes erythrocyte and hemoglobin blood concentration, hematocrit, serum
      iron, transferrin, ferritin and haptoglobin concentration were measured, the mean
      cell volume and serum iron/transferrin ratio were calculated. Data were compared
      to find out correlation indices and then grouped according to the practised
      sport. Statistical indices were computed for each group and for all parameter and
      analysis of variance was carried out to value the significativity of found
      differences. The only parameter showing statistically significant differences
      among groups was the serum level of haptoglobin, with mean value significantly
      lower in runners. The evidence of this study suggests that individual variability
      for the remaining parameters exceeds any variation possibly induced by different
      sport practices.

PMID- 1405579
TI  - Acute effect of consumption/omission of breakfast on exercise tolerance in
      adolescents.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine the acute effects of the consumption
      or omission of breakfast on exercise tolerance in adolescents. Physically active
      adolescents (14 males and 21 females) were randomly assigned to receive a
      breakfast (B) or placebo (P) after an overnight fast. Exercise tolerance tests
      were done 1.5 hours (test 1) and again 4 hours (test 2) after consuming B or P
      and consisted of cycling on a stationary bike for 4 minutes at each of four
      consecutive power settings: 25, 50, 75, and 100 watts. Blood glucose and beta
      hydroxybutyrate concentrations were measured before both tests. VO2 and VCO2 were
      measured during minute 3 of cycling at loads 50 and 75 watts and were used to
      compute the respiratory exchange ratio (RER). Heart rates (HR) were monitored
      throughout the test and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were made at the end
      of each 4 min interval. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed that there were no
      differences in RPE; however, differences for HR and RER did exist. Mean RER
      values were higher for the males receiving B vs males receiving P during test 1.
      For females, HR were higher for P compared B, and beta-hydroxybutyrate was
      significantly elevated for P before test 2. The data suggest that exercise
      tolerance as indicated by the ratings of perceived exertion are unaffected by
      prior ingestion of a breakfast but breakfast does affect the physiologic
      responses to exercise.

PMID- 1405580
TI  - Characteristics of women performing strength training: comparison of participants
      and dropouts.
AB  - The physiological, anthropometric, personality and lifestyle characteristics of
      122 women volunteering for a seven-week program of heavy resistance weight
      training were studied relative to adherence rates. Initially, volunteers were
      above-average in body mass and grip strength, but were below-average in chest
      girth and bicristal diameter. They were also physically active and only 20%
      smoked. Regular (R) attenders (attendance greater than 80%; 72% of the sample)
      were physically smaller in terms of stature, mass, girths and dimensions, but had
      greater strength per kg of mass or LBM compared to participants classified as
      infrequent (I; 24-76%) and dropout (DO; less than 20%). Conversely, I and DO
      members were more likely to smoke, to smoke more heavily, to drink coffee and to
      not eat breakfast. Most dropouts quit during the first week; among volunteers who
      continued, differences in assigned training intensity had no effect on adherence.
      Adherence was also unrelated to strength gains, anthropometric adaptations, or
      injury.

PMID- 1405582
TI  - The effects of positive expiratory pressure on peritoneovenous shunt flow.
AB  - Cirrhotic patients with peritoneovenous shunts may require mechanical
      ventilation. Despite the importance of flow to shunt patency and the relevance of
      intrathoracic pressure to that flow, the relationship between shunt flow and
      positive airway pressure has not been documented. To study the effects of
      positive expiratory pressure (PEEP) on shunt flow, models of ascites (n = 8) were
      created in adult male mongrel dogs. Each animal was anesthetized, intubated, and
      mechanically ventilated. Peritoneovenous shunts with in-line electromagnetic flow
      meters were surgically placed. Shunt flow, central venous pressure (CVP), and
      intraabdominal pressure (IAP) were monitored. Initial intraabdominal pressures
      were adjusted by infusion of warmed saline and positive expiratory airway
      pressures were added in increments. Changes in pressures (IAP, CVP) and shunt
      flow were tabulated and analyzed with linear and polynomial regression.
      Intraabdominal and central venous pressures increased linearly with PEEP at
      different rates such that IAP-CVP varied inversely with PEEP. Shunt flow varied
      inversely as a polynomial function of PEEP. Analyses of these relationships
      allowed creation of a nomogram which can be interpolated to indicate required
      intraabdominal pressure needed to maintain shunt flow throughout the clinically
      useful range of positive airway pressure.

PMID- 1405581
TI  - Does cigarette smoking affect the fitness of young adults? Rationale and protocol
      for future research.
AB  - While there is considerable evidence of the direct effects of cigarette smoking
      upon the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, one result of impaired function,
      that is how cigarette smoking affects fitness and athletic performance, has not
      been well documented. Because of the potential impact that exercise might have as
      a substitute for smoking, it is important to delineate relationships,
      particularly for those who are just beginning to smoke. Literature is presented
      as a rationale for research in this area and results of a pilot study on smokers
      and non-smokers are reported. A number of trends in the fitness and pulmonary
      function tests emerged, suggesting this line of research be pursued.

PMID- 1405583
TI  - Neutrophil-endothelial cell binding in neutrophil-mediated tissue injury.

PMID- 1405584
TI  - A cost-effective peripheral venous port system placed at the bedside.
AB  - High costs and a paucity of available operating time have led us to seek
      alternatives to operatively placed vascular access systems. This prospective
      study is the initial report of a peripheral port system (P.A.S. PORT System,
      Pharmacia Deltec, Inc.) placed at the bedside. Seventy-nine patients (52 male, 27
      female), ages 3-92 years, had ports implanted by surgical residents with
      attending supervision. Sixty-eight (86%) received the P.A.S. PORT for long-term
      antibiotics, antifungal, or antiviral therapy; four (5%) for TPN infusion; three
      (4%) for blood products; two (3%) for chemotherapy; and two (3%) for iv
      narcotics. Ports were placed in 10 (13%) HIV(+) patients, three (4%) who were
      fully anticoagulated, and one who was a hemophiliac with a platelet count of
      zero. Eight patients (10%) developed superficial phlebitis, all of which resolved
      with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents within 48 hr without port removal.
      Seven patients (9%) had their port removed due to infection. The average hospital
      charge to place the P.A.S. PORT System was $1488.00 vs $2811.00 for a tunneled
      external chest catheter and $3729.00 for the placement of a chest port. Bedside
      insertion of vascular access devices can be safely performed with acceptable
      infection rates allowing more efficient use of hospital operating rooms and with
      substantial cost savings.

PMID- 1405585
TI  - How rapidly do hyperinsulinaemia and hyperglucagonaemia develop after portacaval
      shunting?
AB  - Elevation of serum insulin and plasma glucagon have been reported during and
      immediately after clinical and experimental liver transplantation and in patients
      with cirrhosis and surgically created or spontaneous portacaval shunts. There is
      controversy about the relative roles of portal diversion and impaired liver
      function in the genesis of these elevated levels of pancreatic hormones. End-to
      side portacaval shunt was made in normal pigs which were fitted with catheters
      which allowed transhepatic sampling during and for 4 hr after the operation.
      Within 5 min of opening the shunt, there was a sixfold increase in portal venous
      insulin concentrations but hepatic clearance of insulin and the arterial
      concentration were unaltered. The increase in insulin was sustained for 2 hr. A
      twofold increase occurred within 1 hr in portal venous glucagon concentration
      which appeared to be predominantly of pancreatic origin and which continued for
      the 4 hr of the study. Hepatic glucose uptake did not occur after portacaval
      shunting despite levels of glucose elevated two-fold by iv infusion. There were
      no changes in aspartate aminotransferase, hepatic tissue energy charge, or total
      adenine nucleotides, suggesting that hepatic function was intact. It is concluded
      that portal diversion results in an increase in insulin and glucagon secretion
      and in the absence of hepatic uptake of glucose. This is a novel observation with
      relevance especially in liver transplantation when portal diversion for at least
      1 hr forms part of the procedure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405586
TI  - Biochemical analysis of the venous flap in the dog.
AB  - There has been great interest stimulated by reports on factors influencing the
      survival of skin flaps which possess only venous inflow and outflow, i.e., venous
      flaps. The present study serially (Days 1, 2, and 4 postoperatively) observed
      several biochemical factors which might affect flap survival. ATP levels were
      measured to assess endogenous energy stores, malonyldialdehyde (MDA) and xanthine
      oxidase (XO) to estimate free radical production, superoxide dismutase (SOD) to
      quantify antioxidant defenses, and edema to measure inflammatory changes.
      Eighteen thighs on nine dogs were assigned randomly to one of three groups: full
      thickness skin grafts, flaps based solely on the saphenous artery and vein (AV
      flaps), or flaps based solely on the saphenous vein (venous flaps). These were
      regarded as being mostly ischemic, totally perfused, and partially ischemic,
      respectively. Control skin biopsies were obtained adjacent to surgical sites. AV
      flaps and control skin were similar in all respects. Venous flaps compared with
      skin grafts were significantly less edematous (P less than 0.01) had less MDA and
      XO (P less than 0.05), but no significant differences in SOD and ATP levels.
      However venous flaps had significantly less ATP than AV flaps (P less than 0.01).
      Thus venous flaps survive despite depletion of ATP levels. These results suggest
      that decreased free radical production and lessened edema may be important
      factors in promoting ultimate survival of venous flaps.

PMID- 1405587
TI  - Effect of local tumor removal and retained oncolysate on lung metastasis.
AB  - We reported earlier that oncolysate retained in the excision wound of a local
      tumor inhibits growth of remote tumor in the rat. We further studied this effect
      on pulmonary metastasis. C57BL/6 mice were given B16 melanoma F10 cells
      subcutaneously into the gluteal area (Day 0) and then intravenously on Day 10. On
      Day 14, mice were divided into four groups. Group 1 received a sham operation and
      no further treatment. Tumors were excised in the remaining mice. Group 2 received
      tumor excision alone. Groups 3 and 4 received injections of freeze-lysed tumor
      cells (TC) and lysate modified (PTC) with a hapten, L-phenylalanine mustard
      (PhM), respectively, into excision wounds. On Day 24, metastases were assessed by
      determining metastatic burden. Average diameters of excised tumors in repeated
      experiments ranged from 8.7 to 10.9 mm. In repeat experiments, pulmonary
      metastatic burden increased by as much as 52 to 181% in the tumor excised group
      (Group 2) in comparison with those receiving sham surgery (Group 1). However,
      metastatic burden was always reduced in Group 3. An even greater reduction was
      seen in Group 4. To study the possible involvement of macrophages, the production
      of prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2) and cytotoxicity of macrophages in these animals were
      examined. It was found that tumor excision enhanced PGE2 production by
      macrophages and suppressed their cytotoxicity, while TC inoculation prevented
      both of these changes. An even greater prevention was observed with PTC
      inoculation. These results indicate an association among macrophage cytotoxicity,
      PGE2 production of macrophages, and metastasis. In order to clarify the mechanism
      for these reactions, we did experiments using adherent splenic macrophages from
      the four groups of animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405588
TI  - The effects of laser-assisted fibrinogen bonding on suture material.
AB  - To evaluate the effect of laser-assisted fibrinogen bonding on the tensile
      strength of suture material, 10 types of sutures were exposed to various time
      intervals of diode laser energy after pretreatment with dye-enhanced fibrinogen
      solder. After exposure, each suture material was stressed on a tensometer and
      compared with nonlased suture material. Our results indicate that
      polytetrafluoroethylene suture material was virtually unaffected at all time
      intervals of exposure to laser energy. Polyester suture material retained 64.3%
      of its tensile strength at 60 sec of exposure to laser energy. White silk suture
      material maintained 80% of its initial tensile strength at 60 sec of exposure.
      These suture materials may be used safely in conjunction with laser-assisted
      fibrinogen bonding even if prolonged laser exposure is necessary. The other
      suture materials tested may be compromised significantly by prolonged exposure to
      laser energy and must be used with relatively shorter irradiation periods.

PMID- 1405589
TI  - Results of cholescintigraphy in a VA hospital.
AB  - In a review of 200 hepatobiliary imaging studies done in a VA hospital over a 5
      year period, a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 88% were obtained. In a
      subgroup of 40 patients with alcoholic liver disease, the specificity dropped to
      60% although the sensitivity remained high (100%). These data indicated that in
      patients with alcoholic liver disease a positive DISIDA scan is not diagnostic of
      acute cholecystitis and cannot be interpreted as an indication for
      cholecystectomy. Possible modifications of imaging techniques, including delayed
      imaging and morphine-augmented cholescintigraphy, may prove to increase the
      specificity of cholescintigraphy in these patients. A prospective study using
      these modifications would help in determining the current role of
      cholescintigraphy in the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis in patients with
      alcoholic liver disease.

PMID- 1405590
TI  - Effect of complete cardiac denervation on atrial natriuretic factor release in
      baboons.
AB  - We investigated the influence of cardiac innervation on atrial natriuretic factor
      (ANF) release in baboons. For this purpose, plasma ANF levels were measured in
      control conditions and in response to head-down (-45 degrees) and head-up tilt
      (+45 degrees) in six anesthetized baboons before and after complete cardiac
      denervation obtained by orthotopic autotransplantation of the heart. Cardiac
      denervation did not modify baseline plasma ANF levels (60.4 +/- 17 pg/ml before
      and 63.1 +/- 16 pg/ml after heart autotransplantation). In contrast the
      significant ANF responses to changes in central venous pressure (CVP) induced by
      postural maneuvers (-45 degrees, + 16.2 +/- 4 pg/ml; +45 degrees, -18.5 +/- 4
      pg/ml) were markedly altered after cardiac denervation (-45 degrees, +5.8 +/- 2
      pg/ml; +45 degrees, -7.6 +/- 1 pg/ml). The changes in CVP and systemic blood
      pressure evoked by the postural challenges were comparable before and after
      cardiac denervation. These results demonstrate that cardiac nerves play a role in
      the control of ANF release.

PMID- 1405591
TI  - Epidermal growth factor accelerates connective tissue wound healing in the
      perforated rat mesentery.
AB  - Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has been reported to stimulate healing of wounds in
      skin, cornea, and gastric mucosa. In the present study, we further investigate
      the effect of endogenous and exogenous EGF in healing of connective tissue wounds
      using the rat perforated mesentery model. Healing of mesenteric perforations is
      accomplished by the connective tissue fibroblasts since there are no interfering
      variables such as interactions of epithelial cells, desiccation, or foreign
      materials such as sutures or subcutaneous implants. We performed laparotomy in
      114 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats and made 20 standardized perforations in the
      mesentery of each rat with a scalpel. Rats were randomly assigned to five groups.
      Group I received no treatment after surgery; Group II received intraperitoneal
      injections of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) after surgery and then twice daily
      for the following 3 days; Group III received 10 micrograms of EGF in the PBS
      injections according to the same regimen as Group II; Group IV had sham
      exploration of the submandibular salivary glands; and Group V animals had
      excision of the submandibular glands 3 days before laparotomy to deprive the main
      source of EGF in rat. On Days 4 through 10 after surgery rats were sacrificed and
      the percentage of perforations in each rat which were closed was determined. The
      curves for the time course of wound closure for Groups IV and V were not
      different indicating that endogenous submandibular EGF does not play a role in
      healing of mesenteric wounds.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405592
TI  - Ibuprofen restores cellular immunity and decreases susceptibility to sepsis
      following hemorrhage.
AB  - Although hemorrhage depresses splenocyte (SPL) functions and increases
      susceptibility to sepsis, it is not known whether increased tumor necrosis factor
      (TNF) or prostaglandin (PG) production are responsible for it. To study this,
      mice (C3H/HeN) were bled to a mean blood pressure of 35 mm Hg, maintained at that
      pressure for 60 min, resuscitated, and treated with ibuprofen (1.0 mg/kg body
      weight) or vehicle (saline). Hemorrhage reduced (P less than 0.05) SPL
      proliferation by 60%, SPL release of interleukin-2 (IL-2) by 47%, interferon
      gamma (IFN-gamma) by 67%, TNF by 54%, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by 46% compared to
      sham. In addition, splenic macrophage (sM phi) release of interleukin-1 (IL-1)
      and TNF was decreased by 58 and 67% (P less than 0.05), respectively. However,
      ibuprofen treatment increased (P less than 0.05) SPL proliferation, lymphokine
      (IL-2, IFN-gamma, and IL-6) synthesis, and IL-1 release by sM phi compared to
      hemorrhage alone. Furthermore, ibuprofen enhanced the release of TNF by SPL
      (+175%, P less than 0.05) and sM phi (+68%) compared to the vehicle group.
      Ibuprofen also decreased (P = 0.011) the susceptibility to sepsis following
      hemorrhage. These results indicate that PGs are involved in hemorrhage-induced
      suppression of cellular immunity and in the increased mortality of such animals
      following a septic challenge.

PMID- 1405593
TI  - DMSO protects against adriamycin-induced tissue necrosis.
AB  - Inadvertent extravasation of Adriamycin (Adria) can result in severe tissue
      necrosis. The mechanism of this tissue damage is believed to be the release of
      free radicals into the tissue. Topical applications of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)
      used after Adria extravasation have been shown to decrease ulcer size. This may
      be due to DMSO's ability to scavenge free radicals. However, effective topical
      therapy requires prompt recognition of extravasation, which is often difficult.
      We hypothesized that the delivery of Adria in low concentrations DMSO would
      reduce Adria-induced ulcer size and ulcer incidence caused by Adria
      extravasation. To test this hypothesis, 180, male Sprague-Dawley rats were
      randomly allocated into three treatment groups of 60 each. All three groups
      received intradermal injections of Adria (1 mg) diluted in 0.5 cc of saline
      (Group 1), 10% DMSO (Group 2), or 20% DMSO (Group 3). Rats were observed for 4
      weeks. Ulcer incidence (%) and size of ulcers (mm2) were assessed over time. Area
      of skin ulceration was calculated as the product of the two greatest diameters.
      Statistical evaluation of the differences in incidence and ulcer size between
      Group 1 and Groups 2 or 3 were evaluated using analysis of variance. Delivery of
      Adriamycin in 10 or 20% DMSO resulted in a statistically significant (P less than
      0.001) decrease in the incidence of ulceration caused by intentional Adria
      extravasation.

PMID- 1405594
TI  - Roux-en-Y jejunal bypass abolishes postprandial neuropeptide Y release.
AB  - Numerous physiologic aberrations occur after Roux-en-Y bypass procedures.
      Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a 36 amino acid polypeptide, has been shown to have many
      effects on gastrointestinal physiology, including alterations in blood flow,
      motility, and secretion and absorption. Recent work demonstrating a postprandial
      increase in circulating NPY prompted this investigation into its potential roles
      after Roux-en-Y bypass. Three groups of rats underwent Roux-en-Y
      cholangiojejunostomy, jejunojejunostomy, or proximal jejunal transection with
      reanastomosis. After a 3-month recovery, the animals were tested with both mixed
      and fat meals. Control animals had rapid increases in circulating NPY after the
      mixed meal. This response was not seen in either of the Roux-en-Y groups (P less
      than 0.05). No animals had circulating changes in NPY after the fat meal.
      Additionally, small intestinal NPY receptor analysis revealed high NPY affinity
      to the epithelial cells of the proximal small intestine. Our results demonstrate
      a dependence of postprandial NPY release on proximal small intestinal continuity
      that is abolished by Roux-en-Y bypass of a jejunal segment. The absence of
      postprandial elevation in plasma NPY after proximal jejunal bypass and the
      abundance of NPY receptors in the proximal small intestine merits further
      investigation into the physiologic roles of NPY in the foregut.

PMID- 1405595
TI  - Effect of glow discharge surface modification of plasma TFE vascular graft
      material on fibronectin and laminin retention and endothelial cell adhesion.
AB  - The effects of glow discharge surface modification of plasma TFE vascular graft
      material (plasma TFE, Atrium Medical Corp., Hollis, NH) on the binding and
      retention of fibronectin and laminin as well as endothelial adherence were
      examined. The binding of both fibronectin and laminin to plasma TFE increased as
      a function of protein concentration in the range of 0.02 to 200 micrograms/ml.
      Binding to plasma TFE was not saturable in this range of protein concentrations.
      Fibronectin and laminin binding to plasma TFE was time-dependent, reaching a
      maximal level (1.8 and 3.2 micrograms/cm2 of bound fibronectin and laminin,
      respectively) after 30 min (fibronectin) and 4 hr (laminin). Binding was not the
      result of an accumulation of unbound protein in graft interstices since graft
      prewetting did not alter the amount of either fibronectin or laminin associated
      with plasma TFE. In addition, binding was not the result of protein modification
      during radiolabeling, since unlabeled fibronectin and laminin could compete
      effectively with their iodinated counterparts for binding to plasma TFE.
      Dissociation of bound fibronectin and laminin from plasma TFE was rapid, and less
      than 12% remained bound 60 min after washing. Plasma TFE subjected to glow
      discharge in O2 and carrying negatively charged functional groups on graft
      surfaces, exhibited a fivefold increase in fibronectin and laminin binding. In
      addition, more than 85% of the bound fibronectin and laminin was retained 24 hr
      after washing. The enhanced retention of fibronectin or laminin by these grafts
      was associated with an increase in endothelial cell adhesion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405596
TI  - Hormonal control of opossum sphincter of Oddi motility: role of myoneural
      continuity to duodenum.
AB  - Motilin and caerulein are known to affect motility of the sphincter of Oddi (SO)
      and the gastrointestinal tract. The role of SO-duodenal myoneural continuity in
      the action of these peptides was studied. Five opossums had translocation of the
      duodenal papilla into the jejunum, while preserving the blood supply to the SO
      and duodenum. Serosal electrodes were placed in the SO, duodenum, and jejunum.
      Five control animals had electrode placement alone. Myoelectric recording was
      obtained during fasting and after administration of motilin (400 ng/kg) or
      caerulein (500 ng/kg/hr). Motilin induced premature phase III-like activity in
      the SO and intestine in controls. After the translocation of the papilla, the
      spike frequencies during phase II and phase III were significantly lower than in
      controls, whereas those during phase I and phase IV were not different. Motilin
      caused premature intestinal phase III and increased SO spike activity. However,
      the increase in SO spike activity was insufficient to form phase III. Caerulein
      produced a sustained increase in spike activity in both regions in both groups,
      but the increase was less in the translocation group than in controls. These data
      suggest that duodenal activity stimulated by motilin and caerulein participates
      in the activation of SO motility via intrinsic myoneural pathways.

PMID- 1405597
TI  - Improved distribution of antegrade cardioplegic solution with simultaneous
      coronary sinus occlusion following acute coronary artery occlusion.
AB  - This study was designed to evaluate the distribution of cardioplegic solution
      infused antegradely with simultaneous coronary sinus occlusion. After 1 hr LAD
      occlusion, sheep were placed on cardiopulmonary bypass. Hearts were arrested with
      300 ml of cold cardioplegia and replenished with two additional doses. In group I
      (n = 10), antegrade cardioplegia (ACP) was given alone; in group II (n = 9), ACP
      was given in combination with simultaneous coronary sinus occlusion. Microspheres
      were infused into the cardioplegic line to determine the antegrade distribution
      of the solution, while a different microsphere was injected into the anterior
      interventricular vein to detect the venous backflow of the solution. The data
      showed that myocardium distal to LAD occlusion in group II received more
      antegrade (0.17 +/- 0.02 versus 0.06 +/- 0.02 ml/g/min, P less than 0.01, in
      subendocardium; and 0.15 +/- 0.03 versus 0.09 +/- 0.02 ml/g/min, P = NS, in
      subepicardium) and retrograde (2181 +/- 455 versus 0 counts/g/min, P less than
      0.01, in subendocardium; and 2,146 +/- 527 versus 0 counts/g/min, P less than
      0.01, in subepicardium) distribution of cardioplegic solution in comparison to
      group I. We therefore conclude that simultaneous coronary sinus occlusion
      significantly improves the distribution of antegrade cardioplegic solution to the
      regionally occluded myocardium by increasing collateral flow as well as venous
      backflow.

PMID- 1405598
TI  - Optimal site and amount of splenic tissue for autotransplantation.
AB  - Clinical and basic studies have documented a high susceptibility to pneumococcal
      infection in asplenic humans and animals. It has been suggested that
      autotransplantation of splenic tissue might be a method of providing host
      resistance when total splenectomy is necessary. However, the effect of splenic
      autograft has remained controversial. This study was performed to evaluate the
      most effective site and amount of splenic autograft using rats. Rats were divided
      into five groups for the purpose of determining the site of splenic
      autotransplantation: splenectomy, sham operation, implantation into the omental
      pouch, intraperitoneal implantation, and intramuscular implantation. For
      determining the amount for autotransplantation, the rats were divided into seven
      groups: splenectomy, sham operation, and implantations of 25, 50, 100, 200, or
      300 mg of splenic tissue. All animals were challenged with Streptococcus
      pneumoniae type 6, 16 weeks after surgery. Howell-Jolly bodies appeared
      postsplenectomy, but disappeared in the implanted rats 16 weeks after the
      operation. Histologically, the implanted tissue was indistinguishable from that
      of a normal spleen. Pneumococcal clearance from the bloodstream and survival rate
      were significantly higher in rats implanted in the omental pouch as compared with
      splenectomized rats. Intraperitoneal and intramuscular implanted rats did not
      show a significant difference from the splenectomized rats. More than 50% of
      splenic tissue for autograft showed a significant increase in pneumococcal
      clearance and survival rate as compared with that of splenectomized rats. It was
      suggested that the most effective site of autotransplantation is the omental
      pouch and approximately 50% of the whole spleen would be necessary for prevention
      from sepsis.

PMID- 1405599
TI  - Acceleration of soft tissue repair by a thrombin-derived oligopeptide.
AB  - Augmentation of thrombin-modulated chemotaxis and mitogenic activity within the
      early phase of soft tissue repair is now possible. Identification of high
      affinity thrombin receptor binding domains within thrombin has enabled the
      synthesis of a family of peptides which interact with thrombin receptors and
      enhance in vitro mitogenesis. A single (5.0 micrograms/wound) application of the
      thrombin receptor-activating peptide (P517-30) significantly increased wound
      breaking strength from Day 5 (31% over controls) to Day 12. Two models of
      impaired healing created by radiotherapy (RT) were used to elucidate possible
      mechanisms of P517-30 action. Although P517-30 did not completely overcome the RT
      induced healing impairments, it increased breaking strength under conditions of
      penetrating whole body RT-induced pancytopenia by 22% and of nonpenetrating
      surface RT-induced dermal cell damage by 42%. This suggests that P517-30 directly
      stimulates resident endothelial cells, fibroblasts, or other cells to overcome
      dermal and circulating monocytic deficits. These results suggest a method to
      accelerate wound healing with potential clinical applications and emphasize the
      activity of thrombin as a growth factor.

PMID- 1405600
TI  - Lectin histochemical investigations of fetal cultivated pancreatic tissue.
AB  - The terminal glycoproteins of fetal, cultivated (7-12 days), and adult
      nondiabetic and diabetic pancreatic tissues (Balb c, C3h mice) were investigated
      by lectin histology (peanut-, phytohemagglutinin, wheat germ agglutinin, Ulex
      europeus I, concanavalin A and Ricinus communis agglutinin, PaP method +/-
      neuraminidase). Anti-insulin and -glucagon were used to identify islet cells. S
      100 antibody showed dendritic reticulum cells, anti-IAK proved MHC II antigens
      (C3h). Cultured tissue was partly incubated with anti-IAK and complement for
      lysis of MHC II antigens. On the 19th gestational day fetal pancreatic tissue did
      not bind peanut agglutinin, Phytohemagglutinin, or wheat germ agglutinin, whereas
      concanavalin A and Ricinus communis were weakly bound. Terminal fucose residues
      were not expressed by C3h fetal islet cells in contrast to Balb c. Following
      neuraminidase digestion peanut agglutinin and phytohemagglutinin were strongly
      bound, indicating sialic acid-substituted terminal glycoproteins. Cultivated
      tissue (Day 7) bound all investigated lectins (except Ulex europeus I in C3h
      mice), indicating maturation of islet cells. In spite of the peak of insulin
      concentration in the medium we observed a faint binding of anti-insulin and
      investigated lectins following 12 days of cultivation. This indicates a disorder
      of terminal glycoprotein synthesis at this point. There was no difference in
      lectin binding patterns of adult nondiabetic islet cells compared to the
      cultivated tissue (7 days), but no Ulex europaeus I binding of the adult Balb c
      mice was observed. S-100 binding decreased during the cultivation period as
      dendritic reticulum cells became destroyed by cultivation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405601
TI  - Treatment of experimental liver metastases with a noncontact neodymium: YAG
      laser.
AB  - The extent of tumor and liver damage after treatment with the neodymium:yttrium
      aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser was investigated in a rat tumor model. Colon
      carcinoma CC531 was implanted in the liver and treated with 60 J (14 tumors), 120
      J (15 tumors), or 180 J (12 tumors) at a power setting of 20 W. To assess the
      effects upon the tissues three animals were sacrificed immediately after
      treatment and 1, 2, 4, and 8 days later. Sections from the tumor sites were
      evaluated by light microscopy and the maximal depth and width of different zones
      of tissue damage were measured. Laser effects could be determined most accurately
      on Days 1 and 2 after treatment. Multiple linear regression analysis of the data
      indicated a linear relationship between laser energy and depth of tumor damage (P
      less than 0.01). The results of this study show the potential of the Nd:YAG laser
      to produce tumor coagulation necrosis with minimal liver necrosis.

PMID- 1405602
TI  - Cholecystokinin does not mediate glucose's cytoprotective effects.
AB  - Cold restraint stress produces acute gastric mucosal injury in association with
      altered gastric motility. Enteral nutrients prevent this injury in conjunction
      with inhibition of gastric emptying. Because cholecystokinin (CCK) is released by
      nutrients known to be cytoprotective and is thought to inhibit gastric emptying,
      we performed three experiments to see if CCK contributes to the gastric mucosal
      protection afforded by enteral nutrients. Our data show that enteral glucose
      protects the gastric mucosa and increases gastric volume, gastric luminal pH, and
      gastric mucin. Neither physiologic nor pharmacologic doses of CCK protected the
      mucosa. None of the other significant effects of glucose on gastric function
      during cold restraint were affected by exogenous CCK. Furthermore, antagonism of
      CCK receptors with L-364,718 did not have any independent effects, nor did it
      diminish the protection associated with enteral glucose. We conclude that enteral
      glucose protects the gastric mucosa from cold restraint injury in association
      with a number of potentially beneficial effects on gastric physiology, but none
      of the effects of glucose in this model appear to be mediated by CCK.

PMID- 1405603
TI  - Divergent effects of TNF alpha in the adoptive immunotherapy of a murine sarcoma.
AB  - We have previously described an in vitro sensitization (IVS) procedure which
      enabled the generation of therapeutic T cells from tumor-bearing mice for
      adoptive immunotherapy. The procedure involved culture of tumor-draining lymph
      node (TDLN) cells with irradiated tumor in the presence of interleukin-2 (IL-2).
      The availability of many recombinant cytokines affords an opportunity to examine
      their effects on the immune response to tumor. In this study, we investigated the
      effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) on the generation and function
      of IVS cells utilized in adoptive immunotherapy of the murine MCA 106 sarcoma.
      TNF alpha administered iv at nontherapeutic doses was found to enhance the
      antitumor efficacy mediated by IVS cells plus IL-2 in the treatment of pulmonary
      metastases. In contrast, TNF alpha administration to mice bearing progressive
      footpad tumors had inhibitory effects on the sensitization of tumor-reactive
      cells in TDLN since IVS cells generated from these animals displayed a diminished
      antitumor effect. This effect appeared to be due to a reduced number of tumor
      reactive lymphoid cells in the TDLN since TNF alpha added to IVS cultures did not
      alter the antitumor efficacy of the resultant IVS effector cells. These findings
      indicate the divergent effects of TNF alpha on the immune response to tumor and
      adoptive immunotherapy with IVS cells.

PMID- 1405604
TI  - An improved technique for isolated perfusion of rat livers and an evaluation of
      perfusates.
AB  - We have modified the apparatus for isolated rat liver perfusion (IPRL) in order
      to be able to perform two perfusions simultaneously. In addition, we studied the
      quality and stability of livers by comparison of five different perfusates: Blood
      (Group A), Original Krebs Henseleit buffer (Group B), Krebs buffer with glucose
      (Group C) or bovine serum albumin (BSA) added, (Group D). In a last group (E)
      albumin, glucose, and taurocholic acid were added to Krebs. After 180 min of
      perfusion, livers perfused with solutions including 2% albumin (Group D, E) had a
      significantly higher release of hepatocellular and endothelial cell (purine
      nucleoside phosphorylase) enzymes and lower bile production as compared to Groups
      A, B, and C (P less than 0.0001). Increasing levels of purine nucleoside
      phosphorylase (PNP), a reflection of damage to the microvascular endothelium
      preceded the increases in hepatocellular enzymes. Histologically, damages of
      sinusoidal endothelial cells and hepatocytes are appreciated moderate to severe
      in Groups D and E, slight to mild in Groups A and B, and not significant in Group
      C. These results suggest that BSA may have toxic effects to the perfused rat
      liver. These data also confirm that the IPRL modified for simultaneous perfusion
      of two livers is efficient, and that with this technique the rat liver can be
      optimally perfused for up to 3 hr with oxygenated Krebs Henseleit buffer without
      additives (Group B) and without blood. These two improvements should allow those
      performing studies with perfused rat livers to obtain data in a more efficient,
      accurate, and inexpensive fashion.

PMID- 1405605
TI  - Lipopolysaccharide-induced stimulation of alveolar macrophage opsonin-independent
      phagocytosis.
AB  - Alveolar macrophage (AM) opsonin-independent phagocytosis may be an important
      process by which bacteria are cleared from the airspaces. Although it has been
      shown that clearance of bacteria from the lung is altered in association with
      endotoxemia, the effect of endotoxemia on opsonin-independent phagocytosis is
      unknown. Because alterations in AM opsonin-independent phagocytosis could
      potentially influence bacterial clearance in the lung, we studied the effects of
      the intravenous injection of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into rats
      on AM opsonin-independent phagocytosis of latex particles. AM obtained by
      bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) 2 or 4 hr after injection of LPS demonstrated
      phagocytosis comparable to AM from control animals. In contrast, AM obtained 12
      hr after injection of LPS demonstrated a nearly threefold increase in
      phagocytosis. Depletion of serum complement with Naja naja cobra venom factor
      (CVF) did not alter LPS-induced augmentation of phagocytosis. Furthermore,
      phagocytosis of AM obtained by BAL 2 or 12 hr after activation of complement by
      injection of CVF was not significantly different from that of AM from control
      animals, indicating that complement activation alone was not sufficient to
      stimulate opsonin-independent phagocytosis. These observations suggest that
      opsonin-independent phagocytosis may represent an important route of bacterial
      uptake by AM following endotoxemia, and that LPS-induced stimulation of AM
      opsonin-independent phagocytosis may occur independently of activation of
      complement by LPS.

PMID- 1405606
TI  - Small intestinal submucosa as a superior vena cava graft in the dog.
AB  - Autogenous spiral vein grafts and ePTFE have been used for reconstruction of the
      superior vena cava with moderate success. We tested autogenous small intestine
      submucosa as a superior vena cava interpositional graft in nine dogs. All dogs
      received aspirin and warfarin sodium for the first 8 weeks after surgery. Graft
      patency was evaluated by serial venography. One dog died from excessive
      anticoagulation. Eight dogs were sacrificed at periodic intervals until 72 weeks
      after surgery. Patent grafts had no evidence of thrombosis, aneurysm, or
      stenosis. The grafts consisted of dense, organized collagenous connective tissue
      with a complete endothelial cell layer on the luminal surface. Two dogs are alive
      at 28 and 34 months after surgery. Graft patency was 89% (eight of nine grafts).
      We conclude that autogenous small intestine submucosa can be used as a superior
      vena cava graft in the dog and is worthy of further investigations.

PMID- 1405607
TI  - Pretransplant sensitization with major histocompatibility complex class I+ class
      II- hepatocytes leads to accelerated skin graft rejection.
AB  - The immunogenicity of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I+ class II-
      hepatocytes is controversial. We studied the effect of pretransplant donor
      specific sensitization with either purified hepatocytes (HC) or splenocytes (Spl)
      on subsequent skin allograft survival. Five million Percoll-purified DBA HC or 10
      x 10(6) DBA Spl were injected into C57BL/6 recipients either intraperitoneally
      (ip) or into a sponge matrix allograft. Twelve days later, sensitized mice
      received a DBA skin graft. On the same day, allogeneic (DBA) and syngeneic (BL/6)
      skin grafts were placed on naive BL/6 mice. In naive BL/6 mice, allogeneic skin
      graft survival was 7.8 +/- 0.5 days (n = 4), and syngeneic survival was
      indefinite (n = 5). Skin graft survival (mean +/- SD in days) in recipients
      sensitized with hepatocytes ip was 6.0 +/- 1.2 days (n = 5) compared with 5.6 +/-
      0.5 days in recipients sensitized with splenocytes ip. Similarly, graft survival
      in recipients that received hepatocytes into a sponge matrix allograft was 5.67
      +/- 1 days (n = 6) compared with 5.2 +/- 1.1 days (n = 8) in those that received
      splenocytes into the sponge. There was no difference in graft survival between
      mice sensitized with HC vs Spl, nor between mice injected ip vs with the sponge.
      All sensitized mice experienced accelerated graft rejection compared with naive
      controls (P less than 0.000). These results demonstrate that purified MHC class
      I+, class II- murine HCs are immunogenic in vivo. Sensitization with donor
      specific HCs led to accelerated rejection of subsequent skin grafts, similar to
      the accelerated rejection seen after sensitization with MHC class I+ and class
      II+ splenocytes.

PMID- 1405608
TI  - Identification of a novel cell population in nonhealing wounds in tumors.
AB  - We have explored wound healing in tumors as a possible model for tumor-host
      interaction. This work demonstrated tumor wound healing failure to be the result
      of intense inhibition of fibroblasts although the tumor cells did not appear to
      be the direct source of the inhibitors. The inflammatory infiltrate found in
      tumor wounds was then examined for possible sources of the observed fibroblast
      suppression. Although the tumor wound infiltrate contains cell populations
      similar to a normal wound infiltrate, it also contains a large, vacuolated,
      nonadherent, phagocytic mononuclear cell which has morphologic and cytochemical
      characteristics of a lipid-laden macrophage. However, the cell also proliferates
      under normal culture conditions and has an immunophenotype more characteristic of
      lymphocytes than those of macrophages with striking expression of the CD8 surface
      antigen. Conditioned media from this cell population markedly inhibit fibroblast
      proliferation suggesting it is the source of fibroblast inhibitors within the
      tumor wound. Mechanical dissociation of non-wounded tumors yielded evidence that
      the tumor wound cell is normally present in small numbers within the tumor.

PMID- 1405609
TI  - Suramin interference with transforming growth factor-beta inhibition of human
      renal cell carcinoma in culture.
AB  - Suramin is a polyanionic compound used clinically for the treatment of
      trypanosomiasis, which is known to inhibit the action of many protein factors in
      vitro. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is a multifunctional regulatory
      protein which inhibits the growth of renal cell carcinoma in culture. While
      suramin at 50-500 micrograms/ml had no significant effect on the growth of renal
      cell carcinoma in culture in our experiments, it did partially reverse the growth
      inhibition induced by TGF-beta in the two cell lines tested. This effect
      apparently is caused by suramin's direct interference with 125I-labeled TGF
      beta's ability to bind to the cell, and not by any effect of suramin on the TGF
      beta receptor. Furthermore, suramin dissociates TGF-beta bound to the cell with a
      t1/2 of less than 30 min. These results are consistent with those previously
      reported regarding suramin's interaction with other protein growth factors, and
      suggest that suramin may interact with the TGF-beta protein itself to inactivate
      it.

PMID- 1405610
TI  - Intratumoral rIL2-based immunotherapy in B16 melanoma.
AB  - Limiting factors in systemic recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL2) therapy may be
      overcome by intratumoral (IT) administration. A series of experiments was
      conducted to assess the efficacy of IT rIL2 alone and in combination with LAK
      cells and IFN-gamma. C57BL/6 mice bearing B16-F10 subcutaneous tumors were
      randomly assigned to treatment groups including: noninjected controls, IT placebo
      (NaCl, D5W), IT bovine serum albumin (BSA), IT rIL2 (centrally and peripherally),
      IT rIL2/LAK, IT rIL2/IFN-gamma, and intraperitoneal (IP) rIL2. A tumor size
      dependent dose of cytokine was injected daily and LAK cells were given weekly.
      Systemic immune response was assessed by splenocyte mitogenesis and T-cell subset
      distribution using thymidine radioassay and flow cytometry, respectively. In
      terms of survival and tumor growth rate, IT rIL2 was superior to noninjected
      control, IT placebo, IT BSA, and IP rIL2 (P less than 0.05). The addition of IT
      LAK cells conferred no therapeutic advantage. The combination of rIL2 and gamma
      IFN-gamma had a slight survival benefit over rIL2 alone (30.8 days vs 20.4 days).
      Histologic analysis demonstrated an increase presence of intratumoral macrophages
      in the IT rIL2-treated tumors (P less than 0.05). Lymphocyte mitogenesis and
      L3T4+ subset were not altered by any treatment. In vitro thymidine uptake by
      tumor cells was not affected by rIL2 nor IFN-gamma alone but the combination of
      rIL2 and IFN-gamma resulted in significant tumor cell growth inhibition.
      Spontaneous lung metastases were more prevalent following central IT rIL2 (75% vs
      29%, P = 0.07) not accountable by needle trauma but avoidable by the use of
      peritumoral injection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405611
TI  - Contrast-induced nephrotoxicity: the effects of vasodilator therapy.
AB  - The increasingly frequent use of contrast-enhanced imaging for diagnosis or
      intervention in patients with peripheral vascular disease has generated concern
      about the incidence and avoidance of contrast-induced nephrotoxicity (CIN). In
      this prospective study, we sought to identify those patients at greater risk of
      developing CIN and to evaluate the efficacy of vasodilator therapy with dopamine
      in limiting this complication. Baseline serum creatinine (Cr) concentrations were
      obtained on admission and daily for up to 72 hr after angiography in 222 patients
      undergoing 232 angiographic procedures. The preangiographic treatment was varied
      at 2-month intervals for 1 year. All patients received an intravenous infusion of
      5% dextrose and 0.45% normal saline at a rate of 75 to 125 ml/hr. During the
      first interval patients received 12.5 g of 25% mannitol immediately prior to
      their contrast load, in addition to intravenous fluids. During the next 2-month
      period the patients were given renal dose dopamine intravenously (3
      micrograms/kg/min) commencing the evening before angiography and continued to the
      next morning. During the latter half of the study the treatment regimens were
      modified so that the use of mannitol was restricted to patients with diabetes
      mellitus and dopamine to patients with serum creatinine concentrations of > or =
      2 mg/dl. Postangiographic elevation in Cr occurred in 2, 10.4, and 62% of studies
      in patients with baseline creatinine levels of < or = 1.2 mg/dl, 1.3 to 1.9
      mg/dl, and > or = 2.0 mg/dl, respectively. None of the patients receiving
      dopamine experienced an elevation in creatinine. There was no statistical
      correlation between age, diabetes, or medication with calcium channel blockers
      and CIN.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405612
TI  - Problem-based learning: an effective educational method for a surgery clerkship.
AB  - Problem-based learning (PBL) has been implemented during the clinical years in a
      few medical schools. The purpose of this study is to determine whether PBL
      provides a better education than traditional methods. Students in the first and
      third rotations (n = 42) went through the traditional clerkship, which utilized
      Socratic teaching (SI), while students in the second and fourth rotations (n =
      36) were taught by the PBL method. Two performance measures were used to assess
      clerkship effectiveness. One was a modified essay examination (MEE) administered
      as part of the departmental evaluation. The other was the NBME-II exam and its
      surgery subsection NBME-II-S. The MEE was designed to measure six dimensions of
      the problem-solving process. The NBME-II was utilized to measure knowledge.
      Unpaired t tests were used to identify statistically significant group
      differences. The PBL group performed significantly better on two MEE dimensions:
      (1) differential diagnosis formation (PBL, 92.5 +/- 0.8; SI, 89.1 +/- 0.5; P <
      0.01) and (2) interpretation of clinical data (PBL, 93.3 +/- 0.6; SI, 91.6 +/-
      0.4; P < 0.03). A third dimension, ordering appropriate lab and diagnostic
      studies, approached significance (P = 0.057), and the PBL group performed better.
      On the NBME-II there was not a significant difference between the two groups.
      However, the trend (P = 0.059) was for the PBL group to score higher on the NBME
      II-S (PBL mean: 502 +/- 15; SI mean: 468 +/- 12). When overall achievement was
      controlled for, the PBL group performed significantly better than the SI group (P
      = 0.046) on the NBME-II-S.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405613
TI  - Isolation and characterization of rabbit cardiac endothelial cells: response to
      cyclic strain and growth factors in vitro.
AB  - Studies of the cardiac endothelium have been complicated by difficulties in
      isolating and maintaining cardiac endothelial cells (EC) in culture. We present
      in this paper a method of obtaining pure EC from rabbit hearts by collagenase
      digestion and membrane filtration. Pure cultures of EC displaying characteristic
      EC morphology, uptake of di-I-acetylated LDL, and contact-inhibition of growth
      were successfully maintained in culture for several weeks in media supplemented
      with fetal bovine serum, bovine retina-derived growth factor (RDGF), and
      antibiotics. Since EC in vivo are exposed to a complex pattern of physical forces
      we also sought to determine the proliferative response of cardiac EC subjected to
      pulsatile strain in vitro and compared it with the response to the addition of an
      exogenous growth factor, RDGF. The results demonstrate that a regimen of 60
      cycles per minute, 24% cyclic strain induced a significant increase in cardiac EC
      proliferation and suggests that physical forces may have a trophic effect on EC
      proliferation.

PMID- 1405614
TI  - Gut feeding and hepatic hemodynamics during PEEP ventilation for acute lung
      injury.
AB  - Mechanical ventilation with positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) limits
      hepatic blood flow (HBF) and oxygen delivery (HO2D). Early gut feeding may
      augment hepatic hemodynamics and avoid relative ischemia in this flow-limited
      environment. To examine these effects, canines were instrumented with arterial,
      pulmonary artery, portal, and hepatic vein catheters. Splenectomy and gastrostomy
      were performed and the hepatic artery and portal vein were encircled with flow
      probes. All animals underwent lung injury with oleic acid (0.08 ml/kg) followed
      by the addition of 10 cm H2O PEEP to correct shunt. One group (fed) was then
      given a bolus elemental feeding (1 kcal/ml, 10 ml/kg) and the Control group,
      sterile water. Cardiac index (CI), HBF, hepatic oxygen delivery (HO2D), and
      hepatic oxygen consumption (HO2C) were measured at baseline (T0), after PEEP
      (T1), and 1 (T2) and 2 hr (T3) after feeding. Data were tested for significant
      changes between time points in the same group by ANOVA and significant
      differences were subjected to t testing. PEEP significantly decreased CI, HBF,
      and HO2D compared to baseline. Subsequently, gut feeding increased HBF to
      baseline levels and improved HO2D. HO2C also increased but hepatic O2 extraction
      was unchanged. There was little change noted in the control group over this same
      period. We conclude that gut feeding augments HBF and HO2D in this flow-limited
      state and may preserve splanchnic integrity in critical illness.

PMID- 1405615
TI  - Amino acid substrate preloading and postischemic myocardial recovery.
AB  - During induced myocardial ischemia for cardiac surgery, myocardial stunning
      occurs and aerobic metabolism of glucose, fatty acids, and lactate is inhibited
      as anaerobic pathways predominate. Even following reperfusion, stunned myocardium
      uses oxygen and substrate inefficiently leading to poor functional recovery as
      less mechanical work is developed per oxygen utilized. Amino acids potentially
      can act as cardiac metabolic substrates during and after ischemia, utilizing the
      transamination of amino acids by the malate-aspartate shuttle to form high energy
      phosphates via the tricarboxylic acid cycle. We investigated if "preloading"
      hearts with a physiologic spectrum of amino acids could increase postischemic
      myocardial recovery. Isolated perfused rabbit hearts were subjected to 120 min of
      34 degrees C cardioplegic ischemia. Hearts received cardioplegia alone as
      controls or were "preloaded" with a 0.05% amino acid perfusion for 30 min prior
      to cardioplegic ischemia. Following reperfusion, analysis of functional recovery
      revealed that contractility and cardiac efficiency were improved with amino acids
      substrate preloading. The mechanism of this may be due to uptake of amino acids
      prior to ischemia, which are later utilized for internal reparative work during
      ischemia and external contractile work after ischemia.

PMID- 1405616
TI  - Diphenylhydantoin inhibits calcification of bovine pericardial implants and
      myocardium: a preliminary study.
AB  - Calcification is a major cause of glutaraldehyde-fixed bioprosthetic valve
      failure. Recent studies have shown that dystrophic calcification shares basic
      features with normal bone mineralization, including crystal initiation through
      the mediation of cell membranes, usually in the form of extracellular vesicles.
      In this study, we observed that calcification of the myocardium of DBA/2J mice
      was inhibited or reversed by diets supplemented with 100 mg/kg diet
      diphenylhydantoin (dilantin) for 70 days, with a calcification incidence of 25%
      in the dilantin group versus 58% in control. We further studied the effects of
      dilantin on bioprosthetic valve calcification. Three groups of young male Sprague
      Dawley rats (100 g, 9/group) were implanted subcutaneously with 1-cm2 pieces of
      glutaraldehyde-fixed bovine pericardium. Controls were fed a ground chow for 45
      or 90 days postimplantation; experimentals received the same chow for the first
      45 days postimplantation and then were fed the same diet supplemented with 1000
      mg dilantin/kg for the succeeding 45 days. Calcium content (microgram/mg dry
      weight) of the implants in the dilantin group was 137 +/- 18.6 versus 214 +/-
      34.3 in 90 days control and 79.9 +/- 41.5 in 45 days control (mean +/- SD, P <
      0.01 and P < 0.05 respectively, t test). The tibia calcium content of the
      dilantin group was not significantly different from 90 days control. We conclude
      that orally administered dilantin inhibits calcification of glutaraldehyde-fixed
      bovine pericardial implants preferentially. It does not cause decalcification
      either of implants that have already calcified or of the bones. The anti
      calcification effect of dilantin may be associated with its anti-vitamin D
      effect.

PMID- 1405617
TI  - Fibrinolytic drugs prevent pericardial adhesions in the rabbit.
AB  - Epicardial adhesions are believed to form secondarily to impaired pericardial
      fibrinolytic activity. This activity was reconstituted in a rabbit pericardial
      adhesion model with single doses of the fibrinolytic agents tissue plasminogen
      activator (t-PA), t-PA analog (Fb-Fb-CF), and streptokinase (SK), resulting in
      reductions in the extent and tenacity of adhesion formation. Adhesions of the
      median strip of the anterior cardiac surface were reduced in area from 89% (n =
      22) in controls, to 28% (n = 5) by treatment with Fb-Fb-CF (0.94 mg), and to 49%
      (n = 7) by treatment with SK (93,750 IU). A modified fabric of oxidized
      regenerated cellulose (mTC7) used to deliver the agent to the cardiac surface did
      not interfere with the activity of these agents (Fb-Fb-CF 19%, n = 14; SK 33%, n
      = 7). t-PA (0.94 mg) was also found to reduce adhesion formation in combination
      with mTC7 (4%, n = 4), although the appearance of significant postoperative
      bruising and bleeding resulted in a decision to terminate the treatment of
      further animals with t-PA with and without mTC7. Postoperative bruising,
      bleeding, and swelling, to a lesser extent, were associated with SK and Fb-Fb-CF.
      Despite the efficacy of the these fibrinolytic drugs further work is required to
      assess their safety before they are used clinically.

PMID- 1405618
TI  - Optimal method for culturing vascular prosthetic grafts.
AB  - Vascular prosthetic infection may be underrecognized when identified by standard
      culture techniques. Improved microbiologic methodology may enhance detection of
      bacteria in prosthetic graft specimens, and thus may alter clinical decisions.
      Quantitative culture techniques were employed to compare three methods of
      enhancing bacterial recovery from Dacron graft cylinders seeded with commonly
      encountered bacterial pathogens. Methods included: (1) ultrasonic bath treatment,
      (2) direct ultrasonic disruption, and (3) agitation on a Vortex mixer. Ultrasonic
      bath treatment released bacteria with colony counts that were consistently
      greater by 1 log than direct ultrasonic disruption and Vortex agitation. Direct
      ultrasonic disruption at high energy levels selectively killed gram-negative
      bacteria by as much as a 4 log decrease in viable organisms. Agitation (Vortex
      mixing) of the specimen produced the lowest counts among the three methods
      tested. These data would indicate that a 5-min ultrasonic bath treatment was the
      optimal method of preparation of vascular prostheses for bacterial culture.

PMID- 1405619
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging of small arteries.
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with receive-only surface coil technology was
      used to visualize and quantitative luminal diameters of small arteries in the
      rat. MRI measurements of normal and aneurysmal aortas, over a diameter range of 1
      3 mm, were closely correlated with direct measurements made visually at
      laparotomy: measured differences averaged 0.16 mm, and the least-squares
      regression line (R2 = 0.97, P < 0.001) compared favorably to the line of
      equivalence, X = Y. This noninvasive but precise imaging modality demonstrates
      the potential value of using MRI to evaluate the diameter of small vessels,
      including the postoperative monitoring of arterial bypass graft patency in
      peripheral regions.

PMID- 1405620
TI  - Human gallbladder bile becomes lithogenic during short-term intravenous
      hyperalimentation.
AB  - Biliary sludge formation is reported to be one of the complications of
      intravenous hyperalimentation (IVH); however, the change in human biliary
      lithogenicity during IVH treatment has been little studied. To clarify the
      pathogenesis of IVH-induced biliary sludge, we determined biliary lipid
      composition, vesicular cholesterol concentration, and nucleation time using
      gallbladder bile samples collected from three groups: The IVH group comprised 9
      patients who received IVH with fasting for a period of 2-8 days prior to surgery
      for gastrointestinal diseases. The control group comprised 10 patients operated
      after overnight fasting for gastrointestinal diseases. The cholesterol gallstone
      group comprised 14 patients surgically treated for cholesterol gallstone disease
      after overnight fasting. The nucleation time in the IVH group was significantly
      shorter (7.8 +/- 5.3 days, mean +/- SD) than that in the control group (17.3 +/-
      5.5 days), while it did not reach the value in the cholesterol gallstone group
      (3.1 +/- 3.3 days). The cholesterol saturation index in the IVH group (1.01 +/-
      0.27) was higher but not significantly different compared with the control group
      (0.80 +/- 0.21). The concentrations of biliary lipids and individual bile acid
      were similar in the IVH and control groups. The vesicular cholesterol
      concentration in the IVH group (3.0 +/- 2.1 mM) was significantly higher than
      that in the control group (0.9 +/- 1.0 mM). In conclusion, IVH with fasting
      causes a rapid cholesterol nucleation time and a higher vesicular cholesterol
      concentration, thereby inducing an initial stage of gallbladder sludge formation.

PMID- 1405621
TI  - Hypothermia relieves oxidative stress in reperfused skeletal muscle following
      partial ischemia.
AB  - The impact of hypothermia on reperfusion-associated oxidative stress in
      postischemic skeletal muscle was evaluated in a small animal model of high-grade
      partial ischemia. The infrarenal aorta of heparinized Sprague-Dawley rats was
      clamped for 90 min, declamped, and then reperfused for 60 min. Previous
      characterization of this model with 51Cr-tagged microspheres revealed that
      hindlimb perfusion during aortic clamping continued at 16.6% of baseline values.
      Resting transmembrane potential difference (Em) and tissue malondialdehyde (MDA),
      lactate and high-energy phosphate content were determined in hindlimb skeletal
      muscle at baseline, during ischemia, and upon reperfusion. Four experimental
      groups (N = 7 in each group) were studied: control animals underwent aortic
      clamping and declamping; hypothermia animals underwent topical cooling of
      hindlimbs prior to aortic clamping, with muscle temperatures maintained between 5
      and 15 degrees C during ischemia; sham animals underwent midline laparotomy only;
      and hypothermia-sham animals underwent cooling and midline laparotomy only.
      During ischemia, resting Em (-mV) was significantly depolarized (P < 0.05 versus
      baseline) in control (74.9 +/- 0.8 from 91.0 +/- 0.1), hypothermia (64.4 +/- 1.1
      from 90.9 +/- 0.3), and hypothermia-sham (67.2 +/- 1.4 from 90.9 +/- 0.4)
      animals. Upon reperfusion, resting Em remained depolarized in control animals
      (74.7 +/- 1.6), while repolarization occurred in hypothermia (88.8 +/- 1.1) and
      hypothermia-sham (90.7 +/- 0.3) animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1405622
TI  - Pill-induced esophageal injury.

PMID- 1405623
TI  - Difficulties in the diagnosis and treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis and
      tuberculous empyema.

PMID- 1405624
TI  - Changing patterns of infectious diseases.

PMID- 1405625
TI  - Aortoiliac reconstruction following penetrating injury.
AB  - In summary, there are several factors essential to successful treatment of major
      vascular abdominal injuries. Prompt resuscitation and abdominal exploration is
      paramount. Proximal control can quickly be obtained at the esophageal hiatus and
      adequate exposure of the retroperitoneum is mandatory. Most aortic injuries can
      be repaired primarily; however, if an arterial substitute is necessary, then PTFE
      is the substitute of choice. Reimplantation of the injured iliac artery to the
      contralateral iliac artery is an option for bifurcation injuries if that will not
      inordinately constrict the lumen. And finally, four-compartment fasciotomies will
      decompress the lower extremities and prevent ischemic muscle necrosis following
      reperfusion injury.

PMID- 1405626
TI  - A patient with cirrhosis and a tan.

PMID- 1405627
TI  - Radiology case of the month. Acute aortic dissection.

PMID- 1405628
TI  - OSHA bloodborne pathogens: final rule.

PMID- 1405629
TI  - Out of his league?

PMID- 1405630
TI  - Unnatural selection.

PMID- 1405631
TI  - Cognitive and attitudinal factors in the analysis of alternatives to drunk
      driving.
AB  - The present study examined cognitive and attitudinal factors relevant to drunk
      driving tendencies in individuals having zero, one and multiple drunk-driving
      convictions. Results indicate that the awareness of consequences of being in an
      accident was related to driving record but not to drunk-driving tendencies. In
      contrast, the awareness of consequences of being arrested for drunk driving
      (e.g., receiving fines, having one's name appear in the news and having a
      criminal record) was negatively related to drunk-driving tendencies. Attitudes
      toward alternatives to drunk driving (e.g., take a taxi, call a friend) were also
      negatively related to drunk-driving tendencies. The findings are discussed with
      respect to developing prevention programs.

PMID- 1405632
TI  - The limited utility of BAC for identifying alcohol-related problems among DWI
      offenders.
AB  - To see if blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is a significant indicator of problem
      drinking or an alcohol-related diagnosis, the relationships between BAC at arrest
      for drinking and driving, typical drinking, alcohol-related problems, problem
      drinking and an alcohol abuse or dependence diagnosis were examined for 235
      drinking and driving offenders referred for alcoholism evaluation. BAC and
      typical drinking correlated weakly and no significant relationship between
      alcohol-related problems and BAC was found. Further, no significant relationship
      was found between BAC and alcohol abuse or dependence diagnoses, or between
      problem drinking and BAC. These findings cast doubt on the usefulness of a single
      report of BAC for diagnostic and screening purposes.

PMID- 1405633
TI  - Drinkers and their driving: compliance with drinking-driving legislation in four
      Australian states.
AB  - This study replicates work in Norway and the United States in investigating the
      extent to which Australian drivers attempt to comply with drinking-driving
      legislation. In a four-state survey of 1,133 drinkers, it was found that people
      were aware of the need to control their alcohol input before driving, and derived
      estimates of blood alcohol after a recent away-from-home drinking occasion
      demonstrated that the amount people drank was influenced by whether or not they
      were driving. Drivers reported drinking less than nondrivers and were also those
      who usually consumed less alcohol. These findings were also true of people with
      different levels of normal consumption. Although these results are encouraging,
      it is suggested that there is need for further modification of sanctions, and
      that the community needs more information about the alcohol content of drinks and
      drink sizes if people are to moderate effectively their drinking before driving.

PMID- 1405634
TI  - Citation analysis of 541 articles published in drug and alcohol journals: 1984
      1988.
AB  - Citation histories of 541 articles published in 1984 in 12 drug and alcohol
      journals were followed through 1988. Considerable variability in mean citation
      rates across journals was observed. The mean citation rate for the 541 articles
      was 3.48. Approximately 71% of the articles examined were cited at least once
      between 1984 and 1988. The present findings suggest that articles published in
      drug and alcohol journals may be cited more frequently, and exert their influence
      longer, than those of the social science literature generally. Qualitative
      analyses suggest that methodological and review articles tend to be cited most
      frequently. The need for a comprehensive scientometric examination of the drug
      and alcohol literature is emphasized as is the potential role of multivariate
      techniques in the identification of variables predictive of individual article
      and journal citation rates.

PMID- 1405635
TI  - Self-efficacy, aftercare and relapse in a treatment program for alcoholics.
AB  - The role of self-efficacy in the prediction of relapse following alcoholism
      treatment was examined in a 12-month follow-up evaluation. Self-efficacy was
      assessed at intake to inpatient treatment and again at discharge. The drinking
      status of male alcoholics completing treatment then was assessed during six
      intervals over the course of the posttreatment year. Results indicated a
      significant increase in self-efficacy from intake to discharge. Additional
      analyses showed that lower intake self-efficacy ratings were associated with
      relapse by either 6- or 12-months posttreatment. Discharge self-efficacy, on the
      other hand, was not related to relapse status at either posttreatment point. A
      subsequent analysis of the pattern of relapses across the six follow-up intervals
      was conducted using survival analysis. Results revealed that only intake self
      efficacy was predictive of the follow-up interval during which a relapse
      occurred. Individuals high in self-efficacy at intake showed the greatest
      resistance to relapse across time. The maintenance of aftercare further reduced
      the risk of relapse. The results are discussed with respect to self-efficacy
      theory and the problem of ceiling effects in posttreatment self-efficacy
      assessments.

PMID- 1405636
TI  - A 10-year follow-up survey of acceptability of controlled drinking in Britain.
AB  - This study was designed to reassess the acceptability of controlled drinking (CD)
      approximately 10 years after Robertson and Heather's (1982) survey of British
      treatment providers. Sixty percent of a wide range of almost 300 targeted alcohol
      service agencies in Scotland, England and Wales responded to a mailed
      questionnaire. Three-quarters of these respondents reported that nonabstinence
      was an acceptable outcome goal. About half of the respondents who accept CD
      reported it as acceptable for only 1-25% of their clientele. Within the subgroup
      of outpatient agencies, almost one-third reported CD as appropriate for at least
      50% of their clientele. Respondents endorsing CD rated severity of dependence,
      client attitudes and beliefs about controlled drinking and abstinence, drinking
      history, liver function test results and social stability/social relationships as
      the most important factors of those listed in selecting outcome goals.
      Respondents reportedly based acceptance or rejection of CD most frequently on
      their own professional experience and, to a lesser extent, on research evidence
      for or against CD and on agency policy.

PMID- 1405637
TI  - Stages of progression in drug involvement from adolescence to adulthood: further
      evidence for the gateway theory.
AB  - Sequential stages of involvement in alcohol and/or cigarettes, marijuana, other
      illicit drugs and medically prescribed psychoactive drugs from adolescence to
      adulthood are investigated in a longitudinal cohort that has been followed from
      ages 15 to 35. Alternative models of progression are tested for their goodness of
      fit. Four stages are identified: that of legal drugs, alcohol or cigarettes;
      marijuana; illicit drugs other than marijuana; and medically prescribed drugs.
      Whereas progression to illicit drugs among men is dependent upon prior use of
      alcohol, among women either cigarettes or alcohol is a sufficient condition for
      progression to marijuana. Age of onset and frequency of use at a lower stage of
      drug use are strong predictors of further progression.

PMID- 1405638
TI  - Gender patterns in consequences of collegiate alcohol abuse: a 10-year study of
      trends in an undergraduate population.
AB  - Although college men have typically reported significantly more alcohol problems
      than women, debate about a possible convergence of gender differences has emerged
      in recent years. Time trend data on gender differences based on consistent
      measures of alcohol-related problems are scant, however. Another limitation of
      previous research has been the predominant focus on alcohol problems most common
      among men. This article provides data on gender differences and trends in several
      types of negative consequences of student drinking in a collegiate population
      from four surveys conducted between 1979 and 1989. The data do not support an
      overall "convergence hypothesis" as men remained much more problematic in several
      types of consequences-specifically abuse problems that are public, involve legal
      repercussions, or that endanger others. Consequences that are more personal or
      less prone to provoke public response reveal little or no gender differences,
      however, in the most recent collegiate cohorts. Thus, more gender research is
      needed on types of alcohol problems in campus context.

PMID- 1405639
TI  - Cirrhosis mortality and occupation.
AB  - Cirrhosis, the ninth leading cause of death in the United States, has been
      associated with abusive alcohol consumption patterns. Since the workplace serves
      as a major exposure variable for alcohol consumption over a significant portion
      of the lifecourse, and since heavy drinking has been shown to differ by type of
      occupation, this study examines the relationship between type of occupation and
      cirrhosis mortality. The California Occupational Mortality Study data set (1979
      to 1981) provided the information on primary occupation and liver cirrhosis
      mortality. Crude and sex-specific mortality rates were calculated based on
      information from a 20% sample of the 1980 California census (included in the data
      set). Ninety-five percent confidence intervals were calculated around all rates
      to determine if any were significantly different from rates for the entire state.
      The findings uphold the view that an association exists between occupation and
      cirrhosis mortality. The highest mortality rates were found among persons with
      blue-collar type jobs (e.g., construction laborers and machinists) or jobs where
      alcohol was easily available (e.g., bartenders and waitresses). Future research
      needs to specify the factors associated with occupation that may promote the
      chronic heavy drinking that leads to cirrhosis.

PMID- 1405640
TI  - Assessment of alcohol-related workplace activities: development and testing of
      "Your Workplace".
AB  - Alcohol-related workplace activities are assessed using a short, easy to
      administer, self-report instrument. Three scales--Adverse Effects of Drinking on
      Work Performance, Support for Consumption and Support for Abstinence--are derived
      from it. They have internal reliability, are independent of one another and have
      face validity as well as discriminant and convergent validities. Some evidence of
      predictive (criterion-related) validity is presented. Researchers seeking to
      assess the interrelationship between alcohol-related work factors and drinking
      behavior can apply this instrument to the task.

PMID- 1405641
TI  - Measuring quantity and frequency of drinking in a general population survey: a
      comparison of five indices.
AB  - This article compares five indices of alcohol consumption in a general population
      survey conducted in 1985 in the Netherlands. Self-reports of consumption were
      obtained with a prospective diary, a retrospective 7-day recall method, and three
      summary measures, such as a quantity-frequency index. The coverage of sales data
      appeared highest for the diary (67%), which suggests a higher validity. Special
      attention was given to comparisons of quantity and frequency of drinking between
      the diary, on the one hand, and the weekly recall and summary measures, on the
      other. It was found that underreporting, relative to the diary reports, was
      generally higher in the frequency than in the quantity domain. This result,
      together with the finding from longitudinal studies that intraindividual
      variation is also higher for drinking frequency, leads to the conclusion that
      forgetting is a potent source of undercoverage in surveys and to the hypothesis
      that large differences in overall drinking pattern between populations (e.g., in
      regularity of drinking) may account for the large differences in coverage rates
      of sales data. Furthermore, the subjectively assessed probability of drinking by
      means of a "usual" frequency question appeared a poor predictor of (diary)
      drinking frequency for respondents reporting a low or moderate frequency. For
      subjects claiming a high "usual" drinking frequency, a reasonable correspondence
      between diary and summary measures was found. This mitigates the fear often
      expressed that heavy drinkers particularly underreport their consumption.

PMID- 1405642
TI  - Alcohol availability and consumption: Iowa sales data revisited.
AB  - Recent changes in Iowa liquor control laws ended the 51-year-old state alcohol
      monopoly distribution system and turned the sales of bottled wine and spirits
      over to the private sector. The resulting increase in the availability of these
      beverages provided a unique opportunity to study the relationship between
      increased wine and spirits availability and changes in their consumption. Time
      series analyses of monthly sales (apparent consumption) trends showed that the
      increased availability had no lasting impact on consumption.

PMID- 1405643
TI  - The relationship between license type and alcohol-related problems attributed to
      licensed premises in Perth, Western Australia.
AB  - Drink-driving offenses, alcohol-related traffic accidents and number of assault
      charges were used as indicators of the degree of alcohol-related problems
      associated with individual licensed premises in the Perth Traffic Police region
      of Western Australia. These indicators were used to rank five main categories of
      licensed premises according to the levels of harm experienced by their customers
      while controlling for the amounts of alcohol sold in each category. Nightclubs,
      taverns and hotels emerged as "high-risk" in comparison with clubs and
      restaurants. The role of such factors as different customer characteristics,
      opening hours, types of entertainment, restrictions on clientele and provision of
      meals are discussed as possible explanations underlying this finding.

PMID- 1405644
TI  - The effects of alcohol on the cardiovascular stress response in men at high risk
      for alcoholism: a dose response study.
AB  - Men at risk for alcoholism appear to be cardiovascularly hyperreactive to
      stressors; high doses of alcohol have been found to significantly dampen this
      hyperreactivity. The present study examined the effects of various doses of
      alcohol on cardiovascular reactivity in high- versus low-risk men. Cardiovascular
      reactivity to a stressor (unavoidable shock) was examined in men with
      multigenerational family histories of alcoholism and in family history negative
      men while they were sober and after they had consumed one of five alcohol doses
      (active placebo, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00 or 1.32 ml 95% USP alcohol/kg body weight). No
      significant placebo effects were observed in the active placebo condition.
      Furthermore, the cardiovascular reactivity dampening effect in high-risk men was
      evident only at moderate to high doses of alcohol, suggesting that men at high
      risk for the development of alcoholism must consume moderately high doses of
      alcohol in order to obtain this potentially reinforcing consequence.

PMID- 1405645
TI  - Resistance to alcohol impairment of visual-motor performance: does it help to pay
      attention?
AB  - In a 2 x 2 factorial design, moderately intoxicated (BAC = .05) college students
      (n = 40) were exposed to a cognitive set (to concentrate) and/or an auditory
      feedback signal while performing a modified pursuit-rotor task across five
      postbeverage trials. Self-reported "highness" was also assessed. A control group
      received placebo drinks and performed without aids. Hypothesized main effects for
      both set and signal revealed that intoxicated aided subjects outperformed their
      unaided counterparts. Moreover, subjects who received both aids outperformed all
      other intoxicated subjects and performed equivalently with unaided placebo
      subjects. Separate analyses of the first postbeverage trial and use of covariance
      analyses provided confidence that the obtained effects were not attributable to
      acute or chronic tolerance. Highness correlated negatively with performance; but
      set and signal effects on highness failed to reach significance. Although alcohol
      induced motor impairment is not recognized in the research literature as being
      under volitional control, subjects in the present study exhibited clear
      resistance to alcohol impairment. Possible psychological mediators and moderators
      of the obtained effects are discussed, as well as the relevance of these findings
      for tolerance research. Practical implications are also considered.

PMID- 1405646
TI  - Resource-limited information processing in alcoholism.
AB  - A concurrent-task paradigm was utilized to examine the availability of limited
      capacity information-processing resources in long-term chronic alcoholism. Normal
      control subjects and detoxified long-term alcoholics did not differ in their
      performance of a primary task that required an assessment of the meaning of
      foveally-presented words. However, reaction time measures indicated that the
      abstinent alcoholics were relatively impaired in their ability to concurrently
      perform a secondary task that required them to detect randomly-occurring and
      spatially-distributed visual probe stimuli. This impairment is interpreted as
      reflecting an abnormal limitation in the attentional resources abstinent
      alcoholics have available for task performance. The relationship between this
      deficit and the types of biological abnormalities and neuropsychological
      impairments commonly observed in alcoholism is discussed.

PMID- 1405647
TI  - Ultrastructural alterations in ileal M cells of rats after chronic ethanol
      ingestion: reversal after cessation of ethanol.
AB  - Membranous (M) cells within the dome epithelium of ileal Peyer's patches have
      been shown to provide selective antigen entry for mucosa-associated lymphoid
      tissue. This study produced morphologic evidence of ethanol-induced disruption of
      the architecture in follicle-associated epithelium. The adherens type junctions
      of the lateral plasma membranes between M cells and columnar absorptive cells
      were disrupted. A 45-day exposure by ingestion of ethanol also produced marked
      changes in the ultrastructure of M cells. All experimental animals showed
      mitochondrial swelling with loss of matrix density, dilation of the endoplasmic
      reticulum and cytoplasmic vacuolization. The ethanol content of serum and chyme
      samples were 180 mg/dl and 160 mg/dl, respectively. This was well below the 4,280
      mg/dl of the diet therefore a systemic mechanism was implicated for the changes
      observed. Membranous cells from the recovery group were normal 15 days after
      withdrawal from ethanol. We concluded that the ethanol-induced cytopathology in
      ileal M cells is reversible when ethanol exposure is discontinued.

PMID- 1405648
TI  - Prognostic factors for noncurative gastric cancer: univariate and multivariate
      analyses.
AB  - We performed univariate and multivariate analyses of possible prognostic factors
      related to postoperative clinical course of patients with advanced gastric
      cancer. Noncurative resection was done for 119 patients with hepatic metastasis,
      peritoneal seeding, extensive lymph node metastasis, or direct invasion to
      adjacent organs, either alone or in various combinations. In the univariate
      analysis, 6 of 17 items such as peritoneal seeding, lymphatic invasion, vascular
      invasion, mode of invasion, extent of lymphadenectomy, and width of serosal
      invasion significantly correlated to the prognosis. The multivariate analysis
      indicated that three inherent pathologic factors, mode of invasion, lymph node
      metastasis, and hepatic metastasis, and one treatment factor, extent of
      lymphadenectomy, were significant variables predictive of the prognosis and that
      the prognosis was expected to be very poor in cases of infiltrative type, nodal
      involvement to tertiary nodes, presence of hepatic metastasis, and
      lymphadenectomy less than R3. Prognosis in terms of the extent of lymphadenectomy
      shows that extensive lymphadenectomy (R3) proved to be significantly effective in
      prolonging survival time, even after noncurative gastrectomy. We recommend
      extensive lymphadenectomy to prolong survival time for such patients.

PMID- 1405649
TI  - Skeletal metastasis from occult carcinoma.
AB  - We reviewed 177 patients with skeletal metastases, seen between 1984 and 1989, to
      define the characteristics of metastatic bone disease from an occult primary
      carcinoma. In 52 (30%) patients, the primary carcinomas could not be identified
      when the bone metastases were first diagnosed. This group was predominantly male,
      with intractable pain the most common symptom. The primary tumors were identified
      on antemortem evaluation in 28 (54%) patients after extensive examination. Among
      these, the primary tumor was in the lung in 9 patients, followed by liver (8),
      kidney (5), prostate (3), thyroid gland (2), and rectum (1). The identifiable
      occult malignancies possessed three common features: all were osteophilic tumors,
      all had a high incidence in the specific geographic area, and all were not
      amenable to early detection. The mean survival of these patients was 11 months.
      Current treatment modalities failed to affect the course of these patients,
      except for those with primary carcinomas of the kidney and prostate. This
      observation attests to our limitations in both the diagnosis and treatment of
      this problem. Efforts should be directed primarily toward excluding those common
      and/or treatable tumors only.

PMID- 1405650
TI  - Early gastric cancer: an analysis of 44 cases with emphasis on the prognostic
      significance of the macroscopic and microscopic growth patterns.
AB  - Forty-four consecutive cases of "early gastric cancer" were studied according to
      the macroscopic classification proposed by the Japanese Gastroenterological and
      Endoscopy Society and further analyzed in terms of growth patterns. The tumours
      were then classified into the small mucosal type, the superficially spreading
      (Super) type and the penetrating growth (Pen) type. The Lauren type (intestinal
      vs. diffuse), presence of lymphatic and venous invasion, and lymph node
      metastasis were also assessed. Most elevated tumours showed a superficial growth
      pattern and were classified as Lauren's intestinal type, whereas depressed
      lesions were associated with submucosal invasion and were classified as diffuse.
      Microscopic patterns did not show any correlation with Lauren's classification.
      Mean duration of follow-up was 67.8 months and the overall actuarial survival was
      93%, 80%, and 72%, at 2, 5, and 10 years, respectively. Aside from venous
      invasion no correlation was found between survival and any of the morphological
      parameters analysed.

PMID- 1405651
TI  - Hepatic resection following systemic chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal
      carcinoma.
AB  - Increasingly effective systemic chemotherapy has improved responses in patients
      with previously unresectable colorectal hepatic metastases. In the future,
      response to chemotherapy may define a new population of patients that may benefit
      from hepatic resection. A retrospective review to determine the safety and
      effectiveness of potentially curative hepatic resection of metastatic colorectal
      carcinoma after systemic chemotherapy identified 11 such patients with resections
      between July 1987 and October 1991. Five patients had unresectable disease
      confined to the liver, two had hepatic and limited extrahepatic metastases, two
      had hepatic recurrences after previous hepatic metastasectomy, and two had
      initially resectable liver metastases. These patients were resected after a mean
      of 8 months of systemic chemotherapy. Complications, usually minor, occurred in
      five patients (45%). There were no deaths. Three patients are disease free at 15,
      18, and 31 months (mean 21) after hepatic resection. Eight patients have recurred
      with a median time to recurrence of 8 months. Five patients have subsequently
      died of recurrent disease. This study suggests that hepatic resection following
      systemic chemotherapy can be performed safely and may benefit selected patients.

PMID- 1405652
TI  - Therapeutic gain of local and radical resection combined with postoperative
      radiation for murine fibrosarcomas.
AB  - Resection of 8-mm fibrosarcomas (FSaII) growing in the right leg of syngeneic
      C3H/Sed mice was performed under a dissecting (x8) microscope. Local and radical
      resection achieved 20% (5/25) and 48% (12/25) tumor control, respectively. TCD80s
      (average dose expected to control 80% of irradiated tumors) for radiation alone
      given as one fraction per day for 5 consecutive days were 73.1 and 118.0 Gy for
      the microscopic and 8-mm tumors, respectively. Radiation therapy started at 4 or
      7 days following local or radical resection enhanced both the local tumor control
      and the treatment-related morbidity represented by leg shortening. From
      enhancement ratios (ERs) for tumor control (TCD80 for radiation alone/TCD80 for
      postoperative radiation) and for leg shortening (dose for 5-mm leg shortening for
      radiation alone/postoperative radiation) values, therapeutic gain factors (TGFs)
      were derived as ER tumor/ER leg shortening. These were 1.3 and 1.4 for local and
      radical resection followed by radiation started on the 7th postoperative day,
      respectively. Corresponding figures for radiation started on the 4th
      postoperative day resulted in 1.2 for both resection procedures.

PMID- 1405653
TI  - Secondary penile malignancies: the spectrum of presentation.
AB  - Secondary penile carcinoma is a rare disease with signs and symptoms covering a
      wide spectrum, from simple erythema to priapism. We report two cases of penile
      metastatic involvement that are illustrative of this spectrum.

PMID- 1405654
TI  - Malignant melanoma in a child with oculocutaneous albinism.
AB  - Malignant melanoma is extremely rare in patients with albinism. To date, in the
      English language literature, there have been only sixteen documented cases of
      malignant melanoma in albino patients. These cases include thirteen cutaneous,
      one oral, one ocular, and one anal; only one of these was in a child. Here, we
      present the case of the youngest known albino patient to have cutaneous malignant
      melanoma.

PMID- 1405655
TI  - Poorly differentiated solid type adenocarcinomas in the stomach: a
      clinicopathologic study of 71 cases.
AB  - A review of 71 cases of solid carcinoma of the stomach selected from 2,738 cases
      of surgically resected poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas (PDAs) was
      undertaken. The average age of the patients, which included 47 men and 24 women,
      was 62 years. The clinicopathologic features of solid carcinomas were similar to
      those of the differentiated type adenocarcinomas. The solid carcinomas were
      divided into 42 of the solid alveolar type and 29 of the free-cell type; 32 of
      the former (76%) had foci of overt differentiated areas, while most of the latter
      type lacked such foci and had some signet-ring cells. Many tumors of both types
      had a prominent venous permeation and lymph node metastasis even in the early
      stage of invasion. The 5-year survival rates were 37% in all cases, 44% in cases
      with carcinoma with a limited invasion of the submucosa or the muscularis
      propria, and 27% in carcinoma invading down to the subserosa. These survival
      rates were poor in comparison with the 110 cases of ordinary PDA (diffuse type of
      Lauren) selected as controls. These findings suggest that tumors of the solid
      alveolar type are transformed from the differentiated type of adenocarcinoma,
      while those of the free-cell type are originally from PDAs. It is also suggested
      that solid carcinomas did show a high incidence of venous permeation and lymph
      node metastasis and that the prognosis for of venous permeation and lymph node
      metastasis and that the prognosis for this type of carcinoma is poor.

PMID- 1405656
TI  - Inferior vena cava leiomyosarcoma.
AB  - Leiomyosarcoma of the inferior vena cava is a rare malignancy, and radical
      resection with negative margins remains the only hope for cure. In this report we
      cite four cases of this tumor treated at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson
      Cancer Center with particular emphasis on the use of preoperative chemotherapy.
      In our patients, preoperative chemotherapy did not adversely affect operative
      outcomes or survival. The potential benefits of preoperative chemotherapy include
      control of micrometastases, reduction in tumor size before resection, and in situ
      evaluation of tumor response to chemotherapy for postoperative adjuvant therapy.

PMID- 1405657
TI  - Surgical treatment for thoracic esophageal carcinoma in patients after
      gastrectomy.
AB  - The clinicopathologic factors in 50 gastrectomized and 831 nongastrectomized
      patients with thoracic esophageal carcinoma were compared. The differences in
      various factors were not statistically significant except for the average
      duration of operation, which suggests that the association of esophageal
      carcinoma and previous gastrectomy is a chance finding. Thirty-four
      gastrectomized patients underwent abdominal lymphadenectomy and 16 did not. The
      postoperative survival curves for the two groups did not differ. In comparing the
      clinicopathologic factors between the two groups, only the tumor location
      differed significantly (P < .05). Nine patients (26.5%) with lesions in the mid-
      or lower thoracic esophagus in the gastrectomized group had positive nodes in the
      abdomen; the 5-year survival rate was 39.4%. Among them, 8 had gastrectomy for
      peptic ulcer. Abdominal lymphadenectomy is recommended for those patients with
      mid- or lower thoracic esophageal carcinoma who have had previous gastrectomy
      without lymphadenectomy.

PMID- 1405658
TI  - Use of the Carpentier-Edwards porcine bioprosthesis: assessment of a patient
      selection policy.
AB  - The Carpentier-Edwards bioprosthesis was implanted in 369 patients (414 valves)
      between May 1977 and December 1987 (age 67.2 +/- 0.5 years); 242 had aortic valve
      replacement, 80 had mitral valve replacement, 44 had multiple valve replacement,
      of which 41 were aortic and mitral valve replacement, 2 had isolated tricuspid
      valve replacement, and 1 had a pulmonary valve replacement. The selection
      criteria were the following: shorter life expectancy (253 patients) or
      contraindications to anticoagulants for organic (113 patients) or psychologic (38
      patients) reasons, or both. The early mortality rate was 11.1% (aortic valve
      replacement, 9.1%; mitral valve replacement, 12.4%; aortic and mitral valve
      replacement, 23.1%). Total cumulative follow-up was 1456 pt-yr (mean 4.4 years,
      range 1 to 148 months), and the patient evaluation was 99.5% complete. Late
      mortality was 4.9%/pt-yr. Five-year survival was 70.4% +/- 2.7% overall, 74.3% +/
      3.2% after aortic valve replacement, 60.9% +/- 6.2% after mitral valve
      replacement (p < 0.03), and 60.7% +/- 8.1% after aortic and mitral valve
      replacement. Eight patients were reoperated on for primary tissue failure, and
      freedom from reoperation for structural valve deterioration was 97.5% +/- 1.2% at
      5 years and 95.6% +/- 1.8% at 8 years. Failing aortic bioprostheses were
      explanted in four patients (0.4%/pt-yr) and mitral bioprostheses in seven
      (1.6%/pt-yr). No patient whose valve was inserted after the age of 70 had to be
      reoperated on for structural valve dysfunction. The probability of freedom from
      thromboembolism after 5 and 8 years of follow-up was 93.1% +/- 1.6% and 92.2% +/-
      1.8%, respectively. The prevalence of anticoagulant-related hemorrhage was
      0.8%/pt-yr (major 0.6%, minor 0.2%). Anticoagulants had to be maintained in 16.3%
      of the patients: 5.9% after aortic valve replacement, 35.7% after mitral valve
      replacement, and 45.8% after aortic and mitral valve replacement, while 80.0%
      were on a regimen of antiplatelet drug therapy. Prosthetic valve endocarditis
      happened in five patients (0.3%/pt-yr). Freedom from all valve-related morbidity
      and mortality, including hospital deaths, was 71.0% +/- 2.7% at 5 years and 58.6%
      +/- 4.6% at 8 years and was significantly better in the aortic valve replacement
      group (61.3% +/- 6.6% at 8 years) compared with the mitral valve replacement
      group (54.4% +/- 7.7% at 8 years; p = 0.04). This study confirms the satisfactory
      performance of the Carpentier-Edwards valve after aortic valve replacement in
      elderly patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1405659
TI  - Hemodynamic evaluation of the Monostrut and spherical disc Bjork-Shiley aortic
      valve prosthesis with Doppler echocardiography.
AB  - A Doppler echocardiographic study was performed to assess whether the Monostrut
      model of the Bjork-Shiley valve (Shiley, Inc., Irvine, Calif.) had an improved
      hemodynamic performance in comparison with the spherical disc model in the aortic
      position. Twenty retrospectively randomly selected patients were studied, 10 with
      each valve type. Within each valve type two sizes of valve were studied, 21 and
      23 mm. The two groups were comparable with respect to age, postoperative time,
      fractional shortening, New York Heart Association functional class
      preoperatively, and body surface area. Pulsed and continuous wave Doppler
      measurements were recorded at rest. Continuous wave Doppler recordings were
      performed every 2 minutes after exercise with supine bicycle ergometry until 10
      minutes after exercise. Peak and mean gradients across the aortic valve
      prostheses were estimated. Both groups achieved a significant and comparable rise
      in heart rate with exercise. The mean gradients +/- standard error of the mean at
      rest and 2 minutes after exercise were 19.7 +/- 1.9 mm Hg and 30.9 +/- 2.2 mm Hg,
      respectively in the spherical disc group compared with 14.9 +/- 1.1 mm Hg and
      23.6 +/- 1.7 mm Hg in the Monostrut group (p < 0.05 and p < 0.025, respectively).
      Peak transvalvular gradient at rest was 30.7 +/- 2.7 mm Hg in the spherical group
      compared with 23.9 +/- 1.9 mm Hg in the Monostrut group (p < 0.05). We conclude
      that the Monostrut Bjork-Shiley valve prosthesis has better hemodynamic
      performance than the spherical disc model in the aortic position.

PMID- 1405660
TI  - Preoperative and postoperative right ventricular function during exercise in
      patients with mitral stenosis.
AB  - To elucidate the effects of mitral valve surgery on right ventricular function in
      11 patients with mitral stenosis, pre- and postoperative right ventricular
      function were quantified using gated equilibrium blood pool radionuclide
      ventriculography at rest and during exercise. The preoperative right ventricular
      ejection fraction was 39 +/- 4% at rest and 36 +/- 9% during exercise, which
      during exercise was lower than control values (51 +/- 5%) (p < 0.01). When the
      preoperative right ventricular ejection fraction was lower during exercise than
      at rest, postoperative right ventricular ejection fraction during exercise was
      lower than normal values (42 +/- 3% versus 51 +/- 5%) (p < 0.01). When the
      preoperative right ventricular ejection fraction did not decrease during
      exercise, the postoperative right ventricular ejection fraction was within normal
      limits during exercise (54 +/- 5%). In addition, postoperative right ventricular
      ejection fraction during exercise increased to normal values in patients whose
      preoperative right ventricular ejection fraction during exercise had been 40% or
      higher. Preoperative peak ejection rate was -1.81 +/- 0.19 EDV/sec at rest and 
      1.72 +/- 0.39 EDV/sec during exercise, which during exercise was lower than
      control values (-2.44 +/- 0.53 EDV/sec) (p < 0.01). Postoperatively, peak
      ejection rate during exercise (-2.50 +/- 0.37 EDV/sec) increased (p < 0.05) to
      normal levels. Preoperative peak filling rate was 1.61 +/- 0.47 EDV/sec at rest
      and 1.88 +/- 0.54 EDV/sec during exercise, which during exercise was lower than
      control values (2.58 +/- 0.62 EDV/sec) (p < 0.01). Postoperatively, peak filling
      rate during exercise (2.82 +/- 0.62 EDV/sec) increased (p < 0.05) to normal
      values in all patients. Preoperative changes in both right ventricular ejection
      fraction and peak ejection rate from rest to exercise inversely correlated with
      the preoperative pulmonary vascular resistance at rest (right ventricular
      ejection fraction, r = -0.79, p < 0.005; and peak ejection rate, r = -0.67, p <
      0.05). In conclusion, right ventricular systolic function improved in about half
      of the patients with mitral stenosis, and diastolic function improved in all
      patients during exercise following surgery. When the preoperative pulmonary
      vascular resistance was elevated, the right ventricular systolic dysfunction
      persisted.

PMID- 1405661
TI  - Surgery for atrioventricular node reentry tachycardia. Results with surgical
      skeletonization of the atrioventricular node and discrete perinodal cryosurgery.
AB  - Surgical treatment options for interruption of atrioventricular node reentrant
      tachycardia include (1) skeletonization of the atrioventricular node by
      dissecting it from most of its atrial inputs and (2) discrete cryosurgery of the
      perinodal tissues by applying a series of sequential cryolesions to the atrial
      tissues immediately adjacent to the atrioventricular node. Both these techniques
      attempt to interrupt one of the dual atrioventricular node conduction pathways
      while preserving the other. This report describes 17 consecutive patients who
      underwent surgical treatment, 10 patients with skeletonization of the
      atrioventricular node and seven patients with discrete perinodal cryosurgery.
      There were 10 female and seven male patients and their ages ranged from 28 to 56
      years (mean 38). Two of the 17 patients had Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and
      their accessory pathways were interrupted before the atrioventricular nodal
      reentrant tachycardia was ablated. All the procedures were performed in a
      normothermic beating heart while atrioventricular conduction was monitored
      closely. In the skeletonization technique, the right atrial septum was mobilized
      and the atrioventricular node exposed anterior to the tendon of the Todaro. The
      perinodal cryosurgical procedure was also performed through a right atriotomy and
      a series of sequential 3 mm cryolesions were placed around the borders of the
      triangle of Koch on the inferior right atrial septum. There were no operative
      deaths. Two patients who underwent the skeletonization operation had heart block
      necessitating pacemaker therapy. At postoperative electrophysiologic study, no
      echoes or atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia were inducible in any of
      the 17 patients. All patients have remained free of arrhythmia recurrence and
      have required no antiarrhythmic therapy after a follow-up of 5 to 28 months (mean
      14). In conclusion, both atrioventricular node skeletonization and perinodal
      cryosurgery successfully ablate atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia;
      however, perinodal cryosurgery appears to be safer in avoiding heart block, is
      more easily performed, and is our procedure of choice for the management of
      medically refractory atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia.

PMID- 1405662
TI  - Quantitation of mapping uncertainty in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.
      Implications for anatomic characterization and surgical division of accessory
      atrioventricular connections.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to quantitate the uncertainty inherent in the
      electrophysiologic mapping of ventricular preexcitation as seen in Wolff
      Parkinson-White syndrome. An ink-coated needle electrode was constructed to serve
      as a point source of unipolar stimulation along the atrioventricular junction.
      Activation times for 11 ventricular mapping sites at the atrioventricular
      junction were measured for each stimulation point. Maps were successfully
      completed for 18 right free wall and 14 posterior septal stimulation points. The
      activation time at the mapping site closest to the stimulation point was termed
      the index activation time. Activation times identical to the index activation
      time were noted at 1.3 +/- 0.5 mapping sites for each free wall stimulation point
      and 1.9 +/- 0.9 mapping sites for each septal stimulation point (p < 0.05, septal
      versus free wall stimulation points). Activation times falling within 5 msec of
      the index activation time were noted at 2.4 +/- 1.0 mapping sites for each free
      wall stimulation point and at 3.9 +/- 1.4 mapping sites for each septal
      stimulation point (p < 0.05, septal versus free wall stimulation points). The
      uncertainty of electrophysiologic mapping can be quantitated, and this error
      should be considered when making inferences regarding the anatomy of accessory
      pathways based on electrophysiologic data. A knowledge of the uncertainty
      inherent in the localization of accessory atrioventricular connections by
      electrophysiologic mapping can be used to plan borders of surgical dissection
      that will account for this uncertainty at a 95% confidence level.

PMID- 1405663
TI  - Mid-infrared pulsed laser ablation of the arterial wall. Mechanical origin of
      "acoustic" wall damage and its effect on wall healing.
AB  - Pulsed mid-infrared lasers are an alternative to excimer lasers for transluminal
      angioplasty. The mid-infrared lasers, however, were reported to produce
      "acoustic" wall damage that might impair the immediate and long-term results. To
      study the immediate and long-term effects on the arterial wall, 184 craters (1 mm
      diameter and 1 mm depth) were produced perpendicular to the intimal lining in the
      thoracic aortas of pigs. Three types of craters were evaluated: Ho-YSGG laser
      induced (lambda = 2.09 microns, 2 pulses of 500 microseconds, 0.50 joule/pulse,
      50 gm force), mechanically drilled, and "acoustic" craters. "Acoustic" craters
      were produced by two laser pulses delivered into a saline-filled metal fiber cap,
      which was placed in a mechanically drilled crater. The metal cap was provided
      with four outlets for water vapor and isolated "acoustic" from optical and
      thermal laser effects. The pigs survived 3, 14, and 28 days. Arterial wall
      damage, medial necrosis, and wall healing were assessed microscopically. At 3
      days, laser and "acoustic" craters were accompanied by large tissue ruptures (2.7
      +/- 0.9 mm and 2.9 +/- 0.8 mm, respectively, mean +/- standard deviation). These
      were attributed to large vapor bubbles expanding within the tissue. A zone of
      medial necrosis was observed adjacent to the laser craters (0.43 +/- 0.15 mm) and
      to the "acoustic" craters (0.17 +/- 0.14 mm). Neither ruptures nor necrosis was
      observed with the mechanical craters. At 2 and 4 weeks, the necrotic areas were
      repopulated with smooth muscle cells and all craters were adequately filled with
      smooth muscle cells, without any sign of an exaggerated proliferative response.
      We conclude that within the arterial wall, Ho-YSGG ablation was accompanied by
      the rapid expansion of a water vapor bubble. The formation of the relatively
      large vapor bubble is inherent to the use of a mid-infrared laser. The risk of
      creating dissections clinically, when delivering Ho-YSGG laser pulses, remains to
      be determined. The present study provided no indication that the arterial wall
      fissures might affect the restenosis rate unfavorably by promoting myointimal
      proliferation.

PMID- 1405664
TI  - Current trends in lung transplantation. Lobar transplantation and expanded use of
      single lungs.
AB  - Heart-lung transplantation remains the only therapeutic option for patients with
      combined end-stage cardiopulmonary disease. Because of the scarcity of heart-lung
      donors, we have been investigating other surgical alternatives for patients with
      end-stage vascular and parenchymal lung disease. From June 1989 through June
      1991, 48 patients underwent pulmonary transplantation. Seventeen of the 48
      patients underwent single lung transplantation. Of the 17 patients in the single
      lung group, eight patients had pulmonary hypertension and nine had parenchymal
      lung disease. Four of the 17 patients underwent repair of a cardiac defect with
      single lung transplantation. One-year actuarial survival was 68%. Pulmonary
      function has been excellent. The forced expiratory volume in 1 second was 79.6 +/
      13.6 (percent predicted), forced expiratory flow 25%-75% was 72.6 +/- 14.5
      (percent predicted), and arterial oxygen tension was 82.8 +/- 10.06 mm Hg when
      measured at annual follow-up in a group of eight patients without obliterative
      bronchiolitis. Pulmonary artery pressures of systemic level or greater in the
      group with pulmonary vascular disease were normal at annual catheterization. Most
      patients had at least one episode of allograft rejection. Actuarial freedom from
      rejection at the end of 3 months was 30%. Three of the 17 single lung patients
      receiving lung lobes were children. Two children received living-related lobe
      transplants and one neonate received a lobe from a 2-year-old cadaver donor.
      Single lung transplantation is an effective therapeutic option for selected
      patients with vascular or parenchymal lung disease. Expanding indications will
      permit more individuals to receive transplants from the existing donor pool.
      Living-related and cadaver lobe transplantation will also increase the options
      available to children in need of lung transplantation.

PMID- 1405665
TI  - An experimental study on direct revascularization of bronchial circulation by
      microvascular anastomosis.
AB  - The effects of direct revascularization of the bronchial artery after
      bronchoplasty were estimated by laser Doppler velocimetry and india ink injection
      in dogs. Bronchoplastic surgery at the right main bronchus was performed in all
      dogs, and the bronchial artery was reconstructed using the internal thoracic
      artery in the reconstruction group. The mucosal blood flow was measured at the
      distal side of the anastomosis. India ink was injected into the aorta in the
      nonreconstruction group and into the internal thoracic artery in the
      reconstruction group. The peripheral blood flow had diminished immediately after
      surgeries to 59% of the baseline value and took 14 days to recover to the
      baseline value in the nonreconstruction group. However, in the reconstruction
      group, the blood flow recovered at once to 78% of the baseline value and had
      returned to that value in 5 days. Statistically significant differences were
      noted between the groups from just after operation to day 7. India ink data
      confirmed these findings. In the nonreconstruction group, no ink was observed in
      the peripheral bronchial vessels on day 3; it was noted in part of the vessels on
      day 7 and in most on day 14. On the other hand, a relatively large number of
      vessels were stained just after operation in the reconstruction group. Thus
      reconstruction of the bronchial artery by means of the anastomosis with the
      internal thoracic artery can be said to be a useful and effective method for
      preventing airway ischemia.

PMID- 1405666
TI  - Reliable thirty-hour lung preservation by donor lung hyperinflation.
AB  - We examined the hypothesis that the degree of inflation of the lungs at the time
      of harvest may have an important role in postpreservation function. Lungs of
      donor dogs randomly assigned to groups 1 (n = 5) and 2 (n = 5) were ventilated
      with large tidal volumes (tidal volume, 25 ml/kg; positive end-expiratory
      pressure, 5 cm H2O; respiratory rate, 12 breaths/min, inspired oxygen fraction
      1.0) and were inflated to 30 cm H2O for 15 seconds before pulmonary artery flush
      and again immediately before tracheal crossclamping. In group 3 (n = 5) donor
      lungs were normally ventilated (tidal volume, 12.5 ml/kg, positive end-expiratory
      pressure 0 cm H2O; respiratory rate 12 breaths/min, inspired oxygen fraction,
      1.0) and were not hyperinflated before pulmonary artery flushing; the trachea was
      crossclamped at end-inspiration. In groups 1 and 3 a large bolus (25
      micrograms/kg) of prostaglandin E1 was injected into the pulmonary artery before
      flushing and was also added to the pulmonary artery flush solution (500
      micrograms/L). A rapid (approximately 50 seconds), high-volume mm Hg),
      hypothermic (4 degrees C) pulmonary artery flush was performed in all hypothermic
      (4 degrees C) pulmonary artery flush was performed in all groups with modified
      Euro-Collins solution. Heart-lung blocks were stored at 4 degrees C for
      approximately 29 hours before left single lung allografting. An inflatable cuff
      was placed around the recipient right pulmonary artery, allowing independent
      study of the transplanted lung. Hyperinflated lungs harvested with or without
      prostaglandin E1 provided equivalently excellent early posttransplant function
      (arterial oxygen tension [mean +/- standard deviation]: group 1; 503 +/- 45, vs
      group 2; 529 +/- 150 mm Hg; inspired oxygen fraction 1.0). Mean arterial oxygen
      tension was significantly lower in group 3 (116 +/- 78 mm Hg) than in either
      groups 1 or 2 (p < 0.0002 for either comparison). Copious reperfusion pulmonary
      edema was a constant feature in group 3 but was not seen in groups 1 and 2. All
      10 recipients in groups 1 and 2 survived the 3-day assessment period without
      difficulty; two of the five recipients in group 3 died during initial unilateral
      perfusion of the transplanted lung. Donor hyperventilation and inflation to 30 cm
      H2O before hypothermic storage can help provide excellent posttransplantation
      lung function after 30-hour preservation, with or without prostaglandin E1
      pretreatment. We speculate that this improvement may be due to effects of
      increased lung volume on pulmonary vascular tone and/or surfactant metabolism.

PMID- 1405667
TI  - Effects of the pericardium on left ventricular diastolic filling and systolic
      performance early after cardiac operations.
AB  - To determine whether closure of the pericardium after cardiac operations affects
      the filling characteristics and systolic performance of the left ventricle, we
      measured left ventricular volume, pressure, cardiac index, and stroke work index
      in 10 patients between 11 and 15 hours after cardiac operations, with the
      pericardium first closed and then open. At the time of operation, radiopaque
      tantalum markers were inserted in the left ventricular myocardium to outline the
      chamber in the 30-degree right anterior oblique projection, and the pericardium
      was closed by a continuous polypropylene suture exteriorized at both ends of the
      sternotomy. The patient was then transferred to the surgical intensive care unit,
      where left atrial pressure was measured via a fluid-filled catheter, left
      ventricular pressure with a micromanometer-tipped catheter, and myocardial oxygen
      consumption via a coronary sinus catheter. Left ventricular volume was measured
      by computer-aided analysis of fluoroscopic images (recorded at 30 frames per
      second) of the implanted myocardial markers. Left atrial pressure was maintained
      at target values of 10, 15, and 20 mm Hg by intravenous augmentation of blood
      volume. Left ventricular and left atrial pressures and volumes were measured with
      the pericardium closed; the pericardium was then opened by withdrawal of the
      pericardial suture. Radiopaque clips on the pericardial edges confirmed opening
      of the pericardium seconds after withdrawal of the suture. Repeated measurements
      of left ventricular pressures and volumes were then made at the target left
      atrial pressures with the pericardium open. End-diastolic volume index, peak
      positive time derivative of pressure, stroke work index, and cardiac index all
      increased significantly when the pericardium was opened (p < 0.001). Thus we
      found the following: (1) At physiologic pressures, the pericardium had a
      significant constraining effect on diastolic filling of the left ventricle, and
      (2) opening of the pericardium resulted in increased cardiac index and stroke
      work index. These increases may be attributed to the Frank-Starling response to
      increased left ventricular preload. The demonstrated improvement in left
      ventricular systolic performance should be considered when contemplating closure
      of the pericardium after cardiac operations, especially in patients with
      preoperative left ventricular dysfunction.

PMID- 1405668
TI  - Homologous blood transfusion as a risk factor for postoperative infection after
      coronary artery bypass graft operations.
AB  - Homologous transfusions are immunosuppressive and associated with a higher risk
      of postoperative infection. In this retrospective analysis, we studied 238
      consecutive patients who underwent first-time coronary operations by a single
      surgeon in 1988 to 1989 and collected clinical and laboratory data relevant to
      postoperative infections including pulmonary, urinary, and wound sites. Culture
      proved postoperative infections occurred in 16 of the 238 patients (6.7%), with
      only 3 (1.3%) being deep sternal wound infections. Seven of 16 (44%) of the
      infections were away from the wound sites, suggesting that nonsurgical variables
      contributed to at least some infections. Factors significantly associated with an
      increased risk of postoperative infection by univariate analysis included female
      sex, diabetes mellitus, and transfusion dose. Infections occurred in 3.9% of
      patients receiving up to 2 units of red cells and whole blood, 6.9% receiving 3
      to 5 units, and 22% of those receiving 6 units or more. Multiple linear and
      logistic regression analysis showed that transfusion dose was the most
      significant predictor of infection, days of fever, days of antibiotic therapy,
      and length of hospital stay. Homologous transfusion is associated (in a dose
      dependent fashion) with a threefold to eightfold increased risk of postoperative
      infection in patients undergoing coronary artery operations. This increased risk
      of infection may be due to transfusion-induced immunosuppression of the patient.

PMID- 1405669
TI  - Spinal cord protection with intravenous nimodipine. A functional and morphologic
      evaluation.
AB  - The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of ischemia in the spinal
      cord when a calcium channel blocker, nimodipine, is administered intravenously
      before, during, and after crossclamping of the thoracic aorta. In this series of
      experiments, 18 pigs underwent thoracotomies and had 17.5 to 18.0 cm of the
      thoracic aorta clamped for 30 minutes. By random selection, nine animals received
      intravenous nimodipine (2 micrograms/kg per minute) and nine control animals
      received only a carrier solution. Of the nine animals that received nimodipine,
      eight walked after the operation. In contrast, in the control group only two of
      nine animals walked. The ninth nimodipine-treated animals walked but had a severe
      delayed deterioration response. All animals, except one control animal, had a
      negative central spinal perfusion pressure. Morphologic examination of serial
      sections of spinal cords from control animals showed diffuse neuronal necrosis.
      In comparison, cords from the nimodipine group had swollen neurons accompanied by
      an inflammatory infiltrate and only occasional necrotic neurons. With this data,
      we conclude that certain calcium channel blockers, when administered in
      sufficient doses, can lend a protective effect to the spinal cord during ischemic
      events even when cord perfusion pressure has dropped to dangerously low levels.

PMID- 1405670
TI  - Simple hypothermic retrograde cerebral perfusion during aortic arch replacement.
      A preliminary report on two successful cases.
AB  - We recently found that hypothermic retrograde cerebral perfusion can be performed
      by simply elevating the central venous pressure in Trendelenburg's position while
      the aortic arch is open. In this technique, with an occlusion balloon in the
      descending aorta, deep hypothermic perfusion of the lower half of the body is
      performed as oxygen-rich venous blood supplies the brain. Two successful cases
      are reported: one of dissecting aortic aneurysm, DeBakey type II, with a true
      aortic arch aneurysm, in a 53-year-old woman, and one of acute aortic dissection,
      DeBakey type I, in a 53-year-old man. With the brain under retrograde perfusion
      at a rectal temperature of 15 degrees C and a central venous pressure of 15 mm
      Hg, replacement of the ascending to the descending aorta in the former case and
      to the proximal aortic arch in the latter case was successful. Cerebral
      circulatory arrest times were 81 and 65 minutes, respectively. No neurologic
      deficit was found postoperatively. It is suggested that this simple technique
      protected the brain for a long period of cerebral circulatory arrest during the
      aortic arch operation by supplying it with oxygen and simplifying the operative
      procedure.

PMID- 1405671
TI  - Cardiopulmonary bypass and the blood-brain barrier. An experimental study.
AB  - The diffuse inflammation produced by cardiopulmonary bypass might disrupt the
      blood-brain barrier and lead to the transient neurologic dysfunction occasionally
      seen after cardiac operations. To evaluate this possibility, blood-brain barrier
      integrity was measured by carbon 14-aminoisobutyric acid tracer technique after 2
      hours of cardiopulmonary bypass in piglets. Six animals were cooled to 28 degrees
      C on cardiopulmonary bypass and then rewarmed to 38 degrees C before carbon 14
      aminosisobutyric acid was injected intraarterially. A control group of six
      animals underwent median sternotomy and heparinization but were not placed on
      cardiopulmonary bypass. Blood-to-brain transfer coefficients for carbon 14
      aminosisobutyric acid were calculated for multiple brain regions; higher
      coefficients reflect greater flux of carbon 14-aminosisobutyric acid and suggest
      loss of blood-brain barrier integrity. The brain regions examined and their
      transfer coefficients (cardiopulmonary bypass versus control mean +/- standard
      error of the mean ml/gm/min) were middle cerebral artery territory cortex (0.0032
      +/- 0.0002 versus 0.0030 +/- 0.0002; p = 0.42), diencephalon (0.0031 +/- 0.0003
      versus 0.0029 +/- 0.0002; p = 0.50), midbrain (0.0028 +/- 0.0002 versus 0.0027 +/
      0.0002; p = 0.86), cerebellum (0.0036 +/- 0.0003 versus 0.0029 +/- 0.0002; p =
      0.22), and spinal cord (0.0035 +/- 0.0003 versus 0.0041 +/- 0.0008; p = 0.48).
      There were no significant differences in transfer coefficients between animals
      placed on cardiopulmonary bypass and control animals in any brain region
      examined. The pituitary gland lacks a blood-brain barrier and had a
      correspondingly high coefficient in control animals and those undergoing
      cardiopulmonary bypass (0.077 +/- 0.012 versus 0.048 +/- 0.008; p = 0.07). Two
      hours of moderately hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass does not disrupt the blood
      brain barrier.

PMID- 1405672
TI  - Patient memory before and after cardiac operations.
AB  - The memories of 20 patients undergoing elective operations on the heart were
      assessed by a comprehensive battery of standardized psychometric tests. Testing
      was conducted 1 to 2 days before, 7 to 10 days after, and 1 month after each
      operation. Twenty age-matched, healthy control subjects were given the same
      battery of tests at comparable times. Compared with healthy subjects, the patient
      group had significantly lower scores on 3 of 19 tests before, 10 of 19 tests 1
      week after, and 5 of 19 tests 1 month after surgical intervention. The patient
      group had similar test performances before and 1 week after the operations and
      improved on 3 of 19 measures 1 month after the operations. Degrees of illness and
      cardiopulmonary bypass variables were significantly related to only a small
      subset of memory measures. Results of this study are consistent with previous
      reports that underscore the contribution of nonspecific aspects of surgical
      intervention to neuropsychologic dysfunction in the immediate postoperative
      period. We conclude that neither the illness nor the surgical variables are
      directly related to substantial variance in cognitive function after operations
      on the heart.

PMID- 1405673
TI  - Full-thickness dynamic cardiomyoplasty of the left ventricle with free
      revascularized latissimus dorsi myografts. An experimental feasibility study.
AB  - Dynamic cardiomyoplasty, with use of a free latissimus dorsi myograft
      revascularized by the internal thoracic artery and vein, was performed in eight
      dogs subjected to electrical preconditioning for 8 to 12 weeks (group I) and in
      six unconditioned dogs (group II). The procedure was performed after the
      resection of the anterior wall of the left ventricle. Cardiac output and left
      ventricular stroke work were augmented by 23.7% +/- 9.4% and 44.1% +/- 15.9%
      after graft pacing with 50 Hz burst stimulation at a 1:1 synchronization ratio,
      while left atrial pressure ranged from 8 to 12 mm Hg. Analysis of the left
      ventricular function curve showed that graft pacing at rates of 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1
      augmented global left ventricular function. Hemodynamic benefit by continuous
      pacing at a 3:1 ratio was seen for 1.97 +/- 1.90 hours (0.5 to 6.1 hours) in
      group I until complications unrelated to the graft terminated the study, while it
      lasted for only 0.19 +/- 0.09 hour in group II. During the stimulation, the ratio
      of the lactate output to the oxygen consumption of the graft in group I, a
      possible indicator of metabolic shift, was significantly less than in group II,
      (0.46 +/- 0.58 and 6.34 +/- 1.73; p < 0.01). We conclude that free grafts of
      transformed latissimus dorsi muscle can augment global left ventricular
      performance, with a physiologic preload by oxidative metabolism, and provide a
      viable option in full-thickness dynamic cardiomyoplasty.

PMID- 1405674
TI  - Warm glutamate/aspartate-enriched blood cardioplegic solution for perioperative
      sudden death.
AB  - This report describes an initial experience applying warm glutamate/aspartate
      substrate-enriched blood cardioplegic solution to resuscitate hearts in 14
      patients with witnessed perioperative arrest. Ten patients were in stable
      hemodynamic condition in the catheterization laboratory (n = 3) or intensive care
      unit when sudden irreversible fibrillation developed. It progressed to
      electromechanical arrest in six patients. In patients with preoperative or
      postoperative arrest, conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation and
      defibrillation were unsuccessful and extracorporeal circulation was started 22 to
      150 minutes after arrest. The left ventricle was vented, the aorta clamped, and
      warm (37 degrees C) aspartate/glutamate blood cardioplegic solution was given at
      a rate of 150 ml/min for 20 minutes. All bypass grafts were open with good flows
      in patients who had had coronary bypass, and coronary bypass was done in the
      three patients who had preoperative arrest. Eleven of 14 hearts resumed normal
      sinus rhythm after aortic unclamping, only two electrocardiographically proved
      infarctions occurred, and 13 patients had complete hemodynamic recovery with
      improved ejection fraction. Three patients died: one of progressive cardiogenic
      shock, another of mediastinitis, and the third of irreversible neurologic damage.
      Eleven patients were discharged from the hospital and are well after a follow-up
      period between 3 and 9 months. We conclude that witnessed perioperative arrest
      with intractable ventricular fibrillation should be treated aggressively by
      administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation during prompt transfer to the
      operating room for total vented bypass and delivery of warm substrate-enriched
      blood cardioplegic solution. This treatment may salvage hearts thought to be
      damaged irreversibly and may be a feasible approach to intractable witnessed
      cardiac arrest, provided cardiopulmonary resuscitation maintains satisfactory
      cerebral perfusion pressure.

PMID- 1405675
TI  - Effect of an oxygen-enriched solution and multiple dosing of antegrade
      crystalloid cardioplegic solution on myocardial metabolism during coronary artery
      bypass graft operations.
AB  - The metabolic effect of excessive oxygenation and frequency of administration of
      antegrade crystalloid cardioplegic solution was assessed in 33 patients
      undergoing routine coronary artery bypass graft operations. Four patient groups
      were designed in which the initial aortic root injection was 1000 ml and then 100
      ml administered through the vein grafts after completion of each distal
      anastomosis. The groups were divided as follows: group 1, single dose, normally
      oxygenated cardioplegic solution infused via the aortic root; group 2, single
      dose, high oxygen content cardioplegic solution infused via the aortic root;
      group 3, normally oxygenated cardioplegic solution with additional 250 ml doses
      via the aortic root every 20 minutes; group 4, high oxygen content cardioplegic
      solution with additional 250 ml doses via the aortic root every 20 minutes. In
      all groups myocardial mean septal temperature showed an immediate fall to
      approximately 11 degrees C with the initial aortic root doses and then a gradual
      rewarming to approximately 20 degrees C during the crossclamp period (mean 58.6
      minutes). Metabolic parameters measured or calculated from the coronary sinus
      effluent were myocardial oxygen extraction, lactate production, base deficit,
      inorganic phosphate, glucose, potassium, creatine kinase (total and myocardial
      band fraction), and catecholamine production. There was no statistically
      significant difference in any of these determinations between each patient group.
      Furthermore, myocardial recovery, myocardial performance, and postoperative
      recovery characteristics were not different. We conclude that single or multidose
      aortic root crystalloid cardioplegic solution (either oxygen enriched or normally
      oxygenated) is equally effective in routine coronary artery bypass graft
      operations when septal temperatures are maintained between 15 degrees and 21
      degrees C for a total arrest time of 60 minutes or less. In this study,
      increasing the volume cardioplegic solution given in multiple doses appeared to
      offer no significant metabolic or functional advantage in patients without
      complications who had satisfactory left ventricular function.

PMID- 1405676
TI  - Assessment of regional and transmural myocardial perfusion by means of
      intraoperative myocardial contrast echocardiography during coronary artery bypass
      grafting.
AB  - By using intraoperative myocardial contrast echocardiography, we assessed
      regional myocardial perfusion and transmural blood flow distribution immediately
      after myocardial revascularization. A total of 62 revascularized myocardial areas
      were studied in 31 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. The
      revascularized areas were divided into three different areas: S area, supplied by
      significantly stenosed coronary arteries (43 areas); C area, supplied by coronary
      collateral situation associated with totally occluded coronary arteries (12
      areas); MI area, preexisting transmural myocardial infarction (7 areas).
      Myocardial contrast echocardiography was obtained by direct injection of 2 ml of
      sonicated 5% human albumin into the saphenous vein grafts at rest and during
      atrial pacing. Each area was divided into two layers of endocardial and
      epicardial halves, and myocardial enhancement of peak intensity was measured for
      each half and endocardial/epicardial gray level ratio was calculated: (1) The
      peak intensity of myocardial enhancement in S area and C area was significantly
      higher than that in MI area at rest as well as during pacing after myocardial
      revascularization. There was no significant difference in the peak intensity
      between S area and C area both at rest and during pacing. In S area the peak
      intensity significantly increased during pacing (p < 0.01), whereas it did not
      change in C area and MI area. (2) S area demonstrated no significant change in
      endocardial/epicardial intensity ratio during pacing. In contrast, the ratio in C
      area significantly decreased during pacing. (3) In S area with preoperative
      percent increase of segmental wall thickening lower than 25%, there was a
      significant correlation (r = 0.84, p < 0.001) between the peak intensity of
      myocardial enhancement and the postoperative changes of percent increase of
      segmental wall thickening in the revascularized areas. Thus, immediately after
      myocardial revascularization, intraoperative myocardial contrast echocardiography
      could provide a quantitative assessment of regional myocardial perfusion as well
      as blood flow distribution in the areas with myocardial infarction and with
      coronary collateral situation and in the areas supplied by stenosed coronary
      arteries.

PMID- 1405677
TI  - Invited letter concerning: the influence of paracardiac structures and conditions
      on cardiac performance in the postcardiotomy period.

PMID- 1405678
TI  - Rupture of the thoracic aorta: where is the expected improvement in surgical
      treatment?

PMID- 1405680
TI  - Hepatitis C--importance of screening the organ donor preoperatively.

PMID- 1405679
TI  - Invited letter concerning: right ventricular function after transatrial versus
      transventricular repair of tetralogy of Fallot.

PMID- 1405681
TI  - Invited letter concerning: the effect of extraanatomic bypass on aortic input
      impedance studied in open chest dogs: should the vascular prosthesis be compliant
      to unload the left ventricle?

PMID- 1405682
TI  - Physiologic assessment and surgical management of diffuse esophageal spasm.
AB  - The physiologic abnormalities and management of patients with diffuse esophageal
      spasm are controversial. We evaluated the symptomatic and functional results of
      surgical therapy in 19 patients with diffuse esophageal spasm who were
      incapacitated with dysphagia and chest pain and unresponsive to conservative
      management. A long esophageal myotomy with an antireflux procedure was performed
      in 15 patients, and four patients with multiple previous esophageal procedures
      had an esophagectomy. Eleven patients had increased esophageal exposure to
      gastric juice on preoperative 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring. The severity of
      dysphagia, chest pain, regurgitation, and heartburn was scored on a scale of 0 to
      3 before and a mean of 24 months (range 8 months to 13 years) after the
      operation. After myotomy, each of these symptoms and the overall symptom score
      improved significantly (p < 0.01). The improvement in the symptom scores in the
      patients who had esophagectomy were comparable with the improvement after
      myotomy. On self-assessment, 90% of the patients would have the operation again
      if again faced with the decision. Standard and ambulatory 24-hour manometry
      showed a significant reduction in the amplitude of the esophageal body
      contractions, a decrease in the frequency of simultaneous contractions, and the
      elimination of multi-peaked waves after the myotomy. Despite the addition of an
      antireflux procedure, lower esophageal sphincter pressure, overall length, and
      abdominal length were reduced markedly after the myotomy. This was associated
      with persistent or emerging heartburn or regurgitation in four patients. These
      data indicate that a long esophageal myotomy is a valid treatment alternative in
      appropriately selected patients with diffuse esophageal spasm. Esophagectomy and
      colon interposition is the procedure of choice in patients with multiple
      previously failed myotomies.

PMID- 1405683
TI  - Plasma cell granuloma of the lung.
AB  - Plasma cell granuloma is an uncommon, nonneoplastic pulmonary lesion. An 11-year
      retrospective review of resected pulmonary tumors yielded six patients with
      plasma cell granulomas. Fine needle aspiration biopsy results were falsely
      positive for carcinoma in one patient. Adherence or invasion of the mediastinum
      was present in three patients. Granuloma in one patient, who underwent two
      operative procedures, was deemed unresectable at the initial thoracotomy. For
      both diagnostic and therapeutic reasons, early surgical excision is recommended
      for plasma cell granulomas of the lung.

PMID- 1405684
TI  - Surgical treatment of pulmonary metastases from uterine cervical cancer.
      Operation method by lung tumor size.
AB  - Between 1959 and 1986, 32 patients with pulmonary metastatic tumors from squamous
      cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix underwent pulmonary resection. The method of
      pulmonary resection was correlated with the pathology of the metastases. In 20
      patients with pulmonary metastatic lesions 3 cm in diameter or larger, secondary
      lymph node involvement was observed in 65% and microscopic satellite lesions
      around the main metastatic lesion were seen in 50%. On the other hand, in none of
      12 patients having metastatic lesions smaller than 3 cm was there accompanying
      lymph node involvement, and microscopic satellite lesions were observed in only
      one patient among them. Consequently, we concluded that wedge resection with a
      disease-free margin of 2 cm or a little more from the tumor edge was appropriate
      for lesions smaller than 3 cm in diameter, and lobectomy with lymph node
      dissection was necessary for lesions 3 cm in diameter or more.

PMID- 1405685
TI  - Tracheal sleeve resection for iatrogenic stenoses (subglottic laryngeal and
      tracheal).
AB  - Since 1975 200 tracheal sleeve resections for iatrogenic tracheal and subglottic
      laryngeal stenoses have been performed in our institution. Preoperative Nd:YAG
      laser is of paramount help in opening the stenoses. Tracheography is usually
      performed to specify the length of the stenosis and the distance from the vocal
      cords. Operative procedures are described. One hundred seventy five (87.5%)
      patients are definitely cured, but in this group 16 patients required a
      Montgomery tube for 6 months to 1 year to recover a normal tracheal diameter. Two
      patients needed a second tracheal sleeve resection. Nine (4.5%) patients died,
      and 16 (8%) had recurrent stenoses. Stenoses in these patients were treated with
      use of a tracheostomy tube, a permanent Montgomery tube, or an endotracheal
      stent. Partial anterior cricoid resections performed in 21 patients have had the
      same results as those of the whole series. Twenty one laryngeal releases were
      performed and proved to be efficient and safe. In our experience complications
      can be avoided by good selection and preparation of the patients, accurate
      identification of the level and length of the stenosis, and meticulous technique.

PMID- 1405687
TI  - Desmoid tumors of the chest wall. A locally recurrent problem.
AB  - Desmoid tumors, in general, are known for their propensity to recur. To evaluate
      treatment and results, we reviewed the records of 32 patients admitted to our
      institution with a chest wall desmoid tumor from 1948 to 1988. There were 13 men
      and 19 women whose ages ranged from 12 to 67 years (median 36 years). Four
      patients had Gardner's syndrome. Treatment was wide resection. Median follow-up
      was 110 months. The overall 5-year survival was 93%; 5-year disease-free survival
      was 71%. The 5-year local recurrence rate was 29%. Since death from disease is
      uncommon after resection, but local recurrence is common, we recommend aggressive
      wide resection in patients who have desmoid tumors of the chest wall when seen
      initially.

PMID- 1405686
TI  - Effects of low-dose steroids on bronchial healing after sleeve resection. A
      clinical study.
AB  - We prospectively evaluated the effect of low-dose steroids after bronchial sleeve
      resection in 20 consecutive patients. Ten patients (group I) did not receive
      steroids. Ten patients (group II) received 10 mg of methylprednisolone
      intravenously intraoperatively and 10 mg intramuscularly every day for 10 days.
      In addition, group II patients received 250 mg of hydrocortisone succinate
      endobronchially before extubation and 5 mg of methylprednisolone daily in an
      aerosol solution. Bronchoscopy was performed in all patients before extubation,
      every day for 10 days, and 1 and 3 months after the operation. Bronchial healing
      was graded endoscopically from grade I (no edema, excellent healing) to grade V
      (dehiscence). In group I, three patients showed grade I, four had grade II, one
      indicated grade III, one revealed grade IV (granuloma), and one showed grade V
      (dehiscence) healing. Mean postoperative hospital stay was 9.7 days. In group II
      all 10 patients showed grade I healing. Mean postoperative hospital stay was 7.3
      days. We conclude that low-dose steroids improve the postoperative course in
      patients undergoing bronchial sleeve resection.

PMID- 1405688
TI  - Bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis in patients under two years of age.
AB  - Between December 1986 and December 1990, a bidirectional cavopulmonary
      anastomosis was performed in 27 patients younger than 2 years of age, including
      12 with heterotaxia syndrome. Age and weight of patients averaged 14.2 +/- 6.6
      months and 8.1 +/- 2.2 kg, respectively. Eleven had pulmonary atresia and 16 had
      pulmonary stenosis. The main pulmonary artery was ligated in seven patients in
      the latter group (subsequently reopened in one) and left open in nine
      (subsequently ligated in two). There were four hospital deaths (15%). All
      patients were discharged with anticoagulant/antithrombotic therapy to be
      continued for 6 months. There were two late deaths before further operations
      (8.7%). Two patients, one with acquired massive pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas
      and one with progressive common atrioventricular valve regurgitation,
      subsequently underwent definitive repair (biventricular in one), and both died.
      Heterotaxia syndrome (p = 0.087) and preoperative mean pulmonary artery pressure
      higher than 15 mm Hg (p = 0.09) were the only risk factors for overall mortality.

PMID- 1405689
TI  - Midterm results with cryopreserved allograft valved conduits from the right
      ventricle to the pulmonary arteries.
AB  - From 1985 to 1990, 89 patients underwent placement of 41 aortic and 54 pulmonic
      cryopreserved allograft valved conduits between the right ventricle and the
      pulmonary arteries. Six patients underwent replacement with a second allograft
      conduit. Median age at operation was 4.3 years, and 20 patients were infants less
      than 1 year of age. Conduit sizes averaged 11 mm in the conduits placed in 20
      infants and 20 mm in the 75 placed in patients more than 1 year of age. There
      were 7 early deaths in 89 patients (7.8%, 70% confidence levels 5.4% to 11.3%)
      and 9 late deaths in 82 hospital survivors (11%, 70% confidence levels 8% to
      15%). Actuarial survival was 81% (70% confidence levels 75% to 86%) at 33 months,
      and no deaths were due to conduit problems. Late reoperation was required in 13
      patients (7 for conduit obstruction, 1 for conduit valve insufficiency, and 5 for
      nonconduit-related problems). Six of the eight reoperations were done in patients
      who had small (< or = 13 mm) conduits placed during infancy. Conduit failure was
      similar between pulmonic and aortic allografts. There were no deaths in the eight
      patients who required conduit reoperation. Actuarial freedom from reoperation for
      conduit dysfunction was 80.5% (70% confidence levels 72% to 86%) at 53 months for
      the entire group and 94% (confidence levels 88% to 97%) at 44 months for patients
      more than 1 year of age. Cryopreserved allograft conduits have good early and
      midterm results and are comparable to porcine xenograft conduits. Despite a
      likely need for replacement within 3 years, we continue to favor the use in
      infants of an allograft valved conduit over a xenograft Dacron conduit. The need
      to replace a cryopreserved allograft conduit appears similar for conduits of
      aortic or pulmonic origin.

PMID- 1405690
TI  - Evaluation of right ventricular function by regional wall motion analysis in
      patients after correction of tetralogy of Fallot. Comparison of transventricular
      and nontransventricular repairs.
AB  - Right ventricular function was assessed by regional wall motion analysis and by
      global function in 62 patients after repair for tetralogy of Fallot. Its relation
      to surgical procedures, with special attention to right ventriculotomy, was
      investigated. Patients were classified as follows: group Ia (n = 17),
      transpulmonary-transatrial repair without right ventriculotomy; group Ib (n =
      22), transpulmonary-transatrial repair with minimal right ventriculotomy and
      small transannular patch; and group II (n = 23), transventricular repair with or
      without transannular patch. For regional wall motion analysis, fractional area
      change was used for three anterior parts obtained from hemiaxis area analysis of
      the lateral right ventriculogram. Ejection fractions were used for global right
      ventricular function. Functional assessment was done both at rest and during
      isoproterenol infusion, which is a stress test to evaluate cardiac functional
      reserve. At rest, group Ia showed better right ventricular anterior wall motion
      as well as global ejection fraction than did group II. Group Ib showed a global
      ejection fraction comparable to group Ia, with better regional wall motion in the
      middle anterior part of the right ventricle despite the depressed upper and lower
      anterior parts of the right ventricle. Group II showed depressed wall motion of
      the middle anterior part and the resultant impaired global ejection fraction.
      During isoproterenol infusion, group Ia showed significant increase in fractional
      area change of all anterior parts and in global ejection fraction. Group Ib
      showed significant increases in fractional area change at the middle and lower
      parts and in global ejection fraction comparable with group Ia. Otherwise, group
      II showed no significant change in fractional area change, or in global ejection
      fraction, at the upper and middle parts. These results indicated that
      transpulmonary-transatrial repair for tetralogy of Fallot provided better
      postoperative global right ventricular function and its reserve, with less
      impaired regional wall motion, than did the transventricular repair.

PMID- 1405691
TI  - Aortic wall stress profile after repair of coarctation of the aorta. It is
      related to subsequent true aneurysm formation?
AB  - True aneurysm formation at the site of coarctation repair has been increasingly
      recognized after synthetic patch aortoplasty. A mathematical model was developed
      to determine the aortic wall stress profile after coarctation repair with this
      technique. METHODS: A two-dimensional nonlinear mathematical model and a three
      dimensional finite element model were developed for different physiologic,
      geometric, and materials properties variables, which were incorporated into an
      idealized coarctation repair. RESULTS: The models demonstrated that the major
      variable affecting stress levels in the aortic wall after coarctation repair was
      the patch geometry. If the patch was allowed to balloon out, the aortic wall
      stress increased out of proportion to the increase in aortic diameter because of
      nonlinear effects. The maximal aortic wall stress concentration occurred opposite
      the patch. Patch stiffness was also an important variable, with a lower stiffness
      (subclavian flap repair) leading to a higher aortic wall stress for the same
      patch geometry as a synthetic patch repair. Inferences: Development of true
      aneurysms after coarctation repair by synthetic patch aortoplasty is likely to
      result from excessive aortic wall stress due to patch geometry.

PMID- 1405692
TI  - Can we predict the long-term function of the subclavian flap angioplasty?
AB  - Neonatal operations have improved the prognosis for newborn children with aortic
      coarctation. The 30-day mortality of 123 neonates with isolated coarctation of
      the aorta collected from nine series was found to be 0.8%. The subclavian flap
      angioplasty was the most frequently used surgical procedure in this collected
      series. This technique is relatively new, however, and many questions have yet to
      be answered. In this study we have done subclavian flap repair in newborn pigs
      and followed them up to adult ages. The pigs were killed 28 or 44 weeks
      postoperatively, and the aortas were reexamined. All flaps had grown
      symmetrically in width and length and parallel to the growth of the descending
      thoracic aorta. The flaps were macroscopically intact. Signs of degenerative
      processes were not found. The wall thickness of the subclavian flap increased by
      growth of the individual fibroelastic lamellar units in the tunica media. This
      adaptation to the increased wall stress occurred early in life. The wall strength
      of the flap also increased by thickening of the intimal layer. We conclude that
      the subclavian flap is well suited to function as a part of the aorta in adult
      life.

PMID- 1405693
TI  - The recognition, identification of morphologic substrate, and treatment of
      subaortic stenosis after a Fontan operation. An analysis of twelve patients.
AB  - Twelve children were identified with subaortic stenosis after Fontan's operation.
      All had absent resting and isoproterenol-provoked pressure gradient before the
      Fontan procedure. Six had a univentricular heart of left ventricular morphology,
      three had a single ventricle of right ventricular morphology, one had tricuspid
      atresia with transposition of the great arteries, one had pulmonary atresia,
      intact ventricular septum, and hypoplastic right ventricle, and one had corrected
      transposition with hypoplastic systemic ventricle. The median interval between
      the Fontan operation and the recognition of subaortic stenosis was 2.5 years. Ten
      patients underwent surgical treatment after a prior Fontan operation: Five had
      myectomy and enlargement of ventricular septal defect with two operative deaths;
      two had placement of a valved conduit from the ventricular apex to the descending
      aorta, and both died postoperatively; two with single ventricle had subaortic
      myectomy, and one had enlargement of ventricular septal defect and pulmonary
      aortic connection. Complete heart block developed in only one patient.
      Postoperative testing with Doppler echocardiography with color flow imaging
      demonstrated good relief of subaortic stenosis. All six children who survived the
      operation are well 4 months to 4 years later. Subaortic stenosis is a progressive
      lesion that may develop after a Fontan operation. Its surgical treatment
      continues to carry a significant mortality. Myectomy and enlargement of
      ventricular septal defect achieve direct relief of the obstruction with minimal
      risk of heart block.

PMID- 1405694
TI  - Does Down syndrome affect prognosis of surgically managed atrioventricular canal
      defects?
AB  - The appropriateness of surgical correction of complete atrioventricular canal
      defect in patients with Down syndrome has been questioned on a cost-benefit
      basis. Our experience with nonselective correction of all patients with
      atrioventricular canal defects gave us the opportunity to evaluate the impact of
      Down syndrome on postoperative survival. Between January 1, 1975, and December
      31, 1989, we operated on 94 patients with Down syndrome and on 127 genetically
      normal patients. One hundred thirty-four patients had partial or intermediate
      atrioventricular canal defect (28% Down patients) and 87 had complete
      atrioventricular canal defect (74% Down patients). Thirty-two patients died
      perioperatively and 10 patients died during the 15-year follow-up. The actuarial
      survival was 90% in the genetically normal patients and 57% in patients with Down
      syndrome (p < 0.0001). Nonetheless, when the confounding effects of pulmonary
      vascular resistance and the prevalence of more severe anatomic forms in patients
      with Down syndrome were eliminated with a multivariable analysis in the hazard
      domain, Down syndrome was not a significant independent incremental risk factor.
      This was verified by fitting parametric survival to actuarial survival
      graphically and by a testing of fit. Patients with Down syndrome underwent fewer
      reoperations and fared as well as or even better, on clinical and
      echocardiographic investigation, than their genetically normal counterparts.

PMID- 1405695
TI  - The conduction system in truncus arteriosus and its surgical significance. A
      study of five cases.
AB  - Atrioventricular block may occasionally occur after surgical correction of
      truncus arteriosus. We therefore studied the conduction system by means of serial
      sections in five cases of truncus (one after surgical intervention) to delineate
      the course of the conduction system and its relationship to the ventricular
      septal defect and the membranous septum. In general, the ventricular septal
      defect is in the anterior septum, confluent with the truncus, and the
      atrioventricular bundle is posterior and unrelated to the rim of the ventricular
      septal defect. In cases in which the ventricular septal defect is anterior and
      separated from the membranous septum by distinct muscle, the ventricular septal
      defect can be surgically closed without injury to the atrioventricular bundle. If
      the ventricular septal defect is related to the membranous septum, the
      atrioventricular bundle may be close to the ventricular septal defect and
      susceptible to surgical injury. If muscle separates the ventricular septal defect
      from the membranous septum, the branching bundle is close to the ventricular
      septal defect and also is susceptible to surgical injury. In one operated case
      there was partial dissolution of the left bundle branch, and the right bundle
      branch was involved in surgical closure of the defect. In summary, in truncus the
      conduction system varies in its course and is related to the location of the
      ventricular septal defect and its relationship to the membranous septum. The
      ventricular septal defect may be close to or related to the membranous septum,
      and the atrioventricular bundle and the beginning of the bundle branches may be
      vulnerable to surgical injury.

PMID- 1405696
TI  - Results of early repair of ventricular septal defect after an acute myocardial
      infarction.
AB  - A 10-year experience with early operation for postinfarction ventricular septal
      defect is reviewed. Twenty-two patients underwent surgical repair; operative
      mortality was 36% (< 30 days). The actuarial survival was 64% at 1 month, 59% at
      1 year, and 47% at 5 years. Risk factors predictive of operative mortality were
      diabetes (p = 0.001), elevated preoperative right atrial pressure (p = 0.02), the
      absence of a preoperative intraaortic balloon pump (p = 0.006), and a short time
      interval between infarct and operation (p = 0.018). Long-term survival was
      adversely related to diabetes (p = 0.030), elevated preoperative right atrial
      pressure (p = 0.005), and, surprisingly, survival was better in patients with a
      greater extent of coronary artery disease (p = 0.023). There were 14 operative
      survivors (64%) and 11 long-term survivors (3 months to 10 years, mean 6.0 +/-
      3.5 years). Six of eleven survivors were in functional New York Heart Association
      class I, one was in class II, and four were in class III.

PMID- 1405697
TI  - Impaired relaxation of the human mammary artery after temporary clamping.
AB  - Internal mammary artery specimens from 17 patients were each divided into three
      separate rings. One ring (control) remained in Krebs solution and the other two
      were clamped for 30 minutes with either a soft or hard jaw clamp. Isometric
      tensions were measured in an organ chamber by contracting the rings twice with a
      thromboxane A2 mimetic, U46619, and relaxing the rings first with the endothelium
      dependent agent acetylcholine followed by the endothelium-independent agent
      sodium nitroprusside. Endothelium-dependent maximal relaxation of the rings was
      impaired from control after both soft (20% versus 91%; p < 0.01) and hard (1%
      versus 91%; p < 0.01) jaw clamps were used. However, relaxation after use of hard
      jaw clamps was significantly less than after use of soft jaw clamps (1% versus
      20%; p < 0.05). Endothelium-independent maximal relaxation was not impaired from
      control after soft jaw clamps (89% versus 97%) were applied but was significantly
      impaired after use of the hard jaw clamps compared with control (73% versus 97%;
      p < 0.01) and compared with soft jaw clamps (73% versus 89%; p < 0.05). Rings of
      internal mammary artery specimens from 10 patients from each experimental group
      were silver stained. The percentage of intact endothelial cells was significantly
      greater after soft jaw clamping than after hard jaw clamping (39% versus 15%; p <
      0.02). These data suggest that soft jaw clamps significantly reduce the degree of
      vasoactive dysfunction compared with hard jaw clamps. In addition, soft jaw
      clamps produce fewer morphologic changes in the human mammary artery after
      temporary occlusion.

PMID- 1405698
TI  - Detrimental sequelae on the wall of the internal mammary artery caused by
      hydrostatic dilation with diluted papaverine solution.
AB  - We studied the effect of hydrostatic dilation of the internal mammary artery used
      for coronary revascularization in 10 patients (aged 45 to 79 years, median 63
      years). Diluted papaverine solution was injected in the lumen of distal segments
      of the internal mammary artery, the musculophrenic artery, or the superior
      epigastric artery that had been obtained at operation; injection was followed by
      hydrostatic dilation not exceeding a sheer force of 50 gm. In 12 control patients
      (aged 42 to 76 years, median 64 years) in whom the internal mammary artery had
      also been harvested for elective myocardial revascularization, similar arterial
      segments were wrapped in sponges soaked in papaverine solution of the same
      dilution. In the nondilated group the median (with interquartile range) number of
      fenestrations in the internal elastic lamina increased from the elastic (21, 7)
      to the elastomuscular (41, 11) and muscular segments (89, 12) (elastic
      elastomuscular: p = 0.006; elastic-muscular: p = 0.006; elastomuscular-muscular:
      p = 0.003) (Wilcoxon signed-rank test). In none of the three histologic segments
      were full-thickness disruptions of the intima and disruptions of the internal
      elastic lamina seen. Similarly, in the dilated group the number of fenestrations
      in the internal elastic lamina increased from the elastic (25, 18) to the
      elastomuscular (43, 9) and muscular (100, 13) segments (p values 0.01, 0.01, and
      0.006, respectively). In addition, in 20% of the elastic sections, in 17% of the
      elastomuscular sections, and in 35% of the muscular sections of the dilated
      group, disruptions of the intima and internal elastic lamina were seen.
      Comparison of the number of fenestrations in internal elastic lamina in the three
      histologic segments between the nondilated and dilated groups revealed a
      significantly greater value in the muscular segments of the latter group (p =
      0.01) (Mann-Whitney U test). We concluded that (1) hydrostatic dilation of the
      internal mammary, musculophrenic, and superior epigastric arteries may have
      detrimental effects on the histologic characteristics of the intima and the
      internal elastic lamina and (2) the number of fenestrations in the internal
      elastic lamina of these arteries is related to the presence or absence of elastic
      lamellae in the media.

PMID- 1405699
TI  - Inhibition of human internal mammary artery contractions. An in vitro study of
      vasodilators.
AB  - The internal mammary artery is currently the preferred conduit for myocardial
      revascularization; however, perioperative vasospasm of the internal mammary
      artery may limit its use as a bypass graft. The ability of various vasodilators
      to inhibit internal mammary artery contraction was investigated with the use of
      discarded segments of human internal mammary artery not used in coronary artery
      bypass grafting. Ring segments of human internal mammary arteries were suspended
      on strain gauges in muscle baths containing 37 degrees C Krebs solution for
      measurement of isometric tension in vitro. Arterial contraction was stimulated by
      elevating the extracellular potassium concentration to 70 mmol/L or by exposure
      to a 10 mumol/L concentration of norepinephrine, and inhibition of contraction by
      vasodilators was measured. The order of potency to inhibit potassium-induced
      contraction was as follows: nifedipine > verapamil > nitroprusside > papaverine.
      At maximal effective doses, nifedipine, verapamil, and papaverine almost
      completely inhibited potassium-induced contraction, whereas nitroprusside
      inhibited contraction by only 55%. When norepinephrine was used to contract the
      arteries, a biphasic relaxation curve was seen with nifedipine, but not with
      other vasodilator drugs. The order of potency to inhibit norepinephrine-induced
      contraction was as follows: nifedipine > nitroprusside > verapamil > papaverine.
      Maximal inhibition of norepinephrine contraction by these vasodilators ranged
      from 68% to 95%. Nitroglycerin, isoproterenol, and adenosine produced little or
      no inhibition of internal mammary artery contraction caused by potassium or
      norepinephrine. Although nifedipine was the most potent vasodilator, papaverine
      produced the greatest maximal inhibition of both potassium- and norepinephrine
      induced contraction of human internal mammary artery.

PMID- 1405700
TI  - Synergism between infarct-borne left ventricular dysfunction and cardiomegaly in
      increasing the risk of coronary bypass surgery.
AB  - The effect of cardiomegaly on operative and late mortality in patients with left
      ventricular dysfunction undergoing coronary bypass operation was investigated.
      The study group consisted of 178 patients whose left ventricular ejection
      fraction was below 45% and who were operated on from 1978 through 1985. Forty
      five patients (group A) had severe left ventricular dysfunction (ejection
      fraction < 30%) and 133 (group B) had moderate dysfunction (30% > ejection
      fraction > 45%). Twenty-four of group A (53%) and 54 of group B (41%) patients
      had cardiomegaly (cardiothoracic ratio on chest x-ray films > 0.5). There were 10
      (6%) hospital deaths, four in group A (9%) and six in group B (4.5%). All four
      deaths in group A and the six deaths in group B were patients who had
      cardiomegaly. Regardless of the severity of the left ventricular dysfunction,
      there was no operative death among patients with normal heart size (p < 0.001).
      Age over 65, bypass time longer than 2 hours, and incomplete revascularization
      emerged as risk factors. Follow-up ranged from 5 to 13 years (mean 7.8 years).
      Overall 5-year actuarial survival, including hospital mortality, was 80% +/- 3%.
      Reduced 5-year survival was observed in patients with cardiomegaly (67% +/- 5%
      versus 91% +/- 3%, p < 0.05). Five- and 10-year survival of patients from group A
      with cardiomegaly was 53% +/- 7% and 18% +/- 13%, respectively.

PMID- 1405701
TI  - Combined cardiac and abdominal aortic aneurysm operations. The dual operation on
      cardiopulmonary bypass.
AB  - Eight patients underwent both cardiac operation and repair of abdominal aortic
      aneurysm. All had respiratory impairment and significant impairment of left
      ventricular function, whereas six patients had severe diffuse distal coronary
      disease. In all patients the cardiac procedure was performed first, and the
      patients continued to receive cardiopulmonary bypass. Rewarming was not commenced
      until the abdominal repair was well under way, to protect the vital organs. There
      were no problems in weaning the patients from bypass, and six of the patients
      were extubated within 24 hours; one required ventilation for 36 hours. One
      patient died of colonic infarction complicated by kidney failure without being
      extubated. Another patient who was initially extubated in 11 hours required
      reintubation because of poor lung function and eventually died of multisystem
      organ failure caused by bilateral lower limb ischemia that persisted despite
      embolectomies. All survivors are well and in New York Heart Association
      functional class I or II between 3 and 18 months postoperatively. We conclude
      that for patients considered unfit for abdominal aortic aneurysm operations
      because of the nature of the cardiac disease, the combined operation with
      cardiopulmonary bypass is both safe and effective.

PMID- 1405702
TI  - The stretched ventricle. Myocardial creep and contractile dysfunction after acute
      nonischemic ventricular distention.
AB  - The hypothesis that nonischemic distention of the arrested, flaccid ventricle
      causes myocardial creep and reduces ventricular contractile force was tested in
      16 sheep. Left ventricular volume was calculated from ultrasonic dimension
      transducers spanning left ventricular major and minor axes and left ventricular
      wall thickness. Changes in left ventricular volume were plotted against left
      ventricular pressure, with and without temporary occlusion of both venae cavae
      before and after nonischemic distention of the continuously perfused, flaccid
      nonbeating left ventricle arrested with oxygenated, normothermic blood-potassium
      perfusate. During 12 minutes of cardiac arrest, an apical balloon progressively
      distended the left ventricle to a peak pressure of 40 mm Hg in 11 sheep using a
      protocol designed to prevent subendocardial ischemia or mechanical injury.
      Coronary sinus lactate measurements and myocardial distribution of microspheres
      confirmed the absence of ischemia in 16 animals. In five control sheep the
      balloon was inserted but not inflated. Left ventricular volume at zero pressure
      increased from 5.9 +/- 3.5 to 9.5 +/- 4.4 ml (p < 0.05) after balloon inflation
      and did not change in the control animals. After maximum distention of the
      balloon, static left ventricular volumes at identical pressures were
      significantly greater. After passive distention, the slope of the end-systolic
      pressure-volume relationship, a measure of contractility, decreased significantly
      (p < 0.05) from 7.1 +/- 2.8 to 3.5 +/- 1.8 mm Hg/ml and did not change in the
      control group. Passive distention ("stretching") of the nonischemic flaccid left
      ventricle thus causes myocardial creep and reduces ventricular contractility.

PMID- 1405703
TI  - c-myc and c-myb expression in acute myelogenous leukemia.
AB  - Monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry were used to detect the expression of c
      myc and c-myb in the bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) cells of patients
      with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). The expression of neither gene was
      correlated with the percent blast cells in the BM or PB nor was there a
      correlation between c-myc and c-myb expression. A wide range of expression of
      each gene was found within each FAB type of AML. Patients who had a high
      proportion of leukemia cells expressing c-myb were less likely to respond to
      remission induction therapy than patients in whom a low proportion of cells
      expressed c-myb. This association appears to reflect an inverse relationship
      between the proportion of cells expressing c-myb and the sensitivity of leukemia
      cells to the killing effects of chemotherapy in vivo. Treatment outcome was
      unrelated to c-myc expression.

PMID- 1405704
TI  - Prolongation by differentiation-stimulating factor/leukemia inhibitory factor of
      the survival time of mice implanted with mouse myeloid leukemia cells.
AB  - Mouse myeloid leukemic M1 cells can be induced to differentiate into macrophages
      by differentiation-stimulating factor (D-factor)/leukemia inhibitory factor
      (LIF). We examined the effect of D-factor on the survival times of syngeneic mice
      implanted with two different clones (T-22 and R-4) of M1 cells. D-factor induced
      differentiation and suppressed DNA synthesis of sensitive T-22 cells but not
      resistant R-4 cells in vitro. For in vivo experiments, we used recombinant mouse
      D-factor (rmD-factor) produced in mammalian cells, which is glycosylated and is
      more stable in vitro and in vivo than unglycosylated rmD-factor produced in
      Escherichia coli. Treatment with rmD-factor prolonged the survival times of mice
      implanted with T-22 cells but not R-4 cells.

PMID- 1405706
TI  - Bleeding complications and coagulopathy in acute leukaemia.
AB  - Factors and inhibitors of coagulation and fibrinolysis were investigated on
      admission in 57 patients with acute leukaemia and they were correlated to the
      occurrence of haemorrhage. Coagulation disturbances were found in 98%. Seventeen
      of the patients with haemorrhagic symptoms had major bleeding. Severe
      thrombocytopenia (< 20 x 10(9)/l) was found in 16%. Patients with major bleedings
      had significantly lower concentrations of prothrombin complex, fibrinogen,
      protein C and platelets. Low levels of antiplasmin and fibrinogen were
      characteristic of 'bleeders' with promyelocytic and lymphoblastic leukaemia. We
      found a positive correlation between vWF:Ag and leukaemic cell count especially
      in lymphoblastic leukaemia (ks = 0.72). Reduced levels of antithrombin indicated
      a poorer prognosis.

PMID- 1405705
TI  - Use of the polymerase chain reaction to detect hypermethylation in the calcitonin
      gene. A new, sensitive approach to monitor tumor cells in acute myelogenous
      leukemia.
AB  - Based on the recent observations that, in a majority of patients with acute
      leukemia, the 5' end of the calcitonin gene was hypermethylated and abnormal DNA
      fragments were observed following HpaII restriction digestion, we have developed
      a PCR-based method to sensitively detect this abnormal methylation of the
      calcitonin gene in AML. Applying the concept of competitive PCR, a semi
      quantitative correlation was obtained between the amount of hypermethylation and
      the amount of leukemic cells present. These results suggest that this method will
      be useful to monitor the amount of tumor cells in bone marrow from patients with
      AML.

PMID- 1405707
TI  - Successful treatment of two cases of myelodysplastic syndrome coexistent with
      chronic lymphocytic leukaemia with lymphoblastoid interferon.

PMID- 1405708
TI  - Role of interleukin 6 in the growth of myeloma-derived cell lines.
AB  - The role of interleukin 6 (IL-6) in the growth of five multiple myeloma-derived
      cell lines was characterized. The U266 and RPMI 8226 cell lines demonstrated
      increased DNA synthesis when cultured with exogenous IL-6, expressed IL-6 cell
      surface receptors (IL-6Rs) and expressed mRNA for IL-6R. However, these cells did
      not secrete detectable IL-6 protein, and a neutralizing antibody to IL-6 did not
      inhibit their growth. Three other myeloma-derived cell lines ARH-77, IM-9 and HS
      Sultan did not respond to exogenous IL-6, secrete IL-6 or express cell surface IL
      6Rs. The IL-6 responsive cell lines bore late B-cell surface antigens (Ags), CD38
      and PCA-1, whereas those lines which were non-IL-6 responsive strongly expressed
      B1 (CD20) and B4 (CD19) Ags, representing earlier stages in B-cell
      differentiation. Finally, the two IL-6 responsive cell lines did not express
      Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) proteins; in contrast, EBV encoded proteins typically
      expressed during latency could be detected in the three non-IL-6 responsive
      lines, confirming infection with virus. These studies clarify the heterogeneity
      observed in the myeloma cell line phenotype and biology and suggest that the U266
      and RPMI 8226 cell lines, which express IL-6 cell surface receptors and are IL-6
      responsive, may be useful for further study of IL-6 signal transduction in and
      related IL-6 mediated growth of myeloma in vivo. In contrast, those cell lines
      which are IL-6-independent provide a model for further study of EBV
      transformation and IL-6-dependent growth mechanisms in malignancy.

PMID- 1405709
TI  - Epidemiology of acute leukaemia in the Cape Province of South Africa.
AB  - Of 535 consecutive cases of acute leukaemia diagnosed in the Cape Province
      between 1978 and 1985, demographic data are incomplete in 75 black patients and
      they have had to be excluded from the spatial analysis. Of the remaining 460
      cases, 223 (48.5%) occurred in white patients and 237 (51.5%) in those of mixed
      ancestry, classified as coloureds according to the Population Registration Act
      No. 30 of 1950. The average incidence was 2.12, 1.37 and 0.58/100,000 for whites,
      coloureds and blacks respectively. There was no temporal trend in the incidence
      of acute leukaemia between the three race groups. The median age for whites was
      30 years and for the coloureds was 15 years, which is comparable to the 16 years
      for the black patients. The two-peak age distribution for leukaemia was seen in
      the white group, but was absent in the other two groups. This is accounted for by
      a different distribution in non-lymphoblastic as opposed to lymphoblastic
      subtypes. Furthermore, there was a disproportionately high frequency of acute
      progranulocytic leukaemia in the black patients, whereas the white and coloured
      groups were similar. There was a single, clearly defined macro-scale cluster
      restricted to white patients in Statistical Region 17 (SR-17). This exploratory
      study provides the first epidemiologic data for acute leukaemia in the Cape
      Province. It needs to be extended in order to verify these observations under
      more controlled circumstances and to seek evidence for some environmental factors
      that may account for the geographical cluster.

PMID- 1405710
TI  - Effects of interleukin 2 on engraftment following autologous bone marrow
      transplantation (ABMT) in dogs.
AB  - Beagle dogs were treated with recombinant human interleukin 2 (IL-2) 6 x 10(6)
      International Units (IU)/day for 7 consecutive days following conditioning with
      sublethal (200 cGy) or lethal (400 cGy) doses of high-dose rate whole body
      irradiation (WBI) and reconstitution with 2 x 10(8)/kg autologous bone marrow
      cells, in order to assess the effect of IL-2 on engraftment. Engraftment of dogs
      conditioned by lethal doses of WBI was not impaired following treatment with IL-2
      6 x 10(6) IU/day. At an RIL-2 dose of 6 x 10(6) and 9 x 10(4) IU/day, enhanced
      engraftment of autologous bone marrow cells was observed in dogs irradiated with
      a sublethal WBI dose in comparison with controls not treated by IL-2(p < 0.05).
      We conclude that therapeutic doses of IL-2 may be safely utilized during
      hematopoietic reconstitution. Under certain conditions IL-2 may even enhance
      hematopoietic reconstitution following ABMT.

PMID- 1405711
TI  - In vitro purging of clonogenic leukemic cells from human bone marrow by heat:
      simulation experiments for autologous bone marrow transplantation.
AB  - In order to apply a simple purging method by heat to autologous bone marrow
      transplantation (ABMT), we have revaluated the ability to purge clonogenic
      leukemic cells from the simulated marrow mixture of normal marrow cells and
      leukemic cell lines (HL-60, Molt-3 and HEL) in vitro by heat, using two different
      clonogenic assays for normal granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (CFU-GM) and
      leukemic cell lines. It appeared that in vitro hyperthermia (42 degrees C for 120
      min) is able to selectively remove clonogenic leukemic cells from simulated tumor
      cell-normal marrow mixtures even when leukemic cell concentrations are increased
      up to 3 x 10(6) cells/ml in vitro, and results in a 4-6 log destruction of
      clonogenic leukemic cells/ml according to a limiting dilution assay, while
      leaving half of normal CFU-GM surviving. The hyperthermic purging of clonogenic
      leukemic cells was not affected in the presence of normal marrow cells in vitro.
      This high level of clonogenic leukemic cell depletion by heat correlated with
      that of immunologic and pharmacologic studies. These results suggest that in
      vitro hyperthermia could be applied effectively and safely for the elimination of
      residual clonogenic leukemic cells in autologous marrow grafts before ABMT.

PMID- 1405712
TI  - Alcohol consumption and risk of leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and multiple
      myeloma.
AB  - Population-based case-control interview studies of white men, 578 with leukemia,
      622 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and 820 controls from Iowa and Minnesota and 173
      with multiple myeloma and 452 controls from Iowa, offered the opportunity to
      investigate the relationship of these cancers with alcohol consumption. Although
      drinkers had non-significantly elevated risks for specific subtypes of leukemia
      (acute lymphocytic leukemia (OR = 3.0), myelodysplasia (OR = 1.6), and other
      leukemia (OR = 1.5)) and multiple myeloma (OR = 1.3), there were no statistically
      significant findings and no dose-response gradients with amount of alcohol
      consumed. Thus, these data suggest that alcohol is not an important contributor
      to the etiology of lymphatic and hematopoietic tumors.

PMID- 1405713
TI  - Influence of high versus low intestinal concentration of gram-negative bacteria
      and endotoxin on the susceptibility of murine myelopoiesis in bone marrow and
      spleen to cytostatic treatment with Ara-C.
AB  - The haematopoietic recovery after i.v. cytarabine was studied in C3H/Law mice as
      a measure for stem cell susceptibility in relation to the intestinal Gram
      negative bacteria (GNB) and endotoxin. Reduction or elevation of GNB and
      endotoxin was induced by either polymyxin or bacitracin, both non-absorbable
      antibiotics. Bacitracin caused less suppression of the splenic cellularity after
      cytarabine, and an advancement of the recovery of femoral nucleated cells. The
      femoral recovery of CFU-GM exhibited a biphasic pattern. The speed and height of
      the rebound increase of CFU-GMs were significantly affected by the antibiotics.
      Thus, (modulation of) the murine intestinal microflora influences the
      haematopoietic recovery after cytostatic drugs. The mechanisms involved are
      complex; intestinal endotoxin seems to play a role.

PMID- 1405714
TI  - Rapid production of diversity during the progression of a mixed lineage
      leukaemia.
AB  - A leukaemia presenting with two morphologically different blast populations
      failed to respond to either antimyeloid or antilymphoid treatment and showed a
      rapid clinical progression. Immunophenotyping provided good evidence for two
      blast populations, one lymphoid and the other lymphoid with granulocyte monocytic
      markers. Two different gene rearrangements within JH were also observed with band
      densities corresponding to the sizes of the two blast cell populations. A t(19;
      22) translocation was observed in almost all cells at presentation one of which
      evolved into a subclone, becoming dominant in the terminal phase of the disease.
      We show here both the clonal evolution and clonal competition that occurred in
      this leukaemia and suggest that the potential of the tumour stem line for rapidly
      producing diversity was the reason for the resistance to treatment.

PMID- 1405715
TI  - Primary, single, autosomal trisomies associated with haematological disorders.
      United Kingdom Cancer Cytogenetics Group (UKCCG).
AB  - The United Kingdom Cancer Cytogenetics Group (UKCCG) collected retrospective data
      on 73 cases of acquired, single autosomal trisomies associated with
      haematological disorders, excluding trisomy 8 cases in myeloid conditions and
      trisomy 12 in lymphoid conditions. The bone marrow and/or blood smear morphology
      was reviewed in 49 cases. Trisomies for chromosomes 21, 11, 9 and 13 respectively
      were represented most frequently. Trisomy was not reported for chromosomes 1, 2,
      5, 7, 16 or 17 and there was only one case of trisomy 8 in a non-myeloid
      condition and one case of trisomy 18. Of the 73 patients, 60 had myeloid
      disorders, 12 had lymphoid disorders and there was one case of acute
      undifferentiated leukaemia. There was no evidence of predisposing factors
      involved in the etiology of trisomy associated with haematological disorders.

PMID- 1405716
TI  - Flow cytometric analysis of cytokinetics of L3-acute lymphoblastic
      leukemia/lymphoma.
AB  - Cell kinetic differences have been described between acute lymphoblastic leukemia
      with L1 and L2 morphology. We now report cytokinetic and DNA ploidy findings of
      the rare L3 B-cell leukemia/lymphoma. Flow cytometry analysis of nineteen samples
      was performed by simultaneous DNA-RNA staining with acridine orange. RNA and DNA
      indices and cell cycle distributions were calculated. The RNA-index of the G0/G1
      cells was 17.9 +/- 8.7 and the number of cells in S phase and S + G2M were 21 +/-
      10.6 and 28.0 +/- 13.9 percent respectively. DNA aneuploidy was found in 6/19
      (31.6%) and in two cases multiple aneuploid cell lines were observed. DNA
      aneuploidy and multiple abnormal stemlines adversely affected survival (p less
      than 0.05), while kinetic parameters did not affect survival (p greater than
      0.05). The cytokinetic data are significantly different (S phase and RNA-I; p
      less than 0.001) than previously reported for the L1 and L2 ALL. Abnormal DNA
      stemlines were found in cases with no detected cytogenetic abnormalities. This
      study confirms that L3 ALL is characterized by significantly increased
      proliferation and provides a means for a flow cytometric identification of this
      subtype as compared to L1 and L2 ALL.

PMID- 1405717
TI  - Maturational stage specific immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangements,
      determined by D and D upstream region gene structures.
AB  - In 43 cases of various B-cell lineage tumors, precise gene structures of
      rearranged immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) were studied. By Southern-blot
      analysis of D upstream (5'D) gene of IgH, biallelic rearrangement structures, D-J
      or V-D-J, were determined and consequently maturational stage specific IgH
      rearrangement patterns were investigated. B-precursor ALL cases (especially stage
      IV of Nadler's criteria) have V-D-J rearranged IgH genes on both alleles. In
      contrast, most of the mature B-cell malignancies, excluding multiple myeloma,
      have IgH genotype of D-J/V-D-J. In addition, in case of D-J/V-D-J, the D gene
      used in D-J joining has been speculated by Southern-blot of D genes. So, these
      approaches for inquiring precise structures of rearranged IgH genes are supposed
      to provide new information of lymphocyte differentiation and leukemogenesis.

PMID- 1405718
TI  - Relation of 5'-nucleotidase and phosphatase activities with immunophenotype, drug
      resistance and clinical prognosis in childhood leukemia.
AB  - Ecto-5'-nucleotidase (ecto-5'NT) catalyzes the extracellular dephosphorylation of
      nucleotides like IMP. Cytoplasmic 5'NT (cyto-5'NT) and non-specific (e.g. acid-
      and alkaline) phosphatases (AP) regulate the intracellular degradation of
      nucleotides. High NT and AP activities might cause a resistance to the
      thiopurines 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) and 6-thioguanine (6-TG). We studied the
      relation between these enzymes and immunophenotype, drug resistance and prognosis
      in 77 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Enzyme activities were
      assessed radiochemically; in vitro drug resistance was measured with the MTT
      assay. AP activities were higher in T-ALL and B-ALL than in precursor B-ALL. Cyto
      5'NT activity was very low in all phenotypes and accounted for a significant
      proportion of total IMPase activity only in the very immature CD10- c mu-
      precursor B-ALL. CD10+ ALL cases with high ecto-5'NT activities showed a trend (p
      = 0.065) for a lower probability of continuous complete remission than those with
      a low activity. Ecto-5'NT activity was not related to in vitro drug resistance to
      6-TG. A weak correlation was found between in vitro 6-TG resistance and cyto-5'NT
      and AP activities. We conclude that high ecto-5'NT activities do not cause a
      resistance to 6-thiopurines in childhood ALL. Some patients have high cyto-5'NT
      and AP activities associated with 6-thiopurine resistance.

PMID- 1405719
TI  - Induction of permanent regression of Friend virus (FV) leukemia by adoptive
      transfer of T helper and not T cytotoxic cells.
AB  - Friend virus (FV) induces a progressive erythroleukemia that can be made to
      permanently regress by the transfer of in vitro cultured virus-specific T cells
      (CTL/RFB) without any other adjunctive treatment. To determine the role of T
      cells in regression, CTL/RFB were enriched for specific T-cell subsets by
      treatment with monoclonal anti-Lyt2.2 or anti-L3T4 antibody and complement (C').
      Pre-treatment of CTL/RFB with anti-Lyt2 antibody and C' did not affect permanent
      regression incidence, while CTL/RFB depleted of L3T4+ cells induced temporary
      regressions with all mice recurring. The number of splenic Lyt2+ (CD8+
      equivalent) cells was constant irrespective of the leukemic status of the
      animals. However, the number of L3T4+ cells (CD4+ equivalent) in leukemic mice
      was three-fold lower than that of normal mice with regressed mice demonstrating a
      30% increase in the number of L3T4+ cells compared to normals. Spleen cells from
      leukemic animals were also unable to produce IL-2 in response to mitogen
      stimulation. These results indicate that L3T4+ cells are involved in regression
      of erythroleukemia.

PMID- 1405720
TI  - Production of a negative regulator of IL-3 by bone marrow cells in response to
      the supernatant of IL-3-producing STIL-3 leukemia cells.
AB  - When spleen cells of mice grafted with STIL-3 C5 cells, a leukemic T-cell line
      producing IL-3, are cultured in vitro, a high IL-3 activity is detectable in the
      culture supernatant. However, when bone marrow cells of the same grafted mice are
      cultured under similar conditions, hardly any IL-3 activity is detectable. To
      elucidate the mechanism of this difference, we examined whether the bone marrow
      cells either suppress IL-3 production by STIL-3 C5 cells or produce an IL-3
      inhibitor. When STIL-3 C5 cells were cultured in the presence of normal bone
      marrow cells, the culture supernatant showed a significantly reduced IL-3
      activity as assessed by growth stimulatory effects on IL-3-dependent DA-1 cells
      and mast cells. The conditioned medium (CM) did not inhibit the growth of IL-3
      independent cell lines. Heat treatment of the CM resulted in a recovery of the IL
      3 activity, indicating that the effect was mediated by a heat-labile inhibitor
      rather than by suppression of IL-3 production. CM of bone marrow cells alone did
      not inhibit the IL-3 activity. The inhibitor was produced by a stem cell-enriched
      fraction of the bone marrow, and not by fractions of T cells, granulocytes, or
      adherent cells including macrophages. Stimulation of the stem cell-enriched
      fraction of bone marrow with STIL-3 C5-CM also induced the production of the IL-3
      inhibitor, which was recovered in a MW 50-100 kD fraction after ultrafiltration.
      These results suggest a possible presence of a feedback mechanism against the IL
      3 effect on hemopoietic stem cells and progenitors in the bone marrow.

PMID- 1405721
TI  - Analysis of chronic lymphoid leukaemias according to FAB.
AB  - We have studied the immunophenotypic features in patients with chronic lymphoid
      leukaemia and investigated the suitability of classification according to
      guidelines of the French-American-British (FAB) group. Immunophenotyping was
      carried out on cytocentrifuge preparations of mononuclear blood leukocytes using
      the alkaline phosphatase-antialkaline phosphatase (APAAP) method. The 114
      leukaemias, including 58 cases of B-chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL), 3
      Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia, 6 prolymphocytic leukaemia (B-PL), 13 B-CLL/PL,
      4 B-CLL of mixed cell type, 8 splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes (SLVL), 8
      hairy cell leukaemia (HCL), two HCL variant, three leukaemic phase of follicular
      lymphoma, two leukaemic phase of intermediate lymphoma, two plasma cell leukaemia
      and two chronic T-cell leukaemia, were investigated. The 111 of 112 B-chronic
      lymphoid leukaemias (B-CLL + B-PL + B-CLL/PL + SLVL + HCL etc.) showed monotypic
      light chains. The antibody HML1 was highly specific for HCL. The antibodies CD11c
      and CD25 were positive in all HCL cases, but were not specific for this disease.
      CD5 positivity and CD22s negativity were found in most patients with B-CLL, B
      CLL/PL and B-CLL of mixed type. This marker type has a limited value for
      differentiation from the other chronic lymphoid leukaemias. We also studied three
      patients with chronic lymphoid leukaemia which were not described by the FAB
      classification. We conclude that a study of the morphology of the leukaemic cells
      was the most useful basis for the diagnosis of these leukaemias, whereas
      immunotyping was apparently valuable only in individual cases.

PMID- 1405722
TI  - The effects of microtubule disrupting drugs on the differentiation of HL-60
      leukemia cells.
AB  - We and others have previously shown that microtubules (MT) are stained more
      intensely and are organized differently in differentiating leukemia cells. To
      study the effects of the MT disrupting drugs, colchicine (Coln) and vincristine
      (VCR), on the maturation process, HL-60 leukemia cells were pretreated with Coln
      or VCR for 1 h and then exposed to either retinoic acid (RA) or dimethyl
      sulfoxide (DMSO). Neither Coln nor VCR induced the differentiation of HL-60
      cells, but in combination with RA increased the percentage of nitroblue
      tetrazolium-positive cells, the expression of the mature myelocyte surface marker
      Mo 1, and the content of MT over the effects produced by RA alone. In contrast,
      pretreatment with Coln or VCR delayed the commitment to a differentiation pathway
      induced by DMSO. The supra-additivity exhibited between Coln and RA required the
      administration of Coln prior to RA; thus, Coln had no effect when given two days
      after the cellular exposure to RA. The findings suggest that (a) a combination of
      non-cytotoxic concentrations of Coln or VCR with RA may have clinical utility as
      inducers of leukemia cell maturation, and (b) MT may be involved in modulating
      signal transduction during the initiation of HL-60 cell differentiation.

PMID- 1405723
TI  - No correlation between site of breakpoint in the BCR gene and platelet counts in
      Philadelphia chromosome-positive CML.
AB  - In chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) malignant cells are characterised by the
      Philadelphia chromosome (Ph), resulting from a translocation t(9;22). The
      position of the breakpoint within the major breakpoint cluster region (M-bcr) on
      chromosome 22 has been shown to correlate with the clinical course of the disease
      or, more recently, thrombopoietic activity. We have therefore determined the
      breakpoint localisation in 53 Ph-positive CML patients. Following the 5'/3'
      region definition of Inokuchi et al. Leukemia Research 15, 1067 (1991) [1], 22 of
      our patients have 5' and 31 of our patients have 3' orientated breaks. No
      correlation was found between platelet counts and breakpoint localisation.

PMID- 1405724
TI  - Molecular analysis of a HTLV-IpX defective human adult T-cell leukemia.
AB  - Fresh and cultured leukemia cells from an adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) patient
      which possessed gag and env gene defective human T-cell leukemia virus type I
      (HTLV-I) provirus genome were molecularly analyzed. Cells from both fresh and the
      established cell line, named KB-1 showed identical surface markers of helper T
      cells, expressed the interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor and had an identical defective
      HTLV-I provirus genome with deletions of the gag and env genes involving pX gene
      exon 2. The KB-1 cells grew vigorously in vitro, even in the absence of IL-2 and
      the culture supernatant of KB-1 contained a large amount of IL-2. Neither pX mRNA
      nor p40(TAX) protein was detected in the KB-1 cells. The collective evidence
      suggests that the pX gene was not functioning in this particular ATL case. The
      biological function of the HTLV-I genes, especially the pX gene is discussed in
      relation to the early and late leukemogenesis of ATL.

PMID- 1405725
TI  - Chronic myelocytic leukemia with myeloblastoma has higher frequency of ras
      oncogene mutation.

PMID- 1405726
TI  - Electron microscopical demonstration of horseradish peroxidase by use of
      tetramethylbenzidine as chromogen and sodium tungstate as stabilizer (TMB-ST
      method): a tracing method with high sensitivity and well preserved
      ultrastructural tissue.
AB  - Until now methods using tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) for electron microscopy (TMB
      EM methods) are all unable to provide a maximum demonstration of transported
      horseradish peroxidase (HRP) while maintaining good ultrastructural tissue
      preservation. In order to solve this problem, we have attempted to adapt a newly
      developed, highly sensitive TMB method using sodium tungstate (ST) as the
      stabilizer (TMB-ST method) for HRP electron microscopic retrograde and
      anterograde fiber tracing. The present study shows that the TMB-ST method
      combined with diaminobenzidine-cobalt (DAB-Co) is more sensitive than existing
      TMB-EM methods and that ultrastructural details are well preserved with this
      combined method. The resultant reaction product complex after osmication is
      stable and is observed as characteristic crystal-like structures which are
      extremely electron dense and often aggregated into clumps. In contrast, the TMB
      ST method without the DAB-Co step frequently produces a moderate electron-dense
      reaction product. Therefore, we recommend the TMB-ST method combined with DAB-Co
      for HRP electron microscopy.

PMID- 1405727
TI  - Open fetal spinal cord surgery in rats with low mortality achieved by prevention
      of oligohydramnios.
AB  - Myelotomies were performed with an open microsurgical technique in rat fetuses
      aged between E16 and E18. In 87 consecutively treated fetuses the net surgical
      mortality was as low as 7%. The cause of death due to fetal surgery is shown to
      be amniotic fluid loss. The high survival rate is attributed to the prevention of
      oligohydramnios. The technique is described in detail and the results are
      discussed.

PMID- 1405728
TI  - A non-surgical technique for accurate intracerebral injections in rat.
AB  - An improved technique for intracerebral injection into rats is described. This
      technique uses a metallic skull template as an injection aid, aligned with the
      maxillary incisors, the eyes and the outer ear canals of anesthesized animals.
      With this device we have been able to target brain structures as small as 4 mm3
      both rapidly, accurately and reproducibly. The new method provides a useful
      alternative to common stereotaxic techniques for rats up to 300 g.

PMID- 1405730
TI  - An in vitro preparation of the mudpuppy for simultaneous intracellular and
      electromyographic recording during locomotion.
AB  - In this report we describe the development of an in vitro preparation of the
      mudpuppy (Necturus maculatus) used to investigate locomotion in walking
      vertebrates. The preparation consists of the first 5 segments of the cervical
      spinal cord and the attached forelimb. The preparation is bathed in a cooled (15
      degrees C) and oxygenated spinal cord Ringers solution and remains viable for 36
      100 h. Locomotion can be elicited during the first 36-48 h by applying the
      excitatory amino acid N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) to the bath. Cutaneous and
      dorsal root reflexes remain unchanged for much longer periods of time (72-100 h).
      During locomotion, intracellular recordings can be made from interneurons and
      motoneurons while simultaneous electromyographic (EMG) recordings are made from
      forelimb muscles. Rhythmically active interneurons can be classified according to
      their phase of activity during the step cycle. Further classification of
      interneurons involves both monitoring the afferent input to these cells from
      dorsal root and cutaneous afferents as well as using their action potentials as a
      trigger for averaging the ongoing locomotor EMG activity. In this way some of the
      input and output characteristics of the interneurons can be monitored. The
      ability to record simultaneously from interneurons and muscles offers distinct
      advantages over current in vitro preparations.

PMID- 1405729
TI  - Combining in vivo volume-controlled pressure microejection with extracellular
      unit recording.
AB  - We report a method for combining extracellular single-unit recording with
      pressure ejection, permitting microvolume quantification through the measurement
      of meniscus movement. Good optimization of both high quality recording and
      precise determination (in the nanoliter range) of the pressure-ejected volume can
      be obtained by using a recording electrode affixed to a calibrated, narrow inner
      diameter ejection pipette.

PMID- 1405731
TI  - An empirical test for the reliability of quantal analysis based on Pascal
      statistics.
AB  - We have previously shown that amplitude distributions of excitatory postsynaptic
      potentials (EPSPs) can be better described by Pascal distribution when the mean
      quantal content (m) is not stationary but fluctuating according to gamma
      distribution. We have developed the procedure of estimating quantal parameters by
      the method of maximum likelihood. In this study, we examined empirically the
      reliability of this quantal parameter estimation procedure by using Monte Carlo
      simulations. The reliability was evaluated by absolute values of error (magnitude
      of error) of estimated parameters relative to the known 'true' parameters. The
      mean values of relative magnitude of error were relatively small unless the
      probability of failures was too large (greater than 0.7) or too small (less than
      0.1). The values of relative magnitude of error became smaller in association
      with increases in the sample size. When the probability of failure was between
      0.1 and 0.7, the sample size was 1000, coefficient of variation of quantal size
      was 0.45, the values of relative magnitude of error of estimated parameters were
      below 0.1. These results mean that this procedure gives relatively reliable
      estimates of quantal parameters with the limitation that the probability of
      failure is neither too large (greater than 0.7) nor too small (less than 0.1); it
      is preferable that the sample size is as large as 1000.

PMID- 1405732
TI  - A simplified approach to retrograde/anterograde axonal labeling using combined
      injections of horseradish peroxidase and ibotenic acid.
AB  - Combined injections of ibotenic acid and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were made
      into the region of the mouse ventrobasal thalamus that is related to the large
      mystacial vibrissae. Examination 4 and 5 days later of the corresponding area of
      the primary somatosensory cortex (i.e., barrel cortex), in thick and in thin
      sections, showed it to contain numerous corticothalamic projection cells the
      somata, dendrites and axons of which were densely labeled by the retrograde
      transport of HRP. Analysis of serial thin sections showed that thalamocortical
      axon terminals, which had degenerated in response to the injection of ibotenic
      acid, formed approximately 20% of the asymmetrical synapses in barrel cortex. The
      fine structure and distribution in cortex of degenerating thalamocortical axon
      terminals and of intrinsic HRP-labeled corticothalamic axon terminals were
      identical to those reported in previous studies in which the injection of HRP
      into the thalamus was combined with the making of electrolytic lesions. This
      indicates that injecting ibotenic acid is an effective replacement for
      electrolytic lesioning of the thalamus. The combined injection of ibotenic acid
      and HRP represents a new and efficient approach for studying reciprocal
      projection pathways.

PMID- 1405733
TI  - Brain tissue slice thickness monitored by ion-profile measurement.
AB  - The thickness of a brain tissue slice preparation governs the amount of time
      required for substances to diffuse from the bathing solution to preparation.
      Slice thickness may increase during the experiment, e.g., in cases of hypoxia
      where osmotic pressure within the tissue changes, enabling water to enter the
      preparation. With increasing slice thickness diffusion paths from the bath to
      central layers of the preparation increase possibly resulting in an insufficient
      O2 supply to central layers. Therefore, the actual slice thickness should be
      monitored during the experiment especially in cases where osmolarity is changed
      or during hypoxia. This paper describes a simple method to monitor the actual
      slice thickness using ion profiles measured by ion selective micro-electrodes
      driven at a constant rate of approximately 10 microns/s (sample rate ca. 10/s).
      The method is based on steep changes in the concentration gradients at the upper
      and lower surfaces of the preparation induced by simple diffusion in the presence
      of concentration gradients between the non-tortuous bath and the tortuous tissue.
      The thickness of the preparation is derived from the location of the steep
      gradient changes as reflected by the registered profile.

PMID- 1405734
TI  - Polyacrylamide as an infiltrating and embedding medium for vibratome sectioning
      of human fetal cerebellum containing DiI-filled axons.
AB  - Polyacrylamide is widely used for the separation of proteins by electrophoresis.
      Here the usage of polyacrylamide as an infiltrating and embedding medium for
      vibratome sectioning of human fetal cerebellum containing DiI-filled axons is
      reported. The procedure is simple to implement and has several advantages: it
      does not require prior dehydration and clearing of tissue; it can be carried out
      at a low temperature of 4 degrees C; and the polyacrylamide neither dissolves the
      DiI nor does it interfere with the visualizing of DiI-filled profiles under
      fluorescence microscope.

PMID- 1405735
TI  - The use of naloxone to facilitate the generation of the locomotor rhythm in
      spinal cats.
AB  - The locomotor rhythm evoked by perineal stimulation in clonidine-treated acute
      and chronic spinal cats can be produced more easily when the opioid receptor
      antagonist naloxone is also administered. Naloxone increases the frequency of the
      locomotor rhythm and decreases the intensity of skin stimulation required for
      evoking the rhythm. A useful property of naloxone is that it can restore the
      locomotor rhythm when the rhythm wanes, thus prolonging the time period over
      which locomotor activity can be generated. Administration of naloxone without
      clonidine does not enable the locomotor rhythm to be generated by skin
      stimulation, but it does reduce the concentration of clonidine required for the
      expression of a robust rhythm and may increase the chance of a successful
      preparation. We conclude that naloxone is a useful pharmacological tool for
      studies on the locomotor pattern generator.

PMID- 1405736
TI  - Separation of synaptic and spike activity in intracellular recordings for
      selective analysis.
AB  - A software spike filter has been developed which allows the separation of
      synaptic activity and action potentials in intracellular recordings. The
      algorithm uses the different velocities of the membrane potential during synaptic
      and spike activity and a time window to identify action potentials. When spikes
      are recognized, they are removed and the membrane potential is substituted by
      interpolated values. The spike filter makes possible a separate quantitative
      evaluation of postsynaptic potentials and spike activity. Thus a comprehensive
      characterization of neuron activity can be obtained. The spike filter is part of
      a modular software package designed for the evaluation of neurobiological data.

PMID- 1405737
TI  - Model invariant method for extracting single-channel mean open and closed times
      from heterogeneous multichannel records.
AB  - We present a proof that the mean open (and closed) times of the individual
      channels in a multichannel record can be found in a model-independent fashion. As
      the results are model independent, they can be derived by assuming the simplest
      model for all the channels, namely that they all have the basic CLOSED in
      equilibrium with OPEN scheme. In particular, the method can be applied to patches
      where the channel population is heterogenous with respect to open probability.
      Multichannel simulations are performed to test the limits of applicability of
      this method to restricted amounts of data. One conclusion is that increasing the
      number of channels does not substantially reduce the errors in estimating the
      mean times, in spite of the 'increased information' present. We also prove the
      general applicability of the algorithm of Fenwick et al. (1982) in estimating the
      mean times without knowledge of the number of channels present, and discuss its
      limitations. An illustration using experimental data is also given.

PMID- 1405738
TI  - Continuous scan cyclic voltammetry (CSCV): a new high-speed electrochemical
      method for monitoring neuronal dopamine release.
AB  - This report describes a new form of fast cyclic voltammetry which samples
      electrochemical reactions of dopamine at one every 10 ms. We have called this
      technique 'continuous scan cyclic voltammetry' (CSCV). The technique uses a
      carbon fibre microelectrode which is connected to a continuously active sine-wave
      source. The applied voltage is a 100 Hz precision sine wave. Faradaic signals due
      to cycles of continuous oxidation and reduction of dopamine at the tip of the
      electrode can be observed superimposed on a fixed charging current. The technique
      is insensitive to moderate concentrations of ascorbate as a depletion zone for
      ascorbate is rapidly established around the electrode. In a brain slice
      preparation the technique can show the time course of dopamine release on a
      millisecond time scale. It should prove a valuable new tool for the investigation
      of dopamine transmission in the brain.

PMID- 1405740
TI  - Extracellular perfusion controller for electrophysiology.
AB  - This paper describes the design and utility of a perfusion controller to
      facilitate the handling of multiple extracellular solutions. The controller
      consists of an interface box with both manual and computer controls and a set of
      solenoid valves. This provides remote handling of the switching of multiple
      solutions into an experimental chamber. It is described how this system can be
      used in whole-cell patch-clamp experiments to measure various ion channel
      currents as well as Na/K pump currents. Other possible uses are discussed along
      with suggestions for interfacing the perfusion controller with existing perfusion
      systems.

PMID- 1405739
TI  - Intracellular recording from dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra: double
      labelling for identification of projection site and morphological features.
AB  - We have adapted an intracellular recording technique that allows differentiation
      of dopamine neurons in vitro based on their projection sites and morphology. We
      pre-labelled 'nigrostriatal' dopamine neurons in vivo by stereotaxically
      injecting rhodamine-labelled microspheres (RFM) into the dorsal striatum.
      Following slice preparation, dense neuronal labelling with RFM was observed in
      the medial two-thirds of the substantia nigra zona compacta. The visible neurons
      in the superficial layers were not viable; consequently, we recorded from
      dopamine neurons that were located directly below the clusters of fluorescent
      neurons. Each recorded neuron was subsequently filled with N-(2-aminoethyl)
      biotinamide (1) to confirm whether it projected to the dorsal striatum (by
      presence of both RFM and biotinamide) and (2) to examine its morphological
      features. Four of 7 dopamine neurons successfully recovered were double labelled
      and exhibited multipolar cell bodies with dendrites projecting into the zona
      reticulata. No differences in the resting membrane potential, spontaneous
      activity, or membrane response to constant current injections were observed
      between the confirmed nigrostriatal dopamine neurons and the others. Our
      technique should allow pharmacological manipulations of selective dopamine
      pathways in vitro and help in elucidating various factors responsible for
      differential regulation of populations of dopamine neurons.

PMID- 1405742
TI  - Construction of a microdialysis probe with attached microinjection catheter.
AB  - We describe a microdialysis probe with attached side catheter for making
      submicroliter injections at the site of the probe in the awake, freely moving
      rat. This design allows the local application of drugs which cannot be applied in
      the perfusion medium either because of their inability to pass through the
      dialysis membrane or because of their interference with chromatographic detection
      of compounds of interest.

PMID- 1405741
TI  - The playground maze: a new method for measuring directed exploration in the rat.
AB  - A new test, called the 'playground maze', is described. Rat exploratory responses
      to a single novel object are measured in the context of responses to 7 familiar
      objects in a familiar environment. Responses are measured as time spent in areas
      around the objects on a circular open field. These times are expressed as
      percentages of the total time spent exploring all the objects and a value which
      is significantly greater than the expected chance level (12.5%) indicates a
      novelty response. The paths traversed by the animals on the maze are also
      recorded and the lengths of these give a measure of locomotion. Preliminary
      experiments on the effects of chlordiazepoxide (CDP) (1-5 mg/kg) and amphetamine
      (1.5-4 mg/kg) are reported. CDP significantly increased the novelty response but
      had no effect on locomotion. Amphetamine treatment at 4 mg/kg abolished the
      response to novel objects while lower doses (1.5 and 2 mg/kg) did not affect it.
      All 3 doses of amphetamine significantly increased locomotion. This test provides
      a new way of measuring the exploratory response to novelty under low stress
      conditions and allows the separation of drug effects on directed exploration and
      locomotion.

PMID- 1405743
TI  - Quantitative analysis of reflex responses in the averaged surface electromyogram.
AB  - The relationship between the averaged surface electromyogram (EMG) and the
      activity of motoneurones in reflex studies is analysed mathematically. This
      analysis reveals that, subject to certain conditions being met, the integral of
      the average of the unrectified EMG is linearly related to the activity of motor
      units in the muscle. This was tested with experimental data. The activity of 2
      motor units, and the surface EMG, were recorded directly in a reflex paradigm. A
      close match was found between the integral of the average of the unrectified EMG
      and the summed peristimulus time histograms (PSTHs) of the units' activity. This
      analysis gives more quantitative measurements of the timing of motoneuronal
      activity in reflexes than the conventional analysis of the EMG. It also offers
      the potential for making quantitative measurements of changes in motor unit
      activity evoked by different stimuli. This analysis avoids the pitfall of the
      artefactual peaks that can occur in the average of the rectified EMG as a
      consequence of the full-wave rectification. It is concluded that the integral of
      the unrectified average offers a valuable adjunct to the conventional analysis in
      many reflex studies. The analysis can also be applied to quantitative studies of
      neurograms.

PMID- 1405744
TI  - Monitoring neuronal activity during discrete behaviors: a crawling, swimming and
      shortening device for tethered leeches.
AB  - An apparatus is described which facilities continuous electrophysiological
      recordings in segmental ganglia of leeches while the animal performs different
      behavioral patterns: crawling, swimming or shortening. Both the behaviors and
      neuronal recordings are monitored by a video camera system and can be evaluated
      simultaneously. The device is well suited to investigate questions of behavioral
      choice and neuronal decision-making mechanisms in these animals. It can also be
      modified to study the neural control of behavior in other aquatic animals, such
      as snails.

PMID- 1405745
TI  - A simple and rapid method for improving recording characteristics using
      multibarrelled micropipettes.
AB  - A method for the simple and rapid fabrication of multibarrelled micropipettes
      with improved signal-to-noise characteristics is described. The process of
      silicone coating the exterior of the multibarrel assembly was found to improve
      recording characteristics greatly and to reduce recording noise during the
      passage of ionophoretic current. This simple process of fabrication and silicone
      coating is completed within 15-20 min and is technically undemanding.

PMID- 1405746
TI  - NeuronC: a computational language for investigating functional architecture of
      neural circuits.
AB  - A computational language was developed to simulate neural circuits. A model of a
      neural circuit with up to 50,000 compartments is constructed from predefined
      parts of neurons, called "neural elements". A 2-dimensional (2-D) light stimulus
      and a photoreceptor model allow simulating a visual physiology experiment.
      Circuit function is computed by integrating difference equations according to
      standard methods. Large-scale structure in the neural circuit, such as whole
      neurons, their synaptic connections, and arrays of neurons, are constructed with
      procedural rules. The language was evaluated with a simulation of the receptive
      field of a single cone in cat retina, which required a model of cone-horizontal
      cell network on the order of 1000 neurons. The model was calibrated by adjusting
      biophysical parameters to match known physiological data. Eliminating specific
      synaptic connections from the circuit suggested the influence of individual
      neuron types on the receptive field of a single cone. An advantage of using
      neural elements in such a model is to simplify the description of a neuron's
      structure. An advantage of using procedural rules to define connections between
      neurons is to simplify the network definition.

PMID- 1405747
TI  - What is lymphology in 1991?

PMID- 1405748
TI  - Tissue tonometry: a useful tool for assessing filarial lymphedema.
AB  - A tissue tonometer was used to assess peripheral lymphedema in patients with
      filariasis in a Bancroftian endemic community. Matched populations of 34 patients
      with Grade II and 29 patients with Grade III unilateral lower limb edema and 26
      healthy subjects were assessed for leg tissue compressibility and circumference.
      Tonometry was performed at three fixed points on the leg using three weight
      levels (70, 140, and 210 gms). The mean value of compressibility for each weight
      level and points measured in the edematous leg were significantly less compared
      with the contralateral non-edematous leg in the filarial patients and the legs of
      healthy subjects. Patients with Grade III lymphedema were more resistant to
      compression than Grade II patients throughout the leg but especially at the foot.
      The least mean square analyses of circumference and compressibility differential
      values of edematous compared with non-edematous legs revealed a positive
      correlation at the foot in Grade II and the proximal and distal parts of Grade
      III lymphedema; moreover, the slopes were significantly different from zero.
      These findings support progressive tissue changes of edema and fibrosis first in
      the foot and later in the more proximal portions of the leg which correspond to
      progressive volume expansion with protein-rich fluid. Tissue tonometry appears to
      be a sensitive measure for assessing progression of both edema and fibroplasia in
      patients with peripheral lymphedema associated with filariasis, and, therefore,
      may be a useful tool to measure the efficacy of drugs commonly used to treat this
      condition.

PMID- 1405749
TI  - Chyle leakage after blunt trauma.
AB  - Three patients developed chylous leakage after major blunt trauma. In one patient
      with non-remitting right-sided chylothorax, lymphangioscintigraphy as well as
      conventional oil contrast lymphography demonstrated disruption of the thoracic
      duct at the aortic hiatus which eventually required transpleural mediastinal
      ductal ligation proximal to the fistula. The other two patients had chylous
      retroperitoneum and/or chylous peritoneum which was self-limited although one
      patient (a three-year-old boy) died of multiorgan failure from associated
      pulmonary contusions and cervical spine injuries. Chylous leak after non
      penetrating trauma is usually attributed to hyperflexion-extension of the
      vertebral column with shearing of tethered lymphatics. Alternatively, sudden
      compression of lipemic and engorged mesenteric lymphatics, adjacent nodes and the
      lower thoracic duct aggravated by deformations associated with stretching and
      tearing motions may also directly disrupt chyle-containing lymphatics.

PMID- 1405750
TI  - The efferent cardiac lymphatic pathways in the macaque monkey.
AB  - In ten postmortem hearts of the Macaque monkey (M. mulatta), the coronary
      lymphatics were visualized using an India ink suspension in 2% gelatin. The left
      coronary lymphatic initially passed to the dorsal surface of the aortic arch. In
      five hearts, this lymphatic went directly to the cardiac lymph node, whereas in
      the others, it first ascended to the left superior tracheobronchial node and then
      interconnected with the cardiac lymph node. The right coronary lymphatic usually
      passed in front of the ascending aorta and common arterial (brachiocephalic)
      trunk and entered the cardiac lymph node. In two hearts, however, the right
      coronary lymphatic first ascended to an anterior transverse mediastinal node and
      from here lymphatics joined the cardiac lymph node. Those lymphatics that passed
      cephalad from the cardiac lymph node to the right anterior mediastinal nodes and
      the right paratracheal nodes ultimately emptied into the right venous angle.
      Those lymphatics that passed cephalad from the cardiac lymph node to the anterior
      transverse mediastinal nodes ultimately emptied into the left venous angle. In
      five other Macaque monkeys (M. mulatta and M. fascicularis) after marker
      injection (T1824 blue dye and micropulverized barium sulfate) into the living
      heart or pericardium, lymphatic drainage beyond the base of the heart could not
      be demonstrated. Whereas postmortem morphologic studies suggest that the monkey
      coronary lymphatic system is amenable to obstruction by removal of the cardiac
      lymph node and interruption of its adjacent lymphatic connections, effective
      methods for visualizing the mediastinal lymphatic collecting system in the living
      monkey must be developed before experimental cardiac lymphatic ablation can be
      accomplished in this species.

PMID- 1405751
TI  - Development of antiserum against veiled (dendritic) cells of canine afferent
      lymph: implications for transplantation biology.
AB  - A method is described for production of anti-veiled cell serum against veiled
      cells (VC) or dendritic cells obtained from canine skin lymph. By use of
      discontinuous Percoll gradient, VC from lymph were enriched to about 50% of the
      entire lymph cell population. After immunization of rabbits with the priming
      total dose of 10(7) VC (intramuscular, subcutaneous, intracutaneous) and with the
      same total booster injection (intravenous), the sera obtained were cytotoxic
      mainly for VC, with cytotoxin titer 1:16-1:32 and for agglutinin 1:256-1:512,
      respectively. Antisera used in vitro blocked the Ia and CD1 antigens of VC on
      smears and inhibited the accessory function of VC in cell response to
      phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and their stimulatory activity in mixed leukocyte
      reaction (MLR). In vivo, the local, intracutaneous administration of antisera led
      to transient depletion of VC from afferent lymph, and to reduction of mononuclear
      cells in the T-dependent areas in regional lymph nodes.

PMID- 1405752
TI  - Lymphatic vessels in the broad ligament of the uterus in swine.
AB  - The lymphatics of the broad ligament were depicted in 24 pigs by multiple
      interstitial injections of latex into the ovary and subserosa of the mesometrial
      margin of the uterine horn. Two morphologically different networks of lymphatics
      emanating from the uterus and ovary were established. Ovarian lymphatics leave
      the hilus, invariably enter the parovarian plexus, lie superficially under the
      perimetrium of the mesovarium, and run a parallel course closely intertwined with
      the blood vessels in this region. Some lymphatics are thus located close to the
      branches of the ovarian artery and the utero-ovarian vein. Whereas the ovarian
      and uterine lymphatics in the swine are not directly connected, the uterine
      lymphatics enter the mesovarium and lie in close proximity to both the ovarian
      lymphatics and nearby blood vessels.

PMID- 1405753
TI  - Differentiation and maturation of growth factor expanded human hematopoietic
      progenitors assessed by multidimensional flow cytometry.
AB  - Non-adherent cord blood and bone marrow mononuclear cells were analyzed by
      multiparameter flow cytometry before and at day 2, 4, 7, and 11 of culture in
      recombinant interleukin 3 (IL-3) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G
      CSF, cord blood) or stem cell factor (SCF), IL3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony
      stimulating factor (GM-CSF, BM) to assess the differentiation and maturational
      pathway of myeloid cells. Before cell culture cord blood contained progenitor
      cells (CD34+) in various differentiation stages (CD38(-)----CD38bright), mature
      lymphocytes, monocytes, and neutrophils, but no immature neutrophils and immature
      monocytes. During cell culture, all CD34+ cells acquired the CD38 antigen between
      day 2 and 5 of cell culture, the CD34 antigen was lost between day 5 and 11 of
      cell culture. Differentiation of cells into the myeloid cell lineage was
      characterized by the acquisition of both CD33 and CD71. The latter is indicative
      for the active proliferation of these cells. Maturation of the cells into the
      neutrophilic pathway was indicated by the acquisition of first the CD15 antigen
      followed by CD11b and CD16 respectively. Whereas maturation of the cells into the
      monocytic pathway was indicated by the acquisition of first CD11b followed by
      CD14 and a dim expression of both CD15 and CD16. In normal bone marrow, cells of
      various maturational stages are already present before cell culture. During cell
      culture differentiation of cells into the myeloid lineage and maturation of the
      cells along the monocyte and neutrophilic lineage followed identical pathways as
      was observed before cell culture. Differentiation and maturational pathways of
      cord blood and adult bone marrow were identical. The results confirm the surface
      antigen-defined pathways of myeloid cell differentiation described previously for
      non-cultured normal bone marrow aspirates. The detailed assessment of cell
      maturation and differentiation of cultured cells by multidimensional flow
      cytometry permits the determination of the specific effects of various
      recombinant human growth factors on myeloid cells.

PMID- 1405754
TI  - The effects of IL-1 beta and IL-4 on the proliferation and endogenous secretion
      of growth factors by acute myeloblastic leukemic cells.
AB  - The effects of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1) and IL-4 were studied on the
      proliferation of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. IL-1 stimulated tritiated
      thymidine (3H-TdR) uptake of AML cells in 8/12 cases, whereas IL-4 enhanced 3H
      TdR uptake in 5/12. Combination of both factors resulted in an additive effect in
      6/12 cases which could be abrogated by the addition of anti-granulocyte
      macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). To study whether IL-1, IL-4, or IL
      1 plus IL-4 affects the AML progenitor cell directly or indirectly by the release
      of endogenous factors, supernatants of stimulated AML cells (n = 6) were analyzed
      for GM-CSF, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) production. IL-1 induced
      the endogenous secretion of GM-CSF, IL-6, and TNF in most cases. In contrast, no
      secretion of growth factors was induced by IL-4, whereas in 2 cases IL-4
      suppressed the IL-1-induced secretion of GM-CSF, TNF, and IL-6. This was
      associated with a decline in the proliferative response to IL-1 measured in a
      clonogenic assay. In addition it was shown that exogenous supplied GM-CSF and TNF
      could raise the suppressive effects of IL-4 on the IL-1-supported proliferation.
      In summary these data indicate that the IL-4-supported proliferation is not
      caused by the endogenous secretion of GM-CSF, IL-6, and TNF. Furthermore the
      suppressive effect of IL-4 on the IL-1-induced proliferation in some cases may be
      caused by a reduced secretion of GM-CSF, TNF, and IL-6.

PMID- 1405755
TI  - Interleukin 2 production and interleukin 2 receptor expression by human immature
      leukemic T cells.
AB  - In order to determine the role of interleukin 2 (IL2) on the proliferation of
      leukemic cells from patients with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) we
      studied the production of IL2, the function of IL2 receptors (IL2R) expressed on
      T-ALL cells and their IL-2-dependent in vitro proliferation. Leukemic cells from
      six out of 17 T-ALL/T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients with a prothymocyte
      (stage I) or a mature thymocyte (stage III), but not with a common thymocyte
      (stage II) phenotype, could proliferate, in a dose-dependent manner, in response
      to recombinant IL2 (rIL2) and anti-Tac and TU27 moAbs as well as polyclonal anti
      IL2 purified immunoglobulin G could inhibit this IL2-induced cell proliferation.
      Both crude or/and Amicon-concentrated media conditioned by T-ALL cells from 10
      out of 13 tested patients contained IL2 activity as assessed by colorimetric
      biological and immunoenzymatic assays; this biologic activity was due to a 14.5
      kDa molecule adsorbed by anti-IL2 antibodies in an immunoaffinity assay. Although
      less than 10% of fresh leukemic cells expressed IL2R alpha (Tac) chain, a 24 h
      cell incubation in the absence of any mitogenic stimulation induced IL2R alpha
      chain expression in five out of 13 patients (11-83% Tac+ cells). Morever, Tac
      mRNA transcripts could be detected in fresh cells from all 10 patients tested.
      Staining of fresh leukemic cells with an IL-2R beta-chain-specific monoclonal
      antibody and flow cytometry analysis revealed that 4-13% of leukemic cells were
      positive. Binding experiments with 125I-rIL2 showed a small number of high
      affinity IL2R on fresh cells from three T-ALL patients (114-200 sites/cell,
      dissociation constant = 101-181 pm). Finally, antibodies against IL2R alpha, IL2R
      beta and IL2 could inhibit both IL2 driven and spontaneous cell proliferation of
      most patients' T-ALL cells, although in some cases an heterogenous pattern of
      inhibition was observed. Taken together, these findings strongly suggest that an
      IL2/IL2R-dependent mechanism could be involved in the proliferation of some T-ALL
      cells.

PMID- 1405756
TI  - Beneficial effects of post-transfusional hepatitis in acute myelogenous leukemia
      may be mediated by lipopolysaccharides, tumor necrosis factor alpha and
      interferon gamma.
AB  - Post-transfusional hepatitis is often a complication in patients with acute
      myelogenous leukemia (AML) in whom survival is paradoxically prolonged. The
      etiology is unknown. In previous studies, we showed that impaired hepatic
      endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) clearance in patients with acute viral
      hepatitis A, B, or C versus controls results in endotoxemia and tumor necrosis
      factor alpha (TNF-alpha) release. TNF-alpha mediates anti-proliferative and
      differentiating effects in AML cell lines. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) released
      in acute viral hepatitis, acts in synergy with TNF-alpha. HL60, KG1, and U937 AML
      cells treated 3, 6, and 9 days with physiologically attainable TNF-alpha (10
      U/ml), IFN-gamma (100 U/ml) and LPS (10 ng/ml) levels, have significantly
      diminished viability and cell growth versus controls. Treatment of HL60 AML cells
      with LPS/TNF-alpha/IFN-gamma also resulted in significantly increased monocytic
      pathway differentiation not seen with KG1 or U937 AML cells. HL60 AML cells
      treated with TNF-alpha/IFN-gamma for 6 days released endogenous TNF-alpha (1.57
      U/10(6) cells) upon LPS stimulation compared to less than 0.01 U/10(6) cells in
      non-LPS-stimulated TNF-alpha/IFN-gamma-treated cells or untreated cells (p less
      than 0.0001). Untreated HL60 AML cells co-cultured with HL60 cells pretreated for
      6 days with TNF-alpha/IFN-gamma and then subjected to LPS stimulation had
      significantly diminished cell growth compared to controls (p less than 0.0001).
      This effect could be reversed with anti-TNF-alpha antibody, supporting the
      concept that endogenous TNF-alpha release by LPS/TNF-alpha/IFN-gamma treated HL60
      AML cells may act by paracrine means to suppress growth of other AML cells. The
      beneficial effects of post-transfusional hepatitis in AML patients may be
      mediated via LPS/TNF-alpha/IFN-gamma-induced AML cell growth suppression and/or
      terminal differentiation in which AML cells participate by releasing TNF-alpha
      after being acted upon by LPS/TNF-alpha/IFN-gamma. Endogenously released TNF
      alpha might then act by autocrine/paracrine means to mediate further suppression
      and terminal differentiation.

PMID- 1405757
TI  - Inhibitory effects of AcSDKP on the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Part I. MLR
      with mouse spleen cells.
AB  - AcSDKP (inhibitor of entry into cycle of pluripotent hemopoietic stem cells) is
      able to decrease mixed lymphocyte reaction intensity when H-2 incompatible
      allogeneic spleen cells are used as stimulators. This is a first approach to
      determining whether AcSDKP has potential therapeutic value for clinical bone
      marrow transplantation.

PMID- 1405758
TI  - Inhibitory effects of AcSDKP on the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Part II.
      Human whole blood cells.
AB  - AcSDKP is a physiological negative regulator of hematopoietic stem cell
      proliferation. To investigate the applicability of AcSDKP in the prevention of
      graft-versus-host disease, this tetrapeptide was tested in mice and showed an
      inhibitory effect on the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). In this paper we report
      MLR using human whole blood cells. The maximum inhibitory effect (50%) was
      obtained at 2.5 ng/ml AcSDKP. All experiments showed a constant dose response.
      Experiments are now being conducted to elucidate the mechanism of this
      inhibition.

PMID- 1405759
TI  - Dolastatin 10 and dolastatin 15: effects of two natural peptides on growth and
      differentiation of leukemia cells.
AB  - The effects of two natural peptides, dolastatin 10 and dolastatin 15, on growth
      and differentiation of hematopoietic cells were studied using freshly explanted
      leukemia cells and continuous leukemia cell lines. The proliferation of several
      myeloid cell lines and of growth-factor-stimulated peripheral blood cells from
      patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was efficiently inhibited by the two
      agents at concentrations between 1 and 0.01 nM. Growth inhibition was dose
      dependent and reversible. Neither of the dolastatins exhibited significant
      cytotoxicity on dividing cells, nor did they interfere with the viability of
      resting cells. The 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate or bryostatin I induced
      differentiation of AML cells was not affected by the dolastatins. Short-term
      exposure to the phorbol ester conferred reduced sensitivity of the cell line HL
      60 to the antiproliferative effect of the drugs. Our data suggest that the
      dolastatins alone or in combination with other drugs could exert a role in the
      treatment of human myeloid leukemia.

PMID- 1405760
TI  - Resistance circumvention strategies tested in clinical leukaemia specimens using
      the MTT colorimetric assay.
AB  - We have used a 4-day MTT colorimetric assay to study drug sensitivity of
      leucocytes from leukaemia patients and from normal donors. Response to
      Adriamycin, vincristine, aclacinomycin A, 3'-deamino-3'-morpholino-13-deoxo-10
      hydroxycarminomycin (MX2), and melphalan has been determined, together with the
      effects of the resistance modifiers verapamil, cyclosporin A, and ethacrynic
      acid. Sensitivity of chronic lymphoblastic leukemia (CLL) lymphocytes to
      vincristine was much greater than that of normal lymphocytes or of leucocytes
      from myeloid leukaemia patients. These cells were also more sensitive to
      melphalan. Verapamil and cyclosporin A at clinically achievable doses of 1
      microgram/ml produced significant chemosensitisation in normal and leukaemic
      specimens, but the sensitisation ratio was greater than or equal to 2 only in a
      minority of specimens, except in the case of sensitisation to vincristine seen in
      the majority of CLL specimens. Sensitisation was generally greater in the more
      chemo-resistant specimens. The ratio of sensitivities of cells to Adriamycin
      compared with aclacinomycin A was greatest in the more Adriamycin-resistant
      specimens which supports the idea that cross-resistance between these agents may
      not be great. This was not, however, true for the ratio of Adriamycin/MX2
      sensitivity. Use of the MTT assay may allow the identification of patients who
      would benefit from treatment with resistance modifiers or with 'low-resistance'
      anthracyclines.

PMID- 1405761
TI  - Phase II clinical trial of carboplatin in relapsed and refractory leukemia.
AB  - Carboplatin is a second-generation platinum complex drug which has demonstrated
      activity against a variety of neoplasms including acute leukemia, particularly
      when given by continuous intravenous (i.v.) infusion. Adults with acute
      myelogenous leukemia (AML) or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), either
      refractory or in first or second relapse, were given a continuous i.v. infusion
      of carboplatin at a dose of 315 mg/m2 daily for 5 days. A second course was given
      if the bone marrow at day 14 showed persistent leukemia. If the marrow was
      hypoplastic, treatment was delayed until marrow recovery was documented. Those
      with residual leukemia were given a second course. Those achieving complete
      remission (CR) were given an additional course as consolidation. Of the 46
      eligible patients entered (36 AML and 10 ALL) eight achieved CR (17%) of which 6
      were AML and 2 ALL. Of nine primary refractory patients, two achieved CR, one AML
      and one ALL. Excluding the inevaluable patients (protocol violations, patient
      refused further therapy, early deaths prior to day 14, the CR rate was eight of
      28 (29%). All except two CRs required two courses of induction. The non
      hematologic toxicity was minimal except for renal and auditory toxicity. Renal
      toxicity greater than grade 2 was seen in 17 patients and was associated with
      concomitant use of nephrotoxic antibiotics. In two patients, renal failure was a
      major factor in the cause of death. Ototoxicity was observed in 11 patients, but
      was grade 3 in only three. There were 18 deaths during the study. Fourteen died
      of infection, two died of infection and hemorrhage, one died of hemorrhage while
      aplastic, and one died of other causes. This trial indicates that carboplatin is
      an active agent in acute leukemia and warrants further investigation.

PMID- 1405762
TI  - Prognostic relevance of serum beta 2-microglobulin in acute myeloid leukemia.
AB  - Serum levels of beta 2-microglobulin (S-B2m) were analysed at diagnosis in 69
      cases of acute myeloid leukemias (AML) as a possible prognostic indicator. S-B2m
      was correlated to various clinical and laboratory features and with respect to
      response to chemotherapy and following clinical outcome. S-B2m was found to be
      increased (greater than 3 mg/l) in 40.6% of tested patients and, in particular,
      in the monocytic variants (M4, M5) of AML (4.2 versus 2.3 mg/l, p less than
      0.01). S-B-B2m values paralleled white blood cell count, serum lysozyme levels
      and expression of monocytic membrane markers at presentation, but no correlation
      was found with age, renal function or immunological myeloid antigens. Increased
      levels of S-B2m were associated with a lower likelihood of obtaining a complete
      remission (25 versus 58.5%, p less than 0.01), while in the multivariate analysis
      S-B2m greater than 3 mg/l and white blood cell count greater than 20 x 10(9)/l
      were independent variables significantly influencing disease-free survival in
      responsive patients (five years DFS for S-B2m greater than or less than 3 mg/l:
      28 versus 62%, p less than 0.05). In conclusion, the measurement of S-B2m at
      diagnosis may have prognostic relevance in AML.

PMID- 1405763
TI  - Summary of the European Stem Cell Club, Copenhagen, April 29-May 1, 1992.

PMID- 1405764
TI  - Anti-sense oligodeoxynucleotides--promises and pitfalls.
AB  - The high specificity of binding of oligodeoxynucleotides to their target mRNA has
      resulted in suggestions that these compounds may be useful as therapeutic agents
      against human cancer. While many successful anti-sense experiments have been
      reported in the literature, significant obstacles to widespread therapeutic use
      remain. These include nuclease sensitivity, non-sequence specificity, and
      uncertainties regarding optimum choice of mRNA target. Other significant problems
      include lack of information concerning cellular pharmacology and
      pharmacokinetics, and relatively little data concerning optimum dosing schedules.
      This review attempts to provide current information about these issues, which
      have such a strong impact on this exciting and rapidly growing field.

PMID- 1405765
TI  - Cell surface proteins of chicken hematopoietic progenitors, thrombocytes and
      eosinophils detected by novel monoclonal antibodies.
AB  - E26 is an acute avian leukemia virus that contains two nuclear oncogenes, v-myb
      and v-ets, and that is capable of transforming early cells of the erythroid and
      myeloid lineages. In another study, we have found that TPA (phorbol 12,13
      dibutyrate) treatment of E26-transformants displaying an 'early erythroid'
      phenotype results in the production of cells with either myeloid or eosinophil
      characteristics. To analyze this induction in greater detail we have produced a
      panel of four monoclonal antibodies against E26-transformants before and after
      TPA-induced differentiation. Two antibodies, MEP21 and MEP26, reacted with
      proteins of 150 and 47-60 kDa, respectively, which are expressed on the surface
      of E26 progenitor cells but whose expression is extinguished following TPA
      induced differentiation. A third antibody, EOS47, recognizes a 100 kDa molecule
      that is expressed on the surface of TPA-induced peroxidase positive cells (an
      enzyme that in avian species is restricted to cells of the eosinophilic lineage).
      MEP21, MEP26, and EOS47 do not react with lymphoid, myeloid, or more mature
      erythroid lineage cell lines. The fourth antibody, MEP17, recognizes a
      heterodimer of 140 and 150 kDa chains which is expressed at high levels by E26
      transformed progenitor cells and at lower levels by TPA-induced cells. Further
      biochemical characterization of the MEP17 antigen revealed a structure similar to
      that of the leukocyte adhesion molecule VLA-4; a member of the integrin family of
      adhesion proteins. All four antibodies react with subpopulations of cells in the
      bone marrow and spleens of 1-day-old chickens. Although the MEP21 and MEP26
      antibodies do not appear to react with mature cells of most hematopoietic
      lineages they are expressed at high levels by mature thrombocytes. In addition,
      MEP17 is expressed at high levels by the majority of bursal B-cells,
      thrombocytes, and more weakly by thymocytes. The reagents described should be
      useful as markers for the study of development, migration, and differentiation of
      normal avian hematopoietic progenitor cells and eosinophilic precursors, and for
      the study of retrovirus-induced neoplasia.

PMID- 1405766
TI  - Ralph K. Ghormley, M.D.: Second Chairman of the Department of Orthopedics at
      Mayo.

PMID- 1405767
TI  - Musculoskeletal and soft tissue Aeromonas infection: an environmental disease.
AB  - During a 4-year period from November 1985 to November 1989, Aeromonas was
      isolated from wounds and soft tissues with clinical evidence of infection in 28
      patients at our institution. Of the 28 patients, 23 (82%) had sustained an acute
      open or penetrating injury, more than half of which (13 of the 23) were water
      related trauma. One patient had Aeromonas osteomyelitis. Five patients had no
      history of trauma, and three of these five had an underlying chronic disease.
      Treatment included debridement and antimicrobial agents. Susceptibility testing
      on 25 isolates from 23 patients showed uniform resistance to ampicillin and
      considerable resistance to cefazolin sodium (68%), but all isolates were
      sensitive to gentamicin sulfate, cefuroxime sodium, and the third-generation
      cephalosporins.

PMID- 1405768
TI  - Familial amyloidosis: a study of 52 North American-born patients examined during
      a 30-year period.
AB  - Between 1961 and 1990, 52 patients with biopsy-proven familial amyloidosis born
      in North America were examined at the Mayo Clinic. At the time of diagnosis of
      familial amyloidosis, 83% of these patients had peripheral neuropathy, 33% had
      autonomic neuropathy, and 27% had cardiomyopathy. Renal disease was noted in
      fewer than 10%, and liver involvement was rare. The median age at diagnosis was
      64 years. The sensitivity of various diagnostic biopsies was similar to that for
      primary amyloidosis: deposits of amyloid were found in 77 and 78% of the
      subcutaneous fat aspirates or rectal biopsy specimens, respectively, and in 41%
      of specimens of bone marrow. The median duration of survival of 5.8 years for
      patients with inherited amyloidosis was superior to that for patients with
      primary amyloidosis. When patients were stratified by organ involvement, the
      survival of patients with familial amyloidosis remained superior. The presence of
      cardiomyopathy and an interactive variable of age and the presence of autonomic
      neuropathy were powerful predictors of survival. Of the 52 patients, 22 died, 12
      (55%) of cardiac failure or cardiac arrhythmia. Nine patients (41%) died of
      inanition in conjunction with progressive peripheral or autonomic neuropathy.
      Transthyretin was identified by immunohistochemical studies in 31 of the 34
      tissue specimens tested. A transthyretin mutation was identified in 24 of the 31.
      A transthyretin mutation was found in five additional patients for whom tissue
      was unavailable for immunostaining.

PMID- 1405769
TI  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: operative technique.
AB  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become the routine procedure for most patients
      with symptomatic cholelithiasis. At our institution, a two-surgeon, four-cannula
      technique is used. In almost all patients, a pneumoperitoneum can be established
      with use of a closed technique. Adherence to standard operative principles and
      careful attention to details in the laparoscopic technique will routinely result
      in the safe completion of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Cautery provides
      excellent hemostasis during dissection of the gallbladder from its attachments.
      Cholangiography through the gallbladder or the cystic duct is easily performed in
      selected patients. Minimal perioperative care is necessary for patients who
      undergo laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and the hospitalization time is usually
      less than 24 hours.

PMID- 1405770
TI  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: early Mayo Clinic experience.
AB  - Prospective data and follow-up information were collected on the initial 200
      patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy at the Mayo Clinic. The
      operation was completed laparoscopically in all but five patients, who required
      conversion to laparotomy because of dense scarring or stones in the common bile
      duct. The median surgical time was 85 minutes. The major postoperative
      complications were retained stones in the common bile duct (in seven patients),
      intraperitoneal hemorrhage that necessitated transfusion (in two patients), and
      intra-abdominal abscess and pulmonary infection (in one patient each). The median
      hospital stay was 1 day (range, 0 to 8 days), and the median times to full
      activity and normal employment were 8 days and 12 days, respectively.
      Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is associated with a low frequency of complications
      in most patients with symptomatic gallstones and allows a rapid return to normal
      activity. Currently, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice for
      most patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis.

PMID- 1405771
TI  - A clinical update on chronic lymphocytic leukemia. II. Critical analysis of
      current chemotherapeutic modalities.
AB  - Not all patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia require therapy.
      Patients with stable early stage disease do not need treatment, whereas those
      with progressive early stage disease or advanced stage disease do. The standard
      initial therapeutic regimen is orally administered chlorambucil and prednisone.
      The overall response rate to initial chemotherapy is approximately 80%; the
      median duration of response is 2 years. Conventional chemotherapy, however, does
      not provide long-term remission for patients in whom the disease becomes
      refractory to chlorambucil. For such patients, alternative treatment approaches
      including the use of purine nucleoside analogues or bone marrow transplantation
      may be considered. Fludarabine, 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine, and pentostatin are three
      analogues of the naturally occurring deoxypurine nucleoside, deoxyadenosine, and
      all have shown activity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Overall response rates
      of 57 to 79% have been reported with use of fludarabine. A dose-related toxic
      effect is myelosuppression. Experience with bone marrow transplantation is
      limited. The number of eligible patients with histocompatible sibling donors is
      low. The future role of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in patients with B
      cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia will depend on the ability to identify poor
      risk groups and the long-term therapeutic efficacy of the purine nucleoside
      analogues or other new agents.

PMID- 1405772
TI  - Video-assisted thoracic surgical procedure: management of a solitary pulmonary
      nodule.
AB  - Solitary pulmonary nodules continue to challenge all diagnostic skills. Herein we
      describe video-assisted thoracic surgical intervention, a new, minimally invasive
      technique that aids physicians in obtaining a definitive histologic diagnosis in
      a select group of patients with an indeterminate solitary pulmonary nodule.

PMID- 1405773
TI  - Nicotinic acid-induced toxicity associated with cytopenia and decreased levels of
      thyroxine-binding globulin.
AB  - We report the occurrence of cytopenia and hypothyroxinemia attributed to
      decreased levels of thyroxine-binding globulin in patients receiving nicotinic
      acid. We describe two patients in whom hypothyroxinemia developed while they were
      taking nicotinic acid; these patients also had decreased levels of thyroxine
      binding globulin. Results of all thyroid function tests returned to normal when
      use of the nicotinic acid was discontinued. In one patient, leukopenia and
      thrombocytopenia developed during nicotinic acid therapy alone. These conditions
      were reversed after the drug regimen was discontinued. In another patient,
      leukopenia and thrombocytopenia developed during combination nicotinic acid and
      lovastatin therapy. When administration of both drugs was discontinued, the
      hematologic abnormalities, which could have been due to either nicotinic acid or
      lovastatin, diminished. We suggest that cytopenia may develop in patients
      receiving nicotinic acid; thus, thyroid function tests should be interpreted in
      light of a possible decreased level of thyroxine-binding globulin.

PMID- 1405774
TI  - Thermoregulation and fever in normal persons and in those with spinal cord
      injuries.
AB  - Thermoregulation and fever are primarily mediated through the hypothalamus and
      its effector mechanisms. In persons with complete spinal cord injuries above T-6,
      thermoregulation is substantially impaired because of the interruption of
      neuronal pathways to and from the hypothalamus. These same pathways are important
      in the production of fever in response to infections, and injury to these
      pathways in patients with high-level spinal cord injuries should diminish their
      ability to mount a febrile response. In clinical practice, however, measurements
      of body temperature are used to make decisions in patients with spinal cord
      injuries in a manner similar to that in patients without spinal cord injuries. In
      this article, we review the literature on thermoregulation and fever in normal
      persons and in those with complete spinal cord injuries and propose possible
      mechanisms for fever in persons with high-level spinal cord injuries.

PMID- 1405775
TI  - Medical mythology: Aphrodite (Venus).

PMID- 1405776
TI  - The development of cardiac transplantation.
AB  - The history of cardiac transplantation provides an excellent prototype for the
      development of a therapeutic technique. The first observations on cardiac
      transplantation were made in animal models in the early 20th century. Surgical
      problems were solved through a series of technologic advances, and problems
      associated with immune-mediated rejection were discovered and successfully
      addressed. By the late 1960s, cardiac transplantation in humans had become
      feasible. Since the first successful transplantation of a heart in a human in
      1967, the management of rejection and infection has steadily progressed, and the
      long-term outcome after cardiac transplantation has improved dramatically. The
      success of cardiac transplantation has led to an expansion of the potential
      recipient pool to include children and adults in the eighth decade of life.
      Unfortunately, the growth of cardiac transplantation has resulted in an
      inadequate supply of suitable donor hearts. The limited supply of donor hearts
      has provided the impetus for further research in xenotopic cardiac
      transplantation and for the development of implantable circulatory assist
      devices.

PMID- 1405777
TI  - Prognostic features in patients with congestive heart failure and selection
      criteria for cardiac transplantation.
AB  - Cardiac transplantation can be a highly successful therapeutic option for
      patients with end-stage congestive heart failure. Successful results, however,
      depend on the appropriate selection of patients for the procedure. Patients whose
      survival or quality of life would be compromised without cardiac transplantation
      and who are likely to benefit from this intensive type of treatment are potential
      candidates. Each patient should undergo a thorough assessment to identify any
      medical or psychologic contraindications to cardiac transplantation. In this
      review, we discuss the important predictors of survival in patients with
      congestive heart failure: the cause of heart failure, the patient's symptomatic
      and functional status, the hemodynamic and pathologic findings, the evaluation of
      neurohumoral activity, and the presence of cardiac arrhythmias. Once a patient
      with congestive heart failure has been identified as having a limited life
      expectancy and severely impaired quality of life, cardiac transplantation should
      be considered.

PMID- 1405778
TI  - Extraintestinal Aeromonas infections--looking for Mr. Sandbar.

PMID- 1405779
TI  - Thoracic manifestations after esophageal variceal sclerotherapy.

PMID- 1405780
TI  - Prophylactic recommendations for bite wounds.

PMID- 1405781
TI  - Immunohistochemical study of extracellular material in the aged human synovial
      membrane.
AB  - Types III, IV, VI collagen and laminin distribution in synovial tissue of seven
      autopsy knee joints from old human donors (69-94 years of age) were investigated
      with immunocytochemical and immunohistochemical methods. The synovial intima is
      separated from the subintimal tissue by an intermediate fibrillar zone rich in
      staining for type III collagen. In the intima basement membrane-like material
      associated with synovial lining cells stains for type IV collagen and laminin.
      Fine fibrils surrounding the lining cells stain for type VI collagen. In two of
      the cases type VI collagen occurs mainly as long-spacing collagen, the distinct
      aggregated form of type VI collagen. This staining pattern was qualitatively the
      same in all different regions and cases investigated. However, considerable
      quantitative differences were seen.

PMID- 1405782
TI  - The effect of aging on protein synthesis in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - The protein synthetic rate in the yeast S. cerevisiae, measured by the
      incorporation of radioactive amino acids per unit amount of proteins, decreased
      linearly with age reaching 50% of the rate of 2nd generation cells (young cells)
      in 20th generation cells (old cells), whereas the RNA content of the old cells
      was increased three times. Using a cell-free system for poly(U)-directed poly
      phenylalanine synthesis, the activity of run-off ribosomes from old cells was
      shown to be about 40% less than the activity of ribosomes from young cells and
      the polysome level in old cells was much decreased compared to that in young
      cells. However, as protein content was increased twice in 20 generations, the
      cell is considered to maintain a constant level of protein synthesis during the
      process of aging compensating the decrease in the activity of ribosomes. Thus, it
      is likely that the decrease in the synthesis of certain proteins whose
      requirement was raised by the increase in cell volume, which is twice the
      increase in protein content, causes prolongation of the unbudded phase in old
      cells.

PMID- 1405784
TI  - Formation of cerebrovascular anomalies in the ageing rat is delayed by chronic
      nimodipine application.
AB  - At the ultrastructural level two main categories of microvascular anomalies can
      be distinguished in the aged rat brain. These categories comprise [1] membranous
      inclusions within the basement membrane and [2] microvascular deposits, which
      include microvascular fibrosis and thickening of the basement membrane (BMT). In
      this study we examined the percentage of microvessels displaying ageing-related
      malformations in the frontoparietal motor cortex of rats aged 16, 24, 30 and 32
      months. The percentage microvessels with membranous inclusions and microvascular
      deposits both gradually increased until the age of 30 months, after which no
      further increase was observed. The percentage fibrotic microvessels, however,
      increased until the age of 30 months, but was decreased at 32 months. This
      decrease of fibrotic microvessels at 32 months coincided with a proportional
      increase of cerebral microvessels provided with a thickened basement membrane.
      Combined with qualitative observations these data suggest that in a very late
      stage of the ageing process collagen fibrils in microvascular fibrotic plaques
      are depolymerized and degradated. By this mechanism it appears that microvascular
      fibrosis is transformed into basement membrane thickening. Long-term application
      of the calcium entry blocker nimodipine did not influence the amount of
      microvessels with membranous inclusions within the basement membrane, but in
      contrast resulted in a prominent reduction of ageing-related microvascular
      deposits when administered from 24 to 30 months. The effect of a prolonged
      nimodipine treatment from 24 to 32 months on the amount of microvascular deposits
      was still significant, however, much less conspicuous. We now conclude that
      chronic administration of nimodipine delays the formation of microvascular
      deposits up to the age of 30 months. Furthermore, the beneficial effect of
      nimodipine treatment from 24 to 30 months on microvascular integrity is not
      accompanied by a reduced systolic blood pressure.

PMID- 1405783
TI  - In vivo microscopic studies of age-related changes in the structure and the
      reactivity of cerebral microvessels.
AB  - To determine if hemodynamic changes in cerebral microvessels could contribute to
      the age-related changes in the blood-brain barrier (BBB) function, the cerebral
      microvessels of male Fischer 344 rats at different ages were studied using
      intravital fluorescence microscopy. Aging in rats was associated with significant
      arteriovenous shunting in the cerebral microvessels without alterations in blood
      flow characteristics or changes in vascular permeability to FITC dextran (150
      kDa). The basal diameter of terminal arterioles examined in 24- to 27-month-old
      (aged) rats (28.6 +/- 2.8 microns) was not different from that in 12- to 15-month
      old (intermediate age) rats (32.5 +/- 2.5 microns) or in 3- to 6-month-old
      (young) rats (28.6 +/- 3.0 microns). At 3 s following addition of 5% BaCl2 there
      was 23.3 +/- 3.47% constriction of arterioles in young rats and 14.8 +/- 5.16%
      constriction in intermediate age rats, but only a 3.43 +/- 5.69% change in aged
      rats (P less than 0.03). This initial brief constriction phase was followed by a
      dilatory response which was similar in all age groups. One minute following
      suffusion with artificial cerebrospinal fluid, the arteriolar diameter
      essentially returned to baseline in all rats examined. It is concluded that aging
      in rats is associated with alterations in cerebral microvascular reactivity in
      vivo along with arteriovenous shunting. These changes may contribute to age
      related alterations in the BBB function.

PMID- 1405785
TI  - Age-related alterations in antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation in brain,
      liver, and lung homogenates of normal and vitamin E-deficient rats.
AB  - Age-related alterations in both antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation in
      the cerebrum, lung and liver homogenates of normal and vitamin E-deficient rats
      were investigated. The antioxidant capacity, which includes superoxide dismutase,
      catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities and vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
      concentration, was relatively stable throughout the lifespan. It was observed,
      however, that catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities in livers of old
      rats decreased and that vitamin E concentration in lung and liver increased with
      age. In vitamin E-deficient animals, catalase activity in liver increased and
      glutathione peroxidase activity in liver and lung decreased. Lipid peroxidation
      was monitored by use of three different indices, i.e. the thiobarbituric acid
      (TBA) value, oxygen absorption and conjugated-diene formation. In the absence of
      any initiator, neither oxygen absorption into tissue homogenates nor conjugated
      diene formation in lipid extracts from the homogenates occurred. The TBA value of
      each cerebrum homogenate incubated under air or an oxygen atmosphere was larger
      than that of the corresponding unincubated cerebrum homogenate. From comparison
      between the TBA value and oxygen absorption, this increase in the TBA value was
      suggested to be due to some reactions other than lipid peroxidation. Although
      tissue homogenates examined contained TBA-reacting materials, no lipid
      peroxidation seems to arise during incubation of them. No age-related alterations
      in the TBA value and oxygen absorption in rat tissue homogenates were observed.
      Vitamin E deficiency had no effect on the TBA values of cerebrum and lung
      homogenates, while it seemed to increase the TBA values of liver homogenates.
      Vitamin E deficiency had no effect on oxygen absorption in these tissue
      homogenates. The induction period of initiator-induced conjugated-diene formation
      in lipid extracts from liver and lung homogenates from normal and vitamin E
      deficient rats tended to be extended with age. Vitamin E deficiency decreased the
      induction period of initiator-induced conjugated-diene formation. As a result,
      the length of the induction period was found to be proportional to vitamin E
      concentration in lipid extracts. The overall antioxidant capacity of rat tissues
      appears to be maintained without large variation during ageing. Decreases in the
      capacity of some antioxidant factors may be compensated by increases in the
      capacity of other factors.

PMID- 1405786
TI  - Chromatography and spectrofluorometry of brain fluorophores in neuronal ceroid
      lipofuscinosis (NCL).
AB  - The aim of the present work was to develop a chromatographic system for the
      separation of individual fluorophores extracted from neuronal ceroid
      lipofuscinosis (NCL) brain and isolated storage bodies. Extracts from gray matter
      were best resolved on silica-gel HPTLC plates using a mixture of
      chloroform/methanol/water (55:45:10 by vol.). Two other chromatographic systems
      were tested which gave poorer separation. Corrected fluorescence spectra were
      obtained on the original extract and fluorescence intensity, especially at longer
      wavelengths was increased in both samples. Yellow and blue fluorophores were
      detected on HPTLC plates using a primary violet and secondary yellow filter with
      cut-off levels of 400 and 520 nm, respectively. Plates were photographed at 20
      min, 2 h and 1 week after chromatography. With this filter system, up to 12
      yellow bands of differing intensity were observed at 20 min but with time, some
      of these changed to blue as a result of autoxidation. NCL tissues emit yellow
      fluorescence when viewed under light microscopy, however extracted material did
      not demonstrate a distinct peak in this region of the spectrum which should be
      around 575 nm. HPTLC confirmed this observation and time studies revealed that
      autoxidation changes occur and must be carefully controlled to reduce artifacts.
      The discrepancy between extracted and non-extracted observations may be the
      result of superposition of multiple fluorophores with differing maxima and/or a
      self-absorption phenomenon. The combination of chromatographic separation and
      spectral analysis as described in this study, may be a valuable technique to
      further clarify the characteristics of compound fluorescent lipopigments. It is
      suggested that NCL fluorophores of human brain differ in their properties from
      other models.

PMID- 1405787
TI  - The effect of age, sex and breeding on graft versus host reactivity of spleen
      cells from C57BL mice.
AB  - Spleen cell graft versus host (GvH) reactivity was determined in male and female,
      either virgin or breeder, C57BL mice from 3 to 24 months of age. The GvH reaction
      was assessed by a local popliteal lymph node assay and by a splenomegaly test for
      a systemic reaction. Although the GvH reactivity declines progressively with age
      in both sexes the virgin female response was greater than that of males
      throughout the period of 6-18 months of age. Two-year-old mice of both sexes were
      practically unable to mount a GvH reaction. No differences were evident in aging
      female reactivity after one or two syngeneic pregnancies. On the other hand, 3 or
      more consecutive pregnancies resulted in enhanced GvH reactivity of 12-24-month
      old females, which responded comparably to young virgin mice. This long-lasting
      immunopotentiating effect of multiparity was similar after 3-4 and 8-9
      pregnancies. The possible role of developing foetuses on the maintenance of high
      GvH reactivity in breeder females is suggested.

PMID- 1405788
TI  - Effect of age-related lipid peroxidation on membrane fluidity and phospholipase
      A2: modulation by dietary restriction.
AB  - Age-related changes in membrane property are generally accepted phenomena. In
      this report, using the anti-lipoperoxidative measure of dietary restriction on
      membranes, the age-related effects of lipid peroxidation on membrane fluidity are
      explored in conjunction with the membrane-associated phospholipase A2. The
      fluidity of mitochondrial and microsomal membranes from ad libitum fed rats shows
      a progressive decline with age as indicated by a substantial decrease in two
      parameters, l/polarization and l/anisotropy. In contrast, the membrane fluidity
      of dietary restricted rats shows slight changes between 6 and 24 months of age.
      Evidence is presented to support the possibility that age-related peroxidation of
      membrane lipids may play a significant role in bringing about fluidity changes in
      aged membranes. The findings on the increased phospholipase A2 with age is also
      consistent with this conclusion.

PMID- 1405789
TI  - Ontogenic characteristics of cavian aldolase.
AB  - In order to extend the available information on the ontogenic significance of the
      interactions between aldolase and cellular structure, the nature and extent of
      these associations have been studied in the tissues of the guinea pig during
      development, along with analyses of the isozyme status in the bound and soluble
      compartments. In all tissues investigated, a significant degree of binding was
      evident, along with a considerable variation in the degree of association of
      aldolase with structure during development. Binding was particularly extensive in
      the early foetal stages and, in general, binding preference was directed towards
      A-type activity over the B- and C-type of enzyme. The significance of these
      ontogenic phenomena have been discussed in relation to the variations in
      phenotype of individual tissues during maturation and the metabolic correlations
      of this biphasic micro-organization.

PMID- 1405790
TI  - Developmental profiles of antioxidant enzymes and trace metals in chick embryo.
AB  - It has been previously well documented that partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) and
      weight-specific rate of O2 consumption in chick embryo (Gallus gallus domesticus)
      transiently increase midway through the 21-day in ovo incubation period. The
      present study found that these oxidative changes were paralleled by the
      concentrations of glutathione (GSH) and Zn in liver and by the specific activity
      of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in brain. Levels of antioxidant enzymes and their
      trace metal cofactors were markedly higher in liver than in brain. Hepatic
      catalase activity changed in parallel with the concentration of its cofactor, Fe.
      However, the relative abundance of metal cofactors did not appear to be the
      determining influence on other antioxidant enzyme activities. Rates of extra
      mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide release were also much greater in liver than in
      brain. Taken together, the results of this initial study of embryonic chick
      antioxidant systems suggest that certain antioxidants may be regulated by PO2 and
      rate of oxidative metabolism during fetal development.

PMID- 1405791
TI  - Aging as a multi-step process characterized by a lowering of entropy production
      leading the cell to a sequence of defined stages. II. Testing some predictions on
      aging human fibroblasts in culture.
AB  - The concepts of irreversible thermodynamics have been used in order to develop a
      theory of aging considered as a multi-step process leading the cell through a
      sequence of defined stages characterized by a lower level of entropy production
      and finally to a critical level of errors involving cell death (Toussaint et al.,
      1991). One of the predictions of this model is that external stresses which can
      be considered as fluctuations would accelerate the evolution of the cell from one
      state to the other according to the intensity of the stress. Seven morphotypes
      have been observed in the serially cultivated human fibroblasts, cells passing
      progressively from one morphotype to the other. In this paper, we experimentally
      tested the effect of two different molecules, tert-butylhydroperoxide and
      ethanol, in order to determine their influence on the shift from one morphotype
      to the other. When applied for a single period of time on cultivated cells, both
      molecules effectively showed a modification in the pattern of the different
      morphotypes which was dependent on the stress intensity: a decreased proportion
      of the early morphotypes and an increased proportion of the late and post-mitotic
      morphotypes were observed within three days after the stresses. Similar results
      were obtained when successive stresses were performed at every subculture. The
      results also indicated that all stages are not equally stable with morphotypes
      III and IV being the most stable. The positive effect on the increased shift of
      these cells from one morphotype to the other by two different stresses firms one
      of the prediction of the thermodynamic model which states that cellular aging can
      be considered as a multi-step process which can be speeded up by various external
      modifications.

PMID- 1405792
TI  - The proliferation theory of rejuvenation.
AB  - A theory concerning the molecular basis of rejuvenation is presented that
      postulates a central role for cell proliferation. This theory assumes that aging
      is due to the accumulation of multiple forms of molecular damage and that
      rejuvenation is due to repair. The advantages of proliferation as a means of
      repair are described and it is proposed that cell proliferation is required for
      full rejuvenation. This proliferation theory offers several advantages: a
      different perspective on the question of which organisms age; an explanation of
      aging-related phenomena that are not well handled by traditional aging theories;
      a novel approach to altering the aging rate; and testable implications for the
      design of new experimental systems and therapeutic interventions.

PMID- 1405793
TI  - Fragile sites, Alzheimer's disease, and aging.
AB  - The fragile site expression under conditions of folate deprivation was compared
      in the chromosomes from 5 Alzheimer's disease (AD) female patients, 5 healthy
      elderly females and 5 healthy young females. Although different fragile sites
      were observed in the three groups, nevertheless, more similarities were found
      between the AD patients and elderly normal donors. The only fragile site common
      to all groups was 3p14. This site was the most frequent in the young donors
      group. In both AD and elderly control groups we observed a higher frequency of
      fragility in 6p21, but not in the young controls. Other interesting fragility
      points observed in these two groups were: 6q21 and 14q24 (in the AD patients) and
      9q13, 14q24 and 17q21 (in the healthy aged). 6p21 and 17q21 have been proposed as
      'new' fragile sites. We confirm the existence of these fragile sites and comment
      that in these bands the genes MTBT2 and MTBT1, which are microtubule (beta)
      associated protein tau-like and tau 1, respectively, are mapped. The tau protein
      is a component of paired helical filaments which accumulate in degenerating
      neurons in the brain of patients with AD and with less intensity of normal
      elderly individuals.

PMID- 1405794
TI  - The Medicare cost of renal dialysis. Evidence from a statistical cost function.
AB  - Medicare's End Stage Renal Dialysis Program currently costs more than $6 billion
      per year, which covers renal dialysis, kidney transplants and other life-saving
      medical care for 190,000 patients of all ages suffering from chronic renal
      failures. Medicare reimburses dialysis units for dialysis treatments using a
      formula based on accounting costs reported by a small sample of facilities.
      However, accounting methods may obscure the true economic costs of providing the
      different type of dialysis treatments such as hemodialysis, continuous ambulatory
      peritoneal dialysis, and continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis. In this study, a
      multiproduct, statistical cost function approach to obtain cost estimates was
      used. Results obtained in this study show that the average cost and marginal cost
      of hemodialysis treatments are generally in line with current reimbursement
      rates, whereas the average and marginal costs of continuous ambulatory peritoneal
      dialysis treatments may be below this rate. For in-center hemodialysis, which is
      the mainstay of all dialysis units, the authors found evidence of decreasing
      economies of scale at the mean facility size, but found constant returns to scale
      for other modalities. Some evidence of economies of scale from chain ownership of
      dialysis centers was discovered. Finally, the analysis indicates that the
      Medicare reimbursement formula may be outdated, and further research that could
      lead to the design of more "rational" payment rules is suggested.

PMID- 1405795
TI  - Clinical versus administrative data bases for CABG surgery. Does it matter?
AB  - This study compared the ability of a clinical and administrative data base in New
      York State to predict in-hospital mortality and to assess hospital performance
      for coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The results indicated that the clinical
      data base, the Cardiac Surgery Reporting System, is substantially better at
      predicting case-specific mortality than the administrative data base, the
      Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System. Also, correlations between
      hospital mortality rates that are risk-adjusted using the two systems were only
      moderately high (0.75 to 0.80). The addition of new risk factors from the
      Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System improved the predictive power
      of both systems but did not diminish the difference in effectiveness of the two
      systems. The three unique clinical risk factors in the Cardiac Surgery Reporting
      System (ejection fraction, reoperation, and more than 90% narrowing of the left
      main trunk) seemed to account for much of the difference in effectiveness of the
      two systems.

PMID- 1405796
TI  - The inequality of medical expenditures for several years in a healthy, nonelderly
      population.
AB  - Previous studies have shown that the distribution of annual medical expenditures
      for a population is very unequal and remains so for periods of more than 1 year.
      The authors use a better measure of inequality, the Gini coefficient, to test its
      persistence for longer periods. This measure is applied to data collected from
      the Rand Health Insurance Experiment. The experiment enrolled a nonelderly
      population typical of those covered by employer health plans for periods up to 5
      years. The distributions of annual expenditures for this population are highly
      unequal, in line with previous studies. Inequality declines substantially when
      longer periods are considered.

PMID- 1405797
TI  - Comparative measurement sensitivity of short and longer health status
      instruments.
AB  - Short measures of health status are used increasingly in health services
      research, yet their sensitivities to clinical change have not been compared with
      longer, established instruments. In this study, 5 health status measures were
      administered preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively to 54 patients
      undergoing total hip arthroplasty. These instruments included the Sickness Impact
      Profile (SIP)--an established, long measure--and 4 short forms: the SF-36,
      Functional Status Questionnaire, shortened Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales,
      and Modified Health Assessment Questionnaire. Scores for physical, psychological,
      and global dimensions were constructed by aggregating subscales. Sensitivity to
      change, or responsiveness, was expressed with the standardized response mean
      (SRM), calculated as the mean change in score divided by the standard deviation
      of the change in score. The sampling distribution of the SRM was estimated with a
      jackknife procedure. Preoperative scores were moderately to highly correlated
      across instruments. The physical and global dimension SRMs of the brief health
      status measures ranged from 0.85 to 1.27 and were as large as or larger than the
      corresponding SIP SRMs. The SIP had the highest SRM on the psychological
      dimension. None of the instruments was significantly more sensitive than the
      others at the critical value (P = 0.005) adjusted for multiple comparisons. The
      brief health status measures were equally or more responsive than the SIP after
      total hip arthroplasty in the physical and global dimensions. Much larger samples
      are required to demonstrate statistically significant differences in SRMs among
      instruments.

PMID- 1405798
TI  - Prescribing problems and pharmacist interventions in community practice.
AB  - Interventions performed by 89 community pharmacists in 5 states to correct the
      prescribing problems they identified on new prescription orders were documented
      by trained observers. Pharmacists intervened to resolve a prescribing-related
      problem in 623 (1.9%) of 33,011 new prescription orders that were screened and
      dispensed during the study period. A panel of three expert evaluators concluded
      that 28.3% of the prescribing problems identified during the study could have
      caused patient harm if the pharmacist had not intervened to correct the problem.
      The rate at which pharmacists identified prescribing problems was negatively
      related to the number of prescriptions they dispensed per hour, suggesting that
      in pursuing distributive efficiency, some pharmacists may be exceeding their safe
      dispensing threshold. The authors recommend that the interprofessional system of
      oversight and verification (i.e., "checks and balances") in the delivery of
      pharmaceutical care in the community setting should be maintained and
      strengthened.

PMID- 1405799
TI  - Health status and use of services among families with and without health
      insurance.

PMID- 1405800
TI  - Asking about the usual source of care. An appraisal of health care survey
      alternatives.

PMID- 1405802
TI  - Discrepancies between women's personal interview data and medical record
      documentation of illicit drug use, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV
      infection.

PMID- 1405801
TI  - Comparison of Quality of Well-Being scale and Functional Status Index in patients
      with atrial fibrillation.

PMID- 1405803
TI  - [Monocytic dysfunction by opioid peptides in patients with major depression].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with depression present immunodepression and it has been
      proposed that, in these patients, endogenous opioid peptides may be mediators
      between the dysfunction of the central nervous system and immune alterations.
      METHODS: The function and the surface markers of monocytes were studied in 15
      patients with major unipolar depression and in 24 healthy controls by biological
      trials of phagocytosis of Candida albicans and latex particles and
      immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: Most of the patients
      studied (86%) presented monocytic dysfunction characterized by diminished
      phagocytic activity and a decrease in the expression of intermediate filaments of
      vimentin of the cytoskeleton and membrane molecules (CR1, receptor for the Fc
      fraction of the IgG and HLA DR antigens). Incubation of the patients monocytes
      with naloxone led to the disappearance of monocytic alterations in most of the
      patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with major unipolar depression present a high
      opioid tone which has consequences in the function of the immune system.

PMID- 1405805
TI  - [The impact of infection by the human immunodeficiency virus in the organization
      of health care services: new alternatives in health care].

PMID- 1405804
TI  - [Evaluation of the demand for tests for the detection of anti-human
      immunodeficiency virus antibodies in Catalonia].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Most programs for the control of the acquired immunodeficiency
      syndrome (AIDS) contemplate the registry of cases as the principal source of
      information. Despite the fact that these data have permitted important
      epidemiologic and clinical aspects of the disease to become known epidemiologic
      surveillance systems should be developed based on the detection of infection by
      the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). METHODS: The prevalence and the
      epidemiologic profile of patients who underwent an anti-HIV test were studied in
      17 hospitals in Catalonia in 1989. In addition, a questionnaire concerning
      demographic and epidemiologic variables was completed by all the patients in whom
      an ELISA test had been carried out during 4 periods of 15 days. RESULTS: During
      this period 33,012 serologic tests were performed in 17 centers with a global
      prevalence of positive results of 20.7% (IC 95% = 20.2%-21.1%). The greatest
      number of positive serologies corresponded to the collective of intravenous drug
      users (IVDU), consisting of 68% of all the positive tests with a prevalence of
      infection of 76.4%. Prevalence was considered as constant throughout the year
      despite the differences between the prevalence observed in some periods.
      CONCLUSIONS: The fact that the collective of intravenous drug users is most
      prevalent among the patient with positive results in the serologic detection of
      the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) confirms that this is the principal group
      of transmission in Catalonia. This type of study may provide information on the
      rate of infection by HIV complementing other surveillance methods of the
      epidemic. However, the basic function of these tests stems from the study of the
      demand and use of detection tests.

PMID- 1405806
TI  - [Psittacosis, only in birds?].

PMID- 1405807
TI  - [Familial outbreak of pneumonia by psittacosis].
AB  - A familial outbreak (4 cases) of pneumonia by psittacosis in Vall de Uxo
      (Castellon) during the month of April in 1990 is described. In addition to the
      epidemiologic, clinical and serologic (complement fixation) studies carried out a
      survey and serology of 11 healthy controls (neighbors, and employees from a bird
      shop) were performed. The serum of a parrot recently acquired by the patients
      (positive at 1/8) was analyzed. The habit of petting the animal was significantly
      associated with the disease. The patient's response to treatment was good. The
      titers of antibodies versus Chlamydia psittaci were higher than those of the
      controls examined and the established threshold for positivity (1/36). In
      addition to clinical intervention the roles of epidemiology and the participation
      of veterinary services are fundamental to control this disease the exact
      prevalence of which is unknown.

PMID- 1405808
TI  - [Polymerase chain reaction. Should it be used in clinical microbiologic
      laboratories?].

PMID- 1405809
TI  - [Human genetics: diagnostic and preventive impact of new genetics in medicine].

PMID- 1405810
TI  - [Hyperthyroidism, another cause of hyperferritinemia].

PMID- 1405811
TI  - [Tetany in a patient with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome treated with
      foscarnet].

PMID- 1405812
TI  - [Bacteremia from Campylobacter jejuni in a cirrhotic patient with ascites].

PMID- 1405813
TI  - [Pustular eruption induced by norfloxacin].

PMID- 1405814
TI  - [Statural growth during treatment of infantile hypercholesterolemia].

PMID- 1405816
TI  - [Biased selection and confusion factors].

PMID- 1405815
TI  - [Esophageal tuberculosis. Not so infrequent].

PMID- 1405817
TI  - Travel medicine.

PMID- 1405818
TI  - Travel medicine. General advice and medical kit.
AB  - Physicians must be prepared to provide comprehensive pretravel advice to their
      patients. Because world conditions are constantly changing, it is necessary to
      obtain accurate and current information. Common health problems that may be faced
      by any traveler include accidents, motion sickness, and jet lag. Physicians must
      familiarize themselves with the many forms of insurance available for the
      traveler.

PMID- 1405819
TI  - Immunizations for international travelers.
AB  - Immunizations for international travel are an important component of pretravel
      medical care. Travelers should receive protection against vaccine-preventable
      exotic diseases, and their immunity against common infectious diseases should be
      reviewed and updated. There are no immunizations for some important infectious
      hazards of travel. In the course of considering a traveler's risk for exposure to
      infectious disease on the basis of geographic destination, style of travel, and
      anticipated activities, the health care provider should discuss preventive
      measures and personal behavior with regard to food and water, avoidance of insect
      bites, personal safety, and sexual activity.

PMID- 1405820
TI  - Special health considerations for travelers.
AB  - Special health considerations include many issues that affect travelers at both
      ends of the age spectrum. Pulmonary diseases may seriously alter the physiologic
      responses to both cabin pressures in commercial airliners and exposure to high
      altitudes, but many of these responses can be predicted by blood gas
      determinations and simple measurements of pulmonary function conducted at sea
      level. Cardiac events represent the most common and unpredictable health problems
      that threaten both serious morbidity and death for adult travelers. Diabetic
      travelers require insulin dosage adjustments during east-west travel and well
      stocked travel kits with adequate supplies. Human immunodeficiency virus-infected
      travelers require consideration of their levels of immunosuppression at the time
      of immunizations and special precautions for preventing potentially chronic
      enteric infections. Young children pose similar questions, and there is the
      additional problem posed by a limited number of readily available antimalarial
      agents for pediatric use.

PMID- 1405821
TI  - The pregnant traveler.
AB  - The pregnant traveler should seek current and specific advice from experts even
      if she is traveling to a nearby wilderness area. This advice will make a
      significant contribution to the safety and health of the pregnant woman and her
      future newborn. There are many situations, for example, travel to Kenya, the
      Andes, or the Amazon basin in Peru, where the pregnant traveler is best advised
      to stay at home, or to defer the trip.

PMID- 1405822
TI  - Diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of malaria.
AB  - Optimal treatment of malaria requires rapid case identification, initiation of
      specific and supportive therapy based on parasitologic and clinical
      classification of the patient, and recognition of inadequate response to therapy.
      Health care providers advising travelers should assess the risk of malaria based
      on itinerary and clinical condition, and counsel to reduce contact with
      mosquitoes; prescribe appropriate chemoprophylaxis; and counsel regarding
      potential side effects and requirement for diagnosis and treatment if fever
      develops.

PMID- 1405823
TI  - Travelers' diarrhea. Prevention and treatment.
AB  - Travelers' diarrhea affects almost half of all travelers from developed to
      developing nations. Its occurrence frequently alters planned activities.
      Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and other bacterial pathogens endemic to the
      area visited account for the majority of pathogens isolated. Newer research
      technologies are assisting in defining virulence properties and epidemiologic
      characteristics. Prudence exercised during travel remains the preferred mode of
      prevention, reserving antimicrobial prophylaxis for specific situations. Oral
      rehydration and early pharmacologic intervention with antimicrobial and
      antimotility agents significantly decrease length of illness when diarrhea
      occurs.

PMID- 1405824
TI  - Fever in the returned traveler.
AB  - Febrile infections can be fatal in travelers to tropical countries unless the
      patient seeks medical care in a timely manner and the physician takes the time
      and has the skill to make a rapid diagnosis and prescribe appropriate therapy. In
      addition to the usual febrile illnesses present in temperate climates, the
      patient may have an "exotic" infection, e.g., malaria, infectious hepatitis,
      enteric fever, or dengue fever. The potential causes of fever in travelers are
      extensive. This article provides practical clues to assist the physician in
      making the correct diagnosis--by using exposure information, symptoms and signs,
      and concomitant symptom complexes.

PMID- 1405825
TI  - Skin problems in returning travelers.
AB  - A new skin lesion in a returning traveler often poses a difficult diagnostic
      problem for the clinician whose knowledge of geographic medicine is limited. To
      reach a diagnosis the physician has to consider the location and style of travel,
      exposure to pathogens, length of stay, epidemiology, incubation period, and
      clinical presentation of dermatologic diseases in the countries visited. As with
      any dermatologic problem, the appearance of the presenting lesion should help to
      establish the differential diagnosis. This article is a guide to the diagnosis
      and investigation of skin lesions in returning travelers; it is not intended as a
      comprehensive review of tropical dermatology.

PMID- 1405826
TI  - Eosinophilia in travelers.
AB  - Eosinophilia in travelers may be caused by infections acquired during travels.
      Infections with helminthic, but not protozoan, parasites are the most likely
      causes of eosinophilia, although other etiologies may warrant consideration. This
      article reviews the parasitic and other causes of eosinophilia. Helminthic
      infections early in their development may elicit the most pronounced eosinophilia
      yet be difficult to diagnose. Chronic helminthic infections may yield
      eosinophilia that persists for prolonged periods of time after initial infection.

PMID- 1405827
TI  - Intestinal parasites in returned travelers.
AB  - Travelers returning from third-world countries may become infected with a variety
      of intestinal parasites. Although protozoan infections are more frequently seen,
      intestinal worms are also encountered. If considered in the differential
      diagnosis, these infections usually are readily diagnosed and treated.

PMID- 1405828
TI  - Sexually transmitted diseases and travelers.
AB  - Sexually active travelers are at risk for a variety of STDs, including
      traditional venereal infections such as gonorrhea, chlamydial urethritis,
      syphilis, chancroid, and herpes simplex infection. More recently, hepatitis B,
      hepatitis C, and HIV-1 have also been described. Risk varies depending on the
      geographic area of travel and the type of sexual contact. Physicians should be
      aware of the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance of N. gonorrhoeae and H.
      ducreyi because this will affect empiric antibiotic therapy. Prevention should
      focus on proper and consistent usage of barrier contraceptives.

PMID- 1405829
TI  - Tropical diseases in immigrants and internationally adopted children.
AB  - Immigrants, particularly those from the developing world, make up a significant
      number of tropical disease cases seen in a temperate climate. Internationally
      adopted children are another group in which tropical and other infectious
      diseases must be considered. The differential diagnoses of various syndromes in
      these populations in relation to relatively more common tropical diseases are
      reviewed.

PMID- 1405830
TI  - High altitude medicine.
AB  - Altitude illness is common and may result in major disruption of travel plans.
      Visitors to altitude need to be aware of the various health problems they might
      encounter and how they may be prevented. Self-diagnosis and treatment is the norm
      in many remote locations. The hallmark of therapy remains descent, but with newer
      treatment modalities, this may be easily forgotten. People with preexisting
      health problems may desire to visit high altitude destinations. It is reasonable
      to support some strongly motivated people in undertaking such trips, providing
      they recognize the difficulties of coping with illness in remote locations.

PMID- 1405831
TI  - An integrated approach for the computer-assisted treatment of diabetic patients
      on insulin.
AB  - A prototype computer system has been developed to provide advice on the day-to
      day adjustment of carbohydrate intake and insulin regimen in the insulin
      dependent diabetic patient. The system also produces a 24-h simulation of the
      patient's blood glucose profile based on these adjustments. Advice is generated
      by a qualitative knowledge-based system which suggests what the next step in
      improving glycaemic control might be for a given patient, e.g. 'decrease morning
      short-acting insulin by 2 units'. The quantitative simulator module contains two
      different mathematical models. The first is a non-linear model in differential
      equation form which consists of a one-compartment glucose model linked to a model
      with free and bound insulin compartments. This physiological model is solved by a
      general-purpose simulation engine. The second is a linear systems model which
      uses a transfer function to describe the insulin input/blood glucose response
      relationship for individual diabetic patients. Results of a preliminary medical
      validation are presented.

PMID- 1405833
TI  - Telestroika in health care informatics: a challenge for standardization in
      Europe.
AB  - This article describes the actual user requirements of the health care sector in
      connection with telematics. The importance of standardization is stressed. The
      paper further gives an overview of the current standing of the activities of CEN
      TC 251 (European Standardization Committee, Technical Committee on Health Care
      Informatics).

PMID- 1405832
TI  - Comparison of digital and conventional mammography: a ROC study of 270
      mammograms.
AB  - Observer performance tests were conducted to study the visibility of malignancies
      in digital mammography. Detectabilities of tumours and of microcalcifications
      were studied separately. For this purpose two sets of images were used, one for
      tumours consisting of 150 mammograms and one for microcalcifications containing
      120 mammograms. Images were digitized at a resolution of 2048 x 2048 pixels using
      a 12-bit CCD camera. Conventional film mammograms were read on a lightbox,
      whereas digital mammograms were viewed on a high-resolution monitor. Two
      experienced radiologists read both sets independently, and ranked their
      judgements about the presence or absence of tumours or microcalcifications on a
      confidence-rating scale. Results were evaluated using receiver operating
      characteristic (ROC) analysis. No statistical differences were found between
      judgements based on conventional and digitized mammography.

PMID- 1405834
TI  - Implications of medical information systems for community health care in Japan.
AB  - The population of Japan in the 21st century is expected to be distributed heavily
      on the side of higher ages. In view of the aged society, improved hygienic,
      medical, and welfare services must be provided in every community. In order to
      provide these services efficiently it is necessary to implement a community
      health care system (CHCS). The role and responsibilities of the medical
      information system, which is intended to support comprehensively the CHCS with
      respect to providing the necessary information, will become increasingly
      important. This paper is intended to discuss the structure, features, and
      required activities of the community medical information system which will have
      particular importance in the community health care services in the coming years.
      Problems in establishing and operating future medical information systems in the
      CHCS also are discussed. Lastly, problems and obstacles confronted when
      establishing and operating medical information systems in community health care
      which is organized around the medical association, which plays an important role
      and takes on heavy responsibility, are discussed, and a proposal is made.

PMID- 1405835
TI  - Certainty factor theory and its implementation in a medical expert system shell.
AB  - In this article some topics related to the MYCIN-model for uncertainty handling
      are discussed. First, it is pointed out that one of the problems identified by
      Adams should be considered as evidence supporting the point of view that the
      probabilistic interpretations of measures of belief and measures of disbelief
      given by Shortliffe are inappropriate. In this context some results achieved by
      Heckerman are reviewed, and it is shown that similar problems can be identified
      in the interpretation given by him. It is also pointed out that Heckerman's
      argument that the original probabilistic interpretation of certainty factors
      implies non-commutative evidence-updating is not correct. Then, in the context of
      the result achieved by Horvitz and Heckerman, in which it was proven that there
      is an isomorphic mapping from the evidence combination scheme for the likelihood
      ratio to the evidence combination function in EMYCIN and its successors, it is
      pointed out that the evidence combination scheme for the likelihood ratio suffers
      from a great restriction on its applicability in expert systems. Subsequently,
      some short remarks are made with respect to the complaint that sometimes the
      MYCIN model cannot work as well as expected. Lastly implementation of the
      certainty factor mechanism in a HIS-oriented expert system shell with some
      substantial changes is described.

PMID- 1405836
TI  - A microcomputer-based structured journal system for diseases of the female
      mammary gland.
AB  - A medical journal system for female patients with diseases of the mammary gland
      is described. The system is developed in a commercial database system, and is run
      by microcomputer. The system has been used for almost 3 years in a department
      with approximately 550 new patients referred per year. Experience from daily use
      in patient care, and as a tool for retrieval of medical and administrative data,
      is reported. Further development of the system is discussed.

PMID- 1405837
TI  - Automated diagnostic indexing by natural language processing.
AB  - Developing tools for natural language understanding by computers represents an
      important and intense field of research. This paper describes a system developed
      for interpreting medical natural language in the domain of symptoms and diagnoses
      from complete discharge summaries and locating the correspondent category into
      the International Classification of Diseases, through indexing by the
      Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine. The indexing program makes use of the MEID
      dictionary and some auxiliary semantic databases for identifying adjectival
      forms, synonyms, hypernyms and other semantic relations while searching for the
      longest consistent match into SNOMED. A further subdivision of the SNOMED
      structure was also proposed in order to find the hierarchically superior
      representative of a conceptual class when this association is not assigned by the
      related SNOMED code number. The system can be used by any language that possesses
      a translation of SNOMED and ICD. The knowledge base was built using a conversion
      file that maps the terms of the nomenclature into the classification, which can
      be improved by learning from users.

PMID- 1405838
TI  - New role of a medical documentation system.
AB  - Architecture of a new medical documentation system (MDS) is proposed. First, we
      studied the traditional MDS in terms of organizational structure, main functions,
      means (resources) and personnel. Special emphasis is given to the information
      retrieval (IR) system which is the kernel of a MDS. Then, some achievements of
      information technology is summarized, and concept of a mixed IR system which is
      the kernel of the new system is presented. New architecture is then presented.
      Units which compose the entire system are: host documentation centre, local
      documentation centres, and documentation units. Eventually, objective and
      features of every part are discussed.

PMID- 1405839
TI  - PACE project: object-orientated modelling of paediatric practice.
AB  - The need for useful clinical support based on integrated computerized systems is
      now well recognized. To build systems desired by busy clinicians requires
      accurate specifications. These specifications in turn require rigorous
      descriptions of the processes to be automated in a form which is understandable
      and unambiguous to both clinician and computer scientist. Despite these
      requirements communication between suppliers and users of computer systems often
      is poor. Detailed descriptions of health care with particular reference to child
      health were developed with an object-orientated technique. These descriptions
      take the form of conceptual models of the basic health care activities (evidence
      collection, assessing, planning and implementing management) and more specific
      departmental activities pertaining to paediatric intensive care, accident and
      emergency, and cystic fibrosis management. We have learned that once a modelling
      team becomes competent in applying the technique, object-orientated modelling can
      be a powerful tool for the description of complex processes such as those
      involved in present-day health care.

PMID- 1405840
TI  - Basic health care functions: an object-orientated analysis.
AB  - All clinical activities carried out by health care professionals can be seen as
      examples of what we have called the basic health care functions. These are
      collecting information concerning the patient, assessing the patient in the light
      of the information gathered, and then planning and administering the care which
      is deemed necessary. For a computerized clinical support system to be helpful to
      clinicians it is essential that the information and computer scientists
      responsible for building such systems have clear and detailed descriptions of the
      activities carried out by their clinical colleagues. One method of bridging this
      communication gap is object-orientated modelling. In this paper we present an
      object-orientated analysis of the basic health care functions, thus establishing
      a generic model on which descriptions of more specific clinical situations can be
      based.

PMID- 1405841
TI  - [NO (nitric oxide)--at the threshold of clinical medicine].

PMID- 1405842
TI  - [Infant food discount--a good business].

PMID- 1405843
TI  - [Psychotherapy instruction--do not ever mix the roles!].

PMID- 1405844
TI  - [A radiologist is needed for handling of acute upper gastrointestinal
      hemorrhage].

PMID- 1405845
TI  - [Amoxicillin, drug of choice in otitis].

PMID- 1405846
TI  - [Manipulation demands formal training].

PMID- 1405847
TI  - [Hair preparation caused fever and clouding of consciousness].

PMID- 1405848
TI  - [Fibrinogen as an independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease].

PMID- 1405849
TI  - [Glutamine--a non-essential but important amino acid].

PMID- 1405850
TI  - [New dosages of flucloxacillin makes therapy of skin and soft tissue infections
      simpler].

PMID- 1405851
TI  - [Evaluations by health insurance authorities. Mental and psychosomatic
      occupational disorders are slowly increasing].

PMID- 1405852
TI  - [The man behind the syndrome. Patrik Haglund, first professor of orthopedics in
      Scandinavia. A pioneer of rehabilitation who fought for better conditions of the
      disabled].

PMID- 1405853
TI  - [Psychosocial problems must be noticed in rehabilitation after traffic
      accidents].

PMID- 1405854
TI  - [Care in own apartment despite of qualified care needs].

PMID- 1405855
TI  - [Heatstroke after a race with serious effects on liver and bleeding status].

PMID- 1405856
TI  - [Laparoscopic surgery of perforated duodenal ulcer].

PMID- 1405857
TI  - [Acute abdomen in a swimmer was caused by abdominal wall hematoma].

PMID- 1405858
TI  - [The pediatric hospital Samariten--an autonomous health care unit in Stockholm
      1890-1974].

PMID- 1405859
TI  - [Moral contribution?].

PMID- 1405860
TI  - [Mushroom poisoning--an unavoidable phenomenon?].

PMID- 1405861
TI  - [Vitamin B 12 deficiency--even a neuropsychiatric problem].

PMID- 1405862
TI  - [Therapeutic instruction and jurisprudence].

PMID- 1405863
TI  - [Clean up in the borderline swamp].

PMID- 1405864
TI  - [Health personnel's knowledge of treatment with nebulizers is insufficient].

PMID- 1405865
TI  - [Sex hormone binding globulin--a new dimension of androgenic diagnostics].

PMID- 1405866
TI  - [Pharmacological treatment of heart failure].

PMID- 1405867
TI  - [Effect on plexus in laparoscopic surgery--a complication which could be
      avoided].

PMID- 1405868
TI  - [Acute renal failure caused by mushroom poisoning with Cortinarius
      speciosissimus].

PMID- 1405869
TI  - [A new effective therapeutic method in bleeding esophageal varices].

PMID- 1405870
TI  - [Is there any future for private practitioners?].

PMID- 1405871
TI  - [Postoperative pain relief--agents, methods, benefits and organization].

PMID- 1405872
TI  - [Is prevention of hypertension possible?].

PMID- 1405873
TI  - [Vagitrim--a new, simple aid for effective training of pelvic floor muscles].

PMID- 1405874
TI  - [Marked increase of hospitalization for alcoholism and narcotic abuse].

PMID- 1405875
TI  - [No symptoms of unnecessary anxiety or false confidence among participants of
      screening for malignant melanoma].

PMID- 1405876
TI  - [Patient-controlled analgesia after major back surgery].

PMID- 1405877
TI  - [An inquiry on antibiotic prevention in surgery: preparations, dosage, duration
      of treatment vary widely].

PMID- 1405878
TI  - [Constant annual incidence of HIV infection among intravenous drug addicts].
AB  - Since January 1987 a study of HIV prevalence and risk behaviour among i v drug
      abusers at the remand prison in Stockholm has been carried out by a research team
      working independently of the penal system. On a voluntary basis, a standardised
      interview is carried out and an HIV blood test made. Of the 2,038 i v drug
      abusers who participated up to December 1991, ten per cent were HIV-positive. Of
      the 80 per cent who mainly used amphetamines, six per cent were seropositive, as
      compared with about 28 per cent of the remaining 20 per cent who were heroin
      addicts. The overall annual incidence of HIV infection was about one per cent.
      The cumulative prevalence decreased among heroin users during the observation
      period, but remained constant among amphetamine users. The frequency of injection
      equipment sharing showed a decline at the beginning of the observation period,
      but the level of sexual risk behaviour has remained high.

PMID- 1405879
TI  - [The obsessive-compulsive syndrome: new aspects of a psychiatric chameleon].

PMID- 1405880
TI  - [A pilot study: neuropsychological rehabilitation of patients with solvent
      induced toxic encephalopathy].
AB  - Fourteen patients with chronic toxic encephalopathy underwent a
      neuropsychological intervention comprising crisis therapy, information about the
      disease, and cognitive training. Evaluation showed the patients to have
      experienced substantial improvement in their daily life and family relations as a
      result of the intervention. Their affective symptoms decreased and their verbal
      memory improved. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) measurements showed training
      dependent changes of functional activity related to change in memory strategy.
      This rCBF change had disappeared six months later, however, suggesting that the
      duration of intervention needs to be extended in order for use of the learned
      memory techniques to become automatic. We conclude that neuropsychological
      rehabilitation is effective and should be made available to patients with chronic
      toxic encephalopathy.

PMID- 1405881
TI  - [Anti-shock trousers--therapeutic complement in severe obstetric hemorrhage].

PMID- 1405882
TI  - [Plausible anamnesis was an incidental finding].

PMID- 1405883
TI  - [Acute cerebellar degeneration was a para-malignant phenomenon].

PMID- 1405884
TI  - [Myasthenia gravis in patients with ulcerative colitis--an overlooked autoimmune
      association?].

PMID- 1405885
TI  - [The man behind the fracture. Abraham Colles--one of Ireland's greatest surgeons.
      He treated distal radius fractures without the slightest postoperative defect or
      deformity].

PMID- 1405886
TI  - [Activities of the Balint group--continuous education for more effective care].

PMID- 1405887
TI  - [Female circumcision--a humiliation with deep cultural roots].

PMID- 1405888
TI  - [Must psychiatry sell its soul?].

PMID- 1405889
TI  - [Light and biological rhythms].

PMID- 1405890
TI  - [Is amalgam in dental fillings hazardous to health?].

PMID- 1405891
TI  - [Intestinal tuberculosis. Simple treatment can prevent unnecessary surgery].

PMID- 1405892
TI  - [Thromboangiitis obliterans--an often overlooked disease with increasing
      incidence].

PMID- 1405893
TI  - [Axillary temperature measurement is not reliable in newborn infants].

PMID- 1405894
TI  - [The PAD result is of little significance for treatment of gallbladder cancer].

PMID- 1405895
TI  - [Prognosis and treatment of symptomatic hyponatremia--a study of 28 intensive
      care cases].
AB  - In symptomatic cases of hyponatraemia, where the serum sodium concentration is
      less than 115 mmol/l, prognosis has hitherto been considered to be poor, and
      mortality rates of 50 per cent have been reported. The management of this
      condition is controversial, particularly concerning the optimal rate of
      correction, correlations having been reported between the occurrence of central
      pontine myelinolysis and both over-correction and too rapid correction. During
      the 3-year duration of the study reported in the article, of 28 cases with a mean
      sodium concentration of 106 mmol/l, the outcome was fatal in only one case. In
      both of the only two cases of acute hyponatraemia (i.e., developing within 24
      hours), correction had been rapid (mean rate 2.6 mmol/l per hour). In the
      remaining 26 cases correction of chronic hyponatraemia was slower (mean rate 0.6
      mmol/l per hour), adjustment to a slightly hyponatraemic level having been
      achieved with isotonic saline (N = 25) or water restriction (N = 1). The findings
      in the study suggest that, provided that the rate of correction is not too rapid,
      the prognosis in cases of severe symptomatic hyponatraemia is more favourable
      than previously reported.

PMID- 1405896
TI  - [A survey in Malmo. The frequency of venous thromboembolism has not changed
      during the last 30 years].

PMID- 1405897
TI  - [Postcoital contraception, a forgotten and unused resource?].

PMID- 1405898
TI  - [Intestinal tuberculosis--still a clinical reality].

PMID- 1405899
TI  - [Autotransfusion of blood cells made surgery of a Jehovah's Witness possible].

PMID- 1405900
TI  - [Unusual cases and diagnoses are not rare at orthopedic emergency departments
      during weekends].

PMID- 1405901
TI  - [Routine preoperative cholangiography in cholecystectomy: to be or not to be?].

PMID- 1405902
TI  - [Quality assurance--next step must be from words to action].

PMID- 1405903
TI  - [Increasing introduction of magnetic resonance tomography in county hospitals].

PMID- 1405904
TI  - [Advanced analysis and concern for care programs are signs of current medical
      decision theory in the USA].

PMID- 1405905
TI  - [Consultation--the most important working tool of general practitioners].

PMID- 1405906
TI  - [The "helicopter perspective" of health care makes effective rationing more
      difficult].

PMID- 1405907
TI  - [Do not change maternal health services for the worse].

PMID- 1405908
TI  - [Garlic as cultural historical medicinal plant--truth or superstition?].

PMID- 1405909
TI  - [Subjective illness in non-malignant chronic pain--working patients are feeling
      better than sick-listed patients].

PMID- 1405911
TI  - [Discitis in children imitates acute abdomen and misleads diagnosis].

PMID- 1405910
TI  - [Neurosarcoidosis can occur without any other signs of sarcoidosis].

PMID- 1405912
TI  - [Give antibiotics prior to computer tomography if meningitis is suspected].

PMID- 1405913
TI  - [Sore throat was a foreign body].

PMID- 1405914
TI  - [Good primary care can give support and help to severely ill/dying children and
      their families].

PMID- 1405915
TI  - [Psychodynamic and cognitive therapy in the same course--more extended education
      with good results].

PMID- 1405916
TI  - [Unified AT test with a guaranteed supervision improve education].

PMID- 1405917
TI  - [The church and health care--no deep gap].

PMID- 1405918
TI  - [Molecular biology completes clinical chemical methods in investigation of
      hemoglobin diseases].

PMID- 1405919
TI  - [Penicillin V and not amoxicillin is the first choice preparation in acute
      otitis].

PMID- 1405920
TI  - [Fertilization in vitro should be seen as a therapeutic alternative].

PMID- 1405922
TI  - ["When throats are visiting...." A profitable business for a rapid test?].

PMID- 1405921
TI  - [Ridiculously small achievements in earlier programs aimed to change life style
      of persons with hypertension].

PMID- 1405923
TI  - [Is the general practitioner dangerous for warfarin-treated patients?].

PMID- 1405924
TI  - [Special training of neck extension strength can be effective in treatment of
      neck problems].

PMID- 1405925
TI  - [Postnatal care of hydronephrosis after prenatal diagnosis].

PMID- 1405926
TI  - [Long-term counseling supports HIV-positive immigrants].

PMID- 1405927
TI  - [The man behind the narcosis. Crawford Long--the man behind ether narcosis. He
      was threatened by lynching when performing painless surgery].

PMID- 1405928
TI  - [Tumor suppressor genes: mutations in RB and p53 genes are significant
      carcinogenic factors].
AB  - The RB and p53 tumour suppressor genes encode nuclear proteins that exert an
      inhibitive effect on cell growth. A large variety of human tumour types manifest
      loss or mutation of the RB or p53 genes, and p53 mutation is the commonest
      genetic alteration found in tumour cells. In addition, the RB and p53 proteins
      may be inactivated by complex formation with viral oncoproteins--for instance, in
      the case of cervical carcinoma carrying human papilloma virus. In vivo
      introduction of an intact RB or p53 gene into malignant cells lacking the
      respective gene results in suppression of the neoplastic phenotype and thus of
      tumourigenicity, p53 being the more potent of the two in this respect. Further
      elucidation of tumour suppressor genes may well result in future improvement in
      the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

PMID- 1405929
TI  - [Increasing number of hemoglobinopathies. Rapid diagnosis with DNA technique].

PMID- 1405930
TI  - [Postpoliomyelitis syndrome--additional functional disturbances in persons
      suffering of poliomyelitis].

PMID- 1405931
TI  - [Pancreatic resection in cancer: surgical results are better today].

PMID- 1405933
TI  - [Decentralized coronary care program: better quality of care and shorter waiting
      lists when angiography and vascular surgery are performed locally].

PMID- 1405932
TI  - [Regional hyperthermic perfusion has impressive effect on manifest malignant
      melanoma].

PMID- 1405934
TI  - [Regional centers provide health services with problem-oriented drug
      information].

PMID- 1405935
TI  - [Traumatic stress. Increased knowledge of post-traumatic stress syndrome is
      necessary for care of refugee children].

PMID- 1405936
TI  - [Pneumonia--a source of error in the cause of death statistics].

PMID- 1405937
TI  - [Bad economic management--the cause of explosion of health care costs].

PMID- 1405938
TI  - [Can the structural formula of a drug verify the risk of contact allergy?].

PMID- 1405939
TI  - [Markers in alcoholism].

PMID- 1405940
TI  - [General vaccination against Haemophilus influenzae type b--unified decision for
      the entire country is needed].

PMID- 1405941
TI  - [Insist on high standards of personnel working with manipulation therapy].

PMID- 1405942
TI  - [A study on reflux esophagitis--clinical nonsense].

PMID- 1405943
TI  - [Treatment of rapists requires cooperation].

PMID- 1405944
TI  - [A new test in for alcohol diagnosis. Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin is an
      efficient marker for detection of prolonged abuse].

PMID- 1405945
TI  - [Laparoscopic cholecystectomy--a new method worth to be established].

PMID- 1405946
TI  - [Traumatic stress. Combat reactions and post-traumatic stress. The war is not
      over when peace is declared--it is still alive in people's minds].

PMID- 1405947
TI  - [Ask concrete questions on life habits when diagnosing dyspepsia!].

PMID- 1405948
TI  - [Careful anamnesis and differential diagnosis: guide to the treatment of
      dyspepsia].

PMID- 1405949
TI  - [How do we solve the conflict of interest between the pregnant woman and her
      fetus?].

PMID- 1405950
TI  - [Results of selective proximal vagotomy after 13 years].
AB  - This study reports the long-term results of 216 patients after highly selective
      vagotomy (HSV) for duodenal ulcers operated from 1970 through 1978 with a mean
      follow-up of 12.8 years (8.3-15). 26 patients developed symptomatic ulcer
      recurrences (12%) within 4 to 135 months following surgery, the cumulative
      recurrence rate (Kaplan-Meier) at 13 years was 20.3%. Acidity analyses showed a
      postoperative mean reduction of basal acid output (BAO) and maximal acid output
      (MAO) values of 80.7% and 74.8% respectively with no differences according to
      recurrences. The risk of recurrence was similar for duodenal (22/194) and pyloric
      ulcers (4/22) and no differences were found with respect to sex, additional
      drainage procedure, smoking habits, acute or elective operation and first or
      recurrent ulcers. Risk was slightly higher for complicated ulcers (p less than or
      equal to 0.07), but without reaching statistical significance. 78.5% of patients
      showed (very) good results (Visick I or II), only 6% were Visick III. HSV is
      therefore regarded as a valuable therapeutic measure for the treatment of
      duodenal ulcer independent of patient compliance.

PMID- 1405951
TI  - [Preventive or therapeutic parathyroidectomy in primary hyperparathyroidism].
AB  - The only causal treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is
      parathyroidectomy. There are indications in the literature that despite operation
      expectation of life is shortened because of an increased frequency of
      cardiovascular and malignant diseases leading to the recommendation for early
      surgery even in uncomplicated PHPT. It is easier to convince an asymptomatic
      patient of an operation when he is informed about complications and consequences
      of an expectative attitude. Therefore, we reviewed our 71 patients operated upon
      during a 4-year-interval, 58 of whom were followed-up. During 82 operations 115
      pathologically altered parathyroid glands were removed. Two persistent paralyses
      of the recurrent nerve occurred, however, without alteration of the voice. Follow
      up of 82% of patients revealed 2 cases of recurrent nephrolithiasis (1
      hypercalcaemia, 1 normocalcaemia). Three (5%) true recurrences were found, but
      neither a pancreatitis nor a peptic ulcer was noted during long-term follow-up.
      None of the 137 patients operated for a bleeding or perforated peptic ulcer
      during the last 10 years and 1 of 55 patients with acute pancreatitis during the
      past 8 years suffered from a PH-PT. However, morbidity and mortality of these two
      conditions was high. Although correlation to PHPT was low we recommend early
      operation of PHPT because of the low morbidity rate, zero lethality and reduced
      expectation of life.

PMID- 1405952
TI  - [Endoscopic therapy of benign anastomotic stenoses in the area of the colon and
      rectum by electro-incision and balloon dilatation].
AB  - 21 patients with a severe anastomotic stenosis in the colorectal region were
      treated with hydraulic balloon dilatation and endoscopic electro-incision. The
      severity of symptoms directly correlates with the extent of stenosis (degree I
      phi 13 mm, n = 12; degree II phi 7 mm, n = 6; degree III phi 4 mm, n = 3). All
      patients with a stenosis of degree I and II were symptom-free after the
      endoscopic therapy. In 2 of 3 cases the symptoms of stenosis of degree III could
      clinically be improved after the treatment. The average frequency of dilatation
      was 1.5 x, complications such as bleeding or perforation were not registered.
      Animal studies explain anastomotic stenosis through an increased submucosal
      formation of collagen fibers followed by formation of scars in the anastomosis.
      The efficiency of electro-incision and balloon dilatation is based on an
      increased diameter in the anastomotic region without increased formation of new
      collagen fibers.

PMID- 1405953
TI  - [Resection of esophageal cancer without thoracotomy by manual dissection and
      eversion stripping].
AB  - At the department of surgery of the university of Cologne-Lindenthal, 184
      patients (142 with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, 42 with
      adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction) underwent blunt dissection of
      esophageal cancer between 1983 and 1991. Tumor expansion classified by the
      pathologist was stage I in 13.6%, stage II in 31.0%, stage III in 41.8%, and
      stage IV in 13.6% of all cases. Histological tumor differentiation was graded
      well in 4.3%, moderate in 71.7%, and poor in 19.6%. Principally a gastric tube
      was used for esophageal replacement (96.3%), while interposition of the large
      bowel was performed in 5 cases. All the patients were prospectively monitored for
      perioperative complications. 64.7% fared without any complications
      intraoperatively. The most frequent intraoperative complications were damage of
      the pleura parietalis (16.3%), rupture of the tumor during dissection (13.0%),
      and lesion of the spleen (11.4%). 29.9% of the patients had a postoperative
      course without any complications. Pleural effusion (38.6%) and insufficiency of
      the cervical anastomosis (22.8%) were the most frequent complications seen
      postoperatively. Hospital mortality amounted to 6.0%. Six months after the
      operation most patients deemed their quality of life satisfying or excellent,
      respectively. The cumulative survival rate (without hospital mortality) was 78.3%
      after the first year, 24.7% after the third year and 20.6% after the fifth year.

PMID- 1405954
TI  - [Anterior and posterior rectopexy with levator repair in patients with rectal
      prolapse and incontinence].
AB  - A prospective clinical, manometric and radiological study has been performed,
      before and after rectopexy, on 18 female patients with complete rectal prolapse,
      and varying degrees of incontinence. All patients, mean age 62 years, underwent
      anterior-posterior fixation (Ivalon or Vicryl) of the rectum with posterior
      pelvic repair of the puborectalis muscle. 13 patients with obstipation and rectal
      prolapse were treated by rectopexy combined with sigmoidectomy. Postoperatively
      there was a significant increase in the resting anal pressure and maximum
      voluntary contraction pressure (p = 0.01). Continence was improved in 16 patients
      (89 percent), 9 (56 percent) of whom regained normal continence. No significant
      change in pelvic descent or anorectal angle was seen postoperatively. Following
      abdominal rectopexy and resection obstipation was reduced in 9 of 13 patients (70
      percent).

PMID- 1405955
TI  - Interbody fusion of the lower cervical spine: a dangerous surgical method?
AB  - Our follow-up study of 175 cases of interbody fusion of the lower cervical spine
      was conducted to show the complications that occurred in our department with what
      is considered to be a tried and tested method. From 1976 to 1990, 175 patients
      were treated with this method. These 175 cases included 150 fractures and/or
      dislocations. The indications for surgery in the remaining 25 cases were tumors
      and metastases, inflammatory or degenerative diseases and chronic instabilities
      following laminectomy. The following complications were seen: 4 cases of
      infection, 3 postoperative redislocations, 2 cases of extensive loosening of
      metal, 1 unilateral lesion of the vertebral artery, 1 nonunion with plate
      fracture, 1 post-operative radicular disorder in an otherwise neurologically
      normal patients, and 1 secondary extension of the interbody fusion required after
      failure to recognize a two-segment lesion.

PMID- 1405956
TI  - [Holmium:YAG and erbium:YAG infrared laser osteotomy].
AB  - The in-vivo bone ablation characteristics of a pulsed solid-state erbium:YAG
      laser were compared to those of a pulsed solid-state holmium:YAG laser. Partial
      osteotomies in the maxillary, the mandibulary, and the nasal bones of white rats
      were performed. The tissue response was examined by light microscopy. Thermal
      gradients following the laser application were also measured. Over all energy
      levels tested the erbium:YAG laser produced ablation of bone with minimal thermal
      damage to the adjacent tissue. The results of this study are promising for future
      application of the infrared holmium- and erbium:YAG lasers in
      otorhinolaryngology.

PMID- 1405957
TI  - [Treatment of peritonitis with staged lavage: prognostic criteria and course of
      treatment].
AB  - In order to define rational criteria for "planned relaparotomies" (PR) in the
      treatment of critical intra-abdominal infections we have analysed characteristics
      and the clinical course of 377 patients with diffuse peritonitis 152 of whom were
      treated by PR. More detailed prognostic aspects and data of the clinical course
      were prospectively investigated in 111 cases. Patient's age and an underlying
      malignoma revealed to be of prognostic significance in both univariate and
      multivariate analysis. The number of organs involved in septic organ failure
      during the treatment was a further indicator of risk. 40% of our patients,
      however, survived even an impairment of 5 organ-systems. The successful
      eradication of the source of peritonitis either with the 1st operation or only
      with consecutive operations resulted in a crucial difference of the mortality
      rate with 14% and 64% respectively. The failure to accomplish a definite
      operative resolution was accompanied by a mortality rate of 90%. The systematical
      application of PR facilitated control and completion of the eradication of the
      source of peritonitis. In one third of the patients treated by PR this technique
      led to early detection of relevant complications and adequate operative
      treatment. Patients in whom primarily a definitive eradication of the source of
      peritonitis had been accomplished did not benefit from PR. In patients with
      persisting or relapsing peritonitis, however, PR was accompanied by a 27%
      reduction of mortality.

PMID- 1405959
TI  - [Does laparoscopic appendectomy still have value in acute appendicitis?].

PMID- 1405958
TI  - [Consequences of routine gastroscopy before cholecystectomy].
AB  - In a retrospective study of 610 patients the role of routine gastroscopy prior to
      cholecystectomy was investigated. The results demonstrated that only in a low
      incidence (11% of patients gastroscopied) relevant findings are present. However,
      most of these patients had a typical history. Therefore, despite risks, routine
      preoperative endoscopy prior to cholecystectomy should be performed only in
      patients with a history of upper abdominal pain or discomfort.

PMID- 1405960
TI  - Posttympanostomy otorrhea: the efficacy of canal preparation.
AB  - Otorrhea is the most common posttympanostomy complication. This study is designed
      to determine the efficacy of canal preparation prior to tympanostomy tube
      placement. One hundred thirty ears were prospectively randomized into prepared
      (Betadine and alcohol) and nonprepared (control) groups. Cultures obtained
      before, during, and after preparation were analyzed to determine the external
      canal flora and effectiveness of sterilization. Prepared ears and nonprepared
      control ears were examined for relation to otorrhea. Forty percent of the canals
      were sterile before preparation, and only 8% harbored suspected pathogenic
      organisms. Canal preparation successfully sterilized only 33% of the ears that
      contained bacteria. There was no difference in the otorrhea incidence among
      treatment groups (9.8%). Based on these bacteriologic and clinical findings, it
      is concluded that canal preparation with Betadine and alcohol does not reduce
      posttympanostomy otorrhea.

PMID- 1405962
TI  - H-Index: a new measure of glottal efficiency for the pathologic voice.
AB  - Taking advantage of the extended dynamic range of digital analysis of voice the H
      Index represents the first proposed acoustical measure of glottal efficiency.
      "Hi" /hai/ was chosen to evaluate glottal efficiency since it provides an
      excellent test of glottal transformation from voiceless to voiced sound energy,
      the upper vocal tract having a neutral effect. Fifteen individuals with normal
      voices and 30 patients with hoarse voices were asked to say "hi." The power ratio
      of /h/ to /a/ was calculated from peak power of each measure from the power
      envelope. Voice quality had a highly significant effect on measured values (P <
      .001). A high degree of correlation (P < .001) was found with the AC/DC ratio, a
      standard aerodynamic measure of glottal efficiency. The results indicate that the
      H-Index represents an excellent measure of glottal efficiency, obviating the need
      of invasive techniques or expensive, highly specialized equipment.

PMID- 1405961
TI  - Analysis of the efficiency of retrocochlear screening.
AB  - The auditory brainstem response (ABR), as well as associated audiologic and
      radiographic studies of 175 patients suspected of having cerebellopontine angle
      tumors were reviewed. The majority of patients presented with asymmetric hearing
      loss. Eight acoustic neuromas were identified. All eight had abnormal ABRs. The
      false-positive rate was 22%. Rollover and acoustic reflex testing played a
      minimal role in the decision as to whether or not an ABR was ordered and, as a
      result, are not important in the search for retrocochlear disease. The cost per
      tumor diagnosed was roughly $7600. A rational approach to tumor screening based
      on the efficiency and cost of the screening tests, the frequency of abnormal
      ABRs, and the cost per tumor diagnosed is presented.

PMID- 1405963
TI  - Time series analysis of glottal airflow in normal and pathological phonation.
AB  - Time series analysis of glottal airflow was carried out on 26 normal controls and
      40 patients with voice disorders, using a modification of Isshiki's original
      technique which uses a hot-wire flowmeter, taking cycle-by-cycle fluctuations
      into consideration. The mean flow rate and mean AC/DC were shown to have
      significant differences among normal and patient groups. The standard deviations
      of AC/DC and AC/DC perturbation were calculated from the AC/DC value of 50 cycles
      and shown not to vary significantly among the normal and patient groups. The
      relationship between AC/DC and perceptual impression of voice was also studied
      among 20 selected patients with breathy voices. Using Spearman's rank correlation
      coefficient, this relationship was found to have statistical significance (P <
      .05).

PMID- 1405964
TI  - Treatment of hemangiomas of the head and neck.
AB  - Hemangiomas are a group of pediatric tumors that present at or soon after birth.
      Rapid proliferation is seen in the neonatal period, and may continue for the
      first year of life. Involution follows, and may last as long as 12 years. Since
      hemangiomas invariably involute, the vast majority have been left untreated. At
      least 10% to 20% of cases, however, will need active intervention, traditionally
      in the form of oral Prednisone. The frequent occurrence of life-threatening
      complications, permanent deformities, and irreversible psychosocial damage in
      spite of adequate steroid therapy necessitated a fresh look at the management of
      these lesions. Using recently developed laser technology alone or in combination
      with surgical excision, the authors have developed guidelines for safe
      intervention in all stages of the hemangioma cycle. Safe, active intervention in
      accordance with these guidelines offers an alternative to the more conservative
      approach previously advocated.

PMID- 1405965
TI  - The effect of unilateral and bilateral nasal obstruction on snoring and sleep
      apnea.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to compare apnea and snoring in patients with
      different patterns of nasal resistance: normal, high unilateral, and high
      bilateral. The authors examined 683 unselected patients referred for evaluation
      of snoring and possible sleep apnea. All patients had determination of nasal
      resistance (performed during wakefulness in the seated posture) and nocturnal
      polysomnography including quantitative measurement of snoring. Analysis of
      variance showed no significant difference in apnea and snoring indices among the
      three nasal resistance groups (normal, high unilateral, and high bilateral).
      Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the frequency of patients
      with different severity of apnea and snoring among the three groups. It is
      concluded that 1. unilateral and bilateral elevation of nasal resistance may lead
      to equally severe snoring or apnea; 2. there is no direct relationship between
      awake seated nasal resistance measurement and sleep disordered breathing; and 3.
      measurements of supine nasal resistance during sleep may be required to elucidate
      the relationship between sleep-disordered breathing and nasal obstruction.

PMID- 1405966
TI  - Preservation of hearing and facial nerve function in resection of acoustic
      neuroma.
AB  - The surgical results in 78 recent cases of total removal of unilateral acoustic
      neuroma in which an attempt was made to preserve cochlear function have been
      added to the authors' previous series of 66 cases to evaluate the factors
      influencing the ability to preserve useful hearing. Useful hearing was defined by
      speech reception threshold no poorer than 70 dB and a discrimination score of at
      least 15%. Analysis using a logistic regression model showed that certain
      preoperative clinical parameters such as tumor size, speech discrimination score,
      and gender were significantly correlated with hearing outcome. Favorable outcome
      was significantly correlated with smaller tumor size, higher preoperative speech
      discrimination score, and male sex. From this data, an explicit formula was
      devised for predicting hearing outcome for an individual patient. In four cases
      with useful hearing preserved, there was improvement of greater than 15
      percentage points in speech discrimination scores. While preoperative auditory
      brainstem responses were not predictive of hearing preservation, monitoring of
      intraoperative auditory evoked potentials was predictive of hearing outcome in
      selected cases. Specifically, when wave V was unchanged at the end of the
      operation, even if it may have been transiently lost during surgery, useful
      hearing was invariably preserved.

PMID- 1405967
TI  - Three-dimensional surgical anatomy for stapes surgery computer-aided
      reconstruction and measurement.
AB  - To define anatomical relationships relevant to stapes surgery, computer-aided
      three-dimensional reconstruction and measurement were performed on nine normal
      temporal bones. The mean distance from the inferior portion of the long process
      of the incus to the center of the oval window was 3.80 mm. The shortest distance
      from the center of the oval window to the utricular macula, saccular membrane,
      and macula averaged 1.37, 1.60, and 2.13 mm. Surgery directed posteromedial
      superior from the oval window was found to be most dangerous because it would
      come so close to the utricular macula; a posteromedial-inferior approach was
      found to be safest. The distance from the inferior margin of the oval window
      inferiorly to the cochlear duct in the hook portion ranged between 0.58 and 1.29
      mm, suggesting that when a drill hole is made on the inferior margin of the oval
      window to lift up a depressed stapes footplate, the hole should not be greater
      than 0.5 mm in diameter.

PMID- 1405968
TI  - Some forms of tinnitus may involve the extralemniscal auditory pathway.
AB  - It has previously been shown that the click-evoked responses recorded from the
      intracranial portion of the eighth nerve in patients with incapacitating tinnitus
      are not abnormal, nor is the latency of peak III of the click-evoked brainstem
      auditory-evoked potentials significantly altered; however, the latency of peak V
      is slightly (but significantly) shortened in comparison to that of patients with
      the same degree of hearing loss but no tinnitus. In this study the hypothesis
      that the extralemniscal auditory system is involved in the generation of tinnitus
      is tested. We made use of the fact that neurons of the extralemniscal auditory
      system also receive input from the somatosensory system, and that stimulation of
      the somatosensory system can influence the processing of auditory information in
      the extralemniscal system. In 4 of 26 patients with mild-to-severe tinnitus whose
      median nerve was stimulated electrically, the tinnitus increased noticeably
      during stimulation, in 6 the intensity of the tinnitus decreased noticeably, and
      in the remaining 16 there was no noticeable change in the tinnitus. In some of
      the patients the character of the tinnitus changed in a complex way. There were
      no significant differences in hearing thresholds in these three groups of
      patients. Electrical stimulation of the median nerve in 12 individuals with
      normal hearing who did not have tinnitus either had no effect on the loudness of
      sounds or it caused a slight increase in the loudness.

PMID- 1405969
TI  - Facial nerve to facial canal cross-sectional area ratio in children.
AB  - The incidence of facial palsy among children is lower than that among adults, and
      the recovery rate after facial palsy among children is higher than that of
      adults. To investigate these differences, we compared the cross-sectional area
      ratio of the facial nerve to that of the facial canal in 26 pediatric temporal
      bone specimens with that of 10 adult temporal bone specimens. The ratios were
      0.31 +/- 0.08, 0.35 +/- 0.10, and 0.18 +/- 0.12, respectively, in the
      labyrinthine, horizontal, and mastoid segments of pediatric specimens. The ratios
      for adult specimens were 0.46 +/- 0.07, 0.52 +/- 0.17, and 0.37 +/- 0.04,
      respectively, in the labyrinthine, horizontal, and mastoid segments. These ratios
      were all significantly smaller than those for the corresponding segments of the
      adult specimens (P < .01). The results indicate that in children there is less
      possibility for entrapment of the facial nerve in the facial canal, and that
      children require facial nerve decompression less often than adults.

PMID- 1405970
TI  - Holmium:yttrium aluminum garnet laser-assisted endoscopic sinus surgery: clinical
      experience.

PMID- 1405971
TI  - Anatomic guidelines for dacryocystorhinostomy.

PMID- 1405972
TI  - Gore-Tex implants: applications in facial paralysis rehabilitation and soft
      tissue augmentation.

PMID- 1405973
TI  - Endotracheal tube stabilization.

PMID- 1405974
TI  - Annular wedge tympanoplasty.

PMID- 1405975
TI  - Gelfilm myringoplasty.

PMID- 1405976
TI  - Gelfilm myringoplasty.

PMID- 1405977
TI  - Implantable bone conduction hearing device.

PMID- 1405978
TI  - S-100 protein in human inner ear.

PMID- 1405979
TI  - Defect reconstruction and cerebrospinal fluid management in neurotologic skull
      base tumors with intracranial extension.
AB  - Intracranial extension (ICE) is the spread of tumor into the subarachnoid space
      through dura or along cranial nerve roots. The single-stage removal of the skull
      base tumor with its ICE has been confounded by cerebrospinal fluid management and
      defect reconstruction. The purpose of this report is to review a current protocol
      for managing the cranial base tumor and its ICE as a unit. The ventricular
      shunting paper of 1987 is retracted. All tumors were managed at a single stage.
      Defect reconstruction was size dependent. Ninety-eight neurotologic skull base
      tumors with ICE were managed from 1971 to 1991. The new protocol was initiated in
      1987. Results specific to this group are highlighted. For glomus tumors,
      cerebrospinal fluid leak rates have been dramatically reduced overall from 14.5%
      to 4%. The leak rates for nonglomus tumors, overall, have improved slightly.
      Complications are discussed. The development of this surgical approach protocol
      improves the functional outcome in patients of surgeons who aspire to disease
      "cure" rather than "control."

PMID- 1405980
TI  - Frontal sinus fractures in the pediatric population.
AB  - Full development of the frontal sinus is not achieved until approximately 19
      years of age. An evaluation of frontal sinus injuries isolated to the subset of
      patients less than 20 years old has yet to be reported. In order to determine
      whether age was a factor in the clinical course of patients with frontal sinus
      fractures, 209 patients who sustained frontal sinus fractures from January 1985
      to April 1990 were identified using the trauma registry from all six major trauma
      centers, one of which is a pediatric trauma center, in a county of 2.5 million
      people. Forty patients (19%) were between the ages of 6 and 19 years at the time
      of their injury. Computed tomography imaging of these pediatric patients
      identified associated head and neck fractures in 37 (93%) as well as significant
      central nervous system injury in 22 (55%). Seventeen pediatric patients were
      treated nonoperatively and 1 died prior to the planned surgery. A detailed
      analysis of extent of injury and treatment together with a comparison of the 169
      adult and the 40 pediatric patients is presented.

PMID- 1405981
TI  - Electrical promontory stimulation in patients with intact cochlear nerve and
      anacusis following acoustic neuroma surgery.
AB  - Anacusis following hearing preservation surgery for acoustic neuroma removal in
      which the cochlear nerve was preserved has been explained on the basis of neural
      or vascular compromise. In the absence of pathologic evidence for either theory,
      a physiologic model was chosen. Electrical promontory stimulation with monitoring
      of subjective and electrically evoked auditory brainstem responses was
      undertaken. A positive response to stimulation suggests a vascular impairment of
      the cochlea sparing the cochlear nerve and spiral ganglion. The absence of
      response suggests loss of neural integrity at the level of the spiral ganglion or
      cochlear nerve. Six patients who suffered anacusis following hearing preservation
      surgery for acoustic neuroma were studied. Data regarding electrical promontory
      stimulation, auditory brainstem responses, and implications of the possible role
      of cochlear implantation are discussed.

PMID- 1405982
TI  - Temporal bone histopathology in chronically infected ears with intact and
      perforated tympanic membranes.
AB  - Chronic suppurative otitis media has been clinically defined as a chronic
      discharge from the middle ear in the presence of a perforation of the tympanic
      membrane. However, irreversible tissue pathology in the middle ear or mastoid can
      occur behind an intact tympanic membrane. One hundred forty-four human temporal
      bones with chronic otitis media were divided into two groups: those with
      perforated (28) and those with nonperforated (116) tympanic membranes. The
      histopathological findings of their middle ears were compared. Granulation tissue
      in various degrees was the most prominent pathological feature. It was observed
      in 96% of temporal bones with perforation of the tympanic membrane, and in 97% of
      those without perforation. Also found were ossicular bony changes (96% with
      perforation; 90.5% without), middle ear effusion (93% with perforation; 89%
      without), cholesterol granuloma (21% with perforation; 12% without),
      cholesteatoma (36% with perforation; 4% without), and tympanosclerosis (43% with
      perforation; 20% without). This study shows that the histopathological changes of
      the middle ear are similar in temporal bones with and without perforation of the
      tympanic membrane. The clinician should, therefore, be aware that an intact
      tympanic membrane does not necessarily preclude the presence of gross
      pathological changes of the middle ear cleft.

PMID- 1405983
TI  - A canine model for studying laryngospasm and its prevention.
AB  - Laryngospasm, if prolonged, can result in serious sequelae due to the lack of a
      uniformly effective treatment. Prevention, therefore, through pharmacologic
      intervention, is an attractive concept. In order to study the effects of various
      drugs in preventing laryngospasm, a reliable animal model capable of producing
      sequential, repetitive episodes of laryngospasm is necessary. In this study, the
      canine model of laryngospasm previously described by Aviv, et al. was modified to
      overcome technical factors which limited its use in this regard. Details of the
      technique and the results from eight animals will be presented. Results in two
      animals with the use of prophylactic topical lidocaine will also be discussed.
      The reliability and reproducibility of this model make it ideal for the study of
      laryngospasm and open the way for investigation into its prevention.

PMID- 1405984
TI  - Sucralfate in alleviating post-tonsillectomy pain.
AB  - Tonsillectomy results in severe throat pain, ear pain, and trismus until the
      exposed and inflamed muscle becomes covered with regenerated mucosa. Sucralfate
      binds with the fibrinous exudate of duodenal ulcers, forming a protective barrier
      that promotes healing. If a similar buffer could be created in the tonsillar bed,
      morbidity may be diminished. A double-blind, randomized study was completed in 34
      adult patients to determine whether sucralfate, given four times daily for 10
      days as a swish and swallow, would significantly reduce postoperative pain and
      promote healing and recovery. Sucralfate significantly lowered postoperative
      throat pain, otalgia, and trismus. Sucralfate is a safe and well-tolerated
      topical agent that offers significant pain reduction and may promote healing in
      tonsillectomy patients.

PMID- 1405985
TI  - Association of skull base and facial fractures.
AB  - A retrospective analysis of 268 trauma patients with facial fractures who
      received computed tomography of the head was undertaken to assess an association
      with skull base fractures. The incidence of skull base fracture was compared to
      facial fractures of various anatomic locations. Skull base fractures were
      significantly increased in orbital wall/rim fractures (36.0%, P = .0823). In
      contrast, skull base fractures related to orbital floor (27.3%, P = .6191) and
      maxillary/zygomatic (29.4%, P = .1148) fractures were not significantly greater
      and were infrequently seen with mandible (4.0%, P = .0454) and nasal (7.7%, P =
      .0345) fractures. The incidence of skull base fracture was directly associated
      with the number of facial fractures per patient; one facial fracture (21.0%), two
      facial fractures (30.4%), and three or more facial fractures (33.3%) (P < .05).
      The incidence of skull base fractures was related to the location of facial
      fractures and the number of facial fractures per patient. The results provide
      additional clinical information to facilitate the prompt detection and diagnoses
      of skull base fracture.

PMID- 1405986
TI  - Infant botulism: considerations for airway management.
AB  - Infant botulism is a national problem with over 1000 confirmed cases in the
      United States since it was first recognized as a distinct clinical entity in
      1976. The disease is characterized by a progressive, symmetrical descending
      paralysis of cranial nerves with eventual involvement of axial and trunk muscle
      innervation. Most infants progress to complete respiratory failure. An initial
      report in 1979 recommended early tracheotomy for avoidance of long-term
      intubation complications. However, over the past 10 years at St. Christopher's
      Hospital for Children, analysis of airway management in 11 patients with infant
      botulism revealed a median intubation time of 16 days. Following extubation, all
      patients progressed to complete respiratory recovery without adverse
      laryngotracheal sequelae. Otolaryngologists consulted for the airway management
      of infants with botulism should adopt a conservative approach with meticulous
      monitoring of endotracheal tube sizes and leak pressures. Tracheotomy is rarely
      required.

PMID- 1405987
TI  - Vincristine-induced recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis.
AB  - Vincristine-sulfate-related vocal cord paralysis has been reported infrequently
      in the literature. The neurotoxicity of the vinca alkaloids is well-known;
      however, the potential for cranial nerve involvement is not widely recognized.
      Given the complexity of the typical patient receiving such a chemotherapeutic
      agent, the potential for misdiagnosis is high. Many patients have primary tumors
      or metastatic lesions in sites that could cause the clinician to overlook this
      reversible cause of neurologic dysfunction. This study describes the first three
      reported pediatric cases of vincristine-induced vocal cord paralysis. Two
      patients developed increasing stridor secondary to bilateral vocal cord
      paralysis; the third developed a unilateral vocal cord paralysis. All resolved
      spontaneously upon withdrawal of the vincristine. Vinca-alkaloid-induced vocal
      cord paralysis is a potentially dangerous but reversible lesion.
      Otolaryngologists should be aware of the association between these agents and
      cranial nerve neuropathies.

PMID- 1405988
TI  - The electrophysiologic and histologic effects of the Argon Beam Coagulator on
      peripheral nerves.
AB  - The electrophysiologic and histologic effects of the Bard Argon Beam Coagulator
      (ABC) were investigated in the New Zealand White rabbit. Thirty-four rabbits were
      divided into three groups. Controls underwent simple femoral exploration and
      closure. The remaining rabbits' femoral nerves were spot coagulated with either
      the ABC or standard electrosurgical unit (ESU). Stimulus thresholds were recorded
      before treatment and again prior to sacrifice at 0, 30, 60, or 120 days.
      Thresholds were significantly elevated for the ABC and ESU compared to controls
      (P = .0077 and .0351, respectively). Changes in threshold were greater for the
      ABC than for the ESU, but were not significant. All ABC- and ESU-treated nerves
      had significant histologic injury when compared to controls (P < .0002). Although
      the ABC may be clinically safe, significant injury to rabbit femoral nerves
      occurs when they are exposed to energy emitted by this instrument.

PMID- 1405989
TI  - Anatomic correlates of normal and diseased adenoids in children.
AB  - In order to better understand the pathogenesis and sequelae of obstructive
      adenoid hyperplasia in children, the anatomic relationships of the adenoids to
      the hard and soft palates, oropharynx, and nasopharynx were studied in vivo in 94
      children. Direct, intraoperative palatal, nasopharyngeal, and oropharyngeal
      measurements were performed in 19 children with normal, nondiseased adenoids
      (controls [C]) and compared to 75 children undergoing adenoidectomy for
      obstructive adenoid hyperplasia (OAH) (n = 44) or chronic adenoid infection (CAI)
      (n = 31). As expected, the weight and volume of the adenoids removed were
      significantly greater in the OAH vs. CAI group (P < .001). Before adenoidectomy,
      the volume of the nasopharynx was significantly smaller in the OAH group;
      however, nasopharyngeal volumes after adenoidectomy were quite similar in all
      three groups and ranged from 5.4 to 6.2 cc. Only the change in the volume of the
      nasopharynx after adenoidectomy for obstruction was significant (2.5 +/- 1.2 cc,
      P < .01). Differences in oropharyngeal and palatal dimensions were not associated
      with longstanding obstruction from adenoid hyperplasia. These data indicate that
      the nasal obstruction from adenoid hyperplasia is due to an absolute increase in
      adenoid size rather than a relatively smaller nasopharynx. Differences in palatal
      and oropharyngeal dimensions usually described and attributed to longstanding
      nasal obstruction could not be demonstrated in this study.

PMID- 1405990
TI  - Continuous pressure measurements in the pharynx and esophagus during sleep in
      patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
AB  - Pressure measurements were made preoperatively at six sites in the pharynx and
      esophagus in 18 obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) patients, 3 social
      snorers, and 6 healthy normal controls. Repeat measurements were made
      approximately 2 months after uvulopalatopharyngoglossoplasty (UPPGP) in 10 of the
      OSAS patients. The pressure transducers were contained in a thin silicone tube
      inserted through one nostril, and measurements were made both in the awake state
      and throughout a night's sleep. Oxygen saturation was also continuously recorded
      and, additionally, nasal and oral airflow measurements were made as the
      postoperative control. The majority of patients had obstruction in more than one
      pharyngeal segment, and the site(s) of obstruction differed in the awake and
      sleeping states. After UPPGP, 3 of the patients had neither subjective nor
      objective evidence of obstruction, while the remaining 7, although subjectively
      improved, had varying degrees of residual obstruction in the nasopharynx and at
      the level of the soft palate.

PMID- 1405991
TI  - Relationship of chronic ethmoidal sinusitis, maxillary sinusitis, and ostial
      permeability controlled by sinusomanometry: statistical study.
AB  - Three hundred sixty-seven successive patients suffering from chronic maxillary
      sinusitis (CMS) were thoroughly examined by means of maxillary sinusoscopy, a CT
      scan of the facial sinuses, and sinusomanometry (SMM). Ninety-eight cases of
      unilateral CMS, 269 cases of bilateral CMS, and 444 chronic ethmoidal sinusitis
      (CES) cases were evaluated. According to SMM, the maxillary ostia were divided
      into two groups: 1. maxillary ostium patency (MOP) group and 2. the maxillary
      ostium nonpatency (MONP) group. The unilateral and bilateral pathologies were
      separately analyzed so as to minimize the effects of general or systemic causes
      on the results. MONP is, in both bilateral and unilateral groups, significantly
      linked with the presence of ethmoidal sinusitis (P < 10(-6); P = .026), while the
      correlation between MOP and the ethmoid status does not appear to be significant
      in either group. Thus, there seems to be a close relationship between CES and
      maxillary ostial dyspermeability in cases of CMS.

PMID- 1405992
TI  - The microsurgical anatomy of the abducens nerve in its intracranial course.
AB  - The microsurgical anatomy of the abducens nerve through its intracranial course
      was studied in 20 specimens obtained from 10 cadaver heads fixed in formalin.
      Another 20 specimens were used to study the pattern of branching of the nerve
      trunk. The following intracranial segments were studied: subarachnoid or
      intracisternal, petroclival, and intracavernous. Angulations, neurovascular
      relationships, and branching patterns of the nerve are described. The long
      intracranial course of the abducens nerve, its tortuosity, and its tight
      attachment to the skull base at the level of the petrous apex may influence its
      vulnerability in some pathological conditions.

PMID- 1405993
TI  - Electrically evoked auditory brainstem response monitoring of auditory brainstem
      implant integrity during facial nerve tumor surgery.
AB  - Evoked potentials identified as electrically evoked auditory brainstem responses
      (EABRs) have been recorded from a patient in response to electrical stimulation
      of the cochlear nucleus via an auditory brainstem implant. Recording such EABRs
      during surgery for removal of an ipsilateral facial nerve tumor provided a means
      to monitor the integrity of the implant. The presence of stable EABRs similar to
      those obtained before surgery indicated that the lead wires had not been severed
      and that the implanted electrodes had not been dislodged. EABR recording may also
      be useful for assisting with positioning the stimulating electrodes during
      initial implantation surgery, by verifying that stimulation can activate the
      auditory system.

PMID- 1405994
TI  - Ventricular dysphonia: a profile of 40 cases.
AB  - Ventricular dysphonia is a poorly understood disorder involving ventricular fold
      participation during phonation. A population of ventricular dysphonia patients
      was evaluated using phonatory function studies such as laryngovideostroboscopy,
      advanced acoustic analysis, and electroglottography to identify shared
      epidemiologic characteristics and to discuss possible neuromuscular mechanisms
      and causes. Forty patients with ventricular dysphonia were studied and
      epidemiologic, acoustic, and histologic data were analyzed. In almost all cases,
      the authors found abnormalities affecting the glottis caused by a related medical
      condition. The abnormalities included true vocal cord (TVC) aperiodicity in 100%
      of the patients, TVC asymmetry in 65%, a laryngeal mass or foreign body (usually
      Teflon) in 35%, TVC erythema or edema in 32.5%, and TVC bowing in 22.5%.
      Ventricular dysphonia seems to be primarily a compensatory mechanism for glottic
      dysfunction. Therapy is based on identifying and correcting the underlying
      abnormalities. Laryngovideostroboscopy is a particularly important tool in
      examining chronic dysphonia.

PMID- 1405995
TI  - Balance rehabilitation therapy.

PMID- 1405996
TI  - Measurement of cochlear blood flow in sudden deafness.

PMID- 1405997
TI  - Laser etching of teeth for orthodontic bracket placement: a preliminary clinical
      study.
AB  - Current interest in the use of layers in clinical dentistry has suggested that
      this technique may be applicable to enamel etching in orthodontics. A pulsed
      Nd:YAG laser was used to etch the enamel surfaces of teeth in vivo prior to the
      bonding of orthodontic brackets with composite resin. Overall laser bonding took
      considerably longer, was less reliable in terms of bond strength, and produced
      more discomfort than conventional acid etching. The use of the ND:YAG laser for
      etching teeth prior to bonding orthodontic brackets is not recommended.

PMID- 1405998
TI  - Effect of the ArF excimer laser on human enamel.
AB  - Human enamel surface was irradiated with ArF excimer laser and examined under
      light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Enamel surface was
      irradiated at three different areas with different energy fluences. It is
      demonstrated that the ArF excimer laser causes ablation of the calcified hard
      enamel tissue. Ablation curves were measured. There was no significant difference
      found in the etch depth between the three different areas of enamel surface. The
      morphology of the irradiated areas seen under the SEM was found to be dependent
      on energy fluence. It changed with increase in energy fluence from being etched
      to forming a smooth, fused, glaze-like surface and then at very high energy
      fluences producing a rough surface. The influence of the laser irradiation was
      confined to the irradiated area only, with no visible heat damage to the
      surroundings. These results suggest that excimer laser could be applied in a
      controlled and defined manner for tooth enamel treatments in dentistry.

PMID- 1405999
TI  - Endoscopic laser therapy of the watermelon stomach.
AB  - Endoscopic laser therapy has been used in the treatment of vascular lesions
      throughout the gastrointestinal tract. The "watermelon stomach" is a pattern of
      vascular ectasia in the gastric antrum that results in chronic gastrointestinal
      blood loss and iron deficiency anemia. We have treated 7 transfusion dependent
      patients with a watermelon stomach using endoscopic laser therapy. Four of these
      patients were treated with the argon laser and 3 with the Nd:YAG laser. Patient
      age and prior transfusion requirements were similar in both groups. The mean
      number of treatments to obliterate vascular lesions and eliminate the need for
      transfusions was 5.75 +/- 0.89 (SEM) for the argon laser and 2.33 +/- 0.27 for
      the Nd:YAG laser (P < 0.05). Lesions recurred and required retreatment in 1
      patient treated with the Nd:YAG laser and 3 patients treated with the argon laser
      (mean follow-up of 35 months). We conclude that endoscopic laser therapy with
      either the argon or Nd:YAG laser is an effective treatment modality for antral
      vascular ectasia (watermelon stomach). The Nd:YAG laser requires fewer treatment
      sessions than the argon laser to obliterate the lesions without increased risk of
      complications.

PMID- 1406000
TI  - Treatment of distal ureteral tumors using endoscopic argon photoirradiation.
AB  - This is the first report on the use of endoscopic argon photoirradiation to treat
      patients with low-grade ureteral tumors involving the distal ureter. Using a
      rigid ureteropyeloscope, a 300 mu or 600 mu quartz fiber, and 5 watts (W) of
      power in a continuous-wave mode, the lesions were ablated without complication.
      Patients remain free of ureteral recurrence after 5, 7, and 22 months. We
      conclude that the shallow (1 mm) depth of penetration and the ability to use the
      fiber in either a contact or noncontact mode provide the surgeon a large margin
      of safety and low risk of ureteral perforation.

PMID- 1406001
TI  - Effect of aspirin on photodynamic therapy utilizing chloroaluminum sulfonated
      phthalocyanine (CASP).
AB  - The efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) is mediated through a direct vascular
      effect. Interference with platelet function and resulting vascular stasis have
      been recently demonstrated utilizing the photosensitizer dihematoporphyrin ether
      (DHE). We examined the effect of aspirin, a known inhibitor of both
      cyclooxygenase and platelet activity, on PDT using chloroaluminum sulfonated
      phthalocyanine (CASP). Thirty-six rats implanted with a window chamber were given
      either 0.1 mg/kg (low dose) or 10 mg/kg (high dose) aspirin immediately before,
      immediately after, or 6 hours after the completion of CASP-PDT. Aspirin in either
      dosage did not appear to have any effect on the window vasculature when given
      immediately after light exposure. A moderate inhibition of vascular response was
      seen in animals treated with aspirin pre-PDT, whereas high-dose aspirin
      completely abrogated the CASP-PDT vascular response when given 6 hours post-PDT.
      These data indicate that aspirin can effect CASP-PDT in both time-dependent and
      dose-dependent fashions.

PMID- 1406002
TI  - Changes in type I collagen following laser welding.
AB  - Selection of ideal laser parameters for tissue welding is inhibited by poor
      understanding of the mechanism. We investigated structural changes in collagen
      molecules extracted from rat tail tendon (> 90% type I collagen) after tissue
      welding using an 808 nm diode laser and indocyanine green dye applied to the weld
      site. Mobility patterns on SDS-PAGE were identical in the lasered and untreated
      tendon extracts with urea or acetic acid. Pepsin incubation after acetic acid
      extraction revealed a reduction of collagen alpha and beta bands in lasered
      compared with untreated specimens. Circular dichroism studies of rat tail tendon
      showed absence of helical structure in collagen from lasered tendon. No evidence
      for covalent bonding was present in laser-treated tissues. Collagen molecules are
      denatured by the laser wavelength and parameters used in this study. No
      significant amount of helical structure is regenerated on cooling. We conclude
      that non-covalent interactions between denatured collagen molecules may be
      responsible for the creation of tissue welding.

PMID- 1406003
TI  - Preliminary evaluation of a new high power diode laser.
AB  - A high-powered semiconductor diode laser (805 nm) has recently been developed for
      medical use. The laser-tissue interactions of this wavelength have been compared
      with Nd:YAG (1064 nm). When used in the contact mode, the extent of tissue
      vaporization and zones of thermal necrosis produced by these two lasers were
      similar. The diode laser was also an effective and haemostatic laser scalpel.
      This compact laser unit has potential advantages over existing Nd:YAG lasers.

PMID- 1406004
TI  - Optical properties of Intralipid: a phantom medium for light propagation studies.
AB  - Intralipid is an intravenous nutrient consisting of an emulsion of phospholipid
      micelles and water. Because Intralipid is turbid and has no strong absorption
      bands in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum, and is readily
      available and relatively inexpensive, it is often used as a tissue simulating
      phantom medium in light dosimetry experiments. In order to assist investigators
      requiring a controllable medium that over a finite range of wavelengths is
      optically equivalent to tissue, we have compiled previously published values of
      the optical interaction coefficients of Intralipid, most of which were measured
      at a wavelength of 633 nm. We have extended the measurements of the absorption
      and reduced scattering coefficients from 460 to 690 nm and the total attenuation
      coefficient from 500 to 890 nm. These measurements show that, for stock 10%
      Intralipid, the absorption coefficient varies from 0.015 to 0.001 cm-1 between
      460 and 690 nm, the reduced scattering coefficient varies from 92 to 50 cm-1
      between 460 and 690 nm, the total attenuation coefficient varies from 575 to 150
      cm-1 between 500 and 890 nm, and the average cosine of scatter varies from 0.87
      to 0.82 between 460 and 690 nm. With these data, we discuss the design of an
      optically tissue-equivalent phantom consisting of Intralipid and black India ink.

PMID- 1406005
TI  - Ultrafast imaging of tissue ablation by a XeCl excimer laser in saline.
AB  - To determine the temporal evolution of laser induced tissue ablation, arterial
      wall specimens with either hard calcified or fatty plaques and normal tissue were
      irradiated in a 0.9% saline solution using a XeCl excimer laser (wavelength 308
      nm, energy fluence 7 J/cm2, pulse width 30 ns) through a 600 microns fused silica
      fiber pointing perpendicular either at a 0.5 mm distance or in direct contact to
      the vascular surface. Radiation of a pulsed dye laser (wavelength 580 nm) was
      used to illuminate the tissue surface. The ablation process and the arising
      bubble above the tissue surface were recorded with a CCD camera attached to a
      computer based image-processing system. Spherical cavitation bubbles and small
      tissue particles emerging from the irradiated area have been recorded. The volume
      of this bubble increased faster for calcified plaques than for normal tissue.

PMID- 1406006
TI  - Power density and exposure time of He-Ne laser irradiation are more important
      than total energy dose in photo-biomodulation of human fibroblasts in vitro.
AB  - The absorption spectrum of human fibroblast monolayers showed several absorption
      peaks, among them one at a wave-length of 630 nm. Cultures of these fibroblasts
      were subjected to He-Ne laser (632.8 nm) irradiation of various energy doses by
      varying power density and exposure time. On three consecutive days the cell
      monolayers were irradiated for periods between 0.5 and 10 min. Laser power varied
      from 0.55 to 5.98 mW. Both cell number and collagen type I production were
      determined for each irradiation condition within one experiment. Results show
      that laser power below 2.91 mW could enhance cell proliferation (as determined by
      cell counting), whereas higher laser power (5.98 mW) had no effect. Stimulatory
      effects were most pronounced at irradiation times between 0.5 and 2 min. Collagen
      type I production (as determined by an ELISA) was affected in the opposite
      direction to cell proliferation: when the cell proliferation was increased,
      collagen type I production was decreased. From these experiments it is clear that
      exposure time and power density determine the effects of laser irradiation. Both
      stimulation and inhibition of the observed cell properties can be obtained with
      the same laser on the same cells.

PMID- 1406007
TI  - Pulsed dye laser treatment of benign cutaneous pigmented lesions.
AB  - Superficial benign cutaneous pigmented lesions that commonly present to the
      dermatologists and plastic surgeons have been treated by many conventional
      modalities such as dermabrasion, depigmenting creams as well as several types of
      lasers. Many of these treatment modalities lack specificity of injury, which has
      meant that normally pigmented and even non-pigment containing structures such as
      collagen as well as the hyperpigmented lesion itself have all been
      indiscriminately destroyed. This has resulted variously in hypopigmentation,
      hyperpigmentation, in addition to scar formation in some cases. A coaxial 504 nm
      laser with a pulse duration of 300 nsec was used to treat fifty two patients with
      superficial benign cutaneous pigmented lesions. Although the number of treatments
      required to clear the lesion varied according to the type of lesions being
      treated, on average, between 2 and 4 treatments were required to completely
      eradicate the superficial benign cutaneous pigmented lesions using 504 nm pulsed
      dye laser. The skin at the site successfully cleared of the pigmented lesion
      remained normal in skin color, texture, markings, and mobility.

PMID- 1406008
TI  - EMLA for laser treatment of portwine stains in children.
AB  - Vascular-specific lasers with pulse durations of between 300 and 500 microseconds
      are the treatment of choice for portwine stains (PWS), particularly in children.
      Although the discomfort felt following laser irradiation from a single pulse is
      transient, these sensations are intensified when multiple pulses are delivered
      over a confined area of skin. Because 75-80% of PWS are located in the head and
      neck regions, laser treatment of these sites tends to be more painful than those
      located in most other parts of the body. A prospective double blind randomized
      study, assessing pain during laser irradiation on PWS skin occluded with either
      EMLA, placebo, or no cream (control) was performed in 73 PWS subjects between 5
      and 16 years of age. Analysis of the data showed that the pain scores for EMLA
      treated sites were the smallest, the control scores tended to be the highest,
      with the placebo scores in the middle. The differences between the treatments
      were significant (P < 0.0001).

PMID- 1406009
TI  - Treatment of lupus pernio with the flashlamp pulsed dye laser.
AB  - Lupus pernio, a form of cutaneous sarcoidosis usually affecting the face, is
      often disfiguring and resistant to therapies, both medical and surgical. To our
      knowledge, there have been no previous reports of laser therapy for this
      condition. We describe a case of nasal lupus pernio successfully managed with the
      flashlamp pulsed dye laser.

PMID- 1406010
TI  - Laser Raman spectrum of calcified human aorta.

PMID- 1406011
TI  - [Proton pump blockade and Helicobacter pylori: status of current knowledge and
      clinical importance].

PMID- 1406012
TI  - [Antibiotic prevention and therapy of infectious complications in ERCP].
AB  - Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) may be complicated by
      bacteremia, cholangitis, or biliary sepsis. Bacteremia during ERCP implies a
      potential risk of endocarditis in patients with valvular prostheses or a previous
      history of infectious endocarditis. For these patients antibiotic prophylaxis
      prior to ERCP is recommended. Cholangitis or biliary sepsis may develop after
      ERCP in patients with obstructed bile ducts. In these patients antibiotics should
      be administered until adequate drainage of biliary obstructions is achieved.
      Antibiotic prophylaxis and antibiotic therapy must consider the spectrum of micro
      organisms which is normally found in each of these situations. Regarding
      bacteremias associated with ERCP gram-positive cocci predominate, whereas
      cholangitis and biliary sepsis are caused mainly by gram-negative rods like
      Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, or Klebsiella spp.

PMID- 1406013
TI  - [Endoscopic sonography in esophageal cancer].
AB  - Esophageal carcinomas are visualized endosonographically as localized thickenings
      of the gullet wall with disruption of its echo-layers. The pT-stage is correctly
      assessed by endosonography in 84% (73-92%). In up to 20% overstaging in the early
      phases may be caused by accompanying inflammation. The sensitivity for diagnosing
      local lymph node metastases is 80% (69-90%). The method is well suited for
      monitoring the course during radio-chemotherapy and for detection of a relapse
      after operation. At the present time endosonography is the most efficient method
      in the locoregional staging of esophageal carcinomas. Especially in early tumor
      stages pT1 and pT2 it is clearly superior to computed tomography. In advanced
      stages (pT4) in up to 40% of cases marked tumor stenosis, that cannot be passed
      with the ultrasonic probe, prevents endosonographic staging. However, despite its
      excellent detail resolution the etiology of a circumscribed wall thickening
      cannot be determined with absolute accuracy by intraluminal sonography. Based on
      the echo-pattern inflammatory alterations and scar tissue cannot be definitely
      distinguished from malignant tumors.

PMID- 1406014
TI  - [Acute liver failure in metastatic melanoma].
AB  - Only seven cases of occult malignancy clinically presenting as acute liver
      failure due to liver metastases have been outlined in literature so far. In six
      cases the primary tumor originated histomorphologically from pancreas, bronchus
      or mamma, in one case the patient died before histological diagnosis. This case
      report describes the only ten days lasting anamnesis of a 42-year-old man, who
      felt completely healthy before. Only the autopsy and the immunohistological
      staining of the taken biopsies led to the diagnosis of an amelanotic melanoma.
      The site of the primary lesion remained unclear.

PMID- 1406015
TI  - Leprosy control and the implementation of multiple drug therapy: to what extent
      can the operational strategy be simplified for primary health care?

PMID- 1406016
TI  - Evaluation of four semi-synthetic Mycobacterium leprae antigens with sera from
      healthy populations in endemic and non-endemic areas.
AB  - In order to determine the frequency of occurrence of antibodies to semisynthetic
      antigens of Mycobacterium leprae in clinically healthy nonpatient populations and
      to establish a 'baseline' for comparison with antibody frequencies in both
      patients with a history of leprosy and their contacts, ELISAs were conducted
      using representative sera from two areas: a leprosy endemic area, Cebu City,
      Philippines and a nonendemic area for leprosy Chicago, Illinois, USA. These sera
      were tested, by an indirect IgM ELISA, for the presence of antibodies reacting
      with four semisynthetic antigens based on the phenolic glycolipid I antigen of M.
      leprae: ND-O-BSA (natural disaccharide with octyl linkage to bovine serum
      albumin), NT-O-BSA (natural trisaccharide with octyl linkage to BSA), ND-P-BSA
      (natural disaccharide with phenolic ring linkage to BSA) and NT-P-BSA (natural
      trisaccharide with phenolic ring linkage to BSA). Using an OD reading > or = 0.16
      as positive, the antigen with the lowest background seroreactivity was ND-O-BSA,
      which reacted with 5/398 (1.3%) sera from Cebu, and 3/426 (0.7%) sera from
      Chicago. A total of 10 (2.5%) of 398 sera from the endemic area reacted with at
      least one antigen and 5 (1.3%) sera reacted with all four semisynthetic antigens.
      Of the 426 sera from Chicago, 12 (2.8%) were reactive with at least one antigen
      and 3 (0.7%) were reactive with all four semisynthetic antigens. Mean ELISA
      values for the 22 positive sera for each antigen ranged from 0.17 to 0.3 OD
      units, while the mean values for all sera in each area ranged from 0.01 to 0.04
      OD units for all four antigens. Reactivity of 14 of the positive sera to some
      antigens, but not all four semisynthetic antigens, indicated that the carrier and
      linker arms might be associated with this background reactivity. Investigation of
      alternative linker arms and carriers is warranted. We conclude that nonspecific
      background reactivity to the semisynthetic antigens representing the PG-I
      molecule of M. leprae is 0.7-1.3%, based on a > or = 0.16 OD cutoff value. From
      these data it was concluded that reactivity in individuals free of leprosy was
      low enough to warrant use of these antigens in a diagnostic setting, such as
      screening household contacts and highly endemic populations. When incidence and
      prevalence of leprosy are low, testing with these antigens would not be cost
      effective, unless applied to high risk individuals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400
      WORDS)

PMID- 1406017
TI  - Leprosy in French Polynesia. Epidemiological trends between 1946 and 1987.
AB  - The analysis of computerized data (OMSLEP system) on patients from French
      Polynesia followed since 1940 has shown a decrease in the mean annual detection
      rates for leprosy, all forms combined, from 24.73 per 100,000 inhabitants in 1946
      to 8.1 per 100,000 in 1987 (y = -0.49 x + 45.83; p < 0.05). In fact, the decrease
      was significant (y = -1.18 x + 83.54; p < 0.05) during the first half of the
      study period (1946-66), but not during the second half (1967-87). Similarly, a
      significant decrease in all of the specific mean annual detection rates
      (according to the form of leprosy and to the sex and age of patients), in the
      proportion of multibacillary patients among the total of newly detected cases,
      and in the proportion of all patients with disabilities at the onset of leprosy
      was observed only during the first half of the study period (1946-66).
      Nevertheless, when comparing age-specific cumulative detection rates, calculated
      by 10-year age groups over the period 1946-66, to those of the period 1967-87, an
      ageing of the leprosy population was noted. Finally, the decrease of mean annual
      detection rates was greater in the smaller populations of remote islands than in
      the population of Tahiti, the main island, where 70% of the total population were
      living during the study period. This decline was shown to correspond to an
      effective improvement of the leprosy situation which could be attributed, among
      other factors (such as economic development and systematic BCG vaccination), to
      the implementation of a control programme for leprosy in 1950. The introduction
      in 1982 of multidrug therapy for all patients suffering active leprosy has raised
      the hope of a subsequent decline of leprosy in French Polynesia in the near
      future.

PMID- 1406018
TI  - Leprosy in French Polynesia. The possible impact of multidrug therapy on
      epidemiological trends.
AB  - In 1982, following the recommendations of a WHO study group, multidrug therapy
      (MDT) was introduced into French Polynesia to treat all patients suffering from
      active leprosy, and--only on request--those still on dapsone monotherapy. After 5
      years, a clear-cut decrease of prevalence and mean annual detection rates for
      leprosy (except for detection rates among children aged less than 15 years, many
      of such cases being detected early by increased household contact training) has
      been observed. There was also a decrease in the proportion of newly detected
      cases with disabilities. During the 21-year period preceding the introduction of
      MDT into the control programme, mean annual detection rates for leprosy had
      remained stable, and this led to the consideration that such a decrease was due
      neither to the natural decline of the disease nor to the economic improvement of
      the country. Our results, together with the fact that, to date, the relapse rate
      was nil in the Polynesian patients put on MDT, strongly suggest that the
      implementation of MDT has resulted in a decrease of detection rates for leprosy
      which may be a consequence of a decrease in the transmission of the disease.

PMID- 1406019
TI  - Leprosy control in 7 districts of south Sulawesi, Indonesia, 1986-91.
AB  - This paper describes the leprosy control programme in 7 districts of the South
      Sulawesi Province in Indonesia. This province is reported to have the highest
      prevalence of leprosy in the country. The programme started in 1986 with re
      registration of all patients on the cumulative registers. Strict criteria for
      admission of patients to MDT were initially applied. In 1990 it appeared that
      these criteria had been too strict, thus necessitating a second re-registration
      of patients still on DDS monotherapy. More flexible criteria for admission to MDT
      led to an increase in MDT coverage from 45% to 78% within 6 months. By April
      1991, 5 years after the start of the programme, the registered prevalence had
      decreased from 4.4 per 1000 in 1986 to 1.6 per 1000; the coverage with MDT had
      increased from 6% in 1986 to 78%, and the case detection rate remained stable
      around 4 per 10,000 after an initial increase at the start of the programme.

PMID- 1406020
TI  - Results of surgical procedures for the correction of foot-drop and of
      lagophthalmus due to leprosy.
AB  - Leprosy mutilations of the muscles and skeleton can be relieved by reconstructive
      surgery, but evaluation of the results of these operations is seldom undertaken.
      Between 1975 and 1984, 59 leprosy patients were operated on at the Marie Adelaide
      Leprosy Centre, Karachi, Pakistan, for lagophthalmus with the transposition of
      the posterior tibial muscle. We were able to re-examine 39 patients: tibialis
      posterior transposition was performed 25 times, and temporalis transposition was
      carried out 33 times; 18 of the 25 patients with the tibialis posterior
      transposition were pleased with the result, 7 were not: 21 patients could extend
      their feet above the neutral position; 24 of the patients with the temporalis
      transposition were satisfied, 9 were not: complete closure was demonstrated in 21
      eyes; Persistent corneal damage was noted in 15 eyes; 12 of the 23 male patients
      cared for themselves, 16 lived with their families; 7 of the 8 female patients
      lived with their families. The results of the rehabilitation, in relation to the
      degree of mutilation, are considered satisfactory for a developing country. These
      surgical procedures give a good result, provided they are followed by intensive
      physiotherapy.

PMID- 1406021
TI  - Neuritic leprosy: epidemiology and therapeutic responsiveness.
AB  - We studied epidemiology, progression and therapeutic responsiveness in 62 cases
      of neuritic leprosy. Numbness was the main presenting symptom. Mononeuritis
      involving the ulnar nerve, followed by the common peroneal nerve was the
      commonest presentation. The lepromin test was positive in 34 cases while a slit
      skin smear was negative in all cases. We treated 20 of these cases with dapsone
      monotherapy and 5 cases (25%) developed a skin lesion after an average duration
      of 3 months' treatment. We treated 42 cases with a combination of dapsone and
      rifampicin, and 3 cases (7%) developed a skin lesion after an average duration of
      2-6 months. The subsequent diagnosis in cases developing skin lesions was
      borderline--lepromatous in 1 case, borderline-tuberculoid in 4 cases, tuberculoid
      in 2 cases and indeterminate in 1 case.

PMID- 1406022
TI  - Neurological examination of patients suffering from leprosy: is it worthwhile?
AB  - We examined 28 male leprosy patients to discover if a more extensive neurological
      investigation than usual would be worthwhile in diagnosis and/or management. Our
      findings were fully compatible with what might be expected from a mononeuritis
      multiplex, either due to leprosy or other causes. The following observations are
      noteworthy. Changes of position sense and a decrease of some tendon reflexes were
      present in a minority of the patients. In soles of the feet, considered to be an-
      or hypaesthetic, some residual pain sensation could occasionally be detected.
      Functional testing of at least one muscle group (m. triceps surae) appeared to be
      more reliable than manual testing according to MRC criteria. We concluded that an
      extensive neurological examination is probably not required for diagnosis. It
      does provide, however, more accurate information on the extent of damage to the
      peripheral nervous system, which may be important for management and for
      assessment of treatment effects. The use of a myometer is advocated.

PMID- 1406023
TI  - Primary neuritic leprosy in a black South African.
AB  - A case of primary neuritic leprosy in a black South African is described, in
      which the multiple peripheral nerves were affected. The clinical picture and
      electrophysiological studies are in keeping with a picture of mononeuritis
      multiplex. Selective involvement of the facial nerve branches with normal blink
      reflex latencies was observed. The biopsy of the sural nerve disclosed features
      most consistent with borderline leprosy.

PMID- 1406024
TI  - Estimated number of leprosy cases in the world.
AB  - Planning for leprosy control requires estimates of the number of leprosy patients
      at different levels. During the period between the mid-1960s and the mid-1980s,
      global estimates had remained constant at between 10 and 12 million. The
      introduction of multidrug therapy (MDT) in many countries and the consequent
      reduction of the disease's prevalence has necessitated a reassessment of this.
      Based on available information and its interpretation, the number of leprosy
      cases in the world for 1991 has been estimated at 5.5 million. The number of
      individuals deformed by leprosy, including those cured of the disease, has been
      estimated at between 2 and 3 million.

PMID- 1406025
TI  - Modified multiple drug therapy in the National Leprosy Eradication Programme,
      India.

PMID- 1406026
TI  - Minocycline cures tuberculoid leprosy.

PMID- 1406027
TI  - The teaching of leprosy in the medical colleges of Orissa, India.

PMID- 1406028
TI  - The role of health systems research in leprosy control.

PMID- 1406029
TI  - Issues involved in the rapid assessment of the leprosy problem.
AB  - Sample surveys for estimation can prove very expensive and time-consuming because
      of the enormous sample sizes usually required. Where sample surveys have to be
      undertaken, diagnoses should be limited to detecting a case of leprosy, without
      attempting skin smears etc. in order to classify by types. Usually enough
      knowledge is available on the approximate proportion of multibacillary (MB) cases
      in most communities, and this knowledge could be utilized for estimating the
      caseload by types of leprosy. Again intensive tracing of nonrespondents could be
      limited to either males or females depending on convenience, and well-known sex
      ratios among patients utilized for deriving estimates for the other sex. The type
      of rapid methods of estimation depend on three types of situations: (1) before
      multidrug therapy (MDT); (2) 5 years or more after MDT; and (3) less than 5 years
      after MDT. In the first situation one or more of the following methods are
      suggested: (i) extrapolation from registered cases; (ii) extrapolation from child
      prevalence; and (iii) conducting rapid village surveys. In situations where MDT
      has been introduced for 5 years or more the registered cases plus a small number,
      depending on local experience, would seem to be adequate. When MDT was introduced
      less than 5 years before, it is suggested that the prevalence rates be obtained
      by statistical interpolation drawing on the experience from areas which have had
      more than 5 years of MDT.

PMID- 1406030
TI  - Report on the group discussions on the needs and prospects for epidemiological
      tools in leprosy control.

PMID- 1406031
TI  - Summary of 'Estimation of the leprosy problem through health services data'.

PMID- 1406033
TI  - Needs and prospects for epidemiological tools in leprosy control.

PMID- 1406032
TI  - The epidemiology of disability in leprosy including risk factors.

PMID- 1406034
TI  - Epidemiometric modelling in leprosy based on Indian data.

PMID- 1406035
TI  - Epidemiological modelling for tropical disease control.

PMID- 1406036
TI  - Towards the use of decision sciences in leprosy control.

PMID- 1406037
TI  - Major issues involved in the evaluation of leprosy control programmes through
      MDT.

PMID- 1406038
TI  - Defining a case of leprosy.
AB  - The biological and technical hurdles confronting the development of new
      diagnostic tools are manifestly great in leprosy. Leprosy diagnosis in the field,
      for control as well as for research purposes, will have to remain, for the time
      being, predominantly clinical. It is important that the significance and
      relevance of diagnosing so-called 'early' lesions must be viewed in the context
      of the objectives of leprosy control. All evidence suggests that the majority of
      these 'cases' are not likely to progress in the individual, nor is there any
      evidence that these 'cases' are of any importance for the transmission of the
      disease. At its best, such 'cases' may be a sign of temporary infection which
      will disappear spontaneously within a few months without leaving any residual
      signs. It is more likely that the majority of these are not cases of leprosy. In
      making such a diagnosis its ethical implications on the individual, his family
      and the local society must be considered, given the intense social stigma this
      diagnosis will generate; besides the cost of treatment and the potential risk of
      serious side-effects due to treatment. It may be justifiable to have a broad
      definition if the incidence of leprosy is still high and all reported cases are
      to be accepted as valid. But once the backlog of cases has been detected and, as
      a result of control efforts, the number of new cases begins to decrease, there is
      a need to narrow the case definition for national statistics.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406039
TI  - Surveillance and monitoring of multidrug therapy using cohort analysis.

PMID- 1406040
TI  - Indicators for use in leprosy control programmes.

PMID- 1406041
TI  - OMSLEP as an evaluation tool.

PMID- 1406042
TI  - The measurement of the epidemiological impact of multidrug therapy.

PMID- 1406043
TI  - Treatment failures with multidrug therapy.

PMID- 1406044
TI  - The relevance of future leprosy vaccines to disease control.

PMID- 1406045
TI  - Interleukin 6 modulation of second messenger systems in anterior pituitary cells.
AB  - We investigated the effect of interleukin-6 (IL-6) on second messenger systems in
      anterior pituitary (AP) cells. The acute exposition of membranes derived from the
      pituitary gland to IL-6 did not modify basal and forskolin-stimulated adenylate
      cyclase (AC) activity, as well as inositol phosphate (IP) production and free
      [Ca(++)]i. Preincubation of AP cells with IL-6 for 20 min did not affect basal
      second messengers levels, while completely abolished the stimulation by VIP of AC
      activity, partially inhibited forskolin-stimulated cAMP formation and reduced TRH
      stimulated IP production. Finally, the pretreatment of AP cells for 20 min with
      IL-6 also reduced the TRH-induced rise in free [Ca(++)]i.

PMID- 1406046
TI  - Murine survival of lethal irradiation with the use of human umbilical cord blood.
AB  - We have found that human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) will routinely protect mice
      exposed to lethal levels of irradiation. At the end of 50 days, over seventy
      percent (70%) of mice injected with HUCB survived 900 cGy or irradiation, which
      produced 100% deaths in the uninjected control animals. Moreover, there was some
      evidence that human colony stimulating factors further improved survival. Anti
      Natural Killer cell (NK) antibody was utilized along with HUCB in these studies,
      however, Anti-NK cell serum alone had no radioprotective effect in mice. The
      studies reported here suggest the possibility of utilizing HUCB for immediate
      protection of humans from lethal irradiation.

PMID- 1406047
TI  - Bioactivation of the hepatocarcinogen N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene by
      sulfation in the rat liver changes during the cell cycle.
AB  - Sulfation activity towards N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene and 4-nitrophenol was
      determined in male rat liver cytosol at several time points after partial
      hepatectomy corresponding to G1-, S-, and M-phase. N-hydroxy-2
      acetylaminofluorene sulfation activity decreased by 80% when hepatocytes entered
      the G1-phase. This lower activity was maintained during the S-phase and M-phase,
      but was restored when hepatocytes entered the G0-phase again. Sulfation activity
      towards 4-nitrophenol did not alter after hepatectomy. Various other cytosolic
      enzyme activities were determined after hepatectomy to investigate the
      specificity of the decrease in sulfation activity. Lactate dehydrogenase and
      glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities were increased in the S- and M-phase
      by maximally 80% and 60%, respectively. Glutathione-S-transferase and glutamate
      pyruvate transaminase activity did not alter during the cell cycle. These results
      indicate that sulfation of N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene in hepatocytes may
      depend on the phase of the cell cycle. The relevance of the finding is discussed
      in relation to the resistance of proliferating (pre)neoplastic hepatocytes to the
      toxic and mitoinhibitory effects of N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene.

PMID- 1406048
TI  - Hemodynamic effects of centrally administered, norcocaine in the rat.
AB  - Norcocaine is the N-demethylated metabolite of cocaine. It is present in the CNS
      and is reported to be pharmacologically active. The present study was designed to
      evaluate the cardiovascular actions of norcocaine following central
      administration. Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were anesthetized with pentobarbital and
      instrumented for measurement of blood pressure and renal and hindlimb blood flow
      (via Doppler flowprobes). A cerebroventricular cannula was placed in the lateral
      ventricle for drug administration. Cocaine or norcocaine was administered
      centrally in a dose range of 0.025 to 4.0 mg/kg. Under the above experimental
      conditions, 4.0 mg/kg of norcocaine decreased blood pressure without a
      significant change in either hind limb or renal blood flow. Central
      administration of cocaine also produced a similar depressor response. In
      conscious, unrestrained rats, cocaine produced a pressor response while
      norcocaine did not significantly alter blood pressure. The depressor response to
      both cocaine and norcocaine in the anesthetized animal is speculated to be due to
      the local anesthetic properties of the drugs.

PMID- 1406049
TI  - Ovarian atrial natriuretic peptide during the rat estrous cycle.
AB  - The changes in ovarian levels of immunoreactive atrial natriuretic peptide
      (irANP) and arginine vasopressin (irAVP) were observed during the estrous cycle
      of rat. We also demonstrated the synthesis of ovarian ANP. In adult 4-day cycling
      rats, ovarian level of irANP was found to be the highest on proestrus and was to
      be the lowest on diestrus. Ovarian irANP level inversely correlated with ovarian
      level of irAVP. On reverse-phase HPLC, two distinct peaks of ovarian irANP, high
      and low molecular weight forms, existed in the each stage of the estrous cycle.
      However, no significant changes in plasma and atrial concentrations of ANP were
      observed during the cycle. The rat ovary contained mRNA coding for ANP. These
      data showing the synchronized cyclic change of ovarian irANP and irAVP with the
      estrous cycle suggest that the ovary locally synthesizes ANP and ovarian ANP may
      play regulatory roles on the follicular fluid dynamics.

PMID- 1406050
TI  - The effect of dexamethasone on neuropeptide Y concentrations in specific
      hypothalamic regions.
AB  - Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a major hypothalamic peptide which is implicated in the
      regulation of energy balance and in the activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary
      adrenal axis. This study aimed primarily to determine the effects on regional
      hypothalamic NPY levels, of catabolism and weight loss induced in rats by the
      synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone, injected daily at a dose of 0.4 mg/kg
      for 7 days. NPY concentrations were significantly raised in the paraventricular
      nucleus (PVN) of male Wistar rats (45%, p = 0.009; n = 10) compared with saline
      injected controls (n = 10). Body weight (p less than 0.001) and food intake (p
      less than 0.001) were significantly reduced, plasma insulin concentrations were
      increased (p less than 0.001), but there was no change in glucose concentrations.
      Chronic dexamethasone treatment did not cause the marked NPY increases in the
      arcuate nucleus (ARC) and other hypothalamic regions which have been observed in
      other catabolic states causing weight loss. One possible explanation is the high
      insulin levels induced by dexamethasone, which may have prevented compensatory
      hyperphagia by suppressing an increase in hypothalamic NPYergic activity. We also
      examined the acute effects of a single dexamethasone injection on regional
      hypothalamic levels, to determine whether the drug had a direct action separate
      from that due to sustained weight loss. In the acute study, groups of rats (n =
      7) were examined at 4 h after a single injection of dexamethasone or saline. NPY
      concentrations were significantly increased in the lateral hypothalamic area
      (LHA), (60%, p = 0.008) when compared with saline-injected controls, but there
      was no change in body weight or glucose or insulin concentrations during the 4h
      interval. Altered transport or release of NPY in the lateral hypothalamic area
      may be a result of acute feedback regulation by glucocorticoids on the
      hypothalamus.

PMID- 1406051
TI  - Ventricular defibrillating properties of catecholamine uptake inhibitors.
AB  - Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is a fatal event in humans unless electrical
      defibrillation is applied within minutes. Recent publications describe
      spontaneous termination of VF in various animals and even in humans. Certain
      drugs can transfer a fatal, sustained VF (SVF) into a self-terminating, transient
      VF (TVF). Based on results obtained in animals of various species and ages, we
      have suggested that the occurrence of TVF requires a high cardiac catecholamine
      level at the time of VF. According to our hypothesis, drugs which decrease
      catecholamine reuptake by the sympathetic nerve terminals will increase the
      ability of the heart ventricles to defibrillate spontaneously. In the present
      study, we examined the effects of desipramine, maprotiline, mianserin, iprindole,
      cocaine and amphetamine on the type of VF in cats exhibiting SVF prior to the
      treatment. The results show that the ability of these compounds to transfer SVF
      to TVF is closely related to their potency to inhibit catecholamine reuptake. The
      establishment of the catecholamine related mechanisms of TVF may lead to the
      development of a new class of antiarrhythmic-defibrillatory drugs.

PMID- 1406052
TI  - Alcohol dehydrogenase mediated acetaldehyde production by Helicobacter pylori--a
      possible mechanism behind gastric injury.
AB  - Two standard Helicobacter pylori strains showed significant cytosolic alcohol
      dehydrogenase activity and produced considerable amounts of acetaldehyde when
      incubated with an ethanol containing solution in vitro. The alcohol dehydrogenase
      activity of the Helicobacter pylori strains was almost as high as that found in
      Klebsiella pneumoniae and far greater than that in Escherichia coli or
      Campylobacter jejuni. The amount of acetaldehyde produced by cytosol prepared
      from Helicobacter pylori exceeded that by any of the other bacteria studied. The
      bacterial production of acetaldehyde--a highly toxic and reactive substance-
      could be an important factor in the pathogenesis of Helicobacter pylori
      associated gastric injury and increased risk of gastric cancer.

PMID- 1406053
TI  - Regulation of arginase production by glucocorticoid in three human gastric cancer
      cell lines.
AB  - Gastric cancer tissues have high levels of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) and
      arginase. To investigate the interrelation of glucocorticoid, GR and arginase,
      three human gastric cancer cell lines (AZ-521, NUGC-3, KATO-III) were treated
      with hydrocortisone in the presence or absence of a glucocorticoid antagonist
      RU38486. GR were found to be present in all three lines, and hydrocortisone
      significantly increased the production of total arginase in all 3 lines. The
      induction of arginase production by hydrocortisone was inhibited by RU38486.
      These findings suggest that the regulation of arginase production by
      hydrocortisone in gastric cancer cells is mediated through GR.

PMID- 1406054
TI  - Validation of the antral mucosal/submucosal sleeve preparation: studies of
      gastrin and acetylcholine release in response to luminal stimulation.
AB  - In the present study we developed an experimental model for direct assessment of
      antral endocrine cell and cholinergic neural responses to luminal stimulation. A
      sleeve of antral mucosal/submucosal tissue was prepared from rat antrum, mounted
      in perfusion chamber, and perfused in both luminal and submucosal compartments.
      Morphological and functional integrity of the antral sleeve were confirmed by
      histological examination and measurement of protein synthesis. Antral gastrin
      release was assessed in response to luminal stimulation with acid, peptone and
      distension. Luminal acid (pH3) inhibited basal gastrin release by -70.4% and
      luminal peptone stimulated gastrin release to 210% above control (p < 0.02).
      Distention of the antral sleeve by hydrostatic pressure (3-25cm H2O) caused
      stepwise and significant increase in gastrin release that was reversible. 3H
      acetylcholine was stimulated significantly by KCl (56mM) to values twice control.
      In summary, these results establish the integrity and responsiveness of the
      antral sleeve to pharmacological and luminal stimulation. The antral sleeve may
      be a useful model in assessing antral function in response to luminal
      stimulation.

PMID- 1406055
TI  - Similarities between the akinesia induced by carbachol microinjections into the
      pontine reticular formation and neuroleptic catalepsy.
AB  - We reported previously that microinjections of carbachol directly into the
      pontine reticular formation of rats induced intense akinesia. In the present
      article we report results of tests for rigidity, righting, bracing and clinging
      which were conducted with the purpose to characterize behaviorally this type of
      akinesia. After injections of 5-15 micrograms/0.5 microliter of carbachol into
      the pontine reticular formation the rats were cataleptic, were not rigid when
      equilibrium was not challenged, had strong righting reflexes and strong bracing
      and clinging responses. This type of akinesia is different from the catatonia
      induced by systemic morphine (20 mg/kg IP), but similar to the catalepsy induced
      by systemic injections of haloperidol (5 mg/kg IP). It is thus suggested that the
      cataleptic state produced by topical carbachol in the pons is related to the
      dopaminergic mechanisms important for the cataleptic effect of the neuroleptic
      drugs.

PMID- 1406056
TI  - Nephrectomy and a newly identified binding site for angiotensin II in the rat
      adrenal cortex.
AB  - Angiotensin II (Ang II) binding sites in adrenal glands of nephrectomized rats
      were investigated by in vitro autoradiography using 125I-[Sar1,Ile8]Ang II as
      ligands. Ang II binding site was increased to 161% in the cortex and decreased to
      67% in the medulla 48 h after nephrectomy. In the medulla, the AT2 antagonist
      (PD123177, 5 microM) inhibited specific binding by 90% whereas the AT1 antagonist
      (DuP753, 5 microM) inhibited by only 10%. In contrast, in the cortex, neither
      DuP753 (5 microM) nor PD123177 (5 microM) substantially inhibited the binding.
      Binding in the presence of either the AT1 or AT2 antagonist was abolished by the
      simultaneous presence of both antagonists. These results suggest the presence of
      a new Ang II binding site with unique pharmacological properties and differing
      from currently known subtypes of Ang II receptors, in the adrenal cortex after
      nephrectomy.

PMID- 1406057
TI  - Both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase inhibitor partially restore the anorexia by
      interleukin-1 beta.
AB  - Since the peripheral prostaglandin synthetizing system may at least partly
      involved in the anorexia that follows central interleukin-1 beta (IL-1)
      administration, this study was undertaken to investigate the effect of ibuprofen
      (ip), selective cyclooxygenase blocker and AA 861, selective lipoxygenase
      inhibitor, on changes of food and water intake by a single injection of IL-1 (2
      micrograms/rat, ip). We demonstrated that food and water intake were suppressed
      by peripheral administration of IL-1. Throughout the entire observation periods,
      suppressed food intake was partially restored to control levels by ibuprofen,
      while water intake completely restored. In addition, no significant differences
      about water/food intake were observed in the IL-1 + ibuprofen-treated groups,
      respectively. In the next experiment, IL-1 induced anorexia was also partially
      restored to the control level following pretreatment with AA 861. These results
      may suggest that other mechanism including lipoxygenase blocker besides
      prostaglandin production may be involved in IL-1 induced anorexia.

PMID- 1406058
TI  - The ANF-C receptor is not linked to adenylyl cyclase inhibition in bovine
      pulmonary artery endothelial cells.
AB  - The possible inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity by atrial peptides selective
      for the ANF-C receptor was investigated in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial
      cells. In these cells isoprenaline, guanine nucleotide and forskolin dose
      dependently increased activity over basal levels. In the presence of rANF(99
      126), these dose-dependent increases were not reduced, nor were they affected by
      the ANF-C receptor selective analogue C-ANF(102-121). Furthermore, the selective
      analogues rANF(103-123) and des[Cys105,Cys121]rANF104-126 had no effect on basal
      or stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity. It can be concluded that ANF-C receptors
      are not linked to inhibition of adenylyl cyclase in these cells.

PMID- 1406059
TI  - Changes in vitamin A status following prolonged immobilization (simulated
      weightlessness).
AB  - A study was conducted to investigate the effects of a simulated weightlessness
      induced by chronic immobilization on vitamin A status. To simulate the stress
      condition of weightlessness, rats were suspended for 10 days in a special jacket
      to which metal chains were attached. Animals received a commercial stock diet.
      Control rats were pair-fed in reference to the suspended rats. As compared with
      the control, prolonged immobilization resulted in a decrease in body weight gain
      and an increase in adrenal weight occurred. In the suspended rats, serum
      concentrations of retinol and retinol-binding protein (RBP) declined. Hepatic
      retinyl palmitate content increased, and the hepatic retinol level was decreased.
      The prolonged immobilization led to significantly reduced retinyl palmitate
      levels in the testis and lung as well as lowered testicular retinol levels. The
      results suggest that the stress state induced by prolonged immobilization caused
      accumulation of hepatic retinyl palmitate, decreasing the serum retinol
      concentration and retinyl ester content in the extrahepatic tissues.

PMID- 1406060
TI  - The effect of short-term lipid infusion on liver function and biliary secretion
      in rats.
AB  - This study was undertaken to determine the effect of various lipid emulsions on
      the hepato-biliary system in rats. Rats were randomly divided into six groups and
      infused continuously for 48 hr with either long-chain triglycerides (LCT), medium
      chain triglycerides (MCT) or a mixture of MCT and LCT. One group infused with
      physiological saline solution served as controls. Throughout this period the rats
      received a fat free diet ad libitum. During the last hour of lipid infusion bile
      was collected for determination of bile flow and composition. Subsequently, the
      rats were sacrificed and the morphology and lipid content of the liver
      determined. Only LCT lipid emulsions induced morphological changes and increased
      liver cholesterol content. In two rats infused with radiolabeled LCT, no labeled
      cholesterol was found in the liver, indicating that the excess hepatic
      cholesterol level may originate from enhanced cholesterol mobilization to the
      liver. Biliary cholesterol and phospholipid concentrations in LCT-treated rats
      were also elevated, as was the lithogenic index, whereas the other emulsions had
      no such effects. None of the emulsions affected the plasma liver function tests
      or bile flow. We therefore conclude that the lithogenicity of the bile in rats is
      directly related to the lipid components of the total parenteral nutrition and
      the type of triglyceride infused.

PMID- 1406061
TI  - Effect of dietary fish oil on the rate of very low density lipoprotein
      triacylglycerol formation and on the metabolism of chylomicrons.
AB  - The mechanism by which omega 3 fatty acids lower plasma triacylglycerol levels
      was investigated. Rats were fed fish oil, olive oil (10% fat by weight) or a
      nonpurified diet (4% fat by weight) for 15 days. Lipoprotein lipase was inhibited
      by intra-arterial administration of Triton WR 1339 to estimate hepatic
      triacylglycerol output. Rats fed the olive oil diet showed a higher rate of
      triacylglycerol formation than rats fed the omega 3 fatty acid diet or the low
      fat diet. All three groups showed identical rates of removal from plasma of
      intraarterially administered artificial chylomicrons that had simultaneously been
      labeled with cholesteryl [1-14C]oleate and [9,10(n)-3H]triolein. Liver
      radioactivity and total fat content were lowest in rats fed the fish oil diet,
      indicating that omega 3 fatty acids were preferentially metabolized in liver.
      Chylomicrons obtained from donor rats fed either fish oil containing
      [14C]cholesterol or olive oil containing [3H]cholesterol were removed at similar
      rates when infused together intraarterially into recipient animals. A slower
      formation of plasma very low density lipoprotein triacylglycerols in rats fed
      fish oil is probably due to a faster rate of oxidation of the fatty acid chains
      in the liver resulting in decreased plasma triacylglycerol concentrations.

PMID- 1406062
TI  - Effect of dietary fats on some membrane-bound enzyme activities, membrane lipid
      composition and fatty acid profiles of rat heart sarcolemma.
AB  - The effect of various dietary fats on membrane lipid composition, fatty acid
      profiles and membrane-bound enzyme activities of rat cardiac sarcolemma was
      assessed. Four groups of male weanling Charles Foster Young rats were fed diets
      containing 20% of groundnut, coconut, safflower or mustard oil for 16 weeks.
      Cardiac sarcolemma was prepared from each group and the activities of Na+, K(+)
      ATPase, 5'-nucleotidase, Ca(2+)-ATPase and acetylcholinesterase were examined.
      ATPase activities were similar in all groups except the one fed coconut oil,
      which had the highest activities. Acetylcholinesterase activity was also similar
      in all the groups, however, it was significantly higher in the group fed mustard
      oil. No significant changes were observed among the groups in 5'-nucleotidase
      activity, in the cholesterol-to-phospholipid molar ratio and in sialic acid
      content. The coconut, safflower and mustard oil diets significantly increased
      cholesterol and phospholipid contents and the lipid-to-protein ratio of cardiac
      sarcolemma as compared to feeding the groundnut oil diet. The fatty acid
      composition of membrane lipids was quite different among the various groups,
      reflecting the type of dietary fat given. The total unsaturated-to-saturated
      fatty acid ratio was not different among the various groups; however, the levels
      of some major fatty acids such as palmitic (16:0), oleic (18:1) and linoleic
      (18:2) acids were significantly different. Cardiac sarcolemma of the group fed
      safflower oil had the highest polyunsaturated fatty acid content. The results
      suggest that dietary fats induce changes not only in the fatty acid composition
      of the component lipids but also in the activities of sarcolemmal enzymes
      involved in the regulation of cardiac function.

PMID- 1406065
TI  - A study of the composition of fish liver and body oil triglycerides.
AB  - Silver-ion high-performance liquid chromatography (Ag(+)-HPLC) was used to study
      the range and variations in molecular species of triglycerides from industrial,
      retail and laboratory extracted fish oils. These were contrasted with a typical
      plant oil. Selected fish oils were fractionated and the fatty acid distribution
      of the fractions determined by gas-liquid chromatography. Fish oils gave a
      characteristic Ag(+)-HPLC profile, typified by sharp, intense peaks at the start
      of the chromatogram and broad, multiple nongaussian peaks for the late eluting
      components. Triglycerides ranging from those that were wholly saturated to those
      containing 16 double bonds were isolated. Cod (Gadus spp.), saithe (Pollachius
      virens) and monkfish (Squatina squatina) liver oils gave similar triglyceride
      profiles. Mackerel (Scomber scombrus), capelin (Mallotus villosus) and herring
      (Clupea harengus) body oils gave characteristic triglyceride profiles which were
      associated with high concentrations of 20:1 and 22:1 fatty acids. Only small
      amounts of these particular triglycerides were observed for menhaden (Brevoortia
      spp.), South African anchovy (Engraulis capensis) and Indian sardine (Sardinella
      longiceps) oils, all of which contained minor amounts of these acids. The latter
      oils contained highly unsaturated triglycerides, whereas only traces of these
      were noted for the former. Chromatography with Ag(+)-HPLC can be used for the
      rapid screening of fish oils and for selecting those oils rich in polyunsaturated
      acids that may be suitable for enrichment. Cottonseed oil gave well-defined and
      discrete peaks. Similar peaks were observed in the chromatogram of Omega
      combination, a mixture of primrose and fish oils. Thus, fish, plant and a mixture
      of these oils can be readily distinguished.

PMID- 1406063
TI  - Effect of prenatal and postnatal exposure to ethanol on rat central nervous
      system gangliosides and glycosidases.
AB  - We investigated the effect of maternal alcohol consumption on cell number,
      gangliosides and ganglioside catabolizing enzymes in the central nervous system
      (CNS) of the offspring. Virgin female rats of the Charles Foster strain were
      given 15% (v/v) ethanol in drinking water one month prior to conception and
      during gestation and lactation. At 21 days postnatal age, the offspring were
      sacrificed and the brains were separated into cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem
      to investigate possible regional variations. Compared to controls, wet weight of
      cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem, and of spinal cord was decreased in the pups
      exposed to alcohol. DNA and protein contents were also found to be lowered in all
      the CNS regions of the pups exposed to alcohol. Conversely, maternal alcohol
      consumption was found to increase the concentration and the content of total
      ganglioside N-acetyl-neuraminic (NANA) in CNS of the pups. In addition, alcohol
      treatment was found to induce alterations in the proportions of individual
      ganglioside fractions. Interestingly, these alterations are somewhat different
      than those observed in the neonatal brain and spinal cord of the pups subjected
      to prenatal alcohol exposure. The alterations in the proportions of ganglioside
      fractions were shown to be region-specific. Maternal alcohol consumption resulted
      in decreased activities of sialidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-glucosidase and
      beta-hexosaminidase. The results suggest that the alcohol-associated increases in
      ganglioside concentration may be at least partly due to the decreased activities
      of ganglioside catabolizing enzymes.

PMID- 1406064
TI  - Fluorospectroscopic analysis of the fluorescent substances in peroxidized
      microsomes of rat liver.
AB  - The fluorescent substances formed in rat liver microsomes in the course of lipid
      peroxidation were investigated by fluorescence techniques. The fluorescence
      emitted from peroxidizing microsomes continuously increased as lipid peroxidation
      progressed, while the steady-state fluorescence anisotropy increased and then
      reached a plateau. A similar increase was observed in the steady-state
      fluorescence anisotropy of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene in peroxidizing
      microsomes. The fluorescence from peroxidized microsomes consisted of at least
      three species having short, middle or long fluorescence lifetimes. The lifetimes
      and relative amplitudes of fluorescence were unaffected by the extent of lipid
      peroxidation. Both fluorescence of the chromolipids extracted and the proteins
      isolated from peroxidized microsomes had the same characteristics in fluorescence
      lifetimes as the fluorescence from whole peroxidized microsomes. Thus, these
      lipids and proteins appear to be the major biological substances responsible for
      the fluorescence emanating from whole peroxidized microsomes. Furthermore,
      fluorescent substances formed in microsomes seem to increase in quantity rather
      than change in quality as lipid peroxidation progresses.

PMID- 1406066
TI  - Lipid composition and mitochondrial respiration in warm- and cold-adapted sea
      bass.
AB  - The response to cold of liver and heart membrane lipid composition and
      mitochondrial respiration in reared sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) was
      investigated. Fish acclimation was followed during the natural seasonal cycle
      from August to March. The data on the fatty acid composition of liver and heart
      polar lipids and on total lipids of liver mitochondria and microsomes did not
      indicate any increase in unsaturation in response to cold. The enzyme complexes
      of the liver and heart mitochondrial respiratory chain showed a repeated negative
      compensation for cold acclimation. The constancy of the break in the Arrhenius
      plot of liver cytochrome oxidase (EC 1.9.3.1) was consistent with the lack of
      homeoviscous adaptation of membrane lipids. A thermoadaptive strategy based on
      the reduction of sea bass metabolic activity is suggested.

PMID- 1406067
TI  - Improved resolution of 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of phospholipids
      from brain.
AB  - A method is described wherein the resolution of 31P nuclear magnetic resonance
      spectra of the lipophilic fraction from a Bligh-Dyer extract of rat brain can be
      enhanced. The lipids are dispersed as micelles in aqueous solution with sodium
      deoxycholate, and spectral resolution is further optimized by adjusting the pH
      and by removing ions from the solution. The application of the method to the
      study of aging in rat brain serves as an example.

PMID- 1406068
TI  - One-step synthesis of radioactive acyl-CoA and acylcarnitines using rat liver
      mitochondrial outer membrane as enzyme source.
AB  - Rat liver mitochondrial outer membrane enriched preparations have proven to be a
      convenient enzyme source for synthesizing coenzyme A (CoA) and carnitine esters
      of radioactive fatty acids. These membranes are simple to isolate and they retain
      acyl-CoA ligase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase activities well upon storage.
      Enzyme purification is not required. A novel aspect of the present procedure is
      that the same enzymatic incubation step allows both the acyl-CoA and the
      acylcarnitine esters to be obtained simultaneously when carnitine is present, but
      produces acyl-CoA ester only when carnitine is not included. Under the conditions
      described, the conversion of [1-14C]octanoic acid to the respective esters was
      about 95%; the corresponding figure for [1-14C]palmitic acids was over 70%. The
      procedure seems suitable for synthesizing the labeled CoA and carnitine esters
      from a variety of radioactive fatty acids.

PMID- 1406069
TI  - The origin of palmitic acid in brain of the developing rat.
AB  - A rat milk substitute containing lower amounts of palmitic and oleic acid in the
      triacylglycerols in comparison to natural rat milk was fed to artificially reared
      rat pups from day 7 after birth to day 14. Pups reared by their mother served as
      controls. Free trideuterated (D3) palmitic acid [(C2H3)(CH2)14COOH, 98 atom % D]
      and free perdeuterated (D31) palmitic acid [C15(2)H31COOH, 99 atom % D] in equal
      quantity were mixed into the triacylglycerols of the milk substitute in an amount
      equal to 100% of the palmitic acid in the triacylglycerols. A control milk
      substitute contained unlabeled free palmitic acid in an amount equal to 100% of
      the palmitic acid in the triacylglycerols of the milk substitute. The objective
      was to determine if palmitic acid in the diet contributed significantly to the
      palmitic acid content of developing brain and other organs. The methyl esters of
      the fatty acids were analyzed by gas chromatography and the palmitic acid methyl
      ester was examined by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. The proportion of
      deuterated methyl palmitate as a percentage of total palmitate was determined;
      32% of the palmitic acid in liver and 12% of the palmitic acid in lung were
      trideuterated and perdeuterated palmitic acid in approximately equal amounts. The
      brain, by contrast, did not contain the deuterated palmitic acid moiety.
      Quantitation of palmitic acid and total fatty acids revealed a significant
      accumulation in organs in the interval from 7 to 14 days of age. Under our
      experimental conditions, labeled palmitic acid does not enter the brain.
      Consequently, we conclude that the developing brain produces all required
      palmitic acid by de novo synthesis.

PMID- 1406070
TI  - Glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid hormones depress liver delta 5 desaturase
      activity through different mechanisms.
AB  - The effects of 11-deoxycorticosterone and aldosterone on liver delta 5 desaturase
      activity were examined. Both steroid hormones significantly depressed the
      conversion of [1-14C] eicosatrienoic acid to arachidonic acid. However, the
      mechanism of action of each of these hormones was different. The effect of 11
      deoxycorticosterone was mediated by a soluble protein present in the liver
      cytosolic fraction. The biological activity of this protein, having a molecular
      weight lower than 25 kDa, was impaired by trypsin digestion. To determine whether
      the inhibitory protein was induced through glucocorticoid or mineralocorticoid
      receptor occupancy, cultured Morris minimal deviation hepatoma cells were pre
      treated with the antiglucocorticoid cortexolone or the mineralocorticoid receptor
      antagonist spironolactone. The results obtained demonstrated that only
      glucocorticoid receptor structures were involved in the induction of this
      regulatory protein. The inhibitory response evoked by aldosterone was mediated by
      a different mechanism. In the case of aldosterone, the inhibitory action affected
      the microsomal membranes and was not mediated by a soluble protein messenger.

PMID- 1406072
TI  - Surface components of chylomicrons from rats fed glyceryl or alkyl esters of
      fatty acids: minor components.
AB  - The lipid class, fatty acid and molecular species composition of the minor polar
      surface components of rat lymph chylomicrons were determined during absorption of
      menhaden oil and corn oil or of the corresponding fatty acid ethyl esters. In
      addition to the previously reported minor polar lipids (sphingomyelin,
      phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidic acid and
      lysophosphatidylcholine), we identified phosphatidylglycerol,
      dimethylphosphatidylethanolamine, ceramide and cholesteryl sulfate in the
      chylomicrons from both oil and ester feeding. The dietary fatty acids were found
      to be incorporated to a variable extent into the different phospholipid classes,
      the proportions of which remained the same during both types of feeding. No
      evidence was obtained for the presence of the minor glycerophospholipids
      characteristic of the lysosomal membranes (e.g., bis-phosphatidic,
      lysobisphosphatidic and semilysobis-phosphatidic acids), although special efforts
      were made to identify them. These results indicate that the chylomicrons arising
      from the monoacylglycerol and phosphatidic acid pathways of triacylglycerol
      biosynthesis become enveloped in closely similar monolayers of phospholipids.
      Hence, all triacylglycerols may be secreted from the villus cells via a common
      mechanism as suggested by the previously demonstrated convergence (at the 2
      monoacylglycerol stage) of the monoacylglycerol and the phosphatidic acid
      pathways of mucosal triacylglycerol formation [Yang, Y.L., and Kuksis, A. (1991)
      J. Lipid Res. 32, 1173-1186].

PMID- 1406071
TI  - Effects of various dietary fats on cardiolipin acyl composition during ontogeny
      of mice.
AB  - Cardiolipin (CL) is a unique mitochondrial phospholipid, containing up to 85 wt%
      18:2n-6 in mammals. The influence of maternal dietary fatty acids on the acyl
      composition of offspring CL has not been examined previously. Adult female mice
      were thus fed diets rich in 18:1n-9 (olive oil), 18:2n-6 (safflower oil), 18:3n-3
      (linseed oil) or 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 (fish oil/safflower, 9:1, w/w), for a five
      month period, encompassing two breeding cycles. Offspring from the second
      breeding cycle were then fed these diets. The acyl composition of CL,
      phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine from liver and heart was
      evaluated from mice killed 3, 18 and 42 days after parturition. The primary
      nutrient sources at these three time points were transplacental nutrients, breast
      milk and the diet, respectively. Maternal diet was found to influence the acyl
      composition of CL via both placental transfer of fatty acids and breast milk.
      Fish oil feeding resulted in replacement of a substantial portion of 18:2n-6 with
      22:6n-3; after 42 days, the area% of 18:2n-6 in heart CL was reduced from 62% in
      safflower oil fed mice to 12%. In comparison to fish oil feeding, linseed oil
      feeding resulted in a much lower accumulation of 22:6n-3. Olive oil feeding
      resulted in substantial replacement of 18:2n-6 with 18:1n-9 (18:2n-6 was reduced
      from 62% to 31%). Physiologically, these findings are relevant because changes in
      CL acyl composition may influence the activity of associated inner mitochondrial
      membrane enzymes.

PMID- 1406073
TI  - Increments of dietary linoleate raise liver arachidonate, but markedly reduce
      heart n-6 and n-3 fatty acids in the rat.
AB  - Four diets containing 20% of energy (en%) as fat and with linoleic acid contents
      of 1.9, 3.1, 7.7 and 10.1 en%, respectively, were fed to one-month-old male rats
      for three months. The fatty acid profiles and the levels of the major n-6 and n-3
      fatty acids in the lipids of plasma, liver, heart and kidney were measured. We
      found that with increasing concentrations of 18:2n-6 in the diet, linoleic acid
      rose in plasma and in all organs, but long-chain n-6 and n-3 fatty acids
      responded differently. In liver, arachidonic acid increased and n-3 fatty acids
      were not significantly affected; in heart, both arachidonic and docosahexaenoic
      acids were progressively reduced; and in kidney, there was no change of n-6 and n
      3. The results indicate that incremental changes in dietary linoleate affect the
      levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids in liver and extrahepatic organs
      differently.

PMID- 1406074
TI  - Incorporation of n-3 fatty acids of fish oil into tissue and serum lipids of
      ruminants.
AB  - This study examines the biohydrogenation and utilization of the C20 and C22
      polyenoic fatty acids in ruminants. Eicosapentaenoic (20:5n-3) and
      docosahexaenoic (22:6n-3) acids were not biohydrogenated to any significant
      extent by rumen microorganisms, whereas C18 polyenoic fatty acids were
      extensively hydrogenated. The feeding of protected fish oil increased the
      proportion of 20:5 from 1% to 13-18% and 22:6 from 2% to 7-9% in serum lipids and
      there were reductions in the proportion of stearic (18:0) and linoleic (18:2)
      acids. The proportion of 20:5 in muscle phospholipids (PL) increased from 1.5% to
      14.7% and 22:6 from 1.0% to 4.2%; these acids were not incorporated into muscle
      or adipose tissue triacylglycerols (TAG). In the total PL of muscle, the
      incorporated 20:5 and 22:6 substituted primarily for oleic (18:1) and/or linoleic
      (18:2) acid, and there was no consistent change in the porportion of arachidonic
      (20:4) acid.

PMID- 1406075
TI  - Comparison of sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol from spinach and the purple
      bacterium Rhodobacter spaeroides by fast atom bombardment tandem mass
      spectrometry.
AB  - Isolated sulfoquinovosyl-diacylglycerol (SQD) from spinach and the purple
      bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides provide two sources of very different molecular
      species of SQD. We were able to demonstrate by fast atom bombardment
      collisionally activated dissociation tandem mass spectrometry in the negative ion
      mode that the sulfoquinovosyl head group of the plant and bacterial lipids can be
      characterized by the common fragmentation pattern found in the spectra of both
      samples. Differences in the acyl functions from the two sources were also
      identified by this technique. SQD specific fragments are found at m/z 299, 283,
      241, 225, 165 and 80 which indicate the presence of the sulfoquinovosyl moiety.
      The two predominant molecular species found in spinach contain palmitic and
      linolenic ([M-H]- at m/z 815) or two linolenic acids ([M-H]- at m/z 837) in the
      sn-1 and sn-2 positions, while the two major species of the bacterial lipid
      contain palmitic and 18:1 (vaccenic) acids ([M-H]- at m/z 819) or stearic and
      18:1 (vaccenic) acids, ([M-H]- at m/z 847), respectively.

PMID- 1406076
TI  - Positional analyses of triacylglycerol fatty acids in the milk fat of the
      antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella).
AB  - The positional distribution of fatty acids has been determined for the milk
      triacylglycerols of the Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella. Of particular
      interest was the positional distribution of the polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids
      in milk triacylglycerols (TG). In adipocytes of pinnipeds, TG are synthesized
      with the n-3 fatty acids primarily in the sn-1,3 positions. To determine the
      positional distribution, extracts of enzymatically digested lipids were separated
      by thin-layer chromatography, and the constituent fatty acids were separated and
      quantified by gas-liquid chromatography. Monoenoic and saturated fatty acids
      comprised over 75% of the total, the ratio of monoenoic to saturated fatty acids
      being 2:1. The percent content of the long-chain n-3 fatty acids, 20:5, 22:5 and
      22:6, ranged between 15-20%. The positional analyses revealed that at the sn-2
      position of milk TG, saturated fatty acids were in excess (57%), and the content
      of n-3 fatty acids was less than 5%. More than 80% of the n-3 fatty acids in milk
      were located in the sn-1,3 positions. The data indicate that in pinnipeds TG are
      synthesized in the mammary gland and adipose tissue with fatty acids having
      similar positional distributions.

PMID- 1406077
TI  - Ultrastructural aspects of liver injury with special reference to small bile
      ducts in patients with ulcerative colitis.
AB  - Liver tissue specimens taken at colectomy from 29 patients with chronic
      ulcerative colitis were studied by electron microscope. The fine-structural
      alterations were correlated with light microscopy and with biochemical liver
      function tests. The purpose was to identify ultrastructural features which could
      explain the pathogenesis of sclerosing cholangitis. Severely injured bile-duct
      epithelial cells were seen in three out of the eight light-microscopically
      diagnosed cholangitis cases, in the two cases of non-specific reactive hepatitis,
      and in the two fatty livers. Four cholangitis cases had, in heavily thickened
      bile-duct basement membranes, translucent areas containing bile-like material.
      Bile-duct microvilli were often blunted, and reduced in number. Intracanalicular
      bile thrombi and bile inclusions in hepatocytes were seldom seen, mostly but not
      exclusively in cholangitis. The fine-structural alterations apparently represent
      various stages of liver injury. These findings do not appear to be specific, but
      their prominence seems to correlate with the progression of the disease, at least
      in the case of histological parameters, but also in serum enzyme activities
      indicative of cholestasis. The bile-like electron-dense material found in
      proliferating basement membranes, very possibly regurgitated into the injured
      bile-duct wall after epithelial injury, could enhance the development of
      periductal fibrosis, leading to progression of sclerosing cholangitis.

PMID- 1406078
TI  - Peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in patients with chronic hepatitis C--effects
      of interferon treatment.
AB  - Thirty-three patients with chronic hepatitis non-A, non-B/C were included in a
      randomized controlled study of recombinant alpha-2b interferon treatment 3 MU
      three times weekly for 36 weeks. In lysed whole blood, lymphocyte subpopulations
      were enumerated by flow cytometry detecting fluorescein or phycoerytrin
      conjugated monoclonal antibodies directed against seven different epitopes.
      Patients with chronic active hepatitis were significantly older than patients
      with chronic persistent hepatitis (p less than 0.05). Before treatment, the
      proportions of different subsets of lymphocytes were within the normal reference
      values and the CD4/CD8 ratio was also normal. No increased activation of T-cells
      was noticed. Patients over 50 years of age, however, had a significantly
      increased (p less than 0.01) proportion of HLA-DR+ lymphocytes, mainly B-cells.
      Treatment decreased the absolute number of peripheral blood leukocytes and
      lymphocytes. There was also a significant decline in the proportion of CD8+
      lymphocytes and NK-cells, and a significant increase in the proportion HLA-DR+
      cells and of the CD4/CD8 ratio. The increased proportion of HLA-DR+ cells,
      however, did not reflect peripheral T-cell activation; instead, it was due to
      increasing B lymphocyte numbers.

PMID- 1406080
TI  - Haemodynamic alterations and their morphological basis in biliary obstruction.
AB  - The relationship between the haemodynamic alterations and morphological changes
      in the liver caused by biliary obstruction was investigated in rats after
      ligation of the common bile duct. In these rats, the portal vein pressure was
      markedly elevated, and the differences in blood pressure between the portal vein
      and the terminal portal venule and between the terminal portal venule and the
      terminal hepatic venule were greater than in the sham-operated rat. The livers
      showed narrowing of the most peripheral branches of the portal vein due to
      compression by proliferated bile ductules and sinusoidal stenosis due to enlarged
      liver cells, but there was no perceptible change in the hepatic vein branches.
      These data suggest that hepatic circulatory disturbance in biliary obstruction is
      caused by deformation of the peripheral portal vein branches and sinusoidal
      stenosis.

PMID- 1406079
TI  - Modulation of thioacetamide-induced hepatocellular necrosis by prostaglandins is
      associated with novel histologic changes.
AB  - Cytoprotective effects of the prostaglandins 16,16-dimethyl PGE2 (dmPGE2) and
      PGF2 alpha tromethamine (PGF2 alpha) were evaluated in the rat model of acute
      hepatocellular necrosis induced by thioacetamide (TAA). dmPGE2 (100 micrograms/kg
      SC 8 hourly) did not induce a significant increase in survival when started after
      the onset of TAA-induced fulminant hepatic failure. However, priming with dmPGE2
      (100 micrograms/kg SC 30 min before TAA) reduced TAA-induced elevations in serum
      ALT (684 +/- 68 (SEM) vs 274 +/- 135 IU/1, p less than 0.01). This phenomenon did
      not occur if dmPGE2 was administered after TAA or by the IP route. Modulation of
      TAA-induced centrizonal hepatocellular necrosis by dmPGE2 was associated with a
      striking increase in centrizonal ballooning of hepatocytes (p less than 0.01),
      and, as assessed by stereology, less hepatocellular necrosis and degenerative
      changes. PGF2 alpha, which in contrast to dmPGE2 does not act via cAMP, had no
      effect on TAA-induced changes in serum ALT or hepatic histology. These findings
      suggest that dmPGE2 decreases hepatocellular necrosis by activating surface
      membrane adenylate cyclase and consequently stimulating cAMP. Ballooning of
      hepatocytes could occur secondary to these membrane events and appears to be a
      marker of dmPGE2-induced cytoprotection in this model.

PMID- 1406081
TI  - An enzyme-linked (alkaline phosphatase) oligonucleotide probe for the detection
      of serum hepatitis B virus DNA.
AB  - Serum HBV-DNA detection represents a new and important diagnostic tool for the
      hepatologist, as well as a prognostic and therapeutic guide. Though most
      laboratories use genomic radioactive probes, the appearance of commercially
      available enzyme-linked oligonucleotide probes, which simplify the method,
      represents an advance in HBV-DNA detection. In order to verify the value of an
      enzyme-linked (alkaline phosphatase) oligonucleotide probe in HBV-DNA detection,
      we have first compared the results of the detection of serum HBV-DNA in 46
      patients at different serological stages of HBV infection using this probe and
      with those obtained using a genomic P32-labeled probe. Fisher's test analysis of
      the results shows statistical significance; this indicates a high correlation
      between methods. Secondly, we have tested 296 sera of patients at different
      serological stages of HBV infection with the enzyme-linked probe; we have found
      HBV-DNA in 8 patients with acute hepatitis (61.54%), 61 HBeAg (70.12%), and 7
      anti-HBe (12.07%) chronic hepatitis. These results show the value of this probe
      for routine survey of serum HBV-DNA using a simple method which avoids the use of
      radioactivity.

PMID- 1406082
TI  - Intracellular distribution and effect of the antimalarial drug mefloquine on
      lysosomes of rat liver.
AB  - Mefloquine was administered in a single dose (1-30 mg/100 g) to rats in order to
      study its subcellular distribution and effects on rat liver lysosomal structure
      and function. Subcellular fractionation showed a significant enrichment of
      mefloquine in lysosomes. Even repeated administration of mefloquine did not
      affect the levels of cytochrome-P-450 or its reductase, indicating, although not
      proving, that it is not metabolized by this mono-oxygenase system. Mefloquine
      caused an expansion of the lysosomal apparatus, earliest seen by 24 h and lasting
      for some 7 days. Initially, cytoplasmic constituents were seen inside the
      lysosomes. Later, the lysosomes harboured myelin-like figures (multilamellar
      bodies) disappearing after 7-10 days. The proteolytic and lipolytic capacity was
      assessed in isolated lysosomes. Mefloquine caused increased protein degradation
      but decreased breakdown of lipids. Concomitantly, all five major phospholipids
      (phosphatidyl-choline, -ethanolamine, -inositol, -serine and sphingomyelin)
      increased in the lysosomes. It is concluded that: (1) mefloquine is a
      lysosomotropic drug that accumulates in lysosomes; (2) mefloquine impairs lipid
      degradation with ensuing accumulation of lipids in lysosomes; and (3) lysosomal
      trapping explains the high volume distribution of mefloquine.

PMID- 1406083
TI  - Quantitative analysis of activated Kupffer cells in viral hepatitis: application
      of computer image analysis for lectin histochemistry.
AB  - Lectin histochemistry revealed that Kupffer cells in the normal liver bound
      lectins such as Concanavalin A (Con A), Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA) and
      Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), but did not bind Peanut agglutinin (PNA), Dolichos
      fibflorus agglutinin (DBA), Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA-I) or Soybean
      agglutinin (SBA). Kupffer cells in viral liver diseases, however, bound the PNA
      lectin and the binding was specific to Kupffer cells in liver parenchyma.
      Computer image analysis was performed using light micrographs of sections stained
      with immunoperoxidase and diaminobenzidine (DAB). The dark brown area of reaction
      products was detected by analyzing each color component (red, green and blue) in
      the picture and was expressed as the percent area in the parenchyma. Quantitative
      analysis revealed the percent area occupied by Kupffer cells positive for the PNA
      lectin was as follows: acute hepatitis, 2.83 +/- 0.74; chronic persistent
      hepatitis, 2.51 +/- 0.88; chronic aggressive hepatitis, activity moderate and
      severe, 4.71 +/- 2.23 and 3.45 +/- 1.84; and liver cirrhosis, 1.96 +/- 0.99. The
      percent area of Kupffer cells was significantly higher in CAH2A than that in
      chronic persistent hepatitis or in liver cirrhosis. These results suggest that
      the PNA lectin could be used as a marker for activated Kupffer cells and that
      activated Kupffer cells were increased in volume in chronic aggressive hepatitis.

PMID- 1406084
TI  - Breast disease evaluation with fat-suppressed magnetic resonance imaging.
AB  - Thirty patients with a variety of pathologically confirmed malignant and benign
      pathologic lesions of the breast were evaluated with a spectrally selective fat
      suppression imaging technique to obtain fat-suppressed images of the breast. The
      technique, a selective partial inversion-recovery (SPIR) method, demonstrated the
      architectural relationship of malignant and benign tumors with respect to the
      normal water-containing elements of the breast. These relationships included
      signs of advanced malignant disease such as tissue retraction, invasive growth,
      and multicentricity, which appeared on the fat-suppressed images. Fat-suppressed
      imaging provided useful information for assessing the breasts of both pre- and
      postmenopausal women, especially in the latter group, where fatty involution of
      the breast is common. Microcysts, which are normally not visualized by
      conventional methods, were demonstrated and associated with patients having
      confirmed fibrocystic disease of the breast. As expected, the SPIR technique did
      not improve the ability to distinguish between tissues having similar T1 and T2
      relaxation time values, such as malignant tumors and normal breast parenchymal
      tissues. The technique was able to demonstrate that the intense lipid signal,
      known to be responsible for obscuring the borders of water-fat interfaces and
      small tumors, could be eliminated in a variety of pathological settings.

PMID- 1406085
TI  - Heterogeneous in vivo MR images of soft tissue tumors: guide to gross specimen
      sampling.
AB  - Twelve soft tissue tumors preoperatively studied with magnetic resonance (MR)
      imaging contained areas of inhomogeneous intralesional signal intensity. The
      pathologist's selection of biopsy sites from gross specimens was based on
      specific MR images selected by a radiologist and depended on close cooperation
      between the radiologist and pathologist. The histopathology so sampled, further
      depended on the lesion's size, careful gross specimen orientation, discrete
      sampling, and a specially developed Grid Analysis technique. Our initial
      experience indicates that (1) histology may vary within different and often
      neighboring sites of a single soft tissue lesion; (2) that such variability is
      common in soft tissue tumors; (3) that histological variability within different
      sites of a single lesion influences signal heterogeneity; and (4) that although
      differing MR signal intensities per se are not tissue specific, MR may enhance
      the histopathological accuracy of pathologists who can be directed to particular
      gross specimen sites by magnetic resonance images. To our knowledge such a
      specific, detailed effort has not been made.

PMID- 1406086
TI  - Magnetization transfer contrast imaging of the human leg at 0.1 T: a preliminary
      study.
AB  - Magnetization transfer contrast imaging is an MR technique that capitalizes on
      interactions between the protons of mobile and macromolecularly bound water
      molecules. Studies to date, conducted primarily on 4.7 T and 1.5 T MR systems,
      have yielded results unique from conventional T1- and T2-weighted imaging
      studies. In this study, performed on a 0.1 T device, a section of lower leg was
      imaged in 20 normal human subjects and one patient with muscular dystrophy, using
      both a standard 500/22 gradient-echo sequence and a 500/22 gradient-echo sequence
      combined with off-resonance radio frequency irradiation designed to elicit
      magnetization transfer contrast. Results of the two techniques were compared. Our
      findings suggest that magnetization transfer contrast imaging is feasible at 0.1
      T, and that this technique allows reproducible tissue characterization and
      improves contrast between certain tissues.

PMID- 1406087
TI  - On the relation between the dimensions and resonance characteristics of the vocal
      tract: a study with MRI.
AB  - The relation between the spatial configuration of the vocal tract as determined
      by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the acoustical signal produced was
      investigated. A male subject carried out a set of phonatory tasks, comprising the
      utterance of the sustained vowels /i/ and /a/, each in a single articulation, and
      the vowel /epsilon/ with his larynx positioned variously on a vertical axis. Two-
      and three-dimensional measurements of the vocal tract were performed. The results
      of these measurements were used to calculate resonance frequencies, according to
      predictions from acoustical theory. Finally, calculated frequencies were compared
      with actually measured resonance frequencies in the audio signal. We found a
      strong relation between the acoustical signal produced and the spatial
      configuration for the first resonance frequencies of the articulations of the
      vowel /epsilon/, and first two resonance frequencies of the vowels /a/ and /i/.
      The capability to determine accurately vocal tract dimensions is a major
      advantage of this imaging technique.

PMID- 1406088
TI  - Thymidine-modulated 5-fluorouracil metabolism in liver and RIF-1 tumors studied
      by 19F magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
AB  - 19F Magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to study the impact of the
      biochemical modulator thymidine (TdR) on the 5-fluorouracil (5FU) metabolism in
      the livers and radiation-induced fibrosarcoma (RIF-1) tumors of 5FU-treated C3H
      mice. The liver spectra measured after administration of 5FU (65 or 130 mg/kg IP)
      showed the 5 FU resonance and its catabolites alpha-fluoro-beta-ureidopropionic
      acid and alpha-fluoro-beta-alanine. At the latter dose, fluoronucleotide signal
      was also detected. The liver spectra of TdR-pretreated (500 mg/kg, IP) mice
      showed additional signals of fluoronucleotide and fluoronucleoside at both 5FU
      doses, while alpha-fluoro-beta-alanine was not detected. TdR pretreatment
      increased the half-life of 5FU in livers from 24 +/- 2 to 126 +/- 46 SEM min at
      the 5FU dose of 65 mg/kg and from 28 +/- 2 to 95 +/- 22 min at the 130 mg/kg dose
      (P less than .1 and P less than .01, respectively). TdR-pretreated mice had
      higher 5FU anabolite (fluoronucleotide + fluoronucleoside) levels in their RIF-1
      tumors than nonpretreated mice that received the same 5FU doses (56 +/- 15 SEM
      vs. 0 arbitrary units at the 5FU dose of 65 mg/kg, and 88 +/- 21 vs. 10 +/- 3
      arbitrary units at 130 mg/kg 5FU; P less than .0001). The percentage drop in
      tumor volume was enhanced in the mice that received TdR, from 27 +/- 4 SEM to 52
      +/- 2 at the 5 FU dose of 65 mg/kg and from 24 +/- 3 to 65 +/- 4 at the 130-mg/kg
      dose (P less than .0001, both).

PMID- 1406089
TI  - In vitro NMR investigation of controlled single and repeated isoflurane
      anesthesia.
AB  - Immobilization of laboratory animals is a basic requirement for experimental in
      vivo NMR measurements. The effect of single and repeated isoflurane anesthesia on
      proton NMR relaxation times T1 and T2 in rat liver was studied. Furthermore,
      physiological monitoring was performed to evaluate the influence of isoflurane
      anesthesia (up to 2 hr) on biological parameters. Neither single nor repeated
      isoflurane application over the observed time produce relevant alterations of
      physiological parameters or relaxation times, compared with untreated control
      groups. Therefore, we conclude that isoflurane anesthesia is appropriate for in
      vivo NMR investigations, especially of the liver.

PMID- 1406090
TI  - Explicit treatment of mutual inductance in eight-column birdcage resonators.
AB  - A formulation has been developed for the determination of self and mutual
      inductances in unloaded, eight-column symmetric birdcage coils using their
      expected resonant mode current patterns and well-known inductance formulas. The
      average frequency differences between theory and experiment for mode one
      resonances for nine low-pass coils were 0.66 (+/- 0.57) MHz and 2.14 (+/- 2.08)
      MHz using effective (self plus mutual) and self inductances, respectively, and
      similarly, for three high-pass coils, 1.19 (+/- 0.56) MHz and 2.79 (+/- 2.20)
      MHz. These frequency differences were more pronounced for the higher modes; for
      mode four, the differences neglecting mutual inductance were 14.30 (+/- 11.10)
      MHz and 10.42 (+/- 4.60) MHz for the low- and high-pass coils, respectively. This
      analysis provides the first explicit evaluation of the total end-ring and column
      inductances L1 and L2 within each birdcage section at resonance with resulting
      excellent agreement in resonant frequencies between theory and experiment.

PMID- 1406091
TI  - Purpose-designed probes and their applications for dynamic NMR microscopy in an
      electromagnet.
AB  - The electromagnet provides a favorable environment for certain applications of
      NMR microscopy. These include plant imaging experiments and measurements of slow
      molecular diffusion, where high magnetic field gradients for the pulsed gradient
      spin echo (PGSE) technique are required. In this paper, two probes designed
      specifically for these two applications are described. In the first case, the
      open space within the probe has been maximized in order to incorporate
      environmental support systems for the plant, while in the second the smallest
      possible PGSE gradient coil former has been used to maximize the gradient
      strength. Examples are given of Dynamic NMR Microscopy experiments on a castor
      bean stem and on poly(ethylene oxide)/water solutions under shear thinning
      conditions.

PMID- 1406092
TI  - Compression and reconstruction of MRI images using 2D DCT.
AB  - In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the original data are sampled in the spatial
      frequency domain. The sampled data thus constitute a set of discrete Fourier
      transform (DFT) coefficients. The image is usually reconstructed by taking
      inverse DFT. The image data may then be compressed using the discrete cosine
      transform (DCT). We present here a method of treating the data that combines two
      procedures, image reconstruction and data compression. This method may be
      particularly useful in medical picture archiving and communication systems (PACS)
      where both image reconstruction and compression are important issues.

PMID- 1406093
TI  - Fetal development of mice following intrauterine exposure to a static magnetic
      field of 6.3 T.
AB  - The study was undertaken to investigate possible teratogenic effects of a high
      magnetic field on fetal development in mice. Eighty-four pregnant CD-1 mice (ICR)
      were exposed to a static magnetic field of 6.3 T for 1 hr a day from day 7
      through day 14 of gestation, a period corresponding to major organogenesis. Fifty
      mice served as controls. Dams were sacrificed on day 18 of gestation. Fetuses
      were examined for both external and skeletal abnormalities. No significant
      differences between exposed and control groups were observed regarding litter
      size, fetal weight, intrauterine mortality rate, or external and skeletal
      anomalies. The effects of static magnetic field of 6.3 T on the parameters
      studied appear negligible.

PMID- 1406094
TI  - Evaluation of nonionic nitroxyl lipids as potential organ-specific contrast
      agents for magnetic resonance imaging.
AB  - Considering their intrinsic properties of accumulation in the hepatic tissue, we
      have synthesized nitroxyl-containing lipids as potential organ-specific contrast
      agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Their resistance to reduction by
      ascorbate and in liver homogenates, and their relaxivity in different media were
      investigated and compared to those of free carboxyl-Proxyl (3-carboxy-2,2,5,5
      tetramethylpyrrolidine-1-oxyl) and Tempamaine (4-amino-2,2,6,6
      tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl). With respect to the reduction rates by ascorbate,
      the lipid derivatives show the same well-known order of reactivity as carboxy
      Proxyl and Tempamine, the five-membered nitroxyls being more stable than the six
      membered compounds. However the binding of the piperidinoxyl compounds to the
      fatty acids confers to those lipid derivatives a markedly increased stability.
      Similarly, in liver homogenates, the nitroxyl lipids remained unchanged more than
      20 min, contrarily to carboxy-Proxyl and Tempamine. The measurements of spin
      lattice relaxation time (T1) in biological media have demonstrated a higher
      relaxivity of nitroxyl lipids, which can be related to their interaction with
      proteins. Tested in vivo, one of the synthesized compounds (0.75 mmol/kg)
      produced an enhancement of 44 +/- 12% of the hepatic signal 5 min after
      intraportal injection in T1-weighted images. The potential applicability of the
      other nitroxyl lipids as contrast agents for MRI was limited in the in vivo
      studies by an unexpected toxicity. Work is currently in progress to improve the
      therapeutic index of the present class of nitroxyl lipids.

PMID- 1406095
TI  - Motion-triggered cine MR imaging of active joint movement.
AB  - MRI cine studies of active physiological joint movement can provide additional
      functional information as a supplement to standard examinations. With the ankle
      joint as an example, it is shown that it is possible to measure kinematic MRI
      presentations of active joint movement. A pneumatic pressure transducer, a
      respiratory monitor, and an active differentiator transformed the skin muscle
      shifting of periodically performed joint movement to a pseudo-ECG, which finally
      triggered the MRI scanner as in cardiac cine MR imaging.

PMID- 1406096
TI  - Gradient amplifier imperfections in NMR imaging.
AB  - This paper describes the influence of the transition distortion of gradient
      amplifiers on direct Fourier NMR imaging techniques. We demonstrate artifacts
      arising in the real measurement of the spin density images. Image artifacts are
      compared with artifacts obtained by computer simulations of the transition
      distortion of gradient amplifiers.

PMID- 1406097
TI  - Optimization schemes for selective excitations: application to the DIGGER pulses.
AB  - In this work, two distinct approaches to the tailoring of selective
      radiofrequency (RF) pulses were applied to a cos-sinc pulse of the DIGGER
      sequence used in localized spectroscopy. Ideally, three such pulses combined with
      a gradient in each direction destroy the Mz component of the magnetization
      everywhere but in the volume of interest. In the first approach, the optimal RF
      amplitude modulation is found by minimizing the difference between the ideal and
      the computed Mz profiles. In the second strategy, the RF pulse envelope is
      adjusted by optimization of the tip angle profile. Computed slice profiles
      optimized by each of these methods have been compared to experimental results.
      Simulations as well as experiments show that the second approach, which optimizes
      tip angles, is the most efficient.

PMID- 1406098
TI  - Spectroscopic imaging display and analysis.
AB  - A system for display of magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopic imaging (SI) data
      is described which provides for efficient review and analysis of the
      multidimensional spectroscopic and spatial data format of this technique.
      Features include the rapid display of spectra from selected image voxels,
      formation of spectroscopic images, spectral and image data processing operations,
      methods for correlating spectroscopic image data with high resolution 1H MR
      images, and hardcopy facilities. Examples are shown for 31P and 1H spectroscopic
      imaging studies obtained in human and rat brain.

PMID- 1406099
TI  - CT and MR appearance of subureteric Teflon and periuretral Teflon migration: a
      case report.
AB  - We present the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) findings of a
      case in which an adult patient underwent subureteric injection of
      polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE; Teflon) (STING) to correct vesicoureteral reflux.
      We report the appearance of periureteral PTFE migration mimicking cystic
      pathology.

PMID- 1406100
TI  - Skeletal muscle lymphoma: MRI evaluation.
AB  - The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of two cases of malignant
      lymphoproliferative disease involving skeletal muscle are presented. In both
      cases involved muscles were quantitatively and subjectively hypointense to fat on
      T1-weighted spin echo images, hypointense or isointense on T2-weighted spin echo
      images, and hyperintense on short tau inversion recovery (STIR) images. The
      findings suggest that lymphoproliferative disease should be considered as an
      etiology of a skeletal muscle lesion that is hypointense or isointense to fat on
      T2-weighted spin echo magnetic resonance images.

PMID- 1406101
TI  - Who's in charge? Guardianships and children.

PMID- 1406102
TI  - Respiratory syncytial virus and the use of ribavirin.

PMID- 1406103
TI  - Breast-feeding in the face of adversity.

PMID- 1406104
TI  - Controversies in caring for the child with a head injury.

PMID- 1406105
TI  - Enhancing "employability".

PMID- 1406106
TI  - For those who enjoy variety.

PMID- 1406107
TI  - Around before the term was coined.

PMID- 1406108
TI  - Expertise for quality care.

PMID- 1406109
TI  - Drawing out. Young mothers.

PMID- 1406110
TI  - Condoms as primary prevention in sexually active women.

PMID- 1406111
TI  - EPSDT: the law.

PMID- 1406112
TI  - Burned out? Try a new challenge in rural hospital.

PMID- 1406113
TI  - A place for infants with HIV.

PMID- 1406114
TI  - Guidelines for using meta-analysis.

PMID- 1406115
TI  - Meeting goals with limited financial resources.

PMID- 1406116
TI  - Lamaze techniques for pediatric pain.

PMID- 1406117
TI  - More methods for managing shoulder dystocia.

PMID- 1406118
TI  - More on revised immunization schedules.

PMID- 1406119
TI  - Acyclovir in the management of chickenpox.

PMID- 1406120
TI  - Assessment of the quality of teaching.

PMID- 1406121
TI  - Twelve tips for conducting effective workshops.

PMID- 1406123
TI  - How we use questionnaires for learner evaluation of clinical experiences.
AB  - The use of questionnaires incorporating quantitative and qualitative analysis are
      an integral part of practice when monitoring the learning experience for student
      nurses on clinical placement. This paper outlines this system in the belief that
      the information could be helpful to other health professionals who are
      responsible for monitoring the clinical learning experiences of their students.
      Reference is made to other systems, such as educational audit, and some of the
      trends identified in analysing data collected is discussed. Finally, the
      potential for further developing this system is noted.

PMID- 1406122
TI  - Medical students' perceptions of themselves and residents as teachers.
AB  - Eighty-three medical students from one class at the University of Vermont College
      of Medicine were surveyed as to their perceptions of both themselves and
      residents as teachers. Sixty seven percent of the students felt that residents
      played a significant role as teachers during the first clinical year. Students
      estimated that one-third of their knowledge could be attributed to housestaff
      teaching. A large majority of students wanted to teach students during medical
      school (80%) and residency (93%). Ninety percent of students surveyed would
      participate in a workshop to improve teaching skills prior to beginning
      residency; of this group, forty nine students ranked the importance of components
      of a teaching skills workshop. The findings suggest that medical students are
      interested both in learning teaching skills and teaching during medical school
      and during residency.

PMID- 1406124
TI  - Postgraduate teaching audit by peer review of videotape recordings.
AB  - The effectiveness of peer review in postgraduate medical teaching by hospital
      consultants using videotape recordings of teaching sessions has been assessed.
      The technique is useful for routine, infrequent and for 'one off' self-tuition.
      Participants' assessment of the 'clarity of structure' of teaching sessions and
      'abilities to self-analyse' did change but 'mannerisms' did not.

PMID- 1406125
TI  - How to evaluate educational programmes in the health professions.
AB  - This paper advocates an alternative approach to the evaluation of educational
      programmes in the health professions. In the past, effectiveness of programmes
      has been judged by casual observations, visitation reports by outside experts,
      student performance at nationwide examinations, systematic surveys and
      experimental research. Decisions have been made based on either one or more of
      the above methods. It is being argued that these methods are not always
      appropriate and mostly inadequate in providing a holistic description and
      judgement of the educational programme. Social science disciplines have
      contributed to the development of case study, an alternative methodology, for
      evaluating educational programmes. The case study design is emerging as a
      legitimate approach for evaluating educational programmes. Qualitative methods
      such as participant observation, interviewing and documentary analysis have been
      found to bring new insights in evaluating short-term and long-term programmes in
      medical and allied professions. Although qualitative methods are emphasized in
      case studies, quantitative data from survey instruments can increase the
      credibility and understanding of the evaluation results. Different measures have
      been suggested to deal with questions of validity and reliability in case study
      evaluation.

PMID- 1406126
TI  - Senior medical students as simulated patients in an objective structured clinical
      examination: motivation and benefits.
AB  - Third and fourth year medical students were recruited to participate as simulated
      patients and examiners in an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)
      administered for second year medical students. Students reported they were
      motivated to participate, not only by the honorarium, but because they believed
      the OSCE would be fun and interesting and because they were interested in medical
      education and in improving clinical evaluation. The third and fourth year medical
      students benefitted academically and financially from participation. Faculty
      benefitted by having a readily available source of enthusiastic and knowledgeable
      simulated patients.

PMID- 1406127
TI  - An examination of the examinations: the reliability of the objective structured
      clinical examination and clinical examination.
AB  - This study evaluates the correlation that exists between the objective structured
      clinical examination and the traditional clinical examination. An analysis is
      performed on the results of four groups of students assessed by these two
      methods. The internal consistency of the OSCE is also described by correlating
      the results by rank difference correlation using the split-half method of grading
      the even and odd numbered stations separately. Also 46 surgical interns were
      asked to indicate their preference regarding the efficacy of five different
      methods of assessment of clinical competence. The results indicate a high
      reliability of OSCE and traditional clinical examination. In the opinion of
      surgical interns, the OSCE and clinical examination both scored high for their
      ability to assess clinical competence.

PMID- 1406128
TI  - Faculty evaluation of student performance: a step toward improving the process.
AB  - Most clerkship evaluation systems give the greatest evaluative weight in deriving
      grades to some form of evaluation by faculty and housestaff, although few studies
      have been reported concerning which elements of performance are most important or
      which discriminate best. The results of this study show that a select group of
      faculty, heavily involved with assessment of student performance, agreed that
      certain aspects of performance were more important and/or discriminated better
      between average and superior medicine clerks. We suggest that those aspects of
      performance be given more consideration when designing curricula, providing
      student feedback, and assigning grades for medicine clerkships and that medical
      educators engage faculty and housestaff in the formal discussion of issues
      surrounding evaluation.

PMID- 1406129
TI  - Profile-based assessment of student project reports.
AB  - During their final year, medical students at Sheffield University are required to
      undertake a research or audit project. The students' project reports are assessed
      using a grid-style criterion-based profile. This is described, and the validity
      and reliability of this method of summative assessment are discussed.

PMID- 1406130
TI  - Weightage of formative examinations in certifying examination of pharmacology: an
      opinion poll and relative performance of learners.
AB  - A study was carried out to obtain the view points of 186 graduate students
      regarding formative examination, it's frequency, weightage in certifying
      examination, feedback about progress made or lack of it and the planning of
      learning activities. Majority of students were of the opinion that the class
      tests and tutorials should be conducted frequently and sufficient weightage of
      formative examinations should be given in the certifying examination. They were
      able to get feed back and plan out the learning activities accordingly. The
      performance in both theory and practicals of formative and certifying
      examinations in Pharmacology was analyzed. The average percentage marks secured
      by the students in both theory and practical of the certifying examination were
      higher than those secured in the formative examination. However, the reliability
      of theory examinations was more than the practical examinations. A positive
      correlation was observed between the marks of formative and certifying
      examination between theory as well as of practicals. The Pearson's Correlation
      Coefficient gamma was +0.932 and +0.715 while Spearman's rank order Coefficient
      rho was +0.792 and +0.649 for theory and practicals respectively suggesting
      positive and strong correlation.

PMID- 1406131
TI  - The multiple choice true/false question: what does it measure and what could it
      measure?
AB  - Multiple choice questions of the true/false type are widely used in medical
      education. Evidence is given which suggests that they only tap a low level of
      intellectual skill. By using them in a slightly different manner it is suggested
      that they could be ideal techniques for measuring concept mastery. Some of the
      consequences of this idea are discussed.

PMID- 1406132
TI  - Learning contracts in clinical education: evaluation by clinical supervisors.
AB  - Learning contracts can be a useful learning and evaluation tool within a clinical
      setting provided the supervisor shifts their role from one of imparter of
      knowledge to facilitator of learning. If this role is not assumed then a
      student's learning experience could be jeopardized. In a survey of 59 student
      supervisors, 90 percent found the learning contract to be a useful evaluation and
      teaching tool. Advantages stated suggest that the learning contract promotes
      negotiation between student and teacher, provides a flexible learning environment
      and promotes acquisition of self-directed learning skills. These qualities are
      important in a clinical or practical setting where learning experiences cannot be
      standardized.

PMID- 1406133
TI  - The survival game.
AB  - This paper describes a flexible and enjoyable learning game and summarizes our
      experiences of using it (including the medical students' own evaluation of the
      game). The description is sufficiently detailed to encourage readers to reproduce
      and adapt the game to fit their own requirements.

PMID- 1406134
TI  - Learning objectives in training residents in general surgery in Kuwait.
AB  - An opinion survey of a five-year postgraduate training programme in general
      surgery was conducted using a questionnaire. The residents who responded
      indicated that the use of learning objectives needed to be given greater
      emphasis. They felt that learning objectives should be more clearly defined and
      be communicated with the learners and the instructors at an early stage in the
      programme. While the opportunity for learning theoretical concepts in surgery was
      rated as a strong feature of the programme, learning practical skills, it was
      pointed out, needed augmenting.

PMID- 1406135
TI  - Primary care residency programme evaluation: an analysis of three resident
      cohorts.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to conduct a longitudinal evaluation of a
      university primary care (PC) medical residency programme and use the results to
      plan for future curriculum development. Overall performance and the ambulatory
      medical care of three consecutive resident cohorts training from 1982 to 1987 was
      assessed by attending physicians. PC residents' performance in ambulatory
      continuity practice was also compared to that of traditional residents'
      performance in 1985-86. The scoring profile of primary care attendings was
      compared to that of other attendings. Residents received lowest scores in
      diagnostic evaluation, leadership and administration. Their best evaluations were
      in medical care, personal attributes and communication. Two of the three primary
      care cohorts received lower medical care scores in ambulatory continuity practice
      compared to other rotations, but had higher overall scores in ambulatory
      continuity practice than did traditional residents in 1985-86. Primary care
      attendings gave lower scores to primary care residents than did other faculty.

PMID- 1406136
TI  - How I teach medical students as an attending physician.
AB  - The General Professional Education of the Physician (GPEP) Report (1984)
      recommended a major re-examination of the clinical clerkship, so that medical
      students could master the basic skills of medicine before graduation. These
      include clinical observation, interviewing, physical examination, and problem
      solving skills. This essay discusses the teaching approach of one attending
      physician during the third year ward clerkship in pediatrics. It describes how
      many of the goals of clinical medical education can be accomplished during the
      clerkship in a practical, realistic way. It is the only description about what
      happens during the teaching sessions of a clinical clerkship on a day by day
      basis in the medical literature. This approach may serve as a model for clinical
      teachers of medicine in the organization and planning of the clerkship
      experience.

PMID- 1406138
TI  - The cryptic school of time wasting techniques.

PMID- 1406137
TI  - Does incourse assessment and counselling improve exist performance?
AB  - Based on an incourse MCQ test in obstetrics and gynaecology, 60 final year
      medical students were individually advised, according to their performance,
      whether or not they needed to work harder at the subject to avoid the risk of
      failure at the final medical examination. Nobody who performed well at the MCQ
      failed or was borderline at the final examination. Half of those who were advised
      to work harder occupied the lowest marks at the final examination. The incourse
      MCQ was sensitive in selecting out those candidates at risk in their final
      examination but the advice they were given failed to deal with the deficiencies
      in half of the students involved. After graduating, these doctors will presumably
      need special help to maintain their knowledge as they are either incapable of
      self-motivation or are otherwise deficient. The incourse assessment feedback may
      have helped another small groups of students to work harder but this study cannot
      confirm that. The exercise seems worthwhile in that the outlay in time is small,
      there may be a positive advantage for some students and the medical teacher can
      feel free of any guilt for failing to advise those students who were at risk of
      poor performance in the final examination.

PMID- 1406139
TI  - What's new in education: items of interest to medical educators.

PMID- 1406140
TI  - Do you know? An opportunity to assess how up-to-date you are with the medical
      education literature.

PMID- 1406141
TI  - [Maintenance of the stability of the rate of movement of the emitter in Russian x
      ray computed tomographs].

PMID- 1406142
TI  - [The stability of the properties of electroradiographic plates for medical x-ray
      diagnosis].
AB  - The properties of selenium electrocardiographic plates used for the purposes of
      medical diagnosis are under discussion. The plates are observed to reveal no
      noticeable traces of fatigue and to retain constant sensitivity to radiation and
      radiography in the case of the 5 to 10 minutes' interval between obtaining
      electroradiograms (ERG) during working hours (7 hours). After the technical
      resource which is equal to 2000 ERG is over, the radiation sensitivity decreases
      to 10% and defectiveness does not exceed 25%. The actual expiration date of the
      plates is between 7 and 9 years without worsening of their properties. The
      quality of the plates stored for a longer time might deteriorate due to the
      defect which is attributed to crystallization of the selenium layer.

PMID- 1406143
TI  - [Leakage radiation from the RUM-17 x-ray apparatus outside the main beam].
AB  - The leakage radiation exposure rate was measured outside the main beam of the RUM
      17 orthovoltage therapeutic x-ray unit by a 1000 cm3 ionization chamber. The
      results were corrected according to the detector volume averaging. It has been
      shown that the relative exposure rate normalized to the beam axis exposure rate
      does not depend on voltage and filter thickness. It can be represented by the
      same equation. The most important sources of non-used radiation are leakages from
      the shield (near the treatment cone connection) and scattering in the plexiglass
      window of the treatment cone.

PMID- 1406144
TI  - [Development of the new generation of automated laser computer systems for
      diagnosis and treatment of stomatologic diseases].

PMID- 1406145
TI  - [Construction of calibration curves for processing the results of immunometric
      analyses].

PMID- 1406146
TI  - [New information technology in medicine].

PMID- 1406147
TI  - [The EOL trainer for respiratory muscles].
AB  - A training equipment for respiratory muscles is suggested. It may create peak
      load at the initial phase of inspiration and expiration, thereby ensuring less
      fatiguability of respiratory muscles. The efficacy of the training equipment was
      estimated by clinical and instrumental methods in a group of 43 patients
      suffering from chronic bronchitis and compared to that of the throttle type
      trainer in 36 control patients. External respiratory function, acid-base balance
      and myocardial contractility were found to be significantly improved in the
      experimental group as compared to the controls.

PMID- 1406148
TI  - [The use of a magnetically abrasive finishing for sharpening the blades of
      medical instruments].
AB  - The method of magnetically abrasive working was first tried in medical industry
      as a finishing operation for the sharpening and removing of burrs from half
      finished blades manufactured by means of vibration forging. The use of the sets
      for MAO-M-473 and EU-5 makes it possible to manufacture blades with the cutting
      edge less than or equal to 3 microns in width. The use of magnetically abrasive
      sharpening enables one to eliminate electrochemical polishing; excludes the
      appearance of superficial defects on the worked surface; raises corrosion
      stability and cyclic longevity of the articles.

PMID- 1406149
TI  - [Leakage currents of medical electrical equipment].

PMID- 1406150
TI  - [An automated method of measuring the area of contrasted bronchi].
AB  - An automated method for measuring the area of the contrasted bronchi is
      described. The method involves two research stages. The first one consists of
      routine bronchography provided to patients suffering from pulmonary diseases
      according to indications. The second stage is reduced to the digital treatment of
      the bronchograms to measure the area of the contrasted bronchi. The method is
      used for the diagnosis of functional bronchial disorders. The bronchial area was
      measured on the bronchograms taken at the height of inspiration and expiration.
      Using the data obtained and the appropriate formula, the so called integral
      coefficient of bronchial constriction was calculated. It allows functional
      disorders of bronchial patency to be diagnosed and a quantitative expression of
      that pathology to be evaluated.

PMID- 1406151
TI  - [An accelerometric method and equipment for controlling the movement of the head
      of the human operator].

PMID- 1406152
TI  - [Problems of the design of turbine stomatologic tips with light guides].
AB  - The systems of turbine stomatologic tips with light guides for local illumination
      of the tooth area to be treated are analyzed. The basic problems that arise in
      the elaboration of such systems and the results obtained are specified. The
      technical characteristics of a halogen mini-lamp to be employed in turbine
      stomatologic tips are provided.

PMID- 1406153
TI  - [A set of instruments for abdominal surgery using lasers].

PMID- 1406154
TI  - [International IEC and ISO standards of medical technology (for practical use by
      treatment and preventive organizations, developing organizations and business and
      manufacturing enterprises].

PMID- 1406155
TI  - [Quality control of the equipment in x-ray diagnostic departments].

PMID- 1406156
TI  - [Borderline pathology: follow-up study. Preliminary report].
AB  - The work is based on the frequent use of the term "borderline" in clinical
      practice, in spite of the fact that this word still tends to have a controversial
      and ambiguous meaning. Patients who were admitted to the Psychiatric Clinic at
      the University of Turin between 1974 and 1980 with diagnoses of borderline
      pathologies or marginal psychoneurosis were followed-up in the study. The
      subjects in question were reexamined after an interval of between 8 and 14 years
      (the majority between 10-12 years). An attempt was made to compare the two
      diagnoses using DSM III R criteria. Family status and employment were also taken
      into account. It was observed that the diagnosis of marginal syndromes recorded
      in the patient's clinical records did not correspond to the DSM III R borderline
      diagnosis, and rather than referring to a precise syndrome it reflected an area
      of diagnostic uncertainty. This raises various questions both with regard to the
      role of psychiatry, and in relation to the incidence of cultural factors in
      influencing observations.

PMID- 1406157
TI  - [Clinico-diagnostic criteria of hypochondriac syndromes].
AB  - The aim of this study was to examine the vast field of hypochondriac symptoms and
      to put forward diagnostic criteria following the analysis of recent studies on
      this topic. The "descriptions" based on DSM III trace a partial and selective
      picture of hypochondriac disorders which is only applicable to a small group of
      patients in which "somatic complaints" are emphasised in comparison to other less
      evident psychological variables. The symptom therefore becomes a sign of a
      pathology which is not defined according to the same complex of symptoms from
      which it arose. There is in fact no nosological model of hypochondria: we are
      only likely to meet a "potential hypochondriac" whose pathological expression is
      limited to part of the population.

PMID- 1406158
TI  - [Nosographic problems and clinico-phenomenal characteristics of psychoses in
      epilepsy].
AB  - A critical analysis is made of the published reports on the epidemiologico
      clinical and etiopathogenetic aspects of psychoses in epilepsy. Having underlined
      the principal characteristics of this pathology together with the main
      methodological and descriptive problems which emerge from the studies examined,
      the paper concludes by stressing the need for an approach based on a
      multifactorial understanding of the causes of these psychoses. In operative terms
      it is also necessary to evaluate the role of the predominant risk factors in each
      individual case.

PMID- 1406159
TI  - [Relationship between type A behavior and the other risk factors in chronic
      disease].
AB  - The relationship between psychological features and coronary heart disease (CHD)
      have long been investigated. Type A behaviour consists of psychological,
      behavioral and cognitive features and represents an important risk factor for
      CHD. The present report is a review of the international literature on the
      subject. In particular we have taken into account the relationships among type A
      and other risk factors and the possible biological mechanisms through which type
      A behaviour may promote CHD.

PMID- 1406160
TI  - [Neuroleptic malignant syndrome].
AB  - The paper defines neuroleptic malignant syndrome and analyses its incidence,
      predisposing factors, etiology, pathological anatomy and pathogenetic hypotheses.
      Symptomatology consists of three principal symptoms: extrapyramidal symptoms,
      hyperthermia, deregulation of the autonomic nervous system. The differential
      diagnosis of other similar conditions is outlined together with a proposal for a
      treatment protocol. Emphasis is laid on the importance of prevention.

PMID- 1406161
TI  - [Evaluation of effectiveness and tolerance of the long-term treatment with
      bromoperidol decanoate in psychotic disorders].
AB  - An open study in 20 patients (7 M, 13 F, mean age 40 years) has been performed in
      order to evaluate the effectiveness and the safety of bromperidol decanoate in
      the long-term treatment of psychotic disorders. Patients were selected according
      to DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria (schizophrenia, residual type: 6 patients;
      disorganized type: 4; paranoid type: 5; undifferentiated type: 2; atypical
      psychosis: 3) and treated with bromperidol decanoate 150 mg i.m. (single
      administration) every month for 6 months. The BPRS scores significantly decreased
      at the end of the therapy with respect to the beginning (-39.5%; p less than 0.01
      Friedman analysis between times); this improvement was already significant at the
      first month control. The results obtained from a clinical global impression,
      evaluated from the Visual Analogical Scale (VAS), showed that all patients
      improved at the end of the therapy (p less than 0.01 ANOVA between times). The
      side effects, mainly extrapyramidal ones, were mild and did not interfere with
      the therapy; in fact none patient dropped-out from the treatment. Bromperidol
      decanoate showed to have a good efficacy and safety in the therapy of psychotic
      disorders, with a stabilizing effect on the depressive mood.

PMID- 1406162
TI  - [First applications of a new projective-semantic test. Various considerations on
      standardization in a sample of adolescents].
AB  - Giuseppe R. Brera's B-test was used in a group of students from upper secondary
      school (102 male adolescents and 86 females) in order to carry out a preliminary
      standardisation in centiles and to assess the pattern of the seven scales of the
      test: mood, anxiety, interpersonal affectivity, sociability, autonomy of ego,
      strength of ego and guilt in adolescents. Factorial analysis by multiple
      correspondence was used in the same group of adolescents, with the exception of a
      subgroup of 20 14-year-old students from lower secondary school. The latter was
      carried out to assess the efficacy of the test in identifying groups of
      adolescents using the standard association of positive or negative methods of
      presenting the 44 variables and the free replies to the questions: what do you
      dream about, what do you look at, what do you advise. Standardisation in centiles
      allowed indicative risk scores for mental health to be defined for each factor,
      with the exception of the anxiety factor in males which appears to be a
      relatively widespread phenomenon in adolescent. Fewer adolescent females suffer
      from problems of depression, anxiety, interpersonal affectivity and sociability,
      whereas adolescent males present a smaller number of problems related to the
      autonomy of the ego, the strength of the ego and guilt. In line with previous
      works, the test identified 26% of adolescent males and 23% of adolescent females
      suffering from various in terms of the mean scores from the different factors.
      For the first time to our knowledge, multiple correspondence analysis identified
      nine groups of adolescents distributed along two factorial axes: 1 = mood, 2 =
      interpersonal affectivity. Groups 1 and 2 were characterized by being contrary to
      the other negative methods.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406163
TI  - [Discussion groups with chronic psychotics in the context of community therapy].
AB  - The paper describes the Authors clinical experience of "discussion groups" with
      psychotic patients. Attention is focused on the problems arising from the
      community therapy context, the general layout of the setting, the definition of
      objectives and methods, and in particular the attitude of group leaders.

PMID- 1406164
TI  - [Art therapy and chronic schizophrenia. Reflections on various aspects of social
      feelings and the creative self].
AB  - The Authors comment on the use of art therapy in a group of institutionalised
      chronic schizophrenic patients. The aim of these "group interventions" was to
      encourage the "feeling of belonging" and "creative participation". Artistic
      expression appears to represent an advantageous method of restoring communication
      to the schizophrenic.

PMID- 1406165
TI  - Introduction: exercise and allergy.
AB  - At a time when the American public is committed to health through exercise, a
      variety of allergic conditions related to activity are being recognized with
      increasing frequency. Conditions such as cholinergic urticaria, bronchospasm, and
      even anaphylaxis have occurred as a consequence of exercise. Thus, a symposium
      has been developed to examine the role of exercise in association with such
      conditions. Several of the physical allergies are discussed in overview fashion.
      Exercise-induced anaphylaxis, the most serious form of allergic response to
      exercise itself, is considered in greater detail. The etiology, clinical
      features, and therapy for these physical allergies are addressed. Exercise
      induced bronchospasm (EIB) has been well categorized in the literature. This is
      another exercise-related condition with an allergic component. The current
      concepts with respect to proposed etiology, epidemiology, and clinical features
      are discussed. EIB is an important condition to screen for, and techniques for
      identifying patients who should be screened are also addressed. Allergic rhinitis
      may also affect athletes. Accurate diagnosis and effective management of all
      these conditions may help greater numbers of people to enjoy the full benefits of
      exercise.

PMID- 1406166
TI  - Physical allergies.
AB  - Allergic responses that occur as a result of exposure to physical stimuli are
      discussed. Most of these conditions are mediated by vasoactive substances,
      resulting in urticaria and/or angioedema. Susceptible individuals who engage in
      athletic activities may place themselves at particular risk for these problems.
      The physical allergies include cholinergic urticaria, exercise-induced
      anaphylaxis, cold urticaria, dermatographism, solar urticaria, and aquagenic
      urticaria. Management of these conditions includes patient education, selective
      avoidance, antihistamines, and, in some cases, induction of tolerance.

PMID- 1406167
TI  - Exercise-induced anaphylaxis.
AB  - Exercise-induced anaphylaxis (EIA) is a unique form of physical allergy that has
      been recognized with increasing frequency in recent years. The hallmarks of this
      syndrome are generalized pruritus with a flushing sensation, a feeling of warmth,
      and the development of urticaria in association with vigorous physical exertion.
      These symptoms tend to occur variably with exercise, but not with passive
      warming. Most patients report typical giant urticarial eruptions. Skin mast cells
      degranulate, and serum histamine increases during symptomatic attacks. Treatment
      is often problematic, but cessation of exercise with onset of symptoms and self
      administration of epinephrine are recommended.

PMID- 1406168
TI  - Exercise-induced bronchospasm: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and therapy.
AB  - Exercise induced bronchospasm (EIB) is a common clinical problem seen in most
      individuals with chronic asthma and in nearly half the allergic population.
      Bronchospasm is typically present 5-15 min after cessation of activity, with
      spontaneous resolution usually occurring within 20-60 min. The stimulus for EIB
      is apparently a combination of airway cooling and drying, which results in
      pulmonary mast cell mediator release. Bronchospasm is generally more severe if
      there is greater baseline bronchial hyperreactivity or higher intensity of
      exercise. The treatment of choice for EIB is preexercise administration of a beta
      adrenergic agonist. Other useful therapies may include cromolyn, theophylline,
      calcium channel blockers, anticholinergics, and antihistamines. The crucial step
      for clinicians caring for these patients is making the diagnosis of EIB. The
      condition responds well to therapy, and treatment may allow for greater enjoyment
      of activity and enhanced athletic performance.

PMID- 1406169
TI  - Exercise-induced bronchospasm in the young athlete: guidelines for routine
      screening and initial management.
AB  - Exercise induced bronchospasm (EIB) commonly occurs several minutes into or
      following an exercise event. Respiratory heat loss and respiratory water loss
      have been suspected as the precursor to exercise-induced bronchospasm.
      Obstructive EIB has been reported in elite Olympic athletes as well as the
      recreational athlete. Although exercise-induced bronchospasm presents as
      wheezing, chest tightness, or dizziness during or after exercise, cough post
      exercise is a common and an easily detected characteristic of EIB. When exercise
      induced bronchospasm is suspected in the young athlete, an exercise challenge
      test should be performed. A 10% or more decrease in the peak expiratory flow rate
      in the post-exercise period is diagnostic of EIB. Once the diagnosis of EIB has
      been made, both nonpharmacological and pharmacological interventions are
      beneficial in reducing the airway responsiveness. Nonpharmacological measures
      include extensive education and cardiovascular fitness evaluation. Initial
      pharmacological management should consist of a trial of albuterol inhaler use 15
      min prior to exercise. Early identification and treatment of EIB may enhance
      sports performance as well as enjoyment.

PMID- 1406170
TI  - Breathlessness predicts perceived exertion in young women with mild asthma.
AB  - We examined ratings of breathlessness (BRE) as a predictor of perceived exertion
      (RPE) during incremental cycling at power outputs of 50, 75, and 100 W. Young
      females (21 yr +/- 1.9) diagnosed with mild asthma (N = 25) were compared with
      females having normal lung function (N = 25) matched for age, VO2peak, trait
      anxiety, activity history (7-d recall), and BMI (kg.m-2). Relative oxygen
      consumption (%VO2peak), blood lactate concentration, VE.VO2(-1), and state
      anxiety were statistically controlled in hierarchical multiple linear regression
      analyses. For each group, %VO2peak explained 60% of the variance in RPE across
      power outputs (P less than 0.001); R2 was unchanged (P greater than 0.10) with
      the addition of blood lactate, VE.VO2(-1), and state anxiety. Absolute RPE and
      BRE did not differ between groups at any power output, but partial standardized
      (beta) and unstandardized (b) regression coefficients and increases in R2 showed
      that BRE had a greater effect (P less than 0.01) on RPE for asthmatics [adjusted
      R2 increased to 0.89; (beta) = 0.75; (b) = 0.79 +/- 0.06] than for controls
      [adjusted R2 increased to 0.74; (beta) = 0.52; (b) = 0.51 +/- 0.09]. The standard
      error of the prediction was 0.79 for asthmatics and 1.16 for controls. The
      prediction of RPE by BRE was not moderated by variation in forced expiratory
      volume for 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) or peak inspiratory flow (VI).
      Physiological responses were similar for the groups, but blood lactate was higher
      in asthmatics at rest, at each power output, and at VO2peak.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406171
TI  - Maternal respiration and blood gases during aerobic exercise performed at
      moderate altitude.
AB  - We studied whether maternal acid-base status during aerobic exercise performed at
      moderate altitude is affected by pregnancy. Seven primiparus women were tested at
      37 wk gestation and 12 wk postpartum. Subjects were studied at rest, and during
      two cycle (50 W, 75 W) and two treadmill (67 m.min-1; 2.5% grade, 67 m.min-1; 12%
      grade) protocols. Exercise bouts lasted 6 min with a 10-min rest between
      sessions. Minute (VE) and alveolar (VA) ventilation, tidal volume (VT), and
      ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide (VE/VCO2) were significantly (P less
      than 0.01) greater when exercise was performed during pregnancy. Physiological
      dead space (VD) was not affected by pregnancy status and did not differ between
      rest and exercise. Decreases (P less than 0.01) in arterial pH during exercise
      averaged 0.04 units in both pregnancy and postpartum. Despite similar change in
      maternal pH, carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) remained unchanged during exercise at
      37 wk gestation but decreased at 12 wk postpartum. Decreases in arterial
      bicarbonate [HCO3-] associated with exercise were smaller during pregnancy. Our
      findings indicate that pregnancy did not compromise maternal acid-base status
      during aerobic exercise.

PMID- 1406172
TI  - Substrate oxidation and GH responses to exercise are independent of menstrual
      phase and status.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which growth hormone
      (GH) and energy substrate utilization are influenced by basal sex steroid levels
      during prolonged submaximal exercise across menstrual phase and status. Also the
      17 beta-estradiol (E2) and progesterone responses during prolonged exercise were
      compared according to menstrual phase and menstrual status. Six amenorrheic (AMc)
      athletes and seven eumenorrheic (EUc) athletes ran at 60% VO2max for 90 min and
      serial blood samples were taken at rest, every 10 min throughout exercise, and 5
      and 15 min post-exercise. The EUc athletes were tested in the early follicular
      phase (EF) (days 3-5), the late follicular phase (LF) (days 14-16) and the mid
      luteal phase (ML) (days 22-25). The incremental GH response to exercise, measured
      by area under the curve, was consistent with previous reposts and was not altered
      according to menstrual phase or status (EF-37.5 +/- 11.5, LF-61.9 +/- 11.5, ML
      48.1 +/- 12.8 micrograms.1-1.90 min-1). Furthermore, carbohydrate and fat
      utilization during exercise were not influenced by basal sex steroid levels
      associated with menstrual phase or status. The incremental E2 response to
      exercise in AMc athletes was significantly smaller than seen in EUc athletes (AMc
      208.1 +/- 44.0, EF-383.0 +/- 116.4, LF-204.7 +/- 84.1, ML-45.1 +/- 18.4 pmol.1(
      1).90 min-1), although the pattern of release is similar between groups. In
      conclusion, GH levels and substrate utilization are independent of both menstrual
      phase and status; hence, menstrual phase has no negative ramifications on
      metabolism during exercise. Amenorrhea does not result in metabolic consequences
      during prolonged exercise by influencing substrate utilization.

PMID- 1406173
TI  - A weight-lifting exercise model for inducing hypertrophy in the hindlimb muscles
      of rats.
AB  - A new method for strength-training of rat hindlimb muscles, comparable to human
      weight lifting, is compared with sprint training by a treadmill. The new training
      apparatus that can induce rats to perform human squats was designed. Squat
      training was composed of isotonic high-intensity, short-duration, and graded
      overload exercises. After 60 min of one bout of all-out squat and sprint
      training, serum creatine kinase activities were markedly increased in the squat
      group (P less than 0.001), but no significant changes were observed in the sprint
      group. These responses were reflected in the histological sections of the
      muscles. Some splitting and small fibers were observed only in the squat group,
      suggesting that different stimulations were applied to the muscles of both the
      squat and sprint groups. At the end of 12 wk of both types of training, performed
      4-5 d.wk-1, the number of fibers in the plantaris muscles of the squat group was
      greater by 14% than that in the control and sprint groups (P less than 0.001),
      suggesting hyperplasia following hypertrophy. These results indicated that the
      muscle strength-training model presented here may provide a new insight into the
      muscle hypertrophy associated with hyperplasia induced by heavy resistance
      training.

PMID- 1406174
TI  - Adrenergic responsiveness and intrinsic sinoatrial automaticity of exercise
      trained rats.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that bradycardia in exercise
      trained rats results from decreased intrinsic automaticity of the sinoatrial (SA)
      node and/or alterations in the responsiveness of the beta-receptors of atrial
      pacemaker cells. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into exercise trained (ET)
      and sedentary (SED) groups. ET rats underwent a 12-16 wk program of progressive
      treadmill training, during which time the SED rats were cage confined. In vivo,
      resting heart rates were significantly less (P less than 0.05) in ET rats (301 +/
      8 bpm) compared with the SED group (320 +/- 6 bpm). In vitro experiments were
      conducted on atria isolated from ET and SED rats, and the beta-adrenoceptor
      agonist isoproterenol was used to investigate cardiac adrenergic control of
      chronotropic mechanisms in spontaneously beating right atria and inotropic
      mechanisms in electrically paced (1 Hz) left atria. There were no significant
      differences between ET and SED cardiac preparations in either the efficacy
      (maximal response) or potency (EC50) of isoproterenol dose-response relationships
      for chronotropic or inotropic responses. Intrinsic right atrial beating
      frequency, measured in the presence of beta-adrenoceptor block by propranolol and
      cholinergic muscarinic block by atropine, was lower in ET rats. We conclude that
      training-induced bradycardia in rats is related, at least in part, to alterations
      in intrinsic automaticity of SA nodal pacemaker tissue, but does not appear to be
      associated with changes in the properties of the beta 1-adrenoceptors or their
      affiliated signal transduction mechanisms in either SA pacemaker cells or atrial
      myocytes.

PMID- 1406175
TI  - The effects of smokeless tobacco on performance and psychophysiological response.
AB  - The effects of smokeless tobacco (ST) on psychophysiological response and
      performance were examined in two studies. Study 1 compared heavy and moderate ST
      users on psychomotor tasks (simple reaction time/anticipation time and choice
      reaction time/movement time) in ST (2 g amount) and no smokeless tobacco (NST)
      conditions. Moderate users performed significantly better than heavy users; there
      were no significant psychomotor performance differences comparing ST/NST
      conditions. Heart rate and blood pressure were elevated equally for both groups
      with the use of ST. Heavy users reported significantly less state anxiety in both
      ST and NST conditions than moderate users. Study 2 replicated the psychomotor
      performance results of study 1 when comparing nonusers and ST users who were
      given four dose amounts of ST (NST, 1/3 mean dose, mean dose, and 5/3 mean) over
      4 d. For the math and Stroop tasks, ST use resulted in 12.1% and 10.4% better
      performance than the NST condition. Physiological measures showed significant
      elevations during the ST conditions. No differences between dose amounts of ST
      were apparent for any of the measures. These studies demonstrate that ST users
      perform better than nonusers when having to react to cognitively challenging task
      situations.

PMID- 1406176
TI  - Failure to generalize determinants of self-reported physical activity to a motion
      sensor.
AB  - We hypothesized that the prediction of physical activity from psychological
      determinants would differ when free-living physical activity was assessed by
      electromechanical or self-report methods. We assessed outcome-expectancy values
      and perceived barriers for physical activity (OE Values/P Barriers) and physical
      self-efficacy in 44 young (24 yr +/- 4.8) Caucasian men (N = 13) and women (N =
      31). Two weeks later, subjects kept a daily diary and wore a Caltrac motion
      sensor during all ambulation for seven consecutive days. Reliability (PI) across
      days was high for MET.h of activity estimated by the diary (0.82) and for Caltrac
      counts (0.87). Canonical correlation analysis yielded one significant linear
      combination (Rc = 0.55, P less than 0.01; redundancy = 0.19 to 0.24) of the set
      of psychological variables [OE Values/P Barriers (beta = 0.76) and physical self
      efficacy (B = 0.33)] and the set of physical activity estimates [7-d diary (B =
      0.89) and Caltrac (beta = 0.24)]. Multiple correlations indicated that the linear
      combination of OE Values/P Barriers and physical self-efficacy explained 26% of
      the variation in MET.h reported in the 7-d diary (P less than 0.01) but was
      unrelated to Caltrac counts (P greater than 0.05). The strongest bivariate model
      included the 7-d diary and OE Values/P Barriers (r = 0.51, P less than 0.01).
      Caltrac counts were weakly related to OE Values/P Barriers (r = 0.34, P less than
      0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406177
TI  - Effect of manipulation of plasma lactate on integrated EMG during cycling.
AB  - This investigation was undertaken to record electromyographic activity of the
      vastus lateralis muscle during incremental cycling exercise and to determine
      whether it would be sensitive to altered dynamics of plasma lactate increases
      seen with intense exercise. Trained cyclists (N = 6) performed two progressive,
      stepwise exercise tests (23.5 W.min-1) to fatigue on a cycle ergometer at 90 rpm.
      One of the exercise tests was preceded by arm ergometer exercise in an attempt to
      elevate the circulating plasma lactate levels prior to starting the criterion
      exercise test. The starting mean plasma lactate values were 4.59 and 26.69 mmol
      lactate.-1 for the two exercise sessions. Cardiorespiratory values did not differ
      significantly between exercise sessions completed in the absence and presence of
      increased circulating plasma lactate. The no-arm trial (i.e., nonelevated plasma
      lactate condition) was associated with a plasma lactate inflection point (Tlac)
      at 72.6% VO2max. Previous arm exercise elevated the lactate such that during the
      criterion exercise plasma lactate values were decreasing with increasing power
      output at lower exercise intensities. As exercise intensity increased lactate
      values also increased beginning at a power output of about 76% VO2 max. Mean per
      cycle integrated EMG (CIEMG) increased linearly with increased power output in
      both exercise sessions. The slopes of the EMG-power output curve were not
      significantly different (P less than 0.05). There were no inflection points in
      these curves. The absence of an inflection point show that surface EMG does not
      provide an indication of Tlac.

PMID- 1406178
TI  - Propulsive and gliding phases in four cross-country skiing techniques.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to compare the relative durations of the propulsive
      and gliding phases between three skating techniques (1-skate, 2-skate, and
      offset) and the diagonal stride technique in elite cross-country skiers. Nine
      skiers of provincial and national level were videotaped with a Panasonic AG 170
      camera. The camera speed was set at 30 frames.s-1 and the shutter speed at 1/500
      s. The athletes were asked to ski at approximately 80% of their maximal skiing
      speed on a flat (50 m long) and on an uphill course (35 m long, 5 degrees grade).
      The relative propulsive phases of the skating techniques were significantly
      longer than those of the diagonal stride. The relative gliding phases were also
      longer with the skating techniques. In addition, velocities obtained while skiing
      with the diagonal stride were about 16% slower than those attained with the
      skating techniques, principally related to the longer cycle lengths observed with
      the skating techniques, while cycle rates were quite similar between all four
      techniques. The results of this study suggest that the longer relative phases of
      propulsion with the skating techniques may explain the greater speed attained
      with these techniques in comparison with the diagonal stride.

PMID- 1406179
TI  - Strength after bouts of eccentric or concentric actions.
AB  - This study examined the influence of an initial bout of eccentric or concentric
      actions and a subsequent bout of eccentric actions on muscular strength. Twenty
      four healthy males, 24-45 yr old, were placed in three groups that performed
      eccentric actions in bouts 1 and 2 (ECC/ECC, N = 8), concentric actions in bout
      1, and eccentric actions in bout 2 (CON/ECC, N = 8) or served as controls (N =
      8). Bouts involved unilateral actions with the left and right quadriceps femoris.
      Ten sets of 10 repetitions with an initial resistance equal to 85% of the
      eccentric or concentric one repetition maximum (1 RM) were performed for each
      bout. Three minutes of rest were given between sets and 3 wk between bouts. Two
      weeks before bout 1 and 1, 4, 7, and 10 d after bouts 1 and 2, eccentric and
      concentric 1 RM were measured for the right quadriceps femoris and a speed-torque
      relation established for the left quadriceps femoris. Eccentric and concentric 1
      RM decreased (P less than 0.05) 32% 1 d after bout 1 for group ECC/ECC. The speed
      torque relation was down-shifted (P less than 0.05) 38%. Eccentric 1 RM and
      eccentric and isometric torque returned to normal 6 d later. Concentric 1 RM and
      torque at 3.14 rad.s-1 had not recovered on day 10 (-7% for both, P less than
      0.05). Decreases in strength after bout 2 for group ECC/ECC only occurred on day
      (-9% for concentric 1 RM and 16% downshift of the speed-torque
      relation).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406180
TI  - Carbohydrate-electrolyte replacement improves distance running performance in the
      heat.
AB  - The effects of a 7% carbohydrate-electrolyte drink (CE) and an artificially
      sweetened placebo (P) on performance and physiological function were compared
      during a 40-km run in the heat. Eight highly trained male runners completed two
      runs on a measured outdoor course. The first 35 km of each run was performed at
      self-selected training pace and the last 5 km at race effort. Under a
      counterbalanced, double-blind design, subjects consumed 400 ml of either CE or P
      30 min prior to exercise, and 250 ml every 5 km thereafter during the run. Rectal
      temperature, heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, sweat rate, and
      respiratory exchange ratio were similar during the run for CE and P. Serum Na+,
      K+, Cl-, total protein, osmolality, blood lactate, urea nitrogen, and % change in
      plasma volume were also similar for both drink conditions; however, blood glucose
      was significantly higher (P less than 0.01) with CE. Running performance in the
      last 5 km was significantly faster (P less than 0.03) during CE (21.9 min)
      compared with P (24.4 min). Subjects reported no differences in stomach upset,
      bloating, or nausea between P and CE. Results indicate that CE replacement
      elicits similar thermoregulatory and physiological responses during prolonged
      running in the heat but increases run performance and blood glucose when compared
      with P.

PMID- 1406181
TI  - Validity of a cardiorespiratory fitness test for men with mental retardation.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to validate a field test of cardiorespiratory
      fitness for men with mental retardation. The subjects were 19 healthy young men
      (26 +/- 6 yr) with moderate mental retardation (IQ = 48 +/- 11). Each subject
      underwent a maximal treadmill test after a three-phase familiarization process.
      Each subject also completed a 1-mile walk test twice (Rockport Fitness Walking
      Test = RFWT). The correlation coefficients between peak VO2 on the treadmill and
      the two 1-mile walks varied from 0.78 to 0.83. When weight, height, age, heart
      rates of 1-mile walks, and their combinations were held constant, the
      correlations were strengthened. Using multiple correlation analysis the best
      equation for predicting peak VO2 was: Peak VO2 = 101.92 - 2.356(mile-1 time) -
      0.42(weight). This model accounted for 85% of total variance. The standard error
      of estimate was 4.06 ml.kg-1.min-1. The test-retest reliability of the RFWT for
      the 19 subjects used in this study was very high (R = 0.97). This finding
      suggests that the RFWT is a valid and reliable field test for this population and
      appears to be a valid indicator of cardiorespiratory fitness for these men with
      mental retardation.

PMID- 1406182
TI  - A comparison between two forms of aerobic dance and treadmill running.
AB  - Aerobic dance has been reported to result in a disproportionately higher heart
      rate than running at a similar percent of VO2max. It has been suggested that the
      extensive use of the arms overhead during aerobic dance results in an increase in
      sympathetic outflow thereby disproportionately increasing the heart rate. To
      compare the hemodynamic and sympathetic nervous system activity responses during
      aerobic dance and treadmill running, nine healthy females exercised at
      approximately 50% of their VO2max during each of the following three exercise
      trials: aerobic dance where the arms were used extensively overhead (ABOVE),
      aerobic dance where the arms were kept below the shoulders (BELOW), and treadmill
      running (TR). Mean heart rate values during the ABOVE, BELOW, and TR trials were
      136 beats.min-1 for all three trials. Mean VO2 values during the ABOVE, BELOW,
      and TR trials were 1.48, 1.51, and 1.47 l.min-1, respectively, and were not
      significantly different. Mean cardiac output for the ABOVE, BELOW, and TR trials
      were 13.5, 14.0, and 13.0 1. min-1, respectively, and were not significantly
      different. Postexercise blood lactate and norepinephrine values were not
      significantly different among the three trials. These results suggest a similar
      relationship between heart rate and VO2 during low intensity aerobic dance and
      running and do not support the contention that the use of the arms overhead
      during aerobic dance exercise elicits a disproportionately greater increase in
      heart rate as compared with running. Additionally these results demonstrate
      similar cardiovascular and sympathetic nervous system responses between aerobic
      dance exercise and running.

PMID- 1406183
TI  - Scientific basis of competitive cross-country skiing.
AB  - The sport of cross-country skiing had its origins as a utilitarian mode of travel
      more than 4000 yr ago. From hunters carrying weapons and moving about on carved
      wooden skis, the sport has evolved to spandex-clad competitors carrying
      reinforced fiberglass poles while gliding on high-tech composite skis. The
      widespread use of ski-skating techniques coupled with the technological
      innovations of the last decade have profoundly changed the nature of competitive
      cross-country skiing. This symposium is intended to summarize the current state
      of scientific knowledge about the sport.

PMID- 1406184
TI  - Mechanical constraints on Nordic ski performance.
AB  - Skiers, coaches, and sports scientists must work within mechanical constraints to
      improve performance. If Nordic skiing is to be improved by mechanical means, it
      will be achieved by affecting one or more of the major constraints: gravity,
      mass, friction, aerodynamic or hydrodynamic lift and drag, and centripetal force.
      For example, the skier who assumes a tucked position, drafts a competitor, and
      wears a drag-reducing hood and body suit is reducing aerodynamic constraints.
      Sliding friction may also be reduced by using specially prepared skis and by
      selecting skis appropriate for the snow characteristics of the race course. Skin
      friction hydrodynamic drag may also be affected by ski selection and by special
      base preparations. Gravity and mass constraints are diminished by using
      lightweight components, by carrying them in the least costly way, and by
      minimizing swing weight. The toppling effect of centripetal forces is addressed
      by leaning into turns. All of these examples address mechanical constraints in a
      way that reduces physical power requirements, and thus decrease the metabolic
      power required to ski at a given speed, as well as increasing the maximal speed
      attainable.

PMID- 1406185
TI  - Biomechanical analysis of cross-country skiing techniques.
AB  - The development of new techniques for cross-country skiing based on skating
      movements has stimulated biomechanical research aimed at understanding the
      various movement patterns, the forces driving the motions, and the mechanical
      factors affecting performance. Research methods have evolved from two-dimensional
      kinematic descriptions of classic ski techniques to three-dimensional analyses
      involving measurement of the forces and energy relations of skating. While
      numerous skiing projects have been completed, most have focused on either the
      diagonal stride or the V1 skating technique on uphill terrain. Current
      understanding of skiing mechanics is not sufficiently complete to adequately
      assess and optimize an individual skier's technique.

PMID- 1406186
TI  - Physiological comparisons of cross-country skiing techniques.
AB  - Since the popularization of ski skating, several investigations have compared the
      physiological responses of various cross-country skiing techniques. While this
      work is incomplete in fully characterizing the relative physiological demands of
      the different skiing techniques, some conclusions can be made. The diagonal
      stride technique is the least economical technique for skiing on flat ground. The
      magnitude of the difference in economy between the diagonal stride and skating
      techniques for skiing on flat terrain compares well with the 10-30% faster race
      velocities with the skating techniques. Nevertheless, it appears that the heart
      rates, blood lactate concentrations and perceived efforts elicited at a given
      oxygen uptake are similar between the diagonal stride and skating techniques.
      Therefore, the cardiorespiratory training benefits from classical skiing and ski
      skating should be similar if performed at the same heart rates or perceived
      efforts. Several studies have demonstrated that the double pole technique is the
      most economical cross-country skiing technique on flat terrain. Extended use of
      the double pole technique, however is probably limited by its greater anaerobic
      demands.

PMID- 1406187
TI  - Influence of body mass on cross-country ski racing performance.
AB  - The influence of body mass on cross-country skiing performance was evaluated by
      (i) a theoretical analysis of the relationship between body mass (M) and on one
      hand the maximal aerobic power and on the other the power expense of skiing, (ii)
      timing skiers in varied terrain during ski racing, (iii) comparing racing success
      between light and heavy skiers, and (iv) relating maximal aerobic power of skiers
      and power expense of skiing to body mass. The theoretical analysis indicated that
      the maximal aerobic power scaled with M2/3, while the mass exponent for the power
      expenses ranged from 1/3 to 1. The net result was that heavy skiers appear to be
      favored in all types of terrain but the steep uphills. During ski racing, heavy
      skiers displayed a tendency to be faster in all types of terrain, although no
      statistically significant effect was found. The racing success tended to be
      greater in heavy skiers among males but not among females. During skiing, maximal
      aerobic power and the power expense of skiing scaled with M0.7 and M0.4,
      respectively, indicating an advantage for the heavy skier. Altogether, these
      observations indicate that heavy skiers are favored, but also that other factors
      are more important than body mass for cross-country ski racing performance.

PMID- 1406188
TI  - Development of aerobic power in relation to age and training in cross-country
      skiers.
AB  - In most of the training studies on different populations the effects of training
      have been investigated up to a frequency of five to six times per week and a
      duration of 45 min per session. These correspond to the training regimens of 15
      yr-old cross-country skiers and, consequently, the results cannot be applied to
      older athletes. The maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) of cross-country skiers
      increases with age and training from about 55-60 to 75-80 ml.kg-1.min-1 between
      15 and 25 yr of age. After 20 yr of age VO2max starts to level off, but elite
      skiers are able to increase VO2max further concomitantly with an increase in the
      volume of training and the volume of intensive training. The activity of
      oxidative enzymes in muscles of skiers is increased with training, but distance
      runners have had a higher oxidative capacity in their leg muscles. Although
      widely used by cross-country skiers, the training effects of roller skiing,
      skiwalking-skistriding, and long-distance training on skis are to a large extent
      unknown. However, intensive training at the intensity of "anaerobic threshold" or
      higher seems to be most effective in inducing improvements in maximal oxygen
      uptake; distance training at relatively low intensity seems to be most effective
      in producing improvements in the determinants of submaximal endurance.

PMID- 1406189
TI  - Technological advances in cross-country ski equipment.
AB  - Nordic skiing has a long history dating back to at least 2500 B.C. It is not
      surprising then that skiing equipment has undergone many changes. Today's skis,
      poles, and boots use the latest in space-age synthetics including carbon and
      Kevlar fibers, which has resulted in an unprecedented advance in ski equipment
      technology, producing ultralight yet strong equipment. These changes have played
      an important role in bringing about an improvement in racing performance with
      today's skiers being able to ski a course in half the amount of time that it
      would have taken just 60 yr ago. Estimates indicate the change in mass of racing
      equipment accounts for a relatively small amount (12%) of the improvement in race
      performance with changes in the functional characteristics of equipment, track
      preparation, and training practices being responsible for the remaining 88%. In
      addition to improvements in ski equipment, advances are being made in developing
      laboratory equipment used to assess an athlete's upper body power and endurance
      capacities. Lab testing with an arm ergometer showed its utility when it exposed
      a glaring deficiency in upper body power among a group of U.S. developmental
      skiers. Further improvement in ski equipment and lab testing tools are expected
      in the future as the worldwide technological revolution continues and Olympic
      Teams and sports science groups continue to work cooperatively.

PMID- 1406190
TI  - Factors affecting the oxygen cost of stepping on an electronic stepping
      ergometer.
AB  - The purposes of this study were to evaluate (a) the effects of step rate and
      upper body support on the VO2 and HR responses to fixed work rates on the
      StairMaster 4000 (SM), (b) the accuracy of the SM settings, and (c) how HR
      compared with that measured during grade-walking on a treadmill. Six subjects
      worked at a slow step rate for 6 min and then a faster step rate for the last 6
      min of a 12-min test at SM settings of 4, 7, and 10 METs. Gas exchange and HR
      measurements were made at minutes 4-6 and 10-12. Variations in step rate had no
      effect on HR (P = 0.45) or VO2 (P = 0.84). The effect of using the arms and hands
      for support was studied using 6 subjects who worked for 12 min at 4, 7, and 10
      METs; the first 6 min without support, and the second 6 min with support. Support
      resulted in lower HR (P = 0.017) and VO2 (P = 0.002) values at 10 METs. The
      measured MET values were about 20% lower than those specified by machine
      settings: True MET values = 0.556 + 0.745 (SM setting). Finally, at the same VO2,
      systematically higher (7-11 b.min-1) HR values were observed for the SM relative
      to the treadmill.

PMID- 1406191
TI  - The effect of trial size on statistical power.
AB  - Many research studies produce results that falsely support a null hypothesis due
      to a lack of statistical power. The purpose of this research was to demonstrate
      selected relationships between single subject (SS) and group analyses and the
      importance of data reliability (trial size) on results. A computer model was
      developed and used in conjunction with Monte Carlo procedures to study the
      effects of sample size (subjects and trials), within- and between-subject
      variability, and subject performance strategies on selected statistical
      evaluation procedures. The inherent advantages of the approach are control and
      replication. Selected results are presented in this paper. Group analyses on
      subjects using similar performance strategies identified 10, 5, and 3 trials for
      sample sizes of 5, 10, and 20, respectively, as necessary to achieve statistical
      power values greater than 90% for effect sizes equal to one standard deviation of
      the condition distribution. SS analyses produced results exhibiting considerably
      less power than the group results for corresponding trial sizes, indicating how
      much more difficult it is to detect significant differences using a SS design.
      These results should be of concern to all investigators especially when
      interpreting nonsignificant findings.

PMID- 1406192
TI  - Semi-pro football player who suffered a cerebral vascular accident following
      forced cervical flexion and subsequent spinal manipulation.

PMID- 1406193
TI  - Oxidation rate of four types of carbohydrates ingested 30 min before a period of
      prolonged exercise at moderate intensity in healthy male subjects.

PMID- 1406194
TI  - Stress fractures in young athletic women: case reports of unsuspected cortisol
      induced osteoporosis.
AB  - Stress fractures in the female athlete are common events, usually occurring in
      the lower limb and less often in the pelvic girdle. Two cases are presented of
      young women athletes who presented with initial lower limb stress fractures, but
      subsequently fractures of the pelvis and hip thought to be associated with their
      athletic activity. After careful medical evaluation, they were diagnosed with
      Cushing's syndrome. One patient had a microadenoma of the pituitary gland
      secreting excessive amounts of ACTH, and the other had a benign adenoma of the
      left adrenal gland. Both women had significant decreases in their spinal mineral
      density. After treatment, partial reversal of these spinal losses occurred.
      Although stress fractures in the female athlete might be common and thought to be
      associated with problems of amenorrhea, presentation of unusual anatomical sites
      for these fractures necessitates a more thorough evaluation for correctable
      secondary causes.

PMID- 1406195
TI  - Thigh compartment syndrome in a football athlete: a case report and review of the
      literature.
AB  - Although contusions of the thigh are common in all sports, a compartment syndrome
      from closed blunt trauma without a femur fracture is rare. Thigh compartment
      syndrome is unusual due to increased compliance of the thigh to accommodate
      increased expansion from hematoma or third space fluid. Compartment syndrome of
      the thigh is characterized by unrelenting pain, swelling, and limited knee range
      of motion. A single case of a thigh compartment syndrome caused by a direct blow
      to the anterior aspect of the thigh from a football helmet during kickoff
      occurred. Immediate thigh fasciotomy was performed. Early diagnosis with
      appropriate emergency treatment can avoid serious and permanent complications.

PMID- 1406196
TI  - Etiology of low back pain in elite boardsailors.
AB  - Seven elite boardsailors reporting nonradiating low back pain without leg pain
      during sailing volunteered for detailed examination. In these subjects, the onset
      of pain was limited to those occasions when sailing positions were held for a
      significant period of time, e.g., close hauled sailing or in light winds. No pain
      was described at any other time. The determination of possible antecedent factors
      was based on the results of clinical assessment, radiological evaluation, and
      computer tomography (CT) scanning. Apart from limited flexibility in some
      subjects, the clinical examination of these athletes was normal; CT changes in
      this group were limited to disc protrusions and bulges, and pars interarticularis
      defects. Despite the small number of subjects in the present report, it appears
      that the frequency of these problems exceeds that in the normal population. It
      may be possible to suggest that risk factors such as body position during
      prolonged sailing, particularly under light wind conditions without a harness,
      and limited flexibility may be associated with the radiological findings and may
      be implicated in the presence of low back pain, although further investigations
      appears warranted.

PMID- 1406197
TI  - Exercise capacity and breathing mechanics in patients with airflow limitation.
AB  - To investigate the impact of expiratory airflow limitation on ventilation during
      exercise, we studied six control subjects with normal lung function (FEV1/FVC =
      79 +/- 6%) and eight patients with borderline-to-mild airflow limitation
      (FEV1/FVC = 68 +/- 4%) during cycle ergometry. VO2, HR, and VE/MVV were not
      different between the control subjects or patients during maximal or submaximal
      exercise. In contrast, five of the eight patients achieved maximal expiratory
      flow over a large portion (37%) of their tidal volume (VT) during submaximal
      exercise, whereas none of the control subjects achieved maximal expiratory flow.
      To estimate the fraction of expiratory capacity used by the control subjects and
      the patients, we calculated a mechanical ventilatory maximum (VEmaxCal) for each
      level of exercise using the individual's VT, end-expiratory lung volume (EELV),
      and maximal expiratory flow-volume curve. The patients used a greater fraction of
      their VEmaxCal at each level of submaximal exercise (P less than 0.03). Despite
      the flow limitation during submaximal exercise, EELV was similar between the
      control subjects and patients. In conclusion, even patients with borderline-to
      mild airflow limitation achieve maximal expiratory flow during submaximal
      exercise and these restrictions are not reflected by VE/MVV nor by EELV.

PMID- 1406198
TI  - Substrate utilization during treadmill running in prepubertal girls and women.
AB  - Ten prepubertal girls (9.1 yr) and 10 women (24.4 yr) were studied during 30-min
      runs at the same relative (70% VO2max) (RI) and absolute (7.2 km.h-1) (AI)
      intensities. Oxygen consumption and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were
      monitored continuously during the exercise test. Venous blood samples were
      obtained before and immediately after exercise and were analyzed for glucose,
      lactate, FFA, and glycerol. During exercise at the same RI, RER was significantly
      (P less than 0.05) lower in the girls compared with the women. In addition, RER
      decreased significantly during exercise in the girls while the change did not
      reach significance in the women. Lactate concentration increased significantly
      during the exercise tests, this increase being greater in the women than in the
      girls during exercise at the same RI, but greater in the girls than in the women
      during exercise at the same AI. FFA and glycerol concentrations were
      significantly higher after the exercise tests in both groups. Glucose
      concentration did not change significantly during the tests in either group.
      Prepubertal girls rely more on fat utilization and less on carbohydrate
      metabolism than women during exercise of moderately heavy intensity.

PMID- 1406199
TI  - The effect of an anti-G suit on cardiovascular responses to exercise in persons
      with paraplegia.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine whether external pressure on legs and
      abdomen could prevent venous blood pooling in persons with paraplegia and thus
      positively affect their cardiovascular responses to arm exercise. To investigate
      this, five male subjects with paraplegia (P), with complete lesions between T6
      and T12, and five male control subjects who were wheelchair bound (C) (due to a
      chronic lower extremity disability), performed submaximal arm-cranking exercise
      at 20%, 40%, and 60% of their maximal power output (Wmax), with and without an
      antigravity (anti-G) suit inflated to 52 mm Hg (1 psi). For P, higher preexercise
      systolic pressure (127 vs 117 mm Hg) was seen with the anti-G suit. At 40 and 60%
      Wmax, significantly lower heart rates (at 40% = 5.7%; at 60% = 10.6%) at similar
      cardiac outputs were seen for P with an anti-G suit. Although not significant, P
      also demonstrated higher stroke volumes at 40% (4.8%) and 60% (5.0%) Wmax with
      external pressure. For C, no differences in preexercise blood pressure or
      cardiovascular responses at all three exercise levels were seen with or without
      the anti-G suit. These data suggest that an inflated anti-G suit is able to
      prevent venous blood pooling and offers hemodynamic benefits in persons with
      paraplegia during submaximal arm-cranking exercise. In addition, this study
      reports a possible alternative to hosiery or functional neuromuscular stimulation
      that could be applied to all subjects with spinal cord injuries regardless of
      type or duration of the lesion or of muscle-atrophy.

PMID- 1406200
TI  - Aerobic fitness: I. Response of volume regulating hormones to head-down tilt.
AB  - We investigated the relationship of aerobic fitness to the response of volume
      regulating hormones to acute simulated microgravity. Six untrained (UT) and six
      endurance-trained (ET) healthy young males were studied in the head-down tilt
      (HDT) position of -6 degrees for 4 h. Peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and plasma
      volume (PV) were significantly greater in the ET (VO2peak = 61.7 +/- 1.6 ml.min
      1.kg-1 and PV = 53.1 +/- 2.8 ml.kg-1) than in the UT (VO2peak = 38.4 +/- 1.7
      ml.min-1.kg-1 and PV = 38.8 +/- 1.0 ml.kg-1). Plasma concentrations of atrial
      natriuretic peptide (ANP), arginine vasopressin (AVP), norepinephrine (NE), renin
      activity (PRA), and aldosterone (PA) were measured prior to HDT and at minutes 2,
      5, 15, 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 during HDT. PRA and PA significantly decreased
      during the time of HDT in both groups. The changes in ANP and NE concentrations
      were not significantly different between the groups nor across time. However, in
      the ET subjects, the changes in PRA and NE were significantly correlated with the
      changes in ANP (r = 0.49, P less than 0.01; and r = 0.86, P less than 0.001,
      respectively); in the UT subjects, the changes in AVP, PRA, and PA were
      significantly associated with changes in NE (r = 0.34, P less than 0.03; and r =
      0.59; and r = 0.53, P less than 0.01, respectively). PV significantly decreased
      during HDT, and was primarily related to the decrease in PA in both
      groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406201
TI  - Aerobic fitness: II. Orthostasis and VO2peak following head-down tilt.
AB  - To determine whether endurance exercise trained (ET) subjects would experience
      greater reductions in peak oxygen delivery and orthostatic tolerance (OT) than
      untrained (UT) subjects, both peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) during upright bicycle
      ergometry and tolerance time during 70 degrees head-up tilt (HUT) were compared
      within and between groups before and after 4 h of -6 degrees head-down tilt
      (HDT). Eight ET subjects with a mean VO2peak of 61.7 +/- 1.6 ml.kg-1.min-1 were
      matched for age, height, and weight with eight UT subjects (VO2peak = 38.4 +/-
      1.7 ml.kg-1.min-1). Following HDT, decreases in plasma volume (PV) were larger
      for ET subjects (-3.7 +/- 0.5 ml.kg-1) than for UT subjects (-2.3 +/- 0.3 ml.kg
      1), P less than 0.03. Reductions in VO2peak for ET subjects (-5.4 +/- 1.1 ml.kg
      1.min-1) were also greater than for UT subjects (-2.4 +/- 0.8 ml.kg-1.min-1), P
      less than 0.05. The ET (N = 6) subjects also had a significant decrease in OT
      time (-13.0 +/- 4.2 min) during post-HDT HUT, which was not observed for the UT
      group (N = 6). A significant inverse correlation was found pre-HDT VO2peak and
      the change in OT time, r = -0.74, P less than 0.01. The decrease in OT was also
      significantly correlated to the PV decrease, r = 0.59, P less than 0.04. The UT
      subjects had significantly augmented pressor responses to HUT manifested by the
      increases in both HR and MAP following HDT.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406202
TI  - Energy metabolism and fuel utilization.
AB  - 1) Total energy expenditure during marathon training and competition is among the
      highest reported for any endurance activity. 2) Although training intensity for
      the marathon may vary between 60-125% of maximal physical working capacity, elite
      runners must run consistently at about 80-90% of VO2max in order to achieve
      successful competitive performances. 3) Earlier studies demonstrated that
      carbohydrate was the preferential fuel for endurance exercise, but more recent
      studies have suggested a greater role for lipids than previously thought. Also,
      proteins may contribute as much as 5-10% of the total energy to a marathon
      performance. 4) The preponderance of Type I and IIA skeletal muscle fibers among
      marathon runners and their significantly improved storage capacity for
      intramuscular lipids and increased mitochondrial density may account for
      increased reliance on oxidation of fats.

PMID- 1406203
TI  - Sports anemia, iron supplements, and blood doping.
AB  - 1) Athletes tend to have lower hemoglobin concentrations than sedentary
      counterparts. This has been called sports anemia, a misnomer. 2) Sports anemia is
      a false anemia and a beneficial adaptation to aerobic exercise, caused by an
      expanded plasma volume that dilutes red blood cells. 3) Athletes, however, can
      also develop true anemia, most commonly caused by iron deficiency. True anemia
      curbs athletic performance, but nonanemic iron deficiency does not. 4) Iron
      supplements are useful for women endurance athletes who repeatedly develop iron
      deficiency anemia despite dietary advice. 5) Some endurance athletes today are
      blood doping by abusing recombinant human erythropoietin (rEPO). They risk dying
      to win.

PMID- 1406204
TI  - Nutrition for the marathon and other endurance sports: environmental stress and
      dehydration.
AB  - 1) During exercise, the body's ability to safely regulate internal temperature is
      influenced by the environment, exercise intensity, clothing, and the athlete's
      level of fitness and acclimation. 2) Effective thermoregulation during exercise
      in the heat requires the evaporation of sweat. The onset of sweating during
      exercise is triggered by an increase in core body temperature. 3) Dehydration
      compromises cardiovascular and thermoregulatory function, limits physical work
      capacity, and increases the risk of heat-related health problems. 4)
      Physiological and behavioral adaptations help the body cope with the combined
      demands imposed by exercise and environment. 5) Ad libitum fluid intake is
      insufficient to protect against dehydration.

PMID- 1406205
TI  - Benefits of fluid replacement with carbohydrate during exercise.
AB  - Ingestion of approximately 30-60 g of carbohydrate during each hour of exercise
      will generally be sufficient to maintain blood glucose oxidation late in exercise
      and delay fatigue. Since the average rates of gastric emptying and intestinal
      absorption exceed 1,250 ml.h-1 for water and solutions containing up to 8%
      carbohydrate, exercising people can be supplemented with both carbohydrate and
      fluids at relatively high rates. When cyclists exercise at competitive
      intensities for 2 h in the heat with a sweat rate of 1,400 ml.h-1, it is clear
      that the closer that fluid consumption matches sweating rate (at least up to 80%
      of sweating rate), the better. Increasing dehydration, due to inadequate fluid
      consumption, directly impairs stroke volume, cardiac output, and skin blood flow,
      which results in larger increases in body core temperature, heart rate, and
      ratings of the difficulty of exercise. This same phenomenon probably also applies
      to running, which argues against the notion that a certain amount of dehydration
      (i.e., up to 3%) is permissible and without major cardiovascular consequences.
      However, runners generally drink only 500 ml.h-1 of fluid and thus allow
      themselves to dehydrate at rates of 500-1,000 ml.h-1. The performance question
      boils down to "Will the time lost as a result of drinking larger volumes be
      compensated by the physiological benefits drinking produces and the faster
      running pace that might be achieved during the last half of the race?" However,
      if the goal is safety, which means minimizing hyperthermia, there is no question
      that the closer that the rate of drinking can match the rate of dehydration, the
      better.

PMID- 1406206
TI  - Nutritional manipulations before and during endurance exercise: effects on
      performance.
AB  - 1) Ingesting CHO during prolonged, moderate-intensity (60-85% VO2max) exercise
      can improve performance by maintaining plasma glucose availability and oxidation
      during the later stages of exercise. 2) Plasma glucose may be oxidized at rates
      in excess of 1 g.min-1 late in exercise. Athletes therefore need to ingest
      sufficient quantities of CHO in order to meet this demand. This can be
      accomplished by ingesting CHO at 40-75 g.h-1 throughout exercise or by ingesting
      approximately 200 g of CHO late in exercise. Ingesting CHO after fatigue has
      already occurred, however, is generally ineffective in restoring and maintaining
      plasma glucose availability, CHO oxidation, and/or exercise tolerance. 3) No
      apparent differences exist between glucose, sucrose, or maltodextrins in their
      ability to improve performance. Ingesting fructose during exercise, however, does
      not improve performance and may cause gastrointestinal distress. 4) The form of
      CHO (i.e., solid vs liquid) ingested during exercise is unlikely to be important
      provided that sufficient water is also consumed when ingesting CHO in solid form.
      5) Ingesting 50-200 g of CHO 30-60 min before exercise results in transient
      hypoglycemia early in exercise, but this does not affect the rate of muscle
      glycogen utilization or, in most people, cause overt symptoms of neuroglucopenia.
      Whether performance is impaired, unaffected, or enhanced by such pre-exercise CHO
      feedings remains equivocal. 6) Ingesting 200-350 g of CHO 3-6 h before exercise
      appears to improve performance, possibly by maximizing muscle and/or liver
      glycogen stores or by supplying CHO from the small intestine during exercise
      itself.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406207
TI  - Recovery from endurance exercise.
AB  - 1) During training for and competition in endurance exercise athletes often
      significantly reduce both liver and muscle glycogen reserves. 2) Replenishment of
      muscle glycogen probably occurs preferentially over the replenishment of liver
      glycogen after exercise. 3) Muscle and liver glycogen can be replenished within
      24 h after exercise provided adequate carbohydrate is consumed. 4) To replenish
      muscle glycogen within 24 h, 8-10 g carbohydrate.kg-1 body weight should be
      consumed. 5) To optimize muscle glycogen synthesis during the 4-6 h after
      exercise, carbohydrate must be consumed immediately after exercise and at
      frequent intervals thereafter. 6) While normal muscle and/or liver glycogen
      levels can be normalized 24 h after exercise, muscle function may or may not be
      fully recovered.

PMID- 1406209
TI  - Food selection for endurance sports.
AB  - 1) The body requires at least 40 nutrients that are classified into six groups:
      protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamin, mineral, and water. These nutrients cannot
      be made in the body and so they must be supplied from solid or liquid foods. 2)
      Fat, carbohydrate, and protein contain energy that is measured in units called
      kilocalories. Alcohol also contains kilocalories, but is not a recommended energy
      source for endurance exercise. 3) Foods in endurance sports training programs
      should provide adequate fluids to prevent dehydration; energy intake that is high
      in carbohydrate, low in fat, adequate in protein, and that maintains desirable
      body weight and desirable proportions of fat and lean weight; and sufficient
      amounts of vitamins and minerals. 4) Six categories of food types form the
      fundamentals of good diets for endurance exercise training and include: fruits,
      vegetables, grains-legumes, lean meats, low-fat milk products, and fats-sweets.
      Vegetarian diets include all food type categories except meat and/or milk
      products. 5) Fat and carbohydrate content of foods in each food type category
      varies greatly because of how foods are prepared. 6) The Food Pyramid and Sports
      Food Swap are guides for selecting foods that provide recommended amounts of
      essential nutrients for endurance exercise. 7) Before, during, and after
      endurance exercise, food intake should include adequate amounts of easily
      digestible, high carbohydrate foods that are familiar and psychologically
      satisfying. 8) Easily digestible high carbohydrate liquid or solid foods should
      be eaten soon after exercise is stopped to maximize rates of glycogen
      replacement. 9) Dehydration can be prevented by adequate fluid intake before,
      during, and after exercise. 10) Any food plan should be tested before a
      competition to find out how well that plan works for an athlete.

PMID- 1406208
TI  - Training for endurance sport.
AB  - 1) An endurance athlete's performance level is determined largely by three
      physiological variables: maximal aerobic power, lactate threshold, and economy.
      Training strategies should be directed toward improvement of these factors. 2)
      Successful endurance training programs typically include an individually
      constructed combination of three major training strategies. These are long
      duration, moderate intensity training; moderate duration, high intensity
      training; and short duration, very high intensity training. 3) Endurance training
      involves a large daily expenditure of energy, and much of this energy is derived
      from catabolism of carbohydrates. Accordingly, it is essential that the endurance
      athlete's diet be rich in complex carbohydrates and provide the total amount of
      energy needed to maintain energy balance.

PMID- 1406210
TI  - Prevention and treatment of injuries to runners.
AB  - 1) Many otherwise healthy runners are prevented from participating fully in their
      chosen endurance sport because of overuse injuries. 2) The most important risk
      factor for incurring an overuse injury is a training error, such as excessive
      mileage, sudden change in training distance or intensity, too much hard interval
      training, improper footwear, and running on chambered surfaces. 3) Although the
      knee is the most frequent site of injury in runners, any part of the lower
      extremity may be affected. 4) Tendinitis, muscle strain, and stress fractures are
      the most common overuse injuries in endurance athletes. 5) Prevention of injury
      through elimination of risk factors is clearly preferable to treatment. If injury
      does occur, treatment should include appropriate medical care, athlete education,
      cross-training, specific rehabilitative exercises, and a programmed return to
      running.

PMID- 1406211
TI  - [Retrospective study of infection by the human immunodeficiency virus in pregnant
      women. Future of the child and the mother].
AB  - 5.4% (108 of 2,000) women have been confirmed for HIV 1 infection in Brazzaville
      in 1987. 1,172 deliveries have been registered by study, 7.76% have been occurred
      in HIV+ women. The prevalence of miscarriages was significantly, higher in HIV+
      women than in HIV- ones (p less than 0.001). The birth-weight of new-borns was
      not significantly different among the children born to HIV+ and HIV- mothers.
      There were the various probable reasons of death of children born to HIV+
      mothers. More frequently the respiratory affections with persistent hyperthermia
      were noticed. During the follow-up, in all groups of age, the fever with failure
      of thrive were the most frequent signs (50%) with pneumopathy. The clinical
      picture was completed by diarrhoea after six months of live.

PMID- 1406212
TI  - [Endocrinological aspects of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)].
AB  - The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a severe disease. Lung, brain
      and digestive complaints that result in opportunistic infections and neoplasms
      are the most documented. The endocrine disorders, the description of which is
      recent on the basis of post-mortem data, motivated some authors to undertake
      studies in order to evaluate endocrine function in patients infected with human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV). An increase in serum cortisol level due to stress
      adaptation in the early stage of the disease is reported, whereas peripheral
      adrenal insufficiency, although unusual, appears in the late stage. Hypogonadism
      is common in men with HIV infection but its origin is discussed, central or
      peripheral. The thyroid function is generally preserved, but low T3 syndrome
      which correlates with bad prognosis may be observed. Anterior hypopituitarism,
      which is rare, hyponatremia more frequent because of its etiopathogenic factors
      in AIDS, constant and precocious hyperprolactinemia, are noticed. The episodes of
      asymptomatic or severe hypoglycemia may be explained by inanition and side
      effects of drugs. The non-specificity of the clinical manifestations of endocrine
      dysfunction masked by the classic signs of AIDS, shouldn't make forget the
      systematic search of glandular abnormalities as soon as an evocative
      symptomatology is conspicuous. The mechanisms of endocrine complications are
      badly known, but opportunistic infections, drugs, particularities related to the
      structure of HIV and interleukin 1 (IL1) surely play a role. The recognition of
      endocrine disorders is essential for optimal therapy because, unknown, their
      evolution is dramatic.

PMID- 1406213
TI  - [Glomerulopathies in schistosomiasis. Current data].
AB  - The authors studied various glomerular injuries in schistosomiasis. They occurred
      more after with Schistosoma mansoni and rarely with other Schistosoma species.
      Different lesions were observed: the membrano-proliferative type is frequently
      noted; but mesangial and extramembranous glomerulitis were also described. The
      pathology of glomerular lesions is Immune mediated with activation of complement
      patway and deposit of immune circulating complexes.

PMID- 1406214
TI  - [Preliminary data on dermatomycoses in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)].
AB  - This study is a contribution to a best knowledge of mycosis in Burkina Faso where
      the data concerning these diseases are very old. It has been focused on the
      clinical and mycological features of the dermoskeloton mycosis through the
      consultations at the two offices of dermatology in the city of Ouagadougou. From
      April to October, 1990, 216 patients have been taken census of, and they have
      shown 265 lesions among which 143 mycosis of the skinfolds (54 p. cent), 45
      onychomycosis (17 p. cent), 29 palmoplantar mycosis (11 p. cent), 24 mycosis of
      the glabrous skin (9 p. cent) and 24 mycosis of the scalp (9 p. cent). From these
      265 lesions we have isolated 156 strains of dermatophytes and 108 strains of
      candida. The species which have been seen more frequently are Candida albicans
      (30 p. cent), Trichophyton rubrum (19 p. cent), Trichophyton soudanense (13 p.
      cent) and Trichophyton tonsurans (8 p. cent). This study has enabled the
      identification of some clinical features and some responsible agents of the
      dermatoskeloton mycosis in Ouagadougou. It will lay the foundation for further
      specific studies in the country.

PMID- 1406215
TI  - [Congenital malaria].
AB  - Several physiopathological hypothesis may explain the frequent transmission of
      malaria from a pregnant woman to the foetus, and its obstetrical consequences.
      Because of immunological reasons, such a transmission is most often silent, but
      some severe forms of congenital malaria do exist and they justify the
      chemoprophylaxy for pregnant women, and the treatment of any presumptive attack
      of malaria during pregnancy.

PMID- 1406216
TI  - [Simultaneous association of tubercular meningitis and cryptococcal meningitis in
      an African with human immunodeficiency virus HIV positive serology. University
      Hospital Center of Bujumbura,Burundi].
AB  - The authors report a connection between a meningitis tuberculosis and a
      meningoencephalitis with cryptococcus in the case of an african VIH+. The
      diagnostic of a meningitis tuberculosis was retained on an indirect arguments,
      this of meningoencephalitis of direct arguments (antigen cryptococcus,
      cultivation on Sabouraud environment). The pulmonary tuberculosis and/or
      extrapulmonary tuberculosis is current in Central Africa during HIV infection, as
      well as the crytococcosis during AIDS. But, any observation on neuromeningitis
      strike of those two infections have been reported up to now.

PMID- 1406217
TI  - [Ascariasis of the cervix].
AB  - The authors report a case of ascaris lumbricoides located in the cervix uterus of
      a patient suffering from gonococcal salpingitis. Reviewing the literature, they
      conclude that the most likely way to the parts genitals was a transanal migration
      toward vagina.

PMID- 1406218
TI  - [Cardiac manifestations of sickle cell disease].
AB  - In this study the authors report the cardiac complications seen in the course of
      sickle-cell disease. Among 41 homozygot patients the complications reported were
      as follow. Effort dyspnea in 15/32 (46% cases); systolic souffle in 36 patients
      (87.8% of cases); cardiomegaly in 30 patients (17% of cases) and electric
      abnormalities in 70% of cases. The echotomography practised in 27 cases was
      normal in 12 cases and showed a hyperkinetic aspect in 10 cases, a cardiomyopathy
      in four cases.

PMID- 1406220
TI  - Microsurgery.

PMID- 1406219
TI  - [Peripheral and bone marrow hematological modifications in infection by the human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in central Africa. Diagnostic and prognostic
      significance].
AB  - From the 24 March 1988 to the 15 June 1989, we noticed the peripheric and
      medullar haematologic modifications of 46 patients infected by HIV, classified in
      the group IV of CDC. The haematologic modifications found are: a peripheric
      cytopenia with a constant anemia often serious, a leuconeutropenia, a mild or
      missing lymphopenia. In comparison: the bone marrow is often rich in the
      different lineage with more often a sharp lymphoplasmocytal reaction, sometime
      very characteristic on the cytological side. 2 myeloid leukemia were diagnosed by
      participation of the myelogram. At least, the proteinogram showed a major
      polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemy sometimes monoclonal.

PMID- 1406221
TI  - Vascularized fibular graft for reconstruction after resection of aggressive
      benign and malignant bone tumors.
AB  - From 1982 to 1991, 19 patients at Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan,
      underwent resection of aggressive benign and malignant bone tumors, with limb
      salvage and reconstruction by free vascularized fibula grafts. The patients were
      followed up for an average of 54 months. The reconstructed site was the jaw in 6
      cases, upper extremity in 3, spine in 1, pelvis in 2, and lower extremity in 7.
      Six patients had aggressive benign lesions, and 13 had malignant lesions. The
      sizes of the resultant bone defect ranged from 6 to 20 cm, and the lengths of
      fibular used ranged from 8 to 24 cm. The average time to union was 4.1 months (2
      9 months) in the extremities and pelvis. Local recurrence was observed in 3
      cases, for whom vascularized fibula grafts were performed for recurrent tumors.
      In cases of primary untreated tumors, no recurrences occurred. Therefore, this
      procedure should be performed at the time of primary operation after extensive
      resection of an aggressive benign or malignant bone tumor.

PMID- 1406222
TI  - Vein grafts in reconstructive microsurgery of the lower extremity.
AB  - This paper describes surgical techniques and results of lower extremity
      microsurgical reconstruction using vein grafts. During a 5 year period, free
      tissue transfers were used to reconstruct 118 lower extremity defects in 109
      patients. In 28 of these cases (24%), saphenous vein grafts were used when
      reconstruction would otherwise have been difficult or impossible. A preliminary
      arteriovenous fistula was established between the proximal arterial source and
      the final venous drainage in the majority (26) of cases. Venous drainage was left
      intact at the point of entry into the deep venous system in 23 cases. Three
      complications included anastomotic clotting in 2 patients and postoperative blow
      out of the vein graft in another; all were treated without flap loss. Flap
      survival was 86% in vein grafted patients and 94% in those cases in which vein
      grafts were not used. Flap loss was related in each case to the nature of the pre
      existing condition, rather than to vein grafting per se.

PMID- 1406223
TI  - Short- and long-term evaluation of arteriovenous fistulas for chronic
      hemodialysis.
AB  - One hundred ninety-three internal arteriovenous (A-V) fistulas were performed on
      patients with renal failure in the last eleven years. The A-V fistulas were
      divided on the basis of the following: side-to-side between the radial artery and
      cephalic vein (157 cases); end-to-side between the cephalic vein and radial
      artery (11 cases); end-to-end between the radial artery and cephalic vein (5
      cases); A-V fistulas between the brachial artery and the cephalic, basilic or
      medial cubital vein (20 cases). The side-to-side A-V fistulas achieved an
      immediate patency in 88% of cases, lower than each of the other groups. However,
      the subsequent long-term failure rate was less than the other groups. In
      addition, satisfactory function was maintained at a high level (93%) during the
      follow-up period. The end-to-side and end-to-end A-V fistulas showed higher
      percentages of immediate patency (90% and 100%, respectively), although they were
      used more often on patients with vascular problems. Diabetic nephropathy was the
      main factor associated with thrombosis of A-V fistulas.

PMID- 1406224
TI  - Hair growth following scalp microvascular flap transfer for baldness due to burn
      injury.
AB  - A female patient, 8 years of age, presented with baldness of the right scalp
      following deep scalds from boiling soup landing on the head, neck, and chest. The
      depth of the burn was severe enough to cause baldness. She was primarily advised
      to wear a wig to address the problem of baldness on one side. Surgery was planned
      to use uninjured scalp skin to offer hairy skin coverage of the bald site. A left
      scalp skin flap (2.5 by 7 cm) based on the superficial temporal artery and vein
      was transferred to the bald area, with microvascular anastomosis to the
      superficial temporal vessels on the right side. There was complete survival of
      the flap with uneventful recovery and satisfactory growth of hair. Hair growth
      from the flap was comparatively thicker than from the rest of the scalp. This
      microvascular flap has produced sufficient hair to cover the entire area of the
      baldness and the patient does not need to wear a wig.

PMID- 1406226
TI  - Microsurgical repair of the parotid duct.
AB  - Because of its relatively small caliber lumen, traumatic injuries of the parotid
      duct appropriately lend themselves to microsurgical repair. With the evolution of
      more modern techniques and materials, inert nylon microsutures placed under
      magnification permit an ideal atraumatic anastomosis of the divided ends of the
      parotid duct. Such an exact approach may also obviate the need for long-term
      stenting across the site of repair, which remains a controversial issue.

PMID- 1406225
TI  - Neck resurfacing with free tram flap.
AB  - Anterior neck defects are best reconstructed with flaps, to avoid contractures
      and extensive scarring. Local or distal flaps are hampered by significant donor
      site disability. The development of the TRAM flap for breast reconstruction has
      improved our armamentarium in reconstructive surgery. This paper purports to
      demonstrate the superiority of the free bilateral TRAM flap applied for anterior
      neck resurfacing. Two cases with such anterior neck conditions are presented.

PMID- 1406227
TI  - Successful replantation of digits and restoration of partial hand function: a
      case report.
AB  - A case of a five-finger amputation and avulsion injury with salvage of two digits
      combined with island flap coverage of the remaining skin defect is reported. The
      salvaged digits were replanted onto the ulnar and radial borders of the hand
      stump and rotated to oppose one another. Recovery of partial hand function is
      reported.

PMID- 1406228
TI  - Vascularization of skin following implantation of an arteriovenous pedicle:
      implications in flap prefabrication.
AB  - In a rat model, a skin flap was fabricated by implantation of a distally ligated
      arteriovenous pedicle. The femoral artery and vein were implanted as a unit
      beneath the abdominal skin, a portion of which was later raised as an island
      flap, based on these vessels. Percentage area of survival, tissue blood flow, and
      pattern of vascularity were compared in two groups of flaps. In group I, the
      pedicle to be implanted was dissected with a cuff of surrounding muscle still
      attached; in group II, the pedicle was skeletonized to the level of adventitia.
      Flap survival in the two groups was similar (73% vs. 77%), as was skin blood flow
      (5.4 vs. 5.7 ml/100 g/min). Angiography demonstrated two principal patterns of
      vascularization: connection between donor and recipient vessels (inoculation),
      and sprouting and arborization of new vessels. Strengths and limitations of this
      and other models of flap "prefabrication" are discussed.

PMID- 1406229
TI  - Further investigation of secondary venous obstruction.
AB  - The first ischemic insult a tissue suffers is primary (1 degree). A second
      ischemic episode, such as thrombosis after free tissue transfer may be regarded
      as secondary (2 degrees) ischemia. The current study investigated 2 degrees
      ischemia in rodent epigastric flaps. Flaps were elevated in 50 Sprague-Dawley
      rats: group 1 had 5 hours 1 degree venous ischemia induced by placement of
      microvascular clamps; group 2 was like group 1, except venous continuity was re
      established by venous anastomosis after resection of the venous segment
      previously microclamped; group 3 had 15 minutes of 1 degree ischemia, 24 hr later
      5 hr of 2 degrees venous ischemia was induced by placement of microvascular
      clamps; group 4 was like group 3, except the venous segment was excised. Necrosis
      was evaluated on postoperative day 7. Both secondary ischemic groups had
      significantly less flap survival than the corresponding primary ischemic groups
      (P less than 0.001 for both). Resection of a portion of the vein and subsequent
      microanastomosis did not reduce flap survival (NS). Secondary venous ischemia of
      5-hr duration is poorly tolerated by rodent skin flaps. There was no difference
      in flap survival in those flaps whose veins were clamped for 5 hr compared to
      those flaps whose clamped venous segments were resected and re-anastomosed.

PMID- 1406230
TI  - Carotid blood flow in anesthetized rats: effects of carotid ligation and
      anastomosis.
AB  - An experimental model was developed for continuous measurement of the common
      carotid blood flow, in the anesthetized rat, with an electromagnetic flowmeter.
      The mean carotid blood flow for 41 rats averaged 3.2 +/- 0.2 ml/min at an average
      mean arterial pressure of 101 +/- 2.5 mm Hg and arterial pO2 of 106 +/- 3.4 mm
      Hg, pCO2 of 38 +/- 1.2 mm Hg, and pH of 7.36 +/- 0.02. This model allowed short-
      and long-term carotid hemodynamic changes to be recorded after contralateral
      carotid ligation or end-to-side carotid anastomosis. After ligation of the
      contralateral carotid, blood flow through the intact carotid increased 25% (at
      about 1 week) and 45% (at about 5-6 months), whereas, after anastomosis, carotid
      blood flow increased 76% and 89% at periods comparable to those after ligation.
      Arterial pressure and gases did not change throughout the experimental periods.
      Probable mechanisms involved in these carotid hemodynamic changes are discussed.

PMID- 1406231
TI  - Vascularized and nonvascularized parathyroid gland transfer: a comparative study.
AB  - There is currently no animal model available to study the results of vascularized
      parathyroid gland autotransfers and nonvascularized autotransfers in the same
      model. This study was undertaken to determine the technical feasibility of
      performing microvascular parathyroid gland autotransfers in the dog, and to
      compare the postoperative levels of calcium, phosphorous, and parathyroid hormone
      (PTH) levels to a group of dogs who underwent nonvascularized parathyroid gland
      transfers. Dogs in the nonvascularized group were unable to maintain normal
      calcium without supplements, whereas dogs in the vascularized group maintained
      levels in the normal range. Microsurgical techniques allow transplant of a
      precise amount of parathyroid gland with its vascular supply to another part of
      the body with almost immediate restoration of function.

PMID- 1406232
TI  - Microsurgical use of polydioxanone (PDS) suture: an experimental report.
AB  - Although many technological advances have been made in surgical materials, nylon
      is still the main suture material use for microvascular surgery. This study
      sought to evaluate polydioxanone (PDS) sutures for use in microvascular
      anastomoses. Twenty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this experiment.
      Spatula-type needles with 9-0 PDS suture were used to anastomose the right
      femoral arteries, with 9-0 nylon used on the left side. The arteries were
      observed for 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks after surgery to determine arterial
      patency and to evaluate vascular pathology. Results were comparable between PDS
      and nylon. We suggest that if the suture material is redesigned to allow smooth
      passage through the tissue, and if the needle used in conjunction with the suture
      is improved, PDS may offer an excellent material for microvascular anastomosis.

PMID- 1406233
TI  - Chronic cyclosporin A therapy in rats.
AB  - We investigated the pharmacokinetics of cyclosporin A (CsA) blood levels and drug
      toxicity in a chronic rat study in which long-term (30 weeks) CsA was
      administered. Ninety Lewis rats received subcutaneous CsA at 5 mg/kg/day for 12
      weeks, at which time CsA injections were stopped in 50 animals. The remaining 40
      rats were maintained on 5 mg/kg CsA daily until week 18 and then switched to an
      alternate day dosing until week 30. All rats were observed daily and weighed
      weekly. Whole blood CsA levels were determined by a commercially available
      radioimmunoassay kit. The daily dosing regimen resulted in greatly elevated
      trough CsA levels (greater than 1,600 micrograms/liter) and substantial chronic
      systemic toxicity, with weight loss and death in eight animals. Alternate day
      dosing reduced trough levels (mean 1,311 micrograms/liter) and decreased
      toxicity. Chronic administration by the subcutaneous route resulted in a
      considerable depot effect, with constancy of drug levels over a 48 hr dosing
      interval and a slow decline of drug levels (15 days) upon cessation of treatment.
      These results underscore the importance of monitoring both body weight and blood
      CsA levels in rodent studies when CsA is employed. Investigators should be aware
      of drug accumulation with chronic therapy and the consequent need to modify
      dosing to prevent toxicity.

PMID- 1406234
TI  - Endothelialization of microporous polytetrafluoroethylene grafts in the
      infrarenal aorta and caval vein of the rat.
AB  - To study healing and endothelialization of vascular grafts, microporous
      polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) prostheses 2 mm in inner diameter and 5 mm long
      were implanted into the infrarenal aorta or caval vein of the rat. Patency was
      assessed in six rats from each group at days 3, 7, 14, 28, and 56 after
      implantation. Four grafts were occluded, two in the aorta (56 days) and two in
      the caval vein (3 and 14 days). The prostheses were examined via scanning
      electron and light microscopy for evaluation of endothelialization. At 3 days,
      the inner surface of the aortic grafts was covered by a plasma proteinaceous
      layer and that of the caval vein grafts by a thin mural thrombus. Endothelial
      cells then migrated from aorta/caval vein edges over the graft. At 14 days, the
      caval vein grafts were completely re-endothelialized, and, at 28 days, the mural
      thrombus in these grafts was replaced by neointima. In contrast,
      endothelialization of the aortic grafts had advanced only 1 mm at about 56 days,
      never forming a complete endothelial layer. We conclude that endothelialization
      of microporous PTFE prostheses is more rapid and complete in the caval vein than
      in the aorta of the rat.

PMID- 1406235
TI  - Experimental study of free toe replantation in rats.
AB  - A rat model for free second toe replantation, free hallux-to-thumb
      transplantation, and combined free hallux-to-thumb transplantation and free
      second-toe-to-index transfer is described. Experimental devices, operative
      methods, and the keys to success are discussed.

PMID- 1406236
TI  - Skeletal fixation in the rabbit knee transplantation model.
AB  - The immature rabbit knee model for epiphyseal plate transplantations has been
      used by a number of investigators. Rigid fixation of the femoral osteosynthesis
      has been difficult to achieve reliably. This paper describes a new technique for
      obtaining consistent and satisfactory skeletal fixation in this model. The tibia
      was internally fixed with an ASIF/AO four-hole minifragment plate. The femur was
      fixed with a 2.4 mm Steinman pin supplemented with two 26 gauge stainless steel
      interosseous wire loops placed at right angles to each other.

PMID- 1406237
TI  - [Toxicological basis for evaluating health risk].
AB  - The fundamental premises and toxicological methods used to evaluate exposure to
      chemicals in the environment have been discussed, with particular regard to the
      approach and methods for health risk assessment of carcinogens and non
      carcinogens. The main disputable problems related to risk assessment and risk
      estimation have been listed.

PMID- 1406238
TI  - [Protein fractions in workers exposed to organic solvents].
AB  - Industrial workers exposed to organic solvents were subject to examinations
      consisting in the assessment of the composition of serum proteins. The analysis
      revealed frequent shifts in protein fraction pattern. It was noted that the
      increased concentrations of organic solvents metabolites in urine have been
      usually accompanied by the increased gamma-globulins levels with a simultaneous
      decrease in albumin fraction and plasmatic index.

PMID- 1406239
TI  - [Does formaldehyde-induced asthma exist?].
AB  - Formaldehyde is a ubiquitous airborne pollutant in our modern environment. There
      are many potential sources of formaldehyde in the industrial setting. Ambient
      formaldehyde affects primarily the upper airways and eyes. Lower airway and
      pulmonary effects occur at exposure levels between 6-38 mg/m3. It is so soluble
      and rapidly metabolized that it seldom reaches the lower respiratory tract to
      inflict damage. There is no consistent evidence indicating that formaldehyde can
      be a respiratory sensitizer. It may, on rare occasions, induce bronchial asthma
      at relatively high exposure doses. There are no conclusive studies that would
      prove the development of de novo-IgE-mediated respiratory tract symptoms as
      resulting from inhalation of formaldehyde.

PMID- 1406240
TI  - [Local-action vibration and mechanical stress--their hygienic characteristics and
      medical evaluation of exposed workers].
AB  - Medical examination and assessment of the hand-transmitted vibration and
      mechanical shocks were performed in 69 workers using chipping hammers, grinding
      tools, pneumatic hammers and forge hammers. Out of the 15 chippers examined, 5
      presented vibration-induced white finger syndrome. The latency period for the
      syndrome was found to be similar to that predicted in the ISO guidelines no.
      5349. Twenty seven hammer-using operators complained of joints pain within the
      upper extremities. The results of the examinations indicate that the work under
      conditions of mechanical shocks may increase the risk of vibration-induced
      pathology.

PMID- 1406241
TI  - [Principles of medical expert testimony regarding adolescents' capacity for
      practical vocational training and work].
AB  - The presented approach to adolescents' vocational guidance is based on the ILO
      principle that work should conform to psychophysical conditions of the worker
      which should be evaluated before the beginning of work. In the paper the main
      health problems influencing the work capability have been discussed. It is
      suggested that the student, his parents and tutor should be informed about his
      health impairments, the degree of disability and therapeutic possibilities. The
      psychophysical features characteristic of the adolescence justify the health
      protection against occupational exposure to harmful agents as well as the
      activities, for health education and health promotion at school.

PMID- 1406242
TI  - [Biological testing of the fibrogenic effect of dust from the "Sosnowiec" mine on
      the lung tissue].
AB  - In order to determine biological aggressiveness of settled dusts (mechanical,
      crumbled) and dusts collected using the gravimetric method, experimental studies
      were carried out, including: 1) evaluation of the physicochemical parameters
      (size of dust particles, content of silica, metals and other chemical compounds),
      2) evaluation of the haemolytic activity, 3) experimental evaluation of
      fibrogenic potentials by means of: a) intraperitoneal test--to identity
      morphological type of reactive changes in the peritoneum and b) intratracheal
      test--to determine the level of hydroxyproline (collagen) in lungs and the
      morphological type of reactive changes. Albino rats were used for the experiment.
      The animals were divided into ten groups which received a single intratracheal
      injection of 50 mg of mining dust in 0.9% NaCl suspension. Comparative evaluation
      of biological aggressiveness of mining dusts was conducted basing on the findings
      of collagen levels in lungs. After the end of the experimental period (3 and 6
      months, respectively) histopathological a examination of the lungs and
      mediastinal lymph nodes was made and the collagen levels in the pulmonary tissue
      (following Stegemann) were determined. As evidenced by the results of the
      pathomorphological examination and a statistical analysis: 1) after intratracheal
      injection the mining dusts induced changes within the respiratory system e.g.
      inflammatory process and emphysema. The exposure also brought about double
      increase of collagen level as compared to the control group, 2) histopathological
      study of the lungs and lymph nodes did not reveal progressive development of
      fibrogenic changes, 3) cytotoxic test showed differences in the haemolytic
      activity of settled dust and dusts collected by the gravimetric method.

PMID- 1406243
TI  - [Comparative evaluation of the effects of detergents Emulkop and Rokafenol N-8 on
      the aggressiveness of coal mine dust in the aspect of prevention of its
      biological effect].
AB  - Comparative studies on the impact of the detergents Emulkop and Rokafenol N-8
      upon the development and course of experimental pneumoconiosis caused by mine
      dusts were carried out. Albino rats and rabbits were used for the experiment.
      Methodological assumptions were based on the analogy with the conditions observed
      at the workplaces where some means of dust control were used. The acute toxicity
      evaluation was based on determination of the medial lethal dose (DL50) after
      intragastric administration of the detergents. Irritating action of the
      detergents on the skin was also evaluated. The effect of the detergents on the
      aggressiveness of selected dusts was estimated by means of the intratracheal and
      intraperitoneal tests. At the end of the experimental period (3 and 6 months,
      respectively) histopathological investigations of the lungs and mediastinal lymph
      nodes were carried out, and the hydroxyproline (collagen) levels in the pulmonary
      tissue were determined. According to Hodge and Sterner Chemical Substance
      Toxicity Classifications, Emulkop has been classified as non-toxic, and Rokafenol
      N-8 as a weakly toxic substance. On the basis of the investigation results
      obtained it has been established that: 1) Rokafenol N-8 does not qualify for use
      in coal mines as a formulation designed for dust control because it doesn't
      eliminate coniotic changes and causes a significant increase in the level of
      hydroxyproline (collagen) in pulmonary tissue, 2) in the case of Emulkop our
      studies have shown that this detergent can be used to prevent pneumoconiosis in
      coal mine workers.

PMID- 1406244
TI  - [Serpentine mine "Naslawice" as the source of contamination of soil and
      agricultural plants with metals and fibrous minerals].
AB  - The study was aimed at evaluation of the effect of dust, produced at crushing the
      serpentine, on the soil and crops in Naslawice. The serpentine dust, apart from
      asbestos, contains also magnesium, calcium, chromium and nickel. These elements
      have been determined in the soil and plants by means of the standard methods
      generally used in agricultural chemistry, whereas asbestos content was determined
      by means of X-ray diffractometry and polarization microscopy. The dust of the
      crops harvested contained asbestos fibres and, in the plants, the increased
      content of nickel an chromium was found. The highest amount of asbestos was found
      in soil in the area at a distance of up to 50 km from the emission source. The
      soil contains also the increased amounts of chromium and sporadically cadmium.

PMID- 1406245
TI  - [Analysis of the incidence of pneumoconiosis among coal miners].
AB  - Basing on the prevention system for pneumoconiosis in ++coal mining, an analysis
      of the disease incidence in the workers of a selected ++coal mine was performed.
      The subjects were 2.495 miners with the work period longer than 8 years and a
      group of 822 retired miners. In the former group 16 cases (0.64%) of
      pneumoconiosis were diagnosed, whereas in the latter as many as 89 cases (10.8%)
      were found which would indicate a necessity for more detailed examinations in ex
      miners of this ++coal mine. The pneumoconiosis changes were detected in the early
      period of their development. The highest risk was found to refer to longwall and
      blasting miners and cutter-loadermen. The correlation between radiological
      changes of the s, t, and u type and the duration of work as well as the high
      frequency of these changes at highly polluted workplaces seem to point to their
      relation to dust exposure.

PMID- 1406246
TI  - Interaction between maltose-binding protein and the membrane-associated maltose
      transporter complex in Escherichia coli.
AB  - Active transport of maltose in Escherichia coli requires the presence of both
      maltose-binding protein (MBP) in the periplasm and a complex of MalF, MalG, and
      MalK proteins (FGK2) located in the cytoplasmic membrane. Earlier, mutants in
      malF or malG were isolated that are able to grow on maltose in the complete
      absence of MBP. When the wild-type malE+ allele, coding for MBP, was introduced
      into these MBP-independent mutants, they frequently lost their ability to grow on
      maltose. Furthermore, starting from these Mal- strains, Mal+ secondary mutants
      that contained suppressor mutations in malE were isolated. In this study, we
      examined the interaction of wild-type and mutant MBPs with wild-type and mutant
      FGK2 complexes by using right-side-out membrane vesicles. The vesicles from a MBP
      independent mutant (malG511) transported maltose in the absence of MBP, with Km
      and Vmax values similar to those found in intact cells. However, addition of wild
      type MBP to these mutant vesicles produced unexpected responses. Although malE+
      malG511 cells could not utilize maltose, wild-type MBP at low concentrations
      stimulated the maltose uptake by malG511 vesicles. At higher concentrations of
      the wild-type MBP and maltose, however, maltose transport into malG511 vesicles
      became severely inhibited. This behaviour of the vesicles was also reflected in
      the phenotype of malE+ malG511 cells, which were found to be capable of
      transporting maltose from a low external concentration (1 microM), but apparently
      not from millimolar concentrations present in maltose minimal medium. We found
      that the mutant FGK2 complex, containing MalG511, had a much higher apparent
      affinity towards the wild-type MBP than did the wild-type FGK2 complex.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406247
TI  - Isolation of phosphorylation-deficient mutants of the Rhizobium meliloti two
      component regulatory protein, FixJ.
AB  - Rhizobium meliloti FixL and FixJ are members of a symbiotically essential two
      component system that regulates nitrogen-fixation genes in response to
      environmental oxygen concentrations. FixL is a membrane protein that is thought
      to relay information about oxygen availability to FixJ via a phosphotransfer
      mechanism. FixJ increases expression of the nifA and fixK genes by activating
      transcription of the nifA and fixK promoters (p-nifA and p-fixK, respectively).
      In this study, we examined the relationship between the in vivo activity of FixJ
      as a transcriptional regulator and its ability to be phosphorylated in vitro by
      the sensor FixL. FixJ mutants were isolated that showed decreased activity on p
      nifA in Escherichia coli. Most of the FixJ mutant proteins also showed decreased
      activity on the fixK promoter. These mutants were analysed in R. meliloti for
      activity on p-nifA during vegetative growth, where similarities and differences
      were observed when compared with their phenotypes in E. coli. Three mutants
      showing significantly less activity in R. meliloti were examined for symbiotic
      activity in planta and were found to be ineffective. When these three mutant FixJ
      proteins were examined in vitro for their ability to be phosphorylated by FixL,
      two mutants were found to have a significantly decreased ability to accept
      phosphate from FixL. These findings are discussed in relation to signal
      transduction in the FixLJ system.

PMID- 1406248
TI  - Homologous catalytic domains in a rumen fungal xylanase: evidence for gene
      duplication and prokaryotic origin.
AB  - A cDNA (xynA), encoding xylanase A (XYLA), was isolated from a cDNA library,
      derived from mRNA extracted from the rumen anaerobic fungus, Neocallimastix
      patriciarum. Recombinant XYLA, purified from Escherichia coli harbouring xynA,
      had a M(r) of 53,000 and hydrolysed oat-spelt xylan to xylobiose and xylose. The
      enzyme did not hydrolyse any cellulosic substrates. The nucleotide sequence of
      xynA revealed a single open reading frame of 1821 bp coding for a protein of M(r)
      66,192. The predicted primary structure of XYLA comprised an N-terminal signal
      peptide followed by a 225-amino-acid repeated sequence, which was separated from
      a tandem 40-residue C-terminal repeat by a threonine/proline linker sequence. The
      large N-terminal reiterated regions consisted of distinct catalytic domains which
      displayed similar substrate specificities to the full-length enzyme. The
      reiterated structure of XYLA suggests that the enzyme was derived from an
      ancestral gene which underwent two discrete duplications. Sequence comparison
      analysis revealed significant homology between XYLA and bacterial xylanases
      belonging to cellulase/xylanase family G. One of these homologous enzymes is
      derived from the rumen bacterium Ruminococcus flavefaciens. The homology observed
      between XYLA and a rumen prokaryote xylanase could be a consequence of the
      horizontal transfer of genes between rumen prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes,
      either when the organisms were resident in the rumen, or prior to their
      colonization of the ruminant. It should also be noted that Neocallimastix XYLA is
      the first example of a xylanase which consists of reiterated sequences. It
      remains to be established whether this is a common phenomenon in other rumen
      fungal plant cell wall hydrolases.

PMID- 1406249
TI  - Cell division in Escherichia coli minB mutants.
AB  - In Escherichia coli minB mutants, cell division can take place at the cell poles
      as well as non-polarly in the cell. We have examined growth, division patterns,
      and nucleoid distribution in individual cells of a minC point mutant and a minB
      deletion mutant, and compared them to the corresponding wild-type strain and an
      intR1 strain in which the chromosome is over-replicated. The main findings were
      as follows. In the minB mutants, polar and non-polar divisions appeared to occur
      independently of each other. Furthermore, the timing of cell division in the cell
      cycle was found to be severely affected. In addition, nucleoid conformation and
      distribution were considerably disturbed. The results obtained call for a re
      evaluation of the role of the MinB system in the E. coli cell cycle, and of the
      concept that limiting quanta of cell division factors are regularly produced
      during the cell cycle.

PMID- 1406250
TI  - Isolation of arginine auxotrophs, cloning by mutant complementation, and sequence
      analysis of the argC gene from the cyanobacterium Anabaena species PCC 7120.
AB  - Arginine auxotrophs of the dinitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Anabaena species
      strain PCC 7120 were isolated after ultraviolet light mutagenesis and penicillin
      enrichment. Two of these auxotrophs were complemented by a cosmid gene library of
      the wild-type strain established in Escherichia coli that was transferred en
      masse to the mutants by conjugation. The gene complementing one of those mutants
      was found to complement an E. coli argC mutant. Sequencing analysis of the gene
      showed that it encodes a 322-residue polypeptide that is homologous to the ArgC
      protein of E. coli, Bacillus subtilis and Streptomyces clavuligerus and to the C
      terminal moiety of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae ARG5,6 gene product, N
      acetylglutamate semialdehyde dehydrogenase. A cysteine residue present in a
      highly conserved domain in the five proteins is probably located in the active
      site of the enzyme. Conserved among the ArgC proteins, sequences resembling the
      primary structure of nucleotide-binding domains are also found. Downstream of the
      Anabaena argC gene seven nearly perfect repeats of a heptanucleotide (consensus
      sequence:5'-CTAATGA-3') are found.

PMID- 1406251
TI  - Localization of an immunodominant 64 kDa lipoprotein (LP 64) in the membrane of
      Mycoplasma gallisepticum and its role in cytadherence.
AB  - A 64 kDa lipoprotein (LP 64) haemagglutinin (pI 4.9-5.0) was isolated from the
      membrane of Mycoplasma gallisepticum. Triton X-114 phase partitioning has
      demonstrated that the hydrophobic nature of this haemagglutinin is due to a lipid
      portion of the molecule. Autoradiography of [3H]-palmitate-labelled M.
      gallisepticum revealed the presence of several additional lipoproteins.
      Immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated the localization of LP 64 to the base of
      the terminal structure. Densitometric scans of stained polyacrylamide gels of M.
      gallisepticum showed that LP 64 constitutes 1.7% of the total protein. Scans of
      immunoblots of M. gallisepticum indicate that LP 64 is highly immunogenic in
      chickens, accounting for 7.4% of the total serum IgG response at four weeks post
      infection. A quantitative value for the IgG response to LP 64, relative to the
      percentage of total protein (the Relative Immunogenicity Index) was 4.4. LP 64 is
      conserved among several strains of M. gallisepticum, but its presence could not
      be detected in Mycoplasma synoviae. Antiserum raised to electroeluted LP 64
      reacted specifically with this lipoprotein when assessed on either one- or two
      dimensional immunoblots of M. gallisepticum. This antiserum, as well as Fab
      fragments, inhibited haemagglutination of chicken erythrocytes and inhibited the
      attachment of 14C-labelled M. gallisepticum to chicken tracheal epithelium in
      vitro by 62%.

PMID- 1406252
TI  - Temperature regulation of Shigella virulence: identification of the repressor
      gene virR, an analogue of hns, and partial complementation by tyrosyl transfer
      RNA (tRNA1(Tyr)).
AB  - virR is the central regulatory locus required for coordinate temperature
      regulated virulence gene expression in the human enteric pathogens of Shigella
      species. Detailed characterization of VirR+ clones revealed that virR consisted
      of a 411 bp open reading frame (ORF) that mapped to a chromosomally located 1.8kb
      EcoRI-AccI DNA fragment from Shigella flexneri. Insertional inactivation of the
      virR ORF at a unique HpaI restriction site resulted in a loss of VirR+ activity.
      The virR ORF nucleotide sequence was virtually identical to the Escherichia coli
      hns gene, which encodes the histone-like protein, H-NS. Based on the predicted
      amino acid sequence of E. coli H-NS, only a single conservative base-pair change
      was identified in the virR gene. An additional clone, designated VirRP, which
      only partially complemented the virR mutation, was also characterized and
      determined by Southern hybridization and nucleotide sequence analysis to be
      unique from virR. Subclone mapping of this clone indicated that the VirRP
      phenotype was a result of the multiple copy expression of the S. flexneri gene
      for tRNA(Tyr). These data constitute the first direct genetic evidence that virR
      is an analogue of the E. coli hns gene, and suggest a model for temperature
      regulation of Shigella species virulence via the bacterial translational
      machinery.

PMID- 1406253
TI  - Cloning, nucleotide sequence determination and expression of the genes encoding
      cytochrome P-450soy (soyC) and ferredoxinsoy (soyB) from Streptomyces griseus.
AB  - Xenobiotic transformation by Streptomyces griseus (ATCC13273) is catalysed by a
      cytochrome P-450, designated cytochrome P-450soy. A DNA segment carrying the
      structural gene encoding P-450soy (soyC) was cloned using an oligonucleotide
      probe constructed from the protein sequence of a tryptic peptide. Following DNA
      sequencing the deduced amino acid sequence of P-450soy was compared with that for
      P-450cam, revealing conservation of important structural components including the
      haem pocket. Expression of the cloned soyC gene product was demonstrated in
      Streptomyces lividans by reduced CO:difference spectral analysis and Western
      blotting. Downstream of soyC, a gene encoding a putative [3Fe-4S] ferredoxin
      (soyB), named ferredoxinsoy, was identified.

PMID- 1406254
TI  - Sequence diversity within the argF, fbp and recA genes of natural isolates of
      Neisseria meningitidis: interspecies recombination within the argF gene.
AB  - Studies of natural populations of Neisseria meningitidis using multilocus enzyme
      electrophoresis have shown extensive genetic variation within this species,
      which, it has been proposed, implies a level of sequence diversity within
      meningococci that is greater than that normally considered as the criterion for
      species limits in bacteria. To obtain a direct measure of the sequence diversity
      among meningococci, we obtained the nucleotide sequences of most of the argF,
      recA and fbp genes of eight meningococci of widely differing electrophoretic type
      (from the reference collection of Caugant). Sequence variation between the
      meningococcal strains ranged from 0-0.6% for fbp, 0-1.3% for argF, and 0-3.3% for
      recA. These levels of diversity are no greater than those found within
      Escherichia coli 'housekeeping' genes and suggest that multilocus enzyme
      electrophoresis may overestimate the extent of nucleotide sequence diversity
      within meningococci. The average sequence divergence between the Neisseria
      meningitidis strains and N. gonorrhoeae strain FA19 was 1.0% for fbp and 1.6% for
      recA. The argF gene, although very uniform among the eight meningococcal
      isolates, had a striking mosaic structure when compared with the gonococcal argF
      gene: two regions of the gene differed by greater than 13% in nucleotide sequence
      between meningococci and gonococci, whereas the rest of the gene differed by less
      than 1.7%. One of the diverged regions was shown to have been introduced from the
      argF gene of a commensal Neisseria species that is closely related to Neisseria
      cinerea. The source of the other region was unclear.

PMID- 1406255
TI  - Isolation and characterization of an ndvB locus from Rhizobium fredii.
AB  - A gene (ndvB) in Rhizobium meliloti that is essential for nodule development in
      Medicago sativa (alfalfa), specifies synthesis of a large membrane protein. This
      protein appears to be an intermediate in beta-1,2-glucan synthesis by the
      microsymbiont. Southern hybridization analysis showed strong homology between an
      ndvB (chvB) probe and genomic DNA of R. fredii but not from Bradyrhizobium
      japonicum. A cosmid clone containing the putative ndvB locus was isolated from a
      Rhizobium fredii gene library. The cosmid clone which complemented R. meliloti
      ndvB mutants for synthesis of beta-1,2-glucans and effective nodulation of
      alfalfa was mapped and subcloned. Fragment-specific Tn5 mutagenesis followed by
      homologous recombination into the R. fredii genome indicated that the region was
      essential for beta-1,2-glucan synthesis and for formation of an effective
      symbiosis with Glycine max (soybean).

PMID- 1406256
TI  - Chromosomal and genetic analysis of the electrophoretic karyotype of Trichoderma
      reesei: mapping of the cellulase and xylanase genes.
AB  - An electrophoretic karyotype has been established for Trichoderma reesei strain
      QM6a, and several of its derivatives, by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. All
      strains examined appear to have seven chromosomes with a total genome size of
      approximately 33 megabases (Mb). The sizes of the chromosomal bands in strain
      QM6a are approximately 6.2, 6.0, 5.1, 4.2 (doublet), 3.6 and 3.2 Mb. Genes
      encoding the cellulase complex and xylanases of T. reesei have been mapped, as
      have several other genes.

PMID- 1406257
TI  - Carbon regulation and the role in nature of the Escherichia coli penicillin
      acylase (pac) gene.
AB  - Quantitative analysis of specific pac mRNA and a lacZ fusion to the 5'-terminal
      region of the pac gene demonstrated that both phenylacetic acid induction and
      catabolite repression by glucose are involved, at the transcriptional level, in
      the regulation of the pac gene. The studies presented here suggest that this
      regulation is also present in Escherichia coli transformed strains in which the
      pac gene was not originally present. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the
      5'-terminal region of this gene, with a statistical algorithm, confirms that the
      putative promoter previously proposed by our group is the most feasible within
      this region. We demonstrate that penicillin acylase activity can confer on E.
      coli the ability to use penicillin G as a metabolic substrate, by detaching the
      phenylacetic group which can be used as a carbon source. Based on these data, the
      regulation properties of the pac gene studied in this work, and the specificity
      profile of the penicillin acylase enzyme we suggest a role for it in E. coli as a
      scavenger enzyme for phenylacetylated compounds.

PMID- 1406258
TI  - Osmostress-induced changes in yeast gene expression.
AB  - When Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells are exposed to high concentration of NaCl,
      they show reduced viability, methionine uptake and protein biosynthesis. Cells
      can acquire tolerance against a severe salt shock (up to 1.4 M NaCl) by a
      previous treatment with 0.7 M NaCl, but not by a previous heat shock. Two
      dimensional analysis of [3H]-leucine-labelled proteins from salt-shocked cells
      (0.7 M NaCl) revealed the elevated rate of synthesis of nine proteins, among
      which were the heat-shock proteins hsp12 and hsp26. Northern analysis using gene
      specific probes confirmed the identity of the latter proteins and, in addition,
      demonstrated the induction of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene expression.
      The synthesis of the same set of proteins is induced or enhanced upon exposure of
      cells to 0.8 M sucrose, although not as dramatically as in an iso-osmolar NaCl
      concentration (0.7 M).

PMID- 1406259
TI  - Decreasing transcription elongation rate in Escherichia coli exposed to amino
      acid starvation.
AB  - The time required for transcription of the lacZ gene in Escherichia coli was
      determined during exponential growth and under conditions, when the bacterium was
      exposed to partial isoleucine starvation. To do this, RNA was extracted from the
      cells at 10 s intervals following induction and quantified by Northern
      hybridization with probes complementary to either the beginning or the end of the
      lacZ mRNA. The time lag between inducer addition and the appearance of a
      hybridization signal at the 'late' probe represents the transit time for RNA
      polymerase on the lacZ gene, and this parameter and the known length of the
      transcribed sequence were used to calculate the lacZ mRNA chain growth-rate. The
      transcription elongation rate was c. 43 nucleotides s-1 during exponential growth
      and decreased abruptly to c. 20 nucleotides s-1 in a relA+ strain after the onset
      of isoleucine starvation, when massive concentrations of guanosine tetraphosphate
      (ppGpp) accumulated in the cells. The starvation condition did not affect
      initiation of transcription at the lac-promoter, but a substantial fraction of
      the initiated lacZ mRNA chains was never completed. For the rel+ strain the
      polarity was moderate, since c. 25% of the initiated lacZ mRNA' chains were
      continued into full-length mRNAs, but for the relA strain the polarity was so
      strong that no completed lacZ mRNA could be detected. The protein chain
      elongation rates decreased from 13 amino acids (aa) s-1 in the unperturbed growth
      phase to approximately 6 as s-1, when the cells starved for isoleucine. In
      combination, these results suggest that ppGpp plays a major role in maintaining
      the coupling between transcription and translation during the downshift by
      inhibiting mRNA chain elongation. The implications of this result for the control
      of stable RNA synthesis during the stringent response are discussed.

PMID- 1406260
TI  - Disulphide bridge formation in the periplasm of Escherichia coli: beta
      lactamase:: human IgG3 hinge fusions as a model system.
AB  - We report the construction and the expression in Escherichia coli of three
      different fusion genes encoding the extended human IgG3 hinge region (Hi) fused
      in-phase to the C-terminal end of bacterial TEM1 beta-lactamase (Bla). In the
      first fusion gene blahi, TEM1 beta-lactamase (Bla). In the first fusion gene
      blahi, the hinge sequence was directly coupled to the 3' end of the beta
      lactamase gene, whereas in the two other constructs, blal1hi and blal2hi, a
      linker encoding 14 and 10 amino acids, respectively, was inserted between the two
      subunits. After expression (24 h, 20 degrees C) under control of the constitutive
      kanamycin phosphoribosyl transferase promoter, the fusion proteins, BlaHi,
      BlaL1Hi and BlaL2Hi, respectively, were almost exclusively detected in the
      periplasmic fraction, and they conferred carbenicillin-resistance to the cells.
      These results indicate that beta-lactamase can efficiently direct the export of
      proteins fused to its C-terminus, and moreover, at least some of the exported
      fusion proteins must carry the beta-lactamase moiety in a properly folded form.
      Analysis of their assembly, however, revealed that only a minor fraction was
      recovered as the expected F(ab')2-like dimer. The presence in the periplasm of
      'oxidized' monomers (with intrachain disulphide bonds) as well as of several high
      molecular-mass proteins, probably resulting from the association between monomers
      and other cysteine-rich proteins, strongly suggests that the conditions in the
      bacterial periplasm are insufficient to allow proper assembly of multimeric
      proteins with several interchain disulphide bonds.

PMID- 1406261
TI  - Thermoregulation and reversible differentiation in Bordetella: a model for
      pathogenic bacteria.

PMID- 1406262
TI  - Protein sequence from downstream of Escherichia coli galK is homologous with galM
      from other organisms.

PMID- 1406263
TI  - Mutagenesis induced by bacterial UmuDC proteins and their plasmid homologues.
AB  - The popular image of a world full of pollutants mutating DNA is only partly true
      since there are relatively few agents which can subtly and directly change base
      coding; for example, some alkylating agents alter guanine so that it pairs like
      adenine. Many more mutagens are less subtle and simply destroy coding altogether
      rather than changing it. Such mutagens include ultraviolet light, X-rays, DNA
      cross-linkers and other agents which make DNA breaks or large adducts. In
      Escherichia coli, mutagenesis by these agents occurs during a DNA repair process
      which increases cell survival but with an inherent possibility of changing the
      original sequence. Such mutagenic DNA repair is, in part, encoded by the E. coli
      umuDC operon. This article reviews the structure, function, regulation and
      evolution of the umuDC operon and similar genes found both in other species and
      on naturally occurring plasmids.

PMID- 1406264
TI  - (A)BC excinuclease: the Escherichia coli nucleotide excision repair enzyme.
AB  - Nucleotide excision repair is the major pathway for removing damage from DNA.
      (A)BC excinuclease is the nuclease activity which initiates nucleotide excision
      repair in Escherichia coli. In this review, we focus on current understanding of
      the structure-function of the enzyme and the reaction mechanism of the repair
      pathway. In addition, recent biochemical studies on preferential repair of
      actively transcribed genes in E. coli are summarized.

PMID- 1406265
TI  - Interrelated effects of DNA supercoiling, ppGpp, and low salt on melting within
      the Escherichia coli ribosomal RNA rrnB P1 promoter.
AB  - The formation of complexes containing high levels of DNA melting at the ribosomal
      RNA rrnB P1 promoter in vitro is shown to be facilitated by DNA supercoiling or
      low salt. The effector nucleotide ppGpp is ineffective under these conditions.
      The loss of supercoils or addition of salt increases the effectiveness of ppGpp
      in inhibiting formation of these complexes. In vivo plasmid DNA supercoiling is
      shown to decrease during starvation protocols that also increase levels of ppGpp.
      The results suggest that ppGpp regulation may be affected by the state of DNA
      supercoiling in vivo.

PMID- 1406266
TI  - Surface protein-CAT reporter fusions demonstrate differential gene expression in
      the vir regulon of Streptococcus pyogenes.
AB  - Streptococcus pyogenes expresses at least two virulence factors, the anti
      phagocytic M protein and an inhibitor of chemotaxis, the C5a peptidase (ScpA),
      under control of the virR locus. To facilitate studies of this regulatory unit,
      we constructed a new shuttle vector with a staphylococcal chloramphenicol acetyl
      transferase (CAT) reporter box which replicates in S. pyogenes. We cloned
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-derived potential promoter regions of the virR, M
      protein (emm12), and ScpA (scpA) genes from an M type 12 S. pyogenes, strain
      CS24. Promoter activity was assessed by measurements of specific mRNAs,
      transacetylase activity, and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for
      chloramphenicol resistance. We demonstrated that VirR is a necessary but not
      always sufficient positive trans-acting regulator of emm12 and scpA expression;
      however, virR is not autoregulated. A potential virR-binding consensus sequence
      is postulated for emm12, scpA and other M-like protein genes. Promoter activity
      of the structural genes was found to be dramatically influenced by growth
      conditions such as anaerobiosis. Levels of control, over and above the
      requirement for virR, are realized. The virR and scpA promoters were mapped for
      the first time using primer extension analysis. The observed mRNA start sites did
      not completely agree within the sequence predicted start sites. Data suggest that
      scpA could be subject to transcription attenuation.

PMID- 1406267
TI  - A metalloprotease gene from Streptomyces coelicolor 'Muller' and its
      transcriptional activator, a member of the LysR family.
AB  - A metalloprotease gene (mprA) and its regulatory gene (mprR) from Streptomyces
      coelicolor 'Muller' DSM3030 were isolated and their DNA sequences determined. The
      protease secreted by the heterologous host Streptomyces lividans was
      characterized biochemically as a metalloprotease with a M(r) of 20,000, which is
      in good agreement with data derived from DNA sequence analysis. The mprA gene is
      transcribed divergently from mprR, the deduced protein of which displays homology
      to prokaryotic transcriptional regulators of the LysR family. The regulatory
      protein (MprR) was shown to bind to the intergenic region between mprR and mprA.
      It was found to activate transcription of mprA in S. lividans and also in
      Escherichia coli.

PMID- 1406268
TI  - Ethanol-induced and glucose-insensitive alcohol dehydrogenase activity in the
      yeast Kluyveromyces lactis.
AB  - The alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) system in the yeast Kluyveromyces lactis is
      encoded by four ADH genes. In this paper we report evidence that at least three
      of these genes are transcribed and translated into protein. KIADH1 and KIADH2,
      which encode cytoplasmic activities, are preferentially expressed in glucose
      grown cells with respect to ethanol-grown cells. KIADH4, which encodes one of the
      two activities localized within mitochondria, is induced at the transcriptional
      level in the presence of ethanol as is the ADH2 gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
      However the regulation of the expression of the K. lactis gene is completely
      different from that of ADH2 and of other known ADH genes in that KIADH4 is
      insensitive to glucose repression and is not expressed on non-fermentable carbon
      sources other than ethanol. This kind of regulation can be clearly observed in
      non-fermenting strains, where the induction of KIADH4 is dependent on the
      addition of ethanol to the medium. On the contrary, in fermenting strains KIADH4
      is always induced by ethanol or acetaldehyde produced endocellularly and this
      results in constitutive expression of the gene also in the presence of glucose.
      The mitochondrial localization of the activity encoded by KIADH4 and the peculiar
      regulation of this gene could be related to the fact that K. lactis is a petite
      negative yeast in which some mitochondrial functions seem to be essential for
      cell viability.

PMID- 1406269
TI  - Identification of a novel large extrachromosomal DNA (LED) in the
      Trypanosomatidae.
AB  - We have identified a novel 75 kbp large extrachromosomal DNA (LED) which is
      stably maintained during developmental conversion of Trypanosoma cruzi. It has a
      covalently closed circular conformation and is not derived from the kinetoplast
      network. In all T. cruzi strains analysed, LED contains 18S rRNA and spliced
      leader (sl) sequences. LED from the T. cruzi Y strain contains a minimum of 15
      copies of the sl repeat arrayed in a head-to-tail configuration and 50 copies of
      a 196 bp repeat. LED is also present in Trypanosoma dionisii (subgenus
      Schizotrypanosoma) and in other members of the family Trypanosomatidae. LED from
      different T. cruzi strains and from other members of the Trypanosomatidae differ
      in their content of large ribosomal subunit rRNA sequences and the 196 bp repeat.
      The presence of LED in four evolutionarily distant trypanosomatid species
      suggests that it plays an important role in the biology of these parasites.

PMID- 1406270
TI  - The stable BRP signal peptide causes lethality but is unable to provoke the
      translocation of cloacin DF13 across the cytoplasmic membrane of Escherichia
      coli.
AB  - The bacteriocin release protein (BRP) mediates the secretion of cloacin DF13. The
      BRP precursor is slowly processed to yield the mature BRP and its stable signal
      peptide which is also involved in cloacin DF13 secretion. The function of the
      stable BRP signal peptide was analysed by constructing two plasmids. First, the
      stable BRP signal peptide was fused to the murein lipoprotein and, second, a stop
      codon was introduced after the BRP signal sequence. Exchange of the unstable
      murein lipoprotein signal peptide for the stable BRP signal peptide resulted in
      an accumulation of precursors of the hybrid murein lipoprotein. This indicated
      that the BRP signal peptide, as part of this hybrid precursor, is responsible for
      the slow processing. The stable BRP signal peptide itself was not able to direct
      the transfer of cloacin DF13 into the periplasmic space or into the culture
      medium. Over-expression of the BRP signal peptide was lethal and caused 'lysis'.
      Subcellular fractionation experiments revealed that the BRP signal peptide is
      located exclusively in the cytoplasmic membrane whereas the mature BRP, targeted
      by either the stable BRP signal peptide or the unstable Lpp signal peptide, is
      located in both the cytoplasmic and outer membrane. These results are in
      agreement with the hypothesis that the stable signal peptide and the mature BRP
      together are required for the passage of cloacin DF13 across the cell envelope.

PMID- 1406271
TI  - Polyphosphate-selective porin OprO of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: expression,
      purification and sequence.
AB  - The oprO gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa codes for a polyphosphate-specific porin
      and terminates 458 bp upstream of the start codon for the phosphate-specific
      porin OprP. OprO was found to be expressed only under phosphate-starvation
      conditions in both wild-type and oprP::Tn501 mutant P. aeruginosa strains.
      However, unlike the rest of the genes of the Pho regulon, including oprP,
      expression of oprO required cells to be in the stationary growth phase in
      addition to phosphate starvation. Wild-type P. aeruginosa cells were grown in
      fermentor culture under these conditions and fractionated by selective
      solubilization in octylpolyoxyethylene detergent solution. Solubilized OprO was
      separated from OprP by application to a Mono Q FPLC column and elution with a
      salt gradient and shown to be functionally identical to cloned OprO produced in
      Escherichia coli. DNA sequencing of oprO showed the gene product to be highly
      homologous to OprP, with 76% identity and 16% conserved substitutions. Most genes
      of the Pho regulon possess a modified -35 region called the Pho box. Two such
      elements, separated by 4 bp were found in oprO. DNA sequencing also revealed a
      second Pho box in the oprP gene with the same spacing.

PMID- 1406272
TI  - Expression and mutational analysis of the nucleoid-associated protein H-NS of
      Salmonella typhimurium.
AB  - The H-NS (H1) protein is a major component of bacterial chromatin. Mutations in
      the hns (osmZ) gene encoding H-NS are highly pleiotropic, affecting the
      expression of many unrelated genes in an allele-specific manner. H-NS expression
      was found not to vary with growth phase or growth medium osmolarity.
      Additionally, 10 independent hns mutations were isolated and characterized. Five
      of these mutations were the result of an IS10 insertion, each generating a
      truncated polypeptide. The other five mutations were the same specific deletion
      of one amino acid, delta Ala46. The various hns mutations exhibited different
      phenotypes and influenced DNA topology to variable extents. Implications for the
      mechanism by which H-NS influences gene expression are discussed.

PMID- 1406273
TI  - The effects of 5'-capping, 3'-polyadenylation and leader composition upon the
      translation and stability of mRNA in a cell-free extract derived from the yeast
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - A new modular expression system was developed to direct the in vitro synthesis of
      defined transcripts that were used as templates for translation in yeast cell
      free extracts. The system was used to examine the influence of 5'-capping, 3'
      polyadenylation and leader sequence upon the translation and stability of the
      synthetic Tn9 cat (chloramphenicol acetyl transferase), yeast PGK
      (phosphoglycerate kinase) and yeast HSP26 (heat-shock protein 26) mRNAs. The
      addition of a methylated cap (m7Gppp) or of a poly(A) tail enhanced translation
      and stabilized the mRNA. The dependence of translation upon capping was reduced
      in the presence of the HSP26 leader sequence. This may indicate the existence of
      a translational mechanism that enhances cap-independent translation. The
      enhancement of the translation and stability of mRNA was relatively insensitive
      to changes in the position of the poly(A) tail relative to the reading frame.

PMID- 1406274
TI  - Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the csp1 gene encoding PS1, one of the two
      major secreted proteins of Corynebacterium glutamicum: the deduced N-terminal
      region of PS1 is similar to the Mycobacterium antigen 85 complex.
AB  - Two proteins, PS1 and PS2, were detected in the culture medium of Corynebacterium
      glutamicum and are the major proteins secreted by this bacterium. No enzymatic
      activity was identified for either of the two proteins. Immunologically cross
      reacting proteins were found in a variety of C. glutamicum strains but not in the
      coryneform Arthrobacter aureus. The gene encoding PS1, csp1, was cloned in lambda
      gt11 using polyclonal antibodies raised against PS1 to screen for producing
      clones. The csp1 gene was expressed in Escherichia coli, presumably from its own
      promoter, and directed the synthesis of two proteins recognized by anti-PS1
      antibodies. The major protein band, of lower M(r), was detected in the
      periplasmic fraction. It had the same M(r) as the PS1 protein band detected in
      the supernatant of C. glutamicum cultures and presumably corresponds to the
      mature form of PS1. The minor protein band appears to be the precursor form of
      PS1. The nucleotide sequence of the csp1 gene was determined and contained an
      open reading frame encoding a polypeptide with a calculated molecular weight of
      70,874, with a putative signal peptide with a molecular weight of 4411. This is
      consistent with the M(r) determined for PS1 from C. glutamicum culture
      supernatant and E. coli whole-cell extracts. The NH2-half of the deduced amino
      acid is similar (about 33% identical residues and 52% including similar residues)
      to the secreted antigen 85 protein complex of Mycobacterium. The csp1 gene in C.
      glutamicum was disrupted without any apparent effect on growth or viability.

PMID- 1406275
TI  - Analysis of the regulation of the pelBC genes in Erwinia chrysanthemi 3937.
AB  - Erwinia chrysanthemi secretes five major isoenzymes of pectate lyases encoded by
      the pelABCDE genes. The nucleotide sequence of the region surrounding the pelB
      gene of E. chrysanthemi 3937 was determined, including the regulatory regions
      involved in pelB and pelC expression. Analysis of the transcripts showed that
      transcription of pelB or pelC gave, in both cases, only one transcript. The
      transcription initiation sites of both pelB and pelC were precisely determined as
      well as the position of the transcription termination of pelB. The pelB and pelC
      promoters are very similar, showing a good homology with the -35 consensus region
      but low homology with the -10 consensus. In both cases a KdgR-box overlaps the 
      35 region. The pelC gene may have two KdgR operators. Moreover, the pelB and pelC
      genes are preceded by other sequences presenting the typical symmetry of operator
      sites that could be involved in more specific regulations. Comparison of E.
      chyrsanthemi pel regulatory regions revealed three classes of homology: pelA,
      pelB-pelC and pelD-pelE. The sole regulatory sequence conserved among the three
      classes corresponds to the KdgR-binding site. Moreover, all the pel regulatory
      regions are AT-rich in contrast to the coding regions which are GC-rich. Gel
      retardation experiments with fragments overlapping the pelB or pelC regulatory
      regions demonstrated that the KdgR protein specifically binds to these regions.
      Other proteins probably also interact with these DNA fragments. Transcription of
      pelB terminates in a region corresponding to a GC-rich inverted repeat followed
      by a run of T residues, typical of rho-independent transcription termination
      sites. Moreover, preliminary results imply that a region adjacent to pelC
      provoke, directly or indirectly, the repression of pelB and pelC expression.

PMID- 1406276
TI  - The plasmid-encoded chloramphenicol-resistance protein of Rhodococcus fascians is
      homologous to the transmembrane tetracycline efflux proteins.
AB  - The nucleotide sequence of the chloramphenicol-resistance gene (cmr) of
      Rhodococcus fascians NCPPB 1675 (located on the conjugative plasmid pRF2) allowed
      the identification of two possible open reading frames (ORFs), of which ORF1 was
      consistent with the mutational analysis. Biochemical analysis of cmr revealed
      that it does not encode an antibiotic-modifying enzyme. The amino acid sequence
      of ORF1 predicted a hydrophobic protein, with 12 putative membrane-spanning
      domains, homologous to proteins involved in the efflux of tetracycline across the
      plasma membrane. Expression of the cmr gene was induced by addition of
      chloramphenicol to the growth media. The promoter of this gene was restricted to
      50 bp upstream from a 200 bp 5'-untranslated mRNA region, the latter containing
      two inverted repeats. At the amino acid level, the cmr gene is 52% identical to a
      previously identified chloramphenicol-resistance determinant in Streptomyces
      lividans, indicating a wider dispersion of this type of cmr gene among the
      actinomycetes.

PMID- 1406277
TI  - Identification and characterization of virK, a virulence-associated large plasmid
      gene essential for intercellular spreading of Shigella flexneri.
AB  - Seven virulence loci have been identified by Tn5 insertion mutagenesis on the
      large 230 kb plasmid (pMYSH6000) of Shigella flexneri 2a. In this study, we used
      Tn10 insertion mutagenesis and identified a novel virulence locus on pMYSH6000
      responsible for bacterial spread. Characterization of the invading bacteria of
      the Tn10 insertion mutants in the epithelial cells revealed that the bacteria
      were capable of at least some intracellular spreading but not intercellular
      spreading. Immunoblot analysis of lysates of the Tn10 insertion mutants with a
      VirG-specific antipeptide antibody revealed diminished levels of the 116 kDa VirG
      protein. The virG mRNA in the mutants, however, was expressed at the same level
      as that in the wild type. The DNA region required for the virulence phenotype was
      localized to a 1.6 kb DNA sequence in the SalI-K fragment on the plasmid, and
      thus the locus was designated virK. Expression of virK in Escherichia coli using
      a T7 RNA polymerase-dependent promoter system yielded a 36 kDa protein. The
      nucleotide sequence of 1642 bp encoding VirK function was determined, and an open
      reading frame encoding 316 amino acid residues was shown to encode the VirK
      protein. The virK region was highly conserved among the large virulence plasmids
      of shigellae and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli. These results suggest that VirK
      function is an essential virulence determinant for shigellae involved in the
      expression of virG gene product at post-transcriptional level.

PMID- 1406278
TI  - Purification of the STB enterotoxin of Escherichia coli and the role of selected
      amino acids on its secretion, stability and toxicity.
AB  - The methanol-insoluble heat-stable enterotoxin of Escherichia coli (STB) was
      purified and characterized by automated Edman degradation and tryptic peptide
      analysis. The amino-terminal residue, Ser-24, confirmed that the first 23 amino
      acids inferred from the gene sequence were removed during translocation through
      the E. coli inner membrane. Tryptic peptide analysis coupled with automated Edman
      degradation revealed that disulphide bonds are formed between residues Cys-33 and
      Cys-71 and between Cys-44 and Cys-59. Oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis
      performed on the STB gene demonstrated that disulphide bond formation does not
      precede translocation of the polypeptide through the inner membrane and that
      disulphide bridge formation is a periplasmic event; apparently, elimination of
      either of two disulphides of STB renders the molecule susceptible to periplasmic
      proteolysis. In addition, a loop defined by the Cys-44-Cys-59 bond contains at
      least two amino acids (Arg-52 and Asp-53) required for STB toxic activity.

PMID- 1406279
TI  - Characterization of a Vibrio cholerae virulence factor homologous to the family
      of TonB-dependent proteins.
AB  - IrgA is an iron-regulated virulence factor for infection in an animal model with
      classical Vibrio cholerae strain 0395. We detected gene sequences hybridizing to
      irgA at high stringency in clinical isolates in addition to 0395, including
      another classical strain of V. cholerae, three V. cholerae strains of the El Tor
      biotype, three non-O1 isolates of V. cholerae, and individual isolates of Vibrio
      parahaemolyticus, Vibrio fluvialis, and Vibrio alginolyticus. No hybridization to
      irgA was seen with chromosomal DNA from Vibrio vulnificus or Aeromonas
      hydrophila. To verify that irgA is the structural gene for the major iron
      regulated outer membrane protein of V. cholerae, we determined the amino-terminal
      sequence of this protein recovered after gel electrophoresis and demonstrated
      that it corresponds to the amino acid sequence of IrgA deduced from the
      nucleotide sequence. Gel electrophoresis showed that two El Tor strains of V.
      cholerae had a major iron-regulated outer membrane protein identical in size and
      appearance to IrgA in strain 0395, consistent with the findings of DNA
      hybridization. We have previously suggested that IrgA might be the outer membrane
      receptor for the V. cholerae siderophore, vibriobactin. Biological data presented
      here, however, show that a mutation in irgA had no effect on the transport of
      vibriobactin and produced no defect in the utilization of iron from ferrichrome,
      ferric citrate, haemin or haemoglobin. The complete deduced amino acid sequence
      of IrgA demonstrated homology to the entire class of Escherichia coli TonB
      dependent proteins, particularly Cir. Unlike the situation with Cir, however, we
      were unable to demonstrate a role for IrgA as a receptor for catechol-substituted
      cephalosporins. The role of IrgA in the pathogenesis of V. cholerae infection,
      its function as an outer membrane receptor, and its potential interaction with a
      TonB-like protein in V. cholerae remain to be determined.

PMID- 1406280
TI  - SecY and integral membrane components of the Escherichia coli protein
      translocation system.
AB  - Genetic approaches can address the question of how integral membrane Sec factors
      interact with each other and facilitate protein translocation across the
      cytoplasmic membrane of E. coli. This review summarizes genetic analyses of SecY,
      SecE and some other protein translocation factors, utilizing 'prl' mutations,
      'sec' mutations, 'suppressor-directed inactivation', 'Sec titration', dominant
      negative mutations and their suppressors. Evidence suggests that co-ordinate
      participation of SecY, SecE, SecD, SecF, and probably some other factors, is
      crucial for the process.

PMID- 1406281
TI  - Stress-induced proteolysis in yeast.
AB  - Survival of cells in their natural environment is crucially dependent on their
      ability to adapt to constantly occurring changes. The ability of cells to respond
      to extremes of environmental influences is vital to survival. Proteolysis is a
      central cellular tool in stress response. Proteins of pathways necessary for
      normal growth, but harmful under stress conditions, as well as proteins damaged
      by stress have to be eliminated. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a model
      eukaryote, has evolved two different proteolytic systems: (i) a membrane
      enveloped, vacuolar (lysosomal) system, which contains a variety of non-specific
      peptidases and (ii) highly specific peptidases residing at different cellular
      locations. The best characterized peptidase of the specific system is proteinase
      yscE, the proteasome equivalent found in all eukaryotic cells. Both the vacuolar
      and the non-vacuolar systems are vital components of the stress response in
      yeast.

PMID- 1406282
TI  - Isolation and characterization of the aadA aminoglycoside-resistance gene from
      Salmonella choleraesuis.
AB  - The streptomycin- and spectinomycin-resistance gene of Salmonella choleraesuis
      was cloned and its nucleotide sequence determined. The gene is 789 bases long,
      encoding a protein of a predicted size of 29,353 Da. The gene product inactivated
      streptomycin and spectinomycin by an adenylation modification. It is homologous
      (c. 40% total identity) to streptomycin adenylyltransferase, a 3'(9)-O
      nucleotidyltransferase (AAD(3')(9)), which is encoded by the aadA gene in
      Escherichia coli, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Serratia
      marcescens. The AadA protein of S. choleraesuis differs significantly from the
      other AadA proteins, indicating that it may have diverged from the other members
      of this family earlier in evolution. Southern hybridization analysis revealed
      that homologous aadA sequences were also present in other streptomycin-resistant
      Salmonella species.

PMID- 1406283
TI  - Genetics of resistance to third-generation cephalosporins in clinical isolates of
      Streptococcus pneumoniae.
AB  - Resistance to third-generation cephalosporins in a clinical isolate of
      Streptococcus pneumoniae was shown to be due to the production of altered forms
      of penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) 2X and 1A. The cloned PBP2X gene from the
      resistant strain was able to transform a susceptible strain to an intermediate
      level of resistance. The resulting transformant could be transformed to the full
      level of resistance of the clinical isolate using the cloned PBP1A gene from the
      latter strain. Chromosomal DNA from the resistant strain (and from other
      resistant strains) could readily transform a susceptible strain to the full level
      of resistance to third-generation cephalosporins (greater than 250-fold for
      cefotaxime; greater than 100-fold for ceftriaxone) in a single step
      (transformation frequency of about 10(-5)). The resistant transformants obtained
      with chromosomal DNA were shown by gene fingerprinting to have gained both the
      PBP1A and PBP2X genes from the DNA donor.

PMID- 1406284
TI  - The DNA supercoiling-sensitive expression of the Salmonella typhimurium his
      operon requires the his attenuator and is modulated by anaerobiosis and by
      osmolarity.
AB  - Bacterial cells possess a subset of genes whose expression correlates with
      changes in DNA supercoiling brought about by anaerobic growth and by growth at
      high osmolarity. It has been shown previously that expression of the histidine
      biosynthetic operon of Salmonella typhimurium is derepressed by relaxation of
      supercoiled DNA. Here, we confirm that a his::MudJ operon fusion in S.
      typhimurium can be induced by treatment with the DNA gyrase inhibitor novobiocin
      in a dose-dependent manner, and show that the level of derepression is higher in
      stationary phase than in mid-exponential phase cultures. Furthermore, expression
      of his is repressed by anaerobiosis and by osmolarity, two environmental
      parameters which increase the negative supercoiling of bacterial DNA. Novobiocin
      induction of his is also repressed by growing the cells either at high osmolarity
      or anaerobically. Both environmental repression and novobiocin induction of his
      require the his attenuator. In addition, derepression of his expression by
      novobiocin and its repression by anaerobiosis or osmolarity are independent of
      the stringent response gene, relA.

PMID- 1406285
TI  - The class 1 outer membrane protein of Neisseria meningitidis produced in Bacillus
      subtilis can give rise to protective immunity.
AB  - The class 1 outer membrane protein of Neisseria meningitidis B:15:P1.7,16 was
      expressed in Bacillus subtilis in high yield as intracellular aggregates. These
      were easy to isolate and the protein (called BacP1) could be solubilized under
      denaturing conditions. Sera of mice immunized with thus-solubilized BacP1
      contained high titres of antibodies that reacted with the class 1 protein of the
      meningococcal envelope in immunoblots but did not react with native meningococcal
      envelope in enzyme immunoassays (EIA) or with intact meningococci in bactericidal
      assays. However, when the BacP1 protein was complexed with heterologous
      (Salmonella) lipopolysaccharide, the ensuing sera reacted with meningococcal
      envelope preparations in both EIA and immunoblots, showed subtype-specific
      bactericidal activity, and were protective in an infant rat meningitis model.

PMID- 1406286
TI  - Fur regulation in Yersinia species.
AB  - The effects of iron have been linked with several phenomena including regulation
      of membrane proteins; however, the mechanism of iron regulation is not well
      characterized in Yersinia pestis. It is well known that in Escherichia coli, the
      fur gene product mediates negative transcriptional regulation of several genes in
      response to iron. We have cloned a Y. pestis fur gene which is highly homologous
      to the E. coli fur regulatory gene. The sequence of the Y. pestis fur gene
      exhibits 75% homology to the E. coli gene at the nucleotide level, and 84%
      homology at the predicted amino acid level. The Y. pestis fur gene is transcribed
      as a single gene message of approximately 0.5 kb which encodes an approximately
      16 kDa protein when expressed in E. coli minicells. A Yersinia enterocolitica fur
      mutant exhibits hypersensitivity to the Y. pestis bacteriocin, pesticin; the
      cloned Y. pestis fur gene restores wild-type levels of pesticin sensitivity.
      Furthermore, iron regulation of at least five surface proteins in this Y.
      enterocolitica fur mutant is restored by transcomplementation with the Y. pestis
      fur gene. These data indicate that Y. pestis and Y. enterocolitica possess
      homologous Fur systems which regulate expression of proteins in response to iron
      availability.

PMID- 1406287
TI  - Quantitative determination of FtsA at different growth rates in Escherichia coli
      using monoclonal antibodies.
AB  - FtsA is an essential cell division protein in Escherichia coli. Its synthesis in
      low amounts makes the investigation of its functions difficult. Partially
      purified FtsA protein was obtained by solubilizing cellular inclusion bodies
      after overexpression of the ftsA gene for the purpose of raising monoclonal
      antibodies. Mice were immunized with this FtsA protein fraction and their spleen
      cells were fused to Sp2/0-AG14 mouse myeloma cells. Hybrid cells were screened
      and two clones were positively identified as FtsA monoclonal antibody producers
      by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blotting. A quantitative assay
      using these monoclonal antibodies indicated that the average number of FtsA
      molecules per cell to be between 50 and 200. However, the concentration of FtsA
      protein normalized to total cell protein was constant over a wide range of growth
      rates. This finding is in agreement with the hypothesized role of FtsA protein as
      a stoichiometric component of the septum.

PMID- 1406288
TI  - RecA protein of Escherichia coli and chromosome partitioning.
AB  - Escherichia coli cells deficient in RecA protein frequently contain an abnormal
      number of chromosomes after completion of ongoing rounds of DNA replication. This
      suggests that RecA protein may be required for correct timing of initiation of
      DNA replication; however, we show here that initiation of DNA replication is
      properly timed in recA mutants. We also find that more than 10% of recA mutant
      cells contain no DNA. These anucleate cells appear to arise from partitioning of
      all the DNA into one daughter cell and no DNA into the other daughter cell. Based
      on these and previously published results, we propose that RecA protein is
      required for equal partitioning of chromosomes into the two daughter cells.

PMID- 1406289
TI  - Chlamydia trachomatis Mip-like protein.
AB  - A 27 kDa Chlamydia trachomatis Mip-like protein with homology of a 175-amino-acid
      C-terminal fragment to the surface-exposed Legionella pneumophila mip-gene
      product has previously been described. In this paper the entire chlamydia Mip
      like sequence of C. trachomatis serovar L2 (lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV)
      biovar) is presented. The sequence shows high similarity to the legionella Mip
      protein and its C-terminal region, like that of the legionella Mip, has high
      amino acid similarity to eukaryotic and prokaryotic FK506-binding proteins. The
      chlamydial mip-like gene was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in other
      C. trachomatis serovars and by sequencing of the mip-like genes of serovars B and
      E (trachoma biovar) was shown to be highly conserved within the two major biovars
      of C. trachomatis. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies raised against the
      recombinant Mip-like protein failed to demonstrate surface-exposed epitopes on
      infectious elementary bodies or reproductive reticulate body forms either by
      immunofluorescence or immuno-gold electron microscopy. However, a complement
      dependent inhibition of up to 91% of infectivity for cell cultures was observed
      with antibodies to the N-terminal fragment of the Mip-like protein suggesting
      that antibody-accessible epitopes are present on infectious EBs.

PMID- 1406290
TI  - Partial care in mental health organizations: United States and each state, 1988.
AB  - Partial care is a relatively new and rapidly-growing form of mental health care
      consisting of a planned program of mental health treatment services generally
      provided in visits of 3 or more hours to groups of patients/clients. In 1970,
      only one-fourth of U.S. mental health organizations provided partial care
      services, and patient additions to partial care programs were 56 per 100,000
      civilian population. By 1988, close to half of all mental health organizations
      provided partial care services, and the rate of additions was more than 5 times
      as high. However, large increases in the number or organizations providing
      partial care between 1984 and 1988 are due in part to changes in definitions that
      are elaborated on later in the report. In 1988, multiservice mental health
      organizations were the most numerous providers of partial care with 1,230 of
      1,310 (94 percent) providing this program. This was followed by general hospital
      mental health services with 332 of 1,489 (22 percent) providing partial care and
      private psychiatric hospitals with 236 of 447 (53 percent) providing this
      program. Mental health organizations providing partial care were most numerous in
      populous States, particularly in California (with 187 mental health organizations
      providing partial care), New York (174 organizations), and Pennsylvania (131
      organizations). There were 212,196 patients on the rolls of partial care programs
      of mental health organizations in the United States (including Territories) at
      the beginning of 1988, and 286,715 patients were added to these programs during
      the year. Multiservice mental health organizations were responsible for a
      majority of both patients on the rolls and patient additions during the
      year.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406291
TI  - Increase in cardiac muscle fructose content in streptozotocin-induced diabetic
      rats.
AB  - To evaluate the activation of the sorbitol pathway in cardiac muscle in diabetic
      rats, we measured sorbitol, fructose, and myo-inositol content in cardiac tissue
      obtained from control and streptozotocin-diabetic rats, with or without an 8-week
      insulin treatment, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Cardiac
      fructose and sorbitol content in 10-week diabetic rats increased by 60-fold and
      3.9-fold of those of control rats, respectively (P less than .001). In contrast,
      cardiac myo-inositol content in 10-week diabetic rats decreased to 56% (P less
      than .025) of the control value. The abnormalities in cardiac fructose, sorbitol,
      and myo-inositol content were completely normalized by the 8-week insulin
      treatment, which was initiated 2 weeks after the induction of diabetes. There was
      no difference in cardiac aldose reductase activity between control and diabetic
      rats. However, cardiac sorbitol dehydrogenase activity in diabetic rats was 151%
      (P less than .005) higher than that of control rats, although hepatic sorbitol
      dehydrogenase activity was not different between the two groups. These results
      indicate that the sorbitol pathway is significantly activated in cardiac tissue
      obtained from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, which results in the marked
      cardiac accumulation of fructose.

PMID- 1406292
TI  - Effect of insulin on impaired antioxidant activities in aortic endothelial cells
      from diabetic rabbits.
AB  - The defense system of aortic endothelial cells against oxidative stress was
      studied in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits, and the effect of insulin on the
      antioxidant activities was estimated. Endothelial cells were prepared from 10
      diabetic rabbits, 18 diabetic rabbits treated with insulin, and 10 age-matched
      controls after 17 days of diabetes. These cells were used for the estimation of
      glutathione (GSH) levels and its related enzyme activities. The antioxidant
      activities in these endothelial cells from diabetic rabbits were compared with
      those from control subjects. The concentration of GSH decreased in diabetic
      rabbits (1.6 +/- 0.2 nmol/mg protein [mean +/- SD] v 3.7 +/- 0.6 nmol/mg
      protein). Decreases in the activities of Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD)
      (62.7 +/- 11.0 U/mg protein v 172.9 +/- 20.2 U/mg protein), catalase (7.6 +/- 2.1
      U/mg protein v 12.3 +/- 3.2 U/mg protein), and GSH peroxidase (134.0 +/- 27.0
      mU/mg protein v 179.1 +/- 26.2 mU/mg protein) were observed. The activities of
      other GSH-related enzymes such as GSH S-transferase or GSH reductase did not
      change in endothelial cells from diabetic rabbits. Most of these antioxidant
      activities were prevented when diabetic rabbits were treated with insulin (1 to 2
      U/kg/d). These antioxidant activities were also determined in the diabetic liver
      and kidney. Similar decreases in the cellular defense activities and prevention
      of the decrease in activities by insulin were observed in the diabetic liver,
      while these antioxidant enzyme activities in the kidney were resistant to
      diabetic conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406293
TI  - Composition of weight loss in severely obese women: a new look at old methods.
AB  - Seven severely obese, outpatient dieters lost weight (mean +/- SEM, 14 +/- 1 kg),
      and the composition of weight lost was determined by six different models. Total
      body water (TBW), total body potassium (TBK), and body density, bone mineral
      content, and fat as determined by dual photon absorptiometry (DPA) were measured
      while subjects were weight-stable, before and after weight loss. Fat loss was
      calculated by three two-compartment models (2C-TBW, 2C-TBK, and hydrodensitometry
      [2C-HD]), one three-compartment model (HD with correction for water content of
      fat-free mass [FFM], 3C), and one four-compartment model (HD with correction for
      water and mineral content of FFM, 4C), and was measured directly by DPA. Mean
      composition of weight loss was similar for all models (mean weight lost as fat:
      89% for DPA, 91.5% for 4C, 89% for 3C, 88.6% for 2C-HD, and 87% for 2C-TBW)
      except 2C-TBK (weight lost as fat, 66%). There was a much wider range of
      individual values for the 2C-TBW and 2C-TBK models (17% to 138% and 18% to 93%,
      respectively) than for the multicompartment models (63% to 112%) and DPA (76% to
      107%). Almost opposite results were obtained for the same individual when using
      the 2C-TBK and 2C-TBW models. The discrepancy between these models was due to the
      inverse relationship between changes in TBW and TBK in the group as a whole (r = 
      .34, NS). In addition, TBK loss was found to be dependent on the initial level of
      hyperinsulinemia, calculated as the area under the 2-hour oral glucose tolerance
      curve.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406294
TI  - Manganese + 2 exhibits dynamic binding to multiple ligands in human plasma.
AB  - Plasma from fasted adult male subjects was labeled in vitro with 54MnCl2 and then
      fractionated using several techniques. Molecular sieve chromatography showed that
      the major 54Mn-containing peak had a very low molecular weight (VLMW), although
      four other significant peaks, one of which corresponded to the mass of
      transferrin (Tf), were also observed. The 54Mn content of the Tf peak increased
      with increasing incubation time in vitro, suggesting the oxidation of Mn+2 to
      Mn+3 before its association with Tf. This time-dependent effect was verified
      using affinity chromatography consisting of immobilized anti-Tf. Electrophoretic
      analyses of plasma yielded equivocal results, indicating a limited value of this
      method for investigating plasma manganese localization. The above findings are
      discussed in the context of factors that influence the oxidation and metabolism
      of Mn2+ in human plasma.

PMID- 1406295
TI  - Treatment of primary chylomicronemia due to familial hypertriglyceridemia by
      omega-3 fatty acids.
AB  - Primary familial forms of chylomicronemia can lead to acute life-threatening
      complications, especially acute pancreatitis. The main aim of therapy is to avoid
      this so-called chylomicronemia syndrome. In 12 patients with primary
      chylomicronemia due to familial hypertriglyceridemia, the addition of 2.16 g
      omega-3 fatty acids over 4 weeks and 4.32 g for 8 weeks resulted in a decrease of
      serum triglyceride levels from 1,624 +/- 333 to 894 +/- 241 mg/dL after 12 weeks.
      Cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the chylomicron fraction were reduced
      concomitantly, the apolipoprotein B-100/B-48 ratio increased, very--low-density
      lipoprotein (VLDL) triglycerides, VLDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels
      decreased, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol showed a tendency to
      increase, but this finding did not reach significance. High-density lipoprotein
      (HDL) cholesterol levels remained unchanged, as did the levels of apolipoproteins
      A-I, A-II, and E, and lipoprotein(a). Apolipoprotein B levels decreased
      significantly. The decrease of triglyceride levels to still-elevated
      concentrations was accompanied by a substantial decrease in plasma and whole
      blood viscosity and erythrocyte aggregation, which reached normal values. As in
      chylomicronemia, complications usually occur at triglyceride levels higher than
      1,500 mg/dL; patients can still profit from treatment with omega-3 fatty acids,
      even though triglyceride levels are still substantially elevated. No clinically
      relevant side effects occurred, with the exception of the manifestation of
      diabetes mellitus in one patient, which could be reversed after discontinuation
      of treatment.

PMID- 1406296
TI  - Effect of short-term fasting on nocturnal melatonin secretion in obesity.
AB  - To investigate whether the function of pinealocytes is altered in obesity,
      nocturnal melatonin (MT) secretion was determined in nine healthy subjects and
      compared with that of eight obese individuals. Serum MT levels were measured
      every second hour between 6:00 PM and 8:00 AM, and total nocturnal MT secretion
      (as reflected by the MT incremental area), MT peak time, and nocturnal urinary MT
      excretion were determined. None of these parameters differed significantly in the
      two groups. The obese subjects were reinvestigated after 2 days of complete
      fasting. This caused a decrease in body weight and basal blood glucose levels of
      2.6 +/- 0.2 kg (mean +/- SEM, P less than .001) and 1.5 +/- 0.2 mmol/L (P less
      than .001), respectively, whereas serum cortisol levels remained unchanged. Short
      term fasting reduced nocturnal MT secretion, as evidenced by MT incremental
      areas, which were reduced from 2.01 +/- 0.26 before fasting to 1.64 +/- 0.26
      nmol/L.h after fasting (P less than .02). MT secretion peaks were reached
      simultaneously, and urinary MT excretion values did not change significantly in
      fasting. To see whether glucose supplementation during short-term fasting would
      normalize nocturnal MT secretion, we gave an additional seven obese subjects
      eight small oral doses of glucose (each dose, 0.5 g/kg body weight) at regular
      intervals during a 2-day fast. Their body weight decreased by 2.8 +/- 0.4 kg (P
      less than .001), but blood glucose and cortisol concentrations were similar
      before and after the glucose-supplemented fast, as was the nocturnal MT
      secretion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406298
TI  - Low and marginal copper intake by postweanling rats: effects on copper status and
      resistance to carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity.
AB  - Copper feeding studies in rats are generally initiated at weaning. This study
      examined whether a 6-week feeding of low or marginal Cu levels (0.2 or 2.5 ppm)
      to rats initially weighing 135 g produced deleterious effects. Controls were fed
      8 ppm Cu. Liver Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase activities paralleled Cu intake.
      Plasma ceruloplasmin activities were very low for both low and marginal Cu
      consumption. Low but not marginal Cu intake caused a low body weight, high plasma
      cholesterol level, anemia, cardiac hypertrophy, and a high degree of hepatic
      plasma membrane injury 24 hours after CCl4 injection (150 microL/kg
      intraperitoneally [IP]). In summary, low and marginal Cu intakes produced low Cu
      enzyme activities, while low Cu intake produced pathological symptoms and poor
      resistance to an oxidative stress.

PMID- 1406297
TI  - Role of impaired intracellular glucose metabolism in the insulin resistance of
      aging.
AB  - The insulin resistance of aging is characterized by both reduced glucose uptake
      and impaired intracellular glucose metabolism. The aim of this study was to
      determine whether impaired intracellular glucose metabolism contributes to
      insulin resistance in the elderly independent of reduced glucose uptake. To
      address this question, glucose uptake in non-obese elderly males was matched to
      controls using the glucose clamp technique, and intracellular glucose metabolism
      was assessed in vivo by indirect calorimetry and in vitro by skeletal muscle
      biopsy for glycogen synthase activity. When elderly subjects were compared with
      controls at an equivalent basal glucose uptake of approximately 2.5 mg/kg fat
      free mass (FFM)/min, muscle glycogen synthase activity was similar (fractional
      velocity of glycogen synthase at 0.1 mmol/L glucose-6-phosphate [FV0.1], 0.06 +/-
      0.1 and 0.07 +/- 0.1), but whole-body rates of glucose oxidation were reduced
      (1.36 +/- 0.12 v 1.90 +/- 0.11 mg/kg FFM/min, P less than .05). During 40
      mU/m2/min hyperinsulinemic clamps at matched rates of glucose uptake
      (approximately 10.7 mg/kg FFM/min in both groups), glycogen synthase activity was
      again similar (FV0.1, 0.15 +/- 0.02 and 0.14 +/- 0.02), and glucose oxidation
      remained reduced in the elderly (4.18 +/- 0.25 v 4.77 +/- 0.17 mg/kg FFM/min, P
      less than .05). Only during clamps in the maximal range of glucose uptake
      (approximately 29.5 mg/kg FFM/min) was glucose oxidation between the groups
      comparable (5.97 +/- 0.50 and 5.75 +/- 0.31 mg/kg FFM/min). Plasma free fatty
      acid (FFA) concentrations, fat oxidation, and protein oxidation were similar
      under all study conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406299
TI  - Genetically obese rats with (SHR/N-cp) and without diabetes (LA/N-cp) share
      abnormal islet responses to glucose.
AB  - To assess the effect of hyperglycemia on the function of islets obtained from
      obese rats, the behavior of isolated islets from LA/N-corpulent (nondiabetic
      obese) and SHR/N-corpulent (diabetic obese) male rats was examined and compared.
      Islets from both genetic models showed a left-shifted glucose dose-response curve
      for insulin release (concentrations for half-maximal release, 5 to 6 mmol/L v 12
      to 13 mmol/L in LA/N lean littermates and 3 mmol/L v 10 mmol/L in lean SHR/N).
      When insulin release was expressed per unit islet volume, the fourfold to
      fivefold enlarged islets from both obese diabetic and obese nondiabetic rats
      showed decreased insulin secretory response in high (16.5 to 28 mmol/L) glucose
      concentrations, although the decrease was more severe in the diabetic rats.
      Glucose-stimulated insulin release by islets from both models was relatively
      resistant to inhibition by 1.2 mmol/L mannoheptulose (eg, 82% +/- 3% inhibition
      in LA/N lean v 16% +/- 8% in LA/N obese), although nearly complete inhibition was
      observed with 16 mmol/L mannoheptulose (96% v 85%, NS). Islets of obese diabetic
      rats were also resistant to the calcium-channel blocker, verapamil, suggesting an
      abnormal pathway of stimulus-secretion coupling for glucose. Glucose oxidation to
      carbon dioxide was increased in both obese models at all glucose concentrations
      when expressed per islet. In data expressed per unit volume, the larger islets
      from the obese-nondiabetic rats showed a left-shifted dose-response curve with an
      unchanged maximum rate of glucose oxidation at high (16.5 mmol/L) glucose
      concentrations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406300
TI  - The influence of genetic background on the expression of mutations at the
      diabetes (db) locus in the mouse. VI: Hepatic malic enzyme activity is associated
      with diabetes severity.
AB  - The severity of diabetes produced by the mutation diabetes (db) in the mouse is
      markedly strain-dependent. When the db mutation is maintained in the C57BL/KsJ
      (BKs) and DBA/2J strains, severe diabetes is observed, whereas when it is
      maintained in the C57BL/J (B6) inbred background, a mild, well-compensated
      diabetes is observed. Our studies on the regulation of malic enzyme activity
      showed that both the BKs and DBA/2J strains carried the b allele at the malic
      enzyme regulatory (Modlr) locus and had low enzyme activity, while the B6 strains
      carried the a allele and had malic enzyme activity two to three times that seen
      in the BKs and DBA/2J strains. To assess any role of malic enzyme activity in
      modulating diabetes severity, we produced an F2 generation of diabetic mice using
      BKs-db/+ and B6-db/+ mice as progenitors. Male diabetic mice of the F2 generation
      segregated into three groups with respect to diabetes severity. The concordance
      observed between diabetes severity and malic enzyme activity seen in these three
      groups suggests a major role for a gene (or a closely linked gene) regulating
      malic enzyme activity to be responsible for much of the genetic background
      effects observed with the db mutation in the mouse.

PMID- 1406301
TI  - Metabolic response to cottage cheese or egg white protein, with or without
      glucose, in type II diabetic subjects.
AB  - Test meals with 25 g protein in the form of cottage cheese or egg white were
      given with or without 50 g glucose to male subjects with mild to moderately
      severe, untreated, type II diabetes. Water was given as a control meal. The
      glucose, insulin, C-peptide, alpha amino nitrogen (AAN), glucagon, plasma urea
      nitrogen (PUN), nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA), and triglyceride area responses
      were determined using the water meal as a baseline. The glucose area responses
      following ingestion of cottage cheese or egg white were very small compared with
      those of the glucose meal, and were not significantly different from one another.
      The serum insulin area response was 3.6-fold greater following ingestion of
      cottage cheese compared with egg white (309 v 86 pmol/L.h). The simultaneous
      ingestion of glucose with cottage cheese or egg white protein decreased the
      glucose area response to glucose by 11% and 20%, respectively. When either
      protein was ingested with glucose, the insulin area response was greater than the
      sum of the individual responses, indicating a synergistic effect (glucose alone,
      732 pmol/L.h; glucose with cottage cheese, 1,637 pmol/L.h; glucose with egg
      white, 1,213 pmol/L.h). The C-peptide area response was similar to the insulin
      area response. The AAN area response was approximately twofold greater following
      ingestion of cottage cheese compared with egg white. Following ingestion of
      glucose, it was negative. When protein was ingested with glucose, the AAN area
      responses were additive. The glucagon area response was similar following
      ingestion of cottage cheese or egg white protein. Following glucose ingestion,
      the glucagon area response was negative.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406303
TI  - DNA structures. Part A. Synthesis and physical analysis of DNA.

PMID- 1406302
TI  - Epinephrine directly antagonizes insulin-mediated activation of glucose uptake
      and inhibition of free fatty acid release in forearm tissues.
AB  - To determine whether the anti-insulin effect of epinephrine is due to a direct
      antagonism on target tissues or is mediated by indirect mechanisms (systemic
      substrate and/or hormone changes), insulin and epinephrine were infused
      intrabrachially in five normal volunteers using the forearm perfusion technique.
      Insulin (2.5 mU/min) was infused alone for 90 minutes and in combination with
      epinephrine (25 ng/min) for an additional 90 minutes, so as to increase the local
      concentrations of these hormones to physiological levels (60 to 75 microU/mL and
      200 to 250 pg/mL for insulin and epinephrine, respectively). Systemic plasma
      glucose and free fatty acids (FFA) concentrations remained stable at their basal
      values during local hormone infusion. Forearm glucose uptake (FGU) increased in
      response to insulin alone from 0.8 +/- 0.2 mg.L-1.min-1 to 4.3 +/- 0.8. Addition
      of epinephrine completely abolished the insulin effect on FGU, which returned to
      its preinfusion value (0.7 +/- 0.2). Forearm lactate release was slightly
      increased by insulin alone, but rose markedly on addition of epinephrine (from
      5.2 +/- 0.8 mumol.L-1.min-1 to 17 +/- 2; P less than .02). During infusion of
      insulin alone, forearm FFA release (FFR) decreased significantly from the
      postabsorptive value of 1.76 +/- 0.25 mumol.L-1.min-1 to 1.05 +/- 0.11 (P less
      than .01). Epinephrine addition reverted insulin suppression of FFR, which
      returned to values slightly above baseline (2.06 +/- 0.47 mumol.L-1.min-1; P less
      than .05 v insulin alone). The data demonstrate that epinephrine is able to
      antagonize directly insulin action on forearm tissues with respect to both
      stimulation of glucose uptake and inhibition of FFA mobilization.

PMID- 1406304
TI  - A-DNA in solution as studied by diverse approaches.

PMID- 1406305
TI  - Generation and detection of Z-DNA.

PMID- 1406306
TI  - Supercoiled DNA and cruciform structures.

PMID- 1406307
TI  - Guanine quartet structures.

PMID- 1406308
TI  - Purification of synthetic DNA.

PMID- 1406309
TI  - Crystallographic studies of DNA containing mismatches, modified and unpaired
      bases.

PMID- 1406310
TI  - 31P NMR of DNA.

PMID- 1406311
TI  - Furanose sugar conformations in DNA from NMR coupling constants.

PMID- 1406312
TI  - Chemical synthesis of deoxyoligonucleotides and deoxyoligonucleotide analogs.

PMID- 1406313
TI  - Infrared spectroscopy of DNA.

PMID- 1406314
TI  - Conformation of DNA in vitro and in vivo from laser Raman scattering.

PMID- 1406315
TI  - Fluorescence resonance energy transfer and nucleic acids.

PMID- 1406316
TI  - Synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides containing modified bases.

PMID- 1406317
TI  - Circular dichroism spectroscopy of DNA.

PMID- 1406318
TI  - Crystallization of DNA.

PMID- 1406319
TI  - Dynamic light scattering for study of solution conformation and dynamics of
      superhelical DNA.

PMID- 1406320
TI  - Modeling DNA structures: molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics.
AB  - Model building studies may be used to supplement structurally low resolution
      experimental data with detailed three-dimensional hypothetical atomic models.
      Because of the strong relation between structure and function in biological
      molecules such models may give a consistent, integral view of a wealth of
      experimental data. In most cases such models will predict the outcome of certain
      experiments. The outcome of these experiments will often either confirm the model
      may be used for further refinement or even demand a major revision of the model.
      Coordinates obtained from X-ray fiber diffraction data or in special cases single
      crystal data may provide the elements for DNA or RNA model building. Local and
      nonlocal optimization may be used to refine these structures and to evaluate
      their statistical significance as estimated by a chosen force field. Appreciable
      progress using nonlocal optimization procedures can only be expected if the
      dimensionality of the problem can be reduced sufficiently to the relevant degrees
      of freedom. Taking advantage of structural symmetries may critically improve the
      convergence while refining the target molecule or its building blocks. Monte
      Carlo and molecular dynamics methods allow one to calculate averaged quantities.
      In addition, molecular dynamics provides time evolutions of certain averages.
      During the simulation of certain physical properties of molecules a huge amount
      of data will be generated. They will provide many answers, but these answers may
      not always apply to the original question. So what type of questions will be
      reliably answered by a force field? Relatively safe answers concern the local
      geometry of the molecules. If a conformation leads to strong distortions of bond
      distances or angles or to close van der Waals contacts, this conformation can
      safely be rejected. Optimizing such unfavorable structures energetically may lead
      to structures showing how to avoid such distortions. More difficult are
      energetical questions: which of two conformers is more stable, or what is the
      free energy of the substrate in the active site? One cannot always be sure that
      the force field provides the correct answer. Therefore, one should pose only
      those questions which can be checked experimentally. Because of the many possible
      answers, the experiment may benefit by starting with a choice proposed by the
      simulation. The application of this procedure to curved DNA and the DNA four-way
      junction was successful.

PMID- 1406321
TI  - Modeling supercoiled DNA.

PMID- 1406322
TI  - Electron microscopic visualization of DNA and DNA-protein complexes as adjunct to
      biochemical studies.

PMID- 1406323
TI  - Scanning tunneling microscopy of nucleic acids.

PMID- 1406325
TI  - Solution behavior of DNA studied with magnetically induced birefringence.
AB  - Magnetically induced birefringence can provide useful information on the physical
      properties of nucleic acids in a variety of forms. The technique is particularly
      sensitive to structural changes. Difficulties arise with drawing precise
      structural conclusions principally because of doubts about the relative
      contributions of the form and intrinsic components to the optical anisotropy.
      Nevertheless results so far suggest that this might not be a severe limitation.
      The induced birefringence is very sensitive to cooperative behavior; consequently
      the transition from an isotropic to a liquid crystalline phase can be followed in
      detail. Finally the high degree of magnetic orientation often achieved with
      liquid crystals assists their study with other physical techniques.

PMID- 1406324
TI  - Cryoelectron microscopy of DNA molecules in solution.

PMID- 1406326
TI  - Calorimetry: a tool for DNA and ligand-DNA studies.

PMID- 1406327
TI  - Preparation of psoralen-derivatized oligodeoxyribonucleoside methylphosphonates.

PMID- 1406328
TI  - DNA structure from A to Z.

PMID- 1406329
TI  - Artificial life.

PMID- 1406330
TI  - Automated online transition from the medical record to the psychiatric
      literature.
AB  - Psych Topix is a knowledge-based program which guides the clinician from an on
      line clinical report to a search of the psychiatric literature or of other
      relevant databases. It provides this guidance by using an outline of key topics
      in a clinical field to provide "concept-based" links. Each topic is augmented
      with an activation expression to signal when that topic is potentially relevant
      to a case, and with database search expressions to allow focused retrieval of
      information. The bibliographic retrieval component of Psych Topix is currently
      operational as part of the daily, routine operation of a psychiatric consultation
      service. The system is also implemented in a demonstration mode to provide
      retrieval from three additional textual databases. The current Psych Topix system
      provides a working demonstration of the clinical feasibility of using concept
      based links to facilitate the focused, automated transition between on-line
      medical databases.

PMID- 1406331
TI  - Validation of the AI/RHEUM knowledge base with data from consecutive
      rheumatological outpatients.
AB  - The diagnostic accuracy of AI/RHEUM, an experimental expert system for support in
      the diagnosis of rheumatic diseases, was assessed using a collection of data in a
      cohort of 1,570 consecutive outpatients of a Dutch rheumatological clinic.
      Computer diagnoses based on these data and diagnostic predictions made by
      rheumatologists were compared with reference diagnoses that had been obtained by
      consensus of rheumatologists after 6-12 months follow-up. Performance of the
      tested version of the AI/RHEUM knowledge base is presented by various methods.
      Sensitivity varied between 29% and 100% for different rheumatological diseases.
      Average sensitivity and specificity for all 26 diagnoses present in the knowledge
      base were 67% and 98%, respectively. Performance according to the level of
      confidence indicated that 78% of the "definite", 65% of the "probable", and 33%
      of the "possible" conclusions made by AI/RHEUM were in agreement with the
      reference diagnoses. These results approximated the predictions made by
      rheumatologists after a single, initial examination. The system was less accurate
      than it had appeared in previous evaluation studies with complex clinical cases.
      The AI/RHEUM knowledge base needed refining to diagnose early rheumatic
      complaints. This study further illustrates the need for objective and informative
      parameters for expressing accuracy of diagnostic support systems.

PMID- 1406332
TI  - Towards an essential data set: applicability in the domain of maternal health
      services.
AB  - There is a need for consensus on the quantity of data that must be available in a
      computer-based information system of a health care organization. In this paper we
      take up the issue of defining the data content of an information system and
      introduce the concept of Essential Data Sets with an explicit methodology which
      was applied to define a data set for the Maternal Health Services program. A key
      step in the method was a recognized technique used in systems development process
      called data modelling, in this case infological modelling, by an
      interdisciplinary group. A preliminary set of 86 data elements was identified and
      it provided the foundation for development of an application software for
      discussion and a real-world testing framework. The acceptability of the data set
      was tested in a laboratory perspective by retrospective data entry from records
      of 94 pregnant women registered at a maternal health care center in Sweden. Data
      from a total of 1,318 prenatal visits, an outcome visit, and a postnatal visit
      for each woman was entered into a computer using the software, with no loss of
      information. Thus, in a short-term perspective the acceptability of the data set
      was demonstrated. The software has since been implemented for pilot prospective
      studies at sites in India and Sweden. The use of a common data protocol is an
      essential foundation for patient outcome research, especially as the trend of
      health care management has changed from a "process of care" orientation to an
      "outcome of care" orientation.

PMID- 1406333
TI  - An intelligent computer-assisted instruction system designed for rural health
      workers in developing countries.
AB  - This paper describes an intelligent computer-assisted instruction system that was
      designed for rural health workers in developing countries. This system, called
      Consult-EAO, includes an expert module and a coaching module. The expert module,
      which is derived from the knowledge-based decision support system Tropicaid,
      covers most of medical practice in developing countries. It allows for the
      creation of outpatient simulations without the help of a teacher. The student may
      practice his knowledge by solving problems with these simulations. The system
      gives some initial facts and controls the simulation during the session by
      guiding the student toward the most efficient decisions. All student answers are
      analyzed and, if necessary, criticized. The messages are adapted to the situation
      due to the pedagogical rules of the coaching module. This system runs on PC
      compatible computer.

PMID- 1406334
TI  - Dilemmas at a primary health care center: a baseline study for computer-supported
      cooperative health care work.
AB  - For the development of computer-supported cooperative health care work this study
      investigated, based upon activity theory, daily dilemmas encountered by the
      members of interprofessional primary health care work groups. The entire staff at
      four Swedish primary health care centers were surveyed, 199 personal interviews
      being conducted by the Critical Incident Technique. Medical dilemmas were mainly
      reported by general practitioners and nurses, organizational dilemmas by
      laboratory staff, nurses' aides, and secretaries, and dilemmas in the patient
      provider relation by nurses, nurses' aides, and secretaries. Organizational and
      communication dilemmas reported by nurses, nurses' aides, and secretaries often
      had their cause outside the control of the individual professional. These
      dilemmas were often "caused" by other group members (general practitioners or
      nurses), e.g., by not keeping appointment times or by not sharing information
      with patients. The implication for computer-supported cooperative health care
      work is that computer support should be planned on two levels. Collective work
      activity as a whole should benefit from individual clinical decision support for
      general practitioners and nurses. However, since most patient communication and
      organizational problems occurred at group level, group process support is
      required in these areas.

PMID- 1406335
TI  - Application of adjusted survival curves to renal transplant data.
AB  - An important means in the analysis of survival time data is the estimation and
      graphical representation of survival probabilities. In this paper unifactorial
      parametric and non-parametric survival curve estimators and two types of adjusted
      survival curves based on a parametric multifactorial approach are applied to
      renal transplant data. It is shown that the resulting survival curves can differ
      substantially. The unifactorial survival curves yield biased results in case of
      serious disequilibrium in the data. This drawback of the unifactorial methods has
      been overcome by the use of adjusted survival curves which take possible
      distortions in the data set into account. The benefits of adjusted survival
      curves in assessing potentially prognostic factors are elucidated by the
      application to data from renal transplantation.

PMID- 1406336
TI  - Maximum likelihood estimation and testing of a poisson regression model.
AB  - A Poisson regression model is proposed for the analysis of incidence rates
      presented in a two-way table classified by two categorical variables. It is shown
      that the likelihood function is the same as that using Glasser's exponential
      covariate model. An algorithm is given to solve the maximum likelihood estimates
      of the regression parameters. The model is evaluated via deviance and the method
      is illustrated with an example. Some extensions of the model are discussed.

PMID- 1406337
TI  - Adhesion of bacteria on pectin casted films.
AB  - Pectin and non-pectin degrading bacteria were tested for their ability to adhere
      to a film casted of low methoxylated pectin (polygalacturonic acid). Klebsiella
      oxytoca and a newly isolated strain of Escherichia coli adhered to the film,
      whereas only K. oxytoca was able to utilize pectin as a sole carbon source. Other
      E. coli strains, containing plasmids with pectinolytic enzymes, did not adhere to
      the solid pectin film. Therefore, the ability of the bacteria to adhere to the
      films was not correlated with their ability to degrade pectin. When the
      solubilization (dissolution) of pectin matrices (tablets) was analysed with and
      without K. oxytoca, a significant retardation in the dissolution rate was
      observed in the presence of K. oxytoca, suggesting the formation of a biofilm on
      the matrix or sedimentation of insoluble pectin salts.

PMID- 1406338
TI  - Immunomodulating activities of Corynebacterium xerosis cell-wall fractions.
AB  - Corynebacterium xerosis cell-wall fractions were studied by electron microscopy
      and analysed for immunomodulating activity. Dramatic splenomegaly occurred
      following the injection of whole cells or a purified cell-wall fraction (PF), but
      not with a further purified peptidoglycan (PEP) fraction. Both PF and PEP acted
      as B-cell mitogens and had adjuvant capabilities comparable to commercial
      adjuvants. Only the PF fraction enhanced peritoneal natural killer cell (NK)
      activity, paralleling the splenomegaly response. When spleens from mice injected
      with PF or PEP were analysed for their abilities to respond to mitogens and for
      the presence of suppressor cells, reduced mitogenic responses occurred only in PF
      injected mice during the peak of splenomegaly. Spleens from both PF- and PEP
      injected mice contained suppressor cell activity which peaked 2 weeks post
      injection. This activity was primarily directed at B-cell responses to
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS). C. xerosis cell-wall fractions thus offer great
      potential as a new immunomodulator.

PMID- 1406339
TI  - Origins of BCG surface charge: effect of ionic strength and chemical
      modifications on zeta potential of Mycobacterium bovis BCG, Tice substrain,
      cells.
AB  - The zeta potential of washed Tice substrain BCG organisms was measured over a
      range of ionic strengths from I = 0.005 to 0.1 M. No change in the isoelectric
      point of 3.4-3.7 was evident. Proteolytic enzymes (trypsin/chymotrypsin, pepsin,
      papain and pronase) and fluorodinitrobenzene abolished the cationic charge,
      suggesting that this is substantially due to amino groups associated with
      protein. Neither hot HCI nor cold trichloroacetic acid affected the charge,
      indicating that ionic groups are not associated with extractable polysaccharides.
      Methanolysis, treatment with HF and carbodiimide, and cationic detergent
      (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) binding indicated that the negative charge was
      provided by carboxylic acids, phosphoesters and strong acidic groups, possibly
      sulphates. Standardless quantitative X-ray microanalysis revealed the presence of
      phosphorus and sulphur on the surface of actively growing BCG colonies.

PMID- 1406340
TI  - Isolation of an Enterobacter agglomerans strain with inhibitory activity on
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
AB  - Antagonism between Enterobacter agglomerans and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was due to
      an extracellular substance produced by E. agglomerans which accumulates in the
      culture medium. This substance was also toxic to Escherichia coli and
      Staphylococcus albus and its MIC for P. aeruginosa ranged between 7.8 and 3.9
      micrograms/ml. However, when the extracts from the culture medium were irradiated
      from 2 h with white light (15 mW/cm2), the MIC was lower (3.9-1.9 micrograms/ml)
      suggesting that the active substance was a phototoxin.

PMID- 1406342
TI  - Quantitative determination of Escherichia coli from coliforms and faecal
      coliforms in sea water.
AB  - Escherichia coli concentration in sea water was determined by the MUG test after
      primary growth on membrane filters used to determine total coliforms or faecal
      coliforms. A good correlation (r = 0.86) was found between E. coli obtained from
      coliforms versus those from faecal coliforms. Verification procedures showed that
      all the MUG-positive colonies obtained on both media were E. coli. Evaluation of
      this data and the literature indicated that this technique for estimation of E.
      coli in sea water is a useful addition to laboratory procedures without generally
      increasing the time and the expense of the analysis of recreational water.

PMID- 1406341
TI  - Mechanism of action of chlorhexidine diacetate and phenoxyethanol singly and in
      combination against gram-negative bacteria.
AB  - Chlorhexidine diacetate and the aromatic alcohol, phenoxyethanol in combination
      had an enhanced bacteriostatic action against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa strains. Investigations of potassium (K+) ion leakage by means of a
      potassium electrode and a radioactive method, employing 86Rb, indicated that the
      combination accelerated the rate of leakage from the cell. Leakage of pentose was
      also found to be enhanced in the presence of the combination compared with either
      drug alone.

PMID- 1406343
TI  - Photosensitizing activity of water- and lipid-soluble phthalocyanines on
      prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial cells.
AB  - The photosensitizing activity of lipophilic zinc-phthalocyanine (Zn-Pc) and its
      water-soluble sulphonated derivative (Zn-PcS) towards Streptococcus faecium and
      Candida albicans was studied and correlated with the amount of cell-bound
      photosensitizer. With both micro-organisms Zn-PcS was more tightly bound in
      larger amounts than Zn-Pc in the protoplasts of the cytoplasmic membrane. As a
      consequence, the photoinduced damage in S. faecium initially involved membrane
      proteins, while DNA was modified only upon prolonged irradiation. For C. albicans
      only Zn-PcS showed a preferential affinity for the spheroplasts and the decrease
      in cell survival was not accompanied by detectable modifications of the
      electrophoretic pattern of membrane proteins. The photoinduced ultrastructural
      alteration of both micro-organisms suggests damage at membrane level. This would
      indicate the involvement of different targets in bacteria and yeast for
      phthalocyanine photosensitization.

PMID- 1406344
TI  - Cell surface saccharide differences in drug-susceptible and drug-resistant
      strains of Trichomonas vaginalis.
AB  - Surface carbohydrates of drug-resistant and drug-susceptible strains of
      Trichomonas vaginalis were analysed using lectins. The presence of D-GalNAc, D
      Gal and mannose-like residues was detected in T. vaginalis. Marked differences in
      exposed surface carbohydrates were documented, e.g. wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)
      selectively agglutinated the drug-susceptible strain whereas drug-resistant
      parasites reacted preferentially with concanavalin A (Con A). In drug-resistant,
      but not in drug-susceptible strains, trypsinization induced the appearance of
      soybean agglutinin. Binding studies using fluorescein-labelled WGA and Con A
      essentially confirmed the agglutination experiments. Both the intense cell
      agglutination and the fluorescent WGA-binding displayed by a drug-susceptible
      strain, were completely nullified by neuraminidase treatment, suggesting the
      presence of an exposed sialic acid moiety on the T. vaginalis surface.

PMID- 1406345
TI  - Structure activity relationships of stendomycin, a lipopeptide antibiotic from
      Streptomyces.
AB  - A strain of Streptomyces which produced stendomycin, a lipopeptide antibiotic,
      was grown in culture media containing various amino acids as nitrogen substrates.
      The nature of the fatty acid component of stendomycin was dependent on the nature
      of the amino acid present in the medium, but this did not affect antibiotic
      activity. Modifications in the peptide moiety resulted in a loss of antifungal
      activity.

PMID- 1406347
TI  - DDT can cause pancreas cancer in humans, U-M reports.

PMID- 1406348
TI  - Most physicians have treated an HIV-positive patient, AMA reports.

PMID- 1406349
TI  - Balance billing of secondary insurance by Blue Cross participating physicians.

PMID- 1406350
TI  - Medical inquirer. Physician characteristics.

PMID- 1406351
TI  - MSMS practice management services expand to meet members' changing needs.

PMID- 1406352
TI  - Lyme disease in Michigan. An update.

PMID- 1406353
TI  - Expanding chiropractors' scope of practice not in the best interest of the
      public. Physicians must convey this message to legislators.

PMID- 1406354
TI  - MSMS must get tough with the blues.

PMID- 1406355
TI  - MSMS launches family violence educational campaign.

PMID- 1406356
TI  - Spouse abuse: the statistics are staggering.

PMID- 1406357
TI  - Child abuse: physical neglect the most common form.

PMID- 1406358
TI  - Elder abuse: diagnosis can often be difficult.

PMID- 1406360
TI  - The administrative burden of third party billing requirements.

PMID- 1406359
TI  - Study of women IMGs revealing. Many have served as role models, teachers, mentors
      to women US grads.

PMID- 1406361
TI  - Michigan's malpractice crisis victimizes many, including residents and
      postgraduate training programs.

PMID- 1406362
TI  - Physician-assisted suicide. Societal consensus needed before any legislation can
      be considered.

PMID- 1406363
TI  - Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequencing of a novel aminoglycoside 6'-N
      acetyltransferase gene from an R-plasmid of Salmonella typhimurium S24 isolated
      in Taiwan.
AB  - A conjugative aminoglycoside resistance plasmid pST2 has been isolated from
      Escherichia coli K-12 14R525, which was mated with a clinical isolate of
      Salmonella typhimurium S24. A novel resistance gene of aminoglycoside 6'-N
      acetyltransferase[AAC(6')] was cloned from plasmid pST2 on a 1,393 kilobase (kb)
      of SphI-SalI fragment into vector pACYC184 and pUC18. This novel AAC(6') gene in
      plasmid pST2 acetylated kanamycin, amikacin, dibekacin, tobramycin, gentamicin,
      netilmicin, and sisomicin. The complete nucleotide sequence of the novel AAC(6')
      gene and its neighboring sequences were also determined. Minicell experiments
      detected only one protein of 24.7 kilodaltons (kDa) translated from an open
      reading frame of the 618 base pairs (bp) gene.

PMID- 1406364
TI  - Bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity of antituberculosis drugs against
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare
      complex and Mycobacterium kansasii in different growth phases.
AB  - Bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities of rifampicin, isoniazid,
      streptomycin, enviomycin and ethambutol against Mycobacterium tuberculosis,
      Mycobacterium avium--M. intracellulare complex and Mycobacterium kansasii were
      studied in different growth phases. Bacteriostatic activities of the drugs were
      similar in different growth phases, except isoniazid. M. tuberculosis was much
      less susceptible to isoniazid in the lag phase than in the log and the stationary
      phases. In contrast, bactericidal activity was influenced by the growth phase. M.
      tuberculosis was killed by isoniazid, streptomycin and rifampicin. The
      bactericidal activity of isoniazid was strongest. The bactericidal activity of
      isoniazid and streptomycin was most marked in the log phase. M. avium complex and
      M. kansasii resisted the bactericidal activity, but some strains of M. avium
      complex were killed by streptomycin and enviomycin, and the activities of these
      two drugs were most marked in the lag phase.

PMID- 1406365
TI  - Bactericidal activities of rat defensins and synthetic rabbit defensins on
      Staphylococci, Klebsiella pneumoniae (Chedid, 277, and 8N3), Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa (mucoid and nonmucoid strains), Salmonella typhimurium (Ra, Rc, Rd,
      and Re of LPS mutants) and Escherichia coli.
AB  - Rat defensins were purified and tested for in vitro bactericidal assay against
      gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus (209P, Cowan I,
      Smith diffuse and Smith compact) were resistant to defensins, whereas
      Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Micrococcus
      lysodeikticus and Bacillus subtilis were less sensitive. Gram-negative bacteria,
      such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (mucoid and K) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (Chedid,
      277, and 8N3 which were heavily capsulated, moderately capsulated and
      noncapsulated, respectively) were all very sensitive to defensins and killed
      within 20 min. Escherichia coli was moderately sensitive and the rough mutants of
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Salmonella typhimurium LT2, such as Ra, Rc, Rd, and
      Re were equally sensitive to defensins, being killed within 40 min. Lysozyme did
      not show any bactericidal activity except against M. lysodeikticus and B.
      subtilis, whereas it enhanced the bactericidal activity of defensins against P.
      aeruginosa, E. coli, and K. pneumoniae and suppressed the killing activity of
      defensins against S. typhimurium and S. aureus. With regard to the three
      synthetic rabbit defensins, NP1, NP4, and NP5, NP1 showed strong bactericidal
      activity against K. pneumoniae 277, comparable to that of rat defensins. Neither
      NP4 nor NP5 showed any bactericidal activity, while NP5 rather enhanced the
      bactericidal activity of NP1 against K. pneumoniae 277.

PMID- 1406366
TI  - Detection of leishmania antigen in kala azar patients using monoclonal
      antibodies.
AB  - Twenty-one monoclonal antibodies were produced against promastigote antigens of
      Leishmania donovani. Five monoclonal antibodies (Hyb.17, 6, 5, 4 and 2)
      identifying molecules associated with various L. donovani antigenic determinants
      ranging from 42-116 kDa were selected as 'capture antibodies' and compared with
      specific anti-leishmania antisera for detection of circulating leishmania
      antigens in kala azar patients' sera in a competitive-enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay system (ELISA). The anti-leishmania antisera could detect circulating
      antigen in 30% of kala azar cases while out of the five monoclonals, Hyb.17 could
      effectively detect circulating leishmania antigen in 85.4%. The efficacy of Hyb.6
      was however low (31.7%). The antigens recognized by these monoclonal antibodies
      in the western blot assay could possibly represent the ones circulating in sera
      of patients suffering from kala azar. A cocktail of these monoclonal antibodies
      may be more useful than the conventional polyclonal antisera in detection of
      circulating antigen for clinical diagnosis of kala azar.

PMID- 1406367
TI  - Establishment of hybridoma cells with natural killer(NK)-like activity against
      syngenic tumor cells.
AB  - The 4D1D4 hybridoma cells were derived from the fusion of spleen cells from
      BALB/c nude mice with NS-1 mouse myeloma cells. The surface phenotypes of 4D1D4
      hybridoma cells were Thy-1.2+, L3T4 (CD4)-, Lyt-2 (CD8)-, Asialo GM1+ and p-55
      interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor (CD25)-. This phenotypic pattern was consistent
      with the surface phenotype of NK cells. The 4D1D4 cells showed the definite
      killer activity against a syngenic tumor cell line, RL male-1, but not against an
      allogenic YAC-1 line. The killer activity of the 4D1D4 cells was not affected by
      the addition of exogenous IL-2. It was, therefore, suggested that 4D1D4 cells
      might be representative of resting NK cells with expression of no functional IL-2
      receptors. The hybridoma technology might be useful for establishment of the
      cloned NK cells.

PMID- 1406368
TI  - A simple purification method of Vibrio cholerae non-O1 hemagglutinin/protease by
      immunoaffinity column chromatography using a monoclonal antibody.
AB  - A new simple purification method (I) for Vibrio cholerae non-O1
      hemagglutinin/protease (NAG-HA/P) was developed. The method (I) requires only an
      immunoaffinity column chromatography using a monoclonal antibody against NAG
      HA/P. The method (I) is much simpler than previously reported purification method
      (II) (Honda, T. et al, Infection and Immunity 57: 2799-2803, 1989) which required
      four or more complicated chromatographic procedures. Method (I) also gave an
      improved recovery rate (about 27%) compared with (II). The molecular weight of
      NAG-HA/P purified by method (I) was mainly 34 kilodaltons (kDa) with a little of
      32 kDa, whereas that of NAG-HA/P purified by (II) was usually 32 kDa.
      Immunological analysis by the Ouchterlony double gel diffusion test and Western
      blotting test using polyclonal antibody against 32 kDa protein revealed that the
      34 and 32 kDa proteins are immunologically indistinguishable and thus it is
      supposed that 34 K protein is an isoform or a preform of the 32 K protein.

PMID- 1406369
TI  - Oligo-2',5'-adenylate synthetase activity in cells persistently infected with
      human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I).
AB  - Spontaneous production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) was shown in several T
      lymphoblastoid cell lines persistently infected with human T-lymphotropic virus
      (HTLV-1). However, the produced IFN-gamma was not always associated with the
      induction of the antivirus state. The induction of oligo-2',5'-adenylate
      synthetase (2-5AS) by IFN was studied in five human T-cell lines persistently
      infected with HTLV-I (MT-1, MT-2, SMT-1, HUT 102 and OKM-2). Four cell lines are
      able to produce IFN-gamma spontaneously, while the OKM-2 cell line is not. Poor
      induction of 2-5AS was recognized in three (MT-1, MT-2 and SMT-1) of the four
      cell lines producing IFN-gamma, though the poor induction was improved after long
      term cultivation of cells with IFN-alpha. On the contrary, in the OKM-2 cell
      line, significant activity of the enzyme was induced by IFN-alpha. Induction of 2
      5AS was not correlated with cell growth inhibition, but with the antivirus state.
      Furthermore, an inverse relationship between IFN-gamma production and 2-5AS
      induction was demonstrated in these cell lines with the exception of HUT 102
      cells.

PMID- 1406370
TI  - Proposal of a new scheme for the serological typing of Enterococcus faecalis
      strains.
AB  - No systematic study on serotyping of Enterococcus faecalis has been reported
      since 1964 when M.E. Sharpe conducted serotyping of group D streptococcus in U.K.
      So, we attempted to re-evaluate serotyping of E. faecalis. For this purpose, we
      received 42 Sharpe's strains and first examined for their biochemical
      characteristics as E. faecalis. Only 9 of the 42 strains were identified as E.
      faecalis. We raised rabbit antisera against a large number of E. faecalis
      strains, including the 9 Sharpe's strains, 2 strains obtained from CDC in U.S.A.
      and 36 strains isolated from patients hospitalized in different cities of Japan.
      From the results of cross-agglutination tests and absorption tests performed on
      these antisera using a large number of E. faecalis strains, we were able to
      classify 21 distinct serotype strains and to prepare 21 monospecific typing
      antisera by absorption of the antisera to the type strains with appropriate cross
      agglutinating strains. When 832 E. faecalis strains were serotyped with the 21
      typing antisera, 638 strains (76.7%) were typable. Thus, we propose a provisional
      scheme of 21 distinct serovars in E. faecalis.

PMID- 1406371
TI  - Impact of Bifidobacterium longum on human fecal microflora.
AB  - The effects of Bifidobacterium longum feedings for five weeks on the fecal
      microflora, water contents, pH values, ammonia concentration, and beta
      glucuronidase activity were investigated in five healthy human volunteers.
      Although numbers of major bacterial groups of the fecal microflora were not
      changed by the bifidobacteria feedings, a remarkably decreasing number of
      lecithinase-negative clostridia was observed. The percentage of lecithinase
      negative clostridia and bacteroides to the total bacterial numbers isolated were
      decreased during the feedings and numbers of C. paraputrificum and C. innocuum
      were reduced. A significant reduction of fecal pH values for the last week of the
      feeding was observed. Ammonia concentration and beta-glucuronidase activity in
      the feces during the feedings were significantly lower than those before or after
      the feedings. The oral supplement of B. longum may be introduced to improve the
      fecal properties such as fecal ammonia concentration and beta-glucuronidase
      activity, but not the composition of fecal flora.

PMID- 1406372
TI  - Cloning and nucleotide sequence analysis of a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase
      gene from Vibrio anguillarum.
AB  - The chloramphenicol resistant gene (cat) encoding chloramphenicol
      acetyltransferase (CAT) in a transferable R plasmid (pJA7324) isolated from the
      fish pathogen Vibrio anguillarum strain PT24 was cloned into the plasmid vector
      pUC19. The nucleotide sequence analysis of 1,348 base pair DNA identified an open
      reading frame encoding a protein of 216 amino acid residues with a calculated
      molecular mass of 25,471 daltons. The predicted amino acid sequences for this cat
      gene are 37-69% homologous with other CAT proteins of both Gram-negative and 
      positive bacteria. Colony hybridization performed with a PvuII-BamHI fragment
      including this cat gene as a probe, revealed that the same or similar
      chloramphenicol resistance genes existed among V. anguillarum isolates.

PMID- 1406373
TI  - Focus formation by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the immobilized MT-4
      cell culture and its application to the evaluation of anti-HIV agents.
AB  - Immunofluorescence studies were performed on the infection of monolayer cultures
      of immobilized MT-4 cells with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). By
      using the anti-viral p24 monoclonal antibody, we could observe formation of foci
      of p24 antigen-positive cells within 3 to 4 days when the infection was initiated
      with a relatively small amount of the virus. Frequency of the focus formation was
      in proportion to the dose of input virus (ranging from 0.001 to 0.1 PFU/cell),
      which allowed us to apply this phenomenon to the assay of anti-HIV agents as well
      as to the estimation of relative infectivity of the virus stocks. When antiviral
      agents were added to the infected cultures, number of foci as well as the size of
      each focus was reduced in a concentration-dependent manner. The dose required for
      reducing the number of foci by 50% was calculated to be 6 ng/ml and 8 ng/ml for
      tunicamycin (TM) and azidothymidine (AZT), respectively. These values are
      comparable to those obtained by other current assay methods. In addition, focus
      reduction assay is also useful in searching for such antiviral agents that would
      inhibit or block the early step of viral replication cycle.

PMID- 1406374
TI  - An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using a chaotropic agent (sodium
      thiocyanate) for serotype specific reaction between crude dengue viral antigen
      and anti-dengue mouse antibody.
AB  - An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed to detect
      serotype specific reaction between crude dengue viral antigen and anti-dengue
      mouse hyperimmunized antibody under the stringent condition in the presence of a
      Chaotropic agent, sodium thiocyanate (NaSCN), in the reaction mixture of antigen
      and antibody. Rapidly sedimenting hemagglutinin (RHA) derived from type 2 dengue
      virus-infected mosquito cell culture fluid reacted to the antibody for both type
      2 and type 3 dengue viruses in the ELISA. In contrast, its reactivity was reduced
      after the addition of NaSCN in the ELISA. Soluble complement-fixing antigen (SCF)
      derived from type 2 dengue virus-infected mosquito cell culture fluid reacted
      serotype specifically to anti-dengue type 2 antibody, and was relatively stable
      for the NaSCN treatment in the ELISA. Anti-type 2 RHA mouse antibody reacted to
      both type 1 and type 2 dengue viral antigens and its reactivity was reduced after
      the addition of NaSCN in the ELISA. Anti-type 2 SCF antibody reacted serotype
      specifically to type 2 dengue viral antigen with and without NaSCN in the ELISA.

PMID- 1406375
TI  - A phage in Bartonella bacilliformis.
AB  - Bacteriophage-like particles were found in Bartonella bacilliformis culture. The
      particles consisted of head (icosahedral), 40 nm in diameter, and tail, 16 nm in
      length.

PMID- 1406376
TI  - Structural similarity of the HLA-DQ region in DQ3 and DQ4 haplotypes and
      structural diversity of the HLA-DQ region in HLA-DR7 haplotypes.
AB  - Genomic DNA obtained from a B lymphoblastoid cell line was digested with
      appropriate restriction endonuclease and hybridized with several probes specific
      for genes encoding HLA-DQ. Southern hybridization with a DQA1 3'untranslated (UT)
      region probe showed DQ2-type hybridization pattern in DR7DQ3 haplotype. On the
      contrary, DQB1 3'UT probe showed DQ3-type pattern in the same haplotype. Gene
      cloning and DNA sequencing analysis revealed a repetitive sequence, (TG)19,
      between DQA1 and DQB1 gene in the DR7DQ3 haplotype. These results suggest that a
      recombination event has occurred near this potential Z-DNA structure in the
      haplotype, DR7DQ3. The 3'UT region probes of DQA1 and DQB1 genes failed to detect
      restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) differences between DR4DQ3 and
      DR4DQ4 haplotypes in this experiment, suggesting that the gene structure between
      DQA1 and DQB1 is conserved in these haplotypes.

PMID- 1406377
TI  - Comparison of immunological effects of cholera toxin on autoimmune MRL/lpr and
      BXSB mice.
AB  - MRL/lpr and BXSB mice were treated weekly or biweekly with cholera toxin (CT) in
      intravenous dose of 2 micrograms/mouse. CT treatment notably alleviated
      proteinuria in MRL/lpr mice, but did not influence the course of lupus nephritis
      in BXSB male mice. Flow cytometric analysis showed that anomalous B220+ T cells
      in spleen and thymus were reduced in CT-treated MRL/lpr mice while no significant
      change in lymphocyte populations was induced in BXSB male mice by this treatment.
      The suppressive effect of CT treatment on Con A response and the augmentative
      action on LPS response were observed in MRL/lpr mice. The latter may reflect
      increased B cells in relative number in the peripheral lymphoid organs. Mitogenic
      responses in CT-treated BXSB male mice remained unchanged in comparison with
      those of untreated group. Increased production of IL-6 by spleen cells was
      demonstrated in MRL/lpr mice treated with CT while in BXSB mice the level of IL-6
      was not changed by the treatment with CT. Production of IFN gamma was suppressed
      by CT treatment in both strains of mice. This may be attributed to the inhibitory
      effect of CT on IFN gamma-producing Th1 cells as reported previously (Munoz et
      al, J. Exp. Med. 172: 95-103, 1990). However, CT treatment did not inhibit anti
      DNA antibody production in BXSB mice, whereas the autoantibodies were markedly
      decreased in MRL/lpr mice treated with CT.

PMID- 1406378
TI  - Further evaluation of the pregnancy-linked down-regulation of the paternal
      antigen-specific splenic cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity in allogeneically
      pregnant mice.
AB  - Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity directed against paternal alloantigen was
      examined in allogeneically pregnant mice using various allogeneic combinations.
      The spleen cells from pregnant C57BL/6 (H-2b) mice mated with BALB/c (H-2d) male
      mice generated less anti-H-2d CTL after in vitro sensitization than those from
      unpregnant or syngeneically mated C57BL/6 mice. Different allogeneic combinations
      including the incompatibility at only D region of H-2 or minor histocompatibility
      loci were effective for downregulating the anti-paternal CTL activity in
      pregnancy. The downregulation of anti-paternal CTL activity induced by allogeneic
      pregnancy occurred at day 10 to day 18 of pregnancy, most extensively at day 14.
      The allogeneic pregnancy also downregulated the allogeneic CTL activities that
      had been amplified by injecting alloantigens before mating.

PMID- 1406379
TI  - Extracellular localization of a nonfimbrial hemagglutinin of Yersinia
      pseudotuberculosis.
AB  - A nonfimbrial hemagglutinin (HA) of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis was observed by
      immunoelectron microscopy using monospecific HA antiserum and protein A-gold
      conjugate. The HA, an amorphous but morphologically identifiable entity, was
      located in a region distal to or detached from the outer edge of bacteria.

PMID- 1406380
TI  - [Current methods for the laboratory diagnosis of campylobacteriosis].
AB  - An analytical review of recent publications of home and foreign authors on the
      problem of laboratory diagnosis of campylobacteriosis is presented. The
      commercial nutrient media, methods of creation of the microaerophilic conditions
      for cultivation of campylobacter are presented. The filtration method is
      preferable for isolation of these agents from the studied material highly
      contaminated by accompanying microflora. A special attention is paid to
      immunodiagnosis of campylobacteriosis: agglutination reaction, coagglutination
      reaction, passive hemagglutination reaction, immunoenzyme and radioimmune
      analyses. Seroepidemiological examination of the staff at one of meat-packing
      factories in the Republic carried out by the method of indirect immunoenzyme
      analysis has revealed high levels of anticampylobacteriosis antibodies in 17.9%
      of examinees. The promising trends in perfection of the methods for laboratory
      diagnosis of campylobacteriosis are outlined.

PMID- 1406382
TI  - [The effect of physicochemical factors on the activity of DNA-dependent DNA
      polymerases in Acholeplasma laidlawii PG-8].
AB  - The biological and physico-chemical properties of DNA-dependent DNA-polymerases
      of Acholeplasma laidlawii PG-8 have been studied. The optimal parameters of
      maximal enzymatic activity are determined. It is stated that N-ethylmaleimide in
      concentration of 1 mM activated DNA-polymerase I by 52%, whereas DNA-polymerase
      II with reagent concentration of 0.5 mM demonstrated the peak of activity
      exceeding the control only by 10%. Spermidine in concentration of 1.5 mM for the
      first form of DNA-polymerase and 0.15 mM-for the second one increased the ability
      of both forms of polymerases to synthesize DNA by 10%. Aphidicolin added to the
      reaction medium up to concentration of 10 mg/ml decreased activity of forms I and
      II of enzymes by 83 and 68%, respectively. The presence of 0.6 mM of EDTA in the
      medium also negatively affected the activity of polymerases inhibiting it by 83%
      in form I and by 77%-in form II.

PMID- 1406381
TI  - [The intestinal microflora of persons subjected to a radiation lesion].
AB  - The content of large intestine has been studied in persons exposed to radiation
      injury in consequence of the accident at the Chernobyl Atomic Power Plant. It is
      stated that bifidobacteria (10(7)-10(10) cells in 1 g of feces) prevailed (as in
      healthy people), Bifidobacterium indicum being a dominating species. Amount of
      lactic-acid bacteria in 1 g of defecations of examined patients was within the
      range of 10(6)-10(9) cells and in certain persons it reached 10(10) cells
      (primarily fecal Enterococci). A considerable amount of patients with acute
      radiation sickness of the 3d degree had in their intestine 10(9)/g of lactic-acid
      bacteria, Lactobacillus casei and L. plantarum prevailing there. The frequency of
      yeast isolation from defecations of patients constituted 83%, while the number of
      cells in 1 g of feces--from 10 to 10(4). Yeast of the Candida genus, mainly
      Candida parapsilosis, prevailed. The species composition of isolated
      microorganisms has no substantial differences from microcenosis of healthy
      people. The content of intestine of persons suffered from radiation is
      characterized only by greater amount of lactic-acid bacteria and enterococci as
      compared with healthy adults.

PMID- 1406383
TI  - [The RNAse activity in mycoplasmas of different taxonomic positions].
AB  - Dynamics of the RNAase accumulation in cells and culture fluid of strains of
      Acholeplasma and Mycoplasma genera has been studied. In certain strains of two
      genera of mollicutes some differences in dynamics of RNAase formation by them are
      determined.

PMID- 1406384
TI  - [The effect of physicochemical factors on the growth of Pseudomonas putida BS-2
      on a medium with diethylene glycol].
AB  - The physicochemical factors of medium have been studied for their effect on the
      physiological indices of growth of Pseudomonas putida BS-2 culture utilizing
      diethylenglycol as the only source of carbon. Action of the supraoptimal
      temperature on the growth process of P. putida BS-2 is accompanied by a decrease
      (more than twice) in economic coefficient of substrate and specific growth rate
      as compared with their maximal values. Dependences of specific growth rate of P.
      putida BS-2 in the medium with diethylenglycol on the presence of NaCl in it
      within the range of its concentrations from 0 to 4% and methanol in the
      concentration range of 0-20 g/l follow the noncompetitive inhibition equation.
      When NaCl concentration in the medium is more than 4%, complete separation of
      constructive and energy metabolism processes is observed.

PMID- 1406385
TI  - [The immunological shifts in the blood sera of persons inoculated with influenza
      vaccines].
AB  - The dynamics of antihemagglutinin content in blood serum of students inoculated
      with different types of influenza virus vaccines has been traced out in the
      process of long-term observation. It is shown that this dynamics depends on the
      type of used vaccines, method of their introduction and epidemiological
      situation. It is stated that in the process of annual vaccination the highest
      titres of antihemagglutinins are observed in twice inoculated patients; after the
      third vaccination these titres decrease and after four-fold vaccination--they
      increase again.

PMID- 1406386
TI  - [Bacteria of the genus Aeromonas and their role in aquaculture].
AB  - Bacteria of genus Aeromonas are constant components of microbiota of fresh
      reservoirs where they, together with other microorganisms, play the part of
      natural biofilter and promote water self-purification. They are necessarily
      present in normal microflora of hydrobionts inhabiting fresh reservoirs. The
      greatest attention is paid by the researchers to Aeromonas and biotrophs in
      connection with epizootics in aquaculture which have become more frequent, in
      particular, under fish breeding. That is why the review is, to more extent,
      concerned in the works of this trend made by the foreign and home researchers for
      the last decade.

PMID- 1406387
TI  - The value of general practice.

PMID- 1406388
TI  - The excimer laser in Australia.

PMID- 1406389
TI  - Steroid-sparing agents in the treatment of asthma.

PMID- 1406390
TI  - Therapeutic goods and malaria.

PMID- 1406391
TI  - Community prevalence survey of children's blood lead levels and environmental
      lead contamination in inner Sydney.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the distribution of blood lead levels in preschool
      children in inner Sydney and identify possible sources of environmental lead.
      DESIGN: Cross sectional community based prevalence survey of children and the
      houses in which they live, and a survey of volunteer children. SETTING: Mort Bay
      and Summer Hill, residential localities in inner Sydney. PARTICIPANTS: Ninety
      five children aged 9-48 months able to be identified in a defined geographic area
      and 63 children aged 9-48 months volunteered by their parents. OUTCOME MEASURES:
      Concentrations of lead in venous blood of all children and in samples from the
      home environment of Mort Bay children. RESULTS: Four of the children (2.5%) had
      blood lead levels > or = 1.21 mumol/L (25 micrograms/dL, the current Australian
      threshold of concern), 27 (17.1%) had levels > or = 0.72 mumol/L (15
      micrograms/dL, the new US threshold for individual intervention) and 80 (50.6%)
      had levels > or = 0.48 mumol/L (10 micrograms/dL, the new US threshold for
      community intervention). Blood lead concentrations were significantly correlated
      with concentrations of lead in "sink" soil (r = 0.555, P = 0.026), play area soil
      (r = 0.492, P = 0.016) and dust from vacuum cleaners (r = 0.428, P = 0.05), and
      with age of child (r = -0.182, P = 0.023). The presence of the child during house
      renovation was a strong predictor of having a blood lead level above 0.72 mumol/L
      (15 micrograms/dL) (odds ratio, 4.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.8-11.7, P =
      0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Lead in soil and in household dust in older areas of Sydney
      is likely to represent a significant health hazard to young children. Many
      thousands of children may be affected in Sydney and other Australian cities.
      There is an urgent need for expanded prevalence surveys, public education and the
      development of strategies for the abatement of lead in urban environments.

PMID- 1406392
TI  - The use of portable blood glucose monitors by trained lay operators.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of Reflolux II blood glucose reflectance meters by
      trained lay operators in a community survey. DESIGN: A random household survey
      involving assessment of participants' blood glucose levels by Reflolux II. For a
      random subsample of participants an additional sample of blood was placed onto
      filter paper strips and stored for later examination and assay. SETTING: The
      survey was conducted in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie areas of New South
      Wales. PARTICIPANTS: Of the 1275 participants 15 years and over, 1229 consented
      to have their blood glucose assessed and 163 of these also had blood stored on
      filter paper strips. Data were collected by 25 interviewers. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: Application of blood spots to filter paper assessed the interviewers'
      capacity to collect samples of minimal acceptability for Reflolux II operation.
      Samples were considered adequate if they covered at least a 6 mm soaked disk and
      there was no evidence that they had been smeared or applied from both sides of
      the paper. The Reflolux II readings obtained by the interviewers were compared
      with the blood glucose values from assay of the filter paper samples. RESULTS:
      Only 63% of the 163 samples collected on filter paper were of acceptable quality
      for adequate Reflolux II operation. The overall correlation between Reflolux II
      blood glucose values and those determined from the blood collected on filter
      paper was good (r = 0.893). However, three of the eight interviewers who had five
      or more readings for comparison achieved correlation coefficients of < r = 0.20.
      Of the survey participants identified as having elevated blood glucose levels (>
      8 mmol/L) by the filter paper assay, 58% (7 of 12) were not detected by the lay
      operated reflectance meters. Twenty-two per cent of the individuals assessed by
      the reflectance meter, compared with 0.5% of a population sample surveyed by the
      National Heart Foundation, had blood glucose values of less than 3.5 mmol/L.
      CONCLUSION: It would appear that there may be a considerable error rate in blood
      glucose values obtained by lay operators using reflectance meters, resulting in
      underestimation of blood glucose levels. The findings have implications for
      community awareness programs for diabetes and highlight the need for careful
      training and monitoring of lay operators in their obtaining of finger-prick blood
      samples and their use of reflectance meters.

PMID- 1406393
TI  - Regional variation in coronary mortality within Tasmania.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To measure regional rates of mortality from ischaemic heart disease
      (IHD) within Tasmania and to analyse factors associated with regional
      differences. DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiological study. SETTING: Community-based
      study. SUBJECTS: Male residents of Tasmania aged 30-69 years dying from IHD
      between 1986 and 1989. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Coronary death as coded by the
      Australian Bureau of Statistics and place of death validated by hospital and
      community data. RESULTS: This study identifies substantial differences in
      coronary death rates among the three Health Regions of Tasmania. These
      differences are real and are not caused by variations in diagnostic or coding
      practices between regions. The two northern Health Regions, which represent
      approximately 52% of the total population, account for 98% of the excess
      mortality from IHD in Tasmania compared with the national rate. More detailed
      analysis of these differences suggests that variation in the number of deaths
      occurring in hospital contributes significantly to the regional differences in
      death rate from IHD. CONCLUSION: Rates of coronary mortality in Tasmania have
      been significantly higher than in all other Australian States for much of the
      past decade because of a higher death rate within the population of the northern
      half of Tasmania. Differences in mortality rates between regions in Tasmania
      provide a focus for further study into the causes of the unacceptably high rates
      of death from IHD in Tasmania and underline the need for the funding of a
      coronary register in Tasmania.

PMID- 1406394
TI  - The importance of hypertension in the aetiology of infarctive and haemorrhagic
      stroke. The Lower Hunter Stroke Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the importance of hypertension in the aetiology of
      infarctive and haemorrhagic stroke in persons aged 35-69 years. DESIGN: A
      population-based case-control study. SETTING: Lower Hunter Region community.
      SUBJECTS: One hundred and ninety patients with a first stroke were identified
      from a register, including all hospital admissions and death certificates in the
      Region, and compared with 496 control subjects obtained from a random population
      sample of the same community. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: First event of stroke (fatal
      or non-fatal). RESULTS: Twenty-seven per cent of those with a haemorrhagic
      stroke, compared with 2% of those with infarctive stroke, died before hospital
      admission; the in-hospital mortality was 15% and 9%, respectively. Twenty-one per
      cent of control subjects, compared with 51% of those with stroke, were currently
      receiving treatment for hypertension. By logistic regression analysis the odds
      ratio for receiving current treatment for hypertension in those with haemorrhagic
      stroke was 5.5 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.36-12.8), compared with 2.53 (95%
      CI, 1.48-4.34) in those with infarctive stroke. Other differences between
      haemorrhagic and infarctive stroke included no excess risk in men for
      haemorrhagic stroke but an odds ratio of 3.51 (95% CI, 1.83-6.74) for infarctive
      stroke; and a steep risk gradient for obesity in haemorrhagic but not in
      infarctive stroke. Cigarette smoking carried a non-significant odds ratio of
      around 1.5, with no difference between stroke type. Among those who had ever been
      told that they had hypertension, 75% and 71% of patients with infarctive stroke
      and haemorrhagic stroke, respectively, and 61% of control subjects, were
      currently receiving treatment for hypertension. In those stroke patients who were
      currently being treated for hypertension, 63% had a pre-admission diastolic blood
      pressure of 90 mmHg or more. The mean diastolic blood pressure levels on
      admission were 10 mmHg higher than the latest recorded pre-hospital measurements
      and fell to 10 mmHg lower than the levels recorded before hospital admission by
      the time of discharge. CONCLUSION: Hypertension is important in the aetiology of
      both infarctive and haemorrhagic strokes, although it may be more important in
      haemorrhagic stroke, and there appear to be other aetiological differences
      between stroke types. Most of the patients with a history of hypertension were
      currently receiving treatment for hypertension, although blood pressure control
      before admission was not optimal.

PMID- 1406396
TI  - GPs can help patients to stop smoking.

PMID- 1406395
TI  - Successful management of primary hypercholesterolaemia with simvastatin and low
      dose colestipol.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine whether a small dose of bile acid sequestrant used in
      combination with a hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor is more
      effective in reducing serum and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels
      than inhibitor used alone. DESIGN: A randomised, double-blind study. SETTING:
      Subjects receiving tertiary care at a hospital lipid clinic. PATIENTS: Subjects
      with severe primary hypercholesterolaemia (types IIa and IIb), already stabilised
      on a cholesterol-lowering diet, with serum cholesterol levels of 7.0 mmol/L or
      more and triglyceride levels of 6.0 mmol/L or less. Sixty-four subjects were
      randomly assigned to the treatment groups; three withdrew before any outcome
      observations; 61 completed the trial and their results were analysed.
      INTERVENTIONS: Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either colestipol
      placebo or colestipol 5 g or 10 g each morning in fixed dosage for 18 weeks. They
      simultaneously received incremental doses of simvastatin: placebo for six weeks,
      then 20 mg/night for six weeks, then 40 mg/night for a final six weeks. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURES: Lipids, lipoproteins, and haematological and biochemical safety
      parameters were measured at the end of each treatment period. Adverse events were
      monitored. RESULTS: Respective maximum reductions (95% confidence intervals) in
      serum cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B (apo-B) values in
      subjects taking combination therapy were 41% (38%-45%), 50% (46%-53%) and 43%
      (39%-46%), compared with lesser reductions of 32% (26%-37%), 38% (31%-45%) and
      37% (32%-41%) in those taking simvastatin monotherapy. The percentage changes in
      LDL cholesterol with combination therapy were independent of baseline cholesterol
      level or lipid phenotype. Combination therapy reduced serum triglyceride levels
      by up to 24% (15%-32%) and increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
      levels by up to 9% (3%-15%). Three subjects withdrew within a few weeks because
      of severe gastrointestinal side effects related to colestipol; 19 experienced
      milder gastrointestinal side effects, 15 were taking combination therapy.
      CONCLUSIONS: A combination of low-dose colestipol and simvastatin was found to be
      more effective in reducing serum and LDL cholesterol than simvastatin used alone.
      Such combination therapy offers the possibility of improved cholesterol lowering
      without the need for full dosage of either drug.

PMID- 1406397
TI  - Anterior cruciate ligament injuries. Clues for diagnosis.

PMID- 1406398
TI  - ARGPUs--academic rural general practice units.

PMID- 1406399
TI  - Adverse reaction to a Chinese herbal remedy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report a multisystem illness in a patient after ingestion of
      Chinese herbal medicines, together with an analysis of the herbal medicine and to
      alert physicians to the growing clinical importance of adverse reactions to
      herbal remedies. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 61-year-old Chinese Vietnamese man with a
      history of atrial fibrillation and left cerebral hemisphere infarction three
      months previously presented after a three-day illness with acute hepatorenal
      failure, multiple pulmonary emboli, peripheral arterial thromboembolism and
      laboratory features of consumptive coagulopathy. For three days before
      presentation, he drank a daily infusion of herbal medicine. INTERVENTION:
      Intensive supportive medical care including haemodiafiltration resulted in
      recovery of renal function, liver function and return of coagulation parameters
      to normal over a one-month period. Toxicological analysis of an infusion prepared
      from a sample of the patient's herbal medicine revealed the potentially toxic
      compounds benzaldehyde, cinnamoyl alcohol and ephedrine. CONCLUSION: The
      ingestion of herbal medicine caused or contributed to the patient's illness.

PMID- 1406400
TI  - Behavioural changes due to pontine and extrapontine myelinolysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report a case of central and extrapontine myelinolysis with unusual
      behavioural manifestations that developed after slow (not more than 0.5 mmol
      sodium per litre per hour) correction of hyponatraemia. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 51
      year-old Caucasian woman with hyponatraemia caused by psychogenic polydipsia
      experienced a delayed onset of behavioural changes with some ataxia, but no
      pyramidal signs, after correction of the hyponatraemia. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME:
      The hyponatraemia was corrected with a combination of hypertonic saline and fluid
      restriction at the currently recommended rate of not more than 0.5 mmol of sodium
      per litre per hour. CONCLUSION: Central and extrapontine myelinolysis may develop
      after slow correction of hyponatraemia. Behavioural manifestations may be the
      most prominent clinical feature.

PMID- 1406401
TI  - Will computers replace or complement the diabetes educator?
AB  - Computer programs are playing an increasingly important role in the management of
      diabetes and fall into various categories. Instructional programs are used to
      teach patients about diabetes. They cover the principles of blood glucose
      monitoring, diet, exercise, foot care and so on. Statistical and graphical
      analysis programs are used in diabetes clinics to help the physician, diabetes
      educator and patient detect patterns and trends in the patient's home blood
      glucose readings. Hand-held insulin dosage computers have been used by patients
      to advise them on insulin dosage adjustment on a day-to-day basis. The diabetes
      simulator we have recently developed allows patients to practise, and gain
      experience with insulin dosage adjustment; the patient decides on alterations to
      insulin dose, diet or the amount of exercise and the computer program
      demonstrates the resulting effect on blood glucose levels. Overall, computers
      complement and enhance, rather than replace the functions of the diabetes
      educator.

PMID- 1406402
TI  - CME--the government, universities and colleges.

PMID- 1406403
TI  - News in diabetes.

PMID- 1406404
TI  - Ascaris lumbricoides and peak expiratory flow rates in children aged 5-15 years.

PMID- 1406405
TI  - Transfusion-induced malaria in Victoria.

PMID- 1406406
TI  - Yet another manifestation of degenerative changes?

PMID- 1406407
TI  - AIDS--beyond education.

PMID- 1406408
TI  - AIDS--beyond education.

PMID- 1406409
TI  - General practice as a scientific discipline.

PMID- 1406410
TI  - Whiplash in Australia: illness or injury?

PMID- 1406411
TI  - Nurse practitioners in general practice.

PMID- 1406412
TI  - Costs and benefits of the use of commercial market research approaches in large
      scale surveys.

PMID- 1406413
TI  - Pancreas/islet cell transplantation: a medical and ethical dilemma.

PMID- 1406414
TI  - Laparoscopic surgery: some unresolved issues.

PMID- 1406415
TI  - A fresh look at IUDs: advancing contraceptive choices.

PMID- 1406417
TI  - Pulmonary angiography in a non-teaching hospital over a 12-year period.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report the safety of pulmonary angiography in a non-teaching
      hospital and discuss the place of this investigation in the diagnosis of
      pulmonary embolism. DESIGN AND SETTING: A retrospective review of all patients
      undergoing pulmonary angiography over a 12-year period, November 1979 to October
      1991, at Dandenong Hospital, Melbourne. A protocol was established whereby each
      procedure was performed with the assistance of staff and equipment from the
      intensive care unit to provide haemodynamic monitoring and measurement of
      pulmonary artery pressures. PATIENTS: During the review period 114 patients
      underwent pulmonary angiography, most (108) for suspected pulmonary embolism.
      RESULTS: One hundred and fifteen pulmonary angiograms were performed, and no
      deaths related to the procedure occurred. Complications included perforation of
      the right atrium in three patients, with no sequelae. Cardiac arrhythmias were
      common but self-limiting. CONCLUSION: In our series, pulmonary angiography was a
      safe procedure if undertaken with the appropriate monitoring measures. A protocol
      which includes the participation of the intensive care unit has proved helpful.
      In addition, it was found that clinical symptoms and signs were unreliable and in
      24 patients who also had ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) scans, only seven scans were
      accurate. A review of the literature indicates that V/Q scans lack specificity
      and that pulmonary angiography may be performed safely. The latter investigation
      should be more frequently performed.

PMID- 1406416
TI  - Treatment of primary hypercholesterolaemia with pravastatin: efficacy and safety
      over three years.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy, safety and tolerability of pravastatin over
      three years of treatment. DESIGN: An open, multicentre randomised study. SETTING:
      Subjects receiving tertiary care at three hospital lipid clinics. PATIENTS:
      Subjects with primary hypercholesterolaemia (type IIa) or combined
      hyperlipidaemia (type IIb), already stabilised on a cholesterol-lowering diet,
      with low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels of greater than 4.7 mmol/L
      and triglyceride levels of less than 4.5 mmol/L. Sixty-one subjects were randomly
      assigned to the treatment groups: 60 completed 12 weeks and 46 completed 30-36
      months of treatment. INTERVENTIONS: Subjects were randomly assigned to receive
      either pravastatin 20 mg/day, pravastatin 40 mg/day or cholestyramine 16 g/day
      for a period of 12 weeks. Subsequently, dose titration of pravastatin up to 40
      mg/day was permitted, if required, and all groups received supplementary therapy
      with other lipid-lowering drugs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Lipids, lipoproteins,
      haematological and biochemical safety parameters were measured at regular
      intervals. Adverse events were monitored. RESULTS: There were significant
      reductions in total and LDL cholesterol levels with all treatments over 12 weeks
      (P < 0.001). The mean reductions (+/- SD) in LDL cholesterol were 26% +/- 14% in
      the group taking pravastatin 20 mg/day (n = 21), 30% +/- 8% in the group taking
      pravastatin 40 mg/day (n = 21) and 34% +/- 13% in the group taking resin (n =
      18). The percentage changes in LDL cholesterol were independent of age, baseline
      cholesterol level or lipid phenotype. High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
      levels were significantly increased, by 8%-18% with all treatments (P < 0.001).
      Triglyceride levels were reduced by high-dose pravastatin only (7% +/- 29%), but
      were found to increase with resin (45% +/- 63%). During long-term treatment over
      36 months, still greater reductions in total and LDL cholesterol were found in
      patients taking pravastatin (n = 35), but not in those taking resin (n = 11).
      There was an apparent decrease in effect beyond 18 months in both groups,
      possibly related to reduced compliance with diet or cholestyramine intake. Eight
      subjects allocated to pravastatin and seven allocated to resin withdrew (one and
      two subjects respectively because of drug-induced adverse events). Adverse events
      during 12 weeks' monotherapy with pravastatin included central nervous system
      (CNS) symptoms (12%), gastrointestinal (GIT) symptoms (7%) and an acute hepatitic
      reaction (one subject). Of those in the resin therapy group, 22% developed GIT
      symptoms. Myalgia occurred in three subjects using a combination of pravastatin
      and clofibrate, but this resolved fully upon clofibrate withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS:
      Pravastatin was found to be a relatively effective, safe and well tolerated lipid
      lowering drug. Still greater LDL reduction was achieved with pravastatin
      combination therapy and this was essentially maintained over three years.

PMID- 1406418
TI  - Exposure to blood borne infections in health care workers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and nature of occupational exposures to
      blood and body fluids in health care workers. DESIGN: 332 reports of occupational
      exposure were analysed and are presented. SETTING: A major teaching hospital.
      PARTICIPANTS: All staff at Royal Perth Hospital who reported an occupational
      exposure to blood or body fluids to the Department of Clinical Immunology between
      1 January 1990 and 31 August 1991. OUTCOME MEASURES: The rate of reported
      occupational exposure according to staff category, nature of exposure, HIV status
      of source patient, activity at the time of exposure and compliance with infection
      control measures. RESULTS: 332 reports from 323 health care workers were
      received, giving an overall incidence of 6.1 per 100 full time equivalent (FTE)
      years. Nursing staff (9.4/100 FTE years) and medical staff (9.0/100 FTE years)
      reported exposure more frequently than housekeeping staff (2.5/100 FTE years) or
      paramedical staff (2.3/100 FTE years) (P < 0.001). The rate of exposure to HIV
      antibody positive patients was only 0.24/100 FTE years. Needlestick or other
      blood contaminated sharps injuries accounted for 83.4% (277/332) of reports and
      failure to observe universal precautions for 34.0% of reports. Insertion and
      operation of parenteral lines (24%) and performing operations (15.4%) were the
      activities most often associated with occupational exposure. No occupationally
      acquired infections were observed. Despite the immediate availability of
      zidovudine, acceptance by health care workers with high risk occupational
      exposure was low (18.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Occupational exposure to blood and body
      fluids is common among health care workers but most exposures confer a low risk
      of blood borne infection. The introduction of an occupational exposure assessment
      program has many benefits, including optimal management of injuries and
      acquisition of data on infection control measures, and may protect health care
      institutions from false claims for compensation.

PMID- 1406419
TI  - Mycobacterium marinum infection: epidemiology and presentation in Queensland 1971
      1990.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of the clinical and epidemiological features of
      Mycobacterium marinum infection in Queensland. DESIGN: Laboratory identification
      and in-vitro susceptibility tests of 29 isolates from the Queensland Health
      Department Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory were retrospectively gathered and
      followed up by contacting referring practitioners and obtaining clinical details
      of patients involved. SUBJECTS: 29 patients from whom M. marinum was isolated,
      with a male:female ratio of 3.1:1, and a mean age of 47.4 years. RESULTS: Of 26
      patients for whom adequate information was available, 12 had evidence of
      involvement of deep tissues (including two cases of arthritis) and five suffered
      sporotrichoid spread of infection. The delay between onset of symptoms and
      consultation with a medical practitioner was five months (range, two weeks to two
      years), with a further mean delay to definitive diagnosis of 4.4 weeks. Cure was
      apparent in 22 of 23 cases. Chemotherapy alone was adequate in 11 cases, as was
      surgical intervention in three, while a combination approach was successful in
      eight cases. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was successful in seven of nine cases
      and combination rifampicin and ethambutol in six of seven. Tetracyclines were
      employed as single-agent therapy in nine patients and were effective in seven.
      CONCLUSIONS: Synovitis was a common presenting feature of M. marinum infection in
      Queensland patients. Occupational and recreational exposure to salt or fresh
      water was common, and although this history was available to practitioners a mean
      delay to definitive diagnosis of 4.4 weeks still occurred. The data suggest that
      chemotherapy alone is often adequate, even with deep tissue involvement.
      Combinations of conventional antimycobacterial drugs may be the therapy of
      choice, especially for serious infections, although success was recorded with
      trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole alone.

PMID- 1406420
TI  - The economic impact of chronic fatigue syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the economic impact of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) on
      the individual, the government, and the community. DESIGN: The financial burden
      produced by CFS was studied by calculating the direct and indirect costs arising
      from the disorder. Data regarding use of health resources, income and employment
      were obtained by questionnaire from patients with CFS. In addition, aggregate
      Medicare data on the incidence and fees charged for each Schedule item for these
      patients was obtained. SETTING: The Richmond Valley, New South Wales.
      PARTICIPANTS: Forty-two patients with CFS identified in our population-based
      prevalence study. RESULTS: The conservative estimate of the per annum costs of
      CFS in the Richmond Valley, with a prevalence of 37.1 cases per 100,000, was
      $396,000. If extrapolated to the Australian population, we estimate CFS would
      generate an annual cost of at least $59 million. CONCLUSION: This disorder
      constitutes a large but neglected area of health resource utilisation and
      economic burden.

PMID- 1406421
TI  - Modern methods of searching the medical literature.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review the methods of electronic retrieval of biomedical journal
      articles; to demonstrate CD-ROM and online searching techniques; and to compare
      major biomedical databases. DESIGN: A CD-ROM MEDLINE search was made by a medical
      practitioner, with the assistance of an experienced librarian. An online
      MEDLINE/Excerpta Medica search was made by the same medical practitioner after
      completion of a two-day course in search techniques. The search example covered
      the period 1983 to 1992, and the topic was "whether steroid use for
      asthma/airways disease leads to osteoporosis". OUTCOMES: Search duration, article
      yield and search cost were assessed. RESULTS: The CD-ROM MEDLINE literature
      search took 60 minutes to find 31 articles (43% of the possible articles). This
      compared with an online search to the Bibliographic Retrieval Services database
      in Chicago, which produced the same articles when MEDLINE was searched (but took
      only 16 minutes) and which also found 47 articles (with an overlap of only seven)
      when Excerpta Medica was searched. We estimated that the combined MEDLINE and
      Excerpta Medica search detected 93% of all known relevant articles, based upon an
      assumed gold standard. CONCLUSIONS: Online searching is a fast and powerful
      alternative to CD-ROM searching. Formal training is necessary for quick and cheap
      reference finding. Other benefits such as direct transfer from online searching
      to your own computer bibliography database make online searching of biomedical
      databases essential to consider.

PMID- 1406422
TI  - Mohs surgery explained.

PMID- 1406423
TI  - Breaking bad news.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the importance of a sympathetic approach to breaking
      bad news in the doctor-patient relationship. DATA SOURCES: Worldwide surveys of
      views on truth disclosure by health care professionals, the public, and patients
      with cancer and other diseases. STUDY SELECTION: Surveys using a Medline Computer
      Search were identified. DATA EXTRACTION: Twenty-two questionnaire studies. DATA
      SYNTHESIS: The data obtained demonstrate trends of an increasing wish since 1950
      on the part of patients, the public and doctors for more openness. CONCLUSIONS:
      The skills necessary for breaking bad news well can be acquired through organised
      undergraduate and postgraduate education which emphasises a good working doctor
      patient relationship.

PMID- 1406424
TI  - Factors affecting prescribing in general practice--a role play.

PMID- 1406425
TI  - Transplantation of the endocrine pancreas in 1992.
AB  - In 1992, transplantation of the endocrine pancreas is placed at the interface
      between laboratory research and clinical medicine. Unlike other forms of
      transplantation, it is not life saving, and yet its potential to treat all
      patients with insulin dependent diabetes is limited only by the availability of
      donated organs. Arguably, the long term glucose homoeostasis provided by
      vascularised pancreas transplantation is the standard by which other forms of
      endocrine pancreas transplantation (islet cell, fetal islet, and xenogeneic
      transplantation) must be judged. For the small number of type I diabetic
      Australians who develop end-stage renal failure and would otherwise require a
      renal transplant, the combined transplant procedure is a technically viable
      treatment option and, with some justification, the treatment of choice.

PMID- 1406426
TI  - Why some people do not drown. Hypothermia versus the diving response.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine our present state of knowledge regarding the remarkable
      survival of some victims from prolonged submersion for an hour or more. Debate
      continues on the relative importance of the two explanatory theories--diving
      response and hypothermia. DATA SOURCES: A wide range of physiological,
      pathophysiological and clinical papers relating to the diving response,
      hypothermia and near-drowning, with emphasis on the period 1981-1991. DATA
      SYNTHESIS: The normothermic human brain suffers irreversible damage if subjected
      to acute asphyxia for longer than 10 minutes. Significant resistance of brain
      tissue to hypoxia occurs only after its temperature has fallen from 37 degrees C
      to 30 degrees C or less. Body surface cooling depresses core temperature by only
      one-third of this drop in 10 minutes. Hence an additional factor, other than
      hypothermia, is required to explain survival from near-drowning. The idea that
      ingestion and aspiration of large amounts of cold water produce such a
      temperature drop lacks quantitative evidence. The diving response seen in marine
      mammals also occurs in humans but to a lesser extent; however, about 15% of
      volunteers tested exhibit a profound response. This response which starts
      immediately upon submersion prevents aspiration of water, redistributes oxygen
      stores to heart and brain, slows cardiac oxygen use and initiates a hypometabolic
      state. The possible influence of alcohol on these processes is considered.
      CONCLUSIONS: Survival from prolonged near-drowning appears to depend upon a
      specific temporal interplay between the diving response and hypothermia,
      resulting in a protective state of hypometabolism.

PMID- 1406427
TI  - Ethics committees: is the tail wagging the dog?

PMID- 1406428
TI  - One weapon for victory. Disease and its prevention as one determinant of the
      outcome of war.

PMID- 1406429
TI  - Refusals of medical treatment.

PMID- 1406430
TI  - Oestrogen and breast cancer.

PMID- 1406431
TI  - Oestrogen and breast cancer.

PMID- 1406432
TI  - "Just a mother".

PMID- 1406433
TI  - Tropical medicine--college or collage?

PMID- 1406435
TI  - Guidelines for fetal surgery. Research and Ethics Subcommittee. Women's and
      Children's Hospital.

PMID- 1406434
TI  - Gastric polyposis: onset during long-term therapy with omeprazole.

PMID- 1406436
TI  - Meningitis vaccines.

PMID- 1406437
TI  - [The patient customer].

PMID- 1406438
TI  - [Calcitonin gene related peptide. Do neuropeptides effect cardiovascular
      functions?].

PMID- 1406439
TI  - [Seasonal depression. Phototherapy and psychopharmacologic approaches].

PMID- 1406440
TI  - [ACE inhibitors in hypertension. A determination of the status].

PMID- 1406441
TI  - [Contractile disorders of the heart and calcium].

PMID- 1406442
TI  - [Metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes].

PMID- 1406443
TI  - [Dr. Wolfgang Wessinger--in memory].

PMID- 1406444
TI  - [Caffeine. Clinical pharmacology and use as a drug].

PMID- 1406445
TI  - [Fungal infection of the human. 4: Genital mycoses].

PMID- 1406446
TI  - [Progress in small steps. Evaluation of the German Cancer Congress in Berlin].

PMID- 1406447
TI  - Treatment of Lyme disease.

PMID- 1406448
TI  - Transdermal fentanyl.

PMID- 1406449
TI  - Choice of drugs for postmenopausal osteoporosis.

PMID- 1406450
TI  - Amlodipine--a new calcium-channel blocker.

PMID- 1406451
TI  - Production, purification and characterization of canine prostromelysin.
AB  - One of the best studied animal models of osteoarthritis is a dog model in which
      the anterior cruciate ligament of the hind limb stifle joint is transected (Pond
      Nuki model). To determine whether stromelysin might play a role in this model, it
      was necessary to purify the enzyme for production of suitable probes. In the
      present study, dog synovial fibroblasts were stimulated to express a
      metalloproteinase that was demonstrated to be canine prostromelysin by Northern
      blot, protein purification and amino-terminal sequence analyses. Unlike rabbit
      synoviocytes, passaged dog synoviocytes did not express stromelysin mRNA in
      response to recombinant human IL-1, but expressed stromelysin mRNA only upon
      treatment with dog monocyte-conditioned medium (dMCM). The aminophenylmercuric
      acetate (APMA)-activatable metalloproteinase present in the culture supernatants
      of stimulated dog synoviocytes was purified using a combination of ion-exchange
      and dye matrix affinity chromatography. The purified canine metalloproteinase co
      migrated on reducing SDS-PAGE with recombinant human prostromelysin-1 as a
      doublet with apparent molecular masses of 54 and 56 kDa. Similar to APMA
      activated human prostromelysin-1, the APMA-activated canine metalloproteinase was
      inhibited by 1,10-phenanthroline or recombinant human tissue inhibitor of
      metalloproteinase (TIMP). The amino-terminal sequences of the canine pro- and
      APMA-activated enzymes were compared with those of human, rabbit and rat
      stromelysin. The striking homologies among the sequences demonstrated that the
      purified canine metalloproteinase was indeed canine prostromelysin. A rabbit anti
      canine prostromelysin polyclonal antiserum was generated and used to localize the
      enzyme within cultured dog synoviocytes and articular cartilage stimulated with
      dMCM. The reagents developed in this study should be useful for examining the
      expression and distribution of prostromelysin in canine models of osteoarthritis.

PMID- 1406452
TI  - Long-term neonatal rat aortic smooth muscle cell cultures: a model for the tunica
      media of a blood vessel.
AB  - Cultured neonatal rat aortic smooth muscle cells have been used to study the
      synthesis and accumulation of extracellular matrix components in many
      laboratories. These cells are capable of accumulating large amounts of insoluble
      elastin in the extracellular matrix and can be maintained in culture for long
      periods of time without subcultivation. This study examined the elastin and
      collagen contents of such cells in culture for 5, 21 and 43 weeks. The percent
      elastin and collagen observed in the 43-week cultures were strikingly similar to
      that seen in the intact neonatal rat aorta. It should be noted that the percent
      collagen varied significantly between 5 weeks and 43 weeks, whereas that for
      elastin remained relatively constant throughout the same time course.
      Histological examination demonstrated that the elastin fibers in the
      extracellular matrix of the cultures were arranged in a pattern similar to the
      elastic lamellae of the aortic tunica media. Data presented here suggest that
      these cells in culture mimic the donor tissue from which they were derived with
      respect to elastin and collagen content as well as elastic fiber arrangement, and
      possibly represent an organotypic culture of the medial layer of a blood vessel.

PMID- 1406453
TI  - Dentin phosphophoryn binding to collagen fibrils.
AB  - The interaction of rat incisor phosphophoryn with native turkey tendon collagen
      fibers has been examined by electron microscopy. The binding of phosphophoryn to
      the tendon fibril surfaces is quite selective. The phosphophoryn is seen as
      positively or negatively stained globular particles predominantly at the "e" band
      in the collagen gap region in transmission electron micrographs of the
      phosphophoryn-reacted fibrils. The selectivity of binding to the fibrils was
      obtained in the presence of calcium ions, which bind avidly to phosphophoryn. The
      specific association of phosphophoryn at the "e" band suggests a possible
      regulation of mineral deposition within the gap regions of the collagen fibrils.

PMID- 1406454
TI  - The stimulation of fibroblasts' collagen synthesis by neoplastic cells is
      modulated by the extracellular matrix.
AB  - Human fibroblasts cocultured with neoplastic MCF7 cells produce increased amounts
      of collagen. A maximal stimulation requires direct cell-cell contacts between
      tumor cells and fibroblasts. However, this effect could be reproduced, although
      to a lesser extent, by medium conditioned by MCF7 cells, suggesting that it is
      mediated by a factor produced by MCF7 cells and secreted, at least partly, under
      a soluble form (Noel et al., 1992). This Collagen Stimulating Factor ("COSF")
      present in the culture medium displayed a molecular mass between 3,500 to 10,000
      daltons, bound to heparin and appeared to be different from the growth factors
      described until now. The "COSF" can be released from the surface of MCF7 cells by
      treatment with heparin. The aim of the present work was to investigate the
      influence of various extracellular matrix components on the production and the
      release of "COSF". A 3- to 4-fold enhancement of collagen synthesis was observed
      in coculture on plastic and collagen type I substrates without significant
      modification of the non-collagen proteins. The increased collagen synthesis was
      paralleled by an elevation of specific collagen mRNAs level suggesting a
      regulation at a pretranslational level. On the opposite, in the presence of
      soluble or insoluble laminin, this stimulation was abolished. Similarly,
      coculture on "reconstituted basement membrane matrix", matrigel, did not increase
      collagen production. The "COSF" was found to bind to matrigel and could be
      released from the basement membrane matrix by treatment with heparin.

PMID- 1406455
TI  - Localization of the expression of type I, II, III collagen, and aggrecan core
      protein genes in developing human articular cartilage.
AB  - The expression of mRNAs for collagen types I, II, III and for aggrecan core
      protein was studied in developing human femoral cartilage by in situ
      hybridization, with special attention given to the cartilage covered by the
      perichondrium and to the articular surface. In parallel, the synthesis of the
      related proteins was monitored by immunohistochemistry. The cells metabolically
      active for type I and type III collagen expression were identified by
      hybridization using [32P]-labeled cDNA clones coding for human alpha 1(I) and
      alpha 1(III), respectively. Type II collagen and core protein mRNAs were detected
      by hybridization with specific [32P]-labeled oligonucleotide probes. In the
      femoral heads of one 22-week old fetus and of one newborn, our in situ
      hybridization and immunohistochemical analysis revealed that chondrocytes located
      immediately subjacent to the perichondrium produced collagen types I, II, III as
      well as aggrecan; whereas only type II collagen and aggrecan gene expression was
      detected deeper in the cartilage covered by the perichondrium. This observation
      supports the hypothesis that the inner cell layers of perichondrium are
      chondrogenic, with a transient state where cells express all the markers studied
      here. At the articular surface different patterns of expression were observed at
      the two developmental stages. After 22 weeks of fetal development only collagen
      types I and III were expressed by the surface zone cells while in the newborn
      cartilage, these cells expressed all the molecules studied (collagen types I, II,
      III and cartilage proteoglycan). At both ages the underlying cartilage cells
      expressed only the cartilage-specific molecules (type II collagen and aggrecan).
      Thus a progressive transformation of cartilaginous matrix occurs with time from
      the deep cartilage up to the surface by addition of new components, i.e. aggrecan
      and type II collagen. These results supplemented by an immunofluorescence
      analysis on 20-, 26- and 38-week old fetal femoral heads suggest that expression
      of collagen and aggrecan in the cartilage covered by the perichondrium and in the
      cartilage at the articular surface are subject to different regulatory mechanisms
      during development. Furthermore, the appearance of hybridizable core protein and
      type II collagen mRNAs at the articular surface, closely followed by the
      appearance of the proteins for which they code, indicates that core protein and
      type II collagen expression is regulated primarily at the transcriptional level
      in this region. Finally, the similar topography observed for the expression of
      these two proteins suggests that the genes for these two major constituents of
      cartilage matrix are coordinately regulated during growth of articular cartilage.

PMID- 1406456
TI  - Isolation and serine protease inhibitory activity of the 44-residue, C-terminal
      fragment of alpha 1-antitrypsin from human placenta.
AB  - alpha 1-Antitrypsin (AAT) is a potent fluid-phase inhibitor of serine proteases.
      It forms a tightly bound, stoichiometric complex with these enzymes and is
      inactivated by cleavage within its reactive center. Evidence is here presented,
      that the 44-residue C-terminal fragment of AAT, termed SPAAT (short peptide from
      AAT), is found in human tissue, where it is apparently bound to the extracellular
      matrix (ECM). The identity of SPAAT was established by amino acid sequence
      analysis through its 40 N-terminal residues. Placental SPAAT inhibits
      chymotrypsin, human neutrophil elastase (HNE) and pancreatic elastase, but has no
      effect on trypsin. Unlike AAT, both placental and chemically-synthesized SPAAT
      are reversible, competitive inhibitors of chymotrypsin with Kl's of 0.92 and 7.5
      microM, respectively. Both AAT and placental SPAAT also bind to diisopropyl
      fluorophosphate (DFP)-treated HNE as well as cathepsin G. SPAAT may therefore
      play an important role in the protection of ECM proteins, such as elastin,
      proteoglycans (PG) and/or collagen, from inappropriate attack by serine
      proteases.

PMID- 1406457
TI  - Isolation and characterization of enzymes hydrolyzing chymotrypsin synthetic
      substrate (Enzyme I) and trypsin synthetic substrate (Enzyme II) from the
      envelope of Capnocytophaga gingivalis.
AB  - Enzymes hydrolyzing chymotrypsin synthetic substrate and trypsin synthetic
      substrate, referred to as Enzyme I and Enzyme II, respectively, were found in the
      envelope fraction of Capnocytophaga gingivalis (ATCC 33624). Detergent extraction
      of both enzymes were purified by gel filtration, ion exchange chromatography, and
      affinity chromatography. The Enzyme I was a serine-containing metallo enzyme with
      a molecular mass of 77 kDa. The molecular mass of the Enzyme II was 83 kDa, and
      it was inhibited by tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone and leupeptin, and thus
      may be related to trypsin.

PMID- 1406458
TI  - Genetic polymorphism of the gene encoding the outer surface protein A (OspA) of
      Borrelia burgdorferi.
AB  - The genes coding for the outer surface protein (OspA) of Borrelia burgdorferi,
      the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis have been cloned and sequenced. Two
      German strains (skin isolate PKo and cerebrospinal fluid isolate PBi) have been
      analyzed. Using an OspA-specific monoclonal antibody (L32 2E7) for immunological
      screening of a genomic pUC18 library of B. burgdorferi strain PKo, and OspA
      producing clone was detected and subclones containing the open reading frame were
      constructed. The gene coding for the OspA protein of B. burgdorferi strain PBi
      was amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cloned in pUC8. The open
      reading frame of both ospA genes consists of 822 nucleotides corresponding to a
      protein of 273 amino acids. Both proteins have a calculated molecular mass of
      29.6 kDa. Molecular analysis revealed significant differences between each other
      and to already-published sequences of ospA of B. burgdorferi strains B31, ZS7 and
      N40 (the ospA genes of B31, ZS7 and N40 are nearly identical). The deduced amino
      acid sequences of the OspA protein of strains PKo and PBi showed a homology of
      83% to each other and 77% and 80%, respectively, to OspA protein of strain B31.
      The three proteins contain a variable middle region, whereas the N and the C
      terminus are conserved. This unexpected high dissimilarity of the ospA genes may
      be important in respect to vaccination studies and diagnostic procedures (i.e.,
      development of PCR primers or serodiagnostic antigens). Moreover, the molecular
      heterogeneity of OspA confirms three out of seven immunologically defined OspA
      serotypes of a recently proposed OspA serotyping system.

PMID- 1406459
TI  - Sero-diagnosis of tuberculosis with A60 antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay: failure in HIV-infected individuals in Ghana.
AB  - In order to assess the diagnostic usefulness of the A60 (ANDA Biological,
      Strassbourg, France) sero-diagnostic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
      kit for tuberculosis in Africa, sera of 53 pulmonary smear-positive tuberculosis
      (TB) patients, 30 apparently healthy control subjects and 6 AIDS suspects were
      sampled in Agogo Hospital in the forest area of Ghana. These sera were analyzed
      for antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2, and IgG-antibodies to the A60 BCG-antigen,
      while the non-HIV individuals were tested for total IgG levels. One healthy
      control subject, all of 6 AIDS suspects and 7 of the TB patients has HIV
      infections. In the non-HIV TB group, the sensitivity and specifity of the A60
      ELISA was 78% and 86%, respectively, which was much poorer than expected from
      published reports about the A60 test. The A60 test failed, completely however, to
      discriminate between TB and non-TB in the HIV-positive group. In the non-HIV
      groups, total IgG levels were significantly higher in TB patients than in
      controls. It seems that the usefulness of the A60 ELISA test to diagnose
      tuberculosis is very limited in this high-incidence area, and that it seems to be
      of no value in patients infected with HIV.

PMID- 1406462
TI  - Redefining security.

PMID- 1406460
TI  - Antibacterial effect of bovine milk antibody against Escherichia coli in a mouse
      indigenous infection model.
AB  - A skim-milk fraction and a whey-protein concentrate (WPC) fraction were prepared
      from the cows that had been immunized with E. coli isolated from the mouse
      intestine. The antibacterial effect of these fractions against E. coli was
      examined. They contained antibody with a high affinity for E. coli strain 48, a
      representative strain in the mouse intestine, which is composed of a large amount
      of IgG and smaller amounts of IgA and IgM. Although these fractions showed no
      bactericidal or bacteriostatic activity against E. coli 48 directly in vitro,
      they exhibited strong agglutination and opsonization activities against the
      bacteria in vitro. The bacteria opsonized with the WPC fraction were taken up
      more effectively by liver macrophages in vivo, compared with unopsonized E. coli,
      after an intravenous injection into mice. Oral administration of the skim-milk
      fraction to mice significantly reduced the susceptibility to the lethal toxicity
      of 5-fluorouracil (5 FU). The increase in the population levels of E. coli in the
      intestinal tract after administration of 5 FU was inhibited by oral
      administration of the skim-milk fraction. These results strongly suggest that
      specific antibody may be effective in the prophylaxis against the indigenous
      infection with gram-negative bacteria such as E. coli after a period of
      chemotherapy in cancer patients.

PMID- 1406463
TI  - Helping victims of violence in Uganda.
AB  - We report on a project to assist victims of war and violence in Uganda. The
      original aim of this project, set up by the Medical Foundation for the Care of
      Victims of Torture, was to establish a centre for the assessment and treatment of
      torture victims who had suffered during previous regimes in that country. We
      found, however, that a specialist centre was not the most appropriate response in
      a country like Uganda. We argue for the need to respect local initiatives and
      systems of support and against the notion that there is a single model of care
      which is universally relevant. Following much investigation and involvement with
      local personnel, we have developed a programme of training and discussion for
      health workers, and a service to reach the many women who have suffered rape, and
      whose suffering has continued, largely ignored.

PMID- 1406461
TI  - Defensins: microbicidal and cytotoxic peptides of mammalian host defense cells.

PMID- 1406464
TI  - Adaptation after torture: some thoughts on the long-term effects of surviving a
      repressive regime.
AB  - The long-term problems of refugee survivors of organized violence are considered.
      A case example is described in order to illustrate the complexity of factors that
      contribute to the psychological well-being and social adaptation of such a
      survivor. The limitations of the classic diagnostic approaches are discussed. It
      is suggested that measures of social function can be more helpful than a
      description of symptoms, and should be included in the concept of PTSD, in order
      to increase the usefulness of this diagnosis in relation to severe and chronic
      trauma.

PMID- 1406465
TI  - Health services in Vietnam.
AB  - This paper reviews the existing health services in Vietnam against the background
      of 50 years of wars with Japan, France, the United States and neighbouring
      countries, leaving a devastated economy and thousands of war-wounded,
      prostitutes, drug addicts and orphans. Defoliation has affected soil fertility
      and caused miscarriages, stillbirths and deformities. Unexploded bombs still blow
      off peasants' legs. The prevalence of malaria is increased by the many bomb
      craters where mosquitoes breed in stagnant water. Superstitions in some ethnic
      groups contribute to childhood malnutrition. A system is being developed of large
      provincial hospitals, 100-bed district hospitals and village clinics,
      incorporating traditional medicine. These are well staffed but poorly equipped.
      Modern medical and surgical equipment and medicines are urgently needed, but will
      have to be provided by humanitarian aid until trade links are restored.

PMID- 1406466
TI  - The nuclear issue in Swedish schools.
AB  - Sweden is almost unique in that its government through its foreign office gave
      financial support to a carefully thought out proposal from Svenska Lakare Mot
      Karnvapen (Swedish Physicians against Nuclear Weapons) for a youth education
      project on the nuclear issue. The Swedish Board of Education has agreed to
      provide: 1. In-service training for teachers on current affairs; 2. Up-to-date
      teaching resources and materials, such as the booklet, Facts and Reflections on
      Nuclear Weapons; 3. A curriculum stating that education on nuclear and other
      environment issues should not be a special subject but should be involved in many
      school activities-for example the learning of foreign languages, biology,
      physics, science and even physical education. The Board's recommendations have
      been sent to every Swedish school, together with the booklet, but each school
      decides for itself whether or not to implement them. However, some teachers do
      some education on the nuclear issue in most Swedish schools.

PMID- 1406467
TI  - Effects of prolonged war and repression on a country's health status and medical
      services: some evidence from Iran 1979-90.
AB  - The decade following the Islamic revolution in Iran is surveyed from the point of
      view of the various ways in which the repressive policies of the new regime and,
      from September 1980, the war with Iraq affected health professionals, medical
      education and publishing, health services and living conditions. Sources
      consulted include publications from inside and outside the country, by apologists
      for and opponents of the regime, and a variety of commentators. Topics studied in
      more detail are the campaign against drug abuse, the cultural revolution in the
      universities, the country's leading English-language medical journal, wartime
      conditions, and the society in the aftermath of the conflict. As well as
      predating and outlasting the war, the unfavourable climate of repression is seen
      to have exacerbated its effects in many ways. The population has displayed
      considerable resilience in the face of overwhelming odds, but the overall picture
      cannot give much grounds for optimism with regard to either their physical or
      mental well-being in the future. Particular cause for concern is the profound
      damage and prolonged neglect sustained by the most basic preconditions for health
      and medical care.

PMID- 1406468
TI  - Medical Action for Global Security (MEDACT).

PMID- 1406469
TI  - Biological effects of low frequency electromagnetic fields.
AB  - Epidemiological studies since 1979 have raised some medical and much public
      concern that low frequency electromagnetic fields, such as those of power-lines
      and in domestic and industrial electrical wiring, may have harmful biological
      effects. These studies are generally inconsistent, inconclusive, and difficult to
      replicate. Identifying biological mechanisms by which such harmful effects may
      occur has proved difficult, although there are several new and promising
      approaches. In epidemiological and laboratory studies much greater co-ordination
      and standardization is needed if greater scientific knowledge of these phenomena,
      as opposed to mere diverse speculation, is to be achieved.

PMID- 1406471
TI  - [Perforation of gastroduodenal ulcer: a risk analysis].
AB  - In 90 patients who, between 1.1.1986 and 31.12.1991, underwent surgery for a
      perforated gastric/duodenal ulcer, the importance of age, sex, ulcer history,
      ulcer site, free/covered perforation, extent of peritonitis, duration of history
      and the pre-operative risk assessment (ASA classification) was analysed with
      respect to the risk of dying of the perforated ulcer. The univariate analysis
      showed the following to be prognostically relevant factors: time interval between
      onset of acute symptoms and surgery (less than or equal to 24 hours: mortality
      rate 12%, greater than 24 hours: mortality rate 21%; p = 0.006); physical status
      of the patient as reflected in the ASA category prior to surgery (mortality: ASA
      II 0%, ASA III 8%, ASA IV 32%; p = 0.009), and the presence of a spontaneous
      pneumoperitoneum (free perforation 21% mortality, covered perforation 5%
      mortality; p = 0.049). Investigation of the overall influence of the univariate
      relevant factors in the logistic model showed a relative risk of 4.9 for duration
      of history, and of 5.4 for the ASA classification. The mortality risk for a
      patient who is operated on more than 24 hours after onset of the acute symptoms
      is 4.9 times that of a patient operated on within 24 hours. In the ASA
      classification, the mortality risk increases by 5.4 from one category to the next
      higher one.

PMID- 1406470
TI  - [Radioimmunoscintigraphy of colorectal tumors with 99m-Tc marked CEA antibodies.
      Indications and clinical value].
AB  - In Germany, radioimmunoscintigraphy (RIS) (scintigraphic, specific imaging of
      benign and malignant diseases by radioactively labelled monoclonal antibodies)
      has been employed since 1985 in clinical trials involving patients with
      colorectal cancer. After proving successful for identifying primary tumors, RIS
      is now increasingly being used for the early diagnosis of recurrent and
      metastatic lesions. In this prospective study involving 75 patients with
      colorectal tumors confirmed by endoscopy and biopsy, it was shown that RIS using
      the SPECT technique with 99m-Tc-labelled monoclonal CEA antibodies has a
      sensitivity of 78% in the detection of local recurrent disease in cases in which
      diagnostic work-up has been inconclusive.

PMID- 1406473
TI  - [Hickman catheter for long-term parenteral therapy. A prospective
      interdisciplinary study].
AB  - 160 patients with a median age of 38 years (range two months to 84 years) having
      silicone rubber central venous access catheters for long-term parenteral
      nutrition or chemotherapy were studied prospectively. Two different types of
      catheters were used, the Broviac-type "life-cath" and the Groshong -catheter.
      Intraoperative complications were not noticed. Parenteral therapy was performed
      in 124 patients (81%) without any complications. After a mean postoperative
      interval of 36 weeks there were 34 catheters removed because of end of therapy.
      78 patients died with the catheter in place. 40 catheters had to be removed
      before end of therapy due to catheter-related complications. Occlusion of the
      lumen occurred in nine patients after an interval from three to 20 weeks.
      Explantation of catheters due to a suspected catheter-related sepsis was
      performed in 17 patients. Both types of catheter showed a high cumulative patency
      rate of 90% after a twelve months period. However, there were catheters that had
      to be removed before planned end of therapy. Thus, the cumulative rate of
      functioning catheters is lower (44% of all catheters).

PMID- 1406472
TI  - [Refractory anemia with 5q--anomaly. Clinical picture and follow-up of seven
      patients].
AB  - The clinical picture and the course of the disease of seven patients with the 5q
      syndrome are described. Examination of peripheral blood revealed refractory
      anaemia with macrocytosis, anisocytosis, poikilocytosis of erythrocytes, and
      platelet anisocytosis with some giant platelets. Characteristic bone marrow
      findings are megaloblastic dyserythropoiesis and micromegakaryocytes with
      hypolobulated nuclei. Cytogenetically, an interstitial deletion of the long arm
      of chromosome 5 is always found, associated with a haploid loss of the genes for
      the growth factors GM-CSF, M-CSF and IL-3. The disease is usually chronic, and
      only in the case of clonal evolution is there a considerable risk of leukemic
      transformation occurring. In the chronic phase, infusion of packed red cells as
      required individually has proved a reliable form of treatment. The results of
      chemotherapy have disappointed both in the chronic and acute phases of the
      disease.

PMID- 1406474
TI  - [Epigastric colic caused by biliary escape of a hydatid entity from an
      echinococcus cyst].

PMID- 1406475
TI  - [Prevention of thromboembolism with a low-dose heparin regimen in acute stroke].

PMID- 1406476
TI  - [Diabetic retinopathy: risk factors and therapy concepts].

PMID- 1406477
TI  - [Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia: clinical aspects, diagnosis and therapy].

PMID- 1406478
TI  - [Waldenstrom's disease with pulmonary involvement].

PMID- 1406479
TI  - [Hemorrhage into the cardia with perforation into the open abdominal cavity after
      sclerosing of esophageal varices].

PMID- 1406480
TI  - [Biopsy of the nasal mucosa in sarcoidosis].

PMID- 1406481
TI  - [Clinical diagnosis and neuropathologic examination findings in 20 AIDS
      patients].
AB  - Disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) associated with HIV infections are
      becoming increasingly important in the area of clinical diagnosis and treatment
      of patients with AIDS. The aim of this retrospective analysis of 20 patients with
      AIDS who died in 1989 was to compare clinical diagnosis, neuroradiological
      findings and treatment with the results of neuropathological studies. The
      neuropathological examinations revealed primary CNS lymphoma (high-grade non
      Hodgkin's lymphoma) in seven cases, cerebral toxoplasmosis in four cases,
      haemorrhagic infarction in three cases, cerebral cryptococcosis in three cases,
      and one case each of infiltration of the dura by a peripheral Burkitt's lymphoma,
      cytomegalovirus encephalitis and bacterial meningitis. A remarkably high
      percentage of CNS lymphomas with no distinct clinical or neuroradiological
      differentiation criteria were found in this study. On the basis of these data, we
      conclude that stereotactic biopsy and histological diagnosis should be
      recommended for patients with focal intracerebral lesions who fail to respond to
      suitable anti-parasitic treatment.

PMID- 1406482
TI  - [Long lasting normalization of uric acid after combination therapy with 300 mg
      allopurinol and 60 mg benzbromarone in patients with gout and hyperuricemia].
AB  - Lasting normalisation of uric acid levels after treatment of patients with gout
      and hyperuricaemia with a combination of 300 mg allopurinol and 60 mg
      benzbromarone A total of 210 patients (163 men, 47 women) with gout and
      hyperuricaemia was treated for three months with daily doses of 300 mg
      allopurinol and 60 mg benzbromarone. During the course of treatment, the uric
      acid levels decreased to 4.3 +/- 1.3 mg/dl in male, and 4.4 +/- 1.3 mg/dl in
      female patients. Both of these levels differ significantly from the initial
      levels (p less than 0.001). Three months after discontinuation of treatment, uric
      acid levels were 5.7 +/- 1.2 mg/dl in women, and 5.9 +/- 1.4 mg/dl in men, levels
      that again differed significantly from the initial levels (p less than 0.001);
      both levels were, however, within the therapeutic range of below 6.4 mg/dl.

PMID- 1406483
TI  - [39-year-old patient with epigastric pain, meteorism and diarrhea (lambliasis)].

PMID- 1406484
TI  - [Combination therapy with anti-arrhythmia agents].

PMID- 1406485
TI  - [Imaging procedures in neuromuscular diseases].

PMID- 1406486
TI  - [Endosonography of the esophagus].

PMID- 1406487
TI  - [Parathyrotoxic crisis with fatal outcome--what can be learned from this?].

PMID- 1406488
TI  - Mechanism of action of regulatory proteins encoded by complex retroviruses.
AB  - Complex retroviruses are distinguished by their ability to control the expression
      of their gene products through the action of virally encoded regulatory proteins.
      These viral gene products modulate both the quantity and the quality of viral
      gene expression through regulation at both the transcriptional and
      posttranscriptional levels. The most intensely studied retroviral regulatory
      proteins, termed Tat and Rev, are encoded by the prototypic complex retrovirus
      human immunodeficiency virus type 1. However, considerable information also
      exists on regulatory proteins encoded by human T-cell leukemia virus type I, as
      well as several other human and animal complex retroviruses. In general, these
      data demonstrate that retrovirally encoded transcriptional trans-activators can
      exert a similar effect by several very different mechanisms. In contrast,
      posttranscriptional regulation of retroviral gene expression appears to occur via
      a single pathway that is probably dependent on the recruitment of a highly
      conserved cellular cofactor. These two shared regulatory pathways are proposed to
      be critical to the ability of complex retroviruses to establish chronic
      infections in the face of an ongoing host immune response.

PMID- 1406489
TI  - Agents that increase the permeability of the outer membrane.
AB  - The outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria provides the cell with an effective
      permeability barrier against external noxious agents, including antibiotics, but
      is itself a target for antibacterial agents such as polycations and chelators.
      Both groups of agents weaken the molecular interactions of the lipopolysaccharide
      constituent of the outer membrane. Various polycations are able, at least under
      certain conditions, to bind to the anionic sites of lipopolysaccharide. Many of
      these disorganize and cross the outer membrane and render it permeable to drugs
      which permeate the intact membrane very poorly. These polycations include
      polymyxins and their derivatives, protamine, polymers of basic amino acids,
      compound 48/80, insect cecropins, reptilian magainins, various cationic leukocyte
      peptides (defensins, bactenecins, bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein,
      and others), aminoglycosides, and many more. However, the cationic character is
      not the sole determinant required for the permeabilizing activity, and therefore
      some of the agents are much more effective permeabilizers than others. They are
      useful tools in studies in which the poor permeability of the outer membrane
      poses problems. Some of them undoubtedly have a role as natural antibiotic
      substances, and they or their derivatives might have some potential as
      pharmaceutical agents in antibacterial therapy as well. Also, chelators (such as
      EDTA, nitrilotriacetic acid, and sodium hexametaphosphate), which disintegrate
      the outer membrane by removing Mg2+ and Ca2+, are effective and valuable
      permeabilizers.

PMID- 1406490
TI  - Editing of errors in selection of amino acids for protein synthesis.
AB  - All living cells must conduct protein synthesis with a high degree of accuracy
      maintained in the transmission and flow of information from gene to finished
      protein product. One crucial "quality control" point in maintaining a high level
      of accuracy is the selectivity by which aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases furnish
      correctly activated amino acids, attached to tRNA species, as the building blocks
      for growing protein chains. During selection of amino acids, synthetases very
      often have to distinguish the cognate substrate from a homolog having just one
      fewer methyl group in its structure. The binding energy of a methyl group is
      estimated to contribute only a factor of 100 to the specificity of binding, yet
      synthetases distinguish such closely related amino acids with a discrimination
      factor of 10,000 to 100,000. Examples of this include methionine versus
      homocysteine, isoleucine versus valine, alanine versus glycine, and threonine
      versus serine. Many investigators have demonstrated in vitro the ability of
      certain aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases to edit, that is, correct or prevent incorrect
      attachment of amino acids to tRNA molecules. Several major editing pathways are
      now established from in vitro data. Further, at least some aminoacyl-tRNA
      synthetases have recently been shown to carry out the editing function in vivo.
      Editing has been demonstrated to occur in both Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae. Significant energy is expended by the cell for editing of
      misactivated amino acids, which can be reflected in the growth rate. Because of
      this, cellular levels of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, as well as amino acid
      biosynthetic pathways which yield competing substrates for protein synthesis,
      must be carefully regulated to prevent excessive editing. High-level expression
      of recombinant proteins imposes a strain on the biosynthetic capacity of the cell
      which frequently results in misincorporation of abnormal or wrong amino acids
      owing in part to limited editing by synthetases. Unbalanced amino acid pools
      associated with some genetic disorders in humans may also lead to errors in tRNA
      aminoacylation. The availability of X-ray crystallographic structures of some
      synthetases, combined with site-directed mutagenesis, allows insights into
      molecular details of the extraordinary selectivity of synthetases, including the
      editing function.

PMID- 1406493
TI  - Cost containment and new priorities in the European community.
AB  - This article reports on the author's survey of the cost-control measures for
      health care in 12 European countries during the period from 1983 to 1990. Among
      these countries the greatest convergence was in the use of the budget as a system
      of control, reinforced by manpower controls. Budgets were constructed to restrict
      hospital costs and payments to doctors practicing outside of hospitals. Another
      strategy was cost sharing for purchase of drugs and, in some cases, for
      dentistry. Most countries took steps to control expensive medical equipment;
      others, to restrict entry to medical schools. The European experience
      demonstrates the technical feasibility of the government's controlling health
      care costs by regulating supply rather than demand. The key to Europe's success
      in the use of monopsony power, whereby one purchaser dominates the market. The
      author contends that regulation works in Europe and questions whether the United
      States can exert similar control over its coalition of insurers and providers in
      order to rein in its health care expenses.

PMID- 1406494
TI  - Observations on "Cost containment and new priorities in the European community"
      by Brian Abel-Smith.
AB  - A commentary on the article by Brian Abel-Smith briefly explores why the United
      States lags behind Europe in controlling health care costs. Three important
      factors are, first, that until recently the real cost of health insurance was not
      apparent to U.S. workers and political leaders; second, Americans prefer to try
      competition before resorting to other strategies; and third, responsibility for
      financing health care is divided among a large number of independent entities,
      while government regulation is split between the state and federal levels. At the
      same time, governments and private insurers in the United States have developed
      new health delivery structures and reimbursement mechanisms that the Europeans
      may find useful. A convergence of the two systems would be to the benefit of
      both.

PMID- 1406495
TI  - Issues regarding health plan payments under Medicare and recommendations for
      reform.
AB  - The failures of the market for current Medicare health plans include poor
      information and price distortions and can be attributed to government policy.
      Reforms that could improve its structure are annual open enrollment periods,
      premium rebates from health management organizations (HMOs) to members, and
      termination of the federal government's subsidy of Medicare supplementary
      insurance. However, the price for a basic Medicare benefits package would still
      be distorted because Medicare bases its contribution on the cost of a comparable
      package in the fee-for-service (FFS) sector rather than on the cost of the most
      efficient plan available to beneficiaries in each market area. The present
      Medicare HMO program almost certainly increases total Medicare costs and actually
      discourages HMO growth by shielding beneficiaries from the true price difference
      between basic benefits in the HMO and FFS sectors. Lacking payment reforms, the
      Medicare HMO program should be terminated.

PMID- 1406496
TI  - Case mix adjusted nursing-home reimbursement: a critical review of the evidence.
AB  - Nursing-home case mix adjusted payment systems typically base payments on
      estimates of patients' care needs, but to date the data on their effectiveness
      are ambiguous. Studies mainly show that access for patients most in need of care
      appears to improve under these systems. Case mix based payment systems have both
      positive and negative effects on quality of care and require compensating
      mechanisms for the potentially harmful incentives they can generate. On the
      positive side, nursing homes are paid more equitably; the negative aspect is
      reflected in higher costs, particularly for administration. A Health Care
      Financing Administration (HCFA) demonstration project may provide insights, but
      its limited number of predominantly small, rural, participating states, its
      tandem quality assurance system, and potentially confounding market variables may
      restrict the value of this project. We do not yet have the data to assess the
      impact of instituting case mix adjustment systems.

PMID- 1406497
TI  - Expanding the definition of disability: implications for planning, policy, and
      research.
AB  - Disability remains an area that is difficult to define and measure. Rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA), with its greater impact on women than on men, is one example of
      this. People with RA are limited in many areas besides paid work, so to measure
      this disability only in terms of paid work greatly underestimates its impact on
      people's lives, particularly those of women. This article reviews the major
      definitions of disability and reports the results of a national study assessing
      disability in both family and paid work roles. Both areas reveal high rates of
      disability among RA patients. The study concludes that measuring disability only
      in terms of paid work seriously underestimates its prevalence among women. These
      results have important implications for health policy because the greatest needs
      of the disabled may be, not in income replacement programs, such as Social
      Security disability programs, but rather in fortifying family and other care
      services that would enable people with RA to maintain higher levels of function
      in all domains of life.

PMID- 1406492
TI  - Microbial reductive dehalogenation.
AB  - A wide variety of compounds can be biodegraded via reductive removal of halogen
      substituents. This process can degrade toxic pollutants, some of which are not
      known to be biodegraded by any other means. Reductive dehalogenation of aromatic
      compounds has been found primarily in undefined, syntrophic anaerobic
      communities. We discuss ecological and physiological principles which appear to
      be important in these communities and evaluate how widely applicable these
      principles are. Anaerobic communities that catalyze reductive dehalogenation
      appear to differ in many respects. A large number of pure cultures which catalyze
      reductive dehalogenation of aliphatic compounds are known, in contrast to only a
      few organisms which catalyze reductive dehalogenation of aromatic compounds.
      Desulfomonile tiedjei DCB-1 is an anaerobe which dehalogenates aromatic compounds
      and is physiologically and morphologically unusual in a number of respects,
      including the ability to exploit reductive dehalogenation for energy metabolism.
      When possible, we use D. tiedjei as a model to understand dehalogenating
      organisms in the above-mentioned undefined systems. Aerobes use reductive
      dehalogenation for substrates which are resistant to known mechanisms of
      oxidative attack. Reductive dehalogenation, especially of aliphatic compounds,
      has recently been found in cell-free systems. These systems give us an insight
      into how and why microorganisms catalyze this activity. In some cases transition
      metal complexes serve as catalysts, whereas in other cases, particularly with
      aromatic substrates, the catalysts appear to be enzymes.

PMID- 1406498
TI  - Supporting the elderly: workplace programs for employed caregivers.
AB  - An aging population and extended longevity are increasing the number of older
      people needing informal and family support. At the same time, women, the
      traditional caregivers, have entered the work force in record numbers.
      Consequently, concerns about how to care for dependent family members have become
      workplace issues. In response to the needs of employees who care for family
      members, employers have produced an array of policies, benefits, and programs,
      including flexible work schedules and information and referral services. Although
      these programs are a valuable complement to community services and government
      initiatives, relatively few employers have recognized the potential effects of
      caregiving on absenteeism, productivity, and turnover; even fewer have responded
      with workplace programs directed to the needs of their caregiving employees. To
      fill the gap, the government is considering mandating employee benefits, such as
      leave time for family illness. Community services are increasingly being directed
      to the needs of older people and their caregivers.

PMID- 1406499
TI  - World blindness and the medical profession: conflicting medical cultures and the
      ethical dilemmas of helping.
AB  - This is an account of a thwarted humanitarian effort and the strategic and
      ethical issues that is raised. Between 14 and 17 million people in the world are
      blind with cataract, a condition readily corrected by surgery. In 1989 a proposal
      was developed to attack this problem by supplying volunteer ophthalmologists to
      the world's leading private voluntary organizations that carry out programs in
      less developed countries. The proposal was rejected. This article describes the
      proposal and the issues on which it foundered: cost effectiveness, appropriate
      technology, changing ideologies of assistance, and conflict between the cultures
      of medicine and public health. The account illustrates the far-flung consequences
      of technological change in medicine, as well as the practical and ethical
      questions facing organizations that carry out overseas assistance programs.

PMID- 1406500
TI  - Elevated lead burden in Chinese patients without occupational lead exposure.
AB  - Studies were conducted in 10 healthy Chinese controls, 10 patients with chronic
      renal failure without gout, 8 patients with gout complicated with chronic renal
      failure and in 6 patients with chronic renal failure who subsequently developed
      gout. All the subjects had no history of occupational or accidental lead
      exposure. Total body lead burden was assessed by 24-hour urine collection
      measurements over a 72-hour period after intravenous administration of 1 g of
      calcium disodium EDTA. The postinfusion urinary lead excretion of the healthy
      controls (90.2, range 57.2-161.5 micrograms/3 days/1.73 m2) was higher than the
      values recently reported for healthy German controls. Similar to earlier studies,
      we failed to find elevated urinary lead excretion in patients with chronic renal
      failure without gout. Nevertheless, the EDTA mobilization test identified 2
      patients with occult plumbism in this group of patients. Our study also clearly
      demonstrated that 4 of 6 patients with renal failure who developed gout de novo
      had underlying plumbism. The high prevalence of increased lead body burden in
      patients with chronic renal failure, in particular those associated with gout,
      indicates that lead may contribute to a significant portion of chronic renal
      disease in our patients. In addition, our data suggest that chronic low-level
      environmental lead exposure may subtly affect renal function.

PMID- 1406491
TI  - Bacteriophage lysis: mechanism and regulation.
AB  - Bacteriophage lysis involves at least two fundamentally different strategies.
      Most phages elaborate at least two proteins, one of which is a murein hydrolase,
      or lysin, and the other is a membrane protein, which is given the designation
      holin in this review. The function of the holin is to create a lesion in the
      cytoplasmic membrane through which the murein hydrolase passes to gain access to
      the murein layer. This is necessary because phage-encoded lysins never have
      secretory signal sequences and are thus incapable of unassisted escape from the
      cytoplasm. The holins, whose prototype is the lambda S protein, share a common
      organization in terms of the arrangement of charged and hydrophobic residues, and
      they may all contain at least two transmembrane helical domains. The available
      evidence suggests that holins oligomerize to form nonspecific holes and that this
      hole-forming step is the regulated step in phage lysis. The correct scheduling of
      the lysis event is as much an essential feature of holin function as is the hole
      formation itself. In the second strategy of lysis, used by the small single
      stranded DNA phage phi X174 and the single-stranded RNA phage MS2, no murein
      hydrolase activity is synthesized. Instead, there is a single species of small
      membrane protein, unlike the holins in primary structure, which somehow causes
      disruption of the envelope. These lysis proteins function by activation of
      cellular autolysins. A host locus is required for the lytic function of the phi
      X174 lysis gene E.

PMID- 1406501
TI  - Induction of intestinal mucosal atrophy by difluoromethylornithine: a nonuremic
      model of enhanced aluminum absorption.
AB  - The intestinal absorption of aluminum (Al) appears to be enhanced in the uremic
      rat. Since atrophic changes of the intestinal mucosa have been observed in uremia
      the present study investigated whether intestinal atrophy induced by
      difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), a specific inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase,
      could affect the absorption of Al. DFMO supplied with the drinking water (5%) to
      rats with normal renal function for 9 days resulted in a reduced number of
      microvilli with definite morphological alterations in small intestinal mucosa.
      Following an oral load of Al urinary excretion rates and 1-hour postload serum
      concentrations of Al were increased in DFMO-treated rats as compared to controls
      suggesting enhanced absorption of Al. Pattern and degree of urinary Al excretion
      as well as ultrastructural alterations of the intestinal mucosa were similar in
      DFMO-treated rats and uremic rats. The model of DFMO-induced intestinal
      alterations suggests that structural lesions of the intestine may be involved in
      the enhanced absorption of Al in uremia.

PMID- 1406502
TI  - Combined acute hypoxemia and hypercapnic acidosis increases atrial natriuretic
      polypeptide in conscious dogs.
AB  - To evaluate the changes in atrial natriuretic polypeptide during acute hypoxemia
      and acute hypercapnic acidosis, conscious mongrel dogs with controlled sodium
      intake were evaluated in four protocols: (1) 80 min of acute hypoxemia (PaO2 = 34
      +/- 1 mm Hg) followed by 40 min of combined hypoxemia and hypercapnic acidosis
      (PaO2 = 38 +/- 1 mm Hg, PaCO2 = 60 +/- 3 mm Hg, pH = 7.15 +/- 0.03) (n = 7); (2)
      40 min of combined acute hypoxemia and hypercapnic acidosis (PaO2 = 36 +/- 1 mm
      Hg, PaCO2 = 56 +/- 2 mm Hg, pH = 7.20 +/- 0.03) induced immediately following
      control measurements (n = 5); (3) 120 min of acute hypercapnic acidosis (PaCO2 =
      58 +/- 1 mm Hg, pH = 7.20 +/- 0.01) (n = 5), and (4) 120 min of normoxemia and
      normocapnia (n = 7). These studies did not observe any association between
      urinary sodium excretion and circulating atrial natriuretic polypeptide during
      acute blood gas derangements in conscious dogs. The natriuresis with acute
      hypoxemia or acute hypercapnic acidosis was unaccompanied by change in plasma
      atrial natriuretic polypeptide concentrations. Conversely, the rise in
      circulating atrial natriuretic polypeptide during combined acute hypoxemia and
      hypercapnic acidosis was not associated with an increase in urinary sodium
      excretion. These observations do not exclude a role for atrial natriuretic
      polypeptide in altering sodium excretion during acute blood gas derangements,
      since the effects of this autacoid on renal sodium excretion may have been offset
      by other counterregulatory mechanisms of sodium excretion activated during the
      acute blood gas derangement.

PMID- 1406503
TI  - Studies of acquired sustained hypernatraemia occurring in a diabetic patient.
AB  - We describe studies undertaken in a diabetic patient with acquired sustained
      severe hypernatraemia. Arginine vasopressin levels and thirst scores were grossly
      subnormal in the presence of marked hypernatraemia but arginine vasopressin
      increased normally under the influence of negative pressure-induced hypovolaemia.
      Despite very low levels of arginine vasopressin, polyuria was not a feature
      suggesting acquired renal hyper-responsiveness. This patient is an additional
      case of acquired osmoregulatory dysfunction, whose features do not fall neatly
      into previously described categories.

PMID- 1406504
TI  - Bartter's syndrome: evidence suggesting a distal tubular defect in a
      hypocalciuric variant of the syndrome.
AB  - Renal tubular function was examined in 5 adult patients aged 18-30 years with
      Bartter's syndrome associated with renal magnesium wasting and hypocalciuria. In
      the 3 patients studied during hypotonic saline diuresis, distal tubular
      fractional chloride reabsorption was lower than that reported in normal subjects.
      In response to a single intravenous dose of furosemide (40 mg), the increment in
      the excretion of sodium, chloride, and magnesium was equal to or greater than in
      normal subjects, while in 2 patients, in response to intravenous chlorothiazide
      (500 mg), the increment in sodium excretion was less than in normal subjects.
      Magnesium chloride infusion was undertaken in 2 patients in order to compare
      magnesium and calcium excretions at similar plasma magnesium levels in patients
      and in normal subjects. The patients exhibited magnesium wasting only at normal
      or low plasma magnesium levels, while calcium excretion was reduced in the
      patients at normal and elevated plasma magnesium levels. We conclude that in
      these patients the enhancement of renal magnesium reabsorption by hypomagnesemia
      is defective, and the hypomagnesemia is not the cause of the hypocalciuria. The
      tubule defect responsible for these abnormalities of magnesium and calcium
      excretion may be located beyond the side of action of furosemide, in the thiazide
      sensitive segment of the distal convoluted tubule.

PMID- 1406505
TI  - Inappropriate hypercalcitriolemia in ileum-resected patients with Crohn's
      disease.
AB  - Twelve patients who had undergone ileal resection because of Crohn's disease were
      studied for measurements of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OHD3), 1,25
      dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3], intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), ionized
      calcium and phosphate in median 6 years after the intestinal resection. 24 normal
      subjects matched for age, sex and season served as controls. Despite a reduced
      level of 25-OHD3 (p less than 0.05) and normal levels of ionized calcium, PTH,
      phosphate and renal function the median level of 1,25(OH)2D3 was significantly
      raised (p less than 0.001). Further analysis showed that the inappropriately
      increased level of 1,25(OH)2D3 was significantly positive related to the
      concentrations of its substrate (25-OHD3) and PTH. The cause for inappropriate
      hypercalcitriolemia is uncertain. Contribution from extrarenal 1-hydroxylation of
      25-OHD3 as in sarcoidosis is suggested.

PMID- 1406506
TI  - Roles of hormones in plasma potassium alteration in acute respiratory acidosis in
      dogs.
AB  - The present study was conducted to examine the roles of hormonal factors in
      plasma potassium alterations in acute respiratory acidosis. Respiratory acidosis
      (pH, 7.07-7.10) induced by the inhalation of 10% CO2, 20% O2 and 70% N2 mixed gas
      caused an increase in the plasma potassium concentration beyond that of the
      control of 3.44 +/- 0.12 (mean +/- SE) to 4.36 +/- 0.07 mEq/l (p less than 0.01)
      within 180 min. The plasma norepinephrine concentration was also noted to
      significantly increase at the same time. Phentolamine (40 micrograms/kg/min i.v.)
      did not affect the degree of acidosis or acidosis-induced hyperkalemia. No
      significant changes in the plasma levels of epinephrine, insulin, glucagon,
      cortisol or aldosterone could be detected. Hormonal factors would thus appear not
      to be essential to potassium movement from intracellular to extracellular
      compartments in acute respiratory acidosis.

PMID- 1406507
TI  - Platelet-activating factor attenuates the arginine vasopressin-induced fall of
      transepithelial resistance across inner medullary collecting duct monolayers.
AB  - Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a vasoactive substance produced in the
      medulla which may alter Na excretion by the kidney. To examine a possible site
      and mechanism of action of PAF on the kidney, we evaluated the effects of PAF on
      transepithelial resistance and intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in
      cultured rat inner medullary collecting duct cells. Exposure of inner medullary
      collecting duct (IMCD) cell monolayers to PAF had no significant effect on basal
      transepithelial resistance. By contrast, incubation of IMCD cells with PAF
      reversibly blocked the fall in transepithelial resistance induced by arginine
      vasopressin (AVP): -11.1 +/- 1.4 omega.cm2 with AVP versus -0.02 +/- 1.6
      omega.cm2 with PAF and AVP. Exposure of IMCD cells to PAF in Ca-replete medium
      caused a rise in intracellular calcium from 155 +/- 25 to 491 +/- 68 nM. By
      contrast, exposure of IMCD cells to PAF in Ca-free medium produced no change in
      [Ca2+]i. Because the rise in [Ca2+]i induced by PAF was absent in Ca-free medium,
      transepithelial resistance across IMCD monolayers was examined in calcium-free
      medium. The effect of PAF to block the fall in transepithelial resistance induced
      by AVP was maintained in Ca-free medium. These data suggest that PAF modulates
      the effect of AVP on conductive channels by a mechanism distinct from changes in
      intracellular calcium.

PMID- 1406508
TI  - [Current concepts of natural history of childhood asthma].

PMID- 1406510
TI  - [A case of growth retardation of rare occurrence].
AB  - The Authors describe an uncommon case of growth retardation; the clinical and
      radiological elements that the Authors to a diagnosis of spondyloepiphyseal
      dysplasia (SED) are noted; they compare this to other diagnosis of different
      types of growth retardation, they underline the necessity of taking these rare
      types into consideration before undergoing diagnostic procedures that would be
      costly both to the patient and society.

PMID- 1406509
TI  - [Ewing's sarcoma of the bone. Anatomoclinical study of 424 cases].
AB  - The clinic-epidemiologic and prognostic features of 424 cases of Ewing sarcoma
      observed at "Rizzoli" Institute between 1972-1990 are reported. The incidence of
      the tumor was higher in the second decade of life with slight predominance in the
      male sex. The primary lesion was especially localized in the extremity and the
      ratio lower/upper extremity was 5/1. We did not find, in contrast with other
      Authors, differences in height or in incidence of congenital malformations when
      compared to controls. The pain was the first common symptom at debut (90%)
      followed by swelling (50%) and fever (40%). Diagnosis was made 5.5 months after
      the first symptom and the delay was due to wrong diagnosis at debut in 3/4 of the
      patients. Laboratory tests showed anemia in about half of the patients and
      increased value of ESR (60%) and LDH (40%). Seventy-one of the patients were
      metastatic at presentation, none of these patients were still living after three
      years. At a median follow-up of 9 years 43% of the patients with localized
      disease, treated with adjuvant and neo-adjuvant chemotherapy remained
      continuously disease free, 53% developed metastatic disease and/or local
      recurrences and 2% had a second malignancy. In 24% of the patients metastases
      and/or local recurrences appeared three years after the beginning of treatment.
      Better prognosis was observed in female patients, without fever at diagnosis,
      with tumor localized at extremities and with normal value of hemoglobin, ERS and
      LDH. Regarding the type of treatment, better results were obtained by surgery of
      the primary tumor and by chemotherapy with four drugs (vincristine,
      cyclophosphamide, adriamycin dactinomycin) in comparison to radiotherapy of the
      primary tumor and chemotherapy with three drugs (vincristine, cyclophosphamide,
      adriamycin).

PMID- 1406511
TI  - [Fragoso-Cantu syndrome. Description of a neonatal case].
AB  - We report on a newborn with psychomotor retardation, muscle hypotonia, typical
      facies, little subcutaneous fat, arachnodactyloid hands and feet, diffuse
      cortical and subcortical cerebral atrophy. A comparison is made with the Marfan
      syndrome and it is concluded that the morphoneurological anomalies are compatible
      with the diagnosis of Fragoso-Cantu syndrome.

PMID- 1406513
TI  - [Recombinant CD4-IgG in the treatment of AIDS and correlated syndromes: 1st stage
      of the study].

PMID- 1406514
TI  - Thought for food.

PMID- 1406512
TI  - [Celiac disease in Piedmont. An epidemiological-clinical study].
AB  - The incidence of coeliac disease (CD) was calculated on 304 patients under
      eighteen who were born in the city of Turin and its province in the years 1975
      1989; the prevalence on 494 patients who live in the Piedmont Region. The mean
      crude yearly incidence was 0.511/1000 (1:1957 live birth). It varied from year to
      year, reaching minimum values in the years 1984-1987. In a contemporary
      epidemiological study, the mean crude incidence of CD in Italy was 1.2/1000
      (1:833 live birth) twice the rate observed in Turin. The prevalence of paediatric
      CD in Piedmont was 113 per million inhabitants. Since CD has a normal life
      expectancy, its prevalence may be expected to increase. In the provinces of
      Novara, Alessandria and Asti CD prevalence was lower than in the others. Mean age
      at onset was 6 mos in 1975 and increased to 34 mos in 1989. Mean age at diagnosis
      was 15 mos in 1981, and 7 yrs in 1989. Symptoms were more numerous and severe in
      patients under 12 mos of age, and became fewer and often atypical in older
      children. We can therefore speculate that the trend towards a decreasing
      incidence of CD in recent years my be due to delayed diagnosis.

PMID- 1406515
TI  - American Indian health. Providers, communities surmount profound problems.
AB  - Minnesota's urban and rural Indian communities today face a similar set of
      complex and daunting health problems. No one overriding issue exists, nor does an
      overall solution. While staff shortages, a dire lack of Indian health
      professionals, and inadequate financial resources play a role, poverty, racism,
      lifestyle, alcoholism, and cultural change and conflict all further complicate
      health problems for Indian people.

PMID- 1406517
TI  - Physician liability for failure to remove breast implants.
AB  - In cases where the failure to remove breast implants later results in injury,
      physicians may be exposed to liability if it can be shown that the woman would
      have removed the implants had she received more adequate or complete advice
      regarding the risks of keeping the implants in place. It is possible that courts
      may impose liability on physicians for failing to take affirmative steps to
      remove the implants under limited circumstances. In cases where adequate warnings
      are given, however, liability will rest only where causation can be shown.
      Proving causation is always fact-specific and will vary from case to case. In
      general, it must be established that the physician did not give complete advice
      and that if better advice had been given, the patient would have had the implants
      removed, preventing later injury. Physicians have at least three potential
      defenses to negligence actions regarding the failure to remove breast implants.
      First, the physician may maintain that he or she warned the patient and that the
      patient chose to ignore the advice. Second, the physician may rely upon available
      FDA and manufacturer recommendations that support the physician's advice
      regarding removal. Finally, the statute of limitations may bar a claim if more
      than two years have elapsed since the date of treatment.

PMID- 1406516
TI  - Exertional compartment syndrome in covert mild hemophilia. A case report.
AB  - A 37-year-old white male experienced unexpected postoperative bleeding after
      fasciotomy and decompression for left pronator and compartment syndromes of the
      forearm. He was subsequently diagnosed with a mild form of hemophilia A. One year
      later, surgery was required for right pronator and compartment syndromes. Pre-
      and postoperative cryoprecipitate infusions controlled bleeding following the
      second operation until the patient discontinued his infusions, resulting in a
      wound hematoma. Covert mild hemophilia is implicated in the pathogenesis of his
      compartment syndromes.

PMID- 1406518
TI  - Private pensions. A less taxing alternative.
AB  - The results of the Joneses' coordinated retirement income and estate planning
      strategies are as follows: 1. The Joneses maximized their estate assets by
      converting an inefficient estate asset (the qualified retirement plan) into an
      efficient estate asset (the income-tax-free death benefit) without jeopardizing
      their current or future standard of living or the value passed on to their heirs.
      This allows them to satisfy their conflicting objectives. 2. They added
      flexibility to their future family gifting plans by providing themselves a secure
      income for the rest of their lives. 3. They fulfilled their desire to protect
      their family against government confiscation of retirement plan assets in the
      event they both die before using all their qualified retirement assets. This
      private pension plan strategy is obviously not available to everyone, nor is it
      appropriate for everyone. This solution worked well for this client, but
      everyone's situation is unique. Before creating such a plan, it is important to
      review all the factors in an individual's financial picture, including financial
      and retirement objectives and investment risk tolerance. Although this is an
      innovative idea that may solve a pension dilemma, it should not be used in place
      of qualified retirement plans but, rather, used in conjunction with such a plan.
      The private pension plan does not work with all insurance products or all
      insurance companies. Choosing the right company and product for each client
      requires care and expertise.

PMID- 1406519
TI  - Physician involvement, leadership will help achieve equality.

PMID- 1406520
TI  - Most physicians have treated an HIV-positive patient.

PMID- 1406521
TI  - Native American youth. Poor health carries a powerful message.

PMID- 1406522
TI  - Riding in the HealthRight rodeo.

PMID- 1406524
TI  - Physicians retire on their own terms.

PMID- 1406523
TI  - Together, we can make HealthRight work.

PMID- 1406525
TI  - The Minnesota Fatal Accident Circumstances and Epidemiology Study. Surveillance
      of occupational fatalities.
AB  - This report describes the Minnesota Fatal Accident Circumstances and Epidemiology
      Study (MN FACE), a new federally funded initiative to study fatal injuries in the
      workplace. Its primary objective is to reduce occupational fatalities. Fatalities
      due to falls, electrocutions, and asphyxiation caused by entry into confined
      spaces are currently investigated in Minnesota. MN FACE determines risk factors
      associated with fatalities then develops interventions for their mitigation or
      elimination. A comprehensive, statewide surveillance system, including state
      agencies, associations, organized labor, and industry, has been established to
      reduce the amount of bias in reporting.

PMID- 1406526
TI  - The Patient Self-Determination Act. Advance directives available to Minnesota
      patients.
AB  - The Patient Self-Determination Act requires most health care institutions to
      inform patients of their right to refuse medical care and their right to provide
      advance direction regarding their wishes should they become incompetent. Although
      the PSDA does not apply to physicians, it will probably increase the demand for
      communication with patients on such matters. Patients will undoubtedly ask how to
      formulate advance directives. While physicians should make it clear that they are
      not providing legal advice to patients on such issues, they may wish to indicate
      that a guardianship and a living will are options available under Minnesota law.
      Additionally, as indicated above, a number of arguments exist that durable powers
      of attorney for health care are valid in Minnesota, as well. Physicians should
      familiarize themselves with living will forms and may wish to make them available
      to patients upon request. (Living will forms can be obtained by contacting the
      Minnesota Medical Association at 612/378-1875.) Patients with questions regarding
      durable powers of attorney should be advised to seek legal counsel.

PMID- 1406527
TI  - Physicians should manage the care they provide.

PMID- 1406529
TI  - Finding success and happiness in retirement. Planning is the key.

PMID- 1406528
TI  - Retirement doesn't always come easy.

PMID- 1406530
TI  - Health care reform in Minnesota. Implications for the rural physician.
AB  - Minnesota's health care reform plan (by any name) is a cost-containment bill with
      provisions to provide health insurance for some uninsured people, to examine
      quality of care, to increase support for rural provider education and migration
      to rural practice, and to develop state and regional health planning procedures.
      It is an ambitious bill with very tight time frames, vague language, and heavy
      reliance on regional commissions and volunteer groups that are just now being
      established. Will it have an impact on rural health care? Undoubtedly, it will.
      But somewhere between what the bill says and the desired outcome is a void that
      physicians can help fill with constructive work and criticism. If physicians do
      not take the lead, someone else will fill that void--nonphysician providers,
      legislators, bureaucrats, or consumers. Or the structure could implode, taking
      all of us with it.

PMID- 1406531
TI  - Women in medicine. The tortuous path to professionalism.

PMID- 1406532
TI  - Twin cities health care mergers, acquisitions, and affiliations. Implications for
      independent physician practices.
AB  - "The health care system in Minnesota, especially in the Twin Cities area, is
      currently undergoing change that can best be characterized as a consolidation of
      providers into larger and larger groups (multispecialty clinics,
      hospital/physician mergers, and expanded HMOs and PPOs). These changes are
      intended to produce economies of scale, less duplication of services, and better
      control of costs and quality of health care. Where does this leave the more
      traditional, smaller multispecialty or single-specialty practices often referred
      to as 'independents'?... How can independent groups respond to these trends in
      order to survive in the new health care marketplace?"

PMID- 1406533
TI  - Cardiopulmonary resuscitation in nursing homes. Continuing concerns.

PMID- 1406534
TI  - Cardiopulmonary resuscitation in Minnesota nursing homes.

PMID- 1406535
TI  - Minnesota access to health records. Practical steps to complying with a confusing
      law.

PMID- 1406536
TI  - Valuing the primary care patient base.
AB  - This analysis, albeit limited, can help clinics and integrated health systems
      with their medical staff planning, and it demonstrates the importance of the
      primary care patient base as a foundation for health services planning and
      economic and market strategies. It is important to note, however, that when
      primary, specialty, subspecialty, surgical, and hospital care are well planned
      and marketed, it is virtually impossible to identify the relative contribution of
      each to the overall success of the system. Consequently, primary care physicians
      should not attribute the value discussed here solely to their efforts. Hospital
      executives should be mindful of two related issues: First, some administrators
      remain focused on inpatient services when outpatient services may offer greater
      economic potential over time. Ambulatory interventional diagnostics and
      therapeutic procedures (e.g., outpatient surgery) are often undervalued or
      overlooked in medical staff development plans. The net profits available from
      additional ambulatory surgical cases can be significant. Second, success in
      developing a medical staff plan requires more than calculating physician supply
      and demand ratios. A balance must be struck between meeting the hospital's needs
      for additional physicians and meeting the needs of the existing medical staff. A
      number of hospital executives have found that devoting all physician-related
      resources to recruiting new staff can create resentment among physicians who have
      remained loyal to their hospitals without financial and other practice incentives
      and inducements. We encourage multispecialty group practices to become students
      of primary care development as well and urge them to guard against focusing on
      the high overhead costs of primary care without recognizing the value of an
      organized primary care strategy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406538
TI  - AIDS update. Kaiser allowed to pursue lawsuit.

PMID- 1406537
TI  - Women in medicine. A promising future, despite challenging past.

PMID- 1406539
TI  - Pill combination fights deadly infections.

PMID- 1406540
TI  - Women physicians break down barriers.

PMID- 1406541
TI  - [Importance of evoked potentials in the evolutive prognosis of coma during
      cerebral anoxia in adults].
AB  - Ten cases of postanoxic coma have been studied. A clinical neurological
      examination with study of brainstem reflexes and the EEG recording were made on
      the first day (J1), the third day (J3) and the tenth day (J10) after the start of
      the coma. A recording of the visual evoked potentials, the brainstem evoked
      potentials and the somatosensory potentials combined was made at the same time. A
      clinical examination is carried out one month after the coma when the patient
      survives. According to the initial clinical examination, we distinguished 3
      groups of subjects. The results show that in group III the visual evoked
      potentials such as EEG have a slightly significant prognostic value; frequently
      the near outcome lead to death whereas EEG activity persists and the visual
      evoked potentials disappear later. On the other hand, the association of
      brainstem evoked potentials and somatosensory potentials clearly has a higher
      prognostic value in this group. The disappearance of the shortest brainstem
      responses and the cortical somatosensory responses is clearly an unfavourable
      prognosis. This disappearance associated with the end EEG activity is the
      absolute proof of brain death. On the other hand, the persistence of these
      responses is of a better prognosis at least on the survival level, but their
      degradation during evolution is unfavourable.

PMID- 1406542
TI  - Electrical status epilepticus on eye closure: a case report.
AB  - The authors present the clinical case of a boy manifesting eyelid myoclonias on
      eye closure. The corresponding electroencephalographic recording was
      characterized by unceasing spike activity, constituting a sort of electrical
      status epilepticus. There was no loss of consciousness or differences between
      results of neuropsychological tests with eyes open and closed.

PMID- 1406543
TI  - Partial childhood epilepsy and reaction time: the effect of interictal EEG
      discharges.
AB  - A study was conducted on seven children (five females and two males, aged 5.7
      13.1 years) affected with partial epilepsy which was well controlled by therapy.
      A computer was connected on-line to a polygraph and during two EEG recordings,
      the subject had to react to the appearance of a colored rectangle on the display
      screen by pushing a key on the keyboard: these events were automatically marked
      on the trace of a polygraphic channel. By means of Anova analysis it was
      demonstrated that during the same recording, reactions simultaneous to paroxysmal
      discharges were not significantly slower than those measured during free
      intervals. However, in the same patient, reaction times were significantly
      prolonged during recordings characterized by a higher rate of EEG paroxysmal
      activity.

PMID- 1406544
TI  - [Comparative study by computerized EEG of dementia of the ALzheimer type and
      Parkinson's disease with dementia].
AB  - A computerized EEG (cEEG) study was performed in two groups of patients with
      dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) and with Parkinson's disease with dementia
      (PDD). Compared to control subjects suffering from Parkinson's disease without
      dementia, both groups demonstrated similar slowing down of background activity.
      However, there were more low frequency components, defined as between 2.5-7 Hz,
      and less topographical differentiation in PDD than in DAT. Furthermore, more
      severe impairment of cognitive functions was observed in DAT, but their
      psychometric score correlated with slowing down of EEG only in DMP. These
      observations emphasize the influence of the subcortical/cortical axis both in
      dementia of Parkinson's disease and in the neurophysiology of the EEG.

PMID- 1406545
TI  - [Investigation via electroencephalogram with sphenoidal electrodes of a case of
      reading epilepsy: role of the temporal lobe in the emotional evocation of
      seizures].
AB  - Reading epilepsy in a 20-year-old male. Electroencephalographic study with
      sphenoidal electrodes localized the onset of critical spikes in the temporal
      areas (especially the left). The frequency and diffusion of critical spikes were
      increased when material read had an emotional content. This case report supports
      the "communication" hypothesis as opposed to hypotheses that emphasize
      proprioceptive and other "lower order" stimuli in evoking seizures while reading.
      The authors discuss the role of the temporal lobe in reading: lexical function,
      treatment of visual information and emotional integration of stimuli.

PMID- 1406546
TI  - Perineal motor potentials to magnetic stimulation, pudendal evoked potentials and
      perineal reflex in women.
AB  - Motor potentials to transcranial and lumbar magnetic stimulation were recorded
      from the perineum in 14 healthy women. The response to transcranial stimulation
      presented an onset at 20.2 +/- 1.3 ms and a negative peak at 25.1 +/- 1.9 ms.
      Lumbar responses presented an onset at 5.1 +/- 0.8 ms, and the motor central
      conduction time measured 14.4 +/- 1.5 ms. Perineal reflex, cortical and lumbar
      pudendal evoked potentials were recorded after electrical stimulation of the
      labia minora. These tests are of possible clinical use in the evaluation of
      sphincter disturbances as they investigate the afferent and efferent pathways
      concerning pudendal nerve function.

PMID- 1406547
TI  - Aplasia cutis congenita: a clinical review and associated defects.

PMID- 1406548
TI  - Infant definitive care unit: developmental care for the hospitalized NICU
      graduate.

PMID- 1406549
TI  - Us against "them": Bush's cynical manipulation of the real issues.

PMID- 1406550
TI  - The staff nurse and the research team.

PMID- 1406551
TI  - A review of ventilation-perfusion relationships in the neonatal lung. Part I.

PMID- 1406552
TI  - Assessment of the quality of the neonatal chest x-ray film.

PMID- 1406554
TI  - Translating research findings into practice.

PMID- 1406553
TI  - I'm only human.

PMID- 1406555
TI  - Education in the NICU. Computer applications for education, Part 1.

PMID- 1406556
TI  - Albuterol.

PMID- 1406557
TI  - Neonatal short bowel syndrome.

PMID- 1406558
TI  - Tick research efforts.

PMID- 1406559
TI  - Tick research efforts.

PMID- 1406560
TI  - A prospective study of the transition to phacoemulsification and small incision
      cataract surgery.
AB  - Phacoemulsification is an increasingly popular method of performing cataract
      surgery. The procedure remains controversial. Opponents of phacoemulsification
      maintain the procedure has an unacceptably high complication rate during
      transition to the technique. This prospective study found that the many
      advantages of phacoemulsification were safely introduced into a moderate sized
      community practice. The surgical complication rate was very low and visual acuity
      statistics excellent.

PMID- 1406561
TI  - Esophageal stricture: results of dilation of 300 patients.
AB  - Three hundred patients underwent 1,177 esophageal dilations over a nine-year
      period. There were 164 men and 136 women. Mean age was 63 years. Etiology of
      stricture was peptic (160), Schatzki's ring (124), cancer (8), post-surgical (3),
      post-radiation (2), caustic ingestion (1), and esophageal web (2). Dilators used
      were Maloney red-rubber mercury weighted (78.1%), Savary wire-guided (15.2%),
      Eder-Puestow (6.3%) and Balloon (0.4%). Fluoroscopy was used in 98% of cases. One
      hundred and two of the 111 patients with peptic strictures observed for longer
      than six months had successful dilation. Forty-five of these patients (40.5%)
      required 54 redilations to maintain relief of dysphagia. Nine patients were
      refractory to dilation, two needing serial dilation and seven surgery. All
      Schatzki's rings were treated successfully. Ten of 82 patients followed for
      greater than six months needed redilation (12%). Morbidity was 0.2% with two
      complications occurring, an esophageal perforation and one case of hematemesis.
      There was no mortality.

PMID- 1406562
TI  - Skin expansion as preparation for an opening wedge osteotomy of the mid-foot in
      arthrogryposis.
AB  - A case report is presented in which tissue expansion is used to provide the
      additional skin needed during an opening wedge mid-foot osteotomy to correct a
      varus foot deformity in a patient with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita. Tissue
      expansion is a relatively new method of acquiring coverage for wounds which may
      have advantages over previous techniques. The risks and drawbacks of this
      technique will be described in detail.

PMID- 1406563
TI  - Food for thought.

PMID- 1406564
TI  - Pertussis vaccination: acellular pertussis vaccine for the fourth and fifth doses
      of the DTP series update to supplementary ACIP statement. Recommendations of the
      Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
AB  - General recommendations on pertussis prevention were issued August 8, 1991, in
      the ACIP statement on diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (1). A supplementary
      statement on the use of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis
      vaccine (DTaP) was issued February 7, 1992 (2) after the licensure of ACEL-IMUNE,
      prepared by Lederle Laboratories. With the recent licensure of a second DTaP
      product, Tripedia, this statement updates the supplement. Tripedia has a
      formulation that differs from that of ACEL-IMUNE. Both DTaP vaccines are licensed
      for use only as the fourth and/or fifth doses of diphtheria, tetanus, and
      pertussis vaccination; they are not licensed for the initial three-dose series
      for infants and children, regardless of age. Whole-cell DTP should continue to be
      used for the initial three-dose series and remains an acceptable alternative for
      the fourth and fifth doses. For details on the background, indications, use, and
      precautions and contraindications of DTaP, refer to the earlier supplementary
      statement (2).

PMID- 1406565
TI  - Pneumonic plague--Arizona, 1992.
AB  - On August 26, 1992, a 31-year-old male resident of Tucson, Arizona, died of an
      illness subsequently diagnosed as primary pneumonic plague. This is the 10th case
      of plague reported in the United States in 1992, the first pneumonic plague case
      this year, and the first plague fatality reported since 1987 (CDC, unpublished
      data). This report summarizes the investigation of this case by county, state,
      and federal public health officials in Arizona and Colorado.

PMID- 1406566
TI  - HIV counseling and testing services from public and private providers--United
      States, 1990.
AB  - Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) counseling and testing (CT) services are key
      elements of the national HIV-prevention strategy (1,2). Although the number and
      characteristics of persons receiving CT through publicly funded programs are
      monitored by CDC's CT data system (3), this system does not provide information
      about persons tested for HIV antibody by physicians in the private sector,
      hospitals, and other nonpublicly funded sources. This report summarizes data from
      CDC's 1990 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) AIDS Supplement (4) regarding
      CT received from public and private providers.

PMID- 1406567
TI  - Alcohol-related hospitalizations--Indian Health Service and tribal hospitals,
      United States, May 1992.
AB  - Alcohol use is directly responsible for hospitalizations resulting from chronic
      conditions, such as alcoholic liver disease and alcoholic psychoses; in addition,
      alcohol use can be a contributing factor in other conditions, such as infectious
      diseases and injuries, that require hospital admission. Based on discharge data
      from Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities and CDC's National Hospital Discharge
      Survey (1), the proportion of alcohol-related hospitalizations (ARHs) among
      American Indians/Alaskan Natives has been reported as 2.5 times that for the
      total U.S. population. However, these estimates rely on a limited set of alcohol
      defined diagnoses that are primarily associated with chronic alcoholism. To
      characterize more accurately the relation of alcohol use to inpatient admissions
      to IHS and tribally operated hospitals in the United States, IHS conducted a 1
      day survey of ARHs in these facilities on Monday, May 18, 1992. This report
      summarizes preliminary results from the survey.

PMID- 1406568
TI  - Behaviors related to unintentional and intentional injuries among high school
      students--United States, 1991.
AB  - During 1988, injuries were the leading cause of death among persons aged 15-19
      years in the United States (CDC, unpublished data, 1988). Of all deaths in this
      age group, 42% were motor-vehicle related, 13% were due to homicide, 13% to
      suicide, and 11% to other types of injuries and adverse effects. This report
      presents 1991 self-reported data on the prevalence of selected behaviors (i.e.,
      attempted suicide, physical fighting, weapon-carrying, safety-belt use,
      motorcycle-helmet use, and bicycle-helmet use) associated with these causes of
      death among 9th-12th-grade students in the United States.

PMID- 1406569
TI  - National Coalition for Adult Immunization: activities to increase influenza
      vaccination levels, 1989-1991.
AB  - Older persons and persons with underlying health problems are at increased risk
      for complications of influenza infection; however, only 30% of persons aged > or
      = 65 years are vaccinated against influenza each year (1). This report describes
      initial efforts by the National Coalition for Adult Immunization's (NCAI)
      Influenza and Pneumonia Action Group (IPAG) to increase influenza vaccination of
      adults in the United States during 1990-1993, and highlights National Adult
      Immunization Week, October 25-31, 1992.

PMID- 1406570
TI  - Poliomyelitis--Netherlands, 1992.
AB  - From September 17 through October 9, 1992, five cases of poliomyelitis were
      reported in the Netherlands among members of religious groups that generally do
      not accept vaccination. This report summarizes investigations of these five cases
      by the Netherlands' Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Laboratory
      of Virology, National Institute for Public Health and Environmental Protection,
      and the Municipal Health Services in Rotterdam. The investigation indicated that
      none of the cases were epidemiologically linked; two of the cases (cases 1 and 2)
      had some history of receipt of polio vaccine, while three (cases 3-5) had no
      history of polio vaccination. This report summarizes the investigation of these
      cases.

PMID- 1406571
TI  - Lead ingestion associated with ceramic glaze--Alaska, 1992.
AB  - In August 1992, a physician notified the Alaska Division of Public Health (ADPH)
      that three patients at a psychiatric hospital had consumed ceramic glaze during
      ceramic therapy (i.e., recreation therapy involving the production of ceramic
      ware), and two of these patients had elevated blood lead levels (BLLs). This
      report summarizes the ADPH's investigation of these ingestions.

PMID- 1406572
TI  - Public health focus: surveillance, prevention, and control of nosocomial
      infections.
AB  - Nosocomial infections are estimated to involve more than 2 million patients
      annually (1, 2) and in 1992 cost more than $4.5 billion (3). Adverse consequences
      of nosocomial infections and their associated costs vary by type of infection
      (Table 1) (3). Hospital-based programs of surveillance, prevention, and control
      of nosocomial infections were developed during the 1950s and refined in the
      United States during the 1960s and 1970s. However, questions regarding the
      efficacy and cost-effectiveness of these programs have persisted. This report
      examines knowledge about the effectiveness of nosocomial infection surveillance,
      prevention, and control and their cost-benefits.

PMID- 1406573
TI  - Plague--United States, 1992.
AB  - From January 1 through October 15, 1992, 11 human plague cases, including one
      described recently (1), have been reported in the United States. This report
      summarizes the epidemiologic information on these cases and provides
      recommendations for control of plague.

PMID- 1406574
TI  - Epidemic early syphilis--Montgomery County, Alabama, 1990-1991.
AB  - In Montgomery County (1990 population: 209,085), Alabama, an epidemic of early
      syphilis (ES) (i.e., primary, secondary, and early latent) involving 1010 cases
      occurred from August 1990 through November 1991 (Figure 1). From June 17 through
      November 7, 1991, the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) and CDC
      initiated an intervention campaign to reduce the incidence of ES; the
      intervention increased case-finding primarily through partner notification (PN)
      and cluster investigations.* This report assesses the intervention campaign by
      describing 1) the results of PN/cluster investigation interviews during the
      intervention, 2) the relation between reported crack cocaine use and PN/cluster
      investigation results, 3) a comparison of interview results for the first 6 weeks
      of the campaign (i.e., early campaign period) with the 6-week period immediately
      before the campaign (i.e., precampaign period), and 4) the syphilis morbidity
      trends for 1990 and 1991.

PMID- 1406575
TI  - Human psittacosis linked to a bird distributor in Mississippi--Massachusetts and
      Tennessee, 1992.
AB  - During April-May 1992, CDC was notified of a possible outbreak of psittacosis
      involving members of two families in Massachusetts and Tennessee who had recently
      purchased birds as pets. In the subsequent investigation of this problem, human
      psittacosis was defined as a fourfold rise in complement-fixing antibody titer to
      > or = 32 or a single titer of > or = 32 in a patient with fever and/or
      respiratory symptoms. This report summarizes the investigation of this problem.

PMID- 1406576
TI  - Nutritional needs surveys among the elderly--Russia and Armenia, 1992.
AB  - The ongoing social, political, and economic changes in the 15 republics of the
      former Soviet Union have resulted in hyperinflation of the Soviet Union ruble
      (SUR), regional conflicts, and other hardships for the populations of these
      republics (1). In January 1992, a public health assessment in Russia indicated
      that the elderly--most of whom subsist on fixed incomes and among whom the
      prevalences of decreased mobility or chronic illnesses may be substantial--are at
      greatest risk because of declining social support. During March-May 1992, CARE,
      in collaboration with CDC, conducted three surveys in Russia and Armenia to
      assist in targeting the delivery of food and medical humanitarian aid to the most
      needy among the elderly. This report summarizes findings from these surveys.

PMID- 1406577
TI  - Chaparral-induced toxic hepatitis--California and Texas, 1992.
AB  - Cases of acute toxic hepatitis in two patients--one in California and one in
      Texas--have been attributed to ingestion of an herbal nutritional supplement
      product derived from the leaves of the creosote bush known commonly as chaparral.
      This report summarizes the investigations of these cases.

PMID- 1406578
TI  - Anonymous survey for simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) seropositivity in SIV
      laboratory researchers--United States, 1992.
AB  - CDC recently reported on two laboratory workers who had seroconverted against
      simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) following work-related exposure to the virus.
      In follow-up, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and CDC have collaborated
      on an anonymous SIV seroprevalence study using stored serum samples from some
      laboratory workers and animal caretakers involved in SIV research at some of the
      NIH-sponsored facilities in the United States. This report summarizes the study.

PMID- 1406579
TI  - Surveillance for occupationally acquired HIV infection--United States, 1981-1992.
AB  - Public health surveillance for and risk-assessment studies of human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection provide a basis for formulating measures
      to minimize the risk for occupational transmission of HIV to health-care workers
      (1-6). Data on occupational transmission of HIV have been provided by two CDC
      supported national surveillance systems: one initiated in 1981 for acquired
      immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases and one initiated in 1991 for HIV
      infections acquired through occupational exposures (Table 1). This report
      summarizes data on occupationally acquired HIV infection from these surveillance
      systems through September 1992.

PMID- 1406580
TI  - Community awareness and use of HIV/AIDS-prevention services among minority
      populations--Connecticut, 1991.
AB  - Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
      prevention efforts supported by the federal government include programs offered
      through community-based organizations (CBOs) and state and local health
      departments (1). To assess the extent of community awareness and use of these
      HIV/AIDS-prevention services among Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks in three
      cities in Connecticut, the Connecticut State Department of Health Services
      (CSDHS) included questions on HIV/AIDS-prevention programs in its population
      based chronic disease and health risk survey. This report summarizes survey
      results regarding awareness and use of these community-based programs during
      1991.

PMID- 1406581
TI  - ATPase activity of SopA, a protein essential for active partitioning of F
      plasmid.
AB  - The sopA, B, C genes of the F plasmid play an essential role in plasmid
      partitioning during cell division in Escherichia coli. In this paper, the
      products of the sopA and sopB genes were isolated and their biochemical
      activities studied. [alpha-32P]ATP was cross-linked to the SopA protein by UV
      irradiation; this cross-linking was observed only in the presence of magnesium
      ion, and was competitively inhibited in the presence of non-radioactive ATP, ADP
      and dATP, but not other NTPs or dNTPs. In contrast, no ATP binding activity was
      detected for the SopB protein. The SopA protein showed a modest magnesium ion
      dependent ATPase activity and this activity was stimulated in the presence of
      DNA. The ATPase activity in the presence of DNA was further stimulated by
      addition of the SopB protein. However, the SopB protein alone failed to stimulate
      the ATPase activity.

PMID- 1406582
TI  - A deletion derivative of the kalilo senescence plasmid forms hairpin and duplex
      DNA structures in the mitochondria of Neurospora.
AB  - A novel deletion derivative, delta kal, of the kalilo senescence plasmid from
      Neurospora intermedia, was recovered from a culture treated with chloramphenicol.
      The deletion derivative exists in mitochondria as two different, equally abundant
      forms: a 2.8 kb duplex DNA molecule (delta kal-2.8) and a 1.4 kb hairpin form
      (delta kal-1.4). The delta kal-2.8 plasmid contains the 1366 bp terminal inverted
      repeats and a partially duplicated 102 bp segment of the unique sequence of the
      8.6 kb kalilo plasmid. In contrast, the delta kal-1.4 hairpin plasmid appears to
      result from the folding of single strands that are generated during the
      replication of delta kal-2.8. Both forms of delta kal have covalently linked
      terminal proteins. Sequence analysis suggests that delta kal was generated either
      by slippage of the tip of a growing strand during the replication of kalilo, or
      by illegitimate recombination between two copies of the plasmid at non-homologous
      palindromic sequences that might form cruciform structures. In either case, the
      deletion process was mediated at least in part by an inverted repeat of 5 bp in
      the unique region of kalilo. Since the terminal segments of kalilo DNA that are
      implicated in plasmid integration might also form cruciform structures, it is
      possible, but improbable, that the process that generated the first delta kal
      molecule is related to that which mediates integration of the plasmid into
      mitochondrial DNA.

PMID- 1406583
TI  - Translational readthrough at nonsense mutations in the HSF1 gene of Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae.
AB  - The HSF1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae directs the synthesis of the heat shock
      transcription factor, HSF. The gene is essential; disruption mutations are
      lethal. Using a plasmid shuffle screen, we isolated mutations in the HSF1 gene
      after in vitro mutagenesis of plasmid DNA with hydroxylamine. From a collection
      of both conditional (temperature-sensitive) and unconditional lethal mutations,
      we recovered mutations that map exclusively to the 5' half of the gene. All are
      nonsense mutations, including conditional mutations that map 5' to the portion of
      the HSF1 gene that encodes the DNA-binding domain of the transcription factor.
      For one such mutation, we demonstrated that the nonsense mutation is subject to
      translational readthrough, even though there are no known nonsense suppressors in
      the genetic background of our strain. Our results suggest that the HSF protein is
      highly tolerant of amino acid changes, a conclusion that is consistent with the
      very low degree of evolutionary conservation among HSF proteins. Our results also
      suggest that translational readthrough occurs with moderate efficiency in yeast,
      particularly when the terminator codon is followed immediately by an A or C
      residue. This result illustrates that the inference of gene function from mutant
      phenotype depends critically upon the analysis of a true null allele, and not
      merely an amber or ochre allele.

PMID- 1406584
TI  - Brassica anther-specific genes: characterization and in situ localization of
      expression.
AB  - A cDNA library of Brassica napus (cv. Westar) was constructed using poly(A)+ RNA
      isolated from developing anthers of flower buds 2-3 mm in length. Differential
      hybridization, using cDNA probes complementary to poly(A)+ RNA from developing
      anthers or seedlings, was used for initial screening. In addition to Southern and
      Northern blot analyses of selected clones, RNA-PCR assays and in situ
      hybridization were used to study the temporal and spatial gene regulation in
      anthers at the transcriptional level. Five independent cDNA clones, showing no
      cross-hybridization to one another, were characterized, and their expression
      patterns could be grouped into three distinct categories. Two cDNA clones, BA112
      and BA158, are tapetum-specific: the corresponding mRNAs accumulate in young
      anthers and decline as the tapetum cells degenerate later in anther development.
      The transcripts represented by BA54 and BA73 accumulate late in anther
      development and reach a maximum level in mature anthers prior to anthesis; BA54
      has been confirmed to be pollen-specific. The third category, represented by
      BA42, is found to encode a protein sharing 64-67% amino acid similarity with
      chalcone synthase (CHS) from various plant species; the transcript is localized
      in the peripheral cells of the vascular bundle, tapetum, and developing
      microspores.

PMID- 1406586
TI  - Protein export elements from Lactococcus lactis.
AB  - Broad-host-range plasmids carrying alpha-amylase or beta-lactamase reporter genes
      lacking a signal sequence were used to select export elements from Lactococcus
      lactis chromosomal DNA that could function as signal sequences. Fragments
      containing such elements were identified by their ability to direct the export of
      the reporter proteins in Escherichia coli. Several of the selected export
      elements were also active in Bacillus subtilis and L. lactis, although the
      efficiencies depended strongly on the host organism and reporter gene used. The
      export elements AL9 and BL1 were highly efficient in L. lactis in the expression
      and secretion of at least two heterologous proteins (Bacillus licheniformis alpha
      amylase and E. coli TEM-beta-lactamase). AL9 even permitted growth of this
      organism on starch as the sole carbon source. Nucleotide sequence analysis of
      five selected fragments indicated that these encode oligopeptides with the major
      characteristics of typical signal peptides. The putative expression signals had a
      limited similarity to previously described expression signals for E. coli, B.
      subtilis and L. lactis. Differences in both expression and export efficiency are
      likely to underlie the host-specific effects.

PMID- 1406587
TI  - Ammonia regulation of the Rhizobium meliloti nitrogenase structural and
      regulatory genes under free-living conditions: involvement of the fixL gene
      product?
AB  - The expression under microaerobic conditions of the Rhizobium meliloti nifA and
      consequently the nifHDK genes was found to be negatively regulated by ammonia and
      nitrate. Assimilation of the ammonia to glutamate and glutamine is not required
      for this regulation to occur. This indicates that ammonia itself, and not a
      product of its metabolism, may be regulating nif expression. Unlike the situation
      in Klebsiella pneumoniae, NtrC is apparently not involved in mediating the
      ammonia effect on nifA expression in R. meliloti. Neither does the fixK gene
      product, which is known to regulate nifA in R. meliloti, appear to be involved in
      mediating the ammonia effect. The regulation of nifA by ammonia is shown to be
      mediated through the FixL protein. A truncated fixJ gene, the product of which
      has been shown to induce nifA expression irrespective of the oxygen status of the
      cell, also circumvented the repressive effect of ammonia on nifA expression. This
      suggests that the ammonia effect is mediated through the FixLJ regulatory
      cascade. Interestingly no effect of ammonia on fixK expression was observed.

PMID- 1406585
TI  - Multiple plant RNA binding proteins identified by PCR: expression of cDNAs
      encoding RNA binding proteins targeted to chloroplasts in Nicotiana
      plumbaginifolia.
AB  - Pre-mRNA processing in eukaryotic cells requires the participation of multiple
      protein factors and ribonucleoprotein particles. One class of proteins involved
      in this process are RNA-binding proteins, which contain a domain of ca. 90 amino
      acids with a characteristic ribonucleoprotein consensus sequence (RNP-CS). A PCR
      approach that is suitable for the characterization of RNP-CS-type proteins is
      described. Fifteen different RNA-binding domains were amplified from Nicotiana
      tabacum (tobacco) using oligonucleotide primers specific for the sequences
      (K/R)G(F/Y)(G/A)FVX(F/Y) and (L/I/V)(F/Y)(V/I)(G/K)(N/G)L, which are conserved in
      known RNP-CS proteins. Using the tobacco domains as probes, cDNAs encoding two
      RNA-binding proteins, each containing two RNP-CS-type domains, were characterized
      in N. plumbaginifolia. The proteins, designated CP-RBP30 and CP-RBP31, are
      targeted to chloroplasts as demonstrated by expression of epitope-tagged cDNAs in
      transfected protoplasts, followed by indirect immunofluorescence. High levels of
      mRNA for each protein were found in leaves but not in roots, and expression of
      the CP-RBP31 mRNA was strongly regulated by light. The N. plumbaginifolia
      proteins described in this work are distinct from chloroplast RNA-binding
      proteins characterized recently in tobacco and spinach.

PMID- 1406588
TI  - Insertional disruption of the nusB (ssyB) gene leads to cold-sensitive growth of
      Escherichia coli and suppression of the secY24 mutation.
AB  - The Escherichia coli gene ssyB was cloned and sequenced. The ssyB63 (Cs) mutation
      is an insertion mutation in nusB, while the nusB5 (Cs) mutation suppresses
      secY24, indicating that inactivation of nusB causes cold-sensitive cell growth as
      well as phenotypic suppression of secY24. The correct map position of nusB is 9.5
      min rather than 11 min as previously assigned. It is located at the distal end of
      an operon that contains a gene showing significant homology with a Bacillus
      subtilis gene involved in riboflavin biosynthesis.

PMID- 1406589
TI  - A defined amino acid exchange close to the putative nucleotide binding site is
      responsible for an oxygen-tolerant variant of the Rhizobium meliloti NifA
      protein.
AB  - In Rhizobium meliloti the NifA protein plays a central role in the expression of
      genes involved in nitrogen fixation. The R. meliloti NifA protein has been found
      to be oxygen sensitive and therefore acts as a transcriptional activator only
      under microaerobic conditions. In order to generate oxygen-tolerant variants of
      the NifA protein a plasmid carrying the R. meliloti nifA gene was mutagenized in
      vitro with hydroxylamine. About 70 mutated nifA genes were isolated which
      mediated up to 12-fold increased NifA activity at high oxygen concentrations. A
      cloning procedure involving the combination of DNA fragments from mutated and
      wild-type nifA genes allowed mapping of the mutation sites within the central
      part of the nifA gene. For 17 mutated nifA genes the exact mutation sites were
      determined by DNA sequence analysis. It was found that all 17 mutated nifA genes
      carried identical guanosine--adenosine mutations resulting in a methionine-
      isoleucine exchange (M217I) near the putative nucleotide binding site within the
      central domain. Secondary structure predictions indicated that the conformation
      of the putative nucleotide binding site may be altered in the oxygen-tolerant
      NifA proteins. A model is proposed which assumes that at high oxygen
      concentrations the loss of activity of the R. meliloti NifA protein is due to a
      conformational change in the nucleotide binding site that may abolish binding or
      hydrolysis of the nucleotide. Such a conformational change may be blocked in the
      oxygen-tolerant NifA protein, thus allowing interaction with the nucleotide at
      high oxygen concentrations.

PMID- 1406590
TI  - Characterization and nucleotide sequence of the oriT-traM-finP region of the
      IncFVII plasmid pSU233.
AB  - By hybridizing the IncFVII haemolytic plasmid pSU233 with a probe containing the
      origin of transfer of the IncFII plasmid R1, we isolated a 1.9 kb BglII fragment
      containing at least the origin of transfer (oriT), and the genes traM and finP.
      Functional complementation analysis of deletion derivatives was used to map the
      origin of transfer. We also determined the nucleotide sequence of traM and finP.
      Comparison with similar regions of several plasmids, also belonging to the Rep
      FIIA family, revelaed that pSU233 resembles the F plasmid by very close. The
      homology is not evenly distributed along this region, but clustered into
      homologous regions (TraZb-oriT, TraMb-oriT and traM separated by non-homologous
      regions (TraYb-oriT, finP). This organization resembles that reported for the
      replication region and also suggests evolution by exchange of modules. In
      addition, the nucleotide sequence of finP is different from those previously
      described for other IncF plasmids and constitutes a new allele, which we have
      denominated allele VI.

PMID- 1406592
TI  - Sugarbeet minicircular mitochondrial DNAs: high-resolution transcript mapping,
      transcript abundance and copy number determination.
AB  - Three minicircular mitochondrial DNAs have been studied to address several
      aspects of transcription in sugarbeet mitochondria. High-resolution transcript
      mapping experiments have shown that sequences at the 5' termini of minicircle
      transcripts are highly homologous and resemble sequences at the 5' termini of
      sugarbeet mainband mitochondrial genes (atpA, atp6). In addition, they show
      homology to transcript termini of mitochondrial genes from other dicotyledonous
      plants, suggesting they may function as promoter sequences. Conserved sequences,
      which most probably act as RNA processing signals, were also identified at the 3'
      termini of minicircle transcripts. An oligonucleotide probe to a 14 base
      conserved sequence was used to determine the relative copy numbers of the three
      minicircle components in male-fertile mitochondria. Copy numbers were roughly
      equivalent, suggesting minicircles are replicated and/or transmitted with nearly
      equal efficiency, at least in sugarbeet taproots. Mc.a and Mc.c transcript levels
      are equivalent, consistent with their template copy number, however; Mc.d
      transcript levels were significantly lower than expected, implicating additional
      factors such as promoter strength and/or transcript stability in determining
      transcript levels in sugarbeet mitochondria, as recently demonstrated in maize.

PMID- 1406591
TI  - Mutations in the cdc10 start gene of Schizosaccharomyces pombe implicate the
      region of homology between cdc10 and SWI6 as important for p85cdc10 function.
AB  - The cdc10 gene of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is required for
      traverse of start and commitment to the mitotic cell division cycle rather than
      other fates. The product of the gene, p85cdc10, is a component of a factor that
      is thought to be involved in regulating the transcription of genes that are
      required for DNA synthesis. In order to define regions of the p85cdc10 protein
      that are important for its function a fine structure genetic map of the cdc10
      gene was derived and the sequences of 13 cdc10ts mutants determined. The 13
      mutants tested define eight alleles. Eleven of the mutants are located in the
      region that contains the two copies of the cdc10/SWI6 repeat motif, implicating
      it as important for p85cdc10 function.

PMID- 1406593
TI  - Molecular cloning, characterization and purification of ornithine
      carbamoyltransferase from Mycobacterium bovis BCG.
AB  - A genomic library of Mycobacterium bovis BCG has been constructed by cloning DNA
      partially digested with Sau3A into the Escherichia coli expression vector pAS1.
      The gene coding for ornithine carbamoyl-transferase (EC.2.1.3.3; OTCase),
      hereafter referred to as argF, was isolated from the library by complementation
      of a double argF-argI mutant of E. coli and its sequence was determined. The
      translation initiation codon used, GTG, was identified by comparing the amino
      acid sequence deduced from the gene with the N-terminal sequence of the
      corresponding purified protein. On this basis, the M. bovis BCG OTCase monomer
      consists of 307 amino acid residues and displays about 44% identity with other
      OTCases, the most closely related homologue being the anabolic enzyme of
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The native enzyme has an estimated molecular mass of 110
      kDa, suggesting a trimeric structure as is the case for most of the anabolic
      OTCases known from various organisms.

PMID- 1406595
TI  - Development of a transformation system for the thermophilic fungus Talaromyces
      sp. CL240 based on the use of phleomycin resistance as a dominant selectable
      marker.
AB  - A transformation system for the thermophilic cellulolytic fungus Talaromyces sp.
      CL240 has been developed, using the phleomycin resistance gene from
      Streptoalloteichus hindustanus (Sh ble) as a dominant selectable marker. The
      plasmids (pAN8-1 and pUT720) carrying the Sh ble gene under the control of the
      Aspergillus nidulans glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gpd) promoter,
      allowed selection of phleomycin-resistant transformants. A new promoter sequence
      cloned from chromosomal DNA of Trichoderma reesei (pUT737) was also able to drive
      efficient expression of the Sh ble gene in Talaromyces sp. CL240, resulting in
      the selection of transformants that were highly resistant to phleomycin.

PMID- 1406594
TI  - Molecular cloning of the imidazoleglycerolphosphate dehydratase gene of
      Trichoderma harzianum by genetic complementation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
      using a direct expression vector.
AB  - The Trichoderma harzianum imidazoleglycerolphosphate dehydratase gene (igh) has
      been isolated by complementation of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae his3 mutant using
      a direct expression vector. This Escherichia coli-yeast shuttle vector was
      developed to allow efficient cloning and expression of cDNA libraries. The cDNA
      is 627 nucleotides long and codes for a protein of 209 amino acids with an
      apparent molecular mass of 22,466 daltons. The predicted protein sequence showed
      63.6%, 58.7%, and 38.4% identity respectively to the corresponding enzymes from
      S. cerevisiae, Pichia pastoris and E. coli. Northern analysis showed that the
      expression of the igh gene in T. harzianum is not inhibited by external histidine
      and the level of igh mRNA was about threefold higher in cells starved of
      histidine.

PMID- 1406596
TI  - Homologous recombination between plasmid and chromosomal DNA in Bacillus subtilis
      requires approximately 70 bp of homology.
AB  - To determine the minimal DNA sequence homology required for recombination in
      Bacillus subtilis, we developed a system capable of distinguishing between
      homologous and illegitimate recombination events during plasmid integration into
      the chromosome. In this system the recombination frequencies were measured
      between ts pE194 derivatives carrying segments of the chromosomal beta-gluconase
      gene (bglS) of various lengths and the bacterial chromosome, using selection for
      erythromycin resistance at the non-permissive temperature. Homologous
      recombination events, resulting in disruption of the bglS gene, were easily
      detected by a colorimetric assay for beta-gluconase activity. A linear dependence
      of recombination frequency on homology length was observed over an interval of 77
      bp. It was found that approximately 70 bp of homology is required for detectable
      homologous recombination. Homologous recombination was not detected when only 25
      bp of homology between plasmid and chromosome were provided. The data indicate
      that homology requirements for recombination in B. subtilis differ from those in
      Escherichia coli.

PMID- 1406597
TI  - Cloning, pharmacological characterization, and chromosome assignment of the human
      dopamine transporter.
AB  - We have screened a human substantia nigra cDNA library with probes derived from
      the rat dopamine transporter. A 3.5-kilobase cDNA clone was isolated and its
      corresponding gene was located on the distal end of chromosome 5 (5p15.3). This
      human clone codes for a 620-amino acid protein with a calculated molecular weight
      of 68,517. Hydropathicity analysis suggests the presence of 12 putative
      transmembrane domains, a characteristic feature of sodium-dependent
      neurotransmitter carriers. The rat and the human dopamine transporters are 92%
      homologous. When permanently expressed in mouse fibroblast Ltk- cells, the human
      clone is able to induce a saturable, time- and sodium-dependent, dopamine uptake.
      This transport is blocked by psychostimulant drugs (cocaine, l- and d
      amphetamine, and phenyclidine), neurotoxins (6-hydroxydopamine and N-methyl-4
      phenylpyridine (MPP))+), neurotransmitters (epinephrine, norepinephrine, gamma
      aminobutyric acid, and serotonin), antidepressants (amitriptyline, bupropion,
      desipramine, mazindol, nomifensine, and nortriptyline), and various uptake
      inhibitors (mazindol, GBR 12783, GBR 12909, and amfonelic acid). The rank orders
      of the Ki values of these substances at the human and the rat dopamine
      transporters are highly correlated (r = 0.998). The cloning of DNA human dopamine
      transporter gene has allowed establishment of a cell line stably expressing the
      human dopamine transporter and, for the first time, an extensive characterization
      of its pharmacology. Furthermore, these newly developed tools will help in the
      study of the regulation of dopamine transport in humans and in the clarification
      of the potential role of the dopamine transporter in a variety of disease states.

PMID- 1406598
TI  - Agonist binding to rat brain somatostatin receptors alters the interaction of the
      receptors with guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins.
AB  - To investigate the interaction of guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins
      (G proteins) with the agonist-bound brain somatostatin (SRIF) receptor, rat brain
      SRIF receptor/G protein complexes were solubilized and immunoprecipitated with
      peptide-directed antisera selective for the different subtypes of G protein alpha
      subunits (G alpha). In the absence of agonist, solubilized SRIF receptor/G
      proteins complexes could be immunoprecipitated by antiserum 8730, which is
      directed against the carboxyl-terminal region of Gi alpha and recognizes all Gi
      alpha subtypes, and by antiserum 3646, which selectively interacts with internal
      regions of Gi alpha 1. In contrast, antiserum 1521, which is directed against an
      internal region of Gi alpha 2, and antiserum 9072, which is directed against the
      carboxyl-terminal region of Go alpha, did not immunoprecipitate the SRIF
      receptor. After the binding of agonist to solubilized SRIF receptors, antisera
      9072 and 1521, as well as antisera 8730 and 3646, were able to immunoprecipitate
      the agonist-bound SRIF receptor/G protein complexes, indicating that agonist
      interaction with SRIF receptors maintained receptor association with Gi alpha 1
      and promoted receptor association with Go alpha and, to a lesser extent, Gi alpha
      2. Antiserum 1518, which is directed against Gi alpha 3, uncoupled SRIF receptors
      from Gi alpha and did not immunoprecipitate the agonist-bound or agonist-free
      brain SRIF receptor. These findings indicate that differences exist in the
      interaction of the agonist-free and agonist-bound SRIF receptors with G proteins.
      The binding of agonists to SRIF receptors promotes the association of the
      receptor with Go alpha and, to a lesser extent, Gi alpha 2, indicating that these
      G proteins, along with Gi alpha 1 and Gi alpha 3, may be involved in coupling
      SRIF receptors to cellular effector systems.

PMID- 1406599
TI  - Ionic zinc may function as an endogenous ligand for the haloperidol-sensitive
      sigma 2 receptor in rat brain.
AB  - In the search for an endogenous sigma transmitter, whose existence was previously
      suggested by release studies, we tested the effects of releasable substances
      known to be present in the hippocampus, and we determined that ionic zinc may
      function as an endogenous ligand for the haloperidol-sensitive sigma 2 site. Zn2+
      displaced 1,3-di(2-[5-3H]tolyl)guanidine ([3H]DTG) from two binding sites in rat
      brain membranes, with an IC50 for the high affinity site of 110 +/- 3 microM and
      for the low affinity site of 20 +/- 4 mM. The sigma 1-selective ligand (+)
      [3H]pentazocine was only weakly displaced from rat brain membranes by Zn2+ (IC50
      = 1.4 +/- 0.05 mM). These results indicate that the Zn(2+)-sensitive sigma
      binding site corresponds to the sigma 2 site. The interaction between Zn2+ and
      the sigma 2 site may have physiological significance, because ionic zinc is
      present in synaptic vesicles in the brain and may function to regulate binding at
      the sigma 2 site. To test this hypothesis, we measured the effects of
      metallothionein peptide 1, a specific zinc chelator, on the actions of the
      putative endogenous sigma ligand(s) released in the hippocampus by focal
      electrical stimulation. Release of the endogenous sigma ligand(s) was measured by
      competition with specific radioligand binding in live hippocampal slices. High
      frequency, focal, electrical stimulation of the zinc-containing mossy fibers in
      the hilar region of the hippocampus caused a decrease in the specific binding of
      [3H]DTG, (+)-[3H]3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-N-(1-propyl)piperidine, or (+)
      [3H]pentazocine to sigma sites. The decrease in [3H]DTG binding was largely
      blocked by metallothionein peptide 1, whereas the decrease in (+)-[3H]pentazocine
      binding was unaffected. These results suggest that Zn2+ may act as an endogenous
      ligand at sigma 2 sites in the rat hippocampus.

PMID- 1406600
TI  - Differential effects of ethanol on electrical properties of various potassium
      channels expressed in oocytes.
AB  - The effects of ethanol on a number of electrophysiological parameters were
      examined in 10 different voltage-gated potassium channels expressed in Xenopus
      oocytes. None of the channels examined was highly sensitive to ethanol, but there
      was significant variability among the channels tested at concentrations of
      ethanol of 200 mM and greater. The response to ethanol was not determined
      exclusively by membership in a genetic subfamily. In addition, the relative
      sensitivity among different channels could vary independently for different
      electrical parameters. For example, current amplitude in DRK1 was insensitive to
      ethanol, even at concentrations as high as 600 mM, whereas this was one of the
      more sensitive channels with respect to the kinetics of current inactivation. The
      opposite situation was true for ShA1. Therefore, ethanol at high concentrations
      may selectively perturb discrete regions of channel proteins. This is supported
      by the finding that removal of 318 amino acids from the cytoplasmic carboxyl
      terminus of DRK1 results in a channel whose current amplitude shows greater
      sensitivity to ethanol than does DRK1. Thus, the effects of ethanol on the
      channel may not be limited to interactions at the lipid-protein interface.

PMID- 1406601
TI  - Stereochemical aspects of benzodiazepine binding to human serum albumin. I.
      Enantioselective high performance liquid affinity chromatographic examination of
      chiral and achiral binding interactions between 1,4-benzodiazepines and human
      serum albumin.
AB  - The displacement of a series of 1,4-benzodiazepine (BDZ) drugs from a chiral
      stationary phase, based upon human serum albumin, for high performance liquid
      chromatography was investigated. The different displacement patterns obtained
      using various mobile phase additives could not be interpreted in terms of binding
      of the solutes to a single site. The observations were better described by
      considering the attachment of the BDZs to several loci on the protein. Two main
      mechanisms of binding were discerned, a nonstereoselective mode, which affected
      all solutes and seemed to occur at a large number of locations on the protein,
      and a highly stereoselective mode, which involved only one enantiomer of chiral
      BDZs and presumably one conformation of certain achiral solutes. The
      stereoselective binding mode encompassed at least four different sites, each of
      which displayed slightly different structural requirements. It is suggested that
      the nomenclature currently used to describe drug binding to human serum albumin
      may be misleading. Rather than the use of site I or site II, it may be preferable
      to adopt the terms type I and type II binding, according to the displacement
      patterns of the compound concerned. This approach would retain the conceptual
      simplicity of the current notation, while avoiding misleading implications of the
      exact molecular locus of binding.

PMID- 1406602
TI  - Stereochemical aspects of benzodiazepine binding to human serum albumin. II.
      Quantitative relationships between structure and enantioselective retention in
      high performance liquid affinity chromatography.
AB  - Previously determined retention data for a series of benzodiazepine (BDZ)
      derivatives, comprising nine achiral compounds, four single enantiomers, and 18
      individual isomers of nine racemates, on a chiral stationary phase based on
      immobilized human serum albumin (HSA) were analyzed to define quantitative
      relationships between structure and enantiospecific retention. Structural
      parametrization of the agents was done by means of hydrophobic fragmental
      constants and electronic and steric parameters obtained by computational
      chemistry methods. A structural descriptor was identified, a submolecular measure
      of polarity about the stereogenic center, that accounted for the stronger
      electrostatic interactions of the second-eluting enantiomer with the HSA chiral
      stationary phase. Quantitative structure-enantiospecific retention relationships
      were derived for both enantiomeric series and for achiral compounds, and
      structural requirements for binding to HSA were determined. Two types of binding
      sites were postulated. For BDZs in the P-conformation, binding to HSA involved a
      hydrophobic region with steric restrictions. For BDZs in the M-conformation, a
      hydrophobic region was also involved, as well as a cationic region that
      interacted electrostatically with carbon C(3) of the diazepine system and
      substituents at that carbon. These differences lead to different binding patterns
      for BDZ enantiomers and provide a rationalization for the diversified behavior of
      individual BDZs that was observed in previous displacement studies.

PMID- 1406603
TI  - Nucleotide specificity of human deoxycytidine kinase.
AB  - The ability of deoxycytidine kinase (dCK) to phosphorylate 2'-deoxycytidine
      (dCyd) and its analogs in the presence of eight nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs),
      simulating the cellular milieu, was investigated. Using highly purified dCK from
      MOLT-4 T lymphoblasts, Km and Vmax values were determined for the phosphorylation
      of dCyd in the presence of cellular concentrations of the eight endogenous NTPs.
      The results demonstrated that the efficiency of dCyd phosphorylation was greatest
      in the presence of all eight nucleotides, relative to ATP alone, according to
      relative Vmax/Km values. UTP was a better phosphate donor than ATP but was less
      efficient than the NTP mixture. The greater efficacy of the NTP mixture, compared
      with ATP alone, was due in large part to the presence of UTP, although the
      results suggested that the presence of other nucleotide(s) also enhanced dCyd
      phosphorylation. Previous results demonstrated that dCTP was a potent competitive
      or noncompetitive (with respect to dCyd) inhibitor of dCK, with a Ki value of
      approximately 1 microM. In contrast, the results presented here demonstrated
      that, in the presence of either the NTP mixture or UTP, inhibition of dCK was
      uncompetitive with respect to dCyd, with a Ki value of approximately 60 microM.
      Furthermore, the results demonstrated that the clinically relevant nucleoside
      analogs 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine, 2',2'-difluoro-2'-deoxycytidine
      (dFdC), and 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-2-fluoroadenine also preferred UTP or the
      NTP mixture, compared with ATP alone, as a phosphate donor. Of the three
      nucleoside analogs tested, dFdC was the most efficient dCK substrate. These data
      indicate that the preferred phosphate donor for dCK is UTP or a combination of
      UTP and another nucleotide. Furthermore, the dCTP concentration in intact cells,
      which is typically 10-20 microM, is not sufficient to cause substantial
      inhibition of dCK, due to the presence of UTP. Strategies to increase cellular
      dCK activity should focus on optimizing UTP concentrations.

PMID- 1406604
TI  - Relationship between DT-diaphorase-mediated metabolism of a series of
      aziridinylbenzoquinones and DNA damage and cytotoxicity.
AB  - A series of 2,5-bis-substituted 3,6-diaziridinyl-1,4-benzoquinones have been
      tested for their ability to be reduced by the two-electron NAD(P)H:(quinone
      acceptor) oxidoreductase [DT-diaphorase (DTD); EC 1.6.99.2]. Symmetrically alkyl
      substituted carbamoyl ester analogs of 2,5-ethyl(carboethoxyamino)3,6
      diaziridinyl-1,4- benzoquinone [AZQ], 3,6-diaziridinyl-1,4-benzoquinone (DZQ),
      and its 2,5-dimethyl derivative (MeDZQ) were tested. The rate of reduction by DTD
      was DZQ greater than MeDZQ greater than n-butyl- (D5) greater than sec-butyl-
      (D7) greater than n-propyl- (D3) greater than methyl- (D1) greater than ethyl-
      (AZQ) greater than i-butyl- (D6) greater than i-propyl- (D4) substituted
      derivatives. The hydroxyethylamino analog (BZQ) was not a substrate for DTD. The
      order of toxicity to HT-29 human colon carcinoma cells (at 1-log cell kill) was
      MeDZQ greater than DZQ greater than BZQ greater than D1 greater than D5 greater
      than AZQ greater than D7 greater than D3 greater than D6 greater than D4.
      Dicumarol, a known inhibitor of DTD, was capable of inhibiting the cytotoxicity
      of DZQ, MeDZQ, AZQ, D3, D4, D5, D6, and D7, with little inhibition of D1
      cytotoxicity. Alkaline elution assays suggested that DZQ induced DNA strand
      breaks, whereas MeDZQ induced DNA interstrand crosslinks in HT-29 cells. The
      formation of both classes of lesions was inhibited by dicumarol. DZQ and MeDZQ
      were 5-6-fold less cytotoxic to the DTD-deficient BE cell line, whereas BZQ was
      more cytotoxic to this cell line than the HT-29 cell line. BZQ was capable of
      inducing dicumarol-insensitive DNA interstrand crosslinks in both cell lines. In
      summary, these data show a trend between the rate of reduction by DTD of an
      analog and its ability to induce cytotoxicity in HT-29 cells, and they support a
      role for DTD in the bioreductive activation of AZQ and its analogs.

PMID- 1406606
TI  - [Pleitropic resistance in yeast and its connection with multiple resistance in
      higher eukaryotes].

PMID- 1406605
TI  - Suggested mechanism for the modulation of the activity of NAD(P)H:quinone
      acceptor oxidoreductase (DT-diaphorase) by menadione: interpretation of the
      effect of menadione on 5'-[p-(Fluorosulfonyl)benzoyl]adenosine labeling of rat
      liver NAD(P)H:quinone acceptor oxidoreductase.
AB  - 5'-[p-(Fluorosulfonyl)benzoyl]adenosine (5'FSBA) was previously shown to be an
      active site-directed affinity label of rat liver NAD(P)H:quinone acceptor
      oxidoreductase [Mol. Pharmacol. 35:818-822 (1989)]. Our recent study revealed
      that menadione, the substrate of this quinone reductase, had a magnifying effect
      on inactivation of the enzyme by 5'-FSBA. The dissociation constant for the
      initial reversible enzyme-inhibitor complex was significantly lower and the rate
      of inactivation was increased when menadione was present during the incubation.
      However, [14C]5'FSBA labeling was reduced in the presence of menadione. These
      results are presented and a possible mechanism for the enzyme is discussed.

PMID- 1406607
TI  - [Four-stranded complexes of oligonucleotides--quadruplexes].
AB  - The review presents analysis of the experimental, model and calculation studies
      concerned with the formation of the four-stranded helices of the natural and
      synthetic oligonucleotides. Guanine-rich oligonucleotides form stable four
      stranded helices. Structures of such complexes were investigated by means of X
      rays and spectrographic methods. These works have been reviewed in the first
      part. There are three possible variants of noncanonical structures formed by
      oligoguanylic acids. Two of them--four-stranded helices differed by the mutual
      direction of the sugar-phosphate chains. The third one is the two-stranded
      hairpin. Regulation of the number of cellular processes by means of the
      structural conversions between these three forms of guanine-rich motifs are
      investigated in articles reviewed in the second part. These works are concerned
      with the structural organization and functions of telomers, and on the other hand
      with the possible role of quadruplexes in self-recognition processes of the four
      homologous chromatids during meiosis and the following recombination. The third
      part of the review considers quadruplexes with an arbitrary sequence. In general
      there are model works inspired by investigations of recombination and replication
      processes. Experimental data concerned with the formation of quadruplex
      structures from two decamer Watson-Crick base paired duplexes oligo(dA).oligo(dT)
      are also presented.

PMID- 1406608
TI  - [Association of proteinases with histones from rat thymus nuclei].
AB  - Histone H2A, H2B, and H1--specific proteinases tightly associated with histones
      were shown to be present in rat thymus nuclei. The activity of proteinases
      tightly associated with histones increases after exposure of animals to gamma
      rays. The denatured DNA activated the histone H1-specific proteinase. These
      proteinase dissociated from histones in the presence of dithiothreitol. The
      histones and proteinases were divided into fractions by chromatography on DEAE
      cellulose in the presence of 5 mM dithiothreitol.

PMID- 1406609
TI  - [Determination of potato spindle tumor viroid and chrysanthenum stund viroid
      using biotinylated olideoxyribonucleotides].
AB  - A 26 base long oligodeoxyribonucleotide complementary to a common RNA sequence of
      potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTV) and chrysantemum stunt viroid (CSV) was
      synthesized. The 3'-end biotinylated one was used for the detection of PSTV and
      CSV RNA immobilized on nitrocellulose filters by nucleic acid hybridization.
      Visualization of hybridization results was performed by two ways, either by
      streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase conjugate or streptavidine and biotinylated
      alkaline phosphatase. It was possible to detect 0.65 ng of purified CSV and PSTV
      RNA. The suggested system of viroid diseases detection can be used by
      agricultural and horticultural enterprises.

PMID- 1406610
TI  - [Mycoplasma restriction-modification system MunI and its possible role in
      pathogenesis processes].
AB  - The restriction-modification system, named RMMunI, has been purified and
      characterised from Friend murine erythroleukemia cells. The site-specific
      endonuclease recognizes and cleaves the 5'C1AATTG nucleotide sequence. RMunI is
      an isoschizomer of RMfeI from Mycoplasma fermentans. Site-specific methylase
      modifies the second adenine residue in the same sequence (5'Cam6ATTG). It was
      established that the discovered enzymatic system is from mycoplasma which
      contaminates cell lines. Mycoplasma's DNA hybridizes with species-specific DNA
      probed for Mycoplasma fermentans and Mycoplasma arginini. The possible role of
      mycoplasmic restriction-modification enzymes in the process of acquired immune
      deficiency syndrome are discussed.

PMID- 1406612
TI  - [New packing of B-DNA in crystals].
AB  - Two crystal forms of the self-complementary tetramer GpGpCpC have been obtained
      by phase diagram technique: P6(2)22/P6(4)22. a = b = 67.7 A, c = 105.6 A and
      P3(2)12/P3(1)12, a = b = 116.9 A. c = 116.4 A. Both crystals form diffract at
      least up to 3.2 A. Diffraction patterns of both crystal forms have strongest base
      stacking reflections corresponding to the Bragg spacing 3.38 A which is typical
      for B-DNA. Moreover the self-rotation function of the first crystal form shows
      regular located two-fold pseudo-axes periodicity of which also indicates that
      this is B-conformation. The same conclusion can be reached on the basis of the
      crystal packing of the duplexes in the unit cell. It should be emphasized that
      this is a new example of B-DNA crystal packing.

PMID- 1406611
TI  - [Study of the spatial structure of globular proteins by tritium planigraphy.
      Short peptides as a model of a fully extended polypeptide chain].
AB  - The interaction of tritium atoms with amino acid residue from short peptides was
      studied. The short peptides were considered as a model of extended polypeptides
      chain. Every residue in this chain has 100% steric accessibility. It was shown
      that: 1. The linear correlation exists between the residue accessible surface
      area (that is composed of hydrocarbon fragments) and the amount of tritium
      interacting with this residue; 2. The presence of the tertiary carbon atom in the
      residue side chain influences on the reactivity of this residue; 3. The N- or C
      terminal residue presence does not influences on the possibility of interaction
      of this residue with tritium atoms. The obtained reactivity scale of amino acid
      residues is compared with other theoretical and experimental data.

PMID- 1406613
TI  - [Nitrogen mustard fixes the Z-conformation in poly[d(G-C)]poly[d(G-C)] and DNA].
AB  - The reactions of poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) and (dG-dC)10 insert in the plasmid
      pGC20 with N-methyl-bis(2-chloroethyl)-amine (nitrogen mustard, HN-2) have been
      studied. It is shown that nitrogen mustard does not induce the B----Z transition
      in poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC), but produces fixation of the polynucleotide Z
      conformation once this exists. In the case of pGC20 plasmid DNA, nitrogen mustard
      also fixes Z-form of the (dG-dC)-insert. The rate constant of the reaction of
      nitrogen mustard with guanine in the polynucleotide (k = 9,0.10(-3) min-1) is
      about one-third of that for the fixation of Z-form of the (dG-dC)-insert in the
      plasmid (k1 = 2,8.10(-2) min-1) which is attributed to a greater rate of
      formation of diguanyl derivative in the opposite DNA chains. It is suggested that
      nitrogen mustard is capable of fixing the Z-form DNA not only in vitro, but also
      in vivo.

PMID- 1406614
TI  - [Pea (Pisum sativum) genes, participating in symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing
      bacteria. III. Study of the structure of the ENOD12 early nodulin gene for
      various types of peas using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)].
AB  - We have determined the length of early noduline gene ENOD12 in various varieties
      and lines of pea (Pisum sativum) using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). It
      was demonstrated that promoter regions of ENOD12A and ENOD12B genes in line 2150
      (Afghanistan) are longer than these in variety "Feltham first". The disparity is
      14 bp. When studying these genes in 7 different lines and varieties of pea it was
      found that ENOD12A gene is more variable in size than the ENOD12B gene. We showed
      the possibility to analyze the heritage of ENOD12 gene's alleles by using the PCR
      method.

PMID- 1406616
TI  - [Interaction of the toxic plant protein--ricin, with model membranes. A
      fluorescence method of study].
AB  - The fluorescence method has been used to investigate ricin and its isolated
      subunits interaction with some model membranes. Three liposome types were used as
      a model of biological membrane: 1) liposomes constructed from lecithin and
      cholesterol (9:1, M:M) 2) from ganglioside receptors GM1 and 3) from the mixture
      of GM1, lecithin and cholesterol (1:9:1). Interaction of the protein with
      liposome evokes changes in the parameters of both intrinsic protein fluorescence
      and fluorescence of the covalently bound dansyl. Binding constants were
      calculated from a decrease of the intrinsic fluorescence intensity as well as
      from the changes in the dansyl rotation anisotropy. Measurements were carried out
      at neutral and acidic pH. There was good correlation of the results obtained by
      different methods. It was shown that association constants were different for
      intact ricin and its subunits. The constants also depend on liposome composition
      and pH of the solution. The present study has demonstrated that interaction of
      ricin with liposome is accounted for not only by receptor centers but also by
      other hydrophobic regions of ricin that are inaccessible in the native toxin and
      may represent the region of the subunits interaction.

PMID- 1406615
TI  - [Cloning, primary structure determination and expression of preproinsulin cDNA
      from human insulinoma in Escherichia coli].
AB  - A human insulinoma cDNA library was constructed in expression plasmid vector
      pUEX1. Clone pUEX1Ins12 was selected from human insulinoma cDNA library by means
      of hybridization with the insulin probe and a nucleotide sequence of the
      insertion was determined. It codes for full size amino acid sequence
      preproinsulin and furthermore, contains the entire 3'-end of noncoding mRNA
      region and 44 nucleotides from the 5'-untranslated region. The bacterial strain
      pUEX3Ins8 producing preproinsulin as beta-galactosidase fusion protein was
      constructed.

PMID- 1406617
TI  - [New 5'-phosphonates, modified through the nucleoside sugar residue, as
      inhibitors of HIV replication].
AB  - A number of nucleoside 5'-phosphonates and nucleoside 5'-methylphosphonates were
      synthesised, to study their ability to inhibit reproduction of HIV-1. Three
      compounds, 5'-hydrogen phosphonates of 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (AZT-HP,
      IVc), 3'-fluoro-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (FLT-HP, IVa) and 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine
      (ddA-HP, I), exhibit potent anti-HIV-1 activity with selectivity indices similar
      to or better of those of their parent nucleosides.

PMID- 1406618
TI  - [Suppression of transcription of influenza virus RNA by oligonucleotide
      derivatives].
AB  - The inhibitory effects of oligonucleotide derivatives on the transcription of
      virus RNA in an in vitro system and synthesis of virus proteins was studied.
      Oligonucleotide derivatives d(T)3, d(T)4, d(T)8, d(T)10, d(CCAAACA), d(TCACCCTC),
      d(TTCCCATT), d(AATACTCT) and d(TGACCCTCTTCCCATT), that bear residues of ethidium,
      deuteroporphyrin and its complexes with Fe3+, hemin, cholesterol,
      deuterocholesterol, estrone and naphthoquinone at the 5'-end phosphate and/or at
      the 3'-end phosphate were studied. Unmodified oligonucleotides and their
      derivatives had a negligible effect on the synthesis of cellular proteins, but
      did inhibit the synthesis of influenza virus proteins. The majority of structural
      modifications increased the inhibitory effect of oligonucleotides. It was shown
      that the oligonucleotide derivatives carrying residues of porphyrin, quinone,
      ethidium, cholesterol, deuterotestosterone and estrone at concentrations near 10
      mM inhibit virus development to 50-80%. A clear inhibitory effect (20-25%) of
      deuteroporphyrin, cholesterol and ethidium derivatives was revealed even at
      concentration 0.1 mM. The obtained results testified that the inhibition of
      influenza virus development is dependent on the interaction of oligonucleotide
      derivatives with the transcription complex proteins.

PMID- 1406619
TI  - Unusual aspects of in vitro RNA processing in the 3' regions of the GAL1, GAL7,
      and GAL10 genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - A striking feature of the 3'-end regions in polymerase II transcripts of
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae adjacent to their processing and polyadenylation sites
      is the lack of well-defined signal elements. Nonetheless, essential signals have
      seemed to be confined to compact regions in vivo, and we find that a short RNA
      with only 70 bases of GAL7 sequence upstream and 8 to 10 bases downstream of the
      poly(A) addition site is processed in vitro, as is an analogous CYC1 pre-RNA.
      Specific polyadenylation of a precleaved species further delimits the poly(A)
      signal and rules out obligatory coupling between cleavage and poly(A) addition.
      Although little proximal and even less distal sequence is required for accurate
      cleavage with CYC1 and GAL7, we have been unable to identify common features to
      which processing could be ascribed. We therefore turned to the coregulated set of
      genes in the galactose cluster (GAL1, GAL7, and GAL10) to assay their
      corresponding pre-mRNAs in vitro, in hopes of finding a common theme. By contrast
      to GAL7, short pre-mRNAs corresponding to GAL1 and GAL10 fail to be cleaved
      detectably, and only much longer transcripts are susceptible to processing. This
      indicates that signals, even if preserved, are more widely dispersed than the
      poly(A) addition site, and these results are unchanged whether extracts are from
      cells grown on glucose or galactose. As a further surprise, RNAs corresponding to
      the antisense orientation of the 3'-end regions of all three GAL genes are also
      effective substrates for the processing machinery in vitro. Computer analysis
      reveals the presence of polydisperse dyad symmetries that might account for these
      observations.

PMID- 1406620
TI  - Regulated expression of a mammalian nonsense suppressor tRNA gene in vivo and in
      vitro using the lac operator/repressor system.
AB  - We have exploited the Escherichia coli lac operator/repressor system as a means
      to regulate the expression of a mammalian tRNA gene in vivo and in vitro. An
      oligonucleotide containing a lac operator (lacO) site was cloned immediately
      upstream of a human serine amber suppressor (Su+) tRNA gene. Insertion of a
      single lac repressor binding site at position -1 or -32 relative to the coding
      region had no effect on the amount of functional tRNA made in vivo, as measured
      by suppression of a nonsense mutation in the E. coli chloramphenicol
      acetyltransferase gene following cotransfection of mammalian cells. Inclusion of
      a plasmid expressing the lac repressor in the transfections resulted in 75 to 98%
      inhibition of suppression activity of lac operator-linked tRNA genes but had no
      effect on expression of the wild-type gene. Inhibition could be quantitatively
      relieved with the allosteric inducer isopropylthio-beta-D-galactoside (IPTG).
      Similarly, transcription in vitro of lac operator-linked tRNA genes in HeLa cell
      extracts was repressed in the presence of lac repressor, and this inhibition was
      reversible with IPTG. These results demonstrate that the bacterial lac
      operator/repressor system can be used to reversibly control the expression of
      mammalian genes that are transcribed by RNA polymerase III.

PMID- 1406621
TI  - Different chromatin structures along the spacers flanking active and inactive
      Xenopus rRNA genes.
AB  - The accessibility of DNA in chromatin to psoralen was assayed to compare the
      chromatin structure of the rRNA coding and spacer regions of the two related frog
      species Xenopus laevis and Xenopus borealis. Isolated nuclei from tissue culture
      cells were photoreacted with psoralen, and the extent of cross-linking in the
      different rDNA regions was analyzed by using a gel retardation assay. In both
      species, restriction fragments from the coding regions showed two distinct
      extents of cross-linking, indicating the presence of two types of chromatin, one
      that contains nucleosomes and represents the inactive gene copies, and the other
      one which is more cross-linked and corresponds to the transcribed genes. A
      similar cross-linking pattern was obtained with restriction fragments from the
      enhancer region. Analysis of fragments including these sequences and the upstream
      portions of the genes suggests that active genes are preceded by nonnucleosomal
      enhancer regions. The spacer regions flanking the 3' end of the genes gave
      different results in the two frog species. In X. borealis, all these sequences
      are packaged in nucleosomes, whereas in X. laevis a distinct fraction, presumably
      those flanking the active genes, show a heterogeneous chromatin structure. This
      disturbed nucleosomal organization correlates with the presence of a weaker
      terminator at the 3' end of the X. laevis genes compared with those of X.
      borealis, which allows polymerases to transcribe into the downstream spacer.

PMID- 1406622
TI  - Characterization of Spi-B, a transcription factor related to the putative
      oncoprotein Spi-1/PU.1.
AB  - We have cloned a human cDNA from a new gene, spi-B, on the basis of its homology
      with the DNA-binding domain of the Spi-1/PU.1 putative oncogene product. spi-B
      codes for a protein of 262 amino acids presenting 43% overall identity with Spi
      1. Its highly basic carboxy-terminal region exhibits 34% sequence identity with
      the DNA-binding domain of the Ets-1 protein. We showed that the Spi-B protein is
      able to bind the purine-rich sequence (PU box) recognized by Spi-1/PU.1 and to
      activate transcription of a reporter plasmid containing PU boxes. Chromosome in
      situ hybridization allowed us to map spi-B to the 19q13.3-19q13.4 region of the
      human genome. spi-B, like spi-1, was found to be expressed in various murine and
      human hematopoietic cell lines except T lymphoid cell lines.

PMID- 1406623
TI  - The ARS consensus sequence is required for chromosomal origin function in
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - Replication origins have been mapped to positions that coincide, within
      experimental error (several hundred base pairs), with ARS elements. To determine
      whether the DNA sequences required for ARS function on plasmids are required for
      chromosomal origin function, the chromosomal copy of ARS306 was deleted and the
      chromosomal copy of ARS307 was replaced with mutant derivatives of ARS307
      containing single point mutations in domain A within the ARS core consensus
      sequence. The chromosomal origin function of these derivatives was assayed by two
      dimensional agarose gel electrophoresis. Deletion of ARS306 deleted the
      associated replication origin. The effects on chromosomal origin function of
      mutations in domain A paralleled their effects on ARS function, as measured by
      plasmid stability. These results demonstrate that chromosomal origin function is
      a property of the ARS element itself.

PMID- 1406624
TI  - RPC53 encodes a subunit of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA polymerase C (III) whose
      inactivation leads to a predominantly G1 arrest.
AB  - RPC53 is shown to be an essential gene encoding the C53 subunit specifically
      associated with yeast RNA polymerase C (III). Temperature-sensitive rpc53 mutants
      were generated and showed a rapid inhibition of tRNA synthesis after transfer to
      the restrictive temperature. Unexpectedly, the rpc53 mutants preferentially
      arrested their cell division in the G1 phase as large, round, unbudded cells. The
      RPC53 DNA sequence is predicted to code for a hydrophilic M(r)-46,916 protein
      enriched in charged amino acid residues. The carboxy-terminal 136 amino acids of
      C53 are significantly similar (25% identical amino acid residues) to the same
      region of the human BN51 protein. The BN51 cDNA was originally isolated by its
      ability to complement a temperature-sensitive hamster cell mutant that undergoes
      a G1 cell division arrest, as is true for the rpc53 mutants.

PMID- 1406625
TI  - Identification of a 60-kilodalton Rb-binding protein, RBP60, that allows the Rb
      E2F complex to bind DNA.
AB  - Several reports have indicated that the product of the retinoblastoma gene (Rb)
      complexes with the transcription factor E2F. We present evidence that the DNA
      binding of the Rb-E2F complex involves another cellular factor. Addition of Rb to
      purified preparations of E2F does not generate an Rb-E2F complex that can bind
      DNA, and in fact, we see an inhibition of the DNA-binding ability of E2F. On the
      other hand, addition of Rb to cruder preparations of E2F results in the formation
      of an Rb-E2F complex (E2Fr) that can bind DNA and produces a distinct complex in
      gel retardation assays. We have identified and purified a 60-kDa protein that
      allows the Rb-E2F complex to bind DNA, and we show that this 60-kDa protein
      exerts its effect by directly interacting with Rb.

PMID- 1406627
TI  - The plant amino acid mimosine may inhibit initiation at origins of replication in
      Chinese hamster cells.
AB  - An understanding of replication initiation in mammalian cells has been hampered
      by the lack of mutations and/or inhibitors that arrest cells just prior to entry
      into the S period. The plant amino acid mimosine has recently been suggested to
      inhibit cells at a regulatory step in late G1. We have examined the effects of
      mimosine on cell cycle traverse in the mimosine [corrected]-resistant CHO cell
      line CHOC 400. When administered to cultures for 14 h after reversal of a G0
      block, the drug appears to arrest the population at the G1/S boundary, and upon
      its removal cells enter the S phase in a synchronous wave. However, when
      methotrexate is administered to an actively dividing asynchronous culture, cells
      are arrested not only at the G1/S interface but also in early and middle S phase.
      Most interestingly, two-dimensional gel analysis of replication intermediates in
      the initiation locus of the amplified dihydrofolate reductase domain suggests
      that mimosine may actually inhibit initiation. Thus, this drug represents a new
      class of inhibitors that may open a window on regulatory events occurring at
      individual origins of replication.

PMID- 1406626
TI  - Differential effects of carboxy-terminal sequence deletions on platelet-derived
      growth factor receptor signaling activities and interactions with cellular
      substrates.
AB  - Chimeric receptors composed of the human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R)
      extracellular domain fused to wild-type and truncated platelet-derived growth
      factor receptor (PDGF-R) intracellular sequences were stably expressed in NIH 3T3
      cells devoid of endogenous EGF-Rs. This experimental system allowed us to
      investigate the biological activity of PDGF-R cytoplasmic-domain mutants in PDGF
      R-responsive NIH 3T3 cells by activating PDGF-specific signaling pathways with
      EGF. Deletion of 74 carboxy-terminal amino acids severely impaired the ability of
      the PDGF-R cytoplasmic domain to associate with cellular substrates in vitro.
      This deletion also inhibited receptor and substrate phosphorylation, reduced the
      receptor's mitogenic activity, and completely abolished its oncogenic signaling
      potential. Surprisingly, removal of only six additional amino acids, including
      Tyr-989, restored substantial receptor and substrate phosphorylation capacity as
      well as transforming potential and yielded a receptor with wild-type levels of
      ligand-induced mitogenic activity. However, the ability of this chimera to bind
      phospholipase C gamma was severely impaired in comparison with the ability of the
      wild-type receptor, while the association with other cellular proteins was not
      affected. Further deletion of 35 residues, including Tyr-977, nearly abolished
      all PDGF-R cytoplasmic-domain biological signaling activities. None of the three
      C-terminal truncations completely abolished the mitogenic potential of the
      receptors or had any influence on ligand binding or receptor down regulation.
      Together, these data implicate the 80 C-terminal-most residues of the PDGF-R, and
      possibly Tyr-989, in phospholipase C gamma binding, while receptor sequences
      upstream from Asp-988 appear to be essential for specific interactions with other
      cellular polypeptides such as ras GTPase-activating protein and
      phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Thus, the mutants described here allow the
      separation of distinct PDGF-activated signaling pathways and demonstrate that
      phospholipase C gamma phosphorylation is not required for mitogenesis and
      transformation.

PMID- 1406628
TI  - Promoter-specific trans-activation by the adenovirus E1A12S product involves
      separate E1A domains.
AB  - Recent studies have shown that the adenovirus E1A12S product can trans-activate
      transcription by activating the transcription factor E2F. However, E2F cannot be
      the only target for the E1A12S product, since several cellular promoters have
      been found to be activated by the E1A12S protein even though they lack E2F sites.
      Indeed, we now show that activation of the hsp70 promoter by the E1A12S product
      requires the TATAA sequence. Moreover, activation of the hsp70 promoter requires
      the N-terminal domain of the E1A protein and does not require the conserved
      region 2 sequences which are required for the E2F-dependent activation of
      transcription. We conclude that the targeting of distinct transcription factors,
      leading to trans-activation of transcription of multiple promoters, involves
      distinct domains of the E1A proteins that are also required for oncogenic
      activity.

PMID- 1406629
TI  - Histone H2B gene transcription during Xenopus early development requires
      functional cooperation between proteins bound to the CCAAT and octamer motifs.
AB  - The ubiquitously expressed transcription factor Oct-1 and several other members
      of the POU domain protein family bind to a site, termed the octamer motif, that
      functions in the promoter and enhancer regions of a variety of genes expressed
      under diverse conditions. An octamer motif present in a conserved histone H2B
      specific promoter element is required for S-phase-specific transcription of
      mammalian histone H2B genes in cultured cells. We have previously shown that the
      octamer motif in a Xenopus histone H2B gene promoter was inactive in nondividing
      frog oocytes. Here we show that the octamer motif, in addition to regulatory
      elements (TATAA, CCAAT, and ATF motifs) that are active in oocytes, is required
      for maximal H2B gene transcription in developing frog embryos. Factors binding to
      each of the H2B upstream promoter elements are present in oocytes and increase
      slightly in abundance during early development. The activity of the H2B octamer
      motif in embryos is not specifically associated with increased binding by Oct-1
      or the appearance of novel octamer-binding proteins but requires the presence of
      an intact CCAAT motif. Our results indicate that synergistic interactions among
      promoter-bound factors are important for octamer-dependent H2B transcription. We
      suggest that the activity of the H2B promoter is regulated primarily by changes
      in the interactions between proteins already bound to the promoter rather than by
      alterations in their intrinsic abilities to bind DNA.

PMID- 1406630
TI  - Selection of optimal kappa B/Rel DNA-binding motifs: interaction of both subunits
      of NF-kappa B with DNA is required for transcriptional activation.
AB  - Analysis of the p50 and p65 subunits of the NF-kappa B transcription factor
      complex has revealed that both proteins can interact with related DNA sequences
      through either homo- or heterodimer formation. In addition, the product of the
      proto-oncogene c-rel can bind to similar DNA motifs by itself or as a heterodimer
      with p50 or p65. However, these studies have used a limited number of known kappa
      B DNA motifs, and the question of the optimal DNA sequences preferred by each
      homodimer has not been addressed. Using purified recombinant p50, p65, and c-Rel
      proteins, optimal DNA-binding motifs were selected from a pool of random
      oligonucleotides. Alignment of the selected sequences allowed us to predict a
      consensus sequence for binding of the individual homodimeric Rel-related
      proteins, and DNA-protein binding analysis of the selected DNA sequences revealed
      sequence specificity of the proteins. Contrary to previous assumptions, we
      observed that p65 homodimers can interact with a subset of DNA sequences not
      recognized by p50 homodimers. Differential binding affinities were also obtained
      with p50- and c-Rel-selected sequences. Using either a p50- or p65-selected kappa
      B motif, which displayed differential binding with respect to the other protein,
      little to no binding was observed with the heterodimeric NF-kappa B complex.
      Similarly, in transfection experiments in which the selective kappa B binding
      sites were used to drive the expression of a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase
      reporter construct, the p65- and p50-selected motifs were activated only in the
      presence of p65 and p50/65 (a chimeric protein with the p50 DNA binding domain
      and p65 activation domain) expression vectors, respectively, and neither
      demonstrated a significant response to stimuli that induce NF-kappa B activity.
      These findings demonstrate that interaction of both subunits of the heterodimeric
      NF-kappa B complex with DNA is required for DNA binding and transcriptional
      activation and suggest that transcriptional activation mediated by the individual
      rel-related proteins will differ dramatically, depending on the specific kappa B
      motifs present.

PMID- 1406631
TI  - Ectopic recombination within homologous immunoglobulin mu gene constant regions
      in a mouse hybridoma cell line.
AB  - We have transferred a pSV2neo vector containing the wild-type constant region of
      the immunoglobulin mu gene (C mu) into the mutant hybridoma igm482, which bears a
      2-bp deletion in the third constant-region exon of its haploid chromosomal mu
      gene (C mu 3). Independent igm482 transformants contain the wild-type
      immunoglobulin C mu region stably integrated in ectopic chromosomal positions. We
      report here that the wild-type immunoglobulin C mu region can function as the
      donor sequence in a gene conversion event which corrects the 2-bp deletion in the
      mutant igm482 chromosomal C mu 3 exon. The homologous recombination event
      restores normal immunoglobulin M production in the mutant cell.

PMID- 1406632
TI  - RPC82 encodes the highly conserved, third-largest subunit of RNA polymerase C
      (III) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - RNA polymerase C (III) promotes the transcription of tRNA and 5S RNA genes. In
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the enzyme is composed of 15 subunits, ranging from 160
      to about 10 kDa. Here we report the cloning of the gene encoding the 82-kDa
      subunit, RPC82. It maps as a single-copy gene on chromosome XVI. The UCR2 gene
      was found in the opposite orientation only 340 bp upstream of the RPC82 start
      codon, and the end of the SKI3 coding sequence was found only 117 bp downstream
      of the RPC82 stop codon. The RPC82 gene encodes a protein with a predicted M(r)
      of 73,984, having no strong sequence similarity to other known proteins.
      Disruption of the RPC82 gene was lethal. An rpc82 temperature-sensitive mutant,
      constructed by in vitro mutagenesis of the gene, showed a deficient rate of tRNA
      relative to rRNA synthesis. Of eight RNA polymerase C genes tested, only the
      RPC31 gene on a multicopy plasmid was capable of suppressing the rpc82(Ts)
      defect, suggesting an interaction between the polymerase C 82-kDa and 31-kDa
      subunits. A group of RNA polymerase C-specific subunits are proposed to form a
      substructure of the enzyme.

PMID- 1406633
TI  - Retroviral insertions downstream of the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein
      A1 gene in erythroleukemia cells: evidence that A1 is not essential for cell
      growth.
AB  - A large number of novel cellular proto-oncogenes have been identified and cloned
      by analysis of common integration sites in retrovirally induced malignancies. In
      the multistage erythroleukemias induced by the various strains of Friend leukemia
      virus, the analysis of proviral-integration events has led to the identification
      of two genes, Fli-1 and Spi-1, both novel members of the ets oncogene family of
      transcription factors. In this report, we describe the identification of another
      integration site, designated Fli-2 (Friend leukemia virus integration-2), in an
      erythroleukemia cell line induced by Friend murine leukemia virus (F-MuLV).
      Rearrangements at the Fli-2 locus were found in two erythroleukemia cell lines
      independently induced by F-MuLV and one leukemic cell line derived from the
      spleen of a mouse infected with the polycythemia strain of Friend leukemia virus.
      The deduced amino acid sequence of a cDNA corresponding to a transcript
      originating from genomic DNA adjacent to Fli-2 is identical to that of the human
      heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 gene, a member of the gene family of
      RNA-binding proteins involved in RNA splicing. In one erythroleukemia cell line,
      A1 expression was undetectable as a result of F-MuLV integration in one allele
      and loss of the other allele. These results suggest that perturbations in RNA
      splicing mechanisms may contribute to malignant transformation and provide direct
      evidence that the A1 protein is not required for cell growth.

PMID- 1406634
TI  - Accumulation of U14 small nuclear RNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae requires box C,
      box D, and a 5', 3' terminal stem.
AB  - U14 is one of several nucleolar small nuclear RNAs required for normal processing
      of rRNA. Functional mapping of U14 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has yielded a
      number of mutants defective in U14 accumulation or function. In this study, we
      have further defined three structural elements required for U14 accumulation. The
      essential elements include the U14-conserved box C and box D sequences and a 5',
      3' terminal stem. The box elements are coconserved among several nucleolar small
      nuclear RNAs and have been implicated in binding of the protein fibrillarin. New
      mutational results show that the first GA bases of the box C sequence UGAUGA are
      essential, and two vital bases in box D have also been identified. An intragenic
      suppressor of a lethal box C mutant has been isolated and shown to contain a new
      box C-like PyGAUG sequence two bases upstream of normal box C. The importance of
      the terminal stem was confirmed from new compensatory base changes and the
      finding that accumulation defects in the box elements can be complemented by
      extending the terminal stem. The results suggest that the observed defects in
      accumulation reflect U14 instability and that protein binding to one or more of
      these elements is required for metabolic stability.

PMID- 1406635
TI  - A CD44-like endothelial cell transmembrane glycoprotein (GP116) interacts with
      extracellular matrix and ankyrin.
AB  - We used complementary biochemical and immunological techniques to establish that
      an endothelial cell transmembrane glycoprotein, GP116, is a CD44-like molecule
      and binds directly both to extracellular matrix components (e.g., hyaluronic
      acid) and to ankyrin. The specific characteristics of GP116 are as follows: (i)
      GP116 can be surface labeled with Na 125I and contains a wheat germ agglutinin
      binding site(s), indicating that it has an extracellular domain; (ii) GP116
      displays immunological cross-reactivity with a panel of CD44 antibodies, shares
      some peptide similarity with CD44, and has a similar 52-kDa precursor molecule,
      indicating that it is a CD44-like molecule; (iii) GP116 displays specific
      hyaluronic acid-binding properties, indicating that it is a hyaluronic acid
      receptor; (iv) GP116 can be phosphorylated by endogenous protein kinase C
      activated by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and by exogenously added
      protein kinase C; and (v) GP116 and a 20-kDa tryptic polypeptide fragment of
      GP116 from the intracellular domain are capable of binding the membrane
      cytoskeleton linker molecule, ankyrin. Furthermore, phosphorylation of GP116 by
      protein kinase C significantly enhances GP116 binding to ankyrin. Together, these
      findings strongly suggest that phosphorylation of the transmembrane glycoprotein
      GP116 (a CD44-like molecule) by protein kinase C is required for effective GP116
      ankyrin interaction during endothelial cell adhesion events.

PMID- 1406636
TI  - Mapping of epidermal growth factor-, serum-, and phorbol ester-responsive
      sequence elements in the c-jun promoter.
AB  - Expression of the nuclear proto-oncogene c-jun is rapidly and transiently induced
      by many growth factors, serum, and tumor promoters. The sequence elements in the
      c-jun promoter involved in serum or growth factor induction have not been
      identified. The c-jun promoter region between -117 and -72 contains binding sites
      for the transcription factors Sp1, CTF, and AP-1. An additional sequence element
      has been noted at position -59. This A+T-rich sequence, formerly proposed as a
      TFIID-binding site, conforms to the consensus binding sequence of a recently
      identified factor, RSRF (related to serum response factor). In this study, we
      mapped the sequences in the c-jun promoter responsible for epidermal growth
      factor (EGF), serum, and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) induction by
      deletion and point mutational analysis. We found that the c-jun RSRF site is an
      important element for EGF and serum induction of the promoter and that there are
      several factors in HeLa nuclear extracts which specifically bind to this site.
      The RSRF site was also sufficient for EGF, serum, and TPA induction when assayed
      on a heterologous promoter. The c-jun AP-1 site was not required for EGF, serum,
      or TPA induction but was sufficient to mediate a weak response to these agents
      when assayed on a heterologous promoter. Double mutation of the RSRF and AP-1
      sites suggests that there is an additional TPA-responsive element between -80 and
      +150 in the c-jun promoter.

PMID- 1406637
TI  - Modulation of interferon signaling in human fibroblasts by phorbol esters.
AB  - Phorbol esters activate the expression of a variety of early-response genes
      through protein kinase C-dependent pathways. In addition, phorbol esters may
      promote cell growth by the inhibition of expression of cellular gene products
      regulated by antiproliferative agents such as interferons (IFN)s. In human
      diploid fibroblasts, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) selectively inhibits
      the IFN-alpha-induced cellular gene ISG54. Using transient transfection assays,
      we have delineated two elements in the promoter of this gene that are necessary
      for the inhibitory actions of PMA. These elements include (i) the IFN-stimulated
      response element (ISRE) which is necessary for IFN-alpha-induced cellular gene
      expression, and (ii) an element located near the site of transcription
      initiation. IFN-alpha treatment resulted in the rapid induction of ISGF3, a
      multisubunit transcription factor which binds to the ISRE. PMA caused a
      substantial reduction in IFN alpha-induced ISGF3 in both nuclear and cytoplasmic
      extracts, as determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assays with the ISRE as
      a probe. In vitro reconstitution experiments revealed that IFN-alpha activation
      of the ISGF3 alpha component of ISGF3 was not affected by PMA. Further
      experiments were consistent with the possibility that PMA regulated the activity
      of a cellular factor which competed with ISGF3 gamma for binding of the activated
      ISGF3 alpha polypeptides. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays using the cap
      site of ISG54 as a probe demonstrated the formation of a specific complex whose
      DNA binding activity was not affected by treatment of cells with PMA or IFN
      alpha. Competitive inhibition studies were consistent with the DNA-protein
      complex at the cap site of ISG54 containing proteins with DNA binding sites in
      common with those which also interact with the ISRE. These data suggest a unique
      regulatory mechanism by which phorbol esters can modulate IFN signaling.

PMID- 1406638
TI  - A bipartite suppressor: conjunction of two distinct factor-binding sites is
      essential for down-regulation in rat epoxide hydrolase gene expression.
AB  - We describe a novel transcriptional suppressor element found in the control
      region of the gene that encodes rat microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH), an
      inducible xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme. This element consists of the
      juxtaposition of two distinct factor-binding regions. The first region is
      composed of a series of five tandemly repeated factor-binding sequences, and the
      second region is an unique AT-rich factor-binding sequence. Although each region
      binds its cognate factor(s) in vitro, a single region does not function as a
      suppressor independently of the other. Transcriptional suppression was observed
      only when the two regions were combined. Thus, we propose that this regulatory
      element is a bipartite suppressor, requiring two distinct factor-binding regions
      for its function. The element displayed position-independent but orientation
      dependent suppressor activity. The level of suppressor activity was proportional
      to the number of repetitive sites in region 1. We speculate that this region
      could mediate the dose-response behavior of mEH gene expression induced by
      chemical carcinogens in vivo. A qualitative difference in the region 2 binding
      factor(s) was observed between normal liver cells and a hepatoma cell line or
      carcinogen-treated liver cells. The possible relationship between this
      observation and the deregulation of mEH gene expression during the course of
      hepatocarcinogenesis is discussed.

PMID- 1406640
TI  - The posttranslational processing of ras p21 is critical for its stimulation of
      yeast adenylate cyclase.
AB  - Mammalian ras genes substitute for the yeast RAS gene, and their products
      activate adenylate cyclase in yeast cells, although the direct target protein of
      mammalian ras p21s remains to be identified. ras p21s undergo posttranslational
      processing, including prenylation, proteolysis, methylation, and palmitoylation,
      at their C-terminal regions. We have previously reported that the
      posttranslational processing of Ki-ras p21 is essential for its interaction with
      one of its GDP/GTP exchange proteins named smg GDS. In this investigation, we
      have studied whether the posttranslational processing of Ki- and Ha-ras p21s is
      critical for their stimulation of yeast adenylate cyclase in a cell-free system.
      We show that the posttranslationally fully processed Ki- and Ha-ras p21s activate
      yeast adenylate cyclase far more effectively than do the unprocessed proteins.
      The previous and present results suggest that the posttranslational processing of
      ras p21s is important for their interaction not only with smg GDS but also with
      the target protein.

PMID- 1406639
TI  - Involvement of the SIN4 global transcriptional regulator in the chromatin
      structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - We have cloned and sequenced the SIN4 gene and determined that SIN4 is identical
      to TSF3, identified as a negative regulator of GAL1 gene transcription (S. Chen,
      R.W. West, Jr., S.L. Johnson, H. Gans, and J. Ma, submitted for publication).
      Yeast strains bearing a sin4 delta null mutation have been constructed and are
      temperature sensitive for growth and display defects in both negative and
      positive regulation of transcription. Transcription of the CTS1 gene is reduced
      in sin4 delta mutants, suggesting that Sin4 functions as a positive
      transcriptional regulator. Additionally, a Sin4-LexA fusion protein activates
      transcription from test promoters containing LexA binding sites. The sin4 delta
      mutant also shows phenotypes common to histone and spt mutants, including
      suppression of delta insertion mutations in the HIS4 and LYS2 promoters,
      expression of promoters lacking upstream activation sequence elements, and
      decreased superhelical density of circular DNA molecules. These results suggest
      that the sin4 delta mutation may alter the structure of chromatin, and these
      changes in chromatin structure may affect transcriptional regulation.

PMID- 1406641
TI  - Effects of p56lck deficiency on the growth and cytolytic effector function of an
      interleukin-2-dependent cytotoxic T-cell line.
AB  - The growth, differentiation, and functional activities of antigen-stimulated T
      lymphocytes are regulated by the interaction of the T-cell-derived cytokine,
      interleukin-2 (IL-2), with the high-affinity IL-2 receptor (IL-2R). IL-2R
      occupancy initiates a rapid increase in intracellular protein tyrosine
      phosphorylation, suggesting that a receptor-coupled protein tyrosine kinase (PTK)
      serves as a proximal signaling element for the IL-2R. Previous studies implicated
      the src-family kinase, p56lck, as a potential IL-2R-linked signal transducer. In
      this study, we have characterized a spontaneous variant of the IL-2-dependent
      cytotoxic T-cell line, CTLL-2, which contains no detectable lck-derived mRNA
      transcripts, protein, or PTK activity. The p56lck-deficient CTLL-2 cells retained
      strict dependence on IL-2 for both viability and growth, indicating that p56lck
      activity was not required for the transduction of IL-2-mediated mitogenic
      signals. However, the p56lck-deficient cells exhibited a moderate decrease in
      their rate of IL-2-dependent proliferation. In contrast to this relatively modest
      proliferative defect, the p56lck-deficient cell line displayed a profound
      reduction in T-cell antigen receptor-dependent cytolytic effector functions. Both
      the proliferative and the cytolytic defects observed in the p56lck-deficient
      cells were completely reversed by transfection of these cells with a wild-type
      lck expression vector. These results indicate that p56lck expression is not
      obligatory for IL-2-mediated T-cell growth stimulation; however, this PTK plays a
      central role in the generation T-cell-mediated cytotoxic responses.

PMID- 1406643
TI  - Cutinase in Cryphonectria parasitica, the chestnut blight fungus: suppression of
      cutinase gene expression in isogenic hypovirulent strains containing double
      stranded RNAs.
AB  - Plant-pathogenic fungi produce cutinase, an enzyme required to degrade plant
      cuticles and facilitate penetration into the host. The absence of cutinase or a
      decrease in its production has been associated with a decrease in pathogenicity
      of the fungus. A set of isogenic strains of Cryphonectria parasitica, the
      chestnut blight fungus, was tested for the presence and amounts of cutinase
      activity. The virulent strain of C. parasitica produced and secreted
      significantly higher amounts of cutinase than the hypovirulent strains. Use of
      both nucleic acid and polyclonal antibody probes for cutinase from Fusarium
      solani f. sp. pisi showed that cutinase in C. parasitica is 25 kDa in size and is
      coded by a 1.1-kb mRNA. Both mRNA and protein were inducible by cutin
      hydrolysate, while hypovirulence agents suppressed the level of mRNA and the
      enzyme. Since all the strains had the cutinase gene, the suppression of
      expression was due to the hypovirulence agents. The data presented are the first
      report indicating that hypovirulence agents in C. parasitica regulate a gene
      associated with pathogenicity in other plant-pathogenic fungi.

PMID- 1406642
TI  - Examination of the DNA-binding ability of estrogen receptor in whole cells:
      implications for hormone-independent transactivation and the actions of
      antiestrogens.
AB  - We describe an assay employing the competitive binding of estrogen receptor (ER)
      with basal transcription factors on a constitutive promoter (cytomegalovirus
      hormone response element[s]-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase [CMV-(HRE)n-CAT,
      containing a hormone response element(s) between the TATA box and the start site
      of transcription]) to examine the DNA-binding ability of the human ER in whole
      cells. We used this promoter interference assay to examine the DNA binding of ER
      in cell lines containing high and low levels of endogenous ER, as well as in CHO
      cells expressing wild-type and mutant ERs from cotransfected expression vectors.
      The ER is capable of binding to the promoter interference constructs in the
      absence of added ligand, and estrogen (estradiol) or antiestrogen (trans
      hydroxytamoxifen or ICI 164,384) enhances or stabilizes this interaction. The
      binding of unoccupied ER to reporter gene activation plasmids results in ligand
      independent transactivation, presumably due to the TAF-1 function of the
      receptor. DNA binding of ER in the absence of ligand is observed in cells
      containing endogenous ER, or expressed ER, and occurs in cells with high or low
      receptor contents. Although estrogen- and antiestrogen-occupied ER complexes bind
      to DNA and reduce the template promoter activity, the extent of suppression
      achieved by ICI-bound ERs is consistently less than that achieved with the other
      ligands, presumably caused by the fact that ICI rapidly reduces the level of ER
      in most of the cells examined. However, the ICI-ER complexes that remain are in
      sufficient quantity to bind to gene activation reporter constructs, and in these
      cells, ICI still behaves as a pure antagonist of gene transcription and does not
      activate reporter genes. Hence, obstruction of ER DNA binding or reduction of ER
      in target cells may contribute to, but cannot fully explain, the pure antagonist
      character of the antiestrogen ICI 164,384. In addition, DNA binding by the ER
      alone is clearly not sufficient for ensuring full activation of transcription and
      argues for an intermediate in the receptor activation of promoters.

PMID- 1406644
TI  - Purification of splicing factor SF1, a heat-stable protein that functions in the
      assembly of a presplicing complex.
AB  - Splicing factor SF1 represents one of the proteins that function early in the
      splicing of nuclear pre-mRNA in the formation of a presplicing complex. SF1 was
      purified to homogeneity from HeLa cell nuclear extracts by column chromatography.
      It consists of a single polypeptide of 75 kDa and is distinct from other protein
      factors that function early in spliceosome assembly. SF1 activity is completely
      resistant to temperatures of up to 100 degrees C. The purified protein does not
      appear to be associated with RNA-binding, RNA-annealing, or ATPase activity.

PMID- 1406646
TI  - Distinct roles for the two cGATA-1 finger domains.
AB  - We have generated and analyzed by functional assays mutations of the chicken
      erythroid transcription factor GATA-1. The cGATA-1 protein contains two related
      finger domains highly conserved across species and characteristic of the family
      of GATA-binding factors. We find that mutations in the C-terminal finger or
      adjacent basic region abolish sequence-specific DNA binding, confirming that this
      region constitutes a novel DNA-binding domain sufficient to recognize the
      consensus WGATAR motif. At least three separate regions outside of this finger II
      domain contribute in a cooperative manner to the trans-activation potential of
      the protein. As expected from previous results analyzing the mouse homolog, we
      find that the N-terminal finger plays a role in DNA binding by affecting the
      stability of the DNA-protein complex. In addition, we find mutations of finger I
      subtly altered in DNA-binding function which greatly diminish trans-activation.
      Our results support the notion that the GATA-1 protein must be positioned
      precisely on the GATA cis element to enable the activation of target genes.

PMID- 1406645
TI  - Mutations in the WSAWSE and cytosolic domains of the erythropoietin receptor
      affect signal transduction and ligand binding and internalization.
AB  - The terminal development of erythroid progenitor cells is promoted in part
      through the interaction of erythropoietin (EPO) with its cell surface receptor.
      This receptor and a growing family of related cytokine receptors share homologous
      extracellular features, including a well-conserved WSXWS motif. To explore the
      functional significance of this motif in the murine EPO receptor, five WSAWSE
      mutants were prepared and their signal-transducing, ligand binding, and
      endocytotic properties were compared. EPO receptors mutated at tryptophan
      residues (W-232, W-235----G; W-235----G; W-235----F) failed to mediate EPO
      induced growth or pp100 phosphorylation, while S-236----T and E-237----K mutants
      exhibited partial to full activity (50 to 100% of wild-type growth and induced
      phosphorylation). Ligand affinity was reduced for mutant receptors (two- to
      fivefold), yet expression at the cell surface for all receptors was nearly
      equivalent. Also, the ability of mutated receptors to internalize ligand was
      either markedly reduced or abolished (W-235----F), indicating a role for the
      WSAWSE region in hormone internalization. Interestingly, receptor forms lacking
      97% of the cytosolic domain (no signal-transducing capacity; binding affinity
      reduced two- to threefold) internalized EPO efficiently. This and all WSAWSE
      receptor forms studied also mediated specific cross-linking of 125I-EPO to three
      accessory membrane proteins (M(r)s, 120,000, 105,000, and 93,000). These findings
      suggest that the WSAWSE domain of the EPO receptor is important for EPO-induced
      signal transduction and ligand internalization. In contrast, although the
      cytosolic domain is required for growth signaling, it appears nonessential for
      efficient endocytosis.

PMID- 1406647
TI  - In vivo transcriptional analysis of the TATA-less promoter of the Drosophila
      melanogaster vermilion gene.
AB  - Transcriptional regulation of the TATA-less promoter of the Drosophila
      melanogaster vermilion (v) gene was investigated. Developmental Northern (RNA)
      blot analysis showed that v transcripts accumulate during late embryo, larval,
      and adult stages. Sequences that control expression in adults were delineated by
      analyzing a series of 5' and 3' deletion constructions after germ line
      transformation. These studies defined two regions, -300 to -600 and -60 to -160,
      relative to the major transcription start site, as important for maximal levels
      of expression. Analysis of transformants bearing v-lacZ promoter fusions showed
      that larval expression is fat body specific and that expression depends on
      sequences located between +19 and +36 downstream of transcription start site.
      This downstream element can be functionally replaced by a TATA box in vivo.
      Furthermore, when added to the wild-type v promoter, a TATA element augments the
      level of v transcription by three- to fivefold.

PMID- 1406648
TI  - Multiple elements in the upstream glucokinase promoter contribute to
      transcription in insulinoma cells.
AB  - beta-cell type-specific expression of the upstream glucokinase promoter was
      studied by transfection of fusion genes and analysis of DNA-protein interactions.
      A construct containing 1,000 bp of 5'-flanking DNA was efficiently expressed in
      HIT M2.2.2 cells, a beta-cell-derived line that makes both insulin and
      glucokinase, but not in NIH 3T3 cells, a heterologous cell line. In a series of
      5' deletion mutations between bases -1000 and -100 (relative to a base previously
      designated +1), efficient expression in HIT cells was maintained until -280 bp,
      after which transcription decreased in a stepwise manner. The sequences between 
      180 and -1 bp contributing to transcriptional activity in HIT cells were
      identified by studying 28 block transversion mutants that spanned this region in
      10-bp steps. Two mutations reduced transcription 10-fold or more, while six
      reduced transcription between 3- and 10-fold. Three mutationally sensitive
      regions of this promoter were found to bind to a factor that was expressed
      preferentially in pancreatic islet beta cells. The binding sites, designated
      upstream promoter elements (UPEs), shared a consensus sequence of CAT(T/C)A(C/G).
      Methylation of adenine and guanine residues within this sequence prevented
      binding of the beta-cell factor, as did mutations at positions 2, 3, and 5.
      Analysis of nuclear extracts from different cell lines identified UPE-binding
      activity in HIT M2.2.2 and beta-TC-3 cells but not in AtT-20, NIH 3T3, or HeLa
      cells; the possibility of a greatly reduced amount in alpha-TC-6 cells could not
      be excluded. UV laser cross-linking experiments supported the beta-cell type
      expression of this factor and showed it to be approximately 50 kDa in size. Gel
      mobility shift competition experiments showed that this beta-cell factor is the
      same that binds to similar elements, termed CT boxes, in the insulin promoter.
      Thus, a role for these elements (UPEs or CT boxes), and the beta-cell factor that
      binds to them, in determining the expression of genes in the beta cells of
      pancreatic islets is suggested.

PMID- 1406649
TI  - Sequences in the human c-myc P2 promoter affect the elongation and premature
      termination of transcripts initiated from the upstream P1 promoter.
AB  - A conditional block to transcription elongation provides one mechanism for
      controlling the steady-state levels of c-myc RNA in mammalian cells. Although
      prematurely terminated c-myc RNAs are not detectable in mammalian cells,
      truncated c-myc RNAs with 3' ends that map near the end of the first exon are
      transcribed from human c-myc templates injected into Xenopus oocytes germinal
      vesicles. A series of linker scanner and deletion mutants within the c-myc P2
      promoter was tested in the Xenopus oocyte injection assay to determine the
      potential contribution of promoter elements to the elongation or premature
      termination of c-myc transcription. Although this analysis failed to identify
      sequences in the P2 promoter that significantly affect the elongation or
      termination of P2-initiated transcripts, our results suggest that sequences
      within the P2 promoter contribute to the premature termination of transcripts
      initiated at the upstream P1 promoter. A subset of these sequences is essential
      for the efficient elongation of P1-initiated transcripts through intrinsic sites
      of termination at the end of exon 1. These sequences affect P1 elongation when
      they are downstream of the site of initiation, and we hypothesize that they may
      be analogous to a class of prokaryotic elements required for antitermination.

PMID- 1406651
TI  - Downregulation of JE and KC genes by glucocorticoids does not prevent the G0---
      G1 transition in BALB/3T3 cells.
AB  - The effects of glucocorticoid hormones on the expression of the growth factor
      inducible genes JE, KC, and c-myc were analyzed in parental BALB/3T3 and
      polyomavirus middle-T antigen-transfected cell lines. Northern (RNA) blot
      hybridization and run-on transcription analysis showed that (i) glucocorticoid
      hormones selectively inhibit JE and KC expression at the transcriptional level
      and (ii) the downregulatory effect of glucocorticoids on JE and KC expression is
      partial for serum-stimulated and middle T antigen-transformed cells and total for
      quiescent and exponentially growing cells. Gel mobility assays using AP-1
      oligonucleotides showed a positive correlation between glucocorticoid
      downregulating effect and presence of the AP-1 complex. JE and KC downregulation
      by means of the AP-1 complex may play a role in the actions of glucocorticoids as
      anti-inflammatory and antitumor agents. The ability of glucocorticoids to
      downregulate JE and KC was used to investigate the relevance of these genes to
      the mitogenic response to serum growth factors. Hydrocortisone did not alter the
      basal DNA synthesis level displayed by quiescent 3T3 cells, but it potentiated
      both the mitogenic effect of platelet-derived growth factor and c-myc induction
      by serum growth factors. Upon serum restimulation, untreated and dexamethasone
      treated quiescent 3T3 cultures entered the S phase after an identical time lag
      (G1). These results suggest that (i) JE and KC are not necessary for the G0----G1
      ---S transition and (ii) c-myc overexpression is likely to be the basis for the
      potentiating effect of glucocorticoids on serum growth factors.

PMID- 1406650
TI  - The yeast EUG1 gene encodes an endoplasmic reticulum protein that is functionally
      related to protein disulfide isomerase.
AB  - The product of the EUG1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a soluble endoplasmic
      reticulum protein with homology to both the mammalian protein disulfide isomerase
      (PDI) and the yeast PDI homolog encoded by the essential PDI1 gene. Deletion or
      overexpression of EUG1 causes no growth defects under a variety of conditions.
      EUG1 mRNA and protein levels are dramatically increased in response to the
      accumulation of native or unglycosylated proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum.
      Overexpression of the EUG1 gene allows yeast cells to grow in the absence of the
      PDI1 gene product. Depletion of the PDI1 protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
      causes a soluble vacuolar glycoprotein to accumulate in its endoplasmic reticulum
      form, and this phenotype is only partially relieved by the overexpression of
      EUG1. Taken together, our results indicate that PDI1 and EUG1 encode functionally
      related proteins that are likely to be involved in interacting with nascent
      polypeptides in the yeast endoplasmic reticulum.

PMID- 1406652
TI  - Characterization of the human lipoprotein lipase (LPL) promoter: evidence of two
      cis-regulatory regions, LP-alpha and LP-beta, of importance for the
      differentiation-linked induction of the LPL gene during adipogenesis.
AB  - When preadipocytes differentiate into adipocytes, several differentiation-linked
      genes are activated. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is one of the first genes induced
      during this process. To investigate early events in adipocyte development, we
      have focused on the transcriptional activation of the LPL gene. For this purpose,
      we have cloned and fused different parts of intragenic and flanking sequences
      with a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene. Transient transfection
      experiments and DNase I hypersensitivity assays indicate that several positive as
      well as negative elements contribute to transcriptional regulation of the LPL
      gene. When reporter gene constructs were stably introduced into preadipocytes, we
      were able to monitor and compare the activation patterns of different promoter
      deletion mutants at selected time points representing the process of adipocyte
      development. We could delimit two cis-regulatory elements important for gradual
      activation of the LPL gene during adipocyte development in vitro. These elements,
      LP-alpha (-702 to -666) and LP-beta (-468 to -430), contain a striking similarity
      to a consensus sequence known to bind the transcription factors HNF-3 and fork
      head. Results of gel mobility shift assays and DNase I and exonuclease III in
      vitro protection assays indicate that factors with DNA-binding properties similar
      to those of the HNF-3/fork head family of transcription factors are present in
      adipocytes and interact with LP-alpha and LP-beta. We also demonstrate that LP
      alpha and LP-beta were both capable of conferring a differentiation-linked
      expression pattern to a heterolog promoter, thus mimicking the expression of the
      endogenous LPL gene during adipocyte differentiation. These findings indicate
      that interactions with LP-alpha and LP-beta could be a part of a differentiation
      switch governing induction of the LPL gene during adipocyte differentiation.

PMID- 1406653
TI  - Localization of the rap1GAP catalytic domain and sites of phosphorylation by
      mutational analysis.
AB  - rap1GAP is a GTPase-activating protein that specifically stimulates the GTP
      hydrolytic rate of p21rap1. We have defined the catalytic domain of rap1GAP by
      constructing a series of cDNAs coding for mutant proteins progressively deleted
      at the amino- and carboxy-terminal ends. Analysis of the purified mutant proteins
      shows that of 663 amino acid residues, only amino acids 75 to 416 are necessary
      for full GAP activity. Further truncation at the amino terminus resulted in
      complete loss of catalytic activity, whereas removal of additional carboxy
      terminal residues dramatically accelerated the degradation of the protein in
      vivo. The catalytic domain we have defined excludes the region of rap1GAP which
      undergoes phosphorylation on serine residues. We have further defined this
      phosphoacceptor region of rap1GAP by introducing point mutations at specific
      serine residues and comparing the phosphopeptide maps of the mutant proteins. Two
      of the sites of phosphorylation by cyclic AMP (cAMP)-dependent kinase were
      localized to serine residues 490 and 499, and one site of phosphorylation by
      p34cdc2 was localized to serine 484. In vivo, rap1GAP undergoes phosphorylation
      at four distinct sites, two of which appear to be identical to the sites
      phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent kinase in vitro.

PMID- 1406654
TI  - Transgenic overexpression of transforming growth factor alpha bypasses the need
      for c-Ha-ras mutations in mouse skin tumorigenesis.
AB  - The induction of skin papillomas in mice can be divided into two different
      stages. Chemical initiation frequently elicits mutations in the Ha-ras gene,
      leading to the constitutive activation of ras. The second step, promotion,
      involves repetitive topical application of phorbol esters or wounding, leading to
      epidermal hyperproliferation and papilloma formation. We have found that
      overexpression of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) in the basal
      epidermal layer of transgenic mice yielded papillomas directly upon wounding or
      12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate treatment without the need for an initiator.
      Moreover, papillomas from TGF-alpha mice did not exhibit mutations in the Ha-ras
      gene. Interestingly, TGF-alpha acted synergistically with 12-O
      tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate to enhance epidermal hyperproliferation. Our
      results demonstrate a central role for TGF-alpha overexpression in tumorigenesis
      and provide an important animal model for the study of skin tumorigenesis.

PMID- 1406655
TI  - Interactions among LRF-1, JunB, c-Jun, and c-Fos define a regulatory program in
      the G1 phase of liver regeneration.
AB  - In regenerating liver, a physiologically normal model of cell growth, LRF-1,
      JunB, c-Jun, and c-Fos among Jun/Fos/LRF-1 family members are induced
      posthepatectomy. In liver cells, high levels of c-Fos/c-Jun, c-Fos/JunB, LRF-1/c
      Jun, and LRF-1/JunB complexes are present for several hours after the G0/G1
      transition, and the relative level of LRF-1/JunB complexes increases during G1.
      We provide evidence for dramatic differences in promoter-specific activation by
      LRF-1- and c-Fos-containing complexes. LRF-1 in combination with either Jun
      protein strongly activates a cyclic AMP response element-containing promoter
      which c-Fos/Jun does not activate. LRF-1/c-Jun, c-Fos/c-Jun, and c-Fos/JunB
      activate specific AP-1 and ATF site-containing promoters, and in contrast, LRF
      1/JunB potently represses c-Fos- and c-Jun-mediated activation of these
      promoters. Repression is dependent on a region in LRF-1 that includes amino acids
      40 to 84 (domain R) and the basic/leucine zipper domain. As the relative level of
      LRF-1/JunB complexes increases posthepatectomy, c-Fos/Jun-mediated ATF and AP-1
      site activation is likely to decrease with simultaneous transcriptional
      activation of the many liver-specific genes whose promoters contain cyclic AMP
      response element sites. Thus, through complex interactions among LRF-1, JunB, c
      Jun, and c-Fos, control of delayed gene expression may be established for
      extended times during the G1 phase of hepatic growth.

PMID- 1406657
TI  - Localization of a DNA replication origin and termination zone on chromosome III
      of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - Two-dimensional gel electrophoretic replicon mapping techniques were used to
      identify all functional DNA replication origins and termini in a 26.5-kbp stretch
      in the left arm of yeast chromosome III. Only one origin was detected; it
      coincided with an ARS element (ARS306), as have all previously mapped yeast
      origins. A replication termination region was identified in a 4.3-kbp stretch at
      the telomere-proximal end of the investigated region, between the origin
      identified in this paper and the neighboring, previously mapped, ARS305
      associated origin (previously called the A6C origin). Termination does not occur
      at a specific site; instead, it appears to be the consequence of replication
      forks converging in a stretch of DNA of at least 4.3 kbp.

PMID- 1406656
TI  - Regulation of collagen I gene expression by ras.
AB  - Although transformation of rodent fibroblasts can lead to dramatic changes in
      expression of extracellular matrix genes, the molecular basis and physiological
      significance of these changes remain poorly understood. In this study, we have
      investigated the mechanism(s) by which ras affects expression of the genes
      encoding type I collagen. Levels of both alpha 1(I) and alpha 2(I) collagen mRNAs
      were markedly reduced in Rat 1 fibroblasts overexpressing either the N-rasLys-61
      or the Ha-rasVal-12 oncogene. In fibroblasts conditionally transformed with N
      rasLys-61, alpha 1(I) transcript levels began to decline within 8 h of ras
      induction and reached 1 to 5% of control levels after 96 h. In contrast,
      overexpression of normal ras p21 had no effect on alpha 1(I) or alpha 2(I) mRNA
      levels. Nuclear run-on experiments demonstrated that the transcription rates of
      both the alpha 1(I) and alpha 2(I) genes were significantly reduced in ras
      transformed cells compared with those in parental cells. In addition, the alpha
      1(I) transcript was less stable in transformed cells. Chimeric plasmids
      containing up to 3.6 kb of alpha 1(I) 5'-flanking DNA and up to 2.3 kb of the 3'
      flanking region were expressed at equivalent levels in both normal and ras
      transformed fibroblasts. However, a cosmid clone containing the entire mouse
      alpha 1(I) gene, including 3.7 kb of 5'- and 4 kb of 3'-flanking DNA, was
      expressed at reduced levels in fibroblasts overexpressing oncogenic ras. We
      conclude that oncogenic ras regulates the type I collagen genes at both
      transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels and that this effect, at least for
      the alpha 1(I) gene, may be mediated by sequences located either within the body
      of the gene itself or in the distal 3'-flanking region.

PMID- 1406658
TI  - Molecular involvement of the pvt-1 locus in a gamma/delta T-cell leukemia bearing
      a variant t(8;14)(q24;q11) translocation.
AB  - A highly malignant human T-cell receptor (TCR) gamma/delta+ T-cell leukemia was
      shown to have a productive rearrangement of the TCR delta locus on one chromosome
      14 and a novel t(8;14)(q24;q11) rearrangement involving the J delta 1 gene
      segment on the other chromosome 14. Chromosome walking coupled with pulsed-field
      gel electrophoretic (PFGE) analysis determined that the TCR J delta 1 gene
      fragment of the involved chromosome was relocated approximately 280 kb downstream
      of the c-myc proto-oncogene locus found on chromosome band 8q24. This
      rearrangement was reminiscent of the Burkitt's lymphoma variants that translocate
      to a region identified as the pvt-1 locus. Sequence comparison of the breakpoint
      junctions of interchromosomal rearrangements in T-cell leukemias involving the
      TCR delta-chain locus revealed novel signal-like sequence motifs, GCAGA(A/T)C and
      CCCA(C/G)GAC. These sequences were found on chromosome 8 at the 5' flanking site
      of the breakpoint junction of chromosome 8 in the TCR gamma/delta leukemic cells
      reported here and also on chromosome 1 in T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia
      patients carrying the t(1;14)(p32;q11) rearrangement. These results suggest that
      (i) during early stages of gamma delta T-cell ontogeny, the region 280 kb 3' of
      the c-myc proto-oncogene on chromosome 8 is fragile and accessible to the
      lymphoid recombination machinery and (ii) rearrangements to both 8q24 and 1p32
      may be governed by novel sequence motifs and be subject to common enzymatic
      mechanisms.

PMID- 1406659
TI  - Analysis of the defect in DNA end joining in the murine scid mutation.
AB  - Murine severe combined immune deficiency (scid) is marked by a 5,000-fold
      reduction in coding joint formation in V(D)J recombination of antigen receptors.
      Others have demonstrated a sensitivity to double-strand breaks generated by
      ionizing radiation and bleomycin. We were interested in establishing the extent
      of the defect in intramolecular and intermolecular DNA end joining in lymphoid
      and nonlymphoid cells from scid mice. We conducted a series of studies probing
      the ability of these cells to resolve free ends of linear DNA molecules having
      various biochemical end configurations. We find that the stable integration of
      linear DNA into scid fibroblasts is reduced 11- to 75-fold compared with that in
      normal fibroblasts. In contrast, intramolecular and intermolecular end joining
      occur at normal frequencies in scid lymphocytes and fibroblasts. This normal
      level of end joining is observed regardless of the type of overhang and
      regardless of the requirement for nucleolytic activities prior to ligation. The
      fact that free ends having a wide variety of end configurations are
      recircularized normally in scid cells rules out certain models for the defect in
      scid. We discuss the types of DNA end joining reactions that are and are not
      affected in this double-strand break repair defect in the context of a hairpin
      model for V(D)J recombination.

PMID- 1406661
TI  - cis-acting elements involved in the alternative translation initiation process of
      human basic fibroblast growth factor mRNA.
AB  - Four forms of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) are synthesized from the same
      mRNA, resulting from alternative initiations of translation at three CUG start
      codons and one AUG start codon. The CUG- and AUG-initiated forms have distinct
      intracellular localizations and can modify cell phenotypes differently,
      indicating that control of the alternative expression of the different forms of
      bFGF has an important impact on the cell. In this study, we investigated the
      roles of the mRNA 5' untranslated region and the alternatively translated region
      located between the CUG and AUG codons in the regulation of alternative
      translation of the different forms of bFGF. Deletions and site-directed
      mutagenesis were carried out in bFGF mRNA leader, and translation was studied in
      vitro and in vivo. The results enabled us to identify five cis-acting RNA
      elements (two in the 5' untranslated region and three in the alternatively
      translated region) involved in the regulation of either global or alternative
      initiation of translation. Each of these elements had a specific effect on the
      level of synthesis of the different forms of bFGF. Furthermore, we showed that
      the 5' untranslated region regulatory elements had different effects on bFGF
      translation, depending on the translation system used. These results suggest that
      bFGF translation is modulated by cis-acting elements corresponding to secondary
      or tertiary RNA structures, which could be the targets of cell-specific trans
      acting factors.

PMID- 1406660
TI  - A proposed mechanism for promoter-associated DNA rearrangement events at a
      variant surface glycoprotein gene expression site.
AB  - The expressed variant cell surface glycoprotein (VSG) gene of the protozoan
      parasite Trypanosoma brucei is invariably found at one of several telomeric VSG
      gene expression sites (ESs). The active ES in variant 118 clone 1 is found on a
      1.5-Mb chromosome, and the promoter region is located more than 45 kb upstream of
      the VSG gene. We had previously shown that DNA rearrangement events occurred in
      the promoter region, specifically at inactivation of this ES (K. M. Gottesdiener,
      H.-M. Chung, S. L. Brown, M. G.-S. Lee, and L. H. T. Van der Ploeg, Mol. Cell.
      Biol. 11:2467-2477, 1991). In this report, we describe the cloning of the entire
      17-kb promoter region, which revealed the presence of two identical 2.15-kb
      tandem promoter repeats separated by 13 kb of DNA. The two virtually identical
      promoter repeats both function efficiently in directing transcription in
      transient transfection assays in insect-form trypanosomes. We characterized the
      DNA rearrangement events that occur at ES inactivation, and by studying both of
      the reciprocal products of this recombination event, we infer that these result
      from direct (promoter) repeat recombination, formation of heteroduplex DNA, and a
      reciprocal exchange event that releases a circular DNA as a side product of the
      reaction. The finding of DNA recombinational events in a region of the VSG gene
      ES that encodes the promoter(s), and their relatively frequent occurrence at ES
      inactivation, suggests a possible role in ES control.

PMID- 1406662
TI  - GAL11 protein, an auxiliary transcription activator for genes encoding galactose
      metabolizing enzymes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PMID- 1406663
TI  - Identification of a novel dimer stabilization region in a plant bZIP
      transcription activator.
AB  - We have carried out deletion analyses of a tobacco transcription activator,
      TGA1a, in order to define its functional domains. TGA1a belongs to the basic
      region-leucine zipper (bZIP) class of DNA-binding proteins. Like other proteins
      of this class, it binds to its target DNA as a dimer, and its bZIP domain is
      necessary and sufficient for specific DNA binding. A mutant polypeptide
      containing the bZIP domain alone, however, shows a lower DNA-binding affinity
      than the full-length TGA1a. The C-terminal portion of TGA1a, which is essential
      for the higher DNA-binding affinity, contains a polypeptide region that can
      stabilize dimeric forms of the protein. This polypeptide region is designated the
      dimer stabilization (DS) region. Under our in vitro conditions, TGA1a derivatives
      with the DS region and those without the region do not form a detectable mixed
      dimer. This result indicates that in addition to the leucine zipper, the DS
      region can serve as another determinant of the dimerization specificity of TGA1a.
      In fact, the DS region, when fused to another bZIP protein, C/EBP, can inhibit
      dimer formation between the fusion protein and native C/EBP, whereas each of
      these can form homodimers. Such a portable determinant of dimerization
      specificity has potential application in studies of DNA-binding proteins as well
      as in biotechnology.

PMID- 1406664
TI  - A DNA element that regulates expression of an endogenous retrovirus during F9
      cell differentiation is E1A dependent.
AB  - The retinoic acid-induced differentiation of F9 cells into parietal endoderm-like
      cells activates transcription of the endogenous mouse retrovirus, the
      intracisternal A-particle (IAP). To investigate the elements that control IAP
      gene differentiation-specific expression, we used methylation interference,
      Southwestern (DNA-protein), and transient-transfection assays and identified the
      IAP-proximal enhancer (IPE) element that directs differentiation-specific
      expression. We find that the IPE is inactive in undifferentiated F9 cells and
      active in differentiated parietal endoderm-like PYS-2 cells. Three proteins of
      40, 60, and 68 kDa bind to the sequence GAGTAGAC located between nucleotides -53
      and -47 within the IPE. The 40- and 68-kDa proteins from both the
      undifferentiated and differentiated cells exhibit similar DNA-binding activities.
      However, the 60-kDa protein from differentiated cells has greater binding
      activity than that from undifferentiated cells, suggesting a role for this
      protein in F9 differentiation-specific expression of the IAP gene. The IAP gene
      is negatively regulated by the adenovirus E1A proteins, and the E1A sequence
      responsible for repression is located at the N terminus, between amino acids 2
      and 67. The DNA sequence that is the target of E1A repression also maps to the
      IPE element. Colocalization of the differentiation-specific and E1A-sensitive
      elements to the same protein-binding site within the IPE suggests that the E1A
      like activity functions in F9 cells to repress IAP gene expression. Activation of
      the IAP gene may result when the E1A-like activity is lost or inactivated during
      F9 cell differentiation, followed by binding of the 60-kDa positive regulatory
      protein to the enhancer element.

PMID- 1406666
TI  - Trypanosoma brucei spliced-leader RNA methylations are required for trans
      splicing in vivo.
AB  - The Trypanosoma brucei spliced leader (SL) RNA donates its 5' leader sequence to
      all nuclear pre-mRNAs via trans RNA splicing. The SL RNA is a small-nuclear U RNA
      like molecule which is present in the cell as part of a small ribonucleoprotein
      particle. However, unlike the trimethylguanosine-capped small nuclear U RNAs, the
      SL RNA has a highly modified 5' terminus containing an m7G cap and methylations
      on the first four transcribed nucleotides. Here, we show that incubation of
      procyclic-form T. brucei in the presence of the S-adenosylmethionine analog,
      sinefungin, leads to a rapid inhibition of SL RNA methylation. A concomitant
      inhibition of trans splicing and an accumulation of high-molecular-weight tubulin
      transcripts were also observed. The effects of sinefungin on SL RNA methylation
      and on trans splicing were correlated by labeling of cells incubated in the
      presence of the antibiotic. The results indicate that 5' modifications of the SL
      RNA are necessary for it to participate in trans splicing. SL RNA modification is
      not required for assembly of the core SL ribonucleoprotein, as these Cs2SO4
      resistant particles can be formed with either methylated or undermethylated SL
      RNA.

PMID- 1406665
TI  - A mammalian factor that binds telomeric TTAGGG repeats in vitro.
AB  - We have identified a DNA-binding activity with specificity for the TTAGGG repeat
      arrays found at mammalian telomeres. This factor, called TTAGGG repeat factor
      (TRF), is present in nuclear extracts of human, mouse, and monkey cells. TRF from
      HeLa cells was characterized in detail by electrophoretic mobility shift assays.
      It binds double-stranded TTAGGG repeats in linear and circular DNAs. Single
      stranded repeats are not recognized. The optimal site for TRF appears to contain
      more than six contiguous TTAGGG repeats. Tandem arrays of TAGGG, TTTAGGG,
      TTTTAGGG, TTGGGG, and TTAGGC repeats do not bind TRF well, indicating that TRF
      preferentially recognizes the telomeric repeat sequence present at mammalian
      chromosome ends. The apparent molecular mass of this factor, based on recovery of
      TRF from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, is approximately 50 kDa. We
      suggest that TRF binds along the length of mammalian telomeres.

PMID- 1406668
TI  - The osmotic integrity of the yeast cell requires a functional PKC1 gene product.
AB  - Seven temperature-sensitive cell lysis (cly) mutant strains of Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae were isolated which lyse at the restrictive temperature on hypotonic
      but not on osmotically supported medium. The seven mutants fell into four
      complementation groups, CLY12 to CLY15. The wild-type CLY15 gene was isolated by
      complementation of the cly15 temperature-sensitive growth defect. Sequence
      analysis revealed that the complementing DNA fragment encoded a partial PKC1
      gene, which has previously been isolated as an S. cerevisiae homolog of mammalian
      protein kinase C genes (D. E. Levin, F. O. Fields, R. Kunisawa, J. M. Bishop, and
      J. Thorner, Cell 62:213-224, 1990). Subsequent genetic analysis showed that CLY15
      and PKC1 represent identical loci in the yeast genome. A truncated PKC1 gene
      encoding only the predicted catalytic domain of Pkc1p was able to complement pkc1
      mutant strains. Similar to what has been reported recently (D. E. Levin and E.
      Bartlett-Heubusch, J. Cell Biol. 116:1221-1229, 1992), we observed that cells
      deleted for the PKC1 gene are viable when grown on osmotically stabilized medium
      but are osmotically fragile and lyse rapidly after a shift to hypotonic medium.
      As shown by light and electron microscopic examinations, the delta pkc1 strain
      exhibits many cells with a strongly elongated bud or chains of incompletely
      budded cells when grown on solid medium.

PMID- 1406667
TI  - Elements responsible for hormonal control and tissue specificity of L-type
      pyruvate kinase gene expression in transgenic mice.
AB  - L-type pyruvate kinase (L-PK) is a key enzyme of the glycolytic pathway
      specifically expressed in the liver and, to a lesser degree, in the small
      intestine and kidney. One important characteristic of L-PK gene expression is its
      strong activation by glucose and insulin and its complete inhibition by fasting
      or glucagon treatment. Having previously established that the entire rat L-PK
      gene plus 3.2 kbp of 5'-flanking region functions in mice in a tissue-specific
      and hormonally regulated manner, various deletions of these 3.2 kbp of 5'
      flanking regions were tested in transgenic animals to map the cis-acting elements
      involved in transcriptional gene regulation. Our experiments indicate that the
      proximal region between -183 and +11 confers tissue specificity and contains all
      the information necessary for dietary and hormonal control of L-PK gene
      expression in vivo. We found, however, that the transcriptional activity
      generated by this proximal promoter fragment can be modulated by distal sequences
      in a tissue-specific manner. (i) Sequences between bp -183 and -392 seem to play
      a dual role in the liver and small intestine; they induce L-PK expression in the
      liver but repress it in the small intestine. (ii) Sequences from bp -392 up to 
      1170 do not seem to have any additional effect on promoter activity. (iii)
      Between bp -1170 and -2080, we found a putative extinguisher whose
      transcriptional inhibitory effect is much more marked in the small intestine than
      in the liver. (iv) Finally, between bp -2080 and -3200, we identified an
      activating sequence required for full expression of the gene in the liver.

PMID- 1406669
TI  - Phylogenetic footprinting reveals a nuclear protein which binds to silencer
      sequences in the human gamma and epsilon globin genes.
AB  - Tissue- and developmental stage-specific expression of the human beta-like globin
      genes is regulated by a combination of ubiquitous and erythroid-restricted trans
      factors that bind to cis elements near each of the five active genes. Additional
      interactions of these cis and trans factors with sequences located in the far 5'
      end of the cluster occur by as yet obscure mechanisms. Because of the complexity
      of this regulatory puzzle, precise identification of the determinants that
      control hemoglobin switching has proven difficult. Phylogenetic footprinting is
      an evolutionary approach to this problem which is based on the supposition that
      the basic mechanisms of switching are conserved throughout mammalian phylogeny.
      Alignment of the 5' flanking regions of the gamma genes of several species allows
      the identification of footprints of 100% conserved sequence. We have now tested
      oligomers spanning 13 such phylogenetic footprints and find that 12 are bound by
      nuclear proteins. One conserved element located at -1086 from the gamma genes
      exhibits repressor activity in transient transfection studies. The protein that
      binds this element, CSBP-1 (conserved sequence-binding protein 1), also binds at
      three sites within a silencer element upstream from the epsilon globin gene.
      Further analysis reveals that the CSBP-1 binding activity is identical to that of
      a recently cloned zinc finger protein that has been shown to act as a repressor
      in other systems. The binding of CSPB-1 to silencer sequences in the epsilon and
      gamma globin genes may be important in the stage-specific silencing of these
      genes.

PMID- 1406670
TI  - The EBNA2-related resistance towards alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) in Burkitt's
      lymphoma cells effects induction of IFN-induced genes but not the activation of
      transcription factor ISGF-3.
AB  - Transfection of a plasmid encoding the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen 2
      (EBNA2) gene confers resistance to the antiproliferative effect of alpha
      interferon (IFN-alpha) in EBV-negative U968 cells (P. Aman and A. von Gabain,
      EMBO J. 9:147-152, 1990). We studied the expression of IFN-stimulated genes
      (ISGs) in two pairs of Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines, differing in the expression
      of the putative immortalizing gene of EBV, EBNA2. In EBNA2-expressing cells, the
      induction of four ISGs by IFN-alpha was strongly reduced or, in some cases,
      abolished. Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene constructs containing
      different IFN-stimulated response elements were transfected into EBNA2-negative
      and EBNA2-positive cells. Induction of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase activity
      by IFN was impaired in EBNA2-positive cells. Also, a reporter gene construct
      driven by an IFN-gamma-sensitive promoter element was affected. However, as
      revealed by gel shift assays, EBNA2-positive and EBNA2-negative cells exhibited a
      nearly identical pattern of IFN-stimulated response element-binding proteins.
      Most important, activation of the factor ISGF-3, which previously has been shown
      to be required and sufficient for transcriptional activation of IFN-induced
      genes, was not inhibited in IFN-resistant cells expressing EBNA2. The mechanism
      of the EBNA2-related IFN resistance seems to be distinct both from the resistance
      mediated by hepatitis virus and adenovirus gene products and from the IFN
      resistance in Daudi cell variants. In these three cases, the transcriptional
      block of IFN-induced genes is due to inhibition of ISGF-3 activation and binding.
      Our data suggest that the EBNA2-related IFN resistance in Burkitt's lymphoma
      cells acts downstream of the activation of ISGF-3.

PMID- 1406671
TI  - The 70-kilodalton adenylyl cyclase-associated protein is not essential for
      interaction of Saccharomyces cerevisiae adenylyl cyclase with RAS proteins.
AB  - In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, adenylyl cyclase is regulated by RAS
      proteins. We show here that the yeast adenylyl cyclase forms at least two high
      molecular-weight complexes, one with the RAS protein-dependent adenylyl cyclase
      activity and the other with the Mn(2+)-dependent activity, which are separable by
      their size difference. The 70-kDa adenylyl cyclase-associated protein (CAP)
      existed in the former complex but not in the latter. Missense mutations in
      conserved motifs of the leucine-rich repeats of the catalytic subunit of adenylyl
      cyclase abolished the RAS-dependent activity, which was accompanied by formation
      of a very high molecular weight complex having the Mn(2+)-dependent activity.
      Contrary to previous results, disruption of the gene encoding CAP did not alter
      the extent of RAS protein-dependent activation of adenylyl cyclase, while a
      concomitant decrease in the size of the RAS-responsive complex was observed.
      These results indicate that CAP is not essential for interaction of the yeast
      adenylyl cyclase with RAS proteins even though it is an inherent component of the
      RAS-responsive adenylyl cyclase complex.

PMID- 1406673
TI  - Cooperative binding of the Xenopus RNA polymerase I transcription factor xUBF to
      repetitive ribosomal gene enhancers.
AB  - Upstream binding factor (UBF) is a DNA-binding transcription factor implicated in
      ribosomal gene promoter and enhancer function in vertebrates. UBF is unusual in
      that it has multiple DNA-binding domains with homology to high-mobility-group
      (HMG) nonhistone chromosomal proteins 1 and 2. However, a recognizable DNA
      consensus sequence for UBF binding is lacking. In this study, we have used gel
      retardation and DNase I footprinting to examine Xenopus UBF (xUBF) binding to
      Xenopus laevis ribosomal gene enhancers. We show that UBF has a minimum
      requirement for about 60 bp of DNA, the size of the short enhancer variant in X.
      laevis. Stronger UBF binding occurs on the longer enhancer variant (81 bp) and on
      multiple enhancers linked head to tail. In vivo, Xenopus ribosomal gene enhancers
      exist in blocks of 10 alternating 60- and 81-bp repeats within the intergenic
      spacer. In vitro, UBF binds cooperatively to probes with 10 enhancers, with five
      intermediate complexes observed in titration experiments. This suggests that, on
      average, one UBF dimer binds every two enhancers. A single UBF dimer can produce
      a DNase I footprint ranging in size from approximately 30 to about 115 bp on
      enhancer probes of different lengths. This observation is consistent with the
      hypothesis that multiple DNA-binding domains or subdomains within UBF bind
      independently, forming more-stable interactions on longer probes.

PMID- 1406672
TI  - Functional interference between the ubiquitous and constitutive octamer
      transcription factor 1 (OTF-1) and the glucocorticoid receptor by direct protein
      protein interaction involving the homeo subdomain of OTF-1.
AB  - The ubiquitous and constitutive octamer transcription factor OTF-1 (Oct 1) is the
      target of positive regulation by the potent herpes simplex virus trans-activator
      VP16, which forms a complex with the homeodomain of OTF-1. Here we present
      evidence that the glucocorticoid receptor can negatively regulate OTF-1 function
      by a mechanism that is independent of DNA binding. In vivo-expressed
      glucocorticoid receptor inhibited in a hormone-dependent manner activation of a
      minimal promoter construct carrying a functional octamer site. Moreover,
      expression of the receptor in vivo resulted in hormone-dependent repression of
      OTF-1-dependent DNA-binding activity in nuclear extract. In vitro, the DNA
      binding activity of partially purified OTF-1 was repressed following incubation
      with purified glucocorticoid receptor. Cross-linking and immunoprecipitation
      experiments indicated that the functional interference may be due to a strong
      association between these two proteins in solution. Finally, preliminary evidence
      indicates that the homeo subdomain of OTF-1 that directs formation of a complex
      with VP16 may also be critical for interaction with the glucocorticoid receptor.
      Thus, OTF-1 is a target for both positive and negative regulation by protein
      protein interaction. Moreover, the functional interference between OTF-1 and the
      glucocorticoid receptor represents a novel regulatory mechanism in the cross
      coupling of signal transduction pathways of nuclear receptors and constitutive
      transcription factors.

PMID- 1406674
TI  - A transcriptionally active form of GAL4 is phosphorylated and associated with
      GAL80.
AB  - The GAL4 activator and GAL80 repressor proteins regulate the expression of yeast
      genes in response to galactose. A complex of the two proteins isolated from
      glucose-grown cells is inactive in an in vitro transcription reaction but binds
      DNA and blocks activation by the GAL4-VP16 chimeric activator. The complex
      purified from galactose-grown cells contains a mixture of phosphorylated and
      unphosphorylated forms of GAL4. The galactose-induced form of GAL4 activates in
      vitro transcription to levels similar to those seen with GAL4-VP16. The induced
      GAL4 complex is indistinguishable in size and apparent shape from the uninduced
      complex, consistent with a continued association with GAL80. These results
      confirm in vivo analyses that correlate GAL4 phosphorylation with galactose
      induction and support a model of transcriptional activation that does not require
      GAL80 dissociation.

PMID- 1406675
TI  - Effects of histone acetylation on chromatin topology in vivo.
AB  - Recently a model for eukaryotic transcriptional activation has been proposed in
      which histone hyperacetylation causes release of nucleosomal supercoils, and this
      unconstrained tension in turn stimulates transcription (V. G. Norton, B. S. Imai,
      P. Yau, and E. M. Bradbury, Cell 57:449-457, 1989; V. G. Norton, K. W. Marvin, P.
      Yau, and E. M. Bradbury, J. Biol. Chem. 265:19848-19852, 1990). These studies
      analyzed the effect of histone hyperacetylation on the change in topological
      linking number which occurs during nucleosome assembly in vitro. We have tested
      this model by determining the effect of histone hyperacetylation on the linking
      number change which occurs during assembly in vivo. We find that butyrate
      treatment of cells infected with simian virus 40 results in hyperacetylation of
      the histones of the extracted viral minichromosome as expected. However, the
      change in constrained supercoils of the minichromosome DNA is minimal, a result
      which is inconsistent with the proposed model. These results indicate that the
      proposed mechanism of transcriptional activation is unlikely to take place in the
      cell.

PMID- 1406676
TI  - Existence of different Fos/Jun complexes during the G0-to-G1 transition and
      during exponential growth in mouse fibroblasts: differential role of Fos
      proteins.
AB  - We have determined the different Fos/Jun complexes present in Swiss 3T3 cells
      either following serum stimulation of quiescent cells or during exponential
      growth by immunoprecipitation analyses. We have shown that while c-Fos is the
      major Fos protein associated with the Jun proteins (c-Jun, JunB, and JunD) soon
      after serum stimulation, at later times Fra-1 and Fra-2 are the predominant Fos
      proteins associated with the different Jun proteins. During exponential growth,
      the synthesis of Fra-1 and Fra-2 is maintained at a significant level, in
      contrast to c-Fos and FosB, which are expressed at very low or undetectable
      levels. Consequently, Fra-1 and Fra-2 are the main Fos proteins complexed with
      the Jun proteins in asynchronously growing cells. To determine whether the Fos
      proteins are differentially required during the G0-to-G1 transition and
      exponential growth for the entrance into S phase, we microinjected affinity
      purified antibodies directed against c-Fos, FosB, Fra-1, and Fra-2. We have found
      that while the activities of c-Fos and FosB are required mostly during the G0-to
      G1 transition, Fra-1 and Fra-2 are involved both in the G0-to-G1 transition and
      in asynchronous growth.

PMID- 1406677
TI  - A 40-kilodalton protein binds specifically to an upstream sequence element
      essential for muscle-specific transcription of the human myoglobin promoter.
AB  - To define transcriptional control elements responsible for muscle-specific
      expression of the human myoglobin gene, we performed mutational analysis of
      upstream sequences (nucleotide positions -373 to +7 relative to the
      transcriptional start site) linked to a firefly luciferase gene. Transient
      expression assays in avian and mammalian cells indicated that a CCCACCCCC (CCAC
      box) sequence (-223 to -204) is necessary for muscle-specific transcription
      directed either by the native myoglobin promoter or by a heterologous minimal
      promoter linked to the myoglobin upstream enhancer region. A putative MEF2-like
      site (-160 to -169) was likewise necessary for full transcriptional activity in
      myotubes. Mutations within either of two CANNTG (E-box) motifs (-176 to -148) had
      only minimal effects on promoter function. We identified and partially purified
      from nuclear extracts a 40-kDa protein (CBF40) that binds specifically to
      oligonucleotides containing the CCAC box sequence. A mutation of the CCAC box
      that disrupted promoter function in vivo also impaired binding of CBF40 in vitro.
      These data suggest that cooperative interactions between CBF40 and other factors
      including MEF-2 are required for expression of the human myoglobin gene in
      skeletal muscle.

PMID- 1406678
TI  - Identification of a human cDNA encoding a protein that is structurally and
      functionally related to the yeast adenylyl cyclase-associated CAP proteins.
AB  - The adenylyl cyclases of both Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces
      pombe are associated with related proteins named CAP. In S. cerevisiae, CAP is
      required for cellular responses mediated by the RAS/cyclic AMP pathway. Both
      yeast CAPs appear to be bifunctional proteins: the N-terminal domains are
      required for the proper function of adenylyl cyclase, while loss of the C
      terminal domains results in morphological and nutritional defects that appear to
      be unrelated to the cAMP pathways. Expression of either yeast CAP in the
      heterologous yeast suppresses phenotypes associated with loss of the C-terminal
      domain of the endogenous CAP but does not suppress loss of the N-terminal domain.
      On the basis of the homology between the two yeast CAP proteins, we have designed
      degenerate oligonucleotides that we used to detect, by the polymerase chain
      reaction method, a human cDNA fragment encoding a CAP-related peptide. Using the
      polymerase chain reaction fragment as a probe, we isolated a human cDNA clone
      encoding a 475-amino-acid protein that is homologous to the yeast CAP proteins.
      Expression of the human CAP protein in S. cerevisiae suppresses the phenotypes
      associated with loss of the C-terminal domain of CAP but does not suppress
      phenotypes associated with loss of the N-terminal domain. Thus, CAP proteins have
      been structurally and, to some extent, functionally conserved in evolution
      between yeasts and mammals.

PMID- 1406679
TI  - Human DNA-activated protein kinase phosphorylates serines 15 and 37 in the amino
      terminal transactivation domain of human p53.
AB  - Human DNA-PK is a nuclear, serine/threonine protein kinase that, when activated
      by DNA, phosphorylates several DNA-binding substrates, including the tumor
      suppressor protein p53. To identify which p53 residues are phosphorylated, we
      examined DNA-PK's ability to phosphorylate synthetic peptides corresponding to
      human p53 sequences. Serines 15 and 37 in the amino-terminal transactivation
      domain of human p53, and serines 7 and 18 of mouse p53, were phosphorylated by
      DNA-PK in the context of synthetic peptides. Other serines in these p53 peptides,
      and serines in other p53 peptides, including peptides containing the serine 315
      p34cdc2 site and the serine 392 casein kinase II site, were not recognized by DNA
      PK or were phosphorylated less efficiently. Phosphorylation of the conserved
      serine 15 in human p53 peptides depended on the presence of an adjacent
      glutamine, and phosphorylation was inhibited by the presence of a nearby lysine.
      Phosphorylation of recombinant wild-type mouse p53 was inhibited at high DNA
      concentrations, suggesting that DNA-PK may phosphorylate p53 only when both are
      bound to DNA at nearby sites. Our study suggests that DNA-PK may have a role in
      regulating cell growth and indicates how phosphorylation of serine 15 in DNA
      bound p53 could alter p53 function.

PMID- 1406680
TI  - Functional asymmetry of the regions juxtaposed to the membrane-binding sequence
      of polyomavirus middle T antigen.
AB  - The functional importance of the two clusters of positively charged amino acids
      which flank the hydrophobic membrane-anchoring sequence of polyomavirus middle T
      (mT) protein has been investigated by using site-directed mutagenesis. A clear
      asymmetry was apparent. No effect on transformation was seen following multiple
      alterations or complete removal of the cluster at the carboxyl end of the
      protein. In contrast, a single substitution replacing the first arginine amino
      terminal to the hydrophobic stretch with glutamic acid, but not with lysine,
      histidine, or methionine, produced a partially transformation-defective mutant
      with a novel phenotype. This mutant failed to confer anchorage-independent growth
      on F111 established rat embryo fibroblasts but induced foci with altered
      morphology compared with wild-type mT. Biochemical studies on this mutant
      revealed that F111 clones expressing levels of mutant mT equivalent to those of
      wild-type controls showed a 65% reduction in pp60c-src activation and an 87%
      reduction in mT-associated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity. However, F111
      clones expressing seven times more mutant mT than did wild-type controls showed
      equal or greater levels of kinase activities yet remained incompletely
      transformed. Possible mechanisms involving this transformation-sensitive region
      of mT are discussed.

PMID- 1406681
TI  - Conformational activation of a basic helix-loop-helix protein (MyoD1) by the C
      terminal region of murine HSP90 (HSP84).
AB  - A murine cardiac lambda gt11 expression library was screened with an amphipathic
      helix antibody, and a recombinant representing the C-terminal 194 residues of
      murine HSP90 (HSP84) was cloned. Both recombinant and native HSP90s were then
      found to rapidly convert a basic helix-loop-helix protein (MyoD1) from an
      inactive to an active conformation, as assayed by sequence-specific DNA binding.
      The conversion process involves a transient interaction between HSP90 and MyoD1
      and does not result in the formation of a stable tertiary complex. Conversion
      does not require ATP and occurs stoichiometrically in a dose-dependent fashion.
      HSP90 is an abundant, ubiquitous, and highly conserved protein present in most
      eukaryotic cells. These results provide direct evidence that HSP90 can affect the
      conformational structure of a DNA-binding protein.

PMID- 1406682
TI  - The growth-stimulatory effect of simian virus 40 T antigen requires the
      interaction of insulinlike growth factor 1 with its receptor.
AB  - We have used a plasmid expressing a temperature-sensitive (ts) mutant of simian
      virus 40 (SV40) T antigen, stably transfected into 3T3 cells, to study the role
      of insulinlike growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and its receptor in T-antigen-mediated
      growth. While 3T3 cells do not grow in serum-free medium, in 1% serum, or with
      the sole addition of either platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) or IGF-1, cells
      expressing the tsA T antigen (BALB 58 cells) grow at 34 degrees C in either PDGF
      or 1% serum but not in IGF-1. At the restrictive temperature (39.6 degrees C),
      these cells can only grow in 10% serum. We show that BALB 58 cells, at 34 degrees
      C, have a markedly increased expression of IGF-1 and IGF-1 mRNA and that their
      growth in 1% serum (at 34 degrees C) is inhibited by an antisense
      oligodeoxynucleotide to the IGF-1 receptor RNA. When this tsA plasmid is stably
      transfected into cells constitutively overexpressing the human IGF-1 receptor
      cDNA, the resulting cell lines show a constitutively phosphorylated IGF-1
      receptor and grow in serum-free medium at 34 degrees C (but not at 39.6 degrees
      C). A functional SV40 T antigen also increases the expression of a plasmid in
      which the reporter luciferase gene is under the control of a rat IGF-1 promoter.
      We conclude (i) that the SV40 T antigen induces the expression of IGF-1 and IGF-1
      mRNA, at least in part by a transcriptional mechanism, thus altering the growth
      factors requirements, and (ii) that, in BALB/c3t3 cells, the SV40 T antigen
      necessitates a functional IGF-1 receptor for its growth-stimulating effect in low
      serum (or PDGF).

PMID- 1406683
TI  - Raf-1 protein kinase is an integral component of the oncogenic signal cascade
      shared by epidermal growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor.
AB  - Our recent studies with cell mutants indicate that a cascade shared by the
      epidermal growth factor (EGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signals
      exists in NRK cells and mediates oncogenic signals induced by many oncogenes (A.
      Masuda, S. Kizaka-Kondoh, H. Miwatani, Y. Terada, H. Nojima, and H. Okayama, New
      Biol. 4:489-503, 1992). We have employed the antisense RNA technique to
      investigate possible involvement of Raf-1 kinase in this signal transduction
      cascade. NRK cell clones highly reduced in the Raf-1 production are generated by
      the expression of a c-raf-1 antisense RNA. They have no apparent growth defects
      and retain proper mitotic responses to growth factors but are refractory to
      transformation by EGF or PDGF plus transforming growth factor beta, v-erbB, v
      fms, v-K-ras, v-mos, v-fos, v-src, simian virus 40 large T, and polyomavirus
      middle T but not by v-raf or adenovirus E1A. These results not only support our
      model for the oncogenic signal cascade but also lead to the conclusion that Raf-1
      protein kinase is a downstream component of this oncogenic signal cascade shared
      by EGF and PDGF.

PMID- 1406684
TI  - Definition of the transcriptional activation domain of recombinant 43-kilodalton
      USF.
AB  - The cellular transcription factor USF is involved in the regulation of both
      cellular and viral genes and consists of 43- and 44-kDa polypeptides which
      independently show site-specific DNA binding. Cloning of the corresponding cDNA
      revealed that the 43-kDa polypeptide (USF43) is a member of the basic (B)-helix
      loop-helix (HLH)-leucine zipper (LZ) family of proteins and provided a means for
      its functional dissection. Initial structure-function studies revealed that the
      HLH and LZ regions are both important for USF43 oligomerization and DNA binding.
      The studies presented here have focused on the determination of domains that
      contribute to transcriptional activation in vitro and show that (i) both a small
      region close to the N terminus and a region between residues 93 and 156
      contribute strongly to transcriptional activation, (ii) full activation depends
      on the presence of both domains, (iii) the B-HLH-LZ region has no intrinsic
      activation potential but DNA binding is absolutely required for transcriptional
      activation, and (iv) the B-HLH-LZ region can be replaced by the Gal4 DNA binding
      domain without loss of activation potential.

PMID- 1406685
TI  - A Drosophila rotund transcript expressed during spermatogenesis and imaginal disc
      morphogenesis encodes a protein which is similar to human Rac GTPase-activating
      (racGAP) proteins.
AB  - The rotund (rn) locus of Drosophila melanogaster at cytogenetic position 84D3,4
      has been isolated and cloned on the basis of the mutant phenotype: an absence of
      structures in the subdistal regions of the appendages. The shortened appendages
      are the consequence of a localized cell death in the imaginal discs, precursors
      of the adult appendages. Physical characterization of the rn locus has
      demonstrated that it is relatively large, occupying a minimum of 50 kb. There are
      two major transcripts of 1.7 kb (m1.7) and 5.3 kb (m5.3). We present here the
      sequence analysis of m1.7 and its putative product, rnprot1.7, and show that
      rnprot1.7 is similar to the product of the human n-chimaerin gene, which is
      expressed in brain and testes. Recently, the GAP activity of n-chimaerin was
      demonstrated and shown to be specific for the Rac subfamily of the Ras
      oncoproteins. The Rac proteins have been implicated in the regulation of
      secretory processes. In addition to being expressed in the imaginal discs, the
      m1.7 racGAP transcript was detected in developmentally specific germ line cells
      of the testes, the primary spermatocytes.

PMID- 1406686
TI  - p53 is covalently linked to 5.8S rRNA.
AB  - We report here the isolation and identification of the RNA specifically
      immunoprecipitated and covalently linked to the tumor suppressor gene product
      p53. After treatment with proteinase K, the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide
      gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) band of p53 yields a single, discrete 157
      nucleotide RNA, which was cloned, sequenced, and identified as 5.8S rRNA. 5.8S
      rRNA was obtained only after proteolysis of the p53 SDS-PAGE band. Free 5.8S rRNA
      did not comigrate with p53 in SDS-PAGE. This RNA was only immunoprecipitated from
      cells containing p53. Protein-free RNA obtained by proteolysis of the p53 band
      hybridized to the single-stranded DNA vector containing the antisense sequence of
      5.8S rRNA. The covalence of the p53-5.8S rRNA linkage was demonstrated by the
      following findings: (i) p53 and the linked 5.8S rRNA comigrated in SDS-PAGE; (ii)
      only after treatment of the p53-RNA complex with proteinase K did the 5.8S rRNA
      migrate differently from p53-linked 5.8S rRNA; and (iii) this isolated RNA was
      found linked to phosphoserine, presumably at the 5' end. Covalent linkage to the
      single, specific RNA suggests that p53 may be involved in regulating the
      expression or function of 5.8S rRNA.

PMID- 1406687
TI  - Tumorigenicity of the met proto-oncogene and the gene for hepatocyte growth
      factor.
AB  - The met proto-oncogene is the tyrosine kinase growth factor receptor for
      hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF). It was previously shown that,
      like the oncogenic tpr-met, the mouse met proto-oncogene transforms NIH 3T3
      cells. We have established NIH 3T3 cells stably expressing both human (Methu) and
      mouse (Metmu) met proto-oncogene products. The protein products are properly
      processed and appear on the cell surface. NIH 3T3 cells express endogenous mouse
      HGF/SF mRNA, suggesting an autocrine activation mechanism for transformation by
      Metmu. However, the tumor-forming activity of Methu in NIH 3T3 cells is very low
      compared with that of Metmu, but efficient tumorigenesis occurs when Methu and
      HGF/SFhu are coexpressed. These results are consistent with an autocrine
      transformation mechanism and suggest further that the endogenous murine factor
      inefficiently activates the tumorigenic potential of Methu. The tumorigenicity
      observed with reciprocal chimeric human and mouse receptors that exchange
      external ligand-binding domains supports this conclusion. We also show that
      HGF/SFhu expressed in NIH 3T3 cells produces tumors in nude mice.

PMID- 1406688
TI  - C-terminal truncation of RAP1 results in the deregulation of telomere size,
      stability, and function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - The Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA-binding protein RAP1 is capable of binding in
      vitro to sequences from a wide variety of genomic loci, including upstream
      activating sequence elements, the HML and HMR silencer regions, and the poly(G1
      3T) tracts of telomeres. Recent biochemical and genetic studies have suggested
      that RAP1 physically and functionally interacts with the yeast telomere. To
      further investigate the role of RAP1 at the telomere, we have identified and
      characterized three intragenic suppressors of a temperature-sensitive allele of
      RAP1, rap1-5. These telomere deficiency (rap1t) alleles confer several novel
      phenotypes. First, telomere tract size elongates to up to 4 kb greater than sizes
      of wild-type or rap1-5 telomeres. Second, telomeres are highly unstable and are
      subject to rapid, but reversible, deletion of part or all of the increase in
      telomeric tract length. Telomeric deletion does not require the RAD52 or RAD1
      gene product. Third, chromosome loss and nondisjunction rates are elevated 15- to
      30-fold above wild-type levels. Sequencing analysis has shown that each rap1t
      allele contains a nonsense mutation within a discrete region between amino acids
      663 and 684. Mobility shift and Western immunoblot analyses indicate that each
      allele produces a truncated RAP1 protein, lacking the C-terminal 144 to 165 amino
      acids but capable of efficient DNA binding. These data suggest that RAP1 is a
      central regulator of both telomere and chromosome stability and define a C
      terminal domain that, while dispensable for viability, is required for these
      telomeric functions.

PMID- 1406689
TI  - Temporal order of DNA replication in the H-2 major histocompatibility complex of
      the mouse.
AB  - As an approach to mapping replicons in an extended chromosomal region, the
      temporal order of DNA replication was analyzed in the murine major
      histocompatibility gene complex (MHC). Replicating DNA from T-lymphoma and
      myelomonocyte cell lines was density labeled with bromodeoxyuridine and extracted
      from cells which had been fractionated into different stages of S phase by
      centrifugal elutriation. The replicating DNA from each fraction of S phase was
      separated from nonreplicating DNA on density gradients, blotted, and hybridized
      with 34 specific MHC probes. The earliest replication occurred in the vicinity of
      transcribed genes K, HAM1 and HAM2, RD, B144, D, L, T18, and T3. The temporal
      order of replication of groups of DNA segments suggests the location of five or
      six replicons within the H-2 complex, some of which appear to be either
      unidirectional or markedly asymmetric. The rates of replication through each of
      these apparent replicons appear to be similar. The TL region of the S49.1 T
      lymphoma cells, which contains at least three transcribed genes, replicates
      earlier than the inactive TL region of WEHI-3 myelomonocytic cells. These results
      provide further evidence of a relationship between transcription and the
      initiation of DNA replication in mammalian cells. The mouse MHC examined in this
      study is the largest chromosomal region (> 2,000 kb) measured for timing of
      replication to date.

PMID- 1406690
TI  - TFIIA induces conformational changes in TFIID via interactions with the basic
      repeat.
AB  - DNA-binding studies with Saccharomyces cerevisiae TFIID point mutants indicated
      that TFIIA interacts with the basic repeat region of TFIID and induces structural
      changes. The latter was shown by the ability of TFIIA to compensate for TFIID
      point mutants defective for DNA binding. Interaction with TFIIA also rendered
      TFIID binding temperature independent, thus mimicking the effect of removing the
      nonconserved N terminus of TFIID. In addition, N-terminal truncation of the TFIID
      point mutants defective for DNA binding mimicked the ability of TFIIA to restore
      DNA binding of those mutants. Taken together, these results suggest that TFIIA
      enhances TFIID binding to DNA by eliminating an otherwise inhibitory effect of
      the nonconserved N terminus of TFIID. Furthermore, analyses of TFIID contact
      points on DNA and binding studies with TATA-containing oligonucleotide probes
      showed that TFIIA decreases the effect of sequences flanking the adenovirus major
      late TATA element on TFIID binding to DNA, suggesting a possible role of TFIIA in
      allowing TFIID to recognize a wider variety of promoters.

PMID- 1406691
TI  - Synthetic lethal mutations suggest interactions between U5 small nuclear RNA and
      four proteins required for the second step of splicing.
AB  - To investigate the function of the U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) in
      pre-mRNA splicing, we have screened for factors that genetically interact with
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae U5 snRNA. We isolated trans-acting mutations that
      exacerbate the phenotypes of conditional alleles of the U5 snRNA and named these
      genes SLU, for synergistically lethal with U5 snRNA. SLU1 and SLU2 are essential
      for the first catalytic step of splicing, while SLU7 and SLU4 (an allele of PRP17
      [U. Vijayraghavan, M. Company, and J. Abelson, Genes Dev. 3:1206-1216, 1989]) are
      required only for the second step of splicing. Furthermore, slu4-1 and slu7-1 are
      lethal in combination with mutations in PRP16 and PRP18, which also function in
      the second step, but not with mutations in factors required for the first
      catalytic step, such as PRP8 and PRP4. We infer from these data that SLU4, SLU7,
      PRP18, PRP16, and the U5 snRNA interact functionally and that a major role of the
      U5 snRNP is to coordinate a set of factors that are required for the completion
      of the second catalytic step of splicing.

PMID- 1406692
TI  - Characterization of the human immunoglobulin kappa gene 3' enhancer: functional
      importance of three motifs that demonstrate B-cell-specific in vivo footprints.
AB  - Using a combination of in vivo footprinting and site-directed mutagenesis, we
      have functionally characterized an enhancer located 12 kb downstream of the human
      immunoglobulin kappa constant-region gene. The core enhancer region is highly
      homologous to the murine 3' kappa enhancer. However, in addition to two
      regulatory elements homologous to the functional motifs of the murine enhancer,
      we find a third positive regulatory element in the human enhancer. This element
      is associated with an 11/12-bp direct repeat (DR) that is well conserved in the
      murine locus but was not recognized as functionally important in the murine
      enhancer. Mutation of any of the three motifs of the human enhancer decreases its
      activity to 3 to 20% of the wild-type level, indicating cooperative interaction
      between these elements. The DR motif does not resemble any known enhancer element
      and does not appear to function as a transcriptional activator on its own when
      present in multiple copies. Interestingly, nuclear extracts from both B- and T
      cell lines contain factors binding to DR in vitro, but in vivo footprinting shows
      no evidence of protein-DNA binding in the T-cell line. This finding suggests that
      an additional regulatory mechanism, such as the effect of chromatin configuration
      on accessibility, may be involved in the B-cell-restricted activity of the human
      3' kappa enhancer.

PMID- 1406693
TI  - Purified cofactors and histone H1 mediate transcriptional regulation by CTF/NF-I.
AB  - The initiation of RNA polymerase II transcription is controlled by DNA sequence
      specific activator proteins, in combination with cofactor polypeptides whose
      function is poorly understood. Transcriptional cofactors of the CTF-1 activator
      were purified on the basis of their affinity for the regulatory protein. These
      purified cofactors were found to be required for CTF-1-regulated transcription,
      and they counteracted squelching by an excess of activator in in vitro
      reconstitution experiments. Interestingly, the cofactors possessed an inhibitory
      activity for basal transcription, which was relieved by the further addition of
      the activator. Histone H1 also contributes to the regulation of transcription by
      CTF-1, whereby the activator prevents repression of the basal transcription
      machinery by the histone. However, histone H1 could not replace the cofactors for
      CTF-1-regulated transcription, indicating that they possess distinct
      transcriptional properties. Furthermore, the purified cofactors were found to be
      required, together with the activator, in order to antagonize the histone
      mediated repression of transcription. These results suggest that CTF-1 and its
      cofactors function by regulating the assembly of the basal transcription
      machinery onto the promoter when the latter is in competition with DNA-binding
      inhibitory proteins such as histone H1.

PMID- 1406694
TI  - Identification of a new set of cell cycle-regulatory genes that regulate S-phase
      transcription of histone genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - Histone mRNA synthesis is tightly regulated to S phase of the yeast Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae cell cycle as a result of transcriptional and posttranscriptional
      controls. Moreover, histone gene transcription decreases rapidly if DNA
      replication is inhibited by hydroxyurea or if cells are arrested in G1 by the
      mating pheromone alpha-factor. To identify the transcriptional controls
      responsible for cycle-specific histone mRNA synthesis, we have developed a
      selection for mutations which disrupt this process. Using this approach, we have
      isolated five mutants (hpc1, hpc2, hpc3, hpc4, and hpc5) in which cell cycle
      regulation of histone gene transcription is altered. All of these mutations are
      recessive and belong to separate complementation groups. Of these, only one
      (hpc1) falls in one of the three complementation groups identified previously by
      other means (M. A. Osley and D. Lycan, Mol. Cell. Biol. 7:4204-4210, 1987),
      indicating that at least seven different genes are involved in the cell cycle
      specific regulation of histone gene transcription. hpc4 is unique in that
      derepression occurs only in the presence of hydroxyurea but not alpha-factor,
      suggesting that at least one of the regulatory factors is specific to histone
      gene transcription after DNA replication is blocked. One of the hpc mutations
      (hpc2) suppresses delta insertion mutations in the HIS4 and LYS2 loci. This
      effect allowed the cloning and sequence analysis of HPC2, which encodes a 67.5
      kDa, highly charged basic protein.

PMID- 1406695
TI  - A Raf-1-related p110 polypeptide associates with the CD4-p56lck complex in T
      cells.
AB  - The CD4 and CD8 antigens on T cells have been shown to associate with the Src
      family member p56lck and a GTP-binding protein, p32. The identification of
      receptor interactions with intracellular mediators is essential in the
      elucidation of downstream signals mediated by engagement of these receptor
      complexes. In this study, we report the detection of an additional 110-kDa
      polypeptide (p110) associated with the CD4-p56lck complex in human peripheral
      blood T lymphocytes and leukemic T-cell lines. p110 bound preferentially to CD4
      p56lck as an assembled complex and poorly, if at all, to the individual
      components. p110 was recognized directly by an antiserum to the C-terminal region
      of the serine/threonine kinase Raf-1 and is related to a p110 polypeptide
      detected in anti-Raf-1 immunoprecipitates. Despite its association with the CD4
      p56lck complex, p110 was found to be phosphorylated predominantly on serine
      residues. Furthermore, phorbol ester treatment of cells resulted in a transient
      increase in the detection of p110 associated with CD4-p56lck, concomitant with
      the modulation of CD4-p56lck from the cell surface. This Raf-1-related p110 is
      therefore likely to play a role in signals generated from the CD4-p56lck complex.
      p110 may serve as a bridge between the CD4-p56lck complex and the
      serine/threonine kinase pathways of T-cell activation.

PMID- 1406697
TI  - 3,5,3'-Triiodothyronine positively regulates both MyoD1 gene transcription and
      terminal differentiation in C2 myoblasts.
AB  - Thyroid hormones are among the positive regulators of muscle development in vivo,
      but little is known about the way they work. We demonstrate here that MyoD1, one
      of the master genes controlling myogenesis, is a target of T3. After
      proliferating C2 myoblasts have been treated with T3 for 15 h, we observed a rise
      in MyoD1 expression at both the mRNA and protein levels. This is the first
      positive hormonal control of MyoD1 gene expression reported so far. We also
      provide data which suggest that T3 nuclear receptor(s) have a direct role on
      MyoD1 gene transcription: 1) C2 cells express the alpha 1 form of T3 nuclear
      receptors; 2) T3 up-regulates MyoD1 gene transcription and does not affect MyoD1
      mRNA stability, as demonstrated by run-on and actinomycin D chase experiments,
      respectively; and 3) this transcriptional activation does not need the synthesis
      of intermediate protein(s) since it is not abolished by simultaneous treatment
      with cycloheximide. Moreover, in presence of T3, the increase of MyoD1
      transcripts is associated with a faster terminal differentiation. Indeed we
      observed an earlier expression of various markers of myogenesis including
      myogenin (a regulatory gene of the MyoD1 family mainly involved in the triggering
      of terminal differentiation), myosin light chain 1A, and troponin T in T3-treated
      cells vs. untreated cells. We suggest that the regulation of a pivotal myogenic
      gene could be an important step in the control exerted by T3 on muscle
      development in vivo.

PMID- 1406698
TI  - Nucleotide sequence and tissue distribution of three insulin-like growth factor I
      prohormones in salmon.
AB  - Tissue distribution and potential alternative splicing of insulin-like growth
      factor I (IGF-I) messenger RNA were studied using reverse transcriptase
      polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on RNA from several tissues at various stages
      of the life cycle of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). DNA sequence analysis of
      RT-PCR products revealed three IGF-I mRNA transcripts, designated Ea-1, Ea-2, and
      Ea-3, which code for three distinct prohormones, IGF-IA-1, IGF-IA-2, and IGF-IA
      3, respectively. The E-domain of proIGF-IA-1 is 35 amino acids long and shares
      77% sequence identity with the E-domain of human proIGF-IA, which is also 35
      amino acids long. The proIGF-IA-2 and proIGF-IA-3 E-domains are homologous to the
      proIGF-IA-1 E-domain but contain 27 and 39 amino acid inserts, respectively,
      between Lys86 and Glu87. In the human IGF-I gene Lys86 is coded by exon 4 and
      Glu87 is coded by exon 6. This suggests that Ea-2 and Ea-3 transcripts may be the
      result of alternative splicing during pre-mRNA processing. All three transcripts
      were readily detectable using a solution hybridization/RNase protection assay.
      Furthermore, RT-PCR and DNA sequencing analysis indicate the presence of three
      IGF-I prohormones in another member of the Salmonidae family, the Atlantic salmon
      (Salmo salar). An analysis of IGF-I and -II E-domains from several vertebrates
      suggests that certain chemical and physical properties of the molecule are well
      conserved despite wide variations in primary structure. Ea-1, Ea-2, and Ea-3
      transcripts were found in whole embryos, and liver, muscle, and brain of juvenile
      and adult salmon. At least one IGF-I transcript was found in heart, kidney,
      testes, ovary, adipose tissue, and spleen of juvenile salmon. These results
      indicate that IGF-I is expressed during embryonic development of fish, and that
      most tissues are capable of IGF-I mRNA production. These data also indicate that
      pre-mRNA transcripts can be alternatively spliced to yield at least three
      prohormones.

PMID- 1406696
TI  - Expression of chimeric genes by the light-regulated cabII-1 promoter in
      Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: a cabII-1/nit1 gene functions as a dominant selectable
      marker in a nit1- nit2- strain.
AB  - In Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, expression of the cabII-1 gene increases
      dramatically in response to light (cabII-1 encodes one of the light-harvesting
      chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins of photosystem II). We have used a region
      upstream of the cabII-1 gene in translational fusions to the bacterial uidA gene
      (encodes beta-glucuronidase) and transcriptional fusions to the Chlamydomonas
      nitrate reductase gene (nit1). Chlamydomonas transformants carrying intact copies
      of the chimeric uidA gene do not express beta-glucuronidase at the level of
      enzyme activity or mRNA accumulation. Methylation in the cabII-1 promoter region
      of the introduced gene is extensive in these strains, suggesting that newly
      introduced foreign genes may be recognized and silenced by a cellular mechanism
      that is correlated with increased methylation. Transformants that express the
      chimeric cabII-1/nit1 gene have been recovered. In contrast to the endogenous
      nit1 gene, the chimeric cabII-1/nit1 gene is expressed in ammonium-containing
      medium. Moreover, nit1 mRNA accumulation is dramatically stimulated by light,
      with a time course that is indistinguishable from that of the endogenous cabII-1
      gene. The cabII-1/nit1 gene has been used to select transformants in a nit1- nit2
      Chlamydomonas strain (CC400G) and should be useful for transformation of the
      large number of mutants in the Ebersold-Levine lineage, which carry the same
      mutations.

PMID- 1406699
TI  - Pro-453 to Ser mutation in CYP21 is associated with nonclassic steroid 21
      hydroxylase deficiency.
AB  - Steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency is the leading cause of impaired cortisol
      synthesis in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), with the nonclassic form (NC)
      comprising approximately 1% of the Caucasian population. The structure of the
      CYP21 gene was studied in 13 unrelated NC-CAH patients, three affected siblings,
      and 55 blood donors using polymerase chain reaction. In addition to the Leu-281
      and Leu-30 mutations previously associated with NC-CAH, the finding of a Pro-453
      to Ser mutation in exon-10 of CYP21 in the NC-CAH patients is reported. Ser-453
      was found in 46.2% of unrelated NC-CAH patients, but only 7.7% and 3.6% of salt
      wasting CAH patients and blood donors, respectively. In contrast to the Leu-281
      and Leu-30 mutations, Ser-453 has not been previously detected in the CYP21
      pseudogene (CYP21P) and, therefore, has not likely arisen by gene conversion.

PMID- 1406700
TI  - Molecular cloning and expression of a full-length complementary DNA encoding the
      guinea pig adrenocortical estrogen sulfotransferase.
AB  - Complementary DNA for the guinea pig adrenocortical estrogen sulfotransferase
      (EST) has been cloned and expressed. Oligonucleotides, based on amino acid
      sequences of the purified 34-kilodalton protein, were synthesized and used to
      generate a specific probe by polymerase chain reaction for screening a guinea pig
      adrenal cDNA library. The polymerase chain reaction rapid amplification of cDNA
      ends procedure was employed to obtain the 3' and 5' cDNA ends, and a full-length
      cDNA was constructed. The cloned cDNA consists of 1192 base pairs and encodes a
      protein of 296 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 35,161 daltons. A
      computer search of the protein data banks revealed significant homology with
      several sulfotransferases: 71% with bovine placental estrogen sulfotransferase,
      52% with rat liver phenol sulfotransferase, 35% with rat liver hydroxysteroid
      sulfotransferase, and 36% with rat liver senescence marker protein 2. The EST
      cDNA was inserted into the pcDNA I eukaryotic expression vector and transfected
      into COS-7 cells. The successful expression of EST cDNA in COS-7 cells was
      ascertained by Western blot analysis using antibody generated against the protein
      used to obtain the original amino acid sequence. Additionally, the expressed
      protein was clearly functional. Only after transfection with EST cDNA was there
      detectable estradiol sulfotransferase activity in COS-7 cell cytosol. The
      expressed EST had a single pI of 6.4, whereas native guinea pig adrenocortical
      EST exhibits four primary charge isoforms. The majority of adrenocortical EST
      activity focuses as a broad bimodal band in the pH range of 6.6-6.2;
      additionally, three other discrete immunocross-reactive isoforms are present with
      pIs of 5.5, 5.4, and 5.2. Antibodies generated against each individual isoform
      cross-react with all the other isoforms and with the expressed protein. These
      isoforms were previously reported to be isomers of a pregnenolone-binding
      protein; however it is now evident that the isoforms and antibodies raised
      against them are EST specific. Under high stringency hybridization conditions,
      EST mRNA was only detected in the adrenal gland, where two mRNA species of 1.4
      and 1.8 kilobases were evident; when low stringency conditions were used, a faint
      1.4-kilobase band was also detected in the liver. Primer extension analysis
      revealed that the multiple mRNAs do not arise from differential transcription
      initiation sites, and genomic Southern blot analysis indicated that the multiple
      mRNAs arise from a single gene.

PMID- 1406701
TI  - Activation of insulin-like growth factor II expression during skeletal muscle
      regeneration in the rat: correlation with myotube formation.
AB  - Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are important stimulators of proliferation and
      differentiation of cultured myoblasts. It has previously been shown that IGF-I is
      induced during muscle regeneration in rodents, however, little is known about the
      expression of IGF-II. Therefore, two in vivo models were used to analyze IGF-II
      mRNA expression during skeletal muscle regeneration in the rat: injection of the
      snake venom notexin and induction of ischemia. During the regeneration process
      the levels of both IGF-I and IGF-II mRNA were transiently induced, as analyzed by
      solution hybridization. Both IGF-I-like immunoreactivity and IGF-II-like
      immunoreactivity were found to be present during muscle regeneration. In a time
      course study, induction of IGF-II was preceded by IGF-I, both at the mRNA and
      protein levels. Using alpha- and beta-actin as markers for different stages of
      skeletal muscle differentiation, together with the immunohistochemistry data, it
      is concluded that the expression of IGF-I and IGF-II occurs at different
      differentiation stages, and that IGF-II appears concomitant to the formation of
      myotubes. These results suggest that each IGF has a distinct role during the
      differentiation of muscle cells.

PMID- 1406702
TI  - The Nb2 form of prolactin receptor is able to activate a milk protein gene
      promoter.
AB  - We have recently cloned a cDNA encoding a mutant form of PRL receptor (PRL-R)
      from Nb2 cells, a PRL-dependent T lymphocyte-derived cell line. This cDNA is
      identical to the long form of the rat PRL-R, except for a deletion of 594 base
      pairs in the cytoplasmic domain, resulting in a mature receptor protein of 393
      amino acids. Although a segment containing three cytoplasmic regions of moderate
      to high amino acid sequence identity with members of the PRL/GH receptor family
      is missing in this receptor form, the region of highest (70%) identity is
      retained. In the following studies, a homologous functional assay was developed
      to test the activity of three forms of receptor with respect to their ability to
      transmit a lactogenic signal. In this system, CHO cells were transiently
      transfected with a construct containing 2300 base pairs of the 5'-flanking
      sequence of the rat beta-casein gene fused to the chloramphenicol
      acetyltransferase (CAT) gene and an expression vector containing the various
      forms of rat PRL-R cDNA. The transfected cells were grown in serum-free medium in
      the absence or presence of PRL. In cells transfected with the long form of the
      PRL-R and beta-casein/CAT construct, a 7.2- +/- 0.9-fold induction (n = 3) of CAT
      activity was seen when cells were cultured in the presence of 400 ng/ml PRL and 1
      micrograms/ml hydrocortisone. This level of stimulation was similar to that
      observed for the ovine beta-lactoglobulin/CAT construct in which a 5.7- +/- 1.2
      fold (n = 3) effect was found.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1406703
TI  - Steroidogenic factor I, a key regulator of steroidogenic enzyme expression, is
      the mouse homolog of fushi tarazu-factor I.
AB  - We proposed that a cell-selective regulatory protein coordinately regulates the
      expression of three enzymes that are required for the biosynthesis of
      corticosteroids: cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme, steroid 21-hydroxylase,
      and the aldosterone synthase isozyme of steroid 11 beta-hydroxylase. In this
      report, we identify a 53-kilodalton protein, termed steroidogenic factor 1 (SF
      1), that interacts with the related promoter elements from these steroidogenic
      enzymes, and we isolate and characterize a cDNA that very likely encodes this
      protein. We first showed that nuclear extracts from bovine adrenal glands
      interact with the mouse steroidogenic regulatory elements, forming complexes
      indistinguishable from those produced by nuclear extracts from mouse Y1
      adrenocortical cells. These bovine adrenal extracts were subjected to sequential
      ion exchange and affinity chromatography to yield a highly enriched preparation
      of SF-1. The predominant protein in the affinity-purified preparation comigrated
      with shift activity and had a mol wt of 53,000; UV cross-linking experiments
      demonstrated directly that this 53-kilodalton protein interacted with the
      steroidogenic regulatory element. Even with this marked enrichment, affinity
      purified SF-1 bound six steroidogenic regulatory elements. These results support
      strongly the model that a steroidogenic cell-selective protein interacts with
      related promoter elements from three steroidogenic enzymes to regulate their
      coordinate expression. The recognition sequence of SF-1 closely resembles those
      of nuclear hormone receptor family members, suggesting that SF-1 may belong to
      this supergene family. By screening a Y1 cell cDNA library with the DNA-binding
      region of the H-2RIIBP nuclear hormone receptor cDNA, we isolated a cDNA that is
      selectively expressed in steroidogenic cells. When expressed as a glutathione S
      transferase fusion protein in Escherichia. coli, the protein encoded by this cDNA
      interacts with all six related steroidogenic regulatory elements with a binding
      specificity indistinguishable from that of SF-1. Surprisingly, the sequence of
      the putative DNA-binding domain of this cDNA matches exactly the corresponding
      sequence of the mouse homolog of the Drosophila transcription factor fushi tarazu
      factor I. The demonstration that a member of the nuclear hormone receptor family
      interacts with the steroidogenic regulatory elements provides intriguing insights
      into possible mechanisms by which these essential genes are regulated.

PMID- 1406704
TI  - Effects of calcium and calcium ionophores on prolactin gene expression in GH3 and
      235-1 rat pituitary tumor cells.
AB  - Previous observations that extracellular calcium (Ca2+) enhanced PRL mRNA levels
      posttranscriptionally in GH3 rat pituitary tumor cells were made using double
      stranded transcription probes. The effects of Ca2+ and the Ca2+ ionophore,
      ionomycin, on PRL gene expression in GH3 and 235-1 cells were investigated using
      site- and strand-specific probes. Treatment of GH3 and 235-1 cells with 0.5 mM
      Ca2+ in serum-free medium specifically increased PRL mRNA levels by severalfold.
      In 235-1 but not GH3 cells PRL gene transcription was comparably induced by Ca2+.
      Use of single-stranded 5' and 3' probes revealed no antisense transcription, nor
      any Ca2+ effect on transcriptional elongation. Treatment with Ca2+ plus ionomycin
      inhibited PRL mRNA levels and gene transcription in both cell lines. Although
      their PRL gene transcription rates are similar, several basic differences were
      noted between the cell lines. The 235-1 cells exhibit a different profile of
      nuclear PRL pre-RNAs than GH3 cells. Also, mRNA levels for a Ca(2+)-regulated
      gene (GRP78) did not change in Ca(2+)-treated GH3 cells but decreased in Ca(2+)
      treated 235-1 cells. Ionomycin treatment increased GRP78 mRNA levels in both cell
      lines. Thus, addition of extracellular Ca2+ appears to affect [Ca2+]i in 235-1
      but not GH3 cells, while ionomycin affects [Ca2+]i in both cell lines. These data
      suggest that changing [Ca2+]i modulates PRL gene transcription. The comparative
      data suggest that posttranscriptional PRL regulation is Ca(2+)-regulated in GH3
      cells, but is constitutive in 235-1 cells.

PMID- 1406705
TI  - Posttranscriptional regulation of prolactin (PRL) gene expression in PRL
      deficient pituitary tumor cells.
AB  - Rat pituitary acidophils consist of somatotropes (GH+/PRL-), lactotropes (GH
      /PRL+), and lactosomatotropes (GH+/PRL+). Studies have indicated interconversion
      of these cell types in response to changing hormonal status. Representative tumor
      cell lines have been obtained for each acidophil cell type, and some display
      spontaneous interconversions. We examined whether the switch from GH3 cells
      (GH+/PRL+) to GH3LP and GC cells (both GH+/PRL-) involves repression of PRL gene
      expression at a transcriptional vs. posttranscriptional level. PRL mRNA is
      undetectable or barely detectable in GH3LP and GC cells. In contrast, nuclear
      extracts from these cells transcribe the PRL promoter in vitro, and their Pit-1
      mRNA levels are comparable to those in GH3 cells. Nuclear run-on transcription
      assays demonstrated that the PRL gene is transcribed in GH3LP and GC cells at a
      rate of about 60% of that observed in GH3 cells. No evidence was obtained for a
      block to transcriptional elongation or for transcription in the antisense
      direction across the PRL gene. Northern blot analysis of nuclear RNA revealed
      partially degraded and undetectable PRL gene transcripts in GH3LP cells and GC
      cells, respectively. These findings indicate that PRL gene transcripts are
      specifically degraded in tumor cells which display a pure somatotrope phenotype
      and raise the possibility that the trans-differentiation of lactosomatotropes to
      somatotropes involves posttranscriptional regulation of PRL gene expression.

PMID- 1406706
TI  - Identification and characterization of the chicken transforming growth factor
      beta 3 promoter.
AB  - The promoter regions of the three mammalian transforming growth factor-beta genes
      (TGF-beta s 1, 2, and 3) have been recently cloned and characterized. The
      sequences show little similarity, suggesting different mechanisms of
      transcriptional control of these genes. To study differences in transcriptional
      regulation of mammalian and avian TGF-beta, we have cloned and sequenced the 5'
      flanking region of chicken TGF-beta 3. Characterization of this region showed a
      TATA box and cAMP-responsive element (CRE) and AP-2 binding site consensus
      sequences starting at 12 and 28 base pairs, respectively, upstream from the TATA
      box. Moreover, four additional AP-2-like sites, 10 binding sites for the
      transcription factor Sp1, as well as two AP-1-like sites were also identified.
      Except for 32 base pairs of identity centered around the TATA box and CRE site
      and four other relatively small regions of identity, the chicken TGF-beta 3
      promoter was found to be structurally very different from the human TGF-beta 3
      promoter. Promoter fragments were cloned into a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase
      reporter plasmid to study functional activity. Basal transcriptional activity of
      the promoter was regulated in quail fibrosarcoma QM7 cells and in human
      adenocarcinoma A375 cells by multiple upstream elements including the TATA, CRE,
      and AP-2 sites. As in the human TGF-beta 3 promoter, the CRE site showed
      activation by forskolin, an effect which could be shown by expression of TGF-beta
      3 mRNA in cultured chicken and quail cells as well. Our results indicate a
      complex pattern of transcriptional regulation of the chicken TGF-beta 3 gene and
      suggest that differences in the regulation of expression of the genes for
      mammalian and avian TGF-beta 3 may result in part from the unique structure of
      their 5'-flanking regions.

PMID- 1406707
TI  - Homodimer formation is rate-limiting for high affinity DNA binding by
      glucocorticoid receptor.
AB  - The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a hormone-inducible transcription factor
      which activates transcription of specific genes by binding to a DNA sequence
      present in the promoters of inducible genes. These glucocorticoid response
      elements (GREs) have a conserved palindromic sequence. Each half-GRE palindrome
      binds one subunit of GR. We have assessed the relative affinity of GR monomers
      and homodimers for GRE and determined whether homodimer formation is rate
      limiting for high affinity GRE binding. The in vitro affinity of GRE binding by
      GR homodimers was approximately 2 x 10(-10) M, whereas it was approximately 1 nM
      for GR monomers. While homodimer:GRE complexes were very stable, monomer:GRE
      complexes appeared less stable in vitro. At low receptor concentration, GR
      preferentially bound GRE as a homodimer. Prior dilution of GR (equilibrium
      shifted to monomers) before addition to a GRE binding reaction resulted in slower
      kinetics of binding by comparison to parallel reactions in which concentrated
      (largely homodimeric) GR was added first. Taken together, these experiments
      suggest that homodimer formation is rate-limiting for high affinity GRE binding.
      A GRE mutant which contained only a half-binding site and which was unable to
      bind GR homodimers was also unable to confer glucocorticoid-inducible
      transcription. Taken together with previous work, these experiments support the
      model that GR homodimers are required for hormone-dependent activation of
      transcription and that receptor homodimer formation is rate-limiting for GRE
      binding.

PMID- 1406708
TI  - Insulin and insulin-like growth factor I regulate a thyroid-specific nuclear
      protein that binds to the thyroglobulin promoter.
AB  - The mechanism responsible for the stimulation of thyroglobulin (Tg) gene
      expression by insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in rat thyroid
      FRTL-5 cells has been investigated. Both insulin and IGF-I stimulate
      transcription from the Tg promoter in a transient transfection assay
      demonstrating that the promoter used contains the DNA signals necessary for
      insulin and IGF-I regulation. Promoter mutations that interfere with the binding
      of thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1), TTF-2, and the ubiquitous
      transcription factor abolish the insulin/IGF-I response, indicating that the
      three factors may be involved in the observed transcriptional control. Protein
      DNA binding studies did not reveal any effect of insulin/IGF-I on the ubiquitous
      transcription factor and the TTF-1 binding capacity. Instead, TTF-2 is absent in
      nuclear extracts from cells depleted of serum and insulin. Addition of insulin or
      IGF-I restores the TTF-2 concentration to normal levels and requires ongoing
      protein synthesis. The insulin effect was maximal at 24 h and at a concentration
      of 1 microgram/ml. The same effect was observed with a 10-fold lower
      concentration of IGF-I. These results suggest that insulin (probably through the
      IGF-I receptor) and IGF-I modulate the levels of TTF-2, which results in an
      increased expression of the Tg gene.

PMID- 1406709
TI  - R339H and P453S: CYP21 mutations associated with nonclassic steroid 21
      hydroxylase deficiency that are not apparent gene conversions.
AB  - Steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency is the most common enzymatic defect causing
      congenital adrenal hyperplasia, an inherited disorder of cortisol biosynthesis.
      All mutations thus far characterized that cause this disorder appear to result
      from recombinations between the gene encoding the enzyme, CYP21B (CYP21), and the
      adjacent pseudogene, CYP21A (CYP21P). These are either deletions caused by
      unequal crossing-over during meiosis or apparent transfers of deleterious
      sequences from CYP21A to CYP21B, a phenomenon termed gene conversion. However, a
      small percentage of alleles do not carry such a mutation. We analyzed DNA from a
      patient with the mild, nonclassic form of 21-hydroxylase deficiency, who carried
      one allele that had no gene conversions detectable by hybridization with
      oligonucleotide probes. Sequence analysis revealed that this allele carried two
      missense mutations, R339H and P453S, neither of which has been previously
      observed in CYP21A or CYP21B. Each of these mutations was introduced into CYP21
      cDNA which was then expressed in COS1 cells using a vaccinia virus system. Each
      mutation reduced the ability of the enzyme to 21-hydroxylate 17
      hydroxyprogesterone to 50% of normal and the ability to metabolize progesterone
      to 20% of normal. Thus, each of these mutations represents a potential nonclassic
      21-hydroxylase deficiency allele that is not the result of an apparent gene
      conversion.

PMID- 1406710
TI  - Differential expression of neural cell adhesion molecule and cadherins in
      pancreatic islets, glucagonomas, and insulinomas.
AB  - The endocrine cells of the pancreas develop from the endoderm and yet display
      several characteristics of a neuronal phenotype. During embryonic life, ductal
      epithelial cells give rise to first the glugagon-producing cells (alpha-cells)
      and then cells that express insulin (beta-cells), somatostatin (delta-cells), and
      pancreatic polypeptide (PP-cells) in a sequential order. The endocrine cells are
      believed to arise from a stem cell with neuronal traits. The developmental
      lineage from a common neuron-like progenitor is evidenced by: transient
      coexpression of more than one cell type-specific hormone in immature cells,
      expression of neuronal markers during islet cell development, and the
      pluripotentiality of clones of insulinoma cells to develop into cells expressing
      other islet cell hormones. The four mature endocrine cell types assume a
      particular organization within the islets of Langerhans in a process where cell
      adhesion molecules are involved. In this study we have analyzed the expression of
      neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) and cadherin molecules in neonatal, young,
      and adult rat islet cells as well as in glucagonomas and insulinomas derived from
      a pluripotent rat islet cell tumor. Whereas primary islet cells at all ages
      express unsialylated NCAM and E-cadherin, as do insulinomas, the glucagonomas
      express the polysialylated NCAM, which is characteristic for developing neurons.
      The glucagonomas also lose E-cadherin expression and instead express a cadherin
      which is similar to N-cadherin in brain. Insulinoma cells express E-cadherin but
      differ from primary islet cells by expressing a second cadherin molecule, which
      is similar to N-cadherin. The expression of NCAM and cadherin isoforms in the
      glucagonoma suggest that this transformed alpha-cell type has converted to an
      immature phenotype with strong neuronal traits, reflecting the early palce of
      glucagon-producing cells in the islet cell lineage. In contrast, insulinoma cells
      are more islet-like in their phenotype and show less neuronal traits.

PMID- 1406711
TI  - Citation for the Ernst Oppenheimer Award of The Endocrine Society to James Larry
      Jameson.

PMID- 1406712
TI  - Citation for the Richard E. Weitzman Memorial Award to Fred E. Cohen.

PMID- 1406713
TI  - Citation for the Fred Conrad Koch Award of The Endocrine Society to Melvin M.
      Grumbach and Selna L. Kaplan.

PMID- 1406714
TI  - Citation for the Edwin B. Astwood Lectureship of The Endocrine Society to Michael
      O. Thorner.

PMID- 1406715
TI  - Citation for the Sidney H. Ingbar Distinguished Service Award to Nettie Karpin.

PMID- 1406716
TI  - Citation for the Robert H. Williams Distinguished Service Award to Claude J.
      Migeon.

PMID- 1406717
TI  - Citation for the Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Pharmaceutical Clinical Investigator Award
      of The Endocrine Society to Samuel S. C. Yen.

PMID- 1406719
TI  - Specificity of anti-P25 antibodies produced against whole HIV-1 particles or
      soluble forms of the protein.
AB  - Specificity of anti-p25 antibodies produced against either whole Human
      Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) particles in humans and chimpanzees, or
      against soluble forms of the protein in chimpanzees and rabbits was analyzed by
      ELISA using a panel of 37 long (> or = 30 residues) or shorter (9-21 residues)
      overlapping peptides covering the entire p25 sequence. Antibodies elicited by
      intact virions presented similar reactivity patterns in HIV-1-infected humans and
      in HIV-1-infected or immunized chimpanzees and recognized only a limited region
      mostly the C-terminus of the molecule. Moreover, 8 of the human sera (36%), which
      nonetheless reacted with high titers and avidity with native p25, did not bind to
      any long or short peptide. These results suggest that the majority of antibodies
      elicited by viral particles are presumably directed to conformational epitopes.
      In contrast, antibodies raised against soluble forms of p25 could react against
      all long peptides but one (residues 211-245) and against some short peptides,
      indicating that most of p25 sequence may be immunogenic under these conditions.
      These results suggest that the reactivity spectrum of anti p25 antibodies is
      rather different if they are produced against intact HIV-1 particles or the
      soluble protein. They also indicate that it may be possible to manipulate the
      specificity of the humoral immune response by using either intact virions or
      purified proteins.

PMID- 1406720
TI  - Characterization of the binding of Bolton-Hunter labeled [125I]C5a to human
      neutrophil, monocyte and U-937 cell membranes.
AB  - The fifth component of the complement cascade, C5a, was iodinated using the
      Bolton-Hunter reagent. Results from the present study, using the high affinity
      ligand, [125I]Bolton-Hunter-labeled C5a ([125I]BH-C5a), revealed a single binding
      site on membranes prepared from human neutrophils, U-937 cells and human
      monocytes. Saturation studies demonstrated Bmax values in these cells of 11.5,
      47.3 and 16.6 fmol/10(6) cells, respectively. The C5a receptor demonstrated a
      very high affinity for [125I]BH-C5a of approximately 4 pM in each cell type.
      Competition studies using analogs of C5a generated a similar order of potency in
      each of the cell types of C5a > or = C5a(1-74), Ser66Ala > C5a(1-73) > C5a(1-69).
      These studies indicate that [125I]BH-C5a labels a similar receptor in neutrophil,
      U-937 cell and monocyte membranes. Furthermore, C5a(1-73) produced shallow
      inhibition curves in competition experiments in each cell type. Computer analysis
      of the binding data revealed two components of binding. When 10 nM unlabeled C5a
      was used to initiate dissociation of [125I]BH-C5a binding in neutrophil
      membranes, two binding components were observed. In addition, dissociation of
      [125I]BH-C5a binding by 10 nM unlabeled C5a in the presence of 1 mM GppNHp
      decreased the percentage of binding to the slowly dissociating, high affinity
      binding component from 84 to 58%. These results suggest that multiple states of
      the C5a receptor exist.

PMID- 1406718
TI  - CD32A (Fc gamma RIIa) mRNA expression and regulation in blood monocytes and cell
      lines.
AB  - The cell surface expression of the CD32 receptors for the Fc portion of
      immunoglobulin G (Fc gamma RII) is highly regulated by agents such as phorbol
      ester (PMA) and cytokines. In this study we investigated the regulatory effects
      of PMA, aggregated IgG (AIgG) and KuFc79 anti-CD32 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) on
      the expression of the CD32A isomer mRNA. When U937 (CD32+ cells) are incubated
      with PMA a significant enhancement of the CD32A isomer mRNA is observed. The
      CD32A mRNA is also markedly enhanced when the CD32+ K562 cells are incubated with
      AIgG and anti-CD32 mAb but not with control MOPC-195 mAb. The addition of
      actinomycin D (ActD), a transcriptional inhibitor together with PMA, AIgG or
      KuFc79 mAb diminishes the enhanced levels of CD32A mRNA to the basal,
      constitutively expressed levels, implicating transcriptional regulation in this
      modulatory process. The PMA induced mRNA is rapidly degraded while the
      constitutively expressed CD32A mRNA is not, suggesting differential regulation of
      the stimulated vs the unstimulated CD32A mRNA. Inhibition of protein synthesis
      does not significantly affect the upregulation of CD32 mRNA by PMA, AIgG or
      KuFc79 in U937 and K562 cells. The upregulation of CD32A mRNA observed in the
      cell lines U937 and K562 is also detected when normal blood monocytes are used.
      Similarly to the cell lines the enhancement of CD32A mRNA in monocytes is blocked
      by ActD.

PMID- 1406721
TI  - Cold target competition analysis of the classical activation pathway of
      complement-mediated cytotoxicity: a non-interaction model for competing lysis.
AB  - A mathematical analysis of cold target competition experiments of complement
      mediated lysis is presented, aimed at developing a minimal model of lysis where
      no interaction between the competing populations of sensitized blood group A and
      B erythrocytes is presumed. The model is able to predict the extent of lysis from
      the input values with remarkable accuracy suggesting that under the conditions
      used no stimulation and/or inhibition of the lysis of the sensitized erythrocytes
      occurs. The distribution of complement between the competing A and B erythrocyte
      populations is approximated by the model and found to be proportional to the 5th
      and 4th power of the ratios of the antibody and target cell concentrations,
      respectively. In accordance with earlier observations, suggesting that the
      interaction between the antibody and the C1q molecules is based on polar
      electrostatic charges, we propose that the sensitizing antibody provides an
      electrostatic field around the erythrocytes which attracts C1q molecules towards
      their membranes.

PMID- 1406722
TI  - The same few V genes account for a majority of oxazolone antibodies in most mouse
      strains.
AB  - The early primary anti-phenyloxazolone antibodies of 12 mouse strains were
      studied by determining proportions of two defined subsets id495 (the classical
      phOx idiotype) and id350. Id495-positive antibodies bear an H chain encoded by
      VHOx1 gene (family Q52) and an L chain usually coded for by VKOx1 but
      occasionally by other VK genes. Id350-positive antibodies are encoded by a VK
      gene VK45.1, and usually by a VH gene of the S107 family. All 12 strains
      (representing nine H-chain and four kappa-chain haplotypes) produced id350
      positive anti-phOx antibodies. While id495 is the predominant major subset in the
      BALB/c response (originally studied), id350 seems to be the predominant subset of
      early anti-phOx antibodies in the mouse species. The combined proportion of the
      two subsets varied from ca. 50 to almost 100% of the total in all strains except
      C57BL.

PMID- 1406723
TI  - Monoclonal antibodies to a CD4 peptide derivative which includes the region
      corresponding to an immunoglobulin CDR3: evidence of the involvement of pre-CDR3
      related region in HIV-1 and host cell interaction.
AB  - A CD4 peptide of amino acid residues 68-130 [CD4(68-130)], which had the
      capacities to inhibit HIV-1 replication and HIV-1-induced syncytium formation,
      was used as an immunogen for the preparation of mAb. The mAbs prepared were
      classified into at least five types (I-V) in terms of their recognition sites by
      ELISA using various kinds of smaller CD4 peptides. Among them, the type I mAb no.
      35 recognizing amino acid residues 72-84, which lies just before the region
      corresponding to an immunoglobulin third complementarity-determining region
      (CDR3), showed the strongest effects in reducing both HIV-1 infection and HIV-1
      induced syncytium formation, although a large amount of no. 35 mAb was necessary
      to reduce such HIV-1 activities compared with those of anti-Leu-3a and OKT4A mAbs
      which recognize CD4 epitopes near a portion corresponding to an immunoglobulin
      CDR2. Western blot analysis showed that the reactivities of CD4 molecule in CD4
      positive cells or sCD4 molecule with types I-V mAbs were stronger than that with
      anti-Leu-3a mAb. Flow cytometry showed that no. 35 mAb was faintly reactive with
      native CD4 molecule on cell surface at the concn showing the inhibitory effects
      on HIV-1 infection and syncytium formation. In addition, a smaller peptide CD4(66
      92), one of the good epitope peptides for no. 35 mAb, also showed strong
      inhibitory effect on HIV-1 infection as well as a weaker inhibitory effect on
      syncytium formation. These results suggest that, in addition to the CD4 CDR2
      related region, the pre-CDR3-related region is also involved in the early events
      of the interactions between the host cell and HIV-1.

PMID- 1406724
TI  - Distribution of allergens and allergen-coding mRNAs in various tissues of white
      birch.
AB  - The distribution of allergenic proteins was investigated in various tissues of
      white birch, Betula verrucosa (pollen, leaves and male inflorescences containing
      immature pollen). In addition, callus and suspension culture cells were
      investigated for expression of IgE-binding proteins. Furthermore, RNA was
      extracted from all these tissues and subjected to in vitro translation in a cell
      free wheat germ system. Bet v I, the major birch pollen allergen, could be
      extracted easily from pollen, and in low amounts from callus and leaves. No Bet v
      I could be extracted from immature male inflorescences. Minor allergens were
      expressed in high concentrations in pollen and in low concentrations in immature
      male inflorescences. No minor allergens could be detected in callus and leaves.
      In contrast to these observations, RNA from all the tissues as well as from
      callus could be translated in vitro into Bet v I as well as into minor allergens,
      in particular birch profilin (Bet v II), an important minor allergen. These data
      suggest that IgE-binding proteins of B. verrucosa, especially Bet v I, under
      certain circumstances can readily be synthesized in tissues other than pollen.
      This concept is corroborated by the recent observation that Bet v I reveals high
      homology with disease resistance response gene products from other plants,
      suggesting a similar function of Bet v I for the birch.

PMID- 1406725
TI  - Genomic organisation and sequence of the extracellular domain exons of the bovine
      Fc gamma RI receptor, and evidence for restricted binding of ruminant IgG to U937
      cells.
AB  - Southern blotting of bovine genomic DNA and hybridization with a human Fc gamma
      RI cDNA probe, p135, has identified a single copy of the bovine Fc gamma RI gene.
      A bovine genomic lymphocyte library in lambda EMBL3 was screened with probe p135.
      A positive lambda clone, 15.5.4, containing the three extracellular domain exons
      of Fc gamma RI, has been cloned, mapped and sequenced. Each extracellular domain
      is encoded within a single exon. All three domains are assigned to the C-2 set of
      the Ig superfamily with 58% identity between amino acid residues of bovine, human
      and mouse Fc gamma RI. Pairs of cysteine residues are conserved in each domain as
      potential sites for intra-chain disulphide bonding. Human monocytoid U937 cells
      were used as a model to test binding homology within the Fc gamma RI family. The
      binding of IgG isotypes to IFN-gamma stimulated U937 cells was determined by
      FACScan flow cytometry. U937 cell Fc gamma RI receptor does not bind bovine or
      ovine IgG isotypes. On the basis of these studies and by comparison of the Fc
      determinant region sequences of IgG, the introduction of species specificity in
      Fc gamma RI/IgG interaction by evolutionary drift is proposed.

PMID- 1406726
TI  - Sensitive non-radioactive detection of HIV-1: use of nested primers for the
      amplification of HIV DNA.
AB  - This report describes the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the non
      radioactive detection of HIV-1 proviral genomic sequences in HIV-1 infected
      cells. We have developed a sensitive assay, using three different sets of nested
      primers and our results show that this method is superior to standard PCR for the
      detection of HIV-1 DNA. The assay described features the use of a simple and
      inexpensive sample preparation technique and a non-radioactive hybridization
      procedure for confirmation of results. To test the suitability of the assay for
      clinical purposes, we tested cell samples from 76 anti-HIV-1 positive patients.
      All were positive for at least one primer set: 88% were positive for all three
      sets of primers; 9% were positive for two sets of primers and 3% were positive
      for only one set of primers. It provides a useful approach to the study of HIV-1
      infection in patient samples where genomic copies often are present at such low
      numbers that they are otherwise undetectable.

PMID- 1406727
TI  - Generation of digoxigenin-labelled double-stranded and single-stranded probes
      using the polymerase chain reaction.
AB  - As the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can be used for the generation of vector
      free probes, the optimum conditions for incorporation of digoxigenin-11-dUTP into
      hepatitis B virus (HBV) probes have been investigated. High yields of double
      stranded or single-stranded probes can be obtained by utilizing a pair of primers
      or one primer alone. The probes were tested by dot-blot hybridization on HBV
      plasmid DNA, slot-blot hybridization on total cellular RNA of Alexander cells and
      Southern blot hybridization on cellular DNA of Alexander cells and HBV plasmid
      DNA. They were also tested by in situ hybridization (ISH) on HBV-positive biopsy
      liver tissue. A ratio of dig-dUTP:dTTP of 1:3 gave highest sensitivity in DNA
      hybridization. No loss of amplification efficiency and sensitivity was observed
      when the final concentration of dig-11-dUTP and dTTP was reduced to 20 microM and
      60 microM respectively, compared to 200 microM each of dATP, dCTP, dGTP. Several
      different sizes of double-strand probes were compared by dot-blot hybridization.
      Longer probes were more sensitive. Strong signal could also be obtained by
      combination of two or three small probes, which have overlapping sequences.
      Single-stranded DNA probes had advantages of simplicity of use, high sensitivity
      and strand specificity.

PMID- 1406728
TI  - Colorimetric detection of Plasmodium falciparum and direct sequencing of
      amplified gene fragments using a solid phase method.
AB  - A rapid colorimetric assay for the detection of DNA from Plasmodium falciparum
      malaria is described, allowing direct sequencing of amplified fragments in the
      positive samples. The method is based on amplification by the polymerase chain
      reaction (PCR), with incorporation of biotin and a lac operator sequence in the
      amplified target DNA. The PCR product was immobilized on streptavidin-coupled
      magnetic beads, and detected by the specific binding of an Escherichia coli lac
      repressor beta-galactosidase fusion protein. Positive samples were subsequently
      treated with alkali to generate single stranded templates, which were used for
      solid phase genomic sequencing. As targets for amplification and sequencing we
      selected a region of the gene for the antigen Pf155/RESA and a region of the
      parasite dihydrofolate reductase gene (PfDHFR/TS). We show here that both of
      these gene targets can be used for specific detection of P. falciparum in patient
      blood samples. Genomic sequencing of five patient isolates revealed no variation
      in the Pf155/RESA gene fragment. In a comparison of this sequence with conserved
      protein domains, a marked similarity to the src homology region 3 was detected. A
      point mutation was found in the PfDHFR/TS gene fragment of one of the clinical
      samples, replacing Ser108 with Asn. This mutation has earlier been described in
      pyrimethamine and cycloguanile-resistant strains of P. falciparum.

PMID- 1406729
TI  - Identification of Shiga-like toxin type II producing Escherichia coli using the
      polymerase chain reaction and a digoxigenin labelled DNA probe.
AB  - Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that enterohaemorrhagic strains of
      Escherichia coli which cause the haemolytic uremic syndrome in humans and the
      oedema disease in pigs more frequently produce Shiga-like toxin type II (SLT-II)
      than any other member of the Shiga-like toxin family. A technique has been
      developed for the identification of SLT-II producing E. coli using the polymerase
      chain reaction (PCR) and a digoxigenin (DIG)-labelled DNA probe to facilitate the
      early detection and epidemiological analysis of these pathogens. Whole cell DNA
      liberated from isolated colonies during the denaturation step of PCR was
      amplified using a primer pair which is homologous to the slt-II gene sequences.
      The amplification products were transferred directly to a nitrocellulose membrane
      or following agarose gel electrophoresis and DNA denaturation. A chemically
      labelled DNA probe, prepared using PCR with the incorporation of DIG, was used to
      identify the PCR products of strains which produced SLT-II or a variant of SLT
      II.

PMID- 1406731
TI  - Effects of post-mortem autolysis on the detection of rabies virus genomic RNA and
      mRNA in mouse brain by using in situ hybridization.
AB  - The effects of post-mortem autolysis were studied on the detection of rabies
      virus RNA in the brains of mice with experimental rabies by using in situ
      hybridization (ISH). The brains of CVS-infected mice were subjected to autolytic
      periods in situ of up to 72 h. ISH was performed with 3H-labelled RNA probes for
      rabies virus glycoprotein gene genomic RNA and mRNA. During the post-mortem
      period there was progressive loss of signals for genomic RNA and mRNA, which was
      greater for mRNA. ISH signals in perikarya also changed for genomic RNA from a
      multifocal to a diffuse distribution during the post-mortem period. Rabies virus
      antigen was better preserved during the autolytic period. Effects of the agonal
      state, degradation of RNA by ribonucleases, and diffusion of RNA out of cells
      prior to fixation could explain the loss of ISH signals in post-mortem tissues.

PMID- 1406730
TI  - Quantification of sensitive non-isotopic filter hybridizations using the
      peroxidase catalyzed luminol reaction.
AB  - The development of a sensitive, non-isotopic filter hybridization method based on
      the peroxidase catalyzed luminol reaction is described. High sensitivity was
      achieved by optimizing the conditions of the hybridization procedure, the
      immunochemical detection and the peroxidase/luminol reaction. This resulted in
      the reproducible detection of 10-30 femtogram of target DNA on blots within
      minutes when a cooled charge coupled device (CCD) camera was used to record the
      luminescence signal. After optimalization, the system was successfully applied
      for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of small amounts of DNA in dot
      blots as well as in Southern blot analysis.

PMID- 1406732
TI  - PCR amplification of mini-exon genes differentiates Trypanosoma cruzi from
      Trypanosoma rangeli.
AB  - Synthetic oligonucleotides corresponding to a conserved 22 nucleotide sequence
      within the tandemly repeated mini-exon gene have been used to amplify a single
      gene-containing repeat from Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli, two
      morphologically similar organisms with overlapping hosts and geographical
      distribution but different pathogenicity in humans. The T. cruzi repeat is 582
      nucleotides long and the T. rangeli repeat is 858 nucleotides. The two organisms
      may therefore be distinguished primarily by the electrophoretic mobilities of
      their respective amplification products. Confirmation of the diagnosis can be
      obtained by Southern blot analysis using species-specific DNA probes from the
      unique intergenic regions. We also present a diagnostic assay in which the unique
      intergenic regions are immobilized on nylon membranes and differentiation is
      based on hybridization with a digoxigenin-labelled PCR product.

PMID- 1406733
TI  - Comparison of spot-blot and microtitre plate methods for the detection of HIV-1
      PCR products.
AB  - We have compared spot-blot methodology with a recently developed rapid microtitre
      plate assay for the specific detection of HIV-1 PCR products. We have studied
      blood specimens isolated from HIV-1 infected individuals (48 asymptomatic and 56
      symptomatic patients). Mononuclear cells were isolated, lysed and processed for
      PCR. Both PCR product detection methods were carried out in parallel on all
      amplified samples. HIV-1 sequences were detected by spot-blot or microtitre plate
      hybridization in samples taken from 42/48 asymptomatic and 53/56 symptomatic
      subjects. Concordant results between the two detection methods were observed for
      90 samples, with 81 positive and nine negative assays. On repeat evaluation of
      the 14 discordant samples, nine showed concordant positive results, near the
      limit of detection of the assay. Serial dilutions of ACH-2 cells were amplified,
      and the PCR products were detected using the microtitre plate assay, yielding
      semi-quantitative results. The sensitivity of this simple, rapid assay compares
      with that of more laborious DNA detection systems. This may become a useful tool
      in HIV-1 research and in the clinical care of seropositive individuals.

PMID- 1406735
TI  - Arrangement of DYZ1 and DYZ2 repeats on the human Y-chromosome: a case with
      presence of DYZ1 and absence of DYZ2.
AB  - The composition of Yq-heterochromatin is dominated by the two repetitive
      sequences DYZ1 (4000 copies) and DYZ2 (2000 copies). Probes derived from these
      sequences can be used for sex determination and the structural analysis of
      aberrant Y-chromosomes. Using such probes Schmid et al., have recently proposed a
      regular interspersion of the two sequences in a ratio of 2:1 over the entire Yq12
      chromosome region. By Southern analysis we investigated the DNA of a normal male,
      cytogenetically negative for Yq-heterochromatin. Applying the same probes as used
      by Schmid et al., only a small amount of DYZ1 material could be detected. The
      case presented indicates the presence of DYZ1 only in the Yq11-Yq12 junction
      region and excludes DYZ2 from any function relevant for normal male development.

PMID- 1406734
TI  - Use of modified nucleotides and uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG) for the control of
      contamination in the PCR-based amplification of RNA.
AB  - The inadvertent carryover of amplified fragments of nucleic acids (amplicons) is
      a potential source of contamination in the polymerase chain reaction. Recently, a
      method has been developed to generate amplicons with deoxyuracil triphosphate
      (dUTP) and to specifically hydrolyze these amplicons with uracil-DNA glycosylase
      (UNG) following the completion of the assay. We evaluated this system for the
      specific amplification of RNA from coxsackievirus A3 and B3. We found that RNA
      from both viruses could be amplified with dUTP, although the use of this
      triphosphate in place of TTP resulted in some loss of assay sensitivity. We also
      found that the dUTP-containing amplicons could be efficiently hydrolyzed by UNG,
      resulting in a 10,000,000-fold reduction in amplicon concentration with little
      effect on the native nucleic acid. The dUTP-UNG method has a great deal of
      potential for reducing amplicon contamination during the routine performance of
      nucleic acid amplification reactions.

PMID- 1406736
TI  - [Exosurf-Neonatal: the synthetic surfactant. Introductory symposium, 20 June
      1992].

PMID- 1406737
TI  - Kash Mostofi, M.D.: a tribute.

PMID- 1406738
TI  - Image analysis and flow cytometry of tumors of prostate and bladder; with a
      comment on molecular biology of urothelial tumors.

PMID- 1406739
TI  - The prostate--overview: recent insights and speculations.

PMID- 1406740
TI  - Controversies in prostate pathology: dysplasia and carcinoma in situ.
AB  - In recent years we have made great strides in our understanding of various
      atypical lesions within the prostate. This clarity originated with the
      recognition that lesions of atypical hyperplasia of the prostate are diverse both
      in their histology and in their potential relationship to adenocarcinoma. While
      the possible relationship of adenosis to carcinoma is still somewhat
      controversial, there has been a growing body of histological, histochemical, and
      immunohistological evidence demonstrating that intraductal dysplasia (PIN) is
      closely linked to some forms of adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Whether there are
      significant differences in the relationship of intraductal dysplasia to
      clinically detectable peripherally located adenocarcinoma and centrally located
      incidentally found carcinomas needs additional clarification. Further studies on
      all forms of atypical hyperplasia are still required to determine their relative
      risk of developing carcinoma, similar to those that have been recently published
      on various atypical hyperplastic lesions within the breast. In order for these
      studies to be successful, better imaging techniques of the prostate must become
      available to rule out invasive carcinoma already being present when one of the
      forms of atypical hyperplasia is identified on biopsy. Additional directions of
      research in the future will also undoubtedly probe the molecular biology of
      various forms of atypical hyperplasia, in particular intraductal dysplasia and
      its relationship to carcinoma, although at this time the molecular
      characteristics of adenocarcinoma of the prostate is still in its infancy.

PMID- 1406741
TI  - Diagnostic correlations with whole mounts of radical prostatectomy specimens.
AB  - While probably not necessary in routine diagnosis, whole-mount sections of
      radical prostatectomy specimens can provide valuable information that is
      difficult to obtain by other means. Contrary to popular belief, the technique can
      be carried out in the routine histology laboratory with only minor modifications
      of existing methods. The use of this technique has provided valuable insight into
      the tumor biology of early stage prostatic cancer pointing to a multifocal origin
      for this disease. Likewise, the study of tumor volume, histological grade, and
      capsular penetration has provided a basis for the use of such prognostic markers
      in clinical management. The continuing development of new screening tools such as
      TRUS and MRI requires careful correlation with histopathology to assure a
      fundamental understanding of their abilities and limitations to detect and stage
      early-stage tumors. Only with such continued effort will diagnosis and clinical
      intervention allow us to make a meaningful impact on the natural history of this
      common malignancy.

PMID- 1406742
TI  - The biology of prostate cancer: new and future directions in predicting tumor
      behavior.
AB  - Because the present ability to treat and cure patients with prostate cancer is
      limited to those patients with pathologically organ-confined disease, it has
      become increasingly important to diagnose this disease at an early stage when
      cure is most likely. Recent advances in imaging may allow the urologist and
      pathologist to make the diagnosis of prostate cancer much earlier in the natural
      course of the disease. It therefore becomes imperative to have methods available
      to predict which patients have a high probability of progressing so that
      treatment can be assigned logically and appropriately. Our current methods of
      prognosis determination (stage and grade) do not allow accurate assessment of
      tumor behavior in the majority of individual patients with prostate cancer.
      Therefore, more accurate quantification of nuclear and cellular changes that take
      place as a tumor progresses to take on the aggressive (metastatic) phenotype are
      urgently needed. Experimental techniques have proven useful in answering these
      questions in animal models and now seem ready for large-scale testing in clinical
      studies.

PMID- 1406743
TI  - Significant nonmalignant proliferative and neoplastic lesions of the urinary
      bladder.

PMID- 1406744
TI  - Genetics of tumorigenesis and multidrug resistance in urinary bladder cancer.

PMID- 1406745
TI  - Urothelial neoplasia.
AB  - Urothelial neoplasia is a complex subject that can be only partially understood
      by careful study of the light microscopic features of individual lesions. Despite
      decades of study, our knowledge concerning the interaction of neoplastic events
      and host responses remains rudimentary. Most information has been collected by
      observing cases (usually in retrospect) that have been grouped according to
      relatively arbitrary criteria based on the phenotypic appearances of lesions as
      they are viewed through the light microscope. When evaluating human disease, we
      are always forced to reason backwards to determine the most likely histogenesis
      and to project forward to assess the most likely prognosis. Both types of
      reasoning must be filled with conjecture since direct observations from the
      initial events to the end results are not possible. Under these constricting
      circumstances, a conceptual framework into which our often anecdotal observations
      can be placed is more important than we would like to admit. With this in mind, I
      have taken advantage of the monograph format to risk a speculative approach to
      the subject, at least as it applies to the significance of the pathological
      features. In the past, we have accepted the view that all human hosts are
      essentially the same and that variations in cancer type and behavior are related
      almost entirely to the genetic ingenuity of the cancer cells themselves. Perhaps
      we should now entertain the opposite view, that carcinogenic events are
      ubiquitous and that cancer in any individual patient represents only what that
      patient will allow to grow in his or her body. We have devoted almost all of our
      collective research energy to examining the tumor. I believe that the pace of
      future progress can be significantly increased if we can think of more ways to
      examine the patient.

PMID- 1406746
TI  - Adrenergic receptors in hypertension and heart failure.

PMID- 1406747
TI  - Newer aspects of neuroendocrine control in heart failure.

PMID- 1406748
TI  - Pathophysiology and treatment of hypertensive heart disease.

PMID- 1406749
TI  - Management of malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmias.

PMID- 1406750
TI  - Graves' disease and its retroorbital aspects.
AB  - Graves' disease is a common, familial, but easily treated condition caused by
      unique autoantibodies which act as TSH agonists. Patients with the diagnostic eye
      signs of Graves' disease, however, require more careful treatment than those
      patients with principally thyroidal involvement because destructive therapy to
      the thyroid gland may exacerbate the eye disease. The cause of ophthalmic eye
      disease appears to be "crossover specificity" by the immune system for a
      recurrent antigen in extraocular muscles, fibroblasts, and the thyroid gland.
      Treatment directed at the autoimmune response may offer the most appropriate
      therapy in the years to come.

PMID- 1406751
TI  - Established and new uses of intravenous immunoglobulin.
AB  - We know much about the biologic activities of the immunoglobulin molecule. We
      know its structure, and much about its function. However, I think that surprises
      are still ahead of us. As we become more familiar with what the immunomodulation
      doses of IVGG can do, I think we will find other uses of IVGG relying on
      antiidiotypic antibodies and possibly other cell-mediated functions.

PMID- 1406752
TI  - The art of the gastrointestinal consultation: some aphorisms.

PMID- 1406753
TI  - Clinical and genetic associations in Marfan syndrome and related disorders.
AB  - Although Marfan syndrome has been a recognized clinical entity for nearly a
      century, only in the early 1950s were its manifestations and genetic features
      firmly and fully established. Similarly, although the identification of the basic
      defect in Marfan syndrome had been vigorously pursued for several decades, it was
      only in 1991 that two independent reports implicated fibrillin as the defective
      gene product. Surprisingly and serendipitously, these studies also revealed
      genetic heterogeneity of the fibrillin proteins and established linkage between
      one of these loci and a Marfan-related disorder, congenital contractural
      arachnodactyly. Like Marfan syndrome, this condition is accompanied by skeletal
      abnormalities; however, flexion joint contractures replace the loose-jointedness
      of Marfan syndrome and, more importantly, neither the eye nor the aorta are
      affected. More recently, a similar association with the fibrillin gene has also
      been established in the dominantly inherited form of ectopia lentis. These
      associations of structurally related gene products with Marfan and related
      syndromes may conceivably imply that other connective tissue disorders are caused
      by mutations in these or other yet undiscovered fibrillin genes.

PMID- 1406754
TI  - Epicardial cryoablation of myocardial tissue using endocardial thermal isolation.
AB  - Surgical cure of right atrial arrhythmias may be accomplished by excision,
      exclusion, or cryoablation of the arrhythmogenic focus. Cryoablation may be
      performed epicardially without cardiopulmonary bypass but carries an operative
      recurrence rate of 57%. Successful cryoablation of a right atrial arrhythmia
      requires the reliable creation of transmural tissue necrosis. Heat transferred to
      the endocardium from normothermic circulating blood in the atrium or within the
      atrial wall may prevent full-thickness, lethal freezes. This study demonstrates
      that compression of myocardial tissue between an external cryoprobe and an
      endocardial template produces endocardial thermal isolation of the target area by
      displacing warm solutions from the endocardium. This is essential to achieve
      consistently lethal transmural freezes of -60 degrees C. Use of this technique
      may reduce the high operative recurrence rate of right atrial tachycardias
      treated with conventional cryoablation techniques.

PMID- 1406755
TI  - Endometriosis causing colon obstruction in two postmenopausal women.
AB  - Colonic endometriosis is an uncommon lesion usually found in premenopausal women.
      We describe two postmenopausal women with colonic endometriosis that resulted in
      colonic obstruction. One of the women was receiving estrogen-replacement therapy.
      Colonic endometriosis in postmenopausal women may become more common as the
      population ages and the use of long-term estrogen-replacement therapy becomes
      increasingly widespread.

PMID- 1406756
TI  - Ileocecal tuberculosis in an Asian male immigrant: case report and literature
      review.

PMID- 1406757
TI  - [Isolation and purification of Brucella antigens synthesized by Escherichia coli
      K12 cells].
AB  - The homogeneous preparations of the brucella protein antigens were isolated from
      the hybrid producer strains Escherichia coli 6SE579 and 6SE800 by the cold
      osmotic shock technique and further purification on immunosorbents. The 18 + 38
      and 38 kDa antigens were obtained. The antiserum specific to brucella 38 kDa
      antigen was obtained and used for isolation of the 18 kDa antigen from the
      producer strain 6SE579 synthesizing two brucella antigens. The immunosorbent
      developed on the basis of BrCn-agarose conjugated with antibodies from the serum
      has permitted isolation of 18 kDa protein antigen preparation. Thus, the combined
      technique of cold osmotic shock and affinity chromatography on immunosorbents
      permits one to isolate highly purified individual antigens of brucella from
      Escherichia coli K12 producer cells.

PMID- 1406758
TI  - [Plasmid heterogeneity in populations of Yersinia pestis strains].
AB  - Yersinia pestis strains with the typical plasmid patterns were shown to have the
      heterogenic populations. Heterogeneity is increased by cultivation passages in
      artificial nutrient media and is manifested in plasmid elimination within several
      clones, plasmid integration into the chromosome, appearance of auxiliary plasmids
      or the ones with increased molecular masses. Passages of strains in experimental
      animals result in populations homogeneity with the typical plasmid patterns
      within all clones tested. The clones having changed the plasmid content and
      selected from heterogenic populations pertain their properties when cultivated in
      nutrient media and passaged in experimental animals.

PMID- 1406759
TI  - [Mu-induced deletions and mutations of Erwinia carotovora chromosomes, including
      resident prophages E105 and 59].
AB  - The plasmid RP4::Mu cts62 in stably inherited by Erwinia carotovora 268 strain.
      Under the conditions of thermoinduction bacteriophage Mu is segregated and
      completely eliminated more intensively than in Escherichia coli cells. At
      thermoinduction the transposition of bacteriophage Mu cts62 into different
      chromosomal sites takes place, causing the induction of chlorate resistant and
      auxotrophic mutants with the frequency of 10(-4). Two clones deficient in
      production of 2 of the 4 resident prophages of Erwinia carotovora 268 strain were
      found among Mu-induced mutants. The deleted prophages are E105 and 59. DNA-DNA
      hybridization has revealed the complete and partial deletions of bacteriophage
      E105 with the level of L-asparaginase production in the cells remaining intact.
      The damage of the prophage 59 is probably caused by point mutations or short
      deletions.

PMID- 1406760
TI  - [Preparative isolation of basic structural proteins of the influenza virus].
AB  - The schemes for preparative electrophoretic isolation and purification of major
      proteins from influenza virus are described. The viral envelope protein,
      hemagglutinin, two of its subunits, internal M and NP proteins of influenza
      viruses A/FPV/Rostock (H7N1), A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) and X-31 (H3N2) were obtained in
      preparative amounts and characterized by amino acid and N-terminus analyses.

PMID- 1406761
TI  - [Determination of the effectiveness of RNA cross-linking with protein induced by
      UV-radiation in potato X-virus particles].
AB  - The UV-irradiation was found to induce formation of the RNA-protein cross-links
      and intraviral RNA chain breaks in the particles of flexuous potato virus X
      (PVX). Using the technique developed previously for the rod-like tobacco mosaic
      virus (TMV), the quantum yields of RNA-protein cross-links and intraviral RNA
      polynucleotide chain breaks formation in the PVX were determined and found to be
      more or less close to those found for the intraviral TMV RNA.

PMID- 1406762
TI  - [Restriction analysis of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans DNA using pulsed field
      electrophoresis].
AB  - The DNA of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans digested by any of the five restriction
      endonucleases (DraI, EcoRI, Eco321, HindIII, XbaI) was studied by electrophoresis
      in the pulsating differently directed electric fields (PF). The influence of PF
      conditions on the sized row of the divided DNA fragments was studied. Only the
      XbaI restriction endonuclease was shown to cleave the Thiobacillus ferrooxidans
      DNA into a number of fragments permitting one to define the sizes of fragments
      and genome (no more than 2300 bp). The prospects of using the restriction
      analysis of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans wild type culture for improving its
      properties in obtaining heavy metals are discussed.

PMID- 1406763
TI  - Improvement of the exercise test after therapy in thyrotoxic periodic paralysis.
AB  - The diagnosis of periodic paralysis (PP) can be aided by demonstrating a decrease
      in compound motor action potential (CMAP) amplitude after several minutes of
      exercise. We report a case of secondary hypokalemic PP due to thyrotoxicosis in
      which the decrease in the CMAP amplitude after exercise dramatically improved
      after treatment, when a euthyroid state was achieved. The exercise test is a
      useful electrophysiologic means of monitoring the neuromuscular status of
      patients with thyrotoxic periodic paralysis prior to, and after treatment of the
      thyrotoxicosis.

PMID- 1406764
TI  - The spectrum of concentric macro EMG correlations. Part I. Normal subjects.
AB  - Using a concentric macro electrode, both the concentric and macro action
      potentials of a motor unit were analyzed for duration, area, and amplitude.
      Eighty-six different motor units were analyzed from the tibialis anterior muscle
      in 10 normal subjects. The aim of this work was to compare concentric and macro
      action potential measurements of the same motor unit. The study revealed
      significant correlations between concentric and macro samples, with the
      concentric potential's area correlating better with the macro potential than its
      amplitude. This shows that the 10 to 15 muscle fibers studied by the concentric
      electrode serve as a good sample of the motor unit as a whole. We briefly review
      the technique used in concentric macro EMG, as well as describe the methods used
      for collecting and comparing both concentric and macro action potentials.

PMID- 1406765
TI  - The spectrum of concentric macro EMG correlations. Part II. Patients with
      diseases of muscle and nerve.
AB  - In the second part of this study we investigate the correlations between the
      concentric and conmac action potentials in motor units of individuals with
      diseases of muscle and nerve. We studied 86 myopathic and 86 neurogenic motor
      units and compared their concentric and conmac action potentials. In the patients
      with myopathy, we found that the concentric motor unit action potential's (MUAP)
      area correlates strongly with the conmac potential, even better than in normals,
      while its amplitude correlates less. In the neurogenic group, we found that both
      the concentric MUAP's area and amplitude correlated very well with their conmac
      counterpart, more so than in normals. Thus, in pathology, as in normals,
      measuring the concentric MUAP's area in addition to its amplitude adds to the
      diagnostic sensitivity of motor unit potential measurements. These findings are
      discussed in light of the known dynamic and architectural motor unit changes
      which take place in the myopathic and neurogenic motor unit.

PMID- 1406767
TI  - Differential expression of muscular dystrophy in diaphragm versus hindlimb
      muscles of mdx mice.
AB  - Contractile properties of diaphragm (DIA) from mdx and control mice were compared
      with those of hindlimb muscles [soleus (SOL) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL)]
      in vitro. Mice ranged in age from 2 weeks to 1.5 years. Muscles were directly
      stimulated and properties measured were: contraction time, half-relaxation time,
      active tension per unit area, fatigue index, and maximal velocity of shortening
      (Vmax). Active tension decreased significantly with age in mdx DIA but not in
      control DIA. SOL and EDL active tensions were less in mdx than control over the
      whole age range and did not decrease with age. Vmax was decreased in mdx DIA, but
      not in mdx SOL or EDL. These results demonstrate that DIA is more affected by
      muscular dystrophy than hindlimb muscles. Since many Duchenne patients exhibit
      respiratory distress, this differential expression of dystrophy in diaphragm, as
      compared to limb muscles, may have important clinical implications.

PMID- 1406766
TI  - Effects of age, sex, and anthropometric factors on nerve conduction measures.
AB  - Associations among measures of median, ulnar, and sural nerve conduction and age,
      skin temperature, sex, and anthropometric factors were evaluated in a population
      of 105 healthy, asymptomatic adults without occupational exposure to highly
      repetitive or forceful hand exertions. Height was negatively associated with
      sensory amplitude in all nerves tested (P less than 0.001), and positively
      associated with median and ulnar sensory distal latencies (P less than 0.01) and
      sural latency (P less than 0.001). Index finger circumference was negatively
      associated with median and ulnar sensory amplitudes (P less than 0.05). Sex, in
      isolation from highly correlated anthropometric factors such as height, was not
      found to be a significant predictor of median or ulnar nerve conduction measures.
      Equations using age, height, and finger circumference for prediction of normal
      values are presented. Failure to adjust normal nerve conduction values for these
      factors decreases the diagnostic specificity and sensitivity of the described
      measures, and may result in misclassification of individuals.

PMID- 1406768
TI  - Nerve conduction studies in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
AB  - Nerve conduction studies (NCS) are an integral part of the evaluation of
      amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and are useful in distinguishing ALS
      from disorders that mimic it. The question often arises whether in the presence
      of severe atrophy and reduction of the compound muscle action potential
      amplitude, abnormal conduction velocity (CV), distal latency (DL), or F-wave
      latency (F) exceeds what can be expected from ALS alone. To determine the limits
      of abnormality in classic ALS, we prospectively evaluated NCS data from 61
      patients who met a strict clinical definition of ALS. We related CV, DL, and F to
      distal evoked amplitude (AMP) in peroneal (n = 63 observations), median (n = 50),
      and ulnar (n = 52) nerves. In nerves with reduced AMP, CV rarely fell to less
      than 80% of the lower limit of normal, and DL and F rarely exceeded 1.25 times
      the upper limit of normal. Utilizing the entire data set and regression analyses,
      95% confidence limits for expected values for CV, F, and DL as a function of AMP
      were calculated. These limits thus derived suggest criteria for NCS abnormalities
      in ALS and may be useful in differentiating ALS from other illnesses.

PMID- 1406769
TI  - Mild ischemia causes severe pathological changes in experimental diabetic nerve.
AB  - Nerve ischemia is considered one of etiological factors in the development of
      structural changes in peripheral nerves associated with diabetes mellitus. To
      assess the effect of mild ischemia on diabetic nerve, a subthreshold dose of
      polystyrene microspheres was injected intraarterially to occlude microvessels of
      the sciatic nerve and its branches in 20-week streptozotocin-induced diabetic and
      control rats. Diabetic sciatic and tibial nerves showed severe pathological
      change of myelinated fibers, whereas nondiabetic nerves were normal or had minor
      structural abnormalities. Morphometrical evaluation confirmed a greater frequency
      of abnormal myelinated fibers in diabetic nerves especially in central fascicular
      regions. The results indicate that diabetic nerve has an increased morphological
      susceptibility to nerve ischemia. Endoneurial hypoxia, which may result from
      hemorheological and vascular abnormalities, is likely to cause a lowered
      threshold to ischemic tolerance in diabetic nerve. This increased vulnerability
      to ischemia may render diabetic nerve unduly susceptible to hyperglycemia-induced
      systemic tissue abnormalities.

PMID- 1406770
TI  - Neuromuscular responses of patients with multiple sclerosis.
AB  - Muscle weakness, studied in 4 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), was compared
      with values from normal subjects. Twitch occlusion showed that normal subjects
      could activate their muscles maximally, but patients rarely achieved greater than
      60% activation. In both groups, motoneuron firing rates increased linearly with
      force. Consistent with the reduced level of activation, MCV firing rates in MS
      muscles rarely exceeded 17 Hz (compared with approximately 24 Hz for normals).
      However, for right and left muscles of one patient, mean maximum firing rates
      were 14.2 +/- 2 Hz and 8.0 +/- 2 Hz, but her muscles, could be activated to
      levels greater than 92% and 60%, respectively. This patient's ability to achieve
      higher than expected forces at low firing rates was probably due to her slow
      muscle contractile speeds, especially 1/2-relaxation time (75 to 115 ms, cf.
      approximately 60 ms for normals), and high twitch/tetanus ratio (0.4, cf. 0.2).

PMID- 1406771
TI  - F waves and motor unit size.
AB  - M responses and twitch contractions were evoked in single motor units (MUs) of
      the first dorsal interosseus muscle by intramuscular microstimulation of motor
      axons. Two-hundred nine MUs were studied in 21 subjects. Thirty-five MUs (17%)
      showed F waves in addition to M responses. Twitch force was used to provide an
      indirect measure of MU size; additionally, twitch contraction time was measured.
      There was no select group of MUs generating F waves with regard to the above
      contraction parameters. However, four of five MUs with very high twitch forces,
      above 70 mN, generated F waves. We conclude that MUs of all sizes produce F waves
      with similar probability. Only few MUs with very strong twitch forces, i.e., very
      large MUs, may be more subject to F-wave production and may be involved in the
      generation of the so-called repeater F waves.

PMID- 1406772
TI  - Proceedings of a consensus development conference on standardized measures in
      diabetic neuropathy. Clinical measures.

PMID- 1406773
TI  - Proceedings of a consensus development conference on standardized measures in
      diabetic neuropathy. Morphological and biochemical measures.

PMID- 1406774
TI  - Proceedings of a consensus development conference on standardized measures in
      diabetic neuropathy. Electrodiagnostic measures.

PMID- 1406775
TI  - Proceedings of a consensus development conference on standardized measures in
      diabetic neuropathy. Quantitative sensory testing.

PMID- 1406776
TI  - Proceedings of a consensus development conference on standardized measures in
      diabetic neuropathy. Summary and recommendations.

PMID- 1406777
TI  - Myoblast transfer in DMD: problems in the interpretation of efficiency.

PMID- 1406778
TI  - Mitochondrial abnormalities in oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy.

PMID- 1406779
TI  - Anorectal incontinence in myotonic dystrophy: a myopathic involvement of pelvic
      floor muscles.

PMID- 1406780
TI  - Is acute axonal form of Guillain-Barre syndrome a primary axonopathy?

PMID- 1406781
TI  - The really safe neurologist's pin--wooden toothpick.

PMID- 1406783
TI  - Shiatsu massage-induced injury of the median recurrent motor branch.

PMID- 1406782
TI  - Laryngeal dystonia in multiple system atrophy.

PMID- 1406784
TI  - Oral candidosis: treatment with absorbable and non-absorbable antifungal agents
      in children.
AB  - Oral candidosis in neonates and children is a common infection which occurs often
      during the first few months after birth, but occasionally also in older children
      with certain predisposing factors. In neonates, oral candidosis is usually
      benign, although the symptoms of such an acute infection can be disturbing to
      both the patient and the parents. In older children developing oral candidosis,
      specific predisposing factors may be present (e.g. immunodeficiency,
      chemotherapy, etc.). In such cases, the infection may constitute a source for
      further dissemination, leading to occasionally fatal Candida sepsis or to
      widespread chronic mucocutaneous candidosis. Treatment modalities to date include
      drugs with limited or no absorption from the gastrointestinal tract (e.g.
      nystatin and miconazole) and agents that are absorbed, combining local effect
      with systemic therapy (e.g. clotrimazole, ketoconazole, itraconazole and
      fluconazole). Overall, it appears that treatment of neonatal oral candidosis
      should be performed with non-absorbable drugs, while the systemically active
      agents should be used primarily if a risk of dissemination exists or if
      widespread disease is present. In general, side-effects and toxicity are not
      major causes of concern with non-absorbed or absorbed antifungals in children
      with oral candidosis, since treatment is usually of relatively short duration.
      When the systemically active agents are used in premature infants with sub
      optimal liver function, the risk of drug-induced liver toxicity may be increased.

PMID- 1406785
TI  - Melanized and non-melanized multicellular form mutants of Wangiella dermatitidis
      in mice: mortality and histopathology studies.
AB  - One melanized (Mc3) and one non-melanized (Mc3W) multicellular form mutant of W.
      dermatitidis were compared with parental wild type in NYLAR mice. Each mutant
      grows as multicellular (muriform-like) forms in vitro at 37 degrees C and as
      yeasts at less than or equal to 30 degrees C. Yeast cells of all three strains
      were injected intravenously at concentrations of 1 x 10(4), 1 x 10(6), 1 x 10(7),
      3 x 10(7) and 1 x 10(8) cells/mouse in groups of 10 mice. There was no virulence
      difference between wild type and Mc3, with 100% mortality obtained with each
      strain at greater than or equal to 1 x 10(7) cells/mouse. In contrast, Mc3W was
      less virulent, with mortality being obtained only at 1 x 10(8) cells/mouse.
      Histopathological study of brains, lungs, livers and spleens of moribund mice
      revealed that both Mc3 and Mc3W persisted in tissue as muriform cells, and in
      some cases as yeast, pseudohyphal and hyphal forms. There was no major difference
      between Mc3 and Mc3W in terms of histopathological response. These data support
      the association between melanin and virulence in W. dermatitidis and provide a
      model for the study of muriform cells in vivo.

PMID- 1406786
TI  - Fungal infections following heart transplantation.
AB  - Following heart transplantation (HTx), patients often suffer from mycoses due to
      the necessary immunosuppressive treatment to prevent rejection episodes.
      Oropharyngeal Candida infections which mostly occur after HTx under high-dose
      immunosuppressive therapy can be avoided and treated successfully by prophylactic
      medication to be started immediately after transplantation, either by using
      azoles (e.g. fluconazole) or amphotericin B suspension. Contrary to this,
      invasive aspergillosis, beginning in the upper respiratory tract and the lung and
      mostly followed by hematogenous dissemination into various organs, is always a
      serious disease with high mortality. To avoid this infection, specimens from the
      respiratory tract, serum and urine should be examined mycologically prior to HTx.
      After HTx, apart from prophylactic avoidance of exposure to airborne fungal
      spores, close mycological control is mandatory to detect colonizations by
      aspergilli early. Timely administration of amphotericin B and 5-flucytosine, i.e.
      as soon as invasive growth is suspected, enables curative treatment of the often
      lethal course of this disease, even under immunosuppressive therapy.

PMID- 1406787
TI  - Tissue response in sporotrichosis: light and electron microscopy studies.
AB  - On the basis of electron microscopy examination of human tissue affected by
      sporotrichosis, we have proposed a classification, at the light microscopy level,
      of fungal cells in tissue. Light and electron microscopy observations clarified
      the following five points: (1) in sporotrichosis lesions in man, the fungal cells
      are frequently phagocytized by polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs); (2)
      phagocytosis of phagocytes by other phagocytes was common, and giant cells
      phagocytized both fungal cells and PMNs; (3) fungal cells in the tissues of
      lesions were thought to be highly viable, and their budding was frequently
      observed within macrophages and giant cells; (4) it was highly probable that PMNs
      participated in asteroid body formation; (5) few free fungal cells were present
      in the tissues. We believe that the classification of fungal cells in
      sporotrichosis tissue into the five categories below is useful for correctly
      understanding the pathological condition in a sporotrichosis lesion: (1) fungal
      cells in PMNs, (2) fungal cells in PMNs within macrophages, (3) fungal cells in
      macrophages, (4) fungal cells in giant cells, and (5) free fungal cells.

PMID- 1406788
TI  - Symmetrical deforming cutaneous sporotrichosis of long duration.
AB  - A symmetrical deforming cutaneous sporotrichosis with verrucous lesions on both
      hands and of long clinical duration is reported. The difficulties in making an
      etiological diagnosis are considered.

PMID- 1406789
TI  - Candidaemia: a 10-year study in an Indian teaching hospital.
AB  - Retrospective evaluation of candidaemia patients was performed in an Indian
      teaching hospital over a 10-year period. The incidence of patients with
      candidaemia increased eleven-fold in the second half of the study period (55
      patients) compared with the first half (5 patients). Haematological malignancies
      (11 patients), neonatal septicaemia (9), cardiac abnormalities and cardiac
      surgery (9) were the commonest underlying diseases in these patients. Candida
      albicans (50%), C. guilliermondii (17%), C. tropicalis (15%) and C. parapsilosis
      (8%) were the most common fungal pathogens isolated from blood culture. Therapy
      with two or more antibiotics (92%), corticosteroid administration (25%),
      intravascular catheter use for over 24 h (78%) and neutropenia (48%) were the
      accountable predisposing factors. Prolonged hospitalization (mean average 22.2
      days as compared with 11.2 days in other patients) was an added risk factor in
      these patients.

PMID- 1406790
TI  - Susceptibility to ketoconazole of Candida albicans strains from sequentially
      followed HIV-1 patients with recurrent oral candidosis.
AB  - The MIC values of the antifungal drug ketoconazole were evaluated on 66 Candida
      albicans strains. These strains were isolated from 26 HIV-1 infected patients
      with oral recurrent candidosis. Each episode of oral candidosis observed in these
      patients was orally treated with ketoconazole (200 mg/day) until the clinical
      disappearance of the lesions. The most frequent MIC values were 20 micrograms/ml
      and 10 micrograms/ml, observed in 37 and 19 isolates respectively. Only strains
      from five patients showed changes in their susceptibility to ketoconazole. This
      fact could indicate that a different strain causes the subsequent reappearance of
      the oral lesions, rather than the drug selecting resistant fungal strains. Our
      results stress the role of host characteristics in the occurrence of candidal
      infections, pointing to the progressing failure of the immunological response as
      the most important factor responsible for the recurrence of oral candidosis
      during HIV-1 infection.

PMID- 1406791
TI  - Virulence of Candida albicans mutants.
AB  - Mutant strains of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans blocked in pyrimidine
      transport and salvage metabolism were tested for virulence in various animal
      models. The growth rate, germination and proteolytic enzyme production did not
      correlate with the virulence of the strains. However, a defect in the uridine
      transport system significantly decreased virulence in murine candidosis, although
      it had no effect in vaginal candidosis or in a Candida cyst model. It remains
      unclear whether this is due to the differing host defence mechanisms involved in
      systemic and superficial mycoses, or to the different requirements of the fungal
      systems for adherence and tissue invasion in the two types of infection.

PMID- 1406792
TI  - The use of viral culture and p24 antigen testing to diagnose human
      immunodeficiency virus infection in neonates. The HIV Infection in Newborns
      French Collaborative Study Group.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in
      infants born to infected mothers is important for the infants' medical care, but
      the presence of maternal antibodies makes serologic tests uninformative. METHODS:
      In a cohort study of 181 infants born to HIV-infected mothers, we assessed the
      diagnostic value of HIV viral culture and testing for the presence of p24
      antigen. The infants were tested at birth, again during the first 3 months, then
      followed and tested at the age of at least 18 months. RESULTS: Of the 181
      infants, 3 died of HIV infection and 37 were seropositive after the age of 18
      months. Viral cultures at birth were positive in 19 of the 40 infected infants
      and in none of the uninfected infants, yielding a sensitivity of 48 percent (95
      percent confidence interval, 32 to 63 percent) and a specificity of 100 percent
      (95 percent confidence interval, 97 to 100 percent). By the age of three months,
      30 of the 40 infants (75 percent) had positive cultures; again, there were no
      false positive results among the infants who were tested a second time, of the
      141 who remained uninfected. The sensitivity of testing for p24 antigen at birth
      was only 18 percent, with a specificity of 100 percent. The presence of p24
      antigen at birth was associated with the development of early and severe HIV
      related disease (P less than 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Viral culture at birth can
      correctly identify about half of newborns with HIV infection. The fact that this
      usually sensitive technique fails to identify about half the ultimately infected
      neonates suggests that vertical transmission of HIV may occur late in pregnancy
      or during delivery.

PMID- 1406793
TI  - Induction of immune responses in patients with B-cell lymphoma against the
      surface-immunoglobulin idiotype expressed by their tumors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The idiotypic determinants of the surface immunoglobulin of a B-cell
      lymphoma can serve as a clonal tumor-specific marker, which may have implications
      for immunotherapy. We sought to determine whether idiotype-specific immune
      responses against this autologous antigen could be induced in patients with B
      cell lymphoma. METHODS: Nine patients were selected who had minimal residual
      disease or a complete remission after chemotherapy. Each received a series of
      subcutaneous injections of the immunoglobulin derived from his or her tumor cells
      (immunoglobulin-idiotype protein), which had been conjugated to a protein carrier
      and mixed with an immunologic adjuvant. RESULTS: In seven of the nine patients
      the injections induced sustained idiotype-specific immunologic responses of the
      humoral type (two patients), the cell-mediated type (four patients), or both (one
      patient). The use of an adjuvant was essential for these immune responses. The
      induced antibodies bound specifically to autologous immunoglobulin idiotype,
      inhibited the binding of murine monoclonal antiidiotype antibodies, and bound
      autologous tumor cells. Cell-mediated responses were demonstrated by the specific
      proliferation of immune peripheral-blood mononuclear cells to the soluble
      immunoglobulin-idiotype protein in vitro. The tumors of both of the patients with
      measurable disease regressed completely. Toxicity associated with the vaccine was
      minimal and consisted only of mild reactions at the site of intramuscular
      injection. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that autologous immunoglobulin
      idiotype can be formulated into an immunogenic, tumor-specific antigen in humans
      with B-cell lymphoma, and they provide the background for large-scale trials of
      active specific immunotherapy of this disease.

PMID- 1406794
TI  - Brief report: the molecular basis of steroid 5 alpha-reductase deficiency in a
      large Dominican kindred.

PMID- 1406795
TI  - The relation between experience and outcome in heart transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Current policies related to organ transplantation in the United
      States are designed to ensure that centers and physicians with experience in
      transplantation perform these procedures. It is essential to confirm the validity
      of such policies, since they may limit access to transplantation services.
      METHODS: To determine the relation between experience with heart transplantation
      and mortality after the procedure, we merged data from the registry of the
      International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation with data from a survey
      that provided additional information about patients and transplantation centers.
      Our study included 1123 patients who received a heart transplant at one of 56
      hospitals in the United States from 1984 through 1986. We used univariate and
      bivariate techniques, as well as logistic regression, to analyze our data.
      RESULTS: We observed an institutional learning curve for heart transplantation.
      Patients who received one of a center's first five transplants had higher
      mortality rates than patients who received a subsequent transplant (20 percent
      vs. 12 percent; P = 0.002; relative risk = 2.2; 95 percent confidence interval,
      1.6 to 3.4). In addition, we found a correlation between the training of key
      personnel on the transplantation team and mortality at new transplantation
      centers. For example, new centers staffed by cardiologists with previous training
      in heart transplantation had lower mortality rates among heart-transplant
      recipients than centers without experienced cardiologists (7 percent vs. 16
      percent; P = 0.001; relative risk = 2.7; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.3 to
      5.9). By contrast, the previous training of the surgeons who performed
      transplantations was not related to the mortality rate associated with the
      procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Experience with heart transplantation is associated with
      a better outcome for patients after that procedure. Opportunities exist to refine
      transplantation policies on the basis of the experience of a center and its
      transplantation team and to develop similar policies for other forms of organ
      transplantation.

PMID- 1406796
TI  - Case records of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Weekly clinicopathological
      exercises. Case 42-1992. A 59-year-old woman with severe, progressive dyspnea.

PMID- 1406797
TI  - Therapeutic clonotypic vaccines.

PMID- 1406798
TI  - Do medical journals suppress information?

PMID- 1406799
TI  - "Futility" as a criterion in limiting treatment.

PMID- 1406800
TI  - "Futility" as a criterion in limiting treatment.

PMID- 1406801
TI  - "Futility" as a criterion in limiting treatment.

PMID- 1406802
TI  - "Futility" as a criterion in limiting treatment.

PMID- 1406803
TI  - "Futility" as a criterion in limiting treatment.

PMID- 1406804
TI  - "Futility" as a criterion in limiting treatment.

PMID- 1406805
TI  - Clinical problem-solving: risky business.

PMID- 1406806
TI  - Clinical problem-solving: risky business.

PMID- 1406807
TI  - Clinical problem-solving: risky business.

PMID- 1406808
TI  - Clinical problem-solving: risky business.

PMID- 1406809
TI  - Infant mortality among blacks and whites.

PMID- 1406810
TI  - Infant mortality among blacks and whites.

PMID- 1406811
TI  - Infant mortality among blacks and whites.

PMID- 1406812
TI  - Global aphasia without hemiplegia.

PMID- 1406813
TI  - Prognosis in cystic fibrosis.

PMID- 1406814
TI  - The American health care system: private insurance.

PMID- 1406815
TI  - The American health care system: private insurance.

PMID- 1406816
TI  - Proposed definitions for in utero versus intrapartum transmission of HIV-1.

PMID- 1406817
TI  - A double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter study of tacrine for Alzheimer's
      disease. The Tacrine Collaborative Study Group.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In Alzheimer's disease, there is a marked decline in the function of
      cholinergic neurons in the brain. However, studies of treatment with
      cholinesterase inhibitors have produced conflicting results. We conducted a
      multicenter trial to evaluate whether the cholinesterase inhibitor tacrine
      (1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-9-acridinamine monohydrochloride monohydrate) could improve
      cognition in patients with Alzheimer's disease. METHODS: Of 632 eligible patients
      with probable Alzheimer's disease, 215 improved while receiving tacrine during a
      preliminary crossover phase to determine responsiveness and the best dose. The
      215 patients were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or their best dose
      of tacrine (10 or 20 mg four times a day) in a six-week, double-blind trial. The
      primary measures of efficacy were the cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's
      Disease Assessment Scale and the Clinical Global Impression of Change scale; the
      secondary measures included the Mini-Mental State Examination and the assessment
      of the activities of daily living. RESULTS: At the end of the six-week trial, the
      patients receiving tacrine had a mean adjusted cognitive-subscale score of 30.3
      (Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale) as compared with 32.7 in patients
      receiving placebo. This represents a smaller decline (by 2.4 points) in cognitive
      performance in the tacrine group (P < 0.001). There were no differences between
      the groups in their global-rating scores. The tacrine group had a significantly
      smaller decline in the activities of daily living. The results of the Mini-Mental
      State Examination favored tacrine, but the differences were small and not
      statistically significant (a score of 16.0 with tacrine vs. 15.3 with placebo; P
      = 0.08). Gastrointestinal symptoms, elevation of aminotransferase levels, and
      headache were the most frequent side effects; all could be reversed by reducing
      the dose or discontinuing treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In this short-term study in
      patients with Alzheimer's disease who were selected for apparent responsiveness
      to tacrine, treatment with tacrine resulted in a statistically significant
      reduction in the decline of cognitive function, although this reduction was not
      large enough to be detected by the study physicians' global assessments of the
      patients.

PMID- 1406818
TI  - Cardiac structure and function in children with human immunodeficiency virus
      infection treated with zidovudine.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Abnormalities of cardiac structure and function are common in
      children infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It is unclear,
      however, whether these abnormalities are attributable to the disease itself,
      associated infections, or possible cardiotoxic effects of the most commonly used
      treatment, zidovudine. METHODS: We performed echocardiography in 24 children with
      symptomatic HIV infection immediately before they started zidovudine therapy and
      a mean of 1.32 years after therapy began. Sixteen of these children were also
      studied a mean of 1.26 years before starting zidovudine treatment. Comparison
      groups included 27 age-matched children with symptomatic HIV infection who had
      not received zidovudine and 191 normal children. RESULTS: As compared with the
      normal children, the children treated with zidovudine had progressive left
      ventricular dilatation and an increase in ventricular-wall stress at end-systole
      (a measure of ventricular afterload); dilatation and stress were significantly
      elevated both before and during zidovudine treatment. The ratio of ventricular
      thickness to internal dimension was below normal before zidovudine treatment
      began (P < 0.001). After treatment with zidovudine, however, overall left
      ventricular mass was increased (P = 0.02), as was peak wall stress (a stimulus to
      ventricular hypertrophy) (P = 0.01). Ventricular contractility remained normal,
      but fractional shortening of the left ventricle was decreased (P = 0.004). No
      statistically significant differences were detected at follow-up in any of these
      measurements between HIV-infected children treated with zidovudine and those not
      so treated. CONCLUSIONS: Progressive left ventricular dilatation occurred in
      children with symptomatic HIV infection. Compensatory hypertrophy also occurred
      but was inadequate to maintain peak systolic wall stress within the normal range.
      The progressive elevation of ventricular afterload due to dilatation resulted in
      depressed ventricular performance, but intrinsic ventricular contractility
      remained normal. Zidovudine did not appear to worsen or ameliorate these cardiac
      changes.

PMID- 1406819
TI  - Brief report: idiopathic diffuse hyperplasia of pulmonary neuroendocrine cells
      and airways disease.

PMID- 1406820
TI  - The use of molecular methods in infectious diseases.

PMID- 1406821
TI  - Case records of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Weekly clinicopathological
      exercises. Case 43--1992. A 70-year-old man with progressive muscle weakness and
      agitated depression.

PMID- 1406822
TI  - Exposure to lead in childhood. The importance of prevention.

PMID- 1406823
TI  - Let's make a deal. Negotiating a settlement between physicians and society.

PMID- 1406824
TI  - Redundant publication?

PMID- 1406825
TI  - Prognostic factors in breast cancer.

PMID- 1406826
TI  - Prognostic factors in breast cancer.

PMID- 1406827
TI  - Prognostic factors in breast cancer.

PMID- 1406828
TI  - Rectal doxepin and carbamazepine therapy in patients with cancer.

PMID- 1406829
TI  - Magnetic resonance versus conventional angiography in peripheral arterial
      occlusive disease.

PMID- 1406830
TI  - Magnetic resonance versus conventional angiography in peripheral arterial
      occlusive disease.

PMID- 1406831
TI  - Ophthalmopathy after treatment for Graves' hyperthyroidism.

PMID- 1406832
TI  - Ophthalmopathy after treatment for Graves' hyperthyroidism.

PMID- 1406833
TI  - Snake-venom and insect-venom extractors: an unproved therapy.

PMID- 1406834
TI  - Predictors of long-term outcome after percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty is known to produce short
      term hemodynamic and symptomatic improvement in many patients with mitral
      stenosis. Comprehensive assessment of the clinical usefulness of balloon
      valvuloplasty requires evaluation of patients' long-term outcomes. METHODS: We
      performed balloon mitral valvuloplasty in 146 patients between October 1, 1985,
      and October 1, 1991. Base-line demographic, clinical, echocardiographic, and
      hemodynamic variables were evaluated in order to identify predictors of long-term
      event-free survival. RESULTS: Balloon mitral valvuloplasty was completed
      successfully in 136 (93 percent) of the patients in whom the procedure was
      attempted; it resulted in an increase in the mean (+/- SD) mitral-valve area from
      1.0 +/- 0.4 to 2.1 +/- 0.9 cm2 and a decrease in the mean transmitral pressure
      gradient from 14 +/- 5 to 6 +/- 3 mm Hg (P < 0.001 for both comparisons). The
      estimated overall five-year survival rate was 76 +/- 5 percent, and the estimated
      five-year event-free survival rate (the percentage of patients without mitral
      valve replacement, repeat valvuloplasty, or death from cardiac causes) was 51 +/-
      6 percent. According to multivariate Cox proportional-hazards analysis, the
      independent predictors of longer event-free survival were a lower mitral-valve
      echocardiographic score (a measure of mitral-valve deformity; range, 0 for a
      normal valve to 16 for a seriously deformed valve; P < 0.001), lower left
      ventricular end-diastolic pressure (P = 0.001), and a lower New York Heart
      Association (NYHA) functional class (P = 0.04). Patients with no risk factors for
      early restenosis or only one risk factor (echocardiographic score > 8, left
      ventricular end-diastolic pressure > 10 mm Hg, or NYHA functional class IV) had a
      predicted five-year event-free survival rate of 60 to 84 percent, whereas
      patients with two or three risk factors had a predicted five-year event-free
      survival rate of only 13 to 41 percent. CONCLUSIONS: Balloon mitral valvuloplasty
      as a treatment for selected patients with mitral stenosis has good long-term
      results. The long-term outcome after this procedure can be predicted on the basis
      of patients' base-line characteristics.

PMID- 1406835
TI  - Interferon alfa combined with cytotoxic chemotherapy for patients with non
      Hodgkin's lymphoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Interferon alfa has been found to be effective as an antitumor agent
      (with a response rate of 30 percent) in patients with low-grade non-Hodgkin's
      lymphoma, but its effectiveness in those with intermediate-grade non-Hodgkin's
      lymphoma has been less adequately tested. In a prospective randomized study we
      evaluated the effectiveness of adding interferon alfa to cytotoxic chemotherapy
      in patients with clinically aggressive, low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and
      certain histologic variants of intermediate-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, not
      including diffuse histiocytic lymphoma. METHODS: The patients were randomly
      assigned to a regimen of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, and
      doxorubicin or to this regimen combined with recombinant interferon alfa.
      Treatment was administered every four weeks, for 8 to 10 cycles. RESULTS: The two
      regimens produced comparable objective responses, but the regimen including
      interferon had a greater effect in prolonging the time to treatment failure (P <
      0.001) and the duration of complete response (P = 0.03). Interferon alfa also had
      a greater effect on overall survival (P = 0.014) when the results were adjusted
      for important covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Interferon alfa, when added to a four-drug
      doxorubicin-based chemotherapy regimen, is an effective antitumor agent in
      patients with clinically aggressive low-grade or intermediate-grade non-Hodgkin's
      lymphoma.

PMID- 1406836
TI  - Long-term morbidity and mortality of overweight adolescents. A follow-up of the
      Harvard Growth Study of 1922 to 1935.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Overweight in adults is associated with increased morbidity and
      mortality. In contrast, the long-term effect of overweight in adolescence on
      morbidity and mortality is not known. METHODS: We studied the relation between
      overweight and morbidity and mortality in 508 lean or overweight adolescents 13
      to 18 years old who participated in the Harvard Growth Study of 1922 to 1935.
      Overweight adolescents were defined as those with a body-mass index that on two
      occasions was greater than the 75th percentile in subjects of the same age and
      sex in a large national survey. Lean adolescents were defined as those with a
      body-mass index between the 25th and 50th percentiles. Subjects who were still
      alive were interviewed in 1988 to obtain information about their medical history,
      weight, functional capacity, and other risk factors. For those who had died,
      information on the cause of death was obtained from death certificates. RESULTS:
      Overweight in adolescent subjects was associated with an increased risk of
      mortality from all causes and disease-specific mortality among men, but not among
      women. The relative risks among men were 1.8 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.2
      to 2.7; P = 0.004) for mortality from all causes and 2.3 (95 percent confidence
      interval, 1.4 to 4.1; P = 0.002) for mortality from coronary heart disease. The
      risk of morbidity from coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis was increased
      among men and women who had been overweight in adolescence. The risk of
      colorectal cancer and gout was increased among men and the risk of arthritis was
      increased among women who had been overweight in adolescence. Overweight in
      adolescence was a more powerful predictor of these risks than overweight in
      adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight in adolescence predicted a broad range of
      adverse health effects that were independent of adult weight after 55 years of
      follow-up.

PMID- 1406837
TI  - Brief report: melatonin-related hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.

PMID- 1406838
TI  - HIV disease and the endocrine system.

PMID- 1406839
TI  - Case records of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Weekly clinicopathological
      exercises. Case 44-1992. A 60-year-old man with HIV infection, persistent
      diarrhea, and intractable respiratory failure.

PMID- 1406840
TI  - Melatonin--the hormone of darkness.

PMID- 1406841
TI  - Adolescent overweight may be tempting fate.

PMID- 1406842
TI  - Care of the hopelessly ill. Proposed clinical criteria for physician-assisted
      suicide.

PMID- 1406843
TI  - Disclosure of AIDS in celebrities.

PMID- 1406844
TI  - Hand-washing agents and nosocomial infections.

PMID- 1406845
TI  - Hand-washing agents and nosocomial infections.

PMID- 1406846
TI  - Hand-washing agents and nosocomial infections.

PMID- 1406847
TI  - New OSHA regulations for physicians' offices.

PMID- 1406848
TI  - Use of psychoactive drugs in nursing homes.

PMID- 1406849
TI  - Use of psychoactive drugs in nursing homes.

PMID- 1406850
TI  - Effect of cocaine use on the fetus.

PMID- 1406851
TI  - Effect of cocaine use on the fetus.

PMID- 1406852
TI  - Impairment of renal function with increasing blood lead concentrations.

PMID- 1406853
TI  - Clinical problem-solving: failure to resolve a diagnostic inconsistency.

PMID- 1406854
TI  - Clinical problem-solving: failure to resolve a diagnostic inconsistency.

PMID- 1406855
TI  - Cat-scratch salpingitis.

PMID- 1406856
TI  - Fludarabine and acute tumor lysis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

PMID- 1406857
TI  - Wartenberg wheel-and-flair reaction--a prickly problem.

PMID- 1406858
TI  - The psychological consequences of predictive testing for Huntington's disease.
      Canadian Collaborative Study of Predictive Testing.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Advances in molecular genetics have led to the development of tests
      that can predict the risk of inheriting the genes for several adult-onset
      diseases. However, the psychological consequences of such testing are not well
      understood. METHODS: The 135 participants in the Canadian program of genetic
      testing to predict the risk of Huntington's disease were followed prospectively
      in three groups according to their test results: the increased-risk group (37
      participants), the decreased-risk group (58 participants), and the group with no
      change in risk (the no-change group) (40 participants). All the participants
      received counseling before and after testing. Standard measures of psychological
      distress (the General Severity Index of the Symptom Check List 90-R), depression
      (the Beck Depression Inventory), and well-being (the General Well-Being Scale)
      were administered before genetic testing and again at intervals of 7 to 10 days,
      6 months, and 12 months after the participants received their test results.
      RESULTS: At each follow-up assessment, the decreased-risk group had lower scores
      for distress than before testing (P < 0.001). The increased-risk group showed no
      significant change from base line on any follow-up measure, but over the year of
      study there were small linear declines (P < 0.023) for distress and depression.
      The no-change group had scores lower than at base line on the index of general
      well-being at each follow-up (P < or = 0.045). At the 12-month follow-up, both
      the increased-risk group and the decreased-risk group had lower scores for
      depression and higher scores for well-being than the no-change group (P < or =
      0.049). CONCLUSIONS: Predictive testing for Huntington's disease has potential
      benefits for the psychological health of persons who receive results that
      indicate either an increase or a decrease in the risk of inheriting the gene for
      the disease.

PMID- 1406859
TI  - Warfarin in the prevention of stroke associated with nonrheumatic atrial
      fibrillation. Veterans Affairs Stroke Prevention in Nonrheumatic Atrial
      Fibrillation Investigators.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation is common among the elderly and is
      associated with an increased risk of stroke. We investigated whether
      anticoagulation with warfarin would reduce this risk. METHODS: We conducted a
      randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate low-intensity
      anticoagulation with warfarin (prothrombin-time ratio, 1.2 to 1.5) in 571 men
      with chronic nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation; 525 patients had not previously
      had a cerebral infarction, whereas 46 patients had previously had such an event.
      The primary end point was cerebral infarction; secondary end points were cerebral
      hemorrhage and death. RESULTS: Among the patients with no history of stroke,
      cerebral infarction occurred in 19 of the 265 patients in the placebo group
      during an average follow-up of 1.7 years (4.3 percent per year) and in 4 of the
      260 patients in the warfarin group during an average follow-up of 1.8 years (0.9
      percent per year). The reduction in risk with warfarin therapy was 0.79 (95
      percent confidence interval, 0.52 to 0.90; P = 0.001). The annual event rate
      among the 228 patients over 70 years of age was 4.8 percent in the placebo group
      and 0.9 percent in the warfarin group (risk reduction, 0.79; P = 0.02). The only
      cerebral hemorrhage occurred in a 73-year-old patient in the warfarin group.
      Other major hemorrhages, all gastrointestinal, occurred in 10 patients: 4 in the
      placebo group, for a rate of 0.9 percent per year, and 6 in the warfarin group,
      for a rate of 1.3 percent per year. There were 37 deaths that were not preceded
      by a cerebral end point--22 in the placebo group and 15 in the warfarin group
      (risk reduction, 0.31; P = 0.19). Cerebral infarction was more common among
      patients with a history of cerebral infarction (9.3 percent per year in the
      placebo group and 6.1 percent per year in the warfarin group) than among those
      without such a history. CONCLUSIONS: Low-intensity anticoagulation with warfarin
      prevented cerebral infarction in patients with nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation
      without producing an excess risk of major hemorrhage. This benefit extended to
      patients over 70 years of age.

PMID- 1406860
TI  - Comparison of insulin regimens in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes
      mellitus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Insulin is widely used to improve metabolic control in patients with
      non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), but there is no consensus about
      the optimal regimen of insulin treatment. METHODS: We treated 153 patients with
      NIDDM for three months with five regimens: (1) oral hypoglycemic drug therapy
      plus NPH insulin given at 7 a.m. (the morning-NPH group), (2) oral hypoglycemic
      drug therapy plus NPH insulin given at 9 p.m. (the evening-NPH group), (3) NPH
      and regular insulin (ratio, 70 units to 30 units) given before breakfast and
      dinner (the two-insulin-injection group), (4) NPH insulin at 9 p.m. and regular
      insulin before meals (the multiple-insulin-injection group), and (5) continued
      oral hypoglycemic drug therapy (the control group). RESULTS: The mean (+/- SE)
      value for glycosylated hemoglobin decreased similarly in all four insulin
      treatment groups (1.7 +/- 0.3, 1.9 +/- 0.2, 1.8 +/- 0.3, and 1.6 +/- 0.3 percent,
      respectively). The decrease was significantly greater in these four groups than
      in the control group (0.5 +/- 0.2 percent; P < 0.001 vs. all insulin-treated
      groups). Weight gain was significantly less (1.2 +/- 0.5 kg) in the evening-NPH
      group than in the other insulin-treatment groups (2.2 +/- 0.5 kg in the morning
      NPH group, 1.8 +/- 0.5 kg in the two-insulin-injection group, and 2.9 +/- 0.5 kg
      in the multiple-injection group; P < 0.05). In addition, the increment in the
      mean diurnal serum free insulin concentration was 50 to 65 percent smaller in the
      evening-NPH group than in the other insulin-treatment groups. Subjective well
      being improved significantly more in the insulin-treatment groups than in the
      control group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with NIDDM who are receiving
      oral hypoglycemic drug therapy, the addition of NPH insulin in the evening
      improves glycemic control in a manner similar to combination therapy with NPH
      insulin in the morning, a two-insulin-injection regimen, or a multiple-insulin
      injection regimen, but induces less weight gain and hyperinsulinemia. The data
      thus suggest that patients with NIDDM do not benefit from multiple insulin
      injections and that nocturnal insulin administration appears preferable to
      daytime administration.

PMID- 1406861
TI  - Genetic testing for Huntington's disease--a family issue.

PMID- 1406862
TI  - Randomized trials of warfarin for atrial fibrillation.

PMID- 1406863
TI  - Combination therapy in NIDDM.

PMID- 1406864
TI  - Aspirin in ischemic heart disease.

PMID- 1406865
TI  - Aspirin in ischemic heart disease.

PMID- 1406867
TI  - Thromboxane and prostacyclin metabolites in pulmonary hypertension.

PMID- 1406866
TI  - Aspirin in ischemic heart disease.

PMID- 1406868
TI  - Diagnosis of colonic tumors by hydrocolonic sonography.

PMID- 1406869
TI  - Diagnosis of colonic tumors by hydrocolonic sonography.

PMID- 1406870
TI  - AIDS and absolutism.

PMID- 1406871
TI  - AIDS and absolutism.

PMID- 1406872
TI  - AIDS and absolutism.

PMID- 1406873
TI  - Avoiding puncture wounds in the operating room.

PMID- 1406874
TI  - Primaquine-induced methemoglobinemia during treatment of Pneumocystis carinii
      pneumonia.

PMID- 1406875
TI  - Underinsurance in America.

PMID- 1406876
TI  - Underinsurance in America.

PMID- 1406877
TI  - Blotter's blister.

PMID- 1406878
TI  - The American health care system. Medicare.

PMID- 1406879
TI  - Effect of iron chelation therapy on recovery from deep coma in children with
      cerebral malaria.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cerebral malaria is a severe complication of Plasmodium falciparum
      infection in children, with a mortality rate of 15 to 50 percent despite
      antimalarial therapy. METHODS: To determine whether combining iron chelation with
      quinine therapy speeds the recovery of consciousness, we conducted a randomized,
      double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the iron chelator deferoxamine in 83
      Zambian children with cerebral malaria. To be enrolled, patients had to be less
      than six years old, have P. falciparum parasitemia, have normal cerebrospinal
      fluid without evidence of bacterial infection, and be in a coma from which they
      could not be aroused. Deferoxamine (100 mg per kilogram of body weight per day,
      infused intravenously for 72 hours) or placebo was added to standard therapy with
      quinine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. The time to the recovery of full
      consciousness, time to parasite clearance, and mortality were examined with Cox
      proportional-hazards regression analysis. RESULTS: The rate of recovery of full
      consciousness among the 42 patients given deferoxamine was 1.3 times that among
      the 41 given placebo (95 percent confidence interval, 0.7 to 2.3); the median
      time to recovery was 20.2 hours in the deferoxamine group and 43.1 hours in the
      placebo group (P = 0.38). Among 50 patients with deep coma, the rate of recovery
      of full consciousness was increased 2.2-fold with deferoxamine (95 percent
      confidence interval, 1.1 to 4.7), decreasing the median recovery time from 68.2
      to 24.1 hours (P = 0.03). Among 69 patients for whom data on parasite clearance
      were available, the rate of clearance with deferoxamine was 2.0 times that with
      placebo (95 percent confidence interval, 1.2 to 3.6). Among all 83 patients,
      mortality was 17 percent in the deferoxamine group and 22 percent in the placebo
      group (P = 0.52). CONCLUSIONS: Iron chelation therapy may hasten the clearance of
      parasitemia and enhance recovery from deep coma in cerebral malaria.

PMID- 1406880
TI  - Acenocoumarol and heparin compared with acenocoumarol alone in the initial
      treatment of proximal-vein thrombosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In most countries, heparin is used in the initial treatment of
      patients with deep-vein thrombosis. Well-designed studies establishing the
      efficacy of heparin therapy are lacking, however. Treatment with acenocoumarol
      alone, according to the hypothesis that high dosages of oral anticoagulants
      obviate the need for heparin, is considered an effective alternative in some
      countries. METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind study we compared the efficacy
      and safety of continuous intravenous heparin plus acenocoumarol with the efficacy
      and safety of acenocoumarol alone in the initial treatment of outpatients with
      proximal-vein thrombosis. The principal study end point was a confirmed
      symptomatic extension or recurrence of venous thromboembolism during six months
      of follow-up. In addition, we assessed asymptomatic extension or pulmonary
      embolism by repeating venography and lung scanning after the first week of
      treatment. The incidence of major bleeding was determined during three months of
      follow-up. RESULTS: The study was terminated early by the Data Safety and
      Monitoring Committee because of an excess of symptomatic events in the group that
      received acenocoumarol alone (in 12 of 60 patients [20 percent], as compared with
      4 of 60 patients [6.7 percent] in the combined-therapy group by intention-to
      treat analysis; P = 0.058). Asymptomatic extension of venous thrombosis was
      observed in 39.6 percent of the patients in the acenocoumarol group and in 8.2
      percent of patients treated with heparin plus acenocoumarol (P < 0.001). Major
      bleeding complications were infrequent and comparable in the two groups.
      CONCLUSIONS: Patients with proximal-vein thrombosis require initial treatment
      with full-dose heparin, which can safely be combined with acenocoumarol therapy.

PMID- 1406881
TI  - Consequences of physicians' ownership of health care facilities--joint ventures
      in radiation therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Physicians are increasingly the owners of health care facilities to
      which they refer patients for services but at which they do not practice. We
      studied such ownership arrangements, known as "joint ventures," in the field of
      radiation therapy, examining their effects on access, use of services, costs, and
      quality. METHODS: Because 44 percent of free-standing facilities providing
      radiation therapy in Florida in 1989 were joint ventures, as compared with 7
      percent elsewhere (95 percent confidence interval, 3 to 10 percent), we compared
      data for Florida with comparable data for the remainder of the United States. We
      also compared radiation-therapy facilities in Florida that were established as
      joint ventures with those that were not. Since most data were derived from entire
      populations rather than from samples, any differences found were of necessity
      statistically significant. RESULTS: No joint-venture facilities providing
      radiation therapy were located in inner-city neighborhoods or rural areas, but 11
      percent of other free-standing facilities and hospital-based facilities were
      located in such areas. Among free-standing facilities, joint ventures received 39
      percent of their revenues from patients with well-paying insurance coverage, as
      compared with 31 percent for facilities that were not joint ventures (P < 0.01).
      The frequency and costs of radiation-therapy treatments at free-standing centers
      were 40 to 60 percent higher in Florida than in the rest of the United States;
      there was no below-average use of radiation therapy at hospitals or higher cancer
      rates that explained the higher rates of use or higher costs in Florida.
      Radiation physicists at joint-venture facilities (the principal personnel
      involved in quality control other than physicians) spent 18 percent less time
      with each patient over the course of treatment than did their counterparts at
      free-standing facilities that were not joint ventures (P < 0.05). Mortality among
      patients with cancer in Florida was not lower than the U.S. average, even though
      joint ventures are much more common in that state. CONCLUSIONS: Joint ventures in
      radiation therapy appear to have adverse effects on patients' access to care.
      They also appear to increase the use of services and costs substantially. Some
      indicators show that joint ventures cause either no improvement in quality or a
      decline. Our results add to the evidence indicating that physicians' self
      referral generally has negative consequences. We recommend legislation to ban
      ownership of joint ventures by referring physicians. Such legislation needs to be
      carefully designed in order to achieve its objectives and forestall new,
      financially abusive arrangements.

PMID- 1406883
TI  - Case records of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Weekly clinicopathological
      exercises. Case 46-1992. A 48-year-old woman with a narrowed trachea.

PMID- 1406882
TI  - Increased costs and rates of use in the California workers' compensation system
      as a result of self-referral by physicians.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is widespread concern that ownership by physicians of testing
      or treatment facilities to which they refer patients leads to overuse of such
      facilities. We determined the patterns of use of three services--physical
      therapy, psychiatric evaluation, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)--among
      physicians treating patients whose care was covered under workers' compensation.
      We then compared the rates of use among physicians who referred patients to
      facilities of which they were owners (self-referral group) with the rates among
      physicians who referred patients to independent facilities (independent-referral
      group). METHODS: We used a large data base to analyze claims under workers'
      compensation in California from October 1, 1990, through June 30, 1991, to
      determine the frequency and cost of these three selected services and determined
      whether the referring physicians were practicing self-referral or independent
      referral. We evaluated the cost per case for all three services, measured the
      frequency with which physical therapy was initiated, and evaluated the medical
      appropriateness of MRI. RESULTS: We found that physical therapy was initiated 2.3
      times more often by the physicians in the self-referral group (68 percent) than
      by those in the independent-referral group (30 percent; P < 0.01). The mean cost
      per case for physical therapy was significantly lower in the self-referral group
      ($404 +/- 102) than in the independent-referral group ($440 +/- 167; P < 0.01).
      The mean cost of psychiatric evaluation services was significantly higher in the
      self-referral group than in the independent-referral group (psychometric testing,
      $1,165 +/- 728 vs. $870 +/- 482; P < 0.01, psychiatric evaluation reports, $2,056
      +/- 1,063 vs. $1,680 +/- 578; P < 0.01). The total cost per case of psychiatric
      evaluation services was 26.3 percent higher in the self-referral group ($3,222 +/
      1,451) than in the independent-referral group ($2,550 +/- 742; P < 0.01). Of all
      the MRI scans requested by the self-referring physicians, 38 percent were found
      to be medically inappropriate, as compared with 28 percent of those requested by
      physicians in the independent-referral group (P < 0.05). There was no significant
      difference in the cost per case between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study
      demonstrates that self-referral increases the cost of medical care covered by
      workers' compensation for each of the three types of service studied.

PMID- 1406884
TI  - Bark, weeds, and iron chelators--drugs for malaria.

PMID- 1406885
TI  - "Self-referral"--what's at stake?

PMID- 1406886
TI  - Comprehensive health care reform and managed competition.

PMID- 1406887
TI  - Detection of HIV provirus by in situ polymerase chain reaction.

PMID- 1406888
TI  - Detection of HIV provirus by in situ polymerase chain reaction.

PMID- 1406889
TI  - The risk of stroke after thrombolytic therapy.

PMID- 1406890
TI  - The risk of stroke after thrombolytic therapy.

PMID- 1406891
TI  - Gatekeeping.

PMID- 1406892
TI  - Gatekeeping.

PMID- 1406893
TI  - Gatekeeping.

PMID- 1406894
TI  - Gatekeeping.

PMID- 1406895
TI  - Gatekeeping.

PMID- 1406896
TI  - Trombonist's torment.

PMID- 1406897
TI  - Mycetismus 'mushroom poisoning'.

PMID- 1406898
TI  - In vitro activity of cloconazole, sulconazole, butoconazole, isoconazole,
      fenticonazole, and five other antifungal agents against clinical isolates of
      Candida albicans and Candida spp.
AB  - The in vitro activity of several new imidazoles, cloconazole, sulconazole,
      butoconazole, isoconazole and fenticonazole, were compared with those of
      amphothericin B, flucytosine, and three azoles: econazole, miconazole and
      ketoconazole against isolates of pathogenic Candida. A total of 186 clinical
      isolates of 10 species of the genus Candida and two culture collection strains
      were tested by an agar-dilution technique. Isoconazole was the most active azole,
      followed by butoconazole sulconazole. Differences between some of the species in
      their susceptibility to the antifungal agents were noted. Sulconazole and
      cloconazole had the highest activity in vitro against 106 isolates of C.
      albicans. Butoconazole and isoconazole were also very active against isolates of
      C. albicans, and were the most active azole compounds against 80 isolates of
      Candida spp.

PMID- 1406899
TI  - Use of a colorimetric system to detect enzymes expressed by germinating conidia
      of entomopathogenic fungi.
AB  - An apiZYM system, with 19 substrates, was used to detect enzymes expressed by
      germinating conidia of Nomuraea rileyi (5 isolates), Nomuraea atypicola, Nomuraea
      anemonoides, Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae. Similar enzyme
      profiles were obtained for two of the N. rileyi isolates (Mississippi, Ecuador)
      regardless of whether culture medium (Sabouraud-maltose-yeast) or cuticle (from
      larvae of Trichoplusia ni, Heliothis zea or Heliothis virescens) were used as
      substrates. Centroid-clustering analysis revealed three distinct enzyme profiles.

PMID- 1406900
TI  - Mushroom poisoning by Chlorophyllum molybdites in the Midwest United States.
      Cases and a review of the syndrome.
AB  - The paper describes two incidents of poisoning by the mushroom Chlorophyllum
      molybdites and reviews the literature covering this organism, a common agent of
      mushroom poisoning in many countries and the most common cause of mushroom
      poisoning in North America. Both poisoning incidents occurred in adults and were
      associated with severe gastrointestinal symptoms including profuse diarrhea,
      vomiting and intestinal pain. In each case, hospitalization was required. An
      unusual aspect of one case was the development of signs and symptoms suggestive
      of muscarine poisoning. The review includes a description of the mushroom, the
      geographic distribution of cases, the signs and symptoms of poisoning and its
      treatment, the toxic principles, particularly susceptible populations, and the
      variations in response associated with cooking C. molybdites and with individual
      idiosyncrasies. For identification of C. molybdites, the reader is alerted to the
      inappropriateness of some books, including many written in Europe, and is warned
      of the occasional finding of sterile mushrooms that lack its characteristic green
      basidiospores. Spores, as allergens, are discussed and simple rules are given for
      eaters of wild mushrooms.

PMID- 1406901
TI  - Pulmonary paracoccidioidomycosis in immunized mice.
AB  - Paracoccidioidomycosis was induced in immunized (IM) and non-immunized (NI) mice.
      The histopathology, the number of fungi in the lungs, the cellular (footpad test-
      FPT and macrophage inhibition factor assay--MIF) and humoral (immunodiffusion
      test) immune response were investigated serially post-infection. In the IM mice,
      at days 1 and 3, there was intense and predominant macrophagic-lymphocytic
      alveolitis with loose granulomatous reaction; at day 30, inflammation was mild.
      In the NI group, up to day 3, the lesions were focal; later there was formation
      of extensive epithelioid granuloma. The number of fungi in IM mice were always
      smaller than those of NI group. Immunization alone induced positive FPT and MIF
      indices with low titer of antibody. After infection, there was a significant
      decrease of the FPT indices in the IM group, which we interpreted as
      desensitization due to trapping of sensitized lymphocytes in the lungs. In
      conclusion, (1) The lesional pattern of pulmonary paracoccidioidomycosis in IM
      mice was similar to that of a hypersensitivity pneumonitis. This reaction was
      probably effective in reducing the extension of the infection and decrease the
      number of fungi. (2) In this model, pulmonary resistance against P. brasiliensis
      seems to be related to local and systemic delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction.

PMID- 1406902
TI  - Evaluation of the Pro-Lab ID ring system for the identification of medically
      important yeasts.
AB  - We evaluated 151 coded isolates of medically important yeast species belonging to
      the genera Candida, Cryptococcus, Geotrichum, Rhodoturula, Saccharomyces and
      Torulopsis using the newly developed rapid Pro-Lab Identification Ring, PL 960
      system (PLID-Ring). All isolates were concurrently identified by the API 20C and
      conventional procedures comprising macro- and micromorphology, assimilation and
      fermentation of various carbon and nitrogen compounds. The PLID-Ring system
      identified isolates of Candida albicans, C. kefyr, C. krusei, C. lusitaniae, C.
      parapsilosis, Rhodotorula rubra, and Torulopsis glabrata with 100% accuracy in 24
      h. This system identified C guilliermondii and S. cerevisiae isolates with an
      accuracy of 90% and 86%, respectively, while those belonging to Cr. neoformans,
      T. candida (= C. famata), C. rugosa and C. tropicalis were identified with 38.4%,
      50%, 12.5% and 50% accuracy, respectively. Three isolates of Cr. laurentii were
      not identified by the PLID-Ring system. The overall accuracy of the PLID-Ring
      system was 81.45% (123 of 151 isolates). However, the system does not include
      species such as Cr. laurentii in its data base. When these three Cr. laurentii
      isolates were excluded from the evaluation, the accuracy of the PLID-Ring system
      increased from 81.45% to 83.1%.

PMID- 1406903
TI  - Effect of environmental factors on Fonsecaea pedrosoi morphogenesis with emphasis
      on sclerotic cells induced by propranolol.
AB  - The influence of growth conditions, as well as of propranolol on Fonsecaea
      pedrosoi morphogenesis was established using the chemically defined media of
      Czapeck-Dox (CD) and Butterfield (BF). Mycelial growth of F. pedrosoi in both
      media was obtained at room temperature (25 degrees C) for 14 days, without
      shaking, whereas conidia formed at 37 degrees C, for 4 days, in shaken cultures
      and could be isolated free from the mycelium by filtration in gauze. At low pH
      (2.5-3.0), there appeared sclerotic cells attached to normal hyphae. When
      propranolol ws added to the CD medium moniliform hyphae were observed, whereas
      this drug in the BF medium induced formation of sclerotic cells. Ultrastructural
      examination revealed that the propranolol-induced sclerotic cells were very
      similar to those observed in infected tissues.

PMID- 1406904
TI  - Forty four years of dermatophytes in a Chicago clinic (1944-1988).
AB  - Data are presented on 39,270 cultures taken over a 44 year span (1944-1988) at
      the University of Chicago's Dermatology Clinic. In the mid 1940's Microsporum
      audouinii accounted for 60-80% of isolates. It gradually decreased over the next
      two decades and disappeared altogether in the 1970's. Trichophyton rubrum, rare
      in the 1940's accounted for over 60% of isolates in the mid-1960's only to be
      overtaken by T. tonsurans. This species, not isolated till the mid 1950's, became
      and remains the dominant dermatophyte at the present time. Both T. mentagrophytes
      and Epidermophyton floccosum increased in the 1970's and decreased later. Unusual
      circumstances resulted in clusters of T. verrucosum, T. terrestre, and T.
      schoenleinii isolates. Infections were associated with rural dairy workers, zoo
      handlers and immigrant families respectively. M. canis and M. gypseum were steady
      at a low rate throughout the entire period. Rare isolates included M. cookei, M.
      persicolor, M. racemosum, T. simii, T. soudanense, T. violaceum, and the soil
      keratinophile, Aphanoascus fulvescens.

PMID- 1406905
TI  - Mycotic keratitis caused by Curvularia brachyspora (Boedjin). A report of the
      first case.
AB  - Curvularia brachyspora has been identified for the first time as a cause of
      mycotic keratitis. Mycotic infections of the eye have assumed increasing
      importance in ophthalmology, resulting in a need for fungal identification and
      early specific treatment for the successful management of cases. A case of
      mycotic keratitis caused by C. brachyspora is described against the background of
      other Curvularia species causing mycoses.

PMID- 1406906
TI  - Phase II clinical trials of buprenorphine: detoxification and induction onto
      naltrexone.

PMID- 1406907
TI  - Behavioral pharmacology of buprenorphine: issues relevant to its potential in
      treating drug abuse.

PMID- 1406908
TI  - Assessment of buprenorphine in a drug discrimination procedure in humans.
AB  - These studies indicate that buprenorphine shares stimulus effects with other
      opioid drugs and that in overall profile of effects buprenorphine is more similar
      to hydromorphone than are the other opioid mixed agonist-antagonists tested
      pentazocine, butorphanol, and nalbuphine. This characterization is supported by
      the behavioral drug discrimination results and by the subjective effect self
      report results. In the drug discrimination assessments buprenorphine showed a
      pattern of generalization that was different from that of the other opioid-mixed
      agonist-antagonists. It did not generalize completely to either pentazocine or
      butorphanol, but it did generalize to hydromorphone in two studies and partially
      in a third. Both nalbuphine and pentazocine showed at least partial
      generalization to butorphanol, but buprenorphine did not. Butorphanol showed
      little generalization to hydromorphone except in the two-choice hydromorphone vs.
      saline discrimination in which all the tested mixed agonist-antagonists
      generalized to hydromorphone. The subjective effect self-report data also
      revealed a pattern of response to buprenorphine that was different from that to
      the other mixed agonist-antagonists. In particular, buprenorphine's profile of
      acute subjective effects was similar to that of hydromorphone. There were dose
      related increases on various scales reflecting positive subjective effects, with
      little evidence of the dysphoric effects that are characteristic of high doses of
      the other mixed agonist-antagonists. These data are compatible with the view that
      buprenorphine is a partial agonist at the mu-receptor. Although they do not
      demonstrate the ceiling on magnitude of pharmacological effects that would be
      characteristic of a partial agonist, they do demonstrate that buprenorphine's
      profile of activity--both stimulus effects and subjective effects--is similar to
      that of the pure mu-agonist hydromorphone.

PMID- 1406909
TI  - Human laboratory studies of buprenorphine.

PMID- 1406910
TI  - Buprenorphine--background to its development as a treatment for opiate
      dependence.

PMID- 1406911
TI  - Primate studies of the behavioral pharmacology of buprenorphine.

PMID- 1406912
TI  - Saving on health.

PMID- 1406914
TI  - Blow struck against US pork-barrel.

PMID- 1406913
TI  - Rebuild research now.

PMID- 1406915
TI  - French court upholds use of animals, fines activists for theft of baboons.

PMID- 1406916
TI  - Confusion about form and function clouds launch of EC's Decade of the Brain.

PMID- 1406917
TI  - First meeting of commission gives Massey a boost in plotting viable future for
      NSF.

PMID- 1406918
TI  - User fees advance in Congress.

PMID- 1406919
TI  - New rules in Britain make it harder for older scientists to use animals.

PMID- 1406920
TI  - US rejects French request to reopen AIDS patent deal.

PMID- 1406921
TI  - Emphasis on research blamed for problems at US universities.

PMID- 1406922
TI  - NIH cDNA patent rejected; backers want to amend law.

PMID- 1406923
TI  - Alberts emphasizes education as nominee to head NAS.

PMID- 1406924
TI  - OST rows with tide in report on intellectual property.

PMID- 1406925
TI  - Genetic influence.

PMID- 1406926
TI  - Remedies for brain disorders.

PMID- 1406927
TI  - Alzheimer's disease. In search of the soluble.

PMID- 1406928
TI  - Retinoblastoma. For our eyes only.

PMID- 1406929
TI  - Signal transduction. Rac and Rho in tune.

PMID- 1406930
TI  - Rabies in wild dogs.

PMID- 1406931
TI  - Origin of rodents and guinea-pigs.

PMID- 1406932
TI  - Mice deficient for Rb are nonviable and show defects in neurogenesis and
      haematopoiesis.
AB  - The retinoblastoma gene, a prototypic tumour-suppressor gene, encodes a nuclear
      phosphoprotein (Rb). To understand better the role of Rb in development and in
      tumorigenesis, mice with an insertional mutation in exon 20 of the Rb-1 locus
      were generated. Homozygous mutants die before the 16th embryonic day with
      multiple defects. The haematopoietic system is abnormal; there is a significant
      increase in the number of immature nucleated erythrocytes. In the nervous system,
      ectopic mitoses and massive cell death are found, particularly in the hindbrain.
      All spinal ganglion cells die, but the neural retina is unaffected. Transfer of
      the human retinoblastoma (RB) mini-transgene into the mutant mice corrects the
      developmental defects. Thus, Rb is essential for normal mouse development.

PMID- 1406934
TI  - Predictable eye-head coordination during driving.
AB  - Large changes in the direction of gaze are made with a combination of fast
      saccadic eye movements and rather slower head movements. Since the first study on
      freely moving subjects, most authors have agreed that the head movement component
      of gaze is very variable, with a high 'volitional' component. But in some
      circumstances head and eye movements can be quite predictable, for example when a
      subject is asked to shift gaze as quickly as possible. Under these conditions,
      laboratory studies have shown that the eye and head motor-systems both receive
      gaze-change commands, although they execute them in rather different ways. Here I
      reconsider the way gaze direction is changed during free movement, but in the
      performance of a task where the subject is too busy to exert conscious control
      over head or eye movements. Using a new portable and inexpensive method for
      recording head and eye movements, I examine the oculomotor behaviour of car
      drivers, particularly during the large gaze changes made at road junctions. The
      results show that the pattern of eye and head movements is highly predictable,
      given only the sequence of gaze targets.

PMID- 1406933
TI  - Effects of an Rb mutation in the mouse.
AB  - The retinoblastoma gene is mutated in several types of human cancer and is the
      best characterized of the tumour-suppressor genes. A mouse strain has been
      constructed in which one allele of Rb is disrupted. These heterozygous animals
      are not predisposed to retinoblastoma, but some display pituitary tumours arising
      from cells in which the wild-type Rb allele is absent. Embryos homozygous for the
      mutation die between days 14 and 15 of gestation, exhibiting neuronal cell death
      and defective erythropoiesis.

PMID- 1406935
TI  - Deficiency of the 50K dystrophin-associated glycoprotein in severe childhood
      autosomal recessive muscular dystrophy.
AB  - X-linked recessive Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by the absence of
      dystrophin, a membrane cytoskeletal protein. Dystrophin is associated with a
      large oligomeric complex of sarcolemmal glycoprotein. The dystrophin-glycoprotein
      complex has been proposed to span the sarcolemma to provide a link between the
      subsarcolemmal cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix component, laminin. In
      DMD, the absence of dystrophin leads to a large reduction in all of the
      dystrophin-associated protein. We have investigated the possibility that a
      deficiency of a dystrophin-associated protein could be the cause of severe
      childhood autosomal recessive muscular dystrophy (SCARMD) with a DMD-like
      phenotype. Here we report the specific deficiency of the 50K dystrophin
      associated glycoprotein (M(r) 50,000) in sarcolemma of SCARMD patients.
      Therefore, the loss of this glycoprotein is a common denominator of the
      pathological process leading to muscle cell necrosis in two forms of muscular
      dystrophy, DMD and SCARMD.

PMID- 1406936
TI  - Isolation and quantification of soluble Alzheimer's beta-peptide from biological
      fluids.
AB  - Cerebral deposition of the beta-amyloid peptide (A beta) is an invariant feature
      of Alzheimer's disease. Since the original isolation and characterization of A
      beta (ref. 1) and the subsequent cloning of its precursor protein, no direct
      evidence for the actual production of discrete A beta has been reported. Here we
      investigate whether A beta is present in human biological fluids using antibodies
      specific for an epitope within A beta that spans the site of normal constitutive
      cleavage. These antibodies were used to construct a sandwich-type enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay that detects A beta in cerebrospinal fluid, plasma and
      conditioned medium of human mixed-brain cells grown in vitro (see also ref. 14).
      By affinity chromatography, we have purified and sequenced A beta and a novel A
      beta fragment from human cerebrospinal fluid and conditioned medium of human
      mixed-brain cell cultures. These findings demonstrate that A beta is produced and
      released both in vivo and in vitro. These observations offer new opportunities
      for developing diagnostic tests for Alzheimer's disease and therapeutic
      strategies aimed at reducing the cerebral deposition of A beta.

PMID- 1406937
TI  - Requirement for a functional Rb-1 gene in murine development.
AB  - Human retinoblastomas can occur both as hereditary and as sporadic cases.
      Knudson's proposal that they result from two mutational events, of which one is
      present in the germ line in hereditary cases, has been confirmed by more recent
      molecular analysis, which has shown both events to involve loss or mutational
      inactivation of the same gene, RB-1 (ref. 2). RB-1 heterozygosity also
      predisposes to osteosarcoma, and RB-1 allele losses are seen in sporadic lung,
      breast, prostate and bladder carcinomas. RB-1 is expressed in most, if not all,
      tissues and codes for a nuclear phosphoprotein which becomes hypophosphorylated
      in the G0 growth arrest state and in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. To gain a
      further insight into the role of RB-1 we and other groups have generated mice
      carrying an inactivated allele of the homologous gene, Rb-1 (ref. 10), by gene
      targeting. We report here that young heterozygous mice do not appear abnormal and
      do not develop retinoblastoma at a detectable frequency. However, homozygous
      mutant embryos fail to reach term and show a number of abnormalities in neural
      and haematopoietic development. Broadly similar results are reported by the other
      groups.

PMID- 1406938
TI  - Inefficient positive selection of T cells directed by haematopoietic cells.
AB  - Intrathymic differentiation of alpha beta TCR+ T cells depends on positive
      selection of CD4+CD8+ thymocytes by thymic major histocompatibility complex (MHC)
      molecules. Positive selection allows the maturation of only those T cells capable
      of restricted antigen recognition in the context of the hosts' MHC alleles.
      Studies of normal or T-cell receptor-transgenic mice engrafted with MHC-different
      bone marrow or thymuses support the conclusion that positive selection is
      directed by MHC molecules expressed on non-haematopoietic cells, presumably
      thymic epithelial cells. Here we, present contrary evidence that class I MHC
      molecules expressed by haematopoietic cell types direct positive selection of
      CD8+ T cells, though at a reduced rate compared with positive selection directed
      by thymic epithelial cells. The identity of cell types that direct positive
      selection bears directly on mechanistic models of the process, including the idea
      that thymic epithelial cell MHC molecules uniquely present specialized peptides
      that mediate positive selection, and the notion that thymic epithelial cells
      express unique differentiation-inducing cell surface molecules.

PMID- 1406939
TI  - The candidate oncoprotein Bcl-3 is an antagonist of p50/NF-kappa B-mediated
      inhibition.
AB  - The candidate oncogene bcl-3 was discovered as a translocation into the
      immunoglobulin alpha-locus in some cases of B-cell chronic lymphocytic
      leukaemias. The protein Bcl-3 contains seven so-called ankyrin repeats. Similar
      repeat motifs are found in a number of diverse regulatory proteins but the motifs
      of Bcl-3 are most closely related to those found in I kappa B proteins in which
      the ankyrin repeat domain is thought to be directly involved in inhibition of NF
      kappa B activity. No biological function has yet been described for Bcl-3, but it
      was noted recently that Bcl-3 interferes with DNA-binding of the p50 subunit of
      NF-kappa B in vitro. Here we demonstrate that Bcl-3 can aid kappa B site
      dependent transcription in vivo by counteracting the inhibitory effects of p50/NF
      kappa B homodimers. Bcl-3 may therefore aid activation of select NF-kappa B
      regulated genes, including those of the human immunodeficiency virus.

PMID- 1406941
TI  - Courts reject DNA fingerprinting, citing controversy after NAS report.

PMID- 1406940
TI  - Gene patents.

PMID- 1406942
TI  - A mess of red pottage.

PMID- 1406943
TI  - Malaria. Getting into the liver.

PMID- 1406944
TI  - Cancer genetics. Imprinting in leukaemia.

PMID- 1406945
TI  - Developmental biology. Big genes and little genes and deadlines for
      transcription.

PMID- 1406946
TI  - Human Genome Project: Mapping the way ahead.

PMID- 1406947
TI  - Actin in cell attachment.

PMID- 1406948
TI  - Allelic exclusion model questioned.

PMID- 1406949
TI  - Allelic exclusion model questioned.

PMID- 1406950
TI  - Continuum of overlapping clones spanning the entire human chromosome 21q.
AB  - A continuous array of overlapping clones covering the entire human chromosome 21q
      was constructed from human yeast artificial chromosome libraries using sequence
      tagged sites as landmarks specifically detected by polymerase chain reaction. The
      yeast artificial chromosome contiguous unit starts with pericentromeric and ends
      with subtelomeric loci of 21q. The resulting order of sequence-tagged sites is
      consistent with other physical and genetic mapping data. This set of overlapping
      clones will promote our knowledge of the structure of this chromosome and the
      function of its genes.

PMID- 1406952
TI  - Parents suppress reproduction and stimulate dispersal in opposite-sex juvenile
      white-footed mice.
AB  - Juvenile dispersal is sex-biased in many mammals and birds: one sex often
      disperses more often or farther than the other. Two hypotheses are generally
      presented for sex-biased dispersal. The first holds that juvenile dispersal
      reduces reproductive and/or resource competition between parents and same-sexed
      offspring. If so, presence of a parent on the natal home range should both
      promote dispersal of same-sex offspring and suppress reproduction of those that
      remain. The second is that juvenile dispersal reduces matings between parents and
      offspring, thus decreasing the likelihood of inbreeding depression. If so,
      presence of a parent should favour dispersal and reproductive suppression of
      offspring of the opposite sex. Here I present evidence that juvenile dispersal in
      white-footed mice, Peromyscus leucopus, is due to inbreeding avoidance. When
      population density was high, experimental removal of one parent delayed dispersal
      of opposite-sexed offspring and only the presence of the parents of opposite sex
      suppressed juvenile reproduction.

PMID- 1406951
TI  - Crystal structure of the met repressor-operator complex at 2.8 A resolution
      reveals DNA recognition by beta-strands.
AB  - The crystal structure of the met repressor-operator complex shows two dimeric
      repressor molecules bound to adjacent sites 8 base pairs apart on an 18-base-pair
      DNA fragment. Sequence specificity is achieved by insertion of double-stranded
      antiparallel protein beta-ribbons into the major groove of B-form DNA, with
      direct hydrogen-bonding between amino-acid side chains and the base pairs. The
      repressor also recognizes sequence-dependent distortion or flexibility of the
      operator phosphate backbone, conferring specificity even for inaccessible base
      pairs.

PMID- 1406953
TI  - Parental origin of chromosomes involved in the translocation t(9;22).
AB  - Functionally equivalent genetic maternal can be labelled by an epigenetic marking
      process and used differentially depending on whether its origin is maternal or
      paternal. This phenomenon is known as genomic imprinting and is manifested at
      either the chromosomal or gene level. Genomic imprinting seems to play an
      important role in cancer predisposition syndromes, and phenotypic consequences
      are evident in constitutional deletion syndromes and uniparental disomies.
      Moreover, there seems to be a preferential retention of paternal alleles in
      sporadic tumours such as Wilms' tumour, rhabdomyosarcoma, osteosarcoma and
      retinoblastoma. To investigate whether chromosomes involved in acquired
      abnormalities of haematologic neoplasms show a similar 'parent of origin' bias,
      we studied the inheritance of the translocated chromosomes 9 and 22 in cases of
      Philadelphia-chromosome-positive leukaemia, using unique specific chromosome band
      polymorphisms. Here we show that the translocated chromosome 9 was of paternal
      origin, whereas the translocated chromosomes 22 were derived exclusively from the
      maternal copy, in 11 cases with reliable polymorphisms. Our data therefore
      provide evidence that imprinting phenomena may play an important role in acquired
      tumour-specific chromosome rearrangements.

PMID- 1406954
TI  - Evidence for cooperative interactions in potassium channel gating.
AB  - Cloning and expression of voltage-activated potassium ion-channel complementary
      DNAs has confirmed that these channels are composed of four identical subunits,
      each containing a voltage sensor. It has been generally accepted that the voltage
      sensors must reach a permissive state through one or more conformational
      ('gating') transitions before the channel can open. To test whether each subunit
      gates independently, we have constructed cDNAs encoding four subunits on a single
      polypeptide chain, enabling us to specify the subunit stoichiometry. The gating
      of heterotetramers made up from combinations of subunits with different gating
      phenotypes strongly suggests that individual subunits gate cooperatively, rather
      than independently. Nonindependent subunit gating is consistent with measurements
      of the kinetics of K(+)-channel gating currents and in line with the widespread
      subunit cooperativity observed in other multisubunit proteins.

PMID- 1406955
TI  - Transcriptional activation by the human c-Myc oncoprotein in yeast requires
      interaction with Max.
AB  - The c-myc protein (Myc) contains an amino-terminal transcriptional activation
      domain and a carboxy-terminal basic helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper (bHLH-Z)
      domain that directs dimerization of Myc with its partner, the max protein (Max),
      and promotes DNA binding to sites containing a CACGTG core consensus sequence.
      Despite these characteristics and the observation that Myc can modulate gene
      expression, a direct role for Myc or Max as transcription factors has never been
      demonstrated. Here we use Saccharomyces cerevisiae as an in vivo model system to
      show that the Myc protein is a sequence-specific transcriptional activator whose
      DNA binding is strictly dependent on dimerization with Max. Transactivation is
      mediated by the amino-terminal domain of Myc. We find that Max homodimers bind to
      the same DNA sequence as Myc+Max but that they fail to transactivate and thus can
      antagonize Myc+Max function. We also show that the Max HLH-Z domain has a higher
      affinity for the Myc HLH-Z domain than for itself, and suggest that the
      heterodimeric Myc+Max activator forms preferentially at equilibrium.

PMID- 1406956
TI  - Myc and Max proteins possess distinct transcriptional activities.
AB  - The Myc family proteins are thought to be involved in transcription because they
      have both a carboxy-terminal basic-helix-loop-helix-zipper (bHLH-Z) domain,
      common to a large class of transcription factors, and an amino-terminal fragment
      which, for c-Myc, has transactivating function when assayed in chimaeric
      constructs. In addition, c-, N- and L-Myc proteins heterodimerize, in vitro and
      in vivo, with the bHLH-Z protein Max. In vitro, Max homodimerizes but
      preferentially associates with Myc, which homodimerizes poorly. Furthermore Myc
      Max heterodimers specifically bind the nucleotide sequence CACGTG with higher
      affinity than either homodimer alone. The identification of Max and the specific
      DNA-binding activities of Myc and Max provides an opportunity for directly
      testing the transcriptional activities of these proteins in mammalian cells. We
      report here that Myc overexpression activates, whereas Max overexpression
      represses, transcription of a reporter gene. Max-induced repression is relieved
      by overexpression of c-Myc. Repression requires the DNA-binding domain of Max,
      whereas relief of repression requires the dimerization and transcriptional
      activation activities of Myc. Both effects require Myc-Max-binding sites in the
      reporter gene.

PMID- 1406958
TI  - Gene wars escalate as US official battles NIH over pursuit of patent.

PMID- 1406959
TI  - Europe tightens rules that govern homeopathic products.

PMID- 1406957
TI  - Probing met repressor-operator recognition in solution.
AB  - The three-dimensional crystal structure of the Escherichia coli methionine
      repressor, MetJ, complexed with a DNA operator fragment is described in an
      accompanying article. The complex exhibits several novel features of DNA-protein
      interaction. DNA sequence recognition is achieved largely by hydrogen-bond
      contacts between the bases and amino-acid side chains located on a beta-ribbon, a
      mode of recognition previously hypothesized on the basis of modelling of
      idealized beta-strands and DNA, and mutagenesis of the Salmonella phage P22
      repressors Arc and Mnt. The complex comprises a pair of MetJ repressor dimers
      which bind to adjacent met-box sites on the DNA, and contact each other by means
      of a pair of antiparallel alpha-helices. Here we assess the importance of these
      contacts, and also of contacts that would be made between the C-helices of the
      protein and DNA in a previous model of the complex, by studying mutations aimed
      at disrupting them. The role of the carboxy-terminal helix face in operator
      binding was unclear, but we demonstrate that recognition of operator sequences
      occurs through side chains in the beta-strand motif and that dimer-dimer
      interactions are required for effective repression.

PMID- 1406961
TI  - Small businesses to get bigger slice of US research pie.

PMID- 1406960
TI  - Ludwig estate to support research.

PMID- 1406962
TI  - UK moves closer to free market for research funding.

PMID- 1406963
TI  - Congress supports breast cancer research by taking $210 million from military.

PMID- 1406964
TI  - Animal welfare.

PMID- 1406965
TI  - Cell biology. Every motion has its motor.

PMID- 1406966
TI  - Embryology. The quest for immortality.

PMID- 1406967
TI  - Checkpoint policing by p53.

PMID- 1406968
TI  - Marsupial Y chromosome encodes a homologue of the mouse Y-linked candidate
      spermatogenesis gene Ube1y.
AB  - The mammalian subclass Theria consists of infraclasses Metatheria (marsupials)
      and Eutheria ('placentals') which diverged from each other 120-150 million years
      before present (Myr BP). Both infraclasses have Y chromosome-dependent testis
      determination but direct molecular evidence linking the Metatherian and Eutherian
      Y chromosomes is lacking. Comparative analyses indicate that three mammalian
      genes have remained Y-linked for at least 80 Myr, since the divergence of the
      Eutherian orders from a common ancestor. These are Zfy, a gene encoding a
      transcription factor of the zinc-finger type; Sry, the putative primary testis
      determining gene; and Ube1y (formerly Sby or A1s9Y-1), a candidate for the mouse
      spermatogenesis gene Spy, encoding a ubiquitin-activating enzyme E1 homologue.
      Although in marspials Zfy homologues are autosomal, a Y homologue of Sry has
      recently been isolated. We report here the identification of a functional
      marsupial Y-linked homologue of the murine Ube1y gene establishing that
      Metatherian and Eutherian Y chromosomes diverged from a common ancestor. This
      extreme conservation indicates that Ube1y plays a critical role in male
      development.

PMID- 1406969
TI  - Evolution of sex determination and the Y chromosome: SRY-related sequences in
      marsupials.
AB  - In mammals, testis determination is under the control of the testis-determining
      factor borne by the Y chromosome. SRY, a gene cloned from the sex-determining
      region of the human Y chromosome, has been equated with the testis-determining
      factor in man and mouse. We have used a human SRY probe to identify and clone
      related genes from the Y chromosome of two marsupial species. Comparisons of
      eutherian and metatherian Y-located SRY sequences suggest rapid evolution of
      these genes, especially outside the region encoding the DNA-binding HMG box. The
      SRY homologues, together with the mouse Ube1y homologues, are the first genes to
      be identified on the marsupial Y chromosome.

PMID- 1406970
TI  - Microtubule-motor activity of a yeast centromere-binding protein complex.
AB  - During cell division, sister chromosomes segregate from each other on a
      microtubule-based structure called the mitotic spindle. Proteins bind to the
      centromere, a region of chromosomal DNA, to form the kinetochore, which mediates
      chromosome attachment to the mitotic spindle microtubules. In the budding yeast
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae, genetic analysis has shown that the 28-basepair (bp)
      CDEIII region of the 125-bp centromere DNA sequence (CEN sequence) is the main
      region controlling chromosome segregation in vivo. Therefore it is likely that
      proteins binding to the CDEIII region link the centromeres to the microtubules
      during mitosis. A complex of proteins (CBF3) that binds specifically to the
      CDEIII DNA sequence has been isolated by affinity chromatography. Here we
      describe kinetochore function in vitro. The CBF3 complex can link DNA to
      microtubules, and the complex contains a minus-end-directed microtubule-based
      motor. We suggest that microtubule-based motors form the fundamental link between
      microtubules and chromosomes at mitosis.

PMID- 1406971
TI  - CENP-E is a putative kinetochore motor that accumulates just before mitosis.
AB  - The mechanics of chromosome movement, mitotic spindle assembly and spindle
      elongation have long been central questions of cell biology. After attachment in
      prometaphase of a microtubule from one pole, duplicated chromosome pairs travel
      towards the pole in a rapid but discontinuous motion. This is followed by a
      slower congression towards the midplate as the chromosome pair orients with each
      kinetochore attached to the microtubules from the nearest pole. The pairs disjoin
      at anaphase and translocate to opposite poles and the interpolar distance
      increases. Here we identify CENP-E as a kinesin-like motor protein (M(r) 312,000)
      that accumulates in the G2 phase of the cell cycle. CENP-E associates with
      kinetochores during congression, relocates to the spindle midzone at anaphase,
      and is quantitatively discarded at the end of the cell division. CENP-E is likely
      to be one of the motors responsible for mammalian chromosome movement and/or
      spindle elongation.

PMID- 1406972
TI  - Mitotic spindle organization by a plus-end-directed microtubule motor.
AB  - Intracellular microtubule motor proteins may direct the motile properties and/or
      morphogenesis of the mitotic spindle (reviewed in ref. 3). The recent
      identification of kinesin-like proteins important for mitosis or meiosis
      indicates that kinesin-related proteins may play a universal role in eukaryotic
      cell division, but the precise function of such proteins in mitosis remains
      unknown. Here we use an in vitro assay for spindle assembly, derived from Xenopus
      egg extracts, to investigate the role of Eg5, a kinesin-like protein in Xenopus
      eggs. Eg5 is localized along spindle microtubules, and particularly enriched near
      spindle poles. Immunodepletion of Eg5 from egg extracts markedly reduces the
      extent of spindle formation in extracts, as does direct addition of anti-Eg5
      antibodies. We also demonstrate that Eg5 is a plus-end-directed microtubule motor
      in vitro. Our results suggest a novel mechanism for the dynamic self-organization
      of spindle poles in mitosis.

PMID- 1406973
TI  - A plus-end-directed motor enzyme that moves antiparallel microtubules in vitro
      localizes to the interzone of mitotic spindles.
AB  - Mitosis comprises a complex set of overlapping motile events, many of which
      involve microtubule-dependent motor enzymes. Here we describe a new member of the
      kinesin superfamily. The protein was originally identified as a spindle antigen
      by the CHO1 monoclonal antibody and shown to be required for mitotic progression.
      We have cloned the gene that encodes this antigen and found that its sequence
      contains a domain with strong sequence similarity to the motor domain of kinesin
      like proteins. The product of this gene, expressed in bacteria, can cross-bridge
      antiparallel microtubules in vitro, and in the presence of Mg-ATP, microtubules
      slide over one another in a fashion reminiscent of microtubule movements during
      spindle elongation.

PMID- 1406974
TI  - Autoimmune diabetes as a consequence of locally produced interleukin-2.
AB  - During cell differentiation in the thymus, self-reactive T cells can be
      generated. The majority of these seem to be deleted after intrathymic encounter
      with the relevant autoantigen. As all self antigens are unlikely to be present in
      the thymus, some autoreactive T cells may escape censorship. Here we study the
      fate of these cells using transgenic mice expressing the class I molecule H-2Kb
      (Kb) in the insulin-producing beta-cells of the pancreas. These mice were crossed
      with mice transgenic for genes encoding a Kb-specific T-cell antigen receptor
      (TCR) which could be detected using a clonotype-specific monoclonal antibody.
      Although T cells expressing the highest level of transgenic TCR were deleted
      intrathymically in double-transgenic mice, Kb-specific T cells were detected in
      the periphery. These cells caused the rejection of Kb-expressing skin grafts, but
      ignored islet Kb antigens even after priming. But when double-transgenic mice
      were crossed with transgenic mice expressing the lymphokine interleukin-2 in the
      pancreatic beta-cells, there was a rapid onset of diabetes. These results
      indicate that autoreactive T cells that ignore self antigens may cause autoimmune
      diabetes when provided with exogenous 'help' in the form of interleukin-2.

PMID- 1406975
TI  - Apoptotic cell death induced by c-myc is inhibited by bcl-2.
AB  - Apoptosis is a form of physiological cell death, characterized by chromatin
      condensation, cytoplasmic blebbing and DNA fragmentation, which often depends on
      RNA and protein synthesis by the dying cell. The c-myc proto-oncogene, usually
      implicated in cell transformation, differentiation and cell-cycle progression
      also has a central role in some forms of apoptosis. These opposing roles of myc
      in cell growth and death require that other gene products dictate the outcome of
      c-Myc expression on a cell. A candidate for such a modifying gene is bcl-2, whose
      product prolongs cell survival and blocks apoptosis in some systems. Here we
      demonstrate that Bcl-2 prevents apoptotic death induced by c-Myc, provide a
      mechanism whereby cells can express c-Myc without undergoing apoptosis, and give
      a possible explanation for the ability of Bcl-2 to synergize with c-Myc in cell
      transformation.

PMID- 1406976
TI  - Cooperative interaction between c-myc and bcl-2 proto-oncogenes.
AB  - The bcl-2 proto-oncogene is activated by translocation in a variety of B-lymphoid
      tumours and synergizes with the c-myc oncogene in tumour progression. The
      mechanism of synergy is unclear but bcl-2 expression inhibits apoptosis, a
      property presumably pertinent to its proto-oncogenic mode of action. We have
      shown that the c-myc gene is a potent inducer of apoptosis, in addition to its
      established role in mitogenesis. Here we show that expression of the bcl-2
      protein, Bcl-2, specifically abrogates c-myc-induced apoptosis without affecting
      the c-myc mitogenic function. This provides a novel mechanism for oncogene
      cooperation, of potential importance both in carcinogenesis and in the evolution
      of drug resistance in tumours.

PMID- 1406977
TI  - New drug law to speed scientific review.
AB  - By charging drug companies 'user fees' that will be spent hiring new staff, the
      US Food and Drug Administration will reduce the time it takes to review new
      pharmaceuticals from an average of two years to one.

PMID- 1406978
TI  - Biodiversity supported.
AB  - Funding for a new programme, with only $1.5 million for grants, is hardly enough
      to scratch the surface.

PMID- 1406979
TI  - If biological diversity has a price, who sets it and who should benefit?

PMID- 1406980
TI  - New rules loom for US science funding as Congress passes a lean 1993 budget.

PMID- 1406981
TI  - Human Frontiers looks for leader in Europe; US wavers.

PMID- 1406982
TI  - User fees to hasten FDA review.

PMID- 1406984
TI  - Britain wrestles with EC rule on modified organisms.

PMID- 1406985
TI  - Overregulation could damage US biotechnology, says report.

PMID- 1406983
TI  - Brian Henderson named president of Salk Institute.

PMID- 1406987
TI  - Perkin-Elmer to buy Applied Biosystems to broaden markets.

PMID- 1406986
TI  - Nobel Prize given for work on protein phosphorylation.

PMID- 1406989
TI  - Semiprivate research: best of both worlds.

PMID- 1406988
TI  - HIV: to vaccinate or not to vaccinate?
AB  - "Improbability of effective vaccination against human immunodeficiency virus
      ...", declares the title of a new paper by Dr Albert Sabin. But three
      immunologists see flaws in his argument.

PMID- 1406990
TI  - RIKEN--Japan's leading light.

PMID- 1406991
TI  - Activins. No muscles, but what a brain.

PMID- 1406992
TI  - Neuropsychology. Drawing upon the mind's eye.

PMID- 1406993
TI  - Creative blocks: cell-cycle checkpoints and feedback controls.
AB  - Before division, cells must ensure that they finish DNA replication, DNA repair
      and chromosome segregation. They do so by using feedback controls which can
      detect the failure to complete replication, repair or spindle assembly to arrest
      the progress of the cell cycle at one of three checkpoints. Failures in feedback
      controls can contribute to the generation of cancer.

PMID- 1406994
TI  - Dissociation between mental imagery and object recognition in a brain-damaged
      patient.
AB  - Visual imagery is the creation of mental representations that share many features
      with veridical visual percepts. Studies of normal and brain-damaged people
      reinforce the view that visual imagery and visual perception are mediated by a
      common neural substrate and activate the same representations. Thus, brain
      damaged patients with intact vision who have an impairment in perception should
      have impaired visual imagery. Here we present evidence to the contrary from a
      patient with severely impaired object recognition (visual object agnosia) but
      with normal mental imagery. He draws objects in considerable detail from memory
      and uses information derived from mental images in a variety of tasks. In
      contrast, he cannot identify visually presented objects, even those he has drawn
      himself. He has normal visual acuity and intact perception of equally complex
      material in other domains. We conclude that rich internal representations can be
      activated to support visual imagery even when they cannot support visually
      mediated perception of objects.

PMID- 1406995
TI  - Hippocampus-dependent learning facilitated by a monoclonal antibody or D
      cycloserine.
AB  - Persistent neuronal plasticity, including that observed at some hippocampal
      synapses, requires N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-mediated transmission. NMDA
      receptor activation may be necessary for hippocampus-dependent learning as
      antagonists block acquisition in many such tasks. The behavioural effects of NMDA
      agonists are less well defined. We have shown that a monoclonal antibody (B6B21)
      displaced [3H]-glycine that was bound specifically to the NMDA receptor, and
      enhanced the opening of its integral cation channel in a glycine-like fashion,
      effects that were competitively antagonized by 7-chlorokynurenic acid. B6B21 also
      enhanced long-term potentiation in hippocampal slices. We report here that
      intraventricular infusions of B6B21 significantly enhances acquisition rates in
      hippocampus-dependent trace eye blink conditioning in rabbits, halving the number
      of trials required to reach a criterion of 80% conditioned responses. Peripheral
      injections of D-cycloserine, a partial agonist of the glycine site on the NMDA
      receptor which crosses the blood-brain barrier, also doubles rabbits' learning
      rates. Pseudoconditioning control experiments indicated a lack of nonspecific
      behavioural sensitization effects. Our data suggest that enhanced activation of
      the glycine coagonist site on the NMDA receptor/channel complex facilitates one
      form of associative learning and may be used in other learning tasks.

PMID- 1406996
TI  - Oxidative stress and heat shock induce a human gene encoding a protein-tyrosine
      phosphatase.
AB  - Reactive oxygen species have been implicated both in the ageing process and in
      degenerative diseases, including arthritis and cancer. Bacteria adapt to the
      lethal effects of oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide by inducing the expression
      of protective stress genes. Analogous responses have been identified in human
      cells. For example, haem oxygenase is a major stress protein in human cells
      treated with oxidants, and reactive oxygen intermediates activate NF-kappa B, a
      transcriptional regulator of genes involved in inflammatory and acute-phase
      responses. We report here the isolation and characterization of a novel
      complementary DNA (CL100) corresponding to a messenger RNA that is highly
      inducible by oxidative stress and heat shock in human skin cells. The cDNA
      contains an open reading frame specifying a protein of M(r) 39.3K with the
      structural features of a non-receptor-type protein-tyrosine phosphatase and which
      has significant amino-acid sequence similarity to a Tyr/Ser-protein phosphatase
      encoded by the late gene H1 of vaccinia virus. The purified protein encoded by
      the CL100 open reading frame expressed in bacteria has intrinsic phosphatase
      activity. Given the relationship between the levels of protein-tyrosine
      phosphorylation, receptor activity, cellular proliferation and cell-cycle
      control, the induction of this gene may play an important regulatory role in the
      human cellular response to environmental stress.

PMID- 1406997
TI  - A functional barrier to movement of lipids in polarized neurons.
AB  - In polarized neurons, axons and dendrites perform different functions, which are
      reflected in their different molecular organization. Studies on the sorting of
      viral and endogenous glycoproteins in epithelial cells and hippocampal neurons
      suggest that there may be similarities in the mechanism of sorting in these two
      cell types. The mechanisms that maintain the distinct composition of the two
      plasma membrane domains in these two cell types must, however, be different. We
      have proposed the existence of a functional barrier at the axonal hillock/initial
      segment which prevents the intermixing of membrane constituents. Here we test
      this hypothesis by fusing liposomes containing fluorescent phospholipids into the
      plasma membrane of polarized hippocampal cells in culture. Fusion was induced by
      lowering the pH and mediated by influenza virus haemagglutinin expressed on the
      axonal surface of neurons infected with fowl plague virus. Labelling was found
      exclusively on axons after fusion. Although the fused lipids were mobile on the
      axonal membrane, no labelling was detected on the cell body and dendritic
      surfaces. These results suggest that there is a diffusion barrier at the axonal
      hillock/initial segment which maintains the compositional differences between the
      axonal and somatodendritic domains.

PMID- 1406998
TI  - Identification of an amino acid-base contact in the GCN4-DNA complex by
      bromouracil-mediated photocrosslinking.
AB  - The bZIP DNA-binding proteins are characterized by a 50-amino-acid DNA binding
      and dimerization motif, consisting of a highly basic DNA-binding region ('b')
      followed by a leucine zipper dimerization region ('ZIP'). The best characterized
      bZIP DNA-binding protein is GCN4, a yeast transcriptional activator. GCN4 binds
      to a 9-base-pair two-fold-symmetric DNA site, 5'-A-4T-3G-2A-1C0T+1C+2A+3T+4-3'
      (refs 7-10). A detailed model known as the 'induced helical fork' model has been
      proposed for the structure of the GCN4-DNA complex. Using a site-specific
      bromouracil-mediated photocrosslinking method, we show here that the alanine at
      position 238 of GCN4 contacts, or is close to, the thymine 5-methyl of A.T at
      position +3 of the DNA site in the GCN4-DNA complex. Our results strongly support
      the induced helical fork model. Our site-specific bromouracil-mediated
      photocrosslinking method requires no prior information regarding the structure of
      the protein or the structure of the protein-DNA complex and should be
      generalizable to DNA-binding proteins that interact with the DNA major groove.

PMID- 1406999
TI  - Release of endogenous acetylcholine in the hypothalamus of conscious rats.
AB  - The release of endogenous acetylcholine was investigated by the push-pull
      technique. The posterior hypothalamus of conscious rats was superfused through a
      push-pull cannula with artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) which contained 1
      mumol/l neostigmine. Acetylcholine was determined in the superfusate by high
      pressure liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection. Hypothalamic
      superfusion with potassium-rich (100 mmol/l) ACSF led to a pronounced increase in
      the release rate of acetylcholine. Tetrodotoxin (1 mumol/l) almost abolished the
      basal release of the neurotransmitter. Superfusion of the hypothalamus with
      atropine (10 or 50 mumol/l) led to a concentration-dependent increase, whereas
      superfusion with oxotremorine (50 mumol/l) inhibited the release rate of
      acetylcholine. It is concluded that acetylcholine released into the superfusate
      of the hypothalamus originates from cholinergic neurons. Furthermore, the release
      of acetylcholine seems to be modulated by muscarinic acetylcholine receptors,
      probably located on cholinergic neurons of the hypothalamus.

PMID- 1407000
TI  - Pharmacokinetic and thrombolytic properties of unglycosylated recombinant tissue
      type plasminogen activator (BM 06.021) produced in Escherichia coli.
AB  - Recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) was produced in Escherichia
      coli cells in order to obtain an unglycosylated rt-PA (BM 06.021) with increased
      thrombolytic potency due to altered pharmacokinetic properties. The
      pharmacokinetics were studied in rabbits upon intravenous infusion of 200 kU/kg
      over 30 min. The thrombolytic dose-response effects were evaluated in a rabbit
      model with 125I-labeled venous thrombi upon intravenous infusion over 4 h. The
      thrombolytic effects after intravenous bolus injection of 200 kU/kg BM 06.021
      were investigated in a canine model of coronary artery thrombosis. All studies
      were performed comparing BM 06.021 with glycosylated rt-PA (alteplase). BM 06.021
      demonstrated a longer (p less than 0.05) half-life (5.6 +/- 2.6 vs. 2.1 +/- 0.3
      min) and a lower (p less than 0.05) clearance rate (7.5 +/- 0.8 vs. 22.2 +/- 3.1
      ml.min-1.kg-1) than alteplase in rabbits upon intravenous infusion. The dose
      response curve of BM 06.021 for thrombolysis in a rabbit model of jugular vein
      thrombosis was located to the left of that for alteplase with a 2.1-fold lower
      effective dose of 50% thrombolysis (ED50) of BM 06.021 (207 vs. 436 kU/kg).
      Intravenous bolus injection of 200 kU/kg BM 06.021 induced the same reperfusion
      rate (4/6) as intravenous infusion of 800 kU/kg alteplase over 90 min in a canine
      model of coronary artery thrombosis. The residual thrombus wet weight did not
      significantly differ between BM 06.021 and alteplase (5.7 +/- 1.8 vs. 6.3 +/- 1.1
      mg). The results indicate that unglycosylated rt-PA (BM 06.021) has a higher in
      vivo thrombolytic potency than glycosylated rt-PA (alteplase).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407001
TI  - Dopamine and adrenaline, but not isoprenaline, are substrates for uptake and
      metabolism in isolated perfused lungs of rats.
AB  - The uptake and subsequent metabolism by catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and
      monoamine oxidase (MAO) of dopamine, adrenaline, isoprenaline and noradrenaline
      in isolated perfused lungs of rats has been examined. In lung preparations in
      which COMT and MAO were inhibited, the uptake of 3H-labelled dopamine, (-)
      adrenaline and (-)-noradrenaline, but not (+/-)-isoprenaline, was reduced by
      cocaine (10 or 100 mumol/l). The rank order of the Km values of the amines that
      were substrates for uptake in the lungs were: dopamine (0.246 mumol/l) less than
      noradrenaline (0.967 mumol/l) less than adrenaline (3.32 mumol/l). These results
      are consistent with transport of catecholamines in rat lungs by Uptake1. In lung
      preparations with COMT and MAO intact, dopamine and noradrenaline were removed
      from the circulation (50% and 32%, respectively) and mainly metabolized. There
      was very little (3.0%) removal of isoprenaline by the lungs and adrenaline was
      not included in this part of the study. In lung preparations in which only MAO
      was inhibited, the rank order of COMT activity for O-methylation of the amines
      was dopamine much much greater than noradrenaline greater than or equal to
      adrenaline (kCOMT values: 4.98 min-1, 0.357 min-1 and 0.234 min-1, respectively).
      If dopamine or adrenaline are perfused through the pulmonary circulation in
      isolated lungs of the rat, they are taken up and then metabolized by COMT and
      MAO, as also occurs for noradrenaline. Isoprenaline is not a substrate for uptake
      in the lungs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407002
TI  - Modulation by sigma ligands of N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced [3H]noradrenaline
      release in the rat hippocampus: G-protein dependency.
AB  - The effects of the high affinity sigma (sigma) ligands 1,3-di(2-tolyl)guanidine
      (DTG), (+)N-cyclopropylmethyl-N-methyl-1,4-diphenyl-1- ethyl-but-3-en-1-yl-amine
      hydrochloride (JO-1784), (+)3-[3-hydroxyphenyl]-N-(1-propyl)piperidine
      hydrochloride [(+)3-PPP] and haloperidol were studied on N-methyl-D-aspartate
      (NMDA)-evoked release of [3H]noradrenaline (NA) from preloaded hippocampal slices
      made from Sprague-Dawley rats. The [3H]NA release was evoked once by a 4 min
      exposure to NMDA, 40 min after the beginning of superfusion with a Mg+(+)-free
      Krebs' solution. In the absence of any drug, NMDA evoked a concentration
      dependent [3H]NA release. Mg++ and EGTA abolished the [3H]NA release induced by
      NMDA. JO-1784 and (+)3-PPP potentiated in a concentration-dependent manner NMDA
      induced [3H]NA release, without affecting the basal outflow. DTG concentration
      dependently inhibited the overflow of [3H]NA evoked by NMDA, without affecting
      the basal efflux. Haloperidol, which did not modify NMDA-evoked [3H]NA release by
      itself, completely prevented the effects of JO-1784, (+)3-PPP and DTG. In
      contrast, spiperone, also a potent dopamine receptor antagonist but with low
      affinity for sigma binding sites, failed to prevent the potentiation of NMDA
      evoked release of [3H]NA by JO-1784 and (+)3-PPP. The possible involvement of
      Gi/o proteins in the modulation by sigma ligands of NMDA-evoked [3H]NA release in
      the rat hippocampus was also investigated. To this end, Gi/o proteins were
      inactivated with pertussis toxin (PTX), injected locally 3 to 11 days prior to
      the experiment or with in vitro preincubation with N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) for 30
      min prior the experiment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407004
TI  - Histamine levels and clonic convulsions of electrically-induced seizure in mice:
      the effects of alpha-fluoromethylhistidine and metoprine.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible role of the central
      histaminergic neuron system in electrically-induced seizure in mice. For this
      purpose, we examined the effects of intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of
      histaminergic agents, such as L-histidine, metoprine, and alpha
      fluoromethylhistidine (FMH), on electrically-induced seizure. L-Histidine
      decreased the duration of clonic convulsion in electrically-induced seizure, but
      not affected that of tonic convulsion. This effect of L-histidine was antagonized
      by pretreatment with FMH, indicating that it was due to histamine formed by
      decarboxylation of L-histidine in the central nervous system. The anticonvulsive
      effect of L-histidine was also reduced by the H1-antagonist pyrilamine, but not
      by the H2-antagonist zolantidine, indicating that the effect on electrically
      induced seizure is mediated through central H1-receptors. Metoprine, which
      increased the histamine levels in the cerebral cortex, diencephalon and midbrain
      of mice, decreased the duration of clonic convulsions dose-dependently.
      Conversely, FMH, which decreased the brain histamine levels, increased the
      duration of clonic convulsions. Good inverse correlations were found between the
      duration of clonic convulsions and brain histamine levels, especially in the
      diencephalon: the histamine levels were inversely proportional to the duration of
      clonic convulsions. No correlation was found between the duration of tonic
      convulsions and brain histamine levels. These results suggest that the
      histaminergic neuron system is important in inhibition of the duration of clonic
      convulsion on electrically induced seizure in mice.

PMID- 1407003
TI  - Molecular structural basis of ligand selectivity for 5-HT2 versus 5-HT1C cortical
      receptors.
AB  - A molecular structural criterion of ligand selectivity for the 5-HT2 versus 5
      HT1C receptor was hypothesized on the basis of radioligand binding data. Despite
      the large number of compounds which have been tested at both receptors, analysis
      of published data led to the identification of only five agents which are greater
      than 10-fold selective for the 5-HT2 versus the 5-HT1C receptor. Comparison of
      the two-dimensional structures revealed that, although these five compounds
      represent three distinct structural classes, they share a common structural
      feature located in the region hypothesized to be involved in receptor binding: a
      carbonyl or carboxyl oxygen interposed spatially between an aromatic ring and
      nitrogen atom. This structural feature was used to predict the relative
      selectivity of compounds that had not previously been analyzed at both the 5-HT2
      and 5-HT1C receptors. All six drugs tested which contain the identified reactive
      carbonyl or carboxyl group were found to be selective for the 5-HT2 versus the 5
      HT1C receptor with selectivity ratios ranging from 26 to 380. By contrast, three
      agents which are structurally similar but do not contain the reactive carbonyl or
      carboxyl group displayed equally high affinity for both receptor binding sites.
      Since the physiological roles of the 5-HT2 and 5-HT1C receptor are markedly
      different, it would be of potential clinical and scientific value to utilize this
      molecular structural feature to further identify chemical compounds which would
      selectively interact with only one of the two receptors.

PMID- 1407005
TI  - Calcium mobilization and its desensitization induced by endothelins and
      sarafotoxin in human astrocytoma cells (1321N1): comparison of histamine-induced
      calcium mobilization.
AB  - Intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) was monitored in monolayer of
      1321 N1 astrocytoma cells by using a fluorescent Ca2+ indicator fura-2.
      Endothelin-1 (ET-1), endothelin-2 (ET-2), and sarafotoxin Sb6 (SRTX) increased
      [Ca2+]i from 56 +/- 6 nM to 360 +/- 82, 120 +/- 51, 143 +/- 29 nM, respectively,
      immediately after their addition to the perfusate with maximum response of more
      than 0.1 microM of peptides. Endothelin-3 (less than 1 microM) did not affect
      [Ca2+]i. The increase in [Ca2+]i in response to either ET-1, ET-2, or SRTX could
      be almost completely inhibited by pretreating cells with ET-1 or ET-2. The
      homologous desensitization of [Ca2+]i induced by ETs and SRTX is in good
      agreement with their affinity toward an ETA receptors. The responses in [Ca2+]i
      by ETs and SRTX were not affected in the desensitized state induced by the
      pretreatment of histamine in the presence of extracellular Ca2+. However, the
      response in [Ca2+]i by ETs and SRTX were reduced in the desensitized state
      induced by pretreatment of histamine in the absence of extracellular Ca2+. These
      results indicate that depletion of the intracellular Ca2+ stores is responsible
      for the heterologous desensitization between ETs and histamine.

PMID- 1407007
TI  - Identification of a novel high affinity adenosine binding protein from bovine
      striatum.
AB  - In solubilized extracts from bovine striatal membranes three different binding
      sites for 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine ([3H]NECA) were observed after
      separation of the extract by gel filtration on Sepharose CL-6B. The first peak
      was eluted in the void volume and contained the A2 adenosine receptor. In the
      second peak, [3H]NECA binding sites were eluted with a pharmacological profile
      characteristic of adenotin, a low affinity non-receptor adenosine binding
      protein. The third peak represented approximately 50% of the [3H]NECA binding
      activity. This site bound [3H]NECA in a reversible and saturable manner with KD
      of 17 nmol/l and a binding capacity of 11.3 pmol/mg protein. In competition
      experiments, adenosine, NECA, NAD, inosine, 5'-AMP and S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine
      were the most potent ligands. In contrast to adenosine receptors, this site did
      neither bind adenosine receptor antagonists nor the A2 selective agonist CGS
      21,680 (2-[p-(2-carboxyethyl)phenethylamino]5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadeno sin e).
      These results suggest the existence of a novel high affinity binding site for
      adenosine of unknown function in bovine striatum.

PMID- 1407006
TI  - Effects of taurine, homotaurine and GABA on hypothalamic and striatal dopamine
      metabolism.
AB  - To elucidate the effects of taurine on hypothalamic and striatal dopaminergic
      neurotransmission we compared its effects to those of gamma-aminobutyric acid
      (GABA) and homotaurine (a GABAA-receptor agonist) on hypothalamic and striatal
      concentrations of dopamine (DA) and its metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic
      acid (DOPAC), homovanillic acid (HVA) and, in the case of striatum, 3
      methoxytyramine (3-MT) in rats. In addition, hypothalamic and striatal 5
      hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) und 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, hypothalamic
      noradrenaline (NA) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol sulfate, and pituitary DA
      concentrations were also measured. The amino acids were injected into the lateral
      brain ventricles of conscious male rats in doses of 10 and 36 mumol/rat, and rat
      were sacrificed 15 and 60 min later, respectively. Homotaurine (by 11%) but not
      the other two amino acids elevated striatal DA, whereas hypothalamic DA was
      increased by both taurine (36%) and homotaurine (31%). All three amino acids at
      36 mumol elevated striatal DOPAC, homotaurine (51%) more than taurine (31%) or
      GABA (30%), and hypothalamic DOPAC, both taurine (102%) and homotaurine (82%)
      clearly more than GABA (34%). Neither striatal nor hypothalamic HVA was altered
      by any of the amino acids. At 10 mumol the amino acids decreased striatal 3-MT by
      about 40%. At 36 mumol taurine and homotaurine reduced 3-MT by about 70%, whereas
      increasing the dose of GABA did not further reduce 3-MT. Both taurine and
      homotaurine at 36 mumol decreased hypothalamic NA content. Neither hypothalamic
      nor striatal 5-HT metabolism was altered. In the neurointermediate lobe of the
      pituitary gland taurine at 10 mumol but not at 36 mumol slightly (20%) increased
      DA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407008
TI  - Veratridine causes the Ca(2+)-dependent increase in diacylglycerol formation and
      translocation of protein kinase C to membranes in cultured bovine adrenal
      medullary cells.
AB  - Our previous studies suggested that protein kinase C is involved in the
      veratridine (an activator of voltage-dependent Na+ channels)-induced
      phosphorylation and activation of tyrosine hydroxylase as well as the synthesis
      of catecholamines in adrenal medulla (Uezono et al. 1989). In the present study,
      we investigated whether treatment of cultured bovine adrenal medullary cells with
      veratridine causes the accumulation of diacylglycerol, a physiological activator
      of protein kinase C and the translocation of protein kinase C from cytosol to
      membrane, a process required for protein kinase C activation. Veratridine (100
      mumol/l) increased diacylglycerol level about 2.2 fold in a monophasic manner,
      with peaking at 5 min and declining toward the basal level within 20 min.
      Veratridine also increased membrane protein kinase C from 15.6% to 26.9% of total
      protein kinase C in a time-course similar to that of diacylglycerol accumulation.
      Both stimulatory effects of veratridine were inhibited by tetrodotoxin and not
      observed in Ca(2+)-free, EGTA-containing medium. Amiloride, an inhibitor of
      Na+/Ca2+ and Na+/H+ exchange, did not alter veratridine-induced events. These
      results suggest that veratridine-induced Ca2+ influx contributes to the
      accumulation of diacylglycerol and the activation of protein kinase C in adrenal
      medullary cells.

PMID- 1407010
TI  - "5-HT1R" or 5-HT1D sites? Evidence for 5-HT1D binding sites in rabbit brain.
AB  - Radioligand binding studies were performed in membranes of rabbit whole brain and
      striatum using the novel iodinated radioligand for 5-hydroxytryptamine 5-HT1B and
      5-HT1D sites, Serotonin-5-O-Carboxymethyl-Glycyl[125I]Tyrosinamide ([125I]GTI).
      [125I]GTI labelled a finite number of high affinity sites in rabbit brain
      membranes, Bmax = 191 +/- 47 fmol/mg protein, pKD (-log mol/l) = 8.50 +/- 0.13, n
      = 5. The pharmacological profile of [125I]GTI binding was fully comparable to
      that reported previously in human and other brain preparations known to possess 5
      HT1D sites (using either [3H]5-HT or [125I]GTI) and displayed a characteristic
      rank order of affinity: 5-carboxamido-tryptamine greater than 5-HT =
      dihydroergotamine greater than or equal to ergotamine greater than or equal to
      sumatriptan greater than or equal to CGS 12066 greater than or equal to
      metergoline greater than yohimbine greater than or equal to methysergide greater
      than ICYP greater than 8-OH-DPAT greater than or equal to CP 93129 greater than (
      )pindolol greater than ketanserin greater than isamoltane greater than
      mesulergine greater than corynanthine greater than buspirone greater than MDL
      72222. Autoradiographic studies were performed on rabbit brain slices using [3H]5
      HT in the presence of 100 nmol/l 8-OH-DPAT and mesulergine (in order to mask 5
      HT1A and 5-HT1C binding sites) and [125I]CYP (iodocyanopindolol) in the presence
      of 3 mumol/l isoprenaline and 100 nmol/l 8-OH-DPAT (in order to mask beta
      adrenoceptor and 5-HT1A binding sites). There was no detectable specific binding
      of [125I]CYP through the brain, thus excluding the presence of 5-HT1B sites in
      rabbit brain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407009
TI  - 5-HT1D binding sites in various species: similar pharmacological profile in dog,
      monkey, calf, guinea-pig and human brain membranes.
AB  - Radioligand binding studies were performed in membranes of calf caudate, guinea
      pig cortex, dog caudate and whole brain, monkey caudate and whole brain, and
      human caudate using the novel iodinated radioligand, Serotonin-5-O-Carboxymethyl
      Glycyl[125I] Tyrosinamide (abbreviated [125I]GTI for the sake of simplicity), a
      ligand known to label 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D sites. In all membrane preparations
      tested, [125I]GTI labelled high affinity sites with the following rank order of
      affinity: 5-carboxamidotryptamine greater than 5-HT = DHE = ergotamine greater
      than or equal to sumatriptan greater than or equal to metergoline = CGS 12066
      greater than or equal to yohimbine = methysergide greater than or equal to
      methiothepin greater than 8-OH-DPAT greater than or equal to mianserin greater
      than or equal to CP 93129 greater than or equal to (-)pindolol = ketanserin
      greater than or equal to isamoltane = mesulergine greater than or equal to
      corynanthine = spiperone greater than MDL 72222. The affinity profiles were very
      similar in the membranes of the different species, especially in dog, monkey and
      human brain. The pharmacological profile of [125I]GTI binding (determined with up
      to 25 different drugs) was fully comparable to the binding profile reported
      previously in human substantia nigra (using [125I]GTI) or in a variety of brain
      preparations known to contain 5-HT1D sites using [3H]5-HT as a
      radioligand.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407011
TI  - M1 muscarinic receptors mediate intracellular calcium release in NB-OK1 human
      neuroblastoma cells.
AB  - Muscarine acetylcholine receptors were characterized in NB-OK1 cells using
      radioligand (3H-NMS) binding experiments and second messenger (calcium and
      phosphatidylinositol (PI) turnover) studies. In radioligand binding experiments
      the displacement curves of pirenzepine (KI = 1.3 x 10(-8) M), AF-DX 116 (KI = 8.2
      x 10(-7) M), methoctramine (KI = 8.4 x 10(-8) M) and
      parafluorohexahydrosiladifenidol (pF-HHSiD) (KI = 1.8 x 10(-8) M) were monophasic
      and indicated the presence of M1 muscarinic receptors. Schild analysis with the
      muscarinic antagonists pirenzepine, AF-DX 116, methoctramine and pF-HHSiD yielded
      pA2 values of 8.40 +/- 0.13, 6.48 +/- 0.09, 7.61 +/- 0.12 and 7.22 +/- 0.08 in
      the calcium experiments and pA2 values of 8.13 +/- 0.30 and 6.26 +/- 0.26, 7.65
      +/- 0.16 and 7.46 +/- 0.11, respectively, in the PI turnover experiments. These
      results indicate that both the carbachol-induced increase in intracellular
      calcium and the increase in PI turnover are mediated by M1 muscarinic receptors.
      In calcium free buffer, stimulation with carbachol induced similar responses to
      those seen under control conditions. From functional and radioligand binding
      experiments we conclude that the muscarinic receptor expressed in NB-OK1 cells is
      the M1 subtype. In addition, the M1 receptor-induced calcium response is related
      to PI turnover and is independent on extracellular calcium.

PMID- 1407012
TI  - Biochemical and pharmacological properties of a peripherally acting catechol-O
      methyltransferase inhibitor entacapone.
AB  - Entacapone, OR-611, was found to be a potent peripherally acting inhibitor of
      catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). IC50 values of 10 nmol/l and 160 nmol/l were
      obtained for rat duodenum and liver-soluble COMT, respectively. There were no
      effects on other catecholamine metabolizing enzymes. Entacapone showed
      reversible, tight-binding type of inhibition of soluble rat liver COMT with a Ki
      value of 14 nmol/l and it also caused 50% inhibition of rat duodenal,
      erythrocyte, liver and striatal COMT activity 1 h after oral dosing with 1.1,
      5.4, 6.7 and 24.2 mg/kg, respectively. However, penetration of entacapone into
      the brain was poor, since the formation of homovanillic acid (HVA), the O-methyl
      metabolite of dopamine in the striatum, was not reduced, even after the highest
      dose of 30 mg/kg. In rat blood serum, the concentration of 3-O-methyldopa (3OMD),
      the O-methylated product of L-dopa, was reduced in a dose-dependent manner, and
      the concentration of L-dopa was increased after the administration of entacapone
      (3-30 mg/kg p.o.) together with L-dopa + carbidopa. These changes were reflected,
      in the striatum, by a significant rise in the dopamine concentration and a
      reduction in the 3OMD concentration. Consequently, when entacapone was added to
      the treatment with L-dopa + carbidopa, the dose of L-dopa could be lowered from
      50 mg/kg to 15 mg/kg in order to produce the same striatal dopamine
      concentrations as with 50 + 50 mg/kg of L-dopa + carbidopa alone.

PMID- 1407013
TI  - Regional differences in evoked dopamine efflux in brain slices of rat anterior
      and posterior caudate putamen.
AB  - Fast cyclic voltammetry using carbon fibre microelectrodes in rat brain slices,
      was used to investigate regional differences in electrically-evoked dopamine (DA)
      efflux at 10 different sites in the anterior caudate putamen (aCPu) and 10 sites
      in the posterior caudate putamen (pCPu). For each site DA overflow was evoked by
      both single pulse (1P) stimulation and by trains of 25 pulses applied at a
      frequency of 50 Hz (25P/50 Hz). Peak DA efflux evoked by 1P was about 58% greater
      in the aCPu (0.19 mumol/l DA) than in the pCPu (0.12 mumol/l DA), but showed no
      mediolateral variation in either region. Peak DA efflux evoked by 25P/50 Hz
      relative to 1P efflux also varied between the two regions; the aCPu contained
      predominantly low ratio (25P/50 Hz: 1P) sites ranging from 1.47 to 3.71, whereas
      in the pCPu these ratios were higher, ranging from 2.73 to 9.40, and were
      particularly high in the dorsomedial region of the pCPu. Efflux detected in low
      ratio sites of the aCPu showed little dependence on the frequency (10 to 500 Hz),
      or the number of pulses (5 to 20) in a train. By contrast DA efflux evoked in
      high ratio sites of the pCPu responded in a pulse and frequency dependent manner,
      the maximum ratio (approximately 8 times 1P) being at 20P/20 Hz. Interestingly
      the frequency response relationship obtained in the pCPu resembled the profile
      observed in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Voltammetric evidence and experiments
      with selective reuptake blockers indicated that only DA was measured in our
      studies and 5-HT did not significantly contribute to the frequency dependent
      pattern of efflux detected in high ratio sites of the pCPu, where striatal 5-HT
      concentrations are highest. Experiments with the selective D2 receptor
      antagonists metoclopramide or (-)sulpiride revealed that under our experimental
      conditions, DA efflux in the aCPu was not modulated by DA autoreceptor
      activation. By contrast, autoreceptor modulation did occur in high ratio sites of
      the pCPu at stimulations lasting longer than approximately 1000 ms. These
      observations support the concept that the caudate putamen is heterogeneously
      organised with respect to the frequency characteristics of evoked DA release. The
      factors controlling frequency dependent release under these conditions may be a
      function of A10 innervation, since high ratio release sites occur in areas where
      the density of such innervation is greatest, for example, the dorsomedial pCPu.
      This is supported by the observation that high ratio release sites are also found
      in the NAc, which receives dopaminergic fibres predominantly from an A10
      region.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1407014
TI  - Biotransformation of L-dopa in striatum and substantia nigra of rats with a
      unilateral, nigrostriatal lesion: a microdialysis study.
AB  - Microdialysis was used to study the biotransformation of L-DOPA in the striatum
      and substantia nigra of rats with a unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesion
      of the substantia nigra. The animals were pretreated with carbidopa (50 mg/kg
      p.o.) for 5 days. They were anaesthetized, and microdialysis probes were
      implanted into the intact and denervated striatum and into the intact and
      lesioned substantia nigra. The biotransformation of L-DOPA (5 mg/kg i.p.) in
      these regions was investigated. These results were compared with those obtained
      after administration of a much higher dose of L-DOPA (100 mg/kg i.p.). Changes in
      extracellular L-DOPA, 3-O-methyldopa (3-OMD), dopamine, dihydroxyphenylacetic
      acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) were determined by HPLC with
      electrochemical detection. Although rats with a unilateral nigrostriatal lesion
      did not show rotational behaviour after 5 mg/kg L-DOPA, DA levels were increased
      significantly both in the intact and the denervated striatum and in the intact
      and the lesioned substantia nigra. This increase was most pronounced in the
      denervated striatum. At 100 mg/kg L-DOPA, the increases in extracellular dopamine
      in intact and denervated striatum were about twice as high as the increases
      observed at the lower dose. A similar increase was observed in the intact
      substantia nigra. However, in the lesioned substantia nigra there was a fourfold
      increase. L-DOPA, at both doses, was evenly distributed between the brain areas
      studied and the lesion had no effect on the uptake of the drug at the blood-brain
      barrier.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407015
TI  - Predominance of oxidative deamination in the metabolism of exogenous
      noradrenaline by the normal and chemically denervated human uterine artery.
AB  - Longitudinal strips were prepared from human uterine arteries obtained at
      hysterectomy. The artery had a low content of noradrenaline and dopamine,
      contrasting with a high content of the deaminated catechols,
      dihydroxyphenylglycol (DOPEG) and dihydroxymandelic acid (DOMA), which together
      represented 98% of endogenous catechols. When incubated with 3H-noradrenaline
      (0.1 mumol/l), the uterine artery removed, accumulated and metabolized
      noradrenaline. Deaminated metabolites predominated, DOMA being the most abundant
      metabolite. Cocaine markedly reduced the accumulation of 3H-noradrenaline and
      abolished 3H-DOPEG formation, but did not change 3H-DOMA. Selective monoamine
      oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (clorgyline, selegiline and 2-amino ethyl carboxamide
      derivatives) caused a marked decrease in the amounts of 3H-DOPEG, 3H-DOMA and 3H
      O-methylated and deaminated metabolites (OMDA) formed by the tissue and an
      increase in 3H-normetanephrine (NMN) formation. Inhibition of catechol-O
      methyltransferase suppressed NMN formation and reduced that of OMDA;
      hydrocortisone slightly depressed the formation of DOMA and OMDA. Homogenates of
      the uterine artery deaminated 3H-5-HT, 14C-phenylethylamine and 3H-tyramine;
      inhibition curves of the deamination of 3H-tyramine by clorgyline and selegiline
      were compatible with the presence of both MOA A and MOA B. Exposure of the strips
      to 6-hydroxydopamine (1.5 mmol/l for 20 min; 3 exposure periods followed by
      washout periods of 15,15 and 30 min) resulted in complete and selective chemical
      denervation of the arterial tissue. This chemical denervation had effects which
      were similar to those of cocaine. The 2-amino ethyl carboxyamide derivatives
      markedly reduced the formation of deaminated metabolites by the denervated
      strips.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407016
TI  - An analysis of the inhibitory effects of prazosin on the phenylephrine response
      curves of the rat aorta.
AB  - On the endothelium-intact rat aorta some studies have shown prazosin to cause
      nonparallel rightward shifts of alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist response curves. The
      aim of the present study was to analyze the inhibitory effect of prazosin on the
      phenylephrine responses of the endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded rat
      aorta. Firstly I used phenoxybenzamine treatment to characterize the
      phenylephrine responses. The KA values for phenylephrine were 0.13-0.18 microM
      and 0.07-0.16 microM in the endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded rat aorta,
      respectively. In order to produce maximal responses of the endothelium-intact or-
      denuded preparation, phenylephrine had to occupy 95-99% of the alpha 1
      adrenoceptors. Secondly I compared the inhibitory effects of phentolamine and
      prazosin on the endothelium-intact rat aorta. Phentolamine at 0.1 and 1 microM
      caused parallel rightward shifts of phenylephrine response curves with no effect
      on phenylephrine maximal responses (phentolamine pA2 = 7.9). The inhibitory
      effects of phentolamine were readily reversible. Prazosin at 0.1-10 nM caused
      nonparallel rightward shifts of the phenylephrine response curves with a
      depression of the maximal response. These inhibitory effects of prazosin were
      either irreversible or only very slowly reversible in drug-free solution and
      slowly reversible in the presence of phentolamine. Ninety min was required for
      the inhibitory effect of prazosin to reach equilibrium whereas phentolamine was
      at equilibrium after 45 min. Finally I have characterized the inhibitory actions
      of prazosin on the endothelium-denuded rat aorta. Prazosin caused parallel
      rightward shifts of phenylephrine response curves with no effect on phenylephrine
      maximal responses. The inhibitory effects of prazosin were at equilibrium after
      45 min and were readily reversible.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407017
TI  - Spinal 5-HT pathways and the antinociception induced by intramedullary clonidine
      in rats.
AB  - The possible involvement of spinal 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) pathways in
      antinociception induced by microinjection of clonidine into the ventrolateral
      surface of the medulla oblongata was investigated in rats. Microinjection of
      clonidine (10-20 micrograms), but not yohimbine (1 microgram) or 0.9% saline,
      into the lateral medulla prolonged the hot plate latency in rats. This clonidine
      induced antinociception was abolished by intramedullary injection of the alpha 2
      adrenoceptor antagonist, yohimbine. Selective destruction of spinal 5-HT neurons
      produced by intraspinal injection of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT; 10
      micrograms) or postsynaptic blockade of spinal 5-HT receptors produced by
      intrathecal injection of cyproheptadine (1 microgram; a mixed 5-HT1/5-HT2
      antagonist) also abolished clonidine-induced antinociception. Rats given 5,7-DHT
      intraspinally or cyproheptadine intrathecally showed a decrease in hot plate
      latency as compared with the controls. In anesthetized rats, the 5-HT release
      from the thoracic spinal cord was enhanced by microinjection of clonidine into
      the lateral medulla. This enhanced spinal 5-HT release evoked by intramedullary
      injection of clonidine was abolished by pretreatment of rats with intraspinal
      injection of 5,7-DHT. These results indicate that 5-HT pathways to the spinal
      cord mediate the antinociceptive effect induced by microinjection of clonidine
      into the ventrolateral surface of the medulla oblongata in rats.

PMID- 1407019
TI  - Evidence for a link between specific proteolysis and inhibition of [3H]
      noradrenaline release by the light chain of tetanus toxin.
AB  - The light chain of tetanus toxin is known to inhibit the Ca(2+)-evoked release of
      [3H]-noradrenaline from digitonin-permeabilized bovine adrenomedullary cells in
      culture but does not change the basal outflow or the total cellular
      radioactivity. Evidence for the involvement of proteolysis in this effect was
      obtained by three approaches. First, the permeabilized cells were exposed to a
      series of enzymes. The endoproteinase Glu-C mimicked the inhibition produced by
      the light chain. Second, protease inhibitors of different specificities were
      assessed for blockade of the action of light chain on [3H]-noradrenaline release
      from permeabilized cells. Blockade was complete with EDTA (2.5 mmol/l) or 1,10-o
      phenanthroline (1 mmol/l), and absent with the highest concentrations tested of
      diisopropylfluorophosphate, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, pepstatin, leupeptin,
      bestatin, phosphoramidon, thiorphan or trans-epoxysuccinic acid (E64) which is
      regarded as an inhibitor of thiol proteases. This inhibitor spectrum suggested
      that light chain might be a metalloprotease. Finally a sequence-His-Glu-Leu-X-His
      occurring in the light chains of tetanus toxin and of the botulinum neurotoxins
      A, C, D, E was also found in many endoproteinases and an aminopeptidase. The
      motif is known to constitute their active site and to bind Zn2+. In fact Zn2+
      (0.6-0.9 mol/mol) was found in thoroughly dialysed two-chain tetanus toxin. The
      three approaches jointly support the hypothesis that the light chain of tetanus
      toxin, and probably of all clostridial neurotoxins, inhibits [3H]-noradrenaline
      release from adrenomedullary cells by degradation of (a) specific, still unknown
      protein(s) involved in exocytosis.

PMID- 1407018
TI  - Effect of calcium antagonists (omega-conotoxin GVIA, verapamil, gallopamil,
      diltiazem) on bronchial smooth muscle contractions induced by soman.
AB  - The effect of the calcium antagonists omega-conotoxin GVIA, verapamil, gallopamil
      and diltiazem was investigated on in vitro bronchial smooth muscle contraction in
      the rat induced by the nerve agent soman. Soman inhibits the acetylcholinesterase
      activity irreversibly. The effect of the calcium channel antagonists on
      contractions induced by electrical field stimulation and carbachol was also
      investigated, in order to elucidate the mechanism by which calcium antagonists
      inhibit the soman induced contraction. omega-Conotoxin GVIA reduced the bronchial
      smooth muscle contraction induced by electrical field stimulation with an almost
      complete inhibition at approximately 1.0 x 10(-6) M. The soman induced
      contraction was only inhibited by 15% at a concentration of 3.0 x 10(-6) M omega
      conotoxin GVIA. The organic calcium antagonists verapamil, gallopamil and
      diltiazem reduced both electrically and soman induced smooth muscle contraction.
      Complete inhibition of the contractions induced by soman was achieved at 1.4 x
      10(-4) M for verapamil and gallopamil, while diltiazem inhibited the contraction
      to 7% of control at 1.4 x 10(-4) M. Verapamil, gallopamil and diltiazem increased
      the EC50 for carbachol significantly, while omega-conotoxin GVIA had no effect.
      None of the calcium antagonists had any effect on the maximal contraction induced
      by carbachol. Verapamil, gallopamil and diltiazem blocked, however, sub-maximal
      contractions induced by carbachol (10(-7)-10(-5) M) resulting in a right-shift of
      the dose response curve. The results show that omega-conotoxin GVIA inhibits the
      calcium-dependent release of acetylcholine which causes contraction of airway
      smooth muscle, while it has no effect on smooth muscle contraction induced by
      soman.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407020
TI  - Evidence for direct vasoconstrictor activity of melatonin in "pressurized"
      segments of isolated caudal artery from juvenile rats.
AB  - Responses of isolated, 60 mmHg 'pressurized' segments of the distal caudal artery
      of adult and juvenile Wistar rats to melatonin and the selective alpha 2
      adrenoceptor agonist 5-bromo-6-[2-imidazolin-2-ylamino]-quinoxaline bitartrate
      (UK-14304) were examined using the Halpern pressure myograph. Melatonin showed no
      direct vasoconstrictor activity in vessels from adult rats, whereas UK-14304
      produced moderate vasoconstriction (pD2-7.43 +/- 0.09). In the presence of
      phenylephrine-induced tone, melatonin produced a variable but small constrictor
      response (less than 10 microns reduction in diameter) in some vessels; the
      response to 1 mumol/l UK-14304 was less than in the absence of tone. In vessels
      isolated from juvenile rats, melatonin caused concentration-dependent
      vasoconstriction with a maximum response about 70% of the maximum response
      elicited by UK-14304. Vessels from juvenile rats were more sensitive to melatonin
      (pD2-9.40 +/- 0.07) than they were to UK-14304 (pD2-8.12 +/- 0.14). In the
      presence of phenylephrine-induced tone, the vasoconstrictor responses to both
      melatonin and IK-14304 were markedly less; the sensitivity to melatonin was not
      different from that seen in the absence of tone. These findings indicate that
      'pressurized' segments of the isolated distal caudal artery may provide a simple
      and convenient, functional model of melatonin receptors. The findings also appear
      to implicate melatonin in thermoregulatory processes in juvenile rats.

PMID- 1407021
TI  - Tetanus toxoid vs. tetanus antitoxin.

PMID- 1407022
TI  - Treating anaphylaxis.

PMID- 1407023
TI  - Prostate cancer in North Carolina.

PMID- 1407024
TI  - Why does the injured drunk driver escape arrest and conviction? A case
      presentation and discussion by health care and law enforcement professionals.
AB  - Serious injury protects the drunk driver from prosecution and conviction for
      driving drunk. This escape from liability occurs despite the fact that almost
      half of all traffic fatalities are attributable to alcohol. Consequently, the
      drunk driver who is injured may resume driving as soon as he is physically able
      to do so, thereby becoming a renewed threat to himself and others. On the other
      hand, a conviction for driving while impaired (DWI) results in loss of the
      driving privilege, reducing exposure of other drivers to a public health hazard.
      A DWI conviction may also stimulate the drunk driver to seek treatment for
      alcoholism. Unless they are prosecuted, even seriously injured drunk drivers are
      seldom referred for alcoholism counseling or treatment. To explore the reasons
      for this continuing cycle of impairment and injury, a panel of experts from the
      fields of health care and law enforcement was convened on October 30, 1991,
      during the Third Annual North Carolina Conference on Injury Control. The panel
      considered the hypothetical case of an alcohol-related motor vehicle crash in
      which a passenger was killed. We present here an edited transcript from that
      conference.

PMID- 1407025
TI  - Blood alcohol concentration in motor vehicle crash victims. A survey of North
      Carolina emergency physician attitudes and utilization patterns.

PMID- 1407026
TI  - Fingerstick detection of hypoglycemia can prevent dangerous doses of dextrose.

PMID- 1407027
TI  - Healthy youths.

PMID- 1407028
TI  - Where are we and how did we get here? Federal regulation of the office
      laboratory.

PMID- 1407029
TI  - Shock and prolonged muscle cramps after intravenous insulin therapy.

PMID- 1407030
TI  - It's all in our minds--or is it? Dorothea's fables from the psychiatric/medical
      interface.

PMID- 1407031
TI  - Physicians' forum. To speak or not to speak.

PMID- 1407032
TI  - Has price gone too far?

PMID- 1407033
TI  - The time is here to address ethical issues in dialysis, but criteria too harsh.

PMID- 1407034
TI  - Is the burden of dialysis on the patient--or the provider?

PMID- 1407035
TI  - 1990 transplant statistics show more hard times ahead.

PMID- 1407036
TI  - Practical application of continuous quality improvement in renal care.

PMID- 1407037
TI  - Measuring physician-patient contact: how much is enough?

PMID- 1407038
TI  - Doctor-patient relationship unique in dialysis, needs improvement.

PMID- 1407039
TI  - Nephrology nursing certification: a look at progress.

PMID- 1407040
TI  - NKF lends direction to defining the patient-care technician role.

PMID- 1407042
TI  - New CLIA regulations: they create a more complex definition for laboratories.

PMID- 1407043
TI  - Future trends and issues in erythropoietin. Part 1.

PMID- 1407041
TI  - AIDS and ESRD: a dilemma for the renal community.

PMID- 1407044
TI  - How will wonder drugs impact the aging ESRD population of the future?

PMID- 1407045
TI  - Renal administrators think dialysis unit should be safe harbor. The National
      Renal Administrators Association.

PMID- 1407046
TI  - Sutton's law applied to renal care.

PMID- 1407047
TI  - Three deaths associated with excess aluminum in dialysate.

PMID- 1407049
TI  - Responses and questions directing the future of nephrology.

PMID- 1407048
TI  - Rosen: reuse shouldn't be an option.

PMID- 1407050
TI  - Selection criteria cannot identify a patient's quality of life on dialysis.

PMID- 1407051
TI  - Rehabilitation: "the unwanted orphan of the ESRD community".

PMID- 1407052
TI  - Confidentiality important.

PMID- 1407053
TI  - OPOs should play a neutral role.

PMID- 1407054
TI  - Financial incentives in organ donation: can they work?

PMID- 1407055
TI  - Rehab: should we just give up?

PMID- 1407056
TI  - Exercise is making a difference to transplant patients. Interview by Cynthia J
      Knapp.

PMID- 1407057
TI  - Georgia program gives young adults a new outlook on life. Interview by Cynthia J
      Knapp.

PMID- 1407058
TI  - The ANNA/NANT task force findings.

PMID- 1407059
TI  - Delegation of nursing tasks: a guide for ESRD facilities.

PMID- 1407060
TI  - What are the incentives for the ESRD patient?

PMID- 1407061
TI  - Clarifications needed on AIDS/ESRD article.

PMID- 1407062
TI  - Cyclosporine and the financial plight of organ transplant recipients.

PMID- 1407063
TI  - Mistrust in health care hurting organ donation.

PMID- 1407065
TI  - HCFA data shows incidence of ESRD among elderly took big jump in 1989.

PMID- 1407064
TI  - Issues in rehabilitation. Part II. Rehabilitation of the renal patient:should we
      just give up?

PMID- 1407067
TI  - The top 50 renal transplant centers in 1991.

PMID- 1407066
TI  - Investigation may close even more doors for transient patients.

PMID- 1407068
TI  - Medical judgment versus civil rights.

PMID- 1407070
TI  - Why I chose home hemodialysis.

PMID- 1407069
TI  - Ingredients of a successful home hemodialysis program. Part II.

PMID- 1407071
TI  - HHD gives patient control of life.

PMID- 1407072
TI  - Intravenous versus oral calcitriol therapy: is there a clinical difference?

PMID- 1407073
TI  - Viewpoint: government regulations "politicizing" transplantation.

PMID- 1407074
TI  - Dialysis units charged with denying transient dialysis care to HIV+ patients.

PMID- 1407075
TI  - Denials from dialysis units were "flagrant," says GWU social worker. Interview by
      Mark E. Neumann.

PMID- 1407076
TI  - What nurses can do for health care reform.

PMID- 1407077
TI  - The Gag Rule: gag ME.

PMID- 1407078
TI  - Continuing education in state hospitals using external consultants.
AB  - A continuing education project for registered nurses in a state psychiatric
      hospital was implemented collaboratively by a nurse administrator and two nurse
      consultants. This program sought to enhance the nurses' knowledge of psychiatric
      mental health nursing practice and prepare them to take the American Nurses
      Association certification examination for psychiatric-mental health nursing. The
      project was based on the premise that the nursing departments that offer
      educational services for their nurses foster professional competency and maintain
      current standards of nursing care. Twenty-one registered nurses volunteered for
      and completed the 16-week program. Improvements in their knowledge base were
      evidenced by mean test scores. A t-test analysis indicated a significant
      difference. The pretest mean score was 70.2%, the posttest mean score 79.4%. Mean
      scores varied with the education level of the nurses.

PMID- 1407079
TI  - Early precursors of psychiatric nursing, 1838-1907.
AB  - Care of the insane during the 17th and 18th centuries was undeniably grim until
      the advent of moral therapy. Wasserbauer and Brodie explore the humanistic
      approach that laid the groundwork for early psychiatric nursing.

PMID- 1407080
TI  - Upward mobility for LPNs: a vision made reality.
AB  - A recurrent theme in the nursing literature is the shortage of realistic, long
      term solutions directed toward registered nurse (RN) recruitment and retention.
      If fragmentation of RN recruitment and retention is to be eliminated, innovative
      programs involving collaboration and use of existing resources will be required.
      This article provides an overview of how collaboration among nurses,
      administrators, educators, and a personnel specialist resulted in an upward
      mobility program for licensed practical nurses (LPNs) to become RNs. While the
      program is specific to one setting, there are numerous implications for other
      hospitals confronted with persistent recruitment and retention problems.

PMID- 1407081
TI  - Surviving the legal hot seat.

PMID- 1407082
TI  - Facilitating research utilization through collaboration.
AB  - The rhetorical gap between clinical practice and academia was tested by the
      development of a special program grant to facilitate use of research by staff
      nurses. The grant capitalized on an established collaborative relationship
      between a university school of nursing and a community hospital. The merger of
      education and practice demonstrated the principles of interinstitutional
      collaboration in action. Resources of the grant included a doctorally-prepared
      nurse and a clinical librarian to provide research utilization classes for staff
      nurses, and an academic credit course to address reality-based practice problems
      for nurse managers. The model developed for this effort is described and critical
      behavioral aspects of research utilization for practicing nurses and academic
      nurses are outlined.

PMID- 1407083
TI  - Resolution of ethical value conflicts by nurse educators: a pilot study.
AB  - The literature on ethical conflict resolution in nursing is sparse, but studies
      concentrating on ethical conflicts in nursing education are rarer still. Lyndaker
      looks at this emerging area of inquiry and adds her contribution.

PMID- 1407084
TI  - Successful implementation of case management.
AB  - Hospitals must critically evaluate all aspects of operations to identify
      opportunities to cut operating expenses without sacrificing quality of patient
      care. Many health care organizations are moving toward nurse case management as a
      possible solution to these concerns. There is a considerable body of literature
      on the theory and principles of case management, and it is the basis for this
      article. The purpose of this manuscript, however, is to describe essential
      factors in the actual application of this theory in building a viable program in
      a community hospital.

PMID- 1407085
TI  - Nursing care centers: a collaborative effort.
AB  - Nursing care centers evolved as a way to deliver health care as well as to bridge
      the gap between nursing education and nursing practice. This article defines the
      purposes of a nursing care center, and describes one such center developed by a
      large Southern university school of nursing, services it renders and the
      community's need for these services. The importance of collaborative practice in
      enhancing the success of nursing care centers is discussed.

PMID- 1407086
TI  - Nurse education legislation: 1935-1992.
AB  - Most of us cannot remember a time when the feds didn't massively support nursing
      education. Mahrenholz traces the events that led to what has become our
      expectation and asks some probing questions about our future needs.

PMID- 1407087
TI  - [Facial pain due to a lesion in the thorax].

PMID- 1407088
TI  - [Sharp increase in the number of deaths due to tobacco in The Netherlands].

PMID- 1407089
TI  - [Budgeting of and by family practitioners].

PMID- 1407090
TI  - [Medical registries: goal, methods and utilization].

PMID- 1407091
TI  - [Decalcification of bone due to corticosteroids].

PMID- 1407092
TI  - [The treatment of leg length discrepancy using Phemister's method of
      epiphysiodesis].
AB  - A retrospective study is reported of the results of epiphysiodesis in 67
      children. In 47 patients (70%) the final inequality was less than or equal to 1.0
      cm. In 9 patients the final inequality was greater than or equal to 1.6 cm. The
      average leg length inequality could be reduced from 3.2 cm preoperatively to 1.2
      cm at maturity. Technical errors were minimal. Failures (9 patients) resulted
      mainly from problems in timing epiphysiodesis.

PMID- 1407093
TI  - [Biopsy of potentially malignant bone disorders using an electric minidrill;
      results of 215 diagnostic drillings].
AB  - The results were evaluated of cytological and histological examination of 215
      bone biopsies taken with an electric minidrill in 211 patients with suspected
      malignancies in bones. 171 biopsies were taken in 167 patients with a known
      malignancy. In 78 cases a malignancy was demonstrated including 4 cases of a
      second primary malignancy. 44 biopsies of patients without a known primary
      malignancy resulted in 19 cases of malignancy, mainly metastatic disease. There
      were no primary bone tumours. Follow-up showed a false negative result in 5
      patients, all with known primary malignancies. Follow-up of the patients without
      known malignancies showed no false negatives. The sensitivity of cytology alone
      was 92% and the sensitivity of histology alone was 76%. The combination of
      cytology and histology resulted in a sensitivity of 95%. The specificity of the
      procedure was 100%.

PMID- 1407094
TI  - [Distinction between renal and nonrenal hematuria using immunoperoxidase staining
      of erythrocytes in urine for Tamm-Horsfall protein].
AB  - A recently described immunocytochemical staining method to distinguish renal from
      non-renal haematuria was adapted for use in the standard clinical chemical
      laboratory. The method is based on the observation that only in case of renal
      haematuria are erythrocytes in urine coated with so-called Tamm-Horsfall protein,
      originating from the renal tubuli. Erythrocytes in urine were stained using an
      indirect immunoperoxidase method, resulting in cells with dark-brown stained
      surfaces. The staining methods were validated with material from clinically
      diagnosed cases of haematuria of renal or non-renal origin and compared with
      scores of the number of dysmorphic erythrocytes, another method to distinguish
      renal from non-renal haematuria. In specimens of presumed strictly renal
      haematuria 86% (SD 8.7; n = 26) of the erythrocytes stained immunocytochemically.
      However, in specimens of haematuria originating from bleeding in the renal pelvis
      few cells stained (6%; SD 5.8; n = 4). In specimens of purely non-renal
      haematuria only 13% (SD 13.5; n = 21) stained. Immunocytochemical staining of
      erythrocytes permitted a much better distinction between renal and non-renal
      haematuria, with better sensitivity and specificity, than the inspection of
      erythrocyte morphology. We conclude that immunochemical staining of erythrocytes
      in urine is a valuable method for distinguishing renal and non-renal haematuria.

PMID- 1407095
TI  - [Doctor's delay in HIV infection caused by blood transfusion].
AB  - Transfusion-associated symptomatic HIV infection in four patients led to death in
      two patients and to development of serious neurological sequelae in a third
      patient who also transmitted HIV infection to his spouse. The tardy diagnosis of
      HIV-associated disease in all cases can be ascribed to ignoring the earlier blood
      transfusion as a possible cause of HIV infection. This was due partly to advanced
      age of the patients and partly to lack of familiarity of the attending physicians
      with HIV-associated problems. This resulted in a substantial doctor's delay.

PMID- 1407096
TI  - [Ibuprofen meningitis].
AB  - A case of aseptic meningitis in an otherwise healthy women aged 47 yr after
      taking one tablet containing 400 mg ibuprofen is reported. The patient recovered
      in a few days.

PMID- 1407097
TI  - [The number of admissions to Dutch hospitals for barbiturate poisoning from 1981
      1989 and those for poisoning with sedatives and hypnotics,and benzodiazepines].
AB  - Over the period 1981 to 1989, the number of admissions to Dutch general hospitals
      for barbiturate poisoning has dropped sharply and steadily, due to a more
      restrictive policy in prescribing regarding these sedatives. This trend is also
      present concerning poisoning with sedatives and hypnotics in general (ICD-code
      967), but not concerning those with benzodiazepines (ICD-code 969.4). The female
      male ratio was nearly 2:1. This difference is possibly due to the fact that
      females take more medication than males.

PMID- 1407098
TI  - [Rheumatoid arthritis and anemia; various aspects concerning prevalence,
      pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy].

PMID- 1407099
TI  - [Clinically non-functioning hypophyseal adenomas; diagnostic possibilities and
      therapeutic options].

PMID- 1407100
TI  - [Indications for digoxin?].

PMID- 1407101
TI  - [Biological psychiatry].

PMID- 1407102
TI  - [Hypoglycemia in newborn infants: failing strips].

PMID- 1407103
TI  - [Hysteroscopy].

PMID- 1407104
TI  - [Tics in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome].

PMID- 1407105
TI  - [Digoxin therapy in 24 automated family physician practices].
AB  - Since recent insights indicate that most patients with heart failure and a normal
      cardiac rhythm (HFNR) should not be treated with digitalis, we investigated the
      treatment policy of general practitioners in this respect. Our descriptive study
      consisted of a questionnaire followed by a computer based review of patient
      records of 14 family practices cooperating in the Registration Network of Family
      Practice (RNFP) and 10 'external' practices. All GPs (n = 51) received the
      questionnaire on the prescription policy of the GP and cooperating specialists,
      and on their experience with adverse effects of digitalis therapy. After 2-4
      months the GPs of the RNFP (n = 41) received a floppy disc with an algorithm
      selecting from their problem lists patients with a registered diagnosis of heart
      failure. The external GPs (n = 10) received an algorithm selecting patients
      treated with digitalis, since their problem lists were not completely up to date.
      In all, data of 63,500 patients were examined. On anonymised standard forms,
      generated by the practice computer, the GPs provided data on the exact diagnosis,
      medication and adverse effects. Outcome measures of the study were: prescription
      attitudes (questionnaire) and actual digitalis use (in the selected cases). 33%
      of the GPs stated that they used digitalis as the preferred therapy of heart
      failure with normal cardiac rhythm; 30% of the 82 selected HFNR patients had
      digitalis, while in 42% of the 149 selected patients treated with digitalis a
      HFNR was registered. Adverse effects had been observed in 3 cases, but could not
      be excluded retrospectively in 70 cases (49%). Many GPs have not yet adapted
      their prescription behaviour to recently published insights. Development of a
      'digitalis standard in general practice' is recommended.

PMID- 1407106
TI  - [Observations on the success of worldwide immunization].

PMID- 1407107
TI  - [Prevention of harm].

PMID- 1407108
TI  - [Revision consensus prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcer].

PMID- 1407109
TI  - [The other side of diabetes regulation].

PMID- 1407110
TI  - [The Karsten affair and medical professional secrecy].

PMID- 1407111
TI  - [Hypoglycemia; is the patient with diabetes mellitus still aware of it?].

PMID- 1407112
TI  - [Role of insulin resistance in diabetes mellitus and other risk factors for
      cardiovascular diseases].

PMID- 1407113
TI  - [Consensus on diagnosis, screening and treatment of diabetic retinopathy].
AB  - The management and timing of the treatment of diabetic retinopathy has changed in
      recent years. Screening for diabetic retinopathy should preferably be performed
      by ophthalmologists. However, in concert with the local ophthalmologist general
      physicians with knowledge and experience of eye investigations can play a certain
      part in the screening for diabetic retinopathy. Good communication between
      general physician and ophthalmologist is of special interest in detecting the
      risk factors; systemic hypertension, poor metabolic control, pregnancy,
      proteinuria and rapid metabolic control of previously high blood glucose levels.
      For the time being fundus photography as a screening method can only be used on a
      limited scale and under scientific conditions. No consensus could be reached
      concerning the pre-treatment use of fluorescein angiography.

PMID- 1407114
TI  - [The treatment of congenital clubfoot in The Netherlands; results of a survey
      among orthopedic surgeons].
AB  - As the result of an inquiry among Dutch orthopaedic surgeons a consensus is
      formulated on the treatment of congenital talipes equinovarus in the first year
      of life. From this, the following general directives emerge: Treatment should
      start early and consist of repeated redressing followed by immobilisation; In
      more severe cases often surgical release is necessary, this should be performed
      preferably between the 4th and 9th months of life, in order to make normal motor
      development possible.

PMID- 1407115
TI  - [Diabetic patients: no danger on the road].
AB  - The evaluation of the risk of traffic accidents among drivers with IDDM and the
      grounds for excluding them from a driver's license are topical issues, because
      the E.C. is issuing strict new guidelines. The risk of diabetic patients being
      involved in traffic accidents as reported in foreign studies and calculated from
      Dutch data, does not exceed that which is to be expected on account of the
      prevalence of DM. This justifies a flexible policy for the licensing of drivers
      with diabetes mellitus.

PMID- 1407116
TI  - [Type II diabetes mellitus for the family practitioner].

PMID- 1407117
TI  - [Current possibilities for the treatment of severe stenosis of the upper
      airways].

PMID- 1407118
TI  - [Lumbar hernia of the nucleus pulposi; not always conservative treatment
      initially].

PMID- 1407119
TI  - [Spasmodic torticollis: a persistent problem].

PMID- 1407121
TI  - [Qualified with reservations; the current form of professional protection].

PMID- 1407120
TI  - [Population screening for breast cancer: expectations and facts].

PMID- 1407122
TI  - [Aminoglycosides once daily: potent but short].

PMID- 1407123
TI  - [Indications for cyclosporin in the treatment of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome in
      adults].

PMID- 1407124
TI  - [Indications for the treatment of the elderly with hypertension].

PMID- 1407125
TI  - [Initial results with breast screening in the Enschede area. I. Effectiveness].
AB  - After one year, the effects of breast cancer screening in the region of Enschede
      were evaluated by means of seven parameters indicating the long-term health
      benefits. These parameters were: attendance rate, predictive value of a positive
      screening test, detection rate, incidence rate, tumour stage, surgical
      possibilities and type of surgical operations. The results were compared with
      figures from the national cost-effectiveness analysis. The attendance rate (79%),
      the predictive value (57%) and the detection rate (0.74%) were well over the
      national figures of 70%, 41% and 0.64%, respectively. The incidence of breast
      cancer in the age group 50-69 was 2.5 times higher, as expected. The tumour stage
      differed significantly (p less than 0.001) from the stages of regularly detected
      tumours; there was a shift to the lower stages (average tumour size was halved).
      The surgical possibilities increased significantly (p less than 0.01) and
      surgical operations performed were mostly less mutilating (not significant). We
      conclude that the screening for breast cancer in the Enschede region fulfills the
      criteria of efficacy. It is particularly the combination of a high predictive
      value and a relatively high detection rate compared with the clinical incidence
      in the previous years that is indicative of the efficacy. This does not mean that
      the results prove the long term health benefits of screening for breast cancer.
      They only give an indication of the future efficacy of screening. The impact on
      the quality of life is still an open question.

PMID- 1407126
TI  - [Initial results with breast screening in the Enschede area. II. Efficiency].
AB  - The efficiency of breast cancer screening in the Enschede region was evaluated
      after 18 months on the basis of unfavourable side effects and possible
      difficulties. These side effects were: 1. for women: psychological burden, period
      of uncertainty and increasing waiting times; 2. for general practitioners:
      limited referral; 3. for specialists: increased diagnostics and consultation. The
      results were compared with the figures derived from the national cost
      effectiveness analysis. The psychological burden on women with a positive
      screening result appeared to be considerable, in conjunction with the length of
      the period of uncertainty. The final result was only known after approximately
      five weeks when a biopsy was required. In 83 women (41% of all referred women)
      the overall result of the procedure was false-positive. Occasionally the woman
      was not referred to a known specialist centre, in contradiction to the
      guidelines. The increase in the number of diagnostic and therapeutic operations
      was larger than expected, and is largely accounted for by the radical increase of
      clinically non-palpable tumours (factor 17). On average, the waiting time for the
      (first) biopsy was three weeks. A great deal of multi-disciplinary consultation
      was necessary because of the large increase of non-palpable tumours and in-situ
      ductal carcinomas.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407127
TI  - [The treatment of children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome using cyclosporin].
AB  - We report our experience with cyclosporine in 14 children with steroid dependent
      and 7 children with steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome. Cyclosporine was
      started at a dose of 6 mg/kg/day and was adjusted to maintain a blood level
      between 60 and 100 ng/ml. 15 patients went into remission with a combined
      treatment of cyclosporine and prednisone; 9 of these did not have a recurrence
      following discontinuation of prednisone. In 7 out of these 9 patients
      cyclosporine was also discontinued, this led in 5 of these 7 patients to a
      recurrence. Seven out of 14 patients with minimal change nephropathy remained in
      remission following discontinuation of prednisone and in 4 others the dose of
      steroid required to maintain remission decreased. In only I out of 4 patients
      with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis was a remission obtained while in two
      patients with mesangial proliferation the urine remained protein free during
      cyclosporine treatment. In 13 patients a repeat biopsy was performed after one
      year or longer of cyclosporine treatment. Histopathological abnormalities related
      to cyclosporine were found in 9 patients. In 4 of these severe nephrotoxicity
      required withdrawal of cyclosporine. Treatment with cyclosporine should be
      restricted to steroid dependent patients with severe steroid toxicity.

PMID- 1407128
TI  - [Theo van Gogh's medical record].
AB  - In the final months of his life Theo van Gogh was admitted to the 'Geneeskundig
      Gesticht voor Krankzinnigen te Utrecht'. In November 1990 from the archives of
      the Willem Arntsz Huis, psychiatric centre in Utrecht, the medical files from
      this period were made available and a transcription was made by Han van Crimpen
      and Sjraar van Heugten, scientific collaborators of the Van Gogh Museum. From
      these data it is acceptable to conclude that Theo van Gogh had dementia
      paralytica and suffered a fast deterioration of his situation in these last few
      months. It is, however, probable that at least as early as 1886 Theo showed the
      first symptoms of this disease when he was in Paris, and that he was treated for
      this reason by dr. Rivet and dr. Gruby. There are insufficient indications that
      in Vincent van Gogh's case the same diagnosis can be put forward. It is most
      probable that during Vincent's visit to Theo in Paris in July 1890 in Theo's case
      symptoms of his medical deterioration were to be seen and this may have
      influenced the considerations finally leading to Vincent van Gogh's suicide.

PMID- 1407129
TI  - [Influenza in the 1991/'92 season; vaccine combination for the 1992/'93 season].

PMID- 1407130
TI  - [Can the risk of atrial fibrillation due to pulmonary embolism be minimized by
      addition of a platelet aggregation inhibitor to an oral anticoagulant?].

PMID- 1407131
TI  - [Contact hypersensitivity for corticosteroids].

PMID- 1407132
TI  - [Public media and health care].

PMID- 1407133
TI  - [The third emancipation].

PMID- 1407134
TI  - [Sleeping disorders and drowsiness during the day, a hard to evaluate problem].

PMID- 1407136
TI  - [Nomenclature change of bacteria. I. Classification].

PMID- 1407135
TI  - [Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in cardiac decompensation; from
      randomized study to individual patient].

PMID- 1407137
TI  - [Nomenclature change of bacteria. II. Nomenclature and identification].

PMID- 1407138
TI  - [Expectant management in extrauterine pregnancy is possible].
AB  - Twenty-nine patients with presumed ectopic pregnancies, who visited the Onze
      Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis outpatient clinic in Amsterdam between January 1990 and
      July 1991, received expectant management because of mildness of the symptoms.
      Five patients were shown to have a non-intact intrauterine pregnancy. Only three
      of the remaining 24 patients needed surgery because of increasing serum HCG
      concentrations and (or) complaints. Our results therefore indicate that with
      declining HCG levels and mild symptoms, regardless of the HCG level at
      presentation, expectant management is justified.

PMID- 1407139
TI  - [Limited value of routine preoperative laboratory studies in children].
AB  - In order to determine whether in routine preoperative laboratory testing of
      children abnormal results were reported which influenced the course of the
      anesthesia or of the operation, a retrospective survey of charts was carried out
      at the University Children's Hospital, Groningen. The patients involved were 143
      low risk children, admitted for ENT surgery. The main outcome measures were
      abnormalities and perioperative complications. There were 1.4% laboratory
      abnormalities (including five children with a haemoglobin concentration less than
      7.1 mmol/l, one with a calcium concentration less than 2.2 mmol/l, one with an
      albumin concentration less than 30 g/l), and seven complications (bradycardia
      during intubation, bronchial obstruction, bleeding, excessive vomiting (three
      times), and leakage of perilymphatic fluid). There were no correlations between
      the abnormal test results and the complications. Routine laboratory testing in
      children scheduled for surgery might be reduced to measurement of haemoglobin,
      especially in non-white children.

PMID- 1407140
TI  - [Prevalence of HIV in clients of an outpatient clinic for sexually transmissible
      diseases and in a group of prostitutes and their clients].
AB  - In order to gain insight into the heterosexual spread of HIV infections in
      Amsterdam, a study was carried out in 1991 among persons attending an outpatient
      clinic for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and among a group of prostitutes
      and prostitutes' clients. Out of 2362 persons attending the STD clinic, 2138
      (90.5%) could ultimately be examined for presence of HIV antibodies. The HIV
      seroprevalence was 4.2% (90/2138); among homosexual males it was 22% (70/324),
      among heterosexual male intravenous drug users 12% (2/17) and among heterosexual
      males who never had used i.v. drugs 0.5% (5/997). The HIV seroprevalence among
      female intravenous drug users was 41% (12/29) and that among females who never
      had used i.v. drugs it was 0.1% (1/771). Among the heterosexually active subjects
      (active in the preceding six months, including the groups of bisexual males and
      intravenous drug users), the seroprevalence amounted to 1.5% (28/1884). HIV
      antibodies could be demonstrated in 1.5% (3/199) of the prostitutes and in 0.5%
      (1/213) of prostitutes' clients. However, the one positive male had had
      homosexual contacts in the past. Out of the total of nine heterosexually infected
      persons, two originated from the Netherlands, two from Ghana, two from Turkey,
      one from Nigeria, one from Pakistan and one from the Dominican Republic; six of
      them had commercial contacts. The heterosexual spread of HIV among the
      heterosexual population of Amsterdam can for the moment be classified as slight.
      However, further heterosexual transmission of HIV cannot be excluded, considering
      the frequency of unprotected sex.

PMID- 1407141
TI  - [Demand for and supply of internists in The Netherlands].

PMID- 1407142
TI  - [Me tired? Impossible].

PMID- 1407143
TI  - [Me tired? Impossible].

PMID- 1407144
TI  - [Me tired? Impossible].

PMID- 1407145
TI  - [Me tired? Impossible].

PMID- 1407146
TI  - [Me tired? Impossible].

PMID- 1407147
TI  - [Postpartum thyroid gland disorders].

PMID- 1407148
TI  - [Pregnancy and drug use].

PMID- 1407149
TI  - [New macrolides, azalides and streptogramins; current role and their future
      perspective].

PMID- 1407150
TI  - [Physiology and pathophysiology of intrinsic factor secretion and cobalamin
      (vitamin B12) absorption].

PMID- 1407151
TI  - [Diagnosis of infection in full-term infants born after prolonged status of
      ruptured membranes: clinical observation is sufficient].
AB  - We retrospectively studied our strategy in 80 full-term newborns, born more than
      24 hours after rupture of amniotic membranes. Six patients developed clinical
      signs of sepsis, in four of them sepsis was proven by a positive blood culture.
      In all cases, clinical symptoms were the first sign of infection. Routine
      laboratory tests (CRP, leucocyte counts and differentiation, thrombocyte counts)
      and microbiological investigations (surface cultures, cord blood cultures) were
      not helpful for the diagnosis of infection at an early stage. These findings are
      in accordance with the literature. We conclude that after prolonged rupture of
      membranes with full-term newborns postnatal paediatric care can be limited to a
      close observation period of 48 hours. There is no need for any further routine
      investigation of infants without clinical signs of infection.

PMID- 1407152
TI  - [AIDS epidemiology in The Netherlands in persons infected through heterosexual
      contact].
AB  - Ten years after the start of the AIDS epidemic in the Netherlands the proportion
      of persons infected by heterosexual contacts among the total of AIDS cases
      diagnosed is small (7.4%). Up to December 1991 the cumulative totals of females
      and males in the Netherlands reported with the diagnosis and infected by
      heterosexual contact were 55 and 93, respectively. Of the 55 heterosexual
      females, 69% had the Dutch nationality, of the 93 heterosexual males, 67%.
      Considerable proportions of the numbers of AIDS patients in this group (males
      47%, females 45%) were diagnosed in the four largest cities (Amsterdam,
      Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht). The remaining cases of AIDS diagnosed in this
      group were scattered throughout the country. Among heterosexual females a gradual
      increase of the number of AIDS cases diagnosed was observed since 1985. In the
      males there was no clear trend in the number of diagnoses since 1984. Of the 55
      females, 19 originated from an area endemic for AIDS or had had sexual contacts
      with a person from such a region (34.6%). Among the 93 males this number was 29
      (31.2%). Nineteen of the 55 females (34.6%) were known to have sexual contact
      with a person from the known risk groups. The same held true of 12 males (12.9%).
      Of the remaining 17 females (30.9%) and 52 males (55.9%) it was only known that
      they were heterosexual without further risk factors or risk contacts.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407153
TI  - [Malignant neuroleptic syndrome: complete anticoagulant treatment or not?].
AB  - A case is reported, in which fatal pulmonary embolism complicated the course of a
      neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). This syndrome includes several risk factors
      for the development of venous thromboembolism, such as: protracted immobility;
      severe rigidity causing a slowing of blood flow through the deep venous system;
      hypovolaemia with increased blood viscosity and activation of coagulation by
      rhabdomyolysis. An analysis of 115 case reports in the literature on NMS showed
      that 3 out of 13 patients with fatal NMS (23%) died of pulmonary embolism. The
      reviewed case, the literature findings and the risk factors mentioned cause us to
      believe that complete anticoagulant therapy may have a place in the therapeutic
      approach to patients with NMS.

PMID- 1407154
TI  - [Medical activities under adverse conditions. Finally: to do or not to do?].

PMID- 1407155
TI  - [Cerebrovascular accident].

PMID- 1407156
TI  - [Minor symptoms in family medicine; keratitis caused by ultraviolet rays].

PMID- 1407157
TI  - [Supply of hearing aids to young children with congenital hearing disorders].

PMID- 1407158
TI  - [Neonatal sepsis in the first days of life caused by Haemophilus influenzae].

PMID- 1407159
TI  - [Consensus concerning triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol in
      the United States].

PMID- 1407160
TI  - [Transsexualism. I. Description, etiology, management].

PMID- 1407161
TI  - [Transsexualism. II. Diagnosis: the initial, tentative phase].

PMID- 1407162
TI  - [Transsexualism. III. The second diagnostic phase: the real-life test].

PMID- 1407163
TI  - [Transsexualism. IV. Surgical possibilities].

PMID- 1407164
TI  - [Abdominal aortic aneurysm as incidental finding in abdominal ultrasonography].
AB  - Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a life-threatening condition, which usually remains
      without symptoms until rupture occurs. The only way to reduce the high mortality
      rate (estimated at over 80%) is elective surgery on suitable patients. Therefore
      the presence of such an aneurysm has to be detected. For this ultrasonography is
      the method of choice. We studied 4399 consecutive patients aged 50 years and
      older, who underwent abdominal ultrasonography for the first time. According to
      the recommendation of the Dutch Society for Radiodiagnostics the whole abdomen
      was screened. In 4026 patients (1717 men and 2309 women) the ultrasound
      examination was performed for non-vascular reasons. In 199 of these patients
      (4.9%) an abdominal aortic aneurysm was an adventitious finding (133 men (7.7%)
      and 66 women (2.9%)). In men aged 60 years and older it was even found in 10.2%.
      When abdominal ultrasonography is performed for the first time in a patient aged
      50 years or older, the aorta has to be screened for presence of an aneurysm.

PMID- 1407165
TI  - [Screening for familial occurrence of abdominal aortic aneurysm].
AB  - To detect familial occurrence of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), the siblings
      of patients with an AAA were screened by ultrasonography. 128 siblings of 32
      patients operated on for AAA were invited. 56 brothers and 52 sisters accepted
      the invitation. An AAA was diagnosed in 16 brothers (28.6%) and in 3 sisters
      (5.8%). Six of these siblings were operated on because of an aneurysmal diameter
      20 mm in excess of that of the rest of the abdominal aorta, the others were
      included in a follow-up programme. We conclude that the prevalence of the AAA
      among brothers is higher in comparison with previously known risk groups and that
      the family of patients with an AAA are to be considered for screening first.

PMID- 1407166
TI  - [Psychiatric disorders in elderly patients admitted in a general hospital].
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders, especially
      depressive illness, in elderly medical inpatients. SETTING: University Hospital
      Leiden. DESIGN: Two-stage design. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In six somatic wards a
      series of 250 patients were randomly selected and screened with two self-rating
      scales for depression (Beck Depression Inventory, Geriatric Depression Scale) and
      one screening scale for cognitive dysfunctions (Mini-Mental State Examination).
      The 52 drop-outs differed significantly from the other patients only in a greater
      general illness severity, and a higher prevalence of a psychiatric history.
      Eighty-two patients were selected for a diagnostic procedure with a standardised,
      semi-structured psychiatric interview, and were classified according to the DSM
      III-R. Fifty-nine of them were probable cases according to the screening
      instruments, 23 were selected at random from the probable non-cases. RESULTS: A
      psychiatric disorder was detected in 25 patients, all but one patient with
      schizophrenia were found in the group of probable cases. Only five patients were
      classified as major depression, which lead to a prevalence rate of 2.9% (95% CI
      0.4-5.4%). We found evidence of many psychiatric disorders in the group of 52
      drop-outs, but these were mostly organic psychiatric disorders, and just one mood
      disorder. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of major depression is lower than found
      until now among elderly medical inpatients.

PMID- 1407167
TI  - [Chorea and primary antiphospholipid syndrome].
AB  - Primary antiphospholipid syndrome or PAPS is characterised by antiphospholipid
      antibodies and arterial and/or venous thromboses. Numerous other clinical
      features have been shown to be related to this syndrome. Chorea is a well known
      but rare phenomenon in systemic lupus erythematosus; it has been shown to be
      strongly related to the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. We describe two
      patients with chorea that appeared to be caused by the PAPS.

PMID- 1407168
TI  - [Promoting work during the sick leave period through cooperation between health
      insurance physician and the attending physician].
AB  - The task of the Dutch social insurance physician is to evaluate claims for
      disability compensation and to support clients in the process of vocational
      rehabilitation. Because rehabilitation outcome is associated with length of time
      out of work, individual rehabilitation plans should be designed at an early
      stage. Of vital importance in the design of such plans are the client's remaining
      working capacities. Earlier assessment of functional capacity could be stimulated
      by more reciprocal consultation and closer collaboration between social insurance
      and treating physicians. When complete rehabilitation is not yet possible,
      working shorter hours, if necessary in a different job, could be an initial
      solution. As a result the client keeps in touch with the working environment and
      also a clearer picture is provided of what he or she is still capable of doing.
      Besides, the influx into the disability law system, which automatically follows
      if the non-working period exceeds 1 year, with its serious financial, social and
      emotional effects for the client, may be reduced.

PMID- 1407169
TI  - [Severe psychological side effects in children using high-dosage deptropine].

PMID- 1407170
TI  - [Severe psychological side effects in children using high-dosage deptropine].

PMID- 1407171
TI  - [Severe psychological side effect in children using high-dosage detropine].

PMID- 1407172
TI  - [Invagination: the importance of early diagnosis].

PMID- 1407173
TI  - [Postasphyxial encephalopathy in newborn infants following administration of
      nalbuphine during childbirth].

PMID- 1407174
TI  - [Crib death and promethazine].

PMID- 1407175
TI  - [Immunotoxicity and pathogenicity of substances].

PMID- 1407176
TI  - [Choice of time of surgery in the surgical rehabilitation of Graves'
      ophthalmopathy].

PMID- 1407177
TI  - [Sleeping together and safety of the infant].

PMID- 1407178
TI  - [Malaria prevention].

PMID- 1407179
TI  - [The treatment of malaria].

PMID- 1407180
TI  - [Influenza vaccination and Postal Box 51-campaign].

PMID- 1407181
TI  - [Surgical rehabilitation in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy; favorable
      results of orbital decompression via coronal approach].
AB  - Bilateral decompression of the orbit by a coronal approach was performed for
      cosmetic rehabilitation in 53 female patients with proptosis in the non
      inflammatory stage after Graves' ophthalmopathy. Proptosis reduction averaged 5.9
      mm Hertel value one year after surgery. All patients were satisfied with the
      cosmetic result obtained. Advantages of the technique used are: good access to
      all orbital walls facilitating adequate proptosis reduction; no visible scars
      after surgery; only very few complications. In our group there was no loss of
      visual acuity and the incidence of diplopia after surgery of only 4% is the
      lowest reported in the literature.

PMID- 1407182
TI  - [Favorable results of the surgical treatment of intra-articular crush fractures
      of the distal femur].
AB  - Severely comminuted intra-articular femoral fractures are usually associated with
      major soft-tissue damage as a part of serious multiple injuries. Surgical
      treatment should aim at exact anatomical restoration of the articular surface.
      Internal fixation should be stable so that functional after-treatment is
      possible, a condition of achieving an optimal result. In a period of over 7
      years, 24 patients with 26 intra-articular comminuted fractures were operated on.
      Twenty patients had multiple injuries (ISS > 18), 11 fractures were complicated.
      Postoperatively, impaired wound healing occurred in three elderly patients; in
      two of these amputation was necessary. Considering the severity of the injury,
      the long-term results were good: ten of the 16 patients examined with 18
      fractures recovered completely, in the other cases the functional result wa
      adequate to good. Surgical treatment of comminuted intra-articular fractures of
      the distal femur is to be adapted to the individual case; depending on the
      fracture type and the associated damage a selection is to be made from various
      implants and techniques. With consistent, individually adapted application of the
      current AO techniques good results can be obtained.

PMID- 1407183
TI  - [Quantification of the gnostic sensitivity via measurement of the vibration
      threshold and of finger tip sensation].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Quantification of vibration perception and fingertip sensation in
      routine neurological examination. SETTING: Neurological Clinic, University
      Hospital, Groningen, the Netherlands. DESIGN: Prospective, controlled
      investigation. METHODS: Vibration perception and fingertip sensation were
      quantified in a large group of normal control persons of various ages and in
      neurological patients and compared with the usual sensory tests at routine
      neurological examination. The vibration perception limit was measured with a
      biothesiometer without accelerometer, the fingertip sensation with a device for
      two-point discrimination slightly modified according to Renfrew ('Renfrew
      meter'). Concordance of the tests was studied by calculating kappa values.
      RESULTS: The normal values of both sensory qualities had a log-normal
      distribution and increased with age. The values obtained with the Renfrew meter
      correlated well with those of the two-point discrimination and stereognosis but
      were systematically higher than those indicated by Renfrew. CONCLUSION: Both
      methods appear useful at routine neurological examination if certain measuring
      precautions are taken.

PMID- 1407184
TI  - [The phenomenon of the delayed initial attack of tertian malaria].
AB  - From 1986 to 1990 we have treated 215 patients with falciparum malaria. In 8
      patients (4%) who had not returned to any malarial area, malaria attacks recurred
      after 6-20 weeks. Curiously these were now caused by different species:
      Plasmodium vivax (4 patients) and P. ovale (4 patients). After proper management
      of malignant tertian malaria caused by P. falciparum, patients are considered
      cured, provided the treatment has been in accordance with the resistance pattern
      of the parasite in the country of origin. Yet, in a small number of patients
      attacks of malaria recur after different time intervals. The explanation of this
      seemingly paradoxical phenomenon is that these were delayed primary attacks of
      benign tertian malaria rather than recrudescences of malignant tertian malaria.
      Consequently the patients must have been infected by two different species of
      malaria at a time. In P. vivax and P. ovale hypnozoites occur (notably absent in
      P. falciparum), dormant stages in the liver that are not susceptible to the
      antimalarials in use for the eradication or prophylaxis of the blood stages which
      cause the acute attacks of malaria. After a variable amount of time the blood is
      then (re)invaded and the patient suffers a delayed primary attack or a relapse.
      Physicians should be aware that definite cure of malignant tertian malaria does
      not prevent future attacks of benign tertian malaria. They should inform their
      patients accordingly.

PMID- 1407185
TI  - [Doctor's delay in HIV infection caused by blood transfusion].

PMID- 1407186
TI  - [Budgeting of and by family practices].

PMID- 1407187
TI  - [The spectrum of acute meningococcal disease].

PMID- 1407188
TI  - [Life's end in a nursing home].

PMID- 1407190
TI  - [Surfactant therapy in respiratory distress syndrome; a review].

PMID- 1407189
TI  - [Bacterial meningitis; pathogenesis and current possibilities of additional
      therapy].

PMID- 1407191
TI  - [Age in neonatal screening and birth weight].

PMID- 1407192
TI  - [Cause of death in nursing homes].
AB  - Data from the Verpleeghuis Informatie Systeem (Nursing Home Information System,
      SIVIS) of the Stichting Informatiecentrum Gezondheidszorg (Foundation Information
      Centre Public Health, SIG) unlike data from the Central Bureau voor de Statistiek
      (Central Statistics Office, CBS) can afford insight into the primary causes of
      death of patients in Dutch nursing homes. We studied the question whether the
      causes of death of patients in somatic and psychogeriatric care differed and
      whether in these groups there was difference between those decreased within and
      after six months. Also, using the death certificates issued for the 29 patients
      deceased in nursing home De Bieslandhof in the first quarter of 1991, a
      comparison was made of reporting to the SIG and to the CBS. In 1989, data on
      82.5% of the nursing home patients were registered in the SIVIS. Irrespective of
      the interval between admission and death and the nature of the multidisciplinary
      care (somatic or psychogeriatric), pneumonia was the cause of death most
      frequently stated (16%). Of the somatic patients decreased within six months the
      cause of death was mostly a malignancy. The psychogeriatric patients mostly died
      due to dehydration and cachexia. However, uncertainties in establishing the
      primary cause of death and registration errors are not made sufficiently clear in
      the SIVIS registration. The reporting to SIG and CBS does not always tally.

PMID- 1407193
TI  - [Prevention and treatment of respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants
      using intratracheally administered surfactants].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of administration of surfactant immediately after
      birth (prophylactic) or after 6 hr (therapeutic) to 81 Dutch preterm infants from
      a multicentre trial. SETTING: University Hospital Leiden and Sint Joseph
      Hospital, Veldhoven. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial with stratification
      for biochemical lung (im)maturity. The aims of the study were (I): to improve the
      TcPO2/FiO2 ratio by 40% and (2) to prevent the respiratory distress syndrome by
      50% at 6 hours after birth. The secondary goal was to compare effects of
      prophylactic versus therapeutic use of exogenous surfactant (from 6 hours
      onwards) in surfactant-deficient infants. PATIENTS: The entrance criteria of the
      study were: (I) inborn children with a gestational age between 26 and 30 weeks,
      (2) elective intubation and (3) sampling of bronchotracheal or gastric aspirate.
      After randomization the children received surfactant within 10 minutes after
      birth prophylactically (n = 42) or 6 hours after birth if they needed more than
      60% oxygen (13 of 39 control infants). A second dose of surfactant was given if,
      at 6 hours after the first dose, the FiO2 was still high (> or = 0.6). TREATMENT:
      We used a natural porcine surfactant preparation (Curosurf) in a dose of 200
      mg/kg given through the endotracheal tube. RESULTS: The mean gestational age of
      the 81 infants was 28.2 weeks. The TcPO2/FiO2 ratios increased in the
      prophylactic group compared with the controls (38 versus 30 kPa; p < 0.05). RDS
      occurred less often and less severely in the prophylactic group (p < 0.05).
      Neonatal mortality was lower in the prophylactically treated infants (3/42) than
      in the control group (10/39; p < 0.05). Compared with the control infants with
      immature lungs, the immature prophylactically treated infants had six hours after
      birth higher TcPO2/FiO2 ratios (35 vs 13 kPa; p < 0.001), a 35% reduction of the
      incidence of RDS with a significant reduction of its severity (p < 0.05), and
      significantly lower mean airway pressures (0.87 versus 1.24 kPa; p < 0.005). The
      surfactant given 6 hours after birth to the immature controls resulted in an
      immediate improvement of the oxygenation. Nevertheless, these infants spent more
      time on the respirator and needed extra oxygen for longer periods than the
      immature infants prophylactically treated (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Surfactant,
      given either prophylactically or therapeutically, results in clinical improvement
      of children with biochemically immature lungs. A prophylactic treatment,
      moreover, results in reduced incidence and severity of RDS, in a significant
      shortening of the time spent on the respirator and in reduced need of extra
      oxygen compared with therapeutic treatment. We recommend to give surfactant
      prophylactically or at the first signs of RDS.

PMID- 1407194
TI  - [Diagnosis in recurrent bacterial meningitis; a literature study].
AB  - Recurrent bacterial meningitis can be caused by different mechanisms. In order to
      make the diagnostics more efficient, we studied literature to find these
      underlying mechanisms. Two groups could be identified: group I, patients with a
      congenital or posttraumatic defect in the bones of the skull and group II,
      patients with a deficiency of a component of complement. The patients in group I
      were much younger at the time of their first meningitis and suffered more often
      from otitis, rhinorrhoea and deafness diagnosed before the first meningitis.
      Streptococcus pneumoniae was most frequently cultured in the cerebrospinal fluid,
      the group with complement deficiency showed Neisseria meningitidis almost
      exclusively. Family history revealed more members with infections caused by
      neisseriae spp. Although it was difficult to diagnose the bony defects, physical
      examination, radiography and high resolution CT scanning of the skull were
      helpful. Age, history, physical examination and cerebrospinal fluid culture were
      the most helpful in diagnostic factors.

PMID- 1407196
TI  - [Morbidity and results of 100 radical hysterectomies performed in an oncology
      center].

PMID- 1407195
TI  - [Pain in the forefoot: a support sole is no panacea].
AB  - Three case histories of a painful forefoot due to an uncommon disease are given:
      Freiberg's disease, Morton's neuroma and metatarsal stress fracture. The
      differential diagnosis of metatarsalgia should include these diseases, especially
      if no static deformities are found.

PMID- 1407197
TI  - [Facial pain in a thoracic disease].

PMID- 1407198
TI  - [Facial pain in a thoracic disease].

PMID- 1407199
TI  - [Control of the resistance problem by managing an antibiotic protocol].

PMID- 1407200
TI  - [Chronic fatigue syndrome].

PMID- 1407201
TI  - [Prevention and treatment of osteoporosis].

PMID- 1407202
TI  - [Prevention and control of pain in (adeno)tonsillectomy].

PMID- 1407203
TI  - [Prevention and control of pain in (adeno)tonsillectomy].

PMID- 1407204
TI  - [The prevention of recurrent erysipelas].

PMID- 1407205
TI  - [Treatment of varicella with acyclovir in children with normal immune defense?].

PMID- 1407206
TI  - [Lupus erythematosus; current treatment methods].

PMID- 1407207
TI  - [Teratogenic risks of high-dosage vitamin A].

PMID- 1407208
TI  - [Current guidelines for gynecological examination in DES daughters].

PMID- 1407210
TI  - [Ischemic hepatitis].
AB  - Triggered by a case of ischaemic hepatitis (shock liver) in a patient with severe
      respiratory insufficiency, we tried to gather information about clinical
      characteristics and incidence. To our surprise, this information could be found
      neither in major critical care, medical or gastroenterology textbooks nor in
      textbook indices or works on differential diagnosis. From Sept. 1989 to May 1990
      we studied all possible cases of ischaemic hepatitis in a 390 bed general
      hospital, to establish incidence. Using computerised data from the clinical
      chemistry laboratory, all patients with grossly abnormal liver function tests
      were identified. In this nine-month period 27 adult patients had a peak ALAT
      level of > 500 U/l: 8 of these suffered from ischaemic hepatitis, using the
      criteria described by Gibson et al. In another 5 this diagnosis was suspected but
      could not be ascertained before death (30% and 18% of all cases). In all these
      cases ASAT, ALAT, LDH levels were 8-100 times normal, but bilirubin, alkaline
      phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase and prothrombin time were only slightly
      abnormal. With correction of the underlying disorder enzyme levels returned to
      normal very rapidly, in 5-10 days. Ischaemic hepatitis could easily be
      distinguished from other causes such as alcoholic, viral or drug-induced
      hepatitis. Ischaemic hepatitis was the most frequent cause of severely elevated
      ASAT, ALAT and LDH in hospitalised patients. The diagnosis can easily be made on
      clinical characteristics and the typical biochemical pattern. An elaborate work
      up or invasive procedure is redundant. Prognosis per se is excellent but depends
      on the underlying disorder.

PMID- 1407209
TI  - [Are the long-term results of venous aortocoronary bypass procedures really so
      bad? A prospective 13-year-long study of 428 patients].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term results of coronary surgery using venous
      bypasses. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein,
      the Netherlands. METHOD: In 446 successive patients subjected to coronary surgery
      between 1 April 1976 and 1 April 1977, a complete long-term follow-up study was
      carried out after an average of 11.5 years (1.5 months-14.3 years). RESULTS: The
      peroperative mortality was 3%, a peroperative myocardial infarction occurred in
      6.3% and complete revascularization was achieved in 77.6% of the patients. In 90
      of 100 patients selected at random, cardiac catheterization was performed 13.5
      months on average after the operation. The patency of the single grafts was
      89.8%, that of the side-to-side and end-to-side anastomoses of the sequential
      grafts was 90.4% and 83%, respectively. Mortality, myocardial infarction,
      necessity of a second operation and angina pectoris occurred with low frequency
      during the first five years after the operation. Subsequently, complications
      increasingly occurred. Ten years after the operation 18.8% of the patients had
      died, 11.9% had suffered a myocardial infarction, 13.4% had been subjected to a
      second operation and 6.4% to balloon angioplasty, while 46.4% had once more
      developed angina pectoris. Thirteen years after the operation 29% of the patients
      had remained completely free from cardiac problems. CONCLUSION: Although arterial
      bypasses have been increasingly used in recent years, an indication for the use
      of venous transplants will continue to exist in the future, also, for certain
      groups of patients (those younger than 50 or older than 75 years). Our study
      clearly shows that with venous bypasses, also, satisfactory long-term results can
      be obtained.

PMID- 1407211
TI  - [Disseminated lupus erythematosus induced by carbamazepine (Tegretol)].
AB  - A 20-year-old man is described with drug-induced lupus erythematosus (DILE)
      induced by carbamazepine prescribed for epilepsy. The symptoms consisted mainly
      of arthritis and largely disappeared when carbamazepine was replaced by
      oxcarbazepine. With a simple decision scheme based on serological findings,
      differentiation between (idiopathic) systemic lupus erythematosus and DILE is
      possible.

PMID- 1407212
TI  - [The bill medical experiments].

PMID- 1407213
TI  - Traditional practice builders.

PMID- 1407214
TI  - Advances in hospital infection control programs.
AB  - The past decade in infection control has seen remarkable growth of both
      practitioners and the basic infection control program. Technical advances led to
      more sophisticated data collection, analysis, and strategies. Health care is
      being streamlined to be highly effective and efficient. It is easy to become
      enchanted with new, exciting, and high-tech aspects of disease prevention and
      control, but we must all remember that the basics of a good program from 10 years
      ago are still applicable today.

PMID- 1407215
TI  - Surfactant.

PMID- 1407216
TI  - Health USA: appropriate for Nebraska (a commentary).

PMID- 1407217
TI  - Airway obstruction following transhiatal esophagogastrectomy.
AB  - A 79 year old man suffered acute respiratory distress secondary to delayed
      gastric emptying several months following esophagogastrostomy. No drainage
      procedure was performed at the time of the procedure. The need for a drainage
      procedure is controversial. Symptoms of gastric stasis have reportedly improved
      with a drainage procedure and the risk of concomitant pyloromyotomy or
      pyloroplasty has been shown to be minimal and may prevent a potentially
      catastrophic complication as described in this report.

PMID- 1407218
TI  - High frequency jet ventilation for respiratory failure in newborn infants.

PMID- 1407219
TI  - Effects of AIDS, cocaine, and family violence on children in out of home care.
AB  - The medical practitioner encounters more medical and psychological illness in
      foster children than in the general population. The number and complexity of
      problems in foster children and their families has been increased by acquired
      immunodeficiency syndrome, cocaine, and family violence. Clinicians who are aware
      of the high rate of chronic medical problems in foster children will be prepared
      to diagnose, treat, and coordinate care and follow-up. It is helpful to
      understand the vulnerability of foster children to emotional disturbance both as
      a result of family dysfunction which necessitated placement and as a morbidity of
      the psychological stress of the crisis of placement with subsequent risk of
      deterioration in foster care. Practitioners' formal knowledge of the problems of
      foster children and of the structure of the child welfare system promotes
      appropriate patient care and better directed advocacy.

PMID- 1407220
TI  - Acute and chronic effects of hypoglycemia on cognitive and psychomotor
      performance.
AB  - The acute and chronic effects of hypoglycemia on cognitive and psychomotor
      performance are reviewed. Studies involving pediatric and adult subjects, both
      with and without diabetes were evaluated. The preponderance of studies suggest
      that hypoglycemia can be an unintended yet frequent result of treatment of
      patients with IDDM. Significant cognitive and psychomotor deficits were reported
      even with mild episodes of hypoglycemia. Early age of diabetes onset and frequent
      episodes of hypoglycemia were found to be highly related to significant deficits
      in intellectual and academic performance. Patients evidencing performance
      deficits did not always report symptoms of hypoglycemia. Recovery of cognitive
      functioning lagged restoration of euglycemia but typically returned to baseline
      levels of performance. Recommendations for improved patient care are provided.

PMID- 1407221
TI  - Amniocentesis: indications.

PMID- 1407222
TI  - [Psychotherapy research and therapeutic management].
AB  - The history of psychotherapy research has been closely allied with the
      development of clinical practice, as this review demonstrates. Empirical
      psychotherapy research aims at the scientific evaluation of existing practice and
      at the discovery of new fields of application. The early phases of psychotherapy
      research were concerned with scientific justification and societal legitimation.
      These questions changed with the extension of possible indications, the growing
      differentiation of treatment procedures and the progressive implementation of
      psychotherapy within the health-care system. The early issue "does psychotherapy
      work at all?" has been replaced by the questions "to whom is psychotherapy
      helpful?" and "how does psychotherapy work?". As an established part of the
      health-care system, psychotherapy is now faced with the same urgent problems as
      other medical specialties: therapeutic goals and economic conditions have to be
      brought in balance. Thus the perspectives of psychotherapy research have to
      encompass the individual patient as well as the system of care. These demands
      create new questions which enlarge the approaches of traditional psychotherapy
      research; new structural and logistic methodologies are asked for. We conclude by
      referring to a multicenter study on the psychodynamic treatment of eating
      disorders that has been initiated by the Center for Psychotherapy Research in
      Stuttgart as a prototype form of the new look in psychotherapy research.

PMID- 1407223
TI  - [Conversion symptoms of patients in psychiatric liaison care].
AB  - At the consultation-psychiatric service of a large university hospital conversion
      disorders present ca. 50% of the "somatoform disorders". The rate of incidence of
      conversion disorders was 4% of all patients seen in the service, i.e. 20-30
      referrals per annum. A report on 103 patients referred during 1987-1990 is given
      concerning basic sociodemographic data, symptom clusters, course of illness, age
      at onset of the disorder, psychiatric and family history, psychosocial conditions
      and intrapsychic conflicts, additional affective disorders and
      psychophysiological symptoms, illness behaviour, cognitive attitudes towards
      illness. The rate of 35% patients showing an underlying somatic disorder in
      addition to their conversion symptoms had to be appreciated. Possible relations
      of conversion disorders to affective illness, somatization disorder and
      neurologic disease had to be discussed as to course of illness and theoretical
      concepts.

PMID- 1407224
TI  - [Psychopathologic findings and results of treatment of pension applicants].
AB  - As part of a broader follow-up study (n = 1088) in a psychosomatic hospital, 35
      patients who had applied for early retirement on health grounds were examined by
      means of a psychosomatic personality inventory (PSKB-Rudolf). In addition to
      confirming previous findings in relation to the character-profile and defence
      mechanisms of such patients, the present study describes a cluster of
      characteristics that would lead to unfavourable therapeutic results. The fact
      that these persons had applied for early retirement had in itself no appreciable
      therapeutic consequences.

PMID- 1407226
TI  - [Dementia diseases and minor cognitive impairments in elderly patients in general
      practice. Results of a cross-sectional study].
AB  - General practitioners in 24 Mannheim practices kept a record of all over-65-year
      old patients seen during four weeks (n = 3,737), and made ratings of their
      cognitive functioning with the help of simple guidelines. For a sub-sample of
      patients (n = 407), these ratings could be compared with assessments made by the
      research team, on the basis of a standardized interview and test procedure
      (Hierarchic Dementia Scale). The research data indicate that 8% of the patients
      manifested clinical dementia, a further 8% so-called 'mild dementia' and 17%
      milder, non-disabling degrees of cognitive impairment. The proportion of affected
      persons in each of the groups rises steeply with increasing age above 65 yr. The
      ability of the practitioners to detect dementia--including the milder degrees-
      among their elderly patients exceeded expectation (sensitivity 92%; specificity
      76%). The test-score profiles of the patients, grouped according to their own
      doctors' ratings, conformed to clinical concepts of the progressive course
      ('staging') of dementing illness, while the degree of disability in everyday
      life, and dependency on others, also increased steeply across the groups. These
      findings emphasize the importance of general medical practice for the early
      detection of dementia in the elderly population, and potentially also for case
      management.

PMID- 1407225
TI  - [Recognition of emotions in facial expression of visual half-field images by
      schizophrenic and depressed patients].
AB  - Twenty schizophrenics, 20 depressives, and 20 normal controls were asked to
      identify positive and negative emotional expressions of faces tachistoscopically
      presented to the left and/or right visual hemifields. Results replicated the
      frequently cited recognition advantage for emotional stimuli presented in the
      left visual hemifield (right hemispheric processing). A significant reduction in
      decoding advantage was observed in both patient groups, which could be explained
      in terms of an interhemispheric disconnection syndrome in schizophrenics and
      depressives. Bilateral findings in particular tend to support this hypothesis,
      since they revealed that both cerebral hemispheres processed contrary information
      simultaneously.

PMID- 1407227
TI  - [Symptom severity and symptom progression in Alzheimer's disease-- comparison
      between two cases with early and late onset].
AB  - Since the first description of Alzheimer's disease rapid symptom progression and
      relatively severe cognitive symptoms have been frequently associated with early
      onset age, while slow symptom progression and relatively mild cognitive symptoms
      were often related to late onset age. In a longitudinal study of 90 patients with
      mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease we investigated these hypotheses. We found
      that neither severity of cognitive symptoms nor symptom progression in
      Alzheimer's disease were associated with onset age. In addition, a comparison of
      extreme groups (group 1: less than 60 years of age; group 2: greater than 75
      years of age), taken from the study sample, showed similar results with respect
      to the independent variables. The results of this study suggest that the
      interindividual variability of cognitive impairment as well as the large
      variation of symptom progression in Alzheimer's disease cannot be explained by
      onset age.

PMID- 1407228
TI  - [Organic correlates of depressive symptoms in Alzheimer's dementia. Results of a
      prospective study, review of the literature].
AB  - The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) was verified at post-mortem examination
      in 46 patients (9 male: 37 female; mean age 83.6 +/- 6.5 years) from a
      prospective clinical study. Compared to 10 age-matched controls, the total AD
      group showed a significant neuronal loss in the locus coeruleus, dorsal raphe
      nucleus, substantia nigra and in the basal nucleus of Meynert. Twelve patients (1
      male: 11 female) had experienced symptoms of depression. These patients had
      significantly lower neuronal counts in the locus coeruleus, but less severe cell
      loss in the basal nucleus of Meynert compared to the AD patients without
      depression.

PMID- 1407230
TI  - [Selegine in Parkinson's disease--current status in research and therapy. 2nd
      Internation Congress of Movement Disorders. Munich, 23 June 1992].

PMID- 1407229
TI  - [Pharmacotoxic psychosis and extrapyramidal motor syndrome. A case of acute
      adverse effect of fluoxetine and flupenthixol].

PMID- 1407231
TI  - [Hemodilution in the therapeutic overall plan in acute cerebral ischemia].

PMID- 1407232
TI  - Dutch Society of Gastroenterology and Dutch Society of Hepatology meeting. 19-20
      March 1992. Abstracts.

PMID- 1407233
TI  - Endocarditis prophylaxis.

PMID- 1407234
TI  - Ursodeoxycholic acid treatment in primary biliary cirrhosis with the emphasis on
      late stage disease.
AB  - We studied the effect of ursodeoxycholic acid in 19 patients with primary biliary
      cirrhosis, mainly stages III and IV. The dose of UDCA employed was 10-15 mg/kg
      body weight per day. After 1 yr, 17 patients were still using UDCA, and the mean
      values of serum alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase and alanine
      aminotransferase had fallen significantly. Serum bilirubin, initially elevated in
      7 of the 13 late-stage (III and IV) patients, showed a further increase in 3 of
      the 7 patients. In 2 of these 3 patients, UDCA had to be withdrawn (dose
      reduction had no effect). One patient developed a decompensated cirrhosis in
      spite of UDCA withdrawal. Pruritus worsened in 4 patients, all of whom were late
      stage patients. Ten late-stage (III-IV) patients showed improvement in liver
      biochemistry and clinical findings as did all early-stage PBC patients. Thus,
      UDCA treatment is not beneficial for all PBC patients. Special care should be
      taken in the early phase of UDCA therapy in later-stage (III-IV) patients:
      frequent biochemical checks should be carried out, for instance every 2 weeks in
      the first 2 months after starting UDCA, especially the estimation of bilirubin.

PMID- 1407235
TI  - Additive value of transoesophageal echocardiography in the visualization of
      carcinoid heart disease.
AB  - A 65-yr-old woman with atypical complaints and a tricuspid insufficiency murmur
      underwent transthoracic echocardiography, which showed right-sided abnormalities,
      but did not allow clear visualization of the valves. Subsequent transoesophageal
      imaging, however, raised the suspicion of carcinoid heart disease, because of the
      typical lesions. The diagnosis was thereafter confirmed by biochemical
      investigations, scintigraphy and abdominal ultrasound. This case suggests that
      transoesophageal echocardiography may have additive value in the detection of
      carcinoid heart disease.

PMID- 1407236
TI  - Pyrexia of unknown origin as the only manifestation of colorectal carcinoma.
AB  - Patients with colon cancer rarely present with pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO)
      without other manifestations or symptoms. The present paper reports a patient who
      presented with a 6-month history of fever. The patient was found to suffer from
      well-differentiated adenocarcinoma of the sigmoid colon. A few days after
      sigmoidectomy the fever subsided and the patient recovered. Investigation of the
      large bowel should always form part of the evaluation in patients with pyrexia of
      unknown origin.

PMID- 1407237
TI  - Malabsorption due to a ventral hernia.
AB  - A case of malabsorption due to a stagnant loop which occurred in a huge ventral
      hernia is presented. The clinical course was relatively indolent with symptoms of
      malabsorption and occasional abdominal pain. Although rare, abdominal hernia can
      lead to malabsorption due to bacterial overgrowth as a result of stagnant loop.

PMID- 1407238
TI  - Growth hormone and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

PMID- 1407239
TI  - Mortality and causes of death after hip fractures in The Netherlands.
AB  - The mortality rate and causes of death after a hip fracture were studied in 493
      consecutive patients with a hip fracture. All patients were treated in three
      hospitals in Utrecht, The Netherlands. The mortality rate following hip fractures
      is high and age dependent. Forty-five patients, 38 women and 7 men, died during
      the period of hospitalization (9.1%). One year after the date of hip fracture
      23.6% of the women had died and 33.0% of the men. Four years after the date of
      hip fracture the mortality rates in women and men were 44.4% and 55.3%,
      respectively. Male sex, concomitant illnesses and in-hospital complications are
      negative determinants of survival. The in-hospital mortality was due to:
      cerebrovascular accident (n = 7), cardiac decompensation (n = 12), myocardial
      infarction (n = 4), pulmonary infection (n = 6), intestinal bleeding (n = 1) and
      sepsis (n = 5). From the registration of death causes we learned that 54 deaths
      were directly due to the hip fracture, 4 due to bed sores, 34 due to infectious
      diseases, 62 due to cardiovascular disease, 22 due to cerebrovascular accidents,
      14 due to diabetes mellitus, and 33 due to neoplasm. The high mortality rate
      within the first 8 weeks after the date of hip fracture was mainly attributed to
      the hip fracture.

PMID- 1407240
TI  - Does baseline serum total calcium level influence the blood pressure response to
      calcium supplementation? A double-blind study.
AB  - This was a randomized and double-blind study to examine: (1) the effect of a 1500
      mg/day calcium supplement vs a placebo for 8 wk in 42 adults with high normal or
      mildly elevated blood pressure (BP) and, (2) the relationship between baseline
      serum total calcium levels and BP response to calcium supplementation. Following
      the experimental protocol, mean pressures were lower in the treatment vs placebo
      group (95.7 mmHg and 102.1 mmHg, p = 0.002), but response was not related to
      initial serum total calcium levels. After 8 wk of calcium supplementation, serum
      total calcium was greater in the treatment group compared to the placebo group (p
      = 0.02). Within the treatment group only, the change in total serum calcium was
      related to the change in parathyroid hormone (r = -0.92, p = 0.0002); and the
      change in ionized calcium was related to the change in parathyroid hormone (r = 
      0.68, p = 0.03) in the subgroup with low baseline serum total calcium. This study
      provides further support for the hypotensive effect of supplemental calcium in
      some people. However, it fails to clarify or expand upon previous reports that a
      low serum total calcium level might be predictive of the blood pressure response
      to increased calcium.

PMID- 1407241
TI  - Inhibitors of recombinant human erythropoietin in chronic renal failure.
AB  - This study investigates which factors influence the response of administered
      recombinant human erythropoietin (Re-HuEPO) with respect to the increase of
      haemoglobin in patients with end-stage renal disease. Pharmacokinetic parameters
      of administered Re-HuEPO in patients with end-stage renal disease and
      considerable differences in the amount of Re-HuEPO required ("Re-HuEPO-need") to
      obtain an increase of haemoglobin, revealed a pattern of dose-dependent first
      order elimination without significant interindividual differences between the
      patients. As variable immunological inhibitors of erythropoietin are also absent,
      the administered Re-HuEPO seems to be equally available to the erythron in the
      various patients. In vitro incubation experiments with bone marrow cells show
      that the sera from patients with end-stage renal disease contain inhibitors of
      the erythropoietin-induced stimulation of bone marrow cells. As the patients'
      sera differ with regard to the degree of inhibition of erythropoietin
      bioactivity, this inhibition may also be responsible for the interindividual
      differences in amount of erythropoietin required. Besides a reduced endogenous
      production of erythropoietin, these inhibitors of the bioactivity of
      erythropoietin may also contribute to the pathogenesis of anaemia in patients
      with chronic renal failure.

PMID- 1407242
TI  - Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia presenting as renal failure with lymphocytic
      infiltration of the kidneys.
AB  - A case of renal failure is reported in a 60-yr-old male as the first clinical
      manifestation of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). It appeared to be due to a
      massive interstitial infiltration of both kidneys by small lymphocytes.
      Combination chemotherapy consisting of monthly courses of cyclophosphamide,
      vincristine and prednisone (COP), resulted in a rapid improvement of the renal
      function and in an apparent haematological and clinical remission of the CLL.
      After six courses, the COP therapy was stopped and replaced by a maintenance
      treatment with oral chlorambucil. During follow up, now lasting more than 3
      years, no deterioration of renal function has been noted.

PMID- 1407243
TI  - Pancreatitis induced by mesalamine.
AB  - Sulphasalazine is an active agent in the treatment of chronic inflammatory bowel
      disease, but there are a number of well-known side effects, including
      pancreatitis. The newer 5-ASA agents are thought to be equally effective but less
      toxic. Here we describe a patient who developed a pancreatitis due to mesalamine;
      this was confirmed at rechallenge.

PMID- 1407244
TI  - Chronic airflow obstruction, hyperinflation and the respiratory muscles.

PMID- 1407245
TI  - Biological action of pancreatic amylin: relationship with glucose metabolism,
      diabetes, obesity and calcium metabolism.
AB  - Amylin, also called islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP), or diabetes-associated
      peptide (DAP) is a recently discovered 37 amino acid polypeptide which has been
      shown to be co-secreted with insulin from the pancreatic beta-cell. The peptide
      turned out to be the major constituent of pancreatic amyloid deposits which are
      frequently found in the pancreas of type II diabetic patients. Therefore, a role
      for amylin in the aetiology of type II diabetes was hypothesized. To investigate
      this possibility, several studies have been performed to elucidate whether amylin
      is able to impair insulin secretion and action, two characteristic features of
      type II diabetes mellitus. These studies suggest that it is unlikely that amylin
      has a direct inhibitory effect on insulin secretion. Amyloid deposits, however,
      which are derived from the in situ polymerization and precipitation of amylin,
      may impair beta-cell function during type II diabetes by damaging and covering
      beta-cells. Furthermore, it has been shown that amylin has the potential to
      antagonize the action of insulin on glucose metabolism by increasing hepatic
      glucose production and by decreasing muscle, but not adipocyte glucose uptake.
      For these reasons, it has been suggested that amylin might be involved in the
      pathophysiology of type II diabetes and obesity, disease states which are
      characterized by abnormal beta-cell function and insulin resistance. In addition,
      amylin was shown to induce hypocalcaemia by inhibiting osteoclast-mediated bone
      resorption in a calcitonin-like manner. Therefore, amylin is likely to be
      involved in both the modulation of glucose and calcium metabolism.

PMID- 1407246
TI  - Parkinson's disease in Taiwan: an analysis of 215 patients.
AB  - 215 Chinese Parkinson's disease (PD) patients on levodopa therapy were followed
      up between 1982 and 1991. The ratio of males to females was 2.4 to 1. The mean
      durations from onset of the illness to stages I and II of Hoehn and Yahr (mild
      disability) were 4.0 and 6.5 years, to stage III (moderate) 7.9 years, and to
      stages IV and V (severe) 9.8 and 11.8 years. The mean duration of illness for
      living patients was 8.6 years. The mean duration of illness before death for the
      46 patients who died was 8.9 years. The mean age at death was 68 years (4.4 years
      less than the normal life expectancy in Taiwan). The fate of this disease showed
      that patients with unilateral symptoms initially had a better prognosis than
      those with bilateral symptoms. The symptoms at onset were unilateral in 70% of
      the patients, of whom 91% had a spread of symptoms to the opposite side after a
      mean of 3.4 years. Familial PD occurred in 2.8% of our patients. The occurrence
      of blood ABO groups was not significantly different between the PD patients and
      the general population of Taiwan. Our findings differed from those in Western
      series by having a predominance of males, and a relatively shorter duration of
      unilateral symptoms before spread to the opposite side. In addition, the duration
      of illness and the survival time under levodopa treatment were shorter in
      Taiwanese and Japanese than in Western series.

PMID- 1407247
TI  - Survival in presenile Alzheimer's and multi-infarct dementias.
AB  - Duration of survival in patients who had died of presenile Alzheimer's disease
      (AD) or presenile multi-infarct dementia (MID) in 13 mental hospitals in Scotland
      are described and contrasted. The duration of survival was significantly longer
      from symptom onset to death in AD (mean 7.4 years) than in MID (mean 5.8 years).
      Most of this difference was accounted for by a longer duration between symptom
      onset and presentation to hospital care in AD (mean 3.2 years) than in MID (mean
      2.4 years). Age at onset and gender did not influence survival duration in AD or
      MID.

PMID- 1407248
TI  - Studies on the incidence of dementia: the European perspective.
AB  - Dementing diseases, the most common of which are Alzheimer's disease and vascular
      dementia, are highly prevalent in Europe. To progress further in the search for
      the etiology of these diseases, incidence studies are needed. Comparison of the
      data of such studies will be important; the question of whether they produce
      comparable and interpretable data is therefore critical. We discuss the
      methodologic differences between earlier and more recent studies conducted in
      Europe that may account for some of the variation in the incidence rates of the
      dementia they report. Issues to be explored in the current European studies on
      the incidence of dementing diseases are also described.

PMID- 1407249
TI  - Epidemiology of myasthenia gravis in the province of Trento (northern Italy).
AB  - The epidemiology of myasthenia gravis (MG) was studied in the province of Trento
      (northern Italy) among 444,879 inhabitants. On prevalence day (December 31, 1990)
      the crude rate was 82.9 per million population: 113 for females and 50.7 for
      males. The incidence rate was 7.4 per million per year: 10.8 for females and 4.6
      for males. Over the same observation period (1981-1990), we calculated a death
      rate of 1.12 per million population per year. MG predominates in females.
      Nevertheless, we observed some differences related to age and to presence of
      thymoma, and our data supports the recognition of three types of MG: (1)
      predominating in females with a peak frequency at about 20-29 years; (2)
      affecting both males and females, with a frequency increasing with age, and (3)
      associated with thymoma.

PMID- 1407250
TI  - Factors influencing long-term survival and disability among three-month stroke
      survivors.
AB  - 216 survivors of acute stroke were studied 3 months postictus to determine
      predictors of long-term survival and disability 20 months after the initial
      stroke. Factors predicting mortality were, in order of importance, old age, a
      history of ischaemic heart disease, low mental-test score, low serum cholesterol
      concentration, low Glasgow Coma Score on admission, and the presence of left
      ventricular hypertrophy. 73% of subjects were correctly classified by
      discriminant function analysis using these variables. Factors predicting poor
      functional outcome (Barthel Index 15) were a low Barthel Index at 3 months, old
      age, low mental-test score at 3 months and a low Glasgow Coma Score on admission.
      70% of subjects were correctly classified into 3 functional-outcome groups using
      these variables. Stroke subtype and size, position, and the territory of the
      lesion on brain CT did not influence long-term outcome. We conclude that factors
      affecting long-term survival and disability are different from those affecting
      outcome immediately after stroke.

PMID- 1407251
TI  - A social and epidemiologic approach to use of technology in neurologic practice.
AB  - There is a consensus that technology is not always used appropriately in many
      medical care situations. In this article, a social and epidemiologic approach
      looks beyond biomedical issues to examine short- and long-term social
      consequences of using newer technology, particularly as related to neurologic
      disease. The prevailing belief that noninvasive neurodiagnostic testing is
      harmless for the patient often overlooks important physical and behavioral
      effects. High-technology subspecialization within neurology affects the matrix of
      patient care as well as the character of the specialty. The principles of
      clinical epidemiology and social medicine can help practitioners use
      neurotechnology more rationally.

PMID- 1407252
TI  - Practice patterns in neurology in India.
AB  - Sixteen Indian neurologists saw 1,850 patients over a sample 6-day working week.
      The average daily workload comprised 19 patients including 11 new cases. Epilepsy
      (27.0%), headache (19.0%) and cerebrovascular disorders (7.8%) were the commonest
      problems. Only 2.5% fell in the ICD-9-CM categories 780-799 consisting of
      symptoms, signs and ill-defined conditions. In 43% it was felt that the
      neurologic consult was not necessary. In the Indian setting this would suggest
      that emphasis should be on neurologic education of primary care physicians and
      internists for the appropriate utilization of limited resources.

PMID- 1407253
TI  - Vitamin A and Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1407254
TI  - [Psychological impact of periodic hemodialysis in the adult].
AB  - End stage renal failure and its therapeutic procedures disorganize patient's
      world through the important modifications concerning his body and his personal,
      familial and socio-professional life. In proportion as the different stages of
      his psychological adjustment appear, the patient must mobilize several adaptive
      mechanisms to face fears, deterioration of body-image and numerous restrictions
      due to illness and its treatment. The quality of his personal response and of the
      family, society and medical staff responses will determine his compliance to the
      uremic status with its therapeutic pressures, and so the results of the treatment
      and the quality of his rehabilitation.

PMID- 1407255
TI  - [Thrombosis and disorders of hemostasis in nephrotic syndrome].
AB  - Thromboses and disorders of hemostasis in nephrotic syndrome. Thromboembolic
      complications are common in nephrotic syndrome (NS). This article reviews the
      factors of thrombogenesis in NS, including: 1) a hypercoagulable state with
      platelet hyperaggregability, hyperfibrinogenemia and elevated factor VIII,
      decrease in plasma levels of coagulation inhibitors antithrombin III and free
      protein S, reduced fibrinolytic activity; 2) excessive intravascular thrombin
      formation marked by increased plasma levels of fibrinopeptide A. The intensity of
      hemostasis disorders coincides with that of NS. Most disorders are related to
      hypoalbuminemia and proteinuria. In agreement with experimental data, the role of
      intraglomerular activation of coagulation during active phases of
      glomerulopathies has to be considered. This could explain the predominance of
      renal vein thrombosis in several glomerulopathies with NS. Several coagulation
      disorders in SN have implications for therapy.

PMID- 1407256
TI  - [Acute renal insufficiency associated with lymphoma. A new case].
AB  - We report on a case of acute renal failure secondary to relapse of a
      centrocytocentroblastic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Twenty-seven cases of acute renal
      failure due to lymphomatous infiltration of the kidneys have been so far
      reported. The clinical presentation is non-specific; the size of the kidneys
      appears normal or enlarged; diagnosis is confirmed by renal biopsy and/or CT scan
      examination. Chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy sometimes lead to dramatic
      improvement of renal function. However, prognosis is poor, mostly due to
      lymphomatous evolution.

PMID- 1407258
TI  - Peritonitis prevention in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.
AB  - Although peritonitis remains the major cause of morbidity in CAPD, peritonitis
      rates are declining in European and other countries. This article reviews
      approaches that are both decisive and promising concerning the prevention of
      peritonitis in CAPD. Clinical results with both reusable and single-use Y sets
      are discussed. These systems appear to have a significant impact on the reduction
      of intraluminal contamination, particularly Staphylococcus epidermidis. The
      importance of the flush-before-fill technique is reviewed in the context of the
      new disposable Y sets. In vitro studies confirm that 100 mls of fresh dialysate
      flushed from the new bag to the drainage bag at the appropriate time during the
      exchange can eliminate microorganisms that do not possess adherence factors,
      providing long periods of incubation are not encountered. Future prevention
      measures for the reduction of Staphylococcus aureus peritonitis are discussed in
      light of evidence identifying pre-CAPD nasal carriers as high risk patients for
      subsequent exit-site infection and S. aureus peritonitis. These measures include
      methods such as the application of antibiotics such as mupirocin to the anterior
      nares before and during CAPD. The roles of intraperitoneal IgG therapY and
      staphylococcal vaccination as additional therapeutic approaches to infection
      control in peritoneal dialysis are also discussed.

PMID- 1407257
TI  - [Crescentic Glomerulonephritis associated with gastric adenocarcinoma].
AB  - The association of membranous glomerulonephritis with carcinoma and minimal
      change disease with Hogkin's disease are well established. In contrast cancer and
      crescentic glomerulonephritis is an uncommon association. We report a patient
      with gastric carcinoma who developed synchronously acute renal failure due to
      crescentic glomerulonephritis. Corticosteroid therapy, plasma exchanges and tumor
      resection was associated with a regression of renal failure. Carcinoma must be
      considered as a possible cause of crescentic glomerulonephritis.

PMID- 1407259
TI  - [Production of TNF-alpha during graft rejection and hemostasis disorders].

PMID- 1407260
TI  - [Protein restriction rapidly diminishes the synthesis of transforming growth
      factor beta1 (TGFbeta1) during experimental glomerulonephritis].

PMID- 1407261
TI  - The effect of age on protein composition of rat cerebral microvessels.
AB  - The effect of age on protein composition of cerebral microvessels was
      investigated by examining the content of glycosylation endproducts in cerebral
      microvessels isolated from young (3-6 month old), intermediate age (18 month) and
      aged (24-26 month old) Fischer 344 male rats and by quantitating various protein
      spots identified with two dimensional (2D) electrophoresis. The results indicate
      that aging in rats is not associated with significant increase in glycosylation
      of microvessel proteins. Of the 26 proteins in cerebral microvessels identified
      on the 2-D gel, ten showed significant age-related changes (p less than 0.0004)
      and in two of these the changes were significant as early as 18-months of age. A
      large acidic protein with a molecular weight of 144,000 and isoelectric point
      (pI) of 5.4 (Spot #1) was found only in aged rats. The results indicate that
      aging is associated with significant quantitative changes in protein composition
      of cerebral microvessels. It is possible that Spot #1 may be a novel biochemical
      marker of aging blood-brain barrier.

PMID- 1407262
TI  - Acetyl-L-carnitine influences the fluidity of brain microsomes and of liposomes
      made of rat brain microsomal lipid extracts.
AB  - The fluorescence anisotropy (r) of diphenylhexatriene (DPH) was measured in
      different preparations (bovine spinal cord phosphatidylserine liposomes, rat
      brain microsomes, liposomes made with rat brain microsomal lipid having different
      phospholipid:cholesterol ratios) at temperatures ranging from 10 degrees to 55
      degrees C. Phosphatidylserine liposomes exhibited an exponential relationship of
      r versus temperature, whereas the relationship shown by microsomes and liposomes
      prepared with microsomal lipid extracts was a linear one. The removal of protein
      and high phospholipid:cholesterol ratios decreased the slope of the lines
      (fluidity increased), although the intercept was unaffected. This means that
      differences were better appreciated at high temperatures and were well evident at
      37 degrees C. Acetyl-L-carnitine decreased r in rat brain microsomes and in
      liposomes made with microsomal lipids with different phospholipid:cholesterol
      ratios. The fluidifying effect of acetyl-L-carnitine was mild but statistically
      significant and could explain, at least in part, the data reported in the
      literature of acetyl-L-carnitine acting on some parameters affected by ageing.
      Besides, acetyl-L-carnitine seemed to oppose the changes of viscosity due to
      lipid peroxidation, which has been reported to increase in ageing and dementia. L
      carnitine shares the properties of its acetyl ester, but only in part.

PMID- 1407263
TI  - Free radical scavenging systems of rat astroglial cells in primary culture:
      effects of anoxia and drug treatment.
AB  - Hypoxic injury of rat astroglial cells in primary culture initiates several
      modifications of their functional integrity. A significant decrease of the
      cellular oxygen consumption was observed in astrocytes submitted to a 15 h low
      oxygen pressure. The addition of almitrine (dialylamino-4',6'-triazinyl 2')-1
      (bis-parafluorobenzydryl)-4-piperazine, a chemoreceptor agonist, restored almost
      completely the respiratory activity of the hypoxia treated cells. In order to
      test the hypothesis that oxygen free radical formation may contribute to the
      cellular damage resulting from ischemia, the activities of the following
      antioxidant enzymatic systems have been determined in the cultured astrocytes:
      Cu,Zn- and Mn-superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX),
      glutathione reductase (GSH-RED), and catalase (CAT). Only a significant and
      specific decrease of the Mn-SOD activity was observed after the hypoxia-normoxia
      exposure. The other oxygen radical scavenging systems were not modified. The
      addition of almitrine antagonized the decrease of the Mn-SOD activity observed in
      the low oxygen pressure treated cells, but results clearly point-out the
      importance of oxygen radical production in the astroglial response after hypoxic
      injury. A beneficial effect of almitrine toward the observed alteration has been
      underlined. It is suggested that some mitochondrial alterations could be related
      to some aspects of the astroglial hypoxic stress.

PMID- 1407264
TI  - Effects of chronic bifemelane hydrochloride administration on receptors for N
      methyl-D-aspartate in the aged-rat brain.
AB  - We assayed N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors [3H]3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4
      yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid ([3H]CPP) bindings) and evaluated their distribution
      in the brain by quantitative autoradiography in young adult and aged rats. In the
      young adult rats, NMDA receptors were present at relatively high concentrations
      in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. In the aged rats, NMDA receptors were
      decreased in the nealy all areas of the brain, especially in the cerebral cortex
      and hippocampus. Chronic administration of bifemelane hydrochloride, a drug for
      sequela of cerebrovascular diseased, at a dose of 15 mg/kg/day for 14 days,
      markedly attenuated these decrease in NMDA receptors. Since NMDA receptors are
      considered to be involved in memory and learning processes, our results suggest
      that bifemelane hydrochloride may be applicable to the treatment of disturbed
      memory and learning.

PMID- 1407265
TI  - Regional distribution of tyrosine, tryptophan, and their metabolites in the brain
      of epileptic El mice.
AB  - Tyrosine, tryptophan, and their metabolites in the brain of ddY, non-stimulated
      El (El (-)), and stimulated El (El (+)) mice were measured using the three
      dimensional HPLC. The tryptophan content was lower in El (+) than ddY and El (-)
      mice. The 5-hydroxytryptophan content was much higher in both El groups. The
      serotonin content of El (+) was higher than that of ddY and El (-) mice. The
      kynurenine content was remarkably high in the El mice. The dopamine content was
      lower in El (-) than in ddY mice, whereas it was greater in El (+) than in El (-)
      mice. The norepinephrine showed higher levels in El (+) mice. These facts suggest
      that El mice possess congenital metabolic abnormalities of tryptophan and
      tyrosine and that kynurenine may play an important role as convulsant in El mice
      seizures along with changes in serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine that are
      inhibitory agents and responded to the repetitive convulsions.

PMID- 1407266
TI  - Secretion of immunoreactive endothelin-1 by capillary and microvascular
      endothelium of human brain.
AB  - Modulation of immunoreactive endothelin-1 (IR-ET-1) production by vasoactive
      substances was investigated in cultured endothelial cells (EC) derived from
      capillaries and microvessels of human brain. Peptides, catecholamines, thrombin,
      protein kinase C-activating phorbol ester, and calcium ionophore enhanced the
      secretion of IR-ET-1. The known vasoconstrictive peptides, angiotensin II (Ang
      II) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP) dose-dependently stimulated the endothelial
      secretion of IR-ET-1. The angiotensin and vasopressin-inducible production of IR
      ET-1 was completely inhibited by their respective receptor antagonists [Sar1,
      Ala8]-angiotensin II and [1-6 (beta-mercapto-beta,beta-cyclopentamethylene
      propionic acid), 2-O-methyl-tyrosine]. The results indicate that the peptide
      stimulated secretion of IR-ET-1 is receptor-mediated in EC which have specific
      angiotensin II and arginine-vasopressin receptors. These findings represent the
      first demonstration of IR-ET-1 production by capillary and microvascular
      endothelium of human brain.

PMID- 1407267
TI  - Comparative study between 4-aminobutyrate-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (GABA
      T) from rat forebrain and cerebellum.
AB  - In this study differences in the biochemical properties of 4-aminobutyric acid
      aminotransferase (GABA-T) from forebrain and cerebellum were detected. These
      differences may be related to: a) the characteristics of the catalytic site, b)
      the substrate affinities and c) their pyridoxal-phosphate requirements which
      suggests that PLP could be a physiological regulator of these forms of brain GABA
      T.

PMID- 1407268
TI  - Differential effects of ethanol on membrane-bound and soluble
      acetylcholinesterase from sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes.
AB  - The action of ethanol on the activity of membrane-bound and soluble
      acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in sarcoplasmic reticulum of skeletal muscle has been
      studied. Treatment of membranes with 2.5-12.5% v/v ethanol produced a slight
      stimulation of the AChE activity and inhibition at higher concentration. The
      enzyme remained associated with the membranes after these treatments. The enzyme
      solubilized with Triton X-100 was inhibited by ethanol in a time-independent
      manner. Isolated 16 S (A12), 10.5 S (G4) and 4.5 S (G1) forms of AChE were
      inhibited by ethanol to a similar extent. Samples were reversibly inhibited by
      ethanol, up to 12.5% v/v, and irreversibly at higher concentrations. Kinetic
      studies performed with isolated forms in the presence of 5-12.5% v/v ethanol
      showed that the solvent behaved as a competitive inhibitor of the asymmetric form
      but as a mixed inhibitor of the tetrameric and monomeric forms. The results show
      that the solvent interacts with active and/or regulatory sites of AChE from
      muscle microsomes.

PMID- 1407269
TI  - 2-Guanidinoethanol increased dopamine release and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid
      content, but not homovanillic acid content in the rat brain: electroneurochemical
      and enzymological studies.
AB  - The effects of 2-guanidinoethanol (GEt) on the release of monoamines and on the
      activity of their degrading enzymes were studied in order to investigate why 3,4
      dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DO-PAC) increased to a much greater extent than
      homovanillic acid (HVA) after GEt injection into rat brain. In differential pulse
      voltammograms recorded using an electrochemically treated carbon fiber electrode,
      two distinct oxidation peaks, one at 130mV (DOPAC peak) and the other at 300 mV
      (5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) peak), were observed. In the hippocampus,
      the DOPAC peak increased markedly compared to the peak height recorded prior to
      the intracerebroventricular injection of GEt (6 mumol). Although the DOPAC peak
      height increased to 350% 4 hours after GEt injection, the 5-HIAA peak showed no
      change. In the striatum, the DOPAC peak increased to 150% 3 hours after GEt
      injection. Serial changes in the extracellular levels of DOPAC, HVA, and 5-HIAA
      were monitored in the striatum after GEt injection, using an in vivo brain micro
      dialysis technique. Although the DOPAC levels strated to increase 80 minutes
      after GEt injection, HVA and 5-HIAA levels showed no change. On the other hand,
      monoamineoxidase, which metabolizes dopamine to DOPAC, was not activated and
      catechol-O-methyltransferase, which metabolizes DOPAC to HVA, were not inhibited
      by 5 mM of GEt in vitro. These data suggested that GEt increased the release of
      dopamine, but not of serotonin, and that GEt might restrict the DOPAC transport
      system.

PMID- 1407270
TI  - Special issue dedicated to Dr. Alan N. Davison.

PMID- 1407271
TI  - Effect of 2,5-hexanedione and 3,4-dimethyl-2,5-hexanedione on retrograde axonal
      transport in sciatic nerve.
AB  - The effects of systemically introduced neurotoxic solvents 2,5-hexanedione (2,5
      HD) and 3,4-dimethyl-2,5-hexanedione (DMHD) on retrograde axonal transport (RT)
      of 125I-labeled tetanus toxin (TT) was studied in rat and mouse sciatic nerves.
      The rate of retrograde transport of TT in control rat sciatic nerves was slightly
      higher (6.8 +/- 0.4 mm/h) than in mouse sciatic nerves (5.4 +/- 0.5 mm/h). A
      single high dose of 2,5-HD (1,000 mg/kg, i.p.) produced a time-dependent effect
      on RT in mouse sciatic nerves. 2,5-HD caused a gradual decrease in the velocity
      of RT (approximately 65% inhibition between 2.0-2.5 h) with a reversal to normal
      rate 3-5 h after the toxin administration. The effect of DMHD on RT was examined
      following semi-chronic treatment in rats. DMHD caused a significant decrease
      (approximately 50%) in the rate of TT transport, in addition, it produced weight
      loss and hind-limb paralysis.

PMID- 1407272
TI  - Neurochemical changes in rats chronically treated with a high concentration of
      manganese chloride.
AB  - Several neurochemical parameters were studied in brain regions of rats
      chronically treated with a high concentration of manganese chloride (20 mg
      MnCl2.4H2O per ml. of drinking water) throughout development until adulthood.
      Large increases in Mn accumulation were found in all brain regions (hypothalamus,
      +530%; striatum, +479%; other regions, +152 to +250%) of Mn-treated adult rats.
      In these animals, Ca levels were decreased (-20 to -46%) in cerebellum,
      hypothalamus, and cerebral cortex but were increased (+186%) in midbrain. Mg
      levels were decreased (-12 to -32%) in pons and medulla, midbrain, and
      cerebellum. Fe levels were increased (+95%) in striatum but were decreased (-28%)
      in cerebral cortex. Cu levels were increased (+43 to +100%) in pons and medulla
      and striatum but Zn levels were decreased (-30%) in pons and medulla. Na levels
      were increased (+22%) in striatum but those of K and Cl remained unchanged. Type
      A monoamine oxidase activities were decreased (-13 to -16%) in midbrain,
      striatum, and cerebral cortex, but type B monoamine oxidase activities decreased
      (-13%) only in hypothalamus. Acetylcholinesterase activities were increased (+20
      to +22%) in striatum and cerebellum. The results are consistent with our
      hypothesis that chronic manganese encephalopathy not only affects brain
      metabolism of Mn but also that of other metals.

PMID- 1407273
TI  - Taurine biosynthesis enzyme cysteine sulfinate decarboxylase (CSD) from brain:
      the long and tricky trail to identification.

PMID- 1407274
TI  - Structure and regulation of the MinK potassium channel.
AB  - MinK is a novel protein which induces an extremely slowly activating potassium
      channel when expressed in Xenopus oocytes. We discuss the properties and
      regulation of the current and localization and possible physiological roles of
      the MinK protein.

PMID- 1407276
TI  - The properties of cultured fetal human and rat brain tissue and its use as grafts
      for the relief of the parkinsonian syndrome.
AB  - Primary cultures were derived from human fetal ventral mesencephalon and cerebral
      cortex at 7-11 weeks gestation, and from fetal rat mesencephalon and cortex at
      embryonic day 14-15. Immunohistochemical analysis of the mesencephalic cultures
      using antibodies to tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) showed between 0.1-0.5% of human
      cells to be TH positive and 0.1-1% of rat cells to be TH positive. HPLC analysis
      of extracts from the cultures showed that they had the ability to synthesise and
      store dopamine. Implantation of the cultured human and rat mesencephalic tissue
      into a 6-hydroxydopamine rat model of Parkinson's disease produced marked
      recovery from amphetamine induced rotational asymmetry in the recipient rats, but
      no such recovery was observed following implantation of cortical cultures.
      Histological examination demonstrated the presence of surviving human
      mesencephalic and cortical grafts at least 6 months after implantation. Implants
      of cultured fetal rat tissue were less obviously but still significantly
      effective in these experiments. These rat tissue grafts were detectable for
      periods of at least 6-8 weeks by histological staining.

PMID- 1407275
TI  - Quantitative aspects of reactive gliosis: a review.
AB  - Recent studies of gliosis in a variety of animal models are reviewed. The models
      include brain injury, neurotoxic damage, genetic diseases and inflammatory
      demyelination. These studies show that reactive gliosis is not a stereotypic
      response, but varies widely in duration, degree of hyperplasia, and time course
      of expression of GFAP immunostaining, content and mRNA. We conclude that there
      are different biological mechanisms for induction and maintenance of reactive
      gliosis, which, depending on the kind of tissue damage, result in different
      expressions of the gliotic response.

PMID- 1407277
TI  - Fluids of the brain and the pathogenesis of MS.
AB  - The plaques of multiple sclerosis are generally thought to spread outwards from
      central veins. We propose that periventricular plaques in the cerebral
      hemispheres, and superficial plaques in the brain stem and spinal cord, point to
      the importance of demyelinating factors in the cerebrospinal fluid.

PMID- 1407278
TI  - Novel brain-specific bovine cDNA for a developmentally regulated mRNA encoding a
      putative new member of the leucine-rich glycoprotein (LRG) family.
AB  - We have isolated a bovine cDNA which hybridized to a 2 kb mRNA specifically
      expressed in the rat and human brain. The mRNA was abundantly expressed in adult
      but not 21-week old human brain. In the rat brain, there was very little of the
      transcript in 15-day old fetus but it increased in abundance with development,
      being most abundant in the adult and expressed in all brain regions. Genomic
      analysis showed that the sequence is single copy and conserved in all vertebrates
      examined, including chicken. The 702 bp partial cDNA encoded an amino acid
      sequence for a putative member of the leucine-rich glycoprotein (LRG) family
      known to be involved in cell adhesion/recognition. The predicted polypeptide
      displayed sequence identity with that recently reported for the human
      oligodendrocyte-myelin glycoprotein. This cDNA should prove useful in further
      investigations on brain-specific cell-cell interactions.

PMID- 1407280
TI  - Monoclonal antibody 14E recognizes an antigen common to human oligodendrocytes,
      Schwann cells, Bergmann glia, and a subpopulation of reactive glia.
AB  - The monoclonal antibody 14E immunocytochemically stains the nuclear membrane of
      oligodendrocytes but not myelin in tissue sections of adult normal human white
      matter. The nuclear membranes of Schwann cells in human peripheral nerve and
      cerebellar Bergmann glia were also visualized with this antibody. In actively
      demyelinating multiple sclerosis plaques the 14E antibody stained increased
      numbers of oligodendrocytes and the nuclei, perikarya and cell processes of
      hypertrophic glia, which were often multinucleate. Scattered small groups of
      these hypertrophic glia were present in areas of dense astrogliosis in acute
      plaques. The 14E-positive hypertrophic cells could be either a subpopulation of
      reactive astrocytes or bipotential glial precursors.

PMID- 1407279
TI  - Energy metabolism and selective neuronal vulnerability following global cerebral
      ischemia.
AB  - A short period of global ischemia results in the death of selected subpopulations
      of neurons. Some advances have been made in understanding events which might
      contribute to the selectivity of this damage but the cellular changes which
      culminate in neuronal death remain poorly defined. This overview examines the
      metabolic state of tissue in the post-ischemic period and the relationship of
      changes to the development of damage in areas containing ischemia-susceptible
      neurons. During early recirculation there is substantial recovery of ATP,
      phosphocreatine and related metabolites in all brain regions. However, this
      recovery does not signal restitution of normal energy metabolism as reductions of
      the oxidative metabolism of glucose are seen in many areas and may persist for
      several days. Furthermore, decreases in pyruvate-supported respiration develop in
      mitochondria from at least one ischemia-susceptible region at times coincident
      with the earliest histological evidence of ischemia-induced degeneration. These
      mitochondrial changes could simply be an early marker of irreversible damage but
      the available evidence is equally consistent with these contributing to the
      degenerative process and offering a potential site for therapeutic intervention.

PMID- 1407281
TI  - [Indications for the shunt treatment of children with cerebellar astrocytoma].
AB  - In the years 1980-1987 the number of children aged from 11 months to 15 years
      treated for cerebellar astrocytoma was 113, the mean age was 5.4 years. Shunt
      insertion preceding the main surgical treatment was done in 10 cases (9%). After
      the operation shunt was necessary in 15 cases, that is 15% of cases not
      undergoing shunt insertion before the operation. In all, shunting was necessary
      in 22% of patients with cerebellar astrocytoma. In the conclusions the authors
      suggest indications to shunting in various age groups in cases of cerebellar
      astrocytoma.

PMID- 1407282
TI  - [Brain tumors in the records of the Department of Neurosurgery in Rzeszow 1976
      1989].
AB  - The authors present the results of surgical treatment of 232 patients with brain
      tumours operated on in the neurosurgery centre in Rzeszow. In 84% of cases it was
      possible to remove the tumor radically, 44% of the patients were subjected to
      postoperative radiotherapy. The relationship is discussed between the operative
      results and the location of tumor, its microscopic structure and patient's age.

PMID- 1407283
TI  - [Colloid cysts of the III ventricle. Report on our 8 cases operated on by the
      interhemispheric approach].
AB  - Between 1984 and 1990, 12 patients with colloid cysts of the third ventricle were
      operated on. 8 of them underwent surgery by an anterior transcallosal approach
      with very good result. The authors discuss the different methods of surgical
      treatment using the microsurgical technique and present the advantages of the
      midline approach.

PMID- 1407284
TI  - [Diagnosis and treatment of recurrent brain glioma].
AB  - In the period from Jan 1 1984 to Dec 31 1990 clinical and radiological evidence
      of brain glioma was found in 120 cases treated previously surgically. The group
      comprised 55 women (46%) and 65 men (54%). At the time of tumour diagnosis their
      age was ranged 40 to 60 years. All patients received non-radical surgical
      treatment, supplemented with Co60 radiation in 104 cases, in 3 cases Co60
      treatment was given together with chemotherapy (CCNU) and 12 patients received no
      complementary treatment. Thirty four patients (28%) had reoperations, in two
      cases even twice. In 86 cases (72%) treatment was palliative. Three types of
      secondary tumour regrowth were discerned. Reoperation prolonged survival and its
      effectiveness was greatest in regrowth type I. The shortest survival till the
      appearance of regrowth signs and the shortest survival after recurrence were in
      type II of regrowth.

PMID- 1407285
TI  - [Factors affecting the quality of life of patients treated by a combined method
      for poorly differentiated supratentorial glioma].
AB  - The quality of life of patients treated for brain tumours and the length of
      survival are important factors making possible the evaluation of treatment
      effectiveness. Changes of life quality evaluated by the Karnofsky scale were
      analysed in a group of 56 patients who have received combined treatment for
      poorly differentiated supratentorial gliomas. Life quality changes were evaluated
      after completion of surgical and radiological treatment in relation to
      preoperative status. The influence of various clinical factors on life quality
      changes was evaluated. Surgical treatment and tumour site had a significant
      effect on the stabilization or slight improvement of life quality. The direction
      and extent of life quality changes were related to surgery, with further change
      after radiotherapy.

PMID- 1407287
TI  - [Brachytherapy of brain gliomas].
AB  - Radiotherapy is considered presently the most advantageous supplementary method
      after surgical treatment for gliomas. The limitations of classical teletherapy
      cause that interstitial radiation may become preferable. The authors present the
      theoretical principles and practical application of brachytherapy in 10 cases of
      glioma. Closed radioactive sources were used in form of I125 implanted
      stereotactically into brain tumours for a period sufficient for providing
      therapeutic radiation dose to the border of the tumour. The doses received by
      tumour borders ranged from 812 to 4560 cGy, and the mean dose was 2064 cGy. Five
      patients were given additionally 6000 cGy by teleradiotherapy.

PMID- 1407286
TI  - [Transplantation of fetal dopaminergic cells in Parkinson disease].
AB  - Four patients with severe form of Parkinson's disease received transplantation of
      fetal dopaminergic cells into the caput of the caudate nucleus. The operation was
      done by an original method using a device designed specially for this purpose. In
      all cases the duration of the disease was 10 to 15 years, and the predominating
      signs were tremor, bradykinesia, and markedly pronounced side effects of the
      treatment (on-off syndrome and involuntary movements). One patients died 5 weeks
      after the operation. Autopsy demonstrated good survival of the transplanted cells
      with good integration with the brain of the recipient and traces of positive
      immunocytochemical reaction for tyrosine hydroxylase. In the other patients a
      significant clinical improvement was noted after the operation, with reduced
      intensity of parkinsonian symptomatology, shortening of the duration of the off
      phase, improved motor ability and reduced intensity of the involuntary movements.
      The longest follow-up was 24 months.

PMID- 1407288
TI  - [Use of a stereotaxic method in the diagnosis and treatment of brain neoplasms in
      children].
AB  - The paper presents the possibility of application of the stereotactic method in
      the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric brain tumours, based on the material of
      the Dept. of Stereotactic Neurosurgery of the University Clinic in Homburg-Saar
      (Germany). The basic theoretical principles and diagnostic potential of serial
      biopsy and intraoperative diagnosis are presented. Shown are new therapeutic
      possibilities created by interstitial brachytherapy. The results obtained in
      stereotactic treatment of brain tumours are deemed satisfactory, as the method
      enables a cause-oriented treatment in cases hitherto inoperable because of
      localisation and resistant to megavolt radiotherapy because of radiobiological
      characteristics of the given neoplasm.

PMID- 1407289
TI  - [Clinical analysis of 27 cases of primary lymphoma of the central nervous
      system].
AB  - Clinical analysis of 27 patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma-
      Out of 4397 patients with intracranial neoplasms treated in the Department of
      Neurosurgery Medical Academy in Poznan between years 1956-1990, 27 patients i.e.
      0.6% had primary central nervous system lymphoma. The patients age ranged from 15
      to 63 years. In most patients the tumour was located in the temporo-parietal
      region. All patients were treated surgically, and then some received radio and/or
      chemotherapy. In spite of combined therapy the results of treatment are
      unsatisfactory, the median survival time is between 2 and 4 months.

PMID- 1407290
TI  - [Early results of surgical treatment of discopathy at the Neurosurgical Clinic,
      Medical Academy, in Bialystok].
AB  - The author discusses 876 cases of discopathy treated surgically at the
      Neurosurgery Department in 1987. Better results were obtained in patients
      operated on within 6 months after the development of the first symptoms of disc
      prolapse.

PMID- 1407291
TI  - [Reoperations in lumbar discopathies].
AB  - In the years 1976-1990 at the Neurosurgery Centre in Rzeszow 938 patients were
      treated surgically for lumbar discopathy. Reoperation was necessary in 5.4% of
      cases. In 0.6% of them purulent wound infection was the cause, in the remaining
      4.8% lacking improvement or recurrence of sciatic pain after 1 month to 12 years.
      In 2.2% of cases the cause of pain recurrence was recurrent hernia at the same or
      other level, and after its removal sciatic pain disappeared. Root compression by
      cicatricial tissue or osteophyte caused reoperation in 1% and surgical
      decompression of the root gave only minor improvement. Lacking improvement after
      the first operation was due in 0.7% of cases to a fragment of the nucleus
      pulposus left in the vertebral canal and in 0.6% the cause was failure to
      recognize two-level discopathy. After reoperation in such cases all pains
      regressed. The analysis showed that the frequency of repeated interventions would
      be diminished by careful excochleation of the intervertebral space, operative
      revision of the space with comparison with the results of radiculography and
      clinical examination, and not too late decision of operation.

PMID- 1407292
TI  - [Late results of surgical treatment of multilevel intervertebral disk
      displacement in the lumbar spine].

PMID- 1407293
TI  - [Usefulness of computerized myelotomography in the diagnosis of discopathy of the
      cervical spine].
AB  - The authors compared the results of preoperative computer-assisted myelography
      (CAM) with surgical findings in 45 patients with suspected cervical disc disease.
      In 98% CAM gave full and proper diagnosis confirmed by surgery. Only in one
      patient, the preoperative diagnosis was extraspinal tumour, and surgery revealed
      prolapsed nucleus pulposus lying freely on the anterior wall of the dural sac. In
      authors's opinion, CAM is sufficient for planning of surgical treatment in
      cervical disc disease, and other radiological studies, myelography or nuclear
      magnetic resonance tomography are usually not necessary.

PMID- 1407294
TI  - [Evaluation of work capacity in cases of discopathy of the lumbosacral segment of
      the spine].
AB  - The ability to resume occupational work in cases of lumbar discopathy was
      assessed in an analysis of 1104 cases treated in a period of 25 years. The
      assessment was analysed in relation to the following factors: 1. disease
      duration, 2. discopathy type, 3. patient's age, 4. occupation type, 5. treatment.
      The paper contains a number of observations concerning the management of lumbar
      discopathy, and suggestions related to working ability expertise in such cases.

PMID- 1407296
TI  - [Brain mapping in atonic epileptic attacks with consciousness disorders at school
      age].
AB  - The paper presents the results of the analysis of atonic epileptic seizures with
      application of brain mapping eeg. The views to date on the pathogenesis of atonic
      seizures could be based on the assumptions of centrencephalic epilepsy voiced by
      Penfield and Jasper. The present investigations and electrophysiological-clinical
      observations support, however, contrary to the concept of Penfield and Jasper,
      the cortical origin of these seizures. The discussion on the clinical forms of
      atonic seizures in epilepsy, confirmed by analysis of brain mapping in the domain
      of frequencies and amplitude distribution, in the form of brain topograms, allows
      for the concept of cortical origin of these seizures with the probability of
      localisation of the epileptic focus, as in here presented case, in the anterior
      right paramedial frontal region of the brain.

PMID- 1407295
TI  - [Prognostic value of evoked potentials of the spinal cord in surgical treatment
      of lumbar intervertebral disk prolapse].
AB  - Spinal potentials were evoked stimulating the peripheral nerves of lower
      extremities in healthy people and in patients with manifestations of lumbar disc
      prolapse. The patients were studied before and early after the operation. In
      healthy subjects the velocity of impulse conduction was nearly identical when
      both extremities were compared. In the patients the test before the operation
      revealed a significant prolongation of the latency of the potentials on the side
      of the damaged nerve root. After the operation a significant difference between
      the healthy and the affected side was still present early after the operation but
      it was significantly smaller than before the operation since the conduction
      velocity was improved on the side of the operation. The study of spinal evoked
      potentials makes possible recognition of disturbed function of nerve roots, and
      after the operation the rate of changes of potential latency is an important
      prognostic sign.

PMID- 1407297
TI  - [Brain mapping in Parkinson disease treated by cryothalamotomy].
AB  - Brain mapping of the cerebral bioelectric activity was done by the BEAM method in
      20 patients with Parkinson's disease treated by cryothalamotomy. Conventional egg
      examinations demonstrating relatively small changes of the type of local
      asymmetry of frequencies and/or amplitudes, sporadic focal changes, and sporadic
      generalized and disseminated generalized changes were analysed in a computer
      system in the domain of frequency and time. Brain mapping demonstrated very
      distinctly the asymmetry in the frequency bands alpha and beta. On the operated
      side a regular alpha rhythm of lower frequency but higher amplitude dominated in
      the brain hemisphere. On the intact side a quick beta rhythm prevailed and an
      irregular alpha rhythm was noticeable. This phenomenon described by analysis in
      the domain of frequency confirms the unilateral synchronizing influence of
      thalamotomy on the bioelectric activity of the operated brain hemisphere and may
      correlate with the functional motor improvement noted in the operated subjects.
      In three cases with a longer course of the disease analysis in the frequency
      domain demonstrated the presence of generalized diffused slow waves in both
      frontal regions. These changes correlated with mental insufficiency of the
      examined patients.

PMID- 1407299
TI  - [Results of the treatment of idiopathic hydrocephalus by shunt implantation after
      computerized cisternography].
AB  - A retrospective study was reported of 19 patients (10 males and 9 females aged
      from 11 to 65 years) with idiopathic hydrocephalus treated by shunt implantation
      after qualification for this treatment based on computed tomocisternography.
      Clinical improvement was noted in 16 patients (84%), and after 2 months the
      therapeutic results by Black's scale were good in 13 patients (65%).

PMID- 1407298
TI  - [Results of surgical treatment of 35 giant aneurysms].
AB  - Results of surgical treatment of 35 giant aneurysms. Over the last 4 years (1988
      1991) 35 large aneurysms were operated on in the Department of Neurosurgery
      Medical Academy in Gdansk. This material is divided in two groups: to group I
      belong these aneurysms of diameter 2 to 2.5 cm and to group II those above the
      diameter of 2.5 cm. Surgery in group I was always performed by means of direct
      attack, while in group II sometimes STA-MTA by-pass, combined with carotid
      ligation was applied. The by-pass procedure is particularly advocated in the
      aneurysms of the infraclinoid portion of ICA and those originating from the
      junction of the ophthalmic and ICA (carotid-ophthalmic). With the progress of
      operative technique and routine application of temporary clipping of the vessels
      adjacent to and supplying the aneurysm, the number of by-pass operations has been
      limited to those of the infraclinoid portion of ICA only. Only in 1 case the
      result was unfavourable, in 2 cases it was fair and in 2 other cases it was
      excellent.

PMID- 1407300
TI  - [Changes in CSF resorption resistance. Experimental studies].
AB  - Lumbar infusion tests (IT) with different infusion rates (0.06 ml/min-1.2 ml/min)
      were used in order to investigate the intracranial pressure (ICP) and CSF outflow
      resistance (R) changes. Two groups of animals were studied: control group and
      animals with an 0.8 ml epidural balloon. In control group (without balloon)
      significant differences in ICP and R values between the increasing and decreasing
      IT curve were found. The most pronounced changes were noticed right after the
      highest infusion rate (40% for ICP value and 49% for R value). The results in the
      balloon group were very similar and the only difference were delayed ICP and R
      changes. The results obtained suggest that the determined R values are specific
      for the applied infusion rate and this phenomenon has to be taken into account in
      all human studies.

PMID- 1407301
TI  - [Metabolic effects of experimental thermal damage of the brain in rats--cold
      lesion].
AB  - Experimental thermal brain injury leads to significant reduction of glucose
      utilization in the damaged hemisphere particularly evident in the cortex 3 days
      after the injury. The rate of development of these changes is not parallel with
      the observed damage to the blood-brain barrier, coexistent brain oedema and
      slight disturbances of cerebral blood flow. In a series of experiments it was
      possible to demonstrate significant accumulation of glucose, high-energy
      phosphate compounds and their metabolites in the areas of the brain near the
      damaged part. The authors think that this is an evidence of reduced glucose
      uptake by the brain resulting from reduced energy needs of the damaged brain
      tissue despite sufficient supply of energy-yielding substances. Since cerebral
      metabolism and functions are in close interrelationship reduced glucose
      metabolism in the damaged tissue leads to reduced activity of the cortex, which
      contributes to transient (or permanent) functional neurological deficits observed
      after cranio-cerebral trauma in humans. The knowledge and understanding of these
      processes regulating the development of local depression of cerebral metabolic
      processes may help in better results of treatment in such cases.

PMID- 1407303
TI  - [Late results of the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia by the method of
      thermocoagulation of the gasserian ganglion].
AB  - The authors reviewed a series of 38 consecutive patients with trigeminal
      neuralgia treated by percutaneous thermocoagulation in 1984-90. In 10 patients in
      whom the result of the treatment was unsatisfactory the coagulation was repeated
      (in 2 out of 10 twice). The analysis of the results showed that good outcome was
      connected with permanent anaesthesia in the area innervated by the coagulated
      branch. If anaesthesia was not present 24 hours after the treatment, it suggested
      that an insufficient lesion was done and consequently unsatisfactory result was
      likely. In patients in whom there was a sensory impairment after either
      thermocoagulation or other form of treatment (injection of alcohol or rhizotomy)
      repeated thermocoagulation not only did not give good results but could lead to
      worsening of the pain.

PMID- 1407302
TI  - [Our experience with microsurgical methods of the treatment of injuries of the
      radial nerve caused by humeral fracture].
AB  - Experiences are presented with the surgical treatment of 33 patients with
      traumatic radial nerve injuries after humerus fracture. Diagnostic and surgical
      difficulties of primary orthopaedic humerus fragment union by osteosynthesis with
      simultaneous evaluation of the damaged nerve. In the group of patients who had
      been given primary orthopaedic treatment the causes were analysed of
      reinnervation failure. In another group of patients undergoing metal plate
      removal after full bone union had been achieved the own experiences are presented
      related to an improved method of operative approach and delayed reconstruction of
      the damaged nerve. The authors suggest reconstruction of radial nerve injury
      after humerus fracture by specialized teams of orthopaedic surgeons and
      neurosurgeons.

PMID- 1407304
TI  - [Use of the Nd:YAG laser in surgical treatment of intracranial tumors].
AB  - The Nd:YAG laser was used between January 1989 and March 1991 in 63 cases of
      intracranial tumours, including 32 meningiomas, 16 gliomas (including 11
      glioblastomas), 8 acoustic neurinomas, 11 metastatic brain tumours. In 76.2% of
      cases very good results were obtained. The Nd:YAG laser was found to be
      particular value in the treatment of vascular intracranial tumours, especially
      meningiomas and metastatic tumours. The ability of the Nd:YAG laser to shrink and
      devascularize these tumours, was useful in neurosurgical operations. The no-touch
      technique, minimal or no thermal effect on surrounding tissues, better
      haemostasis and precision allow for easier removal of acoustic nerve tumours. The
      Nd:YAG laser is very useful in the operations close to the very important for
      life areas of the brain. The major advantages of laser include reduction of
      mechanical trauma, reduction of blood loss, and more radical removal of
      intracranial tumours.

PMID- 1407305
TI  - [Evaluation of the usefulness of cerebral perfusion pressure in threatened
      cerebral ischemia].
AB  - The Cushing response was produced using the lumbar infusions in cats. The
      following parameters were recorded and computed: arterial blood pressure (ABP),
      central venous pressure (CVP), intracranial pressure (ICP), heart rate and ECG.
      The lactate concentration was studied in brain stem and brain cortex. The
      analysis of ABP and ICP recordings showed in some cases that the Cushing response
      was obtained at CPP over 60 mmHg. The role of adrenergic reaction in Cushing
      phenomenon was confirmed by the increase in blood catecholamine concentration and
      typical adrenergic changes in ECG pattern.

PMID- 1407306
TI  - [Analysis of selected prognostic factors in patients with ruptured cerebral
      aneurysms operated-on in the early period].
AB  - An analysis of certain clinical and laboratory findings of 80 patients with
      ruptured intracranial aneurysms was done. All of them underwent an operation in
      acute stage. The following prognostic factors were analysed: age of patient, sex,
      number of previous subarachnoid hemorrhages (SAH), clinical status according to
      the Hunt-Hess scale, CT finding according to Fisher scale, location and number of
      aneurysms, time of operation, Nimodipine treatment, body temperature, serum
      sodium level, white blood count just before operation, mean blood pressure,
      coexistence of heart and kidney disease. A special computer programme was used to
      analyse the value of the above factors on follow-up and the final results of the
      ruptured intracranial aneurysms treated surgically in acute stage.

PMID- 1407307
TI  - [Late results of surgical treatment of chronic subdural hematoma at the
      Department of Neurosurgery of the Merged District Hospital in Rzeszow 1976-1987].
AB  - Late results of the surgical treatment of chronic subdural haematomas in 117
      patients after 1-13 years of follow-up are reported. Sporadic headaches were the
      complaint in 24% of cases, sporadic dizziness in 17.5%, and weak recent memory in
      7.2%. Neurological deficit was found in 6.6% of cases. The complaints and
      neurological deficit present late after the operation caused no limitation of
      self-dependence and no help of others was necessary. EEG changes were present in
      13.7% of cases late after the operation and had a decreasing tendency. The number
      of patients quitting work and receiving disability pension was greater than the
      number of those voicing complaints or showing neurological deficit. The wide
      range of works done by these "disabled" shows that the criteria of recognizing
      working disability are very imperfect. In 90 patients in whom the brain failed to
      expand spontaneously after haematoma evacuation 0.9% NaCl was given intrathecally
      and brain expansion was achieved. In this group complaints and deficits were much
      less frequent than in those in whom brain expansion was not aided. In the group
      with slower development of haematoma complaints and deficits were less frequent
      than in those with haematoma developing before one month after trauma.

PMID- 1407308
TI  - [Traumatic and spontaneous cerebral hematoma].
AB  - The authors analyzed 231 patients--14% of all intracranial haematomas treated in
      the Department of Neurosurgery in Poznan between 1962 and 1990. The patients were
      divided into 3 following subgroups: I--cases of spontaneous haematomas
      (identified and unidentified)--30%, II--haematomas of unknown aetiology, but
      after mild head trauma--27%, III--traumatic haematomas--43%. Increased risk of
      mortality was observed in cases with intracerebral posttraumatic haematomas.
      These patients demonstrated diffuse cerebral oedema and multifocal contusions. In
      the subgroup of patients with spontaneous cerebral haematomas vascular
      malformation was present during operation or/and in histopathological study--65%.

PMID- 1407309
TI  - [Surgical treatment of cerebral hematoma using an endoscopic method].
AB  - In the period from January 1990 to March 1991 in the Neurosurgery Department,
      Mining Industry Health Service Hospital in Sosnowiec 21 operations of evacuation
      of supratentorial intracranial haematomas were carried out by the endoscopic
      method using a neuroendoscope produced by K. Storz. The indication to this
      operation was a serious condition of the patients up to 10 points of the Glasgow
      scale, strictly limited extent of haematoma and ventricular system shifting over
      5 mm in computed tomography. The mass of the haematoma could be evacuated in 70
      90% and the patients were spared extensive craniotomy. Two patients had
      reoperations due to renewed haematoma formation. 48% of the patients left the
      hospital in good condition without neurological deficits and 42.5% had focal
      neurological signs.

PMID- 1407310
TI  - [Remarks on conservative treatment of cerebral hematoma].
AB  - Authors present 38 patients treated non-operatively because of intracerebral
      haematomas since 1988 till 1990 in ++Neuro-traumatological Ward Medical Academy
      of Lodz. The aforementioned data revealed that patients could be treated non
      invasively if: 1. On admittance to the ward they were in good general condition
      they were conscious or their awareness was uptuned a bit. 2. Compression of
      ventricular system and even slight replacement of media line structures was not
      an indication to operative treatment if the consciousness of the patients had
      been good, had not deteriorated during the treatment and on CT scan control
      haematomas and mass effect vanished. 3. It seemed that if general and
      neurological condition of patients was good or improved the control could be
      performed in week or even longer periods of time.

PMID- 1407311
TI  - [Evaluation of the results of the treatment of cerebral hematoma in relation to
      its volume using the "best fit" method].
AB  - A method is described in which the volumes of intracerebral haematomas were
      retrospectively measured by a method of best-fitting circles, in 173 consecutive
      patients. 173 patients were operated on and 41 were treated conservatively.
      Prognosis in supratentorial haematomas of the volume up to 65 ml is better by 20%
      when they are treated conservatively. It seems that surgical treatment should be
      reserved for patients with haematomas over 65 ml presenting progressive
      deterioration of neurological condition. On the other hand, patients with
      infratentorial haematoma over 14 ml of volume should be operated on as quickly as
      possible.

PMID- 1407312
TI  - [Acute subdural hematoma treated at the Department of Neurosurgery of the
      District Hospital No. 2 in Rzeszow 1976-1990].
AB  - The results of the treatment of 95 patients with acute subdural haematoma with
      discussion of the diagnostic difficulties and method of surgical treatment are
      presented. The relationship between trauma severity and therapeutic results, and
      between alcohol abuse and higher mortality is analysed.

PMID- 1407313
TI  - [Results of surgical treatment of intracranial aneurysms].
AB  - In the years 1986-1990 in the Department of Neurosurgery Military Hospital in
      Bydgoszcz 61 patients were treated surgically for intracranial aneurysms. Good
      results were obtained in 60.7% of cases and bad in 21.3%. Death from extracranial
      causes occurred in 6 cases. The number of past bleedings from the aneurysms, the
      clinical state of the patients, the timing of the operation, intraoperative
      rupture of the aneurysms were factors having a significant unfavourable influence
      on the early postoperative results.

PMID- 1407314
TI  - [Immediate and late results of the treatment of cerebrospinal rhinorrhea at the
      Department of Neurosurgery of the District Hospital in Rzeszow].
AB  - In the period 1976-1989 in the Neurosurgery Department, Province Hospital in
      Rzeszow 130 patients were treated for CSF rhinorrhoea and 104 of them were
      treated surgically. Out of these 104 patients 6 died after the operation because
      of purulent complications and severe brain injury following extensive open
      fractures of the anterior cranial fossa. The follow-up examinations are performed
      1 to 13 years after the operation and conservative treatment. From the surgical
      group 77 (79%) came for the examination: 75 led active life, 50 resumed
      occupational work, 25 had disability pensions, 2 died, the cause of death was not
      established. From the group treated conservatively 15 patients responded (71%).
      Seven resumed occupation, 8 received disability pension, one died of cerebral
      abscess 3 years after head trauma.

PMID- 1407315
TI  - [Cranioplasty of extensive defects of the cranial vault bones using a "Codubix"
      prosthesis].
AB  - In the years 1980-1987 in the Neurosurgery Department, Medical Academy in Lodz in
      21 patients aged 12 to 59 years covering of cranial vault bone defects over 100
      cm2 of area was done using of cranioplasty polypropylene-polyester knitted fabric
      Codubix. The size of the implanted prostheses was from 100 to 430 cm2. The time
      from bone defect occurrence to cranioplasty was from 4 weeks to 18 years. Cranial
      defects resulted from treatment of trauma complications in 10 cases, treatment of
      intracranial tumours in 7, aneurysms in 2 and intracranial infections in 2 cases.
      The follow-up after cranioplasty was from 3 to 10 years. In 18 cases (85.7%) good
      and very good therapeutic results were obtained. Three patients required removal
      of prosthesis because of purulent complication, in 2 of these cases high risk of
      infection was present before the operation. Codubix prosthesis was particularly
      useful for filling giant of cranial bones.

PMID- 1407316
TI  - [Cranial bone prosthesis made of acrylic resins and prepared before surgical
      operation--description of the method].
AB  - The authors present a method of cranioplasty using super-acrylate type "O". Two
      approaches are used to this problem--copying of the own bone of the patient and
      use of an appropriate prosthesis made of plastic material used in maxillofacial
      surgery. The obtained results were favourable with respect to cosmetic effect and
      clinical outcome.

PMID- 1407317
TI  - [Treatment of skull defects by using plastic material "Codubix"].
AB  - Early and late results of surgical treatment of cranial vault defects with
      Codubix prosthesis in 46 cases are presented. Early after the operation purulent
      complications were not observed. The main problem of normal healing-in of the
      prostheses was at that time accumulation of subgaleal haematoma which was
      observed in five patients (10.8%). Late complications necessitating removal of
      Codubix prosthesis occurred in four cases (8.7%). In one patient Codubix
      treatment led to meningitis due to late cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea and in
      the second case staphylococcal infection was diagnosed 4 month after the
      operation. In 2 remaining cases prosthesis became movable 5 and 21 months after
      operation and became depressed by several millimeters. The inquiry sent to the
      patients for obtaining information on their present health was answered by 70% of
      them, and four reported slight, stable depression of the plate. The remaining
      ones reported no complications. In 91% of cases the patients regarded the
      cosmetic effect of the operation as good and 9% as unsatisfactory. Codubix is
      good material for filling of bone defects. It heals in quickly, produces rarely
      purulent complications, but requires very careful fixation.

PMID- 1407318
TI  - [Use of biological vicarious biofeedback in the rehabilitation of patients with
      brain damage].
AB  - The mechanisms of feedback not controlled by our consciousness play an essential
      role in the functions of the central nervous system in the process of programming
      of activities, behaviour and control of these functions. In case of deviations or
      errors of activities the possibility of their immediate correction exists. Brain
      damage after trauma or caused by tumour disturbs these normal feedback mechanisms
      producing very varying symptom complexes. In such cases it is advantageous to
      introduce vicarious feedback based mainly on visual and auditory afferentation.
      The authors present own original methods used in the rehabilitation of such
      patients using vicarious feedback with elbow crutch with light and sound
      signalling in walk learning, and platform for attitude stability exercises. The
      earlier obtained results of rehabilitation by this method in a large group of
      patients after stroke, and preliminary observations of patients after trauma and
      after tumour operations justify recommendation of the method.

PMID- 1407319
TI  - [Experience with the use of a light-guide in neurosurgical practice].

PMID- 1407320
TI  - [Extensive arterial anomaly in the spinal canal (Th5-S5) in a 3-year-old boy].
AB  - A case of an extensive arterial anomaly in the vertebral canal (Th5-S5) in a boy
      aged 3 years is described. Sudden onset of the disease with massive subarachnoid
      haemorrhage, loss of consciousness and signs of raised intracranial pressure
      suggested rather a lesion in the cranial cavity. The final diagnosis was made
      after myelography and spinal arteriography. In view of the extent of the lesion
      its radical removal was not possible. Embolization was done twice of the greatest
      vessels feeding the anomaly followed by decompression laminectomy. The patient is
      without neurological defects and pains. The case is reported in view of its
      rarity and atypical character of the lesion as well as its extent.

PMID- 1407321
TI  - [Effect of partial kyphectomy on the improvement of the results of reconstructive
      surgery in open meningomyelocele].
AB  - The authors present the results of reconstructive surgery on an open
      myelomeningocele in the lumbar region, the defect being accompanied by a large
      skin defect and the vertebrae malformed in form of bone hump. During the surgery
      two vertebral bodies were removed from the top of the hump, resulting in a proper
      closure of the myelomeningocele.

PMID- 1407322
TI  - [A case of heterotopic ossification in the parapharyngeal region connected with
      the C2 vertebra in a 9-year-old girl].
AB  - A rare case of extraskeletal ossification in the parapharyngeal region related to
      C2 cervical vertebra was observed in a child, without any history of trauma,
      inflammation or endocrinological disease. One-step surgical intervention was
      carried out from the side of the neck and pharynx making possible complete
      removal of the lesion. The girl was admitted to the hospital with dysphagia and
      breathing difficulties increasing in the last 6 months. During that time the
      child was observed in laryngological hospital departments. After the operation
      Horner syndrome and hypoglossal paresis developed, but presently the child is
      without symptoms.

PMID- 1407323
TI  - [Extensive bifocal location of ependymoma of the spinal cord].
AB  - Spinal cord ependymomas belong to rare tumours of the central nervous system.
      Their malignancy is usually low although anaplastic forms are known also to
      occur. Surgical treatment is the method of choice supplemented often with
      radiotherapy. An exceptionally rare form of ependymoma with two foci of origin in
      the spinal cord is reported. The large extent of the tumour caused that
      laminectomy at 15 levels was necessary. The mechanism of ependymoma development
      at two levels is discussed.

PMID- 1407324
TI  - [Epidural hematoma with unilateral exophthalmos].
AB  - A case of epidural haematoma in the fronto-temporo-parietal region with
      ipsilateral exophthalmus is presented. In the light of 10 cases reported in
      literature and one own case, and on the basis of neuroanatomical data the
      possible causes of this rare sign are discussed. The aetiology of this
      exophthalmus is still unclear and subject to discussion.

PMID- 1407325
TI  - [Removal of a foreign body penetrating through the orbit into the cranial
      cavity].

PMID- 1407326
TI  - [Diagnosis and treatment of aneurysms of the lower segment of the vertebrobasilar
      system].
AB  - The authors present 20 patients with aneurysms of the vertebral artery and its
      branches, treated operatively. The symptomatology and the diagnostic methods in
      this group of rare vascular abnormalities are discussed. The authors are of the
      opinion, that there are no specific symptoms typical of this localization. All
      aneurysms of this group can be treated by suboccipital craniectomy. The results
      of the operation were good; in 75% the results were good or very good. 20%
      patients died.

PMID- 1407327
TI  - [Computerized tomography in aneurysms of the posterior cranial fossa].
AB  - The authors discuss the clinical usefulness of CT scan in patients with ruptured
      posterior fossa aneurysms. Among 164 patients after SAH, in 17 the bleeding was
      caused by aneurysms located in posterior fossa. The exact diagnosis of the
      bleeding during 5 days after SAH was possible in 94% of the patients, that is
      similar as in supratentorial aneurysms. The characteristic symptoms of SAH in
      these aneurysms was the symmetric presence of blood in basal cisterns,
      intraventricular haemorrhage and, in consequence,--hydrocephalus. Aneurysms of
      bifurcation of BA were characterized by presence of blood in interpeduncular
      cistern; this phenomenon was not observed in PICA aneurysms. The aneurysms of BA
      were more often seen in direct CT-Scan.

PMID- 1407328
TI  - [Spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage in pregnancy].
AB  - Subarachnoid haemorrhage from an intracranial aneurysm or arteriovenous
      malformation is a grave complication of pregnancy. The authors analyzed 11 cases
      of verified subarachnoid haemorrhage during pregnancy from 10 identified and 1
      unidentified cerebral vascular malformation. The aneurysms were responsible for
      subarachnoid haemorrhage in 6, and arteriovenous malformation in 4 patients. We
      conclude that the decision to operate after subarachnoid haemorrhage during
      pregnancy should be based upon neurosurgical principles, whereas cesarean
      delivery should be done in every pregnant patient with subarachnoid haemorrhage.

PMID- 1407329
TI  - [[Microsurgical treatment of cerebral hemangioma].
AB  - The authors present the results of microsurgical treatment of 16 patients with
      intracranial arteriovenous malformations. The applied technique made possible
      considerable sparing of healthy brain tissue and closing feeders closely to
      haemangioma. The patients in I to III degree according to Spetzler's scale left
      the hospital in good condition. The patients in IV and V degree in 4 cases were
      operated on twice and in control examination have presented mild neurological
      dysfunction. Severe disability was observed only in 1 patient. Control
      angiography revealed in 3 of these patients the presence of small parts of
      haemangioma.

PMID- 1407330
TI  - [Our method of creating experimental aneurysms and its use in the training in
      microsurgical operations].
AB  - An original method is presented used for production of experimental aneurysms in
      rats. The method may be useful in training for microneurosurgical treatment of
      aneurysms.

PMID- 1407331
TI  - [Anatomy of the middle cerebral artery and the angiographic image of its
      aneurysms].
AB  - The study is based on conclusions drawn from the microanatomical analysis of 200
      middle cerebral arteries and angiographic findings in 40 aneurysms of the artery.
      The angiograms were analysed considering the site of the aneurysm with respect to
      the division of the artery at the limen insulae and presence of early temporal
      arteries. Correlating these data with the anatomical observations, especially
      with regard to the site of origin of the perforating arteries it was tried to
      define more strictly the facts relevant to the operation which can be obtained by
      angiography.

PMID- 1407332
TI  - [Rare variants of the middle cerebral artery].

PMID- 1407333
TI  - [Cerebral ischemia in young patients].
AB  - The clinical, angiographic and computed tomography (CT) examinations of 19
      patients aged from 12 to 30 years with signs of ischaemic brain syndrome are
      presented. On the basis of these examinations and data obtained from literature
      it is supposed that in a majority of patients the disease is caused by basal
      arteriopathies + i.e. pathological changes in the wall of cerebral arteries,
      mainly of the circulus Willis. The features distinguishing this syndrome from
      ischaemic disease in adults are presented and discussed. These are first of all:
      sudden onset connected with physical effort, deep neurological deficit, narrowing
      or occlusion of basal cerebral arteries seen in angiography and signs of
      ischaemia within deep cerebral structures visible in CT. The methods of treatment
      are discussed, mainly STA-MCA anastomosis used in most cases. The results of
      treatment are discussed. Finally the problem of the cerebral ischaemic syndrome
      in young people is presented from the point of view of haemodynamics, principally
      in the aspect of haemodynamic reserve of cerebral blood flow.

PMID- 1407334
TI  - [Transfontanellar USG examination using a color Doppler method in the diagnosis
      and differentiation of vascular changes in the CNS (preliminary report)].
AB  - In the light of own experiences the diagnostic possibilities are presented of
      using Doppler ultrasonography with transfontanellar projection in the diagnosis
      and differentiation of vascular changes. Colour Doppler USG makes possible
      recording and measurement of blood flow in the vessels and may be specially
      useful in cases of central nervous lesions. The paper is supplemented with a
      videographic record of Galen's vein aneurysm imaged by Doppler USG.

PMID- 1407335
TI  - [History of the Neurosurgery Department of the Merged District Hospital in
      Rzeszow].

PMID- 1407336
TI  - [Results of combined treatment of neoplasms of the posterior cranial fossa in
      children].
AB  - The effectiveness of combined treatment of posterior fossa tumours was analysed
      using the clinical material of a neurosurgery department. The material comprised
      242 patients treated in the years 1980-1987 with 211 suboccipital craniotomies
      performed. In cases of cerebellar astrocytoma one-year survival rate was 9% and
      five year survival in 89% of cases. In the group of medulloblastoma treated in
      the period 1980-1982 the one-year survival rate was 75%, three-year 39% and five
      year 25%. In the group treated in the years 1985-1987 the one-year survival rate
      was 95% and three-year was 60%. In ependymoma cases the one-year rate was 90%,
      three-year was 40% and five-year--33%. The use of combined treatment in cases of
      ependymoma and medulloblastoma improved significantly the therapeutic results.

PMID- 1407337
TI  - [New headache classification of the International Headache Society and its
      significance].

PMID- 1407338
TI  - [Clinical application of phase contrast angiography].
AB  - "Phase Contrast Angiography" is a new technique of Magnetic Resonance Angiography
      as reported by Dumoulin CL et al. Using this technique, we can obtain images of
      vessels (angiograms) without injection of contrast medium. We present the results
      of phase contrast angiography on cerebral and spinal vascular disease. We
      utilized the General Electric SIGNA, 1.5 tesla NMR. One hundred and ninety-one
      cases of cerebral and spinal vascular diseases were scanned using phase contrast
      angiography. Included were 90 cases of occlusive vascular disease, 16 cases of
      moyamoya disease, 39 cases of arteriovenous malformation, and 28 aneurysms. The
      phase contrast angiography uses flow encoding gradient pulses, which impart a
      velocity-dependent phase shift to the transverse magnetization of moving spins.
      The resulting image contains only information from the moving spins; while
      information from stationary tissue remains suppressed. In cases using 3-D
      angiogram, we made 32 images 6 degrees apart in their projection direction and
      displayed them on a video terminal. We were able to visualize occlusions of
      vessels, aneurysms, bypassed vessels, and abnormal vessels of arteriovenous
      malformations. Retrospective evaluation comparing phase contrast angiography with
      conventional angiography of the stenotic findings on the horizontal portion of
      middle cerebral arteries (64 vessels of 32 patients), resulted in a false
      positive ratio of 39.1%. We obtained clinically valuable results regarding the
      hydrodynamics of patients using "phase contrast angiography" non-invasively.
      These results reveal not only "anatomical" images of vessels, but also
      "functional" images, which are sensitive to the pattern of the blood flow. This
      study would strongly suggest that phase contrast angiography presents a valuable
      tool for the clinical diagnosis of cerebral and spinal vascular diseases.

PMID- 1407339
TI  - [New surgical technique for anterior cervical fusion; surgical technique for
      anterior cervical fusion utilizing autogenous bone graft from the cervical
      vertebrae].
AB  - Since April, 1990, the authors have been reporting a surgical technique for
      anterior cervical fusion utilizing autogenous bone graft from the cervical
      vertebrae. This series included 53 patients (40 males and 13 females). The age
      ranged from 24 to 72 years with a mean of 49 years. There were 42 cases of
      cervical disc disease, and 11 cases of cervical disc disease with ossification of
      the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). The patient was out of bed within two
      days and treated in a soft collar for 3 months. In all patients, the symptoms
      improved postoperatively. Postoperative X-ray showed slight anterior angulation
      deformity in 3 out of 53 cases (6%). The advantages of our surgical technique are
      as follows: 1) There are no problems related to the iliac donor site 2) The
      removal of posterior spur and localized OPLL is safely and easily performed.

PMID- 1407340
TI  - [The dura mater adjacent to the attachment of meningiomas: its enhanced MR
      imaging and histological findings].
AB  - The dura mater adjacent to the attachment of meningiomas was enhanced on MR
      imaging with intravenous Gd-DTPA infusion. It was examined histologically in four
      patients with intracranial globoid meningiomas. Histological examination revealed
      that there was no tumor cell invasion within the dura mater enhanced on MR
      imaging, except at the point of their attachment. A layer of tumor cells was
      occasionally observed on the surface of the dura mater, but this was limited to
      within 5 mm of the tumor margin. Our electronmicroscopic observation indicated
      that enhancement of the dura mater adjacent to the attachment of meningiomas was
      caused by increased vascular permeability of the dural vessels and extended
      extravascular space.

PMID- 1407342
TI  - [An adult case of intradural lumbo-sacral lipoma].
AB  - A rare case of lumbo-sacral lipoma in an adult case is reported. A 55-year-old
      male was admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery, Mazda Hospital, after a
      history of one year of urinary incontinence. Neurologically, no motor or sensory
      disturbance of the lower extremities was found in this patient. MRI showed a mass
      with high signal intensity on T2-weighted image, located between L3 to S2
      vertebral segments. Metrizamide-CT scan demonstrated the outline of this
      hypodense mass at the same location as shown on MRI image. A L3 through L5
      laminectomy was performed and the tumor was subtotally removed. Microscopic
      examination revealed that the tumor mass was made up of mature lipoma cells.
      Postoperative course of the patient was uneventful. The urinary incontinence was
      improved slightly. No motor or sensory deficit was found. We thought that MRI was
      useful for the correct diagnosis of lumbosacral lipoma. And it is best managed by
      operative removal of the tumor as early as possible after it is diagnosed.

PMID- 1407341
TI  - [Quantitative analysis of glutathione and glutathione S-transferase in human
      brain tumors, C6 rat glioma cells and drug resistant C6 cells].
AB  - Glutathione (GSH) and Glutathione S-transferase (GST) plays an important role in
      the protection of cells against damage from free radicals and also influences
      cytotoxicity to some kinds of chemotherapeutic agents. GST comprises a group of
      abundant and widely distributed catalytic and binding proteins that facilitate
      the conjugation of GSH with the electrophilic center of a large spectrum of
      hydrophilic molecules. Multiple GST isozymes in mammalian tissues arise from
      dimeric combination of a number of distinct subunits grouped into three major
      classes: alpha (alpha), mu (mu), and pi (p). We report the total GST, GST-p
      activity and GSH content of human brain tumors, C6 rat glioma cells and drug
      resistant C6 cells. The values of total GST activity in 42 normal brain and brain
      tumors were quantitatively analyzed. Total GST activity was 92.6 +/- 25.1 units
      (mean +/- standard deviation) in 8 samples of normal brain tissues, 126 +/- 58.8
      units in five grade II or III astrocytomas (154 +/- 63.3 units in grade II
      astrocytomas, 84.4 +/- 2.7 units in 2 grade III astrocytoma), 66.2 +/- 29.3 in 5
      glioblastoma cases, 94.7 +/- 47.7 units in 3 metastatic tumors, 302 +/- 114 unit
      in 8 meningiomas and 213 +/- 90.4 units in 3 neurinomas. Differences of GST
      activity between glioblastomas and meningiomas, grade II or III astrocytomas and
      meningioma, in normal brain tissues and meningioma were statistically significant
      (p < 0.01). The difference between normal brain tissues and benign tumors
      (meningiomas and neurinomas), gliomas and benign tumors were also statistically
      significant (p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407343
TI  - [Recurrent fusiform aneurysm of the internal carotid artery; a case report].
AB  - A 61-year-old woman was referred to our department on February 12, 1991, due to a
      fusiform aneurysm of her left internal carotid artery (ICA). She had received
      aneurysm surgery twice in other hospitals in the past. The first operation, in
      June, 1980, was for an unruptured, symptomatic left internal carotid-posterior
      communicating aneurysm and the aneurysm disappeared completely after the neck
      clipping procedure was carried out by one of the authors. In November, 1990, she
      suffered from subarachnoid hemorrhage with a hematoma in the left frontal lobe. A
      ruptured anterior communicating aneurysm was clipped in another hospital, where
      abnormal dilatation of the left ICA was pointed out. She was referred to our
      department after a ventricular peritoneal shunt operation. Though the
      postoperative angiogram performed in 1980 had shown complete disappearance of the
      left IC-PC aneurysm, it was presumed that the fusiform aneurysm which she
      presented at our department was recurrent because it existed in almost the same
      place as the aneurysm which had been clipped. It was also in contact with a clip
      applied in 1980. In accord with the patient's desire to receive surgery, the
      fusiform aneurysm was operated on directly, and it was remarkably reduced in size
      by dome clipping. During a clip, a Sugita booster clip was useful for preventing
      a slip-out of the clip applied on the aneurysmal dome. The patient was discharged
      about 20 days after the operation and returned to her usual life. A recurrent
      fusiform aneurysm of the ICA arising after the neck clipping of IC-PC aneurysm
      has rarely been encountered.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407344
TI  - [Spinal extradural angiolipoma: a case report].
AB  - This 60-year-old man had been well until four years prior to admission, when he
      developed slowly progressive weakness of the lower extremities. On admission he
      was found to have a spastic paraparesis, sensory disturbance below the level of
      T10 and mild sphincter dysfunction. Conventional myelography and CT myelography
      demonstrated an epidural mass located from T5 to T8 vertebral level. MRI revealed
      that the epidural mass was fusiform and markedly enhanced by the contrast medium.
      Laminectomy was performed and a fibrous tumor red in color was subtotally
      removed. Histological findings were consistent with those of angiolipoma.
      Angiolipoma is a rare tumor in the central nervous system and is regarded as a
      clinical entity different from a spinal lipoma. Occurrence of angiolipoma in the
      central nervous system has been reported in 40 cases in the world literature.
      Thirty nine cases of them occurred in the spinal canal, especially in the dorsal
      epidural space of the thoracic region. The fusiform shape demonstrated in this
      case might also be characteristic of angiolipoma in this region.

PMID- 1407345
TI  - [A case of prolactinoma presenting with CSF rhinorrhea and CSF otorrhea during
      bromocriptine therapy].
AB  - Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage is a rare complication of prolactinoma treated
      with bromocriptine (BC). BC is known to be effective for reducing the volume of a
      prolactinoma and for decreasing the serum level of prolactin (PRL). In cases of
      pituitary tumors, CSF leakage is thought to be caused by shunting between the
      subarachnoid and extradural spaces. We had a case presenting with CSF rhinorrhea
      and CSF otorrhea during BC therapy which was treated successfully. The mechanism
      and treatment of CSF leakage were studied. A 55-year-old woman complaining of
      nasal obstruction and headache was admitted to our hospital on Nov. 22, 1988. CT
      scan showed a huge intracranial mass lesion involving the sella and the supra
      sellar region and invading the sphenoid sinus and ethmoid sinus. Serum PRL level
      was 18,000 ng/ml. The patient was diagnosed as having an invasive prolactinoma,
      and BC therapy (5.0 mg per day) was instituted. Three days later, CSF rhinorrhea
      developed, and BC treatment discontinued; radiation therapy was started. After 36
      Gy irradiation the size of the tumor was same on CT, and serum level of PRL was
      still high. The patient underwent trans-sphenoidal operation. The tumor was
      removed partially and the presumed CSF fistula was repaired. The sella and
      sphenoid sinus were packed with fat. BC treatment was reinstituted, and the serum
      PRL level decreased gradually without recurrent CSF rhinorrhea. Two weeks later
      the patient returned complaining of bilateral hearing disturbance. With a
      diagnosis of exudative otitis media she underwent bilateral tympanostomy.
      Immediately after tympanostomy, pulsating discharge from the middle ear was
      observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407346
TI  - [Holoprosencephaly accompanied with dysgenesis of the cerebellum].
AB  - We have encountered 9 cases of holoprosencephaly, four of them with abnormalities
      of the posterior fossa. Three cases of semilobar type had severe cerebellar
      hypoplasia and a large cyst continuing to the fourth ventricle. They were
      diagnosed as Dandy-Walker syndrome. A case of lobar type had a relatively mild
      form of cerebellar hypoplasia and it was thought to be a Dandy-Walker variant.
      MRI was able to clarify the anatomical relationship of the intracranial
      construction, for example monoventricle, dorsal sac or large cyst in the
      posterior fossa, and it was very useful for the diagnosis of these congenital
      anomalies. All of them showed hydrocephalus and required treatment with
      ventriculoperitoneal or cyst-peritoneal shunt. With the availability of MRI, easy
      diagnosis of the mild forms of holoprosencephaly has been facilitated, and
      accompanying anomalies are also able to be diagnosed. Up to now, the structure of
      the posterior fossa in holoprosencephaly was thought to be normal. However,
      several cases of holoprosencephaly accompanied with cerebellar hypoplasia and
      cystic lesion of the posterior fossa, revealed by MRI or autopsy, have been
      reported. It was suggested that holoprosencephaly with anomalies of the posterior
      fossa may be less rare than has been thought, so far.

PMID- 1407347
TI  - [A case of asymptomatic Dandy-Walker syndrome with cerebellar hemorrhage].
AB  - A case of asymptomatic Dandy-Walker syndrome (DWS) complicated by cerebellar
      hemorrhage is reported. A 65 year-old man was hospitalized for investigation and
      treatment of disturbance of consciousness. CT scan and MRI showed a large
      hematoma in the posterior fossa cyst. Postoperative CT scan and MRI revealed the
      DWS and cerebellar hemorrhage on the left side. This patient had no symptom until
      65 years of age, in spite of having DWS. There has been no such case reported in
      the literature to our knowledge. Derangement of secretion and absorption of
      cerebrospinal fluid seem to have been the cause of late-onset symptoms after a
      long well balanced symptom-free period.

PMID- 1407348
TI  - [Suprasellar arachnoid cyst associated with precocious puberty: report of an
      operated case and review of the literature].
AB  - The pathogenesis remains unknown in the majority of patients with precocious
      puberty, and yet infrequently such causative cerebral lesions as hypothalamic
      hamartomas are associated with sexual precocity. We reported a rare case of
      suprasellar arachnoid cyst in an infant presenting with precocious puberty, which
      eventually disappeared after a cyst-peritoneal shunt. It was believed that the
      mass effect of the arachnoid cyst upon the hypothalamus was, at least in part,
      responsible for development of precocious puberty. The role of surgical
      decompression of the cyst was also discussed. A one-year-old girl was admitted to
      the hospital for evaluation of genital bleeding which had persisted on and off
      for two months. The height, 80cm, and the weight, 12.4kg, exceeded by far the two
      standard deviations from the mean level of the normal population. In addition she
      had the development of breast tissue as classified Tanner's Stage II, and both
      pubic and axillary hair. The bone age by skeletal survey of the hand was rated as
      3 years. Endocrinological examination showed that serum levels of luteinizing
      hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol had increased for
      her age, to levels equivalent to those for females at puberty. An LH-RH test
      revealed an excessive LH reaction. There were no definite neurological deficits.
      CT and MRI demonstrated the presence of a large arachnoid cyst involving the
      suprasellar region as well as the right middle and posterior fossa. After the
      patient underwent a cyst-peritoneal shunt, the cyst decreased in size and such
      symptoms as genital bleeding and breast growth disappeared. Serum levels of her
      LH and FSH also significantly decreased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407349
TI  - [A case of multiple myeloma with intracerebral metastasis].
AB  - Compared to leukemia, malignant lymphoma and other hematogenous tumors, multiple
      myeloma rarely metastasizes to the central nervous system. Intracerebral
      metastasis without involvement of the cranium itself is rarer. We report a case
      of Ig-G k-type multiple myeloma with metastasis to the left frontal lobe
      extending to the right basal ganglia without involvement of the cranium. A 71
      year-old male complained of exertional dyspnea and lumbago. His laboratory data
      revealed hyperproteinemia and an abnormal increase in Ig-G (6117mg/dl) in his
      serum. Serum protein immunoelectrophoresis revealed an IgG k-type band, and Bence
      Jones protein was detected in his urine. MMPP, VMCP, VIPP and MP chemotherapy was
      given, and serum IgG level decreased to a normal range. 21 months after his first
      admission, incontinence, disorientation, gait disturbance and apathy developed.
      CT-scan showed an isodense lesion with massive edema in the left frontal lobe and
      right basal ganglia. On MRI, a Gd-DTPA enhancing lesion was detected extending
      from the left frontal to the opposite frontal lobe through the splenium. No
      abnormal skull punched out lesions were noted. Left frontal lobectomy was
      performed. Histopathology revealed plasmablastic myeloma cells with clear
      nucleole and eccentric nucleus in the cerebrum. He was diagnosed as having
      intracerebral metastasis of multiple myeloma without involvement of the cranium.
      Unfortunately, he died of pancytopenia and pneumonia. Our case suggests the
      possibility of metastasis via blood into the cerebrum.

PMID- 1407350
TI  - [A case of traumatic spinal subarachnoid hematoma causing compression of the
      cauda equina].
AB  - A case of traumatic spinal subarachnoid hematoma causing compression of the cauda
      equina is reported here. The patient, a 76 year-old woman, who had fallen down by
      accident 1 month before, was admitted to our hospital presenting lumbar pain
      radiating into her right thigh, monoplegia of the right leg and urinary
      incontinence. Myelography and metrizamide CT demonstrated a filling defect
      mimicking intradural extramedullary tumor at the level of L1 and L2. Magnetic
      resonance imagings (MRI) revealed a subacute or chronic hematoma compressing the
      conus medullaris and the cauda equina. Operation was performed and an old
      hematoma, which occupied most of the spinal subarachnoid space and compressed the
      conus and cauda equina from right to left, was removed. No definite bleeding
      point was detected and no traumatic change was seen on the cord. Neither tumor
      nor abnormal vessel was detected. After surgery, the symptoms improved partially.
      On a review of the literature, we found only 4 cases of traumatic spinal
      subarachnoid hematoma, all of which occupied the cervical or thoracic portion of
      the spine. Our case is the first report, except for the cases following lumbar
      spinal tap, of traumatic spinal subarachnoid hematoma causing compression of the
      cauda equina. Though usually blood in CSF diffuses immediately, a clot may be
      formed when a large amount of bleeding obstructs the spinal canal. In our case,
      furthermore, deformity and narrowing of the spinal canal had preceded for many
      years, following lumbar vertebral compressed fracture related with osteoporosis.
      This might have promoted the process of canal obstruction and clot
      formation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407351
TI  - [Cerebral salt wasting syndrome secondary to head injury: a case report].
AB  - A case of cerebral salt wasting syndrome secondary to head injury is reported
      here. A 4-year-old boy was admitted to our hospital with head injury.
      Neurological examination revealed no abnormal findings other than consciousness
      disturbance. Plain skull X-ray demonstrated a linear fracture of the bilateral
      parietal bones, and CT scan demonstrated subarachnoid hemorrhage of the tentorium
      of the cerebellum. He gradually improved, but on the 6th day deterioration of
      consciousness developed. At that time CT scan demonstrated no abnormal findings.
      Biochemical analysis showed hyponatremia (116mEq/L) with increased natriuresis.
      Although a high dose of NaCl was supplied, serum sodium levels did not normalize.
      So we suspected that SIADH might be causing the hyponatremia, and water
      restriction was started. He lost 1 kg in body weight over 3 days, but serum
      sodium levels remained low (118mEq/L) with increased natriuresis. We found that
      the hyponatremia was caused by cerebral salt wasting syndrome, so we treated the
      patient with fludrocortisone acetate. Consciousness disturbance improved two days
      after the medication with fludrocortisone acetate, and serum sodium levels became
      normal (137mEq/L) on the 27th day. The administration of fludrocortisone acetate
      was able to be stopped two months after admission, and then the patient was
      discharged without any neurological deficits. We discussed in detail the
      diagnosis and the treatment of cerebral salt wasting syndrome.

PMID- 1407352
TI  - [Two cases of recurrent brain tumor during GH replacement therapy].
AB  - Two cases of patients with recurrent brain tumor are presented. Each of them
      received growth hormone (GH) replacement therapy for growth failure secondary to
      cranial irradiation. The first case is that of a 10-year-old girl who was treated
      with a combination of surgical resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy for
      cerebellar medulloblastoma at 1 y.o. At the age of 9, 10 month after the
      beginning of GH replacement therapy, she complained of headache. This was due to
      shunt malfunction when CSF cytology was class V. It revealed that there was
      recurrence of medulloblastoma. The second case is that of a 14-year-old girl who
      was treated with a combination of surgical resection, radiotherapy and
      chemotherapy for suprasellar germinoma at the age of 10. This tumor completely
      disappeared after these procedures. For her growth failure, we started GH
      replacement therapy and after 1 year, she complained of lt. leg pain due to
      tibial and pelvic bone metastasis. In medical literature, we found 15 recurrent
      brain tumors during GH replacement therapy. These include our 2 cases, and 9
      cases in which there was recurrence within 1 year. Recently, receptors for some
      somatomedins have been found in brain tumors. Although these numbers are too
      small for us to arrive at conclusions, we think it is possible that there are
      some mechanisms connecting GH replacement therapy and recurrence of certain brain
      tumors.

PMID- 1407353
TI  - [Acute epidural hematoma following evacuation of chronic subdural hematoma with
      continuous closed system drainage].
AB  - The authors report a case of acute epidural hematoma occurring after evacuation
      of chronic subdural hematoma with continuous closed system drainage. Laboratory
      data of the patient including bleeding time were within normal limits. The cause
      of the postoperative intracranial hematoma was the rapid surgical decompression
      of the initial lesion, and we considered that it could be prevented if chronic
      subdural hematoma was treated using closed system drainage and slow
      decompression. But acute epidural hematoma occurred after this operative
      procedure and it was accelerated by evacuation of the chronic subdural hematoma
      through the drain. An emergent craniotomy and removal of the hematoma was
      performed, so the patient was discharged from hospital with satisfactory
      neurological recovery. A careful check of the evacuated hematoma volume is very
      important, and CT scanning should be immediately performed if postoperative
      hematoma is suspected.

PMID- 1407355
TI  - [A case of Turner's syndrome associated with moyamoya disease].
AB  - A case of Turner's syndrome associated with Moyamoya disease in a 10-year-old
      female is presented. This patient had experienced two periods of syncope and
      transient right hemiparesis in 2 years. She was short in stature. She had cubitus
      vargus and mental retardation. The serum LH and FSH values were high. By
      chromosomal examination Turner's syndrome (karyotype: 45, X/46, X, i(Xq)) was
      diagnosed. An MRI (SE 2000/20) revealed abnormal vessels on the basal ganglia.
      Cerebral angiography showed occlusion of bilateral internal carotid arteries at
      the distal portion, bilateral posterior cerebral arteries at the proximal
      portion. Basal moyamoya well developed. EDAS (encephalo-duro-arterio-synangiosis)
      was performed bilaterally. We consider that this may be the first case report of
      Turner's syndrome associated with Moyamoya disease, and that there may be no
      relationship between Turner's syndrome and Moyamoya disease in this case.

PMID- 1407354
TI  - [Malignant melanoma metastatic to the cavernous sinus and skull with an unknown
      primary origin: report of a case].
AB  - A rare case of malignant melanoma metastatic to the cavernous sinus and skull,
      with an unknown primary origin, is reported. A 46-year-old man noticed diplopia,
      lt. ptosis and swelling in the parietal and maxillary regions. The parietal skull
      tumor and the maxillary lymph node were excised and histological examination
      revealed malignant melanoma. Because of its roentogenological characteristics,
      the lesion of the cavernous sinus was also thought to be the site of metastasis
      of malignant melanoma. This case is rare because the initial symptom was
      cavernous sinus syndrome, and no involvement of brain parenchyma was observed.

PMID- 1407356
TI  - [A case of intracranial multiple nonspecific granulomas related to rheumatic
      disease: with special reference to magnetic resonance imaging].
AB  - We encountered a rare case of a 48-year-old man with intracranial multiple
      granulomas secondarily caused by rheumatic disease. This was proven surgically
      after an 11-year course of remissions and deteriorations. In 1980, at the age of
      32 years, the patient was first seen at the clinic of Neurology of the University
      Hospital, complaining of swelling and arthralgia of the joints of the knee,
      ankle, and wrist and with remittent fever and visual disturbance. The patient was
      diagnosed as having possible rheumatoid arthritis, and treated with
      administration of 30mg/day of prednisolone, which greatly improved the symptoms.
      The administration of 5 to 10mg/day of prednisolone had been continued after
      discharge from hospital. In 1985, visual acuity of the left eye decreased, and
      left facial hypesthesia developed. The patient was rehospitalized at the same
      clinic, and treated with 100mg/day of prednisolone, which again diminished the
      symptoms. Computed tomography(CT) on admission showed a high density mass with
      contrast enhancement in the left cavernous region. In addition to the left
      cavernous mass, a high density mass was detected by CT in the left parietal lobe,
      in 1987. Visual acuity of the left eye deteriorated in 1989. Because his response
      to prednisolone had decreased, the visual symptom was treated with gold sodium,
      which acted effectiveness. Symptoms deteriorated again in 1990. Early in 1991, CT
      and magnetic resonance imaging showed a new mass at the right frontal lobe, while
      the mass in the left cavernous region had increased in size. The patient was
      transferred to the clinic of Neurosurgery for surgical treatment.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407357
TI  - [Natural history for residual intracranial AVM: compared with that for
      conservatively treated AVM].
AB  - It is generally accepted that the most suitable treatment of AVM is surgical
      removal which does not cause neurological deficits. But in some cases, it is
      impossible to treat surgically because of size or location, so the patient is
      unfortunately discharged with some part of the nidus remaining. In this paper, we
      report the natural history of residual AVMs in which part of the nidus remained
      after initial therapy, and try to ascertain whether therapeutic reduction of the
      nidus is more effective in preventing intracranial hemorrhage than conservative
      treatment. Of 362 cases, residual AVMs were found in 35 cases, and were followed
      up for 9.2 years on average. Eighty cases treated with only conservative therapy
      were also followed up for 10.9 years on average. The annual risk of intracranial
      hemorrhage for residual AVMs was 2.9% and that for conservatively treated AVMs
      was 3.0%, not a significant difference. There was no difference between the two
      groups in mortality or ADL. We conclude that therapeutic reduction of the nidus
      was not effective in preventing intracranial hemorrhage.

PMID- 1407358
TI  - [Effects of gamma-hydroxybutyrate on monoamine metabolism and protein synthesis
      after transient global cerebral ischemia].
AB  - The effects of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) on 1) monoamine metabolism, and 2)
      protein synthesis were examined in a gerbil stroke model. The monoamine
      metabolism was studied by occluding bilateral common carotid arteries for 15
      minutes followed by GHB administered intravenously 3 hours later. Tissue
      monoamine concentration was examined up to 8 hours after recirculation. Three
      hours after GHB administration, dopamine (DA) had increased to almost twice that
      of the non-treated group, whereas homovanillic acid, a metabolite of DA, did not
      show any significant difference. These results may mean that GHB will facilitate
      DA synthesis but that it has no influence on its release. Therefore, a DA
      mediated increase in cerebral blood flow in the cerebral cortex cannot be
      expected. Tryptophan, a precursor of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT), started to
      increase just after recirculation reaching a level of over four times that of the
      control value at 2 to 3 hours, and then starting to decrease in the non-treated
      group. This decline in tryptophan was markedly facilitated by GHB administration
      within 1 hour. On the other hand, 5HT administration within 1 hour. On the other
      hand, 5HT increased only very slightly in the cerebral cortex 1 hour after GHB
      administration, the change ratio being 1/30 of tryptophan. It can therefore be
      speculated, that the decrease in tryptophan brought about by GHB administration
      is due to the improvement in disturbed protein synthesis rather than to
      stimulation of 5HT synthesis. Protein synthesis was studied by administering GHB
      2 minutes prior to a 5-minute temporal common carotid artery occlusion. Ninety
      minutes after recirculation animals were given a single dose of 14C-leucine and
      further 60 minutes were allowed to pass before sacrifice. Autoradiographs of the
      GHB-treated group were compared with those of the non-treated group. With GHB
      pretreatment, autoradiographs showed an increased uptake of 14C-leucine in at
      least the hippocampus, thalamus, and hypothalamus, and in two out of three
      animals, there was diffusely increased uptake. Thus, it is speculated that GHB is
      effective in improving the protein synthesis in the postischemic period. The
      favorable function of GHB during cerebral ischemia is regarded by many to be
      prevention of energy failure by reducing cerebral metabolism. On the other hand,
      the results derived from the present study suggest that GHB may improve protein
      synthesis in the postischemic period. Thus, we suggest that GHB is useful if
      given at the acute stage of cerebral ischemia such as during internal carotid
      artery or middle cerebral artery occlusion.

PMID- 1407359
TI  - [Electrophysiological identification of the cochlear and vestibular nerves in the
      cerebellopontine angle: experimental study and clinical implication].
AB  - Electrical stimulation was applied on the surface of the eighth cranial nerve in
      the cerebellopontine angle of dogs and the evoked potentials were recorded with
      surface electrodes on the scalp. The shape of the evoked potentials recorded was
      different according to the portion of the nerve stimulated electrically. It was,
      therefore, possible to precisely identify the nerve stimulated from the surface
      recorded evoked potentials. This electrophysiological method may be helpful for
      the surgeon to precisely locate the cochlear and vestibular nerves in various
      operations in the cerebellopontine angle in human. Our preliminary experience of
      this monitoring method in acoustic neuroma excision was presented.

PMID- 1407360
TI  - [Long-term prognosis of nonoperative acute epidural hematoma in children].
AB  - Computed tomography(CT) scan has revealed that certain acute epidural
      hematomas(AEH) don't need operative therapies. But, it is difficult to determine
      especially in childhood, whether AEH compressing the brain for a short-term would
      or would not effect the function of the central nervous system in the future. For
      this reason, the authors report the long-term prognosis of nonoperative AEH in
      children. Twelve children suffering from AEH were transported to our clinic. On
      admission, they had no neurological deficits and CT scan revealed hematomas that
      had maximum thickness of 5-19 mm without midline shift. With nonoperative therapy
      they were discharged and the hematomas disappeared within 3-12 weeks. After long
      term follow-up (3-10 years), it was shown that they had no epileptic episodes,
      and no changes in their school study records. Also, the Yatabe-Guilford
      personality test revealed no abnormal data. These data suggest that children can
      be cured who suffer from AEH with no neural deficits, and in whom the maximum
      thickness of the AEH is less than 20 mm, and in whom there is no midline shift in
      CT scan, can be cured without undergoing an operation, and will have a good long
      term prognosis.

PMID- 1407361
TI  - [Analysis of long-term social rehabilitation of brain contusion].
AB  - 164 patients with brain contusion were evaluated with respect to social
      rehabilitation. 70 out of 134 patients (66.7%), said to have had good recovery or
      moderate disability by the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), returned to full or
      partial employment. Factors such as age, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) at admission,
      duration of unawareness, fibrin and fibrinogen degradation product (FDP) were the
      most important in predicting social recovery. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence
      Scale (WAIS) was applied in 33 patients. The IQs of the patients who returned to
      their job fully tended to be higher than those who could not. In the majority of
      patients, impaired capacity for work was caused not only by physical deficits,
      but by mental retardation described as such as IQ score.

PMID- 1407363
TI  - [Traumatic intracranial aneurysms after removal of tuberculum sellae meningioma:
      case report].
AB  - Two cases of traumatic aneurysms (TA) of the internal carotid artery (IC) due to
      removal of tuberculum sellae meningioma (TSM) are presented, and ideal treatment
      of those aneurysms is discussed. The tumor, compressing the IC laterally, was
      removed out without arterial injury in case 1. Though the patient's postoperative
      course was uneventful, frontal and intraventricular hemorrhage developed 2 months
      after the operation, and an IC dorsal aneurysm was detected. Preoperative
      angiograms showed no aneurysm, so it was considered to be a traumatic aneurysm
      due to the surgical procedure. The aneurysm was clipped at once, but
      postoperative angiograms showed recurrence of the aneurysm. IC balloon occlusion
      was carried out as the Matas test was negative. In case 2, a small tear in the IC
      was inadvertently made during recurrent TSM removal, which was wrapped with
      muscle using fibrin glue. 2 weeks after the operation, frontal hemorrhage
      developed. Angiograms revealed a small aneurysm of the IC, which was considered
      to be a traumatic aneurysm. IC balloon occlusion was performed as the Matas test
      was negative. These 2 patients have had no episodes of rerupture after the IC
      balloon occlusion. Tumors and main arteries are frequently adhesive, so arteries
      are easily injured during removal of meningiomas. Muscle wrapping was not enough
      to prevent TA formation. Neck clipping was not appropriate for treatment of TA,
      but IC balloon occlusion was an effective and excellent therapy for TA of IC.

PMID- 1407362
TI  - [Pitfalls of endovascular treatment for cerebral aneurysms].
AB  - Seventeen cases of unclippable aneurysms were treated by the endovascular balloon
      technique. Nine of them involved the anterior circulation, and eight involved the
      posterior circulation. Eleven of them were treated by parent artery occlusion
      with detachable balloons. Three were treated by endosaccular balloon
      embolization, and three cases combined with AVMs were occluded using ethylene
      vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVAL) including feeding arteries of the AVMs. Embolic
      complications occurred in one case of an IC bifurcation giant aneurysm treated by
      parent artery occlusion. Ischemic complications also appeared in two cases of
      aneurysms treated by endosaccular balloon embolization. In one case, the thrombus
      in the aneurysm propagated into the parent artery and occluded it later. In
      another case, the displaced balloon had obliterated the parent artery 6 hours
      after the embolization. Parent artery occlusion is a safe way to treat internal
      carotid giant aneurysms. However, endosaccular treatment still has some problems,
      i.e., 1) maintaining the balloon's position to preserve the parent artery, 2)
      balloon migration into the clot, 3) rupture of the aneurysm during or after
      treatment. Our studies indicate that endosaccular balloon embolization is still a
      high risk procedure and should be used only in selected cases, until new embolic
      agents, such as detachable coils, become available.

PMID- 1407364
TI  - [A report of four cases of intrathoracic meningocele].
AB  - Intrathoracic meningocele is regarded as an uncommon pathological entity
      frequently associated with von Recklinghausen's disease. In this paper, four
      cases of intrathoracic meningocele, treated between 1966 and 1986, are presented.
      There were three males and one female, all between the ages of 40 and 50. These
      were referred to our clinic for further evaluation of an asymptomatic lesion
      which had been seen on a routine chest roentgenogram. There was definite evidence
      of von Recklinghausen's disease in three cases: two males and one female. All
      four cases had no pain, dyspnea or neurological disorder. Chest and vertebral
      tomograms revealed masses in the posterior mediastinum and enlarged vertebral
      canals at the location of the lesion which varied from T-3 to T-11; three on the
      left side and one on the right side. None of them revealed scoliosis or kyphosis
      of the spine. In three cases, myelography was performed and showed an egg-shaped
      mass dorsolaterally. In two cases, metrizamide computed tomographic myelography
      was carried out and demonstrated deformity of the vertebral bone and passage of
      the contrast material through the enlarged vertebral canal into the paravertebral
      mass. Furthermore, magnetic resonance imaging was performed in two cases, and
      showed a homogeneous low signal intensity paravertebral mass communicating with
      the spinal canal on T1-weighted image. In two cases, the meningoceles were
      ligated or wrapped surgically. Postoperatively one presented a paraparesis and
      severe meningitis, and died; the other had an uneventful postoperative course.
      Two patients were followed conservatively without developing any symptoms or
      signs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407365
TI  - [A ruptured aneurysm at the peripheral collateral circulation of the anterior
      choroidal artery in a patient with moyamoya disease: a case report].
AB  - This 42-year-old man experienced a sudden onset of occipital headache.
      Neurological examination revealed a moderately disturbed consciousness and a
      moderate left hemiparesis. CT scan disclosed a hugh hematoma in the right temporo
      parietal lobe without intraventricular hemorrhage. A cerebral angiography
      demonstrated typical findings of moyamoya disease and a small saccular aneurysm
      at the peripheral portion of the right anterior choroidal artery, which was
      dilated at the collateral circulation to the parietal lobe. The hematoma was
      removed at once by a craniotomy. He became alert but mild hemiparesis persisted.
      MRI disclosed a small signal-void lesion lateral to the trigone of the right
      lateral ventricle. The angiography repeated three weeks after the removal of the
      hematoma showed the unchanged size of the aneurysm. Direct surgery for the
      aneurysm was performed via the right parietal transcortical approach. The
      aneurysm was reached under the guidance of the intraoperative angiography.
      Trapping of the parent artery and the excision of the aneurysm were performed. On
      the basis of the presence of an internal elastic lamina at the neck of the
      aneurysm, the surgical specimen was histologically verified to be a true
      aneurysm. Since the collateral circulation was well preserved during surgery, no
      worsening of the neurological manifestation was observed. In view of the
      unfavorable prognosis for a moyamoya patient with this type of the aneurysm,
      which often results in a massive ventricular or intracerebral hemorrhage, surgery
      directed to the aneurysm itself should be considered.

PMID- 1407366
TI  - [Penetrating injury of the common carotid artery: report of a case].
AB  - An eighty-year-old man slipped in the bathroom and received a deep slash wound in
      his left neck caused by a broken fragment of the bathroom door. A fragment of the
      glass stuck into his left neck. He was carried to our clinic after 20 minutes in
      a state of shock and showed right hemiparesis and aphasia. Following immediate
      orotracheal intubation and emergent therapy for shock, he was transferred to the
      operation theater for massive arterial bleeding from the wound. The left common
      carotid artery and internal jugular vein were exposed by extending the skin
      incision from the cervical wound along the anterior border of the left
      sternocleidomastoideus. The left common carotid artery and the internal jugular
      vein were simultaneously transected, and end-to-end anastomosis of the carotid
      artery was performed under the administration of 300 ml of Sendai Cocktail. The
      occlusion time of the left common carotid artery was approximately 50 minutes.
      Right hemiparesis and total aphasia did not change immediately after the surgery.
      The postsurgical CT scan showed an infarction in the posterior portion of the
      left middle and posterior cerebral arteries. However, after undergoing
      rehabilitation for a month, the patient could walk alone, and his aphasia
      improved. Many large series of penetrating injuries to the carotid artery were
      reported after World War II. Most casualties were younger males injured by
      gunshot. In middle cervical injury, the common carotid artery is the most
      vulnerable vessel, although other large vessels such as the external and internal
      carotid arteries as well as the internal jugular vein may be involved, often
      causing neurological deficits and shock.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407367
TI  - [Multiple cerebral infarction by blood-borne tumor emboli in carcinoma of the mid
      pharynx: an autopsy case].
AB  - In May, 1989, a-54-year old man was admitted complaining of sore throat and tumor
      of the neck which had persisted for 2 months. Mid-pharyngeal tumor was diagnosed
      as poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (stage, T3N2M0) and the patient
      was treated with radiation (Co 65Gy) from May 30 to July 24 and chemotherapy
      (UFT), which therapies were effective. On Aug. 16, sudden onset of consciousness
      disturbance and hemiparesis was revealed, and MRI showed small cerebral
      infarction. He died on Oct. 23, of pneumonia. Pathological diagnosis revealed a
      case of carcinoma of the mid-pharynx with wide-spread tumor embolism. Multiple
      cerebral and myocardial infarctions, thrombus in pulmonary arteries and
      congestion of kidneys with tumor emboli, due to "disseminated intravascular
      carcinomatosis" were noticed. A direct cause of death was dyspnea due to multiple
      lung metastases, pneumonia and tumor embolism in the pulmonary and coronary
      arteries.

PMID- 1407368
TI  - Diencephalic GABAergic neurons in vitro respond to prolactin with a rapid
      increase in intracellular free calcium.
AB  - In order to analyze the feedback action of prolactin (PRL) on the hypothalamus on
      the cellular level, we used primary cultures of rat embryonic diencephalon to
      measure the calcium response of individual neurons to PRL by means of fast
      fluorescence photometry. The cultures were subsequently stained with antibodies
      against the neuronal marker MAP-2, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) or tyrosine
      hydroxylase (TH). PRL caused a rapid rise of intracellular free Ca2+ in a
      specific type of GABAergic neuron characterized by a spindle-shaped bipolar
      morphology and immunoreactivity to MAP-2 and GAD but not to TH. It is concluded
      that a subpopulation of hypothalamic GABAergic but not dopaminergic neurons react
      to PRL with a rapid increase in intracellular free Ca2+. These data are
      compatible with the assumption of a rapid negative feedback regulation of the
      secretion of PRL from the pituitary mediated by tuberoinfundibular GABAergic
      neurons.

PMID- 1407369
TI  - Centrally administered insulin-like growth factor II fails to alter pulsatile
      growth hormone secretion or food intake.
AB  - Insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) peptide, mRNA, and receptors are widely
      distributed in the central nervous system, yet the physiological role of IGF-II
      in brain remains largely unknown. In the present study, we examined the in vivo
      effects of central administration of recombinant human IGF-II on pulsatile GH
      secretion and food intake. The IGF-II preparation used was shown to stimulate 3H
      thymidine incorporation in MG-63 human osteosarcoma cells in vitro. Free-moving
      adult male rats bearing chronic intracerebroventricular (icv) and intracardiac
      venous cannulae were icv administered 10 microliters of either IGF-II (in doses
      of 300 ng and 1 microgram) or the vehicle solution, and blood samples were
      obtained every 15 min for 6 h. Vehicle-injected control animals exhibited the
      typical pulsatile pattern of GH secretion with most peak GH values greater than
      100 ng/ml and trough levels less than 1.2 ng/ml. Central administration of IGF
      II, at both doses, failed to alter the spontaneous 6-hour GH secretory profile;
      there were no significant differences in either GH peak amplitude, GH trough
      level, GH interpeak interval, or mean 6-hour plasma GH level, compared to vehicle
      injected controls. There was also no effect of icv administered IGF-II on mean
      plasma glucose or insulin levels. Compared to vehicle-injected control rats, the
      icv injection of IGF-II (at doses of 300 ng and 1 microgram) did not
      significantly alter 24-h food intake or body weight gain in normal feeding
      rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407370
TI  - Angiotensin II receptor development in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis
      and other perihypothalamic brain regions of the female and male rat.
AB  - Brain angiotensin II (AII) receptors play a role in the regulation of luteinizing
      hormone release. This action is thought to involve luteinizing hormone-releasing
      hormone containing neurons in the preoptic-anterior hypothalamic (POAH) area of
      the brain. Previous studies have demonstrated a discrete locus of AII receptor
      binding sites and responsiveness within the POAH to microinjections of AII in the
      adult female rat, corresponding to the ventral portion of the bed nucleus of the
      stria terminalis (BSTV). To further characterize the age- and sex-dependent AII
      receptor binding in the BSTV and other brain regions, in vitro receptor
      autoradiography using 125I-sarcosine1, isoleucine8 AII (125I-SI AII) was
      performed on 2-, 4- and 10-week-old female and male rat brains. Rats of both
      sexes displayed an age-dependent increase in 125I-SI AII binding in the BSTV, as
      well as in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCh). There was no detectable difference
      in binding within the BSTV between the female and male of any age group.
      Prepubertal ovariectomy did not impair the expression of 125I-SI AII binding in
      the BSTV or the SCh of adult female rats. The developmental expression of AII
      receptors in the BSTV and SCh may therefore play a role in sexual maturation and
      regulation of sexual function in the rat.

PMID- 1407371
TI  - Pro-opiomelanocortin-containing neurons in rat median eminence.
AB  - A significant number of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-containing cells were
      detected in the rat median eminence (ME) by immunocytochemistry using an antibody
      raised against a synthetic peptide corresponding to the cleavage site between
      adrenocorticotropin and beta-lipotropin moieties. Distribution of POMC-positive
      cells was restricted to the internal zone of the anterior parts of the ME. Such
      cells were observed as early as the 14th day of gestation in the area of the
      primitive ME, long before glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive cells appeared
      postnatally in this structure. Dissociated cell cultures obtained from the ME of
      1-day-old rats produced cells immunoreactive for neurofilaments and the POMC
      moiety. Such cells displayed a neuronal morphology: the cell body was oval (13-18
      microns) with long and fine beaded fibers. These findings clearly demonstrate the
      early appearance of POMC neurons in the developmental ME, a target organ of the
      hypothalamic infundibular neurons.

PMID- 1407372
TI  - Stimulation of prolactin secretion from rat pituitary by luteinizing hormone
      releasing hormone: evidence against mediation by angiotensin II acting through a
      (Sar1-Ala8)-angiotensin II-sensitive receptor.
AB  - In aggregate cell cultures of 15- to 20-day-old rat pituitary maintained in serum
      free medium, luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) (10 nM) stimulated
      prolactin (PRL) release, confirming our previous results and those of others with
      serum-supplemented medium. Since angiotensin II (AII) stimulates PRL release and
      a renin-angiotensin system is expressed in gonadotrophs, LHRH stimulation of PRL
      release might be mediated by AII. To evaluate this hypothesis, the influence of
      (Sar1,Ala8)AII and (Sar1,Ile8)AII two peptide AII receptor antagonists, of
      DUP753, a nonpeptide and stable AII receptor antagonist, of a converting enzyme
      inhibitor, and of angiotensinogen on LHRH-induced PRL release was tested in
      various in vitro conditions of 15- to 20-day-old female rat pituitary. In
      aggregates maintained in serum-free medium with or without dexamethasone (DEX)
      and triiodothyronine (T3), or maintained in serum-supplemented medium, the effect
      of LHRH on PRL release was not affected by (Sar1Ala8)AII (0.1 microM),
      (Sar1,Ile8)AII (10 microM) or DUP753 (10 microM). Only a high dose (10 microM) of
      (Sar1,Ala8)AII attenuated the LHRH-induced PRL release. The latter attenuation
      was seen only with aggregates cultured in the DEX/T3 medium and not with
      aggregates cultured in the presence of serum. A dose of 1 or 10 nM (Sar1,Ala8)AII
      also failed to block the effect of LHRH used at 1 nM. In contrast, (Sar1,Ala8)AII
      dose dependently as well as DUP753 (10 microM) abolished the AII-induced PRL
      release. (Sar1,Ala8)AII also failed to affect the LHRH-induced PRL release in
      pituitary cell aggregates from 6-week-old male rats. However, in aggregates from
      both immature and 6-week-old rats, (Sar1,Ala8)AII provoked a small and
      statistically significant attenuation of the LHRH-induced PRL release when a 100
      nM dose of LHRH was used. In freshly isolated hemipituitaries from 5-day-old
      rats, (Sar1,Ala8)AII (1 or 10 microM) did not affect the LHRH- (10 nM) induced
      PRL release. In single cells obtained by redispersion of aggregates and mounted
      in a Biogel P2 column, LHRH still stimulated PRL release. Again this effect could
      not be blocked by DUP753. Treatment of aggregate cell cultures with the
      angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril or with angiotensinogen did not
      alter the LHRH-induced PRL release. It is concluded that AII is not the paracrine
      factor mediating the effect of LHRH at low nanomolar doses on PRL release, at
      least not through the classical AII receptor. The involvement of AII acting on a
      non-(Sar1,Ala8)AII-sensitive receptor cannot be excluded and warrants further
      investigation.

PMID- 1407373
TI  - Opiate stimulation of prolactin secretion is reversed by ovarian hormone
      treatment.
AB  - Previous studies have indicated that during the estradiol- and progesterone (P4)
      induced surge in luteinizing hormone (LH), the effects of opiates on behavioral,
      autonomic and neuroendocrine functions are altered. In the present study, we
      further evaluated the apparent universality of alterations in opiate-mediated
      function during the LH surge by investigating the effects of morphine sulfate
      (MS) on prolactin (PRL) secretion during both the estradiol benzoate (EB) and the
      EB + P4-induced LH surges. All doses of MS tested (0.5, 2.0 and 5.0 mg/kg)
      resulted in significant increases in PRL secretion in nonestrogen-treated animals
      which did not show LH/PRL surges. During the LH/PRL surge induced by EB/P4
      treatment, MS caused no change in the PRL secretion, while in EB/oil treated
      animals, a paradoxical and dose-dependent decrease in PRL secretion was observed.
      The suppression of PRL was 52, 68 and 80% of baseline respectively for the 3
      doses of MS. Evaluation of the time dependence of MS on PRL secretion showed that
      the paradoxical suppression in EB/oil-treated animals was seen only during the
      LH/PRL surge, occurring at 17.30 h (7.5 h post P4 injection), and not before
      (12.30 h) or after (23.00 h) the steroid-induced LH/PRL surge. Finally, we
      assessed the role of pituitary dopamine receptors on the phenomenon of MS-induced
      PRL suppression in EB/oil rats. Domperidone (1mg/kg), a peripherally active D2
      receptor antagonist, administered prior to the morphine challenge, attenuated the
      opiate-induced PRL suppression in EB/oil-treated animals suggesting that a
      dopaminergic mechanism is involved in this paradoxical response to
      morphine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407374
TI  - Alterations in brain atrial natriuretic polypeptide levels in hypophysectomized
      rats.
AB  - Twelve days after hypophysectomy depleted atrial natriuretic polypeptide (ANP)
      concentrations were measured in the plasma and in 8 of 18 microdissected brain
      nuclei of rats. Reduced ANP levels were found in brain structures (subfornical
      organ, organum vasculosum laminae terminalis, preoptic and hypothalamic
      periventricular nuclei, paraventricular nucleus, lateral hypothalamic area),
      which are directly involved in the central regulations of salt and fluid
      homeostasis, as well as in the medial amygdaloid nucleus and the locus ceruleus.
      ANP concentrations in the median eminence, medial preoptic and arcuate nuclei did
      not alter by hypophysectomy. Elevated ANP concentrations were measured only in
      the supraoptic nucleus of hypophysectomized rats.

PMID- 1407375
TI  - Effects of sex and age on pyridostigmine potentiation of growth hormone-releasing
      hormone-induced growth hormone release.
AB  - Previous studies have shown that pyridostigmine (PD) is capable of increasing the
      growth hormone (GH) response to GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) in young healthy
      subjects. In order to investigate the influence of age and sex on the PD
      potentiation of GHRH-induced GH release, we have studied the GH response to GHRH
      (50 micrograms i.v.) 1 h after oral administration of placebo or PD (60 mg) in 8
      young healthy men (aged 19-28 years) and 8 age-matched young women (aged 18-25
      years) during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, as well as in 8
      postmenopausal women (aged 57-62 years) and 8 age-matched elderly men (aged 56-64
      years). In the same subjects the effect of PD alone (60 mg p.o.) was also
      studied. Furthermore, in 6 postmenopausal women and 6 elderly men, the effect of
      a 30-mg PD oral dose on GH secretion and GH response to GHRH was evaluated with a
      similar protocol. The GH responses (mean +/- SE) to GHRH + placebo were similar
      in young men (peak 20.1 +/- 2 ng/ml, AUC 1,250 +/- 113 ng/ml/min) and women (peak
      29.3 +/- 2.3 ng/ml, AUC 1,769 +/- 305 ng/ml/min). PD 60 mg was capable of
      significantly increasing the GH response to GHRH in young men (peak 43.5 +/- 5.1
      ng/ml, AUC 3,734 +/- 472 ng/ml/min, p less than 0.005) but not in women (peak 39
      +/- 2.3 ng/ml, AUC 2,479 +/- 205 ng/ml/min).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407376
TI  - Inhibin/activin subunits are costored with FSH and LH in secretory granules of
      the rat anterior pituitary gland.
AB  - We recently reported that pituitary gonadotropes, major targets of circulating
      inhibins and activins, are also capable of synthesizing the inhibin (I) alpha-
      and inhibin/activin (I/A) beta B-subunits. In the present study, we examined the
      subcellular distribution of these subunits, with special attention given to
      determinating the extent to which they might be colocalized with the
      gonadotropins in secretory granules. Pituitaries from adult male rats were
      cryofixed, molecular distillation-dried, and resin-embedded. Immunogold staining
      methods were used to examine concurrently the distributions of an I/A subunit and
      FSH or LH. I/A subunits were detected only in cells that also labeled positively
      for a gonadotropin, and, in contrast to the gonadotropins, were sequestered
      almost exclusively within secretory granules. The I alpha-subunit colocalized
      with FSH in 31%, and with LH in 36%, of all positively stained granules. The I/A
      beta B-subunit was found with FSH or LH in about 25% of the granules.
      Approximately 52-69% of the granules contained FSH or LH alone; 7-18% were
      positive only for an I/A subunit, and this varied as a function of the particular
      gonadotropin with which costaining was carried out. Dual staining for the I alpha
      and the I/A beta B-subunits indicated that at least 35% of all immunolabeled
      granules showed positive signals for both subunits. Coupled with methodological
      considerations to indicate that these estimates of the extent of colocalization
      are likely to be conservative, these data suggest that inhibin and activin are
      characteristically copackaged, and presumably coreleased, with the gonadotropins.

PMID- 1407377
TI  - Characterization of prolactin receptors in human choroid plexus.
AB  - The specific binding of 125I-human prolactin (hPRL) was studied in different
      areas of the human brain. Particularly high binding affinity of the hormone was
      found in the choroid plexus and this tissue was therefore selected for further
      studies. The hippocampus, the hypothalamus and the pituitary were among other
      regions containing prolactin-binding sites. In the choroid plexus the amount of
      PRL receptors was significantly higher in females than in males and was also
      found in both sexes to decrease with age. The binding affinity of 125I-hPRL to
      choroid plexus was 3.0 x 10(9) M-1 and the binding capacity was 10.3 pmol per mg
      protein. Following solubilization with Triton X-100 the PRL receptor fraction
      retained its hormone-binding properties and upon molecular sieve chromatography
      it behaved as a protein with a molecular mass of approximately 250,000. Cross
      linking of 125I-hPRL to receptors from choroid plexus and subsequent sodium
      dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated a major
      hormone-binding unit of M(r) 44,000. This value is about 7,000 smaller than that
      reported earlier by us for the growth hormone receptors from the same tissue,
      following cross-linking to 125I-human growth hormone (hGH). By affinity column
      chromatography a complete separation of the hPRL and hGH binding units was
      achieved. It was thus shown that in choroid plexus the binding sites for GH and
      PRL occur as discrete entities.

PMID- 1407378
TI  - Abolition of prolactin surge induced by ovarian steroid hormones in the lactating
      rat.
AB  - There are data indicating that stress-induced prolactin (PRL) release is blunted
      in the lactating rat like the release of other stress-associated hormones. In
      this experiment, the PRL release evoked by administration of estrogen, which is
      another principal stimulus for PRL release, was examined in ovariectomized
      lactating rats 8-15 days after delivery. Estradiol benzoate (EB, 20 micrograms)
      injections into ovariectomized nonlactating rats induced a PRL surge starting
      between 13:00 and 15:00 h with a peak at 17:00 h 2 days after the treatment,
      whereas the EB-induced PRL surge was absent in ovariectomized lactating rats
      separated from their pups at 09:00 h on the day or in mothers without separation
      from their pups. Injection of either thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH; 10
      micrograms/kg) or pimozide (0.5 mg/kg) elevated serum PRL concentrations
      similarly in lactating and nonlactating rats when examined just before the
      beginning of the expected estrogen-induced PRL surge. Thus, the main cause for
      the reduced PRL response to estrogen in lactating rats seems not to be in the
      pituitary gland but in the brain. Progesterone, which is known to induce a PRL
      surge in ovariectomized estrogen-primed rats by acting on the mediobasal
      hypothalamus, also failed to evoke a PRL surge in lactating rats. Recovery from
      the inhibitory influence of suckling on PRL response to EB followed a time course
      similar to that observed in response to immobilization stress or to morphine
      injection; estrogen-induced PRL surge started to recover at 6 days and was almost
      fully recovered 8 days after weaning.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407379
TI  - Time-dependent changes in beta-endorphin-stimulated prolactin release during
      pregnancy.
AB  - Endogenous opioid peptides (EOPs) stimulate prolactin (PRL) release in various
      physiological conditions in the rat. Moreover, EOPs are essential in initiating
      and maintaining the nocturnal PRL surges that occur over the first half of
      gestation in the rat. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential
      role of the opioid beta-endorphin (beta-End) in mediating the nocturnal PRL
      surges. Day 8 pregnant rats received an infusion of 2.5, 10, 25 or 100
      ng/microliters/min beta-End intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) for 15 min at
      12.00 h, an intersurge period. PRL increased in a dose-dependent manner and from
      this, the largest dose was used in subsequent experiments to ensure maximal
      opioid receptor stimulation. The next experiment defined the temporal sensitivity
      of the neuroendocrine system regulating PRL surges to exogenous beta-End. Day 8
      pregnant rats showed dramatic PRL responses to beta-End when given at midnight
      (presurge) or 12.00 h (intersurge), but greatly attenuated responses at 02.00 h
      (early surge) and 04.00 h (late surge). Animals treated at 06.00 h (postsurge)
      showed recovered responsiveness to beta-End. To determine what may account for
      the significantly lower PRL increases to beta-End during the surge, day 8
      pregnant rats received 100 mg/microliters/min beta-End i.c.v. for 15 min at 10.00
      h, and then again at 12.00 h. All animals showed PRL increases greater than 1,140
      ng/ml at 10.00 h, but the subsequent response to beta-End at 12.00 h was reduced
      by 70%. In another experiment, beta-End was infused at midnight and the animals
      were monitored for a subsequent endogenous nocturnal PRL surge.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407380
TI  - Central oxytocin mediates inhibition of sodium appetite by naloxone in
      hypovolemic rats.
AB  - Pituitary oxytocin (OT) secretion is inversely related to saline consumption in
      several experimental models of sodium appetite in rats. Because systemic OT
      administration does not inhibit sodium appetite, release of OT as a
      neurotransmitter within the brain, coincident with its secretion from the
      pituitary, may be related to inhibition of sodium ingestion. The present studies
      evaluated this possibility by increasing brain OT concentrations both exogenously
      and endogenously in rats with hypovolemia produced by subcutaneous administration
      of polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.)
      administration of OT completely abolished intake of 0.5 M NaCl in PEG-treated
      hypovolemic rats, but did not significantly affect PEG-stimulated water intakes.
      Endogenous OT secretion was stimulated by systemic treatment with naloxone, which
      has been shown to increase peripheral and central OT levels. In both one-bottle
      (0.5 M NaCl) and two-bottle (water and 0.5 M NaCl) drinking tests,
      intraperitoneal naloxone completely abolished sodium appetite in association with
      markedly increased pituitary secretion of OT. This inhibition of sodium appetite
      could be prevented by i.c.v. pretreatment with a specific OT-receptor antagonist,
      although the antagonist by itself did not affect PEG-stimulated sodium intake.
      These findings therefore support previous reports which have found that sodium
      appetite in rats is inhibited by treatments that elicit pituitary release of OT,
      and provide more direct evidence that brain OT is causally involved in the
      inhibition of sodium appetite stimulated by such treatments in rats.

PMID- 1407381
TI  - Exogenous androgen does not alter hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin gene
      transcript levels in the sexually immature male rat.
AB  - To investigate possible mechanisms whereby the augmentation of hypothalamic
      proopiomelanocortin (POMC) messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels occurs with
      pubertal development, we employed the techniques of testosterone administration
      and in situ hybridization histochemistry in sexually immature male rats. Six
      animals from each of the following groups were studied: (1) untreated controls
      (CTRL); (2) empty capsule (SHAM); (3) testosterone capsule (TEST), and (4)
      untreated adults (ADLT). Capsules were implanted at 21 days of age. Groups 1-3
      were sacrificed at 35 days of life; group 4 at 55 days. Ventral prostate and
      seminal vesicle weights were obtained to assess the biologic effect of
      testosterone. Hybridizations were performed on coronal brain slices through the
      region of the arcuate nucleus using a 35S-labeled oligonucleotide probe
      complementary to a 30-base sequence within POMC mRNA. Anatomically matched tissue
      sections (11 per animal, from the retrochiasmatic region rostrally to the
      premammillary nucleus caudally) were exposed to x-ray film, followed by
      densitometric analysis. The mean serum testosterone concentration of the TEST
      group was significantly greater than that of the ADLT animals; values for the
      CTRL and SHAM rats were undetectable. The accessory sex organ weights of the ADLT
      animals were greater than those of the TEST rats; both values were greater than
      those of the CTRL and SHAM groups which were indistinguishable. Increased levels
      of hypothalamic POMC mRNA were observed in the male rat after pubertal
      development.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407382
TI  - Differential hypothalamic arginine vasopressin response to glucocorticoid
      receptor antagonism in lean and obese Zucker rats.
AB  - The obese Zucker rat (fa/fa) is an animal model for genetic obesity characterized
      by hyperphagia, hyperinsulinemia, and severe insulin resistance in peripheral
      tissues. Adrenal steroids seem to play an important role in the onset of fatty
      syndrome in these animals. There is strong evidence of abnormal regulation of the
      hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in obese Zucker rats. Considering the
      physiological function of arginine vasopressin (AVP) as an adrenocorticotropic
      hormone secretagogue, the present study was carried out to investigate the role
      of glucocorticoids in the control of hypothalamic AVP systems in lean and obese
      Zucker rats. In the first experiment, mifepristone (RU 38486), a glucocorticoid
      receptor antagonist, was administered for 4 days (10 mg/kg orally twice daily),
      and the expression of AVP mRNA in hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic
      nuclei was measured using in situ hybridization, and the concentrations of AVP in
      the pituitary gland and in the median eminence were quantified. Plasma
      corticosterone levels were also analyzed. Mifepristone treatment resulted in a
      threefold increase in plasma corticosterone levels in lean Zucker rats, but it
      did not change corticosterone secretion in obese animals. Mifepristone treatment
      decreased AVP mRNA levels in lean animals in the supraoptic nuclei, while in
      obese animals the AVP mRNA content was increased in the paraventricular nuclei.
      Mifepristone treatment significantly increased the concentration of AVP in the
      median eminence in lean rats and decreased it in obese animals. Mifepristone
      treatment did not change concentrations of AVP in the pituitary gland. In the
      second experiment, mifepristone was given for 4 days (10 mg/kg orally twice
      daily), and its effects on 24-hour food intake and plasma AVP concentrations were
      measured.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407383
TI  - A method to assess the development of muscle power in preterms after term age.
AB  - The purpose of this paper is to report a detailed description of an instrument
      for evaluating the development of active and passive muscle power in preterms
      beyond term age. The instrument is constructed on a basis of age-specific items
      that assess these two components of muscle power and on the assumption that a
      persistent discrepancy between them serves to detect those preterms at most risk
      for disturbances in motor development. The application of the instrument is
      illustrated by reporting the individual trajectories of five case studies without
      any serious medical complications. It is concluded that if a marked discrepancy
      between active and passive power persists beyond the corrected age of 3 months,
      then this may be a sign of underlying pathology which will eventuate in abnormal
      postural outcomes and thereby disturbances in the control and coordination of
      movement. Having now provided a detailed description of how this instrument
      should be applied in postterm follow-up of preterm infants, we are currently
      examining its sensitivity and specificity on a much larger sample of similar
      subjects.

PMID- 1407385
TI  - The natural history of acute disseminated leukoencephalitis. A serial magnetic
      resonance imaging study.
AB  - The natural history of acute disseminated (leuko)encephalitis (ADE) in a 3-year
      old girl who did not receive steroid therapy is reported. Serial MR studies
      disclosed: 1) white matter lesions resolved spontaneously, though very slowly, 2)
      active disease persisted for around three months and coincided with the onset of
      new subcortical lesions. These subcortical lesions were associated with
      hyperactivity, suggesting a possible etiologic correlation.

PMID- 1407384
TI  - Battered child syndrome: cerebral ultrasound and CT findings after vigorous
      shaking.
AB  - Child abuse by whiplash-shaking can lead to severe cerebral damage, neurological
      defects and mental retardation. Cerebral damage has been found with and without
      external evidence of head injury. We report the sonographic findings in two
      children after traumatization due to repetitive vigorous whiplash shaking.
      Cerebral sonography revealed cerebral edema at admission or within 48 hours
      thereafter. Follow-up studies demonstrated development of marked brain atrophy in
      both cases. The sonographic findings were confirmed by cranial computerized
      tomography. Doppler sonography was used to monitor cerebral perfusion by
      measuring intracranial blood flow. The clinical history of the patients
      demonstrates that cerebral sonography in combination with Doppler sonography not
      only serves as a diagnostic tool but also allows adjustment of therapy to the
      actual clinical status of the patient.

PMID- 1407386
TI  - Acute encephalomyelitis: extending the neurological manifestations of acute
      rheumatic fever?
AB  - The clinical course of a five-year-old boy who developed meningeal irritation,
      encephalomyelitis, and optic neuritis four weeks after Streptococcus pyogenes
      pharyngitis is detailed. The patient responded to therapy with corticosteroids
      and recovered fully. Review of the literature reveals that a wide range of
      neurological disorders have been described in association with rheumatic fever.
      We suggest that disseminated encephalomyelitis in this child most probably was
      related to the streptococcal infection and that the spectrum of post-infectious
      neurological disorders associated with Streptococcus pyogenes may be broader than
      is currently appreciated.

PMID- 1407387
TI  - Kearns-Sayre syndrome with sideroblastic anemia: molecular investigations.
AB  - The progressive syndrome of Kearns-Sayre has been studied at the clinical,
      biochemical and genetic levels in a patient. Clinical arguments suggest an
      evolution from Pearson's disease to Kearns-Sayre syndrome. The respiratory chain
      activities were low, and Southern blot analysis, together with gene sequencing,
      showed a heteroplasmic deletion of 7767 base pairs in a significant proportion of
      the mitochondrial DNA in different tissues. Protein synthesis studies on
      lymphoblasts did not reveal any translation of the new reading frame created by
      the deletion, although the corresponding deleted mitochondrial DNA sequence is
      transcribed.

PMID- 1407388
TI  - Dominantly inherited hypoplasia of the vermis.
AB  - A mother and her two daughters with presumed dominantly inherited, non
      progressive, congenital cerebellar ataxia are reported. Magnetic resonance
      imaging revealed vermal hypoplasia in one case, and generalized hypoplasia of the
      cerebellum, predominating at the vermal level, in another case. These patients
      are identical to those previously published, except for a slowly progressive
      improvement of motor abilities observed during evolution.

PMID- 1407389
TI  - The epidemiology of progressive encephalopathies in childhood. I. Live birth
      prevalence in west Sweden.
AB  - Progressive encephalopathies in the west Swedish region were investigated in a
      population-based study. Cases were allocated to one of five main groups: 1)
      disorders covered by impairments in subcellular organelles, 2) disorders covered
      by deficiencies in the intermediate metabolism, 3) biochemically undefined
      neurometabolic disorders, 4) neuroimmunological disorders and 5) a symptom
      orientated miscellaneous group. Progressive encephalopathies were identified in
      76 of 132,138 children born alive in the study area during the 16-year-period
      1970-85. This gives a live birth prevalence of 0.58 per 1000. In Sweden the size
      of the group corresponds to that of neural tube defects and that of congenital
      hydrocephalus. However, a vast number of different disorders are represented.

PMID- 1407390
TI  - Cerebral occipital calcifications in celiac disease.
AB  - Bilateral occipital calcifications, occurring in celiac disease, are factors
      coming under a particular cerebral syndrome, which also includes epilepsy,
      migraine-like headache, visual troubles and mental deterioration. They seem to
      arise from hypofolatemia following gluten-induced enteropathy.

PMID- 1407391
TI  - Sudden loss of hearing and vestibular function, muscular weakness, and multiple
      white matter lesions in preschool children.
AB  - Sudden cochlear hearing loss, occurring successively or simultaneously in both
      ears, was observed in four unrelated preschool children. Vestibular testing could
      be carried out in three patients and showed complete bilateral loss of function.
      All patients had a mildly retarded motor development due to nonprogressive
      muscular weakness. On MR imaging all patients showed multiple periventricular and
      subcortical white matter lesions. These lesions were not clearly progressive in
      one patient examined repeatedly over 6 years. Virological, bacteriological,
      immunological, and metabolic examinations were normal in all patients. Muscle
      biopsy showed morphologically abnormal mitochondria in two and lipid storage in
      one patient. No indications have been found for a disturbed functioning of the
      muscle mitochondria. The identical pattern and course of the disease in these
      patients suggests a new nosological entity, the aetiology of which can only
      speculatively be attributed to a vascular process associated with a
      mitochondriopathy.

PMID- 1407392
TI  - Central action of 5-HT3 receptor ligands in the regulation of sleep-wakefulness
      and raphe neuronal activity in the rat.
AB  - Anxiolytic drugs, such as the benzodiazepines and the azapirones (ipsapirone,
      gepirone, buspirone), are well known to affect states of vigilance and to
      decrease the firing rate of serotoninergic neurones within the dorsal raphe
      nucleus in rats. In order to examine whether the newly developed 5-HT3
      antagonists with potential anxiolytic properties act through similar mechanisms,
      the effects of several of such antagonists: MDL 72222, ICS 205-930, ondansetron
      and/or zacopride on both sleep-wakefulness and the discharge of serotoninergic
      neurones within the dorsal raphe nucleus were investigated in rats. When tested
      in a wide range of doses (0.05-10 mg/kg, i.p.), none of these drugs significantly
      affected the states of vigilance, except ondansetron, at 0.1 mg/kg, which
      increased paradoxical sleep for the first 2 hr after administration and MDL
      72222, at 10 mg/kg, which reduced both paradoxical and slow wave sleep and
      increased wakefulness for the same initial period after treatment. In vivo, in
      chloral hydrate anaesthetized rats, as well as in vitro, in slices of brain stem,
      none of the 5-HT3 antagonists tested affected the firing rate of serotoninergic
      neurones. Similarly, no change in the electrical activity of serotoninergic
      neurones could be evoked in vitro by superfusion of the tissue with the 5-HT3
      agonists, phenylbiguanide (10 microM) and 2-methyl-5-HT (1 microM). At a larger
      concentration (10 microM), the latter compound reduced the neuronal discharge
      probably through the stimulation of somatodendritic 5-HT1A autoreceptors since
      this effect, as that of ipsapirone, could be prevented by 10 microM l
      propranolol. Comparison of these data with those obtained with benzodiazepines
      and 5-HT1A agonists of the azapirone series, supports the concept that different
      mechanisms are responsible for the anxiolytic-like properties of 5-HT3 agonists,
      compared to those of other anxiolytic drugs.

PMID- 1407393
TI  - A post-synaptic depressant modulatory action of 5-hydroxytryptamine on excitatory
      amino acid responses in rat entorhinal cortex in vitro.
AB  - The depressant action of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in slices of entorhinal
      cortex of the rat has been examined. When single intracellular recordings of
      pyramidal cells in layers II/III of entorhinal cortex of the rat were made and
      drugs applied by iontophoresis, 5-HT evoked virtually no changes in passive
      membrane properties of the majority of cells studied. When short regular pulses
      of glutamate were applied to the neurones and 5-HT was ejected in addition, the
      depolarisations caused by glutamate were considerably reduced in amplitude. This
      attenuation persisted in medium containing cadmium chloride (200 microM) to block
      synaptic transmission. The magnitude of the response to 5-HT was dependent on the
      ejection current and this effect could not be mimicked by increasing ejections of
      Na+ or H+ ions. 5-Hydroxytryptamine had no apparent action on neuronal responses
      to iontophoretically ejected gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA). In later studies,
      the action of 5-HT was examined on epileptiform discharges, evoked in the
      presence of the GABA antagonist, bicuculline, in the same group of cells. Droplet
      application of 5-HT into the recording chamber, or perfusion of 10 microM 5-HT
      regularly attenuated the length of epileptiform bursts but, at this
      concentration, had no discernible effect on the resting membrane potential or
      membrane input resistance. The effect of 5-HT on the release of glutamate from
      slices of entorhinal cortex has also been examined using a fluorometric enzyme
      assay. Concentrations of 5-HT as large as 30 microM had no effect on the release
      of endogenous glutamate in these experiments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407394
TI  - The putative 5-HT1A antagonist BMY 7378 blocks 8-OH-DPAT-induced changes in local
      cerebral glucose utilization in the conscious rat.
AB  - It has previously been shown that the 5-HT1A agonist, 8-OH-DPAT, caused discrete
      changes in cerebral glucose utilization in the rat, as assessed by quantitative 2
      deoxyglucose autoradiography. Here, the effect of the putative 5-HT1A antagonist,
      BMY 7378, on regional cerebral glucose utilization was examined, when injected
      alone and in rats treated with 8-OH-DPAT. In control rats, BMY 7378 (5 mg/kg,
      s.c.) markedly increased glucose utilization in the lateral habenular nucleus and
      moderately reduced glucose utilization in the hippocampal formation. Pretreatment
      with BMY 7378 (5 mg/kg) significantly attenuated the reductions in glucose
      utilization in the hippocampus, entorhinal, piriform and cingulate cortex,
      induced by 8-OH-DPAT (0.25 mg/kg). The 8-OH-DPAT-induced increase in glucose
      utilization in the copula pyramis, that is putatively associated with the
      appearance of the 5-HT behavioural syndrome, was also blocked by BMY 7378, as was
      the behavioural syndrome. In summary, BMY 7378 produced few of the discrete
      changes in cerebral glucose utilization that are seen with 8-OH-DPAT. However,
      many of the changes induced by 8-OH-DPAT were reversed by BMY 7378. These data
      are consistent with the hypothesis that the effects of 8-OH-DPAT on regional
      cerebral glucose utilization are mediated by 5-HT1A receptors.

PMID- 1407395
TI  - Attenuation of defensive analgesia in male mice by 5-HT3 receptor antagonists,
      ICS 205-930, MDL 72222, MDL 73147EF and MDL 72699.
AB  - Recent studies have shown that non-opioid defensive analgesia in male mice is
      potently inhibited by the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, ondansetron. The present
      series of experiments was conducted to further explore the involvement of 5-HT3
      receptor mechanisms in this particular form of adaptive inhibition of pain. The
      drug ICS 205-930 significantly attenuated the reaction at 1.25-2.5 micrograms/kg,
      with smaller and larger doses being ineffective. Both MDL 72222 and MDL 73147EF
      produced flat dose-response curves, with significant inhibition of defensive
      analgesia at minimum effective doses of less than or equal to 10 and 300
      micrograms/kg, respectively. Although MDL 72699, the quaternary salt of MDL
      72222, also inhibited the reaction, this effect was seen at comparatively large
      doses (0.5-1.0 mg/kg) only. None of the compounds tested had significant
      intrinsic effects of tail-flick latencies, over the dose ranges tested. These
      findings indicate that 5-HT3 receptor mechanisms may have an important modulatory
      role in certain forms of "stress" analgesia. Data are discussed in relation to
      the consistent profile of partial inhibition produced by 5-HT3 receptor
      antagonists in this model.

PMID- 1407396
TI  - 5-HT3 receptors in NG108-15 neuroblastoma x glioma cells: effect of the novel
      agonist 1-(m-chlorophenyl)-biguanide.
AB  - The effect of the novel agonist, 1-(m-chlorophenyl)-biguanide (mCPBG) was
      examined on 5-HT3 receptors in NG108-15 mouse neuroblastoma x rat glioma hybrid
      cells, using whole-cell voltage-clamp and radioligand binding on intact cells.
      Electrophysiological studies showed that mCPBG is a partial agonist, with an EC50
      of 3.1 microM. Displacement of the selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist
      [3H]GR65630 by mCPBG revealed a Ki of 14.2 nM. The study suggests that mCPBG may
      have a high affinity for desensitized 5-HT3 receptors and also revealed some
      differences between 5-HT3 receptors in NG108-15 and N1E-115 cells.

PMID- 1407397
TI  - N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the retina: 3-[(+/-)-2-carboxypiperazin- 4-yl]
      propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP) binding studies.
AB  - 3-[(RS)-2-Carboxypiperazin-4-yl]-propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP) has been known
      for some years as one of the most selective antagonists at the N-methyl-D
      aspartate (NMDA) receptor in the brain. The characteristics of the binding of
      [3H]CPP to chick retinal membranes were studied from the biochemical and
      pharmacological point of view. Magnesium induced a dose-dependent increase in the
      binding of [3H]CPP (EC50 = 4 microM). In the absence of this ion, a single
      population of receptors was found (KB = 431 nM; Bmax = 9.5 pmol/mg protein),
      which was not modified by the addition of 1 mM MgCl2. An additional, high
      affinity site (KB = 59 nM; Bmax = 2.2 pmol/mg protein) became evident in the
      latter condition. Saturation curves of the binding of [3H]CPP, using 1 mM AMPA
      [(RS)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate] or L-aspartate, as
      displacers in the presence of Mg2+, showed a KB = 200 and 395 nM, respectively.
      The relative potency of some analogues of excitatory amino acids, for displacing
      bound CPP in the absence of Mg2+, was AMPA = APH greater than L-glutamate = CPP;
      Mg2+ significantly increased the potency of AMPA, APH and L-glutamate. These
      results showed that CPP bound to high affinity (Mg(2+)-dependent) and low
      affinity sites and that AMPA and L-aspartate compete with this compound only at
      the low affinity sites. These findings suggest that either the binding of CPP in
      the retina shows different properties from those described in the brain or
      alternatively, that AMPA is not as specific for the quisqualate receptor in this
      organ.

PMID- 1407398
TI  - Antidiuretic effects of purinoceptor agonists injected into the hypothalamic
      paraventricular nucleus of water-loaded, ethanol-anesthetized rats.
AB  - The effects of injection of various purinoceptor agonists into the hypothalamic
      paraventricular nucleus in water-loaded and ethanol-anesthetized rats were
      investigated. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), beta,gamma-methyleneadenosine 5'
      triphosphate (AMP-PCP) and beta,gamma-imidoadenosine 5'-triphosphate (AMP-PNP)
      potently decreased the outflow of urine in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The
      ED50 values were approx 70 and 37 nmol for ATP and AMP-PCP, respectively.
      Adenosine diphosphate (ADP), AMP and adenosine reduced the outflow of urine much
      less than ATP. Adenosine triphosphate induced concomitant increases in the
      osmotic pressure of the urine and in the level of arginine-vasopressin (AVP) in
      plasma. The antidiuretic effect of ATP was blocked by prior injection of
      quinidine (a P2-purinoceptor antagonist) into the paraventricular nucleus, but
      not by the prior injection of theophylline (a P1-purinoceptor antagonist). The
      effect of ATP was also blocked by intravenous injection of an AVP(V1V2)-receptor
      antagonist, d(CH2)5-D-Tyr(Et)VAVP. The results suggest that ATP injected into the
      paraventricular nucleus may stimulate a purinoceptor, releasing AVP and inducing
      the antidiuretic effect through renal AVP(V2) receptors.

PMID- 1407399
TI  - Oxytocin modulates behavioural adaptation to repeated treatment with cocaine in
      rats.
AB  - Behavioural adaptation to and the effects of the neurohypophyseal peptide,
      oxytocin, on repeated treatment with cocaine were investigated in rats. The
      content of immunoreactive oxytocin in the plasma, hypothalamus and different
      limbic structures in the brain were also studied after treatment with cocaine,
      identical to that used in the behavioural experiment. Repeated administration of
      cocaine (7.5 mg/kg, s.c.) produced a behavioural tolerance to the stereotyped
      sniffing-inducing effect of the challenge doses (1.875, 3.75 and 7.5 mg/kg, s.c.)
      of cocaine on the fifth day, which was demonstrated by parallel shifting of the
      dose-response and time-effect curves of the test doses of cocaine. The
      development of tolerance was inhibited by pretreatment with oxytocin (0.05
      micrograms, (s.c.), administered before each daily injection of cocaine. A
      smaller dose of oxytocin (0.005 micrograms, s.c.) had no effect in this model. A
      decreased amount of immunoreactive oxytocin was detected in the plasma, in the
      hypothalamus and in the hippocampus, after repeated treatment with cocaine.
      Replacement of oxytocin by local injection (100 pg) into the ventral hippocampus,
      before each daily administration of cocaine, prevented the development of
      tolerance to cocaine. These results suggest that endogenous oxytocin, localized
      in limbic-forebrain areas, may have an important regulatory role in the
      development of behavioural changes induced by the repeated administration of
      cocaine.

PMID- 1407400
TI  - Phylogenetic tree analysis of G protein-coupled 5-HT receptors: implications for
      receptor nomenclature.
AB  - The nomenclature system used to characterize 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor
      subtypes remains controversial. To date, the majority of nomenclature systems
      have been on the differential pharmacological properties of the receptors.
      However, the availability of molecular biological data allows for a nomenclature
      system based on the structural properties of the receptors. The evolutionary
      relationships between the known G protein-coupled 5-HT receptor subtypes were
      determined by a phylogenetic tree analysis. The data indicate that 2 major
      classes of G protein-coupled 5-HT receptors have evolved. Each of the 2 branches
      differentiate into additional 5-HT receptor subtypes. The most recent branching
      of 5-HT receptor subtypes occurs at the level of individual species. These data
      also indicate that the degree of structural similarity (e.g. 93% identify between
      human and rat 5-HT1B receptors) does not necessarily correlate with
      pharmacological similarity. Phylogenetic tree analysis allows for a nomenclature
      framework that can be easily expanded to incorporate additional 5-HT receptor
      subtypes that have yet to be identified.

PMID- 1407401
TI  - (+/-)-1-(2,5-Dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane(DOI) and alpha-methyl-5-HT: 5
      HT2 receptor agonistic action on phosphatidylinositol metabolism in the rat
      fronto-cingulate and entorhinal cortex.
AB  - In the present study, the effects of 5-HT and two 5-HT1c/5-HT2 receptor agonists,
      (+/-)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI) and alpha-methyl
      serotonin (alpha-Me-5-HT) on phosphoinositide hydrolysis were compared, to
      determine whether DOI and alpha-Me-5-HT were full agonists. Consistent with the
      results obtained from previous studies, both (+/-)-DOI and alpha-Me-5-HT
      stimulated turnover of phosphoinositide in a concentration-dependent manner.
      However, the response obtained with these 5-HT1c/5-HT2 receptor agonists was only
      30-40% of that of 5-HT. The stimulation of hydrolysis of phosphoinositide,
      produced by both 5-HT2 receptor agonists, was potently antagonized by ritanserin
      (a 5-HT1c/5-HT2 receptor antagonist) and alpha-phenyl-1-(2-phenylethyl)-4
      piperine methanol [(+)-MDL 11,939, a 5-HT2 receptor antagonist] but not by
      granisetron (BRL a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist), suggesting that the action of DOI
      and alpha-Me-5-HT was primarily mediated by 5-HT2 receptors. When the effect of
      increasing the concentration of 5-HT on turnover of phosphoinositide was measured
      in the presence of a 1 microM concentration of the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist
      granisetron, the response obtained was similar to the response produced by the 5
      HT2 receptor agonists, DOI and alpha-Me-5-HT. These results confirm the previous
      finding that 5-HT stimulates hydrolysis of phosphoinositide by interacting with 5
      HT1c/5-HT2 and 5-HT3 receptors. Moreover, they suggest that DOI and alpha-Me-5-HT
      are full agonists at the 5-HT2 receptor, coupled to hydrolysis of
      phosphoinositide in the cortex of the rat.

PMID- 1407402
TI  - 5-HT1-like receptor agonists enhance wakefulness.
AB  - The effects of four 5-HT1-like receptor agonists (8-OH-DPAT, RU 24969, BEA 1654
      and 5-carboxamidotryptamine) and some putative 5-HT1-like receptor antagonists on
      vigilance were examined in an attempt to clarify the role of 5-HT1-like receptors
      in the sleep-waking pattern of rats. Both 8-OH-DPAT (0.5-2.0 mg/kg, s.c.) and RU
      24969 (0.5-2.0 mg/kg, s.c.) increased wakefulness and the latencies of slow wave
      and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The slow wave and REM sleep were
      correspondingly decreased or completely abolished. The two other 5-HT1-like
      receptor agonists had either a slight (BEA 1654, 1.0-5.0 mg/kg, s.c.) or no (5
      carboxamidotryptamine, 0.5-2.0 mg/kg, s.c.) effect on sleep pattern. The arousal
      effect of 8-OH-DPAT was further potentiated in rats pretreated with reserpine
      (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.; 18 hr before 8-OH-DPAT). The non-selective 5-HT1-like and 5-HT2
      receptor antagonist, methiothepin (2.0 mg/kg, i.p.) and the beta-adrenoceptor
      antagonist propranolol (16.0 mg/kg, s.c.), which is a putative antagonist at 5
      HT1A and 5-HT1B receptor subtypes, significantly potentiated the arousal effect
      of RU 24969. The putative 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B receptor antagonist, cyanopinolol
      (4.0 mg/kg, s.c.), mixed 5-HT1A receptor agonist/antagonist MDL 72832 (1.0 mg/kg,
      s.c.) and the alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin (2.0 mg/kg) did not affect
      the vigilance, altered by RU 24969. These results suggest that the arousal effect
      of 5-HT1-like receptor agonists is probably not mediated by any of the subtypes
      of 5-HT1-like receptors or by an activation of a noradrenergic system.

PMID- 1407403
TI  - Stimulatory and inhibitory effects of serotonergic hallucinogens on spinal mono-
      and polysynaptic reflex pathways in the rat.
AB  - The effects of two 5-HT-related hallucinogens on rat spinal mono- and
      polysynaptic reflex pathways in the rat were investigated. 5-Methoxy-N,N
      dimethyltryptamine (5-MeODMT, 1 and 100 micrograms/kg, i.v.), an indolealkylamine
      agent, produced a dose-dependent decrease in the monosynaptic reflex, whereas 1
      (2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI, 1-100 micrograms/kg), a
      phenylalkylamine agent, produced a dose-dependent increase in the monosynaptic
      reflex. Both agents increased the polysynaptic reflex. The 5-HT2 receptor
      antagonists ketanserin (100 micrograms/kg) and ritanserin (100 micrograms/kg)
      blocked the effects of DOI on the monosynaptic reflex but only partially blocked
      the 5-MeODMT-induced effect on the monosynaptic reflex. These antagonists
      inhibited the change in polysynaptic reflex, induced by DOI but not by 5-MeODMT.
      Neither propranolol (1 mg/kg) nor 3-tropanyl-3,5-dichlorobenzoate (MDL 72222, 1
      mg/kg) antagonized the effect of either agent. 5-Methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine
      and DOI increased the excitability of motoneurons and this effect was inhibited
      by ketanserin. These results indicate that the two types of hallucinogens possess
      both common and distinct characteristics, with regard to their action on the
      spinal reflex: (1) both increase the activity of motoneurons through 5-HT2
      receptors but (2) only 5-MeODMT has an inhibitory action on the pathway of the
      monosynaptic reflex.

PMID- 1407404
TI  - Blockade of dopamine autoreceptors by haloperidol and the apparent dynamics of
      potassium-stimulated endogenous release of dopamine from and reuptake into
      striatal suspensions in the rat.
AB  - A study was made to determine what effects the blockade of dopamine (DA)
      autoreceptors has on the dynamics of depolarization-stimulated release of DA from
      suspensions of the striatum. A rotating disk electrode voltammetric technique and
      a first order kinetic model were used to measure and quantify time-resolved
      depolarization-induced release of DA from and reuptake into the same striatal
      suspension. Multiphasic dose-response relationships between the magnitudes, rates
      and apparent rate constants of release of DA and the concentration of the
      autoreceptor antagonist, haloperidol, were observed. At small concentrations of
      haloperidol, less than or equal to 0.1 microM, the magnitude of release of DA and
      apparent release rate constants were increased, however, the duration of release,
      the initial rate of release and the rate constants of reuptake of DA were
      unaffected. At larger concentrations of haloperidol, greater than 1.0 microM,
      release of DA was prolonged and reuptake was decreased. The rate constants for
      release of DA correlated with the magnitude of release of DA at all of the
      concentrations of haloperidol studied. The concentrations of haloperidol in
      tissue were estimated and then correlated with functionally significant systemic
      doses of haloperidol by direct comparison to published data, relating total
      concentrations of haloperidol in tissue with systemic doses and their behavioral
      effects. At these doses, haloperidol was found to increase the release rate
      constant and magnitude of release of DA, without altering the duration of release
      or the timing of reuptake. Thus, at presumed functionally significant doses,
      autoreceptor antagonism resulted in a modulation of the amplitude of release of
      DA only.

PMID- 1407405
TI  - The effect of antidepressant drugs on the locomotor hyperactivity induced by MK
      801, a non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist.
AB  - It was found earlier that imipramine, amitriptyline and citalopram enhanced the
      locomotor hyperactivity induced by MK-801, a non-competitive NMDA receptor
      antagonist, in rats. Now, three other antidepressants: (+)-oxaprotiline, an
      inhibitor of the uptake of noradrenaline, (-)-oxaprotiline, an enantiomer devoid
      of any effect on the uptake of noradrenaline and fluoxetine, an inhibitor of the
      uptake of 5-hydroxytryptamine, have been examined in male Wistar rats. All those
      antidepressants, given in a single dose, increased the MK-801-induced locomotor
      hyperactivity. That increase was completely antagonized by haloperidol and partly
      by SCH 23390 and (+/-)-sulpiride; prazosin was inactive. Repeated administration
      of antidepressants produced a similar but more potent (than acute one)
      enhancement of the action of MK-801. Also, in that case haloperidol and SCH 23390
      produced the strongest antagonistic effect; (+/-)-sulpiride and prazosin had a
      distinctly less potent action. Another effect of MK-801, anticonvulsant activity
      (electroshock-induced convulsions), was not increased by the antidepressants
      studied. These results indicate that antidepressants with a different
      pharmacological profile, increased the MK-801-induced locomotor hyperactivity,
      this effect being probably indirectly mediated, at least in part, by a dopamine
      mechanism.

PMID- 1407406
TI  - Behavioral and neurochemical effects of continuous infusion of cocaine in rats.
AB  - The ability of continuous intravenous infusion of cocaine (60 mg/kg per day for
      11 or 12 days; by osmotic minipump) to alter responses to acute injection of
      cocaine (20 mg/kg, i.p.; given 24 hr after termination of the infusion by
      minipump) was tested in conscious, tethered Sprague-Dawley rats. Extracellular
      levels of cocaine, dopamine and metabolites of dopamine in the striatum were
      determined by in vivo microdialysis. Locomotor activity and stereotyped behavior
      were evaluated simultaneously during dialysis sampling. Prior infusion of cocaine
      blunted the ability of acute challenge with cocaine to increase the efflux of
      dopamine in the striatum, locomotor activity and stereotypy. Increases in
      extracellular levels of homovanillic acid in the striatum were significantly
      greater in cocaine-infused rats than vehicle-infused controls, both prior to and
      after acute injections of cocaine. However, no differences between these two
      groups were observed in levels of cocaine in the striatum after acute challenge.
      Extracellular levels of dopamine in the striatum correlated significantly (P less
      than 0.05) with stereotypy in both groups but with locomotor activity only in
      cocaine-infused rats. The results indicate that behavioral tolerance occurred
      after continuous intravenous infusions of cocaine, that this was correlated with
      neurochemical tolerance to acute cocaine challenge and that alterations in the
      metabolism of cocaine did not account for the observed behavioral responses.

PMID- 1407407
TI  - The effect of 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole on voluntary ethanol consumption: evidence
      for brain catalase involvement in the mechanism of action.
AB  - The effects of the catalase inhibitor, 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (AT), on
      maintenance of voluntary consumption of ethanol was tested in male Long-Evans
      rats. AT produced a dose-dependent reduction in ethanol intake but did not affect
      total fluid consumption. AT also produced a dose-dependent inhibition of brain
      catalase lasting throughout the drinking period. These results suggest a role for
      brain catalase in determining the level of ethanol intake in rats.

PMID- 1407408
TI  - Current bibliographies of neuropeptides prepared by the University of Sheffield
      Biomedical Information Service.

PMID- 1407409
TI  - Transfer of [3H]leucine across the blood-brain barrier at high blood-side
      oxytocin concentrations in normal and morphine-dependent rats.
AB  - The effects of circulating oxytocin on permeability of the blood-brain barrier
      (BBB) to L-[3H]leucine were studied in anaesthetized rats using the intracarotid,
      single pass, bolus injection technique. After bolus intracarotid oxytocin
      injection (10(-9) M), there were no differences in [3H]leucine uptake, compared
      with controls, in any of eight brain regions with a 'tight' BBB (olfactory bulb,
      frontal cortex, visual cortex, corpus striatum, hippocampus, thalamus,
      hypothalamus and colliculi) or in BBB-free, 'leaky' structures (pineal gland,
      choroid plexus, neuro-intermediate pituitary, anterior pituitary). [3H]leucine
      uptake by the 'leaky' structures was 2.4x and 2.6x uptake by 'tight' regions in
      the oxytocin and control groups respectively. In morphine-dependent rats,
      naloxone increased oxytocin secretion 28-fold within 5 min, but did not affect
      [3H]leucine uptake for any BBB-protected brain region or BBB-free 'leaky'
      structure. Accumulation of [3H]leucine was 8.3x and 7.0x greater in the 'leaky'
      structures than in the 'tight' regions in the naloxone and control groups
      respectively; [14C]inulin accumulation by each 'tight' region (measured
      simultaneously with [3H]leucine to determine the vascular space) was not affected
      by naloxone. It is concluded that even very high blood plasma concentrations of
      oxytocin do not affect BBB permeability for leucine. It is unlikely that altered
      BBB permeability, at least for amino acids, contributes to CNS changes during
      naloxone-provoked morphine withdrawal.

PMID- 1407410
TI  - CSF enkephalins in diabetic neuropathy.
AB  - CSF methionine and leucine enkephalins were measured by high performance liquid
      chromatography and radioimmunoassay in diabetic patients with painful neuropathy
      (n = 22) and painless neuropathy (n = 5), and non-diabetic subjects with low back
      pain (n = 11). Wide variations in CSF enkephalin levels were found and they were
      often below the limit of detection (less than 0.1 pmol/l) in the diabetic and non
      diabetic groups. The origin of CSF enkephalins is unknown and CSF levels may not
      reflect tissue concentrations. In conclusion, CSF enkephalin levels are difficult
      to interpret and do not provide useful information on the function of
      enkephalinergic pathways.

PMID- 1407411
TI  - Prolactin response to anesthetic stress and beta-endorphin is altered in female
      rats treated neonatally with monosodium glutamate.
AB  - MSG (4 mg/g, sc) or saline was administered to neonatal female rats on days 1, 3,
      5, 7 and 9. Study 1) Prl levels were assessed at 30, 60 and 75 days after birth
      to monitor possible development of hyperprolactinemia. No hyperprolactinemia was
      observed at any time studied. Study 2) MSG and control rats were administered
      pentobarbital anesthesia at 2 months of age. At 20, 60 and 90 min following
      anesthesia, plasma was collected for assay of Prl. 20 min prior to the 90 min
      bleeding, BE (5 micrograms/5 ul) was stereotaxically administered, into the third
      ventricle. MSG-treated rats had an attenuated Prl response to the stress of
      anesthesia (bleeding 1). Prl levels in control and MSG-treated rats were similar
      at 60 min post-anesthesia (bleeding 2) which represented a return of Prl levels
      to baseline after stress-induced elevation of Prl. Control and MSG-treated rats
      exhibited an increase in plasma Prl following intracerebroventricular BE;
      however, the amplitude of this response was markedly attenuated in the MSG
      treated animals (bleeding 3). Thus, an observed loss of TH-positive neurons in
      the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus following MSG treatment and the
      attenuated response of Prl to anesthesia-stress and BE administration suggests
      that Prl secretion in response to these agents is operative through inhibition of
      the TIDA system. Furthermore, these studies show that the Prl response to these
      agents (anesthetic and BE) is intact but sub-operational in MSG-treated rats.

PMID- 1407413
TI  - Current bibliographies of neuropeptides prepared by the University of Sheffield
      Biomedical Information Service.

PMID- 1407412
TI  - Cerebrospinal fluid endothelin-1 in Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia of
      Alzheimer type.
AB  - We have measured the endothelin-1 concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid
      samples from 5 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), 6 patients with senile
      dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT) and 7 patients with other diseases without
      dementia (disease control: DC). The cerebrospinal fluid endothelin-1 level was
      significantly lower in AD than in DC. No correlation was observed between
      cerebrospinal fluid endothelin-1 concentration and any other factors such as age,
      duration from onset, systolic blood pressure, cerebrospinal fluid protein level
      or plasma endothelin-1 concentration in AD or SDAT. These results suggest a
      possible alteration of the endothelin-1 system in the central nervous system in
      Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1407414
TI  - Effects of cocaine on the contents of neurohypophyseal hormones in the plasma and
      in different brain structures in rats.
AB  - The effects of acute and chronic cocaine treatments on the levels of the
      neurohypophyseal hormones oxytocin (OXT) and vasopressin (AVP) in the plasma and
      in different brain structures in rats were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA).
      Acute cocaine treatment had no effect on the level of OXT in the plasma or in the
      amygdala, but increased OXT contents were measured in the hypothalamus and in the
      hippocampus. The OXT levels in the basal forebrain structures (including the
      septum and the nucleus accumbens) were decreased by a single dose of cocaine. The
      acute injection of cocaine increased the level of AVP in the plasma, and
      decreased contents of OXT were measured in the amygdala and in the basal
      forebrain. Repeated treatment with cocaine decreased the level of OXT in the
      plasma, hypothalamus and hippocampus. The AVP contents were decreased in all of
      the brain structures investigated, but no change was caused in the plasma level
      of AVP by repeated injections of cocaine. These results demonstrate complex,
      region-specific interactions between cocaine and the neurohypophyseal hormones in
      the brain and in the periphery underlying the alteration in behavioral and
      autonomic functions caused by acute and chronic cocaine exposure.

PMID- 1407415
TI  - Disturbance of spatiotemporal footfall contact patterns in the rat by TRH
      analogue CG3703.
AB  - Administration of TRH or its analogues to a rat changes the dynamics of
      locomotion resulting in shorter stance times and causes postural disturbances,
      including hunched back and pelvic girdle elevation. Locomotor disturbance,
      induced by a variety of methods, results in changes to the footfall patterns
      during the stance phase of locomotion. The present work investigated whether
      these postural and locomotor dynamic disturbances in the CG3703 treated rat were
      associated with changes to the pattern of paw/floor contact during locomotion. It
      was found that in treated animals the area of hindpaw contact increased while
      that of the forepaw decreased from control values. The pattern of contact
      changed, with hindpaw stance being shifted towards more distal elements while in
      the forepaw a reduction in the deployment of proximal elements without any
      compensating increase in distal contact was seen. These results are discussed in
      the context of the effects of TRH analogues on sensory and motor processing in
      the CNS.

PMID- 1407416
TI  - Interleukin-6 and corticotrophin-releasing hormone mRNA are modulated during
      differentiation of human neuroblastoma cells.
AB  - Two cell clones [BE(2)-C and BE(2)-M17] derived from the human neuroblastoma cell
      line SK-N-BE(2) express corticotrophin-releasing hormone as well as interleukin-6
      mRNA. Both genes are overexpressed, although with a different time course,
      following exposure to 5 microM retinoic acid, in parallel to the induction of
      neuroblastic differentiation. On the contrary, we are unable to detect
      interleukin-1 beta mRNA in these cell lines. Both cytokines are known to increase
      hypothalamic CRH mRNA. The production of cytokines and neuropeptides by
      neuroblastoma cells indicate a complex dialogue between tumour cells and anti
      tumour immunity.

PMID- 1407417
TI  - Effects of intracerebroventricular administration of calcitonin gene-related
      peptide on passive avoidance behaviour in rats.
AB  - The effects of different doses of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on
      passive avoidance behaviour were studied in male rats following its
      intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration. Treatment with doses of 200 ng,
      300 ng, 500 ng or 1 microgram was performed prior to learning, immediately and 6
      h after the learning session and 30 min before the 24 h retention test. CGRP
      enhanced the avoidance latency in a dose-dependent manner at each time studied,
      with the exception of 6 h after the learning session. It is concluded that CGRP
      might be able to lengthen the passive avoidance latency by facilitating learning
      and memory formation.

PMID- 1407418
TI  - Comparison of the effects of neurotensin and vasopressin on the adrenal cortex of
      dexamethasone-suppressed rats.
AB  - Neurotensin (NT) and vasopressin (AVP) share some similarities as far as their
      actions on the adrenal weight and secretion are concerned. The present study
      aimed to compare the in vivo chronic effect of these two peptides on the adrenal
      cortex of dexamethasone (Dx)-treated rats. NT or AVP were ip. infused at a rate
      of 2 micrograms/rat/d for 7 d. In the animals concomitantly treated with 15
      micrograms Dx/100 g/d for 7 d, both NT and AVP partially prevented adrenal
      atrophy. AVP enhanced plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC), but not that of
      corticosterone (PBC). On the other hand, NT did not affect either PAC or PBC. In
      rats treated with 35 micrograms Dx/100 g/d for 14 d, neither NT nor AVP
      administered for the last 7 d exerted any effect on the adrenal weight. However,
      also under these conditions of profound adrenal atrophy AVP was still able to
      notably raise PAC, while NT was ineffective. Our findings indicate that the
      mechanism underlying the aldosterone secretagogue action of AVP does not require,
      unlike that of NT, the presence of ACTH. Moreover, in light of many recent
      literature data they could suggest the possibility that in vivo NT acts on the
      rat adrenal cortex via AVP.

PMID- 1407419
TI  - Comparison of the clinical presentation of symptomatic arteriovenous
      malformations (angiographically visualized) and occult vascular malformations.
AB  - The authors compared the clinical presentations of angiographically apparent
      arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and angiographically occult vascular
      malformations (AOVMs) of the brain in 188 consecutive patients treated when
      computed tomography and magnetic resonance were available. There were 133
      patients (70.7%) with AVMs and 55 patients (29.2%) with AOVMs. AOVMs tended to
      occur more frequently in male patients and in the posterior fossa and to present
      earlier clinically than AVMs, but differences were not significant. One
      distinctive feature was the greater size of AVMs, as compared with AOVMs.
      Presentation by hemorrhage occurred in 64.3% of the patients with AVMs and in
      61.8% of those with AOVMs. Malformations of both types located in the posterior
      fossa presented with hemorrhage more frequently (84.2% of AVMs and 78.5% of
      AOVMs) than similar lesions lying above the tentorium (60.8% of AVMs and 56% of
      AOVMs). Bleeding was more severe in patients with AVMs than in those with AOVMs,
      as indicated by the higher mortality associated with hemorrhage (7.5 vs. 3.6% of
      the cases) and the more frequent and marked decrease in the level of
      consciousness observed at admission (34 vs. 16.2% of drowsy or comatose
      patients). Brain hematomas caused by AVMs were on average bigger than those
      caused by AOVMs (58.8 and 20% of large hematomas, respectively), and
      intraventricular and subarachnoid hemorrhages were also more common and profuse
      in patients with AVMs. However, AOVMs bled subsequently more times than AVMs
      (61.7 vs. 15.6%), before they were diagnosed and treated, leading to a higher
      nonoperative morbidity (16.3 vs. 13.6%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407420
TI  - Involvement of the external carotid arteries in moyamoya disease:
      neuroradiological evaluation of 66 patients.
AB  - Arterial stenoses and/or occlusions in moyamoya disease are mainly localized
      intracranially, although some instances of stenotic lesions of the extracranial
      arteries have been reported in some autopsy cases. We have reviewed the
      angiograms of 66 patients with moyamoya disease to investigate whether stenotic
      lesions are present in the external carotid artery and its branches. We noticed
      that 13 patients had stenoses in the branches of the external carotid artery,
      although no occlusions were recognized. This result indicates that the arterial
      stenoses and/or occlusions are not confined to the intracranial arteries and that
      systemic factors contribute to the pathogenesis of moyamoya disease. This result
      also suggests that studies on specimens of the superficial temporal artery, which
      can be obtained easily at surgery, may reveal the molecular mechanism of intimal
      thickening.

PMID- 1407421
TI  - Surgical treatment of moyamoya disease in pediatric patients--comparison between
      the results of indirect and direct revascularization procedures.
AB  - Either encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis (EDAS) or superficial temporal artery to
      middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) anastomosis combined with
      encephalomyosynangiosis (EMS) has been performed on most of the children with
      moyamoya disease in our department. EDAS alone was done in the parietal region of
      13 sides in 10 patients, and STA-MCA anastomosis with EMS in the parietal region
      was done on 7 sides in 6 patients. The surgical results of these two different
      procedures were then compared. Postoperative collateral formation was observed on
      external carotid angiograms, and the improvement of clinical symptoms was
      monitored for 1 year after the bypass procedure. STA-MCA anastomosis with EMS was
      found to be superior to EDAS in both the development of collateral circulation (P
      less than 0.05) and postoperative clinical improvement (P less than 0.01). EDAS
      can be done easily and safely on small children with moyamoya disease, but STA
      MCA anastomosis with EMS is considered to be more appropriate, whenever possible.

PMID- 1407422
TI  - Neurinomas presenting as spontaneous intratumoral hemorrhage.
AB  - Massive intratumoral or subarachnoid hemorrhage from neurinomas is very rare. The
      authors report on six patients, four men and two women, with neurinomas that
      presented as spontaneous intratumoral hemorrhage. The average age of the patients
      was 56.8 years (range, 31-74 years). Neurinomas originated from the acoustic
      nerve in four patients and from the trigeminal nerve in two. Four cases were
      accompanied by the sudden occurrence of clinical symptoms such as headache,
      double vision, and hemisensory or motor disturbance. The maximum diameter of the
      tumors ranged from 2.8 to 3.8 cm (average, 3.1 cm). Histological examinations
      showed massive hemorrhage and increased vascularity, with dilated, thin-walled
      vessels, in all cases. The size of the tumor and the increase in vascularity with
      dilated, thin-walled vessels within neurinomas are important pathogenetic factors
      of hemorrhage. When sudden onset of symptoms or rapid worsening of chronic
      symptoms occurs in neurinomas, intratumoral or subarachnoid hemorrhage should be
      considered as a possible cause, and magnetic resonance imaging can be an
      important tool in obtaining correct diagnosis.

PMID- 1407423
TI  - Proliferative characteristics of juvenile pilocytic astrocytomas determined by
      bromodeoxyuridine labeling.
AB  - Bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR) labeling studies were performed to characterize the
      biological and clinical behavior of 50 juvenile pilocytic astrocytomas (JPAs)
      from 47 patients. Each patient received an i.v. infusion of BUdR before tumor
      resection; the excised tumor specimens were stained by the immunoperoxidase
      method with anti-BUdR monoclonal antibody to determine the BUdR labeling index
      (LI), or percentage of S-phase cells. The BUdR LI ranged from 0.22 to 4.3% (less
      than 1% in 34 and greater than or equal to 1% in 16; mean +/- SE, 1.05 +/-
      0.13%). Tumors from younger patients often had higher LIs, but as the age of the
      patients increased, the frequency of tumors with LIs greater than or equal to 1%
      decreased. Tumors from male patients had higher LIs than those from female
      patients (1.36 +/- 0.20% [SE] vs. 0.75 +/- 0.13%; P less than 0.01), and tumors
      in the cerebellum had higher LIs than those in the hypothalamus (1.39 +/- 0.24%
      vs. 0.87 +/- 0.15%; P less than 0.05). The LI did not correlate with the gross
      appearance of the tumor (solid or cystic) or with outcome after the initial
      diagnosis. Overall, there was no difference in the LIs of primary and recurrent
      tumors. Four tumors (3 primary and 1 recurrent) that recurred after subtotal
      resection had a higher mean LI than 32 tumors that did not recur after subtotal
      resection (2.6 +/- 0.7% vs. 0.74 +/- 0.09%; P less than 0.005). None of 14
      totally resected tumors (mean LI, 1.3 +/- 0.2%) has recurred.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407424
TI  - Transcranial color-coded real-time sonography in the evaluation of intracranial
      neoplasms and arteriovenous malformations.
AB  - Transcranial color-coded real-time sonography (TCCS) was performed in 57 patients
      with primary intracranial brain tumors (n = 49) or arteriovenous malformations (n
      = 8) to evaluate its diagnostic potential. In 46 patients (81%), lesions could be
      identified employing this technique. In 7 patients, transcranial ultrasound
      examination was not feasible because of bone thickness; in the remaining 4
      patients, the tumor was indistinguishable from adjacent brain tissue despite
      sufficient insonation, suggesting that these neoplasms are isoechogenic. The
      sonographic features of brain tumors were very similar: a hyperechogenic matrix
      of the lesion was interspersed by hypoechogenic pixels. Larger hypoechogenic
      areas (0.5-1 cm) gave evidence of tumor necrosis. Differences between the
      findings of TCCS and computed tomography concerning tumor size were found in 7
      patients, in whom TCCS revealed an area of smaller extension within the
      corresponding hypodense area on the computed tomographic scan. Perifocal brain
      edema could not be detected by ultrasound examination. In 13 patients, a thin,
      hypoechogenic peritumoral halo was disclosed that did not correlate with
      perifocal brain edema identified by computed tomography and that may have been
      due to compression of adjacent parenchyma. In patients with arteriovenous
      malformations, TCCS permitted the identification of the main feeders, the nidus,
      and the draining venous system by color-coded depiction of intravascular blood
      flow. In conclusion, TCCS is an additional method for initial diagnosis and
      highly suitable for follow-up in tumor patients and provides valuable information
      about tissue characteristics and blood flow.

PMID- 1407425
TI  - The prognostic value of somatosensory and motor evoked potentials in comatose
      patients.
AB  - Somatosensory and motor evoked potentials (SEP and MEP) were examined in a total
      of 213 patients in traumatic (n = 140) and nontraumatic (n = 73) coma. It was the
      aim of this study to compare the prognostic value of MEP elicited by both
      electrical and magnetoelectric transcranial stimulation with the use of SEP
      alone. According to the presence or absence of responses and the duration of
      central conduction time, SEP and MEP obtained during Days 1 through 3 after the
      onset of coma were divided into four categories and correlated with the outcome
      of the patients, as assessed by the Glasgow Outcome Scale. Our results clearly
      show that in terms of prognostic value, SEP are superior to MEP, with normal
      findings indicating a favorable outcome and absent responses an unfavorable
      outcome. On the other hand, patients with normal electromyographic responses
      after both electrical and magnetoelectric stimulation had favorable and
      unfavorable outcomes about equally. Thus, unlike SEP, normal MEP do not allow any
      prognostic conclusions. Only the bilateral absence of MEP in response to
      electrical stimulation was a definitely unfavorable prognostic sign because all
      of these patients died. In contrast, with magnetoelectric stimulation, neither
      normal nor absent responses allowed any prognostic conclusions. Therefore, the
      prognostic value of electrically evoked motor responses is limited, and
      magnetoelectric stimulation cannot be recommended in this context.

PMID- 1407426
TI  - Severe head injury in children: experience of the Traumatic Coma Data Bank.
AB  - The outcome at discharge, 6 months, and 1 year after they had sustained severe
      head injuries was investigated in children (0-15 yr old at injury) who were
      admitted to the neurosurgery service at one of four centers participating in the
      Traumatic Coma Data Bank. Of 103 eligible children, the quality of recovery was
      assessed by the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) at 6 months after injury in 92
      patients (86% of series) and at 1 year in 82 patients (73% of series). The lowest
      post-resuscitation Glasgow Coma Scale score and pupillary reactivity were
      predictive of the 6-month GOS as were their interaction. Analysis of the first
      computed tomographic scan disclosed that bilateral swelling with/without midline
      shift was related to a poor outcome as was the presence of mass lesions.
      Comparison of age-defined subgroups of patients revealed that outcome was poorest
      in the 0- to 4-year-old patients, as reflected by their mortality, which
      increased to 62% by 1 year. Distinctive features of the injuries in the 0- to 4
      year-olds included evacuated subdural hematomas (20% of patients) and hypotension
      (32% of patients). The most favorable outcome was attained by 5- to 10-year-olds
      (2/3 had a good recovery by 1 yr), whereas the GOS distribution of adolescents
      was intermediate between the children and adults. In summary, the GOS data
      reflect heterogeneity in the quality of outcome after severe head injury
      depending on age, neurological indices, and computed tomographic scan diagnostic
      category.

PMID- 1407427
TI  - Management of symptomatic chronic extra-axial fluid collections in pediatric
      patients.
AB  - The records of 103 pediatric patients having symptomatic chronic extra-axial
      fluid collections treated at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles from 1977 to 1988
      were reviewed. Patients were treated with observation, serial percutaneous needle
      drainage, drainage through burr holes, drainage into a closed external drainage
      system, or subdural to peritoneal shunt. If the initial treatment was not
      effective, additional forms of treatment were instituted. Shunts, ultimately used
      in 73% of the patients, proved to be the most effective treatment. Of the group
      with shunts, the extra-axial fluid was unilateral in 20% and bilateral in 80%. In
      those patients with bilateral effusions, no difference in efficacy of shunts was
      seen in patients treated with bilateral versus unilateral shunts. Of the 75
      patients with shunts, 12% required a shunt revision for progressive or recurrent
      symptoms. Shunt infections occurred in 3% of the patients, necessitating removal
      of the shunt and treatment with antibiotics. Eosinophilia in the subdural fluid
      was associated with shunt obstruction requiring revision. The shunt was never
      removed in 51% of patients with no untoward effects. This study demonstrates that
      the most efficacious treatment of symptomatic chronic extra-axial fluid
      collections in children is a unilateral subdural to peritoneal shunt. The shunt
      need not be removed after resolution of the fluid collections.

PMID- 1407428
TI  - Split cord malformation: Part I: A unified theory of embryogenesis for double
      spinal cord malformations.
AB  - Much confusion still exists concerning the pathological definitions and clinical
      significance of double spinal cord malformations. Traditional terms used to
      describe the two main forms of these rare malformations, diastematomyelia and
      diplomyelia, add to the confusion by their inconsistent usage, ambiguities, and
      implications of their dissimilar embryogenesis. Based on the detailed
      radiographic and surgical findings of 39 cases of double cord malformations and
      the autopsy data on two other cases, this study endorses a new classification for
      double cord malformations and proposes a unified theory of embryogenesis for all
      their variant forms and features. The new classification recommends the term
      split cord malformation (SCM) for all double spinal cords. A Type I SCM consists
      of two hemicords, each contained within its own dural tube and separated by a
      dura-sheathed rigid osseocartilaginous median septum. A Type II SCM consists of
      two hemicords housed in a single dural tube separated by a nonrigid, fibrous
      median septum. These two essential features necessary for typing, the state of
      the dural tube and the nature of the median septum, do not ever overlap between
      the two main forms and can always be demonstrated by imaging studies so that
      accurate preoperative typing is always possible. All other associated structures
      in SCM such as paramedian nerve roots, myelomeningoceles manque, and centromedian
      vascular structures frequently do overlap between types and are not reliable
      typing criteria. The unified theory of embryogenesis proposes that all variant
      types of SCMs have a common embryogenetic mechanism. Basic to this mechanism is
      the formation of adhesions between ecto- and endoderm, leading to an accessory
      neurenteric canal around which condenses an endomesenchymal tract that bisects
      the developing notochord and causes formation of two hemineural plates. The
      altered state of the emerging split neural tube and the subsequent ontogenetic
      fates of the constituent components of the endomesenchymal tract ultimately
      determine the configuration and orientation of the hemicords, the nature of the
      median septum, the coexistence of various vascular, lipomatous, neural, and
      fibrous oddities within the median cleft, the high association with open
      myelodysplastic and cutaneous lesions, and the seemingly unlikely relationship
      with fore and midgut anomalies. The multiple facets of this theory are presented
      in increasing complexity against the background of known embryological facts and
      theories; the validity of each facet is tested by comparing structures and
      phenomena predicted by the facet with actual radiographic, surgical, and
      histopathological findings of these 41 cases of SCM.

PMID- 1407429
TI  - Split cord malformation: Part II: Clinical syndrome.
AB  - Thirty-nine patients with split cord malformations (SCM) were studied in detail
      with respect to their clinical, radiographic, and surgical findings as well as
      their outcome data. Eight patients were adults and 31 patients were children.
      According to the classification endorsed by Part I of the SCM study, 19 patients
      had Type I SCM (6 adults and 13 children), 18 patients had Type II SCM (2 adults
      and 16 children), and 2 patients had composite SCM with both lesion types
      situated in tandem. Six SCMs were cervical, 2 were thoracic, and 31 were in the
      lumbar region. All 8 adults had pain and progressive sensorimotor deficits at
      diagnosis. Only 16 of the 31 children had symptoms, and among these, 14 had
      progressive sensorimotor deficits, but only 6 had pain. The difference in the
      clinical picture between adults and children is similar to that described in the
      tethered cord syndrome, except for left-right functional discrepancy, which was
      prominent in 8 children with SCM but rarely seen in tethered cord syndrome due to
      other causes. Cutaneous manifestations of either occult or open dysraphic states
      were present in all but 3 patients; hypertrichosis was by far the best predictor
      of an underlying SCM, being found in 56% in the series. Neurological
      deterioration in SCM was independent of the lesion type: the Type I:Type II ratio
      for symptomatic progression was 13:11. It was also independent of the location of
      the lesion: 67% of patients with cervical SCMs had symptomatic progression versus
      64% of patients with thoracolumbar lesions. High-resolution, thin cut, axial
      computed tomographic myelography using bone algorithms was more sensitive than
      magnetic resonance imaging in defining the anatomical details of the SCM.
      Radiographic classifications of the SCM, using the nature of the median septum
      and the number of dural tubes as criteria, was always possible without ambiguity.
      However, whereas every Type I bone septum was identified preoperatively, only 5
      Type II fibrous septa were revealed by preoperative imaging, even though a
      fibrous septum and/or other fibroneurovascular bands were found tethering the
      hemicords in every Type II case at surgery. Complete imaging studies also showed
      that all lumbar SCMs had low-lying coni and at least one additional tethering
      lesion besides the split cords, whereas only 1 of 7 cervical and high thoracic
      SCMs had a low conus and a second tethering lesion. The surgical goal for SCM was
      release of the tethered hemicords by eliminating the bone spurs, dural sleeves,
      fibrous septa, or any fibroneurovascular bands (myelomeningoceles manque) that
      might be transfixing the split cord. Type I cases were technically more difficult
      and had a slightly higher surgical morbidity than Type II cases, especially if an
      oblique bone septum had asymmetrically divided the cord into one larger hemicord
      and one smaller, hence, very delicate, hemicord.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1407430
TI  - Lateral cervical spine dislocation and vertebral artery injury.
AB  - Although anterior and posterior traumatic displacement of cervical vertebrae are
      commonly noted, and the devastating neurological deficits associated with these
      injuries have been amply defined, lateral displacement with fractures has been
      rarely recognized, and the clinical significance of this injury has been
      overlooked. This report describes five cases of cervical spine fractures with
      lateral dislocation. All patients had lateral and anteroposterior cervical spine
      radiographs as well as cervical angiography or postmortem study demonstrating
      either complete occlusion or significant impairment of flow of the vertebral
      arteries. Two cases had traumatic vertebral artery occlusion with secondary
      medullary and cerebellar infarction resulting in the patient's death. Vertebral
      artery injury apparently is not uncommon in this particular type of fracture. The
      diagnosis of these vascular injuries may require angiography or magnetic
      resonance angiography. A vertebral occlusion or dissection is a problem of
      considerable complexity, requiring individualized management depending on the
      patient's symptomatology, location and nature of the injury, and time lapsed
      since the injury.

PMID- 1407431
TI  - High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging of experimental spinal cord injury in
      the rat.
AB  - The ability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to display the anatomic changes
      after spinal cord injury in the rat were examined in postmortem specimens. With
      the clip compression technique, acute spinal cord injuries of three grades of
      severity were produced in adult male rats. One hour after injury, during which
      time physiological parameters were measured and maintained within the normal
      range, the rats were killed by transcardiac perfusion of formalin. The vertebral
      column containing the cervical and upper thoracic segments was excised and, after
      further formalin fixation, 20 contiguous MRI scans centered on the injury site
      were obtained using a spin-echo imaging sequence. The volume of signal
      acquisition for each image was 15 x 15 x 1.0 mm thick. The spinal cords were then
      removed from the vertebral column, sectioned, and stained for histological
      examination. Ten-micrometer serial sections of each cord were examined
      microscopically. MRI scans and microscopic sections at comparable levels were
      examined to determine the quality of anatomical detail and spatial resolution of
      the MRI scans. MRI scans with resolution of about 75 microns per pixel edge were
      obtained. At the site of injury, there was disruption of the normally well
      demarcated gray-white interface and variable areas of low signal intensity.
      Because of the resolution achieved, it was possible to determine that these low
      signal intensity areas were post-traumatic hemorrhages. Indeed, hemorrhages with
      dimensions of the order of 100 microns were detected on the MRI scans.
      Furthermore, by examining the serial sections of the cord, the extent of the
      injury along the cord could be determined.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407432
TI  - Origins and conducting pathways of motor evoked potentials elicited by
      transcranial magnetic stimulation in cats.
AB  - Spinal cord motor evoked potentials (MEPs-S) were elicited in cats by
      transcranial magnetic stimulation. The MEPs-S recorded from the epidural
      electrode at the first lumbar (L1) level consisted of four negative peaks (N1,
      2.56; N2, 3.19; N3, 4.06; N4, 4.99 ms) followed by small, multiphasic waves. The
      mean conduction velocities of N1-N3 of the MEPs-S were calculated to be 90 to 115
      m/s, which is consistent with extrapyramidal tract activation. A direct brain
      stem electrical stimulation and sequential transection of the spinal cord studies
      showed that N1-N3 of the MEPs-S originated primarily from the brain stem and
      conducted in the ventral funiculus of the spinal cord, which corresponded to the
      extrapyramidal tracts (e.g., the reticulospinal and vestibulospinal tracts). We
      also showed that N1 and N2 of the MEPs-S originated mainly from the lower medulla
      or upper cervical and that N3 originated from the lower pons or upper medulla
      (vestibular nucleus). On the other hand, N4 of the MEPs-S had a conduction
      velocity of 70 m/s, which disappeared by ablation of the sensorimotor cortex and
      pyramidotomy. A dorsal hemisection of the spinal cord, resulting in the
      disappearance of N4 of the MEPs-S, indicated that it conducted in the
      dorsolateral funiculus of the spinal cord. These results suggest that N4 of the
      MEPs-S originates from the sensorimotor cortex and conducts in the lateral
      corticospinal tract. MEPs-S by transcranial magnetic stimulation in cats
      constituted complex responses in both the pyramidal and extrapyramidal tracts.

PMID- 1407433
TI  - Successful treatment of a malignant rat glioma with cytotoxic T lymphocytes.
AB  - Brain tumors are highly resistant to therapy. Their diffuse infiltrative nature
      and the relative inaccessibility of brain tissue to blood and lymph are barriers
      to surgical and cytotoxic treatments alike. The purpose of this study was to
      produce immune cells specifically reactive with an anaplastic rat glioma (RT2)
      and determine whether those cells could affect tumor progression in the brain.
      RT2-specific cytotoxic cells were prepared by priming rats in vivo with RT2 tumor
      cells and Corynebacterium parvum and stimulating the primed lymphocytes in vitro
      with irradiated RT2 tumor cells and interleukin-2 (IL-2). Cultured cells
      exhibited a high level of cytotoxicity against RT2, but not C6 (an allogeneic
      glioma), 3M2N (a syngeneic mammary tumor), or CSE (a syngeneic fibrosarcoma)
      tumor cells. To generate a model for therapy, rats were injected intracerebrally
      with RT2, generating progressing brain tumors, which killed untreated rats in
      approximately 2 weeks. To test the therapeutic potential of the effector cells,
      tumor-bearing rats were treated by intravenous injection of lymphocytes on Day 5
      of tumor growth. Treated rats also received a 5-day course of systemic IL-2
      beginning on Day 5. Treatment with IL-2 alone, RT2-primed spleen cells, or RT2
      primed spleen cells stimulated in vitro with C6 did not affect rat survival.
      However, tumor-bearing rats treated with RT2-stimulated lymphocytes exhibited
      increased survival or were cured. Systemic IL-2 was an essential adjunct, because
      survival was not affected by treatment with effector cells alone. Therapy
      initiated on Day 8 of tumor progression lacked effect on survival.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407434
TI  - Mechanism of interferon gamma-induced protection of human gliosarcoma cells from
      lymphokine-activated killer lysis: division of lymphokine-activated killer cells
      into natural killer- and T-like cells.
AB  - The mechanism by which interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) decreases the susceptibility
      of the established cultured gliosarcoma line Gl-1 to lymphokine-activated killer
      (LAK) lysis was analyzed. The results of monolayer depletion and lectin-dependent
      cellular cytotoxicity assays by LAK cells revealed that the resistance to LAK
      lysis of IFN-gamma-treated Gl-1 cells is manifested at the stage of LAK cell
      target recognition alone. We have also divided LAK cells into populations of
      phenotypically natural killer (NK)- and T-like cells with monoclonal antibodies
      and complement, respectively. We have used these cells to examine the mechanism
      of IFN-gamma-induced protection of Gl-1 cells from LAK lysis in cold target
      inhibition, monolayer depletion, and direct binding assays. The results revealed
      that NK-like cells do not recognize IFN-gamma-treated Gl-1 cells as efficiently
      as they do untreated targets, whereas T-like cells show the opposite tendency. In
      conclusion, we have demonstrated that the IFN-gamma induced protection of tumor
      cells from LAK lysis is predominantly regulated by the target recognition of NK
      like cells. On the other hand, IFN-gamma-treated tumor cells may bind to T-like
      cells but fail to trigger them to initiate further stages for lysis as
      effectively as NK-like cells.

PMID- 1407435
TI  - Ganglioside composition and its relation to clinical data in brain tumors.
AB  - The ganglioside composition of 15 cases of meningioma, 15 cases of astrocytoma, 5
      cases of neurinoma, 4 cases of ependymoma, 3 cases of metastatic brain tumor and
      1 case each of mixed glioma, oligodendroglioma, medulloblastoma, embryonal
      carcinoma, and cultured glioma cell line were analyzed by thin-layer
      chromatography. The GM2, GD3, and GD2 content of the tumors was determined using
      specific monoclonal antibodies (MAb). Cases were grouped according to the
      difference in ganglioside pattern and various clinical features. In meningiomas
      and astrocytomas, GM3 and GD3 were the major gangliosides. The tumor content of
      the rather simple gangliosides (GM3, GM2, GD3, GD2) increased or was almost equal
      to that of normal tissue (leptomeninges tissue in the case of meningiomas, and
      brain tissue in the case of astrocytomas), while the tumor content of complex
      gangliosides (GM1, GD1a, GT1a, GT1b) decreased as compared with normal tissue.
      The GM3 content of meningiomas increased in middle-aged patients, who comprised
      the majority of the patients with these tumors. The GD2 content decreased in
      middle-aged patients with initial symptoms of meningioma within a year. The GM3
      content of astrocytomas decreased in patients who underwent radiotherapy. The
      amount of GM3 and GD3 increased in small tumors. GM3 may be related to the early
      proliferative stage. The ganglioside patterns of brain tumors are shown in this
      study to differ according to clinical features and also to be changeable in their
      clinical courses.

PMID- 1407436
TI  - Effect of leukotriene antagonist on experimental delayed cerebral vasospasm.
AB  - Experimental delayed cerebral vasospasm was produced in 16 adult mongrel dogs by
      the "two-hemorrhage" method of intracisternal injections of autologous arterial
      blood. Group 1 was a control group. Group 2 was a treatment group that received
      an intravenous injection of ONO-1078, a novel potent leukotriene antagonist, once
      a day for 7 days just after the first cisternal injection of the blood.
      Angiography was performed on Days 0 and 7, and the cerebrospinal fluid levels of
      leukotriene C4 (LTC4) were measured on Days 0, 3, and 7. The cisternal levels of
      LTC4 increased after subarachnoid hemorrhage in both groups. But the
      cerebrospinal fluid levels of LTC4 in the treatment group were significantly
      lower than those in the control group (P less than 0.05). The angiographic
      vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage was partially prevented with the
      treatment of intravenous injections of ONO-1078 (P less than 0.001). These
      results suggest that LTC4 may play a role in the pathogenesis of delayed cerebral
      vasospasm, directly or indirectly, and ONO-1078 may have a therapeutic effect on
      the prevention of the development of delayed cerebral vasospasm.

PMID- 1407437
TI  - Successful treatment of intracerebral hydatid cysts with albendazole: case report
      and review of the literature.
AB  - Experience with the use of the drug albendazole in the management of cerebral
      hydatid disease is limited. We report a 33-year-old woman who was harboring
      multiple cerebral hydatid cysts and who was treated successfully with
      albendazole. No other treatment was used. The efficacy and the few reversible
      side effects of the drug are discussed, and the literature is reviewed.

PMID- 1407438
TI  - Continual intracavitary administration of amphotericin B as an adjunct in the
      treatment of aspergillus brain abscess: case report and review of the literature.
AB  - Aspergillus brain abscess is often a fatal disease, regardless of the mode of
      therapy. Most often seen in the compromised host, it is notoriously refractory to
      systemic antifungal agents and intrathecal antimycotics. Even with radical
      surgical debridement, only 13 patients, including the present case, have survived
      longer than 3 months after being treated for aspergillus brain abscess or
      granuloma. Studies have shown poor penetration of amphotericin B into the brain
      and cerebrospinal fluid. One way to achieve therapeutic levels of the agent near
      the abscess is through the direct introduction of the agent into the abscess site
      via an indwelling catheter. In the present case, a woman with an aspergillus
      abscess of the left temporal lobe was treated by a combination of systemic
      agents, radical debridement, and local therapy, resulting in a cure with a follow
      up of 6 years. This is the first reported instance of the use of long-term, local
      antifungal therapy delivered to the area of the abscess cavity, using a closed
      reservoir system, and this patient is only the second renal transplant patient
      reported to have survived aspergillus brain abscess. This form of treatment
      produced no untoward long-term side effects or neurological sequelae. Local
      irrigation with antifungal agents should be considered in conjunction with
      systemic antifungal drugs and drainage and/or debridement in cases of fungal
      intracerebral aspergilloma. This technique may also prove useful with other
      fungal brain lesions.

PMID- 1407439
TI  - Traumatic subdural hygroma: pathology and meningeal enhancement on magnetic
      resonance imaging.
AB  - Five patients with traumatic subdural hygroma are reported with reference to its
      pathology and meningeal enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging. Hygromas
      showed initially iso- and, later, high intensity on both T1- and T2-weighted
      images compared with the intensity of the cerebrospinal fluid. In all cases of
      the thick hygromas, magnetic resonance imaging with gadolinium diethylene
      triamine-pentaacetic acid showed meningeal enhancement. Intravenously injected
      radioisotope immediately flowed into the hygromas, but computed tomographic
      cisternography and gross inspection during the surgery showed no evidence of an
      influx of cerebrospinal fluid into the hygromas. Microscopic examination of the
      enhanced meninges revealed vascularized neomembrane with numerous fenestrations
      and pinocytosis underneath the dura mater. It is suggested from these data that
      the subdural neomembrane is associated with the development of the traumatic
      subdural hygromas. Meningeal enhancement would be useful to clarify the growing
      mechanism of traumatic subdural hygromas.

PMID- 1407440
TI  - Cerebral hemorrhage from amyloid angiopathy and coronary thrombolysis.
AB  - Coronary thrombolysis with streptokinase or tissue plasminogen activator is
      useful for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction in selected patients.
      This treatment is associated with local hemorrhagic complications and age-related
      cerebral hemorrhage. Coronary thrombolysis is contraindicated in patients with
      transient cerebral ischemia and stroke, arterial hypertension, cerebral trauma,
      cerebral aneurysms, and arteriovenous malformations, because of the risk of
      cerebral hemorrhage. We report the occurrence of a cerebral hemorrhage related to
      cerebral amyloid angiopathy in a patient who underwent thrombolysis and treatment
      with heparin for acute myocardial infarction. Despite normal coagulation
      parameters, the cerebral hematoma enlarged over 36 hours, as documented by
      sequential computed tomographic scans, to produce significant mass effect, which
      prompted surgical evacuation. Histological examination of the resected specimen
      demonstrated the strong affinity for Congo red and yellow-green birefringence
      that are characteristic of cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Hemostasis was difficult
      to achieve, as the divided or disrupted amyloid-laden cortical vessels failed to
      vasoconstrict, their contractile elements replaced by amyloid beta protein. The
      patient died of recurrent myocardial ischemia 3 days postoperatively. The
      incidence of cerebral amyloid angiopathy increases with advancing age. It must be
      considered as a potential source of cerebral hemorrhage in elderly patients
      undergoing thrombolysis for cardiac ischemia. Such an occurrence presents a
      difficult challenge because cardiac function is compromised, the coagulation
      profile may be altered, the cerebral hematoma is life threatening, and
      intracranial hemostasis is difficult to achieve.

PMID- 1407441
TI  - Carotid-cavernous fistula caused by a ruptured intracavernous aneurysm:
      endovascular treatment by electrothrombosis with detachable coils.
AB  - A case of carotid-cavernous fistula caused by a ruptured intracavernous aneurysm
      is reported. The fistula was treated with electrothrombosis by the detachment of
      two platinum coils into the aneurysm via an endovascular transvenous approach;
      the fistula was closed, and the patient has recovered completely. The advantages
      of using electrodetachable platinum coils include thrombogenicity, controllable
      deposit, radiopacity, and biocompatibility.

PMID- 1407443
TI  - Anatomy of the sympathetic pathways in the carotid canal.

PMID- 1407442
TI  - Transcallosal, transventricular approach to a basilar apex aneurysm.
AB  - A new approach to the basilar apex in a patient with a megadolichobasilar anomaly
      and an abnormally rostral basilar apex aneurysm is described. The details of the
      surgical approach and the advantages and limitations of this transcallosal,
      interseptal approach are described.

PMID- 1407444
TI  - Cerebral arteriovenous malformations: factors influencing surgical difficulty and
      outcome.

PMID- 1407445
TI  - Acoustic neurinoma in the elderly: factors predictive of postoperative outcome.
AB  - The authors present the results of acoustic neurinoma surgery in 61 elderly
      patients (age, > or = 65 years). All the patients were operated upon via the
      lateral suboccipital approach. Complete tumor removal was achieved in all but two
      patients. There was no operative mortality. Fifty-seven patients (93%) were
      independent of nursing assistance at the time of discharge from the hospital.
      Preservation of the facial nerve was achieved in 95% of the patients, and hearing
      was preserved in 41%. A risk analysis identified three factors exerting a
      significant influence on the outcome in these cases: the American Society of
      Anesthesiology score, the preoperative Karnofsky score, and the size of the
      tumor. The patients' age was not correlated with the postoperative outcome. These
      results suggest that, in the majority of elderly patients with acoustic tumors,
      complete tumor removal can be achieved safely and with minimal postoperative
      morbidity. Preoperative clinical, neurological, and radiological factors can be
      helpful in the selection of patients for surgical treatment and may predict
      postoperative outcome.

PMID- 1407446
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging of tuberculum sellae meningiomas: preventing
      preoperative misdiagnosis as pituitary macroadenoma.
AB  - Despite recent advances in neurodiagnostic imaging, it may be difficult to
      differentiate tuberculum sellae meningiomas from pituitary macroadenomas
      preoperatively. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has supplanted computed
      tomography as the imaging modality of choice for sellar and parasellar lesions,
      but unenhanced MR imaging does not reliably distinguish between all tuberculum
      sellae meningiomas and pituitary macroadenomas. Accurate differentiation between
      these alternative diagnoses of a suprasellar mass is important because a
      tuberculum sellae meningioma always requires a craniotomy, whereas a
      transsphenoidal route is preferred for removing most pituitary macroadenomas. The
      gadolinium-enhanced MR images of seven patients with tuberculum sellae meningioma
      and seven with pituitary macroadenoma were reviewed retrospectively. Although no
      specific radiological feature was pathognomonic, a combination of several
      features allowed the correct diagnosis in all cases. Three characteristics of
      tuberculum sellae meningiomas distinguish them from pituitary macroadenomas: 1)
      bright homogeneous enhancement with gadolinium, as opposed to heterogeneous,
      relatively poor enhancement; 2) a suprasellar rather than a sellar epicenter of
      tumor; and 3) tapered extension of an intracranial dural base. Each of these
      findings can be subtle, but careful examination of gadolinium-enhanced, high
      quality, thin section coronal and sagittal MR images of the parasellar region for
      this constellation of findings will allow the correct preoperative diagnosis in
      patients with either of these tumors.

PMID- 1407447
TI  - Surgical strategies in the treatment of symptomatic osteomas of the orbital
      walls.
AB  - We present a series of 19 surgically treated osteomas involving the orbital
      walls. Eight were localized at the junction of the frontal sinus and orbital
      roof, three were frontoethmoidal, two were of the orbital roof, one of the
      lateral wall, one of the orbital floor, and four involved all the walls of the
      orbit and were termed panorbital. All tumors at the junction of the frontal sinus
      and the orbital roof as well as those originating from the orbital roof proper
      were removed by frontal craniotomy. In the three that were frontoethmoidal,
      osteotomies were performed. Lateral and inferior orbitotomies were done when the
      corresponding orbital walls were affected. The four panorbital osteomas required
      large frontotemporal craniotomies in association with superolateral orbitotomy
      and zygomatic and/or malar osteotomy, when necessary. Satisfactory cosmetic and
      functional results were obtained in all but two cases of panorbital osteomas, in
      which the neurological deficit worsened after surgery. We discuss the choice of
      the various approaches described, with reference to the relevant literature.

PMID- 1407448
TI  - Treatment and survival of low-grade astrocytoma in adults--1977-1988.
AB  - A retrospective review of the records of the Division of Neuropathology at the
      New York University Medical Center between 1977 and 1988 revealed 53 cases of
      adult supratentorial astrocytomas. Fifty were fibrillary, and three were
      gemistocytic. Two additional patients had pilocytic tumors and were not included
      in the study. The majority of patients had either a subtotal (64%) or gross total
      resection (19%). Biopsy (17%) was performed for deep-seated lesions and for those
      lesions confined to eloquent cortex. Forty-eight patients (91%) received
      postoperative radiation therapy. The median survival was 7 1/4 years with a 5
      year survival of 64%. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that the most
      important prognosticators for improved survival were young age, absence of
      contrast enhancement of the original tumor on computed tomography (CT) and the
      performance status of the patient. Patients with hemispheric tumors died from
      dedifferentiation into an anaplastic astrocytoma or a glioblastoma multiforme,
      with a median time to recurrence of 4.5 years from the original surgery. Survival
      from the time of recurrence was 12 months. Subsequent operations confirmed
      progression towards malignancy in six of seven (86%) recurrent tumors. CT
      contrast enhancement of the original tumor was associated with a 6.8-fold
      increase in risk for later recurrence. Patients with thalamic tumors (six
      patients) had a poor prognosis with a median survival of less than 2 years. A
      review of their CT scans suggest that four died of progressive low-grade disease;
      however, confirmatory autopsy data were available for only one patient. This
      study supports others that have shown improved survival for adult patients with
      astrocytomas treated in the CT era.

PMID- 1407449
TI  - Radiotherapy for pediatric brain stem glioma: radiation dose, response, and
      survival.
AB  - An analysis of 39 patients under 20 years of age with brain stem glioma treated
      with radiotherapy between 1977 and 1991 was undertaken. Twenty-eight (71.2%) of
      the patients responded well to initial radiotherapy, and 11 (28.8%) responded
      poorly. Median survival for the total patient population was 10 months. Response
      rates and median survivals were influenced by radiation dose: 45.5% and 9 months
      at doses less than 4499 cGy (n = 11), 83.3% and 13 months at doses between 4500
      and 5499 cGy (n = 12), 66.7% and 11.5 months at doses between 5500 and 6499 cGy
      (n = 9), and 100% and 10 months at doses more than 6500 cGy (n = 7). Multivariate
      analysis revealed the response to initial radiotherapy was the only predictor of
      survival with radiation doses up to 6499 cGy. Four of the patients who responded
      well demonstrated radiological and/or histological calcification within or around
      the tumor at the time of clinical deterioration. Radiation injury was confirmed
      in two autopsy cases. The possibility that intratumoral radiation injury causes
      clinical deterioration is suggested.

PMID- 1407450
TI  - Pathological status of the mesial temporal lobe predicts memory outcome from left
      anterior temporal lobectomy.
AB  - This investigation tested the hypothesis that the degree of impairment to memory
      function caused by an anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) is inversely related to
      the pathological status of the resected hippocampus. Specifically, the greatest
      risk to postoperative memory function should be to patients with no or minimal
      hippocampal sclerosis, i.e., those with a functional hippocampus. Forty patients
      who underwent a partial resection of the left (n = 21) or right (n = 19) anterior
      temporal lobe were administered tests of immediate and delayed verbal and figural
      memory, both preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. The degree of
      postoperative impairment in memory function was then investigated as a function
      of the degree of hippocampal sclerosis, as determined by a standardized
      procedure. For a left ATL, an absence or mild degree of hippocampal sclerosis was
      associated with significantly greater postoperative impairment of both verbal and
      figural memory, compared with patients with moderate or marked sclerosis. No
      statistically significant relationship was noted for patients who underwent a
      right ATL, but the findings were in the same direction for five of six memory
      measures. It may be possible to predict and avoid surgically induced impairment
      of memory function among patients who undergo left ATL through the use of
      preoperative hippocampal volumetric magnetic resonance imaging. Better clinical
      tests of right hippocampal function are needed to predict the outcome for
      patients who undergo a right ATL.

PMID- 1407451
TI  - Cerebral vasodilation after the thermocoagulation of the trigeminal ganglion in
      humans.
AB  - The resulting changes in the regional cerebral blood flow of 18 patients
      suffering from idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia and treated by selective
      thermocoagulation of the trigeminal ganglion were measured by xenon-133 emission
      tomography. One hour after thermal stimulation, there was an asymmetric increase
      (P < 0.05) in cerebral blood flow, with a 14.7% mean increase in the ipsilateral
      cerebral hemisphere (P < 0.001) and a 12.7% mean increase in the contralateral
      side (P < 0.01). The increase in regional cerebral blood flow was not uniform but
      was most marked in the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery territory (P < 0.001).
      There was a slight decrease in cerebellar blood flow, but the reduction in the
      ipsilateral cerebellar lobe was less than that in the contralateral lobe (P <
      0.01). The topography of the most significant changes coincided with that of the
      innervation of the cerebral vessels by the trigeminal nerve. Several mechanisms
      are involved in the increase in regional cerebral blood flow, including overall
      nonspecific activation of the central nervous system and local mechanisms
      associated with the trigeminal-vascular system.

PMID- 1407452
TI  - Changes in human intracerebral temperature in response to different methods of
      brain cooling.
AB  - The rectal, epidural, and intraventricular temperatures were continuously
      monitored in 10 seriously injured and unconscious patients admitted for
      neurosurgical intensive care. Different attempts were made to lower their brain
      temperatures. Isolated head cooling, whether with frozen liquid (Hypotherm Gel
      Kap; Flexoversal, Hilden, Germany) or a cooling helmet, had very limited effect.
      Nasopharyngeal cooling had no effect. During barbiturate coma, a considerable
      increase in brain temperature was observed. The administration of paracetamol was
      the single most effective method by which to lower brain temperature, at times by
      2 degrees C and usually with a concomitant decrease in the temperature gradient
      between the rectum and the brain. However, in order to achieve a lasting
      reduction of brain temperature to 35 degrees C, we had to use a combination of
      head cooling and intensive whole-body cooling.

PMID- 1407453
TI  - Intraventricular hemorrhage in blunt head trauma: an analysis of 43 cases.
AB  - Before the advent of computed tomography, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) from
      any source was thought rare and invariably fatal. Although intraventricular blood
      is readily identifiable with computed tomography, there has been little
      systematic study of its significance in blunt head trauma. Forty-three patients
      with traumatic IVH were prospectively identified in 1 year at Harborview Medical
      Center (University of Washington). Most were victims of motor vehicle accidents
      and suffered severe head injuries. IVH occurred alone in two patients;
      superficial contusions and subarachnoid hemorrhage were the most common
      associated finding. Blood was present in only one or both lateral ventricles in
      25 patients; only the 3rd or 4th ventricles in 4 and all ventricles in 14
      instances. There were 3 intracerebral hematomas and 14 basal ganglion
      hemorrhages. All of the former and half of the latter communicated with the
      adjacent lateral ventricle. Extra-axial hematomas appeared more common when only
      the lateral ventricles were involved, whereas corpus callosum or brain-stem
      hemorrhage appeared more likely when all the ventricles were involved. Acute
      hydrocephalus was rare, and ventricular drainage was needed in only four cases.
      Intracranial pressure (ICP) was elevated (> 15 mm Hg) in 46% of patients. The
      amount of IVH was related inversely with the Glasgow Coma Scale, but not with
      increased ICP. The presence of IVH indicated a poor outcome, with only half of
      the patients being independent at a 6-month follow-up. Poor outcome was
      associated with increasing age, low admission Glasgow Coma Scale, the presence of
      space occupying lesions if only the lateral ventricles were involved, and
      hemorrhage in all four ventricles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407454
TI  - The education of a neurosurgeon: the two cultures revisited.

PMID- 1407455
TI  - Effect of nicardipine on basilar artery vasoactive responses after subarachnoid
      hemorrhage.
AB  - The effect of the dihydropyridine calcium antagonist, nicardipine, on the
      vasoactive responses of the basilar artery was investigated after subarachnoid
      hemorrhage (SAH). Forty-five rabbits were separated into one control group and
      four groups receiving SAH (nine animals each). The SAH was induced by injecting 5
      ml of autologous arterial blood into the cisterna magna. SAH animals were
      subjected to one of the following: 1) no treatment; 2) intravenous (i.v.) saline
      infusion (vehicle); 3) i.v. infusion of low-dose nicardipine (0.01 mg/kg/hr), or
      4) i.v. infusion of high-dose nicardipine (0.15 mg/kg/hr). The i.v. infusions
      were started immediately after SAH and continued for 48 hours. Serotonin (5-HT)
      (10(-8) to 10(-5) mol/L) was used to evoke dose-dependent vasoconstriction of
      isolated rings of the basilar artery 2 days after SAH. Acetylcholine (ACh) (10(
      8) to 10(-4)) and adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) (10(-8) to 10(-4) mol/L) were
      applied after maximal contraction with 5-HT, evoke a dose-dependent
      vasodilatation. Compared with controls, in animals subjected to SAH serotonin
      caused similar or slightly larger contractions; nicardipine infusion did not
      decrease the amount of contraction observed after SAH. ACh and ATP caused
      significantly less dilatation in animals submitted to SAH than in controls. After
      high-dose nicardipine, ACh- and ATP-induced dilatations were significantly more
      pronounced (57% and 68% of initial contractile tone) than in the other animals
      receiving SAH (36%-39% and 45%-55%, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1407456
TI  - Experimental aspects of cerebrospinal hemodynamics: the relationship between
      blood flow velocity waveform and cerebral autoregulation.
AB  - The dynamic relationships among mean flow velocity, its pulsatile amplitude
      (FVa), cortical cerebral blood flow (CBF), and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP)
      were studied in normal rabbits and rabbits with subarachnoid hemorrhage using 8
      MHz pulsed transcranial Doppler ultrasound and hydrogen clearance under
      conditions of systemic hypotension and intracranial hypertension. A two-slope
      relationship was observed between FVa and CPP with a break point that correlated
      closely with the lower limit of CBF autoregulation in each animal. Below this CPP
      break point, FVa varied directly with CPP, and above the break point FVa varied
      inversely with CPP. In this experimental model, an inverse correlation between
      FVa and CPP indicates intact CBF autoregulation, whereas loss of that correlation
      implies exhaustion of autoregulatory reserve. Simultaneous recording and
      computation of FVa, CPP, and the correlation coefficient between FVa and CPP may
      be a means of monitoring CBF autoregulation in clinical practice.

PMID- 1407457
TI  - Relation between protein kinase C and calmodulin systems in cerebrovascular
      contraction: investigation of the pathogenesis of vasospasm after subarachnoid
      hemorrhage.
AB  - The protein kinase C (PKC) and calmodulin systems each play a role in vascular
      contraction. However, the correlation of these two systems in producing
      contraction has been unclear. To clarify the pathophysiology of vasospasm after
      subarachnoid hemorrhage, the authors demonstrated tonic contraction of the
      cerebral artery in a study of isometric tension, and investigated the correlation
      of the PKC and calmodulin systems in producing the contraction. To develop better
      management for vasospasm, they also examined the effect of calmodulin antagonists
      on tonic contraction. The development of isometric tension in canine basilar
      arteries was measured, with the following results: 1) tonic contraction was
      dependent on the PKC system, but initiation of the contraction by the calmodulin
      system was necessary for the subsequent PKC-dependent tonic contraction; 2)
      specific calmodulin antagonists like chlorpromazine and pimozide partially
      inhibited the tonic contraction associated with PKC activation; 3) another
      calmodulin antagonist, trifluoperazine, inhibited the PKC system as well. On the
      basis of these results, the authors conclude that the PKC system plays a role in
      the development of vasospasm. In the early phase of contraction, the calmodulin
      system contributes to the subsequent fully-activated, PKC-induced tonic
      contraction. To manage vasospasm, a specific calmodulin antagonist would
      therefore not be sufficient. Suppression of both the calmodulin and PKC systems
      with trifluoperazine in the earliest stage of vasospasm is recommended.

PMID- 1407458
TI  - Protein kinase C activity correlates with the growth rate of malignant gliomas:
      Part II. Effects of glioma mitogens and modulators of protein kinase C.
AB  - The proliferation rates of gliomas may be modulated by the protein kinase C (PKC)
      signal transduction system. The present study was undertaken to further examine
      the role of PKC system in growth regulation of gliomas in vitro by measurement of
      PKC activity over various phases of tumor growth and by assessing its potential
      role as a signal transduction system induced by serum mitogens and the known
      glioma mitogens epidermal growth factor and fibroblast growth factor. All human
      glioma lines examined, and the rat glioma C6, displayed high PKC activity
      relative to nonmalignant glial cells, which correlated with their proliferation
      rates over their respective growth phase. Frozen surgical human malignant glioma
      specimens also displayed high PKC activity. The relatively selective PKC
      inhibitor staurosporine (SP) reduced PKC activity and corresponding growth rates
      in a dose-related manner. Stimulation of PKC with phorbol esters under different
      concentrations of serum in the growth medium indicated that the high PKC
      activity, which correlated with their rapid growth rates, is highly susceptible
      to down-regulation by these agents. Epidermal growth factor and fibroblast growth
      factor increased both PKC activity and the growth rate of glioma line A172;
      addition of SP reduced the growth rate to levels observed in SP-treated control
      tumors, indicating that PKC may be a common signal transduction system induced by
      these mitogens. These results implicate PKC as an important signal transduction
      system regulating glioma growth, and offers a potential target for tumor
      inhibition.

PMID- 1407459
TI  - Enhancement of radiosensitivity by tamoxifen in C6 glioma cells.
AB  - The antiestrogen drug tamoxifen, which is used extensively in the treatment of
      breast cancer, has also been reported to inhibit the proliferation of some
      estrogen receptor-negative cell lines, including malignant glioma in vitro. To
      explore the possible role of tamoxifen in the treatment of malignant glioma, we
      have investigated its effects on cell growth and radiosensitivity in C6 glioma
      cells using a colony-forming assay and a tetrazolium-formazan growth rate assay.
      Pretreatment of C6 cells with tamoxifen resulted in dose-dependent inhibition of
      cell growth and enhancement of the antitumor effects of ACNU and irradiation. The
      radiosensitivity of the treated cells was enhanced by the administration of 5
      mumol/L of tamoxifen either before and during irradiation or continuously before,
      during, and after irradiation [37% survival dose (Do) = 2.68 +/- 0.19 and 2.64 +/
      0.04 Gy, respectively, P < 0.01)], as compared with controls (Do = 3.79 +/- 0.25
      Gy). In addition, protein kinase C activity was also inhibited by tamoxifen at
      the concentration in which the radiosensitivity was augmented in C6 cells. Taken
      together, our results demonstrate a synergistic effect of tamoxifen with
      radiation on intracellular damage in C6 glioma cells, which may in part be due to
      the inhibition of protein kinase C, suggesting that tamoxifen serves as a useful
      agent in combination therapy of glioma.

PMID- 1407460
TI  - Measurement of local directional pressures in the brain with mass.
AB  - In order to understand the effects and the direction of pressure transmitted from
      a mass lesion through various brain structures, miniature strain gauges were
      inserted in different brain locations in eight anesthetized monkeys. Mass lesions
      were created by inflating a balloon in either of two locations--subcortical in
      four animals (Group I) and deep (lateral to the caudate nucleus) in the other
      four animals (Group II). Anterior-posterior directed pressures were thus measured
      from a gauge placed in the parietal lobe, and lateromedially directed pressures
      (LM-dPs) were measured from gauges in the temporal lobe and midbrain.
      Intracranial pressure, systemic mean arterial pressure, and cerebral blood flow
      were also monitored. After balloon inflation was begun, temporal changes in
      pressure were recorded from gauges as percentage increase or decrease from
      baseline measurements. In both groups, balloon inflation caused a gradual
      increase in the parietal lobe anterior-posterior directed pressure with a
      concomitant increase in intracranial pressure and a decrease in cerebral blood
      flow. The temporal lobe gauge in Group I recorded an initial negative followed by
      a positive LM-dP with further balloon inflation. In Group II, this gauge recorded
      a positive LM-dP throughout. The midbrain gauges in both groups recorded an
      initial positive followed by a negative LM-dP. This reversal in the direction of
      pressure in the midbrain occurred just before the supratentorial pressure reached
      a peak and was noted to be concurrent with a sudden rise in mean arterial
      pressure and a decline in cerebral blood flow.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407461
TI  - Hemorrhage in a highly vascularized subependymoma of the septum pellucidum: case
      report.
AB  - A 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of loss of memory,
      disorientation, nausea, and urinary incontinence. Cerebral computed tomographic
      and magnetic resonance imaging scans revealed a tumor with intratumoral
      hemorrhage affecting the corpus callosum and the septum pellucidum. A partial
      resection of the tumor was performed, but the patient died the next day from an
      episode of bleeding. Postmortem examination revealed a highly vascularized
      subependymoma with acute bleeding in the tumor and in the surrounding brain
      parenchyma. The importance of considering a highly vascularized subependymoma is
      noted when a tumor related to the ventricular system is diagnosed.

PMID- 1407462
TI  - Anterior third ventricle meningioma in an adolescent: a case report.
AB  - A case of an anterior third ventricular meningioma in a 17-year-old girl is
      presented. Gross total resection of this tumor with minimal morbidity was
      accomplished by transcallosal exposure through a frontal craniotomy. A review of
      the literature implies that surgical morbidity and mortality for the removal of
      third ventricular meningiomas markedly improved with the use of the operating
      microscope. Despite advanced imaging capabilities, radiographic analysis of a
      solid third ventricular mass may not always determine tissue diagnosis. In
      addition, preoperative placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt will treat
      hydrocephalus, but may limit the surgical options for tumor exposure. The
      differential diagnosis for this solid anterior third ventricular mass is
      presented, and the method of treatment for this case is discussed.

PMID- 1407463
TI  - Suprasellar granular cell tumor.
AB  - A case of a suprasellar granular cell tumor, approximately 1.5 cm in diameter, in
      a 68-year-old woman is described. Diagnosis was established postoperatively by
      histopathological examination of the tumor tissue. The preoperative computed
      tomographic scan revealed a slightly hyperdense suprasellar mass with strong
      contrast enhancement. There was no evidence of calcification. The T1-weighted
      image on magnetic resonance imaging scan showed an isointense tumor with non
      homogeneous enhancement after intravenous gadolinium diethylene-triamine
      pentaacetic acid. In the proton-weighted image, the suprasellar mass presented a
      non-homogeneously enhanced signal. A non-homogeneous signal reduction was seen in
      the T2-weighted image.

PMID- 1407464
TI  - Solitary eosinophilic granuloma invading the clivus of an adult: case report.
AB  - A 41-year-old white man with facial pain and diplopia was found to have an
      invasive lesion of the clivus. The final pathological diagnosis was eosinophilic
      granuloma. The patient's symptoms resolved completely after transsphenoidal
      resection of the lesion. The pathological and radiological diagnosis and the
      treatment of solitary eosinophilic granulomas are discussed.

PMID- 1407465
TI  - Spinal epidural angiolipoma: rare or unreported?
AB  - Three cases of spinal epidural angiolipoma, all affecting middle-aged women, are
      reported. Spinal epidural angiolipomas are considered a separate entity from the
      more common lipomas involving the same space. Although these tumors are
      considered very rare, the occurrence of three cases in less than 2 years in the
      same geographical area raises the question of their frequency. The computed
      tomographic scan has been misleading in two of our patients, whereas magnetic
      resonance imaging was highly suggestive. Two of these tumors were apparently
      exceptional, being lumbar and anterior. The patients were admitted with typical
      sciatic symptoms; one tumor eroded the vertebral body. Spinal epidural
      angiolipomas may go unreported because their pathogenetic potential is not fully
      recognized. We suggest that both magnetic resonance imaging and the operating
      microscope should have a more significant place in the evaluation and treatment
      of sciatica.

PMID- 1407466
TI  - "Dolichoectatic" intracranial vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysm.
AB  - We report five patients with intracranial vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysms,
      all of whom had ischemic symptoms. Angiographically, four of the five cases
      revealed distention and elongation of the vertebrobasilar artery like
      dolichoectasia and one irregular stenosis, the so-called "string sign". Magnetic
      resonance imaging disclosed all dolichoectatic dissecting lesions by
      demonstrating intimal flaps, double lumen, or subacute clot in the false lumen.
      We also present a successful demonstration of slow flow in the false lumen by
      gradient refocused magnetic resonance imaging scan with partial flip angle by the
      cardiac gating method. It is suggested that many of the classical
      "dolichoectasia" may include dissecting lesions.

PMID- 1407467
TI  - Carotid cavernous fistula and false aneurysm of the cavernous carotid artery:
      complications of transsphenoidal surgery.
AB  - Injury to the cavernous internal carotid artery is an unusual and serious
      complication of transsphenoidal surgery. Two such patients with injury to the
      carotid artery, referred for endovascular treatment, are reported. The clinical
      course and successful treatment of these patients, one with an intracavernous
      false aneurysm and one with a carotid cavernous fistula, are described. A review
      of these vascular complications of transsphenoidal surgery is presented.

PMID- 1407468
TI  - Cerebral arteriovenous malformations in a pregnancy with twins: case report.
AB  - The natural course of cerebral arteriovenous malformations during pregnancy is
      not well known. An inoperable cerebral arteriovenous malformation was diagnosed
      by angiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging before
      pregnancy and followed by magnetic resonance imaging during pregnancy. No
      significant changes were detected in the size of the cerebral arteriovenous
      malformation during pregnancy, and healthy twins were born by cesarean section.

PMID- 1407469
TI  - Acute bilateral ophthalmoplegia secondary to cavernous sinus metastasis: a case
      report.
AB  - A case of a 60-year-old man with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the colon who
      developed bilateral ophthalmoplegia acutely is presented. Bilateral cavernous
      sinus metastasis was suggested by magnetic resonance imaging and proven by
      endoscopic sphenoidal biopsy. The patient was treated with radiotherapy (2000
      cGy) with near resolution of his symptoms. This patient represents the first
      reported case of acute bilateral ophthalmoplegia resulting from hematogenous
      metastasis to both cavernous sinuses, diagnosed antemortem. A review of the more
      common causes of acute bilateral ophthalmoplegia is presented.

PMID- 1407470
TI  - Bilateral homonymous hemianopsia due to tentorial herniation, with sparing of
      central vision: case report.
AB  - Cases of complete bilateral homonymous hemianopsia with sparing of central vision
      that are caused by bilateral tentorial herniation are extremely rare. We describe
      one such case resulting from severe head trauma, the first to be reported in
      which magnetic resonance images showed clear evidence of the responsible lesion.
      The causes of bilateral homonymous hemianopsia with sparing of central vision and
      the possible mechanisms whereby macular sparing may arise are discussed.

PMID- 1407471
TI  - Positron emission tomography-guided stereotactic brain biopsy.
AB  - We describe a technique that allows target definition for stereotactic brain
      biopsy using coordinates calculated on stereotactic positron emission tomographic
      (PET) images. In this study, PET images were obtained using [18F]-labeled
      fluorodeoxyglucose, a marker for glucose metabolism. The difference between PET
      calculated and actual stereotactic coordinates of simulated targets is within PET
      spatial resolution. Combined computed tomography- and PET-guided stereotactic
      biopsies were performed in 11 patients with brain tumors. In this report, we
      describe two representative patients who underwent stereotactic brain biopsy
      using the present technique. Because of the complementary role of PET and
      computed tomography, their integration in multimodality planning might optimize
      the target selection for stereotactic brain biopsies.

PMID- 1407472
TI  - Ultrasonographic and electrophysiological adjuncts to surgery within the brain
      stem: technical note.
AB  - The surgical approach to intrinsic lesions within the brain stem is undertaken by
      the surgeon knowing the potential for significant operative morbidity. We report
      the use of real-time intraoperative ultrasound and electrophysiological mapping
      techniques to aid in the localization and resection of an intrinsic brain-stem
      tumor in a child. These techniques permitted an aggressive surgical approach
      without encountering adverse postoperative neurological sequelae.

PMID- 1407473
TI  - Intradural extramedullary cavernous angioma: case report.

PMID- 1407474
TI  - Neurological features of cranial vault lymphomas: report of two cases.

PMID- 1407475
TI  - Preoperative diagnosis of an extradural cyst arising from a spinal facet joint:
      case report.

PMID- 1407476
TI  - Prophylactic hypervolemia without calcium channel blockers in early aneurysm
      surgery.

PMID- 1407478
TI  - Electroconvulsive therapy-induced cortisol release after dexamethasone in
      depression.
AB  - ECT-induced cortisol release was distinctly seen, and fell along a course of ECT
      in each of 12 inpatient male melancholics (p = 0.00024, binomial), with
      dexamethasone given to diminish the elevated baseline cortisol levels typically
      seen in depression. Cortisol release dropped on average by 55% (p = 0.015), from
      16.6 +/- 6.8 micrograms/dl (p = 0.000002) with the first ECT to 8.0 +/- 7.7
      micrograms/dl (p = 0.000003) after 6 or more ECTs. The fall along the course was
      larger with unilateral ECT than bilateral ECT (p = 0.042), although significant
      regardless of electrode placement, suggesting that unilateral ECT tends to lose
      therapeutic impact along a course in comparison to bilateral ECT.

PMID- 1407477
TI  - Effect of plasma from premenstrual syndrome and control patients on human
      platelet and rat brain synaptosome monoamine oxidase B activity.
AB  - The present study determined the kinetic properties of platelet monoamine oxidase
      (MAO) in patients with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and control subjects during
      the pre- and postmenstrual intervals. In addition, we investigated the effects of
      plasma obtained during the pre- and postmenstrual intervals from both subject
      groups on MAO activity in washed human platelets and rat brain synaptosomes. The
      Vmax of platelet MAO in postmenstrual PMS patients was significantly less than
      that during the premenstrual phase. Plasma from both subject groups (10-100
      microliters) inhibited platelet and synaptosomal MAO in a dose-dependent manner
      to approximately the same degree at each time interval. The results indicate that
      although human plasma contains endogenous substances which inhibit MAO activity,
      alterations in their concentration are probably not responsible for the
      previously reported transient changes in platelet MAO activity in PMS.

PMID- 1407479
TI  - Residual effects of repeated administration of triazolam and nitrazepam in
      healthy volunteers.
AB  - The residual effects of hypnotics were investigated with a long-acting
      (nitrazepam) and a short-acting (triazolam) benzodiazepine hypnotic in 8 male
      volunteers. Subjects received placebo, nitrazepam 5 mg, or triazolam 0.25 mg for
      7 consecutive nights in a random-order, double-blind crossover design. Daytime
      sleepiness, psychomotor performance, EEG activity and standing steadiness were
      assessed in the morning after 1, 4, and 7 days of drug treatment. Plasma
      concentrations of nitrazepam and triazolam were also assayed. The concentration
      of nitrazepam increased gradually during the course of treatment and was
      associated with residual sedative effects on days 4 and 7. Nitrazepam produced no
      apparent psychomotor impairments in these studies. On the other hand, there was
      no evidence of drug accumulation after triazolam administration and triazolam
      showed no residual sedative effects or residual impairment of psychomotor
      performance during the experiment. Thus, short-acting hypnotics may have an
      advantage over long-acting hypnotics in terms of producing less residual sedative
      effects during chronic treatment.

PMID- 1407480
TI  - Clinical safety and efficacy of tianeptine in 1,858 depressed patients treated in
      general practice.
AB  - 1,927 outpatients were included by 392 general practitioners in an open study in
      order to evaluate the safety of tianeptine in the ambulatory treatment of
      depression. The results of 1,858 depressed patients without melancholia and
      psychotic features, fulfilling DSM III criteria of Major Depressive Episode or
      Dysthymic Disorder, could be analysed. 1,458 patients completed the 3-month
      treatment period. The group treated with 37.5 mg/day of tianeptine showed
      improvement on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale. With regard to the
      clinical tolerance of tianeptine, somatic complaints were rarely reported and
      adverse events necessitating premature termination of treatment (4.8% of included
      patients) were without clinical severity. Cardiovascular, haematologic, hepatic
      and biochemical safety were verified. No signs of dependence and no specific
      withdrawal symptoms were found after discontinuation of treatment.

PMID- 1407481
TI  - Selective effects of colds and influenza on human performance efficiency: a
      critical appraisal.
AB  - This paper provides an appraisal of the results published from the MRC Common
      Cold Unit on human performance efficiency during minor upper respiratory tract
      infection, i.e., colds and influenza. Despite strict controls employed in the
      methods of data collection, the robustness of the results and some of the
      conclusions drawn are questioned. In particular, the claim that colds and
      influenza lead to selective (and different) effects is criticised as being based
      on incomplete data. The lack of replication, the small sample sizes, possible
      response biases and use of controls are considered. Overall, it is argued that
      there are insufficient data to provide conclusive evidence for selective effects
      and that over-generalisation from such studies can be misleading.

PMID- 1407483
TI  - Effects of age on event-related potentials in chronic alcoholics: a multimodal
      study.
AB  - To test different versions of the premature aging hypothesis in alcoholics,
      brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs), long-latency auditory evoked
      potentials (LAEPs), P3 and visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were recorded in 32
      alcoholic subjects. The phenomena in patients' event-related potentials (ERPs)
      differ from those observed in normal aging subjects and become more pronounced
      with age. ANOVA showed a significant effect by group (alcoholic
      patients/controls) on certain parameters of BAEPs (III, III-V, I-V), VEPs (P100
      latency) and LAEPs (N1-P2 amplitude and N2 latency) unaffected by age, while age
      had a significant effect on some parameters of LAEPs (N2-P3 amplitude, P3
      latency) unaffected, or less affected by chronic alcohol consumption. At a
      clinical level, abnormalities in BAEPs and VEPs seem good early trouble indices
      in alcoholic patients, while alterations in latencies and amplitudes of LAEPs
      appear in older patients. These data seem to be in favor of a critical age or
      critical abuse in the action of alcohol, in place of the classical hypothesis of
      premature aging.

PMID- 1407482
TI  - Cognitive and psychomotor function during severe insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in
      insulin-dependent diabetic patients.
AB  - Cognitive and psychomotor function, hormonal counterregulation and symptom
      awareness during severe insulin-induced hypoglycaemia were evaluated in 10
      insulin-dependent diabetic patients. The glucose-clamp technique (Biostator) was
      applied to achieve a stable hypoglycaemic (39 +/- 2 mg/dl) plateau. A battery of
      7 neuropsychological tests and a standardized questionnaire assessing
      hypoglycaemia symptoms were administered during euglycaemia and hypoglycaemia.
      There was a significant increase in counterregulatory hormone response (cortisol,
      growth hormone, p less than 0.05). Every patient experienced symptoms during
      severe hypoglycaemia. Four patients, however, were not aware of this threatening
      metabolic state. There was a significant performance decrement in all but two
      neuropsychological tests (Aiming Center I, Aiming Center II, Line Tracing Errors,
      Reaction Time, p less than 0.01; Digit Symbol, p less than 0.05). Performance of
      simple motor tasks as well as cognitive tasks requiring complex discrimination
      deteriorated similarly. Furthermore, the patients' general well-being (subjective
      condition) worsened considerably. In conclusion, a significant impairment of
      neuropsychological functions emerged during severe hypoglycaemia in insulin
      dependent diabetes mellitus, even in the face of adequate hormonal
      counterregulation, and did not always coincide with an appropriate patient
      awareness of the actual metabolic state.

PMID- 1407484
TI  - Strange attractors, chaotic behavior and informational aspects of sleep EEG data.
AB  - In order to perform a nonlinear dimensional analysis of the sleep EEG, we applied
      an algorithm proposed to calculate the correlation dimension D2 of different
      sleep stages. D2 characterizes the dynamics of the sleep EEG, estimates the
      degrees of freedom, and describes the complexity of the signal under study. An
      attempt is made to correlate dimensionality analysis and informational aspects of
      the sleep EEG. Information processing by the brain during different sleep stages
      of healthy subjects under the influence of lorazepam and in unmedicated acute
      schizophrenics is estimated.

PMID- 1407485
TI  - Componential analysis of problem-solving ability: performance of patients with
      frontal lobe damage and amnesic patients on a new sorting test.
AB  - A new sorting task designed to isolate and measure specific components of problem
      solving ability was administered to four subject groups: patients with focal
      frontal lobe lesions, patients with both frontal dysfunction and amnesia
      (Korsakoff's syndrome), patients with circumscribed (non-Korsakoff) amnesia, and
      normal control subjects. The patients with circumscribed (non-Korsakoff) amnesia,
      and normal control subjects. The patients with frontal lobe lesions and patients
      with Korsakoff's syndrome were impaired on eight of the nine components of the
      task. The findings run counter to theories of a single or primary impairment in
      patients with frontal lobe dysfunction. Rather, the results suggest that a wide
      spectrum of deficits in abstract thinking, cognitive flexibility, and use of
      knowledge to regulate behavior contributes to the problem-solving impairment of
      these patients. Although the (non-Korsakoff) amnesic patients performed similarly
      to normal subjects on most measures, a finer analysis suggested that successful
      performance on this complex sorting task, in addition to being strongly dependent
      upon frontal lobe function, is mildly dependent upon memory function.

PMID- 1407486
TI  - Letter matching in the hemispheres: speed-accuracy trade-offs.
AB  - Eight subjects performed physical and nominal letter-matching tasks for pairs of
      letters presented in the left, right, or central visual fields, using a unimanual
      two-choice response-time paradigm. Latencies were manipulated by using a cued
      response procedure, and speed-sensitivity and speed-bias functions were
      calculated separately for each of the peripheral visual field by response hand
      conditions. Hemispheric contributions to these tasks were investigated by looking
      for evidence of exclusive specialization and callosal transfer. The results
      suggest that both hemispheres are able to perform the tasks and that they do so
      using similar processing strategies, but they differ in the response-choice stage
      of the nominal identity task.

PMID- 1407488
TI  - Revisiting the oddball paradigm. Non-target vs neutral stimuli and the evaluation
      of ERP attentional effects.
AB  - We recorded topographic mapping of auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) to
      homogeneous series of tones delivered in the absence of any cognitive task
      ("neutral condition") and compared them with responses to identical stimuli when
      they acted as non-targets in an oddball paradigm. With respect to the neutral
      condition, non-target responses showed an increase in N100 amplitude which was
      found to depend on two different, but partially overlapping effects. The "early
      effect" had similar latency and topography as exogenous N100 and may reflect
      changes in the overall state of alertness since its amplitude declined at the end
      of the test. The "late effect" affected the N100s descending slope and had
      features consistent with those of a processing negativity. It was frontally
      distributed, and topographic mapping revealed a right-sided predominance.
      Finally, non-target responses exhibited a central positivity (P250) which did not
      appear in neutral AEPs. P250 shares several features, including latency,
      amplitude and scalp topography, with the endogenous ERP component commonly
      labelled "P3a". Non-target P250 could be the result of an attentional shift
      towards the stimuli, and reflect some aspects of the classification process. We
      suggest that non-target responses in simple oddball paradigms should be routinely
      studied along with target responses in order to improve the diagnostic
      capabilities of cognitive ERPs. Notably, non-target responses may help to decide
      whether an abnormal target-P300 is related or not to a deficit in the
      mobilization of attentional resources.

PMID- 1407487
TI  - Troubled reaching after right occipito-temporal damage.
AB  - We encountered a man with an unusual reaching disturbance due to a stroke in the
      right occipito-temporal cortex and subjacent white matter. We studied his
      behavior in detail including vision and hand control. He had a left homonymous
      hemianopia. In his remaining fields static visual acuity and stereoacuity were
      normal, but he could not detect a coherent motion signal or follow moving targets
      with smooth pursuit. Transduction of limb movements using an optoelectronic
      technique showed abnormal morphology, increased variability and markedly
      prolonged latencies for transport to external visual targets, yet he achieved
      these targets with precision. Reaching to self-bound targets, and to the
      remembered locations of external targets with vision blocked was 5 x faster. The
      findings may be explained by: (1) damage in regions homologous to areas TF and TH
      in the monkey, which provide visual inputs to hand and forelimb representations
      in the cortex; (2) injury in human regions homologous to the monkey's MT complex,
      with inability to use visual information on the movement of the limb due to a
      visual motion processing defect; and (3) disruption of visual cortical
      subcortical connections mediating crucial transformations among limb and target
      representations.

PMID- 1407489
TI  - Orienting of auditory spatial attention: effects of a lateralized tone cue.
AB  - Mondor and Bryden [8] (Neuropsychologia 29, 1179-1190, 1991) reported that the
      normal Right Ear Advantage for the identification of verbal material presented
      dichotically could be largely eliminated if subjects were cued to attend to and
      report from only one ear on each trial. In these experiments, the ear to be
      attended was cued by presentation of a tone to that ear only prior to each
      dichotic trial. The present series of studies were undertaken to determine
      whether this lateralized tone cue exerted its effect by orienting attention or by
      alerting the subject of the forthcoming trial. Results revealed that for both the
      right and left ears the facilitating effect of the cue was dependent on the
      accuracy of the location information it conveyed. Thus, the precueing technique
      originally employed by Mondor and Bryden as a means of controlling the
      contribution of attention to ear advantages was validated. It is concluded that
      the precueing technique provides a powerful means for specification of the extent
      to which attentional factors and hemispheric functional capabilities contribute
      to ear asymmetries.

PMID- 1407490
TI  - Direction of lateral eye movements as an index of cognitive mode and emotion: a
      reappraisal.
AB  - Three experiments were designed to determine the effects of cognitive and
      emotional questions on subjective ratings, lateral eye movement (LEM) incidence
      and LEM direction. Although the cognitive content of questions affected
      subjective ratings and the incidence of LEMs, emotional content had an effect
      only on subjective ratings. Neither cognitive nor emotional content influenced
      LEM direction. The results raise doubts about the sensitivity of LEM direction as
      an index of lateralized cerebral processing.

PMID- 1407491
TI  - Right hemisphere advantage for social recognition in the chick.
AB  - Recognition of familiar and unfamiliar conspecifics was studied in pair-reared
      chicks tested binocularly or with only one eye in use. Chicks were tested on day
      3 in pairs composed of either cagemates or strangers. Social discrimination, as
      measured by the ratio "number of pecks at the strangers/total number of pecks"
      was impaired in right-eyed chicks with respect to left-eyed and binocular chicks.
      Male chicks showed higher levels of social pecking than females, and chicks that
      used both eyes showed higher pecking than monocular chicks. There were no
      significant differences in the total number of pecks (i.e. pecks at companions
      plus pecks at strangers) between right- and left-eyed chicks: the impairment in
      social discrimination of right-eyed chicks seemed to be due partly to a reduction
      in pecking at strangers and partly to an increase in pecking at companions. It is
      suggested that neural structures fed by the left eye (mainly located at the right
      hemisphere) are better at processing and/or storing of visual information which
      allows recognition of individual conspecifics. This may be part of a wider
      tendency to respond to small changes in any of a variety of intrinsic stimulus
      properties.

PMID- 1407492
TI  - A comparison of normal old rats and young adult rats with lesions to the
      hippocampus or prefrontal cortex on a test of matching-to-sample.
AB  - Rats with lesions to the dorsal hippocampus (HPC) or prefrontal cortex (PFC),
      normal old rats, and young adult controls were compared on a test of matching-to
      sample. Subjects were presented with two lights in succession and were trained to
      press a lever when the lights were the same brightness and withhold a lever-press
      when they were different. The PFC and aged groups, but not the HPC group, were
      impaired when the comparison stimulus was presented immediately after the sample
      stimulus. When delays of 5 and 15 sec were introduced between the stimuli, the
      HPC and aged groups' performance deteriorated to chance levels. The PFC group's
      performance was not differentially affected by the delays. The results were
      consistent with previous findings that implicated the HPC in episodic memory and
      the PFC in working memory. The aged group was impaired on both types of memory,
      revealing signs of HPC and PFC dysfunction.

PMID- 1407493
TI  - Perception of optical flow in cortical blindness: a case report.
AB  - Motion perception was studied in a subject with bilateral lesion of the visual
      cortex, involving severe damage to cortical areas V1 and V4, but with no apparent
      damage to visual associative areas situated in occipito-parietal and lateral
      occipito-temporal (presumably V5) zones. He was able to perceive optical flow
      motions simulating motion in depth in "blind" parts of his visual field, provided
      that the stimulus-onset was temporally dissociated from its motion. Moreover, he
      was able to discriminate between different velocities and directions of motion.
      The results suggest that perimetrically "blind" parts of the visual field in this
      patient have true capacities to process visual motion. They are discussed in
      reference to the subject's ability to move freely in his environment and in
      reference to the role of extrastriate visual pathways in visual motion
      processing.

PMID- 1407494
TI  - Pseudoneglect and reversed pseudoneglect among left-handers and right-handers.
AB  - Two experiments were carried out to examine specific hand contribution to
      pseudoneglect and reversed pseudoneglect phenomena in dextrals and sinistrals
      when bisection tasks were conducted exclusively in the midline spatial condition.
      Both dextrals and sinistrals showed the same overall pattern deviation: in the
      tactile scanning task, both right and left hands deviated to the left of the
      midpoint and in the kinesthetic scanning tasks, the right hand deviated to the
      left and the left hand to the right of the midpoint. However, when these
      deviations were tested against zero (i.e. the objective midpoint) clear
      differences appeared related to hand, task and handedness. These results were
      discussed with respect to "enhancement theory".

PMID- 1407495
TI  - Cognitive flexibility and mental programming after closed head injuries and
      anterior or posterior cerebral excisions.
AB  - Cognitive inflexibility and deficient mental programming are specifically related
      to frontal lobe lesions. The aim was to demonstrate that closed head injury (CHI)
      patients with brain lesions verified by computed tomography have such cognitive
      deficits, and are inferior in these respects to patients with posterior cerebral
      excisions mainly for tumours. This hypothesis was confirmed using a Category
      Identification and Sorting test as well as a measure of mental programming in a
      Spatial Learning task. Furthermore, CHI patients who had non-frontal parenchymal
      lesions were inferior by these measures to patients with posterior excisions.
      This result suggests that diffuse axonal lesion in CHI causes the deficits
      similar to those following frontal lobe excision.

PMID- 1407496
TI  - Learning and retention of melodic and verbal information after unilateral
      temporal lobectomy.
AB  - The role of the temporal lobes in auditory memory was tested in two analogous
      tasks assessing learning and 24-hr delayed recognition of unfamiliar melodies and
      nonsense words. The performance of patients with either anterior right (RT) or
      left (LT) temporal lobectomy was impaired in learning and delayed recognition of
      both melodies and words, as compared to normal control subjects, although some
      preserved learning over successive trials was observed. These results suggest a
      bilateral temporal-lobe contribution to the learning of these auditory patterns.
      However, melodies and nonsense words were not recognized in the same way by the
      two patient groups after 24 hr: subjects in the LT group tended to improve on
      melodies but drop on words, whereas subjects with RT lesions displayed the
      reverse pattern, suggesting a differential role for each temporal lobe in long
      term memory, according to the nature of the cues inherent to a given type of
      stimulus.

PMID- 1407497
TI  - Right hemisphere specialization for the identification of emotional words and
      sentences: evidence from stroke patients.
AB  - This study examines the contribution of the lexical/verbal channel to emotional
      processing in 16 right brain-damaged (RBD), 16 left brain-damaged (LBD) and 16
      normal control (NC) right-handed adults. Emotional lexical perception tasks were
      developed; analogous nonemotional tasks were created to control for cognitive and
      linguistic factors. The three subject groups were matched for gender, age and
      education. The brain-damaged groups were similar with respect to cerebrovascular
      etiology, months post-onset, sensory-motor status and lesion location. Parallel
      emotional and nonemotional tasks included word identification, sentence
      identification and word discrimination. For both word tasks, RBDs were
      significantly more impaired than LBDs and NCs in the emotional condition. For all
      three tasks, RBDs showed a significantly greater performance discrepancy between
      emotional and nonemotional conditions than did LBDs or NCs. Results were not
      affected by the valence (i.e. positive/negative) of the stimuli. These findings
      suggest a dominant role for the right hemisphere in the perception of lexically
      based emotional stimuli.

PMID- 1407498
TI  - Opposite hemispheric activations as a result of emotionally threatening and non
      threatening words.
AB  - Twenty right-handed males participated in a tachistoscopic unilateral letter
      recognition task with three conditions. In the control condition, each trial
      consisted of three consonants that were flashed horizontally to the left or to
      the right visual field. In the threat and non-threat conditions, each lateral
      three-letter presentation was preceded by an emotionally threatening or non
      threatening word presented in central fixation. Across conditions, subjects
      identified more letters correctly in the right visual field than in the left
      visual field. The concurrent presentation of threatening words resulted in a
      selective enhancement of left visual-field performances. The concurrent
      presentation of non-threatening words resulted in a selective right visual-field
      enhancement. Our conclusion is that threatening stimuli prime the right
      hemisphere and can alter predicted laterality patterns.

PMID- 1407499
TI  - Role of the lateral and medial hypothalamus in the reproduction of alimentary and
      defensive instrumental reactions.
AB  - It was established in experiments on two dogs that a test electrical stimulation
      of the lateral hypothalamus reproduces an instrumental movement in the case of a
      developed alimentary instrumental CR to a tone and does not reproduce it in the
      case of a developed acid defensive instrumental CR. In the case of an electrical
      stimulation of the medial hypothalamus, the instrumental movement is essentially
      not reproduced, either in the alimentary or the defensive situations. The
      appearance of the instrumental movement with electro-stimulation of the LH in the
      alimentary situation is associated with activation of the backward conditioned
      connection from the motivational "alimentary" center of the LH to the
      representation of this movement in the motor cortex.

PMID- 1407500
TI  - Statistical analysis of the functional connections between the neurons of the
      visual and motor cortex in different forms of conditioned reflex behavior.
AB  - The organization of interneuronal cortical connections was studied in experiments
      on cats with the development of delayed alimentary instrumental reflexes in
      response to light. The dynamics of the intra- and interstructural neuronal
      network at the level of the cortical projection (visual and motor) zones of the
      cat brain in three forms of behavior was revealed through a cross correlation
      analysis: the realization of the CR, in the intersignal period with the presence
      and absence of instrumental movements. The predominance of "informational" or
      "motivational" neuronal connections was observed depending upon the forms of the
      behavior.

PMID- 1407501
TI  - Content of norepinephrine and serotonin in symmetrical divisions of the brain of
      rats in the norm during learning and with the administration of peptides.
AB  - The content of norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-HT) in the right and left
      halves of the brain of rats was compared in the norm, during the development of
      defensive two-way avoidance conditioned reflexes (TWACR), and with the
      administration of peptides which influence learning and memory, namely desglycine
      arginine vasopressin (DG-AVP), ACTH4-7 pro-gly-pro, and dalargin. These
      investigations demonstrated that the content of NE in the right cerebral
      hemisphere is significantly higher than in the cortex of the left. Significant
      differences were not detected with respect to the 5-HT content in symmetrical
      parts of the brain. The asymmetry of the NE content was eliminated under the
      influence of the development of the TWACR. The systemic administration of DG-AVP,
      ACTH4-7 pro-gly-pro, and dalargin essentially did not alter the 5-HT content, and
      decreased the NE content in the cortex and in the rest of the brain. In the
      process the NE content of the right and left hemisphere evened out. The data
      obtained point to the asymmetrical character of the action of the neuropeptides
      and to the greater resistance of the serotoninergic system of the brain to a
      functional load and the administration of peptides by comparison with the
      noradrenergic system.

PMID- 1407502
TI  - Development of auditory sensitivity of altricial birds: absolute thresholds of
      the generation of evoked potentials.
AB  - The thresholds of the generation of EP in the L field of two to nine day old pied
      flycatcher nestlings in response to monotonal bursts of varied frequency were
      investigated. The entire range of auditory sensitivity was divided into three
      channels on the basis of the character of the age-related dynamics of the
      thresholds (two to nine days of life): low-frequency (0.3-1.6 kHz), middle- (1.5
      4.0 kHz), and high-frequency (5.0-8.0 kHz). Widening of the auditory range in the
      direction of high frequencies on the 4th to 5th days of nest life was
      demonstrated. It was shown that the development of auditory sensitivity continues
      in all three channels in the post-embryonic period (two to nine days after
      hatching), and that each of these is characterized by its own thresholds time
      course.

PMID- 1407503
TI  - Reinforcing effect of stimulation of the mesocerebral region of the brain of the
      edible snail.
AB  - Two regions of the brain of the edible snail were stimulated. The spontaneous
      movements, either opening or closing, of the opening of the mantle cavity served
      as the signal for the stimulation. The stimulation of the region of the
      mesocerebrum of the edible snail in a semi-intact preparation may serve as a
      positive reinforcement of intercurrent behavior, while stimulation of the rostral
      portion of the parietal ganglia may serve as a negative reinforcement. Depending
      upon whether the movement itself or its absence is reinforced, the change in the
      intercurrent behavior may change sign.

PMID- 1407504
TI  - Impulse activity of neurons of the parietal associative cortex in conditioned
      instrumental food-procuring behavior of cats.

PMID- 1407505
TI  - Dynamic reorganization of the central program of precision instrumental movements
      in cats.

PMID- 1407506
TI  - Reactions of neurons of the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus to the
      stimulation of peripheral nerves.
AB  - The reactions of neurons of the associative mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus
      to a solitary stimulation of the radial, sciatic, and splanchnic nerves were
      studied in conditions of an acute experiment in anesthetized and immobilized
      cats. There were 91.85, 90.56, and 81.35% reactive neurons, respectively. They
      were mainly concentrated in the parvocellular division of the nucleus. A high
      degree of convergence (82.6%) of somatic and visceral signals was found and their
      interaction was of the reciprocal blocking type.

PMID- 1407507
TI  - Changes associated with the organization of motor acts in the on-going frequency
      of the discharges of neurons of subcortical structures of the human brain.
AB  - The impulse activity of subcortical structures was recorded in 16 parkinsonian
      patients (six women) using deep electrodes implanted in the strio-pallido
      thalamic system on the basis of treatment and diagnostic indications. The
      patients voluntarily participated in four psychological tests. Two groups of
      pallidal and thalamic neuronal populations (neuronal populations associated with
      the response and associated with the stimulus, containing 25% each out of the
      total number of neuronal populations recorded) were classified on the basis of
      evoked changes in on-going frequency in the motoric version of the odd ball test.
      Some of the neuronal populations associated with the response reacted primarily
      during counting, some during the naming of the stimulus, and some during button
      pressing.

PMID- 1407508
TI  - Descending neuronal projections to the lumbar division of the cat spinal cord.

PMID- 1407509
TI  - Perception and experience of time by patients with depression in manic-depressive
      psychosis and attack-like schizophrenia.

PMID- 1407510
TI  - Modules of cortical neurons and their "self-assembly".
AB  - The data we have by now accumulated on the cytoarchitectonics of the cerebral
      cortex, as well as published data, suggest that some of the neurons are
      structurally combined into compact clusters (ensembles, blocks), and that the
      majority of them participate in the construction of these clusters by directing
      the terminal branches of their axons to them. The collaterals of projection,
      associative, and callosal nerve cells, as well as the axons of interneurons which
      accomplish local interneuronal closures, can combine individual elements of the
      ensembles into a unified morphofunctional system. The collaterals of the axons of
      a block of neurons spread divergently to neurons disposed along the perimeter,
      while the axons of the latter converge reciprocally to the neurons of the
      cluster, forming a maximum (focus) of the arborization of the axonal terminals
      there; this makes it possible actively to isolate modules of nerve cells by
      accomplishing their self-assembly.

PMID- 1407511
TI  - Conditioned avoidance reflex and intersignal movements: interrelationship of
      cardiac and motor components.
AB  - The correlation of the heart rate (HR), of a conditioned motoric reaction, and
      intersignal movements was studied during the development of a conditioned reflex
      (CR) of avoidance using V.P. Petropavlovskii's methods. The level of defensive
      motivation, assessed on the basis of the magnitude of changes in HR was maximal
      against the background of a firmly developed CR during the course of the latent
      period of the conditioned motoric reaction. A sharp decrease in the level of
      defensive excitation took place against the background of the latter, expressed
      in the prolonged holding of the extremity in place in the safety zone (height of
      rise 5-10 cm, guaranteeing the avoidance of electrodermal stimulation of the
      extremity). Intersignal movements of two types were described: the first in the
      form of phasic flexions; the second repeats the conditioned motoric reaction of
      the holding of the extremity in place. A reduction in defensive excitation took
      place against the background of the latter, like that which took place during the
      elevation of the extremity against the background of the combination.

PMID- 1407512
TI  - Infratemporal alveolar soft part sarcoma: CT, MRI and angiographic findings.
AB  - The imaging features of a rare alveolar soft part sarcoma found in a 44-year-old
      female are presented. Although the tumor showed hypervascularity by angiography,
      CT and MRI suggested slow growth. Despite this relatively benign appearance,
      alveolar soft part sarcoma is one of the most malignant sarcomas.

PMID- 1407514
TI  - Intraparenchymal blood-fluid levels in traumatic intracerebral haematomas.
AB  - Blood-fluid levels within the cerebral parenchyma are observed more frequently on
      CT and MRI in traumatic intracerebral haematomas than in those of other
      aetiologies. The intraparenchymal blood-fluid interface can be formed without a
      fluid cavity. It is suggested that the blood-fluid levels represent layering of
      red blood cells within areas of contusion necrosis as well as extensive contusion
      oedema. The more extensive the damage to brain tissue, the more often blood-fluid
      levels formed. A poorer outcome can be therefore predicted when an
      intraparenchymal blood-fluid interface is seen.

PMID- 1407513
TI  - Pulsatile brain movement and associated hydrodynamics studied by magnetic
      resonance phase imaging. The Monro-Kellie doctrine revisited.
AB  - Brain tissue movements were studied in axial, sagittal and coronal planes in 15
      healthy volunteers, using a gated spin echo MRI sequence. All movements had
      characteristics different from those of perfusion and diffusion. The highest
      velocities occurred during systole in the basal ganglia (maximum 1.0 mm/s) and
      brain stem (maximum 1.5 mm/s). The movements were directed caudally, medially and
      posteriorly in the basal ganglia, and caudally-anteriorly in the pons. Caudad and
      anterior motion increased towards the foramen magnum and towards the midline. The
      resultant movement occurred in a funnel-shaped fashion as if the brain were
      pulled by the spinal cord. This may be explained by venting of brain and
      cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through the tentorial notch and foramen magnum. The
      intracranial volume is assumed to be always constant by the Monro-Kellie
      doctrine. The intracranial dynamics can be viewed as an interplay between the
      spatial requirements of four main components: arterial blood, capillary blood
      (brain volume), venous blood and CSF. These components could be characterized,
      and the expansion of the arteries and the brain differentiated, by applying the
      Monro-Kellie doctrine to every moment of the cardiac cycle. The arterial
      expansion causes a re-moulding of the brain that enables its piston-like action.
      The arterial expansion creates the prerequisites for the expansion of the brain
      by venting CSF to the spinal canal. The expansion of the brain is, in turn,
      responsible for compression of the ventricular system and hence for the
      intraventricular flow of CSF.

PMID- 1407515
TI  - Corpus callosum lesions after closed head injury in children: MRI, clinical
      features and outcome.
AB  - Thirty-four children who sustained moderate to severe closed head injury
      underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Eight (24%) had MRI evidence of
      corpus callosum injury, most commonly within the posterior body and splenium. In
      contradistinction to reports in adults, there was no definite relationship
      between callosal injury and lower initial Glasgow Coma Scale scores, nor was
      there a significantly higher incidence of primary brain-stem lesions, diffuse
      axonal shear injury or intraventricular hemorrhage. In none of these 8 children
      did the initial admission computed tomography show evidence of callosal injury.
      Callosal injuries on MRI are not necessarily a poor prognostic finding, the
      majority of the 8 children showing good functional recovery.

PMID- 1407516
TI  - MRI and SPECT findings in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Demonstration of upper
      motor neurone involvement by clinical neuroimaging.
AB  - MRI was performed in 21 patients and single photon emission computed tomography
      (SPECT) with N-isopropyl-p-123I iodoamphetamine in 16 patients, to visualize
      upper motor neurone lesions in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. T2-weighted MRI
      revealed high signal along the course of the pyramidal tract in the internal
      capsule and cerebral peduncle in 4 of 21 patients. SPECT images were normal in 4
      patients, but uptake was reduced in the cerebral cortex that includes the motor
      area in 11.

PMID- 1407517
TI  - MRI in the early stage of Tay-Sachs disease.

PMID- 1407519
TI  - MRI demonstration of midbrain deformity in association with Chiari malformation.
AB  - The differentiation of Chiari malformation from intrinsic brainstem neoplasm in
      adults can be difficult. We report three patients presenting with brainstem
      signs, in whom midbrain abnormality was detected on computed tomography and
      interpreted as evidence of intrinsic tumour. Subsequent investigation by magnetic
      resonance imaging revealed evidence of Chiari I malformation in all three cases
      and a syrinx in two. The association of Chiari I with deformity of the midbrain
      or pons has not been described previously.

PMID- 1407518
TI  - Serial MRI in Fukuyama type congenital muscular dystrophy.
AB  - Serial MRI of the brain of a female infant with Fukuyama type congenital muscular
      dystrophy (FCMD) is presented. Initial MRI revealed diffuse abnormal signal in
      the cerebral white matter extending peripherally. On follow-up studies, the
      abnormal signals disappeared or decreased from the posterior to anterior, and
      from central to peripheral. These changes in signal intensity correlate well with
      the process of myelination as demonstrated in histochemical studies. It appears
      that the abnormal signals in FCMD are caused by delayed myelination. When
      abnormal signal intensity is seen in the cerebral white matter of a
      developmentally delayed infant, serial MRI may be used to follow the course of
      the illness.

PMID- 1407520
TI  - Pericallosal lipoma extending through the choroidal fissure: US/CT/MRI
      correlation.
AB  - Choroid plexus lipomas (CPL) are known to be associated with pericallosal lipomas
      (lipomas of the corpus callosum--LCC). Twenty-six cases have previously been
      reported. Approximately half of these lipomas are connected via the choroidal
      fissure (LCC-CPL); this connection is almost always bilateral. We present an
      unusual unilaterally connected LCC-CPL in a neonate.

PMID- 1407521
TI  - Supracerebellar arachnoid cyst and reversible tonsillar herniation: magnetic
      resonance imaging and pathophysiological considerations.
AB  - A large supracerebellar arachnoid cyst was associated with herniation of the
      cerebellar tonsils and deformity of the cervicomedullary junction in an adult.
      Magnetic resonance imaging showed partial restoration of normal anatomy following
      surgery and clinical improvement, which helped in the formulation of a
      etiopathogenetic hypotheses.

PMID- 1407522
TI  - Superficial siderosis of the brain following unexplained subarachnoid hemorrhage:
      MRI diagnosis and clinical significance.

PMID- 1407523
TI  - Lymphomatous meningitis: neuroradiological appearances.

PMID- 1407524
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging and angiography in hemifacial spasm.
AB  - We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)
      to investigate 14 patients with unilateral hemifacial spasm (HS) and 20 controls.
      The relationship of the seventh and eighth cranial nerves to adjacent vessels was
      best visualized on the contiguous flow sensitive 3D-FISP images. Reconstruction
      of projectional MRA was helpful to assess the complex architecture of the
      vertebrobasilar system. Neurovascular contact in the facial nerve root exit zone
      was present in 4 of 20 controls and in 12 of 14 patients, in whom it predicted
      the affected side. These results support previous findings of surgical and
      electrophysiological investigations that local irritation of the facial nerve is
      the most possible explanation for HS. MRI and MRA provide vascular and brain
      tissue diagnosis in a single non-invasive examination and should be recommended
      as primary neuroradiological procedure in HS.

PMID- 1407525
TI  - Accessory nerve neuroma presenting as recurrent jugular foramen syndrome.
AB  - We report a patient with spontaneous recovery and recurrence of a jugular foramen
      syndrome secondary to an accessory nerve neuroma. He showed sudden onset of
      unilateral palsy of the ninth, tenth and eleventh cranial nerves in 1982. He
      recovered almost fully and in 1990 the palsies recurred. MRI revealed a small
      mass in the right jugular foramen. The tumour was resected via suboccipital
      craniectomy, and diagnosed as a neuroma of the eleventh cranial nerve.

PMID- 1407526
TI  - Haemangioma of the petrous bone: MRI.
AB  - Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI provided accurate demonstration of the site and extension of
      a haemangioma of the petrous bone. Enhanced-MRI could allow early detection and
      differentiation from the other more common tumours of the geniculate ganglion
      area, thereby permitting the surgeon to remove the tumour, while preserving the
      facial nerve. CT is, however, required to display the characteristic ossification
      in these tumours.

PMID- 1407527
TI  - Follow-up MRI in dural arteriovenous malformations involving the cavernous sinus:
      emphasis on detection of venous thrombosis.
AB  - Six patients with a dural arteriovenous malformation (dural AVM) involving the
      cavernous sinus were followed up with magnetic resonance imaging in order to
      assess change in the lesions. Spin-echo (SE) imaging of three patients in whom
      the AVM appeared to have closed at least 1 month earlier (two of them
      spontaneously, and one after external carotid artery embolization) showed neither
      apparent flow void in the involved cavernous sinus nor evidence of venous
      thrombosis. SE images of the other three patients who had not been cured by
      external carotid artery embolization (two of whom were examined within a week of
      treatment), detected persisting arteriovenous shunts, including high-flow
      cortical venous drainage, seen as flow void. Two-dimensional time-of-flight MR
      angiography (2D TOF MRA) was performed simultaneously in three patients. Whereas
      shunting blood and the normal cavernous sinus were of high intensity, presumed
      thrombosed cavernous sinuses were isointense with stationary brain tissue. SE
      imaging can confirm the resolution of arteriovenous shunts, but poorly delineates
      very acute and chronic thrombosis of the draining veins. In contrast, 2D TOF MRA
      directly demonstrates flowing blood, permitting the diagnosis of venous
      thrombosis; it should be included in follow-up of a dural AVM involving the
      cavernous sinus when venous thrombosis is suspected.

PMID- 1407528
TI  - A scalp lesion over an extracerebral mass: a sign of a radiation-induced
      meningioma.
AB  - Radiation-induced meningiomas have a characteristic biological behaviour, so that
      their recognition is important as regards follow-up. We stress the importance of
      a scalp lesion over the meningioma on magnetic resonance imaging as a sign of
      previous radiotherapy.

PMID- 1407529
TI  - CT and MRI in hydatid disease of cervical vertebrae.
AB  - Hydatid disease (HD) of the cervical spine is rare. A case investigated by
      computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is presented. While
      CT shows the bone lesion better, MRI is superior in demonstrating compression of
      neural structures. The complementary use of CT and MRI in such cases is
      suggested.

PMID- 1407530
TI  - Myelopathy due to large veins draining recurrent spontaneous caroticocavernous
      fistula.
AB  - A 45-year-old woman developed a myelopathy 9 years after a spontaneous left
      caroticocavernous fistula (CCF) was treated by a trapping procedure, with
      clipping distal to the fistula and ligation of the common carotid artery. Spinal
      MRI and vertebral angiography revealed recurrence of the CCF and gigantic
      tortuous veins draining through the brain stem down to the midcervical spinal
      cord. The abnormal veins and myelopathy disappeared after surgical closure of the
      CCF.

PMID- 1407531
TI  - Intraoperative sonography of intramedullary spinal cord tumours.
AB  - Intraoperative spinal sonography was performed 23 times in 20 patients with
      intramedullary spinal cord tumours, and the sonographic features were examined.
      Eight cases of astrocytoma were classified into three types: type 1, seen in 3
      children, had intramedullary, circular or oval, hyperechogenic multiple tumour
      shadows; type 2 presented inter-multimyelomere, relatively well-defined single
      tumour shadows corresponding to grade III and I for two juvenile and aged cases
      each, respectively; and type 3 appeared ill-defined and diffusely infiltrating.
      The relationships between these types, the ages of patients and histological
      grades were considered a potential clue to mechanisms of occurrence and
      infiltration of astrocytoma. All 7 ependymomas had syrinxes, of three types;
      central canal was very large, the tumour lying within it like an island; or the
      tumour was in contact with a cephalocaudal side part of the syrinx; or the tumour
      had a syrinx or cyst. Sonographic images thus differ according to the tumour, but
      differential diagnosis is currently limited. Development of sonographic
      equipment, with upgrading its resolving power are hoped for.

PMID- 1407532
TI  - Intraoperative ultrasonography of extramedullary spinal tumours.
AB  - Intraoperative spinal sonography (IOSS) was performed in 28 patients with
      extramedullary spinal tumours. Images were obtained of 31 tumours, because 2
      patients had multiple tumours. There were 17 neurilemmomas, 9 meningiomas and 2
      dermoid cysts. All tumours appeared well-defined and highly echogenic. There was
      no difficulty differentiating extramedullary spinal tumours from intramedullary
      masses excepting case, a big neurilemmoma at the conus medullaris. All images
      were assessed with reference to the surface of the lesions, the existence of
      cysts, and movement. Neurilemmomas had smooth surfaces, some cysts, and exhibited
      a "floating" movement. Meningiomas had irregular surfaces, were more highly
      echogenic than neurilemmomas, and adhered tightly to the dura mater. However,
      some neurilemmomas and meningiomas did not have these, and it was not always
      possible to differentiate them. Although IOSS has limitations of resolution, it
      gave useful information about the size of the tumours, the degree of displacement
      of the spinal cord, and even about the type of tumour in some cases. It was
      extremely helpful to the surgeon.

PMID- 1407533
TI  - Myelographic and MRI appearances of a thoracic spinal extradural arachnoid cyst
      of the spine with extra- and intraspinal extension.
AB  - An unusual arachnoid cyst of the thoracic spine is reported. The clinical and
      neuroradiological features are described.

PMID- 1407534
TI  - Cystic spinal neurilemmoma on magnetic resonance imaging.
AB  - We report a complete cystic change of intradural neurilemmoma at the T12-L1
      level. T1-weighted MRI images with gadolinium-DTPA clearly enhanced the thin
      capsule of the cystic tumour.

PMID- 1407535
TI  - Cervical neuroma associated with multiple intracranial arachnoid cysts.

PMID- 1407536
TI  - CT-guided chemical rhizotomy of the C1 root for occipital neuralgia.
AB  - Sensation in the parasagittal occipital region is usually provided by fibres from
      the second cervical root via the greater occipital nerve. In the case presented
      occipital neuralgia could be relieved only by coagulation of the C1 nerve root
      with 96% ethyl alcohol. Possible explanations for this observation are discussed
      and a technique for CT-guided treatment is described.

PMID- 1407537
TI  - The value of intraoperative scans during CT-guided stereotactic procedures.
AB  - The accuracy stereotactic procedures performed during the pre-computed tomography
      (CT) era was confirmed by intraoperative X-ray pictures. With the availability of
      CT it is now possible to confirm the position of the probe-tip on an image of the
      target. For biopsy of small lesions in critical areas of the brain, permanent
      placement of radioactive seeds, or thalamotomy, it would be desirable to have
      confirmation of the site of the probe-tip prior to performing the main step of
      the procedure. Intraoperative CT was performed in 216 stereotactic procedures
      carried out on the scanner table including biopsies, aspiration of cysts,
      brachytherapy, aspiration of abscesses, thalamotomy, and evacuation of
      intracerebral hematoma. In 6 cases, inaccuracies were detected, which it was
      possible to correct so as to place the probe where desired.

PMID- 1407538
TI  - Successful treatment of neonatal aneurysmal dilatation of the vein of Galen: the
      role of prenatal diagnosis and trans-arterial embolization.
AB  - We report a neonate with aneurysmal dilatation of the vein of Galen diagnosed
      prenatally by color Doppler sonography and MRI at 37 weeks' gestation. The child
      was treated by transarterial embolization of micro-coils 2 and 8 days after
      birth. The aneurysmal dilatation of the vein of Galen markedly decreased after
      embolization and the patient is developing normally at 2 years 5 months of age.
      Prenatal diagnosis and early intervention by transarterial embolization produced
      in a good outcome in this patient.

PMID- 1407539
TI  - Arteriovenous fistula of the internal maxillary artery in a child: case report.
AB  - Direct arteriovenous fistulae supplied by the external carotid artery are
      unusual. Rarely, congenital fistulae have been described involving the head and
      neck. We describe the first case of congenital internal maxillary arteriovenous
      fistula in a child. Balloon embolization is currently considered the method of
      choice for treatment of direct arteriovenous fistula.

PMID- 1407541
TI  - G-protein mediation in nociceptive signal transduction: an investigation into the
      excitatory action of bradykinin in a subpopulation of cultured rat sensory
      neurons.
AB  - Bradykinin is one of several pro-inflammatory, pain-inducing substances produced
      during inflammation--the body's response to injury. In previous work we have
      shown that bradykinin and guanosine-5'-O-3-thiotriphosphate increase excitability
      in a subpopulation of cultured neonatal rat dorsal root ganglion neurons. We now
      describe experiments in which the mechanism underlying the stimulatory action of
      these two substances has been examined in more detail. Using the whole-cell
      voltage-clamp technique, bradykinin-sensitive cells were distinguished by their
      response to a 1-s depolarizing voltage-pulse which evoked more than one inward
      current during the step command. The secondary inward currents are likely to
      represent action potentials generated at the poorly clamped neurites of these
      cells. Bradykinin- and guanosine-5'-O-3-thiotriphosphate-induced changes in
      excitability were measured indirectly by a change in the number of inward
      currents recorded during the 1-s depolarizing voltage-step. The effect of
      activators and inhibitors of protein kinase C, arachidonic acid metabolism, G
      protein activation and release of intracellular Ca2+ were examined on this
      response. In the presence of extracellular staurosporine (1.0 microM) or
      nordihydroguaiaretic acid (10 microM), these excitatory effects were reduced but
      not abolished, whilst indomethacin (20 microM) had no effect. Intracellular
      application of guanosine-5'-O-2-thiodiphosphate (10 mM) or ryanodine (100 microM)
      substantially reduced the effect of bradykinin. The excitatory effect of internal
      guanosine-5'-O-3-thiotriphosphate (500 microM) occurred gradually over time, and
      this was mimicked by internal application of myo-inositol 1,4,5
      trisphosphorothioate (1.0 microM). From the results, it is proposed that G
      protein activation is an essential component of the bradykinin response, which
      may also require a Ca(2+)-activated conductance modulated by protein kinase C and
      lipoxygenase metabolites of arachidonic acid.

PMID- 1407540
TI  - Benzodiazepines block long-term potentiation in slices of hippocampus and
      piriform cortex.
AB  - The effects of two benzodiazepines, diazepam and triazolam, on long-term
      potentiation were tested in slices of hippocampus and piriform cortex. The drugs
      had little influence on baseline synaptic responses but both were very effective
      in blocking LTP elicited by theta pattern stimulation. The effects were fully
      reversible upon washout. Diazepam reduced the increase in burst responses that
      occurs during theta stimulation and thus appears to interfere with the initial
      triggering events for long-term potentiation. This may reflect the enhancing
      action of the drug on GABA-mediated inhibitory potentials. Triazolam did not
      detectably change the burst responses elicited by theta pattern stimulation.
      Experiments with slices of piriform cortex indicated that triazolam also failed
      to disrupt the development of long-term potentiation but instead caused the
      potentiation to decay back to baseline in 15-30 min. Triazolam thus seems to act
      on the mechanisms that stabilize long-term potentiation. These results provide a
      possible explanation for the amnestic effects of benzodiazepines in humans and
      animals and support the hypothesis that long-term potentiation contributes to
      memory encoding.

PMID- 1407542
TI  - Capsaicin differentially influences somatosensory cortical responses evoked by
      peripheral electrical or mechanical stimulation.
AB  - The effects of capsaicin injected intraperitoneally (200 micrograms/kg) or
      applied locally to the cortical surface (10(-5) M) were studied on cortical
      potentials evoked by peripheral electrical or mechanical stimulation. Capsaicin
      treatment (i.p.) differentially influenced the cortical evoked potentials
      depending on the type of stimulation. Just after both types of capsaicin
      application, the responses to both kinds of stimuli decreased in amplitude.
      Additionally, during this time a short fall in blood pressure was observed. Half
      an hour later, however, only in the case of interperitoneal application the
      potentials evoked by electrical stimulation were facilitated, while the
      potentials evoked by vibrissa deflection had recovered and stayed around the
      control levels thereafter. In addition, the responsive cortex area activated by
      electrical stimulation became enlarged after the i.p. injection of capsaicin,
      while that of the cortex region activated by mechanical stimulation did not
      change significantly. Capsaicin applied locally to the cortex resulted neither in
      the facilitation of evoked potentials nor in the enlargement of the responsive
      cortical area. The present findings are the first to demonstrate that the i.p.
      (but not local) administration of capsaicin, in low dosage, differentially
      influences the cortical responses evoked by electrical and mechanical stimulation
      of somatosensory afferents.

PMID- 1407543
TI  - Performance in an escape task induces fos-like immunoreactivity in a specific
      area of the motor cortex of the rat.
AB  - The expression of the c-fos proto-oncogene was studied in two different areas of
      the motor cortex and in the hippocampus of the rat after performance in an escape
      task in a Skinner box. Performance in this task caused an increase in the number
      of cells showing fos-like immunoreactivity in layers V and VI of the forelimb
      motor-sensory cortex with respect to yoked animals which had received the same
      amount, frequency and duration of aversive stimulation and manipulation as the
      trained animals. Therefore, this increase is the specific effect of performing
      the behavioral task. In the hindlimb motor-sensory cortex there were no
      differences between the trained and the yoked animals in any of the cortical
      layers. No differences were observed in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus
      between trained and yoked animals, while the control animals showed a much lower
      fos-like immunoreactivity. In conclusion, infragranular layers in the forelimb
      representation of the primary motor cortex become activated with respect to the
      expression of fos-like immunoreactivity after performance in an escape task in a
      Skinner box. This result is consistent with the idea that even in complex
      structures such as the cerebral cortex, specific trace systems become activated
      for the performance of complex behavioral tasks.

PMID- 1407544
TI  - The appearance of Fos protein-like immunoreactivity in the hypothalamus of
      developing rats in response to cold ambient temperatures.
AB  - This study examined cellular activity in the hypothalamus of developing rats in
      response to cold environmental temperatures. The appearance of the nuclear
      protein, Fos, in response to cold ambient temperatures in rats three to 35 days
      of age was used as a marker of neuronal activation. Fos-positive nuclei were
      first seen in response to cold ambient temperatures in the ventromedial nucleus
      at three days of age, the paraventricular nucleus at eight days of age, the
      preoptic-anterior hypothalamus at 10 days of age and the anterior hypothalamic
      nucleus at 21 days of age. The rectal temperature of the 10-day-old pups dropped
      by less than half that measured in the nine-day-old pups after 1 h in the cold.
      It is possible that the activation of neurons in the preoptic-anterior
      hypothalamus in the 10-day-old animal may contribute to the decreased hypothermia
      observed in the 10-day-old after 1 h in the cold. The high density of Fos-like
      immunoreactive-labeled nuclei in the preoptic-anterior hypothalamus in the 10-day
      old rats that were exposed to the cold environment indicates increased neuronal
      activity at this site. The results suggest that, at least in the preoptic
      anterior hypothalamus, the appearance of the cellular response to cold ambient
      temperatures is coincidental with a thermogenic response.

PMID- 1407545
TI  - Increase in cytoplasmic free Ca2+ elicited by noradrenalin and serotonin in
      cultured local interneurons of mouse olfactory bulb.
AB  - Effects of noradrenalin and serotonin on cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentrations
      ([Ca2+]i) were studied by using the fluorescent indicator fura-2 in cultured
      local interneurons of mouse olfactory bulb. Application of noradrenalin (0.1-100
      microM) caused a rapid and concentration-dependent rise in [Ca2+]i, while
      isoproterenol was ineffective at concentrations up to 100 microM. The
      noradrenalin (1 microM)-induced increase in [Ca2+]i was completely inhibited by
      pretreatment with alpha 1-antagonist, prazosin (100 nM), whereas the inhibitory
      effect of alpha 2-antagonist, yohimbine, was about 100-times less potent.
      Serotonin (0.1-100 microM) also caused the dose-dependent rise in [Ca2+]i, which
      was inhibited by serotonin2 antagonist, ketanserin. Even in the absence of the
      extracellular calcium, the noradrenalin- or serotonin-induced increase in [Ca2+]i
      was observed. These results indicate that both noradrenalin and serotonin elicit
      the rise in [Ca2+]i in local interneurons of the olfactory bulb. They also
      suggest that the rise in [Ca2+]i is mediated by alpha 1-adrenergic and serotonin2
      receptors, and that the increased calcium is mainly derived from intracellular
      calcium storage sites. The above results provide evidence to suggest that in the
      olfactory bulb, noradrenergic and serotonergic centrifugal fibers exert
      modulatory influences on synaptic interactions between mitral/tufted cells and
      local interneurons by increasing cytoplasmic Ca2+ in local interneurons.

PMID- 1407546
TI  - Membrane retrieval following exocytosis in isolated neurosecretory nerve endings.
AB  - In the neurosecretory nerve endings of the neurohypophysis depolarization-induced
      exocytosis is followed by endocytosis of vacuole-like structures with diameter
      similar to that of neurosecretory granules. However, it remains unknown whether
      the membrane of the endocytotic vacuoles is comprised primarily of retrieved
      secretory granule membrane, plasma membrane or of a mixture of the granule and
      plasma membrane. In the present paper membrane retrieval following depolarization
      induced exocytosis has been studied in isolated neurosecretory nerve endings from
      the rat neurohypophysis. The origin of the retrieved membrane was assessed by pre
      labeling the plasma membrane with an antibody against neural cell adhesion
      molecule, a plasma membrane specific protein. Horseradish peroxidase was used as
      an index of fluid endocytosis and secretion of vasopressin was measured by
      radioimmunoassay. Following potassium-induced depolarization, endocytotic
      vacuoles showed labeling with the fluid phase marker horseradish peroxidase but
      never showed significant neural cell adhesion molecule labeling. The time-course
      of endocytosis following closely that of exocytosis as endocytotic vacuoles
      labeled with horseradish peroxidase were only observed when the fluid phase
      marker was present in the extracellular medium during the period of evoked
      exocytosis. Our results are consistent with a model in which in neurosecretory
      nerve endings, after transient exocytotic fusion of the granule membrane with the
      plasma membrane, the granule membrane is rapidly and selectively retrieved into
      the nerve endings in the form of vacuoles similar in size to that of the
      neurosecretory granules.

PMID- 1407547
TI  - Virtual trajectories, joint stiffness, and changes in the limb natural frequency
      during single-joint oscillatory movements.
AB  - In the framework of the equilibrium-point hypothesis, virtual trajectories and
      patterns of joint stiffness were reconstructed during voluntary single-joint
      oscillatory movements in the elbow joint at a variety of frequencies and against
      two inertial loads. At low frequencies, virtual trajectories were in-phase with
      the actual joint trajectories. Joint stiffness changed at a doubled frequency. An
      increase in movement frequency and/or inertial load led to an increase in the
      difference between the peaks of the actual and virtual trajectories and in both
      peak and averaged values of joint stiffness. At a certain, critical frequency,
      virtual trajectory was nearly flat. Further increase in movement frequency led to
      a 180 degree phase shift between the actual and virtual trajectories. The
      assessed values of the natural frequency of the system "limb + manipulandum" were
      close to the critical frequencies for both low and high inertial loads. Peak
      levels and integrals of the electromyograms of two flexor and two extensor
      muscles changed monotonically with movement frequency without any special
      behavior at the critical frequencies. Nearly flat virtual trajectories at the
      natural frequency make physical sense as hypothetical control signals, unlike the
      electromyographic recordings, since a system at its natural frequency requires
      minimal central interference. Modulation of joint stiffness is assumed to be an
      important adaptive mechanism attenuating difference between the system's natural
      frequency and desired movement frequency. Virtual trajectory is considered a
      behavioral observable. Phase transitions between the virtual and actual
      trajectories are illustrations of behavioral discontinuities introduced by slow
      changes in a higher level control parameter, movement frequency. Relative phase
      shift between these two trajectories may be considered an order parameter.

PMID- 1407548
TI  - Conduction properties of spinal cord axons in the myelin-deficient rat mutant.
AB  - Spinal cords of myelin-deficient and normal age-matched (control) rats were
      removed and their conduction and pharmacological properties studied in an in
      vitro brain slice chamber. The conduction velocity of the myelin-deficient dorsal
      column axons was reduced to about 25% of control axons; however, the amyelinated
      myelin-deficient axons displayed refractory periods and the ability to sustain
      high-frequency action potential discharge similar to that of dorsal column axons
      in control rats. Pharmacological results suggest that the myelin-deficient dorsal
      column axons qualitatively express a normal complement of ion channels and
      receptors. The demonstration of a normal representation of channels and receptors
      on these axons supports the proposal that the oligodendrocyte, and not the axon,
      is the site of the primary defect in the myelin-deficient rat mutant. It is
      concluded that, unlike acutely demyelinated axons which display marked frequency
      dependent conduction block, amyelinated axons of the myelin-deficient rat spinal
      cord develop compensatory mechanisms to stabilize action potential conduction.

PMID- 1407549
TI  - Developmental regulation of parasympathetic nerve density by sympathetic
      innervation in the tarsal smooth muscle of the rat.
AB  - The developmental influence of sympathetic innervation on parasympathetic nerve
      density was investigated in the tarsal smooth muscle of the rat. Specificity of
      acetylcholinesterase staining as a marker for parasympathetic innervation was
      first determined by acute selective denervations. Excision of the ipsilateral
      superior cervical ganglion caused a 39% reduction in the density of
      acetylcholinesterase-positive nerves seven days later, indicating that
      sympathetic nerves contribute to cholinesterase-positive tarsal muscle
      innervation. Excision of the pterygopalatine ganglion concurrent with superior
      cervical ganglionectomy caused a virtually complete disappearance of
      acetylcholinesterase-positive innervation within seven days, indicating that non
      sympathetic cholinesterase-positive fibers derive from the pterygopalatine
      ganglion and are presumed to be parasympathetic. Analysis of the control
      population indicated that parasympathetic nerve density did not vary
      significantly between males and females, between the superior and inferior
      muscles, or in rats studied at four and 12 months of age. The influence of
      sympathetic innervation on parasympathetic nerve density during postnatal
      development was examined by conducting surgical sympathectomies on postnatal day
      5 and quantifying acetylcholinesterase-positive nerve density at four months of
      age. Neonatal sympathectomy caused a 46% reduction in cholinesterase-positive
      nerve density beyond that which occurred in acutely sympathectomized adult
      controls. It is concluded that sympathetic innervation is required for developing
      parasympathetic nerves to attain their normal density within the rat tarsal
      muscle. This finding is consistent with the idea that sympathetic nerves can
      exert positive effects on parasympathetic nerve outgrowth during development.

PMID- 1407550
TI  - Behaviour-dependent changes in acetylcholine release in normal and graft
      reinnervated hippocampus: evidence for host regulation of grafted cholinergic
      neurons.
AB  - Grafted neurons obtained from the fetal basal forebrain can provide a functional
      cholinergic reinnervation of the hippocampal formation in rats with a lesion of
      the intrinsic septal cholinergic afferents. In the present experiments graft
      derived acetylcholine release in the hippocampus was studied by microdialysis in
      awake rats during different types of behaviours which are known to activate the
      innate septohippocampal cholinergic system and during different activity periods
      of the day-night cycle. Two types of basal forebrain grafts were studied: cell
      suspensions implanted into the hippocampus in rats with an aspirative lesion of
      the fimbria-fornix, and grafts of solid tissue implanted as a tissue bridge into
      the fimbria-fornix lesion cavity. Increased acetylcholine overflow was seen in
      both groups with grafts during sensory stimulation (by handling). The strongest
      response (50% increase in acetylcholine release) was seen in rats with solid
      basal forebrain grafts (equivalent to two-thirds of that seen in intact rats).
      Immobilization stress and motor activity (swimming) also resulted in increased,
      but more variable, acetylcholine release (+ 30%; about one-third of the normal
      response). None of these effects was seen in the control rats with fimbria-fornix
      lesion only. The two-fold difference in hippocampal acetylcholine release in
      normal animals between day and night was absent in both types of grafted rats. An
      acute knife-cut, transecting the connections between the solid basal forebrain
      graft and the host hippocampus, caused an immediate 75% reduction in
      acetylcholine release (similar to the effect of an acute fimbria-fornix
      transection in the normal rats) and the response to swimming was no longer
      evident. The results show that grafted cholinergic neurons can be functionally
      integrated into the host brain, allowing the grafted neurons to be activated in
      the correct behavioural contexts, although the changes in acetylcholine overflow
      were overall smaller and more variable than normal. The ability of the host to
      influence cholinergic graft activity, most probably mediated via activation of
      afferent host-graft connections, may contribute to the efficacy of basal
      forebrain grafts in the amelioration of behavioural impairments in animals with
      lesions of the forebrain cholinergic system.

PMID- 1407551
TI  - N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor complex in the hippocampus of elderly, normal
      individuals and those with Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - The various ligand binding sites of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor complex in
      the hippocampal formation and parahippocampal gyrus of Alzheimer's disease
      patients and age-matched normal individuals were examined using quantitative
      autoradiography. The hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus of the normal elderly
      brain exhibited virtually identical distributions of L-[3H]glutamate, [3H]5
      methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H- dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-iminemaleate ([3H]MK-801),
      [3H][(+/-)2-carboxypiperazine-4-yl]propyl-1-phosphonic acid ([3H]CPP) and
      strychnine-insensitive [3H]glycine binding sites (r greater than 0.87) suggesting
      that binding occurred to different domains of the same receptor macromolecule.
      The binding of [3H]MK-801 to channel-associated phencyclidine sites appeared to
      be most severely impaired in Alzheimer's disease, especially at the anterior
      hippocampal level. When the data were averaged and the means for Alzheimer's
      disease and control group compared, a 34% decrease (P less than 0.01) in [3H]MK
      801 binding was identified in the CA1 stratum pyramidale and a smaller decrease
      was found in the dentate gyrus molecular layer, parahippocampal gyrus and
      subiculum. The CA1 region exhibited a similar 35% reduction (P less than 0.05) in
      L-[3H]glutamate binding to N-methyl-D-aspartate-sensitive sites. This decrease
      most probably reflected a decline in receptor density. Binding of [3H]CPP to
      antagonist-preferring sites and [3H]glycine to glycine modulatory sites did not
      change significantly. However, a marked intersubject variability in N-methyl-D
      aspartate receptor binding was observed in control and Alzheimer's disease
      groups. This variability was not related to age, sex or post mortem delay. Some
      Alzheimer's disease patients showed markedly reduced receptor binding levels,
      while others showed no changes or even increased binding. The loss of N-methyl-D
      aspartate-sensitive sites did not correlate with a loss of neurons in the CA1
      region (r = 0.286). Similarly, no correlation between the level of binding to N
      methyl-D-aspartate-sensitive sites and the density of neuritic plaques and
      neurofibrillary tangles was found. Intersubject variability in N-methyl-D
      aspartate receptor responses in the Alzheimer's disease group may partially
      explain conflicting reports in the literature on the N-methyl-D-aspartate
      receptor changes in Alzheimer's disease, and imply that caution should be
      exercised before making any generalizations about receptor changes in Alzheimer's
      disease based on mean values only. The analysis of the individual Alzheimer's
      disease cases may also be valuable in determining the mechanism(s) underlying the
      disease.

PMID- 1407552
TI  - The neurofilament triplet is present in distinct subpopulations of neurons in the
      central nervous system of the guinea-pig.
AB  - It is commonly assumed that most, if not all, neurons contain the intermediate
      filament protein class known as the neurofilament protein-triplet. The following
      study investigated the distribution of neurofilament protein-triplet
      immunoreactivity in selected regions of the guinea-pig central nervous system
      using monoclonal antibodies directed against phosphorylation-independent epitopes
      on the three subunits under optimal tissue processing conditions. Neurofilament
      protein-triplet immunoreactivity was present in distinct subpopulations of
      neurons in the cerebellar cortex, neocortex, hippocampal formation, retina,
      striatum and medulla oblongata. In many of these regions, labelled neurons
      represented only a small proportion of the total. The selective distribution of
      this intermediate filament protein class was confirmed in double-labelling
      experiments using antibodies to the neurofilament protein-triplet in combination
      with antibodies to other neuronal markers. The distribution of neurofilament
      protein-triplet immunoreactivity also correlated with the distribution of
      staining observed with a silver impregnation method based on Bielschowsky. The
      present results in combination with previous observations have demonstrated that
      the neurofilament protein-triplet is found in specific subclasses of neurons in
      different regions of the nervous system. Content of this intermediate filament
      protein class does not appear to be correlated with neuronal size or length of
      projection. These results also suggest that the selectivity of staining between
      neuronal classes observed with classical silver impregnation methods may be due
      to the presence or absence of the neurofilament protein-triplet. The present
      results may also provide a new perspective on the basis of the selective
      vulnerability of neurons in degenerative diseases.

PMID- 1407553
TI  - Vestibularly induced slow oscillations in climbing fiber responses of Purkinje
      cells in the cerebellar nodulus of the rabbit.
AB  - In this report we describe an interesting form of plasticity in climbing fiber
      responses evoked in Purkinje cells of the rabbit cerebellum by periodic
      vestibular stimulation. The cerebellar nodulus receives a vestibular as well as a
      visual climbing fiber afferent input from the contralateral inferior olive. The
      vestibular input to the inferior olive originates from the ipsilateral medial and
      descending vestibular nuclei and terminates within the beta-nucleus. This
      projection to the beta-nucleus from secondary vestibular neurons is GABAergic.
      This means that vestibularly evoked activity of neurons in the beta-nucleus is
      controlled by modulation of an inhibitory input, rather than by modification of
      an excitatory input. We have recorded the climbing fiber responses of single
      Purkinje cells in the uvula-nodulus (lobules 9c, 9d and 10) of rabbits and we
      have characterized the climbing fiber response of each Purkinje cell from which
      we recorded by testing its sensitivity to otolithic stimulation, semicircular
      canal stimulation and optokinetic stimulation. Vestibularly evoked climbing fiber
      responses recorded from the left nodulus were stationary. They were repeatedly
      evoked, for tens of minutes, by sinusoidally rotating the rabbit about the
      longitudinal axis onto its left side (Fig. 1B). When the vestibular stimulus was
      stopped the discharge of these climbing fiber responses returned to non-periodic
      spontaneous levels. However, the vestibularly evoked climbing fiber discharge of
      approximately 5% of Purkinje cells was not stationary.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1407554
TI  - Descriptive morphology of developing fetal neostriatal allografts in the rhesus
      monkey: a correlated light and electron microscopic Golgi study.
AB  - Primate fetal striatal neurons were transplanted into the ibotenic acid lesioned
      rhesus monkey striatum. Ten weeks after transplantation the monkeys were
      transcardially perfused and graft tissue was histologically stained. Golgi
      impregnated, and processed for electron microscopy. The monkeys received magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI) scans before lesioning, after lesioning, and ten weeks
      after transplantation to noninvasively study the striatal grafts. The study
      demonstrated that fetal striatal grafts, measuring up to 0.4 x 0.8 cm, can
      survive for extended periods of time in the non-human primate. Hematoxylin-eosin
      stained sections of the transplant demonstrated that neuronal, glial, vascular,
      and lymphocytic cells were present in the graft. The majority of the neurons had
      somatic diameters between 8 and 20 microns and were characterized by nuclei
      containing multiple nucleoli. A few neurons within the graft had somatic
      diameters up to 40 microns. These larger neurons exhibited more mature cytoplasm
      containing a moderate amount of Nissl substance. Some of the blood vessels within
      the graft were surrounded by a large number of plasma cells, but there was no
      evidence of hemorrhage or necrosis. Bielschowsky staining and Golgi impregnation
      of the transplanted tissue demonstrated that there were neurons at various
      degrees of differentiation. Some of the neurons had varicose dendrites, growth
      cones, and filopodia, which are all characteristics of immature neurons, while
      others had a much more mature appearance, including a moderate number of
      dendritic spines. Some of these neurons had an appearance typical of
      differentiating "medium spiny" neurons of the normal striatum. Electron
      microscopic analysis of the transplanted tissue and individual Golgi-impregnated
      neurons within the transplant confirmed that there were developing neurons within
      the graft. These neurons had an increased nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio and had
      nuclei containing multiple nucleoli. The neuropil surrounding these neurons was
      loosely organized and contained large areas of extracellular space. The neuropil
      exhibited developing dendrites, numerous growth cones, and mature synapses. In
      summary, the study demonstrated that fetal striatal allografts can survive for up
      to three months in the rhesus monkey and undergo normal differentiation as
      assessed by Golgi impregnation and electron microscopy.

PMID- 1407555
TI  - Calretinin distribution in the thalamus of the rat: immunohistochemical and in
      situ hybridization histochemical analyses.
AB  - The distribution of calretinin-containing cells was examined by in situ
      hybridization histochemistry and compared with the immunohistochemical mapping of
      calretinin in the thalamus of the rat. Results revealed a close correspondence
      between the immunohistochemical localization of cell bodies and the messenger RNA
      label produced by the calretinin oligonucleotide probe. Calretinin cells were
      most prominent in the midline (paraventricular, reuniens, rhomboid) and
      intralaminar (central medial, paracentral) nuclei and in a group of cells along
      the rostral central gray which appeared continuous with the caudal extent of the
      midline nuclei. A subpopulation of calretinin cell bodies was also identified in
      the reticular nucleus. The mediorostral lateral posterior nucleus,
      subparafascicular, lateral geniculate and habenular nuclei also contained
      calretinin messenger RNA probe label. In contrast, no positive cells were found
      in the anterior, ventral or posterior thalamic nuclei. The distribution of
      calretinin cells did not correspond directly with that of other histochemical
      markers. Thus, the in situ hybridization histochemical and immunohistochemical
      results revealed calretinin as a unique identifying marker for distinct sets of
      thalamic neurons.

PMID- 1407556
TI  - Microstimulation mapping of the basal forebrain in the anesthetized rat: the
      "preoptic locomotor region".
AB  - Previous studies have indicated that the basal forebrain at the level of the
      preoptic area contains neurons which participate in the initiation of locomotion.
      This study attempted to localize those neurons by mapping sites at which 25- and
      50-microA stimulation (50 Hz, 0.5 ms cathodal pulses, 10-s trains) initiated
      hindlimb stepping. Anesthetized rats were held in a stereotaxic apparatus
      supported by a sling so that stepping movements rotated a wheel. Anesthesia was
      maintained by periodic injections of Nembutal (7 mg/kg) supplemented by lidocaine
      injections. Stimulation was applied through 50-70-microns diameter pipettes
      filled with 2 M NaCl at approximately 1600 sites in the basal forebrain, adjacent
      thalamus, and striatum. A circumscribed grouping of 25-microA locomotor sites,
      centered in the lateral preoptic area, defined the preoptic locomotor region. It
      extended into the ventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, the lateral part
      of the medial preoptic area, the anterior hypothalamic area, the medial and
      rostral parts of the ventral pallidum, medial substantia innominata, and the
      horizontal limb of the diagonal band. This general region is known to project to
      the midbrain locomotor region and the ventral tegmental area; it is proposed to
      initiate locomotion in service of primary motivational systems. Among the
      structures generally negative for locomotor sites were the dorsal and ventral
      striata, septal complex, bed nucleus of stria terminalis, and lateral ventral
      pallidum and substantia innominata. These findings indicate that low current
      stimulation applied to a circumscribed area centered in the lateral preoptic area
      produces locomotor stepping in the anesthetized rat. Whether the activated
      elements in this preoptic locomotor region are cells or fibers is not yet known.
      The degree of localization afforded by these findings indicates that the areas
      that are most likely to contain the mediating elements are quite limited in
      extent.

PMID- 1407557
TI  - Changing pattern of c-FOS expression in spinal cord neurons after electrical
      stimulation of the chronically injured sciatic nerve in the rat.
AB  - Immunocytochemical technique was used to study the distribution of c-FOS protein
      immunoreactive cells in the spinal cord and gracile nuclei 2 h after electrical
      stimulation of the sciatic nerve in ketamine/xylazine/acepromazine-anesthetized
      adult rats. Quantitative examination of the c-fos-labeled cells in the spinal
      cord laminae was made in unoperated and sham operated controls, after sciatic
      nerve transection without electrical stimulation, and after electrical
      stimulation at C-fiber or A alpha/beta-fiber intensity, both in normal animals
      and at various survival times after chronic sciatic nerve injury (transection and
      ligation) or crush. Unoperated animals showed very few c-fos-labeled cells, and
      sham operated controls showed labeled cells located mainly outside the sciatic
      nerve projection territory. A small increase in number of c-fos protein positive
      cells was seen after sciatic nerve transection without electrical stimulation.
      Stimulation of the normal sciatic nerve at C-fiber intensity resulted in c-fos
      protein-positive cells within the sciatic projection territory in the ipsilateral
      dorsal horn. Labeled cells were seen in all spinal cord laminae except lamina IX,
      with the vast majority in lamina I and outer lamina II. No labeled cells were
      seen in the gracile nucleus. Stimulation at A alpha/beta fiber intensity resulted
      in no or only a very small number of c-fos-positive neurons. Electrical
      stimulation of the injured sciatic nerve at C-fiber intensity, using the
      uninjured contralateral side as control, resulted in significant decreases in c
      fos-immunoreactive cells in lamina I plus the outer portion of lamina II at 12
      and 39 days survival after injury. A non-significant decrease was seen in these
      laminae also after 21 days. Significant increases were seen in laminae III and IV
      at 21 days. Decreases in laminae V, VI and more ventral laminae were significant
      at 21 and 39 days after injury. At longer survival times, the difference between
      the normal and injured side seen weeks after injury tended to disappear.
      Stimulation at A alpha/beta fiber intensity 21 days after injury resulted in
      increases in the numbers of labeled cells in ipsilateral laminae II, III and IV
      and in the gracile nucleus. Sciatic nerve stimulation after crush injury resulted
      in more variable side differences, with tendencies for the same alterations as
      those noted after chronic transection-ligation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1407558
TI  - Inflammatory mediators and nociception in the joint: excitation and sensitization
      of slowly conducting afferent fibers of cat's knee by prostaglandin I2.
AB  - The effects of prostaglandin I2 on the discharge properties of fine articular
      afferents (group III and group IV fibers) in the cat were examined by
      extracellular recordings from single units dissected from the medial articular
      nerve of the knee joint. Prostaglandin I2 was applied intra-arterially close to
      the joint in doses of 0.3-30 micrograms per 0.3 ml bolus injection, and its
      effects on the spontaneous activity as well as on discharges evoked by mechanical
      and chemical stimulation (bradykinin) were monitored. Prostaglandin E2 was also
      applied and the effects of prostaglandins I2 and E2 on particular units were
      compared. An excitatory effect of prostaglandin I2 was observed in 49% of 37
      group III and in 37% of 27 group IV units. A sensitization to passive movements
      of the joint occurred in 71% of 31 group III and 48% of 21 group IV units. Sixty
      seven per cent of 32 units (groups III and IV) were both excited and sensitized
      by prostaglandin I2 to movements of 27% were sensitized but not excited. In 64%
      of 11 group III and 63% of eight group IV units studied the responses to
      bradykinin were enhanced by prostaglandin I2. Prostaglandin E2 had qualitatively
      similar effects as prostaglandin I2 but excited and sensitized a lower proportion
      of articular afferents. Forty-one per cent of the units were sensitive to both
      prostaglandins but 26% of the fibers were only sensitive to prostaglandin I2.
      None of the units was exclusively sensitive to prostaglandin E2. In general, the
      excitatory and sensitizing effects of prostaglandin E2 had a longer duration than
      those exerted by prostaglandin I2. We conclude that prostaglandin I2 increases
      the sensitivity to mechanical stimuli as well as to chemical stimulation by
      bradykinin in the majority of articular group III and group IV fibers. Moreover,
      in a large proportion of articular afferents, prostaglandin I2 had an excitatory
      effect. Thus, prostaglandin I2 may be an inflammatory mediator which is important
      for inflammation-evoked activity in slowly conducting afferents and it may
      participate in the development of arthritic hyperalgesia and pain.

PMID- 1407559
TI  - B-50/GAP43 localization in polarized hippocampal neurons in vitro: an
      ultrastructural quantitative study.
AB  - Hippocampal pyramidal neurons cultured in vitro gradually develop morphologically
      and biochemically distinct axons and dendrites, resulting in functional neuronal
      polarization [Dotti C. G. et al. (1988) J. Neurosci. 8, 1454-1468]. We have
      studied the distribution of the growth-associated protein B-50 in hippocampal
      neurons of the rat at stage 3 of development by means of light and electron
      microscopic immunocytochemistry. Hippocampal neurons grown for two to three days
      in vitro were aldehyde fixed and immunolabelled using polyclonal rabbit
      antibodies to B-50 and goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulins tagged with 1 nm gold
      particles. In order to permit visualization by both light and electron
      microscopy, the gold probes were silver intensified. Light microscopy
      demonstrated the absence of B-50 immunostaining in living neurons and the
      presence after permeabilization by fixation and subsequent treatment of the
      neurons with sodium borohydride, indicating that B-50 is located intracellularly.
      Both immunofluorescence and immunogold-silver labelling revealed that B-50
      immunoreactivity outlined all neurites of the morphologically polarized neurons.
      For quantitative electron microscopy, six morphologically polarized neurons
      (developmental stage 3) were carefully selected from immunolabelled Epon-embedded
      neurons and processed completely to ultrathin sections. In this way the
      ultrastructural localization of B-50 has been studied in the cell body, the
      neurites and their growth cones. For each sectioned neuron, the relative
      distribution of the gold-silver deposits (representing B-50) over the plasma
      membrane of various cellular compartments was quantitated. B-50 is located at the
      plasma membrane of the neuronal cell body and all neurites including their growth
      cones. The density of B-50 on the plasma membrane of growth cones is not
      different from that of the neuritic shaft. In addition, B-50 is present on the
      cytosolic side of the membrane of small electron-lucent vesicles (average
      diameter 102.7 +/- 2.5 nm) resembling transport vesicles. These vesicles are
      present in the cell body and the neurites. A two-fold concentration is found in
      the central region of the growth cones, suggesting a role of these vesicles in
      axonal transport, membrane insertion and (or) recycling. Since, at the onset of
      neuronal polarization, B-50 is present at the plasma membrane in all compartments
      of the hippocampal neuron, we suggest that at this stage of development B-50 does
      not participate directly in the processes leading to morphological
      polarization.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1407560
TI  - Endopeptidase-24.11 is suppressed in myelin-forming but not in non-myelin-forming
      Schwann cells during development of the rat sciatic nerve.
AB  - Endopeptidase-24.11, which is identical with the common acute lymphoblastic
      leukemia antigen (CALLA), is a cell surface zinc metalloprotease that has the
      ability to hydrolyse a variety of physiologically active peptides. Interest in
      this enzyme is based on the view that it may play a role in the regulation of
      peptide signals in different tissues, including the nervous and immune systems.
      We have previously shown that endopeptidase-24.11 is present in Schwann cells in
      the peripheral nervous system of newborn pigs [Kioussi C. and Matsas R. (1991) J.
      Neurochem. 57, 431-440]. In the present study we have investigated the
      developmental expression of the endopeptidase by Schwann cells in the rat sciatic
      nerve, from embryonic day 16 to maturity. Endopeptidase-24.11 was monitored
      enzymatically as well as by immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry using the
      monoclonal anti-endopeptidase antibody 23B11. We found an age-dependent decline
      in both the enzyme activity and the levels of immunoreactive protein.
      Endopeptidase-24.11 was first detected at embryonic day 18 and was present in all
      neonatal and early postnatal Schwann cells. However, as myelination proceeded the
      endopeptidase was gradually suppressed in the majority of cells that form myelin
      but retained in non-myelin-forming cells in the adult animal. At this stage, only
      very few large diameter myelinated fibers expressed weakly endopeptidase-24.11.
      Schwann cells dissociated from postnatal day 5 nerves and cultured up to one week
      in the absence of axons expressed endopeptidase-24.11. These results show that
      the endopeptidase has a distinct developmental profile in the rat sciatic nerve,
      similar to that of a group of other Schwann cell surface antigens, including the
      cell adhesion molecules N-CAM and L1 and the nerve growth factor receptor. We
      suggest that, as is the case with these antigens, endopeptidase-24.11 may play a
      role in nerve development and/or regeneration. In addition, persistence of
      endopeptidase-24.11 in a minority of adult myelin-forming Schwann cells suggests
      a possible role for the enzyme in axon-myelin apposition and maintenance,
      especially of larger diameter axons.

PMID- 1407561
TI  - Nitric oxide mediates the thermal hyperalgesia produced in a model of neuropathic
      pain in the rat.
AB  - Recent evidence has shown that activation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor
      mediates the thermal hyperalgesia produced in a model of neuropathic pain. As the
      acute nociceptive effects of N-methyl-D-aspartate have been reported to be
      mediated through production of nitric oxide and activation of soluble guanylate
      cyclase, these experiments were designed to determine whether the thermal
      hyperalgesia produced in a rat model of neuropathic pain is also mediated through
      the production of nitric oxide and activation of soluble guanylate cyclase. Loose
      ligation of the sciatic nerve with chromic gut sutures, but not bilateral sham
      rats, demonstrated evidence of a marked thermal hyperalgesia on day 3 post
      surgery. In bilateral sham rats, intrathecal administration of either an
      alternate substrate for nitric oxide synthase, NW-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester,
      or the soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor, Methylene Blue, did not produce any
      change in thermal nociceptive withdrawal latencies. These same treatments blocked
      the thermal hyperalgesia in rats with chromic gut ligatures for a period of 2 and
      4 h, respectively. These results suggest that a sustained production of nitric
      oxide and subsequent activation of soluble guanylate cyclase in the lumbar spinal
      cord mediate the thermal hyperalgesia produced in a model of neuropathic pain in
      the rat.

PMID- 1407562
TI  - Epidermal growth factor affects both glia and cholinergic neurons in septal cell
      cultures.
AB  - The effects of epidermal growth factor on high density primary cultures of fetal
      (embryonic day 17) rat septal cells were examined. Under serum-free conditions,
      the continuous exposure of these cultures to epidermal growth factor for seven
      days significantly decreased choline acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.6) activity in a
      dose-dependent manner. Maximal decreases were observed from 1 to 10 ng/ml
      epidermal growth factor. This effect was completely abolished by the addition of
      anti-epidermal growth factor antibodies. The epidermal growth factor-mediated
      decrease in choline acetyltransferase activity was culture-time dependent, being
      first detectable after five days of factor application and may likely represent
      an inhibition of the spontaneous increase in enzyme activity that occurs with
      time in culture. Concomitant with changes in enzyme activity, epidermal growth
      factor produced a significant and proportional decrease in the number of
      acetylcholinesterase-positive neurons. This decrease in acetylcholinesterase
      positive cells did not reflect a decrease in cholinergic cell survival as nerve
      growth factor could restore the number of acetylcholinesterase-positive neurons
      in epidermal growth factor-treated cultures to control levels. Furthermore, in
      these high-density cultures, epidermal growth factor did not affect general
      neuronal survival, while it did produce an increase in the number and intensity
      of glial fibrillary acidic protein-immunoreactive astroglia as well as in the
      number of macrophage-like cells. The proliferative response of these non-neuronal
      cells to epidermal growth factor, as assessed by [3H]thymidine incorporation, was
      evident after three days of epidermal growth factor application, persisted
      thereafter, and could be antagonized by the inclusion of the antimitotic 5
      fluorodeoxyuridine. Furthermore, 5-fluorodeoxyuridine completely blocked the
      epidermal growth factor-mediated decrease in choline acetyltransferase activity.
      However, when epidermal growth factor was tested in pure glial cultures, it only
      directly induced proliferation of astrocytes. These results suggest that the
      proliferative response of either one or both of these glial cell types in the
      mixed cultures may be indirectly affecting cholinergic cell expression.

PMID- 1407563
TI  - Basic fibroblast growth factor-like immunoreactivity in Purkinje cells of the rat
      cerebellum.
AB  - An antiserum against basic fibroblast growth factor was characterized by
      immunoblot experiments and used to investigate immunohistochemically the
      projection fields and fine structures of basic fibroblast growth factor
      containing cerebellar Purkinje cells. The antiserum demonstrated clearly purified
      basic fibroblast growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor-like molecules
      of the same molecular weight in homogenates of the adult rat cerebellum. Light
      and electron microscopic immunohistochemistry revealed that a large number of
      Purkinje cells, if not all, send immunoreactive dendrites to the molecular layer
      and basic fibroblast growth factor-containing axons to the deep cerebellar and
      lateral vestibular nuclei, where basic fibroblast growth factor nerve terminals
      form synapses with the soma and dendrites of neurons labeled weakly with basic
      fibroblast growth factor. Nerve cells with basic fibroblast growth factor had
      immunoreaction deposits mainly in free ribosomes, those attached to the
      endoplasmic reticulum and in the nuclear euchromatin. These findings suggest that
      basic fibroblast growth factor is present in cerebellar Purkinje cells and
      undergoes two modes of transport, one to axon terminals and the other to nuclear
      euchromatin, known as the RNA transcription zone.

PMID- 1407564
TI  - Amplification signals anticipation--less DNA is better.

PMID- 1407565
TI  - Anticipation in myotonic dystrophy. I. Statistical verification based on clinical
      and haplotype findings.
AB  - To determine whether anticipation in myotonic dystrophy (DM) is a true biologic
      phenomenon or an artifact of ascertainment bias, we studied 201 members of nine
      DM kindreds, including 67 individuals with the clinical diagnosis of DM. Of 49
      parent-child pairs in which both the parents and the children were clinically
      affected, the onset of DM occurred in an earlier decade of life in the child than
      the parent in 44 pairs and in the same decade in five pairs (p < 0.001). To
      eliminate direct ascertainment bias, we excluded nine pairs involving the index
      patients. Indirect ascertainment bias due to incomplete penetrance was unlikely,
      since 55% of the children of DM parents had DM. However, by haplotype analysis of
      restriction fragment length polymorphisms, we diagnosed DM in one of the 42
      asymptomatic children of affected parents and excluded DM in twenty-eight. We
      estimated that patients with early-onset DM would have produced an additional 25
      DM children if they had normal fertility and nuptiality. Assuming that the
      expected age-of-onset distribution occurs without anticipation in these 25, only
      seven would have had the onset of DM earlier than their parents. With the
      corrected result, the child would have been affected earlier than the parent in
      53 pairs, and the parent would have been affected at the same age as or earlier
      than the child in 13 pairs (p < 0.001). Thus, the observed anticipation is
      unlikely to be totally attributable to ascertainment bias, suggesting the
      potential importance of biologic mechanisms.

PMID- 1407566
TI  - Anticipation in myotonic dystrophy. II. Complex relationships between clinical
      findings and structure of the GCT repeat.
AB  - We studied the expansion of the GCT repeats within the myotonic dystrophy protein
      kinase gene in nine myotonic dystrophy (DM) kindreds. Southern blot and
      polymerase chain reaction analyses of the repeat region demonstrated the
      expansion in all 62 patients with the diagnosis of DM. Among 43 DM parent-child
      pairs, age of onset in the child was earlier than in the parent in 36 pairs, in
      the same decade as the parent in five, and undetermined in two. The clinical
      anticipation observed in the 36 pairs accompanied an increase in the fragment
      size in 32, a decrease in two, and no apparent change in two pairs. In the
      remaining pairs without documented clinical anticipation, the fragment size
      increased in four, decreased in two, and was apparently unchanged in one.
      Overall, the size of expansion showed an inverse correlation with the age of
      onset (p < 0.001). In all seven pairs in which the fragment did not increase in
      size, the affected parent was male. Two congenital DM children born to affected
      mothers had expanded DNA greater than 4.5 kb. The differences between parent and
      child in age of onset significantly correlated with the differences in the
      expansion size among father-child pairs (p < 0.001) but not mother-child pairs (p
      > 0.5). Our data suggest that the expansion of the GCT repeats plays an important
      role in anticipation although other factors, including the sex of the affected
      parent, may have significant effects on molecular mechanisms of anticipation.

PMID- 1407567
TI  - Post-lumbar puncture headaches: experience in 501 consecutive procedures.
AB  - To ascertain the frequency and risk factors for post-lumbar puncture headache, we
      studied all adults who had an ambulatory lumbar puncture (LP) in a 1-year period.
      Patients filled out a questionnaire detailing their headache experience on the
      day of, and the 6 days following, LP. Those who did not return the questionnaire
      were telephoned. We systematically collected and analyzed many items, including
      the lumbar puncturist's experience, the degree of difficulty of the LP, CSF
      findings, final diagnosis, and the patient's demographic characteristics.
      Patients reporting headache before LP were more likely to report post-LP
      headaches. In addition to this, younger female patients with a lower body mass
      index have the highest risk of developing post-LP headaches. CSF opening
      pressure, cells, and protein, patient's position during LP, the duration of
      recumbency following LP, and the amount of CSF removed at the time of LP did not
      influence the occurrence of headache.

PMID- 1407568
TI  - The epidemiology of myasthenia gravis in central and western Virginia.
AB  - We conducted a study of the epidemiology of myasthenia gravis (MG) in four
      locations in central and western Virginia from 1970 through 1984. The population
      surveyed was 555,851 in 1984. A total of 73 new cases of MG occurred during the
      survey period, producing an overall average annual incidence rate of 9.1 per
      million. The point prevalence rate in 1980 was 13.4 per 100,000, and in 1984 it
      was 14.2. Approximately 15% of the population was black, and we found that
      incidence and prevalence rates for the black population were higher than the
      corresponding white population. When the population was subdivided into <50 and
      50+ age groups, the incidence and prevalence were significantly higher in the
      older group. The rates we report here are higher than rates reported from any
      other locality. The reasons for the higher rates include optimal case
      identification, survey of a population with a higher incidence, and increasing
      aging of the population.

PMID- 1407569
TI  - Parkinson's disease in twins studied with 18F-dopa and positron emission
      tomography.
AB  - We used 18F-dopa PET to examine concordance for dysfunction of the nigrostriatal
      dopaminergic system in 18 co-twins of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and
      scanned one clinically concordant monozygotic (MZ) twin pair, 17 asymptomatic co
      twins (10 MZ, 7 dizygotic [DZ]), and 13 twins with PD (8 MZ, 5 DZ). Mean 18F-dopa
      uptake of the twins with PD was significantly reduced in putamen to 38% and in
      caudate to 66% of normal. Mean putamen 18F-dopa uptake for the 17 asymptomatic co
      twins was also significantly reduced (86% of normal), as was putamen tracer
      uptake for the 10 MZ (87% of normal) and seven DZ (83% of normal) asymptomatic co
      twin subgroups. Four of 10 MZ and two of seven DZ asymptomatic co-twins had
      putamen 18F-dopa uptake reduced more than 2 SDs below the normal mean. Three of
      these four asymptomatic MZ co-twins had tremor on examination at the time of PET
      and one has now developed PD 2 years later. Our PET findings give concordances
      for nigral dysfunction of 45% in the MZ pairs and 29% in the DZ pairs at a 2-SD
      threshold, and 18% in MZ and 0% in DZ pairs at a 3-SD threshold of significance.
      These data suggest that the concordance for nigral pathology in PD twins may be
      higher than previously realized and that the presence of an isolated postural or
      rest tremor may be a phenotypic expression of PD.

PMID- 1407570
TI  - Prevalence of Parkinson's disease and other types of parkinsonism: a door-to-door
      survey in three Sicilian municipalities. The Sicilian Neuro-Epidemiologic Study
      (SNES) Group.
AB  - We investigated the prevalence of Parkinson's disease and other types of
      parkinsonism in a Sicilian population using a door-to-door two-phase approach.
      This design called for the administration of a brief screening instrument to all
      subjects who, on November 1, 1987, were residents of Terrasini (Palermo
      Province), Santa Teresa di Riva (Messina Province), and Riposto (Catania
      Province), Sicily (N = 24,496). Study neurologists using specified diagnostic
      criteria extensively investigated those subjects who screened positive. We found
      63 subjects affected by Parkinson's disease, 21 with secondary parkinsonism, and
      seven with unspecified parkinsonism. The crude prevalence per 100,000 population
      was 371.5 for all types of parkinsonism and 257.2 for Parkinson's disease; for
      both entities, prevalence increased steeply with age and showed an inconsistent
      sex pattern. Our prevalence figures for Parkinson's disease are higher than those
      previously reported in Italy or elsewhere, which may be due, in part, to more
      complete case-ascertainment.

PMID- 1407571
TI  - Multiple sclerosis with very late onset.
AB  - Multiple sclerosis (MS) can present clinically after age 59, but only rarely. In
      a large MS population (N = 2,019), 0.6% of patients had their first symptom at
      age 60 or older. Of this group, six had clinically definite MS, two had
      laboratory-supported definite MS, and four had clinically probable MS. The onset
      at this age was characteristically a slow deterioration of motor function. Most
      (10 of 12) of these very late-onset patients had a progressive course of disease
      from onset.

PMID- 1407572
TI  - National General Practice Study of Epilepsy (NGPSE): partial seizure patterns in
      a general population.
AB  - The National General Practice Study of Epilepsy (NGPSE) is a prospective
      community-based study of newly diagnosed epileptic seizures. Of 594 patients with
      definite epileptic seizures, 160 (26.9%) had seizures with a clinically
      localizable onset: 36 (22.5%) frontal, 52 (32.5%) central sensorimotor, 43 (27%)
      temporal, nine (5.6%) frontotemporal, and 10 each (6.3%) parietal and other
      posterior cortex. There was no difference among these groups in seizure frequency
      or remission rate; 46.5% were seizure free and 6.9% had severe epilepsy. Etiology
      was identifiable in 41% and focal CT and EEG abnormalities in 33% and 19%, with
      results discordant with the clinical seizure localization in 21% and 20%.
      Temporal lobe epilepsy may be underreported, as it may be more difficult to
      localize clinically. Extratemporal seizures are extremely common in the general
      population, especially frontal and central sensorimotor, in relation to
      cerebrovascular disease. Prognoses are similar for partial epilepsies with
      different clinical patterns and regions of onset and are much better than
      suggested in hospital-based studies. The clinical, EEG, and CT localizations may
      frequently be discordant in this nonrefractory group.

PMID- 1407573
TI  - Localization of emotional and volitional facial paresis.
AB  - Emotional facial paresis is characterized by impaired activation of face muscles
      with emotion but normal voluntary activation. We report seven patients with this
      sign. Their lesions involved the frontal lobe white matter, the striatocapsular
      territory, the anterolateral thalamus and insula, the posterior thalamus and
      operculum, and the mesial temporal lobe and insula each in one patient, and the
      posterior thalamus in two patients. Volitional facial paresis affects facial
      movements with voluntary effort, sparing activation on emotion. We report four
      such patients, with lesions involving the motor cortex in one and the pyramidal
      tract in the cerebral hemisphere in three.

PMID- 1407574
TI  - HIV-1 infection and intravenous drug use: longitudinal neuropsychological
      evaluation of asymptomatic subjects.
AB  - A previous baseline cross-sectional comparison of cognitive performance of a
      group of AIDS-free, HIV-seropositive intravenous drug users with seronegative
      control intravenous drug users revealed no significant differences attributable
      to HIV. We now present longitudinal follow-up results from the same cohort of 160
      intravenous drug users. There were no differences in performance by serostatus
      group at either 6- or 12-month follow-up visits, although differences by age and
      education were observed. Improvement in performance secondary to practice effects
      was comparable in both serostatus groups. These findings confirm that chronic
      intravenous drug use may be associated with a wide range of neuropsychological
      deficits, but there is no evidence that such preexisting deficits interact with
      HIV infection to produce additional cognitive impairment in otherwise
      asymptomatic intravenous drug users. Together with results from other high-risk
      groups such as homosexual/bisexual men and hemophiliacs, these results confirm
      that neurocognitive abnormalities during the presymptomatic stages of HIV
      infection are rare, regardless of the route of acquisition of the virus.

PMID- 1407575
TI  - Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration. I. A clinical analysis of 55 anti-Yo
      antibody-positive patients.
AB  - We reviewed the clinical findings in 55 patients with cerebellar degeneration
      associated with the anti-Yo antibody (an anti-Purkinje cell antibody identified
      in this study by histochemistry and Western blot). The patients were all women,
      26 to 85 years old. Fifty-two of them proved to have malignancies, almost
      exclusively breast or gynecologic cancers and usually confined to the involved
      organs and local lymph nodes. One woman had adenocarcinoma of the lung, and in
      three no malignancy has yet been identified. In 34 of 52 patients with cancer,
      the neurologic syndrome preceded the diagnosis of cancer and in many led to that
      diagnosis. Patients subacutely developed a pancerebellar disorder that was
      substantially disabling in most, with 37 of 48 assessable patients being unable
      to walk or sit unassisted. Laboratory evaluation revealed lymphocytic pleocytosis
      in 35 patients, with eventual cerebellar atrophy on imaging studies in seventeen.
      The disabling neurologic syndrome generally did not respond to treatment, but the
      cancer was often successfully treated. The presence of the anti-Yo antibody in
      patients with cerebellar symptoms warrants an aggressive approach to diagnosis
      and treatment of the underlying cancer, as many are curable at the time
      neurologic symptoms develop.

PMID- 1407576
TI  - Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration. II. Clinical and immunologic findings in
      21 patients with Hodgkin's disease.
AB  - We reviewed clinical findings and serologic data on 18 men and three women with
      paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD) associated with Hodgkin's disease
      (HD). The patients were 20 to 77 years old (median, 44). The lymphoma preceded
      neurologic symptoms by 1 to 54 months in 17/21 patients, but stage or activity
      did not correlate with severity of neurologic disease; six developed PCD while in
      HD remission. PCD evolved subacutely (over weeks to months) and was pancerebellar
      in most. Ten had downbeat nystagmus. Thirteen stabilized in a disabled state
      (wheelchair- or bed-bound), five stabilized ambulatory, and three, who had
      progressed to a nonambulatory state, recovered. The clinical findings were
      usually only cerebellar but one patient had an encephalopathy, three long-tract
      signs, and two sensory neuropathy. Plasmapheresis (seven patients) and
      corticosteroids or other immunosuppressant medication (eight patients) did not
      help; one improved dramatically after treatment with clonazepam. Two patients
      improved spontaneously. Six patients had serum antibodies that reacted
      specifically with Purkinje cells. The pattern was distinct from that of PCD with
      gynecologic cancer (anti-Yo) or small-cell lung cancer (anti-Hu). Western
      blotting failed to identify a discrete Purkinje cell antigen. Seropositive
      patients did not differ clinically from their seronegative counterparts. HD
      associated PCD is more common in men and in a younger age group than in PCD with
      other malignancies.

PMID- 1407577
TI  - Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration. III. Cerebellar degeneration, cancer, and
      the Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome.
AB  - We studied nine patients with a subacute onset of a pancerebellar syndrome. Six
      had known cancer (three small-cell carcinoma of the lung [SCLC], one metastatic
      small-cell carcinoma, one small-cell carcinoma of the prostate, and one non
      Hodgkin's lymphoma). Six of eight who had neurophysiologic testing, including the
      three patients without detectable cancer, had coexistent Lambert-Eaton myasthenic
      syndrome (LEMS). In two of the patients, LEMS was discovered only by
      neurophysiologic testing. We looked for anti-Purkinje cell autoantibodies in all
      patient's sera and in four patients' CSF. We also looked for autoantibodies to
      voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) in seven patients' sera and two patients'
      CSF, using the 125I-omega-conotoxin radioimmunoassay. We were unable to detect
      anti-Purkinje cell autoantibodies in any patients' serum or CSF. However, there
      were raised titers of anti-VGCC autoantibodies in five of seven patients' serum,
      including one patient with SCLC who did not have LEMS, and in the CSF of one of
      two patients. We conclude that the frequency of presentation of a pancerebellar
      syndrome with LEMS is higher than expected by chance and is usually associated
      with cancer. In some of these patients, LEMS may be clinically occult. The
      presence of LEMS and raised titers of anti-VGCC autoantibodies in some patients
      with subacute cerebellar degeneration is suggestive of an autoimmune etiology
      even though anti-Purkinje cell antibodies could not be detected. Anti-VGCC
      autoantibodies are not confined to LEMS. They may be found at high titer in CSF
      as well as serum.

PMID- 1407578
TI  - Magnetic brain stimulation: the silent period after the motor evoked potential.
AB  - In 25 normal subjects, we studied the EMG silent period following the magnetic
      motor evoked potential (MEP) when the target muscle was tonically contracted
      (post-EMP silent period [PMSP]). In the first dorsal interosseous muscle (FDI),
      PMSP duration increased in linear proportion to stimulus intensity, but not to
      the size of the preceding MEP. The PMSP was longer in hand and forearm muscles
      than in upper arm muscles. In the FDI, PMSP was longer than the peripheral silent
      period (PSP) even when multiple peripheral stimuli were used to get M responses
      whose twitch force was equivalent to that of MEPs. Weak magnetic stimuli evoked
      silent periods preceded by no MEP in several subjects. Spinal alpha-motoneurons
      (alpha-MNs) were partially inhibited during the first PMSP portion, but later
      this effect recovered. MEPs due to weak electrical stimuli to motor cortex were
      only slightly inhibited during the late PMSP. Segmental inhibitory loops evoked
      by the muscle twitch and inhibitory projections descending to alpha-MNs from the
      cortex predominantly underlie earlier PMSP portions, but recurrent intracortical
      inhibition may also contribute. Later portions are predominantly due to other
      stimulus-related cerebral inhibitory or suppressing phenomena.

PMID- 1407579
TI  - Differential effects of congenital versus acquired unilateral brain injury on
      dichotic listening performance: evidence for sparing and asymmetric crowding.
AB  - We assessed dichotic speech and complex-pitch discrimination in nine young
      patients with unilateral left-hemisphere injury and eight young patients with
      unilateral right-hemisphere injury incurred in the pre-perinatal (congenital)
      period. As in adults with acquired unilateral lesions, both congenital lesion
      groups demonstrated poor performance on stimuli presented to the ear
      contralateral to the lesion. In overall performance on speech discrimination,
      however, the left-hemisphere congenital lesion group performed significantly
      better than the acquired-lesion group did. On complex-pitch discrimination, the
      right-hemisphere congenital lesion group performed significantly better than did
      the acquired-lesion group, but both left- and right-hemisphere congenital lesion
      groups were significantly worse at complex-pitch discrimination than were their
      age- and gender-matched normal controls. These results indicate that although
      congenital damage produces a "lesion effect" in dichotic listening similar to
      that after damage acquired in adulthood, overall function is relatively spared.
      To the extent that complex-pitch discrimination is affected by congenital damage
      to either hemisphere but speech discrimination is not, the present results are
      consistent with an asymmetric form of crowding during reorganization after
      congenital unilateral brain damage.

PMID- 1407580
TI  - Confusion and memory loss from capsular genu infarction: a thalamocortical
      disconnection syndrome?
AB  - We examined six patients with an abrupt change in behavior after infarction
      involving the inferior genu of the internal capsule. The acute syndrome featured
      fluctuating alertness, inattention, memory loss, apathy, abulia, and psychomotor
      retardation, suggesting frontal lobe dysfunction. Contralateral hemiparesis and
      dysarthria were generally mild, except when the infarct extended into the
      posterior limb. Neuropsychological testing in five patients with left-sided
      infarcts revealed severe verbal memory loss. Additional cognitive deficits
      consistent with dementia occurred in four patients. A right-sided infarct caused
      transient impairment in visuospatial memory. Functional brain imaging in three
      patients showed a focal reduction in hemispheric perfusion most prominent in the
      ipsilateral inferior and medial frontal cortex. We infer that the capsular genu
      infarct interrupted the inferior and anterior thalamic peduncles, resulting in
      functional deactivation of the ipsilateral frontal cortex. These observations
      suggest that one mechanism for cognitive deterioration from a lacunar infarct is
      thalamocortical disconnection of white-matter tracts, in some instances leading
      to "strategic-infarct dementia."

PMID- 1407581
TI  - Ictal head deviation: lateralizing significance of the pattern of head movement.
AB  - To resolve the controversy surrounding the lateralizing value of ictal head
      deviation, we analyzed head-turning movements in relation to the actions of the
      two divisions of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. In 12 (75%) of 16 patients with
      surgically confirmed lateralized seizure foci, the face rotated upward and
      contraversive to the hemisphere of seizure origin, consistent with activation of
      the ipsilateral sternomastoid muscle. One patient showed a sustained, downward
      ipsiversive head tilt consistent with the action of the ipsilateral cleidomastoid
      muscle, and three patients had a combined ipsiversive head tilt and contraversive
      face rotation. No patient exhibited ipsiversive upward face rotation or
      contraversive head tilting, as would be expected if the contralateral
      sternocleidomastoid were activated. Our findings indicate that hemispheric
      seizure foci activate one or both divisions of the ipsilateral
      sternocleidomastoid muscle. Accurate lateralization of the seizure focus is
      possible only when ictal head deviation is assessed in the context of the
      different actions of the sternomastoid and cleidomastoid muscle divisions.

PMID- 1407582
TI  - Specific neurobehavioral profile of Williams' syndrome is associated with
      neocerebellar hemispheric preservation.
AB  - Previous work demonstrated enlargement of the neocerebellar vermis in Williams'
      syndrome (WS), despite diminished volumes in the cerebral hemispheres. We present
      the first in vivo volumetric study of any structure within the cerebellar
      hemispheres. Using MRI, we identified and reliably measured the neocerebellar
      tonsils in WS subjects; Down's syndrome (DS) subjects matched for age, IQ, and
      cerebral volume; and age-matched normal controls. WS tonsils were equal in size
      to control tonsils and larger than DS tonsils. In proportion to the cerebrum, WS
      tonsils were larger than controls'. These results coincide with the remarkable
      neuropsychological preservation of language and affect in WS, despite general
      cognitive impairment. They contrast with the neocerebellar vermal hypoplasia seen
      in autism, with its communicative and affective deficits. Additionally, two WS
      subjects showed Chiari type I malformations, but the average tonsillar position
      in WS was not found to be different than in controls.

PMID- 1407583
TI  - Valproate acute administration, EEG epileptic abnormalities, and ammonemia.
AB  - Acute, oral administration of 14.3 to 37.5 mg/kg magnesium valproate (peak serum
      concentrations, 65 to 139 micrograms/ml) increases spike-wave frequency at 2, 3,
      4, and 5 hours postdrug, in the absence of hyperammonemia or significant
      correlations with ammonemia fluctuations. This observation suggests a direct role
      of valproate on neural activity.

PMID- 1407584
TI  - Amphotericin B-associated leukoencephalopathy.
AB  - We report instances of fatal leukoencephalopathy associated with the intravenous
      administration of the antifungal agent amphotericin B (AmB) to a 16-year-old girl
      treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and a 22-year-old man who underwent bone
      marrow transplantation for a myelodysplastic syndrome. Both received AmB in
      association with cranial irradiation and developed a subacutely evolving
      neurologic disorder characterized by personality change and confusion rapidly
      progressing to akinetic mutism. Neuroimaging studies disclosed diffuse
      nonenhancing abnormalities of the cerebral, particularly frontal, white matter
      that included hypodensity on CT and increased signal on T2-weighted MRI.
      Postmortem examinations demonstrated a diffuse, noninflammatory
      leukoencephalopathy with florid astrogliosis, demyelination, and infiltration of
      the hemispheric white matter by foamy macrophages. In neither case was there
      evidence of opportunistic infection or neoplastic infiltration of the nervous
      system. We review the evidence that polyene macrolide antibiotics such as AmB are
      potential leukotoxins.

PMID- 1407585
TI  - Lateralization of human focal epilepsy by 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopic
      imaging.
AB  - We attempted to lateralize the epileptogenic focus (seven temporal lobe
      hippocampal foci, one frontal lobe focus) in medically refractory unilateral
      complex partial seizures, using noninvasive 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopic
      imaging (MRSI) blindly and interictally to compare hippocampal or frontal
      regions. The seizure foci were more alkaline (intracellular pH = 7.17 +/- 0.03)
      compared with the contralateral region (7.06 +/- 0.02, p < 0.01) in all eight
      cases; the inorganic phosphate was relatively increased (240 +/- 50% of
      contralateral, seven of eight cases, p < 0.01); and phosphomonoesters were
      relatively reduced (68 +/- 9% of contralateral, seven of eight cases, p < 0.01).
      Other phosphorus metabolites were symmetric (+/- 10%). 31P MRSI correctly
      lateralized the seizure focus in all eight cases. By comparison, imaging
      correctly lateralized four cases and SPECT, two cases. In conclusion, 31P MRSI is
      a useful tool for the noninvasive clinical assessment of focal epilepsy and can
      accurately lateralize the epileptogenic focus.

PMID- 1407586
TI  - Amyloidoma of the CNS. I. Clinical and pathologic study.
AB  - We report a 32-year-old man with a 4-year history of headaches, seizures, and
      dementia secondary to multifocal amyloidomas in the white matter.
      Immunohistochemical and electron microscopic analyses suggest that the
      amyloidomas resulted from processing of plasma-cell-derived amyloidogenic protein
      by microglial cells.

PMID- 1407587
TI  - Longitudinal changes in lateral ventricular volume in patients with dementia of
      the Alzheimer type.
AB  - We determined the rates of lateral ventricular enlargement and decline in
      cognitive performance for 11 men and nine women with dementia of the Alzheimer
      type (DAT), and compared these rates with the same measures obtained for age
      matched healthy controls (nine men and eight women). DAT patients, as a group,
      had only mild cognitive impairment at initial evaluation, and each patient was
      followed from 9 months to over 7 years with yearly evaluations. Six DAT patients
      had isolated memory impairment as their only cognitive deficit early in the
      course of the disease. The rate of total lateral ventricle enlargement (cm3/yr)
      was significantly different between DAT and healthy controls, and was more
      specific and sensitive to the diagnosis of DAT than comparison of cross-sectional
      volumes at final evaluation. The rate of total lateral ventricular enlargement
      did not differ significantly by patient sex, ventricular size at initial
      evaluation, age, or degree of cognitive impairment as measured by Mini Mental
      State Examination scores. However, in the six DAT patients initially found to
      have isolated memory impairment, the rate of ventricular enlargement during the
      period of isolated memory impairment was significantly less than the rate of
      ventricular enlargement after the onset of nonmemory cognitive impairment. The
      diagnostic power of total lateral ventricular measures made from two CTs
      separated by 1 year and obtained early in the course of the illness, however, was
      only 0.33. We conclude that the total lateral ventricular enlargement
      accompanying DAT is due to continuous, pathologic cell loss, significantly
      greater than cell loss due to the healthy aging process.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407588
TI  - Analysis of the DNA duplication 17p11.2 in Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy type 1
      pedigrees: additional evidence for a third autosomal CMT1 locus.
AB  - We have restudied two clinically typical Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy type 1
      (CMT1; also known as hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy 1) pedigrees that
      were previously reported to be unlinked to the regions of proximal chromosome 1q
      and chromosome 17p by multipoint linkage analyses. In these two pedigrees, there
      is no evidence for linkage to additional DNA markers that flank and span the
      CMT1A locus on chromosome 17p11.2, and a duplication associated with CMT1A is not
      present in these pedigrees. These findings confirm that the CMT1 locus in these
      two pedigrees does not map to chromosome 17p11.2 or 1q, and provide further
      evidence for the existence of a third autosomal locus for CMT1.

PMID- 1407589
TI  - The effect of exercise on levodopa absorption.
AB  - We studied the effect of exercise using cycle ergometry on levodopa absorption in
      ten patients with Parkinson's disease. Oral levodopa was administered during
      exercise and at rest on separate days. Exercise delayed levodopa absorption in
      five patients, increased it in three, and did not influence it in two. We
      conclude that exercise can either increase or decrease levodopa absorption.

PMID- 1407590
TI  - Homozygosity for the transthyretin-Met30 gene in three Japanese siblings with
      type I familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy.
AB  - We report the cases of three siblings homozygous for a mutated transthyretin
      (TTR) gene that causes type I familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP), in whom
      we made the diagnosis by identifying both the mutated TTR gene and a variant TTR
      in their sera. Their serum levels for the variant TTR are twice those of patients
      heterozygous for the gene, but two have late-onset FAP and the third is an
      elderly asymptomatic carrier. TTR abnormality is a necessary condition for the
      development of FAP, but there may be other factors that retard or prevent its
      clinical development.

PMID- 1407591
TI  - Research initiatives on Machado-Joseph disease: National Institute of
      Neurological Disorders and Stroke Workshop summary.

PMID- 1407592
TI  - Hallucinatory vision of a familiar face following right temporal hemorrhage.

PMID- 1407593
TI  - PET assessment defended.

PMID- 1407595
TI  - Pick's disease.

PMID- 1407594
TI  - Intravenous immunoglobulin.

PMID- 1407596
TI  - Theophylline and seizures.

PMID- 1407597
TI  - Epilepsy due to neurocysticercosis.

PMID- 1407598
TI  - Neuropsychological tests in HIV.

PMID- 1407599
TI  - Baclofen for spasticity.

PMID- 1407600
TI  - Transverse myelopathy.

PMID- 1407601
TI  - Franz Gall.

PMID- 1407602
TI  - Robert Boyle.

PMID- 1407603
TI  - Hemodynamic and electrophysiological evaluation following
      extracranial/intracranial bypass surgery.
AB  - We examined 50 patients with an extracranial/intracranial bypass using
      transcranial Doppler blood flow mapping, somatosensory evoked potentials, and
      computer-assisted EEG analysis. The investigation was supplemented by temporary
      compression of the extracranial supplying vessel. Transcranial Doppler sonography
      revealed in addition to 4 patients with nonpatent anastomoses, a bypass-mediated
      retrograde flow in the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery beyond a depth of 40 mm
      in the majority of patients. In 9 patients, retrograde flow could be demonstrated
      in the whole proximal (M1) MCA segment. The precommunicating segment of the
      anterior cerebral artery (A1) could be reliably insonated in all but 5 patients.
      Bypass-compression dependent alterations in the SSEP and in EEG analysis were
      only observed in a small number of patients. Transcranial Doppler sonography,
      with the aid of the flow mapping system, appears therefore, to be a reliable and
      repeatedly performable noninvasive technique for the assessment of intracranial
      hemodynamics following bypass surgery.

PMID- 1407604
TI  - Dermoid and epidermoid cysts of the midline in the posterior cranial fossa.
AB  - Clinical features and surgical outcome of 16 patients with dermoid or epidermoid
      cysts on the midline of the posterior cranial fossa are compared. Salient points
      in the comparison are the younger age, presence of associated malformations and
      better prognosis of dermoid cyst.

PMID- 1407605
TI  - Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.
AB  - We report on 146 patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage treated in
      the period between 1984 and 1988. The aim of this retrospective study was to
      point out factors for operative respectively conservative treatment. Looking for
      etiology, age, unconsciousness, localization and extension of hematoma as well as
      bleeding into the ventricles our results showed that patients over 70 years of
      age and/or in coma III and IV (Brussels Coma Scale) have a bad prognosis as well
      as patients with intraventricular bleeding. Patients seem to benefit from
      operation if hematoma is located in the hemisphere or cerebellar and the
      extension ranges from 3 to 5 cm.

PMID- 1407606
TI  - Malignant tumors of the anterior cranial skull base.
AB  - Malignant tumors of the anterior cranial skull base are still a challenge for
      radical surgical treatment. Several different techniques and approaches have been
      developed over the years and the results, with mortality rates over 50%, are
      still not encouraging. Here we present our results of an interdisciplinary, one
      stage, neurohino transfronto-transbasal surgical approach in twelve patients with
      such tumors. The long-term survival rate in our patients is now 83% with a mean
      postoperative follow-up of 19.3 months. Two patients died due to early
      recurrencies and metastasis after 10 and 13 months after initial treatment and
      postoperative irradiation. Another five patients with a follow-up of 34.2 months
      have had tumor recurrencies diagnosed at 19.5 months postoperatively. These
      patients have survived their recurrent tumor for 14.7 months. Five patients, 41%
      of the whole group, have been living without evidence of tumor recurrence for
      between 2 and 35 months.

PMID- 1407607
TI  - The use of Nd:YAG laser in pituitary surgery and evaluation of visual function by
      visual evoked potential (VEP).
AB  - Surgery of pituitary tumors has been improved by microneurosurgical methods.
      However, despite improvements in surgical results, pituitary tumors still
      continue to represent a problem and, therefore, prompt a search for new surgical
      techniques. Since Nd:YAG laser energy penetrates the target tissue more deeply
      than other instruments, its use in the para- and suprasellar region should be
      considered. It is well known that Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) is a sensitive
      and objective method for the valuation of compressive or destructive lesions in
      or around the optic nerve. Visual function correlates with the latency and
      amplitude of P100 wave in VEP. We used the Nd:YAG laser in 50 transsphenoidal
      operations of pituitary adenomas. Postoperative effects of the laser on visual
      function was evaluated by conventional neurophthalmological tests as well as VEP
      and was compared with preoperative values. Following surgery using Nd:YAG laser,
      both conventional neurophthalmological tests and VEP values improved due to
      decompression of optic nerves by tumor removal. In this study, we also examined
      anterior lobe functions and found that Nd:YAG laser does not affect these
      functions. Our study shows that Nd:YAG laser has no harmful effects and seems to
      be very helpful especially for surgery for invading hormone-active adenomas.

PMID- 1407608
TI  - Traumatic brain edema induced by ventricular puncture. A study by magnetic
      resonance imaging.
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrates after ventricular catheterization a focal
      brain hypersignal corresponding to a parenchymal edema along the drain track. In
      the course of our daily clinical activity, this hypersignal extension seemed more
      pronounced when catheterizing the frontal area than the junctional parieto
      temporo-occipital parenchyma (or trigonal area). In order to confirm this
      impression, we prospectively studied ten consecutive patients with normal
      pressure hydrocephalus in whom both of these brain regions were successively
      catheterized first by a frontal puncture for intracranial pressure monitoring and
      then by a trigonal one for a ventricular shunt. Each patient was evaluated by
      serial magnetic resonance imaging. The extension of the hypersignal induced by
      both catheterizations was estimated on a scale of five grades (0 to 4) of
      hypersignal extension. A statistically significant more important hypersignal
      extension was demonstrated at the level of frontal area when compared to the
      trigonal one. We discuss the likely underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon.

PMID- 1407609
TI  - Neoplastic and reactive human astrocytes express interleukin-8 gene.
AB  - Expression of lymphokine genes in the human astroglial cell lineage was studied.
      Primers for 9 different human lymphokines, from IL-1 alpha to IL-8, were used to
      analyze RNA transcripts in 5 cultured human astrocytoma cell lines and fresh
      brain specimens by PCR. mRNA transcripts for IL-8 were detected in all neuroglial
      cells. In addition to the cultured cells, we examined IL-8 gene expression within
      human malignant astrocytoma, peritumoral brain and autopsied normal brains. The
      result shows that tumor and cells of the surrounding reactive lesion express IL-8
      genes, but it is not expressed in normal brains. Next, the concentration of IL-8
      in supernatants of cultured cells was measured quantitatively by a solid phase
      ELISA assay. IL-8 activity was produced constitutively in all astrocytomas and
      increased markedly upon stimulation with IL-1 beta or TNF alpha, in both a time-
      and dose-dependent fashion. From these results, it is suspected that astroglial
      cell-derived IL-8 may take part in neutrophil-mediated inflammation which
      accompanies infection, degeneration and malignancy in the brain.

PMID- 1407610
TI  - The frontoorbital advancement--on the use of 3D-CT and the miniplate
      osteosynthesis.
AB  - Between 1987 and 1991 we performed a unilateral or bilateral frontoorbital
      advancement to correct trigono- or plagiocephaly in 10 children: Three
      dimensional CT provides an exact basis for operation planning. Titanium
      miniplates allow an already primarily rather stable osteosynthesis. The best time
      for this intervention is the end of the third month of life.

PMID- 1407611
TI  - Pneumosinus dilatans after prolonged cerebrospinal fluid shunting in young adults
      with cerebral hemiatrophy. A report of two cases and review of the literature.
AB  - Pneumosinus dilatans is a generalized or partial enlargement of the paranasal
      sinuses containing only air. Pneumosinus dilatans occurs as an idiopathic
      disorder as well as in association with other disorders, including cerebral
      hemiatrophy. We report two cases of patients with congenital cerebral hemiatrophy
      who developed juvenile pneumosinus dilatans of the frontal, ethmoidal, and
      sphenoidal sinus. The hydrocephalus of both patients was treated by prolonged
      cerebrospinal fluid shunting. The development of hyperpneumatization of the
      paranasal sinuses was proved by plain radiographs and CT. Previous reports of
      pneumosinus dilatans are reviewed, and the effect of prolonged cerebrospinal
      fluid shunting in our cases is discussed. Cerebrospinal fluid shunting during the
      period of physiological pneumatization of paranasal sinuses might have increased
      hyperpneumatization.

PMID- 1407612
TI  - Primary Ewing's sarcoma of the skull: follow-up with bone scanning.
AB  - The authors report and discuss an extremely rare case of primary Ewing's sarcoma
      originating in the flat bones of the skull. The case was followed up by serial
      bone scanning during the postoperative period. A subclinical recurrence was
      detected as a focus at the original site 2.5 years after the first operation.
      Following a second operation and adjuvant chemotherapy the patient is still
      asymptomatic.

PMID- 1407613
TI  - Metastasis of a renal carcinoma to a cerebellar haemangioblastoma in a case of
      von Hippel-Lindau disease.
AB  - A patient with Von Hippel-Lindau disease had a long-standing cerebellar cyst
      which recurred for the fifth time. At operation there was evidence of a renal
      carcinoma metastasis in the wall of the cyst which was probably a
      haemangioblastoma.

PMID- 1407614
TI  - [Noninvasive evaluation of cardiac index and ejection fraction in ischemic heart
      disease. Comparison of thoracic bioimpedance, thermodilution and
      cineventriculography].
AB  - Aim of the study was to verify the reliability of thoracic bioimpedance
      cardiography (TEB) in detection, non-invasively, cardiac index (IC) and ejection
      fraction (FE), compared to simultaneous evaluation by invasive thermodilution
      (TD) in 39 patients with acute myocardial infarction in Killip class I-II (group
      I), and by cineventriculography (CVG) in 26 patients with chronic coronary artery
      disease in NYHA class I-II (group II). In order to define the reproducibility of
      TEB values, in the latter patients, the above mentioned parameters were evaluated
      6 times more, running the first evaluation. The statistical analysis was
      performed by the linear regression test and the Student's "t" test and by the
      test of variance for the reproducibility evaluation. Results (mean +/- SD) were
      as follows: group I: TEB-IC 2.89 +/- 0.63; TD-IC 2.83 +/- 0.56 (1/min/m2); r =
      0.68; p < 0.01. Group II: TEB-IC 2.88 +/- 0.71; CVG-IC 3.48 +/- 0.66; r = 0.77; p
      < 0.001; TEB-FE 57.7 +/- 6.8%; CVG-FE 58.1 +/- 13.7%; r = 0.40; p = ns. Results
      of the reproducibility referred to the 6 measurements (mean +/- SD) were the
      follows: TEB-IC (1/min/m2) (1) 2.83 +/- 0.76; (2) 2.85 +/- 0.73; (3) 2.8 +/-
      0.79; (4) 2.83 +/- 0.71; (5) 2.87 +/- 0.81; (6) 2.88 +/- 0.8, p = ns, the
      variability was assesses within +/- 9.3%. TEB-FE (%): (1) 56.7 +/- 6.2; (2) 55.8
      +/- 5; (3) 57.1 +/- 5.5; (4) 56.1 +/- 6.1; (5) 55.4 +/- 5.8; (6) 57.3 +/- 6.3, p
      = ns; the variability was assessed within +/- 9.1%. The analysis of the results
      showed a good correlation in the IC detection among TEB and the compared
      techniques, conversely TEB evaluation of FE appear of poor values in this kind of
      patients. Relatively to the results of the reproducibility this unquestionable
      characteristic of TEB was demonstrated.

PMID- 1407615
TI  - [Hemostatic parameters in patients with type IIA and IV hyperlipoproteinemia].
AB  - In order to assess the interrelationships between the lipemic and the haemostatic
      balance the Authors studied the behaviour of some thrombotic markers in
      hyperlipemic subjects. The series consists of 35 subjects (15 m, 20 f, mean age
      56 +/- 9 years) suffering from primary polygenic hyperlipoproteinemia of type IIA
      (23 cases) and type IV (12 cases) (cholesterol and triglyceride values exceeding
      respectively 250 and 180 mg%); 38 control subjects matched for sex, age and body
      weight were also examined; all the subjects were without hepato-renal and
      endocrine-metabolic disorders as well as without clinical signs of
      arteriosclerotic vasculopathy. For each subject the Authors performed the assay
      of the fasting plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG)
      (enzymatic methods), fibrinogen (F) (coagulometric method), factor VII
      (coagulometric method) (F VII), antithrombin III (AT III) (chromogenic method),
      tissue activator of plasminogen (tPA), beta-thromboglobulin (BTG) and D-dimer (D
      D) (ELISA method). The type IIA hypercholesterolemic subjects showed a not
      significant trend in a thrombophilic sense of the markers (increase of F, F VII,
      BTG and D-D, decrease of AT III); the type IV hypertriglyceridemic subjects
      exhibited a significant (0.05) increase of factor VII, BTG and D-D compared to
      the control subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1407616
TI  - [Echocardiographic changes in patients with polycystic nephropathy].
AB  - We have studied with the echocardiography M-Mode, 2-D, Doppler three groups of 15
      subjects for testing the presence of cardiac abnormalities probably related to
      primary collagen defect in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney
      disease (ADPKD) The first group was made up of patients with ADPKD and normal
      renal function, the second of patients with ADPKD in hemodialysis (HD), the last
      one of patients in HD for other renal disease. In the first group we found no
      cardiovascular abnormalities while we found an increased incidence of valvular
      disease (p = 0.016) in patients with ADPKD in HD and an increased incidence in
      valvular disease (p = 0.016) and left atrial dilatation (p = 0.006) in patients
      in HD for different renal disease. When we estimated the cases on the ground of
      dialytic age uncorrelated with the initial renal disease, only the incidence of
      valvular calcifications was increased in patients on HD more than 3 years (p =
      0.034). In our group of patients the echocardiographic abnormalities seem to be
      related more to uremic cardiomyopathy even if we cannot deny the existence of
      primary cardiac disease in patients with ADPKD.

PMID- 1407617
TI  - [Antibiotic pretreatment of heart valve prostheses].
AB  - Bacterial endocarditis on cardiac valvular prosthesis is still a frequent and
      dangerous complication: septicemia, embolism, valvular dysfunction and mortality.
      To prevent these complications, intraoperative treatment of prosthesis, by
      immersion in antibiotic solution, was performed in 1262 patients. The
      postoperative results have been compared with results of a nontreated group. The
      incidence of endocarditis in the treated group was 1.3%, in non-treated cases
      5.45%. The cases of early endocarditis, was 0.08% of total cases of complications
      in the treated patients group; and 4.54% in the nontreated patient group. This
      study's results, confirm the utility of valvular prosthesis antibiotic treatment
      in cardiac surgery.

PMID- 1407618
TI  - [Abnormalities of the sensing function. Further contributions to the current
      classification].
AB  - With systemic unipolar pacemaker control by chest wall stimulation and
      interference we have obtained further data of the sensing function in more the
      5000 clinical controls. A better classification of abnormal sensing function is
      important for a full electrocardiographic interpretation. We have established
      that the oversensing is always a primary evident or concealed phenomenon.
      Undersensing is a primary or secondary phenomenon provoked by a concealed
      oversensing in refractory period.

PMID- 1407619
TI  - [Inter-electrode distance and atrial sensing. Our experience with atrial-guided
      pacing (VDD) in the biennium 1990-1991].
AB  - We implanted 47 Phymos VDD pacemakers (53.7% for complete atrioventricular block
      42.57% for symptomatic lower heart block) in the 1990-91 period. In this series
      of cases with EDE 830-830S leads by means Holter technique we evaluated the
      atrial trigger. A high percentage of atrial sensing (97.8%) was found with 11 cm
      leads. The right atrial motion study is realized to explain the atrial sensing
      with floating leads.

PMID- 1407620
TI  - [Iatrogenic torsade de pointes induced by thioridazine].
AB  - Torsade de pointes is a form of polymorphous ventricular tachycardia in which the
      polarity of the QRS complex exhibits phasic alterations in both axis.
      Traditionally, torsade de pointes has been described in association with a
      congenital or acquired (including drug and metabolic) causes of QT prolongation.
      Clinical outcomes range from asymptomatic, self-terminating arrhythmias to
      ventricular fibrillation resulting in cardiac arrest. For the treatment of
      torsade de pointes, the conventional antiarrhythmic drugs cannot be relied on,
      cardiac pacing should be instituted as soon as possible; however, as this
      technique may not always be immediately available, isoproterenol infusion may be
      the first-choice treatment. Potassium and magnesium repletion appear to be
      essential in abolishing drug-induced torsade de pointes. This report describes a
      case of thioridazine-induced torsade de pointes treated efficaciously with
      magnesium sulphate and overdrive right ventricular pacing.

PMID- 1407622
TI  - [Diagnostic "gold standard" in cerebrovascular insufficiency. Comparison of
      angiographic and ultrasonic imaging].
AB  - The Authors consider the complex diagnostic problems of cerebrovascular
      disorders, with particular concern to angiography and echography. After a
      complete analysis of different aspects of angiographic and echographic lesions,
      considering their experience, they identify chances and limits of the two
      methods, they draw the conclusion that each of the two techniques has a proper
      role, and only a correct correlation between them can depict correctly the
      pathologic lesions.

PMID- 1407621
TI  - [Gallbladder calculi: what therapy of choice?].
AB  - The Authors have analyzed all different methods for the treatment of gallbladder
      stones which are performed today: the non invasive treatment of the gallstones
      (oral dissolution therapy and the extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy), the
      minimally invasive procedures (contact dissolution therapy and the
      cholecystolithotomy) and at the end the new surgical techniques (the
      "minicholecystectomy" and the laparoscopic cholecystectomy). From this study and
      their experience, based upon 1346 standard cholecystectomy, the Authors have
      reached the following conclusions: 1) the cholecystectomy remains the only
      definitive therapy for the gallbladder stones and it is the gold standard to
      which must be compared the other alternative therapies; 2) the laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy, even though introduced recently, would become the only method
      used for cholecystectomy.

PMID- 1407623
TI  - [Tumor markers in colorectal cancer].
AB  - Over the past ten years numerous studies have been carried out to identify tumour
      markers able to diagnose cancer of the digestive tract. The paper reports the
      combined use of some markers (CEA, TPA, GICA, CA 125) in patients with carcinoma
      of the colon-rectum. The Authors conclude that although these markers are of
      little use, especially in association, in the early diagnosis of disease, it is
      very important to utilise these markers to monitor patients following surgical,
      chemotherapeutic or radiotherapeutic treatment.

PMID- 1407624
TI  - [Role of endoscopy in the diagnosis and follow-up of bleeding lesions of the
      colon].
AB  - Considering the results of the centre of colonoscopy we can draw some
      considerations about the irreplaceable role of endoscopy in the diagnosis of
      bleeding colonic lesions and about its greater security in comparison with the
      traditional radiologic exam, about its possibilities to be sometimes resolutive
      even for the therapy and about its great importance in the follow-up of patients
      treated for lesions of this kind.

PMID- 1407626
TI  - [Squamous papillomas of the esophagus].
AB  - The paper reports 14 cases of squamous papilloma of the esophagus which were
      removed using an endoscopic method: this is a comparatively rare benign pathology
      of which an increasing number of cases have been recently observed. Endoscopic
      controls were carried out in all cases and the results of the follow-up are
      reported.

PMID- 1407625
TI  - [Acute enterorrhagia. A diagnostic-therapeutic approach].
AB  - The Authors report their experience in cases of severe lower intestinal bleeding.
      On the basis of personal data and previously reported results, endoscopy is shown
      to be the primary and sometimes essential method, especially in the case of colo
      rectal bleeding, both in terms of its diagnostic precision and possible
      therapeutic uses. This technique was used to treat all emergency cases, obtaining
      a diagnostic resolution in 85.6% and hemostasis and/or the concomitant removal of
      the lesion in 52.3% of cases.

PMID- 1407627
TI  - [Complications of hepatic hydatidosis].
AB  - Fifty cases of complicated hydatid cyst of the liver on a total of 250 cases of
      hydatid cyst observed were analyzed. The Authors describe the several
      complications observed (compression, infection, rupture into biliary tract or
      into the thorax or into the peritoneal cavity, the diagnostic and therapeutic
      procedures. Total mortality was about 7.6% (3 cases) 2 patient died for
      intraperitoneal rupture and one for rupture in the biliary tract. Surgical
      treatment should be as radical as possible performing total or subtotal
      pericystectomy, hepatic resection is reserved to selected cases. Drainage by Kehr
      tube of biliary tract is necessary of rupture of the cyst in the biliary tract,
      while we limit the indication for a papillostomy to the sphincter duct stenosis.

PMID- 1407628
TI  - [Aneurysms of the peripheral arteries].
AB  - The Authors examine aetiological, pathological, and clinical patterns of the
      peripheric aneurysms and emphasize the frequency with which an aneurysm, even
      when asymptomatic, can complicate and cause acute ischaemia of a limb with high
      risk of amputation. They present their personal experience of ten operated cases,
      some of choice, others in emergency, and report the immediate and late results.

PMID- 1407629
TI  - [Acute thrombosis of the lower limbs: choice of treatment?].
AB  - The paper reports the Authors' experience of treating acute thrombotic-type
      ischemia of the lower limbs. It analyses the results obtained in 105 patients
      treated either using vascular reconstruction, loco-regional fibrinolytic therapy,
      or simple thrombectomy. Statistical analysis reveals a marked difference between
      reconstructive surgery and simple thrombectomy, whereas fibrinolysis was found to
      be a useful but limited method used only in patients with pallid ischemia and in
      circulatory compensation. In conclusion, the Authors sustain that an aggressive
      type approach is currently the most reliable method to be used in all cases in
      which the patient's general and local conditions permit.

PMID- 1407630
TI  - [Mechanical and antibiotic preparation and infections in colorectal surgery.
      Comparison of 2 methods of orthograde lavage].
AB  - The efficacy of two methods of orthograde lavage preparation in elective
      colorectal surgery was tested in 133 consecutive patients: the results obtained
      with whole gut irrigation (50 patients, group A) were compared with the results
      of oral lavage solution (83 patients, group B). All patients received a
      parenteral association of antibodies (clindamycin in combination with a broad
      spectrum antibiotic, mainly II or III generation cephalosporins). Bacterial
      cultures were carried out at the end of the lavage in the rectal effluent (no
      statistically significant differences between the two groups) and in the
      intraoperative aspirate from the colon (the bacterial concentration was higher in
      group B). The total number of infections was 12 (9%), with 6 (12%) in group A and
      6 (7.2%) in group B. The infectious complications involved perineal wound in 9
      cases (in 2 patients in combination with abdominal wound infection), abdominal
      drainage in 2 and abdominal wound in 1. The type of broad spectrum antibiotic did
      not affect the infection rate significantly. Perioperative and infection site
      bacteriological cultures grew the same type of organism only in one case. The
      surgeons' judgement of the adequacy of the cleansing favored whole gut
      irrigation, although the results of the study revealed that both methods were
      safe and provided equally adequate bowel cleansing.

PMID- 1407631
TI  - [Surgical day hospital: technical possibilities and organizational model].
AB  - The Authors propose an organizational model for a surgical day hospital program,
      which is being used for a pilot day surgery unit in the I Department of Surgery
      of the Rome University "La Sapienza". The program requires little capital
      investment, as it is closely linked, geographically and administratively, to the
      main surgical unit, and uses the present staff, facilities and support services.
      The model is based on a computerized LAN (Local Area Network), providing fast
      recording, scheduling, management and trannsfer of medical data for each patient.
      The present situation is reported in detail. Data from the authors' outpatient
      department for 1988, have been recorded and elaborated. The results show a low
      use of surgical day care, limited to minor surgical procedures, and with not a
      single operation performed under general anesthesia. The authors hope to see a
      growth in the use of day surgery and a more selective use of inpatient care.

PMID- 1407632
TI  - [Association of biliary calculosis and portal cavernomatosis].
AB  - This paper reports the case of a woman, who underwent surgery because of
      cholelithiasis, with intraoperative finding of prehepatic portal hypertension
      from portal vein thrombosis ("portal cavernoma") with healthy liver, later
      confirmed by angiographic studies. This rare pathologic association carries a
      higher risk of major operative complications; therefore the Authors agree with
      the general belief that, for these cases, biliary tract surgery should be as
      simple and safe as possible. In the case of preoperative diagnosis of biliary
      disease associated with portal cavernoma, should a surgical approach on the
      biliary tract be required, we agree on the advisability of performing a shunting
      procedure before any kind of biliary surgery. In case of variceal bleeding
      endoscopic sclerotherapy will be the first choice; surgical procedures (shunting)
      should be seen as a second choice in case of rebleeding after sclerotherapy.

PMID- 1407633
TI  - [The Roux loop syndrome: a postgastrectomy syndrome. Description of 2 clinical
      cases].
AB  - The Roux-En-Y operation has been used to control enterogastric reflux occurring
      after previous distal gastric resection and it has been used extensively in the
      treatment of alkaline reflux. Recently a postgastrectomy syndrome characterized
      by chronic abdominal pain, persistent nausea and vomiting that is exacerbated by
      eating and that develops after the Roux-En-Y operation has been described. It has
      therefore been postulated that the Roux-En-Y limb acts as a functional
      obstruction and causes the symptoms.

PMID- 1407634
TI  - [Polycystic retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma. A clinical and anatomo-pathological
      contribution].
AB  - The Authors report an unusual case of retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma,
      multicystic, resembling an ovarian cystoma in a patient with simultaneous
      subclavian-axillary thrombosis. They analyze anatomo-pathological and clinical
      aspects of this kind of tumor and underline the possible errors they themselves
      faced. To they come to the conclusion that a careful diagnostic iter of this kind
      of tumor must be carried out and that the surgical approach must be radical.

PMID- 1407635
TI  - [A case of extrarenal angiomyolipoma with intestinal localization].
AB  - The Authors present a case of extrarenal angiomyolipoma. The tumor arose from the
      pericolonic fat of the sigmoid colon and, increasing in size, caused intestinal
      obstruction by extrinsic lesion. Extrarenal angiomyolipoma is extremely rare and
      to our knowledge this is the first reported case arising from the colonic wall.

PMID- 1407636
TI  - [From laparotomy to pelviscopy. A new trend].
AB  - Our pelviscopic operative series from 1986 to June 1991 is reported. Nowadays our
      group performs 70% of female genital benign lesions by the pelviscopic technique.
      Infect laparotomy has been abandoned in case of benign ovarian cyst while the
      pelviscopic myomectomy rate is about 69%. Our results show that this kind of
      management is safe and also undeniable advantages such as morbidity reduction,
      shorter hospital stay, less social cost, quick return to work and renewing of the
      method make the indications more and more every day.

PMID- 1407637
TI  - [Spontaneous abortion. Epidemiologic considerations].
AB  - The authors report on the incidence of spontaneous abortion, the commonest
      complication of the pregnancy. The period examined is from March 1989 and March
      1991, in the obstetrical division of University of L'Aquila. The incidence and
      association between maternal age, malformations, parity, maternal cigarette
      smoking and alcohol are reported.

PMID- 1407638
TI  - [Identification of growth hormone in human embryos and fetuses].
AB  - The authors report a study on 10 human fetuses aged between 9 and 16 weeks of
      gestation. A PAP technique (peroxidase-anti-peroxidase) was used to identify the
      time and place of growth hormone appearance. Data obtained show intense
      positivity for chondrocytes, obleoblasts and perichrondrium. Hepatocytes were
      also found to be positive. These results suggest that GH plays an important role
      in a number of tissues in which it conditions maturation and development.

PMID- 1407639
TI  - [Predictive factors of infantile cerebral lesions during pregnancy and labor].
AB  - The risks connected with children's cerebral lesions are examined by means of two
      different surveys related to a retrospective study over a period of about 10
      years. One of these surveys is clinical and is based in the obstetric case
      history of children carrying psychomotor handicaps. The other survey is
      instrumental and concerns 100 cases of pathologic cardiotocography during labour
      associated with fetal suffering. The results of border surveys are discusses. For
      the assessment of the obstetric risk the sum of the pathologic conditions that
      emerged during pregnancy and delivery have to be taken into consideration.
      Cardiotocography is still a fundamental diagnostic examination to recognise the
      suffering fetus and the data collected real a close association between
      cardiotocography diagnosis and the conditions of the baby at the birth.

PMID- 1407640
TI  - [Prolapse of the vaginal vault after hysterectomy. A simple method for "anterior"
      abdominal correction].

PMID- 1407641
TI  - [Prevention of thrombotic complications in postoperative gynecology].

PMID- 1407642
TI  - [Prophylactic use of cefotetan in gynecologic surgery].
AB  - The efficacy of prophylactic treatment with systemic antibiotics in laparotomic
      gynecologic surgery is well established. Lately, short-term schemes have been
      preferred in surgical prophylaxis for different reasons. First of all,
      experimental data demonstrated that the efficacy of an antibiotic is maximal when
      it reaches active tissue concentrations at the time of bacterial contamination.
      In addition with the availability of new, long-acting antibiotics, a long period
      of time around the operations was possibly covered. The effectiveness of a single
      preoperative 2 gm dose of Cefotetan was compared with a traditional treatment of
      3 gm daily of Cefazolin for one week following surgery in 86 women undergoing
      laparotomic gynecologic surgery for benign pathology. Our results confirm that
      preoperative treatment with Cefotetan is able to prevent infectious disease such
      as 3 gm of Cefazolin per day for one week. Thus, Cefotetan can be used for this
      type of prophylaxis considering its broad spectrum of action and pharmacokinetic
      properties.

PMID- 1407643
TI  - [THe use of leuprolide in endometrial glandular hyperplasia].
AB  - Endometrial hyperplasia is a very frequent pathology during menopause and
      involves the risk of the malignant transformation of lesions and the onset of
      anemia due to concomitant clinical phenomena. Standard medical treatments often
      involve major collateral effects which impede their long-term use. In an attempt
      to avoid radical surgery for many women or the use of other invasive techniques,
      this paper proposes the use of Leuprolide acetate which was used to treat 30
      patients with histologically confirmed symptoms of endometrial hyperplasia
      without atypia. This controlled-session LHRH analog was administered using an
      intramuscular route every 30 days for 6 months. Hysteroscopic and histological
      controls were carried out 30 days after the last treatment and showed the
      resolution of histological and clinical symptoms; this was confirmed after 3
      months. Fibroma, which are the most frequently associated pathology, were
      considerably reduced.

PMID- 1407644
TI  - [Report of a case of autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura in pregnancy].
AB  - A clinical report concerning a severe idiopathic thrombocytopenia during
      pregnancy (minimal platelet count 3000/mm3 is described). Corticosteroids and
      immunoglobulins were administered in preparation to elective cesarean delivery.
      Since the platelet count not improve significantly, 3 units of platelets from a
      single donor were adjunctively given using diapheresis. An elective cesarean
      delivery was performed at 34 weeks, without further complications. The newborn
      weighed 2550 g and the postnatal course was uneventful.

PMID- 1407645
TI  - [Intravenous leiomyomatosis of the uterus. Report of a case].
AB  - A clinicopathological study of a case of intravascular leiomyomatosis was
      performed, recalling the rarity of this pathology and the necessity of a careful
      follow-up. Microscopically the intravascular tumor resembles the benign
      leiomyoma. Authors have taken into consideration the most likely differential
      diagnoses: endolymphatic stromal myosis and low-grade leiomyosarcoma, they study
      the problem of the so-called "benign metastasizing leiomyoma" and emphasize that
      intravenous leiomyomatosis is frequently underdiagnosed.

PMID- 1407646
TI  - Protection by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists against impairment of
      working memory in rats following transient cerebral ischemia.
AB  - A 5-min period of cerebral ischemia increased the number of errors (attempts to
      pass through two incorrect panels of the three panel-gates at four choice points)
      assessed by the working memory procedure applied in a three-panel runway task.
      The selective and competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist CGS
      19755 (3.2 and 10 mg/kg), administered i.p. immediately after blood flow
      reperfusion, significantly reduced the increase in errors expected to occur 24 h
      after 5 min of ischemia. CGS 19755 10 mg/kg had no effect on the increase in
      errors when injected 6 h after ischemia. The i.p. administration of the non
      competitive NMDA antagonists dextrorphan 10 and 32 mg/kg and MK-801 1.0 mg/kg
      immediately after reperfusion decreased the increase of errors in the ischemic
      rats. The protective effects of NMDA antagonists suggest that the mechanism
      mediated by NMDA receptors during the early reperfusion phase plays a pivotal
      role in the postischemic impairment of working memory.

PMID- 1407647
TI  - Neuronal survival and neurite extension supported by astrocytes co-cultured in
      transwells.
AB  - The influence of astrocytes on the development of cerebral cortical neurons was
      studied in a co-culture system using transwells with chemically defined medium.
      Cerebral cortical neurons from 15- or 16-day-old mouse embryo were cultured in
      the lower wells which were separated by a porous membrane from the upper
      transwells where cerebral cortical astrocytes from newborn mouse were cultured.
      Neurons co-cultured with astrocytes for 7 days formed a network-like web and
      maintained a slightly better survival from 4 to 7 days. However, neurons cultured
      in conditioned medium obtained from astrocytes did not form any network after 7
      days even though they maintained a better cell survival at 4 days.

PMID- 1407648
TI  - Enhancement of postsynaptic responsiveness during long-term potentiation of mossy
      fiber synapses in guinea pig hippocampus.
AB  - The primary site responsible for the long-lasting enhancement of synaptic
      transmission during long-term potentiation (LTP) was examined by quantal analysis
      of excitatory postsynaptic potentials in thin sections of the guinea pig
      hippocampus. With induction of LTP in mossy fiber synapses, estimated values of
      quantal amplitude (q) and Pascal parameters p and r were increased significantly.
      No increases in quantal content (m) were detected. The magnitude of increases in
      q was almost equal to that of LTP. These results indicate that LTP in mossy fiber
      synapses results from increases in responsiveness of postsynaptic neurons.

PMID- 1407649
TI  - Behavioral and electroencephalographic effects of a serotonin receptor agonist (5
      methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) in a feline model of photosensitive epilepsy.
AB  - The effects of a serotonin (5-HT) receptor agonist, 5-methoxy-N,N
      dimethyltryptamine (5-MeODMT), on epileptic photosensitivity were studied in the
      lateral geniculate-kindled cat. 5-MeODMT at 4 mg/kg significantly suppressed
      photically induced myoclonus, but not paroxysmal EEG activity, at 0.5-1 h after
      injection. This antiepileptic effect was seen in association with the appearance
      of behavioral signs similar to those seen in the 5-HT syndrome. The present data
      provide further evidence that 5-HT plays an important role in photosensitive
      epilepsy, and suggest that the inhibitory effect of 5-MeODMT on photosensitivity
      results from its agonist action at 5-HT1 receptors.

PMID- 1407650
TI  - Onset of CGRP expression and its restriction to a subset of spinal motor neuron
      pools in the chick embryo is not affected by treatment with curare.
AB  - Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is expressed in and defines a subset of
      motor neuron pools in the lumbar spinal cord of the chick embryo. The onset of
      CGRP expression in individual pools coincides with both the period of the initial
      innervation of the leg and the beginning of naturally occurring cell death in the
      lumbar motor column. Administration of neuromuscular blocking agents at this time
      results in a striking reduction of normal motor neuron loss. It has been reported
      that such treatment also results in the abolition of CGRP expression at later
      stages of development. In this study, we have examined the effect of curare
      treatment on CGRP expression in motor neurons earlier in their development. We
      find that, in contrast to the effects reported at later stages, inhibition of
      neuromuscular activity does not affect either the onset of CGRP expression or its
      restriction to a subset of motor neuron pools. This demonstrates that the control
      of the onset of CGRP expression is unlikely to be linked to processes which are
      regulated by neuromuscular transmission including naturally-occurring cell death.

PMID- 1407651
TI  - Synaptosomal plasma and mitochondrial membrane potentials during anoxia.
AB  - The precise mechanism by which altered oxidative metabolism impairs neuronal
      function is unknown. Previous indirect studies suggest that anoxia's effects on
      the mitochondrial membrane potentials may underlie anoxia's actions. Twenty
      minutes of anoxia reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential of intact
      synaptosomes by 38-59 mV, but diminished the plasma membrane potential by only 4
      10 mV. Anoxia did not alter the response of the plasma or mitochondrial membrane
      potentials to K+, nor did anoxia affect the reaction of the plasma membrane
      potential to valinomycin. However, anoxia diminished the response of the
      mitochondrial membrane potential to valinomycin by 50%. Thus, partial collapse of
      the mitochondrial membrane potential may be an important mediator of hypoxia-or
      anoxia-induced changes in neuronal function.

PMID- 1407652
TI  - Amphetamine enhances extracellular concentrations of dopamine and acetylcholine
      in dorsolateral striatum and nucleus accumbens of freely moving rats.
AB  - The effect of two consecutive administrations of amphetamine (1.5 mg/kg, s.c.; 2
      h apart) on dopamine (DA) and acetylcholine (ACh) efflux in dorsolateral striatum
      and nucleus accumbens was studied with in vivo microdialysis in freely moving
      rats. Amphetamine was found to cause a more persistent increase of extracellular
      DA in the dorsolateral striatum than in the nucleus accumbens. The increase in DA
      overflow by amphetamine was accompanied by an increase of extracellular ACh in
      both brain areas. The results are inconsistent with the hypothesis of an
      amphetamine-induced inhibitory regulation by DA on ACh overflow.

PMID- 1407653
TI  - Growth of axon collaterals of eclosion hormone neurons into a new release site
      during metamorphosis of Bombyx mori.
AB  - Eclosion hormone (EH) is a peptide triggering ecdysis in insects. Injection of
      Lucifer dye into EH producing cells in the silkworm at various stages of adult
      development revealed that after pupation the EH cells produced many axon
      collaterals to form a new neurohaemal structure in the corpora cardiaca (CC), the
      corpora allata and the associated nerves of the CC. The axon collaterals may
      serve as a major release site of EH at adult ecdysis.

PMID- 1407654
TI  - The immediate consequences of middle cerebral artery occlusion on GABA synthesis
      in mouse cortex and cerebellum.
AB  - The effect on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) synthesis of focal ischaemia in the
      right cortex of the mouse was investigated by performing a right middle cerebral
      artery (MCA) occlusion. Synthesis of GABA was determined by measurement of the
      rate of GABA accumulation in tissue following injection of amino oxyacetic acid
      (AOAA; 30 mg/kg, i.p.). Five min following the MCA occlusion, the rate of GABA
      synthesis in the right (ischaemic) cortex was decreased by approximately 70%
      compared to either the left cortex or the right cortex of untreated controls. The
      basal GABA concentration was however unaffected. Four hours after the occlusion
      the rate of GABA synthesis was similar in the right and left cortex. The rate of
      GABA accumulation in the cerebellum was unchanged at both times after the right
      MCA occlusion compared with untreated control mice. The data suggest that there
      is a rapid but short lasting decrease in GABA synthesis following an ischaemic
      insult and it is suggested that this might be associated with the EEG spiking
      activity that occurs at this time.

PMID- 1407655
TI  - Increased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA in rat hippocampus
      is associated with improved spatial memory and enriched environment.
AB  - Enriched environment has been shown to enhance learning and memory and to induce
      morphological changes in the hippocampus. We report that rats housed in an
      enriched environment showed improved performance in the Morris water maze and
      decreased spontaneous motor activity. Exposure to behavioural tests increased
      expression of the mRNA that encodes brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the
      hippocampus. This was not seen when rats subjected to impoverished housing were
      tested suggesting that environmental history of the animal is of importance to
      induce expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the hippocampus that
      may promote neuronal changes related to learning and memory.

PMID- 1407656
TI  - Stress induces neuronal death in the hippocampus of castrated rats.
AB  - Whereas loss of CA3 neurons in the hippocampus of monkeys which died of stress
      ulcers suggests that some structural changes may occur, there is no direct
      evidence that shows stress-induced irreversible changes of neurons. When rats
      were orchidectomized (castrated) and stressed by restraint and immersion in water
      for 15 min/day for 30 days, significant loss of hippocampal CA3 and CA4 neurons
      was observed. Furthermore, primary cultured hippocampal neurons survived shorter
      when treated with corticosterone. This neuronal loss was prevented by
      simultaneous administration of testosterone in vivo and in vitro. These findings
      indicate that stress can contribute to neuronal degeneration associated with
      hypogonadal conditions such as aging.

PMID- 1407657
TI  - Interaction of vestibular and proprioceptive inputs for human self-motion
      perception.
AB  - Human perception of horizontal self(body)-motion in space was studied during
      various combinations of vestibular and leg-proprioceptive stimuli in the dark.
      During sinusoidal rotations of the trunk relative to the stationary feet
      (functionally synergistic combination) the perception was almost veridical over
      the frequency range tested (0.025-0.4 Hz). This finding suggested a dominance of
      the proprioceptive over the vestibular input, since the quantitative aspects of
      the perception (gain, phase, and detection threshold): (a) closely resembled
      those of the proprioceptive foot-to-trunk perception, and (b) clearly differed
      from those of the vestibular self-motion perception. However, when using other
      combinations, the self-motion perception changed in a monotonous way as a
      function of the two inputs, indicating that the two inputs do interact in a
      linear way. In a model of these findings the interaction occurs in two stages:
      (1) summation of a vestibular trunk-in-space signal and a (dynamically matched)
      proprioceptive foot-to-trunk signal yields an internal representation of foot
      support motion in space; (2) superposition of the latter by an almost ideal
      proprioceptive trunk-to-foot signal results in a representation of trunk-in-space
      motion (essentially proprioception-dependent and ideal when the feet are
      stationary).

PMID- 1407658
TI  - A lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism mediates FMRFamide
      activation of a potassium current in an identified neuron of Helisoma.
AB  - The neuropeptide FMRFamide causes a presynaptic inhibition of neurotransmitter
      release from neuron B5 of Helisoma. In this study we demonstrate that one of
      FMRFamide's actions is to activate an outwardly rectifying potassium current.
      Arachidonic acid also activates an outward current in B5. The phospholipase A2
      inhibitor, 4-bromophenacylbromide (BPB), and nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), an
      inhibitor of arachidonic acid metabolism, but not indomethacin, block FMRFamide's
      activation of the potassium current. Taken together these data demonstrate that
      one of FMRFamide's presynaptic actions is to activate a potassium current through
      a lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism.

PMID- 1407659
TI  - Glutamate receptor expression in the rat retina.
AB  - The expression of five genes (GluR A; B; C; D; GluR 5) encoding functional
      subunits of glutamate receptors was investigated in the rat retina using in situ
      hybridization with oligonucleotide probes. All five genes are expressed in the
      retina. All probes label cell bodies in the ganglion cell layer as well as somata
      in the inner third of the inner nuclear layer (INL), where the amacrine cells are
      located. In addition GluR 5, B and D, and to a lesser extent also GluR A are
      found in the middle and outer part of the INL, where bipolar and horizontal cells
      reside. Different subsets of retinal neurons may thus use glutamate receptors of
      different subunit composition.

PMID- 1407660
TI  - Ultrastructural evidence for GABA-mediated disinhibitory circuits in the spinal
      cord of the cat.
AB  - The synaptic relationships between gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-immunoreactive
      and enkephalin-immunoreactive profiles in the cat spinal cord were examined using
      combined pre-embedding immunoperoxidase and post-embedding immunogold electron
      microscopic immunocytochemistry. Although colchicine was not used, enkephalin
      immunoreactive somata and dendrites were detected in regions associated with
      nociceptive transmission, including laminae I, II, V and X. In each of these
      laminae, many GABA-immunoreactive terminals were found presynaptic to enkephalin
      immunoreactive cell bodies and dendrites. We propose that disinhibition of opioid
      containing neurons may be a common feature of pain-related circuits in the cat
      spinal cord.

PMID- 1407661
TI  - Neuropeptide Y messenger ribonucleic acid in the magnocellular hypothalamo
      neurohypophysial system of the rat is increased during osmotic stimulation.
AB  - In the magnocellular hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system of the rat, levels of
      neuropeptide Y (NPY) mRNA were investigated by in situ hybridization
      histochemistry both in normal and osmotically stimulated animals. As an osmotic
      stimulus, animals were given 340 mM NaCl to drink for 12 days. After saline
      treatment, there was a very marked increase in NPY mRNA in the hypothalamic
      magnocellular supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei (7600% and 3200%,
      resp.). These data suggest that magnocellular SON and PVN neurons synthesize NPY
      in response to the physiological stimulus of increased plasma osmolality.

PMID- 1407662
TI  - Immunoreactivity of skate electrocytes towards monoclonal antibodies against
      human dystrophin and dystrophin-related (DMDL) protein.
AB  - Monoclonal antibodies against human dystrophin have been used to demonstrate the
      existence of a dystrophin-like protein in the electrocytes of skate electric
      organ. This protein is also present in skate muscle and resembles that found in
      Torpedo electric organ. Monoclonal antibodies against a human autosomal homologue
      of dystrophin (DMDL protein) did not detect a similar protein in skate or
      Torpedo. Immunocytochemical staining of the innervated and non-innervated faces
      of the electrocyte membrane was obtained using the anti-dystrophin antibodies
      only.

PMID- 1407663
TI  - Graft-derived cholinergic reinnervation of the hippocampus prevents a lasting
      increase of hippocampal noradrenaline concentration induced by septohippocampal
      damage in rats.
AB  - Long-Evans female rats sustained aspirative lesions of the septohippocampal
      pathways and, 2 weeks later, received into the dorsal hippocampus grafts prepared
      from the septal area (rich in cholinergic neurons; Group Sep) or from the
      mesencephalic raphe (poor in cholinergic neurons; Group Rap) of rat fetuses.
      Lesion-only (Group Les) and virtually intact (Group Sham) rats served as
      controls. Between 9.5 and 10.5 months after grafting surgery, we found the
      lesions to decrease choline acetyltransferase activity (ChAT), high affinity
      synaptosomal uptake of [3H]choline (HACU) and serotonin concentration ([5-HT]),
      as well as to increase the noradrenaline concentration ([NA]) in the dorsal
      hippocampus. Raphe grafts increased [5-HT] to 456% of normal, but had only weak
      or no effects on the other lesion-induced modifications in brain neurochemistry.
      Septal grafts dramatically increased ChAT activity and HACU, enhanced [5-HT], and
      reduced [NA] to near-normal levels. We also found a significant negative
      correlation between HACU and [NA] in rats with lesions, whether grafted or not.
      These data show that grafts providing the denervated hippocampus with a new
      cholinergic innervation might be able to exert inhibitory effects on the lesion
      induced increase of [NA]. Since such an increase is indicative of sympathetic
      sprouting, the finding of reduced [NA] in rats with graft-derived cholinergic
      reinnervation of the hippocampus is in line with the hypothesis that hippocampal
      cholinergic denervation plays a crucial role in the induction of sympathetic
      sprouting. However, our data do not allow to distinguish whether grafts rich in
      cholinergic neurons inhibited the sympathetic sprouting itself, or rather reduced
      the NA content of sprouted fibers.

PMID- 1407665
TI  - Recovery of distal skills after neonatal lesion of the sensorimotor cortex in the
      cat.
AB  - The cytoarchitectonic cortical areas containing the cells of origin of the
      pyramidal tract were unilaterally removed from kittens during the first postnatal
      month. After 5 months, the distal skills of these operated animals were analyzed
      using a food retrieving task. After an initial deficit, cats achieved the same
      performance in grasping and wrist movement with the limb contralateral to the
      lesion as with the opposite limb. The duration of the deficit was dependent on
      age at the time of lesion. Recovery of distal skills after neonatal lesion is
      discussed with regard to the low degree of maturity of the corticospinal tract in
      newborn cat.

PMID- 1407664
TI  - Evidence for the presence of excitatory A2 adenosine receptors in the rat
      hippocampus.
AB  - The A2 adenosine receptor agonist, CGS 21680 in nanomolar concentrations,
      reversibly increased in a concentration-dependent manner the amplitude of
      orthodromically-evoked population spikes recorded from the CA1 pyramidal cell
      layer of rat hippocampal slices. The adenosine receptor antagonist, 3,7-dimethyl
      l-propargylxanthine (DMPX, 10 microM), which has selectivity for A2 adenosine
      receptors, prevented this excitatory effect of CGS 21680. These results suggest
      that A2 adenosine receptors are present in the rat hippocampus and that
      activation of these receptors enhance hippocampal excitability.

PMID- 1407666
TI  - Effects of glycine antagonists on Mg(2+)- and glycine-induced [3H]N-(1-[2
      thienyl]cyclohexyl)-3,4-piperidine binding.
AB  - We investigated the effects of glycine antagonists, 3-amino-1-hydroxy-2-
      pyrrolidone (HA-966), 7-chlorokynurenic acid (7-Cl-KYNA), 6-cyano-7
      nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX), 6,7-dichloro-3-hydroxy-2-quinoxalinecarboxylic
      acid (DHQXC), 6,7-dichloroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DCQX), and 5-chloro-indole-2
      carboxylic acid (5-Cl-I2CA), on Mg(2+)- and glycine-induced [3H]N-(1-[2
      thienyl]cyclohexyl)-3,4-piperidine ([3H]TCP) binding to well-washed rat cortical
      membranes. Except for 5-Cl-I2CA, all the glycine antagonists completely inhibited
      not only glycine- but also Mg(2+)-induced [3H]TCP binding in a concentration
      dependent manner. Out of all the glycine antagonists examined DHQXC most
      selectively inhibited Mg(2+)-induced [3H]TCP binding, while DCQX was the most
      selective for inhibiting glycine-induced [3H]TCP binding.

PMID- 1407667
TI  - The role of swollen astrocytes in human brain lesions after edema--an
      immunohistochemical study using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections.
AB  - Swollen astrocytes (SAs) in the white matter after brain edema were
      immunohistochemically studied in cases with cerebral vascular events, brain tumor
      and protracted non-missile head injury. SAs showed a decrease in reactivity to
      glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and, on the other hand, were positive for
      laminin, an extracellular matrix glycoprotein known to be secreted by astrocytes.
      SAs in protracted lesions were strongly positive for both vimentin and plasma
      proteins including IgG, IgM, C3d and C4d. Remarkable vimentin expression in SAs,
      instead of GFAP, strongly suggests that SAs are not going to degenerate but are
      bearing up to regenerate in such circumstances. A number of vimentin-positive
      buttons also appeared in such protracted lesions, demonstrating disintegration of
      the processes of SAs. Immunohistochemical detection of plasma proteins in SAs are
      believed to indicate a facilitated activation in SAs to transform to macrophage
      like cells and to act as phagocytes. In addition, demonstration of laminin may
      suggest hyperactivity of laminin production in SAs after both axonal injury and
      concomitant edema in order to stimulate neuritic regeneration.

PMID- 1407668
TI  - Regional differences in the effect of N-[1-(2
      benzo[b]thiophenyl)cyclohexyl]piperidine (BTCP) on extracellular dopamine levels:
      an in vivo microdialysis study.
AB  - N-[1-(2-Benzo[b]thiophenyl)cyclohexyl]piperidine (BTCP) is a phencyclidine
      derivative highly selective for the dopamine (DA) uptake complex. Its effect on
      extracellular DA levels was studied by in vivo microdialysis on freely moving
      rats. In the striatum, BTCP induced a dose-dependent increase in DA levels,
      without affecting DA metabolites. In the nucleus accumbens, a lower increase in
      DA was observed, but with concomitant decreases in 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid
      (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA). These experiments show that the effects of
      BTCP on extracellular DA levels are significantly different on extrapyramidal and
      mesolimbic dopaminergic terminals.

PMID- 1407669
TI  - Two classes of spontaneous GABA-mediated miniature synaptic currents in cultured
      rat hippocampal neurons.
AB  - Amplitude and time course of spontaneous gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated
      miniature postsynaptic currents (MPSCs), recorded in cultured embryonic
      hippocampal neurons in presence of either tetrodotoxin (TTX) or increased
      external [Mg2+/Ca2+] ratio, revealed that they form two classes. The distribution
      of the most commonly recorded MPSCs was skewed both in terms of peak amplitude
      and rise-time (skew-MPSCs, mode: 70-120 pS). Another, less frequent class (mode:
      1-3 nS) formed bell-shaped (bell-MPSCs) amplitude and rise-time distributions.
      MPSC initial slope did not correlate with rise time, indicating that smaller
      MPSCs were not electrotonically attenuated. Bell-MPSCs did not result from the
      integration of skew-MPSCs and both classes appeared to be composed of subunits.

PMID- 1407670
TI  - No psychological dependence after oral administration of morphine to rats.
AB  - Rats subjected to forced oral self-administration of morphine solutions without
      or in combination with two daily i.p. injections of morphine preferred drinking
      water when this was offered in addition to morphine solutions. The daily intake
      of morphine during the terminal phase of self-administration of morphine was 50
      80 mg/kg (oral application alone) or 270 mg/kg (oral and i.p. application).
      Morphine treated animals showed withdrawal symptoms on administration of naloxone
      1 mg/kg i.p. during the period of self-administration, but not when they had
      started drinking exclusively water. The tail-flick test revealed no tolerance
      during prolonged treatment with morphine. The results indicate that no
      psychological dependence developed when morphine was applied orally and
      regularly.

PMID- 1407671
TI  - Muller (glial) cells in the retina of urodeles and anurans reveal different
      morphology by means of freeze-fracturing.
AB  - Muller (glial) cells of the retina of various species of amphibia (urodeles and
      anurans) were investigated by means of the freeze-fracture technique. This was
      done because Muller cells in anamniotes were believed to differ from those in
      mammals in that they should lack the so-called orthogonal arrays of particles
      (OAP) which are a characteristic feature of Muller cells in mammalian retina.
      However, as we could demonstrate previously (Berg-von der Emde and Wolburg, Glia,
      2 (1989) 458), fish retinal Muller cells also contain OAP in their membranes
      suggesting that OAP are a general marker of Muller cells in all vertebrates. As
      demonstrated in this study, Muller cells of urodeles (Batrachoseps attenuatus and
      Pleurodeles waltlii) are OAP-positive, whereas two anurans (Rana esculenta and
      Xenopus laevis) do not reveal any OAP in their Muller cell membranes. Under
      phylogenetic aspects, it appears very interesting that frogs are as yet the only
      vertebrate group that deviates from all other vertebrates in terms of Muller cell
      membrane morphology.

PMID- 1407672
TI  - Catecholamine histofluorescence depletion in the infarcted brain parenchyma but
      not in the adventitia of the occluded cerebral arteries in rats.
AB  - The effect of acute cerebral ischemia on the catecholamine-containing nerve
      fibers in the brain parenchyma and in the adventitia of the cerebral arteries was
      studied in the rat. Unilateral cerebral ischemia was produced with an
      intraluminal thread technique which does not damage the adventitia of cerebral
      arteries. One to three days after surgery the ischemic damage of the brain was
      consistently observed in the territory of the middle cerebral artery of the
      operated side. Depletion of catecholamine histofluorescence was observed in the
      infarcted brain parenchyma. However, in the adventitia of the middle cerebral
      arteries of the operated side, catecholamine histofluorescence remained intact.
      No detectable changes in fluorescence were observed in the brain parenchyma or
      adventitia of the cerebral arteries in the contralateral side. The results
      indicate that the perivascular catecholamine-containing nerve fibers are not
      impaired by the intraluminal occlusion of the cerebral artery in the early stage
      of ischemia.

PMID- 1407673
TI  - c-Fos protein expression in the rat subfornical organ following osmotic
      stimulation.
AB  - To examine the role of the subfornical organ (SFO) in the osmotic activation of
      hypothalamic neurons, the responses of the SFO to osmotic stimulation were
      evaluated by using c-Fos protein immunohistochemistry. Numerous c-Fos
      immunoreactive nuclei were found in the SFO of rats injected i.p. with hypertonic
      saline solution as early as 30 min after stimulation, and the effect lasted up to
      3 h. Only a few c-Fos-positive cells were detected in the SFO of rats injected
      with isotonic saline. However, electrolytic lesions of the SFO did not prevent
      the osmotic activation of the hypothalamic paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei.
      These data suggest that the SFO and the hypothalamic magnocellular nuclei are
      simultaneously but separately activated by osmotic stress.

PMID- 1407674
TI  - Distribution of neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques in the cerebral cortex
      in postencephalitic parkinsonism.
AB  - Postencephalitic parkinsonism is characterized neuropathologically by severe loss
      of pigmented neurons in the substantia nigra and the presence of high densities
      of neurofibrillary tangles in several brainstem structures. In 5 cases of
      postencephalitic parkinsonism, we observed that the neurofibrillary tangle
      distribution in the cerebral cortex predominated in the hippocampus and
      entorhinal cortex. In the prefrontal and inferior temporal cortex,
      neurofibrillary tangles were preferentially localized in layers II and III. This
      pattern contrasts with the neurofibrillary tangle distribution observed in
      neocortical areas of Alzheimer's disease cases, where neurofibrillary tangles are
      denser in layer V than in layer III. These results suggest that specific elements
      of the cortical circuitry might be differentially affected in postencephalitic
      parkinsonism as compared to Alzheimer's disease, and that cortical involvement is
      likely to be a common feature of this condition.

PMID- 1407675
TI  - Clozapine's mechanisms of action: non-dopaminergic activity rather than
      anatomical selectivity.
AB  - The mechanisms of clozapine's unusual actions were investigated in anesthetized
      rats. Sensory field potentials were recorded in the nucleus accumbens, striatum
      and somatosensory cortex. Both haloperidol and clozapine suppressed responses in
      the striatum and accumbens. Clozapine's but not haloperidol's subcortical actions
      were unaffected by dopamine depletion. In addition, the cortical effects of the
      two drugs differed. These data indicate that clozapine has non-dopaminergic
      activity but no particular specificity for limbic basal ganglia structures. While
      it is known that clozapine acts as a serotonergic and cholinergic antagonist,
      several considerations suggest that action on still another transmitter system,
      possibly glutamate, needs to be investigated.

PMID- 1407676
TI  - Spontaneous perikaryal neurofilament phosphorylation in the septofimbrial nucleus
      of the rat.
AB  - Phosphorylation of the 200 kDa neurofilament peptide NF-H usually only occurs in
      axons. We describe the spontaneous presence of phosphorylated NF-H in a
      population of small spindle-shaped neurons of the rat septofimbrial nucleus. A
      similar phenomenon has been observed in axotomized neurons and in human
      neurodegenerative diseases. Our observations, as well as previous studies by
      other authors, indicate that perikaryal neurofilament phosphorylation is not
      necessarily linked to pathological conditions.

PMID- 1407677
TI  - MK-801, but not anisomycin, inhibits the induction of tolerance to ischemia in
      the gerbil hippocampus.
AB  - We examined whether MK-801, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor antagonist,
      or anisomycin, a reversible protein synthesis inhibitor, inhibits the induction
      of ischemic tolerance following preconditioning with sublethal ischemia in gerbil
      hippocampus. Preconditioning with 2 min of ischemia, which induced heat shock
      protein-72 immunoreactivity, prevented hippocampal CA1 neuronal damage following
      3 min of ischemia produced 3 days later. MK-801, but not anisomycin, inhibited
      the induction of tolerance although the heat shock protein synthesis was reduced
      in both groups. The present result suggests that NMDA receptor activation,
      causing stress response, induces the ischemic tolerance.

PMID- 1407678
TI  - Brainstem projections to the medial preoptic region containing the luteinizing
      hormone-releasing hormone perikarya in the rat. An immunohistochemical and
      retrograde transport study.
AB  - The afferent projections to the anterior medial preoptic area (MPA) from the
      brainstem have been studied, in female Wistar rats, by retrograde tracing with
      horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The HRP was injected by iontophoresis into the
      preoptic region containing the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH)
      perikarya. The brain sections including the MPA were reacted with
      diaminobenzidine (DAB) to reveal the injection site; the LHRH cells were then
      immunohistochemically identified using DAB with ammonium nickel sulphate. When
      the injection site incorporated the LHRH cells, the brainstem sections were
      reacted with the DAB nickel solution to detect lysosomal HRP and then
      immunohistochemically processed to locate the adrenaline-synthesizing cells using
      DAB alone. The results confirm the brainstem projections to the MPA from the
      central grey matter, ventral tegmental area, subcoeruleus area, the dorsal raphe
      nucleus, the lateral parabrachial nucleus, the raphe pontis nucleus, the raphe
      obscurus nucleus, the region of the paragigantocellular nucleus and the nucleus
      of the solitary tract. Given the considerable evidence implicating the ascending
      adrenergic systems in the regulation of LHRH, we focused our attention on the
      afferents from the locus coeruleus, area postrema and the adrenaline-synthesizing
      cell groups (C1-3). The only cells which were retrogradely labelled and
      immunopositive for phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase were found in C3.

PMID- 1407679
TI  - Release of immunoreactive enkephalinergic substances in the periaqueductal grey
      of the cat during fatiguing isometric contractions.
AB  - Antibody-coated microprobes were used to determine whether immunoreactive
      enkephalins were released in response to fatiguing isometric contractions of the
      hind-limb muscles in cats anesthetized with alpha-chloralose. Contractions were
      performed by stimulating the tibial nerve via a microprocessor-controlled
      stimulator. Microprobes were inserted into the periaqueductal grey (P 0.5-1.0 mm)
      prior to, during and following fatiguing contractions. During fatiguing
      contractions, mean arterial blood pressure increased by 76 +/- 9 mmHg above
      resting and recovery levels. Levels of immunoreactive enkephalins were elevated
      in the dorsolateral periaqueductal grey during the isometric contraction when
      compared to resting levels. It is possible that isometric muscle contraction
      causes the release of Met-enkephalin-like substances in the periaqueductal grey.

PMID- 1407681
TI  - Significance of nerve growth factor content levels after transient forebrain
      ischemia in gerbils.
AB  - Involvement of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the pathogenesis of delayed neuronal
      death (DND) of CA1 neurons in the hippocampus has been suggested. We measured
      regional changes in the content of tissue NGF of the hippocampus in the Mongolian
      gerbil after 5 min forebrain ischemia. The NGF content was found to decrease
      significantly in the CA3 and dentate regions by 32% two days after ischemia. By
      contrast in the CA1 region, the level of NGF became significantly elevated by 50%
      two weeks after ischemia or later. The early reduction of NGF content in the
      afferent area projecting to the CA1 sector might be primarily linked to the
      pathogenesis of DND, whereas the delayed increase within the CA1 sector might be
      a secondary local response mainly of reactive astroglia.

PMID- 1407680
TI  - The effects of cortical ablation on d-amphetamine-induced changes in striatal
      dopamine turnover and ascorbic acid catabolism in the rat.
AB  - Dopamine (DA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), ascorbic acid (AA) and
      dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA) levels were determined by HPLC in the striatal
      synaptosomal fraction and in the whole striatum of rats, whose fronto-parietal
      cortex had been bilaterally ablated, after a single injection of d-amphetamine
      (2.0 mg/kg i.p.). d-Amphetamine significantly increased the DHAA/AA ratio in
      unoperated and sham-operated rats, but failed to increase it in ablated rats, as
      compared to pertinent saline-treated groups. In the synaptosomal fraction, d
      amphetamine significantly decreased the DHAA/AA ratio in unoperated, sham
      operated and ablated rats. d-Amphetamine significantly decreased the DOPAC/DA
      ratio in the whole striatum and significantly increased it in the striatal
      synaptosomal fraction in all experimental groups. Cortical ablation greatly
      increased d-amphetamine-induced motor hyperactivity. We conclude that the d
      amphetamine-induced increase in AA striatal oxidation requires integrity of the
      cortico-striatal glutamatergic pathways. Further, AA oxidation occurs in the
      extracellular space. The cortico-striatal glutamatergic pathways exert an
      inhibitory modulation on d-amphetamine behavioral effects.

PMID- 1407682
TI  - The changing axonal distribution in white muscle of the developing catfish,
      Ictalurus nebulosus (Lesueur).
AB  - The development of the peripheral innervation pattern of the axial white muscle
      fibres of the brown bullhead, Ictalurus nebulosus (Lesueur), was investigated
      utilizing silver impregnation. In the younger fish examined, axons were observed
      to run along the myoseptum and into the body of the myotome. With development,
      axons were gradually restricted to the myoseptal ends as is the situation in
      adult bullheads. Possible mechanisms for elimination of the superfluous axons
      observed in the white muscle of the developing brown bullhead are discussed.

PMID- 1407683
TI  - Initial observations on the distribution of cannabinoid receptor binding sites in
      the human adult basal ganglia using autoradiography.
AB  - The distribution of cannabinoid receptor binding sites has been studied in the
      basal ganglia of 3 human adults using the synthetic cannabinoid agonist
      [3H]CP55,940 and autoradiography. The [3H]CP55,940-specific labeling was found in
      the caudate, putamen, accumbens, substantia nigra pars reticulata, and globus
      pallidus. The binding was consistently higher in the medial over the lateral part
      of the globus pallidus.

PMID- 1407684
TI  - Eating and drinking cause increased dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and
      ventral tegmental area in the rat: measurement by in vivo microdialysis.
AB  - Dopamine (DA) release was simultaneously monitored in the nucleus accumbens (NAC)
      and ventral tegmental area (VTA) of conscious rats using in vivo microdialysis.
      During dialysis perfusion, rats were allowed access to food or water for 20 min
      following a 36 h food and water deprivation period. DA release increased
      significantly in the NAC and VTA in response to eating and drinking. The
      increases in both regions continued until 20-60 min after the end of the feeding
      or drinking session. These results show that the mesolimbic DA pathway is
      activated in response to ingestive behavior, and that DA release occurs in the
      cell body (A10) region as well as in the mesolimbic DA nerve terminals.

PMID- 1407685
TI  - Activation of hippocampal metabotropic excitatory amino acid receptors leads to
      seizures and neuronal damage.
AB  - A role for ionotropic (NMDA, AMPA, and kainate) excitatory amino acid (EAA)
      receptors in seizure and seizure-related brain damage is well documented. To
      study the possible role of metabotropic (G-protein linked) EAA receptors in this
      regard, a highly selective metabotropic EAA agonist was injected into the
      hippocampus of halothane-anesthetized rats. This resulted in delayed-onset
      seizures and selective hippocampal neuronal damage that was indirectly mediated
      by NMDA receptors. This provides direct evidence for a novel role of metabotropic
      EAA receptors in the etiology of seizures and neuronal damage.

PMID- 1407686
TI  - Intrathecal midazolam versus intrathecal morphine in orofacial nociception: an
      experimental study in rats.
AB  - The antinociceptive properties of intrathecal midazolam (15 and 30 micrograms)
      and intrathecal morphine (30 micrograms) were compared using an adaptation of the
      formalin test to the orofacial region in rats. Both midazolam and morphine were
      effective in reducing the nociceptive response of the second phase of this
      biphasic pain test. Only midazolam (30 micrograms) reduced also the first phase.
      These results confirm the existence of analgesic properties of midazolam in the
      case of long-lasting pain.

PMID- 1407687
TI  - Potentiation by cyclooxygenase inhibitors of the release of catecholamines from
      the rabbit carotid body and its reversal by prostaglandin E2.
AB  - Salicylates, at the high therapeutic doses used in the treatment of rheumatoid
      arthritis, produce an increase in ventilation and augment the carotid body
      reactivity to hypoxic stimulus, leading to an exaggerated hyperventilation during
      hypoxia. These effects had been related to the action of salicylates as
      uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation. In the present study, carried out in an
      in vitro preparation of the rabbit carotid body, we show that acetylsalicylic
      acid and indomethacin, two anti-inflammatory drugs that are also powerful
      inhibitors of cyclooxygenase, the prostaglandin-synthetizing enzyme, produce an
      increase in the [3H]catecholamine release evoked by low oxygen stimulation. The
      drugs did not affect basal normoxic release, a finding that suggests that at the
      concentration used these anti-inflammatory agents do not have uncoupling actions,
      and that their effects on hypoxic-induced release of [3H]catecholamines is
      mediated by their specific action as cyclooxygenase inhibitors. In agreement with
      this suggestion we found that prostaglandin E2 completely prevented the effects
      of both anti-inflammatory agents. In addition, our data indicate that
      endogenously synthetized prostaglandins are powerful modulators of chemoreceptor
      cell function.

PMID- 1407688
TI  - Cocaine-induced disturbances of corticogenesis in the developing murine brain.
AB  - Exposure of fetuses to cocaine can induce behavioral disturbances and structural
      modifications of the CNS. Cocaine was injected into pregnant mice from the eighth
      day of gestation until term and the brains of their offspring were examined at
      the light and EM levels. Cocaine severely disturbs neocortical architecture,
      disrupting horizontal and vertical lamination, and inducing abnormal array of the
      axonal-dendritic bundles. Cocaine also alters several steps of gliogenesis. The
      severity of the malformations is variable, but evident in all exposed animals.

PMID- 1407689
TI  - Compartmentalization of NADPH-diaphorase staining in the developing human
      striatum.
AB  - Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d) staining of
      striatal neuropil showed inhomogeneities in human fetal and adult brains. Highly
      reactive patches were seen during fetal and neonatal period, distributed in a
      lighter stained background matrix. In adult, zones of low NADPH-d reactivity
      appeared against darker background staining. NADPH-d reactive patches
      corresponded to and showed a similar shift in the intensity of staining during
      development as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) reactive striosomes.

PMID- 1407690
TI  - Effects of background illuminations on the receptive field size of horizontal
      cells in the turtle retina are mediated by dopamine.
AB  - Intracellular recordings from luminosity-type horizontal cells of the turtle
      retina were used to analyze the effects of steady and flickering background
      illumination on the size of their receptive fields. Both types of background
      illumination reduce the size of the receptive field to about the same extent. The
      reduction seems largely due an increase in the coupling resistance between
      horizontal cells. The effects of both types of background illumination are
      sensitive to the dopamine antagonist fluphenazine. This suggests that steady and
      flickering illuminations stimulate the release of endogenous dopamine.

PMID- 1407691
TI  - An electrophysiological study of D2 dopaminergic actions in normal human retina:
      a tool in Parkinson's disease.
AB  - A peculiar deficit of electrophysiological retinal responses to pattern reversal
      grating stimuli has been reported in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. A similar
      abnormality has been reproduced by means of non-selective dopaminergic
      antagonists in normal humans. Aim of this study was to verify, by means of a
      selective D2 antagonist (sulpiride) administered to normal subjects, whether a D2
      blockade affects the visual electrophysiological performances with the same trend
      as observed in PD patients. Patterns electroretinogram (PERG) responses to 1
      cycle per degree (c/d) of spatial frequency at 1 (transient) and 7.5 (steady
      state) Hz of temporal modulation of a square-wave grating pattern reversal have
      been recorded in 19 healthy volunteers before and after the administration of 100
      mg i.m. of sulpiride. The data are consistent for the following conclusion: a
      selective D2 antagonist reduces steady state and delays transient retinal
      responses as expected for a PD mimicking agent.

PMID- 1407692
TI  - Effects of CNS stimulants on the in vivo release of the colocalized transmitters,
      dopamine and neurotensin, from rat prefrontal cortex.
AB  - The effect of CNS stimulant drugs on the in vivo release of the colocalized
      neurotransmitters dopamine and neurotensin in rat prefrontal cortex was studied
      using microdialysis. Amphetamine, methylphenidate and nomifensine all increased
      extracellular fluid (ECF) levels of dopamine; however, their effects of
      neurotensin varied. Amphetamine increased both ECF dopamine (514 +/- 82% of
      basal) and neurotensin (350 +/- 49% of basal); however, the neurotensin increase
      lagged behind the increase in dopamine suggesting a possible trans-synaptic
      effect. Methylphenidate increased both dopamine and neurotensin (226 +/- 26% and
      151 +/- 14% of basal respectively) co-synchronously, suggesting exocytosis of
      vesicles containing both dopamine and neurotensin. The nomifensine-induced
      increase in dopamine (202 +/- 23% of basal) was similar to that of
      methylphenidate, whereas the increase in neurotensin was significantly delayed
      and of lower magnitude (134 +/- 20% of basal). These data suggest that dopamine
      and neurotensin in part share a common releaseable pool in the prefrontal cortex.
      Moreover, dopamine may act presynaptically to increase neurotensin release and
      the different behavioral profiles of these psychostimulants may in part relate to
      their different effects on neurotensin release.

PMID- 1407693
TI  - Carnitine palmitoyltransferase activity in the rabbit choroid plexus: its
      possible function in fatty acid metabolism and transport.
AB  - The purpose of the present study was to measure the activity of carnitine
      palmitoyltransferase (CPT) in the lateral and fourth ventricular choroid plexus
      (LVCP, FVCP) as an example of an enzyme committed to mitochondrial long-chain
      fatty acid oxidation. The CPT activity measured with both assays determines total
      CPT activity, that is, the activity of both CPT-A (outer form) and CPT-B (inner
      form). CPT-assay 1 (forward reaction) activity was 893.3 +/- 44.5 mU/g and 803.3
      +/- 71.3 mU/g (mean +/- S.E.M.) in LVCP and FVCP, respectively. CPT-assay 2
      (backward reaction) activity was 3673.7 +/- 92.4 and 3417.0 +/- 277.1 mU/g in
      LVCP and FVCP, respectively. These data demonstrate that CPT activity is present
      in the rabbit choroid plexus, and that the activity is somewhat higher per gram
      wet weight of tissue than the activity observed in the skeletal muscle (CPT-assay
      1 = 514.4 +/- 159, CPT-assay 2 = 2492 +/- 576 mU/g). CPT activity has been
      exclusively localized to the mitochondria of the liver, heart, kidney and the
      skeletal muscles. Our present study further demonstrates that the choroid plexus
      is another organ in which high activity of CPT exists.

PMID- 1407694
TI  - Effect of the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron on hypothalamic self
      stimulation in rats and its interaction with the CCK analogue caerulein.
AB  - It is unclear whether behavioral depression and suppression of food intake by
      cholecystokinin (CCK) is contributed to by aversive gastrointestinal effects such
      as nausea. In the present study we examined the effect of a new antiemetic agent,
      ondansetron, a specific antagonist of 5-HT3 receptors, on suppression of variable
      interval self-stimulation by the CCK analogue caerulein. Responding by rats for
      brain-stimulation reward is especially sensitive to CCK, and provides a
      convenient means of investigating this question. Caerulein (30 micrograms/kg,
      s.c.), injected alone, was followed by a profound (ca. 80%) reduction in the rate
      of self-stimulation, lasting about 30 min. Ondansetron (1.0-1000 micrograms/kg,
      s.c.) injected on its own had no effect on self-stimulation rate, and a 100
      micrograms/kg dose did not lessen the depressant action of caerulein. The
      behavioural depressant effects of CCK are thus unlikely to depend on brain
      mechanisms for nausea and vomiting involving 5-HT3 receptors.

PMID- 1407695
TI  - Rhythmic expression of Fos-related proteins within the rat suprachiasmatic
      nucleus during constant retinal illumination.
AB  - Within the retinorecipient or ventrolateral subfield of suprachiasmatic nuclei
      (SCN) in rodents, expression of the protein product of the c-fos proto-oncogene,
      Fos, is regulated by light. In the present study, the expression of Fos and Fos
      related proteins within the SCN was examined immunocytochemically for evidence of
      rhythmic variation in rats sacrificed at different circadian times during
      exposure to constant retinal illumination (LL). In all animals, nuclear Fos
      immunoreactivity was mainly confined to an area of the SCN that was coextensive
      with neuropeptide Y-immunopositive fibers distinguishing the ventrolateral
      subfield of the nucleus. Moreover, Fos-immunostaining within the ventrolateral
      SCN of rats exposed to LL fluctuated over the course of the circadian cycle, such
      that the density of immunopositive cells within this subfield was 2 times greater
      during the subjective night than during the subjective day. Since Fos expression
      within the SCN oscillates in the absence of photoperiodic time cues and since the
      peak of this oscillation coincides with the circadian times when light modulates
      the periodicity of the SCN pacemaker, these data provide further evidence that
      expression of the c-fos gene may be a molecular signal in the circadian
      timekeeping mechanism in the SCN and its regulation by photic stimuli.

PMID- 1407696
TI  - Seizure related elevations of extracellular amino acids in human focal epilepsy.
AB  - Intracerebral microdialysis combined with electrocorticographic recordings was
      used in a patient subjected to epilepsy surgery. The patient developed a series
      of partial seizures during an 8 min period. Marked elevations of aspartate (79
      fold), glycine (21-fold), glutamate (16-fold) and serine (8-fold) dialysate
      concentrations occurred in association with onset of the period with seizures.
      Recurrent seizures occurred, in spite of normalizing amino acid levels. Other
      amino acids analyzed (aspargine, threonine, arginine, alanine, taurine, tyrosine,
      phenylalanine, isoleucine and leucine) showed less pronounced changes (1-5 times
      the basal levels).

PMID- 1407697
TI  - Brainstem influences on biceps reflex activity and muscle tone in the
      anaesthetized rat.
AB  - This study analyzes the effect of electrical stimulation of the locus coeruleus
      (LC) and adjacent brainstem structures on the tonic reflex (TVR), the tonic
      stretch reflex (TSR) and on muscle tone (MT) in anaesthetized rat. Increases in
      TVR, TSR and MT of the m. biceps were evoked from regions rostrally and ventrally
      of LC, the caudal pontine reticular nucleus, the cuneiform nucleus and from the
      ventral parts of the colliculus inferior. Stimulation of the LC did not influence
      biceps EMG activity. The results indicate that the observed facilitation of
      muscle activity is due to stimulation of parts of the mesencephalic locomotor
      region. It is discussed that the recorded increase in TVR, TSR and MT possibly is
      due to an excitatory action on alpha motoneurones on one hand and to an enhanced
      fusimotor drive on the other.

PMID- 1407698
TI  - Combined histochemical and biochemical demonstration of nigral vulnerability to
      lipid peroxidation induced by dopa and iron.
AB  - Using a newly developed lipid peroxidation-inducing system composed of DOPA and
      iron, we examined the vulnerability of substantia nigra to peroxidation in
      comparison with that of caudate-putamen obtained from normal or vitamin E
      deficient animals. Histochemical detection of lipid peroxidation revealed that
      substantia nigra was far more susceptible than caudate putamen to DOPA and iron
      treatment, which was biochemically supported by measurements of thiobarbituric
      acid-reactive substances. Vitamin E deficiency accelerated such susceptibility of
      substantia nigra but had no influence on the histochemical findings observed in
      caudate-putamen.

PMID- 1407699
TI  - Chronic estradiol treatment increases anterior pituitary but not striatal D2
      dopamine receptor mRNA levels in rats.
AB  - The effect of chronic 17 beta-estradiol treatment (10 micrograms, twice each day,
      for 2 weeks) of ovariectomized rats on D2 dopamine (DA) receptor mRNA levels was
      investigated in striatum and anterior pituitary gland tissues. We used 32P
      labeled probes specific for D2 receptor and beta-actin mRNAs in Northern blot
      analysis. The ratio of D2 DA receptor mRNA/beta-actin mRNA level was
      significantly increased in the anterior pituitary of estradiol-treated rats
      compared to vehicle-treated animals. The D2 DA receptor mRNA/beta-actin mRNA
      ratio in the striatum was not affected by estradiol treatment. However, the
      medial portion of the striatum showed a significantly lower ratio compared to the
      lateral portion of the striatum in both vehicle- and estradiol-treated rats.
      Thus, the estradiol effect on anterior pituitary D2 receptors may implicate
      transcriptional regulation, whereas our results do not support this hypothesis
      for the estradiol action on striatal D2 receptors.

PMID- 1407700
TI  - Vanilloid receptor loss in rat sensory ganglia associated with long term
      desensitization to resiniferatoxin.
AB  - A dose-dependent loss of vanilloid receptors (specific [3H]resiniferatoxin
      binding sites) was found in sensory ganglia of rats 24 h after s.c.
      administration of resiniferatoxin (RTX), an ultrapotent capsaicin analog. This
      receptor loss displayed an ED50 of 30 micrograms/kg both in dorsal root and
      trigeminal ganglia; the ED50 was 6-fold higher than the ED50 for loss of the
      neurogenic inflammatory response and 30-60-fold higher than the ED50 for
      desensitization in the standard eye-wiping (chemogenic pain) response. The
      receptor loss appeared later (24 h) than the loss of the physiological responses
      (6 h) and showed modest recovery (to 20-30% of control levels) over the following
      4 weeks. This vanilloid receptor loss may represent a novel, specific mechanism
      for vanilloid-induced chronic desensitization.

PMID- 1407701
TI  - Induction of brain ornithine decarboxylase after systemic or intrastriatal
      administration of kainic acid.
AB  - The activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the key enzyme of polyamine
      biosynthesis, dramatically increases after different types of brain injuries. The
      role of this induction is still unclear. We report here data on the temporal
      pattern of ODC induction caused by the excitotoxin kainic acid. After systemic
      administration, ODC activity increases severalfold peaking at 8 h in the
      prefrontal cortex and at 16 h in the olfactory cortex and hippocampus. After
      intrastriatal injection, the peak of induction is reached at 32 h, while a
      smaller and more transient increase is also observed in the contralateral, saline
      injected striatum. We suggest that ODC induction is initially linked to
      overactivation of neural circuits and, later on, to the development of widespread
      neural damage.

PMID- 1407702
TI  - Visually controlled spatial stabilisation of the human head: compensation for the
      eye's limited ability to roll.
AB  - During movements of the head in pitch (yes-yes) or in yaw (no-no) the visual
      scene appears stable whereas rolling the head (ear down to shoulder) induces an
      apparent swinging of the world in the opposite direction. This visual instability
      is due to the inadequacy, in the roll plane, of the reflex eye movements which
      are effective in stabilising the eyes in space during pitch and yaw. We
      investigated whether head is stabilised in roll to protect against visual
      instability. Human subjects were fixed in a gimbal with their heads free and were
      exposed to unpredictable oscillatory movement in pitch and, for comparison roll,
      about axes aligned with the head. With vision, during roll motion, the head was
      displaced from upright by approximately half the amplitude of the gimbal motion.
      In comparison, with eyes closed relying on vestibular and proprioceptive cues and
      during pitch stimuli with or without vision, the magnitude of head displacement
      from upright was approximately equal to that to the gimbal. The superior head
      stability in roll, dependent on a visual frame of reference, compensates for
      poverty of eye movement in this plane.

PMID- 1407703
TI  - Microencapsulated nerve growth factor: effects on the forebrain neurons following
      devascularizing cortical lesions.
AB  - In this study, we report the effects of nerve growth factor (NGF) delivered into
      the CNS via a novel delivery system for prolonged, controlled release. The
      effectiveness of NGF incorporated in the biodegradable microspheres was
      investigated in the rat model for central cholinergic degeneration. Mature male
      rats were unilaterally lesioned by disruption of the pia arachnoid vessels and
      vehicle (alginate microspheres without NGF) and microencapsulated NGF was placed
      at the site of the lesion. Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity was measured
      in the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) and cortex in the (a) non-lesioned
      control animals; (b) lesioned animals treated with 'empty' microspheres and (c)
      lesioned animals treated with microspheres containing NGF, 30 days following
      surgery. Similarly lesioned animals received NGF via permanently installed
      cannulae in order to compare the novel route of administration with the more
      conventional one. Immunocytochemical results showed an absence of the cholinergic
      cell body shrinkage in the NBM otherwise observed in lesioned animals.
      Furthermore, an increase in intensity of ChAT immunostaining in NGF-treated,
      lesioned animals was evident. The present results stress the experimental
      therapeutic possibilities of novel delivery systems for administration of trophic
      factors in the CNS.

PMID- 1407704
TI  - Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) mediated increase of choline acetyltransferase
      activity in mouse spinal cord neurons in culture.
AB  - The effects of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) on choline acetyltransferase
      (ChAT) enzyme activity in cultured mouse spinal cord neurons were examined. The
      administration of LIF to cultures at concentrations of 10 U/ml and higher
      enhanced ChAT activity approximately 3- to 4-fold in cultured spinal cord
      neurons. Among neurotrophic factors tested, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)
      and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) stimulated the development of ChAT
      activity but to a smaller extent than LIF, while interleukin 3 (IL-3),
      interleukin 6 (IL-6) and nerve growth factor (NGF) showed no apparent effect on
      ChAT development. Our results indicate that LIF, which has not been known to have
      any trophic effect on mammalian central nervous system neurons to date, acts as a
      potent differentiation factor for ChAT in cholinergic neurons of mouse spinal
      cord in culture.

PMID- 1407705
TI  - Involvement of a receptor for neurite outgrowth factor (NOFR) in cerebellar
      neurogenesis.
AB  - A receptor for neurite outgrowth factor (82 kDa membrane protein, NOFR) was
      detected in the developing chick cerebellum by immuno- and ligand blots. In
      immunohistochemical study, NOFR was maximally expressed in the external granular
      layer of cerebellum at embryonic day 10-12 and gradually decreased until
      embryonic day 18. Neurite outgrowth and cell migration induced by NOF from
      cerebellar explants were completely suppressed by the addition of anti-NOFR IgG.
      These results suggest that NOFR plays an important role in the cerebellar
      neurogenesis.

PMID- 1407706
TI  - Mesolimbic dopamine release elicited by activation of the accessory olfactory
      system: a high speed chronoamperometric study.
AB  - Male rats were anesthetized with chloral hydrate, and extracellular dopamine
      concentrations in the nucleus accumbens were measured using high speed
      chronoamperometry. Recordings were obtained during application of air passed
      through bedding obtained from cages that housed estrus female rats and
      application of depolarizing concentrations of potassium (K+) to the accessory
      olfactory system. Application of bedding-impregnated air increased the
      electrochemical signal obtained from within the nucleus accumbens, and this
      response was enhanced by treatment with the DA re-uptake blocker, GBR-12909.
      Application of K+ to the vomeronasal nerve layer of the accessory olfactory bulb
      and to the accessory olfactory bulb, itself, also elicited increases in the
      electrochemical signal recorded from the nucleus accumbens. These results
      indicate that the accessory olfactory system is able to activate the mesolimbic
      DA system.

PMID- 1407707
TI  - Accumulation of alpha B-crystallin in brains of patients with Alexander's disease
      is not due to an abnormality of the 5'-flanking and coding sequence of the
      genomic DNA.
AB  - alpha B-Crystallin is a major protein component of Rosenthal fibers, which
      massively accumulate in the brains of patients suffering from Alexander's
      disease. To examine whether or not accumulation of alpha B-crystallin is due to
      any abnormality of the gene structures, we determined the sequence of the alpha B
      crystallin gene in two cases of pathologically confirmed Alexander's disease.
      Direct sequencing of the promoter and coding regions of the alpha B-crystallin
      gene in patients revealed them to have a normal sequence. Northern blotting
      showed a single alpha B-crystallin mRNA species expressed in the Alexander's
      disease brain.

PMID- 1407708
TI  - Neuromuscular compartments in the human biceps brachii muscle.
AB  - Electrophysiological evidence suggests that the human biceps brachii muscle is
      organized into functional neuromuscular compartments. The purpose of this study
      was to determine whether there was an anatomical basis for these compartments.
      Dissection of the biceps revealed both architectural and nerve branching pattern
      compartmentalization within the muscle. Although the biceps brachii is grossly
      subdivided into long and short heads, these heads are further subdivided into
      roughly parallel architectural compartments. Moreover, these architectural
      compartments usually receive a private nerve branch, thus supporting the notion
      that the human biceps brachii has neuromuscular compartments.

PMID- 1407709
TI  - Responses of rat substantia nigra pars reticulata units to cortical stimulation.
AB  - In order to study the function of multiple pathways between the sensorimotor
      cortex (Cx) and the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), responses of SNr
      units to stimulation of the Cx were studied in anesthetized rats. Most of the
      units (229 of 236) exhibited repetitive firing with fairly short, regular
      intervals. The other 7 units displayed long duration spikes, irregular firing
      intervals and slow spontaneous firing. Stimulation of the Cx usually resulted in
      a short latency excitation and occasionally a long latency inhibition in both
      types of units. When strong stimulation was applied, multiple excitatory and
      inhibitory responses alternating each other with about a 25 ms interval were
      observed. SNr units responded with different patterns and latencies to
      stimulation of different sites of the sensorimotor Cx. The results indicate that
      signals derived from the sensorimotor Cx reach the SNr via multiple pathways and
      converge on many SNr neurons.

PMID- 1407710
TI  - Periaqueductal gray matter stimulation-produced analgesia in diabetic rats.
AB  - The effect of diabetes on periaqueductal gray matter (PAG) stimulation-produced
      analgesia (SPA) was examined in rats. PAG SPA was assessed using the tail-pinch
      test. PAG stimulation produced marked analgesia in both naive and diabetic rats.
      Furthermore, the degree of PAG SPA did not differ between naive and diabetic
      rats. PAG SPA was significantly attenuated by a low dose (0.5 mg/kg, s.c.) of
      naloxone in naive rats, but not in diabetic rats. However, a high dose (5 mg/kg,
      s.c.) of naloxone significantly and equally attenuated PAG SPA in both naive and
      diabetic rats. On the other hand, the analgesic potency of morphine (3 mg/kg,
      s.c.) was significantly reduced in diabetic rats as compared with naive rats.
      These results suggest that PAG SPA in diabetic rats may be mediated by different
      opioid receptor interactions as compared with naive rats.

PMID- 1407711
TI  - Structural maturation of synapses in the rat superior cervical ganglion continues
      beyond four weeks of age.
AB  - We have examined the morphology of preganglionic synapses in the rat superior
      cervical ganglion (SCG) at 10 days, 4 weeks and 1 year. Between 10 days and 4
      weeks the mean thickness of the postsynaptic density (PSD) increased from 45.9 +/
      0.1 nm to 52.1 +/- 1.7 nm (P = 0.017), the mean length of the PSD (0.41 +/- 0.02
      microns) did not change, and the distribution of synapses on the neuronal surface
      changed with a decrease in the proportion of somatic and an increase in the
      proportion of dendritic spine synapses. Since both synapse elimination and
      synapse formation are occurring during this period several mechanisms may
      contribute to these changes. However, between 4 weeks and 1 year, when there is
      no net change in the number of synapses, the mean length of the PSD increased to
      0.53 +/- 0.02 microns (P = 0.001), there was no change in either the mean
      thickness of the PSD or the distribution of the synapses but the proportion of
      concave ('smile') synapses increased. A comparison with previous developmental
      studies of synapses in cerebral cortex of rat and chicken indicate that both the
      nature and the rate of synapse maturation can vary between different populations
      of synapses.

PMID- 1407712
TI  - Age-dependent effects of deafferentation of the rat superior cervical ganglion on
      expression of P65 (synaptotagmin) during postnatal development.
AB  - Previous studies have shown that deafferentation of the rat superior cervical
      ganglion (SCG) alters the levels of p65 (synaptotagmin), a synaptic vesicle
      integral membrane protein, within the ganglion. Neonatal deafferentation blocks
      normal postnatal increases in p65, while deafferentation in adult animals
      produces a transient increase in p65 expression. The present study examines the
      time course of the shift from the neonatal to adult pattern of response to
      deafferentation. Neonatal and 7 day old rats showed the neonatal response to
      deafferentation. Ganglia from rats aged 14 days or older at deafferentation
      exhibited the transient increase in p65 at 7 days after surgery. The shift from
      the neonatal to adult response occurs during the second postnatal week. The
      change in response to deafferentation may be associated with refinement of
      synaptic function in a manner yet to be determined.

PMID- 1407713
TI  - N-methyl-D-aspartate responses in rat cerebellar granule cells are modified by
      chronic depolarisation in culture.
AB  - Following culture in high (25 mM) K+ conditions cerebellar granule cells only
      respond with a rise in cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i after
      removal of external Mg2+. When granule cells are grown in low (5 mM) K+ N-methyl
      D-aspartate (NMDA) exerts a neurotrophic effect. We show that at the critical
      time for this effect NMDA will elicit a rise in [Ca2+]i in 5 mM K+ cultures even
      in the presence of Mg2+ and that growth in 25 mM K+ induces the rapid appearance
      of a Mg2+ block of NMDA receptors in granule cells. This suggests firstly, that a
      rise in [Ca2+]i could be involved in the neurotrophic effect of NMDA and
      secondly, that the characteristics of the NMDA responses in granule cells are
      modified as a result of growth under depolarising conditions.

PMID- 1407714
TI  - The new growth factor pleiotrophin (HB-GAM) mRNA is selectively present in the
      meningothelial cells of human meningiomas.
AB  - The distribution of the messenger RNA coding for the recently cloned growth
      factor pleiotrophin (HB-GAM) was studied in human benign meningiomas using in
      situ hybridization histochemistry and oligonucleotide probes. Pleiotrophin mRNA
      was selectively found in the meningothelial cells whilst not detected in the
      fibroblastic cells, blood vessels and collagen bundles of the meningiomas.

PMID- 1407715
TI  - Push-pull modulation of ganglion cell responses of carp retina by amacrine cells.
AB  - The responses of a ganglion and an amacrine cell were recorded simultaneously in
      the carp retina. Sinusoidal current injected into amacrine cells modulated
      ganglion cell discharges either in phase (excitation) or in opposite phase
      (inhibition). ON-center ganglion cells received excitatory inputs and OFF-center
      ganglion cells received inhibitory inputs from ON-center amacrine cells. They
      received inputs of opposite polarity from OFF-center amacrine cells. Namely,
      inputs from ON-center and OFF-center amacrine cells augment the responses of ON
      center and OFF-center ganglion cells in a push-pull manner.

PMID- 1407716
TI  - Possible involvement of interleukin-1 in ischemic brain edema formation.
AB  - To determine the contribution of interleukin 1 (IL-1) on ischemic brain edema
      formation, the effect of recombinant human interleukin 1 beta (rhIL-1 beta), or
      zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP) as an IL-1 blocker, on brain edema was studied in
      rats. The animals were subjected to 60 min of ischemia in a middle cerebral
      artery occlusion model. Immediately after reperfusion, rhIL-1 beta at a dose of
      10 ng/2 microliters, or ZnPP at doses of 1 and 10 micrograms/2 microliters were
      topically applied into lateral cerebroventricle. In rhIL-1 beta-treated rats,
      ischemic brain edema formation was significantly increased in the dorsal and
      ventral areas of the caudate putamen 24 h after reperfusion, compared to that of
      vehicle-treated control rats. Furthermore, in ZnPP-treated rats, brain edema was
      decreased in both caudate-putamen areas. This suggests that IL-1 plays an
      important role in pathogenesis for post-ischemic brain edema.

PMID- 1407717
TI  - Mapping of the cochlear nucleus subregions in the rat with neuronal Fos protein
      induced by acoustic stimulation with low tones.
AB  - To explore the mode of appearance of Fos, a gene product of proto-oncogene c-fos,
      in the cochlear nucleus, a pure tone was given to rats and Fos was detected by
      immunohistochemistry. Following low-tone stimuli applied with moderate ranges of
      sound intensity, neurons with Fos-label occurred band-like in the ventral
      subregions of the dorsal cochlear nucleus. Organization of low-to-high tones in
      the ventral-to-dorsal orientation became visible at the caudal level. Several
      other subnuclei consistently exhibited Fos with no topographic pattern. Neurons
      interspersed in the adjoining vestibulocochlear nerve were also found to elicit
      Fos. Low-tone stimuli with very high sound intensity led to a rather widespread
      distribution of Fos, making the tone-specific distribution less visible.

PMID- 1407718
TI  - Regional effects of MK-801 on dopamine and its metabolites studied by in vivo
      microdialysis.
AB  - The non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist MK-801 was observed
      to have regionally specific effects on the extracellular concentration of
      dopamine and its metabolites. In rat anterior striatum, MK-801 transiently
      decreased extracellular dopamine, in spite of inducing intense circling behaviour
      which is generally associated with an increase in this neurotransmitter. In
      contrast, hippocampal extracellular dopamine was increased in a dose-related
      manner by MK-801. The possible significance of these data is discussed in
      relation to some of the known behavioural actions of MK-801.

PMID- 1407719
TI  - The transcription factor CREB, but not immediate-early gene encoded proteins, is
      expressed in activated microglia of lumbar spinal cord following sciatic nerve
      transection in the rat.
AB  - Expression of CREB, JUN, FOS and KROX-24 proteins was investigated in glial cells
      of the lumbar spinal cord. In untreated rats, CREB, c-JUN and JUN D were present
      in glial cells of the ventral and dorsal horn. Following sciatic nerve
      transection, the number of CREB immunoreactive glial cells increased in both the
      ipsilateral ventral and dorsal horns between 24 h and 48 h, reached a maximum
      after 5 days and returned to control levels after 20 days. Counterstaining with
      Cresyl violet, a general stain of cells, revealed that the increase of CREB
      positive glial cells was congruent with the increase of the number of glial
      cells. Staining with GFAP, a marker for astrocytes, showed an increase in
      intensity of labelling but no change in number of GFAP labelled cells. This
      indicates a constitutive expression of CREB in activated microglia. The number of
      glial cells labelled by c-JUN and JUN D did not change, and glial cells were not
      labelled by FOS and KROX-24 proteins following sciatic nerve transection. These
      findings demonstrate that proliferation and differentiation of glial cells in
      vivo can occur in absence of JUN, FOS and KROX proteins.

PMID- 1407720
TI  - Oral naloxone reduces constipation but not antinociception from oral morphine in
      the rat.
AB  - Oral administration of naloxone (10 mg/kg) antagonized the slowing of the
      intestinal transit caused by oral morphine (1, 2.5 and 5 mg/kg) in rats. Oral
      administration of naloxone (10 mg/kg) did not prevent the antinociceptive effect
      of orally administered morphine (2.5 mg/kg) in the tail-flick test carried out on
      rats. It is concluded that oral naloxone locally blocks the constipating effect
      of morphine, while it fails to reduce the central action of morphine due to
      extensive metabolization after oral administration.

PMID- 1407721
TI  - Selective blockade by yohimbine of descending spinal inhibition from lateral
      reticular nucleus but not from locus coeruleus in rats.
AB  - The present study was undertaken to compare the effects of the alpha 2
      adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine on inhibition of C-fiber-evoked responses of
      dorsal horn neurons produced by electrical stimulation of the lateral reticular
      nucleus (LRN) and the Locus coeruleus (LC) in the rat. In the majority of
      neurons, C-fiber-evoked responses were significantly inhibited by 53.84 +/- 5.02%
      and 57.63 +/- 5.79% of control by LRN and LC stimulation, respectively, whereas
      in less than half of the neurons, A-fiber-evoked responses were reduced by 20.99
      +/- 6.06% and 21.78 +/- 4.48% of control, respectively. After systemic or spinal
      administration of yohimbine, LC-induced inhibition of C-fiber-evoked responses
      was not affected. In contrast, LRN-induced inhibition was markedly attenuated by
      yohimbine. The results suggest that alpha 2-adrenoceptors may be involved in
      mediation of inhibition of spinal nociception induced by stimulation of LRN but
      not by LC.

PMID- 1407722
TI  - Vasopressin administration via microdialysis into the septum interferes with the
      acquisition of spatial memory in rats.
AB  - The role of vasopressin (AVP) in the septohippocampal system in spatial memory
      was studied in 27 male hooded rats of the Long-Evans strain. The rats were
      implanted with a septal microdialysis probe and assigned to 3 groups. Two days
      later, they were trained on 3 consecutive days (12 daily trials) to locate the
      hidden underwater platform in the Morris water maze (MWM) while the probes were
      perfused with either artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) or aCSF containing
      vasopressin or the V1 antagonist d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)AVP (AAVP). Another group of rats
      (n = 8) remained untreated. Groups receiving microdialysis of aCSF or AAVP
      acquired the MWM task at the same rate as untreated animals. On the other hand,
      place navigation learning was significantly impaired by microdialysis of AVP
      during all sessions. The results indicate that endogenous AVP (at least that
      affecting the V1 receptor subtype) is not indispensable for the acquisition of
      spatial memories in the MWM, whereas excessive presence of synthetic AVP
      interferes with spatial learning.

PMID- 1407723
TI  - Localisation of striatal muscarinic receptors involved in dopamine receptor
      mediated behavioural responses.
AB  - Stereotyped sniffing responses to the direct dopamine agonist, apomorphine, were
      assessed following intrastriatal injection of the alkylating derivative of
      oxotremorine, BR 401. Subsequently, the localisation and extent of muscarinic
      receptor alkylation after injection into various striatal sites were assessed by
      quantitative autoradiography. The results of these experiments provide evidence
      that a regional subset of striatal muscarinic receptors is involved in
      apomorphine-induced stereotyped sniffing. In addition, these receptors are
      localised in a similar area to that previously shown to contain the dopamine D2
      receptors responsible for mediating apomorphine-induced sniffing. Thus, striatal
      muscarinic receptors involved in dopamine-agonist induced behaviours share a
      close anatomical association with the dopamine receptors at which the agonist
      acts.

PMID- 1407724
TI  - Azimuthal processing in the posterior auditory thalamus of cats.
AB  - The responses to free-field acoustic stimuli of 157 units in the auditory
      thalamus of anesthetized cats were studied in relation to the localization of
      pure tone stimuli in the azimuthal plane. Units were classified as 'directional'
      if their firing rates at sound levels in excess of 20 dB above threshold varied
      by more than 50% as a function of azimuth. Sixty-five % of the units in the
      nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus and 30% in the ventral
      division of the medial geniculate body were found to be directional, suggesting
      different processing channels for sound localization between colliculus and
      cortex.

PMID- 1407725
TI  - Interaction of long chain n-alkyl diamines with the NMDA receptor complex.
AB  - Long chain 1, omega-diamines with 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16 carbon atoms reduced the
      binding of [3H]MK 801 to rat hippocampal membranes with IC50 values of 333, 72,
      16.5, 4.7 and 4.3 microM, respectively. In the presence of medium-effective
      concentrations of the diamines, the concentration response curve of the
      stimulation by the polyamine spermine was shifted to higher spermine
      concentrations, reaching similar maximal stimulation as in the absence of the
      diamines. In the case of 1,12-diaminododecane (N-12-N) and 1,14
      diaminotetradecane (N-14-N), the extent of this shift was compatible with
      competitive antagonism of spermine. Inhibition of [3H]MK 801 binding by long
      chain diamines was sensitive to spermine, inhibition by N-12-N and N-14-N
      exhibited the highest sensitivities. Of all diamines tested, N-12-N and N-14-N
      seem to be the most likely candidates for inverse polyamine agonists.

PMID- 1407726
TI  - The cone electrode: ultrastructural studies following long-term recording in rat
      and monkey cortex.
AB  - The achievement of long-term recording of neural signals from the central nervous
      system has potential clinical and investigative application. To facilitate long
      term recording, a novel cone electrode composed of an insulated gold wire within
      a hollow glass cone had been developed. Cone electrodes containing sciatic nerve
      or neurotrophic medium were implanted into cerebral cortex in rats and monkeys.
      Electrophysiologic recordings had been previously obtained from cone tissue for
      as long as 15 months following implantation and this tissue contained silver
      positive processes. We now extend these observations to characterize the fine
      structural features of the tissue within these long-term implants. Electron
      microscopy revealed central myelinated axons, dendrites, synaptic profiles, blood
      vessels, and glia; peripheral nerve was not found in the cones in which sciatic
      nerve had been placed. These observations further suggest ingrowth of cortical
      neurites and elements into the hollow glass tip of the cone and support the
      feasibility of long-term recording using this electrode.

PMID- 1407727
TI  - Quantification of beta A4 protein deposition in the medial temporal lobe: a
      comparison of Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia of the Lewy body type.
AB  - The distribution of beta-amyloid protein (beta A4) was examined in the medial
      temporal lobes from cases of Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n = 13), senile dementia
      of Lewy body type (SDLT) (n = 12) and age matched controls (n = 9). Using a
      previously described image analysis technique the extent of beta A4 pathology was
      determined in ten distinct anatomical sites within the medial temporal lobe. AD
      and SDLT cases contained very similar amounts of beta A4 in the areas sampled and
      both contained significantly more beta A4 than the age matched controls,
      particularly in the dentate and parahippocampal gyri. The similarity of the beta
      A4 load in the two conditions is in contrast to reported differences in the
      number of neurofibrillary tangles which can be observed. It is suggested that AD
      and SDLT represent a spectrum of pathology which centres around the aberrant
      processing of the beta A4 precursor protein.

PMID- 1407729
TI  - An interdisciplinary approach to teaching specimen collection.

PMID- 1407728
TI  - Student awareness of research findings.
AB  - One problem faced by all faculty who teach research to undergraduate students is
      how to make the topic of utilization of research both interesting and practical.
      The author describes an approach that elicited students' active participation in
      replicating an earlier study by indicating their awareness of research-validated
      practices. Involvement of the students in an actual study seems a positive way to
      introduce the topic of utilization and has been used with success in one program
      over the past 4 years.

PMID- 1407730
TI  - A model for peak performance.
AB  - This study identified major factors that contributed to peak performance among
      eight nursing educators. The peak performers were interviewed 3 times over 8
      years. Intense commitment to a mission, continual performance assessment,
      concentration on satisfaction and rewards, and the ability to set priorities and
      seek social support were delineated as factors in peak performance. Commitment to
      a personal mission that aligns with the demands of the university was a peak
      performer's ultimate personal investment and service to students and the
      university.

PMID- 1407731
TI  - Classroom shared governance.
AB  - As shared governance increases in organizations that employ nurses, it becomes an
      essential element of professional socialization and preservice education. Framing
      a course in concepts of shared governance offers students experiential learning
      in uses of power, accountability, organizational decision making, and peer
      negotiation. The authors present concepts and examples of classroom shared
      governance from student and teacher perspectives.

PMID- 1407732
TI  - Cooperative learning and the nursing process.

PMID- 1407733
TI  - Nursing education and HIV disease: a call for action.
AB  - The continued increase in reported cases of HIV disease has created a compelling
      need for nursing educators to provide students with comprehensive information on
      HIV-related issues. The authors discuss the need for students to care for HIV
      positive individuals under faculty supervision to overcome fear and anxiety.
      Faculty education is proposed as a first step to develop a comprehensive approach
      to HIV education. A guide for integrating HIV content into the curriculum is
      provided.

PMID- 1407734
TI  - Making a challenge out of an NLN visit: any more questions?
AB  - Any educator, regardless of experience, feels apprehension as the final
      preparations are made for a National League for Nursing (NLN) review. Recognizing
      that 70% of our faculty had never experienced the review process, school
      administrators decided to take a novel approach to prepare faculty for the NLN
      visit. The authors discuss program development for a faculty workshop that
      modeled a popular television game show.

PMID- 1407735
TI  - An opportunity to create healthcare policy: nonprofit board membership.

PMID- 1407736
TI  - A rural nursing practicum: making it work.
AB  - Inciting the interest of baccalaureate students in the practice of nursing in a
      rural setting has been an ongoing challenge for many educators. The authors
      identify difficulties they encountered when attempting to involve students in a
      rural nursing practicum and delineate several strategies used to overcome these
      difficulties.

PMID- 1407737
TI  - Positive reinforcement in clinical teaching.
AB  - Contrary to the idea that nursing students are intrinsically motivated, findings
      in research studies show that students repeatedly report the significance of
      positive feedback to them. Delivery of positive reinforcement by clinical
      instructors can be developed so that the reinforcement is more meaningful to
      students and more effective in promoting or maintaining desired student
      behaviors.

PMID- 1407738
TI  - SN to GN to RN: facilitating the transition.

PMID- 1407739
TI  - Using cooperative learning strategies.
AB  - Nurse educators are challenged to develop innovative teaching strategies that
      help students think critically and interact skillfully with others. The authors
      present the merits of cooperative learning and describe ways that nurse educators
      can teach essential content using this educational strategy.

PMID- 1407740
TI  - Integration of cultural content into a psychiatric nursing course to change
      students' attitudes and decrease anxiety.

PMID- 1407741
TI  - Curriculum planning for the part-time student.

PMID- 1407742
TI  - Empowerment for teachers and students.

PMID- 1407743
TI  - Computerized cost analysis for the nursing skills laboratory.
AB  - Cost control and accountability are requirements in the academic world of the
      1990s. The author describes a computerized cost analysis system in the nursing
      skills laboratory that enables administrators to determine the cost of teaching
      skills, increases efficiency level of teaching by the faculty, and provides data
      for budgeting and ordering expendable medical supplies.

PMID- 1407744
TI  - Exercise and lean weight: the influence of body weight.
AB  - Exercise can produce a modest gain of lean body mass (LBM) and loss of fat in
      weight-stable individuals, but it is important to realize that if much weight is
      lost during exercise there is a risk of some erosion of the LBM. Data from both
      human and animal experiments show that exercise cannot conserve lean weight in
      the face of significant energy deficit, although moderate obesity affords a
      modicum of protection in this respect.

PMID- 1407745
TI  - Should enteral nutrition be considered as primary therapy in acute Crohn's
      disease?
AB  - Clinical trials indicate that elemental enteral diets are equally as effective as
      corticosteroid treatment for acute Crohn's disease; however, a clear efficacy of
      polymeric formulas has yet to be demonstrated. Moreover, the mechanism of action
      of enteral nutrition remains uncertain, and further study is needed to define the
      precise role of specialized enteral formulas in the long-term management of this
      disease.

PMID- 1407746
TI  - Low-calcium diets enhance phytate-phosphorus availability.
AB  - This study showed that, in chickens, the negative effects of phytate-phosphorus
      in a low inorganic phosphorus diet could be completely reversed through the
      additive effects of reduced dietary calcium and increased cholecalciferol. In the
      future, perhaps greater reliance on more readily available plant phosphorus
      sources may be instituted in developing countries, where cheap sources of
      inorganic phosphorus are difficult to obtain.

PMID- 1407747
TI  - Use of gene therapy to correct elevated LDL levels in LDL-receptor deficient
      rabbits.
AB  - Recent studies using gene therapy to correct low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
      receptor deficiency in rabbits suggest that practical applications of such
      techniques may be forthcoming. While complete correction of elevated serum
      cholesterol levels resulting from LDL-receptor deficiency is not yet possible,
      significant reductions were possible following gene therapy.

PMID- 1407748
TI  - Fish oil consumption influences mortality rates of mice challenged with
      Salmonella typhimurium.
AB  - A recent report has shown that dietary fish oil consumption increases mortality
      in mice challenged with Salmonella typhimurium. The mechanism of this effect is
      uncertain, however.

PMID- 1407749
TI  - Regular or decaf? Coffee consumption and serum lipoproteins.
AB  - Epidemiologic studies indicate that the relationship between coffee consumption
      and cardiovascular disease is inconsistent. The potential impact of caffeinated
      vs. decaffeinated coffee on serum lipids has been investigated with similar
      inconclusive findings. Understanding the effects that various types of coffee
      beverages may have on serum lipids could be enhanced by identifying and
      characterizing the putative lipid-altering factor in coffee.

PMID- 1407750
TI  - The changing face of European nutrition.

PMID- 1407752
TI  - Trace element-gene interactions.
AB  - For many of the genes encoding proteins involved in the transport, storage, and
      function of the trace elements, expression is regulated by the availability of
      the elements concerned. This control is exercised through a variety of
      mechanisms, including metal-activated transcription factors, modified usage of
      stop codons, and use of secondary structure within mRNA to regulate its
      translation and stability. Two widely represented groups of transcription
      factors, often classed as zinc-finger proteins, depend on constituent zinc ions
      for their activity. In addition, the sensitivity of growth and fetal development
      to the lack of zinc is hypothesized to relate to a requirement for the element
      during certain critical alterations in gene expression. The evidence for this and
      possible underlying mechanisms is examined.

PMID- 1407753
TI  - Nutrition and aging: potentials and problems for research in developing
      countries.
AB  - The demographic explosion of persons over 60 years of age is a reality in
      developed and developing countries alike. There is evidence that research on
      aging and nutrition in Third World countries is growing and developing. Specific
      research programs, and the linking of these programs in timely multicenter
      efforts, promise both valuable descriptive research for the benefit of national
      populations and comparative insights that will help us to learn more,
      collectively, about the intrinsic nature of the aging process itself.

PMID- 1407751
TI  - Antioxidants and HIV infection.

PMID- 1407754
TI  - Cysteine-rich intestinal protein (CRIP): a new intestinal zinc transport protein.
AB  - Cysteine-rich intestinal protein (CRIP) is a newly identified peptide that occurs
      primarily in the intestine and binds zinc in the mucosa during absorption. High
      dietary zinc does not affect CRIP concentration, but it greatly increases
      metallothionein, which may compete with CRIP to decrease zinc absorption.

PMID- 1407755
TI  - Women on the short end of the loaf: intrahousehold food allocation among members
      of poor Nepalese families.
AB  - Intensive and structure intrahousehold observations of the pattern of food
      allocation in poor rural Nepalese households indicate no difference in the
      distribution of nutrients between male and female children. In contrast,
      preferential food distribution patterns among adults show that women are less
      likely to achieve recommended levels of some nutrients than are men of the same
      age.

PMID- 1407756
TI  - Iron overload in sub-Saharan Africa involves a genetic component.
AB  - A new study suggests that the iron overload observed in sub-Saharan Africans may
      be due to more than elevated iron intake. Genetic analysis indicates that a
      heritable, but unidentified, trait may account for a substantial portion of the
      variability in transferrin saturation seen in persons with iron overload. This
      defect may occur in over 30% of the population and appears to be distinct from
      the genetic factor controlling hemochromatosis in Caucasian populations.

PMID- 1407757
TI  - The Medford Declaration to end hunger in the United States.

PMID- 1407758
TI  - Hunger in the United States: policy implications.

PMID- 1407759
TI  - Yale article on advanced practice nursing is of overwhelming importance to NPs.

PMID- 1407760
TI  - Allergen avoidance in the treatment of dust-mite allergy and asthma.
AB  - House-dust-mite allergen is one of the primary causes of asthma. In many
      instances, asthma is an immunoglobulin gamma E mediated atopy (i.e., allergen
      specific hypersensitivity) that leads to non-specific bronchial hyper-reactivity
      and subsequent symptom manifestations. These symptoms may range from an annoying
      cough to full-blown respiratory failure. Allergen-avoidance measures should be a
      primary mode of treatment for atopic asthmatics. This article focuses on the dust
      mite allergen and its relationship to asthma. It details specific avoidance
      measures that should be implemented by the majority of asthmatics. Studies are
      cited that support the aggressive use of these measures to decrease allergen
      exposure, and to subsequently prevent or significantly reduce asthma symptoms.
      When health care providers have a better understanding of avoidance measures and
      the rationale underlying their use, these measures are more likely to be valued
      and given greater emphasis in education and treatment plans. Renewed emphasis on
      an immunomodulatory approach to asthma treatment may help to reverse the rise in
      asthma morbidity and mortality rates.

PMID- 1407761
TI  - New studies, new treatments, new organization discussed at national NP symposium.

PMID- 1407762
TI  - Advanced practice nursing article provides compelling reasons for legislative
      reform.

PMID- 1407763
TI  - Council's pursuit of national standardization for advanced practice nursing meets
      with resistance.

PMID- 1407764
TI  - Reader identifies yogurt containing culture effective in relieving candidal
      vaginitis.

PMID- 1407766
TI  - NPs play major role in promoting sexuality among institutionalized elderly.

PMID- 1407765
TI  - Reader offers strategies for identification and treatment of dilutional
      hyponatremia.

PMID- 1407767
TI  - NP's contributions are honored by a colleague.

PMID- 1407768
TI  - American Cancer Society offers specific guidelines for detecting and managing
      breast abnormalities.

PMID- 1407769
TI  - Assessing school readiness through the school-entry screening exam.
AB  - Although there exists no perfect screening tool that is predictive of a child's
      success in school, an office visit prior to school enrollment can detect
      potential problems. This visit should include a history and physical, and
      developmental assessment. The developmental assessment involves a sampling of a
      child's abilities in the areas of language, reasoning, gross and fine motor
      skills, and personal-social development. Providers must be alert to signs and
      symptoms indicating impediments to learning. Clinicians who are knowledgeable
      about trends in education regarding readiness testing, birth-date cutoffs and
      retention can serve as a valuable resource to parents. The clinician can also be
      a major contributor to the achievement of national education goals set forth by
      the Bush administration. Ten tools for assessing children are compared, and their
      appropriate use is discussed.

PMID- 1407770
TI  - Frontier areas: opportunities for NPs' primary care services.
AB  - Demographers have recently designated frontier areas as distinct from other rural
      areas. Frontier counties are defined as those with less than six persons per
      square mile; as such, they constitute 45 percent of the U.S. land mass and
      include 2.2 million people. The health status among frontier residents is
      estimated to be lower than that of other rural or urban populations, and frontier
      health services, particularly primary care services, are scant. In this article,
      opportunities for nurse practitioners in frontier practice are explored,
      including specific suggestions for the development of new frontier NP practices.

PMID- 1407771
TI  - The legal danger of written protocols and standards of practice.
AB  - Nurse practitioners have historically developed protocols and standards of
      practice to guide and improve the quality of their patient care. Written
      protocols and standards of practice can, however, create a potential malpractice
      problem. Lawyers who bring malpractice cases on behalf of patients will use the
      protocols and standards to measure the practitioner's care. The practice
      standards are often too high to be reasonably met by practitioners at all times
      and in all settings. As a result, the practitioner's care may breach those
      standards. Nurse practitioners should develop protocols that are based on a
      minimum safe level and not the maximum level aimed at ideal care. Standards and
      protocols should be updated and realistic. Once developed, protocols and
      standards must be followed precisely to limit potential liability.

PMID- 1407772
TI  - An update on cephalosporins.

PMID- 1407773
TI  - NONPE offers thoughts on licensure.

PMID- 1407774
TI  - How to apply an ice bag, ice collar, or ice glove.

PMID- 1407775
TI  - Evaluating sodium levels.

PMID- 1407776
TI  - Myths & facts ... about septic shock.

PMID- 1407777
TI  - Responding to an air embolism.

PMID- 1407778
TI  - The shattering consequences of C.P.R.

PMID- 1407779
TI  - Using peak flow meters.

PMID- 1407780
TI  - A voice from the past.

PMID- 1407781
TI  - When a spouse dies.

PMID- 1407782
TI  - How to stabilize a percutaneous tube.

PMID- 1407783
TI  - Determining discharge priorities.

PMID- 1407784
TI  - Treating pressure ulcers with a myocutaneous flap.

PMID- 1407785
TI  - Vaccine series for hepatitis B.

PMID- 1407786
TI  - Frankie was never satisfied ... until she made a new connection with life.

PMID- 1407787
TI  - To find a soul.

PMID- 1407788
TI  - Assessing wound drainage.

PMID- 1407790
TI  - Making time work for you.

PMID- 1407789
TI  - Mary's last wish.

PMID- 1407791
TI  - Fitting in on the unit. Work culture is the key.

PMID- 1407792
TI  - Diamond in the rough.

PMID- 1407793
TI  - Even night drug cabinet can cause problems.

PMID- 1407794
TI  - The physician and the courts.

PMID- 1407795
TI  - Television physicians.

PMID- 1407796
TI  - Cardiovascular risk factors in Native American children.
AB  - Information concerning cardiovascular disease risk factors in Native American
      children is limited. In adult Native American populations, cardiovascular disease
      risk factors of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, obesity, and cigarette
      smoking are prevalent, and recent reports indicate mortality caused by
      cardiovascular disease has dramatically increased. In a screening program at the
      Onondaga Nation School, six cardiovascular disease risk factors were evaluated.
      Of 95 school children, 55 representing 39 interrelated families, participated.
      Family histories were positive for diabetes mellitus in 72%, for cardiovascular
      disease in 54%, and for passive smoking in 90% of families. Physical examinations
      of the children revealed obesity (weight/height greater than 90th percentile) in
      42% and hypertension (systolic or diastolic blood pressure/height greater than
      95th percentile) in 22%. Fingerstick cholesterol levels (Reflotron system) were
      greater than 170 mg/dL in 25%. Overall, 85% of participants had three or more
      risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The study results indicate that Onondaga
      Native American children are at significant risk for cardiovascular disease;
      programs for identification and modification of cardiovascular disease risk
      factors are urgently needed.

PMID- 1407797
TI  - The persistent vegetative state: an analysis of clinical correlates and costs.
AB  - A review was compiled of 23 patients in the persistent vegetative state; a
      condition that developed while the patients were in an acute care hospital.
      Before the onset of the persistent vegetative state, eight patients had had
      dementia, 11 were functionally dependent, and seven had neurologic disorders that
      gradually led to the persistent vegetative state. For patients in the persistent
      vegetative state, three types of mechanical support--respirators, nasogastric or
      gastrotomy tubes, and intravenous lines--were utilized. All three were necessary
      in 43% of patients, two types in 52%, and one type in 4%. All patients in the
      persistent vegetative state required at least one type of mechanical assistance.
      Their course was complicated in all cases by incontinence, and in the majority,
      by decubiti, pneumonia, and urinary tract infection. Only one patient improved
      enough to be able to say a few words. These patients required active medical care
      and invasive procedures that were costly but futile. The hospital bills obtained
      for 13 patients averaged $170,000, and the length of stay for all patients
      averaged 197 days, the equivalent to a total number of bed-days of 12.5 bed
      years. The poor outcomes, requirements for mechanical support, and frequency of
      complications--especially when neurologic impairments were present before the
      onset of the persistent vegetative state--should be considered when evaluating
      the cost in hospital bills and bed occupancy.

PMID- 1407798
TI  - Catfight in the labs.

PMID- 1407799
TI  - Not a valentine.

PMID- 1407800
TI  - Physician-assisted suicide.

PMID- 1407801
TI  - History--the great reminder. The relationship between the Long Island College
      Hospital and the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn.

PMID- 1407802
TI  - Health care for seamen in the Port of New York. Part II: The rise of the Seaman's
      Retreat.

PMID- 1407803
TI  - Do tricyclic antidepressants have a protective effect in post-traumatic stress
      disorder?

PMID- 1407804
TI  - Progressive pulmonary thromboembolism in association with HIV disease.

PMID- 1407805
TI  - Unexpected reversal of an idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and the urgent need
      for a re-evaluation of the indicators of patient survival.

PMID- 1407807
TI  - Choice of surgical procedure for prostatic surgery.

PMID- 1407806
TI  - Acute emphysematous cholecystitis: a case report and review of the literature.

PMID- 1407808
TI  - The physically handicapped children's program: a helping hand for children with
      serious health problems.

PMID- 1407809
TI  - Leiomyoma of the nipple.

PMID- 1407810
TI  - Prelude to research.

PMID- 1407811
TI  - Parse's theory and the multidisciplinary team: clarifying scientific values.

PMID- 1407812
TI  - Chaos and the totality perspective.

PMID- 1407813
TI  - Directions for nursing theory development in the 21st century.
AB  - The development of the discipline of nursing has gone through four stages:
      theorizing, developing a syntax, concept development, and philosophical debate.
      These stages helped in shaping the characteristics of the discipline as a human
      science, a practice science, a science with social goals to empower nurses to
      provide effective and quality care, and one in which gender differences and the
      need for understanding minorities are areas of primary concern. Further
      theoretical development in the discipline will be driven by population needs and
      will be characterized by reaching out to meet the integrative and
      interdisciplinary nature of these needs. Sources of theories of the future are
      practice, theory and research. It is anticipated that two models will evolve to
      guide the development of phenomenon-driven theories in the future and that third
      generation theorists will utilize these models.

PMID- 1407814
TI  - The overview effect: the impact of space exploration on the evolution of nursing
      science.
AB  - The purpose of this article is to explore the overview effect, an experience
      evoked by space travel that has the capacity to transform all patterns of human
      existence and evolution toward greater potentials in human diversity and
      creativity. As nurses migrate with humanity into the solar system and beyond,
      they will experience the overview effect. The core components of the effect
      include changed perceptions of space, time, sound, and weight which have the
      potential to transform the evolution of nursing science. Nursing paradigms will
      encompass a view of humanity as integral with an infinite evolutionary universe.
      After generations of living in space in a diversity of new environments, the
      physical body will undergo radical changes, and the meaning of health will be
      transformed. The article concludes with a discussion on the parallels between
      Rogers' science of unitary human beings and the overview effect.

PMID- 1407815
TI  - Nursing theory as a base for a computerized nursing information system.
AB  - This article illustrates how nursing theory can be used in a computerized nursing
      information system (CNIS). Before development of such a system can begin, data
      relationships must be specified so that: (a) the relationships are specific
      enough to support a computerized relational base and (b) the resultant
      information can support nursing science. Both goals were achieved through three
      interrelated processes: (a) validation of a practice model based on Orem's self
      care deficit nursing theory, (b) classification of clinical data into theory
      related categories, and (c) establishment of data relationships to yield
      meaningful information.

PMID- 1407816
TI  - The Roy Adaptation Model and care of persons with Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - This article uses current nursing literature to examine the congruence of the
      care of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) with the Roy adaptation model. In
      relating concepts of the Roy model to the care of patients with Alzheimer's
      disease, it was found that ineffective coping responses can be used to describe
      disease-related disruptive behaviors. The degenerative disease process would
      result in the impairment of focal stimuli, such as memory and personality.
      Because focal stimuli are progressively impaired, the goal of nursing using the
      Roy model would be to promote adaptive responses through manipulation of the
      contextual stimuli, the patient's environment. Nursing literature describing
      positive patient outcomes following environmental interventions suggests that the
      Roy adaptation model could be very valuable in directing nursing research and
      devising nursing care strategies for patients with Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1407817
TI  - Instrument development and the measurement of unitary constructs.
AB  - This article initiates needed dialogue on the development of instruments to
      measure unitary constructs. The concept of measurement is explored and current
      measurement in Rogerian research is considered in light of the issues raised in
      the discussion. The human field - environmental field relationship is presented
      as the clinical practice area serving as the basis for the development of a
      unitary instrument that purports to measure field pattern. The instrument
      entitled Mutual Exploration of the Healing Human Field - Environmental Field
      Relationship is offered as a beginning effort in constructing an instrument that
      measures a unitary phenomenon. Rogerian scholars are provided with the challenge
      to continue the debate regarding the whole field of measurement and the
      development of unitary tools.

PMID- 1407818
TI  - Moving beyond the barrier reef.

PMID- 1407819
TI  - Critical theory as a framework to enhance nursing science.

PMID- 1407820
TI  - Nutrition and cardiovascular disease--a brief review of epidemiological studies
      in Japan.

PMID- 1407821
TI  - Diet, nutrition and cancer in Japan.
AB  - A number of epidemiological and experimental studies have revealed that dietary
      habits and nutrition are one of the major risk factors for cancer. Dietary habits
      and nutrition are related to cancer in various ways and many factors are involved
      in the development of cancer. These include large intakes of salted foods and
      pickled vegetables, and too low intakes of fresh vegetables and fruits which are
      known to be major risk factors for stomach cancer. A large intake of green-yellow
      vegetables is known to be a protective factor against cancer of the stomach, lung
      and some other sites. In Japan the westernization of dietary habits and nutrition
      may have contributed to the changes in the mortality of several kinds of cancers
      which have been observed in Japan in recent years. Further improvements of
      dietary habits and nutrition intake are important and will be effective for
      primary prevention of cancer.

PMID- 1407822
TI  - Nutritional factors and cellular immune responses.
AB  - Nutritional factors affect the immune response to infection and cancer in the
      elderly as well as young children. We studied the effects of lower and higher
      intake of food or nutrients on the immune cells of macrophage-lymphocytes series
      in the lung of rats. In rats of all ages taking voluntary exercise, a well
      balanced diet that contains adequate protein (20-40%) is crucial for maintenance
      of high levels of immune response. In addition, extra amounts of vitamins A and E
      activated the function of alveolar macrophages, which are probably stimulated by
      fat soluble vitamins coming into the lung via the lymphatic route from the
      intestine, and will be especially important in preventing pulmonary infection and
      cancer.

PMID- 1407824
TI  - Achievement of school lunch system for the promotion of health of children in
      Japan.
AB  - In Japan, the modern school lunch system was improved after the establishment of
      the school lunch law in 1954, and now over 98% of boys and girls in primary
      schools and over 85% of junior high school pupils have lunch at their schools. In
      this report, the beneficial effect of this system is pointed out. This system
      contributes to an improvement of the physical condition of these children and it
      is very effective for improving the relationship between teachers and children.
      Knowledge concerning food, nutrition and food hygiene has also improved.

PMID- 1407823
TI  - Nutrition for the young--its current problems.
AB  - The prevailing life style in Japan has been westernized and highly
      industrialised. This inevitably has bad effects on nutrition and the eating
      pattern of youth. These ill effects may be summarized as follows, 1) lack of
      daily physical activities, 2) an increasing number of working mothers, 3)
      irregular timing of food intake, 4) an increasing intake of energy in the form of
      fat, 5) increasing consumption of processed foods ready for eating, 6) lack of
      integrated management systems such as health education programs against
      atherogenic risk factors. These changes have resulted in increasing atherogenic
      risk factors among young people. It is necessary to study the present risk
      factors and their relation to prevailing life styles and to organize a follow-up
      system for surveillance of risk factors.

PMID- 1407825
TI  - Nutritional factors for longevity in Okinawa--present and future.
AB  - Several factors, such as environment and heredity, are presumed to be related to
      longevity. Of these nutrition is believed to function as a regulatory factor.
      Okinawa prefecture is well known as the leading area for longevity in the world.
      We therefore examined present and past nutrition records together with the
      background of all the 88 centenarians (18 male, 70 female) who are living in
      Okinawa in 1991. Their leading occupation was agriculture, and they were in work
      until the 8th decade. They took rice or potato as carbohydrate with abundant
      vegetables and vegetable protein or fish protein. Although they did not take a
      rich diet it was well balanced, and was assumed to be related to longevity
      because of the decreased incidence of atherosclerosis; together with a good
      genetic background, suggested by the accumulation of longevity in their siblings.

PMID- 1407826
TI  - Nutrition for the Japanese elderly.
AB  - The present paper examines the relationship of nutritional status to further life
      expectancy and health status in the Japanese elderly based on 3 epidemiological
      studies. 1. Nutrient intakes in 94 Japanese centenarians investigated between
      1972 and 1973 showed a higher proportion of animal protein to total proteins than
      in contemporary average Japanese. 2. High intakes of milk and fats and oils had
      favorable effects on 10-year (1976-1986) survivorship in 422 urban residents aged
      69-71. The survivors revealed a longitudinal increase in intakes of animal foods
      such as eggs, milk, fish and meat over the 10 years. 3. Nutrient intakes were
      compared, based on 24-hour dietary records, between a sample from Okinawa
      Prefecture where life expectancies at birth and 65 were the longest in Japan, and
      a sample from Akita Prefecture where the life expectancies were much shorter.
      Intakes of Ca, Fe, vitamins A, B1, B2, C, and the proportion of energy from
      proteins and fats were significantly higher in the former than in the latter.
      Intakes of carbohydrates and NaCl were lower.

PMID- 1407827
TI  - Food policy for health in Japan.
AB  - In this half century, dietary habits in Japan have greatly changed and there is
      some confusion about what is healthy. In this report the causes of the confusion
      are analysed. To establish a healthy and normal dietary life, the recommendations
      for the public were considered from the various standpoints. There have been
      great changes in economic and social factors, and in supply and availability.
      Consumers rate convenience, diversity, good taste, healthiness, and
      "fashionableness" as important. To create a new food culture, the following three
      points would become the base; 1. It is necessary for each of us to have a sense
      of responsibility for our eating habits and our health. 2. We must cooperate with
      family and friends to work for the creation of an abundant and enjoyable dining
      table. 3. We have reached the stage in our dining culture where we must think not
      about what to eat, but how to eat, what conduct we should use when eating, and
      about our awareness of eating and what we are eating.

PMID- 1407828
TI  - Nutrition: the global challenge.

PMID- 1407829
TI  - A message from WHO: towards building a new health paradigm in the 21st century.

PMID- 1407830
TI  - International cooperative study on the relationship between dietary factors and
      blood pressure: a preliminary report from the Cardiovascular Diseases and
      Alimentary Comparison (CARDIAC) Study. The CARDIAC Cooperative Study Research
      Group.
AB  - 1. To investigate the epidemiological relationship of dietary factors to blood
      pressure (BP) and major cardiovascular diseases, we carried out the international
      cooperative Cardiovascular Diseases and Alimentary Comparison (CARDIAC) Study,
      which so far involves 48 centers in 20 countries as of August 1991. From each
      population, 100 men and 100 women aged 50-54 years were randomly selected for BP
      measurement, 24-h urine collection, blood tests, and medical interview. Various
      biological markers of diets from urine and blood were analyzed centrally in the
      Izumo CARDIAC center. 2. Cross center analysis using simple linear regression
      revealed strong significant correlations of body mass index (BMI) to systolic BP
      (SBP; p < 0.01) and diastolic BP (DBP; p < 0.001) in men. 24-h urinary sodium
      (Na) excretion in men also showed significant correlations with SBP (p < 0.05)
      and DBP p < 0.05) even after controlling for the effect of BMI (SBP; p < 0.05,
      DBP; p < 0.05). 3. Within center analysis using multiple linear regression
      implied that BMI and Na strongly adversely affect BP, whereas magnesium may have
      beneficial influence on BP. 4. Multicolinearities among 24h urinary sodium,
      calcium, and urea nitrogen were noted in men.

PMID- 1407831
TI  - Trends in national nutritional survey of Japan.
AB  - The nutritional status of the Japanese has been measured and evaluated annually
      on a nationwide scale since the first National Nutrition Survey was carried out
      in 1946. Changes in dietary intake levels could thus be monitored systematically
      at a national level. According to the results observed, the whole 50 years of the
      postwar period can be divided into three stages in terms of dietary intakes and
      their postulated health outcome. Although it has certain limitations for the
      purpose of analysis the survey has performed a remarkable role in throwing light
      upon the general trends and current status of nutrition in Japanese populations
      and thereby enabling a successful nutritional policy to be established.

PMID- 1407832
TI  - Nutritional improvement, cardiovascular diseases and longevity in Japan.
AB  - 1. Nutritional conditions have improved remarkably for the past 40 years in
      Japan; major improvements are increases in protein intake (69.7 in 1955 to
      79.2g/day per capita in '88), and fat intake (20.3 in '55 to 58.3 g/day per
      capita in '88), both of which are significantly related statistically to the
      gradual reduction of stroke mortality (r = -0.74, not significant; r = -0.78, p <
      0.05) and to a remarkable extension of average life span (r = 0.91, p < 0.01; r =
      0.98, p < 0.001) in the Japanese. 2. Average heights of 12-year old male and
      female children, correlating significantly with these nutritional improvements,
      are significantly positively correlated with average life spans (men and women
      respectively; r = 0.97, p < 0.001). 3. Thus, general nutritional improvements
      among the Japanese are regarded as the major contributory factor to the recent
      achievement of top-ranked position for longevity in the world.

PMID- 1407833
TI  - PPS update.

PMID- 1407834
TI  - The new careers in nursing informatics.

PMID- 1407835
TI  - Anesthesia-related liability.

PMID- 1407836
TI  - Washington, DC: fall 1992.

PMID- 1407837
TI  - Staffing nurses according to episodic census variations.

PMID- 1407838
TI  - Compensation: what influences workers' sense of values?

PMID- 1407839
TI  - An effective PCA documentation tool.

PMID- 1407840
TI  - Implementing a multidisciplinary approach to discharge planning.

PMID- 1407841
TI  - Patient is discharged--but still in the bed!

PMID- 1407843
TI  - Personalized care in a standardized world.

PMID- 1407842
TI  - Integrating a "plan of care" into documentation systems.

PMID- 1407844
TI  - Developing a labor and delivery patient classification system.

PMID- 1407846
TI  - Who's minding the children?

PMID- 1407845
TI  - Upgrading critical care nursing assistant skills.

PMID- 1407847
TI  - Shift coordinators dispel myths.

PMID- 1407848
TI  - Caring behaviors in nursing management relationships.

PMID- 1407849
TI  - Maintaining a policy review system.

PMID- 1407850
TI  - A "burning issue": a nursing administrator's nightmare.

PMID- 1407851
TI  - Development of clinical coordinator role.

PMID- 1407852
TI  - Application of change theory to a clinical problem.

PMID- 1407853
TI  - Dear new assistant nurse manager.

PMID- 1407854
TI  - OSHA overdoes a good thing.

PMID- 1407855
TI  - Electronic claims transmission: the "fourth party" factor in dentistry.

PMID- 1407856
TI  - Management of vertical root fracture in endodontically treated teeth.
AB  - Vertical root fracture is a common complication during and after endodontic
      treatment. The condition is often difficult to diagnose and treat. Management of
      the fracture usually represents a challenging dilemma that requires various
      techniques.

PMID- 1407857
TI  - Dental students' knowledge of HIV-related matters.

PMID- 1407858
TI  - Survey of post procedures.
AB  - Methods used to restore endodontically treated teeth have changed over the last
      few years. The traditional standard of using a cast-gold post and core for all
      endodontically treated teeth has been questioned in the literature. The following
      is a report of a survey that the authors conducted to determine if there is a
      discrepancy between research and clinical practice.

PMID- 1407859
TI  - Caveat preparator: maxillary second bicuspid root invaginations.
AB  - Seventy-five percent of maxillary second bicuspids have a single pulpal canal.
      The remainder present dual canals with one or two associated apical orifices and
      proximal root concavities. This latter phenomenon may well lead to root
      perforations when placing posts. The following case documents such an occurrence.

PMID- 1407861
TI  - NIH backs Rochester study of lasers and tooth decay.

PMID- 1407860
TI  - Code of ethics.

PMID- 1407862
TI  - Stony Brook expands care of HIV-positive patients.

PMID- 1407863
TI  - Keeping pace with a changing profession.

PMID- 1407864
TI  - Radioiodine therapy for thyrotoxicosis.

PMID- 1407865
TI  - Abstracts of the British Nuclear Medicine Society Autumn Meeting. Plymouth, 7-8
      November 1991.

PMID- 1407866
TI  - Alphabet soup--BNMS, ICSC, SAC et al.

PMID- 1407867
TI  - Recent changes in UK legislation and the licensing of radiopharmacies.
AB  - The implications of the recent loss of Crown Immunity to radiopharmacy in the NHS
      are reviewed. The options available are that the preparation of
      radiopharmaceuticals within a hospital will either be under the control of a
      pharmacist or be an activity licensed as 'Specials' manufacture. In the latter
      case the requirements for inspection by the Medicines Control Agency, the fees
      payable and the need for involvement of a pharmacist are reviewed. The
      requirements for the grant of a Specials Manufacturing Licence are presented in
      some detail. Reference is made to established and published sources of guidance,
      official and otherwise. Consideration is given to: staffing and personnel, open
      and closed procedures, environmental standards, handling of blood products, use
      of isolators, quality control and quality assurance, licensed and unlicensed
      materials, sterility testing, broth transfer tests, environmental monitoring and
      documentation.

PMID- 1407868
TI  - Lacrimal scintigraphy in the diagnosis of epiphora.
AB  - The value of lacrimal scintigraphy in the assessment of nasolacrimal duct
      obstruction was determined by comparing the results with syringing in 67 patients
      (83 eyes). As expected, of 28 lacrimal drainage systems which were obstructed on
      syringing, 23 (82%) had abnormalities of tear drainage on scintigraphy. However,
      in 55 lacrimal drainage systems that were patent on syringing, 19 (35%) were
      normal, but in 36 (65%) abnormalities not apparent on syringing were detected on
      scintigraphy. Thus scintigraphy is a very useful technique in the assessment of
      nasolacrimal duct obstruction particularly in systems patent on syringing. Since
      the site of obstruction can be determined, lacrimal scintigraphy can facilitate
      the planning of the appropriate surgery.

PMID- 1407869
TI  - Vertebral metastases and an equivocal bone scan: value of magnetic resonance
      imaging.
AB  - To assess the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the investigation of
      patients with suspected but nonproven vertebral metastases 45 consecutive
      patients referred in a 6 month period with known primary malignancy and back pain
      in whom an isotope bone scan was reported as equivocal were studied. All patients
      had abnormal isotope uptake localized to the spine. Twelve patients were shown to
      have bony metastases on plain X-ray. In the remainder, where X-rays showed normal
      or benign appearance, MRI of the spine was offered. Twenty-four patients
      underwent MRI examination which showed vertebral metastases in 11 cases. Magnetic
      resonance imaging is shown to be a useful, noninvasive, complementary
      investigation for evaluation of patients known to have malignant disease and
      suspected of having vertebral metastases on bone scintigraphy.

PMID- 1407871
TI  - 67Ga uptake at sites of heterotopic calcification: a report of three cases.
AB  - Heterotopic calcification occurs commonly in spinal cord injured patients and
      following joint trauma or surgery. 99Tcm-methylene diphosphonate is useful in the
      detection of these lesions, many of which are subclinical. Three patients are
      presented with heterotopic calcification, one with severe hypoxic encephalopathy
      and two following major trauma. Intense 67Ga uptake within areas of heterotopic
      calcification was noted in all three patients. Two of the patients also underwent
      99Tcm-methylene diphosphonate bone scanning and showed uptake of the bone agent
      corresponding to the areas of 67Ga uptake. In predisposed patients, heterotopic
      calcification should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a focal area
      of 67Ga uptake.

PMID- 1407870
TI  - A dual-isotope method for studying protein kinetics in pleural effusions in
      humans.
AB  - A method is described for studying protein kinetics in pleural effusions in
      humans. In 15 patients with pleural effusions from a variety of causes, protein
      inflow was monitored by measuring the rate of appearance in the effusion of the
      plasma protein transferrin, radiolabelled in vivo by intravenous injection of
      113InmCl3. Protein outflow was measured from the rate of appearance in the blood
      of intrapleurally administered 125I-albumin. Compartmental analysis has been used
      to determine rate constants k(in) and kout for the movement of labelled proteins
      into and out of the effusion, respectively. The mean value of k(in) for 15
      patients was 9.4 x 10(-4) h-1 (range 2.2-21.4). The mean value of kout in the
      same patients was 28 x 10(-4) h-1 (range 6-68). Using appropriate assumptions
      where necessary, the absolute transfer rates of albumin and transferrin were also
      estimated. For albumin, the mean rate of outflow was 66 mg h-1 (range 27-158),
      compared to mean estimated inflow of 133 mg h-1 (range 36-381). Protein inflow
      was highest in a case of metastatic ovarian carcinoma with pleural and peritoneal
      seedlings, indicating high vascular permeability. Protein outflow was very low in
      a case of mesothelioma, suggesting severely impaired lymphatic drainage. The
      technique may prove to be a useful tool for studying mechanisms resulting in the
      formation of malignant and nonmalignant pleural effusions, and may also be useful
      for studying the effects of putative therapeutic intervention.

PMID- 1407873
TI  - Visualization of myocardial infarction 6 h after injection of 111In-antimyosin
      antibodies using a blood pool subtraction technique.
AB  - 111In-antimyosin antibodies are capable of visualizing myocardial infarction
      (MI). Because of slow blood clearance, images are usually recorded 24 or 48 h
      postinjection. In this pilot study, a blood pool subtraction technique, which
      makes it possible to visualize MI 6 h postinjection, is validated. Twenty-five
      patients with proven MI (16 anterior, 9 inferior) were imaged a few minutes, 6
      and 24 h after an injection of 111 MBq 111In-labelled antimyosin antibodies.
      Three planar views are obtained each time. Using software which performs the
      geometric registration, the grey level normalization and the subtraction of
      images, the blood pool image (obtained a few minutes postinjection) is subtracted
      from the 6 h image. The resulting image is the blood pool corrected 6 h image.
      The 24 h images and the blood pool corrected 6 h images were interpreted blindly
      and the number of correct, incorrect and impossible MI localizations was counted.
      The number of correct localizations is 19/25 for the standard 24 h images and
      22/25 for the blood pool corrected 6 h images. Then, with this blood pool
      subtraction method, it is possible to visualize MI 6 h postinjection. This has to
      be taken into account when discussing the role of antimyosin scintigraphy in the
      management of patients with MI.

PMID- 1407872
TI  - Hydroxamamide as a chelating moiety for the preparation of 99Tcm
      radiopharmaceuticals (I).
AB  - Hydroxamamides contain a nitrogen and an oxygen as donor atoms, and can be
      synthesized by the simple reaction of nitriles with hydroxylamine.
      Benzohydroxamamide (BHam) was investigated as a new ligand for 99Tcm. The yield
      of the 99Tcm-BHam complex was determined by thin-layer chromatography using
      cellulose strips. A high yield of the complex was obtained at room temperature
      over a wide pH range, even at BHam concentrations as low as 5 x 10(-7) M.
      Cellulose acetate electrophoresis indicated that the complex was uncharged. When
      the 99Tcm-BHam complex was injected into mice, it was cleared gradually from the
      blood by means of the hepatobiliary system with low urinary excretion. Uptake by
      the stomach and the spleen was low. These results demonstrate the high affinity
      of BHam for 99Tcm and the high stability of the 99Tcm-BHam complex. The
      hydroxamamide group may be a promising chelating moiety for designing new 99Tcm
      radiopharmaceuticals.

PMID- 1407874
TI  - Study of myocardial regional wall motion parameter's accuracy by software
      perfusion phantom.
AB  - Gated perfusion myocardial scintigraphy permits simultaneous evaluation of
      perfusion as well as regional contractile function of the left ventricle. Fourier
      analysis of regional myocardial spatial movement with respect to the myocardial
      geometric centre gives circular amplitude and phase profiles of ventricular
      contraction, in addition to regional maximum activity that represents an index of
      perfusion. To introduce such combined perfusion-contraction analysis the accuracy
      of the indices mentioned above should be evaluated for different doses of
      radioactivity typically administered to a patient. A mathematical software
      phantom, consisting of a half circularly profiled ring activity embedded in
      uniform background activity and noise generated by a Poisson-shaped random number
      generator, was constructed and used for this purpose. A 64 x 64 matrix and
      sequence of 16 frames per study was used. The maximum number of counts per pixel
      ranged from 10 to 100, simulating low count thallium and high count rate Tc-MIBI
      gated studies. The relative standard error analysis (R.S.E.) with a 95.5%
      confidence level for a thallium type of 10 counts per pixel study exceeded 11%,
      while it reached acceptable values below 3% for studies with 60 and more counts
      per pixel. These results indicate that high count rate gated technetium-MIBI
      myocardial perfusion studies could also be used for reliable left ventricular
      regional wall motion evaluation.

PMID- 1407875
TI  - 99Tcm-HMPAO-labelled white blood cell scanning for the detection of carditis in
      the differentiation of rheumatic fever and inactive rheumatic heart disease in
      children.
AB  - Myocardial imaging with 99Tcm-hexamethylpropylene amineoxime (HMPAO)-labelled
      white blood cells (Tc-WBC) was used to detect carditis and differentiate
      rheumatic fever (RF) and inactive rheumatic heart disease (IRHD). Ten cases of RF
      and 15 cases of IRHD were studied, and the results revealed 60% (6/10) of the
      cases of RF with carditis, but none of the cases (0/15) of IRHD with carditis.
      There was significant difference (P less than 0.05, by Fisher's test) between RF
      and IRHD. In our preliminary conclusion, Tc-WBC heart scanning may be a
      noninvasive method for evaluating the existence of carditis in cases of RHD and
      in the differentiation of RF and IRHD.

PMID- 1407876
TI  - Nuclear medicine in otolaryngology.

PMID- 1407877
TI  - Estimating the time of death in stillborn fetuses: II. Histologic evaluation of
      the placenta; a study of 71 stillborns.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether placental histologic examination is useful for
      predicting the approximate time of death in stillborn fetuses. METHODS:
      Hematoxylin and eosin slides of 71 placentas of stillborns with accurately timed
      deaths were studied retrospectively. Fifty-one placentas (learning set) were used
      to develop proposed histologic criteria for the timing of fetal death, which were
      then tested in the remaining 20 placentas (test set). RESULTS: Among 15
      histologic variables assessed in the learning set, three features appeared to
      correlate well with specific death-to-delivery intervals: 1) villous
      intravascular karyorrhexis (6 or more hours); 2) vascular lumen abnormalities of
      stem villi, including fibroblast "septation" and total luminal obliteration
      (multifocal, 2 or more days; extensive, 2 or more weeks); and 3) extensive
      fibrosis of terminal villi (2 or more weeks). When the placentas in the test set
      were evaluated using the three histologic criteria, 18 of 20 cases were
      classified correctly with respect to the approximate time of fetal death.
      CONCLUSIONS: Placental histologic examination seems to be useful for determining
      the approximate time of death in many stillborn fetuses.

PMID- 1407878
TI  - Estimating the time of death in stillborn fetuses: III. External fetal
      examination; a study of 86 stillborns.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine how accurately the time of fetal death can be predicted
      from the extent of external maceration in a stillborn fetus. METHODS: Autopsy
      photographs of 86 stillborns with well-timed deaths were studied retrospectively.
      Sixty randomly chosen fetuses (learning set) were assessed unblinded to develop
      proposed gross criteria for timing fetal death; 26 fetuses (test set) were then
      randomly and blindly assessed to test the accuracy of the proposed criteria.
      RESULTS: The two earliest changes in the learning cases were areas of
      desquamation measuring at least 1 cm in diameter and brown-red discoloration of
      the umbilical cord stump. Both changes occurred primarily in fetuses with death
      to-delivery intervals of 6 or more hours. Other early changes included
      desquamation involving the face, abdomen, or back (12 or more hours);
      desquamation involving 5% or more of the body surface (18 or more hours); brown
      skin discoloration (24 or more hours); and a moderate or severe extent of
      desquamation (24 or more hours). The only late change that correlated with a
      specific duration of intrauterine retention was mummification (2 or more weeks).
      When the 26 test fetuses were randomly and blindly assessed using these gross
      criteria, 18 (69%) were classified correctly with respect to the approximate time
      of fetal death. CONCLUSION: External fetal examination is useful for estimating
      the time of death in many stillborns; this information may be helpful when a
      complete autopsy cannot be performed.

PMID- 1407879
TI  - Fetal DNA in uterine vein blood.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the ratio of fetal cells in the maternal
      circulation differs before and after the blood passes through the maternal lung.
      METHODS: We performed polymerase chain reaction-based Y-sequence analysis of DNA
      derived from antecubital vein blood obtained before and 2 hours after cesarean
      delivery, and from uterine vein blood obtained during cesarean of 14 women
      carrying male fetuses. RESULTS: Fetal DNA was detected in 17 tested specimens
      and, as estimated by comparison with parallel dilution series, the fetal-maternal
      DNA ratio was 1:10(5) to 1:10(6). However, there was no significant difference in
      the amount of Y-chromosomal DNA detectable between uterine vein blood and
      peripheral blood after polymerase chain reaction and Southern hybridization. In
      DNA derived from peripheral blood after delivery, the intensity of Y-specific
      fetal DNA sequences was also not significantly increased. CONCLUSION: Our results
      argue against the often-stated hypothesis of different ratios of fetal to
      maternal DNA in the uterine vein versus peripheral blood, and indicate that even
      delivery does not seem to increase the flow of fetal cells into the maternal
      circulation.

PMID- 1407880
TI  - Effect of intra-amniotic administration of Exosurf in preterm rabbit fetuses.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Currently, treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) of the
      preterm newborn incorporates exogenous surfactant administration. Because fetuses
      make breathing motions, we proposed that intra-amniotic administration of an
      exogenous surfactant, Exosurf, to the preterm rabbit fetus results in uptake of
      Exosurf into the lungs and improves pulmonary mechanical properties compared with
      post-delivery treated and untreated litter mates. METHODS: Ten preterm rabbit
      fetuses were used in a labeling study. A mixture of iron dextran and Exosurf was
      given in utero, and the minimum dose required to assure delivery of the mixture
      into the distal airways was 5 mL. In a lung function study, 30 rabbit pups
      received either 5 mL Exosurf in utero, 0.2 mL Exosurf post-delivery, or no
      treatment. Pressure-volume curves, opening pressures, and lung volumes at 50 cm
      H2O were compared among the three groups. RESULTS: Those rabbit pups receiving
      Exosurf either in utero or after delivery had significantly better pressure
      volume relationships (P less than .001) and lower opening pressures (P less than
      .005) than the rabbit pups with no treatment. There were no differences between
      the animals treated intra-amniotically and post-delivery. CONCLUSIONS:
      Intrauterine administration of exogenous surfactant results in uptake of the
      surfactant solution into the lungs and alters the pulmonary characteristics of
      the preterm rabbit pup. Potential adverse effects of this means of surfactant
      administration must be evaluated further. Intrauterine surfactant delivery may
      provide an additional means of RDS prophylaxis in the antepartum period.

PMID- 1407881
TI  - Seroprevalence and risk factors for hepatitis C virus antibody in pregnant women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To better understand hepatitis C viropathies and seroprevalence by
      performing an epidemiologic analysis of pregnant women seropositive for antibody
      against hepatitis C. METHODS: We studied 1013 consecutive obstetric patients at
      Parkland Memorial Hospital who gave informed consent for detailed interviews and
      serotesting. Sera were analyzed for antibody to the hepatitis C virus using both
      C100-3 and RIBA-4 assays. Neonatal assessment was carried out in the immediate
      postpartum period. RESULTS: Hepatitis C antibody was detected in 2.28% (N = 23)
      of the 1005 women in whom analysis was completed. Factors associated with
      seropositivity included intravenous (IV) drug use, sexually transmitted diseases,
      hepatitis B infection, maternal age greater than 22.5 years, increased parity
      (eg, greater than 2.1), history of transfusion, and three or more different
      lifetime sexual partners or a sexual partner who used IV drugs. Maternal and
      neonatal outcome was not different between hepatitis C antibody-positive and 
      negative groups. CONCLUSIONS: Epidemiologic data are consistent with sexual and
      parenteral modes of transmission. Women with hepatitis C antibody did not have
      excessive perinatal complications compared with antibody-negative women. A model
      protocol and cost analysis for screening pregnant women for hepatitis C infection
      are presented. However, routine screening for hepatitis C is not advocated.

PMID- 1407882
TI  - Outcome of treated pregnancies in women with antiphospholipid syndrome: an update
      of the Utah experience.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the outcome of treated pregnancies in women with well
      characterized antiphospholipid syndrome. METHODS: We reviewed 82 consecutive
      pregnancies in 54 women with antiphospholipid syndrome who were treated during
      pregnancy with the following: 1) prednisone and low-dose aspirin; 2) heparin and
      low-dose aspirin; 3) prednisone, heparin, and low-dose aspirin; or 4) other
      combinations of these medications or immunoglobulin. RESULTS: The overall
      neonatal survival rate was 73%, excluding spontaneous abortions, but treatment
      failures (fetal and neonatal deaths) occurred in all treatment groups. Patients
      with successful treated pregnancies had fewer previous fetal deaths than those
      with unsuccessful treated pregnancies. There were no significant differences in
      outcome among the four treatment groups. Preeclampsia and fetal distress occurred
      in half of all pregnancies, and fetal growth impairment occurred in nearly one
      third. Preterm delivery due to maternal or fetal indications was required in 37%
      of the pregnancies. Four pregnancies were also complicated by postpartum
      thrombosis during treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy in women with
      antiphospholipid syndrome appears to be improved by treatment, but fetal loss may
      occur despite treatment. Preeclampsia, fetal distress, fetal growth impairment,
      and premature delivery are common. Because of the clinically significant risk of
      thrombotic episodes, thrombosis prophylaxis should be considered in these
      patients.

PMID- 1407883
TI  - Cost-benefit analysis of autologous blood donation in obstetrics.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there are predictors of peripartum transfusion,
      other than placenta previa, that identify a population of pregnant women whose
      risk of transfusion is high enough to justify antepartum autologous blood
      donation. METHODS: Using an established perinatal data base, we studied 14,267
      consecutive term deliveries without placenta previa. Univariate and multivariate
      analyses were performed to assess ten predictors of peripartum transfusion that
      might reasonably be detected in the antepartum period. Costs were calculated for
      a hypothetical autologous blood donation program to prevent transfusion-related
      infection. RESULTS: Red-cell transfusion was used in 150 deliveries (1.1%). A
      total of 424 units was transfused (2.9 per 100 deliveries). Four risk factors
      were significantly (P less than .05) predictive of peripartum red-cell
      transfusion: preeclampsia (adjusted odds ratio 3.69), multiple gestation (2.82),
      elective cesarean (1.71), and nulliparity (1.51). Controlling for these, there
      was no association between transfusion and previous postpartum hemorrhage,
      previous cesarean with trial of labor, prior abortions, induction of labor, or
      ethnic group. A hypothetical antepartum blood donation program restricted to
      patients with three or more risk factors would cost $32,800-130,700 per case to
      prevent transfusion-related hepatitis and $26,000,000-78,000,000 per case to
      prevent human immunodeficiency virus infection. CONCLUSION: In obstetric patients
      without placenta previa, the need for peripartum red-cell transfusion cannot be
      predicted with sufficient accuracy to justify the costs of antepartum autologous
      blood donation.

PMID- 1407884
TI  - The prediction of "controlled" uterine rupture by the use of intrauterine
      pressure catheters.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether uterine activity, assessed by either fluid-filled
      or solid pressure catheters, changes with uterine incision at cesarean delivery.
      METHODS: Uterine activity was recorded continuously during low transverse
      cesarean delivery in ten parturients using fluid-filled pressure catheters and in
      ten women with solid pressure catheters. Visual analyses were performed of the
      last 30 minutes of uterine recording before uterine incision and of the period
      after incision; the analyses were then compared within and between the catheter
      groups for mean uterine tone and contraction amplitude, frequency, and duration.
      Oxytocin use, anesthesia method, mean gestational age, birth weight, length of
      labor, duration of monitoring, and uterine incision-to-delivery time were
      compared between the groups. RESULTS: All obstetric end points were similar in
      both catheter groups except for a higher mean birth weight in the solid-catheter
      group. The mean (+/- standard deviation) duration of post-incision monitoring was
      4.7 +/- 0.94 minutes. After uterine incision, mean tone and contraction amplitude
      were unchanged, whereas mean contraction frequency and duration decreased
      significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Though intrauterine monitoring was brief, this model
      allows a unique view of "controlled" uterine rupture. Spontaneous uterine rupture
      may evolve more gradually; however, neither catheter type would be likely to aid
      its early recognition.

PMID- 1407885
TI  - Effects of digital vaginal examinations on latency period in preterm premature
      rupture of membranes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical outcome in patients with preterm premature
      rupture of membranes (PROM) who had a sterile speculum examination with those
      having a digital vaginal examination. METHODS: We studied 271 singleton
      pregnancies complicated by preterm PROM from the Memorial Medical Center of Long
      Beach Perinatal Outreach program that met the criteria for expectant treatment
      from January 1986 to April 1990. Patients were not included in the study if they
      had multiple gestations, cerclage, advanced labor, or any indication for delivery
      on admission (eg, mature lung profile, chorioamnionitis). All subjects were
      maternal transports to our tertiary care facility and were managed similarly by
      our perinatal group. The women were questioned as to whether a digital vaginal
      examination had been performed before transport. Latency period and other
      obstetric characteristics were then compared. The latency period, defined as days
      from rupture of membranes until active intervention was initiated or labor began
      spontaneously, was also stratified by gestational age. RESULTS: One hundred
      twenty-seven subjects had a digital vaginal examination and 144 had a sterile
      speculum examination. A significantly (P less than .0001) shorter mean latency
      period (2.1 +/- 4.0 versus 11.3 +/- 13.4 days) was found in those who had a
      digital vaginal examination. In addition, a shorter latency period was noted for
      each gestational age. No difference in uterine activity or cervical dilatation
      and effacement was noted between the groups on admission. CONCLUSION: Digital
      vaginal examinations performed on patients whose pregnancies are complicated by
      preterm PROM appear to shorten significantly the latency period.

PMID- 1407886
TI  - Five-year outcome of preterm and very low birth weight infants: a comparison
      between maternal and neonatal transport.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the 5-year outcome of very low birth weight infants
      referred to tertiary perinatal centers. METHODS: This study was part of a Dutch
      national collaborative survey of 1338 newborn infants younger than 32 weeks'
      gestation and/or with a birth weight of less than 1500 g born in 1983.
      Comparisons were made between maternal transport to university hospital perinatal
      centers versus delivery in local hospitals, and between neonatal transport to
      these centers versus treatment in local hospitals. For the 252 survivors meeting
      the entry criteria for this part of the study, adverse outcome at 5 years of age
      was evaluated by logistic regression analysis, including 26 perinatal risk
      factors as confounding variables. Outcome variables were disabilities and
      handicaps at 5 years as defined by the World Health Organization. RESULTS: There
      were no differences in handicaps and disabilities between infants born after
      maternal transport and those born in local hospitals. Handicaps and disabilities
      in neonates transported versus those treated in local hospitals were also not
      statistically different despite selection bias. CONCLUSIONS: The previously
      reported decrease in neonatal mortality risk after maternal transfer is not
      accompanied by an increased risk of adverse outcome for the survivors. In
      threatening very preterm delivery, maternal transport to a tertiary center is
      recommended.

PMID- 1407887
TI  - Treatment-induced cyclic variations in serum lipids, lipoproteins, and
      apolipoproteins after 2 years of combined hormone replacement therapy:
      exaggerated cyclic variations in smokers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the long-term effect of cigarette smoking on cyclic
      variations in serum lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins following combined
      hormone replacement therapy. METHODS: One hundred eighteen healthy, early
      postmenopausal women were followed for 2 years in a randomized, placebo
      controlled study. Four treatment groups received estradiol, either sequentially
      combined with levonorgestrel (75 micrograms), medroxyprogesterone acetate (10
      mg), or desogestrel (150 micrograms), or continuously combined with cyproterone
      acetate (1 mg). Two groups received placebo. Serum lipids, lipoproteins, and
      apolipoproteins were measured at well-defined times. Information on smoking
      habits was elicited by questionnaire. RESULTS: We found statistically significant
      cyclic variations in apolipoprotein A1 in the levonorgestrel group (6.7%; 95%
      confidence interval [CI] 1.1-12.7%) and the desogestrel group (7.4%; 95% CI 2.9
      12.1%). The cyclic variations in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were
      highly statistically significant in the levonorgestrel group (24.9%; 95% CI 10.2
      39.2%). When women from sequential regimens were combined, further analysis
      showed that smokers had significantly larger cyclic variations in HDL cholesterol
      (P less than .01) and apolipoprotein A1 (P less than .05) than non-smokers.
      CONCLUSIONS: Sequentially combined hormone replacement therapy produces cyclic
      variations in HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1 for at least 2 years. In
      addition, cigarette smoking is associated with an exaggeration of the cyclic
      effect of treatment on these indices.

PMID- 1407888
TI  - Comparison of silastic rings and electrocoagulation for laparoscopic tubal
      ligation under local anesthesia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare objectively the pain associated with tubal occlusion by
      Silastic rings versus electrocoagulation during laparoscopic tubal ligation under
      local anesthesia. METHODS: Consecutive patients scheduled for laparoscopic tubal
      ligation under local anesthesia were randomized to Silastic rings (N = 50) or
      electrocoagulation (N = 52) as the method of tubal occlusion. Sterilization was
      performed under local anesthesia in a standard fashion. Bupivacaine 0.5% was used
      as the local anesthetic agent. Operative pain was measured based on
      intraoperative anesthesia requirements and a modified McGill pain questionnaire.
      This questionnaire was used to assess pain at 15 minutes, 1 hour, and 24 hours
      postoperatively. RESULTS: Demographics were similar for the two groups. Operative
      time was shorter in the Silastic-ring group (16.7 versus 21.8 minutes; P = .001),
      and this group also required less intraoperative anesthesia (P = .004). There
      were no statistical differences between the groups in self-reported pain
      intraoperatively or postoperatively. No patient in either group required
      antiemetics or pain medication in the recovery room. CONCLUSION: Silastic rings
      appear preferable to bipolar electrocoagulation for laparoscopic tubal
      sterilization under local anesthesia when long-acting local agents are used for
      tubal anesthesia.

PMID- 1407889
TI  - Abdominal wound closure using a running, looped monofilament polybutester suture:
      comparison to Smead-Jones closure in historic controls.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether abdominal wound closure with a running, looped
      monofilament polybutester suture was as effective, inexpensive, and rapid as
      Smead-Jones closure using the same material. METHODS: Between April 19, 1990 and
      August 29, 1991, 154 patients undergoing major gynecologic surgery had wound
      closure using a running, looped monofilament polybutester suture. Controls were
      154 patients undergoing similar surgical procedures in the 15 months immediately
      preceding the study period (January 5, 1989 to April 18, 1990) whose wounds were
      closed with 0 polybutester using the Smead-Jones technique. All patients received
      prophylactic cephalosporin antibiotic therapy and external pneumatic leg
      compression perioperatively. The subcutaneous tissues were not sutured after
      fascial closure, and the skin was closed with stainless-steel staples. There was
      no difference between the groups when compared by mean weight, mean ponderal
      index, number of previous abdominal operations, operative blood loss, or the use
      of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in the pre- or postoperative period. Both groups
      had similar rates of complicating medical conditions including insulin-dependent
      and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obstructive pulmonary
      disease, atherosclerotic coronary disease, or peripheral vascular disease.
      RESULTS: The use of a running closure with looped monofilament polybutester
      suture in the study patients resulted in a reduction in operating time when
      compared with controls. The rates of superficial separation and wound infection
      were similar in both groups. In the study group, there was one minor fascial
      separation and one wound dehiscence, which occurred when the running suture was
      inadvertently snipped during debridement of a superficial infection. CONCLUSION:
      Running closure with looped polybutester is an acceptable, inexpensive, and
      expeditious method of abdominal wound closure.

PMID- 1407890
TI  - Determinants of survival of surgically staged patients with endometrial carcinoma
      histologically confined to the uterus: implications for therapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the factors that influence the survival of patients with
      endometrial carcinoma histologically confined to the uterus. METHODS:
      Retrospective analysis was conducted of 262 surgically staged cases using
      multiple regression (Cox proportional hazards model). RESULTS: After excluding
      patients with clear-cell and serous tumors, which were adverse prognostic factors
      unrelated to any other variables, we found that survival was adversely affected
      by increasing stage, tumor grade and depth of myometrial invasion, cervical
      stromal and vascular space invasion by tumor, and increasing age. Tumor grade,
      myometrial invasion, and cervical involvement by tumor exerted their effects on
      survival as dichotomous rather than as ordinal variables. The greatest effect on
      survival was obtained by dichotomizing grade as grade 3 versus grade 1 or 2,
      myometrial invasion as invasion of more versus less than the inner third of the
      myometrium, and cervical spread as the presence versus absence of stromal
      invasion. The joint effect of the tumor-related prognostic factors was best
      expressed by constructing three risk groups consisting of patients with zero or
      one, two, and three or four risk factors. These risk groups were associated with
      5-year survival rates of 97, 66, and 17%, respectively. After adjustment for risk
      factors, pelvic radiation did not affect survival significantly, although there
      was a trend toward improved survival of subjects with two risk factors who
      received pelvic radiation (70 versus 50% survival at 5 years). CONCLUSIONS: The
      number of tumor-related risk factors present is the best predictor of survival of
      patients with endometrial carcinoma confined to the uterus, and may provide the
      optimal basis for individualization of treatment.

PMID- 1407891
TI  - Epidural analgesia in labor and fetal hyperthermia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of epidural analgesia on fetal temperature in
      labor, contrasting intrauterine with oral thermometry. METHODS: Fetal skin and
      maternal uterine wall temperatures were measured with an intrauterine probe in 57
      laboring women at term. Maternal oral temperatures were measured in the normal
      way by birth attendants unaware that their measurements would be examined.
      Maximum recorded fetal, uterine, and oral temperatures were compared. RESULTS:
      Epidural analgesia resulted in a significant fetal temperature rise compared with
      other methods of analgesia. Duration of epidural analgesia correlated with the
      fetal temperature (R = 0.44, P = .012). Oral thermometry underestimated fetal
      temperature in 95% of the studies. CONCLUSIONS: We estimate that 5% of fetuses
      reached a core temperature in excess of 40C in this study, all in association
      with epidural analgesia. We suggest that antipyretic measures be considered after
      5 hours of epidural analgesia in ambient temperatures above 24C.

PMID- 1407892
TI  - Significance of cardiac activity on endovaginal ultrasound in very early embryos.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the significance of cardiac activity on endovaginal
      ultrasound in embryos up to 10 mm in size. METHODS: Ninety-six women with
      positive urinary pregnancy tests had vaginal probe ultrasound examinations at the
      first clinical visit. All had discernible embryos between 1-10 mm in greatest
      length. The presence or absence of discernible cardiac activity was recorded.
      None of the subjects had any antecedent bleeding. All were available for follow
      up until delivery or completion of a failed pregnancy. RESULTS: Seventy-four
      women had cardiac activity present at the initial study and 22 did not. Eighty
      one delivered healthy newborns and 15 had early pregnancy failure. All embryos
      that ultimately proved normal showed cardiac activity by the time they were 4 mm
      in size. However, absence of detectable cardiac activity in embryos of 3 mm or
      less was still associated with a 41% continuation rate. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac
      activity is present in normal embryos before it can be detected on ultrasound.
      There are variations in the type and frequency of ultrasound equipment, maternal
      anatomical characteristics (obesity, coexisting fibroids, uterine version), and
      in the visual acuity of observers. Nevertheless, we conclude that in our hands,
      the absence of cardiac activity in embryos measuring 4 mm or more is reliably
      associated with embryonic death. In contrast, the lack of cardiac activity in
      embryos of 3 mm or less is nondiagnostic and may warrant follow-up study in 3-5
      days.

PMID- 1407893
TI  - Short-term fetal heart rate variation, decelerations, and umbilical flow velocity
      waveforms before labor.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the value of computerized antepartum measurements of
      short-term fetal heart rate (FHR) variation and decelerations as a predictor of
      outcome, and to compare these with measurements of the umbilical artery flow
      velocity waveform. METHODS: Data were collected from 3563 high-risk patients for
      measurements of FHR variables (15,702 records) and outcome (intrauterine death or
      metabolic acidemia on delivery). Detailed analyses were made on 89 patients with
      one or more records in which short-term FHR variation was 3 milliseconds or less.
      Umbilical artery flow velocity waveforms were measured concurrently on 2441
      occasions in 991 patients. RESULTS: More than half of the patients with FHR
      variation of 3 milliseconds or less were identified before 31 weeks. When short
      term FHR variation exceeded 3 milliseconds, there were no intrauterine deaths and
      only one instance of metabolic acidemia on cesarean delivery. When FHR variation
      fell below 2.6 milliseconds, 34% of the subjects had metabolic acidemia on
      cesarean or intrauterine death. The appearance or absence of decelerations was an
      unreliable guide to outcome. The correlation between FHR variation and the
      umbilical artery flow velocity waveform was low (r = 0.32). The population
      studied contained some patients without placental vascular disease or, in five
      with pre-eclampsia, without abnormal umbilical artery velocity waveforms but with
      grossly reduced FHR variation. CONCLUSION: Reduction in short-term FHR variation,
      as measured by computer, reliably predicts fetal outcome and is a more general
      measure of fetal well-being than are umbilical artery flow velocities.

PMID- 1407894
TI  - Reappearance of end-diastolic velocities in the umbilical artery following
      maternal volume expansion: a preliminary study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of maternal volume expansion on feto- and
      uteroplacental blood flow and neonatal outcome. METHODS: Seven women with
      pregnancies characterized by absent end-diastolic velocity in the umbilical
      artery were treated with bed rest, antihypertensive medication, and volume
      expansion (expanded group) and compared with seven similar cases treated with bed
      rest and antihypertensive medication (unexpanded group). RESULTS: In the expanded
      group, end-diastolic flow reappeared temporarily in all cases after volume
      expansion. The pulsatility index in the umbilical artery decreased from 2.69 (95%
      confidence interval [CI] 2.1-3.2) to 2.15 (95% CI 1.74-2.56) 24 hours after
      maternal volume expansion (P less than .001). All cases in the unexpanded group
      continued to demonstrate absent end-diastolic velocity. There was no significant
      difference between the groups with regard to birth weight, which was 773 g (95%
      CI 521-1025) in the expanded group and 724 g (95% CI 429-1019) in the unexpanded
      group (P = .76). The gestational age at delivery was not significantly different
      between the groups: 203 days in the expanded group (95% CI 195-211) and 207 days
      in the unexpanded group (95% CI 189-225) (P = .71). The overall survival rate was
      significantly better in the expanded group: five of seven, versus one of seven in
      the unexpanded group (P less than .05). CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary data
      suggest that it is possible to improve feto- and uteroplacental perfusion with
      maternal volume expansion. The results point toward an improvement in neonatal
      outcome. Randomized trials are necessary to confirm our observations.

PMID- 1407895
TI  - The significance of increasing umbilical artery systolic-diastolic ratios in
      third-trimester pregnancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical significance of a marked increase in the
      systolic-diastolic ratios (S/Ds) of the umbilical artery (UA) Doppler velocity
      waveforms of third-trimester fetuses. METHODS: We evaluated 552 pregnancies at
      risk for placental insufficiency. Each patient had at least five successive
      weekly UA Doppler velocimetry studies between 32-42 weeks and a highest S/D
      within the normal range for gestational age. The S/D was considered markedly
      increased if it was at least 20% higher than the mean of four previous values.
      Clinical end points reviewed included mortality, fetal distress, 5-minute Apgar
      score below 7, metabolic acidosis, and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
      admissions for reasons other than prematurity. RESULTS: The S/Ds were normal in
      478 patients and were markedly increased in 74. The two groups were similar in
      mean gestational age at testing and delivery and in the rates of fetal growth
      retardation and low 5-minute Apgar scores. The group without increased S/Ds had a
      higher mean birth weight and lower incidences of perinatal death, cesarean
      delivery for fetal distress, acidosis, and NICU admission. The overall
      sensitivity (43%), specificity (90%), positive predictive value (27%), and
      negative predictive value (95%) were similar to our previous experience in which
      we used a criterion of S/D above the 90th percentile. CONCLUSION: Marked
      increases in UA S/Ds, even if within an institutional "normal" range, may
      indicate a fetus at increased risk of compromise.

PMID- 1407896
TI  - Clinical evaluation of the NBD-PC fluorescence polarization assay for prediction
      of fetal lung maturity.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: 1) To examine a fluorescence polarization (FP) assay with an
      independent set of data that contained more cases of respiratory distress
      syndrome (RDS) than a previous study, 2) to determine whether the same reference
      ranges are applicable to infants born to diabetic women, and 3) to evaluate
      whether adding the lecithin-sphingomyelin ratio (L/S) would substantially improve
      the prediction of RDS among women with an intermediate FP value (between 0.26
      0.289). METHODS: We identified 389 women who had FP analysis performed at the
      University of Washington Medical Center from February 1986 to October 1988 and
      who delivered within 3 days of amniocentesis. We reviewed the medical records of
      these women and their infants to extract information for our study. RESULTS: For
      FP values of 0.26 or greater, the sensitivity and specificity for prediction of
      RDS were 90.2 and 84.6%, respectively, compared with 100 and 82.0% in the
      previous study. For FP values of 0.29 or greater, the sensitivity and specificity
      were 62.8 and 94.2%, respectively (80.8 and 96.2% in the previous study). Among
      diabetics, an FP result below 0.26 was associated with the same low risk of RDS
      as among non-diabetics. Among the patients with FP between 0.26-0.289, the
      addition of L/S did not provide a clinically useful improvement in the prediction
      of fetal lung maturity. CONCLUSION: The NBD-PC FP assay can be used as the sole
      test of fetal lung maturity in most clinical circumstances.

PMID- 1407897
TI  - Urethral diverticula: evaluation by urethral pressure profilometry,
      cystourethroscopy, and the voiding cystourethrogram.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the value of urethral pressure profilometry with that of
      cystourethroscopy and the voiding cystourethrogram in the evaluation and
      management of urethral diverticula. METHODS: Twelve women with signs or symptoms
      of a urethral diverticulum were referred. The initial evaluation included
      cystourethroscopy and a voiding cystourethrogram. All then underwent urethral
      pressure profilometry. RESULTS: Nine of 12 patients had urethral diverticula, two
      had Skene duct cysts, and one had genuine stress incontinence. Both
      cystourethroscopy and voiding cystourethrography demonstrated diverticula in all
      patients who had them. Excision was the preliminary surgical plan in these women.
      Urethral pressure profilometry demonstrated a pressure depression or biphasic
      curve in all nine cases with diverticula. Stress incontinence was noted in one of
      these nine women. A biphasic curve was also noted in one woman with a Skene duct
      cyst and in the one who had genuine stress incontinence only. According to preset
      criteria for profilometry, excision was the planned operative procedure for all.
      CONCLUSIONS: Cystourethroscopy and voiding cystourethrography were satisfactory
      techniques for diagnosing urethral diverticula and planning appropriate surgical
      treatment. The urethral pressure profile confirmed the presence of a
      diverticulum, but noted pressure depressions in cases other than diverticula.
      Profilometry did not change the surgical plan for treating diverticula, but
      allowed the planning of additional incontinence surgery in one patient.

PMID- 1407898
TI  - Should women with familial ovarian cancer undergo prophylactic oophorectomy?
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To estimate the lifetime probabilities of ovarian cancer in women
      from families with hereditary ovarian cancer syndromes and those with a family
      history of ovarian cancer, and to assess the needs for prevention and
      surveillance in such women. DATA SOURCES: We searched for studies of familial
      ovarian cancer published since 1966 and used ovarian cancer incidence data from
      the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program of the National Cancer
      Institute. METHODS: Pooled estimates of relative risk of ovarian cancer among
      women with a family history of ovarian cancer were derived using statistical
      methods based on fixed effects. Modified life-table methods were used to estimate
      the lifetime probability of ovarian cancer. DATA SYNTHESIS: The lifetime
      probability of ovarian cancer increases from about 1.6% in a 35-year-old woman
      without a family history of ovarian cancer to about 5% if she has one relative
      and 7% if she has two relatives with ovarian cancer. The lifetime probability may
      decrease to about 3-4% if she takes oral contraceptives for 5-9 years. Women from
      families with hereditary ovarian cancer syndromes may have as high as a 50%
      lifetime risk of ovarian cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of ovarian cancer in women
      from families with hereditary ovarian cancer syndromes is sufficiently high to
      warrant prophylactic oophorectomy. Among women with one relative with ovarian
      cancer, the lifetime probability of ovarian cancer is not high enough to
      recommend oophorectomy. However, some women may choose oophorectomy depending on
      their attitudes concerning risk-taking, surgery, and hormone replacement. Oral
      contraceptives should be considered as preventive therapy to decrease the risk of
      ovarian cancer in women with a family history of ovarian cancer.

PMID- 1407899
TI  - A quantitative assessment of oral contraceptive use and risk of ovarian cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To provide a quantitative assessment of the association between oral
      contraceptive (OC) use and ovarian cancer using results from the published
      literature. DATA SOURCES: We conducted a MEDLINE literature search for all
      epidemiologic studies of OC and ovarian cancer published in English between 1970
      1991. The reference list for each article was reviewed to locate additional
      published articles. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: We included 20 studies in which a
      relative risk and either a standard error, confidence interval, or P value was
      reported, or sufficient data were presented to allow us to calculate these
      measures. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: We summarized the findings using
      weighted averages and regression analyses. We found a summary relative risk of
      0.64 (95% confidence interval 0.57-0.73) associated with ever-use of OC,
      indicating a 36% reduction in ovarian cancer risk. The risk of ovarian cancer
      decreased with increasing duration of OC use; we noted a 10-12% decrease in risk
      with 1 year of use and approximately a 50% decrease after 5 years of use. The
      reduced risk was present among both nulliparous and parous women and it appeared
      to last for at least 10 years after cessation of use. Although most studies
      assessed the use of cessation of use. Although most studies assessed the use of
      OC formulations from the 1960s and 1970s, data from the Cancer and Steroid
      Hormone Study indicate that the decreased ovarian cancer risk may also be present
      with current lower-dose formulations. CONCLUSION: The protective effect of OC
      against ovarian cancer risk should be considered in a woman's decision to use OC.

PMID- 1407900
TI  - The introduction of nitrous oxide analgesia into obstetrics.
AB  - Nitrous oxide analgesia was introduced into obstetrics by a young Polish-Russian
      physician who manufactured the gas himself, mixed it with oxygen, humidified the
      mixture with water vapor, and devised a mouthpiece for self-administration. After
      assessing the results on himself, he evaluated the effects on pain relief,
      maternal emotion, and maternal and fetal heart rates, as well as on the
      frequency, duration, and strength of uterine contractions in 25 parturients. He
      recognized that, in contrast to chloroform, nitrous oxide did not alter uterine
      activity. He concluded that the advantages of nitrous oxide administration far
      outweighed its disadvantages.

PMID- 1407901
TI  - Clinicians who provide abortions: the thinning ranks.
AB  - Access to abortion services in the United States has become increasingly limited
      because of a decrease in rural hospital providers and a growing shortage of
      clinicians willing to offer this service. As of 1988, 83% of United States
      counties had no identified provider. The deficit in numbers of clinicians stems
      from the current imbalance between incentives and disincentives. The single most
      powerful incentive appears to be altruism. On the other hand, disincentives
      include poor pay, frequent harassment, low prestige, suboptimal working
      conditions, and tedium. In 1990 a symposium on abortion provision was held,
      sponsored by the National Abortion Federation and ACOG. Among the remedies
      suggested by the attendees were increasing the integration of abortion training
      into the mainstream of residency education, improving the pay and work
      environments for clinicians, and where feasible expanding the capacity of
      physician providers by using midlevel practitioners working under physician
      supervision.

PMID- 1407902
TI  - Half-hitch knot for securing the end of continuous sutures.
AB  - Exploring means for tying a knot at the end of a continuous suture during
      laparoscopic surgery, it was found that formation of a single half-hitch over the
      last loop of the suture can secure the ending of the suture and protect against
      unraveling. This knot has been used successfully to complete running sutures in
      various endoscopic, gynecologic, and obstetric procedures.

PMID- 1407903
TI  - Bowel injury from rollerball ablation of the endometrium.

PMID- 1407904
TI  - Nafarelin versus leuprolide in ovulation induction for in vitro fertilization: a
      randomized clinical trial.

PMID- 1407905
TI  - Post-term pregnancy: fetal death rate with antepartum surveillance.

PMID- 1407906
TI  - Effects of early postoperative chemotherapy on wound healing.

PMID- 1407907
TI  - Obstetric care and cesarean birth rates: a program to monitor quality of care.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the quality of obstetric care in relation to rising cesarean
      rates, a Task Force was formed in New York state by the Department of Health and
      ACOG District II. The Task Force also included the Organization of Obstetric,
      Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nurses and the Hospital Association of New York State.
      The goals were to enhance hospitals' in-house review processes, standardize
      terminology, and improve the quality of care. A premise of the program was that
      if quality of care improved, cesarean rates would fall. METHODS: A Dictionary of
      Terms was developed to standardize clinical and diagnostic terminology. A two
      tiered review process was instituted, using internal and external hospital
      reviews. A format for in-house review of obstetric care was developed and
      recommended to hospitals. External reviews were conducted at 24 hospitals during
      1989-1990. Review teams, composed of obstetrician-gynecologists and obstetric
      nurses in active obstetric practice, assessed obstetric facilities, staffing,
      medical care, and the in-house review process. Contacts continued with the
      hospitals after site visits to follow up on implementation of recommendations.
      General recommendations to improve care, based on the overall program experience,
      were distributed to hospitals and physicians as part of educational efforts to
      improve quality of care. RESULTS: The state cesarean rate reversed. Statistics
      for 1989 and 1990 showed a stronger downward trend in reviewed hospitals than in
      non-reviewed hospitals. A survey of reviewed hospitals reported a positive
      response to the review process. CONCLUSION: A successful quality assurance
      program can be jointly developed by a state regulatory agency and a medical
      specialty society.

PMID- 1407908
TI  - Smoking, pregnancy, and source of prenatal care: results from the Pregnancy Risk
      Assessment Monitoring System. The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System
      Working Group.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of current smoking intervention efforts and to
      target future efforts by describing the relationships between maternal smoking,
      smoking cessation, and source of prenatal care. METHODS: We used population-based
      data from 6319 mothers who delivered live-born infants during 1988 and 1989 in
      Maine, Michigan, Oklahoma, and West Virginia. The number of women sampled per
      state ranged from 1490-2659; state-specific response rates ranged from 66-84%.
      Analysis weights adjusted for selection probability and non-response. RESULTS:
      The prevalences of maternal smoking before, during, and after pregnancy among
      women receiving publicly funded prenatal care were 2.3-3.4 times the comparable
      prevalences among privately insured women receiving prenatal care from private
      providers. Although many smokers reduced or quit smoking during pregnancy, most
      resumed or increased their smoking to nearly pre-pregnancy levels by 3-6 months
      postpartum. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions should target the very high levels of
      smoking among the 27% of women receiving publicly funded prenatal care. However,
      from a population perspective, the greatest potential for reduction in smoking is
      among patients of private providers, who care for 61% of pre-pregnancy smokers.

PMID- 1407909
TI  - Comparison of questionnaire screening and urine toxicology for detection of
      pregnancy complicated by substance use.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of structured questionnaire screening and
      prenatal urine toxicology for the detection of substance use by pregnant women,
      and to describe substance use patterns in a group of women presenting to a
      university-based obstetric clinic. METHODS: All patients presenting to our
      obstetric clinic for their first prenatal visit were evaluated for evidence of
      current use of alcohol or any illicit substances. Nursing personnel administered
      an extensive questionnaire, which included detailed questions about past and
      current substance use patterns. Urine samples were examined by a commercial
      laboratory for alcohol and a number of illicit substances. Current users were
      defined as those who admitted use within the past 30 days or who had positive
      urine toxicology. RESULTS: Fifty-eight of 302 patients (19.2%) were identified as
      current users of alcohol or illicit substances. Only 17 of 41 women (41.5%) with
      toxicologic evidence of recent use admitted to current use. Only 17 of 34 (50.0%)
      admitting to current use had toxicology positive for any substance. Patients with
      a history of multiple past substance use were significantly more likely to have
      positive urine toxicology than those without such a history (26.1 versus 7.4%; P
      < .005). Among current users, multiple substance use (34.5%) and cigarette
      smoking (52%) were common. CONCLUSION: A screening combination of structured
      questionnaire and universal urine toxicology identifies more current users than
      either technique alone, and neither is clearly superior to the other. A history
      of multiple substance use may be an important indicator of current use.

PMID- 1407910
TI  - Recurrence of gestational diabetes mellitus.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of several maternal and neonatal variables on
      the recurrence of gestational diabetes mellitus. METHODS: A retrospective review
      was conducted on 90 of our patients whose index pregnancy was complicated by
      gestational diabetes mellitus and whose subsequent pregnancy was also managed at
      our institution. RESULTS: Forty-seven women (52%) had a recurrence of gestational
      diabetes mellitus in their subsequent pregnancy. These 47 women had an increased
      body mass index (BMI) (32.8 +/- 8.2 versus 28.9 +/- 7.2 kg/m2; P < .03) and more
      large for gestational age (LGA) neonates (38 versus 14%; P < .05) and more of
      them required insulin during their index pregnancy (38 versus 19%; P < .05) than
      did those who did not have a recurrence of gestational diabetes mellitus. Women
      who developed a recurrence of gestational diabetes mellitus also had higher
      fasting (P < .05), 1-hour, 2-hour, and total glucose tolerance test values (P <
      or = .01) during their index pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Women with a history of
      gestational diabetes mellitus who have a BMI greater than 35 kg/m2, whose
      previous newborn was LGA, and who required insulin during their previous
      pregnancy are at increased risk for recurrence of gestational diabetes mellitus.

PMID- 1407911
TI  - Expectant management of preterm ruptured membranes: effects of antimicrobial
      therapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the addition of broad-spectrum antimicrobial
      therapy to traditional expectant management improves pregnancy outcome in
      patients with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) remote from term. METHODS:
      Patients with preterm PROM before 34 weeks' gestation who were not in labor and
      had no signs of infection or fetal distress were randomized to one of two study
      groups: 1) expectant management alone and 2) expectant management plus
      antimicrobial therapy. Women in the latter group received intravenous ampicillin,
      gentamicin, and clindamycin for 24 hours, followed by amoxicillin plus clavulanic
      acid orally for 7 days. Other than antibiotic use, management of the two groups
      was identical. RESULTS: Significantly more women (P < .01) treated with
      antibiotics (20 of 48, 42%) remained undelivered 7 days after admission compared
      with those managed expectantly without antibiotics (seven of 46, 15%). In
      addition, more neonates in the group managed with antibiotics were admitted to
      the routine nursery (nine of 48 versus two of 45; P = .03). However, there was no
      difference between the groups in the frequency of serious maternal or neonatal
      morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy to
      traditional expectant management of pregnancy complicated by preterm PROM may
      increase the number of gestations undelivered 7 days after admission. It may also
      decrease the proportion of infants admitted to special care nurseries. Whether
      these effects result in significant short- or long-term maternal or neonatal
      benefit remains to be determined.

PMID- 1407912
TI  - Approximate entropy, a statistic of regularity, applied to fetal heart rate data
      before and during labor.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether approximate entropy (ApEn), a new statistic of
      regularity, when applied to fetal heart rate (FHR) data antepartum or in labor,
      would offer an advantage over standard statistics of variation in predicting
      outcome. METHODS: A large data base of antepartum FHR records collected in
      clinical practice over 10 years was available. Two data sets in labor were stored
      on disk in small computers interfaced to fetal monitors on-line. Outcomes were
      assessed using blood gas values on delivery and Apgar scores. RESULTS:
      Antepartum, when the most favorable form of ApEn was used on 769 good-quality FHR
      records, the correlation with measurement of short-term variation was high. This
      was especially true when the fetal pulse interval variation fell below the normal
      range (less than 6 milliseconds short-term; r = 0.93) and in 20 other records
      with sinusoidal variation (r = 0.96). Approximate entropy varied with fetal sleep
      cycles and took longer to calculate than FHR variation. During the last hour of
      labor, in 319 records, there was no significant correlation between umbilical
      artery base deficit values on delivery and ApEn measurement. In 871 additional
      good-quality records of fetuses with normal outcome, the mean (+/- standard error
      [SE]) ApEn (0.95 +/- 0.005) was significantly greater than in 22 records (0.88 +/
      0.028) from fetuses with abnormal outcome (umbilical artery base deficit more
      than 12 mmol/L and Apgar score of 3 or less at 1 minute). However, consideration
      of the frequency distributions of these measurements showed that ApEn did not
      discriminate between normal and abnormal outcomes. The SD of fetal pulse
      intervals rose in labor whereas ApEn values fell, confirming that this new
      statistic of regularity differs from standard statistics of variation.
      CONCLUSION: Approximate entropy offered no advantage over measurement of short
      term FHR variation antepartum, and neither measurement predicted outcome in
      labor.

PMID- 1407913
TI  - Four-quadrant assessment of amniotic fluid volume: distribution's role in
      predicting fetal outcome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The amniotic fluid (AF) index has been shown to be a useful tool in
      the area of antepartum surveillance. An intrapartum AF index less than or equal
      to 5.0 has been shown to have predictive value with respect to increased
      perinatal morbidity. This study was designed to determine whether the
      distribution of the AF within the AF index is related to perinatal outcome.
      METHODS: Patients presenting for labor and delivery had an AF index determined
      and were divided into two groups. Patients with greater than 50% of their AF
      distributed in the upper quadrants were placed in the "upper-greater" group. The
      remaining patients were placed in the "lower-greater" group. The distribution
      data were compared with the following variables: meconium staining, 1- or 5
      minute Apgar score of less than 7, persistent variable decelerations in the first
      stage of labor, late decelerations, neonatal intensive care unit admission,
      cesarean delivery for fetal distress, and umbilical arterial and venous pH less
      than 7.20. RESULTS: A total of 218 patients were evaluated, 125 in the upper
      greater group and 93 in the lower-greater group. The upper-greater group had a
      greater incidence of meconium staining (32.8 versus 9.7%; P < .0001), 1-minute
      Apgar score of less than 7 (12.0 versus 2.2%; P < .007), variable decelerations
      (53.6 versus 19.4%; P < .00001), late decelerations (16.0 versus 0%; P < .0001),
      cesarean delivery for fetal distress (7.2 versus 0%; P < .008), umbilical
      arterial pH less than 7.20 (29.6 versus 8.9%; P < .0105), and umbilical venous pH
      less than 7.20 (8.9 versus 0%; P < .0398). These results were maintained
      regardless of the overall AF index. CONCLUSIONS: The distribution of the fluid
      within the AF index is predictive of perinatal outcome. In addition, the presence
      of a high negative predictive value for all of the perinatal indices studied
      enhances the value of this technique as a potential screening tool. Application
      of these results could provide additional guidelines in defining the intrapartum
      management and therapy of patients presenting for labor and delivery.

PMID- 1407914
TI  - Cord-containing amniotic fluid pocket: a useful measurement in the management of
      oligohydramnios.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that among patients with a low amniotic fluid
      (AF) index, those who have a large cord-containing AF pocket will have a lower
      risk for adverse perinatal outcome than women with a small cord-containing
      pocket. METHODS: Gravidas with an antepartum AF index no greater than 5 cm were
      studied prospectively. The vertical diameter of the single largest cord
      containing pocket, which was excluded from the calculation of the AF index, was
      measured. Women with rupture of the membranes, multiple gestation, or fetal
      anomalies were excluded. RESULTS: Fifty-one women with gestational ages of 35-43
      weeks were analyzed. Among 35 who had a cord-containing pocket of no more than 5
      cm, eight (23%) had fetal distress necessitating operative delivery and eight
      neonates had cord arterial pH below 7.20. None of these complications occurred in
      the 16 women who had a cord-containing pocket above 5 cm (P < .05). The mean AF
      index (2.9 versus 2.8 cm) was not significantly different between the groups.
      CONCLUSION: Among women with a low AF index, a cord-containing pocket above 5 cm
      identifies a subgroup of women at lower perinatal risk compared with those with a
      smaller cord-containing pocket. The need for intervention may be reduced in women
      with a cord-containing pocket greater than 5 cm.

PMID- 1407915
TI  - Sonographically detected hyperechoic fetal bowel: significance and implications
      for pregnancy management.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The clinical significance of sonographically detected hyperechoic
      fetal bowel has not been fully established. This report describes the natural
      history, pregnancy outcome, and associated features of 30 cases of prenatally
      diagnosed hyperechoic fetal bowel. METHODS: Fetal bowel of similar or greater
      echogenicity than surrounding bone was considered hyperechoic. Fetuses so
      diagnosed were compared with matched controls and with our general obstetric
      population to determine the relative frequencies of cystic fibrosis, perinatal
      death, fetal growth retardation, and fetal trisomies. RESULTS: The incidence of
      hyperechoic fetal bowel during the study period was 0.2% (30 of 12,776 fetuses).
      Four of the 30 fetuses (13.3%) with hyperechoic bowel were found to have cystic
      fibrosis, as compared with one in 2200 (0.05%) in the general population.
      Hyperechoic fetal bowel was also associated with increased risks for perinatal
      death (16.7%, versus 3.8% in matched controls and 1.9% in the general obstetric
      population) and fetal growth retardation (23.3% versus 1.9% and 5%,
      respectively). One fetus with hyperechoic bowel had trisomy 18, an incidence of
      cytogenetic abnormalities of 3.3%. This was not significantly greater than
      observed in our general obstetric population (1.2%) (P > .25). CONCLUSIONS: The
      sonographic finding of hyperechoic fetal bowel is associated with an increased
      risk for cystic fibrosis, perinatal death, and growth retardation. The risk of
      fetal trisomy in cases of isolated hyperechoic bowel appears small. When
      detected, hyperechoic bowel should prompt a complete and careful fetal anatomical
      survey, consideration of parental carrier testing for cystic fibrosis, and serial
      sonographic assessment of fetal growth, with cytogenetic testing reserved for
      cases demonstrating other structural malformations.

PMID- 1407916
TI  - Effects of methyldopa on umbilical and placental artery blood flow velocity
      waveforms.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To identify the effects of methyldopa on umbilical and placental
      artery Doppler velocity waveforms in mild preeclamptic and chronic hypertensive
      women with blood pressure below 160/110 mmHg. METHODS: Twenty-two normotensive,
      11 untreated mild preeclamptic, 14 treated mild preeclamptic, 29 untreated
      chronic hypertensive, and 14 treated chronic hypertensive women were studied.
      Methyldopa was begun if the blood pressure remained higher than 140/90 mmHg after
      24 hours of hospitalization. The pulsatility index (PI) was measured on days 0
      and 7. RESULTS: Blood pressure decreased significantly with methyldopa in chronic
      hypertensive women only (P < .05). The PI did not vary in the umbilical artery in
      the five groups, or in the placental artery in normotensive, untreated
      preeclamptic, and untreated chronic hypertensive women. The PI decreased
      significantly in treated preeclamptic and chronic hypertensive women (P < .05).
      Birth weight was similar in the hypertensive groups. CONCLUSION: Methyldopa
      decreases placental vascular resistance in mild preeclamptic and chronic
      hypertensive women.

PMID- 1407917
TI  - Effects of induction of labor with prostaglandin E2 on fetal breathing and body
      movements: controlled, randomized, double-blind study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of prostaglandin (PG) E2, given for induction
      of labor at term, on fetal breathing and body movements. METHODS: Eighteen women
      with term pregnancies, mild gestational hypertension, intact membranes, and
      unripe cervices who were not in labor participated in this study. After a 60
      minute baseline ultrasound examination of fetal chest and body movements,
      recorded on videotape, the patients were randomly assigned to either 3 mg
      intravaginal PGE2 tablets or controls (placebo intravaginal tablets). Following
      tablet insertion and a 3-hour observation time, a second 60-minute ultrasound
      recording of fetal movements was taped. The videotape recordings were interpreted
      according to the total amount of time occupied by fetal body movements and fetal
      breathing movements. RESULTS: There was a total of 2180 minutes of ultrasound
      tape recordings, with 136.2 minutes of fetal body movements (6.2%) and 207.8
      minutes of fetal breathing movements (9.5%). Mean (+/- standard deviation)
      observation times per patient before and after tablet insertion were 60.3 +/- 1.2
      and 56.4 +/- 1.2 minutes for the PGE2 group and 60.1 +/- 1.3 and 60.4 +/- 1.1
      minutes for the control group. Three hours after PGE2 insertion, there were
      significant decreases in the percentage of time occupied by body movements (7.8
      +/- 3.1 versus 3.4 +/- 2.0%; P < .003) and breathing movements (10.6 +/- 8.6
      versus 3.9 +/- 2.3%; P < .007). Three hours after tablet insertion, there were
      statistically significant decreases in the percentage of time occupied by body
      movements (P < .025) and breathing movements (P < .01) between the control and
      study groups. CONCLUSION: Induction of labor with intravaginal PGE2 tablets
      inhibits fetal body and breathing movements. The effects could be due to direct
      action on the fetus or indirect effects of PGE2 (through uterine contraction
      and/or endogenous PG).

PMID- 1407918
TI  - An assessment of the use of meconium alone as an indication for fetal blood
      sampling.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the validity of meconium as an indication for fetal blood
      sampling. METHODS: The study design was a prospective observational study in a
      teaching hospital. Fetal blood samples were taken from 401 women. One hundred
      sixty-five patients had meconium-stained amniotic fluid (77 of whom had no
      cardiotocographic abnormalities). In the remaining 236 patients, the indication
      for fetal blood sampling was cardiotocographic abnormalities without meconium.
      The main outcome measures were the values of pH and base excess obtained at fetal
      blood sampling, 1-minute Apgar scores, and umbilical artery pH values. RESULTS:
      Patients with meconium alone as an indication for fetal blood sampling had higher
      scalp sample pH values (P < .001) and 1-minute Apgar scores (P < .01) than
      laboring patients with both meconium and cardiotocographic abnormalities. The
      patients with meconium alone had higher scalp pH values than patients with
      cardiotocographic abnormalities but no meconium (P < .001). In only two patients
      with meconium alone was a fetal scalp pH less than 7.20 (both infants had good
      Apgar scores at delivery). However, when cardiotocographic abnormalities were
      present, the finding of meconium was significant, resulting in lower 1-minute
      Apgar scores (P < .01) despite a lack of difference in fetal blood sample pH
      values. CONCLUSION: In the absence of cardiotocographic abnormalities, meconium
      is not an indication for fetal blood sampling.

PMID- 1407919
TI  - Transvaginal Doppler ultrasound assessment of intratumoral hemodynamic change
      before and during hypertensive intra-arterial chemotherapy for uterine cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate blood flow in malignant uterine tumors during hypertensive
      intra-arterial chemotherapy. METHODS: Hypertensive intra-arterial chemotherapy
      (angiotensin II, cisplatin 100 mg, doxorubicin 40 mg) was given to two women with
      cervical cancer (stage IVA) and seven with endometrial cancer (three stage IA,
      one stage IB, two stage II, and one stage III). The intratumoral blood flow
      velocity waveforms were imaged by transvaginal Doppler ultrasound before and
      during the chemotherapy in six patients. RESULTS: The mean peak systolic velocity
      during hypertensive intra-arterial chemotherapy (58.9 +/- 29.3 cm/second) was
      significantly higher than that before chemotherapy (16.0 +/- 6.3 cm/second) (P <
      .05). There was a significant difference between the end-diastolic velocity
      before (5.2 +/- 1.8 cm/second) and during chemotherapy (21.2 +/- 6.8 cm/second)
      (P < .05). The resistance index value during hypertensive intra-arterial
      chemotherapy (0.607 +/- 0.094) fell significantly from that before therapy (0.644
      +/- 0.119) (P < .05). Blood flow velocity waveforms in normal myometrial tissue
      could be recorded in three cases; in all, the diastolic flow noted before
      hypertensive intra-arterial chemotherapy disappeared during chemotherapy.
      CONCLUSION: These results suggest that hypertensive intra-arterial chemotherapy
      induces a selective marked increase of blood flow in uterine cancer.

PMID- 1407920
TI  - Percutaneous nephrostomy and ureteral stenting in gynecologic malignancies.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To identify the indications, complications, and efficacy of
      percutaneous nephrostomies and ureteral stents in women with gynecologic cancer.
      METHODS: In a retrospective study, 40 women underwent urinary diversion with
      percutaneous nephrostomy and ureteral stents. Nine had ureteral stenosis on
      initial presentation, 18 had persistent or recurrent cancer, nine had no evidence
      of disease, and four had operative ureteral damage. Of the nine who were without
      disease, seven had a urinary conduit. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients had ureteral
      stenosis, which was bilateral in 24, and five had a ureteral fistula. Sixteen had
      a unilateral and 22 had bilateral percutaneous nephrostomies, with two cases
      having stents only. The most common complication was hematuria. Thirteen women
      were later hospitalized for pyelonephritis. Twenty-nine (72.5%) had ureteral
      stents, which were bilateral in 12. Renal function was abnormal in 26, but
      improved in 14 and returned to normal in six. Five fistulas were managed with
      ureteral stents alone and four were closed. The median time to death (N = 22) was
      5.5 months, 12 months in primary cases versus 5.5 months in recurrent cases.
      Twelve of the remaining 18 were alive without evidence of disease at a median of
      38 months, five were alive with disease at a median of 16 months, and one was
      lost to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: These techniques are safe and often improve renal
      function. The procedures have different roles in women with primary and recurrent
      gynecologic cancer, in those without evidence of recurrent disease, and in those
      with urinary conduits.

PMID- 1407921
TI  - Endometrial metaplasia associated with endometrial carcinoma.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To clarify the relationship of metaplasia to endometrial carcinoma.
      METHODS: Between 1984-1990, 73 cases of stage I-II endometrial carcinoma treated
      initially by hysterectomy were reviewed histologically. The metaplasias were
      classified as squamous, syncytial papillary, ciliated-cell, eosinophilic,
      mucinous, clear-cell, or hobnail. We assessed the histologic type and grade of
      the carcinoma, depth of myometrial invasion, presence or absence of lymph
      vascular space invasion, and presence or absence of lymph node metastases.
      RESULTS: Forty of 73 patients (55%) had one or more areas of metaplasia in the
      endometrium adjacent to the carcinoma. Ciliated-cell metaplasia (28 of 73; 38%)
      was the most common type encountered. Women with both endometrial carcinoma and
      metaplasia were significantly younger than those with carcinoma without
      metaplasia (P < .05). Compared with carcinomas without metaplasia, those with
      metaplasia were well differentiated (P < .01) and lacked myometrial invasion (P <
      .01) and pelvic lymph node metastases (P < .05). The presence of metaplasia was
      also significantly correlated with the presence of endometrial hyperplasia (P <
      .01). CONCLUSION: In endometrial carcinomas, the presence of endometrial
      metaplasia suggests a favorable prognosis.

PMID- 1407922
TI  - Risk factors for ectopic pregnancy: an Italian case-control study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyze risk factors for ectopic pregnancy in a population at low
      risk for the disease. METHODS: Between September 1989 and February 1991 in Milan,
      we conducted a case-control study on 120 cases of ectopic pregnancy and 209
      controls. The control subjects gave birth at term (more than 37 weeks' gestation)
      to healthy infants on randomly selected days at the same hospitals where the
      cases had been identified. RESULTS: The risk of ectopic gestation was about 40%
      higher in smokers than in controls, and the risk estimates increased with the
      number of cigarettes smoked per day (chi 2(1) trend 4.21, P = .04) and the
      duration of smoking (chi 2(1) trend 7.31, P < .01). However, smoking was not
      associated with the risk of ectopic pregnancy after adjustment for potential
      confounding factors (including history of pelvic inflammatory disease) in a
      multivariate analysis (relative risks [RRs] for ten or fewer and more than ten
      cigarettes per day versus no smoking were 0.8 and 1.1, respectively; chi 2(1)
      trend 0.10, P = not significant). Infertility problems or difficulty in
      conception were reported by 32% of the cases and 10% of the controls; the
      corresponding multivariate RR was 4.7 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.3-9.5). A
      history of abdominal surgery was associated with about double the risk of ectopic
      pregnancy (multivariate RR 2.4, 95% CI 1.4-4.2). Similar estimates were found
      when the analysis was performed considering various types of surgery separately
      such as appendectomy, cesarean delivery, and other abdominal surgery. Finally,
      the risk of ectopic pregnancy was higher in women reporting a history of pelvic
      inflammatory disease (RR 2.7, 95% CI 0.9-8.7) and increased with the number of
      sexual partners (chi 2(1) trend 4.51, P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Problems of
      infertility or difficulties in conception, history of pelvic inflammatory
      disease/salpingitis, and abdominal surgery are the main risk factors for ectopic
      pregnancy in this Italian study. Sexual habits also appear to have some
      independent effect.

PMID- 1407923
TI  - Early and late intraventricular hemorrhage: the role of obstetric factors.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of active phase labor and other obstetric
      factors on the development of periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage in the
      neonate. METHODS: A total of 230 infants were studied. Antenatal enrollment was
      carried out when estimated fetal weight was 1750 g or less. Serial head
      ultrasound scans were performed to screen for periventricular-intraventricular
      hemorrhage, with the initial scan performed within minutes of birth. Scan
      findings and obstetric and neonatal variables collected prospectively at
      scheduled intervals were analyzed to determine the significant factors that
      predispose to intraventricular hemorrhage. RESULTS: In 47 infants (20%),
      intraventricular hemorrhage was detected within 1 hour of birth (early) and in
      another 49 (21%) at a later age (late). The overall incidence of hemorrhage was
      similar between vaginal and cesarean deliveries (41 and 44%, respectively). Early
      hemorrhage was more frequent in vaginal (28%) than cesarean deliveries (11%),
      whereas late hemorrhage was more frequent in cesarean deliveries. When the role
      of delivery mode and labor was analyzed by stepwise logistic regression, the odds
      ratios for development of early intraventricular hemorrhage increased in the
      following order: cesarean delivery with no labor, cesarean delivery with latent
      phase labor, vaginal delivery with forceps use, cesarean delivery with active
      phase labor, and vaginal delivery without forceps use. For late hemorrhage, the
      odds ratios increased in the following order: vaginal delivery with forceps,
      vaginal delivery without forceps, cesarean delivery with no labor, cesarean
      delivery with latent phase labor, and cesarean delivery with active phase labor.
      CONCLUSIONS: Active phase labor may predispose to early periventricular
      intraventricular hemorrhage, but its influence may be attenuated by use of
      forceps or by abdominal delivery. The protective effect of forceps remains for
      late periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage, but abdominal delivery does not
      seem to protect against late hemorrhage.

PMID- 1407924
TI  - Prenatal diagnosis of dilated cava septi pellucidi et vergae: associated
      anomalies, differential diagnosis, and pregnancy outcome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the significance of dilated cava septi pellucidi et vergae
      diagnosed prenatally using ultrasonography. METHODS: Sonographic examinations
      were performed on 11,200 pregnant women. Transabdominal sonographic examinations
      were done at 24 weeks or later on 3150 pregnant women and transvaginal
      sonographic examinations were done between 13-17 weeks on 8050 pregnant women.
      RESULTS: Eight cases of enlarged cava septi pellucidi et vergae were diagnosed
      prenatally during the second trimester of pregnancy by transvaginal sonography.
      In only one fetus did dilatation of cava septi pellucidi et vergae disappear
      during the third trimester. Associated anomalies, three of which were
      hydrocephalus, were observed in five fetuses. One fetus had chromosomal
      translocation 11/22 and one was growth-retarded. Pregnancy was terminated in four
      cases because of associated fetal anomalies or abnormal chromosomal analysis. One
      of four neonates died of unexplained metabolic acidosis. One neonate demonstrated
      cava septi pellucidi et vergae communication with the third ventricle and another
      had mild hydrocephalus on sonographic examination after birth. The three
      surviving fetuses had normal development during the first months of life.
      CONCLUSIONS: When dilated cava septi pellucidi et vergae are diagnosed
      prenatally, attention should be paid to the possible presence of associated fetal
      malformations. When a cyst of cava septi pellucidi et vergae is the only abnormal
      finding observed, termination of pregnancy is not justified.

PMID- 1407925
TI  - First-trimester exposure to alprazolam.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess prospectively pregnancy outcome associated with first
      trimester exposure to alprazolam in order to monitor for early signals of
      potential drug-related risk to the fetus. METHODS: Reports of first-trimester
      exposure to alprazolam from patients, physicians, or pharmacists were registered.
      Information regarding drug exposure, risk factors, and pregnancy outcome was
      requested at 4.5 and 9 months after registration. RESULTS: From June 1982 through
      December 1990, 542 pregnancies had been registered. Follow-up data were obtained
      on 411 registrants. There were 13 live births with congenital anomalies, 263 live
      births with no congenital anomalies, 47 spontaneous fetal losses, and 88 elective
      abortions. CONCLUSIONS: No pattern of defects or excess of defects or spontaneous
      abortions was apparent. Although these findings may provide some reassurance in
      counseling women following inadvertent prenatal exposure, the cases represent a
      sample of insufficient size for reaching reliable and definitive conclusions
      about the safety of alprazolam for pregnant women and their developing fetuses.
      The cases accumulated in this report represent a sample of insufficient size to
      confirm or refute previous reports of specific congenital anomalies linked to
      exposure to benzodiazepines.

PMID- 1407926
TI  - A prospective comparison of terbutaline and magnesium for tocolysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the tocolytic efficacy and side effects of parenteral and
      oral magnesium and terbutaline. METHODS: Ninety-eight patients in labor between
      23-35 weeks were prospectively entered into a controlled trial of intravenous and
      oral magnesium versus subcutaneous and oral terbutaline. Tocolytic effectiveness
      was judged by delay of delivery for 48 hours or 1 week, and to 37 weeks or more.
      The need to change therapy to the alternate drug was identified, as were side
      effects. Entrance characteristics of the population, initial pelvic examination,
      and concomitant infection or cervicovaginal isolates were noted. Outcomes
      included gestational age at delivery, birth weights, and Apgar scores. Outcome
      analysis was based on initial tocolytic therapy. RESULTS: Significantly more
      patients in the magnesium group delivered at 37 weeks or more: 34 of 46 versus 27
      of 52 (P < .05). No significant differences were found for delivery by 48 hours
      or 1 week. The interval between treatment and delivery was greater for magnesium:
      7.1 +/- 3.9 versus 5.0 +/- 3.2 weeks (P < .005). Failure to achieve 37 completed
      weeks was more often due to obstetric complications than to preterm labor itself.
      Tocolytic effectiveness was reduced if secondary therapy or re-treatment was
      required or if the patient had cervical dilatation of 3 cm or greater. Infectious
      complications were common but were not associated with tocolytic effectiveness.
      Side effects were more noticeable with oral magnesium and subcutaneous
      terbutaline. CONCLUSIONS: For short-term tocolysis, no significant difference was
      found between magnesium and terbutaline. Magnesium was associated with a higher
      term delivery rate. Idiopathic preterm labor accounted for only a small part of
      the overall prematurity in the study population.

PMID- 1407927
TI  - Morning sickness control in early pregnancy by Neiguan point acupressure.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the antiemetic effect of acupressure at the Neiguan point.
      METHODS: Sixty women in early pregnancy were entered into a randomized, double
      blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled trial. During a 12-day period, organized in
      four steps of 3 days each, the women were divided into two homogeneous groups to
      test the effectiveness of unilateral and bilateral acupressure. RESULTS: Use of
      acupressure resulted in a significantly lower frequency of morning sickness
      compared with placebo treatment. More than a 60% positive effect was found with
      unilateral and bilateral acupressure, compared with an approximately 30% positive
      effect of placebo acupressure. Changing from unilateral to bilateral pressure on
      the Neiguan point caused no significant statistical difference. No noteworthy
      side effects occurred. CONCLUSION: Acupressure on the Neiguan point relieves
      morning sickness.

PMID- 1407928
TI  - Serum lipids, blood pressure, body weight, and serum chemistry in women using
      subcutaneous contraceptive implants releasing the progestin ST 1435.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the changes in serum lipids, serum chemistry, blood pressure,
      and body weight in long-term users of subcutaneous contraceptive implants
      releasing the progestin ST 1435. METHODS: The study was done in the outpatient
      clinic of the City Maternity Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. Subdermal implants
      releasing the progestin ST 1435 were inserted in 30 women for 2 years of use.
      Healthy women aged 19-35 used the implants for contraception. Measurements of
      body weight and blood pressure were made and blood samples for lipid analysis
      (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol, and triglycerides) and serum chemistry were taken before insertion
      of the implants and every 6 months thereafter until removal. Results are reported
      for 30 subjects after 6 months of use, 25 subjects after 12 months, 13 after 18
      months, and 12 after 24 months. RESULTS: Blood pressure and serum chemistry, ie,
      liver enzymes and electrolytes, remained unchanged. Slight weight gain occurred,
      but was not statistically significant. No statistically significant changes were
      found in lipids or lipid ratios when comparing the values during use of the
      implant with the pre-treatment values. CONCLUSIONS: The progestin ST 1435, used
      parenterally for contraception or progestin therapy, had no adverse effects on
      serum lipids, blood pressure, or body weight, which are known to be risk factors
      for coronary artery disease. The steroid had no effects on serum chemistry
      determinations in long-term use.

PMID- 1407929
TI  - Sexual assault in postmenopausal women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine patient characteristics, patterns of injury, forensic
      evidence, and the frequency of sexual assault in postmenopausal rape victims from
      1986-1991. METHODS: Medical and forensic records were reviewed from 129
      postmenopausal women (50 years of age or older) and 129 women from a comparison
      group (14-49 years of age) who reported having been sexually assaulted.
      Statistical analysis was performed by Student t test, chi 2, multiple logistic
      regression, or Fisher exact test. RESULTS: Postmenopausal women represented 2.2%
      of women reporting sexual assault in Dallas County. The postmenopausal victim was
      more often white (64%), whereas the younger victim was more often black (53%).
      Drug or alcohol use within the previous 24 hours was more common in the younger
      group. Trauma, in general, was common, occurring in 67% of the postmenopausal
      women and 71% of the younger group (P = not significant). Genital trauma was more
      common in the postmenopausal group (43 versus 18%; P < .001). Nearly one in three
      postmenopausal women had genital abrasions or edema. Almost one in five older
      women had genital lacerations, with one in four severe enough to require surgical
      repair. In contrast, the frequency of extragenital trauma was more common in
      younger victims (66 versus 49%; P < .01). Forensic findings were similar in both
      groups; however, in postmenopausal women motile spermatozoa were seen only in
      those examined within 6 hours of the assault. CONCLUSION: Postmenopausal women
      who have been sexually assaulted are more likely to sustain genital trauma than
      younger victims.

PMID- 1407930
TI  - The case for confidence intervals.

PMID- 1407931
TI  - Prenatal programs: what the literature reveals.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To review evaluations of prenatal health care programs, examine their
      methodologic features, and synthesize the findings of high-quality studies. DATA
      SOURCES: We combined a computerized search of the literature and recommendations
      of experts to select evaluations published between 1981-1991. METHODS OF STUDY
      SELECTION: After reviewing the quality of each evaluation in relation to methods
      and clinical applicability, we selected the highest-quality evaluations and
      summarized their methods and findings. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Trained
      researchers used a standardized abstraction form for information on main
      objectives and activities, setting, study design and sample, data collection
      methods, results, and conclusions. Seven of 22 evaluations met the review
      criteria. Maternal care coordination and visits by nurses, and specially targeted
      smoking and nutrition programs, were associated with optimized pregnancy outcomes
      for certain women, including the poor and very young. Longer participation in
      prenatal care was an important factor in achieving positive outcomes. Women
      receiving care from nurse-midwives did not differ in their pregnancy outcomes
      from women cared for by physicians. CONCLUSIONS: No evaluation met all the review
      criteria. Selection biases are likely, and thus positive findings may have
      reflected the types of women who were likely to comply with care rather than the
      effects of program participation. Many topics were not systematically evaluated.
      Carefully controlled evaluations of the content, number, and timing of prenatal
      care visits for women with differing medical and social risks are essential in
      identifying effective ways to achieve the nation's public health objectives
      regarding maternal and infant mortality.

PMID- 1407932
TI  - Hemolytic disease of the fetus: a plea for restraint.
AB  - The recent addition of fetal blood sampling and transfusion techniques to the
      management schemes for hemolytic disease of the fetus has expanded clinical
      options for patient care. Coincident with these techniques is a new
      aggressiveness toward sensitized pregnancies that, upon review of available data,
      selects more patients for early and invasive testing than appears necessary. This
      paper explores the issues of invasive testing and offers guidelines that are more
      conservative than those recommended in recent reports.

PMID- 1407933
TI  - Sexual assault: review of a national model protocol for forensic and medical
      evaluation. New Hampshire Sexual Assault Medical Examination Protocol Project
      Committee.
AB  - A national hospital/community model protocol was developed for the forensic and
      medical examination of victims of sexual assault. This review is designed to
      assist states in the development of sexual assault protocols. Controversial
      issues were addressed, including the collection of hair evidence, the importance
      of semen, mandatory reporting, pregnancy testing and prophylaxis, and sexually
      transmitted diseases including human immunodeficiency virus. The current role of
      DNA profiling is reviewed. These issues at the interface of medicine, forensic
      science, victim advocacy, and the law are analyzed. Representatives of the
      medical, legal, law enforcement, victim advocacy, and forensic science
      communities contributed to the development of the protocols at the national and
      state levels. The importance of a collaborative effort is emphasized. The broad
      protocol goals are to minimize the physical and psychological trauma to the
      victim while maximizing the probability of collecting and preserving physical
      evidence for potential use in the legal system.

PMID- 1407934
TI  - Laparoscopic myomectomy.
AB  - Fifty-six patients presenting with infertility (17); bleeding, pain, and pressure
      symptoms (32); and pelvic mass (seven) associated with leiomyomas were managed
      with laparoscopic myomectomy. Twenty-four second-look procedures were performed
      to evaluate healing and adhesion formation. Operative time ranged between 45-443
      minutes (mean 157), estimated blood loss varied from 10-400 mL (mean 75), and the
      mean length of hospital stay was 1 day. Traditional morcellation was used
      initially but was abandoned because of long operating time; vaginal or abdominal
      removal (depending on size) proved more satisfactory. Three patients developed
      subcutaneous emphysema and one had febrile morbidity due to upper respiratory
      tract infection. There were no other complications. In 24 second-look procedures,
      adhesions were present in 16 subjects (66%). Twelve of 17 in the infertility
      group conceived (71%); all 39 patients with other complaints experienced
      satisfactory relief. There were no reoperations. When myomectomy is indicated,
      the laparoscopic approach appears to offer an alternative to abdominal surgery in
      selected patients.

PMID- 1407935
TI  - Natural oocyte retrieval with intravaginal fertilization: a simplified approach
      to in vitro fertilization.
AB  - To simplify in vitro fertilization (IVF), we have combined natural-cycle oocyte
      retrieval with intravaginal fertilization. Our subjects ranged in age from 28-40
      years and were monitored by ultrasound and steroid hormone levels. Oocyte
      retrieval was carried out under vaginal ultrasound-guided aspiration 32-36 hours
      after the onset of the LH surge. The oocyte was identified and placed in a sealed
      capsule containing culture media and sperm. The capsule, in a sealed cryoflex
      envelope, was placed in the woman's vagina and removed 42-48 hours later. The
      embryo was then isolated and transferred to the woman's uterus. Fifty-one
      retrieval cycles were attempted in 45 patients. At least one oocyte was retrieved
      in 88% of cycles, and fertilization was achieved in 84% of oocytes. Of the five
      clinical pregnancies (10%), four have delivered and one is ongoing. The cost of
      this procedure is approximately one-third that of standard IVF. The advantages of
      our method are the elimination of the use of gonadotropins, the simplicity of
      monitoring and oocyte retrieval, and the lack of need for expensive laboratory
      equipment. Natural oocyte retrieval with intravaginal fertilization may prove
      appropriate for those women requiring IVF who fear multiple pregnancies, have
      side effects from controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, or cannot afford standard
      IVF.

PMID- 1407936
TI  - Mortality and morbidity after intrapartum asphyxia in the preterm fetus.

PMID- 1407937
TI  - Mortality and morbidity after intrapartum asphyxia in the preterm fetus.

PMID- 1407938
TI  - Nursing practice issues and answers. What are protocols? What are standing
      orders?

PMID- 1407939
TI  - How our present health-care system, by removing patient choice, favors scientists
      and bureaucrats and discriminates against good physicians.

PMID- 1407940
TI  - Permanent blindness following retrobulbar hemorrhage after peribulbar anesthesia
      for cataract surgery.
AB  - We present a case in which a modified peribulbar anesthesia, administered with a
      24-gauge (0.55 x 25 mm) sharp, disposable needle, induced an orbital hemorrhage,
      resulting in complete and permanent loss of vision. To our knowledge, this is the
      first report of severe complications following a peribulbar block.

PMID- 1407941
TI  - An analysis of intraocular lens exchange.
AB  - We present an analysis of 101 eyes of 98 consecutive patients who underwent
      intraocular lens (IOL) exchange. The period of follow up ranged from 6 to 71
      months (mean, 23 months). Bullous keratopathy was the leading (86.7%) indication
      for IOL exchange in 45 eyes that had combined penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) and
      IOL exchange (PKP group). Lens dislocation (36%) and incorrect power (25%) were
      the most frequent indications for IOL exchange without PKP (56 eyes) (NPKP
      group). A final visual acuity of 20/40 or better was achieved in 50.5% of the 101
      eyes, with 88% having two lines of improvement or remaining within one line of
      the pre-exchange acuity. The geometric mean visual acuity was significantly
      improved, from 20/273 preoperatively to 20/125 postoperatively, in the PKP group
      (P less than .001), and from 20/61 to 20/43 in the NPKP group (P = .001). The
      main reason for vision less than 20/200 in the 23 eyes in the PKP group was
      glaucoma (nine eyes) and bullous keratopathy (eight eyes). In the NPKP group,
      seven eyes (four due to cystoid macular edema, CME) had a visual acuity less than
      20/200. Posterior chamber (PC) IOL implantation was associated with significantly
      better visual acuity than anterior chamber (AC) IOL implantation when performed
      at IOL exchange (P = .004). The most common complications encountered with IOL
      exchange were CME (17.8%), hyphema (15.8%), glaucoma (10.9%) and PC opacity
      (8.9%).

PMID- 1407942
TI  - Devices for the control of laser transmission across the sclera during
      transscleral photocoagulation.
AB  - Improving the reproducibility of transscleral photocoagulation necessitates
      controlling the transmission of the laser beam through the sclera. Two factors
      make such control problematic: the locally increased transparency of the sclera
      resulting from the contact procedure and the occurrence of time-related
      relaxation phenomena. Two instruments have been devised to help control these
      factors. The first is a mechanical compensation unit comprised of magnets and a
      spring that allows the force exerted on the sclera to be adjusted to between 0.1
      and 0.4 N, the pressure being determined by the outer diameter of the contact
      tip. The second instrument monitors the portion of the aiming beam reflected by
      the sclera as a means of determining the exact level of power actually
      transmitted through it. This information theoretically could be fed back to the
      treatment laser, allowing the level of power being delivered to be adjusted
      accordingly.

PMID- 1407943
TI  - A new instrument for controlling pressure exerted on the sclera during contact
      Nd:YAG laser cyclodestruction.
AB  - We tested the device described by Rol et al in their article in this issue,
      designed to define and precisely control the pressure applied to the sclera
      during contact cyclodestruction with a cw-Nd:YAG laser. Since scleral
      transparency, and hence transmission of laser energy, depends on the pressure
      applied, control of this parameter represents an important advance toward the
      goal of standardizing the cyclodestructive procedure. In eight of nine cadaver
      pig eyes, pressure was exerted on the sclera using the pressure-controlling
      device, with a setting of 0.25 N for two of these eyes, and one of 0.4 N for the
      other six. In the remaining eye, pressure was controlled intuitively by an
      experienced surgeon. Applying forces of 0.25 or 0.4 N yielded similar success
      rates, although these fluctuated greatly even under constant pressure conditions
      (from 17% to 50% at 0.25 N; from 27% to 42% at 0.4 N). The highest success rate
      (55%) was achieved by the intuitively controlled pressure irradiations of the
      experienced surgeon. The variation in coagulation intensity that occurred despite
      constant pressure suggests that additional factors contribute to the results
      achieved. Nonetheless, this pressure-controlling probe represents an important
      achievement. It will permit not only the novice but even experienced operators to
      adhere unambiguously to a protocol of quantitative, reproducible parameters, and
      will also help researchers to better understand the relationship between energy
      delivered and intraocular pressure reduction achieved in contact
      cyclophotocoagulation.

PMID- 1407944
TI  - Racial variation of optic disc parameters in children.
AB  - The optic disc parameters of 66 children without ocular disease were analyzed in
      a prospective study. The vertical disc diameter, the disc area, and the cup-to
      disc ratio were significantly larger in blacks than in whites. The race-based
      variation of optic disc size demonstrated previously in adults appears to be
      inherited, as it is also present in children.

PMID- 1407945
TI  - Extrusion of enucleation implants: treatment with secondary implants and
      autogenous temporalis fascia or fascia lata patch grafts.
AB  - We performed one autogenous fascia lata graft and 11 autogenous temporalis fascia
      grafts in eight patients with extrusion of an orbital enucleation implant and in
      four patients with a bulging implant who could not wear a prosthesis. Excluding
      one patient with inadequate follow up, 10 of the 11 patients (91%) successfully
      retained their implant. One patient had severe conjunctivitis followed by
      anterior migration of his implant 2 1/2 years after patch grafting, necessitating
      replacement of the implant. We conclude that autogenous temporalis fascia patch
      grafting is an effective treatment for orbital enucleation implant extrusion or a
      bulging implant.

PMID- 1407946
TI  - Forming and teaching true knots for strabismus surgery.
AB  - I describe a system for ensuring the formation of true knots in the locking bites
      in strabismus surgery. I also present a method for teaching this system to
      residents that makes use of a piece of cotton or nylon rope, a cotton mop refill,
      and the end of a garden rake.

PMID- 1407947
TI  - Office probing of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction.
AB  - We report the results of office nasolacrimal duct probing under topical
      anesthesia in 2369 eyes with symptomatic nasolacrimal duct obstruction. The
      overall success rate for cure by initial probing was 92%. In patients less than 9
      months old, a 94% cure rate was achieved with one probing; in patients 9 months
      and older, the rate decreased to 84%. The decrease in success rate after 9 months
      was statistically significant (P less than .00001 by chi-square analysis). A
      majority of 180 parents of these patients surveyed said they were happy with the
      office procedure and preferred having the probing performed to resolve symptoms,
      even though they realized that the symptoms most probably would resolve by 1 year
      of age without it. We conclude that office probing for congenital nasolacrimal
      duct obstruction is a safe and effective method for treatment of symptomatic
      nasolacrimal duct obstruction, allowing the cost and risk of general anesthesia
      as well as the cost and inconvenience of prolonged medical management to be
      avoided.

PMID- 1407948
TI  - Canaliculocystostomy combining microsurgery and fibrin sealing of the
      anastomosis.
AB  - I present a method of using fibrin sealing for anastomosis in
      canaliculocystostomy. A microsurgical resection of the stenosis of the common
      canaliculus is followed by silicone intubation of the lacrimal apparatus and
      fibrin sealing of the anastomosis of the canaliculi and the lacrimal sac. The
      silicone tube is removed 6 months postoperatively. This technique obviates
      microscopic sutures, reduces operating time, and provides hemostasis. Of seven
      patients with monolateral stenosis of the common canaliculus in whom this
      technique was used and who were followed for a minimum of 3 years, only one had a
      restenosis.

PMID- 1407949
TI  - Monopolar cautery for graft cartilage sculpting in reconstructive eyelid surgery.
AB  - We describe a technique for using the monopolar cautery to sculpt ear cartilage
      to prepare it for use as a graft to reconstruct or support the posterior lamella
      of the eyelid in oculoplastic procedures. We have used this simple, rapid, and
      predictable technique in 16 patients with excellent results.

PMID- 1407950
TI  - Microblepharon.
AB  - We describe a child with microblepharon and corneal exposure secondary to
      lagophthalmos. Surgical reconstruction utilizing full-thickness skin grafts to
      all four lids corrected the lagophthalmos and relieved her symptoms.

PMID- 1407951
TI  - A modified technique of transscleral suture fixation of posterior chamber lenses.
AB  - I describe a modified technique of sulcus fixation of posterior chamber
      intraocular lenses (PC-IOLs) in which the anterior vitrectomy is restricted to
      the vitreous base and anterior chamber and a single-armed sling suture is used.
      These modifications reduce operating time and the risk of intraoperative and
      postoperative infection. This technique has been used successfully in the last 20
      of the 96 patients in our institution who have had transscleral suture fixation
      procedures.

PMID- 1407952
TI  - Peribulbar anesthesia in retinal reattachment surgery.
AB  - We prospectively evaluated the effectiveness of peribulbar anesthesia in retinal
      reattachment surgery. Of the 24 patients studied, 2 required retrobulbar
      supplementation during the latter part of the surgery. Our results show that
      peribulbar anesthesia can be effectively used for retinal reattachment surgery
      and probably should be the preferred form of local anesthesia for this surgery,
      since the eyes involved have a relatively high incidence of axial myopia and
      posterior staphyloma.

PMID- 1407953
TI  - Sub-Tenon's anesthesia for trabeculectomy.
AB  - Sub-Tenon's anesthesia for anterior segment surgery avoids the risks associated
      with retrobulbar and peribulbar injections. Localized injections over the
      appropriate rectus muscles ensure patient comfort as well as optimal exposure of
      the surgical field in eyes undergoing trabeculectomy. We have used this technique
      without significant complications in approximately 400 procedures.

PMID- 1407954
TI  - Effect of vitamin E in the treatment of bovine-albumin-induced uveitis in
      rabbits.
AB  - In order to assess the role of vitamin E, an antioxidant, in the treatment of
      uveitis, a controlled experimental study was carried out on 20 New Zealand albino
      rabbits with bovine-albumin-induced uveitis. In all vitamin-E-treated animals,
      clinical and histopathological study of the retina and uvea revealed no
      significant changes in comparison with those in untreated rabbits.

PMID- 1407955
TI  - Similarities and differences between the Kelman phacoemulsification and
      extracapsular cataract extraction procedures in the spontaneous regression of
      corneal astigmatism from against-the-rule astigmatism.
AB  - We perspectively examined the induction and spontaneous regression of corneal
      astigmatism from preoperative against-the-rule astigmatism [Kelman
      phacoemulsification (KPE), n = 618; extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE), n =
      192] among cataract extraction surgeries (KPE, n = 1,648; ECCE, n = 443). All
      data were set on a double-angle coordinate graph, from which the mean +/- SE of
      the axis and the amount of astigmatism were obtained simultaneously. In the KPE
      group, the surgically induced astigmatism was independent of preoperative state
      or age. In the ECCE group, surgically induced astigmatism shifted toward with-the
      rule astigmatism, and postoperative recovery was delayed longer in patients over
      80 years of age than in those under 70. Postoperative against-the-rule
      astigmatism was more frequent after KPE. Our first trial to calculate astigmatism
      from a double-angle coordinate graph was useful in showing astigmatism changes.

PMID- 1407956
TI  - Intraocular kinetics of ceftazidime (Modacin).
AB  - The concentration of ceftazidime was determined in the aqueous humor and the
      vitreous body of normal, vitrectomized and aphakic/vitrectomized eyes and in the
      serum of albino rabbits 1 h after intravenous injection of 100 mg/kg ceftazidime.
      The intravitreal ceftazidime concentration was low (0.1-0.2 microgram/ml) in
      normal eyes 1 h after intravenous injection, and high (8.7 +/- 8.5 micrograms/ml)
      in vitrectomized and aphakic/vitrectomized eyes when injected immediately after
      surgery. The ceftazidime concentration was also determined in the aqueous humor
      and the vitreous body of normal eyes and in the serum of albino rabbits 3, 6, 12,
      24 and 48 h after intravitreal injection of 200 micrograms. The intravitreal
      ceftazidime concentration after intravitreal injection decreased exponentially
      for 12 h (half-life about 7.4 h). It decreased more slowly thereafter and
      remained at 13.0 micrograms/ml (mean) even 48 h after injection. This
      concentration exceeded the minimum inhibitory concentrations against common gram
      positive and gram-negative organisms causing endophthalmitis.

PMID- 1407957
TI  - Spindleform scleropathy: collagen changes of the sclera. A pathologic report.
AB  - To our knowledge, this is the first pathologic report of interscleral collagen
      bundle changes occurring as well-defined spindleform lesions randomly
      interspersed within the sclera. The lesions were observed in an otherwise healthy
      75-year-old man whose eye was enucleated because of a uveal malignant melanoma.
      There are few reports in the literature of focal scleral changes of a
      predominantly acid mucopolysaccharide nature. The entity we observed in this case
      differs from these reports by its spindleform appearance, random distribution
      (not overlying the melanoma) and predominantly vicinal glycol nature.
      Histopathologic, histochemical, and ultrastructural studies revealed that the
      lesions were not the result of mucoid degeneration of the scleral collagen and
      not an abnormal collagen structure.

PMID- 1407958
TI  - Retino-choroidal changes in endotoxin-induced uveitis in the rat.
AB  - A single injection of 100 micrograms of lipopolysaccharide from Salmonella
      typhimurium in the foot pads of Lewis rats induced acute inflammation of the eye.
      Clinically, the disease started as early as 0.5 h and peaked 18 h after the
      inoculation. The aqueous protein concentration was increased after the
      inoculation. Histopathologically, cellular infiltrates and proteinaceous exudates
      were observed in the anterior segment (anterior chamber, iris and ciliary body).
      In addition to those changes described in previous reports, the examination of
      the posterior segment showed retinal vasculitis, hemorrhagic exudates, focal
      destruction of photoreceptor cells and choroidal infiltration.

PMID- 1407959
TI  - Argon laser photocoagulation of the pecten oculi of the domestic pigeon (Columba
      livia) using a specially designed contact lens.
AB  - A specially designed -62-D polymethylmethacrylate contact lens for biomicroscopy
      of the fundus oculi of the pigeon is presented. The study shows the usefulness of
      the lens in argon laser photocoagulation of the pecten, a noninvasive technique
      for ablating the organ. In addition, previous studies on operative destruction of
      the pecten are reviewed. To our knowledge, this is the first time the macroscopic
      appearance of a photocoagulated pecten is documented.

PMID- 1407961
TI  - Quantification of angiogenesis due to basic fibroblast growth factor in a
      modified rabbit corneal model.
AB  - The rabbit corneal angiogenesis assay was modified to allow quantification of the
      neovascular response induced by growth factors. Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor
      (bFGF) was used for this experiment. bFGF was diluted in phosphate buffer
      solution (PBS) in such a way that 2 microliter of solution contained
      concentrations ranging from 17 to 1,200 ng. Each drop was absorbed by a 1 x 2 mm
      particle of a dried 70% hydratable hydrogel and implanted into a mid-stroma
      corneal pocket, 2 mm from the limbus. Iodinated bFGF was used to measure growth
      factor diffusion in the cornea, which was found to be isotropic. Autoradiography
      showed that bFGF was stored in the cornea at both epithelial and endothelial
      level. Corneal neovascularization occurred on the second day after implantation
      and was maximal on the 7th day. At this time the neovascular surface was measured
      by planimetry on corneal photographs and compared with controls. This method
      allows precise definition of the dose of any substance to be implanted into the
      cornea and induces a rapid neovascular response, thus allowing quantitative
      evaluation of neovascularization within one week. A neovascular response was
      detectable for doses as low as 35 ng of bFGF and increased proportionally to the
      dose of bFGF implanted.

PMID- 1407960
TI  - Aqueous humor polyamines and alkaline phosphatase activity in endotoxin-induced
      uveitis: correlations to diverse leukocyte subsets.
AB  - The polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine have been proposed to be a
      part of the acute phase inflammatory response. They have been shown to be useful
      markers for cellular kinetics and change with various pathological conditions.
      The hypothesis that aqueous humor polyamines could be used to follow the time
      course of an endotoxin-induced inflammation in the eye was investigated.
      Additional parameters studied were the amount of aqueous leukocytes, alkaline
      phosphatase activity, distribution of leukocyte subsets and breakdown of the
      blood-aqueous barrier. Aqueous leukocytes, protein, alkaline phosphatase
      activity, putrescine and acetylated spermidine increased significantly as a
      response to inflammation during the first days after uveitis induction.
      Spermidine decreased 24 h after injection and seemed to rise thereafter. The
      different polyamines, except spermidine, correlated to the diverse infiltrating
      leukocyte subsets. These observations indicate that aqueous polyamines may be
      applied as valid markers for inflammation in the eye.

PMID- 1407962
TI  - Retained nuclei after cataract surgery.

PMID- 1407963
TI  - Retained nuclei after cataract surgery.

PMID- 1407964
TI  - Pseudotumor cerebri from venous obstruction.

PMID- 1407965
TI  - Swab culture of corneal ulcers.

PMID- 1407966
TI  - Managing dislocated IOLs.

PMID- 1407967
TI  - The timing of retinal detachment surgery: patient and physician considerations.

PMID- 1407968
TI  - Pars plana vitrectomy in the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study. ETDRS
      report number 17. The Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study Research Group.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) enrolled 3711
      patients with mild-to-severe nonproliferative or early proliferative diabetic
      retinopathy in both eyes. Patients were randomly assigned to aspirin 650 mg/day
      or placebo. One eye of each patient was assigned randomly to early
      photocoagulation and the other to deferral of photocoagulation. Follow-up
      examinations were scheduled at least every 4 months, and photocoagulation was
      initiated in eyes assigned to deferral as soon as high-risk proliferative
      retinopathy was detected. Aspirin was not found to have an effect on retinopathy
      progression or rates of vitreous hemorrhage. The risk of a combined end point,
      severe visual loss or vitrectomy, was low in eyes assigned to deferral (6% at 5
      years) and was reduced by early photocoagulation (4% at 5 years). Vitrectomy was
      carried out in 208 patients during the 9 years of the study. This report presents
      baseline and previtrectomy characteristics and visual outcome in these patients.
      METHODS: Information collected at baseline and during follow-up as part of the
      ETDRS protocol was supplemented by review of clinic charts for visual acuity and
      ocular status immediately before vitrectomy. RESULTS: Vitrectomy was performed in
      208 (5.6%) of the 3711 patients (243 eyes) enrolled in the ETDRS. The 5-year
      vitrectomy rates for eyes grouped by their initial photocoagulation assignment
      were as follows: 2.1% in the early full scatter photocoagulation group, 2.5% in
      the early mild scatter group, and 4.0% in the deferral group. The 5-year rates of
      vitrectomy (in one or both eyes) were 5.4% in patients assigned to aspirin and
      5.2% in patients assigned to a placebo. The indications for vitrectomy were
      either vitreous hemorrhage (53.9%) or retinal detachment with or without vitreous
      hemorrhage (46.1%). Before vitrectomy, visual acuity was 5/200 or worse in 66.7%
      of eyes and better than 20/100 in 6.2%. One year after vitrectomy, the visual
      acuity was 20/100 or better in 47.6% of eyes, including 24.0% with visual acuity
      of 20/40 or better. CONCLUSIONS: With frequent follow-up examinations and timely
      scatter (panretinal) photocoagulation, the 5-year cumulative rate of pars plana
      vitrectomy in ETDRS patients was 5.3%. Aspirin use did not influence the rate of
      vitrectomy.

PMID- 1407969
TI  - Outcome and cost analysis of scheduled versus emergency scleral buckling surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Retinal detachments are usually considered to be a surgical
      emergency. However, there are additional risks and costs for unnecessary
      emergency surgeries. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the
      conventional wisdom for treating all retinal detachments as emergencies needs to
      be re-examined. METHODS: Forty-eight patients who had an emergency scleral buckle
      and 89 patients who had a scheduled procedure were randomly selected from 884
      consecutive patients who had a primary scleral buckling procedure during a 4 1/2
      year period. The medical records of each patient were used to obtain detailed
      information related to prognosis. The visual acuity measurements of each patient,
      taken 6 months after the procedure, were obtained from the records of the
      ophthalmologist following the patient. Linear regression analysis was used to
      compare the final visual outcome for patients who had emergency surgery with
      patients who had scheduled surgery after taking into account patient factors
      related to prognosis. RESULTS: Patients selected for emergency surgery had better
      visual prognoses than scheduled patients but had the same risk of systemic
      complications and the same extent of detachment if the macula was not involved.
      None of the 18 patients with an attached macula experienced macular involvement
      while awaiting scheduled surgery. There were no differences between emergency and
      scheduled patients in ocular or systemic complications, rate of reattachment,
      rate of decreased visual acuity after surgery, visual outcome adjusted for
      prognosis, or, since 1985, length of hospital stay. A greater cost was incurred
      for the patients having emergency surgery due to difference in pay scales for
      support personnel. CONCLUSIONS: Because the study is not large and the patients
      were not randomized to treatment, the results are not definitive. However, they
      suggest that emergency surgery is unnecessary for many patients with a detached
      retina.

PMID- 1407970
TI  - Proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Lymphocytes in epiretinal membranes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To investigate the potential contribution of inflammatory and immune
      mediated processes contributing to the pathogenesis of proliferative
      vitreoretinopathy (PVR), an immunohistochemical study was undertaken to
      characterize the infiltrating inflammatory cells in epiretinal membranes
      surgically removed from the eyes of patients with PVR. METHODS: Twenty-one
      epiretinal membranes obtained surgically from eyes with PVR complicating
      rhegmatogenous retinal detachment were studied immunohistochemically using the
      ABC technique and a panel of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. RESULTS: T
      lymphocytes were found in 18 of the 21 specimens and generally constituted a
      small percentage of the total cell number. CD4+ T cells were found in 14 of the
      18 membranes containing T cells. Three of six frozen membranes contained T cells
      that were positive for the interleukin-2 receptor. In 5 of 16 membranes studied,
      cells positive for the macrophage/monocyte marker were found. No B lymphocytes or
      neutrophils were identified, and there were no deposits of complement or
      immunoglobulins. Positive staining for the class II MHC antigen HLA-DR was found
      in 7 of the 21 membranes, a result that was more consistent in frozen than in
      fixed tissues. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that T lymphocytes are present in
      PVR epiretinal membranes and may be activated. These cells have the potential to
      play a role in the pathobiology of PVR.

PMID- 1407971
TI  - Ultrastructural immunocytochemistry of subretinal neovascular membranes in age
      related macular degeneration.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The authors studied various cellular and extracellular matrix
      components of subretinal neovascular membranes (SRNVM) from patients with age
      related macular degeneration (ARMD). METHODS: Electron microscopic
      immunocytochemistry was used on the subfoveal neovascular membranes surgically
      removed from three patients with disciform lesions due to ARMD. FINDINGS: The
      SRNVMs always contained large "feeder" vessels along with many new capillaries in
      different stages of maturation. Capillaries were sparse and embedded in an
      abundant stroma. The majority of the nonvascular cells were either retinal
      pigment epithelial (RPE) cells or fibroblast-like cells. The RPE cells formed
      single or multiple layers on one side of the membranes. The stroma was composed
      mainly of collagen types I and IV and fibronectin, with small amounts of collagen
      types III, V, and VI. The absence of Bruch's membrane suggests that a splitting
      may occur between the RPE cells and Bruch's membrane with the new vessels growing
      into this cleft. A thickened layer of collagen type IV was often present under
      the RPE cells. The basement membranes of the newly formed capillaries were
      morphologically ill-defined, and contained substantial amounts of collagen type
      IV and fibronectin, but, unlike the basement membranes of normal capillaries,
      they lacked laminin or heparan sulfate proteoglycan. CONCLUSION: These results on
      the ultrastructural components of the SRNVMs may be useful in clarifying the
      nature of the disciform process in ARMD.

PMID- 1407972
TI  - Dominantly inherited cystoid macular edema. A histopathologic study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Dominantly inherited cystoid macular edema was described as a
      clinically distinct form of macular dystrophy with an onset at approximately age
      30 years with slow progression over the ensuing decades. This is the first report
      of the light and electron microscopic findings in two donor eyes of one of the
      patients with this clinical entity. METHODS: Both eyes were obtained after death
      and fixed within 24 hours in a buffered 4% formaldehyde-1% glutaraldehyde
      solution. For light microscopy, tissue was embedded in paraffin and stained with
      hematoxylin-eosin, periodic acid-Schiff, colloidal iron for mucopolysaccharides,
      and an antibody to glial fibrillar acidic protein. For ultrastructural
      investigation, several blocks of choroidal/retinal tissues from the posterior
      pole, including both maculae, were embedded in epoxy resin and processed for
      transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: Major findings included large retinal
      cysts in the macula, atrophy and marked disorganization of the inner nuclear
      layer, advanced degeneration of Muller cells with nodular aggregates of basement
      membrane-like material, and a preretinal membrane. The retinal vasculature did
      not show excessive endothelial alterations but was surrounded by deposits of
      multilayered basement membrane in the perivascular space. CONCLUSION: The authors
      believe that the pathologic features of dominantly inherited cystoid macular
      edema are different from those of macular edema caused by other disease
      processes. The predominant pathologic changes affected mainly the inner nuclear
      layer. The possibility of a primary disease of the Muller cell is suggested.

PMID- 1407973
TI  - Low-dose methotrexate therapy for ocular inflammatory disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Methotrexate is a second-line anti-inflammatory agent used in the
      treatment of rheumatic diseases. At low doses (12.5 mg/week), it is associated
      with few serious side effects. METHODS: Twenty-two patients (5 men, 17 women)
      with chronic noninfectious ocular inflammatory disease, who had not responded to
      or who had become intolerant of corticosteroid or alternate cytotoxic agents,
      were treated weekly with oral low-dose, pulse methotrexate. Treated diseases
      included chronic uveitis-vitreitis (9), scleritis (4), inflammatory pseudotumor
      (3), orbital myositis (3), and retinal vasculitis (3). RESULTS: Follow-up ranged
      from 2 to 39 months (mean, 11 months). Response time ranged from 3 to 9 weeks
      (mean, 5 weeks) after implementation of methotrexate therapy. Sixteen of 22
      patients had reduction of inflammatory activity. Fourteen of these 16 patients
      were able to taper or discontinue corticosteroid therapy. Five patients had
      complete remission of their disease; six patients did not respond to
      methotrexate. CONCLUSION: Treatment with low-dose methotrexate appears to be
      effective therapy for steroid-resistant ocular inflammatory disease.

PMID- 1407974
TI  - Ocular findings associated with neurofibromatosis type II.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neurofibromatosis has been recently acknowledged as consisting of a
      number of different diseases. Neurofibromatosis (NF) type I and NF type II are
      the most clearly defined. Type II is characterized by bilateral acoustic neuromas
      and is rare (its incidence is 1/50,000). The previously reported ocular
      associations of NF type II are posterior subcapsular cataracts, Lisch nodules,
      and combined hamartomata of the retinal pigment epithelium and retina. In this
      study, the authors attempt to define further the ocular manifestations of NF type
      II. METHODS: The authors prospectively examined 9 patients who met the diagnostic
      criteria for NF type II (age, 18 to 38 years; mean, 25 years). RESULTS: Seven of
      nine patients had epiretinal membranes in the posterior pole. None of these
      epiretinal membranes were visually significant. In addition, five patients had
      central posterior cortical cataracts and five had peripheral wedge-shaped
      cortical cataracts. CONCLUSION: The presence of epiretinal membranes in young
      patients may represent another clinical finding associated with NF type II.
      Epiretinal membranes, central posterior cataracts, peripheral cortical cataracts,
      or combined hamartoma of the retinal epithelium and retina in young patients
      should alert the ophthalmologist to include NF type II in the differential
      diagnosis in patients with stigmata of NF type II.

PMID- 1407975
TI  - Atypical presentation of fungal dacryocystitis. A report of two cases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Candida albicans has only rarely been implicated in nasolacrimal duct
      obstruction. Its association with dacryoliths is well known, but it is unclear
      whether it is an etiologic factor or is present as a result of the obstruction.
      FINDINGS: The authors report 2 cases of fungal dacryocystitis that were not
      associated with dacryolith formation and where Candida species appear to be the
      primary etiologic agent. CONCLUSION: The possibility of a fungal infection should
      be considered in the evaluation of "routine" chronic dacryocystitis, particularly
      in the presence of corneal ulceration or postoperative endophthalmitis, as prompt
      initiation of appropriate therapy may be crucial.

PMID- 1407976
TI  - Miniplate reconstruction of the lateral orbital rim after orbital decompression
      for Graves disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Removal of lateral orbital bone with or without simultaneous removal
      of the lateral orbital rim is an accepted method of orbital decompression for
      Graves disease. Once removed, the bone is no longer available for reconstruction
      and secondary complications such as rounding of the canthal angle, canthal
      dystopia, and globe dystopia may result. METHODS: The authors replaced the
      excised bone with a titanium miniplate to protect the globe and fixate the
      lateral canthal tendon in 18 patients (33 orbits). The orbital rim and lateral
      orbital wall were completely removed, and the inner aspect of the orbit was
      enlarged with a cutting burr. A standard titanium miniplate was then anchored to
      remaining bone, and soft tissue was secured to the miniplate to reconstruct the
      lateral canthus. RESULTS: The results, as manifest by appearance of the lateral
      canthus and position of the eyelid in apposition to the globe, were graded as
      excellent in all patients and orbits. There were no early or late complications.
      CONCLUSION: Miniplate reconstruction of the lateral orbital rim after
      decompression for Graves disease allows the beneficial affect of lateral
      decompression and preserves the functional aspect of the lateral orbital wall.

PMID- 1407977
TI  - Multidisciplinary approaches to complicated vascular lesions of the orbit.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hemodynamically active vascular lesions of the orbit are often
      clinically challenging to treat, both because of the complexity of the vascular
      anatomy and the delicacy of the cardinal structures that are involved and
      vulnerable to damage. Attempts to achieve complete embolization of such vascular
      lesions may result in damage to vital visual structures. Conversely, incomplete
      closure of the feeders or vascular shunts will usually result in recanalization
      and, therefore, recurrence of such lesions. METHODS: Surgical excision after
      selective optimal embolizations may convert dynamic lesions into static ones with
      controlled surgical risks and could provide a solution to these problems.
      Cyanoacrylic polymerization was used to embolize the lesions, which were then
      excised with careful microsurgical and microvascular techniques. RESULTS: The
      authors present four cases of different hemodynamically active orbital vascular
      lesions (a post-traumatic arteriovenous fistula, a complex venous anomaly, a
      cavernous hemangioma of bone, and an arteriovenous malformation), which were
      treated successfully with the combination of presurgical embolization and
      surgery. CONCLUSION: The authors believe that, from their experience with these
      cases, a multidisciplinary approach to complicated orbital vascular lesions is
      ideal and practical.

PMID- 1407978
TI  - Microanatomy of the orbital apex. Computed tomography and microcryoplaning of
      soft and hard tissue.
AB  - PURPOSE: The anatomy of the orbital apex is characterized by a complex interplay
      between critical bony and neural structures. Traditional methods used to study
      this region include dissection, static sections, and computed tomography (CT).
      Tomographic techniques are very useful in understanding these complex
      relationships, but the resolution of conventional CT and magnetic resonance
      imaging (MRI) is not sufficient to recognize the intricate details of the optic
      nerve canal and associated structures. The purpose of this study is to determine
      the value of microcryoplaning and computer reconstruction in visualizing the
      orbital apex in detail not previously possible, at any orientation in three
      dimensional space. METHODS: Microcryotomy of the orbital apex area was performed
      on cadaver specimens, and images of each cryosection were digitized.
      Subsequently, the lesser wing of sphenoid bone and optic nerve were outlined to
      allow for spatial manipulation and three-dimensional visualization of the orbital
      apex. RESULTS: The authors present reconstructed computer images of the orbital
      apex in coronal and axial planes with CT correlation. Clinically important
      anatomic points and landmarks as well as potential pitfalls are demonstrated.
      CONCLUSION: Microcryoplaning and computer reconstruction are useful techniques in
      viewing the detailed anatomy of the orbital apex. Although microcryoplaning has
      the limitation of poor soft tissue detail, the resolution of captured images is
      much greater than those obtained from CT or MRI scans; the improved resolution
      allows for accurate CT correlations. The technique has utility in education,
      surgical planning, and quantitative analysis of orbital apical anatomy.

PMID- 1407979
TI  - Color Doppler imaging of the ocular ischemic syndrome.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study describes hemodynamic characteristics of the ophthalmic,
      central retinal, and posterior ciliary arteries in 16 eyes of 11 patients with
      the ocular ischemic syndrome. Understanding the hemodynamic characteristics of
      the retrobulbar circulation may elucidate the natural history and pathophysiology
      of the ocular ischemic syndrome and perhaps form the basis for rational treatment
      of this condition. METHODS: Color Doppler imaging, a procedure that permits rapid
      noninvasive imaging of the ophthalmic, central retinal, and posterior ciliary
      arteries, was used to quantitate peak systolic blood flow velocities and vascular
      resistance (pulsatility index) within these vessels in study group eyes and in an
      age-matched control population. RESULTS: We demonstrated markedly reduced ocular
      ischemic syndrome central retinal and posterior ciliary artery peak systolic
      velocities compared with control group eyes. Central retinal and posterior
      ciliary artery vascular resistance (pulsatility index) was greater in ocular
      ischemic eyes versus control group eyes. Reversal of ophthalmic artery blood flow
      was detected in 12 of 16 ocular ischemic syndrome eyes. Study group eyes with
      poor vision had no detectable posterior ciliary arterial blood flow. CONCLUSION:
      Color Doppler imaging quantitates hemodynamic characteristics of the retrobulbar
      circulation in the ocular ischemic syndrome. There is markedly reduced peak
      systolic velocity and increased vascular resistance in ocular end arteries such
      as the central retinal and posterior ciliary arteries. Ophthalmic artery reversal
      of flow seems to represent collateral blood flow to lower resistance vascular
      beds. Posterior ciliary artery hypoperfusion may correlate with poor vision in
      the ocular ischemic syndrome.

PMID- 1407980
TI  - Acute promyelocytic infiltration of the optic nerve treated by oral trans
      retinoic acid.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oral trans-retinoic acid has recently been shown to be an effective
      treatment modality for acute promyelocytic leukemia. This type of drug differs
      from traditional tumoricidal agents by promoting differentiation of the
      malignant, immature cells. METHODS: The authors describe a patient with optic
      nerve infiltration by acute promyelocytic leukemia documented ophthalmoscopically
      and confirmed by standardized echography and magnetic resonance imaging. High
      resolution chromosome banding revealed the patient had a 15;17 chromosomal
      translocation known to be associated with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Treatment
      was instituted with oral all trans-retinoic acid without adjuvant radiotherapy or
      intrathecal chemotherapy. RESULTS: Results of serial bone marrow examination
      showed progressive differentiation of malignant cells with complete bone marrow
      remission. Results of serial ophthalmic examinations showed complete resolution
      of the leukemic optic nerve head infiltration. CONCLUSION: All trans-retinoic
      acid alone can be an effective treatment for optic nerve head infiltration in
      acute promyelocytic leukemia. This case suggests that radiation therapy may not
      be necessary in acute promyelocytic leukemia with optic nerve infiltration.

PMID- 1407982
TI  - Effect of brief exposure to mitomycin C on viability and proliferation of
      cultured human Tenon's capsule fibroblasts.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine why a single intraoperative
      dose of mitomycin C (MMC) appears to promote the success of glaucoma filtration
      surgery. METHODS: Human Tenon's capsule fibroblasts were exposed to MMC and 5
      fluorouracil (5-FU) in vitro at the concentrations and durations of exposure used
      clinically. Cell proliferation was assessed by quantification of 3H-thymidine
      uptake. Cell viability was studied using a sulfarhodamine B cell protein stain
      and by trypan blue exclusion. RESULTS: Neither MMC (0.4 mg/ml) nor 5-FU (40
      mg/ml) were cytocidal. Both 1- and 5-minute exposures to MMC were
      antiproliferative. A 1-minute exposure to 0.4 mg/ml inhibited 3H-thymidine uptake
      by 77%. For the 5-minute exposure, 3H-thymidine uptake was inhibited by 50% at
      0.06 mg/ml and by 90% at 0.4 mg/ml. For 5-FU, 3H-thymidine uptake was inhibited
      by 50% at 10 mg/ml and by 64% at 40 mg/ml. CONCLUSIONS: Mitomycin C probably does
      not improve the success of filtration surgery by killing fibroblasts. The ability
      of a brief exposure to MMC to improve filtration surgery may be due to an almost
      complete inhibition of proliferation. Alternatively, it may be due to sustained
      tissue binding, effects on other components of wound healing, such as cell
      migration and extracellular matrix production, or effects on the vasculature. A 1
      minute exposure may be as effective as a 5-minute exposure.

PMID- 1407981
TI  - Intraocular pressure reduction in normal-tension glaucoma patients. The Normal
      Tension Glaucoma Study Group.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In a collaborative study, patients with untreated normal-tension
      glaucoma were randomly assigned to a marked intraocular pressure reduction group
      or to a no therapy group. It was anticipated that medical therapy and laser
      trabeculoplasty would generally not achieve adequate pressure lowering and that
      fistulizing surgery would be required. This hypothesis was examined using current
      observations in the study. METHODS: Patients randomized to the therapy group had
      a pressure reduction of at least 30% from their last prerandomization level. This
      was achieved within 6 months by means of fistulizing surgery or with pilocarpine
      and/or laser trabeculoplasty. Beta-blockers and adrenergic agonists were excluded
      from both eyes. RESULTS: Of 30 patients with documented stable 30% pressure
      reduction, 17 (57%) achieved this with topical medication and/or laser
      trabeculoplasty: 8 with pilocarpine alone, 2 with laser trabeculoplasty alone,
      and 7 with laser trabeculoplasty after initial topical medication. The remaining
      13 (43%) patients required a single fistulizing procedure. There was no
      statistically significant difference between the mean follow-up time for the
      nonfistulized group (533.8 +/- 437.6 days) and for the fistulized group (502.7 +/
      344.7 days). Both treatment groups had similar baseline profiles. CONCLUSION:
      Marked pressure reduction can be achieved and maintained on a long-term basis by
      means other than fistulizing surgery in a large proportion of patients with
      untreated normal-tension glaucoma.

PMID- 1407983
TI  - Temporomandibular joint diskectomy. No positive effect of temporary silicone
      implant in a 5-year follow-up.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term clinical and radiologic
      effects of a temporary silicone implant after diskectomy of the temporomandibular
      joint. Forty-three temporomandibular joints in 43 patients with painful disk
      displacement underwent a diskectomy. A sheet of medical-grade silicone was
      temporarily placed in 22 patients; 21 patients did not receive an implant. The
      patients were clinically and radiologically examined 5 years after surgery. On
      the basis of symptoms and jaw function, they were classified as having good (30
      patients), acceptable (8 patients), and bad (5 patients) results. All the
      patients with bad results and five of the eight patients with acceptable results
      had received implants. Erosive changes of the condyle or fossa were seen
      radiographically at follow-up in eight patients, each of whom had received an
      implant. No positive clinical or radiologic effects of the implants could be
      identified. The use of a temporary silicone implant after diskectomy of the
      temporomandibular joint in patients with internal derangement should be seriously
      questioned.

PMID- 1407984
TI  - HIV parotid gland lymphoepithelial cysts. Review and case reports.
AB  - Lymphoepithelial cysts of the parotid gland are frequently associated with
      cervical lymphadenopathy. These unique cysts have recently been recognized as
      another manifestation of HIV disease. Proliferation of lymphocytes and salivary
      gland tissue contained within intra-parotid lymph nodes is observed. The
      lymphoepithelial cyst is the end product. Ultrasound imaging serves as an
      excellent technique to demonstrate the existence of these cysts.

PMID- 1407985
TI  - Steroid acne after orthognathic surgery.
AB  - Steroid acne is a common unwanted effect in patients undergoing corticosteroid
      therapy. Eight women in a series of 1276 adult patients had acne after
      orthognathic surgery in which short-course parenteral corticosteroid therapy was
      used to reduce postoperative swelling. Steroid-induced acneiform eruption is
      different from acne vulgaris in that the former usually resolves on its own,
      without scar formation, after withdrawal of the drug.

PMID- 1407986
TI  - Idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia complicated by lingual nerve dysesthesia.
AB  - The treatment of facial pain disorders has become a multifaceted discipline that
      involves numerous scientific fields. Diagnostic and treatment modalities may be
      beneficial to the patient but at times may also complicate the problem and
      compromise the outcome. We present an interesting case of left trigeminal
      neuralgia complicated by unassociated lingual nerve dysesthesia.

PMID- 1407987
TI  - Failure of an endodontic implant. Complications of removal and treatment.
AB  - The principal goal in the development of endodontic implants is to improve the
      stability of periodontally and traumatically compromised teeth. When excessive
      forces exist and periodontal conditions are suboptimal, however, the system
      breaks down and ultimately fails. We report such a failure, a sequela of which
      contributed to subsequent fracture of the mandible. The patient's hospital course
      and complications of treatment are discussed.

PMID- 1407988
TI  - Salivary gland involvement in autoimmune thyroiditis, with special reference to
      the degree of association with Sjogren's syndrome.
AB  - From a total of 63 patients with autoimmune thyroiditis, 19 cases were further
      investigated to determine the degree of concomitant morphologic and functional
      salivary gland changes. For comparison, 21 of a total of 28 cases of primary
      Sjogren's syndrome were also examined. Of the 19 cases of autoimmune thyroiditis,
      11 showed various degrees of salivary gland involvement on the basis of an
      analysis of lower lip salivary gland biopsy specimens, scintigraphy of the
      parotid, and unstimulated whole sialometry. Six of these cases fulfilled the
      criteria of primary Sjogren's syndrome. A remarkably high proportion of dark
      staining acini was observed in the lower lip biopsy specimens of our patients
      with thyroiditis (8 of 19, 42%) and less among our patients with primary
      Sjogren's syndrome (5 of 21, 24%). We conclude that significant involvement of
      salivary glands may occur in cases of autoimmune thyroiditis, which indicates
      that common mechanisms may frequently be operative in the development of thyroid
      and salivary gland immune disease.

PMID- 1407989
TI  - Clinical response to levamisole in thirty-nine patients with erythema multiforme.
      An open prospective study.
AB  - Patients with erythema multiforme (EM) often have chronic or recurring oral
      lesions that cause intense pain and interfere with a variety of functions
      including eating and speech. Previous studies suggest that levamisole restores to
      normal the function of phagocytes and T lymphocytes, and activates the
      inflammatory response. In our previous double-blind study 8 of 13 patients with
      EM had a decrease in severity and frequency of attacks. The purpose of this open
      prospective study was to evaluate short-term and long-term clinical efficacy of
      levamisole in patients with mucocutaneous EM. Thirty-nine patients with
      mucocutaneous EM seen in the Oral Medicine Clinic, School of Dentistry,
      University of California-San Francisco, comprised our study group. Levamisole was
      used alone in 17 patients or in combination with prednisone in 22 patients and
      was given as a single dose of 150 mg/day for 3 consecutive days. Thirty-one
      patients showed a complete response from levamisole (alone in 13 and in
      combination with prednisone in 18). Four showed a partial response of signs and
      symptoms, and four others had no benefits from levamisole whether alone or in
      combination. The most common side effects from levamisole were skin rash,
      tiredness, weakness, myalgia, taste change, and insomnia.

PMID- 1407991
TI  - Dental and oral findings in patients with familial dysautonomia.
AB  - Familial dysautonomia is an inherited autosomal recessive disease found almost
      exclusively in Ashkenazi Jews. It is characterized by selective damage to the
      sensory, motor, and autonomic peripheral nervous system. The main clinical
      features include decreased pain sensation, impaired temperature and blood
      pressure regulation, lack of tearing, absent tendon reflexes, and fungiform
      papillae on the tongue. The purpose of this study was to explore in depth and to
      verify the oral and dental status in familial dysautonomia. Twenty-two patients
      and 44 match-paired healthy persons of Ashkenazi descent were examined. Patients
      and parents had only little concern for their oral condition. Caries prevalence
      was lower than normal and plaque accumulation increased in all patients. Dental
      trauma was found in 59% of the patients, and 32% showed orodental self
      mutilation. Dental age was within normal range, and dental arch measurements
      implied proportionally small jaws and little crowding. The low caries rate may be
      related to the known "hypersalivation" in familial dysautonomia and/or a possible
      change in the salivary composition and content, caused by chronic autonomic
      denervation.

PMID- 1407990
TI  - Jaw and other orofacial pain in patients receiving vincristine for the treatment
      of cancer.
AB  - This prospective cohort study investigated orofacial pain occurring as a
      manifestation of vincristine neurotoxicity. Forty cancer patients (28 to 63 years
      of age) receiving vincristine were given baseline interviews and orofacial
      examinations, which were repeated weekly for 7 weeks of treatment. Twenty-two
      patients (55%) had neurotoxicity manifesting as orofacial pain. Onset was usually
      3 days after vincristine administration; mean duration was 2 days. Twenty
      patients (50%) were affected in the first week: nine (22%) with severe and five
      (12%) with moderate pain. Symptoms were mild and infrequent in subsequent weeks.
      Eighteen control patients receiving chemotherapy without vincristine had no
      comparable orofacial symptoms. Multiple sites in the distribution of the
      trigeminal and glossopharyngeal nerves were affected: primarily the
      temporomandibular joint, mandible, throat, ears, and mandibular teeth. The
      frequency of orofacial pain increased with younger age. Pain was significantly
      associated with smaller body surface area (p less than 0.05), indicating a dose
      related toxicity, and with sociodemographic variables including smoking (p less
      than 0.05).

PMID- 1407992
TI  - Chronic candidiasis, enamel hypoplasia, and pigmentary anomalies.
AB  - This report describes a young male patient who had enamel hypoplasia, persistent
      oral candidiasis, skin hyperpigmentation, and vitiligo, and was thus suspected of
      having candidiasis endocrinopathy syndrome. The clinical and laboratory
      investigations employed to confirm the diagnosis are detailed.

PMID- 1407993
TI  - Effects of pilocarpine on salivary flow in patients with Sjogren's syndrome.

PMID- 1407994
TI  - Epithelioid angiosarcoma of the maxilla. A case report and review of the
      literature.
AB  - Epithelioid angiosarcoma is a rare vascular tumor composed of a proliferation of
      cytologically malignant epithelioid endothelial cells. These tumors are fully
      malignant and can pursue a rapidly progressive course. A case of primary
      epithelioid angiosarcoma of the maxilla is presented. Also discussed is a review
      of the literature with emphasis on the concept of epithelioid endothelial cell
      tumors.

PMID- 1407995
TI  - Natural history of HIV-associated salivary gland disease.
AB  - To describe the natural history of HIV-associated salivary gland disease, which
      is characterized by enlarged major salivary glands and/or xerostomia in HIV
      infected persons, we assessed 22 patients at an initial and follow-up
      examinations (median span of examinations, 15 months). Sixteen patients (73%) had
      bilateral parotid gland enlargement, 17 had symptoms of dry mouth, and 11 had
      both conditions. Parotid gland enlargement remained unchanged in 10 patients, it
      progressed in 2, and it regressed in 4 during treatment with zidovudine or
      steroids. Those patients with parotid gland enlargement had a significantly lower
      mean stimulated parotid flow rate (0.27 ml/min/per gland) than a control group of
      HIV+ persons without salivary gland disease (0.48 ml/min/per gland) (p less than
      0.05), whereas the mean unstimulated whole salivary flow rates did not did not
      differ significantly between the two groups. The mean salivary flow rate of the
      study group did not change during the observation period. When HIV-associated
      salivary gland disease was diagnosed, 5 patients (23%) had AIDS, and at follow-up
      10 (46%) had AIDS. Seven of these had Kaposi's sarcoma. The mean peripheral blood
      CD4 cell count was 280 and 225 per mm3 at the initial and follow-up examinations,
      respectively. The corresponding CD8 counts were 1138 and 900. The pathogenesis of
      HIV-associated salivary gland disease may include hyperplasia of intra-parotid
      lymphoid tissue. Because HIV-associated salivary gland disease can clinically
      resemble Sjogren's syndrome, the differential diagnosis of bilateral parotid
      enlargement should include HIV infection.

PMID- 1407996
TI  - A non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the buccal mucosa. A case report.
AB  - Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are tumors of the immune system that uncommonly evolve as
      primary lesions of the oral cavity. A case of a primary lymphoma in the right
      cheek that had invaded the surrounding tissues is presented.

PMID- 1407997
TI  - B-cell lymphoma presenting as a midfacial necrotizing lesion.
AB  - A case of midfacial necrotizing lesion (midline nonhealing granuloma) is
      reported. Paraffin- and frozen-section immunocytochemistry suggested a tumor of B
      cell lineage and was confirmed by Southern blot analysis that disclosed an
      immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement with no evidence of T-cell receptor
      genetic aberration. The tumor was of B-cell lineage despite the tumor site and
      the angiocentric pattern, which are typically seen with peripheral T cell
      lymphoma with this presentation.

PMID- 1407998
TI  - More about neuralgia-inducing cavitational osteonecrosis (NICO)

PMID- 1407999
TI  - Vascular changes in the dental pulp in the hypercholesterolemic miniature swine.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hypercholesterolemia and a
      cholesterol-lowering diet on the blood vessels of dental pulp. Eighteen miniature
      swine were assigned to three different groups on the basis of their diets: hog
      finisher; hog finisher with added fat and cholesterol, or hog finisher with added
      fat and cholesterol supplemented with grapefruit pectin. The cholesterol levels
      were monitored monthly for the duration of the experiment. Biopsy specimens of
      the aorta, coronary arteries, kidneys, and mandibular incisor teeth were prepared
      for histologic examination. The degree of narrowing of the central pulpal
      arterioles was measured with a Bioquant II digitizer attached to an Apple IIe
      computer and a Nikon Labophot light microscope. A few (9.8%) of the pulpal
      arterioles of the swine on a high-cholesterol diet had atheromatous plaques, but
      no complete vascular obstructions were observed. No degenerative changes were
      observed in any of the dental pulps examined.

PMID- 1408000
TI  - Bone and root resorption. Effects of the force developed during periodontal
      ligament injections in dogs.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine the role of the pressure generated
      during the intraligamentary injection technique on the occurrence of root and
      bone resorptions in dogs. Five beagles were used in the study, and interventions
      were scheduled to provide observation periods at 7, 25, and 45 days. One hundred
      five sites on the dogs were divided into three groups: (1) those subjected to
      needle penetration; (2) those subjected to saline solution injection; and (3) the
      control sites. Injections were made with a specially designed syringe equipped
      with a miniaturized force transducer. The dogs were then killed, and block
      sections of the sites were made and treated in accord with standard histologic
      procedures. The mean number of osteoclasts and odontoclasts was calculated for
      each group, and the mean value of bone and tooth resorption angle was measured.
      Data were then analyzed statistically. Results showed that, at 7 days, needle
      penetration and saline solution injection caused osteoclastic activity and bone
      resorption; the number of osteoclasts and the extent bone resorption were greater
      in the group that received the injection of saline solution. No difference was
      found for the odontoclastic activity and tooth resorption. A correlation was
      found between the force developed during injection, the mean number of
      osteoclasts, and the mean angle of bone and tooth resorption. At 25 and 45 days,
      healing had occurred. These findings suggest that fluid pressure within the
      periodontal ligament is sufficient to initiate osteoclastic, reversible bone
      resorption.

PMID- 1408001
TI  - The significance of idiopathic osteosclerosis found in panoramic radiographs of
      sporadic colorectal neoplasia patients and their relatives.
AB  - Osteosclerotic lesions in the mandible are reported with increased frequency in
      patients with colorectal neoplasia. Panoramic radiography has been suggested to
      detect high-risk patients among relatives of patients with hereditary adenomatous
      disease and sporadic colorectal cancer. The present study was undertaken to
      compare the incidence of idiopathic osteosclerotic lesions in patients with
      sporadic colorectal cancer and their first-degree relatives with the incidence in
      the general population and to determine whether panoramic radiographs are a
      reliable method to screen for early detection of risk of colorectal cancer. A
      total of 283 patients were interviewed and radiographically examined. Idiopathic
      osteosclerosis appeared in significantly increased incidence only in patients
      with colorectal cancer or adenomas and a first-degree relative with CRC (chi 2 =
      7.214; p less than 0.01, and chi 2 = 4.1827; p less than 0.05 respectively). The
      incidence was not increased in first-degree relatives of patients with colorectal
      cancer or adenoma. Therefore panoramic radiographs cannot be the only screening
      tool for early detection of patients at high risk of colorectal cancer.

PMID- 1408002
TI  - Carcinoma arising in a dentinogenic ghost cell tumor.
AB  - A 13-year-old black girl was referred for evaluation of a nonhealing extraction
      site of 2 years' duration. Radiographs revealed a large, irregularly shaped,
      mixed radiolucent/radiopaque lesion that occupied almost the entire left area of
      the maxilla and crossed the midline. Microscopic examination revealed irregular
      dentinoid material with odontogenic epithelium that exhibited ghost cell
      keratinization and anaplastic changes. The patient underwent a hemimaxillectomy,
      and 7 years after surgery she appears to be free of disease.

PMID- 1408003
TI  - Evaluation of radiopaque denture liner.
AB  - Radiopacity is needed in polymeric biomaterials to facilitate noninvasive
      detection. Permanent denture liner material with barium sulfate filler is nearly
      as radiopaque as aluminum and would be useful in radiographic identification. If
      1 mm to 3 mm thicknesses are used, it should be easily observable
      radiographically.

PMID- 1408004
TI  - Unusual cause of mandible fracture.

PMID- 1408005
TI  - Multiple supplemental premolars.

PMID- 1408006
TI  - Arrested tooth development after therapeutic radiation.

PMID- 1408007
TI  - Evaluation of prognosis and survival of the HIV-infected patient.
AB  - HIV disease, once considered an acute disease with a 100% mortality rate but a
      very short symptomatic stage, has begun to emerge as a preventable, treatable,
      chronic disease. Interactions between patients, dentists, and physicians are
      essential to gain the information necessary to provide appropriate dental care
      for both short-term and long-term survivors. The prognosis and survival time of
      the dental patient may influence treatment protocols and necessitate modified
      dental procedures. Certain clinical and laboratory parameters, which may be
      useful indicators of disease progression, need to be recognized by the dental
      clinician. These parameters include systemic signs, symptoms, and serologic data
      as well as intraoral manifestations associated with HIV disease. Although a
      perfect classification system for progression of HIV disease does not exist,
      trends among larger cohorts may enable health care providers to estimate the
      prognosis and survival of HIV-infected patients on an individual basis. This
      article presents clinical and laboratory parameters that indicate HIV disease
      progression. Providers who care for HIV-infected patients need to consider these
      parameters to establish an appropriate and flexible treatment plan based on
      changes in the patient's medical status.

PMID- 1408008
TI  - Computer-aided analysis of intraoral ulcerative lesions.
AB  - At the present time there is no objective method to evaluate oral ulcerative
      lesions for degree of inflammation, surface area, or other parameters of healing.
      The capability of infrared photography to uniquely image the inflammatory process
      associated with oral lesions and the use of image-processing technology for
      parameter analysis was investigated. Lesions were compared cross-sectionally and
      over time for area of tissue degeneration, active inflammation, and intensity of
      inflammation with respect to adjacent tissue. Eight subjects were available for
      study. Standard black and white, color, and black and white infrared photographs
      were taken in accord with study protocols. A reflectance standard was included in
      each photograph to normalize the background intensity. A video camera was used to
      enter the data into a microcomputer image processing system. Quantitative data
      obtained included area of ulceration and erythematous halo, inflammatory
      intensity changes over time, and intensity with respect to adjacent tissue. This
      computer-aided photographic technique was able to quantify healing progression
      and intensity parameters associated with intraoral inflammatory lesions.

PMID- 1408009
TI  - Survey of the medical history questionnaire.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to examine and to compare the type of information
      requested on representative health history questionnaires commonly used by the
      dental profession. Samples of medical history questionnaires were obtained from
      American and Canadian dental schools, commercial vendors, and the American Dental
      Association. Results indicated that more than 140 questions have been included on
      questionnaires and more than 92% of these appeared in some type of yes-or-no
      format. The number of questions per form ranged from 32 to 88, with an average of
      58 items. Although there was wide variation in the range of information
      requested, the 25 most frequently asked questions occurred in 70% of the forms.
      The majority of questions focused on noninfectious disease conditions that affect
      the cardiovascular system and major organ functions, allergies, and blood
      disorders; infectious diseases such as hepatitis, tuberculosis, mumps, and
      venereal disease; and health care status and special treatment considerations.

PMID- 1408010
TI  - Squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract in patients 40 years of
      age and younger.
AB  - Oral squamous cell carcinoma in patients 40 years of age and younger has been
      noted to be infrequent. The incidence is not as noticeable because the majority
      of oral cancers are diagnosed during the later decades of life. This study was
      undertaken to evaluate the incidence, site predilection, etiologic factors, and
      modes of treatment and to compare these results with available data on this
      topic. Of 1387 cases of oral and pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed
      from 1968 to 1989 at University Hospital and affiliated institutions, 28 occurred
      in patients under 40 years of age. When these lesions were staged according to
      the American Joint Committee for Cancer Staging, we found 6 stage I lesions, 3
      stage II, 2 stage III, and 11 stage IV. Six lesions could not be staged from
      information available in the patient records. Present data corroborate the
      national average of 1% to 3% of cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma found
      within the 40 and under age group.

PMID- 1408011
TI  - Multicenter evaluation of temporomandibular joint Proplast-Teflon disk implant.
AB  - Seven oral and maxillofacial surgeons from all U.S. American Association of Oral
      and Maxillofacial Surgeons districts participated in a retrospective study of
      Proplast II Teflon interpositional implants that were placed after meniscectomy
      in 680 TMJs (465 patients) and followed from 6 to 76 months. At longest follow-up
      a relatively high number (85.9%) 584 of 680 implants were in place with an
      average weighted follow-up of nearly 32 months. Of these 584 joints, a very high
      number, 540, (92.4%) were asymptomatic, however, 224 asymptomatic and 25
      symptomatic joints with the implants in place exhibited some degree of condyle
      resorption that included 45 with malocclusion. In the worst case scenario, if
      condylar resorption is indicative of a worn Proplast II Teflon interpositional
      implant, then 364 (54%) of the 680 implants may fail. Failure rates per year
      range from Vitek's reported 3% to an average 18% clinician report in the
      literature. Higher rates are reported by individual clinicians, and our recent in
      vitro wear tests of Proplast II Teflon interpositional implants suggest an in
      vivo service life of only 3 years. Because no one has reported follow-up beyond 5
      years, the long term performance and survival of any of these implants is
      doubtful. Asymptomatic patients should be evaluated yearly with tomography, CT,
      or MRI. Symptomatic patients should be evaluated every 4 to 6 months. Implant
      removal should be recommended if occlusal changes or condyle/fossa articular bone
      changes are active past the time of expected remodeling from surgery. This report
      summarizes the success/failure incidence from the literature and makes
      recommendations on follow-up, removal, and repair surgery.

PMID- 1408012
TI  - Cerebrospinal fluid leak associated with proplast implant removal from the
      temporomandibular joint.
AB  - Severe bone erosion within the temporomandibular joint reconstructed with
      polytetrafluoroethylene implants is a well-recognized phenomenon. Although
      erosion into the middle cranial fossa has been reported, we know of no report of
      dural disruption with cerebrospinal fluid leakage. We report a case of
      cerebrospinal fluid leak noted at the time of PTFE implant removal and its
      subsequent management. Perforation of the contralateral glenoid fossa and its
      reconstruction is also reported.

PMID- 1408013
TI  - Healing after dental extractions in men with HIV infection.
AB  - To determine the incidence of delayed healing after dental extractions in men
      with HIV infection, a retrospective audit was conducted of all extractions
      performed in a dedicated dental clinic over a 26-month period. The incidence of
      delayed healing in patients with HIV was compared with the incidence in those
      patients without HIV. Eighty men with HIV had 163 teeth extracted, which resulted
      in five dry sockets (3.01%). Thirty-six men thought not to have HIV had 70
      extractions and three dry sockets (4.28%). All three dry sockets in the control
      group occurred in men who had tested negative for HIV antibodies in the year
      before their extraction. There were no other incidents of delayed healing. These
      findings contrast with other reports since they reveal no increase in delayed
      healing after extractions in men with HIV and do not support recommendations that
      prophylactic antimicrobials are required for extractions in this group of
      patients.

PMID- 1408014
TI  - Effect of extraction of partly erupted third molars on subgingival
      microorganisms.
AB  - This study was made to investigate the effect of extraction of third molars on
      subgingival microbes in 39 generally and gingivally healthy men with an average
      age of 20.2 years (SD 0.9). Microbial samples were taken from the pericoronal
      space of symptom-free partly erupted lower third molars and from the adjacent
      gingival pockets of the second molars. The samples were cultivated anaerobically.
      All partly erupted third molars were extracted from 20 subjects. A control group
      of 19 subjects was left untreated. Microbe sampling was repeated 2 and 5 months
      postoperatively with highly significant results. It was shown that at baseline
      the number of black-pigmented gram-negative bacteria and Fusobacterium species
      was more frequent in third molar than in second molar sites. The total bacterial
      count decreased significantly at the second molar sites after extraction of the
      third molars when compared with the control group. Before the extractions, black
      pigmented gram-negative bacteria were detected in 45% of the test subjects and
      Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in 20%. The respective postoperative figures
      were 30% for black-pigmented gram-negative bacteria and 10% for Actinobacillus
      actinomycetemcomitans. Capnocytophaga species were not affected by the
      extractions. The findings suggest that erupting third molars may harbor harmful
      bacteria that can be reduced by eradicating the foci.

PMID- 1408015
TI  - Temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome: a close association with systemic
      joint laxity (the hypermobile joint syndrome)

PMID- 1408016
TI  - Pre-operative laboratory assessment of hemostasis for orthognathic surgery.

PMID- 1408017
TI  - Drugs used in the management of trigeminal neuralgia.
AB  - Management of trigeminal neuralgia, a severe facial pain, remains difficult. All
      patients are initially treated with drugs. Since the seventeenth century more
      than 40 different preparations have been used; some of these, although effective,
      had toxic side effects. The most useful drugs at present are carbamazepine,
      phenytoin, baclofen, and clonazepam. A new drug, oxcarbazepine, is showing
      therapeutic promise. The most common reason for therapeutic failure with
      antineuralgic drugs is inadequate dosage. We review here the pharmacokinetics,
      side effects, possible drug interactions, plasma and serum therapeutic
      concentrations, and the available formulations of each drug. On the basis of
      these considerations and clinical reports describing the use of these drugs, we
      make dosage recommendations to enable the practitioner to individualize
      therapeutic regimens.

PMID- 1408018
TI  - Immunodiagnosis in oral candidiasis. A review.
AB  - Detection of anti-Candida antibodies in sera and saliva of patients with oral
      candidiasis has been regarded as a valuable laboratory technique in the diagnosis
      of the lesion. However, despite considerable research, the value of candidal
      immunodiagnosis remains controversial. Conflicting conclusions about the
      sensitivities and specificities of these techniques as applied to human sera and
      saliva have appeared. These controversies have arisen because of the use of
      different antigen preparations and immunologic techniques. For the present, the
      use of purified cytoplasmic protein antigen of Candida albicans and the ELISA
      technique seems to be the most reliable laboratory method.

PMID- 1408019
TI  - Close association of HLA-B51 in persons with recurrent aphthous stomatitis.
AB  - The HLA typing profile of 26 Israeli subjects with recurrent aphthous stomatitis
      (RAS) was examined and compared with that of 100 healthy control subjects. HLA
      B51 was found in six subjects (23%) with RAS and in nine control subjects (9%) (p
      < 0.05). HLA-Cw7 was found in six subjects with RAS (23%) and in five control
      subjects (5%) (p < 0.01). Eleven subjects had first-degree relatives who had RAS.
      Because a high frequency of HLA-B51 has been found in Behcet's syndrome and
      aphthous stomatitis is part of this syndrome, it is suggested that in some
      subjects with RAS the entire syndrome may actually develop in the future.

PMID- 1408021
TI  - Smokeless tobacco use prevents aphthous stomatitis.
AB  - Aphthous stomatitis is a common, recurrent, painful ulcerative condition of the
      oral mucosa. Cigarette smoking has been reported to protect against aphthous
      ulcers. To determine whether smokeless tobacco use also protects against aphthous
      ulcers, we examined the oral mucosa in 1456 professional baseball players, about
      half of whom were smokeless tobacco (ST) users. After controlling for the
      confounding effects of age, race, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and
      dental hygiene practices, ST use was found to significantly reduce the risk of
      aphthous ulcers among these healthy young men (odds ratio = 0.4; p = 0.04). It
      has been suggested that cigarette smoking prevents aphthous ulcers by causing
      increased keratinization of the oral mucosa, and ST may protect by the same
      mechanism. Alternatively, a component of tobacco that is systemically absorbed
      might be responsible for protecting against aphthous ulcers. If the mechanism
      that protects ST users against aphthous ulcers is systemic, then nicotine is the
      likely protective factor.

PMID- 1408020
TI  - Gram-negative enteric bacteria in the oral cavity of leukemia patients.
AB  - We examined changes in the bacterial flora in hospitalized patients with
      leukemia. This study placed special emphasis on enteric microorganisms and their
      relation to the general status of the patient. One hundred thirty bacterial
      cultures from 16 leukemia patients and 16 control subjects, were obtained. The
      organisms were isolated on MacConkey agar and identified by the API-20E system.
      Enteric microorganisms were isolated from 62.2% of the leukemia patients as
      compared with 28% from the control group (p < 0.001). The enteric positive
      cultures were identified as Klebsiella (42.7%), Enterobacter (18.8%), and
      Pseudomonas (15.6%). In contrast to the negative cultures (1342), enteric
      microorganisms were cultured from 2948 specimens (p < 0.005).

PMID- 1408022
TI  - Invasive maxillary aspergillosis after dental extraction. Case report and review
      of the literature.
AB  - Paranasal sinus aspergillosis has usually been considered a rare disease, but it
      is seen more frequently in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent persons.
      Invasion may reach the sinuses via the nose or from the mouth after dental
      procedures. Even though the infection is usually limited to one or more sinuses,
      it may in certain cases extend to vascular or intracranial structures with a
      fatal outcome. In these cases, aggressive treatment is justified. We report a
      case of maxillary sinus aspergillosis that developed after dental extraction.
      Attention should be given to this possibility even after an apparently
      uncomplicated dental extraction.

PMID- 1408023
TI  - Immunohistochemical detection of ras 21 in oral squamous cell carcinomas.
AB  - The expression of the ras p21 in oral squamous cell carcinoma was examined
      immunohistochemically with the use of a monoclonal antibody NCC-RAS-001 with the
      avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method. The expression of ras p21 product was
      detected in 65.7% (44 of 67 cases) of cancer patients. On the basis of the degree
      of histologic differentiation of the cancer cells, the incidence of ras p21 was
      found to be as follows: 63.4% (26 of 41 cases) were well differentiated; 86.7%
      (13 of 15 cases) were moderately differentiated; and 45.5% (5 of 11 cases) were
      poorly differentiated. The highest incidence was found in patients in their
      sixties--80.0% (16 of 20 cases). The incidence decreased to 40% in patients over
      80 years of age. The incidence of ras p21 on the basis of location was as
      follows: 81.8% (9 of 11 cases) involved the buccal region, 70.6% (12 of 17 cases)
      were in the gingiva, and 55.0% (11 of 20 cases) were in the tongue.

PMID- 1408024
TI  - Evaluation of the carcinogenic potential of toluidine blue O in the hamster cheek
      pouch.
AB  - Toluidine blue O has been shown to have clastogenic and mutagenic effects when
      tested in vitro, suggesting that it may be a carcinogen. Because this might
      compromise its use for cancer screening, the carcinogenic potential of this dye
      was investigated in the hamster cheek pouch, an established in vivo
      carcinogenesis model. Male hamsters were divided into seven groups at age 5
      weeks. The right pouches of four groups were painted three times weekly with 2%
      toluidine blue or the vehicle for toluidine blue, in conjunction with submaximal
      applications of 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene (DMBA) (groups II and III, 0.5%
      twice weekly), and groups IV and V, 0.1% three times weekly). The right pouches
      of two groups received DMBA only (group I, 0.5% three times weekly, the standard
      maximal amount, and group VI, 0.1% three times weekly). Group VII received
      toluidine blue (right pouches) and toluidine blue vehicle (left pouches) three
      times weekly. The extent of carcinomas and other abnormalities (scored
      histologically) did not differ among groups receiving the same amount of DMBA
      with and without toluidine blue or vehicle, and no abnormalities were seen in the
      pouches from group VII. These results demonstrate no effect of toluidine blue as
      a carcinogen, cocarcinogen, or promoter.

PMID- 1408025
TI  - Silver-binding nucleolar organizer region proteins as a possible prognostic
      indicator in oral submucous fibrosis.
AB  - Silver-binding nucleolar organizer region proteins (AgNORs) were counted in
      sections from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of oral submucous
      fibrosis (OSMF) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Moderately advanced and
      advanced cases OSMF, and well-differentiated and poorly differentiated cases of
      SCC, were studied with respect to the relation between AgNOR counts and
      histologic grading. Normal oral mucosa collected from age- and sex-matched
      subjects constituted the control group. The pooled mean (+/- SD) AgNOR counts
      were as follows: normal mucosa, 2.50 +/- 0.52 (n = 5); moderately advanced OSMF,
      5.24 +/- 1.23 (n = 10); advanced OSMF, 7.26 +/- 1.12 (n = 10); well
      differentiated SCC, 8.29 +/- 1.47 (n = 5); and poorly differentiated SCC, 9.49 +/
      0.74 (n = 5). The pooled mean AgNOR counts in advanced OSMF were higher than in
      moderately advanced cases (t = 3.84; p < 0.005) and those in poorly
      differentiated SCC were higher than those of well-differentiated SCC, although
      the comparison was not significant in the latter (t = 1.63, p > 0.10). AgNOR
      counts could hold promise for predicting the biologic behavior of OSMF because
      this study demonstrated a correlation with clinical and histologic grading.

PMID- 1408026
TI  - Simple bone cyst. A clinical and histopathologic study of fifteen cases.
AB  - Nineteen simple bone cysts found in 15 patients were studied by classifying them
      into younger and older age groups. The clinical, radiographic, and
      histopathologic features of 11 cysts in the younger group of 10 patients were
      consistent with those of previous reports. Among patients in the older age group,
      female predominance (80% vs 30%), involvement of the maxilla (25% vs 0%),
      multiple occurrence (60% vs 10%), simultaneous presence of radiopaque fibro
      osseous lesions or hypercementosis (63% vs 0%), and loss of lamina dura of
      related teeth (83% vs 14%) resulting in exposure of their roots on surgical
      intervention were the characteristic features.

PMID- 1408027
TI  - Effects of chronic Candida albicans in the hamster cheek pouch.
AB  - Sixty-four adult male hamsters had a suspension of either C. albicans (UO1) or C.
      albicans (ATCC 10261) placed in their cheek pouches once a week for up to 9
      months. Four hamsters from both experimental groups, along with two untreated
      control hamsters, were killed at monthly intervals after the initial inoculation.
      Sections taken from the hamsters and examined in the light microscope showed that
      all experimental pouches had some or all of the following localized changes:
      inflammation and increased vascularity of the connective tissue; epithelial
      inflammation and microabscesses; hyperkeratosis; and isolated rete ridges similar
      to those in control pouches. C. albicans, usually the yeast form, was present on
      the exposed surface and between hyperplastic keratin squames. There was no hyphal
      invasion of the epithelium. Rather than being a true long-term study of chronic
      infection by C. albicans, the changes seen were probably the result of
      repetitive, more short-term responses after multiple inoculations.

PMID- 1408028
TI  - Another look at root canal instrumentation.
AB  - Several aspects of root canal instrumentation need additional research. Various
      factors must be considered in an analysis of instrumentation of the root canal
      system: the dentin that is cut; the technique used to cut it; the design of the
      instruments; the material and manufacturing process used to make the instruments;
      the irrigant used during the procedure; and the anatomic configuration of the
      root canal system. An analysis of these factors clearly indicates that existing
      root canal instruments and techniques are less than ideal and, in fact, do not
      accomplish what is expected of them. Root canals must be properly, but, at the
      same time, destructive and unnecessary removal of dentin should be kept to a
      minimum. The Flex-R and Canal Master instruments were developed to address some
      of the shortcomings of existing instruments and techniques. More scientifically
      based research is needed to fully evaluate these new instruments and techniques
      and to develop future instruments.

PMID- 1408029
TI  - Dual wavelength spectrophotometry as a diagnostic test of the pulp chamber
      contents.
AB  - The purpose of this in vitro study was to determine the feasibility of using dual
      wavelength spectrophotometry to identify teeth with pulp chambers that are either
      empty, filled with fixed pulp tissue, or filled with oxygenated blood. In phase I
      of the experiment, a human third molar was prepared so that its pulp space could
      be filled with oxygenated blood and later emptied. In phase II, the lower jaw of
      a beagle dog was removed and placed in formalin, thereby fixing the pulps of the
      teeth. The pulp of the right canine was removed via an apical approach, and
      attachments were placed in a similar position to those on the human tooth, to
      allow filling and emptying of the pulp space. Cavit was placed over the exposed
      fixed pulp in the left canine. Ten readings, which were separated by light source
      and detector removal and replacement, were taken of the right canine pulp space
      when it was empty or filled with oxygenated blood, or the left canine pulp space
      when it was filled with fixed tissue. Distinct and reproducible changes were
      measured for pulp spaces filled with air, tissue, or oxygenated blood. In phase
      III, simulated pulp testing on a dog tooth model was performed. Blood was
      introduced into the root canal space, the chamber was rinsed with water and
      replaced with air, according to a predetermined code. Spectrophotometer readings
      were recorded. The identification of pulpal contents was correctly determined in
      all 20 of the predetermined conditions. The findings indicate that continuous
      wave spectrophotometry may become a useful pulp testing method.

PMID- 1408030
TI  - Magnetic resonance spectroscopy of inflammation associated with the
      temporomandibular joint.
AB  - Noninvasive early recognition and treatment of temporomandibular joint
      dysfunction remains a diagnostic challenge. This pilot study evaluated the use of
      phosphorus 31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy with magnetic resonance imaging to
      measure alterations in pH and high-energy phosphate metabolite ratios of muscle
      that is adjacent to an inflamed temporomandibular joint. Ten New Zealand white
      rabbits were used in this study. Two animals were used to develop signal
      acquisition protocols and to ensure that stable baseline data could be measured.
      In each of the eight animals used in the experiment, one temporomandibular joint
      was injected with a suspension of silica particles and the contralateral joint
      served as a control. Data were collected from control and experimental joints on
      days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28, after the injection. At the end of the study,
      temporomandibular joints were block resected and histologically examined to
      confirm the presence of an inflammatory response. Results indicated that pH and
      metabolite ratios could be obtained by 31P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
      Changes in pH and some metabolite ratios in experimental joints showed
      statistical significance (p < 0.001). Differences were seen on day 2 and day 7 (p
      = 0.040 and p = 0.008, respectively) in the phosphocreatine/alpha-adenosine
      triphosphate ratios. This contrasts with phosphocreatine/beta adenosine
      triphosphate ratios that showed significance that began at day 7 (p = 0.022) and
      continued to day 14 (p = 0.025). Histologic examination indicated that the tissue
      response within the joint capsule was less than the granulomatous reaction
      expected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408031
TI  - Image resolution in the midsagittal plane of the Orthopantomograph-10 using Lanex
      regular and T-Mat G screen-film combination.
AB  - Image resolution was measured in the midsagittal plane of the Orthopantomograph
      10 with the use of Lanex regular and T-Mat G screen-film combination. A thin
      platinum edge phantom was used to obtain images for calculation of the edge
      response functions. Subsequently, line spread functions and modulation transfer
      functions of the system were calculated. Noise equivalent passband values, which
      were expressed in line pairs per millimeter, were derived to describe the image
      resolution. The noise equivalent passband values derived in this study were
      generally smaller than those reported in a previous study. The width of the image
      layer was found to be uniform at different vertical levels.

PMID- 1408032
TI  - Antibiotic chain.

PMID- 1408033
TI  - Bilateral complete rotation of maxillary lateral incisors with dens invaginatus.

PMID- 1408034
TI  - Large caliber bullet stopped by pyriform rim.

PMID- 1408035
TI  - Submergence of a previously restored maxillary first molar associated with mesial
      tilting of an adjacent tooth.

PMID- 1408037
TI  - The patellofemoral joint.

PMID- 1408036
TI  - Historical perspectives of chondromalacia patellae.
AB  - Widespread misuse of the term chondromalacia has led to confusion regarding its
      true meaning. This term should not be used to diagnose patellofemoral pain, but
      to describe lesions of articular cartilage. Recent advances using
      stereophotogrammetry to evaluate the patellofemoral joint and its articular
      cartilage may lead to new insight into the etiology of these lesions.

PMID- 1408038
TI  - Imaging of the patellofemoral joint.
AB  - Abnormalities of the patellofemoral joint are one of the main problems in
      internal derangement of the knee. The role of different imaging modalities (plain
      radiographs, CT, CT/arthrograms, radionuclide scans, and MR imaging) is discussed
      in this article.

PMID- 1408039
TI  - Conservative care for patellofemoral pain.
AB  - Patellofemoral pain is the most common presenting complaint about the knee joint.
      The explanation for this pain is not entirely clear. The four schools of thought
      concerning the etiology are divided among explanations based on anatomy,
      biomechanics, and biochemistry. The treatment for the disease is compromised by
      the lack of a clear causative agent. Exercises, braces, activity modification,
      and some medications form the basic protocol for treatment. Until the etiology
      becomes clear, these approaches represent the only reasonable therapy.

PMID- 1408040
TI  - Rehabilitation of patellofemoral joint disorders.
AB  - Patellofemoral dysfunction may be one of the most common and troublesome maladies
      to affect a patient. The correct identification of the underlying causes is
      paramount. Once identified, an effective rehabilitation program should be
      implemented. The program should include stretching and strengthening as well as
      several other therapeutic modalities. The most successful rehabilitation program
      is designed to address the specific needs of the patient.

PMID- 1408041
TI  - Patellofemoral pain in the pediatric patient.
AB  - The pediatric extensor mechanism is subject to a variety of congenital,
      developmental, and traumatic disorders. Growth related factors modulate the
      development of patellofemoral pathomechanics. Injuries to periarticular soft
      tissues, apophyseal, epiphyseal, and articular cartilage are identified by
      meticulous history and physical examination. Diagnostic radiographs and MR
      imaging are invaluable adjuncts. Specific rehabilitative programs are very
      effective and lead to a high degree of clinical success.

PMID- 1408042
TI  - Arthroscopic evaluation and treatment of the patellofemoral joint.
AB  - Patellofemoral pain is a multifactorial problem. No single successful solution
      for problems related to the patellofemoral joint has been identified. One needs
      to consider the interaction of all of the factors affecting the extensor
      mechanism. Evaluation begins with a careful history, physical examination, and
      appropriate radiographic studies. Arthroscopy can provide additional information
      regarding the condition of the articular cartilage, patellar tracking, and the
      presence of other intra-articular lesions. Conservative treatment is the
      cornerstone of management and is effective in more than two-thirds of patients,
      making surgical treatment necessary in only a minority of instances. ALRR,
      although not an innocuous procedure, has an acceptably low complication rate and
      provides predictably good results when used in properly selected patients.

PMID- 1408043
TI  - Arthroscopic lateral release and the lateral patellar compression syndrome.
AB  - An isolated arthroscopic lateral release can provide dramatic relief of anterior
      knee pain in a select group of patients. We believe this procedure is indicated
      for patients with lateral patellar compression syndrome without significant
      chondrosis who have not responded to nonoperative treatment. During the
      procedure, care must be taken to perform a complete release and to achieve
      hemostasis. The postoperative rehabilitation emphasizes control of swelling,
      patellar mobilization, and quadriceps strengthening. We strongly agree with
      Schonholtz et al who report that the "lateral retinacular release is not a minor
      procedure and should not be performed simply because it may help and it can't
      hurt."

PMID- 1408044
TI  - The plica syndrome.
AB  - The plica syndrome is an uncommon pathologic entity diagnosed far too often in
      the setting of concomitant pathology. Medial patellar pain is more likely to be
      related to patellofemoral maltracking than to plica syndrome. Likewise,
      anteromedial joint line tenderness is more likely to be related to a meniscal
      tear than to a pathological plica. An accurate history and physical examination
      aided by appropriate ancillary tests to confirm the diagnosis are essential to
      avoid unnecessary surgical treatment. Conservative measures are very effective
      and must be emphasized before any operative procedure. When arthroscopy is
      indicated, a thorough examination of the entire knee joint is necessary. A plica
      may or may not be present. When a pathological plica is found, excision is
      rewarded with excellent results. Unfortunately, many normal plicae are removed
      simply because they are present and not because they are symptomatic or
      pathologic. This leads to persistent symptoms because of misdiagnosis, as well as
      possible complications secondary to the operation.

PMID- 1408045
TI  - Surgical treatment for patellar instability.
AB  - The initial therapy for patellofemoral pain remains conservative. Once this
      treatment plan fails and examination has clearly identified the cause of the
      patellofemoral dysfunction, surgical treatment is considered. No single procedure
      corrects all patellofemoral problems, and the patient's age, the causative
      factor, the condition of the articular surface, and the level of activity should
      be considered. Surgical options include lateral retinacular release, proximal
      realignment, distal realignment, and proximal and distal realignment.

PMID- 1408046
TI  - Distal realignment of the patellofemoral joint. Indications, effects, results,
      and recommendations.
AB  - Effective treatment of patellofemoral malalignment is possible with precise
      diagnosis. This precision must begin with a thorough history and physical
      examination. Both nonoperative and operative treatment are guided by the specific
      patterns identified. Distal realignment procedures including anteromedial tibial
      tubercle transfer necessitate meticulous surgical technique to achieve maximal
      benefit with a low rate of complications.

PMID- 1408047
TI  - The Maquet osteotomy.
AB  - First proposed in 1963, the Maquet osteotomy can be used successfully for the
      treatment of selected patients with patellofemoral pain. A strict patient
      selection process must be used to achieve optimal clinical results. The
      complication rate can be limited, but not eliminated, by the use of meticulous
      surgical technique. Further prospective clinical studies, employing both
      subjective and objective evaluation methods, should be performed to optimize the
      interpretation of the clinical results.

PMID- 1408048
TI  - Patellectomy.
AB  - We believe the patella should be preserved when possible and stress the
      significant use the patella has in normal knee function. Although alternative
      treatments can often be found, patellectomy may be indicated in selected patients
      to improve function and reduce pain.

PMID- 1408049
TI  - Patellar resurfacing for patellofemoral arthritis.
AB  - Knee pain referable to the patellofemoral articulation is common in the general
      population. It remains a troubling problem for the orthopedic surgeon.
      Frequently, initial therapy, involving activity modification, anti-inflammatory
      medications, and isometric quadriceps strengthening, is successful in relieving
      symptoms. Surgical intervention is normally reserved for those patients with pain
      that is resistant to these modalities. Unfortunately, none of the various
      surgical options has proved to be totally dependable, durable, or reproducible.
      The results of isolated patellar and patellofemoral resurfacing procedures have
      been guarded. Patellar resurfacing appears to be most beneficial in younger
      patients with severe anterior knee pain. These individuals should be clearly
      warned that there is a relatively high likelihood that they will require
      additional surgical treatment or patellectomy at a later date. Fortunately,
      patellar resurfacing does not preclude patellectomy from being easily performed.
      Patellofemoral resurfacing, however, involves more overall involvement of the
      knee joint. This makes patellectomy less likely to be a successful salvage
      procedure. Despite our observations that knees with primary patellofemoral
      arthritis do not do as well after total knee replacement as those with tibio
      femoral arthritis, this procedure remains the best treatment option. The
      durability and predictability of total knee arthroplasty are well documented. Its
      results far surpass those reported for isolated resurfacing procedures. With
      regard to patellar resurfacing as part of total knee arthroplasty, we recommend
      resurfacing all patellae. The literature, although not conclusive, lends support
      to this practice. Avoidance of metal-backed patellar components and special
      attention to technical details should decrease the complications associated with
      patellar resurfacing in future studies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408050
TI  - The patella in total knee arthroplasty.
AB  - Controversy persists as to whether the patella should be resurfaced in total knee
      arthroplasty. Can the good results of patellar cartilage against the metal
      femoral component be expected to endure? Attention to technique can be expected
      to reduce some of the complications of resurfacing, notably fracture, rupture,
      and instability. Component breakage results from metal-backed designs, and the
      causes of patellar clunks have not been fully understood.

PMID- 1408051
TI  - Disruptions of the extensor mechanism.
AB  - Extensor mechanism injuries represent a challenging problem for the orthopedic
      surgeon. Accurate diagnosis is essential because the best results are obtained
      with early diagnosis and treatment. Numerous techniques have been described for
      both early and late repairs. The choice of repair is dependent on the location of
      the tear, the time interval between injury and repair, and the degree of
      secondary contractures. Despite these difficulties, satisfactory results can be
      achieved.

PMID- 1408052
TI  - Complications of patellofemoral joint surgery.
AB  - The goal of patellofemoral surgery, as is true in any surgical procedure, is the
      maximum benefit with the least morbidity. It is imperative that the surgeon be
      aware of the potential complications of operating on the patellofemoral joint. It
      was with this goal in mind that this review was undertaken. Complications
      specific to surgical therapy for LPCS, malalignment, degenerative arthritis, and
      trauma were covered. Procedure-specific complications were discussed, as well as
      IPCS and reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Recommendations on how to avoid these
      complications were made. Specific treatment recommendations, where appropriate,
      were also put forth.

PMID- 1408053
TI  - [Management of congenital adrenal hyperplasia].
AB  - This review deals with the current problems in the management of classical 21
      hydroxylase deficiency from the fetal life to the puberty. The clinical
      consequences of 21-hydroxylase deficiency reflect the disordered physiology-
      impaired secretion of glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, and excessive
      secretion of androgens. Current therapy is intended to correct the disordered
      physiology by replacing mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid hormones, thereby
      reducing the ACTH-driven increase in adrenal androgen secretion. Treated patients
      should expect a normal life span and reproductive potential. This can be achieved
      by careful attention to regular measurements of clinical parameters and
      biochemical indices of control.

PMID- 1408054
TI  - [Doppler echocardiography in the evaluation of left ventricular diastolic
      function in hypertension].
AB  - Twenty-five hypertensive patients were examined using Doppler echocardiography to
      determine the diastolic function of the left ventricle. Twenty-two parameters
      were analysed and the diastolic indexes were compared with the results of a
      control group of ten healthy volunteers. Patients with hypertension showed
      significant left ventricular hypertrophy with increased left ventricular mass and
      dilated left atrium. Eighty-five percent of the hypertensive patients were found
      to have impaired diastolic function. The peak velocity of the early, and late
      diastolic phase and also the duration of acceleration and deceleration are
      considered to be necessary in the investigation of the diastolic function of left
      ventricle. All the other parameters can be determined using the above mentioned
      ones. The late diastolic transmitral flow, the atrial filling velocity, the time
      of deceleration and acceleration and also the time velocity integral increased
      significantly. However, the early diastolic filling fraction decreased
      significantly. The abnormalities in left ventricular diastolic function and also
      the atrial enlargement may be the early signs of hypertensive heart disease and
      therefore have a great importance in the therapy.

PMID- 1408055
TI  - [Diagnostic value of the determination of serum alpha2-HS-glycoprotein].
AB  - Opsonic glycoprotein, alpha 2-HS-glycoprotein concentration was studied in the
      serum of 753 patients with various hematological, malignant, immunological,
      metabolic, endocrine and liver diseases and 68 healthy controls. Decreased serum
      alpha 2-HS-glycoprotein levels were detected in patients with acute leukemias,
      chronic granulocyte and myelomonocyte leukemias, lymphomas, myelofibrosis,
      multiple myeloma, metastatizing solid tumors, systemic lupus erythematosus,
      rheumatoid arthritis, acute alcoholic hepatitis, fatty liver, chronic active
      hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, acute and chronic pancreatitis, and Crohn's disease.
      Elevated levels were measured in patients with B and NANB/C hepatitis. Further
      decreased levels were observed in some groups with secondary infections. Serum
      alpha 2-HS-glycoprotein levels are affected by many factors, influencing the
      synthesis and elimination of the protein. The detection of serum alpha 2-HS
      glycoprotein concentration has no specific diagnostic value as a marker for
      tumors or other diseases, however, its determination can be useful for the
      assessment of a non-specific regulator of the host defence.

PMID- 1408056
TI  - [Giant pigmented nevus associated with leptomeningeal melanocytosis].
AB  - A case of a thirteen-year old boy is reported with congenital pigmented nevi on
      the large part of the trunk and on the extremities. From his age of six
      generalised epileptiform convulsions were present. Owing to the suspicion of
      intracranial process he was examined with a negative result. He died of brain
      edema. On section cerebrospinal leptomeningeal melanocytosis was found beside the
      nevi. In addition to the clinical findings and treatment the morphological
      lesions are detailed too at macroscopic, microscopic and ultrastructural level
      discussing the possibility of the malignisation.

PMID- 1408057
TI  - [Acupuncture in primary care].

PMID- 1408058
TI  - [Changes in bone transplantation practices in Hungary].

PMID- 1408059
TI  - [Drugs registered in May 1992 (III)].

PMID- 1408060
TI  - [Possibilities of immunotherapy of human tumors].

PMID- 1408061
TI  - [5-year experience with BCG immunoprophylaxis in superficial bladder cancer].
AB  - Our 5-year experience with BCG in the tumor stage pTis, pTa and pT1, G I-II shows
      a lasting remission of 88.5% (73%) in 78 (26) patients treated with BCG
      preparation Pasteur (Connaught) after transurethral resection. A complete
      remission in patients with carcinoma in situ (12 patients) could be found in 92%.
      The local and systemic side-effects, which are of limited duration, are
      tolerable, well treatable and fully reversible.

PMID- 1408062
TI  - [Changes in the activity of natural killer cells in superficial bladder cancer
      during intravesical BCG therapy].
AB  - Alteration of natural killer (NK) activity from the peripherial blood was
      examined in the patients with superficial bladder cancer during two years between
      1989-1991. The natural killer cell activity in patients with superficial bladder
      cancer was significantly depressed that activity was found in normal controls (P
      less than 0.01). 23 patients received intravesical BCG immuntherapy and NK
      activity was detected in the same patients 72 times in different period during
      the therapy. The authors decided that the activity of NK cells alters in BCG
      therapy. Increase of NK cells activity in the most common way of this alteration
      but many different type of this change is possible. The lower dose BCG (120 mg)
      often induce augmentation of NK activity but high dose BCG (200 mg) more
      frequently caused depressed activity of NK cells. The authors didn't find direct
      connection between therapy effect and NK activity but they found significantly
      less NK activity (P less than 0.03) in the patients who are in relapse. According
      to their opinions the role of natural killer cells in the antitumor effect of BCG
      can not be excluded. They recommended more immunological investigations to clear
      up the anticancer effect of BCG immuntherapy.

PMID- 1408063
TI  - [Rhabdomyoma of unusual manifestation].
AB  - According to our knowledge in adult pericardial effusion has never been reported
      to be present in cases of cardiac rhabdomyoma. We present the history of an adult
      patient with pericardial effusion due to cardiac rhabdomyoma.

PMID- 1408064
TI  - [In memory of the Red Cross Professoral College of 1956].

PMID- 1408065
TI  - [Otorhinolaryngology in Hungary at the turn of the century].

PMID- 1408066
TI  - [Retrospection on health care].

PMID- 1408067
TI  - [Clinical aspects and management of a retroperitoneal abscess].
AB  - 14 patients with retroperitoneal abscess have been collected by the authors since
      June 1, 1988. The retroperitoneal abscess of multifactorial origin can be
      considered as a secondary disease. The physical clinical signs (e.g. psoas
      rigidity sign, palpable mass, costolumbal sensitivity) play central role in
      setting up of diagnosis, and these signs were present in more than 75% of the
      cases. The physical signs generally indicate advanced retroperitoneal abscess,
      and at the same time the contour of psoas muscle disappears and concavity of
      lumbal vertebras can be seen on plane abdominal X ray film. The exact diagnosis
      was achieved in mean 45 days after the on set of complaints, this fact urges,
      that the up-to-date imaging modalities (US, CT, NMR) should be applied earlier in
      septic conditions of unknown origin. Retroperitoneal surgical intervention was
      performed in their patients, in the future the percutaneous drainage procedure
      has to be considered as first intervention for retroperitoneal abscess.
      Retroperitoneal abscess secondary to malignant disease has unfavorable prognosis,
      2 out of 14 patients with retroperitoneal abscess died, both of them had
      underlying malignancy.

PMID- 1408068
TI  - [The role of ultrasound in the indication for surgery in acute scrotum].
AB  - Before the application of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of acute scrotum
      almost all cases were operated on, many unnecessarily. In the work presented
      here, we analyze surgical cases before and after the introduction of
      ultrasonography in our hospital. By the use of ultrasound, in the first year the
      number of operations and the number of non-justified operations were reduced to
      about the half and one fifth compared to corresponding data from earlier years.

PMID- 1408069
TI  - [Determination of the cerebrovascular reserve capacity by using acetazolamide as
      well as transcranial Doppler and SPECT tests].
AB  - The aim of this study was the development of a simple bedside test to assess
      cerebrovascular reserve capacity using transcranial Doppler sonography. We tried
      to validate the increase in blood flow velocity as cerebrovascular reserve
      capacity in 20 (3 normal, 7 TIA, 10 completed stroke) patients. They were studied
      using transcranial Doppler sonography and rCBF SPECT before and after injection
      of 1 g acetazolamide. Their increases in blood flow velocity and changes in
      cerebral blood flow correlated significantly in the symptomatic hemispheres (p
      less than 0.001). Blood flow velocity between the two hemispheres (symptomatic
      and asymptomatic) was not significantly different at rest. We offer these simple
      and reliable methods in clinical studies to clarify the frequency of ischemic
      stroke of hemodynamic origin.

PMID- 1408071
TI  - [Professional competence].

PMID- 1408070
TI  - [Percutaneous balloon-catheter dilatation of benign strictures of the bile
      ducts].
AB  - Two cases of patients with benign biliary strictures (one with anastomotic and
      another with iatrogen stenosis of the common bile duct) successfully treated by
      percutaneous transhepatic balloon dilatation are presented. The patients have
      been symptom-free for 24 and 14 months, respectively. The author deals with the
      indication of the procedure including all the benign stenoses where surgical
      reconstruction is not feasible. It is also emphasized that the balloon dilatation
      needs rather long-time manipulation during which both the patient and the
      personnel are exposed to significant amount of scattered radiation. One of the
      important factors in decreasing the need for manipulation is the availability of
      adequate devices (a series of high pressure balloon catheters).

PMID- 1408072
TI  - [Health care education].

PMID- 1408073
TI  - [Bipolarity of systemic dermatoses and its evolutional explanation].

PMID- 1408074
TI  - [Experience with rectal application of Klion in man].

PMID- 1408076
TI  - [Late results of intraoperative balloon dilatation in multilevel arterial
      diseases of the lower extremities].
AB  - Since 1981, 93 intraoperative balloon dilatation have been performed in 78
      patients suffering from occlusive arterial disease of the lower extremities. 42
      iliac dilations were performed on 34 patients, where 8 patients required
      dilatations at two sites, and 26 patients only at one site (common iliac artery:
      15, external iliac artery: 27). 44 patients received femoro-popliteal dilations
      of which 7 patients required dilations at two sites, and 37 patients only at one
      site for a total of 51 dilations. The follow-up period ranged from 1 to 60 months
      with an accumulated patency rate of 92% in iliac and 39.3% in femoro-popliteal
      segment at 5 years. Fourteen patients died by the fifth year after intervention.
      Most of these deaths were due to concurrent cardiac disease. By improving inflow
      or outflow and reducing operative stress in poor risk patients balloon
      angioplasty is a valuable adjunct to vascular reconstruction.

PMID- 1408075
TI  - [Correlations between radionuclide first passage, hemodynamic and respiratory
      function parameters in cor pulmonale patients].
AB  - 37 patients with chronic cor pulmonale have been investigated with radionuclide
      first passage, microcatheter-technique, respiratory function investigation,
      furthermore blood gas analysis. Significant positive correlation have been found
      between the pulmonary circulation time and the pulmonary artery pressure; between
      the pulmonary mean transit time and the pulmonary artery pressure; furthermore
      between the pulmonary stagnation index was calculated for the characterization of
      peripheral pulmonary stagnation and the pulmonary artery pressure. Significant
      negative correlation have been found between the pulmonary circulation time, the
      pulmonary mean transit time and the vital capacity, the FEV1, furthermore the O2
      saturation values. The authors establish, that on the base of the close
      correlations between the isotopic circulation parameters and the clinical data,
      the radionuclide first passage investigation is suitable for the demonstration of
      the current conditions of cardiopulmonary circulation.

PMID- 1408077
TI  - [Detection of delta F508 mutation in cystic fibrosis].
AB  - The common major mutation (delta F508) resulting in the removal of a
      phenylalanine residue of the cystic fibrosis gene product has been identified in
      patients with cystic fibrosis in several European countries. The frequency of
      this mutation was analyzed in 39 Hungarian patients with cystic fibrosis and in
      some of their relatives. In 43 out of the total 65 persons involved in the study
      (66.15%), and in 50% of cystic fibrosis chromosomes the delta F508 mutation could
      be detected. 56.4% of the patients were homozygous for the mutation. The
      frequency of the delta F508 mutation in these Hungarian patients resembles the
      values found in Middle Europe. Pulmonary and enteral symptoms were more severe in
      cystic fibrosis patients with delta F508 mutation. Although the number of
      patients is relatively low, missing or mild lung involvement characterized the
      cases with non-delta F508 mutation.

PMID- 1408078
TI  - [Simultaneous occurrence of persistent hematuria (thin basement membrane
      nephropathy) and light-chain proteinuria (benign monoclonal gammopathy) in a
      middle-aged male].
AB  - IgG lambda type of monoclonal gammopathy and thin basement membrane nephropathy
      were established in a middle-aged man examined because of persistent haematuria,
      lambda light-chain proteinuria and moderately diminished renal function. A 10%
      level of plasmocytosis was verified by bone-marrow aspiration. The more than 6
      year follow-up showed the gammopathy to be benign. The thin basement membrane
      nephropathy was verified by electronmicroscopic analysis of renal tissue obtained
      by percutaneous renal biopsy: lamina densa of the glomerular capillaries thinned
      to 30-100 nm. In spite of the usually good outcome of thin basement membrane
      nephropathy, in this case it was accompanied by glomerular sclerosis, subsequent
      destruction of nephrons, hypertensive vascular alterations and a clinical
      deterioration of the renal function after 4 years. A rebiopsy excluded the
      possible complications (amyloidosis, non-amyloid immunoglobulin nephropathy,
      cylinder nephropathy, etc) of light-chain proteinuria.

PMID- 1408079
TI  - [Drug research in man: a new challenge in bioethics].

PMID- 1408080
TI  - [In memoriam Sandor Lumniczer].

PMID- 1408081
TI  - [Thr first successful gastric resection for peptic ulcer].

PMID- 1408082
TI  - [Portrait of Prof. Penfield].

PMID- 1408084
TI  - [Experience with hydrogen (H2) breath test].
AB  - The authors applied regularly the hydrogen (H2) breath test during the medical
      investigations in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms. On the basis of the
      repeated examinations the hydrogen (H2) breath test is a sensitive, well
      repeatable method. After analysing of 108 examinations the authors have observed
      in 51.8% lactose intolerance, in 17.8% small intestinal bacterial overgrowth
      syndrome, in 46.4% motility disorders. The proportion of "low hydrogen producers"
      was 14.3%. Only 1/5 of patients with new diagnosed lactose intolerance had
      knowledge about the intolerance, and 10% was asymptomatic. In case of small
      intestinal bacterial overgrowth syndrome the repeated hydrogen (H2) test may
      indicate the effectivity of applied antibiotic therapy. The mean orocaecal
      transit time was 99 minutes and the normal range was 66-132 minutes, counted on
      the basis of mean +/- 2 SD. The authors suggest that the results support the
      important role of hydrogen (H2) breath test in the modern gastroenterological
      diagnostics.

PMID- 1408083
TI  - [Incidence of hepatitis B, C and D infection in chronic liver diseases].
AB  - The authors tested hepatitis B (HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HBc, IgM anti-HBc, HBe,
      anti-HBe), C (anti-HCV) and D (anti-HD, IgM anti-HD) virus markers in the sera of
      204 patients, who suffered from histologically confirmed chronic liver diseases
      (age: 18-72, average: 46.8 y) by Sorin Biomedica RIA and Abbott ELISA kits. On
      the basis of detailed virus serological tests, they obtained data indicating
      viral etiology in 62% of the cases. 33.3% of the patients were anti-HCV, 52.5% of
      the patients were HBV marker seropositive and 11.2% of the HBV seropositive cases
      were anti-HD seropositive. In 2% of the cases seropositivity of all the three
      viruses was proved. In 26% of the patients seropositivity of two viruses (HBV and
      HCV, or HBV and HDV) was proved. They observed severe, progressing liver diseases
      in patients with HBV, HCV and HDV marker seropositivity in a higher ratio than in
      seronegative patients. In the cases of combined virus marker seropositivity the
      incidence rate of chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis was higher than in only
      HBV marker seropositive patients, but did not differ significantly from those
      only anti-HCV seropositive. In the cases of fought-off HBV infection the severity
      of the liver disease was milder than in the cases of replication and integration
      stage. Anti-HD seropositivity occurred in all stages of HBV infection, but active
      HDV infection, in most of the cases, was observed only in cases in the
      integration stage. Anti-HCV seropositivity was observed mainly in the fought-off
      HBV infection stage. Their results suggest that HCV infection, like HDV
      infection, may suppress HBV replication.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408085
TI  - [The value of acetazolamide provocation combined with blood flow tests in the
      diagnosis of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases].
AB  - In 28 (3 normal, 11 TIA, 14 completed stroke) patients 99mTc-HMPAO rCBF SPECT
      studies were performed at rest and after acetazolamide administration. For the
      investigations, a one-day protocol (the stress study directly followed the rest
      investigation) was used. The reconstructed and normalized slices were evaluated
      visually and semiquantitatively with a side difference analysis method. In the
      group of TIA patients, the abnormal results of the rCBF investigations increased
      from 55% to 82% after acetazolamide provocation. The corresponding results in the
      completed stroke group were 80% and 87%. After acetazolamide stimulation,
      hypoperfusion appeared or become more pronounced in the majority of the TIA group
      patients in contrast with the completed stroke patients with an unchanged or
      decreased perfusion abnormality. The semiquantitative evaluation method was
      mostly effective in the TIA group, where predominantly a one-sided
      cerebrovascular disorder was suspected. It was concluded that the 99mTc-HMPAO
      studies allow demonstration of the acetazolamide-induced cerebral perfusion
      alterations, and this method can be useful in the diagnosis and management of
      cerebrovascular disorders.

PMID- 1408086
TI  - [Wernicke encephalopathy in childhood osteosarcoma].
AB  - Two children with osteosarcoma are presented in whom Wernicke encephalopathy with
      vomiting occurred during the chemotherapy. One of the children died with symptoms
      of toxic cardiomyopathy. Autopsy revealed Wernicke encephalopathy. The other
      child had similar symptoms (ocular signs, ataxia, somnolence). Parenteral
      thiamine had been given and after this therapy the child recovered from the
      encephalopathy. The authors emphasize the importance of the recognition of this
      neurological disorder occurring rarely in childhood: it can be cured with
      parenteral thiamine. Without thiamine treatment this condition is lethal.

PMID- 1408087
TI  - [Collective guilt and condemnation?].

PMID- 1408088
TI  - [The place of pancreas transplantation in therapy].
AB  - Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus is one of the most ravaging diseases of the
      civilised world mainly because of its secondary complications. Even the most
      careful exogenous insulin administration can neither maintain an entirely
      physiological glucose metabolism nor prevent the development of the late
      complications. Today pancreatic transplantation is the only therapy leading to
      total normalisation of glucose and lipid metabolism in type I diabetic patients.
      Beside the improvement of the life quality resulted by the independence of the
      insulin administration and of the dietary restrictions, secondary complications
      as nephropathy, retinopathy and neuropathy are positively influenced. Best
      results can be obtained with the simultaneous procedure, grafting kidney and
      pancreas from the same donor. In this case the grafted pancreas can also increase
      the patient survival rate and the kidney graft function rate comparing with the
      results of the kidney transplantation alone. In conclusion simultaneous
      pancreatic-kidney transplantation is clearly indicated for the treatment of type
      I diabetic patients with end-stage kidney disease.

PMID- 1408090
TI  - [Noninvasive imaging of the proximal coronary arteries by transesophageal
      echocardiography].
AB  - Authors give an account of their experiences about the visualization of the
      proximal coronary arteries on the basis of the transesophageal echocardiographic
      examination of 45 patients. According to their observations the left main
      coronary artery, the bifurcation, the left anterior descending artery and the
      circumflex coronary artery were well visualized in 40 patients. With the help of
      pulsed Doppler-echocardiography the Doppler flow velocity spectrum of the
      coronary flow can be detected, which could be analysed in 25 patients. At the
      same time the visualization of the right coronary artery is less sensitive,
      valuable images could be detected only in 12 patients. The technique of the TEE
      visualization of the proximal coronary arteries is described. TEE seems to be a
      promising approach to the morphologic evaluation of the proximal coronary
      arteries and for functional pathophysiologic examinations of coronary blood-flow.

PMID- 1408089
TI  - [Urinary incontinence in pregnancy and puerperium].
AB  - In a study of 421 patients questioned in immediate post-partum the author
      observed a urinary incontinence during pregnancy in 30.6% of the cases, this
      figure is comparable to those found in literature. The post-partum incontinence
      was not observed when forceps, vacuum extraction or caesarean section have been
      used. The urinary disorders observed during post-partum regresses spontaneously
      in 68% of the cases. However, one can ask the question on whether it is not
      reveal a light pelvic alteration which could cumulate at each delivery, so it
      would be necessary to use a pelvic training.

PMID- 1408091
TI  - [Examination of the orbit using a non-ophthalmologic ultrasound equipment].
AB  - Ophthalmic examinations were performed for determining the suitability of seven
      different types of non-ophthalmic ultrasound equipments for ophthalmological
      purposes. According to the results, the instruments with probes of 5 MHz or
      higher frequency are appropriate for certain screening ophthalmological purposes
      in hospitals where ophthalmic ultrasound instrument is still missing. The
      possible indications are: approximate estimation of axial eye length for
      intraocular lens calculation, and visualization of gross intraocular and orbital
      diseases, such as retinal detachment, tumours, foreign bodies etc. In case of
      pathological result or in case of axial eye length different from the average
      value, the high resolution ophthalmological ultrasound examination is mandatory.
      The modern colour-coded Doppler ultrasound equipments were found suitable for the
      examination of the circulation of the eye and orbit.

PMID- 1408092
TI  - [Idiopathic thrombocytopenia caused by varicella].
AB  - The authors deal with the case of a 6-year old girl in whom thrombocytopenia
      developed with haemorrhagic symptoms as a rare complication of varicella. They
      give a short review about the reasons and the etiology of idiopathic
      thrombocytopenic purpura, and deal with the mechanism of thrombocytopenia caused
      by varicella.

PMID- 1408093
TI  - [In memory of Tivadar Huzella].

PMID- 1408094
TI  - [From the history of the management of leg ulcer].

PMID- 1408095
TI  - [Addendum to the biography of Prof. Bossanyi].

PMID- 1408096
TI  - [Theoretical possibility of using gene therapy in malignant diseases].
AB  - The rapidly growing knowledge in molecular biology opened new methodological
      approaches, pharmacological targets, such as gene transfer or application of
      antisense oligomers. It is necessary to be familiar with the benefits and
      drawbacks of gene therapy to avoid the traps of unrealistic expectations and
      hopes, to solve moral and practical problems of gene manipulations and to find
      its proper values and rationals in the management of malignant tumors.

PMID- 1408097
TI  - [Late complications of pancreatic injuries following blunt abdominal trauma].
AB  - In connection with three successfully operated cases authors are treating the
      types of late pancreatic complications after blunt abdominal trauma. It is
      emphasized that the preoperative diagnosis is difficult. Many times weeks or
      months pass away after the trauma without any symptoms and only developed
      complication can be noticed first. The importance of the first provision and the
      need for a careful examination of the pancreas at operation is underlined. In the
      case of the less suspicion of pancreatic injury they suggest wide, adequate
      drainage. At last they call attention to the responsibility of the surgeon making
      the first operation.

PMID- 1408098
TI  - [The thinning of the glomerular basal membrane in IgA glomerulonephritis].
AB  - Ultrastructural changes of the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) in 34 patients
      with IgA nephritis and their possible correlation with the main clinical symptoms
      were examined. In 23 patients thinner than normal GBM segments were found with a
      mean thickness of 116-120 nm (measured by the method of Osawa). Often foot
      process fusion but neither disruption nor deposition of immune complexes was seen
      in the affected capillaries. All patients had hematuria, while those with thin
      GBM segments had more severe hematuria and more episodes of macrohematuria. Other
      clinical features were unrelated to ultrastructural changes. It is suggested that
      the thin GBM may be a predisposing factor to hematuria.

PMID- 1408099
TI  - [A case of adult Gaucher disease].
AB  - The authors describe a case of an adult patient having Gaucher's disease, who had
      hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia. The diagnosis was established by the low
      level of leukocyte beta-glucosidase and by histology of bone marrow, liver and
      spleen. The patient had no bone pain, but MRI described characteristic lesions of
      the femur. Serum acid phosphatase was characteristically elevated. The
      hypersplenism was reduced after splenectomy. The patient has a daughter with
      central nervous system dysfunction. Her chromosome examination is normal, but she
      has lower leukocyte beta-glucosidase activity too. She may have a Gaucher's
      disease of type II, the acute neuropathic form.

PMID- 1408100
TI  - [Therapeutic possibilities in biliary lithiasis].

PMID- 1408101
TI  - [Ethical "indication" for medical decisions to be made at the end of life].

PMID- 1408102
TI  - [Prognostic value of cell proliferation markers in malignant tumor diseases].
AB  - Novel methods used in studying the proliferation activity and cell kinetics of
      malignant neoplasms such as: the in vivo and in vitro bromodeoxyuridine labeling,
      the flow cytometric DNS analysis, the immunohistochemical demonstration of the so
      called proliferation associated antigens and the counting of nucleolar organized
      regions are briefly introduced. The data obtainable by these methods are reviewed
      and critically discussed. The prognostic value of the obtained data and their
      utility in planning and monitoring of cancer patients' therapy are also
      discussed.

PMID- 1408103
TI  - [Significant bacteriospermia. Value and limits of sperm count in andrology].
AB  - The data concerning bacteriospermia--are very different in the literature.
      Asymptomatic andrologic patients, and as control group--patients of the
      outpatient department for male adnexitis--were studied. Cultivation of aerobic
      bacteria and mycoplasmas has been recently accomplished by quantitative
      bacteriological analysis and chlamydia diagnostic. The microbiological screening
      of 210 andrologic patients ejaculate has given the following results: 19.6% were
      sterile, 21.0% were colonised by apathogens, 59.1% were positive: 6.2% Mycoplasma
      hominis, 15.8% Ureaplasma urealyticum, 13.3% Chlamydia trachomatis, 51.9% other
      aerobic pathogens. 27.6% of samples contained more then one kind of bacteria
      strains. Quantitative isolation of aerobics and mycoplasmas in both andrological
      and male adnexitis patients groups showed the following distribution. In the
      andrologic groups 14.7% of samples contained 10(4) CFU/ml, 9.6% more than 10(4)
      CFU/ml aerobic bacteria; in the male adnexitis group nearly twice higher values
      could be observed (20.2% and 19.5%). The distribution of mycoplasma CFU/ml was
      the following; andrologie group: 20.1% of samples contained 10(4) mycoplasma
      CFU/ml, 37.5% more than 10(4) CFU/ml; in the male adnixitis group the identical
      values: 22.9%, 66.9%. Chi 2 statistical analysis showed significant difference
      ((p = 0.000) in the distribution of data in the two groups. On the other hand
      both of the groups contained all kinds of bacteriological concentration and even
      negative cases. Therefore authors suggest more biochemical investigations for
      detecting inflammatory diseases. Spermaparameters (motility and progressive
      motility) of andrological patients, divided by sperm concentration (cell number
      above and under 20 million/ml) and the degree of infection (non infected,
      slightly infected, and above 10(4) CFU/ml) were significantly different in the
      seriously infected group by variance analysis (p = 0.000).

PMID- 1408104
TI  - [Experience with using a myocutaneous flap, obtained from the gluteus maximus, in
      covering sacral decubitus wounds].
AB  - Nonsurgical treatment of pressure sores of the sacral region showed in long term
      poor results. After a short review of surgical procedures the method of gluteus
      maximus myocutaneous flaps is described. The results suggest that the method
      offers a well vascularised and resistant soft tissue cover of the pressure sore
      and it can be performed in any surgical department. Stay in hospital may decrease
      significantly and the hope for a complete rehabilitation increases.

PMID- 1408105
TI  - [Cobalt-induced asthma in workers exposed to hard metal dust].
AB  - A case of 39 years old woman with asthma bronchiale associated with cobalt
      exposure is reported. Specific bronchial provocation tests in these patients
      supported the diagnosis of hard-metal-induced asthma and implicated cobalt as the
      agent responsible. The relevant literature data are reviewed.

PMID- 1408106
TI  - [The question of managing the placental stage of delivery].

PMID- 1408107
TI  - [The nurse as an aide for the (male) physician].

PMID- 1408108
TI  - [Simply thinking about it].

PMID- 1408109
TI  - [Nursing in the operating room].

PMID- 1408110
TI  - [We were in Switzerland].

PMID- 1408111
TI  - [Farewell thoughts--did we reach our goal? A reflection on our period of
      training].

PMID- 1408112
TI  - [Noted in short].

PMID- 1408113
TI  - [Much noise about ... chambers?].

PMID- 1408114
TI  - [Shoulder arthroscopy in degenerative and inflammatory diseases].
AB  - A new concept of shoulder arthroscopy is presented based on experience with 800
      shoulder arthroscopies. All open surgical procedure on the shoulder are preceded
      by arthroscopy. The procedure is performed with the patient lying on his or her
      side. The medium is CO2, and the advantages are less bleeding, a natural picture,
      no fluid edema. After diagnostic arthroscopy (with CO2), operative arthroscopy
      (with fluid) or open joint surgery follows. The surgery can easily be performed
      in the same position for good access with any approach. Preliminary diagnostic
      arthroscopy helps to plan the procedure (approach, additional surgery). Minimal
      exposure is beneficial for faster rehabilitation.

PMID- 1408115
TI  - [Arthroscopy of the wrist and elbow joint].
AB  - Arthroscopy of the wrist and elbow is a helpful diagnostic procedure in patients
      with chronic disability not demonstrated by clinical and radiological
      examinations. At the wrist, especially triangular fibrocartilage, chondral or
      ligamentous defects can often not be demonstrated by other tests. Arthroscopy of
      the wrist allows examination of more than a dozen separate articular surfaces and
      the function of eight discrete joints. The geometry of the elbow joint limits
      intra-articular inspection and the use of instruments. The risk of neurovascular
      injuries is great and depends on exact puncture sites and portals. Its efficiacy
      is not yet proven.

PMID- 1408116
TI  - [Current status of diagnostic and surgical hip arthroscopy].
AB  - Due to the anatomy and topography of the hip, clinical diagnostic procedures are
      often not very significant. Even the use of highly technical examination methods
      mostly does not allow differentiation of specific hip problems and do not give
      exact information about the extent and stage of the lesion. This applies
      specifically for rheumatoid diseases. Arthroscopy of the hip joint, like other
      big joints of the extremities, closes this diagnostic gap. Directly visualized
      findings on the joint, in addition to the results of joint aspiration and
      histological biopsies, give one security in finding the right diagnosis and
      planning adequate therapy. The conventional surgical approach to the hip joint
      leads to large wounds and to corresponding risks and damage to the patient. The
      advantages of arthroscopy are obvious. It was shown that arthroscopic surgery can
      be used very efficiently in cases with loose-body, osteochondrosis dissecans,
      scattered cartilage fragments, or septic arthritis. The other therapeutic
      application is in cases with rheumatoid arthritis where an arthroscopically
      assisted synovectomy to the hip achieves a high rate of success without temporary
      luxation. Diagnostic arthroscopy and arthroscopic surgery to the hip have been
      used in the Orthopedic Department of the University of Ulm since autumn of 1984.
      The possibilities and limitations of this surgical procedure have been evaluated
      in more than 100 cases. Based on our experience with arthroscopy on hip joints,
      we think that this procedure is very helpful for making a diagnosis and
      administering therapy.

PMID- 1408118
TI  - [Endoscopy of the spine: minimally invasive therapy].
AB  - Since 1982 discoscopy has proved its value as a mean of continuous optic control
      of percutaneous intradiscal procedures. Thus, precisely oriented removal of disc
      tissue became possible for posterior decompression. Since 1989, discoscopy has
      opened the way for optically controlled intradiscal laser application. Besides
      decompressive procedures, since 1988 specific elaboration of the vertebral plates
      for percutaneous interbody fusion has also become available under discoscopic
      control. A most promising prospect is the technique of foraminoscopy introduced
      in 1991, which also opened the way to extradiscal exploration. The further
      development of versatile fine working scopes will be a bigger and bigger
      challenge to conventional techniques, as the concept of minimal intervention in
      spine surgery becomes more and more complete.

PMID- 1408117
TI  - [Diagnostic arthroscopy and arthroscopic surgery of the upper ankle joint].
AB  - Arthroscopy of the ankle joint was limited to the anterior compartments for a
      long time. The key to the entire diagnostic and therapeutic arthroscopy procedure
      on the ankle joint was the distension of the joint space through modern
      distraction techniques. The distraction devices available make arthroscopic
      surgery of the ankle joint as effective as in other joints like the knee and
      shoulder. Distension of the joint space allows visualization of all compartments,
      including the posterior ankle. In the case of hidden cartilage pathology of the
      posterior talus, an osteotomy linked with hardware removal through a second
      operation can be avoided today. The indications for arthroscopy of the ankle are
      pain, swelling, instability, hemarthrosis and joint locking. Generally,
      arthroscopy of the ankle joint is performed utilizing three general portals:
      anterolateral, anteromedial and posterolateral. Arthroscopic standard equipment,
      including the small joint set, is sufficient to treat the major part of ankle
      pathology through the standard portals. Arthroscopic ankle joint debridement in
      degenerative arthritis, removal of osteophytes, elimination of loose bodies and
      the management of soft tissue and bony impingement are possible. A complete
      synovectomy can be performed, including the posterior compartments. The treatment
      of osteochondritis dissecans is facilitated through the transmalleolar approach
      in combination with the distraction device. Arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis is
      possible and induces less trauma because an arthrotomy can be avoided. In our
      opinion diagnostic arthroscopy and arthroscopic surgery of the ankle joint is a
      procedure of great benefit for the patients if the indications are strictly
      adherred to.

PMID- 1408119
TI  - [Use of lasers in arthroscopy].
AB  - Arthroscopic surgery has become a routine procedure, thanks to the availability
      of excellent video systems and the development of new and efficient instruments.
      Since early 1980 several groups have been developing arthroscopic laser surgery.
      Laser technology is ideal for use in endoscopic surgery because lasers are
      potentially extremely small but nevertheless powerful tools with many advantages.
      Initially, attempts were made to modify CO2 lasers an Nd: YAG lasers for
      arthroscopic surgery, since these devices were readily available in many
      hospitals, but they proved unsuitable for arthroscopy. Clear definition of the
      desired goals and much experimentation eventually led to the development of three
      suitable systems: excimer, holmium: YAG and erbium: YAG lasers. After extensive
      investigation in the past few years, many groups have, for technical reasons, now
      opted for the holmium: YAG-laser as the best compromise. Lasers are used in
      arthroscopy not only to divide tissue but also to smoothen cartilage, for
      hemostasis, for percutaneous lumbar and cervical disc surgery, for photodynamic
      therapy, for tumor therapy and in diagnosis. The threshold to clinical practice
      in orthopedic laser surgery has now been crossed. Lasers must now show, in
      prospective clinical studies, that their theoretical advantages are matched in
      practice.

PMID- 1408120
TI  - [Spastic paralysis: orthopedic treatment strategies].

PMID- 1408121
TI  - [Development of orthopedic treatment of cerebral palsy].

PMID- 1408122
TI  - [Treatment of deformities of the locomotor system in hemiplegia].
AB  - In spastic hemiplegia mainly one side of the body is affected. In both the upper
      and the lower extremity the distal parts (hand and foot) are more severely
      involved than the proximal region. In cases of minor involvement the goal of
      treatment in the upper extremity is to achieve functional improvement by means of
      splinting and surgery. In cases of severe alterations cosmetic improvement
      without much functional gain is all that can be expected. Gait analysis has
      demonstrated that there are four basic patterns that can be related to the
      severity of involvement. In type I muscle imbalance exists without a contracture.
      In type II there is contracture of the muscles of the posterior compartment of
      the calf. In type III, in addition to the changes around the ankle joint,
      contractures around the knee are present, and in type IV also hip problems.
      Functional improvement can be achieved by means of splinting and surgery in all
      types. Basic principles of treatment have developed as a result of the
      application of gait analysis and dynamic electromyography. Specific examples of
      such treatment principles have recently been presented by Gage.

PMID- 1408123
TI  - [Surgical treatment concepts of deformities of the upper extremities in infantile
      cerebral palsy].
AB  - To correct the most frequent deformity of the spastic hand, muscle release and
      transfer operations, such as distal slide of hand and finger flexors (according
      to Scaglietti and Gob), release of the adductor pollicis and flexor pollicis
      brevis muscle (Matev), and transposition of the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle to
      the dorsal aspect of the hand, should be performed. These basic operations on the
      spastic hand can be supplemented by release or transposition of additional
      muscles of the fingers or hand. Bony procedures should be done to stabilize and
      augment the grip between thumb and second finger. In selected cases arthrodesis
      of the wrist can be performed to stabilize the hand in a functional position. The
      outcome of operations on the spastic hand depends on the application of correct
      indications as well as on postoperative physiotherapy. A slight functional gain,
      or even a purely cosmetic improvement, may mean a lot to the patient. In respect
      of professional rehabilitation of adolescents, operative correction of a deformed
      hand can help to improve manual skills and thereby increase job chances.

PMID- 1408124
TI  - [Spinal disorders in cerebral palsy--surgical procedure].
AB  - The incidence of scoliosis in cerebral palsy is related to the severity of the
      neurological involvement, being most prevalent in patients with spastic
      quadriplegia. Neuromuscular spinal deformity, when present, may progress after
      cessation of skeletal growth, and the success of orthotic treatment for scoliosis
      is unpredictable. Hip pathology is directly related to pelvic obliquity but has
      no causal relationship to the development of scoliosis. Adequate preoperative
      nutritional assessment is vital to reduce perioperative complications, and
      segmental spinal fixation is the instrumentation of choice. Anterior arthrodesis
      is indicated for rigid deformities and for those thoracolumbar and lumbar curves
      extending into the pelvis with pelvic obliquity and spinal decompensation.

PMID- 1408125
TI  - [The hip in infantile cerebral palsy, natural developmental course and treatment
      concepts].
AB  - Classification of cerebral palsy according to the topographical distribution of
      clinical phenomena permits determination of a prognosis of the natural history of
      CP and the probability of hip problems to some extent. In 55 patients with CP,
      101 muscle release operations were performed between 1971 and 1988.
      Preoperatively, the diagnosis was established by the neuropediatrician, function
      was evaluated according to the Rancho-los-amigos system, and the X-rays of the
      hip were assessed according to Reimers. For the postoperative evaluation patients
      were grouped according to neurologic diagnosis: hemiplegia (4), diplegia (19),
      total body involvement (31). Patients with hemiplegia had no functional or
      radiological changes as a result of the operation. In diplegia functional
      deterioration was seen in 4 cases (21%); in 3 cases (16%) this meant loss of the
      ability to walk. The migration percentage was improved from 48% to 39% on
      average. In 19 cerebral palsy patients with total body involvement surgery was
      considered to be indicated on the basis of a suspected dislocation of the hip. No
      functional changes occurred as a result of surgery. Hip dislocation was
      successfully prevented in 90% of the cases. The migration percentage was improved
      from 73% to 33%. In another 12 patients with total body involvement, adductor and
      iliopsoas release was performed to allow better hygiene and care and for pain
      relief. These goals were achieved; neither the Rancho-Los-Amigos function
      classification system nor X-rays were used to evaluate the results.

PMID- 1408127
TI  - [Treatment of spastic club foot].
AB  - In 38 patients with spastic cerebral palsy, treatment was carried out for talipes
      equinovarus. There were 12 children with spastic hemiplegia, while 24 had
      diplegia or tetraplegia. Surgery was done with the goal of achieving plantigrade
      and muscle-balanced feet. In 24 feet of 19 children tibialis anterior transfer
      was performed, while tibialis posterior transfer was done in 20 feet of 19
      patients. Without exception, additional surgery was performed on the triceps
      surae (30 x ATLs and 16 Vulpius operations); medial arthrolysis was also
      necessary in 6 cases. The clinical results were assessed by the senior author in
      the weekly neuro-orthopedic clinic an average of 3.2 years after surgery. An
      additional questionnaire was sent to all patients' families asking for their
      subjective assessment of the surgery performed. Figures were collected for 30
      patients with 38 treated feet. The results were evaluated according to Kling's
      criteria. We saw good and very good results in 75% of the patients (4 feet very
      good, 23 feet good), while 25% of the patients (9 feet in 7 patients) showed poor
      results with over-corrections and calcaneo-valgus foot as the main problem. The
      best results were seen in spastic hemiplegia and the poorest in patients with
      severe tetraplegia and total body involvement.

PMID- 1408126
TI  - [Treatment concepts in knee malposition within the scope of primary neurologic
      diseases].
AB  - Disease and trauma to the central and peripheral nervous system can result in
      various disturbances to the stability and mobility of the knee joint. The aims of
      orthopaedic treatment in flaccid paralysis, spasticity, rigidity, athetosis and
      ataxia are discussed. The effect on the musculo-skeletal system is most severe
      when the damage occurs prenatally. The tendency to deformity in perinatal
      cerebral spastic disorders of movement can be considerably reduced by early
      systematic functional treatment. Active and passive exercise, corrective and
      reflex inhibiting casts and orthoses have proved their value in the prevention
      and treatment of muscle contractures in flaccid paralysis and spasticity. The
      dangers of treatment, such as subluxation of the knee and hip joint, osteoporotic
      fractures, and traction paralysis, must be taken into account. Muscle
      contractures often hinder function, both in spasticity and in flaccid paralysis,
      more than the underlying disease. The operative treatment of flexion contractures
      and impaired knee flexion in the swing phase of the step is discussed. Gait
      analysis facilitates the planning of treatment. The hip, knee and ankle joints
      must be treated as a single functional unit.

PMID- 1408128
TI  - [Treatment concepts of tertiary damage of the locomotor system after
      craniocerebral trauma].
AB  - Brain injuries are the most frequent cause of handicap in young adults. The
      success of rehabilitation depends mainly on the avoidance of tertiary lesions of
      the locomotor system. Between January 1989 and December 1991, 54 patients were
      treated at the neuro-rehabilitation unit of the Neurology Department of the
      University Hospital for severe brain injuries. On admission these patients were
      in different stages of recovery. All patients underwent physiotherapy adapted to
      their specific needs. The decision as to whether other kinds of treatment were
      indicated depended on the patients' problems in the recovery phase reached and on
      the presence or absence of tertiary lesions. In 14 patients, contractures caused
      by spasticity were successfully treated with plaster casts, which were changed
      weekly. These contractures were corrected sufficiently. In 5 other patients
      contractures, also caused by spasticity, were treated with regional anaesthesia
      administered through an implanted catheter system. In 11 patients a system for
      continuous intrathecal administration of Baclofen was implanted. Central side
      effects could be avoided while a lasting decrease of spasticity and hyper
      reflexia was achieved. Persisting tertiary lesions, such as contractures,
      dislocations and spinal deformities, were corrected surgically.

PMID- 1408130
TI  - [Pain therapy with Toratex. Official satellite symposium of the Xth World
      Congress of Anesthesiology. The Haague, 15 June 1992].

PMID- 1408129
TI  - [Peri-articular calcinosis after craniocerebral trauma--the natural course and
      treatment concepts].
AB  - Occurrence of periarticular ossification (PAO) is a serious complication in the
      rehabilitation of patients with neurological diseases, especially those with
      severe head injuries. The present concept for operative intervention in PAO
      postulates late surgical treatment after "maturation" of these heterotopic
      ossifications, because of a suspected higher rate of reoccurrence after early
      removal. In a retrospective analysis of nine arthrolysis in six patients with
      neurological diseases suffering from PAO (five patients with traumatic apallic
      syndrome and one patient with spontaneous subarachnoidal haemorrhage), the
      validity of a new concept of treatment of primary neurological diseases was
      investigated. Because of the well-known secondary and tertiary problems (fibrotic
      stiffness, osteoporosis, compression syndrome of peripheral nerves, muscle
      atrophy), we chose early removal of the ossifications. Our results demonstrate
      that the former concept of surgical intervention in "mature PAO" only can no
      longer be recommended as superior to early surgical treatment in neurological
      diseases, particularly in patients with traumatic apallic syndrome associated
      with PAO.

PMID- 1408131
TI  - Association of Fyn with the activated platelet-derived growth factor receptor:
      requirements for binding and phosphorylation.
AB  - Three members of the Src family of tyrosine kinases [pp60c-src (Src), p59fyn
      (Fyn) and pp62c-yes (Yes)] are ubiquitously expressed, and are thus likely to
      have general roles in growth control. We have previously shown that, after
      addition of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) to quiescent cells, all three
      kinases become activated and associated with the PDGF receptor. We have now
      addressed the requirements for this association. First, we have used a
      baculovirus expression system to show that Fyn associates with the activated PDGF
      receptor in vitro in the absence of other proteins, demonstrating that the
      association between the two molecules is direct. Second, by generating cell lines
      expressing chimeric molecules consisting of Fyn sequences fused to a portion of
      beta-galactosidase, we found that the SH2 domain of Fyn is necessary for ligand
      stimulated association with the PDGF receptor in vivo. Third, those fusion
      proteins that associated with the PDGF receptor also became phosphorylated in
      vivo following PDGF treatment, and in in vitro kinase assays, suggesting that the
      amino-terminal half of Fyn contains the sites of PDGF-stimulated phosphorylation.
      Partially purified, kinase-negative Fyn also became phosphorylated in the
      activated PDGF receptor complex in vitro, demonstrating that the PDGF receptor
      phosphorylates Fyn, rather than the novel phosphorylations occurring by
      autophosphorylation.

PMID- 1408132
TI  - The v-ski oncogene cooperates with the v-sea oncogene in erythroid transformation
      by blocking erythroid differentiation.
AB  - The avian retrovirus oncogene v-ski was analysed for its ability to alter the
      differentiation program of erythroid cells and to cooperate with tyrosine kinase
      oncogenes in leukemogenesis. For this, a retrovirus combining v-ski with a
      temperature-sensitive version of the v-sea oncogene was constructed. In
      transformed erythroblasts, v-ski disturbed the concerted expression of several
      erythrocyte genes, leading to an abnormal erythroblast phenotype. Expression
      levels of hemoglobin and erythrocyte anion transporter (band 3) were elevated,
      while expression of the erythroid-specific histone H5 was strongly suppressed. v
      ski could also be shown to repress or severely retard the temperature-induced
      erythroid differentiation of v-ski/ts-v-sea-transformed cells. The
      undifferentiated cells had an abnormal erythroblast or early reticulocyte
      phenotype characterized by unusually low levels of histone H5. In chicks, the v
      ski/ts-v-sea virus displayed enhanced leukemogenicity compared with viruses
      containing just the single oncogenes. Thus, v-ski cooperates with tyrosine kinase
      oncogenes in a similar fashion to the v-erbA oncogene, however the pattern of
      genes affected by these two oncogenes is different.

PMID- 1408133
TI  - Specific and complex interactions of murine p53 with DNA.
AB  - Biologically active mutant p53 from Balb/c mouse tumor cells (Meth A) was
      analysed for its specific interaction with DNA. Restricted phage lambda DNA,
      representing DNA of high complexity with regard to sequence and secondary
      structure, was used to probe for such an activity in a target-bound DNA-binding
      assay, using doubly immunopurified p53. A single lambda DNA fragment was
      specifically retained with very high affinity (KD = 10(-10) M). Specific DNA
      binding was shown to be an intrinsic property of p53, as it could be blocked with
      p53-specific monoclonal antibodies PAb122 and PAb421. The characteristics of the
      DNA binding of p53 to this lambda DNA fragment, as well as the structural
      properties of this fragment, suggested the possibility that p53 might be able to
      interact with nuclear matrix attachment region (MAR) DNA. Indeed, established
      genomic MAR elements were specifically bound by Meth A p53, whereas no binding
      was observed to an AT-rich control DNA. The interaction of p53 with MAR elements
      in vitro is compatible with the idea that p53 in vivo is involved in the
      regulation of replication and/or expression of cellular DNA. Complex DNA
      interactions were not restricted to mutant p53 from Meth A cells. Mutant p53 of a
      different conformational phenotype (PAb246+ 'wild-type' as opposed to PAb246-
      'mutant' for p53 from Meth A cells) from minimally transformed T3T3 cells, as
      well as genotypic wild-type p53 expressed by a recombinant baculovirus in insect
      cells, exhibited similar DNA-binding properties.

PMID- 1408134
TI  - Analysis of temperature-sensitive functions of Fos: lack of a correlation between
      transformation and TRE-dependent trans-activation.
AB  - We have identified and characterized a mutant v-Fos protein (DN16G) that is
      temperature sensitive for transformation. This protein contains an asparagine to
      glycine substitution at position 156 in the basic region encompassing the DNA
      contact site. This point mutation also strongly decreases trans-activation in a
      transient expression assay, using the collagenase 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13
      acetate (TPA)-responsive element (TRE) as the target element. However, the
      apparent correlation between trans-activation and transformation does not hold in
      view of the observation that under certain temperature conditions (DN16G at 39.5
      degrees C and E300 at 37 degrees C) both proteins showed similarly poor
      transactivation properties, but dramatically differed in their transforming
      potential. These findings clearly suggest that the activation of transcription
      via TREs as analysed in this study is not a crucial mechanism in Fos-induced
      transformation.

PMID- 1408135
TI  - Cloning and developmental expression in Xenopus laevis of seven additional
      members of the Wnt family.
AB  - Degenerate oligonucleotide primers encoding highly conserved regions of Wnt
      related proteins were used with the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify
      cDNA derived from Xenopus laevis embryos. cDNA sequences partially encoding seven
      additional members of the Xwnt gene family were isolated using this strategy.
      These cDNAs have been given the designation Xwnt-2, Xwnt-6, Xwnt-7A, Xwnt-7B,
      Xwnt-7C, Xwnt-8B and Xwnt-10 based on their amino acid identity with previously
      described Wnts. With regard to the timing of expression of these Xwnts during
      embryonic development, Xwnt-2, the least abundant transcript, was first detected
      during the neurula stage, while Xwnt-8B transcripts were first detected at the
      gastrula stage, and decreased by the tailbud stage. Multiple transcripts of Xwnt
      6 were detected at varied times during development beginning at the gastrula
      stage. In contrast, Xwnt-7A, -7B and -10 transcripts were not detected until the
      tailbud stage. With regard to expression in adult tissues, Xwnt-6, -7A, -7B, -8B
      and -10 were all expressed abundantly in the brain, and to a lesser extent in a
      variety of other tissues. Whole-mount in situ hybridization was then employed to
      monitor the spatial expression of selected Xwnts. Xwnt-7A and -10 transcripts
      were detected in distinct areas of the developing brain of tailbud-stage embryos.
      The temporal and spatial differences in expression suggest different roles for
      these new Xwnt family members in Xenopus development.

PMID- 1408136
TI  - Functional analysis of the SH2 and SH3 domains of the lck tyrosine protein
      kinase.
AB  - p56lck is a lymphoid cell-specific member of the src family of cytoplasmic
      tyrosine kinases. In helper and cytotoxic T cells it is physically associated
      with the CD4 and CD8 surface antigens and appears to play a role in signal
      transduction during T-cell activation. p56lck contains both an SH3 and an SH2 Src
      homology domain. Such domains have been suggested to play a role in the
      regulation of the activity or function of both receptor and non-receptor tyrosine
      protein kinases. Deletion of either or both domains in p56lck was found here to
      activate the protein and to lead to increased phosphorylation of the
      autophosphorylation site, Tyr-394, in vivo. These findings are consistent with
      the hypothesis that these domains participate in repression of the kinase
      activity of p56lck. None of the deleted forms was capable of transformation of
      fibroblasts. Deletion of the SH3 domain of a constitutively activated form of
      p56lck, p56lckF505, did not diminish the transforming activity of this protein.
      This suggests that this domain is dispensable for the transformation of
      fibroblasts by p56lck. In contrast, deletion of the SH2 domain abolished the
      transforming potential of activated p56lckF505. However, interpretation of this
      effect is made somewhat difficult because the mutation also lowered the steady
      state abundance of the protein.

PMID- 1408137
TI  - Promoter region of the murine fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (bek/KGFR)
      gene.
AB  - Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors play an important role in
      cell growth, angiogenesis and embryonal development. Four distinct genes encoding
      fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) were identified: flg, encoding FGFR1,
      bek encoding FGFR2, and the genes for FGFR3 and FGFR4. Both FGFR2 and
      keratinocyte growth factor receptor (KGFR) are encoded by the same gene, bek. To
      study the regulation of expression of the FGF receptors we analysed the DNA
      sequence flanking the 5' region of the cDNA of murine FGFR2 to seek elements that
      control its transcription. A 5-kbp fragment containing the 5' end of the cDNA was
      isolated from mouse genomic library and used to map the promoter region. We found
      that the sequence encoding the 5' non-translated region of the FGFR2/KGFR cDNA
      contains an intron located 210 bp upstream from the translation start site. Using
      RNAase protection and primer extension, we identified the mRNA start 37 bp
      upstream from the beginning of the bek cDNA. The promoter activity was found to
      reside in a 1.3-kbp fragment upstream from the cDNA, and deletion mapping further
      localized the promoter to a 0.7-kbp fragment. The sequence of this region shows
      high G+C content (62%), which is particularly emphasized in the 200 bp upstream
      from the mRNA start (80% G+C). This region contains the CCGCCC, GGGCGG AND GGAGG
      motifs also found in promoters of other growth factor receptors. Neither TATA nor
      CAAT boxes were found near the RNA start site. The characterization of this
      promoter will allow studies of the regulation of expression of the FGFR2 during
      development and in pathophysiological states. The differences between the
      promoter sequence of the gene for FGFR2 (bek) and FGFR1 (flg) may explain their
      differential expression during development.

PMID- 1408138
TI  - Mast cells sensitive to v-H-ras transformation are hyperinducible for interleukin
      3 expression and have lost tumor-suppressor activity.
AB  - Subcloning of interleukin 3 (IL-3)-dependent PB-3c mastocyte cells revealed two
      populations, of which only one is sensitive to oncogenic transformation by v-H
      ras. The corresponding tumors produce IL-3 and grow in vitro in the absence of
      exogenous IL-3 [Nair, A.P.K., Diamantis, I.D., Conscience, J.F., Kindler, V.,
      Hofer, P. & Moroni, Ch. (1989). Mol. Cell. Biol., 9, 1183-1190]. In the present
      investigation, IL-3 gene regulation was compared in ras transformable (rT) and
      ras nontransformable (rNT) lines. We report that upon expression of v-H-ras rT
      clones but not rNT clones express low levels of IL-3 mRNA as detected by reverse
      polymerase chain reaction. Treatment with ionomycin, a calcium ionophore, induced
      high levels of IL-3 expression only in ras-expressing rT clones. Somatic cell
      fusion between the rNT clone 20 and the IL-3-expressing mastocytoma line V2D1 led
      to down-regulation of IL-3 expression and to the requirement for exogenous IL-3
      for in vitro growth and tumor suppression. In contrast, rT clone 15 lacked tumor
      suppressor activity and failed to down-regulate IL-3 expression in somatic
      hybrids which grew in vitro without added IL-3. Our results indicate that IL-3
      gene expression is a critical determinant for the generation of v-H-ras-induced
      mast cell tumors and show that disturbances in IL-3 gene regulation can be
      detected already at the premalignant level in v-H-ras transformation-sensitive
      cells.

PMID- 1408139
TI  - p53 and chromosome 3 abnormalities, characteristic of malignant lung tumours, are
      detectable in preinvasive lesions of the bronchus.
AB  - Bronchial epithelial dysplasia is believed to precede invasive squamous cell
      carcinoma of the lung. Six paired dysplasia and tumour samples were distinguished
      histologically in sections of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded lung tissue from
      patients with lung cancer. Additionally, samples of dysplastic bronchial
      epithelium were obtained from patients without lung tumours. Microdissection of
      the unstained sections provided dysplastic and tumour samples from which DNA was
      prepared for comparison with the patients' constitutional genotype, using
      polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism
      analysis. All six samples of tumour and the paired adjacent samples of bronchial
      dysplasia showed loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at loci on the short arm of
      chromosome 3. Five of the six cases showed involvement of the p53 gene as
      assessed by LOH at the AccII site within the gene, and by immunoreactivity to CM
      1, an antibody which recognizes the mutated form of the p53 protein in paraffin
      embedded material. Of the dysplastic samples, obtained from patients without
      invasive tumours, all three showed LOH at 3p; one sample showed LOH at the AccII
      polymorphic locus within the p53 gene, and another sample, uninformative at this
      locus, stained positively with this antibody. These results indicate that somatic
      genetic changes are present in preinvasive lesions in the bronchus.

PMID- 1408140
TI  - The c-myb proto-oncogene product binds to but does not activate the promoter of
      the DNA polymerase alpha gene.
AB  - The myb proto oncogene product (c-Myb) is a transcriptional regulator and its
      expression and function are tightly linked to the cellular entry into S phase and
      DNA synthesis. It has been shown [Venturelli, D., Travali, S. & Calabretta, B.
      (1990). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 87, 5963-5967] that inhibition of T-cell
      proliferation by a myb antisense oligomer is accompanied by down-regulation of
      DNA polymerase alpha expression. To examine whether the transcription of the DNA
      polymerase alpha gene is directly regulated by c-Myb, we have identified and
      characterized the 5' regulatory region of the human DNA polymerase alpha gene.
      Two major and several minor transcription start sites were identified by nuclease
      S1 mapping. DNA sequence analysis showed that the promoter region contains no
      TATA box, one CCAAT box and putative Ap-1, AP-2 and E2F binding sites. In DNAase
      I footprinting, the bacterially expressed c-Myb protected six sites in the 5'
      flanking region of the human DNA polymerase alpha gene. However, c-Myb did not
      activate the DNA polymerase alpha gene promoter in a co-transfection assay. Our
      results suggest that an unknown factor(s) is required for the c-Myb-induced
      activation of the DNA polymerase alpha gene promoter, or c-Myb does not directly
      activate this promoter.

PMID- 1408141
TI  - First non-vertebrate member of the myc gene family is seasonally expressed in an
      invertebrate testis.
AB  - We have cloned and characterized the first non-vertebrate member of the myc gene
      family, pAv-myc, from testes of the Northern sea star, Asterias vulgaris
      (Echinodermata). We have used an oligonucleotide that is complementary to the
      virtually 100% conserved vertebrate c-myc box A in the second exon and a cDNA
      library constructed from spermatogenically active testes. Relatives of this
      echinoderm existed approximately 100 million years prior to the origin of the
      earliest known organism for which c-myc sequence is currently available (the
      trout). Nonetheless, our cDNA encodes a protein with approximately 30% amino acid
      identity and 46% overall conservation to human c-myc. Regions of substantially
      higher conservation (63-95%) correspond in order to the transcriptional
      activation (boxes A, B and C), casein kinase II phosphorylation, nuclear
      targeting, basic DNA-binding and oligomerization domains in the second and third
      exons of human c-myc. Sea star c-myc cDNA detects a 2.7-kb transcript on Northern
      blots of monthly samples of testicular tissue from field-collected individuals (n
      = 6-8), indicating peak expression during active spermatogenesis. This is also
      the first example of seasonal variation in expression of c-myc during
      spermatogenesis in laboratory or natural populations of any animal. It is
      intriguing to speculate about the potential oncogenic character of c-myc in this
      invertebrate, in which tumors have not yet been observed, and about the
      possibility that c-myc is more widely present in eucaryotes than has been
      anticipated.

PMID- 1408142
TI  - Suppression of tumorigenesis by the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 following
      transfer of a normal human chromosome 11.
AB  - Breast cancer development is associated with several genetic abnormalities. Loss
      of heterozygosity in the short arm of chromosome 11 has been observed in 30% of
      tumors. We found homozygosity at five chromosome 11 polymorphic loci in genomic
      DNA of the MCF-7 breast carcinoma cell line, suggesting a possible loss of one
      chromosome 11. We have studied the transformed and tumorigenic phenotypes of MCF
      7 cells following introduction of a normal human chromosome 11 via microcell
      fusion. MCF-7/H11 cell hybrids, containing chromosome 11, showed in vitro
      characteristics similar to the parental cell line. However, tumorigenicity in
      athymic mice was completely suppressed. Since tumor formation by MCF-7 cells is
      estrogen dependent, we have analysed the expression of the estrogen receptor and
      of the estrogen-activated gene pS2. No difference was detected between the
      parental MCF-7 cells and the derived chromosome 11 cell hybrids, indicating that
      the mechanism of MCF-7 tumor suppression by chromosome 11-associated functions
      does not directly involve the estrogen/estrogen receptor molecular pathway.

PMID- 1408143
TI  - Characterization of an angiosarcoma-inducing mutation in the erbB oncogene.
AB  - The erbB oncogenes of two transducing viruses that arose in chicken 5005 have
      been molecularly characterized. One of these viruses, AEV-5005, caused
      erythroblastosis. The other, AAV-5005, caused angiosarcoma. Both viruses had
      identical 5' junctions of viral and host sequences, indicating that both arose
      from the same proviral insertion. The erbB oncogenes of both viruses encoded
      transmembrane, kinase and C-terminal domains of the chicken epidermal growth
      factor receptor. The C-terminal domain of the AEV-5005 erbB was complete, whereas
      that of AAV-5005 contained a 59 amino acid internal deletion (amino acids 993
      1051 of the chicken epidermal growth factor receptor). Oncogenicity tests using
      retroviral constructs containing the erbB sequences from AEV-5005 and AAV-5005
      demonstrated that both erbB genes caused erythroblastosis and that the 59 amino
      acid deletion conferred the ability to induce angiosarcoma. The 59 amino acid
      deletion also caused increased levels of erbB autophosphorylation in cells grown
      in the presence of sodium orthovanadate.

PMID- 1408144
TI  - Cooperation between the H-ras oncogene and a truncated derivative of the v-myb
      oncogene in transformation of hamster embryo fibroblasts.
AB  - The ras oncogenes alone fully transform established (immortalized) rodent
      fibroblasts in a few days, but generally transform early-passage fibroblasts only
      partially, unless their action is complemented by that of a nuclear,
      immortalizing, oncogene. Here we show that transfection of second-passage Syrian
      hamster embryo fibroblasts (HEFs) by the EJ-H-ras oncogene coupled to the neo
      gene, followed by selection with G418, gives rise to apparently normal, or only
      slightly transformed, clonal colonies, only a few of which become established.
      The study of two established clonal lines showed that they acquired only after
      some weeks, and stepwise, the main characteristics of full neoplastic
      transformation, i.e. anchorage independence, reduced requirement for serum growth
      factors and tumorigenicity. Later both clonal lines became increasingly
      tumorigenic and completely independent of exogenous growth and attachment
      factors, without increase in the expression of the H-ras oncogene. Transfection
      of one of the clones, early after its isolation, with a truncated derivative of
      the nuclear v-myb oncogene devoid of its transcriptional negative regulatory
      domain and able to partially transform chicken embryo fibroblasts [(myb(KXANM)]
      gave rise to more transformed cells, expressing both EJ-H-ras and myb(KXANM),
      which became tumorigenic earlier than the controls and remained more tumorigenic
      later on. With more efficient transfection techniques, numerous foci of fully
      transformed cells were subsequently obtained, in a few days, in cultures
      transfected sequentially with EJ-H-ras(neo) and myb(KXANM) and in cultures co
      transfected with the two oncogenes. Highly tumorigenic, serum-independent and
      immortalized clones expressing both oncogenes were obtained from these cultures.
      Hence, the truncated myb(KXANM) oncogene accelerate the stepwise transformation
      of unestablished HEFs by the EJ-HH-ras oncogene and, together with this oncogene,
      fully transforms these same cells in a single step. The two oncogenes acting in
      cooperation also induce cell immortalization, but myb(KXANM), by itself, is not
      an immortalizing oncogene. No cooperation was observed between EJ-H-ras(neo) and
      the unaltered v-myb oncogene.

PMID- 1408145
TI  - Hyperplasia of mouse mammary epithelium induced by expression of the Wnt-1 (int
      1) oncogene in reconstituted mammary gland.
AB  - We have expressed the Wnt-1 (formerly int-1) oncogene in Balb/c mouse mammary
      epithelium in vivo, using a tissue reconstitution method in which primary
      cultures of mammary epithelial cells are infected with a retrovirus vector and
      then transplanted into mouse mammary fat pads from which the natural epithelium
      has been removed. Transplants carrying the Wnt-1 gene grew in a hyperplastic
      pattern, the duct epithelium showing abundant fine side-branches, but without
      development of clusters of alveoli. The hyperplasias were similar, but not
      identical, to transplants of normal epithelium in a mid-pregnant host.
      Transplants of epithelium that expressed Wnt-1 into mammary fat pads of male or
      ovariectomized females grew to form a similar three-dimensional pattern, but the
      extent of growth, and so presumably the rate of growth, was slower than in intact
      females, and there were no terminal end buds at the edges of the outgrowths.
      Thus, although Wnt-1 may enhance growth of epithelium in the male or
      ovariectomized-female environment, it does not restore the major mode of growth
      in the intact female, the extension of major ducts from terminal end buds. Normal
      epithelium showed no change in morphology when in close proximity to hyperplasia
      induced by Wnt-1, confirming the limited range of diffusion of Wnt-1 protein in
      vivo. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that Wnt-1 acts principally
      by mimicking the signal that causes ducts to develop side-branches in pregnancy.

PMID- 1408146
TI  - Altered H1 histamine receptor signaling in Balb/3T3 cells transformed by v-K-ras
      and v-H-ras oncogenes.
AB  - Transformation of Balb/3T3 cells with the v-K-ras oncogene resulted in the
      expression of functional Ca(2+)-mobilizing receptors for histamine, whereas v-H
      ras-transformed Balb/3T3 cells failed to show a similar response to histamine.
      Stimulation of histamine receptors in v-K-ras-transformed cells produced a dose
      dependent increase in intracellular free calcium ([Ca2+]i), which was inhibited
      by the H1 histamine antagonist pyrilamine but unaffected by the H2 histamine
      receptor antagonist cimetidine. Histamine-mediated elevation of [Ca2+]i was
      partially inhibited by the removal of extracellular Ca2+, which indicates that
      the H1 histamine receptors mobilize intracellular Ca2+ and also promote Ca2+
      influx. H1 histamine receptors were identified in both v-K-ras- and v-H-ras
      transformed Balb/3T3 cells, but not in untransformed cells, using the specific H1
      antagonist [3H]-pyrilamine. Transformation of Balb/3T3 cells with the viral ras
      oncogene results in a complex regulation of H1 histamine receptors. K-ras and H
      ras transformation results in the expression of H1 histamine receptors; however,
      H1 receptor expression and Ca2+ mobilization are uncoupled in v-H-ras-transformed
      cells.

PMID- 1408147
TI  - Sequence and expression of a murine cDNA encoding PC326, a novel gene expressed
      in plasmacytomas but not normal plasma cells.
AB  - Using a subtractive cDNA approach we have identified a gene, PC326, expressed in
      13 of 14 murine plasmacytoma cell lines, but not in any B- or pre-B-lymphoma cell
      lines. It expresses 4.6-kb and 5.2-kb mRNAs that encode a 747 amino acid protein
      containing two highly acidic domains flanking a novel, moderately acidic 20 amino
      acid sequence that is repeated 7.5 times. Sequence comparison identifies an
      additional 43 amino acid domain that is homologous to a repeated sequence found
      in the members of the beta-transducin gene family. The PC326 mRNA is detectable
      in testis but in no other murine tissues, including plasma cells induced by
      lipopolysaccharide stimulation of splenocytes. Somatic cell hybrids derived from
      plasmacytomas and fibroblast or T-cell lines have a fibroblastic or T-cell
      phenotype respectively. Unlike B-cell-specific genes (e.g. immunoglobulin), the
      expression of which is extinguished in these hybrids, PC326 mRNA appears to be
      irreversibly turned on in these hybrids. Since PC326 is not expressed in normal
      plasma cells, it appears that its expression is a cause or consequence of the
      tumorigenic process that generates murine plasmacytomas.

PMID- 1408148
TI  - Evidence that activation of the Egr-1 promoter by v-Raf involves serum response
      elements.
AB  - The constitutively active serine/threonine kinase encoded by the v-raf oncogene,
      v-Raf, activates the Egr-1 promoter in transient expression assays. To
      characterize the v-Raf-responsive transcriptional control elements, deletion
      mutants of the Egr-1 promoter were used in transient expression assays. A v-Raf
      expression vector was co-transfected into NIH3T3 cells with reporter
      chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) expression vectors under the control of
      the Egr-1 promoter or the Egr-1 promoter containing various deletions.
      Responsiveness to v-Raf was restricted to a region that contained repeated
      CC(A/T)6GG sequences, known as CArG boxes. CArG boxes form the core of serum
      response elements (SREs). v-Raf-induced Egr-1 promoter activation was lost by
      removal of the four tandemly repeated SREs. This region, between -425 and -250,
      which was necessary for v-Raf responsiveness, was also found to be sufficient for
      maximal Egr-1 induction by v-Raf when placed upstream from a minimal heterologous
      promoter. Three out of four SREs from this region were able to respond to v-Raf,
      however the activation of the individual SREs was lower than the clustered SREs.
      This cluster of SREs has previously been shown to be responsive to several
      mitogenic stimuli and the oncogene v-src. Thus, the SREs contained in this
      cluster may be an important target for cell division signals.

PMID- 1408149
TI  - Early loss of heterozygosity on 17q in ovarian cancer. The Abe Ovarian Cancer
      Genetics Group.
AB  - We have studied 146 ovarian tumours (94 carcinomas, 22 tumours of low malignant
      potential and 30 benign tumours) for evidence of allele loss on chromosome 17p
      and 17q sufficient to imply the proximity of a tumour-suppressor gene. We have
      examined two polymorphic loci (YNZ22.2 and BHP53) on 17p13 and one on chromosome
      17q (17q23-qter). Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) was detected in 34/63 (54%)
      informative malignant tumours at YNZ22.2 and 22/47 (47%) at BHP53; on 17q, 45/64
      (70%) had LOH. Allele loss was detected in a small number of benign and
      borderline tumours. There was a statistically significant difference between the
      patterns of allele loss in serous and endometrioid groups of tumours, and allele
      loss occurred with significantly greater frequency on 17q than on 17p. Comparison
      of all malignant tumours presenting with either localized (FIGO stage I/II) or
      widespread (FIGO stage III/IV) disease showed that, particularly on 17q, allele
      loss increases in the more advanced stages. The p53 tumour-suppressor gene is
      implicated in ovarian carcinogenesis, and our findings suggest that an important
      tumour-suppressor gene may be located in the region 17q23-qter. Loss of function
      in this gene may be responsible for the frequently observed rapid progression of
      serous-type adenocarcinomas to an advanced stage.

PMID- 1408150
TI  - c-Jun causes focus formation and anchorage-independent growth in culture but is
      non-tumorigenic.
AB  - The RCAS retroviral vector was used to express chicken and mouse cellular Jun
      proteins in chicken embryo fibroblasts. Both mouse and chicken proteins induced
      foci of transformed cells with low to moderate efficiency compared with viral
      Jun, but were as effective as the viral protein in promoting anchorage
      independent growth. Viral Jun and a recombinant between viral and cellular Jun
      induced tumors in 1-day-old chicks; the cellular Jun proteins were uniformly non
      tumorigenic.

PMID- 1408151
TI  - A retroviral sequence of the Chinese hamster ovary cell line.
AB  - A partial cDNA (B52) molecule with the characteristics of retroviral sequences
      was isolated from the Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) K1 cell line. The B52 cDNA
      contains 1184 nucleotides. The first 452 nucleotides (nt) are 71% homologous to
      the env gene of Moloney murine leukemia virus (MMLV) and murine endogenous
      retroviruses. The 139 amino acids predicted from the 452 nt have 82% homology
      with the carboxy-terminal amino acids of the env protein of MMLV. The remaining
      732 nt have several features of a typical retroviral long terminal repeat (LTR).
      For example, the first 14 nt are identical to the 5' inverted repeat of the
      retroviral LTRs. The 41-nt sequence at the 3' end is common to the R region of
      retroviral LTRs. The 732-nt sequence was shown to have promoter activity. The
      activity is approximately twofold higher than that of the Rous sarcoma virus LTR,
      and 1.5-fold lower than that of the early promoter of SV40 virus. Two species of
      mRNA of 5.2 and 2.7 kb in size were readily detected by B52 cDNA in the CHO K1
      cells.

PMID- 1408153
TI  - Special issue: Professor Fergus W. Campbell FRS. Contrasts in Vision 1991.
      Cambridge, United Kingdom, 5-6 September 1991.

PMID- 1408154
TI  - Publications by F. W. Campbell FRS.

PMID- 1408152
TI  - Mutational analysis of Max: role of basic, helix-loop-helix/leucine zipper
      domains in DNA binding, dimerization and regulation of Myc-mediated
      transcriptional activation.
AB  - The Max protein forms a heterodimeric complex with the Myc family of proteins and
      binds to DNA in a sequence-specific manner. We investigated the role of the helix
      loop-helix (HLH), leucine zipper (LZ) and basic domains of Max in protein complex
      formation, DNA-binding activity and transcriptional regulation. We mutagenized
      the basic, HLH and LZ domains of Max and studied the ability of the normal and
      mutant proteins to bind to DNA as both homo- and heterodimers and their ability
      to heterodimerize with Myc. Helix-1 and helix-2 regions of Max were found to be
      critical for homodimer formation and subsequent DNA binding, while the LZ was
      essential for heterodimer formation. In transient transfection assays the Myc
      protein functioned as a transcriptional activator while Max protein repressed the
      trans-activation observed with Myc.

PMID- 1408155
TI  - Imaging FWC.

PMID- 1408156
TI  - A festspiel in Cambridge for Fergus Campbell.

PMID- 1408157
TI  - Motion reveals spatial visual defects.
AB  - The question of how we can be unaware of the deficit in our (monocular) visual
      field, equivalent in size to 76 full moons, is examined. A new method of
      investigating the response to moving images on and near the blind spot has been
      found. The image of a computer-generated line, which is made to lengthen with
      time and pass over the blind spot, is seen as shorter than that of a similar,
      parallel line which passes outside the blind spot. This perceived difference in
      length corresponds to the actual width of the blind spot. Our unawareness of
      blind spots and scotomata is often described as involving some form of 'filling
      in' process. The rapid variation in cortical receptive field size, recently found
      to occur in response to stabilized images, may provide a general filling-in
      mechanism for the removal from perception of otherwise-distracting, stabilizing
      image regions (such as the shadows of blood vessels and clinical scotomata).

PMID- 1408158
TI  - New method based on random luminance masking for measuring isochromatic zones
      using high resolution colour displays.
AB  - A new method of measuring normal hue discrimination ellipses and dichromatic
      zones using a high resolution colour monitor is described. The test involves the
      detection of chromatic bars on a grey background (x = 0.305, y = 0.323) having a
      luminance of 34 cd m-2. Elements of the background matrix of square checks are
      varied randomly in luminance in space and time to provide random luminance
      masking (RLM) which compensates for differences in the relative luminous
      efficiency of different observers. The measurement technique provides a rapid and
      comprehensive colour vision test. Typical results are presented for normal
      trichromats, protanopes and deuteranopes without RLM and with the RLM set of 25%.
      The size of the discrimination ellipse in normal observers is the same in both
      viewing conditions, but the use of the RLM technique reveals the extent of the
      isochromatic zones in colour deficient observers.

PMID- 1408159
TI  - Pupillary responses to stimulus structure, colour and movement.
AB  - Pupillary responses to stimuli which favour the preferential stimulation of
      neural mechanisms involved in the detection of visual attributes such as colour,
      spatial structure, movement and light flux changes on the retina have been
      measured and compared. Pupil responses to a decrement in stimulus luminance
      (i.e., a flash of darkness), suggest that at least three components are involved
      in this response, their relative contribution being determined largely by
      stimulus size, contrast and presentation time. A comparison of pupil responses to
      gratings of equal and lower space-averaged luminance shows that the amplitude of
      pupillary constriction at grating onset for the equal luminance condition is
      about twice that measured with similar gratings in the lower luminance condition.
      Pupillary responses to chromatic isoluminant gratings are in general of longer
      latency when compared to responses of similar amplitude elicited by achromatic
      gratings. Small pupillary constrictions elicited by the onset of coherent
      movement in dynamic, random dot patterns are also demonstrated under stimulus
      conditions which eliminate pupillary responses to sudden light flux changes on
      the retina. The results support an earlier hypothesis which suggests that the
      onset of sudden changes in neural activity in the visual cortex when a visual
      stimulus is presented to the eye causes an overall perturbation which weakens
      transiently the regulatory inhibitory input to the pupillomotor nucleus. This, in
      turn, results in a transient increase in the efferent parasympathetic innervation
      of the iris sphincter muscle and hence the observed constriction of the pupil.
      The characteristics of the pupillary response reflect the properties of the
      mechanisms and the number of neurones which participate in the detection of each
      stimulus attribute.

PMID- 1408160
TI  - Non-linear processes in perceived region segregation: orientation selectivity of
      complex channels.
AB  - Models incorporating linear spatial-frequency- and orientation-selective channels
      explain many aspects of visual texture segregation. The inability of such models
      to fully explain texture segregation results, indicates that non-linear processes
      are also involved. One non-linearity that has been suggested is complex channels
      consisting of two stages of linear filtering separated by a rectification-type
      non-linearity (much like cortical complex cells). Here we further demonstrate the
      usefulness of complex channels in explaining texture segregation results and
      investigate the orientation-selectivity of the first stage of such complex
      channels. Our results suggest that the first stage is much more selective for
      orientation than are lateral geniculate nucleus cells, but that the first-stage
      orientation bandwidth is rather wide with some interaction occurring between
      perpendicular orientations.

PMID- 1408161
TI  - Geometrical optical analysis of photorefractive methods.
AB  - Photorefractive methods allow rapid measures of the refractive and accommodative
      state of infants and young children whose brief attention and co-operation limit
      the use of more traditional methods such as retinoscopy and autorefraction. Three
      methods have been defined: orthogonal, isotropic and eccentric. We provide a
      common geometrical optical analysis for these three methods where the
      photorefractive pattern is defined at the plane of focus of the camera. Since
      this plane is conjugate with the detector plane of the camera then the critical
      optical parameters can be defined without reference to the design of the camera
      by simply determining the relative magnification of the projected image of an
      object photographed at the camera's plane of focus. Specifically the pattern
      width CF (mm) over a photorefractor's working range can be defined for the
      isotropic and orthogonal methods as: [formula: see text] and for the eccentric
      method as: [formula: see text] where: K is a myopic refractive error of the eye
      (dioptres) (K Less than 0); P the distance of the flash source to the eye
      (dioptres); L the distance in front of the eye of the camera's plane of focus
      (dioptres) (L less than 0); GH the pupil diameter (mm); e the eccentricity of the
      flash source from the camera aperture (mm); M magnification of the image measured
      relative to the camera plane of focus.

PMID- 1408162
TI  - Counterphase dichoptic flicker is seen as its own second harmonic.
AB  - If a patternless field is modulated sinusoidally in time so that the luminance
      change in one eye is in counterphase to that in the other, the resulting flicker
      appears faster than if the modulation to both eyes has the same phase. If
      observers set the frequency and the amplitude of a comparison in-phase field so
      that it matches a neighbouring counterphase field, modulated at, say, 2.5 x its
      threshold, they set the frequency to twice the counterphase frequency, and the
      amplitude to a value that is, for a given frequency, a constant ratio of the
      modulation of the counterphase field. Counterphase stimulation thus appears to
      cause an internal second-harmonic signal. However, it is not possible to cancel
      this by adding a second harmonic component to the stimulus.

PMID- 1408163
TI  - Immediate colour constancy.
AB  - Colour constancy is traditionally interpreted as the stable appearance of the
      colour of a surface despite changes in the spectral composition of the
      illumination. When colour constancy has been assessed quantitatively, however, by
      observers making matches between surfaces illuminated by different sources, its
      completeness has been found to be poor. An alternative operational approach to
      colour constancy may be taken which concentrates instead on detecting the
      underlying chromatic relationship between the parts of a surface under changes in
      the illuminant. Experimentally the observer's task was to determine whether a
      change in the appearance of a surface was due to a change in its reflecting
      properties or to a change in the incident light. Observers viewed computer
      simulations of a row of three Mondrian patterns of Munsell chips. The centre
      pattern was a reference pattern illuminated by a simulated, spatially uniform
      daylight; one of the outer patterns was identical but illuminated by a different
      daylight; and the other outer pattern was equivalent but not obtainable from the
      centre pattern by such a change in illuminant. Different patterns and different
      shifts in daylight were generated in each experimental trial. The task of the
      observer was to identify which of the outer patterns was the result of an
      illuminant change. Observers made reliable discriminations of the patterns with
      displays of durations from several seconds to less than 200 ms, and, for one
      observer, with displays of 1 ms. By these measures, human observers appear
      capable of colour constancy that is extremely rapid, and probably preattentive in
      origin.

PMID- 1408164
TI  - Retinal information capacity and the function of the pupil.
AB  - When the pupil is opened to increase sensitivity there is a loss of image
      sharpness due to aberrations. This trade-off between sensitivity and sharpness is
      analysed theoretically by calculating the information capacity of the retinal
      image. The analysis uses optical measurements of image sharpness made at
      different pupil diameters. At each luminance there is a pupil diameter that
      maximizes information capacity. This optimum is close to the diameter adopted
      under normal viewing conditions. The optimum is broad, consequently the system
      tolerates inaccurate adjustment. The benefits of correctly adjusting the pupil
      are evaluated. At low light levels the advantage is 68%, at intermediate levels
      it falls to around 20% but under daylight conditions it increases to 52%. These
      advantages suggest that the primary function of the pupillary light reflex is to
      maximize acuity over a wide range of luminances.

PMID- 1408165
TI  - Facilitation of pattern recognition by cuing foveation with the luminance
      centroid as origin of the frame of reference.
AB  - The strategy for visual information processing must vary with the specific
      situation. We assume that in recognition of pre-learnt letter-like patterns under
      time-pressure conditions, mechanisms of selective attention are involved. We
      propose that, with simple stimuli, foveation is to the luminance centroids of
      such patterns, and if normally the latter has to be computed by the brain, cuing
      such information should improve performance. This assumption was tested on three
      subjects with five stimuli. In confirmation of the working hypothesis, we found
      significant improvements in performance (P = 0.01 or better) for each of the
      stimuli, with cuing to 'relevant' as compared with 'irrelevant' sites, and also
      when the point of foveation was nearer to the 'nodal' site. It is concluded that
      in pattern recognition processes, nodal regions are computed, the luminance
      centroid for example, for simple pattern stimuli.

PMID- 1408166
TI  - Binocular chromatic rivalry and single vision.
AB  - Depth perception is known to be impaired for chromatic equiluminant patterns. To
      investigate this phenomenon I have compared the effects of binocularly presented
      stimuli in the form of stripes, which contain only luminance information with
      similarly presented stimuli which contain only chromatic information.
      Observations of the reported percepts for the two conditions demonstrate that
      mechanisms of colour vision can impede stereopsis based on binocular fusion when
      the chromatic stripes are at, or even near, equiluminance, provided that their
      saturation is high. This observation is consistent with inhibitory interactions
      within the chromatic-sensitive neuronal groupings in the visual cortex.

PMID- 1408167
TI  - Visual evoked electrical and magnetic response to half-field stimulation using
      pattern reversal stimulation.
AB  - The visual evoked magnetic response to half-field stimulation using pattern
      reversal was studied using a d.c. SQUID coupled to a second order gradiometer.
      The main component of the magnetic response consisted of a positive wave at
      around 100 ms (P100M). At the time this component was present the response to
      half-field stimulation consisted of an outgoing magnetic field contralateral and
      extending to the midline. When the left half field was stimulated the outgoing
      field was over the posterior right visual cortex and when the right half field
      was stimulated it was over the left anterior visual cortex. These findings would
      correctly identify a source located in the contralateral visual cortex. The
      orientation of the dipoles was not that previously assumed to explain the
      paradoxical lateralization of the visual evoked potential. The results are
      discussed in terms of both electrical and magnetic models of the calcarine
      fissure.

PMID- 1408168
TI  - Rules for colour constancy.
AB  - Colours of objects tend to be constant regardless of the colour of the
      illuminant, therefore, regardless of the quanta catch of the retinal cones.
      Various mechanisms for this including context recognition, adaptation of retinal
      sensitivities and independent processing by receptor types have been proposed.
      These present experiments test the hypothesis that colours are determined by the
      normalized relationship between all colours in the field of view. In this
      hypothesis, colours are constant in classical experiments simply because changes
      of the illuminant do not disrupt the relationship between quanta catches across
      the field of view. The experiments consist of making sets of colour displays;
      each with the same relative quanta catches, but different absolute reflectances.
      'Colour tautomi' arrays of five colour patches were printed using controlled
      amounts of yellow, magenta, cyan and black toners. The experiment began with a
      control 'colour tautomi' array of reflectances with measured relative quanta
      catches. New arrays of colours were then chosen that increased (or decreased) the
      reflectances, and quanta catches, a constant amount for the entire array. These
      changes were done independently for each receptor type. When these 'colour
      tautomi' are viewed in the room, each array has a different set of colours. When
      viewed in a restricted field of view, all arrays appear the same. In a further
      experiment new areas such as white are added to the display. Colour constancy is
      a field phenomenon controlled by the relative quanta catches in the field of
      view. Absolute colour constancy is controlled by the relative quanta catches in
      the field of view and the absolute quantum catches of the receptors.

PMID- 1408169
TI  - Springer's lines and Hermann's grid.
AB  - Hermann's grid is a complete matrix of black squares; Springer's figure has
      alternate squares whited out. Both figures generate illusory elements, bright and
      dark lines in the white spaces, with different elements seen from different
      distances. The visibility of these different elements is shown to be related to
      the detectability of sinusoidal gratings of wavenumbers corresponding to certain
      critical components of the Fourier decomposition of the figure. Evidence from the
      detection of gratings shows that near- and sub- (but not supra-) threshold
      contrasts are subject to a fourth power compression which shows, in the present
      figures, as a defect in the percept, equivalent to the deletion of (a part of)
      the corresponding Fourier components. There are some residual problems in
      understanding the perception of Hermann's grid.

PMID- 1408170
TI  - Mutual rod-cone suppression within the central visual field.
AB  - Under mesopic conditions the contrast sensitivity of the central visual field is
      reduced as the result of a non-linear interaction between rod- and cone-mediated
      signals, each of which is capable of higher sensitivity in isolation. The
      interaction is produced only when the rod-mediated system is driven at flicker
      rates above 6 Hz. This finding bears upon how rod and cone signals are combined
      and therefore affects our interpretation of the significance of the relationship
      between retinal illuminance and both contrast sensitivity and temporal
      resolution.

PMID- 1408171
TI  - Using distinctive Fourier components to discriminate between complex patterns.
AB  - Observers discriminated between a plaid pattern formed by summing vertical and
      horizontal cosine gratings, and a plaid formed by multiplying the gratings. Such
      patterns are alike with respect to many non-Fourier primitives, but differ in the
      Fourier domain by diagonal components which are present in the plaid formed by
      multiplication, but not in the one formed by summing. When discrimination
      performance is related to the contrast of the diagonal components, it is found
      that the contrast threshold for discrimination is approximately the same as the
      threshold for detection of the isolated components. However, the psychometric
      function for discrimination is shallower than that for detection, suggesting the
      presence of masking. Despite the masking, the results support the proposition
      that discrimination processes may operate directly on the representations of
      local Fourier components.

PMID- 1408172
TI  - Image enhancement filters significantly improve reading performance for low
      vision observers.
AB  - As people age, so do their photoreceptors; many photoreceptors in central vision
      stop functioning when a person reaches their late sixties or early seventies. Low
      vision observers with losses in central vision, those with age-related
      maculopathies, were studied. Low vision observers no longer see high spatial
      frequencies, being unable to resolve fine edge detail. We developed image
      enhancement filters to compensate for the low vision observer's losses in
      contrast sensitivity to intermediate and high spatial frequencies. The filters
      work by boosting the amplitude of the less visible intermediate spatial
      frequencies. The lower spatial frequencies. These image enhancement filters not
      only reduce the magnification needed for reading by up to 70%, but they also
      increase the observer's reading speed by 2-4 times. A summary of this research is
      presented.

PMID- 1408173
TI  - Interactions between colour and luminance contrast in the perception of motion.
AB  - It has been demonstrated widely that at isoluminance moving chromatic stimuli are
      seen to be stationary or moving more slowly than their luminance counterparts. We
      have examined the effect on perceived velocity of adding luminance contrast to an
      isoluminant chromatic stimulus. We show that moving luminance contrast 'captures'
      colour so that a combined colour and luminance stimulus is seen moving as a
      unified percept. However, in the presence of colour contrast, significantly
      higher levels of luminance contrast are required to achieve a veridical velocity
      than for monochromatic stimuli with only luminance contrast. We show that this
      interactive effect between colour and luminance contrast cannot be fully
      explained by a threshold masking of luminance by colour contrast. The effect
      suggests that a breakdown in the veridical perception of velocity should be
      expected for colours with a wide range of associated luminance contrasts and not
      just for those at the point of isoluminance.

PMID- 1408174
TI  - Use of interferometric visual stimulators in optometry.
AB  - Professor Fergus Campbell and colleagues pioneered the use of the interferometric
      visual stimulator as a tool for separating optical from neural factors which
      limit spatial vision. The device is now commercially available as a clinical
      instrument which 'bypasses the optics of the eye' to measure the potential visual
      acuity of the neural portion of the visual system. However, the clinician needs
      to be aware of limitations of current instrument designs and recent advances in
      our understanding of peripheral vision, to correctly interpret patient data
      gathered with these devices.

PMID- 1408175
TI  - Visual responses to reward-related cues in inferior parietal lobule.
AB  - A sample of 263 neurones was recorded in area 7a of the parietal lobe, in a
      monkey performing a reach task to visual targets displayed on a touch-sensitive
      videomonitor. The task had been operantly conditioned on food or juice rewards,
      and 78 (30%) of the units showed activity changes linked in some way to the
      reward. For most of these cells, the response was to the approach of the
      trainer's hand with the food reward. This specific visual response was similar
      irrespective of the direction of approach. Six cells increased discharge as soon
      as the task was completed in apparent anticipation of the reward. Another two
      neurones responded to missing a reward: they fired vigorously if the videoscreen
      was blanked in mid-trial because a target was not correctly touched. In many
      cases (40/78) the same cells responding to some aspect of the reward also
      responded to visual cues given during the task, especially the presentation of
      the target location. Reward-related activity in area 7a probably results from an
      integration of the visual and limbic inputs to this region, such that visual
      information which foretells behaviourally important events is emphasized.

PMID- 1408176
TI  - Orientation anisotropy: some caveats in interpreting group differences and
      developmental changes.
AB  - We tested 220 children aged 7-12 yr and 20 university students for visual
      contrast sensitivity at spatial frequencies of 1.2-21.9 c/deg for vertical,
      horizontal and oblique sinusoidal gratings. Males had higher mean sensitivity
      then females and adults had higher mean sensitivity than children. Sensitivity
      was greater for cardinal than oblique orientations, and this oblique effect
      increased with spatial frequency and mean sensitivity, and with age in children.
      Developmental growth of oblique anisotropy can be explained by growth in contrast
      sensitivity. Different sizes of oblique effect were found between groups living
      in different locations, but variations were mainly linked to differences in age
      and contrast sensitivity. Genetic or environmental interpretations of group
      differences should be treated with caution. Other anisotropies occurred
      (horizontal was better than vertical and right than left obliques), but these
      differences were small and irregular and may represent response biases rather
      than neurological effects.

PMID- 1408177
TI  - Coloured shadows described in a cone contrast space.
AB  - Two effects which can modify the appearance of a colour seen in a context
      compared to isolation are chromatic induction and colour constancy. These effects
      transform colour in ways which depend on the visual system rather than physical
      characteristics of light and surfaces. They need not reflect different processes
      within the visual system, indeed, chromatic induction has been attributed to the
      same processes as those involved in constancy, or, as an error of the visual
      system attempting to achieve constancy. This hierarchy is not necessary: both
      constancy and induction may result from the same processes without requiring that
      one promotes the other or that constancy is a goal of the visual system. This
      study examines induction in terms of cone contrasts in a coloured shadow display,
      part of a study to establish a relevant measure of contrast and its role in
      chromatic induction and colour constancy.

PMID- 1408178
TI  - Colour, contrast and the visual evoked potential.
AB  - Visual evoked potentials exhibit interesting morphological changes when they are
      elicited by checkerboards of different spatial and chromatic contrast,
      counterphasing in the foveal and lower macula field. The characteristic, positive
      wave of the phase-reversal visual evoked potential, for example, is preceded by
      an increasingly prominent negative peak as luminance contrast progressively
      increases above 10% and, at isoluminance, the response to red and green
      checkerboards becomes a predominantly monophasic negative wave. To study the
      nature of the morphological change we synthesized these waveforms with a computer
      simulation consisting of Gaussian components. The amplitudes of positive and
      negative components were altered until the synthesized response was closely
      similar to the recorded data. These Gaussian components have response
      characteristics which are identified with those of magnocellular and
      parvocellular neurones.

PMID- 1408179
TI  - Amplitude spectra of natural images.
AB  - Several studies have suggested that the amplitude spectra of photographs of
      natural scenes are remarkably similar and have the form: amplitude varies; is
      directly proportional to spatial frequency-1.0. This is, of course, a straight
      line with slope of -1.0 when plotted on double logarithmic coordinates. We have
      examined the amplitude spectra of 135 digitized photographs of natural scenes and
      have found that relatively few images conform exactly to the suggestion. About
      25% of the images in our sample have spectra which show significant curvature
      when plotted on log-log coordinates. The best-fitting regression lines have
      slopes that range from -0.8 to -1.5; the average slope is -1.2, rather steeper
      than previously suggested.

PMID- 1408180
TI  - Different spatial tunings for ON and OFF pathway stimulation.
AB  - We compared the spatial tuning of sensitivity to luminance increments and
      decrements in three types of localized stimulus presentation with a smooth
      spatiotemporal envelope. The first type consisted of spatiotemporal Gabor grating
      functions with either a positive or a negative bias in luminance. The spatial
      tuning showed a substantially narrower bandwidth and greater peak sensitivity for
      the positive Gabors. A similar description could be applied to the results for
      detection of spots with a 2-D difference-of-Gaussian profile, although the shape
      of the tuning function differed in several respects. We also used the biased
      Gabor modulation in a contrast self-masking paradigm, where the increment (or
      decrement) was presented against a steady background with the same spatial
      configuration, over a range of base contrasts. At medium spatial frequencies the
      biased masking functions were similar to those typically found for unbiased
      gratings, in showing a threshold facilitation (dipper) at low contrast, and sub
      Weber masking behaviour at higher contrasts. At low spatial frequencies, however,
      a pronounced asymmetry appeared. Stimuli with a positive bias again showed
      typical masking behaviour, but a virtually flat masking function was obtained for
      negative bias stimuli. We conclude that stimuli without abrupt luminance
      transients reveal pronounced differences in the spatial tuning of responses to
      positive and negative stimuli, which probably reflect differences in the neural
      connectivity of the ON and OFF processing systems.

PMID- 1408181
TI  - Effect of myelination on the conduction velocity of optic nerve fibres.
AB  - It was proposed by Rushton in 1951, from theoretical considerations, that
      myelinated fibres less than 1 micron in diameter would conduct more slowly than
      unmyelinated fibres of the same size and that myelinated fibres below about 0.7
      micron would not conduct at all. The experimental data on which he based his
      theory are all from the peripheral nervous system where small myelinated fibres
      are rare, and no experimental verification of Rushton's hypothesis has been
      attempted. In mammalian optic nerve, nearly all the fibres are myelinated; yet
      half have diameters below 1 micron, with many below 0.7 micron. The many studies
      of conduction velocities in the visual system enable a test of Rushton's
      hypothesis to be made. We have examined the correlations between conduction
      velocity and fibre diameter from a wide range of published studies of the
      mammalian visual system. The results of our analysis suggest that the small
      myelinated fibres of the optic nerve and optic tract conduct action potentials
      more rapidly than is predicted by Rushton's hypothesis, while the unmyelinated
      axons within the retina actually conduct more slowly than predicted. There is no
      reason to believe, in this case, that myelination of a small axon will reduce its
      conduction velocity.

PMID- 1408182
TI  - Problems measuring contrast sensitivity in children.
AB  - A preliminary study measured the contrast sensitivity function (CSF) in 30
      children (aged 3 months-5 years). Preferential looking techniques were used to
      assess CSF to sine wave gratings displayed on one of two screens. To find a
      meaningful contrast sensitivity procedure we compared the results with a shorter
      procedure using an edge stimulus. The following problems were encountered:
      measuring the contrasts required to detect four or five different spatial
      frequencies took time, resulting in boredom and loss of attention in our
      subjects; there was poor correlation between CSF and edge detection; an
      interesting artefact resulted in a plateau rather than a low frequency fall-off
      in the CSF of five of the children greater than 30 months old. This artefact may
      have resulted from peripheral rather than central retinal responses and/or motion
      artefacts in the stimulus onset. A follow up study with 41 additional children
      aged 3-36 months limited the contrast testing to that of the spatial frequency
      corresponding to the peak of the CSF. The shortened procedure, plus a lot of
      encouragement, resulted in higher contrast sensitivities in all but the oldest
      age group and successful monocular contrast measurements. In order to avoid
      artefacts arising from peripheral vision, children were encouraged to look at
      each screen before responding.

PMID- 1408183
TI  - New acuity test for toddlers.
AB  - Preferential looking is the technique of choice for measuring visual acuity in
      infants and young children. Most workers agree that the toddler age group, 1 to 3
      years, is the most difficult to test. This is because of their short attention
      span and restlessness, but mostly because they find the grating target used in
      the test, frankly boring. The concept of the vanishing optotype chart offers
      alternative test targets, while utilizing the technique of preferential looking.
      We have designed a test which comprises a familiar shape (house, car etc.) on the
      upper or lower part of a neutral grey card. The shape is computer generated, and
      designed to fade completely when beyond the resolution limit. Acuity is
      determined by the width of the white lines making up the shape. As with
      conventional preferential looking, the observer notes the child's eye movements
      to determine the position of the target shape. Although picture naming is not
      required, the shapes help to maintain the child's interest in the test. The test
      is quick, and is successful with the toddler age group and older patients with
      intellectual impairment.

PMID- 1408184
TI  - Current perspective on microfluctuations of accommodation.
AB  - The collaboration of Fergus Campbell, Gerald Westheimer and John Robson in the
      1950s produced insight into the nature of accommodation microfluctuations and
      instigated work which has led to the current view that the nominally steady-state
      accommodation response exhibits temporal variations which can be characterized by
      two dominant regions of activity: a low-frequency component (LFC less than 0.6
      Hz) and a high-frequency component (HFC greater than or equal to 1.0 less than or
      equal to 2.3 Hz). A functional role has been attributed to these
      microfluctuations as they offer a means by which a directional cue could be
      derived from an even-error stimulus. However, there is no consensus regarding the
      respective contribution made by each of the dominant components in the
      accommodation control process. Using a newly-designed measurement and recording
      system we have conducted a series of experiments to investigate the nature and
      aetiology of the microfluctuations. The incidence and magnitude of
      microfluctuations in LFCs and HFCs for central and peripheral lens zones were
      investigated while five young emmetropic subjects viewed a near target. The form
      of the power spectra of the fluctuations was found to be similar for central and
      peripheral zones although an overall reduction in magnitude was observed in the
      periphery. The HFCs are thus a consistent feature of microfluctuations in central
      zones and not, as previously suggested, merely a spurious feature of peripheral
      zones. A significant between-subject variation in the location of HFCs was found
      and led us to consider the relationship between HFCs and other physiological
      systems which provide intraocular rhythmic variation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1408185
TI  - Preliminary observations concerning treatment of visual discomfort and associated
      perceptual distortion.
AB  - A system for therapeutic precision tinting is described. Some individuals who are
      subject to perceptual distortion of text no longer perceive the distortion when
      the text has a particular colour. A simple colorimeter enables an observer to
      illuminate text with light of a particular chromaticity, varying first CIE 1976
      hue angle (huv), then saturation (suv), and then luminance, to obtain a setting
      that maximizes visual comfort and reduces any perceptual distortion. The
      colorimeter setting is then matched by a combination of tinted trial lenses. The
      combination uses only two dyes at a time from a selection of seven, unless a dark
      lens is required, when a third neutral (grey) dye is added. The subject observes
      both text and a normal scene when wearing tinted trial lenses. A variety of trial
      lenses are compared including those that match the colorimeter setting and others
      with similar hue angle. Spectacle lenses are then tinted so as to have a spectral
      transmission identical to that of the chosen combination of trial lenses. Certain
      patients with reading disorders, eye-strain, headaches or photosensitivity
      epilepsy report benefit when wearing spectacles tinted according to the above
      techniques. The physiological basis for the therapeutic effects is uncertain, but
      may involve a selective impairment of luminance or colour-difference channels.

PMID- 1408186
TI  - Dependence of stereomotion on the orientation of spatial-frequency components.
AB  - It is known that sensitivity to stereoscopic motion in depth is not based upon
      the fine analysis of static disparities but instead is based on the binocular
      combination of motion-sensitive mechanisms. We show in this paper that an
      'aperture problem' arises for the analysis of motion in depth, just as it does
      for monocular motion sensitivity. We extend Adelson and Movshon's solution to the
      aperture problem by intersection of perpendicular constraints to the three
      dimensional case, and show that it predicts velocity matches for oblique gratings
      moving in depth, for orientations close to vertical. We show that binocular
      plaids give rise to motion in depth when the component orientations match in each
      eye, and the monocular motions are horizontal. The match velocities are
      consistent with intersection of perpendicular constraints. In three dimensions
      intersection of perpendicular constraints may be necessary, but is not a
      sufficient condition for the perception of coherent stereoscopic motion in depth.

PMID- 1408187
TI  - Area 21a in the cat and the detection of binocular orientation disparity.
AB  - Visual response properties were examined in 115 cells, recorded in area 21a of
      the cerebral cortex of anaesthetized and paralysed adult cats. Cells were
      binocular and had receptive fields consisting of a single uniform discharge
      region which fired with composite ON/OFF responses to stationary flashing
      stimuli. Most cells were sharply tuned for orientation, but this was unaffected
      by changes in stimulus length. This result is consistent with a model in which
      the cells of area 21a receive their input from C cells of the striate cortex.
      Evidence for this was obtained by studying the decline in the responsiveness in
      area 21a that accompanied the cooling of areas 17 and 18. There was little
      indication that the cells of area 21a were effective detectors of spatial
      disparity, but their sharp monocular orientation tuning and differences in the
      preferred orientation of ipsilateral and contralateral eyes hinted at a role in
      the detection of binocular orientation disparity. Our results, however, showed
      that the recorded binocular disparity curves could be accounted for by summing
      the two monocular contributions and there was no apparent novel binocular
      component.

PMID- 1408188
TI  - Report on the National Commission on AIDS.

PMID- 1408189
TI  - Strategies for constructing a guinea pig organ of Corti cDNA library and its
      potential use.
AB  - Mutations of genes common to several tissues or organs can lead to cellular
      damage, which may result in hearing impairment as part of a syndromic disorder.
      Mutations of genes that are unique to the organ of Corti would have a high
      probability of causing nonsyndromic hearing impairment. It is expected that such
      genes are involved in auditory transduction as well as in maintaining specific
      hair cell and supporting cell functions in the organ of Corti. Cloning and
      describing genes involved with nonsyndromic hearing impairment thus require the
      construction of a guinea pig cDNA library of the organ of Corti.

PMID- 1408190
TI  - Transgenic mice. Current applications to the study of the auditory and vestibular
      systems.
AB  - Understanding the variety of genetic disorders affecting the inner ear demands
      that we first comprehend the molecular mechanisms involved in its development.
      Mechanisms of development can best be understood by the study of mutant
      organisms. Progress in the study of mammalian development has been hampered by
      the difficulty inherent in the identification and isolation of mutated genes.
      Transgenic technology provides a direct experimental approach to the study of the
      control and tissue specificity of gene expression. Additionally, this technology
      allows new and exciting methods of human disease modeling. A by-product of this
      technology is the creation of insertional mutants, which provide a unique
      approach toward the identification of genes involved in a variety of
      developmental processes including those of hearing and balance.

PMID- 1408191
TI  - Genetic alterations in head and neck cancer.
AB  - Mutations of the ras gene family appear to be an uncommon genetic alteration in
      SCCHN. A common region of DNA amplification on chromosome 11q13 has been
      identified in SCCHN. A cluster of proto-oncogenes (int-2, hst-1, bcl-1, prad-1)
      has been localized to the 11q13 region. Studies are needed to determine the
      critical genes in 11q13 whose expression drive the amplicon. Mutations of the p53
      tumor suppressor gene are the most common genetic alteration in SCCHN. The hope
      is that dysregulated oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes may be targets for
      specific therapy.

PMID- 1408192
TI  - Cytogenetics in head and neck cancer.
AB  - Cytogenetic analysis of cell lines has identified a number of chromosomal regions
      that are likely to contain the genes important in malignant transformation in
      HNSCC. Further work needs to be done comparing results from cells grown in
      culture with tumors from which they are derived to determine the applicability of
      cytogenetic analysis. Preliminary results suggest that some of the chromosome
      changes observed may correlate with a cell's response to radiation and as such
      could provide a tool for evaluating a patient's response to planned therapy.

PMID- 1408193
TI  - Hereditary and environmental factors associated with risk and progression of head
      and neck cancer.
AB  - The familial occurrence of head and neck cancers supports the role of heredity in
      this disease group. The roles of environmental and genetic factors are difficult
      to separate. There are several well-characterized entities, however, that are
      associated with risk and prognosis of head and neck cancer, including Lynch-II
      syndrome, Bloom syndrome, Fanconi's anemia, xeroderma pigmentosum, ataxia
      telangiectasia, and Li-Fraumeni syndrome. Mutagen-induced chromosomal damage is
      associated with an increased risk of multiple primary neoplasms and upper
      aerodigestive tract cancers. A possible reduction of genotoxicity, mediated by
      micronutrients, was demonstrated in vitro. Sister chromatid exchanges and
      micronuclei are useful exposure and disease markers. Metabolic changes
      (acetylation, DBQ phenotype, and the AH locus polymorphism) have been found to be
      associated with cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract. Most associations
      between histocompatibility antigens and solid tumors are relatively weak,
      probably because of the masking effects of environmental factors. Infections by
      HPV, EBV, and HSV have a causative or predisposing role in several types of head
      and neck cancer. Amplification and rearrangement of oncogenes may also play a
      role in carcinogenesis, and oncogene amplification may be associated with
      aggressive tumor behavior and unfavorable clinical prognosis. Ploidy of tumors
      seems to be an important determinant of survival and response to therapy.

PMID- 1408194
TI  - The role of peptide growth factors in head and neck carcinoma.
AB  - Peptide growth factors are proteins that stimulate cellular proliferation by
      binding to specific cell membrane receptors. Evidence is accumulating that
      abnormal regulation of growth factors may contribute to carcinogenesis. The
      epithelial growth factors, EGF and TGF-alpha, which share the same receptor,
      EGFR, may play a pivotal role in the development and maintenance of head and neck
      cancer; preliminary studies concerning TGF-beta and IL-2 are inconclusive. There
      is increased production of TGF-alpha and EGFR mRNA in the majority of fresh
      tissues and cell lines from patients with SCCHN. This increase results from
      transcriptional activation of the gene(s). Therapies directed at the regulation
      of gene transcription may be useful in chemoprevention or modulation of disease.
      Nuclear studies that target up-regulated growth factor receptors may improve the
      ability to detect microscopic regional metastatic disease.

PMID- 1408195
TI  - Gene localization by linkage analysis.
AB  - Traditional genetic approaches have led to the identification of defects
      underlying an impressive array of diseases. Genetic terminology, Mendel's laws,
      chromosomes and linkage, statistical methods for linkage analysis, genetic
      markers, multilocus mapping, strategies in linkage studies, linkage
      heterogeneity, and the future of linkage analysis are discussed in this article.
      The molecular basis for most disorders, however, cannot be gleaned because there
      is no identifiable primary metabolic disorder.

PMID- 1408196
TI  - Gene mapping of the Usher syndromes.
AB  - USH is an autosomal recessive group of diseases characterized by auditory
      impairment and visual loss owing to RP. Two common types of USH are known, types
      I and II. USH type I is characterized by a congenital severe to profound hearing
      impairment, absent vestibular function, and a progressive pigmentary retinopathy.
      Persons with type I do not find hearing aids useful, have delayed motor
      development, and experience progressive night blindness and peripheral visual
      loss, which usually begins in their second decade. USH type II is characterized
      by a congenital moderate to severe hearing loss with a down-sloping audiogram,
      normal vestibular function, and a progressive pigmentary retinopathy. Persons
      with USH2 find hearing aids beneficial, have normal psychomotor development, and
      experience progressive night blindness and peripheral visual loss, which usually
      begins in their third decade. Vestibular dysfunction is the best distinguishing
      hallmark to differentiate USH type I from type II. One USH type II gene (called
      USH2) has been assigned to chromosome 1q. One USH type I gene has been
      tentatively assigned to chromosome 14q. There are other USH genes that have not
      yet been localized.

PMID- 1408197
TI  - Finding the gene(s) for Waardenburg syndrome(s).
AB  - Waardenburg syndrome is a recognizable disorder characterized by autosomal
      dominant inheritance of pigmentary abnormalities of the eyes, hair, and skin
      sometimes associated with congenital hearing impairment. At least two different
      types of Waardenburg syndrome have been described. The different types of
      Waardenburg syndrome are differentiated as follows: type I, with dystopia
      canthorum; type II, without dystopia canthorum; and type III, without dystopia,
      with unilateral eyelid ptosis and skeletal abnormalities. Results of pooled
      linkage analysis done by a consortium of investigators suggests that Waardenburg
      syndrome type I is genetically heterogeneous, meaning that there is probably more
      than one genotype that can be associated with the findings typical of the
      syndrome. A mutated gene that can cause Waardenburg syndrome type I has been
      discovered. Either a single base pair substitution or an 18 base pair deletion in
      exon 2 has been found in affected individuals but is not found in unaffected
      members. Most likely, the mutated gene causes a perturbation in DNA binding of a
      paired domain, in turn having an effect on the regulation of other genes so the
      development and spatial orientation of cells and structures derived from the
      neural crest are affected. Forty years after Waardenburg syndrome was first
      described, a mutant gene has been found that is known to cause the syndrome. The
      process of discovery that has transpired in the time from syndrome description to
      gene identification has been one of steady progress and interdisciplinary
      cooperation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408198
TI  - Genetic counseling for the deaf.
AB  - Genetic counseling is a process that emphasizes accurate diagnosis of hereditary
      conditions and communication of information to families. Genetic counseling
      involves systematic collection of family and medical history, a physical
      examination by a certified clinical geneticist, sharing of information with the
      family, and follow-up and support services. The issues that arise in genetic
      counseling can differ for every family and are often dependent on the degree of
      deafness present in the family, age of onset, and linguistic and cultural
      orientation. It is important for the genetic counselor to consider these factors
      in the provision of genetic services. With the increasing application of
      molecular genetics to the diagnosis and management of hereditary deafness and the
      increasing participation of families with deafness in research studies, the
      involvement of genetic counselors to provide information and education to
      consumers as well as medical professionals and researchers is becoming even more
      critical. The success of genetic counseling for the provision of information to
      families and the delineation of types of hereditary deafness through clinical and
      laboratory research is dependent on appropriate referrals by medical
      professionals, including otolaryngologists. A working relationship between
      otolaryngologists and clinical geneticists for the referral and evaluation of
      patients with hereditary deafness or deafness of "unknown" etiology is important.

PMID- 1408199
TI  - Ethical and cultural considerations in research on hereditary deafness.

PMID- 1408201
TI  - Molecular genetics of acoustic tumors.

PMID- 1408200
TI  - Genetic aspects of idiopathic speech and language disorders.
AB  - At the outset of this article, we posed the question of whether or not the
      current evidence from genetic studies of DLD and stuttering indicate that it
      would be fruitful to conduct studies aimed at determining the gene location for
      each of these disorders. As we pointed out, because these are behavioral
      development disorders, phenotypic variations and changes in characteristics
      through the life span pose problems when attempting to determine who is and is
      not affected. Further, because these disorders can be either idiopathic or
      secondary to a variety of causes, any genetic study must rule out or take account
      of cases secondary to other factors. Few studies conducted thus far have taken
      these problems into account, and the results must be considered tentative. Given
      these reservations, the results certainly point to a genetic component in both
      disorders, although the data collected thus far on DLD suggest a mendelian form
      of transmission. If further more intensive studies continue to support this model
      for DLD, linkage studies on this disorder are likely to be productive.

PMID- 1408202
TI  - [Results of surgical treatment in laryngeal cancer patients based on material of
      the Lublin Clinic of Otolaryngology].
AB  - A group of 287 laryngeal carcinoma patients was discussed, who were operationally
      treated over the period of ten years (1974-1983). Three- and five-year-long
      symptomless survivals were presented taking into account: age, sex, environment,
      habits, development of cancer on the base of precancerous conditions, primary
      localisation, progression of cancer in the larynx, presence of nodular metastases
      and a degree of clinical progression. In a group of 206 patients treated only
      operationally there were 65% of 5-year-long symptomless survivals, in a group 61
      patients treated by the combined method--33%, and finally in a group of patients
      with recurrence after irradiation treated operationally there were only 25% of 5
      year-long survivals.

PMID- 1408203
TI  - [Investigation of variability in the vascularity of trapezius musculo-cutaneous
      flaps].
AB  - The search on the human body cadavers was done to determine the exact
      localization of the various cutaneous island flaps depending on the course of the
      blood vessels. The latex solution stained with the prussian blue was injected
      directly into the thyro-cervical trunk or subclavian arteries. Afterwards the
      island musculocutaneous flaps from various regions of the trapezius muscle were
      performed. The whole number of the performed flaps were 20. The search confirmed
      the possibility of formation island flaps from various regions of the trapezius
      muscle.

PMID- 1408204
TI  - [Plastic surgery of the trachea after laryngectomy enabling breathing without a
      tracheotomy tube].
AB  - Plastic operations of trachea which enable to breath without the tracheotomy tube
      post total laryngectomy were presented by authors. Those operations were
      performed immediately post laryngectomy or also some time post remove larynx
      operation. In the first case the suitable "modeled" fold of the skin is made, in
      the second case the metallic half-loops are implanted. Results authors have
      received so far are encouraged to use of those methods.

PMID- 1408205
TI  - [Concerning the technique of forming a tracheostomy after total laryngectomy].
AB  - Many different techniques of the tracheostoma were presented. The rules making of
      the tracheostoma at Otolaryngological Clinic in Szczecin and the results of it
      were discussed. The importance of the free--of tube--tracheostoma was emphasized
      during the rehabilitation of the patient after total laryngectomy.

PMID- 1408206
TI  - [Concerning diagnosis and treatment of parotid neoplasms].
AB  - This study is a review of 57 patients with tumours in the parotid glands who
      underwent surgery at the ORL Clinic in Bialystok. Malignant tumours constituted
      17.5% of all parotid tumours and adenoid cystic carcinoma was the dominant type
      in this group. Pleomorphic adenomas were the most common benign tumour. The role
      of fine needle aspiration biopsy in diagnosis of parotid tumours is discussed.
      Superficial parotidectomy was the predominant form of treatment (47 cases). Total
      parotidectomy was done in 7 cases. The results of treatment are presented.

PMID- 1408207
TI  - [Controlled ENG examinations of patients with lack of induced unidirectional Ny].
AB  - 19 patients have been checked by the ENG control examination who had demonstrated
      during first examination lack of evoked Ny in one direction. The control
      examinations have been conducted from a few months to 4 years after the first ENG
      examination. Obtained results showed out that lack of evoked Ny in one direction
      can be persist or can be improved by going into symmetrical directional
      preponderance, after that in some cases coming to restitution and integrum. It
      can be explained by the degree of brainstem reticular substance lesion. The
      obtained results from the study allow to conclude, that lack of evoked Ny in one
      direction and coming after it the symmetrical directional preponderance have a
      topo-diagnostic value.

PMID- 1408208
TI  - [Complications of tonsillectomy].
AB  - The surgical treatment of the tonsils may cause different complications including
      even death. The author gives the examples of such complications and also pays
      attention to the importance of being cautious during this intervention.

PMID- 1408209
TI  - [Massive hemorrhage from the nose as a result of posttraumatic rupture of the
      internal carotid artery].

PMID- 1408211
TI  - [Vertigo in patients with otosclerosis and post stapedectomy].
AB  - The aim of the paper was evaluation of behaviour of the balance system in
      patients with clinical otospongiosis and after stapedectomy. The investigation
      was carried out in 131 otosclerotic patients. Before and post operation vertigo
      was noticed and the spontaneous nystagmus, positional nystagmus and directional
      preponderance in kinetic test were examined in ENG. Vertigo and objective
      symptoms of disturbance of the vestibular function were found in clinical
      otospongiosis, but postoperative subjective and objective symptoms were more
      frequently.

PMID- 1408210
TI  - [The influence of hearing aids on the ability of directional hearing in a free
      auditory field].
AB  - The study was on subject of preservation of directional hearing in free auditory
      field, in horizontal plane in different stages of pathological lesions of the
      bearing organ with properly fits hearing aid from Viennatone as the behind-the
      ear hearing aid (model 116 PAD) and the hearing spectacles (model 90 AN). There
      were noticed in 50 percentage of subjects improvement in the directional hearing.
      The best results was obtained in unilateral deafness. The evidently amelioration
      was observed in front azimuths. The obtained improvement directional hearing was
      not proportional to the stage of hearing improvement.

PMID- 1408212
TI  - [Difficulties in diagnosis and treatment of refractory epistaxis].
AB  - A case is described of surgically treated refractory epistaxis in a man aged 56
      years. The role of angiography in the choice of suitable management was pointed
      out.

PMID- 1408213
TI  - [Cases of granular cell tumor (myoblastoma) in the larynx].
AB  - Two patients suffering from very rare granular cell tumor of the larynx were
      observed at the ENT Department of Medical School in Szczecin in the period 1986
      to 1990. In one case the tumor located in the intra-arythenoid region was treated
      by tyreotomy. In the second case the tumor contained comisura anterior and
      cricothyreoidea region and was resected by subglottic laryngectomy. The
      functional results of the treatment were satisfactory.

PMID- 1408214
TI  - [A case of schwannoma in the floor of the oral cavity].

PMID- 1408216
TI  - [Scientist's report of a month's stay in Copenhagen (20.IX.--19.1989)].

PMID- 1408215
TI  - [Several generations of developmental abnormalities of the branchial arches and
      cleft].
AB  - Morphology and pathological mechanism of congenital anomalies of the first and
      second branchial arch and cleft were discussed. Present views on heredity of
      those malformations have been also presented. Five examples of familial
      occurrence of microtia and cleft are described.

PMID- 1408217
TI  - A tribute to Jack R. Anderson, MD.

PMID- 1408218
TI  - Passive exposure to cocaine in medical personnel and its effect on urine drug
      screening tests.
AB  - This report studies the importance of passive exposure of medical personnel to
      cocaine hydrochloride and its impact on urine screening testing. Eleven medical
      staff members were exposed to cocaine hydrochloride by means of aerosol and
      cutaneous application, similar to that which may occur in medical practice. Urine
      drug screening tests were negative for everyone tested. This finding is supported
      by known drug kinetics. It is unlikely that a single passive exposure of medical
      staff to cocaine hydrochloride will produce a positive urine screening test. In
      all cases of positive urine tests, contaminants should be tested for which may
      indicate a source of the drug. The routine use of gloves and masks--which is
      recommended to prevent HIV infection--should further decrease medical personnel's
      passive exposure to cocaine hydrochloride.

PMID- 1408219
TI  - Indications for open cervical node biopsy in HIV-positive patients.
AB  - Open node biopsy was the method of choice for diagnosing human immunodeficiency
      virus (HIV) infection before serologic testing became available. Currently, the
      otolaryngologist is often called on to assist in the management of HIV-positive
      patients with troublesome cervical adenopathy. Today's questions are: what is the
      place of fine-needle aspiration (FNA), and when is open cervical node biopsy
      indicated. A retrospective review was undertaken of 93 consecutive cervical node
      biopsies performed by our department during the 5-year period from 1985 to 1989.
      Twenty of the patients who underwent biopsy were HIV-positive. Of these twenty,
      ten carried an established diagnosis of acquired immune deficiency syndrome
      (AIDS). Seventeen of these patients underwent FNA before biopsy. In the eight
      patients with persistent generalized lymph-adenopathy (PGL) and nontender,
      nonenlarging nodes, pathologic analysis revealed lymphoid hyperplasia. Five of
      these patients had antecedent FNA, none demonstrating any pathologic changes. Of
      the twelve patients with enlarging or tendon nodes, the diagnosis of
      mycobacterial adenitis was made in eight, Nocardial infection in two, Burkitt's
      lymphoma in one, and metastatic Kaposi's sarcoma in one. In four of the patients
      diagnosed with mycobacterial infections, FNA yielded cytologic evidence of acid
      fast bacilli and open lymph node biopsy added nothing. In contrast, FNA failed to
      reveal the diagnosis in both patients with Nocardial infection, and in the two
      patients with neoplastic disease. We conclude that cervical node biopsy is not
      indicated in the HIV or AIDS patient with nontender or nonenlarging
      nodes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408221
TI  - Lipoma of internal auditory canal.
AB  - Lipoma of the internal auditory canal is a rare tumor. Clinically, it presents
      like an acoustic tumor. The diagnosis can be made with the use of a magnetic
      resonance imaging showing a high intensity on T1- and low intensity on T2
      weighted image with no enhancement. Pathologically, this is a soft, smooth,
      yellow tumor with some fat in it that can resemble grossly any acoustic tumor.
      The lipoma is intermixed with the eighth nerve and can be adherent to adjacent
      structures. The growth of a lipoma can be slower than an acoustic tumor. A
      patient diagnosed with lipoma of the internal auditory canal can often have quite
      good hearing. As an alternative to surgical removal, another therapeutic option
      is to watch the growth of the lipoma with periodic magnetic resonance imaging,
      probably on a yearly basis initially.

PMID- 1408220
TI  - Bilateral electrocochleographic findings in unilateral Meniere's disease.
AB  - At present, electrocochleography is the only proven investigation that can
      demonstrate objectively the presence of endolymphatic hydrops. The
      electrophysiologic recordings in response to sound stimuli show an enhancement of
      the negative summating potential in these cases. It is well established that
      patients with unilateral Meniere's disease have a high likelihood of development
      of the disease bilaterally in the fullness of time. Using transtympanic
      electrocochleography in 40 patients who manifested unilateral clinical Meniere's
      disease, we have recorded bilateral abnormalities indicative of endolymphatic
      hydrops in 35% of cases. The early recognition of incipient Meniere's disease in
      the asymptomatic contralateral ear of a patient with known unilateral disease has
      obvious profound implications for patient management.

PMID- 1408222
TI  - Prognostic value of evoked and standard electromyography in acute facial
      paralysis.
AB  - Ninety-one patients with idiopathic (n = 62) and traumatic (n = 29) facial
      paralyses were available for evaluation at least 1 year after the onset of
      paralysis. In nine cases of idiopathic paralysis and in 12 cases of traumatic
      paralysis, total intratemporal nerve decompression was performed. The remaining
      patients were treated with steroids alone. All patients underwent evoked
      electromyography (EEMG) testing within 2 weeks of the onset of paralysis. Facial
      nerve recovery was graded using the House-Brackmann facial nerve recovery scale.
      Subjects were grouped according to maximal decline of compound muscle action
      potential (CAP), as determined by EEMG, and by level of recovery 1 year after
      onset of paralysis. Among patients who did not undergo surgical decompression of
      the facial nerve, incomplete clinical recovery (grade III or higher) was
      significantly associated with CAP decline of greater than 90% (p less than 0.05)
      for idiopathic paralysis. In contrast, there was no significant association
      between CAP decline of greater than 90% and clinical outcome in traumatic
      paralysis. These findings support previous reports of the prognostic value of
      EEMG in idiopathic facial paralysis, but suggest that this test may have less
      predictive value in the evaluation of facial paralysis as a result of trauma.

PMID- 1408223
TI  - Partial endoscopic middle turbinectomy augmenting functional endoscopic sinus
      surgery.
AB  - Endoscopic sinus surgery has gained acceptance in the otolaryngologic community
      as an effective and safe method of treating inflammatory disease of the paranasal
      sinuses. At our institution, partial endoscopic middle turbinectomy has become a
      standard component of the procedure and our experience is reported. Middle
      turbinectomy enhances surgical exposure, specific anatomic anomalies are more
      completely corrected, and subpopulations of patients at risk for failure because
      of their underlying disease enjoy decreased rates of synechiae formation and
      closure of the middle meatus antrostomy when followed over time.
      Photodocumentation of the surgical technique and a discussion regarding the
      impact of middle turbinectomy on normal nasal physiology are presented. It is
      reported that the procedure is safe, and no complications directly attributable
      to middle turbinectomy (including atrophic rhinitis) are reported in a series of
      298 patients.

PMID- 1408224
TI  - Mandibular lingual releasing approach.
AB  - The mandibular lingual releasing approach to oral cavity and oropharyngeal tumors
      provides excellent visualization for resection while integrity of the mandibular
      arch is preserved. A lingual floor-of-mouth flap is created, which allows
      delivery of these structures directly into the neck without lip splitting,
      mandibulotomy, or mandibulectomy. The procedure was carried out on 15 patients
      between 1987 and 1991, with followup ranging from 2 to 50 months. Nine patients
      had received previous radiation, whereas planned postoperative radiation was
      administered to five patients. The visualization afforded by this technique was
      very good, in that 12 patients had clear margins of resection. Three patients had
      close margins; recurrent disease developed in one of these patients 18 months
      later. Twelve of the patients were able to maintain their weight with an oral
      diet alone. Four postoperative fistulae occurred, three of these were in patients
      who had not been previously irradiated. The single fistula that did not
      spontaneously heal occurred in a patient who had received previous radiation and
      was also on long-term corticosteroids. Mandibular osteoradionecrosis developed in
      two patients who received postoperative radiation. The complication rate after
      previous radiation is acceptable; however, there is risk of mandibular
      osteoradionecrosis after high-dose postoperative radiation.

PMID- 1408225
TI  - The canalith repositioning procedure: for treatment of benign paroxysmal
      positional vertigo.
AB  - The Canalith Repositioning Procedure (CRP) is designed to treat benign paroxysmal
      positional vertigo (BPPV) through induced out-migration of free-moving
      pathological densities in the endolymph of a semicircular canal, using timed head
      maneuvers and applied vibration. This article describes the procedure and its
      rationale, and reports the results in 30 patients who exhibited the classic
      nystagmus of BPPV with Hallpike maneuvers. CRP obtained timely resolution of the
      nystagmus and positional vertigo in 100%. Of these, 10% continued to have
      atypical symptoms, suggesting concomitant pathology; 30% experienced one or more
      recurrences, but responded well to retreatment with CRP. These results also
      support an alternative theory that the densities that impart gravity-sensitivity
      to a semicircular canal in BPPV are free in the canal, rather than attached to
      the cupula. CRP offers significant advantages over invasive and other noninvasive
      treatment modalities in current use.

PMID- 1408226
TI  - Computer-aided three-dimensional measurement of the human vestibular apparatus.
AB  - Using a computer-aided three-dimensional reconstruction and measurement method,
      12 measurements were made to determine the dimensions of the maculae, cristae
      ampullares, and semicircular canals in 18 temporal bones from nine pairs of age
      matched male and female individuals (1 day to 76 years old). The surface areas of
      the utricular and saccular maculae were significantly larger in male than in
      female specimens (two-way analysis of variance, F = 9.00, df = 1, p less than
      0.01; F = 4.57, df = 1, p less than 0.05, respectively). The width of the
      utricular macula and the length of the saccular macula were also significantly
      greater in male than in female specimens (two-way analysis of variance, F = 5.17,
      df = 1, p less than 0.05; F = 4.33, df = 1, p less than 0.05, respectively).
      Finally, the three semicircular canals were larger in diameter in male vs. female
      specimens; this difference was statistically significant for the superior
      semicircular canal (two-way analysis of variance, F = 10.74, df = 1, p less than
      0.01). By contrast, none of these dimensions of those vestibular structures
      showed any significant change in size with advancing postnatal age. We propose
      from these findings that there appears to be sexual dimorphism in the vestibular
      apparatus.

PMID- 1408227
TI  - Cochlear implants in children: reliability of computed tomography.
AB  - Preoperative temporal bone computed tomography (CT) can demonstrate anatomic
      details relevant to surgical management and is therefore essential in the
      presurgical evaluation of patients receiving cochlear implants. The purpose of
      this study was to evaluate preoperative CT studies and compare them to surgical
      findings in 34 children who received the Nucleus multichannel cochlear implant.
      The focus of this report is to discuss the dependability of CT scans in
      predicting surgical findings at the time of cochlear implantation. Results
      indicate that agreement of CT interpretations with surgical findings is partially
      related to the etiology of hearing loss and the experience of the surgeon and
      neuroradiologist. Advantages and limitations of the CT scans in predicting
      surgical findings are discussed.

PMID- 1408228
TI  - Surface sensibility of the floor of the mouth and tongue in healthy controls and
      in radiated patients.
AB  - Increased areas of anesthesia in the oral cavity have been shown to significantly
      impair oral function in normal individuals. In patients who undergo oral cavity
      reconstruction, loss of sensation plays a major role in producing disturbances in
      postoperative oral function. Free tissue transfer techniques have permitted the
      problem of sensory loss to be addressed through the use of sensate cutaneous free
      flaps, in which microneural anastomoses are performed between a sensory nerve
      supplying the flap and a recipient nerve in the head and neck. To critically
      assess the results of such reconstructions, the effect of sensory restoration on
      oral cavity rehabilitation must be studied. As a first step toward this goal,
      normal values for sensory discrimination of the floor of mouth and tongue are
      needed. Previous studies of oral sensation failed to examine the ventral tongue
      and floor of mouth. The purpose of this study is to determine the surface
      sensibility of these regions in healthy patients and in patients who received
      radiation therapy to the oral cavity. Sensation was evaluated using static and
      moving two-point discrimination in 90 healthy subjects divided equally into three
      age groups: 20 to 40 years, 41 to 60 years, and 61 to 80 years. In addition, 20
      patients who received radiation therapy were studied. The mucosa of the dorsal
      and ventral aspects of the lateral tongue, tongue tip, and floor of mouth was
      examined. The tongue tip is the most sensitive area, followed by the dorsal
      lateral tongue, ventral lateral tongue, and floor of mouth. The effects of age
      and radiation therapy on sensory discrimination are discussed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408229
TI  - Pain after surgery for acoustic neuroma.
AB  - Postoperative pain after surgery in the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) is
      acknowledged to occur, but is rarely taken into account as a factor in the
      analysis of morbidity of such surgery. It is widely acknowledged that some
      patients, having undergone such surgery, particularly by means of the
      suboccipital approach, report significant post-operative pain and headache. This
      study was undertaken to determine the incidence and severity of pain after
      excision of acoustic neuromas and to establish whether this differed between the
      suboccipital and translabyrinthine routes. Ninety-one percent of all patients (n
      = 58), who had the suboccipital approach used for removal of their tumor, were
      surveyed. A smaller group (n = 40), matched for tumor size, age, and sex, but in
      whom the translabyrinthine approach was used, was similarly studied. A standard
      questionnaire, designed to detect and quantify postoperative pain, was
      administered to each patient. Of patients who underwent tumor excision by means
      of the suboccipital approach, 63.7% experienced significant local discomfort and
      headache, whereas this was notably absent in all those who had undergone
      translabyrinthine excision. In view of the significant morbidity noted to follow
      the suboccipital approach, several modifications of the surgical technique used
      were devised.

PMID- 1408230
TI  - Combined infrahyoid and inferior constrictor muscle release for tension-free
      anastomosis during primary tracheal repair.
AB  - Although tracheal stenosis is not a common clinical entity, it still presents a
      significant management problem, despite recent endoscopic advances. Surgical
      correction by resection and primary anastomosis is the preferred treatment,
      provided the repair can be performed without excessive tension. Various release
      techniques have been described in order to achieve mobility and, thereby, a
      tension-free anastomosis. This article presents a combined infrahyoid muscle and
      inferior constrictor muscle release to assure maximum mobility of the
      laryngotracheal complex, thus allowing tension-free closure. A series of ten
      patients who underwent primary repair using the combined technique is presented,
      and the operative technique is described. The indications, age, length of
      stenosis, and minimum 1 year followup of these patients are presented, as well as
      perioperative management and complications. The success rate with this technique
      is 90%.

PMID- 1408231
TI  - Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in
      otolaryngology.
AB  - Soon after the introduction of methicillin, strains of Staphylococcus aureus
      resistant to methicillin were reported. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
      aureus (MRSA) has become a common hospital pathogen, often resistant to multiple
      antibiotics, while causing significant morbidity and mortality. Community
      acquired MRSA infections have been infrequently documented. Most reports have
      been associated with intravenous drug abuse. This report reviews 15 patients with
      community-acquired MRSA infections of the head and neck. None admitted to
      intravenous drug use. Additionally, no patient was known to be a healthcare
      worker. The MRSA strains showed antibiotic susceptibility and resistance profiles
      different from typical hospital-acquired MRSA isolates. All but one infection
      resolved with adequate surgical or appropriate antibiotic therapy. Clinicians
      should become aware of the possibility of community-acquired MRSA in the patient
      who has had continued infection despite antibiotic therapy.

PMID- 1408232
TI  - Soft tissue effects of the THC:YAG laser on canine vocal cords.
AB  - Recently, a laser based on a thulium-holmium-chromium (THC) doped Yttrium
      aluminum-garnet (YAG) rod has been developed that produces light of 2.15 microns
      wavelength and can be transmitted through a low OH- silica fiberoptic cable. This
      wavelength falls on one of the peaks of the energy absorption spectrum of water.
      Thus, the THC:YAG laser eliminates the disadvantage of a cumbersome delivery
      system found in the CO2 laser while still providing precise cutting and minimal
      tissue injury inherent in lasers emitting light absorbed by water. We evaluated
      the soft tissue effects of this laser on canine vocal cords. Ablative lesions
      were produced by the THC:YAG laser and histologically examined on postoperative
      days 1, 7, and 28. Results indicate that the depth of tissue penetration is
      easily controlled and the healing response to tissue injury is comparable to that
      of the CO2 laser. The THC:YAG laser should prove to be a superior laser for use
      in otorhinolaryngology, especially when adapted to a flexible endoscope.

PMID- 1408233
TI  - The riddle of the uvula.
AB  - Since ancient times, the uvula has been a subject of interesting and
      contradictory observations. On the one hand, it was regarded as having a
      functional role in speech and in immunology, but on the other hand it was
      regarded as a potentially hazardous organ, possibly responsible for sudden infant
      death syndrome. None of these hypotheses, however, has been proved. In a previous
      study on patients undergoing uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, we suggested that the
      most important function of the uvula is connected with the muscularis uvula. Its
      function could be related to drinking while bending over. This previous
      assumption was that the uvula is a phylogenetic remnant from mammals that drink
      while bending their neck downward. In the present study, the soft palate of eight
      different mammals was macroscopically and microscopically studied and compared.
      Of all animals in the study, a small underdeveloped uvula was found only in two
      baboons. We found that the human uvula consists of an intermix of serous and
      seromucous glandular masses, muscular tissue, and large excretory canals. The
      serous and seromucous glands are absent in the other mammals. Thus, the uvula is
      a highly sophisticated structure, capable of producing a large quantity of fluid
      saliva that can be excreted in a short time. Both uvula and speech serve to
      differentiate human beings from animals. Our conclusion is that the uvula is
      possibly an accessory organ of speech, and may be another marker of human
      evolution that differentiates man from other mammals.

PMID- 1408234
TI  - Intracordal injection increases glottic closing force in recurrent laryngeal
      nerve paralysis.
AB  - Glottic closing pressure during swallowing was measured in the cat with a
      catheter pressure transducer to study the effectiveness of intracordal injection
      in increasing glottic pressure in unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis.
      Swallows were elicited by pouring water into the pharynx while the animal was
      under light anesthesia with ketamine. Peak pressure of the glottic closure for
      the control group during deglutition was 68.0 +/- 10.5 mm Hg (mean +/- standard
      deviation). Peak pressure decreased to 22.0 +/- 3.6 mm Hg just after sectioning
      of the unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve, and rose to 39.8 +/- 8.3 mm Hg by
      silicon injection into the paralyzed vocal fold. In a study of chronic cases 1
      month or more after unilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve section, peak pressure
      was 49.1 +/- 23.4 mm Hg, and varied widely from 21 to 92 mm Hg because of
      differences in the position of the paralyzed vocal fold and the degree of
      compensation by the unaffected vocal fold. In the group that had the paralyzed
      vocal fold fixed in the median position, peak pressure was almost the same as
      that of the control group. When the paralyzed vocal fold was fixed in either the
      paramedian or lateral position, peak pressure was 33.3 +/- 7.0 mm Hg. This value
      was significantly elevated to 45.8 +/- 10.4 mm Hg by injection of silicon, though
      it remained lower than that of the control. These results suggest that the
      decrease in glottic closing force during swallowing as a result of unilateral
      recurrent laryngeal nerve lesion is compensated for by the unaffected vocal fold
      to some degree and is improved by intracordal injection.

PMID- 1408235
TI  - Microcystic adnexal carcinoma of the lower lip.

PMID- 1408236
TI  - Paranasal phycomycosis in the immunocompetent host.

PMID- 1408237
TI  - Parathyroid adenoma with cervical tracheal compression.

PMID- 1408238
TI  - Thyroid hemiagenesis in a patient with a parathyroid adenoma.

PMID- 1408239
TI  - The Nucleus multichannel cochlear implant: comparison of scala tympani vs. scala
      vestibuli electrode placement in a single patient.

PMID- 1408240
TI  - Bazex syndrome.

PMID- 1408241
TI  - Acoustic neuroma presenting as a middle ear mass.

PMID- 1408242
TI  - Intratracheal esophagus resulting from displacement by a large goiter.

PMID- 1408243
TI  - Canalization of salivary and lacrimal systems made easy: a simplified technique.

PMID- 1408244
TI  - Coccidioidomycosis of the external ear.

PMID- 1408245
TI  - Hearing threshold differences and risk of acoustic tumor.

PMID- 1408246
TI  - Hearing threshold differences and risk of acoustic tumor.

PMID- 1408247
TI  - Role of audiology in identification of acoustic tumors.

PMID- 1408248
TI  - Reacting to Act 6.

PMID- 1408249
TI  - The challenge ahead. Interview by Maria T. Montesano.

PMID- 1408250
TI  - Canadian physicians debate reform and repairs to an eroding system.

PMID- 1408251
TI  - The French national health care system--some perspectives.

PMID- 1408252
TI  - Discussing the issues with the senatorial candidates.

PMID- 1408253
TI  - First public release of physician-specific data by council is imminent.

PMID- 1408254
TI  - Hahnemann's "Point of Light".

PMID- 1408256
TI  - Tuberculosis spectre haunts public health.

PMID- 1408255
TI  - Monitoring impaired physicians: a tool for relapse prevention.
AB  - Physicians experience a broad spectrum of health problems which can disrupt their
      personal lives and impair their ability to function professionally. Some of these
      illnesses--such as alcoholism and other drug dependency, and certain psychiatric
      disorders--are chronic. While treatment usually results in remission of active
      symptoms, there is a risk of relapse if necessary steps are not followed.
      Therefore, the key to continued recovery and stable functioning lies in effective
      relapse prevention.

PMID- 1408257
TI  - KePRO's community outreach programs.
AB  - The Keystone Peer Review Organization board of directors and management have
      always taken pride in knowing that individually and as a group they have put
      forth extra effort to assure maximum efficiency and fairness in the review
      system. Another source of pride to the organization is our Community Outreach
      Program which we think is one of the finest and most progressive in the country.
      While such a program is required under our contract with the Health Care
      Financing Administration (HCFA), we saw the need to go beyond the HCFA
      requirements.

PMID- 1408258
TI  - PA AIDS ETC offering HIV clinical training.

PMID- 1408259
TI  - Who's setting your priorities?

PMID- 1408261
TI  - Health views from the House. Interview by Maria T. Montesano.

PMID- 1408260
TI  - Medical ethics and maternal-fetal conflicts.
AB  - As ethical issues are raised by more and more aspects of medical practice,
      medical ethics becomes an ever more complex and confusing enterprise, presenting
      yet another physician dilemma. This article offers guidelines for individual
      physicians and hospital ethics committees in dealing with medical ethics and
      maternal-fetal conflicts.

PMID- 1408262
TI  - PennDOT publishes amendments to licensing regulations.

PMID- 1408264
TI  - Medicare conversion factor split for 1993.

PMID- 1408263
TI  - Clarifying concurrent care.
AB  - Pennsylvania Blue Shield's concurrent care policy for both the Medicare program
      and its private business is the source of much confusion and exasperation among
      physicians, especially with regard to medical-medical concurrent care. This
      article seeks to clarify the process for better understanding by physicians.

PMID- 1408265
TI  - Blue Shield, society answer RBRVS questions.

PMID- 1408266
TI  - Possible changes in store for PRO program.
AB  - Some drastic changes in the peer review organization (PRO) program have been
      proposed by the Health Care Financing Administration in recent months. Some of
      them are good, but, as we see them, some could cause problems for PROs,
      hospitals, and physicians.

PMID- 1408267
TI  - AIDS: startling statistics call for strong actions.

PMID- 1408268
TI  - Legacy and future.

PMID- 1408269
TI  - Understanding durable powers of attorney.
AB  - Many physicians will encounter the use of durable powers of attorney in their
      medical practices as patients become more informed and more prepared for end-of
      life decisions. Be aware, however, that these documents vary in the authority
      they grant the holder, and that they differ significantly from living wills.

PMID- 1408270
TI  - HCFA takes on "hassle factor".

PMID- 1408271
TI  - HCFA and the political scene.
AB  - Will the fact that this is a presidential election year affect the philosophy and
      direction of the Health Care Financing Administration as it relates to health
      care financing in general and the peer review organization program in particular?
      Perhaps.

PMID- 1408272
TI  - Developing a patient communications plan. The Health Care Group.

PMID- 1408273
TI  - A courtroom lesson in physician-assisted suicide.
AB  - Physician participation in euthanasia and assisted suicide has been the subject
      of long-standing debate and is unlikely to be resolved easily or soon. The
      Pennsylvania Medical Society's Medical Student Section explored this topic
      recently in a second "mock trial" held in conjunction with the Temple University
      School of Law and co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Medical Society Liability
      Insurance Company. This is an account and essay from that trial.

PMID- 1408274
TI  - Standards of review.

PMID- 1408275
TI  - Musings on mentoring.

PMID- 1408276
TI  - Senatorial candidates respond. Federal role in health care/basic services.

PMID- 1408277
TI  - Senatorial candidates respond. Federal role in health care.

PMID- 1408278
TI  - Preventive law monthly. Are you legally healthy?

PMID- 1408279
TI  - Solving the day care puzzle: how to choose the safest center for your child.

PMID- 1408280
TI  - TB revisited!

PMID- 1408281
TI  - Statement on HIV/HBV/AIDS disease and nursing students.

PMID- 1408282
TI  - Advanced licensure: personal plum or public shield?

PMID- 1408283
TI  - [Personal memories of personally experienced pediatrics (1946-1991)].
AB  - As a kind of farewell speech about my pediatric activity some personal
      experiences are described, which are of special interest for me and perhaps of a
      certain historic interest for the reader. The occurrences derives from my
      profession at the University-Clinics of Pediatrics in Vienna, Bern, Basel and
      Innsbruck.

PMID- 1408284
TI  - [Organization of the psychotherapy-psychosomatic department and its integration
      into the University Pediatric Clinic].
AB  - With regard to the 20 years history of our psychotherapeutic unit some essential
      feed-back-loops between medical pediatric work and our systemic thinking are
      presented. So-called objective tasks interfere with group dynamics and subjective
      task formulations. If two models (the biomedical and the systemic-therapeutic)
      collide, both of them get "contaminated" and should be changed in a co-evolutive
      process--for the sake of the patients and their families. In our experience this
      is only possible, if autonomy of the unit is present, then the unit can wait for
      "perturbations".

PMID- 1408285
TI  - [Bronchial asthma and systematic family therapy: treatment concept, initial
      contact and therapy follow-up].
AB  - Psychosocial factors play an important role in pathogenesis and maintenance of
      bronchial asthma. However, besides conventional treatment family therapy seems to
      be less applied. A treatment plan for the integration of systemic family therapy
      into pediatric management of asthma has been developed and validated. Its special
      feature is an invariant family treatment offer after the initial session, with
      the decision of acceptance or rejection upon the family. The main focuses of
      family therapy are coping and family interaction, thus indirectly influencing the
      course of illness. Up to now 66 family sessions have been conducted with 11
      families; five families agreed to the first session only. In a mean observation
      time of two years after the end of family therapy we found a drastic reduction in
      hospital readmissions of the asthmatic patients, even in the patients of families
      who took part in the initial session only. This may indicate a better control of
      asthma symptoms in patients and families. Family therapy is suggested as a
      valuable and additional tool in treatment of asthmatic children, irrespectively
      of their allergic status.

PMID- 1408286
TI  - [The painful hip joint in the child: differential diagnosis and therapy of
      coxitis fugax, Perthes disease and septic coxitis].
AB  - The differential diagnosis of a painful hip joint in children is important.
      Transient synovitis is frequently seen in children from 3 to 7 years of age with
      a short history of limping. The joint effusion is visualized by ultrasound.
      Radiograms and laboratory data are negative. Therapy consists of short term bed
      rest supported by an oral antiphlogistic drug. Children with Legg-Calve-Perthes
      disease complain about knee or hip pain in an early stage. X-ray documentation in
      the a.p and axial view are mandatory as well as ultrasound visualization of the
      accompanying effusion. Healing of the capital femural epiphysis is aided by
      weight relief and improved head containment. This may need from one to three
      years according to the age of the child and the amount of head involvement. More
      than half of the children's hips with Perthes disease surgical help to achieve a
      satisfactory result. Hip pain is overwhelming in cases of septic arthritis of the
      hip joint. This is the most important help to differentiate septic coxitis from
      transient synovitis or Perthes disease. Rapidly rising values of red cell
      sedimentation and c-reactive protein are important for early diagnosis. Septic
      effusions are visualized by ultrasound. X-ray changes are absent in the beginning
      and are seen only in delayed cases. Early arthrotomy with scrupulous rinsing of
      the joint, followed by parenteral antibiotic treatment, is the treatment of
      choice.

PMID- 1408287
TI  - Cerebral infarction in a child. A case report.
AB  - Cerebral infarcts in children are rather rare and in most cases no precise
      etiology is established. The authors describe a case of cryptogenetic cerebral
      infarction in a 9-year-old boy. The child presented an acute onset of hemiplegia
      in the right arm and leg, central facial palsy, dysarthria and steppage. The
      infarction was proved by Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging
      (MRI). Laboratory and instrumental studies rule out all known causes of brain
      infarction. The only possible etiopathogenetic hypothesis was a varicella
      arteritis which occurred 45 days before the clinical manifestation.

PMID- 1408288
TI  - [Familial Mediterranean fever--a case report].
AB  - A case of a ten years old boy with recurrent fever and abdominal pain starting at
      the age of five years is reported. Later the attacks were accompanied by chest
      pain. There were only indifferent changes in laboratory examination. Neither a
      wide range of antibiotics, nor appendectomy and tonsillectomy prevented the boys
      symptoms. The diagnose was established after five years by a positive Metaraminol
      test, that precipitated a disease-like attack. The therapeutic use of colchicine
      salicylate reduced the severity and frequency of attacks in out patient. In
      agreement with other authors it should be emphasized, that in general the benefit
      of colchicine outweighs possible side effects of a long term therapy also in
      children.

PMID- 1408289
TI  - [Stress and susceptibility to infection].
AB  - The influence of various stressors upon the human immune system, was and
      presently is the subject of many clinically oriented as well as experimental
      studies. Even though it is not always clear how relevant the reported
      observations are in behalf to the beginning, the course and the outcome of
      infectious, neoplastic and autoimmune diseases, there is hardly any doubt, that
      stress may influence multiple aspects of the immune answer. The sensitivity of
      the immune system to stress factors is not merely fortuitous, but is an indirect
      consequence of the regulatory reciprocal influences between the immune system and
      the central nervous system. These interconnections seem to represent building
      blocks of a long-loop regulatory feedback-system, which plays an important role
      in the coordination of stressors and psychological influences upon the course of
      infections and inflammatory diseases.

PMID- 1408290
TI  - [From psychobiological stress research to neuropsychoimmunology].
AB  - Psychoimmunology--a neologism--is a short term for the growing evidence that
      there are multiple interactions between central nervous system, vegetative
      nervous system, endocrinological system and immunological system. In the history
      of research the psychobiological stress concept of Hans Selye has been the most
      powerful basis for the ongoing empirical work in investigating aspects of
      systemic processes of psychoimmunology. Nowadays there is no doubt that the
      immunological system must not be seen as an independently functioning organic
      system. Simple causal links (like stressor-strain-relations) are not useful in
      explaining the complex interactions that we observe when biological phenomena
      simultaneously are taken into consideration. Especially with psychological
      stressors--the most frequent kind of troubles in our contemporary way of life--we
      have to stress the importance of the individual's evaluation of potentially
      stressful situations. In a wide variety a stressor becomes the potential of
      provoking strain because of my own appraisal. This multiple-step-process of
      appraisal is dependent on my coping abilities and coping strategies regarding an
      objectively or subjectively dangerous situation. Although there are common
      genetic and predispositional factors influencing the stress reaction we have to
      focus more on psychological phenomena, especially the possibility of conditioning
      stress reactions. As we know by empirical data some reactions of the
      immunological system are also influenced by learning processes like classical
      conditioning procedures. This knowledge may be used for a better understanding of
      a lot of chemical findings.

PMID- 1408291
TI  - [Liposomal amphotericin B in the treatment of candida infection in a 3-month-old
      infant].
AB  - Amphotericin B (Amph-B) is the treatment of choice for systemic fungal
      infections. The application of high doses is limited due to the high incidence of
      acute side effects (fever, chills) and organ toxicity (reduction in glomerular
      filtration rate, renal tubular damage). Amph-B was applied without success in a
      three months old infant, who suffered from systemic candidiasis. After a change
      to high doses (3-5 mg/kg/day) of liposomal Amph-B (Amph-lip) rapid improvement of
      the patient's condition occurred and the pulmonary lesions disappeared during six
      weeks of treatment (total dose 185.5 mg/kg). Acute side effects or renal function
      abnormalities did not occur. The reported case indicates that the application of
      high doses of Amph-lip is an alternative to conventional Amph-B in treatment of
      systemic fungal infections.

PMID- 1408292
TI  - Pain: paradigms and treatments.

PMID- 1408293
TI  - Chronic epidural bupivacaine-opioid infusion in intractable cancer pain.
AB  - This study examined the efficacy and toxicity associated with chronic epidural
      opioid-bupivacaine infusions. In a series of 68 patients with cancer pain
      refractory to epidural opioids alone, analgesia was effectively regained by
      infusing a opioid-bupivacaine combination. Sixty-one patients (90%) were
      considered treatment successes, according to conventional criteria. Median length
      of therapy was 60-120 days, with the longest infusion lasting 277 days. Chronic
      bupivacaine infusion concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 0.5% with infusion rates
      varying from 4 to 18 ml/h. The majority of patients experienced pain relief with
      little or no sympathetic or sensorimotor impairment after the first 24 h at
      bupivacaine concentrations of 0.125-0.25% and were managed in home or chronic
      care settings without the need for re-hospitalization. In patients receiving
      higher bupivacaine concentrations, sympathetic, sensory and motor blockade were
      well tolerated during chronic infusion. Sensory loss was consistently observed
      only at bupivacaine concentrations exceeding 0.25%, and motor impairment occurred
      only at concentrations exceeding 0.35%. Postural hypotension was observed in 6
      patients (9%) for the first 24 h only, which supports the requirement for
      monitoring and fluid therapy during initiation of the bupivacaine infusion. No
      patient experienced CNS or systemic toxicity, despite plasma total bupivacaine
      concentrations as high as 10.8 micrograms/ml. Serial plasma bupivacaine levels
      were measured in 15 patients during chronic infusion. There was considerable
      inter- and intra-individual variability in plasma bupivacaine concentrations and
      bupivacaine clearance. We conclude that epidural opioid-bupivacaine infusion is
      an effective and safe technique for long-term administration of analgesics in the
      refractory cancer patient.

PMID- 1408294
TI  - Patient-controlled analgesic infusions: alfentanil versus morphine.
AB  - Previously, we found that cancer patients using a pharmacokinetically based
      patient-controlled intravenous infusion system (PKPCA) to regulate their own
      morphine infusion rates achieved more relief from oral mucositis pain than
      similar patients using morphine by bolus-dose PCA. In this study, we employed the
      PKPCA system to compare efficacy and side-effect intensities of 2 mu-selective
      opioid analgesics, alfentanil and morphine, in bone marrow transplant (BMT)
      patients self-administering the drugs to relieve pain from oral mucositis.
      Patients using morphine by PKPCA obtained more pain relief than patients
      regulating their own alfentanil infusions during the first 4 days of continuous
      opioid infusion therapy. Side-effect intensities did not differ between the 2
      study groups. In contrast to patients using morphine for 4-14 days, those
      receiving alfentanil by PKPCA required unexpectedly high plasma concentrations of
      the drug to obtain equivalent pain relief. Our results indicate that either the
      relative potencies of these 2 mu-selective opioids differ from previous estimates
      or analgesic tolerance developed to alfentanil but not to morphine. We conclude
      that alfentanil has similar efficacy in control of prolonged pain in BMT
      patients, but the utility of alfentanil in long-term pain management may be
      limited by relatively rapid tolerance onset.

PMID- 1408295
TI  - Circadian distribution of extra doses of narcotic analgesics in patients with
      cancer pain: a preliminary report.
AB  - In this open study we reviewed the circadian distribution of extra doses of
      narcotic analgesics in 61 bed-ridden patients with cancer pain. The information
      was collected prospectively and retrospectively in 34 and 27 cases, respectively.
      All patients were receiving parenteral narcotics using the Edmonton Injector, and
      none had incidental pain or cognitive impairment. A total of 1322 extra doses of
      narcotics (each dose = 10% of the daily dose) were administered during 610
      patient days (average of 2.17 +/- 1.6 doses/patient/day). The mean daily number
      of extra doses during each interval was as follows: 02.00-06.00 h (0.24 +/-
      0.27), 06.00-10.00 h (0.26 +/- 0.31), 10.00-14.00 h (0.43 +/- 0.44), 14.00-18.00
      h (0.44 +/- 0.41), 18.00-22.00 h (0.40 +/- 0.36), and 22.00-02.00 h (0.40 +/-
      0.36) (02.00-06.00 h and 06.00-10.00 h vs. 10.00-02.00 h: P less than 0.01).
      Forty-five of 61 patients (76%) received most of their extra doses of narcotics
      between 10.00 and 22.00 h. The data suggest that our patients require a larger
      number of extra doses during day time. Our design cannot establish the reason for
      this circadian variation.

PMID- 1408296
TI  - Cervicogenic headache: anesthetic blockades of cervical nerves (C2-C5) and facet
      joint (C2/C3).
AB  - In a series of 14 patients with cervicogenic headache, cervical nerve blockades
      (C2-C5 and facet joint C2/C3) have been carried out in order to elucidate
      possible underlying mechanisms and to evaluate the diagnostic potential of these
      procedures. Blockade of the C2 nerve resulted in freedom from pain in 5 of 10
      patients and seemed to be the most informative procedure. Two patients out of 9
      reported freedom from pain following C2/C3 facet joint injection. No patients
      experienced complete pain relief following C3, C4 or C5 blockades. C4 and C5
      nerve blockades are probably of little value in the work-up of such patients.
      When evaluating the C2/C3 facet joint injection, one has to take possible leakage
      of anesthetic agent from the joint into consideration, since the third occipital
      nerve which runs close to the facet joint may be anesthetized through the
      leakage.

PMID- 1408297
TI  - The efficacy and efficiency of a self-administered treatment for adolescent
      migraine.
AB  - Migraine headaches are frequent in adolescents. Although many adolescents are
      adequately treated palliatively with analgesics, an important subgroup requires
      prophylactic treatment. Medical treatments for adolescents with frequent severe
      headaches is often problematic. Prophylactic pharmacological treatments are often
      shunned by adolescents and their parents because of concern over drug usage.
      Moreover, propranolol, the most widely used prophylactic drug with adults, is
      frequently not effective. Psychological interventions are effective but are
      costly and often not available. A randomized controlled trial was undertaken to
      evaluate the efficacy and efficiency of a predominantly self-administered
      treatment that could be delivered in a very cost-efficient format. Eighty seven
      adolescents (63 females and 24 males) ranging in age from 11 to 18 years were
      randomly assigned to receive a self-administered treatment, the same treatment
      delivered by a therapist or a control treatment. Self-administered and clinic
      treatment were equally effective and superior to the control treatment. However,
      the self-administered treatment was substantially more efficient. Both active
      treatments were durable at 1-year follow-up.

PMID- 1408298
TI  - Facet joint injection and facet nerve block: a randomised comparison in 86
      patients with chronic low back pain.
AB  - Eighty-six patients with refractory chronic low back pain were randomly assigned
      to receive either facet joint injection or facet nerve block, using local
      anaesthetic and steroid. There was no significant difference in the immediate
      response. The duration of response after facet joint injection was marginally
      longer than after facet nerve block (P less than 0.05 1 month after
      infiltration), but for both groups the response was usually short-lived; by 3
      months only 2 patients continued to report complete pain relief. Patients who had
      complained of pain for more than 7 years were more likely to report good or
      excellent pain relief than those with a shorter history (P less than 0.005), but
      no other clinical feature was of value in predicting the response to
      infiltration. Facet joint injections and facet nerve blocks may be of equal value
      as diagnostic tests, but neither is a satisfactory treatment for chronic back
      pain.

PMID- 1408299
TI  - The effectiveness of psychological interventions for the rehabilitation of low
      back pain: a randomized controlled trial evaluation.
AB  - Forty-five low back pain patients were randomly assigned to either a standard
      inpatient rehabilitation program or the standard program with additional
      psychological components. The standard program emphasized education, support, and
      physical reconditioning through exercise. Patients receiving the psychological
      program were given additional training in relaxation and other coping skills and
      received contingent reinforcement for exercise. Both programs included reduction
      of medication intake and an emphasis on family involvement after discharge.
      Measures of functional status were taken prior to the program, at discharge from
      the 3-week inpatient program, and at a 6-month follow-up appointment. These data
      revealed that patients improved their overall functioning at discharge and
      maintained these gains at the follow-up assessment. A similar pattern of findings
      was obtained for self-reported pain and interference. Furthermore, 81% of the
      patients had returned to work or were engaged in active job retraining by the
      follow-up. Using a conservative measure of full-time return to the same or an
      equivalent job, 57% were employed by the follow-up. Patient improvement, however,
      was not differentially affected by treatment group assignment, suggesting that
      the psychological treatment failed to add to the effectiveness obtained by the
      standard rehabilitation program. Results are discussed in the context of
      improving patient outcomes from rehabilitation for low back pain.

PMID- 1408300
TI  - Psychological aspects of reflex sympathetic dystrophy: a review of the adult and
      paediatric literature.
AB  - In 1864, W. Mitchell and colleagues first described the clinical syndrome which
      came to be known as 'causalgia'. Since that time, the concept of sympathetically
      related pain has evolved. There is general agreement that profound emotional and
      behavioural changes can follow these types of pain. Opinions have varied widely
      on the issue of a psychological etiology. It has often been suggested that
      certain personality traits predispose one to develop sympathetically related pain
      syndromes. A review of the literature reveals no valid evidence to substantiate
      this claim.

PMID- 1408301
TI  - The effect of experimental muscle pain on the background electrical brain
      activity.
AB  - The purpose of this project was to investigate whether specific effects in the
      background activity of the brain associated with the experience of pain can be
      depicted by means of quantitative electroencephalography (EEG). Lasting pain was
      induced by intramuscular infusion of hypertonic saline. The infusion was titrated
      to maintain pain for a sufficient time to obtain enough data for meaningful
      analysis. In a first study on 12 subjects, using a single, blind, repeated
      measures design with randomization of the administration of isotonic (0.9%) and
      hypertonic (5%) saline, and with subjects unaware of the fact that one substance
      was isotonic saline, a statistically significant pain response could be
      attributed to the administration of hypertonic saline. In a second study on 19
      subjects, again using a randomized repeated measures design, topographic EEG
      measures were examined with respect to experimentally induced pain and pain from
      memory. Prior to each of these experimental stages, baseline recordings were
      obtained to satisfy the requirement of the crossover design. In addition to the
      common frequency bands used in EEG, we also obtained data in the frequency range
      of 35-100 Hz. The short-term variability of the selected EEG measures and their
      suitability as a sample estimate were assessed by computing the coefficient of
      variation from all selected epochs of a given subject at baseline. When compared
      to baseline, spectral analyzed EEG measures during experimental pain demonstrated
      statistically significant increases in the beta and 35-100 Hz frequency ranges,
      most notably at the temporal recording sites. There was no statistically
      significant difference between the EEG measures for (1) experimental pain vs.
      pain from memory, and (2) the 2 baseline recordings. The great variability in the
      topographical aspect of the between-subject response was interpreted as being
      strongly suggestive of the contamination of EEG measures by phenomena attributed
      to the jaw, facial and scalp musculature. In fact, Pearson correlation
      coefficients, as high as 0.92, were found between measures in the frequency band
      of 35-100 Hz and the beta frequency range. The unexplained variance in the
      heightened beta cortical power density can be attributed to the vigilance
      scanning of pain processes. Due to the fact that the statistically significant
      effect of pain on the topographic EEG measures were not different from imagined
      pain, we concluded that these effects are non-specific for pain.

PMID- 1408302
TI  - Cerebrospinal fluid kinetics of epidural clonidine in man.
AB  - Ten patients with deafferentation pain after spinal cord injury were given 150
      micrograms clonidine epidurally. CSF and plasma samples were collected over the
      following 24 h, and drug concentrations were measured by radio-immunoassay. The
      results of only 6 patients are included in the pharmacokinetic analysis because
      the catheters were not in the epidural space in the remaining 4 patients. These
      analyses revealed a mean maximum CSF concentration of 228 ng/ml whereas the mean
      plasma concentration at all time points was less than 0.7 ng/ml. The elimination
      half-life of epidural clonidine was 66 +/- 2 min, while the absorption half-life
      was 31 +/- 7 min, Tmax was 60 +/- 7 min and Cmax was 228 +/- 56 ng/ml. The ratio
      of the area under the curve (AUC) for CSF and plasma was 52. One patient's
      catheter was intrathecal and 3 were not in the epidural space. The measured
      plasma concentrations were similar after all injections. As 4 of 6 patients with
      epidural catheters obtained pain relief and all 3 patients with spasms obtained
      relief from epidural clonidine, these data suggest that clonidine has a place in
      the treatment of patients with spinal cord injury.

PMID- 1408303
TI  - CT contrast evidence of injectate encapsulation after long-term epidural
      administration.
AB  - This case report provides radiographic evidence (CT scan with Iopamidol) to
      support the development of epidural injectate encapsulation in response to long
      term epidural morphine injections via an implanted polyurethane catheter. The
      patient complained of intense low interscapular pain when the catheter was used
      for administration of epidural morphine for control of angina. The patient had
      previously enjoyed 3 months of excellent pain relief following the initiation of
      epidural morphine via an implanted portal device. The CT scan, with contrast dye
      injected via the epidural catheter, clearly showed loculation of the injectate
      and associated indentation of the spinal cord. It is significant to note that the
      dye in the encapsulated sheath occupied a significant proportion of the spinal
      canal extending from T7 to T9.

PMID- 1408304
TI  - Viscerosomatic convergence onto feline spinal neurons from esophagus, heart and
      somatic fields: effects of inflammation.
AB  - One objective of this study was to examine a mechanism for the inability of
      patients to distinguish esophageal pain from cardiac pain. Patients with
      esophageal disease and angina pectoris often perceive pain as originating from
      the same somatic fields. Another objective was to compare the effect of
      esophageal distension between animals with a non-inflamed or with an inflamed
      esophagus. For this study in anesthetized cats, we recorded extracellular action
      potentials from T2-T7 spinal neurons that responded to intraluminal distension of
      an untreated or a turpentine-inflamed distal esophagus. Threshold distension
      volumes were compared between these 2 groups of animals. Neurons also were
      examined for effects of intracardiac bradykinin injection and somatic stimuli.
      Results showed that spinal neurons responded to a smaller threshold distension
      volume when cells in animals with an inflamed distal esophagus were compared to
      cells in animals with a non-inflamed distal esophagus. Spinal neurons that
      received input from the distal esophagus also received convergent input from the
      heart and somatic fields. Our data supported the hypotheses that (1) referred
      pain from the distal esophagus resulted from activation of the same spinal
      neurons by visceral and somatic input, (2) pain originating from the distal
      esophagus and heart might be difficult to distinguish because of viscerosomatic
      and viscerovisceral convergence onto the same spinal neurons, and (3) an inflamed
      distal esophagus might be more sensitive to distension than a non-inflamed
      esophagus.

PMID- 1408305
TI  - Fos-like proteins in the lumbosacral spinal cord following noxious and non
      noxious colorectal distention in the rat.
AB  - The rat lumbosacral spinal cord was immunocytochemically stained for Fos-like
      immunoreactivity following repetitive colorectal distention (CRD) to 20, 40 or 80
      mm Hg. Following all 3 distention pressures, Fos-like immunoreactive (Fos-ir)
      nuclei were observed primarily in laminae I-II, V-VII and X, although some
      labeled nuclei were observed in laminae III-IV. Eighty mm Hg CRD resulted in
      significantly more Fos-ir nuclei than 20 or 40 mm Hg CRD. Morphological
      examination of the colon revealed clear signs of inflammation following 80 but
      not 20 mm Hg CRD. Acute 20 mm Hg CRD is a non-noxious stimulus, suggesting that
      both noxious and non-noxious visceral stimuli can induce Fos-like
      immunoreactivity in the spinal cord. It is suggested that activation of
      neuropeptide-containing small-diameter primary afferents is necessary, although
      not necessarily sufficient, to induce c-fos in the rat spinal cord.

PMID- 1408306
TI  - Differential influence of naloxone on the responses of nociceptive neurons in the
      superficial versus the deeper dorsal horn of the medulla in the rat.
AB  - Naloxone (200 micrograms/kg, i.v.) reduced the noxious thermal stimuli-evoked
      responses of 16/25 nociceptive neurons in the superficial laminae whereas it
      enhanced the responses of 6/10 nociceptive neurons in the deeper dorsal horn.
      However, a different picture emerged when selectivity of neuronal responsivity
      (nocireceptive or multireceptive) was considered. In the superficial dorsal horn,
      naloxone reduced the responses of the majority of (15/18) selectively
      nocireceptive neurons. The reduction in responses became apparent within 60 sec
      following naloxone administration and returned to control level within 48 min. In
      contrast, the responses of the majority of multireceptive neurons in the
      superficial (6/7), or the deeper (6/10) dorsal horn, were enhanced. The
      excitatory action in the superficial dorsal horn persisted for only 6-15 min,
      whereas it persisted for 40-70 min in the deeper dorsal horn. The firing of the
      majority of cold-receptive neurons (6/8) in the superficial dorsal horn was not
      altered. These effects were stereoselective since (+)-naloxone, the inactive
      isomer of naloxone, did not affect the responses of 14/16 nociceptive neurons. It
      is concluded that naloxone differentially, and selectively, affects the firing of
      nociceptive neurons in the superficial versus the deeper dorsal horn, and the
      firing of selectively nocireceptive versus multireceptive neurons. The relevance
      of these findings to the behavioral effects of naloxone, hyperalgesia and
      analgesia, is discussed.

PMID- 1408307
TI  - Differential antinociceptive effects of morphine and methylmorphine in the
      formalin test.
AB  - The antinociceptive activities of morphine, and its quaternary analogue
      methylmorphine, have been compared after intraperitoneal and
      intracerebroventricular administrations in the mouse paw formalin test. Systemic
      morphine inhibited both the early and late phases of the formalin-induced licking
      response and this activity was naloxone sensitive. In contrast, systemic
      methylmorphine inhibited only the late phase, and this activity was blocked by
      pre-treatment with methylnaloxone. Central administration of either morphine or
      methylmorphine inhibited the early phase of the licking response partially and
      the late phase completely. Systemic naloxone inhibited the central action of both
      opioids, whilst systemic methylnaloxone did not affect the central action of
      methylmorphine. The results indicate that the early phase of the response to
      formalin in the mouse may be inhibited by stimulation of central opioid receptors
      whilst inhibition of the late phase may involve both peripheral and central
      opioid receptors.

PMID- 1408308
TI  - When a 'significant' correlation and a 'non-significant' correlation are not
      significantly different.

PMID- 1408309
TI  - Grading the severity of chronic pain.
AB  - This research develops and evaluates a simple method of grading the severity of
      chronic pain for use in general population surveys and studies of primary care
      pain patients. Measures of pain intensity, disability, persistence and recency of
      onset were tested for their ability to grade chronic pain severity in a
      longitudinal study of primary care back pain (n = 1213), headache (n = 779) and
      temporomandibular disorder pain (n = 397) patients. A Guttman scale analysis
      showed that pain intensity and disability measures formed a reliable hierarchical
      scale. Pain intensity measures appeared to scale the lower range of global
      severity while disability measures appeared to scale the upper range of global
      severity. Recency of onset and days in pain in the prior 6 months did not scale
      with pain intensity or disability. Using simple scoring rules, pain severity was
      graded into 4 hierarchical classes: Grade I, low disability--low intensity; Grade
      II, low disability--high intensity; Grade III, high disability--moderately
      limiting; and Grade IV, high disability--severely limiting. For each pain site,
      Chronic Pain Grade measured at baseline showed a highly statistically significant
      and monotonically increasing relationship with unemployment rate, pain-related
      functional limitations, depression, fair to poor self-rated health, frequent use
      of opioid analgesics, and frequent pain-related doctor visits both at baseline
      and at 1-year follow-up. Days in Pain was related to these variables, but not as
      strongly as Chronic Pain Grade. Recent onset cases (first onset within the prior
      3 months) did not show differences in psychological and behavioral dysfunction
      when compared to persons with less recent onset. Using longitudinal data from a
      population-based study (n = 803), Chronic Pain Grade at baseline predicted the
      presence of pain in the prior 2 weeks. Chronic Pain Grade and pain-related
      functional limitations at 3-year follow-up. Grading chronic pain as a function of
      pain intensity and pain-related disability may be useful when a brief ordinal
      measure of global pain severity is required. Pain persistence, measured by days
      in pain in a fixed time period, provides useful additional information.

PMID- 1408310
TI  - Predictive factors in advanced cancer pain treated only by analgesics.
AB  - Analgesic response, incidental pain and pain mechanism were evaluated in order to
      predict the chances of pain relief in advanced cancer patients. In an observation
      period of about 2 months, 130 patients were followed at home until death using
      only a pharmacological approach to control pain according to the WHO ladders.
      Ninety-eight patients were considered. Pain relief was considered good if less
      than moderate. Pain was assessed during the course of examinations (2-3 a week)
      by independent observers. If other techniques were needed the result was
      considered negative. The patients were tested with an NSAID (Diclofenac) and
      assigned to group 1 if the pain became slight in 3 days. If the response was
      negative, a 4-day trial with opioids was started. If the pain was slight the
      patient was included in group 3, otherwise in group 5. Every patient belonging to
      these groups but with incidentical pain was included in groups 2, 4 and 6,
      respectively. For each group a subdivision was made according to the pain
      characteristics. There was a progressive worsening in pain relief in groups 4, 5
      and 6, suggesting a good correlation between response to the drugs and future
      chances of pain control in a period of 2 months. This study demonstrates that
      incidental pain reduces the possibility of pain control (50%) with the exclusive
      administration of analgesics in patients with a mean life expectation of about 2
      months. This negative influence is counterbalanced by the possible individual
      response to analgesics administered sequentially during a 1-week period (85.8%
      good pain relief with NSAID, 74% with opioids).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408311
TI  - Validity of the Sickness Impact Profile Roland scale as a measure of dysfunction
      in chronic pain patients.
AB  - This study examined the reliability and validity of the Roland scale (taken from
      the Sickness Impact Profile: SIP) as a measure of dysfunction among chronic pain
      patients. One hundred forty-four subjects completed the SIP when they were
      screened for admission to an inpatient pain management program. One hundred
      sixteen subjects were subsequently re-administered the SIP at admission to
      inpatient treatment. A 3-month post-treatment administration of the SIP was
      performed for 52 of these subjects. Roland scale scores were calculated from the
      SIP for each patient. Test-retest stability coefficients indicated that the SIP
      Roland scale was generally as reliable as the SIP Total, Physical, and
      Psychosocial scale scores. Consistent with previous research, correlational
      analyses indicated that the SIP Roland scale is strongly associated with the SIP
      Physical but not the SIP Psychosocial scale. The SIP Roland scale and the other
      SIP scales demonstrated similar sensitivity to changes associated with
      multidisciplinary inpatient treatment for chronic pain. Finally, the pattern of
      relationships between the SIP Roland scale and several pain-related measures
      supported the concurrent validity of the SIP Roland scale. The results of the
      analyses were very similar for patients presenting with and without low back
      pain. The study supports the reliability and validity of the SIP Roland scale
      items for assessing dysfunction of chronic pain patients with pain in sites other
      than the low back as well as those with low back pain.

PMID- 1408312
TI  - Does a regional nerve block change cutaneous perception thresholds outside the
      anaesthetic area? Implications for the interpretation of diagnostic blocks.
AB  - The present study was performed on pain-free subjects and patients to analyse if
      local anaesthetics (LA) normally used for nerve blocks in the orofacial region
      resulted in generalised changes in cutaneous somatosensory perception thresholds
      outside the territory of the primarily blocked nerve. Five subjects received an
      intra-oral nerve block and 5 patients received epidural anaesthesia, serving as a
      reference group considering the larger amounts of LA used in this latter type of
      anaesthesia. No differences (after vs. prior to LA) were detected regarding
      thresholds to tactile, cold, warmth or heat pain stimuli in skin areas outside
      the regions directly blocked. This was also true for the difference limens
      between warm-cold thresholds. Our data do not indicate any generalised influence
      on tactile, thermal and pain perception thresholds in pain-free subjects.

PMID- 1408313
TI  - The role of ischaemia in the analgesia which follows Bier's block technique.
AB  - The effect of 30-min tourniquet ischaemia (Bier's block) on the antidromic
      homolateral left median nerve sensory potential (SP) and on the bilateral
      sympathetic skin response (SSR) was studied in 6 healthy volunteers. The SSR was
      provoked both acoustically and by electrical stimulation of the median nerve; the
      latter stimulus was also used to provoke the SP. After 28 min of tourniquet
      ischaemia, the electrical stimulus failed to provoke the SP and bilateral SSR,
      indicating blockade of the afferent limb of the reflex. The acoustic SSR was
      unaffected by ischaemia, and thus the efferent limb of the SSR was not blocked,
      indicating that ischaemia does not affect the post-ganglionic efferent C fibres.
      These findings confirm that 30 min of ischaemia blocks A beta afferent fibres but
      does not block efferent C fibres. Thus the analgesia following Bier's block
      alone, in some patients with sympathetically maintained pain, most likely results
      from the ischaemic blockade of sensory A beta fibres, confirmed both acoustically
      and by electrical stimulation of the median nerve.

PMID- 1408314
TI  - Chronic back pain, acute postoperative pain and the activation of diffuse noxious
      inhibitory controls (DNIC).
AB  - The effect of the presence of either chronic or acute clinical pain on pain
      threshold and on the nociceptive flexion reflex (RIII) threshold was studied. The
      experimental pain sensation and the flexion reflex were evoked by trains of short
      electrical pulses. It was hypothesized that both kinds of clinical pain would be
      able to induce 'diffuse noxious inhibitory controls' (DNIC) and thereby raise the
      2 experimental thresholds. Patients with chronic low back pain, patients with
      postoperative pain from oral surgery, and pain-free subjects were tested in 3
      conditions: during baseline, after i.v. administration of a placebo, and after
      i.v. administration of naloxone. In comparison with 2 pain-free control groups,
      the 2 pain groups had a significantly higher pain threshold in all conditions.
      However, the RIII threshold was not significantly elevated in chronic or acute
      pain patients compared to controls. Naloxone had no effect on the RIII or pain
      threshold in any of the groups. It is concluded that the increased pain threshold
      which is frequently found in chronic pain patients, and which could be confirmed
      in the present study, does not result from a DNIC effect. The adaptation level
      theory offers an alternative explanation. Also, the acute postoperative pain in
      this study did not seem to induce DNIC. Because other forms of acute pain have
      been found to be effective in activating DNIC, future research should establish
      which pains are and which pains are not effective.

PMID- 1408315
TI  - Symptoms of impairment, disability and handicap in low back pain: a taxonomy.
AB  - The functional consequences on everyday living which result from chronic low back
      pain commonly require services which are difficult to access. This deficiency in
      meeting the needs of these patients is partially explained by inadequacies in
      clinical assessment. Medical evaluation may be exhaustive, but frequently the
      assessment of physical and psycho-social dysfunction at the personal and family
      level is inadequate. In low back pain, as with most chronic ailments, there is no
      agreed-upon taxonomy of the functional consequences of the disorder upon which to
      establish a comprehensive clinical appraisal. In this paper a taxonomy is
      presented for the impairments, disabilities and handicaps which result from
      chronic low back pain. The taxonomy has been based on data from a survey of 74
      individuals with low back pain and is structured generally according to the
      International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps (WHO
      1980). The taxonomy is proposed as a conceptual framework and vocabulary for both
      clinical practice and research. The taxonomy is not a measurement instrument nor
      does it indicate the frequency of occurrence of disabilities. A classification is
      basic to the advancement of scientific understanding, and usage of a standard
      vocabulary such as this plays an important role in establishing a responsive
      health service capable of meeting the needs of the population with chronic low
      back pain.

PMID- 1408316
TI  - Spatial summation in human thermal pain perception: comparison within and between
      dermatomes.
AB  - Spatial summation of thermal pain has recently been reported when stimulus
      presentations were restricted within a single dermatome. The present study
      examined whether the magnitude of spatial summation of human thermal pain
      perception would vary when stimuli were presented within vs. between adjacent
      dermatomes. Noxious contact heat stimuli from 43 degrees C to 51 degrees C (5 sec
      duration) were applied to the forearm using areas of 0.21-2.10 cm2. Subjects
      rated the intensity and unpleasantness of pain using visual analog scales. For
      stimuli from 45 degrees C to 51 degrees C, there was a significant increase in
      ratings with increasing stimulus area for both intensity and unpleasantness. When
      two thermodes were used simultaneously in adjacent dermatomes, the ratings did
      not differ significantly from those for the same stimulus area in a single
      dermatome. We conclude that spatial summation both within and between dermatomes
      plays a significant role in thermal pain perception across the range from
      threshold to tolerance.

PMID- 1408317
TI  - Akathisia after long-term epidural use of droperidol: a case report.
AB  - Droperidol has both anti-emetic and neuroleptic properties and its epidural
      administration has been reported (Naji et al. 1990). Its side effects when
      administered via this route are not known. We report a case of long-term (2
      months) epidural administration of droperidol to a cancer patient who was
      receiving epidural morphine and who manifested nausea and vomiting. Akathisia
      developed progressively and subsided 72 h after droperidol was discontinued.

PMID- 1408318
TI  - Treatment of inflammatory, neuropathic and sympathetically maintained pain in a
      patient with Sjogren's syndrome.
AB  - We present a case of Sjogren's syndrome with a painful peripheral neuropathy
      where pain control required both anti-inflammatory and sympatholytic treatments.
      This case suggests that the pain in some inflammatory disorders with nerve injury
      may have a component mediated by an alpha adrenergic receptor.

PMID- 1408319
TI  - Self-mutilation following brachial plexus injury sustained at birth.
AB  - Self-mutilation after deafferentation injuries has been reported only rarely in
      adult humans. This behavior has been found to be similar to that observed in
      animals that have been subjected to experimental deafferentation. We present a
      child with a brachial plexus injury sustained at birth who began to bite her
      analgesic digits. Self-mutilation behavior in humans is reviewed and its
      relevance to current deafferentation pain animal models is examined. This
      behavior in humans further validates the current animal model of deafferentation
      pain.

PMID- 1408320
TI  - Effects of acetaminophen and antipyrine on non-inflammatory pain and EEG
      activity.
AB  - Antinociceptive effects of the 2 (each 1000 mg, orally) non-steroidal anti
      inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) acetaminophen (paracetamol) and antipyrine
      (phenazone) were investigated with a non-inflammatory experimental pain model in
      32 healthy volunteers. Phasic pain was induced by intracutaneously applied brief
      electrical pulses (20 msec). Pain ratings, cerebral potentials and the EEG delta
      power were measured in response to the stimuli. Unspecific effects upon the
      vigilance system were evaluated by spontaneous EEG, auditory evoked potentials
      and reaction times. The investigation was performed as a placebo-controlled,
      double-blind crossover study. Blood samples were taken to monitor the plasma
      concentrations of the active agents. Ninety minutes after medication the 2 NSAIDs
      produced similar effects upon all pain-relevant target variables, although the
      mean plasma concentration of antipyrine (15 micrograms/ml) was approximately
      twice that of acetaminophen (7.5 microgram/ml). Both NSAIDs reduced pain ratings
      by 6%, late cerebral potentials by 19%, and stimulus-induced delta power of the
      EEG by 21%. The antipyrine effects emerged earlier, in agreement with its faster
      kinetics. Both NSAIDs could be differentiated by their effects upon spontaneous
      EEG activity. Whereas acetaminophen mainly enhanced the power in the theta range,
      antipyrine predominantly depressed the alpha frequencies. None of the drugs
      influenced auditory evoked potentials and reaction times. The central effects of
      acetaminophen and antipyrine are discussed with respect to antinociception and
      decrease in vigilance.

PMID- 1408321
TI  - Allodynia evoked by intrathecal administration of prostaglandin F2 alpha to
      conscious mice.
AB  - The intrathecal administration of prostaglandin F2 alpha to conscious mice
      resulted in spontaneous agitation and touch-evoked agitation (allodynia) in the
      animals. The maximum allodynia induced by prostaglandin F2 alpha was observed at
      10-15 min after intrathecal injection, and the response did not disappear by 120
      min. Prostaglandin F2 alpha produced allodynia over a wide range of dosage from
      0.1 pg to 2.5 micrograms/mouse. Dose dependency of prostaglandin F2 alpha for
      allodynia showed a skewed bell-shaped pattern, and the maximal allodynic effect
      was observed at 1.0 microgram. This allodynia was dose-dependently relieved by
      alpha 1-adrenergic (methoxamine), alpha 2-adrenergic (clonidine), and A1
      adenosine (RPIA) agonists. Clonidine was 1.5 orders of magnitude more potent than
      methoxamine in blocking prostaglandin F2 alpha-induced allodynia. The blockade by
      clonidine was dose-dependently reversed by the alpha 2-adrenergic antagonist
      yohimbine but not by the alpha 1-adrenergic antagonist prazosin. These results
      demonstrate that prostaglandin F2 alpha administered intrathecally induces
      allodynia in conscious mice and that the allodynia involves the alpha 2
      adrenergic and A1-adenosine systems. Because this allodynia has a clear
      resemblance to the characteristics of chronic pain in patients with causalgia and
      reflex sympathetic dystrophy, prostaglandin F2 alpha may be involved in allodynia
      observed with these disorders.

PMID- 1408322
TI  - Pain threshold in diabetic rats: effects of good versus poor diabetic control.
AB  - Pain threshold was assessed via tail flick latency in streptozotocin diabetic
      rats following a 1-month period of either good or poor diabetic control.
      Additionally, tail flick latencies were determined under test conditions of
      euglycemia (60-120 mg/dl) and hyperglycemia (greater than 250 mg/dl) for both
      groups of diabetic rats. Conditions of hyperglycemia resulted in a significant
      decrease in tail flick latency in diabetic animals maintained in good as well as
      poor diabetic control. However, tail flick latencies for animals in the good but
      not in the poor diabetic control group increased when animals were euglycemic at
      the time of testing. Animals in the poor diabetic control group continued to have
      reduced tail flick latencies even after acute normalization of blood glucose
      levels. These results suggest that chronic states of hyperglycemia that attend
      prolonged periods of poor diabetic management may lead to persistent alterations
      in pain threshold. In contrast, the reduced pain threshold of rats maintained in
      good diabetic control was reversed by a normalization of blood glucose levels.
      These findings provide evidence for two patterns of hyperalgesia in diabetic
      rats: (1) a readily reversible form in well-maintained diabetic rats that is
      altered by reducing circulating blood glucose levels to control values and (2) a
      more persistent form found in poorly controlled diabetic rats that does not
      respond to acute normalization of blood glucose.

PMID- 1408323
TI  - Comments on Syrjala et al., PAIN, 48 (1992) 137-146.

PMID- 1408324
TI  - Comment on Banning, Sjogren and Henriksen, PAIN, 47 (1991) 129-134.

PMID- 1408325
TI  - Comments on Padawer and Levine, PAIN, 48 (1992) 132-135.

PMID- 1408326
TI  - Comments on Padawer and Levine, PAIN, 48 (1992) 132-135.

PMID- 1408327
TI  - Comments on Max et al., PAIN, 45 (1991) 3-9.

PMID- 1408328
TI  - Duplex scanning evaluation of internal carotid stenosis. Improved detection of
      early lesions.
AB  - New criteria for the interpretation of duplex scanning waveforms were compared
      with those devised by Blackshear and Strandness and revealed an improved grading
      of internal carotid stenosis in early lesions. The ratio of peak frequency minus
      first zero slope frequency divided by the peak frequency (a-b/a ratio) was found
      to be of no value in the discrimination between normal and any grade of carotid
      stenosis. The new criteria depend upon the to dental presence of spectral
      broadening on the upstroke of systole to differentiate between normal and
      abnormal, spectral broadening throughout the systolic phase above the end
      diastolic frequency to determine greater than 15% stenosis, peak frequency
      greater than 4kHz to indicate greater than 50% stenosis and the absence of a
      Doppler signal to indicate occlusion. Comparison with two plane selective carotid
      angiography revealed a Kappa statistic of 0.8 +/- 0.02 using the new criteria
      compared with 0.65 +/- 0.03 using the established criteria of Doppler waveform
      analysis.

PMID- 1408329
TI  - The LMI test in colon, breast and lung cancer long survivors.
AB  - Cell-mediated immunity towards tumour antigens (cytosols) of the same histotype
      and site was evaluated by means of the LMI test in long survivors after surgical
      resection of adenocarcinoma of the colon, infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the
      breast, and squamous-cell carcinoma of the lung. A positive migration index (MI
      less than 85.0) was observed in 17/65 (26.2%) colon survivors, 7/18 (38.9%)
      breast survivors, and 1/19 (5.3%) lung survivors. 24.5% of all long survivors
      displayed an immunological memory of the antigen to which they had been exposed.

PMID- 1408330
TI  - Prognostic value of Pugh's modification of Child-Turcotte classification in
      patients with cirrhosis of the liver.
AB  - The Child-Turcotte classification, as modified by Pugh et al., was recorded on
      diagnosis in 598 completely followed patients with cirrhosis of the liver. The
      variables that comprise the Pugh classification are ascites, encephalopathy,
      serum albumin, serum total bilirubin, and prothrombin time. The Pugh score
      categorized in three classes (class A = score 5 or 6, class B = score 7 to 11,
      class C = score 12 to 15) separates the series into three groups of approximately
      equal size with significant differences in median survivals (p less than 0.005)
      and in survival curves (p less than 0.0001). The characteristics of simplicity,
      availability, low cost and good discrimination power make the Pugh classification
      a very useful method to estimate prognosis in patients with cirrhosis of the
      liver.

PMID- 1408331
TI  - On extravisceral soft tissue sarcomas. Effectiveness of radiation treatment and
      problems of radiotherapy and radiosurgical treatment.
AB  - A series of 355 extravisceral soft tissue sarcomas is presented with reference to
      the effectiveness of radiation treatment for each histological type and the
      problems of radiotherapy and surgical treatment. Liposarcoma was the most
      radiosensitive soft tissue sarcoma. By utilizing all types of treatment and
      especially radiosurgery with postoperative radiotherapy, the percentage of
      disease-free patients after a minimum of 3 years from treatment varied from 27%
      to 52.9% for the different types of sarcoma. Nevertheless, in most cases the
      effectiveness of radiotherapy was unpredictable. It was found that doses varying
      from 52-60 Gy, with 2 Gy for each of 26-30 applications within 6-8 weeks, were
      sufficient for radical treatments. In relation to unpredictability of
      radiotherapy results, it was concluded that preoperative was more advisable than
      postoperative treatment owing to the possibility to prove the effectiveness of
      radiotherapy. Postoperative treatment is useless in nonradiosensitive cases and
      might negatively affect surgical modalities.

PMID- 1408332
TI  - Evaluation of skin laceration repair by tissue adhesive in the pediatric
      emergency room.
AB  - The effectiveness of skin laceration repair by tissue adhesive has been
      evaluated, by comparison also with thread suture and steristrip application, in
      926 0-15-year-old patients referred to the Emergency Room of our Institute during
      1988. Tissue adhesive has been carried out more frequently in younger children
      and in some wound localizations especially at the face. At follow-up good
      aesthetic and functional results were observed. The rare complications, being
      related to incorrect choice of site application, can be avoided by following
      appropriate directions for use. Considering the compliance of the patients and
      their family, this non invasive technique of repair seems to be particularly
      suitable in childhood.

PMID- 1408333
TI  - Importance of oesophageal manometry in the diagnosis of oesophageal motility
      disorders. Report of two cases.
AB  - Two cases of dysphagia, in which radiology led to an incorrect diagnosis, are
      described. In case I the X-ray barium swallow showed only minor oesophageal
      dilatation with no apparent delay in emptying or abnormality of the cardias, yet
      achalasia was diagnosed by oesophageal manometry. In case 2, although the barium
      swallow strongly suggested achalasia, manometry showed a less severe motility
      disorder characterized by lower oesophageal sphincter dysfunction and normal
      peristalsis. Correct diagnosis obtained with manometry was supported by the
      different clinical course of the two patients during a 2 year follow up.
      Oesophageal manometry should always be performed when radiology and/or the
      patient's history suggest the presence of a motility disorder of the oesophagus
      since a correct diagnosis is essential for appropriate treatment and follow-up.

PMID- 1408334
TI  - Heterogeneous derangement of cellular sodium metabolism in Bartter's syndrome.
      Description of two cases and review of the literature.
AB  - The basic tubular alteration present in Bartter's syndrome is still a subject of
      controversy. The possibility that a generalized defect in transmembrane ion
      transport underlies the disease has been extensively investigated. Previous
      evaluations of cellular sodium metabolism in Bartter's patients showed extremely
      variable findings. In the present study we have examined in red blood cells of
      two patients with Bartter's syndrome the intracellular Na+ and K+ concentrations,
      the activity of ouabain-sensitive Na+/K+ pump, furosemide sensitive Na+/K+
      cotransport, Na+/Li+ countertransport, and the rate constant of Na+ and K+
      passive permeability. We have compared these values with those of a control
      group. Ouabain-sensitive Na+/K+ pump activity was decreased in both patients,
      whereas Na+/Li+ countertransport was activated. One of the patients also
      exhibited markedly decreased intraerythrocyte K+ concentration and decreased
      furosemide-sensitive Na+/K+ cotransport. The other had increased Na+/K+
      cotransport activity and Na+ passive permeability. Intracellular Na+ and passive
      permeability to K+ were normal in both subjects. Our results are partially
      consistent with previously reported observations, and indicate the existence of
      heterogeneous alterations of erythrocyte sodium transport systems in patients
      with Bartter's syndrome. Although some of these alterations could be secondary to
      the electrolyte metabolism derangements of this disease, others might be
      genetically transmitted and could cause the different renal tubular defects shown
      in Bartter's disease so far.

PMID- 1408335
TI  - Histoplasmosis in an HIV-negative Italian man with mycosis fungoides.
AB  - The authors deal with a case of Histoplasmosis in a 50 yr old Italian man without
      any history of risk exposure to HIV infection and suffering from mycosis
      fungoides. Although this infection is rare in Europe and particularly in Italy,
      this case suggests the possibility that soils capable of supporting the
      saprophytic fungus growth are present even out of the endemic areas.

PMID- 1408336
TI  - Tracheal bronchus associated with bronchiectasis. Case report.
AB  - The authors describe a case of ectopic tracheal bronchus (TB) in a 42 years old
      female. This TB presented bronchiectasis determining various episodes of
      inflammation in the pulmonary district depending on it. The result of those
      episodes was atelectasis and fibrotic alterations of the superior right lobe. The
      mean diagnostic procedure was bronchography. Surgical treatment was performed
      (superior right lobectomy) with a good result controlled in a 5 year follow-up.

PMID- 1408337
TI  - Recent developments in neurosurgical spinal cord monitoring.
AB  - In a review 8 years ago, the then current status of intraoperative spinal cord
      monitoring (SCM) was discussed. Concerning future developments, that article
      concluded that the major challenge lay in (a) the improvement of the reliability
      and clinical relevance of somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) monitoring, where
      the incidence of false-negative and false-positive results had to be reduced, and
      (b) the application of new techniques like motor evoked potential (MEP)
      monitoring, which might turn out to be a method complementary to the SEP
      approach. Since that time, there has been a considerable amount of newly
      published results from intraoperative SCM, although clinical articles on
      exclusively neurosurgical SCM are rare (Table I). A selective literature search
      for the present review (primarily for the time from 1988 to 1992) yielded more
      than 200 citations. Eighty-one studies entered into the final evaluation; among
      these were 3 conference proceedings, 6 book chapters, and 10 review articles.
      Further, 40 clinical articles, and 22 articles on experimental work were counted.
      In particular, experimental studies in animals have given support to clinical
      monitoring by exploring the usefulness of new stimulation and recording
      techniques. This reappraisal only considers recent work on SEP and MEP in
      neurosurgical SCM with some experimental studies relevant to clinical SCM. Spinal
      cord monitoring in orthopaedic surgery is not evaluated in this review for
      reasons detailed in the article.

PMID- 1408338
TI  - Mortality, morbidity, and psychosocial outcomes of persons spinal cord injured
      more than 20 years ago.
AB  - Mortality, morbidity, health, functional, and psychosocial outcomes were examined
      in 834 individuals with long term spinal cord injuries. All were treated at one
      of two British spinal injury centres: the National Spinal Injuries Centre at
      Stoke Mandeville Hospital or the Regional Spinal Injuries Centre in Southport;
      all were 20 or more years post injury. Using life table techniques, median
      survival time was determined for the overall sample (32 years), and for various
      subgroups based on level and completeness of injury and age at injury. With the
      number of renal deaths decreasing over time, the cause of death patterns in the
      study group as it aged began to approximate those of the general population.
      Morbidity patterns were found to be associated with age, years post injury, or a
      combination of these factors, depending upon the particular medical complication
      examined. A current medical examination of 282 of the survivors revealed
      significant declines in functional abilities associated with the aging process.
      Declines with age also were found in measures of handicap and life satisfaction,
      but three quarters of those interviewed reported generally good health and rated
      their current quality of life as either good or excellent.

PMID- 1408340
TI  - Traumatic injury to the spinal cord. Prevalence in Brazilian hospitals.
AB  - Traumatic spinal cord lesions have a worldwide high morbidity and mortality, and
      in many developed countries the problem has received special attention, based on
      epidemiological studies. In Brazil these studies have been restricted to
      institutional data. In 1988 a survey conducted by the Integrated System of
      Traumatology and Orthopaedics, covering 36 public hospitals from 7 Brazilian
      capitals, revealed a point prevalence of 8.6% (108 patients) with spinal cord
      injury, aged from 6-56 years; 81% were men. The most frequent causes were traffic
      accidents (42%), firearms (27%) and falling from heights (15%). The main
      complications were pressure ulcers (54%) and urinary infections (32%).

PMID- 1408339
TI  - An audit of five years' experience of pregnancy in spinal cord damaged women. A
      regional unit's experience and a review of the literature.
AB  - In a retrospective review of pregnancy and delivery in 8 spinal cord damaged
      women managed at Hexham General Hospital Spinal and Maternity Units between 1986
      and 1991, antenatal complications included urinary tract infection, anaemia,
      constipation, suspected deep venous thrombosis and pressure sores. Five of the 8
      patients had adductor spasms. Autonomic hyperreflexia occurred in 2 patients in
      the antenatal period, and in one patient in the postpartum period. Four patients
      were delivered by caesarean section, and 4 of the 8 patients had breech
      presentation of the foetus at delivery. The perinatal outcome was good.

PMID- 1408341
TI  - Traumatic spinal cord injuries in Turkey.
AB  - Spinal cord lesions have various aetiologies, and trauma is one of the leading
      causes. Patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI) often have motor, sensory and
      autonomic dysfunctions and require a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme.
      In this study 1694 SCI patients were investigated, including the frequency, and
      the distribution by age, sex, profession, aetiology, clinical status and year of
      occurrence. Traumatic SCI is more frequent among males than females and among
      those between the ages of 15 and 39 years. Regarding the aetiology, traffic
      accident comprised 35.41% of the total cases, the second most common cause was
      falls with 29.51%, and the third was high velocity bullet wounds: 21.95%.

PMID- 1408342
TI  - A clinical exercise system for paraplegics using functional electrical
      stimulation.
AB  - A low cost clinical exercise system was developed for the spinal cord injured,
      based on a bicycle ergometer and electrical stimulation. A pilot project was
      conducted, using the system, to examine the effects of stimulation induced
      cycling in long term paraplegics. The project comprised 2 phases of exercise, a
      strengthening phase involving a 12 week programme of electrical stimulation to
      the quadriceps and hamstrings and a 12 week cycling phase. Physiological,
      morphological and biochemical parameters were measured for each subject, at the
      beginning of the programme and following each phase. Results showed that a
      programme of stimulation induced lower limb exercise increased the exercise
      tolerance of all patients, as determined by a progressive increase in exercise
      time, cycling rate and exercise load. The enhanced exercise tolerance was a
      result of increases in local muscle strength and endurance. Increases in thigh
      muscle area and joint range of motion were recorded and all incomplete subjects
      reported an improvement in functional capabilities and general wellbeing.

PMID- 1408343
TI  - Tracheostomy in spinal cord injured: frequency and follow up.
AB  - Among 600 traumatic spinal cord injured (SCI) patients admitted during a 20 year
      period, 67 had a tracheostomy performed (11.2%). Of these 67 patients 46 had a
      cervical SCI. A concomitant thoracic trauma had occurred significantly more often
      in the group with thoracic or lumbar SCI than in those with a cervical SCI. The
      period from injury to tracheostomy was 0-48 days (median 4.4 days), and from
      tracheostomy to decannulation 3-167 days (median 31 days). At follow up 20 (30%)
      had died, primarily because of respiratory problems. Of the remaining 47
      patients, 43 (91%) responded to a follow up questionnaire 3.5-21.7 years (median
      10.4 years) after the injury. In the follow up 53% reported never to have had any
      inconvenience or trouble related to the tracheostomy. The major inconvenience
      among the others had been of cosmetic origin (28%), and 3 had had a surgical
      revision for this reason. At the time of follow up 9 patients (21%) still had
      certain complaints, primarily described as difficulty in swallowing.
      Minitracheostomy might in the future reduce the number of these complications.

PMID- 1408344
TI  - Cystic cord lesions and neurological deterioration in spinal cord injury:
      operative considerations based on magnetic resonance imaging.
AB  - In a retrospective review of 94 consecutive patients with past spinal cord injury
      referred for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the evaluation of new
      neurological symptoms, 59% were found to have cystic spinal cord lesions. Twelve
      of these patients underwent surgical cyst drainage, half having presented with
      increased myelopathy, and half with ascent of the neurological level. All of the
      operated cysts were greater than 2 cm in diameter (mean 15.8 cm), and 4 had areas
      of signal void indicating turbulent flow. All 12 patients had clinical
      improvement following surgery. The future prospective use of MRI in patients with
      longstanding spinal cord injury may prove valuable in the identification of
      patients with syrinx formation, at risk of developing neurological deterioration,
      who may benefit from early cyst drainage. At present, however, the decision to
      operate on these patients should be based primarily on clinical criteria.

PMID- 1408345
TI  - Electromyographic registration of diaphragmatic fatigue during sustained trunk
      flexion in cervical cord injured patients.
AB  - When performing forward trunk flexion, cervical cord injured (CCI) patients
      exhibit continuous and high EMG activity in the diaphragm and elevated abdominal
      pressures. This study addressed the question whether the trunk flexion manoeuvres
      cause such a high force development in the diaphragm that this muscle shows EMG
      signs of fatigue. Six patients with complete cervical cord lesions were tested
      sitting in their own wheelchairs. The tension-time indices obtained when patients
      were sitting in a relaxed position were moderately to markedly higher than in
      normal subjects. The force developed during trunk flexion averaged 30% of the
      maximal transdiaphragmatic pressure and was accompanied by clear EMG findings of
      diaphragmatic fatigue in all patients except one. The acute diaphragmatic load in
      certain CCI patients may well produce ischaemia and increase the risk of tissue
      impairment. Therefore, there appears to be a need for differing strategies in the
      short and in the long term treatment of CCI patients; longitudinal evaluation of
      main diaphragmatic function may be useful for an adequate amount of respiratory
      muscle training.

PMID- 1408346
TI  - Solitary spinal osteochondroma causing neural syndromes.
AB  - Three cases of solitary osteochondroma of the spine are reported. Two presented
      with cervical myelopathy and one with radiculopathy. Plain radiography or
      tomography is adequate for the diagnosis in the majority of cases; nevertheless,
      a CT scan or MRI is of immense help in planning surgical treatment. The
      radiological features of spinal exostoses are reviewed.

PMID- 1408347
TI  - Pathogenicity of Actinomyces israelii and Arachnia propionica: experimental
      infection in guinea pigs and phagocytosis and intracellular killing by human
      polymorphonuclear leukocytes in vitro.
AB  - Strains of Actinomyces israelii and Arachnia propionica, isolated from clinical
      cases of failed endodontic therapy, were examined for: (i) their ability to
      survive and establish themselves in the soft connective tissue that grew into
      subcutaneously implanted tissue cages in guinea pigs; (ii) cell-surface
      hydrophobicity; and (iii) phagocytosis and killing by human polymorphonuclear
      leukocytes (PMNs) under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Bacteria were
      inoculated into the tissue cages in guinea pigs and the cage contents were
      retrieved after 1, 7, 14 and 21 d for culturing and light and electron
      microscopy. Both bacterial species showed substantial decline in the number of
      bacteria by day 7 after the inoculation. Thereafter, the A. israelii strain
      recovered and, by day 21, had started to increase in number. Light and electron
      microscopy revealed the formation of typical actinomycotic colonies. A.
      propionica, on the other hand, continued to decline in number during the entire
      period of experimental infection and did not form colonies. Both strains were
      hydrophobic, readily phagocytosed and were efficiently killed by human PMNs under
      aerobic and anaerobic conditions in vitro. These results suggest that the
      pathogenicity of A. israelii is due to its ability to establish characteristic
      cohesive colonies consisting of branching filamentous organisms that are enmeshed
      in an extracellular matrix. It seems that the organisms existing in such colonies
      can collectively evade destruction and elimination by host phagocytic cells,
      whereas in vitro suspensions of the bacteria are easily phagocytosed and
      efficiently killed by PMNs. With respect to A. propionica, further investigations
      are necessary to understand its pathogenicity.

PMID- 1408348
TI  - Chronic peroral immunization of conventional laboratory rats with mutans
      streptococci leads to stable acquired suppression of salivary antibodies.
AB  - Prior investigations have demonstrated that salivary antibody responses to mutans
      streptococci are dose-dependent and temporary. The purpose of this study was to
      evaluate the stability of antibody suppression established by mutans
      streptococci. Streptococcus mutans 6715-15 was provided in food to conventional
      rats for 18 weeks. Antigen was withdrawn for 10 weeks and then resumed for an
      additional 6 weeks. Saliva and serum from nonimmunized controls and from
      experimental rats were tested with a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay for IgA and IgG antibodies to whole bacterial cells and to soluble antigen.
      Results show that salivary antibodies were stimulated by primary peroral
      immunization, that IgA was the dominant isotype and that IgA antibodies were
      primarily directed against soluble antigen. This study also shows that immunity
      is not maintained, even while challenge continues, and that once suppression is
      established, immunized animals do not recover their ability to respond, even if
      exposure is stopped for 10 weeks before re-exposure.

PMID- 1408349
TI  - Assessment of the cariogenic potential of Streptococcus mutans strains and its
      relationship to in vivo caries experience.
AB  - Strains of Streptococcus mutans isolated from the plaque of 6 subjects were
      studied using an in vitro model to determine whether differences in their
      cariogenic potential could be detected, and if so, whether the results correlated
      with the caries experience of the individuals. Each strain was incubated with a
      bovine enamel slab and 5% (w/v) sucrose for 24-h periods. The acidogenic
      potential was assessed by pH measurement and analysis of acid anion production.
      Microradiographic and microdensitometric assessment of the enamel, together with
      measurement of the change in calcium concentration of the reaction mixture were
      used to determine the demineralizing potential of each strain. Significant
      differences in cariogenic potential were found between some of the strains
      tested, and correlations were found between 3 of the test parameters and the
      decayed-missing-filled-surface score of the individuals. The results suggest that
      the caries experience of individuals may be related, to some extent, to the
      cariogenic potential of their S. mutans strains.

PMID- 1408350
TI  - Purification and properties of sorbitol-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from oral
      streptococci.
AB  - The activity of sorbitol-6-phosphate (S6P) dehydrogenase (S6PDH) and the sorbitol
      transport system were studied in strains of the oral streptococci Streptococcus
      gordonii, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus sanguis and Streptococcus mutans.
      Genetically transformed (to ferment sorbitol) strains and their DNA donors were
      included. S6PDH was purified by anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration.
      The purity of the enzyme was confirmed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The
      purified enzyme from all the strains exhibited Michaelis-Menton saturation
      kinetics. The Km values for nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and S6P
      ranged between 0.03 and 0.21 mM and 0.07 and 0.20 mM respectively. The relative
      molecular weights of the native enzyme were 229,000 for one donor-transformant
      pair (S. sanguis and S. gordonii), 107,000 for the other pair (S. mitis and S.
      gordonii) and 129,000 for S. mutans. The molecular weights of the S6PDH subunits
      ranged from 26,000 to 28,000. The pH optima (greater than 8.5) and the amino acid
      composition (15 amino acids examined) were similar for the S6PDH from the
      different strains. However, the chromatographic and electrophoretic patterns as
      well as the Km values for NAD and S6P were the same only between the S6PDHs from
      the strains within each donor-transformant pair. Purified S6PDH from S. mutans
      also exhibited low mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase activity. Sorbitol-grown
      decryptified cells of all the strains phosphorylated sorbitol in the presence of
      phosphoenolpyruvate but not in the presence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP
      mediated phosphorylation of glucose was observed with the same strains when grown
      on glucose. No evidence for a non-phosphotransferase transport system was found
      for sorbitol in any of the strains.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408351
TI  - Mechanism of water-insoluble glucan synthesis in Streptococcus sobrinus.
AB  - Synthesis of water-insoluble glucan (IG) by 1,3-alpha-D-glucan synthase from
      Streptococcus sobrinus was examined using methylation analysis. The purified
      enzyme was incubated with sucrose and dextran T2000 (DT2000) for a given time and
      only IG was harvested by centrifugation. The remaining supernatant was incubated
      again, and IG was obtained. By repeating the above method using the residual
      supernatant, we obtained 5 varieties of IG precipitated in different periods.
      These IGs were methylated and examined using gas chromatograph mass spectrometry.
      The DT2000 water-insolubilized in the early reaction stage tended to have a
      highly ramified structure, with 1,3-alpha-D-glucan on a 1,6-alpha-D-glucan chain
      as the main chain. On the contrary, the DT2000 water-insolubilized in the late
      stage tended to have sparse side chains of 1,3-alpha-D-glucan which elongated
      with incubation. Specifically, the greater the number of side chains, the sooner
      the DT2000 was insolubilized. These results suggest that water-insolubilization
      of the water-soluble glucan not only depends on the increase of the ratio of 1,3
      alpha-glucoside linkages to 1,6-alpha-glucoside linkages but also on the degree
      of branching of the 1,3,6-alpha-branched glucoside linkages.

PMID- 1408352
TI  - Processes involved in the regulation of urease levels in Streptococcus salivarius
      by pH.
AB  - Urease levels in Streptococcus salivarius are regulated by pH. There is either
      increased synthesis at low pH (5.5) or enhanced degradation at neutral pH,
      suggested by urease instability during stationary phase. To establish which
      mechanism predominates, protein synthesis was inhibited by chloramphenicol (CAP)
      in cultures grown at pH 5.8, 6.8 and 7.3. There was no significant urease
      degradation detectable in mid-exponential and early-stationary phase at any pH.
      Urease degradation occurred in both control and CAP cultures later in stationary
      phase, but with a faster rate of decline in the low pH culture. After CAP
      addition there was detectable assembly of urease from pools of post-translational
      subunits to give an approximately 20% increase in enzyme. Above pH 7, 0.1%
      cysteine inhibited urease synthesis but not growth, and evidence was obtained for
      O2 inhibition of growth and urease synthesis. Regulation of urease levels in S.
      salivarius by pH primarily involves an effect on urease synthesis. There may be
      cross-regulation between pH control, anaerobiosis-controlled enzyme regulatory
      circuits and thiols.

PMID- 1408353
TI  - Stimulatory effect of bicarbonate on the glycolysis of Actinomyces viscosus and
      its biochemical mechanism.
AB  - The effects of bicarbonate on acid production by 4 human strains of Actinomyces
      viscosus were estimated under anaerobic conditions. The rate of acid production
      was accelerated by bicarbonate 3-4 times as much as that without bicarbonate. The
      analyses of intracellular glycolytic intermediates, NAD and NADH revealed a
      decrease in NADH:NAD ratio and an increase in the level of 3-phosphoglycerate in
      the cells when bicarbonate was present. Furthermore, when bicarbonate was
      available, malate dehydrogenase and fumarate reductase in the succinate pathway
      were expected to function as NADH-oxidizing enzymes in addition to lactate
      dehydrogenase. These observations indicate the efficient regeneration of NAD in
      the presence of bicarbonate. Thus, the stimulation of A. viscosus glycolysis by
      bicarbonate was thought to stem from the activation of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate
      dehydrogenase (G3PDH) by the decrease in the level of NADH, because NADH was a
      strong inhibitor of G3PDH in this microorganism.

PMID- 1408354
TI  - DNA probes for detection of cariogenic Streptococcus mutans.
AB  - Streptococcus mutans has been identified as the principal etiological agent in
      human dental caries. Therefore, the specificity and sensitivity of 3 potential
      gene probes derived from S. mutans GS5 have been examined as potential reagents
      for detecting the cariogenic bacteria. The gene probes derived from the cloned
      gtfB, gtfD and ftf genes were examined in Southern blots with a panel of
      representative oral bacteria. The gtfB and ftf genes were apparently specific for
      S. mutans under high-stringency hybridization conditions. However, the gtfD gene
      fragment did cross-hybridize with the DNA from other mutans streptococci. These
      results suggest that gtfB and ftf gene fragments may be used as specific probes
      for S. mutans.

PMID- 1408355
TI  - Immunochemical and structural characterization of the antigenic polysaccharide
      from Eubacterium saburreum T18.
AB  - An antigenic surface polysaccharide produced by Eubacterium saburreum strain T18,
      isolated from human dental plaque, was purified from formamide extract of whole
      cells. Methylation analysis, Smith degradation, optical rotation data and nuclear
      magnetic resonance spectra demonstrated that the purified antigen was a
      homopolysaccharide composed of D-glycero-D-galacto-heptose (Hep.) residues. The
      structure of the repeating unit in the polysaccharide was: -[----6)-[alpha
      Hep.furanosyl-(1----4)]-beta-Hep.pyranosyl- (1----6)-[alpha-Hep.furanosyl-(1---
      2), alpha-Hep.furanosyl-(1----4)]-beta- Hep.pyranosyl-(1-)4----6)-beta
      Hep.pyranosyl-(1----. No heptose residues were acetylated. Immunodiffusion
      reactions in agar gel suggested that the immunodeterminant of the antigenic
      polysaccharide was D-glycero-D-galacto-heptofuranosyl residues as branched
      nonreducing terminals.

PMID- 1408356
TI  - A comparison of three methods for estimating dental plaque removal from
      individual teeth.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine the efficiency of dental plaque
      removal, in vitro, by physical force. Of the 3 methods used, turbidity was the
      most sensitive for measuring microgram amounts of plaque. Air-dried weight and
      dental plaque imprint assays (DPIA) complemented turbidity measurements by
      providing a weight standard and a new method for visualizing plaque bacterial
      structure before the stained imprint was transformed into numerical data. The
      amount of dental plaque removed from a tooth by physical force can be measured
      and described as a percentage of the total removable plaque on that tooth.

PMID- 1408357
TI  - Suppressive effect of soluble factor(s) derived from Prevotella loescheii ATCC
      15930 on proliferation of human lymphocytes.
AB  - Soluble sonic extracts of Prevotella loescheii caused a dose-dependent inhibition
      of human peripheral blood lymphocyte proliferation by mitogen and of the
      proliferation of a leukemic cell line, BALL-1, when assessed by DNA synthesis (3H
      thymidine incorporation). RNA (3H-uridine incorporation) and protein (3H-leucine
      incorporation) synthesis were similarly altered after exposure to the extract.
      There was no effect on cell viability as measured by either trypan blue exclusion
      or extracellular release of the cytoplasmic enzyme lactate dehydrogenase.
      Preliminary characterization indicates the suppressive factor(s) derived from P.
      loescheii to be a protein since it is heat-labile and trypsin-sensitive. The
      factor eluted in a peak on a high-pressure liquid chromatography gel filtration
      corresponding to a molecular weight of approximately 32,000. Since black
      pigmented anaerobic rods have been implicated in the pathogenesis of periodontal
      disease, the data suggest that P. loescheii contributes to the disease process by
      suppressing lymphocyte function.

PMID- 1408358
TI  - Laminin binding to Prevotella intermedia.
AB  - The interaction of laminin (Lm), a basement membrane protein abundant in the
      periodontium, with 66 strains of Prevotella intermedia isolated from diseased
      pockets, was tested in a 125I-labeled protein binding assay. The mean binding
      value was 28% of the total protein added. The binding significantly increased to
      35% when the environmental pH decreased from 7 to 6. The Lm interaction was
      characterized in a highly binding (about 65%) strain, OMGS105. The binding was
      rapid and required about 1 min and 1-2 h for 50% and 100% equilibrium
      respectively. The 125I-Lm binding was maximum in the pH interval 3.0 to 6.5 and
      could not be displaced by unlabeled Lm or inhibited by other proteins and
      carbohydrates. The interaction was stable in the presence of NaCl or urea
      (concentrations up to 4 M) but was dissociated by > or = 1 M KSCN. The Lm-binding
      component was thermolabile and sensitive to proteolytic enzymes. Sodium
      dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot analysis
      revealed a approximately 62 kDa Lm-binding protein, both in the whole cell
      extract and the outer membrane preparation. Weaker binding was also observed to
      other proteins. These data establish the ability of P. intermedia to interact
      with Lm via certain cell surface proteins, a property that might contribute to
      the colonization of this bacterium in the periodontal pocket.

PMID- 1408359
TI  - Strain identification of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans using the
      polymerase chain reaction.
AB  - A molecular assay that distinguishes among strains of the periodontal pathogen
      Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans was developed by identifying DNA restriction
      site polymorphisms in the highly variable transcribed spacer region between the
      16S and 23S ribosomal genes. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to
      amplify this region from genomic DNA using primers within conserved regions of
      the 16S and 23S genes. This amplified region was digested using a series of
      restriction enzymes and electrophoresed. Examination of restriction fragment
      length polymorphisms obtained by separate digestion with RsaI and NciI allowed
      the 7 strains examined to be divided into 4 genetic groups. This assay provides a
      more precise and reproducible method of strain identification than whole genomic
      methods and should be useful as a method for studying the epidemiology of A.
      actinomycetemcomitans strains in human subjects. The genetic variability detected
      supplies strong evidence that direct sequence analysis of the region could
      provide extremely precise and potentially definitive identification of strains.

PMID- 1408360
TI  - Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Capnocytophaga and Porphyromonas gingivalis
      in subgingival plaque of adolescents with Down's syndrome.
AB  - Levels of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Capnocytophaga and Porphyromonas
      gingivalis were determined in subgingival plaque samples from 37 adolescents with
      Down's syndrome and 37 healthy controls matched with respect to age and sex.
      Gingival inflammation, supra- and subgingival calculus, periodontal pockets ( > 4
      mm) and alveolar bone loss were registered. Alveolar bone loss was more frequent
      in Down's syndrome subjects (32%) than in the controls (3%). A.
      actinomycetemcomitans was detected in the subgingival plaque in 35% of the Down's
      syndrome adolescents and in 5% of the controls. On site level, A.
      actinomycetemcomitans and Capnocytophaga were more frequent in the subgingival
      plaque samples of Down's syndrome children than in those of controls. Comparing
      Down's syndrome subjects positive or negative for A. actinomycetemcomitans and
      Capnocytophaga, no significant differences were found in terms of gingival
      inflammation, periodontal pockets ( > 4 mm) or number of sites with alveolar bone
      loss. The results indicate an altered microbial composition of the subgingival
      plaque of Down's syndrome subjects compared with healthy controls, with higher
      frequency of A. actinomycetemcomitans.

PMID- 1408361
TI  - Enterococci in human periodontitis.
AB  - Enterococci are potential pathogens in many human body sites. This study
      determined the subgingival occurrence and the in vitro antimicrobial
      susceptibility of enterococci in 100 persons with early-onset periodontitis and
      545 persons with advanced adult periodontitis. Subgingival microbial samples were
      collected with paper points, transported in VMGA III and plated onto anaerobic
      enriched brucella blood agar or selective Enterococcosel agar (BBL Microbiology
      Systems). Enterococcal speciation was performed using commercial micromethod kit
      systems. In vitro sensitivity was determined using a commercial kit system and an
      agar dilution assay. Subgingival enterococci occurred in 1% of early-onset
      periodontitis patients and in approximately 5% of adult periodontitis patients.
      Enterococcus faecalis was the only enterococcal species recovered, and all but
      one isolate belonged to the same biotype. In vitro antimicrobial sensitivity
      testing revealed subgingival enterococci resistant to therapeutic levels of
      penicillin G, tetracycline, clindamycin and metronidazole, but relatively
      sensitive to ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate (Augmentin).
      Enterococci may populate periodontal pockets as superinfecting organisms and, in
      heavily infected patients, may contribute to periodontal breakdown.

PMID- 1408362
TI  - Experimentally induced infection by oral anaerobic microorganisms in a mouse
      model.
AB  - A mouse model was developed to study the abscessogenic potential of pure and
      mixed cultures of oral anaerobes associated with infections of endodontic origin.
      Maximum subcutaneous lesions were seen on their backs between 3 and 14 d after
      inoculation. Strains of Fusobacterium nucleatum, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius,
      and Veillonella parvula were pathogenic in pure culture. A mixed culture of F.
      nucleatum with either Porphyromonas gingivalis or Prevotella intermedia was
      significantly more pathogenic than F. nucleatum in pure culture.
      Histopathological examination of tissue sections from control mice injected with
      India ink in the medium demonstrated a pathway of particulate migration from the
      backs of the mice to their abdomen.

PMID- 1408363
TI  - [The effect of the vole subspecies of the plague microbe on the viability of
      Callopsylla caspia fleas].
AB  - When infected with cultures of plague microbe reared at 28 C the experimental
      fleas showed no reliable differences in the mortality as compared to control
      ones. By contrast, the infection with agent cultures reared at 37 C as well as
      the infection on agonizing white mice caused a statistically reliable increase in
      the mortality in insects of both sexes. In the groups of fleas infected on white
      mice the most intensive mortality was observed during the first 24 hours after
      the infectious feeding that, apparently, is connected with the effect of toxins
      present in the blood of agonizing animals.

PMID- 1408364
TI  - [A finding of Blastocystis galli (Rhizopoda, Lobosea) in domestic turkeys].
AB  - Blastocysts tentatively assigned to the species Blastocystis galli were found in
      the turkey Meleagris gallopavo from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Length and width
      of blastocysts from turkeys vary in a wider range (2.5--55.1 x 2.5--51.3 mkm)
      than length and width of blastocysts from hens. The shape of blastocysts varies
      from round and oval to ellipsoid and amoeboid.

PMID- 1408365
TI  - [The parasite-host specificity of the itch mite Sarcoptes scabiei (Acariformes:
      Sarcoptidae) in man and animals (a review of the literature)].
AB  - The primary parasitic relations between the itch mite Sarcoptes scabiei (L.) and
      man are confirmed indirectly by the presence in the family Sarcoptidae of close
      genera, members of which parasitize primates. Judging from the composition of
      domestic and wild animals-hosts, the source of their infection with S. scabiei
      was man that gave rise to numerous forms of mites specific to individual species
      of hosts or their related groups belonging to different taxonomic ranks. Three
      types of host relations and, accordingly, forms of sarcoptosis are suggested at
      the infection from an alien host: pseudosarcoptosis, temporary self-curable and
      typical lingering sarcoptosis. The ways of reinfection, invasiveness of stages of
      the mite and clinical picture for each form of the disease are analyzed.

PMID- 1408366
TI  - [The characteristics of the ixodid tick-vertebrate animal parasitic system].
AB  - The parasitic system ixodid tick (parasite)--vertebrate animal (host) is
      relatively stable in space and time. Equilibrium state in the system is
      maintained at the low levels of the hosts' infection and moderate intensity of
      their immunity. Parasite sensitizes the host's organism at the stage of feeding
      on antigens of its saliva and the host develops different degrees of resistance
      preventing the subsequent individuals of ticks from normal feeding. Antitick
      immunity is species specific. Its intensity is defined by the species belonging
      of the parasite and host, intensity and intervals between infections,
      availability of "anti-immune mechanisms" in tick and by many other factors, which
      are realized at the feeding stage. Regulation of the number of ticks, depending
      on their abundance in the host's population, is attained due to the oversparse,
      close to negative binomial distribution on hosts. This mechanism functions on the
      principle of feedback, so that at the excessive number of the parasite some
      individuals in the host's population, which are especially subjected to
      infection, do not cope with parasitic burden and die. However, ticks, which
      failed to finish their feeding and represent a disproportionately great part of
      the whole parasite's population, die together with them and the parasitic system
      quickly restores its stability. In anthropocoenoses and ecosystems at different
      stages of anthropogenic transformation mutual regulation mechanisms of the
      parasite and host number break down. As a consequence, extremely high rises in
      the number of ticks and epizootics of agricultural animals associated with them
      can occur.

PMID- 1408367
TI  - [The penetration of Sporozoa into host cells].
AB  - The analysis of morphological and functional peculiarities of sporo- and
      merozoites as disseminative stages of the sporozoan life-cycle is given.
      Penetration of parasites into the host's cells is a complex multistepped process
      very similar to the induced but not completed phagocytosis. As a result of that
      process the formation of the integrated cell system, which consists of the host's
      cell and the unicellular parasite takes place.

PMID- 1408368
TI  - [The characteristics of the helminth community in the Turkmen kulan (Equus
      hemionus)].
AB  - The helminth fauna of 24 kulans from Askaniya-Nova and Badkhyz was studied. 42
      species of helminths were found, 34 of which belong to strongylids. The helminth
      species composition of kulan is similar to that of other species of horses. This
      is a result of an intensive parasite exchange in the historical past when
      numerous populations of different Equidae species made long seasonal migrations
      over steppe inter-river lands of Asia and grazed for some time on common
      pastures.

PMID- 1408369
TI  - [Microsporidians in bloodsucking Aedes (O.) cataphylla mosquitoes in Ukraine].
AB  - The paper reports the results of studies on Microsporidia from the bloodsucking
      mosquito Aedes cataphylla for the period from 1974 undertaken in the Kiev and
      Chernigov Provinces of the Ukraine. A new species, Amblyospora cataphyllus sp.
      n., is described from larvae of the mosquito. Living spores oval or elongate
      oval, 6.3--7.5 x 4.5--5.0 (most commonly 6.8 x 4.8) microns, fixed spores oval,
      5.6--6.9 x 3.8--4.8 microns. Mucocalyx becomes distinct around spores in 10 to 15
      days after the preparation is made. Spontaneously ejected polar tube 125 microns
      long. Exospore smooth or undulate, 170 to 310 nm thick, endospore 60 to 160 nm.
      Polaroplast elongated and curved, its 1/3 is composed of closely situated plates
      and 2/3 of more widely arranged ones. Polar tube anisophyllous, forms 18 to 20
      spires in a spore, of which 3 to 5 spires form basal area and 14 to 16 form
      distal area (of them 1-2 most thick spires form intermediate area). Nucleus
      large, in a shape of half-ring. In living spores posterior vacuole crescentic, in
      fixed ones it is strongly deformed together with hind pole of spores. Sporogony
      of Microsporidia takes place in larvae of mosquitoes of both sexes. Infection
      extensiveness of IV stage larvae is 10%.

PMID- 1408370
TI  - Klippel-Feil syndrome.
AB  - Nurses working with orthopaedic clients and pediatric populations may be the
      first to recognize the classic triad of Klippel-Feil syndrome: short neck,
      limitation of neck motion, and low occipital hairline. Klippel-Feil syndrome is a
      congenital malformation of the cervical vertebrae, with limited treatment
      options. Client/family education is vital to monitor and maintain function and to
      prevent neurologic deficits resulting from the fusions, accidents, or trauma.

PMID- 1408371
TI  - Olecranon fracture.

PMID- 1408372
TI  - Total elbow replacement.
AB  - Elbow joint replacement is performed primarily in patients with severe elbow pain
      and elbow joint destruction caused by rheumatoid arthritis. The capitellocondylar
      implant is the prototype of the nonconstrained elbow resurfacing implant.
      Successful total elbow joint replacement can result in pain relief and improve
      rotation and flexion of the arm. Outpatient and inpatient nursing intervention in
      coordination with occupational therapy promotes optimum function.

PMID- 1408373
TI  - Developmental dysplasia of the hip.
AB  - Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), formerly known as congenital
      dislocation of the hip (CDH), is a term used to describe a variety of
      abnormalities of the hip in development. The treatment options are diverse
      depending on etiology, degree of dislocation, and age of the child when diagnosis
      is made. This article provides the reader with a knowledge base to assist with
      early diagnosis, treatment, and nursing care of the client with dislocations and
      subluxations of the hip. Presented are the definitions, diagnostic techniques,
      treatments, and nursing diagnoses and interventions for the client with DDH and
      for the child's family.

PMID- 1408374
TI  - After Cruzan: the "values base" to advance directives.
AB  - Technologic advances produce ethical quandaries for health care professionals and
      the public. Often difficult decisions must be made about treatment. In light of
      the 1990 U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in the case of Nancy Cruzan, health care
      decisions surrounding life-sustaining treatment may be affected. National
      attention is refocused on advance directives (the living will and durable power
      of attorney for health care decisions). This article considers the possible need
      for additional "clear and convincing" evidence of the patient's wishes regarding
      these directives. Included is a Value History Form that provides an avenue of
      expression for patient values and beliefs.

PMID- 1408375
TI  - An election year debate: reforming the U.S. health care system.

PMID- 1408376
TI  - Postoperative orthopedic blood salvage and reinfusion.

PMID- 1408377
TI  - Angle Class I, skeletal Class II, with maxillary-mandibular crowding and bilabial
      protrusion.

PMID- 1408378
TI  - Working together means winning together.

PMID- 1408379
TI  - [Parvovirus B19 infection].

PMID- 1408380
TI  - [Why are some trisomy 21 pregnancies carried to term?].

PMID- 1408381
TI  - Expression of the T-cell receptor in HIV infection.
AB  - Expression of the T-cell receptor (TCR) was investigated on peripheral
      lymphocytes in 270 samples from HIV+ patients at different stages of infection.
      TCR is composed either of an alpha and a beta chain, or, in a smaller subset of T
      cells, of a gamma and a delta chain, closely associated with CD3. The numbers and
      percentages of positive cells were established using monoclonals to the alpha and
      delta chains of TCR. The values of alpha-TCR positive cells were constantly lower
      than those observed for CD3, with a mean of 53% (+/- 19%) versus 66% (+/- 17)
      respectively for asymptomatic patients or patients with persistent generalized
      lymphadenopathy, and of 36% (+/- 19) versus 46% (+/- 21) for patients with AIDS
      disease. There was no compensatory increase in the number of cells expressing
      delta-TCR. These data demonstrate a new alteration of the immune system in HIV
      infection, which appears to occur early in this disease.

PMID- 1408382
TI  - [Value of serum immunoglobulin assays in early myocardial infarction].
AB  - Serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels were assayed in 672 patients admitted for acute
      myocardial infarction with onset within 24 hours of hospitalization. Supranormal
      Ig levels (A > or = 300, G > or = 1,200) or subnormal Ig levels (M < 40 mg/100
      ml) were seen in patients with one or several risk factors (diabetes mellitus,
      alcohol abuse) or a history of previous myocardial infarction. Patients with one
      or more Ig anomalies were more likely to exhibit unfavorable outcomes, including
      early death, suggesting that increased viscosity due to aggregation of Ig
      molecules may occur.

PMID- 1408383
TI  - [Value of quinolones in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections
      caused by intracellular organisms, excluding mycobacteria].
AB  - In vitro studies of quinolones against intracellular pathogens responsible for
      lower respiratory tract infections have shown that growth inhibition varies with
      the strain and with the drug. Following administration of quinolones, drug levels
      in the lower respiratory tract are similar to or greater than serum levels.
      Quinolones penetrate readily into cells. The effectiveness of quinolones in lower
      respiratory tract infections has been demonstrated in both in vitro intracellular
      infection models and in vivo animal models. These data show that quinolones are a
      valid therapeutic alternative for lower respiratory tract infections due to
      intracellular organisms.

PMID- 1408384
TI  - [Fibronectins].
AB  - Fibronectins are complex glycoprotein macromolecules whose molecular weight is
      440 kilodaltons. These proteins, found throughout the body, are soluble in
      biological fluids and insoluble in connective tissue. They contribute to tissue
      morphogenesis through multiple interactions with cells and extracellular matrix
      components. Fibronectins play a key role in cell attachment and remodeling during
      embryonic development, in cell migration and anchorage during wound healing, and
      in immune responses. This review discusses the structure of fibronectins, their
      integrin cell receptors, their biologic properties and their implications for
      diseases.

PMID- 1408385
TI  - [Relationship between left and right ventricular function in experimental acute
      focal ischemia].
AB  - Experiments were conducted on rats to record the parameters characterizing the
      real and maximally accessible function of the left and right ventricles in acute
      focal ischemia of the myocardium of these parts 5, 20, 40, and 60 minutes after
      ligation of the corresponding coronary artery. It was established that disorders
      of synchronism in heart activity are greater in injury to the right than in those
      to the left ventricle.

PMID- 1408386
TI  - [Effect of a drug isolated from the heart on the bioenergetics of cardiomyocytes
      in hypoxia and ischemia].
AB  - It has been established that cordialin inhibits selectively succinic acid
      oxidation and intensifies the exudation of a NADH2 substrate which is
      energetically more advantageous, and in this way has a favorable effect on energy
      metabolism, evidence of which is increase of the ATP content in the myocardium.
      Cordialin correction of the biologic energy of cardiomyocytes in hypoxia and
      ischemia prevents the accumulation of lipid drops in the cells of the peri
      infarction zone, which reflects the high intensity of the processes of fatty
      acids beta-oxidation. As a result of this glycolysis activation is unnecessary
      (which is confirmed by high glycogen content, both of a qualitative and
      quantitative character, in the myocardium and low concentrations of glucose and
      lactate in the blood) and, consequently, the sequelae of acidosis are prevented.

PMID- 1408387
TI  - [Role of the opioid system in prevention of ischemic disorders of cardiac rhythm
      during adaptation to cold and physical exertion in rats].
AB  - It was found that adaptation of rats to cold and physical exercise prevented
      ventricular fibrillation caused by occlusion of the left anterior coronary
      artery. Adaptation to cold or only to physical exercise did not prevent
      ventricular arrhythmias. A significant increase of the beta-endorphin content in
      the hypophysis and hypothalamus was demonstrated in all adapted rats. An
      increased content of meth-enkephalin (ME) in the myocardium was found only in
      rats adapted to cold and physical exercise. It is suggested that increase of the
      myocardial ME content is of essential significance in the antiarrhythmic action
      of adaptation.

PMID- 1408389
TI  - [Mechanisms of the protective action of neoton in immune heart diseases].
AB  - An attempt was made to reveal some membrane mechanisms of the protective effect
      of phosphocreatine (Neoton produced by the Schiappare firm, injected
      intravenously in a dose of 500 mg/kg) predominantly on the endothelium of the
      coronary vessels and the cardiomyocytes. Local immune damage to the left
      ventricular myocardium was produced by intracoronary injection of anticardiac
      antibodies. Morphological and biochemical studies showed damage to the membrane
      of endotheliocytes and cardiomyocytes: reduced activity of Na-Cametabolism and Na
      , K-ATPase. The obtained data bore evidence of the protective effect of
      phosphocreatine in immune damage to the heart, which was realized on the level of
      the endotheliocyte and cardiomyocyte membranes.

PMID- 1408388
TI  - [Correction of tetramethylthiuram disulfide-induced damage to the myocardium by
      cardiac peptides].
AB  - Standardized complex of low-molecular peptides from the heart, cordialin,
      stimulates functional activity of cardiomyocytes and mobilizes their protective
      mechanisms against the effect of the industrial and agricultural poison
      tetramethylthiuram disulfide (TMTD). The cardioprotective effect of cordialin is
      most marked in the restoration period when it was administered after TMTD damage
      to the cardiomyocytes.

PMID- 1408390
TI  - [Changes in function of sarcoplasmic reticulum and myocardial phospholipid
      content in immune heart damage].
AB  - The effect of acute cytotoxic reaction in the heart on Ca transport activity in
      the sarcoplasmic reticulum and the phospholipid content of the myocardium was
      studied. A single intracoronary injection of anticardiac serum reduced Ca, Mg
      ATPase activity and the Ca energy-dependent transport but caused no changes in
      membrane permeability to Ca. As the result of immune damage the content of
      phospholipids--cardiolipin and phosphatidylethanolamine--in the myocardium
      reduced.

PMID- 1408391
TI  - [Antistress and cardioprotective properties of the synthetic analog of endogenous
      opioids dalargin in experimental burn trauma in rats].
AB  - The author studied the effect of Dalargin on the dynamics of experimental burn
      trauma in Wistar rats, which was evaluated according to values of lethality, the
      level of stress ulcero-erosive affection of the gastric mucosa, and the degree of
      functional activity of an isolated perfused heart. The antistress effect of
      Dalargin, consisting in limitation of ulcer formation in the gastric mucosa, was
      determined by dose-temporal characteristics which made it possible to develop the
      optimal schemes of Dalargin administration in the treatment of a burn trauma.
      This was manifested by reduced lethality among the experimental rats compared to
      that among the controls and marked limitation of stress ulcer formation and by
      significantly diminished cardiodepressive effect of burn toxemia. Besides, the
      protective effect of Dalargin was connected with the direct formation of
      resistance to hypoxia of the myocardium of rats with burns.

PMID- 1408392
TI  - [Dose-dependent effect of diltiazem on some lipid metabolic parameters in
      hemorrhagic shock in cats].
AB  - The possibility of modulating the phospholipid composition in the plasma
      membranes of hepatocytes and adipocytes by the calcium channel blocker diltiazem
      was studied on a model of hemorrhagic shock. Diltiazem injection facilitated
      normalization of phosphatidylinositol metabolism in the hepatocyte plasma
      membranes. Injection of a high dose of diltiazem was attended by a rise of the
      phosphatidylethanolamine level. Only low doses of diltiazem caused a normalizing
      effect on the phospholipid composition of adipocyte plasma membranes. A low dose
      of diltiazem caused a reduction in the content of very low density lipoproteins
      in venous blood, while a high dose reduced the content of low density
      lipoproteins.

PMID- 1408393
TI  - [Antioxidant liver enzymes in chronic liver disease].
AB  - Biopsy of the liver of 73 patients with chronic affection of the hepatobiliary
      system was conducted to study the enzymatic system of inactivation of the active
      forms of hepatic oxygen according to the stage of the chronic process. Reduced
      activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase and disruption of their
      relationship in chronic active hepatitis were revealed. Significantly diminished
      rate of inactivation of superoxide radicals was encountered in fibrosis and
      primary biliary cirrhosis. The informative importance of the catalase/NADP H
      peroxidase index in appraising chronic affection of the hepatic tissue is shown.
      It is concluded that the interrelation of the antioxidative enzymes as a system
      of antioxidant protection of hepatocytes is impaired in chronic diseases of the
      liver.

PMID- 1408394
TI  - [Role of the sympathetic nervous system in the formation of indomethacin-induced
      hemorrhage and ulceration of the stomach in albino rats].
AB  - The authors studied changes of electrical activity of the gastroduodenal smooth
      muscles, sympathetic efferent impulses in the postganglionic branches of the
      celiac plexus and macro-morphology of the gastric mucosa during the development
      of indomethacin gastropathies. By the end of the 3rd hour and later after the
      injection of the drug (15, 30 mg/kg) progressive inhibition of impulses and basal
      rhythm of gastric smooth muscles was encountered in intensified electrical
      activity of the duodenal smooth muscles, as well as destructions in the gastric
      mucosa even to the development of ulcers (6-24 hours). It is concluded that the
      development of indomethacin hemorrhages and ulcerations along with other factors
      is caused by excitation of the sympathetic nervous system attended by phasic
      changes of the sympathetic efferent impulses and electrical activity of the
      gastroduodenal zone.

PMID- 1408395
TI  - [Effect of stress on translocation on the glucocorticoid receptor complex into
      the nuclei of rat hepatocytes].
AB  - The effect of 24-hour immobilization stress on the translocation of
      glucocorticoid-receptor complex into the nuclei of hepatocytes was studied in
      experiments on male Wistar rats weighing 150-180 g. The level of translocation of
      the steroid-receptor complexes was appraised by incubation (0 degree C, 1 hour)
      of hepatocyte nuclei (6 x 10(-6)) with a glucocorticoid-receptor complex which
      was obtained by preliminary saturation of diluted hepatic cytosol with
      triamcinolone 3H-acetonide (80 nM) for 3 hours with adsorption of unbound labeled
      steroid. Translocation of the glucocorticoid-receptor complex of hepatic cytosol
      of rats subjected to stress occurred in a significantly less number into the
      hepatocyte nuclei of intact rats than into those of rats which had suffered
      stress. In contrast, translocation of the glucocorticoid-receptor complex of
      hepatic cytosol of intact rats into the nuclei of hepatocytes of stressed rats
      was significantly higher than translocation into hepatocyte nuclei of intact
      rats. It is concluded that the level of inhibition and activation of
      translocation in the cytoplasm of hepatic cells increases in stress.

PMID- 1408397
TI  - [Ultrastructure of erythrocytes with diminished flow properties and their role in
      the development of microcirculatory disorders under extreme conditions].
AB  - The deformability (D) of erythrocytes and their ultrastructure in the
      microcirculatory channel of vital tissues of the organism were studied in
      experiments on rabbits in two types of extreme conditions: staphylococci
      toxicosis and the postischemic syndrome. Erythrocyte deformability in each of
      these extreme conditions occurred in the late phase of the process and was
      manifested by destruction of the ultrastructural organization of the membrane
      matrix and the cytoplasm of cells in the microvessels. Destruction of the
      erythrocyte membranes was linked with their disintegration into micro- and macro
      fragments (in staphylococci toxicosis) and separation of membrane areas in the
      form of microvesicles (in the postischemic syndrome). Damage to the erythrocyte
      membrane and cytoplasm may be considered to be one of the typical manifestations
      of the organism's response to extreme effects accompanying the phenomena of
      disseminated intravascular clotting.

PMID- 1408396
TI  - [Free radical peroxidation mechanisms of the pathogenesis of ischemia and
      myocardial infarction and their pharmacologic regulation].

PMID- 1408398
TI  - [Status of the erythron during growth of induced tumors].
AB  - The authors conducted complex (with the use of radionuclide,
      cytospectrophotometric, electron microscopic, interfermometric, and other
      methods) examination of the morpho-functional condition of the central and
      peripheral erythron links in rats during the development of tumors induced by 20
      methyl-cholanthrene administration. It was found that increased hemolysis of
      mature circulating red cells plays the principle role in the pathogenesis of
      anemia developing in the experimental animals. The early periods of the hemolysis
      may be detected in the latent period of cancerogenesis.

PMID- 1408399
TI  - [Mechanisms of post-traumatic anemia].
AB  - Diminution of hemolytic anemia in animals with bilateral nephrectomy was
      demonstrated in experiments on rats and dogs with trauma (24-hour crush
      syndrome). The mechanism of early posttraumatic erythrodieresis is linked with
      the effect of humoral hemolytic factors and injury to the poorly-stable red cell
      population during passage through the renal vessels of the animals 24 hours after
      the traumatic damage.

PMID- 1408400
TI  - [Rate of progress of chronic renal insufficiency during low-protein diet].
AB  - The rate of progress of chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) under conditions of a
      diet with a moderate protein content and during a free diet was studied in 40
      children with tubulointerstitial renal diseases and glomerulonephritis by
      determining the dependence of reciprocal serum creatinine on the time. A low
      protein diet had a positive effect on the rate of CRI progress in children with
      tubulointerstitial diseases of the kidneys. The prognostic error--the difference
      between the foretold and the true period of time to the "death of the kidney" was
      12% on the average.

PMID- 1408401
TI  - [Effect of sodium fluoride on bone tissue regeneration in hypodynamia].
AB  - It was demonstrated in rat experiments that a nonsupported position of the
      extremity attained by exarticulation of the leg in 10 to 40 days leads to a sharp
      inhibition of posttraumatic regeneration of bone tissue. Daily injection of 0.4
      mg/100 g sodium fluoride, which was used in the clinic for the prevention and
      treatment of osteoporosis, inhibited still more the regenerative processes both
      under conditions of hypodynamia and also when the supporting function of the
      extremity was maintained.

PMID- 1408402
TI  - [A restraining device for simulating radiation sickness].

PMID- 1408403
TI  - Highs and lows in breast-feeding rates.

PMID- 1408404
TI  - Breast or bottle: practical aspects of infant nutrition in the first 6 months.

PMID- 1408405
TI  - A glimpse into the future of infant nutrition.

PMID- 1408406
TI  - Three important minerals--calcium, iron, and fluoride.

PMID- 1408407
TI  - Myths about childhood obesity.
AB  - Childhood obesity is a multifactorial and complex disease. Myths such as those
      that we have described may distract our patients from the underlying behaviors
      that contribute to the disease or may deflect the blame perceived by obese
      patients and their parents. Myths that suggest that the obese are inactive, eat
      differently, or eat more junk food suggest that obese individuals are socially
      deviant and justifies the intense discrimination directed against them. The myth
      that obesity represents an untreatable disease helps free health-care
      professionals from the responsibility to understand and care for obese children.
      Dispelling the myths about childhood obesity represents a critical step in
      prevention and treatment.

PMID- 1408408
TI  - Allergy, intolerance, and other adverse reactions to foods.
AB  - Adverse reactions (sensitivity) to foods are categorized as either allergic
      (immunologic) or intolerance (nonimmunologic). Some medical conditions caused by
      intolerance reactions have immunologic features, but these have not adequately
      explained the basis of these conditions. Idiosyncratic, toxic, and anaphylactoid
      reactions may resemble allergic reactions clinically even though they are not
      based on specific immunologic events. Complaints about adverse reactions to foods
      are common but most cannot be reproduced by challenge studies. This fact reflects
      the transient nature of many of these reactions and should prompt the
      pediatrician to be objective when diagnosing chronic or persisting conditions.
      Without objectivity, dietary avoidance measures potentially can have profound
      nutritional and psychosocial consequences. Negative skin-prick tests with foods
      have a high negative predictive value to rule out IgE-mediated mechanisms being
      operative. Skin-prick testing with cow's milk and hydrolysate formulas is useful
      in distinguishing mild "topical reactors" from the more severe "systemic
      reactors" and in selecting "hypoallergenic" formulas for their management.
      However, the DBPCFC is the "gold standard" that helps distinguish between reality
      and strongly held erroneous beliefs. This diagnostic test has established cow's
      milk, egg, peanut, and soybean as the foods most commonly responsible for
      allergic and intolerance reactions in children. The principles of management of
      these food-related conditions are similar. However, each food presents unique
      management issues to the pediatrician.

PMID- 1408409
TI  - Incorporating nutrition into pediatric practice: physicians and dietitians
      working together to improve children's health.
AB  - Clinicians are needed to include nutrition in the routine care of infants and
      children in office practice. Physicians play an important role in assessing
      nutritional status, diagnosing nutritional problems, providing a rationale for
      treatment, prescribing, performing brief counseling, referring to other resources
      if needed, and following up on the progress of their patients. Registered
      dietitians are the consultants of choice to assist pediatricians in the care of
      patients with nutrition-related disorders and are skilled in providing pediatric
      health promotion and disease prevention information. Consultant dietitians in the
      community can be found through contacting the local department of health or local
      hospital outpatient department. The American Dietetic Association also maintains
      a list of consulting dietitians throughout the United States. Funding mechanisms
      for engaging dietetic services vary from contracting with dietitians in private
      practice, local health departments, or hospital outpatient clinics, to employing
      dietitians on-site to provide counseling services in the office. Availability for
      third party payment for nutrition services varies with insurance carriers,
      individual policies, and region of the country. Incorporating nutrition into
      pediatric practice is important. Together, physicians and dietitians can work
      together to improve children's health.

PMID- 1408411
TI  - Injury control: issues and methods for the 1990s.

PMID- 1408410
TI  - Causes of death among the young.

PMID- 1408412
TI  - Drowning in early childhood.

PMID- 1408413
TI  - Stop carelessness? No, reduce burn risk.

PMID- 1408414
TI  - Pediatric firearm injuries: time to target a growing population.

PMID- 1408415
TI  - Rehabilitation following childhood injury.

PMID- 1408416
TI  - Risk and prevention of youth suicide.
AB  - The rate of fatal suicide attempts among males rose dramatically between 1950 and
      1980 and has continued to rise significantly during the 1980s among 15- to 19
      year-old youth. Nonfatal suicide attempts, although far more frequent among
      females, appear to share similar risk factors with completed suicide. The most
      important preconditional risk factors for both fatal and nonfatal suicide
      attempts are a history of a previous attempt, major affective and conduct
      disorders, chronic substance abuse, and a history of personal losses, including
      experience of suicide attempts by peers and family members. Risk factors for the
      acute precipitation of an attempt include the acute disruption of an
      interpersonal relationship, alcohol intoxication, and access to firearms.
      Preventive efforts can be enhanced by pediatricians both in the office and the
      community. Clinical case finding of individuals thought to be at high risk will
      continue to identify some potential victims. Families with household firearms
      should be counseled regarding the risk of firearm injury and death, particularly
      in a home with an individual with other risk factors. Community campaigns to
      improve the mental health of youth and to reduce firearm ownership may hold
      future promise for the reduction of the unacceptable morbidity and mortality
      associated with adolescent suicide attempts.

PMID- 1408417
TI  - The ABCs of pediatric LFTs.
AB  - Liver function tests (LFTs) are an essential assessment parameter when evaluating
      a child's liver function. This article reviews the interpretation of LFTs and
      summarizes physioanatomic considerations.

PMID- 1408418
TI  - Living with chronic pediatric liver disease: the parents' experience.
AB  - Parents' perceptions of living with a child with serious, chronic liver disease
      were explored using a qualitative methodology. Six central themes emerged from
      interview transcriptions: beginning, sense of inadequacy and guilt, pain and
      stress, lack of control, taking control, developing a personal philosophy, and
      uncertainty and fear of the future.

PMID- 1408419
TI  - Impact of the child's liver transplant on the family: maternal perspective.
AB  - This study's purpose was to examine the impact of the child's liver transplant on
      posthospitalization family adaptation. The family adaptation model provided the
      framework. Social support was the only variable significantly correlated with
      family adaptation.

PMID- 1408420
TI  - Pediatric discharge planning.
AB  - This article will review the discharge planning process and discuss five
      significant distinctions specific to children that must be considered in order to
      provide quality care. These distinctions are: recognizing differences in
      pediatric diagnoses, delivering care to children of varying developmental levels,
      selecting appropriate resources, accessing educational interventions, and
      financing health care.

PMID- 1408421
TI  - Leech therapy: new procedures for an old treatment.
AB  - Experiences of pediatric ICU nurses as they cared for a child requiring leech
      therapy are described in this article along with the clinical conditions and
      therapy of the case. The nurses' ambivalence about participating in what seemed
      to be an archaic therapy and how they had to put such feelings aside to support
      the family are explained.

PMID- 1408422
TI  - Pediatric management problems (chondromalacia of the patella).

PMID- 1408423
TI  - Acyclovir in the treatment of chickenpox.
AB  - Although chickenpox is a highly contagious disease affecting 90% of susceptible
      persons exposed, its morbidity and mortality in healthy patients is minimal.
      Treatment of chickenpox with oral acyclovir appears to decrease the number of pox
      lesions and shorten the duration of new lesion formation. Most importantly,
      children treated with acyclovir begin to feel better soon and had fewer systemic
      signs and symptoms of chickenpox (fever, fatigue, loss of appetite). However, the
      greatest mortality from chickenpox is seen in the immunocompromised patient, or
      in elderly patients with zoster (shingles) due to reactivation of latent
      varicella infection. Therefore, prevention of varicella is necessary to decrease
      mortality from the varicella-zoster virus. It is hopeful that the varicella
      vaccine will be licensed in the U.S. for routine immunization of healthy children
      within the next year. While its general use will not eliminate either chickenpox
      or zoster, there will be a considerable decrease in the morbidity and mortality
      caused by this agent as a result of routine immunization.

PMID- 1408424
TI  - Selecting a home care agency.
AB  - Selecting a home care agency must be a collaborative effort on the part of
      families and the discharging facility. Guidelines for selecting home care
      providers eases the transition from the acute care facility to home.

PMID- 1408425
TI  - Far above rubies: the founders of Every Child By Two.
AB  - The Every Child By Two Campaign was formed by Rosalynn Carter and Betty Bumpers,
      spouses of prominent elected officials, in response to the rapid increase in
      measles cases in the United States in 1990. They have sought to create a network
      of community leaders that will act to get children immunized now and will
      influence legislation to ensure that children under two will be fully immunized
      in the future.

PMID- 1408426
TI  - Personalizing professional goals.
AB  - Goal setting is an essential step toward personal and professional freedom. If we
      are interested in bringing our lives into balance so that our professional goals
      and personal goals are integrated, we must be willing to do the necessary work of
      self-discovery.

PMID- 1408427
TI  - Sex education for adolescents with chronic conditions.

PMID- 1408428
TI  - A study of diagnostic reasoning in pediatric nurses.
AB  - PURPOSE: To examine the data collecting and interpreting phases of the diagnostic
      reasoning process used by practicing pediatric nurses and to determine: (a) types
      of information deemed important for planning nursing care; (b) the functional
      health patterns addressed; and (c) frequency of validation of early hypotheses.
      METHOD: Thirty-four registered nurses who attended continuing education pediatric
      nursing workshops were asked to analyze a written simulated case study discussing
      maternal-infant interaction. Diagnostic cues in the case study were based on a
      framework that consisted of a clinical nursing model of maternal-infant
      interaction and selected nursing diagnoses. Open-ended questions were used to
      examine subjects' attention to and interpretation of these cues. FINDINGS: All
      subjects identified information related to the child's physical needs and the
      mother's responsibility to meet those needs as important for planning nursing
      care. There was less attention given to the interaction of mother and child. The
      most common response was identification of cues associated with five functional
      health patterns (29.4% of subjects). The functional health pattern, coping-stress
      tolerance, was addressed least often, although all nurses identified cues
      associated with role relationship. Only 38% of the subjects identified the need
      for validation of early hypotheses. CONCLUSION: The findings support the need for
      further research on the diagnostic reasoning of pediatric nurses. Recommendations
      include methods to enhance pediatric nurses' collection and interpretation of
      data specific to the pediatric clinical setting.

PMID- 1408429
TI  - SIDS and infant positioning: implications for critical care.
AB  - This article will briefly review the literature that led to the AAP's
      recommendations of supine and side-lying positions for infants and explore the
      challenges and the controversy associated with changing standards and practices.
      It will discuss specific considerations for the critical care nurse and suggest
      points to consider in implementing any practice changes for seriously ill or
      critically ill infants.

PMID- 1408430
TI  - Nursing interventions aimed at reducing risks of SIDS.
AB  - While researchers do not fully understand the causes of SIDS, there appears to be
      growing consensus that SIDS is most probably a multi-etiological phenomenon.
      Research literature regarding the prone sleeping position as a possible risk
      factor for SIDS will be discussed as will proposed etiological mechanisms related
      to this hypothesis. Implications of this new data for pediatric nursing practice
      will also be examined.

PMID- 1408431
TI  - Childhood immunization: opportunities to improve immunization rates at lower
      cost.

PMID- 1408432
TI  - Licensure for advanced practice: be informed, be alert.

PMID- 1408433
TI  - The current radiologic management of intussusception: a survey and review.

PMID- 1408434
TI  - Intussusception reduction 1991: an international survey of pediatric
      radiologists.
AB  - A detailed survey of intussusception reduction practices at the International
      Pediatric Radiology '91 meeting in Stockholm yielded 78 responses from
      radiologists representing 21 countries on six continents. Results indicates a
      striking lack of conscensus on basic technical issues such as the type of
      contrast material or reducing agent, the pressure limits for reduction, the use
      of balloon-tip tubes, the role of sedation, manipulation of the abdomen during
      reduction, and duration of symptoms beyond which reduction would not be
      attempted. For example, while gas reduction has been strongly promoted in the
      literature during the late 1980's, only 34.7% of the respondents indicated that
      this was their principle choice of reducing agent. Among technique choices which
      produced significant correlations with outcome, it is noteworthy that pooled data
      suggest an eightfold increase in perforations among those using gas rather than
      liquid for reduction. Also, although 53.8% of respondents use parenteral sedation
      at least part of the time, those who reported using it regularly had
      significantly lower success rates than all other radiologists. This study
      provides a current sampling of international opinion in a subject of importance
      to all pediatric radiologists; and by linking the response with reported outcomes
      suggests opportunities for further investigation.

PMID- 1408435
TI  - The current radiologic management of intussusception: a survey and review.
AB  - To determine what practices are being utilized in the management of
      intussusception, a survey was sent to chairpersons of 64 Pediatric Radiology
      departments in the United States and Canada. There was a 92% response rate.
      Barium is used in 97% of departments and is the most commonly used contrast-agent
      in 64%. Water-soluble contrast is used in 83% of departments and air in 50%. In
      high-risk patients, water soluble contrast is used in 71% of departments, air in
      28% and barium in 24%. Glucagon, pre-exam antibiotics, and pre-exam sedation are
      not used regularly in a majority of departments. The radiologic management of
      intussusception is more varied than only a few years ago. Use of water-soluble
      contrast and air have increased, while barium use is less routine.

PMID- 1408436
TI  - A new syndrome? Unusual facies, hooked clavicles, 13 pairs of ribs, widened
      metaphyses, square shaped vertebral bodies and communicating hydrocephalus.
AB  - Two strikingly similar twin sisters presented with characteristic facial
      anomalies and distinctive radiographic findings. The occurrence of this unique
      pattern of malformations in two sisters with unaffected parents suggests
      recessive inheritance. They most likely represent a previously unrecognised
      malformation syndrome.

PMID- 1408437
TI  - Subspecialization in pediatric radiology.
AB  - Within radiology there is an increasing trend towards specialization in North
      America [1]. Although some radiologists still consider themselves as generalists,
      every radiologist has eliminated some aspect of imaging from his repertoire [2].
      Within some specialty areas of radiology further subspecialization is beginning
      to take place. This subspecialization is being affected by conflicting forces,
      some of which are pushing us towards increased subspecialization in our daily
      clinical work, while other forces are inhibiting such subspecialization.

PMID- 1408438
TI  - Cyclic direct radionuclide voiding cystography: increasing reliability in
      detecting vesicoureteral reflux in children.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to establish the sensitivity of cyclic direct
      radionuclide cystography (RVC) in detecting vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in
      infants and small children, and to compare it to the conventional (one cycle
      only) RVC. 428 patients (856 renal units) were admitted to the study from January
      1991 through March 1992 and all had a cyclic RVC. The age of the patients ranged
      from 4 months to 7 years. The overall agreement of both cycles in detecting VUR
      in this study was 45%, the lowest being in detecting VUR I (36%), and the highest
      in detecting VUR III (86%). If we had used a conventional RVC (the first cycle
      only), 17 (29%) VUR I, 50 (36%) VUR II and 3 (9%) VUR III, which were detected in
      the second cycle only, would have been missed. We conclude that cyclic RVC
      detected 43% more VURs than the conventional (first cycle only) RVC, and would
      therefore recommend its use as a standard procedure instead of the conventional
      RVC.

PMID- 1408439
TI  - Esophageal perforation by a tooth in child abuse.
AB  - A unique case of child abuse in a six-year-old Hispanic girl is reported. In this
      case, a tooth avulsed and swallowed during an episode of physical abuse and/or
      sexual abuse, caused an esophageal perforation resulting in a retropharyngeal
      abscess and mediastinal abscess containing the tooth. Although traumatic
      esophageal injuries in child abuse have occurred, the presence of a tooth within
      the mediastinal abscess is an unique manifestation of child abuse.

PMID- 1408440
TI  - Diagnosis of congenital antral web by ultrasound.
AB  - Historically, the first case of congenital prepyloric membrane in an infant was
      documented in 1933 [1]. Since then cases have been reported only sporadically in
      the literature [2-8]. This is a case of congenital antral web which was
      identified by real-time ultrasonography, confirmed by barium meal study, and
      proven at gastrotomy.

PMID- 1408441
TI  - Congenital hemangiopericytoma of the duodenum.
AB  - Hemangiopericytomas are vascular tumors of pericyte origin. Although the majority
      of cases have been found in adults, a small percentage have been found to be
      congenital, most involving the subcutaneous tissues. Gastrointestinal involvement
      is exceedingly rare. All of the congenital tumors were found to be benign. We
      report a case of congenital duodenal hemangiopericytoma in a neonate which was
      locally invasive.

PMID- 1408442
TI  - Comparison of computerized digital and film-screen radiography: response to
      variation in imaging kVp.
AB  - A controlled prospective study, in an animal model chosen to simulate portable
      neonatal radiography, was performed to compare the response of the Philips
      Computed Radiography (CR) system and conventional 200 speed film-screen (FS) to
      variation in imaging kVp. Acceptable images were obtained on the CR system over a
      very wide kVp range. In contrast the FS system produced acceptable images over a
      narrow kVp range. This ability suggests that the CR system should eliminate the
      need for repeat examinations in cases where a suboptimal kVp setting would have
      resulted in an unacceptable FS image. CR technology should therefore be ideally
      suited to portable radiography especially in situations where selection of
      correct exposure factors is difficult as in the neonatal nursery.

PMID- 1408443
TI  - Dynamic ultrafast high resolution CT findings in a case of Swyer-James syndrome.
AB  - In a patient with Swyer-James syndrome, the dynamic, ultrafast HRCT (DUHRCT)
      findings show multifocal bilateral air-trapping that was not seen on chest
      radiography or conventional CT scan. This technique accentuates the air trapping
      associated with post-infectious obliterative bronchiolitis, which is
      underappreciated by plain chest radiography and conventional CT.

PMID- 1408445
TI  - Ultrasonography of congenital muscular torticollis.
AB  - The sonographic appearance of the sternocleidomastoid muscles of 36 children with
      congenital muscular torticollis was studied. Sternocleidomastoid tumour was
      detected in all of them and the images were more complex than described in the
      literature. A patchy echo-texture was as frequent as a homogeneous echo-texture,
      and was more common in the younger child. The echo-genicity of the mass could be
      hyperechoic, isoechoic or hypoechoic relative to normal muscle. A hypoechoic rim
      surrounding the mass was frequently present. Change of the proportion of the mass
      relative to the entire muscle-mass complex in different ages matching clinical
      observations was also noted. These sonographic findings would be important in
      establishing a sonographic diagnosis. The higher sensitivity of ultrasound in
      detection of sternocleidomastoid tumour over clinical methods, and the importance
      of the sonographic findings in the management of congenital muscular torticollis
      were also discussed.

PMID- 1408444
TI  - Abdominal (liver, spleen) and bone manifestations of cat scratch disease.
AB  - Cat scratch disease is usually a self-limiting illness. Patients may develop
      systemic complications including hepatic granulomas, splenic abscesses,
      mesenteric adenitis, osteolytic lesions, as well as dermatologic and CNS
      complications. In this paper the literature is reviewed and two cases are
      discussed which present the imaging findings in patients with hepatic, splenic,
      mesenteric, and bony manifestations of cat scratch disease.

PMID- 1408446
TI  - Perinatal hip assessment in very low birth weight infants.
AB  - Fifty healthy low birth weight infants (less than 1500 g) without risk factors
      for congenital hip dysplasia (CHD) were examined by ultrasonography (100 hips) at
      40 weeks corrected age and controlled at 3 months postnatal age. Sonographic
      assessment was performed using the classification of Graf. A physiological delay
      of hip maturation was observed in 10% of the patients (type IIa). At follow-up
      all of them had normal hip morphology without any pathological finding. Our
      results suggest that prematurity alone should not be considered a risk factor for
      CHD.

PMID- 1408447
TI  - Occipital horn syndrome. Additional radiographic findings in two new cases.
AB  - Occipital horn syndrome, a rare genetic disorder of copper metabolism, was
      recognized in 2 unrelated patients. Radiographs of these patients at various ages
      allowed confirmation of previously described radiographic findings. In addition,
      new radiographic manifestations were encountered. These pathognomonic
      radiographic findings are presented and the clinical and biochemical features of
      occipital horn syndrome are reviewed.

PMID- 1408448
TI  - Dysplastic gangliocytoma (Lhermitte-Duclos disease): CT and MR imaging.
AB  - Dysplastic gangliocytoma (Lhermitte-Duclos disease) is a rare entity. Usually
      presenting as a posterior fossa mass, dysplastic gangliocytoma is not a true
      neoplasm but a hard-to-characterize lesion that may represent an abnormality of
      cell migration or a phacomatosis. Previous reports of CT findings are rare in the
      radiologic literature, and high-field (1.5 Tesla) MR images have never been
      described in the pediatric age group. We present a case of dysplastic
      gangliocytoma in a one-year-old boy with CT and MR findings.

PMID- 1408449
TI  - Color flow imaging in children with clinically suspected testicular torsion.
AB  - 32 boys with symptoms of an acute scrotum had testicular sonography with color
      flow imaging (CFI). Patients ranged in age from 4-15 years (avg = 11 yrs).
      Symptoms were present from 12 h to 5 days (avg = 42 hrs). CFI correctly predicted
      presence or absence of testicular perfusion in 11 boys who had surgical
      exploration of the scrotum. 8 of these 11 patients had hemorrhagic infarction of
      the testicle, 1 had torsion of the appendix epididymis, 1 had epididymitis, and 1
      had bilateral incomplete torsions with normal testicular perfusion. The remaining
      21 patients did not have an operation. At least a 1 year follow-up of all
      patients has shown no clinical evidence of testicular atrophy to suggest a missed
      diagnosis of torsion. Absence or markedly decreased testicular flow was easily
      identified and indicates testicular ischemia/infarction. Conversely, hyperemia of
      the testis and/or epididymis is usually associated with trauma or infection.
      However, incomplete torsion or spontaneous detorsion may demonstrate normal
      testicular flow on CFI. Only close correlation of clinical symptomatology and
      gray scale findings with CFI can identify these patients, who remain at high risk
      for subsequent complete torsion and infarction.

PMID- 1408450
TI  - Juvenile xanthogranuloma: non-X histiocytosis with systemic involvement.
AB  - Two patients with different patterns of soft tissue and bone involvement
      demonstrate the variability of extracutaneous manifestations of juvenile
      xanthogranuloma, a non-X histiocytosis, better known to dermatologists than to
      radiologists.

PMID- 1408451
TI  - Juvenile xanthogranuloma with extracutaneous lesions.
AB  - The purpose of this article is to present a case of juvenile xanthogranuloma with
      pulmonary, retroperitoneal and splenic involvement. The similar echographic
      pattern of the cutaneous and visceral lesions was very helpful in order to
      suggest the correct diagnosis.

PMID- 1408452
TI  - Neonatal phrenic nerve paralysis resulting from intercostal drainage of
      pneumothorax.
AB  - Four cases of phrenic nerve paralysis complicating chest tube placement in the
      newborn for pneumothorax are presented. This complication is related to abnormal
      location of the medial end of the chest tube. It is suggested that on the frontal
      chest radiograph, the medial end of the chest tube should be no less than 1 cm
      from the spine.

PMID- 1408453
TI  - MRI of sequela of transverse myelitis.
AB  - A 4-year-old boy developed acute paraplegia, associated with sensory impairement
      and bowel and urinary dysfunction after an URI. MRI showed diffuse hyperintensity
      in T2WI in the spinal cord below the T6 level. Acute transverse myelitis was
      diagnosed based on the clinical presentations and MRI findings. The patient had
      poor recovery and two months later, a follow-up MRI disclosed a severe diffuse
      atrophic change of the spinal cord in the affected segment.

PMID- 1408454
TI  - An unusual presentation of urogenital rhabdomyosarcoma (sarcoma botryoides) in a
      Nigerian child.
AB  - A 5-year-old child who presented with what was diagnosed clinically as posterior
      urethral valve and radiologically as multiple urethral and vesical polyps is
      described. This lesion was found on histological investigation to be a
      rhabdomyosarcoma (sarcoma botryoides).

PMID- 1408455
TI  - Obstruction of cerebral arteries in childhood stroke.
AB  - Middle cerebral artery obstruction in children is reviewed by our two cases.
      Ischemic childhood stroke was caused by moyamoya disease in the first, and by
      fibromuscular dysplasia in the second patient. In both cases transcranial Doppler
      sonography and cranial CT were performed, but the final diagnosis was made by
      angiography. The importance of angiography in childhood stroke is emphasized.

PMID- 1408456
TI  - Solitary ivory vertebra due to primary Ewing's sarcoma.
AB  - Dense sclerosis of most of the vertebral body has been termed as "ivory
      vertebra". While this condition occurs rather frequently in adults it is not
      found very often in children.

PMID- 1408457
TI  - Juvenile gout with typical radiographic findings.
AB  - Gout, a common disorder in adults is exceedingly rare in the first decade of life
      and uncommon in teenagers. A recent book on bone diseases in childhood does not
      even mention gout [7]. Childhood podagra with a radiographic findings is a very
      unusual finding indeed.

PMID- 1408458
TI  - Amyloid goiter in a child--US, CT and MR evaluation.
AB  - There are few radiological descriptions of amyloid goiter, basically in adult
      patients of oriental origin. We present a ten-year-old boy with Still's disease
      and secondary thyroid amyloidosis, describing the US, CT and MR findings.

PMID- 1408459
TI  - Laryngotracheo-bronchial cartilage calcification in children.

PMID- 1408460
TI  - Development of the human antibody repertoire.

PMID- 1408461
TI  - A role for tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma in the regulation of
      interleukin-4-induced human thymocyte proliferation in vitro. Heightened
      sensitivity in the Down syndrome (trisomy 21) thymus.
AB  - The influence of recombinant interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis
      factor-alpha (TNF) on IL-4-induced proliferation of postnatal human thymocytes
      from eight children with Down syndrome (DS, trisomy 21) and 18 control children
      was evaluated. DS thymuses were studied because they are characterized by
      cortical depletion and abnormal thymocyte differentiation. IL-4, without mitogen,
      induced a dose-dependent proliferation of both DS and control thymocytes. The
      proliferation was comparable to that induced by IL-2 and far greater than the
      proliferation mediated by IL-1 beta in the absence of mitogen. The level of IL-4
      responsiveness correlated with the proportion of cells expressing the gamma,
      delta chains of the T cell receptor. Furthermore, thymocyte preparations greatly
      enriched for T cell receptor gamma, delta-bearing cells were found to vigorously
      proliferate when treated with IL-4. Both IFN-gamma and TNF inhibited IL-4-driven
      proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, but DS thymocytes were found to be
      significantly more sensitive to inhibition by both cytokines. Our studies suggest
      an important role for IL-4 in the proliferation of T cell receptor gamma, delta+
      thymocytes and demonstrate regulatory functions for IFN-gamma and TNF in human
      thymocyte proliferation. The increased sensitivity of DS thymocytes to IFN-gamma
      and TNF may explain anatomical abnormalities in DS thymuses and suggests the
      involvement of genes encoded on human chromosome 21 in the responses to both IFN
      gamma and TNF.

PMID- 1408462
TI  - Enhanced response of human circulating erythroid progenitor cells to hGH and to
      IGF-I in children with insufficient growth hormone secretion.
AB  - The response of hematopoietic progenitors to the growth promoting effects of hGH
      and IGF-I has been documented. In this study, the effects of recombinant hGH and
      IGF-I on the growth of circulating erythroid burst forming cells (BFU-E) from
      growth-IGF-I retarded children with insufficient growth hormone secretion (IGHS)
      were evaluated and compared with values obtained from either children with short
      stature and normal growth hormone levels (SNGH) or normal donors. Both
      recombinant hGH and IGF-I had significantly greater stimulatory effects on the
      growth of BFU-E from the IGHS compared with the SNGH and with the normally
      growing children. At its optimal concentration of 200 micrograms/L, recombinant
      hGH had a stimulatory effect on the growth of BFU-E from 11 IGHS children
      yielding a mean +/- SD value of 2.0 +/- 0.3-fold above the unstimulated controls
      compared with 1.45 +/- 0.16-fold and 1.36 +/- 0.04-fold stimulation of BFU-E from
      six SNGH and five normal donors, respectively. Similarly, IGF-I, at its optimal
      concentration of 0.065 nmol/L (0.5 ng/mL), stimulated IGHS-derived BFU-E growth
      1.67 +/- 0.25-fold above unstimulated controls, compared with 1.28 +/- 0.17-fold
      and 1.3 +/- 0.1-fold stimulation of BFU-E from SNGH and from normal donors,
      respectively. The hGH- and IGF-I-induced stimulatory effects could be neutralized
      by their respective specific MAb.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408463
TI  - Elevated growth hormone secretory rate in premature infants: deconvolution
      analysis of pulsatile growth hormone secretion in the neonate.
AB  - Premature infants have higher circulating concentrations of growth hormone (GH)
      than term infants. Previous investigations of these differences have used
      sampling frequencies of every 30 min with subsequent application of pulse
      detection algorithms, such as the CLUSTER program, to assess serum GH pulse
      parameters. To determine differences in GH secretory rates or GH t1/2 values
      between premature and term infants, we have sampled 11 neonates at 15-min
      intervals. We performed deconvolution analysis of the resultant plasma GH values
      to estimate GH secretory and clearance parameters. Five premature infants
      (gestational age range 24-34 wk) and six term infants (gestational age range 38
      42 wk) were sampled every 15 min for 6 h. All subjects had indwelling arterial
      catheters. GH was measured (in duplicate) by RIA using 10 microL of plasma.
      Premature infants had higher secretory burst amplitudes (2.2 +/- 0.13
      micrograms/L/min versus 1.4 +/- 0.27 micrograms/L/min, p = 0.02), higher
      production rates (product of the total number of bursts and the mean mass of GH
      secreted per burst, 811 +/- 173 micrograms/L/6 h versus 283 +/- 77 micrograms/L/6
      h, p = 0.03), and a higher mass of GH per secretory burst (106 +/- 25
      micrograms/L versus 38 +/- 11 micrograms/L, p = 0.049) than term infants. The
      integrated plasma GH concentration exhibited a strong trend toward a higher value
      in the premature infants (18,100 +/- 800 micrograms/L versus 10,200 +/- 2,700
      micrograms/L, p = 0.067).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408464
TI  - Changes in IGF-I and -II, IGF binding protein, and IGF receptor transcript
      abundance after uterine artery ligation.
AB  - Altered IGF activity may be one mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of
      intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). We assessed the expression of IGF, IGF
      binding protein (IGFBP), and IGF receptor transcripts in liver, carcass, and
      placenta of fetal rats with IUGR resulting from unilateral uterine artery
      ligation. We found that uterine artery ligation on d 17 of gestation resulted in
      reduced body weight, liver weight, and placental weight on d 20 in the fetuses
      from the ligated uterine horn (UA-lig) compared with those from the opposite,
      nonligated uterine horn (UA-nonlig) and those from dams with no surgery or
      anesthesia. As assessed by solution hybridization, UA-lig fetuses exhibited
      significantly higher hepatic IGFBP-1, IGFBP-2, and IGF-II transcript abundance
      than UA-nonlig controls (increased 110, 50, and 31%, respectively). The only
      major difference among groups in carcass and placenta mRNA abundance was a 44%
      decrease in placental IGF-II expression in UA-lig pups compared with pups from
      dams that had had no surgery or anesthesia. Serum IGFBP, analyzed by ligand blot,
      showed a 2.4-fold increase in the doublet IGFBP-1/-2 band in UA-lig fetuses.
      Serum immunoreactive IGFBP-2 was unchanged among the groups, indicating that
      IGFBP-1 accounted for the increase in doublet intensity. Our results suggest that
      increased serum IGFBP-1 concentrations may decrease IGF activity in serum and
      thus inhibit IGF-stimulated cell proliferation or, by crossing the endothelial
      border, inhibit the activity of locally produced IGF. Decreased IGF-II expression
      in placenta also may contribute to decreased placental growth and, in turn, to
      IUGR.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408465
TI  - Destripeptide insulin-like growth factor-I in milk from bovine somatotropin
      treated cows.
AB  - Total somatomedins from milk of bovine somatotropin-treated cows were isolated
      and characterized to determine the relative amount of the three amino acid N
      terminally truncated form of IGF-I (destripeptide IGF-I). The somatomedin
      fraction was isolated using organic solvent and solid-phase extractions followed
      by preparative reverse phase HPLC and affinity chromatography. The overall yield
      of IGF-I was 28%, and destripeptide IGF-I was recovered with similar efficiency.
      The isolated somatomedins were resolved by capillary zonal electrophoresis and
      identified using recombinant somatomedin standards. The concentration of
      destripeptide IGF-I relative to full length IGF-I was determined by amino
      terminal sequencing and by bioassay. Results from these experiments indicated
      that the level of destripeptide IGF-I in milk from somatotropin-treated cows was
      less than 3% of the IGF-I concentration. Destripeptide IGF-I is therefore a minor
      component of the somatomedins present in milk from treated cows and does not
      contribute significantly to the proliferative activity of this milk.

PMID- 1408466
TI  - Early dietary antigens delay the development of gut mucosal barrier in preweaning
      rats.
AB  - To determine the effects of early antigen exposure on the maturation of the
      gastrointestinal mucosal barrier, rat pups were divided into three groups at the
      age of 14 d. In addition to normal maternal milk, group CM (n = 24) received
      daily a gavage feed of cow's milk and group PH (n = 20) a whey protein
      hydrolysate during the experimental feeding period (14-20 d). Controls (n = 15)
      remained on maternal milk only. At 21 d, when "gut closure" normally occurs,
      intestinal absorption of horseradish peroxidase (HRP), was examined in vitro in
      Ussing chambers. The absorption of intact HRP [geometric mean (95% confidence
      interval)] was significantly higher in group CM [35.3 (16.7, 74.7) ng.h-1.cm-2]
      than in group PH [5.2 (1.4, 19.5) ng.h-1.cm-2] and in controls [3.4 (0.8, 15.1)
      ng.h-1.cm-2; F = 5.54, p = 0.006]. The absorption of degraded HRP was comparable
      in all groups. There were no modifications in electrical parameters in
      association with increased mucosal permeability to HRP. Furthermore, in group CM
      electron-microscopic studies disclosed accumulation of HRP in the cytoplasm of
      the epithelial cells and in the intercellular spaces where cell junctions
      remained unaltered. These results indicate that early administration of antigens
      delays the process of gut closure. They further suggest that continuously
      enhanced endocytosis of macro-molecules is induced by an insult to the mucosa as
      part of the host response to these antigens, irrespective of the protection
      afforded by maternal milk.

PMID- 1408467
TI  - Synergistic effects of thyroxine and dexamethasone on enzyme ontogeny in rat
      small intestine.
AB  - The synergistic effects of dexamethasone (DEX) and thyroxine (T4) on the
      postnatal maturation of the 13-d-old rodent small intestine has been studied.
      Previous studies have shown that hydrocortisone and T4 produced a synergistic
      response in enzyme maturation. However, T4 elevates corticosteroid-binding
      globulin, which reduces the clearance of hydrocortisone. Thus, the apparent
      synergy between T4 and hydrocortisone may have been due to increased
      glucocorticoid availability. DEX, which does not bind to corticosteroid-binding
      globulin, was given (d8-12) at 25 pmol (i.e. 0.01 micrograms)/g body wt/d as
      established by a dose-response study in which this dose of DEX induced one third
      the maximum response in sucrase activity. In this way, synergy with T4 (130
      pmol/g body wt/d, i.e. 0.1 micrograms/g body wt/d, d 5-12) could still be
      observed. Glucoamylase, lactase, acid beta-galactosidase, alkaline phosphatase,
      and sucrase activities were determined in two regions of the small intestine.
      Overall, the results for the two hormones administered alone showed intestinal
      maturation to be not significantly affected in the T4 group and partially
      stimulated in the DEX group. When combined, DEX + T4 synergistically increased
      jejunal sucrase, ileal glucoamylase, and duodenal alkaline phosphatase, and
      lowered ileal acid beta-galactosidase. The striking exceptions to the general
      pattern were two brush border enzymes that normally decline during intestinal
      maturation, namely ileal alkaline phosphatase and jejunal and ileal lactase. For
      these enzymes, DEX alone did not elicit precocious maturation, and there was no
      evidence for a synergistic interaction of these two hormones. Serum
      corticosterone concentrations also were measured. When corticosterone
      concentrations were compared with enzyme activity, no correlation was
      found.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408468
TI  - Enterohepatic distribution of carnitine in developing piglets: relation to
      glucagon and insulin.
AB  - L-Carnitine plays a crucial role in the perinatal transition from carbohydrate to
      lipid-derived energy. To examine the potential contribution of assimilated
      dietary carnitine to the elevated hepatic concentrations in newborns, we measured
      carnitine concentrations in sow milk, jejunum, and liver, and in vitro jejunal
      carnitine transport in piglets aged 1-36 d. Hepatic and sow milk total carnitine
      concentrations peaked soon after birth and declined with age (p = 0.035 and
      0.026, respectively). Although jejunal total carnitine concentrations remained
      stable, jejunal carnitine flux was higher at 2 d of age than in older piglets. To
      examine the possible signals that regulate hepatic carnitine, portal
      enteroinsular hormones were measured by RIA. Portal glucagon (p = 0.0006),
      insulin (p = 0.0001), and glucagon:insulin ratio (p = 0.037) were related to age.
      Portal glucagon was highest in newborns and during weaning, whereas insulin
      increased progressively with age; the portal glucagon:insulin ratio, like hepatic
      carnitine, peaked soon after birth and fell with age. A multiple regression
      analysis indicated a positive association between glucagon and hepatic carnitine
      and a negative one between insulin and hepatic carnitine (R = 0.802, p = 0.001).
      An overall pattern of elevated dietary carnitine levels and increased small
      intestinal absorption and hepatic accumulation of carnitine is noted in early
      development. The finding of a similar pattern in glucagon-to-insulin ratio
      suggests that both hormones may participate in the regulation of enterohepatic
      carnitine distribution in newborns.

PMID- 1408469
TI  - Carrier-mediated beta-D-hydroxybutyrate transport in brush-border membrane
      vesicles from rat placenta.
AB  - Carrier-mediated beta-D-hydroxybutyrate transport in brush-border membrane
      (maternal-sided) vesicles prepared from trophoblast rat placenta was studied. The
      existence of a carrier-mediated transport system for beta-D-hydroxybutyrate in
      brush-border membrane vesicles was substantiated by the strong inhibitory effect
      of the protein modifier p-chloromercuriphenyl sulfonic acid and by the
      saturability of beta-D-hydroxybutyrate uptake as a function of beta-D
      hydroxybutyrate concentration. beta-D-hydroxybutyrate uptake was stimulated by
      the presence of an inward-directed proton gradient but not by an inward-directed
      Na+ gradient. The mechanism for transport of beta-D-hydroxybutyrate seems to be a
      beta-D-hydroxybutyrate/H+ symport and not a beta-D-hydroxybutyrate/OH- antiport
      because beta-D-hydroxybutyrate transport was not sensitive to 4,4-diisothiocyano
      2,2'-stilbenedisulfonic acid or furosemide. The Km, Vmax, and kd calculated by
      applying the iteration procedure to the data were 16 mM, 58 nmol.mg-1.10 s-1, and
      0 nL.mg-1.s-1, respectively. The beta-D-hydroxybutyrate transport system might be
      shared by other monocarboxylic acids, and the carrier shows reversibility and
      exchange properties. There were no significant changes in the kinetic parameters
      of the beta-D-hydroxybutyrate transport system during the last 3 d of gestation.
      Nevertheless, there was a significant increase in the capacity of the beta-D
      hydroxybutyrate transport system in brush-border membrane vesicles prepared from
      fasted pregnant rats, suggesting that the rise in maternal ketone body levels
      occurring as a consequence of maternal starvation is concurrent with the
      stimulation of the activity of the beta-D-hydroxybutyrate placental carrier to
      supply the fetus with ketone bodies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408470
TI  - Tin-protoporphyrin-mediated disruption in vivo of heme oxygenase-2 protein
      integrity and activity in rat brain.
AB  - The ability of synthetic metalloporphyrins to suppress heme oxygenase activity
      and bilirubin formation has recently become of considerable clinical and
      experimental interest for suppression of jaundice in humans, including neonatal
      hyperbilirubinemia. The present investigation compares the biochemical effects of
      Sn- and Zn-protoporphyrins on the predominant heme oxygenase isozyme present in
      the brain (HO-2) at activity, protein, and transcript levels and describes the
      ability of Sn-protoporphyrin to adversely affect this isozyme. Specifically, 6 h
      after a modest dose (50 mumol/kg, i.v.) of Sn-protoporphyrin, heme oxygenase
      activity in rat brain was nearly undetectable. In addition, as revealed by
      Western blot analysis, HO-2 protein level was decreased by 20% and the
      electrophoretic behavior of the protein in the microsomal membranes was altered.
      Moreover, the activity of NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, which is required for
      the oxidation of heme molecule, was markedly decreased (60% of control). Western
      immunoblot analysis revealed also a pronounced decrease in the reductase protein
      level. The inducible form of heme oxygenase, HO-1, was not detectable by
      immunoblotting in brain microsomes of either control or Sn-protoporphyrin-treated
      animals. Northern blot analyses did not reveal decreases in the levels of the
      single HO-1 mRNA (1.8 kb) or the two HO-2 transcripts (1.3 and 1.9 kb),
      suggesting that Sn-protoporphyrin mediates its effects on heme oxygenase isozymes
      at the protein level. Zn-protoporphyrin, on the other hand, had no deleterious
      effect on brain parameters presently investigated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1408471
TI  - Caffeine decreases zinc and metallothionein levels in heart of newborn and adult
      rats.
AB  - The purpose of the present study is to show that dietary caffeine, heart tissue
      Zn levels, and metallothionein (MT) concentration are all interrelated in newborn
      rats. Dams with eight pups in the control group were fed a 20% protein diet upon
      delivery, whereas dams in the experimental group were fed a 20% protein diet
      supplemented with caffeine (2 mg/100 g body weight). Offspring were killed at d
      22 postbirth and the hearts and livers were removed to determine the Zn and MT
      concentrations. Hearts of the newborn rats in the caffeine group showed decreased
      Zn levels as well as decreased MT concentration. To explain the observed effects
      in newborn rats, the relationship between Zn and MT levels was studied in adult
      female rats. They were injected intraperitoneally with either ZnCl2 (20 mg/kg
      body weight) dissolved in saline solution or ZnCl2 and caffeine (4 mg/kg body
      weight) over a period of 2 d. Injection of ZnCl2 into adult female rats resulted
      in an increase in heart MT levels, whereas injection of caffeine caused decreased
      Zn levels and MT concentration. Current findings indicate that dietary caffeine
      intake during the lactational period by newborn pups causes a decrease of the
      heart Zn and MT levels.

PMID- 1408472
TI  - Analysis of dynamic atrial dimension and function during early cardiac
      development in the chick embryo.
AB  - Although atrial morphologic changes are well documented, the description of early
      atrial function is limited. We used videomicroscopic methods to define the
      function of the contracting atrium in stage 16 to 24 white Leghorn chick embryos.
      We exposed the embryo in ovo (right side up) and imaged the ventricle, then
      repositioned the embryo (left side up) and imaged the atrium (n greater than or
      equal to 8 per stage). We traced the atrial endocardial border and then measured
      atrial perimeter (mm) and cross-sectional area (mm2). A 20-MHz pulsed Doppler
      velocity meter was used to measure atrioventricular blood velocity during atrial
      imaging in an additional six stage 21 embryos. Data were tested by analysis of
      variance and regression analysis. Mean heart rate change after repositioning was 
      4 +/- 1%. Atrial maximum and minimum area increased linearly versus embryo stage
      (y = 0.10x - 1.41, r = 0.89, p less than 0.05 and y = 0.05x - 0.67, r = 0.82, p
      less than 0.05, respectively). Shortening fraction (percentage of reduction) of
      atrial perimeter and area decreased from 32.3 +/- 2.0% to 27.5 +/- 1.8% (p less
      than 0.05) and 56.2 +/- 3.0% to 47.7 +/- 2.0% (p less than 0.05), respectively,
      from stage 16 to 24. During atrial contraction, the velocity of circumferential
      wall shortening increased linearly with stage (y = 0.22x - 2.08, r = 0.81, p less
      than 0.01); however, the velocity of lengthening was similar between stages (p =
      0.45). Simultaneous atrial imaging and pulsed Doppler velocity measurement showed
      that passive atrioventricular flow occurred late in atrial lengthening and active
      atrioventricular flow occurred during atrial contraction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408473
TI  - Recognition of a fetal subdiaphragmatic venous vestibulum essential for fetal
      venous Doppler assessment.
AB  - Ultrasonic visualization of the human fetal subdiaphragmatic area demonstrated
      anatomical relationships, different from descriptions in the literature. Four
      human fetal postmortem specimens at 18, 26, 28, and 34 wk of gestation were
      examined to ascertain morphologic details of intra- and perihepatic vasculature.
      Drawings of these dissected preparations were compared with ultrasonic images
      from the same region. With both methods the presence of a venous vestibulum
      immediately proximate to the diaphragm could be demonstrated. The abdominal
      inferior vena cava ends in a funnel-like structure, which also contains the
      orifices of the hepatic veins, the ductus venosus, and a phrenic vein. A
      considerable variability in Doppler flow recordings could result from blood
      propelling out of these various vessels into the vestibulum. It is, therefore,
      suggested that information on blood-flow velocities in venous hepatic vessels
      should be obtained more distally in the separate vessels and not at the entrance
      into the right atrium.

PMID- 1408474
TI  - Arterial oxygen tension threshold range for the onset of arousal and breathing in
      fetal sheep.
AB  - Mechanisms for the control of episodic fetal breathing movements or the onset of
      continuous breathing at birth remain unknown. Lung distension with 100% O2 at a
      continuous positive airway pressure of 30 cm H2O may induce arousal and
      continuous breathing. To investigate 1) the threshold range of arterial oxygen
      tension (PaO2) for the onset of arousal and breathing and 2) the graded response
      of breathing to various levels of PaO2, we studied 10 fetal sheep between 135 and
      142 d of gestation (term = 147 +/- 2 d). Each fetus was instrumented to record
      sleep states, diaphragmatic electromyogram, arterial pH, and blood gas tensions.
      PaO2 threshold was determined through an indwelling O2 sensor catheter. Fetal
      lungs were distended at a continuous positive airway pressure of 40 cm H2O with
      100% N2 or with O2 ranging from 40 to 100% via an in situ endotracheal tube. At
      the onset of arousal (n = 10), PaO2, arterial carbon dioxide tension, and Hb O2
      saturation increased from control values of 21.7 +/- 0.75 torr (2.9 +/- 0.09
      kPa), 41.8 +/- 1.1 torr (5.47 +/- 0.15 kPa), and 52.9 +/- 2.6% to 65.6 +/- 9.6
      torr (8.74 +/- 1.28 kPa), 46.9 +/- 1.3 torr (6.25 +/- 0.17 kPa), and 92.9 +/-
      2.06%, respectively, whereas the pH decreased from 7.31 +/- 0.006 to 7.27 +/-
      0.009 (mean +/- SEM; p = 0.001, 0.04, 0.002, and 0.001, respectively). Seven of
      10 fetuses breathed continuously. In these fetuses, PaO2 and arterial carbon
      dioxide tension further increased and pH decreased; however, no further
      significant increase in Hb O2 saturation was observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1408475
TI  - Increased respiratory drive and limited adaptation to loaded breathing in
      bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
AB  - Ventilatory parameters and respiratory drive with and without an added acute
      resistive load were assessed in 11 healthy preterm infants and 11 infants with
      bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Lung mechanics (breathing frequency, tidal
      volume, minute ventilation, compliance, and resistance) were determined with
      esophageal manometry and pneumotachography. Respiratory drive was assessed by
      determining the airway pressure measured 100 ms after the onset of an inspiratory
      effort against an occlusion. Infants were studied at baseline and with an
      external inspiratory resistive load of 213.7 cm H2O/L/s. Infants with BPD had
      similar breathing frequency, tidal volume, and minute ventilation, lower
      compliance, and greater resistance and airway pressure at 100 ms than healthy
      preterm infants at rest. With loading, healthy preterm infants demonstrated
      increased airway pressure at 100 ms, whereas infants with BPD showed no change.
      Although the healthy preterm infants had decreased minute ventilation and tidal
      volume with loading, decreases in ventilation were greater in the infants with
      BPD. These data demonstrate that infants with BPD have responded to a chronic
      intrinsic load with increased drive. However, this may result in decreased
      ventilatory reserve and hence, a limited ability to adapt to acute pulmonary
      loads.

PMID- 1408476
TI  - Antioxidant defense mechanisms of endothelial cells and renal tubular epithelial
      cells in vitro: role of the glutathione redox cycle and catalase.
AB  - We recently demonstrated that endothelial cells are more susceptible than renal
      tubular epithelial cells to oxidant injury and that renal tubular epithelial
      cells with proximal tubular characteristics including porcine proximal tubular
      epithelial cells, opossum kidney proximal tubular epithelial cells, and normal
      human kidney cortical epithelial cells are more susceptible to oxidant injury
      than the distal nephron-derived Madin Darby canine kidney cell line. To determine
      the basis of this differential response, we evaluated several antioxidant
      defenses in the five cell lines. Glutathione levels were not significantly
      different among the five cell lines, but catalase and glutathione reductase
      levels were significantly (p less than 0.01) lower in endothelial cells compared
      to all renal tubular epithelial cells. Among renal tubular epithelial cells,
      Madin Darby canine kidney cells had significantly (p less than 0.05) higher
      glutathione peroxidase activity. To further evaluate the role of antioxidant
      defenses in limiting oxidant injury, we determined two responses to oxidant
      injury (ATP depletion and 51Cr release) when glutathione was depleted with
      buthionine sulfoxamine and when catalase was inhibited with aminotriazole.
      Oxidant-induced ATP depletion was accentuated when catalase was inhibited as well
      as when glutathione was depleted with buthionine sulfoxamine. In contrast,
      inhibition of catalase had little or no effect on 51Cr release, whereas
      glutathione depletion resulted in accentuated 51Cr release. We conclude that the
      increased susceptibility of endothelial cells to oxidant injury as compared with
      epithelial cells is associated with lower antioxidant defenses. Disruption of the
      glutathione redox cycle results in accentuated ATP depletion and lytic injury,
      whereas inhibition of catalase results in accentuated ATP depletion with little
      effect on lytic injury.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408477
TI  - The effect of monosaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids on oxygen toxicity in
      cultured cells.
AB  - The influence of oleic, linoleic (LIN), and eicosapentaenoic (EPA) acids
      incorporated into cellular lipids on susceptibility to O2-induced toxicity was
      evaluated in Chinese hamster fibroblasts (HA1) using a clonogenic cell survival
      assay. Fatty acid incorporation was achieved by incubating HA1 cells in 21% O2
      for 72 h in the presence or absence of media supplemented with 25 microM oleic
      acid, 25 microM LIN, or 2, 4, and 25 microM EPA. This fatty acid incorporation
      period increased the percentage of composition in phospholipids 2-fold for oleic
      acid, 6-fold for LIN, and 6- to 20-fold for EPA. Vitamin E, total glutathione,
      superoxide dismutase activity, glutathione transferase activity, and catalase
      activity were unchanged, relative to control, in the 25-microM EPA-treated group,
      and only total glutathione was elevated in the LIN-treated group. After the
      incorporation period, the cells were placed in non-fatty acid supplemented media
      and exposed to 95% O2, and clonogenic survival responses were evaluated at time
      intervals up to 100 h. Sensitization to O2 toxicity in EPA-treated cells was
      apparent after 24 h of O2 exposure, whereas LIN-treated cells were significantly
      (p less than 0.05) sensitized to hyperoxia after 54 h of exposure, indicating
      that EPA was a more potent sensitizer for O2 injury. Furthermore, cells
      supplemented with 4 and 25 microM EPA were more sensitive to O2 toxicity than
      cells supplemented with 2 microM EPA. In contrast, cells treated with 25 microM
      oleic acid were significantly more resistant to O2 toxicity at 51, 72, and 98 h
      of O2 exposure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408478
TI  - Long term efficacy of hepatitis B vaccine in infants born to hepatitis B e
      antigen-positive mothers.
AB  - The long term protective efficacy of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine,
      administered alone or concomitantly with hepatitis B immunoglobulin, was assessed
      in 263 healthy neonates of hepatitis B e antigen-positive mothers. Infants
      received the first dose of vaccine at birth; additional doses were given at
      either Months 1, 2 and 12 or Months 1 and 6. During the follow-up period, which
      ranged from 2 to 4 years, protective titers (> or = 10 mIU/ml) of anti-hepatitis
      B surface antibodies were found in virtually all infants who had responded to the
      primary course of vaccination. "Natural boosts," without persistent infection,
      were observed in only a small number of children. All children who were shown to
      have become chronic carriers were infected within the first year of life. No
      statistical difference in long term protective efficacy could be shown between
      the two vaccination schedules used or between the use of vaccine alone or vaccine
      plus hepatitis B immunoglobulin for either schedule.

PMID- 1408479
TI  - Comparison of high titer Edmonston-Zagreb, Biken-CAM and Schwarz measles vaccines
      in Peruvian infants.
AB  - In an effort to identify the optimal dose and strain of measles vaccination for
      early immunization, Peruvian infants were randomly assigned to receive one of
      three measles vaccines in varying doses at 5 to 6 or 8 to 9 months of age.
      Edmonston-Zagreb vaccines were significantly (P < 0.001) more immunogenic than
      equivalent or higher titers of Schwarz or Biken-CAM vaccines as determined by
      neutralization antibody response 3 months after vaccination. Eighty-two percent
      of infants who received high titer Edmonston-Zagreb vaccine at 5 to 6 months of
      age developed protective concentrations of measles antibody, a response rate
      similar to that observed after standard titer Schwarz (81%) or high titer Biken
      CAM vaccine (81%) at 8 to 9 months of age. No significant differences in the
      rates of fever, rash or other adverse events were noted by vaccine group 10 to 14
      days after vaccination. Although the high titer vaccines are more immunogenic in
      young infants than standard vaccines, long term safety must be assured before
      these vaccines can be put into widespread use.

PMID- 1408480
TI  - Serum adenosine deaminase in the early diagnosis of typhoid fever.
AB  - To study the usefulness of the enzyme adenosine deaminase for the early diagnosis
      of typhoid fever, its activity in serum was assayed in 277 children admitted to
      the Hospital Guillermo Grant Benavente at Concepcion, Chile, from March, 1988, to
      December, 1990. The children were distributed into seven groups: control, N = 82;
      bacteremia, N = 8; acute viral respiratory infection, N = 43; febrile children
      with miscellaneous etiologies, N = 49; pulmonary tuberculosis, N = 3; hepatitis A
      virus infection, N = 30; and typhoid fever, N = 62. The medium serum adenosine
      deaminase values were significantly higher in children with typhoid fever (P <
      0.0001) in relation to the values in the control group (122.2 +/- 40.7 vs 28.1 +/
      8.4 units/liter at 37 degrees C). This test had a sensitivity of 91.9% and a
      specificity of 92.5% in identifying the patient with typhoid fever when using 80
      units/liter as the cutoff values. The positive predictive value of the test was
      83.8% and the negative predictive value was 96%. Determination of adenosine
      deaminase values in serum could be helpful in the early diagnosis of typhoid
      fever.

PMID- 1408481
TI  - Intermediate resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae to penicillin in children in
      day-care centers.
AB  - This study was performed to determine the prevalence, serotypes and antibiotic
      susceptibility patterns of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in
      children younger than 3 years of age in day-care centers in Houston, TX.
      Nasopharyngeal cultures were obtained on two occasions, in March and May, 1989,
      from 140 children in 4 day-care centers. All penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae
      organisms isolated in this study had minimum inhibitory concentrations to
      penicillin of between 0.1 and 0.5 microgram/ml and were thus intermediately
      resistant. No highly resistant S. pneumoniae (minimum inhibitory concentration >
      or = 1.0 microgram/ml) was isolated in this study. Nasal carriage of S.
      pneumoniae occurred in 39% of children; carriage of intermediately resistant S.
      pneumoniae occurred in 4% of children. Of the 39% of children who carried S.
      pneumoniae, 11% carried intermediately resistant strains. In one day-care center
      with a prior history of intermediately resistant S. pneumoniae (Center 1), the
      prevalence of intermediate penicillin resistance was significantly (P = 0.047)
      higher than in the other three centers. Among children surveyed twice 15% of
      Center 1 children carried an intermediately penicillin-resistant strain at least
      once, whereas in the other centers 3% of children carried an intermediately
      resistant strain at least once. Sixty-two percent of intermediately penicillin
      resistant strains were resistant to multiple antibiotics and all were serotype
      14. Intermediately penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae isolates were prevalent
      among young children in day-care centers in Houston and may persist in some day
      care centers and become endemic.

PMID- 1408482
TI  - Risk factors associated with severe measles in Puerto Rico.
AB  - From January to April, 1990, 695 measles cases were reported to the Puerto Rico
      Health Department; there were 12 measles-associated deaths (case fatality ratio,
      17/1000), more than in any year since 1967. We conducted a case-control study of
      risk factors for severe measles. We identified 16 children (ages 5 to 34 months)
      with severe measles and selected children with nonsevere measles as controls (39
      hospitalized and 38 nonhospitalized). Controls were frequency matched to severe
      measles cases by region of residence. One case and two controls had been
      vaccinated. An underlying illness was present in 50% of cases and 16% of
      nonhospitalized controls (Mantel-Haenszel weighted odds ratio 5.3; 95% confidence
      interval 1.4, 20.2). In a multivariate analysis cases were significantly more
      likely than hospitalized controls to be from families with an annual income of <
      $5000 (odds ratio (OR), 26.9), to have a mother without a high school degree (OR
      11.1), to be anemic (hemoglobin < 10 g/dl) (OR 15.9) and have an underlying
      illness (OR 18.3). During measles outbreaks preventing severe illness requires
      aggressive control measures and strategies to increase vaccine coverage of
      children with underlying illnesses and of low socioeconomic status.

PMID- 1408483
TI  - Epidemiology of measles in the United States in 1989 and 1990.
AB  - During 1989 and 1990 measles incidence increased sharply in the United States. We
      compared cases reported during these years with those reported between 1981 and
      1988. Incidence increased 462% in 1989, and incidence in 1990 (11.2/100,000) was
      the highest in more than a decade. Although all ages were affected the greatest
      increases were in children < 5 years and in adults. Incidence was 7- to 10-fold
      higher among racial/ethnic minority preschoolers than whites, and 80% of vaccine
      eligible preschool age cases were unvaccinated. Complications occurred in 9418
      (20.5%) cases, most frequently in young children and adults. Large urban
      outbreaks affecting predominantly unvaccinated preschoolers were common; 47% of
      all cases reported in 1990 were associated with 5 outbreaks. Reasons for the
      increased incidence are not clear. Current information suggests no change in
      vaccination coverage among preschool age children or in vaccine efficacy.
      Continued surveillance and evaluation of epidemiologic and laboratory data are
      necessary. The most pressing need is to improve age-appropriate vaccination among
      preschool age children.

PMID- 1408484
TI  - Respiratory tract colonization with Ureaplasma urealyticum and bronchopulmonary
      dysplasia in neonates in southern Israel.
AB  - Ureaplasma urealyticum has been recognized as an important potential pathogen in
      premature neonates. Reported rates of colonization of the respiratory tract vary.
      Data on neonatal ureaplasma colonization outside the United States and Western
      Europe are rare. Therefore we prospectively studied nasopharyngeal and
      endotracheal colonization in a cohort of 114 preterm and 100 full term infants
      within 48 hours of birth. The colonization rate was 24% in the premature infants
      and zero in the full term infants. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia developed in 19% of
      infants with nasopharyngeal Ureaplasma colonization and in 4.6% of noncolonized
      infants (P < 0.03). Bronchopulmonary dysplasia developed in 40% of intubated
      infants with positive endotracheal Ureaplasma cultures and only in 9.8% of
      infants with negative endotracheal cultures (P < 0.04). Thus Ureaplasma
      colonization of either the nasopharynx or the trachea was associated with an
      increased risk for the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (relative risk,
      4.0 and 4.1, respectively).

PMID- 1408485
TI  - Lack of predictive value of maternal human immunodeficiency virus p24 antigen for
      transmission of infection to their children.
AB  - The association of maternal-to-infant transmission of human immunodeficiency
      virus type 1 (HIV-1) with maternal p24 antigenemia was assessed in 86 HIV-1
      infected mothers. We retrospectively examined serum or plasma samples collected
      in the peripartum period (delivery +/- 11 days; sd 16.89 days; range, delivery +/
      2 months). Immune complexes of p24 antigen and anti-p24 antibody were
      dissociated using acid hydrolysis (Method A, glycine-HCl buffer; Method B, HCl)
      in an attempt to increase the sensitivity of the test. The detection of HIV-1 p24
      antigenemia in serum was increased from 23 of 86 (26.7%) to 37 of 82 (45.1%)
      following acid hydrolysis with Method A (chi square = 5.4, P = 0.02) and to 36 of
      78 (46.1%) with Method B (chi square = 5.874, P = 0.015). Mothers of HIV-1
      infected children were no more likely to have p24 antigenemia than mothers of
      seroreverted infants when untreated samples were assayed (7 of 23 vs. 10 of 48;
      chi square = 0.348, P = 0.55). Although acid hydrolysis increased the ability to
      detect p24 antigen, it did not enhance any association between p24 antigenemia
      and maternal-to-infant transmission of HIV infection: Method A, 9 of 23 in
      mothers of infected children vs. 21 of 45 in mothers of seroreverted children
      (chi square = 0.112, P = 0.738); and Method B, 9 of 22 in mothers of infected
      children vs. 18 of 42 in mothers of seroreverted children (chi square = 0.014; P
      = 0.907), respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408486
TI  - IgG1, IgG2 and IgM responses to two Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate
      vaccines in young infants.
AB  - PRP-meningococcal outer membrane protein complex (PRP-OMPC) and oligosaccharide
      linked to variant diphtheria toxin (HbOC) Haemophilus influenzae type b (HIB)
      conjugate vaccines have both been licensed for United States infants at 2 months
      of age. Differences in serologic responses for these vaccines have been noted
      with PRP-OMPC producing an early response at 2 months of age and HbOC producing a
      higher response after a third dose at 6 months of age. To further characterize
      the nature of these distinct responses, we measured the IgG1, IgG2 and IgM anti
      HIB concentrations by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay after administration of
      both vaccines. PRP-OMPC produced an IgM and IgG1 anti-HIB response following the
      initial dose at 2 months of age. After two doses of HbOC an increase in IgG1 and
      IgM were noted and after a third dose at 6 months of age an IgG2 anti-HIB
      response occurred. In addition 33 study subjects were boosted with PRP-OMPC at
      age 18 months and compared with 34 subjects who received only a primary dose. The
      anti-HIB IgG1 and IgG2 concentrations following the booster dose were both
      significantly higher for the primed group (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.001,
      respectively). Both HIB conjugate vaccines produce predominantly IgG1 anti-HIB
      antibody responses. The early response to PRP-OMPC vaccine at 2 months of age may
      result from adjuvant characteristics of the OMPC.

PMID- 1408487
TI  - Outbreaks of summer rotavirus linked to laboratory practices. The National
      Rotavirus Surveillance System.
AB  - In temperate regions rotavirus diarrhea is a disease of the cooler months of the
      year, but little is known about its patterns in the summer. We report on the
      first year of national surveillance of rotavirus, during which we actively
      investigated patterns of summer activity. We obtained data on rotavirus testing
      from 85 laboratories in 48 states, conducted a survey of their testing practices
      and retested for confirmation positive specimens from laboratories reporting high
      rates of positivity during the summer. During 1989 participating laboratories
      reported 4011 specimens tested for rotavirus during July and August, of which 436
      (11%) were said to be positive. Most laboratories reported low rates of
      positivity during these months (median percent positive, 3), but five had very
      high rates of summer positivity (> 30%). These five laboratories were
      geographically separated, and neighboring laboratories showed little rotavirus
      activity. Positive specimens submitted by four of these centers with high rates
      of summer rotavirus could not be confirmed. A survey of laboratory methods found
      one commercial assay (TestPack) and two laboratory practices (failure to use
      controls and involvement of more than six technicians in the testing process) to
      be associated with high rates of summer positivity. Moderate rates of positivity
      (11 to 30%) were fond frequently in the southwest during July and August;
      reference testing of specimens from these laboratories confirmed
      positivity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408489
TI  - Nontuberculous mycobacterial infections.

PMID- 1408488
TI  - Prevention of hepatitis B virus infection in the United States: a pediatric
      perspective.

PMID- 1408490
TI  - Candida lusitaniae infection in the newborn: case report and review of the
      literature.

PMID- 1408491
TI  - Serratia marcescens meningitis in neonates.

PMID- 1408492
TI  - Treatment of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin-associated lymphadenitis.

PMID- 1408493
TI  - Shigellosis-associated encephalopathy.

PMID- 1408494
TI  - Shigella and gonococcal vulvovaginitis in prepubertal central African girls.

PMID- 1408495
TI  - Transient seroreversion in children born to human immunodeficiency virus 1
      infected mothers.

PMID- 1408496
TI  - Cerebrospinal fluid inflammation induced by intravenous immunoglobulins.

PMID- 1408497
TI  - Fluconazole pharmacokinetics in the cerebrospinal fluid of a child with Candida
      tropicalis meningitis.

PMID- 1408498
TI  - Defining delayed immunizations.

PMID- 1408499
TI  - Prevention of recurrent otitis media.

PMID- 1408500
TI  - The decline of Haemophilus disease.

PMID- 1408501
TI  - What constitutes a "significant" chicken-pox exposure?

PMID- 1408502
TI  - Mechanical ventilation in preterm infants: neurosonographic and developmental
      studies.
AB  - Surviving preterm infants of less than 34 weeks' gestation who were selected on
      the basis of serial cranial ultrasonographic findings during their nursery course
      had repeated neurologic and developmental examinations during late infancy and
      early childhood that established the presence (n = 46) or absence (n = 205) of
      spastic forms of cerebral palsy. Of the 205 infants without cerebral palsy, 22
      scored abnormally low on standardized developmental testing during early
      childhood. The need for mechanical ventilation beginning on the first day of life
      (n = 92) was significantly related to gestational age, birth weight, Apgar
      scores, patent ductus arteriosus, grade III/IV intracranial hemorrhage, large
      periventricular cysts, and the development of cerebral palsy. In the 192
      mechanically ventilated infants, vaginal bleeding during the third trimester, low
      Apgar scores, and maximally low PCO2 values during the first 3 days of life were
      significantly related to large periventricular cysts (n = 41) and cerebral palsy
      (n = 43), but not to developmental delay in the absence of cerebral palsy (n =
      18). The severity of intracranial hemorrhage in mechanically ventilated infants
      was significantly associated with gestational age and maximally low measurements
      of PCO2 and pH, but not with Apgar scores or maximally low measurements of PO2.
      Logistic regression analyses controlling for possible confounding variables
      disclosed that PCO2 values of less than 17 mm Hg during the first 3 days of life
      in mechanically ventilated infants were associated with a significantly increased
      risk of moderate to severe periventricular echodensity, large periventricular
      cysts, grade III/IV intracranial hemorrhage, and cerebral palsy. Neurosonographic
      abnormalities were highly predictive of cerebral palsy independent of PCO2
      measurements.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408503
TI  - Lyme arthritis as the incorrect diagnosis in pediatric and adolescent
      fibromyalgia.
AB  - In areas endemic for Lyme disease there is increasing concern and anxiety about
      possible chronic and untreatable manifestations of the disease. The authors have
      diagnosed fibromyalgia in many patients with chronic musculoskeletal complaints
      in whom chronic Lyme arthritis had previously been diagnosed as the cause of
      their joint pains. Fibromyalgia is a common disorder, causing arthralgia (not
      true arthritis), fatigue, and debility. The repeated and/or long-term antibiotic
      therapy prescribed for "chronic Lyme disease" is not successful in curing the
      symptoms of fibromyalgia. Especially in areas where anxiety about Lyme disease is
      great, it is important to be careful in diagnosing chronic Lyme disease.
      Fibromyalgia is a potentially treatable and curable cause of chronic complaints
      and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of "refractory Lyme
      arthritis."

PMID- 1408504
TI  - Prolonged dexamethasone therapy reduces the incidence of cryotherapy for
      retinopathy of prematurity in infants of less than 1 kilogram birth weight with
      bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
AB  - To determine whether prolonged dexamethasone therapy, used in the treatment of
      bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), affects the incidence of cryotherapy for
      retinopathy of prematurity, the authors conducted a retrospective review of all
      infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit between October 1988 and
      October 1990 (n = 957) whose birth weights were less than 1 kg (n = 90). All
      admissions were reviewed to determine birth weight, gestational age, survival,
      incidence of BPD and cryotherapy, use and duration of dexamethasone therapy,
      length of mechanical ventilation, continuous positive airway pressure, and
      additional supplemental oxygen. Of all neonatal intensive care unit admissions,
      9.4% weighed less than 1 kg, and 64% survived for greater than 28 days (n = 58).
      Of the survivors, 82% had BPD. Cryotherapy for retinopathy of prematurity was
      used only in those with birth weights of less than 1 kg and with BPD. All those
      treated with dexamethasone (n = 23) had BPD and significantly lower gestational
      ages (25.6 vs 26.4 weeks) (P = .05) and birth weights (759 vs 824 g) (P < .05)
      than those not treated (n = 25). Dexamethasone was used in 23 of 48 infants (9
      for < or = 24 days, 14 for > 24 days). Eleven required cryotherapy: 5 of 25 with
      no dexamethasone, 5 of 9 treated for 24 days or less, and 1 of 14 treated for
      longer than 24 days (P < .04). In those treated with prolonged (> 24 days)
      dexamethasone, cryotherapy was significantly reduced compared with those treated
      for shorter periods. Although the probability was significant, the 95% confidence
      intervals were wide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408505
TI  - Severe retinopathy of prematurity and steroid exposure.
AB  - During a 3-year period (1988 through 1990) an increase was observed in the number
      of infants born at 23- to 26-weeks' gestation who required cryotherapy for severe
      retinopathy of prematurity (0/20, 1988; 3/14, 1989; 6/18, 1990; P = .015).
      Inasmuch as this was not related to improved survival, a retrospective case
      control study was conducted to try to explain this observation. Of 52 surviving
      infants who had been born at 23 to 26 weeks' gestation, 9 required cryotherapy
      and the other 43 served as control subjects. There were no differences between
      groups in birthweight, gestational age, or the number of infants with hyaline
      membrane disease, intraventricular hemorrhage, or hydrocephalus. Factors related
      to the need for cryotherapy included patent ductus arteriosus (P = .046),
      mechanical ventilation for more than 21 days (P = .045), and the use of steroids
      for lung disease (P < .001). In this neonatal intensive care unit, steroids are
      administered according to the attending neonatologist's preference. Inasmuch as
      steroids are considered only for infants still ventilator dependent at 21 days,
      this group was analyzed separately (n = 36). Of the 21 factors examined, only the
      use of steroids for lung disease was associated with the need for cryotherapy (P
      < .001).

PMID- 1408506
TI  - Oral ketamine premedication to alleviate the distress of invasive procedures in
      pediatric oncology patients.
AB  - This study prospectively evaluated the efficacy of oral ketamine in alleviating
      procedure-related distress in pediatric oncology patients. Ketamine (10 mg/kg)
      was administered orally to 35 children and adolescents, ranging in age from 14
      months to 17 years (mean = 6.5 years). Procedure-related distress was evaluated
      by using parent/clinician ratings and the Observational Scale of Behavioral
      Distress (OSBD-R). Eighty-seven percent of children were sedated within 45
      minutes. Clinician and parent ratings were similar, with 77% rating procedural
      distress as low (0 to 3). The OSBD-R scores were low throughout all phases of the
      study. Although this study was neither randomized nor placebo-controlled,
      statistical comparison of the OSBD-R scores of the patients who received oral
      ketamine with those of historical controls (from a study previously performed at
      the same institution but using intravenous midazolam) showed significantly less
      distress (P < .001) during the procedure in children who received oral ketamine.
      Additionally, OSBD-R scores of the patients who received oral ketamine were
      significantly lower (P < .001) during all phases than those of the saline placebo
      group in the other study. No cardiorespiratory side effects related to ketamine
      were noted. The majority of patients showed recovery from sedation within 2 hours
      following the procedure. In conclusion, oral ketamine effectively alleviated
      procedure-related distress in pediatric oncology patients.

PMID- 1408507
TI  - Variability and self-regulation of energy intake in young children in their
      everyday environment.
AB  - Recent data from small numbers of children studied under controlled protocols
      indicate that intraindividual variation in energy consumption over 24 hours is
      smaller than variation from eating occasion to eating occasion, implying that
      children self-regulate their energy consumption. This hypothesis was tested in
      children living in their everyday environment. Between 1986 and 1989, 24-hour
      recalls were administered on seven occasions (four times in 1986 through 1987 and
      three times in 1988 through 1989) to the mothers of 181 preschool children in New
      York City. Each 24-hour period was divided into six meals or snacks. The
      coefficient of variation (standard deviation divided by the mean) was calculated
      for each child for energy consumption at each eating occasion and for the day as
      a whole. Coefficients of variation for energy consumption at the six eating
      occasions ranged from 46.5% to 165.8%, compared with 30.3% for the whole day.
      This coefficient of variation for the observed whole-day energy consumption was
      significantly less (P < .001) than would be expected if no autoregulation of
      energy intake (no meal-to-meal correlation) occurred. These findings in children
      living in their everyday environment are consistent with observations under more
      controlled study conditions. These data suggest that children who eat less at one
      meal compensate at another, although the data do not address the issues of longer
      term energy self-regulation, overall energy balance, or diet quality.

PMID- 1408508
TI  - Dietary intake of healthy children with cystic fibrosis compared with normal
      control children.
AB  - Because a low calorie intake may result in growth failure and malnutrition in
      patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), the dietary and energy intakes of 22 children
      with CF who had mild lung disease and excellent Shwachman scores were examined
      and compared with those of 23 normal control subjects similar in age (5 to 10
      years), gender, and weight. The children with CF consumed significantly more
      calories than the control subjects. Calorie intake was 111 +/- 19.9% (mean +/-
      SD) of estimated requirements (World Health Organization recommendations) for the
      CF group and 97 +/- 18.7% for the control group (P = .014). Calories consumed per
      kilogram of body weight were 117% of World Health Organization (CF) vs 97%
      (control) (P = .009). Calorie intake compared to the 1989 Recommended Dietary
      Allowance was 106 +/- 20.6% for the CF group vs 93 +/- 19.1% for the control
      group. Fat consumed as a percent of total calories was similar: 33.5% (CF) vs
      32.2% (control). All children with CF had pancreatic insufficiency and, on
      average, consumed a large number of pancreatic enzyme supplements, resulting in
      dietary fat absorption of 86 +/- 12%. It is concluded that these children with CF
      were able to maintain normal growth and energy stores on a diet that was
      relatively high in calories compared to control subjects and moderate in percent
      fat, along with an aggressive pancreatic enzyme supplement regimen.

PMID- 1408509
TI  - Sleeping through the night: a developmental perspective.
AB  - This study examines falling asleep and night waking in human infants during the
      first 8 months of life. All-night time-lapse video recordings were obtained at 3
      weeks and 3 months of age; a Sleep Habits Interview was completed at these ages
      and repeated at 8 months of age by telephone interview. At the 3-week and 3-month
      ages, self-report measures of maternal psychologic distress, depression, and self
      esteem were also obtained. The data are examined from both cross-sectional (age
      group) and longitudinal (individual) perspectives. Parent-infant interactions at
      bedtime and during the middle of the night changed significantly with increasing
      age. At 3 weeks of age, most infants were put into their cribs for the night
      already asleep. When they awakened in the middle of the night, they were removed
      from their cribs. By the time they returned to their cribs, they were again
      asleep. By 3 months of age, infants who were put into the crib awake at bedtime
      and allowed to fall asleep on their own were more likely to return to sleep on
      their own after awakenings later in the night. In contrast, infants who were put
      into the crib already asleep at the beginning of the night were significantly
      more likely to be removed from the crib following a subsequent nighttime
      awakening. Thus, the pattern of bedtime sleep onset was related to sleep onset
      following an awakening in the middle of the night. This association was present
      at 8 months as well.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408510
TI  - Neonatal therapeutic intervention scoring system: a therapy-based severity-of
      illness index.
AB  - Severity-of-illness scales have proven valuable in assessing clinical outcomes
      and resource consumption in adult and pediatric intensive care, but they have
      been less extensively developed for neonatal care. The National Therapeutic
      Intervention Scoring System (NTISS) was created by modifying the Therapeutic
      Intervention Scoring System (TISS). From the 76 original TISS items, 42 were
      deleted and 28 added to form the NTISS. Like TISS, NTISS assigns score points
      from 1 to 4 for various intensive care therapies. Admission-day NTISS scores were
      calculated for 1643 newborns admitted to three neonatal intensive care units
      (NICUs) between November 1, 1989, and September 30, 1990. NTISS scores ranged
      from 0 to 47 with a mean of 12.3 +/- 8.7 (SD). There was little correlation with
      birth weight (r = -.11) or gestational age (r = -.17), but NTISS scores were
      highly correlated with expected markers of illness severity, including mortality
      risk estimates by neonatal attending physicians (r = .70, P < .0001), in-hospital
      mortality rates (P < .05), and a measure of nursing acuity (Medicus) (r = .69, P
      < .0001). In addition, admission-day NTISS scores were found to be predictive of
      both NICU length of stay (r = .37, P < .0001) and total hospital charges for
      survivors (r = .65, P < .0001). It is concluded that NTISS is a valid measure of
      therapeutic intensity that is independent of birth weight and can be used as an
      indicator of neonatal illness severity and resource utilization. Further
      validation in other NICUs is required.

PMID- 1408511
TI  - Evaluation of the reconstructed carotid artery following extracorporeal membrane
      oxygenation.
AB  - Over a 12-month period, 28 neonatal patients in respiratory failure were
      supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and 11 of these
      underwent successful repair of the right carotid artery post-ECMO. Nine of 11
      were studied with duplex color-flow Doppler imaging between 14 and 109 days of
      age and again at 1 year of age. A velocity ratio (A/B) of the peak systolic
      velocity above the level of the anastomosis to the peak systolic velocity below
      the anastomosis was measured to assess the degree of stenosis, if any, at the
      repair site. Antegrade flow through the carotid was detected post-ECMO in 8 of 9
      infants, and antegrade and retrograde flow was documented in 1 infant. A/B ratios
      ranged from 1.00 to 8.60 (A/B ratio of 1 is normal; 2.0 indicates at least a 50%
      obstruction to flow). Four of 9 patients had ratios greater than 2.0, and 8 of 9
      exhibited some evidence of obstruction. Follow-up scans were performed on 8 of 9
      infants between 12 and 18 months of age. All infants examined showed marked
      improvement in A/B ratio and patency of the vessel, documenting that initial
      narrowing of the vessel is reversible. No infant had evidence of embolic
      phenomena to the right side of the brain by magnetic resonance imaging. Repair of
      the common carotid artery post-ECMO is technically feasible without increasing
      the risk of brain injury.

PMID- 1408512
TI  - Subspecialization within pediatric practice: a broader spectrum.
AB  - This study was undertaken to describe subspecialty characteristics and practices
      of the population of pediatricians given the ongoing controversy regarding a
      projected manpower oversupply of general pediatricians. A questionnaire was
      mailed to a national random sample of 1620 United States physicians listed in the
      American Medical Association's Physician Masterfile as being in office-based
      pediatric practice. The final response rate was 63%. Seventy percent of
      respondents designated their practices as "general pediatrics" versus 17% as
      "general pediatrics with a specific subspecialty interest" and 13% as
      "subspecialty practice." The general pediatricians with a specific subspecialty
      interest were intermediate in the proportion that had some training in a
      pediatric fellowship program (general pediatricians with a specific subspecialty
      interest, 63% versus general pediatricians, 14%, P < .0001, and pediatricians
      with a subspecialty practice, 92%, P < .0001) and that were certified in a
      pediatric subspecialty by the American Board of Pediatrics (general pediatricians
      with a specific subspecialty interest 16% versus general pediatricians, 2%, P <
      .0001, and pediatricians with a subspecialty practice, 62%, P < .0001). They were
      also intermediate in the proportion involved in various academic pursuits. Their
      practices, however, more closely resembled general pediatricians than
      pediatricians with a subspecialty practice in their location, setting,
      associates, and commitment to primary care. They were more likely than general
      pediatricians to utilize or provide specialized tests or procedures. A large
      percentage of pediatricians incorporate subspecialty elements into their general
      pediatric practices. Models of current and projected pediatric manpower supply
      need to be reassessed in light of this form of practice.

PMID- 1408513
TI  - Day care center attendance and diarrheal morbidity in Colombia.
AB  - This study was designed to determine whether day care center attendance was
      associated with increased risk of diarrheal disease among poor children in an
      urban, developing country setting. From July 17 to December 18, 1988, mothers of
      493 Colombian children less than 5 years old (241 attendees and 252 nonattendees)
      were interviewed weekly about diarrheal events during the previous week. The
      incidence of diarrhea was greater for day care center attendees than for
      nonattendees (3.2 vs 2.0 episodes per child-year, P < .0005). For children less
      than 2 years of age, attendees experienced 7.2 episodes/child-year vs 3.5
      episodes per child-year for nonattendees (P < .0005). Analyses controlling for
      water source and availability, excreta disposal, socioeconomic status, and
      duration of follow-up showed that the increased diarrheal risk was limited to
      children younger than 3 years of age spending more than 30 hours per week in the
      centers. In addition, although the risk among attendees of suffering diarrheal
      episodes of longer duration was fairly constant across levels of socioeconomic
      status, this risk was inversely proportional to socioeconomic status for
      nonattendees. In summary, the increase in risk of diarrhea among young, full-time
      day care attendees was modest, yet important, because diarrhea continues to be a
      major cause of morbidity and mortality in Colombian children.

PMID- 1408514
TI  - Health insurance coverage of adolescents: a current profile and assessment of
      trends.
AB  - Data from the National Health Interview Survey reveal that 4.7 million or 15% of
      US adolescents aged 10 through 18 were uninsured in 1989. Among adolescents, 73%
      were privately insured, 10% were publicly insured, and 2% were both privately and
      publicly insured. Poor, near-poor, and minority adolescents were at the greatest
      risk for lack of health insurance coverage. Among adolescents without insurance,
      cost continued to be cited as the leading barrier to obtaining coverage. A
      comparison of 1989 National Health Interview Survey data with a previous
      analysis, in which 1984 data were used, revealed a 10% increase in the proportion
      of adolescents without insurance coverage. The increase in the proportion of
      uninsured adolescents was entirely attributable to an erosion of private health
      insurance coverage. No significant change occurred in the proportion of
      adolescents with coverage under public programs. Planned expansions of the
      federally and state-financed Medicaid programs will help to stem further
      increases in the size of the uninsured adolescent population. However, unless
      marked improvements occur in the private health insurance sector, progress will
      be limited.

PMID- 1408515
TI  - The cost of assistive devices for children with mobility limitation.
AB  - This study evaluated the costs of assistive devices for children with motor
      limitations at home, in day care, and in school, and the effect of diagnosis and
      severity of disabilities on costs. 201 children (mean age 7.4 years) who used
      1274 various assistive devices (85.7% at home, 6.1% in day care, and 8.2% in
      school) were studied. The cost per device varied from $8.14 to $8138 with an
      average value of $539 per device. The distribution of costs per capita was
      unequal: 52.2% of children used 15.6% of total costs and 4.5% of children used
      20.8% of total costs. The severity of motor impairment and the age of the child
      were the most important indicators associated with the need and cost of assistive
      devices. Assistive devices for basic needs, such as sitting, mobility, and
      personal hygiene, had a relatively low effect on costs in comparison with the
      high-technology devices, like powered wheelchairs and computers. Better
      cooperation with day care and school professionals, better assessment of needs,
      follow-up and recirculation of assistive devices are ways to promote
      rehabilitation services and partly solve the discrepancies between the costs of
      available technology and the resources to pay for it.

PMID- 1408516
TI  - Biologic, foster, and adoptive parents: care givers of children exposed
      perinatally to human immunodeficiency virus in the United States. The Pediatric
      Spectrum of Disease Clinical Consortium.
AB  - Children born to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected mothers often do not
      live with a biologic parent because of drug use, illness, or death of the mother.
      Public health officials need to know the number and proportion of children who
      will require care by someone other than a biologic parent (alternative care
      giver). The Pediatric Spectrum of Disease project, conducted in six different
      geographic regions in the United States, assesses issues specific to HIV in
      children. Among the information being collected in this study are data regarding
      the primary care giver. Of 1683 children born to HIV-infected mothers and
      enrolled through 1990, 55% (937) were living with a biologic parent, 10% (169)
      with another relative, 28% (455) were in foster care, 3% (55) had been adopted,
      and 4% (67) lived in group settings or with other care givers. In all locations
      and for all racial/ethnic groups, children of mothers who used intravenous drugs
      were more likely to be living with an alternative care giver than were children
      of mothers who had not used intravenous drugs (odds ratio 4.15). However, there
      were striking variations by study location (odds ratio range 1.4 to 7.2). The
      data suggest that maternal drug use may be the most important factor determining
      whether a child lives with a biologic parent and that there are also regional
      differences in alternative care placement.

PMID- 1408517
TI  - Contribution of the 13C-urea breath test to the detection of Helicobacter pylori
      gastritis in children.
AB  - Serology, 13C-urea breath test, histology, Campylobacter-like organism testing,
      and culture were performed in 95 consecutive children to evaluate the
      contribution of these tests to the detection of Helicobacter pylori infection. In
      analyses considering any combination of three positive tests as "gold standard"
      for diagnosing H pylori infection, 26 children were Helicobacter positive (27%),
      which is only one patient more than the number of children with only a positive
      culture. The accuracy of culture was excellent when "any combination of three
      positive tests" was used as the gold standard (sensitivity 96%, specificity 100%,
      positive predictive value 100% [false positivity 0%], negative predictive value
      99% [false-negative results 1%]). The results of invasive and noninvasive tests
      were comparable. When culture was considered as "gold standard," the sensitivity
      of serology and 13C-urea breath test was 96%; the specificity was 96% and 93%,
      respectively; the positive predictive value was 89% and 83% (false-positive
      results in 11% and 17%); and the negative predictive value for both was 99%
      (false-negative results in 1%). It is concluded that culture can be used as gold
      standard, but that non-invasive tests such as serology and/or 13C-urea breath
      test can be used to diagnose H pylori infection in children, since each has at
      least 95% sensitivity and 92% specificity.

PMID- 1408518
TI  - The sit-up test: an alternate clinical test for evaluating pediatric torticollis.
AB  - The sit-up test, a new evaluation method for differentiating between ocular and
      orthopaedic torticollis, was evaluated against the monocular occlusion test,
      using results of three-step testing for standardization. The study group
      consisted of 31 patients with torticollis between the ages of 4 and 12.5 years.
      Subjects were selected based only on their ability to cooperate with three-step
      testing. Three-step testing identified 27 of the 31 patients as having ocular
      torticollis, with the remaining 4 having an orthopaedic etiology. Sit-up testing
      correctly identified all 27 ocular torticollis patients, with no false positives
      or false negatives. Monocular occlusion testing detected at best 22 (81.4%) of
      the ocular torticollis patients, with no false positives.

PMID- 1408519
TI  - Risk factors for the central nervous system manifestations of gastroenteritis
      associated hemolytic-uremic syndrome.
AB  - Hemolytic-uremic syndrome is usually a consequence of enteric verotoxigenic
      Escherichia coli infection, and a prevailing hypothesis contends that
      systemically absorbed verotoxins are responsible for the multiple organ
      involvement. In an attempt to determine whether the central nervous system (CNS)
      manifestations could occur owing to factors that reflect a toxin insult, the
      authors studied the association of clinical and laboratory variables with the
      development of neurological disease. Ninety-one patients with hemolytic-uremic
      syndrome from 1982 through 1990 were included. Twenty-seven (18 female, 9 male)
      had a CNS disorder; 17 of these had seizures and there were two deaths.
      Multivariate analyses led to the following observations: female gender (odds
      ratio [OR] 8.50; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.08 to 50.0), prolonged use of an
      antimotility pharmacological agent (OR 8.50; 95% CI 1.69 to 42.81), and an
      increased hemoglobin level (OR 1.11; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.17) were associated with an
      increased risk for developing a neurological manifestation. Prior administration
      of a blood product was associated with a decreased risk (OR 0.12; 95% CI 0.02 to
      0.52). The findings suggest that other mechanisms for CNS disease may exist in
      addition to direct toxin insult.

PMID- 1408521
TI  - Acute pancreatitis in a 12-year-old girl after an erythromycin overdose.

PMID- 1408520
TI  - Near fatal fire ant envenomation of a newborn.

PMID- 1408522
TI  - Cerebral infarction complicating hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome.

PMID- 1408523
TI  - Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome in a child with phenylketonuria.

PMID- 1408524
TI  - Patterned abusive bruises of the buttocks and the pinnae.

PMID- 1408526
TI  - American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Pediatric Emergency Medicine: Access
      to emergency medical care.

PMID- 1408525
TI  - Steroids, chronic lung disease, and retinopathy of prematurity.

PMID- 1408527
TI  - Temperature measurement--gold standard.

PMID- 1408528
TI  - Temperature measurement.

PMID- 1408529
TI  - Carnation marketing practices.

PMID- 1408530
TI  - Behavior management of pediatric dental patients. American Academy of Pediatrics
      Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect.

PMID- 1408531
TI  - Naftifine (Naftin) in pediatrics.

PMID- 1408532
TI  - Lupus nephritis study--questions.

PMID- 1408533
TI  - Diaper debate continues.

PMID- 1408534
TI  - Impact of childhood asthma on health.
AB  - In 1988, the National Health Interview Survey contained a supplemental
      questionnaire on childhood conditions that included asthma. The authors used
      these data from 17,110 households to determine the disease burden resulting from
      asthma and to determine the functional status of children with and without asthma
      by linking information from the core and supplemental questionnaires. The
      prevalence of asthma in children younger than 18 years of age in the United
      States as reported by an adult in the household was 4.3% in 1988 and was 3.2% in
      1981, the last time a comparable questionnaire was used in the National Health
      Interview Survey. The difference between the prevalences of asthma was
      statistically significant (95% confidence interval for the difference was 0.7% to
      1.5%). An estimated 2.7 million children younger than 18 years were reported by
      an adult in the household to have had asthma in the past year. The added burden
      of illness experienced by children with asthma compared with children without
      asthma was an additional 10.1 million days missed from school, 12.9 million
      contacts with medical doctors, and 200,000 hospitalizations. Almost 30% of
      children with asthma had some limitation in activity, compared with only 5% of
      children without asthma. A greater proportion of black children experienced more
      severe functional disability and had more frequent hospitalizations than white
      children with asthma. Ten percent of children with asthma had severe disease as
      measured by frequency of bother and limitations in function; these children
      accounted for 35% of hospitalizations for asthma and 77% of the days in the
      hospital.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408535
TI  - Improved survival accounts for most, but not all, of the increase in
      bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
AB  - The incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) increased from 10.6% in 1976
      through 1980, to 21.7% (1981 through 1985), and to 32.9% (1986 through 1990) in
      very low birth weight neonates (1500 g or less) admitted to the Vanderbilt
      Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, while there was a concurrent decline in incidence
      of neonatal death (NEOD) during the same periods (26.4%, 18.3%, and 15.9%,
      respectively). Population changes in risk factors (birth weight, sex, race,
      location of birth, gestational age, diagnosis of hyaline membrane disease, and 5
      minute Apgar score) over time do not account for this increase. To estimate the
      proportion of the increase in BPD attributable to the concurrent decline in NEOD
      during these periods, separate logistic regression models for NEOD and BPD were
      calculated from patients born during 1976 through 1985. These results were used
      to predict the expected number of cases of NEOD and BPD during 1986 through 1990,
      assuming that the adjusted incidence of NEOD and BPD remained constant from 1976
      through 1985, to 1986 through 1990. The increase in the combined outcome,
      NEOD/BPD, over the three time periods (34.2%, 36.1%, and 43.5%) remained
      statistically significant after adjustment for the risk factors listed above.
      During 1986 through 1990, the predicted number of NEOD was 83 more than the
      number observed, while the predicted number with BPD was 115 less than the number
      observed. If all 83 averted cases of NEOD during 1986 through 1990 had developed
      BPD, then 83 (72%) of the 115 excess cases of BPD could be attributed to averted
      NEOD. The approximate 95% confidence interval for this estimate was 58% to
      87%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408536
TI  - Birth asphyxia alters neonatal intestinal motility in term neonates.
AB  - As an extension of an earlier study showing that manometry can identify preterm
      newborns at risk for feeding intolerance, the authors investigated whether
      abnormalities of intestinal motor activity underlie the feeding intolerance seen
      in asphyxiated newborns. Low-compliance perfusion manometry was recorded within
      the first postnatal week in 25 term neonates admitted consecutively for
      respiratory diseases. Eleven of these neonates were identified to have
      experienced birth asphyxia because three concurrent features were present: 1
      minute Apgar score of less than 2; 5-minute Apgar score of less than 4; and
      recurrent seizures within the first 48 postnatal hours. The remaining 14
      neonates, who did not have any of these three characteristics, were considered to
      be nonasphyxiated control neonates. Motor activity differed in nonasphyxiated and
      asphyxiated neonates during fasting and feeding. During fasting, asphyxiated
      neonates had less migrating activity than nonasphyxiated neonates. In addition,
      episodes of motor quiescence and clustered phasic activity were less well
      organized in asphyxiated neonates. Both groups of neonates displayed a change in
      motor activity in response to a feeding infusion; however, the response was
      initiated significantly sooner in asphyxiated than in control neonates. All of
      the 11 asphyxiated neonates were intolerant of enteral feedings during the first
      poststudy week, but no control neonate was feeding intolerant. Six of the
      asphyxiated neonates were reevaluated 1 to 2 weeks later. During this latter
      study, motor activity in these asphyxiated neonates was similar to that of
      nonasphyxiated neonates; 5 of 6 of these neonates subsequently tolerated enteral
      feedings. It is speculated that changes in motor activity underlie the feeding
      intolerance that asphyxiated neonates typically exhibit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408537
TI  - Double versus single phototherapy in low birth weight newborns.
AB  - Conventional phototherapy systems that simultaneously irradiate the front and the
      back of the baby lower the serum bilirubin level more rapidly than one-sided
      systems, but they are impractical. Fiberoptic phototherapy makes it easy to
      administer conventional phototherapy from above while the infant lies on a
      fiberoptic phototherapy blanket. Newborns with birth weights less than 2500 g
      were randomly assigned to receive either single (n = 37) or double (n = 33)
      phototherapy. The groups were similar in clinical and laboratory characteristics.
      After 18 hours of therapy the serum bilirubin concentration declined by 31 +/-
      11% in the double and 16 +/- 15% in the single phototherapy group (2.9 +/- 1.1 vs
      1.6 +/- 1.4 mg/dL), and the difference in the total serum bilirubin levels after
      18 hours of therapy was significant (double phototherapy group 7.1 +/- 2.7 mg/dL
      vs single phototherapy group 8.2 +/- 2.6 mg/dL). After 18 hours of treatment the
      serum bilirubin level was less than the phototherapy threshold level in 26 of 37
      single phototherapy patients vs 32 of 33 double phototherapy patients. Double
      phototherapy was well tolerated. It is concluded that this type of double
      phototherapy is more effective than single phototherapy in low birth weight
      newborns. Double phototherapy may be useful when it is necessary to reduce an
      elevated serum bilirubin level as rapidly as possible or when the bilirubin level
      is rising with single phototherapy.

PMID- 1408538
TI  - Recombinant erythropoietin as treatment for the late hyporegenerative anemia of
      Rh hemolytic disease.
AB  - Infants with Rh hemolytic disease can develop a "late" anemia characterized by
      low serum concentrations of erythropoietin but erythroid progenitors that remain
      highly erythropoietin-responsive. Erythropoietin administration was evaluated in
      two patients as an alternative to transfusion. Reticulocyte counts increased
      after 5 days of treatment, and hematocrits increased after 10 days. Neither
      patient received erythrocyte transfusions following erythropoietin therapy.

PMID- 1408539
TI  - Impact of a matched term control group on interpretation of developmental
      performance in preterm infants.
AB  - One hundred twenty-four children who were born at 24 to 31 weeks' gestation and
      124 term children matched in social background underwent serial developmental
      evaluations. The Bayley Mental Developmental Index at 6, 15, and 24 months and
      the McCarthy General Cognitive Index at 4 years were used to classify cognitive
      outcome for preterm children as normal (indices higher than 1 SD below the mean),
      mild-moderately delayed (indices between 1 and 2 SD below the mean), or severely
      delayed (indices > or = 2 SD below the mean). Classifications based on norms
      derived from the performance of the term control group were compared with those
      based on published standardized test scores. The control group had substantially
      higher mean (+/- SD) Bayley Mental Developmental Indices at 6 (111 +/- 11), 15
      (114 +/- 13), and 24 months (115 +/- 21) than the published test mean (100 +/-
      16). Consequently, significantly more preterm children were classified as normal
      when the Bayley test mean was used than when the performance of the control group
      was used to define the normal range (84% vs 52% at 6 months, 82% vs 49% at 15
      months, and 70% vs 47% at 24 months). Severe cognitive delays were infrequent
      when defined by test mean (6% to 11%) but two to three times greater when the
      control group scores were used. In contrast, the control group had a mean
      McCarthy General Cognitive Index at 4 years (102 +/- 14) that was similar to the
      published test mean (100 +/- 16).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408540
TI  - Delayed recognition of human immunodeficiency virus infection in preadolescent
      children.
AB  - Thirty-two (18%) of 181 children cared for at our institution who were infected
      with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) were first seen, and HIV was
      diagnosed, when they were 4 years of age and older. Initial complaints or
      diagnoses for these children included the following: hematologic disorders (5) (3
      idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, 1 neutropenia, 1 anemia); recurrent
      bacterial infections (10); Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (3); developmental
      delay (1); skin disorders (2) (1 genital wart, 1 chronic zoster); weight loss
      (3); malignancy (1); and nephropathy (1). Eight children were referred for
      evaluation because of maternal HIV-1 infection. The risk factors for HIV-1
      infection included maternal/perinatal exposure (22), perinatal blood transfusion
      (6), blood transfusion during infancy (2), and sexual abuse (2). Ten (31%) of the
      32 children have subsequently died. The longest survival from perinatal infection
      was 12 years. HIV-1 infection in children can result in a prolonged clinical
      latency and can masquerade as other pathologic conditions. The absence of
      clinical symptoms in older children at risk for HIV-1 infection should not deter
      HIV testing.

PMID- 1408542
TI  - Hyperactivity in school-age boys and subsequent risk of injury.
AB  - Hyperactive boys between 6 and 8 years of age, identified through systematic
      population-based screening of a community in London, were compared prospectively
      with a nonhyperactive control group to determine whether they were at greater
      risk of sustaining injuries. The study sample was drawn from 1296 completed
      parent and teacher questionnaires. Hyperactive groups were designated in three
      ways (parental report, teacher report, and combined parent and teacher report).
      Injuries were assessed by reviewing the medical records of the five emergency
      departments serving the community. Although boys with conduct problems did
      sustain more injuries than control subjects, no relationship between
      hyperactivity and injury was found. Similarly, when milder injuries were excluded
      from the analysis, the association remained negative. The absence of an
      association could not be accounted for by differential parental protectiveness of
      boys designated hyperactive. This study, which has a power of .80 to determine an
      increase in the relative risk of injury of 1.5, found no effect for hyperactive
      behavior in boys. Hyperactive behavior is probably not a risk factor for injury;
      if it is, it exerts a modest effect, less than 1.5, therefore accounting for less
      than 4% of injuries to school-aged boys.

PMID- 1408541
TI  - Mental disorders in chronically ill children: parent-child discrepancy and
      physician identification.
AB  - Mental disorders affect 18% to 20% of children and adolescents. The rate in
      children with chronic illness is probably higher. This study of chronically ill
      children addresses the discrepancy between parent and child reports of child
      psychiatric disorders and the extent to which pediatricians agree with reports by
      children and parents regarding such problems. Eighty-three subjects, aged 9 to 18
      (mean = 12.6), were recruited; they had the following diagnoses: cystic fibrosis,
      diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer. Subjects and one parent were
      interviewed separately, using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children
      (DISC-2.1). The subject's physician completed a questionnaire asking about the
      presence of a range of mental disorders. Forty-one (49%) subjects reached
      threshold criteria for a psychiatric diagnosis, using both parent and child as
      informants. Psychiatric disorders were identified in only 22 subjects (54%) by
      the child and in 28 (68%) by parent alone. Thus, reliance on one informant
      resulted in failure to identify one third to one half of psychiatric disorders.
      Physicians' ratings agreed significantly with children's reports but not with
      parental reports, suggesting that physicians are sensitive to children's concerns
      but may underestimate the value and importance of parents' reports. Clinical and
      research evaluations of chronically ill children, as well as clinician
      identification of mental health problems, will be influenced by the choice of
      informant.

PMID- 1408543
TI  - Wheezing in infants with cystic fibrosis: clinical course, pulmonary function,
      and survival analysis.
AB  - Wheezing is a common finding in infants with cystic fibrosis (CF). This study was
      undertaken to determine the prevalence of wheezing in infants with CF and to
      compare the clinical outcome of those who wheezed in infancy with that of those
      who did not. The study cohort included 229 CF patients born between 1965 and 1979
      with CF diagnosed before 2 years of age. Fifty-seven (25%) had physician
      documented wheezing during the first 2 years of life. Wheezing had resolved by
      the age of 2 years in 50% of the patients and by the age of 4 years in 75%.
      Although wheezing seemed to be linked to a family history of allergy and asthma,
      the frequency of the delta F508 mutation was similar to that of the non-wheezers.
      There was no significant difference in survival at the age of 13 years between
      the two groups. At the age of 7 years, patients who had wheezed had significantly
      lower forced expiratory flow rate at mid-expiratory phase (85 +/- 34% predicted)
      compared with those with no wheezing history (101 +/- 34% predicted). At the age
      of 13 years, forced expiratory volume in 1 second values was lower in the
      wheezing group (69 +/- 24% predicted vs 78 +/- 21% predicted), as was forced
      expiratory flow rate at mid-expiratory phase (56 +/- 33% predicted vs 69 +/- 30%
      predicted). In conclusion, although wheezing in infants with CF seems to have
      diminished with age, pulmonary function abnormalities were more evident at 7 and
      13 years of age in the group that wheezed than in the group that did not.

PMID- 1408544
TI  - Kernicterus in preterm newborns: past, present, and future.
AB  - This historical overview of kernicterus in prematurity, from the 1950s to the
      present, provides a unique perspective on this clinical conundrum. Three separate
      periods of pediatric history are detailed in relationship to our understanding of
      kernicterus in the preterm newborn: (1) the pre-intensive care era (1950 to
      1965); (2) the low bilirubin kernicterus era (1965 to 1982); and (3) the 1980s.
      Each period demonstrates selected insights regarding kernicterus in prematurity,
      and together with recent reports suggest that premature newborns are now at
      extremely low risk of developing kernicterus when managed using current standards
      of care. However, the current conservative empiric guidelines for preventing
      kernicterus are questioned, and it is suggested that additional study is needed
      to clarify this issue in the 1990s.

PMID- 1408545
TI  - Ethical decisions in neonatal intensive care units: the Dutch experience.

PMID- 1408546
TI  - Short-term effects of feed composition on sleeping and crying in newborns.
AB  - To determine whether the composition of feedings would affect newborn behavior
      independently of the act of feeding itself, 53 two- to three-day-old normal
      newborns were randomly assigned to receive an extra feeding of water,
      carbohydrate (lactose), or balanced formula 3 hours after their usual early
      morning feeding. Previous studies in adult humans and animals, and a single study
      in human newborns, have indicated that more sleep might be expected following the
      carbohydrate feed compared with the water and balanced-formula feeds because of
      recruitment of centrally mediated serotonergic systems. Behavioral effects were
      assessed for 40 minutes postfeeding by direct observation of the newborn's states
      (quiet, active, and indeterminate sleep; drowsiness; non-cry wakefulness; and
      fret/cry). Feed composition did affect behavior, and the effects were fairly
      specific to particular newborn states. Non-cry wakefulness and drowsiness were
      unrelated to the presence or type of nutrients, but they tended to occur soon
      after the meal in all groups. Crying was increased in water-fed newborns relative
      to both carbohydrate- and formula-fed newborns. Sleeping showed specific patterns
      of change in all three groups. Sleep duration was increased in the balanced
      formula group compared with the water group throughout the observation period.
      Contrary to the prediction, sleeping duration in carbohydrate-fed newborns never
      exceeded that of formula-fed newborns; rather, it resembled that of water-fed
      newborns early in the postprandial period, but formula-fed newborns later. These
      effects could not easily be explained by potential confounding factors such as
      handling, volume ingested, caloric intake, or plasma glucose
      concentration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408547
TI  - Risk of sepsis in newborns with severe hyperbilirubinemia.
AB  - Because bacterial infection is a potential cause of hyperbilirubinemia, some
      authors suggest that newborns with significant unexplained indirect
      hyperbilirubinemia should be evaluated for sepsis. We reviewed the charts of 306
      newborns admitted to a pediatric ward within 21 days of birth with a diagnosis of
      indirect hyperbilirubinemia (peak serum bilirubin level 316 +/- 48, range 217 to
      498 mumol/L) (18.5 +/- 2.8, 12.7 to 29.1 mg/dL). Ninety percent were fully or
      partially breast-fed. Sepsis was identified in 0 of 306 newborns (upper 95%
      confidence limit for the risk of sepsis = 1%). The overwhelming majority of
      newborns who require readmission to hospital for indirect hyperbilirubinemia are
      healthy, breast-fed newborns and do not need to be investigated for sepsis. If
      indirect hyperbilirubinemia is ever the only manifestation of bacteremia or
      incipient sepsis, it must be a rare event.

PMID- 1408548
TI  - Audiologic assessment of extremely low birth weight infants: a preliminary
      report.
AB  - The aim of this study was to assess all relevant aspects of auditory function,
      including acuity and perception, of a cohort of extremely low birth weight (<
      1000 g) children who survived to 8 years of age; 42 of the 59 consecutive
      survivors born over a 4-year period from January 1, 1977, had a full auditory
      assessment. Of the 42 children, 4 (9.5%) had a sensorineural hearing impairment,
      5 (11.9%) had a conductive hearing impairment, 24 (57.1%) had figure/ground
      differentiation problems, and 20 (47.6%) had a short-term auditory memory
      problem. The 4 children with sensorineural hearing impairments had had
      significantly higher maximum concentrations of bilirubin in the newborn period
      (median 167 mumol/L vs 138 mumol/L and had required more intensive care; at 8
      years of age they were significantly disadvantaged in verbal ability. The 5
      children with conductive hearing impairments were not significantly different on
      any perinatal or other 8-year outcome variables. The proportion with
      figure/ground differentiation problems (57.1%) was significantly higher than in a
      normative population (11.7%, chi 2 = 24.2). Extremely low birth weight children
      with figure/ground differentiation problems were more likely to be restless in
      the classroom (45.0% [9/20]) than those without these problems (16.7% [2/12]),
      but the difference was not statistically significant (chi 2 = 2.7). Children with
      short-term auditory memory problems had significantly higher maximum bilirubin
      concentrations in the newborn period (median 152 mumol/L vs 137.5 mumol/L). At 8
      years of age they had significantly reduced intelligence and reading
      ability.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408549
TI  - Some remarks on teaching: three insights into the purpose and process of teaching
      medical students.

PMID- 1408550
TI  - Kernicterus in preterm infants; lest we forget (to turn on the lights)

PMID- 1408551
TI  - Single daily bottle use in the early weeks postpartum and breast-feeding
      outcomes.
AB  - A prospective study of breast-feeding mothers was undertaken to determine the
      effects of limited bottle use and infant temperament on breast-feeding outcomes.
      White, married, primigravida women who were committed prenatally to breast
      feeding for at least 6 weeks (n = 121) were randomly assigned to one of two
      groups: a planned bottle group that would offer one bottle daily between the
      second and sixth weeks postpartum and a total breast-feeding group that would
      avoid bottles during the same period. Group assignment had no effect on the
      occurrence of breast-feeding problems, on mothers' achievement of 90% of their
      prenatal breast-feeding duration goals, or on weeks to weaning across the study
      period. At 6 months postpartum, 59% of the planned bottle group and 69% of the
      total breast-feeding group were still breast-feeding. No main or interactive
      effects of infant temperament on breast-feeding outcomes were found.

PMID- 1408552
TI  - Total bone mineral content and body composition by x-ray densitometry in
      newborns.
AB  - Measurement of total body bone mineral content and body composition has not
      previously been convenient in the newborn. X-ray densitometry, otherwise known as
      dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), has been used in adults to assess with
      accuracy and precision the total body mineral content, lean mass, and fat. Body
      composition measurements were determined in vivo by DEXA in term newborns, and
      they were compared with values reported by chemical analysis of the cadaver, with
      skin-fold thickness measurements, and with bone mineral content measured by
      single photon absorptiometry. The intermeasurement coefficient of variation was <
      or = 2.5% for bone mineral content, and < or = 1% for fat and lean mass. The
      values for bone mineral content, fat, and lean mass fall within the ranges
      expected based on the reported values measured by chemical analysis of the infant
      cadaver. Triceps and quadriceps skin-fold measurements were best correlated with
      total body fat as measured by DEXA. The bone mineral content of the distal third
      radius site as measured by single photon absorptiometry in newborns showed
      significant correlation with total body bone mineral content. DEXA provides a
      reproducible and convenient method for the determination of body composition in
      newborns.

PMID- 1408553
TI  - Validating current immunization practice with young infants.

PMID- 1408554
TI  - American Academy of Pediatrics Ad Hoc Task Force on Definition of the Medical
      Home: The medical home.

PMID- 1408555
TI  - American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases and Committee on
      Fetus and Newborn: Guidelines for prevention of group B streptococcal (GBS)
      infection by chemoprophylaxis.

PMID- 1408557
TI  - Bereavement.

PMID- 1408556
TI  - 'Guidelines' versus the legal standard of care and screening for polycythemia.

PMID- 1408558
TI  - Presurgical routine screening.

PMID- 1408559
TI  - Treatment of theophylline poisoning.

PMID- 1408560
TI  - The "dose" question.

PMID- 1408561
TI  - European surfactant trial: questions about the protocol.

PMID- 1408562
TI  - Sleeping positions.

PMID- 1408563
TI  - Sleeping position and sudden infant death.

PMID- 1408564
TI  - Bronchopulmonary dysplasia criteria: a mathematical impossibility.

PMID- 1408565
TI  - [The role of Pneumococcus in the development of acute bronchitis in young
      children].
AB  - To study the etiological role of Streptococcus pneumoniae in bronchial
      inflammation, 49 children with acute bronchitis and 21 children with acute
      nasopharyngitis were examined. The given patients' groups manifested no
      significant differences in the microflora of the upper respiratory tract,
      serotype landscape of pneumococcus, the level and dynamics of the immunologic
      characteristics. The growth of the titer of pneumococcal antibodies in the saliva
      in the early times of the disease as well as the lack of its changes in blood
      serum suggest that interaction of pneumococcus with the host is restricted in the
      given case by the bronchial lumen.

PMID- 1408566
TI  - [New approaches to evaluation of the inflammatory process in the bronchi of
      children with bronchopulmonary diseases].
AB  - Examination of patients, that included investigation of the clinical, endoscopic
      and laboratory parameters over time formed the basis for estimating bronchial
      inflammation. As many as 164 children with recurrent and chronic bronchopulmonary
      diseases were examined. The authors provide the informative signs allowing one to
      judge the activity of bronchial inflammation with a high accuracy (up to 90-95%).
      The complex signs that characterize bronchial inflammation, grades I, II and III,
      are also provided. The all-round estimation of the inflammatory activity makes it
      possible to objectively differentiate the status of local homeostasis, which is
      of paramount importance for administration of adequate and effective therapy.

PMID- 1408567
TI  - [Working classification of acute respiratory and cardiac insufficiency in young
      children with pneumonia].
AB  - Overall 302 infants with acute pneumonia were examined for gas, acid-base and
      electrolyte homeostasis, central and cerebral hemodynamics. In interpreting the
      data obtained use was made of a basically new approach to estimation of central
      and peripheral hemodynamics, resting on an analysis of gas, acid-base and
      electrolyte homeostasis, reflecting external respiratory function, blood
      transport system, redox processes in tissues, and so forth. Based on the data
      obtained the author has devised the classification of acute respiratory and heart
      failure as well as rapid index in order to differentiate acute heart and vascular
      failure in infants with acute pneumonia.

PMID- 1408568
TI  - [Diagnosis of disorders of rheological properties of blood and central and
      cerebral hemodynamics in infants with complicated pneumonia].
AB  - A study was made of the rheological blood properties, microcirculation, central
      and cerebral hemodynamics in children of the first year of life with complicated
      pneumonia. On admission to the department of intensive care and resuscitation the
      patients demonstrated pronounced hemorheological and hemodynamic disorders which
      might in many respects determine the disease gravity. Based on an analysis of the
      clinical observations and hemodynamic findings 3 periods of complicated pneumonia
      were distinguished in such children: the critical period, stabilization and
      repair. Each period is characterized by different compensatory adaptive and non
      adaptive erythrocytic and hemodynamic reactions.

PMID- 1408569
TI  - [Clinico-pathogenetic characteristics of acute stenosis of the upper respiratory
      tract in children].
AB  - All-round examinations of 484 patients with acute stenoses of the upper
      respiratory tract revealed two clinico-pathogenetic varieties of the disease:
      allergic (48.7%) and infectious-inflammatory (51.3%). All the patients
      demonstrated high allergy whatever the disease variety. The most important
      laboratory indicators of allergy were as follows: the rise of the index of
      eosinophilia, of the count of rosette-forming eosinophils in nasal secretion, a
      high content of total IgE and of allergen-specific IgE-antibodies, attesting to
      the presence of atopic allergy. These changes were more pronounced in the disease
      of allergic genesis. The differences in the pathogenesis should be necessarily
      taken into consideration during treatment administration. In the allergic disease
      variety, the main approach consists in administration of antihistaminic drugs in
      addition to the routine treatment measures, whereas in the infectious
      inflammatory variety, the treatment should also include antiviral agents.

PMID- 1408570
TI  - [Respiratory function in children with alveolitis].
AB  - External respiratory function was examined in 27 patients aged 5 to 17 years
      suffering from alveolitis. Of these, 10 children were diagnosed to have
      idiopathic fibrosing alveolitis and 17 exogenous allergic alveolitis. The
      functional examination included investigation of the static pulmonary volumes by
      helium dilution method, spirography, body plethysmography, measurements of lung
      elasticity, diffusion capacity of the lungs and blood gases. It has been
      established that in alveolitis, restrictive ventilatory disorders prevail,
      whereas in acute and subacute exogenous allergic alveolitis, obstructive
      disorders may occur. In all the patients examined, lung diffusion capacity was
      found to be reduced.

PMID- 1408571
TI  - [Use of oral antibacterial drugs in the treatment of acute pneumonia in
      children].
AB  - The efficacy of oral antimicrobial agents was studied under conditions of
      monitored clinical trials. Overall 279 children with different clinical forms of
      acute pneumonia were entered into the study. It has been shown that the treatment
      of uncomplicated acute pneumonias may be started since the day of admission to
      the hospital. The total efficacy of oral drugs was 75%. This does not differ
      essentially from the efficacy of antibiotics administered parenterally (89%). It
      has been established that early change (on days 1-3 since the effective
      treatment) from parenteral to oral administration of antibiotics does not reduce
      the treatment efficacy but noticeably lowers the injection load of the patients.
      The side effects (dyspeptic disorders) that occur very frequently during
      erythromycin treatment suggest that this antibiotic should not be administered to
      infants.

PMID- 1408572
TI  - [Tactics in using antibiotics in diffuse forms of chronic nonspecific pneumonia
      in children].
AB  - The authors provide the results obtained during many years of studying different
      aspects of antibacterial treatment of purulent endobronchitis in children with
      prevalent forms of chronic pneumonia. The study was attempted at the clinic for
      disease of childhood, I.M. Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy. Base the complex
      program of such treatment, which rests on etiotropic , correspondence of the
      antibiotic administration to the activity of the infectious inflammatory process
      in the bronchi, and immunomodulating therapy carried out according to indications
      if any. Introduction of the antibiotic therapy program into clinical practice
      allowed the attainment of good direct results in 87.6% of patients and of
      stabilization of endobronchitis in 47% of patients within 1.5 to 3 years.

PMID- 1408573
TI  - [Value of studying chemiluminescence of blood plasma in the diagnosis of acute
      suppurative destructive pneumonia in children].
AB  - Biophysical studies of the patients' blood plasma have demonstrated that the
      infiltrative form of acute pneumonia is characterized by appreciable enhancement
      of fluorescence, the destructive form by its dramatic depression. This rapid
      method is fairly informative, safe for the patient; it allows the determination
      of the dynamics of inflammatory and destructive processes that occur in the lungs
      and the monitoring of the treatment efficacy.

PMID- 1408574
TI  - [Study of circadian rhythm of bronchial patency for timely correction and
      evaluation of the effectiveness of inhalation powder forms of salbutamol in
      children with bronchial asthma].
AB  - A study was made of the circadian rhythms of bronchial patency for ++timely
      correction and dynamic estimation of the efficacy of powdered inhalation
      salbutamol (ventodisc) in 30 children aged 7-15 years suffering from persistent
      recurrent bronchial asthma. The treatment with ventodisc was carried out after
      basic therapy (euphylline or theopec and/or becotid). During 1 week the children
      inhaled the drug only at the moments of attacks of obstructed respiration.
      Starting from the 2nd week of the study ventodisc was applied prophylactically
      bearing in mind the rhythm of the bronchial tone in hours of minimal values of
      the maximal volumetric rate of expiration (MVRexp). It has been revealed that an
      optimal approach to ventodisc administration consists in a preventive drug intake
      arresting asphyxia attacks, inasmuch children with low values of external
      respiratory function (particularly in cases where MVRexp is less than 50% of
      normal) during bronchial asthma attacks are not capable of activating the
      spraying device and taking the whole drug dose. The use of ventodisc in the
      chronocorrection mode ameliorated the circadian rhythm of the bronchial tone and
      minimized the drug requirement 2.3-fold.

PMID- 1408575
TI  - [Acute destructive appendicitis associated with various infectious diseases].

PMID- 1408576
TI  - [Oral rehydration in acute intestinal infections in children (clinico-laboratory
      substantiation and practical use)].

PMID- 1408577
TI  - [Use of reaferon and antioxidants in children with chronic hepatitis].

PMID- 1408578
TI  - [Errors and hazards in the surgical treatment of children with testicular
      feminization].

PMID- 1408579
TI  - [Immunomodifying properties of human, cow's and mare's milk].

PMID- 1408580
TI  - [Various disputable aspects of bronchial obstructive conditions in children].

PMID- 1408582
TI  - [The role of genetic and external factors in the development of precursors of
      arteriosclerosis in children and adolescents].

PMID- 1408581
TI  - [Is replacement blood transfusion therapy indicated in children with complicated
      pneumonia?].

PMID- 1408583
TI  - [Prevalence and structure of arterial hypertension among the population of
      children aged 6-15 years].

PMID- 1408584
TI  - [Effect of immunotherapy on the interferon system in children with staphylococcal
      infection].

PMID- 1408585
TI  - [Analysis of comparative effectiveness of various methods of complex therapy of
      acute glomerulonephritis in children].

PMID- 1408586
TI  - [Viral and bacterial associations and their role in the development of
      bronchopulmonary diseases in children].
AB  - Clinical and laboratory criteria for estimating the role of viruses and bacteria
      that determine bronchopulmonary diseases have been derived. The clinical
      importance of the detectable microflora, part of which permanently invade the
      nasopharynx (pneumococcus, adenoviruses) is under critical review. Pneumonias
      that may develop within the first days of acute respiratory viral infection are
      characterized by monoviral influenzal or RS-infection; later pneumonias are
      marked by viral infection with the predominance of adenoviruses. Attempt has been
      made to reveal the role of geno- and phenotypic factors (N-acetylation, lipid
      peroxidation, synthesis of alpha-interferon). The data obtained support an
      assumption about self-regulation of the child's immune system and the adaptation
      character of responses in mixed infections.

PMID- 1408587
TI  - Effects of progressive exercise on attentional focus.
AB  - To replicate 1986 work of Salmela and Ndoye on whether physical arousal from
      riding a stationary bicycle led to narrowing of attentional focus 17 subjects
      responded to a verbal 5-choice RT task while pedalling to exhaustion. Increased
      heart rates with increased physical stress (bicycle resistance increased) was not
      associated with narrowing of attention. When heart rates were 160 and 180 bpm,
      RTs to stimuli peripherally located to the right were slower than central ones.
      Further evaluation is required.

PMID- 1408588
TI  - Effect of aerobic exercise on negative affect, positive affect, stress, and
      depression.
AB  - Three groups of subjects, 15 Longer-term Exercisers, 14 Short-term Exercisers,
      and 18 Nonexercisers completed questionnaires designed to measure negative affect
      associated with thoughts, negative affect associated with day-to-day experiences,
      positive affect associated with thoughts, and positive affect associated with day
      to-day experiences, depression, and stress. All the subjects also provided a
      rating of their over-all general stress. The Longer-term Exercisers reported more
      positive affect associated with their thoughts and day-to-day experiences than
      the Nonexercisers. There also was a trend for the Longer-term Exercisers to
      report less over-all stress than the Nonexercisers.

PMID- 1408589
TI  - Fast music causes fast drinking.

PMID- 1408590
TI  - Grip strength and fatigue in junior college tennis players.
AB  - Change in grip strength over 30 trials was documented in two samples of junior
      college tennis players to assess possible fatigue. Eight men and eight women
      performed 30 maximum-grip strength tests with 25-sec. rests between trials.
      Significant positive correlations (.38 and .53 for men and women) were observed
      between grip strength and trials. In practical terms, grip strength did not
      change over 30 trials in these tennis players. The data suggested that the
      repetitive gripping patterns used by these players in tennis play resulted in
      consistent maximum-grip strengths across 30 trials.

PMID- 1408591
TI  - Psychometric properties of the Learning-Orientation Grade-Orientation II Scale.
AB  - The Learning-Orientation Grade-Orientation Scale of Eison, Pollio, and Milton was
      administered to 85 college students and analyzed to study the psychometric
      properties of the instrument. Scale means were consistent with those usually
      reported. Cronbach coefficients alpha for 5 of the 6 scales ranged from .58 to
      .70; however, the coefficient alpha for learning-orientation attitude scale was
      questionably low (.29). Item analyses and factor analyses support the continued
      use of at least 5 of the 6 scales measured by the inventory.

PMID- 1408592
TI  - Children's development of reaching: temporal and spatial aspects of aimed whole
      arm movements.
AB  - Age-related changes in movement time and spatial distribution of pointing errors
      were investigated using a whole-arm target-aimed task. 60 children (6 to 11 yr.)
      and 10 young adults were required to reach towards targets located on a vertical
      screen in four conditions: target lit for 4 sec. in light (1), in darkness (2),
      target lit for 200 msec. in light (3), in darkness (4). Accuracy was perfect in
      Conditions 1 and 2, with a significant increase of MT in Condition 2 between the
      ages 7 and 10. Accuracy decreased slightly in Condition 3 and strongly in
      Condition 4, despite a similar shortening of MT. In Condition 4 the subjects
      undershot the target position: horizontally from age 8 and vertically in all age
      groups, with an increase of vertical bias by girls at age 9. These results
      suggest age-related changes in computation of arm movement towards the target.

PMID- 1408593
TI  - Bibliography of the psychometric properties of the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt
      Test: 1970-1991.

PMID- 1408594
TI  - Nurses' attitudes toward obese persons and certain ethnic groups.
AB  - Societal attitudes toward obese persons are predominantly negative, and many
      health care professionals share these beliefs. This study compared attitudes
      toward obese persons of 67 US nurses to those of 107 Canadian nurses. Also,
      attitudes toward obesity were examined as a particular class of prejudice. A
      positive correlation was hypothesized between ethnic prejudice and prejudice
      regarding obese persons. Significant differences in attitudes toward obese
      patients were observed between the two groups on several questionnaire items, and
      the hypothesis was confirmed by the moderate r of .53 for US nurses. A surprising
      finding was a new target of ethnic prejudice: the Caucasian majority.

PMID- 1408595
TI  - Effects of instruction and practice on ball catching skill: single-subject study
      of an 8-year-old.
AB  - An eight-year-old boy learned to make one-handed catches by involvement in three
      30-min. periods of instruction and practice consisting of modelling, videotape
      based performance feedback, and variable practice interspersed with videotaped
      assessments on seven consecutive days. An adult-like catching action (both hands)
      emerged in the second session and was used exclusively thereafter. Catching
      success at the second and third assessments improved from 40% (preferred hand)
      and 30% (non-preferred) to over 90% (both hands) on the final assessment.
      Following the intervention, success and the catching action were similar to those
      of skillful ten-year-old subjects observed in a previous study.

PMID- 1408596
TI  - Bulimic symptomatology and coping in a nonclinical sample.
AB  - This study examined the relationship between bulimic symptomatology as measured
      by scores on the Bulimia Test--Revised and coping orientation as measured by
      Endler and Parker's Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations given to a
      nonclinical sample of 164 female college students. A relationship was obtained
      among emotionally oriented coping, task-oriented coping, and scores on the
      Bulimia Test.

PMID- 1408597
TI  - Imagined test situations produce contextual memory enhancement.
AB  - Two groups of 12 undergraduates learned a 26-item list of medium-imagery words.
      Those who visualized an examination-hall scored better at 1-wk. recall than those
      who visualized countryside during learning, thereby providing confirmation of the
      context-dependency effect.

PMID- 1408598
TI  - Effect of memory set-size upon event related potentials for concrete and abstract
      kanji stimuli.
AB  - Event related potentials (ERP) and reaction times (RT) were recorded during the
      performance of memory-retrieval tasks using the Japanese kanji characters. P300
      latency and RT increased as the memory set-size increased. The slope differences
      between RT and P300 latency were larger for stimuli when concrete kanji were used
      than when abstract kanji were used. This suggests that, in memory search, the 20
      subjects were likely to employ direct lexical access when processing concrete
      kanji and likely to use phonetic coding when processing abstract kanji.

PMID- 1408599
TI  - EEG alpha activity and hallucinatory experience during sensory deprivation.
AB  - The relationship between hallucinatory experiences under sensory deprivation and
      EEG alpha activities was studied. Each of seven male students lived alone in an
      air conditioned, soundproof dark room for 72 hours. When hallucinatory
      experiences occurred, the students pressed a button at once. If they could not
      press the button during the experience, they were required to press it two times
      when the hallucinatory experience was finished. Spectral analysis was performed
      on the consecutive EEG samples from just before button-presses to 10 min. before
      them, and the average alpha band amplitudes were obtained for the four epochs (0
      .5, .5-2, 2-5, 5-10 min.). For the single button-presses, the amplitude of alpha
      band increased 2 min. before the button-presses. Right-hemisphere EEG activation
      was observed in the occipital area for the double button-presses. The results
      suggest an association between the hallucinatory experiences under sensory
      deprivation and the amount of EEG alpha activity.

PMID- 1408600
TI  - Training Special Olympics athletes: a pilot study.

PMID- 1408601
TI  - Resistance of voice onset time variability to intoxication.
AB  - Voice onset times of /d/ and /t/ were measured for 16 adult subjects (age range
      21 to 26 years) under conditions of sobriety and intoxication. Subjects consumed
      beer to reach intoxication levels between 0.075 and 0.100% as measured using a
      portable breathalyzer test. Analysis indicated consistent variabilities over time
      for each subject and resistance of VOT variability to alcohol influence.

PMID- 1408602
TI  - Reliability of the amplitude of the return-sweep velocity of eye movements during
      reading.
AB  - A Beckman Type RM Dynograph was used to record the eye movements of 26
      professional college men, once without spectacle corrections and then with plano
      lenses on a trial frame, during reading equivalent print at a distance of 33 cm.
      Amplitudes of the return-sweep velocity on these two trials were used to
      calculate an equivalent form reliability coefficient. A Pearson r of 0.88
      indicates that their reliability is moderately high, meaning that both the
      desirable as well as the undesirable reading habits are probably deeply rooted by
      college, and imply that any reading remediation or improvement training should be
      performed at some much earlier stages to be efficiently effective.

PMID- 1408603
TI  - Memory disadvantages for CVC associates of emotional words.
AB  - A paired-associate task (word-CVC) performed by 40 subjects confirmed that
      associates to active emotional words were less well remembered than associates to
      neutral words or pleasant or unpleasant ones. Results are interpreted as
      satisfactorily explained by differences in the activation of network nodes if
      such differences were in turn affected by the arousal characteristic of the
      words.

PMID- 1408604
TI  - Three-dimensional interpretation of quadrilaterals.
AB  - The three-dimensional interpretation of two-dimensional images was studied by
      using quadrilateral patterns, and some relationships between their structure,
      depth, and shape interpretations were analyzed under various viewing conditions.
      We defined rectangular and nonrectangular viewing conditions as follows: the
      viewing condition in which the quadrilateral, including parallel sides, could be
      a projection from a rectangle and the viewing condition in which it could not be
      so. For 9 subjects, 10 measurements were made in each experiment. Analysis showed
      that a pair of parallel sides of a quadrilateral were viewed as parallel to the
      viewer's forehead when the sides were horizontal in the image plane and were seen
      as slanting in depth if they were slanted in the image plane. The quadrilateral
      composed of parallel and nonparallel sides was perceived as rectangular when
      viewed with foveal vision even though under the nonrectangular viewing condition,
      if that viewing condition was not so different from the rectangular viewing
      condition. The quadrilateral did not appear to be rectangular when viewed in
      peripheral vision even though the rectangular viewing condition was used.

PMID- 1408605
TI  - Perceptual-motor coordination and style in healthy boys and those with minimal
      brain dysfunction.
AB  - Differences in visual-motor tracking by 8- to 9-yr.-old boys diagnosed with
      Minimal Brain Dysfunction or healthy have been analyzed. The subject's task was
      to use two computer keys to control a cursor line within a target which moved
      horizontally in two directions over the display. Target size and speed were the
      experimental variables. Off-target incidences and durations were measured and
      evaluated. The latter were longer and the former were more frequent on small
      targets for boys with brain dysfunction than for healthy boys. The two measures
      correlated negatively in most situations. The perceptual-motor style expressed by
      means of the distribution of coincidences of the two measures being over or under
      a criterion set equal to the corresponding averages of the healthy boys was
      different in the two groups. Brain-damaged boys were characterized mostly by the
      combination of high incidence of low duration misses for small and fast targets
      and by high incidence of high duration misses for large and slow targets, whereas
      most healthy boys showed a few misses of low duration for large and slow targets
      and few misses of high duration for small and fast targets.

PMID- 1408606
TI  - Postural sway characteristics of single leg stance in men with mental
      retardation.
AB  - This study examined the postural sway characteristics of 10 men with mental
      retardation and 10 each normal men and women during the one-legged stance test.
      Significant differences between the men with mental retardation and the other two
      groups were found on measures of lateral sway and on the sagittal sway:lateral
      sway ratio.

PMID- 1408607
TI  - Diagnosing MPD with two new Rorschach signs: are the signs valid or are the MPDS
      atypical?
AB  - The validity of newly developed "Splitting" and "Dissociative" signs on the
      Rorschach for diagnosing multiple personality disorder (MPD) was questioned. It
      was pointed out that the mean number of Rorschach responses for what were
      ostensibly patients with MPD was so high as to render the sample atypical. It was
      suggested that perhaps the Splitting and Dissociative signs were diagnostic of
      either dissociation in general or MPDs who have experienced decompensation,
      leading to hospitalization.

PMID- 1408608
TI  - Specific and diversive curiosity in gifted elementary students.
AB  - Twenty-nine gifted students in Grades 2 to 6 from the small school districts in
      north central Kansas completed the Maze test and the Which-to-Discuss test.
      Background information such as age, sex, grade, and marital status of parents was
      also collected. There were no significant differences between boys and girls or
      for students from divorced and nondivorced parents on either the Which-to-Discuss
      test (specific curiosity) or the Maze test scores (diversive curiosity). The
      students scored significantly higher on the former test than chance guessing
      which suggests the students were displaying specific curiosity. Scores of these
      gifted students on these two tests of curiosity were significantly and positively
      correlated.

PMID- 1408609
TI  - A simple method for evaluation of Rorschach Imagery Reactivity.
AB  - A general scoring system, previously developed for the analysis of pictorial
      associations within the paradigm of Visual Imagery Sequences, was applied in the
      evaluation of visual associations to memory images of Rorschach inkblots (Imagery
      condition) in a comparison with standard Rorschach responses (Conventional
      condition). The participants, 80 consecutively selected psychiatric outpatients,
      were divided into Clinical Reactor and Nonreactor groups, according to how
      productive they were of psychodynamically revealing material during insight
      oriented therapy using imagery. For this simple scoring method (which does not
      include the customary Rorschach scores), conclusions concerning Imagery
      Reactivity in the Rorschach agreed with those of previous studies using a scoring
      system more unique to the Rorschach. The inferences drawn from statistical
      analysis by groups and conditions also contribute additional refinements to the
      understanding of the subtle interplay between defensiveness and sensitivity to
      imagery in determining the patterns of scorable components within the response
      complex. This general scoring method correctly identified 95.6% of Imagery
      Reactors and 100% of Imagery Nonreactors, an improvement over the 87% efficiency
      of the previously described, Rorschach-based method for assessing Imagery
      Reactivity in the Rorschach.

PMID- 1408610
TI  - Priming outside of awareness and subsequent stimulus identification.
AB  - The influence of priming outside of awareness on performance of a color
      recognition task was investigated. Using a tachistoscope, a color word that
      matched ("congruent prime") or did not match ("incongruent prime") the target
      color or a blank prime was followed by a pattern mask and the target color.
      Identification performance was superior on the blank prime trials to the
      congruent prime trials, with performance on the incongruent prime trials being
      the lowest. A subsequent study included a meaningless (XXX) prime condition, and
      it was found that meaningless primes interfered with target-color identification
      more than the congruent and blank prime conditions, but less than the incongruent
      prime condition, suggesting that primes, in addition to producing semantic
      activation, impose demands on information-processing capacity of the perceptual
      system.

PMID- 1408611
TI  - The stability and variability of suicide rates in the states of the USA.
AB  - The suicide rates of the American states in 1918-1922 were only weakly associated
      with the rates in 1980. The mean rate had not changed by 1980, but the standard
      deviation of the rates had decreased.

PMID- 1408612
TI  - Differences in lingual vibrotactile threshold shifts during magnitude-estimation
      scaling between normal-speaking children and children with articulation problems.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in function of the
      tactile sensory system between groups of normal-speaking children and children
      with articulation problems. This task was accomplished by studying possible
      tactile threshold shifts occurring during magnitude-estimation scaling of
      vibratory stimuli presented to the dorsal surface of the tongue. 10 normal
      speaking children (M age = 7.8 yr.) and 9 children with articulation problems (M
      age = 7.5 yr.) participated. The normal-speaking children and articulatory
      defective children performed differently on the magnitude-estimation scaling task
      in which threshold was allowed to return to baseline after each stimulus
      presentation. These two groups of children also showed dissimilar threshold
      shifts for the suprathreshold intensities employed in the magnitude-estimation
      scaling.

PMID- 1408613
TI  - Formation of arbitrary stimulus classes in matching to complex samples:
      supplementary data.
AB  - A follow-up study of work published in 1990 showed that consistent use of Tone
      relevant trials during training and testing baselines contributed to the reliable
      formation of 5-member stimulus classes during matching to sample. With Tone
      irrelevant trials during either training or testing 4 of 12 subjects formed such
      classes, but none did so when such trials were used in both training and testing
      baselines. This extends our prior work.

PMID- 1408614
TI  - Automatisation deficits in balance for dyslexic children.
AB  - Traditional theories of dyslexia have focused on components of the reading
      process. The Dyslexic Automatisation Deficit hypothesis takes a broader view,
      attributing deficits to an inability to become completely fluent in cognitive and
      motor skills. A series of experiments compared the balance of 15-yr.-old and 11
      yr.-old groups of dyslexic children and normal children matched for age and IQ
      under single-task and dual-task conditions. There were no group differences in
      the single-task conditions. However, introduction of a concurrent secondary task
      led to a dissociation in that, whereas the balance of normal children was
      unaffected, the dyslexic children's balance was significantly impaired. It was
      concluded that the normal children balanced automatically whereas the dyslexic
      children did not. These results directly support the proposed framework.

PMID- 1408615
TI  - The Emotions Profile Index and locus of control.

PMID- 1408617
TI  - Anxiety and color saturation preference.
AB  - The relationship between personality characteristics and color preference was
      investigated. Of 49 women and 17 men, 30 individuals scoring above the mean on an
      anxiety scale preferred significantly less saturated colors than 36 individuals
      scoring below the mean.

PMID- 1408616
TI  - Biases in perception and reporting following a perceived toxic exposure.
AB  - Reactions to chemical exposures often include fears of future illness,
      cancerphobia, reports of multiple chemical sensitivity, and other ill-defined
      complaints. Frequently, these complaints occur at levels of exposure not known to
      cause physiological harm. Although frequently dismissed as hysterical or
      hypochondriacal reactions, these complaints, along with other indefinite
      symptoms, may be better understood in terms of biases in perception and
      reporting. In this paper, we outline various sources of perceptual and response
      biases including prior beliefs, the media, influential others, reconstructed
      personal histories, self-perceptions, and the forensic environment. It is
      recommended that a thorough understanding of symptom-reporting and psychological
      distress following a chemical exposure involves consideration of these issues.

PMID- 1408618
TI  - Left ear (right temporal lobe) suppressions during dichotic listening, ego-alien
      intrusion experiences and spiritualistic beliefs in normal women.
AB  - Beliefs in spiritualism, a history of a sensed presence, and mental diplopia may
      share a common source of psychometric variance. We hypothesized that this
      variance should be specifically associated with right temporal-lobe function.
      Inferences of temporal lobe signs, hemisphericity (Vingiano's quotient) and self
      esteem as well as dichotic listening measures were obtained for 26 university
      women. As predicted, the numbers of left-ear suppressions (right temporal-lobe
      function) but not of right-ear suppressions were specifically and moderately (rho
      = 0.64) correlated with the intensity of Tobacyk's spiritualistic beliefs and a
      history of sensed presences and ego-alien intrusions. However, the negative
      association (rhos about -0.45) between indices of left-right hemisphericity and
      self-esteem was related to a separate factor.

PMID- 1408619
TI  - Perceived level of stress among university undergraduate students in Edmonton,
      Canada.
AB  - A sample of 457 (177 men, 280 women) undergraduate students were surveyed
      regarding perceived level of stress. Women were more likely than men to report an
      unacceptable stress level. To reduce stress, women were more likely to indicate a
      need to limit commitments, exercise, and worry less. Reasons for not reducing
      stress were lack of time and lack of self-discipline, both of which were reported
      significantly more often by women. The present data suggest health education
      interventions are needed to assist students in coping with the stress they
      experience.

PMID- 1408620
TI  - Effects of contextual interference on learning technical sports skills.
AB  - The effects of contextual interference on learning skills of volleyball (volley,
      bump, serve) are influenced by the scheduling of actual practice sessions: the
      activities can be proposed in a repetitive practice schedule (blocked practice)
      by continuously repeating the same task (low interference) or in random practice
      schedules by performing more tasks or variations of one same activity (high
      interference). High contextual interference, even though causing immediate
      limited performance, leads to superior performance on retention and transfer
      tests. Four experimental groups (13 students each) were placed in conditions of
      random, blocked, serial, and serial with high interference practice for 8
      meetings (2 tests and 6 practice). Analysis yielded significant differences among
      the groups on a transfer test (long transfer) for the serve, so results in this
      instructional setting are partially in line with those generally found in
      laboratory experiments.

PMID- 1408621
TI  - Association of attitude toward mathematics with self-efficacy, causal
      attribution, and personality traits.
AB  - 983 children from Grades 1, 2, and 3 of the middle schools participated as
      subjects. Of these, 339 children were judged as having higher "self-efficacy"
      than the others. The associations of attitude toward mathematics with self
      efficacy, attributions, and personality traits measured on the Shimoda
      Personality Inventory were investigated. Analysis showed that attitude toward
      mathematics had significant effects on mathematics performance. In attribution of
      effects to mathematics performance there were differences among the children
      across the grades. Among personality traits the immodithymic trait was
      significantly correlated with attitude toward mathematics.

PMID- 1408622
TI  - Right hemisphericity, low self-esteem, and unusual experiences: a response to
      Vingiano.
AB  - Vingiano's (1992) challenge concerning the relationship between right
      hemisphericity, low self-esteem, mystical experiences, and religiosity can be
      clarified by the concept of vectorial hemisphericity. Ontogenetic intrusions of
      right-hemispheric processes into the left hemispheric sense of self should be
      experienced most frequently as an apprehensive "presence" that results in lower
      self-esteem. Because transient above-normal left-hemispheric activity enhances
      positive affect and the sense of self, concurrent right-hemispheric intrusions
      are experienced as mystical experiences. Religiosity would be the consequence of
      persistent above-normal left-temporofrontal activation that encourages the
      delusion. Hence, extreme conditions, such as left lateralized temporal-lobe
      epileptic foci, encourage both mystical and religious experiences.

PMID- 1408623
TI  - Language ability and sex affect humor appreciation.
AB  - Subjects (63 men and 63 women) completed a humor appreciation scale and 20 trials
      on a word-recognition task using a divided visual field. Factor analysis
      extracted eight factors from the humor scale most of which differentiated
      subjects on the basis of liking for various humorous contents including
      disparagement and non-sense humor. Subsequent analyses showed that greater liking
      for specific types of humor was associated with basic language abilities. The
      results also support sex differences in humor preferences and Freud's tripartite
      taxonomy of humor contents.

PMID- 1408624
TI  - Sex differences in suicide notes.

PMID- 1408625
TI  - Clinical versus actuarial prediction: a review of the literature.
AB  - Decisions made by psychologists can have considerable consequences on people's
      lives. Their decisions could be based on clinical judgment or empirically derived
      formulas. These two alternatives created a controversy concerning clinical and
      actuarial prediction. This controversy has been in existence for almost 70 years.
      During this time hundreds of articles have been published on this topic. This
      paper contains a review of the findings and issues on clinical versus actuarial
      prediction. The main conclusions are that (1) linear models are superior to other
      mathematical models of human judgment, (2) actuarial methods are more accurate
      than clinical prediction in many situations, (3) human judgment is flawed, and
      (4) actuarial methods are rarely employed in practice for a variety of reasons.

PMID- 1408626
TI  - Motivation needs of sampled Fortune-500 CEOs: relations to organization outcomes.
AB  - Motive scores (needs for Achievement, Affiliation, and Power) of the chief
      executive officers of the nation's 50 largest industrial firms were determined
      using content analysis of letters to stockholders contained in the firms' annual
      reports. The scoring method was a modification of the standard TAT scoring
      procedure. Results showed that chief executive officers' high need Achievement
      was correlated with relative growth in sales, while high need Power was
      correlated with relative growth in profits. Effects of need Achievement and need
      Power also were examined for return on equity and return on sales. Implications
      are discussed.

PMID- 1408627
TI  - Splitting as a predictor of depression.
AB  - 146 university students completed measures of splitting, depression, and self
      esteem. Splitting was positively correlated with depression and negatively
      related to self-esteem.

PMID- 1408628
TI  - To what extent do interactive pictures promote recall?
AB  - In four experiments, a total of 352 subjects viewed word pairs alone or
      accompanied by pictures, after which they were given a cued-recall test. Although
      Exps. 1 and 2 showed that recall of brand names was similar with separate and
      with interactive pictures, it was argued that the latter provided a cue enabling
      subjects to combine the separate components mentally. In Exp. 3, recall of both
      low concrete nouns and brand names was enhanced with interactive pictures and the
      effect was replicated in Exp. 4 with subjects who were learning English. These
      results offer hope to advertisers who wish to use interactive pictures whose
      relationship to their names is indirect.

PMID- 1408629
TI  - Neuropsychological performance and suicidal behavior in adult psychiatric
      inpatients.
AB  - Although various studies have shown that suicidal persons exhibit greater
      cognitive deficiencies than both normals and other psychiatric patients,
      researchers as yet have been unable to account for the source(s) of the
      differences. Some of these differences (e.g., cognitive rigidity and impaired
      problem solving) hint of possible organic involvement. This study explored the
      relationship of neuropsychological functioning to suicidal behavior by comparing
      20 suicidal and 27 nonsuicidal psychiatric inpatients on several tests of
      neuropsychological functioning. Although results showed no significant
      differences between the two groups on most measures, both groups showed evidence
      of notably high levels of cortical dysfunction relative to test norms. Thirty
      five percent of suicidal patients and 44% of nonsuicidal patients scored in the
      impaired range. Implications of this high frequency of impairment for the
      treatment of suicidal and nonsuicidal psychiatric patients are discussed.

PMID- 1408630
TI  - Still no evidence for a photoreceptor-level abnormality in dyslexia.

PMID- 1408632
TI  - Informativeness and the learning of bipolar adjectives.
AB  - The effects of informativeness upon the learning of bipolar adjectives were
      examined by asking 20 preschoolers to learn novel words descriptive of different
      lengths vs tensions of a coiled spring. The set of adjectives which contrasted
      most highly for informativeness showed the greatest asymmetry for successful
      learning.

PMID- 1408631
TI  - Trading accuracy for speed: gender differences on a Stroop task under mild
      performance anxiety.
AB  - A standard Stroop task was used to examine the effect of performance anxiety on
      58 male and 69 female undergraduates. Subjects were approached either by two
      casually dressed experimenters who did not stress speed or accuracy or by 4 or 5
      formally dressed experimenters who stressed quick and accurate performance.
      Subjects were told the test would assess their "mental acuity"; their responses
      were visibly tape-recorded. Reaction times did not show differential response by
      anxiety condition; men and women showed different RTs only in the low-anxiety
      condition, with women performing significantly more slowly. There were no
      significant differences for the high-anxiety condition. Analysis of errors showed
      women were more accurate than men. Men traded accuracy for speed and may have
      been under equal performance stress in both situations. When performance was not
      stressed, women were slower and more accurate than men. When performance was
      stressed, women increased their speed to match that of men while maintaining
      their greater accuracy.

PMID- 1408634
TI  - Experimental stimulation by burst-firing weak magnetic fields over the right
      temporal lobe may facilitate apprehension in women.
AB  - Intermittent bursts of weak magnetic fields whose patterns simulate normal
      amygdaloidal-hippocampal activity were generated by computer over the right or
      left temporal regions of men and women during partial sensory deprivation. As
      predicted, women but not men reported greater apprehension during right
      hemispheric but not left-hemispheric stimulation. Intrusions of right-hemispheric
      processes have been hypothesized to affect self-esteem adversely. These results
      also support the role of the right parahippocampal region in the production of
      panic attacks.

PMID- 1408633
TI  - Longitudinal reliability of the Life Satisfaction Index (Short Form) with nursing
      home residents: a cautionary note.
AB  - We administered the Life Satisfaction Index (Short Form) 18 times over a 39-wk.
      period to an initial sample of 76 old, frail, multiply impaired, and depressed
      nursing home residents participating in a longitudinal quasi-experimental study
      of the effects of cognitive group interventions on cognition and depression. As
      no changes over time were observed on the outcome variable of life satisfaction,
      the stability of the instrument's internal consistency could be examined. Kuder
      Richardson KR-20 coefficients ranged from .11 to .60, with a mean of .42 (SD =
      .11). We conclude that caution should be used when applying this instrument to
      measure life satisfaction in frail nursing home residents.

PMID- 1408635
TI  - The orientation of a parallel-line texture between the verticals can modify the
      strength of the Poggendorff illusion.
AB  - In the present experiments, we attempted to evaluate the modification of the
      strength of the Poggendorff illusion as a function of the different orientation
      of a parallel-line texture filling the space between the vertical lines. In
      Experiment 1, the standard version of the Poggendorff configuration was tested
      against four different parallel-line textures oriented at 0 degrees, 45 degrees,
      90 degrees, and 135 degrees with respect to the obliques. The results showed that
      the illusory effect was a linear function of the progressive discrepancy between
      the angle of the lines of the texture and that of the obliques. In Experiment 2,
      we tested the same textures used in Experiment 1 after the elimination of the two
      vertical lines. The data obtained approximated a linear function, as in the
      previous experiment, but the alignment errors were consistently lower. The
      statistical analysis performed on the data of all eight experimental conditions
      shows that both factors--texture and presence/absence of verticals--were
      significant, but most of the effect was due to the texture factor. The results
      may be interpreted through the "perceptual compromise hypothesis," originally
      proposed for the bisection forms of the Poggendorff illusion, but with important
      modifications. The data are also discussed in terms of their implications for
      other theories proposed for the Poggendorff illusion.

PMID- 1408636
TI  - Contextual and sequential effects on judgments of sweetness intensity.
AB  - Presenting stimuli from skewed concentration distributions affects mean responses
      on category scales. However, if the number of categories on the response scale is
      increased, the degree of separation between the mean responses obtained for a
      positively as opposed to a negatively skewed concentration distribution
      diminishes. The present study investigates the effect of skewed concentration
      distributions upon ratings on a line scale and compares it to the context effect
      found for a 7-point category scale. In addition, sequential dependencies between
      consecutive stimuli and responses are investigated in order to assess their
      relevance in taste-intensity scaling studies. The context effects are similar for
      the 7-point category scale and for the line scale. The analyses of sequential
      effects show that both preceding responses and preceding stimuli affect current
      responses. However, since these two factors work in opposite directions, only a
      small contrast effect from the previous stimulus is significant in an overall
      analysis. The present study shows that even though the overall sequential effects
      between consecutive stimuli and responses are small, the effect of experimental
      context may be considerable. Since subjective context is established at the
      beginning of a session and sequential dependencies operate throughout the whole
      session, it is argued that contextual and sequential effects are only indirectly
      related.

PMID- 1408637
TI  - Structural alterations of an ambiguous musical figure: the scale illusion
      revisited.
AB  - The scale illusion (Deutsch, 1975) shows the importance of frequency range in the
      perceptual organization of a sequence of notes. This paper includes three
      experiments on the scale illusion. Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrated that if the
      structure of the pattern of notes used in the original scale illusion study is
      altered slightly, by adding or subtracting a pair of notes from the ends of the
      sequence, there is a significant decrease in the rate of frequency-based
      responses, suggesting a weaker illusion. Experiment 3 investigated two features
      of the note patterns that may have led to this change. Specifically, it asked
      whether the decrease in the strength of the illusion is due to (1) the nature of
      the notes at the extremes of the frequency range and/or (2) the nature of the
      notes at the crossing point of the two scales. While both sources were found to
      affect the strength of the scale illusion, the former had a greater influence.

PMID- 1408638
TI  - Parallel discrimination of subjective contours defined by offset gratings.
AB  - Recent physiological studies (von der Heydt & Peterhans, 1989) suggest that the
      orientation of subjective contours is encoded very early in the visual system (V2
      in monkey). This result is seemingly at odds with existing psychophysical data
      which suggest that the detection of subjective contours involves selective
      attention. It is argued that certain subjective contours are registered in a
      reflexive (bottom-up) manner by the visual system but that selective attention
      may be needed to gain access to this representation. To assess this suggestion, a
      visual-search task was used in which subjects were to detect the presence of a
      horizontal (vertical) subjective contour (defined by offset gratings) in a
      variable number of vertical (horizontal) subjective contours (also defined by
      offset gratings). When there were no competing organizations within the display,
      detection was indeed independent of the number of nontarget distractors, that is,
      selective attention was unnecessary. In a second experiment, we found that a
      curved form (a crescent defined by subjective contours) was easier to detect in a
      background of vertical bars (also defined by subjective contours) than vice
      versa, namely, a search asymmetry paralleling those found by Treisman and
      Gormican (1988). A final experiment showed that when the horizontal and vertical
      bars of the first experiment formed textured regions, they could be discriminated
      at very brief display durations (30-120 msec). However, when the line
      terminations aligned along the subjective contour were tapered rather than
      abrupt, discrimination dropped off with the degree of tapering. The latter result
      is consistent with the assumption that the registration of subjective contours in
      V2 involves the integration of responses from aligned, end-stopped cells found in
      V1 (von der Heydt & Peterhans, 1989).

PMID- 1408640
TI  - Measuring the effect of multiple eye fixations on memory for visual attributes.
AB  - Because of limited peripheral vision, many visual tasks depend on multiple eye
      fixations. Good performance in such tasks demonstrates that some memory must
      survive from one fixation to the next. One factor that must influence performance
      is the degree to which multiple eye fixations interfere with the critical
      memories. In the present study, the amount of interference was measured by
      comparing visual discriminations based on multiple fixations to visual
      discriminations based on a single fixation. The procedure resembled partial
      report, but used a discrimination measure. In the prototype study, two lines were
      presented, followed by a single line and a cue. The cue pointed toward one of the
      positions of the first two lines. Observers were required to judge if the single
      line in the second display was longer or shorter than the cued line of the first
      display. These judgments were used to estimate a length threshold. The critical
      manipulation was to instruct observers either to maintain fixation between the
      lines of the first display or to fixate each line in sequence. The results showed
      an advantage for multiple fixations despite the intervening eye movements. In
      fact, thresholds for the multiple-fixation condition were nearly as good as those
      in a control condition where the lines were foveally viewed without eye
      movements. Thus, eye movements had little or no interfering effect in this task.
      Additional studies generalized the procedure and the stimuli. In conclusion,
      information about a variety of size and shape attributes was remembered with
      essentially no interference across eye fixations.

PMID- 1408641
TI  - Framing effects and the reversed Muller-Lyer illusion.
AB  - The enclosure hypothesis of the reversed Muller-Lyer illusion was examined in
      three experiments. In Experiment 1, the ingoing- and outgoing-wings forms of the
      illusion were measured separately, as a function of the size of the gap between
      the ends of the shaft and the apices of the wings. In Experiments 2 and 3, the
      effects of a square frame and of complete and amputated versions of a rectangle
      on the perceived length of an enclosed horizontal line were examined. For all non
      Muller-Lyer illusion figures, an inverted U-shaped function describes the
      relationship between illusion magnitude and the length of the test line. The peak
      overestimation of the test line's length was obtained when the ratio of total
      figure length to test line length was about 3:2. Taken together, the results of
      the three experiments suggest that the reversed Muller-Lyer illusion can be
      explained within current theoretical frameworks, such as assimilation theory,
      without recourse to a special factor of enclosure.

PMID- 1408639
TI  - Visual attention and perceptual grouping.
AB  - Perceptual organization is thought to involve an analysis of both textural
      discontinuities and perceptual grouping. In earlier work, we found that textural
      discontinuities were detected normally even when visual attention was engaged
      elsewhere. Here we report how perceptual grouping is affected when visual
      attention is engaged by a concurrent visual task. To elicit perceptual grouping,
      we used the Gestalt demonstrations of grouping on the basis of proximity and of
      similarity. Four tasks were investigated, some requiring the observer to
      discriminate between horizontal and vertical grouping, and some requiring the
      observer to merely detect the presence or absence of grouping. Visual attention
      was engaged at the center of the display by a form identification task. The
      detection of a textural discontinuity served as a control task. Concurrent form
      identification conflicted with all four grouping tasks, resulting in a
      significant reduction of grouping performance in each case. No performance
      reduction was observed when either form identification or grouping discrimination
      was combined with the detection of a textural discontinuity. These results
      suggest that perceptual grouping and form identification compete for visual
      attention, whereas the detection of a textural discontinuity does not.

PMID- 1408642
TI  - Letter visibility and word recognition: the optimal viewing position in printed
      words.
AB  - It has repeatedly been shown that the time and accuracy of recognizing a word
      depend strongly on where in the word the eye is fixating. Word-recognition
      performance is maximal when the eye fixates a region near the word's center, and
      decreases to both sides of this "optimal viewing position." The reason for this
      phenomenon is assumed to be the strong drop-off of visual acuity: the visibility
      of letters decreases with increasing eccentricity from fixation location.
      Consequently, fewer letters can be identified when the beginning or ending of a
      word is fixated than when its center is fixated. The present study is a test of
      this visual acuity hypothesis. If the phenomenon is caused by letter visibility,
      then it should be sensitive to variations of visual conditions in which the
      letters are presented. By increasing the interletter distances of the word (e.g.,
      a_t_t_e_m_p_t), letter visibility was decreased. As expected from our hypothesis,
      the viewing-position effect became more exaggerated. An additional experiment
      showed that destroying word-shape information (e.g., aTtEmPt) decreased overall
      word-recognition performance but had no influence on the viewing-position effect.
      Varying the viewing position in words might thus be used as a paradigm, allowing
      one to separate out the contribution of letter information and supraletter
      information to word recognition.

PMID- 1408643
TI  - Geometrical haptic illusions revisited: haptic illusions compared with visual
      illusions.
AB  - Revesz (1934) reported that haptic illusions were observed in almost all of the
      geometrical optical illusion figures. The present study reexamined seven
      geometrical illusions in both haptic and visual modes. In the Muller-Lyer, Ponzo,
      and vertical-horizontal figures, haptic illusions equivalent to the visual
      illusions were observed. In the Oppel-Kundt figure, a haptic illusion similar to
      the visual one was obtained. In the haptic Delboeuf stimuli, the size illusion of
      the outer circle occurred, whereas that of the inner circle did not. No haptic
      illusion was obtained in the Poggendorff figure. In the Zollner figure, a haptic
      illusion directionally opposite to the visual one was obtained. These results
      show that haptic illusions do not occur in all of the geometrical illusion
      figures. They also suggest that haptic illusions are not necessarily mediated by
      visualization and that haptic processing of the figures often occurs in a manner
      different from vision.

PMID- 1408644
TI  - Oculomotor readiness and covert orienting: differences between central and
      peripheral precues.
AB  - The costs produced by invalid precues can depend on the spatial relationship
      between the cued location and the target location. If oculomotor programs mediate
      attention shifts, then the effect of varying the spatial relation between the cue
      and target should be the same for covert orienting (indexed by manual responses)
      and saccadic responses. We found this to be true only for central precues. With
      central precues, both manual and saccadic costs were greater when cue and target
      occurred on opposite sides of the vertical meridian than when they occurred on
      the same side. With peripheral precues, there were no meridian effects in either
      response condition, but there was a significant dissociation in the pattern of
      saccadic and manual costs. For manual responses costs were greater when the
      target was eccentric relative to the cue, whereas for saccades costs were greater
      when the cue was eccentric to the target. These results provide additional
      support for the idea that different orienting mechanisms are engaged by central
      and peripheral precues. They further suggest that the relationship between
      oculomotor and attentional orienting may depend on the nature of the precue, with
      the potential for interdependence being greater with central precues.

PMID- 1408645
TI  - Production of time intervals from segmented and nonsegmented inputs.
AB  - One important factor influencing the accuracy of a timing estimate is the
      counting activity that a human subject may adopt. In the present study, the
      usefulness of this activity is evaluated with a strategy whereby subjects are
      presented segmented and nonsegmented intervals, before they start to produce a
      series of these intervals, using a finger-tapping procedure. The results are
      mainly analyzed in the light of Killeen and Weiss's (1987) model, which addressed
      this question of counting. The results revealed that (1) a scalar property gives
      a better description of the pacemaker activity than does a Poisson process, and
      (2) an optimal timing performance would be reached with the utilization of
      subintervals with an approximate value of 400 msec. Finally, the discussion also
      incorporates an analysis of the variability related to the motor component in a
      tapping task.

PMID- 1408646
TI  - Resolving the control struggle on an eating disorders unit.
AB  - The authors describe the process by which the nursing staff of an eating disorder
      program was able to identify an ineffective treatment model and to implement some
      needed changes. They describe the Therapeutic/Administrative Split Model, a
      method to improve communication and treatment planning between the nurse and
      psychiatrist. How family control issues are mirrored in the treatment process,
      and played out within the transference, are also explored.

PMID- 1408647
TI  - Clozapine: nursing care considerations.
AB  - Since its release for clinical use in February of 1990, an ever-growing number of
      psychiatrists are beginning to use clozapine to treat clients whose psychoses
      have been refractory to conventional measures. While clozapine has been shown to
      have superior antipsychotic efficacy without the standard extrapyramidal side
      effects, it also has some potentially fatal side effects. The unpredictability in
      client response poses a number of issues for nursing, which has an essential role
      in assuring that treatment occurs accurately and safely. The authors share their
      experience in working with clients, families, and staff over the past two years
      who have been actively involved with clozapine.

PMID- 1408648
TI  - Correlating nursing care, nursing practice, and nursing performance standards.
AB  - All too often nursing standards have been viewed as a cumbersome paperwork task
      with little day-to-day practical relevance. Using a matrix approach that
      incorporates nursing role functions and the nursing process, the authors
      developed a model that provides the basis for job descriptions, performance
      appraisals, peer review, and quality management activities.

PMID- 1408650
TI  - The psychiatric treatment plan.
AB  - How the treatment planning process is developed and documented in clinical
      settings is often influenced by various accreditation processes. As healthcare
      organizations attempt to incorporate written findings and verbal recommendations
      of surveyors, an incremental approach to the treatment plan often results. The
      authors describe how they attempted to alleviate this problem by devising a
      conceptual framework for the treatment planning process using current HCFA and
      JCAHO standards and data obtained by reviewing treatment plans from almost 100
      psychiatric hospitals.

PMID- 1408649
TI  - A call for action, the challenge of collaboration.

PMID- 1408651
TI  - The psychodynamic perspective: a conversation with Glen O. Gabbard, MD. Interview
      by Norine J Kerr.
AB  - After providing a broad overview of Dr. Gabbard's recent book, Psychodynamic
      Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, the editor talks with him about a variety of
      topics, including hospital treatment of clients with dissociative disorders,
      sexual abuse, borderline and narcissistic clients, and the current status of
      relationships between psychiatrists and psychiatric mental health nurses.

PMID- 1408652
TI  - Abstracts of the Italian Society of Physiology XIX spring meeting. Firenze,
      Italy, 15-17 April 1992.

PMID- 1408653
TI  - Fever responses in newborn lambs.
AB  - Neonatal lambs failed to respond with an increase in body temperature to i.v.
      injection of both endotoxin (0.4 microgram/kg), a Gram-negative bacterial
      pyrogen, and the cell walls of Staphylococcus aureus (1 x 10(9), a Gram-positive
      bacterial pyrogen. However, the fall in serum iron concentration that normally
      accompanies injection of both the pyrogens in adults was not attenuated in the
      neonates. We believe that the central nervous system origin of the fever pathway
      is suppressed in neonatal lambs.

PMID- 1408654
TI  - Thiazide-sensitive Na-Cl cotransport mediates NaCl absorption in amphibian distal
      tubule.
AB  - To find out the mechanism(s) underlying NaCl absorption in the distal tubule of
      Necturus, we devised a variant of the split-drop technique. Following injection
      an oil column, subsequently split by a NaCl solution isotonic to plasma, a double
      barrelled microelectrode (conventional/selective to Na+ or to Cl- ions) recorded
      Na+ (alpha Na) or Cl- (alpha Cl) activity and transepithelial potential (Vte).
      Paired control/low-Na+ solutions yielded reabsorptive half-times (t1/2) of 0.68
      +/- 0.11 min and 7.6 +/- 1.8 min respectively; corresponding Vte values were 
      22.2 +/- 4.0 mV and -7.6 +/- 1.9 mV. t1/2 values of control versus low-Cl-
      solutions were 0.77 +/- 0.32 min and 6.5 +/- 1.7 min respectively, whereas
      respective Vte values were not different from one another: -23.8 +/- 4.3 mV
      versus -18.8 +/- 5.5 mV. Nominally K(+)-free solutions or bumetanide, 10 mumol/l,
      did not alter t1/2 or Vte, with regard to the paired control. Amiloride, 5
      mumol/l or 2 mmol/l, failed to decrease t1/2 or to lower Vte; apparently, the
      role of a Na+/H+ antiport does not contribute significantly to NaCl absorption.
      Furosemide, 0.1 mmol/l, reduced t1/2 by 54% with regard to the control state.
      Determination of t1/2 as a function of increasing hydrochlorothiazide
      concentrations revealed apical high- and low-affinity sites, estimated at 0.56
      mumol/l and 0.115 mmol/l respectively. Taken together these observations indicate
      that NaCl absorption is predominantly carried out by an electroneutral Na(+)-Cl-
      cotransport.

PMID- 1408655
TI  - Ouabain-induced cell swelling in rabbit connecting tubule: evidence for thiazide
      sensitive Na(+)-Cl- cotransport.
AB  - Mechanisms of Na+ entry across the luminal membrane of the rabbit connecting
      tubule (CNT) and cortical collecting duct (CCD) were investigated in vitro by
      analyzing factors that block the ouabain-induced tubular swelling. In the CNT and
      CCD, cell swelling caused by 100 microM ouabain added to the bath was completely
      blocked by luminal Na+ removal, suggesting that the main factor inducing cell
      swelling is Na+ entry through the luminal membrane. Trichlormethiazide (100
      microM) and amiloride (10 microM) inhibited the swelling in CNT when applied in
      combination to the lumen, but not when given separately. The swelling was also
      inhibited by Cl- omission from the lumen in the presence of amiloride. By
      contrast, no effect was noted when furosemide (100 microM), 4-acetamide-4'
      isothiocyanatostilben-2,2'-disulfonic acid (1 mM) or 5-(N-ethyl-N
      isopropyl)amiloride (100 microM) was added to the lumen in the presence of
      amiloride, indicating the absence of any influence of the Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl-
      cotransporter and the parallel Na+/H+, Cl-/HCO3- exchanger. The cell swelling in
      the CCD was blocked by luminal addition of amiloride alone with no effect from
      trichlormethiazide. In CNT, when the ouabain-induced cell swelling was prevented
      by both diuretics, addition of parathyroid hormone (PTH, 3 nM) to the bath
      induced cell swelling, suggesting that another Na+ entry pathway is newly
      generated by PTH. These results demonstrate that ouabain-induced cell swelling
      depends on Na+ entry across the luminal membrane. In the CNT, the pathways
      include an amiloride-sensitive Na+ channel, thiazide-sensitive Na(+)-Cl-
      cotransport and a PTH-stimulated Na+ pathway, whereas the CCD has only the
      amiloride-sensitive Na+ channel.

PMID- 1408656
TI  - Identification of sodium-dependent and sodium-independent dicarboxylate transport
      systems in rat liver basolateral membrane vesicles.
AB  - The mechanisms involved in the hepatocellular uptake of Krebs-cycle intermediates
      were investigated in isolated basolateral (sinusoidal and lateral) rat liver
      plasma membrane (blLPM) vesicles. An inwardly directed Na+ gradient markedly
      stimulated uptake of 2-oxoglutarate and succinate into voltage- and pH-clamped
      blLPM vesicles. This Na(+)-dependent portion of the dicarboxylate uptake was
      characterized by (a) saturability with increasing substrate concentrations (Km =
      6.4-10 mM; Vmax approximately 0.2 nmol min-1 mg protein-1), (b) cis-inhibition by
      lithium (10 mM), other Krebs-cycle dicarboxylates (1 mM) and DIDS (4,4'
      diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid; 1 mM) but not by sulphate,
      monocarboxylates, oxalate, acidic amino acids, bile salts and probenecid, (c)
      stimulation by an intravesicular negative K(+)-diffusion potential indicating
      electrogenic [(Na+)n greater than 2-succinate] cotransport, and (d) a pH optimum
      for transport between 7.0 and 7.5. In the absence of Na+, an inside alkaline pH
      gradient also markedly stimulated 2-oxoglutarate uptake. This pH-gradient-driven
      2-oxoglutarate uptake was insensitive to lithium, but could also be inhibited by
      DIDS and succinate. Furthermore, saturation kinetics demonstrated Km
      (approximately 34 mM) and Vmax (approximately 0.8 nmol min-1 mg protein-1) values
      that were clearly different from those of the Na(+)-dependent uptake system.
      These results indicate the occurrence of two separate dicarboxylate transport
      systems along the sinusoidal border of hepatocytes, one being a Na(+)
      dicarboxylate symporter and the other representing an anion-exchange system.

PMID- 1408657
TI  - Regional capillary perfusion in muscles with limited blood supply: effects of
      torbafylline.
AB  - Severe limitation of blood supply mainly affects the oxidative regions of
      skeletal muscles. In mammals, they are located medially and are thus not
      accessible to direct observation. We therefore investigated capillary perfusion
      in rat tibialis anterior, which has a predominantly glycolytic cortex and
      oxidative core, using timed intraarterial injection of the fluorochrome
      thioflavine S conjugated with serum albumin. Muscles with intact blood supply
      were compared with those in which the blood supply had been limited for 5 weeks
      by unilateral ligation of the common iliac artery. The effect of a new xanthine
      derivative, torbafylline (1% solution, 12.5 mg/kg, in two daily doses by gavage,
      7 days/week), was also studied. The capillary/fibre ratio was estimated for
      perfused capillaries (those filled with fluorochrome within 7.5 s after
      injection; Cp) and all capillaries (those subsequently stained for alkaline
      phosphatase; Ct), from micrographs of cryostat sections. Regional differentiation
      in relative capillary perfusion was evident in all muscles samples. Cp:Ct was
      0.406 +/- 0.086 (mean +/- 95% CI) in the glycolytic cortex of the contralateral
      normal muscle, and 0.255 +/- 0.071 in the oxidative core. Muscles with limited
      blood supply had a significantly lower proportion of perfused capillaries, 0.119
      +/- 0.056 in glycolytic and 0.034 +/- 0.038 in oxidative regions. Torbafylline
      treatment nearly doubled perfusion in the glycolytic regions (Cp:Ct = 0.216 +/-
      0.137) and nearly quadrupled it in oxidative (Cp:Ct = 0.121 +/- 0.151) regions of
      ischaemic muscles. It also improved perfusion in the contralateral muscles (Cp:Ct
      = 0.705 +/- 0.085 in the glycolytic cortex and 0.583 +/- 0.230 in the oxidative
      core).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408658
TI  - The effects of caffeine and Ca2+ on rigor tension in triton-treated rat
      ventricular trabeculae.
AB  - Ventricular trabeculae from rat heart were chemically skinned with Triton-X 100,
      which disrupts all cellular membranes including the sarcoplasmic reticulum.
      Trabeculae developed a maintained rigor contracture when adenosine triphosphate
      was withdrawn from the bathing medium. In all preparations, the final level of
      rigor force developed in the presence of caffeine (10-40 mM) was greater than
      under control conditions. However, caffeine failed to increase rigor tension when
      applied after contracture had fully developed. The effect of caffeine on rigor
      was maximal at about 15 mM; concentrations greater or less than 15 mM were less
      effective. On average, caffeine decreased the time required to develop half
      maximum rigor force. The caffeine-induced potentiation of rigor force occurred in
      the effective absence of Ca2+ (10(-9) M), in solutions strongly Ca(2+)-buffered
      with [ethylenebis(oxonitrilo)]tetraaceticacid (10-50 mM). In all preparations,
      rigor force was found to be independent of [Ca2+] over the range 10(-10) M to
      about 10(-7) M. These results suggest that caffeine affects rigor force by a
      direct effect on the myofilaments via a mechanism that is independent of Ca2+.

PMID- 1408659
TI  - The time course of thyroid-hormone-induced changes in the isotonic and isometric
      properties of rat soleus muscle.
AB  - Rat thyroidectomy resulted in changes in a number of parameters used to
      characterise the mechanical and histochemical status of skeletal muscle. Thus
      thyroidectomy resulted in a prolongation of soleus slow-twitch muscle isometric
      contraction time and half-relaxation time with a reduced maximum velocity of
      shortening and maximum rate of development of tetanic tension but no significant
      change in twitch: tetanus ratio i.e. the ratio of twitch force/unit area to
      tetanic force/unit area. In addition the percentage of IIA fibres was reduced and
      the percentage of type I fibres increased. Triiodothyronine, administered to
      hypothyroid rats, brought about a speeding of these parameters again with no
      change in twitch: tetanus ratio. There was an increase in the percentage of IIA
      fibres with a concomitant reduction in the percentage of type I fibres. These
      changes were induced over 18 days and resulted in isotonic and isometric
      properties almost identical to those of soleus muscles from chronically
      hyperthyroid rats; speeding could be detected as early as 2 days after
      triiodothyronine had been given. Consideration is given to the possibility that
      changes in myosin isoforms and/or the kinetics of changes in intracellular
      calcium concentration in activation and relaxation could account for the time
      course of the observed changes.

PMID- 1408660
TI  - Simultaneous measurement of intracellular and extracellular carbonic anhydrase
      activity in intact muscle fibres.
AB  - The presence and properties of membrane-bound carbonic anhydrases have been
      difficult to establish with conventional enzymological and immunohistochemical
      techniques. We have therefore studied carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity in single
      intact crayfish muscle fibres by superfusing them alternately with a 4-(2
      hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazine-ethanesulphonic acid (HEPES)-buffered and a 5%
      CO2/HCO3(-)-buffered solution (pH of both solutions 7.4) while recording the
      intracellular pH (pHi) and extracellular surface pH (pHs) with H(+)-selective
      microelectrodes. In order to prevent regulation of pHi, Na+ ions were replaced
      with N-methyl-D-glucamine. Application of the CO2-containing solution produced a
      fast fall in pHi coupled with a marked (0.5-0.8 pH units) transient increase in
      pHs. Submicromolar concentrations of acetazolamide (AA) and benzolamide (BA)
      immediately blocked the pHs transients. A concentration of 8 x 10(-8) M (both
      compounds) reduced the response by 50%. A more prolonged application of BA and AA
      at concentrations of 10(-7) M and higher slowed the CO2-induced fall in pHi,
      which attained a rate corresponding to uncatalysed intracellular CO2 hydration at
      an AA concentration of 10(-4) M. The effect of BA and AA on the pHi changes
      developed with a time constant of 25 +/- 4 min and 7.6 +/- 1.5 min respectively,
      indicating that BA is less permeant than AA. CNO- ions (5 x 10(-4) M) had little
      effect on the CO2-induced pHs and pHi changes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408661
TI  - Basal conductance of frog olfactory cilia.
AB  - The conductance of isolated frog olfactory cilia in the absence of odorants and
      second messengers has been measured. Current flowing through the pipette-membrane
      seal rather than the ciliary membrane was subtracted. In normal physiological
      solutions, each cilium has a conductance averaging 92 pS at the neuronal resting
      potential. This basal conductance allows current to be carried by K+ or Na+ but
      not by Cl-. In some cases, single channels with a unit conductance of 153 pS were
      observed. The conductance of the ciliary membrane implies a length constant for
      electrotonic conduction of about 160 microns. Since the reversal potential of the
      basal conductance is near the neuronal resting potential, it should help to
      stabilize the ciliary potential at some cost to stimulus transduction efficiency.

PMID- 1408662
TI  - Ion conductances of isolated cortical collecting duct cells.
AB  - The study of ion conductances in the intact cortical collecting duct (CCD) with
      the patch-clamp method is rather difficult. An optimized method to isolate CCD
      cells from rat kidneys using an in vivo followed by an in vitro enzyme digestion
      is described. Individual CCD segments were collected after this digestion and
      incubated in EGTA-buffered medium. This procedure resulted in single cells or
      cell clusters. These freshly isolated CCD cells were studied with different
      modifications of the patch-clamp method. Membrane voltages measured in the cell
      attached-nystatin configuration were -74 +/- 1 mV (n = 13) and -68 +/- 3 mV (n =
      22) in cells isolated from normal and mineralocorticoid-treated rats
      respectively. These values and those measured with the nystatin-perforated slow
      whole-cell configuration (-79 +/- 1 mV, n = 23) are comparable to those measured
      in principal cells of isolated CCD segments. The cells hyperpolarized after the
      addition of amiloride and depolarized with the addition of adiuretin to the bath.
      The amiloride effect was enhanced when cells were isolated from
      deoxycorticosterone-acetate-treated rats. The cells were strongly depolarized
      upon elevation of the extracellular K(+)-concentration and did not demonstrate a
      measurable Cl- conductance. A large-conductance K+ channel (174 pS, n = 5, cell
      attached, 145 mmol/l K+ in the pipette; 140 pS, n = 12, cell-free, 3.6 mmol/l K+
      in the bath) was seen. It had a very low activity on the cell, but a high open
      probability when excised into a solution with 1 mmol/l Ca2+ on the cytosolic
      side.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408663
TI  - Reduction of myocardial cross-bridge turnover rate in presence of EMD 53998, a
      novel Ca(2+)-sensitizing agent.
AB  - We have studied the effect of EMD 53998 (5-(1-(3,4-dimethoxybenzoyl)-1,2,3,4
      tetrahydrochinolin-6-yl)-6-me thyl-3,6-dihydro-2H-1,3,4-thiadiazin-2-one) on
      cross-bridge turnover rate at varying Ca2+ concentrations. Cross-bridge cycling
      rate was estimated both by adenosine triphosphatase measurements and
      determination of mechanical characteristics of constantly activated fibres, which
      is assumed to reflect cross-bridge kinetics. The results indicate that the
      turnover rate of myocardial cross-bridges was reduced in the presence of EMD
      53998 at low Ca2+ concentrations (pCa greater than or equal to 6.25), but not at
      higher Ca2+ concentrations (pCa less than or equal to 5.85).

PMID- 1408664
TI  - Extracellular magnesium regulates intracellular free Mg2+ in vascular smooth
      muscle cells.
AB  - Regulatory effects of extracellular magnesium ions ([Mg2+]o) on intracellular
      free ionized magnesium ([Mg2+]i) were examined in cultured vascular smooth muscle
      cells (VSMCs) from rat aorta by digital imaging microscopy using the Mg2+
      fluorescent probe, Mag-fura-2. With normal Mg2+ (1.2 mM)-containing incubation
      media, [Mg2+]i in VSMCs was 0.63 +/- 0.09 mM. The ratio of [Mg2+]i/[Mg2+]o was
      0.52 +/- 0.07. Elevation of [Mg2+]o up to 4.8 mM induced consistent increments in
      [Mg2+]i (to a mean values of 1.63 +/- 0.08 mM) in 5 min and lowered the ratio of
      [Mg2+]i/[Mg2+]o to 0.34 +/- 0.02. Our data suggest that [Mg2+]o can regulate
      [Mg2+]i, which may be related to its effects on intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) and
      tone of VSMCs.

PMID- 1408665
TI  - A perfused-cuvette method for fluorimetric studies of non-adherent cells.
AB  - We have developed a system for immobilizing non-adherent cells for use in
      macroscopic fluorescence measurements in a perfused cuvette. Using normal human T
      lymphocytes loaded with the fluorescent Ca(2+)-indicator, fluo-3, we have
      validated the properties of these cells immobilized on clear, non-fluorescent
      fluorohalocarbon film (Aclar) using the non-charged cell adhesive, Cell-Tak.

PMID- 1408666
TI  - Vasopressin V1-antagonist increases the hydroosmotic response to arginine
      vasopressin in frog urinary bladder.
AB  - V1-antagonist, [Mca1, D-Phe2, Sar7] arginine vasopressin, at a concentration 0.5
      nM to 5 nM increased hydroosmotic effect of 5 nM arginine vasopressin in frog
      urinary bladder. 1 nM V1-antagonist [Mca1, O-Me-Tyr2] arginine vasopressin does
      not changed hydroosmotic effect of 0.1 nM dibutyryl cAMP. We suggest that-both V1
      and V2-receptors are present on epithelial cells of frog urinary bladder and
      that V1-receptors are involved in the modulation of the hydroosmotic effect of
      arginine vasopressin-mediated by V2-receptors. by V2-receptors.

PMID- 1408667
TI  - A new model of plastic ankle foot orthosis (FAFO (II)) against spastic foot and
      genu recurvatum.
AB  - A plastic ankle foot orthosis (AFO) was developed, referred to as functional
      ankle foot orthosis Type 2 (FAFO (II)), which can deal with genu recurvatum and
      the severe spastic foot in walking. Clinical trials were successful for all varus
      and drop feet, and for most cases of genu recurvatum. Electromyogram studies
      showed that the FAFO (II) reduced the spasticity of gastrocnemius and hamstring
      muscles and activated the quadricep muscles. Gait analysis revealed a reduction
      of the knee angles in the stance phase on the affected side when using the FAFO
      (II). Mechanical stress tests showed excellent durability of the orthosis and
      demonstrated its effectiveness for controlling spasticity in comparison with
      other types of plastic AFOs.

PMID- 1408669
TI  - A Swedish knee-cage for stabilizing short below-knee stumps.
AB  - Stump length is an important factor in attaining successful prosthetic
      rehabilitation in below-knee (BK) amputees. Stability of the stump-prosthesis
      complex is impaired in the case of a stump shorter than 10 cm. Thus, fitting a
      prosthesis to a BK amputee with a stump which is very short often requires the
      use of different prosthetic techniques. In this work, the authors suggest the use
      of a Swedish knee-cage attached to a conventional patellar-tendon-bearing
      prosthesis as an alternative solution in the case of a short BK stump. Objective
      evaluation was performed by an analysis of gait and the foot-ground reaction
      forces. The results obtained indicate an improvement in all the measured
      parameters resulting from the modified stump-prosthesis complex.

PMID- 1408668
TI  - Patellar band for patellofemoral disorders: results and indications.
AB  - In patellofemoral disorders, some cases respond well to conservative management
      thus the authors' initial treatment is conservative. The Patellar Band (PB) was
      reported previously (Nakamura et al., 1987). Since then the indications for the
      band have been investigated. Sixty four patients treated by the PB without
      operative treatment were classified into eight groups. The Severity of
      Dysfunction (SOD) was assessed by three grades. The First Grade is dull pain
      after walking or running for a long distance, the Second Grade is sharp pain on
      climbing up and down stairs, the Third Grade is a feeling of insecurity. The
      grouping was as follows: Group Ia - plica syndrome with first Grade of SOD and Ib
      with Second Grade of SOD. Group IIa - chondromalacia with First Grade of SOD and
      IIb with Second Grade of SOD. Group III - maltracking patella with patellar pain
      on flexion. Group IVa - subluxation or dislocation of patella with no previous
      history of patellar symptom and IVb - recurrent dislocation. Group V -
      degenerative change of the patella. The PB has been proved to be most effective
      in Groups Ia, IIa and IVb although it is beneficial in half the cases in Groups
      IIb and III. The subluxation of the patella was partially reduced without
      recurrence of dislocation during sports activity and the feeling of insecurity
      was relieved by the PB. The overall results were not related to age or activity
      level of the patient. The indication of the band for painful knees was not
      clearly determined in this study. In all operated cases, it was effective for
      postoperative instability after lateral release of the retinaculum.

PMID- 1408670
TI  - Mathematical modelling and field trials of an inexpensive endoskeletal above-knee
      prosthesis.
AB  - The swing-phase motion of the shank of an above-knee prosthesis has been modelled
      mathematically. An inexpensive endoskeletal prosthesis was designed using the
      Jaipur foot and conduit pipes with a hinge joint for the knee. Results of field
      trials and the modelling indicate that a very simple above-knee prosthesis can
      give near normal gait at "normal" walking speeds on flat surfaces. The swing of
      the shank is most sensitive to the timing of toe-off.

PMID- 1408671
TI  - Rehabilitation after amputation for vascular disease: a follow-up study.
AB  - Rehabilitation of one hundred and twenty eight patients with lower limb
      amputation performed for vascular disease from 1979 to 1987 was assessed.
      Arteriosclerotic occlusive disease was the most frequent cause of amputation
      (85.9%). Sixty seven patients (52.3%) were diabetic. Early and late results were
      analysed. For long-term follow-up evaluation, Univariate method of Kaplan-Meyer
      product limit was employed. Multifactorial analysis was used to assess factors
      influencing mortality. On immediate evaluation of rehabilitation with a
      prosthesis 85.2% of patients were successfully fitted. On long term evaluation
      47.8% of below-knee and 22.1% of above-knee amputees were alive and using the
      prosthesis full time at five years of follow-up (p = 0.0026). Opposite limb
      preservation at five years was 69.5% for diabetics and 90.2% for non-diabetics,
      respectively (p = 0.0013). Survival rate at five years was 42.4% for diabetics,
      and 85.0% for non-diabetics (p = 0.0002). On multifactorial analysis diabetic
      patients showed a risk of late mortality six times greater than non-diabetics. In
      conclusion rehabilitation after vascular amputation is feasible in a large number
      of patients, despite a limited life span. Diabetes represents a major risk factor
      both for life and for the opposite limb. Knee preservation is an important factor
      for better rehabilitation.

PMID- 1408672
TI  - Cause of death of lower limb amputees.
AB  - A study was carried out on the cause of death of 100 lower limb amputees who had
      been admitted to the Dundee Limb Fitting Centre, Tayside, Scotland for prosthetic
      management or wheelchair training. A comprehensive database has been established
      in the Centre for 25 years and the database is updated regularly. The date of
      death was collected and recorded. One hundred sequential deaths were investigated
      to review the cause of their death and compare this with the recorded causes of
      death for the Tayside population for the year of study. Ninety three per cent had
      an amputation for vascular related causes, with 73% having a below-knee
      amputation and 17% above-knee. Heart disease was the most frequent recorded cause
      of death (51%) of the amputee whereas only 28.1% of the Tayside group died from
      this pathology (p less than 0.01). Carcinomatosis was reported as a cause of
      death in 14% of the amputees and 23.5% of the Tayside group. Cerebrovascular
      disease caused death in 6% of the amputees and in 12.3% of the Tayside group
      (both p less than 0.01). These findings confirm earlier suggestions that vascular
      amputees die from heart disease more often than the general population.

PMID- 1408673
TI  - Revision of amputation stumps in Dodoma--Tanzania.
AB  - The records of Dodoma Orthopaedic Department, Tanzania were reviewed for the
      period July 1986 to December 1990 in order to identify the reasons for revision
      surgery. A total of 26 patients required revision surgery. Two main groups were
      identified. In the first group 4 patients had a higher level of amputation
      because of gangrene. In the second group 22 patients had revision surgery because
      of other stump defects caused by technical mistakes when carrying out the
      original amputation, or other complications.

PMID- 1408674
TI  - The geriatric prosthesis as metaphor: a clinical note.
AB  - This clinical note describes a 96-year-old patient who wears a lengthening
      prosthesis in connection with the shortening of his leg which occurred after
      osteomyelitis of his left knee at the age of six years. The prosthesis was made
      and issued to him when he was twelve years old, and had never been replaced. The
      considerations that need to be made when replacing the prosthesis of an elderly
      patient are discussed. In the case described, the prosthesis is replaced by a
      model that has no fundamental changes from the original. The better fit improves
      walking considerably and the patient is able to move about safely again using a
      walking frame.

PMID- 1408675
TI  - Swimming devices for below-knee amputees.

PMID- 1408676
TI  - The Knud Jansen Lecture. Education: an investment in everyone's future.

PMID- 1408677
TI  - History of prostheses and orthoses in Japan.
AB  - Until the first contact with European civilization in 1543, prostheses and
      orthoses were not seen in Japanese medical history. Some physicians and surgeons
      who studied medicine in the Dutch language understood about prostheses and
      orthoses before the opening of the country in 1868. From 1868 to the end of World
      War II (1945), prostheses and orthoses were influenced by German orthopaedic
      surgery. From the latter half of the 1960s the research and development of these
      have been advanced, because of the establishment of a domestic rehabilitation
      system, international cultural exchange and economic development.

PMID- 1408678
TI  - [Intraarterial urokinase infusion therapy with superselective catheterization for
      acute occlusive cerebrovascular disease].
AB  - Intraarterial urokinase infusion therapy with superselective catheterization was
      performed on 11 patients for acute occlusive cerebrovascular disease. The
      subjects were five men and six women with a mean age of 70 years (range, 48-83
      years). Nine of 11 patients had middle cerebral artery occlusion and two had
      basilar artery occlusion. The interval from onset to infusion ranged from 3.5 to
      9 hours, and the total dosage of urokinase from 24 x 10(4) to 150 x 10(4) IU.
      Recanalization of the occluded artery was achieved in nine patients (82%), and
      favorable clinical outcome was achieved in seven patients (64%). Six of whom were
      discharged with no neurologic deficits. Hemorrhagic infarction occurred in two
      patients without clinical deterioration. Our observations suggest that
      intraarterial urokinase infusion therapy with superselective catheterization may
      be very useful in the acute stage of occlusive cerebrovascular disease.

PMID- 1408679
TI  - [Echocardiography-guided transseptal left atrial puncture: a safe approach to
      percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy].
AB  - Transseptal left atrial puncture has generally been carried out under
      fluoroscopic control. In our experience, cardiac tamponade occurred in 3 of 83
      cases during transseptal puncture for percutaneous transvenous mitral
      commissurotomy (PTMC) and percutaneous transvenous aortic valvuloplasty (PTAV).
      We tried to perform the puncture under simultaneous fluoroscopic and 2DE guidance
      to decrease the rate of complications. As a result, no complication has occurred
      in 55 cases. Furthermore, 2DE indicated that directing the puncture needle
      towards 4 or 5 o'clock was inappropriate, but that 3 o'clock was an appropriate
      direction for puncture of the fossa ovalis of a left atrium dilated because of
      mitral stenosis. In conclusion, transseptal left atrial puncture can safely and
      easily be carried out under a combination of fluoroscopic and 2DE guidance, as
      this procedure displays the correct position and direction of the needle tip for
      interatrial septal puncture.

PMID- 1408680
TI  - [A study of irradiated spines in radiotherapy--using 99mTc-HMDP bone scintigraphy
      & MR imaging].
AB  - When radiation therapy is performed on a patient with malignant tumor, vertebral
      spines are sometimes included in the irradiation field. In the present study,
      99mTc-HMDP uptake was examined in 102 cases of malignant tumors treated with
      radiation therapy (irradiated total doses from 10 to 70 Gy) in order to clarify
      the time course of accumulation. The scintigram on the film was transformed with
      a film digitizer into objective data, and the Accumulation Decreasing Index (ADI)
      was calculated each month after irradiation. In the group receiving less than 30
      Gy, recovery of 99mTc-HMDP accumulation was seen after a mild decrease in the
      ADI. However, in the group that received more than 40 Gy, no recovery of
      accumulation was seen, and a large decrease in the ADI followed. Vertebral MRI
      was performed with and without Gd-DTPA enhancement to calculate the vertebral
      Signal Intensity Ratio (SIR), and decreased blood flow in the irradiated bone
      marrow was estimated from the changes in SIR values. In the irradiated area, no
      definite abnormal accumulation of 99mTc-HMDP was observed against the new
      metastatic bone tumor. In such cases, MRI should be performed soon after bone
      scintigraphy in order to detect the tumor.

PMID- 1408681
TI  - [Fluid-fluid levels in bone and soft tissue tumors demonstrated by MR imaging].
AB  - Fluid-fluid levels in bone tumors have been described in aneurysmal bone cysts
      and other cystic tumors of bones and soft tissue tumors. We experienced three
      bone tumors (simple bone cyst, bone metastasis, and osteosarcoma) and three soft
      tissue tumors (fibrosarcoma, two cases of cavernous hemangioma) that showed fluid
      fluid levels on MR, and investigated their cause. Causes included blood in the
      cystic spaces, hemorrhage in the tumor, the telangiectatic component of the
      osteosarcoma, and the cavernous component of the hemangioma. No specific
      diagnosis could be made based on the finding of fluid-fluid levels. We conclude
      that fluid-fluid levels on MR are rather nonspecific findings in bone and soft
      tissue tumors and that the diagnosis should be made on the basis of other
      radiological and clinical findings.

PMID- 1408682
TI  - Limited remodelling of expansile Ewing sarcoma after treatment.
AB  - Radiological findings of Ewing sarcoma have been well documented, and bone
      expansion or cystic change is known to be a relatively uncommon finding. On the
      other hand, expected changes in Ewing sarcoma after treatment have also been
      reported, e.g. regression of extraosseous soft tissue mass, regression and
      organization of the periosteal reaction, and remodelling of the lytic or
      sclerotic bone changes. However, remodelling of bone is often limited or
      incomplete. We saw an atypical change in Ewing sarcoma after treatment due to
      lack of significant remodelling of the expanding bone. Because such changes might
      be a cause of misdiagnosis, knowledge of it will help the radiologist in the
      follow up evaluation.

PMID- 1408683
TI  - [Computed tomographic evaluation of advanced gastric cancer].
AB  - Pre-operative CT of 75 gastric cancer lesions in 74 patients were evaluated for
      CT diagnosis of N-factor, n-factor and pancreatic invasion. 1. Sensitivity of CT
      diagnosis of N-factor was depended upon the size of the lymph node; Group A,
      where all nodular density within the fat plane of anatomical lymph node location
      were called abnormal, revealed 73.8% sensitivity. Sensitivity of group B was
      69.8%, group C was 60.4% and group D was 28.6%. Pre-education of operators did
      not significantly affect the sensitivity. 2. CT detected No. 3, 7, 8, 9, 12, 14,
      and 16 in higher sensitivity, and No. 2, 4, 5 and 15 in lower sensitivity as N
      factor. 3. Overall CT sensitivity of n-factor diagnosis was 48.5% and specificity
      was 95.6% and accuracy was 88.5%. No. 3, 7 and 8 showed higher sensitivity and
      specificity, but low sensitivity and specificity were noted at No. 1 and 4. 4.
      Pancreatic invasion was evaluated objectively from ROC, and sensitivity was 80.0%
      and 73.3% with and without operative findings, respectively.

PMID- 1408684
TI  - [MR imaging of thymoma--comparison with CT, operative, and pathological
      findings].
AB  - Twenty-six patients with thymoma, who had magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and
      computed tomography (CT) before surgery, were studied. Twenty-six thymomas were
      classified into 11 non-invasive thymomas (Masaoka's clinical stage I) and 15
      invasive thymomas (stage II, III, and IV). On MR imaging compared with
      histological findings, low signal intensity rim of the tumor was corresponded to
      fibrous capsule of the tumor, and linear and/or reticular low signal intensity
      lines in the tumor were corresponded to the fibrous septae dividing thymoma into
      lobules. The detectability of these findings by MR imaging was superior to that
      by CT. Margin of the tumor was smooth in non-invasive thymoma rather than
      invasive thymoma. The diagnostic accuracy of invasion to vessel, and pleura or
      lung on MR imaging and CT was compared with operative and histological findings.
      MR imaging was same as CT in its ability to detect tumoral invasion to vessel,
      and slightly superior to pleura or lung. In conclusion MR images clearly show the
      findings corresponding to pathologic specimens, and MR imaging combining with CT
      is useful to differentiate non-invasive thymoma to invasive thymoma.

PMID- 1408685
TI  - [Effects of contrast media under systemic heparinization on blood coagulation and
      fibrinolytic system during angiocardiography--comparison of ionic and nonionic
      contrast media].
AB  - Nonionic contrast media are suggested to cause increased thromboembolism (in
      vivo), because of less inhibitory action on blood coagulation and platelet
      aggregation (in vitro) as compared with ionic contrast media. Therefore, to
      prevent thrombotic complication, we examined whether differences in blood
      coagulation and fibrinolytic system between the two groups received nonionic
      (iopamidol) and ionic (ioxaglate) contrast media are seen in vivo when 2,500 unit
      heparin is administered during angiocardiography. 20 patients undergoing routine
      angiocardiography were randomized to two groups of 10 patients each. Blood
      heparin concentration, activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time,
      thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT), antithrombin III, fibrinogen, alpha 2
      plasmin inhibitor plasmin complex, fibrinogen and fibrin degradation product were
      measured at four stages during the procedure: before and 5 min after 2,500 unit
      bolus heparin administration, 5 min after left ventriculography, and at the end
      of procedure. Systemic heparinization inhibited clot formation in the presence of
      nonionic contrast media. TAT generations were elevated before heparinization,
      after heparinization, however these generations were remarkably inhibited in both
      groups. No remarkable differences were noted at 40 +/- 14 min duration of
      procedure when these parameters were compared between the two groups. Since
      nonionic contrast media did not activate blood coagulation and fibrinolytic
      system with 2,500 unit heparin administration as compared with ionic contrast
      media, systemic heparinization was demonstrated to be effective in the prevention
      of thrombotic complication.

PMID- 1408686
TI  - [An experimental study on MR lymphography with various iron colloid agents].
AB  - Magnetic resonance (MR) lymphography with iron colloid agents was evaluated in an
      animal model. The agents examined were ferric gluconate (FeG), saccharated ferric
      oxide (SFO), iron chondroitin sulfate (ICS) and cideferron (CiF), which were used
      as intravenous medication for iron deficiency anemia. The author performed time
      dose-response and correlative histologic studies. MR images of the popliteal
      lymph nodes of rabbits were obtained at 1.5 T with a spin-echo sequence (TR =
      300, TE = 30 msec) before and after subcutaneous injection of the agents to
      dorsal hind-feet. The images were evaluated by signal intensity (SI). Histologic
      specimens were evaluated for distribution and relative quantity of stained iron
      with a color image analyzer. The SI with FeG 4 mgFe increased by 50% at 5 to 60
      minutes after injection but returned to the pre-contrast level 48 hours after.
      The SIs with SFO 8 mgFe, ICS 1 mgFe and CiF 1 mgFe decreased to the background
      level at 60 minutes and 48 hours after. The histologic study in combination with
      the images indicated that in case of FeG the particles in lymph increased SI
      while in the other agents those within macrophages decreased SI.

PMID- 1408688
TI  - Digital imaging of dose distributions using NMR imager.

PMID- 1408687
TI  - [Histopathological study of the esophageal injury induced by high-dose-rate
      intracavitary irradiation. Experimental study on the rabbits].
AB  - Despite the effectiveness of the intracavitary irradiation as the boost therapy
      for the esophageal cancer, the side effect of the normal part of the esophagus
      has not been studied enough. The purpose of this study is to investigate the
      histopathological responses of the rabbit esophagus to the high-dose-rate
      intracavitary irradiation. Esophageal ulcer was observed in the specimen received
      a dose of 15 Gy during 7 to 28 days after irradiation. Before the mucosal changes
      were observed, edema and cell infiltration were found in lamina propria. Chronic
      injury such as necrosis and degeneration of epithelium, and degeneration of the
      wall of blood vessels was seen at 6 months. No marked changes were found in the
      specimen received doses of 5 and 10 Gy. The influences of administration of
      mucosal protection agent and cancer chemotherapeutic drug were also studied.
      Administration of mucosal protection agent protected the occurrence of severe
      ulcer and accelerated the recovery from mucosal damage. Administration of cancer
      chemotherapeutic agent enhanced the radiation injury by the intracavitary
      irradiation of the esophagus. In conclusion, it was strongly suggested that a
      single dose of the high-dose-rate intracavitary irradiation should be reduced
      less than 10 Gy to prevent the esophagus from severe injury.

PMID- 1408689
TI  - [A survey of annual radiation dose for radiation workers from occupational and
      medical exposures in Kyushu].
AB  - This study was carried out to determine annual dose equivalents of exposure in
      workers exposed to medical radiation and occupational radiation in an enterprise
      associated with nuclear power plants. The results indicated that medical exposure
      is much higher than occupational exposure. Average annual effective dose
      equivalents for medical and occupational exposure were 4.0-7.5 mSv and 2.4-3.6
      mSv, respectively. Individual occupational exposure limits have been well
      controlled and maintained at one-fifth of the dose limit for radiation workers
      (50 mSv/yr). On the other hand, medical exposure in the older workers of this
      enterprise has been increasing as a result of X-ray diagnosis with barium meal.

PMID- 1408690
TI  - [Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunt (TIPSS)].
AB  - Our first clinical experience of TIPSS made for a 52-year-old patient with
      recurrent life threatening variceal bleeding is described. Although shunt-making
      between the right hepatic vein and the right portal vein and placement of
      Gianturco-Rosch Z stents were successfully made without significant complication
      related to the procedure, sufficient decompression of the portal vein pressure
      was not obtained because of compression on these stents at the tortuous portion
      of the shunting tract. Some technical problems of the procedure are also
      discussed, especially about choice of metallic stents and puncture technique.

PMID- 1408691
TI  - [Endoscopic visualization of luminal organ and great vessels with three
      dimensional CT scanner. A new trial using volumetric CT].
AB  - Thirty cases examined by three dimensions CT scanner (3DCT) were reported. The
      observation of inner view using 3DCT were performed in 12 large vessels with
      vascular disorder, 10 pulmonary bronchus with lung cancer and 8 common bile ducts
      involved obstructive disease. In order to visualize interface of the lumen, a new
      software which was devekioed by HITACHI MEDICO Inc. and us was brought in. In all
      cases but one the inner view of the luminal organ was clearly demonstrated as 3D
      images and it was possible to judge some changes of luminal interface involved by
      the diseases. The 3DCT endoscopic image might be useful as a new endoscopic
      technique without fiberscopy.

PMID- 1408692
TI  - New Jersey State Nurses' Association history: what is past is prologue.

PMID- 1408694
TI  - Perspectives in nursing 1991-1993.

PMID- 1408693
TI  - Nursing datasource 1992. Volume I. Trends in contemporary nursing education.

PMID- 1408695
TI  - Distance education: turf and technology.

PMID- 1408696
TI  - Recent trends in nursing education.

PMID- 1408698
TI  - A caring community within acute-care institutions? It can be done, and here's
      how.

PMID- 1408699
TI  - Violence against women: clinical issues.

PMID- 1408697
TI  - Case management: within and beyond the walls.
AB  - Results of this study demonstrated no significant differences in the frequency of
      the instrumental use of case management skills between nurses who graduated from
      the NAMFE program (NAMFE group) and those who were about to enter the program
      (comparison group); however, there was a significant difference (p < .0001 level)
      in the perceived preparation for performance of these skills between the two
      groups. Currently, few educational programs provide nurses with the essential
      knowledge and skills to function in the role of case manager; yet, the job market
      demands it of them. The program was able to fill the gap between education and
      service. Although the NAMFE course no longer is available for continuing
      education credit through the University of Kansas School of Nursing, the course
      currently is offered as an elective for senior level students and graduate
      students. Also, the curriculum materials and teaching strategies manuals,
      developed as part of this grant, and consultations regarding the use of these
      materials are available.

PMID- 1408700
TI  - Home care: the direction of future health care services.

PMID- 1408702
TI  - Presidential address for the biennial convention.

PMID- 1408701
TI  - Competition in accrediting: letting other voices be heard.

PMID- 1408703
TI  - Community-based nursing education in El Salvador.

PMID- 1408704
TI  - Here there be dragons: departing the behaviorist paradigm for state board
      regulation.

PMID- 1408705
TI  - Quality education for minorities: myths, realities, and strategies.

PMID- 1408706
TI  - Nursing and society--the unfinished agenda for the 21st century.

PMID- 1408707
TI  - Diversity in nursing faculty hinges on diversity in nursing students.
AB  - In this chapter, I attempted to explicate and highlight some of the
      interrelationships which exist in higher education between white male and female
      faculty members from a minority perspective. I discussed the effect of attitudes
      on the success of minority students and faculty in light of projected demographic
      changes. I hope that white female faculty members will become more cognizant of
      how negative attitudes impact upon both their own performance in higher education
      and also how the inculcation of these attitudes can be transferred to minority
      faculty members with devastating results. Change is difficult in all spheres of
      life, but without some modicum of change, life will go on as usual. Minority
      faculty members and students deserve at the very least a fair chance in the game
      we call higher education.

PMID- 1408708
TI  - Educational implications of nursing faculty diversity.

PMID- 1408709
TI  - Valuing cultural diversity in nursing faculty.

PMID- 1408710
TI  - Nursing from the international perspective.

PMID- 1408711
TI  - A community-based health program for the homeless.

PMID- 1408712
TI  - Nursing and community advocacy: health needs of the young.

PMID- 1408713
TI  - A church-based program for the homeless.

PMID- 1408714
TI  - Prevention as the intervention of choice.

PMID- 1408715
TI  - Distance education: turf and technology.
AB  - Distance learning fits with the mission and strategic plan of the University of
      Texas at Arlington. We believe these educational opportunities in nursing are
      highly desirable. The Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of Texas has
      approved this project and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has
      approved it as a pilot project. The school will continue evaluation and creative
      problem-solving in the use of distance education.

PMID- 1408716
TI  - Distant learning in nursing.

PMID- 1408717
TI  - [New winds in the Scandinavian labor market].

PMID- 1408718
TI  - [Good experiences with telemedicine in the regional hospital of Tromso].
AB  - The University Hospital of Tromso and the Norwegian Telecom Research project
      "Telemedicine in North Norway" has used video conferences as a tool in making
      remote diagnosis in the medical areas: Pathology, diagnosis from microscope
      images; dermatology, endoscopy in otorhinolaryngology, echocardiology and
      radiology. The project has also developed a communication system between general
      physicians and the department of the clinical chemistry in which test results are
      transported electronically from the laboratory to the physicians. Experience to
      date suggests that the quality of telecommunication in diagnostic services is
      good and that access to such facilities is beneficial to the users.

PMID- 1408719
TI  - Epidemiology of childhood diabetes in the Baltic area.
AB  - Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is a chronic disease with unknown
      aetiology and therefore without effective measures for its prevention. Both
      genetic and environmental factors play a role in the development of the disease.
      Comparative studies between different populations of varying genetic and
      environmental backgrounds are needed for better understanding of the aetiology of
      IDDM.

PMID- 1408720
TI  - [Insulin treatment--its physiological principle].
AB  - Insulin treatment based on the physiological principle not only results in better
      glucose homeostasis but also in improved quality of life for the patients. The
      frequency of metabolic events also seems to be controlled, particularly when the
      multiple injection system is used. However, a prerequisite is regular, preferably
      daily, blood sugar monitoring to enable the insulin dosage to be adapted
      according to food intake and exercise. Advances in our knowledge of the
      importance of the injection technique used may contribute to the optimisation of
      insulin treatment and thus of glucose homeostasis.

PMID- 1408721
TI  - Advances in diabetes research.

PMID- 1408722
TI  - [Chronic inflammatory bowel disease].
AB  - Chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses the disease entities,
      ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). An aetiologic agent has not yet
      been defined and the diagnosis is based, therefore, on the sum of clinical,
      paraclinical, radiologic, endoscopic and histopathologic features. In recent
      years pathogenetic studies have focused on immune mechanisms, transmissible
      infectious agents, the potential role of the normal intestinal flora, dietary
      factors, enzymatic alterations and genetic features, in addition to vascular,
      neuromotor, allergic and psychologic factors. The corner stones in medical
      therapy of IBD are still corticosteroids and sulphasalazine (SAZ). The new oral
      salicylates, which are analogues of SAZ or "slow release" preparations of 5
      aminosalicylic acid (mesalazine), have provided a therapeutic progress, because
      they are tolerated better than SAZ. Immunosuppressive agents, such as
      azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine, reduce the requirement for corticosteroids and
      are effective in refractory CD, but the effect is delayed up to several months.
      The therapeutic action of cyclosporine A is not sustained, but often associated
      with side effects. Metronidazole has a beneficial effect on perineal disease. The
      efficacy of antimycobacterial drugs, sodium-cromoglycate, lidocaine, clonidine
      and sucralfate has been reported only in optimistic case stories and small open
      trials. A diet, rich in omega-3-fatty acids, modifies leukotriene (LT)
      production, but its clinical efficacy is insufficient. The first anti-leukotriene
      drug, zileuton, has recently been evaluated and a significant, although
      insufficient, clinical response was obtained by a 70 per cent inhibition of
      rectal LTB4 synthesis. Dietary therapy may be useful as an adjunct to treatment
      of local complications in CD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1408723
TI  - [Life style patterns in patients with chronic disease].

PMID- 1408724
TI  - [Which factors cause type-1 diabetes?].
AB  - Type 1 diabetes is due to selective and irreversible destruction of pancreatic
      beta-cells via an autoimmune process. The pathogenetic course is dependent both
      upon genetic predisposition for the disease and upon one or more environmental
      factors--eg, viral infection, dietary factors, and exposure to toxins or mental
      stress.

PMID- 1408725
TI  - [Can type-1 diabetes in children be prevented?].
AB  - Increased knowledge of the etiopathogenesis of Type 1 diabetes has focused great
      interest on the possibilities of preventing the disease. Type 1 diabetes is
      considered to be a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by gradual beta-cell
      destruction mediated by autoreactive T-lymphocytes during an asymptomatic
      prediabetic phase of varying duration. Both experimental and epidemiologic data
      indicate that nutritional cow milk exposure early in life may play a critical
      role in the initiation of beta-cell destruction. Accordingly a primary prevention
      study has been planned to test the hypothesis that dietary elimination of cow
      milk proteins over the first 9 months of life will decrease the subsequent risk
      of childhood type 1 diabetes in high risk infants. The possibility of identifying
      prediabetic individuals before decisive loss of beta-cell function by various
      islet cell-specific autoantibodies enables measures of secondary prevention in
      the prediabetic phase. There are indications from experimental and human studies
      that nicotinamide, a water-soluble group B vitamin, may be effective in
      preventing or delaying the presentation of diabetes. A European multicentre study
      will be initiated in the near future to explore whether oral nicotinamide can
      prevent or delay the clinical manifestation of Type 1 diabetes in high risk first
      degree relatives of diabetic children. We have to wait for the results of these
      intervention studies for years, and similarly other prevention strategies have to
      be tested in large-scale long-lasting clinical trials. Nevertheless, prevention
      of childhood diabetes may become a reality in the next century.

PMID- 1408726
TI  - [Diabetic coma--an unnecessary death].
AB  - Diabetic ketoacidosis remains a significant cause of death in cases of insulin
      dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Among patients hospitalised for diabetic
      ketoacidosis, the death rate is 5-10 per cent, cardiovascular disease, infection,
      and ARDS (adult respiratory distress syndrome) being major contributory factors,
      whereas the degree of acidosis does not differ from that among survivors.
      Ketoacidosis is a major determinant of the two-fold higher mortality among the
      youngest age-groups of IDDM patients. The age-specific incidence of ketoacidosis
      among patients under 20 years of age is several time higher than that among
      patients over 50. Intensified insulin treatment, using multiple injections or
      insulin pumps, probably results in an increased risk of insulin deficiency owing
      to the smaller insulin depots. Thus, there is a need of intensified testing for
      ketonuria and improved education of patients, physicians and other health care
      personnel, in order to promote the prevention or rapid, effective treatment of
      diabetic ketoacidosis.

PMID- 1408727
TI  - [Diabetic nephropathy].
AB  - Diabetic nephropathy is a common complication in diabetes mellitus. In addition
      to the risk of renal failure, patients with established nephropathy are at
      increased risk of proliferative retinopathy and cardiovascular disease. As the
      earliest prodrome of nephropathy is microalbuminuria, albumin excretion needs to
      be monitored with a reliable method in all diabetics. In the event of
      microalbuminuria, diabetes treatment needs to be intensified to optimise
      metabolic regulation. Early institution of antihypertensive treatment is
      essential to avoid progression to clinical nephropathy.

PMID- 1408729
TI  - [Scandinavian Central Committee Meeting in Tromso. Physician unemployment and
      structural changes in delivery of Scandinavian health care].

PMID- 1408728
TI  - [Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus--improved prognosis and insurance outlook].
AB  - The marked improvement during recent years in prognosis for patients with insulin
      dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), has also had actuarial consequences. In the
      article is described the development in prognosis over the past 60 years, based
      (inter alia) on findings in almost 3,000 IDDM patients with onset during the
      period, 1933-1972, and referred to the Niels Steensens Hospital in Denmark.

PMID- 1408730
TI  - [Treatment of advanced anal cancer].
AB  - Anal carcinoma affects between 30 and 40 Norwegians every year. The disease is
      twice as frequent in women as in men. It is usually located in the anal canal
      only, and is cured by a combination treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
      Metastatic anal carcinoma has a poor prognosis. We present two such cases. 5
      fluorouracil in combination with cisplatin or mitomycin C can give responses even
      in advanced cases. Radiotherapy may also be of value. In view of the difference
      between norwegian clinics in the treatment of anal carcinoma, there would appear
      to be a need of a Scandinavian or international study based on standardized
      treatment.

PMID- 1408731
TI  - [Hospice care in general practice?].
AB  - In a primary health care district in southern Sweden, a programme was launched to
      treat terminally ill cancer patients in their own homes, on the lines of the
      hospice mode. The quality of life of these patients has been found to be
      improved, and the cost to the community to be less than that of institutionalised
      hospital care. Other patient categories that might benefit from this form a care
      are those with AIDS, severe neurological diseases, or chronic cardiac or
      respiratory insufficiency.

PMID- 1408732
TI  - [Lead and health].
AB  - Large sums are being invested in the USA at present with a view to reducing the
      exposure of risk groups to lead. The Centers for Disease Control (Atlanta) have
      recently issued new limits for lead concentrations in children, the Occupational
      Safety and Health Administration is preparing to issue new threshold limit values
      (TLVs) for airborne lead in the USA, and a national laboratory control system is
      being built up.

PMID- 1408733
TI  - Questions concerning plasma cell leukaemia.
AB  - The classical concept of plasma cell leukaemia (PCL) is reviewed. This disease
      invariably concerns myeloma, either in its terminal phase (secondary PCL) or
      particularly rapid and aggressive (primary PCL). A more precise definition of
      primary PCL would be given by the term leukaemic myelomatosis. Characterization
      of the membrane antigen CD 56, responsible for the cytoadhesion of malignant
      plasmocytes in the bone marrow, today offers a convincing pathogenic hypothesis
      to elucidate this affection which would now appear to be no more than a variant
      form of myeloma. Acute immunoblastic-plasmoblastic leukaemia and mature cell
      leukaemic lymphoma would seem to be pathologically related to PCL. Finally, the
      problems posed by the "enigmatic" plasmacytoid monocyte are discussed.

PMID- 1408734
TI  - Progress and survival factors in acute non lymphocytic leukemia. A 15 year
      analysis.
AB  - We analyzed a population of adults with acute non lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL)
      treated from 1972-1989 to identify prognostic factors and the influence of
      therapy over time. To 179 patients treated at Sunnybrook Medical Centre (SMC)
      were added 114 patients from published patient series from Princess Margaret
      Hospital (PMH) all treated during that period. All PMH and 98 SMC patients
      received one of three remission induction protocols: CAV (cyclophosphamide,
      cytosine arabinoside [ara-C], vincristine) 1973-1976 (n = 46); ACT (Adriamycin,
      ara-C +/- 6-thioguanine) 1976-1983 (n = 83); high dose ara-C and corticosteroids
      1983-1987 (n = 83). The remainder either received supportive therapy only or
      minimally toxic therapy (e.g., low dose ara-C, 6-mercaptopurine) due to
      presenting complications such as advanced age, severe concurrent medical
      condition, or most recently at SMC only, mitoxanthrone and ara-C, and were
      excluded from analysis. Responses obtained at the two institutions were
      identical, no survival advantage of any particular protocol was seen. Overall
      median survival was 8.5 months for patients treated on protocol and 20 months for
      those entering complete remission. Patients treated with supportive or minimally
      toxic therapy (n = 76) had a median survival of less than two months. In
      multivariate analysis, the only important factors for survival were complete
      response to initial therapy; complete response to second induction therapy
      following either first relapse (n = 89) or lack of complete response to first
      therapy (n = 15); and normal cytogenetic analysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1408736
TI  - Serum and erythrocyte ferritin in regular blood donors.
AB  - This study evaluated 217 regular blood donors, with the aim of measuring their
      iron stores and recording the influence of donation frequency. In the population
      studied, 10% of men and 15% of women showed reduced iron stores of the
      erythropoietic marrow (erythrocyte ferritin less than the normal range) and 64%
      of the population showed a latent deficiency in iron (serum ferritin values less
      than the reference values). An increase in donation frequency was followed by an
      important decrease in serum ferritin concentration. Blood haemoglobin levels were
      inferior to control limits in 4% of men and 15% of women, measurements of
      haemoglobin being the legal screening test performed at the time of donation.
      However, this test gives a late indication of an already established iron
      deficiency and should be replaced by the determination of serum ferritin in order
      to avoid the possible appearance of iron deficiency. Erythrocyte ferritin is
      another late indicator of iron depletion and hence is of little interest for the
      control of blood donors.

PMID- 1408735
TI  - Monitoring of erythropoiesis by serum transferrin receptor levels in a case of
      chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and pure red cell aplasia treated with ciclosporin.
AB  - The authors present the case of a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
      complicated by pure red cell aplasia. Successful treatment with ciclosporin was
      facilitated by assay of serum transferrin receptor, which demonstrated a prompt
      and sustained response of marrow erythropoiesis to this therapy.

PMID- 1408737
TI  - A complex pattern of antigen receptor gene rearrangements in a case of
      Philadelphia positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
AB  - The paper describes a case of Philadelphia (Ph) positive acute lymphoblastic
      leukaemia (ALL) presenting with high white cell count and central nervous system
      involvement. Immunophenotypically the case was characterized as common ALL. The
      t(9;22) abnormality corresponded to a rearrangement within the breakpoint cluster
      region gene, while antigen receptor gene studies showed multiple rearrangements
      of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IGH) concomitant with a single
      rearrangement of the T cell receptor beta chain gene (TCR beta). We speculate
      that this case represents the neoplastic transformation of a stem cell, the Ph
      abnormality being involved in the early steps of transformation. It is
      conceivable that the IGH but not the TCR beta gene was accessible to
      recombination within the malignant clone, thus generating the multiple
      rearrangements observed. If this is the case, these findings would appear to be
      compatible with the hypothesis that antigen receptor gene rearrangements may be
      partly dependent on the accessibility of the corresponding genetic loci.

PMID- 1408738
TI  - Hairy cell leukemia and factor VIII inhibitor: a case report.
AB  - Acquired factor VIII inhibitors are usually described in hemophilia A, although
      some cases have been documented in chronic inflammatory diseases and malignant
      tumors. We report here the first case of a factor VIII inhibitor appearing in the
      course of hairy cell leukemia. Interferon therapy over a 5 month period led to
      complete remission of leukemia with parallel disappearance of the acquired factor
      VIII inhibitor.

PMID- 1408739
TI  - Tuberculosis associated hemophagocytic syndrome complicated with severe bone
      marrow failure and disseminated intravascular coagulation.
AB  - Tuberculosis associated hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) has recently been
      recognized as a benign reactive histiocytic proliferation with marrow
      hemophagocytosis. To our knowledge, only five autopsy documented cases have
      previously been reported. We present here a unique case of the disorder
      complicated by severe bone marrow failure and disseminated intravascular
      coagulation. The possible mechanisms of these complications are discussed and it
      is concluded that the immunological disturbances usually occurring in miliary
      tuberculosis could play a role in the pathogenesis of HPS.

PMID- 1408740
TI  - Long-term survival in remission of adult acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients.

PMID- 1408741
TI  - Identification of Ets-like lymphoid specific elements within the immunoglobulin
      heavy chain 3' enhancer.
AB  - Recently we identified an additional enhancer in the 3' end of the immunoglobulin
      heavy chain (IgH) locus. To identify individual regulatory elements within the
      rat IgH 3' enhancer, deletion analysis was performed. Transfection experiments
      using reporter constructs suggest that the enhancer contains three functionally
      distinct domains, two of which are lymphoid specific and one domain is active in
      both lymphoid and in nonlymphoid cells. The three domains together contribute to
      enhancer function and act synergistically. Further analyses suggest that a
      putative mu E1 site, octanucleotide motif, mu E3 site, and mu B/Ets-like motif
      are important for the overall transcriptional activity of the IgH 3' enhancer.
      Moreover, we provide evidence that an additional Ets-like element, micro A, is
      involved in the tissue specific regulation of enhancer activity and that binding
      of a protein to this element correlates with the transcriptional activity of one
      of the lymphoid restricted domains.

PMID- 1408742
TI  - An abasic site analogue activates a c-Ha-ras gene by a point mutation at modified
      and adjacent positions.
AB  - Synthetic c-Ha-ras genes with an analogue of an abasic site in the first or the
      second position of codon 12, or in the second position of codon 61 were
      constructed and transfected into NIH3T3 cells. The genes with the lesions in
      codon 12 exhibited more focus formation than a normal c-Ha-ras gene, while the
      gene with the lesion in codon 61 did not. Transformed cells were isolated from
      the foci, and the c-Ha-ras genes present in the transformants were analysed. A
      point mutation to A in the modified position was found most frequently in the
      cases of ras genes modified in codon 12. Surprisingly, point mutations in the
      adjacent position were also detected. These results indicate that dTMP, and not
      dAMP, was mainly incorporated into the sites opposite to the abasic site
      analogue, and that incorrect deoxynucleotides were incorporated in the position
      adjacent to the abasic site analogue.

PMID- 1408743
TI  - Sequence comparison of new prokaryotic and mitochondrial members of the
      polypeptide chain release factor family predicts a five-domain model for release
      factor structure.
AB  - We have recently reported the cloning and sequencing of the gene for the
      mitochondrial release factor mRF-1. mRF-1 displays high sequence similarity to
      the bacterial release factors RF-1 and RF-2. A database search for proteins
      resembling these three factors revealed high similarities to two amino acid
      sequences deduced from unassigned genomic reading frames in Escherichia coli and
      Bacillus subtilis. The amino acid sequence derived from the Bacillus reading
      frame is 47% identical to E.coli and Salmonella typhimurium RF-2, strongly
      suggesting that it represents B.subtilis RF-2. Our comparison suggests that the
      expression of the B.subtilis gene is, like that of the E.coli and S. typhimurium
      RF-2 genes, autoregulated by a stop codon dependent +1 frameshift. A comparison
      of prokaryotic and mitochondrial release factor sequences, including the putative
      B.subtilis RF-2, leads us to propose a five-domain model for release factor
      structure. Possible functions of the various domains are discussed.

PMID- 1408744
TI  - Interaction of the erythroid transcription factor cGATA-1 with a critical auto
      regulatory element.
AB  - We have performed a mutational analysis of the promoter for the chicken erythroid
      specific GATA-1 transcription factor, and have investigated in detail the
      interaction of the factor with an upstream auto-regulatory element (ARE). We find
      that a single proximal GATA binding site of the ARE is required for promoter
      activity in primary erythroid cells; however, this minimal promoter is
      inappropriately active in fibroblasts. At least two molecules of GATA-1 can
      interact with the ARE, and sequences outside of the consensus site appear
      critical for the transcriptional activity of the bound protein. Finally, we
      provide evidence for complex protein/DNA interactions at the ARE, including the
      ability of GATA-1 to bend DNA.

PMID- 1408745
TI  - Repair and replication of plasmids with site-specific 8-oxodG and 8-AAFdG
      residues in normal and repair-deficient human cells.
AB  - The in vivo mutagenicity of 7-hydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) and N
      (guanin-8-yl)-N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene (8-AAFdG) in human cells was determined by
      transfecting various cell lines with plasmids that carried a single adduct at a
      defined site. 8-OxodG is one of the many DNA modifications formed by oxygen
      radicals, and was found to be highly miscoding during replication with purified
      DNA polymerases in vitro. Here we show that the frequency of mutations induced by
      8-oxodG during replication in vivo is at most only 2% above background. The most
      predominant mutation found was a single G----T transversion. The frequency of
      this transversion was found to be 3 to 5-fold increased in excision repair
      deficient XP-A cells. Interestingly, also the replication of 8-oxodG containing
      plasmids was significantly impaired (approximately 4-fold) in the XP-A cells, but
      not in HeLa cells, normal fibroblasts or XP-A revertant cells. When 8-AAFdG
      containing plasmids were used, the mutation frequencies did not exceed background
      levels (less than 2%) with any of the cell lines tested. The presence of 8-AAFdG
      almost completely inhibited plasmid replication (more than 50-fold) in XP-A
      cells. Apparently, both 8-AAFdG and 8-oxodG are not or poorly repaired in these
      cells, causing a block of DNA replication. This suggests that both lesions are
      substrates for excision repair, although to a varying extent.

PMID- 1408746
TI  - Gene dosage as a possible major determinant for equal expression levels of genes
      encoding RNA polymerase subunits in the hypotrichous ciliate Euplotes
      octocarinatus.
AB  - Ciliated protozoa harbor two different types of nuclei in each cell. The diploid
      micronucleus is the transcriptionally inactive generative nucleus, while the
      macronuclous contains a highly amplified transcriptionally active genome of lower
      complexity. The macronuclear genes encoding the two largest subunits of both RNA
      polymerases I and II of Euplotes octocarinatus were identified by a novel method
      of two step PCR walking, employing primer pairs derived from telomeric sequences
      of the organism and known conserved RNA polymerase polypeptide sequences,
      respectively. The relative gene dosage was determined. The genes are present in
      equal copy numbers for the respective matching subunits. Northern hybridizations
      showed comparable amounts of transcripts, as well, within the matching pairs.
      Mapping of the 5'-termini of the transcripts of the gene sized chromosomes showed
      that the upstream nontranscribed regions are very short and contain
      characteristic sequence motifs which could be the determinants of equal promoter
      strengths for subunits of a common RNA polymerase.

PMID- 1408747
TI  - Stoichiometry of the Cre recombinase bound to the lox recombining site.
AB  - The site-specific recombinase Cre from bacteriophage P1 binds and carries out
      recombination at a 34 bp lox site. The lox site consists of two 13 bp inverted
      repeats, separated by an 8 bp spacer region. Both the palindromic nature of the
      site and the results of footprinting and band shift experiments suggest that a
      minimum of two Cre molecules bind to a lox site. We report here experiments that
      demonstrate the absolute stoichiometry of the Cre-lox complex to be one molecule
      of Cre bound per inverted repeat, or two molecules per lox site.

PMID- 1408748
TI  - Antisense probes targeted to an internal domain in U2 snRNP specifically inhibit
      the second step of pre-mRNA splicing.
AB  - Functional domains within the mammalian U2 snRNP particle that are required for
      pre-mRNA splicing have been analysed using antisense oligonucleotides. A
      comparison of the melting temperatures of duplexes formed between RNA and
      different types of antisense oligonucleotides has demonstrated that the most
      stable hybrids are formed with probes made of 2'-O-allyl RNA incorporating the
      modified base 2-aminoadenine. We have therefore used these 2'-O-allyl probes to
      target sequences within the central domain of U2 snRNA. Overlapping biotinylated
      2'-O-allyloligoribonucleotides complementary to the stem loop Ila region of U2
      snRNA (nucleotides 54-72) specifically affinity selected U2 snRNA from HeLa
      nuclear extracts. These probes inhibited mRNA production in an in vitro splicing
      assay and caused a concomitant accumulation of splicing intermediates. Little or
      no inhibition of spliceosome assembly and 5' splice site cleavage was observed
      for all pre-mRNAs tested, indicating that the oligonucleotides were specifically
      inhibiting exon ligation. This effect was most striking with a 2'-O
      allyloligoribonucleotide complementary to U2 snRNA nucleotides 57-68. These
      results provide evidence for a functional requirement for U2 snRNP in the
      splicing mechanism occurring after spliceosome assembly.

PMID- 1408749
TI  - The mechanisms controlling ribosomal protein L1 pre-mRNA splicing are maintained
      in evolution and rely on conserved intron sequences.
AB  - Sequences corresponding to the third intron of the X.laevis L1 ribosomal protein
      gene were isolated from the second copy of the X.laevis gene and from the single
      copy of X.tropicalis. Sequence comparison revealed that the three introns share
      an unusual sequence conservation which spans a region of 110 nucleotides. In
      addition, they have the same suboptimal 5' splice sites. The three introns show
      similar features upon oocyte microinjection: they have very low splicing
      efficiency and undergo the same site specific cleavages which lead to the
      accumulation of truncated molecules. Computer analysis and RNAse digestions have
      allowed to assign to the conserved region a specific secondary structure.
      Mutational analysis has shown that this structure is important for conferring the
      cleavage phenotype to these three introns. Competition experiments show that the
      cleavage phenotype can be prevented by coinjection of excess amounts of
      homologous sequences.

PMID- 1408750
TI  - Characterization and purification of Adh distal promoter factor 2, Adf-2, a cell
      specific and promoter-specific repressor in Drosophila.
AB  - Chromatin footprinting in Drosophila tissue culture cells has detected the
      binding of a non-histone protein at +8 of the distal Adh RNA start site, on a 10
      bp direct repeat motif abutting a nucleosome positioned over the inactive Adh
      distal promoter. Alternatively the active promoter is bound by a transcription
      initiation complex. We have characterized and purified a protein Adf-2 that binds
      specifically to this direct repeat motif 5'TCTCAGTGCA3', present at +8 and -202
      of the distal RNA start site. DNase I footprinting, methylation interference, and
      UV-crosslinking analyses showed that both direct repeats interact in vitro with a
      nuclear protein of approximately 120 kilodaltons (kDa). We purified Adf-2 through
      multiple rounds of sequence-specific DNA affinity chromatography. Southwestern
      analysis showed that the purified 120 KDa polypeptide binds the Adf-2 motif
      efficiently as a monomer or homomultimer. In vivo titrations of Adf-2 activity
      with the Adf-2 motif by transient co-transfection competitions in different
      Drosophila cell lines suggested that Adf-2 is a cell-specific repressor. Adf-2
      has been detected ubiquitously in vitro, but is functional in vivo as a sequence
      specific DNA binding protein and repressor only in the cells that have the
      inactive distal promoter. We discuss the possibility that an activation process
      is required for Adf-2 protein to bind DNA and function in vivo.

PMID- 1408751
TI  - Extensive turnover of telomeric DNA at a Plasmodium berghei chromosomal extremity
      marked by a rare recombinational event.
AB  - The dynamics of telomere turnover were studied in Plasmodium, whose telomeric
      structures consist of linear, recognisable sequences of two distinct repeats
      (TTTAGGG and TTCAGGG). Independent recombinant clones containing a well-defined
      chromosomal extremity of Plasmodium berghei, both before and after a rare
      insertion event took place, were obtained from clonal parasite populations and
      analysed. The insertion, which splits the original telomere and causes a
      significant reduction in the size of the telomeric structure, is shown to consist
      of an integer number of subtelomeric repeats typical of P.berghei, flanked on
      both sides by telomere-derived motifs. Analysis of the telomeric repeat sequence
      heterogeneity in the otherwise homogeneous populations examined, is compatible
      with a model in which diversification of a given telomere is driven by the
      occurrence of breakpoints whose frequency rapidly increases along the telomeric
      tract when moving in the outward direction. The breakpoints might be due either
      to terminal deletions followed by random serial addition of the two repeat
      versions, or to recombination events. The shortening/elongation mechanism is
      favoured against the recombination hypothesis because of the absence of higher
      order patterns in the sequence of telomeric repeats.

PMID- 1408752
TI  - Ligand dependence of estrogen receptor induced changes in chromatin structure.
AB  - To determine whether the human estrogen receptor requires ligand to bind to its
      cognate estrogen receptor element (ERE) in vivo, we have examined the structure
      of chromatin at a chromosomally integrated ERE-URA3 reporter gene in yeast, and
      the influence of ligand bound and ligand free estrogen receptors on that
      structure. Using indirect end-labelling to map DNaseI and micrococcal nuclease
      sensitive sites, we found that receptor induced alterations in chromatin
      structure were completely dependent upon the presence of estradiol. These same
      alterations in chromatin structure were induced by a truncated estrogen receptor
      with both TAF-1 and TAF-2 transactivation functions deleted, suggesting that DNA
      binding per se disrupts chromatin structure. These results support models in
      which the estrogen receptor requires ligand to bind to the ERE in vivo.

PMID- 1408753
TI  - Cleavage of synthetic substrates containing non-nucleotide inserts by restriction
      endonucleases. Change in the cleavage specificity of endonuclease SsoII.
AB  - A study was made of the interaction between restriction endonucleases recognizing
      CCNGG (SsoII and ScrFI) or CCA/TGG (MvaI and EcoRII) DNA sequences and a set of
      synthetic substrates containing 1,3-propanediol, 1,2-dideoxy-D-ribofuranose or 9
      [1'-hydroxy-2'-(hydroxymethyl)ethoxy] methylguanine (gIG) residues replacing
      either one of the central nucleosides or dG residues in the recognition site. The
      non-nucleotide inserts (except for gIG) introduced into the recognition site both
      increase the efficiency of SsoII and change its specificity. A cleavage at the
      noncanonical position takes place, in some cases in addition to the correct ones.
      Noncanonical hydrolysis by SsoII occurs at the phosphodiester bond adjacent to
      the point of modification towards the 5'-end. With the guanine base returned (the
      substrate with gIG), the correct cleavage position is restored. ScrFI
      specifically cleaves all the modified substrates. DNA duplexes with non
      nucleotide inserts (except for the gIG-containing duplex) are resistant to
      hydrolysis by MvaI and EcoRII. Prompted by the data obtained we discuss the
      peculiarities of recognition by restriction endonucleases of 5-membered DNA
      sequences which have completely or partially degenerated central base pairs. It
      is suggested that SsoII forms a complex with DNA in an 'open' form.

PMID- 1408754
TI  - Spontaneous chromosome rearrangements in the protozoan Giardia lamblia:
      estimation of mutation rates.
AB  - Subcloned lines of the WB strain of Giardia lamblia contain polymorphic ribosomal
      RNA (rRNA) encoding chromosomes (Le Blancq et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 1991, 19,
      4405-4412). We show that in a continuously propagated culture of G.lamblia
      trophozoites the proportion of trophozoites with rearranged rRNA encoding
      chromosomes gradually increases, consistent with the high mutation rate of about
      1% per cell per division cycle. This conclusion is based on the finding in one
      experiment that after about 8 division cycles 20% of the population consisted of
      independent mutants, while after approximately 100 division cycles 87.5% of the
      population were independent mutants. In a second experiment, approximately 38%
      and 71.5% of the trophozoites were independent mutants after approximately 9 and
      approximately 100 division cycles, respectively. The data show that the genome of
      the WB strain of G.lamblia has a highly recombinogenic phenotype. Extensive
      karyotype heterogeneity has also been observed among recently isolated G.lamblia
      strains obtained from a defined geographic area (Korman et al., J. Clin. Invest.
      1992, 89, 1725-1733) suggesting that a high mutation rate might also occur in
      vivo.

PMID- 1408755
TI  - Chemical and enzymatic incorporation of N2-(p-n-butylphenyl)-2'-deoxyguanosine
      into an oligodeoxyribonucleotide.
AB  - An 18mer oligodeoxyribonucleotide containing a N2-(p-n-butylphenyl)-2'
      deoxyguanosine (BuPdG) residue at the 3' end has been synthesized by both
      chemical and enzymatic methods. Chemical synthesis involved attachment of 5'-DMT
      BuPdG as the 3'-H-phosphonate to uridine-controlled pore glass (CPG), followed by
      extension via H-phosphonate chemistry. After oxidation of the backbone,
      deprotection of bases, and removal from CPG, the uridine residue was removed by
      periodate cleavage and beta-elimination. The resulting oligomer 3'-phosphate was
      digested with alkaline phosphatase to give the free BuPdG-18mer. E.coli DNA
      polymerase I (Klenow) incorporated BuPdGTP at the 3' end of the corresponding
      17mer primer annealed to a complementary 29mer template, and the properties of
      this product were identical to those of chemically synthesized BuPdG-18mer.
      E.coli DNA polymerase I (Klenow) was unable to extend the BuPdG-18mer, and the 3'
      to 5' exonuclease activity of the enzyme was unable to remove the modified
      nucleotide.

PMID- 1408756
TI  - Gilvocarcin V exhibits both equilibrium DNA binding and UV light induced DNA
      adduct formation which is sequence context dependent.
AB  - The relative degree of both equilibrium binding and of ultraviolet light induced
      adduct formation for the antitumor antibiotic gilvocarin V with two hexaecamer
      DNA sequence isomers, d[ATATATAGCTATATAT]2 and d[AAAAAAAGCTTTTTTT]2, was
      assessed. The experiments reveal that gilvocarin V binds, under equilibrium
      conditions, and reacts, in the presence of exogenously applied UV light, more
      efficiently with the alternating purine:pyrimidine sequence hexadecamer than the
      homopurine:homopyrimidine duplex at identical gilvocarcin V to DNA duplex ratios.
      DNAse I digests of adduct containing duplexes derived from the
      d[AAAAAAAGCTTTTTTT]2 duplex, identified and isolated using gel shift assays
      employing denaturing polyacrylamide gels, confirm that gilvocarcin V adducts can
      be formed with thymine residues but suggest that adduct formation with either
      adenine or guanine residues is also possible.

PMID- 1408757
TI  - Chimeric DNA-RNA hammerhead ribozymes have enhanced in vitro catalytic efficiency
      and increased stability in vivo.
AB  - Subsequent to the discovery that RNA can have site specific cleavage activity,
      there has been a great deal of interest in the design and testing of trans-acting
      catalytic RNAs as both surrogate genetic tools and as therapeutic agents. We have
      been developing catalytic RNAs or ribozymes with target specificity for HIV-1 RNA
      and have been exploring chemical synthesis as one method for their production. To
      this end, we have chemically synthesized and experimentally analyzed chimeric
      catalysts consisting of DNA in the non-enzymatic portions, and RNA in the
      enzymatic core of hammerhead type ribozymes. Substitutions of DNA for RNA in the
      various stems of a hammerhead ribozyme have been analyzed in vitro for kinetic
      efficiency. One of the chimeric ribozymes used in this study, which harbors 24
      bases of DNA capable of base-pairing interactions with an HIV-1 gag target, but
      maintains RNA in the catalytic center and in stem-loop II, has a sixfold greater
      kcat value than the all RNA counterpart. This increased activity appears to be
      the direct result of enhanced product dissociation. Interestingly, a chimeric
      ribozyme in which stem-loop II (which divides the catalytic core) is comprised of
      DNA, exhibited a marked reduction in cleavage activity, suggesting that DNA in
      this region of the ribozyme can impart a negative effect on the catalytic
      function of the ribozyme. DNA-RNA chimeric ribozymes transfected by cationic
      liposomes into human T-lymphocytes are more stable than their all-RNA
      counterparts. Enhanced catalytic turnover and stability in the absence of a
      significant effect on Km make chimeric ribozymes favorable candidates for
      therapeutic agents.

PMID- 1408758
TI  - Extension of base mispairs by Taq DNA polymerase: implications for single
      nucleotide discrimination in PCR.
AB  - Thermus aquaticus (Taq) DNA polymerase was used to measure the extension
      efficiency for all configurations of matched and mismatched base pairs at
      template-primer 3'-termini. The transition mispairs, A(primer).C, C.A, G.T, and
      T.G were extended 10(-3) to 10(-4)-fold less efficiently than their correctly
      paired counterparts. Relative efficiencies for extending transversion mispairs
      were 10(-4) to 10(-5) for T.C and T.T, about 10(-6) for A.A, and less than 10(-6)
      for G.A, A.G, G.G and C.C. The transversion mispair C(primer).T was extended with
      high efficiency, about 10(-2) compared to a correct A.T basepair. The unexpected
      ease of extending the C.T mismatch was not likely to have been caused by primer
      template misalignment. Taq polymerase was observed to bind with similar
      affinities to each of the correctly paired and mispaired primer-template 3'-ends.
      Thus, the failure of Taq polymerase to extend mismatches efficiently appears to
      be an intrinsic property of the enzyme and not due to an inability to bind to 3'
      terminal mispairs. For almost all of the mispairs, C.T being the exception, Taq
      polymerase exhibits about 100 to 1000-fold greater discrimination against
      mismatch extension compared to avian myeloblastosis reverse transcriptase and HIV
      1 reverse transcriptase which extend most mismatched basepairs permissively.
      Relative mismatch extension efficiencies for Taq polymerase were measured at 45
      degrees C, 55 degrees C and 70 degrees C and found to be independent of
      temperature. The mispair extension data should be important in designing
      experiments using PCR to distinguish between sequences that vary by a single
      nucleotide.

PMID- 1408759
TI  - Construction of human XRCC1 minigenes that fully correct the CHO DNA repair
      mutant EM9.
AB  - The human gene that corrects the DNA repair defect of the CHO cell mutant EM9 is
      designated XRCC1 and is the first human gene to be cloned that has an established
      role in DNA strand-break repair. In this study, either an XRCC1 cosmid genomic
      fragment or synthetic oligonucleotides were ligated to an incomplete XRCC1 cDNA
      to generate two full-length XRCC1 cDNA constructs. The ability of these minigene
      constructs to restore normal levels of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) to EM9
      upon transfection was demonstrated, and the transfectants grew at normal rates in
      selective medium that is fully toxic to EM9 cells. Constructs in which the XRCC1
      open reading frame (ORF) was transcribed from the SV40 early promoter or the
      genomic XRCC1 native promoter were compared in their efficiency of correction.
      EM9 transfectants derived from the SV40 promoter displayed fewer SCEs and lower
      sensitivity to CldUrd than either AA8 wild-type cells or transfectants containing
      the ORF transcribed from the native promoter.

PMID- 1408760
TI  - Multitarget-ribozyme directed to cleave at up to nine highly conserved HIV-1 env
      RNA regions inhibits HIV-1 replication--potential effectiveness against most
      presently sequenced HIV-1 isolates.
AB  - Several mono-, di-, tetra-, penta- and nonaribozymes were developed. These
      multitarget-ribozymes were targeted to cleave HIV-1 env RNA at up to nine
      different conserved sites. Each multitarget-ribozyme consisted of a chain of up
      to nine hammerhead motifs, each flanked by a different targeting sequence. The
      multitarget-ribozymes were functional in vitro and gave rise to multiple,
      specific partial and/or complete RNA digestion products. Per RNA copy,
      multitarget-ribozymes were more efficient than monoribozymes or ribozymes
      targeting a subset of the same sites. In contrast to monoribozymes, a 400nt
      nonaribozyme, targeted to cleave at nine different sites within a 1.3kb HIV-1 env
      RNA substrate, was active and showed the same specificity of cleavage when it was
      part of a large 3.3kb transcript. We conclude that multitarget-ribozymes retain
      the specificity of monoribozymes, but they are more efficient per ribozyme RNA
      copy and they remain active when they are part of a large transcript. A tetra-,
      penta- or nonaribozyme under control of the SV40 late promoter, the beta-actin
      gene promoter or the HIV-1 LTR, respectively, were cotransfected with the
      infectious HIV-1 DNA clone pNL4-3 into permissive HeLa T4 cells. Each
      cotransfection resulted in a specific inhibition of HIV-1 replication as
      determined by syncytia formation and p24 antigen release. In addition,
      coexpression of the nonaribozyme with an HIV-1 env RNA transcript resulted in the
      specific dramatic reduction of the env transcript. We conclude that the
      multitarget-ribozymes are also functional intracellularly. A nucleotide sequence
      comparison of the target sites indicates that the multitarget-ribozymes could
      potentially be effective against all thirty HIV-1 isolates presently sequenced.
      Their use may help to slow the selection of viral escape mutants and thereby
      prolong their effectiveness. We anticipate that multitarget-ribozymes will also
      be more effective in the successful targeting of less variable cellular RNAs.

PMID- 1408762
TI  - Integration of image analysis and robotics into a fully automated colony picking
      and plate handling system.
AB  - We describe here the integration of image analysis and robotics to produce a
      fully automated colony picking/plate handling system. Biological tests were
      performed to verify its performance in terms of sterilisation and accuracy of
      picking. The machine was then used by a single operative to pick a 36,000 clone
      cDNA library in approximately 42 hrs over 5 days.

PMID- 1408761
TI  - Construction and use of lambda PL promoter vectors for direct cloning and high
      level expression of PCR amplified DNA coding sequences.
AB  - A set of plasmid vectors which allow single-step cloning and expression of PCR
      amplified DNA coding sequences has been constructed. The vectors contain the
      phage lambda PL promoter, a synthetic translation initiation region (TIR), and
      convenient cloning sites. The cloning sites provide all or part of an AUG
      translation initiation codon and facilitate the precise fusion of target DNA
      sequences to vector transcriptional and translational signals. The vectors were
      constructed with synthetic TIRs because there is evidence which suggests that the
      efficiency of the phage lambda cII gene TIR present in the parental vector
      depends strongly on information contained within the cII N-terminal coding
      sequence. Bovine brain 14-3-3 eta chain cDNA was PCR-amplified and used to
      demonstrate the expression capacity of the newly constructed vectors. A
      significant increase in expression of 14-3-3 protein was observed when synthetic
      TIRs were used in the place of the cII TIR. Expression levels vary from 15% to
      48% of total cell protein. The effects of a reported translational enhancer from
      phage T7 on expression of the 14-3-3 protein are also discussed. The vectors
      should be generally useful for high level heterologous protein expression in
      Escherichia coli.

PMID- 1408763
TI  - Human Oct3 gene family: cDNA sequences, alternative splicing, gene organization,
      chromosomal location, and expression at low levels in adult tissues.
AB  - Transcription factors containing the POU-domain have been shown to be important
      regulators of tissue-specific gene expression in the pituitary and lymphoid
      cells. Using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based strategy, we have searched
      for similar factors that may be expressed in adult human pancreatic islets. This
      approach resulted in the amplification of sequences encoding the octamer binding
      proteins Oct1 and Oct3 (also called Oct4). The isolation of cDNAs encoding Oct3
      revealed the expression of two isoforms of this transcription factor termed Oct3A
      and Oct3B that are generated by alternative splicing. Human Oct3A and Oct3B are
      composed of 360 and 265 amino acids, respectively, of which the 225 amino acids
      at the COOH-termini are identical. The sequence of human Oct3A shows 87% amino
      acid identity with mouse Oct3. Reverse-transcriptase PCR showed low levels of
      expression of both Oct3A and Oct3B mRNA in all adult human tissues examined. We
      also isolated and characterized the human Oct3 gene (OTF3) and a related gene,
      OTF3C. The human Oct3 gene, localized to human chromosome 6 in the region of the
      MHC complex, spans about 7 kb and consists of five exons. The Oct3-related gene,
      OTF3C, is a retroposon and has been localized to human chromosome 8. Southern
      blotting and PCR amplification of human DNA indicated the presence of other OTF3
      related genes as has been previously noted in the mouse. Two polymorphisms which
      can be typed using PCR were identified in OTF3 which will facilitate genetic
      studies of this gene.

PMID- 1408764
TI  - Drug targeting: synthesis and endocytosis of oligonucleotide-neoglycoprotein
      conjugates.
AB  - Inhibition of gene expression by antisense oligonucleotides is limited by their
      low ability to enter cells. Knowing that sugar binding receptors, also called
      membrane lectins, efficiently internalize neoglycoproteins bearing the relevant
      sugar, 6-phosphomannose, for instance, oligonucleotides--substituted on their 5'
      end with either a fluorescent probe or a radioactive label on the one hand, and
      bearing a thiol function on their 3'-end, on the other hand,--were coupled onto 6
      phosphomannosylated proteins via a disulfide bridge. The oligonucleotide bound to
      6-phosphomannosylated serum albumin is much more efficiently internalized roughly
      20 times than the free oligonucleotide. Although most of the oligonucleotides are
      associated with vesicular compartments, oligonucleotides after releasing from the
      carrier by reduction of the disulfide bridge may find their way to reach the
      cytosol and then lead to an increase in the efficiency of the oligonucleotides.

PMID- 1408765
TI  - Identification of the motifs within the tobacco mosaic virus 5'-leader
      responsible for enhancing translation.
AB  - The leader (called omega) of tobacco mosaic virus RNA enhances translation in
      both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Although little secondary structure is predicted
      to exist within omega, the primary sequence of the 68 base leader is highly
      organized. Three copies of an eight base direct repeat and a (CAA)n region
      represent the two motifs found in the leaders of many TMV strains, and together
      these comprise 72% of omega. In previous deletion studies, no mutants exhibited
      loss-of-function, suggesting that functional redundancy exists within omega. We
      report here that a more comprehensive deletion analysis identified the motifs
      involved in translational enhancement. In a separate approach, oligonucleotides
      containing the sequence of each motif were used to construct leaders that varied
      in the number and configuration of the motifs. beta-Glucuronidase mRNA constructs
      containing these mutant leaders were synthesized in vitro and their translational
      efficiency measured in vivo following mRNA delivery to carrot protoplasts via
      electroporation. A combination of one copy of the 8 base direct repeat and a 25
      base (CAA)n region was identified as the core regulatory element, although the
      (CAA)n motif is more critical. Two copies of the (CAA)n region are sufficient to
      confer a high level of enhancement and a leader composed of multiple copies of
      the direct repeat is moderately enhancing. Thus, these two motifs are
      functionally redundant.

PMID- 1408767
TI  - The 18S ribosomal RNA gene of a crustacean decapod Oedignathus inermis: a
      comparison with Artemia salina gene.

PMID- 1408766
TI  - Cloning of human and bovine homologs of SNF2/SWI2: a global activator of
      transcription in yeast S. cerevisiae.
AB  - We performed positional cloning of genes carried on yeast artificial chromosomes
      that span a human translocation breakpoint associated with a human disease and
      isolated by chance human and bovine genes with strong homology to the S.
      cerevisiae genes, SNF2/SWI2 and STH1, and the D. melanogaster gene brahma. We
      report here sequence analysis, expression data, and functional studies for this
      human SNF2-like gene (hSNF2L) and its bovine homolog (bovSNF2L). Despite strong
      homology at the amino acid level, hSNF2L is not capable of complementing the
      yeast mutations snf2 or sth1 in S. cerevisiae. Furthermore, in contrast to SNF2
      itself, a fusion protein consisting of the DNA binding domain of LexA and hSNF2L
      did not transactivate a reporter gene downstream of LexA binding sites in a yeast
      expression system. The strong similarity between hSNF2L and these yeast and
      drosophila genes suggest that the mammalian genes are part of an evolutionarily
      conserved family that has been implicated as global activators of transcription
      in yeast and fruitflies but whose function in mammals remains unknown.

PMID- 1408768
TI  - Nucleotide sequence of the genes encoding the three largest subunits of the DNA
      dependent RNA polymerase from the archaeum Thermococcus celer.

PMID- 1408769
TI  - Nucleotide sequence of the replication region of the Nostoc PCC 7524 plasmid
      pDU1.

PMID- 1408770
TI  - Identification of a tRNA(Gln) ochre suppressor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PMID- 1408771
TI  - Momordin II, a ribosome inactivating protein from Momordica balsamina, is
      homologous to other plant proteins.

PMID- 1408773
TI  - BpuAI, a novel BbsI and BbvII isoschizomer from Bacillus pumilus recognizing 5'
      GAAGAC-3'.

PMID- 1408772
TI  - A putative homolog of U2AF65 in S. cerevisiae.

PMID- 1408774
TI  - A novel method for rapid genomic walking using lambda vectors.

PMID- 1408775
TI  - A novel method for isolation of large insert DNA from recombinant lambda DNA.

PMID- 1408776
TI  - cDNA cloning of 5' terminal regions.

PMID- 1408777
TI  - A hit-and-run system for targeted genetic manipulations in yeast.

PMID- 1408778
TI  - Electroporation of viral transactivator proteins into lymphocyte suspension
      cells.

PMID- 1408779
TI  - Band-stab PCR: a simple technique for the purification of individual PCR
      products.

PMID- 1408780
TI  - An alternative, rapid method of plant DNA extraction for PCR analyses.

PMID- 1408782
TI  - A novel strategy for site-directed chemical reactions in single stranded DNA-
      absorption and NMR spectroscopic studies of model compounds.
AB  - A new and simple model enabling a chemical species to be brought to a preselected
      site in single strand DNA is reported. Two oligonucleotides containing a
      propanediol linkage were hybridized to their complementary sequences with an
      extra-base opposite the propanediol derivative. Absorption studies results shown
      that the addition of a bisacridine derivative strongly increased the stabilities
      of both duplexes when added in a 1:1 ratio. NMR studies on one of these duplexes
      brought evidence of the intercalation of the bisacridine at the position
      involving the propanediol linkage. These results suggest that this system could
      be used to target a specific reaction at a preselected position using the
      bisacridine derivative as carrier for the reactive species.

PMID- 1408783
TI  - Determination of lysine residues affinity labeled in the active site of yeast RNA
      polymerase II(B) by mutagenesis.
AB  - In a previous study, yeast RNA polymerase II(B) was affinity labeled with two
      nucleotide derivatives (III and VIII) (1). In both cases, the labeled site was
      localized to the C-terminal part of the B150 subunit. The potential target lysyl
      residues of derivative III were mapped to the conserved domain H, between Asn946
      and Met999. In the present work, we have mutagenized to arginine the five lysines
      present in domain H. Three lysines can be replaced, individually or
      simultaneously, without affecting cell growth, and each mutated enzyme can still
      be affinity labeled. Hence one or both of the other two lysyl residues, Lys979
      and Lys987, is the target of the affinity reagent. These two lysines were each
      found to be essential for cell viability. Derivative VIII labeled another domain
      in addition to domain H. Supported by analogous results obtained for E. coli RNA
      polymerase using derivative VIII (2), we hypothesized that the second domain
      labeled by this derivative in the B150 subunit was domain I. Mutagenesis of the
      unique lysine present in domain I demonstrated that Lys 1102 was the target of
      derivative VIII. These results indicate that in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic
      RNA polymerases, domains H and I are in close proximity and participate to the
      active site.

PMID- 1408781
TI  - New nucleotide sequence data on the EMBL File Server.

PMID- 1408784
TI  - A new approach to the analysis of DNase I footprinting data and its application
      to the TFIIIA/5S DNA complex.
AB  - We have re-examined DNase I footprinting data for the binding of transcription
      factor IIIA (TFIIIA) to the 5S RNA gene, taking into account the protein-DNA
      contacts observed in the crystal structure of the DNase I/DNA complex (1, 2).
      This structure was not available when many of the original footprinting
      experiments on the TFIIIA/DNA complex were performed. In this way the pattern of
      DNase I cleavage can be interpreted to map out with greater precision the regions
      on the 5S DNA occupied by TFIIIA. Then, assuming the binding site for a zinc
      finger may be the same as that found in the structure of the zinc-finger protein
      Zif268/DNA complex (3), and taking into account footprinting data for truncated
      forms of TFIIIA, the TFIIIA zinc-fingers were fitted within the permitted
      regions. On the basis of this, an alignment of the zinc-fingers of TFIIIA with
      its DNA binding site is proposed, which combines features of earlier models (4).

PMID- 1408785
TI  - The yeast actin intron contains a cryptic promoter that can be switched on by
      preventing transcriptional interference.
AB  - We show that the single intron of the actin gene of the yeast Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae contains a cryptic promoter for transcription of the second exon. This
      promoter is inactive in the normal actin gene, but can be activated when the
      actin gene promoter is deleted. An identical activation was induced by placing
      efficient transcriptional terminators at position 61 of the 309 bp intron. In all
      cases transcripts with identical 5' ends close to the boundary of the intron and
      the second exon were produced. These results indicate that the cryptic promoter
      in the actin intron is occluded in the normal actin gene by transcriptional
      interference with the actin gene promoter. Transcription initiation near the
      intron/exon 2 boundary is enabled by protection from traversing polymerases, that
      initiated transcription at the upstream located actin gene promoter. A partial
      promoter protection using leaky terminators resulted in small amounts of
      transcripts initiated from the cryptic promoter. Although we do not know any
      function of the cryptic promoter in actin gene expression, it is tentative to
      speculate that the cryptic intron promoter might be a relict of a promoter that
      was functional earlier in evolution.

PMID- 1408787
TI  - Heteronuclear NMR of DNA with the heteronucleus in natural abundance: facilitated
      assignment and extraction of coupling constants.
AB  - Two heteronuclear proton-carbon NMR experiments are applied to the DNA-octamer
      d(TTGGCCAA)2 with carbon in natural abundance. They lead to a complete assignment
      of the carbon resonances of the sugars and bases. In addition, several
      heteronuclear coupling constants, proton-carbon as well as proton-phosphorous and
      phosphorous-carbon, were determined. The information can be obtained in a
      reasonable measuring time and offers valuable information for a detailed picture
      of DNA structure.

PMID- 1408786
TI  - Involvement of the size and sequence of the anticodon loop in tRNA recognition by
      mammalian and E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetases.
AB  - The rates of the cross-aminoacylation reactions of tRNAs(Met) catalyzed by
      methionyl-tRNA synthetases from various organisms suggest the occurrence of two
      types of tRNA(Met)/methionyl-tRNA synthetase systems. In this study, the tRNA
      determinants recognized by mammalian or E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetases, which
      are representative members of the two types, have been examined. Like its
      prokaryotic counterpart, the mammalian enzyme utilizes the anticodon of tRNA as
      main recognition element. However, the mammalian cytoplasmic elongator tRNA(Met)
      species is not recognized by the bacterial synthetase, and both the initiator and
      elongator E. coli tRNA(Met) behave as poor substrates of the mammalian
      cytoplasmic synthetase. Synthetic genes encoding variants of tRNAs(Met),
      including the elongator one from mammals, were expressed in E. coli. tRNAs(Met)
      recognized by a synthetase of a given type can be converted into a substrate of
      an enzyme of the other type by introducing one-base substitutions in the
      anticodon loop or stem. In particular, a reduction of the size of the anticodon
      loop of cytoplasmic mammalian elongator tRNA(Met) from 9 to 7 bases, through the
      creation of an additional Watson-Crick pair at the bottom of the anticodon stem,
      makes it a substrate of the prokaryotic enzyme and decreases its ability to be
      methionylated by the mammalian enzyme. Moreover, enlarging the size of the
      anticodon loop of E. coli tRNA(Metm) from 7 to 9 bases, by disrupting the base
      pair at the bottom of the anticodon stem, renders the resulting tRNA a good
      substrate of the mammalian enzyme, while strongly altering its reaction with the
      prokaryotic synthetase. Finally, E. coli tRNA(Metf) can be rendered a better
      substrate of the mammalian enzyme by changing its U33 into a C. This modification
      makes the sequence of the anticodon loop of tRNA(Metf) identical to that of
      cytoplasmic initiator tRNA(Met).

PMID- 1408788
TI  - The conformational variability of an adenosine.inosine base-pair in a synthetic
      DNA dodecamer.
AB  - A crystal structure analysis of the synthetic deoxydodecamer d(CGCAAATTIGCG)
      which contains two adenosine.inosine (A.I) mispairs has revealed that, in this
      sequence, the A.I base-pairs adopt a A(anti).I(syn) configuration. The refinement
      converged at R = 0.158 for 2004 reflections with F greater than or equal to 2
      sigma(F) in the range 7.0-2.5A for a model consisting of the DNA duplex and 71
      water molecules. A notable feature of the structure is the presence of an almost
      complete spine of hydration spanning the minor groove of the whole of the
      (AAATTI)2 core region of the duplex. pH-dependent ultraviolet melting studies
      have suggested that the base-pair observed in the crystal structure is, in fact,
      a protonated AH+ (anti).I(syn) species and that the A.I base-pairs in the
      sequence studied display the same conformational variability as A.G mispairs in
      the sequence d(CGCAAATTGGCG). The AH+(anti).I(syn) base-pair predominates below
      pH 6.5 and an A(anti).I(anti) mispair is the major species present between pH 6.5
      and 8.0. The protonated base-pairs are held together by two hydrogen bonds one
      between N6(A) and O6(I) and the other between N1(A) and N7(I). This second
      hydrogen bond is a direct result of the protonation of the N1 of adenosine. The
      ultraviolet melting studies indicate that the A(anti).I(anti) base-pair is more
      stable than the A(anti).G(anti) base-pair but that the AH+(anti).I(syn) base pair
      is less stable than its AH+(anti).G(syn) analogue. Possible reasons for this
      observation are discussed.

PMID- 1408789
TI  - Cooperative effects of C/EBP-like and NF kappa B-like binding sites on rat serum
      amyloid A1 gene expression in liver cells.
AB  - Serum amyloid A (SAA) is a major acute-phase protein synthesized and secreted
      mainly by the liver. In response to inflammation, its expression is increased by
      1000-fold, primarily because of a 200-fold increase in the rates of SAA gene
      transcription. We have shown that when 304 bp of 5' flanking region of the rat
      SAA1 gene is fused to a reporter gene, the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase
      (CAT) gene, CAT activity is induced in a cell-specific manner in response to
      conditioned media prepared from activated mixed lymphocyte cultures and
      recombinant interleukin-1. In this study, deletion of the SAA1 promoter to -120
      bp with respect to the transcriptional start site did not diminish promoter
      activity; however, deletion to -94 bp renders the promoter completely inactive.
      Functional analysis have demonstrated that a 66-bp DNA fragment spanning -138 bp
      to -73 bp could confer cytokine responsiveness to a heterologous thymidine kinase
      promoter. Within this 66-bp responsive element resided an NF kappa B-like-binding
      site and a C/EBP-like-binding site. Although each binding site alone could confer
      responsiveness when stimulated with conditioned media and TPA, the response was
      much weaker than that observed when both sites were present. Moreover, site
      specific mutations of either binding site completely abolished SAA1 promoter
      activity. Taken together, these results suggest a functional importance for and
      cooperative interaction of these two nuclear-factor binding sites in the cytokine
      induced expression of the rat SAA1 gene.

PMID- 1408790
TI  - Transcription frequency modulates the efficiency of an attenuator preceding the
      rpoBC RNA polymerase genes of Escherichia coli: possible autogenous control.
AB  - Expression of the rpoBC genes encoding the beta and beta' RNA polymerase subunits
      of Escherichia coli is autogenously regulated. Although previous studies have
      demonstrated a post-transcriptional feedback mechanism, complex transcriptional
      controls of rpoBC expression may also contribute. We show that an attenuator
      (rpoBa) separating the ribosomal protein (rpl) genes from the rpoBC genes in the
      rplKAJLrpoBC gene cluster is modulated in its efficiency in response to changes
      in the frequency of transcription initiated by promoters located upstream. A
      series of rplJLrpoBalacZ transcriptional fusions was constructed on lambda
      vectors in which transcription into the rpoBa attenuator was varied by using a
      variety of promoters with different strengths. beta-galactosidase assays
      performed on monolysogens of the recombinant phage show that with transcription
      increasing over a 40-fold range, readthrough of rpoBa decreases from 61% to 19%.
      In contrast, two other well-characterized terminators show nearly constant
      efficiencies over a similar range of transcription frequencies. Using a set of
      phage P22 ant promoter variants with single-nucleotide changes in the promoter
      consensus sequences also demonstrates that the modulation of rpoBa function
      appears to be unrelated to the phenomenon of 'factor-independent antitermination'
      reported by others. The implications for autogenous control of RNA polymerase
      synthesis are discussed.

PMID- 1408791
TI  - Characterisation of a boundary between satellite III and alphoid sequences on
      human chromosome 10.
AB  - Alphoid and satellite III sequences are arranged as large tandem arrays in the
      centromeric regions of human chromosomes. Several recent studies using in situ
      hybridisation to investigate the relative positions of these sequences have shown
      that they occupy adjacent but non-overlapping domains in metaphase chromosomes.
      We have analysed the DNA sequence at the junction between alphoid and satellite
      III sequences in a cosmid previously mapped to chromosome 10. The alphoid
      sequence consists of tandemly arranged dimers which are distinct from the known
      chromosome 10-specific alphoid family. Polymerase chain reaction experiments
      confirm the integrity of the sequence data. These results, together with pulsed
      field gel electrophoresis data place the boundary between alphoid and satellite
      III sequences in the mapping interval 10 centromere-10q11.2. The sequence data
      shows that these repetitive sequences are separated by a partial L1 interspersed
      repeat sequence less than 500bp in length. The arrangement of the junction
      suggests that a recombination event has brought these sequences into close
      proximity.

PMID- 1408792
TI  - Repair of UV-induced (6-4)photoproducts measured in individual genes in the
      Drosophila embryonic Kc cell line.
AB  - The nucleotide excision repair (NER; dark-repair) of (6-4)photoproducts ((6
      4)PPs) was assayed in cells from a permanent Drosophila melanogaster embryonic
      cell line, Kc, after exposure to 20 or 40 J/m2 ultraviolet (UV) light. Induction
      rates in the transcriptionally active genes Gart and Notch as well as in the
      inactive white locus is similar. They are formed with a frequency of about one
      third of that of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs). In all three genes, (6
      4)PPs are repaired with the same rate and to the same extent: 31% of the (6-4)PPs
      are removed in 4 hours post-irradiation and after 16 hours repair is nearly
      complete. In none of the three genes strand-specific repair was found. Exposure
      of cells that were irradiated with 40 J/m2 UV to photoreactivating light for 1
      hour prior to dark-repair incubation, resulted in enhanced repair of (6-4)PPs.

PMID- 1408793
TI  - End extension repair of introduced targeting vectors mediated by homologous
      recombination in mammalian cells.
AB  - We have studied the mechanism of targeted recombination in mammalian cells using
      a hemizygous adenine phosphoribosyltransferase-deficient (APRT-) Chinese hamster
      ovary (CHO) cell mutant as a recipient. Three structurally different targeting
      vectors with a 5' or a 3', or both, end-deleted aprt sequence, in either a closed
      circular or linear form, were transfected to the cells with a mutated aprt gene
      by electroporation. APRT-positive (APRT+) recombinant clones were selected and
      analyzed to study the gene correction events of the deletion mutation. Some half
      of 58 recombinant clones obtained resulted from corrections of the deleted
      chromosomal aprt gene by either gene replacement or gene insertion, a mechanism
      which is currently accepted for homologous recombination in mammalian cells.
      However, the chromosomal sequence in the remaining half of the recombinants
      remained uncorrected but their truncated end of the aprt gene in the incoming
      vectors was corrected by extending the end beyond the region of homology to the
      target locus; the corrected vector was then randomly integrated into the genome.
      This extension, termed end extension repair, was observed with all three vectors
      used and was as far as 4.6-kilobase (kb) or more long. It is evident that the
      novel repair reaction mediated by homologous recombination, in addition to gene
      replacement and gene insertion, is also involved in gene correction events in
      mammalian cells. We discuss the model which may account for this phenomenon.

PMID- 1408794
TI  - Thyroid hormone alters the DNA binding properties of chicken thyroid hormone
      receptors alpha and beta.
AB  - The effects of thyroid hormone agonists on thyroid hormone receptor (TR)/DNA
      complex formation was investigated to elucidate the mechanism by which TRs
      transactivate genes in response to ligand. The data, obtained from gel shift
      experiments, indicate that thyroid hormones alter the conformation of TRs bound
      to DNA, irrespective of if the element is occupied by monomeric TR, homodimeric
      TR/TR, or heterodimeric complexes with the retinoid receptors RAR or RXR.
      Furthermore, triiodo-thyronine (T3) prevents 2 TR molecules from binding to
      oligonucleotides containing direct repeats or inverted palindromes of the
      consensus AGGTCA motif, an effect that was not detected with palindromic
      elements. Heterodimers bound to direct repeats were less affected: RXR/TR were
      fully and RAR/TR complexes partially resistant to thyroid hormone. The data
      suggest that a ligand-induced conformational change in TR prevents double TR
      occupancy of a response element containing 2 direct repeats of the consensus
      binding motif, possibly by steric hindrance, whereas such an event does not
      prevent TR/RXR heterodimers from binding to DNA. Finally, our data show that a
      monomeric, liganded TR bound preferentially to the second half site in a
      AGGTCActcaAGGTCA element, and therefore indicate that nucleotides adjacent to the
      consensus half site contribute to binding specificity.

PMID- 1408795
TI  - How M.MspI and M.HpaII decide which base to methylate.
AB  - The HpaII methylase (M.HpaII) recognizes the sequence CCGG and methylates the
      inner cytosine residue. The MspI methylase (MspI) recognizes the same sequence
      but methylates the outer cytosine residue. Both methylases have the usual
      architecture of 10 well-conserved motifs surrounding a variable region,
      responsible for sequence specific recognition, that is quite different in the two
      methylases. We have constructed hybrids between these two methylases and studied
      their methylation properties. A hybrid containing the variable region and C
      terminal sequences from M.MspI methylates the outer cytosine residue. A second
      hybrid identical to the first except that the variable region derives from the
      M.HpaII methylates the inner cytosine residue. Thus the choice of base to be
      methylated within the recognition sequence is determined by the variable region.

PMID- 1408797
TI  - Lability of monofunctional cis-platinum adducts: role of DNA double helix.
AB  - Recently, we have shown that the adduct formed in the reaction between the
      platinum-triamine complex cis-[Pt(NH3)2(N7-N-methyl-2-diazapyrenium)Cl]2+ and one
      single-stranded oligonucleotide was stable but became labile as soon as the
      platinated oligonucleotide was paired with its complementary strand (Gaucheron et
      al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88, 3516-3519 (1991)). To generalize this finding
      we have now studied large DNA fragments containing several adducts. The stability
      of the adducts within single-stranded DNA is demonstrated by absorption
      spectrophotometry and by replication mapping experiments. Several approaches are
      used to prove the lability of the adducts within double-stranded DNA. Replication
      mapping experiments reveal that an unmodified single-stranded DNA when mixed with
      double-stranded DNA modified by the platinum-triamine complex behaves as a single
      stranded DNA modified by the triamine complex. After double-stranded DNA is
      modified by the platinum-triamine complex, intrastrand and interstrand cross
      links are progressively formed during subsequent incubation as revealed by
      transcription mapping experiments and gel electrophoresis under denaturing
      conditions. Finally, replication mapping experiments show that the lability of
      the adducts within a double-stranded DNA depends upon the nature of the flanking
      nucleotide residues. All these results support the proposal that the DNA double
      helix acts as a catalyst in the reaction between DNA, cis
      diamminedichloroplatinum(II) and N-methyl-2,7-diazapyrenium.

PMID- 1408796
TI  - Isolation of genomic DNA encoding transcription factor TFIID from Acanthamoeba
      castellanii: characterization of the promoter.
AB  - We have isolated a genomic clone encoding Acanthamoeba castellanii TFIID. The
      clone contains the entire TFIID gene, 300 bp of 5' promoter sequences and several
      hundred base pairs of 3' non-coding sequence. The coding region is interrupted by
      two short introns, but is otherwise identical to Acanthamoeba TFIID cDNA.
      Comparisons between forty four Acanthamoeba intron 5' and 3' boundaries suggest a
      5' splice site consensus of GTACG(T/C) and a 3' consensus of CAG. We determined
      the position of the transcription initiation site used in vivo, and show that the
      same site is used in vitro by homologous nuclear extracts. Deletion analysis of
      the promoter region shows that the minimal promoter required for efficient
      expression in vitro is located between -97 and +4 relative to the transcription
      start site. Three regions within the promoter are important for transcription in
      vitro; sequences between -97 and -35, the TATAAA box and the initiation region.
      The initiation region is dispensable but appears to position the transcription
      start site relative to the TATAAA box. The TATAAA box is absolutely required for
      transcription initiation whereas the upstream region stimulates transcription
      approximately five-fold.

PMID- 1408798
TI  - Detection of single base differences using biotinylated nucleotides with very
      long linker arms.
AB  - A simple primer extension method for detecting nucleotide differences is based on
      the substitution of mobility-shifting analogs for natural nucleotides (1). This
      technique can detect any single-base difference that might occur including
      previously unknown mutations or polymorphisms. Two technical limitations of the
      original procedure have now been addressed. First, switching to Thermococcus
      litoralis DNA polymerase has eliminated variability believed to be due to the
      addition of an extra, non-templated base to the 3' end of DNA by Taq DNA
      polymerase. Second, with the analogs used in the original study, the mobility
      shift induced by a single base change can usually be resolved only in DNA
      segments 200 nt or smaller. This size limitation has been overcome by
      synthesizing biotinylated nucleotides with extraordinarily long linker arms (36
      atom backbone). Using these new analogs and conventional sequencing gels (0.4 mm
      thick), mutations in the human beta-hexosaminidase alpha and CYP2D6 genes have
      been detected in DNA segments up to 300 nt in length. By using very thin (0.15
      mm) gels, single-base polymorphisms in the human APOE gene have been detected in
      500-nt segments.

PMID- 1408799
TI  - Synthesis of the diastereomers of thymidine glycol, determination of
      concentrations and rates of interconversion of their cis-trans epimers at
      equilibrium and demonstration of differential alkali lability within DNA.
AB  - 5,6-dihydroxy-5,6-dihydrothymidine (thymidine glycol) is a major product of the
      reaction of thymidine with reactive oxygen species, including those generated by
      ionizing radiation. Thymidine glycol exists as 2 diastereomeric pairs by virtue
      of the chirality of the C(5) and C(6) atoms. A simple procedure is described for
      synthesizing and purifying each of the diastereomeric pairs separately. After
      brominating thymidine, the two trans 5-bromo-6-hydroxy-5,6-dihydrothymidine
      (thymidine bromohydrin) C(5) diastereomers were easily separated by High
      Performance Liquid Chromatography. Each thymidine bromohydrin was quantitatively
      converted to the corresponding diastereomeric thymidine glycol pair by reflux in
      aqueous solution. The concentrations at equilibrium of the cis (5S,6R),(5R,6S)
      and trans (5S,6S),(5R,6R) forms of the thymidine glycol diastereomers were
      determined and were 80% cis and 20% trans for the 5S pair and 87% cis and 13%
      trans for the 5R pair. At equilibrium, the rate of cis-trans epimerization of the
      two sets of diastereomers was essentially identical. The 5S diastereomeric pair
      was significantly more alkali labile than the 5R pair due to the higher
      concentration of the 5S trans epimer at equilibrium. This differential alkali
      lability was also manifest when the thymine glycol moiety was present in
      chemically oxidized poly(dA-dT).poly(dA-dT) indicating that the chemical
      differences between the diastereomeric pairs are preserved in DNA. These chemical
      differences may affect the biological properties of this important oxidative
      derivative of thymine in DNA.

PMID- 1408800
TI  - The complete nucleotide sequence of the Crossostoma lacustre mitochondrial
      genome: conservation and variations among vertebrates.
AB  - The complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of Crossostoma lacustre, a freshwater
      loach from mountain stream of Taiwan, has been cloned and sequenced. This fish mt
      genome, consisting of 16558 base-pairs, encodes genes for 13 proteins, two rRNAs,
      and 22 tRNAs, in addition to a regulatory sequence for replication and
      transcription (D-loop), is similar to those of the other vertebrates in both the
      order and orientation of these genes. The protein-coding and ribosomal RNA genes
      are highly homologous both in size and composition, to their counterparts in
      mammals, birds, amphibians, and invertebrates, and using essentially the same set
      of codons, including both the initiation and termination signals, and the tRNAs.
      Differences do exist, however, in the lengths and sequences of the D-loop
      regions, and in space between genes, which account for the variations in total
      lengths of the genomes. Our observations provide evidence for the first time for
      the conservation of genetic information in the fish mitochondrial genome,
      especially among the vertebrates.

PMID- 1408801
TI  - Two regions in human DNA polymerase beta mRNA suppress translation in Escherichia
      coli.
AB  - Although human DNA polymerase beta (DNA pol beta) shows 96% identity with rat DNA
      pol beta at the amino acid level, it is weakly expressed in Escherichia (E.) coli
      relative to the rat enzyme. The mechanism of this suppression was investigated.
      Pulse-chase protein labeling and steady state mRNA analysis showed that mature
      human DNA pol beta protein is relatively stable in E. coli and the levels of
      human and rat DNA pol beta mRNA were comparable indicating that the human DNA pol
      beta expression is suppressed at the translational level. By systematic
      expression analysis of a number of chimeric genes composed of human and rat
      cDNAs, two strong translational suppression regions were mapped in the human DNA
      pol beta mRNA; one was named TSR-1, corresponding to CGG encoding arginine (arg)
      at position 4 and the other, termed TSR-2, is located between codons 153 and 199.
      Since substitution of the rat Arg-4 codon with synonymous codons showed strong
      effects upon the expression level, we propose that the arg codon at the N
      terminal coding region plays a role in modulating expression.

PMID- 1408802
TI  - Activation and repression sequences determine the lens-specific expression of the
      rat gamma D-crystallin gene.
AB  - Rat lens nuclear extracts contain a factor that binds to position -57 to -46 of
      the rat gamma D-crystallin promoter region. This factor protects the sequence 5'
      CTGCCAACGCAG-3' in a footprint analysis. Binding to this region is crucial for
      maximal promoter activity in rat lens cells, but this sequence was unable to act
      as an enhancer when cloned in front of a heterologous promoter. A region directly
      upstream from this activating sequence, between position -85 to -67, acts as a
      strong silencer of promoter activity in non-lens cells. This silencing effect is
      mediated by trans-acting factor(s). Our data provide evidence for two regulatory
      elements in rat gamma D-crystallin gene expression, an activating sequence active
      in lens cells and a silencing sequence active only in non-lens cells. The factor
      that binds to the activating sequence could be detected only in lens cells and
      may be a determinant of the lens-specific expression of the gamma-crystallin
      genes.

PMID- 1408803
TI  - Two-label peak-height encoded DNA sequencing by capillary gel electrophoresis:
      three examples.
AB  - We report a modification to the peak-height encoded DNA sequencing technique of
      Tabor and Richardson. As in the original protocol, the sequencing reaction uses
      modified T7 polymerase with manganese rather than magnesium to produce very
      uniform incorporation of each dideoxynucleoside. To improve sequencing accuracy,
      two fluorescently labeled primers are employed in separate sequencing reactions.
      As an example, one sequencing reaction uses a FAM-labeled primer with
      dideoxyadenosine triphosphate and dideoxycytosine triphosphate; the
      concentrations of ddATP and ddCTP are adjusted to produce a 2:1 variation in the
      relative intensity of fragments. The second sequencing reaction uses a TAMRA
      labeled primer with dideoxythymidine triphosphate and dideoxyguanidine
      triphosphate; the concentrations of ddTTP and ddGTP are adjusted to produce a 2:1
      variation in relative intensity of fragments. The pooled reaction products are
      separated by capillary gel electrophoresis and identified by one of three
      different detector systems. Use of a 2:1 peak height ratio typically produces a
      sequencing accuracy of 97.5% for the first 350 bases; a 3:1 peak height ratio
      improves accuracy to 99.5% for the first 400 bases. For these experiments,
      capillary electrophoresis is performed at an electric field of 200 V/cm; two to
      three hours are required to separate sequencing fragments up to 400 nucleotides
      in length.

PMID- 1408804
TI  - Effect of intermolecular triplex formation on the yield of cyclobutane
      photodimers in DNA.
AB  - We have studied the effect of intermolecular triplexes formation on the yield of
      cyclobutane photodimers in DNA. DNA duplex within the pyrimidine-purine
      pyrimidine triplex d(TC)nd(GA)nd(CT)n is protected from the formation of
      cyclobutane photodimers in the case of the stabilization of this triplex by acid
      pH, and in the case of supplementary stabilization by Mg2+ or Zn2+. We have
      studied pH-independent pyrimidine-purine-purine triplexes stabilized by bivalent
      cations. In such triplexes, the protection from the formation of [6-4]
      photodimers is observed, whereas the protection from cyclobutane dimer formation
      does not take place. The formation of the d(TC)nd(GA)nd(GA)n triplex leads to an
      inversion of the intensities of cyclobutane CT and TC photodimers. We observed a
      sharp decrease in photoreactivity with respect to cyclobutane dimers in the
      duplex tract d(C)18d(G)18 in the presence of Ba2+, Cd2+, Co2+, Mn2+, Zn2+ and
      Ni2+. The formation of the d(C)nd(G)nd(G)n triplex leads to 'antifootprinting',
      i.e. an increase in the yield of cyclobutane photodimers.

PMID- 1408805
TI  - The transcriptional start site for a human U6 small nuclear RNA gene is dictated
      by a compound promoter element consisting of the PSE and the TATA box.
AB  - Transcription of vertebrate U6 snRNA genes by RNA polymerase III requires two
      sequence elements in the proximal promoter region: the PSE (proximal sequence
      element, found in snRNA promoters transcribed by RNA polymerase II) and the TATA
      element (found in many mRNA promoters). The locations of the PSE and the TATA box
      are important determinants for transcriptional start site selection in their
      respective RNA polymerase II promoters. In vertebrate U6 genes the PSE and the
      TATA elements are located in approximately the same positions as in the
      polymerase II transcribed genes, but their respective roles in initiation site
      selection are unknown. We have analyzed the effects of spacing changes between
      the PSE and the TATA element, and between the two elements and the normal U6
      start site on human U6 gene transcription. The spacing requirement between the
      two elements is highly stringent, implying a possible interaction between the
      factors that bind them. Our results discount the possibility that the location of
      either the PSE or the TATA element, by itself, dictates efficient selection of a
      transcriptional start site. Instead, we suggest that the two elements form a
      compound promoter element whose location dictates the start site of transcription
      from the human U6 gene promoter.

PMID- 1408807
TI  - Nucleotide sequence of a mouse cDNA encoding the non-histone chromosomal high
      mobility group protein-2 (HMG-2)

PMID- 1408806
TI  - The 66 kDa component of yeast SFI, stimulatory factor I, is hsp60.
AB  - DNA polymerase epsilon stimulatory factor I (SFI) has been shown to contain three
      peptides, p66, p37 and p13. Two of these components have been identified. The p66
      gene was cloned by using a p66 antibody to screen a lambda gt11 library. A
      portion of the gene was sequenced and confirmed to encode p66 by the presence of
      protein sequence corresponding to that of p66 tryptic peptides. The gene was
      identified as HSP60 by a homology search of GenBank. Tryptic peptides of p37 were
      sequenced and identified as belonging to yeast translation initiation factor 4A
      by a homology search of PIR. The HSP60 gene maps to chromosome XII.

PMID- 1408808
TI  - Nucleotide sequence of the intron of the germline human kappa immunoglobulin gene
      connecting the J and C regions reveals a matrix association region (MAR) next to
      the enhancer.

PMID- 1408809
TI  - A common sequence motif among prokaryotic DNA primases.

PMID- 1408810
TI  - Activation of S1 nuclease at neutral pH.

PMID- 1408811
TI  - Efficient amplification of HIV half-genomes from tissue DNA.

PMID- 1408812
TI  - An improved thermal cycle for two-step PCR-based targeted mutagenesis.

PMID- 1408814
TI  - Double-stranded DNA segments can efficiently prime the amplification of human
      genomic DNA.

PMID- 1408813
TI  - A rapid method for determining the molecular weight of a protein bound to nucleic
      acid in a mobility shift assay.

PMID- 1408816
TI  - Alw26I, Eco31I and Esp3I--type IIs methyltransferases modifying cytosine and
      adenine in complementary strands of the target DNA.
AB  - The specificity of three DNA methyltransferases M.Alw26I, M.Eco31I and M.Esp3I,
      isolated from Acinetobacter Iwoffi RFL26, Escherichia coli RFL31 and Hafnia alvei
      RFL3+, respectively, was determined. All the enzymes methylate both strands of
      asymmetric recognition sites yielding m5C in the top-strand and m6A in the bottom
      strand, as below: 5'-GTm5CTC 5'-GGTm5CTC 5'-CGTm5CTC 3'-Cm6AGAG 3'-CCm6AGAG 3'
      GCm6AGAG (M.Alw26I) (M.Eco31I) (M.Esp3I) They are the first members of type IIs
      methyltransferases that modify different types of nucleotides in the recognition
      sequence.

PMID- 1408817
TI  - Nutritional regulation of nucleosomal structure at the chicken malic enzyme
      promoter in liver.
AB  - Transcription of the chicken malic enzyme gene in the liver is stimulated by
      feeding and inhibited by starvation. Concomitant with the increase in
      transcription caused by refeeding, chromatin structure around the transcription
      start site of the malic enzyme gene is modified in the liver. Digestion of
      chromatin in isolated nuclei with DNase I revealed four feeding-induced DNase I
      hypersensitive sites (-220, -170, -130 and -70 bp) near the malic enzyme
      promoter. Similarly, digestion of chromatin with restriction endonucleases
      detected enhanced cleavage within this region when birds were refed. Micrococcal
      nuclease detected the presence of nucleosomes over this region in the starved
      state, but not in the fed state. After food was withdrawn from fed birds,
      nucleosomes were reformed in this region within 6 h. The speed and magnitude of
      the changes in nucleosomal structure in this region suggest that they did not
      require DNA replication.

PMID- 1408815
TI  - New nucleotide sequence data on the EMBL File Server.

PMID- 1408818
TI  - Site-specific cleavage of IGF-II mRNAs requires sequence elements from two
      distinct regions of the IGF-II gene.
AB  - The human insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) gene constitutes a complex
      transcriptional unit that contains nine exons and four promoters. Expression of
      the IGF-II gene yields a family of mRNAs that all encode prepro-IGF-II. In
      addition, a stable 1.8 kb RNA is formed that is derived from the 3' untranslated
      region of exon 9. Recently, we have shown that this RNA species arises by site
      specific endonucleolytic cleavage of IGF-II mRNAs and not by transcription from a
      separate promoter. In the present study we establish that two widely separated
      sequence elements of approximately 300 nucleotides, both located within exon 9,
      are required for this cleavage reaction. The first element encompasses about 200
      nucleotides upstream and 100 nucleotides downstream of the cleavage site, while
      the second element is located within a region of 330 nucleotides about 2 kb
      upstream of the cleavage site. Interestingly, site-specific cleavage also
      occurred when a fragment from exon 9 of the IGF-II gene containing these two
      elements was inserted into the 3' untranslated part of the beta-globin gene.
      Apparently, the expressed hybrid beta-globin-IGF-II mRNA contains all the
      regulatory elements to confer site-specific endonucleolytic cleavage.

PMID- 1408819
TI  - Specificities of three tight-binding Lac repressors.
AB  - Tight binding mutants of Lac repressor exhibit complex repression phenomena. In
      this work, in vivo Lac operator binding of three such mutants of E. coli Lac
      repressor (X86: ser 61-leu, l12: pro 3-tyr and the double mutant l12X86: pro 3
      tyr, ser 61-leu) was analyzed. Repression of beta-galactosidase synthesis
      controlled by ideal lac operator and its 27 symmetric operator variants
      containing each possible base-pair at each single half-operator position in the
      presence of the tight-binding Lac repressor mutants was determined. The average
      increase of repression with all operator variants was about 3 fold with the X86
      mutant. It was about 4 fold with the l12 mutant and about 2 fold with the double
      mutant l12X86 as compared to wildtype Lac repressor. The X86 mutant showed the
      same increase of affinity to all operator variants, whereas the l12 and l12X86
      mutants exhibited lower repression with some variants than with most others.
      These results suggest that the X86 mutant has gained no additional specificity.
      In contrast the l12 mutant and the l12X86 mutant exhibit a relaxed specificity
      for certain base pairs in positions 1 and 3 of lac operator. This suggests that
      the extreme N-terminus of Lac repressor may interact with the inner base-pairs in
      the minor groove.

PMID- 1408820
TI  - Identification of the CTAG-recognizing restriction-modification systems MthZI and
      MthFI from Methanobacterium thermoformicicum and characterization of the plasmid
      encoded mthZIM gene.
AB  - Two CTAG-recognizing restriction and modification (R/M) systems, designated MthZI
      and MthFI, were identified in the thermophilic archaeon Methanobacterium
      thermoformicicum strains Z-245 and FTF, respectively. Further analysis revealed
      that the methyltransferase (MTase) genes are plasmid-located in both strains. The
      plasmid pFZ1-encoded mthZIM gene of strain Z-245 was further characterized by
      subcloning and expression studies in Escherichia coli followed by nucleotide
      sequence analysis. The mthZIM gene is 1065 bp in size and may code for a protein
      of 355 amino acids (M(r) 42,476 Da). The deduced amino acid sequence of the
      M.MthZI enzyme shares substantial similarity with four distinct regions from
      several m4C- and m6A-MTases, and contains the TSPPY motif that is so far only
      found in m4C-MTases. Partially overlapping with the mthZIM gene and in reverse
      orientation, an additional ORF was identified with a size of 606 bp potentially
      coding for a protein of 202 amino acids (M(r) 23.710 Da). This ORF is suggested
      to encode the corresponding endonuclease R.MthZI.

PMID- 1408821
TI  - Nucleolin forms a specific complex with a fragment of the viral (minus) strand of
      minute virus of mice DNA.
AB  - Nucleolin, a major nucleolar protein, forms a specific complex with the genome (a
      single-stranded DNA molecule of minus polarity) of parvovirus MVMp in vitro. By
      means of South-western blotting experiments, we mapped the binding site to a 222
      nucleotide motif within the non-structural transcription unit, referred to as
      NUBE (nucleolin-binding element). The specificity of the interaction was
      confirmed by competitive gel retardation assays. DNaseI and nuclease S1 probing
      showed that NUBE folds into a secondary structure, in agreement with a computer
      assisted conformational prediction. The whole NUBE may be necessary for the
      interaction with nucleolin, as suggested by the failure of NUBE subfragments to
      bind the protein and by the nuclease footprinting experiments. The present work
      extends the previously reported ability of nucleolin to form a specific complex
      with ribosomal RNA, to a defined DNA substrate. Considering the tropism of MVMp
      DNA replication for host cell nucleoli, these data raise the possibility that
      nucleolin may contribute to the regulation of the parvoviral life-cycle.

PMID- 1408822
TI  - A rapid chemiluminescent method for quantitation of human DNA.
AB  - A sensitive and simple method for the quantitation of human DNA is described.
      This method is based on probe hybridization to a human alpha satellite locus,
      D17Z1. The biotinylated probe is hybridized to sample DNA immobilized on nylon
      membrane. The subsequent binding of streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase to the
      bound probe allows for chemiluminescent detection using a luminol-based reagent
      and X-ray film. Less than 150 pg of human DNA can easily be detected with a 15
      minute exposure. The entire procedure can be performed in 1.5 hours. Microgram
      quantities of nonhuman DNA have been tested and the results indicate very high
      specificity for human DNA. The data on film can be scanned into a computer and a
      commercially available program can be used to create a standard curve where DNA
      quantity is plotted against the mean density of each slot blot signal. The
      methods described can also be applied to the very sensitive determination of
      quantity and quality (size) of DNA on Southern blots. The high sensitivity of
      this quantitation method requires the consumption of only a fraction of sample
      for analysis. Determination of DNA quantity is necessary for RFLP and many PCR
      based tests where optimal results are obtained only with a relatively narrow
      range of DNA quantities. The specificity of this quantitation method for human
      DNA will be useful for the analysis of samples that may also contain bacterial or
      other non-human DNA, for example forensic evidence samples, ancient DNA samples,
      or clinical samples.

PMID- 1408823
TI  - Hydrolysis of oligoribonucleotides: influence of sequence and length.
AB  - The chemical stability of phosphodiester bonds of some oligoribonucleotides in
      the presence of a cofactor like polyvinylpyrolidine (PVP) is sequence dependent.
      It was found that pyrimidine-A (YA) and pyrimidine-C (YC) are especially
      susceptible to hydrolysis. The hydrolyzability of this same phosphodiester bond
      is dependent on its position in the oligomer. The presence of 3' and 5'-adjacent
      nucleotides enhances hydrolysis of the UA phosphodiester bond. The acceleration
      of the hydrolysis of UA by a 5'-adjacent nucleotide is not base dependent.
      However, a 3'-adjacent purine increases hydrolysis of a UA phosphodiester bond
      more than a 3'-pyrimidine. The presence of the exoamino group on the 3'-side base
      (on 6 and 4 position for adenosine and cytidine, respectively) of YA or YZ
      phosphodiester bond is required for hydrolysis.

PMID- 1408824
TI  - Nonenzymatic hydrolysis of oligoribonucleotides.
AB  - Selective cleavage of phosphodiester bonds in RNA is important in the processing
      of large RNA molecules. This paper reports specific cleavage at UA sequences in
      single stranded oligoribonucleotides as short as hexamers. The hydrolysis between
      U and A leaves a 2',3'-cyclic phosphate on the 5'-side and a 5'-hydroxyl group on
      the 3' side of the cleavage. The hydrolysis is promoted by a wide range of
      cofactors, including polymeric organic compounds such as polyvinylpyrrolydone
      (PVP) and by proteins. A variety of experiments suggests the cleavage is not due
      to contamination by ribonuclease. The rate of cleavage is a function of
      oligoribonucleotide, PVP and spermidine concentrations. Mg2+ is not required. The
      phenomenon described here can potentially provide a relatively simple way of
      coding chemical stability into single stranded RNA based on its sequence and
      structure. This process seems to be similar to that involved in post
      transcriptional degradation of mRNA.

PMID- 1408825
TI  - Characterization of MeCP2, a vertebrate DNA binding protein with affinity for
      methylated DNA.
AB  - Methylated DNA in vertebrates is associated with transcriptional repression and
      inactive chromatin. Two activities have been identified, MeCP1 and MeCP2, which
      bind specifically to DNA containing methyl-CpG pairs. In this report we
      characterize MeCP2. We show that it is more abundant than MeCP1, is more tightly
      bound in the nucleus, and is distinguishable chromatographically. The two
      proteins share widespread expression in somatic mammalian cells, and barely
      detectable expression in early embryonic cells. DNAs containing thymidine which
      has a methyl group at position 5 are not ligands for the MeCPs. The possible role
      of MeCP2 in methylation-associated gene inactivation was tested in in vitro
      transcription extracts. Purified MeCP2 inhibited transcription from both
      methylated and nonmethylated DNA templates in vitro, probably due to the presence
      of nonspecific DNA binding domains within the protein. We hypothesise that MeCP2
      normally binds methylated DNA in the context of chromatin, contributing to the
      long-term repression and nuclease-resistance of methyl-CpGs.

PMID- 1408826
TI  - Clathrin light chain B: gene structure and neuron-specific splicing.
AB  - The clathrin light chains are components of clathrin coated vesicles, structural
      constituents involved in endocytosis and membrane recycling. The clathrin light
      chain B (LCB) gene encodes two isoforms, termed LCB2 and LCB3, via an alternative
      RNA splicing mechanism. We have determined the structure of the rat clathrin
      light chain B gene. The gene consists of six exons that extend over 11.9 kb. The
      first four exons and the last exon are common to the LCB2 and LCB3 isoforms. The
      fifth exon, termed EN, is included in the mRNA in brain, giving rise to the brain
      specific form LCB2 but is excluded in other tissues, generating the LCB3 isoform.
      Primary rat neuronal cell cultures express predominantly the brain specific LCB2
      isoform, whereas primary rat cultures of glia express only the LCB3 isoform,
      suggesting that expression of the brain-specific LCB2 form is limited to neurons.
      Further evidence for neuronal localization of the LCB2 form is provided using a
      teratocarcinoma cell line, P19, which can be induced by retinoic acid to express
      a neuronal phenotype, concomitant with the induction of the LCB2 form. In order
      to determine the sequences involved in alternative splice site selection, we
      constructed a minigene containing the alternative spliced exon EN and its
      flanking intron and exon sequences. This minigene reflects the splicing pattern
      of the endogenous gene upon transfection in HeLa cell and primary neuronal cell
      cultures, indicating that this region of the LCB gene contains all the necessary
      information for neuron-specific splicing.

PMID- 1408827
TI  - Modified DNA fragments activate NaeI cleavage of refractory DNA sites.
AB  - Endonuclease NaeI cleaves DNA using a two-site mechanism. The DNA-binding sites
      are nonidentical: they recognize different families of flanking sequences. A
      unique NaeI site that is resistant to cleavage resides in M13 double-stranded
      DNA. NaeI can be activated to cleave this site by small DNA fragments containing
      one or more NaeI sites. These activators are not practical for genetic
      engineering because unphosphorylated activators that are consumed during the
      cleavage of substrate give ends that may interfere with subsequent ligations. We
      show that a DNA fragment containing phosphorothioate linkages at the NaeI
      scissile bonds (S-activator) is not cleaved by NaeI, even though this S-activator
      binds to the substrate site. The S-activator activates NaeI to cleave M13 DNA
      under conditions that completely exhaust unsubstituted activator. These results
      demonstrate that activation is not coupled to cleavage of activator, that NaeI
      reverts to its inactive state soon after dissociation of the EA complex, and that
      S-activator makes for a nondepletable activator during prolonged incubations.

PMID- 1408828
TI  - DNA diversity among clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori detected by PCR
      based RAPD fingerprinting.
AB  - The RAPD (or AP-PCR) DNA fingerprinting method was used to distinguish among
      clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium whose long term carriage is
      associated with gastritis, peptic ulcers and gastric carcinomas. This method uses
      arbitrarily chosen oligonucleotides to prime DNA synthesis from genomic sites to
      which they are fortuitously matched, or almost matched. Most 10-nt primers with >
      or = 60% G + C yielded strain-specific arrays of up to 15 prominent fragments, as
      did most longer (> or = 17-nt) primers, whereas most 10-nt primers with 50% G+C
      did not. Each of 64 independent H. pylori isolates, 60 of which were from
      patients in the same hospital, was distinguishable with a single RAPD primer,
      which suggests a high level of DNA sequence diversity within this species. In
      contrast, isolates from initial and followup biopsies were indistinguishable in
      each of three cases tested.

PMID- 1408829
TI  - Adenovirus DNA replication facilitates binding of the MLTF/USF transcription
      factor to the viral major late promoter within infected cells.
AB  - The activity of the adenovirus major late promoter is substantially increased as
      the infection proceeds from the early to late phase. To gain insight into the
      regulation of this promoter, we analyzed protein-DNA interactions by in vivo DMS
      and DNasel footprinting during the course of adenovirus infection. Little or no
      protein interaction at promoter sequences was detected early (5 hr) after
      infection but strong interactions at the major late transcription factor
      (MLTF/USF) binding site and at the TATA box were evident late (12 hr) after
      infection. Comparison of in vivo and in vitro footprints revealed that the in
      vivo interaction late after infection results from binding of the cellular
      transcription factor MLTF/USF. Nuclear extracts prepared from uninfected cells as
      well as cells harvested at 5 and 12 hr after infection contained similar levels
      of MLTF/USF footprint activity, therefore the lack of a detectable interaction
      early after infection is not due to reduced levels of the factor early in the
      viral growth cycle. Viral DNA replication was required for MLTF/USF binding at
      the major late promoter. These results indicate that DNA replication participates
      in the regulation of adenovirus late gene expression by facilitating the binding
      of a transcription factor to the major late promoter.

PMID- 1408830
TI  - Synthesis of oligodeoxyribonucleotides containing degenerate bases and their use
      as primers in the polymerase chain reaction.
AB  - Heptadecaoligodeoxyribonucleotides containing one or more of the bases, 6H,8H-3,4
      dihydropyrimido[4,5-c][1,2]oxazin-7-one (P), 2-amino-6-methoxyaminopurine (K),
      and hypoxanthine (I) and combinations of P with K and I have been synthesised on
      a DNA synthesiser. The stability of duplexes containing these basemodified
      oligomers with P/A, P/G, K/C and K/T; P/A, P/G, I/C, I/T and I/A, I/G, I/C, I/T
      base pairs were compared by measuring their melting transition (Tm) values.
      Oligomers containing both P and K and P and I were more stable than those with I
      alone or with mismatches. These oligomers together with one with a P base at the
      3'-end were used as primers in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments. They
      were all effective primers except one with I alone and a triple mismatch. Thus
      the use of the degenerate bases P and K in primer design is established.

PMID- 1408831
TI  - The dyad palindromic glutathione transferase P enhancer binds multiple factors
      including AP1.
AB  - Glutathione Transferase P (GST-P) gene expression is dominantly regulated by an
      upstream enhancer (GPEI) consisting of a dyad of palindromically oriented
      imperfect TPA (12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate)-responsive elements (TRE).
      GPEI is active in AP1-lacking F9 cells as well in AP1-containing HeLa cells.
      Despite GPEI's similarity to a TRE, c-jun co-transfection has only a minimal
      effect on transactivation. Antisense c-jun and c-fos co-transfection experiments
      further demonstrate the lack of a role for AP1 in GPEI mediated trans-activation
      in F9 cells, although endogenously present AP1 can influence GPEI in HeLa cells.
      Co-transfection of delta fosB with c-jun, which forms an inactive c-Jun/delta
      FosB heterodimer that binds TRE sequences, inhibits GPEI-mediated transcription
      in AP1-lacking F9 cells as well as AP1-containing HeLa cells. These data suggest
      novel factor(s) other than AP1 are influencing GPEI. Binding studies reveal
      multiple nucleoproteins bind to GPEI. These factors are likely responsible for
      the high level of GPEI-mediated transcription observed in the absence of AP1 and
      during hepatocarcinogenesis.

PMID- 1408832
TI  - Structural effect of donor DNA on the initiation of recombination for double
      strand break repair in human nuclear extracts.
AB  - The effect of the structure of donor DNA molecules on the initiation of
      recombination for double strand break repair in human nuclear extracts, was
      investigated here. A unique double strand break was introduced into M13 duplex
      derivatives by digestion with restriction enzymes. After coincubation of the
      cleaved DNA in human nuclear extracts, with a plasmid containing M13 sequences
      spanning the break, double strand break repair was estimated by the plating
      efficiency in JM109 (RecA1) bacteria. We first confirm that a short heterologous
      insert (8bp) close to the break on the recipient cleaved M13 DNA inhibits
      recombination with circular as well as with linear donor molecules. The results
      indicate that, with these substrates, recombination is initiated at the level of
      the break, requires uninterrupted homology on both sides of the break, and is
      associated with a decreasing gradient of gene conversion. When the heterologous
      insertion is located on the plasmid donor DNA, similar results are obtained with
      a circular donor DNA. In contrast, with a linear donor molecule, bearing the
      insert, homology requirements, in the region of the break in M13 DNA, are
      abolished. This last result suggests that recombination could be initiated at the
      extremities of the linear donor DNA.

PMID- 1408834
TI  - Differential ASF/SF2 activity in extracts from normal WI38 and transformed
      WI38VA13 cells.
AB  - The normal human fibroblast cell line WI38 and a transformed derivative,
      WI38VA13, differentially splice fibronectin pre-mRNA in vivo. As a first step to
      understand the molecular basis for this regulation of splicing, we examined the
      ability of WI38 and WI38VA13 nuclear extracts to splice model adenovirus and
      globin pre-mRNAs. Adenovirus RNA splicing was detected in WI38VA13 but not in
      WI38 extracts. Likewise, when supplemented with a HeLa post-nuclear supernatant
      (S100), human beta-globin RNA splicing was detected in WI38VA13 but not in WI38
      extracts. The splicing defect in WI38 extracts was associated with a reduced
      ability to form splicing complexes and with a corresponding decrease in the
      interaction of U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) with the branchsite.
      These defects did not correlate with a decrease in 65 kD U2AF binding since
      equivalent U2AF level and activity were detected in WI38 and WI38VA13 extracts.
      Rather, WI38 extracts displayed reduced ASF/SF2 activity and contained a low
      level of 30 and 40 kD SR phosphoproteins. Moreover, addition of purified ASF/SF2
      dramatically increased splicing complex formation in WI38 extracts. These results
      raise the possibility that variations in the level and activity of ASF/SF2 and
      other SR proteins play a role in the regulation of fibronectin splicing.

PMID- 1408833
TI  - The selective isolation of novel cDNAs encoded by the regions surrounding the
      human interleukin 4 and 5 genes.
AB  - We have developed modifications to direct cDNA selection that allow the rapid and
      reproducible isolation of low abundance cDNAs encoded by large genomic clones.
      Biotinylated, cloned genomic DNAs are hybridized in solution with amplifiable
      cDNAs. The genomic clones and attached cDNAs are captured on streptavidin coated
      magnetic beads, the cDNAs are eluted and amplified. We have applied this protocol
      to a 425kb YAC that contains the human IL4 and IL5 genes. After two cycles of
      enrichment twenty-four cDNAs were evaluated, all of which were homologous to the
      YAC. DNA sequencing revealed that nine cDNAs were 100% homologous to the
      interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) gene. Six clones were 70% homologous to the
      murine P600 gene, which is coexpressed with IL4 and IL5 in mouse Th2 cells. The
      nine remaining clones were unique within the sequence databases and were non
      redundant. All of the selected cDNAs were initially present at very low abundance
      and were enriched by as much as 100,000-fold in two cycles of enrichment. This
      modified selection technique should be readily applicable to the isolation of
      many candidate disease loci as well as the derivation of detailed transcription
      maps across large genomic regions.

PMID- 1408835
TI  - The estimation of distances between specific backbone-labeled sites in DNA using
      fluorescence resonance energy transfer.
AB  - A series DNA helices of twenty-four base pairs has been prepared for the study of
      fluorescence resonance energy transfer. Each of the DNA helices contains two
      phosphorothioate diesters (one in each strand) at pre-selected sites for
      introduction of the desired donor and acceptor fluorophores. The phosphorothioate
      containing oligodeoxynucleotides have been prepared as pure Rp or Sp derivatives
      or as deastereomeric mixtures. Fluorescein and eosin are employed as the
      respective donor and acceptor fluorophores. A series of donor-acceptor pairs was
      generated by labeling of the appropriate phosphorothioate diester with the
      desired fluorophore and annealing the two complementary DNA strands (one
      containing the acceptor and one containing the donor fluorophore) to form the
      double-stranded helix. The 24-mer helices containing two covalently attached
      fluorophores exhibited some thermal destabilization and the extent of this
      destabilization was dependent upon the stereochemical orientation of the
      fluorophore. The Sp derivatives direct the fluorophore out, away from the the DNA
      helix, while the Rp derivatives direct the fluorophore toward the major groove.
      As expected, the Sp labeled duplexes were more stable than the corresponding Rp
      labeled sequences. However, all of the duplex structures formed were stable under
      the conditions used to measure energy transfer. Energy transfer could be observed
      with these complexes from the quenching of the donor fluorescence in the presence
      of the acceptor fluorophore. Using Forster's theories, distances separating the
      fluorophores could be calculated that were generally in reasonable agreement with
      the distances expected in an idealized B-form DNA helix. However anomalous
      results were obtained for one donor/acceptor pair where the expected distance was
      less than 20 A. Fluorescence anisotropy values determined in solutions of varying
      viscosity were quite high suggesting that the fluorophores did not experience
      complete freedom of movement when attached to the DNA helix.

PMID- 1408837
TI  - The nucleotide sequence of the L10 equivalent ribosomal protein gene of
      Streptomyces antibioticus.

PMID- 1408836
TI  - Yeast RNC1 encodes a chimeric protein, RhoNUC, with a human rho motif and
      deoxyribonuclease activity.
AB  - The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains an endoexonuclease yNucR that has
      been implicated in both recombination and repair. We describe the isolation and
      characterization of the corresponding gene. Within the predicted N-terminal half
      of the protein there is extensive homology (approximately 50%) with human rho
      genes, which are related to the ras oncogene, particularly in the proposed GTP
      binding region. The C-terminal region, which is related to the Escherichia coli
      recC protein, presumably encodes the endoexonuclease activity. The yNucR may thus
      represent a new class of GTP-binding proteins. Because of the chimeric nature of
      the polypeptide, this protein is renamed RhoNUC (rather than the original yNucR)
      and the gene is RNC1 for Rho-associated-NuClease. Over expression of the gene
      leads to altered cell growth and nuclear morphology. We propose that the gene
      plays an important role in cell development as well as DNA repair/recombination.

PMID- 1408838
TI  - Nucleotide sequence of U5 RNA from a green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

PMID- 1408840
TI  - Phylogenetic position of Trimorphomyces papilionaceus based on 5S rRNA sequence.

PMID- 1408839
TI  - Nucleotide sequence of the genes encoding the subunits H, B, A' and A'' of the
      DNA-dependent RNA polymerase and the initiator tRNA from Thermoplasma
      acidophilum.

PMID- 1408841
TI  - Tobacco cDNA encoding the ribosomal protein S6.

PMID- 1408842
TI  - Similarity between subunit 8 of yeast RNA polymerase II (RPB8) and the second
      largest subunits of eukaryotic RNA polymerases.

PMID- 1408843
TI  - Nucleotide sequence of a nuc gene encoding the thermonuclease of Staphylococcus
      intermedius.

PMID- 1408844
TI  - Efficient retroviral-mediated gene transfer into human B lymphoblastoid cells
      expressing mouse ecotropic viral receptor.

PMID- 1408845
TI  - Sex typing of Aratinga parrots using the human minisatellite probe 33.15.

PMID- 1408846
TI  - A simple method for amplification of DNA from paraffin-embedded tissues.

PMID- 1408847
TI  - A coupled Southwestern--DNase I footprinting assay.

PMID- 1408848
TI  - A simple in vitro site directed mutagenesis of concatamerized cDNA by inverse
      polymerase chain reaction.

PMID- 1408849
TI  - A simple and rapid method for detection of apoptosis in human cells.

PMID- 1408851
TI  - Turning toward a preferred future.

PMID- 1408852
TI  - Environmental compatibility: accepting the challenge.

PMID- 1408850
TI  - New nucleotide sequence data on the EMBL File Server.

PMID- 1408853
TI  - Issues concerning women and AIDS: sexuality.

PMID- 1408854
TI  - Addressing infrequent cancer screening among women.
AB  - National health policies must be revised to support basic health services for all
      Americans, a breadth of cost-effective health practitioners, and a system that
      provides comprehensive, coordinated care in decentralized locations. State and
      local advocacy groups should increase consumers and policy-makers awareness about
      inadequate cancer screening. Educational institutions should address cancer
      prevention for practitioners in training. Practice institutions should employ
      nurses and nurse practitioners more effectively, as well as institute
      computerized feed-back and reminder systems. More rigorous research on the effect
      of educational messages on client beliefs, affect, and screening behavior are
      needed to guide interventions for cancer control.

PMID- 1408855
TI  - AAN working paper. Wellness and health promotion of the elderly.
AB  - One of the missions of the American Academy of Nursing is to formulate strategies
      for health policy. To arrive at these strategies, Academy members share their
      thoughts, knowledge, and imagination in working groups at Academy meetings. The
      Expert Panel on Older Adults, one of these working groups, asked for interested
      members to formulate a policy paper on wellness and health promotion of the
      elderly for presentation at the AAN meeting in Los Angeles last October. This was
      done, and AAN members at that meeting shared their views on the paper. Now, this
      draft is being published here to invite all Nursing Outlook readers to review and
      comment on the policy recommendations that have been formulated. We encourage
      feedback so your ideas can be considered in the development of the paper. The
      paper will be submitted for approval to the AAN Committee on Health Policy
      Reform.

PMID- 1408856
TI  - Students in transition: services for retention and outplacement.

PMID- 1408857
TI  - Nursing practicum: empowering strategies.
AB  - The concepts embodied by the practicum are best summarized by students
      themselves: "Through practicum, I have become more independent and my clinical
      instructor guided me to independence. I have grown in my own knowledge, skills,
      performance and confidence in myself." "This course was wonderful--it allows for
      independence in the clinical area and choice related to the area of study. It
      improved and developed my self-motivation." "Practicum promotes independence with
      guidance from faculty and preceptors when needed. The independence promotes
      decision-making by the student. The course pulls together a lot, if not all, the
      things taught in school." "I really liked writing my own learning contact and the
      opportunity to build confidence in my nursing practice."

PMID- 1408858
TI  - A call for educational reform: Colorado nursing doctorate model as exemplar.

PMID- 1408859
TI  - More than skin deep.

PMID- 1408860
TI  - Measurement of safe sex behavior in adolescents and young adults.
AB  - The aim of this project was to develop an instrument to measure use of safe sex
      practices among adolescents and to conduct initial evaluation of the psychometric
      properties of the instrument. The Safe Sex Behavior Questionnaire (SSBQ) was
      designed to measure the frequency of use of safe sex practices and was assessed
      for content validity, reliability, and construct validity through a series of
      tests. The content validity index computed for the SSBQ was 98%. Initial
      reliability computed for sums of items of the total scale was .82 among 89
      college freshmen. Using a second sample of 531 subjects, the SSBQ was factor
      analyzed separately for males and females and five similar factors emerged for
      each gender. Reliability coefficients for sums of salient items for each factor
      ranged from .52 to .85. Using a third sample of 174 subjects, construct validity
      was assessed by correlating the SSBQ with measures of general assertiveness and
      general risk-taking. The resulting correlations were appreciable and in the
      predicted directions, thus providing support for the construct validity of the
      instrument.

PMID- 1408861
TI  - A randomized trial of a health care program for first-time adolescent mothers and
      their infants.
AB  - To test the effectiveness of a special health care program for adolescent mothers
      (17 years old or younger) and their infants, 243 mother-infant pairs were
      randomly assigned to one of two groups. All of the mothers were unwed, on
      Medicaid, and black. The control group received routine well-baby care. The
      experimental group received routine care and services that included rigorous
      follow-up, discussions with the mother about her plans for return to school and
      use of family planning methods, and extra health teaching. The dropout rate in
      the experimental group (60%) was significantly less after 18 months than the
      control group (82%). In spite of the high dropout rate, 91% of the mothers were
      located for the 18 month follow-up interview. The repeat pregnancy rate in the
      experimental group was 12% after 18 months, and 28% in the control group. There
      was no significant difference in the percentage returning to school. After 12
      months, the infants in the experimental group were more likely to be fully
      immunized (33%) than the infants in the control group (18%). Mothers in the
      special care program who continued to attend clinic used the emergency room less
      than the mothers who continued to attend in the control group. These results
      suggest that a comprehensive health care program is one way to bring about better
      outcomes for both adolescent mothers and their infants.

PMID- 1408862
TI  - Determinants of career attainments of doctorates in nursing.
AB  - The career attainments of graduates of doctoral programs in nursing during two
      academic career stages after the doctorate were examined. Educational
      associations and work experiences were the most important determinants of
      postdoctoral career attainments. The quality of the doctoral program attended and
      predoctoral work experiences significantly influenced initial institutional
      quality, which in turn influenced current institutional quality. The current
      institutional quality, then, had direct effects on current attainments in the
      areas of professorial rank, publication productivity, and income. Graduate school
      quality was the most important factor in first institutional quality, as it
      tracked faculty into certain strata of the higher educational hierarchy.
      Consistent with the academic stratification system in higher education, those in
      high quality programs attained lower professorial ranks but higher publication
      productivity and higher recognition than those who gained employment in unranked
      schools.

PMID- 1408863
TI  - Preventability of infant mortality in a rural community.
AB  - Preventability of infant mortality in a rural southern county was examined with a
      Delphi technique using case summaries of infant deaths during a selected four
      year period. The first two rounds were aimed at developing a consensus of
      panelists' opinions about problems leading to the high infant mortality rate in
      the study area. From these opinions, an Infant Mortality Preventability Decision
      Tree and a Problem List was developed. Panelists used these in Rounds III and IV
      to evaluate the case summaries. There were significant differences in the
      preventability ratings between physicians and nurses, indicating the importance
      of assessing individuals' philosophies of preventability when working with an
      interdisciplinary team of health care providers.

PMID- 1408864
TI  - Parental division of infant care: contextual influences and infant
      characteristics.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of maternal employment
      to division of parental infant caregiving and whether infant characteristics
      predicted maternal and paternal caregiving during the first year. Subjects were
      351 families with healthy infants from normal pregnancies. Measures included a
      newborn and 1-month Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment, Child Care
      Activities Scale at 1, 6, and 12 months, Bates Infant Characteristics
      Questionnaire at 6 and 12 months, and selected demographics. Mothers provided the
      majority of infant care though fathers' proportion increased with employment of
      mothers. Controlling for demographics, infant characteristics were infrequent
      predictors of maternal caregiving and predicted a small amount of paternal
      caregiving variance.

PMID- 1408865
TI  - Psychosocial variables, race, and intention to seek care for breast cancer
      symptoms.
AB  - This study was designed to assess whether the influences of affect, utility,
      norm, and habit on intention to seek care promptly for a breast cancer symptom
      were conditional upon race. Ninety-six participants (68% Caucasian and 32%
      African American) in community settings completed measures of psychosocial,
      demographic, and clinical variables, and intention to seek care promptly for a
      breast lump. Controlling for education, financial coverage for health care, and
      family history of breast disease, the interactions of both utility and norm with
      race significantly explained intention. The positive influence of utility on
      intention was stronger among Caucasians than African Americans, but significant
      among both groups. The positive influence of social norm on intention was
      significant for Caucasians, but not for African Americans.

PMID- 1408866
TI  - Relaxation to reduce dyspnea and anxiety in COPD patients.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a taped relaxation
      message in reducing dyspnea and anxiety in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
      (COPD) patients. Twenty-six adult COPD patients with dyspnea were randomly
      assigned to two groups. The treatment group was taught relaxation using a
      prerecorded tape while the control group was instructed to sit quietly. Skin
      temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate were recorded for all subjects
      during a total of four weekly sessions. Anxiety, dyspnea, and airway obstruction
      were measured at the beginning and end of the study. The relaxation group
      achieved the preset relaxation criteria. Dyspnea, anxiety, and airway obstruction
      were reduced in the relaxation group while the control group remained the same or
      became worse.

PMID- 1408867
TI  - The role of Nursing Research Committees.

PMID- 1408868
TI  - Doling out misery.

PMID- 1408870
TI  - Drink drive.

PMID- 1408869
TI  - Testing times.

PMID- 1408871
TI  - Brain drain.

PMID- 1408872
TI  - Women's business.

PMID- 1408873
TI  - Tales of travail.

PMID- 1408874
TI  - Advice to take home.

PMID- 1408875
TI  - Improving community services.

PMID- 1408876
TI  - Powerless to manage?

PMID- 1408877
TI  - Things that go bump.

PMID- 1408878
TI  - Order, order!

PMID- 1408879
TI  - Rediscovering refuge.

PMID- 1408881
TI  - Developing roles.

PMID- 1408880
TI  - Barriers to learning.

PMID- 1408882
TI  - Someone to turn to.

PMID- 1408883
TI  - Input on outcomes.

PMID- 1408884
TI  - The impact of mastectomy.

PMID- 1408885
TI  - How nurses see their 'caring' role.

PMID- 1408886
TI  - Cancer--the dual approach.

PMID- 1408887
TI  - Holistic power.

PMID- 1408888
TI  - Management module. M5: Quality in care. Part (i): What is quality?

PMID- 1408889
TI  - Risky complacency.

PMID- 1408890
TI  - Morale questions.

PMID- 1408892
TI  - Added difficulties.

PMID- 1408891
TI  - The numbers game.

PMID- 1408893
TI  - Women in charge.

PMID- 1408894
TI  - Who draws the line?

PMID- 1408895
TI  - Help on the streets.

PMID- 1408896
TI  - Are you sitting comfortably?

PMID- 1408897
TI  - Education--critical and constructive.

PMID- 1408898
TI  - The history man. Interview by Daloni Carlisle.

PMID- 1408899
TI  - Exporting excellence.

PMID- 1408900
TI  - The baby blues club.

PMID- 1408901
TI  - Misery in Munich. Nursing abroad.

PMID- 1408902
TI  - Operations explained. Patient information.

PMID- 1408903
TI  - Hazards of N20 exposure.

PMID- 1408904
TI  - Don't sack staff with HIV, says UKCC.

PMID- 1408905
TI  - Mrs. Green's decline.

PMID- 1408906
TI  - Pressure relief--stand by your beds.

PMID- 1408907
TI  - Pressure relief--supporting evidence.

PMID- 1408908
TI  - Management module. M5: Quality in care. Part (ii): The individual practitioner.

PMID- 1408909
TI  - Midwives' extended role--not to serve junior doctors.

PMID- 1408911
TI  - Misused authority.

PMID- 1408910
TI  - Licence off?

PMID- 1408912
TI  - Russian roulette.

PMID- 1408913
TI  - Force for the future.

PMID- 1408914
TI  - Body politic--Virginia territory.

PMID- 1408915
TI  - Education--qualified to talk. Project 2000.

PMID- 1408916
TI  - Education--teething trouble. Project 2000.

PMID- 1408917
TI  - Education--mixed feelings. Project 2000.

PMID- 1408918
TI  - The white approach--learning disabilities.

PMID- 1408919
TI  - Comfort of strangers--care study.

PMID- 1408920
TI  - A questionable treatment.

PMID- 1408921
TI  - Education--the importance of practice.

PMID- 1408922
TI  - How much does it hurt?

PMID- 1408923
TI  - Breaking the silence.

PMID- 1408924
TI  - Swazi safari.

PMID- 1408925
TI  - Management module. M5: Quality in care. Part (iv): Nursing audit.

PMID- 1408926
TI  - Caring centre questioned.

PMID- 1408928
TI  - Clinical grading--hidden extras.

PMID- 1408927
TI  - Clinical grading--upgraded or degraded?

PMID- 1408929
TI  - Clinical grading--end of the road.

PMID- 1408930
TI  - Money isn't everything.

PMID- 1408932
TI  - Mind your back. Handle with care.

PMID- 1408931
TI  - A milestone in AIDS care.

PMID- 1408933
TI  - Tough decisions.

PMID- 1408934
TI  - Fit for what?

PMID- 1408935
TI  - Alcohol misconceptions.

PMID- 1408936
TI  - Making a break.

PMID- 1408937
TI  - Community Care Act. Information gap.

PMID- 1408938
TI  - Education--an adult approach.

PMID- 1408939
TI  - People--special mixture. Interview by Thelma Agnew.

PMID- 1408940
TI  - Systems of life. The nervous system. 1.

PMID- 1408941
TI  - Stress in dealing with cardiac arrests.

PMID- 1408942
TI  - Catheter confusion.

PMID- 1408943
TI  - Fruit, vegetables, and cancer prevention: a review of the epidemiological
      evidence.
AB  - Approximately 200 studies that examined the relationship between fruit and
      vegetable intake and cancers of the lung, colon, breast, cervix, esophagus, oral
      cavity, stomach, bladder, pancreas, and ovary are reviewed. A statistically
      significant protective effect of fruit and vegetable consumption was found in 128
      of 156 dietary studies in which results were expressed in terms of relative risk.
      For most cancer sites, persons with low fruit and vegetable intake (at least the
      lower one-fourth of the population) experience about twice the risk of cancer
      compared with those with high intake, even after control for potentially
      confounding factors. For lung cancer, significant protection was found in 24 of
      25 studies after control for smoking in most instances. Fruits, in particular,
      were significantly protective in cancers of the esophagus, oral cavity, and
      larynx, for which 28 of 29 studies were significant. Strong evidence of a
      protective effect of fruit and vegetable consumption was seen in cancers of the
      pancreas and stomach (26 of 30 studies), as well as in colorectal and bladder
      cancers (23 of 38 studies). For cancers of the cervix, ovary, and endometrium, a
      significant protective effect was shown in 11 of 13 studies, and for breast
      cancer a protective effect was found to be strong and consistent in a meta
      analysis. It would appear that major public health benefits could be achieved by
      substantially increasing consumption of these foods.

PMID- 1408944
TI  - Vitamin supplement use and risk for oral and esophageal cancer.
AB  - In a hospital-based case-control study, 290 oral cancer cases and 133 esophageal
      cancer cases were queried as to smoking status, alcohol consumption, and dietary
      exposures, including vitamin supplement history. Among oral cancer cases, vitamin
      E use appeared to exert a protective effect. Vitamins C and E had protective
      effects among esophageal cancer cases. When stratified by smoking status, the
      protective effect of vitamin C use in esophageal cancer was significant only
      among current smokers, as was vitamin B use. A reduced risk of oral cancer was
      correlated with multivitamin use and increasing vegetable consumption, as was
      vegetable/fruit consumption and vitamin C supplementation. Among esophageal
      cancer cases, increasing meat consumption and vitamin C use were associated with
      a significantly reduced cancer risk.

PMID- 1408945
TI  - The role of dietary phytosterols in colon carcinogenesis.
AB  - Epidemiological and experimental studies have shown that increased intake of
      plant foods and decreased meat consumption are correlated with a decreased risk
      for colon cancer. Many components of plant foods are suggested to mitigate colon
      carcinogenesis, including vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Phytosterols are
      a common component of plant foods consumed in relatively large quantities by
      vegetarians, who are at lower risk for colon cancer development than individuals
      on a Western diet low in phytosterols. In addition, phytosterols have been shown
      experimentally to inhibit colon cancer development. Dietary cholesterol, although
      structurally similar to the phytosterols, is correlated etiologically to the
      incidence of colon cancer, with changes in serum cholesterol levels and fecal
      bile acid profiles suggested to increase susceptibility to colon tumorigenesis.
      The objective of this paper is to discuss the effect of dietary phytosterols on
      cholesterol and bile acid metabolism and how these effects may lead to a
      decreased risk for colon cancer development.

PMID- 1408946
TI  - Stability of fusarin C: effects of the normal cooking procedure used in China and
      pH.
AB  - Fusarin C (FC) is a naturally occurring mutagen found on Fusarium moniliforme
      contaminated corn. In Linxian, China, an area of exceptionally high incidence of
      esophageal cancer, the milled corn is made into small cakes called wotou, which
      are steamed. It has been suggested that FC may play a role in the etiology of
      esophageal cancer, but this has been questioned, in part, because of the thermal
      instability of FC. We therefore measured the effects of temperature on FC
      stability, mimicking the cooking process. FC was extracted from the wotou and
      quantitated by both reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and the
      Ames assay. After wotou were steamed for 30 minutes, 11% and 3% of the initial FC
      remained, as detected by the two assays, respectively. The milled corn, when
      moistened with water, had a pH of 6.1, which was lowered to 5.3 when it was
      inoculated with F. moniliforme and cultured for three weeks. Pickled vegetables
      are sometimes added to the wotou, which further reduces the pH. To determine the
      effects of pH on FC, it was heated in solution, with the pH varied between 4 and
      8. Its stability was very pH dependent, decomposing more rapidly as the pH
      increased. Because ingested FC would also be subjected to the low pH of the
      stomach, it was treated for 30 minutes at 37 degrees C and pH values ranging from
      1.0 to 7.0. FC was stable (less than 15% decomposition) under these conditions.
      If FC is a significant health threat, it could most easily be destroyed by
      cooking at slightly basic pH values.

PMID- 1408947
TI  - Effect of dietary butylated hydroxytoluene on nuclear envelope cytochrome P-450
      during the initiation and promotion stages of hepatocarcinogenesis.
AB  - The anticarcinogenic effect of the dietary antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene
      (BHT) correlates with a preservation of nuclear envelope (NE) cytochrome P-450 in
      rats undergoing chemically induced hepatocarcinogenesis. This effect of BHT on NE
      cytochrome P-450 was observed during both the initiation and the promotion stages
      of hepatocarcinogenesis. Complex interactions between the two different
      mechanisms of action of BHT (i.e., enzyme induction and antioxidant activity) may
      account for some of the differences between the patterns of response to BHT
      observed during initiation and promotion.

PMID- 1408948
TI  - (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate in Camellia sinensis leaves from Himalayan region
      of Sikkim: inhibitory effects against biochemical events and tumor initiation in
      Sencar mouse skin.
AB  - Recently, we and others showed that the components of green tea may be useful
      cancer chemopreventive agents. It has been suggested that (-)-epigallocatechin-3
      gallate (EGCG), the major constituent in green tea, may possess antitumor
      promoting and/or anticarcinogenic effects in rodent tumor bioassay systems.
      During the chemical analysis of various green tea products, we found a
      traditionally preserved preparation of green tea used by tribes in the Himalayan
      region of Sikkim, India that was rich in EGCG. EGCG was isolated from this tea
      product, and its inhibitory effects were evaluated against the binding of
      topically applied 3H-labeled polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to epidermal
      DNA and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) caused induction of epidermal
      ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity in Sencar mice, the short-term markers of
      tumor initiation and tumor promotion, respectively. Preapplication of EGCG
      resulted in significant inhibition (p less than 0.05) in the binding of [3H]PAH
      to epidermal DNA. Similarly, the topical application of EGCG resulted in
      significant inhibition (p less than 0.005) in TPA-caused induction of epidermal
      ODC activity. In further studies, we assessed the anti-skin tumor-initiating
      effect of EGCG in Sencar mice in an initiation-promotion protocol. The
      application of EGCG before challenge with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene as tumor
      initiator resulted in significant reduction both in percentage of mice with
      tumors and number of tumors per mouse compared with a non-EGCG-pretreated group
      of animals. The results of the present study suggest that the green tea
      preparation from Sikkim may be a good source for the isolation of EGCG and that
      this compound may have significant potential as a cancer chemopreventive agent.

PMID- 1408949
TI  - Esophageal cancer and diet--a case-control study.
AB  - It has been estimated that approximately 40% of human cancers may be associated
      with dietary factors. The relationship is more significant in esophageal cancers.
      Case-control studies involving 35 subjects of early-diagnosed esophageal cancers
      showed low mean blood levels of retinol, zinc (p less than 0.001), folic acid (p
      less than 0.01), and albumin (p less than 0.05). Relative risk was significantly
      higher for low levels of retinol and zinc. Diet, in general, in both groups
      reflected poor intake of several nutrients.

PMID- 1408950
TI  - Codependency: characteristics, risks, progression, and strategies for healing.
AB  - Codependency and caring are issues concerning nurses practicing in the 1990s.
      Questions about "caring" and "caring too much" at one's own expense are examined.
      Characteristics, roles, and risk factors for codependency are identified.
      Strategies for healing are suggested for nurses who "care too much."

PMID- 1408951
TI  - Impact of a growing elderly population on nursing.
AB  - Medical advances have promoted longer, healthier lives with fewer diseases and
      more treatable illnesses for humans. Long-term care and chronic illnesses are
      becoming more common, increasing the need for nursing care of a growing elderly
      population. Nurses in all areas of specialization must be prepared to face these
      challenges and provide health care in an ethical manner.

PMID- 1408952
TI  - Differences in patient rating of care provided by BSN and ADN students.
AB  - Nursing has discussed widely and with fervor the level of education required to
      provide quality nursing care for clients. No clear consensus has developed but
      studies tend to show that especially in the hospital setting, baccalaureate (BSN)
      and associate degree (ADN) nurses initially practice at a similar level. No
      studies identified compared patient ratings of BSN and ADN nurses. In this study
      ratings of care provided by BSN and ADN students were compared. Patients,
      students and instructors rated the student sample using Watson's Patient
      Satisfaction Rating Scale. Using Pearson correlations and t-tests, the overall
      satisfaction with care was assessed as "very positive" by patients, faculty and
      students alike. A significant correlation was found between faculty and patient
      ratings. Results support earlier findings and demonstrate similarities rather
      than differences in care provided by the two levels of students. Implications for
      nursing education and practice are discussed.

PMID- 1408953
TI  - Said another way. An ethical issue for a profession for all seasons.
AB  - Often the spoken word does not lend itself to written record. Sometimes, however,
      the message is such that spoken or written, the value of the statement is such
      that we wish to revisit it often. My goal in this article is to get nurses to
      reflect on issues that confront us daily and give us the opportunity to return
      for further reflection as we mature through the seasons of our own professional
      growth.

PMID- 1408954
TI  - Leadership dimensions in a human context.

PMID- 1408955
TI  - The last word. The "parental role instant replay" theory of nursing leadership.

PMID- 1408956
TI  - Willa Cather and the spirit of nursing.
AB  - Willa Cather, believed to be one of America's first feminist novelists, wrote of
      strong, Nebraskan women who, at the start of the Industrial Age, struggled to
      maintain their basic values as pioneers in the face of oppression. Similarly,
      many nurses today fight to retain their basic values as nurses in the face of
      oppression from the dominant medical culture. The values shared by Cather's
      pioneers and some nurses of today include utilizing a woman-identified
      perspective, achieving power through intimacy, and encompassing multiple ways of
      knowing. The journey of Cather and her characters is discussed as a model for
      fighting oppression by maintaining the core values of one's profession--be it as
      nurses or as pioneers.

PMID- 1408957
TI  - Being "in style".

PMID- 1408958
TI  - Cisplatin overdosage.

PMID- 1408959
TI  - Coping strategies of family caregivers in hospice homecare.
AB  - Although stresses associated with family caregiving during illness have been well
      documented, little attention has been focused on how families cope with hospice
      home care of a relative with advanced cancer. A longitudinal, qualitative study
      examined the experiences of hospice caregiving families. This article focuses on
      coping strategies identified by hospice families caring for their dying relative
      at home. Semistructured interviews and observations were conducted with 14
      individuals from 10 families. Fifty-five interviews were audiotaped and
      transcribed. Constant comparative analysis was used to search inductively for
      recurrent themes. Specific coping strategies were used with each of the three
      areas of stress identified by families. "Windows of time," social comparison,
      cognitive reformulation, and avoidance were used to cope with the overall
      caregiving experience. "Taking one day at a time" helped to manage uncertainty.
      Acceptance and rationalization helped families to deal with changes in a
      relative's mental status. Social support was used with all three areas of stress.
      Identifying effective coping strategies that families are using directs the
      development, testing, and implementation of nursing interventions that enhance
      coping of hospice caregiving families.

PMID- 1408960
TI  - Cutaneous toxicity associated with high-dose cytosine arabinoside.
AB  - High-dose cytosine arabinoside (HDAC) is used to treat adults with acute and
      chronic leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Although HDAC is associated with
      various toxicities, cutaneous toxicity in particular leads to alterations in
      comfort, interference with daily living activities, and increased risk of
      infection. The incidence of cutaneous toxicity ranges from 3%-72%. A review of
      the literature revealed a variety of terms describing this toxicity, which begins
      as erythema and progresses to painful swelling, bullae formation, and
      desquamation. The etiology is unclear, and the severity is related to the number
      of consecutive doses. Interventions specific to prevention and treatment of this
      toxicity were found to be minimal, with no interventions scientifically examined.
      The challenge for nurses is to explore measures that will minimize the
      complications, treat the manifestations, and document the impact of these
      problems on quality of life.

PMID- 1408961
TI  - Appraisal of illness, symptom distress, self-care burden, and mood states in
      patients receiving chemotherapy for initial and recurrent cancer.
AB  - Cancer recurrence may present unique stressors for patients receiving
      chemotherapy. The objectives of this exploratory study were to (1) describe
      perceptions of symptom distress, self-care burden, appraisal of illness, and mood
      in patients undergoing chemotherapy, (2) identify differences in these
      perceptions according to stage of illness (new versus recurrent cancer), and (3)
      test a theoretical model of the mediating effects of appraisal. Subjects
      completed a modified Symptom Distress Scale, the Self-Care Burden Scale, the
      Family Hardiness Index, the Appraisal of Illness Scale, the short form of the
      Profile of Mood States, and a self-report form that included personal and illness
      characteristics and questions about the subjects' current situation. The 60
      subjects were outpatients being treated for initial cancer (n = 28) or recurrent
      cancer (n = 32). Those with recurrence had higher symptom distress and health
      deviation self-care burden scores and more stressful appraisals; mood scores were
      low and did not differ between groups. Appraisal, symptom distress, and perceived
      seriousness predicted 36% of variance in affective mood, with appraisal partially
      mediating the effects of symptom distress. Somatic mood (36%) was best predicted
      by symptom distress and universal self-care burden (USCB). Economic status,
      symptom distress, and recurrence status predicted 49% of appraisal variance.
      Symptom distress was predicted best by recurrence and symptom control; USCB was
      predicted best by economic status and perceived dependency. Results suggest the
      need for different nursing interventions for the two groups. Further model
      testing is recommended.

PMID- 1408963
TI  - Developing the oncology nurse from novice to expert.

PMID- 1408962
TI  - Malignant pericardial effusions: pathophysiology and clinical correlates.
AB  - Cardiac tamponade resulting from malignant pericardial effusions is a life
      threatening oncologic emergency. As many as 21% of all patients with cancer may
      be at risk for this complication. A malignant effusion often signifies
      progressing disease, creating stress and anxiety for patients and their families.
      By understanding the pathophysiology and pertinent risk factors, the nurse may
      identify an effusion before it progresses to cardiac tamponade. The goal of
      management is removal of fluid, restoration of hemodynamic functioning, and
      prevention of fluid reaccumulation. Emotional support and reassurance, as well as
      accurate information regarding the disease and treatment, also are critical in
      assisting patients to adapt to these changes in disease status.

PMID- 1408964
TI  - Undergraduate preparation of the oncology nurse.
AB  - Determining appropriate cancer-related content for undergraduate nursing
      curricula requires careful consideration of content that is needed versus content
      that is desired for the nurse generalist. Studies have indicated a wide variety
      of topics and time allotment for this content among schools of nursing.
      Innovative strategies using games, computers, preceptors, and elective courses
      have allowed schools of nursing to include more comprehensive coverage of
      oncology-related topics. Issues concerning clinical oncology nursing
      opportunities for undergraduate studies still need to be clarified. Undergraduate
      students must be afforded the legitimacy of their status as novices in nursing
      and in the specialty of oncology. Didactic and clinical experiences should result
      in the knowledge and skills needed to develop professionally from novice to
      expert.

PMID- 1408965
TI  - Continuing education for oncology nurses.
AB  - Continuing education plays a key role in the development of the expert oncology
      nurse. It also is the primary way to help maintain and expand the nurse's
      expertise. This paper uses the nursing process as the framework for discussion of
      the development of continuing education activities. Assessing learners' needs is
      necessary for the development of programs that are learner responsive. Program
      planning is a multistep process that includes determining priorities, purposes
      and objectives, instructional methods, resources, budget, and evaluation
      criteria. A wide range of instructional methods can be considered for program
      implementation. Evaluation may be conducted at several levels of program
      development and outcome. Each of these areas is an important component in the
      success of program development.

PMID- 1408967
TI  - Ocular side effects of chemotherapy: nursing management.
AB  - Ocular side effects may be unfamiliar to oncology nurses but are important
      because of their potentially devastating effects on vision. Presently, more than
      20 chemotherapy agents have been reported to cause eye toxicities. Chemotherapy
      induced ocular side effects can be manifested on a range of minor, transient
      irritation to irreversible, complete blindness. This article reviews these ocular
      complications, their causative agents, their effect on eye structures and
      function, and nursing management. Oncology nurses can play a vital role in the
      identification of symptoms and in the management of these eye complications.

PMID- 1408966
TI  - Characteristics of the expert oncology nurse.
AB  - Oncology nursing is a specialty that continuously incorporates new technologic
      advances into everyday practice. These advances, coupled with an increasing
      acuity level of the patient with cancer, generate a demand for excellence. The
      successful development of the expert oncology nurse will be imperative in meeting
      these challenges. This paper provides a practical framework for examining
      expertise and describes characteristics of the expert oncology nurse.

PMID- 1408968
TI  - Humor brings a new perspective.

PMID- 1408969
TI  - Chemoprevention research increases.

PMID- 1408970
TI  - Implants administered without pain to patient.

PMID- 1408971
TI  - Word-search exercise teaches and challenges nurses.

PMID- 1408972
TI  - Cancer resources in the United States.

PMID- 1408973
TI  - Human bites in children.
AB  - Human bites are common during childhood and usually result from fights or
      aggressive play with another child. Bites may present as indentation marks,
      scratches, abrasions, contusions, or lacerations. Most human bite wounds are
      sustained on the upper extremities, followed by the face and neck, the trunk, and
      the lower extremities. Infection is the most common complication. Cultures of an
      infected bite wound yield an average of five microorganisms. This article reviews
      the current recommendations on the management of human bite wounds in children.

PMID- 1408974
TI  - Follow-up of patients with occult bacteremia in pediatric emergency departments.
AB  - Blood cultures are frequently obtained in pediatric emergency departments (EDs)
      from febrile young children at risk for bacteremia and subsequent development of
      serious bacterial infections. This study of 105 children with occult bacteremia
      treated in two large urban pediatric EDs describes the follow-up of these
      patients and the impact that positive blood culture results have on the detection
      of serious illness. Seventy-seven percent of patients had a follow-up visit in
      the ED, 8% had follow-up by telephone alone, and 15% were not contacted. Of the
      patients who returned to the ED, 49% did so because they were notified of the
      positive blood culture result. The mean time interval for these patients from
      registration at the initial visit to report of positive blood culture result was
      30.0 hours and, from registration at the initial visit to follow-up visit, was
      42.7 hours. Thirty-seven percent of those who returned did so because a follow-up
      visit was scheduled at the initial encounter, and 13% returned because of
      persistent illness. Ten children (9.6%), five of whom had been notified of the
      positive blood culture, returned with serious illnesses. Patients whose diagnosis
      of serious illness was facilitated by blood culture results had shorter delay in
      identifying cultures as positive than did patients notified of positive results
      who did not develop serious illness (16.2 vs 31.6 hours; P < 0.05). The delay in
      follow-up of children with occult bacteremia limits the usefulness of blood
      cultures in the early detection of serious illness.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1408975
TI  - The usefulness of pulse oximetry in evaluating acutely ill asthmatics.
AB  - To examine the usefulness of pulse oximetry in determining the severity of acute
      asthma, the arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) of 196 acutely ill asthmatic
      children was measured while the children were being treated in the emergency
      department (ED). The measure of severity used was the disposition from the ED-
      discharge or hospitalization--after receiving standard ED care. The mean
      pretreatment SaO2 of the 172 children discharged was 96.4% (range, 84-100%), and
      that of the 24 children admitted was 94.4% (range, 85-100%). A Receiver Operating
      Characteristic curve indicated that the optimal cutoff point for identifying
      disposition was an SaO2 of 93%. The sensitivity of an SaO2 < or = 93% was 35%,
      and the specificity was 92%. We conclude that SaO2 lacks the sensitivity to
      differentiate the child who will respond to ED therapy from the child who will
      require further inpatient care.

PMID- 1408976
TI  - Quality of pediatric care at a freestanding emergency facility.
AB  - The last decade has seen the introduction of freestanding emergency facilities,
      which provide an alternative to hospital emergency departments. The contribution
      made by these facilities to the clinical welfare of patients depends on their
      availability to deliver quality medical care without the need for frequent
      referral. This study describes the clinical experience of one such facility with
      pediatric patients and attempts to assess the quality of their care.

PMID- 1408977
TI  - Albuterol overdose: a case report and differential diagnosis.
AB  - The increase in the use of selective beta 2 agonists as first-choice agents in
      the therapy of asthma has resulted in a concomitant increase in overdoses and
      other therapeutic misadventures. This case describes a 22-month-old child who
      ingested a large overdose of albuterol, resulting in an acute syndrome consisting
      of agitation, tremulousness, marked hyperglycemia of > 320 mg/dl (17.8 mmol/L),
      ketonuria, and hypokalemia. Such toxicity has generally been reported only in
      diabetics or pregnant patients. These findings and a brief review of the
      pharmacology and toxicology of beta 2 agonists are detailed, with special
      emphasis on the differential diagnosis of overdoses characterized by
      hyperglycemia, hypokalemia, agitation, and tremulousness. A system of ordering
      the relative toxicity of these (and other) drugs is proffered using the exposure
      case fatality rate (ECFR) as a crude measure of clinical toxicity (while
      delineating its shortcomings). Applying the ECFR (using American Association of
      Poison Control Centers' data base) to beta 2 agonist overdoses indicates that the
      resulting clinical syndrome, while troublesome, generally results in a benign
      outcome.

PMID- 1408979
TI  - Evaluation of the patient with neck complaints following tonsillectomy or
      adenoidectomy.
AB  - The emergency physician should be cognizant of the potential postoperative
      complications of tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy. Two unusual cases are presented
      to illustrate the differential diagnosis of the postoperative complaint of neck
      stiffness.

PMID- 1408978
TI  - The Romano-Ward syndrome: a case presenting as near drowning with a clinical
      review.
AB  - Patients with the Romano-Ward syndrome, a form of congenital long Q-T syndrome
      (LQTS), present with syncopal episodes and are at risk for sudden death. Patients
      with LQTS may be misdiagnosed if the physician is unaware of this entity. The
      risk of sudden death makes recognition important so that appropriate therapy can
      be initiated. A case is discussed in which the patient presented following a near
      drowning episode. Family history revealed a familial "seizure disorder." After
      analysis of the patient's and father's ECGs, the diagnosis of Romano-Ward
      syndrome was made. A review of the literature was done, concentrating on
      presentation, pathophysiology, electrocardiographic findings, etiology,
      diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of congenital LQTS. This paper is presented
      to emphasize the importance of physician awareness of LQTS because of the risk of
      sudden death. Proper diagnosis can lead to treatment that is effective in
      reducing mortality by more than 90%.

PMID- 1408980
TI  - Mass illness at an intermediate school: toxic fumes or epidemic hysteria?
AB  - The report of an acute illness involving a large number of clustered children
      will undoubtedly provoke an urgent emergency care response or, in some instances,
      a mass casualty or disaster response. While responding to the perceived needs of
      those involved, the professionals caring for these children must consider
      epidemic hysteria along with the other causes of mass illness. Since the early
      recognition of epidemic or mass anxiety hysteria can have tremendous impact on
      the ease of treating this problem, that awareness is quite important.

PMID- 1408982
TI  - Pediatric diabetic ketoacidosis: pathophysiology and potential for outpatient
      management of selected children.

PMID- 1408981
TI  - Risk factors for childhood sledding injuries: a case-control study.
AB  - We report the results of a case-control study designed to identify modifiable
      risk factors for childhood sledding injuries. Cases included all children injured
      while sledding (n = 17) during a five-day winter storm who presented for care to
      a Seattle pediatric emergency department. Two controls were chosen randomly for
      each case from children who presented to the same emergency department during the
      ensuing two months for any illness that did not require hospitalization. To
      qualify as controls, children had to have sledded during the same five-day period
      but not sustained an injury requiring medical attention. Data were collected on
      cases and controls using a telephone questionnaire. Analysis of risk factors
      revealed a significant increase in risk of injury for children who sledded in
      streets versus those who sledded in a park (OR = 5.1; 95% CI = 1.1-24.1), those
      who sledded without adult supervision (OR = 5.6; 95% CI = 1.1-26.9), and those
      whose parents had an annual income > or = $50,000 (OR = 5.7; 95% CI = 1.5-20.8).
      No difference in risk of injury was found regarding the type of sled used, the
      number of children, or their position on the sled or for those children with a
      history of prior sledding experience. We conclude that safe alternatives to
      sledding in the streets and an increase in adult supervision may reduce the
      number of childhood sledding injuries.

PMID- 1408983
TI  - Battery-powered defibrillator/monitors.

PMID- 1408984
TI  - Motor vehicle accident: abdominal pain.

PMID- 1408985
TI  - A three year old with Down's syndrome and pneumonia.

PMID- 1408986
TI  - Erroneous diagnosis within the cranial vault.
AB  - The majority of pediatric neoplasias of the brain are midline growths in the
      posterior fossa. These mass lesions lead to obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid
      circulation and cause increased intracranial pressure. Affected children
      typically present with insidious complaints of headache and vomiting. Ataxia,
      cranial nerve palsies, or pyramidal tract signs may be present at the time the
      diagnosis is entertained. In the reports describing pathognomonic clinical
      features of posterior fossa tumors, an accelerated presentation with minimal
      prodromal events has not been emphasized. This report details the case of a child
      with a cerebellar medulloblastoma who presented with abrupt onset of fever,
      nuchal rigidity, and altered mental status. Emergency department misdiagnosis
      occurred.

PMID- 1408987
TI  - Lumbar puncture for first febrile seizure?

PMID- 1408988
TI  - Indications for LP in children with fever and a seizure.

PMID- 1408989
TI  - Indications for LP in children with fever and a seizure.

PMID- 1408990
TI  - Dealing with police and criminal matters in the ED.

PMID- 1408991
TI  - [Effect of captopril on glutathione level in the liver and paracetamol-induced
      liver damage in rats].
AB  - Captopril, an inhibitor of angiotensin converting enzyme is widely used in the
      treatment of hypertension and congestive heart failure. It contains active
      sulfhydryl group and shares other structural feature with cysteine, the main
      substrate of glutathione. Experiments were undertaken to examine the effect of
      captopril on concentration of endogenous glutathione in the liver and to examine
      the ability of captopril to protect against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity.
      Single doses of captopril (30 mg/kg) given to male Sprague-Dawley rats produced a
      significant time dependent depletion of hepatic glutathione: at 3 h--16%
      (controls--10% as the effect of fasting; p less than 0.02), at 5 h--25% (controls
      -17%; p less than 0.02). Pretreatment of rats with single doses of captopril (30
      mg/kg) 2 hours prior to administration of toxic doses of paracetamol (2500 mg/kg)
      produced a significant depletion of hepatic glutathione level as compared with
      animals without pretreatment with captopril (median: 2.95 mumol/g liver and 3.50
      mumol/g liver, respectively; p less than 0.01). This was not accompanied by a
      difference in the hepatotoxic effect of paracetamol as assessed by histological
      staging of necrosis. Studies on covalent binding of paracetamol showed that
      neither captopril at the doses 30 mg/kg, nor penicillamine (20 mg/kg) affected
      covalent binding of paracetamol metabolites to cell protein. The results suggest
      that captopril despite its structural similarity to cysteine depletes hepatic
      glutathione level and does not protect against paracetamol hepatotoxicity.

PMID- 1408992
TI  - [Changes in the parameters of respiratory function tests in Raynaud's disease].
AB  - Patients with Raynaud's phenomenon can demonstrate arterial spasm not only in
      hands but also in other organs. The aim of this study was to investigate
      pulmonary function in 15 patients with Raynaud's disease and in 8 healthy
      controls before and after cold pressor test. Before the cold pressor test no
      significant differences in pulmonary parameters between the patients and the
      controls were observed. After cold pressor test, a statistically significant
      decrease in diffusing capacity (DLCO) was observed in the study group, but not in
      the controls. Total lung capacity (TLC) was also slightly decreased. No
      significant changes of specific diffusing capacity (D/VA) and flow-volume curve
      parameters (FEF50, FEF25) were noticed.

PMID- 1408993
TI  - [Hepatitis B virus DNA polymerase activity in various clinical forms of HBV
      infection].
AB  - The aim of the study was to test the clinical value of HBV DNA polymerase (DNAp)
      determination in patients with various forms of HBV infection, namely: acute
      hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and healthy HBV carriers. The
      determination of DNAp was found to be particularly useful in patients with
      chronic HBV infection with active virus replication (HBeAg+) independent of
      histopathological changes.

PMID- 1408994
TI  - [Effect of coronary artery patency after myocardial infarction on ventricular
      late potentials].
AB  - This study evaluated the relation between patency of the infarct related artery
      and the presence of ventricular late potentials (VLP) on the signal-averaged
      electrocardiogram (ECG). 44 patients (pts) after myocardial infarction (MI) (35
      men, 9 women; mean age 50 years) were studied by coronary angiography.
      measurement of ejection fraction and signal-averaged ECG. The infarct-related
      artery was closed in 15 pts and open in 29 pts. There was no difference in age,
      previous MI and location of infarct between the two study groups. Thrombolytic
      therapy in acute stage of MI was significantly often (p less than 0.05) in pts
      with open (59%) than closed (13%). The incidence of VLP was significantly higher
      (p less than 0.05) in group of pts with closed (40%) than open artery (7%). These
      data indicate that patency of the infarct-related artery has a beneficial effect
      on the electrophysiologic substrate for serious ventricular arrhythmias.

PMID- 1408995
TI  - [Allergy to house dust mites--its clinical significance and current methods of
      prevention].

PMID- 1408996
TI  - [Effectiveness of empirical antibiotic therapy in the control of infections in
      patients with acute leukemia during severe neutropenia].
AB  - The clinical efficacy of empiric antibiotic treatment regimen for infection in 38
      neutropenic patients with acute leukemia during induction and intensification
      therapy was evaluated. The therapy, which was applied in 74 episodes of fever in
      patients with neutrophil count less then 0.5 G/l, consisted of three sets of
      antibiotics (gentamycin + carbenicillin or azlocillin, amikacin + cephradine++ or
      cefuroxime, netilmicin+cefotaxime or ceftazidime) used one after another in case
      of persistence of fever in spite of 72 hours of treatment: In addition,
      flucytosine was applied in case of stable fever after 72 hours of antibiotic
      therapy. Flucytosine was replaced by amphotericin after 72 hours of ineffective
      treatment. The response rate of 68% and 96% was observed for patients during
      induction and intensification chemotherapy respectively. Low clinical efficiency
      of gentamicin and carbenicillin/azlocillin during induction treatment indicates
      that the therapy with antibiotics of broader range of activity is needed for this
      group of patients.

PMID- 1408997
TI  - [Our experience with the diagnosis of peritonitis complicating a long-term
      program of peritoneal dialysis].
AB  - Among 37 patients (pts) with irreversible renal failure treated in years 1980
      1990 with chronic peritoneal dialysis there were 18 treated with continuous
      ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and 19 treated with standard intermittent
      peritoneal dialysis (SIPD). Mean frequency of peritonitis (P) was 1 episode per
      9.0 patients-months. The important symptoms for early diagnosis of P were as
      follows: cloudiness of peritoneal effluent (PE) and high (more than 50%)
      percentage of polynuclear cells in the smear of PE sediment. Positive results of
      PE culture were obtained only in 50% of P episodes in years 1980-1985, mostly in
      pts treated with CAPD (17/21 pts). In the period of 1986-1990, in pts treated
      mostly with SIPD (15/16 pts), positive results were obtained in 80% of P.
      Improvements of bacteriological diagnosis of P, especially in pts treated with
      CAPD, were discussed. "Prophylactic" cultures of PE were found to be of no value.

PMID- 1408998
TI  - [2 cases of Sneddon syndrome].
AB  - Two cases of Sneddon syndrome (S.s.) in a 33 and 53-year-old women who developed
      arterial hypertension, cerebral ischaemic signs and who have livedo reticularis
      or livedo racemosa, are reported. The authors describe clinical, radiological and
      biological features of this rare disease, as well as diagnostic investigations
      including the measurements of the antiphospholipid antibodies (APA). The possible
      role of APA in the pathogenesis of S.s. is discussed.

PMID- 1408999
TI  - Two FMRFamide-like peptides from the free-living nematode Panagrellus redivivus.
AB  - Peptides of the FXRFamide family, where X = M, I or L, are broadly distributed
      among invertebrates. Two such peptides were purified and sequenced from the free
      living nematode, Panagrellus redivivus. Immunohistochemical techniques localized
      FMRFamide-like material in several regions of these organisms, including the
      nerve cords and, most prominently, in paired groups of cells located caudally to
      the base of the pharynx. RIA determinations gave an estimate of 2.8 nmol
      immunoreactive peptide/g of an acetone extract of P. redivivus. Four sequential
      HPLC purification steps, followed by sequencing by automated Edman degradation
      and FAB-MS, led to the identification of Ser-Asp-Pro-Asn-Phe-Leu-Arg-Phe-amide
      (SDPNFLRFamide) and Ser-Ala-Asp-Pro-Asn-Phe-Leu-Arg-Phe-amide (SADPNFLRFamide) as
      members of the FXRFamide family in this nematode.

PMID- 1409000
TI  - Purification and chemical characterization of caudodorsal cell hormone-II from
      the egg-laying controlling caudodorsal cells of Lymnaea stagnalis.
AB  - Caudodorsal cell hormone-I (CDCH-I), a 36 amino acid peptide synthesized by the
      caudodorsal cells (CDCs), is one of the major neuropeptides present in the
      cerebral ganglia of the freshwater snail, Lymnaea stagnalis. This peptide induces
      ovulation and egg-mass formation, and, in addition, acts on neuronal circuits
      involved in the control of overt egg-laying behavior. cDNA cloning studies
      revealed that there is a CDCH gene family comprising two genes coding for CDCH-I
      and the related yet distinct CDCH-II, respectively. In the present study, using
      sequential high performance gel permeation and reversed phase high performance
      liquid chromatography, we have isolated and sequenced the peptide CDCH-II. This
      neuropeptide has the following sequence: Ser-Ile-Thr-Asn-Asp-Leu-Arg-Ala-Ile-Ala
      Asp-Ser-Tyr-Leu-Tyr-Asp-Gln-His- Lys-Leu - Arg-Glu-Gln-Gln-Glu-Glu-Asn-Leu-Arg
      Arg-Arg-Phe-Tyr-Glu-Leu-Ser-Leu-Arg- Pro-Tyr - Pro-Asp-Asn-Leu. The sequence
      differs from those predicted by the cDNA sequence encoding preproCDCH-II at two
      positions, suggesting the polymorphism of CDCH-II exists in L. stagnalis.

PMID- 1409001
TI  - Potent inhibition of gastric acid secretion by intravenous interleukin-1 beta and
      -1 alpha in rats.
AB  - The influence of human and rat recombinant interleukin-1 (hIL-1 beta and -1 alpha
      and rIL-1 beta) on acid secretion was investigated in conscious pylorus-ligated
      rats. Intravenous injection of either hIL-1 beta, hIL-1 alpha or rIL-1 beta dose
      dependently inhibited gastric acid output with an ED50 of 0.05 microgram, 0.5
      microgram and 2.2 micrograms, respectively. The antisecretory action of IL-1 beta
      was associated with an increase in circulating levels of gastrin. hIL-1 beta
      induced inhibition of acid secretion was dose dependently reversed by peripheral
      injection of the IL-1 receptor antagonist, IL-RA, with a dose ratio of 1:10(3)
      for complete reversal. The inhibitory effect of hIL-1 beta was blocked by
      indomethacin and was not modified by IV injections of the CRF receptor
      antagonist, alpha-helical CRF(9-41), or the monoclonal somatostatin antibody
      CURE.S6, or by systemic capsaicin pretreatment. These results show that systemic
      hIL-1 beta-induced inhibition of gastric acid secretion is mediated through IL-1
      receptors and prostaglandin pathways, and does not involves CRF receptors,
      afferent fibers, or changes in circulating gastrin or somatostatin levels.

PMID- 1409002
TI  - Control of pepsin secretion by regulatory peptides in the rat stomach: comparison
      with acid secretion.
AB  - Previous studies of the control of pepsin secretion by neurohumoral agents showed
      some discrepancies between in vitro (isolated cells) and in vivo experiments. In
      the present work, the effects on pepsin secretion of CCK, pentagastrin, secretin,
      VIP, neurotensin, histamine, and methacholine were reinvestigated in conscious
      gastric fistula rats, in comparison to acid secretion. ED50's and doses inducing
      maximal responses were measured to directly compare the potency and efficacy of
      these substances. Methacholine was the most efficient (maximal response = 4.5 x
      basal level, ED50 = 1.3 mumol/kg.h) and CCK the most potent (ED50 = 1.9
      nmol/kg.h) stimulant, whereas secretin was a potent (ED50 regulators of pepsin
      secretion in the rat. Pentagastrin and histamine did not stimulate pepsin output,
      as found by others with isolated chief cells in vitro. Neurotensin and large
      doses of VIP marginally inhibited pepsin secretion.

PMID- 1409003
TI  - LHRH in the ferret: pubertal decrease in the number of immunopositive arcuate
      neurons.
AB  - This study correlated a region-specific change in the number of luteinizing
      hormone-releasing hormone-immunopositive (LHRH+) neurons with pubertal
      development in male ferrets. There were 50% fewer LHRH+ cell bodies in the
      arcuate nucleus of peri- and postpubertal ferrets than in prepubertal ferrets;
      this significant decrease represented a 15% reduction in the overall number of
      LHRH+ neurons. Intracerebroventricular colchicine did not reveal additional
      numbers of LHRH+ neurons in the arcuate nucleus, indicating that the pubertal
      decrease in arcuate LHRH+ cell bodies was not due to rapid transport of peptide.
      These results suggest that LHRH of arcuate origin may inhibit release of LHRH via
      ultrashortloop negative feedback in prepubertal ferrets. Cessation of peptide
      production in half of the arcuate LHRH neurons at puberty could result in a
      reduction in this inhibitory signal that permits the pubertal increase in LHRH/LH
      release. Alternatively, LHRH of arcuate origin may have a nonpituitary role. In
      either case, these data provide evidence for heterogeneity of function among
      LHRH+ neurons.

PMID- 1409004
TI  - Selective ablation of spinal afferent neurons containing CGRP attenuates gastric
      hyperemic response to acid.
AB  - The gastric mucosa, in particular submucosal blood vessels, are innervated by
      afferent neurons containing neuropeptides such as calcitonin gene-related
      peptide. Stimulation of sensory neurons innervating the gastric mucosa increases
      submucosal blood flow. Since sensory neurons supplying the stomach are of dual
      origin from nodose and dorsal root ganglia, we examined the effect of selective
      ablation of either the vagal or spinal sensory innervation to the upper
      gastrointestinal tract on the increase in gastric mucosal blood flow in response
      to acid back diffusion into the gastric mucosa. Perineural application of
      capsaicin to the celiac/superior mesenteric ganglia, but not to the vagus nerves,
      significantly inhibited by 53% the hyperemic response to acid back diffusion.
      Tissue levels of immunoreactive calcitonin gene-related peptide in the gastric
      corpus were significantly reduced (by 73%) by periceliac capsaicin treatment, but
      unaffected by perivagal capsaicin treatment. These data suggest that spinal
      capsaicin-sensitive afferents containing calcitonin gene-related peptide
      immunoreactivity are involved in mediating increases in gastric mucosal blood
      flow. This increase in gastric mucosal blood flow mediated by sensory neurons may
      act as a protective mechanism against mucosal injury, similar to responses seen
      in other tissues such as skin.

PMID- 1409005
TI  - Naloxone blocks opioid peptide release in periaqueductal gray and amygdala
      elicited by morphine injected into N. accumbens.
AB  - Previous studies from this laboratory suggested that the periaqueductal gray
      (PAG), nucleus accumbens, and amygdala might take part in a serial,
      unidirectional mesolimbic loop to play their roles in pain modulation. It has
      been proposed that morphine injected into one of these nuclei would cause the
      release of opioid peptides in one nucleus after another. This working hypothesis
      was examined in the present study by perfusing simultaneously the PAG and the
      amygdala after microinjection of morphine into the N. accumbens. It was found
      that microinjection of morphine increased the content of immunoreactive
      enkephalins (ir-ENK) and immunoreactive beta-endorphin (ir-beta-EP) in the
      perfusate of the PAG and the amygdala. When the perfusion fluid contained 3
      microM of naloxone, the increase of ir-ENK and ir-beta-EP was reduced
      significantly. These results indicate that the three nuclei were not serially
      connected in a unidirectional loop.

PMID- 1409007
TI  - Evidence against autocrine feedback regulation of cholecystokinin secretion in
      man.
AB  - To determine whether exogenous cholecystokinin (CCK) inhibits endogenous CCK
      release, cholecystokinin-8S (CCK-8S) was infused intravenously during continuous
      intraduodenal stimulation of endogenous CCK by a meal. CCK was measured in plasma
      by 2 region-specific radioimmunoassays employing antibodies T204 and 1703. AB
      T204 binds to carboxy-terminal CCK peptides containing the sulphated tyrosyl
      region, including CCK-8S, and AB 1703 to carboxy-terminal CCK peptides containing
      at least 14 amino acid residues. Meal-stimulated plasma CCK concentrations
      remained elevated during the entire infusion period. CCK-8S infusion further
      increased meal-stimulated plasma CCK concentrations, when measured with AB T204,
      while meal-stimulated plasma CCK concentrations were not suppressed by CCK-8S
      infusion, when measured with AB 1703. It is concluded that meal-stimulated
      endogenous CCK release is not affected by the effects of intravenously
      administered CCK-8S. These data suggest that autocrine feedback regulation of CCK
      release is not operative in man.

PMID- 1409006
TI  - Pseudononapeptide bombesin antagonists containing C-terminal Trp or Tpi.
AB  - Seven new antagonists of bombesin (Bn)/gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) containing
      C-terminal Trp or Tpi (2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-pyrido[3,4-b]indol-3-carboxylic
      acid) in a reduced peptide bond were synthesized by solid phase methods and
      evaluated biologically. The reduced bond in four [Leu13 psi(CH2NH)Trp14]Bn(6-14)
      analogs was formed by reductive alkylation at the dipeptide stage. In the case of
      three [Leu13 psi(CH2N)Tpi14]Bn(6-14) analogs, the Trp dipeptide with reduced bond
      was reacted with formaldehyde to form the corresponding Tpi derivative. These Tpi
      containing analogs have a new reduced bond which is structurally more
      constrained. Leu13 psi(CH2N)Tpi14 analogs inhibit [125I][Tyr4]bombesin binding to
      Swiss 3T3 cells with IC50 values of 2-4 nM, compared to 5-10 nM for Leu13
      psi(CH2NH)Trp14 analogs. Leu13 psi(CH2N)Tpi14 analogs are also more potent than
      Leu13 psi(CH2NH)Trp14 analogs in growth inhibition studies using Swiss 3T3 cells.
      The two best bombesin antagonists of this series, [D-Trp6,Leu13
      psi(CH2N)Tpi14]Bn(6-14) (RC-3415) and [Tpi6,Leu13 psi(CH2N)Tpi14]Bn(6-14) (RC
      3440), inhibited GRP-stimulated growth of Swiss 3T3 cells with IC50 values less
      than 1 nM. RC-3440 was also active in vivo, suppressing GRP(14-27)-stimulated
      serum gastrin secretion in rats. Bombesin/GRP antagonists, such as RC-3440,
      containing the new reduced bond (CH2N) reported herein are very potent.

PMID- 1409008
TI  - Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) binding sites in frog kidney and adrenal.
AB  - Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) binding sites were localized and quantified in
      kidney and adrenal of the frog Rana temporaria by quantitative in vitro
      autoradiography. [125I]-rat ANF(99-126) binding was present in kidney glomeruli
      and in the outer layer of interrenal tissue in the adrenal gland. ANF binding
      exhibited positive cooperativity with a half-maximal binding concentration (EC50)
      of 102 +/- 16 pM in glomeruli and 93 +/- 19 pM in interrenal tissue (n = 8). The
      corresponding maximal binding capacities (Bmax) were 1.33 +/- 0.16 and 1.21 +/-
      0.36 fmol/mm2. [125I]-Rat ANF(99-126) binding was competitively displaced by
      unlabeled ANF analogues with an intact disulfide bridge showing a lower affinity
      than the iodinated ligand. The presence of ANF binding in glomeruli and
      steroidogenic interrenal cells suggests physiological functions of ANF for the
      osmomineral regulation in the frog by influencing glomerular filtration rate and
      adrenal steroid secretion.

PMID- 1409009
TI  - Comparison of TRH and its analog (NS-3) in thermoregulatory and cardiovascular
      effects.
AB  - The effects of TRH and its metabolically stable analog NS-3 [(3R,6R)-6-methyl-5
      oxo-3-thiomorpholinylcarbonyl-L-histidyl-L-pro linamide tetrahydrate] on
      thermoregulation and circulatory control have been investigated. Both NS-3 (1-100
      ng/kg ICV) and TRH (0.1-10 micrograms/kg ICV) increased rectal temperature and
      metabolic rate with a transient cutaneous vasoconstriction in conscious rabbits.
      They also increased arterial blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and
      renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) in urethane-anesthetized rabbits. Ten
      ng/kg of NS-3 and 10 micrograms/kg of TRH had comparable hyperthermic, pressor,
      and tachycardic activities, while the relative potency of NS-3 to increase RSNA
      was greater and that to increase metabolic rate was smaller than the other
      effects. In conclusion, NS-3 was more potent than TRH in all of the effects
      measured, but there was a dissociation in the relative potency of NS-3 in the
      different autonomic effects.

PMID- 1409010
TI  - Pharmacological characterization of angiotensin II binding sites in the canine
      pancreas.
AB  - High affinity 125I-angiotensin II (Ang II) binding sites were characterized in
      the canine pancreas. Total binding increased with protein concentration and
      equilibrium was reached within 60-90 min at 22 degrees C. Specific binding was
      saturable and averaged 70% of total. Scatchard analysis of binding yielded a KD
      of 0.48 +/- 0.18 nM with a Bmax of 32.8 +/- 6.5 fmol/mg protein (mean +/- SEM, n
      = 6). The addition of the reducing agent dithiothreitol increased specific
      binding two-fold. The rank order of displacement of 125I-Ang II binding by native
      angiotensin peptides was Ang II greater than or equal to Ang III greater than
      AngI greater than Ang(1-7) much greater than Ang(1-6). The use of the specific
      Ang II antagonists CGP 42112A, PD 123177, and DuP 753 revealed that the pancreas
      expresses two receptor subtypes. The majority of Ang II binding sites in the
      pancreas could be classified as type 2 (AT2), although type 1 (AT1) sites were
      also detected. In vitro autoradiography revealed binding sites localized over
      islet cells, acinar and duct cells, as well as the pancreatic vasculature. In
      addition, the autoradiographic studies confirmed the predominance of the AT2
      receptor subtype throughout the pancreas.

PMID- 1409011
TI  - Pepsin-mediated processing of synthetic precursor-like sequence yields
      neurotensin-like peptide.
AB  - A 15 amino acid synthetic peptide, which spanned the dibasic cleavage site C
      terminal to neurotensin (NT), in its 170-residue canine precursor, was
      synthesized by solid-phase methods. Using this substrate in combination with a
      radioimmunoassay specific for the C-terminal region of NT, a simple assay was
      developed to monitor protease-mediated cleavage of the Leu8-Lys9 bond in the
      substrate. Hog pepsin and the related enzymes, rhizopus pepsin, bovine cathepsin
      D, and mouse renin, were found to be effective in this assay, pepsin cleaving
      only this bond to liberate the NT-like sequence. The pH dependence of the
      reaction indicated that pepsin, cathepsin D, and renin exhibited significant
      activity at pH's characteristic for secretory vesicles (pH 5.5-6.5). In addition,
      pepsin and cathepsin D were shown to process the native precursor at pH's as high
      as 5.5. These results, although not proof, are consistent with the idea that
      endoproteases with pepsin-like specificity may be involved in the processing of
      the NT precursor in neural/endocrine cells.

PMID- 1409012
TI  - Capsaicin does not attenuate bombesin-induced suppression of operant responding
      for food reward.
AB  - Systemic treatment with capsaicin, a neurotoxin which damages unmyelinated
      peptide-containing sensory neurons, has been shown to attenuate bombesin (BBS)
      induced suppression of food intake. To determine whether capsaicin-sensitive
      fibers mediate the effect of BBS on appetitive motivation, we examined BBS
      induced suppression of operant responding in rats pretreated neonatally with
      capsaicin (50 mg/kg; SC) or control vehicle. At 8-10 weeks of age, rats were
      trained to bar press for food. After achieving a stable level of performance, the
      animals were injected with BBS (10 micrograms/kg), normal saline, or prefed with
      20 Noyes 45-mg pellets. Animals were then tested in an operant chamber on an FR 5
      schedule of reinforcement for one hour. The results indicated that BBS suppressed
      bar pressing, regardless of whether animals were pretreated with capsaicin or
      control vehicle. These findings are inconsistent with the hypothesis that BBS
      induces satiety via capsaicin-sensitive neurons. The results suggest the
      possibility that more than one mechanism may mediate the effects of BBS: a neural
      mechanism involved in consummatory responses and a humoral mechanism involved in
      the operant response.

PMID- 1409013
TI  - Angiotensin II binding sites in frog kidney and adrenal.
AB  - Angiotensin II (AII) binding sites were localized and quantified in kidney and
      adrenal of the frog Rana temporaria by quantitative in vitro autoradiography. AII
      binding was present in kidney glomeruli and in interrenal tissue of the outer
      zone of the adrenal gland. Saturation experiments showed that [125I]-[Val5]AII
      binds to a single class of binding sites with a dissociation constant (Kd) of 548
      +/- 125 pM in glomeruli and 593 +/- 185 pM in interrenal tissue (n = 8). The
      corresponding maximal binding capacities (Bmax) were 2.48 +/- 0.71 and 3.05 +/-
      1.02 fmol/mm2, respectively. AII binding was displaced by unlabeled angiotensin
      analogues in the rank order: [Sar1]AII greater than human AII greater than [125I]
      [Val5]AII = [Val5]AII = human AIII much greater than human AI. The AII binding
      sites in glomeruli and interrenal tissue suggest an influence of AII on
      glomerular filtration rate and adrenal steroid secretion to take part in
      osmomineral regulation of the frog.

PMID- 1409014
TI  - Heart and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in response to long-term
      endurance training in rats.
AB  - Long-term endurance training effects on heart and plasma ANP were investigated in
      male Wistar rats. Maximal O2 uptake (VO2max) was significantly higher in trained
      groups, when they are used as their own control. After 3, 4, and 5 weeks of
      endurance training, VO2max was respectively increased by 7.7% (p less than 0.05),
      13.7% (p less than 0.01), and 18.4% (p less than 0.001). Plasma ANP and
      glomerular ANP receptor density showed no clear variations in trained rats.
      However, cardiac ANP content decreased significantly in left and right atrial
      tissues by 35-36% (p less than 0.05) after 5 weeks of training. ANP
      immunoreactivity was investigated to show the distribution of ANP within the
      atria. ANP was found in diffuse and granular forms. The diffuse pattern (immature
      ANP) disappeared in cardiocytes of trained rats, while the granular form
      persisted, especially in the left atrial tissue. These data suggest that chronic
      endurance training might cause a decrease in ANP synthesis with no change in ANP
      storage. Such results are in agreement with the hypothesis that the left atrium
      could be especially involved in long-term fluid volume control.

PMID- 1409015
TI  - Vasopressin, corticosterone levels, and gastric ulcers during food-restriction
      stress.
AB  - Corticosterone levels and ulcers were compared in vasopressin-containing (LE) and
      vasopressin-deficient (DI) rats under ad lib and food-restricted conditions. In
      the ad lib situation, DI and LE rats had similar corticosterone levels and no
      ulcers. After 1 day of food restriction, the corticosterone levels were elevated
      in DI and LE rats, with a significantly higher level in LE rats. No ulcers were
      present in either strain. After 2 days of food restriction, the corticosterone
      levels were similar in DI and LE rats. The level in DI rats was comparable to
      that of the preceding day, but the level in LE animals dropped significantly from
      the previous day. Significant ulceration was evident in DI rats, but absent in LE
      rats. Following 3 days of food restriction, the corticosterone level in LE rats
      had returned to the ad lib level, whereas, for DI rats, an elevated level was
      maintained. There were no ulcers in LE rats, but they were present in DI rats.
      Thus LE and DI rats responded differently to the stress of food restriction. The
      mechanism underlying the response is most likely related to changes in the
      hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and its reaction to stress.

PMID- 1409017
TI  - Single-step isolation and sequencing of vasopressin and oxytocin precursors.
AB  - The pre- and post-Golgi processing of preprovasopressin and prepro-oxytocin was
      evaluated by microsequencing for incorporated radiolabel. 35S-Cysteine and 3H
      fucose were microinjected into rat supraoptic nuclei (SON), and proteins and
      peptides related to the biosynthesis of vasopressin (VP) and oxytocin (OT) were
      isolated at various times from the supraoptic nuclei and neural lobe by employing
      a one-step procedure of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). These
      proteins and peptides were recognized through their binding to specific
      antibodies against VP, OT, and rat neurophysins (RNPs), and by their binding to
      ConA-Sepharose. Two immunoreactive glycoproteins related to VP biosynthesis were
      recovered from the SON and both contained fucose and had a 35S-cysteine placement
      consistent with the location of the hormone sequence at the N-terminus. SDS
      electrophoresis revealed the major protein form to be 21,000 daltons and the
      minor protein form to be 19,000 daltons. One nonglycosylated protein of 16,000
      daltons related to oxytocin biosynthesis was recovered from the SON, and this
      protein also had a 35S-cysteine placement consistent with an N-terminal OT
      sequence. These data provide the first sequential evidence that prior to, or
      shortly after, packaging in the Golgi the preprohormones of VP and OT have lost
      their entire leader-peptide structures.

PMID- 1409016
TI  - Effect of vasopressin administration and deficiency upon 3H-AVP binding sites in
      the CNS and periphery during development.
AB  - Arginine8-vasopressin (AVP, 40 micrograms/100 g b.wt., SC) was administered to
      male Long-Evans (LE) pups from day 1 to 7 of life and the pups were sacrificed on
      day 8 or 60. 3H-AVP binding was performed on membranes prepared from the liver,
      kidney, and septum. No significant changes were observed in the kidney or septum
      of animals 8 or 60 days old. However, the chronic AVP treatment did result in a
      significant increase in the density of 3H-AVP binding sites in the liver when
      compared to control day 8 pups (control 44 +/- 2 vs. AVP 56 +/- 3 fmol/mg
      protein), with no change in affinity. This effect was maintained into adulthood,
      as the day 60 AVP-treated LE rats also showed a significant increase in liver 3H
      AVP binding sites compared to control (control 186 +/- 9 vs. AVP 239 +/- 14
      fmol/mg protein), with no change in affinity. A comparison of 3H-AVP binding
      sites in 8-day-old LE, heterozygous Brattleboro (HET-BB), and homozygous
      Brattleboro rats (HOM-BB) was performed to assess the effect of complete (HOM-BB)
      and partial (HET-BB) VP deficiency on binding sites in the CNS and periphery. The
      liver again was the only tissue in which a change in 3H-AVP binding
      characteristics was noted. The HOM-BB rat (Bmax 144 +/- 6 fmol/mg protein)
      displayed a significant increase in AVP binding sites from the LE rat (Bmax 100
      +/- 7 fmol/mg protein), while the 3H-AVP binding sites in the HET-BB rat liver
      (Bmax 69.8 +/- 9 fmol/mg protein) were significantly lower than LE rats. Thus
      hepatic AVP receptors appear most sensitive to the presence or absence of
      vasopressin during the early postnatal period.

PMID- 1409018
TI  - The use and reliability of psychiatric diagnosis in forensic settings.
AB  - The clinical professional encounters conflict whenever he or she enters the
      courtroom. The psychiatrist's approach must not be simply diagnostic or simply
      legal. We cannot shed our clinical identity; indeed, the court depends on our
      clinical identity and expertise in its search for the truth. The psychiatric
      expert must be able to translate his or her findings for the court, but these
      findings must come from clinical experience, not some solely legal perspective.
      The legal system needs our knowledge about the interfaces of mental illness,
      function, and behavior. After we provide our opinions, however, the legal issues
      must be left to the lawyers and the final determinations left to the judge or
      jury.

PMID- 1409019
TI  - Clinical forensic psychiatry.

PMID- 1409020
TI  - Mentally disordered offenders. Patterns in the relationship between mental
      disorder and crime.
AB  - Five patterns among mentally disordered offenders are distinguished by the
      relationship between mental disorder, on the one hand, and criminality, on the
      other. Pattern 1 offenders are those for whom crime is a response to psychotic
      symptoms, most often delusions or hallucinations. Pattern 2 offenders commit
      crimes motivated by compulsive desires, such as sex offenses by paraphiles and
      offenses regarded as evidence of disorders of impulse control. Pattern 3
      offenders are those with personality disorder for whom the crime is merely one
      example of a maladaptive pattern of voluntary and knowing behavior. Pattern 4
      offenders have coincidental mental illness that is unrelated to the crime.
      Pattern 5 offenders are those who become mentally disordered or feign mental
      disorder as a result of their crimes, such as those who dissociate upon seeing
      what they have done, those who become depressed in prison, those who become
      psychotic on death row, and those who malinger mental illness. Although these
      categories do not determine whether offenders are responsible for their behavior,
      some unknown proportion of Pattern 1 offenders do meet legal criteria for
      insanity, depending on the facts of each case and the applicable legal standards.
      It is arguable whether or not Pattern 2 offenders ever meet legal criteria of
      insanity. Offenders evidencing only Patterns 3, 4, or 5 are not candidates for an
      insanity defense.

PMID- 1409021
TI  - Major affective disorders and forensic psychiatry.
AB  - Major mental illnesses, such as major affective disorders and schizophrenias,
      form a relatively small diagnostic group among mentally disordered offenders. The
      major affective disorders are less common when compared with schizophrenics among
      such offenders. Yet, some of the most violent crimes, such as murder, attempted
      murder, and serious assaults, especially intrafamilial violence, are committed by
      major affective disorder patients. The offenses by this group of patients are
      committed while suffering from active symptoms of the illness. As such, a
      substantial majority is not considered fully criminally responsible for the
      offense. Many such offenders are found not guilty by reason of insanity and are
      sent to psychiatric hospitals.

PMID- 1409022
TI  - The forensic psychiatric aspects of schizophrenia.
AB  - This review of the literature does seem to reveal an association between
      schizophrenia and a variety of antisocial behaviors that include violent crime,
      and even homicide, especially in North America. The literature consistently shows
      that since the 1950s, schizophrenics have been involved in crime and arrested
      more frequently than the general population, they are overrepresented in
      correctional settings, and they represent the majority of those found not guilty
      by reason of insanity. Many authors cite changes in mental health policies,
      particularly de-institutionalization, as one of the major causes of these
      phenomena. It is important to note that a history of prior arrests and of being
      male, poor, unskilled, uneducated, and unmarried are perhaps the best predictors
      of antisocial behaviors in the mentally ill and in the general population alike.
      Schizophrenic drift and increased family pathology in schizophrenic families,
      however, may predispose people suffering from schizophrenia to these demographic
      variables. Interestingly, these variables do not seem as relevant in the
      emergency room or inpatient wards where violence seems to be mainly affected by
      the severity of psychopathology, substance abuse, neurologic signs, and the
      environment within the mental health setting. The implications for the practice
      of psychiatry are diverse. Clearly clinicians in both hospitals and community
      mental health settings must have experience, training, and an awareness of the
      literature relating to the prevention, causes, and management of violence. It
      behooves us in the mental health field, having vociferously supported the
      community mental health movement, to assist police in the management of the
      mentally ill who are now in the community, perhaps by the use of mobile crisis
      intervention teams and by a considerably increased amount of effort and
      cooperation. Correctional services require urging to develop resources for
      identifying and tracking the mentally ill so as to be able to provide programs
      and continuity of care. Community mental health and criminal justice systems need
      to cooperate in planning the transition of mentally abnormal offenders from
      prisons into the community and then providing support and after-care for them.
      One exemplary program that has developed and benefited from the coordination and
      planning at the interministerial level is the Inter-ministerial Project (IMP)
      program in Vancouver. This program identified the people whose histories revealed
      repeated admissions to both correctional and mental health facilities, bouncing
      between one and the other. Using a case management approach with a limited
      caseload, clinicians were able to reduce the number of admissions to both types
      of facilities. This program should serve as a model for other
      jurisdictions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1409023
TI  - The involvement of schizophrenic insanity acquittees in the mental health and
      criminal justice systems.
AB  - This article described the mental health and criminal justice involvement of a
      large group of schizophrenic insanity acquittees and the program designed to
      manage and treat these individuals. Most insanity acquittees in our system are
      chronically mentally ill individuals who fit well into the psychosocial
      rehabilitation models that have developed over the past 15 years. In addition,
      the use of conditional release and monitored care in the community appears to be
      the most realistic approach to this group of individuals who show a high degree
      of involvement with the mental health and criminal justice service systems. This
      research has continued implications for the development of outpatient civil
      commitment and for the attempt to give people as much liberty as they are capable
      of handling while being realistic about their capacities to survive in the
      community.

PMID- 1409024
TI  - Substance abuse and criminal behavior.
AB  - As forensic psychiatry develops as a clinical subspecialty, clinical skill in
      understanding, treating, and predicting violent behavior will become more
      important. This article addresses the importance of understanding the
      relationship between substance abuse and violent behavior. This article also
      discusses morbidity and mortality in substance abuse, the demographics of
      substance abuse and criminality, and the clinical aspects of the forensic
      psychiatric evaluation.

PMID- 1409025
TI  - Arson in review. From profit to pathology.
AB  - Arson is a crime committed by thousands of people throughout our nation for
      nearly every reason, justification or excuse known to mankind ... Arson is one of
      the easiest crimes to commit but the hardest to prevent or prove ... Arson is a
      crime which involves little skill, as the weapon used is legally carried and too
      readily available ... Unlike many other covert criminal activities, the impact of
      increased major arsons has a direct visible effect on the lives of the average
      citizen. Insurance premiums are raised, property is destroyed, people are killed
      or maimed, and the quality of life in the area affected by arson is diminished
      considerably. These statements, taken from US Senate hearings on arson in the
      late 1970s, are as true and as troubling today as they were over a decade ago.
      Many who set fires need mental health services of some kind, a fact alluded to
      even in popular literature. Dick Francis, a well-known author of British
      mysteries, writes, "There are people in this world who cause trouble because it
      makes them feel important. They're ineffectual, eh? in their lives. So they burn
      things ..." But nobody wants these arsonists in their midst. Psychiatric
      facilities do not want them so they end up in prison: Yet another case has been
      reported of a mentally disordered person being sent to prison because there is no
      other institution willing to receive her ... a severely mentally disordered woman
      aged 22 [was sentenced] to life imprisonment for arson ... in default of other
      appropriate facilities ... to protect the public. And general hospital emergency
      rooms cannot find anyplace to send them: "The hardest patients to sell are the
      repeaters with bad reputations, the firesetters and those who are potentially
      violent." Any arson episode is an act the magnitude of which the perpetrator
      cannot predict accurately. Once set, the fire is no longer responsive to the
      desires or dictates of the firesetter. To address the problem of arson in our
      times, arson investigators for law enforcement agencies and for insurance
      companies, fire chiefs, and mental health professionals must develop a joint
      commitment to public education, cooperative plans for prevention and
      intervention, and a shared research agenda.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1409026
TI  - The pathological gambler as criminal offender. Comments on evaluation and
      treatment.
AB  - Over the past three decades, gambling has been the nation's fastest growing
      industry. Although there is now some leveling off, states are still turning to
      legalized gambling to address financial problems without having to raise taxes.
      In addition, there is new technology that produces more rapidly addicting games.
      States are accepting some responsibility and, as of this writing, 12 of them have
      funded some programs in public education, research, training, and treatment.
      Although there are only a half dozen inpatient programs and very few qualified
      counselors and therapists, we can anticipate the development of clinics,
      residential programs, halfway houses, and alternative sentencing programs. The
      National Council on Problem Gambling has developed guidelines for the
      certification of gambling counselors. In addition to the training of mental
      health professionals, workshops are needed for attorneys, judges, probation and
      parole officers, and prison administrators. Initially, the task of assessing and
      diagnosing the pathological gambler was left to a small number of experts.
      Starting with DSM-IV, there will be clear and reliable criteria available to the
      professional community. These criteria, which are the product of thorough
      testing, should easily discriminate the pathological gambler from other types of
      gamblers. Most of what we have learned about pathological gambling has come in
      the last 5 years. A major impetus for research has been the Journal of Gambling
      Studies, which began publication in 1985. A review of the nature and course of
      the disorder, including the studies of criminal behavior, leads one to conclude
      that the majority of pathological gamblers (at least 70% to 80%) commit offenses
      late in the disorder and that these offenses are strictly gambling related. This
      is a population which is essentially nonviolent and which turns to property
      crimes out of desperation over gambling losses and their sequelae. The minority
      (in one study 14%) of gamblers with antisocial personality disorder--the group
      for whom treatment would be least likely to be effective--can be recognized
      easily both by the pattern of offenses and by diagnostic criteria for antisocial
      personality. Once this group is excluded, treatment for the others, in
      combination with restitution, community service, and some form of monitoring,
      would seem beneficial both for the individual and for society. Once they have
      stopped gambling, pathological gamblers are frequently hard-working people, whose
      mathematical skills and intelligence, high energy, and need to excel make them
      extremely valuable at their jobs. The alternative, imprisonment, may very well
      reinforce the disorder.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1409027
TI  - Homicide, infanticide, and filicide.
AB  - Homicidal behavior appears to be a heterogeneous phenomenon. Although the
      causative role of mental illness in relation to homicide remains a controversial
      and debatable issue, recent studies indicate that a significant number of
      homicidal adults suffer from serious mental illness, more specifically psychosis.
      Most reports that attempt to correlate the presence of identifiable risk factors
      and homicide yield inconclusive or unreplicated results. In addition to
      supporting the need for further research in the area of aggressive behavior and
      violence, prevention also should involve the use of a multidisciplinary approach
      in considering the multiple causes and solutions to this problem.

PMID- 1409028
TI  - The paraphilias. The extent and nature of sexually deviant and criminal behavior.
AB  - This article presents data that indicate that paraphiliacs tend to carry out a
      variety of paraphilic behaviors and cross a number of boundaries within
      individual paraphilias. These data contradict earlier theories that postulated
      that paraphiliacs compulsively repeat the same category of paraphilia over time
      without crossing into other categories of paraphilic acts as a result of specific
      early life experiences or specific emotional conflicts. This article suggests
      that a more parsimonious explanation is that individuals with paraphilias have a
      general deficit of control, leading them to carry out a variety of paraphilic
      behaviors with a variety of victims.

PMID- 1409029
TI  - Incest perpetrators. Their assessment and treatment.
AB  - The multitude of articles published in the last decade in the area of
      intrafamilial sexual abuse highlight the complexity of the issue--both its
      assessment and treatment. Although no unique profile of an incest perpetrator
      exists, a review of studies revealed problems in the areas of sexual
      satisfaction, psychological functioning, interpersonal relationships, and family
      of origin. As well, incest families have been reported to be dysfunctional, with
      power imbalances; control struggles; indirect, unclear communication; and
      inappropriate coalitions among family members. Based on these observations, a
      wide range of treatment interventions now exists, including offender-oriented
      cognitive/behavioral therapies and a family-focused multimodal systems approach.
      Although questions remain to be answered in regard to the effectiveness and
      process of treatment, efforts limited to the recognition of these problematic
      families are no longer adequate. The focus must move to prevention through the
      early identification of individuals at risk both for offending and being part of
      an incest family structure; the implementation of proven, cost-effective,
      proactive intervention strategies; and the continuing dissemination of
      information to the public.

PMID- 1409030
TI  - The evaluation and treatment of sexual violence, necrophilia, and asphyxiophilia.
AB  - At first sight the phenomena discussed in this paper may seem to have little in
      common. Yet on close scrutiny it becomes apparent that there is an interesting
      degree of overlap. Although sexual assaults in general clearly involve multiple
      causes or factors, social and cultural as well as individual, many sexual
      aggressors do show psychological or biologic abnormalities which require careful
      evaluation. Continued empiric study of the variables discussed in this paper is
      therefore important. The clinical as well as laboratory study of paraphilias with
      dangerous tendencies to themselves or others is also essential for a better
      understanding of the causes and relationships between these disorders.

PMID- 1409031
TI  - Clinical aspects of forensic assessment of juvenile offenders.
AB  - Juvenile delinquency is a major public health problem with far reaching
      consequences not only on the child and the family but also on society generally.
      Although most individuals who commit crimes as adolescents will stop by age 18, a
      core group of young offenders go on to be chronic adult recidivists. The group at
      risk can be identified by early onset and frequency of deviant and delinquent
      behaviors. This group is associated with impoverished environments, inadequate
      financial and social resources, family dysfunction, exposure to violent abuse and
      neglect, genetic loading for psychiatric disorder, and parental criminality.
      Because of the combination of social disadvantages and externalizing behaviors,
      this group is difficult to evaluate and treat in normal mental health settings.
      Court-mandated assessment and treatment offer a unique opportunity to access this
      high-risk group and provide services not otherwise available. Assessments of
      severely conduct-disordered children reveal significant levels of co-occurring
      psychiatric disorders. Thorough assessment to evaluate underlying psychopathology
      may reveal treatable disorders that may greatly improve general functioning and
      reduce further recidivism.

PMID- 1409033
TI  - [Anti-kappa elastin antibody titer in the sera of patients with
      hyperlipoproteinemia type II, III and IV].
AB  - Titre of antibodies against elastin degradation product (kappa-elastin) was
      measured in patients with atherogenic types of hyperlipoproteinemia. The
      hemagglutination technique was used. A significant decrease in titres of the
      tested antibodies was found. It was the most prominent in IIa, III and IIb types
      of hyperlipoproteinemia and rather mild in IV type. The authors attempted to
      explain causes of antibodies titres decrease in tested patients and relate their
      results with those of other authors.

PMID- 1409032
TI  - [Transient diabetes mellitus with ketoacidosis in a child during the treatment of
      acute lymphoblastic leukemia with L-asparaginase].
AB  - A case of a 11-year girl with the acute lymphoblastic leukemia is presented.
      Patient was treated with L-asparaginase and developed a transient but lasting
      several weeks diabetes mellitus with ketoacidosis as a sequelae of this therapy.

PMID- 1409034
TI  - [Antithrombin III and alpha-2-antiplasmin activities compared with other
      hemostasis parameters in uncomplicated diabetes mellitus, type 2].
AB  - In 40 patients with diabetes mellitus type II without clinical signs of any organ
      complications and in the respective control group the following indices of
      hemostasis were assessed: 1) activity of AI-III, 2) activity of alfa-2-AP, 3)
      fibrinogen, 4) time of fibrinolysis, 5) platelets count, adhesiveness and
      spontaneous aggregation, 6) kaolin-cephalin and profil stipven-cephalin plasma
      times. All these indices were normal in uncomplicated diabetes mellitus with the
      expectation of platelets activity. Stimulation of platelets activity and increase
      of corresponding parameters appears in diabetes mellitus type II before any other
      symptoms of angiopathy.

PMID- 1409035
TI  - [Adaptation reaction to the health resort treatment in patients with diabetes
      mellitus].
AB  - Physical, clinical, biochemical, and functional examinations have been carried
      out in 70% of patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 treated in health resorts.
      Patients were treated with diet, drugs, and physiotherapy during a 3-5-week
      period. It was found, that the whole period of the treatment may be divided into
      3 subperiods: period I is characterized by the subjective symptoms produced by
      the process of adaptation to different environment. This period lasts for 4 days,
      on average. Periods II and III are characterized by the set of symptoms
      reflecting a sum of therapeutical physical stimuli. Such symptoms are known in
      the literature as bath- or spa-reaction. Symptoms of spa-reaction were noted in
      about 50% of the examined patients. In 21% of them late reaction, i.e. after
      about 3 weeks, was seen. No worsening of diabetes mellitus was observed during
      spa-reaction. No correlation between the onset of this reaction and duration of
      the disease as well as the results of therapy was found. However, spa-reaction
      was more frequent in the elderly. Period III was followed by the decrease of the
      symptoms of spa-reaction with marked improvement in glycaemia. Authors'
      observations lead to some practical conclusions concerning the programs of
      physiotherapy in dependence on the course of patients' adaptation to the spa.
      Regulations concerning the routine 24-day treatment period of all patients in
      health resorts should be revised.

PMID- 1409036
TI  - [Why are diabetic patients treated at rheumatological hospitals?].
AB  - Retrospective analysis included 316 case histories of diabetic patients treated
      at the Silesian Rheumatology Hospital in 1987-1988. An analysis included causes
      of disorders, calcium-phosphorus metabolism disturbances, lipid and purine
      disorders. Statistical parameters were compared with the type of diabetes
      mellitus, duration of the disease, sex, age and obesity. There were 10% of
      inflammatory rheumatic disorders (6.4% rheumatic arthritis, 1.7% of rheumatoid
      spondylosis and 2% of other disorders) in the analysed case histories, and 32% of
      degenerative disorders (19% of vertebral column joints and 12.7% of other
      joints). Degenerative disorders were noted more frequently in patients with
      diabetes mellitus type 2, treated with insulin, while spondylopathies were
      particularly frequent in female patients of this group. Biochemical disorders in
      the form of hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia, hypertriglyceridemia,
      hyperuricemia, signs of lesions to the liver and kidneys were more increasing
      with the duration of the disease and the degree of insulin-dependence. Locomotive
      system disorders are not related only to primary articular lesions. They depend
      also on diabetic neuro-vascular complications and osteopenia.

PMID- 1409037
TI  - [Serum N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity in patients with diabetes
      mellitus with reference to diabetic microangiopathy].
AB  - In 110 diabetics type I and type II and in 30 control subjects the total serum
      activity of NAG as well as of its isoenzymatic forms A and B was determined. In
      cases with diabetic nephropathy the GFR and serum creatinine was also analysed.
      It was found that NAG activity is correlated to the degree of clinical symptoms
      of diabetic vascular changes. Therefore it could be suggested that NAG plays a
      role in development of microangiopathy. NAG determination may also serve as an
      index differentiating the diabetic microangiopathy from other forms of
      microvessels.

PMID- 1409038
TI  - [Profile of the main risk factors of arteriosclerosis in patients with diabetes
      mellitus].

PMID- 1409039
TI  - [Barrett esophagus diagnosed after appendectomy in a patient with diabetes
      mellitus].
AB  - A pathogenetic outline of oesophageal inflammatory lesions with special emphasis
      on Barrett's oesophagitis has been presented. As recorded in a history of a 65
      year old patient at first the stenocardia-mimicking pains occurred a few days
      after appendectomy. Gastrobulboscopy performed (after coronary insufficiency had
      been excluded) revealed extensive inflammatory and erosive lesions of the
      oesophagus and multiple ulcerations of the duodenum. According to the several
      authors the rapid manifestation of the inflammatory lesions of the oesophagus may
      be related to the intubation necessary for laparotomy. It may refer particularly
      to diabetic patients. Control endoscopies showed that a six-week treatment
      resulted in a total disappearance of mucosal changes. It might be thoughtful to
      take into consideration a possibility of oesophageal inflammation in clinical
      differentiation of stenocardia mimicking pains in diabetics who underwent the
      intubation.

PMID- 1409040
TI  - [Relative effectiveness of tolbutamide, chlorpropamide and gliclazide].
AB  - In clinical practice of hypoglycemic therapy of diabetes mellitus the problem of
      the optimal selection of oral hypoglycemic agent, corresponding to the individual
      patterns of regulatory and metabolic disturbances is of primary importance. The
      individual, pathophysiological basis should be met as much as possible by the
      pharmacodynamic properties of the selected, hypoglycemic drug. For this reason
      group of 23 diabetics type II underwent a prolonged, open trial of controlled
      pharmacotherapy with 4 sulphonylurea derivatives. Pertinent clinical and
      metabolic parameters were assessed before, during and after planned periods of
      therapy with Tolbutamide or Chlorpropamide to Gliclazide and Gliclazide to
      Glibenclamide. In the same time the levels of serum insulin fasting and after
      breakfast were determined. Also the comparative efficacy of the exchange of the
      drug in a subgroup of diabetics with fasting glycemia below and above 160 mg% was
      assessed. It was shown, that the change of Tolbutamide or Chlorpropamide to
      Gliclazide or Glibenclamide improved the therapeutical effectiveness in general.
      The individual responses to such a change were however individually
      differentiated. The change of Tolbutamide or Chlorpropamide to Gliclazide
      increased the therapeutical efficacy only in these patients, in whom such a
      change was associated with an increase of prandial, reactive serum insulin level
      (IRI). In practice they were patients with the fasting glycemia lower than 160
      mg%. In patients with fasting glycemia higher than 160 mg% the change of oral
      compounds under study was not connected with an increase of prandial serum
      insulin. The metabolic parameters have not improved either. Perhaps they were
      patients with diabetes mellitus type II, who should be primarily qualified to
      insulin.

PMID- 1409041
TI  - [Predicting the development of diabetes mellitus type 1].

PMID- 1409042
TI  - [Treatment of dyslipoproteinemia in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (non
      insulin-dependent)].

PMID- 1409043
TI  - [Free-radical theory of etiopathogenesis of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus].

PMID- 1409044
TI  - [Proinsulin--its clinical significance].

PMID- 1409045
TI  - [Social responsibility of physicians].

PMID- 1409046
TI  - [Evaluation of the results of the treatment of children with insulin-dependent
      diabetes mellitus fully or partially trained in self care].
AB  - The study was aimed at assessing the results of diabetes mellitus therapy in 162
      children, who underwent 1) the full programme of diabetes education (114
      children) and 2) only the part of it (48 children). The first group was under
      care of Cracow Medical School Pediatrics Institute since the disease and had 2
      weeks of formal diabetes mellitus teaching. The second group was treated in a
      less unified way in different hospitals and did not have the chance of regular
      teaching programme. The degree of metabolic control was assessed by series of Hb
      A1c determinations in whole 1987 year. The levels of Hb A1c were also compared
      with the children age, diabetes mellitus duration and the period elapsing from
      the time of last teaching. Children who were fully educated in the problems of
      their disease achieved significantly better results. In all group a deterioration
      of diabetes control during puberty was however observed. In children not fully
      educated such a deterioration was also noted in correlation with diabetes
      mellitus duration.

PMID- 1409047
TI  - [Notice regarding the results of delayed therapy for atherosclerotic lower limb
      ischemia in 14 surgical clinics].

PMID- 1409048
TI  - [Comparison of early and delayed results of unilateral patency restoration and
      transplantation in aortoiliac obstruction].
AB  - Early and delayed results of the treatment of aortoiliac unilateral incompetence
      in 144 patients were compared. Eighty seven (60%) patients were treated with
      aortoiliac prosthesis whereas 57 (40%) with arterial patency restoration. Fifty
      seven patients of group I reported to the control examination. Favourable effect
      was found in 47 (82.5%) patients, i.e. in 54% of all operated patients. Thirty
      six patients of group II reported to the control examination. Favourable effect
      was noted in 27 (75%) patients, i.e. in 47.4% of all treated patients. Twenty two
      (25.3%) of patients of group I and 9 (15.8%) of group II died. It was noted also
      that in 20% of operated patients with unilateral aortoiliac incompetence the
      disorders in the opposite limb develop despite the type of surgery. Therefore,
      indications to the implantation of bifurcated prostheses should be extended in
      some cases.

PMID- 1409049
TI  - [Delayed results after implantation of bifurcated prosthesis in aorto-iliac
      incompetence].
AB  - Early results and those seen after a 5-year follow up are discussed. Three
      hundred fifty one patients with aortoiliac incompetence were treated with the
      implantation of bifurcated aortoiliac prosthesis. Very favourable early result
      was achieved in 284 (81%) patients. Very favourable delayed effect was noted in
      133 patients, i.e. in 75% of patients who reported for the control examination.
      In the follow up period, amputation of the limb was performed in 30 (8.5%)
      patients because of progressing ischemia. Hundred thirty seven (39%) followed up
      patients died during 5 years. Causes of so high mortality rate are discussed in
      view of risk factors and postoperative complications.

PMID- 1409050
TI  - [Evaluation of surgical results in lower limb atherosclerotic ischemia comparing
      men and women].
AB  - Multicenter studies involved 1449 male and 131 female patients operated for the
      atherosclerotic ischemia of the lower limbs. About 50% of all limbs were in the
      III or IV stage of ischemia (according to Fontaine's classification) before
      surgery. Atherosclerotic lesions involved mainly aortoiliac segment in the
      majority of patients. Early results of surgery were similar in both men and
      women. An improvement during a 5-year follow up period was noted more frequently
      in women than in men--86% and 68.5% of limbs respectively. Late result of lumbar
      sympathectomy was similar in both groups. Limb amputation and mortality rates
      were similar in both groups in the early postoperative period and during a 5-year
      follow up as well.

PMID- 1409051
TI  - [Suppurating lesions following surgical treatment of lower limb ischemia due to
      atherosclerosis].
AB  - Patients with suppurative lesions complicating surgical reconstruction of the
      arteries have been analysed. Such complications have been noted in 110 (102 men
      and 8 women) out of 311 operated patients. Considering the difference in the
      number of male and female patients, the risk of suppurative lesions complicating
      vascular surgery is proportional in both sexes. Thousand three hundred sixty six
      surgeries included: 361 recanalizations, 944 transplantations, and 61 arterial
      plasties. Percentage of suppurative complications ranged from 8.8% after
      transplantations to 9.8% after arterial plasties. More than one surgery has been
      performed in some patients. The risk of infectious complications has been higher
      in these patients. Despite antibiotic treatment suppurative infections have been
      noted in 108 (101 men and 7 women) out of 1244 operated patients, i.e. in 8.6%.
      Intravenous administration of antibiotics during surgery has proven the most
      effective prophylaxis. An infection of postoperative wound is the most severe
      local complication in vascular surgery. It has also been most frequent in the
      analysed group of patients, being 31.3% of all local complications.

PMID- 1409052
TI  - [Assessment of late results in surgical treatment of lower limb ischemia in
      obliterative atheromatosis of the femoral-popliteal region].
AB  - The results of treatment of arterial incompetence localized in femoro-popliteal
      region in the selected 14 centres have been assessed after 24 and 60 months.
      Eight hundred fifty five patients were operated in the selected centres during 12
      months i.e. 50% of all patients operated for obliterative atheromatosis of the
      lower limbs. Perioperative mortality rate was 4%. During a 5-year follow up, 30%
      of patients died, and 15% did not return supplied questionnaire, and their fate
      is unknown. The limb was preserved in 70% of patients operated with any technique
      except the primary amputation. Markedly worse results were noted in patients
      operated for necrosis or resting pain and in patients who underwent surgery which
      did not directly improve blood flow in the affected limb. The authors conclude
      that the most favourable results are produced by the implantation of vascular
      prosthesis during the period of intermittent claudication distance shortening
      before the development of resting pain or necrosis. Such operation are loaded
      with the lowest rate of failures and complications.

PMID- 1409053
TI  - [Anticipated results of arterial surgery in chronic atherosclerotic ischemia of
      the lower limb].
AB  - In 1983-1988, the results of conservative and surgical treatment of patients with
      atherosclerotic ischemia of the lower limbs were assessed with the aid of a
      questionnaire. A possibility of prognosis was assessed with the use of
      mathematically processed data obtained with such approach. An effect of clinical
      symptoms (intermittent claudication distance, resting pain, necrosis) and stage
      of the disease (duration, K/R index) and risk factors (blood cholesterol,
      triglycerides, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, arterial hypertension)
      on the result of surgical treatment was analysed. The obtained results suggest
      that clinical symptoms and risk factors may predict the results of surgical
      treatment in the atherosclerotic ischemia of the lower limbs.

PMID- 1409054
TI  - [Late results of surgical and conservative treatment for atheromatous ischemia of
      the lower limb in young patients].
AB  - The study was carried out within a multicenter program. Hundred fifty four
      patients under 40 years were treated (73 conservatively, and 81 surgically) for
      the atheromatous ischemia of the lower limbs in 14 Departments of Vascular
      Surgery in Poland within 5 years. The results of the treatment were evaluated
      according to the site of atheromatous lesions, type of surgery, and mainly
      according to the progress in pathologic process expressed by the degree of limb
      ischemia. It was found that surgery performed in the II period of the disease
      produces the best results. Surgery produces positively better results than
      conservative treatment in patients with the II period of the disease whereas both
      surgical and conservative therapy are ineffective in the III and IV degrees of
      ischemia. Sympathectomy may be effective in the occlusion of crural arteries even
      of the IV degree ischemia. In case of the II degree ischemia better results are
      produced by the operation of aorto-iliaco-femoral segment (transplantation or
      thrombendarterectomy) than that involving distal segment (sympathectomy) whereas
      the results of conservative therapy are better in peripheral and iliaco-femoral
      occlusion than those in aortofemoral and multisegmental arterial occlusion. An
      opinion of several authors on the specificity of atheromatous ischemia of the
      lower limbs in young patients was not confirmed.

PMID- 1409055
TI  - [Results of surgical and conservative treatment for multi-level atheromatous
      arterial occlusion of the lower limb after five years].
AB  - After 5 years of observation, materials of 239 patients treated operatively and
      96 patients treated conservatively because of multisegmental arterial occlusion
      of lower limbs were obtained within the framework of multi-central programme of
      investigation. The results of the treatment with these methods have been
      evaluated according to the site of the atheromatous changes and the degree of
      ischemia of lower limbs. It has been ascertained, that after operative therapy,
      the percentage of good results and the percentage of death in the case of
      occlusion comprising the aorto-ilio-femoral segment is higher than in the case of
      occlusion of femoro-popliteal and peripheral segments, whereas in the case of
      conservative therapy, the situation is reverse. The results of therapy (operative
      and conservative) of multilevel arterial occlusion, in all kinds of location,
      depend upon blood supply in the limbs. The results are best (the highest
      percentage of good results and without improvement, the least number of
      amputation and death) in the II period of disease and they become worse when the
      degree of ischemia increases. It appears that the operative therapy is less
      effective than the conservative therapy in the case of atheromatous multilevel
      changes manifesting clinically in the form of intermittent claudication, whereas
      in the case of the IV degree of ischemia, only the operation can save the limb or
      even the patient's life.

PMID- 1409056
TI  - [Results of conservative treatment in patients with atheromatous obstruction of
      arteries in the leg].
AB  - Late results of the treatment of 107 patients with crural arteries occlusion (21
      (20%) with isolated lesions and 86 (80%) with multisegmental lesions) were
      evaluated. Favourable result of the conservative treatment was achieved in 38% of
      patients with isolated lesions, no improvement in 38%, and worsening in one
      patient were noted during a 5-year follow up. Percentage in the group of patients
      with multisegmental lesions (including crural arteries) was 23%, 50%, and 27%,
      respectively. No patients with isolated lesions died during follow up period,
      whereas 11 (13%) patients with multisegmental lesions died.

PMID- 1409057
TI  - [Effect of extended anticoagulant therapy on long-term results of bypass for
      arterial occlusive disease].
AB  - Data selected from the questionnaire supplied by the 14 centres of vascular
      surgery have been analysed. All operated patients have been followed-up for 5
      years. An analysis revealed that long-term oral anticoagulant therapy following
      vascular grafting statistically significantly improved the outcome of surgery in
      comparison with patients who have not been given oral anticoagulants. There has
      been no such a relationship, if antiaggregation agents had been used for the
      treatment.

PMID- 1409058
TI  - [Long-term results of aorto-iliac occlusive disease treatment with implantation
      of the Polish vascular prosthesis].
AB  - The author analyses distant results of the Polish vascular prostheses
      implantation to 227 patients with aorto-iliac occlusive disease. Eighty two
      (29.6%) patients died within 5 years following the operation. Therefore, an
      analysis of the distant results of therapy included 145 patients. An excellent
      result was achieved in 20.7% of the treated patients, satisfactory result in
      53.9%, no improvement or worsening in 20.7% of cases. Statistically significant
      relationship between the degree of pre-operative ischemia and outcome of surgery
      has been noted. Considering blood hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity,
      hypercholesterolemia, and tobacco smoking prior to and after surgery as risk
      factors, no statistically significant relationship between the distant result of
      the treatment and the number of risk factor in a single patient has been
      observed.

PMID- 1409059
TI  - [Use of the laser for closing a venotomy in an experimental model].

PMID- 1409060
TI  - [Surgical treatment of sequelae in thrombotic syndrome in the lower limb].

PMID- 1409061
TI  - [Thrombosis and blood platelets].

PMID- 1409062
TI  - [Selected medical-legal and ethic-moral problems of collecting tissues and organs
      for transplantation].

PMID- 1409063
TI  - Interactive cytometry, chance or evil of bias?
AB  - Interactive selection of a limited number of cells in imaging cytometry for
      determining the DNA histogram of breast cancer cells as the best known
      prognosticator at the moment, implies statistical and systematic sampling
      problems. Analysis of histograms of 361 breast cancer aspirate specimens measured
      in two laboratories demonstrate the expected high statistical variations in view
      of the only 100 cells measured per case but also slight systematic differences.
      Controlled systematic sampling without pathological bias results in a somewhat
      higher malignancy grading than selective biased sampling. For this finding we
      have no explanation. The main result is, however, that we did not find the
      expected contrary which makes the argument for at least this application invalid
      that expert pathologists are needed for reliable interactive sampling.

PMID- 1409064
TI  - Construction of the knowledge file for an image understanding system.
AB  - To enable an image understanding system to provide an automated interpretation of
      diagnostic imagery it must have access to all of the concepts, procedures and
      methods used by human experts. The paper describes information elicitation from
      experts of different domains and the construction of a knowledge file.
      Uncertainty management is based on Bayesian belief network methods.

PMID- 1409065
TI  - Time dimension in histopathology.
AB  - In the liver acinus hepatocytes and littoral cells stream from the portal tract
      toward the terminal hepatic vein. Their average displacement trajectory was
      denominated as tissue radius. Since cells advance on the tissue radius in one
      direction, the farther a cell is the older it is, and cell age may be estimated
      from its position. This property is regarded as time dimension of a tissue. Since
      distance may be estimated by image cytometry, age determination may be
      incorporated in the image cytometer software. Distance may be expressed in two
      types of units: 1. metric e.g. microns, and 2. cell location or the number of
      cells separating a given cell from tissue origin. Cell age may also be expressed
      by two units: chronological and biological. Chronological age may be derived from
      the cell's displacement velocity. A hepatocyte advances daily 2 microns so that a
      cell at 100 microns distance is 50 days old. Biological age is defined as the
      cell's location on the radius. Cell location may serve as biological age unit
      since cells ranked according to their location are also ranked by their ages. The
      average acinus radius is 22 location long so that in biological age units,
      maximal hepatocyte life span is 22 locations. One may even say that a cell at
      location 5 is 2 biological units older than a cell at location 1. In order to
      estimate chronological age the cell has to be followed for a period of time,
      while biological age may be read off once from the section. There is yet another
      advantage for utilizing cell location as unit.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409066
TI  - An electronic primer in dermatopathology.
AB  - We present an electronic primer in dermatopathology based on a full-text
      retrieval system which contains all the features of traditional handbooks of
      dermatopathology. The system including high-resolution black and white pictures
      with coloured overlays runs on every personal computer with VGA card and needs no
      additional software and hardware equipment. The representation of pictures is
      improved by using high-resolution VGA cards. The system is able to work like an
      electronic diagnostic consultant in dermatopathology.

PMID- 1409067
TI  - A computer-based decision support system for diagnostic histopathology of the
      breast.
AB  - Accurate histological diagnosis of breast lesions is essential for the
      appropriate management of the patient. However, the technique of histological
      typing is problematic due to the large number of histological patterns, often of
      a complex and variable nature, which occur in breast disease. The introduction of
      the Breast Screening Programme has increased the burden on pathologists, and
      emphasised the need for training. Problems arise because mammographic screening
      detects a greater proportion of special histological types, with their attendant
      difficulties of identification, when compared to clinically palpable lesions. A
      computer-based decision support tool has been developed to assist pathologists in
      the histological diagnosis of breast disease. Unlike conventional expert systems,
      which seek to recreate the problem-solving processes of an expert, this system
      has been designed to act as an intelligent assistant to the pathologist. The
      system represents knowledge in the form of 'disease profiles', and utilises a
      novel inference model based upon the mathematical technique of hypergraphs.
      Initial trials with this system have demonstrated that a high level of diagnostic
      accuracy can be achieved.

PMID- 1409068
TI  - Development of an automatic program for the stereological estimation of the
      volume weighted mean volume of cell nuclei.
AB  - A stereological method was recently developed for the estimation of the volume
      weighted mean volume of particles from 2D sections. Several authors successfully
      applied this manual method to paraffin sections of bladder cancers and malignant
      melanomas and found a good correlation between the mean nuclear volume and the
      histological grading and prognosis of these tumors. The implementation of this
      measuring method on an automatic image analyser, devoted to routine work in tumor
      pathology, is presented. The accuracy of the automatic measurement has been
      evaluated together with the first results obtained from human esophageal cancers.

PMID- 1409069
TI  - MIPSY: real-time morphometry to quantify the time course of rapid epithelial
      restitution.
AB  - The gastrointestinal mucosa has the ability to repair itself rapidly following
      superficial mucosal injury by rapid epithelial restitution. The mechanism
      consists of cell migration and does not involve mitosis. This study reports the
      mechanisms of rapid epithelial restitution in the rabbit colon in vivo and in the
      human colon in vitro, describes a new computerized real-time morphometry system
      to investigate the time course of restitution and presents a new method to
      calculate the migration speed of epithelia during the repair process. Superficial
      mucosal damage to the rabbit colon in vivo was produced by luminal exposure to
      100 mM HCl for 5 min (80% of mucosal surface), a comparable injury in the human
      colon in vitro was obtained by luminal exposure to 10 mM HCl for 10 min (96% of
      mucosal surface). After detachment of the damaged tissue the intact epithelial
      cells in the vicinity of the necrosis extended pseudopodia and migrated over the
      denuded basal lamina. The morphological appearance of rapid epithelial
      restitution was the same in the rabbit and the human, only the time course was
      postponed in the human. The time course of rapid restitution was assessed by a
      newly developed computerized morphometry system (MIPSY). When tissues were
      examined after various time points following acid damage, 61% of the mucosa were
      damaged in the rabbit after 1 h, 10% after 2 hs and 20% after 5 hs. In the human
      colon 85% of the mucosal surface were damaged after 2 hs and 20% 5 hs after the
      end of acid exposure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409070
TI  - Cell contour extraction on multi-threshold images.
AB  - A procedure for the extraction of cell and nuclear contours from digital images
      is presented. The procedure is simple and suitable for efficient implementation
      in an interactive environment where the user selects a region of interest
      containing the cell to be segmented. Segmentation is facilitated by multi
      thresholding where the threshold values are determined by an iterative algorithm
      using the mean square error criteria to cluster the image pixel values. Edges are
      detected on the threshold images by employing a binary morphological filter and
      the desired contours are selected by considering closed contours in the edge
      image. The cell region is first extracted by performing segmentation, edge
      detection and contour extraction on the region of interest. The nuclear region is
      subsequently extracted by reapplication of the algorithms within the extracted
      cell region. Segmentation examples are presented.

PMID- 1409071
TI  - Evolutionary somatic cell changes in cervical tumour progression quantitatively
      evaluated with morphological, histochemical and kinetic parameters.
AB  - The somatic cell changes which characterise malignancy evolution in human
      cervical preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions have been assessed on histological
      sections by means of a computerised image analyser. Many features have been
      simultaneously measured on each cell of the lesions studied, and the following
      results have been obtained: Some features, mainly kinetic, show continuously
      increasing values which express changes correlated to the increasing malignancy;
      other features, especially related to nuclear atypia, cellular heterogeneity and
      the degree of aneuploidy, have values dropping at the level of early stromal
      infiltration, which can be morphometrically characterised as composed of
      relatively homogeneous phenotypes; these features seem to express the degree of
      genetic instability and relate to the evolutionary somatic cell changes; tumour
      progression evolves through sequential discontinuous steps, each of them
      characterised by specific phenotypical features of the neoplastic cell
      population; the neoplastic cells in the foci of early stromal infiltration and
      vascular invasion, phenotypically more homogeneous than the parent cell
      populations of carcinoma in situ and infiltrating carcinoma, seem to possess a
      greater genetic stability.

PMID- 1409072
TI  - A simplified histoscore for the estrogen receptor assay in breast cancer.
AB  - Different histoscores combining the number of positive cells and the intensity of
      staining have been used to evaluate the estrogen receptor immunocytochemical
      assay (ER-ICA). Our aim was to investigate if the simple estimation of the amount
      of positive cells could be sufficient for the semiquantitative analysis of ER
      ICA. Tissue from 51 women with ductal breast carcinoma was used. Half of each
      sample was processed with the quantitative assay (ER-EIA) and the other half with
      ER-ICA. Microscopical analysis was performed by two independent observers and
      classified on a simple scale from 0 to 4+. With EIA 31 cases (60.78%) were
      positive and 20 (39.21%) negative. With ER-ICA 29 (56.86%) had immunostaining,
      whereas 22 (43.13%) did not. 95.83% of the ER-ICA positive cases and 77.7% of ER
      ICA negative had a good correlation with EIA values. Statistical analysis showed
      a high degree of correlation (r = 0.88 p 0.001). Hence, simple semiquantitative
      estimation in ER-ICA is sufficient to provide useful information for clinical use
      about ER content in tissue sections.

PMID- 1409073
TI  - An image cytometric DNA-analysis in breast neoplasms. Parameters of DNA
      aneuploidy and their relationship with conventional prognostic factors.
AB  - In this prospective study, an image cytometric DNA-analysis was performed in 86
      women with breast neoplasms (72 primary invasive carcinomas and 14 benign
      lesions). Four DNA ploidy parameters were analysed: histogram type (according to
      AUER classification), DNA-index, tumor cells with DNA content above the 5n limit
      and DNA malignancy grade (DNA-MG, calculation according to Bocking). Their
      correlations with well established prognostic factors in breast carcinomas (tumor
      size, lymph node status, histologic grade, hormone receptor content) were
      studied. All but one benign lesions were diploid (13/14 cases), whereas the
      majority of the primary invasive breast carcinomas were aneuploid (58/72 cases).
      A predominance of carcinomas with a percentage of cells superior or equal to 1%
      with DNA content above the 5n limit was observed (54 cases out of 58). Most of
      the aneuploid tumors had a histogram type III or IV (53 cases) or a high DNA
      index (50 cases). Of these 58 aneuploid cases, only 26 tumors had a DNA-MG
      superior to 1. Interestingly, 26 tumors had the 4 criteria of aneuploidy, 19 had
      3 and 9 had 2 and only 4 tumors had one parameter. The DNA-MG was significantly
      related to hormonal receptors (p less than 0.001) and tumor size (p less than
      0.01). The histogram types (Auer classification) and the DNA content above the 5n
      limit were correlated with histologic grade (SBR or SBRM) (p less than 0.02).
      Concerning the DNA-index no correlation was observed with well established
      prognostic factors. On the other hand no significant correlation was found
      between these new biologic variables and lymph node status.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409074
TI  - Two types of endometrial papillary neoplasm. A morphometric study.
AB  - Fourteen cases of Papillary Endometrial Carcinoma (EC) were analyzed by
      Interactive Computerized Morphometry. Seven cases were diagnosed as well
      differentiated adenocarcinomas with papillary features (PF) and belonged to a
      group of EC with associated adenomatous hyperplasia (AH). Seven cases were
      diagnosed as uterine papillary serous carcinomas (PA) and belonged to a group of
      EC without associated AH. Two morphometric procedures were used. DRAW for the
      characterization of individual nuclei (area, perimeter, chord) and NU-MEAS for
      tissue architectural features (crowding and stratification). Using a stepwise
      discriminant multifactorial analysis, both methods proved to be accurate for the
      two diagnostic categories, as shown by the 100% posterior probabilities and by
      the two diagnostic categories, as shown by the 100% posterior probabilities and
      by the distances between group means. A doubtful case was analyzed and classified
      using a K-nearest neighbor procedure, compared to the individual case in the
      database. The distinction between the two types of papillary EC is important for
      the differential diagnosis of the two lesions. Well differentiated adenocarcinoma
      with papillary features is seen usually in the context of a well-differentiated
      adenocarcinoma, in a group of patients known to have estrogen-related less
      aggressive tumors. Uterine papillary serous carcinoma was described to have a
      biological behavior similar to that of papillary ovarian carcinoma and is
      encountered in a group of patients with more invasive and less differentiated
      EC2. Computerized interactive morphometry is a valuable method to use for the
      accuracy of this differential diagnosis in doubtful cases.

PMID- 1409075
TI  - Densitometric and morphometric study of immunocytochemical estrogen receptors
      detection in breast carcinomas.
AB  - Immunohistochemical quantitative evaluation of estrogen receptors (ER) detected
      in tissue sections from 30 breast tumors by monoclonal antibody was performed
      using a densitometric method. In particular, ER concentration was calculated by
      nuclear mean optical density (nMOD), while heterogeneity in ER content was
      calculated by the coefficient of variation (CV) of the nuclear optical density
      histogram. Tumors which showed more than 60% of positive cells had a mean value
      of ER-nMOD of 0.116 +/- 0.002 a.u. and of ER-CV of 33.74 +/- 0.68. Tumors which
      showed 30% to 60% of positive cells had a mean value of ER-nMOD of 0.082 +/-
      0.006 a.u. (arbitrary units) and of ER-CV of 36.25 +/- 3.44. Tumors showing less
      than 30% of positive cells had ER-nMOD of 0.052 +/- 0.009 a.u. and ER-CV of 48.49
      +/- 5.61. These results indicate that the greater the concentration the lower the
      ER heterogeneity within the tumor sample. No significant differences between ER
      ICA results, nuclear size and form factors were found.

PMID- 1409076
TI  - Immunohistological quantitative analysis of S100 protein-positive cells in T-cell
      malignant lymphomas, especially in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphomas.
AB  - S100 protein-positive cells (S100+ cells) in 36 cases of T-cell lymphoma (T-ML)
      in the lymph node and 15 cases of T-ML in the skin were analyzed
      immunohistologically in order to study their quantitative features in adult T
      cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL). The T-MLs were categorized according to the
      updated Kiel classification, and the T-cell pleomorphic type (Pleo) was
      subcategorized into 3 subtypes: Pleo-ATLL, Pleo-clear and Pleo-others. The
      population of S100+ cells and the first to fifth minimal distances of every S100+
      cell were measured on micrographs of paraffin sections that had reacted to anti
      S100 protein antibody according to the ABC method. Lymphoblastic and chronic
      lymphocytic leukemia types showed low populations of S100+ cells and long values
      of the first minimal distance. T-zone lymphoma without follicles and
      angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy with dysproteinemia-type T-ML had high
      populations and low values of the first minimal distance. Among the three
      subtypes of Pleo in the lymph node, Pleo-ATLL gave the highest population and the
      shortest value of the first minimal distance of S100+ cells, but this trend was
      not found in the skin. Clusters of more than five S100+ cells were more common in
      the Pleo-ATLL subtype than in the other two subtypes. The increase and clustering
      of S100+ cells in Pleo-ATLL suggests that the lymphoma cells act on S100+ cells
      as a helper.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409077
TI  - Comparative quantitative study of Ki-67 antibody staining in 78 B and T cell
      malignant lymphoma (ML) using two image analyser systems.
AB  - Total Ki-67 stained area percentage was studied in 32 B and 46 T malignant
      lymphomas (ML) using two different image analyser systems (TAS, Leitz; SAMBA TM
      2005, TITN) respectively. The total Ki-67 area percentage was highly correlated
      to the number of Ki-67 positive cellular profiles (B-ML, r = 0.93; T-ML, r =
      0.88), indicating that area percentage is a reliable alternative method to the
      manual cell counting. Image analysis allows quicker measurements, appropriate to
      large and strictly lymphomatous regions. The cell image processor (SAMBA TM 2005,
      TITN) linked to a color video camera was more suitable for immunohistochemical
      sections and allowed more automated and faster measurements than the texture
      analyser (TAS, Leitz) linked with a black and white camera. Alkaline phosphatase
      technique with fast red as chromogen was more suitable for the detection of Ki-67
      stained area by thresholding than peroxidase technique with aminoethylcarbazol or
      with diaminobenzidine as chromogens. Significant differences were found between
      low and high grade in B and T ML according to the Kiel classification (mean
      values +/- SD of 7.7 +/- 3.8% and 16.6 +/- 6.2% in B-ML and of 10.2 +/- 7.9% and
      25.6 +/- 16.3% in T-ML respectively). In follicular B-ML, considering follicular
      areas only, values were comparable to high grade ML; angioimmunoblastic
      lymphadenopathy-like (AILD-type) T-ML belonging to low grade ML showed similar
      values to pleomorphic T-ML with medium and/or large cells belonging to high grade
      ML.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409078
TI  - Nuclear DNA density of parathyroid lesions.
AB  - Nuclear DNA density analysis was carried out on six normal control human
      parathyroid glands and forty-six pathological lesions of human parathyroid
      tissue. The pathological glands had originally been classified as twenty
      hyperplasias, twenty-one adenomas, and five carcinomas in accordance with
      clinical-pathological information. Specimens had been obtained through the
      Surgical Pathology Department of the University Hospital, London, in the form of
      either imprints from the cut surface of a lesion, or as cell separation samples
      from a paraffin block. Nuclear DNA ploidy analysis of the normal glands showed,
      as expected, a diploid cell population. Sixty-one percent of nuclei of the
      carcinomas were above 2C, extending to 7C. There was a significant difference in
      nuclear DNA content between normal and benign tissue versus tissue classified as
      carcinoma. No significant difference in nuclear DNA ploidy could be established
      between the benign adenoma and hyperplasia tissue; however, marked significant
      DNA ploidy differences were found between tissue from the latter two and
      carcinoma. DNA ploidy from cell image analysis using Feulgen's reaction can be
      useful in establishing a differential diagnosis between carcinoma and benign
      lesions.

PMID- 1409079
TI  - Nuclear morphometry of primary B cell thyroid lymphoma.
AB  - Thyroid lymphoma is usually distinguished from anaplastic thyroid carcinoma and
      from Hashimoto's thyroiditis by morphological and immunohistochemical assessment
      of tissue sections. Our objective was to assess the value of nuclear morphometry
      in the differential diagnosis of these conditions. Nuclear area measurements were
      performed on 10 cases of thyroid lymphoma using an IBAS 2000 Image Analyser and
      compared with similar measurements performed on 10 cases of Hashimoto's
      thyroiditis and 2 of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. It was found that karyometry
      demonstrated differences between all three conditions, the cases of thyroiditis
      being distinguishable from lymphoma on the basis of mean nuclear area alone. Mean
      nuclear area for lymphomas was greater than for Hashimoto's thyroiditis and lower
      than for anaplastic carcinomas. The mean nuclear area also reflected the grade of
      lymphoma, with the exception of one case which had a large reactive T cell
      population. It is concluded that nuclear morphometry provides valuable
      information in the diagnosis and assessment of thyroid lymphomas.

PMID- 1409080
TI  - Cytologic diagnosis of non-oxyphil follicular neoplasias of the thyroid.
      Multivariate classification procedure based on quantitative nucleolar features.
AB  - The study was done on cytologic material of 58 non-oxyphil follicular neoplasias
      of the thyroid, 32 of which were adenomas and 26 carcinomas. Three groups of
      nucleolar features were quantified using a routine microscope with an ocular
      micrometer: frequency-, size-, and margination-related features. Since value
      overlap was present between two categories for all the variables, stepwise
      discriminant analysis was applied. The following three features were selected by
      the computer for calculation of one canonical discriminant function: percentage
      of marginated nucleoli, percentage of nuclei with one nucleolus, mean major
      nucleolar diameter. The percentage of agreement between morphologic and computer
      classifications was 95%. Two follicular adenomas were allocated to the carcinoma
      category, whereas one follicular carcinoma was allocated to the adenoma category.
      Out of 58, 52 were diagnosed by the computer into one of the two diagnostic
      categories with a very high probability, i.e. P greater than 0.75, the remaining
      6 being considered intermediate.

PMID- 1409081
TI  - Prognostic factors in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity. A retrospective
      study of 80 cases.
AB  - A multiparameter analysis of 80 squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity was
      performed to determine the relative prognostic weight of the location of the
      tumor, tumor size (T), microscopic grade (G) and DNA content measured by means of
      flow cytometry. Tumors of the lip have an invariably favourable outcome, while at
      the other locations they have high rates of mortality (total 5 years of survival
      less than 35%). A simple statistical analysis was performed using the concepts of
      death sensitivity (DS), death specificity (DSp), life sensitivity (LS) and life
      specificity (LSp): the best measure of unfavourable outcome was represented by G3
      (DS = 0.69; DSp = 1) and by DNA aneuploidy (DS = 0.76; DSp = 0.45), while the
      best measure of favourable outcome was represented by G1 (LS = 0.53; LSp = 0.96),
      T1 (LS = 0.81; LSp = 0.78) and by DNA diploidy of the tumor cells (LS = 0.45; LSp
      = 0.86). A survival analysis using a step by step regression model according to
      Cox was carried out in order to evaluate more precisely the relative importance
      of prognostic factors: traditional prognostic factors (histological grade = G and
      tumor size = T) showed a strong statistical significance, while DNA content added
      some additional prognostic information only if associated to the macroscopic
      features of the tumor.

PMID- 1409082
TI  - Laryngeal intraepithelial neoplasia (LIN). An analytical morphometric approach.
AB  - Laryngeal Intraepithelial Neoplasia (LIN) is graded in 3 levels (LIN Grade I-II
      III), corresponding to the classic aspects of mild, moderate and severe dysplasia
      in situ carcinoma, on the basis of the number and position of mitoses and of the
      undifferentiated or atypical cells limited to the basal or extended to the
      intermediate or the superficial layers of epithelium. In order to reduce the
      subjective imprecision of these parameters we have applied not only traditional
      dimensional evaluators but also procedures of analytical morphometry to the
      nuclear shape. By using the software system S.A.M. (Shape Analytical Morphometry)
      we have examined fifty nuclei of the basal layer in LIN grade I, II and III,
      fifty nuclei in normal laryngeal mucosa and fifty nuclei in invasive carcinoma of
      the larynx (twenty-five cases in all). Normal and dysplastic nuclei did not show
      any dimensional differences, while the carcinomatous nuclei were significantly
      larger. An asymmetric distortion of the nuclear contour was noted in the moderate
      and severe dysplasia, but not in carcinomatous cells. Also the Fourier
      parameters, increased in severe dysplasia, decreased dramatically in
      carcinomatous cells which showed nuclei with minor contour irregularities than
      the normal cells. These findings outline the discriminative power of the
      analytical morphometry and suggest a possible correlation between nuclear shape
      and cell biology.

PMID- 1409083
TI  - Quantitative histopathological evaluation of vocal cord dysplasia with particular
      emphasis on nuclear orientation.
AB  - We have applied morphometry on formaldehyde-fixed, H & E-stained diagnostic
      laryngeal biopsies from 7 patients with mild dysplasia and 7 with severe
      dysplasia/carcinoma in situ, in search of objective parameters required for
      reproducible histopathological grading of epithelial dysplasias. Special emphasis
      has been put upon the individual nuclear polarity as a spatial variable. Also
      included were 4 specimens with normal epithelium. By means of a semiautomatic
      digitizing tablet, the nuclear and epithelial area, formfactor and the polarity
      variation between the longitudinal axes of adjacent nuclei were measured in the
      basal, parabasal, middle and luminal layers of the epithelium. N:C-ratio, mean
      values of nuclear area, formfactor or their coefficient of variation could not
      distinguish between mild and severe dysplasia. The variations in neighboring
      nuclear polarity, however, revealed a highly significant distinction between mild
      and severe dysplasia (p less than 0.001). This parameter may therefore have
      diagnostic potential.

PMID- 1409084
TI  - Quantitative analysis of nucleoli and nucleolar organizer regions in cultured
      primary human normal, reactive and malignant mesothelial cells.
AB  - The number and the size of silver-stained intranuclear granules, which correspond
      to the nucleolus and nucleolar organizer regions, have been determined by means
      of quantitative methods in cultured primary human mesothelial cells obtained from
      normal, reactive and malignant mesothelium. The mean values per nucleus of the
      number, the total area, the average area, and the relative area of the silver
      stained granules and the mean nuclear area were determined for each of the three
      conditions. Normal, reactive and malignant mesothelial cells differed
      significantly in all the features. These findings at the optical level reflect
      the differing rate of the nucleolar biosynthetic activity related to the
      different biological properties of the three cell types, and the features can be
      useful morphometric descriptors in the diagnostic pathology of the mesothelium.

PMID- 1409085
TI  - Evaluation of AgNOR count in distinguishing benign from malignant mesothelial
      cells in pleural fluids.
AB  - The authors have evaluated in eight reactive and eight malignant pleural
      effusions the number of intranuclear dots representing the nucleolar associated
      proteins stained with silver colloid technique (interphase nucleolar organizer
      regions-AgNORs). The mean number per nucleus in benign reactive effusions was
      1.56 (SD 0.77) while in mesotheliomatous effusions it was 2.81 (SD 1.44). The
      statistical analysis of values, by Mann-Whitney U Wilcoxon Rank Sum W Test,
      revealed a significant difference of AgNOR counts in the two cytological samples.
      The variability of AgNOR areas and morphologies in reactive and mesotheliomatous
      nuclei in pleural fluids is evaluated applying automatic image analysis.

PMID- 1409086
TI  - Intra-tumor DNA ploidy distribution pattern and its relation to histologic type
      in gastric carcinoma.
AB  - The pattern of intra-tumor DNA ploidy distribution was analyzed in stepwise
      sections in 64 cases of surgically resected gastric carcinoma. Five varying
      patterns were identified: Type A comprised only diploidy in all stepwise
      sections, Type B comprised only aneuploidy with the same DNA Index(DI), Type C
      comprised diploidy in the great majority of sections with aneuploidy in some
      parts, Type D comprised aneuploidy in the great majority of sections with
      diploidy in some parts and Type E comprised only aneuploidy, but with varying DI.
      These 5 patterns could be grouped into 2 categories; predominantly diploid (Types
      A and C) and predominantly aneuploid (Types B, D and E). The former category
      included 34 cases (12 differentiated carcinomas) while the latter included 30
      cases (22 differentiated carcinomas). Thus, a statistically significant
      correlation was detected between the histologic type and the intra-tumor DNA
      ploidy distribution pattern; in the majority of cases, differentiated carcinoma
      exhibited predominantly aneuploidy, while undifferentiated carcinoma exhibited
      predominantly diploidy (p less than 0.01). This tendency was the same for all
      depths of invasion, except for submucosal carcinomas which exhibited
      predominantly diploidy.

PMID- 1409087
TI  - Epithelial dysplasia of the gastric mucosa. A morphometric and ploidy pattern
      study.
AB  - 60 cases of gastric dysplasia (20 mild, 20 moderate and 20 severe) were
      quantitatively studied and compared with cases of hyperplastic polyp (No 10),
      intestinal metaplasia (No 20), peptic ulcer (No 10) and invasive adenocarcinoma
      (No 20). In each case the area, the perimeter and the integrated optical density
      of 100 nuclei were measured in Feulgen stained tissue sections by means of a
      Leitz TAS. The stepwise discriminant analysis demonstrates that severe dysplasia
      and adenocarcinoma can be well distinguished from mild and moderate dysplasia.
      The ploidy pattern study demonstrates that the presence of severe dysplastic
      changes corresponds to a sharp increase in the degree of aneuploidy. In peptic
      ulcer, intermediate values between "benign" and "malignant" lesions were found.

PMID- 1409088
TI  - Cytometry in histological sections of colon carcinoma.
AB  - A short description of a project of cytometry in histological sections of colon
      carcinoma is given with emphasis on the methodical aspects. Possible strategies
      of cytometric measurement and problems related to it (focus, overlap,
      segmentation of objects) are described. The main effort concerns interactive
      selection of tumor cells and the segmentation in cases of densely distributed and
      overlapping nuclei. All other succeeding processing steps are performed fully
      automatically. The resulting quantitative features are stored together with the
      original images on an optical disk for further examinations and reexaminations,
      allowing the direct relation of feature values to visual image content. The
      evaluation of the features as well as their interpretation is only at the
      beginning. Especially the problem of relating section information with true 3
      dimensional information is not described here and necessitates further research.
      In a first investigation only a few tumors without and with metastases were
      analyzed. The preliminary results correspond with findings of Kunze et al.

PMID- 1409089
TI  - Quantitative study of the precancerous and malignant lesions in colorectal
      adenomas.
AB  - 150 endoscopically removed colorectal adenomas are quantitatively studied. In 90
      cases dysplastic glands constituted the entire lesion (30 mild, 30 moderate, 30
      severe); in 60 cases foci of adenocarcinoma were present (30 intramucosal, 30
      submucosal). In each case the area, the perimeter and the integrated optical
      density of 100 nuclei were measured from Feulgen-stained paraffin sections. The
      results show a continuous neoplastic progression in the trends of the
      morphometric parameters as well as in the ploidy pattern. The stepwise
      discriminant analysis defined the morphometric features of the atypical nuclei,
      which were present in small numbers also in mild dysplasia; they progressively
      increased in number, reaching the maximum in submucosal carcinoma.

PMID- 1409090
TI  - Texture analysis of histological images of giant cell tumor of bone.
AB  - To gain an objective evaluation of histological sections of giant cell tumors of
      bone (GCT) and osteosarcomas, microscopic pictures were taken and their grey-tone
      image measured, using a flying spot scanner and computer. Various values of eight
      parameters expressing certain characteristical brightness distribution patterns
      were computed, and comparatively examined among the three groups of benign GCT,
      malignant GCT and osteosarcoma. As a result, some parameters could facilitate
      differentiation between the histological images of these bone tumors. Especially,
      "angular second moment (ASM)", "Contrast" and "Coefficient of variation (COV)"
      were useful even for discrimination between malignant and benign GCT. After
      factor analysis of the values of these parameters, scores of each factor for a
      number of histological scene images were plotted on a 2-dimensional factor plane.
      On this plane, which was considered to be a histological feature plane, cases of
      benign GCT were separated from those of osteosarcoma. Cases of malignant GCT were
      distributed between the two groups. These results suggest that this method could
      be valuable for computer evaluation of histological images of benign GCT and
      osteosarcomas.

PMID- 1409091
TI  - Morphometric analysis of cartilaginous tumors.
AB  - 144 chondromas and chondrosarcomas have been investigated. Morphometry has been
      performed: the relative volume density of tumor cell nuclei (Vv%n) and the
      nuclear area have been measured. The results show that the relative volume
      density of nuclei is a useful parameter, regarding the localisation of the
      tumors, to discriminate chondromas and chondrosarcomas, while the nuclear area is
      no safe criterion to separate these entities.

PMID- 1409092
TI  - Morphometrical investigation of medulloblastoma nuclei by S.A.M. (Shape
      Analytical Morphometry) software system.
AB  - In order to characterize medulloblastomas and to get over the difficulties
      sometimes encountered in differential diagnosis, a double morphometric procedure
      has been applied to its nuclei. The first consisted of size measurements (maximum
      diameter, area and perimeter), the latter is represented by S.A.M. (Shape
      Analytical Morphometry) software-system specifically implemented to describe
      shape of biological structure by analytical parameters. Analytical and
      dimensional parameters submitted to Hotelling's multivariate discriminant
      analysis gave the best results when used together in convenient discriminant
      subsets, thereby allowing a good distinction between medulloblastoma in
      comparison with neuroblastoma, Ewing's tumor, lymphoblastic and lymphocytic
      lymphoma. These results underline the usefulness of morphometric characterization
      also for practical diagnostic purposes.

PMID- 1409093
TI  - Significance of variation in DNA flow cytometric analyses from paraffin-embedded
      breast cancers. Evaluation of the grading efficiency of ploidy determination, DNA
      index, and S-phase fraction.
AB  - 116 paraffin-embedded breast cancer samples were analyzed by flow cytometry. From
      each sample 3 consecutive 50 microns sections were cut for the study. The
      presence of neoplastic tissue was verified from light microscope sections cut
      before and after the adjacent sections. One laboratory started with one section
      from each block and was allowed extra sections when needed for analysis. At the
      end the laboratory obtained results from all 116 cases. The rest of the samples
      were studied by 2 other laboratories. Samples with results from 2 or 3
      laboratories then allowed variability analysis and the estimation of the grading
      efficiency in a 2-grade system. Inconsistency in diploidy/aneuploidy distinction
      was present in 36 of 111 (32.4%) cases studied by two or three laboratories. This
      inconsistency was less obvious in samples graded as multiploid by at least one of
      the laboratories. The grading efficiency as analyzed from the results of 3
      laboratories was 0.89, and of 2 laboratories, 0.84. The DNA index showed a
      slightly higher grading efficiency. At the cutoff point of 1.3, 91% of cases
      could be expected to be correctly classified into low ploidy and high ploidy
      groups (grading efficiency 0.91). The S-phase fraction had a mean grading
      efficiency of 0.89, a performance comparable to that of diploidy/aneuploidy
      distinction. In the light of the available data the flow cytometric analysis can
      add to the consistency of grading, especially when compared with subjective
      histological grading. However, the data do not suggest that flow cytometric
      analysis of paraffin sections as a grading method would be more consistent than
      quantitative histopathology from sections.

PMID- 1409094
TI  - Biological image analysis for microscopical diagnosis: the work-station S.A.M.
      (Shape Analytical Morphometry).
AB  - The S.A.M. (Shape Analytical Morphometry) software system and its related work
      station give a generalized and easy-to-handle tool to face a classic and
      intriguing problem in biomedical morphological diagnosis. What is the shape of an
      object in a microscopic image? How can we understand the relationship between
      size and shape? According to Holloway: "Measurements such as length, width,
      height, whether in chords or arcs only describe space, ... and further run into
      the abyss of allometric correction ... if additional information (shape?) to size
      is expected, some method of allometric correction must be used." The S.A.M.
      software system assumes a logic architecture able to separate and to parametrize
      independently shape characteristics in terms of allometry and local pertubation
      by analytical procedures (polynomials, parabolic fitting, Fourier analysis) in
      addition to the classic evaluations of size and density carried out by image
      analyzers for microscopical diagnosis.

PMID- 1409095
TI  - Silver-stained nucleolar organizer proteins in urothelial bladder lesions. A
      morphometric study.
AB  - The diagnostic value of image analysis of silver-stained nucleolar organizer
      regions (AgNORs) has been investigated in 170 urothelial bladder lesions obtained
      by transurethral biopsies in the same number of patients. According to the WHO
      classification 25 specimens showed a flat non-invasive growth pattern with simple
      hyperplasia or mild dysplasia (H/D1 = 10), as well as moderate (D2 = 10) to
      severe atypia (Cis = 5). 135 samples were of papillary and/or infiltrating type
      including polypoid cystitis (pC = 5), true papillomas (G0 = 7), and carcinomas of
      different malignancy grade (G1 = 30, G2 = 55, G3 = 38). 10 biopsies served as
      normal controls. Benign non-neoplastic urothelium (controls, H/D1, pC) exhibited
      few but large AgNORs (mean number [MNN] = 3.3 +/- 0.5, mean area [MNA] = 0.29 +/-
      0.08 micron 2), whereas carcinomatous lesions (Cis, G1-G3) showed numerous small
      silver-stained dots within their nuclei (MNN = 6.9 +/- 1.1; MNA = 0.12 +/- 0.04
      micron 2). Both parameters, MNN and MNA, were inversely correlated (r = -0.69, p
      less than 0.001); their quotient (NQ = MNN/MNA) revealed a clear cut difference
      in the AgNOR content of benign (control, H/D1:NQ = 12.8 +/- 2.5) and moderate to
      severe atypical flat urothelial lesions (D2, Cis: NQ = 44.2 +/- 12.8, p less than
      0.001). This parameter also discriminated between G1 (NQ = 40.7 +/- 17.3), G2 (NQ
      = 57.5 +/- 18.8), and G3 carcinomas (NQ = 79.0 +/- 21.8, p less than
      0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409096
TI  - Quantitative immunohistologic study of lip biopsies. Evaluation of diagnostic and
      prognostic value in Sjogren's syndrome.
AB  - In a group of 45 patients with Sjogren's syndrome (SS) and 80 controls the high
      specificity (95%) and sensitivity (100%) of a recently proposed bivariate
      quantitative immunohistologic (QIH) criterion for SS, based on percentages of IgA
      and IgG-containing plasma cells in labial salivary gland (LSG) tissue, was
      confirmed. The best univariate QIH criterion for discrimination between LSG
      biopsies of SS patients and controls appeared to be based on the percentage of
      IgA containing plasma cells, and had a specificity of 99% and a sensitivity of
      96%. A criterion based only on the percentages of IgM-containing plasma cells,
      proposed in another recent study, resulted in a high number (31%) of false
      negatives. Interobserver reproducibility of QIH diagnoses was excellent. Moreover
      it was demonstrated that accuracy, precision and the interobserver
      reproducibility of plasma cell counting depends on the choice of tissue fixation
      and immunohistologic staining procedure. The combination of formol sublimate
      fixation and peroxidase anti-peroxidase procedure appeared to be the best
      combination for QIH examination. Furthermore, in 2 SS patients systemic
      monoclonal IgM/kappa gammopathy was preceded by high predominance of IgM and
      kappa containing plasma cells in the plasma cellular infiltrate of the LSG
      tissue.

PMID- 1409097
TI  - Quantitative analysis of quadriceps muscle biopsy in systemic sclerosis.
AB  - The lesser diameter of the fibers, separately of type 1 and type 2 fibers, and
      the capillary density evaluated as number of capillaries/area and number of
      capillaries/fiber were quantitatively estimated in muscle biopsies from 12
      patients with systemic sclerosis. Nine patients with polymyositis or rheumatoid
      arthritis and six patients with muscle dystrophy and neurogenic atrophy served as
      controls. The results showed that patients with systemic sclerosis had low values
      of the lesser diameter of the fibers. This reduction was most obvious in type 2
      fibers. The capillaries were also significantly reduced when compared with the
      control groups. When considering the capillaries/fiber ratio, seven out of eight
      patients with values lower than 0.7 belonged to the systemic sclerosis group. In
      systemic sclerosis the capillary density values were not significantly correlated
      with those of the lesser diameters of the fibers.

PMID- 1409098
TI  - Enlargement of synaptic size as a compensative reaction in aging and dementia.
AB  - A quantitative investigation has been carried out on synaptic contact zones of
      dentate gyrus supragranular layer and cerebellar glomeruli in autoptic samples
      from adult, old and demented patients. During physiological aging and senile
      dementia, the synaptic average area was significantly increased as compared to
      adult values in both the CNS areas investigated. Conversely, the number of
      contacts and their total surface contact area per unit volume of tissue were
      decreased. Current literature reports that, in animal models, enlarged synapses
      undergo perforations and splitting to modify synaptic connectivity. As against
      these assumptions, the increased synaptic size observed in our study appears to
      represent a compensative reaction of old and demented CNS to counteract the
      reduction in number and in total contact area of the synaptic junctions.

PMID- 1409099
TI  - The value of simple morphometric techniques in the diagnosis of osteoporosis.
AB  - In order to assess the value of simple morphometric methods in the diagnosis of
      osteoporosis we measured trabecular bone volume (TBV), trabecular number per unit
      area and relative osteoid volume in two separate iliac crest biopsies in 20
      patients with conclusive autopsy evidence of osteoporosis and 20 controls. In
      osteoporotic patients trabecular bone volume ranged between 3.0-19.2% (median
      10.7%) in the anterior and 3.0-14.3% (median 9.7%) in the posterior biopsy and in
      controls between 2.5-24.8% (median 13.5%) in the anterior and 5.8-25% (median
      12.4%) in the posterior. Trabecular numbers in osteoporotic patients ranged from
      1.7-8.3/10 mm2 (median 3.5) and in controls 1.6-17/10 mm2 (median 5.63). Relative
      osteoid volume showed a similarly wide range. In adjacent biopsies trabecular
      bone volume and trabecular number could differ by as much as 100% and this casts
      doubt on the value of sequential bone biopsies in the management of individual
      patients. We conclude that simple morphometric techniques cannot accurately
      diagnose osteoporosis. However, if the TBV is greater than 18% osteoporosis is
      unlikely to be present (upper 95% confidence limit = 17.8%). However, a low value
      for TBV is not diagnostic for osteoporosis because of a large overlap between
      control and osteoporotic groups.

PMID- 1409100
TI  - Osteologic standardization of human coxarthrosis using histomorphometry and its
      relevance for HIP alloarthroplasty.
AB  - Using bone histomorphometry, in this study the osteologic status of 107 patients
      with coxarthrosis and femoral neck fracture [FNF] was assessed and compared with
      bone parameters from patients revised for aseptic loosening. Bone biopsies of the
      acetabulum and the proximal femur from patients with primary coxarthrosis [pCoxA]
      (69), dysplastic coxarthrosis [CDH] (19), rheumatoid arthritis [RA] (9), femoral
      head necrosis [FHN] (8), femoral neck fracture [FNF] (4) and aseptic loosening
      (12) were taken during hip alloarthroplastic surgery, prepared undecalcified and
      analysed using histomorphometry (according to MERZ). In pCoxA the following
      average figures of bone parameters of the acetabular biopsy were determined:
      trabecular bone volume (TBV) 39.6%, osteoid volume (OV) 3.9%, active osteoblastic
      surface (AOS) 6.5%, osteoclastic resorption surface (ORS) 2.4%, osteoid surface
      (OS) 17.4% and resorption surface (RS) 7.0%. As average figures of the femoral
      biopsy in pCoxA were assessed: TBV = 17.2%, OV = 1.3%, AOS = 0.9%, ORS = 0.4%, OS
      = 6.5% and RS = 2.5%. These data were compared with bone parameters of secondary
      coxarthrosis, osteoporosis (FNF) and aseptic loosening. Based on the study of
      Oettmeier et al. on femoral heads (Skel Radiol 18: 165-174, 1989), the
      investigated groups were subdivided into three osteologic types of the hip. The
      osteopenic type was found in 10% of pCoxA, 43% of RA and 28% of CDH. The
      hyperostotic type, predominantly occurring in males, was mostly demarcated in FHN
      (38%) and pCoxA (12%). The results demonstrate the individual osteologic status
      of patients before hip alloarthroplasty. This could influence planning of the
      operation and the bone-implant interface as well as long-term prognosis of
      artificial joints.

PMID- 1409101
TI  - Macrophage and epithelioid cell nuclear morphology in leprosy.
AB  - The spectrum of disease in leprosy is characterised by the presence of
      macrophages in lepromatous lesions and epithelioid cells in tuberculoid
      granulomas. Since changes in nuclear shape occur during macrophage activation, we
      have measured nuclear morphology by planimetry in biopsies across the leprosy
      spectrum. The results show no significant correlation of any of the parameters of
      nuclear morphology measured between different lesions or between biopsies from
      the centre and edge of the same lesion. There were no differences between the
      Ridley-Jopling groups. However, several parameters which measure the degree of
      ellipticity of the nuclei showed strong correlation with granuloma size in
      untreated leprosy patients. This suggests that local pressure effects may
      influence epithelioid cell and macrophage nuclear morphology in leprosy lesions.

PMID- 1409102
TI  - Age-related modification of average volume and anisotropy of vascular smooth
      muscle cells.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine what changes in the arterial wall are
      related to age. In two groups of rabbits, one young and one adult, the aorta and
      carotid were studied using a morphometric approach based on stereological axioms
      and planimetric morphometry. The problem of anisotropy of smooth muscle cells is
      discussed in detail. Two forms of anisotropy must be distinguished, that of
      single cell and that due to the histological pattern of the smooth muscle cells
      in the arterial wall. Our results show in adult animals, as compared to the young
      ones, statistically significant decrease in anisotropy of the cell pattern which
      tends to become more regular. Moreover, in aorta and carotid of young and adult
      animals there is an increment of 95.39% and 80% of the absolute cell volume,
      respectively. We suggest that there may be a direct relationship between aging
      and phenotypical modulation of the smooth muscle cells and that the modification
      of the architectural cell pattern with age may represent an adaptive event
      related to the change in forces acting upon the arterial wall.

PMID- 1409103
TI  - Age-dependent increase of rabbit aortic atherosclerosis. A morphometric approach.
AB  - Aging has been indicated as one of the major risk factors for development of
      atherosclerotic lesions, although the role aging plays, lacks accurate
      evaluation. Our study was aimed at quantitatively defining such a role by using
      morphometric analysis. Aged (median age 3 years and 8 months) and young (4
      months) white New Zealand rabbits received a hyperlipemic diet enriched with a
      low dose of cholesterol for 16 months. At regular intervals, levels of serum
      lipemic parameters were checked. A Quantimet 920 image analyzer was used on
      paraffin-embedded sections of the entire aortas to measure the volume density of
      the tunica intima, the volume density of atheroma, the ratio intima/media and the
      surface area of the tunica intima. Our results indicated for aged hyperlipemic
      rabbits a statistically significant increase in all morphometric parameters
      examined as compared to young hyperlipemic animals, and no statistically
      significant differences in serum cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids.

PMID- 1409104
TI  - Morphological, immunohistochemical, stereological and nuclear shape
      characteristics of proliferative Leydig cell alterations in rats.
AB  - Proliferative Leydig cell (LC) alterations (hyperplasia, adenoma) of laboratory
      rats often pose diagnostic problems because the progression from normal to
      hyperplasia to neoplasia is continuous. The LC compartments of 130 Wistar rats
      (kfm: WIST strain) of approximately 2 years of age were examined. Ten typical
      cases conventionally classified as being normal or as showing diffuse or focal
      hyperplasia or small or large adenomata were investigated in more detail. In
      large adenomata, areas with large and small LC nuclei were identified.
      Immunohistochemical characterization, EM examination, as well as stereologic and
      planimetric investigations were performed. Hyperplastic and neoplastic LC
      essentially retained their normal appearance and immunohistochemical
      characteristics, but were found to contain more lipid droplets, fibroblast-like
      cells and patches of collagen than normal LC at the EM level. LC proliferation
      was accompanied by significant LC hypertrophy. LC nuclei of hyperplastic LC
      compartments were slightly larger while those of LC adenoma were markedly larger
      than nuclei of normal LC. The values for circle-related and ellipticity factors
      indicated that the nuclei of normal and hyperplastic LC were more markedly oval
      than nuclei of neoplastic LC. Concavity factor and bending energy measurements
      revealed that the small and oval nuclei of normal and hyperplastic LC had
      significantly more and deeper indentations than the larger and somewhat rounder
      nuclei of neoplastic LC. It is concluded that LC proliferations conventionally
      diagnosed as hyperplasia or adenoma on the basis of their size were composed of
      cytologically different LC populations.

PMID- 1409105
TI  - Changes in rat epiphyseal cartilage after treatment with dexamethasone and
      glycosaminoglycan-peptide complex.
AB  - In 3-month-old rats, systemic administration of glucocorticosteroids induced
      regressive changes in the epiphyseal plate cartilage. Dexamethasone treatment
      resulted in inhibition of both chondrocyte proliferation and cartilage matrix
      production. The inhibition of chondrocyte proliferation was determined
      histologically from the thickness of the epiphyseal plate, the number of cell
      columns and the ratio of proliferating to hypertrophied chondrocytes. The
      decrease in cartilage matrix production was measured autoradiographically by
      incorporation of radioactive 35S-sulphate. Concomitant treatment with
      glycosaminoglycan-peptide complex (GP-C = RUMALON) overcame the negative effect
      of dexamethasone. The values in the dexamethasone + GP-C group approached those
      of the control group and differed significantly from the group given
      dexamethasone alone.

PMID- 1409106
TI  - Morphometry of parenchymal and vascular alterations in ARDS after extracorporal
      carbon dioxide removal therapy (ECCO2-R-therapy).
AB  - The lungs of 12 patients suffering from ARDS treated by ECCO2-R-therapy were
      examined. The thickness of the interlobular septa, area portions of honeycombing,
      bleeding and lung parenchyma with diffuse alveolar damage were assessed by semi
      automatic image analysis. Medial thickness of the pulmonary arteries with an
      external radius ranging between 40 microns and 150 microns was assessed
      planimetrically. The area portion of honeycombing ranged from 0% to 66% (average:
      28.8%, standard deviation: 17.0%). The thickness of interlobular septa was
      increased with values between 74.0 microns and 195.5 microns (average: 140.4
      microns, standard deviation: 41.7 microns; normal controls: 72.0 microns +/- 19.5
      microns). Parenchymal and vascular changes were closely related: Average medial
      thickness rose from nearly normal values (4.9%) in cases with low area portions
      of honeycombing and bleeding to the double (11.1%) of normal values in cases with
      area portions of honeycombing and bleeding greater than 40%. We conclude that
      parenchymal changes due to shock and high inspiratory O2 concentration lead to
      changes of the pulmonary arterial hemodynamics which result in a quickly
      developing medial hypertrophy.

PMID- 1409107
TI  - Metastatic capacity and differentiation in murine melanoma cell lines. A
      morphometric study.
AB  - A morphometric analysis was carried out on electron micrographs of cells of the
      F1 (low metastatic capacity) and F10 (high metastatic capacity) variant sublines
      of the murine B16 melanoma, both in in-vitro cultures and in lung-metastatic
      nodules developed after the intravenous injection of neoplastic cells in
      syngeneic C57 black male mice. A group of 28 morphometric parameters was derived
      to describe quantitatively each neoplastic cell profile. No qualitative
      difference was observed between the two cell lines. The quantitative expression
      of subcellular organelles was dissimilar in the two sublines, being consistently
      characterized, both in in-vitro cultured cells and in lung-metastatic colonies,
      by a significant decrease in the mean values of parameters related to melanosomes
      in the high metastatic capacity cell line (B16-F10). Moreover, in in-vitro
      cultured cells, indices describing heterochromatin masses and cytoplasmic
      membranous compartments displayed statistically significant differences between
      the two sublines. In this experimental system, an inverse relationship between
      metastatic capacity and differentiation is detected, since cells with a more
      aggressive metastatic behavior exhibit a decreased degree of differentiation.

PMID- 1409108
TI  - In situ analysis of adenohypophysis proliferative activity in beagle dogs.
      Preliminary results.
AB  - In order to establish control data on adenohypophysis cell cycle in beagle dogs,
      two different approaches were used. In the first approach, the adenohypophysis
      mitotic index (percentage of cells in mitosis: MI) was determined using pituitary
      glands from 50 control beagle dogs, 10 to 25 months old, from retrospective
      regulatory safety assessment studies. We found that the MI in males was 0.024 +/-
      0.007% and in females 0.068 +/- 0.019%. The second approach involved the
      determination of the adenohypophysis cell fraction in S phase by means of
      bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) anti-BrdU method in 16 control beagle dogs, 8 to 20
      months old, from ongoing safety assessment studies. We found that the BrdU
      labeling index (percentage of BrdU-positive cells per total number of cells: BrdU
      LI) was 0.053 +/- 0.009% in males and 0.059 +/- 0.015% in females. Analysis of
      our data indicated that the results obtained from the BrdU LI were more reliable
      (coefficient of variation [CV] less than 0.07) compared to those obtained from
      the MI (CV greater than 1.4). No clear difference was found between male and
      female beagle dogs, regarding adenohypophysis cell proliferation. In both
      studies, adenohypophysis cell proliferation was found to be age-dependent, with
      the highest value in immature dogs. No correlation between estrus cycle in
      females and adenohypophysis cell proliferation was noted.

PMID- 1409109
TI  - Morphometric analysis on myocardial injury related to the use of high volume
      potassium cardioplegic solution during ischemic arrest.
AB  - We correlated the effects of high volumes of K+ cardioplegic solution on
      myocardial structure and function in 16 dogs following open-heart surgery. Eight
      animals received high volume potassium cardioplegic solution (25 cc/kg body
      weight, every 30 min) during 90 min of ischemic arrest (HVK-C group). The others
      received sufficient cardioplegic solution to maintain complete electrical arrest
      as defined by voltage monitoring criteria (VM group). Cardiac index (CI), left
      ventricular stroke work index (LVSWI), and myocardial contractility (dp/dt) were
      determined before arrest and after 90 min of ischemia and 45 min of reperfusion.
      Biopsies were taken for EM ultrastructure and ATP estimation. Morphometric
      analysis of EM micrographs found increased volume of damaged mitochondria (DMR)
      (p less than 0.025), damaged myofibrils (DMF) (p less than 0.001),
      intermyofibrilar edema (p less than 0.005), T-tubule and sarcoplasmic reticulum
      (p less than 0.05) in the HVK-C group. Left ventricular (LV) function was more
      depressed in animals receiving HVK-C. CI decreased by 1.8 +/- 0.4 l/min/square
      meter (p less than 0.01), LVSWS fell by 3.3 +/- 0.8 gm-m/beat/Kg (p less than
      0.01), dp/dt decreased by 684 +/- 135 (p less than 0.0025). ATP decreased by 26%
      in HVK-C and by 12% in VM group (0.1 less than p less than 0.05). Structural
      damage (scores of injured volume of mitochondria and myofibrils) correlated with
      post-ischemic depression of LV function (Cardiac output and myocardial
      contractility), r = -0.72 and -0.66 (p less than 0.001 and 0.004).

PMID- 1409110
TI  - Comparison of the ECL-cell frequency in the stomachs of 3 different rat strains.
AB  - Three different rat strains, Sprague-Dawley, Wistar and Fischer 344, were treated
      for 3 months with 2 doses (0.8; 4 mg/kg) of the gastric acid suppressing ATPase
      inhibitor pantoprazole. The gastrin levels were determined, the height of the
      mucosa measured and the number of enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells counted.
      Because these cells were stained according to the method of Grimelius they were
      designated as GPC (Grimelius positive cells). Under 4 mg/kg, the gastrin levels
      were increased 8 hours after administration, but fell again after 24 h. The
      Fischer rats showed the highest value. Also the height of the mucosa was
      increased under 4 mg/kg. A trend towards an increased mucosal height was
      noticeable even at 0.8 mg/kg. The number of GPC was determined in 2 ways: 1)
      without taking the mucosal height into account, 2) taking the height into
      account. An increase in GPC was observed at 4 mg/kg with both methods.

PMID- 1409111
TI  - Stimulation of bone marrow by administration of excessive doses of recombinant
      human erythropoietin.
AB  - Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) was administered intravenously to Beagle
      dogs in daily doses of 100, 500 and 3000 units/kg/day for 3 months. The high dose
      was more than 200-fold the therapeutic human maintenance dose. Such excessive
      rhEPO doses elicited extreme erythropoiesis. There was a dose-dependent
      stimulation of bone marrow fibroblasts, leading to bone marrow fibrosis in some
      of the high dose animals. The extent of myelofibrosis was intra- and
      interindividually different in various bones. Sternebrae proved to be practical
      for morphometric studies. The point-counting method was used for measurement. The
      portion of fatty tissue, sinusoids and fibrous tissue in the medullary space as
      well as the number of blood vessels and megakaryocytes were calculated. Such
      experimental conditions are not of relevance in human patients whose rhEPO
      therapy is interrupted as soon as their PCV reaches 35 vol%. Experimentally
      induced myelofibrosis should therefore not be considered as a risk in patients
      receiving therapeutic doses of rhEPO.

PMID- 1409112
TI  - Fractal dimension of pericellular membranes in human lymphocytes and
      lymphoblastic leukemia cells.
AB  - When blood cells are projected into an image plane their contours appear as
      borderlines of irregular shape with the property of the statistical self
      similarity. The dimension D of these cell perimeters may be fractal rather than
      an integer as in the Euclidean space. The fractal dimension D for different
      q'order moments was evaluated by means of a probabilistic method after recording
      EM image profiles of normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMN) and mature
      lymphocytes and also of lymphoblasts isolated from humans with acute leukemia or
      obtained by lectin stimulation in vitro. PBMN cells, CD 4 and CD 8 T-lymphocytes
      showed a fractal dimension D quite similar among five moments, ranging from 1.23
      1.17. Cells of hairy-cell leukemia with highly convoluted morphology displayed D
      comprised between 1.32-1.36, whereas blasts of T or B acute lymphoblastic
      leukemia were characterized by a smaller D of 1.11 and 1.13-1.16 respectively.
      When normal T-lymphocytes were transformed into blasts by lectin PHA stimulation
      in vitro, the fractal dimension D was significantly reduced and found close to
      the value recorded on pericellular contour of blasts from acute T-lymphoblastic
      leukemia.

PMID- 1409113
TI  - Interaction of adenosine analogs with morphine in analgesic tests.
AB  - The effect of selective adenosine receptor agonists on nociceptive responses of
      mice and rats and on morphine analgesia was investigated. All compounds used:
      phenylisopropyladenosine (R-PIA), adenosine ethylcarboxamide (NECA),
      cyclohexyladenosine (CHA) and 2-chloroadenosine (2-CADO) exhibited
      antinociceptive action in mice and rats in the hot-plate (56 degrees C) and tail
      immersion (52 degrees C) tests. R-PIA, CHA and NECA potentiated the
      antinociceptive action of morphine in mice, and R-PIA and NECA--in rats. 2-CADO
      did not affect the morphine action in the tests.

PMID- 1409114
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of inulin in blood and central lymph in the rat.
AB  - Inulin was used as a model drug for the study of factors influencing the
      transport of drugs across the blood-lymph barrier. The model drug was
      administered iv (0.75, 7.5 and 37.5 mg/kg) as a bolus and by infusion. Kinetic
      parameters in blood and central lymph including lymphatic bioavailability (FL)
      were determined. It has been found that FL is influenced (increased) by larger
      doses of inulin (FL extent 0.934 +/- 0.250 - 1.914 +/- 0.250), infusion
      concentration ratio lymph/blood in steady state was 0.941 +/- 0.013. Identical
      kinetic parameters were found in rats with differentiated content of total lipids
      in lymph (in fed and fasted group, FL were 0.861 +/- 0.167 and 0.934 +/- 0.250
      respectively).

PMID- 1409115
TI  - Stimulatory effect of low doses of mechlorethamine on humoral response of
      ovalbumin-immunized rabbits--comparison with levamisole.
AB  - The effect of low doses of mechlorethamine (1-10 micrograms/kg) and levamisole
      (2.5 mg/kg) on humoral response of rabbits immunized twice with ovalbumin (0.1
      mg/kg) was compared. It was shown that mechlorethamine given in a dose of 5 or 10
      micrograms/kg potentiates the increase in the level of serum anti-ovalbumin
      hemagglutinins; this increase is induced both after the first and the second
      (after 14 days) antigen administration. Levamisole acted similarly but with much
      lower efficiency.

PMID- 1409116
TI  - High-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination
      of propafenone and 5-hydroxypropafenone in human serum.
AB  - A simple, rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method for
      the simultaneous determination of propafenone and 5-hydroxypropafenone in human
      serum is described. Method involves a single-step extraction of the drug and its
      metabolite with dichloromethane:2-propanol (4:1 v/v) mixture from 0.2 ml of
      serum. Separation of the investigated compounds on deactivated Supelcosil LC18-DB
      column is accomplished by ultraviolet detection at 210 nm. The limit of detection
      is 10 ng/ml for propafenone and 4 ng/ml for 5-hydroxypropafenone. The method is
      useful for the routine monitoring of propafenone and its main metabolite in serum
      as well as for the pharmacokinetic studies.

PMID- 1409117
TI  - Vascular action of natural vasopressin-like peptides in isolated rat tail artery.
AB  - The literature data regarding the vasoconstriction potency of natural vasopressin
      like peptides are contradictory. The cumulative concentration-response curve for
      arginine-vasopressin (AVP), lysine-vasopressin (LVP), arginine-vasotocin (AVT),
      lysine-vasotocin (LVT) and phenypressin (PHP) on the isolated rat tail artery was
      determined. The potency rank of these peptides on the vascular smooth muscle of
      the rat tail artery was the following: AVP greater than LVP greater than AVT =
      LVT greater than PHP. The results are discussed in comparison to the data in the
      literature.

PMID- 1409118
TI  - Synthesis and some pharmacological properties of new V1/V2 antagonists of
      arginine-vasopressin with structural changes at their N-terminals.
AB  - In an effort to develop more effective and selective V2-antagonists of arginine
      vasopressin (AVP) we designed and synthesized four new analogs of this hormone.
      The peptides were designed in order to explore how the combination of
      modification of thioacids occupying position 1 and substitutions of positions 2
      and 4 by D-Phe and Ile respectively, will influence their antagonistic
      properties. Three of the reported analogs are moderately potent V1/V2
      antagonists.

PMID- 1409119
TI  - Synthesis and some pharmacological properties of 1,2-amino ethers with natural
      monoterpene structures.
AB  - Synthesis and physicochemical and pharmacological properties of 10 analogs of 2
      [2-(6,6-dimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-en-2-yl)ethoxy]N, N-diethylamino ethane (3)
      have been described. The compounds possess toxicity close to or lower than the
      parent compound--myrtecaine, have no antiarrhythmic activity but some of them
      (15, 16, 22, 24), similarly as compound 3, show quite strong local anesthetic
      action.

PMID- 1409120
TI  - Interaction of epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor beta in
      human prostatic epithelial cells in culture.
AB  - The present study was conducted to study the interaction between epidermal growth
      factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) in benign human
      prostatic epithelial cells in culture. Primary cultures of human prostatic
      epithelial cells were grown in complete WAJC, which consisted of WAJC-404 medium
      and, in addition to other defined additives, EGF and bovine pituitary extract
      (BPE). Incomplete WAJC contained the same composition except EGF and BPE were
      deleted. TGF-beta was added into media at concentrations of 0, 0.1, and 1.0
      ng/ml. When cells were grown in complete WAJC, they proliferated rapidly. Cell
      proliferation was greatly suppressed when incomplete WAJC was used. Addition of
      TGF-beta to these cultures caused a significant reduction in the final cell
      number when either complete WAJC or incomplete WAJC was used. In additional
      experiments, cells were prelabeled with 3H-thymidine for 72 hr prior to treatment
      with TGF-beta. The percentage of radioactivity released into the medium at the
      end of a 6-day culture was used as an indication of the extent of cell death.
      Trypan blue exclusion test was also used to assess the extent of cell death.
      Addition of TGF-beta into complete WAJC did not significantly affect the extent
      of cell death beyond what was considered as the result of normal cellular
      turnover. Addition of TGF-beta into incomplete WAJC, however, caused a
      significant increase in the percent of cell death in the culture. These results
      demonstrated an interaction between EGF and TGF-beta in proliferation and cell
      death in human prostatic epithelia in culture. In the presence of EGF alone in
      the culture medium, prostatic epithelial cells were stimulated to proliferate.
      The rate of proliferation was greatly diminished when EGF was deleted from the
      medium or when TGF-beta was added in the presence of EGF. Finally, cell death was
      induced when TGF-beta was added into the medium in the absence of EGF.

PMID- 1409121
TI  - Correlation between the prostatic vein and vertebral venous system under various
      conditions.
AB  - In dogs, the venous blood from the prostate gland was observed under X-ray
      fluoroscopy to drain into the vertebral venous system under conditions of
      abdominal compression, the addition of various intraabdominal pressures, and
      occlusion of the inferior vena cava by a balloon catheter. Pressure in the
      inferior vena cava and abdominal cavity were measured simultaneously. The venous
      blood draining from the prostate gland started to flow from the inferior vena
      cava into the vertebral veins at more than 25 mmHg of intraabdominal pressure
      with the animal in the supine position. The average pressure of the inferior vena
      cava draining into the vertebral veins was 12.8 +/- 1.3 mmHg in the supine
      position and 21.1 +/- 2.7 mmHg in the standing position. The average
      intraabdominal pressures were 35.5 +/- 3.9 mmHg and 30.1 +/- 2.8 mmHg,
      respectively. Under conditions of abdominal compression and balloon occlusion of
      the inferior vena cava, the materials flowed into the vertebral venous system
      from various routes, such as the internal iliac vein, common iliac vein, and
      inferior vena cava. It was suggested that the inferior vena caval blood easily
      enters the vertebral venous system in the standing position by adding high
      intraabdominal pressure, and that the vertebral venous system may be useful for
      experimental study of drug administration in bone metastasis of prostate cancer.

PMID- 1409124
TI  - Allograft bones and soft tissues: the benefits of clinical research.

PMID- 1409123
TI  - Health care financing: the real issues.

PMID- 1409122
TI  - Presence of calcitonin-like immunoreactivity (iCT) in human prostate gland:
      evidence for iCT secretion by cultured prostate cells.
AB  - Immunoreactive calcitonin (iCT) has been detected in human prostate tissue
      extracts as well as seminal plasma. The present studies were undertaken to
      examine whether iSCT (immunoreactive salmon CT-like human peptide) co-exists with
      iHCT (thyroid CT-like substance) in human prostate tissue extracts, and whether
      these substances are secreted by primary prostate cells in culture. Since the
      local secretion of these substances seems to increase in some neoplasms, a second
      objective of the study was to examine whether basal secretion of iCTs from
      primary prostate cells is increased in carcinoma. The present results have shown
      that both iHCT and iSCT were present in prostate tissue extracts. The mean iHCT
      levels in extracts of benign hyperplastic prostates (BPH) were 0.59 ng/g
      prostate, and these were significantly lower than iHCT concentrations in
      prostatic carcinoma (PC) (2.53 ng/g). No significant differences in their iSCT
      contents were observed. However, the results from culture of over 90 individual
      prostate tissue specimens from BPH or PC indicate that primary prostate cells
      secreted detectable quantities of iSCT and the basal release of this material
      from PC prostate cultures was almost four-fold higher than that from BPH prostate
      cultures. These results suggest that a CT-like immunoreactive material is
      secreted by primary prostate cells in culture, and the basal secretion of this
      material is significantly higher in PC cells as compared to BPH cells. Endogenous
      secretion of prostatic CT, and the elevation of its expression in PC suggest that
      it may serve as a regulatory factor in the pathophysiology of the prostate gland.

PMID- 1409125
TI  - Current status of allografting for bone tumors.
AB  - Over the past 20 years the Orthopaedic Oncology Unit of the Massachusetts General
      Hospital has performed over 660 massive cadaveric allograft transplantations,
      mostly for patients with bone tumors. The overall success rate for such
      procedures is around 80%, with most of the failures occurring in the first 3
      years as a result of fracture (19%), nonunion (14%), and infection (10%). With
      longer follow up, late occurring osteoarthritis has been noted in approximately
      17% of those patients at risk, suggesting that the articular surface begins to
      "wear" at 5 years. Some problems remain with the procedure, and more study of
      such aspects as the immune mechanism, cryopreservation of cartilage, maintaining
      the status and safety of the bone banking system, and improving the techniques of
      surgery ultimately may lead to a more uniform and predictable success rate.

PMID- 1409126
TI  - Current procedures for banking allograft human bone.
AB  - The demand for bone and soft tissues for surgical usage has increased rapidly as
      the efficacy and safety of these materials has been demonstrated. Advances in
      technology and procedures used to prepare the tissues have also grown in
      sophistication and remain a dynamic area. How tissue banks screen donors and
      prepare allografts impacts on the risks and benefits of these materials. Surgeons
      should understand how tissue banks supplying their graft materials work and have
      confidence in this treatment option. They will then be prepared to educate their
      patients to help them make informed decisions concerning allograft usage.

PMID- 1409127
TI  - Immune responses to osteochondral allografts: nature and significance.
AB  - Osteochondral allografts evoke immune responses. The nature of these immune
      responses and their biologic significance are still only partially understood. It
      is clear, however, that cell surface antigens of the major histocompatibility
      complex represented on the cellular elements of bone grafts cause T-cell
      activation, specifically those of the suppressor/cytotoxic phenotype. In numerous
      animal models, the most immunogenic bone allografts (mismatched, fresh) have
      demonstrated the poorest clinical and biologic outcomes, while more closely
      matched and/or grafts treated to reduce immunogenicity (frozen, freeze-dried)
      have more successfully incorporated. These observations support the hypothesis
      that immune responses against bone-graft related antigens have biologic
      significance and that reducing these responses may improve clinical results.

PMID- 1409128
TI  - Fresh and frozen articular cartilage allografts.
AB  - Fresh and frozen cartilage allografts both function well to relieve joint pain
      due to cartilage injury. Fresh cartilage allografts appear to remain alive for
      many months and are most applicable to small injuries such as osteochondritis
      dissecans, traumatic defects, and osteonecrosis. Frozen cartilage allografts have
      been used mostly for treatment of bone tumors which most often involve the
      subchondral and the metaphyseal areas of the long bones, particularly around the
      knee and hip. Frozen cartilage allografts appear to survive well and maintain
      joint space for several years. Deterioration of either type of graft does not
      appear to result in joint pain, making these grafts useful for long periods of
      time.

PMID- 1409130
TI  - Use of allografts and prostheses in the reconstruction of failed total hip
      replacements.

PMID- 1409129
TI  - The long-term success of fresh, small fragment osteochondral allografts used for
      intraarticular post-traumatic defects in the knee joint.
AB  - Ninety-two fresh osteochondral allografts were implanted in 91 patients with
      posttraumatic osteoarticular defects of the knee joint. These patients have been
      prospectively followed since 1972. An analysis of long-term survival of these
      grafts has been performed to determine their success rates: 75% at 5 years, 64%
      at 10 years, and 63% at 14 years. An evaluation was made between unipolar grafts,
      which involve only one surface of the compartment, and bipolar grafts, which
      involve both surfaces. The unipolar grafts had a lower failure rate at all time
      periods compared to bipolar grafts, with 76% survival at 5 years, 69% at 10
      years, and 67% at 14 years. While investigating other factors that might affect
      the survival of the fresh osteochondral allografts, we calculated the influence
      of the anatomical location of the graft, patient sex, and patient age. There was
      no meaningful impact on allograft survival by either the location of the
      allograft or the sex of the patient. However, there was a significant effect on
      allograft longevity in terms of patient age, with patients under age 60 doing
      better. The best indication for the use of unipolar fresh osteochondral
      allografts is for posttraumatic defects in relatively young, active patients.
      Joint malalignment should be corrected to achieve best results.

PMID- 1409131
TI  - Clinical use of fresh, frozen soft tissue allografts.
AB  - Fresh frozen allograft tissue provides a good alternative to autogenous tissue
      for the treatment of patients with symptomatic ligamentous deficiency. While
      transmission of AIDS and other infectious diseases remains a small possibility,
      allografts provide the advantages of shorter operative time, small incisions, no
      damage to a patient's own tissues, and superior usefulness in multiple
      reconstructions, as well as revision of failed autogenous reconstructions. An
      independent, critical evaluation of the 4-year results of patients with allograft
      ACL reconstructions is presented. Issues important in allograft tissue recovery,
      banking, and intraoperative preparation are reviewed.

PMID- 1409132
TI  - Autogenous bone grafts: nonvascular and vascular.
AB  - Nonvascularized autogenous bone grafts have been used for at least 150 years.
      Vascularized bone grafts were first done only 17 years ago. We now know that bone
      grafts act through osteoconductive and osteoinductive mechanisms to produce new
      bone. Autogenous bone grafts remain the gold standard against which allografts
      and artificial graft materials should be measured.

PMID- 1409133
TI  - The Clinton and Bush health care proposals: will either plan become reality?

PMID- 1409134
TI  - Pathogenesis and clinical significance of hemophagocytic syndrome: hypothesis.

PMID- 1409135
TI  - Immunofluorescence studies of lung tissue in cystic fibrosis.
AB  - Previous studies have suggested that immune mechanisms contribute to lung injury
      in cystic fibrosis (CF); however, there have been no comprehensive studies of
      immunofluorescent staining patterns in CF lung tissue. We performed
      immunofluorescence (IF) studies for immunoglobulins, C3, and fibrinogen on
      autopsy frozen lung tissue from 21 CF patients. Results were compared with lung
      findings in patients without CF. In CF-derived lung tissue fibrinogen was
      ubiquitous along the alveolar wall, alveolar space, and interstitium. Free
      immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA coated the alveolar surface segmentally in 14 and
      6 cases, respectively. Unequivocal interstitial deposits were infrequent and IgM
      was present in blood vessels in one patient only. Intra-alveolar and interstitial
      inflammatory cells demonstrated cytoplasmic IgG, IgA, and IgM, respectively, in
      18, 14, and 6 patients. C3 was seen only segmentally along the alveolar wall in
      two patients and in blood vessels in one. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) staining of
      interstitial cells for C3 and immunoglobulins was seen in five patients, four of
      whom had interstitial pneumonitis. Insignificant amounts of alveolar or
      interstitial fibrinogen and immunoglobulins in inflammatory cells were seen in
      controls in the absence of lung inflammation. The IF patterns were similar in the
      inflammatory lesions of CF and control specimens. The IF patterns observed in CF
      lung tissue are consistent with nonspecific vascular leakage and chronic
      inflammation with little evidence of immune complex deposition in the
      interstitium or blood vessels. This study confirms previous reports of ANA
      activity in CF patients, although the significance of this finding is unknown.

PMID- 1409136
TI  - Fatty change of the pediatric myocardium.
AB  - The myocardium was studied for the presence of fat in 980 pediatric deaths over a
      wide age range during a 10-year period. Of these, only 67 cases (7%) were found
      to have fatty change. The cause of death varied widely and no common pathogenetic
      factor was identified. Infections and congenital disorders constituted the most
      frequent causes of death associated with fatty change. The degree of fatty change
      was variable. Severe fatty change correlated with severe panacinar fatty change
      of the liver. The pathogenesis of the lesion is discussed.

PMID- 1409137
TI  - Tracheal cartilaginous sleeve.
AB  - Tracheal cartilaginous sleeve (TCS) is a rare congenital malformation in which
      discrete cartilaginous rings are replaced by a grossly uninterrupted
      cartilaginous sleeve. Seven previous patients with TCS have been reported in the
      world literature; in each instance, TCS was associated with craniosynostosis
      (CS). We report details of five additional patients with TCS, of whom four had a
      dominantly inherited CS. Gross examination of the available tracheas and bronchi
      demonstrates a cartilaginous sleeve with posterior interruption but lacking a
      normal pars membranacea. The stained and cleared tracheas all demonstrate
      variable ring formation, usually limited to the posterolateral aspect. The
      functional significance of TCS, if any, is unknown. No data are available on the
      prevalence of TCS in CS syndromes. The formation of TCS implies a common
      mesenchymal defect in which normally discrete structures fuse and is probably
      analogous to other mesenchymal abnormalities seen in these patients.

PMID- 1409138
TI  - Coexisting endogenous lipoid pneumonia, cholesterol granulomas, and pulmonary
      alveolar proteinosis in a pediatric population: a clinical, radiographic, and
      pathologic correlation.
AB  - Benign pulmonary diseases that have been associated with the accumulation of
      endogenous lipids within the alveoli, bronchioles, and interstitial tissues
      include endogenous lipoid pneumonia (ELP), pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP),
      pulmonary interstitial and intra-alveolar cholesterol granulomas (PICG), various
      xanthomatous lesions, and malakoplakia. In ELP, fat-filled finely vacuolated
      macrophages fill the alveoli. In PAP, the aveoli become filled with cholesterol
      and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-positive acellular debris. In PICG, cholesterol
      esters are released from degenerating macrophages and, as organization occurs,
      the cholesterol is deposited in the form of acicular clefts within the
      interstitium. These morphologically distinct presentations of endogenous lipid
      deposition within the lung have long been thought to represent unique disease
      processes but several authors now postulate a possible relationship between these
      entities. We report here on the clinical, radiographic, and morphologic findings
      in eight pediatric patients with diverse primary disease processes who were
      subsequently found to have varying and often coexisting degrees of ELP, PAP, and
      PICG.

PMID- 1409139
TI  - Microdissection study of the myenteric plexus in acardia, ataxia-telangiectasia,
      cystic fibrosis, extrahepatic biliary atresia, pediatric AIDS and Werdnig
      Hoffmann disease.
AB  - Microdissection-point count morphometric study of the myenteric (Auerbach) plexus
      or esophagus, small intestine, and colon was done for infants and children with
      acardia (2), ataxia-telangiectasia (5), cystic fibrosis of the pancreas (CFP)
      (25), extrahepatic biliary atresia (EBA) (17), pediatric AIDS (10), and Werdnig
      Hoffmann disease (WHD) (8). Values for fractional area of neural tissue in the
      plane of the plexus were compared to those of control patients in same age range
      as those in each disease category by t-test. Statistically abnormal values
      included low values for small intestine and colon in Werdnig-Hoffmann disease,
      high values for small intestine and colon in biliary atresia, and high value for
      colon but a low value for small intestine in cystic fibrosis. Values for all
      three loci were within the normal range for ataxia telangiectasia and pediatric
      AIDS. The mechanisms of the low value for small and large intestines in WHD,
      which causes chronic constipation as a result of skeletal muscle weakness, and of
      the high values for colon in CFP and EBA, both causing malabsorption with bulky
      stools, are unclear. The value for small intestine in acardia was normal for term
      but lower than expected for fetal bowel of the same size, possibly because of
      reduced neural crest inflow to the fetal bowel.

PMID- 1409140
TI  - Transthoracic herniation of the fetal lung: bagpipe lung.
AB  - We describe a case of subtotal herniation of a lung through an intercostal space
      into an extrathoracic (axillary) position that occurred in a 16-week-old fetus.
      There was no malformation of the thoracic wall other than the hiatus at the site
      of herniation. The left and the right lungs were of similar size and weights and
      the lung/body weight ratio was normal. Histology revealed no difference between
      the normal and the abnormally positioned lung. We were unable to find a report of
      a similar case of the condition, which has implications for concepts of lung
      development.

PMID- 1409141
TI  - Osteogenesis imperfecta and Ebstein's anomaly: a case report with autopsy
      findings.
AB  - Osteogenesis imperfecta is an inherited disorder of collagen synthesis. It has a
      wide range of phenotypic expressions, but cardiovascular anomalies tend to be
      rare. When they do occur, they usually consist of aortic or mitral valve disease.
      We report an autopsy case of a 36-week gestation infant with coexisting
      osteogenesis imperfecta and Ebstein's anomaly. The simultaneous occurrence of two
      relatively rare entities may reflect a generalized expression of an underlying
      collagen synthesis defect.

PMID- 1409142
TI  - Pulmonary hypertension with coexisting portal hypertension.
AB  - A 10-year-old boy who had portal hypertension secondary to portal
      fibrosis/intrahepatic biliary atresia developed syncopal episodes related to
      strenuous activity. A work-up excluded a metabolic or neurologic etiology and
      cardiac catheterization demonstrated significant pulmonary hypertension. Six
      months later he died and an autopsy revealed pulmonary plexogenic arteriopathy
      without microemboli. Previous reported cases of this symptom complex are
      reviewed. In addition, he had a history of nonspecific colitis, ulcerative
      stomatitis, and conjunctivitis responsive to steroid therapy. The possible
      relationship of these manifestations to the portal pulmonary pathology is
      discussed.

PMID- 1409143
TI  - Fetal rhabdomyoma and nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome.
AB  - A 6-year-old white female presented with a fetal rhabdomyoma of the posterior
      mediastinum and retroperitoneum. Radiologic evaluation and family history
      revealed features of the nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBS). Literature
      review disclosed two other children with NBS and fetal rhabdomyoma, which should
      be regarded as one of the soft tissue tumors associated with NBS.

PMID- 1409144
TI  - Fetal distribution of cocaine: case analysis.
AB  - The implications of gestational cocaine use are widely documented. There is
      evidence that cocaine crosses the placenta in animals and humans; however, the
      fetal distribution of the drug and its metabolites has not been documented. We
      describe the distribution of cocaine and benzoylecgonine (BE) in the fetus of a
      cocaine user mother. Cocaine and BE were detected in brain, scalp, liver, kidney,
      heart, placenta, blood, and hair. The liver contained substantially more cocaine
      than other tissues, whereas the brain had more BE than any other sample.

PMID- 1409145
TI  - Brain stem and cervical cord dysraphic lesions in iniencephaly.
AB  - Iniencephaly is a rare, lethal, axial dysraphic malformation complex diagnosed on
      the basis of three cardinal features: deficiency of the occipital bone,
      cervicothoracic spinal retroflexion, and rachischisis. The majority of the
      patients also have various associated viscerae malformations. An iniencephalic
      female fetus delivered at 35 5/7 weeks of gestation revealed severe anomalies of
      the central nervous system and the spine: the cerebellar vermis was hypoplastic,
      the medulla oblongata was flattened and broadened, and the cervical canal was
      widely patent dorsally. The thoracolumbar spinal cord had a duplicated central
      canal and lacked a dorsal fissure, representing a minor degree of
      diastematomyelia. The cervicothoracic spine showed severe bony anomalies
      including aplasia and fusion of vertebral bodies.

PMID- 1409146
TI  - High incidence of pulmonary foreign body embolism.

PMID- 1409147
TI  - Reproducibility of Naeye's seven tissue markers of hypoxia.

PMID- 1409148
TI  - Angiosarcoma of the liver in childhood: a clinicopathologic and follow-up study
      of 10 cases.
AB  - The clinical, morphologic, and follow-up findings in 10 cases of childhood
      hepatic angiosarcoma are reported. Six patients were female and four were male.
      The age range was 18 months to 7 years, with a mean of 3.7 years. The usual
      presenting feature was an abdominal mass, with or without associated symptoms.
      The histologic pattern of childhood hepatic angiosarcoma typically consists of
      large hypercellular whorls of spindled sarcoma cells intermingled with bile
      ducts, vessels, and collagen. Factor VIII staining of tumor cells is focal,
      cytoplasmic, and weak in character. Intracellular eosinophilic, PAS-positive
      globules are present in most cases and may be abundant. The prognosis is poor;
      follow-up available in seven cases showed only one to be alive 32 months after
      diagnosis. The remaining six patients had died 0-27 months (mean 10 months) after
      diagnosis.

PMID- 1409149
TI  - Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn due to alveolar capillary
      dysplasia.
AB  - Three unrelated female term infants died when less than 1 month old from
      intractable pulmonary hypertension associated with deficient capillaries in
      airspace walls, anomalous small pulmonary veins in bronchiolar-arterial rays, and
      medial thickening in small pulmonary arteries together with peripheral
      muscularization. This complex vascular abnormality in the lungs has been termed
      alveolar capillary dysplasia and/or misalignment of lung vessels in seven
      previously reported cases. Each infant also showed abnormally immature
      parenchymal development in the lungs, as was noted in four of the seven prior
      cases. One had phocomelia; four of the seven prior cases had a variety of
      congenital anomalies. The primary pulmonary vascular anomaly is likely to be a
      failure of fetal lung vascularization dating from the second trimester and to be
      due to action of an unknown teratogen. Centroacinar veins may represent bronchial
      veins that do not normally develop beyond the ends of cartilaginous bronchi.
      Pulmonary arterial occlusive changes are interpreted as reactive to obstruction
      at the level of pulmonary arterioles.

PMID- 1409150
TI  - Digestive tract involvement with exudative enteropathy in Langerhans cell
      histiocytosis.
AB  - Protein-losing enteropathy was observed in two children with Langerhans' cell
      histiocytosis (LCH). One patient was an infant with congenital cutaneous lesions;
      the second child had sigmoid and lymph node infiltration. Electron microscopy and
      immunohistochemistry confirmed, in both, infiltration of duodenum, skin, and
      liver by LCH. Gastrointestinal involvement by LCH seldom produces prominent
      clinical manifestations but indicates widespread multisystem disease.
      Immunohistochemical and/or ultrastructural features allow definitive diagnosis
      from mucosal biopsy specimens. Review of the literature of gastrointestinal
      infiltration by LCH emphasizes its poor prognosis, especially when associated
      with organ dysfunction.

PMID- 1409151
TI  - Mesenchymal hamartoma of the chest wall: a cooperative study with review of the
      literature.
AB  - The clinicopathologic features of three examples of mesenchymal hamartoma of the
      chest wall are described. The entity has been recorded under a number of names
      including osteochondroma, osteochondrosarcoma, benign chondroblastoma,
      mesenchymoma, and chondromatous hamartoma. The condition is manifest at birth or
      shortly thereafter with deformity of the chest wall and respiratory distress.
      Radiographic examination reveals a well-defined, partly calcified mass involving
      one or more ribs. The tumor is composed predominantly of chondroid tissue with
      large endothelium-lined blood spaces and immature mesenchyme with osteoclastic
      giant cells and osteoid. We review the literature and suggest that the lesion
      should be distinguished from aneurysmal bone cyst, chondroma, and other
      mesenchymal neoplasms. In order to avoid local recurrence the recommended
      treatment is complete surgical resection.

PMID- 1409152
TI  - X-linked myotubular myopathy: a case report of prenatal and perinatal aspects.
AB  - Nine families have been reported in which male newborns presented with X-linked
      myotubular (centronuclear) myopathy. Little is known about the biochemical basis
      of this disorder or about its natural history in utero. We report a family in
      which an infant with myotubular myopathy presented in utero with polyhydramnios,
      poor fetal movement, and fetal cardiac arrhythmias. Shortly after birth the
      infant died from severe respiratory insufficiency. Gas chromatography-mass
      spectrophotometry for serum organic acids showed a large octanoic acid peak, but
      total acyl-CoA dehydrogenase activities in liver were normal. The maternal family
      history was significant for two perinatal male deaths. Postmortem examination
      revealed generalized muscle wasting, cardiac enlargement, cryptorchidism, and
      flexion contractures. Examination of muscle showed numerous fibers that had
      enlarged, centrally located nuclei and perinuclear clear zones. The muscle fibers
      were hypotrophic and predominantly of type I. Biopsy specimens of the muscles of
      the mother and maternal aunt had increased numbers of centrally located nuclei.
      Neurologic examination was normal. The case demonstrates the typical clinical
      course, pathology, and family history of severe X-linked myotubular myopathy. In
      addition, it confirms the reported detection of fetal cardiac arrhythmias and
      documents what may be an abnormality in fatty acid oxidation.

PMID- 1409153
TI  - Fetal and placental pathology in two cases of maternal varicella infection.
AB  - We describe the fetal and placental pathology in two cases of maternal varicella
      infection. Varicella in pregnancy is uncommon, and although sporadic cases of
      fetal involvement are described very little regard has been paid to placental
      features. Only one previous report describes the changes in both the fetus and
      its associated placenta. In both our cases the placenta showed chronic villitis
      with with granuloma formation, and occasional cells with nuclear viral-like
      inclusions were detected. Cells with similar inclusions were found in the lung
      interstitium, and foci of dystrophic calcification were present in the liver.

PMID- 1409154
TI  - Inflammatory pseudotumor of the kidney with extensive metaplastic bone.
AB  - Inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) of the kidney is a very rare lesion. We describe
      an 8-year-old boy with IPT of the kidney presenting as a single episode of
      hematuria. The case highlights a new feature, metaplastic bone, not previously
      described in IPT. This new feature may be helpful in establishing the correct
      preoperative and histopathologic diagnosis of IPT of kidney and avoiding
      inappropriately aggressive therapy. Despite its rarity, IPT of the kidney should
      be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of a solitary renal mass.

PMID- 1409155
TI  - Hyperplasia of lymphoglandular complexes in colon segments in Hirschsprung's
      disease: a form of diversion colitis.
AB  - This is a study of the size and number of lymphoglandular complexes (LGDs) in the
      resected segment of aganglionic left colon of 20 children (mean age 26 months)
      obtained several months to years after being defunctionalized by proximal
      colostomy, compared with 5 controls (mean age 20 months). All the resected
      aganglionic segments had a nodular mucosa. The number of LGCs/mm of muscularis
      mucosae was 0.58 +/- 0.2; in controls the number was 0.24 +/- 0.12 (P less than
      .0025). The mean size of LGCs in aganglionic colon was 1.23 +/- 0.27 mm, and in
      controls it was 0.57 +/- 0.21 (P less than .0005). Because LGCs have been related
      to antigen processing, hyperplasia of LGCs in defunctionalized colonic segments
      of Hirschsprung's disease may represent a reaction to stagnant contents. Its
      combination with cryptitis (present in six cases) may represent a form of
      diversion colitis, a condition recognized in adults in bypassed colonic segments
      after surgical diversion of the fecal stream.

PMID- 1409156
TI  - Intestinal ganglioneuroblastoma in a 22-week fetus.
AB  - The clinical history and autopsy findings of a 22-week fetus with intestinal
      ganglioneuroblastoma, cardiac anomalies, omphalocele, and ileal atresia are
      presented. Ganglioneuroblastoma was confined to the large intestine and was not
      suspected prenatally despite ultrasonographic examination. Although enteric
      ganglia share neural crest lineage with other sites of congenital neuroblastoma,
      this is the first report of a primary intestinal ganglioneuroblastoma in a fetus
      or child. Various hypotheses are discussed to explain the coexistence of cardiac
      malformation and congenital neuroblastoma in this fetus and other cases in the
      literature. It is hypothesized that other malformations evident in this fetus
      were caused by the tumor, possibly as teratogenic effects of neuroblastoma
      derived catecholamines during embryogenesis.

PMID- 1409157
TI  - Studies of vertebral coronal cleft in rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata.
AB  - Dissection and serial section-reconstruction preparations from vertebrae with
      coronal cleft of a 2 5/12-year-old girl with rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata
      are described. The cartilage plate between the dorsal and ventral vertebral
      ossification centers, abnormal thickness of which is the explanation of the
      radiologic coronal cleft, shows differences in thickness, with dorsal and ventral
      midline extensions and with small foci of communication of the cancellous bone of
      the dorsal and ventral ossification centers of the vertebral body bilaterally.
      Although the process in coronal cleft is in some ways similar to that of
      radiologic "retarded epiphyseal closure," the explanation of the coronal clefts
      in rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata appears to be overproduction of cartilage
      in the zone between the dorsal and ventral vertebral body ossification centers,
      plus reduced removal of cartilage cells from this zone. No evidences of
      persistence of notochord cells were seen microscopically in sections of the
      coronal clefts.

PMID- 1409158
TI  - In situ choriocarcinoma arising in partial hydatidiform mole: implications for
      the risk of persistent trophoblastic disease.
AB  - The risk of persistent trophoblastic disease following partial hydatidiform mole
      is controversial. In spite of claims that 4 to 11% of cases require chemotherapy,
      there is a paucity of affected patients in the literature. A critical review of
      those patients suggests an alternative or unproven diagnosis in the majority. An
      instance of placental in situ choriocarcinoma arising in a partial mole is
      reported. Because in situ choriocarcinoma may represent the incipient lesion in
      the majority of the one-third of cases of gestational choriocarcinoma that follow
      a normal pregnancy, we postulate that the presence of the in situ lesion in a
      partial mole supports the view that the risk of persistent trophoblastic disease
      may be no greater after partial mole than after a normal gestation.

PMID- 1409159
TI  - Neurofibromatosis cerebral vasculopathy in an infant: clinical,
      neuroradiographic, and neuropathologic studies.
AB  - An infant with neurofibromatosis developed recurrent cerebrovascular accidents
      beginning at 3 months of life. Cerebral arteriography demonstrated large-vessel
      occlusive disease and bilateral severe moyamoya. At autopsy these lesions were
      apparent on gross examination, and advanced intimal and medial dysplasia was seen
      on microscopic examination of both the anterior and posterior circulations.
      Although rare, neurofibromatosis cerebrovasculopathy may occur in young infants
      and may account for some strokes in this age group.

PMID- 1409160
TI  - Postmortem identification of medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD)
      deficiency.

PMID- 1409161
TI  - Allergic rhinitis.

PMID- 1409162
TI  - Amphetamine and methamphetamine during the 1990s.

PMID- 1409163
TI  - Prenatal diagnosis.
AB  - The enormous progress witnessed in the field of prenatal diagnosis during the
      past two decades is likely to continue into the future. Improved imaging
      techniques are likely to enhance the resolution of noninvasively obtained fetal
      images considerably over their current excellent quality. Although this
      undoubtedly will be true for ultrasonography, the increased speed of magnetic
      resonance equipment may offer a new realm of imaging possibilities. Computerized
      image processing, analysis, and three-dimensional reconstructions all should make
      interpretation of fetal images easier and more understandable to the
      nonspecialist. Advances in molecular genetics will continue to accelerate,
      greatly expanding the range and accuracy of prenatal diagnosis. The alert
      pediatrician who is sensitive to genetic issues may, by early detection of
      pediatric disorders and careful family history assessment, be in a position to
      identify families at risk for serious genetic conditions and provide the
      opportunity to make informed decisions on reproductive options that avert a major
      tragedy. The pediatrician, working with obstetric colleagues, should be part of a
      team effort to support families going through prenatal testing. Familiarity with
      these rapidly changing technologies will make it far easier to support the family
      needing additional explanation about prenatal diagnosis issues.

PMID- 1409164
TI  - Childhood tuberculosis during the 1990s.

PMID- 1409165
TI  - Otitis media--the forest and the trees.

PMID- 1409166
TI  - Breast imaging. A practical look at its capabilities and its limitations.
AB  - The film-screen technique is evolving as the standard for mammography. Sonography
      is the only other method that currently has a defined role in breast imaging.
      Mammography should be performed at facilities that have received American College
      of Radiology accreditation or its equivalent, because technical quality assurance
      is an important part of mammographic practice. Interpretive quality may be
      assured by outcome audits performed by mammography facilities. Primary care
      physicians are best suited to encouraging eligible women to undergo screening
      studies and should consider these recommendations: Refer patients for screening
      mammography to accredited facilities according to established guidelines. Educate
      patients about the need for regular screening. Provide annual breast physical
      examination. Refresh your knowledge on breast health and the techniques of
      physical examination if necessary. Teach patients breast self-examination
      techniques. Demand low-cost, high-quality screening mammography; be aware of
      local variability of charges and quality.

PMID- 1409167
TI  - Legal issues in managing breast disease.
AB  - The impact of legal issues in breast cancer care reflects the significance of
      breast cancer as a health concern of women. Breast cancer has emerged as a
      leading liability risk for primary care physicians, with most cases focusing on
      delayed diagnosis. Although the clinical impact of delayed diagnosis of breast
      cancer is often controversial, physicians should strive to diagnose breast cancer
      as early as possible in the natural history of the disease. No currently
      available data suggest that a delay of less than 2 months between the onset of
      symptoms and diagnosis or treatment adversely influences outcome. Techniques that
      help physicians reduce the liability risks associated with breast cancer care
      include patient education, adequate documentation and follow-up, and referral or
      consultation in high-risk situations.

PMID- 1409168
TI  - Bush vs Clinton on artichokes, tomatoes, and healthcare.

PMID- 1409169
TI  - Asymptomatic HIV infection. A primary care disease.
AB  - Asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus infection is a disease entering the
      primary care arena more and more frequently. Patients may be monitored in this
      setting until complications and clinical deterioration develop (typically after
      several years). As the disease progresses, referral to consultants who specialize
      in AIDS may be appropriate. However, many patients do not live near a major
      healthcare center and do not have the financial, physical, or emotional
      capability to travel to one as they become sicker. In these cases, primary care
      physicians, with the aid of a personally chosen network of specialized
      consultants, should offer care as the disease progresses to its terminal stage.

PMID- 1409170
TI  - Are your patients satisfied? Strategies that may help you avoid a formal
      complaint.

PMID- 1409172
TI  - Fever of unknown origin in the elderly. A sequential approach to diagnosis.
AB  - Elderly patients with persistent unexplained fever require a diagnostic
      evaluation that focuses on specific infections (eg, occult abdominal abscess,
      bacterial endocarditis, miliary tuberculosis), rheumatic disorders (eg, temporal
      arteritis, polyarteritis nodosa), and neoplasms (eg, lymphoma, nephroma).
      Assessment is directed by the subtle clues elicited from meticulous, repeated
      history taking and physical examination. Therapeutic trials or exploratory
      laparotomy may be appropriate but should not be attempted out of a sense of
      frustration.

PMID- 1409171
TI  - Acne vulgaris. Topical and systemic therapies.
AB  - Acne vulgaris is a condition commonly treated by primary care physicians. An
      understanding of the causes of the disease and methods of clinical evaluation
      allows selection of appropriate therapy. Effective treatment is available for all
      types of acne, including severe, nodulocystic forms. Regardless of the regimen
      chosen, patients should receive encouragement and instructions about the
      necessity of regular ongoing treatment for a successful outcome.

PMID- 1409173
TI  - Magnesium deficiency and diabetes mellitus. Causes and effects.
AB  - A large body of evidence demonstrates the prevalence and adverse clinical
      consequences of magnesium deficiency in patients with diabetes mellitus. It would
      be prudent for physicians who treat these patients to consider magnesium
      deficiency as a contributing factor in many diabetic complications and in
      exacerbation of the disease itself. Repletion of the deficiency or prophylactic
      supplementation with oral magnesium may help avoid or ameliorate such
      complications as arrhythmias, hypertension, and sudden cardiac death and may even
      improve the course of the diabetic condition.

PMID- 1409174
TI  - Stress and the heart. Mechanisms, measurement, and management.
AB  - Unrelieved physical or mental stress and repeated episodic stress are ultimately
      harmful to the cardiovascular system and thus can be life-threatening. In this
      article, Dr Eliot describes efforts to quantify the psychophysiologic responses
      to stress and to identify the components of stress and its clinical consequences.
      He also explains the importance of controlling the real-life episodic
      fluctuations in blood pressure that occur daily in response to stress.

PMID- 1409175
TI  - Coronary artery disease in surgical patients. Preoperative evaluation.
AB  - Primary care physicians play a major role in the risk stratification of patients
      with coronary artery disease (CAD) preparing for noncardiac surgery. Preoperative
      risk assessment takes into account the type and urgency of surgery and the extent
      of underlying CAD. With this approach, patients can be categorized as being at
      high, intermediate, or low risk for postoperative cardiac complications.
      Judicious use of preoperative noninvasive cardiac testing may help identify those
      patients at particularly high risk for such complications.

PMID- 1409176
TI  - Coronary artery disease in surgical patients. Perioperative management.
AB  - With effective communication, optimal use of perioperative therapeutic
      techniques, and postoperative follow-up, the medical, surgical, and anesthetic
      teams can prevent or minimize cardiac complications that occur during the
      postoperative period. Up to 50% of postoperative myocardial infarctions may be
      silent, or they may present as congestive heart failure, hypotension, or
      arrhythmia. Dyspnea is a common finding. All high-risk patients should be
      monitored in the intensive care unit during the first 7 days after surgery, when
      adverse cardiac events are most common.

PMID- 1409177
TI  - Anaphylaxis. How to manage and prevent this medical emergency.
AB  - Anaphylaxis is a dramatic, major medical emergency. Understanding of the
      pathogenesis, emergency treatment, and subsequent prophylaxis can reduce both
      morbidity and mortality. Treatment of anaphylaxis should begin with a high degree
      of suspicion. Taking a wait-and-see attitude in hopes that the reaction will be
      mild may have serious results.

PMID- 1409178
TI  - Delirium and acute psychosis. Mental states calling for clear diagnostic thinking
      and careful management.
AB  - Management of a delirious or acutely psychotic patient calls for rapid but well
      considered decision making by the treating physician. Clear diagnostic thinking
      is vitally important in making a presumptive diagnosis and forming a treatment
      plan. Appropriate treatment usually returns patients to a less agitated state and
      allows for definitive treatment of any underlying illness.

PMID- 1409179
TI  - Retrospective medicine.

PMID- 1409180
TI  - Gastrointestinal foreign bodies. When to remove them, when to watch and wait.
AB  - By being aware of which patients are at high risk for ingestion or insertion of
      foreign bodies, physicians can be on the lookout for objects in the
      gastrointestinal tract and ready to institute initial care. Esophageal foreign
      bodies and other objects that increase the chance of perforation or obstruction
      may require urgent endoscopic or surgical removal. Other objects may be expelled
      on their own. Identification of those that require early intervention is the key
      to successful management.

PMID- 1409181
TI  - 'Halloween diarrhea'. An unexpected trick of sorbitol-containing candy.
AB  - When a patient with severe diarrhea and flatulence is afebrile and the results of
      physical examination are negative, a food source should be suspected as the cause
      of the problem. Careful scrutiny of the patient's diet and a high index of
      suspicion may implicate the artificial sweetener sorbitol. Exclusion of sorbitol
      from the patient's diet is recommended in these cases before embarking on an
      extensive clinical investigation.

PMID- 1409182
TI  - Lead poisoning in children. The ramifications and the road to prevention.
AB  - Environmental lead poisoning is easier to prevent than to treat, and it can be
      destructive or deadly if ignored. Dr Schlenker, medical director of the Milwaukee
      Health Department, shares his approach to screening young children for
      potentially dangerous blood lead levels, educating the community about prevention
      of lead poisoning, and eradicating environmental sources of lead.

PMID- 1409183
TI  - Lead poisoning. Are your children at risk?

PMID- 1409184
TI  - In sickness and in health.

PMID- 1409185
TI  - Breast cancer. Improving your acumen in diagnosis.

PMID- 1409186
TI  - Evaluation of common breast masses.
AB  - Most breast lesions, including those that are malignant, are found by women
      themselves, which emphasizes the importance of breast self-examination.
      Comprehensive knowledge of breast anatomy and the characteristics that suggest
      that a mass is benign or suspicious aids primary care physicians in choosing the
      proper sequence of action. Drs Bland and Love discuss the common breast lesions
      and provide a detailed algorithm for management.

PMID- 1409189
TI  - Treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon with triiodothyronine corrects co-existent
      autonomic dysfunction: preliminary findings.
AB  - Cardiovascular autonomic function was assessed in 9 subjects with Raynaud's
      phenomenon. The underlying diseases were systemic lupus erythematosus (n = 5),
      systemic sclerosis (n = 3) and rheumatoid arthritis (n = 1). Five standard non
      invasive tests, 3 of heart rate and 2 of blood pressure, were employed. Compared
      with age and sex matched controls (n = 25), the number of values abnormal was 24
      of 45 (53%) overall and between one and 4 (median, 2) individually. Significant
      differences were present for 3 tests, two of heart rate and one of blood
      pressure. The subjects were given triiodothyronine, 60 to 80 micrograms per day,
      for vasospastic attacks. Autonomic function was reassessed between weeks 4 and 9
      (9 subjects) and between weeks 12 and 18 (8 subjects) after introduction of
      triiodothyronine. Test results showed a considerable improvement. At the second
      reassessment, the number of values abnormal was now 5 of 40 (12.5%) overall and
      nil (n = 4) or one (n = 4) individually. Significant differences remained for one
      heart rate test only. Adverse side effects to triiodothyronine occurred in a
      single subject and were readily controlled. Evidence of somatic neuropathy was
      present electrophysiologically in all 9 subjects and clinically in 8.
      Triiodothyronine may have corrected autonomic dysfunction by increasing blood
      flow to ischaemic peripheral nerves or by acting on the autonomic system more
      directly. Further study of triiodothyronine in autonomic insufficiency appears
      merited.

PMID- 1409187
TI  - Autoimmunity and glomerulonephritis.
AB  - Autoimmunity is now unequivocally regarded as the predominant pathogenic process
      underlying most forms of primary and secondary glomerulonephritis in humans. Most
      of the investigations so far have been focused upon humoral mechanisms.
      Consequently, the role of cell-mediated immunity in nephritis is still
      incompletely understood. Nonetheless, as a result of contemporary studies, a
      number of previously unidentified auto-antibodies in association with
      glomerulonephritis have been discovered. However, apart from anti-NC1 antibodies
      in the classical Goodpasture syndrome, the exact role of these auto-antibodies in
      the pathogenesis of glomerulonephritis yet remains undefined. This fact, however,
      does not undermine the relevance of exploring these auto-antibodies. They have
      been of immense help in sub-classifying glomerulonephritis previously thought
      homogeneous (Figure 3). Besides, analysis of auto-antibodies has assisted
      tremendously in the early diagnosis of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis.
      This, in turn, has aided in early commencement of therapy thus contributing to
      regression in morbidity and mortality resulting from these disorders. Moreover,
      investigation of these auto-antibodies is of enormous value for future studies
      aimed at understanding the pathogenic mechanisms involved in glomerulonephritis.

PMID- 1409190
TI  - Lymphocytic adenosine deaminase activity in typhoid fevers.
AB  - Lymphocyte adenosine deaminase (L-ADA) activity, a measure of lymphocyte
      activity, was estimated in 10 healthy controls and 30 patients with typhoid fever
      (20 uncomplicated and 10 complicated) at the time of admission, at onset of
      complications and weekly until recovery. Mean L-ADA activity in healthy controls
      was 20.49 +/- 3.62 mU/10(6) cells. In uncomplicated patients L-ADA activity was
      36.33 +/- 5.09 mU/10(6) cells at time of admission, which is significantly raised
      as compared to controls. It remained high at the height of the fever and at
      defervescence. In complicated patients L-ADA activity was significantly low at
      admission (15.33 +/- 2.35 mU/10(6) cells) and fell further with development of
      complications (7.86 +/- 4.07 mU/10(6) cells). At defervescence L-ADA activity
      increased significantly above the control activity (31.24 +/- 5.37). Serial L-ADA
      activity can be of prognostic significance. A cut-off value of 24 mU/10(6) cells
      is suggested to predict prognosis and severity of disease. Activity below this
      indicates a probability of a severe, prolonged course and may help in instituting
      early and energetic treatment.

PMID- 1409188
TI  - Molecular biology in medicine.

PMID- 1409191
TI  - Use of the SeHCAT test in the investigation of diarrhoea.
AB  - The SeHCAT test was used to investigate possible bile acid malabsorption in 166
      patients presenting to a district general hospital with chronic diarrhoea of
      uncertain cause. Eighty-four (51%) patients had impaired SeHCAT retention. These
      included 23 of 28 patients with a possible type I abnormality (terminal ileal
      resection or disease, previous pelvic radiotherapy), 20 of 74 with a possible
      type II abnormality (idiopathic diarrhoea), 32 of 45 with a possible type III
      abnormality (post-cholecystectomy, post-vagotomy), and 9 of 19 with diarrhoea
      associated with diabetes. Patients with severe bile acid malabsorption
      demonstrated a good response to cholestyramine whereas the response in patients
      with a mildly abnormal SeHCAT retention was variable. Bile acid malabsorption is
      an important cause of diarrhoea in patients presenting with unexplained chronic
      diarrhoea.

PMID- 1409192
TI  - Vocal cord paralysis and oesophago-broncho-aortic fistula complicating foreign
      body-induced oesophageal perforation.
AB  - A 61 year old man died after presenting with a 24 h history of haematemesis and
      haemoptysis, and one year history of hoarseness of voice. Post-mortem examination
      showed a dental plate eroding through the mid-oesophagus into a bronchus and into
      the descending arch of the aorta, with scarring suggestive of old perforation. An
      organized haematoma also involved the left recurrent laryngeal nerve. Vocal cord
      paralysis may be a manifestation of foreign body-induced oesophageal perforation,
      which can lead to death from an oesophago-broncho-aortic fistula. Both
      complications of oesophageal perforation from a foreign body have not to our
      knowledge been previously reported.

PMID- 1409193
TI  - Horner's syndrome in severe tetanus.
AB  - A 66 year old man was admitted with a left Horner's syndrome, and trismus due to
      tetanus. Three days later he had respiratory arrests, classical tetanic spasms
      and was ventilated. He had associated severe autonomic dysfunction,
      tachyarrhythmias, hypotension, sweating and constipation. There was complete
      resolution of the left Horner's syndrome with recovery from tetanus.

PMID- 1409194
TI  - Falciparum malaria-induced hypoglycaemia in a diabetic patient.
AB  - We report a patient with diabetes mellitus who suffered severe falciparum malaria
      complicated by profound and persistent hypoglycaemia. The hypoglycaemia evolved
      before therapy with quinine was begun and resolved with eradication of the
      parasitaemia. The patient reverted to her baseline hyperglycaemia despite
      continuation of quinine. This case illustrates the critical role of falciparum
      malaria in the pathogenesis of malaria-associated hypoglycaemia, rather than
      quinine-mediated mechanisms. Anticipation of hypoglycaemia in falciparum malaria
      and its vigorous treatment may improve the poor prognosis associated with this
      complication.

PMID- 1409195
TI  - Life threatening hypophosphataemia in a patient with Philadelphia chromosome
      positive chronic myelogenous leukaemia in acute blastic crisis.
AB  - Life-threatening hypophosphataemia developed in a 47 year old woman with blastic
      crisis of chronic myelogenous leukaemia. The patient's hospitalization was
      characterized by reciprocal relationship between her white cell count and the
      serum phosphorus levels. The patient did not demonstrate any of the usual causes
      of profound hypophosphataemia. The postulated mechanism of this patient's
      hypophosphataemia is uptake by the rapidly dividing leukaemic cells. To the best
      of our knowledge this is the first case in the English literature of
      hypophosphataemia associated with blast crisis of Philadelphia chromosome
      positive chronic myelogenous leukaemia.

PMID- 1409196
TI  - Mitral stenosis in the Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome: a treatable cause of dyspnoea.
AB  - The case is reported of a young woman with the Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome
      (mucopolysaccharidosis type VI) who presented with rapidly progressive dyspnoea
      due to mitral stenosis. Mitral valve replacement was performed and the appearance
      of the valve was typical of mucopolysaccharide infiltration. Dyspnoea in patients
      with the Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome may be due primarily to cardiac valve
      involvement, and in this setting, valve surgery is safe and effective.

PMID- 1409198
TI  - Portal vein thrombosis in a complicated case of Crohn's disease.
AB  - Portal vein thrombosis is a rare complication of ulcerative colitis and is
      invariably fatal. This report describes a patient with severe Crohn's disease who
      underwent elective surgery complicated by an anastomotic disruption with faecal
      peritonitis. Following emergency laparotomy he developed left hypochondrial pain
      which was a manifestation of splenomegaly consequent upon portal vein thrombosis.
      Anticoagulation was successful in preventing further spread of the thrombosis as
      monitored by colour Doppler ultrasound. Severe active disease, surgery and sepsis
      have been recognized as predisposing factors for thromboembolic complications in
      inflammatory bowel disease and this patient was exposed to all three. It is
      conceivable that portal vein thromboses occur more commonly than suspected and
      ultrasound scanning could ascertain the prevalence if performed prospectively.

PMID- 1409197
TI  - Sotalol-induced torsade de pointes: management with magnesium infusion.
AB  - A 69 year old woman was treated with sotalol (320 mg daily) for intermittent
      atrial fibrillation. Sotalol was initially well tolerated and reversion to sinus
      rhythm with sinus bradycardia occurred 4 weeks after initiation of therapy.
      Shortly thereafter, the patient developed recurrent syncope due to torsade de
      pointes. This was treated successfully with intravenous magnesium infusion and
      withdrawal of sotalol. Subsequently, the atrial fibrillation was adequately
      managed using amiodarone, with no recurrence of torsade de pointes. Development
      of bradycardia associated with reversion to sinus rhythm represents a potential
      cause of 'late' pro-arrhythmic effects of sotalol.

PMID- 1409199
TI  - Pancreatic abscess due to Salmonella typhi.
AB  - Isolated involvement of the pancreas in Salmonella typhi bacteraemia is rare. A
      case of pancreatic abscess due to S. typhi is reported which was managed
      conservatively.

PMID- 1409200
TI  - Late presentation of a congenital gastric diverticulum causing pyloric
      obstruction.
AB  - We report a case of adult pyloric obstruction caused by the delayed presentation
      of a congenital gastric diverticulum. The derivation, classification and
      treatment of these abnormalities are discussed.

PMID- 1409201
TI  - Inguinal bladder hernia associated with vesico-ureteric reflux.
AB  - The urinary bladder is frequently found as a component of inguinal herniae. This
      report describes a case of 'bladder hernia' associated with vesico-ureteric
      reflux. The current methods of investigation and subsequent treatment for this
      condition are reviewed along with the possible underlying cause of vesico
      ureteric reflux in this case.

PMID- 1409202
TI  - Contamination of blood cultures.

PMID- 1409203
TI  - Homonymous hemianopsia and the 'door sign'.

PMID- 1409204
TI  - Constipation and colonic perforation complicating calcium resonium therapy.

PMID- 1409205
TI  - Rapid pulmonary cavitation due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and infection with
      human immunodeficiency virus (HIV 1)

PMID- 1409206
TI  - Pseudogout associated with thyrotoxicosis.

PMID- 1409207
TI  - Morphine and severe dryness of the lips.

PMID- 1409208
TI  - Hypoglycaemia and heart failure.

PMID- 1409209
TI  - Cytolytic anticardiac membrane antibodies in the pathogenesis of myopericarditis.
AB  - Antisarcolemmal (ASAs) and antimyolemmal antibodies (AMLAs) are serological
      hallmarks of inflammatory heart muscle disease. They occur in a similar incidence
      in postcardiac injury syndromes, sarcoid heart disease or in dilated and
      hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Rarely but still notably they are found with
      increasing age or in coronary artery disease. We therefore examined whether they
      are truly pathogenetic or whether they also possess properties of 'natural
      antibodies'. AMLAs and ASAs, like natural antibodies, have specificity for
      preserved structures on the membrane; they possess cross-reactivity and increase
      with age. In contrast to natural antibodies, however, they occur frequently after
      viral stimulation or other forms of trauma, are more often of the IgG and IgA
      than of the IgM isotype and fix complement in the acute stage of the disease.
      They also possess cytolytic and cytotoxic properties when incubated in vitro with
      isolated heart muscle cells. Antigenic mimicry has been demonstrated to be
      operative, since they are cross-reactive to viral proteins.

PMID- 1409210
TI  - The carditis/cardiomyopathy of rheumatic fever: relationship to pathogenesis.
AB  - Although the relationship between group A streptococcal upper respiratory tract
      infection and the development of acute rheumatic fever has been known for many
      years, the pathogenetic mechanism(s) have never been defined. Thus, the mechanism
      of damage to the valves and to the myocardium in patients with rheumatic fever
      remains unexplained. Traditionally, emphasis has been placed on the valvular
      damage in rheumatic heart disease, but there is considerable evidence for
      myocardial involvement. An abnormal immune response to some as yet unrecognized
      somatic or extracellular antigen of the group A streptococcus is probably related
      to the cardiomyopathy. This abnormal immune response is supported by considerable
      clinical and experimental evidence. Recent studies have suggested other mechanism
      to explain the myocardial damage including the influx of lymphocytes into the
      area as well as the possibility of damage relating to generation of oxygen-free
      radicals. As more sophisticated molecular biological studies of the group A
      streptococcus become available, perhaps the mystery of this very unique and
      common cardiomyopathy can be resolved.

PMID- 1409211
TI  - Positron-emission tomography and cardiomyopathy.
AB  - Because of its quantitative power and capacity to image biochemically unaltered
      tracers of physiological substrates, cardiac positron-emission tomography has
      emerged as a promising diagnostic modality and a powerful clinical research tool.
      It has enhanced characterization of the efficacy of diverse interventions
      designed to improve myocardial perfusion, differentiation of reversibly from
      irreversibly injured ischaemic myocardium, and detection of cardiomyopathic
      states. Progress in high rates of data acquisition, improved spatial and temporal
      resolution, accelerated image processing, and 3-dimensional display of images of
      myocardium offer promise for widespread applications to early detection of
      cardiac allograft rejection, graft atherosclerosis, and the efficacy of
      pharmacological interventions designed to protect recipients of cardiac
      allografts.

PMID- 1409212
TI  - Anticardiac antibodies in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as a marker of severity.
AB  - Twenty-three patients (mean age 27 years, 15 male, 8 female) with hypertrophic
      cardiomyopathy (10 'obstructive', 13 'non-obstructive') mostly of the sporadic
      type were examined for anticardiac antibodies circulating in the peripheral blood
      or bound in the endomyocardial biopsy. Immunoglobulin deposition in the biopsies
      was found in 41% of cases of the IgG isotype. IgM and complement fixation
      occurred less frequently. Predominant findings in the patients sera were
      antimyolemmal (78%) and antifibril antibodies (43%). The patients' sera were not
      cytolytic except for one case indicating that neither a toxic serum factor nor
      antibody-mediated cardiocytolysis were operative to a significant degree in
      hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The patient's lymphocytes did not demonstrate a
      cytotoxic effect either alone or in the presence of the autologous serum.

PMID- 1409213
TI  - Cardiomyopathies and specific heart muscle diseases. Definitions, terminology,
      classifications and new and old approaches.
AB  - Cardiomyopathies are defined as 'heart muscle diseases of unknown cause' and
      classified into hypertrophic, dilated and restrictive types, respectively.
      Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is notable for massive ventricular hypertrophy
      without obvious cause, impaired diastolic and systolic function, a tendency for
      sudden death and a familial propensity. Dilated cardiomyopathy by contrast,
      demonstrates severe systolic failure progressing to congestive heart failure,
      with usually no familial tendency. Restrictive cardiomyopathy and diastolic heart
      disease represent syndromes with restriction to ventricular filling due to
      restrictive forces in the endomyocardium (and in constrictive pericarditis in the
      pericardium). The commonest cause of restrictive cardiomyopathy is endomyocardial
      fibrosis now usually known as hypereosinophilic endomyocardial disease. Specific
      heart muscle diseases are those conditions in which myocardial disease is due to
      a known cause: they usually produce systolic failure though occasionally a
      restrictive syndrome is evident. Amyloid heart disease occupies a place
      intermediate between cardiomyopathies and specific heart muscle diseases. The
      major features of the above conditions are described and current and future
      advances noted. Examples are the identification of the gene probably responsible
      for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy located on chromosome 14, and the identification
      of virus RNA particles in the myocardium in both myocarditis and in dilated
      cardiomyopathy, which strengthens the growing evidence suggesting that some cases
      of dilated cardiomyopathy may be due to previous myocarditis.

PMID- 1409214
TI  - Left ventricular involvement in right ventricular cardiomyopathy.
AB  - Right ventricular cardiomyopathy is generally considered a disease with isolated
      right ventricular involvement, although there are some case reports of
      concomitant abnormalities of the left ventricle. In order to evaluate the
      prevalence, characteristics and natural history of left ventricular involvement
      in this disease, 39 patients with right ventricular cardiomyopathy were studied
      by 2-dimensional echocardiography. At first evaluation 25 patients (group 1)
      showed right ventricular abnormalities and a normal left ventricle. In the
      remaining 14 patients (group 2) the right ventricular abnormalities were
      associated with left ventricular involvement (asynergic areas and/or mild diffuse
      hypokinesia). During the follow-up, left ventricular involvement appeared in 6
      patients of group 1 and worsened in 4 patients of group 2. Five patients died.
      Pathological examination (available in 4 cases) showed, at the level of the right
      ventricle, marked atrophy of myocytes and fibro-fatty replacement, and
      predominant fibrosis at left ventricular level. Left ventricular involvement is
      thus frequent in right ventricular cardiomyopathy. At least in some cases the
      disease appears to be progressive.

PMID- 1409215
TI  - Endomyocardial biopsy: is it of clinical value?

PMID- 1409216
TI  - Controversial issues in restrictive cardiomyopathy.
AB  - The topic of restrictive cardiomyopathy remains controversial for many reasons.
      The term cardiomyopathy is unfortunately sometimes used interchangeably with
      diastolic heart failure. Furthermore, diastolic heart failure is sometimes linked
      with other causes of diastolic dysfunction such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
      and mitral valve disease. Restrictive cardiomyopathy is a clinical entity of
      primary or secondary myocardial disease presenting a picture that closely
      simulates that of constrictive pericarditis. In the majority of cases the correct
      diagnosis can be arrived at following a careful paradigm that begins with history
      and may end with endomyocardial biopsy. Many of the old teachings about how to
      distinguish restrictive cardiomyopathy from constrictive pericarditis have not
      held up with time and clinical experience: in particular equal diastolic
      pressures on both sides of the heart are compatible with either restrictive
      cardiomyopathy or constrictive pericarditis.

PMID- 1409217
TI  - Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function in
      patients with systemic sarcoidosis.
AB  - In order to estimate left ventricular diastolic function in systemic sarcoidosis,
      Doppler echocardiography was utilized in 10 normal female subjects (aged 45 +/-
      13 years) and in 10 female patients (aged 48 +/- 14 years), with biopsy proven
      sarcoidosis and without any clinical evidence of other cardiac disease or
      hypertension. Left ventricular systolic function assessed by two-dimensional
      echocardiography was normal in both groups (ejection fraction greater than 60%).
      The following Doppler echocardiographic parameters were measured: peak early
      diastolic flow velocity (E), peak late atrial diastolic flow velocity (A), the
      ratio (E/A) and deceleration of the flow velocity in early diastole (E-F slope).
      The results showed that 5 patients had two or more abnormal Doppler diastolic
      indexes, indicating impaired left ventricular relaxation, while the remaining 5
      patients had values within or just outside normal limits. The mean values for the
      patients as a whole showed increased A velocity (0.77 +/- 0.11 m/s versus 0.61 +/
      0.10 m/s; P + 0.05), decreased E/A ratio (1.05 +/- 0.32 versus 1.4 +/- 0.30; P +
      0.01), normal E velocity and normal E-F slope, compared with the mean values of
      the normal group. We concluded that a large percentage (50%) of patients with
      systemic sarcoidosis, had reduced diastolic performance of the left ventricle, at
      a stage of the disease when systolic dysfunction is not yet evident.

PMID- 1409218
TI  - Anticoagulant treatment of atrial fibrillation in the elderly.
AB  - There is now adequate clinical evidence that the most appropriate treatment of
      elderly patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation is with low dose warfarin.
      Patients may have contraindications to therapy with this agent, but should not be
      denied treatment based on age alone. Withholding treatment based on age places
      patients at unwarranted risk for severely disabling thromboembolic complications.

PMID- 1409219
TI  - Venous thromboembolism.
AB  - Pulmonary embolism is a complication of venous thrombosis. It is a major cause of
      morbidity and mortality, but a condition that is highly preventable and, when
      diagnosed, very effectively treated. Yet in the United States, more people die of
      pulmonary embolism each year than of AIDS. The clinician must maintain a high
      index of suspicion at all times in the patient at risk for this entity, keeping
      in mind that overall only about one-third of the patients suspected of having
      pulmonary embolism actually turn out to have it. A strong suspicion alone is not
      enough to warrant initiation of treatment, as a clinician must confirm with
      appropriate studies that venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism is present. If
      studies of the lower extremities are negative, then a high probability
      ventilation perfusion scan (V/Q) or a positive pulmonary angiogram must be
      obtained before therapy should be considered. However, a high probability V/Q
      scan occurs in only 40% of patients with angiographically proven pulmonary
      embolism. Thus, if suspicion is high enough, do not accept a V/Q scan of
      'indeterminate probability' as negative for pulmonary embolism. Even more
      important, though, is prevention of the disease with appropriate measures and
      that every individual who is at medium to high risk for development of deep
      venous thrombosis must have some kind of prophylaxis.

PMID- 1409220
TI  - The pathogenesis of dilated cardiomyopathy.
AB  - Using the WHO/ISFC definition and recommendations of nomenclature for
      cardiomyopathies, the aetiology is unknown. Over many years research has
      concentrated on defining pathogenetic mechanisms and owing to the widespread use
      of the bioptome-permitting recovery of fresh endomyocardial tissue-myocarditis
      has emerged as being intimately involved in the pathogenesis of dilated
      cardiomyopathy. In approximately 2,000 patients with a presumed diagnosis of
      dilated cardiomyopathy, myocarditis was found in 28% of these cases. The
      morphological diagnosis of myocarditis has been fraught with difficulties and, in
      attempt to establish criteria for its recognition, a group of cardiovascular
      pathologists (the author among them) met in Dallas in 1984. These criteria are
      detailed and categorization into acute, resolving (healing) and resolved (healed)
      has been emphasized because of important therapeutic implications. The cause of
      myocarditis has been established as being due to coxsackie B viruses. Up to
      recent times such findings could only be surmised by investigations such as micro
      neutralization tests. It was not until the hydridization probe was employed that
      direct proof was provided. These studies together with immunological consequences
      continue to be investigated in the hope of providing a rational approach to
      therapy.

PMID- 1409221
TI  - Effect of pyridoxine deficiency on immunological phenomena.
AB  - Measurements of serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) in resting lymphocyte
      cultures showed that the level of activity of this enzyme was very low. Under the
      influence of mitogenic stimuli serine hydroxymethyl-transferase activity was
      induced 5-20-fold. Addition in the cultures of 4-deoxypyridoxine, a potent
      antagonist of vitamin B6 coenzymes, concurrently with the mitogen, inhibits the
      induction of serine hydroxymethyltransferase. Thus deoxypyridoxine exerts its
      effects not only at the level of the enzyme itself by antagonizing the coenzyme
      but also at the level of its biosynthesis. Synchronous addition of vitamin B6
      with deoxypyridoxine effectively reverses the inhibitory effects. The T helper
      cells of the lymphocyte culture are very sensitive to deoxypyridoxine action in
      contrast to T suppressor cells. The effect of phytohaemagglutinin or concanavalin
      A on the production of interleukin-1b, interleukin-2 and interleukin-2 receptors
      is profoundly affected by deoxypyridoxine. These results give a deeper insight of
      the mechanisms by which pyridoxine deficiency causes significant reduction of
      humoral and cellular immune responses to antigenic stimuli. On the basis of the
      data of this report a detailed illustration of the events that follow the T cell
      activation is presented. From this investigation the enzyme serine
      hydroxymethyltransferase emerges as a key element in the processes of immune
      responses and cell proliferation. Based on this finding we advance the following
      two propositions for possible future medical application: (i) combination of
      deoxypyridoxine with immunosuppressive drugs in case of immunosuppressive therapy
      or organ transplantation. (ii) the enzyme presents an excellent target for
      chemotherapy and therefore development of special agents directed against its
      apoprotein may prove to be a very valuable medical tool.

PMID- 1409222
TI  - Heart and heart-lung transplantation in the 1990s.
AB  - After 22 years of clinical application in our unit, heart transplantation is now
      an accepted therapeutic method. Its indications are well established, its
      surgical technique and post-operative control and treatment well defined, mostly
      due to better diagnosis of the rejection episodes with the aid of
      echocardiography and endomyocardial biopsy and the use of cyclosporin. The
      results are remarkable with a survival rate of 70% at 5 years, and a full
      rehabilitation into family, social and often professional life for almost all the
      survivors. Its use has dramatically changed the prognosis of patients with
      irreversible cardiac failure but underlines the lack of a sufficient number of
      donors' hearts. The heart-lung transplantation, making use of the progress of
      heart transplantation, has been used successfully since 1982 and for the first
      time in Europe by our group. Improvement in the selection of recipients, lung
      preservation, surgical technique and post-operative management have brought a new
      and real hope to patients not only irreversible cardiopulmonary lesions but also
      terminal pulmonary disease.

PMID- 1409223
TI  - Classification of turkeys as low or high volume semen producers using
      discriminant analysis.
AB  - Medium White turkeys in Generation 10 of divergent selection for semen ejaculate
      volume (SEV) were classified into lines that produce either low or high volumes
      of semen using a multivariate statistical technique, discriminant analysis. The
      discriminant function was based on records of hen fertility, embryonic mortality
      in the early and late incubation periods, and the incidence of pipped eggs. A hit
      ratio, the proportion of birds correctly categorized as low or high, of .60 was
      obtained. The discriminant function was subsequently used to classify birds in
      Generation 12. A misclassification rate of .28 and .48 was obtained for birds in
      the low and high lines, respectively. It was concluded that the relatively low
      rates of misclassification indicate a potential method for identifying male and
      female turkeys as belonging to low or high SEV lines, based on fertility and
      incubation records.

PMID- 1409224
TI  - Effects of photoschedule and strain cross on broiler performance and carcass
      yield.
AB  - The purpose of the present experiment was to examine possible interactions of
      strain cross and age with photoschedule for broiler performance and carcass
      yield. Day-old male broiler chicks from strain crosses of either Peterson x Arbor
      Acres (PA) or Ross x Arbor Acres (RA) were placed in light-controlled chambers
      (5.6 lx) with either 23 h light (L):1 h dark (D) from 1 to 56 days (Treatment E)
      or 6L:18D from 1 to 14 days and 1L:3D repeated from 15 to 56 days of age
      (Treatment BI). There were age by light treatment and age by strain cross
      interactions for BW; Treatment E had greater BW than Treatment BI from 7 to 42
      days, and the PA cross BW was greater than the RA cross BW from 1 to 42 days of
      age. Cumulative feed efficiency was improved by Treatment BI compared with
      Treatment E up to 49 days. There were no differences among main effects for
      mortality, and the incidence of leg problems increased with age. Fillet and
      tender yields (per lean carcass weight) were higher for Treatment E than BI and
      opposite responses were seen for drumstick and thigh yields. The RA cross showed
      higher fillet and tender yields than the PA cross and the opposite relationship
      was found for drumstick and wing yields.

PMID- 1409225
TI  - Live performance and carcass yield of broiler strain crosses provided either
      sixteen or twenty-three hours of light per day.
AB  - The purpose of the present study was to compare a restricted (R) lighting program
      [16 h light (L):8 h dark (D)] with a standard extended (E) lighting schedule
      (23L:1D) for broilers. Experiment 1 was carried out during March and April (mean
      temperature of 23.3 C). Light treatments were 1) E; 2) R; 3) 16L:8D Days 1 to 21
      and 23L:1D thereafter to 49 days (R3E); and 4) 16L:8D Days 1 to 14 and 23L:1D
      thereafter to 49 days (R2E). Treatments were factorially arranged with two strain
      crosses [Indian River x Arbor Acres (IA) and Peterson x Arbor Acres (PA)].
      Experiment 2 was carried out during the summer (mean temperature of 27.0 C).
      Light Treatments E and R were factorially arranged with two strain crosses [Cobb
      x Arbor Acres (CA) and PA]. In Experiment 1, BW of Cross PA was greater than BW
      of Cross IA at 1, 14, 35, and 49 days of age. The percentage of birds with breast
      blisters was greater in Cross PA than IA. The incidence of broken clavicles was
      lower in Treatments R and R3E than in Treatments E or R2E. In Experiment 2,
      Treatment E had greater BW than R from 7 to 42 days of age, and BW of Cross CA
      was greater than that of PA from 1 to 48 days. Yield (percentage of lean carcass
      weight) of breast meat at 49 days of age was higher for Treatment E than R, and
      the percentage of birds with breast blisters was greater in Treatment R than
      E.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409226
TI  - Dietary supplementation with xanthophyll as an effective way of identifying low
      producing broiler breeder hens.
AB  - The relationship between dietary levels of xanthophyll, the degree of
      pigmentation in the hen, and egg production rate was studied in commercial
      broiler breeders (Anak 2000). In the first study, the degree of shank and beak
      coloration, measured with a 15-grade Roche yolk color fan, was determined in
      broiler breeder pullets until 34 wk of age. Although overall body coloration
      decreased with age following initiation of egg production, the degree of shank
      coloration was two- to threefold higher than that of the beak. In the second
      study, Roche Carophyll-red (canthaxanthin, 10%) was supplemented at levels of 0,
      10, and 20 mg/kg in a corn and soybean diet containing xanthophyll, and given to
      hens for a period of 4 wk beginning at 55 wk of age. Increasing dietary
      canthaxanthin levels increased pigmentation of beak and egg yolk in a quadratic
      manner, whereas pigmentation increased linearly in the shank. The production rate
      was inversely related to the degree of shank and beak pigmentation. In a third
      study, the relationship between hen pigmentation (using Carophyll-red, 30 mg/kg
      of diet) and production rate was examined in a commercial flock of broiler
      breeder hens. Hens were sampled according to shank coloration (Grades 1 to 3) and
      egg production was monitored. The production rate of hens with high coloration
      was significantly lower (by approximately 33%) than the flock average. At peak
      production, shank pigmentation was too low to differentiate visually between
      degrees of coloration. Dietary supplementation of 5% corn gluten meal increased
      shank pigmentation and enabled efficient identification of the nonlaying hens.

PMID- 1409227
TI  - The effect of feed restriction and Eimeria maxima infection with or without
      medication on growth and feed intake in broilers.
AB  - Day-old male broiler chicks were raised in floor pens. At 4 days of age, birds in
      75% of the pens were inoculated with Eimeria maxima via the feed. There were four
      dietary treatments: uninoculated, unmedicated control (UUC), infected,
      unmedicated control (IUC), infected, halofuginone-medicated (3 ppm, HM), or
      infected, salinomycin-medicated (66 ppm, SM). At 6 days of age, birds in 50% of
      the pens of each treatment were restricted for 5 days to their maintenance energy
      intake level. The remainder consumed feed ad libitum. Medication reduced growth
      from 0 to 6 days of age and feed intake was depressed, irrespective of
      medication, in infected birds from 0 to 21 days of age. Growth, however, was
      improved with intake of coccidiostat over IUC from 6 to 11 days of age but did
      not match UUC until 28 days of age. At 42 and 49 days of age, infected birds were
      lighter than UUC birds. Dressing percentage for HM and SM birds was greater than
      that of UUC birds at 49 days of age but HM birds also had a greater percentage of
      abdominal fat at both 42 and 49 days of age. Feed restriction resulted in some
      compensatory growth immediately following refeeding. Experimental feed:gain ratio
      was improved in restricted birds (1.98 versus 2.03 g:g). At 42 and 49 days of
      age, restricted birds were lighter than birds eating ad libitum and also had a
      significantly greater percentage abdominal fat. A lower breast yield was observed
      at 42 days of age in restricted birds.

PMID- 1409228
TI  - Effects of two nipple drinker types with different flow rates on the productive
      performance of broiler chickens during summerlike growing conditions.
AB  - Three trials were conducted to study the effects of a high flow volume (2.3 mL/s)
      nipple waterer (HFN) versus a low flow volume (.4 mL/s) nipple waterer (LFN) on
      the productive performance of broiler chickens as measured by average body weight
      (kilograms), average feed conversion (kilograms:kilogram), and percentage
      mortality rate. Equal numbers of male and female birds were used during Trial 1;
      only male birds were used during Trials 2 and 3. All trials were conducted during
      the summer months. An attempt was made during Trial 2 to expose the birds to
      artificial heat stress. No differences were seen during any of the trials in feed
      conversion between the two treatments. In Trial 1 the only significant difference
      (P less than or equal to .05) exhibited was in average male body weight (1.87 kg
      HFN; 1.84 kg LFN). A highly significant difference (P less than or equal to .01)
      was seen in average body weight (1.75 kg HFN; 1.64 kg LFN) during Trial 2.
      Average body weight difference during Trial 3 was highly significant at 42 days
      of age but not at Day 49. Mortality rate figures during Trial 2 indicate a highly
      significant difference during the 38-day period prior to heat stress (2.2% LFN;
      .4% HFN), and significant difference during the heat stress period (38 to 44
      days; 2.9% LFN; 1.5% HFN). During Trial 3 mortality rate differences were
      significant by 49 days (20.6% LFN; 11.4% HFN) although there was no difference at
      42 days.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409229
TI  - Effect of coccidiosis on the distribution of dietary lutein in the chick.
AB  - A series of experiments was run to determine whether the distribution of dietary
      carotenoids in chick plasma and tissue was dependent upon a saturable carrier,
      and to observe how infection with Eimeria acervulina affected this distribution.
      Broiler (Hubbard x Hubbard) and Sex Sal (Rhode Island Red x White Rock) chicks
      were fed a white corn and soybean meal-based diet supplemented with varying
      levels of a commercial lutein concentrate. Plasma, small intestine, and liver
      were analyzed for lutein. In the first experiment, mean plasma values in control
      broiler chicks increased linearly from 0 to 200 ppm supplementation. Mean plasma
      values of infected chicks were decreased an average of 71% as compared with
      controls, and reached a plateau between 100 and 200 ppm dietary lutein. In the
      second experiment, plasma, small intestinal, and liver lutein levels in broiler
      chicks reached a plateau between 200 and 500 ppm. In the third experiment, plasma
      and liver values in Sex Sal chicks leveled off between 250 and 500 ppm whereas
      levels in the small intestine increased linearly. Infection of the Sex Sal chicks
      at 3 wk of age with E. acervulina caused plasma lutein levels to be reduced about
      88%, small intestinal levels 76%, and liver levels 72%. Supplementation with 500
      ppm resulted in higher proportions of lutein in tissues. Infection with E.
      acervulina shifted the ratios to even higher proportions in the tissues at all
      supplementation levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409230
TI  - Fermentation of [14C]lactose in broiler chicks by cecal anaerobes.
AB  - Volatile fatty acids and lactic acid were products of [14C]lactose metabolism in
      10-day-old broiler chicks. The [14C]lactose and unlabeled lactose were given to
      chicks in combination with cultures of cecal anaerobes (direct fed microbials)
      from adult broiler chickens. Aliquots of these cecal anaerobes had been used
      previously to reduce Salmonella typhimurium colonization in broiler chicks. In
      the current study, chicks were treated with anaerobes and anaerobes plus lactose
      on the day of hatch. Chicks given lactose plus anaerobes also received unlabeled
      lactose in the drinking water. Chicks in all treatment groups received
      [14C]lactose on Day 10 posthatch. After 5 h, most of the radiolabel was detected
      in the foregut and intestine. Significantly lower concentrations of [14C]lactic
      acid were detected in the serum and foregut of chicks given anaerobes and
      anaerobes plus lactose than in the similar samples from control chicks.
      Additionally, significantly less [14C]lactic acid was detected in the feces of
      chicks treated with anaerobes plus lactose than in feces from control chicks and
      chicks receiving only anaerobes. Significant differences in the total content of
      volatile fatty acids and lactic acid were detected in the serum, liver,
      intestine, and ceca of chicks treated with anaerobes or anaerobes plus lactose.
      These data indicate that cecal flora utilize lactose to produce volatile fatty
      acids and lactic acid.

PMID- 1409231
TI  - Influence of increasing photoperiod and toe clipping on breast buttons of
      turkeys.
AB  - Two 17-wk experiments compared the effects of an increasing photoperiod treatment
      (INC) versus a constant photoperiod treatment (23H), and intact toes versus
      clipped toes, on the breast button incidence and performance of heavy tom
      turkeys. Under INC, the photoperiod was increased gradually from 8 to 23 h
      between 4 and 16 wk. Under 23H, the photoperiod remained constant at 23 h. Use of
      INC versus 23H resulted in a significant reduction in breast button incidence at
      17 wk in both experiments (P less than .05). Toe clipping had no effect on breast
      button incidence. The presence of breast buttons was positively correlated with
      body weight at 12 wk, and area of unfeathered skin over the keel at 17 wk. In
      Experiment 1, the photoperiod treatments had no significant effect on 17-wk body
      weight or mortality, but the INC treatment had an adverse effect on feed
      efficiency (P less than .05). In Experiment 2, turkeys reared under INC were
      heavier at 17 wk (P less than .05), with similar feed efficiencies. Mortality was
      significantly lower on INC than 23H up to 12 wk in Experiment 2 (P less than
      .05). Turkeys with intact toes were .44 kg heavier than turkeys with clipped toes
      at 17 wk in both experiments (P less than .05) and had similar feed efficiencies.
      Mortality to 4 wk was lower for turkeys with intact than clipped toes in
      Experiment 2 (P less than .05). Increasing photoperiod treatments have potential
      for improving turkey performance, survival, and carcass quality.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409232
TI  - Evidence that bacteria are not causative agents of stunting syndrome in poults.
AB  - Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of removing bacteria,
      including long segmented filamentous organisms (LSFO), from inoculum known to
      induce stunting syndrome (SS) in poults. Experiment 1 consisted of two
      identically designed trials. In each trial, each of four treatments was assigned
      to an isolator. Three treatments consisted of dosing, by crop intubation, groups
      of 1-day-old poults with unfiltered SS inoculum or filtrate of inoculum passed
      through .45- or .20-micron microfilters. Uninoculated poults were dosed with
      inoculum carrier, saline. Experiment 2 was done in battery facilities. Three
      rooms were used and each room housed one of three treatment groups. Triplicate
      pens of 10 poults each within each room were dosed by crop intubation with saline
      (uninoculated), unfiltered inoculum, or filtrate from .20-micron filtration. As
      compared with uninoculated poults, weight gain through 7 days was reduced 20% (P
      less than .05) by unfiltered and filtered inocula in both experiments. Jejunal
      maltase activity also was decreased (P less than .01) by unfiltered and filtered
      inocula. Feed efficiency (FE) was not determined in Experiment 1, but in
      Experiment 2, FE from 1 to 14 days of age was impaired by inoculum, irrespective
      of filtration. This effect was not evident during the 14- to 20-day period. The
      observation that the adverse effects of giving filtered inoculum to poults were
      the same as those caused by unfiltered inoculum indicated that bacteria,
      including LSFO, were not primary causative agents of the SS experimentally
      induced in poults.

PMID- 1409233
TI  - Effect of age and sex on true digestibility of amino acids of rapeseed and
      soybean meals in growing broilers.
AB  - Studies were conducted to evaluate the influence of age and sex of birds on true
      digestibilities of protein (TDP) and amino acids (TDAA) of two rapeseed meals and
      a soybean meal. Sixty-four broilers (50% of each sex) were used both in the first
      (at 3 wk of age) and the second trials (on the same animals at 6 wk of age). At
      the end of 3 and 6 wk of age, the birds were fasted for 24 h and then force-fed
      with moistened diets (diet:water: 50:50) approximately 40 and 90 g, respectively.
      Excreta were collected during the two 24-h periods after force-feeding. The TDP
      and TDAA of rapeseed and soybean meals decreased significantly as the age of
      broilers increased from 3 to 6 wk. At 3 wk of age, the TDP and TDAA were not
      influenced by the sex of the animals. At 6 wk of age, the TDAA of the two
      rapeseed meals was higher in males than in females. The TDAA of soybean meal did
      not vary with sex. Sex had no effect on the TDP values of the three raw materials
      tested.

PMID- 1409234
TI  - Measurement of metabolizable energy in poultry feeds by an in vitro system.
AB  - A two-stage in vitro system (IVDE) for estimating AMEn in poultry feeds was
      investigated. For 71 diets ranging from 2.2 to 3.4 kcal/g, the average AMEn was
      2.889 kcal/g and the mean IVDE value was 3.005 kcal/g. From the 71 diets, 30
      (42.2%) showed differences between AMEn and IVDE of less than .100 kcal/g and
      represented diets across the AMEn range of values. The statistical analysis of
      the data showed a standard error of the estimate (SEE) of .152 kcal/g for the 71
      diets assayed. No clear differences in accuracy of AMEn among the diets, as
      related to the composition and proportion of ingredients, were observed. Thus,
      the IVDE method gave different AMEn for diets of similar composition. The
      application of the IVDE system to selected ingredients showed that the AMEn of
      corn was underestimated by the method. However the AMEn of roasted, extruded
      soybeans and oats was estimated accurately by the IVDE method. Other ingredients
      were greatly overestimated by the in vitro technique (soybean meal, corn gluten
      meal, and barley). The results of applying the IVDE method for estimating AMEn
      showed the limitations of this technique with regard to the universality of its
      application. Although the method was successful in estimating AMEn values of
      diets and ingredients, for many samples the IVDE technique did not give
      acceptable results.

PMID- 1409235
TI  - Effect of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid concentration on performance, fat
      deposition, and carcass fatty acid composition in broiler chickens.
AB  - The effect of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentration on body fat
      deposition and composition in broiler chickens was studied. Twenty-day-old birds
      were fed five isocaloric diets supplemented with different combinations of tallow
      and vegetable oils. Contents of abdominal adipose tissue (AAT) as well as body
      fat were determined at 40 days of age. A significant linear effect was observed
      between dietary PUFA and feed utilization. Fatty acid (FA) profiles in AAT and
      total body fat were correlated to dietary PUFA content, with the main effect of
      higher dietary PUFA being a reduction in monoenoic FA (C16:1 and C18:1) and an
      increase in C18:2. The effect of dietary PUFA on the saturated FA (C16:0 and
      C18:0) was small and not statistically significant. Increased dietary PUFA
      modified FA composition such that C18:2, rather than C18:1 became the dominant FA
      in AAT. In that respect, greater changes were observed in FA composition of AAT,
      as compared with that on the whole carcass. The deposition of saturated and
      monoenoic FA in the whole carcass during the experimental period was related to
      dietary PUFA content in a quadratic manner. However, deposition of C18:2 and
      C18:3 was not affected by intake and their utilization (deposition:intake ratio)
      was reduced in a manner parallel to their dietary levels.

PMID- 1409236
TI  - Influence of dietary n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturates on lipids in chickens
      divergently selected for body weight.
AB  - The effects of dietary lipid sources rich in n-6 (soybean oil) or n-3 (menhaden
      oil) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on blood triacylglycerol levels and
      tissue fatty acid compositions in female chickens from two genetic lines were
      examined. Triacylglycerol concentrations in the plasma very low density and low
      density lipoprotein fractions were elevated in the low-weight (LW) chickens
      compared with the high-weight (HW) group. Chicken heterophil to lymphocyte ratios
      and total antibody titers to sheep red blood cells at 84 days were not influenced
      by genetic line or by the dietary lipid fed. Concentrations of C18:1 fatty acid
      isomers and total monounsaturates were highest in liver and heart tissues of HW
      chickens. Feeding menhaden oil enriched the plasma, liver, and heart with n-3
      PUFA in both genetic lines. The data indicate a difference in hepatic fatty acid
      metabolism between the HW and LW lines that is unaffected by dietary n-6 or n-3
      PUFA.

PMID- 1409237
TI  - Morphological study of the dove spleen.
AB  - The spleen and vascular resin cast from doves were observed by a light and a
      scanning electron microscope for the purpose of studying the histological
      structure and the mode of the splenic blood microcirculation. The trabeculae of
      the dove spleen were poorly developed and the white and red pulps could not be
      distinguished from each other as is also the case of the chicken spleen. The
      luminal surface of the sinus was covered by continuous endothelial cells that had
      nuclear protrusion into the lumen. The blood cells passed to the sinus via the
      small gap of the luminal surface of the sinus. Irregular resin masses that
      connected the terminal portion of the artery with the venous sinus were observed.
      The direct connection between the arterial terminalis and venous sinus could not
      be recognized. When the resin was injected retrograde to blood flow from the
      vein, the sinus ended blindly.

PMID- 1409238
TI  - A method of analysis of the electrical activity of the proximal gastrointestinal
      tract of the chicken.
AB  - The present paper describes a method of recording and analyzing
      electromyographical (EMG) signals from the digestive tract of the chicken. The
      EMG signals from the proventriculus, gizzard, and duodenum were recorded after
      implantation of Ni and Cr electrodes. The amplified EMG signals were digitized
      using a sampling frequency of 50 samples per second, and numerical data was
      stored immediately on the hard disk (1 datum = 1 byte). The software designed
      allowed: 1) detection of spike-bursts with a high accuracy; 2) analysis of
      maximum amplitude (with a maximum error of 6.7%), mean amplitude, duration, and
      frequency of the spike-bursts; the time of interval between spike-bursts, and the
      percentage of activity; 3) integration of the recorded data with a variable time
      set; and 4) a wave analysis by means of the Fourier algorithm. These methods,
      already used in EMG studies in mammals, are assembled and adapted for its
      application in birds.

PMID- 1409239
TI  - A quantitative chemical study of the comb and wattle galactosaminoglycans from
      single comb White Leghorn roosters.
AB  - Galactosaminoglycans from mature rooster comb and wattle tissues were separated
      into five fractions by ethanol precipitation. An average of 90% total uronic acid
      was recovered in Fractions I to III. Fractions I and II were dermatan sulfate
      with relatively high proportions of L-iduronic acid (61 to 80%), but this uronic
      acid was a minor component (30%) in Fraction III, in which D-glucuronic acid was
      the major uronic acid. Digestion with testicular hyaluronidase suggested that
      most if not all of the galactosaminoglycans in Fractions I to III were copolymers
      containing both L-iduronic acid and D-glucuronic acid. Fractions IV and V
      contained much lower proportions of L-iduronic acid and showed broader
      electrophoresis bands than did Fraction III.

PMID- 1409240
TI  - Research note: age-dependent changes in 3-oxy-methyl-D-glucose and leucine
      intestinal absorption in chickens.
AB  - Intestinal absorption of 3-oxy-methyl-D-glucose (3-OMG) and leucine were studied
      in intestinal slices from fasted 1-, 2-, and 3-wk-old chickens. The intestinal
      segments studied were the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and cecum, with the latter
      divided into proximal and medial regions. There was a decrease in the intestinal
      absorption of 3-OMG and leucine in the duodenal, jejunal, and proximal cecal
      segments with increasing age of the chicken. The medial cecum did not show age
      dependent differences in the uptake of substrates. In the ileum, there was a
      decrease in intestinal absorption of 3-OMG and leucine between Weeks 1 and 2, but
      thereafter the uptake was similar to that of the 2nd wk.

PMID- 1409241
TI  - Research note: eggshell quality in Japanese quail fed different fatty acids.
AB  - The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of diets containing
      3% palmitic acid (Diet PA), oleic acid (Diet OA), or linoleic acid (Diet LA) on
      the shell quality of eggs of Japanese quail. Each diet was fed to 10 hens
      maintained individually in wire quail laying cages. There was no difference (P
      greater than .05) in feed consumption between hens fed Diets OA and LA, but hens
      of both groups consumed less (P less than .05) feed than those fed Diet PA. Egg
      weight, shell weight, and thickness of shell plus membrane were not influenced by
      dietary treatment (P greater than .05). However, specific gravity of eggs from
      hens fed Diet OA was significantly higher (P less than .05) than that of eggs
      from those fed either Diet PA or Diet LA. Comparison of these data with
      hatchability data obtained in a previous experiment conducted under similar
      conditions suggests that the differences in hatchability would not be explained
      by differences in eggshell quality.

PMID- 1409242
TI  - Research note: efficacy of various flavonoids and simple phenolics in prevention
      of nutritional myopathy in the chick.
AB  - A 33-day feeding experiment was conducted with 3-day-old broiler chicks to assess
      the efficacy of various flavonoid and simple phenolic antioxidants in preventing
      nutritional muscular dystrophy (NMD) resulting from vitamin E deficiency. None of
      the flavonoids or simple phenolics at a dietary concentration of 1,000 ppm
      completely prevented NMD but quercetin reduced (P less than .05) its incidence
      and quercetin, morin, and ferulic acid reduced (P less than .05) the severity of
      the disorder. The low-selenium, low-vitamin E diet also promoted the development
      of a mild exudative diathesis (ED) in many of the birds, which was inhibited (P
      less than .05) by the rutin and silymarin treatments, but exacerbated (P less
      than .05) by quercetin, morin, and ferulic acid. Changes in concentrations of
      vitamin E in plasma, liver, or muscle, caused by the various treatments (other
      than vitamin E), were not related to protection against NMD or ED.

PMID- 1409243
TI  - Effects of amiloride on the cardiovascular system: role of Na+/Ca2+ exchange.

PMID- 1409244
TI  - Effects of intranasal neostigmine on oesophageal motility in man.
AB  - The effects of intranasally administered neostigmine on oesophageal peristalsis
      and lower oesophageal sphincter tone were investigated in 21 healthy volunteers.
      After 30 min of basal recording of oesophageal tracings, neostigmine (3 or 5.4
      mg) or the inert vehicle were given. The oesophageal recording was continued for
      45-60 min after administration. Neostigmine increased the amplitude and duration
      of the peristaltic waves without significantly affecting conduction. Lower
      oesophageal sphincter tone was also increased but post-swallowing relaxation was
      normal. At the highest dose, the effects of neostigmine lasted 45 min or more.
      There were no side effects and the heart rate was only slightly slowed. The
      results suggest that intranasal administration of neostigmine might be clinically
      useful for stimulation of upper gastrointestinal tract peristalsis.

PMID- 1409245
TI  - Pteroylpolyglutamate pool modifications in rat liver after chronic administration
      of phenobarbitone and valproate.
AB  - Chronic intraperitoneal administration of low doses of phenobarbitone and
      valproate caused different alterations in hepatic percentage distribution of
      pteroylpolyglutamate derivatives without modification of total folate content.
      Phenobarbitone treatment caused a significant decrease of the percentage content
      of reduced unsubstituted and methylene-substituted derivatives, while valproate
      produced an increase of the percentage content of methenyl-, formyl- and
      formimino-substituted derivatives and a concomitant percent increase of
      hexaglutamates. The modified ratios of various pteroylpolyglutamates, both in
      phenobarbitone- and in valproate-treated animals, probably contribute to
      influencing the partitioning of the one-carbon pool through the various areas of
      one-carbon metabolism.

PMID- 1409246
TI  - Graphical analysis of data from pharmacology experiments.
AB  - Dose-response curves are often used in the study of the interaction of hormones
      and receptors. From these plots, IC50 or EC50 values are calculated. In these
      pharmacological assays it is implicitly assumed that a single receptor
      predominates in a tissue. In this paper the interaction of a ligand with two
      receptors is studied from a theoretical point of view. It is assumed that the
      responses mediated by these receptors are qualitatively or quantitatively
      different. The theoretical direct and Scatchard plots display a high variety of
      shapes depending upon the difference in potency of the effect of the drug acting
      in both receptors and upon the magnitude and sign of the individual response.
      When dose-response curves taken from the literature have been transformed into
      direct or Scatchard plots new information has become available. With respect to
      this, it is shown that agonists of purinergic receptors seem to interact with two
      different populations of receptors. We claim that carefully designed experiments
      must provide valuable information concerning the number of subtypes of receptors
      present in a given system and the kind of response mediated by them.

PMID- 1409247
TI  - Lack of inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase activity by ibuprofen.
AB  - The influence of the anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen on the activity of
      ornithine decarboxylase (ODC, EC 4.1.1.17), the key enzyme of polyamine
      synthesis, was studied using a 20,000 g supernatant of rat testis and
      regenerating liver homogenates as sources of the enzyme. Ibuprofen, in all
      concentrations studied (10(-6) to 2 x 10(-3) M), did not influence either
      testicular or hepatic ODC activity in vitro. The role of ODC in inflammatory
      processes and the lack of ODC inhibition by ibuprofen are discussed in view of
      the controversial findings of other authors.

PMID- 1409248
TI  - Activation of the Langendorff perfused rat heart depolarized by increased
      external potassium concentration.
AB  - Myocardial activation under depolarized conditions was studied in spontaneously
      beating Langendorff perfused hearts from albino rats. Depolarization was obtained
      by increasing external potassium concentration in steps (5.4, 7.4, 10, 10.5, 11
      and 11.5 mM) in the perfusing solution with or without adrenaline (Adr). Left
      ventricle isovolumic systolic pressure and coronary flow did not change as
      external potassium increased, albeit being larger with Adr in the perfusing
      solution. Atrial and ventricular rates decreased, the latter showing a larger
      decline. The same behaviour was displayed by perfused hearts, with higher rates
      being developed by the group with Adr. PR interval and QRS complex duration
      increased as a function of external potassium. PR intervals were the same in both
      groups but QRS duration was larger in the Adr group, indicating that AV
      conduction was not changed in presence of Adr but intraventricular conduction was
      delayed in that situation. It was also observed that in the great majority of
      perfused hearts, differing from isolated preparations, ventricular mechanical
      activity ceased at around 11.5 mM external potassium.

PMID- 1409249
TI  - In vitro activity of sulphimidazole alone and in association with trimethoprim
      against enteric pathogens.
AB  - Sulphimidazole is a new sulphonamide belonging to the class of intestinal
      sulphonamides and characterized by the fact that it is active even in vitro. It
      has the heterocyclic ring of 5-nitroimidazoles on amidic nitrogen. Its
      antibacterial activity is similar to that of the classical sulphonamides but
      differs in that it also combats certain anaerobic bacteria such as Clostridium
      botulinum. This effect is completely absent in the case of sulphadiazine and
      sulphamethoxazole. Also, since p-amino-benzene-sulphonamide is present in the
      molecule, the drug acts in synergism with trimethoprim against certain aerobic or
      facultative strains of enteric pathogens.

PMID- 1409250
TI  - Role of aldehyde dehydrogenase in the biological activity of spermine dialdehyde,
      a novel immunosuppressive/purging agent.
AB  - The antitumour and immunosuppressive activities of spermine dialdehyde (SDA), a
      synthetic, oxidized form of spermine, were examined using L1210 cell lines and
      murine bone marrow cells. SDA acted as a high affinity substrate for aldehyde
      dehydrogenase (ADH) derived from different sources, with kinetic profiles similar
      to other aldehyde substrates. The murine leukaemic, cyclophosphamide-resistant
      L1210/CPA cells, having high levels of intracellular ADH activity, were less
      sensitive to SDA compared to ADH deficient L1210/O cells as measured by [3H]
      thymidine incorporation in proliferation studies. Furthermore, pretreatment of
      L1210/CPA cells with the ADH inhibitor, diethyl aminobenzaldehyde (DEAB),
      resulted in potentiation of the SDA response. Murine bone marrow cells were more
      resistant to SDA than splenic T cells. However, addition of DEAB to bone marrow
      cultures potentiated the sensitivity of progenitor cells to SDA, as measured by
      colony formation. The results indicate that levels of ADH in the target tissues
      would determine the potency of SDA and subsequently offer selectivity and
      specificity to the therapeutic potentials of this putative purging agent.

PMID- 1409251
TI  - Release of atrial natriuretic factor induced by the A1 adenosine receptor agonist
      2-chloro-N6-cyclopentyl-adenosine in the rat.
AB  - The effect of the adenosine receptor agonists, 2-chloro-N6-cyclopentyladenosine
      (CCPA) and 2-hexynyl-adenosine-5'-N-ethylcarboxamide (HENECA) on atrial
      natriuretic factor (ANF) release was investigated. The A1 adenosine receptor
      agonist CCPA markedly increased plasma ANF levels, following subcutaneous (s.c.),
      but not intracerebroventricular injection. ANF release evoked by the s.c.
      injection of CCPA was completely abolished by s.c. pretreatment with the
      selective A1 adenosine receptor antagonist, 1,3-dipropyl-8-cyclopentylxanthine.
      The A2 adenosine receptor agonist HENECA did not produce ANF release. The results
      of the present study suggest that peripheral adenosine mechanisms might be
      involved in the control of ANF secretion, through the activation of A1 adenosine
      receptors. Preliminary results show that CCPA produces ANF release also from
      isolated atria, thus suggesting that its action on ANF release is, at least in
      part, direct, and not only a consequence of cardiovascular modifications.

PMID- 1409252
TI  - Is inotropic therapy for heart failure an unfulfilled promise?

PMID- 1409253
TI  - Purinergic receptors, prostacyclin and atherosclerosis.

PMID- 1409254
TI  - Neuropsychopharmacological study of 2,4-dihydro[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4
      c][1,4]benzothiazine-1-one (IDPH-791).
AB  - The neuropsychopharmacological profile of a new centrally acting skeletal muscle
      relaxant, 2,4-dihydro[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4-c][1,4]benzothiazine-1-one (IDPH-791),
      an analogue of triazolobenzothiazine, has been described and compared to
      mephenesin, a well known centrally-acting muscle relaxant. IDPH-791 was found to
      be safer and of longer duration of action than mephenesin in all the tests
      conducted in this study. Both IDPH-791 and mephenesin caused ataxia, decrease in
      spontaneous activity and inhibition of pinnal reflex. IDPH-791 was 1.5 to 2.0
      times more potent in exhibiting motor inco-ordination and anticonvulsant activity
      than mephenesin in mice and rats. IDPH-791 was twice as active in inhibiting
      various spinal polysynaptic reflexes, crossed extensor, flexor, and
      linguomandibular reflexes; however, both did not affect the typical monosynaptic
      reflex, patellar reflex. IDPH-791 and mephenesin did not have sedative activity.
      Although mephenesin exhibited haemolytic activity, IDPH-791 was devoid of this
      activity. It is concluded that IDPH-791 is a safe and effective centrally-acting
      muscle relaxant having a longer duration of action than mephenesin. IDPH-791 is
      also devoid of sedative and haemolytic activity.

PMID- 1409255
TI  - Cardiotoxicity induced by doxorubicin in vivo: protective activity of the spin
      trap alpha-phenyl-tert-butyl nitrone.
AB  - The role of free radical generation in the development of the acute
      cardiotoxicity induced by doxorubicin (DXR) in the rat and the protective
      activity of anti-radical drugs were investigated in in vivo experiments by
      evaluating the body weight curve, ECG, contractile performance and coronary flow
      up to 10 days after DXR. A lipophilic spin trap (alpha-phenyl-tert-butyl nitrone,
      PBN) was continuously administered at a dose of 0.65 mg/kg every hour for 2 weeks
      by an intraperitoneal osmotic pump. DXR was administered i.v. at a dose of 9
      mg/kg 3 days after beginning the PBN infusion. DXR impaired ECG and body weight
      gain after 3 days (partly reversible at later times), while contractility and
      coronary flow were significantly impaired throughout the experimental time. PBN
      was shown to prevent the DXR-induced alterations of contractility and coronary
      flow, while ECG was non-significantly improved. The body weight curve was not
      affected. Since the dose of PBN used does not produce pharmacological effects,
      the protective activity in rats receiving DXR indicates that free radicals may
      play a causal role in the acute cardiotoxicity in vivo. The use of suitable spin
      traps and administration schedules seems to be an interesting approach for the
      prevention of radical-dependent pathologies.

PMID- 1409256
TI  - A study of the neuronal and non-neuronal stores of dopamine in rat and rabbit
      kidney.
AB  - The present study has examined the effects of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) alone
      and in combination with pargyline, desipramine and GBR 12909 and denervation as
      induced by occlusion of the renal artery (RAO) on the endogenous dopamine (DA)
      and noradrenaline (NA) contents in rat and rabbit renal tissues; the effects of
      chemical denervation on catecholamine levels in the left ventricle were also
      studied. In rat and rabbit renal medulla and rat renal cortex, 6-OHDA and
      pargyline plus 6-OHDA selectively reduced NA (85-92% reduction) without a
      parallel decrease in DA tissue content (19-27% reduction). This 6-OHDA- and
      pargyline plus 6-OHDA-insensitive DA pool was found to be resistant to
      denervation as induced by RAO. The NA-depleting effect of 6-OHDA in these renal
      areas was found to be prevented by the previous administration of desipramine,
      but not with that of GBR 12909. In the rabbit renal cortex, 6-OHDA selectively
      reduced NA (90% reduction) without a parallel depletion of DA (20% reduction);
      previous treatment with pargyline abolished this selectivity. Again, only
      desipramine, but not GBR 12909, was found to prevent the NA and DA depleting
      effect of 6-OHDA in the rabbit renal cortex. Denervation induced by RAO was also
      found to produce a parallel depletion of DA and NA tissue levels in this renal
      area. In the left ventricle, 6-OHDA alone or in combination with pargyline
      produced a parallel depletion of DA and NA tissue levels (79-88% reduction) in
      both species. These results provide evidence against the presence of independent
      dopaminergic neurones in rat and rabbit kidney and suggest that in rat and rabbit
      renal medulla and rat renal cortex most of DA is stored in a non-neuronal
      compartment; in rabbit renal cortex some of the DA appears to be located in
      noradrenergic neurones, in a store different from that which contains NA.

PMID- 1409257
TI  - Splanchnic haemodynamic effects of ketanserin in anaesthetized cirrhotic rats.
AB  - The effects of ketanserin, atenolol and their association on portal vein pressure
      (PVP), portal and caval bile acid concentrations (PBA and CBA), and extraction
      ratio of bile acids (ER) after oral loading with chenodeoxycholic acid were
      investigated in anaesthetized cirrhotic rats. PVP was significantly reduced by
      ketanserin and by the association ketanserin plus atenolol; PBA was significantly
      decreased in all the treated groups, whereas the reduction of CBA was significant
      only in the rats treated with ketanserin and atenolol alone. ER was increased by
      atenolol and ketanserin, but it was not modified by their association. Moreover,
      a significant correlation was observed between PBA and CBA and between PVP and
      ER. These results suggest that, in anaesthetized cirrhotic rats, ketanserin
      reduces PVP probably through more complex mechanisms than the simple indirect
      reduction of portal flow, and that the association of ketanserin plus atenolol
      has no additive effect in reducing PVP.

PMID- 1409258
TI  - The effects of S(-) and R(+) sulpiride, metoclopramide, cisapride and domperidone
      on the small intestine suggest DA2-receptors are involved in the control of small
      intestinal transit time in rats.
AB  - To study the effect of intraperitoneal S(-)sulpiride (1-15 mg/kg), R(+)sulpiride
      (5-10 mg/kg), metoclopramide (1-15 mg/kg), cisapride (10 mg/kg) and domperidone
      (5-10 mg/kg) on intestinal progression, rats were given the test drug followed by
      oral lactulose. Their hydrogen excretion was used to calculate the small bowel
      transit time (SBTT) and maximum peak time (MPT). Metoclopramide (7.5 mg/kg) had
      the greatest effect on SBTT (-25%), followed by S(-)sulpiride and domperidone. S(
      )sulpiride (10 mg/kg) had the greatest activity on the MPT (-35.2%) followed by
      metoclopramide. R(+)sulpiride and cisapride did not modify SBTT and MPT. In
      conclusion S(-)sulpiride is the isomer active on intestinal transit and DA2
      receptors seem important targets in the modulation of intestinal progression,
      since S(-)sulpiride, metoclopramide and domperidone are DA2-receptor antagonists,
      and R(+)sulpiride and cisapride are not. The H2 breath test proved a valid method
      for measuring the effect of drugs on the small intestine in animals.

PMID- 1409259
TI  - Non-serotonergic 3H-ketanserin binding sites in human platelets: characteristics
      and interaction with calcium antagonists.
AB  - Here we report the identification of binding sites for 3H-ketanserin in human
      platelet membranes. At 4 degrees C, 3H-ketanserin binding is saturable (Bmax =
      0.58 pmol/mg protein), rapid (equilibrium being attained within 20 min) and
      reversible. The kinetics of the association and dissociation curves are
      consistent with the existence of a single class of binding sites, as confirmed
      also by computer-assisted analysis of the saturation curve. Specific binding is
      increased by Ca2+ and Mg2+. 3H-ketanserin binding is inhibited by serotonin (Ki =
      48.5 microM), unlabeled ketanserin (Ki = 3-15 nM), as well as by another
      antiserotonergic drug, methysergide (Ki = 32.6 microM). However, other selective
      5-HT2 ligands, such as ritanserin, spiperone and cyproheptadine fail to interact
      with 3H-ketanserin binding. On the contrary, tetrabenzine, a monoamine depleting
      agent, when preincubated at 30 degrees C, did inhibit the specific binding
      completely. 3H-ketanserin specific binding is inhibited in a dose-dependent
      fashion by some calcium blocking agents, with different potencies: verapamil (Ki
      = 2.25 microM), diltiazem (Ki = 139 microM) and SIM6080, a new Ca(2+)-antagonist
      related to the phenylalkylamines (Ki = 5.22 microM). Flunarizine inhibited 3H
      ketanserin specific binding only at relatively high concentrations (IC50 greater
      than 100 microM), while nitrendipine did not show any inhibitory effect up to 20
      microM. The present evidence indicates that all the sites labeled by 3H
      ketanserin at 4 degrees C might be coincident with the monoamino transporter
      identified in other systems, and that they might play a role in the modulation of
      platelet aggregation exerted by some calcium blocking agents.

PMID- 1409260
TI  - Vigabatrin does not affect the intestinal absorption of phenytoin in rat duodeno
      jejunal loops in situ.
AB  - The antiepileptic drug vigabatrin (GVG) is known to decrease significantly the
      serum concentration of concurrently administered phenytoin (PHT) in epileptic
      patients. To assess a possible mechanism for this interaction, the effect of GVG
      on the intestinal absorption of PHT was investigated by means of circulation
      experiments in an in situ rat duodeno-jejunal loop. GVG did not affect the rate
      of disappearance of PHT from the loop perfusing medium, providing evidence
      against occurrence of GVG-induced impairment of PHT absorption.

PMID- 1409261
TI  - Introduction to immunopharmacology.

PMID- 1409262
TI  - Histocompatibility and clinical transplantation.

PMID- 1409264
TI  - Immunotherapy of cancer with interleukin-2 and lymphocytes (LAK or TIL).

PMID- 1409263
TI  - Combinations of biological response modifiers: rationale and clinical responses.

PMID- 1409265
TI  - Antagonistic effect of IL-2 on DTIC-induced impairment of tumor-specific cell
      mediated immunity in vitro.

PMID- 1409266
TI  - Immunomodulating therapy in autoimmune diseases.

PMID- 1409267
TI  - Immunotherapy of type I diabetes: rationale, results and prospects.

PMID- 1409268
TI  - Immunomodulating treatment in primary glomerulonephritides.

PMID- 1409269
TI  - Reliability of in vitro models for studies on immune functions by normal and
      immunomodulated phagocytes.

PMID- 1409270
TI  - Eicosanoids in allergic reactions: quantitative determination by enzyme
      immunoassay.

PMID- 1409271
TI  - Requirement of interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6 and ICAM-1 for T cell activation
      by human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

PMID- 1409272
TI  - Cyclosporin A and dipyridamole: an effective combination against the generation
      of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL).

PMID- 1409273
TI  - Molecular weight-related antigenicity of peptides contained in cow's milk protein
      hydrolysates.

PMID- 1409274
TI  - Therapeutical effect of 4'-deoxy-4'-iododoxorubicin-loaded LAK cells in mice
      bearing lung metastases.

PMID- 1409275
TI  - In vitro activity of pharmacological compounds carried by lipidic microparticles.

PMID- 1409276
TI  - UN-1, a murine monoclonal antibody recognizing a human thymocyte undescribed
      antigen.
AB  - A monoclonal antibody (MoAb), UN-1, specific for a human thymocyte cell surface
      antigen was produced. The same MoAb recognized in immunofluorescence also cells
      of the human T line HPB-ALL, while did not bind human peripheral blood cells and
      cells of some T, B and myeloid lines. Western blotting analysis of thymocyte
      membranes with MoAb UN-1 revealed a structure with a molecular weight of 150 kDa.
      Therefore both the pattern of expression and the size of the antigen recognized
      by MoAb UN-1 did not correspond to any previously described cell surface
      molecule.

PMID- 1409277
TI  - Perspectives of measles, rubella and mumps eradication.

PMID- 1409278
TI  - Vaccines for the future.

PMID- 1409279
TI  - Analysis of the physical association between CD38 and functional molecules
      expressed by human lymphocytes.

PMID- 1409280
TI  - CD69 activation molecule: requirements for its expression on T cells.

PMID- 1409281
TI  - Activation of rat T cells in vitro and in vivo with a bispecific (anti-TCR x anti
      CD2) F(ab')2 derivative.

PMID- 1409282
TI  - Host-vs-graft and graft-vs-host reactivity and immune reconstitution after T
      depleted allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

PMID- 1409284
TI  - Mode of interaction between a monoclonal antibody and human TNF alpha.

PMID- 1409283
TI  - Increase in the therapeutic effect of doxorubicin induced by monoclonal
      antibodies raised against this drug.

PMID- 1409285
TI  - Induction of anti-tumor immune response by bispecific monoclonal antibodies
      (bimAbs).

PMID- 1409286
TI  - Replacement therapy in hereditary and acquired angioedema.

PMID- 1409287
TI  - Role of TNF-alpha and therapeutic perspectives in bowel and myocardial
      ischemia/reperfusion injury.

PMID- 1409288
TI  - Lymphocytes-granulocytes interactions as model for the evaluation of
      immunomodulating drugs.

PMID- 1409289
TI  - Immunopharmacology of Pidotimod: effect on natural killer cell activity and
      thymocyte cell death.

PMID- 1409290
TI  - May children with recurrent respiratory infections be a test bed of
      immunomodulators?

PMID- 1409292
TI  - Influence of acute stress on function of polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

PMID- 1409291
TI  - Heart and heart-lung transplantation: the present situation.

PMID- 1409293
TI  - Protective effects of endotoxin tolerance in tumor bearing rats.

PMID- 1409294
TI  - Effects of beta-casomorphins and met-enkephalin on human natural killer activity.

PMID- 1409295
TI  - Nitric oxide (NO) mediates antidipsogenic action of Escherichia coli endotoxin
      (LPS) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) in the rat.

PMID- 1409296
TI  - Evaluation of the kinetics of the immunomodulating activity of Pidotimod on human
      neutrophils.

PMID- 1409297
TI  - An HPLC method for the simultaneous analysis of urinary neopterin and kynurenine.

PMID- 1409298
TI  - Ex vivo evaluation of Pidotimod effect on immune response.

PMID- 1409299
TI  - The cyclosporin related toxicity in high risk liver transplant patients.

PMID- 1409300
TI  - FCM detection of lymphocytic beta-endorphin in cancer patients during
      hospitalization and after in vitro culture with IL2.

PMID- 1409301
TI  - Detection of lymphocytic beta-endorphin by flow cytometry.

PMID- 1409302
TI  - PMA-mediated inhibition of IL-2-driven differentiation of NK cell.

PMID- 1409304
TI  - Activity of the new immunostimulant PGT/1A against experimental bacterial
      infections.

PMID- 1409303
TI  - Immune recognition of drug-induced tumor antigens: a study with a nonimmunogenic,
      revertant clone.

PMID- 1409305
TI  - Inhibition of CTL-line lysis after gangliosides treatment.

PMID- 1409306
TI  - Structure-function analysis of human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating
      factor using synthetic peptides and antibodies.

PMID- 1409307
TI  - Impairment of cytolytic and proliferative responsiveness of peripheral blood
      mononuclear cells from cluster headache patients to IL-2.

PMID- 1409308
TI  - Effect of Pidotimod, a new immunostimulating agent, on some aspects of immune
      response. In vitro study.

PMID- 1409309
TI  - Evaluation of immunomodulating effects of inhaled bacterial polyribosomal
      Klebsiella pneumoniae proteoglycans complex on bronchoalveolar immune system in
      chronic bronchitis.

PMID- 1409310
TI  - Role of immune and/or natural factors of resistance of the host to tumor
      progression on the effectiveness of antitumor treatment.

PMID- 1409311
TI  - Immunoregulatory role of different T cell subsets in murine candidiasis.

PMID- 1409312
TI  - Effects of gamma interferon on a B16 melanoma cell line and its doxorubicin
      resistant variant.

PMID- 1409313
TI  - Molecular and genomic aspects of xenogenizing-alkylating drugs.

PMID- 1409314
TI  - Glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis of natural killer cells and cytotoxic T
      lymphocytes.

PMID- 1409315
TI  - Mechanism of the protective action of interleukin-1 in the experimental gastric
      damage in the rat.

PMID- 1409316
TI  - Genetic of drug induced immunopathologies.

PMID- 1409317
TI  - Interference of prolactin on some processes of nonspecific immunity.

PMID- 1409318
TI  - Effect of melatonin on the immune system.

PMID- 1409319
TI  - Role of 5-HT2 receptor subtypes in mediating adenosine-induced airway
      contraction.

PMID- 1409320
TI  - Neuropeptide-leukocyte interactions: examples of pharmacological modulation.

PMID- 1409321
TI  - Inhibition of eicosanoid formation and lipocortin induction by glucocorticoids in
      human cell lines and in patients with inflammatory lung disease.

PMID- 1409322
TI  - Specific immunotherapy: clinical efficacy and mechanisms of action.

PMID- 1409323
TI  - From exogenous cytokines to gene therapy: cytokine activated tumor inhibition.

PMID- 1409324
TI  - Glucocorticoid-induced DNA fragmentation: role of protein-kinase-C activity.
AB  - Glucocorticoid hormones (GCH) and IL-2 induce apoptotic cell death by a PKC
      dependent mechanism. IL-4 counteracts apoptosis by inhibiting PKC activity. GCH
      and IL-2 show antagonistic effects on apoptosis when administered together. These
      data indicate that PKC activation in response to different stimuli can both
      enhance or reduce thymocyte survival.

PMID- 1409325
TI  - Interleukin-2 and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: clinical and
      pathological studies.

PMID- 1409326
TI  - Soluble and cell-associated IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) after local immunotherapy with
      recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2).

PMID- 1409327
TI  - Regional application of cytokines: experience with various clinical protocols.

PMID- 1409328
TI  - The thymic hormones in the treatment of immune deficiency related to HIV
      infection.

PMID- 1409329
TI  - Immune response to gp120 of HIV: antibody spectrotype and inhibitory activity on
      T cell functions.

PMID- 1409330
TI  - Comparative behavioural, pyrogenic and electrocortical effects of tumor necrosis
      factor-alpha and interleukin 1 beta in rat.

PMID- 1409331
TI  - O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase activity in blasts obtained from patients
      with myelogenous or lymphocytic leukemia.

PMID- 1409332
TI  - Haemopoietic growth factors in oncology.

PMID- 1409333
TI  - Interleukin 2 in the management of hematologic malignancies.

PMID- 1409334
TI  - Secondary immunodeficiency in lymphoproliferative disorders.

PMID- 1409335
TI  - Secondary immunodeficiencies in surgical patients.

PMID- 1409336
TI  - Drug-induced immunodeficiencies.

PMID- 1409337
TI  - Immune-modulating drugs and infections in the elderly.

PMID- 1409339
TI  - ? + ? = creativity.

PMID- 1409338
TI  - Existence of a natural killer (NK) cell repertoire for (allo)antigen recognition:
      definition of five distinct NK-determined allospecificities in humans.

PMID- 1409340
TI  - The relationship of ideology to developing community health nursing theory.
AB  - Ideology plays a major role in developing theory, guiding education, and
      directing practice in nursing. This study investigated the opinions of community
      health nurse educators regarding specific elements of community health nursing
      ideology and its relationship to the educators' opinions about the
      appropriateness of existing theory for professional use. The majority of
      participants agreed that a specific set of beliefs can be called a community
      health nursing ideology. Covariant factor analysis indicated that it is not a
      undimensional, internally consistent single set of beliefs or values, but rather
      is a set of two types of values, one focusing on the individual and the other on
      society. Individually oriented beliefs were positively related to satisfaction
      with existing theory. Socially oriented beliefs were negatively related to
      satisfaction with existing theory, but the relationship was not statistically
      significant. Anyone engaged in developing community health nursing theory would
      do well to consider which ideologic model is undergirding the process.

PMID- 1409341
TI  - Toward redefining public health nursing in Canada: challenges for education.
AB  - Faced with a recent shift from a hospital-based to a community-based health care
      system, Canadian public health nurses are being challenged to redefine their
      roles. To empower these nurses to respond effectively, it is imperative that the
      profession be reclarified as a specialty with a distinct philosophy and mission.
      Nursing education is key to facilitate this process, and public health nursing
      educators must lead the way. Certain barriers hinder the response of public
      health nursing education, and four areas are suggested in which efforts to
      advance public health nursing may be best directed.

PMID- 1409343
TI  - Secondary data on health-related subjects: major sources, uses, and limitations.
AB  - Although secondary data are generally neglected by nurses, they are useful for
      nurse researchers, practitioners, educators, administrators, and policy makers.
      Major sources of data on health-related subjects are medical records,
      administrative records, the census, vital statistics, surveys of the National
      Center for Health Statistics, social science archives, and nursing archives, each
      with its specific uses and limitations.

PMID- 1409342
TI  - Health maintenance, health promotion: is there a difference?
AB  - Nurses in community settings are seeing more health care consumers who are
      medically stable and who are asking for assistance in areas such as exercise,
      stress reduction, nutrition, and illness and accident prevention. These requests
      can be characterized as concerns of health maintenance or health promotion. Two
      nursing diagnoses, altered health maintenance and health-seeking behaviors
      (specify), enable the practitioner to address these concerns in clinically useful
      ways. Through case studies and comparative tables, the differences between these
      two diagnoses is clarified to enable nurses to identify, treat, and evaluate
      efforts made to enhance health-oriented behaviors.

PMID- 1409344
TI  - Adaptation themes for prenatal care delivered by public health nurses.
AB  - An adaptation process involving three cognitive themes provides the framework for
      community nursing model for prenatal care on the island of Hawaii. The themes are
      based on the cognitive adaptation model developed by Taylor (1983) and include
      search for meaning, sense of mastery, and self-esteem. Each theme is used to
      guide public health nurses and is identified during designated encounters between
      the nurse and woman throughout the duration of prenatal care. A focus on
      adaptation themes for each trimester of pregnancy expands on the medical model of
      prenatal care to highlight developmental processes of childbearing and broaden
      the scope of practice for public health nurses responsible for assessment and
      intervention in the community.

PMID- 1409345
TI  - Maternal time and the care of disabled children.
AB  - Caring for disabled children has become increasingly the responsibility of
      parents, even when the medical care is complex. To assess the time commitment
      required, 133 mothers of disabled children were asked to estimate by specific
      task categories the extra time required to care for the children. Total average
      daily care time was reported at 12 hours and 6 minutes, with 6 hours and 30
      minutes consumed in "vigilant" tasks (i.e., watching a child who cannot be left
      alone and/or providing emotional support). Multiple regression analysis showed an
      increase in total caregiving hours associated with a younger child who was more
      physically and mentally impaired, and who required more medical treatments. The
      amount of time required by parents to care for their chronically ill children of
      necessity results in lost opportunities. Because this burden is experienced
      primarily by women and because professional nurses could alleviate some of the
      burden, this issue deserves further study.

PMID- 1409346
TI  - Homelessness as a determinant of health.
AB  - The homeless population in the United States is variously estimated at between
      350,000 and 2.5 million. Families and children are among the fastest-growing
      segments of this population. A combination of social and economic changes
      occurring nationally have contributed to this phenomenon. Conditions associated
      with homelessness have a profound effect on the individual's ability to maintain
      health, to have access to treatment, and to recuperate. Several health problems
      are specific to the homeless, and have implications for public health
      practitioners.

PMID- 1409347
TI  - Registered nurses' perceptions of their communication with Spanish-speaking
      migrant farmworkers in North Carolina: an exploratory study.
AB  - Communication forms the foundation for all that nurses do. Recently, nurses
      working with migrant farmworkers have become challenged as the language of this
      population has become predominantly Spanish. To explore how nurses in North
      Carolina are managing communication issues, 55 nurses at 12 state health care
      agencies that serve migrant farmworkers was surveyed. Data were collected to
      determine what nurses believed about various communication issues involving these
      Spanish-speaking clients, including how they were presently communicating with
      them, in what areas of nursing functions they believed communication barriers
      were problematic, what they were doing to improve their communication, and what
      they envisioned the potential solutions were concerning communication barriers.
      Language differences proved to be substantial barriers to adequate nursing care
      for these individuals. Nurses cited many problems and said that they were
      receiving little assistance from their agencies to improve direct communication
      with the clients. Responses indicated a need for and a willingness by nurses to
      focus on improving communication with Spanish-speaking clients. Classes held at
      their agencies were seen as the most effective way of learning Spanish.

PMID- 1409348
TI  - How elderly women cope: concerns and strategies.
AB  - Forty-two elderly women were asked to describe the problems they faced with
      aging, and how they coped with both real-life and hypothetical problems in seven
      areas. Content analysis indicated that their spontaneously reported ongoing
      strategies were consistent with current theoretical formulations, the strategies
      differed by area of concern and for real-life versus hypothetical problems, and
      direct action strategies were related to lower levels of psychologic distress.
      These results have implications for nursing research and practice.

PMID- 1409349
TI  - Approaching the media with confidence.
AB  - The media are useful in communicating health information to the public. They are
      also a powerful way to promote and maintain positive nursing images. This paper
      examines the past portrayals of nurses in the media, explores the benefits of
      communicating nursing knowledge to the profession and to the community, and
      suggests strategies to access the media.

PMID- 1409350
TI  - American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, 1992 annual meeting and
      exposition. San Antonio, Texas, November 15-19, 1992. Abstracts.

PMID- 1409351
TI  - Chemical stability of insulin. 1. Hydrolytic degradation during storage of
      pharmaceutical preparations.
AB  - Hydrolysis of insulin has been studied during storage of various preparations at
      different temperatures. Insulin deteriorates rapidly in acid solutions due to
      extensive deamidation at residue AsnA21. In neutral formulations deamidation
      takes place at residue AsnB3 at a substantially reduced rate under formation of a
      mixture of isoAsp and Asp derivatives. The rate of hydrolysis at B3 is
      independent of the strength of the preparation, and in most cases the species of
      insulin, but varies with storage temperature and formulation. Total
      transformation at B3 is considerably reduced when insulin is in the crystalline
      as compared to the amorphous or soluble state, indicating that formation of the
      rate-limiting cyclic imide decreases when the flexibility of the tertiary
      structure is reduced. Neutral solutions containing phenol showed reduced
      deamidation probably because of a stabilizing effect of phenol on the tertiary
      structure (alpha-helix formation) around the deamidating residue, resulting in a
      reduced probability for formation of the intermediate imide. The ratio of
      isoAsp/Asp derivative was independent of time and temperature, suggesting a
      pathway involving only intermediate imide formation, without any direct side
      chain hydrolysis. However, increasing formation of Asp relative to isoAsp
      derivative was observed with decreasing flexibility of the insulin three
      dimensional structure in the formulation. In certain crystalline suspensions a
      cleavage of the peptide bond A8-A9 was observed. Formation of this split product
      is species dependent: bovine greater than porcine greater than human insulin. The
      hydrolytic cleavage of the peptide backbone takes place only in preparations
      containing rhombohedral crystals in addition to free zinc ions.

PMID- 1409352
TI  - Chemical stability of insulin. 2. Formation of higher molecular weight
      transformation products during storage of pharmaceutical preparations.
AB  - Formation of covalent, higher molecular weight transformation (HMWT) products
      during storage of insulin preparations at 4-45 degrees C was studied by size
      exclusion chromatography. The main products are covalent insulin dimers (CID),
      but in protamine-containing preparations the concurrent formation of covalent
      insulin-protamine (CIP) products takes place. At temperatures greater than or
      equal to 25 degrees C parallel or consecutive formation of covalent oligo- and
      polymers can also be observed. Rate of HMWT is only slightly influenced by
      species of insulin but varies with composition and formulation, and for isophane
      (NPH) preparations, also with the strength of preparation. Temperature has a
      pronounced effect on CID, CIP, and, especially, covalent oligo- and polymer
      formation. The CIDs are apparently formed between molecules within the hexameric
      unit common for all types of preparations and rate of formation is generally
      faster in glycerol-containing preparations. Compared with insulin hydrolysis
      reactions (see the preceding paper), HMWT is one order of magnitude slower,
      except for NPH preparations.

PMID- 1409353
TI  - Derivatives of 4-(2-N,N-di-n-propylaminoethyl)-5-hydroxyindole: synthesis and
      pharmacological effects.
AB  - 5-Methoxy-1-methyl-4-(2-N,N-di-n-propylaminoethyl)indole (12) was synthesized
      from 5-hydroxyindole by a multistep synthesis. This target compound was designed
      as a bioisostere of "p-dimethoxy" catechol congeners of dopaminergic agonists
      derived from a variety of ring systems, in some of which p-dimethoxy-substituted
      systems are potent, active dopaminergic agonists. To complete the indole series,
      all possible combinations of N- and O-demethylated derivatives of 12 were
      prepared and were also evaluated pharmacologically. All members of this indole
      derived series showed a low order of cardiovascular activity, which appeared to
      be independent of dopamine receptors. The lack of dopaminergic activity of 12 is
      cited as yet another example of the unpredictable effect of replacement of the
      catechol moiety of a dopaminergic agonist with a p-dimethoxy moiety.

PMID- 1409354
TI  - Structural modification study of anthracyclinones: synthesis and biological
      activity of several derivatives of eta-pyrromycinone.
AB  - On the basis of the N-O-O triangular pharmacophore hypothesis postulated earlier
      in our laboratory, selected side chains with or without the nitrogen atom at the
      strategic position were incorporated to eta-pyrromycinone, one of the
      anthracyclinones derived from the antibiotic cinerubins. Since none of the
      anthracyclinones (the aglycones of anthracyclines) were reported to have
      antineoplastic activity, the validity of the proposed hypothesis could be tested.
      Results indicated that a compound designed in this manner, 1,4-bis[2-(2,2
      dimethyloxazolidin-3-yl)ethylamino]-1,4-didehydr oxy-eta- pyrromycinone (9c)
      possessed both in vitro and in vivo antineoplastic activity comparable to that of
      mitoxantrone. The structure-activity relationship of this class of compounds is
      discussed.

PMID- 1409355
TI  - Improved delivery through biological membranes. XLV. Synthesis, physical-chemical
      evaluation, and brain uptake studies of 2-chloroethyl nitrosourea delivery
      systems.
AB  - The dihydropyridine in equilibrium with pyridinium redox chemical delivery system
      (CDS) was supplied to two 2-chloroethylnitrosoureas, i.e., HECNU and CCNUOH, and
      the physicochemical properties of the delivery systems were studied to assess
      their potential as improved delivery forms to the CNS. Detailed physicochemical
      evaluation and brain uptake studies were performed on one of the delivery systems
      (CCNUOH-CDS) derived from trans-4-hydroxy-CCNU, an active metabolite of CCNU. Two
      aqueous-based formulations derived from hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP beta
      CD) and Tween 80:ethanol:water system were developed for CCNUOH-CDS to overcome
      the poor aqueous solubility conferred upon it by its high lipophilicity. The
      formulations enabled a 200- to 400-fold improvement in the water solubility of
      CCNUOH-CDS. Dose- and vehicle-dependent comparative tissue distribution studies
      in rats indicated improved brain-to-organ ratios of the delivery system at lower
      doses.

PMID- 1409356
TI  - Parenteral formulation of the kappa agonist analgesic, DuP 747, via micellar
      solubilization.
AB  - The nonopioid kappa agonist analgesic amine, DuP 747, as a hydrochloride salt
      exhibited an aqueous solubility of 3 mg/ml. This solubility was insufficient to
      provide the desired dose in a solution formulation for intramuscular
      administration. Aqueous solutions of the hydrochloride salt exerted surface
      activity behavior; however, the critical micellar concentration (CMC) was not
      reached at the saturation solubility. Enhanced aqueous solubility required to
      reach the CMC could lead to micellization of the compound and a possible i.m.
      solution formula. The methanesulfonate salt was more water soluble than the
      hydrochloride salt and yielded a micellar solution with a concentration of 60
      mg/ml.

PMID- 1409357
TI  - Acceleration of heat transfer in vial freeze-drying of pharmaceuticals. II. A
      fluid cushion device.
AB  - A simple device for the improvement of freeze-drying efficiency is described. The
      device is an aluminum foil bag which contains a small amount of glycerin. The
      device can be either reusable or disposable. When placed on a freeze-drying tray
      the liquid is about 1 mm thick. When vials are placed on the device it conforms
      to the shape of the vial bottoms. Since both the aluminum foil and the glycerin
      are better heat conductors than a vacuum, the device improves heat transfer from
      the shelf to the vial. Drying times obtained with and without the device are
      compared for different sizes as well as different types of vials. In most cases
      the use of the device reduces the drying time by nearly a factor of two. The use
      of the device also increases vial-to-vial uniformity and minimizes the effect of
      spillage.

PMID- 1409358
TI  - Microencapsulation of solid dispersions: release of griseofulvin from
      griseofulvin:phospholipid coprecipitates in microspheres.
AB  - The preparation, characteristics, and behavior of microspheres of poly(L-lactic
      acid) (PLA) containing griseofulvin (Gris) or Gris:phospholipid coprecipitates
      are described. Microspheres were spherical and increased in size from 17 microns
      (empty) to 30 microns, containing 22% Gris. The release of coprecipitated Gris
      after 60 min from 146,000 MW PLA microspheres in pH 2.0 buffer at 37 degrees C
      was twofold greater than that from microspheres containing pure Gris. Also, the
      release profile from pure Gris microspheres was 25% lower than its dissolution
      profile, whereas the dissolution and microspheres of Gris coprecipitate suspended
      in PEG 600 in hard gelatin capsules for 1 week released Gris at levels comparable
      to the dissolution of coprecipitate. Decreasing the MW of PLA substantially
      increased the release of Gris from microspheres of coprecipitate after 20 min but
      insignificantly from microspheres of pure Gris. These findings suggest that
      microsphere formulation offers some new opportunities in the development of solid
      dispersions which normally encounter processing difficulties.

PMID- 1409359
TI  - The pharmacokinetics of pulmonary-delivered insulin: a comparison of
      intratracheal and aerosol administration to the rabbit.
AB  - The pulmonary deposition and pharmacokinetics of insulin, administered via an
      endotracheal tube as an aerosol and instillate, in formulations containing either
      113mIn-DTPA or 99mTc-DTPA (for gamma scintigraphic imaging) have been studied in
      four male New Zealand White rabbits. Using a randomized crossover design, the
      pharmacokinetics of intravenous insulin were also characterized. Recovery of
      immunoreactive insulin after nebulization was greater than 90%, indicating that
      the aerosolisation procedure did not cause appreciable insulin degradation. Gamma
      scintigraphy demonstrated that the penetration index (peripheral:central
      deposition) for the aerosolized formulation (1.52) was much greater than that for
      the instillate (0.32). Gamma scintigraphy also allowed exact quantification of
      the dose deposited after aerosol administration and thus permitted accurate
      determination of bioavailabilities. The bioavailable fraction for aerosolized
      insulin was 10-fold greater than for instilled insulin (57.2 vs 5.6%).
      Mucociliary clearance was likely to be greater for the instillate since it showed
      a preferential central deposition; this may account for the lower
      bioavailability. Insulin pharmacokinetics from both pulmonary formulations were
      absorption rate limited, resulting in postpeak half-lives which were
      approximately 20-fold greater than the intravenous elimination half-life (3 min).
      The apparent absorption rate constants resulting from instillation and
      aerosolisation were statistically equivalent (0.015 and 0.011 min-1,
      respectively). Mucociliary clearance of insulin would result in an overestimation
      of the true absorption rate constant; hence if mucociliary transport were greater
      for the instillate, then the true airways to blood transfer rate constant will be
      higher for the aerosolized formulation.

PMID- 1409360
TI  - Immobilization of active urokinase on albumin microspheres: use of a chemical
      dehydrant and process monitoring.
AB  - A method of immobilizing urokinase on albumin microspheres has been developed.
      Laser scattering, which was used to follow particle size from the initial
      emulsification stage to the final aqueous resuspension of the microsphere stage,
      showed that particle coalescence and crosslinking were critical parameters in
      manufacturing the microspheres. Chemical dehydration with 2,2-dimethoxypropane
      was used to convert an albumin emulsion into an albumin suspension and to reduce
      coalescence. An optimal amount of dehydrant produced 0.3-micron particles which
      resisted a 50 degrees C temperature challenge. Since oil/glutaraldehyde emulsion
      resulted in large particles with no urokinase activity, the cross-linking
      concentration of glutaraldehyde was reduced by solubilizing 25% (w/v)
      glutaraldehyde in the oil phase with n-propanol. A concentration of 0.015% (v/v)
      glutaraldehyde effectively immobilized urokinase and stabilized albumin
      microspheres. Amidolytic activity using the specific chromogenic substrate for
      urokinase, S-2444, showed that enzyme activity could be retained during this
      glutaraldehyde cross-linking.

PMID- 1409361
TI  - Macrophage activation by polymeric nanoparticles of polyalkylcyanoacrylates:
      activity against intracellular Leishmania donovani associated with hydrogen
      peroxide production.
AB  - Nanoparticles of polyalkylcyanoacrylates (PACA) can be useful carrier for the
      targeting of antileishmanial drugs into macrophages and also possess significant
      antileishmanial activity by themselves. No significant difference in
      antileishmanial activity could be detected between nanoparticles of five PACAs
      with differing alkyl side chains, suggesting that the main degradation products
      of PACA are not involved in their antileishmanial action. The effect of
      polyisohexylcyanoacrylate (PIHCA) on the induction of the respiratory burst in a
      macrophage-like cell line (J774G8) was assessed in non-infected macrophages and
      in macrophages infected with amastigotes of Leishmania donovani infantum, by
      measuring nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction and hydrogen peroxide production.
      Phagocytosis of PIHCA nanoparticles led to a respiratory burst, which was more
      pronounced in infected than in uninfected macrophages. The production of reactive
      oxygen intermediates associated with the respiratory burst was inhibited by
      addition of superoxide dismutase and catalase to the cell suspensions. The
      addition of catalase to the culture medium together with PIHCA nanoparticles
      significantly reduced the antileishmanial activity of PIHCA. Moreover PIHCA
      nanoparticles did not induce interleukin-1 release by macrophages. It is
      suggested that the antileishmanial action of PIHCA and other PACA nanoparticles
      results from the activation of respiratory burst in macrophages.

PMID- 1409362
TI  - The mobile order theory versus UNIFAC and regular solution theory-derived models
      for predicting the solubility of solid substances.
AB  - The theory of mobile order of Huyskens is tested against the UNIFAC model, the
      regular solution model, and the extended Hildebrand or Hansen solubility
      approaches in predicting the solubility of naphthalene in both polar and nonpolar
      solvents at 40 degrees C. While all models correctly predict the solubility in
      nonpolar and moderately polar solvents, a substantial improvement is achieved by
      Huyskens' model, particularly in alcohols. This improvement originates from the
      correct description of the entropy effects as well as of the hydrophobic effects
      in the particular case of the alcohols. The model necessitates the knowledge of
      only one parameter not known a priori, i.e., the naphthalene modified nonspecific
      solubility parameter, the value of which is deduced from its solubility in
      hexane.

PMID- 1409363
TI  - Cholesterol (thermodynamic) activity determinations in bile salt-lecithin
      cholesterol systems and cholesterol-rich liquid crystalline mesophase formation.
AB  - Previous in vitro studies have shown that tauroursodeoxycholate (TUDC)-lecithin
      (L) micellar solutions solubilize cholesterol (Ch) poorly compared to its 7 alpha
      epimer, taurochenodeoxycholate (TCDC). However, in clinical studies
      ursodeoxycholic acid (UDC) has been found to be as effective as chenodeoxycholic
      acid (CDC) in Ch gallstone dissolution, and it has been suggested that, during
      UDC therapy, liquid crystalline mesophase formation may be involved in enhancing
      micellar Ch dissolution and dispersion. The purpose of the present study was to
      investigate whether measurements of the Ch thermodynamic activity (A(T) would
      provide new insights into the problem of Ch solubilization and mesophase
      formation in bile salt-lecithin-Ch systems. Using the silicone polymer uptake
      method developed in this laboratory, A(T) was measured as a function of Ch
      concentration in the TUDC-L-Ch and TCDC-L-Ch model bile systems. In the TCDC
      systems Henry's law was obeyed almost up to unit activity (i.e., A(T) was
      proportional to Ch concentration almost up to A(T) = 1.0). However, in many of
      the TUDC-containing systems negative deviations from Henry's law were observed
      well below unit activity and these systems became visibly turbid before
      saturation with respect to cholesterol monohydrate (ChM) was reached. The effects
      of varying the TCDC/TUDC ratio upon the A(T) behavior were also studied. With
      increasing TCDC/TUDC ratio, the onset of mesophase formation was shifted to
      higher A(T) values. A(T) measurements were also conducted in BS-L-Ch mixtures
      simulating biles of patients undergoing UDC therapy. The results obtained suggest
      that mesophase formation may not always occur in biles of patients undergoing UDC
      therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409364
TI  - Plasma concentration clamping in the rat using a computer-controlled infusion
      pump.
AB  - We have developed a computer-controlled infusion pump to achieve rapidly and then
      maintain stable plasma thiopental concentrations in rats. Initially we derived
      the parameters of a triexponential pharmacokinetic model for thiopental,
      administered as a brief infusion to 10 rats, using nonlinear regression and
      standard pharmacokinetic equations. These parameters were incorporated into the
      pharmacokinetic model of a computer-controlled infusion pump. In a second group
      of animals this device was used to maintain three consecutive target thiopental
      concentrations ranging from 5 to 100 micrograms/ml in a stepwise fashion.
      Arterial blood gases were kept normal through controlled ventilation when
      necessary. The plasma thiopental concentrations in this second group of animals
      were generally higher than the target concentrations. The bias in pump
      performance (median prediction error) was +25%, and the inaccuracy (median
      absolute prediction error) was 26%. We fit the parameters of a three-compartment
      model to the plasma thiopental concentrations observed in the second group of
      animals. This produced a second set of thiopental pharmacokinetic parameters with
      the unique characteristic of having been derived from a computer controlled
      infusion study. These parameters were tested prospectively with a computer
      controlled infusion pump in a third group of animals. This second set of
      thiopental pharmacokinetic parameters performed better, with a median prediction
      error of 0% and a median absolute prediction error of 15%. This study shows that
      it is possible to achieve rapidly and maintain steady plasma thiopental
      concentrations in the rat. Our results suggest that it is feasible to derive
      robust pharmacokinetic parameters from unusual drug dosing approaches, such as
      employed by a computer-controlled infusion pump.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409365
TI  - Stability of the new anticancer platinum analogue 1,2-diaminomethyl-cyclobutane
      platinum(II)-lactate (lobaplatin; D19466) in intravenous solutions.
AB  - The chemical stability of the new anticancer platinum analogue 1,2-diaminomethyl
      cyclobutane-platinum(II)-lactate (D19466) in infusion media was studied in an
      accelerated stability testing experiment with a selective HPLC-UV method.
      Variables were time, temperature, light, concentration, and infusion mixture.
      Mean reaction rate constants of decomposition were, respectively, 0.9555 *10(-2),
      2.127 *10(-2), and 4.221 *10(-2) hr-1 at 37, 56, and 66 degrees C at a
      concentration of 200 mg/L in normal saline. From the Arrhenius equation, shelf
      lives (5% loss) at 4, 22, 37, and 121 degrees C were, respectively, calculated to
      be 41.6, 13.2, 5.7, and 0.15 hr. Mean reaction rate constant in 5% dextrose was
      3.106 *10(-2) hr-1 (200 mg/L; 56 degrees C) and differed from that in normal
      saline (P less than 0.005). Mean reaction rate constant in Ringer lactate was
      2.084 *10(-2) hr-1 (200 mg/L; 56 degrees C) (P greater than 0.05). There was no
      influence of normal daylight on the rate of decomposition. It is recommended to
      prepare D19466 infusions in normal saline. Chemical stability is then maximal 12
      hr at room temperature or 24 hr at 4 degrees C. No protection against normal
      daylight is required. Sterilization by heat is not possible.

PMID- 1409366
TI  - Simultaneous microdetermination of rifampin, deacetylrifampin, isoniazid, and
      acetylisoniazid in plasma by liquid chromatography with dual electrochemical and
      spectrophotometric detection.
AB  - A rapid liquid chromatographic method for simultaneous determination of isoniazid
      (INH), acetylisoniazid (AINH), rifampin (RIF), and deacetylrifampin (DARIF) in
      microsamples of deproteinized plasma is described. The compounds and internal
      standard (IS) (diphenylcarbazide) were separated on a 10-microns, 8 mm x 10-cm
      phenyl Radial Pak cartridge in conjunction with a binary linear gradient system
      at a flow rate of 3 ml/min. A dual electrochemical (+800 mV) and
      spectrophotometric (334 nm) detection system with a computerized data station was
      employed to measure the above compounds in the effluent. Prior to injection, the
      plasma sample was diluted (2:1) with a pH 3, 0.075 M phosphate buffer after
      adding the internal standard (6.67 micrograms/ml of plasma) and passed through an
      Amicon Centrifree-MS filter at 2000g. Under these conditions, no interference in
      the analysis was observed, and the retention times of AINH, INH, IS, DARIF, and
      RIF were 3.95, 4.89, 15.82, 17.25, and 19.34 min, respectively. The linearity of
      the assay for all four compounds was excellent (r greater than 0.9925), and the
      between- and within-day CV was not greater than 8% at any concentration. This
      method is currently being used for therapeutic monitoring and pharmacokinetic
      studies of INH, RIF, and their major metabolites in patients with tuberculosis.

PMID- 1409367
TI  - Comparison of azone and hexamethylene lauramide in toxicologic effects and
      penetration enhancement of cimetidine in rabbit eyes.

PMID- 1409368
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of oral 2',3'-dideoxyinosine in rats.

PMID- 1409369
TI  - Opportunities for integration of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and
      toxicokinetics in rational drug development.

PMID- 1409370
TI  - Pharmacodynamics of insulin following intravenous and enteral administrations of
      porcine-zinc insulin to rats.
AB  - Previous work from this laboratory showed site-dependent variations in the
      apparent permeability of insulin as measured using the everted rat gut sac
      technique, with the greatest permeability in the distal jejunum and the lowest in
      the duodenum (5). To quantify better the rate and extent of insulin absorption
      from the small intestine, closed-loop in situ experiments were performed in
      nondiabetic rats. Results correlated with the everted gut sac technique in that
      the absolute bioavailability determined in situ was higher for insulin solution
      administered to the more distal region of the intestine (0.133%) than that
      absorbed from an earlier portion of the intestine (0.059%). While the difference
      in regional bioavailabilities was not significant (P = 0.08), the blood glucose
      response showed highly significant differences (P = 0.0015), with severe and
      prolonged hypoglycemia resulting from insulin delivered to the distal
      jejunum/proximal ileum. Insulin administered iv followed a two-compartment
      pharmacokinetic model. Whole-body elimination rate constants were similar for
      both iv and enteral insulin. Although therapeutic quantities of insulin were
      absorbed from the distal small intestine, absorption enhancers would be necessary
      to decrease the dose of insulin required.

PMID- 1409371
TI  - Measurement of serum [3H]tetracycline kinetics and indices of kidney function
      facilitate study of the activity and toxic effects of bisphosphonates in bone
      resorption.
AB  - The [3H]tetracycline ([3H]TC) model is based on the observation that TC is
      released from the bones of rats prelabeled with [3H]TC via first-order kinetics,
      a factor directly reflecting the kinetics of bone resorption. In the present
      paper we applied the [3H]TC elimination model to rats treated with antiresorptive
      drugs. The validity of this model was evaluated by examining the effect of the
      bisphosphonate, 3-amino-1-hydroxypropylidene-1,1-bisphosphonate (ABP), and a
      novel bisphosphonate, dihydrogen disodium adipoylbisphosphonate (AdBP), on serum
      TC levels and the elimination rate constant. ABP and AdBP significantly inhibited
      the TC elimination rate. However, ABP treatment caused impairment of bone
      mineralization, renal dysfunction, and inhibition of somatic growth. It is
      concluded that antiresorptive effects of bisphosphonates could be evaluated by
      the [3H]TC model, but this model is limited to animals with normal kidney
      function. The experimental conditions provide a technically simple method which
      is sensitive enough to examine antiresorptive properties in a healthy animal and
      to detect adverse effects on the kidney. The activity of the novel
      bisacylphosphonate, AdBP, and lack of its adverse effects indicate the potential
      of this drug for clinical applications.

PMID- 1409372
TI  - Enhancement of nasal delivery of a renin inhibitor in the rat using emulsion
      formulations.
AB  - Nasal absorption of O-(N-morpholino-carbonyl-3-L-phenylaspartyl-L-leucinamide of
      (2S,3R,4S)-2-amino-1-cyclohexyl-3,4-dihydroxy-6-methylheptane (I), a renin
      inhibitor, was evaluated in two rat nasal models, one involving surgery and the
      other requiring no surgical intervention. Oleic acid/monoolein emulsion
      formulations were tested along with a control PEG 400 solution. The percent
      absolute bioavailability of the compound was enhanced from 3-6% (PEG 400
      solution) to 15-27% when the emulsion formulations were used. The different nasal
      model techniques (with and without surgery) did not produce any statistical
      difference in the absolute bioavailability values for I. Emulsion formulations
      did not produce appreciable damage as assessed morphologically. It is suggested
      that emulsion formulations containing membrane adjuvants such as oleic acid and
      monoolein can be used to enhanced the nasal delivery of low-bioavailable, lipid
      soluble drugs.

PMID- 1409374
TI  - Quantitative evaluation of aqueous isopropanol enhancement of skin flux of
      terbutaline (sulfate). I. Ion associations and species equilibria in the
      formulation.
AB  - It has been reported previously that saturated terbutaline sulfate in aqueous
      isopropanol significantly enhances the terbutaline flux through human skin in
      vitro. This paper demonstrates that the effect of isopropanol on the permeant
      species in the formulation contributes to the flux enhancement. This
      demonstration is based on studies involving measurements of conductivity and pKa
      as well as NMR spectroscopy in isopropanol-water mixtures. Increasing isopropanol
      concentration inhibits the proton dissociation of terbutaline and results in the
      ion associations between the protonated terbutaline and its counterion, sulfate
      anion. The species present in the formulation include protonated terbutaline, the
      negatively charged terbutaline-sulfate (1:1) ion pair, and the neutral
      terbutaline-sulfate (2:1) ion triplet. The results of the studies provide the
      basis for a quantitative evaluation of the species equilibria in solutions of
      terbutaline sulfate. The saturated terbutaline sulfate in 60% isopropanol
      produces the maximum concentration of the neutral ion triplet. This result is
      almost parallel to the terbutaline skin flux, which maximized at 60-80%
      isopropanol.

PMID- 1409373
TI  - The transport barrier of epithelia: a comparative study on membrane permeability
      and charge selectivity in the rabbit.
AB  - The transport barrier of the epithelial presents one of the major problems
      limiting the effective use of these tissues as alternate delivery routes for
      macromolecules such as peptides and proteins. In the present study, two membrane
      transport properties, namely, the permeability and permselectivity of the shunt
      pathway, were investigated and compared in various tissues including the nasal,
      tracheal, bronchial, buccal, rectal, vaginal, corneal, epidermal, duodenal,
      jejunal, ileal, and colonic epithelia. Membrane permeability was evaluated using
      a combined method based on electrical conductance and flux measurements of a
      hydrophilic fluorescent probe, 6-carboxy fluorescein (CF). Membrane
      permselectivity or the charge discriminating ability of the membrane was
      evaluated by KCl diffusion potential measurements. The results indicate that all
      epithelia under investigation possess a relatively high degree of permeation
      barrier and are highly selective for the absorption of positively charged
      solutes. Shunt path permeability was found to vary greatly among tissues from
      different epithelia, whereas membrane charge selectivity was relatively constant
      in these tissues. A good correlation was observed between membrane electrical
      conductance and steady-state flux of CF, indicating a paracellular transport of
      the compound. The rank order of the intrinsic membrane permeability was as
      follows: intestinal approximately nasal greater than or equal to bronchial
      greater than or equal to tracheal greater than vaginal greater than or equal to
      rectal greater than corneal greater than buccal greater than skin. Membrane
      permselectivity, expressed as the ratio of transport number (positive over
      negative), ranges from 1.78 for the buccal to 1.33 for the rectal
      epithelium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409375
TI  - Sonophoresis. II. Examination of the mechanism(s) of ultrasound-enhanced
      transdermal drug delivery.
AB  - We have shown previously that high-frequency ultrasound (sonophoresis) can
      significantly enhance the transdermal delivery of a topically applied drug in
      vivo and that the augmentation of transport was caused by the action of the
      ultrasound on the skin. However, these earlier experiments did not reveal (i) the
      mechanism of sonophoresis, (ii) the pathway of drug permeation under the
      influence of ultrasound, and (iii) any potentially detrimental effects of the
      enhancement procedure on skin structure and morphology. In the study reported
      here, these three key issues have been addressed using electron microscopy to
      follow the penetration of an electron-dense, colloidal tracer (lanthanum
      hydroxide; LH). Experiments have again been performed using the hairless guinea
      pig animal model. Colloidal LH suspensions were applied to skin sites, which were
      then immediately exposed to ultrasound (at 10 or 16 MHz) for 5 or 20 min. Passive
      transport of LH under identical conditions (but without ultrasound) provided the
      control measurements. Tissue processing after the treatment periods utilized
      standard electron microscopy staining procedures. We found the following: (1) LH
      does not permeate the skin by passive diffusion; under the influence of
      ultrasound, on the other hand, it penetrates through the stratum corneum (SC) and
      the underlying viable epidermal cell layers via an apparently intercellular
      route. (2) LH transports through the epidermis to the upper dermis, even after
      only 5 min of ultrasound treatment, a remarkable and unexpected finding.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409376
TI  - Brain parenchymal metabolism of 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine and 5'-ester prodrugs.
AB  - In an attempt to generate derivatives of 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine (IDU) with
      enhanced blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, a series of 5' ester prodrugs of
      IDU was synthesized and their metabolism studied in rat brain homogenate and its
      different subcellular fractions. The rate of hydrolysis was dependent on the
      steric and polar nature of the ester substituent. Ester hydrolyzing activities
      were associated primarily with the cytosolic fraction and were due mainly to the
      presence of cholinesterases as confirmed by inhibition experiments performed with
      different esterase inhibitors. The metabolism of IDU to 5-iodouracil (5-IU) by
      the cytosolic fraction, in the presence and absence of specific pyrimidine
      nucleoside phosphorylase inhibitors, also suggests that there are two specific
      enzyme systems catalyzing two different metabolic processes. IDU 5'-esters
      competitively inhibit the metabolism of IDU and the inhibitory effect depends on
      the affinity of a particular ester toward the enzyme and also on the rate by
      which the ester itself undergoes hydrolysis. In the absence of any 5'-ester, 95%
      IDU was metabolized within 6 hr. However, in the presence of an eightfold molar
      excess of butyryl-IDU, the hydrolysis of IDU was completely inhibited over a 6-hr
      time period.

PMID- 1409377
TI  - Disposition, bioavailability, and serum protein binding of pentachlorophenol in
      the B6C3F1 mouse.
AB  - The toxicokinetics of pentachlorophenol (PCP) were studied in B6C3F1 mice, a
      strain in which PCP was previously found to be carcinogenic. In a crossover
      design, doses of 15 mg/kg were given intravenously (bolus) and orally (gastric
      intubation) to six animals. Concentrations of PCP in blood, urine, and feces were
      measured by capillary gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. After
      intravenous administration, the values of clearance and volume of distribution
      were 0.057 +/- 0.007 L/hr/kg and 0.43 +/- 0.06 L/kg, respectively. These two
      parameters exhibited low intermouse variability (coefficients of variation less
      than 14%). The elimination half-life was 5.2 +/- 0.6 hr. After oral
      administration, the PCP peak plasma concentration (28 +/- 7 micrograms/ml)
      occurred at 1.5 +/- 0.5 hr and absorption was complete (bioavailability = 1.06 +/
      0.09). The elimination half-life was 5.8 +/- 0.6 hr. Only 8% of the PCP dose was
      excreted unchanged by the kidney. PCP was primarily recovered in urine as
      conjugates. A portion of the dose was recovered in urine as the mutagen,
      tetrachlorohydroquinone (5%) (TCHQ), and its conjugates (15%). For both PCP and
      TCHQ, sulfates accounted for 90% or more of the total conjugates (glucuronides
      and sulfates).

PMID- 1409378
TI  - Pharmacokinetic analysis of the structural requirements for forming "stable"
      analogues of valpromide.
AB  - The following valpromide (VPD) analogues were synthesized and their structure
      pharmacokinetic relationships explored: 3-ethyl pentanamide (EPD),
      methylneopentylacetamide (MND), 1-methyl cyclohexanecarboxamide (MCD),
      cycloheptanecarboxamide (CHD), and t-butylacetamide (TBD). Two aliphatic (EPD and
      MND) and two cyclic amides (MCD and CHD) underwent complete or partial conversion
      to their corresponding acids. The only amide found in this study to be "stable"
      to the amide-acid biotransformation was TBD. It also had the lowest clearance and
      the longest half-life and mean residence time. Unlike the other investigated
      amides, TBD contained two substitutions of two methyl moieties at the beta
      position of its chemical structure. A "stable" valpromide analogue must have
      either two substitutions at the beta position, such as in the case of TBD, or a
      substitution in the alpha and beta positions, such as in the case of the VPD
      isomer valnoctamide (VCD). This paper discusses the antiepileptic potential of
      stable VPD analogues which may be more potent and less teratogenic than their
      biotransformed isomers.

PMID- 1409379
TI  - Pilocarpine disposition and salivary flow responses following intravenous
      administration to dogs.
AB  - Oral doses of pilocarpine increase salivary flow rates in patients afflicted with
      xerostomia (dry mouth). This study examined the pharmacokinetics of and a
      pharmacodynamic response (salivation) to intravenous pilocarpine nitrate
      administration in dogs. Disposition was linear over a dose range of 225-600
      micrograms/kg; plasma concentrations were 10-120 micrograms/L. Elimination was
      rapid and generally biphasic, with a terminal elimination half-life of
      approximately 1.3 hr. The systemic clearance of pilocarpine was high (2.22 +/-
      0.49 L/kg/hr) and its steady-state volume of distribution (2.30 +/- 0.64 L/kg)
      was comparable to that of many other basic drugs. All doses of pilocarpine
      induced measurable submaxillary and parotid salivary flow rates which could be
      maintained constant over time. Cumulative submaxillary saliva flow was linearly
      related to total pilocarpine dose. Plasma pilocarpine concentration was linearly
      related to both steady-state and postinfusion submaxillary salivary flow rates.

PMID- 1409380
TI  - Nonlinear disposition of intravenous 2',3'-dideoxyinosine in rats.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of 2',3'-dideoxyinosine (ddI) were examined in rats given
      intravenous doses of 8, 40, or 200 mg/kg. The concentrations of ddI in whole
      blood and plasma were identical. The concentration decline was multiexponential,
      with mean half-lives of 2 and 20 min for the first and second phases,
      respectively. At the highest dose, a slower third phase with a half-life of 56
      min was observed. The total-body clearances were 99, 77, and 37 ml/min-kg for the
      8, 40, and 200 mg/kg doses. The steady-state volume of distribution showed a
      trend for a decrease with increasing doses, but the difference was not
      statistically significant. Twenty-four-hour urinary recovery of unchanged drug
      for the three doses was similar at about 20%, suggesting that a major fraction of
      the dose was metabolized. Urinary excretion of ddI metabolite, hypoxanthine,
      accounted for less than 5% of the dose. Renal and metabolic clearances decreased
      with increased doses. ddI was metabolized in blood; the addition of inorganic
      phosphate, a cosubstrate in phosphorylase-mediated nucleoside catabolism,
      enhanced the degradation by about fourfold. In summary, these data indicate equal
      distribution of ddI in the extracellular and intracellular spaces in blood, its
      enzymatic degradation in blood, and nonlinear elimination kinetics.

PMID- 1409381
TI  - Is ICRF-187 [(+)-1,2-bis(3,5-dioxopiperazinyl-1-yl)propane] unusually reactive
      for an imide?
AB  - The hydrolysis of ICRF-187 and two model compounds, 4-methylpiperazine-2,6-dione
      (4-MP) and 3-methylglutarimide (3-MG), was investigated over the neutral to
      alkaline pH range at 25 degrees C and an ionic strength of 0.5 (sodium chloride).
      The purpose of the study was to correlate the influence of molecular changes to
      the reactivity of these imides. Additionally, an improved chromatographic
      resolution of all the components of the degradation and NMR confirmation of the
      identity of the degradation products are presented. Based on the study of 4-MP,
      which is essentially half of an ICRF-187 molecule, and 3-MG, which has a carbon
      in place of the piperazine nitrogen, several conclusions can be drawn with regard
      to the stability of ICRF-187. The tertiary piperazine nitrogen/s of 4-MP and ICRF
      187 contributed to the base-catalyzed hydrolysis of these compounds above pH 7
      and caused a significant decrease in the pKa values of the imide moiety of ICRF
      187 and 4-MP compared with 3-MG. One 2,6-piperazinedione ring of ICRF-187 was
      shown to affect only minimally the rate of hydrolysis of the second ring. ICRF
      187 hydrolyzes by parallel consecutive pathways forming two monoacids with one
      ring opened and, subsequently, the diacid with both rings hydrolyzed.

PMID- 1409382
TI  - Formation of the racemic compound of ephedrine base from a physical mixture of
      its enantiomers in the solid, liquid, solution, or vapor state.
AB  - Physical mixtures (conglomerates) of the two enantiomers of ephedrine base, each
      containing 0.5% (w/w) of water, were observed to be converted to the 1:1 racemic
      compound in the solid, liquid, solution, or vapor state. From a geometrically
      mixed racemic conglomerate of particle size 250-300 microns (50-60 mesh), the
      formation of the racemic compound follows second-order kinetics (first order with
      respect to each enantiomer), with a rate constant of 392 mol-1 hr-1 at 22 degrees
      C. The reaction appears to proceed via the vapor phase as indicated by the growth
      of the crystals of the racemic compound between diametrically separated crystals
      of the two enantiomers in a glass petri dish. The observed kinetics of conversion
      in the solid state are explained by a homogeneous reaction model via the vapor
      and/or liquid states. Formation of the racemic compound from the crystals of
      ephedrine enantiomers in the solution state may explain why Schmidt et al.
      (Pharm. Res. 5:391-395, 1988) observed a consistently lower aqueous solubility of
      the mixture than of the pure enantiomers. The solid phase in equilibrium with the
      solution at the end of the experiment was found to be the racemic compound, whose
      melting point and heat of fusion are higher than those of the enantiomers. An
      association reaction, of measurable rate, between the opposite enantiomers in a
      binary mixture in the solid, liquid, solution, or vapor state to form the racemic
      compound may be more common than is generally realized.

PMID- 1409384
TI  - Corticosteroid pharmacodynamic modeling: osteocalcin suppression by prednisolone.

PMID- 1409383
TI  - Aqueous stability and solubility of CI-988, a novel "dipeptoid" cholecystokinin-B
      receptor antagonist.
AB  - The aqueous solubility and solution stability of the N-methylglucamine and sodium
      salts of CI-988 (CI-988 NMG and CI-988 Na) were evaluated to aid in the
      development of a parenteral formulation for preclinical and clinical testing. CI
      988 ([R-(R*,R*)]-4-[[2-[[3-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2-methyl-1-oxo-2-
      [[(tricyclo[3.3.1.1(3,7)]dec-2-yloxy)- carbonyl]amino]propyl]amino]-1
      phenylethyl]amino]-4-oxobutanoic acid) is a selective "dipeptoid" cholecystokinin
      B receptor antagonist. The shape of the pH-solubility profile, generated at 30
      degrees C, is consistent with the ionization of the terminal carboxyl group (pKa
      of 4.34). The pH-rate profile is independent of the salt form and is well
      described by two reaction pathways: spontaneous or water-catalyzed degradation of
      the nonionized form and specific base-catalyzed catalyzed degradation of the
      ionized form. The primary mechanism of degradation from the former pathway is
      consistent with intramolecular, carboxyl-assisted, amide-bond cleavage, whereas
      the primary mechanism of degradation from the latter pathway appears to be
      intramolecular cyclization to a hydantoin product with expulsion of 2
      adamantanol. The pH dependencies of the solubility and stability show that a
      simple aqueous buffered solution of CI-988 has a predicted t90 of 2.1 years and a
      solubility of 0.94 mg/ml at pH 6.5, the theoretical pH of maximum stability, and
      30 degrees C.

PMID- 1409385
TI  - Inhibition of hepatic and cutaneous biotransformation of resorufin ethers
      following intraperitoneal administration of 1-aminobenzotriazole.

PMID- 1409386
TI  - Peptides are better absorbed from the lung than the gut in the rat.

PMID- 1409388
TI  - Protein-peptide interactions as probed by tryptophan fluorescence: serum albumins
      and enkephalin metabolites.
AB  - Binding of Leu-enkephalin and the enkephalin metabolite, tyrosine-glycine-glycine
      (TGG), to bovine serum albumin (BSA) was studied as a model to investigate
      protein peptide interactions. TGG and Leu-enkephalin quench the tryptophyl
      fluorescence of BSA. Stern-Volmer quenching constants were typically in the range
      of 40 to 300 M-1, depending on the experimental conditions. The addition of
      Cu(II) or Ni(II) did not change the quenching constant, indicating that TGG does
      not compete for the metal binding sites on BSA. From fluorescence quenching
      studies with TGG, tyrosyl-glycine, tyrosine and glycyl-glycine, it was concluded
      that the presence of the tyrosine residue is required for the observed quenching.
      The phenolic group in tyrosine accounted for the quenching mechanism because
      phenol was efficient in quenching BSA fluorescence, whereas phenylalanine had no
      detectable effect. A large solvent isotope effect on the quenching constant of
      phenol and TGG with BSA strongly suggests an active role of the -OH functionality
      in the quenching mechanism.

PMID- 1409389
TI  - An implantable dosage form for the treatment of bone infections.
AB  - The object of this investigation was the development of an implantable sustained
      release dosage form, for the treatment of bone infections. Cross-linked
      polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was used as the matrix material. The drug delivery
      system was prepared by incorporating tobramycin, as a free base (C18H37N5O9.H2O)
      or as a sulfate salt [(C18H37N5O9)2.5H2SO4], into the matrix and molding into
      spherical beads. Following in vitro studies, the cumulative amount of drug
      released when plotted as a function of the square root of time was linear for
      both the base and the salt. The addition of glycerol to the matrix substantially
      accelerated the rate of drug release and the plots of cumulative amount of drug
      released continued to be linear as a function of the square root of time. The
      glycerol-incorporated beads swelled in contact with the aqueous medium but a
      negligible amount of glycerol was released even after exposure to the medium for
      20 days. 13C solid-state and high-resolution NMR studies indicated that a
      fraction of the added glycerol participated in the cross-linking reaction of the
      polymer. The effect of the initial molecular weight of PDMS and the effect of the
      concentration of the cross-linker on the kinetics of drug release were
      investigated.

PMID- 1409390
TI  - Transport of thyrotropin releasing hormone in rabbit buccal mucosa in vitro.
AB  - The transport of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) in rabbit buccal mucosa in
      vitro has been investigated with respect to (a) rate and type of metabolism of
      TRH on mucosal and serosal sides of buccal mucosa, (b) mechanism of TRH transport
      including charge effect on its permeability, and (c) pathway and rate-limiting
      regions of TRH movement. In addition, the integrity of excised buccal mucosa has
      been evaluated for purposes of in vitro solute diffusion experiments using tissue
      ATP level data, transmission electron microscopy, and TRH transport kinetic data.
      The results indicate that excised rabbit buccal mucosa can be used for TRH
      diffusion studies for approximately 6 hr. In addition, TRH apparently traverses
      buccal mucosa by simple diffusion with a steady-state permeability of about 10(
      7) cm/sec, and this permeability is independent of pH. Moreover, the primary
      pathway appears to be via the intercellular space in the rate-limiting barrier,
      i.e., the upper 50 microns of the epithelium. Finally, TRH is degraded
      predominantly by deamidase activity, which is followed by, to a lesser degree,
      carboxypeptidase metabolism.

PMID- 1409387
TI  - Structural specificity of mucosal-cell transport and metabolism of peptide drugs:
      implication for oral peptide drug delivery.
AB  - The brush border membrane of intestinal mucosal cells contains a peptide carrier
      system with rather broad substrate specificity and various endo- and exopeptidase
      activities. Small peptide (di-/tripeptide)-type drugs with or without an N
      terminal alpha-amino group, including beta-lactam antibiotics and angiotensin
      converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, are transported by the peptide transporter.
      Polypeptide drugs are hydrolyzed by brush border membrane proteolytic enzymes to
      di-/tripeptides and amino acids. Therefore, while the intestinal brush border
      membrane has a carrier system facilitating the absorption of di-/tripeptide
      drugs, it is a major barrier limiting oral availability of polypeptide drugs. In
      this paper, the specificity of peptide transport and metabolism in the intestinal
      brush border membrane is reviewed.

PMID- 1409391
TI  - Assessment of the twin impinger for size measurement of metered-dose inhaler
      sprays.
AB  - The calibration of the first stage of the twin-stage impinger, an instrument
      proposed for use in measuring the spray size from metered-dose inhalers, was
      performed with monodisperse aerosols by a standard technique for cascade
      impactors. The mean cut point was found to be not particularly sensitive to
      operating variables which may be expected to occur in practice. The cut point was
      close to that reported previously, although the collection efficiency curve was
      found to be slightly sharper. Calculations are reported on the expected results
      of measurements on aerosols in a two-stage instrument with an idealized perfect
      collection efficiency curve as well as the curve measured for the twin impinger.
      These results indicate that important characteristics of spray size distribution
      cannot be distinguished with an ideal two-stage instrument; the twin impinger is
      less capable than an ideal instrument.

PMID- 1409392
TI  - Calcium alginate beads as core carriers of 5-aminosalicylic acid.
AB  - The utilization of calcium alginate beads as core carriers for delayed
      dissolution followed by burst release as a potential method of intestinal site
      specific drug delivery was investigated. 5-Aminosalicylic acid was spray-coated
      on dried calcium alginate beads and then coated with different percentages of
      enteric coating polymer and/or sustained-release polymer. Beads coated with more
      than 6% (w/w) methacrylic copolymer plastisized with dibutyl sebacate and
      triethyl citrate resisted release in 2-hr acid fluid challenge and allowed
      immediate dissolution upon transfer to simulated intestinal fluid. With 6% (w/w)
      methacrylic copolymer on top of 4% (w/w) ethylcellulose polymer, the major
      portion of drug did not release in 2 hr of acid treatment or the next 3 hr of
      simulated intestinal fluid treatment. This dosage form provides the possibility
      to deliver drug to the lower intestinal tract with minimal early release,
      followed by sustained release in the colon.

PMID- 1409393
TI  - Indomethacin-loaded microspheres: design and preparation by a multiple
      emulsification technique and their in vitro evaluation.
AB  - A new oral controlled-release drug delivery system was developed with two
      polymers using a multiple-emulsification technique. Powdered drug was dispersed
      in methyl cellulose sol, which was emulsified in ethyl cellulose solution in
      ethyl acetate. The primary emulsion thus formed was reemulsified in aqueous
      medium. During this phase, discrete microspheres were formed under optimized
      conditions. The size distribution of the microspheres was investigated, and
      scanning electron microscopy revealed the surface topography of the microspheres.
      The in vitro drug release followed first-order diffusion-controlled dissolution.
      More than 85% of the drug was released over 6 hr at pH 6.2 for all dissolution
      batches.

PMID- 1409394
TI  - Evaluation of mucoadhesive polymers in ocular drug delivery. II. Polymer-coated
      vesicles.
AB  - Association of Carbopol 934P and Carbopol 1342 (a hydrophobic modified Carbopol
      resin) with phospholipid vesicles was assessed by photon correlation spectroscopy
      and microelectrophoresis at pH 7.4 and 5. The precorneal clearance of the polymer
      coated vesicles was compared to that of uncoated vesicles by lacrimal
      dacryoscintigraphy in the rabbit. The mucoadhesive polymer-coated vesicles
      demonstrated significantly enhanced precorneal retention compared to noncoated
      vesicles only at pH 5 (P less than 0.005). The entrapment and subsequent release
      of tropicamide from Carbopol 1342-coated and uncoated liposomes were determined
      in vitro together with an in vivo evaluation of the vesicles formulated at the
      lower pH. Mucoadhesive polymer-coated vesicles failed to increase significantly
      the bioavailability of the entrapped tropicamide compared to uncoated vesicles
      and aqueous solution.

PMID- 1409395
TI  - Percutaneous absorption and metabolism of lonapalene in psoriatic skin.
AB  - The percutaneous absorption and metabolism of lonapalene (6-chloro-2,3
      dimethoxynaphthalene-1,4-diol-diacetate; RS-43179), a topically effective 5
      lipoxygenase inhibitor, has been measured in six subjects with stable plaque-type
      psoriasis of the lower extremities. Lonapalene readily penetrates psoriatic skin,
      is rapidly and completely metabolized, and is almost entirely excreted in the
      urine. Unexpectedly we observed a trend for thigh (T) plaque skin to be more
      permeable than lower leg (LL) plaque skin as measured by total absorption (T,
      44.8 +/- 13.4%; LL, 24.9 +/- 12.6% applied dose excreted), peak plasma levels (T,
      209 +/- 107; LL, 146 +/- 81 ng Eq/ml), and peak rate of urinary excretion (T,
      591.7 +/- 112.2; LL, 318.4 +/- 143.9 micrograms Eq/hr). There were also
      differences in the metabolic profiles between the two sites as measured by the
      quantity and proportion of dealkylated and conjugated products excreted in the
      urine.

PMID- 1409396
TI  - Correlation between the inhibitory effects of basic drugs on the uptake of
      cardiac glycosides and taurocholate by isolated rat hepatocytes.
AB  - The role of the multispecific bile acid transporter for cardiac glycoside uptake
      is still controversial. This study was designed to examine the inhibitory effects
      of basic drugs (verapamil, dipyridamole, nifedipine, chlorpromazine,
      disopyramide, quinidine, propranolol, and lidocaine) on taurocholate uptake by
      isolated rat hepatocytes and to compare these effects with inhibition of ouabain
      uptake. Sodium-dependent taurocholate uptake was significantly reduced, to 50-70%
      of the control value, by 50 microM verapamil, dipyridamole, and nifedipine.
      Sodium-independent taurocholate uptake was more extensively inhibited, to 20-40%,
      by these basic drugs. The inhibition of ouabain uptake correlated better with
      sodium-independent taurocholate uptake (gamma = 0.918) than with sodium-dependent
      taurocholate uptake (gamma = 0.714). Taurocholate competitively inhibited ouabain
      uptake in the absence of sodium. These results indicate that the cardiac
      glycoside transport system is similar to the sodium-independent taurocholate
      transport system.

PMID- 1409398
TI  - In vivo percutaneous absorption of hydrocortisone: multiple-application dosing in
      man.
AB  - Percutaneous absorption of hydrocortisone was measured in six healthy adult men
      from whom informed consent had been obtained. The study compared a single topical
      dose to multiple-topical dose treatments (one vs three applications) on the same
      day. 14C-Labeled hydrocortisone in acetone was applied to 2.5 cm2 of ventral
      forearm skin and protected with a nonocclusive polypropylene chamber. The amount
      of 14C measured in urine collected over 7 days was used to determine
      hydrocortisone absorption. The treatments, performed 2 to 3 weeks apart, each
      utilized adjacent sites on the same individuals. A single dose of 13.33
      micrograms/cm2 delivered 0.056 microgram/cm2 of hydrocortisone through the skin.
      When the single dose was tripled to 40 micrograms/cm2, the amount delivered
      through the skin increased by nearly three times, from 0.056 to 0.140
      micrograms/cm2; the expected delivery was 3 x 0.056 micrograms/cm2 = 0.168
      microgram/cm2. Three serial doses of 13.33 micrograms/cm2 (total, 40
      micrograms/cm2) were also expected to deliver 0.168 micrograms/cm2 with or
      without soap and water washing between doses, but the observed amount of
      hydrocortisone delivered through the skin significantly exceeded our
      expectations. This indicates that multiple-dosing treatments resulted in a
      significant increase in bioavailability. It is postulated that increased vehicle
      application and washing dissolved and mobilized previously dosed hydrocortisone
      and increased bioavailability.

PMID- 1409397
TI  - Cyclodextrins as nasal absorption promoters of insulin: mechanistic evaluations.
AB  - The safety and effectiveness of cyclodextrins (CD) as nasal absorption promoters
      of peptide-like macromolecules have been investigated. The relative effectiveness
      of the cyclodextrins in enhancing insulin nasal absorption was found to be in the
      descending order of dimethyl-beta-cyclodextrin (DM beta CD) greater than alpha
      cyclodextrin (alpha-CD) greater than beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD), hydroxypropyl
      beta-cyclodextrin (HP beta CD) greater than gamma-cyclodextrin (gamma-CD). A
      direct relationship linking absorption promotion to nasal membrane protein
      release is evident, which in turn correlates well with nasal membrane
      phospholipid release. The magnitude of the membrane damaging effects determined
      by the membrane protein or phospholipid release may provide an accurate, simple,
      and useful marker for predicting safety of the absorption enhancers. In order to
      estimate further the magnitude of damage and specificity of cyclodextrin
      derivatives in solubilizing nasal membrane components, the enzymatic activities
      of membrane-bound 5'-nucleotidase (5'-ND) and intracellular lactate dehydrogenase
      (LDH) in the perfusates were also measured. HP beta CD at a 5% concentration was
      found to result in only minimal removal of epithelial membrane proteins as
      evidenced by a slight increase in 5'-ND and total absence of LDH activity. On the
      other hand, 5% DM beta CD caused extensive removal of the membrane-bound 5'-ND.
      Moreover, intracellular LDH activity in the perfusate increased almost linearly
      with time. The cyclodextrins are also capable of dissociating insulin hexamers
      into smaller aggregates, and this dissociation depends on cyclodextrin structure
      and concentration. Enhancement of insulin diffusivity across nasal membrane
      through dissociation may provide an additional mechanism for cyclodextrin
      promotion of nasal insulin absorption.

PMID- 1409399
TI  - Effects of transdermal penetration enhancers on the permeability of shed
      snakeskin.
AB  - The effects of Azone and lauryl alcohol on the permeability of shed snakeskin
      were examined. Permeability of a variety of compounds through shed snakeskin was
      increased after Azone or lauryl alcohol pretreatment but the magnitude of the
      enhancement varied depending on the lipophilicity and the molecular size of the
      permeant. It was found that the shed snakeskin became more permeable after Azone
      or lauryl alcohol pretreatment, with a greater permeability increase for more
      hydrophilic and larger-molecular size permeants. As has been shown for untreated
      shed snakeskins, both the lipophilicity and the molecular size of the permeants
      are important in skin penetration and in determining the effects of transdermal
      penetration enhancers.

PMID- 1409400
TI  - Enhanced delivery of 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine to the brain parenchyma.
AB  - 5'-Ester derivatives of 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine (IDU) with varying degrees of
      lipophilicity were examined to evaluate the effectiveness of lipophilic ester
      prodrugs for enhanced and sustained delivery of IDU to the brain parenchyma.
      Approximately 1.0% (1.0 +/- 0.19; n = 4) of the total radioactivity was found in
      the brain at 30 min following intravenous administration of the lipophilic
      benzoyl-5'-ester of 125I-labeled IDU, whereas IDU per se yielded only 0.01% (0.01
      +/- 0.06; n = 4). Since the IDU 5'-esters generated significantly higher levels
      of IDU in the brain, an HPLC analysis of IDU in the presence of 5'-esters and the
      metabolite 5-iodouracil was developed to characterize IDU uptake in the brain.
      The drug was detected at levels of 6.6 and 9.5 micrograms/g of brain tissue at 3
      hr following intravenous administration of valeryl and benzoyl IDU, respectively,
      at a dose level of 40 mg/kg IDU equivalent each. IDU, on the other hand, when
      injected at a similar dose level, produced concentration levels below 0.01
      micrograms/g of brain tissue, which was too low to be detected accurately by the
      HPLC assay. These results suggest that the 5'-ester derivatives cross the blood
      brain barrier effectively and generate significantly higher brain levels of the
      parent drug in the brain parenchyma. The regenerated hydrophilic drug because of
      its polarity is "locked in" the brain and is subsequently metabolized by
      pyrimidine phosphorylase to 5-iodouracil.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409401
TI  - Direct suppression of phagocytosis by amphipathic polymeric surfactants.
AB  - Recent studies have demonstrated that phagocytosis of colloidal particles by the
      mononuclear phagocytes of the liver and spleen can be controlled by either
      coating or stabilizing particulate carriers with the amphipathic polymeric
      surfactants, F108 and T908. These surfactants consist of copolymers of
      polypropylene oxide (PPO) and polyethylene oxide (PEO) and, when adsorbed to
      particulate surfaces, significantly decrease sequestration of particulates by the
      mononuclear phagocytes (MPS) of the liver. To evaluate these observations
      further, murine peritoneal macrophages were incubated for varying periods with
      surfactant-coated and noncoated polystyrene particles (PSPs). Phagocytosis was
      monitored using gamma counting and quantitative fluorescence microscopy. The data
      show that phagocytosis is decreased when PSPs are coated with F108 and T908. In
      addition, suppression of phagocytic activity was observed when cells were
      pretreated with the surfactant and then challenged with noncoated particles. The
      data confirm previous observations that polymeric surfactants consisting of PEO
      and PPO protect particulate carriers from rapid uptake by the MPS of the liver.
      Further, F108 and T908 suppress phagocytosis directly without affecting the
      integrity, viability, or functional state of the cell.

PMID- 1409402
TI  - Nasal membrane and intracellular protein and enzyme release by bile salts and
      bile salt-fatty acid mixed micelles: correlation with facilitated drug transport.
AB  - The effects of four bile salts, one fusidate derivative, and one mixed micellar
      formulation of bile salt-fatty acid combination on the nasal mucosal protein and
      enzyme release have been investigated in rats using an in situ nasal perfusion
      technique. Deoxycholate (NaDC) was found to possess the maximum protein
      solubilizing activity, followed by taurodihydrofusidate (STDHF), cholate,
      glycocholate (NaGC), and taurocholate (NaTC) in a descending order. The
      difference in protein solubilization of NaDC and NaGC was further characterized
      by the release of 5'-nucleotidase (5'-ND), a membrane-bound enzyme, and lactate
      dehydrogenase (LDH), an intracellular enzyme, in the perfusate. While both NaDC
      and NaGC caused comparable 5'-ND release from nasal membrane, intracellular LDH
      release was significantly higher with NaDC. The greater protein and LDH
      solubilizing effects of NaDC corresponded well with its faster rate of
      disappearance from the nasal perfusate. Therefore, the dihydroxy bile salt NaDC
      tends to cause intracellular damage and cell lysis, whereas the trihydroxy bile
      salt NaGC appears to produce primarily mucosal membrane perturbations. Linoleic
      acid in the form of soluble mixed micelles with glycocholate caused a further
      increase in nasal protein release. However, the rate and extent of nasal membrane
      protein release by the mixed micelles composed of 15 mM glycocholate and 5 mM
      linoleic acid were significantly lower than those caused by either deoxyholate or
      STDHF at the same concentrations. Nasal absorption of acyclovir, a non-absorbable
      hydrophilic model antiviral agent, was found to be enhanced in the presence of
      conjugated trihydroxy bile salts and bile salt-fatty acid mixed
      micelles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409403
TI  - Influence of gastrointestinal site of drug delivery on the absorption
      characteristics of ranitidine.
AB  - The absorption characteristics of ranitidine after delivery to three locations in
      the gastrointestinal tract were compared in an open-label study of eight healthy
      males. Subjects received ranitidine HCl (150 mg) for injection via a nasoenteric
      tube directly into their stomach, jejunum, or cecum sequentially in three
      separate periods (24 hr apart). Plasma samples were collected at periodic time
      intervals for 12 hr following each dosing and analyzed for ranitidine
      concentration by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Mean concentrations
      following cecal dosing were lower (P less than 0.05) than concentrations
      following gastric or jejunal dosing at each sampling time except baseline. Mean
      concentrations following gastric and jejunal dosing were similar except at 2 hr
      (gastric greater than jejunal). Mean pharmacokinetic parameters for cecal
      administration were different (P less than 0.05) from either the gastric or the
      jejunal periods with the exception of Tmax. There was no difference in any
      pharmacokinetic parameter after gastric or jejunal dosing. The relative
      bioavailability after cecal administration was less than 15% of that observed
      after administration into the stomach or jejunum. Additionally, Wagner-Nelson
      analysis indicated that the rate of ranitidine absorption was much slower
      following cecal administration than after gastric or jejunal dosing. Two plasma
      concentration peaks were observed in three of eight subjects after gastric
      dosing, in eight of eight subjects after jejunal dosing, and in zero of eight
      subjects after cecal dosing. These data demonstrate that the absorption profile
      of ranitidine is equivalent, in extent and duration, after delivery to the
      stomach or jejunum, while absorption from the cecum is significantly
      less.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409404
TI  - Quantitative analysis of mercaptoundecahydrododecaborate by Fourier transform
      infrared spectroscopy.
AB  - Mercaptoundecahydrododecaborate (BSH) is an important agent in boron neutron
      capture therapy (BNCT) of various cancers. A simple and rapid analytical method
      for the measurement of mercaptoundecahydrododecaborate in aqueous solution and in
      urine by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy has been developed. A thin
      pathlength sampling apparatus was used to minimize the strong absorption of
      water. The subtraction of water absorbance from sample spectra resolved a B-H
      band at 2493 cm-1. The quantitative measurement of BSH concentration was carried
      out by integrating the B-H band above baseline in the range of 2534-2440 cm-1.
      The lower limit of measuring the concentration of sodium BSH (Na2B12H11SH) in our
      experiment was 10 micrograms/ml (about 5 ppm of boron). This method measures the
      hydroborate (B-H) concentration instead of total boron and, thus, may be utilized
      to measure the BSH concentration in in vivo samples for metabolic studies.

PMID- 1409405
TI  - Solid-state stability studies of 13-cis-retinoic acid and all-trans-retinoic acid
      using microcalorimetry and HPLC analysis.
AB  - The solid-state stabilities of 13-cis-retinoic acid and all-trans-retinoic acid
      in the presence and absence of oxygen were investigated. The samples were first
      evaluated using microcalorimetry. The rate laws of different samples under
      different conditions were deduced from the shapes of the heat flow curves, and
      the activation energies of the reactions were determined from Arrhenius plots.
      Under an air atmosphere, the decomposition of 13-cis-retinoic acid is an
      autocatalytic reaction, while all-trans-retinoic acid undergoes a zero-order
      process. The degradation of the two compounds at a selected elevated temperature
      was also determined utilizing HPLC analysis. This technique confirmed the
      decomposition kinetics. Hence, their half-lives and shelf lives at room
      temperature could be calculated. Under a nitrogen atmosphere, the
      microcalorimetric experiment showed a first-order phenomenon for both samples,
      but HPLC analysis showed no degradation, suggesting that the two samples, in the
      absence of oxygen, undergo only a physical change.

PMID- 1409407
TI  - A new application chamber for skin penetration studies in vivo with liquid
      preparations.

PMID- 1409406
TI  - An unexpected hydrolysis pH-rate profile, at pH values less than 7, of the labile
      imide, ICRF-187: (+)-1,2-bis-(3,5-dioxopiperazin-1-yl)propane.
AB  - The hydrolysis of the cardioprotectant and anticancer agent, ICRF-187 (or ADR
      529) and the structurally similar model compound, 4-methylpiperazine-2,6-dione (4
      MP), was investigated in the acid to neutral pH range at 25 degrees C and an
      ionic strength of 0.5 (sodium chloride). Their solution stability was shown to be
      compromised compared to 3-methylglutarimide (3-MG) and other imides. It appears
      that the tertiary piperazine nitrogens of ICRF-187 and 4-MP significantly
      contributed to the instability of these compounds over this pH range.
      Unexpectedly, bell-shaped curves were observed in the pH-rate profiles. A change
      in the rate-determining step from tetrahedral intermediate formation in the
      weakly acidic pH region to breakdown of the tetrahedral intermediate in the more
      acidic pH regions was proposed as an explanation for the bell-shaped curves. The
      piperazine nitrogen was implicated in the hydrolytic pathways that occur within
      these pH regions; the mechanism of involvement was dependent on the state of
      ionization of the parent molecule and the tetrahedral intermediate.

PMID- 1409408
TI  - Analysis of pilocarpine and its degradation products by micellar electrokinetic
      capillary chromatography.

PMID- 1409409
TI  - Survey of chlorinated hydrocarbons and other organic volatile impurities in
      captopril raw materials and tablets.

PMID- 1409410
TI  - Pain on intravenous injection.

PMID- 1409411
TI  - The molecular basis of type I (tyrosinase-deficient) human oculocutaneous
      albinism.

PMID- 1409412
TI  - Potential of genetically engineered monoclonal antibodies for cancer
      immunotherapy.

PMID- 1409413
TI  - Association between induction of anti high molecular weight-melanoma associated
      antigen (HMW-MAA) immunity with mouse antiidiotypic monoclonal antibody (MoAb)
      MK2-23 and prolongation of survival in patients with melanoma.

PMID- 1409414
TI  - Expression of high molecular weight-melanoma associated antigen (HMW-MAA) in
      primary ALM lesions is associated with a poor prognosis.

PMID- 1409415
TI  - Antigens associated with tumor progression in melanocytic neoplasia.

PMID- 1409416
TI  - Gangliosides of human melanoma.

PMID- 1409417
TI  - Ganglioside expression of human melanoma and tumor progression. Ganglioside
      composition of a plaque and a nodule of acral lentiginous melanoma.

PMID- 1409418
TI  - Melanogenesis in murine melanocytes is suppressed by infection with the v-rasHa
      oncogene.

PMID- 1409419
TI  - Biological and biochemical analysis of newly identified actin in mouse B16
      melanoma.

PMID- 1409420
TI  - The Seiji memorial lecture. Pigment stories: from vitiligo to melanomas and
      points in between.

PMID- 1409421
TI  - In situ hybridization for the analysis of fos oncogene in melanoma cells.

PMID- 1409422
TI  - In vitro radiobiological analysis of 10B-L-BPA for BNCT of malignant melanoma:
      correlation of determined 10B-content and cell killing effect.

PMID- 1409423
TI  - The role of oncogenes and growth factors in progressive melanoma-genesis.

PMID- 1409424
TI  - The use of novel antineoplastic agents to inhibit the growth and metastasis of
      malignant melanoma and other cancers.

PMID- 1409425
TI  - The significance of depigmentation.

PMID- 1409426
TI  - Molecular basis of type IA (tyrosinase negative) oculocutaneous albinism.
AB  - Type IA (Tyrosinase negative) oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is produced by
      mutations of the tyrosinase gene. We have found a total of 13 different mutations
      associated with type IA OCA. Analysis of the distribution of the 9 missense
      mutations shows that most of these mutations cluster in three areas of the gene.
      All but one of these mutations involve amino acids that are conserved between the
      mouse and human. Two clusters involve the copper A and copper B binding sites,
      and could disrupt the metal ion-protein interaction necessary for enzyme
      function. The third cluster is in exon I and could represent an important
      functional domain of the enzyme such as the tyrosine binding site. The deletion
      or insertion frameshift mutations are distributed throughout the coding region
      and do not appear to cluster. We conclude that a diverse number of mutations are
      responsible for type IA OCA and many individuals are compound heterozygotes for
      mutations responsible for this genetic disease (Table 3).

PMID- 1409428
TI  - Crustacean pigment-dispersing hormones: chemistry, distribution and actions.

PMID- 1409427
TI  - Integumental pigmentary factors of lower vertebrates--models for human hypo- and
      hypermelanoses.

PMID- 1409429
TI  - The mouse pink-eyed unstable mutation: a DNA duplication revealed by genome
      scanning.

PMID- 1409430
TI  - Asymmetric pigmentation and pigment disorders in pleuronectiformes (flounders).

PMID- 1409431
TI  - Epidemiology of malignant melanoma in central Europe: risk factors and prognostic
      predictors. Results of the Central Malignant Melanoma Registry of the German
      Dermatological Society.
AB  - The Central Malignant Melanoma Registry (CMMR) of the German Dermatological
      Society was established in 1983, and 7789 cutaneous malignant melanomas (CMM)
      were registered by 35 dermatological departments in Germany, Austria and
      Switzerland until the end of 1989. Population-based incidence rates, risk factors
      for developing CMM and prognostic parameters for predicting the final outcome
      were investigated in separate multicenter studies performed by the CMMR. Among
      the 7789 CMM registered, there was a preponderance of females (57.7%) versus
      males (42.3%). The age distribution peaked in the 5th and 6th decade of life for
      both sexes with a mean age of 52 years. The mean detection age was 50 years for
      superficial spreading melanoma, 53 for nodular melanoma, and 65 for lentigo
      maligna melanoma. Mean tumor thickness decreased from 2 mm in 1983 to 1.5 mm in
      1989, indicating better CMM-awareness of the population and the medical community
      in this area. 90% of the patients presented with clinical stage I CMM without
      detectable metastases at first diagnosis. The incidence of CMM in Berlin (West)
      was assessed based on 960 cases diagnosed between 1980 and 1986. The incidence
      increased by 49% between 1980-81 and 1985-86, and the age standardized-incidence
      rate (European standard population) was 9.8 for males and 7.8 for females per
      100,000 inhabitants and year in 1985-86. Mortality rates decreased in this period
      from 3.5 to 2.6 for males and slightly increased for females from 1.2 to 1.6 per
      100,000 inhabitants and year. A case control study on the relative risk (RR) for
      developing CMM revealed the total number of melanocytic nevi (MCN) to be the
      strongest risk predictor (15x -50x increased RR), followed by the presence of
      dysplastic MCN (7x increased RR) and the skin type I (2x increased RR).
      Interestingly, no differences between CMM-cases and controls were found with
      respect to the history of sunburns or other parameters of sun exposure in this
      study. Multivariate analysis of 5093 stage I CMM-patients from four departments
      with long-term follow-up revealed that tumor thickness is the strongest predictor
      of survival with an almost linear correlation to the risk of death for tumor
      thickness up to 6 mm with no further increase in mortality for higher tumor
      thickness. The best classification of tumor thickness for survival prediction was
      less than or equal to 1 mm, 1.01-2 mm, 2.01-4 mm and greater than 4 mm in our
      data set on 5093 patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1409432
TI  - Epiluminescent microscopy: a score of morphological features to identify
      malignant melanoma.

PMID- 1409433
TI  - Skin depigmentation by hydroquinone: a chemical and biochemical insight.

PMID- 1409434
TI  - A post melanosomal era: control of melanogenesis and melanoma growth.

PMID- 1409435
TI  - The stability of 5-S-cysteinyldopa and 6-hydroxy-5-methoxyindole-2-carboxylic
      acid in human urine.
AB  - 5-S-cysteinyldopa and 6-hydroxy-5-methoxyindole-2-carboxylic acid are important
      intermediate metabolites in the formation of cutaneous melanin pigment. Since
      they both are serious candidates as markers of melanoma progression, their
      stability in urine has been investigated during storage at various conditions.
      The results show that storage at -20 degrees C is necessary. Both compounds are
      nonstable at room temperature, particularly if the urine was not acidified to pH
      4-5. Reference levels were obtained from analysis of urine from 31 men and 40
      women. The mean (SD) excretion of 5-S-cysteinyldopa was 32 (12.5) mumol/mol
      creatinine (women). Corresponding figures for 6H5MI2C were 23 (10.3) and 24 (8.1)
      mumol/mol creatinine for men and women respectively.

PMID- 1409436
TI  - Purification and characterization of dopachrome tautomerase (DT).

PMID- 1409438
TI  - Bio-analytical studies of eumelanins. I. Characterization of melanin the
      particle.

PMID- 1409437
TI  - Regulatory factors of pheo- and eumelanogenesis in melanogenic compartments.
AB  - Melanogenesis, i.e., synthesis of melanin and melanosomes, is a "cascade" of
      event which is channelled by internal and external regulatory factors. The
      recognition and selection of this information and subsequent differentiation of
      melanogenesis (melanin type and melanosomal development) would be regulated
      significantly by melanosomal membrane. The melanogenesis type could be switched
      relatively easily by UV light, hormone, and availability of tyrosinase substrate.
      The role of sulphydryl compounds as a regulatory factor in melanogenesis type (in
      particular for pheomelanogenesis) may not be tied to its absolute presence or
      absence, but rather, to the effective concentration within the melanocyte at a
      given time. It is, therefore, probable that the morphogenesis of melanosomes may
      not follow immediately in response to melanogenesis-type changes, hence the
      melanocyte revealing more often mosaic forms of melanosomes in nature after
      exposure to non-genetic factors. The switch of melanogenesis would be
      significantly controlled by structural and functional availability of
      vesiculoglobular bodies which are encoded or associated with HMSA-5 (69 kDa)
      glycoprotein. This HMSA-5 protein shares a significant homology with gp75 "b
      locus" protein. However, because of our hypothesis that vesiculoglobular bodies
      carry post- (and pre-) tyrosinase regulatory factors involving in both pheo- and
      eumelanogenesis, the term "b-protein" which focuses only on eumelanogenesis may
      not be applied to HMSA-5.

PMID- 1409439
TI  - The shift from physiological genetics to molecular genetics in the study of mouse
      tyrosinase.

PMID- 1409440
TI  - Molecular structure of the tyrosinase gene.

PMID- 1409441
TI  - Recent advances in the molecular biology of pigmentation: mouse models.

PMID- 1409442
TI  - Tyrosinase abundance and activity in murine hairbulb melanocytes of agouti
      mutants (C57BL/6J-a/a, Ay/a, and AwJ/AwJ).

PMID- 1409443
TI  - The nature of tyrosinase isozymes.

PMID- 1409444
TI  - Identification of mutations in the pigment cell-specific gene located at the
      brown locus in mouse.
AB  - The pigment cell-specific gene, located at the brown (b)-locus in mouse, encodes
      the protein that determines the type of melanin synthesized. This protein is
      known as tyrosinase-related protein, but here we tentatively term it b-locus
      protein to avoid confusions with the related sequence cross-hybridizing to the
      tyrosinase gene. In order to identify the mutation at the b-locus, we have cloned
      and characterized the b-locus protein gene of BALB/c mouse (b/b, c/c). The gene
      is about 18 kb long and organized into 8 exons and 7 introns. Sequence analysis
      of the b-locus protein gene reveals four base changes within the protein-coding
      regions: two missense mutations and two silent mutations. Two missense mutations
      result in the Cys to Tyr substitution at position 86 (codon 110) and the Arg to
      His substitution at position 302 (codon 326) of a b-locus protein molecule. Using
      allele-specific amplification, we confirmed that these missense mutations are
      actually present in the genomic DNA of two b-mutant strains examined, BALB/c and
      DBA/2 (b/b, C/C) mice, suggesting that these mutations are specific for the
      mutant mice at the b-locus. Moreover, we are able to show that the b-locus
      protein containing Tyr 86 is not reactive with the anti-b-locus protein
      monoclonal antibody, TMH-1, in transient expression assays.

PMID- 1409445
TI  - Molecular bases of tyrosinase-negative oculocutaneous albinism: a single base
      insertion or a missense point mutation in the tyrosinase gene.
AB  - We have identified two different mutations in the tyrosinase genes of Japanese
      patients with tyrosinase-negative oculocutaneous albinism (OCA). One is a single
      base insertion in the exon 2 of the tyrosinase gene that shifts the reading frame
      and introduces a premature termination codon (TGA) after the amino acid residue
      298 (codon 316). The other is a G to A transition at residue 312, leading to a
      single amino acid substitution, arginine at position 59 (codon 77) to glutamine.
      The promoter activity of the patients' tyrosinase genes was evaluated in the cell
      free transcription system prepared from pigmented melanoma cells, indicating that
      the patients' genes were accurately transcribed in vitro. It is therefore
      conceivable that the tyrosinase gene is expressed in their melanocytes.
      Furthermore, transient expression of the mutated genes indicates that the
      truncated tyrosinase or the tyrosinase containing glutamine 59 is unable to form
      melanin in melanocytes. We therefore propose that these mutations in the
      tyrosinase genes lead to a phenotype of tyrosinase-negative OCA.

PMID- 1409446
TI  - Materia melanica: further dark thoughts.
AB  - The view is advanced that melanogenesis arose evolutionarily as a detoxification
      pathway for intrinsically-generated orthoquinones. The primary impetus for the
      production of orthoquinones may have been their general antibiotic properties and
      the utility of these chemical species in forming covalent cross-links between
      proteins, as illustrated by cuticular sclerotization in insects. It is argued
      that polymerization to give rise to visible pigments may have originated as a
      pathway for the inactivation of orthoquinones. The possible evolutionary
      advantages accruing from the generation of melanin are discussed with special
      reference to acuity of photoreceptors and the physico-chemical properties of
      melanin, as well as the contribution of melanin to protective colouration or
      display.

PMID- 1409447
TI  - B700 antigen as a component of an antimelanoma vaccine: formalinized
      extracellular antigens.
AB  - Formalin fixation has enjoyed widespread use in the preparation of antibacterial
      and other vaccines, but rather less use in antitumor vaccines. Previous studies
      from our laboratories have demonstrated the efficacy of antimelanoma vaccines in
      mice, produced from formalinized antigens shed by cultured melanoma cells. In
      this study, we provide evidence that the immunodominant component of that vaccine
      is the well-characterized B700 melanoma antigen.

PMID- 1409448
TI  - Synthesis and characterization of melanins from dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid
      and dihydroxyindole.
AB  - Several studies have confirmed that a melanocyte-specific enzyme, dopachrome
      tautomerase (EC 5.3.2.3), catalyzes the isomerization of dopachrome to 5,6
      dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA) (Pawelek, 1991). Here we report that
      DHICA, produced either enzymatically with dopachrome tautomerase or through
      chemical synthesis, spontaneously polymerized to form brown melanin that was
      soluble in aqueous solutions above pH 5. Under the same reaction conditions,
      solutions of either DOPA, DOPAchrome, or 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI) formed black,
      insoluble melanin precipitates. When DHICA and DHI were mixed together, with
      DHICA in molar excess, little or no precipitation of DHI-melanin occurred and the
      rate and extent of soluble melanin formation was markedly enhanced over that
      achieved with DHICA alone, suggesting co-polymerization of DHICA and DHI. With or
      without DHI, DHICA-melanins absorbed throughout the ultraviolet and visible
      spectra (200-600 nm). The DHICA-melanins precipitated below pH 5, at least in
      part because of protonation of the carboxyl groups. DHICA-melanins could be
      passed through 0.22 micron filters but could not be dialyzed through semi
      permeable membranes with exclusion limits of 12,000-14,000 daltons.
      HPLC/molecular sieve analyses revealed apparent molecular weights ranging from
      20,000 to 200,000 daltons, corresponding to 100-1,000 DHICA monomers per molecule
      of melanin. DHICA-melanins were stable to boiling, lyophilization, freezing and
      thawing, and incubation at room temperature for more than 1 year. The natural
      occurrence of oligomers of DHICA was first reported by Ito and Nichol (1974) in
      their studies of the brown tapetal pigment in the eye of the sea catfish (Arius
      felis L.).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409449
TI  - Melanin biosynthesis from dopamine. II. A mass spectrometric and collisional
      spectroscopic investigation.
AB  - Electron impact (EI) and fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry together
      with collisional activation (CA) experiments were applied to the study of the
      oxidation pathway of dopamine by tyrosinase. In order to prevent attachment of
      the protein to the highly reactive intermediates, ultrafiltration was employed to
      remove the enzyme at different reaction times. FAB, privileging molecular species
      formation, was successfully used for identification of transient intermediates
      and their relative concentrations with respect to time, directly in the reaction
      mixture. The presence of isobaric molecular species made chromatographic
      separation necessary. Further EI mass spectrometry and collision spectroscopy led
      to structural identification of pure components. Of these, dopamine-o-quinone,
      leucoaminochrome, and aminochrome semiquinone were characterized for the first
      time as real intermediates in dopamine melanogenesis, in agreement with previous
      hypotheses. This approach elucidated the pathway of dopamine melanogenesis.

PMID- 1409450
TI  - Melanin standard method: particle description.
AB  - Melanin isolated from the ink sac of Sepia officinalis (Sepia melanin) has been
      proposed as a standard for natural eumelanin. There are no standard methods for
      the isolation, purification, and storage of melanins. Mild methods designed to
      preserve the native composition and structure of melanin are needed. The specific
      aim of the present work, using Sepia melanin, was to develop a mild and generally
      applicable protocol for the isolation and purification of melanins. It is well
      established that melanin polymers contain a large number of free carboxylic acid
      residues. These anionic residues are responsible for the cation exchange
      properties observed for melanins. Heating melanins with hydrochloric acid at
      reflux has been demonstrated to lead to extensive decarboxylation. Indeed, heat
      alone has been shown to cause decarboxylation, and care must be exercised to
      avoid such conditions. By analogy with cation exchange resins, melanins should be
      isolated and named according to the associated counterion (e.g., Sepia melanin-
      K+ form). The method reported here avoided extremes in pH and temperature, and
      was designed to yield melanin in the K+ form. Physical disaggregation of
      particulate melanin using a wet milling step was also found to facilitate removal
      of significant quantities of adsorbed protein. The following physical parameters
      were used to monitor the purification and to characterize the resultant melanin:
      pH, conductance, particle size, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy.

PMID- 1409451
TI  - Melanin standard method: empirical formula.
AB  - Melanin isolated from the ink sac of cuttle fish (Sepia melanin) is a proposed
      standard for natural eumelanin. Sepia melanin isolated by a standard protocol was
      submitted for both elemental analysis and quantitative amino acid analysis. The
      contribution of the detected amino acids to the elemental composition is
      subtracted from the total elemental analysis, and the resultant elemental
      composition reflects the composition of the Sepia melanin backbone chromophore.
      The assumption is made that, for eumelanins, there is only one nitrogen atom per
      monomeric unit, and thus, the empirical formula for the average monomeric Sepia
      melanin backbone chromophore was determined. Three key parameters can be
      determined for any melanin sample; namely, the molar C/N for the average
      monomeric unit, the formula weight of the average monomeric unit, and the total
      percent composition of amino acid residues. Three commonly used melanin
      preparations, namely, natural Sepia melanin, melanin prepared by the in vitro
      tyrosinase catalyzed polymerization of tyrosine (tyrosine-enzymatic melanin), and
      a polymer synthesized by the peroxide oxidative polymerization of tyrosine
      (tyrosine-chemical melanin), have been subjected to this standard method of
      characterization. Tyrosine-enzymatic and Sepia melanin are quite similar and
      tyrosine-chemical melanin is fundamentally different from the other two melanins.

PMID- 1409452
TI  - [Classification of erosions of the stomach. Results of a meeting of the Study
      Group of Gastroenterologic Pathology of the German Society of Pathology 23
      November 1991 in Frankfurt/Main].

PMID- 1409453
TI  - [Histochemical immunoglobulin detection in cases of sudden infant death].

PMID- 1409454
TI  - [Tumor-like calcinosis].

PMID- 1409455
TI  - [Frequency of metastases and survival in histologic subtypes of pleural
      mesothelioma. Autopsy study of 106 cases].

PMID- 1409456
TI  - [Lymph node status in colorectal cancer].

PMID- 1409457
TI  - [Congenital complete AV block in SS-A and SS-B antibody positive collagenosis of
      the mother].

PMID- 1409458
TI  - [Malignant tumor of the gastrointestinal autonomic nervous system (GAN-tumor)].

PMID- 1409459
TI  - [Knowledge of the Austrian pathologist Carl Sternberg (1872-1935). Attempt at a
      historical presentation of clinical information about lymphogranulomatosis].

PMID- 1409460
TI  - [Biphosphonates. Contribution to the treatment of malignant osteolysis].

PMID- 1409461
TI  - [Effect of the captopril-hydrochlorothiazide combination on blood lipids. Study
      in a population of hypertensive hyperlipidemic patients].
AB  - In this placebo-controlled, randomized double-blind, parallel study the effects
      of the fixed captopril 50 mg + hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) 25 mg combination on
      plasma lipids were assessed in 42 hypertensive, type IIa or IIb hyperlipidaemic
      patients on diets. Some patients received oral hypolipidaemic treatment and some
      did not. Blood pressure and plasma lipids levels were measured before and after
      1, 2 and 3 months of treatment. From the first month onward blood pressure
      decreased more in the treated group than in the placebo group (P < 0.05). Neither
      the combination nor the placebo altered the following parameters of lipid
      metabolism: total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density
      lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoprotein A1 and apolipoprotein B.
      The combination was well tolerated; 2 patients in each group had one or several
      adverse events. The results of this study show that treatment with the captopril
      HCTZ combination in hypertensive, hyperlipidaemic patients has no influence on
      the normolipidaemic effects of diet and lipid-lowering treatment.

PMID- 1409462
TI  - [Mortality from cancer in France. Changes between 1950 and 1989 in the population
      aged 35-64].
AB  - In the French population aged 35-64, cancer mortality increased yearly by 1
      percent in males and decreased yearly by 0.6 percent in females between 1950 and
      1989. In males, the increase is mostly due to the sites associated with tobacco
      and alcohol. The important increase of lung cancer is related to the increase in
      tobacco consumption from 4.7 g per adult per day in 1950 to 6.3 g in 1976. The
      increase observed in head and neck cancers is related to tobacco and alcohol. In
      females, the moderate decrease is due to the decrease observed in uterine cervix
      and stomach cancer mortality, uncompensated by the increase in breast cancer.
      Contrary to what is observed in the USA, there is no marked increase in lung
      cancer mortality for women.

PMID- 1409463
TI  - [Changes in the vascular wall induced by surgical glues. Experimental study].
AB  - The effects on vascular tissues of two different types of surgical glue, gelatin
      resorcinol-formaldehyde (GRF) and fibrin (Tissucol) were tested on the rat
      abdominal aorta. The GRF glue induced destruction of the vascular wall: multiple
      inclusions of the glue were noted in the media. Conversely, the fibrin glue
      preserved the normal architecture of the three arterial layers. The use of GRF
      glue therefore should be avoided on particularly fragile tissues (e.g. coronary
      arteries), and it seems preferable in such cases to use the fibrin glue.

PMID- 1409464
TI  - [Isolated dissecting aneurysm of the superior mesenteric artery. Dysplasia, a
      rare cause of mesenteric ischemia. Report of a case].
AB  - We report a case of successful surgical revascularization of the superior
      mesenteric artery in a patient presenting with intestinal ischaemia due to
      fibrodysplasia. This is a rare pathology, with 5 cases operated in our
      institution and only 16 cases reported in the literature. Angiography may show
      other sites of arterial dysplasia. In such cases, success depends on early
      surgical revascularization.

PMID- 1409465
TI  - [Value of corticosteroids in bacterial meningitis].
AB  - Bacterial meningitis mortality largely results from the intense host inflammation
      response to infection. Lysis of bacteria releases bacterial components that
      stimulate production of cytokines. Cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of these
      cytokines have been shown to correlate with the severity of the meningitis in
      both experimental and clinical situations. Dexamethasone has an antiinflammatory
      effect superior to methylprednisolone. It is the only agent with which
      significant clinical studies have yet been performed. A recent study recommends
      the routine use of dexamethasone with Haemophilus influenzae meningitis. The
      immediate and long-term clinical profiles indicate significantly better outcomes
      for the dexamethasone group. It is prudent to administer dexamethasone before the
      first parenteral dose of antibiotic to prevent the release of bacterial
      components induced by bacterial lysis. The search for agents that down modulate
      inflammation more strongly continues. Some monoclonal antibodies are superior to
      dexamethasone in experimental meningitis without modification of antibiotic
      pharmacokinetics.

PMID- 1409466
TI  - [Toxoplasmosis in AIDS].
AB  - Toxoplasmosis is one of the major opportunistic infections observed in France in
      15 to 37 percent of HIV-infected patients. Its main manifestation is
      encephalitis. Other, less frequent manifestations are chorioretinitis, pneumonia
      or disseminated toxoplasmosis. The conventional treatment is a combination of
      pyrimethamine 50-75 mg/day and sulfadiazine 6-8 g/day. Acute therapy should be
      pursued for at least 3 weeks or until optimal response is achieved, i.e. 6 to 8
      weeks in most cases. The pyrimethamine-clindamycin combination in doses of at
      least 2.4 g/day is a possible alternative. Other drugs are being studied, but
      there is still a need for new drugs active against the parasite, that could be
      used in humans. In HIV-infected patients treatment should be maintained lifelong
      to prevent relapses. Maintenance regimens use the same drugs as acute therapy but
      in lower doses. The main field of research is primary prophylaxis of
      toxoplasmosis in HIV-infected patients.

PMID- 1409468
TI  - [Spondylodiscitis in a cirrhotic patient with penicillin G tolerant Streptococcus
      bovis septicemia].

PMID- 1409467
TI  - [Birth anomalies of coronary arteries. Responsibility in myocardial ischemia].
AB  - Anomalous origin of the left or right coronary artery from the contralateral
      sinus of Valsalva with coursing between the aorta and the pulmonary trunk way
      cause angina, myocardial infarction or sudden death. This anomaly should be
      suspected especially when ischemic symptoms occur in young patients without risk
      factor for atherosclerosis. We believe that surgical operation after
      demonstration of myocardial ischemia is indicated to prevent severe myocardial
      ischemia or sudden death.

PMID- 1409469
TI  - [Urticaria vasculitis revealing renal adenocarcinoma. A paraneoplastic
      syndrome?].

PMID- 1409470
TI  - [Pharyngeal and bronchial endoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea
      syndromes].

PMID- 1409471
TI  - [Structural approach of vascular aging].
AB  - The cardiovascular system is one of those target-organ systems of senescence
      where the effects of physiological ageing meet the consequences, accumulated with
      time, of pathological disorders. In man, these two processes are not easily
      disentangled, and despite the advances achieved in ultrasonic techniques the
      approach of structural parameters remains difficult. On the other hand, the
      morphological and functional unicity of the vascular wall in different species is
      such that observations made in animals are relevant. In rats, the structure
      function relationship can be determined by histomorphometric analysis of the
      myocardium and vascular wall under standardized conditions of treatment. As the
      animals get older, the cardiac mass, related or not to body-weight, increases
      while the cardiac efficacy decreases. Hypertrophy of the heart is accompanied by
      a change in the enzymatic property of myosin. Simultaneously, the walls of the
      greater arteries become thicker, more rigid and less compliant, hypertrophy of
      the smooth muscle cells being an essential component of vascular wall thickening.
      At the same time, the collagen fraction and the amount of collagen-bound calcium
      increase. The elastic component decreases, at least relatively, and the elastin
      collagen ratio clearly diminishes with age. Altogether, these alterations are not
      different from those observed in human arterial hypertension. They result in a
      lesser permeability of the tunica media, facilitate the accumulation in the
      subendothelium of lipidic and/or proteinic compounds originating in plasma and
      constitute a link between ageing and atheromatous processes.

PMID- 1409472
TI  - [Molecular bases of cardiac aging].
AB  - The total volume occupied by myocytes in the heart decreases with age, and this
      is accompanied by a loss of myocytes, by hypertrophy and, to a lesser extent, by
      hyperplasia of the remaining myocytes. There are differences between ventricles:
      the right ventricular myocytes have a greater capacity for replication than those
      of the left ventricle. The expression of genes coding for the 2 principal
      contractile proteins (myosin and actin) is modified, and there are strong
      resemblances between the phenotype of the aged heart and that of an adult heart
      with haemodynamic overload.

PMID- 1409473
TI  - [Aging of the arterial system].
AB  - The high-pressure systemic arterial network plays a major physiological role as
      it buffers the impact of the blood flow wave generated by the left ventricle and
      transforms it into a more continuous flow in the peripheral arterioles. In ageing
      processes unrelated to hypertensive or vascular disease the structural properties
      of the arterial network are significantly altered. The collagen, elastin and
      smooth muscle contents of the tunica media and the geometrical arrangement of
      arterial wall components are constantly modified according to the subject's age.
      These morphometric changes are responsible for changes in the mechanical
      properties of the arterial walls leading to rigidity. An increase in caliber of
      the arterial lumen has been found in all studies; it partially compensates for
      the effects of arterial wall rigidity on vascular compliance, thereby limiting
      the haemodynamic and functional changes that occur in blood circulation.

PMID- 1409474
TI  - [Effects of aging on arterial function in man].
AB  - The structure of arteries changes with age. Gradual disappearance of elastic
      fibres facilitates dilatation of the arterial lumen and increase in length of the
      vessels. Simultaneously, the arterial wall becomes thicker, but it is often
      difficult to distinguish the changes due to ageing from those caused by
      atherosclerosis. These structural alterations result in a greater rigidity of the
      arteries, which can now be evaluated by non-invasive segmental methods. This
      shows that ageing does not have the same functional effects on wide-caliber
      elastic arteries and on middle-sized muscular arteries. The increase of systolic
      arterial pressure observed in the elderly is a consequence of structural and
      functional changes in the arterial system.

PMID- 1409475
TI  - [Aging of heart function in animals].
AB  - Most of the laboratory animals studied for cardiovascular ageing are rodents.
      Anatomical studies have demonstrated an increase in heart weight and volume,
      hypovascularization of the myocardium and, more recently, hypertrophy of
      myocytes. Studies on the mechanical properties of rat papillary muscle have shown
      that ageing is associated with reduction of myocardial distensibility, whereas
      the habitual parameters of contractility (Tmax and Vmax) are unchanged in terms
      of baseline values. On the other hand, mechanical responses to stimulation of
      beta-adrenoceptors are reduced. The essential change in myocardial contraction in
      ageing rats is its chronology: ageing is attended by a longer duration of both
      contraction and relaxation. Biochemical studies of old rats' myocardium have
      yielded a fundamental information: in this species ageing is accompanied by a
      change in synthesized myosin subtype. This change is identical to that observed
      in experimental systolic overload; it is also adaptative, as it enables oxygen
      consumption to be reduced during a constant work, and it explains the
      modifications observed in the chronology of a contraction. Studies on the "pump"
      function of old rats' myocardium have confirmed the appearance with age of
      another adaptative change: isolated hearts of old animals have a greater output
      in a rigid circuit while the hearts of adult rats have their output in a more
      compliant circuit. Altogether, experimental studies on cardiac ageing lead to the
      conclusion that the changes observed are similar to those due to systolic
      overload, the origin of which is a loss of arterial compliance. These changes are
      adaptative in that they reduce oxygen consumption by a myocardium with systolic
      overload, but the resulting changes in contraction chronology are such that the
      aged heart cannot deviate from a mean rate without notably widening the
      differential blood pressure. Thus, experimental studies of myocardial ageing have
      presented ageing as a contradiction between ideal adaptation to a chronic stress
      and reduced possibilities of adaptation to acute aggressions.

PMID- 1409476
TI  - [Functional coupling of the left ventriculo-arterial system and aging in man].
AB  - In a haemodynamic and angiographic study at rest conducted in 25 men aged from 22
      to 68 years who had no more than another risk factor for arterial disease and
      showed no evidence of cardiac or arterial disease several parameters were
      measured or calculated. Firstly, a global index of arterial system function (Ea)
      and its various factors: Ea = ESP/SV [ESP: left ventricular end-systolic
      pressure; SV: systolic volume]; Ea = (HR x TSR)+Ea' [HR: heart rate/min; TSR:
      total systemic resistance] where Ea' = (ESP - AoP/SV) [AoP: mean aortic
      pressure]. Secondly, the parameters concerning the left ventricle were the mass
      (m) and the m/EDV ratio [EDV: end-diastolic volume] and indices of the left
      ventricular systolic and diastolic functions, such as ELV = ESP/ESV [ESV: end
      systolic volume], kp: the volumic distensibility module of the left ventricular
      chamber; relations EF - o ES [EF: ejection fraction; o ES: end-systolic
      constraint], and kp - m/EDV as indice of left ventricular muscle distensibility.
      In parallel with the subjects' age, Ea increased by joint augmentation of TSR and
      Ea' while m, m/EDV, ELV and kp also significantly increased. The inotropic
      quality of the left ventricular muscle and its intrinsic distensibility were
      found to be decreased in a few subjects aged over 45. Ea/ELV (reverse of ejection
      fraction -1) tended to increase (ELV relatively less than Ea), but this increase
      was not significant (P = 0.10). These results show that in the ageing man the
      improvement observed in the ejection fraction of the left ventricular pump
      corresponds roughly to the degradation of the arterial system transfer function,
      and the arterial system-left ventricle coupling, evaluated by the Ea/ELV ratio,
      is maintained (better in fact than in arterial hypertension and heart failure).
      This improvement is achieved by increases of m and, chiefly, m/EDV which
      compensate for both the increase of Ea and the relative decline of left
      ventricular muscle contractile quality. There is a disorder of the left
      ventricular pump diastolic function which is due to geometric changes in the
      chamber and to changes in the intrinsic distensibility of the left ventricular
      muscle.

PMID- 1409477
TI  - [Cerebral blood flow. Changes in regulation with aging].
AB  - In subjects without cardiovascular or neuronal diseases ageing does not seem to
      be accompanied by a significant fall in global cerebral blood flow at rest. Yet
      non-negligible changes in cerebral blood flow rate can be demonstrated by
      haemodynamic or metabolic stimuli. Several intra- and extracranial vascular
      mechanisms may be involved in these changes. During ageing, a decrease of carotid
      artery compliance due to parietal calcium deposition might be an important factor
      in the disturbance of cerebral blood flow regulatory mechanisms.

PMID- 1409478
TI  - [Cerebral and cardiovascular aging and brain energy metabolism. Studies with
      positron-emission tomography in man].
AB  - Positron emission tomography (PET) is the only method that measures concomitantly
      in the same cerebral region the main haemodynamic (blood flow, blood volume) and
      metabolic (oxygen and glucose consumption) parameters, thereby providing
      essential data concerning the supply of substrates by circulation and their
      principally neuronal/synaptic use by the cells. In "healthy" (i.e. normal)
      ageing, there is a progressive decrease of oxygen and glucose consumption--with
      subsequent reduction of cerebral blood flow (CBF)--which predominates in the
      neocortex and suggests a dysfunction of neuronal circuits perhaps responsible for
      some age-related changes in cognitive functions. The metabolic depression in the
      neocortex seems to be accentuated during the more "common" ageing which may
      include cerebrovascular risk factors, lesions of the white matter in varying
      numbers and/or degradation of cognitive functions. Strategically located brain
      lesions of vascular origin (e.g. damaging of the thalamic nuclei), may produce a
      thalamo-cortical disconnection which induces a diffuse cortical hypometabolism
      associated with severe cognitive disorders. In degenerative dementias
      (particularly Alzheimer's disease), which include cortical and subcortical
      neuronal lesions (e.g. those involving the cholinergic system), there is a
      hypometabolism preferentially affecting the associative cortex. The cumulative
      effects on cortical functioning of multiple vascular lesions, superimposed on
      degenerative neuron loss, might account for age-related cognitive disorders in
      "normal" ageing as well as in the so-called "vascular" or "mixed" dementias.

PMID- 1409479
TI  - [Normal and pathological renal aging in animals].
AB  - Ageing of the kidneys has long been associated with a fall in the number of
      functioning nephrons resulting in a reduction of renal blood flow and glomerular
      filtration. This narrow concept of age-related changes in renal function has been
      developed chiefly during the last few years by Brenner et al. on the basis of
      experimental studies conducted on rodents. According to these authors, the size
      and frequency of segmental and focal lesions of glomerulosclerosis increase
      regularly with age, and in its final phase this pathology results in occlusion of
      glomerular capillaries. Renal ageing, therefore, can be assimilated to the
      nephron reduction models obtained by surgical ablation. The hypothesis that
      hypofiltration in certain nephrons is compensated by hyperfiltration in healthy
      glomerulis, leading to a vicious circle of self-destruction, was then applied to
      both ageing and experimental renal impairment: the smaller the number of
      nephrons, the greater the filtration achieved by the remaining nephrons, a
      process that accelerates the probability of their destruction. Conversely, any
      attempt to reduce intracapillary pressure or glomerular filtration slows down the
      progression of renal failure. This hypothesis is supported by experiments showing
      that reduction of protein intake or chronic inhibition of angiotensin I
      converting enzyme activity are truly capable of limiting the progression of
      glomerulosclerosis induced in rats by partial renal mass ablation. Similarly,
      prolonged food restriction increases the life expectancy of rodents and almost
      totally prevents the occurrence of glomerulosclerosis. The experimental finding
      that degenerative renal lesions do not necessarily develop with age raises the
      problem of normal and pathological ageing. With an adequate choice of rats' food,
      strain and sanitary surroundings it is possible to obtain very old animals devoid
      of occluded glomerular capillaries and loss of nephron. What about the functional
      and structural changes due to ageing and not to pathology? This question has
      given rise to numerous studies which concluded, on the whole, that there exists a
      normal ageing of the kidneys without loss of nephron and that ageing is expressed
      by the fact that the kidneys have difficulties in adjusting themselves to
      disturbances in the inner environment. As regards renal functional reserve,
      response to the antidiuretic hormone in case of water restriction, or stimulation
      of the renin-angiotensin system in response to decrease of sodium intake, it is
      clear that the renal cells responsible for glomerular filtration, tubular
      transport or synthesis and release of peptidic hormones exhibit functional
      alterations that are age-related. The cellular and molecular mechanisms
      underlying these physiological changes are little known.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      400 WORDS)

PMID- 1409480
TI  - [Renal aging in man].
AB  - Renal morphological and functional changes occur in the elderly. Between the ages
      of 50 and 80 years the renal mass diminishes by a mean of 20 percent, to the
      expense of the renal cortex. Glomerular sclerosis results in a gradual fall in
      the number of functioning glomeruli. Simultaneously, a decrease of about 7
      percent in glomerular filtration rate per decade after the age of 40 years and a
      10 percent decrease in renal plasma flow per decade, and therefore an increase in
      filtration fraction, are observed. These haemodynamic abnormalities are
      accompanied by changes in tubular function, including a delay in renal adjustment
      to sodium overload, and above all to sodium restriction, together with a decrease
      in concentrating and, to a lesser extent, diluting capacity. In actual fact, the
      intensity of glomerular sclerosis varies considerably from one subject to
      another, and the decrease in glomerular filtration rate is far from being
      constant. These changes are perhaps not ineluctably associated with aging; they
      might result from pathological processes that have gone unnoticed.

PMID- 1409481
TI  - [Cardiovascular pathology related to aging. Role of prevention].
AB  - During the last 50 years the increase of life expectancy has been dramatic in all
      Western countries. In France, the life expectancy in 1988 was 80.6 years for
      women and 72.3 years for men. In 1980, the life expectancy at the age of 60 was
      more than 20 years in women and 16 years in men. Side by side with this increase
      of life expectancy there has been a change in the structure of the causes of
      death. Cardiovascular diseases accounted for 15.6 percent of all causes in 1930,
      31 percent in 1950 and 37.4 percent in 1980. Cardiovascular diseases therefore
      rank very high among the causes of mortality, and one of the principal reasons
      for this is ageing of the population. Studying the epidemiology of cardiovascular
      ageing is tantamount to determining the part played by prevention in these
      diseases. There are wide fluctuations in cardiovascular mortality rate according
      to some demographic variables: men are more affected than women, the poorer
      subjects more than the richer subjects, and people living in the North of France
      more than those living in the South. These disparities are real, irrespective of
      age, and they can be explained, at least partly, by differences in the prevalence
      of well-known risk factors. Cardiovascular ageing plays a role, probably
      important, in the genesis of physical and mental disabilities, but markers that
      would measure them precisely are lacking. The development of such indicators is a
      major line of research which should make it possible to evaluate the prospective
      results of a policy of prevention in a segment of the population where people
      aged 60 or more accounted for 19.1 percent in 1990 and will account for 25
      percent in the year 2020.

PMID- 1409482
TI  - [Prevention of pathological aging. The arterial hypertension example].
AB  - Studies conducted during the last decade have made it increasingly easier to
      distinguish between normal and pathological ageing. Previous studies on general
      populations had established a dogma: most of the major body functions, such as
      cardiac output, glomerular clearance, muscular strength, visual acuity and so
      forth, were supposed to decline with age. However, in recent studies on the
      effects of age on cardiac output all subjects with heart disease were excluded
      and as a result the negative correlation found between cardiac output and age
      disappeared, which shows that a phenomenon attributed to ageing was in fact
      caused by disease. This does not mean that there is no such thing as fundamental
      ageing, and indeed the mechanisms that maintain cardiac output are different in
      young and elderly subjects. These data are of more than theoretical interest,
      since it may be presumed that prevention, the instruments of which are already
      available in some fields, will modify the profile of ageing. The risk of arterial
      hypertension is not restricted to the classical cardiovascular diseases: it
      extends to other diseases, such as vascular dementia, which are potent factors of
      pathological ageing. Most of the controlled trials carried out in arterial
      hypertension have demonstrated that treating certain types of hypertension
      significantly reduces the morbidity and/or mortality of cardiovascular diseases.
      The specific properties of new antihypertensive drugs, such as angiotensin
      converting enzyme inhibitors, open stimulating vistas on arterial ageing.

PMID- 1409483
TI  - Breast and cervical cancer screening in older women: the San Diego Medicare
      Preventive Health Project.
AB  - BACKGROUND. This study presents rates and correlates of cancer screening,
      including mammography, clinical breast exam, breast self-examination, and Pap
      tests, in older women. Age was the predictor of main interest. RESULTS. Among a
      sample of female Medicare beneficiaries ages 65 and older, who were members of a
      health maintenance organization, there was a significant, inverse relationship
      between age and mammography adherence, while controlling for health status,
      physician utilization, education, and income. The proportions of subjects ages 65
      74 and 75+ never having had a mammogram were 17 and 32%, respectively, and the
      proportions having had annual mammograms were 40 and 28%, respectively. Pap test
      frequency showed a trend toward an inverse relationship with age, controlling for
      demographic and health-related variables. In the youngest age group (65-69), 52%
      had annual Pap tests, whereas in the oldest group (80+), only 36% had annual Pap
      tests. Age did not predict frequency of clinical breast exam, and the
      relationship of age to breast self-examination was inconclusive. The role of the
      physician in promoting cancer screening is discussed.

PMID- 1409484
TI  - Breast cancer screening attitudes and behaviors of rural and urban women.
AB  - This study was carried out to assess the breast cancer knowledge, attitudes, and
      awareness of women age 40 to 74 in Alberta, a Canadian province of 2.4 million
      people. This analysis compares the attributes of 538 rural women, defined as
      those living between 1 and 3 hr drive from the major cities in Alberta, and 735
      urban women who lived in one of these two cities. Rural women were found to have
      the same basic knowledge of breast cancer or perceptions of barriers to
      mammography, but had more negative attitudes about breast cancer itself. Despite
      their similar access to physician care, they were less likely to have had a
      recent clinical breast examination or mammogram (P less than 0.001). These
      differences remained when adjustment was made for demographic background
      variables; the adjusted prevalence rate ratio for a screening mammogram in the
      past 2 years was 0.52 (95% C.I., 0.43, 0.64), and for intention to have a
      mammogram in the next 2 years, 0.75 (0.63, 0.90). The results suggest particular
      program delivery strategies when planning for provision of breast screening
      information and service to the large subgroup of rural women.

PMID- 1409485
TI  - Impact of a clinical preventive medicine curriculum for primary care faculty:
      results of a dissemination model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study was designed to test a dissemination model for providing
      clinical preventive medicine (CPM) training to general internal medicine faculty
      across the United States. METHODS: The model incorporated direct instruction of a
      few faculty as seminar facilitators who, in turn, taught a CPM curriculum to
      their faculty colleagues, who then could teach it to housestaff and students. The
      CPM curriculum consisted of six seminars that focused primarily on the risk
      factors for chronic diseases and on behavior change methods for modifying
      smoking, diet, and exercise. RESULTS: Faculty who participated in the seminars
      had significant pre- to post-test increase in knowledge and reported self
      efficacy to implement CPM strategies with patients, as well as changes in CPM
      clinical practices. These faculty, in turn, successfully disseminated CPM
      information to their housestaff, who also had increases in self-efficacy and
      changed clinical practices regarding CPM topics. CONCLUSIONS: The successful
      implementation of the dissemination model attests to its viability as a mechanism
      for disseminating CPM curricula and increasing the emphasis on CMP issues in both
      clinical teaching and clinical encounters with patients.

PMID- 1409486
TI  - A comparison of knowledge of medical students and practicing primary care
      physicians about cardiovascular risk assessment and intervention.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Heart attack and stroke are still prevalent causes of death and
      disability in the U.S. adult population (1, 2). Studies (3-9) have shown that
      modification of hypertension, smoking, and hypercholesterolemia can reduce risks
      for atherosclerosis and subsequent cardiovascular events. Therefore, it is
      important that physicians be skilled in assessing and modifying patients' overall
      cardiovascular risk. This study compares acquired knowledge of second-year
      medical students about cardiovascular risk assessment with knowledge in a
      selected group of practicing primary care physicians, who are members of the
      medical school's clinical faculty, using a new experimental testing technique
      called the tailored response test (TRT). METHODS: Students performed a structured
      cardiovascular risk intervention on a patient in primary care clinics. Their
      acquired knowledge was then tested using the TRT, which contained 43 discrete
      judgments about a clinical case. Test scores of students and faculty were
      compared. RESULTS: Both students and faculty demonstrated knowledge about the
      most important risk factors, appropriate screening tools, and interventions.
      However, the selected physicians did not demonstrate knowledge of certain
      important risk assessment and intervention recommendations, based on national
      standards. Only 38% of faculty and 27% of students were aware that a "fasting"
      serum cholesterol is not needed for screening, 30% of faculty believed that if
      cholesterol was over 300 they would "probably prescribe medicine" before other
      intervention strategies were tried, and 32% of faculty and 30% of students would
      order a screening chest X-ray, which is incorrect in the case history.
      CONCLUSIONS: The TRT, in contrast to self-report surveys, demonstrates that
      important cardiovascular risk assessment and intervention knowledge, with
      implications for cost effectiveness in health care delivery, has not penetrated
      to a selected group of physicians who are members of the medical school's
      clinical faculty and therefore serve as role models for medical students. This is
      disturbing, in light of current emphases on cost effectiveness in health care.
      Greater undergraduate curricula and CME emphasis on cardiovascular preventive
      practice is needed, such that almost 100% of students and faculty demonstrate
      knowledge, and practice, of preventive medicine according to national standards.
      In turn, groups developing national standards are enjoined to design and
      implement effective approaches for disseminating these recommendations.

PMID- 1409487
TI  - Results from a statewide approach to adolescent tobacco use prevention.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The 1985 Minnesota Legislature established guidelines for school
      based tobacco-use prevention programming and provided financial incentives to
      school districts to encourage them to adopt a broad range of preventive measures.
      The Minnesota-Wisconsin Adolescent Tobacco-Use Research Project was funded by the
      National Cancer Institute in 1986 to evaluate the Minnesota initiative through
      two parallel studies. METHODS: The Four Group Comparison Study was a prospective
      study of 48 school "units" which were randomly assigned to one of four conditions
      in 1987. Baseline observations were taken in the sixth grade in 1987,
      interventions were delivered in the seventh grade, and follow-up observations
      were taken in the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades. The Four Group Comparison
      Study was designed to evaluate the three middle-school interventions that were
      most widely adopted by Minnesota school districts as a result of the 1985
      legislation. The Two State Comparison Study was a serial cross-sectional study of
      representative districts in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Annual surveys of ninth
      graders were conducted from 1986-1990. The Two State Comparison Study was
      designed to determine whether tobacco-use patterns changed in Minnesota relative
      to Wisconsin following the Minnesota legislation. RESULTS: The prospective study
      indicated that none of the interventions was more effective in reducing
      adolescent tobacco use compared with a randomized control group. The serial cross
      sectional study revealed that there was a modest net decline in Minnesota
      relative to Wisconsin from 1986 to 1990, but that it was within the range of
      chance variation. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these results indicate that this
      legislative initiative was insufficient to reduce adolescent tobacco use
      statewide during the 5-year study period. Together with results from other recent
      studies, they suggest that even more intensive efforts may be required to effect
      widespread reductions in adolescent tobacco use.

PMID- 1409488
TI  - Calcium intake in youth: sex, age, and racial differences in NHANES II.
AB  - METHODS: Data from the NHANES II survey were used to determine whether the
      calcium intake of children ages 3-18 met the minimum recommended daily allowance.
      In addition, the impact of age, race, sex, and socioeconomic status on calcium
      intake and the density of calcium intake was explored. RESULTS: The results
      indicated significant differences between groups of children based on age, sex,
      and race (P less than 0.05). Males across all age groups (3-5, 6-7, 8-10, 11-12,
      13-18) had a higher calcium intake than females. In addition, calcium intake
      levels among males always met or exceeded the minimum RDA. Levels among all
      blacks started below the minimum RDA in the age group 3-5. During the adolescent
      years, calcium intake again fell below the RDA for black males and for females of
      both races, with the calcium intake of the adolescent females resembling that of
      the group ages 3-5. In a multiple regression model sex, age, race, and total
      energy intake predicted 49% (P less than 0.0001) of the variance in calcium
      intake. Socioeconomic status (using parents' reported income) was not a
      significant predictor. Another regression model was used to examine the
      relationship among age, race, sex, and socioeconomic status and its effect on the
      density of calcium intake (mg/kcal). While the overall model was significant (P
      less than 0.0001) it accounted for only 3.5% of the variance. CONCLUSION: Age,
      sex, and race of the child significantly predicted the density of calcium (P less
      than 0.05); however, parents' gross income did not (P less than 0.81), indicating
      that income level does not contribute to explaining these differences.

PMID- 1409489
TI  - Elderly health beliefs, attitudes, and maintenance.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Why older persons engage in varying amounts of health maintenance
      activity is becoming both an increasingly important policy issue and a topic of
      interest to health services researchers. Such activity may help the elderly to
      delay the onset of the health-related problems associated with aging, maintain if
      not improve their functional abilities, and perhaps improve their quality of
      life. METHODS: Using a conceptual model largely based upon the health belief
      model, this study sought to examine predictors of variability of health
      maintenance activity among older persons. The project included cross-sectional
      data drawn from the first phase of a multiyear panel study of elderly community
      residents. RESULTS: Results of ordinary least-squares and logistic regression
      analyses of seven types of health maintenance activity suggest that health
      beliefs are an important consideration but that other variables, namely, type of
      insurance plan and select sociodemographic factors, also had significant impacts.
      Another consistent finding was that each of the types of health maintenance
      activity was associated with different types of predictor variables. CONCLUSION:
      These findings suggest that in order for levels of health maintenance activity to
      be increased, intervention programs need to be targeted toward specific types of
      health beliefs and need to take into account the importance of social
      differences.

PMID- 1409490
TI  - Environmental effects on chromosomes in oncology and radiology department
      personnel.
AB  - Long-term, low levels of antineoplastic drugs and ionizing radiation in the work
      environment may have genotoxic effects on chromosomes in personnel. The effects
      of ionizing radiation is acknowledged in occupational medicine and therefore
      various measures have been undertaken to prevent such effects. However, there are
      no protective measures for workers exposed to antineoplastic drugs. In this study
      metaphase chromosome preparations were analyzed in 126 nurses and radiology
      technicians. They were divided into three equal groups. The first group consisted
      of shift nurses in an oncology department handling antineoplastic drugs. The
      second group consisted of radiology technicians in a radiology department and the
      third group acted as controls. Structural chromosomal aberrations were increased
      among those nurses exposed to antineoplastic drugs in comparison with technicians
      (P less than 0.05) and controls (P less than 0.01), respectively.

PMID- 1409492
TI  - Chemopreventive effects of green tea components on hepatic carcinogenesis.
AB  - Catechin components of green tea have been shown to possess anticarcinogenic
      properties possible related to their antioxidant activity. In the present study,
      a catechin containing green tea extract (GTE) was examined for its effect on
      three previously defined properties of liver tumor promoters, induction of
      cytolethality, inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication, and
      induction of cell proliferation. Hepatocytes from male B6C3F1 mice were isolated
      and placed in primary culture. The effects of GTE of oxygen free radical-induced
      cytolethality was examined by coincubating GTE with the oxygen radical generating
      compounds paraquat, glucose oxidase (GO), and xanthine oxidase (XO). GTE
      prevented the induction of hepatocyte cytolethality by GO, XO, and paraquat in a
      dose-responsive manner. Similarly, GTE prevented the inhibition of gap junctional
      mediated intercellular communication (measured by lucifer yellow dye coupling) by
      phenobarbital, lindane, and paraquat in a dose-dependent manner. The effect of
      GTE on hepatocyte DNA synthesis was examined in male mice containing
      preneoplastic liver lesions induced by diethylnitrosamine. GTE significantly
      decreased the labeling index in hepatic preneoplastic foci from animals treated
      with phenobarbital for 7 days. These studies suggest that the previous reported
      anticarcinogenic activity of green tea may be related to its effect on the tumor
      promotion stage of the cancer process.

PMID- 1409491
TI  - Anticarcinogenic effects of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Our research objective is to develop nontoxic cancer chemopreventive
      agents and to apply these agents in treating humans. We are identifying agents
      that inhibit the process of tumor promotion in two-stage carcinogenesis
      experiments on mouse skin. METHODS: We review (a) the inhibitory effect of penta
      O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose (5GG) on tumor promotion by teleocidin, one of the 12-O
      tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-type tumor promoters (5GG is structurally
      similar to (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and is isolated from hydrolyzed
      tannic acid); (b) the inhibitory effects of EGCG, the main constituent of
      Japanese green tea, on tumor promotion with two tumor promoters, teleocidin and
      okadaic acid, a non-TPA-type tumor promoter; (c) the mechanisms of action of
      EGCG, a single application of which reduced the specific binding of [3H]TPA and
      [3H]okadaic acid to a particulate fraction of mouse skin; and (d) the
      anticarcinogenic effects of EGCG on duodenal carcinogenesis induced by N-ethyl-N'
      nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in male C57BL/6 mice. EGCG is a nontoxic compound.
      CONCLUSION: We believe that the main constituent of Japanese green tea, EGCG, is
      a practical cancer chemopreventive agent available in everyday life.

PMID- 1409493
TI  - Antioxidative effect of polyphenol extract prepared from various Chinese teas.
AB  - METHODS. Twelve different types of Chinese teas, including green, semifermented,
      and black tea, were studied for their antioxidant activities and active
      components. Compositions of (-)-epicatechin, (-)-epigallocatechin, (-)
      epicatechin gallate, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, and gallic acid were
      identified by fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid
      chromatography-mass spectrometry and quantified by high-performance liquid
      chromatography. Antioxidant activities in lard were measured by the Rancimat
      method. RESULTS. The results showed that both yields of polyphenol extract and
      antioxidant activities varied with different tea processing methods. It was found
      that (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, (-)-epigallocatechin, and (-)-epicatechin
      gallate inhibited soybean lipoxygenase at the IC50 values ranging from 10 to 20
      microM.

PMID- 1409494
TI  - Green tea consumption and serum lipid profiles: a cross-sectional study in
      northern Kyushu, Japan.
AB  - METHODS. The relation between green tea consumption and serum lipid
      concentrations was examined using cross-sectional data on 1,306 males who
      received the retirement health examination at the Self-Defense Forces Fukuoka
      Hospital between October 1986 and December 1988. RESULTS. After adjustment for
      rank, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, and body mass index, serum total
      cholesterol levels were found to be inversely related to the consumption of green
      tea while no association was noted with serum triglycerides and high-density
      lipoprotein cholesterol. Adjusted mean concentrations of total cholesterol were 8
      mg/dl lower in men drinking nine cups or more per day than in those consuming
      zero to two cups per day. Serum cholesterol levels were inversely associated with
      traditional Japanese dietary habits (intake of rice and soy bean paste soup) and
      positively associated with Westernized habits. Additional adjustment for these
      dietary variables did not alter the inverse relation between green tea and total
      cholesterol.

PMID- 1409495
TI  - Association of serum lipoproteins and health-related habits with coffee and tea
      consumption in free-living subjects examined in the Israeli CORDIS Study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A positive association between coffee consumption and serum
      cholesterol levels has been demonstrated and recent results indicate that this
      may be due to a lipid-rich fraction present mainly in boiled coffee. The possible
      effects of tea consumption are less clear, although evidence has been presented
      which suggests that tea drinkers have lower cholesterol levels. The associations
      between serum lipids and lipoproteins and coffee and tea consumption were
      examined in the Israel CORDIS study. METHODS: Employees of 21 factories were
      screened for cardiovascular disease risk factors between 1985 and 1987. Detailed
      data on coffee and tea consumption and serum lipids and lipoproteins were
      available for 3,858 men and 1,511 women. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of
      five or more cups of coffee per day was reported by 10.1% of men and 8.7% of
      women, whereas only 3.4% of men and 2.2% of women consumed similar quantities of
      tea. After controlling for a number of potential confounders, coffee consumption
      (particularly "mud" coffee) was strongly and positively associated with higher
      serum total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in both sexes
      (consumers of five or more cups per day had cholesterol levels up to 18 mg/dl
      higher than abstainers) and with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in women.
      There was a nonsignificant negative association between tea consumption and serum
      cholesterol (cholesterol levels about 5 mg/dl more in abstainers than in those
      consuming five or more cups per day). In general, more negative health-related
      habits were reported with increased coffee consumption, whereas this relationship
      was not found for tea drinking. The relatively small percentage of heavy tea
      drinkers limits the conclusions that one can draw from this study and controlled
      trials are needed to evaluate possible lipid-lowering effects of tea consumption.

PMID- 1409496
TI  - Tea consumption. relationship to cholesterol, blood pressure, and coronary and
      total mortality.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND METHODS: The relation of tea to cholesterol, systolic blood
      pressure, and mortality from coronary heart disease and all causes was studied in
      9,856 men and 10,233 women without history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes.
      All men and women 35-49 years of age from the county of Oppland (Norway) were
      invited to participate; the attendance rate was 90%. RESULTS: Mean serum
      cholesterol decreased with increasing tea consumption, the linear trend
      coefficient corresponded to a difference of 0.24 mmol/liter (9.3 mg/dl) in men
      and 0.15 mmol/liter (5.8 mg/dl) in women between drinkers of less than one cup
      and those of five or more cups/day, when other risk factors were taken into
      account. Systolic blood pressure was inversely related to tea with a difference
      between the same two tea groups of 2.1 mm in men and 3.5 mm in women. Altogether
      396 men and 237 women died from all causes, and of these 141 and 18,
      respectively, died from coronary heart disease during the 12-year follow-up
      period. The mortality rate was higher (not statistically significant) among
      persons drinking no tea or less than one cup compared with persons drinking one
      or more cups/day. This applies to men and women and to coronary heart disease and
      all-cause mortality. For men, the relative risk (one or more versus less than one
      cup) for coronary death from Cox regression was 0.64 (95% CI:0.38, 1.07).

PMID- 1409497
TI  - [Video bronchoscopy--the electronic view of the bronchus].
AB  - The optical resolution in the fibrescopes commonly in use is limited by the
      number and length of glass fibres used in the endoscopes. In the videoscope--i.e.
      in the direct videoscopy--the endoscopic picture is transformed already in the
      tip of the endoscope into electronic signals which can be guided through
      electrical wire nearly free from losses. This results in an enormous improvement
      of the image quality. Some problems arise from the adjustment of the light
      intensity yielding too much brightness in the short-distance and darkness in the
      depth. Furthermore, the work channel of the prototype we used is still too small.
      The investigation with this new technique requires an increased coordinative
      effort between the handling of the instrument and the picture on the monitor; but
      with some practice one becomes familiar with it. The pictures of the bronchial
      wall are extremely brilliant. Unusual structures of bronchial mucosa can be
      analyzed. Microscopic endoscopy seems to be only a short step away. Digital
      processing of the electronic image offers extraordinary perspectives for the
      future.

PMID- 1409498
TI  - [Negative cortisone attitude in patients with bronchial asthma].
AB  - Patients with bronchial asthma often exhibit irrational fears of cortisone
      medication beyond justified worries about side-effects. A negative cortisone
      image, which means overemphasizing the damaging and threatening aspects of
      cortisone, often underlies non-compliant illness behaviour. In the present study,
      cortisone image was investigated in 54 patients with bronchial asthma before and
      after participation in the Dusseldorf Asthma treatment and teaching programme
      (ATTP) and one year later. By participating in ATTP, a significant reduction of
      the negative cortisone image and thus a more realistic view of cortisone could be
      achieved in most patients. This effect was also evident at the follow-up
      examination one year later. On the other hand, persistence of a negative
      cortisone image in a subgroup of patients turned out to be a potent predictor of
      later non-compliant illness behaviour. Psychological implications of a persistent
      negative cortisone image are discussed.

PMID- 1409499
TI  - [Comparison of six peak flow meters for patients].
AB  - Five meters of six models of peak flowmeters have been checked by 40 measurements
      each in series with a pneumotachograph. There were no substantial differences
      between the five meters of one type, but the various models showed a different
      scatter, partly due to differences in the applied flow pattern. We prefer those
      peak flowmeters with less influence of the flow pattern.

PMID- 1409500
TI  - [Case report: endoscopic resection of a 5 cm intrathoracic lipoma].
AB  - Technical possibilities of operative thoracoscopy are demonstrated on the
      occasion of the presentation of an endoscopic resection of a benign intrathoracic
      tumour. Thoracic video-endoscopy is definitely a useful constituent of the
      treatment of defined pleural or pulmonary processes, since it can be used in
      addition to biopsy (which serves to assure the correct diagnosis) without
      rendering the diagnostic procedure more complicated to any significant extent.

PMID- 1409502
TI  - [35th congress of the German Society for Pneumology and Tuberculosis. Wiesbaden,
      23-26 September 1992. Abstracts].

PMID- 1409501
TI  - [With reference to: Pneumology 46 (1992) 89-91].

PMID- 1409503
TI  - [Social significance of research studies in the fields of phthisiology and
      pulmonology in Uzbekistan].
AB  - The direction of research work in phthisiology and pulmonology is determined by
      the epidemiologic situation for tuberculosis and CNPD in the republic. The
      results of a complex research work in phthisiology and pulmonology carried out in
      the rural areas of Uzbekistan, and in the cotton--growing regions in particular,
      are given. Practical significance of this work is stressed, which comprises
      direct inspection of the tuberculosis infection foci and subjects in contact and
      subsequent accomplishment of preventive and health--improvement measures,
      comprehensive screening of the rural population for tuberculosis and CNPD
      detection, conduction of chemotherapy and pathogenetic and surgical treatment of
      tuberculosis patients. The results of research into phthisiology and pulmonology
      will make the basis of the national program with respect to tuberculosis in
      Uzbekistan.

PMID- 1409504
TI  - [Use of computer technology for teaching phthisiology and pulmonology at medical
      institutes].
AB  - The experience of computer technology application at the Phthisiology Department
      of the Kazan Medical Institute over the last 5 years was generalized. Four
      classes of the teaching programs were described: program control of the
      accumulated experience, diagnostic search, a mathematical model of an emergency
      situation and expert medical systems. Preference is given to the latter two types
      of programs. It is emphasized that application of the IBM-compatible systems as
      the most prevalent in clinical practice is promising. Description of the specific
      programs is presented.

PMID- 1409505
TI  - [Characteristics of diagnosis, clinical aspects and clinical course of
      tuberculosis in adolescents with concomitant diseases].
AB  - The authors present the data on special features of the course of tuberculosis in
      adolescents having other diverse conditions such as nonspecific pulmonary
      diseases and congenital abnormalities, prior acute respiratory diseases and
      concurrent iron deficiency anemia. The combination of tuberculosis with other
      diseases results in a longer course of tuberculosis with slow clinical and X-ray
      dynamics and in a number of cases (++prior acute respiratory diseases) in bouts
      of the specific process. The favourable outcomes of the disease are determined by
      the correct combined treatment of tuberculosis and concurrent diseases. When
      tuberculosis runs along with congenital abnormalities the effectiveness of
      treatment is achieved by surgical methods after specific chemotherapy.

PMID- 1409506
TI  - [Variants of the involution of pulmonary tuberculosis].
AB  - The results of a many years' clinico-dispensary followup of 1597 patients with
      focal, infiltrative and disseminated tuberculosis and pulmonary tuberculomas were
      analysed. Current complex therapy of patients made it possible to distinguish 3
      basic variants of the process involution: I--rapid resolution, II--at first rapid
      and then slow resolution and III-slow resolution. The main factor responsible for
      one or the other involution variant was a morphologic substrate of the process at
      the moment of its detection and primarily its recent character and the presence
      of extensive old specific background in the zone of a repeated outburst. The
      quality of treatment, including use of rifampicin, was of the decisive importance
      only in the presence of a recent process and the absence of such a background.
      Other factors including the patients' age, clinical form, phase and dissemination
      of the process were not crucial. Recent tuberculosis chemotherapy promoted the
      acceleration of reparative processes in the lung tissue in the presence of fresh
      changes.

PMID- 1409507
TI  - [Optimal effectiveness of complex treatment of patients with chronic obstructive
      bronchitis by intravascular laser irradiation of blood].
AB  - Results of combined treatment of 100 patients with chronic obstructive bronchitis
      are presented in the paper. Intravascular laser irradiation of blood had a
      favourable effect on the clinical disease course, normalized parameters of lipid
      peroxidation, produced a marked immune stimulating and anti-inflammatory action,
      controlled the blood coagulation system and improved rheological blood
      properties. Intravascular laser irradiation of blood included in the complex of
      therapeutic measures increased the efficiency of therapy in patients with chronic
      obstructive bronchitis by 12.0 +/- 2.6%.

PMID- 1409508
TI  - [Possibilities of intravenous use of helium-neon laser in the treatment of
      experimental tuberculosis of animals].
AB  - The study presents experimental finding of 40 mongrel dogs whose intravascular
      blood was irradiated with laser as a supplement to the multimodality treatment of
      respiratory tuberculosis. Earlier disappearance of intoxication symptoms and
      reduced terms of destruction cavity decrease and closure, as roentgenologically
      evidenced, was achieved. The influence of this treatment on certain lipid
      peroxidation parameters, hemocoagulation, immunity status and bacteriostatic
      blood activity were found. There were no side effects during treatment.

PMID- 1409509
TI  - [Antioxidant treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with chronic
      alcoholism].
AB  - Study of the state of the antioxidant system (AOS) and lipid peroxidation (LPO),
      according to the data on the alpha-tocopherol content, diene conjugates and acid
      erythrocyte hemolysis in 69 patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis
      concurrent with chronic alcoholism, has revealed significant differences as
      against the findings related to healthy subjects (36), to those with stage 11
      alcoholism (31) and pulmonary tuberculosis patients (51). Favourable changes in
      the AOS and LPO during complex treatment that includes antioxidant agents were
      less manifested in patients with combined pathology and appeared at later terms
      than in tuberculosis patients. The antioxidant therapy of tuberculosis in chronic
      alcoholics should take a prolonged time, at least 4 months, since the first
      favourable changes in the AOS and LPO parameters appear after 4 months, while
      normalization does not set in even after 6 months.

PMID- 1409510
TI  - [Combined chemotherapy of toxic hepatitis in patients with pulmonary
      tuberculosis].
AB  - The follow-up involved patients with infiltrative pulmonary tuberculosis who
      developed toxic medicamentous hepatitis associated with antituberculosis drugs.
      They were treated by the method of combined pharmacotherapy which comprised
      sodium nucleinate (0.5 g 4 times daily), splenin (2 ml twice a day) and
      quercetin. The given combination of drugs rapidly improved clinical parameters
      and normalized immunologic tests.

PMID- 1409511
TI  - [Differential diagnosis of disseminated lesions of the lungs].

PMID- 1409512
TI  - [Scintigraphic examination in the diagnosis of cavernous pulmonary tuberculosis].

PMID- 1409513
TI  - [Tuberculous meningitis in BCG-vaccinated children].

PMID- 1409514
TI  - [Functional morphology of the lungs in patients with tuberculosis and diabetes
      mellitus].
AB  - The lungs of 20 patients (between the ages of 14 and 46 years) with tuberculosis
      and type I diabetes mellitus were subjected to a morphological examination with
      the help of a light and electron microscope. Thirteen patients were operated on
      for fibrous-cavernous tuberculosis and 7 for pulmonary tuberculoma. A duration of
      the concurrent diseases was 3 to 10 years (5.5 years, on average). All patients
      had a serious form of diabetes mellitus. The combined affection was characterized
      by a progressive course of tuberculosis with involvement of bronchi in the
      process. Specific features of tissue reactions pertinent to this combined
      pathology were revealed which comprised defective defense mechanisms (alveolar
      macrophages, type II alveolocytes and fibroblasts in the form of their dystrophy)
      generalized affection of pulmonary vessels, intensive fibre formation and
      disorganization of the forming connective tissue, which has a bearing on the
      development of the pathological process.

PMID- 1409515
TI  - [Population migration and tuberculosis].
AB  - Characteristic features of a migratory process of tuberculosis patients in the
      Republic of Moldova were subjected to study. Two tendencies have been revealed:
      growth of a number of the arriving subjects and deterioration of the structure of
      pulmonary tuberculosis among them. Patients who arrived from the places of
      confinement where morbidity persists on a high level constitute a particular
      hazard concerning tuberculosis dissemination. Certain organization measures have
      been taken. The epidemiologic situation for tuberculosis in the penitentiary
      labour establishments at the republican Ministry of Internal Affairs was
      subjected to a comprehensive analysis with subsequent discussion of the results
      at a meeting of the staff of the Ministry of Public Health; instruction and plan
      of measures to be taken have been compiled by both ministries; a permanent board
      has been instituted for rendering help to medical workers of the penitentiary
      establishments; all law-protective organs have been involved in tuberculosis
      control; a specialized institution has been set up with a hospital for 200 beds
      intended for skilled examination and treatment of patients. As a result, the
      index of tuberculosis morbidity in the republican penitentiary-labour
      establishments reduced by more than half to promote an improvement of the
      epidemiologic situation in the republic.

PMID- 1409516
TI  - [Morphological characteristics of reparative processes in tuberculosis and the
      effect of pesticides].
AB  - The paper deals with the results of a comparative morphologic, toxicologic and
      biochemical study of the character of reparative processes in destructive forms
      of pulmonary tuberculosis, specific features of non-coordination of collagen
      metabolism depending on the cumulation of organochlorine and organophosphorus
      pesticides and in the absence of their residual quantities in the patient's body
      on admission to a hospital and during current antibacterial therapy. The resected
      and removed lungs and blood of 1063 patients were used for the study. Specific
      features of a tuberculosis course, the duration and effectiveness of
      antibacterial therapy, the character of reparative processes, characteristic
      features of collagen metabolism and collagenosis, the character and dissemination
      of residual changes due to therapy were established in the compared groups of
      patients.

PMID- 1409518
TI  - [Indicators of iron metabolism in adolescents with tuberculosis].
AB  - Iron metabolic parameters were studied in a sample of 25 adolescent patients with
      tuberculosis who had been followed up. ++Criteria were examined for assessing the
      data obtained which differ from those found in iron-deficiency anemia. A number
      of parameters (hemoglobin, total serum iron-binding capacity, erythrocytic
      ferritin) have been proposed, which should be considered in detecting iron
      deficiency anemia in a tuberculosis process.

PMID- 1409517
TI  - [Estimation of the degree of risk of reactivation of residual tuberculous changes
      based on the status of mycobacterial population].
AB  - The study was undertaken to define the role of L-forms of M. tuberculosis having
      different qualitative and ++quantitative characteristics in the development of
      recurrences of a tuberculosis process in subjects with residual tuberculous
      changes in the lungs. The microbiological and ++clinico-roentgenological+
      examination included 2412 subjects who were in VIIA and VIIB Dispensary Groups.
      These subjects were found to have a considerable reservoir of tuberculosis
      infection: the causative agent of tuberculosis in the bacterial and L-forms was
      detected in 214 (9%) of the examinees. Detection of M. tuberculosis L-forms
      tended to reversion in a pathological material of subjects with residual
      tuberculous changes in the lungs is a major predictors of high potential risk of
      tuberculosis process reactivation.

PMID- 1409519
TI  - [Analysis of the quality of clinical diagnosis based on autopsy data].
AB  - The material is based on the autopsy findings collected over 15 years (1975
      1989). Findings related to 748 fatal outcomes were subjected to analysis in which
      90 (12%) cases were misdiagnosed regarding the principal disease. A percentage of
      diagnostic errors with respect to tuberculosis was 1.8 on the whole and in the
      diagnosis of clinical forms and phases it was considerably higher-15.9 and 19.4,
      respectively. Hyperdiagnosis was typical of disseminated tuberculosis and caseous
      pneumonia, while hypodiagnosis--of primary, fibrocavernous tuberculosis and post
      tuberculous changes. A percentage of hypodiagnosis in nontuberculous pathology
      varied from 12.5 to 50. Dynamic observation by the five-year plans demonstrated
      an increase in the percentage of misdiagnosis of the concurrent pathology and its
      decrease when the phase of a specific process was established. Purely medical
      errors accounted for 75% of misdiagnosis.

PMID- 1409520
TI  - [Screening of disorders of carbohydrate metabolism in patients with active
      pulmonary tuberculosis].

PMID- 1409521
TI  - [Congestive abscess masking a soft tissue tumor].

PMID- 1409522
TI  - [Meningoencephalitis as a cause of death of children with tuberculosis].

PMID- 1409523
TI  - [Chronic bronchitis--the most frequent clinical variant of extrinsic allergic
      alveolitis in furniture factory workers].

PMID- 1409524
TI  - [An optimal method of pharmacological prevention of tuberculosis among
      adolescents].
AB  - The paper presents the findings of a comparative study of the efficacy of
      chemoprophylaxis which was conducted by the everyday (1 course) and intermittent
      (2 courses) method in adolescents aged 12-17 years, depending on the presence of
      aggravating factors. Examination covered 150 adolescents from the VI registration
      group. Following chemoprophylaxis there was a drop in sensitivity to tuberculin
      in 95.5 +/- 0.8% of group 1 (main) and in 78.5 +/- 1.1% of group 2 cases during
      which a medium size of an infiltrate in group 1 reduced by 2.8 mm more than that
      in group 2 (p less than 0.001). After the end of an observation period, 92.4 +/-
      0.8% of subjects of group 1 and 79.4 +/- 0.5% of subjects of group 2 were struck
      off the register from the VIA registration group; the respective figures for the
      VIB registration group were 73.2 +/- 0.2% and 58.6 +/- 3%. The epidemiologic and
      economic effect of chemoprophylaxis conducted by 2 courses was 2 and 1.5 times
      higher than that in the traditional method.

PMID- 1409525
TI  - [Effectiveness of BCG vaccination in children in relation to genetic and social
      factors].
AB  - The social status, genetic parameters, somatic and infectious diseases have been
      studied in BCG--vaccinated children who presented a postvaccinal cicatrix and in
      those in whom it did not form. Children having a postvaccinal cicatrix were found
      to belong mainly to the muscular type of constitution, while those without it--to
      the thoracic type. It was shown that a one--time positive tuberculin reaction to
      the Mantoux test with 2 TU (infiltrate of 6-7 mm) is associated with somatic and
      infectious pathology. This reaction can be considered to be para--allergy within
      4 months after the disease.

PMID- 1409526
TI  - Inhibitory effect of Trypanosoma brucei brucei on Glossina morsitans midgut
      trypsin in vitro.
AB  - The ability of Trypanosoma brucei brucei to inhibit trypsin or trypsin-like
      enzymes in crude midgut homogenates of Glossina morsitans morsitans was studied
      in vitro. The isolated parasites caused a concentration-dependent decrease in
      midgut trypsin activity. Furthermore, trypanosomes lysed by repeated freeze
      thawing had a similar effect on trypsin activity. In both cases, the inhibition
      by either intact or lysed parasites was partial as revealed by Dixon plots.
      Similarly, trypanosome membrane proteins stoichiometrically inhibited trypsin
      activity, suggesting that the enzyme interacts specifically with a moiety on the
      parasite surface. The Km and Ki values obtained in this case were 35 microM and
      0.18 mg/ml, respectively. These results suggest that one of the ways in which
      trypanosomes overcome the hostile tsetse-fly midgut barrier involves the
      inhibition of enzyme activity.

PMID- 1409527
TI  - Effect of buparvaquone on the expression of interleukin 2 receptors in Theileria
      annulata-infected cells.
AB  - Theileria annulata-infected cells were cultured in the presence or absence of
      human recombinant interleukin 2 (hrIL-2). This growth factor proved to be capable
      of enhancing the growth of the infected cells: its effect was marked,
      particularly when the cells were seeded at low densities, and it varied from cell
      line to cell line. The infected cells produced a factor that possessed the
      biological activities of IL-2, since their supernatants could enhance the
      proliferation of concanvalin A-stimulated (Con A) blasts. The reactivity of the
      parasitized cells to hrIL-2 was abolished following their treatment with the
      antitheilerial drug buparvaquone. In addition, the drug inhibited the binding of
      125I-IL-2 to T. annulata-infected cells but failed to suppress its binding to Con
      A blasts. Northern blot analysis revealed that the drug had no effect on the
      expression of the alpha chain of the IL-2 receptor (IL-2R). Therefore, it is
      possible that buparvaquone interferes with the expression of the beta chain of
      the IL-2R. The role of IL-2 and the IL2R in the permanent proliferation of T.
      annulata-infected cells is discussed.

PMID- 1409528
TI  - Echinococcus multilocularis: immunological study on the "Em2-positive" laminated
      layer during in vitro and in vivo post-oncospheral and larval development.
AB  - Echinococcus multilocularis oncospheres, primary vesicular cysts, and
      protoscolices were assessed in vitro and in vivo for their potential to
      synthesize a PAS-positive laminated layer containing monoclonal antibody (mAb)
      G11-binding Em2 antigen. The presence of Em2 antigen in developed oncospheres and
      cysts was subsequently correlated to the potential of in vivo development into a
      secondary metacestode in recipient host mice, which also responded by anti-Em2
      serum antibody formation. In contrast, protoscolices failed to develop the "Em2
      positive" layer in vitro under the selected experimental conditions. The failure
      to develop subsequently in vivo into a secondary metacestode was underlined by a
      lack of anti-Em2 serum antibody formation by the hosts. We furthermore developed
      a technique to obtain E. multilocularis clones by inoculating single oncospheres
      into recipient mice.

PMID- 1409529
TI  - Use of a recombinant Dictyocaulus viviparus antigen in an enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay for immunodiagnosis of bovine dictyocaulosis.
AB  - A specific recombinant antigen was evaluated for its immunodiagnostic potential
      in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The antigen was used as a
      glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion protein (DvGST3-14) or as a pure
      recombinant parasite protein (Dv3-14). A total of 55 sera from cattle
      experimentally infected with Dictyocaulus viviparus, 24 sera from naturally
      infected cattle and 25 sera from helminth-free cattle were examined. ELISA
      results obtained for the sera from experimental infections showed a calculated
      specificity of greater than 99% for both antigen preparations and a sensitivity
      of 93% (DvGST3-14) and 91% (Dv3-14). For field sera from natural infections, the
      specificity was calculated to be 90% (DvGST3-14) and greater than 99% (Dv3-14)
      and the sensitivity, 85% (DvGST3-14) and 70% (Dv3-14).

PMID- 1409531
TI  - Neoglycoproteins as tools for the detection of carbohydrate-specific receptors on
      the cell surface of Leishmania.
AB  - Promastigote and amastigote forms of human pathogenic Leishmania from the Old and
      New World, including promastigotes of L. enrietti, were tested with
      neoglycoproteins to ascertain the existence of endogenous lectins. These tools
      expose the chemically coupled sugar that is attached to the inert carrier as a
      potential ligand for the binding reaction. Agglutination tests demonstrated that
      the promastigotes of human Leishmania reacted only with the neoglycoproteins N
      acetyl-D-galactosamine-para-aminophenyl-bovine serum albumin (gal-NAc-BSA) and N
      acetyl-D-glucosamine-para-amino-phenyl-bovine serum albumin (glcNAc-BSA), whereas
      the amastigote forms failed to react with the neoglycoproteins. In contrast, the
      promastigotes of L. enriettii were agglutinated by the neoglycoprotein D-mannose
      bovine serum albumin (man-BSA). The agglutination reactions could be inhibited by
      the homologous sugars N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosamine, N-acetyl-beta-D-galactosamine,
      and alpha-D-mannose. Fluorescence tests yielded the same results. The incubation
      of the promastigotes with ethylenedinitrolotetraacetic acid (EDTA) prevented
      their reaction with the neoglycoproteins, whereas the addition of calcium
      restored it. This result demonstrates that Leishmania express calcium-dependent
      lectins that are accessible on their surface.

PMID- 1409530
TI  - Detection of Echinococcus coproantigens by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in
      dogs, dingoes and foxes.
AB  - An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection of
      Echinococcus coproantigens in fecal samples from dogs, dingoes or foxes infected
      with either E. granulosus or E. multilocularis. The ELISA was based on protein-A
      purified polyclonal antibodies [anti-E. granulosus excretory/secretory (E/S)
      antigens]. The specificity of the assay as determined in 155 samples derived from
      carnivores that were free of helminth infection (n = 37) or infected with non
      Echinococcus cestodes (n = 76) or with various nematodes (n = 42) was found to be
      98% overall. The diagnostic sensitivity was strongly dependent on the homologous
      worm burden. All 13 samples from foxes harboring greater than 1,000 E.
      multilocularis worms and 13 of 15 (87%) samples from dogs or dingoes containing
      greater than 200 E. granulosus worms were ELISA-positive, whereas 34 of 46
      samples from foxes harboring less than 1,000 E. multilocularis and 9 of 10
      samples from dogs or dingoes bearing less than 200 E. granulosus tested negative.
      Experimental prepatent infections of dogs with E. granulosus revealed positive
      ELISA reactions within the prepatent period (10-20 days post-infection) for six
      animals bearing greater than 1,000 E. granulosus each; a low worm burden (less
      than 1,000 tapeworms/animal) resulted in ELISA positivity in only 2 of 3 animals
      at 30 days post-infection at the earliest. All five dogs that had been
      experimentally infected with E. multilocularis tested positive in the
      coproantigen ELISA as early as on day 5 post-infection.

PMID- 1409532
TI  - Cellular responses to culture-derived soluble exoantigens of Trypanosoma lewisi.
AB  - Soluble exoantigens of Trypanosoma lewisi were obtained from short-culture
      systems of dividing epimastigotes and non-dividing trypomastigotes incubated in
      phosphate-buffered saline glucose solution (PBSG) for 3 h at 37 degrees C.
      Suppression of normal rat-spleen cell responses to mitogen concanavalin A (Con A)
      occurred at high exoantigens concentrations. The epimastigote-derived exoantigens
      were more suppressive than the trypomastigote-derived exoantigens. The
      suppression of Con A stimulation was ablated by the addition of exogenous
      interleukin-2 (IL-2) or washing of spleen cells that had been incubated with
      suppressing concentrations of the epimastigote exoantigens for 24 h prior to Con
      A stimulation. These results strongly suggest that exoantigens of T. lewisi play
      an important immunoregulatory role during the course of infection and that they
      achieve this by inhibiting the production of IL-2 by T-helper cells.

PMID- 1409533
TI  - Immunoreactivity to two specific regions of chromogranin A in the nervous system
      of Ascaris suum: an immunocytochemical study.
AB  - Antisera to a highly conserved region of chromogranin A (sequence KELTAE) and to
      a hexapeptide (sequence KGQELE) adjacent to the putative C-terminus of
      pancreastatin, a peptide whose sequence is found within the chromogranin A
      molecule, have been used to examine the localisation of immunoreactivity (IR) to
      these peptides in Ascaris suum. IR to both peptides was found in the nerve rings
      and nerve cords. In addition, KGQELE-IR was also observed in the pharyngeal
      neurones and in a network of fibres on the surface of the female gonoduct. The
      staining was specific in that it could be abolished by preincubation of the
      antisera with the appropriate antigen. The two antisera appeared to be staining
      different subsets of neurones, suggesting that (at least) two peptides were being
      recognised. The wide-spread distribution of IR to both peptides throughout the
      nervous system of the parasite suggests that the peptides carrying the epitopes
      recognised by the antisera are of fundamental importance to the functioning of
      the parasite's nervous system.

PMID- 1409534
TI  - Adherence between Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites and undifferentiated or DMSO
      induced HL-60 cells.
AB  - Differentiation of promyelocytic HL-60 cells along the pathway toward
      granulocytes using dimethyl-sulfoxide (DMSO) led to increased expression of the
      adhesion molecules CD11b (Mac-1), CD11c (p150,95), and CD35 (CR1).
      Undifferentiated and differentiated HL-60 cells adhered similarly to Entamoeba
      histolytica trophozoites, and monoclonal antibodies against adhesion molecules
      CD11b and CD11c did not inhibit adherence. We therefore suggest that CD11b and
      CD11c are not involved in the adherence between polymorphonuclear granulocytes
      and E. histolytica trophozoites.

PMID- 1409535
TI  - Distribution of a fluorescent ivermectin probe, bodipy ivermectin, in tissues of
      the nematode parasite Ascaris suum.
AB  - A fluorescent derivative of the anthelmintic ivermectin (4''-5,7-dimethyl bodipy
      proprionylivermectin, referred to hereafter as bodipy ivermectin) was synthesized
      for an investigation of the distribution of avermectins. Injected into adult
      Ascaris suum at doses greater than 0.1 micron per worm, it produced a dose
      dependent immobilization. Fluorescent microscopy of frozen sections revealed the
      distribution of the probe in the whole nematode. Staining of collagenase-isolated
      muscle cells was studied using bath application of bodipy ivermectin. The trypan
      blue quenching technique showed that the ivermectin probe was located in the
      outer monolayer of the muscle membrane. The cytoplasm was not stained. The
      interpretation of these observations is discussed in view of the known lipophilic
      nature of avermectins. Staining of the muscle membrane and nerve cord is
      consistent with the view that avermectins act at these sites. The significance of
      the hypodermal and lateral line staining is also discussed.

PMID- 1409536
TI  - In vitro effects of milbemycin oxime: mechanism of action against Angiostrongylus
      cantonensis and Dirofilaria immitis.
AB  - The neuropharmacological mechanisms underlying the action of milbemycin oxime on
      the motility of Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Dirofilaria immitis were examined
      in vitro. In A. cantonensis, milbemycin oxime caused inhibitory effects at low
      concentrations of > or = 10(-9) g/ml, and paralysis was elicited at 10(-8) - 10(
      6) g/ml. The paralysis was antagonized by picrotoxin and bicuculline but not by
      dibenamine. In addition, stimulatory effects were observed when the antibiotic
      was used at higher concentrations of 3-5 x 10(-6) g/ml, and the action was
      antagonized by strychnine. Both effects were also observed in the preparation
      contracted by eserine or pyrantel. When D. immitis was treated with milbemycin
      oxime at concentrations of 10(-7) and 3-5 x 10(-6) g/ml, only slight inhibitory
      and stimulatory effects, respectively, were observed. These effects were
      partially antagonized by picrotoxin and strychnine, respectively. These results
      suggest that the inhibitory and stimulatory actions of milbemycin oxime are
      caused through gabergic and cholinergic mechanisms in A. cantonensis and D.
      immitis.

PMID- 1409537
TI  - Fasciola hepatica: early lesions in the viscera of seven pulmonate species after
      penetration of the miracidium.
AB  - Early lesions were studied in four viscera of seven pulmonate species on the 2nd
      day after miracidial exposure. The albumen gland, the digestive gland, and the
      gonad of infected snails demonstrated not only normal tissue but also the
      presence of two stages of epithelial necrosis. Multifocal necrosis predominated,
      with varying percentages of frequency depending on the snail species and stage of
      life; generalized necrosis was more seldom observed. In the kidney, epithelial
      necrosis was encountered more frequently than intralamellar deposits.

PMID- 1409538
TI  - Quantitative analysis of protein far UV circular dichroism spectra by neural
      networks.
AB  - A new method based on neural network theory is presented to analyze and quantify
      the information content of far UV circular dichroism spectra. Using a
      backpropagation network model with a single hidden layer between input and
      output, it was possible to deduce five different secondary structure fractions
      (helix, parallel and antiparallel beta-sheet, beta-turn and random coil) with
      satisfactory correlations between calculated and measured secondary structure
      data. We demonstrate that for each wavelength interval a specific network is
      suitable. The remaining discrepancy between the secondary structure data from
      neural network prediction and crystallography may be attributed to errors in the
      determination of protein concentration and random noise in the CD signal, as
      indicated by simulations.

PMID- 1409539
TI  - The alpha/beta hydrolase fold.
AB  - We have identified a new protein fold--the alpha/beta hydrolase fold--that is
      common to several hydrolytic enzymes of widely differing phylogenetic origin and
      catalytic function. The core of each enzyme is similar: an alpha/beta sheet, not
      barrel, of eight beta-sheets connected by alpha-helices. These enzymes have
      diverged from a common ancestor so as to preserve the arrangement of the
      catalytic residues, not the binding site. They all have a catalytic triad, the
      elements of which are borne on loops which are the best-conserved structural
      features in the fold. Only the histidine in the nucleophile-histidine-acid
      catalytic triad is completely conserved, with the nucleophile and acid loops
      accommodating more than one type of amino acid. The unique topological and
      sequence arrangement of the triad residues produces a catalytic triad which is,
      in a sense, a mirror-image of the serine protease catalytic triad. There are now
      four groups of enzymes which contain catalytic triads and which are related by
      convergent evolution towards a stable, useful active site: the eukaryotic serine
      proteases, the cysteine proteases, subtilisins and the alpha/beta hydrolase fold
      enzymes.

PMID- 1409540
TI  - The functions of tryptophan residues in membrane proteins.
AB  - Membrane proteins have a significantly higher Trp content than do soluble
      proteins. This is especially true for the M and L subunits of the photosynthetic
      reaction center from purple bacteria. The Trp residues are not uniformly
      distributed through the membrane but are concentrated at the periplasmic side of
      the complex. In addition, Trp residues are not randomly aligned. Within the
      protein subunits, many form hydrogen bonds with carbonyl oxygens of the main
      chain, thereby stabilizing the protein. On the surface of the molecule, they are
      correctly positioned to form hydrogen bonds with the lipid head groups while
      their hydrophobic rings are immersed in the lipid part of the bilayer. These
      observations suggest that Trp residues are involved in the translocation of
      protein through the membrane and that following translocation, Trp residues serve
      as anchors on the periplasmic side of the membrane.

PMID- 1409541
TI  - Calculations of antibody-antigen interactions: microscopic and semi-microscopic
      evaluation of the free energies of binding of phosphorylcholine analogs to
      McPC603.
AB  - The study of antibody-antigen interactions should greatly benefit from the
      development of quantitative models for the evaluation of binding free energies in
      proteins. The present work addresses this challenge by considering the test case
      of the binding free energies of phosphorylcholine analogs to the murine myeloma
      protein McPC603. This includes the evaluation of the differential binding energy
      as well as the absolute binding energies and their corresponding electrostatic
      contributions. Four different approaches are examined: the Protein Dipoles
      Langevin Dipoles (PDLD) method, the semi-microscopic PDLD (PDLD/S) method, a free
      energy perturbation (FEP) method based on an adiabatic charging procedure and a
      linear response approximation that accelerates the FEP calculation. The PDLD
      electrostatic calculations are augmented by estimates of the relevant hydrophobic
      and steric contributions. The determination of the hydrophobic energy involves an
      approach which considers the modification of the effective surface area of the
      solute by local field effects. The steric contributions are analyzed in terms of
      the corresponding reorganization energies. This treatment, which considers the
      protein as a harmonic system, views the steric forces as the restoring forces for
      the electrostatic interactions. The FEP method is found to give unreliable
      results with regular cut-off radii and starts to give quantitative results only
      in very expensive treatment with very large cut-off radii. The PDLD and PDLD/S
      methods are much faster than the FEP approach and give reasonable results for
      both the relative and absolute binding energies. The speed and simplicity of the
      PDLD/S method make it an effective strategy for interactive docking studies and
      indeed such an option is incorporated in the program MOLARIS. A component
      analysis of the different energy contributions of the FEP treatment and a similar
      PDLD analysis indicate that electrostatic effects provide the largest
      contribution to the differential binding energy, while the hydrophobic and steric
      contributions are much smaller. This finding lends further support to the idea
      that electrostatic interactions play a major role in determining the antigen
      specificity of McPC603.

PMID- 1409542
TI  - A functional antibody mutant with an insertion in the framework region 3 loop of
      the VH domain: implications for antibody engineering.
AB  - We have studied the effects of a four residue insertion into the FR3 loop of the
      heavy chain variable region from the anti-NP antibody B1-8. The insertion mutant
      is obtained as secreted antibody without major defects in biosynthesis,
      indicating that antibody variable domains can accommodate length variation not
      only in complementarity determining regions (CDRs), but also in framework region
      (FR) loops. The B1-8 antigen binding site is not affected by the change in a
      neighbouring loop. FR3 insertions represent a new method of antibody engineering
      with a potential to obtain strong antigen binding by designing additional antigen
      contacting residues.

PMID- 1409543
TI  - Fluorescent properties of the Escherichia coli D-xylose isomerase active site.
AB  - The consequences of active site mutations of the Escherichia coli D-xylose
      isomerase (E.C. 5.3.1.5) on substrate binding were examined by fluorescence
      spectroscopy. Site-directed mutagenesis of conserved tryptophan residues in the
      E. coli enzyme (Trp49 and Trp188) reveals that fluorescence quenching of these
      residues occurs during the binding of xylose by the wild-type enzyme. The
      fluorescent properties of additional active site substitutions at His101 were
      also examined. Substitutions of His101 which inactivate the enzyme were shown to
      have altered spectral characteristics, which preclude detection of substrate
      binding. In the case of H101S, a mutant protein with measurable isomerizing
      activity, substrate binding with novel fluorescent properties was observed,
      possibly the bound pyranose form of xylose under steady-state conditions.

PMID- 1409544
TI  - Phe496 and Leu497 are essential for receptor binding and cytotoxic action of the
      murine interleukin-4 receptor targeted fusion toxin DAB389-mIL-4.
AB  - DAB389-mIL-4 is a murine interleukin-4 (mIL-4) diphtheria toxin-related fusion
      protein which has been shown to be selectively toxic to cells expressing the mIL
      4 receptor. In this report, we have used site-directed and in-frame deletion
      mutagenesis to study the role of the putative C-terminal alpha-helix (helix E) of
      the mIL-4 component of DAB389-mIL-4 in the intoxication process. We demonstrate
      that deletion of the C-terminal 15 amino acids of the fusion toxin leads to loss
      of cytotoxicity. The substitution of Phe496 with either Pro, Ala or Tyr, results
      in a greater than 20-fold decrease in cytotoxic activity of the respective mutant
      fusion toxins. In addition, substitution of Leu497 with either Ala or Glu results
      in a similar loss of cytotoxic activity. All of these mutant forms of the mIL-4
      fusion toxin demonstrate a significant decrease in binding affinity (Ki) to the
      mIL-4 receptor in a competitive radioligand binding assay. In marked contrast,
      however, the substitution of Asp495 with Asn results in a 4-fold increase in
      cytotoxic potency and binding affinity to mIL-4 receptor bearing cells in vitro.

PMID- 1409545
TI  - A point mutation that decreases the thermal stability of human interferon gamma.
AB  - We have identified a mutation of human gamma-interferon (IFN gamma) causing a
      temperature-sensitive phenotype. We used a randomized oligonucleotide to
      mutagenize a synthetic human IFN gamma gene, then screened the resulting mutants
      produced in Escherichia coli for proteins with altered biological activity. One
      mutant protein selected for detailed characterization exhibited less than 0.3% of
      the specific biological activity of native IFN gamma in an antiviral activity
      assay performed at 37 degrees C. However, the protein bound the human IFN gamma
      receptor with native efficiency at 4 degrees C. Sequencing the plasmid DNA
      encoding this protein showed that the mutation changed the lysine residue at
      amino acid 43 to glutamic acid (IFN gamma/K43E). Site-specific mutagenesis at
      amino acid 43 showed that this protein's phenotype resulted from positioning a
      negative charge at position 43. Structural characterization of IFN gamma/K43E
      using CD demonstrated that the protein had native conformation at 25 degrees C,
      but assumed an altered conformation at 37 degrees C. IFN gamma/K43E in this
      altered conformation bound poorly to the IFN gamma receptor at 37 degrees C,
      providing a rationale for the mutant's decreased antiviral activity.

PMID- 1409546
TI  - A point mutation of human interferon gamma abolishes receptor recognition.
AB  - We identified a single amino acid mutation that abolished the bioactivity of
      human IFN gamma. The mutation was identified by screening a mutagenized IFN gamma
      expression library for molecules with altered biological activity. The mutant
      protein was expressed at high levels in Escherichia coli, and remained soluble
      upon purification. However, the protein was completely inactive in all IFN gamma
      assays investigated, exhibiting less than 0.0006% of the specific activity of
      native IFN gamma antiviral activity. Sequencing the plasmid DNA encoding this
      mutant protein showed that the histidine at position 111 of native human IFN
      gamma is changed to aspartic acid (IFN gamma/H111D). Other mutations at this site
      showed that only hydrophobic amino acids at position 111 maintain significant,
      though low, biological activity. Structural characterization of the IFN
      gamma/H111D protein by NMR as well as CD spectroscopy demonstrated that the
      protein has limited conformational differences from native IFN gamma. Models of
      the X-ray crystal structure of human IFN gamma [Ealick, P.E., W.J. Cook, S. Vijay
      Kumar, M. Carson, T.L. Nagabhushan, P.P. Trotta and C.E. Bugg (1991) Science,
      252, 698-702] suggest that this histidine residue is located at a severe 55
      degrees bend in the C-terminal F helix. We conclude that H111 lies within or
      affects the receptor binding domain of human IFN gamma.

PMID- 1409547
TI  - Involvement of residues 296-299 in the enzymatic activity of tissue-type
      plasminogen activator.
AB  - The tetra-alanine substitution variant KHRR 296-299 AAAA of tissue-type
      plasminogen activator (t-PA) was previously shown to have enhanced fibrin
      specificity and enhanced activity in the presence of fibrin compared with the
      wild-type form of the molecule. The structural requirements for these alterations
      in enzymatic activity were investigated by constructing several amino acid
      substitution variants at each of the positions from 296 to 299 and evaluating
      their activities under a variety of conditions. Effects on plasminogen activator
      activity were common among the point mutants at positions 296-299; nearly all had
      a phenotype similar to the KHRR 296-299 AAAA variant. The greatest effects on
      enzymatic function were found with multiple substitution variants, but some
      single charge reversals and proline substitutions had substantial effects. The
      enhanced fibrin specificity of KHRR 296-299 AAAA t-PA results in less
      fibrinogenolysis than seen with wild-type t-PA. Approximately four times greater
      concentration of KHRR 296-299 AAAA compared with wild-type t-PA was required to
      consume 50% of the fibrinogen in human plasma.

PMID- 1409548
TI  - A new protein conjugate that replaces the use of secondary antibodies engineered
      from the two staphylococcal enzymes protein A and 6-phospho-beta-galactosidase.
AB  - The lacG gene encoding the 6-phospho-beta-galactosidase (E.C.3.2.1.85) of
      Staphylococcus aureus was fused to the protein A gene in the plasmid pRIT2T.
      Escherichia coli cells containing this plasmid produce a fusion protein with both
      IgG binding and 6-phospho-beta-galactosidase activities after heat induction. The
      recombinant gene was overexpressed and the hybrid protein was purified to
      homogeneity in high yield. The chimeric protein was shown to have almost
      identical enzymatic characteristics to pure 6-phospho-beta-galactosidase. This
      result leads to the conclusion that a free N-terminus of the 6-phospho-beta
      galactosidase is not required for biological activity. The hybrid protein of
      protein A and 6-phospho-beta-galactosidase was used as an enzyme conjugate in
      enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The experiments presented demonstrate
      that the 6-phospho-beta-galactosidase is a suitable fusion partner in various
      diagnostic applications where an unique biological activity is required.

PMID- 1409549
TI  - Insertion of a disulfide-containing neurotoxin into E. coli alkaline phosphatase:
      the hybrid retains both biological activities.
AB  - We have inserted a disulfide-containing snake neurotoxin into the N-terminal end
      of Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase, between residues +6 and +7 of the
      mature enzyme. For this purpose, we have designed a cloning and expression vector
      which allows insertion of foreign DNA between the corresponding codons, and
      visual selection of the desired recombinant clones upon recovery of phosphatase
      activity. The hybrid protein is exported to the bacterial periplasm, the alkaline
      phosphatase signal peptide is correctly processed, and both domains are
      functionally conformed. The phosphatase domain displays catalytic activity, and
      the inserted toxin is able to bind to its biological target, the nicotinic
      acetylcholine receptor. The hybrid molecule is remarkably stable and resistant to
      proteolysis. Crude periplasmic extract containing the hybrid can be used as a
      tracer-containing reagent in competitive enzymo-immuno and enzymo-receptor
      assays. We propose to use the system described in this paper for fast preparation
      of properly folded disulfide-containing enzymatic probes.

PMID- 1409550
TI  - An SS1-SS2 beta-barrel structure for the voltage-activated potassium channel.
AB  - To examine the feasibility of a beta structure for the pore-lining region of the
      voltage-gated potassium channel, we have characterized a family of 12
      antiparallel beta-barrels. Each is comprised of four identical pairs of beta
      strands organized with approximate 4-fold symmetry about a channel axis. The C-
      and N-termini of the beta-strand pairs are assumed to be at the extracellular end
      of the channel, and each pair is connected by a hairpin turn at the intracellular
      end of the channel. The models differ in the residues located in the hairpin turn
      and in the orientation of the two strands of each pair in the barrel, i.e.
      whether the C-terminus of a pair is clockwise (CW) or counterclockwise (CCW) from
      the N-terminus when the channel is viewed from outside the cell. Following known
      structure precedents and potential energy predictions, the barrel is assumed to
      be right-twisting in all cases. All models have crowded layers of inward
      projecting aromatic side-chains near the center of the channel which could
      regulate channel selectivity. The models with an odd number of amino acids in the
      hairpin turn have the advantage of predicting that F433 points into the barrel,
      but the disadvantage that V438 does not. Of these models, two of the models are
      most consistent with the external tetraethylammonium (TEA) block data, and of
      those, one (T439 CCW 3:5) is most consistent with the internal TEA block data.

PMID- 1409551
TI  - Main structural and functional features of the basic cytosolic bovine 21 kDa
      protein delineated through hydrophobic cluster analysis and molecular modelling.
AB  - A 21 kDa protein purified from bovine brain cytosol was previously described as a
      hydrophobic ligand binding protein; however, its accurate biological function
      remained still uncertain. In order to get further information about its potential
      biological role, an extended prediction of its secondary and three dimensional
      structures was undertaken. We describe here a process which permitted us to
      discover a structural homology between the 21 kDa protein and the N-domain of
      yeast phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK). This process is based on comparing the 21
      kDa protein with all the proteins presenting a slight homology, by using the
      Hydrophobic Cluster Analysis (HCA) method. According to the observed similarity
      between the N-domain of yeast PGK and the 21 kDa protein, we built a model which
      was shown to possess a potential binding site for nucleotides. Moreover, the
      model obtained presents three-dimensional (3D) structure similarity with
      adenylate kinase. These results suggest two main hypotheses: (i) the 21 kDa
      protein may belong to the kinase family; (ii) the binding of a nucleotide could
      imply a modification of the 3D structure of the 21 kDa protein that can promote
      the transfer of hydrophobic ligands to the plasma membrane. Meanwhile,
      verification of these hypotheses has been in part performed experimentally: the
      21 kDa protein binds MgATP as well as, to a lesser extent, phosphoglycerate.

PMID- 1409552
TI  - Towards an automatic method of predicting protein structure by homology: an
      evaluation of suboptimal sequence alignments.
AB  - A major problem in predicting protein structure by homology modelling is that the
      sequence alignment from which the model is built may not be the best one in terms
      of the correct equivalencing of residues assessed by structural or functional
      criteria. A useful strategy is to generate and examine a number of suboptimal
      alignments as better alignments can often be found away from the optimal. A
      procedure to filter rapidly suboptimal alignments based on measurement of core
      volumes and packing pair potentials is investigated. The approach is benchmarked
      on three pairs of sequences which are non-trivial to align correctly, namely two
      immunoglobulin domains, plastocyanin with azurin and two distant globin
      sequences. It is shown to be useful to reduce a large ensemble of possible
      alignments down to a few which correspond more closely to the correct (structure
      based) alignment.

PMID- 1409553
TI  - Computational complexity of a problem in molecular structure prediction.
AB  - The computational task of protein structure prediction is believed to require
      exponential time, but previous arguments as to its intractability have taken into
      account only the size of a protein's conformational space. Such arguments do not
      rule out the possible existence of an algorithm, more selective than exhaustive
      search, that is efficient and exact. (An efficient algorithm is one that is
      guaranteed, for all possible inputs, to run in time bounded by a function
      polynomial in the problem size. An intractable problem is one for which no
      efficient algorithm exists.) Questions regarding the possible intractability of
      problems are often best answered using the theory of NP-completeness. In this
      treatment we show the NP-hardness of two typical mathematical statements of
      empirical potential energy function minimization of macromolecules. Unless all NP
      complete problems can be solved efficiently, these results imply that a function
      minimization algorithm can be efficient for protein structure prediction only if
      it exploits protein-specific properties that prohibit the simple geometric
      constructions that we use in our proofs. Analysis of further mathematical
      statements of molecular structure prediction could constitute a systematic
      methodology for identifying sources of complexity in protein folding, and for
      guiding development of predictive algorithms.

PMID- 1409554
TI  - Design, synthesis and structure of an amphipathic peptide with pH-inducible
      haemolytic activity.
AB  - A synthetic, 26-residue peptide having a strong helix forming potential in the
      protonated state was designed to interact with lipid bilayers in a pH-dependent
      way. On the basis of this concept a cluster of four glutamic acid residues was
      inserted in the central region of the amphipathic peptide to promote helix
      destabilization by mutual charge repulsion at neutral pH. Protonation of these
      residues might then bring about both a pH-mediated change in hydrophobicity and
      conformation forming a membrane-active amphiphilic helix. The sequence
      GLGTLLTLLEFLLEELLEFLKRKRQQamide produced by the design strategy induced pH
      triggered lysis of human erythrocytes. A molecular model correlating the lytic
      activity to the formation of transmembrane pores which were detected by electron
      microscopy in erythrocyte membranes is discussed. Circular dichroism studies
      indicated a self-association of the monomeric random coil form with increasing
      peptide concentration leading to the apparent induction of strong alpha-helix
      formation (approximately 100% helicity) in the fully aggregated state. However,
      no pH-dependent helix-random coil transition was observed, implying that
      interhelical hydrophobic and ionic interactions not only govern the self
      association but also decisively influence the conformational stability of the
      peptide.

PMID- 1409555
TI  - Molecular modelling and site-directed mutagenesis on a bovine anti-testosterone
      monoclonal antibody.
AB  - A three-dimensional (3D) molecular model of the antigen-combining site of a
      bovine anti-testosterone monoclonal antibody has been constructed. In the model,
      the CDRs, and a single heavy chain framework region residue (Trp47), associate to
      form a hydrophobic cavity large enough to accommodate a single molecule of
      testosterone. Tyr97 of CDR-H3 lies at the bottom of the cavity with its hydroxyl
      group exposed to solvent. Using the model and data from binding studies, we
      predicted that the cavity forms the antibody's paratope and on binding
      testosterone a hydrogen bond is formed between Tyr97 of CDR-H3 and the hydroxyl
      group on the D-ring of testosterone. This prediction has subsequently been tested
      by site-directed mutagenesis. An antibody with phenylalanine in place of tyrosine
      at position 97 in CDR-H3 has its affinity reduced by approximately 800 fold. The
      reduction in binding energy associated with the reduced affinity has been
      calculated to be 3.9 kcal/mol which is within the range (0.5-4.0 kcal/mol)
      expected for the loss of a single hydrogen bond. The model has been used to
      suggest ways of increasing the antibody's affinity for testosterone.

PMID- 1409556
TI  - Interchain cysteine bridges control entry of progesterone to the central cavity
      of the uteroglobin dimer.
AB  - The progesterone-binding protein uteroglobin has been expressed in Escherichia
      coli in an unfused, soluble form. Like mature uteroglobin from rabbit endometrium
      (UG), the E.coli produced uteroglobin (UG1) dimerizes in vitro, forms an
      antiparallel dimer with Cys3-Cys69' and Cys69-Cys3' disulfide bonds and binds
      progesterone under reducing conditions. In order to analyze the dimerization and
      the reduction dependence of progesterone binding in more detail, we separately
      replaced cysteine 3 and cysteine 69 by serines. Under reducing conditions, both
      uteroglobin variants (UG1-3Ser and UG1-69Ser) bind progesterone with the same
      affinity as the wild-type suggesting that both cysteine residues are not directly
      involved in progesterone binding. In contrast to the wild-type protein, both
      cysteine variants also bind progesterone with high affinity in the absence of
      reducing agents. In addition, UG1-3Ser and UG1-69Ser both form covalently linked
      homodimers. Thus, unnatural Cys69-69' and Cys3-3' disulfide bonds exist in UG1
      3Ser and UG1-69Ser, respectively. These data together with computer models based
      on X-ray diffraction data strongly support the idea that progesterone reaches its
      binding site located in an internal hydrophobic cavity via a hydrophobic tunnel
      along helices 1 and 4. Under non-reducing conditions the tunnel is closed by two
      disulfide bridges (Cys3-Cys69' and Cys69-Cys3') that lie in the most flexible
      region of the dimer. Reduction or replacement of a cysteine residue enables
      conformational changes that open the channel allowing progesterone to enter.

PMID- 1409557
TI  - Cellulose-binding domains: potential for purification of complex proteins.
AB  - The endoglucanase CenA and the exoglucanase Cex from Cellulomonas fimi each
      contain a discrete cellulose-binding domain (CBD), at the amino-terminus or
      carboxyl-terminus respectively. The gene fragment encoding the CBD can be fused
      to the gene of a protein of interest. Using this approach hybrid proteins can be
      engineered which bind reversibly to cellulose and exhibit the biological activity
      of the protein partner. Alkaline phosphatase (PhoA) from Escherichia coli, and a
      beta-glucosidase (Abg) from an Agrobacterium sp. are dimeric proteins. The fusion
      polypeptides CenA-PhoA and Abg-CBC(Cex) are sensitive to proteolysis at the
      junctions between the fusion partners. Proteolysis results in a mixture of homo-
      and heterodimers; these bind to cellulose if one or both of the monomers carry a
      CBD, e.g. CenA-PhoA/CenA-PhoA and CenA-PhoA/PhoA. CBD fusion polypeptides could
      be used in this way to purify polypeptides which associate with the fusion
      partner.

PMID- 1409558
TI  - Expression of a synthetic gene coding for the amino acid sequence of Clostridium
      pasteurianum rubredoxin.
AB  - A synthetic gene based on the published amino acid sequence for Clostridium
      pasteurianum rubredoxin was constructed, cloned in Escherichia coli 71/18 and
      expressed using the T7 RNA polymerase/promoter system in E. coli HMS273.
      UV/visible spectroscopy and metal analyses indicated that the as-isolated
      synthetic gene product is a mixture of holo-(i.e. iron-containing) rubredoxin and
      zinc-substituted rubredoxin, with the latter amounting to approximately 70% of
      the total rubredoxin. The UV/visible absorption and resonance Raman spectra of
      the cloned holorubredoxin are characteristic of the native rubredoxin-type iron
      site. N-terminal amino acid sequencing suggests that the gene product consists of
      at least three polypeptide species with the initial sequences (approximate
      relative abundances): Met-Met-Lys-... (63%), blocked (30%) and Met-Lys-... (7%).
      The blocked portion presumably consists of a mixture of nMet-Met-Lys-... and nMet
      Lys-..., where nMet represents an amino-blocked methionine residue.

PMID- 1409559
TI  - Monte Carlo minimization with thermalization for global optimization of
      polypeptide conformations in cartesian coordinate space.
AB  - A new minimization procedure for the global optimization in cartesian coordinate
      space of the conformational energy of a polypeptide chain is presented. The
      Metropolis Monte Carlo minimization is thereby supplemented by a thermalization
      process, which is initiated whenever a structure becomes trapped in an area
      containing closely located local minima in the conformational space. The method
      has been applied to the endogenous opioid pentapeptide methionine enkephalin.
      Five among 13 different starting conformations led to the same apparent global
      minimum of an in-house developed energy function, a type II' reverse turn, the
      central residues of which are Gly-3-Phe-4. A comparison between the ECEPP/2
      global minimum conformation of methionine enkephalin and the apparent one
      achieved by the present method shows that minimum-energy conformations having a
      certain similarity can be generated by relatively different force fields.

PMID- 1409560
TI  - Overproduction, crystallization, and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of the
      major cold shock protein from Bacillus subtilis, CspB.
AB  - The major cold shock protein from Bacillus subtilis (CspB) was overexpressed
      using the bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase/promoter system and purified to
      apparent homogeneity from recombinant Escherichia coli cells. CspB was
      crystallized in two different forms using vapor diffusion methods. The first
      crystal form obtained with ammonium sulfate as precipitant belongs to the
      trigonal crystal system, space group P3(1)21 (P3(2)21) with unit cell dimensions
      a = b = 59.1 A and c = 46.4 A. The second crystal form is tetragonal, space group
      P4(1)2(1)2 (P4(3)2(1)2) with unit cell dimensions a = b = 56.9 A and c = 53.0 A.
      These crystals grow with polyethylene glycol 4000 as precipitant.

PMID- 1409561
TI  - A systematic search for protein signature sequences.
AB  - Signature sequences are contiguous patterns of amino acids 10-50 residues long
      that are associated with a particular structure or function in proteins. These
      may be of three types (by our nomenclature): superfamily signatures, remnant
      homologies, and motifs. We have performed a systematic search through a database
      of protein sequences to automatically and preferentially find remnant homologies
      and motifs. This was accomplished in three steps: 1. We generated a nonredundant
      sequence database. 2. We used BLAST3 (Altschul and Lipman, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
      U.S.A. 87:5509-5513, 1990) to generate local pairwise and triplet sequence
      alignments for every protein in the database vs. every other. 3. We selected
      "interesting" alignments and grouped them into clusters. We find that most of the
      clusters contain segments from proteins which share a common structure or
      function. Many of them correspond to signatures previously noted in the
      literature. We discuss three previously recognized motifs in detail (FAD/NAD
      binding, ATP/GTP-binding, and cytochrome b5-like domains) to demonstrate how the
      alignments generated by our procedure are consistent with previous work and make
      structural and functional sense. We also discuss two signatures (for N
      acetyltransferases and glycerol-phosphate binding) which to our knowledge have
      not been previously recognized.

PMID- 1409562
TI  - Modeling of substrate and inhibitor binding to phospholipase A2.
AB  - Molecular graphics and molecular mechanics techniques have been used to study the
      mode of ligand binding and mechanism of action of the enzyme phospholipase A2. A
      substrate-enzyme complex was constructed based on the crystal structure of the
      apoenzyme. The complex was minimized to relieve initial strain, and the
      structural and energetic features of the resultant complex analyzed in detail, at
      the molecular and residue level. The minimized complex was then used as a basis
      for examining the action of the enzyme on modified substrates, binding of
      inhibitors to the enzyme, and possible reaction intermediate complexes. The model
      is compatible with the suggested mechanism of hydrolysis and with experimental
      data about stereoselectivity, efficiency of hydrolysis of modified substrates,
      and inhibitor potency. In conclusion, the model can be used as a tool in
      evaluating new ligands as possible substrates and in the rational design of
      inhibitors, for the therapeutic treatment of diseases such as rheumatoid
      arthritis, atherosclerosis, and asthma.

PMID- 1409563
TI  - A structural model for human dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase.
AB  - The hypothesis that dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenases (E3s) have tertiary
      structures very similar to that of human glutathione reductase (GR) was tested in
      detail by three separate criteria: (1) by analyzing each putative secondary
      structural element for conservation of appropriate polar/nonpolar regions, (2) by
      detailed comparison of putative active site residues in E3s with their authentic
      counterparts in human GR, and (3) by comparison of residues at the putative
      dimeric interface of the E3s with the authentic residues in GR. All three
      criteria are satisfied in a convincing way for the 7 E3s that were considered,
      supporting the conclusion that the structural scaffolding and the overall
      tertiary structure (which determines the location of functional sites and
      residues) are remarkably similar for the E3s and for GR. These analyses together
      with the crystal structures of human erythrocyte GR formed the basis for
      construction of a molecular model for human E3. The cofactor FAD and the
      substrates NAD and lipoic acid were also included in the model. Unexpectedly, the
      surface residues in the cleft that holds the lipoamide were found to be highly
      charged and predominantly acidic, allowing us to predict that the region around
      the lipoamide in the subunit should be basic in nature. The molecular model can
      be tested by site-directed mutagenesis of residues predicted to be in the
      dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase subunit binding cleft.

PMID- 1409564
TI  - Calmodulin binding to alpha 1-purothionin: solution binding and modeling of the
      complex.
AB  - CD and fluorescence spectroscopic measurements show that calmodulin (CaM) binds
      to purothionins (alpha 1-purothionin: alpha 1-PT; beta-purothionin: beta-PT) in
      1:1 stoichiometry with an affinity similar to that exhibited with the tightest
      binding CaM-binding peptides. Using the available crystal structures of CaM and
      alpha 1-PT, a model has been built for the interaction of CaM and alpha 1-PT and
      subjected to potential energy minimization. In the model, there is a bend in the
      central helix of CaM similar to that suggested by Persechini and Kretsinger (J.
      Card. Pharm. 12:501-512, 1988). alpha 1-PT fits snugly into the cavity formed by
      the bent CaM molecule with each of its two helices making apolar interactions
      with each of the two hydrophobic clefts situated at the terminal domains of CaM.
      The complex is further stabilized by numerous polar and electrostatic
      interactions on the rims of the clefts. Our model is compared with two other
      similar models previously reported for the CaM complexes with other helical
      peptides and generalizations about the mode of CaM binding to target proteins are
      made, which have wide relevance to the function of CaM. By analogy, a similar
      model is predicted for a CaM-beta-PT complex.

PMID- 1409565
TI  - Fast structure alignment for protein databank searching.
AB  - A fast method is described for searching and analyzing the protein structure
      databank. It uses secondary structure followed by residue matching to compare
      protein structures and is developed from a previous structural alignment method
      based on dynamic programming. Linear representations of secondary structures are
      derived and their features compared to identify equivalent elements in two
      proteins. The secondary structure alignment then constrains the residue
      alignment, which compares only residues within aligned secondary structures and
      with similar buried areas and torsional angles. The initial secondary structure
      alignment improves accuracy and provides a means of filtering out unrelated
      proteins before the slower residue alignment stage. It is possible to search or
      sort the protein structure databank very quickly using just secondary structure
      comparisons. A search through 720 structures with a probe protein of 10 secondary
      structures required 1.7 CPU hours on a Sun 4/280. Alternatively, combined
      secondary structure and residue alignments, with a cutoff on the secondary
      structure score to remove pairs of unrelated proteins from further analysis, took
      10.1 CPU hours. The method was applied in searches on different classes of
      proteins and to cluster a subset of the databank into structurally related
      groups. Relationships were consistent with known families of protein structure.

PMID- 1409566
TI  - Functional roles of amino acid residues involved in forming the alpha-helix-turn
      alpha-helix operator DNA binding motif of Tet repressor from Tn10.
AB  - The Tn10 derived Tet repressor contains an amino acid segment with high homology
      to the alpha-helix-turn-alpha-helix motif (HTH) of other DNA binding proteins.
      The five most conserved amino acids in HTH are probably involved in structural
      formation of the motif. Their functional role was probed by saturation
      mutagenesis yielding 95 single amino acid replacement mutants of Tet repressor.
      Their binding efficiencies to tet operator were quantitatively determined in
      vivo. All functional mutants contain amino acid substitutions consistent with
      their proposed role in a HTH. In particular, only the two smallest amino acids
      (serine, glycine) can substitute a conserved alanine in the proposed first alpha
      helix without loss of activity. The last position of the first alpha-helix, the
      second position in the turn, and the fourth position in the second alpha-helix
      require mostly hydrophobic residues. The proposed C-terminus of the first alpha
      helix is supported by a more active asparagine compared to glutamine replacement
      mutant of the wt leucine residue. The turn is located close to the protein
      surface as indicated by functional lysine and arginine replacements for valine. A
      glycine residue at the first position in the turn can be replaced by any amino
      acid yielding mutants with at least residual tet operator affinity. A structural
      model of the HTH of Tet repressor is presented.

PMID- 1409567
TI  - Crystal structure of the reduced form of p-hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase refined at
      2.3 A resolution.
AB  - The crystal structure of the reduced form of the enzyme p-hydroxybenzoate
      hydroxylase from Pseudomonas fluorescens, complexed with its substrate p
      hydroxybenzoate, has been obtained by protein X-ray crystallography. Crystals of
      the reduced form were prepared by soaking crystals of the oxidized enzyme
      substrate complex in deaerated mother liquor containing 300-400 mM NADPH. A rapid
      bleaching of the crystals indicated the reduction of the enzyme-bound FAD by
      NADPH. This was confirmed by single crystal spectroscopy. X-ray data to 2.3 A
      were collected on oscillation films using a rotating anode generator as an X-ray
      source. After data processing and reduction, restrained least squares refinement
      using the 1.9 A structure of the oxidized enzyme-substrate complex as a starting
      model, yielded a crystallographic R-factor of 14.8% for 11,394 reflections. The
      final model of the reduced complex contains 3,098 protein atoms, the FAD
      molecule, the substrate p-hydroxybenzoate and 322 solvent molecules. The
      structures of the oxidized and reduced forms of the enzyme-substrate complex were
      found to be very similar. The root-mean-square discrepancy for all atoms between
      both structures was 0.38 A. The flavin ring is almost completely planar in the
      final model, although it was allowed to bend or twist during refinement. The
      observed angle between the benzene and the pyrimidine ring is 2 degrees. This
      value should be compared with observed values of 10 degrees for the oxidized
      enzyme-substrate complex and 19 degrees for the enzyme-product complex. The
      position of the substrate is virtually unaltered with respect to its position in
      the oxidized enzyme. No trace of a bound NADP+ or NADPH molecule was found.

PMID- 1409568
TI  - Structural principles for the propeller assembly of beta-sheets: the preference
      for seven-fold symmetry.
AB  - Twisted beta-sheets, packed face to face, may be arranged in circular formation
      like blades of a propeller or turbine. This beta-propeller fold has been found in
      three proteins: that in neuraminidase consists of six beta-sheets while those in
      methylamine dehydrogenase and galactose oxidase are composed of seven beta
      sheets. A model for multisheet packing in the beta-propeller fold is proposed.
      This model gives both geometrical parameters of the beta-propellers composed of
      different numbers of sheets and patterns of residue packing at their sheet-to
      sheet interfaces. All the known beta-propeller structures have been analyzed, and
      the observed geometries and residue packing are found to be in good agreement
      with those predicted by models. It is shown that unusual seven-fold symmetry is
      preferable to six- or eight-fold symmetry for propeller-like multi-sheet
      assembly. According to the model, a six-beta-sheet propeller has to have
      predominantly small residues in the beta-strands closed to its six-fold axis, but
      no strong sequence constraints are necessary for a seven-fold beta-propeller.

PMID- 1409569
TI  - Fast and simple Monte Carlo algorithm for side chain optimization in proteins:
      application to model building by homology.
AB  - An unknown protein structure can be predicted with fair accuracy once an
      evolutionary connection at the sequence level has been made to a protein of known
      3-D structure. In model building by homology, one typically starts with a
      backbone framework, rebuilds new loop regions, and replaces nonconserved side
      chains. Here, we use an extremely efficient Monte Carlo algorithm in rotamer
      space with simulated annealing and simple potential energy functions to optimize
      the packing of side chains on given backbone models. Optimized models are
      generated within minutes on a workstation, with reasonable accuracy (average of
      81% side chain chi 1 dihedral angles correct in the cores of proteins determined
      at better than 2.5 A resolution). As expected, the quality of the models
      decreases with decreasing accuracy of backbone coordinates. If the back-bone was
      taken from a homologous rather than the same protein, about 70% side chain chi 1
      angles were modeled correctly in the core in a case of strong homology and about
      60% in a case of medium homology. The algorithm can be used in automated, fast,
      and reproducible model building by homology.

PMID- 1409570
TI  - Effects of changing the interaction between subdomains on the thermostability of
      Bacillus neutral proteases.
AB  - Variants of the thermolabile neutral protease (Npr) of B. subtilis (Npr-sub) and
      the thermostable neutral protease of B. stearothermophilus (Npr-ste) were
      produced by means of site-directed mutagenesis and the effects of the mutations
      on thermostability were determined. Mutations were designed to alter the
      interaction between the middle and C-terminal subdomain of these enzymes. In all
      Nprs a cluster of hydrophobic contacts centered around residue 315 contributes to
      this interaction. In thermostable Nprs (like Npr-ste) a 10 residue beta-hairpin,
      covering the domain interface, makes an additional contribution. The hydrophobic
      residue at position 315 was replaced by smaller amino acids. In addition, the
      beta-hairpin was deleted from Npr-ste and inserted into Npr-sub. The changes in
      thermostability observed after these mutations confirmed the importance of the
      hydrophobic cluster and of the beta-hairpin for the structural integrity of Nprs.
      Combined mutants showed that the effects of individual mutations affecting the
      interaction between the subdomains were not additive. The effects on
      thermostability decreased as the strength of the subdomain interaction increased.
      The results show that once the subdomain interface is sufficiently stabilized,
      additional stabilizing mutations at the same interface do not further increase
      thermostability. The results are interpreted on the basis of a model for the
      thermal inactivation of neutral proteases, in which it is assumed that
      inactivation results from the occurrence of local unfolding processes that render
      these enzymes susceptible to autolysis.

PMID- 1409572
TI  - Fuzzy cluster analysis of molecular dynamics trajectories.
AB  - We propose fuzzy clustering as a method to analyze molecular dynamics (MD)
      trajectories, especially of proteins and polypeptides. A fuzzy cluster analysis
      locates classes of similar three-dimensional conformations explored during a
      molecular dynamics simulation. The method can be readily applied to results from
      both equilibrium and nonequilibrium simulations, with clustering on either global
      or local structural parameters. The potential of this technique is illustrated by
      results from fuzzy cluster analyses of trajectories from MD simulations of
      various fragments of human parathyroid hormone (PTH). For large molecules, it is
      more efficient to analyze the clustering of root-mean-square distances between
      conformations comprising the trajectory. We found that the results of the
      clustering analysis were unambiguous, in terms of the optimal number of clusters
      of conformations, for the majority of the trajectories examined. The conformation
      closest to the cluster center can be chosen as being representative of the class
      of structures making up the cluster, and can be further analyzed, for example, in
      terms of its secondary structure. The CPU time used by the cluster analysis was
      negligible compared to the MD simulation time.

PMID- 1409571
TI  - Hydrogen exchange in native and denatured states of hen egg-white lysozyme.
AB  - The hydrogen exchange kinetics of 68 individual amide protons in the native state
      of hen lysozyme have been measured at pH 7.5 and 30 degrees C by 2D NMR methods.
      These constitute the most protected subset of amides, with exchange half lives
      some 10(5)-10(7) times longer than anticipated from studies of small model
      peptides. The observed distribution of rates under these conditions can be
      rationalized to a large extent in terms of the hydrogen bonding of individual
      amides and their burial from bulk solvent. Exchange rates have also been measured
      in a reversibly denatured state of lysozyme; this was made possible under very
      mild conditions, pH 2.0 35 degrees C, by lowering the stability of the native
      state through selective cleavage of the Cys-6-Cys-127 disulfide cross-link (CM6
      127 lysozyme). In this state the exchange rates for the majority of amides
      approach, within a factor of 5, the values anticipated from small model peptides.
      For a few amides, however, there is evidence for significant retardation (up to
      nearly 20-fold) relative to the predicted rates. The pattern of protection
      observed under these conditions does not reflect the behavior of the protein
      under strongly native conditions, suggesting that regions of native-like
      structure do not persist significantly in the denatured state of CM6-127
      lysozyme. The pattern of exchange rates from the native protein at high
      temperature, pH 3.8 69 degrees C, resembles that of the acid-denatured state,
      suggesting that under these conditions the exchange kinetics are dominated by
      transient global unfolding. The rates of folding and unfolding under these
      conditions were determined independently by magnetization transfer NMR methods,
      enabling the intrinsic exchange rates from the denatured state to be deduced on
      the basis of this model, under conditions where the predominant equilibrium
      species is the native state. Again, in the case of most amides these rates showed
      only limited deviation from those predicted by a simple random coil model. This
      reinforces the view that these denatured states of lysozyme have little
      persistent residual order and contrasts with the behavior found for compact
      partially folded states of proteins, including an intermediate detected
      transiently during the refolding of hen lysozyme.

PMID- 1409573
TI  - Selection of a representative set of structures from Brookhaven Protein Data
      Bank.
AB  - Reliable structural and statistical analyses of three dimensional protein
      structures should be based on unbiased data. The Protein Data Bank is highly
      redundant, containing several entries for identical or very similar sequences. A
      technique was developed for clustering the known structures based on their
      sequences and contents of alpha- and beta-structures. First, sequences were
      aligned pairwise. A representative sample of sequences was then obtained by
      grouping similar sequences together, and selecting a typical representative from
      each group. The similarity significance threshold needed in the clustering method
      was found by analyzing similarities of random sequences. Because three
      dimensional structures for proteins of same structural class are generally more
      conserved than their sequences, the proteins were clustered also according to
      their contents of secondary structural elements. The results of these clusterings
      indicate conservation of alpha- and beta-structures even when sequence similarity
      is relatively low. An unbiased sample of 103 high resolution structures,
      representing a wide variety of proteins, was chosen based on the suggestions made
      by the clustering algorithm. The proteins were divided into structural classes
      according to their contents and ratios of secondary structural elements. Previous
      classifications have suffered from subjective view of secondary structures,
      whereas here the classification was based on backbone geometry. The concise view
      lead to reclassification of some structures. The representative set of structures
      facilitates unbiased analyses of relationships between protein sequence,
      function, and structure as well as of structural characteristics.

PMID- 1409574
TI  - A model of the platelet factor 4 complex with heparin.
AB  - A model of heparin bound to bovine platelet factor 4 (BPF4) was completed using a
      graphically designed heparin molecule and the crystallographic coordinates of the
      native bovine platelet factor 4 tetramer. The oligosaccharides had a chain length
      of at least eight disaccharide units with the major repeating disaccharide unit
      consisting of (1----4)-O-(alpha-L-idopyranosyluronic acid 2-sulfate)-(1----4)-(2
      deoxy-2-sulfamino-2-D-glucopyranosyl 6-sulfate). Each disaccharide unit carried a
      -4.0 charge. The structure of BPF4 was solved to 2.6 A resolution with R = 0.237.
      Each monomer of BPF4 contains an alpha-helix lying across 3 strands of
      antiparallel beta-sheet. Each helix has four lysines, which have been implicated
      in heparin binding. These lysine residues are predominantly on one side of the
      helix and are solvent accessible. Electrostatic calculations performed on the
      BPF4 tetramer show a ring of strong, positive charge which runs perpendicularly
      across the helices. Included in this ring of density is His-38, which has been
      shown by NMR to have a large pKa shift when heparin binds to BPF4. Our model of
      heparin bound to PF4 has the anionic polysaccharide perpendicular to the alpha
      helices, wrapped about the tetramer along the ring of positive charge, and salt
      linked to all four lysines on the helix of each monomer.

PMID- 1409575
TI  - Three-dimensional structure of the quinoprotein methylamine dehydrogenase from
      Paracoccus denitrificans determined by molecular replacement at 2.8 A resolution.
AB  - The three-dimensional structure of the quinoprotein methylamine dehydrogenase
      from Paracoccus dentrificans (PD-MADH) has been determined at 2.8 A resolution by
      the molecular replacement method combined with map averaging procedures, using
      data collected from an area detector. The structure of methylamine dehydrogenase
      from Thio-bacillus versutus, which contains an "X-ray" sequence, was used as the
      starting search model. MADH consists of 2 heavy (H) and 2 light (L) subunits
      related by a molecular 2-fold axis. The H subunit is folded into seven four
      stranded beta segments, forming a disk-shaped structure, arranged with pseudo-7
      fold symmetry. A 31-residue elongated tail exists at the N-terminus of the H
      subunit in MADH from T. versutus but is partially digested in this crystal form
      of MADH from P. denitrificans, leaving the H subunit about 18 residues shorter.
      Each L subunit contains 127 residues arranged into 10 beta-strands connected by
      turns. The active site of the enzyme is located in the L subunit and is
      accessible via a hydrophobic channel between the H and L subunits. The redox
      cofactor of MADH, tryptophan tryptophylquinone is highly unusual. It is formed
      from two covalently linked tryptophan side chains at positions 57 and 107 of the
      L subunit, one of which contains an orthoquinone.

PMID- 1409576
TI  - Effect of polyethylene glycol-400 at low concentrations on long-term growth of
      muscle phosphoglucomutase crystals from concentrated salt solutions.
AB  - Although rabbit muscle phosphoglucomutase occasionally deposits tetragonal
      crystals from solutions of ammonium sulfate at about 47% of saturation, low
      concentrations of polyethylene glycol-400 (PEG), 1 to 4.5% w/v, must be included
      to sustain crystal growth. A comparison of long-term growth rates for macroscopic
      crystals in the presence and absence of added PEG suggests that at high salt
      concentration this cosolute exerts its primary effect on disordered protein
      aggregates, either in the external medium or at the surface of the crystal, and
      thereby allows the growth of much larger crystals. Since the observed effects may
      arise from a PEG-induced increase in the "solubility" of the aggregate that
      exceeds the induced increase in solubility of the crystalline phase under these
      conditions, the physical basis for a cosolute-induced increase in solubility in
      the presence of a precipitant is considered. The applicability of such a
      rationale to the present system is supported by an assessment of the relative
      effects of polyethylene glycol and beta-octylglucoside on amorphous, salt-induced
      precipitates of phosphoglucomutase. PEG also produces what appears to be a
      differential effect on nucleation efficiency and crystal growth rate. Thus, seed
      crystals cannot be enlarged at a significant rate at high salt concentration
      without producing showers of extraneous nucleation centers when the concentration
      of added PEG is 3% or less. But PEG concentrations of 4.5% essentially eliminate
      the showering problem, ostensibly by increasing the supersaturation required for
      nucleation to a greater extent than that required for crystal growth. The same
      type of effect is observed during de novo growth. Again a solubility-based
      mechanism is posed. Hysteretic effects related to properties of amorphous
      aggregates of the protein also are described.

PMID- 1409577
TI  - Multiple protein sequence alignment from tertiary structure comparison:
      assignment of global and residue confidence levels.
AB  - An algorithm is presented for the accurate and rapid generation of multiple
      protein sequence alignments from tertiary structure comparisons. A preliminary
      multiple sequence alignment is performed using sequence information, which then
      determines an initial superposition of the structures. A structure comparison
      algorithm is applied to all pairs of proteins in the superimposed set and a
      similarity tree calculated. Multiple sequence alignments are then generated by
      following the tree from the branches to the root. At each branchpoint of the
      tree, a structure-based sequence alignment and coordinate transformations are
      output, with the multiple alignment of all structures output at the root. The
      algorithm encoded in STAMP (STructural Alignment of Multiple Proteins) is shown
      to give alignments in good agreement with published structural accounts within
      the dehydrogenase fold domains, globins, and serine proteinases. In order to
      reduce the need for visual verification, two similarity indices are introduced to
      determine the quality of each generated structural alignment. Sc quantifies the
      global structural similarity between pairs or groups of proteins, whereas Pij'
      provides a normalized measure of the confidence in the alignment of each residue.
      STAMP alignments have the quality of each alignment characterized by Sc and Pij'
      values and thus provide a reproducible resource for studies of residue
      conservation within structural motifs.

PMID- 1409578
TI  - Molecular cloning and characterization of additional factors that bind to the
      interferon-alpha/beta response element B of the murine (2'-5')oligoadenylate
      synthetase ME-12 gene.
AB  - The function of interferon (IFN) response elements (IREs) may be classified into
      two classes according to the location of the IRE in the polymerase II
      transcription promoter: located upstream of the core promoter, or located within
      the core promoter. Thus, the IRE-binding factors (IREBFs) can serve as sequence
      specific transcription factors that activate IFN-inducible gene transcription and
      they can participate in preinitiation complex formation. In the murine and human
      (2'-5')oligoadenylate synthetase genes the IRE is located within the core
      promoter region. For this reason, it is important to isolate cDNAs encoding
      protein factors that can bind to this IRE and determine their functional roles in
      the regulation of expression of the IFN-inducible (2'-5')oligoadenylate
      synthetase gene. We have isolated three groups of cDNAs that encode IREBFs. Here
      we report on clone 38 cDNA, which contains an open reading frame encoding a
      protein of 277 amino acids that is designated IREBF-2. The C terminus of IREBF-2
      is extremely proline-rich and contains a high percentage of short-armed amino
      acids. IREBF-2 shares marked similarity with some gene products of the herpes
      group of viruses. These gene products are potent transcription activators. IREBF
      2 is constitutively expressed in BALB/c 3T3 cells.

PMID- 1409579
TI  - Shc proteins are phosphorylated and regulated by the v-Src and v-Fps protein
      tyrosine kinases.
AB  - The mammalian shc gene encodes two overlapping proteins of 46 and 52 kDa, each
      with a C-terminal Src homology 2 (SH2) domain and an N-terminal glycine/proline
      rich sequence, that induce malignant transformation when overexpressed in mouse
      fibroblasts. p46shc, p52shc, and an additional 66-kDa shc gene product become
      highly tyrosine phosphorylated in Rat-2 cells transformed by the v-src or v-fps
      oncogene. Experiments using temperature-sensitive v-src and v-fps mutants
      indicate that Shc tyrosine phosphorylation is rapidly induced upon activation of
      the v-Src or v-Fps tyrosine kinases. These results suggest that Shc proteins may
      be directly phosphorylated by the v-Src and v-Fps oncoproteins in vivo. In cells
      transformed by v-src or v-fps, or in normal cells stimulated with epidermal
      growth factor, Shc proteins complex with a poorly phosphorylated 23-kDa
      polypeptide (p23). Activated tyrosine kinases therefore regulate the association
      of Shc proteins with p23 and may thereby control the stimulation of an Shc
      mediated signal transduction pathway. The efficient phosphorylation of Shc
      proteins and the apparent induction of their p23-binding activity in v-src- and v
      fps-transformed cells are consistent with the proposition that the SH2-containing
      Shc polypeptides are biologically relevant substrates of the oncogenic v-Src and
      v-Fps tyrosine kinases.

PMID- 1409580
TI  - Early regional specification for a molecular neuronal phenotype in the rat
      neocortex.
AB  - The timing of neocortical regional specification was examined using a monoclonal
      antibody, designated PC3.1, that binds a 29-kDa polypeptide and recognizes a
      neuronal subpopulation located in the lateral but not dorsomedial neocortex in
      the rat. When lateral cortical tissue fragments at embryonic days 12 and 16 were
      maintained in an organotypic culture system, a substantial number of neurons
      became PC3.1-immunopositive. In marked contrast, considerably fewer, if any,
      PC3.1-positive neurons were observed in cultures of dorsal cortical tissue. The
      selective appearance of PC3.1-immunopositive neurons was also observed in
      dissociated cultures derived from the lateral, but not dorsal, cortical
      primordium at embryonic day 13 and later. In light of previous reports showing
      that the interactions between developing neocortical neurons and cortical
      afferents begin at embryonic day 14 or later, our findings imply that some
      regional specification occurs well before these interactions and suggest the
      importance of elements intrinsic to the neocortex in establishing neocortical
      regional specificity. Furthermore, [3H]thymidine birth-dating experiments
      revealed that the majority of presumptive PC3.1-immunopositive neurons underwent
      their final mitosis around embryonic day 15, suggesting that the regional
      specification events for these neurons occur before their neurogenesis.

PMID- 1409581
TI  - An inhibitory carboxyl-terminal domain in Ets-1 and Ets-2 mediates differential
      binding of ETS family factors to promoter sequences of the mb-1 gene.
AB  - The mb-1 gene is expressed only during the early stages of B-lymphocyte
      differentiation. Here we show that the mb-1 proximal promoter region contains a
      functionally important binding site for members of the ETS family of DNA-binding
      proteins. We found that both the E26 virus-encoded v-ets and the myeloid/B-cell
      specific factor PU.1 bind efficiently to this site in vitro. By contrast, Ets-1,
      the lymphocyte-specific cellular homologue of v-ets, and the related, more
      ubiquitously expressed Ets-2 protein interacted weakly with this binding site.
      DNA binding by both Ets-1 and Ets-2, however, could be increased 20- to 50-fold
      by deleting as few as 16 carboxyl-terminal amino acids. The inhibitory carboxyl
      terminal amino acid sequence is highly conserved between Ets-1 and Ets-2 but is
      not present in either v-ets or PU.1. Replacement of the carboxyl-terminal amino
      acids of v-ets with those of Ets-1 decreased DNA binding by v-ets drastically.
      Cotranslation of Ets-1 transcripts encoding proteins of different lengths
      suggested that Ets-1 binds DNA as a monomer. Therefore, the carboxyl-terminal
      inhibitory domain appears to interfere directly with DNA binding and not with
      homodimerization. Finally, the functional relevance of ETS factor binding to the
      mb-1 promoter site was evidenced by the stimulation of transcription through this
      site by a v-myb-v-ets fusion protein. Together, these data suggest that one or
      more ETS family factors are involved in the regulation of mb-1 gene expression.

PMID- 1409582
TI  - High-efficiency expression/cloning of epidermal growth factor-receptor-binding
      proteins with Src homology 2 domains.
AB  - Src homology 2 domains bind to tyrosine-phosphorylated growth factor receptors
      and are found in proteins that serve as substrates for tyrosine kinases, such as
      phospholipase C-gamma 1 and ras GTPase-activating protein. We have previously
      described the cloning of phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase-associated p85 from
      expression libraries with the tyrosine-phosphorylated epidermal growth factor
      receptor as a probe. We have now modified this technique by using T7 polymerase
      based expression libraries, which significantly improves sensitivity of the
      method. In one screening of such a library, we identified five different murine
      Src homology 2 domain-containing proteins, which we call GRBs (growth factor
      receptor-bound proteins). Two of these proteins represented the tyrosine kinase
      fyn and the mouse homologue of phospholipase C-gamma 1, whereas two genes encoded
      proteins similar to v-crk and NCK. We also isolated the gene for GRB-7, which
      encodes a protein of 535 amino acids. In addition to a Src homology 2 domain, GRB
      7 also has a region of similarity to the noncatalytic domain of ras GTPase
      activating protein and is highly expressed in liver and kidney. Use of this
      expression/cloning system should increase our ability to identify downstream
      modulators of growth factor action.

PMID- 1409584
TI  - Centromere DNA mutations induce a mitotic delay in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - Cytological observations of animal cell mitoses have shown that the onset of
      anaphase is delayed when chromosome attachment to the spindle is spontaneously
      retarded or experimentally interrupted. This report demonstrates that a
      centromere DNA (CEN) mutation carried on a single chromosome can induce a cell
      cycle delay observed as retarded mitosis in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A
      31-base-pair deletion within centromere DNA element II (CDEII delta 31) that
      causes chromosome missegregation in only 1% of cell division elicited a dramatic
      mitotic delay phenotype. Other CEN DNA mutations, including mutations in
      centromere DNA elements I and III, similarly delayed mitosis. Single division
      pedigree analysis of strains containing the CDEII delta 31 CEN mutation indicated
      that most (and possibly all) cells experienced delay in each cell cycle and that
      the delay was not due to increased chromosome copy number. Furthermore, a
      synchronous population of cells containing the CDEII delta 31 mutation underwent
      DNA synthesis on schedule with wild-type kinetics, but subsequently exhibited
      late chromosomal separation and concomitant late cell separation. We speculate
      that this delay in cell cycle progression before the onset of anaphase provides a
      mechanism for the stabilization of chromosomes with defective kinetochore
      structure. Further, we suggest that the delay may be mediated by surveillance at
      a cell cycle checkpoint that monitors the completion of chromosomal attachment to
      the spindle.

PMID- 1409583
TI  - Bacterial ADP-ribosyltransferase with a substrate specificity of the rho protein
      disassembles the Golgi apparatus in Vero cells and mimics the action of brefeldin
      A.
AB  - Epidermal-cell differentiation inhibitor (EDIN) is an exoenzyme produced by
      Staphylococcus aureus that catalyzes the ADP-ribosylation of rho proteins,
      members of the small GTP-binding protein family. In this study we demonstrate
      that EDIN induces a rapid morphological change in the Golgi structure of monkey
      kidney Vero cells that is similar to the changes elicited by brefeldin A (BFA).
      Treatment of Vero cells with EDIN resulted in a rapid disappearance of N-7-(4
      nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole)-6-aminocaproylsphingosine, a 110-kDa protein (beta
      COP, coat protein), and mannosidase II from the Golgi structure. Lower doses of
      EDIN and BFA had a synergistic effect on the redistribution of the Golgi markers.
      The similarities in the effects of EDIN and BFA in Vero cells also include the
      EDIN- or BFA-mediated protection of Vero cells from ricin cytotoxicity and
      prevention of the effects of EDIN or BFA on the distribution of Golgi markers by
      the pretreatment of Vero cells with guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate or
      forskolin. Incubation of a Vero-cell homogenate with [32P]NAD+ and EDIN in vitro
      resulted in the appearance of a labeled band with an apparent molecular mass of
      22 kDa. The morphological change of the Golgi structure induced by EDIN was
      inhibited by nicotinamide, an inhibitor of EDIN-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation. Thus
      these data suggest that a rho protein is involved in the membrane trafficking
      between the Golgi and the endoplasmic reticulum of Vero cells and that this rho
      protein may be a target shared by EDIN and BFA.

PMID- 1409585
TI  - Identification of a second insulin-like growth factor in a fish species.
AB  - An internal portion of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) amplified from the total
      cDNA of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) liver by a PCR was used to screen a
      rainbow trout liver cDNA library, and recombinant clones encoding two distinct
      IGFs were isolated. On the basis of a 98.7% nucleotide and 98.3% predicted amino
      acid identity to coho salmon IGF-I, one cDNA sequence was identified as rainbow
      trout preproinsulin-like growth factor I (rtIGF-I). The second cDNA sequence
      shared 46.1% and 43.3% identity with rtIGF-I at the nucleotide and predicted
      amino acid levels, respectively, and was identified as rainbow trout
      preproinsulin-like growth factor II (rtIGF-II). Predicted amino acid sequence
      comparisons of rtIGFs with those of human IGFs indicate that rtIGF-I is more
      similar to human IGF-I than to human IGF-II, and that rtIGF-II is more similar to
      human IGF-II than to human IGF-I. Southern blot analysis of rainbow trout genomic
      DNA probed with rtIGF-I and -II cDNA suggests that these two forms of IGF
      originate from separate genes. The presence of a teleost IGF-II suggests that the
      divergence of IGFs occurred early in vertebrate evolution.

PMID- 1409586
TI  - Analysis of the association of peptides of optimal length to class I molecules on
      the surface of cells.
AB  - The association of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules on
      the surface of cells with synthetic antigenic peptides of eight or nine amino
      acid residues was examined. Peptides were synthesized that correspond to the
      antigenic sequences from ovalbumin and influenza nucleoprotein believed to be
      naturally processed and presented by cells with Kb and Db MHC class I molecules,
      respectively. Consistent with the results of others, these peptides were 10(3)
      10(5) times more active in stimulating specific T cells as compared to peptides
      of longer sequences. When cells are incubated with these peptides at less than
      0.01-0.1 microM, the association of the peptides with class I molecules is
      dependent on (i) the reassociation of free beta 2-microglobulin from the
      extracellular fluids, (ii) a process that requires cells to be metabolically
      active, or (iii) stabilization of class I heterodimers by chemical crosslinking.
      In contrast, when cells are incubated with these peptides at greater than 0.1-1.0
      microM, the peptides associate with class I molecules in the absence of exogenous
      beta 2-microglobulin, energy, or chemical crosslinking. Antigen competition
      experiments suggest that the class I molecules that bind peptides offered at high
      concentration become only transiently receptive to binding peptide. The
      concentration of peptides required for presentation to T cells under these
      conditions corresponds to those that stabilize Kb molecules on the surface of RMA
      S mutant cells in the absence of exogenous beta 2-microglobulin. These results
      support the concept that the receptivity of class I molecules on cells is
      determined by the dissociation of beta 2-microglobulin from MHC class I that
      lacks bound peptides.

PMID- 1409587
TI  - Monomers and dimers of the RepA protein in plasmid pSC101 replication: domains in
      RepA.
AB  - The replication of plasmid pSC101 requires the plasmid-encoded protein RepA. This
      protein has a double role: it binds to three directly repeated sequences in the
      pSC101 origin and promotes replication of the plasmid; it binds to two inversely
      repeated sequences in its promoter region and regulates its own transcription. A
      series of RepA protein derivatives carrying deletions of the C-terminal region
      were assayed for specific binding. We found that the last third of the protein is
      not needed for binding to the various specific sites. Truncated proteins that
      still bind can also form heterodimers with a wild-type protein. Analysis of band
      retardation assays conducted with wild-type and truncated proteins indicates that
      RepA binds to directly repeated sequences as a monomer and to inversely repeated
      sequences as a dimer.

PMID- 1409588
TI  - Cloning and characterization of an androgen-induced growth factor essential for
      the androgen-dependent growth of mouse mammary carcinoma cells.
AB  - An androgen-dependent mouse mammary carcinoma cell line (SC-3) requires androgen
      for growth stimulation. We have shown previously that androgen acts on SC-3 cells
      to induce secretion of a fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-like growth factor, which
      in turn stimulates growth of the cells in an autocrine manner. In this study, the
      androgen-induced growth factor (AIGF) was purified from a conditioned medium of
      SC-3 cells stimulated with testosterone. cDNA cloning of AIGF by use of its
      partial amino acid sequence data revealed that AIGF is a distinctive FGF-like
      growth factor. An AIGF cDNA (pSC17) encodes a 215-amino acid protein with a
      putative signal peptide, which shares 30-40% homology with known members of the
      FGF family. The AIGF mRNA was markedly induced by 10 nM testosterone in Northern
      blot analysis. Expression of AIGF cDNA in mammalian cells clearly showed
      remarkable stimulatory effects of AIGF on growth of SC-3 cells in the absence of
      androgen. Thus, it is clear that the androgen-induced growth of SC-3 cells is
      mediated in an autocrine manner by AIGF, which is secreted by the tumor cells
      themselves in response to hormonal stimuli.

PMID- 1409589
TI  - Defective guanyl nucleotide-binding protein beta gamma subunits in a forskolin
      resistant mutant of the Y1 adrenocortical cell line.
AB  - Forskolin-resistant mutants derived from Y1 adrenocortical cells display
      decreased responsiveness both to receptor and postreceptor stimulators of
      adenylyl cyclase and decreased amounts of the alpha subunits of the GTP-binding
      proteins (G proteins) that mediate stimulation (Gs) and inhibition (Gi) of
      adenylyl cyclase--namely, Gs alpha and Gi alpha-2. This phenotype is suggestive
      of a mutation that affects the processing or plasma membrane incorporation of G
      protein alpha subunits. Since the membrane attachment of heterotrimeric G
      proteins has been ascribed in part to the beta gamma subunits, we examined the
      quantity and functional activity of beta gamma subunits in wild-type Y1 and
      forskolin-resistant Forsk-10r-9 and Forsk-10r-3 cells. We now show that two
      assays previously used to examine the activity of purified beta gamma subunits-
      namely, to support either rhodopsin-catalyzed guanyl nucleotide exchange on Gt
      alpha or pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of Gt alpha--can be used with
      detergent extracts of cells. In both assays the beta gamma activity in Forsk-10r
      9 and Forsk-10r-3 extracts was decreased by 53-76% compared with wild-type Y1
      extracts. When normalized for immunoreactive beta subunit, the beta gamma
      activity in the Forsk-10r-9 samples was decreased by 55-57% compared with the
      wild-type Y1 samples. These results suggest that a mutation of one of the G
      protein beta or gamma subunits may result in the multiple defects of adenylyl
      cyclase activity and apparent loss of G protein alpha subunits seen in the
      forskolin-resistant mutant cells. The frequency with which these spontaneous
      mutations arise in the Y1 cell line suggests that they may contribute more
      generally to genetic abnormalities in signal transduction.

PMID- 1409590
TI  - Emr, an Escherichia coli locus for multidrug resistance.
AB  - An Escherichia coli chromosomal DNA fragment cloned on a multicopy plasmid
      conferred resistance to carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, nalidixic acid,
      and a number of other toxic compounds. The sequence of the cloned emr locus
      located at minute 57.5 of the chromosome revealed two open reading frames, emrA
      and emrB. emrB encodes a highly hydrophobic 56.2-kDa peptide, with 14 potential
      alpha-helices to span the inner membrane. The peptide is homologous to QacA, a
      multidrug-resistant pump from Staphylococcus aureus, and belongs to a gene family
      that includes tetracycline-resistant pumps of Gram-positive bacteria and the
      galactose/H+ symporter of E. coli. emrA encodes a putative 42.7-kDa peptide
      containing a single hydrophobic domain and a large C-terminal hydrophilic domain.
      An active pho-fusion to the C domain suggested that EmrA is a membrane protein.
      Disruption of emrB significantly increased sensitivity of cells to uncouplers.
      The cellular content of uncoupler increased in the order: overexpressed emrB
      cells greater than wild type greater than emrB-.

PMID- 1409591
TI  - Antifreeze protein modulates cell survival during cryopreservation: mediation
      through influence on ice crystal growth.
AB  - Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are extremely efficient at inhibiting ice
      recrystallization in frozen solutions. Knight and Duman [Knight, C. A. & Duman,
      J. G. (1986) Cryobiology 23, 256-263] have proposed that this may be an important
      function of the proteins in freeze-tolerant organisms. We have tested this
      proposal in vitro by characterizing the influence of AFP on the recovery of
      cryopreserved cells, which often can survive cooling and yet subsequently be
      damaged by ice crystal growth during warming. Relatively low concentrations
      (e.g., 5-150 micrograms/ml) of winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus)
      AFP enhance survival of red blood cells cryopreserved in hydroxyethyl starch
      solutions. This effect is most apparent in samples warmed at suboptimal rates,
      i.e., where ice recrystallization would be exaggerated. Cryomicroscopy
      demonstrates that AFP inhibits ice recrystallization in the extracellular regions
      during the latter stages of the warming cycle. AFP concentrations that enhance
      survival of red cells confer partial inhibition of recrystallization. Relatively
      high concentrations of AFP (e.g., 1.54 mg/ml) are much more effective at
      inhibiting extracellular recrystallization. However, extensive growth of ice
      around the cell, and concomitant cell damage, is noted. The mechanism for this
      AFP-induced ice growth is unknown. We propose that there is a delicate balance
      between AFP-induced enhancement of cell preservation and AFP-induced enhancement
      of cell preservation and AFP-induced enhancement of cell damage and that this
      balance hinges on the degrees of inhibition of ice recrystallization and of
      preferential growth of ice around the cells. We conclude that, under appropriate
      conditions, one of the proposed functions of AFPs in nature can be emulated, and
      perhaps have application, in cryopreservation of materials of biomedical
      interest.

PMID- 1409592
TI  - Divergent evolution of pyrimidine biosynthesis between anaerobic and aerobic
      yeasts.
AB  - A cDNA encoding the dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHOdehase; EC 1.3.3.1) of the
      yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe was isolated by functional complementation in
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A divergent subcellular compartmentation of the
      DHOdehase of each yeast was shown. The DHOdehase from Sch. pombe was localized in
      the mitochondria whereas its homolog from S. cerevisiae was found to be
      cytosolic. The heterologous expression of the Sch. pombe enzyme in S. cerevisiae
      allowed us to demonstrate that the Sch. pombe DHOdehase activity requires the
      integrity of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Indeed, the presence of
      a mutation inactivating cytochrome b abolished the complementation of a S.
      cerevisiae ura1 mutant by the corresponding Sch. pombe gene. By contrast, in
      vitro studies have revealed that the DHOdehase of S. cerevisiae uses fumarate as
      terminal electron acceptor. These results are discussed in relation to the
      anaerobic growth competence of the two yeasts and to the fermentative processes
      they use.

PMID- 1409593
TI  - Structure and expression of major histocompatibility complex-binding protein 2, a
      275-kDa zinc finger protein that binds to an enhancer of major histocompatibility
      complex class I genes.
AB  - We have isolated a cDNA encoding a transcription factor that binds to the
      enhancer of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I genes. MHC-binding
      protein 2 (MBP-2) is a 275-kDa protein, containing two sets of widely separated
      zinc fingers and a stretch of highly acidic amino acids, a putative
      transactivation domain. The two zinc finger regions, when expressed individually
      as bacterial fusion proteins, bind with highest affinity to the MHC class I gene
      enhancer. Several proteins found in mammalian nuclear extracts bind the MHC class
      I enhancer in an electrophoresis mobility shift assay. Only one of these, a
      ubiquitously expressed factor, forming a slow-migrating retarded complex, can be
      supershifted by a MBP-2 antiserum. The same antiserum also precipitates a protein
      of greater than 250 kDa from COS cells transfected with a MBP-2 expression
      vector. Our data indicate that MBP-2 is a transcription factor involved in the
      regulation of MHC class I gene expression.

PMID- 1409594
TI  - Proposed acquisition of an animal protein domain by bacteria.
AB  - A systematic screen of a protein sequence data base confirms that the fibronectin
      type III (Fn3) domain is widely distributed among animal proteins and occurs also
      in several bacterial carbohydrate-splitting enzymes. The motif has yet to be
      identified in proteins from plants or fungi. All indications are that the
      bacterial sequences are much too similar to the animal type to be the result of
      conventional vertical descent. Rather, it is likely that the bacterial units were
      initially acquired from an animal source and are being spread further by
      horizontal transfers between distantly related bacteria.

PMID- 1409595
TI  - A strategy for making synthetic peptide vaccines.
AB  - We have determined the H-2 class II allele-specific amino acid motif of the
      agretope (the site of contact between the peptide antigen and the major
      histocompatibility complex) for a synthetic peptide composed of residues 43-58 of
      pigeon cytochrome c (p43-58). Residues 46 and 54 functioned as the agretope, and
      residues 50 and 52 functioned as the epitope (the site for contact between the
      peptide antigen and the T-cell antigen receptor). In general, agretopes and
      epitopes function independently. Thus, substitution of amino acids in the epitope
      does not significantly affect binding of the peptide antigen to a class II
      molecule. On the basis of these findings, synthetic peptide vaccines against
      influenza Aichi (H3N2) virus were prepared by introducing seven residues of the
      influenza virus hemagglutinin into the frame component residues 43-46 and 54-58
      of p43-58 analogues including the agretopes for Ak or Ab previously determined on
      the p43-58 segment. These peptide vaccines induced both helper T-cell responses
      and production of antibodies that were specific for influenza Aichi hemagglutinin
      but not for the major histocompatibility complex binding frame in mice bearing Ak
      or Ab. The antibodies produced neutralize the infectivity of influenza Aichi in
      vitro. The present findings should provide a basis for preparing potent peptide
      vaccines that function without producing side effects.

PMID- 1409596
TI  - Cellular and peptide requirements for in vitro clonal deletion of immature
      thymocytes.
AB  - Thymocytes from DO10 T-cell-receptor transgenic mice undergo apoptosis, or
      programmed cell death, when chicken ovalbumin-(323-339) peptide is administered
      in vivo. Using DO10 mice thymocytes, we have now developed a simple in vitro
      model system that recapitulates the in vivo clonal-deletion process. When
      transgenic thymocytes were cocultured with fibroblasts, B cells, or thymic nurse
      cell lines (all bearing I-Ad) in the presence of chicken ovalbumin-(323-339),
      deletion of the transgenic TCR+CD4+CD8+ thymocytes was seen within 8-20 hr.
      Thymocytes designed to bear I-Ad on their surface could mediate the deletion
      themselves. Thus, thymocyte clonal deletion entirely depends on the stage at
      which the thymocytes are vulnerable to the onset of apoptosis, rather than on the
      nature of the peptide antigen-presenting cells. Furthermore, thymic nurse cell
      line TNC-R3.1 could cause deletion, strongly suggesting that some thymic
      epithelial/stromal components are potentially capable of participating in
      negative selection. In all cases examined, little deletion could be induced at a
      peptide concentration less than 10 nM, thus defining the minimum amount of
      peptide antigen required for negative selection. The peptide-dependent in vitro
      negative-selection system will allow further dissection of the molecular and
      cellular processes involved in clonal deletion due to apoptosis in the thymus.

PMID- 1409597
TI  - Ionizing radiation stimulates unidentified tyrosine-specific protein kinases in
      human B-lymphocyte precursors, triggering apoptosis and clonogenic cell death.
AB  - Very little is known regarding the effects of ionizing radiation on cytoplasmic
      signal transduction pathways. Here, we show that ionizing radiation induces
      enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple substrates in human B-lymphocyte
      precursors. This response to ionizing radiation was also observed in cells
      pretreated with vanadate, a potent protein-tyrosine-phosphatase (PTPase)
      inhibitor, and phosphotyrosyl [Val5]angiotensin II phosphatase assays showed no
      decreased PTPase activity in irradiated cells. Thus, enhanced tyrosine
      phosphorylation in irradiated B-lymphocyte precursors is not triggered by
      inhibition of total cellular PTPase activity. Immune-complex kinase assays using
      anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies demonstrated enhanced protein-tyrosine kinase
      (PTK) activity in the immunoprecipitates from irradiated cells, and the PTK
      inhibitors genistein and herbimycin effectively prevented radiation-induced
      tyrosine phosphorylation. Immune-complex kinase assays on irradiated and
      unirradiated B-lymphocyte precursors using antibodies prepared against unique
      amino acid sequences of p59fyn, p56/p53lyn, p55blk, and p56lck demonstrated that
      these Src-family tyrosine kinases were not the primary PTKs responsible for
      enhanced tyrosine kinase activity in the anti-phosphotyrosine antibody
      immunoprecipitates or for enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple
      substrates. Thus, our findings favor the hypothesis that ionizing radiation
      induces enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation in B-lymphocyte precursors by
      stimulation of as yet unidentified PTKs. Tyrosine phosphorylation appears to be
      an important proximal step in radiation-induced apoptosis and clonogenic cell
      death because inhibition of PTK prevents DNA fragmentation and loss of
      clonogenicity of irradiated B-lymphocyte precursors. Since PTKs play myriad roles
      in the regulation of cell function and proliferation, the activation of a PTK
      cascade, as detailed in this report, may explain some of the pleiotropic effects
      of ionizing radiation on cellular functions of B-lymphocytes and their
      precursors.

PMID- 1409598
TI  - Another perspective on the visual motion aftereffect.
AB  - Prolonged adaptation to motion in a given direction produces distinctly different
      visual motion aftereffects (MAEs) when viewing static vs. dynamic test displays.
      The dynamic MAE can be exactly simulated by real motion, whereas the static MAE
      cannot. In addition, the magnitude of the dynamic MAE depends on the bandwidth of
      motion directions experienced during adaptation, whereas the static MAE does not.
      Evidently a stationary pattern does not directly activate the neural mechanisms
      affected during motion adaptation, whereas a dynamic visual display does. These
      results imply that the traditional explanation of the MAE needs modification.

PMID- 1409599
TI  - Protein tertiary structure recognition using optimized Hamiltonians with local
      interactions.
AB  - Protein folding codes embodying local interactions including surface and
      secondary structure propensities and residue-residue contacts are optimized for a
      set of training proteins by using spin-glass theory. A screening method based on
      these codes correctly matches the structure of a set of test proteins with
      proteins of similar topology with 100% accuracy, even with limited sequence
      similarity between the test proteins and the structural homologs and the absence
      of any structurally similar proteins in the training set.

PMID- 1409600
TI  - Model studies directed toward the boron neutron-capture therapy of cancer: boron
      delivery to murine tumors with liposomes.
AB  - The successful treatment of cancer by boron neutron-capture therapy (BNCT)
      requires the selective concentration of boron-10 within malignant tumors. The
      potential of liposomes to deliver boron-rich compounds to tumors has been
      assessed by the examination of the biodistribution of boron delivered by
      liposomes in tumor-bearing mice. Small unilamellar vesicles with mean diameters
      of 70 nm or less, composed of a pure synthetic phospholipid (distearoyl
      phosphatidylcholine) and cholesterol, have been found to stably encapsulate high
      concentrations of water-soluble ionic boron compounds. The hydrolytically stable
      borane anions B10H10(2-), B12H11SH2-, B20H17OH4-, B20H19(3-), and the normal form
      and photoisomer of B20H18(2-) were encapsulated in liposomes as their soluble
      sodium salts. The tissue concentration of boron in tumor-bearing mice was
      measured at several time points over 48 h after i.v. injection of emulsions of
      liposomes containing the borane anions. Although the boron compounds used do not
      exhibit an affinity for tumors and are normally rapidly cleared from the body,
      liposomes were observed to selectively deliver the borane anions to tumors. The
      highest tumor concentrations achieved reached the therapeutic range (greater than
      15 micrograms of boron per g of tumor) while maintaining high tumor-boron/blood
      boron ratios (greater than 3). The most favorable results were obtained with the
      two isomers of B20H18(2-). These boron compounds have the capability to react
      with intracellular components after they have been deposited within tumor cells
      by the liposome, thereby preventing the borane ion from being released into
      blood.

PMID- 1409601
TI  - Downregulation of interleukin 8 gene expression in human fibroblasts: unique
      mechanism of transcriptional inhibition by interferon.
AB  - The chemotactic cytokine interleukin 8 (IL-8) is produced upon stimulation by
      various agents in many cell types, including connective-tissue fibroblasts. Tumor
      necrosis factor (TNF) and IL-1 are potent inducers of IL-8 expression. Earlier we
      showed that TNF-induced stimulation of IL-8 mRNA accumulation in human FS-4
      fibroblasts was inhibited by interferon beta (IFN-beta) or IFN-gamma. Here we
      show that this inhibition is not specific for TNF, since IFN-beta also reduced IL
      8 mRNA accumulation induced by IL-1 or the double-stranded RNA poly (I-C).
      Treatment with IFN-beta also decreased TNF-induced IL-8 protein accumulation.
      Interestingly, the inhibitory effect was much less pronounced when IFN-beta was
      added greater than or equal to 1 hr before TNF. The inhibitory action of IFN-beta
      on IL-8 mRNA accumulation was undiminished in the presence of inhibitors of
      protein synthesis. Nuclear run-on assays demonstrated that IFN-beta caused a
      marked inhibition of TNF-induced IL-8 gene transcription; the transcriptional
      activation of several other TNF-induced genes was not inhibited by IFN-beta. The
      results suggest that the specific inhibition of the transcriptional activation of
      IL-8 by IFN is due either to a transient inactivation of a factor required for IL
      8 transcription or to the activation of a selective inhibitory factor.

PMID- 1409602
TI  - In the presence of dexamethasone, gamma interferon induces rat oligodendrocytes
      to express major histocompatibility complex class II molecules.
AB  - Cells that express major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules can
      interact directly with CD4 T lymphocytes and either activate immune reactions or
      become the targets of T-cell-mediated cytotoxic attack. Using rat optic nerve
      cultures combined with immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization, we have
      shown that oligodendrocytes, the major myelin-forming cells of the central
      nervous system and the main casualty of the immune attacks associated with
      multiple sclerosis and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, can be readily
      induced to express MHC class II mRNA and surface antigens in vitro by exposure to
      gamma interferon, provided the glucocorticoid dexamethasone is included in the
      culture medium. Oligodendrocytes exposed to gamma interferon without
      dexamethasone fail to express MHC class II molecules, which may account for the
      failure of previous attempts to induce expression in these cells. In the
      experiments reported here MHC class II expression can be demonstrated both on
      galactocerebroside-positive cells and on mature oligodendrocytes that express
      proteolipid protein. These findings expand possibilities for understanding immune
      related oligodendrocyte killing and demyelination in human and experimental
      demyelinating diseases.

PMID- 1409604
TI  - Gene transfer of a reserpine-sensitive mechanism of resistance to N-methyl-4
      phenylpyridinium.
AB  - The toxin N-methyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine produces a model of neural
      degeneration very similar to idiopathic Parkinson disease. To understand the
      cellular mechanisms that modulate susceptibility to its active metabolite N
      methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+), we have transfected a cDNA expression library
      from the relatively MPP(+)-resistant rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells into MPP(+)
      sensitive Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) fibroblasts. Selection of the stable
      transformants in high concentrations of MPP+ has yielded a clone extremely
      resistant to the toxin. Reserpine reverses the resistance to MPP+, suggesting
      that a transport activity protects against this form of toxicity, perhaps by
      sequestering the toxin within an intracellular compartment. In support of this
      hypothesis, dopamine loaded into the CHO transformant shows a localized
      distribution that is distinct from the pattern observed in wild-type cells and is
      also reversed by reserpine.

PMID- 1409603
TI  - Glucocorticoid-induced formation of tight junctions in mouse mammary epithelial
      cells in vitro.
AB  - Phenotypically stable cultures of untransformed mouse mammary epithelial cells
      (denoted 31EG4) were established and utilized to investigate the lactogenic
      hormone (glucocorticoids, insulin, and prolactin) regulation of tight junction
      formation. When 31EG4 cells were grown on permeable supports for 4 days in medium
      containing the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone and insulin, confluent cell
      monolayers obtained a transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) of 1000-3000
      omega.cm2. In contrast, over the same time period, confluent monolayers treated
      with insulin or insulin and prolactin maintained a low TER (35-150 omega.cm2).
      Consistent with the formation of tight junctions, apical to basolateral
      paracellular permeability was decreased from 12% to 1% for [14C]mannitol and 3.3%
      to 0.3% for [3H]inulin when cells were cultured in dexamethasone. This effect of
      dexamethasone on TER required extracellular calcium, de novo protein synthesis,
      dose-dependently correlated with glucocorticoid receptor occupancy, and was not
      due to an increase in cell density. As shown by direct and indirect
      immunofluorescence microscopy, dexamethasone treatment did not modulate the
      production or location of filamentous actin, the tight junction protein ZO-1, or
      the cell adhesion protein E-cadherin. Our results suggest that glucocorticoids
      play a fundamental role in the function and maintenance of cell-cell contact in
      the mammary epithelia by inducing the formation of tight junctions.

PMID- 1409605
TI  - Cell-specific expression of a Clara cell secretory protein-human growth hormone
      gene in the bronchiolar epithelium of transgenic mice.
AB  - Clara cell secretory protein (CCSP) is an abundant 10-kDa protein synthesized and
      secreted by nonciliated epithelial cells lining the respiratory and terminal
      bronchioles of the lung. CCSP gene expression is an informative developmental
      marker within the bronchiolar epithelium recapitulating cellular differentiation
      in the distal respiratory epithelium during late fetal and early postnatal life.
      To define the mechanisms that establish and maintain gene expression within this
      epithelium, CCSP-human growth hormone chimeric gene constructs were created and
      used to generate transgenic mice. RNA blot analysis of organs from F1 transgenic
      offspring and normal littermates revealed that cis-acting elements within 2.25
      kilobases of the 5' flanking region of the CCSP gene were sufficient to direct
      lung-specific expression of human growth hormone. In situ hybridization and
      immunohistochemistry of individual bronchioles revealed that human growth hormone
      expression in the respiratory epithelium of these mice was confined to Clara
      cells, consistent with observations of the endogenous CCSP gene. Unexpectedly,
      founder animals and F1 transgenic offspring exhibited an unusual phenotype of
      growth retardation and delayed hair appearance, suggesting a unique effect of
      human growth hormone on normal intrauterine development. CCSP-human growth
      hormone transgenic mice provide a model to dissect the developmental mechanisms
      regulating gene expression during pulmonary epithelial cell growth and
      differentiation. Definition of the cis-acting elements determining such cell
      specific expression will be of value in strategies for the somatic gene therapy
      of human pulmonary disease.

PMID- 1409606
TI  - Precursor structure, expression, and tissue distribution of human guanylin.
AB  - Heat-stable enterotoxins (STa) are small, cysteine-rich peptides secreted by
      Escherichia coli that are able to induce diarrhea through the stimulation of an
      intestine-specific receptor-guanylyl cyclase known as STaR. A 15-amino acid
      peptide, guanylin, was recently purified from rat jejunum and proposed to be a
      potential endogenous activator of this receptor. We describe here the cloning and
      characterization of human and mouse cDNAs encoding precursor proteins of 115 and
      116 amino acids, respectively, having guanylin present at their C termini.
      Expression of the human cDNA in mammalian cells leads to the secretion of
      proguanylin, an inactive 94-amino acid protein. Guanylin generated by either
      trypsin or acid treatment of proguanylin was purified and found to bind to, and
      activate, STaR. Northern blot and in situ hybridization show high-level
      expression of guanylin mRNA restricted to the intestine, with localization to
      Paneth cells at the base of the small intestinal crypts. These results
      demonstrate that guanylin is an endogenous activator of STaR.

PMID- 1409607
TI  - Protein stitchery: design of a protein for selective binding to a specific DNA
      sequence.
AB  - We present a general strategy for designing proteins to recognize DNA sequences
      and illustrate this with an example based on the "Y-shaped scissors grip" model
      for leucine-zipper gene-regulatory proteins. The designed protein is formed from
      two copies, in tandem, of the basic (DNA binding) region of v-Jun. These copies
      are coupled through a tripeptide to yield a "dimer" expected to recognize the
      sequence TCATCGATGA (the v-Jun-v-Jun homodimer recognizes ATGACTCAT). We
      synthesized the protein and oligonucleotides containing the proposed binding
      sites and used gel-retardation assays and DNase I footprinting to establish that
      the dimer binds specifically to the DNA sequence TCATCGATGA but does not bind to
      the wild-type DNA sequences, nor to oligonucleotides in which the recognition
      half-site is modified by single-base changes. These results also provide strong
      support for the Y-shaped scissors grip model for binding of leucine-zipper
      proteins.

PMID- 1409608
TI  - Molecular cloning of a candidate chicken prion protein.
AB  - Fractions enriched for acetylcholine receptor-inducing activity from chicken
      brain were found to contain a protein that was approximately 30% homologous with
      mammalian prion proteins [Harris, D. A., Falls, D. L., Johnson, F. A. &
      Fischbach, G. D. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88, 7664-7668]. To extend
      these observations, we recovered genomic clones encoding a putative chicken prion
      protein (PrP). Like mammalian PrP molecules, the candidate chicken PrP is encoded
      by a single-copy gene and the entire open reading frame is found within a single
      exon. All of the structural features of mammalian PrP were found in the chicken
      protein. When the N-terminal repeats of PrP were not considered, the chicken and
      mammalian proteins were approximately 55% homologous, allowing for conservative
      substitutions. Screening of a chicken genomic DNA library failed to identify a
      more closely related chicken PrP homologue. These findings argue that the protein
      which purifies with acetylcholine receptor-inducing activity is chicken PrP.

PMID- 1409609
TI  - Mapping genes in the mouse using single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis
      of recombinant inbred strains and interspecific crosses.
AB  - We have utilized a PCR-based analysis of single-strand conformation polymorphisms
      to identify polymorphisms that can be used for mapping cloned DNA sequences in
      the mouse. We have found that single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis of
      sequences that are potentially less subject to conservation (i.e., intron and 3'
      untranslated regions) is a relatively efficient means of detecting polymorphisms
      between inbred strains. Fifty percent of the tested primer pairs were polymorphic
      between inbred strains and 90% were polymorphic between mouse species, which is a
      frequency comparable to that found for microsatellite repeat sequences. We have
      found that this technique can be readily used to determine the strain
      distribution pattern in a recombinant inbred series and is a simple and rapid
      means to obtain a map position for cloned sequences. When this strategy was
      tested on a number of previously mapped cloned genes, the strain distribution
      patterns obtained were consistent with that to be expected on the basis of the
      known map position. We also tested the utility of this approach for
      characterizing genes that have not been previously mapped. Dvl, the mouse homolog
      of the putative Drosophila dishevelled gene, and Adfp, encoding an adipocyte
      differentiation-related protein, were found to map to chromosome 4. These results
      were confirmed using single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis of an
      interspecific backcross.

PMID- 1409610
TI  - Fc epsilon RI-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of the 72-kDa
      protein-tyrosine kinase, PTK72, in RBL-2H3 rat tumor mast cells.
AB  - In RBL-2H3 rat tumor mast cells, cross-linking the high-affinity IgE receptor Fc
      epsilon RI causes tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple proteins. These
      phosphoproteins include phospholipase C gamma 1, the beta and gamma subunits of
      the Fc epsilon RI, the Src family protein-tyrosine kinase Lyn, and a 72-kDa
      protein that coimmunoprecipitates from lysates of antigen-stimulated cells with
      antibody to the receptor beta subunit. We now present evidence that the 72-kDa Fc
      epsilon RI-associated protein is the protein-tyrosine kinase PTK72 that forms
      part of the antigen receptor complex in B lymphocytes. The identification is
      based on immunoreactivity with anti-PTK72 antiserum, chromatographic profiles on
      the affinity resin heparin/agarose, and one-dimensional phosphopeptide mapping
      studies. Enzymatic activity of the kinase is increased in anti-PTK72 immune
      complexes prepared from lysates of antigen-activated RBL-2H3 cells. The 72-kDa
      protein-tyrosine kinase is the principal substrate for in vitro tyrosine
      phosphorylation in anti-phosphotyrosine immunoprecipitates of RBL-2H3 cells. The
      discovery that RBL-2H3 mast cells share a receptor-activated protein-tyrosine
      kinase, PTK72, with B lymphocytes provides additional support for the existence
      of common signaling pathways initiated by multichain immune recognition
      receptors.

PMID- 1409611
TI  - Protein oxidation associated with aging is reduced by dietary restriction of
      protein or calories.
AB  - The accumulation of unrepaired oxidative damage products may be a major factor in
      cellular aging. Both oxidative lesions in DNA and oxidatively damaged proteins
      have been shown to accumulate during aging. The accumulation of oxidized proteins
      in Fischer 344 rats was compared for animals consuming protein-restricted and
      calorically restricted diets--both of which have been shown to extend lifespan.
      Rats were fed diets restricted in either protein (5% or 10% of the diet as
      compared with the normal 20% casein), or calories (25% or 40% less than normal),
      or total diet (40% less than normal). In addition, some of the rats fed a diet
      providing 5% or 20% protein were irradiated twice weekly (125 rads per exposure;
      1 rad = 0.01 Gy). The level of oxidative damage to proteins (protein carbonyls)
      was determined in rats sacrificed at various times. The oxidative damage to
      proteins increased with aging and with radiation. Either protein or calorie
      restriction markedly inhibited the accumulation of oxidatively damaged proteins.
      Protein restriction reduced the accumulation of oxidatively damaged proteins
      during the oxidative stress of chronic irradiation.

PMID- 1409612
TI  - Different receptor mechanisms mediate the pyrogenic and behavioral effects of
      interleukin 1.
AB  - Interleukin 1 (IL-1) is a cytokine released during immune activation that
      mediates the host's response to infection and inflammation. Peripheral and
      central injections of IL-1 induce fever and sickness behavior, including
      decreased food motivation and reduced interest in social activities. To determine
      the receptor mechanisms responsible for these effects, rats were injected with IL
      1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), an endogenous cytokine that acts as a pure
      antagonist of IL-1 receptors. IL-1ra blocked the increased body temperature and
      oxygen consumption induced by injection of recombinant human IL-1 only when both
      cytokines were administered i.p. In contrast, i.p. or intracerebroventricular
      administration of IL-1ra blocked the depressive effect of IL-1 beta on food
      motivated behavior and social exploration when this cytokine was administered by
      the same route as the antagonist. In addition, intracerebroventricular IL-1ra
      blocked the reduction in social exploration produced by i.p. IL-1 beta but had
      only partial antagonist effects on the decrease in food-motivated behavior
      induced by i.p. IL-1 beta. In each case, the dose of IL-1ra was 100- to 1000-fold
      in excess of the biologically active dose of IL-1. These results suggest that the
      receptor mechanisms that mediate the behavioral and pyrogenic effects of IL-1 are
      heterogeneous.

PMID- 1409613
TI  - Accurate and rapid detection of heterozygous carriers of a deletion by combined
      polymerase chain reaction and high-performance liquid chromatography.
AB  - We have developed a technique to detect accurately heterozygous carriers of a
      deletion. Specific target sequences were amplified by the polymerase chain
      reaction (PCR), and the products subsequently were analyzed by high-performance
      liquid chromatography. Examples from four loci demonstrated that 24-27 cycles of
      amplification for a single-copy DNA, based on 50 ng of genomic DNA, results in
      excellent quantitation that readily permits the detection of heterozygous
      carriers of a deletion. We have demonstrated that triplex PCR (three targets in a
      single PCR) entails no loss of precision. We also have demonstrated that this
      method can accurately differentiate the heterozygous carriers of a deletion from
      normal individuals in four family studies, three for Duchenne muscular dystrophy
      patients and one for a hemophilia B patient.

PMID- 1409614
TI  - Expression of myosin-class II major histocompatibility complexes in the normal
      myocardium occurs before induction of autoimmune myocarditis.
AB  - Determining how an autoimmune response is initiated is essential to understanding
      the mechanisms of autoimmunity. Self-reactive T cells, self-protein, and a
      failure of tolerance to that self-protein are all involved in the pathogenesis of
      autoimmune disease; yet it is not clear how self-reactive T cells find the target
      self-protein to initiate an autoimmune response. Although a variety of self
      proteins have been shown to be presented on both class I and class II major
      histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, the relationship of these self
      proteins to autoimmune disease has not been established. To explore this further,
      we generated a T-cell hybridoma that recognizes mouse cardiac myosin, the self
      protein that induces murine autoimmune myocarditis. Using this hybridoma as a
      probe to detect myosin-class II MHC complexes, we isolated a class II MHC+/CD45+
      residential antigen-presenting cell (APC) population directly from the hearts of
      normal mice and looked for evidence of endogenous processing of cardiac myosin by
      these APC. In this report we show that myosin-class II MHC complexes are found on
      residential APC in the normal mouse heart. Induction of autoimmune myocarditis
      increased the expression of myosin-class II MHC in the heart and enhanced their
      APC functions. This result is a direct demonstration that epitopes of a self
      antigen involved in initiating an autoimmune disease are endogenously processed
      and presented within the target organ.

PMID- 1409615
TI  - Agroinfection as an alternative to insects for infecting plants with beet western
      yellows luteovirus.
AB  - Beet western yellows luteovirus, like other luteoviruses, cannot be transmitted
      to host plants by mechanical inoculation but requires an aphid vector, a feature
      that has heretofore presented a serious obstacle to the study of such viruses. In
      this paper we describe use of agroinfection to infect hosts with beet western
      yellows virus without recourse to aphids. Agroinfection is a procedure for
      introducing a plant virus into a host via Agrobacterium tumefaciens harboring a
      Ti plasmid, which can efficiently transfer a portion of the plasmid (T-DNA) to
      plant cells near a wound. The viral genome must be inserted into the T-DNA in
      such a way that it can escape and begin autonomous replication, a requirement
      that has, so far, limited agroinfection to pathogens with a circular genome. We
      have cloned cDNA corresponding to the complete beet western yellows virus RNA
      genome between the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter and the nopaline
      synthase transcription termination signal. In one construct, a self-cleaving
      (ribozyme) sequence was included so as to produce a transcript in planta with a
      3' extremity almost identical to natural viral RNA. When inoculated mechanically
      to host plants, the naked plasmid DNA was not infectious but, when introduced
      into T-DNA and agroinfected to plants, both the construct with and without the
      ribozyme produced an infection. This approach should be applicable to virtually
      any plant virus with a linear plus-strand RNA genome.

PMID- 1409616
TI  - Expression cloning of a human cDNA encoding folylpoly(gamma-glutamate) synthetase
      and determination of its primary structure.
AB  - A human cDNA for folypoly(gamma-glutamate) synthetase [FPGS; tetrahydrofolate:L
      glutamate gamma-ligase (ADP forming), EC 6.3.2.17] has been cloned by functional
      complementation of an Escherichia coli folC mutant. The cDNA encodes a 545
      residue protein of M(r) 60,128. The deduced sequence has regions that are highly
      homologous to peptide sequences obtained from purified pig liver FPGS and shows
      limited homology to the E. coli and Lactobacillus casei FPGSs. Expression of the
      cDNA in E. coli results in elevated expression of an enzyme with characteristics
      of mammalian FPGS. Expression of the cDNA in AUXB1, a mammalian cell lacking FPGS
      activity, overcomes the cell's requirement for thymidine and purines but does not
      overcome the cell's glycine auxotrophy, consistent with expression of the protein
      in the cytosol but not the mitochondria.

PMID- 1409617
TI  - Coat protein gene duplication in a filamentous RNA virus of plants.
AB  - Computer-assisted analysis revealed a striking sequence similarity between the
      putative 24-kDa protein (p24) encoded by open reading frame (ORF) 5 of beet
      yellows closterovirus and the coat protein of this virus encoded by the adjacent
      ORF6. Both of these proteins are closely related to the homologous proteins of
      another closterovirus, citrus tristeza virus. It is hypothesized that the genes
      for coat protein and its diverged tandem copy have evolved by duplication.
      Phylogenetic analysis using various methods for tree generation suggested that
      the duplication was already present in the genome of the common ancestor of the
      two closteroviruses. The genes for p24 and coat protein of beet yellows
      closterovirus were cloned, transcribed, and translated in vitro yielding products
      of the expected size. It was shown that p24 is translated starting from the first
      of the two alternative AUG codons located near the 5' terminus of ORF5. The
      presence of a single protein species in beet yellows closterovirus virions and
      the near identity of the amino acid composition of this protein with the
      composition of the ORF6 but not the ORF5 product indicated that p24 is not a
      major virion component. Most of the amino acids that are conserved in the coat
      proteins of filamentous viruses of plants are retained also in p24. These
      observations suggest that p24 may share some structural and functional features
      with the coat protein but probably fulfills a distinct function in virus
      reproduction.

PMID- 1409618
TI  - Translocation of apolipoprotein B across the endoplasmic reticulum is blocked in
      a nonhepatic cell line.
AB  - To explore the process of lipoprotein assembly, plasmids encoding truncated forms
      of apolipoprotein B (apoB) were transfected into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)
      fibroblasts. (One, encoding apoB53, the N-terminal 53% of apoB100, can direct the
      assembly and secretion of lipoproteins when expressed in hepatoma cells, while
      the other, encoding the shorter apoB15, does not direct lipoprotein assembly.)
      Expression of apoB15 in CHO cells resulted in the accumulation of apoB15 protein
      in both medium and cells. In contrast, apoB was not detectable in medium or
      within CHO cells transfected with the plasmid encoding apoB53, despite the
      expression of apoB53 mRNA. ApoB53 did accumulate within transfected cells
      incubated with the thiol protease inhibitor N-acetylleucylleucylnorleucinal
      (ALLN), suggesting that it is synthesized but completely degraded in the absence
      of the inhibitor. ApoB53 was not secreted despite its presence within ALLN
      treated cells. Essentially all the apoB53 that accumulated in microsomes from
      ALLN-treated cells was associated with the membrane and was susceptible to
      degradation by exogenous trypsin, indicating exposure on the cytoplasmic face of
      the membrane. Thus, translocation of apoB53 across the endoplasmic reticulum
      membrane is blocked. However, the apoB53 bound to concanavalin A, suggesting that
      it is glycosylated and therefore partly exposed to the lumen as well. ApoB
      requires a unique process, not expressed in CHO fibroblasts, for its complete
      translocation and entrance into the secretory pathway. This process might account
      for the inability of abetalipoproteinemic patients to secrete apoB.

PMID- 1409619
TI  - Uncoupling gene activity from chromatin structure: promoter mutations can
      inactivate transcription of the yeast HSP82 gene without eliminating nucleosome
      free regions.
AB  - DNase I-hypersensitive sites represent "nucleosome-free" regions in chromatin
      where the underlying DNA sequence is highly accessible to trans-acting proteins.
      Here we demonstrate that it is possible to uncouple gene activity from
      hypersensitive site formation. Point or substitution mutations were introduced
      into the promoter of the yeast chromosomal HSP82 gene, encoding the 83-kDa heat
      shock protein (HSP), via site-directed integration. Mutating either the TATA box
      or heat shock element 1 (HSE1) significantly reduced basal and heat-induced
      transcription while mutating both essentially inactivated expression. Dormant
      transcription units exhibited arrays of sequence-positioned nucleosomes;
      nevertheless, the inactivated genes still retained a hypersensitive site within
      their mutated promoters. In addition, all yeast strains maintained a heat
      inducible hypersensitive site at -600 base pairs (bp), while several mutant
      strains converted a constitutive hypersensitive site at -300 bp into a heat
      inducible one. Thus, mutations in cis-acting elements within a promoter can
      inactivate transcription without eliminating nucleosome-free regions.

PMID- 1409620
TI  - In vitro differentiation of embryonic stem cells into lymphocyte precursors able
      to generate T and B lymphocytes in vivo.
AB  - Embryonic stem cells can be induced in vitro, by coculture with the stromal line
      RP.0.10 and a mixture of interleukins 3, 6, and 7, to differentiate into T
      (Joro75+) and B (B-220+) lymphocyte progenitors and other (Thy-1+, PgP-1+, c
      kit+, Joro75-, B-220-, F4/80-, Mac-1-) hemopoietic precursors. The progeny of in
      vitro-induced embryonic stem cells can reconstitute the lymphoid compartments of
      T- and B-lymphocyte-deficient scid mice and generate mature T and B lymphocytes
      in sublethally irradiated normal mice. Exogenous cytokines can dramatically alter
      the developmental fate of embryonic stem cells in culture. The in vitro system
      described here should facilitate the study of molecular events leading to cell
      lineage commitment and to the formation of hemopoietic stem cells and their
      immediate lymphoid progeny.

PMID- 1409621
TI  - Characterization of Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite surface protein 2.
AB  - Immunization of mice with Plasmodium yoelii sporozoite surface protein 2 (PySSP2)
      and circumsporozoite protein protects completely against P. yoelii. The amino
      acid sequence of PySSP2 suggested that the thrombospondin-related anonymous
      protein (TRAP) [Robson, K. J. H., Hall, J. R. S., Jennings, M. W., Harris, T. J.
      R., Marsh, K., Newbold, C. I., Tate, V. E. & Weatherall, D. J. (1988) Nature
      (London) 335, 79-82] is the Plasmodium falciparum homolog of PySSP2. We report
      data confirming that TRAP is P. falciparum SSP2 (PfSSP2). Murine antibodies
      against recombinant PfSSP2 identify a 90-kDa protein in extracts of P. falciparum
      sporozoites, recognize sporozoites and infected hepatocytes by
      immunofluorescence, localize PfSSP2 to the sporozoite micronemes by
      immunoelectron microscopy and to the surface membrane by live immunofluorescence,
      and inhibit sporozoite invasion and development in hepatocytes in vitro. Human
      volunteers immunized with irradiated sporozoites and protected against malaria
      develop antibody and proliferative T-cell responses to PfSSP2, suggesting that,
      like PySSP2, PfSSP2 is a target of protective immunity, and supporting inclusion
      of PfSSP2 in a multicomponent malaria vaccine.

PMID- 1409622
TI  - Anion sensitivity and spectral tuning of cone visual pigments in situ.
AB  - We tested the effect of anions on the absorbance spectrum of native visual
      pigments as measured by microspectrophotometry in individual cone outer segments
      of four species of fish and one species of amphibian. In all species tested, the
      long-wavelength-absorbing cone pigments were anion sensitive, and their lambda
      max could be tuned over a range of 55 nm depending on the identity of the anion
      present. Cl- and Br- were the only anions that produced native pigment spectra by
      red shifting lambda max from its value under anion-free conditions. Lyotropic
      anions such as NO3-, SCN-, BF4-, and ClO4- caused substantial and graded blue
      shifts of lambda max. The apparent Kd of binding sites on the pigment for Cl- and
      for ClO4- was approximately 2 mM. Taken together with previous findings on three
      visual pigments from the reptilian, avian, and amphibian classes, our results
      support the hypothesis that all long-wavelength-absorbing vertebrate visual
      pigments are spectrally tuned in part through the binding of a chloride ion. We
      propose that the site of anion tuning is near the protonated Schiff base of the
      chromophore, whose counterion may be complex and include Cl- as an exchangeable
      anion. This counterion configuration may resemble the one present in the light
      driven Cl- pump halorhodopsin.

PMID- 1409623
TI  - Interactions between natural polyamines and tRNA: an 15N NMR analysis.
AB  - 15N NMR spectroscopy was used to explore the interactions between natural
      polyamines and Escherichia coli tRNA. It was found that when tRNA is added to
      solutions of 15N-labeled spermine or spermidine, there is a considerable decrease
      in the relative heights of the -NH(2+)--resonances with respect to the signals
      arising from the -NH3+ groups. The presence of tRNA was also found to reduce the
      longitudinal relaxation times T1 of the nitrogens, mainly those of the -NH(2+)-
      groups. The longitudinal relaxation times of the nitrogens were used to
      characterize the temperature dependence of the binding, and they allowed us to
      calculate the activation energies that determine the correlation times of amino
      groups in the presence of tRNA. Both the thermodynamic and the relaxation results
      indicate that (i) spermine binds more strongly to tRNA than spermidine does and
      (ii) within each of these molecules the -NH(2+)- groups bind more strongly to
      tRNA than the more electropositive -NH3+ moieties. This specificity suggests that
      the interaction between polyamines and tRNA cannot be described exclusively in
      terms of electrostatic forces and that other interactions (most likely, hydrogen
      bonding) are very important for establishing the polyamine-tRNA link. Some of the
      factors that may conspire against the binding of -NH3+ groups to tRNA are briefly
      discussed.

PMID- 1409624
TI  - Phagocytosis of liposomes by human platelets.
AB  - We have shown that platelets are capable of phagocytosing liposomes rather than
      simply sequestering particles as previously postulated. Incubation of human
      platelets with small neutral unilamellar liposomes (approximately 74 nm) resulted
      in uptake of the liposomes and retention of the lipid with rapid release of the
      aqueous-phase components. The lipid label [3H]-cholesterylhexadecyl ether and
      water-soluble [3H]inulin were used to study the fate of the liposome components.
      Uptake of liposomes was proportional to the number of liposomes added and to the
      incubation time. Approximately 250 liposomes per platelet were taken up within a
      5-hr incubation period. Uptake of the liposomes occurred through the open-channel
      system, as evidenced by thin-section electron microscopy, and was followed by
      accumulation and degradation in acid- and esterase-containing vesicles, as
      determined by changes in fluorescence of the pH-sensitive probe, pyranine (1
      hydroxypyrene-3,6,8-trisulfonic acid), and hydrolysis of the cholesteryl
      [14C]oleate membrane marker. Uptake was inhibited by the addition of EDTA,
      cytochalasin B, or 2,4-dinitrophenol and iodoacetate to the medium. Results from
      the serotonin release assay, micro-aggregation assay, fluorescein diacetate
      membrane integrity assay, and electron microscopy indicate that neither the
      conditions for loading nor phagocytosis of liposomes significantly alter platelet
      function or morphology.

PMID- 1409625
TI  - Efficient mass transformation of Tetrahymena thermophila by electroporation of
      conjugants.
AB  - Conjugating cells of the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila were electroporated in
      the presence of plasmid DNA containing a paromomycin-resistant ribosomal RNA gene
      (rDNA). Cells were selected with paromomycin following 12-24 hr of growth on
      nonselective medium. Resistant cells appeared after 2-3 days. Processing vectors
      containing the micronuclear rDNA and somatic vectors containing the macronuclear
      gene transformed the cells, with the former yielding frequencies up to 900
      transformants per microgram of plasmid DNA. A ribosomal protein gene (rpL29)
      conferring cycloheximide resistance also transformed conjugating cells. The
      transformation efficiency of the plasmid containing only the rpL29 gene was
      increased by insertion of an rDNA replication origin and by cotransformation and
      preselection with an rDNA vector. These results indicate that electroporation can
      be used for the production of large numbers of transformed Tetrahymena.

PMID- 1409626
TI  - Growth arrest induced by wild-type p53 protein blocks cells prior to or near the
      restriction point in late G1 phase.
AB  - Conditional expression of wild-type (wt) p53 protein in a glioblastoma tumor cell
      line has been shown to be growth inhibitory. We have now more precisely localized
      the position in the cell cycle where growth arrest occurs. We show that growth
      arrest occurs prior to or near the restriction point in late G1 phase of the cell
      cycle. The effect of wt p53 protein on the expression of four immediate-early
      genes (c-FOS, c-JUN, JUN-B, and c-MYC), one delayed-early gene (ornithine
      decarboxylase), and two late-G1/S-phase genes (B-MYB and DNA polymerase alpha)
      was also examined. Of this subset of growth response genes, only the expression
      of B-MYB and DNA polymerase alpha was significantly repressed. The possibility
      that decreased expression of B-MYB may be an important component of growth arrest
      mediated by wt p53 protein is discussed.

PMID- 1409627
TI  - Interleukin 6: a fibroblast-derived growth inhibitor of human melanoma cells from
      early but not advanced stages of tumor progression.
AB  - Recently we reported that human dermal fibroblasts, or conditioned media obtained
      from such cells, affect the growth of human melanoma cells as a direct function
      of tumor progression: melanoma cells obtained from early-stage (metastatically
      incompetent) primary lesions were growth inhibited, whereas cells obtained from
      more advanced (metastatically competent) primary lesions, or metastases, were
      growth stimulated. Ion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatography of fibroblast
      conditioned medium revealed the inhibitor to be a protein of molecular mass
      between 20 and 30 kDa and distinct from the stimulator. This is the approximate
      molecular mass of interleukin 6 (IL-6), a ubiquitous multifunctional cytokine
      known to affect in particular many kinds of hemopoietic and lymphoid cells. Since
      this cytokine is known to be made by fibroblasts, we attempted to determine if
      the human fibroblast-derived growth inhibitor (hFDGI) was identical to IL-6.
      Neutralizing antibodies specific for IL-6 completely eliminated the inhibitory
      activity of hFDGI. Moreover, exposure to human recombinant IL-6 was found to
      inhibit the growth of early-stage melanoma cells obtained from radial growth
      phase (RGP) or early vertical growth phase (VGP) primary lesions in three of four
      cases. In contrast, melanoma cells from a number of more advanced VGP primary
      lesions, or from distant metastases, were completely resistant to this IL-6
      mediated growth inhibition. Acquisition of an "IL-6-resistant" phenotype by
      metastatically competent melanoma cell variants may provide such cells with a
      proliferative advantage within the dermal mesenchyme (a hallmark of melanoma
      cells that are malignant), helping them eventually to dominate advanced primary
      lesions and to establish secondary growths elsewhere.

PMID- 1409628
TI  - Combination of H-box [CCTACC(N)7CT] and G-box (CACGTG) cis elements is necessary
      for feed-forward stimulation of a chalcone synthase promoter by the
      phenylpropanoid-pathway intermediate p-coumaric acid.
AB  - The phenylpropanoid pathway intermediate p-coumaric acid (4-CA) stimulates
      expression of the bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) chalcone synthase (malonyl-CoA:4
      coumaroyl-CoA, EC 2.3.1.74) chs15 gene promoter in electroporated protoplasts of
      alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). We have analyzed the effects of 5' deletions,
      mutations, and competition with promoter sequences in trans on the expression of
      a chs15 promoter-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene fusion in elicited
      alfalfa protoplasts. Two distinct sequence elements, the H-box (consensus
      CCTACC(N)7CT) and the G-box (CACGTG), are required for stimulation of the chs15
      promoter by 4-CA. Furthermore, a 38-base-pair chs15 promoter sequence containing
      both cis elements conferred responsiveness to 4-CA on the cauliflower mosaic
      virus 35S minimal promoter. The H-box and G-box in combination establish the
      complex developmental pattern of chs15 expression and are also involved in stress
      induction. Hence, potential internal pathway regulation through feed-forward
      stimulation by 4-CA operates by modulation of the signal pathways for
      developmental and environmental regulation.

PMID- 1409629
TI  - Single-stranded nucleic acid helical secondary structure stabilized by ionic
      bonds: d(A(+)-G)10.
AB  - We have identified a type of secondary structure for the homopurine oligomer d(A
      G)10 below pH 6 in 0.01 M Na+ that is characterized by intense CD but only minor
      hypochromicity. The stability of this helix, designated d(A(+)-G)10, does not
      depend on oligomer concentration and increases sharply as ionic strength or pH
      drops, reaching a maximum at 4.0 (melting temperature, 37 degrees C). The pKa for
      the transition, 5.3 at 25 degrees C and even higher with decreasing temperature
      and [Na+], is much higher than the intrinsic pKa values for dA or dG residues.
      While the dA residues are protonated in the helix, further protonation of the dG
      residues disrupts it. When observed at 280 nm, melting of the helix first results
      in hypochromicity due to stacking of extrahelical dG residues with neighboring dA
      residues. The character and temperature dependence of the CD spectra of the
      constituent dinucleoside monophosphates indicate minimal chirality and base
      overlap for the A+pG sequences in d(A(+)-G)10 but left-handed twist with some
      base overlap for the GpA+ sequences. The observed properties are best satisfied
      by a model for an intramolecular helix with limited base overlap, stabilized by
      ionic bonds between dA residues protonated at N-1 and downstream negatively
      charged phosphates brought close due to the backbone helical twist, while Gsyn
      residues lie external to the helix. This structure could provide additional
      stabilizing energy for biologically relevant protonated non-B-DNA structures
      adopted by homopurine.homopyrimidine sequences due to topological stress or
      specific protein binding.

PMID- 1409630
TI  - "Enzymogenesis": classical liver alcohol dehydrogenase origin from the
      glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase line.
AB  - Analysis of the activity and structure of lower vertebrate alcohol dehydrogenases
      reveals that relationships between the classical liver and yeast enzymes need not
      be continuous. Both the ethanol activity of class I-type alcohol dehydrogenase
      (alcohol:NAD+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.1) and the glutathione-dependent
      formaldehyde activity of the class III-type enzyme [formaldehyde:NAD+
      oxidoreductase (glutathione-formylating), EC 1.2.1.1] are present in liver down
      to at least the stage of bony fishes (cod liver: ethanol activity, 3.4 units/mg
      of protein in one enzyme; formaldehyde activity, 4.5 units/mg in the major form
      of another enzyme). Structural analysis of the latter protein reveals it to be a
      typical class III enzyme, with limited variation from the mammalian form and
      therefore with stable activity and structure throughout much of the vertebrate
      lineage. In contrast, the classical alcohol dehydrogenase (the class I enzyme)
      appears to be the emerging form, first in activity and later also in structure.
      The class I activity is present already in the piscine line, whereas the overall
      structural-type enzyme is not observed until amphibians and still more recent
      vertebrates. Consequently, the class I/III duplicatory origin appears to have
      arisen from a functional class III form, not a class I form. Therefore, ethanol
      dehydrogenases from organisms existing before this duplication have origins
      separate from those leading to the "classical" liver alcohol dehydrogenases. The
      latter now often occur in isozyme forms from further gene duplications and have a
      high rate of evolutionary change. The pattern is, however, not simple and we
      presently find in cod the first evidence for isozymes also within a class III
      alcohol dehydrogenase. Overall, the results indicate that both of these classes
      of vertebrate alcohol dehydrogenase are important and suggest a protective
      metabolic function for the whole enzyme system.

PMID- 1409631
TI  - Escherichia coli biotin holoenzyme synthetase/bio repressor crystal structure
      delineates the biotin- and DNA-binding domains.
AB  - The three-dimensional structure of BirA, the repressor of the Escherichia coli
      biotin biosynthetic operon, has been determined by x-ray crystallography and
      refined to a crystallographic residual of 19.0% at 2.3-A resolution. BirA is a
      sequence-specific DNA-binding protein that also catalyzes the formation of
      biotinyl-5'-adenylate from biotin and ATP and transfers the biotin moiety to
      other proteins. The level of biotin biosynthetic enzymes in the cell is
      controlled by the amount of biotinyl-5'-adenylate, which is the BirA corepressor.
      The structure provides an example of a transcription factor that is also an
      enzyme. The structure of BirA is highly asymmetric and consists of three domains.
      The N-terminal domain is mostly alpha-helical, contains a helix-turn-helix DNA
      binding motif, and is loosely connected to the remainder of the molecule. The
      central domain consists of a seven-stranded mixed beta-sheet with alpha-helices
      covering one face. The other side of the sheet is largely solvent-exposed and
      contains the active site. The C-terminal domain comprises a six-stranded,
      antiparallel beta-sheet sandwich. The location of biotin binding is consistent
      with mutations that affect enzymatic activity. A nearby loop has a sequence that
      has been associated with phosphate binding in other proteins. It is inferred that
      ATP binds in this region, adjacent to the biotin. It is proposed that the binding
      of corepressor to monomeric BirA may promote DNA binding by facilitating the
      formation of a multimeric BirA-corepressor-DNA complex. The structural details of
      this complex remain an open question, however.

PMID- 1409632
TI  - Striking effects of coupling mutations in the acceptor stem on recognition of
      tRNAs by Escherichia coli Met-tRNA synthetase and Met-tRNA transformylase.
AB  - We measured kinetic parameters in vitro and directly analyzed aminoacylation and
      formylation levels in vivo to study recognition of Escherichia coli initiator
      tRNA mutants by E. coli Met-tRNA synthetase and Met-tRNA transformylase. We show
      that, in addition to the anticodon sequence, mutations in the "discriminator"
      base A73 also affect aminoacylation. An A73----U change has a small effect, but a
      change to G73 or C73 significantly lowers Vmax/Kappm for in vitro aminoacylation
      and leads to appreciable accumulation of uncharged tRNA in vivo. Significantly,
      coupling of the G73 mutation with G72, a neighboring-base mutation, results in a
      tRNA essentially uncharged in vivo. Coupling of C73 and U73 mutations with G72
      does not have such an effect. Elements crucial for Met-tRNA transformylase
      recognition of tRNAs are located at the end of the acceptor stem. These elements
      include a weak base pair or a mismatch between nucleotides (nt) 1 and 72 and base
      pairs 2.71 and 3.70. The natures of nt 1 and 72 are less important than the fact
      that they do not form a strong Watson-Crick base pair. Interestingly, the
      negative effect of a C.G base pair between nt 1 and 72 is suppressed by mutation
      of the neighboring nucleotide A73 to either C73 or U73. The presence of C73 or
      U73 could destabilize the C1.G72 base pair at the end of an RNA helix. Thus, in
      some tRNAs, the discriminator base could affect stability of the base pair
      between nt 1 and 72 and thereby the structure of tRNA at the end of the acceptor
      stem.

PMID- 1409633
TI  - AKT2, a putative oncogene encoding a member of a subfamily of protein
      serine/threonine kinases, is amplified in human ovarian carcinomas.
AB  - We isolated cDNA clones containing the entire coding region of the putative
      oncogene AKT2. Sequence analysis and in vitro translation demonstrated that AKT2
      encodes a 56-kDa protein with homology to serine/threonine kinases; moreover,
      this protein contains a Src homology 2-like domain. AKT2 was shown to be
      amplified and overexpressed in 2 of 8 ovarian carcinoma cell lines and 2 of 15
      primary ovarian tumors. AKT2 was mapped to chromosome region 19q13.1-q13.2 by
      fluorescence in situ hybridization. In the two ovarian carcinoma cell lines
      exhibiting amplification of AKT2, the amplified sequences were localized within
      homogeneously staining regions. We conclude that AKT2 belongs to a distinct
      subfamily of protein-serine/threonine kinases containing Src homology 2-like
      domains and that alterations of AKT2 may contribute to the pathogenesis of
      ovarian carcinomas.

PMID- 1409634
TI  - Differential interaction of ADP-ribosylation factors 1, 3, and 5 with rat brain
      Golgi membranes.
AB  - Six mammalian ADP-ribosylation factors (ARFs) identified by cDNA cloning were
      expressed as recombinant proteins (rARFs) that stimulated cholera toxin ADP
      ribosyltransferase activity. Microsequencing of soluble ARFs I and II (sARFs I
      and II), purified from bovine brain, established that they are ARFs 1 and 3,
      respectively. Rabbit antibodies (IgG) against sARF II reacted similarly with ARFs
      1, 2, and 3 (class I) on Western blots. ARFs 1 and 3 were distinguished by their
      electrophoretic mobilities. Antiserum against rARF 5 cross-reacted partially with
      rARF 4 but not detectably with rARF 6 and minimally with class I ARFs. Guanosine
      5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP[gamma S]) increased recovery of ARF activity and
      immunoreactivity in organelle fractions separated by density gradient
      centrifugation, after incubation of rat brain homogenate with ATP and a
      regenerating system. ARF 1 accumulated in microsomes plus Golgi and Golgi
      fractions, whereas ARF 5 seemed to localize more specifically in Golgi; the
      smaller increment in ARF 3 was distributed more evenly among fractions. On
      incubation of Golgi with a crude ARF fraction, GTP[gamma S], and an ATP
      regenerating system, association of ARF activity with Golgi increased with
      increasing ATP concentration paralleled by increases in immunoreactive ARFs 1 and
      5 and, to a lesser degree, ARF 3. Golgi incubated with GTP[gamma S] and purified
      ARF 1 or 3 bound more ARF 1 than ARF 3. Based on immunoreactivity and assay of
      ARF activity, individual ARFs 1, 3, and 5 appeared to behave independently and
      selectively in their GTP-dependent association with Golgi in vitro.

PMID- 1409635
TI  - Regulation of thyroid hormone receptor-mediated transcription by a cytosol
      protein.
AB  - Thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) are members of the steroid hormone/retinoic acid
      receptor superfamily, which regulate homeostasis, development, and
      differentiation. Their transcriptional activity is modulated by the thyroid
      hormone 3,3',5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3). The present study evaluated the effect
      of the availability of cytoplasmic T3 on the modulation of transcriptional
      responses of the TRs. In human choriocarcinoma JEG-3 and monkey COS-1 cells, the
      cytosolic thyroid hormone binding protein is a monomer of the tetrameric pyruvate
      kinase, subtype M2, which does not bind T3. The in vivo monomer-tetramer
      interconversion is regulated by glucose via fructose 1,6-bisphosphate. At the
      physiological T3 concentration, lowering the glucose concentration led to an
      increase in the cellular concentration of the cytosolic thyroid hormone binding
      protein. By using a transient transfection system, a concomitant reduction in the
      transcriptional activity of the human beta 1 thyroid hormone receptor was
      detected in both cell lines. In the absence of glucose, the transcriptional
      activity of the human beta 1 thyroid hormone receptor in JEG-3 and COS-1 cells
      was reduced by 65-75% and 90-95%, respectively. However, glucose had no effect on
      the basal transcriptional activity. These findings demonstrate an important
      prenuclear step in the modulation of the gene regulating activity of the TRs.

PMID- 1409636
TI  - A sarcomeric alpha-actinin truncated at the carboxyl end induces the breakdown of
      stress fibers in PtK2 cells and the formation of nemaline-like bodies and
      breakdown of myofibrils in myotubes.
AB  - In many nonmuscle cells, nonsarcomeric alpha-actinin is distributed in the dense
      bodies of stress fibers, adhesion plaques, and adherens junctions. In striated
      muscle, a sarcomeric isoform of alpha-actinin (s-alpha-actinin) is found in the Z
      bands of myofibrils and subsarcolemmal adhesion plaques. To understand the
      role(s) of the alpha-actinin isoforms in the assembly and maintenance of such
      cytoskeletal structures, full-length or truncated s-alpha-actinin cDNAs were
      expressed in PtK2 cells and in primary skeletal myogenic cells. We found the
      following. (i) In transfected PtK2 cells the truncated s-alpha-actinin was
      rapidly incorporated into preexisting dense bodies, adhesion plaques, and
      adherens junctions. With time these structures collapsed, and the affected cells
      detached from the substrate. (ii) In myotubes the truncated s-alpha-actinin was
      incorporated into nascent Z-bands. Many of these progressively hypertrophied,
      forming nemaline-like bodies. With time the affected myofibrils fragmented, and
      the myotubes detached from the substrate. (iii) In both cell types the truncated
      s-alpha-actinin was significantly more disruptive of the cytoskeletal structures
      than the full-length molecule. (iv) Pools of "over-expressed" full-length or
      truncated protein did not self-aggregate into homogeneous, amorphous complexes;
      rather the exogenous proteins selectively colocalized with the same cohort of
      cytoskeletal proteins with which the endogenous alpha-actinin normally
      associates. The similarity among the hypertrophied Z-bands in transfected
      myotubes, the nemaline bodies in patients with nemaline myopathies, and the
      streaming Z-bands seen in various muscle pathologies raises the possibility that
      the genetically determined nemaline bodies and the pathologically induced Z-band
      alterations may reflect primary and/or post-translational modifications of s
      alpha-actinin.

PMID- 1409637
TI  - Emergence of the keratinocyte growth factor multigene family during the great ape
      radiation.
AB  - The structural gene for human keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), a member of the
      fibroblast growth factor family, consists of three coding exons and two introns
      typical of other fibroblast growth factor loci. A portion of the KGF gene,
      located on chromosome 15, is amplified to approximately 16 copies in the human
      genome, and these highly related copies (which consist of exon 2, exon 3, the
      intron between them, and a 3' noncoding segment of the KGF transcript) are
      dispersed to multiple human chromosomes. The KGF-like sequences are
      transcriptionally active, differentially regulated in various tissues, and
      composed of three distinct classes of coding sequences that are 5% divergent from
      each other and from the authentic KGF sequence. Multiple copies of KGF-like genes
      were also discovered in the genomic DNAs of chimpanzee and gorilla but were not
      found in lesser apes (gibbon), Old World monkeys (African green monkey and
      macaques), mice, or chickens. The pattern of evolutionary occurrence suggests
      that a primordial KGF gene was amplified and chromosomally dispersed subsequent
      to the divergence of orangutan from African apes but before the trichotomous
      divergence of human, chimpanzee, and gorilla 5-8 million years ago. The
      appearance of a transcriptionally active and chromosomally dispersed multigene
      KGF family may have implications in the evolution of the great apes and humans.

PMID- 1409638
TI  - Characterization and mutagenesis of the gene encoding the A49 subunit of RNA
      polymerase A in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - The gene encoding the 49-kDa subunit of RNA polymerase A in Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae has been identified by formation of a hybrid enzyme between the S.
      cerevisiae A49 subunit and Saccharomyces douglasii subunits based on a
      polymorphism existing between the subunits of RNA polymerase A in these two
      species. The sequence of the gene reveals a basic protein with an unusually high
      lysine content, which may account for the affinity for DNA shown by the subunit.
      No appreciable homology with any polymerase subunits, enzymes, or transcription
      factors is found. Complete deletion of the single-copy RPA49 gene leads to viable
      but slowly growing colonies. Insertion of the HIS3 gene halfway into the RPA49
      coding region results in synthesis of a truncated A49 subunit that is
      incorporated into the polymerase. The truncated and wild-type subunits compete
      equally for assembly in the heterozygous diploid, although the wild type is
      phenotypically dominant.

PMID- 1409639
TI  - Functional expression of zeaxanthin glucosyltransferase from Erwinia herbicola
      and a proposed uridine diphosphate binding site.
AB  - Erwinia herbicola, a nonphotosynthetic bacterium, is yellow colored due to the
      accumulation of unusually polar carotenoids, primarily mono- and diglucosides of
      zeaxanthin. We have cloned and expressed the gene for the enzyme that catalyzes
      the glucosylation of zeaxanthin. The enzyme has an apparent molecular mass of 45
      kDa on an SDS/polyacrylamide gel, which is consistent with its calculated
      molecular mass. In vitro enzymatic activity was demonstrated using UDP
      [14C]glucose and zeaxanthin as substrates. The product zeaxanthin diglucoside and
      its intermediate monoglucoside were identified by thin layer chromatography. The
      optimum pH and temperature ranges of the enzyme are 7.0-7.5 and 32-37 degrees C,
      respectively. A hydropathy plot indicates no apparent membrane-spanning regions,
      and biochemical experiments suggest that the enzyme is weakly membrane
      associated. The amino acid sequence derived from the zeaxanthin
      glucosyltransferase gene shows a small region of high similarity with other
      glucuronosyl- and glucosyltransferases that use either UDP-activated glucuronic
      acid or a sugar as one of their substrates. Based on these similarities, we
      propose that this conserved sequence is part of the UDP binding site.

PMID- 1409640
TI  - Release of N2,3-ethenoguanine from chloroacetaldehyde-treated DNA by Escherichia
      coli 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase II.
AB  - The human carcinogen vinyl chloride is metabolized in the liver to reactive
      intermediates which form N2,3-ethenoguanine in DNA. N2,3-Ethenoguanine is known
      to cause G----A transitions during DNA replication in Escherichia coli, and its
      formation may be a carcinogenic event in higher organisms. To investigate the
      repair of N2,3-ethenoguanine, we have prepared an N2,3-etheno[14C]guanine
      containing DNA substrate by nick-translating DNA with [14C]dGTP and modifying the
      product with chloroacetaldehyde. E. coli 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase II,
      purified from cells which carry the plasmid pYN1000, releases N2,3-ethenoguanine
      from chloroacetaldehyde-modified DNA in a protein- and time-dependent manner.
      This finding widens the known substrate specificity of glycosylase II to include
      a modified base which may be associated with the carcinogenic process. Similar
      enzymatic activity in eukaryotic cell might protect them from exposure to
      metabolites of vinyl chloride.

PMID- 1409641
TI  - Cloning of an apparent splice variant of the rat N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor
      NMDAR1 with altered sensitivity to polyamines and activators of protein kinase C.
AB  - Molecular cloning identified complementary DNA species, from a rat ventral
      midbrain library, encoding apparent splice variants of the N-methyl-D-aspartate
      (NMDA) receptor NMDAR1 (which we now term NR1a). Sequencing revealed that one
      variant, NR1b, differs from NR1a by the presence of a 21-amino acid insert near
      the amino end of the N-terminal domain and by an alternate C-terminal domain in
      which the last 75 amino acids are replaced by an unrelated sequence of 22 amino
      acids. NR1b is virtually identical to NR1a in the remainder of the N- and C
      terminal domains, at the 5' and 3' noncoding ends, and within the predicted
      transmembrane domains and extracellular and cytoplasmic loops. These findings
      suggest that the two forms of the receptor arise by differential splicing of a
      transcript from the same gene. Sequencing of other clones indicates the existence
      of a third variant, NR1c, identical to NR1b in its C terminus but lacking the N
      terminal insert. NR1b RNA injected into Xenopus oocytes generated functional
      homomeric NMDA channels with electrophysiological properties distinct from those
      of NR1a homomeric channels. NR1b channels exhibited a lower apparent affinity for
      NMDA and for glutamate. NR1b channels exhibited a lower affinity for D-2-amino-5
      phosphonovaleric acid and a higher affinity for Zn2+. The two receptor variants
      showed nearly identical affinities for glycine, Mg2+, and phencyclidine. Spermine
      potentiation of NMDA responses, prominent in oocytes injected with rat forebrain
      message, was also prominent for NR1a receptors, but was greatly reduced or absent
      for NR1b receptors. Treatment with the protein kinase C activator phorbol 12
      myristate 13-acetate potentiated NMDA responses in NR1b-injected oocytes by about
      20-fold; potentiation of NMDA responses in NR1a-injected oocytes was much less,
      about 4-fold. These findings support a role for alternate splicing in generating
      NMDA channels with different functional properties.

PMID- 1409642
TI  - Peptoids: a modular approach to drug discovery.
AB  - Peptoids, oligomers of N-substituted glycines, are described as a motif for the
      generation of chemically diverse libraries of novel molecules. Ramachandran-type
      plots were calculated and indicate a greater diversity of conformational states
      available for peptoids than for peptides. The monomers incorporate t-butyl-based
      side-chain and 9-fluorenylmethoxy-carbonyl alpha-amine protection. The controlled
      oligomerization of the peptoid monomers was performed manually and robotically
      with in situ activation by either benzotriazol-1
      yloxytris(pyrrolidino)phosphonium hexafluorophosphate or
      bromotris(pyrrolidino)phosphonium hexaflurophosphate. Other steps were identical
      to peptide synthesis using alpha-(9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl)amino acids. A total
      of 15 monomers and 10 oligomers (peptoids) are described. Preliminary data are
      presented on the stability of a representative oligopeptoid to enzymatic
      hydrolysis. Peptoid versions of peptide ligands of three biological systems
      (bovine pancreatic alpha-amylase, hepatitis A virus 3C proteinase, and human
      immunodeficiency virus transactivator-responsive element RNA) were found with
      affinities comparable to those of the corresponding peptides. The potential use
      of libraries of these compounds in receptor- or enzyme-based assays is discussed.

PMID- 1409643
TI  - Cloning and chromosomal mapping of a human immunodeficiency virus 1 "TATA"
      element modulatory factor.
AB  - A critical regulatory element in many promoters transcribed by RNA polymerase II
      is the "TATA" box, which is located 25-30 nucleotides upstream of the
      transcription initiation site. TFIID is a biochemically defined HeLa cell nuclear
      fraction containing a transcription factor activity that binds specifically to
      the TATA box and is critical in determining both basal and regulated promoter
      activity. Recently, the gene for a TATA-binding protein was cloned and found to
      bind to various TATA elements and to substitute for TFIID in stimulating basal
      gene expression in in vitro transcription systems. However, it is possible that
      additional cellular factors can bind to the TATA element and influence the level
      of gene expression. By using lambda gt11 expression cloning with oligonucleotides
      corresponding to the human immunodeficiency virus 1 TATA element, we report the
      identification of a cellular protein with a calculated molecular mass of 123 kDa
      that we designate TATA element modulatory factor (TMF). TMF binds to the human
      immunodeficiency virus 1 TATA element in gel-retardation assays and inhibits
      activation of the viral long terminal repeat by the TATA-binding protein in in
      vitro transcription assays. TMF contains leucine-zipper amino acid motifs and
      exhibits homology in its DNA binding domain with the phage-encoded DNA binding
      protein Ner. Chromosomal mapping localizes the TMF gene to human chromosome 3p12
      p21, which is a site of frequent rearrangements in lung and renal carcinomas.
      Thus, TMF is a transcription factor that likely regulates the expression of both
      viral and cellular genes.

PMID- 1409644
TI  - Nitric oxide stimulates auto-ADP-ribosylation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate
      dehydrogenase.
AB  - Nitric oxide generation in brain cytosolic fractions markedly enhances ADP
      ribosylation of a single 37-kDa protein. By utilizing a biotinylated NAD and
      avidin affinity chromatography, we purified this protein. Partial amino acid
      sequencing establishes its identity as glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase
      (GAPDH). This is further confirmed by detection of GAPDH enzymatic activity in
      the purified 37-kDa protein. GAPDH is ADP-ribosylated in the absence of brain
      extract. This auto-ADP-ribosylation is enhanced by nitric oxide generation. ADP
      ribosylation appears to involve the cysteine where NAD interacts with GAPDH so
      that ADP-ribosylation likely inhibits enzymatic activity. Such inhibition may
      play a role in nitric oxide-mediated neurotoxicity.

PMID- 1409645
TI  - Both purified human 1,N6-ethenoadenine-binding protein and purified human 3
      methyladenine-DNA glycosylase act on 1,N6-ethenoadenine and 3-methyladenine.
AB  - We previously described a protein, isolated from human tissues and cells, that
      bound to a defined double-stranded oligonucleotide containing a single site
      specifically placed 1,N6-ethenoadenine. It was further demonstrated that this
      protein was a glycosylase and released 1,N6-ethenoadenine. We now find that this
      enzyme also releases 3-methyladenine from methylated DNA and that 3-methyladenine
      DNA glycosylase behaves in the same manner, binding to the ethenoadenine
      containing oligonucleotide and cleaving both ethenoadenine and 3-methyladenine
      from DNA containing these adducts. The rate and extent of glycosylase activities
      toward the two adducts are similar.

PMID- 1409646
TI  - Spontaneous insertion of polypeptide chains into membranes: a Monte Carlo model.
AB  - The Monte Carlo dynamics method was used to examine the process of protein
      insertion into model cell membranes. The water and lipid environments were taken
      into account via an effective medium approximation based on coordinate-dependent
      hydrophobic and hydrogen bond potentials. The polypeptide chain was represented
      in a full-backbone atom representation as a chain of diamond lattice vectors. The
      simulations support the idea that to a good approximation insertion may be
      depicted as a spontaneous thermodynamic process. The mechanism of membrane
      insertion of a simple lattice protein chain exhibits many features of theoretical
      predictions and is in good accord with experimental data. In the model, insertion
      begins with adsorption of the chain onto the interface, followed by the formation
      of helical fragments. These fragments, having partially saturated internal
      hydrogen bonds, can be transported into the lipid phase and then form
      transbilayer structures.

PMID- 1409647
TI  - Activation of potassium channels: relationship to the heat shock response.
AB  - We examined the possibility that whole cell currents are involved and possibly
      trigger the response of mammalian cells to heat shock. Heat-sensitive cells from
      a radiation-induced fibrosarcoma (RIF-1) and heat-resistant variants (TR-4, TR-5)
      were heated at 45 degrees C for 3-30 min. We observed induction of voltage
      dependent currents after heating in the heat-resistant cells. These currents
      decayed to nonmeasurable levels over a period of 6 h. In RIF-1 cells, however,
      voltage-dependent currents were detectable during heating only; these currents
      then decayed rapidly. Tetraethylammonium (TEA) cations blocked the currents;
      changing the concentration of extracellular K+ modified the current-voltage (I-V)
      relationship. These currents, therefore, resulted from the activation of voltage
      dependent K+ channels. Addition of TEA during heating sensitized TR-4 cells to
      heat but had no effect on the heat response of the RIF-1 cells. Continuous
      exposure of the RIF-1 cells to 2% (vol/vol) dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for 7 days
      induced the expression of additional functional, voltage-dependent K+ channels;
      these gave rise to currents that were measurable after heating. In parallel,
      these cells became heat resistant. Addition of TEA to DMSO-treated cells blocked
      channels and returned the heat response almost to the pre-DMSO levels. Our data
      show a correlation between heat resistance and expression of K+ channels. Because
      resistance to heat very likely relates to the heat shock response, our data
      suggest that activation of channels may be a very early event in initiation of
      the heat shock response.

PMID- 1409648
TI  - Grammatical model of the regulation of gene expression.
AB  - Based on a formal proof that justifies the search for generative grammars in the
      study of gene regulation, a linguistic formalization of an exhaustive data base
      of Escherichia coli sigma 70 promoters and their regulatory binding sites has
      been initiated. The grammar presented here generates all the arrays of the
      collection plus those that are predicted as consistent with the principles of
      regulation of sigma 70 promoters. "Systems of regulation," sets of regulatory
      sites that collaborate in a mechanism of regulation, are represented by means of
      syntactic categories. A small set of phrase structure rules restricted by an X
      bar principle and by a hierarchical, c-command relation generates a
      representation of arrays of sites of regulation where the selection of the
      protein(s) identifying the system(s) of regulation occurs. Based on the features
      of the proteins, optional duplicated proximal and remote sites are generated by
      means of transformational rules. Consistency with the data, the predictions that
      the grammar generates, and important similarities and differences with some
      aspects of the generative theory of natural language are discussed.

PMID- 1409649
TI  - Dominant negative selection of heterologous genes: isolation of Candida albicans
      genes that interfere with Saccharomyces cerevisiae mating factor-induced cell
      cycle arrest.
AB  - We have used a genomic library of Candida albicans to transform Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae and screened for genes that act similarly to dominant negative
      mutations by interfering with pheromone-mediated cell cycle arrest. Six different
      plasmids were identified from 2000 transformants; four have been sequenced. One
      gene (CZF1) encodes a protein with structural motifs characteristic of a
      transcription factor. A second gene (CCN1) encodes a cyclin homologue, a third
      (CRL1) encodes a protein with sequence similarity to GTP-binding proteins of the
      RHO family, and a fourth (CEK1) encodes a putative kinase of the ERK family.
      Since CEK1 confers a phenotype similar to that of the structurally related S.
      cerevisiae gene KSS1 but cannot complement a KSS1 defect, it is evident that
      dominant negative selection can identify proteins that complementation screens
      would miss. Because dominant negative mutations exert their influence even in
      wild-type strain backgrounds, this approach should be a general method for the
      analysis of complex cellular processes in organisms not amenable to direct
      genetic analysis.

PMID- 1409650
TI  - Complementation of a red-light-indifferent cyanobacterial mutant.
AB  - Many cyanobacteria alter their phycobilisome composition in response to changes
      in light wavelength in a process termed complementary chromatic adaptation.
      Mutant strains FdR1 and FdR2 of the filamentous cyanobacterium Fremyella
      diplosiphon are characterized by aberrant chromatic adaptation. Instead of
      adjusting to different wavelengths of light, FdR1 and FdR2 behave as if they are
      always in green light; they do not respond to red light. We have previously
      reported complementation of FdR1 by conjugal transfer of a wild-type genomic
      library. The complementing DNA has now been localized by genetic analysis to a
      region on the rescued genomic subclone that contains a gene designated rcaC. This
      region of DNA is also able to complement FdR2. Southern blot analysis of genomic
      DNA from FdR1 and FdR2 indicates that these strains harbor DNA insertions within
      the rcaC sequence that may have resulted from the activity of transposable
      genetic elements. The predicted amino acid sequence of RcaC shares strong
      identity to response regulators of bacterial two-component regulatory systems.
      This relationship is discussed in the context of the signal-transduction pathway
      mediating regulation of genes encoding phycobilisome polypeptides during
      chromatic adaptation.

PMID- 1409651
TI  - Role of the basic amino acid cluster and Glu-23 in pyrimidine dimer glycosylase
      activity of T4 endonuclease V.
AB  - T4 endonuclease V [endodeoxyribonuclease (pyrimidine dimer); deoxyribonuclease
      (pyrimidine dimer), EC 3.1.25.1] initiates repair of damaged DNA by hydrolysis of
      the N-glycosyl bond at the 5' side of a pyrimidine photodimer in double-stranded
      DNA. To study one of the active sites of T4 endonuclease V, systematic site
      directed mutagenesis was performed on the synthetic T4 endonuclease V gene, in
      parallel with three-dimensional structure analysis by x-ray crystallography. The
      mutant proteins were evaluated for DNA glycosylase activity using an
      oligonucleotide duplex (14-mer) containing a single thymidine dimer as a
      substrate. Replacement of either Glu-23 with glutamine or asparatic acid or Arg-3
      with glutamine completely abolished DNA glycosylase activity. Mutation of Arg-3
      to lysine or of Arg-26 to glutamine or lysine in a basic amino acid cluster
      caused serious defects in DNA glycosylase activity, which are reflected in the
      increases in Km and decreases in kcat of DNA glycosylase activity. On the other
      hand, substitutions of lysine for Arg-22 or of glutamine for Arg-117 or Lys-121
      resulted in increases in the Km value. The completely inactive mutant proteins,
      E23Q and R3Q, in which glutamine was substituted for Glu-23 and Arg-3,
      respectively, were further investigated by CD spectroscopy for their ability to
      bind the oligonucleotide substrate. It was found that the E23Q protein retained
      specific substrate-binding ability, whereas the R3Q protein did not. These
      results indicate that Glu-23 plays an important role in catalysis of the DNA
      glycosylase reaction, and that Arg-3 is a crucial residue for substrate binding.
      In addition, Arg-22, Arg-26, Arg-117, and Lys-121 in the basic amino acid cluster
      also participate in substrate binding. We conclude that the basic amino acid
      cluster in T4 endonuclease V is an essential structure for DNA glycosylase
      activity.

PMID- 1409652
TI  - Three-dimensional structure of two crystal forms of FabR19.9 from a monoclonal
      anti-arsonate antibody.
AB  - The three-dimensional structure of FabR19.9 from a well-characterized anti-p
      azobenzenearsonate monoclonal antibody has been determined by x-ray diffraction
      techniques in two crystalline forms (I and II) to a resolution of 2.8 and 2.7 A,
      respectively. Essentially the same tertiary and quaternary structure of the Fab
      is observed in the two forms. The major difference resides in the intermolecular
      contacts, which are interpreted to favor an irreversible transition from the
      metastable form I to the more stable form II. The third complementarity
      determining region of the heavy chain (H3) folds back over the combining site and
      requires rearrangement for hapten binding. This dynamic requirement on H3 is
      consistent with its mobility in the structure and can explain hapten binding to
      an otherwise inaccessible antibody combining site.

PMID- 1409653
TI  - Small amino acid changes in the V3 hypervariable region of gp120 can affect the T
      cell-line and macrophage tropism of human immunodeficiency virus type 1.
AB  - Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) strains display a high degree of
      heterogeneity in their biological properties that correlate with in vivo
      pathogenesis of the virus. We previously demonstrated that overlapping regions
      encompassing the third hypervariable domain (V3), within the envelope
      glycoprotein gp120 determine the tropisms of HIV-1 for T-cell lines and primary
      macrophages. Studies with mutant viruses carrying one or more amino acid
      substitutions in the V3 loop have now identified this hypervariable domain as a
      major determinant for these cellular host range properties. Three to five amino
      acid changes in this domain, but rarely a single amino acid substitution, can
      confer macrophage tropism and alter T-cell-line tropism. These findings emphasize
      the effect on cell tropism of small amino acid differences in the viral envelope
      and suggest that the overall conformation of the V3 loop plays the major role in
      determining the ability of HIV-1 to infect T-cell lines and primary macrophages.

PMID- 1409654
TI  - Increased expression of beta-amyloid precursor protein during neuronal
      differentiation is not accompanied by secretory cleavage.
AB  - Despite increasing evidence for a pathogenetic role for the beta-amyloid
      precursor protein (beta APP) in Alzheimer disease, the physiological function of
      the protein remains unclear. The expression of the neural-specific isoform
      containing 695 amino acids, beta APP695, is consistent with a role for the
      protein in neuronal development. In this study, we analyzed the expression of
      beta APP during the retinoic acid-induced neuronal differentiation of P19 murine
      embryonal carcinoma cells. Northern blot and RNase protection analyses show a
      selective increase in beta APP695 expression, concomitant with the morphologic
      differentiation of P19-derived neurons. Moreover, the time course of increase
      observed for the beta APP695 mRNA is paralleled by other neuronal-specific
      transcripts. A similar increase in beta APP695 is observed at the protein level.
      Furthermore, we show that levels of beta APP695 protein progressively increase
      during the in vitro differentiation of primary hippocampal neurons. The finding
      that beta APP695 increases selectively and progressively during neuronal
      differentiation in two different cell culture systems suggests that this isoform
      has an important cellular function during this process in the brain. Unlike beta
      APP in most peripheral cell types, the increased levels of beta APP found in
      terminally differentiated neuronal cells are not processed in significant amounts
      by secretory cleavage. Thus, differentiation of neurons is accompanied by
      increased beta APP695 expression and membrane retention of the protein as intact,
      full-length molecules that could serve as potential substrates for
      amyloidogenesis.

PMID- 1409655
TI  - Light regulates expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA in rat
      visual cortex.
AB  - Specific sensory input has profound transient and long-lasting effects on the
      function of corresponding sensory cortical areas both during development and in
      adulthood. To study whether neurotrophic factors might play a role in such
      processes, we investigated the effects of light on the nerve growth factor and
      brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA levels in rat visual cortex.
      Keeping adult rats in the dark or preventing normal activity of retinal ganglion
      cells by intraocular injection of tetrodotoxin significantly decreased the levels
      of BDNF mRNA in the visual cortex but not in other cortical areas. Exposure to
      light after a period in darkness rapidly restored the mRNA to control levels.
      These alterations in visual input had no effect on nerve growth factor mRNA. The
      mRNA of trkB, the putative signal-transducing receptor unit for BDNF, was also
      decreased in darkness, although less than BDNF mRNA. BDNF mRNA levels increased
      in the visual cortex of newborn rats after eye-opening. This increase is
      retarded, although not completely abolished, by rearing the pups in darkness.
      Thus, the levels of BDNF mRNA are rapidly regulated by sensory input during
      development and in adulthood. BDNF may therefore play an important role in
      formation and in activity-dependent modulation of specific connections in the
      visual cortex.

PMID- 1409656
TI  - Cell cycle-dependent localization of casein kinase I to mitotic spindles.
AB  - Casein kinase I (CKI) is a class of protein kinases ubiquitous to all eukaryotic
      cells. Recently, cDNA clones encoding several bovine CKI isoforms have been
      sequenced that show high sequence identity to the HRR25 gene product of the
      budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae; HRR25 is required for normal cellular
      growth, nuclear segregation, DNA repair, and meiosis. We have raised polyclonal
      antibodies to a human erythroid 34-kDa CKI and have sequenced a portion of this
      kinase. The amino acid sequence identifies the CKI as the alpha-CKI isoform,
      which is 62% identical to the HRR25 protein kinase. By use of immunofluorescence,
      the alpha-CKI has been localized to vesicular cytosolic structures and to the
      centrosome in interphase cells. As cells progress into mitosis, centrospheric
      staining increases and, in mitosis, alpha-CKI associates with kinetochore fibers.
      This localization suggests that alpha-CKI, like HRR25, plays a role in the
      segregation of chromosomes during mitosis and may be cell cycle-regulated both in
      humans and in yeast.

PMID- 1409657
TI  - Reduction of arsenate to arsenite by the ArsC protein of the arsenic resistance
      operon of Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pI258.
AB  - The arsenic resistance operon of Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pI258 consists of
      three genes, arsR (encoding the repressor regulatory protein), arsB (the
      determinant of the membrane efflux protein that confers resistance by pumping
      arsenic from the cells), and arsC (the small gene whose protein product is
      required for arsenate resistance only, not for arsenite resistance). ArsC has now
      been shown to be an arsenate reductase, converting intracellular arsenate [As(V)]
      to arsenite [As(III)], which is then exported from the cells by an energy
      dependent efflux process. The arsenate reductase activity was found in the
      soluble cytoplasmic fraction in Escherichia coli (and not associated with the
      periplasmic fraction or the sedimentable cell envelope). Purified ArsC protein
      coupled in vitro with thioredoxin plus dithiothreitol (but not 2-mercaptoethanol
      or reduced glutathione) to reduce arsenate to arsenite.

PMID- 1409658
TI  - Regulation of the yeast DNA replication genes through the Mlu I cell cycle box is
      dependent on SWI6.
AB  - In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, at least 17 DNA replication genes are coordinately
      expressed at the G1/S boundary during the cell cycle. All of these genes have the
      DNA sequence element ACGCGT in their 5' upstream regulatory regions. This
      sequence has been shown to be essential for periodic expression of the POL1,
      CDC9, and TMP1 genes. The cyclin (CLN1 and CLN2) and HO genes are another subset
      of genes that are expressed with the same timing as the DNA replication genes.
      Their periodic expression requires the participation of two well-characterized
      transcriptional activators: the SWI4 and SWI6 gene products. In this study, we
      present evidence that SWI6 contributes to the regulation of DNA replication genes
      as well. Surprisingly, a preferential requirement for SWI6 over SWI4 is observed
      in our studies of ACGCGT-dependent reporter gene expression in vivo. This
      selectivity has not been observed for the other G1/S genes. Correlating with the
      in vivo results, protein-DNA complexes formed in vitro on multimeric ACGCGT
      elements are either abolished or reduced in swi6 delta deletion mutants.

PMID- 1409659
TI  - The repressor MDBP-2 is a member of the histone H1 family that binds
      preferentially in vitro and in vivo to methylated nonspecific DNA sequences.
AB  - MDBP-2 is a repressor that binds preferentially to methylated DNA. Peptides
      derived from MDBP-2 were sequenced. The sequences of the two peptides, KPAGPS
      VTELITK and ALAAGGYDVEK, are identical to those found in the chicken histone H1
      core protein. In SDS/polyacrylamide gels MDBP-2 has an apparent molecular mass of
      21 kDa, and antibodies directed against calf thymus total histone H1 cross-react
      with MDBP-2. The preferential binding of affinity-purified MDBP-2 to methylated
      DNA is not sequence-specific but requires a minimum length of 30 base pairs and
      one pair of symmetrically methylated (i.e., methylated on both strands) CpG
      dinucleotides. As previously shown, there is a decrease in the binding activity
      of MDBP-2 to methylated DNA upon estradiol treatment. Immunoblots show that upon
      estradiol treatment the amount of immunocrossreacting MDBP-2 protein remains
      unchanged. MDBP-2 enables another protein to bind DNA which by itself does not
      bind methylated DNA. Ultraviolet crosslinking and selective immunoadsorption
      assays with anti-histone H1 antibodies show that in vivo MDBP-2 preferentially
      binds to the methylated repressed vitellogenin gene. It is concluded that MDBP-2
      may participate in the long-term silencing of genes (formation of
      heterochromatin) through selective binding to methylated DNA.

PMID- 1409660
TI  - Retroviral analysis of cardiac morphogenesis: discontinuous formation of coronary
      vessels.
AB  - Cellular progenitors of the coronary vasculature are believed to enter the
      chicken heart during epicardial morphogenesis between stages 17 and 27 (days 3-5)
      of egg incubation. To trace cells which give rise to the coronary arteries in
      vivo, we applied retroviral cell tagging procedures and analyzed clonal
      populations of vascular smooth muscle, endothelium, and connective tissue in the
      hearts of post-hatch chickens. Our data provide direct proof that (i) vascular
      smooth muscle progenitors begin to enter the heart at stage 17, substantially
      after the heart begins propulsive contractions; (ii) cardiac myocytes, vascular
      smooth muscle, perivascular fibroblasts, and coronary endothelial cells all
      derive from independent precursors when these cells migrate into the heart; (iii)
      endothelial cells of the coronary vessels have a different clonal origin than
      endothelial cells of the endocardium; (iv) coronary arteries form by the
      coalescence of discontinuous colonies (i.e., in situ vasculogenesis), each
      derived from a founder cell tagged at the time of retroviral injection (stages 17
      18); and (v) coronary arteries contain discrete segments composed of
      "polyclones." These studies indicate the feasibility of gene targeting to
      coronary progenitors through the use of recombinant retroviruses.

PMID- 1409661
TI  - Primary electron transfer kinetics in bacterial reaction centers with modified
      bacteriochlorophylls at the monomeric sites BA,B.
AB  - The primary electron transfer has been investigated by femtosecond time-resolved
      absorption spectroscopy in two chemically modified reaction centers (RC) of
      Rhodobacter sphaeroides, in which the monomeric bacteriochlorophylls BA and BB
      have both been exchanged by 13(2)-hydroxybacteriochlorophyll a or [3-vinyl]-13(2)
      hydroxybacteriochlorophyll a. The kinetics of the primary electron transfer are
      not influenced by the 13(2)-hydroxy modification. In RCs containing [3-vinyl]
      13(2)-hydroxybacteriochlorophyll a the primary rate is reduced by a factor of 10.

PMID- 1409662
TI  - Prevention of autoimmune insulitis in nonobese diabetic mice by expression of
      major histocompatibility complex class I Ld molecules.
AB  - Nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice spontaneously develop a T-cell-mediated autoimmune
      disease that is similar in many respects to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
      in humans. NOD mice were shown to express major histocompatibility complex class
      I Kd and Db antigens. To examine the possible involvement of major
      histocompatibility complex class I molecules in the development of autoimmune
      insulitis, we attempted to express a different type of class I molecule in NOD
      mice by crossing C57BL/6 mice transgenic for the class I Ld gene with NOD mice.
      The backcross progeny expressed the Ld antigen on the peripheral blood
      lymphocytes at a level comparable with that of the BALB/c mice. The cell surface
      expression of endogenous class I and class II antigens on the peripheral blood
      lymphocytes was not affected. Analysis of these mice revealed that the expression
      of the class I Ld antigen significantly reduced the incidence of insulitis at 20
      weeks of age. In situ hybridization of a biotinylated probe on mouse chromosomes
      showed that the Ld transgene was located in the E area of chromosome 6 with which
      no genetic linkage to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus was demonstrated. These
      results suggest that the NOD-type class I molecules are involved in the
      development of insulitis in NOD mice.

PMID- 1409663
TI  - Birth and migration of neurons in the central posterior/prepacemaker nucleus
      during adulthood in weakly electric knifefish (Eigenmannia sp.).
AB  - In contrast to mammals, fish maintain their capacity to generate neurons in the
      central nervous system even during adulthood for prolonged periods of life. By
      employing immunohistochemical, autoradiographic, and electron microscopic
      techniques, we studied such a postnatal neurogenesis within the complex of the
      central posterior/prepacemaker nucleus (CP/PPn) in knifefish (Eigenmannia sp.), a
      weakly electric teleost. The CP/PPn is a bilateral cluster of neurons in the
      thalamus. It controls frequency modulations of the electric organ discharge as
      they are used during social interactions. In the CP/PPn region adjacent to the
      wall of the third ventricle ("ventricular zone"), cells are born continuously and
      at high rates. They undergo multiple cell divisions before differentiating into
      neurons. Concomitant with this development, the newborn neurons migrate toward
      lateral regions of the CP/PPn. In the course of this lateral migration, they
      appear to acquire immunological and morphological characteristics that are
      typical for mature CP/PPn neurons. We hypothesize that at least some of the newly
      generated cells develop finally into functional CP/PPn neurons.

PMID- 1409664
TI  - Decreased choline acetyltransferase mRNA expression in the nucleus basalis of
      Meynert in Alzheimer disease: an in situ hybridization study.
AB  - The subnormal choline acetyltransferase (ChoAcTase) activity in the cerebral
      cortex of patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) is thought to originate from the
      loss of cholinergic neurons in the nucleus basalis of Meynert (nbM). To examine
      possible changes in the functional activity of the remaining cholinergic neurons
      in the nbM of patients with AD, the level of expression of ChoAcTase mRNA was
      evaluated. A procedure for double-labeling cholinergic neurons to detect
      ChoAcTase mRNA and the corresponding protein in the same cell was developed,
      taking advantage of an anti-ChoAcTase antibody and the recently isolated cDNA
      complementary to a sequence of the human ChoAcTase mRNA. In the study of three
      controls and four patients with AD, the presence of both ChoAcTase mRNA and
      protein was observed in the same large neurons in both nbM and putamen.
      Specificity of in situ hybridization was further supported by the absence of
      neuronal staining with a sense probe. In AD patients a subnormal level of
      expression of ChoAcTase mRNA per cholinergic cell was detected in the nbM but not
      in the putamen. Our data support the hypothesis that expression of ChoAcTase mRNA
      might be down-regulated in the surviving cholinergic neurons in the nbM of
      patients with AD, raising the possibility of functional restoration by
      stimulating ChoAcTase synthesis.

PMID- 1409665
TI  - Farnesylcysteine, a constituent of the alpha and beta subunits of rabbit skeletal
      muscle phosphorylase kinase: localization by conversion to S-ethylcysteine and by
      tandem mass spectrometry.
AB  - The primary structure of the alpha and beta subunits of phosphorylase kinase
      reveals that both proteins contain a carboxyl-terminal CA1A2X motif (where C is
      cysteine, A1 and A2 are aliphatic amino acids, and X is an uncharged amino acid),
      the recognition signal for a protein polyisoprenyltransferase. The product, a
      polyisoprenylated cysteine, can be detected by phenylthiocarbamoylamino acid
      analysis and by microsequencing following conversion to S-ethylcysteine. Mass
      spectrometry confirms a covalently linked farnesyl residue in both subunits.
      Tandem mass spectrometry localizes these modifications at the cysteine residues
      present in the carboxyl-terminal CAMQ and CLVS sequences of the alpha and beta
      subunits, respectively. Membrane association of phosphorylase kinase, probably
      mediated by these farnesyl residues, is discussed.

PMID- 1409666
TI  - Characterization of the genes encoding phycoerythrin in the red alga Rhodella
      violacea: evidence for a splitting of the rpeB gene by an intron.
AB  - The phycobilisome of the eukaryotic unicellular red alga Rhodella violacea
      presents in some respects an organization that is intermediate between those of
      the homologous counterparts found in cyanobacteria (the putative chloroplast
      progenitor) and more advanced, pluricellular red algae. This suggests
      evolutionary relationships that we investigated at the genome level. The present
      work describes the sequences of two rhodophytan phycobilisome genes, rpeA and
      rpeB. These chloroplast genes encode the alpha and beta subunits of
      phycoerythrin, the major component of the light-harvesting antennae and one of
      the most abundant cellular proteins in these algae. The amino acid sequences
      deduced from both rpeA and rpeB present strong homologies with those previously
      reported for phycoerythrin subunits of cyanobacteria, rhodophyta, and
      cryptomonads. The main difference with the corresponding cyanobacterial genes was
      the unexpected occurrence of an intervening sequence that split rpeB into two
      exons. This intervening sequence presents characteristics of group II introns but
      lacks several structural domains. Transcriptional analyses showed that the two
      rpe genes are cotranscribed and that the major RNA species detected corresponds
      to a mature mRNA lacking the intron. As the phycobiliproteins form a group of
      closely related polypeptides in cyanobacteria and rhodophyta, the molecular
      events affecting the corresponding genes, such as the rpeB intron, may be a clue
      to elucidate some aspects of the molecular processes involved in the evolution of
      plastid genes.

PMID- 1409667
TI  - Structure of the host-specific toxins produced by the fungal pathogen Periconia
      circinata.
AB  - Four metabolites named peritoxins A and B and periconins A and B have been
      isolated together with the known metabolite circinatin from culture filtrates of
      the fungal pathogen Periconia circinata. Peritoxins A and B, which correspond to
      the P. circinata toxins Ia and IIa partially characterized in previous work, are
      selectively toxic to genotypes of Sorghum bicolor susceptible to the pathogen,
      whereas periconins A and B are biologically inactive. Combination of instrumental
      analysis and chemical degradation has led to structural assignments for each of
      the four compounds; only the configuration at some of the chiral centers remains
      undefined. Structural comparison suggests a precursor role for circinatin in the
      formation of the peritoxins and the periconins.

PMID- 1409668
TI  - Initiation of phi 29 DNA replication occurs at the second 3' nucleotide of the
      linear template: a sliding-back mechanism for protein-primed DNA replication.
AB  - Bacteriophage phi 29 DNA replication is initiated when a molecule of dAMP is
      covalently linked to a free molecule of the terminal protein, in a reaction
      catalyzed by the viral DNA polymerase. We demonstrate that single-stranded DNA
      molecules are active templates for the protein-primed initiation reaction and can
      be replicated by phi 29 DNA polymerase. Using synthetic oligonucleotides, we
      carried out a mutational analysis of the phi 29 DNA right end to evaluate the
      effect of nucleotide changes at the replication origin and to determine the
      precise initiation site. The results indicate that (i) there are no strict
      sequence requirements for protein-primed initiation on single-stranded DNA; (ii)
      initiation of replication occurs opposite the second nucleotide at the 3' end of
      the template; (iii) a terminal repetition of at least two nucleotides is required
      to efficiently elongate the initiation complex; and (iv) all the nucleotides of
      the template, including the 3' terminal one, are replicated. A sliding-back model
      is proposed in which a special transition step from initiation to elongation can
      account for these results. The possible implication of this mechanism for the
      fidelity of the initiation reaction is discussed. Since all the terminal protein
      containing genomes have some sequence reiteration at the DNA ends, this proposed
      sliding-back model could be extrapolable to other systems that use proteins as
      primers.

PMID- 1409669
TI  - Imaging of luciferase secretion from transformed Chinese hamster ovary cells.
AB  - The blue luminescence characteristic of the marine ostracod crustacean Vargula
      hilgendorfii is from a simple, but highly specific, enzyme-substrate reaction.
      Light is emitted by the oxidation of Vargula luciferin (substrate) by molecular
      oxygen, a reaction catalyzed by luciferase. Stable transformants of Chinese
      hamster ovary cells carrying the Vargula luciferase gene secreted luciferase from
      discrete sites on the cell surface, and this secretion could be monitored in real
      time by the bioluminescence produced by the secreted luciferase in the presence
      of Vargula luciferin by using an image-intensifying technique. Addition of anti
      Vargula luciferase IgG to the luminescing cells almost completely extinguished
      the luminescence, confirming that Vargula luciferase caused the luminescence.

PMID- 1409670
TI  - Reductive detoxification as a mechanism of fungal resistance to singlet oxygen
      generating photosensitizers.
AB  - Fungi that are resistant or sensitive to the singlet oxygen-generating toxin
      cercosporin were assayed for their ability to detoxify it by reduction.
      Cercosporin reduction was assayed microscopically by using bandpass filters to
      differentiate between fluorescence emission from cercosporin and reduced
      cercosporin. Hyphae of the resistant Cercospora and Alternaria species emitted a
      green fluorescence, indicative of reduced cercosporin. Hyphae of nonviable
      cultures and of cercosporin-sensitive fungi did not reduce cercosporin. Sensitive
      fungi occasionally reduced cercosporin when incubated with reducing agents that
      protect against cercosporin toxicity. Cercosporin could not be efficiently
      photoreduced in the absence of the fungus. Cercospora species were also resistant
      to eosin Y but were sensitive to rose bengal. Microscopic observation
      demonstrated that Cercospora species were not capable of reducing rose bengal but
      were capable of reducing eosin Y. These observations were supported by in vitro
      electrochemical measurements that revealed the following order with respect to
      ease of reduction: cercosporin >> eosin Y > rose bengal. The formal redox
      potential (E 0') of cercosporin at pH 7.5 was found to be -0.14 V vs. the normal
      hydrogen electrode. We conclude that Cercospora species protect themselves
      against cercosporin by the reduction and detoxification of the toxin molecule.

PMID- 1409671
TI  - Mutational analysis of the integrase protein of human immunodeficiency virus type
      2.
AB  - Purified integrase protein (IN) can nick linear viral DNA at a specific site near
      the ends and integrate nicked viral DNA into target DNA. We have made a series of
      43 site-directed point mutants of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 IN and
      assayed purified mutant proteins for the following activities: site-specific
      cleavage of viral DNA (donor cut), integration (strand transfer), and
      disintegration. In general, the different activities were similarly affected by
      the mutations. We found three mutations that (almost) totally abolished IN
      function: Asp-64-->Val, Asp-116-->Ile, and Glu-152-->Leu, whereas 25 mutations
      did not affect IN function. A few mutations affected the different activities
      differentially. Near the amino terminus a zinc finger-like sequence motif His
      Xaa3-His-Xaa20-30-Cys-Xaa2-Cys is present in all retroviral IN proteins. Two
      mutations in this region (His-12-->Leu and Cys-40-->Ser) strongly inhibited donor
      cut but had less effect on strand transfer. The central region of IN is most
      highly conserved between retroviral INs. Three mutants in this region (Asn-117-
      >Ile, Asn-120-->Leu, and Lys-159-->Val) were inhibited in strand transfer but
      were inhibited less strongly in donor cut. Mutation of Asn-120 (to glycine,
      leucine, or glutamate) resulted in changes in integration-site preference,
      suggesting that Asn-120 is involved in interactions with target DNA. We did not
      find a mutant in which one activity was lost and the others were unaffected,
      supporting the notion that IN has only one active site for the catalysis of donor
      cut and strand transfer.

PMID- 1409672
TI  - 1H-[13C] NMR measurements of [4-13C]glutamate turnover in human brain.
AB  - A limitation of previous methods for studying human brain glucose metabolism,
      such as positron emission tomography, is that metabolic steps beyond glucose
      uptake cannot be studied. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has the advantage of
      allowing the nondestructive measurement of 13C distribution in specific carbon
      positions of metabolites. In this study 1H-[13C] NMR spectroscopy in conjunction
      with volume localization was used to measure the rate of incorporation of 13C
      isotope from infused enriched [1-13C]glucose to human brain [4-13C]glutamate. In
      three studies C4 glutamate turnover time constants of 25, 20, and 17 min were
      measured in a 21-cm3 volume centered in the region of the visual cortex. Based on
      an analysis of spectrometer sensitivity the spatial resolution of the method can
      be improved to < 4 cm3. In conjunction with metabolic modeling and other NMR
      measurements this method can provide a measure of regional rates of the brain
      tricarboxylic acid cycle and other metabolic pathways.

PMID- 1409673
TI  - Identification of a Legionella pneumophila locus required for intracellular
      multiplication in human macrophages.
AB  - The legionnaires' disease bacterium, Legionella pneumophila, is a facultative
      intracellular parasite. Its interaction with phagocytes has characteristics in
      common with several other intracellular parasites. Critical aspects of L.
      pneumophila intracellular multiplication are evasion of lysosomal host cell
      defenses and the presence of a nutritionally appropriate environment. Following
      phagocytosis, wild-type L. pneumophila multiply within a specialized phagosome
      which does not fuse with secondary lysosomes. Mutants which have lost the ability
      to grow within phagocytes no longer cause disease in animals, indicating that the
      capacity to multiply intracellularly is important for pathogenesis. One such
      mutant, 25D, has been shown to be defective in inhibiting phagosome-lysosome
      fusion. This phagolysosomal environment is not conducive to Legionella growth. We
      report the isolation of a region of the L. pneumophila genome (icm, intracellular
      multiplication) which restores the capacity of 25D to multiply in human
      macrophages. The complemented mutants also regain the capacity to interfere with
      phagosome-lysosome fusion and to cause lethal pneumonia in guinea pigs.

PMID- 1409674
TI  - Activation of expression of genes coding for extracellular matrix proteins in Tat
      producing glioblastoma cells.
AB  - The Tat protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 has been increasingly
      implicated in directly contributing to the disease AIDS by altering the
      expression of strategic cellular genes. In this study we demonstrate that the
      presence of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 regulatory protein Tat is
      associated with a significant induction in the expression of certain protein
      components of the extracellular matrix in glial-derived cells. Northern blot
      analysis reveals that in cells expressing Tat there is a marked elevation in the
      steady-state RNA levels for fibronectin and types I and III collagen. Metabolic
      labeling of the Tat-producing cells demonstrates that this induction is also
      reflected at the level of protein synthesis. Transient transfection experiments
      indicate that the presence of Tat results in increased transcription of
      fibronectin and alpha I type I collagen promoters. Possible mechanisms for this
      phenomenon and their significance with regard to AIDS are discussed.

PMID- 1409675
TI  - Scanning tunneling microscopy imaging of Torpedo acetylcholine receptor.
AB  - The synaptic surface of the acetylcholine receptor in membranes from Torpedo
      californica electric organ has been imaged by scanning tunneling microscopy. The
      molecule appears pentameric, with one major and four minor protrusions rising
      above the surface, and these protrusions encompass a large central cavity. The
      outer diameter of the molecule is 69 +/- 10 A, while the diameter of the cavity,
      measured at the widest complete contour line delimiting the opening, is 26 +/- 7
      A. The images and dimensions obtained are consistent with the structure
      determined from hybrid density maps obtained by x-ray diffraction and electron
      microscopy. Thus, scanning tunneling microscopy can be used to obtain overall
      dimensions and low-resolution structural features of the surface of a membrane
      embedded protein.

PMID- 1409676
TI  - Detection of transcripts for the receptor for macrophage colony-stimulating
      factor, c-fms, in murine osteoclasts.
AB  - Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), whose action is restricted to the
      cell populations of the mononuclear phagocyte system, has recently been found to
      be required for osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption. To investigate the cells
      involved in the action of M-CSF in these processes, expression of c-fms mRNA,
      encoding the M-CSF receptor, was studied by in situ hybridization. Paws from
      murine embryos and newborn mice, tibiae from 2-day-old animals, as well as
      isolated osteoclasts, were hybridized with a c-fms-specific RNA probe. In bone, c
      fms mRNA was detected only in cells at the late stages of osteoclastogenesis and
      in mature osteoclasts. The findings strengthen the relation between osteoclasts
      and the mononuclear phagocyte system. Furthermore, they suggest that M-CSF acts
      directly on osteoclast precursors and on mature osteoclasts during
      osteoclastogenesis.

PMID- 1409677
TI  - Symmetry in the mechanism of bacteriophage lambda integrative recombination.
AB  - During the strand-exchange events of bacteriophage lambda integration, pairs of
      phosphodiester bonds are broken and then rejoined to form novel DNA linkages. The
      reaction proceeds in vitro in the absence of an external energy source; the bond
      energy needed to rejoin broken strands of DNA must therefore be conserved during
      cleavage. Although some of this conservation involves a covalent intermediate
      between DNA and the recombinase Int, it is possible that such an intermediate is
      formed with only one of the two phosphodiesters. In such an asymmetric mechanism,
      the second phosphodiester would be attacked by a nucleophile that is exposed by
      cleavage of the first DNA strand. In contrast, a symmetric mechanism hypothesizes
      nucleophilic attack by Int on both phosphodiesters. We have distinguished these
      two mechanisms by removing potential nucleophiles from the integrative
      recombination reaction. Our data are inconsistent with an asymmetric mechanism.
      We conclude that during strand exchange both phosphodiesters proceed through a
      covalent protein-DNA intermediate.

PMID- 1409678
TI  - Plasmodium chabaudi p68 serine protease activity required for merozoite entry
      into mouse erythrocytes.
AB  - To define the role of malaria parasite enzymes during the process of erythrocyte
      invasion, we have developed an in vitro serum-free invasion assay of mouse
      erythrocytes by purified Plasmodium chabaudi merozoites. The sensitivity of a
      merozoite-specific serine protease (p68) to various inhibitors and the effect of
      these inhibitors on invasion indicate a crucial role for p68. The substrate
      specificity of the purified enzyme has been partially defined using fluorogenic
      peptides. Consistent with this, in vitro incubation of mouse erythrocytes with
      the merozoite enzyme led to the cleavage of band 3 protein. The possible
      implication of erythrocyte band 3 truncation for the successful entry of the
      merozoite into the erythrocyte is discussed.

PMID- 1409679
TI  - Distinct binding sites on HLA-DR for invariant chain and staphylococcal
      enterotoxins.
AB  - During biosynthesis, class II molecules of the major histocompatibility complex
      exist as complexes of the polymorphic alpha and beta chains in association with
      trimers of the invariant chain (Ii). The nonpolymorphic Ii contains sequences
      necessary for proper targeting of class II to endosomal compartments, where Ii is
      degraded. Ii also prevents the premature association of antigenic peptides with
      class II molecules. It is not known whether the effect of Ii on peptide binding
      extends to other ligands of class II, specifically exogenous superantigens. Cells
      expressing a mutant Ii molecule stably associated with HLA-DR at the cell surface
      were tested for their ability to interact with staphylococcal toxins. Most toxins
      (staphylococcal enterotoxins A-E and exfoliative toxin) were found to bind to
      cells expressing this alpha beta Ii complex with levels comparable to cells
      expressing only alpha beta chains at the cell surface. Cells expressing surface
      alpha beta Ii complexes stimulated polyclonal populations of peripheral blood T
      cells in association with these toxins. Binding of toxic shock syndrome toxin
      (TSST) and subsequent stimulation of T cells were reduced by the presence of the
      Ii. This reduction was not due to an alteration in the repertoire of T cells
      responding to TSST in the presence of Ii. Data from experiments with a T-cell
      clone suggest that interactions between class II molecules and T-cell antigen
      receptors occur during staphylococcal enterotoxin-mediated stimulation and that
      surface Ii does not interfere with such interactions.

PMID- 1409680
TI  - Dendritic field size and morphology of midget and parasol ganglion cells of the
      human retina.
AB  - The visual system of the macaque monkey has provided a useful model for
      understanding the neural basis of human vision, yet, there are few detailed
      comparisons of neural populations other than photoreceptors for the two species.
      Using intracellular staining in an in vitro preparation of the isolated and
      intact human retina, we have characterized the relationship of dendritic field
      size to retinal eccentricity for the two major ganglion cell classes, the midget
      and the parasol cells. We report three findings. (i) The difference in dendritic
      field diameter between the parasol and midget cells increases from a ratio of
      approximately 3:1 in the retinal periphery to approximately 10:1 at 3 degrees
      eccentricity, suggesting that human midget cells may outnumber parasol cells by
      as much as 30:1 in the central retina. (ii) The dendritic fields of human ON
      center parasol and midget cells are 30-50% larger in diameter than their OFF
      center counterparts, suggesting a distinct asymmetry in the human ON-OFF visual
      pathways. (iii) The dendritic fields of parasol cells, but not midget cells, are
      larger in humans than in macaques. The difference increases from approximately
      20% in the retinal periphery to approximately 90% at 5 degrees eccentricity. This
      result predicts that the human parasol cells should show a lower resolving
      ability and an increased sensitivity to luminance contrast than their equivalents
      in the macaque.

PMID- 1409681
TI  - Quinolone binding to DNA is mediated by magnesium ions.
AB  - The binding of plasmid DNA to norfloxacin, a quinolone antibacterial agent, was
      investigated by fluorescence, electrophoretic DNA unwinding, and affinity
      chromatography techniques. The amount of quinolone bound to DNA was modulated by
      the concentration of Mg2+. No interaction was evident in the absence of Mg2+ or
      in the presence of an excess of Mg2+, whereas maximum binding was observed at a
      Mg2+ concentration of 1-2 mM. The experimental data can be fitted to the
      formation of three types of Mg adducts: a binary adduct with norfloxacin and
      Mg2+, a binary adduct with DNA and Mg2+, and a ternary adduct with quinolone,
      plasmid, and Mg2+. We propose a model for the ternary complex, in which Mg acts
      as a bridge between the phosphate groups of the nucleic acid and the carbonyl and
      carboxyl moieties of norfloxacin. Additional stabilization may arise from
      stacking interactions between the condensed rings of the drug and DNA bases
      (especially guanine and adenine), which may account for the preference exhibited
      by quinolones for single-stranded and purine-rich regions of nucleic acids. Other
      possible biochemical pathways of drug action are suggested by the observation
      that norfloxacin binds Mg2+ under conditions that are close to physiological.

PMID- 1409682
TI  - Conformational substates in azurin.
AB  - Azurin is a small blue copper protein in the electron transfer chain of
      denitrifying bacteria. It forms a photolabile complex with nitric oxide (NO) at
      low temperatures. We studied the temperature dependence of the ligand binding
      equilibrium and the kinetics of the association reaction after photodissociation
      over a wide range of temperature (80-280 K) and time (10(-6)-10(2) s). The
      nonexponential rebinding below 200 K is independent of the NO concentration and
      is interpreted as internal recombination. The rebinding can be modeled with the
      Arrhenius law by using a single preexponential factor of 6.3 x 10(8) s-1 and a
      Gaussian distribution of enthalpy barriers centered at 23 kJ/mol with a width of
      11 kJ/mol. Above 200 K, a slower, exponential rebinding process appears. The
      dependence of the kinetics on the NO concentration characterizes this reaction as
      bimolecular rebinding. The binding kinetics of NO to azurin show impressive
      analogies to the binding of carbon monoxide to myoglobin. We conclude that
      conformational substates occur not only in heme proteins but also in proteins
      with different active sites and secondary structures.

PMID- 1409683
TI  - Sphingosine 1-phosphate, a specific endogenous signaling molecule controlling
      cell motility and tumor cell invasiveness.
AB  - Sphingosine 1-phosphate (Sph-1-P), the initial product of Sph degradation by Sph
      kinase, was shown to be a strong inhibitor of cell motility and phagokinesis of
      B16 melanoma and other types of cells at 10-100 nM concentration. It also
      inhibited "chemoinvasion" of tumor cells through a thick layer of Matrigel on a
      filter membrane. Such inhibitory effects were produced minimally or not at all by
      Sph, N-methyl derivatives of Sph, or other related sphingolipids and
      phospholipids. Sph-1-P did not inhibit cell proliferation or protein kinase C
      (PKC) activity, in contrast to Sph and N-methyl-Sph, which inhibit PKC activity
      and cell growth in general. Radiolabeled [3H]Sph and [14C]N-methyl-Sph were
      rapidly incorporated into B16 melanoma cells. However, [14C]N-methyl-Sph was not
      metabolically converted into other compounds, whereas [3H]Sph was efficiently
      converted within 10 min to Sph-1-P, followed by conversion to other sphingolipids
      and phospholipids. The inhibitory effect of Sph-1-P on cell motility and tumor
      cell invasiveness could be a specific phenomenon independent of PKC and other
      known transmembrane signaling mechanisms, based on an unknown mechanism. It may
      directly affect organizational assembly of actin filaments. Since exogenous Sph
      is rapidly converted into Sph-1-P, some reported effects of Sph may be ascribable
      to such conversion.

PMID- 1409684
TI  - Direct stimulation of immediate-early genes by intranuclear insulin in trypsin
      treated H35 hepatoma cells.
AB  - H35 hepatoma cells were treated with trypsin to abolish insulin binding and
      insulin-stimulated receptor kinase activity. Insulin was, however, internalized
      by fluid-phase endocytosis in trypsin-treated cells. Furthermore, nuclear
      accumulation of insulin was similar in control and trypsin-treated hepatoma
      cells. Northern blot analysis revealed insulin increased g33 and c-fos mRNA
      concentrations identically in control and trypsin-treated cells but had no effect
      on beta 2-microglobulin mRNA. Actinomycin D treatment prior to or after insulin
      addition demonstrated that insulin increased gene transcription and had no effect
      on mRNA degradation. These studies suggest that the accumulation of intact
      insulin in cell nuclei may be directly involved in the increased transcription of
      immediate-early genes.

PMID- 1409685
TI  - Myristoylation of the G alpha i2 polypeptide, a G protein alpha subunit, is
      required for its signaling and transformation functions.
AB  - GTPase-inhibiting mutations of the alpha subunit (alpha i2) of the G protein,
      Gi2, result in constitutive activation of alpha i2 signal transduction functions.
      GTPase-inhibited alpha i2 mutant polypeptides, referred to as gip2 oncoproteins,
      have glutamine-205 mutated to leucine (alpha i2Q205L). Expression of the alpha
      i2Q205L polypeptide inhibits adenylyl cyclase stimulation, constitutively
      activates p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and transforms Rat 1a
      fibroblasts. The alpha i2 polypeptides are N-terminal-myristoylated, but the
      function of myristoylation is unclear in alpha i2 signal transduction. We have
      tested the requirement for myristoylation on the ability of the alpha i2Q205L
      mutant polypeptide to constitutively regulate signal pathways and cell
      transformation. When expressed in Rat 1a cells, the nonmyristoylated alpha
      i2Q205L polypeptide is membrane associated but is unable to regulate adenylyl
      cyclase or p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase and does not induce cellular
      transformation. We conclude that myristoylation is absolutely necessary for alpha
      i2Q205L signal transduction and regulation of effector enzymes in the cell.

PMID- 1409686
TI  - Allosteric changes in the cAMP receptor protein of Escherichia coli: hinge
      reorientation.
AB  - The cAMP receptor protein (CRP) of Escherichia coli is a dimer of a two-domain
      subunit. It requires binding of cAMP for a conformational change in order to
      function as a site-specific DNA-binding protein that regulates gene activity. The
      hinge region connecting the cAMP-binding domain to the DNA-binding domain is
      involved in the cAMP-induced allosteric change. We studied the structural changes
      in CRP that are required for gene regulation by making a large number of single
      and double amino acid substitutions at four different positions in or near the
      hinge. To achieve cAMP-independent transcription by CRP, amino acid residues 138
      (located within the hinge region) and 141 (located in the D alpha-helix adjacent
      to the hinge) must be polar. This need for polar residues at positions 138 and
      141 suggests an interaction that causes the C and D alpha-helices to come
      together. As a consequence, the F alpha-helix is released from the D alpha-helix
      and can interact with DNA. At position 144 in the D alpha-helix and within
      interacting distances of the F alpha-helix, replacement of alanine by an amino
      acid with a larger side chain, regardless of its nature, allows cAMP
      independence. This result indicates that pushing against the F alpha-helix may be
      a way of making the helix available for DNA binding. We believe that the cAMP
      induced allosteric change involves similar hinge reorientation to adjust the C
      and D alpha-helices, allowing outward movement of the F alpha-helix.

PMID- 1409687
TI  - Isolation of DNA sequences deleted in lung cancer by genomic difference cloning.
AB  - To identify DNA sequences that are deleted in human lung cancer, genomic
      subtraction hybridization was used to construct plasmid libraries that are
      enriched for DNA sequences deleted in the small cell lung carcinoma cell line SK
      LC-17. The clones of the libraries contained predominantly single copy sequences,
      allowing direct screening of normal and tumor DNA by genomic Southern blotting.
      Of 150 clones tested, three independent clones (del-27, del-118, and del-109)
      were identified that specifically hybridized with normal human DNA but not with
      tumor DNA from the cell line SK-LC-17. The corresponding DNA sequences are
      localized on human chromosomes 5, 8, and X/Y. The DNA regions identified by del
      109 and del-118 were also found to be deleted in several other lung carcinoma
      cell lines. Moreover, del-118 was deleted in a freshly isolated lymph node
      metastasis of a human lung adenocarcinoma. It is therefore reasonable to
      speculate that the identified clones are derived from independent genetic loci
      encoding potential tumor suppressor genes.

PMID- 1409688
TI  - Selective expression of human X chromosome-linked green opsin genes.
AB  - The human red and green photopigments are specified by genes on the long arm of
      the X chromosome (Xq28). In individuals with normal color vision, the locus was
      proposed to consist of a single red pigment gene upstream of one or more copies
      of green pigment genes. The presence of a single red pigment gene in the array
      was confirmed by demonstration of only one retinal mRNA transcript coding for the
      red opsin. In individuals with multiple green pigment genes, it is unknown
      whether all genes are expressed. We analyzed the sequence of red- and green
      specific mRNA from retinas of individuals with multiple green pigment genes in
      comparison with the corresponding genomic DNA sequences. The data showed that
      only a single green pigment gene is expressed. We therefore suggest that a locus
      control-like element, already known to be located 3.8 kilobases upstream of the
      transcription initiation site of the red pigment gene, allows transcription of
      only a single copy of the green pigment genes, probably the most proximal copy.
      This finding provides an explanation for the not-infrequent presence of 5' green
      red hybrid genes in individuals with normal color vision. Such hybrid genes are
      usually associated with defective color vision. We suggest that 5' green-red
      hybrid genes produce defective color vision only when their position in the gene
      array allows expression in the retinal cone cells.

PMID- 1409689
TI  - Asn177 in Escherichia coli thymidylate synthase is a major determinant of
      pyrimidine specificity.
AB  - The substrate preference of recombinant Escherichia coli thymidylate synthase
      (TS) has been altered from 2'-deoxyuridylate (dUMP) to 2'-deoxycytidylate (dCMP)
      by site-directed mutagenesis of the codon for Asn177, which was changed to
      aspartic acid. The side-chain amide of Asn177 forms hydrogen bonds with O4 and N3
      of dUMP bound to the crystalline enzyme [Montfort, W. R., Perry, K. M., Fauman,
      E. B., Finer-Moore, J. S., Maley, G. F., Hardy, L., Maley, F. & Stroud, R. M.
      (1990) Biochemistry 29, 6964-6977]. This Asn is invariant in all natural
      sequences for TS known. The values of kcat for the mutant enzyme, TS(N177D), with
      dCMP and dUMP are, respectively, 0.09 and 0.002 times the value of kcat of wild
      type TS with dUMP as substrate. TS(N177D) turns over dCMP at 35 times its rate of
      dUMP turnover, whereas wild-type TS turns over dCMP at < 10(-5) of its rate of
      dUMP turnover. Thus Asn177 is a major determinant of the pyrimidine nucleotide
      specificity of TS. The mutant enzyme, like wild-type TS, forms a covalent complex
      with 5-fluoro-dUMP in the presence of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate. TS(N177D)
      also has a newly acquired ability to be transiently inactivated by dUMP. This
      time-dependent inactivation requires the presence of methylenetetrahydrofolate
      and may be due to the accumulation of the enzyme in the form of a catalytic
      intermediate. The likely mechanistic basis for discrimination by TS between dUMP
      and dCMP is their differing requirements for charge stabilization during covalent
      catalysis.

PMID- 1409690
TI  - Circular dichroism and molecular modeling yield a structure for the complex of
      human immunodeficiency virus type 1 trans-activation response RNA and the binding
      region of Tat, the trans-acting transcriptional activator.
AB  - Transcription in the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) retrovirus is
      regulated by binding the viral Tat protein (trans-acting transcriptional
      activator) to the trans-activation response (TAR) RNA sequence. Here, vacuum UV
      circular dichroism (VUV-CD) is used to study the structure of TAR and its complex
      with two peptide fragments that are important for Tat binding to TAR. The VUV-CD
      spectrum of TAR is typical of A-form RNA and is minimally perturbed when bound to
      either the short or the long Tat peptide. The CD spectra of the complexes
      indicate an extended structure in the arginine-rich region of Tat from amino acid
      residue 47 through residue 58 and a short alpha-helix within the adjacent 59-72
      region. Models of TAR and its peptide complexes are constructed to integrate
      these spectroscopic results with current biochemical data. The model suggests
      that (i) the arginine-rich 49-58 region is primarily responsible for
      electrostatic interactions with the phosphates of the RNA, (ii) the arginine side
      chains can additionally interact with substituent groups of the nucleotide bases
      to confer base recognition in the complex, (iii) the recognition of uracil-23 in
      TAR is facilitated by the peptide backbone, and (iv) the glutamine-rich face of
      an alpha-helix within the 59-72 region pairs to bases UGG at nucleotide positions
      31-33 in the TAR loop and thus provides an additional motif in the Tat trans
      activating protein to recognize TAR RNA.

PMID- 1409692
TI  - Trisomy 7 and trisomy 10 characterize subpopulations of tumor-infiltrating
      lymphocytes in kidney tumors and in the surrounding kidney tissue.
AB  - We performed conventional cytogenetic analysis and fluorescence in situ
      hybridization in short-term cultures of normal and neoplastic kidney tissues.
      Cell populations carrying an extra chromosome 7 or an extra chromosome 10 as the
      only chromosome change could be identified in kidney tumors, mostly renal cell
      carcinomas, and in the surrounding kidney tissue, but not in nonneoplastic
      kidneys. To identify the type of cells displaying these aneuploidies, we
      performed in situ hybridization (ISH) with probes specific for the centromeric
      region of chromosomes 7 and 10 on frozen kidney tissue sections. Trisomy 7 and
      trisomy 10 were restricted to infiltrating inflammatory cells in the tumor as
      well as in the surrounding tissue. Trisomy 7 and trisomy 10 were also found in
      subpopulations of peripheral blood T cells of cancer patients and of normal
      individuals, as well as in the thymus of five normal fetuses (21-29 weeks), but
      not in noninvaded reactive lymph node sections of patients without malignancy.
      When lymphocytes were enriched from kidney tumors and surrounding tissue by
      either Ficoll/Hypaque density gradient or immunomagnetic selection with anti-CD3,
      anti-CD4, or anti-CD8 monoclonal antibodies, it was confirmed that they contained
      a high percentage of trisomy 7 and trisomy 10 cells. Further proof for T
      lymphocyte origin of the trisomy 7 and trisomy 10 cells was obtained by
      simultaneous staining of lymphocytes isolated from tumor tissue with anti-CD3,
      anti-CD4, and anti-CD8 monoclonal antibodies and ISH. We conclude that trisomy 7
      and trisomy 10, found in renal carcinomas and surrounding kidney tissue,
      characterize subpopulations of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. The biologic
      significance of this phenomenon is unknown and requires further investigation.

PMID- 1409691
TI  - Autoantibodies against a serine tRNA-protein complex implicated in
      cotranslational selenocysteine insertion.
AB  - We describe an autoantibody specificity present in a subgroup of patients with a
      severe form of autoimmune chronic active hepatitis. These antibodies precipitate
      a 90-nucleotide RNA from human whole cell extracts and recognize a 48-kDa
      polypeptide in immunoblotting assays. The RNA is a UGA suppressor serine tRNA
      that carries selenocysteine (tRNA[Ser]Sec)), as shown by sequence analysis. The
      protein does not appear to be seryl-tRNA synthetase; rather, it is an excellent
      candidate for a factor involved in cotranslational selenocysteine incorporation
      in human cells.

PMID- 1409693
TI  - Recombinant antibody-metallothionein: design and evaluation for
      radioimmunoimaging.
AB  - We have produced a chimeric antibody (Ab) in which metallothionein, a well
      characterized biological chelator of metals, was genetically fused to the F(ab')
      domain of the S107 Ab heavy chain. Coexpression with the Ab light chain that
      conveys specificity for the synthetic antigen phosphocholine was achieved in
      plasmacytoma cells. Metal- and antigen-binding domains of the Ab-metallothionein
      hybrid function with normal avidity and specificity. Ab-metallothionein can be
      efficiently loaded with 99mTc and used to specifically bind phosphocholine
      haptenated cells in vitro or to localize plasma-cell ascites tumors in mice. The
      approach offers potential advantages for producing radiolabeled Ab for targeted
      radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging.

PMID- 1409694
TI  - Metal-binding chimeric antibodies expressed in Escherichia coli.
AB  - Metallothionein, a well-characterized biological chelator of metals, has been
      genetically fused to the binding domain of an antibody and expressed in the
      periplasm of Escherichia coli. Specific delivery of 109Cd to immobilized hapten
      or to haptenated cells was demonstrated directly in periplasmic extracts. This
      approach is potentially useful for targeted radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging.
      We find six to seven atoms of metal per active antigen-combining site. Absence of
      the Fc portion of the immunoglobulin along with low immunogenicity of
      metallothionein-metal complexes should reduce immunologic reactions.

PMID- 1409695
TI  - A broad molecular phylogeny of ciliates: identification of major evolutionary
      trends and radiations within the phylum.
AB  - The cellular architecture of ciliates is one of the most complex known within
      eukaryotes. Detailed systematic schemes have thus been constructed through
      extensive comparative morphological and ultrastructural analysis of the ciliature
      and of its internal cytoskeletal derivatives (the infraciliature), as well as of
      the architecture of the oral apparatus. In recent years, a consensus was reached
      in which the phylum was divided in eight classes as defined by Lynn and Corliss
      [Lynn, D. H. & Corliss, J. O. (1991) in Microscopic Anatomy of Invertebrates:
      Protozoa (Wiley-Liss, New York), Vol. 1, pp. 333-467]. By comparing partial
      sequences of the large subunit rRNA molecule, and by using both distance-matrix
      and maximum-parsimony-tree construction methods (checked by boot-strapping), we
      examine the phylogenetic relationships of 22 species belonging to seven of these
      eight classes. At low taxonomic levels, the traditional grouping of the species
      is generally confirmed. At higher taxonomic levels, the branching pattern of
      these seven classes is resolved in several deeply separated major branches.
      Surprisingly, the first emerging one contains the heterotrichs and is strongly
      associated with a karyorelictid but deeply separated from hypotrichs. The
      litostomes, the oligohymenophorans, and the hypotrichs separate later in a bush
      like topology hindering the resolution of their order of diversification. These
      results show a much more ancient origin of heterotrichs than was classically
      assumed, indicating that asymmetric, abundantly ciliated oral apparatuses do not
      correspond to "highly evolved" traits as previously thought. They also suggest
      the occurrence of a major radiative explosion in the evolutionary history of the
      ciliates, yielding five of the eight classes of the phylum. These classes appear
      to differ essentially according to the cytoskeletal architecture used to shape
      and sustain the cellular cortex (a process of essential adaptative and
      morphogenetic importance in ciliates).

PMID- 1409696
TI  - Molecular phylogenetic inference from saber-toothed cat fossils of Rancho La
      Brea.
AB  - A method for the successful extraction of sequestered cellular DNA from 14,000
      year-old fossil bones was developed and applied to asphalt-preserved specimens of
      the extinct saber-toothed cat, Smilodon fatalis. Two distinct gene segments, the
      mitochondrial gene for 12S rRNA and nuclear FLA-I (the feline class I major
      histocompatibility complex gene), from three different individual fossil
      specimens were cloned and sequenced after PCR amplification. Comparison of fossil
      derived DNA sequences to homologous regions in 15 living carnivorous species,
      including 9 species of Felidae and 6 nonfelids, affirmed the phylogenetic
      placement of Smilodon within the modern radiation of Felidae distinct from the
      Miocene paleofelid (Nimravidae) saber-toothed "cat" species. These results raise
      the prospect of obtaining genetically informative DNA from preserved bones of
      extinct fossil species, particularly among the 2 million specimens excavated from
      the asphaltic sediments at Rancho La Brea in metropolitan Los Angeles.

PMID- 1409697
TI  - Genetic analysis of the interaction between bacteriophage T7 DNA polymerase and
      Escherichia coli thioredoxin.
AB  - Gene 5 protein of bacteriophage T7 is a nonprocessive DNA polymerase. During
      infection of Escherichia coli, T7 annexes the host protein thioredoxin for use as
      a processivity factor for T7 DNA polymerase. We describe here a genetic method to
      investigate the interaction between T7 gene 5 protein and E. coli thioredoxin.
      The strategy is to use thioredoxin mutants that are unable to support the growth
      of wild-type T7 phage to select for T7 revertant phage that suppress the defect
      in thioredoxin. A thioredoxin mutation that replaces glycine at position 74 with
      aspartic acid fails to support the growth of wild-type T7. This mutation is
      suppressed by six different mutations within T7 gene 5, each of which results in
      a single amino acid substitution within gene 5 protein. Three of the suppressor
      mutations are located within the putative polymerization domain of gene 5
      protein, and three are located within the putative 3'-to-5' exonucleolytic
      domain. Each suppressor mutation alone is necessary and sufficient to confer the
      revertant phenotype.

PMID- 1409698
TI  - Establishment of a highly sensitive and specific exon-trapping system.
AB  - We have established a highly sensitive and specific exon-trapping system (SETS)
      with a specific plasmid vector in which an exon in a given DNA segment is
      identified by its ability to remain as a mature mRNA after splicing. The SETS
      provides us with the isolation of possible exons rapidly and easily from DNA
      fragments in chromosomal regions of more than 300 kilobase pairs. Genomic DNA
      fragments were partially digested and subsequently cloned into plasmid pMHC2, an
      exon-trapping vector we have constructed. These constructs were transfected into
      COS-7 cells, and consequent RNA transcripts were spliced in the cells. The
      resulting mature mRNA was harvested and amplified by using reverse transcription
      PCR. Possible exons can be recognized by the sizes of PCR products and cloned
      into a plasmid vector. The SETS provides a direct means of cloning exons from
      genomic DNA of more than 300 kilobase pairs within a short period of time. Using
      this system, we have screened 300-kilobase-pair genomic DNA segments derived from
      human chromosome 11q13. Human chromosome 11q13 may contain genes responsible for
      human cancers, because DNA amplification is observed in several malignant tumors.
      We have successfully identified exon 2 of the HST1 gene and additional
      transcribed sequences.

PMID- 1409699
TI  - Anti-tumor necrosis factor ameliorates joint disease in murine collagen-induced
      arthritis.
AB  - There is considerable evidence implicating tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF
      alpha) in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. This evidence is based not
      only on the universal presence of TNF-alpha in arthritic joints accompanied by
      the upregulation of TNF-alpha receptors but also on the effects of neutralizing
      TNF-alpha in joint cell cultures. Thus, neutralization of TNF-alpha in vitro
      results in inhibition of the production of interleukin 1, which like TNF-alpha,
      is believed to contribute to joint inflammation and erosion. To determine the
      validity of this concept in vivo, the effect of administering TNF-neutralizing
      antibodies to mice with collagen-induced arthritis has been studied. This disease
      model was chosen because of its many immunological and pathological similarities
      to human rheumatoid arthritis. TN3-19.12, a hamster IgG1 monoclonal antibody to
      murine TNF-alpha/beta, was injected i.p. into mice either before the onset of
      arthritis or after the establishment of clinical disease. Anti-TNF administered
      prior to disease onset significantly reduced paw swelling and histological
      severity of arthritis without reducing the incidence of arthritis or the level of
      circulating anti-type II collagen IgG. More relevant to human disease was the
      capacity of the antibody to reduce the clinical score, paw swelling, and the
      histological severity of disease even when injected after the onset of clinical
      arthritis. These results have implications for possible modes of therapy of human
      arthritis.

PMID- 1409701
TI  - The path of carbon in photosynthesis: improved crop yields with methanol.
AB  - Foliar sprays of aqueous 10-50% methanol increased growth and development of C3
      crop plants in arid environments. The effects of low levels (< 1 ml per plant) of
      methanol were observed for weeks after the brief time necessary for its rapid
      metabolism. Within several hours, foliar treatment with methanol resulted in
      increased turgidity. Plants treated with nutrient-supplemented methanol showed up
      to 100% increases in yields when maintained under direct sunlight in desert
      agriculture. In the shade and when winter crops were treated with methanol,
      plants showed no improvement of growth. When repeatedly treated with nutrient
      supplemented methanol, shaded plants showed symptoms of toxicity. Repeated
      methanol treatments with glycine caused increased turgidity and stimulated plant
      growth without injury under indirect sunlight, but indoors with artificial
      illumination, foliar damage developed after 48 hr. Addition of glycerophosphate
      to glycine/methanol solutions allowed treatment of artificially illuminated
      plants indoors without injury. Plants with C4 metabolism showed no increase in
      productivity by methanol treatment. Plants given many applications of aqueous
      methanol showed symptoms of nutrient deficiency. Supplementation with a source of
      nitrogen sustained growth, eliminating symptoms of deficiency. Adjustment of
      carbon/nitrogen ratios was undertaken in the field by decreasing the source of
      nitrogen in the final application, resulting in early maturation; concomitantly,
      irrigation requirements were reduced.

PMID- 1409700
TI  - Purification and characterization of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase
      from apple fruit.
AB  - 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) oxidase catalyzes the oxidation of ACC to
      ethylene. Following conventional column fractionation, the enzyme was purified
      180-fold to near homogeneity with a specific activity of 20 nmol/(mg.min). This
      purified enzyme preparation migrated as a single protein band with an apparent
      molecular mass of 35 kDa on SDS/PAGE and 39 kDa on gel filtration. As in vivo,
      the purified enzyme required CO2 for activity. Removal of CO2 from the reaction
      mixture completely abolished the enzyme activity, while 0.5% atmospheric CO2
      (0.15 mM in the medium) gave half-maximal activity. The purified enzyme displayed
      an absolute requirement for Fe2+ and ascorbate. The stoichiometry of the
      enzymatic reaction was determined: ACC + ascorbate + O2-->C2H4 + HCN + CO2 +
      dehydroascorbate + 2 H2O. A polyclonal antibody was raised against a synthetic
      tridecapeptide (PDLEEEYRKTMKE) whose sequence was deduced from the apple pAE12
      cDNA [Dong, J. G., Olson, D., Silverstone, A. & Yang, S. F. (1992) Plant Physiol.
      98, 1530-1531], which is homologous to tomato cDNAs encoding ACC oxidase. On a
      Western blot, this antibody specifically recognized the purified ACC oxidase
      protein. The amino acid composition of the purified enzyme agreed well with that
      deduced from the pAE12 sequence. When the protein was cleaved with CNBr and one
      of the peptide fragments was isolated and sequenced for 20 cycles, its sequence
      (KEFAVELEKLAEKLLDLLCE) precisely matched that predicted from pAE12 (residues 115
      134). When preclimacteric apple fruit was treated with ethylene, a parallel
      increase in in vivo and in vitro ACC oxidase activities was observed, and this
      increase was accompanied by a concomitant increase in the level of pAE12
      transcript. These observations support the conclusion that the isolated ACC
      oxidase protein is encoded by pAE12.

PMID- 1409702
TI  - Second-site revertants of an arginine-210 to lysine mutation in the a subunit of
      the F0F1-ATPase from Escherichia coli: implications for structure.
AB  - Arg-210 of the a subunit of the Escherichia coli F0F1-ATPase has been proposed
      previously as a component of the proton pore. A mutant in which lysine was
      substituted for Arg-210 was generated and was found to be unable to translocate
      protons. A plasmid carrying this mutation, along with wild-type genes encoding
      the c and b subunits, was unusual in that it failed to complement a chromosomal c
      subunit mutation on succinate minimal medium. Three revertants on succinate
      minimal medium contained plasmids that showed complementation with chromosomal c
      subunit but not with a-subunit mutations. One of these had a deletion in the a
      subunit. The other two were point mutations, resulting in the substitution of
      aspartic acid by Gly-53 and of arginine for Leu-211. The Gly-53 to aspartic acid
      change implied that Gly-53 and Arg-210 are normally in close proximity. To test
      this idea further, a series of mutants in which aspartic acid was placed in helix
      I at positions ranging from 42 to 57 was generated. Full complementation was
      regained only when the aspartic acid residue was present on the same side of a
      putative helix as Gly-53 over a span of three turns of the alpha-helix. These
      results and others suggest modifications of a previously proposed model for the
      transmembrane helices of the F0 portion of the F0F1-ATPase. The implications of
      these modifications for the mechanism of proton translocation are discussed.

PMID- 1409704
TI  - Displacement of BrdUrd-induced YY1 by serum response factor activates skeletal
      alpha-actin transcription in embryonic myoblasts.
AB  - Muscle-restricted transcription of the skeletal alpha-actin gene is controlled in
      part by a positive regulator, serum response factor (SRF), and a negative
      regulator, F-ACT1, which bind competitively to the most proximal serum response
      element (SRE1). We show here that F-ACT1 is identical to a transcription factor
      recently cloned and described as YY1, NF-E1, delta, or UCRBP. We found that
      although the DNA-binding activity of SRF accumulates during myogenesis, that of
      YY1 diminishes simultaneously. Myoblasts rendered incapable of differentiation by
      BrdUrd treatment exhibited the highest level of YY1 and the lowest level of SRF
      activities. Transfected SRF could directly transactivate the skeletal alpha-actin
      promoter by overcoming the inhibitory effect of BrdUrd-induced YY1. The
      transactivation depends on intact SRE DNA elements and requires the DNA
      binding/dimerization domain of SRF as well as its C-terminal half rich in serines
      and threonines. Since the functions of YY1 and SRF appear to be developmentally
      regulated, the convergence of their binding sites upon the SRE constitutes an
      integrated mechanism whereby temporal and spatial muscle gene expression may be
      accomplished.

PMID- 1409703
TI  - Two members of a widely expressed subfamily of hormone-stimulated adenylyl
      cyclases.
AB  - cDNA encoding a hormone- and guanine nucleotide-stimulated adenylyl cyclase [ATP
      pyrophosphate-lyase (cyclizing), EC 4.6.1.1] (type 6) from rat liver and kidney
      has been cloned and expressed. This enzyme is stimulated by forskolin, guanosine
      5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate, and isoproterenol plus GTP but is not stimulated by
      beta gamma subunits of guanine nucleotide-binding proteins. A second form (type
      5), which is 75% similar to type 6, has also been cloned. Both types 5 and 6
      cDNAs have multiple messages. PCR-based detection of the mRNA for the type 5 and
      6 enzymes indicates that both are widely distributed. Homology analyses indicate
      at least four distinct subfamilies of guanine nucleotide stimulatory protein
      regulated adenylyl cyclases. Types 5 and 6 enzymes define one distinct subfamily
      of mammalian adenylyl cyclases. Diversity of one guanine nucleotide-binding
      protein-regulated effector may allow different modes of regulation of cell
      surface signal transmission.

PMID- 1409705
TI  - Isolation and sequence of a cDNA encoding the precursor of a bombesinlike peptide
      from brain and early embryos of Xenopus laevis.
AB  - A cDNA encoding the precursor of a bombesinlike peptide was isolated from brain
      of Xenopus laevis. The predicted end product resembles neuromedin B, which was
      originally isolated from mammalian spinal cord. The mRNA for this precursor was
      also present in gastrointestinal tract and in ovaries. Moreover, it could be
      detected in early embryos (stage 2 and stage 10) of X. laevis. These findings
      suggest novel roles for peptides of the bombesin family in oocyte maturation and
      early amphibian development.

PMID- 1409706
TI  - Ligation-anchored PCR: a simple amplification technique with single-sided
      specificity.
AB  - A simple, efficient, and sensitive technique has been developed for amplification
      of cDNAs encoding molecules with 5' regions of unknown sequence. In this ligation
      anchored PCR, T4 RNA ligase is used to covalently link an "anchor"
      oligonucleotide to first-strand cDNAs. These anchored cDNAs are then amplified by
      using one PCR primer specific for the anchor and another specific for a sequence
      within the molecule of interest. The anchor oligonucleotide has been especially
      designed to facilitate subsequent analysis and cloning of the resultant PCR
      products. This three-stage procedure does not require purification of product
      between steps and avoids many of the technical difficulties associated with
      established anchored PCR protocols. The efficacy of ligation-anchored PCR was
      demonstrated by amplification of a specific IgG1 cDNA; total RNA equivalent to as
      few as 100 cells yielded the expected PCR product.

PMID- 1409707
TI  - Growth hormone induces multiplication of the slowly cycling germinal cells of the
      rat tibial growth plate.
AB  - To study the effect of locally infused growth hormone (GH) or insulin-like growth
      factor I(IGF-I) on slowly cycling cells in the germinal cell layer of the tibial
      growth plate, osmotic minipumps delivering 14.3 microCi of [3H]thymidine per day
      were implanted s.c. into hypophysectomized rats, and GH (1 microgram) or IGF-I
      (10 micrograms) was injected daily through a cannula implanted in the proximal
      tibia. The opposite leg served as a control. After 12 days of treatment, the
      osmotic minipumps were removed, and three rats in each group were given GH (20
      micrograms/day, s.c.) for an additional 14 days to chase the labeled cells out of
      the proliferative layers. Labeled cells remained in the germinal layer, in the
      perichondrial ring, and on the surface of the articular cartilage close to the
      epiphyseal plate. GH administered together with labeled thymidine significantly
      increased the number of labeled cells in the germinal cell layer compared to that
      in the control leg (ratio = 1.95 +/- 0.13), whereas IGF-I showed no stimulatory
      effect (ratio = 0.96 +/- 0.04). Therefore GH but not IGF-I stimulates the
      multiplication of the slowly cycling (label-retaining) cells in the germinal
      layer of the epiphyseal plate. IGF-I acts only on the proliferation of the
      resulting chondrocytes.

PMID- 1409709
TI  - Glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies in preclinical insulin-dependent
      diabetes.
AB  - Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is associated with serum antibodies
      that precipitate a 64-kDa pancreatic islet cell protein reported to be glutamic
      acid decarboxylase (GAD; glutamate decarboxylase, EC 4.1.1.15). Previously,
      antibodies to GAD were found in the rare neurological disorder stiff man
      syndrome. To demonstrate directly antibodies to GAD, enzymatically active GAD was
      first purified from fresh human cerebellum. Brain GAD activity was precipitated
      by noninhibitory antibodies in the sera of 16/26 (62%) subjects defined as having
      preclinical IDDM (islet cell antibody-positive first-degree relatives of a person
      with IDDM), 3/13 (23%) with recent-onset IDDM, and 3/3 with the stiff man
      syndrome. In addition, sera of 5/26 (19%) preclinical and 2/13 (15%) recent-onset
      IDDM subjects contained antibodies that precipitated GAD but inhibited its
      activity. Thus, overall, 21/26 (81%) preclinical and 5/13 (38%) recent-onset IDDM
      subjects had antibodies that precipitated GAD activity. Antibodies to GAD were
      not detected in sera from subjects with other autoimmune diseases (n = 29) or
      healthy controls (n = 14). GAD affinity-purified to homogeneity (specific
      activity, 58 units/mg) was specifically immunoprecipitated as a single 60-kDa
      species by the IDDM sera. In an ELISA incorporating whole mouse brain GAD
      captured by the GAD-6 monoclonal antibody the frequencies of GAD antibodies for
      all subject groups were indistinguishable from those found by precipitation of
      human brain enzymatic activity. We conclude that (i) GAD is an (auto)antigen in a
      majority of subjects operationally defined as having preclinical IDDM, (ii)
      pancreatic islet and brain GAD are likely to be cross-reactive, and (iii) the
      majority of GAD antibodies are directed away from the catalytic site of the brain
      enzyme. The lower frequency of GAD antibodies in recent-onset IDDM subjects
      indicates either that immunoreactivity is lost with near-total beta-cell
      destruction or that GAD antibodies denote a low risk of progression to clinical
      disease.

PMID- 1409708
TI  - Roles of selection and recombination in the evolution of type I restriction
      modification systems in enterobacteria.
AB  - Restriction-modification systems can protect bacteria against viral infection.
      Sequences of the hsdM gene, encoding one of the three subunits of type I
      restriction-modification systems, have been determined for four strains of
      enterobacteria. Comparison with the known sequences of EcoK and EcoR124 indicates
      that all are homologous, though they fall into three families (exemplified by
      EcoK, EcoA, and EcoR124), the first two of which are apparently allelic. The
      extent of amino acid sequence identity between EcoK and EcoA is so low that the
      genes encoding them might be better termed pseudoalleles; this almost certainly
      reflects genetic exchange among highly divergent species. Within the EcoK family
      the ratio of intra- to interspecific divergence is very high. The extent of
      divergence between the genes from Escherichia coli K-12 and Salmonella
      typhimurium LT2 is similar to that for other genes with the same level of codon
      usage bias. In contrast, intraspecific divergence (between E. coli strains B and
      K-12) is extremely high and may reflect the action of frequency-dependent
      selection mediated by bacteriophages. There is also evidence of lateral transfer
      of a short sequence between E. coli and S. typhimurium.

PMID- 1409710
TI  - von Willebrand disease type B: a missense mutation selectively abolishes
      ristocetin-induced von Willebrand factor binding to platelet glycoprotein Ib.
AB  - von Willebrand factor (vWF) is a multimeric glycoprotein that mediates the
      adhesion of platelets to the subendothelium by binding to platelet glycoprotein
      Ib. For human vWF, this interaction can be induced in vitro by the antibiotic
      ristocetin or the snake venom protein botrocetin. A missense mutation, Gly-561-
      >Ser, was identified within the proposed glycoprotein Ib binding domain of vWF in
      the proband with von Willebrand disease type B, a unique variant characterized by
      no ristocetin-induced, but normal botrocetin-induced, binding to glycoprotein Ib.
      The corresponding mutant recombinant protein, rvWF(G561S), formed normal
      multimers and exhibited the same functional defect as the patient's plasma vWF,
      confirming that this mutation causes von Willebrand disease type B. These data
      show that botrocetin and ristocetin cofactor activities of vWF can be dissociated
      by a point mutation and confirm that these mediators promote vWF binding to
      platelets by different mechanisms. The normal botrocetin-induced binding and the
      defective ristocetin-induced binding of rvWF(G561S) suggest that the primary
      defect in von Willebrand disease type B may be a failure of normal allosteric
      regulation of the glycoprotein Ib binding function of vWF.

PMID- 1409712
TI  - Growing tips of type I collagen fibrils formed in vitro are near-paraboloidal in
      shape, implying a reciprocal relationship between accretion and diameter.
AB  - Collagen fibrils generated in vitro at 37 degrees C by enzymic removal of C
      terminal propeptides from type I pC-collagen (an intermediate in the normal
      processing of type I procollagen to collagen containing the C-terminal
      propeptides but not the N-terminal propeptides) display shape polarity, with one
      tip fine tapered and the other coarse tapered. Mass measurements by scanning
      transmission electron microscopy show that the mass per unit length along both
      kinds of tip increases roughly linearly over distances of approximately 100 D
      periods from the fibril end [D (axial periodicity) = 67 nm]. The fine tips of
      fibrils of widely differing lengths exhibit near-identical mass distributions,
      the mass in all cases increasing at the rate of approximately 17 molecules per D
      period, irrespective of fibril length. Coarse tips display less regular behavior.
      These results show that (i) the shape of a fine tip is not conical but resembles
      more closely a paraboloid of revolution, and (ii) for this shape to be maintained
      throughout growth, accretion (rate of mass uptake per unit area) cannot
      everywhere be the same on the surface of the tip but must decrease as the
      diameter increases. To a first approximation, accretion alpha (diameter)-1.

PMID- 1409711
TI  - Membrane and synaptic properties of developing lateral geniculate nucleus neurons
      during retinogeniculate axon segregation.
AB  - During the first postnatal month in the ferret (Mustela putorius furo), the
      projections from the retina to the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) become
      segregated into eye-specific layers and ON and OFF sublayers, a process that is
      thought to depend in part on neuronal activity. Remarkably, virtually nothing is
      known about the physiological features of LGN neurons during this period. We have
      recorded intracellularly from 46 A-layer neurons in slices of the ferret LGN
      between the ages of postnatal days 7 and 33. The passive membrane properties and
      current-voltage relationships of the developing neurons were similar in many,
      though not all, respects to those of adult LGN neurons. Action potentials in
      younger animals were smaller in amplitude and longer in duration than in older
      animals, but cells at all ages were capable of producing spike trains whose
      latency and spike number varied with stimulus intensity. In addition, cells at
      all ages responded with low-threshold potentials upon release from
      hyperpolarization. Slightly more than half of the LGN neurons responded to optic
      tract stimulation with excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs), inhibitory
      postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs), or EPSP-IPSP pairs, beginning with the youngest
      ages. Thus, as early as the second postnatal week, and much before the onset of
      pattern vision, LGN neurons have many of the membrane and synaptic properties of
      adult thalamic neurons. These data are consistent with LGN cells playing a
      significant role in activity-dependent reshaping of the retinogeniculate pathway.

PMID- 1409713
TI  - Helical model of nucleation and propagation to account for the growth of type I
      collagen fibrils from symmetrical pointed tips: a special example of self
      assembly of rod-like monomers.
AB  - A model was developed to account for the recent observations indicating that type
      I collagen fibrils assembled in vivo grow from symmetrical pointed tips. The
      essential features of the model are (i) a distinctive structural nucleus forms at
      each end of a growing fibril and growth of the fibril then proceeds by
      propagation of the two structural nuclei, (ii) the two structural nuclei have
      similar spiral or helical conformations, and (iii) assembly of each structural
      nucleus requires two kinds of specific binding steps defined as 3.4 D-period and
      0.4 D-period overlaps, but propagation of the nucleus requires only the 3.4 D
      period binding step.

PMID- 1409714
TI  - Genetically engineered rice resistant to rice stripe virus, an insect-transmitted
      virus.
AB  - The coat protein (CP) gene of rice stripe virus was introduced into two japonica
      varieties of rice by electroporation of protoplasts. The resultant transgenic
      plants expressed the CP at high levels (up to 0.5% of total soluble protein) and
      exhibited a significant level of resistance to virus infection. Plants derived
      from selfed progeny of the primary transformants also expressed the CP and showed
      viral resistance, indicating stable transmission of the CP gene and the trait of
      resistance to the next generation. Moreover, the virally encoded strip disease
      specific protein was not detected in transgenic plants expressing CP 8 weeks
      after inoculation, indicating protection before viral multiplication. These
      studies demonstrated that CP-mediated resistance to virus infection can be
      extended to cereals and to the viruses transmitted by an insect vector
      (planthopper).

PMID- 1409715
TI  - Inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication in human T cells by
      retroviral-mediated gene transfer of a dominant-negative Rev trans-activator.
AB  - Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is the causative agent of the
      acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Currently, no satisfactory treatment
      for this viral disease is available. Somatic gene therapy has been proposed as an
      alternative to conventional therapies. Several antiviral gene therapy approaches
      including ribozymes, antisense inhibition, and RNA-decoy strategies, as well as
      dominant-negative mutants of HIV-1 proteins (Gag, Tat, and Rev) have been
      suggested. To prove the concept of trans-dominant inhibition of HIV-1
      replication, we transduced CEM cells with a retroviral vector encoding a dominant
      negative rev gene. Amplification of integrase-specific proviral sequences from
      high molecular weight DNA indicated successful HIV-1 human T-lymphotropic virus
      type IIIB (HTLV-IIIB) infection of all cells. In contrast to CEM cells and CEM
      cells expressing the rev wild-type (wt) gene, infection of two CEM-RevM10 clones
      with HIV-1 did not result in the release of significant levels of p24 Gag antigen
      as measured by antigen capture assay, indicating a block in HIV-1 replication due
      to the presence of the trans-dominant Rev protein. Furthermore, the parental CEM
      cells as well as CEM cells expressing the Rev wt protein were effectively killed
      in the course of the HIV-1 infection, whereas all CEM cells expressing the RevM10
      protein were unaffected in their growth rate.

PMID- 1409716
TI  - A 105-kDa protein is required for yeast mitochondrial RNase P activity.
AB  - RNase P from the mitochondria of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was purified to near
      homogeneity > 1800-fold with a yield of 1.6% from mitochondrial extracts. The
      most abundant protein in the purified fractions is, at 105 kDa, considerably
      larger than the 14-kDa bacterial RNase P protein subunits. Oligonucleotides
      designed from the amino-terminal sequence of the 105-kDa protein were used to
      identify and isolate the 105-kDa protein-encoding gene. Strains carrying a
      disruption of the gene for the 105-kDa protein are viable but respiratory
      deficient and accumulate mitochondrial tRNA precursors with 5' extensions. As
      this is the second gene known to be necessary for yeast mitochondrial RNase P
      activity, we have named it RPM2 (for RNase P mitochondrial).

PMID- 1409717
TI  - A protein methyltransferase specific for altered aspartyl residues is important
      in Escherichia coli stationary-phase survival and heat-shock resistance.
AB  - Proteins are subject to spontaneous degradation reactions including the
      deamidation, isomerization, and racemization of asparaginyl and aspartyl
      residues. A major product of these reactions, the L-isoaspartyl residue, is
      recognized with high affinity by the protein-L-isoaspartate(D-aspartate) O
      methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.77). This enzyme catalyzes the methyl esterification
      of the L-isoaspartyl residue in a reaction that can initiate its conversion to
      the normal aspartyl configuration. To directly study the physiological role of
      this methyltransferase, especially with respect to the potential repair of
      isomerized aspartyl residues in aging proteins, we examined the ability of the
      bacterium Escherichia coli to survive in the absence of its activity. We utilized
      gene disruption techniques to replace the chromosomal copy of the pcm gene that
      encodes the methyltransferase with a kanamycin-resistance cassette to produce
      mutants that have no detectable L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase activity.
      Although no changes in exponential-phase growth were observed, pcm- mutants did
      not survive well upon extended culture into stationary phase or upon heat
      challenge at 55 degrees C. These results provide genetic evidence for a role of
      the L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase in the metabolism of altered proteins that
      can accumulate in aging cells and limit their viability.

PMID- 1409718
TI  - Growth-regulated expression of D-type cyclin genes in human diploid fibroblasts.
AB  - The human CCND1 cyclin D1/PRAD1 gene was previously identified by a genetic
      screen for G1 cyclin function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and also was identified
      as the putative BCL1 oncogene. However, its role in human cell proliferation is
      not known. To determine if expression of human D-type cyclin genes correlates
      with the state of cell growth, we examined the level of mRNAs for CCND1 and a
      related gene, CCND3, in normal human diploid fibroblasts (HDF). The levels of
      both mRNAs decrease upon serum depletion or at high cell densities. Following
      stimulation of quiescent fibroblasts with serum, the mRNA levels increase
      gradually to a peak at about 12 hr, prior to the onset of S phase. Induction of
      cyclin gene expression by serum is reduced concomitantly with the decline in FOS
      induction in aging HDFs, suggesting a possible relationship to the decrease in
      the proliferative response to mitogens during cellular senescence. Cycloheximide
      partially blocks the induction of CCND1 and CCND3 gene expression by serum,
      suggesting that both de novo protein synthesis-dependent and -independent
      pathways contribute to induction. Treatment of HDFs with defined growth factors
      suggests a correlation between CCND mRNA induction and DNA synthesis. However,
      induction of these genes is not sufficient for the transition from quiescence
      through G1 into S phase.

PMID- 1409719
TI  - Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin 3 mRNAs in the peripheral
      target fields of developing inner ear ganglia.
AB  - In situ hybridization was used to study the site and timing of the expression of
      nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin
      3 (NT-3), and neurotrophin 5 (NT-5) mRNAs in the developing inner ear of the rat.
      In the sensory epithelia, the levels of NGF and NT-5 mRNAs were below the
      detection limit. NT-3 and BDNF mRNAs were expressed in the otic vesicle in
      overlapping but also in distinct regions. Later in development, NT-3 transcripts
      were localized to the differentiating sensory and supporting cells of the
      auditory organ and vestibular maculae. In these sensory epithelia, the intensity
      of NT-3 mRNA expression decreased in parallel with maturation. The expression of
      BDNF mRNA was restricted to the sensory cells of both the auditory and vestibular
      organs, including ampullary cristae. In bioassays, BDNF and NT-3, but not NGF, at
      physiological concentrations induced neurite outgrowth from the statoacoustic
      ganglion explants. These results demonstrate that NT-3 and BDNF, rather than NGF
      and NT-5, are the primary neurotrophins present in the target fields of the
      cochlear and vestibular neurons. Expression of NT-3 and BDNF mRNAs in the otic
      vesicle before and during the ingrowth of neurites from the statoacoustic
      ganglion suggests that NT-3 or BDNF or both may serve as chemoattractants for the
      early nerve fibers. The results also suggest that these neurotrophins have a role
      in later development of the cochlear and vestibular neurons.

PMID- 1409720
TI  - Different missense mutations at the tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase gene
      locus in autosomal recessively inherited forms of mild and severe
      hypophosphatasia.
AB  - Hypophosphatasia is a heritable form of rickets/osteomalacia with extremely
      variable clinical expression. Severe forms are inherited in an autosomal
      recessive fashion; the mode of transmission of mild forms is uncertain. The
      biochemical hallmark of hypophosphatasia is deficient activity of the tissue
      nonspecific isozyme of alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP). Previously, we demonstrated
      in one inbred infant that an identical missense mutation in both alleles of the
      gene encoding TNSALP caused lethal disease. We have now examined TNSALP cDNAs
      from four unrelated patients with the severe perinatal or infantile forms of
      hypophosphatasia. Each of the eight TNSALP alleles from these four individuals
      contains a different point mutation that causes an amino acid substitution. These
      base changes were not detected in at least 63 normal individuals and, thus,
      appear to be causes of hypophosphatasia in the four patients. (Two additional
      base substitutions, found in one allele from each of the four patients, are
      linked polymorphisms.) Twenty-three unrelated patients (of 50 screened), who
      reflect the entire clinical spectrum of hypophosphatasia, possess one of our of
      the above eight mutations. In two of these additional patients, mild forms of the
      disease are also inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion. Our findings
      indicate that hypophosphatasia can be caused by a number of different missense
      mutations and that the specific interactions of different TNSALP mutant alleles
      are probably important for determining clinical expression. Severe forms,
      perinatal and infantile disease, are largely the result of compound
      heterozygosity for different hypophosphatasia alleles. At least some cases of
      childhood and adult hypophosphatasia are inherited as autosomal recessive traits.

PMID- 1409721
TI  - Targeting of the T-cell receptor zeta-chain gene in embryonic stem cells:
      strategies for generating multiple mutations in a single gene.
AB  - The T-cell receptor zeta chain is a member of a family of related proteins that
      play a critical role in coupling cell-surface receptors to intracellular
      signaling pathways. To study the role of zeta chain in T-cell ontogeny, we
      generated targeted mutations of the zeta-chain gene in murine embryonic stem
      cells. The mutant alleles are predicted to result either in a null phenotype or
      in the synthesis of a truncated protein capable of supporting T-cell-receptor
      surface expression but deficient in transmembrane signaling. Both of these
      targeting events were recovered in a single electroporation experiment with
      either coelectroporation or a combination deletion/truncation construct. Our
      results suggest that similar approaches could be used to generate multiple single
      mutations, modifications of more than one site within a gene, or subtle
      alterations that rely upon coconversion with the selectable marker gene.

PMID- 1409722
TI  - A phorbol ester response element within the human T-cell receptor beta-chain
      enhancer.
AB  - The activity of the T-cell receptor beta-chain gene enhancer is increased by
      activators of the protein kinase C pathway during T-cell activation. Analysis of
      mutant enhancer constructs identified two elements, beta E2 and beta E3,
      conferring phorbol ester inducibility. Multimerized beta E2 acted in isolation as
      a phorbol ester-responsive element. Both beta E2 and beta E3, which contain a
      consensus Ets-binding site, were shown to bind directly to the product of the c
      ets-1 protooncogene. Both regions also bound a second factor, core-binding
      factor. Mutation of the beta E2 Ets site abolished the inducibility of the beta
      E2 multimer. beta E2 and beta E3 Ets site mutations also profoundly affected
      activity and inducibility of the enhancer. In contrast, enhancer activity but not
      its inducibility was affected by mutation of the beta E2 core-binding factor
      site. Cotransfection studies showed that Ets-1 specifically repressed activity of
      the multimerized beta E2 element and the complete T-cell receptor beta-chain
      enhancer. These data show that the T-cell receptor beta-chain enhancer responds
      to protein kinase C-mediated activation signals via a functional domain, composed
      of two elements, which contains binding sites for Ets transcription factors and
      which is negatively regulated by Ets-1.

PMID- 1409723
TI  - Selective disruption of growth hormone transcription machinery by viral
      infection.
AB  - Viruses that establish persistent infections may show selective and unique
      effects on the host's transcriptional machinery. Lymphocytic choriomeningitis
      virus (LCMV), a noncytolytic virus, can persistently infect a rat pituitary cell
      line. Although the infected cells remain free of structural damage, virus
      markedly interferes with growth hormone (GH) but only minimally interferes with
      prolactin transcription. The study of GH promoter-chloramphenicol
      acetyltransferase-transfected cells and GH promoter deletion mutants demonstrates
      that the viral effect is at the level of GH promoter and is due to interference
      with GH transactivator factor GHF1 (Pit1). Treatment of LCMV-infected cells with
      the antiviral agent ribavirin cures the infection and restores normal GH mRNA
      levels. These results illustrate a molecular mechanism by which a virus infection
      can disrupt synthesis of a cell's differentiated product without perturbing vital
      cellular functions.

PMID- 1409724
TI  - Leishmania infections damage the feeding mechanism of the sandfly vector and
      implement parasite transmission by bite.
AB  - Leishmania parasites are transmitted by the bites of infected female sandflies by
      a mechanism that has not been clarified. Leishmania infections in the vector
      develop only in the gut, and the parasites' exit is through the food channel in
      the proboscis. The problem is how during the bite, when blood flows in, parasites
      are emitted through the same channel in the opposite direction. It is well
      documented that infected sandflies maintained on sugar diets are potent vectors,
      whereas transmission fails after constant feeding on blood. Hence to study the
      mechanism of transmission, we fed these diets to Phlebotomus papatasi infected
      with L. major. Histological examination demonstrated that only in the sugar-fed
      flies did the cuticle lining of the cardiac valve detach and other valve tissues
      degenerate gradually. The injury of the main valve of the food pumps hindered
      gorging of most flies when force-fed from capillaries, and they regurgitated the
      gut contents with fluids from the capillaries. We suggest that infections are
      caused by parasites regurgitated from the stomach that are deposited in the host
      tissue. We found that secretion of chitinolytic enzymes by cultured L. major
      parasites is inhibited by blood or hemoglobin, and hence these enzymes are
      apparently absent from the blood-fed infected flies, where the cardiac valve
      appears undamaged. We therefore presume that lysis of the chitin in the cuticle
      lining of the valve leads to exposure and degeneration of the underlying tissues.

PMID- 1409725
TI  - Progesterone modulates a neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.
AB  - The major brain nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is assembled from two subunits
      termed alpha 4 and n alpha 1. When expressed in Xenopus oocytes, these subunits
      reconstitute a functional acetylcholine receptor that is inhibited by
      progesterone levels similar to those found in serum. In this report, we show that
      the steroid interacts with a site located on the extracellular part of the
      protein, thus confirming that inhibition by progesterone is not due to a
      nonspecific perturbation of the membrane bilayer or to the activation of second
      messengers. Because inhibition by progesterone does not require the presence of
      agonist, is voltage-independent, and does not alter receptor desensitization, we
      conclude that the steroid is not an open channel blocker. In addition, we show
      that progesterone is not a competitive inhibitor but may interact with the
      acetylcholine binding site and that its effect is independent of the ionic
      permeability of the receptor.

PMID- 1409726
TI  - Paradoxical increase in striatal neuropeptide gene expression following ischemic
      lesions of the cerebral cortex.
AB  - Ischemic lesions of the cerebral cortex occur frequently in humans as a result of
      stroke. One major consequence of the death of cortical neurons is the loss of
      excitatory cortical projections to subcortical regions. Little is known, however,
      about the transsynaptic effect of such lesions on neurotransmitter expression in
      subcortical structures. We have examined the effects of ischemic cortical lesions
      on the peptidergic neurotransmitters enkephalin and tachykinins in the striatum,
      a brain region massively innervated by glutamatergic cortical inputs. The levels
      of enkephalin and tachykinin mRNAs increased in the striatum of adult rats after
      thermocoagulation of pial vessels. The effects were more pronounced in the
      striatal region most heavily innervated by the lesioned cortex but were also
      observed in other striatal regions and on the contralateral side. Increased gene
      expression was accompanied by increased immunoreactivity for the two peptides.
      Elevated levels of enkephalin mRNA were observed up to 3 months after surgery in
      the ipsilateral striatum. Whereas results of previous studies of acute cortical
      ablations suggested that excitatory corticostriatal neurons were necessary to
      maintain normal peptide levels in striatal efferent neurons, the present data
      indicate that lesions of the same corticostriatal neurons secondary to local
      ischemia result in a paradoxical transsynaptic activation of neuropeptide
      synthesis in subcortical structures. This effect may play a role in the
      functional consequences of cortical strokes and progressive cortical atrophy in
      humans and may have critical bearing for their treatment and prognosis.

PMID- 1409727
TI  - Unsaturation of fatty acids in membrane lipids enhances tolerance of the
      cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC6803 to low-temperature photoinhibition.
AB  - Effect of the unsaturation of fatty acids in the glycerolipids of thylakoid
      membranes on low-temperature photoinhibition of photosynthesis was studied by
      mutation and transformation of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC6803. When
      grown at 34 degrees C, the wild type contained mono-, di-, and triunsaturated
      lipids; a mutant, designated Fad6, contained mono- and diunsaturated lipids; and
      a transformant of Fad6, with a disrupted gene for desaturation and designated
      Fad6/desA::Kmr, contained only monounsaturated lipids. Fad6/desA::Kmr was the
      most susceptible among these strains to low-temperature photoinhibition of
      photosynthesis, whereas Fad6 and the wild type were apparently indistinguishable
      in terms of sensitivity to photoinhibition. This result suggests that the
      presence of diunsaturated fatty acids is important in protecting against low
      temperature photoinhibition. The photoinhibition at room temperature, although
      much less significant than that at low temperature, was also affected by the
      unsaturation of fatty acids. By contrast, the photosynthetic transport of
      electrons, measured at various temperatures, was not affected by changes in
      extent of fatty acid unsaturation.

PMID- 1409728
TI  - Fetal Leydig cells: cellular origin, morphology, life span, and special
      functional features.
AB  - The Leydig cells, responsible for testicular androgen production, have two growth
      phases during the life-span of mammals. The fetal population appears during fetal
      life and is responsible for the androgen-induced differentiation of the male
      genitalia. The fetal Leydig cells disappear after birth, and the other
      population, the adult Leydig cells, appears during puberty and persists for the
      whole adult life. The fetal Leydig cells, evidently due to the intrauterine
      endocrine milieu and their special functional requirements in genital
      differentiation, differ both morphologically and functionally from the adult
      population. The purpose of this review is to elucidate the special features of
      the mammalian fetal Leydig cell population, which presents an intriguing
      experimental model for studies of function and regulation of steroidogenic cells.

PMID- 1409729
TI  - Vitamin A homeostasis endangered by environmental pollutants.
AB  - Normal vitamin A function depends on adequate stores of the vitamin, a finely
      regulated supply of the vitamin to target tissues, and an ability of cells to
      generate functionally active forms of the vitamin. Both endogenous and exogenous
      factors can adversely affect vitamin A homeostasis. Polyhalogenated aromatic
      hydrocarbons are ubiquitous environmental pollutants and cause severe
      disturbances in vitamin A metabolism, manifested by an accelerated metabolism and
      breakdown of vitamin A and its metabolites and a depletion of vitamin A from the
      body; this sequence of events accounts for the vitamin A deficiency-like symptoms
      associated with PHAH intoxication. The mechanism(s) responsible for these events
      most likely includes altered activities of enzymes that are either directly or
      indirectly involved in critical vitamin A metabolic pathways. Human populations
      that continue to be exposed to environmental pollutants, may accumulate critical
      levels of polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons and will be at risk for
      inadequate vitamin A function as well as for other health impairments that have
      been difficult to link to any specific causes. Therefore, it is important to
      seriously evaluate the similarities in physiological disturbances across species
      that have become apparent in studies with wildlife inhabiting polluted
      environments similar to ours; the relevance to human health is evident.

PMID- 1409730
TI  - C-receptor ligand blocks pulmonary clearance of atrial natriuretic peptide in
      isolated rat lungs.
AB  - Pulmonary clearance of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was measured by indicator
      dilution technique in isolated perfused rat lungs with and without ANP clearance
      receptor (C-receptor) blockade. Approximately 50% of a bolus injection of 125I
      ANP was removed during a single pass through the lungs compared with the
      intravascular marker 14C-dextran. Pulmonary clearance of 125I-ANP was suppressed
      in a dose-dependent fashion by unlabeled ANP. C-receptor blockade suppressed
      pulmonary clearance of 125I-ANP to the same degree as unlabeled ANP. High
      performance liquid chromatography analysis of the pulmonary venous effluent from
      lungs treated with C-receptor ligand demonstrated intact 125I-ANP. We conclude
      that virtually all of the pulmonary vascular uptake of 125I-ANP during a single
      pass through isolated lungs is secondary to removal by ANP C-receptors.

PMID- 1409731
TI  - Induction of pancreatic acinar pathology via inhalation of nicotine.
AB  - This study was conducted to determine the effects of nicotine inhalation on the
      onset, progression, and sequential development of pancreatic lesions. Male
      Sprague-Dawley rats in groups of five were exposed to saline or nicotine aerosol
      twice daily for 15, 30, 45, and 60 min for 21 days. After sacrifice, blood
      samples were analyzed for plasma levels of nicotine, glucose, gastrin, and
      cholecystokinin. Pancreatic tissues were examined for pathological lesions. While
      there were no significant differences in plasma levels of glucose, gastrin, and
      cholecystokinin in all groups, there was a steady increase in plasma levels of
      nicotine with increased exposures to nicotine. Histopathological examination of
      pancreatic tissue revealed definitive pancreatic injuries that also appeared to
      be directly correlated with increased duration of nicotine exposure. The
      pathological changes of the pancreas were confined only to acinar cells of the
      exocrine pancreas. Two main types of cellular changes were observed: cellular
      swelling/vacuolation and nuclear condensation/cellular pyknosis. Both of these
      changes indicated tissue injuries in the pancreas. Transformation of the
      glandular acini to solid masses of epithelial cells was also observed. The
      results from our present study strongly suggest that the exocrine pancreas is
      very sensitive and susceptible to nicotine toxicity. Our data further indicate
      that early morphological changes in the pancreas induced by nicotine may occur
      without functional or metabolic alterations; however, such changes could occur at
      a later stage, when tissue and cellular changes become more extensive.

PMID- 1409732
TI  - Actions of lipoxins A4 and B4 on signal transduction events in Friend
      erythroleukemia cells.
AB  - Earlier studies in our laboratory suggested a role for 15-lipoxygenase products
      of arachidonic acid, such as 15-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid and 15
      hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, in supporting proliferative events in Friend
      erythroleukemia cells. Because lipoxins are also products of the same
      lipoxygenase enzyme, we tested their actions on signal transduction events
      related to DNA synthesis. Lipoxins A4 and B4 (10 nM) significantly enhanced
      [3H]thymidine incorporation into Friend cells in the absence of fetal bovine
      serum without affecting cell differentiation or cell number. Lipoxin B4 increased
      the duration of time that cells spent in the S phase of the cell cycle, and also
      significantly enhanced protein kinase C activity in nuclei, whereas c-fos
      expression was unaffected by either of the lipoxins tested. The novel,
      intracellular actions of lipoxins A and B on Friend erythroleukemia cells
      documented in this study represent a unique spectrum of effects of lipoxins on
      signal transduction events as compared with other eicosanoids.

PMID- 1409733
TI  - Effects of calorie restriction on immunologic functions and development of
      autoimmune disease in NZB mice.
AB  - Chronic energy (calorie) intake restriction (CEIR) prolonged life, inhibited
      autoimmune disease, and influenced immunologic and hematologic parameters in NZB
      mice. Abnormalities in numbers and proportions of T and B cells populations were
      corrected. Deficient responses to phytomitogens, mixed lymphocyte reactions,
      formation of plaque-forming cells to sheep red blood cells in vitro, production
      of cytotoxic T lymphocytes after in vitro stimulation, and interleukin 2
      production were also corrected. CEIR prevented the extreme splenomegaly that
      normally occurs with age in NZB mice. This influence was associated with
      reduction of a greatly expanded non-T, non-B lymphoid cell population. Calorie
      restriction also prevented in NZB mice the rapid decrease in total numbers of
      colony-forming B cells in bone marrow that is also characteristic of mice of this
      strain. The influences of CEIR on immune parameters and hematopoiesis were
      generally less marked in non-autoimmune-prone DBA/2 mice than in autoimmune-prone
      NZB mice. CEIR has been shown to produce profound influences on several strains
      of autoimmune-prone mice (NZB x NZW)F1, MRL/lpr, BXSB, and NZB herein). In each
      of these strains, the pathogenesis and manifestations of autoimmune disease are
      dissimilar. Therefore, it seems likely that calorie restriction acts on an as yet
      elusive mechanism that operates to foster development of the diseases associated
      with aging common to each of these autoimmune strains as well as autoimmune
      resistant mice and rats. Further investigation of the molecular and cellular
      bases of the benefits of CEIR seems urgent.

PMID- 1409735
TI  - Inhibition by cocaine of the baroreflex in the rat.
AB  - Sprague-Dawley rats were fitted under pentobarbital anesthesia with a catheter in
      the caudal artery and their carotid arteries were exposed. The pressure signal
      from the caudal artery was treated on line by a microcomputer for continuous
      display of blood pressure and heart rate measurements. The animals were
      administered intraperitoneally either 50 mg/kg of cocaine or an equal volume of
      saline. Five minutes later, stimulation of the baroreflex was performed by
      bilateral clamping of the two carotids for a period of 2 min. The same maneuver
      was repeated at 12, 24, and 31 min. Analysis of variance for repeated measures
      indicated that before carotid artery clamping, there was no significant
      difference between blood pressure measurements of the saline- and cocaine-treated
      groups. A two-factor analysis of variance of the repeated measures of the maximal
      variation in systolic pressure after each clamping showed a significant
      difference between control and cocaine-administered groups (P < 0.001), with the
      former displaying a much greater increment in blood pressure after carotid
      clamping. Cocaine exerts an inhibitory effect on the baroreflex that may be
      mediated through the increased angiotension II caused by the alkaloid.

PMID- 1409734
TI  - Effect on vasopressin release of microinjection of cholinergic agonists into the
      rat supraoptic nucleus.
AB  - It is likely that central cholinergic pathways to the paraventricular and
      supraoptic nuclei participate in the control of vasopressin release. We have
      shown previously that this is due, in part, to activation of muscarinic, but not
      nicotinic, receptors in the paraventricular nucleus. There is, however, reason to
      believe that this cholinergic effect in the supraoptic nucleus may be the result
      of activation of nicotinic receptors. To test this possibility, we have studied
      in conscious unrestrained rats the effect of microinjection of muscarinic and
      nicotinic agonists into the supraoptic nucleus on vasopressin release, mean
      arterial blood pressure, and heart rate. Under ether anesthesia, a stainless
      steel guide cannula was placed in the supraoptic nucleus 5-7 days before the
      experiment, and femoral, arterial, and venous catheters were implanted 1 day
      before the experiment. Microinjection of nicotine into the supraoptic nucleus at
      doses of 1 and 10 micrograms resulted in transient increases in the plasma
      vasopressin concentration that were 7-fold and 11-fold greater, respectively,
      than control values at 3 min. There were also small transient increases in mean
      arterial blood pressure, but heart rate was unchanged. The microinjection of 2
      and 20 ng of oxotremorine, a muscarinic agonist, into the supraoptic nucleus had
      no effect on the plasma vasopressin concentration, mean arterial blood pressure,
      or heart rate. These doses of oxotremorine were previously shown to have potent
      stimulatory effects on vasopressin release when microinjected into the
      paraventricular nucleus. These findings suggest that the central cholinergic
      stimulation of vasopressin release is due, in part, to activation of muscarinic
      receptors in the paraventricular nucleus and nicotinic receptors in the
      supraoptic nucleus.

PMID- 1409736
TI  - The metabolism of human sex hormone-binding globulin in the rhesus monkey.
AB  - The metabolism of human sex hormone-binding globulin (hSHBG) was studied in eight
      female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) after the pulse injection of [125I]-hSHBG.
      hSHBG was iodinated with 125I using a chloramine T technique, and the [125I]
      hSHBG was separated from other constituents by molecular sieve chromatography
      with a Sephadex G-25 column. The [125I]-hSHBG was administered intravenously as a
      pulse in 2 ml of phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, to each of eight rhesus monkeys. Blood
      samples (2.0 ml) were obtained at 2, 4, 6, 8, 24, 30, 45, and 54 hr after the
      injection. The glycoproteins were precipitated with concanavalin A-Sepharose, and
      the radioactivity was measured. The concentration of radioactivity as fraction of
      dose/ml of serum was plotted on a semilog scale against time. The disappearance
      of radioactivity could be expressed best as the sum of two exponentials, with a
      mean +/- SE t1/2 of 2.5 +/- 0.4 and 33.1 +/- 3.7 hr, respectively. The initial
      volume of distribution was 461 +/- 78 ml and the metabolic clearance rate was 559
      +/- 66 ml/day. The very low clearance rate and prolonged t1/2 are compatible with
      a relative stability in the circulating mass of SHBG. Rapid changes in
      concentration of SHBG could be due to changes in serum volume, reversible changes
      in tissue distribution of SHBG, or the secretion of variable forms of
      desialylated SHBG.

PMID- 1409737
TI  - Growth hormone secretion, serum, and cerebral spinal fluid insulin and insulin
      like growth factor-I concentrations in pigs with streptozotocin-induced diabetes
      mellitus.
AB  - Diabetes mellitus was induced using streptozotocin in five gilts between 8 and 12
      weeks of age. Gilts were maintained with exogenous insulin (INS) except during
      experimental periods. Four litter-mate gilts served as controls. At 9 months of
      age, all gilts were ovariectomized, and 30 days after ovariectomy, Experiment
      (Exp) 1 was conducted. Jugular vein catheters were inserted and blood samples
      were collected every 10 min for 8 hr. Experiment 2 was conducted when gilts were
      11 months of age. Venous blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were
      collected in the absence (Phase I) or presence (Phase II) of INS therapy. In
      Experiment 1, plasma glucose concentrations were greater (P < 0.05) in diabetic
      (465 +/- 17 mg/100 ml) than in control (82 mg +/- 17 mg/100 ml) gilts, whereas
      serum INS was lower (P < 0.0001) in diabetic gilts (0.3 +/- 0.02 vs 0.9 +/- 0.05
      ng/ml) and insulin-like growth factor-I was similar in diabetic and control gilts
      (32 +/- 3 vs 43 +/- 4 ng/ml, respectively). Mean serum GH concentration was 2
      fold greater (P < 0.02) in diabetics (2.8 +/- 0.4 ng/ml) than in control gilts
      (1.2 +/- 0.2 ng/ml). Diabetic gilts exhibited a greater (P < 0.05) number of GH
      pulses than control gilts (3.2 +/- 0.4 vs 1.5 +/- 0.3/8 hr, respectively). In
      addition, GH pulse magnitude was markedly elevated (P < 0.02) in diabetic (5.8 +/
      0.4 ng/ml) compared with control gilts (3.3 +/- 0.6 ng/ml). Mean basal serum GH
      concentrations were greater (P < 0.07) in diabetic (2.2 +/- 0.5 ng/ml) compared
      with control gilts (1.0 +/- .1 ng/ml). In Experiment 2, CSF concentrations of
      insulin-like growth factor-I, INS, GH, and protein were similar for diabetic and
      control gilts in both phases. Serum GH levels were similar for diabetics and
      controls in Phase I, but were greater (P < 0.05) in diabetics than in controls in
      Phase II. CSF glucose levels were greater in diabetic than in control gilts in
      both the presence (P < 0.003) and absence (P < 0.0002) of INS therapy, whereas
      plasma glucose was greater (P < 0.003) in diabetic than in control gilts in the
      absence of INS, but returned to control concentrations in the presence of INS.
      However, serum GH levels were unchanged after INS therapy in the diabetic gilts.
      In conclusion, altered GH secretion in the diabetic gilt may, in part, be due to
      elevated CSF glucose concentrations, which may alter GH-releasing hormone and/or
      somatostatin secretion from the hypothalamus.

PMID- 1409738
TI  - The neurology of Alzheimer disease in Down syndrome.

PMID- 1409739
TI  - Down syndrome: differentiating mental retardation and dementia with brain imaging
      techniques.

PMID- 1409740
TI  - Down syndrome and Alzheimer disease.
AB  - The brains of individuals with Down's syndrome in their 40's and 50's begin to
      develop changes that are otherwise seen only in patients with Alzheimer disease.
      Neurons develop neurofibrillary tangles, flame-shaped alterations composed mainly
      of condensed cytoskeletal proteins. Another protein, beta/A4 amyloid, is
      deposited in large amounts in the form of senile plaques and, around blood
      vessels, amyloid angiopathy. With increasing age, Down syndrome individuals
      accumulate more and more of these changes. Different parts of the brain are
      affected to varying degrees by these two alterations. Surprisingly, the pattern
      of accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques is characteristic,
      and follows a predictable pattern. We have characterized this pattern in the
      hippocampal formation in a group of Down individuals, ages 13-71. Certain
      specific neurons such as those in layer II of entorhinal cortex and the
      CA1/subiculum field of the hippocampus are exquisitely vulnerable to tangle
      formation, and are the first neurons to be affected. Perhaps 20-30 years pass as
      the disease process evolves from mild to severe pathological changes. One
      hypothesis for why Down individuals would be predisposed to developing Alzheimer
      pathology is the observation that the gene that encodes the precursor of the
      amyloid protein is located on chromosome 21. An extra copy of this gene, such as
      occurs in Down syndrome, may lead to "overproduction" of amyloid, and ultimately
      to its accumulation as senile plaques. Experiments to test this hypothesis are
      now underway.

PMID- 1409741
TI  - Down syndrome as a key to the time sequence of brain changes in Alzheimer
      disease.

PMID- 1409742
TI  - Clinicopathologic features of Alzheimer disease in Down syndrome.

PMID- 1409744
TI  - Cellular aspects of Alzheimer neurofibrillary pathology.

PMID- 1409743
TI  - Amyloid precursor protein (APP) and beta A4 amyloid in Alzheimer's disease and
      Down syndrome.

PMID- 1409745
TI  - Mutations in APP and their role in beta-amyloid deposition.

PMID- 1409746
TI  - Genetic heterogeneity, Down syndrome, and Alzheimer disease.

PMID- 1409747
TI  - Neurodegeneration and gene dysregulation: studies utilizing the mouse trisomy 16
      model of Down syndrome.

PMID- 1409748
TI  - Animal models of the neuropathology observed in Alzheimer's disease and Down
      syndrome.

PMID- 1409749
TI  - Preliminary characterization of long-term reaggregating cultures of trisomy 16
      central nervous system.

PMID- 1409750
TI  - Alzheimer's disease-type brain abnormalities in animal models.

PMID- 1409751
TI  - Potential role of S100 beta in Alzheimer's disease: an hypothesis involving
      mitotic protein kinases.

PMID- 1409752
TI  - Longitudinal study of neuropsychological function in older adults with Down
      syndrome.

PMID- 1409753
TI  - Dementia in Down syndrome: methods of evaluation.

PMID- 1409754
TI  - Parallels between Down syndrome dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1409755
TI  - [The chemistry and biological activity the the genus Centaurea].

PMID- 1409756
TI  - [The therapeutic utilization of magnesium: medical consequences].
AB  - To optimize a pharmaceutical formulation, one has to take into account
      physicochemical, biopharmaceutical, therapeutical and technological properties of
      the active principle. These properties are investigated in the PREFORMULATION
      phase. The authors envisage dosage form (capsule) of magnesium and describe two
      aspects of the active principle: therapeutic and biopharmaceutic.

PMID- 1409757
TI  - Synthesis and pharmacological activity of imidazo [2,1-b] thiazole nitriles,
      amides and p-sulfamidophenylhydrazones.
AB  - The synthesis of three series of new imidazo [2,1-b] thiazoles (nitriles 1-7,
      amides 8-14 and p-sulfamidophenylhydrazones 15-24) is reported. Among the
      compounds tested, only 12 showed a borderline diuretic activity. Compounds 15-24,
      possible prodrugs of sulfanilamide, were devoid of antibacterial activity.

PMID- 1409758
TI  - In vitro deterioration of rhein anthraquinone in cecal content of rats.
AB  - The influence of the intestinal microbial reduction of rhein anthraquinone on the
      formation of deterioration products was studied. Therefore [14C]rhein and
      [14C]rhein anthrone were mixed with sterilized or non-sterilized cecal mass of
      rats and incubated for 20 hours at 37 degrees C. Extractions with a methanol
      water (50:50) mixture or 4-nitroso-N,N-dimethylaniline (0.1%) in pyridine
      revealed several radioactive derivatives after TLC and autoradiography, except in
      the case where the anthraquinone was mixed with sterilized cecal content. Gel
      permeation on a styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer column of an methanol/water
      extract of non-sterilized cecal content incubated with [14C]rhein, showed
      radioactive deterioration products with a molecular weight higher than rhein
      anthraquinone. The high molecular weight of some deterioration products was
      confirmed by an ultrafiltration study where the methanol/water extract was
      centrifuged on a Centricon-3 microconcentrator (nominal cutoff: 3000 MW). Aqueous
      extracts of non-sterilized cecal content incubated with rhein were extracted with
      chloroform to remove rhein anthraquinone, rhein anthrone and sennidins before
      being intracecally injected in rats. No laxative activity was found. Furthermore
      it was shown that the deterioration products which are probably formed through
      radical reactions, no longer develop a color with a solution of KOH. Therefore it
      is concluded that the reduction process of dihydroxy-anthraquinones in the gut
      microflora followed by an extraction, accounts for the loss of anthranoid
      equivalents in in vivo circumstances, as several times reported in the past.

PMID- 1409760
TI  - Monthly prostaglandin bibliography prepared by the University of Sheffield
      Biomedical Information Service.

PMID- 1409759
TI  - An improved gas chromatographic determination of valproic acid and valpromide in
      plasma.
AB  - A newly, improved analytical method for determination of valproic acid (VPA) and
      valpromide (VPD) in human plasma was developed. The method is based on gas
      chromatographic determination with flame ionization detection, after chloroform
      extraction of the drugs from plasma. Caprylic acid was used as an external
      standard. With the extraction procedure chosen, high recoveries for both VPA and
      VPD were achieved (98-102%), with correlation coefficient of 0.9998 for VPA and
      0.9996 for VPD. Sensitivity of the method was also high (2 ng or 2 mg/L), while
      the linearity was obtained over the range of 5-150 mg/L, with high correlation
      for both drugs (0.9997 and 0.9995 for VPA and VPD, respectively). Reproducibility
      of the method was documented with low values of coefficients of variation, both
      inter-assay and day-to-day values (1.4-4.4 and 1.7-3.7 for VPA and 2.1-5.0 and
      2.6-5.1 for VPD, respectively). The method has been used to follow VPA plasma
      levels in adult epileptic patients on sodium valproate therapy.

PMID- 1409761
TI  - Role of thymus-eicosanoids in the immune response.
AB  - The present review deals with the role(s) of thymus-eicosanoids in the immune
      response. It reports the production of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase
      metabolites of arachidonic acid by cells of the thymus microenvironment and the
      role(s) of these eicosanoids in the differentiation and the maturation of
      immature T-cells. The possibility that these products may be involved in
      tolerance to self is discussed. Briefly, it is likely that cells from the
      monocyte-macrophage lineage which constitute a part of the thymus
      microenvironment could contribute to the education of immature thymocytes by both
      presenting self-antigens and producing eicosanoids. Tolerance to self might
      result from PGE2-driven apoptosis and/or LTB4-induced generation of suppressor
      cells.

PMID- 1409762
TI  - Prostaglandin metabolism in relation to the bowel habits of women.
AB  - A relationship between the menstrual cycle, changes of bowel habits and
      concentrations of plasma prostaglandin (PG)E2, PGF2 alpha, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and
      thromboxane (TX)B2 in 3 groups of 8 women with different bowel habit were
      determined. The concentrations of PGE2, PGF2 alpha and TXB2 were significantly
      higher in the group who had bowel habits smoother than usual at menses compared
      to those who had experienced constipation throughout cycle or at menses. However,
      no differences between at mid-cycle and at menses were observed in the groups who
      had experienced constipation. These results suggest that constipation of young
      women is related to the inherited inability of patients to synthesize and secrete
      PGs in plasma and possibly in small intestine.

PMID- 1409763
TI  - GC/MS/MS quantification of 11-dehydrothromboxane B2 in human urine.
AB  - A fully validated stable isotope dilution method for rapid quantification of 11
      dehydrothromboxane B2 by gas chromatography/negative chemical ionization tandem
      mass spectrometry is reported. The interassay coefficient of variation was 1.3%.
      The relative recovery of synthetic, underivatized 11-dehydrothromboxane B2 added
      to urine was 84.6 +/- 2.5% (mean +/- SEM, N = 9). The equation of the regression
      plot correlating the amounts added and recovered was Y = 0.894X-0.23, with R =
      0.9963. The late introduction of the pentafluorobenzyl moiety at C11 afforded
      distinct advantages in the cleanup stage of the assay and during the GC/MS
      analysis as well. The pair of daughter fragments at m/z 345 and 349 of the parent
      fragment ions at m/z 615 and 619 were monitored. Excretion values of 11
      dehydrothromboxane B2 in 3 healthy male subjects were 975, 615 and 822 ng/24 h.
      Excretion was reduced to 751, 387 and 465 ng/24 h, respectively, after
      administration of a fish oil supplement (15 g/day) for 10 weeks.

PMID- 1409764
TI  - Effect of sodium and chloride depletion on urinary prostaglandin F2 alpha
      excretion in potassium loaded rats.
AB  - Previous studies have shown that the urinary excretion of prostaglandin (PG) F2
      alpha is stimulated by potassium (K) loading. Because changes of sodium chloride
      (NaCl) intake also affect renal PG production, in this study we investigated the
      interaction between the effect of K and that of concomitant reduction of Na and
      Cl intake. The urinary excretion of PGF2 alpha and PGE2 was measured in 12 groups
      of female rats on normal, high or low K intake. Na and Cl intake were adjusted so
      that rats had normal intake (controls, C), were selectively Cl depleted (CD),
      selectively Na depleted (ND) or Na and Cl depleted (NCD). In rats with normal K
      intake, urinary PGF2 alpha was not modified by changes of Na or Cl intake,
      whereas PGE2 was increased in by Cl depletion (in both NCD or CD groups).
      Potassium chloride loading increased urinary PGF2 alpha and selective Na
      depletion (ND group) induced a further increase. On the other hand, PGF2 alpha
      was not stimulated when K load was associated with Cl depletion. Urine PGF2 alpha
      was directly correlated with plasma aldosterone and urinary kallikrein. Urinary
      PGE2 did not change with K-loading. The results suggest that PGF2 alpha
      participates in the renal adaptation to KCl-loading but not when K is accompanied
      by non-Cl anions.

PMID- 1409765
TI  - A drug used in traditional medicine, harpagophytum procumbens: no evidence for
      NSAID-like effect on whole blood eicosanoid production in human.
AB  - Devil's Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens), an herbal product being marketed in
      Canada and in Europe as a home remedy for the relief of arthritic disease, was
      investigated in healthy humans on eicosanoid production during spontaneously
      blood clotting. Volunteers took H. procumbens (daily 4 capsules of 500 mg powder
      containing 3% of total glucoiridoids) for a period of 21 days. The following are
      the results (mean (SEM)): before H. procumbens intake, prostaglandin (PG)E2
      (ng/ml serum): 2.1 (0.4) (n = 25), thromboxane (TX)B2: 147 (27) (n = 25), 6-keto
      PGF1 alpha: 4.4 (0.7) (n = 13), leukotriene (LT)B4: 3.4 (0.4) (n = 25); after
      intake: PGE2: 3.2 (0.6), TXB2: 143 (24), 6-keto-PGF1 alpha: 4.2 (0.9), LTB4: 3.8
      (0.6). Each subject serving as her own control, no statistically significant
      differences were observed between before and after H. procumbens intake. These
      results indicate that Devil's Claw lacks, at least in healthy humans and under
      the selected conditions, the biochemical effects on arachidonic acid metabolism
      of antiarthritic drugs of the non-steroidal antiinflammatory type.

PMID- 1409766
TI  - Prostaglandin E2 and leukotriene C4 levels following different reperfusion
      periods in rat brain correlated with morphological changes.
AB  - Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and leukotriene C4 (LTC4) are the metabolites of
      arachidonic acid (AA) that increase in forebrain following global ischemia and
      reperfusion. These mediators are highly potent vasoconstrictors of cerebral
      arteries leading to enhanced vascular permeability that induces the formation of
      vasogenic edema. In this study, after developing an experimental animal model
      simulating the concept of ischemic penumbra in the rat, the levels of PGE2 and
      LTC4 produced in the forebrain were measured and the effects of these mediators
      in short duration and prolonged reperfusion were investigated and then correlated
      with neuropathological findings. We found statistically significant reduction
      both in PGE2 and LTC4-like activities after just 10 min ischemia (p less than
      0.05, p less than 0.05). PGE2-like activity significantly increased in the 4th
      and 60th min of reperfusion (p less than 0.05, p less than 0.05). In the 15th min
      of reperfusion, PGE2 was found to be significantly reduced (p less than 0.005)
      that may be due to the formation of free oxygen radicals by activation of PG
      hydroperoxidase reaction that inhibits PGE2 production in the cyclooxygenase
      pathway. LTs were not significantly increased in any reperfused group. Inhibition
      of the lipoxygenase pathway of AA metabolism may occur as a result of 15-HPETE
      (15-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid) production. Pathologically, edema and
      degeneration of brain tissue were seen beginning from the 4th min of reperfusion
      that reached a peak in the 60th min of reperfusion which is in accordance with
      biochemical changes in the damaged tissue.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409767
TI  - The effects of a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, AA-861, on PGI2-like substance
      production in guinea-pig lungs.
AB  - To determine the effects of AA-861 on PGI2 production in guinea-pig lungs, 3 g of
      guinea-pig lung was chopped in 4 ml of buffer (control group), in buffer with 4
      micrograms/ml indomethacin (indomethacin group) and in buffer with 2.5 x 10(-5)M
      AA-861 (AA-861 group). The chopped lungs were incubated for 30 min. 250
      microliters of incubation medium from each group was assessed before and after 3,
      5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 min of incubation. The incubation medium was centrifuged
      and the supernatant was tested for a PGI2-like substance (PGI2) by platelet
      aggregation inhibition. PGI2 was produced mainly during the initial 3-5 min of
      incubation and was decreased thereafter. PGI2 production was almost completely
      inhibited in the indomethacin group at all of the incubation times and was
      partially inhibited in the AA-861 group during the initial 3-5 minutes.
      Endogenous 5-lipoxygenase products generated in the early stages of incubation
      seem to be involved in PGI2 production in guinea-pig lungs.

PMID- 1409768
TI  - Histopathological evidence of protective action of garlic against collagen and
      arachidonic acid toxicity in rabbits.
AB  - Soluble rat tail tendon collagen produced respiratory distress, agitation,
      convulsions and finally death in rabbits when infused intravenously (i.v.) in
      lethal doses. Similar observations were noted when a lethal dose of arachidonic
      acid (unsaturated essential fatty acid) was infused. These agents caused
      thrombocytopenia, indicative of in vivo platelet aggregation, hypotension and
      increased levels of thromboxane (TX) B2 (a stable metabolite of TXA2) in the
      plasma. Histopathological examination of lung, heart and liver tissue indicated
      that the lungs and livers of treated animals were adversely affected, while heart
      tissues appeared to be normal. Histopathological examination of lung and liver
      tissues of animals pretreated with garlic, then treated with a lethal dose of
      collagen or arachidonic acid showed a significant reduction in the damage
      observed compared to animals not pretreated with garlic.

PMID- 1409769
TI  - Testosterone stimulates prostanoid production by rat vas deferens.
AB  - The rat isolated vas deferens produces and releases prostanoids into an
      incubation medium. Production of these substances from the exogenous precursor
      14C arachidonic acid was studied in prepubertal, pubertal and adult animals.
      Synthesis of prostaglandin F, prostaglandin E, prostaglandin D and thromboxane B2
      is lower in prepubertals arid increases significantly in pubertals, with no
      further modifications in adults. Castration of pubertals and adults dramatically
      reduces the production of all measured arachidonic acid metabolites but does not
      modify it in prepubertals. Replacement therapy with testosterone propionate
      significantly enhances prostanoid production in pubertal and adult castrated
      rats. Similar treatment on normal prepubertals also increases synthesis,
      indicating that androgens could be modulators of prostanoid synthesis in vas
      deferens. The lower effects obtained treating castrated adults with progesterone
      and with 17-beta estradiol suggest an action, at least partially specific for
      androgenic steroids. It is concluded that prostanoid production by the rat vas
      deferens from an exogenous precursor is closely related to the presence of
      androgens.

PMID- 1409770
TI  - The cumulative dose response effect of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid
      on blood pressure, plasma lipid profile and diet pattern in mild to moderate
      essential hypertensive black patients.
AB  - In this study eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were
      given in a cumulative manner, every 6 weeks, starting with 10 mg, then 100 mg,
      1000 mg and 10,000 mg EPA daily to mild to moderate essential hypertensive black
      patients. The corresponding DHA doses were 3, 33, 333 and 3333 mg. A control
      group was given olive oil as placebo for the entire 24 weeks. The placebo group
      had lower diastolic and systolic blood pressures after 24 weeks than the EPA and
      DHA group. No effect was seen on plasma triglycerides, cholesterol, HDL
      cholesterol and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase at any stage of the trial. In the
      EPA group plasma free-EPA increased significantly from 1000 mg onwards and plasma
      free-arachidonic acid (AA) decreased after 1000 mg EPA. No other plasma free
      essential fatty acid changed during the trial, although the HDL:cholesterol
      increased slightly but non-significantly with an increase in EPA and DHA. No
      significant changes in diet pattern or body mass was observed. It is therefore
      concluded that EPA and DHA supplementation had no beneficial effects in mild to
      moderate essential hypertensive black patients except for a lowering of plasma
      AA.

PMID- 1409771
TI  - Arachidonic acid channelling in the phospholipid fractions and subcellular
      compartments of cultured myocardial cells.
AB  - Arachidonic acid (AA) channeling in cultured heart cells was studied following
      pulse labelling for 1 h. AA was shown to be esterified immediately and equally
      distributed between the neutral lipids and phospholipids. A rapid constant flow
      to various phospholipid classes occurred thereafter, while the AA oxidation was
      only between 12%. The subcellular distribution of AA was studied by nitrogen
      cavitation followed by fractionation on 6.7% percoll in sucrose-EDTA. After 1 h
      pulse labeling and 2 h post-pulse incubation, most of the radioactivity was found
      in the sarcolemmal fraction with a much smaller amount in the mitochondrial
      fraction.

PMID- 1409772
TI  - Effects of D1 and D2 dopamine antagonists on behavior of polydipsic rats.
AB  - The behavioral and neurochemical effects of SCH3390 (SCH), a dopamine (DA) D1
      antagonist, and haloperidol (HAL), a DA D2 receptor antagonist, on schedule
      induced polydipsia (SIP) were examined. Once animals were made polydipsic, a
      vehicle or one of three doses of SCH or HAL were administered to seven groups of
      rats in a series of three five-session blocks in a drug condition, no-drug
      condition, drug condition design. Detailed behavioral measures and brain regional
      levels of monoamine neurotransmitters and their major acidic metabolites were
      analyzed. The volume of water consumed and the percent of time spent drinking was
      reduced dose dependently by both SCH and HAL. As drinking decreased, the time
      spent chewing increased for both drugs. The total amount of time animals engaged
      in all oral behaviors was not changed, suggesting that chewing was substituted
      for drinking. Neurochemical analysis revealed that HAL increased striatal DA
      significantly. The polydipsic paradigm may be an advantageous model for examining
      neuroleptics due to SIP's sensitivity to extrapyramidal side effects.

PMID- 1409773
TI  - Effects of the beta-carboline abecarnil on epileptic activity, EEG, sleep and
      behavior of rats.
AB  - The profile of the anxiolytic beta-carboline isopropyl 6-benzyloxy-4
      methoxymethyl beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (abecarnil; ZK 112 119), a partial
      agonist at benzodiazepine receptors, was determined in two experiments. In the
      first, abecarnil was given to WAG/Rij rats; these rats generate spontaneously
      occurring spike-wave discharges and are regarded as a model for absence epilepsy.
      Effects were measured on epileptic activity, together with those on the spectral
      content of the background electroencephalograph (EEG), as well as on ongoing
      behavior. In a second experiment, effects on sleep and behavior were investigated
      in Wistar rats. It was found that, similarly to classical benzodiazepines,
      abecarnil possessed a strong antiepileptic character and also changed the
      background EEG to more high-frequency waves and less spindle activity. It also
      produced more immobile behavior. Abecarnil induced only small, marginally
      significant increases in slow-wave sleep while reducing REM sleep as a proportion
      of total sleep. It also reduced the number of REM periods. These observations are
      consistent with the proposed partial agonist activity of abecarnil, a drug with
      interesting therapeutic implications.

PMID- 1409774
TI  - Behaviors induced by 5-hydroxytryptophan in neonatal, preweaning, postweaning,
      and adult Sprague-Dawley rats.
AB  - The behaviors induced by the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) precursor 5
      hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) has been called the "5-HT (serotonin) syndrome." These
      behaviors and others identified in rat pups were observed following
      administration of 5-HTP (300 mg/kg, SC) on postnatal (PN) days 3, 14, and 28 and
      in adult rats. Certain 5-HT syndrome behaviors and other uniquely neonatal
      behaviors were present in PN3 pups treated with vehicle. 5-HTP-treated PN3 pups
      showed increased head-shakes, rollovers, vocalizations, and forepaw treading and
      decreased hindlimb abduction. No 5-HT syndrome or neonatal behaviors were present
      at PN14 or PN28 or in adults treated with vehicle. 5-HTP administered at PN14
      stimulated circling, forepaw treading, and resting tremor; at PN28, stimulated
      head-shakes and resting tremor; and in adults produced only head-shakes. To
      determine if prior exposure to 5-HTP affected the sensitivity of 5-HT receptor
      subtypes, the 5-HT1A agonist (+/-)-8-hydroxy-dipropylaminotetralin (8-OH-DPAT)
      and the 5-HT2/1C agonist (+/-)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane
      (DOI) were administered to all rats as adults. 8-OH-DPAT (1 mg/kg, SC) produced
      flattened body posture unaffected by prior exposure to 5-HTP. Head-shakes induced
      by DOI (5mg/kg, IP) were decreased by prior exposure to 5-HTP at PN3 and adult,
      but increased by preexposure at PN28. Thus, serotonergic neural systems are
      implicated in some behaviors of neonates. The developmental patterns suggest
      changes in the sensitivity to these systems. Further, lasting changes in 5-HT2/1C
      receptor sensitivity occur due to exposure to 5-HTP.

PMID- 1409775
TI  - Clorgyline-induced increases in presynaptic DA: changes in the behavioral and
      neurochemical effects of amphetamine using in vivo microdialysis.
AB  - Microdialysis was used in behaving rats to further characterize the behavioral
      and regional dopamine (DA) response to the monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor
      clorgyline and determine how MAO inhibition affects amphetamine (AMPH)-induced
      changes in behavioral and extracellular DA dynamics. Although clorgyline (4.0
      mg/kg) did not significantly alter behavior, it produced prolonged increases in
      caudate and accumbens extracellular DA and 3MT and corresponding decreases in
      homovanillic acid (HVA) and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC). Clorgyline
      pretreatment altered the behavioral response to both low (0.25 mg/kg) and
      moderate (2.5 mg/kg) doses of AMPH, which was characterized by a shift to more
      intense forms of stereotype and corresponding decreases in locomotion. The
      caudate and accumbens DA response to AMPH (0.25 mg/kg) was also significantly
      augmented, consistent with an increase in AMPH-releasable cytoplasmic DA. Thus,
      the potentiated DA response in clorgyline-pretreated animals may be responsible
      for the changes in the stereotypy profile. Possible implications of these
      observations for the augmented behavioral response observed with repeated AMPH
      administration are discussed.

PMID- 1409776
TI  - Effects of lithium and purinergic compounds on the behavioral and physiological
      aspects of restraint stress in rats.
AB  - This study investigates the effects of lithium and caffeine on psychomotor
      activities, defecation, and gastric lesions induced by restraint stress. Rats
      exposed to restraint stress typically exhibited a biphasic response consisting of
      an initial hypermotility (such as tail-flipping, body-rolling, jaw movement, and
      vocalization) accompanied by defecation, and followed by hypomotility (decrease
      in motility) accompanied by gastric ulceration. Lithium chloride (150 micrograms,
      ICV; 50 and 100 mg/kg, IP) significantly attenuated these responses while N6
      cyclohexyl adenosine (CHA; 1.5 micrograms, ICV; 0.3 mg/kg, IP), a potent
      adenosine A1 receptor agonist, attenuated the behavioral effects but potentiated
      the gastric ulceration. Caffeine (3 micrograms, ICV; 1.0 mg/kg, IP), an adenosine
      receptor antagonist, inhibited the effects of CHA in animals exposed to 3 h of
      stress, but aggravated the effects in animals exposed to 6-12 h of stress. These
      results suggest that caffeine consumption may produce supersensitivity of
      adenosine receptors, which potentiate the actions of adenosine or CHA. Lithium
      may modulate the effects of stress by indirectly inhibiting central adenosine
      receptor activity.

PMID- 1409777
TI  - Temporal characteristics of appetitive stimulus effects of luteinizing hormone
      releasing hormone in male rats.
AB  - Conditioned place preference, induced by intraperitoneal injections of 5
      micrograms/kg luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), was studied by
      varying the interval between the injection of LHRH and the conditioning sessions.
      Place preference was investigated for five presession intervals (0, 15, 45, 75,
      and 120 min) in separate groups of gonadectomized male rats provided with a
      subcutaneous testosterone implant. It was shown that the presession interval is
      an important parameter in the development of LHRH-induced conditioned place
      preference. Place preference was not observed after conditioning with intervals
      of 0, 75, and 120 min. With 15 and 45 min, however, a reliable preference was
      induced by LHRH. This study provides insight into the onset and offset of the
      appetitive stimulus properties of LHRH in male rats.

PMID- 1409778
TI  - Chronic morphine fails to enhance the reward value of prefrontal cortex self
      stimulation.
AB  - Dopamine (DA) plays an important role in the rewarding effects of drugs of abuse
      and intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS). We previously reported that ICSS
      derived from the prefrontal cortex appears insensitive to the reward-enhancing
      effects of amphetamine, a drug that increases DA release and reward at other ICSS
      sites. In the present study, rats with prefrontal electrodes were tested to see
      if morphine (7.5 or 10.0 mg/kg, IP) given once per day for 10 days enhanced
      prefrontal reward as assessed with the curve-shift method. Morphine initially
      produced sedation; however, after 3-4 days response rates increased sharply while
      frequency thresholds were unaffected. These results demonstrate that morphine
      does not enhance prefrontal ICSS reward and provide further evidence that
      prefrontal brain stimulation reward does not display the same characteristics as
      other ICSS sites.

PMID- 1409779
TI  - Bilateral neurochemical changes induced by unilateral cerebral haloperidol
      administration: evidence for cerebral asymmetry in the rat.
AB  - Bilateral alterations in dopamine metabolism were determined in the striatum,
      olfactory tubercle, and frontal cortex of rats pretested for circling behavior.
      Dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), homovanillic acid (HVA),
      norepinephrine, and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) were measured by high
      performance liquid chromatography 15 min after right or left intracarotid
      infusion of haloperidol. Concentrations of DOPAC and HVA were significantly
      increased in the striatum and frontal cortex ipsilateral to the side of
      haloperidol infusion, regardless of whether it was right or left. In contrast,
      the concentrations of these metabolites were unchanged in the olfactory tubercle
      after a right side infusion, but bilateral increases were evident after a left
      side infusion. Higher levels of DOPAC and HVA were also apparent in the left
      striatum and olfactory tubercle after intravenous jugular administration of
      haloperidol. Dopamine levels were significantly lower in the left striatum and
      right olfactory tubercle after intravenous haloperidol infusions. 5-HIAA
      concentrations were higher in the left olfactory tubercle following left side
      infusions of haloperidol. These data indicate that unilateral cerebral
      administration of haloperidol induces asymmetric and side-dependent alterations
      in dopamine and serotonin metabolites. These differences appear to be due to
      intrinsic variations in the sensitivity to haloperidol, but are not associated
      with the direction of circling behavior.

PMID- 1409780
TI  - Selective antagonism of acute ethanol-induced motor disturbances by centrally
      administered Ro 15-4513 in mice.
AB  - Results of the present investigation demonstrated that Ro 15-4513 when given ICV
      selectively antagonized ethanol-induced motor disturbances at doses that did not
      produce motor incoordination and lacked proconvulsant activity. Ro 15-4513 in 10
      , 15-, and 22-ng doses antagonized, roughly in a dose-dependent manner, ethanol
      induced motor incoordination. The 10-ng dose produced an optimal effect with
      nearly complete antagonism within 30 min postethanol. The higher, 15 and 22 ng,
      doses of Ro 15-4513 antagonized, as well as probably reversed, ethanol-induced
      motor incoordination. The stimulation and inhibition of spontaneous motor
      activity by 1 and 2 g/kg IP ethanol, respectively, were also selectively
      antagonized by Ro 15-4513. Neither an alteration in the latency and/or duration
      of pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsions nor an antagonism to sodium
      pentobarbital-induced motor incoordination and inhibition of spontaneous motor
      activity by Ro 15-4513 at dose levels that showed antiethanol effects were
      observed. Only the 150-ng dose of Ro 15-4513, which exhibited intrinsic activity
      as proconvulsant, attenuated sodium pentobarbital-induced motor incoordination.
      When given alone at doses higher than those used in motor coordination
      experiments, Ro 15-4513 markedly increased spontaneous motor activity dose
      dependently.

PMID- 1409781
TI  - Cocaine-induced suppression of renin secretion is partially mediated by
      serotonergic mechanisms.
AB  - Acute cocaine reduces renin secretion. To determine whether serotonergic neurons
      mediate this effect, male Sprague-Dawley rats received the serotonin (5-HT)
      neurotoxin 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (75 micrograms/side, ICV) 2 weeks prior to
      cocaine injections (3.75-15 mg/kg, IP). 5-HT lesions attenuated the cocaine
      induced reduction of plasma renin concentration (PRC), suggesting a partial 5-HT
      role. To determine which receptors mediate this response, rats were pretreated
      with the partial 5-HT1A agonist 8-[2-[4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-l-piperazinyl]ethyl]-8
      azaspirol-[4,5]- decane-7,9-dione (BMY 7378) (1 mg/kg, SC), the 5-HT1C/5-HT2
      antagonist ritanserin (0.1 mg/kg, SC), or the alpha 2/5-HT1A antagonist yohimbine
      (1 mg/kg, SC) prior to cocaine. None of the antagonists altered the cocaine
      induced suppression of PRC, although BMY 7378 and yohimbine elevated PRC. The
      data suggest that cocaine's effect is partially mediated by a serotonergic
      mechanism, but do not support a role for 5-HT1A receptors, 5-HT2/5-HT1C
      receptors, or alpha 2-adrenoceptors in mediating the suppressive effect of
      cocaine on renin secretion.

PMID- 1409782
TI  - Cocaine in utero enhances the behavioral response to cocaine in adult rats.
AB  - The effects of cocaine exposure in utero on cocaine-induced behaviors and
      dopamine (DA) transmission in the nigrostriatal and mesolimbic pathways were
      measured in adult rats. Pregnant rats received either saline or cocaine (1 or 3
      mg/kg, IV) daily throughout gestation. When offspring were 3 months of age,
      locomotor and stereotypic behaviors were rated after an injection of either
      saline or cocaine (10 mg/kg, IP). Cocaine in utero increased the response to
      cocaine in adult offspring and increased basal locomotion in female offspring.
      Cocaine in utero increased amphetamine-stimulated release in female offspring but
      decreased release in males. On the other hand, male rats that had received
      cocaine in utero exhibited greater basal tritium release. One injection of
      cocaine increased amphetamine-stimulated [3H]DA release from striatal slices of
      male rats but not female rats. Neither cocaine in utero nor in vivo affected D2
      DA receptor binding in striatum nor nucleus accumbens. Thus, cocaine in utero
      behaviorally sensitized animals to subsequent cocaine exposure and increased
      [3H]DA release from nigrostriatal endings, but the relationship of these two
      variables depended upon gender.

PMID- 1409783
TI  - Paradoxical effect of flurazepam.
AB  - Cold water swim stress has been shown to decrease the ability of flurazepam, a
      prototypic GABA-positive benzodiazepine, to antagonize the electrical
      precipitation of seizures in mice. This stress-induced reduction in the
      antiseizure efficacy of flurazepam is not due to a reduction in the threshold
      voltage for seizure production. In this study, we examined the effect of treating
      mice with flurazepam 20 min prior to cold water swim stress on its ability to
      antagonize electrically precipitated seizures 24 h later. Contrary to our
      expectation, pretreatment with flurazepam potentiated the stress-induced
      reduction of its antiseizure efficacy.

PMID- 1409784
TI  - MDL 73,147EF, a 5-HT3 antagonist, facilitates latent inhibition in the rat.
AB  - Latent inhibition (LI) is a behavioral model of selective attention that has been
      used to study the attentional deficits seen in schizophrenia. In the present
      study, we examined the effect of 5-hydroxytryptamine3 (5-HT3) receptor blockade
      on LI using the conditioned emotional response (CER) procedure. Prior exposure to
      20, 30, or 40 stimulus presentations significantly, and almost completely,
      inhibited the CER to that stimulus. This LI effect was much weaker when only 10
      preexposures were given. 1H-indole-3-carboxylic acid, trans-octahydro-3-oxo-2,6
      methano-2H-quinolizin-8-yl ester methanesulfonate (MDL 73,147EF), a selective 5
      HT3 receptor antagonist, significantly facilitated the LI effect observed after
      10 preexposures at 0.1 mg/kg but not at 0.01 mg/kg. The magnitude of this effect
      was comparable to that observed with the classical neuroleptic haloperidol (0.1
      mg/kg). Neither MDL 73,147EF nor haloperidol affected the CER in animals not
      preexposed to the stimulus. These results strongly corroborate suggestions that 5
      HT3 receptor antagonists will be of use in the treatment of schizophrenia.

PMID- 1409785
TI  - [Leu]enkephalin and its metabolite, Tyr-Gly-Gly, impair active avoidance
      retention.
AB  - The current study examined the effects of [leu]enkephalin and its metabolite, Tyr
      Gly-Gly, given immediately posttraining on active avoidance performance measured
      24 h later. Initial experiments revealed that, in comparison to zero or one
      training trials, providing mice with two training trials significantly increased
      active avoidance performance measured 24 h later; this enabled us to examine the
      effects on retention of peptides administered immediately after the two training
      trials. It was found that Tyr-Gly-Gly (16 and 53 micrograms/kg) and
      [leu]enkephalin (30 and 100 micrograms/kg) administered in this fashion both
      significantly impaired retention; the dose-response functions for both peptides
      were U-shaped. Since the effects of enkephalins are most likely mediated by
      opioid delta-receptors, and Tyr-Gly-Gly has little or no activity at opioid
      receptors, the effects of the parent peptide(s) and metabolite are presumably
      pharmacologically distinct.

PMID- 1409786
TI  - Further evidence showing that the inhibitory action of serotonin on rat masculine
      sexual behavior is mediated after the stimulation of 5-HT1B receptors.
AB  - To explore whether the inhibitory actions of endogenous serotonin on rat male
      sexual behavior were mediated via the stimulation of the 5-hydroxytryptamine1A (5
      HT1A) or 5-HT1B receptor subtypes, two series of studies were undertaken. In the
      first series, an attempt to block the inhibitory actions of threshold doses of
      the serotonin precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP, 50 mg/kg) by administering
      the beta-5-HT antagonist alprenolol (5.0 mg/kg) and the selective beta-blocker
      practolol (0.5 mg/kg) was made. Both antagonists effectively prevented, at least
      partially, the inhibitory actions of 5-HTP. In the second series, a possible
      synergistic effect of a subthreshold dose of 5-HTP (12.5 mg/kg) with low doses of
      the selective 5-HT1B agonist 1-(m-trifluoro-methylphenyl)piperazine (TFMPP,0.125
      mg/kg) or the selective 5-HT1A agonist 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino) tetralin (8
      OH-DPAT, 0.0625 mg/kg) was investigated. A clear synergistic inhibitory effect of
      5-HTP with TFMPP was observed. All data are interpreted based upon the hypothesis
      suggesting a physiological inhibitory role of the 5-HT1B receptor subtype on male
      rat sexual behavior.

PMID- 1409787
TI  - Morphine hyperalgesic effects on developmental changes in thermal nociception and
      respiration in domestic fowl (Gallus gallus).
AB  - Domestic fowl tested at 3, 5, and 7 days posthatch jumped from a heated grid more
      rapidly than animals tested at 14 days posthatch. Morphine (2.5 mg/kg) decreased
      jump latency in 14-day-old chicks but did not significantly affect jump latency
      in younger chicks. Respiration was lower in 3-day-old chicks than in the older
      groups but morphine depressed respiration at each age. In a second experiment
      morphine significantly decreased jump response latency in 5-day-old chicks when
      thermal stimulus intensity was lowered and morphine dose increased (5 mg/kg).
      Posttest respiration rate was depressed by morphine. Morphine hyperalgesia and
      respiratory depression were reversed by naloxone (5 mg/kg). However, naloxone
      alone increased jump response latency. Young domestic fowl are more sensitive
      and/or reactive to a noxious thermal stimulus and are less sensitive to morphine
      than 14-day-old chicks but morphine hyperalgesia was evident in both 5- and 14
      day-old chicks. These hyperalgesic chicks may be tolerant at birth to morphine
      hypoalgesic effects on nociception.

PMID- 1409788
TI  - The 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT attenuates the satiating action of cholecystokinin.
AB  - To investigate the dependence of the satiating action of cholecystokinin (CCK) on
      serotonergic action at central 5-HT receptors, we examined the effect of systemic
      pretreatment with 8-OH-DPAT (a 5-HT1A agonist that decreases central 5-HT
      synthesis and release via an action at somatodendritic autoreceptors in the
      brainstem raphe) on the suppression of food intake induced by systemic
      administration of cholecystokinin octapeptide (CKK-8). 8-OH-DPAT significantly
      attenuated the satiating action of CKK-8. This result is consistent with the
      hypothesis that peripherally acting CCK recruits central serotonergic processes
      to elicit normal satiety.

PMID- 1409789
TI  - Effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide on extrapyramidal motor system.
AB  - The effects of central administration of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP, 1
      or 100 ng/rat) on behavioral and biochemical parameters related to the
      extrapyramidal motor system were investigated in male rats. The peptide-induced
      catalepsy occurred only at the dose of 100 ng/rat and hypomotility at both doses
      used. Calcitonin gene-related peptide increased haloperidol-induced catalepsy and
      decreased apomorphine-induced hypermotility at the doses of 1 and 100 ng/rat.
      Although these behaviors are related to dopamine, no significant change of
      striatal DA or DOPAC concentration were observed after central administration of
      the peptide. Other neurotransmitters may be directly or indirectly involved in
      these behavioral effects of CGRP.

PMID- 1409790
TI  - Measurement of temperature in the rat by rectal probe and telemetry yields
      compatible results.
AB  - The change in body temperature of the rat is commonly measured using biotelemetry
      or the rectal probe. The authors report that the two methods yield qualitatively
      similar but quantitatively different results in two experiments. In Experiment 1,
      both methods detected a salicylate-affected reduction in handling-induced
      hyperthermia. In Experiment 2, both methods were useful in detecting the
      hypothermia induced by the muscarinic agonist oxotremorine. In both Experiments 1
      and 2, measurements of baseline temperature were higher when measured with the
      rectal probe. Baseline temperature is measured with biotelemetry prior to
      handling animals, whereas the act of measuring baseline temperature with the
      rectal probe necessitates handling. The investigators hypothesized that a rise in
      baseline temperature produced by handling at least partially accounts for the
      greater hypothermic response obtained in Experiment 2 using measurements obtained
      with the rectal probe. In Experiment 3, baseline temperature was measured with
      biotelemetry after animals were handled. Handling produced an increase in
      baseline temperature. The hypothermic response to oxotremorine was increased when
      the higher posthandling baseline temperature was used to calculate the
      hypothermic response of animals. The authors conclude that differences in
      baseline temperature and hypothermic response obtained with the two methods are
      related to an effect of handling.

PMID- 1409791
TI  - Clozapine increases breaking points on a progressive-ratio schedule reinforced by
      intravenous cocaine.
AB  - The effect of the atypical neuroleptic clozapine on cocaine self-administration
      reinforced on a progressive-ratio schedule in rats was examined. The rat's first
      response on a lever each day produced an IV infusion of cocaine (0.6
      mg/injection) after which the requirements of the schedule escalated with each
      infusion until the frequency of responding on the lever fell below a criterion
      level. The final ratio completed was defined as the breaking point. Doses of 5
      and 20 mg/kg clozapine produced either no effect or a nonspecific disruption in
      responding. Rats pretreated with 10 mg/kg clozapine responded to significantly
      higher breaking points, indicating an increased motivation to self-administer
      cocaine.

PMID- 1409792
TI  - Long-term influence of d-amphetamine on mesolimbic brain-stimulation reward:
      comparison to chronic haloperidol and naloxone effects.
AB  - Rate-intensity functions for brain-stimulation reward from the dopamine (DA) A10
      cell region of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) were assessed following chronic
      exposure to d-amphetamine (10.0 mg/kg), haloperidol (1.0 mg/kg), and naloxone
      (20.0 mg/kg). A reward depression developed when animals were tested daily 24 h
      following injection of amphetamine and haloperidol. In the case of amphetamine,
      this effect was transitory and a full recovery of intracranial self-stimulation
      (ICSS) was evident 5 days after drug abstinence. Low-dose (0.5 mg/kg) amphetamine
      challenge administered 50 days postdrug treatment decreased current thresholds
      indicating a long-lasting sensitization of mesolimbic reward processes. The
      reward depression induced by chronic haloperidol exposure showed no signs of
      recovery during the abstinence period and ICSS rates remained significantly
      reduced after amphetamine challenge 50 days later. These behavioral observations
      suggest that under conditions of continued demand the functional aspects of
      neuroleptic-induced depolarization inactivation of VTA neurons are enduring.
      Chronic exposure to naloxone did not modify reward thresholds indicating that
      opioid hypoactivity may not be a factor in the ICSS depression induced by long
      term amphetamine and haloperidol treatment. These data were related to the
      possibility that stimulant-induced sensitization of motivational processes may
      evolve as a compensatory response to the transitory development of withdrawal
      depression.

PMID- 1409793
TI  - Prazosin attenuates the effects of cocaine on motor activity but not on schedule
      controlled behavior in the rat.
AB  - The spontaneous motor activity of rats was measured following administration of
      cocaine alone and in combination with the centrally acting alpha 1-antagonist
      prazosin. Cocaine alone (18-42 mg/kg) increased motor activity in a dose-related
      manner. At doses of 1 and 1.8 mg/kg, prazosin attenuated the increases in motor
      activity produced by cocaine. In rats responding under a fixed-ratio
      discrimination procedure, cocaine (10-32 mg/kg) produced dose-dependent increases
      in percent errors and decreases in overall response rate. Across a range of doses
      (0.32-3.2 mg/kg), prazosin failed to antagonize the effects of cocaine on
      responding under the discrimination procedure. Rather, the combined effects were
      frequently greater than those obtained with cocaine alone. The data suggest that
      in rats activation of alpha 1-adrenergic systems may mediate the effects of
      cocaine on motor activity but not on schedule-controlled behavior.

PMID- 1409794
TI  - Decrease in cold tolerance of aged rats caused by the enhanced endogenous
      adenosine activity.
AB  - During severe cold exposure, old rats (24-28 months) were less capable of
      maintaining their body temperature compared to young rats (3-6 months) due to
      lower rate of heat production. Single injection of adenosine deaminase (AD)
      (converts adenosine to inosine) significantly increased thermogenesis in both
      young and old rats. However, doubling the dose of AD was required for optimal
      thermogenic response in old rats. In contrast, the similar enhancements in both
      thermogenesis and cold tolerance were observed in both young and old rats
      receiving the same optimal doses of specific adenosine receptor antagonists.
      These results lead to the suggestion that the lower capability of aged rats to
      withstand cold exposure could be due to an increase in adenosine stimulation
      because of the decreased endogenous AD activity rather than an increase in
      adenosine receptor sensitivity. This notion is further supported by the finding
      that the AD activity in the neck muscle, a key site for shivering thermogenesis,
      was significantly lower in old rats as compared to their younger counterparts
      before and after cold exposure.

PMID- 1409795
TI  - Effects of physostigmine on novelty-related location preferences.
AB  - Novelty-related location preferences and activity in an exploration box were
      recorded for male and female Wistar albino rats following intraperitoneal
      injections of 0.04 or 0.08 mg/kg of either physostigmine or neostigmine. Although
      rearing was reduced by the highest dose of both drugs and ambulation was reduced
      by the same dose of neostigmine, neither agent affected the significant
      preferences for novelty that typified all subjects. In a second experiment
      designed to assess the effects of 0.08 mg/kg of the two drugs administered during
      rather than after confinement to the familiar half of the apparatus, neostigmine
      reduced rearing, walking, and ambulation while increasing defecation, but
      physostigmine did not affect any response. While some minor motor impairment may
      have arisen from its peripheral effects, the lack of changes in novelty-related
      location preferences failed to support facilitation of either novelty avoidance
      or habituation by physostigmine suggested in previous studies.

PMID- 1409796
TI  - 5-HT1A and 5-HT2 receptors mediate discrete behaviors in the Mongolian gerbil.
AB  - Although the ability of agonists at specific serotonin (5-HT) receptor subtypes
      to induce distinct behaviors has been well documented in the rat, similar studies
      have not been reported in the Mongolian gerbil. We have found that the 5-HT1A/5
      HT2 agonist 5-methoxy,N-N dimethyltryptamine (5-MeODMT) (0.5-8 mg/kg, SC), the
      specific 5-HT1A agonist 8-hydroxy(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) (0.125-16
      mg/kg, SC), and the 5-HT precursor L-5-hydroxytryptophan (L-5-HTP) (100-250
      mg/kg, SC) all elicit a 5-HT syndrome in the gerbil. This syndrome, analogous to
      the 5-HT syndrome in the rat, consists of reciprocal forepaw treading (RFT),
      hindleg abduction (HA), body tremors (BT), and Straub tail (ST). The putative 5
      HT1A antagonist NAN-190 (0.25-8 mg/kg, SC) when dosed 15 min prior to either 5
      MeODMT (4 mg/kg, SC) or 8-OH-DPAT (16 mg/kg, SC) blocked both RFT and HA in a
      dose-dependent manner, suggesting these 5-HT syndrome behaviors are mediated via
      5-HT1A receptor activation. We also identified a unique, dose-responsive behavior
      in the gerbil, induced selectively by 5-HT1A agonists such as quipazine (2-16
      mg/kg, SC) and (+-)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI) (0.125-8
      mg/kg, SC). This reciprocal hindleg body scratch (RHBS) behavior is dose
      dependently inhibited by pretreatment with the selective 5-HT2 antagonist
      ritanserin (0.0125-0.2 mg/kg, SC). RHBS behavior is also potently inhibited by
      pretreatment with the selective 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT (0.005-0.04 mg/kg, SC),
      demonstrating a 5-HT1A/5-HT2 receptor subtype interaction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409797
TI  - Molecular mechanisms mediating the effects of L-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine,
      a new cognition-enhancing drug, on behavioral and biochemical parameters in young
      and aged rats.
AB  - The behavioral effects of the acute and subchronic administration of L-alpha
      glycerylphosphorylcholine (alpha-GPC) on passive and active avoidance behavioral
      tasks were investigated. When administered IP after training together with
      scopolamine 2 h before retest, alpha-GPC reverses the scopolamine-induced amnesia
      in the passive avoidance conditioning in young and old rats. Furthermore, the
      subchronic treatment with alpha-GPC positively and significantly influences the
      performance of both young and old animals in the active avoidance test. Moreover,
      in in vitro/ex vivo experiments alpha-GPC potentiates receptor-stimulated
      phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis in cortical synaptoneurosomes derived from young
      and old animals. In young but not old animals, alpha-GPC significantly
      potentiates potassium (40 mM)-stimulated intrasynaptosomal calcium oscillations
      in purified synaptosomes derived from the hippocampus. These results show that
      alpha-GPC improves the performance of animals in both active and passive
      conditioning tasks. Furthermore, subchronic treatment with the compound enhances
      in young and restores in aged animals the transduction of the signal, namely, the
      receptor-mediated production of inositol phosphate and the potassium-induced
      calcium mobilization. These modifications may represent at least part of the
      molecular mechanism of action of the compound.

PMID- 1409798
TI  - Effect of diazepam on successive negative contrast in one-way avoidance learning.
AB  - The effect of administration of diazepam on successive negative contrast in one
      way avoidance learning was examined in rats. Contrast was induced by shifting
      rats from a large reward, 30 s spent in the safe compartment, to a small reward,
      1 s spent in the safe compartment. IP administration of 2 mg/kg diazepam
      eliminated this negative contrast. Moreover, this effect is dose dependent, with
      doses of 2 and 2.5 mg/kg, but not 0.5 mg/kg, effective in reliably reducing
      contrast. These results suggest the existence of similar or common underlying
      mechanisms in both aversive and appetitive contrast effects; they are discussed
      in light of the current theories of frustrative nonreward and as a mean of
      studying the behavioral and biological mechanisms of anxiety.

PMID- 1409799
TI  - Ethanol and circadian rhythms in the Syrian hamster: effects on entrained phase,
      reentrainment rate, and period.
AB  - Wheel-running rhythms were examined in male hamsters with access to 28% ethanol
      in lieu of water. One group was recorded in a light-dark (LD) cycle that was
      phase advanced by 8 h on three occasions separated by 23-27 days. On two of the
      three occasions, hamsters were subjected to a 2- to 3-h cage change procedure
      designed to stimulate wheel running, which accelerates the rate of reentrainment
      to 8-h advances. Ethanol and control hamsters showed no group differences in
      rhythm amplitude, entrained phase, or reentrainment rate. Both groups showed
      faster reentrainment in the cage change condition. A second group of hamsters
      recorded in constant dim showed a small but significant lengthening of the free
      running period of their wheel-running rhythm when provided with a 28% ethanol
      solution. Wheel running decreased during ethanol access in this group. Voluntary
      ethanol consumption evidently can slow the circadian pacemaker regulating
      activity rhythms in hamsters but has no measurable effect on photic entrainment
      or pacemaker response to LD shifts or nonphotic manipulations (stimulated
      activity). Period lengthening may be secondary to decreased activity, but other
      period-activity correlations obtained did not reveal a strong association between
      these two variables.

PMID- 1409800
TI  - Buspirone produces a dose-related impairment in spatial navigation.
AB  - Classical anxiolytic drugs and hippocampal lesions have common behavioural
      effects that include loss of place navigation in the water maze. The novel
      anxiolytic drug buspirone, unlike classical anxiolytic drugs, does not interact
      with GABA and is not muscle relaxant, sedative, hypnotic, anticonvulsant, or
      addictive. Buspirone affects hippocampal electrophysiology in a similar fashion
      to classical anxiolytics and so we predicted it would have similar effects on
      spatial navigation. Rats injected with buspirone (0.1-10.0 mg/kg, IP) showed a
      loss of acquisition of spatial navigation in the water maze that has a similar
      dose dependence to that reported for the effects of buspirone on the hippocampus.
      This finding demonstrates that the effects of anxiolytics on spatial navigation
      are not due to their side effects and supports the view that changes in
      hippocampal function may underlie some components of clinical anxiolytic action.

PMID- 1409802
TI  - Role of anxiety in subordinate male mice sexual behavior.
AB  - Dominant and subordinate male mice behave differently when exposed to a female,
      with subordinates showing impairment of their sexual performance in the presence
      of the male antagonist. In the present study, we investigate whether these rank
      related behavioral differences can be modified by an anxiolytic treatment. In a
      first experiment, diazepam (0.25 mg/kg) improves the performance of subordinate
      mice toward the female, as shown by the increase of proxemic behavior, anogenital
      sniffing, and social grooming of the female. Social grooming of the female is the
      only behavior modified by a higher dose of the anxiolytic drug (0.5 mg/kg). A
      second experiment, in which dominant and isolated mice are subjected to the same
      experimental procedure, demonstrates that social behavior of these two classes of
      males is not affected by the pharmacological treatment. The results are discussed
      in terms of the advantages of using subordinate males in such a sexual context as
      a model for the study of anxiolytic drugs.

PMID- 1409801
TI  - Possible link between brain serotonin metabolism and methionine sulfoximine
      induced hypothermia and associated behavior in the rat.
AB  - L-Methionine-D,L-sulfoximine (MSO) intraperitoneally or intracerebroventricularly
      (third ventricle) injected at convulsant doses induced a hypothermia, primarily
      associated with a syndrome of ataxia, in the restrained rat maintained at an
      ambient temperature of 23 degrees C. Depletion of brain serotonin (5-HT) by
      pretreatment with p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA), p-chloroamphetamine (PCA), and d
      fenfluramine (FFA) did not significantly modify the time course and magnitude of
      MSO-induced developing hypothermia but it enhanced abnormal motor behavior.
      Enhancement of 5-HT synthesis in MSO-submitted rats pretreated with 5
      hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) (200 mg/kg, IP) alone or 5-HTP (100 mg/kg, IP)
      preassociated with carbidopa (10 mg/kg, IP) suppressed significantly hypothermia,
      but it did not greatly modify motor disturbances. In conclusion, the
      neurocytochemical processes initiating hypothermia following administration of
      MSO to the rat appear to be linked to a slowdown of the rate of brain 5-HT
      turnover, maybe at the level of the midbrain raphe nuclei.

PMID- 1409803
TI  - Oxytocin blocks the development of heroin-enkephalin cross-tolerance in mice.
AB  - The development of cross-tolerance to an analgesic effect has been observed
      between a mu-receptor agonist, heroin, and a delta-receptor agonist, Met2-Pro5
      enkephalinamide. Repeated treatments with heroin twice a day for 4 days resulted
      in a decreased nociceptive effect to enkephalin on day 5. The enkephalin dose
      response line was shifted to the right, considered a sign of the development of
      cross-tolerance. Peripheral treatment with oxytocin blocked the development of
      heroin-enkephalin cross-tolerance. A similar effect was observed after
      intracerebroventricular administration of oxytocin, supporting our assumption
      that oxytocin blocks the development of heroin-enkephalin cross-tolerance via CNS
      mechanisms.

PMID- 1409804
TI  - Effects of atrial natriuretic peptide on acute and chronic effects of morphine.
AB  - Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is known to participate in different vegetative
      functions. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of ANP
      on nociception itself, pain sensitivity to morphine, and the development of acute
      and chronic tolerance to morphine. Morphine withdrawal signs were also evaluated
      by injecting naloxone. In adult, male NMRI mice, ANP administered SC or ICV did
      not affect pain sensitivity itself in a heat-radiant tail-flick test. Peptide
      treatment, however, depressed the acute nociceptive effect of a single dose of
      morphine (4 mg/kg, SC) after both SC (20-200 ng/animal) and ICV (5, 10, 20, or
      200 ng/animal) ANP administration. ANP given SC and ICV attenuated the
      development of acute morphine tolerance. Acute morphine tolerance was assessed by
      giving a bolus injection of morphine (60 mg/kg) 24 h before the pain sensitivity
      to a challenge dose of morphine (4 mg/kg) was measured. ICV treatment with ANP
      also blocked the development of chronic morphine tolerance, but did not affect
      the appearance of naloxone-precipitated withdrawal syndromes. ANP seems to act
      differently on the development of tolerance to and dependence upon morphine.

PMID- 1409805
TI  - Suppression of guinea pig ileum induced contractility by plasma albumin of
      hibernators.
AB  - Previous studies suggest that hibernation may be regulated by internal opioids
      and that the putative "hibernation induction trigger" (HIT) may itself be an
      opioid. This study examined the effect of plasma albumin (known to bind HIT) on
      induced contractility of the guinea pig ileum muscle strip. Morphine (400 nM)
      depressed contractility and 100 nM naloxone restored it. Ten milligrams of
      lyophilized plasma albumin fractions from hibernating ground squirrels,
      woodchucks, black bears, and polar bears produced similar inhibition, with
      partial reversal by naloxone. Five hundredths mg of D-Ala2-D-Leu5-enkephalin
      (DADLE) also inhibited contractility and naloxone reversed it. Conclusions are
      that hibernating individuals of these species contain an HIT substance that is
      opioid in nature and summer animals do not; an endogenous opioid similar to leu
      enkephalin may be the HIT compound or give rise to it.

PMID- 1409806
TI  - Amino acid levels during learning and memory consolidation of an aversive
      conditioning task in crickets.
AB  - We followed the titer of free amino acids in nervous ganglia and hemolymph of the
      cricket Pteronemobius sp. at different times during and after a shock avoidance
      training that included one experimental group and three controls. The results
      showed that Tau, urea, Thr, His, GABA, and an unidentified compound (Q) increased
      their titer in ganglia and hemolymph during training, whereas Ala, Arg, Val, Glu,
      Ser, and one or all of the group formed by Cys, Phe, Ile, Leu, and Trp decreased
      theirs concomitantly to memory consolidation. The difference in the rate of
      experimental insects and their yoked slaves to consolidate the learned task was
      reflected in the changes of the titers of the amino acids mentioned above. The
      data add to the evidence for a direct involvement of these amino acids in
      modulating the memory consolidation process.

PMID- 1409807
TI  - Effects of L-threo- and erythro-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine on learning performance
      and concentrations of brain noradrenaline and its metabolites in rats.
AB  - Effects of L-threo and L-erythro-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine [DOPS, precursor amino
      acids for noradrenaline (NA)] on the learning performance in a maze paradigm
      designed to model on the water maze paradigm using a multicomputerized behavioral
      analysis system were studied. A marked facilitation of learning performance was
      observed in rats after an intraventricular injection of 5 micrograms L-threo-DOPS
      (the s-NA precursor), and this effect was inhibited by a simultaneous
      administration of 1 or 2 micrograms propranolol (a beta-adrenergic antagonist).
      As concentrations of brain NA, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol, and
      normethanephrine were increased by the injection of 5 micrograms L-threo-DOPS,
      the effect seemed to be derived from activation of beta-adrenoceptors in the CNS
      by the formed s-NA. On the other hand, an intraventricular injection of 5
      micrograms L-erythro-DOPS (the r-NA precursor) attenuated the learning
      performance, and this effect was probably caused by the formed r-NA from L
      erythro-DOPS.

PMID- 1409808
TI  - Dehydroepiandrosterone enhances the hypnotic and hypothermic effects of ethanol
      and pentobarbital.
AB  - Recent reports have indicated that the neurosteroid dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
      and its sulfate (DHEAS) interact with the GABAA receptor complex. Because many of
      the behavioral effects of ethanol and pentobarbital are due to activity at this
      complex, DHEA and DHEAS were tested for their ability to interact with the
      hypnotic and hypothermic effects of ethanol and pentobarbital. DHEA, but not
      DHEAS, causes a dose-dependent increase in the sleep time induced by either
      ethanol or pentobarbital. At 20 mg/kg, DHEA and DHEAS themselves cause a fall in
      body temperature. DHEA enhances the hypothermic effect of both ethanol and
      pentobarbital. DHEAS enhances the hypothermic effect of ethanol, but with
      pentobarbital it only delays the return of body temperature to baseline levels.
      Neither DHEA nor DHEAS affects the metabolism of ethanol.

PMID- 1409809
TI  - Orally self-administered cocaine: reinforcing efficacy by the place preference
      method.
AB  - In three separate place preference conditioning (PPC) experiments, groups of rats
      were exposed to different modes of receiving cocaine: IP cocaine doses (7.5
      mg/kg), PO cocaine self-administered bolus doses (15 mg/kg), and 1-h schedule
      induced cocaine-solution drinking sessions (19.1 mg/kg). Oral cocaine self
      administration of PO bolus and schedule induction took place in situations that
      preceded transfer into an apparatus for PPC sessions. Thus, the reinforcing
      efficacies of the pharmacological consequences of both oral cocaine self
      administration methods were evaluated by a procedure separate from the self
      administration behavior itself. The IP cocaine dose imposition and the two oral
      cocaine self-administration arrangements all resulted in dose-exposure conditions
      sufficient for the production of PPC. The serum and brain cocaine
      pharmacokinetics sufficient for the production of reinforcing efficacy were
      measured and related to previous data.

PMID- 1409810
TI  - Intermittent and continuous cocaine administration: residual behavioral states
      during withdrawal.
AB  - Rats were pretreated with 40 mg/kg/day cocaine for 14 days by either subcutaneous
      injections or osmotic minipumps. Rats were then withdrawn from the pretreatment
      regime for 1 or 7 days and given a 20-mg/kg IP cocaine challenge (day 1) or a 0-,
      10-, 20-, or 40-mg/kg IP cocaine challenge (day 7). The results indicate that
      rats receiving intermittent, daily injections exhibited sensitization to the
      behavioral effects of a cocaine challenge on days 1 and 7 of withdrawal. In
      contrast, rats receiving continuous cocaine exhibited tolerance to the behavioral
      effects of a cocaine challenge on days 1 and 7 of withdrawal. The present results
      support and extend previous research that indicates that the route and temporal
      pattern of administration influences the effects of chronic cocaine. Furthermore,
      the present results indicate that the continuous infusion paradigm may represent
      an alternative animal model of some aspects of high-dose cocaine abuse, as
      compared to the typical procedure of single, or multiple, daily cocaine
      injections.

PMID- 1409811
TI  - Role of locus coeruleus and serotonergic drug actions on schedule-induced
      polydipsia.
AB  - Schedule-induced polydipsia (SIP) poses a general buffering property to reduce
      the heightened arousal produced by a schedule of intermittent feeding. It thus
      provides a unique opportunity to study CNS integration in stress-coping
      reactions. In the present study, we examined the role of the locus coeruleus (LC)
      and the pharmacological actions of serotonergic (5-HT2) analogs on SIP. Water
      intake, licking, and bar presses per minute in rats were recorded as indices of
      SIP activity after they had been subjected to 1-h performance of a fixed-interval
      1-min operant pellet conditioning. Our results showed that SIP was progressively
      decreased after lesions were placed bilaterally in the LC areas and then followed
      by further lesioning in the bilateral ventral tegmental area. Neurotoxin DSP-4
      also had an inhibitory action on the SIP potency. In addition, SIP was attenuated
      by 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (0.1, 0.5, or 1.0 mg/kg, IP), a 5-HT2 agonist,
      and activated by ritanserin (2.5 mg/kg, IP), a 5-HT2 agonist. After bilateral LC
      lesions, SIP was attenuated and the activating effect of RIT was abolished. Our
      data suggest that the LC is involved in the central integration of SIP and that
      the modulating effects of 5-HT2 receptors on SIP depend upon the integrity of LC
      function.

PMID- 1409812
TI  - Fearful behavior, body size, and serum IGF-I levels in nervous and normal pointer
      dogs.
AB  - Panic disorder in adult humans is associated with disturbances in hypothalamic
      growth hormone (GH) function and children with emotional deprivation or severe
      anxiety develop growth retardation. Nervous pointer dogs, a genetic animal model
      of panic disorder or severe anxiety, are characterized by extreme fearfulness and
      avoidance of novel stimuli. This experiment investigated indices of body stature,
      weight, and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels in a colony of purebred
      nervous and purebred normal pointer dogs. The genetic line of nervous dogs had
      significantly greater scores of fearfulness, lower total body weights, lower
      weight/height ratio, and lower serum IGF-I levels than the normal line of pointer
      dogs. There was an inverse relationship between degree of fearfulness and total
      body weight in female, but not male, dogs. Stepwise logistic regression analysis
      indicated that the severity of fear behaviors, height, and weight were
      significantly associated with IGF-I levels. The best predictor of IGF-I levels in
      the dogs, however, was the severity of fearful behaviors elicited by exposure to
      novel stimuli and humans. These observations suggest that the neurobiological
      substrates of alarm, arousal, and fear influence hypothalamic-GH-somatomedin
      mediated effects on weight and, to a lesser extent, height. Findings are
      discussed in terms of their relevance to future research in humans with anxiety
      disorders.

PMID- 1409813
TI  - Effects of exercise on ethanol-induced hypothermia and loss of righting response
      in C57BL/6J mice.
AB  - C57BL/6J mice were given 5 weeks of voluntary wheel running and then studied for
      ethanol (EtOH) sensitivity as indicated by EtOH-induced hypothermia and loss of
      righting response (LORR) after 3.8 g/kg EtOH (20% w/v). Mice were assigned to
      wheel (free access to a running wheel in the home cage) or no wheel conditions,
      and wheel counts were monitored by a computer at 5-min intervals around the
      clock. In Experiment 1, duration of EtOH-induced LORR was assessed as amount of
      time required for the animal to right itself three times in a 30-s period, and
      body temperature was assessed by rectal probe. Wheel animals showed significantly
      shorter LORR and significantly less hypothermia at regaining the righting
      response than no wheel controls. In Experiment 2, temperature was assessed at 45
      and 90 min after EtOH challenge. Baseline temperatures for wheel and no wheel
      animals did not differ, but wheel animals showed dramatic resistance to EtOH
      induced hypothermia at both time points. Together with our earlier work, these
      results provide evidence that prior exercise can offset the effects of EtOH
      intoxication in several domains of EtOH sensitivity.

PMID- 1409814
TI  - Picrotoxin-induced tonic-clonic seizures and lethality are decreased by MK-801 in
      developing rats.
AB  - The action of MK-801 (NMDA antagonist; 0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg, IP) was tested against
      picrotoxin-induced seizures (3-6 mg/kg, IP) in rats aged 7, 12, 18, 25, and 90
      days. We found MK-801 only inconsistently affected clonic seizures in 12- and 25
      day-old rats, whereas tonic-clonic seizures were suppressed or delayed in almost
      all age groups. In addition, the lethality of picrotoxin was diminished by the
      higher dose of MK-801 in all age groups. The results suggest: a) different
      generators for both seizure patterns (clonic and tonic-clonic), b) an involvement
      of NMDA receptors in the genesis of tonic-clonic seizure pattern, and c) an
      interaction of MK-801 with GABAergic transmission throughout the entire
      development studied.

PMID- 1409815
TI  - Differential effects of intrastriatal estradiol on the dorsal immobility response
      in male rats.
AB  - The effects of implants of 17 beta-estradiol and cholesterol in four regions of
      the dorsal striatum were tested on the duration of the dorsal immobility response
      in gonadectomized male rats. The dorsal immobility response was significantly
      potentiated by 4-h implants of 17 beta-estradiol in the dorsomedial and
      dorsolateral regions of the dorsal striatum but not in the ventromedial and
      ventrolateral regions. These data further support the growing evidence that
      estradiol acts directly but differentially on the striatum to affect behaviors in
      the rat.

PMID- 1409816
TI  - Conditioned activation induced by ethanol: role in sensitization and conditioned
      place preference.
AB  - Previous studies of ethanol-induced activation and place preference conditioning
      have shown that repeated exposure to ethanol produces sensitization to ethanol's
      locomotor activating effect in mice. This experiment was designed to determine
      whether the behavioral sensitization to ethanol that occurs during place
      preference conditioning is due to development of a Pavlovian conditioned activity
      response. Mice (DBA/2J) in the experimental group (BEFORE) received four pairings
      of a distinctive floor stimulus with ethanol (2 g/kg, IP); a different floor
      stimulus was paired with saline (counterbalanced). Mice in two control groups
      were exposed equally to each floor stimulus and were handled and injected as
      often as experimental mice. One control group (AFTER) always received ethanol in
      the home cage 1 h after exposure to the floor stimulus, while the other control
      group (NO-DRUG) never received ethanol during conditioning. BEFORE group mice
      showed a significant conditioned place preference, whereas control mice did not.
      Activity tests after saline or ethanol indicated higher activity levels in BEFORE
      mice compared to control mice, regardless of floor stimulus. Moreover, BEFORE
      mice were more active on their CS+ floor than on their CS- floor during saline
      tests; activity was equally elevated on both floors during ethanol tests. These
      results support the hypothesis that sensitization to ethanol's activating effect
      is mediated by Pavlovian conditioning. Further, they suggest that place
      conditioning established-associative control by two kinds of stimuli; the
      specific tactile cues serving as CS+ and CS- and the general environmental cues
      common to both CS+ and CS- trials.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409817
TI  - Effects of centrally administered corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and alpha
      helical CRF on the vocalizations of isolated guinea pig pups.
AB  - Intraventricular corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) was administered to guinea
      pig pups both with a freehand injection technique and via indwelling cannula.
      Behavioral effects depended upon the technique used. The highest dose of CRF (5
      micrograms) inhibited the vocalizing of pups in a subsequent isolation test only
      when CRF was given by freehand injection. The possibility that disturbance
      attendant to the freehand procedure can account for this difference is discussed.
      To determine the effect of endogenous CRF in the absence of additional
      disturbance, the CRF antagonist alpha-helical CRF (ahCRF) was administered with
      the indwelling cannula procedure. ahCRF enhanced vocalizing during the first 10
      min, and enhanced locomotor activity during the last 10 min, of a 30-min
      isolation test. Overall, the results indicate that endogenous CRF reduces
      vocalizing and locomotion during social isolation and that under certain
      injection conditions exogenous CRF can exacerbate the behavioral effect. The
      results also demonstrate the potential impact of the technique used to administer
      exogenous CRF. Further, the prevailing view, that CRF mediates stress-related
      behavioral responses, is supported only if behavioral inhibition, rather than
      vocalizing or locomotor activity, is viewed as the stress-related response in
      this situation.

PMID- 1409818
TI  - Oral cocaine self-administration: relation of locomotor activity to
      pharmacokinetics.
AB  - Rats were exposed to daily schedule-induced polydipsia sessions in which
      solutions of cocaine HCl were available. Both cocaine solution concentration
      (0.08-0.32 mg/ml) and session duration (0.25-3 h) were varied to determine their
      effects on locomotor activity rate. Additional animals were used to determine the
      effect of session length on serum cocaine and metabolite levels when drinking
      0.32 mg/ml cocaine solution. Changes in locomotor activity rate were related to
      serum cocaine concentration by a linear concentration-effect model. By estimation
      from the linear model, the serum cocaine concentration threshold for increasing
      locomotor activity was about 0.01 microgram/ml. Under these schedule-induction
      conditions, there was no evidence for the development of acute tolerance to the
      locomotor-stimulating activity of cocaine.

PMID- 1409819
TI  - Chronic stress induces strain-dependent sensitization to the behavioral effects
      of amphetamine in the mouse.
AB  - Following 10 days of daily restraint stress, sensitization developed to the
      stimulatory effect of amphetamine on locomotion in DBA/2 but not in C57BL/6 mice
      tested 24 h after the last stressful experience regardless of their being naive
      or habituated to the test cages. Saline-injected C57BL/6 mice, however, showed an
      increase of locomotion 24 h after chronic stress treatment. Chronically stressed
      mice of the two strains did not exhibit any alteration of dopamine and
      metabolites (3-4-dihydroxphenylacetic acid, homovanillic acid, and 3
      methoxytyramine) levels in the frontal cortex, caudatus putamen, or nucleus
      accumbens septi, thus ruling out that stress-induced alteration of basal dopamine
      metabolism affected the behavioral response to amphetamine challenging in DBA/2
      mice. Ten daily amphetamine injections (5 mg/kg) did not significantly modify the
      behavioral response to amphetamine in either strain of mice tested 24 h after the
      end of the chronic treatment and did not increase locomotion in saline-injected
      C57BL/6 mice. Finally, chronically stressed hybrids B6D2F1 did not show
      sensitization to the locomotor effects of amphetamine, suggesting a dominant mode
      of inheritance in the response to chronic stress of the C57BL/6 strain.

PMID- 1409820
TI  - Learning-induced changes in D2 receptors of rat brain are sexually dimorphic.
AB  - Pharmacological agents known to stimulate monoamine systems improve memory, and
      destruction of the dopaminergic systems or dopamine depletion lead to impairments
      in various learning-related tasks. These reported effects of the central
      dopaminergic system imply the involvement of D2 receptors. The aim of the present
      study was to investigate changes in [3H]spiroperidol binding in seven areas of
      rat brain following informal and active avoidance learning. Littermate male and
      female rats were reared until 3 months of age in standard colony conditions and
      treated as active controls or in enriched environmental conditions and exposed to
      pole-jump active avoidance trials. Female rats acquired avoidance behavior more
      rapidly than males. Among the brain regions, only the hippocampus showed
      significant variations in D2 receptor binding between the groups; sex differences
      and learning-sex interaction were observed in the corpus striatum. There was an
      inverse correlation between learning performance and hippocampal D2 receptor
      binding. Our results show that learning affects hippocampal D2 receptors in a
      sexually dimorphic pattern.

PMID- 1409821
TI  - Effects of an inhibitor of GABA-aminotransferase (gamma-vinyl-GABA) on the
      spatial navigation deficit induced by muscarinic blockade.
AB  - The present study investigated whether stimulation of the GABAergic system
      affects spatial navigation [water-maze (WM)] deficit induced by muscarinic
      blockade (scopolamine). The effects of various doses of gamma-vinyl-GABA (GVG)
      (50, 150, and 300 mg/kg) and scopolamine (0.4 and 0.1 mg/kg) were examined alone
      and in combination. GVG at 50 and 150 mg/kg alone did not impair the performance
      of rats in the WM yask. At 300 mg/kg, GVG caused slight impairment, increasing
      latency and total distance swim during training trials. Scopolamine at 0.4 mg/kg
      clearly impaired the performance of rats in the WM task. When the two drugs were
      coadministered, no interaction between scopolamine and GVG was observed. Our
      results do not provide support for any interaction between cholinergic muscarinic
      and GABAergic mechanisms.

PMID- 1409822
TI  - Effect of Ro 15-4513 on ethanol-induced conditioned place preference.
AB  - The benzodiazepine receptor inverse agonist Ro 15-4513 reverses a number of
      ethanol's effects, including its reinforcing properties as measured through self
      administration. The present study examined the effect of this putative ethanol
      antagonist in a place conditioning design that has been shown to be sensitive to
      ethanol's rewarding properties in mice. Using an unbiased differential
      conditioning procedure, DBA/2J mice received, on alternate days, pairings of a
      distinctive floor stimulus (CS+) with either ethanol (2 g/kg), Ro 15-4513 (3
      mg/kg), or a combination of ethanol and Ro 15-4513. On alternate days, a
      different distinctive floor stimulus (CS-) was paired with vehicle. Under these
      conditions, ethanol produced a conditioned place preference that was unaffected
      by Ro 15-4513. Ro 15-4513 alone did not produce either a place preference or
      aversion. Ro 15-4513 did produce reductions in locomotor activity during
      conditioning, indicating it was behaviorally active. These results indicate that
      a dose of Ro 15-4513 that alters general activity does not affect ethanol reward.

PMID- 1409823
TI  - [Pharmacokinetics in the aged].

PMID- 1409824
TI  - Synthesis of condensed heterocycles from 3-aryl-2,4-dicarbethoxy-5
      methylcyclohexanones and their testing for antimicrobial activity.
AB  - Condensation of the title compounds (1) with hydroxylamine hydrochloride,
      hydrazines and/or aromatic amines resulted in the formation of the benzisoxazoles
      2, oximes 3, indazolines 4 and beta-keto anilides 6. The oxime derivatives and
      anilides underwent cyclization to compounds 2. The interaction between 1 and
      thiourea gave the benzothiazines 7 and thiouracils 8. Compounds 8 on treatment
      with monochloroacetic acid gave the dioxo compounds 9, while their reaction with
      hydrazine hydrate afforded the hydrazino derivatives 10, which upon treatment
      with nitrous acid gave the azido or tetrazolo derivatives 11 and 12. Treatment of
      1 with 2,3-diaminopyridine and/or 2-amino-3-hydroxy-pyridine gave the
      pyrimidoquinazolines 13 or 14. Some of the synthesized compounds were screened to
      test their antimicrobial properties.

PMID- 1409825
TI  - Synthesis and biological activity of some heterocyclic systems containing
      anthraquinone.
AB  - 2-Aminoanthraquinone (1) was reacted with ethyl chloroformate to afford 2. The
      reaction between carbamate 2 and hydrazine hydrate gave semicarbazide 3, which on
      treatment with benzoic acid, phenyl isothiocyanate and carbon disulfide/potassium
      hydroxide furnished oxadiazoles 4, 6 and triazole 5, respectively. Also,
      treatment of 1 with chloroacetyl chloride gave chloroacetyl derivative 8. The
      reaction of glycolic acid, thioglycolic acid, diethyl malonate and malononitrile
      with 8 has been investigated. Compound 8 was treated with potassium thiocyanate
      to give 12, which was cyclized to 13a, while the reaction between 8 and potassium
      cyanate gave 13b directly. The structures of hitherto unknown compounds were
      confirmed by analytical and spectral methods. Some of the synthesized compounds
      were screened to test their antibacterial and antifungal properties.

PMID- 1409826
TI  - A rapid thin layer chromatographic procedure to identify poor and extensive
      oxidative drug metabolizers in man using dextromethorphan.
AB  - A rapid TLC method is presented to distinguish poor oxidative drug metabolizers
      from extensive oxidative drug metabolizers. Dextromethorphan (1) is used as test
      probe because it is safe, well characterized, generally available and easy to
      measure. The method is based on the extraction of 1 and its major oxidative
      metabolite dextrorphan (2) from urine, followed by separation on a TLC plate and
      visualized by a combined Marquis/Mandelin reaction. The intensities of the spots
      are then compared with a series of standard mixtures containing 1 and 2 in a
      ratio of 0.3 at different concentrations. This value represents the antimode that
      separates poor from extensive metabolizers, and an individual is identified as a
      poor metabolizer if the intensity ratio of the two spots from his urine sample is
      higher than 0.3. The proposed TLC method was cross checked with an HPLC method
      and found to correctly identify 9 poor metabolizers out of a population of 71
      volunteers.

PMID- 1409827
TI  - Availability of phenindione-beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complex.
AB  - The inclusion complexation was occurred between beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) and
      phenindione (1) in aqueous solution. The complex formation was proved by
      solubility, dissolution and permeation study. The inclusion complex was prepared
      and its physicochemical properties was studied. 1 was combined with beta-CD in
      1:1 molar ratio. Using the solubility data, the value of apparent stability
      constant obtained of 1/beta-CD complex was 492.7. The dissolution rate of 1 was
      increased in presence of beta-CD. The permeability coefficients of 1 were 7.86 x
      10(-3), 4.76 x 10(-3) and 5.0 x 10(-3), corresponding to pure drug, its physical
      mixture with beta-CD and the inclusion complex, respectively. The presence of
      human albumin generally decreased the permeability coefficient of the drug. The
      reduction (79.5%) was found to be nearly equal in case of either pure 1 or its
      complex with beta-CD. Administration of 1 or its inclusion complex with beta-CD
      to rabbits increase prothrombin times, the effect was more pronounced in the
      complex form of drug than free one.

PMID- 1409829
TI  - Influence of leukemia P388 on plasma concentration-time profiles of bendamustine
      in B6D2F1 mice.
AB  - It was the aim of this study to investigate whether leukemia P388 being an
      important murine transplantation tumor may alter the plasma concentration-time
      profiles of the alkylating antineoplastic agent bendamustine (1) in mice. In an
      advanced tumor stage the rapid decline of 1 plasma levels was found to be
      retarded in tumor-bearing in comparison to tumor-free animals both after i.v. and
      p.o. drug administration. These changes cannot be explained by the neoplasia
      related depression of drug metabolism whereas the 1-containing ascitic fluid may
      be a possible reason for the prolonged drug levels in plasma. After p.o.
      administration of 1, the bioavailability of the drug was found to be increased in
      the leukemia-bearing animals.

PMID- 1409828
TI  - [2-Amino-oxazoles as potential H-bonding agents in virostatic research. 4.
      Pharmacokinetics and pharmacologic-toxicologic profile of 2-guanidino-4,5
      dipropyloxazole hydrochloride].
AB  - Out of the group of 2-amino-oxazoles 1 was found to be the most potent antiviral
      compound. Following p.o. or s.c. administration to rats, the 14C-labeled 1 was
      quickly and completely absorbed. The TRA was eliminated mainly via the kidneys
      and the liver with half-lives between 32 and 42 h. The acute pharmacodynamic
      effects of 1 were decrease of blood pressure, bradycardia, and inhibition of both
      gastric emptying and acid secretion. On smooth muscles spasmolytic and alpha-anti
      adrenergic actions were predominant. After single administration the following
      MTD's were determined: 30 (mouse), 20 (rat), 10 mg/kg i.v. (pig), and 500 (mouse,
      rat), greater than 100 mg/kg p.o. (pig), respectively. In a subchronic toxicity
      study in rats, oral doses of 1 between 15 and 240 mg/kg given daily for 4 weeks
      were tolerated without any severe alterations related to the drug.

PMID- 1409830
TI  - Deferoxamine (Desferal) improves the content of oxygen in myocardial tissues
      during recovery after hypoxia in isolated rabbit heart.
AB  - On isolated working right heart from rabbit tissue oxygen content as an indicator
      of function of oxygen transport and storage was observed by moderate hypoxia,
      hypoxia with deferoxamine (1) and iron infusion. In addition water content of
      myocardium as an indicator of metabolic damage was evaluated and the copper
      depletion was established. During the recovery the results presented a beneficial
      effect on the content of tissue oxygen which is due to 1. But the copper
      depletion was not changed. Possible connections are discussed.

PMID- 1409831
TI  - In vitro interaction of interferon-alpha-2b with microspheres particles.

PMID- 1409832
TI  - Dose-dependence of coumarin elimination and inhibitory effect of 8-methoxy
      psoralen.

PMID- 1409833
TI  - [Is propranolol suitable for the liver function test?].

PMID- 1409834
TI  - Difference in the inhibition of plasma carboxylesterase activity by
      metoclopramide in humans and laboratory animals.

PMID- 1409835
TI  - Antiarrhythmic-antihypoxic drug stobadine inhibits copper-induced peroxidation of
      low density lipoprotein.

PMID- 1409836
TI  - The effect of the mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus on the lipid peroxidation of
      phosphatidylcholine liposomes.

PMID- 1409837
TI  - Modulation of adenosine deaminase activity of endothelial cells by steroids.

PMID- 1409838
TI  - Potentiating effect of 1,2,4-thiadiazolidines on barbiturate-induced hypnosis in
      albino mice.

PMID- 1409839
TI  - [New ampicillin derivatives with glyoxyloylbenzhydrazone side chains].
AB  - New ampicillin derivatives were synthesized from glyoxylic acid benzhydrazones by
      reaction with chloroformates via mixed anhydrides and ampicillin. These compounds
      were tested in an agar diffusion test against six different bacterial strains and
      also for their stability against beta-lactamases. Studies about structure
      activity relationships have shown, that the activity against different bacterial
      strains is influenced in different manner by hydrophilic or hydrophobic and
      electronic properties of substituents.

PMID- 1409840
TI  - Pro-drugs of isoniazid: synthesis and diffusion characteristics of acyl
      derivatives.
AB  - The attachment of various acyl groups to the NH2 function of isoniazid afforded
      in good yields pro-drugs which were characterized by spectroscopic and analytical
      methods. The in vitro diffusion of pro-drugs was studied; the transfer rate
      constants from simulated gastro-intestinal juices to simulated plasma, through
      artificial wall lipid membranes were defined and compared with those of an
      equivalent dose of pure isoniazid. The diffusion rate constants were not greatly
      affected by the length of the substituent chain. All compounds were treated with
      artificial gastric or intestinal juices. No significant hydrolysis was observed.

PMID- 1409841
TI  - In vitro release, pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution studies of doxorubicin
      hydrochloride (Adriamycin HCl) encapsulated in lipiodolized w/o emulsions and
      w/o/w multiple emulsions.
AB  - The lipiodolized w/o emulsion or w/o/w multiple emulsion containing Doxorubicin
      hydrochloride (1; Adriamycin HCl) with different emulsifiers was prepared to
      evaluate in vitro sustained-release behavior, pharmacokinetic and tissue
      distribution function in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. The results of dissolution
      indicate that the release of 1 was significantly sustained for both emulsions
      when HCO-60 (polyoxyethylene (60) hydrogenated castor oil) was used as an
      emulsifier. The serum concentration of 1 was reduced and prolonged for both
      emulsions with the increase of HCO-60. The C(max) level was lowered and T(max)
      value was delayed after administration of w/o emulsions with higher HCO-60
      concentration. The apparent terminal half-life for 1 released from some emulsions
      with higher concentration of HCO-60 was 3-folds higher than that of the 1
      solution. The clearance of some w/o or w/o/w ADR emulsions also decreased with
      the increase of HCO-60. Not only the concentration of 1 in heart and kidney
      decreased significantly after the administration of w/o emulsions with the higher
      concentration of HCO-60, but also the hepatic concentration of 1 was higher and
      increased with HCO-60 concentration. The hepatic 1 level became lower after
      administration of w/o/w multiple emulsions with the increase of HCO-60; however,
      the concentration of 1 in heart, lung and spleen increased somewhat. The results
      indicate that lipiodol and HCO-60 seemed to play an important role in the
      prolongation and selective retention of w/o emulsion or w/o/w multiple emulsion,
      in vitro and in vivo.

PMID- 1409842
TI  - Effects of isoniazid on hepatic drug oxidation and N-acetylation capacities in
      rats.
AB  - In vitro and in vivo activity of hepatic monooxygenase as well as in vivo N
      acetylation capacity were assessed in male Wistar rats after oral pretreatment
      with 10 and 50 mg/kg isoniazid for 7 d. Both doses of isoniazid showed no
      statistical difference in protein contents, total cytochrome P-450 and the
      activities of aminopyrine N-demethylase as well as ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase
      in the 9000 x g liver homogenate suspension compared to the saline pretreated
      group. Body and relative liver weights remained also unchanged. In vivo isoniazid
      pretreatment with either dose hardly changed the kinetic profiles and parameters
      of phenazone and sulfadimidine (free + total). The results suggest that drug
      metabolizing pathways that can be evaluated by the metabolism of the model
      substances employed here may not be modified by prolonged isoniazid treatment.

PMID- 1409843
TI  - Protection of the hypoxic myocardium by the bispyridine derivatives AWD 122-14
      and milrinone: studies on isolated, working right rabbit hearts.
AB  - Isolated rabbit hearts were perfused via the aortic root with Muralt solution at
      a constant perfusion pressure of 52 mm Hg ("preload"). After passing the coronary
      system, the right ventricle pumps the perfusion medium against an "afterload" of
      5.15 +/- 1.3 mm Hg through the arteria pulmonalis with a spontaneous heart rate
      of 131 +/- 11 beats/min. In this model, the right ventricle works under
      "physiological" conditions. The model was characterized by applying the
      parameters of Doring et al. The following parameters of this model were measured:
      RVPsyst. + diast., Qpulm., MVO2, HR, dp/dtmax, dp/dtmin. By applying the method
      of Neely et al. the external pressure work (w), the efficiency (e) and the
      coronary resistance (R) were calculated. After a short period of hypoxia of 5 min
      (the pO2 in the perfusion medium was decreased from 530 mm Hg to 160 mm Hg), the
      ventricle functions are reversibly depressed, and restored partially under
      reperfusion (15 min) of the myocardium in dependence of the hypoxia and
      reperfusion lesions. The application of 3 x 10(-6) mol/l of the two bispyridine
      derivatives AWD 122-14 and milrinone into the perfusion medium during the total
      experimental time protected the myocardium partially against the hypoxia and
      reperfusion lesions. This protecting activity can be shown in a better preserve
      and recovery of the ventricle functions (pulmonalis flow, external pressure work,
      efficiency). The application of 5 x 10(-8) mol/l nifedipine, a known protective
      substance, showed a lower activity in this model compared with the activity of
      the bispyridines.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409844
TI  - Preparation of multi-chamber gastrointestinal diffusion system for isosorbide-5
      mononitrate.

PMID- 1409845
TI  - Isolation and hypotensive activity of a polymeric procyanidin fraction from
      Pistacia lentiscus L.

PMID- 1409846
TI  - Antifungal activity of some essential oil isolates.

PMID- 1409847
TI  - Histamine H3 receptors are not involved in the regulation of rat gastric
      secretion.
AB  - The effects of histamine H3 receptor activation [(R)alpha-methylhistamine] and
      blockade (thioperamide) on rat gastric secretion were determined in vivo and in
      vitro. (R)alpha-Methylhistamine (0.1-5 mumol/kg i.p.) did not modify secretory
      volume and acidity in pylorus-ligated rats; it did not affect basal acid
      secretion and the secretion stimulated by histamine, pentagastrin and 2-deoxy-D
      glucose in the lumen-perfused stomach of anaesthetized rats, when administered by
      continuous infusion (0.01-1 mumol/kg/h) or bolus injection (0.05-25 mumol/kg). In
      this preparation, the H3 agonist increased acid secretion at doses of 3-25
      mumol/kg i.v., the effect being antagonized by famotidine. In the isolated
      gastric fundus from immature rats both (R)alpha-methylhistamine (0.01-10 mumol/l)
      and thioperamide (0.01-1 mumol/l) were totally ineffective against both
      spontaneous and stimulated gastric secretion. These results suggest that
      histamine H3 receptors are unlikely to have a role in regulating gastric acid
      secretion in the rat.

PMID- 1409848
TI  - Characteristics of vasoinhibitory action of FK 453 (a pyrazolo-pyridine
      derivative), a new antihypertensive agent with diuretic action in isolated rabbit
      aorta.
AB  - The vasoinhibitory effect of FK 453 was examined in isolated rabbit aorta. FK 453
      inhibited contractile responses to norepinephrine, angiotensin-I and KCl.
      Pretreatment of the tissue with FK 453 failed to affect the relaxing effect of
      verapamil on the KCl response and the inhibitory effect of prazosin on the
      phenylephrine response. FK 453 inhibited both the residual norepinephrine
      response and the subsequent Ca2+ response in a Ca(2+)-free medium containing EGTA
      and nifedipine. The inhibitory effect of a combined treatment with either FK 453
      plus nitroglycerin or FK 453 plus theophylline, but not with FK 453 plus M & B
      22,948 (2-o-propoxyphenyl-8-azapurine-6-one; May & Baker), was much greater than
      that of any single treatment. Pretreatment with FK 453 also potentiated relaxing
      effects of nitroglycerin and isoproterenol on the PGF2 alpha response. The effect
      of a combined treatment with FK 453 plus theophylline, but not with FK 453 plus M
      & B 22,948, was much greater than that of any single treatment. FK 453 also
      inhibited the activity of phosphodiesterase from canine aorta to convert cyclic
      [3H]-GMP and cyclic [3H]-AMP to 5'-GMP and 5'-AMP, respectively. These results
      suggest that the inhibitory action of FK 453 is not due to inhibition of voltage
      operated Ca2+ channels or alpha-adrenoceptors, but due to increase in cyclic GMP
      level.

PMID- 1409849
TI  - Microcomputer-aided system for electrocardiograms and blood pressure analysis
      during drug-induced transient periods.
AB  - In the current experiments, we have developed a microcomputer-aided system for
      amplitude and duration parameter analysis of electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood
      pressure (BP) waveforms during the drug-induced transient period. Both ECG and BP
      are monitored, amplified and recorded using standard techniques. For studying the
      parameter variation trend, the time course of each parameter was produced. Based
      on these requirements, the present system combined data acquisition, data
      selection, data analysis, graph plotting and some experimental techniques to meet
      the need. Generalized human ECG and arterial BP waveforms were used in this
      system to expand its usable ranges. From the time course graph plotting, the
      variation trend of each parameter during each drug-induced transient period was
      obtained thereafter. The main advantages of this system include: (1) transient
      analysis--the system is suitable for complete and precise parameter analysis of
      human and animal ECG and BP in the drug-induced transient period; (2) ease of
      construction--the simplified hardware interface and IBM PC-AT compatible system
      make this system easy to be constructed; (3) ease of operation--modular data
      acquisition, processing and analysis procedures make this system easy to be
      operated; (4) high expansion potential--the modular hardware interface and
      modular software procedure make this system easy to be expanded; (5) wide utility
      -the system can be applied to any other research areas which involve the
      parameter analysis of ECG and BP.

PMID- 1409850
TI  - Metabolic zonation of the liver: regulation and implications for liver function.
AB  - Liver parenchyma shows a remarkable heterogeneity of the hepatocytes along the
      porto-central axis with respect to ultrastructure and enzyme activities resulting
      in different cellular functions within different zones of the liver lobuli.
      According to the concept of metabolic zonation, the spatial organization of the
      various metabolic pathways and functions forms the basis for the efficient
      adaptation of liver metabolism to the different nutritional requirements of the
      whole organism in different metabolic states. The present review summarizes
      current knowledge about this heterogeneity, its development and determination, as
      well as about its significance for the understanding of all aspects of liver
      function and pathology, especially of intermediary metabolism, biotransformation
      of drugs and zonal toxicity of hepatotoxins.

PMID- 1409851
TI  - Serum-free cell culture.
AB  - Cell culture is one important tool when studying cellular functions and molecular
      biology. It is also a basic method in most virological investigations. Serum has
      been an obligatory component in most cell culture media. During the last decades
      serum-free, chemically defined media have been developed, that are supplemented
      with a number of substances with specific cellular activities. The main
      developments of defined media are presented. Examples are given of investigations
      with different cell types.

PMID- 1409853
TI  - Suffering, literature, and the art of medicine.

PMID- 1409852
TI  - Free radicals and other reactive oxygen metabolites in inflammatory bowel
      disease: cause, consequence or epiphenomenon?
AB  - Oxygen-derived free radicals and other reactive oxygen metabolites have emerged
      as a common pathway of tissue injury in a wide variety of otherwise disparate
      disease processes. This has given rise to the hope that efforts directed towards
      the pharmacologic control of free radical-mediated tissue injury (Reilly, P.M.,
      Schiller, H. J. and Bulkley, G. B. (1991) Pharmacologic approach to tissue injury
      mediated by free radicals and other reactive oxygen metabolites. Am. J. Surg.
      161: 488-503) may have particular application to patients suffering from Crohn's
      disease and/or ulcerative colitis. However, because tissue injury by any
      mechanism, even direct mechanical trauma, can elicit an inflammatory response
      which entails the secondary generation of toxic oxidants by neutrophils and
      tissue macrophages, it is important that the evidence for this association be
      examined critically, so as to discriminate the possibility of an etiologic role
      for these toxic compounds from their presence as a reflection of injury caused
      primarily by other agents. Similarly, in considering the therapeutic potential of
      free radical ablation for the treatment of patients with IBD it is important to
      distinguish between interventions that might specifically block the fundamental
      injury mechanism from those which would act in a more nonspecific, anti
      inflammatory role.

PMID- 1409854
TI  - Revelations and revolution: a medical student's trip to Haiti during the 1990
      revolution.

PMID- 1409855
TI  - A 1992 manifesto for primary physicians.

PMID- 1409856
TI  - Should you operate on your own mother?

PMID- 1409857
TI  - The mad doctor in fiction.

PMID- 1409858
TI  - "The care of the patient": a living testimony to Francis Weld Peabody.

PMID- 1409859
TI  - Sad town, torn gown.

PMID- 1409860
TI  - Use of sexually explicit words in The Pharos.

PMID- 1409862
TI  - Another tenet for residents.

PMID- 1409861
TI  - Are medicine and education equal?

PMID- 1409863
TI  - Ideal family medicine.

PMID- 1409864
TI  - Music and medicine.

PMID- 1409865
TI  - Francois Rabelais: satire as therapy for the body politic.

PMID- 1409866
TI  - Haloperidol and reduced haloperidol serum levels: correlation with
      psychopathology in acute schizophrenia.
AB  - Serum levels of haloperidol (HPL) and reduced haloperidol (RHPL) as well as the
      RHPL/HPL ratio were determined in 55 acute schizophrenics on oral haloperidol
      medication and correlated over 28 days with psychopathology and extrapyramidal
      symptom scores. Linear and nonlinear models of serum concentration and
      psychopathology were tested at several time points. No single consistent model
      could be established for either HPL or RPHL. However, when non-parametrical
      methods are used HPL levels between 10 and 25 ng/ml can be shown to be
      significantly associated with better outcome during the first three weeks of
      treatment. RHPL is unsuitable for therapy monitoring, since equilibrium is not
      reached in the first four weeks of treatment. The RHPL/HPL ratio was found to
      rise continuously during the study, and it neither separated responders from
      nonresponders nor did it correlate with clinical outcome.

PMID- 1409868
TI  - Exacerbation of tics following antidepressant therapy in a case of Gilles-de-la
      Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1409867
TI  - Quantitative topographical analysis of effects of single thiopental bolus on
      human electroencephalogram.
AB  - The aim of present study was to characterize the topographical effect of
      thiopental on the EEG during induction of anesthesia. A multichannel (19
      channels) digital EEG was recorded in 10 patients undergoing surgical treatment.
      The period during induction of anaesthesia before intubation was investigated in
      regard to peak frequency, amplitude, topography, and amplitude in conventional
      frequency bands. The main findings were a slowing of the EEG with a simultaneous
      increase of amplitude in the predominant EEG frequency (peak frequency) during
      induction. The topographical analysis showed a clear change of localization of
      the peak frequency in the occipito-frontal direction. Berger described the effect
      of thiopental on electrical cortical activity as early as 1933. Since then, many
      studies have investigated its influence on the EEG, but few have tried to
      characterize the effects of topographical changes in a quantitative way.

PMID- 1409869
TI  - Fluvoxamine-induced acute exacerbation in residual schizophrenia.

PMID- 1409870
TI  - An absorptiometry method for the determination of arterial blood concentration of
      injected iodinated contrast agent.
AB  - A single photon absorptiometry method to measure the arterial concentration of
      injected iodinated contrast agent was developed. A prototype absorptiometry unit
      was built which consists of either a square or circular cross section acrylic
      (polymethylmethacrylate) cuvette connected to an arterial catheter at one end and
      a paristaltic pump at the other via PE60 surgical tubing. At opposing ends of the
      length of the cuvette were a 0.4 GBq 125I source and a scintillation
      crystal/photomultiplier tube assembly. This assembly was connected to a single
      channel analyser (SCA)/scaler unit to count the transmitted photons through the
      cuvette. The scaler was interfaced to an IBM PC and counts accumulated in preset
      time intervals were transmitted to the computer via a serial interface.
      Experiments were performed to calibrate the unit for measurement of blood
      concentration of contrast agent (Isovue 300) and to determine the dispersion
      characteristics of the unit. Deconvolution was used to correct the measured
      concentration waveform for the dispersion introduced by passage through the lead
      in tubing and the cuvette. The precision of concentration measurements was
      determined to be between 5 and 10% using computer simulations and theoretical
      calculations. The method was used successfully in a number of patient and animal
      studies to measure the contrast concentration in blood following intravenous
      injection of contrast agent.

PMID- 1409871
TI  - Non-invasive techniques for the measurement of extraction fraction and
      permeability surface area product of 99Tcm DTPA in the human forearm.
AB  - Only a very limited number of clinical studies have been reported on the
      measurement of endothelial permeability to hydrophilic solutes (molecular weight
      less than 6000 Daltons) that normally gain free access to the extravascular
      space. Because of high extraction efficiencies into the extravascular space, the
      transfer rates of small solutes of molecular weight about 500 Daltons, like 99Tcm
      DTPA, are perfusion-dependent as well as diffusion-dependent. We describe non
      invasive techniques for measurement of clearance and extraction fraction of 99Tcm
      DTPA into the extravascular space of the resting forearm using a scintillation
      probe, from which we then calculated permeability surface area (PS) product. Our
      values for extraction fraction of about 0.5 and for PS product of about 3 ml per
      minute per 100 ml tissue are comparable to the values reported in the literature
      for resting skeletal muscle using more invasive techniques.

PMID- 1409872
TI  - Radiation dose reduction in diagnostic x-ray procedures.
AB  - The performance of K-edge filters to modify the x-ray spectrum is investigated
      experimentally in a variety of clinical situations involving bone/soft tissue
      imaging, with the aim of improving the optimization between image contrast and
      patient exposure. The results show that simultaneous improvement of contrast and
      reduction of exposure is possible for a wide range of patient sizes. For
      conditions of fixed contrast skin exposure reductions of better than 50% and
      integrated dose reductions of up to 30% have been achieved with tolerable
      increases in tube load. Rare earth salt solutions were used as an inexpensive
      alternative source of K-edge filtration, and their performance was found to be in
      no way inferior to that of expensive metal foils.

PMID- 1409873
TI  - A comparison of two breathing exercise programs for patients with quadriplegia.
AB  - This study compared the use of abdominal weights (AbWts) to inspiratory resistive
      muscle training (IMT) on selected measures of pulmonary function. Eleven
      patients, aged 16 to 41 years (mean = 27.8, SD = 8.3) with complete cervical
      injuries were randomly assigned to either an AbWts or IMT treatment group.
      Subjects in both treatment groups received daily treatments (five times weekly)
      for 7 weeks. Forced vital capacity (FVC), inspiratory capacity (IC), maximal
      voluntary ventilation (MVV), peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), and inspiratory
      mouth pressure (PImax) were measured weekly. Analysis of variance for repeated
      measures showed no difference between the AbWts and IMT treatments; there were
      significant differences within each respective treatment group for all five
      variables. Although the data did not support the effectiveness of one method of
      training over the other, the larger increase in MVV with the IMT protocol may be
      indicative of an endurance training effect with this protocol. Future research
      should compare the effects of breathing exercise training to spontaneous recovery
      of the respiratory muscles in control subjects.

PMID- 1409874
TI  - Normal range of motion of the cervical spine: an initial goniometric study.
AB  - The purposes of this study were (1) to determine normal values for cervical
      active range of motion (AROM) obtained with a "cervical-range-of-motion" (CROM)
      instrument on healthy subjects whose ages spanned 9 decades, (2) to determine
      whether age and gender affect six cervical AROMs, and (3) to examine the
      intratester and intertester reliability of measurements obtained. Measurements
      were made on 337 subjects (171 females and 166 males) whose ages ranged from 11
      to 97 years. Measurements were taken by five physical therapists with 7 to 30
      years of clinical and teaching experience. Among male and female subjects of the
      same age, females had a greater AROM than did males for all AROMs except neck
      flexion. Among both males and females, each of the six cervical AROMs decreased
      significantly with age. From two pilot studies separate from the acquisition of
      the normal database, we determined our intratester and intertester reliabilities
      for making neck AROM measurements with the CROM instrument. We concluded that
      AROM measurements on the cervical spine with the CROM instrument demonstrated
      good intratester and intertester reliability, because the intraclass correlation
      coefficients were generally greater than .80.

PMID- 1409875
TI  - Use of an intensive task-oriented gait training program in a series of patients
      with acute cerebrovascular accidents.
AB  - The aims of this case report are to describe the application of an early and
      intensive task-oriented physical therapy program for gait relearning following
      stroke and to report the patients' ability to comply with the program. Ten
      patients, 60 to 75 years of age (mean = 69.8, SD = 7.3), with a middle cerebral
      artery infarct (confirmed by computerized tomography) were assigned to this
      special physical therapy program. Patients were treated twice a day, 5 days a
      week, from the eighth day after stroke for 5 consecutive weeks. To promote gait
      relearning, a program of early standing (using a tilt table when necessary),
      combined with weight-shifting exercises and feedback via a limb-load monitor as
      well as locomotor activities including exercises on a Kinetron and treadmill
      walking, was adapted for each patient's level of motor recovery. Walking on the
      treadmill (with a safety harness) was initiated as early as the second week after
      stroke in 4 patients, and all patients had started Kinetron training by the
      second week. Except for 1 patient, who was withdrawn from the study because of an
      infection, all patients showed good treatment compliance (93.6%) with the planned
      50 treatments and were able to withstand a mean treatment duration of 44.8
      minutes (SD = 6.3, range = 37.5-58.5), twice a day, during the first week of the
      program (8th to 14th day after stroke). Results from this pilot project indicate
      that intensive and graded locomotor activities can be very well tolerated in the
      early period after stroke.

PMID- 1409876
TI  - The effect of postural drainage positioning on ventilation homogeneity in healthy
      subjects.
AB  - Body position is known to have significant effects on oxygen transport. These
      effects, however, are seldom considered during postural drainage (PD). The
      purpose of this study was to examine the effect of modified PD positions on
      ventilation homogeneity (the evenness of the distribution of ventilation), which
      is a key component of oxygen transport. The single-breath nitrogen washout test
      was used to obtain an index of ventilation homogeneity (slope of phase 3
      [SBN2/L%]). Seventeen healthy individuals, ranging from 22 to 40 years of age (
      mean = 28.4, SD = 5.6), performed the single-breath nitrogen test while sitting,
      lying supine with the bed tipped head down, right side lying, and right side
      lying with the bed tipped head down. Within-subject one-way analyses of variance
      and Tukey's post hoc analyses were used to compare differences in SBN2/L% across
      the four positions. The distribution of ventilation was significantly less
      homogeneous in the side-lying positions compared with the supine and sitting
      positions. Although these results reflect a position-induced change in pleural
      pressure gradient, they also reflect the effect of gravity-independent,
      intraregional changes on ventilation distribution. Thus, modified PD positioning
      has a significant effect on ventilation homogeneity, which may predispose a
      patient to arterial desaturation. Given the complexity of the factors involved,
      patients considered for PD positioning should be monitored for arterial
      saturation.

PMID- 1409877
TI  - Effect of variation in the burst and carrier frequency modes of neuromuscular
      electrical stimulation on pain perception of healthy subjects.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of various combinations of
      burst and carrier frequencies of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on
      subjects' perception of pain intensity associated with induction of high
      intensity muscle contractions. Twenty-seven healthy volunteers completed the
      study. After the initial test session, all subjects were treated in three
      additional sessions with nine combinations of burst frequencies (50, 70, and 90
      bursts per second [bps]) and carrier frequencies (2,500, 5,000, and 10,000 Hz) at
      an NMES amplitude that produced torque equivalent to 50% of maximal voluntary
      contraction of their quadriceps femoris muscle. Subjects rated each frequency
      combination for perceived pain intensity with a visual analog scale. The
      combinations of burst frequencies (50, 70, and 90 bps) and carrier frequencies
      (2,500 and 5,000 Hz) do not differ from each other in perceived pain intensity
      but do differ significantly in perceived pain from the combinations of burst
      frequencies at the carrier frequency of 10,000 Hz. Thus, the clinician may have
      to try different stimulus combinations on patients at different current training
      levels to obtain the least individually perceived pain.

PMID- 1409878
TI  - Reliability of ground reaction force measurements during dynamic transitions from
      bipedal to single-limb stance in healthy adults.
AB  - The consistency of ground reaction force (GRF) variables underlying dynamic
      transitions from bipedal to single-limb stance during a single-leg flexion
      movement was examined in 18 healthy adult subjects aged 21 to 47 years (mean =
      31.1, SD = 8.6). Force platforms were used to measure the GRFs during fast and
      natural speeds of movement. Separate intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs)
      were calculated for three temporal variables (ie, onset of the propulsive and
      braking phases of the lateral horizontal GRF component and time to unload the
      flexing limb) and for two magnitude variables (ie, propulsive impulse [PROP] and
      braking impulse [BRAK]). The ICCs for both PROP and BRAK were > or = .73 for fast
      movements and > or = .88 at the natural speed. The ICCs for the temporal
      variables were > or = .66 at fast speeds and > or = .37 at the natural speed. We
      concluded that measurements of PROP and BRAK are reliable across a range of
      speeds during transitions in stance support and that these variables may be
      tightly regulated by the movement control system. Temporal variables,
      particularly at the natural speed, exhibited lower reliability estimates,
      suggesting that measurements of these events have greater variability.
      Reliability of measurements of GRF variables provides useful information for the
      clinician regarding underlying control processes governing dynamic transitions in
      stance support.

PMID- 1409879
TI  - The twenty-sixth Mary McMillan Lecture.

PMID- 1409880
TI  - Who owns an idea?

PMID- 1409881
TI  - The efficacy of laser therapy for musculoskeletal and skin disorders: a criteria
      based meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.
AB  - The efficacy of laser therapy for musculoskeletal and skin disorders has been
      assessed on the basis of the results of 36 randomized clinical trials (RCTs)
      involving 1,704 patients. For this purpose, a criteria-based meta-analysis that
      took into account the methodological quality of the individual trials was used.
      The studies with a positive outcome were generally of a better quality than the
      studies with a negative outcome. No clear relationship could be demonstrated
      between the laser dosage applied and the efficacy of laser therapy, or between
      the dosage and the methodological score. In general, the methodological quality
      of these studies appeared to be rather low. Consequently, no definite conclusions
      can be drawn about the efficacy of laser therapy for skin disorders. The efficacy
      of laser therapy for musculoskeletal disorders seems, on average, to be larger
      than the efficacy of a placebo treatment. More specifically, for rheumatoid
      arthritis, posttraumatic joint disorders, and myofascial pain, laser therapy
      seems to have a substantial specific therapeutic effect. Further RCTs, avoiding
      the most prevalent methodological errors, are needed in order to enable the
      benefits of laser therapy to be more precisely and validly evaluated.

PMID- 1409882
TI  - Obtaining reliable measurements of knee extensor torque produced during maximal
      voluntary contractions: an experimental investigation.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to develop and test a protocol that could be used
      to obtain reliable measurements of knee extensor torque produced during maximal
      voluntary contractions. On each of 3 days, 10 subjects performed six consecutive
      maximal voluntary contractions, in the same randomized order, for each of the
      following 10 conditions: concentric isokinetic contractions at velocities of 30
      degrees, 90 degrees, 120 degrees, and 180 degrees/s; eccentric isokinetic
      contractions at velocities of 30 degrees, 90 degrees, 120 degrees, and 180
      degrees/s; and isometric contractions at 40 and 60 degrees of knee flexion. The
      peak torques produced were examined to determine on which day and during which
      contraction subjects produced the greatest torques for each condition. This
      information was used to develop a practice protocol. Fifteen different subjects
      were tested following this protocol. Subjects participated in two practice
      sessions, a test session, and a retest session. Intraclass correlation
      coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to determine the degree of agreement between
      torques for the test and retest sessions. The ICCs ranged from .87 to .98. The
      protocol developed appears to be useful for obtaining reliable measurements of
      knee extensor torque.

PMID- 1409883
TI  - Trunk kinematics during locomotor activities.
AB  - We investigated upper-body (ie, trunk) angular kinematics (motions) during gait,
      stair climbing and descending, and rising from a chair in two reference frames-
      relative to the pelvis and to room coordinates. Bilateral kinematic data were
      collected from 11 healthy subjects (6 female, 5 male), who were 27 to 88 years of
      age (mean = 58.9, SD = 17.9). During stair climbing, maximum trunk flexion
      relative to the room was at least double that during stair descending and gait.
      Arising from a chair required the most trunk flexion/extension range of motion
      (ROM) but the least abduction/adduction and medial/lateral (internal/external)
      rotation. Trunk ROM during gait was small (mean less than or equal to 12 degrees)
      and consistent with previous literature. Trunk range of motion relative to the
      room during stair climbing and descending was greater than trunk ROM during gait
      in all planes. The pelvis and trunk rotate in the transverse plane in greater
      synchrony during stair descending (mean = 8.1 degrees, SD = 5.6 degrees) than
      during gait (mean = 12.0 degrees, SD = 4.2 degrees). For all activities, trunk
      frontal and sagittal ROM relative to the pelvis was greater than that relative to
      the room coordinates. This finding suggests that trunk/pelvis coordination may be
      used to reduce potentially destabilizing anti-gravity trunk motions during daily
      activities. We conclude that upper-body kinematics relative to both pelvis and
      gravity during daily activities are important to locomotor control and should be
      considered in future studies of patients with locomotor disabilities.

PMID- 1409884
TI  - The effect of awareness of measurement error on physical therapists' confidence
      in their decisions.
AB  - This study examined whether physical therapists understand the meaning of
      measurement error and whether information about measurement error affects their
      decisions. One of four versions of two physical therapy problems was mailed to
      500 randomly selected physical therapists. Therapists were asked to define
      reliability and error of measurement, to estimate the error of measurement of two
      assessments, and to make decisions about an intervention based on specific
      measurements. They were also asked to rate their confidence in those decisions.
      Problems varied on the presence or absence of measurement information and on the
      difference between an observed measurement and a criterion measurement against
      which the observed measurement must be compared to make a decision. The response
      rate was 62%; respondents represented a typical profile of practicing physical
      therapists. The therapists understood reliability, but they did not correctly
      describe the relationship between reliability and error of measurement. Their
      estimates of the error of measurement of the two assessments were reasonable for
      only one procedure. The presence or absence of measurement information and
      difference between observed and criterion measurements affected their confidence,
      albeit inappropriately, in only one problem. Confidence was not affected by the
      therapists' level of experience, type of reading, formal study, or degree earned.
      Therapists responded to the two problems differently. The problems involved
      different measures, roles, utilities, and structures. The process of decision
      making does not generalize to all decision types. Measurement principles and
      strategies of use in decision making must be emphasized in physical therapy
      curricula so that physical therapists can consider the quality of their
      assessment data in making clinical decisions.

PMID- 1409885
TI  - Cardiorespiratory responses of healthy subjects to calisthenics performed on land
      versus in water.
AB  - This study evaluated the oxygen consumption (VO2) and heart rate response curves
      for standardized upper- and lower-extremity exercise on land and in water. Forty
      healthy subjects performed one upper-extremity and one lower-extremity exercise
      at three selected cadences on land and in water. Steady-state heart rate was
      determined by electrocardiographic radiotelemetry and expressed as a percentage
      of age-predicted maximal heart rate (% APMHR). Percentage of age-predicted
      maximal heart rate was used as the criterion measure of relative exercise
      intensity. Oxygen consumption was determined by the open-circuit method. Results
      indicated systematic increases in VO2 from 2 to 9 metabolic equivalents (METs) (1
      MET = 3.5 mL O2.kg-1.min-1) and % APMHR from 45% to 73% with increased cadence.
      The VO2 responses were highest during water exercise, whereas % APMHR was greater
      during land exercise. Based on the magnitude of the responses, water calisthenics
      appear to be of sufficient intensity to elicit training adaptations. Training
      studies are needed to document these changes.

PMID- 1409886
TI  - Chronic dermal ulcer healing enhanced with monophasic pulsed electrical
      stimulation.

PMID- 1409887
TI  - Effectiveness of manual and mechanical techniques.

PMID- 1409888
TI  - Quantum yields and kinetics of the photobleaching of hematoporphyrin, Photofrin
      II, tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)-porphine and uroporphyrin.
AB  - Porphyrins used as sensitizers for the photodynamic therapy (PDT) of tumors are
      progressively destroyed (photobleached) during illumination. If the porphyrin
      bleaches too rapidly, tumor destruction will not be complete. However, with
      appropriate sensitizer dosages and bleaching rates, irreversible photodynamic
      injury to the normal tissues surrounding the tumor, which retain less sensitizer,
      may be significantly decreased. This paper surveys the quantum yields and
      kinetics of the photobleaching of four porphyrins: hematoporphyrin (HP),
      Photofrin II (PF II), tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphine (TSPP) and uroporphyrin I
      (URO). The initial quantum yields of photobleaching, as measured in pH 7.4
      phosphate buffer in air, were: 4.7 x 10(-5), 5.4 x 10(-5), 9.8 x 10(-6), and 2.8
      x 10(-5) for HP, PF II, TSPP and URO respectively; thus, the rates of
      photobleaching are rather slow. Low oxygen concentration (2 microM) significantly
      reduced the photobleaching yields. However, D2O increased the yields only
      slightly, and the singlet oxygen quencher, azide, had no effect, even at 0.1 M.
      Photosensitizing porphyrins in body fluids, cells and tissues may be closely
      associated with various photooxidizable molecules and electron acceptors and
      donors. Therefore, selected model compounds in these categories were examined for
      their effects on porphyrin photobleaching. A number inhibited and/or accelerated
      photobleaching, depending on the compound, the porphyrin and the reaction
      conditions. For example, 1.0 mM furfuryl alcohol increased the photobleaching
      yields of HP and URO more than 5-fold, with little effect on PF II or TSPP. In
      contrast, the electron acceptor, methyl viologen, increased the photobleaching
      yield of TSPP more than 10-fold, with little accelerating effect on the other
      porphyrins. These results suggest that the mechanism(s) of the photobleaching of
      porphyrin photosensitizers in cells and tissues during PDT may be complex.

PMID- 1409889
TI  - The photochemistry of 5-methylcytosine and 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine in aqueous
      solution.
AB  - The nucleobase 5-methylcytosine (I) is a minor component of eukaryotic DNA
      thought to be important in regulation of gene expression. The photochemical
      reactions of this nucleobase and its 2'-deoxyribonucleoside, 5-methyl-2'
      deoxycytidine (II), in water have been studied. These reactions lead,
      respectively, to 3-amino-2-methylacrylamidine (Ib) and 3-(2-erythro-D
      pentopyranos-1-yl)amino-2-methylacrylamidine (IIb) as the main photoproducts. The
      structure of the photoproducts was established by spectroscopic methods (1H and
      13C NMR, UV spectroscopy, electron impact and liquid secondary ion mass
      spectrometry); in the case of Ib, confirmatory evidence was obtained by chemical
      methods (photolysis of 5-methyl[2-13C]cytosine, hydrolysis of N-carbomethoxy-3
      amino-2-methylacrylamidine and reaction of Ib with 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole to
      give I). The quantum yield for formation of Ib was determined to be 1.8 x 10(-3)
      at pH 7.5 while the quantum yield for formation of IIb has a lower value of 0.2 x
      10(-3) at pH 7.5. These quantum yields depend strongly on pH and reach maximum
      values of 2.0 x 10(-3) at pH 7.0 (Ib) and 0.6 x 10(-3) at pH 5.0 (IIb). The
      mechanism of formation of Ib (or IIb) is proposed to involve nucleophilic attack
      of water on the C-2 position of photoexcited I (or II), followed by ring opening
      and decarboxylation of an intermediate carbamic acid.

PMID- 1409890
TI  - Oxygen dependence of hypericin-induced phototoxicity to EMT6 mouse mammary
      carcinoma cells.
AB  - The photodynamic effect of hypericin on EMT6 mouse mammary carcinoma cells was
      investigated in vitro under aerobic and hypoxic conditions. Under aerobic
      conditions, hypericin-induced photocytotoxicity was dose dependent within a 1-50
      microM range. Under hypoxic conditions, cells were resistant to hypericin-induced
      phototoxicity. In the dark, no cytotoxicity was observed at any hypericin
      concentration tested either aerobically or hypoxically. Cellular accumulation of
      hypericin, examined by chemical extraction and spectroscopy, occurred under both
      hypoxic and aerobic conditions. Fluorescence photomicrographs of cells exposed to
      hypericin corroborate drug uptake in the plasma membrane and subcellular regions.
      Our results demonstrate that hypericin cytotoxicity to EMT6 mouse mammary
      carcinoma cells in vitro is both light and oxygen-dependent. These results
      suggest that EMT6 cell kill caused by photoactivated hypericin is mediated by an
      oxygen-dependent mechanism, rather than by a type I oxygen-independent mechanism.

PMID- 1409892
TI  - Inhibition of phototaxis in Volvox aureus by natural and simulated solar
      ultraviolet light.
AB  - Exposure to artificial UV wavelengths and the UV component of sunlight delays
      positive phototaxis in the green alga Volvox aureus. Broad band wavelength
      filters were used to modify the output from UV-B sources (280-320 nm) and natural
      sunlight. The delay in phototaxis by artificial UV is increased with exposure to
      shorter UV-B wavelengths. Natural sunlight experiments were performed with
      exposure to full sunlight and to its UV component only. The UV component present
      in summer sunlight produced long periods of inhibition in phototaxis and even
      lethality, while exposure to the total spectrum of sunlight had no significant
      effects on movement or survival. The data indicate that although this species of
      alga is well equipped to deal with present levels of UV exposure, increases in
      the short UV-B wavelengths in sunlight may force an alteration in patterns of
      photomovement.

PMID- 1409891
TI  - DNA associated with the cell membrane is involved in the inhibition of the skin
      rejection response induced by infusions of photodamaged alloreactive cells that
      mediate rejection of skin allograft.
AB  - Cell membrane DNA (cmDNA) is a form of DNA located on the surface of human and
      murine T-cells. It has recently been characterized as a target for
      photomodification by 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) and long-wave ultraviolet light
      (UV-A). Whereas 8-MOP itself is biologically inert, photoactivated 8-MOP is
      covalently bound to pyrimidine bases in DNA. We have investigated the possible
      involvement of cmDNA photomodification in the induction of the suppression of
      skin allograft rejection in BALB/c mice preimmunized with 8-MOP/UV-A photodamaged
      alloreactive cells which mediates this allograft rejection. This suppression is
      demonstrated by inhibition of delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and mixed
      leukocyte culture (MLC) responses. Splenocytes from BALB/c mice undergoing
      rejection of CBA/j skin graft which contained an expanded population of the
      effector T lymphocytes that mediate the rejection were treated with DNAse to
      remove cmDNA before or after treatment with 8-MOP and UV-A prior to infusion into
      naive BALB/c recipients. Mice that received pretreated effector cells were tested
      for MLC responses to CBA/j or B10 alloantigens before and after the DTH response.
      The DTH response of all groups of pretreated BALB/c mice to the relevant
      alloantigen was specifically suppressed as compared with the response of control
      mice. However, adoptive transfer of the suppression of the DTH response was
      optimally demonstrable only in syngeneic recipients of cells from donor mice
      treated with photodamaged alloreactive cells. Also, splenocytes from BALB/c mice
      immunized with photodamaged alloreactive cells demonstrated highly significant
      hyporesponsiveness and suppression of the MLC response of naive mice to the
      relevant alloantigen in the case of the primary MLC response, and to both
      alloantigens in the secondary MLC response which was totally eliminated by prior
      pretreatment of these effector cells with DNAse. Therefore, it appears that the
      suppression of the DTH response can be induced by pretreatment of the effector
      cells with DNAse and/or 8-MOP and UV-A but is adoptively transferable optimally
      only from mice which are recipients of photodamaged alloreactive cells. Moreover,
      the effectiveness of this treatment is decreased by prior removal of cmDNA from
      these cells. The presence of cmDNA is necessary for induction of suppression of
      the primary and secondary MLC responses in mice treated with photodamaged cells
      of allograft rejection.

PMID- 1409893
TI  - Chlorofluorocarbons and ozone.

PMID- 1409894
TI  - Photochemotherapy of cancer: experimental research.

PMID- 1409895
TI  - 1992 Ray G. Daggs Award.

PMID- 1409896
TI  - Russian thermophysiology today.

PMID- 1409897
TI  - Integrative biology of exercise. APS conference. Colorado Springs, Colorado,
      September 23-26, 1992. Abstracts.

PMID- 1409898
TI  - RO1s: an endangered species?

PMID- 1409899
TI  - Opioid mediation of the antiaversive and hyperalgesic actions of bradykinin
      injected into the dorsal periaqueductal gray of the rat.
AB  - Reported evidence indicates that the dorsal region of the periaqueductal gray
      matter (PAG) is involved in the modulation of both pain and aversion, and that
      opioid mechanisms, among others, participate in their modulation. Since many
      central actions of bradykinin (BK) have been shown to be similar to those of
      morphine, the present was undertaken to measure the effects of microinjection of
      BK into the PAG on the thresholds of aversive electrical stimulation of the same
      brain area and of dental pulp electrical stimulation. Bradykinin, injected into
      the dorsal PAG, induced a dose-dependent increase in the aversive threshold, an
      effect similar to that reported by others for morphine. Also, as reported for
      morphine, the antiaversive effect of BK was antagonized by naloxone injected
      intraperitoneally. Whereas subcutaneously administered morphine induced marked
      analgesia, intra-PAG administration of BK caused a small but significant
      hyperalgesia. Similarly, morphine injected into the dorsal PAG tended to cause
      hyperalgesia instead of analgesia. Furthermore, the hyperalgesic effect of BK
      also appears to involve opioid mechanisms since it was blocked by naloxone. As in
      previously reported studies, intracerebroventricularly injected BK raised the
      pain threshold. These results indicate that BK mobilizes opioid mechanisms in the
      dorsal PAG that inhibit aversion but not pain.

PMID- 1409900
TI  - Wrist activity in a woman: daily, weekly, menstrual, lunar, annual cycles?
AB  - Wrist activity was monitored continuously for one year in a woman who went about
      her normal life. The year of data were analyzed for changes and rhythms--daily,
      weekly, menstrual, lunar, annual. For each day, average motions/5 minutes,
      activity onset, activity offset, alpha (duration of activity), and acrophase were
      measured. Periodograms and average daily wave forms were calculated. Well
      defined, entrained, daily rest-activity cycles were observed throughout the year
      with periods close to 24 hours. There was weekend delay (0.7 hours) in onset,
      weekend decrease in alpha (1.0 hours), and weekend advance of acrophase (0.4
      hours). Motions/5 minutes decreased 9%, onsets were 0.3 hours later, and alphas
      were 0.4 hours shorter on menstrual cycle days 8 through 18 which should have
      encompassed the time of ovulation. Lunar phase had no effect. Annual changes in
      onset (1.1 hours), offset (1.2 hours), and acrophase (1.1 hours) were attributed
      to the 1-hour change between standard and daylight savings time.

PMID- 1409901
TI  - Event-related potentials in professional city drivers: heightened sensitivity to
      cognitively relevant visual signals.
AB  - Event-related potentials to visual stimuli were recorded in 24 healthy, young
      subjects: 15 professional Belgrade city drivers and nine nondriver controls (no
      amateur driving experience) during a tacitly neutral GO:NOGO CNV paradigm and
      during one which explicitly mimicked heavy traffic conditions. In both paradigms
      GO S1 was a 30 ms red light, NOGO S1 a green light of equal duration; S2 was, in
      both cases, a yellow light presented 1.5 s post-S1. Overall, the early and late
      CNV for GO conditions were significantly larger (more negative) than for NOGO.
      This GO:NOGO difference was accentuated in drivers, as seen by a significant
      group-condition interaction using analysis of variance. The mean late CNV was
      significantly greater in drivers compared to controls: for GO at Cz during the
      neutral paradigm -12.9 vs. -5.0 microV, respectively, and for the traffic
      paradigm -14.4 vs. -6.0 microV. There were no significant differences in the CNV
      between the neutral and the traffic paradigms in either group. The pattern of CNV
      response seen in these professional Belgrade city drivers seems to suggest a
      heightened sensitivity to the cognitive significance of visual stimuli. To our
      knowledge, event-related potentials are applied here for the first time in
      professional drivers, a cohort known to have a high incidence of psychosomatic
      disorders, presumably related to the demands made upon them by their occupation.
      Further investigation using such objective electrophysiologic methods is clearly
      warranted in this high-risk group.

PMID- 1409902
TI  - The use of CXB recombinant inbred mice to detect quantitative trait loci in
      behavior.
AB  - Although recombinant inbred (RI) series of mice have been developed to identify
      and map single-gene characteristics, they can also be used to identify
      quantitative trait loci (QTL) that account for small amounts of variance in
      quantitative traits such as behavior. We applied an RI QTL approach to the
      analysis of published behavioral data from seven studies that used the CXB RI
      series of mice. Nearly all of the behaviors showed strain distribution patterns
      indicative of multiple-gene rather than single-gene influence. Although the CXB
      series is limited to seven RI strains, RI QTL association analysis suggests QTL
      candidate markers for several behaviors, including avoidance and exploration.

PMID- 1409903
TI  - Dissociation of multiple behavioral effects between olfactory bulbectomized
      C57Bl/6J and DBA/2J mice.
AB  - The behavioral effects of bulbectomy and subsequent antidepressant treatment in
      two mice strains were compared on measures of open field behavior and passive and
      active avoidance 2 and 4 weeks after surgery. After bulbectomy, both strains
      displayed elevated locomotion in open field, corrected by antidepressants.
      Enhanced rearing was decreased by antidepressants in C57Bl/6J, but not in DBA/2J
      mice. Passive avoidance, being intact 2 weeks after surgery in both strains, was
      strongly impaired 4 weeks after bulbectomy in C57Bl/6J mice, with antidepressants
      restoring the performance. Active avoidance acquisition and retention were also
      dramatically disturbed in C57Bl/6J mice 2 and 4 weeks after surgery, and
      antidepressants had recuperative effect. In contrast, bulbectomized DBA/2J mice
      didn't show any significant passive or active avoidance deficits, and
      antidepressant treatment seemed to have no effect on their learning ability. The
      observed strain differences suggest that bulbectomy may produce quite diverse
      neurophysiological and neurochemical alterations in two strains.

PMID- 1409904
TI  - Halothane anesthesia causes state-dependent retrieval failure in mice.
AB  - Effects of exposure to halothane on memory processing was studied using single
      trial inhibitory avoidance learning to measure retention. Mice were anesthetized
      with halothane either before training, immediately after training, or both before
      training and before testing. Results showed that memory was not impaired by
      posttraining halothane exposure, indicating that the anesthetic does not cause
      retrograde amnesia. Mice trained after recovery from halothane showed a robust
      memory loss 24 h later. This deficit could be alleviated by reexposure to the
      anesthetic before the retention test. Mice given multiple training trials
      following recovery from the anesthetic showed a normal rate of learning when
      compared with controls, but deficient retention. This indicates that the
      performance deficit was the result of impaired retention (anterograde amnesia)
      rather than disrupted acquisition. Anterograde amnesia occurred when training was
      delayed up to 2 h after recovery from anesthesia. These findings indicate that
      the memory impairment following halothane anesthesia is the result of a state
      dependent retrieval failure.

PMID- 1409905
TI  - Ingestive behavior and body temperature of pigeons during long-term cold
      exposure.
AB  - Pigeons well adapted to living in 21 degrees C ambient temperature (T(a)) were
      continuously exposed to cold T(a) for 6 days (Experiment 1) or 30 days
      (Experiment 2). The pigeons lived on a 12:12 L:D cycle where they could obtain
      short access to food and water at any time in the light phase by making 12
      keypeck responses. Across the two experiments, the levels of cold exposure were 6
      degrees C, 1 degrees C, and 0.6 degrees C. In cold, total daily food intake
      increased gradually across the first few days of the exposure, and the new level
      of food intake was inversely related to T(a). The daily ratio of total water
      drunk to total food eaten averaged approximately 1.3 in 21 degrees C, fell to
      approximately 1.0 on day 1 of cold exposure, and remained at that level for as
      long as 30 days. The day-night cycle in core body temperature was not changed by
      cold exposure. The bimodal temporal pattern of feeding in the light phase, which
      is characteristic of pigeons in moderate T(a), was preserved in the cold although
      the absolute level of feeding activity was enhanced. An analysis of the ways
      individual pigeons achieved total daily food intake by combining a number of
      feeding episodes with an average amount eaten per episode revealed considerable
      variation between birds, but a relatively constant feeding style within bird over
      time. In the colder temperatures used, however, the pigeons all increased the
      number of feeding episodes per day. The results provide the first detailed
      analysis of cold-induced changes in ingestive behavior in the pigeon and raise
      several questions about the behavioral expression of cold-sensitive regulatory
      processes.

PMID- 1409906
TI  - Prolonged ambulatory monitoring of colonic motor activity in the pig.
AB  - The aim of this study was to develop a chronic model suitable for repeated, long
      term studies of the interaction of behavior and colonic function in unrestrained
      pigs. Cecostomies were created in three 20-30 kg micropigs under general
      anesthesia. Fistulas were created by suturing the bowel to the abdominal wall.
      Recordings were made by passing a small (8F) solid-state pressure transducer
      through the fistula into the proximal bowel and connecting it to a battery
      operated data logger worn in a vest on the pig's back. Cecostomies have remained
      patent and trouble-free for over 18 months. No serious infections have occurred.
      Preliminary data from a total of thirteen 24-h recording sessions showed 54% of
      all contractile activity to be in the 2-4 cpm frequency range. Increased motility
      was seen following meals and upon morning awakening. Motility was minimal during
      the night. Infrequent (10.31 +/- 2.05/24 h; mean +/- SD) propagated contractions
      were also noted. These contractions were generally of low amplitude (33.24 +/-
      3.81 mmHg). These techniques allow prolonged, intraluminal recordings to be made
      from the colon of the unrestrained pig.

PMID- 1409907
TI  - Plasma corticosterone response of rats with sociopsychological stress in the
      communication box.
AB  - The purpose of present study was to investigate the physiological characteristics
      of sociopsychological stress induced by the communication box method. In this
      method, the nonfoot shocked rats were used as the psychologically stressed
      experimental group. In acute stress experiments, nonfoot shocked rats were
      exposed to emotional responses from foot shocked rats for 6 h in the light (0900
      1500) or in the dark phase (2100-0300). In the light phase, the induced increase
      in plasma corticosterone levels of nonfoot shocked and foot shocked rats returned
      to corresponding control levels 6 h following the initiation of stress session,
      whereas those in the dark phase were significantly higher. Although there were
      some differences in corticosterone responses between both phases, the acute
      effect of sociopsychological stress was unclear. Chronic stress experiment with
      daily exposure for 1 h to sociopsychological stress caused the plasma
      corticosterone levels of nonfoot shocked rats to increase significantly not only
      in the postexposure level (just after stress exposure) but also in the
      preexposure level (before stress exposure) when naive rats were used daily as
      foot shocked animals. These results suggest that the repeated exposure of
      sociopsychological stress can induce physiological changes, and stressful
      situation can be established with only emotional responses from foot shocked
      rats.

PMID- 1409908
TI  - Prior exposure to a running wheel and scheduled food attenuates polydipsia
      acquisition.
AB  - Groups of rats were given different histories before exposure to daily, 2-h fixed
      interval (FI) 1-min food-schedule sessions with water available. In a previous
      study, a group with a history of chronic exposure to FI 1-min sessions without
      water subsequently had a reduced rate of acquisition and final level of schedule
      induced polydipsia compared to a control group lacking this history. In the
      present study, groups with histories of chronic exposure to FI 1-min sessions and
      a concurrent running wheel were even more attenuated in their subsequent
      acquisition of polydipsia. Substitution of 5% ethanol for session water in the
      final phase produced a convergence in group intakes, except for a group which
      continued to have access to the running wheel. The ethanol intake of this group
      was relatively suppressed.

PMID- 1409909
TI  - Consummatory behaviors and weight regulation in pregnant, lactating, and pregnant
      lactating mice.
AB  - Pregnant Rockland-Swiss (R-S) albino mice consumed significantly more food and
      water and gained significantly more weight between gestation days 8-17 compared
      to virgin R-S females maintained in isolation for a comparable period. Postpartum
      (days 1-10) patterns of ingestion and weight change among thelectomized (nipple
      deprived) mouse dams provided with young did not differ significantly from those
      of virgin animals without young. Sham- and nonoperated dams received suckling
      stimulation from young and consumed about 100% more food than thelectomized or
      virgin females (Experiment 1). Pregnancy concurrent with lactation does not
      increase further the hyperphagic response of female mice. Nipple presence is the
      principle regulator of postpartum hyperphagia in lactating and simultaneously
      pregnant-lactating mouse dams (Experiment 2).

PMID- 1409910
TI  - Ontogeny of behavioral inhibition induced by unfamiliar adult male conspecifics
      in preweanling rats.
AB  - Previous studies showed that when socially isolated at 22 degrees C, postnatal
      day 14 rats, but not younger day 7 rats, reduce their emission of ultrasonic
      vocalizations when exposed to an unfamiliar adult male rat, a naturalistic
      threat. Because ultrasound production is associated with factors such as age and
      body temperature, this study examined in age-appropriate thermoneutral
      temperature ranges whether preweanling rats of different ages are equally capable
      of inhibiting their emission of ultrasounds when threatened. In Experiment 1, 7-
      and 14-day-old rats were socially isolated and exposed to unfamiliar anesthetized
      adult male rats in a thermoneutral environment. Only 14-day-old rats
      significantly reduced their emission of ultrasounds. This reduction in ultrasound
      production was accompanied by freezing. In Experiment 2, additional ages were
      examined under identical test conditions. At 3, 6, and 9 days of age, pups
      frequently emitted ultrasounds when exposed to the anesthetized male rat.
      However, at 12 days of age, rat pups responded to the anesthetized male rat by
      freezing and significantly reducing their emission of ultrasounds. Results
      indicate clearly that under the present testing conditions the ability of rat
      pups to inhibit ultrasounds and freeze when threatened is not present at birth
      but emerges by the end of the second postnatal week.

PMID- 1409911
TI  - Changes in Na concentration in cerebrospinal fluid during acute hypernatremia and
      their effect on drinking in juvenile rats.
AB  - To clarify if there are age-related differences in osmoreception, we measured
      changes in Na concentration in cerebrospinal fluid ([Na]csf) during and after
      acute hypernatremia in juvenile (JR) and adult rats (AR). The Na concentrations
      in plasma ([Na]pl) and [Na]csf were measured during intravenous infusion of 1 M
      NaCl solution (INF, 0.2 ml/100 g body wt. for 10 min) and for 20 min thereafter
      in anesthetized rats. To measure [Na]pl, a flow-through Na-sensitive electrode
      was placed in an extracorporeal shunt from a carotid artery to a jugular vein,
      and to measure [Na]csf, a Na-sensitive electrode was placed in the right lateral
      ventricle. There was a linear relationship between delta[Na]pl and delta[Na]csf
      during INF. The slope of delta[Na]pl vs. delta[Na]csf was 0.42 +/- 0.03 (n = 7)
      in JR, which was significantly higher (p less than 0.01) than in AR (0.23 +/-
      0.04, n = 6). We also measured water intake during and after INF of the same
      amount of 1 M NaCl solution in conscious JR (n = 6) and AR (n = 6). The JR drank
      1.93 +/- 0.22 ml/100 g body wt. of water within 30 min of the start of INF, which
      was significantly more (p less than 0.05) than AR drank (1.20 +/- 0.13 ml/100 g
      body wt.). These results indicate that the movement of Na or water, or both,
      between the blood and cerebrospinal fluid in acute hypernatremia is greater in
      JR, and that the osmoreceptors in JR are more sensitive than those in AR.

PMID- 1409912
TI  - Genotype-dependent involvement of limbic areas in spatial learning and postlesion
      recovery.
AB  - Male C57BL/6 (C57) and DBA/2 (DBA) mice with hippocampal, amygdaloid, or sham
      lesions were tested in a radial eight-arm maze 1 or 4 weeks after surgery. The
      results show that the effect of the lesions varied according to the performance
      level of the strain considered. In the high-learner C57 strain, the two lesions
      impaired acquisition at both postlesion intervals. Conversely, in the low-learner
      DBA strain, only hippocampal lesions impaired acquisition 1 week but not 4 weeks
      after lesioning. It is hypothesized that if more limbic areas are involved in
      controlling spatial learning in C57 mice, these structures could be processing
      distinct but complementary memory attributes, thus contributing to a high
      baseline performance. This, however, also entails an increased sensitivity of C57
      performance to brain damage with reduced possibilities of long-term recovery.

PMID- 1409913
TI  - Naltrexone-sensitive analgesia following exposure of mice to 2450-MHz
      radiofrequency radiation.
AB  - To determine whether exposure to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) would induce
      sufficient thermal stress to activate endogenous opioid mechanisms, male Swiss
      Webster mice were exposed to 10, 15, and 20 mW/cm2 RFR in a 2450-MHz waveguide
      system for 10 min at specific absorption rates (SARs) of 23.7, 34.6, and 45.5
      W/kg, respectively, then tested in the abdominal constriction paradigm.
      Confinement in the RFR exposure chamber alone did not appreciably alter body
      temperature but did appear to induce a stress-associated analgesia that was not
      blocked by naltrexone. Exposure of confined mice to RFR raised body temperature
      and further increased analgesia in an SAR-dependent manner. The high SAR-induced
      analgesia, but not the hyperthermia, was blocked by naltrexone. These findings
      suggest that 1) RFR produces SAR-dependent hyperthermia and analgesia, and 2) RFR
      induced analgesia is mediated by opioid mechanisms while confinement-induced
      analgesia involves nonopioid mechanisms.

PMID- 1409914
TI  - Effects of amphetamine on food intake and weight: timing of injections and food
      access.
AB  - Although the effects of amphetamine on food consumption and body weight in
      nondeprived animals are of interest for theoretical and clinical reasons, there
      are only a few studies on this topic in the literature. In Experiment 1,
      independent groups of nondeprived rats were given daily injections of 0, 1, 2, 5,
      or 10 mg/kg d-amphetamine sulfate shortly after light onset for 30 days. While
      drug treatment did not affect food consumption, all amphetamine-treated groups
      lost weight over the initial 12 days and then, over the final 18 days of
      treatment, gained weight at the same rate as controls. Experiment 2 assessed
      whether the effects of amphetamine on these measures are influenced by the timing
      of the daily injections relative to the light-dark cycle. As in Experiment 1,
      injections of amphetamine at light onset again produced weight loss while not
      affecting food consumption, whereas injections of the drug at light offset did
      not reliably affect either measure. Experiment 3 showed that the relationships
      among variables observed in nondeprived animals remain the same in animals
      restricted to 12 h of access to food each day and replicated the amphetamine
      induced hyperphasia observed earlier by Jones and Caul (9).

PMID- 1409915
TI  - Urine marking in male mice: responses to natural and synthetic chemosignals.
AB  - The effects of natural chemosignals and their synthetic terpenic analogs on
      urinary marking in mice were investigated. The number and size of marking spots,
      and percentage of response and avoidance/counter-marking behavior, were measured
      for dominant and subordinate males. The males' marking behavior was found to
      differ significantly based on the type of stimulus sample used. Marking behavior
      in response to female urine was significantly altered by addition of synthetic
      analogs (farnesene isomers) to it. Both dominant and subordinate males avoided
      marking the section of the test area soiled with stimulus samples containing
      either natural or synthetic farnesenes. Differential responses of the dominant
      and subordinate male mice were observed.

PMID- 1409916
TI  - Decreased NaCl sensitivity in zinc-deprived rats.
AB  - NaCl thresholds and ability to discriminate between NaCl and sucrose were
      assessed in rats using an operant discrimination conditioning procedure before
      and during moderate and severe zinc deprivation and during zinc supplementation.
      NaCl thresholds were approximately 1 mM before dietary zinc manipulation. They
      increased in all zinc-deprived rats tested 10 and 17 days after initiation of
      deprivation but did not change in pair-fed controls maintained on supplemental
      zinc. Threshold changes were greater for those rats severely zinc deprived than
      for those only moderately deprived and were greater as the period of deprivation
      lengthened. Plasma zinc concentrations decreased significantly in deprived rats
      from values obtained at baseline, values in severely deprived rats being
      significantly lower than in those only moderately deprived. Although zinc
      deprived rats discriminated NaCl from sucrose, they made more discrimination
      errors than controls. Following 24 days of zinc supplementation, previously
      deprived rats exhibited no significant improvement in gustatory performance,
      although their body weight increased and plasma zinc concentrations increased;
      but these later changes were not significant. These results demonstrate that zinc
      deprivation induces decreased gustatory sensitivity and confirm a role for zinc
      in taste.

PMID- 1409917
TI  - Is starch flavor unitary? Evidence from studies of cooked starch.
AB  - Although starch is the world's most abundant nutritive carbohydrate, its sensory
      properties are not as well understood as those of sugars. Previous researchers
      have assumed that all starches have the same flavor. The present experiments
      examined flavor differences among starches. Untrained rats were offered a choice
      of suspensions containing raw versus cooked starch. For some starches (potato and
      rice), rats strongly preferred cooked over uncooked starch. For other starches
      (regular corn, corn amylopectin, and wheat), rats showed little or no preference
      for cooked over uncooked starch. In order to determine whether the greater
      preference for cooked starch reflects a difference in flavor intensity, rats were
      conditioned to avoid potato or corn amylopectin starches by pairing ingestion of
      these substances with lithium chloride injections. Rats trained to avoid raw
      starch also avoided cooked starch, indicating that cooked and raw starch have
      similar flavors. However, when these trained rats were offered a choice between
      cooked and raw starch, they avoided the raw starch; this result is inconsistent
      with the assumption that cooking enhances the intensity of starch flavor. Similar
      results were obtained with corn amylopectin and potato starch, even though these
      starches differ greatly with regard to the effects of cooking on preference in
      untrained rats. However, rats trained to avoid potato starch avoided this starch
      to a greater degree than did rats trained to avoid corn amylopectin; conversely,
      rats trained to avoid corn amylopectin avoided this starch to a greater degree
      than did rats trained to avoid potato starch. Therefore, the flavor of starch is
      complex; there are specific flavor notes related to species and cooking.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409918
TI  - Consumption of salty food by rats: regulation of sodium intake?
AB  - The extent to which sodium levels may be regulated by consumption was examined in
      two experiments that offered rats foods varying in sodium chloride (NaCl)
      content. In the first, rats received single purified diets containing from 0% to
      3% NaCl. There were no effects of NaCl level on the amount or pattern of daily
      food intake; water intake, however, increased with salt content. In the second
      study, rats had choices between a NaCl-free food and a food containing either 1,
      2, or 3% NaCl for 1 week each. Total food intake was unaffected. Proportional
      intake of the salt-free option increased with the salt content of the alternate
      food, but not sufficiently to maintain a constant NaCl intake. After 8 weeks of
      exposure to a single food, intake of the salty option increased in the choice
      tests, but the level of NaCl (from 0.5 to 3.0%) in the exposure-phase food did
      not affect the subsequent choice. We conclude that when only one food is
      available, salt intake is governed by caloric requirements and sodium levels are
      regulated by excretion. When foods differing in NaCl content are available,
      consumption does contribute to the regulation of sodium balance, but the amount
      consumed is not tightly controlled. Rats' salt preference appears to increase
      with age or with experience eating the purified foods offered here, but
      experience eating salty food does not affect the preferred level of salt.

PMID- 1409919
TI  - Relationship between eye movements and oneiric behavior in cats.
AB  - The relation between oneiric behavior and rapid eye movements (REMs) in
      paradoxical sleep (PS) without muscle atonia was analyzed in cats. Most isolated
      REMs were related to orienting behavior, whereas most REM bursts were related to
      generalized body movements (jumping, attacking, etc.). Only isolated, high
      amplitude REMs had any possibility of corresponding to visual images in dreams.
      From these findings we propose the existence of both dream-related and nondream
      related REMs even in animals.

PMID- 1409920
TI  - Methyl xanthine, adenosine, and human taste responsivity.
AB  - The influences of three methyl xanthines (MX) on human taste responsivity,
      caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine, were examined using blind control
      procedures. Taste responsivity in the same subjects was determined using the
      matching procedure described by Schiffman (Study 1) and the whole-mouth procedure
      described by Sheperd (Study 2). In each study, the duration of MX pretreatment
      necessary to enhance taste responsivity was examined. No potentiation of overall-
      and taste-quality specific intensity ratings was observed for any tastant,
      independent of test procedure, type, and concentration of MX pretreatment, or
      length of MX pretreatment. Taste intensity ratings, especially for NaCl, were
      higher following pretreatment with water than methyl xanthine or adenosine
      combined with caffeine. Adenosine, added at several concentrations to caffeine
      pretreatments, influenced neither taste responsivity nor taste intensity ratings.

PMID- 1409921
TI  - Recognition of familiar individuals by touch.
AB  - I have examined whether adults can recognize their boyfriends/husbands or
      girlfriends/wives by stroking either their partner's hand or face. On both
      trials, subjects were asked to chose their mate from amongst two unfamiliar age-
      and gender-matched adult foils. During testing, the subject's eyes and nose were
      covered and auditory cues were masked by ambient noise. The results show that a
      significant proportion of the total sample succeeded on one or both of the touch
      recognition tasks. However, while both women and men were successful at the face
      touch-recognition task, only the women were successful at the hand-recognition
      task. I conclude that tactile cues afforded by stroking skin are sufficiently
      salient to allow for individual recognition. As for the gender-related
      difference, women may have an advantage at hand recognition because men's hands
      are more discriminable than women's hands.

PMID- 1409922
TI  - The mechanism and significance of pentagastrin-stimulated water intake in the
      pig.
AB  - The role of gastric secretion in drinking was investigated. Treatment of pigs
      with cimetidine (300 mg IV), which inhibits gastric secretion, did not change the
      level of feed or water intake, or alter the temporal relationship between eating
      and drinking. Gastric infusions of 0.15 M HCl (5 ml.kg-1.h-1) did not increase
      drinking. Pentagastrin infusion (0.05 microgram.kg-1.min-1) increased water
      intake in some, but not all pigs during a 1-hour infusion. Plasma protein levels
      increased significantly during 1-hour pentagastrin infusions (0.05 microgram.kg
      1.min-1), indicating an estimated fall in blood volume of 2.5%. Captopril (1.75
      mg/kg IV), which blocks the renin-angiotensin system, abolished pentagastrin
      stimulated drinking. It was concluded that gastric secretion does not play a
      direct role in normal, periprandial drinking but that in pigs the renin
      angiotensin system is involved in pentagastrin-stimulated drinking.

PMID- 1409923
TI  - Moderate exercise in young female S5B/P1 rats does not reduce body fat.
AB  - Weanling S5B/P1 female rats were divided into four groups as follows: high fat
      diet, exercised (FE); high fat diet, unexercised (FU); high carbohydrate diet,
      exercised (CE); and high carbohydrate diet, unexercised (CU). After 25 days of
      progressive training, exercised rats ran on a motor-driven treadmill for 30 days
      at 25 m/min per 1 h at 0 degree grade for 6 days a week. Rats were weighed weekly
      throughout the experiment and food intakes were recorded for the last 3 weeks of
      the experiment. After euthanasia at 15 weeks of age, three muscles, liver, heart,
      kidney, 3 fat depots, and tibia-fibula were dissected out and weighted. The
      carcass, including weighted organs and fat depots, was analyzed for body fat.
      Exercised rats, regardless of diet, weighed slightly but significantly more than
      unexercised rats. They also tended to eat more food and to have a higher quantity
      of fat-free body mass than unexercised rats. Percent body fat was similar for
      exercised and unexercised rats. The tibia weighed significantly more (p less than
      0.05) in CU than in FU rats but the weight was similar in CE and FE rats. The
      density of the tibia was significantly higher (p less than 0.01) in exercised
      than in unexercised rats.

PMID- 1409924
TI  - Effect of chronic stress and exogenous glucocorticoids on regional fat
      distribution and metabolism.
AB  - It has been proposed that increased glucocorticoid hormones and decreased sex
      hormones affect regional fat metabolism and distribution. In the present work, it
      was hypothesized that chronic, uncontrollable stress, known to affect the
      pituitary-adrenal and pituitary-gonadal axes might, therefore, lead to
      differences in regional fat accumulation. In comparison with controls, male
      Sprague-Dawley rats stressed for 28 days, had significantly larger adipocytes. In
      addition, a tendency for a heavier fat pad and an increased lipoprotein lipase
      activity in the mesenteric depot was suggested. No significant changes were seen
      in epididymal, retroperitoneal, and inguinal regions. In order to study if the
      effects observed could be attributed to increased glucocorticoids, the response
      to a direct administration of supraphysiological doses of corticosterone, given
      either in the drinking water or via subcutaneous implantation of corticosterone
      pellets, was studied. Increased fat accumulation was shown in all fat depots in a
      dose-response fashion, but was significantly more pronounced in the mesenteric
      region. It was concluded that mesenteric fat tissue may respond to stress in a
      different manner from other fat depots. Glucocorticoids seem to be partly, but
      not solely, responsible for the changes observed in adipose tissue metabolism and
      distribution following exposure to uncontrollable stress.

PMID- 1409925
TI  - The comparative effects of abrupt vs. stepwise discontinuation of TPN in rats.
AB  - The comparative effects of discontinuing total parenteral nutrition (TPN: caloric
      ratio of glucose:fat:amino acid = 50:30:20) abruptly or in a stepwise manner on
      spontaneous food intake were investigated in two studies. Study 1: In 16 rats,
      TPN was given for 4 days, then stopped abruptly in eight rats. In the other eight
      rats, TPN was tapered; they received TPN at 75%, 50%, and 25% of their mean daily
      energy requirements per day for 3 consecutive days, and then switched to normal
      saline. Total parenteral nutrition induced a significant 60% reduction in
      spontaneous food intake (SFI) in both groups during the first TPN day. After 4
      days of TPN, an 80% decrease in SFI had occurred in both groups. Resumption of
      SFI was significantly sooner in the abruptly-stopping group than in the stepwise
      stopping group. But, in the latter group, there was a significantly greater
      cumulative caloric intake during the entire study. Study 2: In 32 rats, TPN
      providing either 100%, 50%, or 25% of their mean daily caloric requirements was
      given to three groups each of eight rats, for 3 days, then abruptly changed to
      normal saline; control rats received normal saline throughout. The TPN-induced
      decrease in SFI was proportional to the caloric density of the solution infused.
      Three days of 100%, 50%, or 25% TPN infusion led to an approximate 85%, 60%, or
      35% decrease in SFI, respectively. Spontaneous food intake recovery was
      independent of the caloric density of TPN.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409926
TI  - Dynamics of oral intake resumption after general anesthesia and operation in
      rats.
AB  - The influence of general anesthesia and operation on dynamics of postoperative
      food intake resumption was investigated in eight rats. A laparotomy was performed
      on each rat under anesthesia induced by intraperitoneally injected chloral
      hydrate. Spontaneous food intake and feeding indexes were continuously measured
      using an Automated Computerized Rat Eater Meter (ACREM) before and after
      operation. Although spontaneous food intake and all feeding indexes were
      depressed immediately following anesthesia and operation, each feeding index was
      depressed to a greater degree during the dark vs. the light cycle. Initially,
      rats fully capable of eating ate fewer, smaller, and shorter meals. The return to
      normal of each feeding index differed temporally. Thus, although meal number
      normalized by the third postoperative day, meal size by the sixth postoperative
      day, and meal duration by the fourth postoperative day, normalization of meal
      number during the light cycle occurred sooner than during the dark cycle, while
      the converse occurred with meal size and meal duration.

PMID- 1409927
TI  - Social modulation of behavioral reproductive senescence in female rats.
AB  - During aging, the lordosis reflex of female rats changes from a state of cyclic
      lordosis, when the lordosis reflex can be elicited by manual palpation only on
      proestrus, to a state of constant lordosis (CL), when it can be elicited daily.
      Social signals from other females altered this pattern of behavioral senescence.
      Group living decreased the lordosis reflex intensity in both old and young rats
      and delayed the onset of CL. Long-term group living delayed CL until late in the
      life span, while temporary group living delayed it only until rats returned to
      isolation. Long-term group living also changed the temporal relationship between
      CL and the acyclic, anovulatory state of estrus. Finally, the lordosis reflex
      intensity, measured by manual palpation, predicted the old rats' receptivity to a
      male, indicating that constant lordosis is a biomarker for other aspects of
      behavioral reproductive senescence.

PMID- 1409928
TI  - Sleep deficits in rats after NMDA receptor blockade.
AB  - N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor blockade disrupts a variety of functions
      associated with neural plasticity, including acquisition of learned responses and
      long-term potentiation. Deficits in memory are significantly correlated with
      deficits in measures of paradoxical sleep in several amnesic populations. The
      present experiment therefore assessed whether NPC 12626, a competitive NMDA
      receptor antagonist, also disrupts sleep. NPC 12626 (1, 10, 50, and 100 mg/kg) or
      saline was administered to Sprague-Dawley rats 30 min prior to 3-h daytime
      recording periods. Paradoxical sleep was selectively impaired at all but the
      highest dose, which prevented all sleep during the recording period. Some
      deficits in nonparadoxical sleep first appeared at the 10 mg/kg dose but did not
      became prominent until the 50 mg/kg dose. The results thus show that NPC 12626
      impairs sleep states in rats and demonstrate that paradoxical sleep is
      particularly susceptible to the effects of NMDA receptor blockade. These
      findings, along with previous evidence that NMDA antagonists impair waking
      measures of arousal, provide evidence that all sleep-wake states are impaired by
      NMDA receptor blockade. More generally, the results suggest that some brain
      mechanisms underlying sleep and memory may share common elements.

PMID- 1409929
TI  - Estrogen in peripheral plasma during postnatal development in gray short-tailed
      opossums.
AB  - Plasma samples obtained from gray short-tailed opossums (Monodelphis domestica)
      at selected ages through adulthood were assayed for estrogen (E). Levels of E in
      one mixed-sex plasma pool of animals aged postnatal day (pd) 4 and one of two
      mixed-sex plasma pools of animals aged pd 8 were over 300 pg/ml. On pd 16, E
      levels in males and females averaged 30 and 47 pg/ml, respectively. While no
      significant sex differences in E levels were seen on pd 30 or pd 60, mean E
      levels for animals on pd 30 were significantly higher (275 pg/ml in males and 181
      pg/ml in females) than on pd 60 (78 pg/ml in males and 85 pg/ml in females) or pd
      145 (adults). In adult animals, estrogen levels in females averaged 54 pg/ml; all
      adult male E levels were below the limit of sensitivity of the assay. Maternal E
      levels, which did not vary significantly by age of litter, averaged 10 pg/ml
      overall. These findings are discussed with respect to possible significance of
      high E levels in developing marsupials for sexual differentiation and general
      brain development.

PMID- 1409930
TI  - Assessing odor generalization in the rat: a sensitive technique.
AB  - In investigating the ability of the rat to discriminate among urine odors from
      mice of different genetic strains, we developed a technique for determining the
      extent of odor generalization. Trained rats performed a discrete trial, go/no-go
      procedure, touching a bar in the presence of an S+ odor for water reward. Rats
      easily learned this task and restricted their responding to trials with the S+
      stimulus, even though there was no penalty for responding to S-. However, when
      presented with test stimuli that might be more similar to S+ or S-, some rats
      responded only to the S+, and not at all to S- or any generalization stimuli. We
      then created series of stimuli composed of different levels of adulteration of
      the S+ stimulus with generalization stimuli. With these stimuli, rats produced
      graded levels of responding, allowing comparisons of similarity among odorant
      stimuli. This technique can be applied to other types of odorant stimuli,
      particularly biological compounds of unknown concentration or purity, and should
      be of use in an operant laboratory studying odorant perception, or odorant
      characteristics.

PMID- 1409931
TI  - Pineal melatonin and locomotor activity of rats under gradual illuminance
      transitions.
AB  - The locomotor activity and pineal melatonin patterns of adult male rats were
      compared under two different lighting regimes. The animals were kept 8 days under
      12/12 h light/dark cycles with abrupt or slowly decreasing and increasing
      transitions (twilight periods about 2 h). The onsets of high activity and
      melatonin rise were phase-locked in the two conditions and related to about half
      maximal illuminance level of the gradual dusk. The high activity of the control
      rats stopped 30-60 min before the abrupt light onset and the rats under the
      gradual lighting transitions ceased the locomotor activity at about 1 hour before
      the half-maximal illuminance. The melatonin peak levels were found 4 h before the
      abrupt lights-on time. Under the slow illuminance transitions the average
      melatonin peak was related to the illuminance level between maximum and minimum
      in the morning. Thus, both the melatonin rhythm and the rest-activity rhythm
      under the gradual dawn and dusk were adjusted according to about half-maximal
      illuminances in the present conditions.

PMID- 1409932
TI  - Testosterone as appetitive and discriminative stimulus in rats: sex- and dose
      dependent effects.
AB  - Stimulus properties of subcutaneously injected testosterone were studied in male
      and female rats. In a conditioned place preference procedure, dose-dependent
      effects (doses: 0, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg) were observed in males. In females, no place
      preference could be established (doses: 0, 1, and 3 mg/kg). In addition, 1 mg/kg
      testosterone acquired discriminative stimulus control in male rats in a taste
      aversion procedure. Animals injected with this hormone prior to saccharin-LiCl
      pairings and with its vehicle prior to saccharin-NaCl pairings suppressed fluid
      intake following the administration of testosterone and not following the
      administration of the vehicle. Subsequent generalization tests revealed dose
      dependent stimulus control of this hormone (range of substitution doses: 0.125-2
      mg/kg). It is concluded from the results that at least pharmacological
      (supraphysiological) doses of testosterone may act as appetitive stimuli in male
      rats, but not in female rats. Furthermore, in male rats (pharmacological doses
      of) testosterone also possess discriminative stimulus properties.

PMID- 1409933
TI  - Olfactory bulb removal affects partner preference development and estrus
      induction in female prairie voles.
AB  - In female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) bilateral olfactory bulbectomy
      reduced affiliative behavior, as measured by social contact, and prevented the
      formation of partner preferences. Unilateral olfactory bulb removal did not
      significantly influence affiliative behavior, but did inhibit partner
      preferences. Bilateral, but not unilateral, bulbectomy significantly reduced the
      proportion of females exhibiting behavioral estrus following male exposure. In
      contrast to affiliative and sexual behavior, parental behavior was not
      significantly affected by either bilateral or unilateral olfactory bulbectomy.
      These results suggest that divergent sensory-neural pathways underlie social,
      sexual, and parental behaviors in this species.

PMID- 1409934
TI  - Abstinence from smoking decreases habituation to food cues.
AB  - Smokers typically gain weight after cessation due, in part, to increased caloric
      intake. This increase may be due to enhanced responding to sensory
      characteristics of foods resulting from a failure to habituate to food cues. To
      test this possibility, salivation to eight presentations of strawberry yogurt was
      assessed in male smokers and nonsmokers in two sessions. To test stimulus
      specificity, on the ninth trial, subjects were presented either more strawberry
      yogurt or lemon yogurt. Smokers were studied under nonabstinent or abstinent
      conditions. Salivation for nonabstinent smokers and nonsmokers decreased over
      presentations, while abstinent smokers showed little change. Nonabstinent smokers
      and nonsmokers recovered salivation when the new flavor yogurt was presented, and
      showed greater consumption on the final trial for the different versus same
      flavor yogurt. Nonabstinent smokers participated in additional within-session
      smoking sessions to control for withdrawal. Nonabstinent subjects were not
      different across smoking or not smoking sessions, suggesting the effects are not
      due to the acute effects of withdrawal.

PMID- 1409935
TI  - Natriuresis after a water load in humans under different sodium body content.
AB  - The present study was aimed at observing the diuretic and natriuretic responses
      after a water load (2% body weight) in four groups of young consenting volunteers
      submitted previously, during three days, to a hypersodic (500 mEq Na/day),
      hyposodic (35 mEq Na/day), and normosodic (200 mEq Na/day) diet, or treated with
      furosemide (Lasix, 40 mg/day). During the treatment urine was collected each day.
      On the fourth day, in the morning, the bladder was emptied, the water load was
      ingested, and the urine collected during 10 periods of 20 min each. The urinary,
      sodium, and chloride flows were determined. The four groups displayed diuretic
      curves following a similar pattern. In contrast, the natriuretic curves of the
      four groups were completely different; totally flat with low values for the
      furosemide group and a large initial natriuretic curve for the hypersodic group
      with a gradual decrease but maintaining high values. The results indicate that
      the way the organism compensates for the excess of water by means of urinary
      water loss is independent of the body sodium content, whereas the way in which
      sodium loss is accomplished is determined by its body content and is independent
      of the way in which the water is lost.

PMID- 1409936
TI  - Ultrasonic vocalization of laboratory rats in response to handling and touch.
AB  - The goal of the study was to investigate the ultrasonic vocalization induced in
      freely behaving, naive rats by gentle touch with a human hand. Thirty-nine rats
      were tested in an unfamiliar experimental cage with repeatable hand touch.
      Vocalization appeared with an average latency of 4.6 +/- 5.0 s (SD). The nape of
      the neck was the most effective area, and after a couple of stimuli applied,
      66.7% of rats emitted 21-32 kHz ultrasonic vocalization. It consisted of multiple
      series of long calls, about 70% of which exceeded 300 ms. The responses quickly
      habituated from session to session to extinction. Significantly more rats housed
      in single cages vocalized ultrasonically than animals housed in community cages.
      The long latencies of the vocalization, their appearance in multiple series to a
      single touch, and quick habituation to the stimuli indicate that 22 kHz
      ultrasonic vocalization of rats reflects a distress caused by a potential danger
      to the animal and it does not necessarily reflect physical discomfort or pain.
      This vocalization may, therefore, play an adaptive role in increasing chances of
      survival by conveying information about potential threats to other conspecifics.

PMID- 1409937
TI  - An automated method for recording scent marking in Mongolian gerbils.
AB  - A device for the automated recording of scent-marking events in Mongolian gerbils
      (Meriones unguiculatus) is described. The method uses minute temperature changes
      occurring at the surface of marked objects to detect scent marking. These events
      are recorded by a computer together with the exact time and the location of the
      marked object. The data obtained with this temperature-sensitive recording method
      correlate well with data obtained in parallel by human observers. The measurement
      of the diurnal rhythm of scent-marking behavior for 5 consecutive days in an
      undisturbed male demonstrates the specific usefulness of this new recording
      method. In addition, this temperature-sensitive automated recording of scent
      marking behavior may also be applicable in other animals that primarily mark
      protruding objects.

PMID- 1409938
TI  - Ibotenic acid lesion of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus produces weight
      gain but modifies neither preference nor aversion for saccharin.
AB  - We showed recently that bilateral ibotenic acid lesions of the lateral
      hypothalamus (LH) produced three main behavioral disturbances in the rat, i.e.,
      an increase in the gustatory preference and aversion thresholds for saccharin,
      permanent body weight and water intake deficits, and an alteration of morphine
      induced modulation of taste. The two first results could suggest that the
      modification of the gustatory thresholds and the ingestive deficits are closely
      interrelated. Given this situation, we hypothesized that, conversely, a brain
      lesion known to induce obesity and hyperdipsia would therefore decrease the
      gustatory preference and aversion thresholds for saccharin. In order to test this
      hypothesis we analyzed the effects of the bilateral lesion of the hypothalamic
      paraventricular nucleus (PVH) by injection of ibotenic acid (2 micrograms in each
      side) on saccharin preference. The main results are as follows: 1) The neurotoxin
      selectively destroyed parvicellular neurons while the magnocellular cells were
      spared. 2) In comparison to the normal daily gain in body weight of the sham
      lesioned animals, the lesioned rats showed an enhanced weight gain that became
      significant from the third day after the surgery up until the day of sacrifice,
      37 days later. 3) In contrast to electrolytic lesions of the PVH, the ibotenic
      acid lesions of this nucleus did not induce hyperdipsia. 4) Preference and
      aversion thresholds for saccharin were not significantly modified by the lesion.
      5) Whereas low doses of morphine suppressed the preference for saccharin in sham
      lesioned rats when the concentration of the sweetener solution was at the
      threshold value, this suppressive effect was not observed in PVH-lesioned
      rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409939
TI  - Sympathoadrenal function in genetically obese Zucker rats.
AB  - The effects of genetic obesity on the actions and alterations of the sympathetic
      nervous system were studied in 10-12-month-old obese (fa/fa) and lean (Fa/-)
      Zucker rats. Blood glucose, plasma insulin, epinephrine (E), norepinephrine (NE),
      and free fatty acids (FFA) concentrations were measured in blood samples taken
      through a permanent heart catheter before, during, and after exercise or
      intravenous infusion of E and NE. Baseline plasma FFA and insulin levels were
      markedly increased in the obese animals. Exercise, i.e., strenuous swimming
      against a counter current for 15 min, led to reduction of plasma insulin
      concentrations and an increase of all other blood components in lean Zucker rats.
      In obese animals, an exaggerated increase of blood glucose and a large
      suppression of plasma insulin occurred. Plasma FFA levels tended to decline
      during exercise. Plasma catecholamine patterns in the exercising fatty Zuckers
      were not different to those of the lean animals. Infusion of E caused an increase
      of blood glucose and a decrease of plasma insulin concentrations in both groups
      of animals. The increase in blood glucose in the obese animals was significantly
      larger compared to the changes in the lean animals. Infusion of NE significantly
      reduced plasma insulin concentration in obese but not in lean animals. The
      results revealed that activation of the sympathetic system, expressed as exercise
      induced alterations in plasma E and NE levels, is normal in obese Zucker rats.
      However, postsynaptic receptor effects of catecholamines on glycogenolysis and
      lipolysis are different in obese and lean animals, which points to permanent
      changes in adrenoceptor mechanisms on adipocytes, hepatocytes, and muscle cells
      in obesity.

PMID- 1409940
TI  - Altered sensitivity to NMDA following developmental lead exposure in rats.
AB  - Early Pb exposure is known to disrupt the development of the hippocampus and
      result in deficits in learning and memory capacities and altered seizure
      susceptibility. The excitatory amino acid, NMDA, is found in high concentrations
      in the hippocampus and has been implicated in learning and memory functions and
      seizure activity. Rat pups nursed mothers exposed to high (4%), moderate (0.4%),
      or low (0.05%) levels of PbCO3 in their diet, or a Na2CO3 control diet from
      postnatal day 1 (P1) to P25. Rat pups were injected with varying doses of NMDA on
      P15 or P25. Control animals showed a characteristic slowly developing response to
      NMDA, usually including tail twitches and wet dog shakes at approximately 10 and
      40 mg/kg at P15 and P25, respectively, with status epilepticus and death
      occurring at 40 and 80 mg/kg. Lead-exposed animals displayed an altered
      sensitivity to NMDA, with high and medium Pb animals showing the onset of
      behavioral signs and death at lower NMDA doses, the degree of which being
      dependent on the level of Pb exposure. Low Pb-exposed animals showed a more
      variable and attenuated response to NMDA. The data are discussed in terms of the
      possible mechanisms of Pb neurotoxicity.

PMID- 1409941
TI  - Maternal behavior induced in male rats by bilateral lesions of the bed nucleus of
      the accessory olfactory tract.
AB  - In the present study, we investigate the effect of bilateral electrolytic lesions
      of the bed nucleus of the accessory olfactory tract (BAOT) in male Wistar rats
      that did not have care-pups experience, using a test of induced maternal
      behavior. Consistent with our previous findings in virgin female rats (10), there
      was a significantly shorter sensitization (3 days) and retrieval (2 days)
      latencies in the BAOT-lesioned group than in the sham-lesioned and intact-control
      male groups (12 days for both). Based on these findings, we propose that BAOT, a
      sexually dimorphic nucleus of the vomeronasal system, exerts an inhibitory
      modulation in the expression of parental behavior in male and female virgin rats.
      It may do so by maintaining an olfactory-based tonic inhibition of maternal
      behavior, thereby resulting in the adults' tonic avoidance of the pups until this
      inhibition is abolished by lesion, or reduced or overridden by appropriate
      hormonal and/or sensory influences.

PMID- 1409943
TI  - Metabolic mechanisms involved in the impaired insulin secretion in pancreatic
      islets isolated from exercised and fasted rats.
AB  - This study examined the metabolic mechanisms involved in the impaired insulin
      secretion by pancreatic islets isolated from fasted and exercised rats. Insulin
      secretion to glucose (8.3 to 16.7 mM) stimulus was lower in fasted (F), exercised
      (E), and fasted plus exercised (EF) rats as compared with the control group. The
      rate of glucose oxidation by isolated islets was reduced in F and EF rats, but it
      was not modified in the E group. In response to alpha-KIC (5, 10, 15, and 20 mM),
      insulin secretion was not different in EF and F rats, in comparison to controls,
      except in the E group, which showed values slightly higher. These findings
      suggest that changes in insulin secretion in fasted rats, associated or not to
      exercise training, might be a consequence of a reduced activity of the right-hand
      side of the Krebs cycle (from pyruvate to oxoglutarate), leading to decreased
      glucose oxidation. However, the exercise itself caused a significant decrease of
      insulin secretion without altering glycolysis and Krebs cycle activities.

PMID- 1409942
TI  - Glucose utilization and insulin binding in discrete brain areas of obese rats.
AB  - The present study was carried out to determine whether genetically obese Zucker
      rats present changes in brain glucose utilization and/or insulin binding when
      compared to their lean counterparts. Glucose utilization in the whole brain,
      determined by measurement of 2-deoxy(1-3H)glucose-6-phosphate, was significantly
      lower in obese than in lean Zucker rats. In order to precise the structure
      involved, we then used quantitative autoradiography methods after either (1-14C)
      2-deoxyglucose injection or 125I-insulin incubation. In obese rats, local
      cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU) was significantly decreased in the external
      plexiform layer (-37%, p < 0.05), in the lateral hypothalamus (-23%, p < 0.05),
      and in the basolateral amygdaloid nucleus (-30%, p < 0.05). In contrast, no
      difference in specific insulin binding was found between the two genotypes in any
      of the areas studied. These results are consistent with some data showing a
      decrease of LCGU in hyperinsulinemic rats. All together, these data show
      perturbations of glucose utilization, particularly in structures linked to the
      regulation of body weight and food intake in obese Zucker rats.

PMID- 1409944
TI  - Cohabitation with a sterile male facilitates the development of retrieval
      behavior in nulliparous female rats exposed to pups.
AB  - Female rats were housed with a sterile male or another female. After 3 weeks,
      half of the females that had been housed with a female were rehoused with an
      intact male. At the end of 6 weeks female or sterile male cagemates were removed.
      Intact male cagemates and pups were removed 3 to 12 h following parturition. All
      females were tested for retrieval of three unfamiliar pups placed in their cage
      on the day following removal of their cagemate. Three unfamiliar pups were placed
      with each female and the female's behavior observed for 10 min. Observations were
      made in this way for 13 days or until the female retrieved all three pups within
      the 10-min interval. Pups were left with the female on days they were not
      retrieved. Females housed with a sterile male reached criterion for pup retrieval
      in 2.9 days, significantly fewer days than were required for females housed with
      another female (6.6 days) but significantly more than were required for a
      postpartum female (0.8 days). By demonstrating that cohabitation with a male
      fosters the development of retrieval, these results support evidence from the
      study of aggressive behavior that pseudopregnancy facilitates the development of
      behaviors associated with pregnancy and lactation.

PMID- 1409945
TI  - Mineral balance and bone histology in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
AB  - SHRs (9 weeks old) were fed diets with or without extra NaCl (2%) and were given
      water or saline (1%) for 7 weeks. Food and liquid intakes were measured weekly.
      Blood pressure was determined at 9, 11, 13, 15, and 16 weeks of age. The values
      for body weight gain and food intake were not influenced by any treatment. Liquid
      intake greatly increased with the surplus of dietary NaCl. The blood pressure
      increased with age in all treatments. The increase in blood pressure was enhanced
      by the addition of NaCl to diet and water. Urinary potassium and calcium
      excretions were enhanced by added dietary NaCl and saline. Calcium content in the
      femoral bone was not changed by any treatment, although the number of osteoclast
      and the area of bone marrow were increased by saline supplementation.

PMID- 1409946
TI  - Inhibition by N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist of lordosis
      behavior induced by estrogen followed by progesterone or luteinizing hormone
      releasing hormone (LHRH) in the rat.
AB  - The effects of glutamate receptor antagonists on sexual receptivity induced by
      progesterone and LHRH were examined in ovariectomized, estradiol-primed rats (OVX
      EB). Enhancement of lordosis/mounts quotient (L/M) by progesterone (0.5 mg) or LH
      RH (150 ng; third ventricle, IVT) in OVX-EB rats was significantly decreased by
      IVT injection of (+) 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid a competitive N-methyl-D
      aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist. On the contrary, there were no changes
      in L/M quotient after IVT injection of 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3,dione at two
      dose levels, a Non-NMDA receptor antagonist. The NMDA antagonist did not modify
      lordosis behavior in OVX-EB rats. The results indicate that the NMDA type of
      glutamate receptors appears to mediate progesterone and LHRH facilitatory actions
      and suggest that glutamatergic synapses may be involved in lordosis-facilitating
      neural mechanisms.

PMID- 1409947
TI  - Sexual pheromones in lipids and other fractions from urine of the male mole rat,
      Spalax ehrenbergi.
AB  - Spalax ehrenbergi mole rats are blind, solitary, territorial, aggressive,
      subterranean rodents with a yearly breeding season that peaks in December and
      January. We confirm here an earlier report that estrous females are attracted to
      substances present in the urine of homospecific as compared to heterospecific
      adult males. We have also found that nonestrous female mole rats show avoidance
      behavior to the same homospecific urine. Our objective was to ascertain the
      nature of the pheromone(s) and gain insight as to its possible role in
      reproductive isolation and speciation. An active principle, detected in either
      two- or three-choice behavior tests, was found to be extractable from urine by
      methylene chloride (CH2Cl2) and mainly found in the neutral lipid fraction. Total
      lipids were chromatographed by thin layer chromatography on silica gel G60
      plates. Most of the activity was found in a zone bounded by Rfs 0.2 and 0.7.
      Cholesterol, other sterols, and ethyl esters of fatty acids chromatographed in
      this zone as determined by standards and staining. Ethyl esters of fatty acids
      were also detected in this fraction by GC/MS analysis. Although a large amount of
      activity was found in lipids, it only accounted for about 1% of that found in
      urine. Some activity may have been destroyed or lost during the extraction
      procedure and some may remain in a lipid insoluble form. Preliminary tests of
      lipid extracts of various portions of the male urogenital tract revealed
      pheromonal activity present, particularly in tissues associated with testes,
      epididymis, prostate, and bladder.

PMID- 1409948
TI  - Social facilitation of eating: effects of social instruction on food intake.
AB  - To investigate whether social influences cause increases in eating behavior,
      thirty undergraduate psychology students completed a diet diary for three 5-day
      periods. Subjects were instructed to either eat alone or eat with other people,
      actively eating with them for two of these periods. For the third period,
      subjects were instructed to eat as they normally would (with or without other
      people present). When instructed to eat with others present, subjects overall
      consumed more food, water, sodium, and alcohol than when they were instructed to
      eat alone. In the normal condition, food intake was 60% higher when the subjects
      ate with others present than when they ate alone. These results suggest that
      social facilitation has a causal influence on eating which increases food intake.

PMID- 1409949
TI  - The effects of olfactory bulbectomy and chronic psychosocial stress on serum
      glucocorticoids and sexual behavior in female rats.
AB  - The effects of olfactory bulb removal (OBX) and chronic psychosocial stress on
      serum glucocorticoids and sexual behavior were assessed in female rats primed
      with a subthreshold level of estradiol (E2). Ovariectomized females underwent
      either OBX or sham surgery. Half of the OBX and half of the sham animals were
      exposed to chronic psychosocial stress (crowding, strobe light, and intermittent
      noise) for one-half h per day for 27 days. On day 22, three blood samples were
      collected from each animal for serum corticosterone analysis; 1) before, 2)
      during, and 3) after acute stress (one-half h restraint). On day 28, females were
      exposed to either 4 or 24 h of E2. On day 29, all females received 500 micrograms
      progesterone (P) 4 h prior to sexual behavior testing. Sexual receptivity was
      measured using the lordosis quotient (LQ = [number of lordotic responses/10
      mounts] x 100). Sexual proceptivity (dart and ear wiggling sequences) and
      rejection (number of nonlordotic responses to mount attempts) were measured
      throughout a 10-min test period. Results showed that chronic psychosocial stress
      dramatically increased sexual receptivity and proceptivity while decreasing
      sexual rejection in female rats primed with a subthreshold level of E2. Chronic
      psychosocial stress also elevated serum glucocorticoids and significantly
      exacerbated the glucocorticoid response to acute stress. OBX, while increasing
      sexual receptivity and decreasing sexual rejection, had no effect on serum
      glucocorticoids. These findings support the hypothesis that OBX potentiates
      female sexual behavior directly through an increase in neural sensitivity to E2.
      In contrast, the enhancing effect of chronic psychosocial stress on female sexual
      behavior may result from alterations of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal system.

PMID- 1409950
TI  - Dimethyl disulfide mimics the effects of milk on fetal behavior and
      responsiveness to cutaneous stimuli.
AB  - This study examined the behavioral responses of near-term rat fetuses to a range
      of chemosensory fluids that resemble constituents of milk or are present in the
      context of suckling immediately after birth. Milk and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS),
      a constituent of pup saliva that promotes postnatal nipple attachment, were
      effective in altering fetal motor activity (increased mouthing and rearlimb
      movements after infusion), and producing changes in fetal responsiveness to
      perioral cutaneous stimulation (reduced incidence of facial wiping). The
      behavioral effects of DMDS were reversed by naloxone and the kappa receptor
      antagonist nor-binaltorphimine diHCl, suggesting kappa opioid involvement in
      these behavioral changes. The existence of prenatal responsiveness to DMDS
      suggests that this substance may function as a semiochemical during the neonatal
      period.

PMID- 1409951
TI  - Response acquisition with fixed and variable resetting delays of reinforcement in
      male and female Wistar rats.
AB  - Experimentally naive, food-deprived male and female Wistar rats were exposed to
      different experimental procedures in which response-independent food pellets were
      delivered as long as the rats did not press either one of the two levers in the
      experimental chamber. Once a lever was pressed, the presentation of response
      independent food was suspended for the remainder of that session and food pellets
      were delivered only after an unsignalled, resetting period of time from each
      lever press had elapsed. For five different groups of subjects there was either
      no delay between a lever press and food presentation, a fixed delay of 10 s or 30
      s, or a variable delay of 10 s or 30 s. Response acquisition occurred most
      rapidly when a lever press was immediately followed by food presentation.
      Responding was also acquired when variable resetting delays of 10 s or 30 s or a
      fixed resetting delay of 10 s was inserted between a lever press and food
      presentation. When a fixed resetting delay of 30 s followed a lever press before
      food presentation some responding was observed, but not as much as in the other
      experimental conditions. The present results show that naive male and female
      Wistar rats will acquire a lever-press response when food presentation is
      contingent upon, but not immediately contiguous with a lever press. Consistent
      differences between the sexes were not observed.

PMID- 1409952
TI  - Interaction of estradiol, testosterone, and progesterone in the modulation of
      hormone-dependent aggression in the female rat.
AB  - Female rats that had become aggressive as a result of cohabiting with a sterile
      male were ovariectomized and implanted with Silastic tubes of estradiol,
      testosterone, and progesterone, estradiol and testosterone alone, or with empty
      tubes. The implants were designed to model serum concentrations present during
      the last week of pregnancy (estradiol, 0.06 ng/ml; testosterone, 2.6 ng/ml;
      progesterone, 70 ng/ml). Following a test of aggression 1 week postoperatively,
      estradiol and testosterone implants were replaced with ones designed to maintain
      the lower hormone levels present following parturition (0.02 ng/ml; 0.6 ng/ml,
      respectively). Progesterone was not replaced. At the first aggression test,
      females with estradiol and testosterone alone displayed significantly more
      aggression than females with these hormones plus progesterone. Both groups were
      more aggressive than females without hormone replacement. Following the exchange
      of large implants for small ones, females that previously had progesterone
      increased in aggression while females that previously had only estradiol and
      testosterone decreased in aggression. Both groups continued to be more aggressive
      than the group without hormone replacement. High serum progesterone present near
      the end of pregnancy appears to moderate the expression of aggression supported
      by estradiol and testosterone. Conversely, progesterone's decline at parturition
      appears to produce a rebound facilitation of aggression even though serum
      estradiol and testosterone simultaneously decline.

PMID- 1409953
TI  - Effects of chronic forced swimming and exposure to alarm substance: physiological
      and behavioral consequences.
AB  - Rats tested for 7 consecutive days in the forced swim test in fresh water were
      more immobile than those tested in soiled water on all days. Animals in both
      water conditions increased their immobility times slightly over days, but animals
      tested in soiled water, which presumably contained an alarm substance, never
      attained the immobility times of those tested in fresh water. When animals were
      switched between fresh and soiled water, they behaved exactly like animals in the
      water condition to which they were switched. Prior inescapable forced swimming in
      either water condition affected subsequent escape in a Morris water maze, but
      more so for animals tested only in fresh water. A second study corroborated the
      escape results. Serum corticosterone and relative adrenal weights were increased
      as a result of forced swimming but escape performance differences could not be
      attributed to differences in the stress-provoking consequences of the two water
      conditions.

PMID- 1409954
TI  - Effects of repeated maternal separations on the adrenocortical response to stress
      of preweanling rats.
AB  - Previous data indicate that the infant rat shows a marked increase in
      adrenocortical responsiveness to stress immediately following prolonged maternal
      separation. In Experiment 1 we studied the immediate effects of repeated maternal
      deprivation. Our results indicate that the increase in basal as well as stress
      induced corticosterone levels is a direct function of the length of the
      deprivation period immediately preceding testing, and is not cumulative. In
      Experiment 2 we examined the long-term consequences of maternal deprivation on
      adrenal responsivity. Four days following a single 24-h period of maternal
      deprivation, pups remained hyperresponsive to stress, although their basal levels
      of corticosterone had returned to control values. Shorter periods of deprivation
      (which did result in increased responsivity immediately following deprivation)
      did not have persistent effects. Our data suggest: 1) short periods of
      deprivation do not have a cumulative effect, and 2) there is a critical length of
      deprivation beyond which persistent changes in adrenocortical responsivity ensue.

PMID- 1409955
TI  - Salt appetite induced by DOCA treatment or adrenalectomy in rats: analysis of
      ingestive behavior.
AB  - A detailed description of the increased intake of 0.5 M NaCl solution by rats
      after systemic treatment with desoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) or after
      adrenalectomy was obtained by measuring feeding and drinking activity every 6 s
      for 23 h. In both models of salt appetite, the induced increase in saline intake
      occurred mostly at night and in close temporal association with bouts of eating
      and water drinking rather than in isolation. Consequently, there was no
      significant change in the total number of ingestive episodes, despite the
      substantial increase in the number of saline bouts. Saline drinking was in small
      draughts that usually were preceded by food bouts and followed promptly by water
      bouts. These and other observations indicate that under standard maintenance
      conditions of ad lib access to food and fluids, adrenalectomy and DOCA treatment
      each produce a relatively weak stimulus of salt appetite, and large daily intakes
      accrue because the animals do not remain satiated and the appetite recurs
      repeatedly.

PMID- 1409956
TI  - Muscle performance and adenine-nucleotides status in MCA-sarcoma tumor-bearing
      rats.
AB  - The reduction in DNA, RNA, amino acid, and total protein in muscle tissue of
      tumor-bearing rats may influence muscle function. The effects of MCA-sarcoma
      tumor burden on muscle performance and adenine nucleotides was evaluated in three
      fiber types of skeletal muscle. Twenty-one days after MCA-sarcoma tumor
      inoculation, the gastrocnemius-soleus muscle group of Fischer 344 rats was
      stimulated using an in situ preparation; tetanic stimulation for 10 min at 7.5,
      15, or 30 tetani per min (TPM) or 60 TPM for 5 min (n = 6 control and six tumor
      bearing rats/group). ATP, ADP, AMP, IMP, phosphocreatine, and creatine content in
      white and red gastrocnemius muscle and soleus muscle was measured. There were no
      differences among controls and tumor-bearing rats in force output; however, ATP
      content in the soleus muscle of tumor-bearing rats was significantly reduced
      after 30 TPM for 10 min or 60 TPM for 5 min. The performance of skeletal muscle,
      over a wide range of stimulation frequency, in tumor-bearing rats does not appear
      to be influenced by changes in adenine nucleotide content.

PMID- 1409957
TI  - Sexual dimorphism in the effects of mating on the in vitro release of LHRH from
      the ferret mediobasal hypothalamus.
AB  - A sexually dimorphic pattern in the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) has
      previously been shown to occur in response to mating in an induced ovulating
      species, the ferret, with mating augmenting the secretion of LH in females but
      not in males. The aim of this study was to determine whether this dimorphic
      pattern in the postcoital secretion of LH reflects a dimorphic effect of mating
      on the neural release of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH). The effect
      of mating on the in vitro release of LHRH from mediobasal hypothalami (MBH)
      collected from breeding male and female ferrets was studied. Luteinizing hormone
      releasing hormone release and content were significantly reduced in tissues from
      estrous females sacrificed 0.25 h after mating compared to unpaired estrous
      females and estrous females sacrificed 1 or 2.6 h after the mating stimulus. By
      contrast, the release of LHRH from MBH fragments and LHRH tissue content were
      equivalent in breeding males that were sacrificed 0.25 h after mating and in
      breeding males that were left unpaired. These data suggest that the postcoital
      surge of LH in the female ferret is preceded by a release of LHRH that initially
      depletes neuronal terminals within the MBH, whereas LHRH release, like pituitary
      LH secretion, is minimally affected by mating in males.

PMID- 1409959
TI  - Changes on plasmatic and erythrocytic magnesium levels after high-intensity
      exercises in men.
AB  - The aim of this paper was investigate the effects of high-intensity exercise on
      plasmatic and erythrocytic Mg levels in men. Twelve normal male volunteers
      participated in this study. The tests were performed on a cycle-ergometer
      (Monark). The exercise programs consisted of: 1) triangular progressive test
      (TPT); 2) interval endurance test (IET), of 45 min duration; and 3) maximal
      subtained test (MST), consisting of a maximal level, at 100% of MTP, for at least
      7 min. The percent change in plasma volume (%PV) after exercise was calculated.
      Magnesium levels in plasma and erythrocytes were measured by atomic absorption
      spectrophotometry. No significant differences in the absolute Mg concentration of
      plasma were noted for the three maximal exercises. The percentage increase in
      plasma Mg concentrations was about 5-7%; however, percent decrease of PV was more
      important (13-16%). Erythrocytic Mg levels were increased after all maximal
      exercises (TPT, IET, and MST), although absolute Mg concentrations were not
      significantly different.

PMID- 1409958
TI  - Feeding behavior in rats fed diets containing medium chain triglyceride.
AB  - The effect of dietary medium chain triglyceride (MCT) on short-term food intake
      was compared with the effect of long chain triglyceride (LCT) in rats. Corn oil
      and glyceryl tricaprylate were used as LCT and MCT sources, respectively. Rats
      were given diets containing 200 g MCT/kg diet (MCT diet), 100 g MCT + 100 g
      LCT/kg diet (ML diet), or 200 g LCT/kg diet (LCT diet) in Experiment 1.
      Cumulative food intake was determined every h for the first 12 h, then at 2-h
      intervals thereafter during the subsequent 12 h. As early as 1 h after feeding,
      cumulative food intake significantly decreased in MCT-fed animals in a dose
      dependent fashion. In Experiment 2, rats were given a choice between MCT and LCT
      diets for 1 h to confirm whether or not the palatability of diets was influenced
      by dietary fat sources. There was no difference in food intake between the two
      diets. In Experiment 3, the responsibility of endogenous cholecystokinin (CCK)
      for the difference in food intake between the two diets was investigated for 6 h
      by using a CCK-A receptor antagonist, Devazepide (DVZ, 1 mg/kg b. wt.). Food
      intake in the MCT diet and also in the LCT diet was improved by DVZ. It is
      concluded that the satiety, but not the palatability, is affected by carbon chain
      length in dietary triglyceride sources, although the responsibility of endogenous
      CCK is very small.

PMID- 1409960
TI  - Analysis of walking locomotion in adult female rats undernourished as sucklings.
AB  - Suckling rats were undernourished from birth by underfeeding their mothers. They
      were refed from 3 weeks of age. Detailed analyses were made of the walking
      locomotion of previously undernourished and well-fed control female rats at 10
      weeks, using electronic, computer, and TV techniques. Previously undernourished
      rats were found to deploy shorter stride times resulting in greater forward
      velocities. The shorter stride times were attained by reductions in stance time,
      while swing time was unaffected. No changes in stride length or width were
      observed, and the relationships between stride time and velocity, swing, or
      stance times were unaffected.

PMID- 1409961
TI  - Decreased performance in a delayed alternation task by rats genetically deficient
      in vasopressin.
AB  - Acquisition and retention of a delayed alternation task by rats genetically
      deficient in vasopressin (AVP) due to the homozygous occurrence of the
      Brattleboro diabetes insipidus (DI) gene (M520/DI) were compared to the response
      of rats that were heterozygous (M520/HZ) or normal (M520/N) with respect to the
      DI gene. No significant difference in the adaptation to the apparatus was
      observed between the groups. However, the rate at which the M520/DI rats acquired
      the alternation task was significantly slower than the acquisition rates of
      M520/HZ and M520/N rats. In addition, the maximum intertrial interval reached by
      the M520/DI rats was significantly shorter than the intertrial intervals reached
      by the M520/HZ and M520/N rats, indicating the ability to retain information was
      impaired in the M520/DI rats. These results are consistent with the hypothesis
      that AVP modulates the acquisition and retention of information for normal memory
      processes.

PMID- 1409962
TI  - Breast imaging and the augmented breast.
AB  - Women with augmented breast implants are presenting for mammograms in greater
      numbers over the past year due to recent publicity regarding the safety of
      silicone gel-filled implants. New issues are being raised in light of this recent
      increase, making it essential for patients and health care providers to
      understand the limitations of mammography and how to best minimize problems.

PMID- 1409963
TI  - Nursing in the 21st century.

PMID- 1409964
TI  - How to revise printed patient education materials.

PMID- 1409965
TI  - From your desk and back again: the publishing process.

PMID- 1409966
TI  - Hand assessment.
AB  - Health care personnel caring for a patient with an injured hand must fully
      understand the functional and structural anatomy as well as assessment methods
      involved with such an injury. This article will overview the importance of
      conducting a complete history and thorough examination of the hand as well as
      proper documentation procedures.

PMID- 1409967
TI  - Nursing management of patients following combined free flap mandible
      reconstruction.
AB  - Combined free flap mandible reconstruction can improve the quality of life for
      cancer patients both functionally and psychologically. Plastic surgical nurses
      have a unique role in empowering patients and helping them to regain their most
      personal basic needs.

PMID- 1409968
TI  - Amplification of plasmid (L factor) DNA and increased production of a plasmid
      gene product (gamma-interferon) in mouse L cells.
AB  - It has previously been reported that composite DNAs derived from L factor, a
      polyoma-related mammalian plasmid, can be established in several mouse cell lines
      after transfection. Here, we report that the copy number of a plasmid composite
      DNA consisting of L factor, pBR DNA, dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) gene, and
      gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN) gene was increased more than 10-fold after two
      successive adaptations of the plasmid-bearing mouse L cells to increasing
      concentrations of methotrexate (MTX), an inhibitor of dhfr. The structure of the
      amplified L factor plasmid remained intact during prolonged cell culture, but the
      copy number remained to be amplified only when the selective pressure (presence
      of MTX in the medium) has been exerted during the culture. Cells bearing the
      amplified plasmid produced a higher level of gamma-IFN compared with the original
      clone, which was likely to be derived from the plasmid gamma-IFN gene amplified
      along with L factor and the dhfr gene.

PMID- 1409969
TI  - Complete nucleotide sequence of a Selenomonas ruminantium plasmid and definition
      of a region necessary for its replication in Escherichia coli.
AB  - A plasmid from Selenomonas ruminantium subspecies lactilytica has been subcloned
      in Escherichia coli K-12 and completely sequenced. Three open reading frames
      (ORFs) of 909, 801, and 549 bp were identified and the complete sequence was
      analyzed by comparison with DNA and protein databases. No significant
      deoxynucleotide or amino acid sequence homology with other published genes or
      proteins was detected. The plasmid was shown to replicate independently in E.
      coli K-12 by a DNA polymerase I-dependent mechanism and deletion analysis defined
      the DNA sequence responsible for this phenotype.

PMID- 1409970
TI  - Molecular, genetic, and functional analysis of the basic replicon of pVA380-1, a
      plasmid of oral streptococcal origin.
AB  - The 4.2-kb cryptic plasmid pVA380-1 has been used as a vector for the cloning of
      antibiotic resistance genes directly in streptococci, and in the construction of
      Escherichia coli/Streptococcus shuttle vectors. The results of subcloning
      experiments located the basic replicon of pVA380-1 within a 2.5-kb region. The
      nucleotide base sequence of this region was determined and contained a single
      complete open reading frame (ORF) encoding a 237-amino-acid peptide with a
      predicted size of 29 kDa. This peptide and a region of the DNA molecule 5' to the
      ORF encoding it shared homology with the replication protein and plus origin,
      respectively, of the Staphylococcus aureus plasmid pUB110. Data from Tn5
      mutagenesis and complementation studies indicated that the protein product of the
      ORF was required for pVA380-1 replication in streptococci. Deletion of a region
      of the basic replicon distal to the plus origin and ORF produced an unstable
      derivative, and resulted in the accumulation of single-stranded replicative
      intermediates, consistent with the loss of a minus origin. All of these results
      suggest that pVA380-1 replicates by a rolling circle mode, and is most closely
      related to the pC194 family of single-stranded DNA plasmids.

PMID- 1409971
TI  - Physical map of the vitopine Ti plasmid pTiS4.
AB  - Within the Agrobacterium vitis group the vitopine strains represent a special
      subclass. Vitopine bacteria carry Ti plasmids with little or no homology with the
      well-characterized T-DNAs of Agrobacterium tumefaciens or Agrobacterium
      rhizogenes. The 262-kb Ti plasmid of the vitopine strain S4 was cloned and
      mapped. Homology studies with the octopine Ti plasmid pTiAch5, the nopaline Ti
      plasmid pTiC58, and the agropine/mannopine Ri plasmid pRiHRI identified several
      regions of homology. The origin of replication was localized to within 2.5 kb.

PMID- 1409972
TI  - Transfer of mobilizable plasmids to Sorangium cellulosum and evidence for their
      integration into the chromosome.
AB  - Recombinant vectors derived from the broad-host-range mobilizable plasmid
      pSUP2021 were constructed and transferred by IncP-mediated conjugation from
      Escherichia coli to Sorangium cellulosum, where they were integrated into the
      chromosome by homologous recombination and maintained stably. This appears to be
      the first system of gene transfer to S. cellulosum.

PMID- 1409973
TI  - Functional analysis of pAL5000 plasmid in Mycobacterium fortuitum.
AB  - Four of the five open reading frames (ORFs) present in Myobacterium fortuitum
      pAL5000 plasmid (ORF1, ORF3, ORF4, and ORF5) are dispensable for replication in
      M. fortuitum. However, two additional ORFs (ORF1 and ORF5) were necessary for
      replication in a Myobacterium smegmatis heterologous host containing an efficient
      plasmid transformation mutation.

PMID- 1409974
TI  - DNA sequence and analysis of a cryptic 4.2-kb plasmid from the filamentous
      cyanobacterium, Plectonema sp. strain PCC 6402.
AB  - The 4194-bp plasmid, pRF1, from Plectonema sp. Strain PCC 6402 was completely
      sequenced and analyzed. Seven potential open reading frames were identified. The
      predicted amino acid sequence of open reading frame C (ORF C) had identities of
      34, 29, and 25% with Rep B from the Staphylococcus aureus plasmid, pUB110; Rep
      from the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens plasmid, pFTB14; and protein A from the S.
      aureus plasmid, pC194, respectively. A 75-amino-acid region conserved in these
      proteins (Rep B, Rep, and protein A) also was highly conserved in ORF C with
      identities of 45, 37, and 40%, respectively. Significantly, 16 of the 21 amino
      acids conserved in Rep B, Rep, and protein A were found at the same positions in
      ORF C. This ORF may encode a replication protein that includes a region conserved
      in some eubacteria. Additional structural features include a 425-bp region that
      contains palindromes, tandem repeats, and short direct repeats which may
      correspond to the origin of replication. An 18-bp inverted repeat was located
      between two open reading frames, A and G.

PMID- 1409975
TI  - Production of an immunoglobulin gene product by the plasmid expression vector L
      factor in mouse myeloma cells.
AB  - L factor, originally discovered in a subclone of mouse L cells, is a multicopy
      mammalian plasmid whose structure is related to that of polyoma. When a composite
      DNA consisting of L factor, pBR, bacterial neo, and an immunoglobulin (kappa)
      gene was introduced into mouse myeloma cells, the DNA was established as plasmids
      in the cells without rearrangement or integration into the chromosomes. The
      plasmid-bearing myeloma cells produced kappa mRNA and the gene product, kappa
      immunoglobulin, which were apparently derived from the gene located on plasmid L
      factor. These results suggest that L factor can be used as a plasmid expression
      vector for studies on gene expression and production of biologically active
      substances in mammalian cells.

PMID- 1409976
TI  - Stimulation of LH release from cultured pituitary cells by saponins of
      Petersianthus macrocarpus: a permeabilizing effect.
AB  - Aqueous extracts from stem bark of Petersianthus macrocarpus contain substances
      exhibiting both estrogenic and antiestrogenic potency. Triterpenic saponins were
      identified and extracted as a bulk. Their action on the in vitro LH released by
      cultured rat pituitary cells was investigated. P. macrocarpus saponins stimulated
      the LH release in a dose-dependent manner (from 10 micrograms/ml to 300
      micrograms/ml). When added simultaneously, saponins and LHRH exerted initial
      additive effects on LH release, demonstrating independent mechanisms of
      stimulation. If cells were pre-treated with saponins for 15 min, the amount of LH
      released under a subsequent LHRH stimulation was lowered, presumably due to a
      partial depletion of the cells in hormone (data not presented). However, the
      action of saponins on LH release did not appear specific since a general
      permeabilizing effect of the cell membrane was evidenced both by trypan blue
      exclusion and by analysis of the total protein output. When using low
      concentrations of saponins (10 micrograms/ml), scanning electron microscopy did
      not reveal any significant alteration of the cell structure, which explains why
      the cells remain responsive to LHRH after withdrawal of saponins. With higher
      concentrations (greater than 30 micrograms/ml), the same analytical studies
      evidenced numerous perforations of the cell membrane, with subsequent cell death.
      Two highly purified saponin species were tested on LH release by cultured cells;
      one of them (petersaponin I) appeared responsible for the observed biological
      effects in vitro. But as cells were shown to be efficiently protected from
      saponin effects by the presence of serum, it may be concluded that saponins of P.
      macrocarpus extracts are probably not candidate molecules promoting the in vivo
      estrogenic and antiestrogenic effects.

PMID- 1409977
TI  - Effect of Galphimia glauca methanolic extract on neuropharmacological tests.
AB  - Galphimia glauca Cav. (Malpighiaceae) is used in Mexican traditional medicine for
      the treatment of nervous excitement. A methanolic extract from its aerial parts
      (MEGA) was tested in several neuropharmacological animal models including among
      others: hypothermic activity, barbiturate potentiation, protection against
      strychnine- and leptazol-induced convulsions. The combined data obtained from all
      biological models demonstrate the sedative property of this plant product.

PMID- 1409978
TI  - Diuretic action of aqueous Orthosiphon extract in rats.
AB  - An aqueous extract of Orthosiphonis folium, given orally, enhances considerably
      ion excretion in rat to a level comparable to that obtained with furosemide. No
      aqueretic action is observed. The increased ion excretion is not due to the
      potassium content of the starting material.

PMID- 1409979
TI  - Mitogenic activities in the protein fractions of crude drugs.
AB  - Eighteen different crude drugs were extracted with hot water and saline, and
      protein fractions were prepared from the extracts by ammonium sulfate
      precipitation. Mitogenic activities of the protein fractions were examined both
      on human peripheral blood lymphocytes and on mouse spleen cells. Potent mitogenic
      activities for both human and/or mouse lymphocytes were found in the protein
      fractions of four crude drugs, namely, Bupleuri radix, Pinelliae tuber, Sophorae
      radix, and Zedoariae rhizoma. Target specificities of these mitogens were
      investigated by using isolated T and B cells and lymphocytes from athymic nude
      mice. Sensitivity to protease digestion as well as water-soluble, ammonium
      sulfate precipitable nature assures that the substances responsible for the
      mitogenic activities are proteins.

PMID- 1409980
TI  - Stimulatory effects of ingenols from Euphorbia kansui on the expression of
      macrophage Fc receptor.
AB  - Immune complex binding to macrophages was enhanced by treatment with an E. kansui
      extract. Systematic fractionation of the extract led to the characterization of 3
      O-(2'E,4'Z-decadienoyl)- and 3-O-(2,3-dimethylbutyryl)-13- O-n-dodecanoyl-13
      hydroxyingenol as the active principles. Immune complex binding to macrophages by
      the action of these compounds increased in a dose-dependent manner. When each
      ingenol (10 nM) was added to the separated culture medium, the immune complex
      binding ability of macrophages increased up to 2-fold, respectively. Scatchard
      analysis showed the enhanced expression of the Fc-receptor for gamma-globulin by
      the action of each ingenol to macrophages. This Fc-receptor upregulation was
      dependent on RNA synthesis, suggesting a possible de novo synthesis.

PMID- 1409981
TI  - A peptide from Schumanniophyton magnificum with anti-cobra venom activity.
AB  - Using the chick biventer cervicis preparation as a bioassay for antivenom
      activity, a peptide has been isolated from the aqueous extract of the bark of
      Schumanniophyton magnificum. The peptide was isolated and purified by a
      combination of reverse-phase and exclusion column chromatography, preparative
      TLC, and HPLC. The peptide has a relative molecular mass of about 6000 daltons
      and is similar in amino acid composition to the cardiotoxins present in snake
      venom. The isolated peptide showed dose-related inhibitions of the effects of
      cardiotoxin and total venom of cobra species using the chick biventer cervicis
      preparation.

PMID- 1409982
TI  - Acetylenic glucosides from Microglossa pyrifolia.
AB  - From the leaves of Microglossa pyrifolia Lam. (Asteraceae) four new acetylenic
      glucosides (1-4) have been isolated. The aglucones 2a and 4a are new polyynes.
      The aglucone 3a could only be isolated as a mixture of E/Z-isomers in a ratio of
      4:1. The structures of 1-4 were elucidated by spectroscopic and biochemical
      methods. Compound 1 shows antibacterial activity.

PMID- 1409983
TI  - An antiplatelet principle of Veratrum formosanum.

PMID- 1409984
TI  - Antiparasitic properties of diploceline, a quaternary alkaloid from Strychnos
      gossweileri.

PMID- 1409985
TI  - Cytotoxic activity of some triterpenoid saponins.

PMID- 1409986
TI  - Inhibitory effect of piquerol A on the growth of epimastigotes of Trypanosoma
      cruzi.

PMID- 1409987
TI  - [A new bufadienolide from Urginea pancration].

PMID- 1409988
TI  - ACE-inhibitory procyanidins from Lespedeza capitata.

PMID- 1409989
TI  - Intraoperative physiologic blood flow studies in the TRAM flap.
AB  - An intraoperative study was done to establish the functional and quantitative
      properties of the blood supply to the TRAM flap through the assessment and
      manipulation of blood flow through the deep epigastric arterial system. Seventeen
      patients undergoing unilateral postmastectomy breast reconstruction with lower
      transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flaps were studied. The study is
      divided into two parts: (1) ultrasonic measurement of blood flow in the deep
      inferior epigastric artery (DIEA), and (2) direct measurement of blood pressure
      in the deep epigastric arterial system, after division of the deep inferior
      epigastric artery. With occlusion of the superior epigastric artery at the level
      of the upper edge of the skin flap, 71 percent of the patients had a decrease in
      the blood flow through the deep inferior epigastric artery, with an average
      decrease of 23 percent. This implies that the area of watershed perfusion in the
      lower TRAM flap is superior to the umbilicus, and therefore, survival of all
      lower TRAM flap tissues requires reversal in the normal direction of arterial
      flow to the flap. The blood pressure in the proximal stump of the deep inferior
      epigastric arterial system averaged 46 percent of the mean systemic blood
      pressure. Occlusion of the medial and lateral thirds of the isolated rectus
      muscle decreased the mean arterial blood pressure in the flap an average of 19
      percent in 80 percent of the individuals studied. These data support the
      technique of harvesting the entire rectus muscle, avoiding muscle-splitting
      maneuvers that may compromise axial blood flow.

PMID- 1409990
TI  - Care of maxillofacial injuries: survey of plastic surgeons.
AB  - The purpose of this survey was to evaluate the current trends in the care of
      facial trauma. Data were obtained through the responses of a survey mailed to all
      those members and candidates listed in the 1989 American Society of Plastic and
      Reconstructive Surgeons Directory. A total of 2777 questionnaires were sent, with
      1113 (40 percent) returned by means of a self-addressed envelope. Demographic
      results show that over 70 percent of the treating plastic surgeons fall within
      the age range 30 to 50 years. Although significant advances have occurred,
      treatment goals have remained unchanged. These center around the principles of
      accurate reduction and precise stabilization of fracture segments. The results of
      this survey reveal that a number of acceptable techniques were employed in the
      surgical repair of mandibular and zygomatic complex fractures. In the care of Le
      Fort III fractures, 59 percent of the respondents preferred the use of miniplates
      and screws for stabilization. Only 26.8 percent believed that facial fracture
      repair should be performed within the initial 24 hours. With frontal sinus
      fractures, the vast majority of plastic surgeons (82.1 percent) obtained a
      neurosurgical consultation. When the posterior wall was involved, 45.6 percent
      favored removal of the sinus mucosa, 29.7 percent obliterated the frontal sinus
      with a variety of autogenous materials, while 20.5 percent preferred
      cranialization. In summary, this survey shows a wide variation in the practice of
      facial fracture management within the plastic surgical community.

PMID- 1409991
TI  - The fate of plates and screws after facial fracture reconstruction.
AB  - Rigid plate and screw fixation is the mainstay of treatment for complex fractures
      of the facial skeleton. Complications of plate and screw fixation include
      prominence, infection, exposure, and migration. Five hundred and seven patients
      undergoing plate and screw fixation for facial fractures (1112 fractures) from
      1983 to 1988 were followed for complications. Sixty-one patients (12 percent)
      required hardware removal. The location on the facial skeleton influenced
      symptoms and the rate of hardware removal. Infection and exposure may be
      decreased with antiseptic irrigations, avoiding mucosal damage, attention to
      proper mucosal closure, and correct placement of plates. Prominence may be
      decreased by the use of microplates in the supraorbital, frontal, and naso
      orbital-ethmoid locations.

PMID- 1409992
TI  - Analysis and results of treatment of established posttraumatic facial
      deformities.
AB  - The clinical records of 125 patients undergoing treatment for posttraumatic
      facial deformities (PTFD) from 1979 to 1990 were retrospectively reviewed.
      Patients with complex fractures had a combination of at least three of the major
      fracture categories [Le Fort I, II, III; naso-orbital-ethmoid (NOE); zygomatic;
      frontobasilar; and mandibular]. Twenty-five patients (20 percent) were found to
      have severe posttraumatic facial deformities resulting from a complex facial
      fracture pattern. Sixteen were males and nine were females, and their ages at the
      time of our first reconstructive procedure ranged from 22 to 64 years (mean 33
      years). All patients presented to our clinic with severe posttraumatic facial
      deformities from 1 month to 26 years (mean 5 years) after original injury. The
      number of prior reconstructive attempts averaged two (range 0 to 9). Arbitrary
      severity scores assigned by us were mild in 4, moderate in 12, and severe in 9
      patients. Once treatment was initiated in our clinic, the average number of
      operations was 3.76 until completion (range 1 to 15). Surgical treatment was
      aimed first at reestablishing proper skeletal, vertical, transverse, and sagittal
      proportions. Once skeletal foundations were reset, the more delicate naso-orbital
      ethmoid and lateral canthal relations were addressed. Of the 25 patients, 13 (52
      percent) suffered a complication at some point during their surgical management.
      In these 13 patients, 20 complications occurred in a total of 94 operations for
      an overall complication rate of 21 percent. Fifteen of the 20 complications were
      related to infection. Skeletal abnormalities in patients with posttraumatic
      facial deformities can generally be corrected with current craniomaxillofacial
      techniques. Ultimately, an excellent result in terms of skeletal reconstruction
      is compromised by the status of the surrounding soft tissue. More in-depth
      knowledge of the nature and magnitude of the initial and subsequent soft-tissue
      injury will contribute to our ability to treat these disfiguring posttraumatic
      sequelae.

PMID- 1409993
TI  - Comparison of transcutaneous incisions used for exposure of the infraorbital rim
      and orbital floor: a retrospective study.
AB  - One hundred and five patients were investigated for functional and aesthetic
      impairments following treatment of orbital trauma through subciliary, mid-lower
      eyelid, or infraorbital incisions. The progress of impairments with time was
      assessed, and the merits and shortcomings of each of the three approaches were
      established. The results showed that impairments persisting up to 6 months
      postoperatively have virtually not receded even after 6 years. The infraorbital
      incision showed the highest frequency of impairments, followed by the subciliary
      incision. The mid-lower eyelid incision showed the best results, with an
      impairment frequency well below those of the other two approaches. This approach
      seems to combine the advantages of the infraorbital incision with the
      unnoticeable scar formation associated with the subciliary incision.

PMID- 1409994
TI  - Age-related changes of the craniofacial skeleton: an anthropometric and
      histologic analysis.
AB  - With the development of increasingly sophisticated methods for the alteration of
      bony facial form consequent to age, it is imperative that the surgeon have a
      fundamental knowledge of the age-related changes the skeleton may undergo. To
      understand these changes better, a detailed anthropometric and histomorphic
      analysis of the craniofacial skeleton as a function of age was undertaken. The
      study consisted of a detailed craniometric analysis of 160 skulls selected
      randomly from a Caucasian population of skeletal remains totaling 1500 specimens.
      Additionally, a histologic analysis of the supraorbital ridge in a separate
      preserved cadaver population was performed. Although the results showed
      individual variation as expected, definite changes in craniofacial morphology
      were observed. These included (1) appreciable reduction of facial height, most
      marked in the maxilla and mandible, and strongly correlated with loss of teeth,
      (2) modest increase in facial width, (3) modest increase in facial depth, except
      in those regions associated with tooth loss, and (4) general coarsening of bony
      prominences. Histomorphic analysis demonstrated increasing porosity with age,
      more marked in the female population. Although these changes represent population
      trends, in any given patient, any or all of them may be present to varying
      degrees. Surgeons should be aware of these possibilities and consider selective
      alterations of the skeletal foundation, either separately or in concert with the
      overlying soft-tissue envelope, in order to optimize the results of surgery for
      the aging face.

PMID- 1409995
TI  - Rhytidectomy and the nasolabial fold.
AB  - I describe a technical modification in the Skoog face lift procedure that
      releases the deep attachments of the SMAS to the muscles of facial expression for
      maximal mobility of the medial cheek yet elevates the cheek flap as a composite
      of skin, subcutaneous tissue, and SMAS to enhance skin perfusion. My results with
      the procedure in 100 patients are analyzed by using functional zones of the
      nasolabial fold corresponding to underlying musculature and a simple grading
      system based on preoperative and postoperative photographs. Marked improvement in
      the nasolabial fold was noted in over 80 percent of patients by 6 and 12 months
      postoperatively. This effect seemed to last up to 4 years.

PMID- 1409996
TI  - The external oblique flap for reconstruction of the rectus sheath.
AB  - Despite the availability of synthetic materials and distant fascial flaps,
      primary closure of ventral abdominal defects with contiguous tissues remains the
      preferred solution. Increased experience with such defects in the lower abdomen,
      particularly at the time of bilateral rectus muscle transposition, led in 1985 to
      the investigation of an external oblique abdominis flap for closure of the
      anterior rectus sheath. From October of 1985 to October of 1990, 33 patients
      underwent repair of bilateral lower rectus abdominis defects with the help of
      bilateral external oblique flaps. Each of the patients had undergone synchronous
      chest or breast reconstruction using a transverse rectus abdominis
      musculocutaneous flap including bilateral rectus muscle pedicles. Although all
      patients in this study had undergone double-pedicle rectus muscle procedures, not
      all patients having had double-pedicle rectus muscle procedures required this
      maneuver. External oblique flaps were performed at the time of rectus sheath
      repair only if fascia could not be approximated without tearing. After closure of
      the bilateral paramedian defect, synthetic mesh overlay was added only if the
      direct closure still appeared excessively tight. At the time of advancement of
      the external oblique muscle and fascia, the internal oblique abdominis muscle and
      lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh were preserved. Of the 33 patients who
      underwent this procedure, 7 required the addition of mesh overlay. Thirty-two
      patients healed uneventfully with a remarkably solid ventral abdominal wall. One
      patient developed an early postoperative hernia subsequent to a major and
      prolonged abdominal-wall infection and abscess. Patient follow-up ranged from 1
      to 36 months, with a mean of 12 months.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1409997
TI  - Upper extremity impairment in workers performing repetitive tasks.
AB  - A series of subjective and objective measures were chosen to determine impairment
      of upper extremity function in 157 workers performing repetitive tasks. Workers
      were asked to respond to questions regarding their perception of the presence or
      absence of numbness, pain, weakness, or swelling in their upper extremities.
      Objective tests consisted of the measurement of grip strength, pinch strength,
      Semmes-Weinstein monofilament sensory responses, vibrometer responses, neurometer
      measurement, and the presence or absence of Tinel's or Phalen's signs. These
      measures were considered collectively to estimate the overall levels of
      impairment of each individual. Overall findings show that 55 percent of workers
      examined had impairment scores of 2 or more and 75 percent had scores of 1 or
      more. Significant differences were found in impairment ratings between job types.
      Those jobs requiring the highest repetition with the least rest per cycle had the
      highest impairment ratings. Workers that rotated jobs had impairment scores
      significantly less (p less than 0.005) than the average of workers performing
      single-task jobs. We conclude that cumulative trauma disorders are more prevalent
      than originally believed and that the disorder is best examined from an overall
      functional impairment perspective.

PMID- 1409998
TI  - Neonatal Volkmann's ischemic contracture of the forearm: a report of five cases.
AB  - We report five cases of children born with forearm wounds associated with motor
      and sensory losses to the hand and forearm. Their evolution toward muscle
      retraction is very similar to the classic description of Volkmann's ischemic
      contracture. These cases should not be confused with upper extremity gangrene of
      the newborn or aplasia cutis congenita. Two cases of neonatal Volkmann's ischemia
      have already been reported in the literature and identified as such. Another very
      similar case has been reported as upper extremity gangrene of the newborn, and
      three more cases of a forearm wound with neuromuscular involvement have been
      reported as aplasia cutis congenita. We believe that neonatal Volkmann's ischemic
      contracture of the forearm should be recognized as a separate entity. Its early
      diagnosis may improve treatment, especially for children with recent injury, in
      whom intracompartmental pressures may still be elevated. Early hand therapy and
      splinting are mandatory to minimize late sequelae.

PMID- 1409999
TI  - The role of local fasciocutaneous flaps in total burn wound management.
AB  - The majority of acute burn wounds or delayed reconstructions are best managed
      simply with a skin graft. However, if vascularized tissue is mandatory, the local
      fasciocutaneous flap may have an important role in providing a single-stage
      technique for obtaining tissue nearly identical in color, texture, and
      consistency to that of the defect being restored. This review of 182 consecutive
      burn patients needing surgery found that they underwent 233 separate episodes for
      skin grafting. Appropriately, only a fraction of this number required some form
      of vascularized flap, with 14 patients having 21 local fasciocutaneous flaps. Six
      were elevated in previously skin-grafted regions, which is an advantage peculiar
      to this flap type. Three flaps (14 percent) suffered major complications
      requiring a second surgical intervention. Only six of all flaps were used for
      acute burn wounds, but two of the three complications accrued in this subset,
      with one directly attributable to wound infection. Since most flaps were required
      for either coverage or release of contractures about joints, it has been
      recommended that the initial surgical approach for treatment of the acute wound
      in these regions be altered to preserve the fascial plexus whenever possible to
      permit the use of this simple and expedient alternative if it is needed later.

PMID- 1410000
TI  - Long-term histopathologic evaluation of human expanded skin.
AB  - Forty-two patients operated on by skin expansion have been contacted after a mean
      time of 25 months from the last surgery. Two biopsies have been taken from the
      expanded area of each patient. In 12 patients it has been possible to obtain a
      similar sampling from the opposite, nonexpanded area of the body. The samples
      underwent optic microscopy and cell kinetic and DNA content investigations. The
      epidermal structure of the followed-up skin, compared with the skin of the
      opposite side of the body, looks normal. The mitotic activity of the epidermal
      cells has returned to the values of preexpanded skin. The dermis shows a low
      degree of elastosis and zonal fragmentation of elastic fibers. The hypodermis,
      where the expander capsule was removed during the last surgery, does not show an
      accentuated fibrosis.

PMID- 1410001
TI  - The vasculature and clinical application of the posterior tibial perforator-based
      flap.
AB  - Use of the posterior tibial flap pedicled on the posterior tibial vessels has
      been described by several authors, but with it there is the major disadvantage of
      an unavoidable transection of the posterior tibial artery. To overcome this
      disadvantage, we anatomically studied the perforators from the posterior tibial
      artery and used posterior tibial perforator-based flaps clinically. Based on our
      anatomic study of 25 cadaveric legs, the cutaneous perforators were considered to
      be distributed from the distal to the proximal sides of the lower leg through the
      medial border of the tibia, and they were classified into three types:
      septocutaneous perforators mainly located in the distal third of the leg, muscle
      perforators located in the proximal half, and periosteal perforators in the
      proximal third of the leg. The average size and number of perforators was 0.8 mm
      and 3.1 in one leg, respectively. A considerable number were located at sites
      from 70 to 140 mm superior to the medial malleolus. Based on our clinical cases
      repaired with flaps, we consider this flap to be useful as a free flap for the
      repair of defects of the extremities and as an island flap for reconstruction of
      defects on the anteromedial aspect of the lower leg. The territory of the flap is
      relatively wide, being 19 x 13 cm. The long saphenous vein can be used safely as
      the venous drainage system in the case of free-flap transfer.

PMID- 1410002
TI  - Initial platelet deposition at the human microvascular anastomosis: effect on
      downstream platelet deposition to intact and injured vessels.
AB  - Initial platelet deposition (PD) in and around the region of a small-vessel
      anastomosis may set the stage for thrombosis and tissue loss. To study this
      problem, a human vessel model (human placental artery, HPA) has been designed to
      mimic the vascular injuries attendant on clinical microsurgery. To perform these
      studies, dissected lengths of human placental artery were treated to provide the
      following four types of injury: group I: control, dissected but otherwise
      uninjured (N = 5); group II: distal portion of vessel endothelium removed (N =
      5); group III: central anastomosis, distal endothelium intact (N = 7); and group
      IV: central anastomosis, distal endothelium removed (N = 4). Vessels were
      perfused with 25 ml human whole blood for 17 +/- 5 s at an average shear rate of
      536 s-1. Vessels in groups I to IV were segmented at 2-cm intervals, and the
      number of 111In-labeled platelets was measured. Data from the following groups of
      exposure zones were pooled and analyzed: endothelium intact, endothelium absent,
      anastomosis present, postanastomosis with endothelium intact, and postanastomosis
      with endothelium absent. Significant numbers of platelets were found to attach to
      intact endothelium, indicating that ischemia and microsurgical handling may
      augment platelet deposition to otherwise uninjured vessels. A similar degree of
      platelet deposition was measured after exposure of the subendothelium and
      perfusion, indicating that superficial subendothelial exposure in the absence of
      an additional prothrombotic stimulus may lead to no greater platelet deposition
      than occurs on slightly injured endothelium alone. Platelet deposition at
      anastomoses was strikingly elevated, although the anastomosis had no additive
      effect on platelet deposition to downstream endothelium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1410003
TI  - Improving acute skin-flap survival through stress conditioning using heat shock
      and recovery.
AB  - We present our initial experience with a new method of increasing the survival of
      acute skin flaps through stress conditioning using heat shock and recovery. The
      heat-shock response is a basic form of stress response that exists on the
      cellular level. When cultured cells or whole organisms are exposed to
      supraphysiologic levels of heat, they respond by synthesizing a number of highly
      conserved proteins known as heat-shock proteins. These proteins have been shown
      to offer the cell or organism a survival advantage over nonstressed controls. The
      study demonstrates a significant survival advantage in acute dorsal skin flaps of
      Sprague-Dawley rats (p = 0.001). Study animals (n = 10) were subjected to a
      heating blanket set at 45 degrees C for 30 minutes and were allowed 6 hours'
      recovery before developing the flaps. Heat-shock protein was demonstrated in
      immunohistochemically stained sections of skin from the study animals but not in
      control animal skin (n = 14). We postulate that through stress conditioning a
      latent mechanism present within all cells was activated, thereby allowing the
      cells of our experimental flaps to better survive the stress of the acute flap
      model.

PMID- 1410005
TI  - Informed consent for all: the True Deal.

PMID- 1410004
TI  - Rx--CME: reduction medically necessary?

PMID- 1410006
TI  - Postburn breast reconstruction: tissue expansion prior to contracture release.
AB  - Tissue expansion of the scarred chest following burns results in a poor breast
      mound shape with little projection or inframammary fold, since the expander, like
      normal developing breast tissue, is kept flat by the scarred skin envelope. We
      present a case that demonstrates that adequate projection of the breast and
      formation of an inframammary fold can be achieved by expansion if extensive
      release and skin grafting of contractures over the breast mound are performed
      after expansion. Maintained expansion will act as a stent reducing secondary
      contracture of the grafted-areas.

PMID- 1410007
TI  - Successful bone grafting of fracture nonunion at the forearm radial flap donor
      site.
AB  - A case of donor-site fracture following a radial forearm flap was treated
      conservatively with plaster but failed to unite. Successful union was achieved
      with bone grafting, external fixation, and electrical stimulation. It is
      suggested that in similar cases of delayed union, or where a large amount of bone
      has been resected from the radius and there is a significant risk of fracture or
      where fracture has occurred intraoperatively, the possibility of primary bone
      grafting should be considered.

PMID- 1410008
TI  - Reconstruction of a complex defect of the hand with two distinct segments of the
      scapula and a scapular fascial flap transferred as a single transplant.
AB  - To repair multiple defects of the metacarpal bones in combination with skin
      defects, a combined scapular free flap on a single vascular pedicle--the
      subscapular artery and the accompanying veins--can be used successfully. This
      flap includes two distinct bone segments of the lateral border of the scapula and
      a scapular fascial flap. Because of its long and mobile vascular pedicle, such a
      transplant can be used for one-stage reconstruction of the first and other
      metacarpal bones of the long fingers of the hand. The scapular fascial flap
      included in the transplant provides good functional and aesthetic results in
      combined injury of the skin of the hand.

PMID- 1410009
TI  - Clinical application of peripheral nerve transplantation.
AB  - Surgical reconstruction of extensive peripheral nerve injuries frequently
      exhausts the patient's own source of expendable autogenous nerve grafts. Nerve
      allografts would offer a limitless supply of graft material. A 23-cm, 10-cable
      sciatic nerve allograft was performed in an 8-year-old boy in September of 1988.
      The patient was managed with Cyclosporin A for 2 years. Forty-four months after
      the transplant surgery and 19 months after the cessation of Cyclosporin A
      therapy, the patient has evidence of nerve regeneration across the allograft with
      recovery of functional sensibility in his foot. In the selected patient with an
      otherwise irreparable nerve injury, consideration can be given to the use of a
      nerve allograft.

PMID- 1410010
TI  - A method with three triangular flaps as a secondary operative procedure after
      reconstruction of the lower lip by Estlander's method.
AB  - We have devised a new method for secondary commissuroplasty after reconstruction
      of the lower lip using Estlander's method with both aesthetically and
      functionally satisfactory results. This method consists of forming two
      equilaterally triangular mucosal flaps on the vermilion and a small triangular
      skin flap in the new position of the commissure and transposing these three flaps
      to reconstruct the commissure. In the present paper, we reported the procedure
      and the results. This method produces extremely good results, obtaining favorable
      commissure form and reconstruction of the mucosa of both upper and lower lips
      without leaving an unnatural-looking color change in the mucosa or a step
      deformity in the vermilion. It can be expected that our method will improve the
      results of Estlander's operations after tumor resection in the lower lip.

PMID- 1410011
TI  - A new operation for velopharyngeal insufficiency: the palatoglossus myomucosal
      pharyngoplasty.
AB  - Myomucosal flaps employing the palatoglossi were used to correct
      posttonsillectomy velopharyngeal insufficiency because the palatopharyngeus were
      resected with the posterior tonsillar pillar. This new sphincter pharyngoplasty
      may have a role as a secondary option for treatment of velopharyngeal
      insufficiency. It should be remembered that this operation has only been
      performed in a single patient without cleft palate, and, therefore, its
      application in the cleft population and its potential complication rate are
      unknown.

PMID- 1410012
TI  - Microsurgical forearm "cricket bat-transformer" phalloplasty.
AB  - Presently, the donor flap of choice for microsurgical phallic reconstruction is
      the radial forearm flap. The success of several different design modifications
      confirms the reliability of the radial and ulnar forearm flaps. Farrow et al.
      described their experience with the "cricket bat" concept in 1980. To the
      previous "cricket bat" design, we now wish to add modifications. These
      modifications utilize longitudinal and transverse rotations of the linear forearm
      tissues to create a phallus--much like the transformation of a toy robot into a
      truck. Deepithelialized flaps and a full-thickness skin graft coronoplasty
      complete glans reconstruction. The "cricket bat-transformer" flap appears to
      produce the most predictable results in subtotal phallic reconstructions and
      phallic constructions in the pediatric and transgender patient groups.

PMID- 1410013
TI  - Impact of the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
AB  - The "impact" of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery was evaluated by bibliometric
      analysis. This technique considers the average frequency with which journal
      authors refer to articles published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. The
      impact of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery was compared with that of journals
      most commonly referred to within Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery as well as
      with that of journals read most commonly by Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
      subscribers, such as the Annals of Plastic Surgery and the Journal of Hand
      Surgery (both American and British editions). The impact factor for Plastic and
      Reconstructive Surgery was at least twice as great as for any other journal
      related to this surgical subspecialty. With regard to other surgical
      subspecialties, while the impact factor for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
      was less than that of the Journal of Neurosurgery, Journal of Urology, and
      Journal of Ophthalmology, it was greater than those for orthopedics,
      otolaryngology, hand surgery, and dermatologic surgery.

PMID- 1410015
TI  - The future of facial augmentation.

PMID- 1410014
TI  - Auscultation--a dying art in plastic surgery.

PMID- 1410016
TI  - Proper CPT coding.

PMID- 1410017
TI  - Saline breast implant sloshing and bubble hydrostatics.

PMID- 1410018
TI  - Reconstruction of the upper eyelid with a subcutaneous pedicle flap.

PMID- 1410019
TI  - Galileo's revenge.

PMID- 1410020
TI  - Silicone gel implant failure.

PMID- 1410021
TI  - California ear plugs for rhytidectomy surgery.

PMID- 1410022
TI  - Silicone implants.

PMID- 1410023
TI  - Capsulectomy--medically or legally indicated?

PMID- 1410024
TI  - Caution advised regarding transconjunctival lower lid blepharoplasty.

PMID- 1410025
TI  - Endoscopic creation and repair of fetal cleft lip.
AB  - In utero repair of several life-threatening malformations in the human fetus is
      now a clinical reality, yet fetal surgery still poses significant risks to both
      the mother and the unborn child. Preterm labor is a major problem and is directly
      related to the large hysterotomy required for fetal exposure. Endoscopic surgical
      manipulation of the fetus, through small uterine "ports," solves this problem and
      may eventually permit fetal intervention for non-life-threatening malformations.
      In this pilot study we demonstrated the feasibility of performing endoscopic
      surgery on the fetus in situ. A lip incision was created and repaired using
      endoscopic microsurgical techniques in midgestation fetal lambs. This represents
      the first application of this technique for in utero fetal intervention.

PMID- 1410027
TI  - Free forearm flap for closure of difficult oronasal fistulas in cleft palate
      patients.
AB  - There were four patients with palatal clefts who had been operated on many times
      previously but who still had large oronasal defects due to wound disruption.
      Moreover, there was considerable scar in the residual palatal tissue, which was
      contracted in the anteroposterior dimension. These patients were treated with a
      radial forearm flap transfer. The technical aspects of this reconstruction are
      emphasized, especially methods to enhance primary healing and to facilitate in
      setting the flap. Three of the patients were successfully reconstructed with one
      operation. The fourth had a small area of dehiscence anteriorly that was later
      closed with advancement of the flap tissue. There were no other complications.
      With the replacement of healthy tissue, the palate could be pushed further back
      to achieve better repair of the muscle. This would contribute to better speech
      function. In every patient, nasal regurgitation was eliminated, and speech
      quality improved significantly. The radial forearm flap is ideal for intraoral
      use, providing thin, hairless skin with a long, large-caliber vascular pedicle.
      It can reconstruct defects in one stage with well-vascularized tissue and minimal
      dissection of the palate. In a select group of cleft palate patients, this free
      tissue transfer should be considered to achieve closure of large oronasal
      fistulas in patients with dense scar.

PMID- 1410026
TI  - A model for fetal cleft lip repair in lambs.
AB  - Fetal wounds heal without inflammation and scar formation. This phenomenon may,
      in the future, be applicable to human cleft lip and palate repair. However,
      extensive experimental work must first be done to document the benefits of in
      utero repair. We developed a large animal model for creation and repair of a
      complete cleft lip and alveolus using fetal lambs. The cleft lip and alveolus
      deformity was created in eight 75-day-gestation fetuses (term = 145 days) and
      either repaired in three layers or left unrepaired. There were four sham-operated
      fetuses, and all animals were alive at harvest. Repaired, unrepaired, and control
      fetuses were harvested at 7, 14, 21, and 70 days following surgery. The
      unrepaired fetuses demonstrated a complete cleft lip and alveolus with an
      oronasal fistula. The maxilla was asymmetrical, with the greater segment deviated
      toward the cleft and with decreased anterior maxillary width. In contrast,
      repaired cleft lip and alveolus animals showed no scar, normal thickness of the
      lip, and a symmetrical maxilla. Histologic analysis of the repaired wounds showed
      evidence of tissue regeneration without scar formation. The results of this
      preliminary study indicate that the fetal lamb cleft lip and alveolus model is
      technically feasible with an excellent survival rate. Healing occurs without scar
      formation. In the repaired animals, the maxilla was symmetrical. This model will
      be used to document facial growth following in utero repair of a cleft lip and
      alveolus.

PMID- 1410028
TI  - The radial forearm flap: a biomechanical study of donor-site morbidity utilizing
      sheep tibia.
AB  - The use of vascularized bone grafts to reconstruct extremity and mandibular
      defects is now commonplace in reconstructive surgery. Fibula, scapula, iliac
      crest, rib, and metatarsal as well as the radial forearm osseocutaneous flaps
      have all been utilized for this purpose. Troublesome spiral fractures of the
      distal radius are the most common fractures associated with the use of the distal
      radius as a vascularized bone-graft donor site. This study was proposed to
      investigate the effect of donor-site bone loss on the strength of the radius
      under torsional (rotational) loading. Previous clinical series and experimental
      studies have not examined this aspect of distal radius loading after harvesting
      the bone graft. Fifty pairs of sheep tibiae were utilized in the experiment. Five
      pairs were used in a pilot study and 45 pairs were used in the main experiment.
      Five pairs of human radii were used for the control in the pilot study. The pilot
      study attempted to make a comparison between the human radius and the sheep tibia
      for experimental purposes. For the biomechanical study of donor-site defects,
      four study groups were examined with random assignment and matched pairs. The
      control group (group 1) had no alteration to the bone. Each test condition
      included five matched pairs of sheep tibiae. Experiment 1 compared the difference
      in the depth of the osteotomy defect. In doing this, one-third of the total
      length of the bone was removed in each of the following specimens to include (1a)
      30 percent of the cross-sectional area of the total bone, (1b) 37 percent of the
      cross-sectional area of the total bone, and (1c) 50 percent of the cross
      sectional area of the total bone. In experiment 2, the osteotomy shape was
      varied. Instead of the ends of the cuts being squared, the ends were beveled or
      rounded. Experiment 3 compared different lengths of bone removed in the osteotomy
      defect and included the following: In experiment 3a the diameter of the sheep
      tibia was measured at the incisura fibularis. This dimension was one diameter of
      bone, and a one-diameter length of bone was removed. In experiment 3b, a two
      diameter length of bone was removed. In experiment 3c, a three-diameter length of
      bone was removed. In experiment 3d, a four-diameter length of bone was
      removed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1410029
TI  - Long-term results following velopharyngoplasty with a cranially based pharyngeal
      flap.
AB  - Between 1980 and 1989, 82 velopharyngoplasties have been carried out in the
      Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Medical University of
      Hannover. Speech results of 51 of these patients, including 39 patients with
      cleft lip and palate, could be followed up in the context of a clinical follow-up
      examination. Besides evaluation of speech results by two senior speech
      pathologists and two untrained listeners, a frequency analysis of the speech
      results with a sonograph was obtained. Nasal air loss was documented with a
      fogged-mirror test and computer aerometry. Whereas in 37 of 51 patients a normal
      or almost normal colloquial speech could be demonstrated, 30 of 39 patients with
      cleft lip and palate showed a normal or almost normal realization of the test
      sentences. Thirty of the 37 patients (81.08 percent) with normal or almost normal
      colloquial speech showed extensive mobility of the lateral pharyngeal wall.
      Symmetry of the velopharyngeal flaps seemed to have no influence on the speech
      result. With a fogged-mirror test, an average reduction of mirror fogging from
      2.0 rings preoperatively to 0.9 rings postoperatively could be shown. In 31
      patients, there was no longer any air loss postoperatively. Besides one rupture
      of a flap, two flaps had to be diminished in their lateral dimensions because of
      excessive size. We regard the cranially pedicled pharyngeal flap as an important
      operative procedure for improving speech results, especially in cleft lip and
      palate patients.

PMID- 1410030
TI  - An analysis of Le Fort I maxillary advancement in cleft lip and palate patients.
AB  - We present a series of 24 consecutive cleft lip and palate patients aged 16 to 46
      years (mean age 27 years) who underwent Le Fort I maxillary advancement by the
      senior author over the past 8 years. Two groups, one of 12 patients with wire
      fixation and one of 12 patients with miniplate fixation, were evaluated. Each
      group had 10 unilateral and 2 bilateral clefts. All patients were grafted with
      autogenous bone (8 cranial, 14 iliac, and 2 mandibular). Horizontal advancement
      was 3 mm to 2 cm (with a mean of 7.8 mm). Vertical movement ranged from a
      shortening of 5 mm to a lengthening of 1.3 cm (mean 2.3 mm of lengthening). The
      amount and timing of relapse were compared in both the horizontal and vertical
      dimensions. The plated group was more stable in both the horizontal and vertical
      dimensions (p < 0.05). No significant skeletal relapses occurred after the first
      year. Statistically significant dental relapse occurred only in the wired group.
      Three patients developed transverse collapse of the small maxillary cleft
      segment, and four developed incisor angulation to compensate for maxillary
      skeletal relapse. The presence of a pharyngeal flap at the time of advancement
      appeared to increase relapse in both horizontal and vertical dimensions (p <
      0.03), but there were too few patients (7 of 24) with pharyngeal flaps to prove
      this conclusively. We also concluded that pterygomandibular grafting is not
      necessary to achieve excellent results using miniplate fixation; autogenous
      grafting of the anterior maxillary osteotomy alone provides the necessary
      stability.

PMID- 1410031
TI  - The osteocutaneous free fibula flap: is the skin paddle reliable?
AB  - This clinical and anatomic study was undertaken to see if the skin paddle of the
      osteocutaneous fibula flap could be made more reliable. Eighty cadaver limbs were
      dissected to evaluate the type, number, and location of the cutaneous perforators
      supplying the lateral leg. Three types of perforators were identified:
      septocutaneous, musculocutaneous, and a type we termed septomuscular, which does
      not actually run within the muscle substance but is adherent to the muscle.
      Although not a true musculocutaneous perforator, it should be treated as such
      clinically. Musculocutaneous perforators were found to be more numerous and more
      proximal than the septocutaneous perforators. Eighteen clinical cases demonstrate
      a 33 percent skin paddle survival when dissected as a septocutaneous flap and a
      93 percent skin paddle survival when dissected as a septomusculocutaneous flap.
      In using the osteocutaneous fibula flap, it is recommended that a cuff of soleus
      and flexor hallucis longus be incorporated into the flap to help ensure flap
      viability.

PMID- 1410032
TI  - Skin expansion in head and neck reconstructive surgery.
AB  - We used a tissue-expansion technique to achieve soft-tissue reconstruction in
      congenital and acquired defects of head and neck. One hundred and fifty-five head
      and neck reconstructions have been performed, with a 6 percent rate of major
      complications. We present our planning and surgical approach for single areas.
      From a technical point of view, the only major difference from the rest of
      literature is the approach to the problem of periprosthetic capsule. In fact, we
      believe that complete removal of the capsule, which can be achieved without
      vascular risk thanks to a special technique, is necessary to obtain the best
      results.

PMID- 1410033
TI  - Continuous versus intraoperative expansion in the pig model.
AB  - Continuous tissue expansion utilizing a continuous infusion device that maintains
      a constant expander pressure was previously demonstrated to be feasible and
      successful in obtaining rapid tissue expansion in a canine model. Intraoperative
      tissue expansion has been described and has gained some clinical acceptance as a
      method to gain rapid expansion. We compared the efficacy of continuous tissue
      expansion versus intraoperative tissue expansion in a piglet model. After
      completing a pilot study, continuous tissue expansion was performed in six pigs
      (14.5 to 20 kg) on one flank over a 3-day period utilizing an improved prototype
      device; at the termination of continuous tissue expansion, intraoperative tissue
      expansion was performed on the opposite flank. There were no complications or
      continuous tissue expansion device malfunctions. Intraoperative tissue expansion
      gave a true gain in area of 7.4 percent, while continuous tissue expansion
      produced a 22 percent gain (p < 0.02). When the effects of both recruitment and
      expansion were added, continuous tissue expansion gave a dividend of 286 percent
      versus 192 percent for intraoperative tissue expansion (p < 0.01).
      Biomechanically, intraoperative tissue expansion skin showed few differences from
      unexpanded skin, while continuous tissue expansion skin showed a significant
      increase in stress relaxation (47.78 versus 38.74) and decrease in breaking
      strength. Histologic analysis revealed some epidermal hyperplasia and
      inflammation surrounding the continuous tissue expansion expander and some
      vascular congestion over the intraoperative tissue expansion expander. We
      conclude that continuous tissue expansion is superior to intraoperative tissue
      expansion and that the prototype device may be useful clinically.

PMID- 1410034
TI  - Transcoronal blepharoplasty.
AB  - Some of the patients requesting blepharoplasty have a combination of excessive
      eyelid fat and brow ptosis but little or no dermatochalasis. Coronal brow lift,
      combined with transcoronal fat removal, serves these patients well. The
      prelevator fat pocket is easily entered from above by incising the periosteum of
      the anterior orbital roof just inside the orbital rim. Since the orbital septum
      and anterior lamella of the eyelid rim remain undisturbed, the result appears
      natural. Contraindications to the procedure include significant medical pocket
      fat and hair patterns that would exclude a coronal or hairline incision. Two
      complications, unilateral ptosis and unilateral chemosis, were temporary and
      totally reversible. Minor changes in the procedure have prevented the recurrence
      of these problems.

PMID- 1410035
TI  - Correction of the pinched nasal tip with alar spreader grafts.
AB  - A pinched nasal tip is caused by collapsed alar rims secondary to weak lateral
      crura. The resulting deformity can be corrected with alar spreader grafts-
      autogenous grafts of septal or auricular cartilage that are inserted between and
      deep to the remaining lateral crura to force them apart, propping up the caved-in
      segment. We describe the surgical technique, indications, and variations in
      design of alar spreader grafts and present representative results from our series
      of 38 patients.

PMID- 1410036
TI  - Problem neck, hyoid bone, and submental myotomy.
AB  - Despite significant attention to the cervical region over the last two decades,
      the hyoid bone has not received deserved recognition. In this report, the anatomy
      and role of the hyoid bone and suprahyoid muscles in cervicomental morphology are
      reviewed. From an analysis of cephaloxerograms on 54 patients, it was concluded
      that on a balanced neck, the most caudal border of the hyoid body is located at
      or above a line parallel to the Frankfort horizontal line passing through the
      most caudal border of the mandibular symphysis (menton). Of the muscles that
      control the position of the hyoid bone, the anterior belly of the diagastric,
      geniohyoid, and mylohyoid muscles pull the hyoid bone cephalad and anteriorly.
      The stylohyoid muscles, on the other hand, pull this bone cephalad and
      posteriorly, while the sternohyoid and omohyoid muscles pull it caudally.
      Transection of the first three muscles at their attachment to the posterior
      aspect of the mandible in patients with dysmorphic necks due to caudal and
      anterior hyoid position will allow posterior and cephalad relocation of this
      bone, which improves the neck contour. Sixteen patients, with an average follow
      up of 27 months, have undergone this procedure, with cervicomental contour
      improvement in all cases. The degree of improvement ranged from 1 to 5 (5 being
      excellent): One patient was ranked 1, two patients were ranked 2, two patients
      were ranked 3, and the rest were ranked 4 or 5. One patient had overcorrection as
      a result of an aggressive concomitant submental lipectomy. Another patient had
      central depression in the submental area. None of the patients had difficulties
      with mandibular movement or swallowing.

PMID- 1410037
TI  - Primary closure of human bite losses of the lip.
AB  - Human bite injuries of the lip have, because of the potentially contaminated
      nature of the wounds, been managed by delayed repair after an interval of about 3
      months or more when the infection was controlled and the wound healed. On the
      contrary, from 1985 to 1990, at a plastic surgery unit in Nigeria, a developing
      country, 37 patients with human bite losses of the lip were managed by an
      aggressive approach utilizing (1) a 5-day course of antibiotics locally known to
      be effective against bacterial flora and (2) immediate surgical operation
      employing the diamond wedge excision method under local anesthesia with direct
      wound closure. The results have been so favorable that this method of management
      of human bite injuries is considered a treatment advance.

PMID- 1410038
TI  - Correction of type II breast deformities following conservative cancer surgery.
AB  - Breast deformities following conservative cancer surgery are seen with increasing
      frequency and often represent difficult reconstructive problems. Type II
      deformities are characterized by localized tissue insufficiency, which can be due
      to skin insufficiency (type IIa), subcutaneous tissue insufficiency (type IIb),
      or both (type IIab). Correction of a locally damaged breast is a surgical
      challenge that can result in a fully restored breast if selection of the surgical
      procedure is properly carried out. A series of 37 patients who underwent
      correction of type II deformities from 1980 to 1989 was reviewed. Results
      obtained with different surgical procedures, including simple submuscular
      placement of traditional or expandable implants, breast reshaping, transposition
      of a latissimus dorsi muscle or musculocutaneous flap, TRAM flap, and reverse
      abdominoplasty, were evaluated. Aesthetic outcome was judged to be good or
      excellent in 78 percent of patients. Guidelines for selection of the most
      appropriate surgical procedure according to the defect's etiology, morphology,
      and location and to the breast's size and shape are presented.

PMID- 1410039
TI  - Reconstruction of the radiated partial mastectomy defect with autogenous tissues.
AB  - As conservative surgery and radiation therapy have become accepted treatments for
      early-stage breast cancer, increasing attention has focused on the cosmetic
      results of this technique. When partial mastectomy--a term which encompasses a
      diversity of excisional techniques--is followed by radiation therapy, breast
      defects characterized by parenchymal loss, nipple-areola complex distortion, and
      cutaneous abnormalities can occur. From 1981 to 1990, eight patients sought
      reconstructive correction of a radiated partial mastectomy deformity. Patients
      were from 42 to 70 years of age (mean 49 years). All had breast cancer, except
      for one patient with diffuse and chronic breast abscesses. Six patients were
      reconstructed with latissimus dorsi flaps and two with rectus flaps. No patient
      underwent reconstruction sooner than 1 year after completion of radiation
      therapy; for the entire group, a mean of 2.6 years elapsed from completion of
      radiation therapy to flap reconstruction of the breast. Mammograms were obtained
      on all the breast cancer patients before and after the myocutaneous flap
      procedure. Follow-up extended from 1 to 9 years after reconstruction (mean 3.6
      years) and included both physical examination and serial mammographic
      evaluations. Myocutaneous flap reconstruction with either latissimus or rectus
      flaps achieved an aesthetic improvement of the partial mastectomy deformity in
      all eight patients. Complications consisted only of seroma formation in two
      patients following latissimus flap reconstruction. Mammographic evaluation
      revealed fibrofatty degeneration of the soft tissues of both types of flaps, a
      change that occurs as early as 6 months after operation and appears as a
      radiolucent area. The feasibility of mammography as a screening adjunct for
      recurrent cancer in this group of patients is demonstrated. Advantages of this
      technique of autogenous tissue reconstruction are improvement of contour
      deformities associated with conservative surgery and radiation therapy,
      preservation of normal, sensate breast skin, enhancement of symmetry with the
      contralateral breast, and avoidance of a prosthesis.

PMID- 1410040
TI  - Unpredictable growth pattern of costochondral graft.
AB  - Costochondral grafts have gained increasing popularity in reconstruction of the
      temporomandibular joint and condyle in children. This is a report on the long
      term follow-up of eight adolescent patients who underwent reconstruction of the
      temporomandibular joint and ramus for correction of hemifacial microsomia or
      trauma-related temporomandibular joint ankylosis during varying periods of
      growth. Six patients had hemifacial microsomia, and two suffered from
      posttraumatic temporomandibular joint ankylosis. Average follow-up was 80.4
      months. Four patients had excessive growth of the graft, one patient had
      suboptimal growth, and three patients had no growth. In addition, one patient had
      undergone four procedures for significant graft overgrowth. Based on this study
      and review of the literature, we have concluded that the growth pattern of the
      costochondral graft is extremely unpredictable, ankylosis is a common problem
      following a temporomandibular joint reconstruction with costochondral graft, and
      mandibular overgrowth on the grafted site can actually be more troublesome than
      the lack of growth. Furthermore, maxillary growth is proportionately influenced
      by vertical mandibular growth of the graft, while the horizontal maxillary growth
      is not altered. Ankylosis is a result of ossification of the cartilaginous
      portion and the three-dimensional graft overgrowth, aggressively extending beyond
      the cartilage graft boundary. Based on this study, we recommend that this
      procedure be performed only on severe deficiencies. Adequate amounts of soft
      tissue should be retained between the skull base and the graft, and we further
      recommend harvesting the graft from the fourth or fifth rib, which may reduce the
      potential for overgrowth.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1410041
TI  - Protective effects of coenzyme Q10 on ischemia-induced reperfusion injury in
      ischemic limb models.
AB  - We examined simple cold preservation of rat limbs in Euro-Collins' solution to
      elucidate the protective effect of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on the ischemia-induced
      reperfusion injury in an ischemic extremity replant model. A total of 126 Lewis
      rat limb replants were performed. Limbs were amputated from donor rats and
      preserved at 4 degrees C in Euro-Collins' solution and were orthotopically
      grafted to isogeneic rats by microsurgical technique. In the experimental groups
      (n = 42), coenzyme Q10 (10 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally into the
      recipients about 1 hour before reperfusion. In the control groups (n = 84), the
      same dose of solvent was given by the same route. We evaluated vascular patency
      of anastomoses by direct observation or microangiogram and performed histologic
      examinations 7 days after replantation. In the control groups, the ischemic limit
      was 96 hours. Ischemic limbs treated with coenzyme Q10 showed a statistically
      significant (p < 0.05) improvement in vascular patency after 72 and 96 hours of
      ischemia. Histologically, bone viability with osteoblastic activity was
      maintained in coenzyme Q10-treated animals of the 72-hour ischemic group. We
      conclude that the protective effect of coenzyme Q10 on reperfusion injury is
      suggested in this replant model.

PMID- 1410042
TI  - Clinicopathologic studies on human epithelial autografts and allografts.
AB  - We compared the survival of cultured epithelial allografts and epithelial
      autografts applied to donor sites for split-thickness skin grafts. Before
      grafting, cultured epithelium was devoid of Langerhans cells (LCs) or lymphoid
      cells by immunohistochemical and electron microscopic examinations. The
      autografts attached to the wounds permanently, without any clinical evidence of
      rejection. In contrast, allografts, which were mismatched for MHC and blood-type
      antigens, appeared to adhere firmly only until day 7. By the second week, signs
      of graft rejection were apparent: The graft changed color, and the underlying
      dermis underwent "microerosion" and denudation. By the third week, the area
      formerly occupied by the allograft had the same coloration as ungrafted wounds
      and apparently had undergone reepithelialization by the host. Immunohistochemical
      and ultrastructural studies clearly demonstrated that host Langerhans-like cells
      (without Birbeck granules) appeared in both autografts and allografts. However,
      these cells were numerous and distributed widely throughout allografts, whereas
      they were scarce and confined to the basal layer of autografts. Typical
      Langerhans cells (containing Birbeck granules) were present in the prickle-cell
      layer of autografts by day 7. The present study strongly indicates that
      allografts of cultured epithelium are rejected. Furthermore, given the known
      ability of Langerhans-like cells to function as accessory cells in T-cell
      activation, our results point to a role for host Langerhans-like cells in
      immunologically mediated rejection of the epithelial allografts.

PMID- 1410043
TI  - As it was.

PMID- 1410044
TI  - Controlling intraoperative and postoperative nasal bleeding.
AB  - An indwelling nasal suction tampon is described that effectively controls both
      intraoperative and postoperative nasal hemorrhage. The significant benefits of
      this device are better intraoperative control for the surgeon and less
      complicated postoperative recovery. I do not have any financial involvement in
      this device, but I would like other nasal surgeons to benefit from its particular
      advantages. The device is available under the trade name Instant and may be
      obtained from Innovations by Westmed, 3351 E. Hemisphere Loop, Tucson, Ariz.
      85706; (602) 294-7987.

PMID- 1410045
TI  - Preserving academic excellence at the medical centers.

PMID- 1410046
TI  - Caveats concerning tarsorrhaphies.

PMID- 1410047
TI  - Psychological factors in recurrent pressure sores.

PMID- 1410049
TI  - Correcting or overcorrecting nasolabial folds.

PMID- 1410048
TI  - Removal of stacked polyurethane-covered mammary implants.

PMID- 1410050
TI  - Exploiting explanting.

PMID- 1410052
TI  - Sidney Wolfe, David Kessler, and the FDA: medical clearinghouse.

PMID- 1410051
TI  - Osteogenic layer.

PMID- 1410053
TI  - A new method of deepithelialization in reduction mammaplasty.

PMID- 1410054
TI  - Adaptive hypertrophy of the digit after transposition.

PMID- 1410055
TI  - Skin graft as an alternative to Marlex mesh in conjunction with tissue expansion.

PMID- 1410056
TI  - Epidemiology of cancer in the United States.
AB  - Malignant neoplasms are responsible for more than half a million deaths annually
      and 22.5% of all deaths in the United States. Cancer is the second leading cause
      of death overall and the leading cause of death among Americans aged 35-64.
      Within the next decade it may become the leading cause of death. Cancers of
      digestive and respiratory organs are responsible for 53% of all cancer deaths.
      Certain subgroups are at elevated risk for various cancers. For example, sun
      sensitive or excessively sun-exposed young white adults, young black women, and
      elderly patients are at increased risk for cutaneous melanoma, breast cancer, and
      colon cancer, respectively. Black men have the greatest risk for both lung cancer
      and cancer of the prostate. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia and solid tumors of the
      brain and nervous system are the most frequent forms of malignancy occurring
      among children less than or equal to 14 years. Office screening is the
      traditional method for identifying cancer victims as early as possible. A
      suitable screening test should be rapid, simple, inexpensive, and impose minimal
      discomfort. There must be a window of opportunity available to identify the
      cancer during a detectable preclinical phase, and therapeutic modalities must be
      available to alter progression. An office screening test for cancer may have any
      one of four outcomes, and three of them are bad. False negatives are the worst
      adverse outcome because cancer remains undetected despite screening. An epidemic
      of lung cancer, caused by cigarette smoking, is occurring in all race and sex
      groups. If Americans stopped smoking, 87% of lung cancer deaths could be
      prevented. Tobacco abuse also is a major risk factor for cancer of the esophagus,
      larynx, and oral cavity. Cigarette smoking is a contributing factor for cancer of
      the bladder, kidney, and pancreas, and it has been associated with both cervical
      cancer and cancer of the stomach. Smoking and smokeless tobacco cessation
      endorsements, messages, and programs must be part of routine disease prevention
      and health promotion activities in every primary care practice. More than 1
      million Americans became new cancer victims last year, and more than 1 million
      additional cases will be detected this year. Because of the striking variability
      in state and regional patterns of various forms of cancer, geographic location of
      a practice may influence the frequency of cancers seen. Four sites (breast,
      prostate, lung, colon, and rectum) were responsible for 55% of cancer mortality
      and 56% of all new cases of cancer detected during 1991.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      400 WORDS)

PMID- 1410057
TI  - Cancer in socioeconomically disadvantaged populations.
AB  - This article presents a summary of the health status of the disadvantaged
      populations in the United States, with specific regard to the incidence,
      treatment, and mortality of cancer. It begins with an historical overview of
      health care for the poor in this country, and continues with an explanation of
      the risk factors prevalent, if not inherent, in the life-style associated with
      low socioeconomic status, such as poor diet, cigarette smoking, and ignorance of
      preventive health measures and screening techniques. It includes a discussion of
      the different types that are overrepresented in this population and of the
      barriers to preventive care and treatment that still exist. The most important of
      these is decreased access to continuous medical care because of a lack of health
      insurance and an overdependence on emergency room treatment for all health care.
      The final section reviews solutions that have been preferred by physicians,
      nurses, lawmakers, public health workers, and community advocates for the poor.
      The most important parts of the solution are patient education for preventive
      health care, disease warning signs, and screening techniques and an overhaul of
      the present system of providing health care to ensure equal access and treatment
      for all members of the society.

PMID- 1410058
TI  - Geriatric oncology.
AB  - The incidence and prevalence of cancer will continue to rise in the elderly.
      Malignancies can present differently and have altered courses in the elderly.
      Heterogeneity exists within the geriatric population, and chronologic age alone
      should not be used to exclude older cancer patients from consideration for
      standard diagnostic therapeutic approaches. Early detection of malignancies in
      the aged remains a problem, and geriatric screening issues are discussed.

PMID- 1410059
TI  - Risk factors for cancer.
AB  - It is no longer reasonable to divide cancers into those that are genetic in
      origin and those that are environmental in origin. With rare exception,
      carcinogenesis involves environmental factors that directly or indirectly exert a
      change in the cell's genome. Virtually all causes of cancer are multifactorial,
      sometimes involving an inherited predisposition to the carcinogenic effects of
      environmental factors, which include chemicals, ionizing radiation, and oncogenic
      virus. Carcinogenesis is a multistep process including induction, promotion, and
      progression. Initiation requires an irreversible change in the cellular genome,
      whereas promotion is commonly associated with prolonged and reversible exposure.
      Tumor progression results in genotypic and phenotypic changes associated with
      tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. Most information on human cancer risk is
      based on epidemiologic studies involving both exposed and unexposed individuals.
      The quality of such studies depends on their ability to assess the strength of
      any association of exposure and disease and careful attention to any potential
      bias. Few cancers are inherited in a Mendelian fashion. Several preneoplastic
      conditions, however, are clearly inherited and several malignancies demonstrate
      weak familial patterns. Environmental factors may exert their effect on DNA in a
      random fashion, but certain consistent changes, including specific translocations
      of genetic information, are often found. Currently, there is great interest in
      the close proximity of certain oncogenes governing growth control to the
      consistent chromosomal changes observed. Such changes may represent a final
      common pathway of action for environmental carcinogens. Sufficient laboratory and
      epidemiologic evidence exists to establish a causal association of several
      chemical agents with cancer. The most important carcinogenic chemicals are
      associated with life-style factors, whereas agents related to other
      environmental, occupational, or medical exposure are numerically less important.
      Most chemical agents exert their carcinogenic effects as electrophilic reactants
      covalently binding to DNA. Certain agents such as asbestos are carcinogenic by
      virtue of their physical properties. Several short-term tests have been used to
      screen for chemical carcinogens. Whole-animal studies remain the standard for
      predicting carcinogen risk in humans, although major limitations in such studies
      exist. Ionizing radiation also exerts its carcinogenic effect through damage to
      cellular macromolecules including DNA. Excess cancer risk appears after a latent
      period of several years following exposure. Risk increases in approximately a
      linear fashion in proportion to the radiation energy, cumulative dose, and a
      variety of host biologic factors. The greatest source of average radiation
      exposure to the US population is from the uranium decay product radon.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1410060
TI  - Smoking cessation in office practice.
AB  - There can be no question that smoking is a modern version of plague; that, as
      Camus points out, the public does not comprehend its true nature. As in the
      metaphorical community in Camus' narrative, the struggle of individuals against
      the pestilence (including official obstruction) is imperative. Physicians have
      multiple opportunities to join the war against tobacco. This article has shown
      how one may help individual patients in smoking cessation or interruption of its
      initiation and has suggested other activities by which physicians can become
      health promotion specialists. By assisting in the process by which smoking loses
      its appeal, educating community leaders and medical organizations, and becoming
      exemplars of prohealth activity, we can make a difference in the health of our
      communities and our patients.

PMID- 1410061
TI  - Principles of cancer screening for clinicians.
AB  - This chapter has outlined some principles of tumor growth, test characteristics,
      and the evaluation of screening technologies. We have emphasized that test
      specificity is the critical parameter in the evaluation of technologies because
      it is the healthy people who will suffer the most from the adverse effects of
      screening. We have also emphasized that the efficacy of a test is best evaluated
      by examining mortality reductions in comparable populations. The purpose has been
      to assist clinicians with their interpretation of the literature. Busy clinicians
      may not always have the time or inclination to do this themselves. In those cases
      they need to examine how organizations who make recommendations are coming to
      their conclusions because it is physicians, not organizations that will do the
      screening. In particular, it is important to ask the following: (1) Were criteria
      followed to justify the recommendations being made? (2) If so, what were they,
      and can the organization demonstrate that they are being met? (3) What
      perspectives and biases do the organizations bring to the judgments they
      inevitably have to make? (4) Do you share those perspectives? and (5) When the
      recommendation is adopted, can you guarantee that it will "first do no harm."

PMID- 1410062
TI  - Barriers and incentives of physicians and patients to cancer screening.
AB  - It is imperative that the health care system provide mechanisms to improve cancer
      control. The most effective way of limiting cancer morbidity and mortality is by
      prevention (modification of behaviors that increase cancer risk), and by early
      diagnosis in the asymptomatic stage of the disease, which allows for curative
      therapies. This article has enumerated barriers that make preventive and early
      diagnostic maneuvers more difficult for both patients and physicians. Some of the
      barriers are common to both patients and physicians, such as discontinuity of
      care. The barriers were discussed from both perspectives. Suggestions were made
      for modification of these barriers, so that incentives might make provision of
      the preventive and early diagnosis more likely. The incentives are attainable;
      however, to make improvements on a large scale will require the efforts of the
      public, physicians, and the health care system. It will effect physicians from
      the beginning of their medical education and through their entire practice. A
      large amount of effort directed at a focused population by a small team of health
      care workers can make a large difference in preventive care. This was shown
      effectively by a general practitioner in England who undertook a 15-month
      "campaign" on a "deprived" community, and raised the level of preventive care to
      that of an "endowed" community. This type of effort by an individual is
      desirable, but much smaller individual efforts directed over an entire population
      can have a much greater ultimate effect. That is why the efforts must be directed
      toward the primary care physician. These physicians care for the majority of the
      population, so if each primary care doctor increased current efforts of
      prevention by just three patients per day, then over the entire population
      inestimable improvements on preventive care would result. There is some evidence
      that improvements in preventive care are occurring. As further research is
      directed at how best to provide preventive services in the physician's office,
      our skills and effectiveness will improve. Each physician should accept as his or
      her responsibility the ongoing preventive needs of the population he or she
      serves. The prevention and early diagnosis of cancer can be coordinated in the
      office with episodic care to minimize costs. The necessary knowledge and
      technology are available, application is the key. By applying these in a cost
      effective way, we can hopefully attain control of cancer in the next decade.

PMID- 1410063
TI  - Skin cancer prevention and screening.
AB  - Prevention and early detection of skin cancers are crucial to reducing morbidity
      and mortality. Armed with the above information and with some experience, the
      primary care physician can understand risk factors and recognize common benign
      and malignant skin tumors. This allows the primary care physician to play a key
      role in teaching patients about skin cancer prevention and in screening patients
      for skin cancers.

PMID- 1410064
TI  - Breast cancer screening.
AB  - Breast cancer, as the second leading form of cancer death among women, causes
      significant morbidity and mortality. The primary care physician can help raise
      the survival rate of women with breast cancer by providing important screening
      procedures that will lead to early diagnosis and treatment. Screening mammography
      and regular breast physical examinations are the current screening procedures of
      choice. Although there is still considerable debate over the age and interval at
      which women should undergo screening (see Table 1 for recommendations from
      various organizations), the primary care physician's recommendation is the single
      most important factor and will certainly lead to a higher screening rate for
      women in the greater at-risk age groups. Judicious use of these screening
      procedures should allow primary care physicians to catch more breast cancers at
      an early, curable stage.

PMID- 1410065
TI  - Cervical cancer screening. Past success and future challenge.
AB  - Population screening for cervical cancer resulted in significant reduction in the
      morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer. An increased understanding of the
      relationship of HPV infection with cervical cancer and the natural history of
      cervical cancer precursor lesions further solidifies and expands the biological
      basis for cervical cancer screening. Pap tests in asymptomatic women remain the
      cornerstone of cervical cancer screening. Clinicians should be cognizant of the
      significant false-negative rate of Pap smears. Meticulous attention to proper Pap
      smear technique is necessary to maximize the sensitivity of the test. Further
      research is needed to establish the role of cervicography and HPV DNA
      hybridization techniques in cervical cancer screening.

PMID- 1410066
TI  - Screening for gynecologic cancer. Vulvar, vaginal, endometrial, and ovarian
      neoplasms.
AB  - The success of the Pap smear in screening for cervical cancer illustrates many of
      the tenets of screening for disease. Unfortunately, no other gynecologic
      malignancy shares this success. Detection of most gynecologic malignancies occurs
      once they have become symptomatic and on clinical examination at the interval
      cancer-related checkup as recommended by the ACS. These examinations, done yearly
      in women older than 40 and every 3 years in younger women, can go a long way in
      the detection of genital tract disease. In detecting vulvar neoplasms, visual
      inspection of the entire perineum coupled with palpation to include Bartholin's
      glands and early biopsy of suspicious vulvar lesions promotes earlier diagnosis.
      Self-examination similar to breast self-examination and increased patient
      awareness are potential education goals for physicians as well as cancer and
      medical societies. Vaginal examination at the cancer checkup should continue. The
      finding that most vaginal cancers are picked up by abnormal cytology while they
      are still asymptomatic argues strongly for Pap testing after menopause. The
      knowledge that women who are status posthysterectomy for benign disease are not
      protected from developing vaginal cancers mandates continued Pap testing in this
      population as well. Because endometrial cancer is common, primary care physicians
      should maintain a high index of suspicion. Aspiration biopsy is a simple office
      based procedure with low risk and good yield, and any woman in the perimenopausal
      and postmenopausal period who presents with atypical bleeding patterns should be
      evaluated. Although not recommended as a general screening test, the ACS does
      advocate endometrial sampling in the high risk woman at the time of menopause.
      The greatest challenge to primary care physicians may be the early detection of
      ovarian cancer. No single test is available, nor is any advocated in screening
      for this lethal disease. Currently, only periodic physical examination is
      recommended at the cancer checkup interval. Ultrasound, both transabdominal and
      transvaginal, may help in detecting adnexal masses, but is not sensitive enough
      to differentiate benign from malignant lesions. In this setting, and in the
      patient with suspected ovarian cancer, CA 125 and AFP may be helpful in
      determining which patients require surgical exploration. Women with positive
      family histories for ovarian cancer require greater vigilance and close follow-up
      with serial ultrasound and CA 125 determinations. As the population ages, cancer,
      which is primarily a disease of age, will continue to increase in
      incidence.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1410067
TI  - Colorectal cancer screening.
AB  - Colorectal cancer is a common and devastating disease. Many authorities recommend
      screening asymptomatic person, although the benefit of such screening is without
      scientific validation. Each of the screening modalities available has been
      examined, and their merits and shortcomings have been discussed. Surveys have
      indicated that primary care physicians generally agree with screening
      asymptomatic patients, but only a minority actually comply with the
      recommendations. Patient acceptance also varies. Thus, while specialty boards and
      panels of experts attempt to arrive at policies for the general population,
      primary care physicians must interact with the individual patient. Until data
      from ongoing prospective screening studies are available and cost-benefit issues
      are resolved, screening for colorectal cancer will remain at the discretion of
      physicians and their patients. There is insufficient evidence to support either
      continuing or discontinuing the recommended examinations for asymptomatic
      patients. The screening examinations can be recommended on the basis of a
      theoretical benefit, however. They can be performed with a minimum of risk of
      injury or side effects. Certain patients can be identified as being at above
      average risk and deserving of more consideration. If aware of the benefits and
      limitations of colorectal cancer screening, primary care physicians can decide
      how to implement colorectal cancer screening in their clinical practice.

PMID- 1410068
TI  - Plasma beta-endorphin and natural killer cell activity in major depression: a
      preliminary study.
AB  - Low concentrations of beta-endorphin have been found to enhance human natural
      killer (NK) cell activity in vitro. Both beta-endorphin and NK activity are
      changed by clinical depression. To evaluate whether circulating concentrations of
      beta-endorphin have a role in the in vivo modulation of cellular immunity in
      humans, we measured plasma beta-endorphin and NK cell activity in 14 depressed
      patients and 14 age-matched control subjects. In the depressed patients, both
      plasma beta-endorphin and NK cell activity were reduced to 76% and 57%,
      respectively, of the mean levels in the control subjects. In addition, beta
      endorphin showed a significant positive correlation with lytic units of NK cell
      activity in the combined group of all subjects and in the patient group (p =
      0.04), but not in the control group. The study supports the hypothesis that
      circulating endorphin is correlated with NK cell activity in vivo. This
      correlation may be higher in the depressed patient group.

PMID- 1410069
TI  - Hormone responses to fenfluramine and placebo challenge in endogenous depression.
AB  - Plasma prolactin and cortisol levels after oral administration of d-l
      fenfluramine hydrochloride (60 mg) and placebo were examined in 24 endogenously
      depressed patients and 21 age- and sex-matched normal control subjects in a
      randomized, double-blind study. Prolactin levels were significantly increased by
      fenfluramine in both groups, but the response was significantly blunted in the
      depressed patients compared with the controls. This effect was partially
      dependent upon elevated baseline cortisol levels in the depressed group and was
      also influenced by a history of weight loss. Plasma cortisol levels were not
      increased by fenfluramine in either group. These findings confirm previous
      reports and suggest that patients with endogenous major depression are
      characterized by central serotonergic hyporesponsivity. The need to account for
      baseline effects on hormonal responses to putative serotonergic agents is
      supported by the findings; however, these effects appear to be less striking when
      endogenicity is a prominent clinical feature of the depressive syndrome. The
      apparently complex influence of weight loss on prolactin response to serotonergic
      challenge remains to be clarified as well as the role played by the
      bioavailability of the challenge drug and its metabolite.

PMID- 1410070
TI  - Behavioral engagement level, variability, and diurnal rhythm as a function of
      bright light in bipolar II seasonal affective disorder: an exploratory study.
AB  - Six patients with bipolar II seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and seven normal
      control subjects rated their moods in winter at six fixed times each week-day
      during 1 week of dim and 2 weeks of bright light. The scales rated represent the
      mood dimension specifically associated with depression, a dimension here called
      behavioral engagement (BE). Compared with controls, depressed SAD subjects (1)
      showed lower BE levels across all rating times of the day, (2) were more likely
      to show diurnal variation in BE, (3) displayed more between-day instability in BE
      diurnal rhythm, and (4) exhibited greater short-term lability (change within 3
      hours) in BE. Bright light reduced or eliminated all group differences in BE
      level and variability.

PMID- 1410071
TI  - Blood levels of melatonin, serotonin, cortisol, and prolactin in relation to the
      circadian rhythm of platelet serotonin uptake.
AB  - Blood levels of melatonin, serotonin, cortisol, prolactin, and serotonin uptake
      by platelets were measured at 08:00, 14:00, 20:00, 02:00, and 08:00 hours in 10
      healthy men who ranged in age from 27 to 35 years. The Km values of serotonin
      active transport by platelets were significantly correlated with melatonin blood
      levels. There were no other significant correlations. The secretion of steroid
      hormones and prolactin showed an increase at 02:00 hours; levels of prolactin
      decreased at 08:00 hours, but steroid levels continued to rise. This finding
      suggests either a direct effect of melatonin on serotonin active transport or the
      influence of the suprachiasmatic nucleus on serotonin uptake by platelets. It is
      also possible that there is a simultaneous decrease in serotonin uptake and
      decline from peak levels of melatonin due to the rise in steroid secretion.

PMID- 1410072
TI  - Phototherapy with broad spectrum white fluorescent light: a comparative study.
AB  - The principles of photobiology suggest that the antidepressant effect of
      phototherapy depends on the dose and spectrum of light. We investigated the
      effect of spectrum by comparing two broad spectrum fluorescent light sources with
      different spectral distributions. In a crossover design, 11 patients with
      seasonal affective disorder (SAD) were treated with broad spectrum fluorescent
      and cool white light for 7 days. Scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for
      Depression were reduced from 22.5 to 8.1 with broad spectrum fluorescent light
      and from 23.5 to 8.8 with cool white light. The results suggest that both light
      sources are effective treatments.

PMID- 1410073
TI  - Effect of chronic antidepressant treatment with adinazolam and desipramine on
      melatonin output.
AB  - Output of melatonin or its main metabolite, 6-sulphatoxy melatonin, provides an
      index of noradrenergic activity in the pineal gland, which is of interest in
      major depression and during its treatment with antidepressants. Fifteen female
      depressed outpatients did not differ in levels of 24-hour urinary 6-sulphatoxy
      melatonin compared with 13 female control subjects. However, a subgroup of the
      depressed patients (n = 9) who were treated with desipramine showed a significant
      elevation of 6-sulphatoxy melatonin levels after 1 week of treatment and a return
      to baseline levels after 6 weeks. There was also a significant negative
      correlation between 6-sulphatoxy melatonin levels and symptom severity as
      measured by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression after 3 weeks of treatment
      with desipramine. The other subgroup of depressed patients (n = 6) were treated
      with adinazolam, a benzodiazepine with antidepressant properties. Despite
      comparable antidepressant effects to those achieved with desipramine, adinazolam
      was not associated with any apparent change in 6-sulphatoxy melatonin output
      during 6 weeks of treatment. There was also no correlation between 6-sulphatoxy
      melatonin levels and symptom severity.

PMID- 1410074
TI  - Increased prevalence of the cavum septum pellucidum in magnetic resonance scans
      and post-mortem brains of schizophrenic patients.
AB  - A cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) has been regarded as an incidental finding of
      little clinical importance. However, an association between this developmental
      anomaly and a diagnosis of psychosis has previously been reported. We determined
      the prevalence of the CSP in parallel studies of brain scans obtained with
      magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and in the post-mortem brains of schizophrenic
      patients compared with normal controls. We found a significantly increased
      prevalence of the CSP in both the MR scans and post-mortem brains of
      schizophrenic patients compared with controls. In the MR study, 17 of 81 (21%)
      schizophrenic patients but only 1 of 46 (2%) control subjects had a CSP. In the
      post-mortem study, 17 of 28 (61%) schizophrenic patients and 12 of 39 (31%)
      normal controls had a CSP. The increased prevalence of a CSP in schizophrenic
      patients further indicates that anomalous development of the limbic system is an
      important aspect of this disorder.

PMID- 1410075
TI  - Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging in heroin- and cocaine-dependent men: a
      preliminary study.
AB  - Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain was performed in nine
      drug-dependent men with a primary diagnosis of opioid and/or cocaine dependence,
      and 10 age-matched, non-drug-dependent controls. Individuals were screened for
      the presence of gross cerebral abnormalities before T1 and T2 analyses. Regional
      T1 and T2 times were calculated on a single 5-mm thick axial slice positioned
      just below the caudal margin of the lateral ventricles, passing through the
      caudate and putamen. A voxel of interest (VOI) cursor was placed bilaterally
      within the putamen, caudate, frontal gray matter, frontal white matter, or
      posterior white matter. T1 and T2 values were determined for each VOI using an
      iterative chi 2 minimization program. T1 and T2 relaxation times did not differ
      significantly between the subject groups in any brain region studied. These
      results suggest that T1 and T2 relaxation times may not identify microstructural
      central nervous system changes resulting from chronic opiate and cocaine abuse.

PMID- 1410076
TI  - Topographic quantitative EEG amplitude in recovered alcoholics.
AB  - Topographic measures of electroencephalographic (EEG) amplitude were used to
      compare recovered alcoholics (n = 14) with sex- and age-matched control subjects.
      Delta, alpha, and beta activity did not distinguish the groups, but regional
      differences in theta distribution did. Recovered alcoholics showed more uniform
      distributions of theta amplitudes in bilateral anterior and posterior regions
      compared with controls. Because a minimum of 5 years had elapsed since the
      recovered alcoholic subjects fulfilled DSM-III-R criteria for alcohol abuse or
      dependence, it is unlikely these EEG theta differences reflect the effects of
      withdrawal.

PMID- 1410077
TI  - Segmentation techniques for the classification of brain tissue using magnetic
      resonance imaging.
AB  - A technique is described for classifying brain tissue into three components: gray
      matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid. This technique uses simultaneously
      registered proton density and T2-weighted images. Samples of each of the three
      types of tissue are identified on both image sets and used as "training classes";
      these tissue samples are then used to generate a linear discriminant function,
      which is used to classify the remaining pixels in the image data set. Effects of
      varying the location and number of training classes have been explored; six pairs
      of training classes have been found to yield a suitable classification.
      Interrater and test-retest reliability have been examined and found to be good.
      Intrascanner and interscanner reproducibility has also been evaluated;
      classification rates are reproducible within the same individual when the same
      scanner is used, but in this study poor reproducibility occurs when the same
      individual is scanned on two different scanners. The validity of the technique
      has been tested by examining correlations between traced and segmented regions of
      interest, evaluating correlations with age, and conducting phantom studies, in
      addition to using visual inspection of the classified images as an indication of
      face validity. From all four perspectives, the method has been found to have good
      validity. Additional applications, strengths, and limitations are discussed.

PMID- 1410079
TI  - Neurophilosophy.

PMID- 1410080
TI  - The role of macrophages in models of neurological and psychiatric disorder.

PMID- 1410078
TI  - Brain lithium concentration by 7Li- and 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy in
      bipolar disorder.
AB  - A method was developed to measure lithium concentrations in the human brain using
      in vivo 7Li- and 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Lithium concentrations
      measured by MRS in 10 lithium-treated bipolar patients were at the half level of
      those measured in serum. Serial measurements indicated that lithium
      concentrations in the brain increased markedly during manic episodes, while serum
      concentrations were unchanged. These findings suggest that in vivo measurements
      of lithium concentrations in the brain, combined with measurements of
      concentrations in serum, may be useful in monitoring the effects of therapeutic
      drugs.

PMID- 1410081
TI  - PET scanning and schizophrenia--what progress?

PMID- 1410082
TI  - Pagophagia, or compulsive ice consumption: a historical perspective.
AB  - Pagophagia, or the excessive consumption of ice or iced drinks, is popularly
      regarded as a novel manifestation of pica, which has emerged, predominantly in
      the USA, over the last 30 years. However, a sampling of historical sources
      reveals that not only are there warnings in the writings of both Hippocrates and
      Aristotle concerning the dangers of excessive intake of cold or iced water, but a
      series of medical works, from the sixteenth century on, incorporate discussion
      and illustrative case histories about the detrimental effect of immoderate usage
      of cold water, ice and snow, frequently in the context of disordered eating.

PMID- 1410083
TI  - Eye-tracking dysfunction in the affective psychoses and schizophrenia.
AB  - Smooth pursuit eye movements to a sinusoidally moving target were recorded using
      the electro-oculogram in 49 subjects with bipolar disorder, 19 with major
      depressive disorder and 61 with definite schizophrenia, and compared with 145
      normal controls. The signals were analysed in the frequency domain to yield a
      signal to noise ratio that is known to relate to accuracy of smooth pursuit.
      Smooth pursuit was found to be significantly poorer in schizophrenics than in
      bipolars, major depressed or controls. Eye-tracking performance was independent
      of the effects of neuroleptics, tricyclic antidepressants or lithium, and was not
      altered by the severity of depression in the affective psychoses. There was a
      small, but significant worsening of smooth pursuit with age in controls and
      schizophrenics, but this did not account for the group differences. The results
      support the view that among the major psychoses eye-tracking dysfunction is
      specific to schizophrenia.

PMID- 1410084
TI  - Familial calcification of the basal ganglia: a case report and review of the
      literature.
AB  - Although calcification of the basal ganglia is a relatively common and
      asymptomatic finding on cranial computed tomography, familial idiopathic
      calcification of the basal ganglia (ICBG) is a rare disorder with neurological
      and behavioral manifestations. Attention has recently been drawn to the frequency
      with which cases are diagnosed as schizophrenic (Cummings et al. 1983; Lowenthal,
      1986; Davison, 1987). We report a family in which a mother and son have ICBG, but
      while the son has a paranoid schizophrenia and intellectual deterioration, the
      mother shows no psychiatric illness. A review of the relevant literature suggests
      that psychosis is not as common as usually supposed, and may only be
      coincidentally associated with familial ICBG. Moreover, we find little convincing
      evidence that familial ICBG is an independent entity; instead, and in agreement
      with earlier authorities (Bruyn et al. 1964), we argue that published accounts
      and our own cases provide evidence that the condition is related to pseudo
      hypoparathyroidism (PHP) and, therefore, may be due to a defect in a guanine
      nucleotide binding protein.

PMID- 1410085
TI  - The relationship between depression and anxiety: construction of a prototypical
      anxiety and depression scale.
AB  - The question of the relationship between anxiety and depression remains to be
      solved. The fact that clinical pictures show substantial overlap makes it
      difficult, using conventional instruments, to distinguish between the co
      occurrence of anxiety and depression and overlap in definitions and measurement
      of the two syndromes. This calls for the construction of scales which exclude
      symptoms common to both syndromes and incorporate symptoms specific only to
      anxiety or only to depression; i.e. scales with maximum discriminant validity.
      This article describes the construction of two such scales based on PSE symptoms;
      a prototypical anxiety scale and a prototypical depression scale. In a sample of
      134 non-psychotic psychiatric out-patients these scales show good reliability and
      validity, both as a measure of severity and as a screening device. Compared to
      the Hamilton anxiety and depression scales (HARS and HRSD), the correlation
      between the prototypical anxiety and depression scales is low.

PMID- 1410086
TI  - The anatomy of melancholia--focal abnormalities of cerebral blood flow in major
      depression.
AB  - Using positron emission tomography (PET) and 15Oxygen, regional cerebral blood
      flow (rCBF) was measured in 33 patients with primary depression, 10 of whom had
      an associated severe cognitive impairment, and 23 age-matched controls. PET scans
      from these groups were analysed on a pixel-by-pixel basis and significant
      differences between the groups were identified on Statistical Parametric Maps
      (SPMs). In the depressed group as a whole rCBF was decreased in the left anterior
      cingulate and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (P less than 0.05
      Bonferroni-corrected for multiple comparisons). Comparing patients with and
      without depression-related cognitive impairment, in the impaired group there were
      significant decreases in rCBF in the left medial frontal gyrus and increased rCBF
      in the cerebellar vermis (P less than 0.05 Bonferroni-corrected). Therefore an
      anatomical dissociation has been described between the rCBF profiles associated
      with depressed mood and depression-related cognitive impairment. The pre-frontal
      and limbic areas identified in this study constitute a distributed anatomical
      network that may be functionally abnormal in major depressive disorder.

PMID- 1410087
TI  - Bulimia nervosa and major depression: a study of common genetic and environmental
      factors.
AB  - A genetic analysis of the co-occurrence of bulimia and major depression (MD) was
      performed on 1033 female twin pairs obtained from a population based register.
      Personal interviews were conducted and clinical diagnoses made according to DSM
      III-R criteria. Additive genes, but not family environment, are found to play an
      important aetiological role in both bulimia and MD. The genetic liabilities of
      the two disorders are correlated 0.456. While unique environmental factors
      account for around half of the variation in liability to both bulimia and MD,
      these risk factors appear to be unrelated, i.e., each disorder has its own set of
      unique environmental risk factors. Thus, the genetic liability of bulimia and MD
      is neither highly specific nor entirely non-specific. There is some genetic
      correlation between the two disorders as well as some genetic and environmental
      risk factors unique to each disorder. Limitations and directions for future
      research are discussed.

PMID- 1410088
TI  - Early onset bulimia nervosa: who is at risk? A retrospective case-control study.
AB  - The aim of the study was to compare the clinical features and predisposing
      characteristics of patients with an early onset of bulimia nervosa with those
      with a more typical onset. Twenty-three cases of early onset bulimia nervosa
      (onset age 15 or below) were compared with 23 sex- and class-matched cases of
      typical onset (onset age 17 to 21) using a retrospective case-control design. No
      difference was found in eating symptomatology between the two groups. Deliberate
      self-harm was more frequent in the early onset group, and there was a trend
      towards more depression among their relatives. Inadequate parental control
      occurred more often in the early onset group, but other indicators of
      intrafamilial disturbance did not differ in the two groups. There was also a
      trend for the early onset group to be exposed to more cultural stress as a result
      of family migration. Early onset patients were found to have a higher loading on
      risk factors than typical onset patients.

PMID- 1410090
TI  - Parental representations of melancholic and non-melancholic depressives:
      examining for specificity to depressive type and for evidence of additive
      effects.
AB  - Several studies have suggested that 'anomalous parenting', as measured by the
      Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), may be a differential risk factor to
      subsequent depression in adulthood--being irrelevant to melancholia but over
      represented in non-melancholic depressive disorders. Such a 'specificity' effect
      is confirmed in our current sample of 65 melancholic and 84 non-melancholic
      depressed patients. Secondly, we examine the risk to depression effected by
      exposure to one parent with an anomalous parental style, and the extent to which
      that risk is modified by characteristics of the other parent. We find clear
      evidence of additive effects with the risk to non-melancholic depression being
      raised by exposure to 'anomalous parenting' from two parents. Of the varying
      parental styles measured by the PBI, low parental care from both parents provided
      the highest risk to non-melancholic depression (being 4-7 time higher in one
      sample and 13-27 times higher in the other).

PMID- 1410089
TI  - The epidemiology of psychiatrist-ascertained depression and DSM-III depressive
      disorders. Results from the Eastern Baltimore Mental Health Survey Clinical
      Reappraisal.
AB  - Psychiatrists used a semi-structured Standardized Psychiatric Examination method
      to examine 810 adults drawn from a probability sample of eastern Baltimore
      residents in 1981. Of the population, 5.9% was found to be significantly
      depressed. DSM-III major depression (MD) had a prevalence of 1.1% and 'non-major
      depression' (nMD), our collective term for the other depressive disorder
      categories in DSM-III, had a prevalence of 3.4%. The two types of depression
      differed by sex ratio, age-specific prevalence, symptom severity, symptom
      profiles, and family history of suicide. Analyses using a multiple logistic
      regression model discerned that both types of depression were influenced by
      adverse life events, and that nMD was influenced strongly by gender, marital
      status, and lack of employment outside the home. Neither type of depression was
      influenced by income, education, or race. This study validates the concept of
      major depression as a clinical entity. Future studies of the aetiology,
      mechanism, and treatment of depression should distinguish between these two types
      of depression.

PMID- 1410092
TI  - Psychiatric morbidity in bus crews following violent assault: a follow-up study.
AB  - In a prospective study 22 bus crews who were victims of physical assault were
      assessed using standardized psychiatric instruments, followed up for 18 months
      and compared to a non-assaulted control group drawn from the same bus garage. At
      initial assessment the assaulted group, compared to the controls showed a
      significant increase in psychiatric impairment and distress (as measured by the
      GHQ-30 and IES respectively), with 23% of assault victims developing post
      traumatic stress disorder as defined by DSM-III-R. At follow-up, while high
      levels of both psychiatric impairment and distress persisted there was evidence
      that they may be separate phenomena.

PMID- 1410091
TI  - Coping subtypes for men with coronary heart disease: relationship to well-being,
      stress and Type-A behaviour.
AB  - We used cluster analysis to delineate coping subtypes in a sample of 166 men with
      coronary heart disease who completed the Antwerp out-patient rehabilitation
      programme. These subtypes were identified on the basis of three well-defined
      superordinate traits that were selected from a comprehensive taxonomy: negative
      affectivity, social inhibition, and self-deception. Using Ward's minimum variance
      method and the cubic clustering criterion, we identified four coping subtypes;
      low-negative affectivity (N = 48), high-negative affectivity (N = 30), inhibited
      (N = 62), and repressive (N = 26) individuals. The accuracy of the resulting
      classification was demonstrated across parallel data sets and was further
      validated against external, health-related correlates that were not included in
      the clustering. The identified coping subtypes were significantly related to self
      reports of subjective distress/perceived stress, ratings of Type A behaviour and
      anger-in, return to work, prevalence of chest-pain complaints, and use of minor
      tranquillizers and sleeping pills. The major findings of this study suggest that
      (a) male coronary patients represent a heterogeneous population with distinctly
      different coping subtypes, and that (b) a relatively small number of homogeneous
      subtypes can account for a substantial amount of variance in subjective well
      being, coronary-prone behaviour, and return to work. These findings indicate that
      psychosomatic research should focus on how superordinate traits interact within
      individuals and corroborate the appropriateness of a class model to describe
      coping styles of male coronary patients. It is argued that discrepant findings
      across studies of Type-A behaviour and hostility may be related to the coping
      subtypes of the subject sample. Further attempts to cross-validate this
      classification scheme and to examine its health-related correlates are needed.

PMID- 1410093
TI  - From the jumping Frenchmen of Maine to post-traumatic stress disorder: the
      startle response in neuropsychiatry.
AB  - The startle response is a universal and phylogenetically ancient reflex.
      Pathological exaggerations and modifications of startle underlie the
      symptomatology of a surprisingly diverse range of neuropsychiatric disorders, a
      fact that seems to have gone largely unappreciated. We review the available
      literature on the physiology of the normal human startle response and examine the
      neuropsychiatric conditions characterized by pathological startle. Startle
      epilepsy and primary hyperekplexia are considered as neurological disorders
      involving abnormal startle. Patients with hyperstartle and exotic culture-bound
      syndromes characterized by excessive startle are considered by the authors to
      represent extreme variants of the normal startle response. Post-traumatic stress
      disorder, drug and alcohol withdrawal states and schizophrenia all have abnormal
      startle as a clinical feature secondary to increased arousal and presumed
      disturbance of central neurotransmitter systems. The neurophysiological
      mechanisms by which abnormalities of the startle response may occur are discussed
      and a system of classification of neuropsychiatric hyperstartles is suggested.

PMID- 1410094
TI  - A longitudinal study of general practitioner consultations for psychiatric
      disorders in adolescence.
AB  - Patterns of psychiatric diagnoses given during adolescence to a group of
      individuals continuously registered with a single general practitioner in South
      London over 20 years were analysed first during 'early adolescence' and secondly
      during 'early adulthood'. Psychiatric diagnoses were found to be relatively
      common. Of the young adolescents who received a psychiatric diagnosis (almost one
      in ten of the group), 38% received a psychiatric diagnosis as young adults
      compared with only 16% of the remainder. Comorbidity was found to be very common-
      over 50% of young adults with a diagnosis of depression also had a diagnosis of
      anxiety and phobic neuroses. Young people with problems of a psychological nature
      therefore deserve more attention, particularly from the primary care team.

PMID- 1410095
TI  - Labelling and illness in primary care: comparing factors influencing general
      practitioners' and psychiatrists' decisions regarding patient referral to mental
      illness services.
AB  - GPs and psychiatrists from South Wales were asked to make decisions based on the
      information included in each of 16 vignettes describing depressed and anxious
      subjects. This information contained randomly assigned sex, psychiatric label,
      good and bad psychosocial context and age as well as eight different severity
      ratings of depression and anxiety symptoms. Our results showed that both GPs and
      psychiatrists were influenced in their decision making by the severity of the
      illness, but that GPs alone were also strongly influenced by the presence of male
      sex and by the presence of a psychiatric label. Good or bad psychosocial context
      had no influence on the GPs' referral decision, and previous experience in
      psychiatry or other vocational training had no detectable effect, but this may be
      because of the sample size.

PMID- 1410096
TI  - QALYs in mental health: a case study.
AB  - The applicability of the Charing Cross health indicator (CH-X) to the field of
      mental health was investigated in a community setting using descriptive
      statistics and principal components analysis. The CH-X is based on assessments of
      (i) distress and (ii) disability. Our results suggest that with respect to
      quality of life in mental health settings measurements of distress may be of
      greater importance than disability. In addition, the CH-X may be insensitive to
      variations in the severity of mental disorder and may primarily reflect physical
      disability as opposed to social disability. QALYs methodology may require the
      adoption of a multidimensional measure of health in order to fulfil its proposed
      role in comparing medical and mental health programmes.

PMID- 1410097
TI  - The general population prevalence of non-organic psychiatric disorders in
      subjects aged 85 years and over.
AB  - The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was investigated in all inhabitants over
      85 years of age (N = 1259), residing in Leiden, The Netherlands. The study design
      consisted of two phases. In the first phase the Mini-Mental State Examination
      (MMSE) and the 12-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) were
      used to screen for potential cases; in the second phase all potential cases and a
      sample of the non-cases were interviewed with the Geriatric Mental State Schedule
      (GMS). DSM-III diagnoses were made based on the GMS and on information obtained
      from caregivers. There was a high prevalence of organic disorders of 31% (95% CI:
      27-35%). The estimated overall prevalence rate for functional disorders was 8%
      (95%) CI: 4-12%). This is an underestimate because organic and functional
      disorders are mutually exclusive in DSM-III. The prevalence rate estimated for
      the population at risk for functional disorders (i.e. the total population minus
      the organic cases) was 12% (95% CI: 6-18%). This is very similar to prevalence
      rates for functional disorders found in population based surveys in younger age
      groups. Therefore, in contrast with the dementias, there appears to be no
      increase with age for the functional disorders.

PMID- 1410098
TI  - Social class and minor psychiatric disorder in British Civil Servants: a
      validated screening survey using the General Health Questionnaire.
AB  - Major psychiatric disorder is more common in people of lower rather than higher
      socioeconomic status. This is less clear for the commoner, so-called minor
      psychiatric disorders, but these are more affected by tendency to report
      symptoms. To examine this the distribution of minor psychiatric disorder by
      employment grade measured by the 30-item General Health Questionnaire is reported
      from the first cross-sectional phase of the Whitehall II Study of 10,314 London
      based civil servants, men and women between 35 and 55 years. Validation of the
      GHQ in a random subsample stratified by grade and sex (N = 201) suggested that
      people in lower employment grades tend to under-report minor psychiatric disorder
      on the GHQ relative to those in higher employment grades. The prevalence of minor
      psychiatric disorder corrected by the coefficients from the validity study was
      greater in the lower employment grades than the higher employment grades
      particularly for men. This was echoed in grade differences in well-being measured
      by the Affect Balance Scale, and in symptoms and recurrent health problems.
      Overall, for women there were few clear-cut differences in minor psychiatric
      disorder by employment grade. The lack of social class gradient in women suggests
      that further exploration should examine women's role at work and their personal
      lives for the aetiology of minor psychiatric disorder.

PMID- 1410099
TI  - Mental health effects of job loss in women.
AB  - This paper reviews literature on the mental health effects of involuntary job
      loss among women. In addition, a prospective study of the effects of job loss on
      psychological distress in a cohort of blue-collar women is described. A total of
      141 women, of whom 73 were laid off during the 12-month study period, were
      examined. The occurrence and duration of lay-off was significantly associated
      with increased depressive symptoms, but not anxiety-related symptoms, even after
      effects of pre-lay-off psychological symptoms, social supports and occupational
      stress were considered. There was no evidence that these effects of lay-off were
      moderated by other characteristics measured prior to lay-off. Among women who
      were laid off, those who reported poor levels of support from their husband or
      partner in the immediate aftermath of lay-off and those experiencing more
      financial difficulties during the lay-off had higher depression levels at follow
      up. The nature of the lay-off as a chronic psychosocial stressor is discussed.

PMID- 1410100
TI  - 'Mentally disordered persons found in public places'. Diagnostic and social
      aspects of police referrals (Section 136).
AB  - A survey over 2 years of all Police Referrals (Section 136 of the Mental Health
      Act 1983) in an inner-city health district identified 163 cases, with a core
      group of repeat referrals. Previous psychiatric admissions, a diagnosis of
      schizophrenia, social deprivation, and a bias towards young men of Afro-Caribbean
      ethnicity were key features. The difficulty of obtaining clear data and
      uncertainties within the law rebound unfairly on patients, police and
      psychiatrists. Section 136, while not inappropriate diagnostically, can be seen
      as highlighting unmet social and medical needs in the context of community care.
      The requirement for coordinated resources, including acute in-patient services
      sufficient for deprived populations and legal provision for treatment beyond a
      hospital's boundaries, seems paramount.

PMID- 1410101
TI  - The use of the Ways of Coping (Revised) questionnaire with parents of children
      with Down's syndrome.
AB  - The principal aim of this study was to assess the validity and usefulness of the
      Ways of Coping (Revised) questionnaire (Folkman & Lazarus, 1985) with a British
      sample of parents of children with Down's syndrome. Factor analysis yielded five
      subscales which were compared with those reported elsewhere. Other properties of
      the instrument were investigated. It was concluded that the instrument was
      potentially valuable to those investigating coping in families with special
      problems.

PMID- 1410102
TI  - Cotard delusion after brain injury.
AB  - A right-handed young man with contusions affecting temporo-parietal areas of the
      right cerebral hemisphere and some bilateral frontal lobe damage became convinced
      that he was dead (the Cotard delusion), and experienced difficulties in
      recognizing familiar faces, buildings and places, as well as feelings of
      derealization. Neuropsychological investigation while these symptoms were
      resolving revealed impairment on face processing tests. We suggest that these
      impairments contributed to his Cotard delusion by heightening feelings of
      unreality, and that the underlying pathophysiology and neuropsychology of the
      Cotard delusion may be related to other problems involving delusional
      misidentification.

PMID- 1410103
TI  - The Medical Research Council Unit in Child Psychiatry.

PMID- 1410104
TI  - Family dysfunction as a risk factor in the development of antisocial behavior.
AB  - Many studies have indicated a positive correlation between family dysfunction and
      subsequent cognitive and behavioral problems in offspring. The purpose of this
      study was to compare the family histories of 118 inmates with those of 45 college
      students and to document differential patterns. The possible social implications
      of the data are discussed as well as directions for further research.

PMID- 1410105
TI  - Need for achievement and performance on measures of behavioral fluency.
AB  - This investigation was designed to assess the relationship between a validated
      personality characteristic, need for achievement (nAch), and performance on
      measures of behavioral fluency. To infer this relationship, 50 neurologically
      intact college undergraduates were administered a questionnaire assessing nAch
      and a battery of tests including a short form of the WAIS and measures of
      behavioral fluency (i.e., verbal fluency). Statistical analysis indicated that
      subjects high on nAch obtained higher scores than subjects low on nAch on the
      measures of figural fluency and the WAIS Verbal Scale. No significant difference
      on verbal fluency was seen between the two groups. Secondly, the group high on
      nAch also had a higher mean Verbal IQ but not a higher mean Performance IQ as
      measured by a short form of the WAIS than did subjects scoring low on nAch.

PMID- 1410106
TI  - WAIS-R scatter with psychiatric inpatients: I Intrasubtest scatter.
AB  - Intrasubtest scatter values for eight WAIS-R subtests were estimated for a sample
      of 150 psychiatric inpatients and compared with those reported for a comparable
      portion of the WAIS-R standardization group by Kaplan, Fein, Morris, and Delis in
      1991, using the normal deviate (z) test. The standardization group's intrasubtest
      scatter was significantly greater than those reported for the psychiatric
      inpatients on all subtests except Arithmetic and Information. These results
      suggested that, contrary to expectation, limited intrasubtest scatter may
      characterize WAIS-R protocols of psychiatric inpatients, while the presence of
      scatter may characterize normal WAIS-R performance.

PMID- 1410108
TI  - Moral development and behavior.
AB  - The study of moral development as well as the relation of moral development and
      behavior has been of great interest to many over the past half a century. While
      some studies have shown no association between one's moral development and
      behavior, some evidence indicates level of moral reasoning influences behavior.
      Over 16 selected studies postconventional principles of justice are likely to be
      more prosocial and law-abiding than those appropriate at the lower stages of
      moral development.

PMID- 1410107
TI  - Validity of the Threat Index.
AB  - The validity of the Threat Index was examined in a study of 42 students and 15
      HIV+ clients. When completing the Threat Index, subjects rate the self and death
      on 30 bipolar adjectives. A count is made of the number of times the same
      adjective poles are used to describe the self and death. Uses of the same poles
      are called matches, while uses of different poles are called splits. The Threat
      Index is based on the assumption that splits indicate threat. Analysis showed
      that neither splits nor matches were usually threatening and that neither was
      necessary or sufficient for the experience of threat. These results did not
      support the validity of the Threat Index.

PMID- 1410109
TI  - Scores on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for children in a longitudinal study
      of pubertal Spanish youth.
AB  - Changes in scores on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children for a sample
      of 534 pubertal adolescents were longitudinally studied over a period of 4 years.
      Biological development and other variables were investigated. For the 310 boys, A
      trait scores decreased significantly with age. The 224 girls showed significantly
      higher scores than boys in all years of the study. No significant relationship
      was found between anxiety and pubertal maturity. The year-to-year persistence in
      symptomatology of anxiety ranged between 55.6% and 66.1% for girls and between
      48.5% and 53.1% for boys. Girls showed bi- and tri-annual persistence between 31%
      and 50%, and boys between 13% and 27%. Neuroticism scores formed the best
      predictor of A-trait scores. Symptomatology of anxiety is not transient during
      early adolescence, so personality may provide a risk indicator in the development
      of anxiety.

PMID- 1410111
TI  - Inferred and expressed self-image of pupils rated by teachers as high and low in
      anxiety: a comparison of self-other ratings.
AB  - The association was examined between 98 third-grade pupils' expressed self-image
      scores and inferred self-image ratings from teachers. Significant self-other
      agreements were found with sexes combined. With sexes separated, significant self
      other agreements were found for the 52 girls, but not for the 46 boys.

PMID- 1410110
TI  - Jewish inmates: an atypical prison group.
AB  - 12 Jewish inmates scored significantly higher than 1497 non-Jewish inmates on a
      measure of intelligence, the Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices. Interview
      findings indicated that the present Jewish inmates were never very involved in
      the practice of Judaisn and were not strongly integrated into their local Jewish
      communities.

PMID- 1410112
TI  - Longitudinal examination of teachers' burnout in a school district.
AB  - Teachers in a rural school district were administered the Maslach Burnout
      Inventory three times over a five-year period. Teachers scoring high on emotional
      exhaustion and low on personal accomplishment were classified as "experiencing
      burnout." Across the three waves, the proportion of teachers meeting these
      criteria for burnout were 7%, 11%, and 11%, respectively. By grade, burnout was
      noted among 3%, 8%, and 9%, respectively, over time for senior high-school
      teachers; 7%, 7%, and 11% for junior high-school teachers; and 9%, 17%, and 12%
      for elementary school teachers. Interventions must consider grade-taught and are
      probably most cost-effective for elementary school. It is important to establish
      norms across time and across school settings to determine high-risk groups
      deserving interventions.

PMID- 1410113
TI  - Stability of parental nurturance as a salient predictor of self-esteem.
AB  - The relationship of parental nurturance to self-esteem for seven distinct
      adolescent and early-adulthood age groups (N = 784) was investigated. Analysis
      showed that even though mothers' and fathers' nurturance together were more
      strongly related to self-esteem during the junior high school years (R2 values
      greater than 50% were obtained in each of the junior high samples) than during
      the high school and college years (R2 values less than 40% were obtained in each
      of these samples), parental nurturance still remained a robust predictor of self
      esteem during these latter years. These results were discussed within the context
      of (a) the stability at different ages of the bases upon which one's judgments of
      self-esteem are made, and (b) parental nurturance as a stabilizing influence
      during the transitional years of adolescence and early adulthood.

PMID- 1410115
TI  - Unemployment, suicide and homicide in metropolitan areas.

PMID- 1410114
TI  - Evaluation of an intervention designed to improve patients' hospital experience.
AB  - The influence of a videotape, shown in a hospital admitting room, on patients'
      state anxiety and concerns about hospitalization was assessed in a preliminary
      study. For both state anxiety and specific concerns regarding hospitalization the
      pretest scores on each variable accounted for the preponderance of the variance
      in the posttest scores. In both instances, the intervention and the interaction
      of the intervention with the pretest scores accounted for less than 1% of
      variance in the outcome. While finding small effects to be significant for such a
      small sample (N = 93) is unlikely, the sample size was adequate to detect medium
      to large effects. More important was the fact that 73.33% of the videotape
      intervention group indicated that they did not watch the video, which leads us to
      the conclusion that this intervention as tested is not worthwhile.

PMID- 1410116
TI  - Normative expectations and the behavior of significant others: an integration of
      traditions in research on adolescents' cigarette smoking.

PMID- 1410118
TI  - Summer and school-term youth employment: ecological and longitudinal analyses.
AB  - The effects of summer versus school-year employment on self-esteem, peer
      relationships, and family social climate were investigated in a sample of 135
      adolescents. Students were assessed the summer before entrance into high school
      and during the second semester of high school, using a longitudinal design. Cross
      sectional findings indicated that, during the summer, 52 workers possessed higher
      self-esteem than 79 nonworkers. Longitudinal analysis indicated that 10 girls who
      worked only during the school term reported increases in both stress and activity
      with peers. At our final assessment, the families of 49 students who did not work
      at either time had become more conflicted and less cohesive than families of all
      other students. The developmental implications of these results are discussed.

PMID- 1410117
TI  - Mental health locus of control in first-degree relatives of agoraphobic and
      depressed inpatients.
AB  - Mental health locus of control in 77 first-degree relatives of agoraphobic,
      agoraphobic and major depressed (comorbid), and depressed inpatients were
      studied. Relatives of comorbid patients externalized locus of control more to
      chance than did relatives of agoraphobic and of depressed patients. These results
      suggest that a tendency to externalize to chance is familially transmitted and
      may be a vulnerability factor for the development of the comorbid condition of
      agoraphobia and major depression.

PMID- 1410119
TI  - Perception of political candidates based on their stand on abortion and taxes.
AB  - This study investigated whether young voters would vote for and volunteer to work
      for the election campaign of a presidential candidate, given the candidate's
      background and positions on two major campaign issues. Findings indicate that,
      although voter-candidate agreement on a single issue may be enough for a voter to
      vote for a candidate, agreement on both issues may be necessary before a voter
      agrees to volunteer to work for the candidate's election campaign.

PMID- 1410120
TI  - Depression and suicidal ideation in African-American and Hispanic American high
      school students.

PMID- 1410121
TI  - Gender equality, legitimization of violence, social disorganization and rates of
      personal violence (suicide and homicide) in America.

PMID- 1410122
TI  - Relationships among critical thinking skills, academic achievement, and
      misconceptions about psychology.
AB  - Two groups of 60 students each were selected from introductory college psychology
      classes. One consisted of high academic achievers, the other of average
      achievers. They were given the McCutcheon Test of Misconceptions, a 65-item,
      multiple-choice test designed to measure common misconceptions about psychology.
      Subsequently, they were also given the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal.
      Both groups made many errors on the McCutcheon test, but high academic achievers
      made significantly fewer errors on both the McCutcheon test and the Watson-Glaser
      than average achievers. A stepwise multiple regression consisting of Watson
      Glaser subscales 1 (the ability to draw valid inferences) and 4 (ability to weigh
      and interpret evidence) and GPA successfully predicted McCutcheon test scores (R
      = .43). This suggests that even beginning students with high grades and good
      critical thinking skills are likely to harbor many misconceptions about
      psychology.

PMID- 1410123
TI  - Students' knowledge of AIDS and sexual risk behavior.
AB  - College students appear to be knowledgeable of the methods of transmission and
      risks of the AIDS virus. However, the reality of susceptibility to infection does
      not seem to have altered their conduct. In a study of 19 heterosexual college
      students, knowledge and intention do not appear to be good predictors of sexual
      behavior. Young people appear to continue high-risk sexual behavior even while
      knowledgeable of the risks of AIDS.

PMID- 1410124
TI  - Alcohol and creative writing.
AB  - A repeated-measures design was used to test for the effects of alcohol on
      creative writing as measured by use of novel figurative language. 11 male social
      drinkers participated in a creative writing task under two conditions, alcohol
      (high dose: 1.1 ml. ethanol/kilogram body weight) and placebo. In the alcohol
      condition, within-subject comparisons indicated significantly greater quantity of
      creative writing while intoxicated. These results were interpreted as supporting
      the belief that alcohol can reduce "writer's block," at least amongst
      nonalcoholic subjects.

PMID- 1410125
TI  - Assessment of preschoolers at-risk with the WPPSI--R and the Stanford-Binet L-M.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to provide data on the validity of using the WPPSI-
      R with 16 preschoolers who had been referred for psychological assessment. A
      comparison of the preschoolers' performance on the WPPSI--R and the Stanford
      Binet L-M was made. Children ranged in age from 3-0 to 6-0 years, with a mean age
      of 4-5 yr. The correlations between WPPSI--R and Stanford-Binet L-M scores were
      strong; WPPSI--R Verbal IQ and Stanford-Binet L-M IQ, r = .85; WPPSI--R
      Performance IQ and Stanford-Binet L-M IQ, r = .75, and WPPSI--R Full Scale IQ and
      Stanford-Binet L-M IQ, r = .82. For this very small sample of children whose mean
      IQ was significantly below average, the WPPSI--R appeared to assess validly their
      current intellectual functioning. Attention should be given concurrent and
      predictive validity as well as the efficiency of using the WPPSI--R with other
      and larger samples of referred children.

PMID- 1410126
TI  - Reliability data for a Greek translation of the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale:
      comparisons with data from the USA.
AB  - A Greek translation of the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale was internally reliable
      (alpha = .89), after eliminating Item 4, and significantly correlated with the
      English version (r = .94) for a sample of bilingual students. Weiss's distinction
      between social loneliness and emotional loneliness was also reliably identified
      in the Greek translation. Loneliness scores in Greece were significantly higher
      than in the USA. The translation seems to be sufficiently reliable to warrant
      further use with Greek individuals.

PMID- 1410127
TI  - Behavioral economics of drug self-administration. III. A reanalysis of the
      nicotine regulation hypothesis.
AB  - The maintenance of a characteristic level of nicotine in a smoker's body is
      referred to as nicotine regulation. Considerable research has examined this
      question of whether smokers regulate nicotine intake. This is because nicotine
      regulation raises the question of whether smokers who, to decrease their intake
      of tar, switch to low tar/low nicotine cigarettes will increase the number and/or
      intensity of cigarettes smoked. Although the results of studies examining
      nicotine regulation are reported as generally consistent, considerable
      variability exists across these analyses such that the health hazards of smoking
      low tar/nicotine cigarettes remains uncertain. In the present analysis, these
      studies were analyzed to ascertain whether a behavioral-economic interpretation
      could better quantify the effects of changing nicotine yield on individuals'
      nicotine and smoke consumption. Specifically, 17 nicotine-regulation studies were
      reanalyzed using a unit-price analysis (i.e., cost-benefit analysis). The
      reanalysis showed less variability across regulation studies than previously
      reported; a positively-decelerating demand curve was found across most studies,
      consistent with previous unit-price analyses of food- and drug-maintained
      behavior. The benefits of this reanalysis versus the traditional regulation
      interpretation are that the behavioral economics approach: 1) brings unity to a
      variable set of data, 2) shows a nonlinear relationship, previously considered to
      be linear, between nicotine consumption and nicotine yield, 3) shows that
      nicotine yields higher, and not lower, than the smoker's usual brand decrease
      smoke consumption and thus decreases consumption of the harmful agents in
      tobacco, 4) better quantifies the data and provides a more parsimonious
      interpretation that generalizes to other drugs and food-maintained behavior in
      humans and nonhumans and, 5) integrates behavioral and pharmacological factors
      that control the consumption of reinforcers. These results suggest the value of
      behavioral economics in the study of consumptive behaviors and clinically
      suggest, in agreement with the studies contained herein, that decreasing the
      smoker's usual nicotine yield can have potential health risks for smokers who are
      unable to stop smoking.

PMID- 1410128
TI  - Effects of a single dose of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor velnacrine on
      recognition memory and regional cerebral blood flow in Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - The effects of a single oral dose of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor
      velnacrine maleate on word and object recognition memory and regional uptake of
      99mTc-exametazime were examined in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Word
      recognition memory was marginally improved 2 h after 75 mg velnacrine. With the
      same dose of velnacrine a relative increase in superior frontal uptake of 99mTc
      exametazime was shown with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).
      This suggests increased regional perfusion and metabolism as a consequence of
      cholinergic stimulation. The effect did not co-vary with the degree of memory
      improvement, but, instead, more cognitively impaired patients showed a greater
      increase in tracer uptake after velnacrine, suggesting cholinergic
      hypersensitivity in the brains of Alzheimer patients.

PMID- 1410129
TI  - Elevated corticosteroid levels block the memory-improving effects of nootropics
      and cholinomimetics.
AB  - Oral pretreatment of mice with aldosterone or corticosterone blocked the memory
      enhancing effects of piracetam, pramiracetam, aniracetam and oxiracetam in a dose
      related manner, without, however, impairing the animals' learning performance.
      The improvement of memory induced by physostigmine, arecoline, and tacrine (THA)
      was similarly inhibited. The fact that elevated steroid levels suppress the
      memory-enhancing effects of entirely different substances could indicate that
      these substances have a common site of action. In the light of new observations
      showing increased cortisol concentrations in Alzheimer patients, this steroid
      dependency of the effects of memory enhancers might explain why only a limited
      number of these patients respond to therapy with nootropics or cholinomimetics.

PMID- 1410130
TI  - Attenuation of chemically induced defence response by 5-HT1 receptor agonists
      administered into the periaqueductal gray.
AB  - The ability of 5-HT1 receptor agonists to modulate a chemically induced defence
      response has been studied in Lister hooded rats. Microinjections of the
      excitatory amino acid D,L-homocysteic acid (DLH) in both rostral and caudal
      dorsal periaqueductal gray matter (PAG) caused explosive motor behaviour
      characteristic of defence. This behaviour was quantified in terms of response
      duration, arena revolutions and number of defensive jumps. Direct administration
      into the PAG of either 5-carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT) or 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n
      propylamino) tetralin (8-OHDPAT) produced behaviours (decreased exploratory
      rearing, dose related onset of flat body posture) indicative of 5-HT1A receptor
      activation. Pretreatment with either 5-CT or 8-OHDPAT directly in the PAG caused
      a significant attenuation, and in some cases a complete abolition, of the DLH
      evoked response. These agonists share high affinity in vitro for the 5-HT1A
      receptor. Thus the results suggest that in vivo activation of 5-HT1A receptors
      mediates an antiaversive response with respect to defensive behaviour elicited by
      specific chemical stimulation of the dorsal PAG.

PMID- 1410132
TI  - Role of spinal serotonin1 receptor subtypes in thermally and mechanically
      elicited nociceptive reflexes.
AB  - The ability of 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B agonists to alter a spinal animal's nociceptive
      threshold was examined using two analgesiometric tests. In the spinal withdrawal
      reflex test, administration of the selective 5-HT1A agonists ipsapirone, gepirone
      and PAPP resulted in significant dose-dependent increases in receptive field (RF)
      area for withdrawal reflexes when compared to predrug baseline values, indicating
      an increase in nociceptive sensitivity. The average overall percent maximal
      increase in RF area following administration of 5-HT1A selective compounds was:
      80 +/- 16% for the ventroflexion reflex, 90 +/- 6% for the dorsiflexion reflex
      and 87 +/- 8% for the lateral flexion reflex. Similar to the effects noted with 5
      HT1A agonists, administration of 5-HT1B agonists RU24969, mCPP and TFMPP resulted
      in a hyperalgesic response with an overall percent maximal increase of 43 +/- 6%
      for the ventroflexion reflex, 51 +/- 6% for the dorsiflexion reflex and 38 +/- 9%
      for the lateral flexion reflex. In the tail-flick analgesiometric test,
      administration of the 5-HT1A agonists 8-OH-DPAT and ipsapirone and the 5-HT1B
      agonists RU24969 and mCPP resulted in a significant dose-dependent increase in
      tail-flick latencies when compared to predrug baseline values, indicating a
      decrease in nociceptive sensitivity to noxious thermal stimuli. No differences in
      magnitude of the effect of the two receptor subtypes were found, indicating that
      stimulation of either 5-HT1A or 5-HT1B receptors was equipotent in producing the
      antinociceptive tail-flick response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1410131
TI  - Interaction of sigma and PCP-like drugs on operant behaviors in the rat.
AB  - Many PCP-like drugs interact with at least two types of binding sites in the CNS,
      one of which is linked to excitatory amino acid transmission and the other with
      an unknown function. The present experiments were designed to further clarify the
      mechanism of action of drugs in this class. Assessment was made of the effects of
      PCP, MK-801, (+)-pentazocine, (+)- and (-)-N-allyl-normetazocine (NANM), (+)
      amphetamine and BMY-14802 in rats responding under a multiple timeout 600 s (TO),
      differential reinforcement of low rates 10 s (DRL), fixed ratio (FR) 10 schedule
      of reinforcement. The effects of the PCP-receptor selective drug MK-801 were
      compared to those of the mixed sigma/PCP drug (+)-NANM after each were combined
      with doses of (+)-pentazocine, PCP, BMY-14802, and (+)-amphetamine. MK-801 was
      also tested in combination with (+)-NANM, as was PCP with BMY-14802. When
      administered alone, MK-801, PCP, (+)-NANM, (+)-pentazocine, and (+)-amphetamine
      increased rates of responding under the DRL component of the multiple schedule.
      The drugs tested generally produced decreases in rates of responding under the FR
      component. (+)-Pentazocine and BMY-14802 did not modify the effects of (+)-NANM
      or of MK-801. PCP enhanced the effects of MK-801 and (+)-NANM, and (+)
      amphetamine enhanced the effects of MK-801 but not of (+)-NANM. BMY-14802
      attenuated the effects of PCP. Taken together, these data suggest similarities as
      well as some differences in the pharmacologic activities of MK-801 and (+)-NANM
      and PCP.

PMID- 1410133
TI  - Comparative effects of carbamazepine, phenytoin, diazepam and clonazepam on
      inhibitory avoidance learning in mice.
AB  - Four antiepileptic drugs were investigated in an inhibitory avoidance task in
      mice. Following IP administration 30 min prior to training, carbamazepine (32
      mg/kg), phenytoin (30-60 mg/kg), diazepam (2-8 mg/kg) and clonazepam (0.125-0.5
      mg/kg) impaired retention. When administered 30 min prior to the retention test
      none of the drugs under investigation affected retention. The drugs did not
      affect latencies in the hot plate test. This indicates that in the case of
      pretraining drug administration effects on retention cannot attributed to
      elevated pain thresholds. Carbamazepine and phenytoin impaired avoidance learning
      at doses above those which prevent electroshock induced tonic hindlimb
      convulsions. Diazepam and clonazepam were effective at lower than anticonvulsant
      doses. The results of the study are relevant to the evaluation of CNS side
      effects of anti-epileptic drugs in mice.

PMID- 1410134
TI  - Differential ethanol intake in Tryon maze-bright and Tryon maze-dull rats:
      implications for the validity of the animal model of selectively bred rats for
      high ethanol consumption.
AB  - The search for a genetically based "animal model of alcoholism" has led to the
      creation of extensive research programs using various combinations of initial
      ethanol preference screening techniques and breeding methods to yield rodents
      with primary genetic differences that contribute to high or low ethanol
      preference. The present experiment examined the ethanol intake of the Tryon rat
      strain, which were bred for high and low maze learning scores. It was observed
      that the Tryon Maze Bright rats displayed an unprecedented affinity for ethanol
      with stable intakes between 12.7 and 13.7 g/kg per day and preference ratios
      exceeding 0.75 for ethanol concentrations ranging between 15 and 29%. The pattern
      of ethanol intake of the Tryon Maze Dull rats resembled the ethanol intake
      pattern of other, non-selectively bred strains of rats, approximately 2-3 g/kg of
      absolute ethanol at preference ratios between 0.11 and 0.28. The affinity for
      ethanol observed for the Tryon Maze Bright rats seems to exceed the reported
      consumption patterns of rat strains specifically bred for high ethanol
      consumption although the Tryon rats were selectively bred for variables that were
      seemingly unrelated to ethanol intake.

PMID- 1410136
TI  - Pharmacological dissociation between the spatial learning deficits produced by
      morphine and diazepam.
AB  - This study sought to determine whether the place learning deficits produced by
      diazepam are a secondary result of opioid release. Rats pretreated with diazepam
      (3 mg/kg) or morphine (15 mg/kg) were trained in the Morris water maze. Diazepam
      impaired place learning-slowing acquisition and preventing the formation of a
      quadrant preference. Morphine also slowed acquisition, but did not prevent place
      learning, and impaired escape to a visible platform. Flumazenil blocked the
      deficits produced by diazepam, but not morphine. Naloxone (2 mg/kg) blocked the
      deficits produced by morphine, but not diazepam. A high dose of naloxone (10
      mg/kg) slowed acquisition, and exacerbated the deficit produced by diazepam.
      These results demonstrate that diazepam interferes with mnemonic processes
      through endogenous benzodiazepine receptors, independently of opioidergic
      systems. Further, they suggest that morphine interferes with motivational
      processes through opioidergic systems, independently of endogenous benzodiazepine
      systems.

PMID- 1410137
TI  - Serotonergic function and late luteal phase dysphoric disorder.
AB  - Thirty-eight subjects who met criteria for the DSM-III-R diagnosis late luteal
      phase dysphoric disorder (LLPDD) were compared with 18 controls in 5-HT uptake
      kinetics of the platelets in the premenstrual (day 26) as well as in the
      postmenstrual phase (day 4) of the cycle. Furthermore, 5-hydroxytryptophan (5
      HTP) was administered to LLPDD patients and controls in both phases of the cycle,
      to investigate pituitary sensitivity for serotonin. Plasma samples for the
      measurement of cortisol and beta-endorphin were taken before and after oral
      administration of 200 mg 5-HTP, and considered as an index of pituitary-adrenal
      function. LLPDD was not associated with a lower platelet 5-HT uptake and content
      in the premenstrual phase of the cycle, compared with the postmenstrual phase.
      Patients appeared not to be different from controls in 5-HT uptake kinetics of
      platelets in the premenstrual phase of the cycle. No main differences were
      observed between LLPDD patients and controls in their ability to respond with
      secretion of cortisol and beta-endorphin to 5-HTP stimulation, either in the
      premenstrual, or in the postmenstrual phase. This observation could not be
      attributed to differences in 5-HTP metabolism. The findings of the present study
      do not support a specific role for 5-HT in the pathophysiology LLPDD.

PMID- 1410135
TI  - Dopamine and endogenous opioid regulation of picrotoxin-induced locomotion in the
      ventral pallidum after dopamine depletion in the nucleus accumbens.
AB  - Microinjection of picrotoxin or the mu-opioid agonist, Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-NmePhe-Gly
      OH (DAMGO), into the ventral pallidum (VP) produces an increase in locomotor
      activity that is antagonized by dopamine receptor blockade. To investigate the
      regulation of VP-induced locomotion by the dopaminergic innervation of the
      nucleus accumbens (NA) and the role of opioid receptors in this regulation,
      dopamine innervation of the NA was bilaterally lesioned with 6-hydroxydopamine (6
      OHDA). The lesions resulted in an 89-97% depletion of tissue dopamine levels in
      the nucleus accumbens compared with sham-lesioned rats. Dopamine depletion in the
      NA failed to significantly antagonize picrotoxin or DAMGO injected into the VP.
      However, the dopamine receptor antagonist, haloperidol (0.1 mg/kg, IP), blocked
      the picrotoxin-initiated increase in horizontal photocell counts in both sham-
      and 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. The opioid receptor antagonist, naloxone (1.0 mg/kg,
      SC), also blocked the picrotoxin-induced locomotion in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats but
      did not block locomotion in the sham-lesioned rats. At a higher dose (3.0 mg/kg,
      SC), naloxone blocked picrotoxin-induced locomotion in both sham- and 6-OHDA
      lesioned rats. These results indicate that although dopamine depletion in the NA
      does not affect the permissive role of dopamine transmission on locomotion
      elicited from the VP, it results in an increased sensitivity to enkephalinergic
      transmission.

PMID- 1410138
TI  - Differential effects of early stimulation and/or perinatal flumazenil treatment
      in young Roman low- and high-avoidance rats.
AB  - The effect of infantile handling-stimulation and/or perinatal flumazenil (3.7
      mg/kg/day) administration on exploratory and emotional-related behavior was
      investigated using Roman high- and low-avoidance (RHA/Verh and RLA/Verh) rats.
      Postnatal handling increased exploration in 30-day-old rats of both
      psychogenetically selected lines when they were exposed to a hexagonal tunnel
      maze including an illuminated central arena. Likewise, postnatal stimulation
      decreased emotional reactivity in both lines of rats, as expressed by increased
      entry into the central arena, decreased defecation and vocalization frequency,
      but these effects were more pronounced in the RLA/Verh line. There were
      interactions between perinatal flumazenil treatment and rat line, indicating that
      flumazenil enhanced entry into the maze central arena in handled-RLA/Verh rats,
      whereas a tendency toward the opposite effect was observed in drug-treated and
      handled-RHA/Verh animals. Thus, the present study emphasizes that the effects of
      environmental manipulations are partly dependent upon genetic factors, and that
      pharmacological effects also depend on both genetic and environmentally-induced
      predisposition.

PMID- 1410139
TI  - Regionally selective effects of intracerebral dopamine infusion on sensorimotor
      gating of the startle reflex in rats.
AB  - Systemic administration of dopamine (DA) agonists markedly disrupts sensorimotor
      gating in rats as measured by prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle
      response. A qualitatively similar, but quantitatively weaker disruption of PPI
      follows DA infusion into the nucleus accumbens (NAC). The present study was
      designed to determine whether forebrain DA terminal fields other than the NAC
      contribute to the DAergic modulation of PPI. PPI was impaired significantly after
      infusion of DA (0-40 micrograms) into the NAC or anteromedial striatum, but not
      after DA infusion into the orbital cortex or posterolateral striatum. DA infusion
      into the amygdala also disrupted PPI, but this disruption was accompanied by a
      dose-dependent decrease in startle amplitude. These results suggest that DA
      overactivity in the both NAC and anteromedial striatum contribute to the gating
      disruptive effects of systemically administered DA agonists, and that DA
      overactivity in mesocortical, mesoamygdaloid and "non-limbic" mesostriatal DA
      systems are not major substrates for a DAergic modulation of PPI.

PMID- 1410140
TI  - Age-related changes in serotonin 5HT2 receptors on human blood platelets.
AB  - Serotonin receptors of the 5HT2 type were labeled on platelet membranes using
      tritiated ketanserin. Blood was collected from the umbilical cord of newborns and
      venous samples were collected from 6-year-old children as well as junior-high and
      high school students (ages 13 through 18) to determine age-related changes in
      receptor binding. Among the ages sampled, the highest levels of 5HT2 receptor
      binding were found in 6-year-olds. A sharp decline in receptor binding occurred
      during adolescence, with levels reduced by half between ages 13 and 17. This
      pattern is similar to the one we have observed in brain 5HT2 receptors
      postmortem. There were no significant sex differences in 5HT2 receptors on
      platelets in newborn and young children. A trend towards higher binding in girls
      appears around the onset of menstruation in teenage girls (age 14 and up). These
      results demonstrate that platelet 5HT2 receptors can serve as a model for age
      dependent changes in 5HT2 receptors in the brain.

PMID- 1410141
TI  - Absence of withdrawal effects of ritanserin following chronic dosing in healthy
      volunteers.
AB  - The possible development of withdrawal symptoms following abrupt discontinuation
      of ritanserin after chronic administration of 10 mg daily for 8 weeks was
      investigated in a placebo controlled trial in 40 healthy subjects. The study
      consisted of two phases. In the first phase, under single blind conditions, all
      subjects received placebo for 2 weeks followed by a single daily dose of
      ritanserin (10 mg) for 8 weeks. In the second phase, under double blind
      conditions, subjects were randomised to receive either placebo or to continue on
      ritanserin (10 mg) for a further 4 weeks. Psychological assessments were
      performed at the start of and at intervals throughout the study. Levels of
      anxiety, concentration, quality of sleep and morning vigilance were measured
      throughout by daily visual analogue scales. No significant changes were detected
      in any of the measures in the group of subjects who received ritanserin compared
      to the group who received placebo during the second phase of the study.
      Ritanserin discontinuation following chronic dosing in healthy volunteers does
      not appear to be associated with withdrawal symptoms.

PMID- 1410142
TI  - Effect of m-chlorophenylpiperazine on plasma arginine-vasopressin concentrations
      in healthy subjects.
AB  - It has been demonstrated convincingly that ACTH and prolactin release are under
      the stimulatory control of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5HT). Recent animal
      studies suggest that stimulation of 5HT activity also induces the release of
      arginine-vasopressin (AVP). More specifically, m-chlorophenylpiperazine (MCPP), a
      5HT agonist widely used to examine 5HT receptor responsivity in human subjects,
      has been found to induce AVP release in rodents. This study examined whether MCPP
      increased plasma AVP levels in healthy human subjects. MCPP was administered
      orally to 17 healthy subjects in a placebo-controlled design in doses of 0.25 and
      0.5 mg/kg. AVP was measured twice hourly over a 210 min period after
      administration of capsules. MCPP did not significantly alter AVP levels as
      compared to placebo. However, female subjects had significantly lower plasma AVP
      levels than males. Since it has been suggested that MCPP-induced AVP release in
      animals is due to stimulation of 5HT1c receptors, the fact that MCPP did not
      induce the release of AVP in humans suggests that either MCPP is not a potent
      5HT1c agonist or that AVP is not released by stimulation of 5HT(1c) receptors in
      human subjects. The observation of gender differences in plasma AVP levels
      suggests that this factor should be taken into account in future studies of AVP
      secretion in plasma.

PMID- 1410143
TI  - Central versus peripheral effects of muscarinic antagonists: the limitations of
      quaternary ammonium derivatives.

PMID- 1410144
TI  - Tolerance to nicotine following chronic treatment by injections: a potential role
      for corticosterone.
AB  - C57BL/6 male mice were injected intraperitoneally with nicotine (2.0 mg/kg) or
      saline three times each day (0800 h, 1300 h and 1800 h) for a period of 12 days
      and then tested for nicotine tolerance using a series of behavioral and
      physiological tests. For each of these tests, animals that received chronic
      nicotine treatment were significantly less sensitive to nicotine challenge than
      were animals that received chronic saline treatment, as indicated by shifts to
      the right of dose-response curves. Animals were retested for nicotine sensitivity
      2 weeks following cessation of chronic nicotine injections. Tolerance to acute
      nicotine challenge persisted in nicotine-treated animals. Chronic nicotine
      treatment by injections did not alter the binding of L-[3H]-nicotine or alpha
      [125I]-bungarotoxin in any of eight brain regions. Plasma corticosterone (CCS)
      levels were determined in animals prior to the initiation of the injection series
      (day 0), and on days 4, 8 and 12 of chronic treatment, immediately before the
      first injection of the day. CCS levels in nicotine-treated animals were elevated
      as compared to saline-injected controls by day 12 of treatment. Nicotine-treated
      animals also had elevated CCS levels 2 weeks after the last chronic injection.
      Nicotine-treated animals were, however, tolerant to nicotine-induced CCS release.
      Since previous studies from our laboratory have demonstrated that plasma CCS
      levels are inversely correlated with sensitivity to nicotine, it is possible that
      the tolerance to nicotine measured following chronic treatment by injections is
      due, at least in part, to the elevation in plasma CCS levels.

PMID- 1410145
TI  - The acoustic startle response as a measure of behavioral dependence in rats.
AB  - A series of experiments was conducted to assess the sensitivity of the acoustic
      startle response to chronic morphine administration and naloxone-precipitated
      withdrawal. Rats were implanted with two subcutaneous pellets containing either
      75 mg each of morphine or containing only placebo. In experiment 1, withdrawal
      induced by 0.05-0.2 mg/kg naloxone dose-dependently decreased the magnitude of
      the startle response. Physical dependence was confirmed by a naloxone-induced
      acute weight loss seen in morphine-implanted rats, but naloxone had no effect on
      startle or body weight in non-dependent animals. In experiment 2, a modified
      procedure with fewer trials per session and fewer test days was employed.
      Naloxone (0.2 mg/kg) given 4-5 days after implantation induced large startle
      response decreases in morphine-dependent rats while having no effect in placebo
      implanted rats. Post-naloxone saline tests revealed no significant differences in
      startle between morphine and placebo groups. Startle scores were significantly
      higher in morphine-implanted rats than in placebo rats during a saline test given
      3 days following pellet implantation. In a separate group of animals, however,
      acute IP injections of morphine from 0.3-10 mg/kg had no significant effect on
      startle amplitude. The effect of repeated pairings of withdrawal with the startle
      environment was assessed in experiment 3. Morphine-dependent rats startled
      significantly less if naloxone injections were given before the startle session
      than if they were administered 4 h later. Conditioned withdrawal effects,
      expressed during a final test session when all rats received saline, were
      observed for the body-weight measure but not for the startle response.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1410146
TI  - Caffeine tolerance and choice in humans.
AB  - Thirty-two healthy subjects with histories of moderate caffeine consumption
      abstained from dietary caffeine throughout the study. Subjects were stratified
      into two groups based on several factors including caffeine preference, which was
      assessed using a caffeine versus placebo choice procedure. Subsequently, subjects
      received either caffeine (300 mg t.i.d.) or placebo (placebo t.i.d.) for 18
      consecutive days, and thereafter were exposed again to a caffeine versus placebo
      choice procedure. The study documented tolerance development to the subjective
      effects of caffeine: after chronic dosing, administration of caffeine produced
      significant subjective effects in the chronic placebo group but not in the
      chronic caffeine group. The study also provided indirect evidence for tolerance
      development: during chronic dosing, the chronic caffeine and placebo groups did
      not differ meaningfully on ratings of mood and subjective effect. When subjects
      were categorized into caffeine choosers or nonchoosers, caffeine choosers tended
      to report positive subjective effects of caffeine and negative subjective effects
      of placebo. Nonchoosers, in contrast, tended to report negative subjective
      effects of caffeine. Chronic caffeine did not alter the reinforcing effects of
      caffeine as assessed by caffeine versus placebo choice, possibly because the
      relatively short duration of caffeine abstinence in the placebo condition was not
      sufficient to result in maximal withdrawal effects after termination of the
      relatively high caffeine dose. This study provides the clearest evidence to date
      of complete tolerance development to a CNS effect of caffeine in humans.

PMID- 1410147
TI  - Acute tryptophan depletion blocks morphine analgesia in the cold-pressor test in
      humans.
AB  - The effects of depletion of the serotonin precursor, L-tryptophan, on the
      threshold and tolerance to cold pressor pain, and the analgesic effect of
      morphine (10 mg intramuscularly), were tested in a double blind trial on human
      volunteers. Effects on mood were also assessed using the Profile of Mood States
      and the Addiction Research Center Inventory (ARCI) Scales. To deplete tryptophan,
      subjects were fed a tryptophan-deficient amino acid mixture 4.5 h before morphine
      was administered. Controls received the mixture with tryptophan, which is
      equivalent to a nutritionally balanced protein. The tryptophan-deficient meal
      reduced plasma tryptophan more than 70% but had no effect on threshold or
      tolerance to cold pressor pain. After morphine, tolerance to cold pressor pain
      increased in controls. Tryptophan depletion abolished this analgesic effect. Pain
      threshold was not altered by morphine. In subjects with normal tryptophan, the
      analgesic effect of morphine was predicted by the level of plasma morphine-6
      glucuronide, but not by the level of morphine. Morphine increased scores on the
      LSD scale of the ARCI, but had no effect on other measures of mood. Tryptophan
      depletion also failed to alter mood in these subjects, who had unusually low
      depression scores before tryptophan depletion.

PMID- 1410148
TI  - Rebound insomnia in normals and patients with insomnia after abrupt and tapered
      discontinuation.
AB  - Rebound insomnia was studied in subjects, aged 25-50 years, with insomnia
      complaints and normal sleep, insomnia complaints and disturbed sleep, and normal
      sleep with no complaints (N = 21, n = 7 per group). Standard sleep recordings
      were collected on a baseline night and after abrupt discontinuation of 6 nights
      of 0.50 mg triazolam, tapered discontinuation (3 nights of 0.50 mg, 2 nights of
      0.25 mg, and 1 night of 0.125 mg triazolam) and 6 nights of placebo.
      Significantly disturbed sleep on the discontinuation night compared to the
      baseline night was found. The relative degree of rebound insomnia was greater in
      the abrupt condition than in either the tapered or placebo conditions. The
      tapered condition reduced sleep time by half that of the abrupt condition which
      was twice the reduction found in the placebo condition. An overall (regardless of
      group or condition) difference in baseline versus discontinuation sleep was
      found, suggesting that pill discontinuation itself leads to sleep disturbance.
      Subjects did not differ in rebound insomnia as a function of pre-existing sleep
      disturbance.

PMID- 1410149
TI  - Reinstatement of heroin self-administration habits: morphine prompts and
      naltrexone discourages renewed responding after extinction.
AB  - The effects of morphine, naltrexone, and nalorphine were studied in rats trained
      to lever-press for intravenous heroin and then tested under conditions of non
      reinforcement. Animals were reinforced for lever-pressing on a continuous
      reinforcement schedule (100 micrograms/kg per infusion) for 2-3 h each day
      following which reinforcement was terminated and animals were studied under
      extinction conditions for the remainder of the session. Each day following the
      termination of responding under extinction conditions, animals were given a
      single injection of saline, morphine, nalorphine, or naltrexone; lever-pressing
      under the extinction conditions was then observed for several hours. When animals
      adapted to this regimen, very low levels of responding were seen following saline
      injections; morphine (2 or 10 mg/kg) reinstated vigorous responding that lasted 1
      4 h. Naltrexone (2 mg/kg) suppressed responding below the levels seen after
      saline, and nalorphine (10 mg/kg) had the same effect as saline. These
      observations support the view that opioid-seeking behavior is primed by the
      proponent or opioid-like actions of opioids and not by the opponent or drug
      opposite effects associated with opioid withdrawal.

PMID- 1410151
TI  - Nicotine issues.
AB  - This issue has covered most of the important concerns of nicotine researchers.
      Inevitably, there are gaps, because the selection of papers could only cover
      those which had been submitted or were known to be in preparation and about to be
      submitted. Nevertheless, these articles should serve to stimulate further
      discussion of and investigation into all aspects of nicotine use.

PMID- 1410150
TI  - Serotonergic function during lithium augmentation of refractory depression.
AB  - Serotonergic mechanisms have been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression
      and in the neuropharmacology of antidepressant treatment. One measure of central
      serotonergic function is the prolactin (PRL) response to IV L-tryptophan (L-TRP).
      We used the L-TRP test to assess the role of serotonin in the mechanism of action
      of lithium augmentation in refractory major depression. Twenty-six patients with
      antidepressant-refractory major depression each received three L-TRP tests (after
      2 weeks of placebo, after 4 weeks of active primary antidepressant, and after 1
      week of lithium augmentation). Primary antidepressant treatment did not increase
      the PRL response, but lithium augmentation resulted in a statistically
      significant increase in PRL response as compared to both placebo pretreatment (P
      less than 0.04) and antidepressant treatment alone (P less than 0.025). This
      study supports a role for serotonergic mechanisms in the action of lithium
      augmentation.

PMID- 1410152
TI  - The role of nicotine in tobacco use.
AB  - The 1988 US Surgeon General's Report titled "Nicotine Addiction", is cited
      frequently in the literature as having established the "fact" that nicotine
      derived from cigarette smoke is addictive in the same sense as "classic"
      addicting drugs such as heroin and cocaine. This manuscripts critically evaluates
      key research findings used in support of this claim and identifies shortcomings
      in the data that seriously question the logic of labeling nicotine as
      "addictive". In addition, the manuscript argues that the role of nicotine in
      tobacco use is not like the role of cocaine in coca leaf use as argued by the
      1988 Surgeon General's Report, but is, in fact, more like the role of caffeine in
      coffee drinking as concluded in the 1964 US Surgeon General's Report.

PMID- 1410153
TI  - Nicotine addiction: a re-analysis of the arguments.
AB  - This paper evaluates the arguments put forward by Robinson and Pritchard (R&P,
      this volume) that the conclusions of the US Surgeon General (USDHHS 1988) that
      nicotine is addictive were ill founded. R&P state that nicotine does not cause
      intoxication, that many smokers do not exhibit compulsive use, that nicotine is
      not a euphoriant, that nicotine is a weak reinforcer in other species, that non
      pharmacological aspects of smoking are important and that negative affect control
      accounts for more of the variance in questionnaire measures of smoking motives
      than does habit. This paper points out that intoxication and a euphoriant effect
      are not normally considered to be central to dependence potential, that no
      addictive drug results in compulsive use in all users in all situations, that
      animals do reliably self-administer nicotine, that evidence concerning the
      apparent importance of non-pharmacological components of smoking do not diminish
      the importance of pharmacological aspects and that "variance accounted for" of
      self-report measures of smoking motivation do not bear on the issue of the
      importance of those motives. The paper concludes with a summary of the essence of
      the argument that cigarettes are addictive and that nicotine is the primary focus
      of that addiction.

PMID- 1410154
TI  - Psychomotor performance in smokers following single and repeated doses of
      nicotine gum.
AB  - The psychomotor effects of single and repeated doses of 2 mg nicotine gum were
      investigated in 13 regular smokers who had abstained from tobacco overnight. In
      comparison to baseline, a first dose of nicotine led to significantly raised
      critical flicker fusion thresholds, faster motor reaction times, improved
      compensatory tracking performance, and faster short-term memory reaction times.
      Performance after a second and third dose of nicotine remained significantly
      improved on all measures in comparison to baseline, and absolutely improved when
      comparing first and third nicotine doses on measures of sensorimotor performance.
      Throughout, comparisons with a placebo gum condition confirmed that these effects
      were genuine and not subject to the development of acute nicotine tolerance,
      suggesting that the enhancement of psychomotor performance experienced by smokers
      after a first cigarette may be maintained by repeated smoking.

PMID- 1410155
TI  - Enhancement of continuous performance task reaction time by smoking in non
      deprived smokers.
AB  - In a test of the withdrawal-deficit hypothesis of the cognitive effects of
      cigarette smoking, non-deprived smokers participated in two sessions held on
      consecutive days. In both sessions, subjects performed two 20-min continuous
      performance tasks (CPTs). The CPT was a relatively "easy" version designed to
      require minimal practice (digit 0 target response; digits 1-9 nontarget response;
      19% of stimuli targets). In one session, subjects smoked a cigarette prior to
      each CPT; in the other session they did not smoke (session order
      counterbalanced). Reaction time (RT) was significantly faster in the smoking
      session than in the non-smoking session with no difference in number of incorrect
      responses, a finding incompatible with the withdrawal-deficit hypothesis.
      Further, light inhalers (as assessed by pre-smoking to post-task increase in
      expired air carbon monoxide) appeared to process nontarget stimuli faster than
      deep inhalers, especially in the no smoking session. The results also indicated
      that, at least during the first CPT of each session, the performance of females
      in the no smoking session was poorer than in the smoking session and poorer than
      males regardless of session. In the latter part of the first CPT, the performance
      of males in the smoking session was better than their performance in the no
      smoking session. No clear pattern emerged for the second CPT.

PMID- 1410156
TI  - A comparison of the attentional and consolidation hypotheses for the facilitation
      of memory by nicotine.
AB  - Studies examining facilitation of human memory by the administration of nicotine
      have given equivocal results and it has been argued that the positive findings on
      memory may have resulted indirectly from an effect on attention, rather than from
      a direct effect on memory storage. This study compared the "attentional" and the
      "mnemonic" hypotheses directly, by using both immediate and delayed recall tasks
      in a verbal free recall study, in which volunteers smoked on a fixed regime
      during presentation of a 32 word list (namely, one puff after each of eight 4
      word blocks). The serial position curve for immediate recall demonstrated a
      significant improvement on the later blocks of the list (an attentional effect)
      when volunteers smoked a nicotine-containing cigarette. However, improved
      performance was found for items at the beginning of the list on the delayed
      recall measure and this improvement was significant on the first block of 4
      words. Since nicotine input had been taken after presentation of this
      information, the results demonstrate post-learning facilitation of memory by
      nicotine.

PMID- 1410158
TI  - Facilitation of memory by post-trial administration of nicotine: evidence for an
      attentional explanation.
AB  - In human studies, reported performance improvements with post-trial
      administration of nicotine have all involved associative learning (Mangan and
      Golding 1983; Colrain et al. 1992; Warburton et al. 1992). In this study, post
      trial nicotine, obtained through smoking a cigarette, improved free recall of
      lists of unrelated words under conditions which limited the opportunity for
      associative learning. However, the nicotine-induced advantage was not observed
      when volunteers were required to complete a secondary (attention) task during the
      post-trial period in which they smoked. The results suggest that post-trial
      effects depend on the opportunity for stimulus processing after input, and that
      nicotine improves performance by increasing the attentional resources available
      for such strategic processing.

PMID- 1410157
TI  - Effects of post-learning smoking on memory consolidation.
AB  - The effects of immediate post-learning smoking of low and medium nicotine
      delivery cigarettes were compared to those of smoking a denicotinised cigarette
      and a no-smoking control condition in a paired-associate learning task. Thirty
      nine male smokers were tested for retention of the memorised material at 1 week
      post-learning. All subjects received all conditions in a repeated measures
      design. The low nicotine condition was associated with significantly fewer errors
      on first trial of recall and fewer total errors to criterion. There were no
      differences in performance reported between the no-smoking and zero nicotine
      conditions. The medium nicotine condition produced results part way between the
      no-smoking and low nicotine conditions. Results are discussed in terms of the
      effects of nicotine on long-term consolidation mechanisms.

PMID- 1410159
TI  - Function of cigarette smoking in relation to examinations.
AB  - Eighty-two college students took part in a study on motives underlying increases
      in cigarette smoking prior to examinations. One group was tested a month before,
      and a second group was tested the day before, the start of examinations. Measures
      were taken of current cigarette consumption, general anxiety, anxiety about
      forthcoming exams, the importance of sedative and stimulant smoking motives,
      hours spent revising and in other activities and amounts smoked during these
      activities. The results indicated that the students increased the hours they
      spent revising and there was a corresponding increase in the number of cigarettes
      smoked during this activity. They also reported an increase in the importance of
      stimulant smoking motives. Anxiety levels increased in the run up to exams but
      there was no increase in sedative smoking motives. The results raise the issue of
      whether any anxiolytic action of nicotine may be limited to acute stressors and
      also whether smokers' use of cigarettes to help them stay alert during revision
      translates into improved examination performance.

PMID- 1410160
TI  - Euphoriant effects of nicotine in smokers.
AB  - Two studies were conducted to replicate and extend previous demonstrations of
      smoking-induced, dose-related reports of euphoria, and to confirm this
      relationship using measures of plasma nicotine. In experiment 1, overnight
      deprived subjects, in three different sessions, smoked ultralow-, high-nicotine,
      and usual-brand cigarettes. In experiment 2, ultralow-, medium-, and high
      nicotine cigarettes were used, and plasma nicotine was measured. In both studies,
      subjects were asked to depress a button during euphoric sensations. Number of
      sensations for the ultralow-nicotine cigarette was significantly lower than for
      the high-nicotine cigarette in the first study, and than for both the medium- and
      high-nicotine conditions in the second; a significant linear trend was observed
      for number of sensations as a function of plasma nicotine level in the second
      study. For the high-nicotine cigarette, 19 of 22 subjects experienced at least
      one sensation (mean around three), starting around 2.5 min after lighting up.
      Together, these studies support the existence of a dose-response relationship for
      nicotine-induced euphoric sensations; suggest that they are more pronounced
      following overnight abstinence than following minimal deprivation, and in more
      dependent smokers; and characterize in detail the temporal features of these
      sensations.

PMID- 1410161
TI  - Psychopharmacological effects of smoking a cigarette with typical "tar" and
      carbon monoxide yields but minimal nicotine.
AB  - Five male smokers were tested, after 48-h abstention from tobacco-product use,
      smoking a leading "lights" category cigarette (Control-FTC nicotine yield 0.6 mg)
      and another cigarette yielding similar amounts of "tar" and carbon monoxide (CO),
      but only 0.06 mg nicotine (Test). Heart rate (HR) and the electroencephalogram
      (EEG) were monitored before, during and after the smoking of each cigarette.
      Other measures obtained included the subjects' puffing and breathing behaviors
      during smoking, plasma nicotine concentrations, blood carboxyhemoglobin
      concentrations and expired-air CO. The results indicated no significant
      differences in the way the subjects puffed and inhaled the two cigarettes and
      they were therefore assumed to have inhaled similar amounts of particulate matter
      and gas-phase components. Plasma nicotine concentrations were significantly
      higher following smoking of the Control cigarette. HR (percent relative change)
      increased following smoking of either cigarette; however, HR increase was
      significantly greater following smoking of the Control cigarette. Smoking the
      Test cigarette had no effect on the EEG. Smoking the Control cigarette produced a
      significant increase in beta 2 magnitude and a significant decrease in delta
      magnitude. This indicates that the effects of smoking on the EEG are a function
      of nicotine absorbed from cigarette smoke upon inhalation and not a function of
      inhaled particulate matter, CO, or other gas-phase components.

PMID- 1410162
TI  - Smoking, nicotine dose and the lateralisation of electrocortical activity.
AB  - The effects of cigarette smoking on the balance of activity of the cerebral
      hemispheres were studied in two experiments. Experiment 1 examined the effects of
      smoking on lateralisation of EEG alpha and beta power in six male smokers, and
      revealed a dose-related biphasic action. Low doses of nicotine as measured by
      residual butt analysis increased left hemisphere activity in a dose related
      manner, while higher doses (greater than 1.1 mg) reversed this effect. Experiment
      2 examined the time course of the changes in EEG alpha, beta, theta and delta
      lateralisation in 11 male smokers. During the initial period of smoking there was
      a reduction in EEG alpha, reflecting cortical activation, followed by an
      increased in alpha power towards the end of the cigarette. These changes were
      accompanied in smokers taking moderate nicotine doses, by an initial shift
      towards left hemisphere activation, followed by a reduction in left hemisphere
      activation relative to the right. Initial changes in delta and theta power were
      negatively correlated with nicotine dose. Higher nicotine doses were associated
      with greater shifts towards right hemisphere activation, as indicated by beta and
      delta lateralisation, and also with greater decreases in subjective arousal.
      These results were interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that the stimulant
      action of lower doses of nicotine involves the activation of a left hemisphere
      "Go" system, while the sedative effect of higher doses involves increased
      activation of the right hemisphere "NoGo" system.

PMID- 1410163
TI  - Acute nicotinic blockade produces cognitive impairment in normal humans.
AB  - Single oral doses of the central and peripheral nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine
      were administered to healthy young normal males in doses of 5, 10, and 20 mg in a
      placebo-controlled, double-blind study. The 20 mg dose caused a significant
      increase in errors in the learning condition of the Repeated Acquisition task,
      producing a slower acquisition curve. The lower doses produced less errors, but
      more than in the placebo condition. There was no effect of drug on the
      performance component (retrieval of previously learned information). On the
      recognition memory task, dose-related increases in false-alarms during the delay
      period were seen, with little effect on misses or hits. Reaction time measures
      suggested a dose-related slowing of RT on several tasks. Behavioral effects were
      minimal and physiologic measures were consistent with dose-related ganglionic
      blockade. We interpret these results to indicate that acute blockade of nicotinic
      receptor function can produce measurable and significant cognitive impairment,
      even in non-smoking normals.

PMID- 1410164
TI  - Effects of acute subcutaneous nicotine on attention, information processing and
      short-term memory in Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - This single-blind, placebo controlled study reports on the effects of
      administering three acute doses of nicotine (0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 mg) subcutaneously
      to a group of Alzheimer's disease (DAT) patients (n = 22), young adult controls
      (n = 24), and normal aged controls (n = 24). The study extends our previous
      findings obtained using smaller groups of subjects. Drug effects were examined on
      three computerised tests: the first measuring rapid visual information
      processing, sustained visual attention and reaction time (RVIP task); a delayed
      response matching to location-order task measuring sustained visual attention and
      visual short-term memory (DRMLO task); and a finger tapping test measuring simple
      reaction time (FT task). The critical flicker fusion test (CFF) was used as a
      measure of perception and the WAIS digit span forwards (DS), of auditory short
      term memory. Tests were graded in difficulty, titrated to avoid floor and ceiling
      effects so that meaningful, direct comparisons between groups could be made.
      Nicotine significantly improved sustained visual attention (in both RVIP and
      DRMLO tasks), reaction time (in both FT and RVIP tasks), and perception (CFF task
      -both ascending and descending thresholds). Nicotine administration did not
      improve auditory and visual short-term memory. There were no consistent, overall
      patterns of difference in performance between smokers and non-smokers in the
      control groups, or between males and females in any group. Despite the absence of
      change in memory functioning, these results demonstrate that DAT patients have
      significant perceptual and visual attentional deficits which are improved by
      nicotine administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1410165
TI  - Experimental model of smoking re-exposure: effects on relapse.
AB  - This study used a short-term laboratory model of smoking cessation and relapse to
      prospectively examine the effects of programmed self-administered smoking re
      exposure during early abstinence. Sixty-seven subjects who had quit smoking for 3
      days were randomly assigned either to smoke five cigarettes in their natural
      environment or to remain abstinent during the exposure period. The main
      hypothesis, that relapse to regular smoking would be quicker and more prevalent
      in exposed subjects, was supported. All exposed subjects had relapsed by 2 days
      post-exposure while 16% of unexposed subjects remained continuously abstinent
      throughout the 8 day study. This behavioral effect was seen in spite of acute
      decreases in reported desire to smoke and increases in guilt measured just after
      exposure. The study supports a role for stimulus re-exposure effects in the
      relapse process and suggests that additional research on experimental re-exposure
      is warranted.

PMID- 1410166
TI  - Use of phenylpropanolamine to reduce nicotine cessation induced weight gain in
      rats.
AB  - The present study was conducted to determine if phenylpropanolamine (PPA)
      administered during the first week of nicotine termination could reduce or
      eliminate the body weight rebound which accompanies nicotine cessation. Sprague
      Dawley rats were administered nicotine for 2 weeks after which they received
      either PPA or saline for 1 week. Control animals received saline during both drug
      periods. Body weight, food consumption, and water consumption were measured daily
      before drug, during nicotine and PPA administration, and for 14 days after PPA
      administration. In contrast to animals receiving saline upon termination of
      nicotine, animals receiving PPA did not gain weight at an accelerated rate.
      Termination of PPA did not result in a body weight rebound. To the extent that
      these results generalize to humans, they suggest that PPA could be used to reduce
      or eliminate postcessation weight gain in smokers who stop smoking.

PMID- 1410168
TI  - Nasal nicotine spray: a rapid nicotine delivery system.
AB  - Plasma nicotine concentrations following administration by two types of nasal
      nicotine spray were compared in ten subjects. Absorption was particularly rapid
      during the first 2.5 min, the average rise in blood nicotine concentrations
      during this time being 8.6 ng/ml for the two products, followed by a small
      further rise to an average peak increase of 10.5 ng/ml 5 min after the dose of 2
      mg nicotine base (mean 27.8 micrograms/kg). Despite a four-fold Cmax variation
      between subjects, the levels of individual subjects were fairly consistent across
      the two products. There were no significant differences between the two products
      in blood nicotine concentrations or cardiovascular responses, and the correlation
      between the AUCs from the two products was 0.68 (P = 0.01). Eight subjects
      reported subjective feelings of light-headedness or slight dizziness, which are
      not typical after slower absorption from nicotine gum or skin patches. Blood
      nicotine levels within the smoking range were soon built up with repeated doses,
      even in the subject with the least efficient nasal absorption. In a second study
      of ad libitum use under clinical conditions both products appeared sufficiently
      acceptable for therapeutic use as an aid to smoking cessation. There was no
      tendency to escalate to excessive use over 4 weeks, and blood nicotine
      concentrations in nine subjects averaged only 44% of their prior smoking levels.
      Only one subject had levels equivalent to prior smoking and possible reasons why
      this was not more common are discussed.

PMID- 1410167
TI  - Nicotine intake and dependence in Swedish snuff takers.
AB  - Two studies examining nicotine intake in users of Swedish moist oral snuff are
      reported. Absorption form a single pinch (2 g) in ten users after overnight
      abstinence was fairly rapid. The increment in plasma nicotine concentrations
      averaged 9.9 ng/ml (SD 6.5) after 10 min and peaked at 14.5 ng/ml (SD 4.6)
      shortly after discarding at 30 min. Among groups of habitual snuff takers (n =
      27) and cigarette smokers (n = 35) studied on a day of normal snuffing/smoking,
      peak blood nicotine levels after use were similar [averaging 36.6 ng/ml (SD 14.4)
      and 36.7 ng/ml (SD 16.1), respectively], but there was a tendency to higher
      cotinine levels in the snuffers (399.2 ng/ml versus 306.3 ng/ml). The snuff
      takers and cigarette smokers reported similar levels of subjective dependence on
      tobacco. Epidemiological study of Swedish snuff users could clarify whether the
      cardiovascular risks of tobacco are attributable to nicotine or to other smoke
      components, as in their case nicotine intake is not accompanied by combustion
      products.

PMID- 1410169
TI  - Controlled dosing of nicotine via an Intranasal Nicotine Aerosol Delivery Device
      (INADD).
AB  - The present report describes an Intranasal Nicotine Aerosol Delivery Device
      (INADD) employing an artist's airbrush as aerosolizer and precise,
      electromechanical control of spray duration. It was designed for the
      administration of controlled doses of nicotine in a laboratory setting and has
      been used successfully in over 30 smokers and nonsmokers of both genders. In the
      present study, nicotine was administered to 12 male smokers at three different
      doses (0.05 mg, 1.00 mg, and 2.00 mg), and at the same dose (1 mg) on three
      different occasions. The low dose produced a minimal change in plasma nicotine,
      while the high dose produced a peak increment of around 16 ng/ml. The medium dose
      reliably produced a peak increment of around 8-9 ng/ml on all three occasions.
      Nicotine in plasma showed a sharp rise followed by a slower decline, mimicking
      the pattern associated with cigarette smoking. Physiological and biochemical
      responses showed significant dose-response relationships. Subjective reports
      suggested that aerosol dosing was somewhat aversive, but it is unclear whether
      this effect is intrinsic to the method or due to other factors. The device
      described in this report answers the need for a safe and easy means of
      controlling nicotine dose. Moreover, since nicotine administration via aerosol is
      novel for both smokers and non-smokers, minimizing the contributions of
      behavioral tolerance and habituation to the dosing vehicle, it lends itself to
      the comparison of the pharmacological effects of nicotine between experienced and
      naive subjects.

PMID- 1410170
TI  - Is it important that the mind is in a body? Inhibition and the heart.
AB  - The hypothesis is advanced that certain inhibitory processes necessarily involve
      autonomic adjustments. Such adjustments would represent a constraint on
      information processing imposed by the location of the mind in a body. Evidence is
      reviewed showing that motoric inhibition is related to a transient delay in
      heartbeat generation. The delay is shown to further depend upon when inhibition
      occurs in the cardiac cycle. It is argued that this form of interaction between
      central and autonomic nervous system processing may be common. Central nervous
      system processes that may control inhibition and integrate information processing
      with motoric and autonomic processes are discussed.

PMID- 1410171
TI  - Myocardial and peripheral vascular responses to behavioral challenges and their
      stability in black and white Americans.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to assess the short term stability of myocardial
      and peripheral vascular responses to behavioral challenges, and to compare the
      response patterns of Black and White men. Blood pressure and heart rate, as well
      as stroke volume, cardiac output, total peripheral resistance, and systolic time
      interval measures derived from the impedance cardiogram were obtained in 12 Black
      and 12 White men. These measures were taken prior to and during an evaluative
      speech stressor, a mirror star tracing task, and a forehead cold pressor test
      presented during two laboratory sessions scheduled two weeks apart. In general,
      total peripheral resistance and impedance-derived baseline measures showed
      acceptable reproducibility (G greater than .85). With a few exceptions, adequate
      reliability was also demonstrated for change (delta) scores. All tasks raised
      blood pressure responses above resting levels. Blacks demonstrated significantly
      greater increases in total peripheral resistance responses across tasks. Whites
      but not Blacks also revealed increases above baseline in cardiac output and
      contractility as estimated by the Heather Index. These findings are consistent
      with the view that Blacks show greater vascular responsiveness than Whites across
      a variety of tasks, but reveal less myocardial responsiveness.

PMID- 1410172
TI  - Mismatch detection and the latency of temporal judgements.
AB  - Event-related potentials were recorded in two auditory tasks involving the
      discrimination of pitch or duration of binaurally presented tones. Frequently
      presented nontarget tones, when compared to the same tones in a simple reaction
      time task, elicited two negative peaks, NA1 and NA2, followed by a positive peak,
      nontarget positivity. Infrequently-presented target tones, when compared to the
      nontargets, elicited mismatch negativity (MMN), followed by N2 and P3b. The peak
      latencies of NA1 and NA2 did not differ between the pitch and duration tasks, but
      the duration of NA1 and the peak latencies of mismatch negativity, N2, and P3b,
      as well as reaction time, increased in parallel for the duration task. It is
      proposed that the NA1-nontarget positivity sequence reflects the initiation,
      maintenance, and termination of an attention-modulated process, which is required
      for the performance of an auditory discrimination task, and that the MMN-N2-P3b
      sequence reflects a process elicited by infrequently-presented targets, which is
      the main determinant of reaction time under these testing conditions.

PMID- 1410173
TI  - The chronometry of attention-modulated processing and automatic mismatch
      detection.
AB  - Event-related potentials were recorded from normal subjects in an auditory
      selective attention task. Targets were rare longer (170-ms) tones of a designated
      pitch, embedded in a sequence of 100-ms standard tones. The effects of attention
      modulated processing were evident in the event-related potentials elicited by the
      standards. Those to relevant standards were similar for easy (1000 Hz vs. 2000
      Hz) and hard (1000 Hz vs. 1030 Hz) pitch separations, and were more negative
      frontocentrally than those to irrelevant standards. Difference waveforms
      (attended minus unattended standards) revealed Nd, a negative deflection that was
      earlier in latency for the easy task (onset, 120 ms; peak, 250 ms) than for the
      hard task (onset, 250 ms; peak, 350 ms). The speed of detection of the deviant
      longer tones was insensitive to the attention-modulated processes indexed by Nd.
      Median reaction time did not differ between tasks, although there were more
      misses and false alarms in the hard task (and nearly all of the latter were to
      the irrelevant longer tones). Neither direction of attention nor task difficulty
      affected the latency of mismatch negativity, N2, or P3 (as identified in
      difference waveforms: attended or unattended longer tones minus their respective
      standards). The data suggest that performance was guided by two independent but
      converging processes, automatic mismatch detection of the longer tone and
      attention-modulated processing of pitch, followed by selection of response.

PMID- 1410174
TI  - Blushing as a function of audience size.
AB  - Almost no experimental analysis of blushing has been done since Darwin's
      observations in 1872. Forty-eight college women watched a videotape intended to
      elicit blushing, and a videotape not intended to elicit blushing, but elicit
      physiological responses. A subject was alone, or with one or four persons
      present. Blushing, which was measured directly with a photoplethysmograph probe
      on the cheek, was greater during the blushing than nonblushing stimulation.
      Blushing increased as audience size increased from one to four, but not from zero
      to one. Audience size and kind of stimulation interacted statistically. Similar
      results were obtained with ear coloration, cheek temperature, and skin
      conductance responses, although confidence levels were lower. Cheek coloration
      and temperature were significantly correlated during nonblushing stimulation, and
      the zero and one audience conditions, but not during the four audience condition,
      when blushing was greatest. These results may be placed within the context of
      emotional effects of audience size generally, including stuttering and speech
      disturbance, disruption of learning, and self-reported tension.

PMID- 1410175
TI  - Prestimulation-induced startle modulation in attention-deficit hyperactivity
      disorder and nocturnal enuresis.
AB  - Startle modulation was induced by prestimulation in 43, 6-11 year old boys with
      attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 13 of whom were or had been
      enuretic, 17 age-matched enuretic boys, and 42 age-matched normal boys, using 60
      ms and 120-ms prestimulation intervals and a 4000-ms continuous tone. There was a
      significant multivariate effect of enuresis on startle amplitude modulation. This
      effect was attributed primarily to the reduction of amplitude inhibition
      following the 120-ms prestimulation interval regardless of whether or not
      enuresis was associated with ADHD. There was no effect of ADHD on startle
      modulation by prestimulation. The inhibition following the 120-ms prestimulation
      interval in the enuretic boys was reduced to the level of 5-year-old normal
      children, suggesting a maturational component of the deficient startle
      inhibition. The neurophysiologic dysfunction underlying the deficient startle
      inhibition in enuresis, but not ADHD, is discussed in terms of a possible
      dysfunction of mesopontine reticular mechanisms mediating preattentive processing
      of signals associated with spinal reflexes involved in urinary bladder control.

PMID- 1410176
TI  - Symptom-specific psychophysiological responses in chronic pain patients.
AB  - Symptom-specific psychophysiological responding was assessed in 20 chronic back
      pain patients, 20 patients suffering from temporomandibular pain and dysfunction,
      and 20 matched healthy controls. Surface EMG from the lower and upper back, the
      masseter, and the biceps muscles, and heart rate and skin conductance level were
      continuously recorded during adaptation, resting baseline, and stressful and
      neutral imagery phases. Univariate and multivariate analyses of variance were
      performed on raw data as well as data corrected for autocorrelation. The results
      showed significantly higher EMG reactivity which was lateralized to the left side
      at the patients' site of pain but not distal sites. This hyperreactivity was
      observed only during stressful imagery. The healthy controls displayed a
      significantly higher response in heart rate, but skin conductance level was not
      significantly different. The results are interpreted as indicative of
      idiosyncratic muscular response patterns to personally relevant situations at the
      site of pain in patients suffering from chronic muscular pain.

PMID- 1410177
TI  - Respiratory sinus arrhythmia and cardiovascular responses to stress.
AB  - The parasympathetic nervous system provides mechanisms that could attenuate
      sympathetically mediated heart rate stress responses and might have even more
      general antagonistic actions on stress reactivity. Individuals characterized by
      higher levels of parasympathetic tone might, through such mechanisms, be less
      reactive when stimuli elicit sympathetically mediated responses. Respiratory
      sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is considered to be a noninvasive index of cardiac
      parasympathetic (vagal) tone. The present study investigated whether individual
      differences in RSA level at rest could predict variations among individuals in
      the magnitude of cardiovascular responses to psychological stress. None of the
      measures of resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia, derived from spectral analysis
      of beat-to-beat changes in resting heart rate, predicted the observed variations
      in cardiovascular task reactivity. However, scores reflecting respiratory sinus
      arrhythmia as the percentage of total heart rate variability (RSAnorm) were
      negatively correlated with blood pressure levels, both at rest and during the
      task. Furthermore, subjects with higher scores for RSAnorm demonstrated a faster
      adaptation of heart rate responses during stress, which suggests the development
      of parasympathetic antagonism to ongoing sympathetic arousal. Although a simple
      relationship between respiratory sinus arrhythmia and reactivity was not
      observed, these results encourage further investigation of RSA measures as
      psychophysiological indices of individual differences in parasympathetic (vagal)
      cardiac tone, or perhaps of general parasympathetic/sympathetic balance, which
      could modulate the expression of potentially pathogenic stress responses.

PMID- 1410178
TI  - Event-related potentials and the identification of deviant visual stimuli.
AB  - The effects of deviant visual stimuli on event-related potentials were
      investigated in a counting task (Experiment 1) and in a reaction time task
      (Experiment 2). In Experiment 2 the interstimulus interval was either short or
      long (340 vs. 1020 ms). The stimuli (two angles within a frame) were frequent
      (Standard) or deviant (differing from the Standard either in the orientation of
      the two angles, or in the thickness of the frame, or in both of these features).
      In various conditions the target stimuli were defined by one of the deviant
      features or by the conjunction of these features. Subjects were more accurate in
      the counting task, and the reaction time was shortest when the target feature was
      the deviant angle orientation. Performance was lowest for the conjunction of the
      deviant features. The deviant angle orientation elicited a posterior negative
      wave in the 140-180 ms range. As the interstimulus interval increased, the
      magnitude of this component decreased. All stimuli with relevant (attended)
      deviant features elicited another posterior negative wave in the 180-260 ms
      range, as well as an anterior positivity with similar latency. When the
      interstimulus interval was short, and the only target was the Conjunction
      Deviant, the summed occipital activity to the relevant features of deviant
      nontarget stimuli was larger than the negativity to the Conjunction Deviant.
      Target stimuli elicited late positive waves, which were sometimes preceded by
      central negativity.

PMID- 1410179
TI  - Recent developments in the study of cardiovascular reactivity: contributions from
      psychometric theory and social psychology.
AB  - Two related ongoing research programs are described. The first examines optimal
      measurement strategies for assessing individual differences in cardiovascular
      reactivity, and the second investigates the effects of the social environment as
      a moderator of cardiovascular responding during psychological challenge. Models
      and evidence from related behavioral sciences (Psychometric Theory and Social
      Psychology, respectively) have provided useful guidance for this work. Relevant
      background and current data examining the measurement and determinants of
      cardiovascular reactivity are reviewed, with a focus on these multidisciplinary
      contributions. The implications of the work for the construct of reactivity and
      its possible role as a marker of disease risk are discussed.

PMID- 1410180
TI  - The identification of concealed memories using the event-related potential and
      implicit behavioral measures: a methodology for prediction in the face of
      individual differences.
AB  - The development and validation of an event-related potential (ERP) memory
      assessment procedure is detailed. The procedure identifies learned material with
      high rates of accuracy, whether or not subjects give intentional responses
      indicating they had previously learned it. Because the traditional analysis of
      variance approach fails to provide probabilistic conclusions about any given
      individual, Bayesian posterior probabilities were computed, indicating the
      probability for each and every person that material was learned. The method was
      developed on a sample of 20 subjects, and then cross-validated on two additional
      samples of 20 subjects each. Across the three samples, the method correctly
      defined over 94% of learned material as learned, and misclassified 4% of the
      unlearned material. Additionally, in a simple oddball task performed by the same
      subjects, the method classified rare and frequent material with perfect accuracy.
      Finally, combining two implicit behavioral measures--mean reaction time and the
      number of incorrect responses--in Bayesian fashion yielded classification
      accuracy that actually exceeded that of the ERP-based procedure overall, but the
      two methods provided identical accuracy in classifying the most critical material
      as recognized.

PMID- 1410181
TI  - Event-related potentials and autonomic responses to a change in unattended
      auditory stimuli.
AB  - Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) and autonomic nervous system (ANS)
      responses to occasional pitch and rise-time changes in a task-irrelevant auditory
      stimulus repeating at short intervals were measured while the subject performed a
      difficult intellectual task (Raven Matrices). It was found that deviant stimuli
      elicited the mismatch negativity (MMN) component of the ERP even when they
      elicited no ANS response. There was no significant difference in the mismatch
      negativity between trials in which the skin conductance response was or was not
      elicited. The pitch deviant tone also elicited heart rate deceleration, whereas
      the rise-time deviant tone tended to elicit a later heart rate acceleration.
      Neither heart rate change correlated with the mismatch negativity. The pattern of
      results obtained suggests that the mismatch negativity is generated by an
      automatic discrimination process associated with the cerebral events initiating
      the orienting response to stimulus change, but does not necessarily lead to the
      orienting response elicitation. Longer-latency ERP components tended to show
      slight covariation with ANS responses. The P3 was larger when a skin conductance
      response was elicited than when it was not elicited. Further, heart rate change
      trials tended to be accompanied by larger slow waves than trials with no heart
      rate response. Heart rate acceleration trials were accompanied by a larger slow
      parietal positivity and a smaller frontal negativity than were heart rate
      deceleration trials.

PMID- 1410182
TI  - The temporal locations of heartbeat sensations.
AB  - This experiment examined individual differences in the temporal location of
      heartbeat sensations and the reliability of their detection. Following practice
      on a familiarization task in judging light-tone simultaneity, 50 subjects were
      studied for two sessions on a heartbeat detection task, which required judging
      the simultaneity of heartbeat sensations and tones presented at six intervals
      following the onset of ventricular contraction. Subjects inspected the heartbeat
      tone intervals as frequently and for as long as desired before choosing the one
      in which heartbeat sensations and tones were most simultaneous. The temporal
      locations of heartbeat sensations in subjects classified as "good heartbeat
      perceivers" (n = 16) ranged from 131 and 363 ms following ventricular contraction
      (mean = 228 ms). Correlations between the familiarization and heartbeat detection
      tasks in the accuracy of simultaneity judgments and in the frequency and duration
      of interval inspections suggest that general perceptual abilities and strategies
      may underlie success in detecting heartbeat sensations.

PMID- 1410183
TI  - Mismatch negativity in event-related potentials to auditory stimuli as a function
      of varying interstimulus interval.
AB  - The mismatch negativity, isolated as a component of the event-related brain
      potential elicited by deviant auditory stimuli, was suggested by Naatanen (1984)
      as an indirect measure of the inferred neuronal representation of standard
      stimuli. The purpose of the present study was to determine the duration of the
      neuronal representation by varying the interstimulus intervals of 1, 6, and 10
      seconds within experimental blocks. Mismatch negativities were found to be
      elicited by deviant stimuli (1500-Hz tones, sequential probability 10%) following
      standard stimuli (1000-Hz tones) with interstimulus intervals of 1, 6, and 10 s
      as well. The results suggest a duration of neuronal representation of at least 10
      s. The within-block variation of interstimulus interval, the rather low temporal
      probability of deviants, and their large frequency deviance might explain the
      present results contradicting earlier findings that suggested a shorter duration
      of that neuronal representation.

PMID- 1410184
TI  - Ambulatory monitoring of respiration: inhibitory breathing in the natural
      environment.
AB  - Because previous work found that sustained inhibitory breathing (i.e., low
      frequency breathing without increased tidal volume) can occur in laboratory
      animals under conditions of behavioral stress, this study sought to determine
      whether a comparable respiratory pattern could be observed in ambulatory human
      subjects in their natural environments. Tidal volume, breathing frequency, and
      minute ventilation were monitored continuously during 24-hour sessions via
      inductive plethysmography and a portable microprocessor. Mean tidal volume and
      minute ventilation were significantly higher during the daytime than at night for
      all subjects. However, mean breathing frequency was not consistently higher
      during the daytime, because episodes of low frequency breathing offset episodes
      of high breathing frequency. Tidal volume during low frequency breathing was
      comparable to that observed during medium or high frequency breathing. Thus, low
      frequency breathing was indicative of low minute ventilation. The eliciting
      stimuli, physiological concomitants, and relevance to health of this
      energetically inefficient breathing pattern remain to be determined.

PMID- 1410185
TI  - Family history of hypertension and cardiovascular changes during high and low
      affect provocation.
AB  - The present study investigated whether subjects with a positive family history of
      hypertension would display differential responses in blood pressure and heart
      rate across different laboratory tasks. We also wanted to know whether subjects
      would display stable within-subject responses across different laboratory tasks.
      Twenty-three family history positive subjects and 23 with a negative family
      history participated in three tasks: 1) mental arithmetic, 2) a conversation
      about the weather (low affect task), and 3) a conversation about a recent
      upsetting, interpersonal event (high affect task). Positive family history was
      associated with elevated diastolic resting blood pressure and greater diastolic
      responsivity overall. For both groups, arithmetic was associated with the
      greatest heart rate changes, whereas the distressing conversation was accompanied
      by the greatest diastolic blood pressure response. Stability of cardiovascular
      activation across different tasks was present only for heart rate; it was weak
      for diastolic blood pressure, and completely absent for systolic blood pressure.

PMID- 1410186
TI  - The 24-hour sleep propensity function: experimental bases for somnotypology.
AB  - The present study investigated the temporal structure of sleep propensity during
      48 hours using an ultrashort 7-min sleep/13-min wake cycle. Eight subjects were
      tested under two experimental conditions of either attempting sleep, or resisting
      sleep after a monitored night in the laboratory. Electrophysiological recordings
      were carried out during the 7-min trials. The temporal structure and the overall
      level of sleepiness of the 48-hour sleep propensity functions calculated from the
      amount of total sleep in each trial revealed a high within-subjects stability.
      This was found both across the two days of the study within conditions, and
      across conditions. Also, diurnal levels of sleepiness were systematically related
      to nocturnal sleep parameters. Subjects having short nocturnal sleep latencies
      and higher sleep efficiencies slept more during the day. It is proposed that the
      structure and level of the sleep propensity function can be used to characterize
      individuals along two dimensions of somnotypology: "morningness-eveningness" and
      "sleepy-alert."

PMID- 1410187
TI  - Psychometric properties of resting anterior EEG asymmetry: temporal stability and
      internal consistency.
AB  - We examined whether resting anterior electroencephalographic (EEG) asymmetry in
      the alpha frequency band has psychometric properties that would be expected of a
      measure assessing individual differences. In each of two experimental sessions,
      separated by three weeks, resting EEG in midfrontal and anterior temporal sites
      was recorded from 85 female adults during eight 60-s baselines. Resting alpha
      asymmetry demonstrated acceptable test-retest stability and excellent internal
      consistency reliability. Analyses including other frequency bands indicated that
      degree of stability varied somewhat as a function of band and region. In
      addition, asymmetry was less stable than absolute power. Discussion focuses on
      the implications of the present findings for the measurement and
      conceptualization of resting anterior asymmetry.

PMID- 1410188
TI  - A developmental event-related potential study of picture matching in children,
      adolescents, and young adults: a replication and extension.
AB  - Event-related potentials were recorded in a developmental study of picture
      matching using an adaptation of Posner's (1978) letter-matching tasks. Subjects
      ranging in age from 6-39 were asked to decide whether two line drawings,
      presented sequentially, were the same or different on the basis of physical
      (physical identity), nominal (name identity), or categorical (category identity)
      criteria. The amplitude of a negativity at 400 ms (Neg400) increased as the
      number of dimensions on which the two line drawings differed increased. This
      effect held for all age groups, and was interpreted as reflecting the degree of
      semantic and/or physical relationship between the two pictures. However, one
      finding for Neg400 did suggest a qualitative difference in processing mode
      between the younger and older subjects. Both Neg400 and P3b latencies showed
      highly significant linear age trends, decreasing with increasing age. These age
      related changes were interpreted as demonstrating quantitative speed of
      processing differences among age groups. The latencies of both Neg400 and P3b
      increased as the matching criteria became more complex. Moreover, P3b latency
      increased as the number of dimensions on which the two pictures differed
      increased, and this did not interact with age. Although both Neg400 and P3b
      showed age-related changes in scalp distribution, the fact that each was related
      to the experimental variables in similar fashion in all age groups suggested that
      they were homologous components across the age range studied. Taken as a whole,
      the data support continuity of information processing during these tasks across a
      wide age range.

PMID- 1410189
TI  - Posttraumatic stress symptoms in victims of childhood incest.
AB  - The relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the experience
      of severe childhood incest was investigated in a comparison of 97 adult female
      victims of incest and 65 matched controls. It appeared that 62% of the incest
      victims and none of the controls met the DSM-III-R criteria for PTSD. The best
      predictor for the development of PTSD appeared to be the subjective reaction at
      the time of the event, consisting of anxiety, freezing and dissociation. The
      incest victims also displayed other psychiatric symptoms, such as self-mutilation
      and conversions. Although the relation incest-PTSD is quite obvious, the
      diagnosis may easily be missed because the symptoms may be masked by other
      psychiatric phenomena.

PMID- 1410190
TI  - Father kills mother: post-traumatic stress disorder in the children.
AB  - Results of a study of over 100 children whose father killed their mother have
      been summarized and principles for practice have been formulated. All children
      orphaned by the death of one parent at the other's hands should be seen as soon
      as possible in a child psychiatry department and assessed. An immediate crisis
      intervention will probably be needed if they witnessed the killing to prevent
      PTSD. Bereavement counselling will be helpful in most cases. The caretakers will
      need support and help with their own mourning. Placement, access and custody,
      compensation, seeing the body, attending the funeral and dealing with family
      conflict will all need consideration. Long-term follow-up and further research
      are recommended.

PMID- 1410191
TI  - Fluvoxamine treatment for chronic PTSD: a pilot study.
AB  - A group of 24 Dutch World War II Resistance veterans with a documented traumatic
      war history and a (partially) positive diagnosis of current posttraumatic stress
      disorder (PTSD) was studied. This special group of war victims is characterised
      by chronicity, suffering from intractable posttraumatic complaints for decades.
      They were treated with fluvoxamine (Fevarin), a selective serotonin reuptake
      inhibitor with antidepressive and anxiolytic properties. The study was designed
      as an open-ended, outpatient pilot study, with a treatment period of 12 weeks.
      Results of clinical examination, and questionnaires investigating PTSD,
      depression, sleeping problems, anxiety, and vital exhaustion indicate that a
      significant number of the subjects improved with respect to their PTSD
      symptomatology, and their symptoms of anxiety and vital exhaustion. However, at
      the end of the study, quantitative improvement was modest. The results indicate
      that treatment with fluvoxamine may offer alleviation of chronic PTSD symptoms,
      in particular insomnia, nightmares, anxiety, intrusive recollections, guilt
      feelings and tiredness.

PMID- 1410192
TI  - Current posttraumatic stress disorder and cardiovascular disease risk factors in
      Dutch Resistance veterans from World War II.
AB  - The extraordinary trauma experienced by Resistance veterans from World War II (WW
      II) and other veterans may be associated with an increased incidence of
      posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and somatic morbidity, including
      cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study explored some relationships between
      current PTSD and CVD risk factors in 147 male Dutch WW II Resistance veterans.
      They were compared to 65 same-aged male patients with a recent myocardial
      infarction and 79 surgical patients. Of these subjects, WW II Resistance veterans
      scored highest on CVD risk factors (i.e., angina pectoris, type A behavior, life
      stressors, and vital exhaustion), except smoking. Fifty-six percent of these
      veterans were currently suffering from PTSD. They reported CVD risk factors, in
      particular type A behavior and vital exhaustion, more often than veterans without
      PTSD; they also reported more premorbid adverse living conditions. These data
      suggest that early sensitization to environmental stressors may be associated
      with a high prevalence of current PTSD and excess CVD risk factors in subjects
      exposed to extraordinary war-time trauma and that this may lead to vital
      exhaustion.

PMID- 1410193
TI  - Anxiety, depression and anger in Dutch Resistance veterans from World War II.
AB  - In this study, 147 Dutch Resistance veterans from WW II are evaluated on
      psychometric instruments for anxiety, depression and anger. Resistance veterans
      appeared to be more anxious, depressive and angry on these instruments compared
      to controls from the validation studies of the respective instruments. Veterans
      currently suffering from PTSD (56%) were significantly more anxious, depressed,
      and angry than veterans without PTSD. With respect to staying in Nazi
      concentration camps, which is an extremely severe stressor, and in which half of
      the veterans were imprisoned, no difference on the three instruments was found.
      Anxiety, depression and anger were observed to be highly interrelated in PTSD.
      The close interrelationship between anxiety and depression, anxiety and danger,
      and depression and anger mediated by way of anxiety is, however, not unique for
      traumatized subjects. It is argued that for Resistance veterans only the
      intrusive reminiscences of the stressful events discriminate this constellation
      of symptoms from subjects with an anxious-depressive symptomatology.

PMID- 1410194
TI  - Somatic reenactment in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder.
AB  - Somatic reenactments, like other intrusive symptoms in post-traumatic stress
      disorder, such as flashbacks and nightmares, reproduce the mental content of
      traumatic events. Four cases are presented from survivors of military trauma and
      civilian catastrophes. The patients were part of larger research projects carried
      out by the University of Cincinnati Traumatic Stress Study Center. Understanding
      such symptoms as repetitions of the trauma itself proved useful therapeutically,
      especially in consolidating the working alliance.

PMID- 1410195
TI  - Swedish UN soldiers in Cyprus, UNFICYP: their psychological and social situation.
AB  - Two Swedish rifle batallions serving as UN soldiers in Cyprus (UNFICYP) have been
      investigated with respect to their demographic background and motives for
      application for UN service. The comparison of symptoms of stress in general, of
      posttraumatic stress disorder specifically, and some other variables of reaction
      with various studies of Swedish UN soldiers in different settings has given the
      following results. Very few interviewees experienced 'personal nervous breakdown'
      (0.5%). The soldiers reported in general very few psychological or psychosomatic
      complaints in the short time perspective. There seemed, however, to be two groups
      of persons at risk, namely those who were repatriated and those with a high
      consumption of alcohol.

PMID- 1410197
TI  - Post-traumatic stress disorder in child survivors of shipping disasters: the
      sinking of the 'Jupiter'.
AB  - 334 of over 400 children who survived the sinking of the cruise ship, Jupiter, in
      Athens harbour in October 1988 completed a battery of questionnaires 5-9 months
      later. Compared with age- and sex-matched controls, they show significantly
      higher scores on depression and anxiety. They also report more fears,
      particularly of stimuli related to the trauma. Overall, their scores on the
      Impact of Events Scale are as high as those reported by adults in other
      disasters. Follow-up studies a year after the accident reveal that nearly half
      the children meet the DSM-III-R criteria for PTSD. The usefulness of this
      screening battery is discussed. Some evidence for the effects of early
      intervention in schools is presented.

PMID- 1410196
TI  - Stereotypies in sows during chronic stress.
AB  - In pig husbandry sows are fixed in such a way that they undergo a chronic loss of
      control over their environment. In these conditions sows develop stereotypies
      that are associated with a specific activation of brain endorphins. Stereotyping
      itself reduces some neuroendocrine stress symptoms. During stress at least two
      coping styles can be distinguished in many mammals and birds. These types are
      found again in the stressed sows which either maintain a high or a low level of
      stereotypies. The low stereotyping sows show the strongest signs of uneasiness.

PMID- 1410198
TI  - Fellowship training objectives and readings in consultation-liaison
      transplantation psychiatry.

PMID- 1410199
TI  - The role of psychological factors in gastrointestinal conditions. A review
      pertinent to DSM-IV.
AB  - The authors reviewed the literature to assess the relationship between
      psychological factors and gastrointestinal conditions. The conditions that were
      found to be more relevant and worthy of future investigation were nonulcerative
      dyspepsia, inflammatory bowel disease (regional enteritis), and irritable bowel
      syndrome. The pertinent findings suggest that an important link exists between
      psychological factors and gastroenterological disorders, which supports the need
      for modification of the DSM-III-R's diagnostic category, "Psychological Factors
      Affecting Physical Condition." In concert with a subcommittee addressing other
      organ systems and psychological factors, the authors conclude that a diagnostic
      approach with greater utility would be useful for both researchers and
      clinicians. A conceptual framework as proposed in DSM-IV could also advance
      knowledge of psychological factors and their contribution or role in the
      etiology, perpetuation, and exacerbation of certain gastrointestinal conditions.

PMID- 1410200
TI  - Ophthalmologic effects of psychotropic medications.
AB  - This article reviews the effects of psychotropic medications on the eye. Although
      some of these effects have been known for years, they have been largely ignored
      by psychiatrists. The ophthalmologic effects of antidepressants, neuroleptics,
      benzodiazepines, carbamazepine, and lithium in therapeutic doses and overdose are
      reviewed and their implications discussed. Recommendations are made for
      appropriate monitoring, treatment, and ophthalmologic referral of patients on
      these medications.

PMID- 1410201
TI  - Diagnosis and treatments of hypochondriacal syndromes.
AB  - There are controversies in the literature about the diagnosis and most
      appropriate treatment of hypochondriasis. The author offers guidelines for
      diagnosis of hypochondriacal syndromes that have not been adequately dealt with
      in the literature and discusses the choice of treatments.

PMID- 1410202
TI  - Detection of depression in the stroke patient.
AB  - The literature suggests the hypothesis that nonpsychiatrists will underrecognize
      depression in evaluations of stroke patients. On a medical rehabilitation ward,
      15 stroke patients were evaluated for depression by psychiatric interview and
      self-report. Charts were examined for detection of depression by the
      rehabilitation team. The hypothesis was supported: in contrast to psychiatric
      interview (68% depressed) and self-report (Beck Depression Inventory, 50%
      depressed), none of the patients were described as depressed in chart notes by
      the rehabilitation team (excluding the psychiatrists). Psychiatrists should
      develop ongoing interactions with primary care physicians to improve detection of
      poststroke depression and other depressions on medical wards.

PMID- 1410203
TI  - Inpatient treatment of persistent somatization.
AB  - Patients with disabling, persistent somatization pose significant challenges in
      clinical management. This study describes 92 patients treated on an inpatient
      psychosomatic medicine unit for persistent somatization. The most important
      factor in defining clinically significant subgroups of these patients was mood.
      Compared with depressed somatizing patients, nondepressed somatizing patients had
      chronic illnesses of early onset, had symptoms that were not correlated with
      current life stressors, and were generally unresponsive to treatment. There were
      few clinical predictors of treatment outcome apart from the duration of symptoms,
      the presence of mood disturbance, and a history of stable interpersonal
      relationships.

PMID- 1410204
TI  - Panic disorder and chest pain in the coronary care unit.
AB  - Consecutive admissions to a university hospital coronary intensive care unit were
      prospectively evaluated using a modified version of the Structured Clinical
      Interview for DSM-III-R by interviewers blind to the patient's cardiac status.
      Panic disorder was present in almost one-third of the patients. Four (21%) of the
      19 patients with panic disorder also had positive cardiac findings, including 2
      who had myocardial infarctions. Of the 27 patients with negative cardiac
      findings, 15 (55.5%) had panic disorder. Whereas panic disorder and coronary
      heart disease may coexist in patients with acute chest pain, there appears to be
      a very high prevalence of panic disorder among patients in whom cardiac disease
      has been excluded.

PMID- 1410205
TI  - Making a consultation service work. An organizational commentary.

PMID- 1410206
TI  - Obsessive-compulsive symptoms associated with acute intermittent porphyria.

PMID- 1410207
TI  - Buspirone-induced psychosis in a human immunodeficiency virus-infected man.

PMID- 1410208
TI  - Thalamic pain syndrome complicating the evaluation of a patient with poststroke
      depression.

PMID- 1410209
TI  - Improvement of arthritis with fluoxetine.

PMID- 1410210
TI  - Use of amitriptyline in a patient with tinnitus.

PMID- 1410211
TI  - Organic delusional disorder on a consultation-liaison psychiatry service. Report
      and review.

PMID- 1410212
TI  - Pemoline. An alternative psychostimulant for the management of depressive
      disorders in cancer patients.

PMID- 1410213
TI  - Pseudocyesis in a schizophrenic woman of child-bearing age.

PMID- 1410214
TI  - Fluoxetine and depersonalization syndrome.

PMID- 1410215
TI  - On "Psychotherapy by telephone: a therapeutic tool for cancer patients".

PMID- 1410216
TI  - Can we finish the war?

PMID- 1410217
TI  - The Society of Medical Officers of Health: a Scottish centenary.

PMID- 1410218
TI  - Trends in mortality from stroke in Scotland, 1950-1986.
AB  - The Scottish Registrar General's Annual Reports have been used to study trends in
      mortality from stroke in Scotland during 1950-1986 in those aged 45 to 74. In
      1950 the age-adjusted mortality rate was 347.4 per 100,000 population for men and
      360.8 for women, falling to 199.6 for men and 155.8 for women in 1986. This
      downward trend has increased from 1976 for males. The average annual decline in
      age-adjusted mortality from stroke over the 37-year period was 4.0 per 100,000 in
      males and 5.5 in females. This reduction in death rates was proportionally higher
      for women compared with men in all age groups over 55 years. As with
      cardiovascular deaths, mortality from stroke was lower in the east than in the
      central region and west of Scotland. The reduction in mortality resulted in a
      substantial 'saving' of lives, estimated at 12,500 between 1980 and 1984.

PMID- 1410219
TI  - Uses of the accident and emergency department in Scotland: patient
      characteristics and expectations.

PMID- 1410220
TI  - General practitioners and public health.
AB  - Family Health Service Authorities (FHSAs), since 1st April 1991, have been both
      'managed', by the Regional Health Authority, and 'managing', their contractor
      services. Both situations are relatively new to them, their Region and the
      contractors. We examine the opportunities and potential problems of this major
      strategic change. These relate to: (1) the establishment of effective
      coordination between providers of primary care services; (2) the establishment of
      minimum basic standards of care and administration for GPs (based on those set
      for training practices by the Regional Advisors in General Practice); (3) the
      development and validation of a data collection system from General Practice
      which could be used to establish a morbidity database from general practice as a
      means of health needs assessment as well as for performance review.

PMID- 1410221
TI  - Internal variation in the uptake of whooping cough immunisation within a Health
      Authority.
AB  - Data were obtained on the vaccination history of 6,898 children immunised with
      D3, the final dose of diphtheria vaccine. These children were born between 1984
      and 1990 and were also resident within a single Health Authority during part or
      all of this time. Analysis of this data revealed consistent variation by
      treatment centre in the uptake of whooping cough vaccine in those children
      receiving the diphtheria vaccine. Certain treatment centres consistently achieved
      greater success in giving the whooping cough vaccine to those children who had
      received the diphtheria vaccine.

PMID- 1410222
TI  - Height, body mass index and mortality: do social factors explain the association?
AB  - The aim of the study was to analyse the effects on mortality of body height and
      body mass index (BMI) in young men, taking into account social and behavioural
      characteristics in early youth. The study is a 20-year follow-up of all Swedish
      men (n = 50,465) conscripted for military service in 1969-70. Baseline data on
      body height and weight as well as interview and questionnaire data on social and
      behavioural characteristics were linked to mortality data up to the end of 1988.
      Nine hundred and forty-six men died during the follow-up. We found a significant
      increase in mortality by decreasing body height; persons below 165 cm had an
      almost twofold increased mortality compared with those of average height. This
      association was reduced to the limit of statistical significance when we
      controlled for social and behavioural characteristics in a multivariate model.
      Persons with a BMI above 30 had a more than twofold increased mortality compared
      with those of average BMI. This association remained highly significant in a
      multivariate model. We thus confirmed previous findings of an inverse association
      between body height and mortality, but found that this association was almost
      entirely due to social background factors. The independent association between
      BMI and mortality may indicate a stronger genetic influence on BMI than on body
      height.

PMID- 1410223
TI  - Psychological ill-health in Chinese communities in Hong Kong.
AB  - Psychiatric symptoms are widely distributed in the general population while
      psychiatric impairment or psychological ill-health is prevalent in many
      communities, especially those with stressful environments. Data concerning
      Chinese communities are scanty. The present study employed the use of a General
      Health Questionnaire to screen the general population for psychological ill
      health in Hong Kong and the results showed that between 18.3% and 26.3% of
      Chinese could be considered as probable or potential candidates for mental
      illness. The authors discuss the significance of these findings.

PMID- 1410224
TI  - Detection of subclinical ascorbate deficiency in early Parkinson's disease.
AB  - From mid-October 1989 to mid-July 1990 all newly admitted residents to Bury Local
      Authority Residential Homes were comprehensively medically screened. In a series
      of 100 residents eight had early Parkinson's disease (six of them hitherto
      undiagnosed). Seven showed evidence of Vitamin C deficiency. Of the seven showing
      evidence of deficiency, four suffered from early Parkinson's disease. Of the 93
      without evidence of Vitamin C deficiency only four had Parkinson's disease. This
      indicates a significantly higher prevalence of Parkinson's disease in the group
      with Vitamin C deficiency (P less than 0.001 using Fisher's exact).

PMID- 1410225
TI  - Audit: what's in the name?
AB  - Medical audit is based on a cyclical model which is ideally suited to operational
      work that is (1) regularly repeated in similar situations; (2) clearly and
      directly linked to outcomes; (3) amenable to criteria of quality. The work of
      public health physicians is both operational (e.g. investigation of outbreaks of
      communicable disease) and strategic (e.g. health needs assessment). A cyclical
      model is not appropriate to strategic activity. Evaluation of that activity is
      essential--but should not be constrained/limited by inappropriate adherence to
      the audit cycle.

PMID- 1410226
TI  - Towards a more rational policy for colposcopy.
AB  - The objective of the study was to establish the relationship between the results
      of positive and abnormal cervical smears and the corresponding colposcopic biopsy
      results and its relevance to clinical management. A retrospective analysis of
      linked results was carried out at the Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton. The
      main outcome measure was the correspondence between a positive or abnormal
      cervical smear and the related colposcopic biopsy. Colposcopic biopsies were
      carried out on 1,841 consecutive women. Of these, 1,424 (77.4%) had moderate or
      severe dyskaryosis on their smears. Of the 1,767 with definitive results on their
      smear, 1,101 (62%) showed exact correspondence between the cervical smear and the
      colposcopic biopsy. Ninety-one (26%) of all women with mildly dyskaryotic smears
      were reported as showing CIN II or CIN III on biopsy. We conclude that women with
      moderate or severe changes on cervical smear should not be asked to attend for
      confirmatory colposcopic biopsy prior to treatment, but those with persistent
      mild changes should be referred for separate diagnostic colposcopy.

PMID- 1410227
TI  - Salmonella in tropical freshwater fish 'carriage water'.

PMID- 1410228
TI  - Food irradiation--promising technology for public health.

PMID- 1410229
TI  - First year of AIDS services delivery under Title I of the Ryan White CARE Act.
AB  - This is a review of (a) the emergency assistance for ambulatory HIV medical and
      support services provided in the first year by eligible metropolitan areas (EMAs)
      funded under Title I of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency
      (CARE) Act of 1990, (b) the varied responses and processes by which the 16 urban
      areas receiving Title I funds in 1991 met legislative mandates, (c) the central
      nature of planning councils under Title I and their formation and functioning,
      and (d) issues related to current implementation and future expansion of Title I
      to additional eligible metropolitan areas. Integral to the review is a brief
      discussion of the history of AIDS and HIV infection, particularly in cities
      receiving CARE Act funding, an overview of Title I requirements, and a
      description of the organizational structures cities are using to implement Title
      I. Information on Title I EMAs is based on analysis of their 1991 applications,
      bylaws of their HIV service planning councils, intergovernmental agreements
      between Title I cities and other political entities, and contracts executed by
      Title I grantees with providers for the delivery of services. Interviews with
      personnel in several Title I EMAs, including planning council members and grantee
      staff members, provided additional information. This is the first descriptive
      accounting of activities related to the 1991 applications for and uses of Title I
      funds, and the administrative and service issues related to this process.

PMID- 1410230
TI  - 15-month followup of women methadone patients taught skills to reduce
      heterosexual HIV transmission.
AB  - Heterosexual contact with intravenous drug users accounts for a growing
      proportion of cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) among women. In
      an earlier study designed to reduce sexual risk behavior, the authors randomly
      assigned 91 methadone maintained women to information-only or skills-building
      conditions. Modest outcomes favored participants in the skills-building group. In
      this 15-month followup of 62 remaining study participants, skills-training group
      members were more likely than controls to use condoms. In comparison with
      controls, members in the skills-building group felt more comfortable talking
      about safe sex, perceived themselves as more able to reduce their exposure to
      AIDS, but were more likely to attribute AIDS risk to luck. No associations were
      found between group condition and number of sexual partners or frequency of
      buying and carrying condoms. Some gains associated with a group intervention
      tended to be maintained over time, indicating that preventive interventions
      composed of multiple sessions and conducted in treatment settings may have
      promise as useful strategies to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
      infection. Nevertheless, decay was evident in other domains, suggesting that
      prevention specialists should consider booster sessions or other means of
      maintaining changes in risk behavior.

PMID- 1410231
TI  - Sexual practices and AIDS knowledge among women partners of HIV-infected
      hemophiliacs.
AB  - About 12 percent of the women sex partners of hemophilic men who are seropositive
      for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have themselves become seropositive.
      Questionnaires were completed in January 1988 by 15 women who were in long-term,
      monogamous relationships with HIV-positive hemophiliacs; 11 of the women were not
      HIV seropositive and 4 were. None of the couples was abstaining from sexual
      intercourse, and during the 4 weeks prior to responding, the couples had
      intercourse a mean of 6.2 times. Sixty percent always used condoms, 13 percent
      did so most of the time, and the remaining 27 percent did sometimes. Condom use
      was not significantly related to either frequency of intercourse, the women's
      knowledge of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-risk reduction,
      the actual HIV status of both partners and the women's perceived status of both,
      the extent of the women's worry about contracting AIDS, their reported degree of
      negative impact from AIDS, or to their mood, age, or education. All women who
      reported not always using condoms had been informed of their own and their
      partner's HIV status; were counseled repeatedly regarding risk reduction;
      acknowledged the possibility of heterosexual HIV transmission; said they knew of
      recommendations for the use of condoms; recognized their risk of HIV infection;
      claimed some degree of worry about acquiring HIV through sexual activity; had
      children at home; and were not, with one exception, trying to become pregnant.
      There were several possible factors influencing the decision by women at high
      risk for acquiring HIV not to use condoms. Among them were complaints that the
      women found condoms unpleasant or an unwanted reminder of AIDS, a sense of
      obligation or a drive to continue unaltered sexual relations, the false
      reassurance of HIV-negative test results for some of the women who did not always
      use condoms, a willingness to sacrifice and to share their partner's fate, a
      desire to avoid communicating rejection and adding to their partner's burdens,
      and difficulty changing long-standing behavior patterns despite logical
      understanding of the risks involved.

PMID- 1410232
TI  - One state's response to the malpractice insurance crisis: North Carolina's Rural
      Obstetrical Care Incentive Program.
AB  - In the period 1985-89, there was a severe drop in obstetrical services in rural
      areas of North Carolina, partly because of rising malpractice insurance rates.
      The State government responded with the Rural Obstetrical Care Incentive (ROCI)
      Program that provides a malpractice insurance subsidy of up to $6,500 per
      participating physician per year. Enacted into law in 1988, the ROCI Program was
      expanded in 1991, making certified nurse midwives eligible to receive subsidies
      of up to $3,000 per year. To participate, practitioners must provide obstetrical
      care to all women, regardless of their ability to pay for services. Total funding
      for the program has increased from $240,000 to $840,000, in spite of extreme
      budgetary constraints faced by the State. The program and how its implementation
      has maintained or increased access to obstetrical care in participating counties
      are described on the basis of site visits to local health departments in
      participating counties and data from the North Carolina Division of Maternal and
      Child Health. The program is of significance to policy makers nationwide as both
      a response to rising malpractice insurance rates and reduced access to
      obstetrical care in rural areas, and as an innovative, nontraditional State
      program in which the locus of decision making is at the county level.

PMID- 1410233
TI  - Measuring the quality of life of the elderly in health promotion intervention
      clinical trials.
AB  - The Multicenter Trials of Frailty and Injuries: Cooperative Studies of
      Intervention Techniques (FICSIT) is a series of clinical trials of biomedical,
      behavioral, and environmental interventions to reduce the risks of frailty and
      injury among the elderly. Reliable assessment of the quality of life reported by
      the subjects is a central issue in evaluating the interventions. An intervention
      may have a significant impact on an elderly person's sense of well-being, even
      though significant improvement is not observed in selected physical outcome
      measures. Elderly persons' compliance with particular intervention regimens may
      be influenced by the quality of life effects that they perceive in relation to
      the intervention. The researchers review the definition and measurement of
      quality of life in the trials, with particular attention to issues in determining
      common measures used at all study locations. Practical considerations in the
      selection and use of quality of life measures in both community and institutional
      populations are addressed. Topics discussed include the interrelation of aging,
      functional capacities, and quality of life; the multi-dimensionality of quality
      of life in relation to differential intervention effects; and age-related issues
      in the collection of quality of life data. Preliminary observations are reviewed,
      and potential contributions of FICSIT to intervention-sensitive quality of life
      assessments among the elderly are noted.

PMID- 1410234
TI  - North Florida is part of the stroke belt.
AB  - Florida is the only State in the southeastern United States that is not part of
      the "stroke belt." The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI),
      National Institutes of Health, defines the stroke belt as those States with an
      age-adjusted stroke mortality rate for the years 1979 to 1981 that is more than
      10 percent above the national annual rate of 40.3 per 100,000 population. By
      reproducing at the county level the methods that were used at the State level to
      describe the stroke belt, the authors identified a group of 34 contiguous
      northern Florida counties (population exceeds 2 million) with an age-adjusted
      stroke mortality rate of 47.2 per 100,000--higher than 3 of the 11 stroke belt
      States. They concluded that north Florida is part of the stroke belt and should
      be included as a priority region for stroke prevention programs. County-level
      analyses that are methodologically comparable with those used by NHLBI to
      describe the stroke belt may be a useful technique for identifying high stroke
      rate regions within States which might be missed when needs assessment is based
      only on State-level data.

PMID- 1410235
TI  - Cultural barriers to health care for southeast Asian refugees.
AB  - Many Southeast Asians now living in the United States experience severe health
      problems, attributable to physical trauma and inadequate health care in Asia, and
      low socioeconomic status in this country. Evidence indicates that despite their
      health problems, Southeast Asian refugees underuse the American health care
      system. Cultural reasons for this underuse are examined. Southeast Asian cultural
      attitudes toward suffering, such as beliefs that suffering is inevitable or that
      one's life span is predetermined, can cause Southeast Asians not to seek health
      care. Cultural beliefs about the sources of illness and correspondingly
      appropriate forms of treatment can be a barrier to Western health care. Many lack
      familiarity with Western diagnostic techniques and treatments and thus are
      apprehensive. Health care providers' ignorance of Southeast Asian cultures can
      interfere with communication with patients, resulting in culturally irrelevant
      services or misinterpretation of side effects of Southeast Asian folk medicines.
      Southeast Asians' lack of familiarity with American culture can make health care
      services geographically and economically inaccessible and can cause Southeast
      Asians to be ignorant of available services or how to access them. An
      understanding of Southeast Asian cultures and additional outreach efforts by
      Western medical practitioners and health care providers are needed to improve the
      use of health care services by Southeast Asian refugees in this country.

PMID- 1410237
TI  - The hepatitis B immunization campaign for children in the Federated States of
      Micronesia.
AB  - Hepatitis B has long been recognized as hyperendemic among persons residing in
      the western Pacific. Effective control strategies have not been described. From
      December 1988 through October 1989, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)
      conducted a campaign to immunize children through age 6 years with three doses of
      hepatitis B (HB) vaccine. In addition, HB vaccination was incorporated into the
      routine immunization schedule for all children born in FSM, with the first dose
      given to newborns. Between December 1988 and October 1989, a total of 64,085
      doses of HB vaccine were administered to the children. After the start of the
      campaign, the subject group was enlarged to include children through 15 years of
      age in the States of Yap and Kosrae. Fifty-nine percent of the enlarged group in
      all States received a complete series of HB vaccinations. During each client
      encounter, individual immunization records were examined and diphtheria-pertussis
      tetanus, oral polio vaccine, and measles-mumps-rubella antigens were administered
      to children who were not adequately immunized. The annual immunization assessment
      for 1990 showed coverage improved significantly from previous years in every FSM
      State.

PMID- 1410236
TI  - Family versus individually oriented intervention for weight loss in Mexican
      American women.
AB  - Mexican Americans are more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic whites, yet
      little research has been conducted on the treatment of obesity in Mexican
      Americans. The purpose of this study was to compare a family-based intervention
      with a traditional program oriented to the individual for achieving weight loss
      by obese Mexican American women. A total of 168 obese women were randomly
      assigned to one of three groups. Group 1 served as a comparison group and
      received only printed materials on nutrition, exercise, and behavioral principles
      for weight loss. Subjects in the individual group (group 2) received the same
      printed information, but they also attended classes led by bilingual registered
      dietitians. Subjects in the family group (group 3) received materials and
      attended classes that emphasized a family-oriented approach to making changes in
      eating habits and exercise behavior. Spouses and children attended classes with
      subjects in this group. Results revealed a significant linear trend in both body
      mass index and weight reduction across the groups, with losses greatest in the
      family group, followed by the individual group, and least in the comparison
      group. Both the individual and the family groups lost significantly more weight
      than the comparison group, although the difference between these two groups was
      not statistically significant. The results suggest that a culturally and
      linguistically appropriate program can achieve significant weight reduction among
      Mexican Americans. More research should be conducted on the effects of family and
      other types of social support on weight loss by Mexican Americans.

PMID- 1410238
TI  - Increasing participation by private physicians in the EPSDT Program in rural
      North Carolina.
AB  - This study evaluated a method to increase physicians' participation in Early and
      Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT), a preventive health care
      program for Medicaid eligible children. Use of EPSDT can improve children's
      health status and reduce health care costs. Although the potential benefits of
      EPSDT are clear, the program is underused; low rates of participation by private
      physicians contribute to underuse. This study targeted a population of 73 primary
      care physicians in six rural counties in North Carolina where the physician
      supply, their participation in EPSDT, and use of EPSDT were low. A mailed
      intervention packet attempted to address barriers to participation perceived by
      private providers. The packet consisted of a carefully constructed letter, an
      informative journal article, and an educational pamphlet. Participation in EPSDT
      screening increased from 15 to 25 private physicians (67 percent), at a cost, on
      average, of less than $30 per recruited provider. Suggestions are presented for
      adapting the intervention packet to other settings.

PMID- 1410239
TI  - Comparison of Native American births in upstate New York with other race births,
      1980-86.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to describe the neonatal characteristics of Native
      American (Indian) infants and the antenatal characteristics of their mothers as
      compared with white, black, and other race infants. The study population
      comprised 979,444 live births to upstate New York (exclusive of New York City)
      resident mothers between 1980 and 1986. Data were abstracted from vital records
      (birth certificates) and analyzed using a variety of descriptive statistics.
      Mothers of Native American and black infants had similar antenatal profiles (that
      is, younger, higher parity, lower educational attainment, and delayed initiation
      of prenatal care), which differed from mothers of white or other race infants.
      Despite having at-risk mothers, Native American infants were similar to white and
      other race infants with respect to the percentage of births that were considered
      low birth weight or premature. Black infants were twice as likely as the other
      three groups of infants to be low birth weight or premature. These findings
      suggest that other factors appear to be important in determining neonatal outcome
      and that typical at-risk antenatal profile of mothers may not be consistent
      across all racial groups.

PMID- 1410240
TI  - Factors influencing the effectiveness of mailed health surveys.
AB  - The authors investigated sources of bias in health surveys by examining responses
      to their 1989 questionnaire mailed to 1,255 Massachusetts men who were eligible
      for dental care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. After a maximum
      of three mailings and one telephone call to nonrespondents, a total of 1,049
      veterans had responded out of 1,228 finally determined to be eligible, a response
      rate of 85 percent. The investigators found that small differences in univariate
      estimates would have occurred had the field phase been terminated after the first
      mailing, which had a response rate of 61 percent. To evaluate multivariate
      distributions, they duplicated their previously published logistic regression
      model for sources of dental care, using only those who responded to the first and
      second mailings. Although model fits would have been substantively the same had
      the field phase been terminated after the first or the second mailings, analysis
      of parameter estimates and their statistical significances suggested bias that
      would have led to different substantive conclusions, in some instances. Another
      potential source of bias in surveys was found to be item omission. Fifty-eight
      percent of respondents answered all 46 survey questions, and 90 percent answered
      at least 91 percent of the questions. Fewer questions were answered by those
      whose responses were received last, but trends regarding missing data by age or
      education were not statistically significant. Although the survey using this
      methodology met all objectives, subject nonresponses, the ineligibility of
      potential respondents, item nonresponses, and skewed distributions of outcome
      variables combined to reduce the statistical power to detect differences among
      groups or to alter the analysis of the differences. These factors need to be
      planned for by investigators undertaking similar surveys.

PMID- 1410241
TI  - Using after-shelter case management to improve outcomes for families with
      children.
AB  - Homelessness and living in shelters have complex and multiple adverse effects on
      children that lend urgency to assisting families with children to leave shelters
      and to achieve independent and stable living arrangements. Some shelters offer
      only short-term housing with no additional support services. Others offer long
      stays with a comprehensive range of social and economic support services. While
      living in a shelter, families are faced with such major challenges as finding
      employment that is adequate to meeting the family's financial needs and locating
      permanent housing. Because shelter or street living may exacerbate children's
      health and developmental problems, families with children should move from them
      into a stable home situation as quickly as possible. The researchers examined
      some of the specific effects of living in a shelter for homeless families with
      children in Virginia Beach, VA. They focused on whether the policy of offering
      families after-shelter case management services for 1 year decreased their
      average length of the time in the shelter, and whether case management of
      families with children for 1 year after leaving a shelter increased the
      proportion of families who obtained permanent housing. A non experimental
      descriptive design was used. In case management after the shelter stay, an
      advisor worked intensively with families, helping to locate resources and serving
      as a resource link, assisting with application processes, providing
      transportation when necessary, and acting as advocate and support person. Some
      families needed minimal assistance, while others needed more intensive
      assistance. The findings suggest that case management services for families
      following discharge from a homeless shelter effectively reduces the length of
      stay ina shelter and increases housing stability after discharge from the
      shelter. For this sample, the average shelter stay was reduced from 31.1 to 22.8
      days.

PMID- 1410242
TI  - Cigarette use among Arab Americans in the Detroit metropolitan area.
AB  - Use of cigarette tobacco by large proportions of the population of Middle Eastern
      countries has been reported; however, little is known about smoking behavior in
      one of America's fastest growing minorities, the Arab Americans. The purpose of
      this study was to examine cigarette smoking behavior of 237 randomly selected
      Arab American adults from a telephone listing in the Detroit area. Participants
      lived in the geographic Arab American community and identified with a Middle
      Eastern cultural heritage. Nurses, who spoke both English and Arabic, interviewed
      one adult family member using the 59-item self-report from the Cardiovascular
      Risk Factor Survey developed by Rice. Mean age of respondents was 40.4 years, 97
      percent had been born in the Middle East, and 67 percent had been living in the
      United States 15 years or less. Current smokers rate was 38.9 percent, former
      smokers rate was 11.1 percent, never smokers rate was 50 percent, and the quit
      ratio (proportion of ever smokers who are former smokers) was 22.2 percent. Fifty
      four percent of the current smokers were between 25 and 34 years of age; fewer
      women than men were former smokers, and the highest proportion of current smokers
      were Lebanese. Subjects who had smoked for the longest time were the least well
      educated. Arab Americans in this sample had a higher smoking rate, a lower
      quitting rate, and a much lower quit ratio when compared with national and State
      of Michigan data. With the growing numbers of Middle Eastern immigrants, there is
      potential for a dramatic increase in smoking-related health problems.

PMID- 1410244
TI  - Prevention efforts slow worldwide spread of HIV, WHO report says.

PMID- 1410243
TI  - Bacterial infections and skin cleaning prior to injection among intravenous drug
      users.
AB  - In a survey of 1,057 active intravenous drug users in Baltimore, MD, who were
      recruited through extensive community outreach, 12 reported endocarditis and 113
      reported subcutaneous abscesses in the 6 months before being interviewed. Of all
      the persons surveyed, 556 reported cleaning their skin prior to injection at any
      time and 173 reported cleaning their skin all the time in the 6 months before the
      interview. The frequency of subcutaneous abscesses was lower among those who
      reported skin cleaning all the time; a similar trend was noted for frequency of
      endocarditis. The relatively simple procedure of encouraging intravenous drug
      users to clean their skin prior to injection will not eliminate but might reduce
      the frequency of these serious and expensive infectious complications of
      intravenous drug use.

PMID- 1410245
TI  - Bursting the chewing gum bubble.

PMID- 1410247
TI  - Restoration of endodontically treated teeth using a combined amalgam-composite
      resin technique.
AB  - This article describes a combined amalgam-composite resin technique for the
      restoration of endodontically treated molars suffering from severe, subgingival
      coronal damage. The use of silver amalgam in the subgingival areas provides an
      effective interface and a proper barrier for restoring and reinforcing the rest
      of the crown with a composite resin material.

PMID- 1410246
TI  - Effect of gum chewing following food ingestion on the pH of interproximal dental
      plaque.
AB  - Recent publications have suggested that chewing sorbitol- or sucrose-containing
      gum after a snack or meal can reduce development of caries by neutralizing dental
      plaque acids at interproximal sites in the dentition. To confirm these findings
      four volunteers wore appliances containing a miniature pH electrode. After plaque
      accumulation, subjects ingested a bowl of sugar-coated cereal with milk and 20
      minutes later chewed a sorbitol-containing gum, a sucrose-containing gum, or did
      not chew anything for 20 minutes. After exposure to the cereal, the plaque pH
      fell within 20 minutes from approximately 6.4 to 4.8. Sorbitol gum caused the pH
      to rise to 5.5, while the sucrose gum caused the pH to rise to only 5.1. After
      cessation of chewing, the pH in all cases dropped to 4.5 or lower. No
      statistically significant difference could be shown between plaque pH changes
      with the various protocols. Gum chewing after eating caused only a transient
      elevation in plaque pH.

PMID- 1410248
TI  - Dentin- and enamel-bonded Class V composite resin restoration.
AB  - Improvements in dental materials and methods of their use necessitate continuing
      modifications of clinical techniques. This paper details a step-by-step procedure
      for restoring a Class V carious lesion with polishable, visible light
      polymerizing composite resin combined with one of the new-generation dentin
      enamel bonding systems.

PMID- 1410249
TI  - History, safety, and effectiveness of current bleaching techniques and
      applications of the nightguard vital bleaching technique.
AB  - This article reviews the literature on the use of hydrogen peroxide in three
      professionally administered bleaching techniques from historical, technique, and
      safety viewpoints. Safety over time, absolute safety, and relative safety of
      nonvital bleaching, in-office vital bleaching, nightguard vital bleaching, and
      over-the-counter bleaching kits are compared. The advantages and disadvantages of
      different bleaching options, as well as indications for individual or combined
      use of the techniques, are discussed. In addition, specific indications for the
      use of the nightguard vital bleaching technique are presented.

PMID- 1410250
TI  - Effects of home bleaching products on composite resins.
AB  - A number of home bleaching products have recently been introduced. This in vitro
      study evaluated the effect of three representative bleaching products on the
      microhardness and surface texture of hybrid and microfilled composite resins.
      Scanning electron microscopic examination revealed cracking of the microfilled
      specimens treated with carbamide peroxide gels (Proxigel and White & Brite).
      White & Brite also caused slight roughening of the hybrid composite resin.
      Microhardness tests indicated that the treated composite resins became somewhat
      softer. However, the only statistically significant softening was associated with
      White & Brite.

PMID- 1410251
TI  - Pneumatic versus hand condensation of amalgam: effect on microleakage.
AB  - This study compared two techniques of amalgam condensation for effect on early
      microleakage. Class V preparations were restored with a high-copper amalgam using
      pneumatic condensation or conventional hand condensation. Significantly less
      microleakage was observed when pneumatic condensation was used. Further,
      pneumatic condensation proved equally effective in reducing early microleakage
      whether or not a dentinal sealant was used as an intermediary.

PMID- 1410252
TI  - Adaptation and condensation of amalgam restorations in Class II preparations of
      conventional and conservative design.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate in vitro the adaptation and
      condensation of the proximal section of amalgam restorations placed in Class II
      preparations of conventional and conservative designs. The amalgam restorations
      were placed with traditional hand instruments with and without the aid of an
      automatic amalgam condenser. The restorations and sections of the restored teeth
      were examined and scored for adaptation and porosity. The restorations in the
      preparations of conservative design, especially those placed without the aid of
      the automatic condenser, exhibited more adaptation defects, porosity, and voids
      than did the restorations in the preparations of conventional design. It is
      necessary to identify and describe instruments and techniques that will
      facilitate the placement of amalgam restorations in preparations with limited
      access.

PMID- 1410253
TI  - Microleakage of etched-dentin composite resin restorations.
AB  - Some clinicians now advocate dentinal etching to eliminate microleakage around
      composite resin margins. This study evaluated the "Kanca technique" and three
      commercial dentinal adhesives, including Clearfil Photo Bond, which uses
      phosphoric acid to etch dentin. The Kanca technique and Tenure were the most
      effective systems tested. However, none of the bonding systems completely
      eliminated microleakage. Total sealing of dentinal margins is not predictable
      with current adhesives and composite resins.

PMID- 1410254
TI  - Periodontal changes in furcations resulting from orthodontic uprighting of
      mandibular molars.
AB  - Periodontal examinations were carried out preorthodontically and again 2 to 28
      months after orthodontic uprighting of 20 molars (40 furcation areas) in 16
      patients. Preorthodontically, patients presented with generalized periodontitis.
      Postorthodontically, nine of 20 buccal furcations had become more severe, one had
      improved, and ten remained unchanged. Lingually, nine worsened, and 11 had no
      change. Furcation area pocket depths increased in 35.0% of furcations, but did
      not change in 57.5%. Furcation root form was not associated with the degree of
      change. Possible mesial root extrusion was found in 60.0% of the uprighted
      molars. The molars showing root extrusion had furcations that increased in
      severity. Heavy uprighting forces contributed to extrusion, and some effect may
      have been due to periodontal inflammation and bone loss. Mandibular molars can be
      uprighted in patients with moderate periodontitis, but light intrusive forces in
      an inflammation-free environment are recommended.

PMID- 1410255
TI  - Amalgam repair: a case report.
AB  - Through the report of a clinical case, the feasibility and advantages of repair
      and recontouring of complex amalgam restorations are discussed. In this patient,
      the kind of alloy used for the fractured restoration and the age of the
      restoration were known factors. Additional mechanical retention was prepared in
      both the "old" amalgam and the dentin, and the repair was made with a high-copper
      alloy. The bond at the repair site was stable at the 2.5-year recall examination.

PMID- 1410256
TI  - Cermet reinforcement of a weakened endodontically treated root: a case report.
AB  - Many clinical applications have been recommended for glass-cermet cement because
      of its improved properties compared to the original glass-ionomer cements. It has
      also been accepted as a dentinal substitute that can strengthen teeth. In this
      paper, an additional clinical application for glass-cermet cement, the
      reinforcement of weakened endodontically treated roots, is suggested. This
      technique is in keeping with the trends of tooth conservation and the use of an
      adhesive restorative material in the restoration of severely damaged teeth by a
      conservative approach.

PMID- 1410258
TI  - Pontic repair of a porcelain-fused-to-metal fixed partial denture with a castable
      ceramic material.

PMID- 1410257
TI  - Tooth discoloration resulting from long-term tetracycline therapy: a case report.
AB  - Administration of tetracycline to children or pregnant women is known to
      adversely affect the color of developing teeth. This case report suggests the
      possibility that discoloration from tetracycline may not be limited to tooth
      development in the child, but may also affect the adult dentition. When given
      over long periods of time in adults, the tetracycline molecule is incorporated
      into the continuously forming secondary dentin. It is possible that chronic sun
      exposure of the incorporated tetracycline may cause the formation of a reddish
      purple oxidation product, resulting in discoloration of the permanent teeth.

PMID- 1410259
TI  - An update of a one-appointment master impression and jaw relation record
      technique.
AB  - Dentists may want to consider using an update of a unique complete denture
      technique that saves total chair time and, therefore, decreases cost. The
      technique combines appointments two and three, during which time the dentist both
      makes the master impressions and records the maxillomandibular relationships. In
      the past, protection of the maxillomandibular relationship records during the
      subsequent laboratory work was a problem. By applying new, tough, and thin
      denture base materials to the technique, the dentist will be less likely to
      distort the maxillomandibular records while boxing and pouring the impressions.

PMID- 1410260
TI  - Origination and progression of microleakage in a restoration with a smear layer
      mediated dentinal bonding agent.
AB  - Several recently marketed dentinal bonding agents modify, but do not remove, the
      smear layer. Some controversy exists as to whether the smear layer should be left
      in place or completely removed from preparations to be restored with composite
      resin systems. This study utilized scanning electron microscopy with energy
      dispersive x-ray analysis to evaluate the pathway of microleakage in a composite
      resin restorative material that utilizes a smear layer-mediated dentinal bonding
      agent. Microleakage occurred at the smear layer-dentin interface and progressed
      into both the smear layer and dentinal tubules, suggesting that the smear layer
      acts as a pathway for microleakage.

PMID- 1410261
TI  - One-year clinical evaluation of an anterior composite resin.
AB  - An anterior composite resin was evaluated in a clinical study of 93 Class III and
      Class IV restorations placed in patients aged 12 to 50 years. The restorations
      were evaluated at baseline, 6 months, and 1 year. Sixty-four (79%) of the 81
      restorations examined at the 1-year recall were unchanged. Marginal discoloration
      and changes in surface appearance and marginal adaptation accounted for most of
      the changes. All changes appeared in patients younger than 14 years, which may
      indicate that the patients had problems in oral hygiene. Replicas of randomly
      selected restorations showed smooth surfaces and well-sealed margins with a
      smooth transition from restoration to enamel. Some restorations showed marginal
      breakdown and a pitted irregular surface.

PMID- 1410262
TI  - The shear bond strength between human enamel and composite resin placed with
      cured or uncured unfilled resin.
AB  - The shear bond strength between enamel and composite resin placed with an
      unfilled resin layer was tested under several conditions: The unfilled resin
      layer was either blown thin or left unthinned, and pre-cured alone or cured with
      the composite resin. Shear testing showed that the bond to enamel was slightly
      enhanced for Pekalux and was significantly enhanced for Durafill VS when the
      unfilled resin was not pre-cured. Thinning of unfilled resin slightly increased
      the bond strength of Pekalux and decreased the bond strength of Durafill VS. A
      majority of the specimens fractured at the composite resin-unfilled resin
      interface, and more than half of all interface failures occurred in specimens in
      which the unfilled resin had been pre-cured. The results indicated that the link
      between composite resin and the unfilled resin layer was enhanced by simultaneous
      curing.

PMID- 1410263
TI  - Dry socket: frequency of occurrence after intraligamentary anesthesia.
AB  - To determine whether the use of intraligamentary anesthesia increases the
      incidence of dry socket, results of 305 extractions of mandibular molars in two
      groups of patients were studied. In the first group, inferior alveolar nerve
      block was applied, and, in the second, intraligamentary anesthesia was applied. A
      solution of 2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 epinephrine was used. Statistical analysis
      of the postoperative occurrence of dry socket indicated that the use of
      intraligamentary anesthesia did not result in a higher frequency of dry socket
      than did conventional anesthesia.

PMID- 1410264
TI  - Dental caries and stress among South African political refugees.
AB  - The aim of this study, which was conducted in a refugee camp of the African
      National Congress in Tanzania, was to analyze the caries experience in relation
      to perceived stress and sleeping problems and stressful experiences among South
      African political refugees. A sample of 194 persons, aged 11 to 39 years, was
      examined clinically and interviewed. There was a consistent association between
      caries experience and the different parameters for estimating perceived and
      experienced stress. In particular, the aggregation of different stress indicators
      seemed be strongly related to higher caries experience.

PMID- 1410265
TI  - Interaction between radiation and drug damage in mammalian cells. VI. Radiation
      and doxorubicin age-response function of doxorubicin-sensitive and -resistant
      Chinese hamster cells.
AB  - A comparative study of the radiation and/or doxorubicin (DOX) survival response
      for synchronous populations of Chinese hamster V79 cells and two DOX-resistant
      variants (77A and LZ-8) was performed. The greatest cellular radiation
      sensitivity was observed in mitosis, while the greatest resistance was observed
      during late S phase for the three cell lines. The variation in radiation response
      throughout the cell cycle was expressed as a change in the width of the shoulder
      of the survival curves (Dq) with little change in D0. This suggests that each
      phase of the cell cycle has a different capacity for accumulation of radiation
      injury. The radiation age-response function for the three cell lines revealed
      that 77A and LZ-8 cells were more radiosensitive than V79 cells throughout the
      cell cycle. Exposure of synchronous populations to DOX (1.84 microM for V79, 9.21
      microM for 77A, and 921 microM for LZ-8) for 1 h as a function of cell cycle
      phase revealed that V79, 77A, and LZ-8 cells exhibited the greatest sensitivity
      to DOX in mitosis and the most resistance to DOX during S phase, as indicated by
      the differences in the slope of the initial component of the survival curve.
      Levels of P-glyco-protein (P-gp) are probably not a factor contributing to DOX
      age-response function since P-gp levels remain constant throughout the cell cycle
      in all three cell lines. Synchronous populations of V79, 77A, and LZ-8 cells
      sequentially treated with DOX and radiation at various cell cycle phases were
      also analyzed. The results showed that the interaction between radiation and DOX
      damage resulted in a reduced cellular capacity for the accumulation of radiation
      damage throughout the cell cycle, as indicated by a decrease in the width of the
      shoulder of the survival curve. Overall, both DOX-sensitive V79 cells and DOX
      resistant 77A and LZ-8 cells exhibited (1) a similar age-response function for
      radiation or DOX, and (2) no differences in the effects of DOX on radiation
      induced damage throughout the cell cycle. These results indicate that acquired
      resistance to DOX associated with increased levels of P-gp in the cell membrane
      did not appear to affect the age-response function for radiation or DOX, and the
      nature of the interaction between damage caused by radiation and DOX was also not
      affected.

PMID- 1410266
TI  - Relative biological effectiveness of 50-MV X rays on jejunal crypt survival in
      vivo.
AB  - Earlier in vitro studies of relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of 50-MV X
      rays show an RBE of approximately 1.1 compared to 4 MV. No difference in RBE has
      been found for 20-MV X rays or 50-MeV electrons. The higher RBE for 50 MV can be
      explained to some extent by the small high linear energy transfer contribution
      from photonuclear reactions at high X-ray energies. To investigate the validity
      of the results in vitro, a study of the RBE of 50-MV X rays has been performed in
      vivo using the jejunal crypt microcolony assay in mice. The reference radiation
      used in this case was 20-MV X rays. The results confirm the earlier in vitro
      studies. The RBE for 50-MV X rays was estimated to be 1.06, calculated as the
      ratio between the slopes of the response curves.

PMID- 1410267
TI  - The clonogen content of murine intestinal crypts: dependence on radiation dose
      used in its determination.
AB  - The number of colony-forming (clonogenic) cells in each of the crypts in mouse
      small intestine was deduced using a two-dose irradiation technique. The number
      was 7.5 +/- 0.8 cells using two equal doses each less than 9 Gy and 38 +/- 7
      cells using 9 Gy or more per dose. The significant dose dependence could not be
      accounted for by considerations of intra- or intercrypt variability, or by the
      factor introduced to correct the sampling frequency for the influence of crypt
      size. The results suggest that more colony-forming cells may be recruited when
      the injury is more severe.

PMID- 1410268
TI  - The effect of light fluence rate in photodynamic therapy of normal rat brain.
AB  - This paper reports the effect of incident light fluence rate on the depth to
      which necrotic lesions are produced by photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the brains
      of normal Fisher rats. The rats were injected intraperitoneally with Photofrin
      (12.5 mg kg-1) 48 h prior to PDT with a fixed incident fluence of 35 J cm-2. The
      treatment was performed at 10, 50, 100, and 200 mW cm-2 and also in a periodic
      manner (30 s "on" at 100 mW cm-2, 30 s "off"). The depth to which necrosis
      occurred was determined 24 h after treatment by microscopic examination of tissue
      sections. No differences were found in the depth to which necrosis was produced
      by any of the five irradiation schedules. This finding is discussed in the
      context of other published dose-rate experiments.

PMID- 1410269
TI  - Comments on "Radiation-induced DNA unwinding is influenced by cell shape and
      trypsin".

PMID- 1410270
TI  - A comparison of the predicted risks of developing osteosarcoma for dogs exposed
      to 238PuO2 based on average bone dose or endosteal cell dose.
AB  - Dose-response relationships observed in laboratory animals can be used to
      identify possible human risk factors and may also be used in a quantitative
      manner when human data are not available. This paper presents an analysis of the
      dose dependency of osteosarcoma incidence in beagle dogs given a single
      inhalation exposure to a monodisperse aerosol of 238PuO2. We were particularly
      interested in comparing the predicted risks that were based on average bone dose
      with those based on endosteal cell dose and in evaluating the advantages of using
      a more biologically relevant cell-specific dose in risk estimation. The endosteal
      cell dose was calculated using the method of Marshall et al. (Health Phys. 35, 91
      101, 1978), as extended to account for exposure by inhalation. The relationship
      between dose and time to tumor was analyzed by the proportional hazards
      regression model. The probability of developing osteosarcoma was strongly
      dependent on dose for dogs receiving low doses, but this was not true for dogs
      receiving high doses. The predicted risk based on endosteal cell dose was not
      consistently higher or lower than the risk based on average bone dose at various
      times after exposure, because the relationship between these two doses was not
      linear with respect to time. Also, as a result of the nonlinear relationship
      between these two doses, the risk estimated based on endosteal cell dose would
      not be a fixed factor of that based on the average dose. Random errors in the
      measured initial lung burden had a relatively large impact on the predicted risk
      based on endosteal cell dose, and the difference between the estimated risk of
      developing osteosarcoma based on endosteal cell dose and that based on average
      bone dose is likely to be within the error margins of the estimated risks.

PMID- 1410271
TI  - Essential metalloelement metabolism and radiation protection and recovery.
AB  - Understanding the metabolism of essential metalloelements and their role in
      tissue maintenance and function as well as the roles of essential metalloelement
      dependent enzymes in responding to injury offers a new approach to preventing
      and/or treating radiation injury. This review presents the roles of some
      essential metalloelement-dependent enzymes in the maintenance and function of
      tissues and their responses to radiation injury and gives an account of the
      observed effects of nontoxic doses of essential metalloelement compounds on
      protection against radiation damage and its recovery. The radiolysis of chemical
      bonds and free radicals derived from oxygen accounts for the acute and chronic
      aspects of radiation injury. The recognized biochemical roles of essential
      metalloelements and their observed pharmacological effects predict the
      therapeutic usefulness of essential metalloelement complexes in the prevention
      and/or treatment of radiation injury. Copper complexes have radiation protection
      and radiation recovery activities and cause rapid recovery of immunocompetence
      and radiation-induced damage to cells and tissues. Recently, iron, manganese, and
      zinc complexes have also been found to prevent death in lethally irradiated mice.
      These pharmacological effects of essential metalloelement complexes can be
      understood to be due to facilitation of de novo synthesis of essential
      metalloelement-dependent enzymes which have roles in preventing the accumulation
      of pathological concentrations of oxygen radicals or repairing damage caused by
      radiation-induced bond homolysis. Essential metalloelement complexes offer a
      physiological approach to prevention and/or treatment of radiation injury.

PMID- 1410272
TI  - Comparisons of cellular radiation response using absolute rather than relative
      parameters.
AB  - One important goal of radiobiology is to describe the response to radiation
      damage in quantitative terms. Because the dose response is nonlinear, this
      typically involves the comparison of several dose-dependent parameters. Past
      attempts at simplifying this process have often involved manipulations of these
      dose-dependent parameters to derive a single comparative number. Unfortunately,
      the advantages of a single comparative number, often a ratio or even a ratio of
      ratios, can be outweighed by the loss of significant biological information.
      Examples are given in four areas of research: (1) definition of radiation
      response at clinically relevant radiation doses, (2) modification of radiation
      sensitivity by oxygen, (3) effects of combined radiation modifiers (e.g.,
      sensitizers and protectors), and (4) comparisons of radiation modifiers in
      different dose/response regions. In each area, to define and compare dose
      response, we propose the use of consistent, simple, and absolute radiation
      response parameters: the inverse dose (or dose) required to produce a given
      effect. The use of absolute sensitivity (or resistance) avoids the use of many
      other parameters, ratios, and definitions and permits a uniform and unambiguous
      description of "radiation response."

PMID- 1410273
TI  - Lymph flow from murine footpad tumors before and after sublethal hyperthermia.
AB  - The effect of local hyperthermia (43.5 degrees C for 1 h) on lymph flow from B16
      F10 tumor-bearing foot pads of C57BL/6 mice was measured by monitoring the
      clearance of 99mTc-labeled human serum albumin. The foot was represented by a
      single-compartment model enabling a quantitative computation of lymphatic flow
      from the tumor to regional lymph nodes. Lymphatic flow from untreated tumors was
      0.0059 +/- 0.0011 ml/min cm3 compared to 0.0118 +/- 0.0027 ml/min cm3 lymphatic
      flow from tumors immediately following heating. Morphological alterations in
      tumor blood vessels result in their high vascular permeability. The increase in
      lymphatic clearance from tumors after sublethal hyperthermia is compatible with
      the increase in interstitial fluid formation in tumors based on Starling's Law.

PMID- 1410274
TI  - Radiation-induced micrencephaly in guinea pigs.
AB  - The effect of X rays on brain weight of guinea pig pups at birth was studied in
      21-day-old embryos exposed in utero to doses of 75 and 100 mGy. When compared to
      controls and when corrected for body weight, gestation time, litter size, sex,
      and examiner differences, the brains of irradiated pups weighed approximately 46
      mg less than those of controls (P < 0.001) for the 75-mGy group and about 55 mg
      less for the 100-mGy group. Brains of females weighed 51 mg less than those of
      males of the same body weight. Dam weight and caging conditions had no observed
      effect on brain weight.

PMID- 1410276
TI  - The effect of superhelical density on the yield of single-strand breaks in gamma
      irradiated plasmid DNA.
AB  - Using agarose gel electrophoresis, the formation of DNA single-strand breaks
      (SSBs) by 137Cs gamma irradiation was quantified in negatively supercoiled
      topological isomers of plasmid pUC18. The G value for SSB formation falls
      slightly from 1 x 10(8) to 8 x 10(-9) SSB Gy-1 Da-1 as the superhelical density
      varies from 0.00 to -0.08. This result is not in agreement with recent
      observations by others which suggest that increasing the negative superhelical
      density of plasmid DNA increases its sensitivity to X irradiation.

PMID- 1410275
TI  - Effects of the calcium channel blocker flunarizine on the hemodynamics and
      oxygenation of tumor microvasculature.
AB  - Flunarizine is a diphenylpiperazine calcium entry blocker that has been shown
      previously to increase tumor blood flow and sensitivity to radiotherapy via
      reduction in the radiobiologically significant hypoxic fraction. Two mechanisms
      of action have been proposed previously (vasodilation, altered blood viscosity),
      but no studies have been performed to examine its mechanisms of action in vivo.
      Such information would be invaluable in determining the role of flunarizine in
      multimodality approaches to reduce tumor hypoxia. Fisher-344 rats bearing R3230Ac
      tumors transplanted into dorsal flap window chambers were used to examine
      microcirculatory changes after administration of flunarizine (1.0 mg/kg, iv). The
      drug increased the diameters of the microvasculature and red cell velocities
      specifically in central tumor regions (producing an average increase in vessel
      flow by a factor of 1.96), which was accompanied by an increase in perivascular
      pO2 of 12 mm Hg, on the average. The drug did not change the diameters of tumor
      "feeding" vessels, nor did it change vascular length densities. Thus the
      improvement in central tumor blood flow and oxygenation could not be attributed
      to dilation of feeding vessels. The oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood was not
      altered either since hemoglobin saturation (measured in vitro) and the
      hematocrits of the microvasculature were unchanged after drug administration.
      Therefore, by a process of elimination, the most likely explanation for the
      effect of the drug is modification of blood viscosity. Additional studies are
      under way in this laboratory to examine whether changes in viscosity occur after
      flunarizine administration.

PMID- 1410277
TI  - Radiation-induced inactivation of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase in dilute aqueous
      solution.
AB  - The inactivation of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase by gamma irradiation in dilute
      aqueous solution has been investigated. The activity of the enzyme decreased
      exponentially as a function of the absorbed dose under aerated and nitrous oxide
      saturated conditions. The contributions of the individual radical species derived
      from water radiolysis were estimated from the inactivation results observed under
      aerated, argon-saturated, and nitrous oxide-saturated conditions. The hydrogen
      atom and hydroxyl radical were found to be important in enzyme inactivation. The
      effect of selected inorganic radical anions such as Br.2-, I.2-, and (SCN).2- on
      the enzyme activity was also studied, and the results implicate the possible
      involvement of cysteine and tyrosine residues in the catalytic activity of
      dihydroorotate dehydrogenase. Changes in the kinetic parameters (Michaelis-Menten
      constant, Km, and maximal velocity, Vmax) due to irradiation under the conditions
      investigated suggest that radiation-induced inactivation is due to modification
      of the substrate binding sites and that of the active site residues in the
      enzyme. Evidence for the reduction of iron-sulfur centers in the enzyme during
      the inactivation process has been put forward from the difference spectrum of the
      irradiated dihydroorotate dehydrogenase. It has also been shown by
      electrophoretic studies that radiation-induced inactivation was not due to any
      fragmentation of the protein structure or the formation of any intermolecular
      crosslinking.

PMID- 1410278
TI  - Thrombopoietin from human embryonic kidney cells causes increased
      thrombocytopoiesis in sublethally irradiated mice.
AB  - Previous work showed that mice treated with platelet-specific antiserum prior to
      whole-body irradiation did not suffer the degree or duration of thrombocytopenia
      as did irradiated control mice. We now report that a partially purified
      preparation of a thrombocytopoiesis-stimulating factor (TSF or thrombopoietin)
      mimics the biological effects of platelet-specific antiserum treatment in
      hematopoietically suppressed mice. Male C3H mice were exposed to 3.0 or 4.5 Gy of
      137Cs gamma radiation and injected with a total dose of 4 units (U) of TSF. Human
      serum albumin (HSA) and rabbit anti-mouse platelet serum-injected mice, along
      with unirradiated mice, served as controls. Packed cell volumes (PCV), RBC
      counts, WBC counts, platelet counts, and percentage 35S incorporation into
      platelets were measured in mice at various days (7-14) following treatment. The
      results showed that irradiated mice treated with TSF had increased 35S uptake
      into platelets and higher platelet counts than HSA-treated controls. Also, PCV,
      RBC counts, and WBC counts of irradiated mice treated with TSF were significantly
      higher than values for HSA-treated mice. Additional experiments using 40,000
      U/mouse of Interleukin-6 (IL-6), 227 U/mouse of granulocyte macrophage-colony
      stimulating factor (GM-CSF), or a combination of GM-CSF and IL-6 did not show
      increased platelet counts or 35S incorporation into platelets on Days 10 and 14
      when compared to other mice treated with control substances. These results
      suggest that the radioprotective effects of platelet antibodies reported
      previously may be due to the release and action of thrombopoietin. These studies
      also demonstrate that thrombopoietin therapy will modulate the severe
      thrombocytopenia that occurs in radiation-induced bone marrow suppression.

PMID- 1410279
TI  - Repopulation of O-2A progenitor cells after irradiation of the adult rat optic
      nerve analyzed by an in vitro clonogenic assay.
AB  - In the central nervous system (CNS) O-2A (Oligodendrocyte type 2 Astrocyte)
      progenitor cells have been proposed as potential target cells, and their
      depletion by irradiation will cause demyelination. The extent and time course of
      repopulation of these glial stem cells were studied in the adult rat optic nerve
      after irradiation in vivo. The number of O-2A progenitor cells was measured
      quantitatively by an in vitro clonogenic assay. Although the CNS is typically a
      late-responding tissue, repopulation was initiated almost immediately after
      irradiation and after several weeks a plateau was reached that lasted up to 6
      months. Single doses of 4-12 Gy of X rays caused a permanent reduction in the
      number of O-2A progenitor cells. An analysis of the colony size of O-2A
      progenitor cells showed a sustained reduction in the number of offspring of cells
      surviving a dose of 12 Gy. In addition, the colony size of unirradiated
      progenitors diminished with increasing age of the animals.

PMID- 1410280
TI  - Identification of nitroxide radioprotectors.
AB  - The nitroxide Tempol, a stable free radical, has recently been shown to protect
      mammalian cells against several forms of oxidative stress including radiation
      induced cytotoxicity. To extend this observation, six additional water-soluble
      nitroxides with different structural features were evaluated for potential
      radioprotective properties using Chinese hamster V79 cells and clonogenic assays.
      Nitroxides (10 mM) were added 10 min prior to radiation exposure and full
      radiation dose-response curves were determined. In addition to Tempol, five of
      the six nitroxides afforded in vitro radioprotection. The best protectors were
      found to be the positively charged nitroxides, Tempamine and 3-aminomethyl
      PROXYL, with protection factors of 2.3 and 2.4, respectively, compared with
      Tempol, which had a protection factor of 1.3. 3-Carboxy-PROXYL, a negatively
      charged nitroxide, provided minimal protection. DNA binding characteristics as
      studied by nonequilibrium dialysis of DNA with each of the nitroxides
      demonstrated that Tempamine and 3-amino-methyl-PROXYL bound more strongly to DNA
      than did Tempol. Since DNA is assumed to be the target of radiation-induced
      cytotoxicity, differences in protection may be explained by variabilities in
      affinity of the protector for the target. This study establishes nitroxides as a
      general class of new nonthiol radioprotectors and suggests other parameters that
      may be exploited to find even better nitroxide-induced radioprotection.

PMID- 1410281
TI  - Radioprotection of DNA in isolated nuclei by naturally occurring thiols at
      intermediate oxygen tension.
AB  - Incubation of isolated Chinese hamster ovary cell nuclei, equilibrated in an
      atmosphere containing 2% O2, with glutathione, cysteine, or cysteamine resulted
      in a decrease in the number of X-ray-induced DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs),
      determined by pH 9.0 filter elution. In the absence of exogenous thiol, no
      sensitization was observed with the addition of N-ethylmaleimide, indicating that
      endogenous thiols were not present at significant levels. Protection by 0.3 mM
      glutathione was not enhanced by the addition of exogenous glutathione S
      transferases or by glutathione peroxidase. The data were analyzed according to a
      simple competition model with various hypotheses. Cysteamine was more than an
      order of magnitude more effective than the other thiols tested, on a molar basis,
      in preventing DSB formation. Depending on the hypothesis used to evaluate the
      data, glutathione was either much less effective, on a molar basis, in preventing
      the bulk of the DSBs or was capable of preventing only approximately 55% of the
      damage, regardless of concentration. These data suggest that natural thiols other
      than glutathione may contribute to cellular radioprotection even if their
      concentration is much lower than that of glutathione. The data also suggest that
      despite the relative inefficiency of glutathione as a radioprotector, some areas
      of oxygenated tissues--where the oxygen tension falls below 2%--may be protected
      by glutathione concentrations in the physiological range of 3-20 mM.

PMID- 1410282
TI  - [The functional status of the hypophyseal-adrenal cortical adaptation system in
      children in Byelarus living under the action of low doses of radiation after the
      accident at the Chernobyl Atomic Electric Power Station].
AB  - The analysis of the status of sympatho-adrenal and hypophysis-adrenal medulla
      systems of adaptation in children living in territories contaminated by
      radionuclides was carried out. A decrease in the catecholamine level in
      children's urine and hyperactivity of the hormonal response of adrenal medulla to
      endogenous ACTH indicated the reduced ability of adaptation and decreased
      resistance of children's organisms to stress factors of the environment.

PMID- 1410283
TI  - [The effect of iodine-131 on the binding characteristics of sex and thyroid
      hormones by blood plasma proteins in children with a functional thyroid disorder
      as a result of the accident at the Chernobyl Atomic Electric Power Station].
AB  - In studying characteristics of specific interaction of estradiol-, testosterone-
      and thyroid-binding blood globulins with the corresponding ligands in children
      from Gomel Province with endemic swelling of the thyroid gland (degrees I and II)
      affected by iodine-131 revealed were a reduced cooperativity in estradiol and T-3
      binding and a halved affinity to androgens and thyroids as compared to healthy
      controls. In addition, there was a drastic decline in the binding capacity of
      estradiol- and testosterone-binding globulins in the blood plasma. The endemic
      thyroid gland swelling is supposed to be due to sexual malfunction in teenagers.

PMID- 1410284
TI  - [Radiation reactions and the possibilities for their modification in rats exposed
      in the area of the Chernobyl Atomic Electric Power Station].
AB  - A study was made of some embryological, hematological, cytogenetic and
      biochemical characteristics in Wistar rats exposed within the Chernobyl NPP zone
      over a period of 30 days (the average radiation background level, 75, and at the
      soil surface, 115 mR/h; a cumulative dose, 57 rad/30 days, and for pregnant rats,
      36 rad/20 days). The quantity of chromosome aberrations in bone marrow metaphases
      and the embryonal death rate were invariable; some cases of teratogenesis were,
      however, observed. The total number of karyocytes in the brain and the leukocyte
      content in the peripheral blood sometimes decreased. The changes in certain
      characteristics (such as the content of endogenous amines and thiols in the liver
      and spleen) of the endogenous radioresistance background (ERB) and the
      normalization of the ERB by the radioprotective agent MIGI-K were found.

PMID- 1410286
TI  - [The quantitative patterns in the yield of chromosome aberrations in a human
      lymphocyte culture under fractionated gamma-neutron irradiation at different
      stages of the mitotic cycle. The cytogenetic effects at the G0 stage].
AB  - A study was made of the quantitative regularities of the interaction of
      cytogenetic damages induced, at the G0 stage of human lymphocyte culture, by
      fractionated gamma-neutron radiation, within a wide range of doses, delivered in
      the direct of reverse sequence at the intervals between fractions of 1 and 5 h.
      The results were compared with those obtained in experiments with single and
      fractionated gamma- or neutron irradiation within the same dose range.

PMID- 1410285
TI  - [Chromosome aberration induction in murine spermatocytes in joint exposure to
      radiation and sodium nitrite and nitrate].
AB  - In studying the combined effect of single and fractionated exposure to
      gamma/neutron radiation (12.5-50 cGy) and sodium nitrite (100 mg/kg) and chronic
      irradiation with a mixture of radiation (25 cGy) and sodium nitrite, nitrate (10
      100 mg/l) the synergistic effect was observed in inducing reciprocal
      translocations in mouse spermatocytes. The dose-response function of the
      reciprocal translocations occurrence in Af mouse spermatocytes was nonlinear;
      there was a "plateau" within the dose range from 25 to 50 cGy.

PMID- 1410287
TI  - [The role of the thyroid hormones in regulating chromosomal resistance to
      microwave exposure].
AB  - The mutagenic effect of microwaves (2450 MHz, 500 mu W/cm2, 30 days, 7 h/day) on
      rats was shown to decrease under the influence of thyroxine (2.5 mu g/100 g)
      administered over a two-week period. The major role of thyroid hormones in the
      formation of the antimutagenic effect of nonionizing radiation (2450 MHz, 10 mu
      W/cm2, 30 days, 7 h/day) was confirmed by the experiments with the parathyroid
      gland being removed.

PMID- 1410288
TI  - [The inhibition by the tumor necrosis factor of the death and DNA fragmentation
      of lymphoid cells in irradiated rats].
AB  - The influence of a tumor necrosis factor, administered 16 h before irradiation of
      rats, on the radiation response of thymus and bone marrow cells has been
      investigated. Three and 6 h after irradiation the following indices were
      analyzed: the number of apoptotic cells in the thymus; the accumulation of
      polydeoxyribonucleotides and the appearance of single-strand breaks in DNA of
      bone marrow and thymus cells; and the electrophoretic properties of thymocyte
      DNA. The injection of a tumor necrosis factor reduced the number of
      polydeoxyribonucleotides, inhibited internucleosome DNA fragmentation, and did
      not influence the formation of single-strand breaks in DNA.

PMID- 1410289
TI  - [The effect of one-time external gamma irradiation at different stages of
      ontogeny on the thyroid status of rats].
AB  - A single external gamma-irradiation (1 Gy) of rats on day 35 of their life causes
      stable structural and functional disturbances in the thyroid gland leading to the
      development of hypothyrosis at the remote times following irradiation which is
      demonstrated by the decrease in the concentration of thyroxine in the blood,
      increase in the thyrotropic function of the hypophysis and inhibition of the
      activity of tyrosine-dependent enzyme, alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, in
      the liver. Disturbances induced by such exposure in the thyroid gland of adult
      rats are insignificant and compensatory in time.

PMID- 1410290
TI  - [The effect of gamma irradiation at sub- and supralethal doses on the lipid
      composition of the mucosa and of the brush border membrane of the small intestine
      in rats].
AB  - A study was made of the amount of cholesterol and its ethers (phosphatidyl
      choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, sphingomyelin, phosphatidyl serine, and
      phosphatidyl inositol) in mucosa and membrane of the small intestine brush border
      24 h after 4 Gy and 2 h after 20 Gy irradiation. No changes in the lipid content
      of mucosa and membrane of the brush border were noted after 4 Gy irradiation.
      Exposure to 20 Gy radiation doubled the number of cholesterol ethers and made the
      number of individual phospholipids and cholesterol increase by nearly 1.5 times.
      The amount of phosphatidyl serine in the brush border membrane increased by
      almost 3 times; the concentration of other lipids increased by nearly 1.5 times;
      cholesterol/phospholipid ratio was unchangeable.

PMID- 1410292
TI  - [The effect of ionizing radiation on nitrosamine formation from anthropogenic
      precursors].
AB  - The kinetics of formation of nitrosoamines from precursors under the effect of
      ionizing radiation has first been quantitatively estimated, and the optimal
      conditions of their formation determined. The possibility of formation of
      nitrosoamines under the effect of low-level radiation has been investigated.
      Using the mathematical functions obtained from the experiments, the number of
      nitrosoamines, that may form under the effect of radiation in the aqueous medium,
      has been determined.

PMID- 1410291
TI  - [The individual postradiation reactions of cyclic nucleotides in the lymphoid
      cells of the rat spleen].
AB  - X irradiation (4.3 Gy) of rats was shown to cause different reactions of the
      cyclic nucleotide system in differently reactive animals which was determined by
      the neutrophilic response in the peripheral blood after three-hour
      immobilization. Changes in the cyclic nucleotide content and in the activity of
      adenylate cyclase were found to occur in both hyper- and hyporeactive animals 24
      h after irradiation. In hyperreactive animals, however, these changes were more
      pronounced: a relative ability of adenylate cyclase to be activated in
      hyperreactive animals made 30%, and 52% in hyporeactive animals. The cAMP content
      in lymphocytes of the spleen of hyporeactive rats was twice as high as that in
      hyperreactive animals.

PMID- 1410293
TI  - [The effect of ionizing radiation at superhigh doses on the processes of dopamine
      release and reuptake by nerve endings in different sections of the brain].
AB  - Rats exposed to fast 24 MeV electrons (100 Gy) at the state of early transient
      incapacity (ETI) exhibited active release and reuptake of dopamine in nerve
      terminals of the striatum. No changes in the indices under study were found in
      rats exposed to 25 Gy radiation that did not cause the ETI development. The in
      vitro irradiation of the isolated synaptosomes (100 Gy) inhibited dopamine
      reuptake and increased the number of sites of 3H-spiperone binding to D2
      receptors in a membrane fraction isolated from the striatum.

PMID- 1410294
TI  - [Changes in cellular radiosensitivity by modifying the cytoplasmic membranes].
AB  - The radiosensitivity of mouse myeloma and E. coli cells in the presence of Mg2+
      and UO2(2+) ions has been investigated. It has been shown that Mg2+ ions (10(-4)
      M) do not influence the viability of E. coli and mouse myeloma cells. The
      presence of Mg2+ ions during irradiation reduces the survival rate of E. coli
      cells, but the addition of Mg2+ ions after irradiation does not influence the
      radiosensitivity of E. coli cells. Comparison of the results on the influence of
      Mg2+ ions upon cells and bilayer lipid membranes (BLM) permits us to suppose that
      Mg2+ ions increase the positive charge of the membranes thus promoting the
      increase in the number of short-lived radiolysis products which impair membranes
      and increase cell radiosensitivity. UO2(2+) ions (10(-4) M) increase the
      radioresistance of E. coli cells which can be associated with the increase in the
      lateral membrane viscosity, as it was shown in the studies on BLM.

PMID- 1410295
TI  - [The effect of the immunomodulator glucosaminylmuramyl dipeptide on hematopoiesis
      in mice with experimental cytopenia].
AB  - Simulation of cytopenia by injection of cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg) or by
      exposure to ionizing radiation (4 Gy) was shown to cause in mice similar, by the
      severity and rate of development, transient inhibition of haemopoiesis which was
      somewhat more persistent after irradiation. Glucosaminylmuramyl dipeptide applied
      after the above effects promoted the haemopoiesis recovery.

PMID- 1410296
TI  - [The effect of gas hypoxia (10% O2) and dextran sulfate on the radiosensitivity
      of the stem cells of the intestinal epithelium in mice].
AB  - Injection of dextran sulphate before irradiation was shown to protect jejunal
      epithelium stem cells (D0 increased from 1.13 to 1.82 Gy). The protective effect
      of a combination of dextran sulphate and gas hypoxic mixture (10% O2) did not
      exceed that of the administration of the gas hypoxic mixture (10% O2) alone.

PMID- 1410297
TI  - [The circadian oscillations in the radioresistance of the CNS in female and male
      rats after craniocaudal gamma radiation].
AB  - In experiments with albino mongrel male and female rats subjected to craniocaudal
      gamma irradiation (60Co, 62.5 Gy), daily oscillations of the CNS radioresistance
      were revealed by the criterion of occurrence of early transient neurological
      disorders (ETND). Experiments were conducted during two seasons (January and
      April). The time factor was significant, as estimated by the frequency and
      severity of opisthotonos and convulsions in males. ETND were more frequent and
      severe in females than in males.

PMID- 1410298
TI  - [The effect of gamma irradiation on the direct intercellular interaction (rosette
      formation) of thymic macrophages with thymocytes].
AB  - In experiments with (CBA x C57BL/6)F1 mice, the effect of radiation on rosette
      formation between thymus macrophages (Th-MPh) and thymocytes (Thc) was studied on
      days 1, 4, 12, 30, and 60 following gamma irradiation with doses of 0.5, 2, 4,
      and 8 Gy. The influence of supernatants of thymus epithelial cells (EC) on the
      rosette formation was estimated. Gamma irradiation with doses of above 2 Gy was
      shown to cause a dose-dependent inhibition of rosette formation of Th-MPh with
      Thc in vitro. Recovery of rosette-forming ability of Th-MPh was observed on day
      60 of the experiment. Two types of rosette-forming Th-MPh were identified:
      RFMPhII with low rate of binding to Thc and RFMPhII with high rate of binding to
      Thc. Radiation affects mainly the RFMPhII content. With radiation doses of 4 and
      8 Gy no complete restoration of RFMPhI was observed on day 60. The total
      population of rosette-forming Th-MPh was restored on day 60 mainly due to cells
      with low rate of rosette formation. The EC supernatant promoted rosette formation
      of exposed Th-MPh with Thc. The effect was maximum at early times following
      irradiation of Th-MPh with a dose of 4 Gy.

PMID- 1410299
TI  - [The distribution of intratracheally administered plutonium-239 throughout the
      skeletal bones].
AB  - The data are presented on distribution of the intratracheally administered
      plutonium-239 within the skeleton bones. Plutonium was found to be distributed
      non-uniformly within the skeleton: it was concentrated mainly in the bones where
      the trabecular fraction of the bone tissue was most manifest. The results
      obtained were supported by the correlation analysis.

PMID- 1410300
TI  - [The effect of ionizing radiation on the vascular bed of the skin in ontogeny.
      The function of the microcirculatory bed of the skin in the fetuses of white rats
      sublethally irradiated].
AB  - Albino female rats were exposed to X radiation (5 Gy, 180 kV, 10 mA, filter 0.5
      mm Cu) on days 10-15 of pregnancy. After 3 and 7 days they were sacrificed (under
      ether anesthesia) and fetuses were extracted. The status of the lympho- and
      hemomicrocirculatory beds (LMCB and HMCB) of the fetus back skin was studied by
      the macro- and microscopic methods. As early as day 3 of radiation sickness the
      diameter of LMCB vessels increased by 1.4-1.9 times, whereas changes in GMCB were
      less pronounced. On day 7, there was a progressive increase in dilatation of LMCB
      vessels, alongside with the narrowing of large units (arteries and veins). The
      development of the connective framework of the fetus skin was retarded.

PMID- 1410301
TI  - [Further comment on the problem of low doses in radiobiology].

PMID- 1410302
TI  - Occupational lung disease.

PMID- 1410303
TI  - Clinical overview of occupational lung disease.
AB  - The workplace has been a source of lung injury for centuries, yet awareness of
      the types of injuries has varied over time. Because of distinctive differences
      among the occupational lung disorders, a continual update of the clinical
      findings, dose response data, physiologic characteristics, and radiographic
      findings is needed. The radiologist plays a key role for the evaluation of
      miners, foundry or factory workers exposed to mineral dusts, and of workers
      exposed to the "biologic" dusts, infectious agents, cancer causing agents, and
      chemicals causing interstitial lung diseases. This overview includes a discussion
      of classification systems, criteria for diagnosis of occupational lung diseases,
      the pulmonary clinician's evaluation, and important aspects of specific disorders
      and concludes with a discussion of pulmonary disability determination.

PMID- 1410304
TI  - The 1980 ILO classification of radiographs of the pneumoconioses.
AB  - The 1980 ILO classification of radiographs of the pneumoconioses has undergone
      revision and improvement in response to increases in knowledge and international
      concerns. Its goal is to standardize the reading and reporting of radiographic
      manifestations of the inhalation of dust so that international epidemiologic
      comparisons are possible. It remains an imperfect instrument, but "... although
      total elimination of variation is impossible, some measure of control can be
      achieved."

PMID- 1410305
TI  - Standard imaging in silicosis and coal worker's pneumoconiosis.
AB  - Silicosis and coal worker's pneumoconiosis (CWP) are two relatively common
      occupational diseases. Silicosis is the most common pneumoconiosis in the United
      States. It results from inhalation of the particulate form of quartz or other
      crystalline forms of silicon dioxide with a diameter of less than 5 micrograms.
      CWP is the result of inhalation of carbon particles. Pathologic features of the
      two diseases differ, yet their radiologic features are identical. Simple
      pneumoconiosis is characterized by multiple small rounded opacities of 1 to 5 mm
      in diameter and with a bias for the upper lung zones. Complicated pneumoconiosis
      results from confluence of small opacities into large opacities that form
      conglomerate masses or progressive massive fibrosis.

PMID- 1410306
TI  - Computed tomographic evaluation of silicosis and coal workers' pneumoconiosis.
AB  - The introduction of computed tomography (CT) has modified the radiologic approach
      to silicosis and coal worker's pneumoconiosis considerably, allowing earlier
      recognition and more precise characterization of pulmonary abnormalities than
      chest radiography. An optimal approach to CT recognition requires an
      understanding of the main physiologic and pathologic features that are known to
      occur in both pneumoconioses. This report focuses on the most common CT features
      of simple and complicated forms of silicosis and coal worker's pneumoconiosis as
      well as on the optimal scanning protocol. The respective roles of chest
      radiographs and CT scans in the recognition of pneumoconiosis and follow-up of
      exposed workers are discussed.

PMID- 1410307
TI  - Conventional radiography in the diagnosis of asbestos-related disease.
AB  - Standard chest radiography, despite its limitations, remains an important means
      of evaluating the asbestos-exposed worker. Because of its wide availability, low
      radiation dose, and low cost, it will continue to be the standard imaging
      procedure for the screening of asbestos-exposed populations.

PMID- 1410308
TI  - Computed tomography in the evaluation of benign asbestos-related disorders.
AB  - High-resolution CT is more sensitive than chest radiography and conventional CT
      in the detection and assessment of benign asbestos-related pleural and
      parenchymal diseases. The HRCT features of asbestosis correlate with clinical and
      functional restriction. The specificity of HRCT findings of asbestosis needs
      further evaluation. Given its low cost and availability, chest radiography
      remains the mainstay of imaging in benign asbestos-related diseases. CT
      (conventional or high-resolution) is not recommended as a universal screening
      test in asbestos-exposed workers. It has a useful role in identifying and
      quantitating pulmonary fibrosis distinct from emphysema and pleural disease, in
      distinguishing pleural disease from normal extrapleural soft tissues, and in
      clarifying the confusing chest radiograph or conflicting pulmonary function data.
      CT is useful in excluding a mass that may be obscured by extensive pleural and
      parenchymal fibrosis and is helpful in the follow-up of benign fibrotic masses or
      in the direction of their biopsy.

PMID- 1410309
TI  - Chronic beryllium disease.
AB  - Chronic beryllium disease is a multisystem granulomatous disease caused by
      industrial exposure to beryllium dust or fumes. It is thought to represent a
      hypersensitivity disorder rather than a true pneumoconiosis. The lung is the
      primary organ of involvement, and many of the radiographic features resemble
      sarcoid.

PMID- 1410310
TI  - Hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
AB  - Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is an immunologic mediated response in the lung to
      inhaled organic antigen. Farmer's lung and pigeon breeder's lung are the two most
      widely know disorders. The chest radiograph usually is normal in hypersensitivity
      pneumonitis. When abnormal, the distribution of disease favors the lung bases
      with acute disease and the upper lung zones with chronic disease. Computed
      tomography (CT) may be more sensitive in detecting parenchymal abnormalities,
      although the characteristic findings of hypersensitivity pneumonitis at CT or
      high-resolution CT are nonspecific.

PMID- 1410311
TI  - Chemical pneumonitis.
AB  - Many organic and nonorganic agents can cause chemical pneumonitis. The more
      soluble agents tend to involve the upper respiratory tract, whereas less soluble
      agents reach the distal airways, causing pulmonary edema. The initial chest
      radiograph can be normal for as long as 48 hours, therefore delayed radiographs
      are important in significant exposures. The most common radiographic pattern is
      pulmonary edema, although various radiographic opacities have been reported.
      Acute complications include secondary pneumonia. Long-term complications include
      bronchiectasis, bronchiolitis obliterans, and lung destruction.

PMID- 1410312
TI  - Occupationally induced neoplasms of the lung and pleura.
AB  - The relationship between asbestos and mesothelioma has been well delineated in
      the past. The epidemiologic, clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features of
      mesothelioma are discussed with reference to the diagnostic evaluation of
      asbestos-exposed patients. The extensive epidemiologic data correlating asbestos,
      tobacco smoke, and induction of lung carcinoma are also reviewed. These data
      provide a model for evaluation of other occupationally induced lung carcinogens
      such as organic and metallic industrial inhalants.

PMID- 1410313
TI  - Alternate AP knee method assures open joint space.
AB  - An alternate method of imaging the knee in the AP projection assures diagnostic
      joint spaces to provide optimal diagnostic information. The degree of angulation
      is varied from 5 degrees cephalic to 5 degrees caudal and is determined by
      measuring the patient's anterior superior iliac spine to table-top distance.

PMID- 1410314
TI  - A comparison of student radiographic reject rates.
AB  - Educators and administrators often are called upon to estimate the economic
      considerations of students in radiology departments for clinical education. Yet,
      little has been written about student radiographic reject rates. This study
      assessed the radiographic reject rate of 320 first- and second-year students from
      21 hospital- and college-sponsored programs in 18 states.

PMID- 1410315
TI  - Task analysis provides data for MRI curriculum planning.
AB  - No standardized education or training program currently exists for magnetic
      resonance imaging technology. The results of this initial national task analysis
      will assist in development of a curriculum guide and serve as a baseline for
      further research.

PMID- 1410316
TI  - TIPSS: use of metallic stents offers non-surgical alternative.
AB  - Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunts (TIPSS) procedures can be a
      significant non-surgical treatment for patients with liver cirrhosis, portal
      hypertension and at least one episode of bleeding from gastroesophageal varices.
      This article presents an in-depth description of the TIPSS procedure and reports
      results obtained from 15 attempted TIPSS cases.

PMID- 1410317
TI  - Things happen to the best of us.

PMID- 1410318
TI  - Patient care is what it's all about.

PMID- 1410319
TI  - Profits, drugs and wellness programs.

PMID- 1410320
TI  - [The work of the Hessian Medical Office].
AB  - The task of this committee on quality control and radiation protection is
      described, along with an explanation of the legal principles used in the
      execution of its duties (Nuclear Safety Law and Radiological Ordinance).
      Furthermore, the procedures used for the evaluation of X-rays are illustrated,
      followed by test films of X-ray equipment and film developers. Finally, the
      composition and activities of the Radiation Protection Committee are described.

PMID- 1410321
TI  - [Quality assurance in radiology from the viewpoint of the specialists and the
      supervisory authorities].
AB  - Quality assurance for diagnostic imaging equipment has been successful so far. In
      the old Federal Republic of Germany, inspection of the existing equipment in
      diagnostic radiology in being completed. The estimated number of uninspected
      units is relatively small. All detected shortcomings have been repaired in the
      meantime, and very few faults have been detected in newly installed equipment. Of
      the status obtained following inspection and repair is to be maintained, however,
      more effective methods must be implemented. There is no doubt that everybody
      involved in quality assurance programs, including the experts and supervisory
      authorities, is actively working on improving the results.

PMID- 1410322
TI  - [Quality assurance from the viewpoint of the x-ray film industry].
AB  - The parameters of a film-screen-combination are listed in the directive to
      section 16 of the german X-ray Regulation. These parameters are determined by
      methods described in DIN standards and published by the manufacturer. Comparable
      but less precise parameters are determined in the Acceptance Test. For physical
      reasons it is not possible to determine the speed of an X-ray film or the
      intensification factor of a screen separately. The films, screens and processing
      chemicals delivered by the members of the manufacturer association ZVEI are kept
      below a deviation (expressed as relative contribution to the system speed S) of
      +/- 10% for the majority of products, the upper limit is +/- 15%. Poor storage
      and transport conditions may adversely affect the quality of X-ray films. A
      special labeling of the film box shall serve to guarantee safe distribution
      channels. The processing conditions are adjusted at the Acceptance Test according
      to the manufacturers recommendations. The Constancy Test of film processing
      serves to maintain these correct conditions. Methods deviating from the DIN
      method are of limited (Bayerische method) or no value (Stuttgart method).

PMID- 1410323
TI  - [Evaluation of different methods of control of film processing].
AB  - In addition to the official control method (DIN 6868), alternative test methods
      have been developed in the last few years: the "visuelle Methode" by Eder and the
      "Stuttgarter Modell." The aim of both methods is mainly to increase
      practicability and economy. The DIN method, however, demonstrates clear benefits,
      precision, practicability and economy, and it is the only method that allows a
      trend analysis at small intervals, which is the basis for possible preventive
      action.

PMID- 1410324
TI  - [Sources of error in the quality assurance of x-ray equipment].
AB  - With the introduction of the German industrial protocol for quality assurance of
      X-ray equipment, everybody using X-ray machines fell into some sort of trap or
      found some of the procedures misleading. Vigorous discussions were held on every
      conceivable aspect of this and other protocols, and are still in progress. This
      paper points out some of the common traps and considers a new type dosimeter,
      which allows a definite separation of quality assurance of X-ray equipment and of
      processing and which can also be used in future for quality assurance of digital
      radiography equipment.

PMID- 1410325
TI  - [MR tomographic aspects of olivary pseudohypertrophy].
AB  - MRI aspects of olivary pseudohypertrophy (OH) following pontocerebellar lesions
      of different etiology and localization are reviewed. OH is characterized by
      unilateral or bilateral enlargement of the inferior olivary nucleus and increased
      signal intensity in T2- and, especially, in proton-density (PD)-weighted images.
      Correlations between the extent and the uni- or bilateral presence of olivary
      hypertrophy and the localization of the primary pontocerebellar lesions are
      discussed.

PMID- 1410328
TI  - [Para- and non-ethical publication practices in medicine].

PMID- 1410326
TI  - [Iotrolan versus iopamidol. A controlled double-blind study with lumbar
      myelography].
AB  - Within the frame work of lumbar myelography, 158 patients were entered in a
      double-blind study in order to test a dimeric contrast medium (iotrolan) against
      a monomeric one (iopamidol), both of them non-ionic. A three-step scheme was
      applied to evaluate the X-ray pictures with respect to contrast quality.
      Particular attention was paid to the visibility of details, i.e. the nerve root
      and its course, as well as to how well it could be distinguished in the nerve
      root sheath. On the basis of a high level of significance (P less than 0.05),
      comparison of the two contrast media showed no difference in contrast quality.
      Sixty-nine percent of the examinations using iotrolan resulted in excellent
      contrast quality, whereas the corresponding very good results using iopamidol lay
      at 76%. Twenty-nine percent of the patients examined with iotrolan and 27% of
      those examined with iopamidol showed side effects. Headache occurred most
      frequently, followed by nausea, dizziness and neck pain. Sixty percent of the
      patients suffering from postmyelographic reactions reported delayed headache,
      which occurred most often with iotrolan rather than iopamidol. As for
      manifestation of other postmyelographic side effects, there were no significant
      differences (P less than 0.05, Fischer's test) between the two groups of contrast
      media.

PMID- 1410327
TI  - [Ganglioneuroma of the pelvis accompanying pregnancy].
AB  - Ganglioneuroma is an uncommon benign tumor of the sympathetic nervous system. In
      most cases it originates from the thoracic or lumbar portion of the gangliated
      cord or from the medulla of the suprarenal glands. It is the differentiated form
      of malignant neuroblastoma. The tumor often manifests itself in young adults by
      displacement of the surrounding structures. In the case presented the special
      diagnostic problems of locating the tumor in the pelvis in early pregnancy are
      discussed.

PMID- 1410329
TI  - [An unclear space-occupying lesion in the portocaval space. A hypertrophied
      papillary process in the caudate lobe of the liver].

PMID- 1410330
TI  - [Importance of MR-mammography. Satellite symposium following the 73rd German
      Radiology Congress. Wiesbaden, 27 May 1992].

PMID- 1410331
TI  - [7th expert's exchange in contrast media preparation and after care, "Good
      Clinical Practice". Lindau/Bodensee, 9-12 April 1992].

PMID- 1410332
TI  - Gastrointestinal tract in the immunocompromised host: opportunistic infections
      and other complications.
AB  - In the decade since the early 1980s, the increasing use of immunosuppressive
      therapy for cancer and autoimmune disease, as well as for organ transplantation,
      has combined with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome epidemic to increase
      greatly the incidence of opportunistic infections and other complications of the
      gastrointestinal tract. Consequently, barium fluoroscopic and cross-sectional
      imaging studies tailored to address these problems are no longer uncommon.
      Although overlap exists, there are radiographic patterns that can direct the
      diagnosis to an opportunistic infection and sometimes to a specific pathogen.
      This article describes and illustrates the radiographic findings of
      gastrointestinal superinfection with Candida albicans, cytomegalovirus,
      Cryptosporidium spp, herpes simplex virus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M avium
      intracellulare, and human immunodeficiency virus. Other gastrointestinal tract
      complications of immunosuppression are discussed, including graft-versus-host
      disease following bone marrow transplantation, typhlitis, and pseudomembranous
      colitis.

PMID- 1410333
TI  - Fine-needle aspiration and flow cytometry for evaluation of primary breast
      cancer.

PMID- 1410334
TI  - MR imaging differentiation of adrenal masses: has the time finally come?

PMID- 1410335
TI  - Acute appendicitis in childhood: the role of US.

PMID- 1410336
TI  - Diagnosis of uterine anomalies: relative accuracy of MR imaging, endovaginal
      sonography, and hysterosalpingography.

PMID- 1410337
TI  - Benign adrenocortical masses: diagnosis with chemical shift MR imaging.
AB  - Benign adrenocortical masses often contain lipid; metastases and
      pheochromocytomas do not. Standard and lipid-sensitive (chemical shift) magnetic
      resonance (MR) images of the adrenal glands in 31 patients with 45 adrenal masses
      were reviewed to determine if simple visual analysis of these images would
      increase diagnostic specificity. Lipid was considered present if signal intensity
      of the adrenal mass relative to other tissues decreased on chemical shift images
      relative to comparable standard images. Both myelolipomas and 26 of 27 benign
      cortical masses displayed a loss of signal intensity on at least one chemical
      shift image; all 12 metastases, the three hemorrhages, and a cyst did not.
      Opposed-phase images were slightly more sensitive than fat-suppressed images in
      depicting lipid within benign cortical masses. All masses had higher signal
      intensity than that of the liver on standard T2-weighted MR images. Chemical
      shift MR imaging can demonstrate lipid within benign adrenocortical masses and
      thus increase specificity, potentially obviating biopsy and aggressive follow-up.

PMID- 1410338
TI  - Male infertility: role of transrectal US in diagnosis and management.
AB  - Ultrasound (US) has become crucial in the assessment of infertility of couples,
      in 50% of whom the male partner is responsible. Male infertility is caused by
      many diverse conditions, from reparable obstructive disorders to noncorrectable
      intrinsic testicular failure. During the past 4 years, a select group of 70 young
      infertile men with azoospermia or oligospermia and low ejaculate volume were
      examined with transrectal US. Twenty-six patients had congenital bilateral
      absence of the vas deferens, 11 had congenital unilateral absence of the vas
      deferens and contralateral obstructive pathology, 15 had additional abnormalities
      thought to be directly related to semen deficiencies, and 18 patients with other
      causes for semen deficiency and infertility had findings that were either normal
      or showed minor abnormalities. The delineation of congenital and obstructive
      abnormalities of the distal urogenital tract with transrectal US enables an
      accurate diagnosis of certain cases of male infertility and helps guide
      appropriate clinical and surgical management.

PMID- 1410339
TI  - Transrectal US in evaluation of patients after radical prostatectomy. Part I.
      Normal postoperative anatomy.
AB  - The appearance of the prostatic fossa on transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) scans
      obtained after radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) was studied in 25 patients
      believed to have no tumor on the basis of their level of serum prostate-specific
      antigen (PSA) (< or = 0.4 ng/mL). The profile of the vesicourethral anastomosis
      (VUA) in the midsagittal plane was tapered in 13 patients (52%) and nontapered in
      12 patients (48%). The nontapered profile was associated with incontinence in
      nine of 11 patients (82%) followed up for less than 12 months but in only four of
      14 patients (28%) followed up beyond 1 year. In 20 patients (80%), a hypoechoic
      soft-tissue lesion (average volume, 1.7 cm3) was seen anterior to the VUA and
      indented the anterior bladder wall. The length of the urethral high-pressure zone
      increased with muscular contraction of the pelvic floor. Knowledge of the
      baseline anatomic structures depicted on TRUS scans obtained after RRP may be
      useful in selection of tissue for TRUS-guided needle biopsy in patients with
      elevated levels of PSA. The many post-surgical changes reduced the specificity of
      the TRUS findings.

PMID- 1410340
TI  - Seminal vesicles: biopsy-related hemorrhage simulating tumor invasion at
      endorectal MR imaging.
AB  - The diagnosis of seminal vesicle invasion by prostatic carcinoma is based on
      observation of foci of relatively decreased signal intensity on T2-weighted
      magnetic resonance (MR) images. Similar findings were observed in the absence of
      tumor invasion in nine patients who had recently undergone prostatic needle
      biopsy. Noncorresponding foci of abnormally increased signal intensity were also
      present on T1-weighted images in eight patients. These signal intensity
      abnormalities were of variable location and extent, and usually did not follow
      the expected pattern of spread from the primary prostatic tumor site. Radical
      prostatectomy in all patients showed the seminal vesicles to be normal. Signal
      intensity patterns observed on MR images appear to represent hemorrhagic
      breakdown products related to prostatic needle biopsy, which may result in direct
      trauma to the seminal vesicles. Another potential mechanism is retrograde
      transport of blood products from the site of prostatic biopsy to the seminal
      vesicles via the ejaculatory ducts. Awareness of this phenomenon will assist in
      accurate interpretation of MR images for staging of prostate cancer.

PMID- 1410341
TI  - Transvaginal US-guided aspiration of ovarian cysts and solid pelvic masses.
AB  - Sixty-eight transvaginal ultrasound (US)-guided aspirations or biopsies were
      performed in 61 patients, of whom 48 had ovarian cysts and 13 had solid pelvic
      masses. In one patient with an ovarian cyst, aspiration revealed malignancy.
      Thirty-six of the 48 cysts were drained transvaginally in 23 premenopausal and 13
      postmenopausal women, with recurrence rates of 48% and 80%, respectively. In
      seven cases a cyst was aspirated twice. In the 13 patients with solid pelvic
      lesions, 11 lesions proved to be malignant, with positive biopsy results in nine
      (sensitivity, 82%). Two benign lesions were correctly identified. No major
      complication was observed. The authors conclude that the transvaginal route
      offers simple access to pelvic lesions in pre- and postmenopausal patients. For
      women with a solid pelvic lesion, transvaginal aspiration biopsy with endovaginal
      US guidance is a safe and effective alternative to surgery, especially for
      patients with previously diagnosed malignant disease.

PMID- 1410342
TI  - Central pulmonary thromboembolism: diagnosis with spiral volumetric CT with the
      single-breath-hold technique--comparison with pulmonary angiography.
AB  - Forty-two patients were prospectively evaluated with spiral volumetric computed
      tomography (CT) and selective pulmonary angiography of each lung to detect
      central pulmonary thromboembolism. Spiral volumetric CT images obtained with
      either 90 mL of 30% contrast material or 120 mL of 12% contrast material were
      graded as excellent or good in 98% of the examinations (41 patients). Diagnosis
      of pulmonary embolism with spiral volumetric CT was based on the direct
      visualization of intraluminal clots: partial filling defects (n = 41; 37%),
      complete filling defects (n = 51; 46%), "railway track" signs (n = 6; 5%), and
      mural defects (n = 14; 12%). All 23 patients with normal findings of spiral
      volumetric CT had normal findings of pulmonary angiography. With spiral
      volumetric CT, the finding of 112 central emboli (eight main, 28 lobar, and 76
      segmental) corresponded exactly to the angiographic findings, but nine
      intersegmental lymph nodes were erroneously interpreted as filling defects. In
      one case of normal pulmonary angiographic findings, asymmetry in pulmonary
      arterial perfusion was misinterpreted as pulmonary embolism with spiral
      volumetric CT. Spiral volumetric CT can reliably depict thromboemboli in second-
      to fourth-division pulmonary vessels.

PMID- 1410343
TI  - Intersegmental (intersublobar) septum of the lower lobe in relation to the
      pulmonary ligament: anatomic, histologic, and CT correlations.
AB  - A thin horizontal linear area of hyperattenuation that extends laterally from the
      mediastinal surface of the lung within the area between the inferior pulmonary
      vein and the diaphragm is a common observation on computed tomographic (CT) scans
      of the chest. To determine the anatomic basis for this structure, the authors
      examined four normal human lungs (two right and two left lungs) fixed in an
      inflated state at pathologic and histologic examination and at CT. The structure
      in question was identified in one right and two left lungs. The linear area of
      hyperattenuation seen at CT is a septum of thin, loose intraparenchymal
      connective tissue that is bounded medially by the base of the pulmonary ligament,
      where the two sleeves of the visceral pleura appose one another, and laterally by
      a vertically oriented vein. The septum was identified in 39 of 50 (78%) normal
      chest CT scans. The pulmonary ligament often appeared to look like a beak at the
      mediastinal side of the lung. The septum, when visible (n = 39), was bounded
      medially by the beak in 28 CT scans (72%) and laterally by a vein in 24 scans
      (62%).

PMID- 1410344
TI  - ACR-NEMA digital imaging communication standard: demonstration at RSNA '92
      infoRAD.

PMID- 1410345
TI  - Omental flap in lung transplantation.
AB  - Some surgeons performing lung transplantation will wrap the bronchial anastomosis
      with omentum in an attempt to improve healing. The authors retrospectively
      reviewed the chest radiographs and computed tomographic (CT) scans of 31 patients
      who underwent lung transplantation with bronchial omentopexy to determine the CT
      appearance of the intrathoracic omentum and the frequency and type of chest
      radiographic manifestations created by the omental flap. The omental flap was
      seen at CT in all patients, was predominantly of fatlike attenuation, and
      contained linear areas of increased attenuation representing omental vessels. In
      16 patients (52%), a total of 29 chest radiographic findings that corresponded to
      the omental flap were seen. There was no statistically significant correlation
      between the type of operative procedure and the presence of a chest radiographic
      correlate for the omentum. The results showed that the omental flap is a
      potential diagnostic pitfall on post-lung transplantation chest radiographs; when
      there is confusion, however, the omentum can be identified with CT because of its
      attenuation value and characteristic course.

PMID- 1410346
TI  - Silicone breast implants in vivo: MR imaging.
AB  - This study was designed to evaluate pulse sequences and patient positioning for
      MR imaging of silicone breast implants in patients. One hundred forty-three
      patients (281 silicone implants) underwent imaging over a 21-month period. The
      combination of a T2-weighted fast spin echo technique (SE), T2-weighted fast SE
      with water suppression, and T1-weighted SE with fat suppression is recommended to
      reliably differentiate silicone from other breast tissues and to identify
      intracapsular and extracapsular ruptures or leaks. Seventy of the 143 patients
      underwent removal of their silicone implants. The sensitivity for detection of
      silicone implant rupture was 76%, with a specificity of 97%. Positioning the
      patient prone improved image quality.

PMID- 1410347
TI  - Nonpalpable breast microcalcifications: frequency, management, and results of
      incisional biopsy.
AB  - In a series of 500 consecutive needle localizations, there were 165 biopsies for
      benign microcalcifications without a mass. An incisional biopsy was performed in
      49 of these cases (30%). Follow-up mammograms were available for review in 39 of
      the cases. The average length of follow-up was 32 months. In no case did
      malignancy develop at the biopsy site. When an incisional biopsy is performed,
      careful follow-up mammography is an alternative to a repeated needle localization
      and biopsy in selected cases.

PMID- 1410348
TI  - Schistosomiasis involving the breast.
AB  - A case of ectopic granulomatous schistosomiasis involving the breast is reported.
      Although schistosomiasis can involve almost any organ, involvement of the breast
      is very rare; to the authors' knowledge, there have been only three previously
      reported cases of breast involvement in the literature. This case was discovered
      at routine screening mammography. Innumerable, segmentally distributed, fine
      calcifications and mild architectural distortion were seen at mammography, and a
      biopsy was performed to exclude malignancy. There appears to be no way to
      accurately discriminate this disease from breast cancer before biopsy.

PMID- 1410349
TI  - Radiation therapy of cancer in prosthetically augmented or reconstructed breasts.
AB  - The authors review the literature and report their experience with radiation
      treatment of 39 prosthetically augmented or reconstructed breasts in 37 patients
      with primary or recurrent breast cancer. Group 1 consisted of 10 patients (12
      primary breast cancers), of whom six had undergone previous breast augmentation
      and were later treated with lumpectomy and radiation therapy. Four patients were
      treated with mastectomy, reconstruction, and postoperative irradiation. Local
      tumor control was achieved in all patients. Excellent or good cosmetic results
      were achieved in all but two patients. Group 2 consisted of 27 patients with
      recurrent breast cancer after mastectomy and reconstruction. Local tumor control
      was achieved in 78% (21 of 27), with a mean duration of 34 months. Excellent or
      good cosmetic results were achieved in 93% (25 of 27). Patients who develop
      primary or recurrent breast cancer in prosthetically augmented or reconstructed
      breasts can be offered radical radiation therapy, with satisfactory tumor control
      and aesthetic results.

PMID- 1410350
TI  - Coronary artery calcification detected with ultrafast CT as an indication of
      coronary artery disease.
AB  - To assess the relationship of coronary artery calcification to angiographically
      detectable disease, the authors evaluated 100 patients less than 60 years of age
      who underwent clinically indicated coronary angiography and ultrafast computed
      tomography (CT). The ultrafast CT technique consisted of 3-mm-thick contiguous
      sections and a 100-msec acquisition time. All patients with clinically
      significant disease at angiography (defined as at least one stenosis with a
      diameter narrowing of at least 50%) had some coronary artery calcification
      present at ultrafast CT (100% sensitivity in this population). The absence of
      calcification at ultrafast CT had a 100% negative predictive value for clinically
      significant coronary artery disease. Specificity and positive predictive value
      were 47% and 62%, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of ultrafast CT in
      the detection of patients with angiographically detectable disease were 94% and
      72%, respectively. Ultrafast CT of the heart is an anatomically based,
      noninvasive test with high sensitivity for the detection of coronary artery
      calcification. Ultrafast CT may be beneficial in the screening of selected
      populations for the presence of atherosclerotic coronary disease.

PMID- 1410351
TI  - MR imaging of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
AB  - To assess the capability of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to define the
      presence, distribution, and severity of the hypertrophic process, MR imaging was
      performed in 20 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and in five healthy
      volunteers. Among the 20 patients, 13 were classified as having asymmetric septal
      hypertrophy and seven as having apical hypertrophy. The mean myocardial thickness
      in the four-chamber view obtained in end diastole in asymmetric septal
      hypertrophy was 23.5 mm +/- 6.8 (mean +/- standard deviation) in the basal
      septum; the ratio of septal to posterolateral wall thickness was 2.05 +/- 0.44 (P
      < .05); those values were 10.4 mm +/- 2.7 and 1.01 +/- 0.19, respectively, in
      five healthy volunteers. The mean myocardial thickness in apical hypertrophy was
      25.3 mm +/- 4.1 in the apex, and the ratio was 2.21 +/- 0.51 (P < .05); these
      values were 9.6 mm +/- 1.5 and 0.95 +/- 0.17, respectively, in five healthy
      volunteers. Three different subtypes of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - resting
      obstructive (n = 5), latent obstructive (n = 3), and nonobstructive (n = 5) -
      were classified according to findings at catheterization in the 13 patients with
      asymmetric septal hypertrophy.

PMID- 1410352
TI  - Gastrointestinal hemorrhage in AIDS: arteriographic diagnosis and transcatheter
      treatment.
AB  - The usefulness of arteriography and transcatheter treatment was studied in nine
      patients with gastrointestinal hemorrhage and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
      (AIDS). Selective arteriography was performed in all patients; transcatheter
      treatment was performed by means of embolotherapy or selective vasopressin
      infusion. Medical records were reviewed to determine the cause of hemorrhage and
      clinical outcome. Arteriography enabled identification of the site of hemorrhage
      in seven patients. Hemorrhage was caused by Kaposi sarcoma (n = 2),
      cytomegalovirus colitis (n = 1), lymphoma (n = 2), or unknown causes (n = 4).
      Neovascularity and dense parenchymal stain were present in patients with Kaposi
      sarcoma. Transcatheter treatment consisted of embolization (n = 3), vasopressin
      infusion (n = 2), or both (n = 1). Hemorrhage was controlled in six cases in
      which transcatheter treatment was administered. Complications included thrombosis
      of the femoral artery in a 7-month-old infant and formation of a pseudoaneurysm
      of the femoral artery, which was treated successfully with ultrasound-guided
      compression. In patients with AIDS and profuse gastrointestinal hemorrhage,
      arteriography often enables identification of a specific site of hemorrhage,
      which can be stopped with transcatheter treatment.

PMID- 1410353
TI  - Nitrogen-filled liposomes as a vascular US contrast agent: preliminary
      evaluation.
AB  - Liposomes with a mean diameter of 1-2 microns were made to entrap nitrogen gas
      and tested as an ultrasound (US) contrast agent. The gas-filled liposomes, or
      Aerosomes (ImaRx Pharmaceutical, Tucson) were tested in vitro for size,
      stability, reflectivity, and acoustic characterization, and were tested in vivo
      for acute toxicity in mice and for cardiac imaging in rabbits after intravenous
      injection. Aerosomes have much greater reflectivity and higher attenuation than
      do standard liposomes and retain their acoustic properties after storage in
      aqueous media for several months. The interpolated median lethal dose of
      Aerosomes is approximately 2.5 mmol of lipid per kilogram, and the imaging dose
      is under 5 mumol of lipid per kilogram, yielding a potential therapeutic index of
      over 500 to 1. Postcontrast US images showed sustained enhancement of all four
      cardiac chambers as well as enhancement in the aorta, vena cava, and hepatic
      veins. Aerosomes hold promise as a contrast agent for cardiac and blood-pool
      imaging. Further work is in progress to characterize and develop this novel US
      contrast agent.

PMID- 1410354
TI  - Malignant biliary obstruction: histologic findings after treatment with self
      expandable stents.
AB  - Histologic analysis was performed of bile duct tissue from 15 patients who
      underwent treatment for malignant obstructive jaundice with a self-expandable
      stent. Stents were in place from 5 days to 21 months. Malignancies included
      adenocarcinoma of the pancreas or gallbladder or cholangiocellular,
      hepatocellular, or gastric carcinoma. Stents were blocked by sludge in two cases
      and tumor overgrowth in two others. Microscopic evaluation showed that stent
      placement caused complete denudation of the mucosa and mild submucosal
      inflammation with edema. In all but one patient, the stent was incorporated into
      the bile duct wall and was covered by a fibrogranulomatous tissue layer after 2
      months. In some cases, an epithelium-like cell formation covered the inner
      surface of the stent. Tumor ingrowth was observed in two patients with poorly
      differentiated tumors. In stents placed for longer than 2 months, mild to
      moderate fibrosis and foreign body reaction were observed. Hyperplastic biliary
      epithelium was not found within the stent or at the stent ends.

PMID- 1410355
TI  - Pancreatic duct obstruction treated with percutaneous antegrade insertion of a
      metal stent: report of two cases.
AB  - Expanding metal stents were used to treat symptomatic pancreatic duct obstruction
      in two patients with chronic pancreatitis. Both patients initially underwent
      percutaneous external pancreatic duct drainage and then had metal stents inserted
      for internal drainage. Both patients remained asymptomatic, and the stents were
      patent during short-term follow-up periods of 6 and 9 months, respectively.
      Percutaneous insertion of metal stents, which can be performed to treat
      pancreatic duct obstruction after a trial of external drainage has been shown to
      relieve the patient's symptoms, should be considered as an alternative to
      endoscopic stent placement or surgical drainage.

PMID- 1410356
TI  - Spiral CT: decreased spatial resolution in vivo due to broadening of section
      sensitivity profile.
AB  - Comparable conventional and spiral computed tomographic (CT) scanning protocols
      for transaxial (n = 30) and multiplanar reformation (MPR) (n = 15) imaging were
      performed to image the adrenal gland and the upper pole of the right kidney in
      the same patient, without use of intravenously administered contrast media. The
      sharpness of soft-tissue-fat interfaces oriented in the transverse (xy) and
      longitudinal (z) directions was measured as the maximum and full width at half
      maximum (FWHM) of the edge attenuation profile first derivative. Edge sharpness
      was qualitatively assessed by three blinded reviewers, who used a four-point
      scale. In vivo transaxial CT studies showed that the conventional scans produced
      slightly sharper edges than the spiral scans (mean difference of spiral and
      conventional FWHM = 0.30 mm [P < .05] [in z direction] and 0.21 mm [P < .05] [in
      xy direction]). In vivo MPR studies showed that interfaces in the xy plane were
      significantly less sharp with spiral scanning, whereas interfaces in the z
      direction were equivalent for conventional and spiral scanning (mean difference
      of spiral and conventional FWHM = 0.03 mm [P > .05] [in z direction] and 1.19 mm
      [P < .05] [in xy direction]). Significant respiratory misregistration was present
      on seven of 15 (47%) conventional MPR scans and on no spiral MPR scans.

PMID- 1410357
TI  - Increasing contrast when viewing radiographic images.
AB  - Illuminating a developed photographic film with parallel or nearly parallel light
      provides increased contrast compared with the contrast obtained with diffuse
      incident light. The viewer of radiographic images can obtain increased contrast
      simply by increasing the distance between the view box and the radiograph, since
      this results in more parallel incident light. The authors found a contrast
      increase of more than 40% when x-ray film was positioned 4 m from a view box.
      Tilting the film relative to the surface plane of the view box gave additional
      contrast increase at the cost of somewhat distorted geometry. The photographic
      effects involved deserve a more thorough discussion in textbooks of radiologic
      and radiographic physics.

PMID- 1410358
TI  - Spleen: dynamic enhancement patterns on gradient-echo MR images enhanced with
      gadopentetate dimeglumine.
AB  - To examine the pattern of immediate enhancement with gadopentetate dimeglumine on
      dynamic magnetic resonance (MR) images of the spleen, this study was divided into
      two parts: In the first part, the authors retrospectively reviewed the dynamic MR
      images obtained with a fast low-angle shot (FLASH) sequence in the abdomen
      immediately after injection of gadopentetate dimeglumine in 137 patients. In the
      second part, dynamic gadolinium-enhanced FLASH images were prospectively compared
      with contrast material-enhanced computed tomographic (CT) scans in 17 patients
      with focal splenic lesions discovered on CT scans. In the first part, 108
      patients (79%) had an arciform pattern of contrast enhancement; 22 patients
      (16%), a uniform pattern of high signal intensity; and seven patients (5%), a
      uniform pattern of low signal intensity. Most patients had arciform enhancement
      of the spleen; uniform enhancement occurred in some patients with underlying
      malignant or inflammatory disease. In the second part, all focal lesions seen on
      CT scans were seen on dynamic MR images (75 lesions), significantly more than
      were seen on FLASH images (15 lesions) (P < .001).

PMID- 1410359
TI  - Gastroesophageal reflux disease: correlation of esophageal pH testing and
      radiographic findings.
AB  - In an attempt to ascertain radiologic efficacy in patients with evidence of
      gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) at pH testing, radiographic findings were
      correlated with pH values obtained with an esophageal monitor worn for a 24-hour
      period in 112 patients. Fifteen (30%) of 50 patients with abnormal pH test
      results had esophagitis diagnosed radiographically, compared with six (10%) of 62
      with normal pH test results (P < .05). The severity of abnormal pH monitoring
      results was classified but did not correlate significantly with the prevalence of
      esophagitis diagnosed radiographically. Hiatal hernia was also more common (80%
      vs 60%) in patients with abnormal pH test results (40 of 50 patients) than in
      those with normal results (37 of 62 patients) (P < .05). Pharyngeal, laryngeal,
      and pulmonary symptoms were common indications for evaluation, and 14 of 27 (52%)
      patients with hoarseness had an abnormal pH tracing. Only a minority of patients
      with evidence of GERD as defined by abnormal pH test results had reflux
      esophagitis diagnosed radiographically.

PMID- 1410360
TI  - Esophageal motor disorders: videofluoroscopic and manometric evaluation-
      prospective study in 88 symptomatic patients.
AB  - Esophageal motor disorders are best evaluated with manometry, which, however, is
      time-consuming and not generally available. The authors prospectively
      investigated the yield of videofluoroscopy in detection of esophageal motor
      disorders in comparison with that of manometry. Eighty-eight patients with
      dysphagia, globus sensation, noncardiac chest pain, or progressive systemic
      sclerosis underwent both manometry and videofluoroscopy at 0-32-day intervals.
      Videofluoroscopy was performed with one swallowing study in the upright position
      and up to three swallowing studies in the prone oblique position. Manometric
      diagnoses of achalasia (n = 15), diffuse esophageal spasm (n = 1), nonspecific
      esophageal motor disorders (n = 44), and adynamic esophagus (n = 9) were made.
      Videofluoroscopically, 87% of the patients with achalasia, the one patient with
      diffuse spasms, 73% of the patients with nonspecific esophageal motor disorders,
      and all of the patients with adynamic esophagus received a correct diagnosis, for
      an overall sensitivity of 80%. The radiographic specificity was 79%. The authors
      conclude that videofluoroscopy is a valuable and reasonably sensitive technique
      for screening for esophageal motor disorders.

PMID- 1410361
TI  - Intraoperative bile duct sonography during laparoscopic cholecystectomy:
      experience with a 12.5-MHz catheter-based US probe.
AB  - During elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 20 patients underwent
      intraoperative evaluation of the biliary tract with a commercial 6.2-F, 12.5-MHz
      catheter-based ultrasound (US) probe. The study tested the feasibility of this
      technology for mapping the anatomy of the hepatoduodenal ligament and Calot
      triangle, assessing bile duct integrity, and detecting choledocholithiasis. The
      duct was studied with a transmural approach, the catheter being placed parallel
      to, but remaining outside, the bile duct. The common hepatic duct and common bile
      duct in the vicinity of the cystic duct were seen in all 20 patients; the
      junction of the cystic duct with the common hepatic duct was seen in nine
      patients (45%). After the cystic duct was clamped, no sonographic evidence to
      suggest bile duct injury was noted in any patient. The transmural imaging
      approach was tested in four pigs in whose common bile duct a single human
      calculus had been placed. In all instances the size and location of the calculus
      were accurately detected. Intraoperative US with a catheter-based system is a
      safe and effective means for interrogation of the extrahepatic biliary tree
      during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

PMID- 1410362
TI  - Inverted papilloma: evaluation with MR imaging.
AB  - The authors examined the magnetic resonance (MR) appearance of inverted
      papillomas to determine if this histologically benign lesion could be
      distinguished from malignancies of the sinonasal cavity. MR images in 10 patients
      with histologically proved inverted papilloma were retrospectively reviewed. The
      signal intensity of inverted papillomas on short repetition time (TR) images was
      iso- to slightly hypertintense to muscle in all 10 patients. Inverted papillomas
      had intermediate signal intensity on the long TR/echo time (TE) images. The
      tumors were iso- or slightly hypointense to fat on long TR/short TE images. In
      the seven patients who received gadopentetate dimeglumine, all inverted
      papillomas showed solid inhomogeneous enhancement. A review of eight sinonasal
      malignancies showed no distinctive signal intensity or enhancement
      characteristics to help differentiate inverted papillomas from various malignant
      tumors. The authors conclude that there is no signature MR appearance for the
      benign inverted papilloma. The main utility of MR imaging is in defining the
      extent of the lesion.

PMID- 1410363
TI  - Intraorbital wood foreign body mimicking air at CT.
AB  - Computed tomography (CT) revealed a 2-cm linear area of extremely low attenuation
      in the left orbit of a boy who had been poked in the eye with a tree branch. The
      appearance and attenuation of the area suggested air, so a diagnosis of orbital
      emphysema was initially considered. Further research indicated that wood mimics
      the CT attenuation and appearance of air. A wood splinter was surgically removed
      from the orbit.

PMID- 1410364
TI  - CT of 338 active professional boxers.
AB  - Computed tomography (CT) was performed in 338 active professional boxers. CT
      scans were abnormal in 25 boxers (7%). The most common CT abnormality was brain
      atrophy (22 cases). Focal lesions of low attenuation consistent with
      posttraumatic encephalomalacia were noted in only three boxers. Boxers with
      abnormal CT scans did not differ from those with borderline or normal CT scans in
      regard to age, win-loss record, number of bouts, or history of an abnormal
      electroencephalogram. Thirty-seven boxers with borderline CT scans (49%) and 17
      with abnormal CT scans (68%) reported a previous technical knockout (TKO) or
      knockout (KO), compared with only 89 (37%) of the 238 boxers with normal CT scans
      (P < .01). Brain atrophy was noted more frequently in boxers with a large cavum
      septum pellucidum (CSP) than in those with a small or no CSP (P < .05). Boxers
      with abnormal or borderline CT scans who experienced a TKO or KO were slightly
      older than those with normal CT scans and a history of a TKO or KO (P < .05).

PMID- 1410365
TI  - Common carotid artery bifurcation: evaluation with spiral CT. Work in progress.
AB  - To determine the utility of spiral computed tomography (CT) in evaluation of
      carotid artery stenosis, spiral CT images of 20 patients were compared with
      images obtained with conventional angiography (20 patients), ultrasound (US) (15
      patients), and magnetic resonance (MR) angiography (six patients). The category
      of stenosis was determined for each internal carotid artery on the basis of the
      percentage of narrowing: mild = less than 30%, moderate = 30%-69%, and severe =
      70%-99%. Occlusions were also noted. The degree of carotid stenosis determined
      with spiral CT correlated with that determined with conventional angiography in
      92% of cases, with that determined with US in 97% of cases, and with that
      determined with MR angiography in 100% of cases. Calcifications and large ulcers
      were also well delineated. Spiral CT provided an accurate anatomic depiction of
      the carotid bifurcation, which could be helpful in preoperative evaluation. The
      major disadvantage of the technique was the need to postprocess data to remove
      veins, calcifications, and bone structures from the images.

PMID- 1410366
TI  - Pituitary adenomas: findings of postoperative MR imaging.
AB  - Preoperative and postoperative magnetic resonance (MR) images obtained in 25
      patients with pituitary macroadenomas (1.1-5.2 cm in diameter) were evaluated to
      determine normal (physiologic) and abnormal findings after transsphenoidal or
      subfrontal surgery. With a 1.5-T unit, T1-weighted sagittal and coronal images
      were obtained before and after administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine. The
      physiologic changes after surgery included resorption of packing material and
      sphenoid sinus opacifications, reexpansion of the pituitary gland, and lowering
      of the optic chiasm. Implanted gelatin foam appeared as an endosellar, circularly
      enhancing mass that was seen on follow-up studies to have decreased in size.
      Muscle-and-fat implants appeared as areas of high signal intensity. In 14
      patients, residual tumors were found in the suprasellar (n = 4), retrosellar (n =
      3), parasellar (n = 8), and/or endosellar (n = 3) space. Residual tumors were
      differentiated from implant materials by means of location, characteristic signal
      intensity, and enhancing pattern, which were identical to those of the
      corresponding preoperative adenoma in 13 cases (93%). Preoperative studies and
      clinical information are helpful in the evaluation of postoperative MR imaging
      examinations.

PMID- 1410367
TI  - Intracranial lesion enhancement with gadolinium: T1-weighted spin-echo versus
      three-dimensional Fourier transform gradient-echo MR imaging.
AB  - The conspicuity of lesion enhancement with gadopentetate dimeglumine was
      evaluated subjectively and quantitatively through calculation of contrast-to
      noise ratios (C/Ns) on T1-weighted three-dimensional (3D) Fourier transform (FT)
      gradient-echo (GRE) and two-dimensional (2D) FT spin-echo (SE) images of the
      brain in 406 consecutive patients. One hundred one enhancing intracranial lesions
      were present in 61 patients, including intra-(n = 76) and extraaxial (n = 25)
      processes of neoplastic (n = 68), infectious or inflammatory (n = 13), ischemic
      (n = 11), or vascular (n = 9) origin. Enhancement was apparent in all lesions on
      2DFT SE and 3DFT GRE images, with similar subjective conspicuity in 86.8% (87 of
      101) of lesions. Quantitative C/N measurements for 2DFT SE (mean, 17.6) and 3DFT
      GRE (mean, 17.2) imaging were not significantly different (P = .72). These
      findings, along with the other advantages of 3DFT GRE imaging, indicate that 3DFT
      GRE examinations are likely to play a major role in the performance of contrast
      enhanced MR imaging of the brain.

PMID- 1410368
TI  - Basal ganglial signal intensity alterations: reversal after discontinuation of
      parenteral manganese administration.
AB  - The authors describe magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings in a patient
      receiving long-term total parenteral nutrition (TPN) therapy in whom parenteral
      manganese administration was experimentally discontinued. MR imaging performed
      while the patient was receiving standard TPN solution demonstrated marked
      hyperintensity of the globi pallidi on T1-weighted images. Following cessation of
      parenteral manganese administration for 1 year, repeat MR imaging demonstrated
      regression of the abnormal signal intensity.

PMID- 1410369
TI  - Human focal cerebral ischemia: evaluation of brain pH and energy metabolism with
      P-31 NMR spectroscopy.
AB  - The authors investigated early human focal ischemia with phosphorus-31 nuclear
      magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 1.89 T to characterize the temporal evolution
      and relationship of brain pH and phosphate energy metabolism. Data from 65
      symptomatic patients were prospectively studied; none of the patients had had
      ischemic stroke in the internal carotid artery territory before. Twenty-eight
      neurologically normal individuals served as control subjects. Serial ischemic
      brain pH levels indicated a progression from early acidosis to subacute
      alkalosis. When acidosis was present there was a significant elevation in the
      relative signal intensity of inorganic phosphate (Pi) and significant reductions
      in signal intensities of alpha-adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and gamma-ATP
      compared with those of control subjects. Ischemic brain pH values directly
      correlated with the relative signal intensity of phosphocreatine (PCr) and the
      PCr index and inversely correlated with the signal intensity of Pi. There was a
      general lack of correlation between either ischemic brain pH or phosphate energy
      metabolism and the initial clinical stroke severity. The data suggest a link
      between high-energy phosphate metabolism and brain pH, especially during the
      period of ischemic brain acidosis, and the authors propose that effective acute
      stroke therapy should be instituted during this period.

PMID- 1410370
TI  - Isolated choroid plexus cysts in the second-trimester fetus: is amniocentesis
      really indicated?
AB  - Choroid plexus (CP) cysts have been associated with trisomy 18, although most
      fetuses with CP cysts are normal. Since many fetuses with trisomy 18 have other
      sonographic abnormalities, the necessity of obtaining a karyotype for all fetuses
      with isolated CP cysts remains controversial. The authors prospectively studied
      234 second-trimester fetuses with sonographically discovered CP cysts. Two
      hundred twenty of them had no other sonographic findings. None of these 220
      normal fetuses had evidence of aneuploidy at amniocentesis or an anomaly at
      birth. Fourteen fetuses had major anomalies detected in utero: 11 had trisomy 18,
      one had triploidy, and two had normal karyotypes but were structurally abnormal.
      While size and bilaterality of the CP cysts were not helpful in predicting
      aneuploidy, the meticulous anatomic survey of fetuses with CP cysts allowed
      successful identification of all aneuploid fetuses. These data show that the
      yield of abnormal karyotypes in fetuses with isolated CP cysts is low and may not
      justify the risk of amniocentesis.

PMID- 1410371
TI  - Appendicitis: usefulness of US in diagnosis in a pediatric population.
AB  - One hundred eighty pediatric patients with suspected appendicitis were
      prospectively examined with graded compression ultrasonography (US) to assess the
      sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of graded compression US in the diagnosis
      of appendicitis in children and to compare those results with results of clinical
      assessment in the diagnosis of this disorder. Patients were assigned to one of
      three groups prior to US based on the clinical level of confidence that
      appendicitis was present and on the planned management decision. Of 141 patients
      in the low- and intermediate-clinical risk categories, 20 (14%) had appendicitis:
      US had a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 97%, and accuracy of 97% in these
      two groups. Of 39 patients in the high-clinical risk category, 32 (82%) had
      appendicitis: US had a sensitivity of 81%, specificity of 86%, and accuracy of
      82%. Of 52 patients with surgically proved appendicitis, the initial management
      decision was to discharge to home or admit for observation and further testing in
      18 (35%). Results at US were positive for appendicitis in all 18 patients in the
      latter two categories.

PMID- 1410372
TI  - Brain abnormalities in male children and adolescents with hemophilia: detection
      with MR imaging. The Hemophilia Growth and Development Study Group.
AB  - Cranial magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed in 124 male patients (aged
      7-19 years), from 14 institutions, in whom a diagnosis of moderate to severe
      hemophilia was made. Blood tests in all subjects were negative for human
      immunodeficiency virus. Findings in MR studies were abnormal in 25 (20.2%)
      subjects. Six lesions in five subjects were classified as congenital. The most
      commonly identified congenital lesion was a posterior fossa collection of
      cerebrospinal fluid (five cases). Twenty-two subjects had acquired lesions that
      were probably related to the hemophilia or its treatment. The most commonly
      acquired lesions were single- or multifocal areas of high signal intensity within
      the white matter on T2-weighted images noted in 14 (11.3%) subjects. Two subjects
      had large focal areas of brain atrophy, and six had some degree of diffuse
      cerebral cortical atrophy. Three subjects (2.4%) had hemorrhagic lesions. To the
      authors' knowledge, the unexpected finding of small, focal, nonhemorrhagic white
      matter lesions has not previously been reported.

PMID- 1410373
TI  - Blood flow imaging through detection of temporal variations in magnetization.
AB  - Two hypotheses were tested: (a) that view-to-view variations in bulk phase and
      modulus of magnetization in vascular volume elements can indicate the presence of
      disordered blood flow, and (b) that a substantial loss of signal intensity on
      magnetic resonance (MR) angiograms of poststenotic regions is due to view-to-view
      changes in magnetization. To test these hypotheses, a technique was developed in
      which view-to-view variations in transverse magnetization were used to create
      angiographic projection images, which showed only disordered flow (disordered
      flow maps) in vitro and in vivo. In phantom studies, this technique recovered
      signal intensity downstream from stenoses. A combination of disordered flow maps
      with morphologic images improved visualization of stenotic regions and provided
      information on characteristics of local flow. These results show that view-to
      view variations in transverse magnetization occur in regions of disordered flow
      and are an important cause of loss of signal intensity. This technique can
      provide information about dynamic blood flow and improve depiction of anatomic
      structures on MR angiograms.

PMID- 1410374
TI  - Iliotibial band friction syndrome: MR imaging findings.
AB  - Six patients with clinical histories and physical examination results consistent
      with iliotibial band friction syndrome (ITBFS) were examined with magnetic
      resonance (MR) imaging. Ill-defined decreased signal intensity on T1-weighted
      images and increased signal intensity on T2-weighted images was present deep to
      the iliotibial band, adjacent to the lateral femoral epicondyle. Axial fast
      imaging with steady-state precession (FISP) gradient-echo sequences were
      essential in differentiating the ill-defined signal intensity abnormality
      associated with ITBFS from fluid in the lateral knee joint. None of these
      patients were found to have lateral meniscal tears, and all responded to
      conservative measures directed at treating ITBFS. The authors conclude that MR
      imaging may be useful in confirming or establishing the diagnosis of ITBFS in
      patients with the appropriate clinical history and distal lateral thigh or
      lateral knee pain.

PMID- 1410375
TI  - Ulnar collateral ligament injury in baseball pitchers: MR imaging evaluation.
AB  - The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) provides stability to the medial aspect of
      the elbow during valgus stress. Trauma to this ligament may result from
      repetitive forceful throwing. Diagnosis of UCL injury has been based on clinical
      findings of medial joint pain and valgus instability, as direct imaging of this
      structure has not been available. Eleven baseball pitchers with clinical evidence
      of UCL injury were evaluated with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Surgical
      correlation was obtained in six patients, four of whom underwent UCL
      reconstruction. MR imaging findings in UCL injury included laxity, irregularity,
      poor definition, and increased signal intensity within and adjacent to the UCL.
      These findings reflect the presence of hemorrhage and/or edema within the UCL due
      to repeated microtears, which eventually lead to weakening and possible
      disruption of the UCL. Optimization of spatial resolution, signal-to-noise ratio,
      and other technical factors is critical for evaluation of the UCL due to its
      small size. MR imaging is useful in documenting the presence and severity of
      injury to the UCL and in distinguishing this entity from other causes of elbow
      pain.

PMID- 1410376
TI  - Menisci of the knee: radial MR imaging correlated with arthroscopy in 259
      patients.
AB  - Similar to arthrograms, radial plane magnetic resonance (MR) images of the knee
      provide cross-sectional images of the menisci that are perpendicular to the long
      axis of the meniscus. The authors evaluated 259 consecutive patients who
      underwent MR imaging of the knee and arthroscopy. Radial multiplanar gradient
      recalled-echo imaging was performed--with repetition time of 700 msec, echo times
      of 12 and 31 msec (700/12, 31), and a flip angle of 20 degrees--as well as
      sagittal spin-echo imaging (2,500/20, 80). The radial and sagittal images were
      interpreted separately and then in combination, and findings were compared with
      arthroscopic reports. There was no statistical difference between the
      interpretations of the radial and sagittal images in the evaluation of the
      menisci. When the interpretations of the radial and sagittal images were
      combined, the sensitivity and specificity improved slightly. The radial images
      increased the conspicuity of meniscal tears but at the expense of anatomic
      detail. The sagittal images enabled better evaluation of the meniscocapsular
      attachment region and some flap tears of the meniscal free edge. The interpretive
      accuracies of the combination of sagittal and radial images were 92% and 93% for
      the medial and lateral menisci, respectively.

PMID- 1410377
TI  - Diagnosis of soft-tissue masses with MR imaging: can benign masses be
      differentiated from malignant ones?
AB  - A blinded, retrospective review of 83 soft-tissue masses (49 benign and 34
      malignant) was performed to evaluate the ability to distinguish benign from
      malignant soft-tissue masses with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The correct
      histologic diagnosis was reached in 31% of cases by one reader and in 16% of
      cases by the second reader. Mean sensitivity was 50% for benign masses and 80%
      for malignant masses. The majority of both benign and malignant masses had
      inhomogeneous signal intensity and at least partially irregular borders.
      Malignant masses uncommonly had smooth borders and homogeneous signal intensity.
      MR imaging can be used to evaluate the extent of soft-tissue masses, but most
      masses will require biopsy to determine if they are benign or malignant.

PMID- 1410378
TI  - Osteosarcoma after chemotherapy: evaluation with contrast material-enhanced
      subtraction MR imaging.
AB  - A new magnetic resonance (MR) technique, gadolinium-enhanced subtraction MR
      imaging, was developed to evaluate the response of patients with osteosarcoma to
      chemotherapy. Ten patients, who had received chemotherapy for osteosarcoma of the
      lower extremity, underwent MR imaging 3 days before surgery. After routine MR
      imaging was performed, subtraction MR was performed in the plane in which the
      tumor was best visualized. With gadopentetate dimeglumine (0.1 mmol per kilogram)
      on a standard MR console, subtraction images were created by subtracting
      precontrast images from gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images. The time of
      maximal tumoral vascular uptake was 1 1/2 minutes after injection, and,
      therefore, the subtracted image obtained at this time was used for evaluation of
      viable tumor. Independently, radiologists and histopathologists examined their
      respective studies for viable tumor to differentiate responders from
      nonresponders. Four of 10 osteosarcomas were classified as good responders
      because they appeared as nonenhancing masses, with or without enhancing thin
      lines, or small nodules (< or = 3 mm wide). At histopathologic examination, all
      were good responders with less than 3% viable tumor. Six of 10 osteosarcomas were
      classified as nonresponders because they appeared as enhancing high-signal
      intensity masses measuring more than 3 mm in width. Five tumors had between 18%
      and 43% viable tumor cells.

PMID- 1410379
TI  - Assessment of whole-body composition with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.
AB  - Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) allows noninvasive direct measurement of
      the three major components of body composition: lean body mass (LBM), fat body
      mass (FBM), and bone mineral body mass (BBM). To study the accuracy and short
      term and long-term precision of body composition measurements, the authors
      measured body composition with DXA in 60 healthy young adults. Independent
      measurement of LBM (LBMK-40), obtained from the determination of the whole-body
      content of potassium-40 with a whole-body scintillation detector, was highly
      correlated with LBM determined with DXA (LBMDXA) (LBMK-40 = 1.069.LBMDXA,R2 =
      .996). Assessment of body composition in 10 patients with acquired
      immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and 10 patients with cystic fibrosis was
      performed with DXA. The AIDS patients showed a marked decrease in LBM, while in
      patients with cystic fibrosis, LBM and BBM were decreased. DXA measurements of
      body composition appeared accurate and precise enough to be of clinical relevance
      in detecting specific alterations of body composition.

PMID- 1410380
TI  - Subperiosteal resorption: effect of full-frame image compression of hand
      radiographs on diagnostic accuracy.
AB  - Image compression is essential to handle a large volume of digital images,
      including computed tomographic, magnetic resonance, computed radiographic, and
      digitized images in a digital radiology operation. Developed during the past few
      years, full-frame bit allocation performed with the cosine transform technique
      has been proved to be an excellent irreversible image compression method. This
      article describes the effect, on the accuracy of diagnosis of subperiosteal
      resorption, of using the hardware compression module to produce hand radiographs.
      Receiver operating characteristic analysis of the interpretation of 71
      radiographs by five observers demonstrated that there is no statistically
      significant difference in diagnostic accuracy between the original radiographs
      and compressed and reconstructed images obtained with a compression ratio as high
      as 20:1.

PMID- 1410381
TI  - Expandable intravascular catheter: percutaneous use for endoluminal retrievals.
AB  - Percutaneous use of an expandable vascular access catheter that can be deployed
      to temporarily occlude the entry vessel during retrieval of embolic material is
      described. The catheter was used to facilitate removal of two intraarterial
      objects, a postangioplasty free atheroma fragment and a displaced Gianturco coil.
      The expanded catheter end was equal to the arterial lumen, thus preventing distal
      embolization. The large distal lumen also facilitated plaque or foreign body
      removal by allowing deployment of various endovascular tools.

PMID- 1410382
TI  - CT angiography with spiral CT and maximum intensity projection.
AB  - The authors describe a technique for obtaining angiographic images by means of
      spiral computed tomography (CT), preprocessing of reconstructed three-dimensional
      sections to suppress bone, and maximum intensity projection. The technique has
      some limitations, but preliminary results in 48 patients have shown excellent
      anatomic correlation with conventional angiography in studies of the abdomen, the
      circle of Willis in the brain, and the extracranial carotid arteries. With
      continued development and evaluation, CT angiography may prove useful as a
      screening tool or replacement for conventional angiography in some patients.

PMID- 1410383
TI  - The left atrial catheter: its uses and complications.
AB  - The authors describe the radiographic appearance of the left atrial catheter, a
      widely used postsurgical intracardiac device. Recognition of the characteristic
      appearance of this catheter should be of value in detection of potential
      complications, including line fracture with resultant retention and/or
      embolization, infection, prosthetic valve dysfunction, and even cardiac
      tamponade.

PMID- 1410384
TI  - Gyriform enhancement in tuberous sclerosis simulating infarction.

PMID- 1410385
TI  - Pulmonary embolism during compression US of the lower extremity.

PMID- 1410386
TI  - Verification of lumbar vertebral bodies.

PMID- 1410387
TI  - Radiological Society of North America 78th scientific assembly and annual
      meeting. November 29-December 4, 1992. Program and Abstracts.

PMID- 1410388
TI  - Nurse suspended for failure to attend AIDS patient.

PMID- 1410389
TI  - When patients refuse to cooperate--nurses may be responsible! Case in point:
      Hackathom v. Lester E. Cox Medical Center (624 S.W.2d 472--MO (1991)).

PMID- 1410390
TI  - Legal case briefs for nurses. VA: home health nurse injured in auto accident:
      workers' comp. issue; OH.: nurse detained for shoplifting: hosp. sued for false
      imprisonment.

PMID- 1410391
TI  - Nursing assistant rapes patient: hospital vicariously liable. Case in point:
      Samuels v. Southern Baptist Hospital (594 So 2d. 571--LA (1992)).

PMID- 1410392
TI  - Can handicapped nurses "write their own ticket"?

PMID- 1410393
TI  - Who has responsibility to monitor O.R. blood loss? Case in point: Uhr v. Lutheran
      General Hospital (589 N.E.2d 723--IL [1992]).

PMID- 1410394
TI  - Legal case briefs for nurses. CO: failing student sues college: court refuses to
      intervene; KY: nurse denies "recent accident": worker's comp. issue.

PMID- 1410395
TI  - Failure to determine breech position: M.D. or R.N. duty? Case in point: Alvis v.
      Henderson Obstetrics, S.C. (592 N.E.2d 678--[1992]).

PMID- 1410396
TI  - The development of ion regulation at the blood-brain barrier.

PMID- 1410397
TI  - Goldfish ependymins: cerebrospinal fluid proteins of meningeal origin.
AB  - Ependymins are unique secretory proteins from the goldfish brain which have
      calcium binding capacity. They are synthesized in the leptomeninx and appear
      subsequently as the predominant protein constituents in the cerebrospinal fluid
      (CSF). In contrast, the serum is nearly devoid of ependymins. The perimeningeal
      fluid (PMF) between the meninx and the skull represents a mixture of CSF and
      serum. The different composition of PMF and CSF implies that there is no open
      communication between these two compartments. Separation is probably achieved by
      an arachnoid-like meningeal barrier as proposed from ultrastructural studies.
      This basic CSF system of fish is compared with that of higher vertebrates.

PMID- 1410398
TI  - An approach to study of transport of trace metals at the blood-brain barrier.

PMID- 1410400
TI  - Peptide receptors of the blood-brain barrier and substrate transport into the
      brain.
AB  - The BBB is a target for some peptide signals, as demonstrated by our group for
      arginine-vasopressin (AVP) and atriopeptin (ANP). Peptide molecules contacting
      the luminal surface of endothelial cells interact with specific high-affinity
      binding sites. The minimal simple diffusion of peptide molecules across the layer
      of endothelial cells which are connected by tight junctions is most probably
      without any significance under physiological conditions, although that question
      should be checked for brain regions like the olfactory bulb in which some
      leakiness of the BBB can be demonstrated. The AVP- and ANP-receptors at least
      partly localized at the luminal surface of the endothelial cells are
      heterogeneously distributed in the vessels of the brain. The number of AVP
      receptors is up-regulated by ligand deficiency, which induces furthermore a
      decrease in the receptor affinity. At physiological concentrations AVP and ANP do
      not affect the tightness of the BBB, but regulate the transcellular transfer of
      essential substances from blood to brain. AVP decreases the Km and Vmax of the
      transporter of large neutral amino acids, and ANP alters the water permeability
      of the endothelial cell layer. The phenomenon that the cells of the tight
      epithelium representing the BBB need information from blood-borne peptide signals
      for the regulation of intercompartmental transport processes seems to be only a
      special case of a general principle concerning tight epithelial cell layers which
      separate compartments containing fluids of different composition; amino acid
      transport across the intestine is regulated by specific peptides contacting that
      barrier, the casomorphins.

PMID- 1410399
TI  - Localization patterns for immunoglobulins and albumins in the brain suggest
      diverse mechanisms for their transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

PMID- 1410402
TI  - Experimental models of altering the blood-brain barrier.
AB  - The passage of a substance from blood to brain can be enhanced by altering the
      permeability of the substance itself or by altering the BBB characteristics.
      Example of the former is to increase lipid solubility, glycosylation and
      cationization, liposome entrapment and coupling to carriers. Unselective opening
      of the BBB can be obtained by a local or systemic increase of the intravascular
      pressure, by intracarotid injection of hyperosmolar solutions or by substances
      that alter the endothelial surface charge such as protamine sulphate. Substances
      that alter the fluidity of membranes can reduce or enhance the permeability of
      the BBB. In experimental models involving temporary opening of the BBB possible
      long-term hazardous effects must be considered.

PMID- 1410401
TI  - The interaction of some centrally active drugs with the blood-brain barrier and
      circumventricular organs.

PMID- 1410403
TI  - Age-related pathophysiology of the blood-brain barrier in heat stress.
AB  - The possibility that the blood-brain barrier (BBB) might play an important role
      in the pathophysiology of heat stress (HS) has been examined in young (age 8-9
      weeks) and adult (age 24-32 weeks) rats. Exposure of young rats to 4 h HS at 38
      degrees C in a biological oxygen demand (BOD) incubator (relative humidity 47
      50%, wind velocity 20-26 cm/sec, simulating the environmental conditions of
      Varanasi, India, during the month of June) resulted in a marked hyperthermia
      (41.7 +/- 0.23 degrees C) and behavioral symptoms. In these animals there was a
      profound increase in the permeability of the BBB to Evans blue-albumin (EBA)
      (464%) and to 131I-sodium iodide (515%), accompanied by a marked increase in the
      brain water content (4%), of the levels of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT)
      in plasma (687%) and in brain (267%) and a pronounced reduction (30%) in cerebral
      blood flow (CBF). Morphological examination using light- and electron-microscopy
      revealed profound neuronal changes associated with a marked increase in glial
      fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and in vimentin immunoreactivities, together
      with a substantial reduction in myelin basic protein (MBP) immunostaining in the
      brain. These changes were more pronounced in the brain-stem reticular formation,
      pons and medulla region. On the other hand, exposure of adult animals to the same
      intensity of HS resulted in mild or no changes in BBB permeability, content of
      brain water and 5-HT in the plasma and brain, CBF or other cellular
      changes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1410404
TI  - Effect of central administration of angiotensin II on cerebrospinal fluid
      formation in rabbits.
AB  - The effect of central administration of AII on CSF formation was studied in alpha
      chloralose and urethane anesthetized rabbits using the ventriculocisternal
      perfusion method. AII infused i.c.v. at rates of 5.5 and 55 pg/min significantly
      decreased CSF production by 25% and 35%, respectively. In contrast, AII when
      given at 5.5 ng/min did not change CSF formation. It seems that drop in CSF
      production observed during central administration of AII at low doses is mediated
      by both increased vasopressin release and activation of the sympathetic nervous
      system. The lack of changes in CSF formation with the highest AII dose used is
      not clear at present and awaits further investigation. Specific AII antagonist,
      saralasin, was found to significantly increase CSF production in four of five
      animals studied. It is suggested that in normal conditions AII may exert a tonic
      inhibitory effect on CSF formation.

PMID- 1410405
TI  - Tracer uptake by circumventricular organs--a relative measure of blood supply to
      the brain.

PMID- 1410406
TI  - Density of perfused capillaries in living human brain during functional
      activation.
AB  - Recent evidence has indicated that functional activation of cerebral cortex is
      accompanied by increases of blood flow and glucose consumption but not oxygen
      consumption. No explanation has been advanced for this change of the flow
      metabolism couple. We formulated the hypothesis that oxygen delivery to brain
      tissue is diffusion-limited by the enormous hemoglobin binding, and rate-limiting
      for the oxygen consumption of the tissue. One prediction of this hypothesis is
      very low oxygen tensions in the tissue. A second prediction is the inability of
      oxygen consumption to increase during functional activation in the absence of
      recruitment of capillaries for the oxygen diffusion capacity. We designed a study
      to test the latter prediction by calculating the density of functioning
      capillaries during vibrotactile stimulation of the parietal cortex. We defined
      functioning capillaries as capillaries that transport glucose and therefore
      calculated the capillary density from the glucose diffusion capacity (K1) of the
      cerebral capillaries. We confirmed the presence of a partial flow-CMRglc couple
      (2:1) during the functional activation. Oxygen consumption did not change despite
      an increase of capillary density in proportion to the change of blood flow.

PMID- 1410407
TI  - Circumventricular organ capillaries.
AB  - Most circumventricular organs (CVOs) have unusually dense and permeable capillary
      networks that facilitate secretion of or tissue penetration by circulating
      substances, unlike other nervous system structures wherein blood-brain barrier
      (BBB) properties of the capillary endothelium limit solute permeability. In this
      brief review, I shall discuss new facts from recent experiments, and draw on
      interpretations from previous studies, to illustrate how capillary systems vary
      both between and within some CVOs, how closely microvascular properties coincide
      topographically with the distribution and density of neuropil, transmitter
      substances and hormonal binding sites, and how physiological data can be combined
      with morphological descriptions of capillary beds to accent specialized processes
      of blood-brain solute exchange in individual CVOs. The emphasis of this paper is
      on exchange microvessels of the rat area postrema (AP), subfornical organ (SFO)
      and median eminence (ME) which are regions of dense binding for several hormones
      and contain appreciable numbers of neurons (AP and SFO) or neural terminations
      that may be part of the sensing apparatus for humoral messengers of homeostatic
      systems. The work is intended to highlight established concepts about the process
      of blood monitoring by CVOs, summarize new morphological and physiological
      characteristics of their capillaries, and provide clues to novel research that
      could foster further understanding of these curious sentinel and secretory organs
      of the brain.

PMID- 1410408
TI  - Adrenalectomy aggravates ischemic brain edema in female Sprague-Dawley rats with
      carotid arteries ligated.
AB  - The effect of adrenalectomy has been investigated in a model of global cerebral
      ischemia. After bilateral carotid ligation the mortality rate was increased in
      adrenalectomized rats, and this effect was prevented by glucocorticoid pre
      treatment. Adrenalectomy accelerated the appearance of the symptoms of cerebral
      ischemia, resulting in a moderate aggravation of brain edema and in a significant
      decrease in the concentration of high-energy phosphate esters. Our findings
      support the view that endogenous glucocorticoids may play a role in the
      amelioration of ischemic brain injuries in rats.

PMID- 1410409
TI  - Atrial natriuretic factor in the subfornical organ and the organum vasculosum
      laminae terminalis.

PMID- 1410410
TI  - Steroid hormones and circumventricular organs.

PMID- 1410411
TI  - Receptor and effector mechanisms in the pineal organ.

PMID- 1410412
TI  - Central release of vasopressin: stimuli, dynamics, consequences.

PMID- 1410413
TI  - Cytochemistry of CSF-contacting neurons and pinealocytes.
AB  - Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA)-immunoreactive neurons of the paraventricular
      organ of the bony fish Coregonus albus send dendrites into the third ventricle.
      Their axons run to the synaptic zone of the infundibular lobe. The dendrites may
      take up some chemical information from the third ventricle, while the axons
      communicate it to the neuropil of the hypothalamus perhaps to modify its activity
      according to the state of the CSF. Serotonin-immunoreactive CSF-contacting
      neurons in the spinal cord of the hagfish Myxine glutinosa from dendrite
      terminals in the central canal and bear stereocilia like known mechanoreceptors.
      The Reissner's fiber runs above the stereocilia and flows out from the central
      canal through its caudal opening. Possibly, the fiber keeps open this aperture
      and ensures the flow of the CSF, which may serve as a mechanoreceptory input for
      the CSF-contacting neurons. In the pineal recess of hedgehog, CSF-contacting
      pinealocytes develop enlarged cilia corresponding to the photoreceptor outer
      segments of submammalian pinealocytes. Potassium pyroantimonate cytochemistry
      shows a similar localization of calcium ions in the mammalian pinealocyte as in
      the submammalian photoreceptor ones. Pineal calcifications are present in some
      birds (goose, duck) and may be connected to the photoreceptory Ca-exchange of the
      pineal organ. Axonic processes of pinealocytes form synapses on secondary neurons
      in mammals (hedgehog, rat, cat). Such neurons are also present in human pineals.
      Axons of these neurons constitute a pinealofugal pathway. In the cat, some of the
      intrinsic pineal neurons are GABA-immunoreactive, they form axodendritic and axo
      axonic synapses (inhibitory?) on immunonegative neurons and pinealocytes,
      respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1410414
TI  - A role for centrally-released vasopressin in brain ion and volume regulation: a
      hypothesis.

PMID- 1410415
TI  - Comparative ultrastructure and opsin immunocytochemistry of the retina and pineal
      organ in fish.
AB  - The pineal organ and retina were compared in developing charr and cisco, further
      in adult cisco, eel, creek chub, dace, zebrafish and black moli by opsin
      immunocytochemistry. In prehatching charr embryos, retinal rods and cones and
      pinealocytes displayed well-developed outer segments and formed synapses.
      Differentiation of the retina started centrally but was more advanced in the
      dorso-caudal retina than rostroventrally. The pineal organ differentiated earlier
      distally than proximally. In the cisco, the pineal organ and retina
      differentiated around hatching. In charr embryos, further in the larval and adult
      species studied, opsin immunoreactivity was found in retinal rods, accessory
      cones and many "rod-like" pinealocytes, a result indicating the presence of
      rhodopsin and/or porphyropsin. Retinal principle cones, long and short cones and
      some "cone-like" pinealocytes were opsin-immunonegative; they are thought to
      represent red- and/or u.v./violet-sensitive elements. The pineal organ may be
      involved in negative phototaxic behavior. Both the retina and pineal organ appear
      to be suitably differentiated to detect light in the larval and embryonic charr.

PMID- 1410416
TI  - Circadian rhythm and pharmacologic regulation of the monodeiodination of
      3,3',5,5'-tetraiodothyronine in the pineal gland.

PMID- 1410417
TI  - Response of CFU-GM (colony forming units for granulocytes and macrophages) from
      intact and pinealectomized rat bone marrow to murine recombinant interleukin-3
      (rIl-3), recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (rGM-CSF)
      and human recombinant erythropoietin (rEPO).
AB  - The present study provides evidence, for the first time, of a role of the pineal
      gland in the proliferation of CFU-GM under the influence of different cytokines.
      The degree of colony formation in different cytokine groups was evaluated after
      24 h, 3, 7 and 10 days. The colony growth in the present type of bone marrow cell
      cultures slows after the 10th day and ceases after the 14th day of incubation.
      The results show that rGM-CSF and the combination of rGM-CSF with rIl-3 and with
      rEPO stimulate the colony formation of granulocytes and macrophages. A 50%
      general reduction in the colony number was noted in the pinealectomy group. Their
      pattern of response to the different cytokines was similar to that of the intact
      group. It is suggested that the pineal activity has a physiological role in
      important aspects of host defence mechanisms, such as the proliferation of CFU
      GM.

PMID- 1410418
TI  - Immunocytochemical demonstration of serotonin-immunoreactive cerebrospinal fluid
      contacting neurons in the paraventricular organ of pigeons and domestic chickens.
AB  - The paraventricular organs (PVO) of the pigeon and domestic chicken contain at
      least three types of serotonin-immunoreactive (serotonin-ir) CSF-contacting
      neurons. Type 1 neurons were predominant. They had two bipolar extending
      processes. The somata were mostly found in the pars hypendymalis. Type 2 neurons
      were characterized by thin and long apical processes. Their perikarya were found
      in the pars distalis of the PVO or the more lateral area of this organ. Type 3
      neurons were considerably smaller and had round somata. They were mostly bipolar
      with thin and short dendritic processes and thin basal processes. A small number
      of this type was conspicuous along the cranial peripheral region of the PVO. In
      addition to the PVO area, aggregations of small, bipolar serotonin-ir CSF
      contacting neurons were shown in the most caudal wall of the third ventricle of
      both species, distributed medially or paramedially. Immunoelectron microscopy
      revealed many dense granules in apical ventricular processes and perikarya.
      Synaptic connections were frequently observed on basal processes.

PMID- 1410419
TI  - The bovine subcommissural organ: cytochemical and immunochemical characterization
      of the secretory process.
AB  - Specific glycoproteins of the bovine subcommissural organ (SCO) were studied by
      means of various techniques: light and electron microscopy, immunoaffinity
      chromatography, electrophoresis and Western blotting. Use of lectins (Con A, WGA,
      PHA-E and -L, LCA) allowed to specify the synthesis and release of complex-type
      glycoproteins that bear high-mannose-carbohydrate chains in their precursor forms
      and probably triantennary carbohydrate chains in their mature forms. Antibodies
      raised against SCO extracts were characterized by means of various tests and used
      to purify specific compounds. Immunopurified fractions using A99 polyclonal
      antibody contained numerous polypeptides reactive with Con A, their apparent
      molecular weight (MW) ranging from 240 to 50 kDa. Only two glycopeptides were
      strongly labeled with WGA (98 and 52/54 kDa MW). Immunopurified fractions using
      C1B8A8 monoclonal antibody, specific of the complex-type glycoproteins at
      different steps of glycosylation, showed three specific Con A-reactive
      polypeptides at 88, 54 and 34 kDa MW. Only the 34 kDa glycopeptide was strongly
      labeled with WGA. The latter could correspond to the monomeric form of the
      secreted compound. Electrophoretical analyses of Reissner's fiber material
      allowed the detection of a WGA-positive smear in the upper part of the blots,
      suggesting that the complex-type glycoproteins, when released into the CSF,
      constitute a stable polymer.

PMID- 1410420
TI  - Developmental neuron-glia interactions: role of serotonin innervation upon the
      differentiation of the ependymocytes of the rat subcommissural organ.
AB  - The rat subcommissural organ (SCO), which forms the roof of the third ventricle
      is an adequate model to study certain mechanisms of neuron-glia interactions in
      vivo. The ependymocytes, the main component of the SCO, have a glial origin. They
      possess particular phenotypic characteristics: they accumulate [3H]GABA by a
      specific uptake mechanism, contain transitory GFAP during ontogenesis and do not
      express PS100; on the other hand they receive a 5HT input which forms typical
      synaptic contacts. This innervation is of particular interest to approach neuron
      glia interactions during the differentiation. Studies of GABA uptake carriers
      during ontogenesis in SCO ependymocytes show a correlation between the onset of
      the 5HT innervation and the advent of the GABA uptake. Moreover, destruction of
      the 5HT innervation by a neurotoxin (5-7-dihydroxytryptamine), before its arrival
      at the SCO in newborn rat, inhibits the formation of the GABA uptake system and
      causes the expression of PS100 in adult SCO cells. On the other hand, the SCO of
      newborn rats transplanted to the fourth ventricle of an adult host rat had no
      capacity to take up GABA and expressed PS100 3 months after its transplantation.
      Finally, the SCO ependymocytes of species devoid of 5HT innervation (rabbit,
      mice) were unable to take up GABA and contain PS100. These data suggest that
      neuron-glia interactions are necessary for the advent of GABA uptake carriers and
      can control the expression of glial markers during ontogenesis in SCO
      ependymocytes.

PMID- 1410421
TI  - Development of the median eminence during ontogenesis (morpho-functional
      aspects).

PMID- 1410422
TI  - Neuro-hemal and neuro-glial specificities in the neural lobe of the pituitary
      gland.

PMID- 1410423
TI  - Drug metabolizing enzymes in the rat pituitary gland.
AB  - Brain protection against chemicals is mainly provided by the specific properties
      of cerebral microvessels forming the blood-brain barrier. In addition, several
      drug metabolizing enzymes have been evidenced both in brain tissue and in
      cerebral capillaries, suggesting their participation in the enzymatic protection
      of this organ. The pituitary gland, like true circumventricular organs, lacks a
      tight vascular endothelium and therefore is especially sensitive to blood-native
      toxic or pharmacologically active molecules. We report here the presence of
      cytochrome P-450 in the pituitary gland and its main mitochondrial localization.
      The O-dealkylase activity measured towards 7-benzoxyresorufin, a substrate for
      the main cytochrome P-450 isoforms involved in the metabolism of xenobiotics, was
      5 times higher in the pituitary gland than in the brain cortex. Similarly,
      microsomal epoxide hydrolase, which inactivates reactive epoxides to trans diol
      molecules, and two conjugating enzymes, 1-naphthol UDP-glucuronosyltransferase
      and glutathione-S-transferase, display respectively 6, 4 and 7 times higher
      activities in the pituitary gland. 7-Benzoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase, 1-naphthol
      UDP-glucuronosyltransferase and membrane-bound epoxide hydrolase activities were
      significantly increased in the pituitary gland as an adaptive response to an in
      vivo treatment by an exogenous inducer, 3-methylcholanthrene. These results
      suggest that these enzymatic systems play a role in the protection of the
      pituitary gland towards drugs or toxic substances.

PMID- 1410424
TI  - Integrative mechanisms and the maintenance of cardiovascular and body fluid
      homeostasis: the central processing of sensory input derived from the
      circumventricular organs of the lamina terminalis.

PMID- 1410425
TI  - Efferent neural pathways of the lamina terminalis subserving osmoregulation.
AB  - Studies in rats and sheep show that neurons in the CVOs of the lamina terminalis
      provide extensive neural input to the vasopressin-containing cells of the
      supraoptic nucleus. This input is both by direct pathways and via a synapse in
      the MnPO which also has projections to the vasopressin-containing cells of the
      SON. Neurons throughout the lamina terminalis (including possible osmoreceptors
      in the OVLT and subfornical organ) are activated by systematic hypertonicity. It
      is likely that in response to hypertonicity they signal the SON and PVN to
      release vasopressin and elsewhere to elicit other osmoregulatory responses such
      as thirst and the excretion of sodium.

PMID- 1410426
TI  - The role of OVLT in fever and antipyresis.

PMID- 1410427
TI  - Pregnancy and opioid interactions with the anterior perithird ventricular input
      to magnocellular oxytocin neurones.

PMID- 1410428
TI  - Neurophysiological analysis of mechanisms for subfornical organ and area postrema
      involvement in autonomic control.

PMID- 1410430
TI  - Progressive increases of protein synthesis in the circumventricular organs during
      chronic dehydration in rats.
AB  - The quantitative autoradiographic method with L-(35S)methionine was applied to
      investigate the effect of chronic dehydration on rates of protein synthesis in
      circumventricular organs (CVOs). Water deprivation for 1, 2 and 3 days causes
      progressive increases of protein synthesis in the subfornical organ (SFO), the
      area postrema, the organum vasculosum laminae terminalis and the neurohypophysis.
      Chronic salt ingestion with 2% NaCl in drinking water for 3 days resulted in
      increases of protein synthesis in the CVOs similar to those found after 3 days
      water deprivation, with only one exception, the SFO, in which the rise in protein
      synthesis was of lower amplitude after 3 days salt ingestion as compared to 3
      days water deprivation. These results suggest that several circulating factors
      related to intracellular dehydration and the high plasma levels of the
      neurohormones vasopressin and oxytocin are probably important determinants of the
      rise of protein synthesis in circumventricular organs. Alternatively, the
      elevated level of blood-borne angiotensin II may well explain the higher
      metabolic response of the SFO following water deprivation compared to salt
      ingestion.

PMID- 1410429
TI  - Functional hypothalamic angiotensin II and catecholamine receptor systems inside
      and outside the blood-brain barrier.
AB  - To elucidate the contribution of various hormones and neuromodulators in the
      central nervous control of body fluid homeostasis, the saltwater-acclimated Pekin
      duck represents an ideal model due to the cytoarchitecture of its hypothalamus,
      and the marked systemic and hypothalamic sensitivity of its osmoregulatory
      system. Employing animal physiology, electrophysiology, histochemistry and
      receptor binding techniques, the role of angiotensin II (A II) and norepinephrine
      (NE) as both circulating hormones and neurotransmitters in central osmoregulation
      through interaction with neuronal targets inside and outside the blood-brain
      barrier (BBB) could be investigated. Application of both agents into the systemic
      circulation or into the cerebrospinal fluid of conscious animals, and the
      monitoring of hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal antidiuretic hormone ADH (= AVT)
      release, cardiovascular parameters such as mean arterial pressure (MAP) and avian
      salt gland function allowed to discriminate between actions of A II and NE at
      sites within or outside the BBB. Of the latter, the median eminence (ME), the
      subfornical organ (SFO) or the organum vasculosum laminae terminalis (OVLT) are
      of prime importance. Receptor autoradiography using radioiodinated ligands
      specific for A II, alpha 1-, alpha 2- and beta-receptors including the
      pharmacological characterization of these binding sites permit to establish a
      molecular correlate of the modulatory actions of both A II and NE.

PMID- 1410431
TI  - Effect of arginine vasopressin on blood vessels of the perfused choroid plexus of
      the sheep.
AB  - The perfused sheep choroid plexus was used to evaluate the response of the plexus
      blood vessels to systemically administered arginine vasopressin (AVP). AVP was
      found to decrease the diameter of the choroid plexus arterioles with a maximum
      change of 28 +/- 5% (mean +/- S.E.) at a plasma peptide concentration of 10(-7)
      M. This effect was blocked by the specific V1-vasopressinergic antagonist,
      d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)AVP. In contrast, venules were found not to show any appreciable
      response to AVP. Plasma AVP concentrations necessary to evoke a significant
      response of the choroid plexus arterioles are much higher than the highest plasma
      peptide levels observed in different physiological or pathophysiological
      situations. Some indirect evidence suggests, however, that AVP might be released
      within the choroid plexus from the vasopressinergic synaptic terminals, thus
      reaching a considerably high local concentration. It is possible then that the
      plexus vessels' tone could be controlled by the putative vasopressinergic
      neuronal fibers ending in the choroid plexus.

PMID- 1410432
TI  - The human hypothalamus in development, sexual differentiation, aging and
      Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1410433
TI  - Endogenous opioids regulate intracerebral oxytocin release during parturition in
      a region-specific manner.

PMID- 1410435
TI  - ANF-induced modulation of ADH-release in the rabbit and Pekin duck.
AB  - The atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) as an osmoregulatory hormone causes a
      reduction of extracellular fluid volume primarily through stimulation of renal
      and extrarenal water and sodium elimination. Consequently, ANF counteracts the
      renin-angio-tensin II-aldosterone (RAAS) and the antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
      systems at their target organ level. The possible direct interaction of ANF with
      the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal ADH system was investigated in conscious ducks
      and rabbits during conditions of eu- and dehydration. In euhydrated animals, the
      plasma concentration of ADH remained unchanged during the systemic infusion of
      species-specific ANF, whereas in dehydrated rabbits but not ducks, the plasma
      concentration of ADH was significantly decreased. These differences in ADH
      modulation were supported by the localization of binding sites for radiolabeled
      ANF at the sites of ADH release, the median eminence (ME) and neurohypophysis
      (NH) of the rabbit but not duck brain, using receptor-autoradiography. For both
      species, circumventricular organs lacking a functional blood-brain barrier (BBB)
      such as the subfornical organ (SFO), the organum vasculosum of the laminae
      terminalis (OVLT), the pineal and the choroid plexus (ChP), as well as the
      ependymal lining of the third ventricle (VIII) were labeled specifically. Within
      the BBB, binding sites for ANF could not be detected in the ADH-synthesizing
      paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic nuclei (SON) of either species, however,
      sites were observed in the anterior median nucleus of the hypothalamus (AM) of
      the duck brain. In the AM as well as the PVN and ME, the existence of a brain
      intrinsic ANF system could be demonstrated for the Pekin duck using
      immunocytochemistry.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1410434
TI  - Evidence against participation of V2 receptors in the increase of cerebral blood
      flow during hypoxemia in the rat.
AB  - Cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral utilization of oxygen (CMRO2) were studied
      in anesthetized and artificially ventilated rats during normoxemia and hypoxemia
      before and during intravenous infusion of a selective blocker of V2
      vasopressinergic receptors (d(CH2)5 [D-Ile2,Abu4] AVP, 15 micrograms/kg per hour
      i.v.). CBF was measured by means of the intracarotid 133-Xe injection method.
      CMRO2 was calculated from the oxygen arteriovenous difference using the Fick
      principle. Infusion of V2 antagonist did not influence CBF, CMRO2 or blood
      pressure (BP) during normoxia. It also did not change the response of cerebral
      circulation to hypoxemia. Increase in CBF and decrease in cerebrovascular
      resistance (CVR) during hypoxemia were similar during the infusion of V2 blocker
      or without it. However, the decrease in BP observed during hypoxemia in the
      control group of rats was prevented in the group of animals which were infused
      with V2 blocker.

PMID- 1410436
TI  - Vasopressin involvement in central control of blood pressure.

PMID- 1410437
TI  - Neuronal plasticity depending on a glycoprotein synthesized in goldfish
      leptomeninx.
AB  - Transcription of a calcium and zinc binding, nervous system-specific cell
      adhesion glycoprotein, ependymin, in goldfish leptomeninx was significantly
      enhanced after active avoidance conditioning, followed by enhanced translation
      and secretion. Inactivation of secreted ependymin by injected antisera interfered
      with behavioral adaptations. In addition to the site of synthesis in reticular
      cells of the leptomeninx electronmicroscopic immunochemistry localized the
      protein to tectal neurons of the superficial plexiform and the periventricular
      cell layers. Detection of ependymin in cells where it is not synthesized, namely
      in neurons, suggests a re-uptake during functional activity of the CNS and
      assigns a pivotal role to the cerebrospinal and interstitial brain fluids for the
      distribution of protein factors that support axonal growth and neuronal
      plasticity.

PMID- 1410438
TI  - Neuropeptides within the nucleus tractus solitarii modulate the central
      cardiovascular control process.
AB  - Local administration of small amounts of vasopressin, angiotensin or endothelin
      into the nucleus tractus solitarii elicits similar decreases in blood pressure
      and heart rate. These central effects oppose the peripheral action of these
      hormones on the cardiovascular system. The baroreceptor-heart-reflex, however, is
      influenced differentially: vasopressin and angiotensin II enhances the
      sensitivity of the reflex but angiotensin III impairs it. In this way the
      cardiovascular system may be adjusted to different demands including those
      related to electrolyte and fluid homeostasis.

PMID- 1410440
TI  - Chromatographically identified oxytocin in the human peripheral nervous system.
AB  - Immunoreactive oxytocin (OXT) detected in extracts of human coeliac ganglia and
      nn. vagi was characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
      HPLC/RIA examinations demonstrated that a major part of the immunoreactive
      material in both investigated areas co-eluted with a reference synthetic OXT, but
      in the extracts of coeliac ganglia a second immunoreactive peak was also
      observed.

PMID- 1410439
TI  - Disturbances of volume regulation in chronic alcoholics: a correlation with the
      excitability of the central nervous system.

PMID- 1410442
TI  - The pyramidal neuron of the cerebral cortex: morphological and chemical
      characteristics of the synaptic inputs.

PMID- 1410441
TI  - Intracerebral grafting of solid tissues and cell suspensions: the blood-brain
      barrier and host immune response.

PMID- 1410443
TI  - The neuronal substrate of integration in the oculomotor system.

PMID- 1410444
TI  - Two prokaryotic transcriptional enhancer systems.

PMID- 1410445
TI  - Latent viruses and mutated oncogenes: no evidence for pathogenicity.

PMID- 1410446
TI  - Structure, function, evolution of transcription factor IIIA.

PMID- 1410447
TI  - Developmental regulation of nuclear gene expression in Trypanosoma brucei.

PMID- 1410448
TI  - The role of protein domains in the assembly process of intermediate filaments.

PMID- 1410449
TI  - Modeling DNA structures.
AB  - For a molecule of biological importance, one expects a strong correlation between
      the three-dimensional structure and its biological function(s). Molecular
      simulations allow the prediction of physical properties of macromolecules. Many
      of these properties are closely related to the molecular structure. Model
      building studies may thus supplement structurally low-resolution experimental
      data with detailed three-dimensional hypothetical atomic models. Such studies may
      give a consistent integral view of a wealth of experimental data. In most cases,
      such models will predict the outcome of certain experiments. Their actual results
      will often either confirm the model, be used for further refinement, or demand a
      major revision. Empirical force-fields provide a large amount of physicochemical
      knowledge concerning structural and other physical properties about various
      classes of molecules. They give reasonable bond distances and angles and prevent
      short van der Waals contacts. Difficulties arise for the prediction of large
      scale structural elements. These are not only determined by short-range
      interactions, but also result from long-range electrostatic, hydration, and
      hydrophobic forces. In the case of the ionically driven DNA B-Z transition, the
      point of transition as a function of ionic strength and size can be correctly
      predicted (33). More must be done for a better understanding of the hydration
      forces (6). What type of questions will be reliably answered by a force-field?
      Relatively safe answers concern the local geometry of the molecules. If a
      conformation leads to strong distortions of bond distances or angles or to close
      van der Waals contacts, it can safely be rejected. Optimizing such unfavorable
      structures energetically may lead to structures showing how to avoid such
      distortions. More difficult are energetic questions: Which of two conformers is
      more stable, or what is the free energy of the substrate in the active site (63)?
      One cannot always be sure that the force-field provides the correct answers.
      Therefore, one should concentrate on questions that can be checked
      experimentally. The application of such concepts to model curved DNA (19, 60) and
      the DNA four-way junction (61) provides promising results. To explore the
      knowledge contained in the force-fields, several methods have been proposed.
      Taking advantage of structural symmetries may improve critically the convergence,
      while refining the target molecule or its building blocks. A numerically stable
      derivative for the torsion potential has been proposed. The optimization method
      of conjugated gradients (see Section II,B) is a powerful tool to find the way
      downhill toward a local minimum. To surmount barriers and escape local minima
      requires nonlocal optimization procedures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1410450
TI  - [cDNA cloning of galactosyltransferase associated with tumor (GAT)].

PMID- 1410451
TI  - [Sialyltransferase--its molecular biology].

PMID- 1410452
TI  - [Molecular biology of ABO genes].

PMID- 1410453
TI  - [Purification of N-sulfotransferase].

PMID- 1410454
TI  - [Genetic regulation of glycolipid expression].

PMID- 1410455
TI  - [Erythropoietin].

PMID- 1410456
TI  - [The carbohydrate structures of blood coagulation factor VIII].

PMID- 1410457
TI  - [Tissue-type plasminogen activator].

PMID- 1410458
TI  - [Structures and functional roles of the sugar chains of recombinant cytokines].

PMID- 1410459
TI  - [Renin].

PMID- 1410460
TI  - [Metastatic phenotype determined by cell surface carbohydrates].

PMID- 1410461
TI  - [Heparanases and tumor metastasis].

PMID- 1410462
TI  - [Neural cell adhesion molecule: structure and function].

PMID- 1410463
TI  - [Role of sugar chains in mammalian fertilization].

PMID- 1410464
TI  - [The roles of carbohydrate chain in reproductive and tumor immunology].

PMID- 1410465
TI  - [Mechanism for mouse implantation].

PMID- 1410466
TI  - [Roles of glycoconjugates in the fertilization of marine invertebrates].

PMID- 1410467
TI  - [Carbohydrates in mating of the cellular slime mold].

PMID- 1410468
TI  - [Sugars involved in the processes of tumor cell exclusion and inflammatory
      leukocyte adhesion].

PMID- 1410469
TI  - [Carbohydrate recognition system of legume lectins].

PMID- 1410470
TI  - [Carbohydrate profiles and disease status in human lung carcinomas].

PMID- 1410471
TI  - [Leukemic cell differentiation and glycosphingolipids].

PMID- 1410472
TI  - [Cartilage differentiation and its abnormality].

PMID- 1410473
TI  - [Tn antigen].

PMID- 1410474
TI  - [Gangliosides and cancer-associated antigens].

PMID- 1410475
TI  - [Glycolipid in gastric cancer].

PMID- 1410476
TI  - [Biogenesis and role of the lysosomal membrane glycoproteins].

PMID- 1410477
TI  - [Higher branching of Asn-linked oligosaccharides in relation to tumorigenesis].

PMID- 1410478
TI  - [Brain development and proteoglycan].

PMID- 1410479
TI  - [Roles of gangliosides on synapse formation].

PMID- 1410480
TI  - [Stimulation of neurite-promotion by gangliosides].

PMID- 1410481
TI  - [C-series gangliosides and neuronal differentiation].

PMID- 1410482
TI  - [Glycoconjugates as developmentally regulated antigens in the central nervous
      system].

PMID- 1410483
TI  - [A novel I-antigen biosynthesis enzyme: a lack of expression in LEC rats].

PMID- 1410484
TI  - [Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type II (HEMPAS)].

PMID- 1410485
TI  - [Abnormal sugar chains of IgG in rheumatoid arthritis].

PMID- 1410486
TI  - [Alteration in ganglioside of erythrocytes from patients with paroxysmal
      nocturnal hemoglobinuria].

PMID- 1410487
TI  - [Oligosaccharide structures of IgG in multiple myeloma and Castleman's disease].

PMID- 1410488
TI  - [Degradation of glycoconjugates in lysosomes and its disorders].

PMID- 1410489
TI  - [HIV-infection and N-glycosylation].

PMID- 1410490
TI  - [New series of glycosphingolipids in arthropoda].

PMID- 1410491
TI  - [Glycolipids of mammalian epidermis].

PMID- 1410492
TI  - [KDN: a novel sialic acid analogue].

PMID- 1410493
TI  - [Biological function of sulfatide].

PMID- 1410494
TI  - [Structural and functional roles of glycosylphosphatidylinositol in membranes].

PMID- 1410495
TI  - [Regulation of the biosynthesis of N-glycolylneuraminic acid].

PMID- 1410496
TI  - [Transport and metabolism of nucleotide sugars].

PMID- 1410497
TI  - [Structural heterogeneity in the carbohydrate-protein linkage region of
      proteoglycans: working hypothesis on glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis].

PMID- 1410498
TI  - [The novel glycosidases acting on proteoglycans].

PMID- 1410499
TI  - [New degradation enzyme of mucus glycoprotein].

PMID- 1410500
TI  - [Monoclonal antibodies directed to carbohydrate antigens].

PMID- 1410501
TI  - [Assay method of glycosidase and glycosyltransferase activities using enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assay].

PMID- 1410502
TI  - [Use of pyridylamino derivatives of sugar chains for substrate specificity of
      cytosolic alpha-mannosidase].

PMID- 1410503
TI  - [Structural analysis of glycolipids by NMR].

PMID- 1410504
TI  - [The effect of protein moiety on sugar chain synthesis in a glycoprotein].

PMID- 1410505
TI  - [Study on glycosphingolipid functions by using endoglycoceramidase].

PMID- 1410506
TI  - [Pathways for syntheses of asparagine-binding and mucin-type carbohydrates].

PMID- 1410507
TI  - [Structures of asparagine-binding and mucin-type carbohydrate chains].

PMID- 1410508
TI  - [Synthetic pathways and carbohydrate structures of glycolipids].

PMID- 1410510
TI  - [Two-dimensional mapping of carbohydrates].

PMID- 1410509
TI  - [Synthetic pathways and carbohydrate structures of proteoglycans].

PMID- 1410511
TI  - [Protein engineering. I: X-ray crystallographic study of aspartate
      aminotransferase and its mutant enzymes].

PMID- 1410512
TI  - [Protein engineering. II: Catalytic mechanism of aminotransferases].

PMID- 1410513
TI  - [Gene mutations in the enzymes involved in lipid metabolism].

PMID- 1410514
TI  - [Extracellular matrix and its biological function].

PMID- 1410515
TI  - [Multiple principal sigma factors in eubacterial strains].

PMID- 1410516
TI  - [Regulation mechanism of spermatogenesis: cell-to-cell interaction in testis].

PMID- 1410517
TI  - Development of an animal model of late asthmatic response in guinea pigs and
      effects of anti-asthmatic drugs.
AB  - We developed an animal model of late asthmatic response (LAR) in guinea pigs and
      examined the effects of anti-asthmatic drugs and peptide leukotriene antagonist,
      MCI-826, on this model. Bronchial challenge of DNP-As (Dinitrophenylated-Ascaris
      suum extract)-sensitized guinea pigs induced a biphasic increase in pulmonary
      resistance (RL) with the maximal increase being observed immediately (IAR,
      immediate asthmatic response) and 3 to 5 hr after antigen inhalation (LAR).
      Twelve of 22 guinea pigs showed both IAR and LAR. The average increases in RL for
      all 22 guinea pigs at IAR and LAR, were 168 +/- 13 and 207 +/- 16 (% of baseline
      value), respectively. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid of guinea pigs that
      received antigen, revealed increases in the numbers of eosinophils (7.3-fold
      compared to animals receiving saline) and neutrophils (5.3-fold compared to
      animals receiving saline) 4 hr after antigen inhalation. When DSCG (disodium
      cromoglycate) was administered (10 mg/kg, i.v.) before antigen challenge, DSCG
      significantly inhibited IAR (p less than 0.05) and slightly inhibited LAR (p less
      than 0.2). Theophylline (30 mg/kg, p.o.) administered before antigen, slightly
      inhibited both IAR and LAR (p less than 0.2). Salbutamol (3 mg/kg, i.p.)
      administered before antigen, significantly inhibited IAR (p less than 0.05), but
      did not affect LAR. These results were correlated with clinical trials. Moreover,
      peptide leukotriene antagonist, MCI-826, (E)-2,2-Diethyl-3'-[2-[2-(4-
      isopropyl)thiazolyl] ethenyl]succinanilic acid (0.1 mg/kg, p.o.) administered 1
      hr before antigen challenge, significantly inhibited both IAR and LAR (p less
      than 0.05). MCI-826 (0.1 mg/kg, p.o.) administered 1.5 hr after antigen
      inhalation, also inhibited LAR (p less than 0.05). Analysis of BAL fluid revealed
      that DSCG and MCI-826 significantly inhibited the increase in eosinophils (p less
      than 0.05). These data suggest that leukotriene plays an important role in the
      development of the pathogenesis of LAR, and that our model is an useful
      experimental model for investigating the mechanisms of LAR and examining the
      effects of several anti-asthmatic drugs on LAR.

PMID- 1410518
TI  - Enhanced thromboxane formation by blood but not whole platelets from
      spontaneously hypertensive rats.
AB  - Increased serum levels of immunoreactive thromboxane B2 (iTXB2) were observed in
      spontaneously hypertensive rats of the Okamoto-Aoki strain (SHR) compared with
      normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Serum iTXB2 levels in whole blood allowed
      to clot at 37 degrees C for 1 hour were significantly greater in SHR than WKY at
      8, 16-20, and 38 weeks of age, whereas formation of iTXB2 by thrombin-stimulated
      whole platelets from 6 16-week-old SHR and 6 age-matched WKY was 399 +/- 44 and
      377 +/- 38 ng/10(9) platelets/30 min, respectively. No significant difference in
      radioconversion of exogenous arachidonic acid to TXB2 was observed in whole
      platelets from SHR (18.2 +/- 2.5%, n = 4) and WKY (20.1 +/- 3.0%, n = 4) at 16
      weeks of age. These results support the proposal that enhanced ability of blood
      from SHR to generate iTXB2 is independent of the stage of hypertension
      development. This enhancement probably depended on factors or blood elements
      other than platelets since no difference in formation was observed on stimulation
      of whole platelets.

PMID- 1410519
TI  - PGE2 secretion from organ cultured gastric mucosa: correlation with
      cyclooxygenase activity and endogenous substrate release.
AB  - In gastrointestinal research the in vitro release of prostaglandins from
      incubated or cultured biopsies is a widely used method to estimate prostaglandin
      synthesis. We therefore investigated the rate limiting mechanisms of PGE2 release
      in organ cultured gastric mucosa of the rabbit, determining PGE2 secretion from
      organ cultured mucosal biopsies by radioimmunoassay and prostaglandin
      synthesizing capacity by in vitro incubation of mucosal homogenate or microsomes
      with [14C]-arachidonic acid. Freshly taken biopsies secreted PGE2 at an initial
      high rate, that decreased during the following 4 hrs of culture. This PGE2
      release was dose dependently reduced by inhibitors of the prostaglandin
      cyclooxygenase. 5mM acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) maximally suppressed PGE2
      secretion to 7% of controls, and the inhibition by ASA was quantitatively similar
      at every given culture period. PGE2 release was markedly increased by
      carbenoxolone but was only slightly activated by extracellular calcium and the
      Ca(++)-ionophore A23187. However, Ca++/A23187 were unable to maintain PGE2
      secretion at the initial rate. PGE2 secretion was undisturbed in calcium-free
      medium but was reduced to 50-60% of controls by excess EDTA. The intracellular
      calcium chelator 1,2-bis-(2-aminophenoxy)-ethane-N,N,N',N',-tetraacetic acid
      acetoxymethyl ester (BAPTA-AM) similarly inhibited PGE2 release to 72% of
      controls. In contrast, PGE2 release was unaffected by the intracellular calcium
      antagonist 3,4,5-trimethylene-bis(4-formylpyridinium bromide) dioxime (TMB-8),
      the calmodulin antagonists N-(6-aminohexyl)-1-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide
      (W-7) and calmidazolium (compound R24571) or various direct inhibitors of
      endogenous arachidonic acid release like tetracaine, bromophenacyl bromide,
      neomycin or low dose quinacrine, indicating that the reduction of PGE2 release by
      EDTA or BAPTA may be mediated by mechanisms different from substrate release. In
      contrast, an inhibition of PGE2 secretion by quinacrine at high concentrations
      (greater than or equal to 0.8 mM) was attributed to a direct inhibition of the
      prostaglandin cyclooxygenase, similar to ASA. Finally, the reduction of the
      prostaglandin synthesizing capacity by ASA was strongly correlated with the
      inhibition of PGE2 secretion, also at low concentrations and minor degrees of
      inhibition. From these data we conclude, that the activity of the prostaglandin
      cyclooxygenase is rate limiting for PGE2 secretion from organ cultured mucosal
      biopsies rather than arachidonic acid release by a phospholipase A2. This should
      be considered for interpretation of studies based on prostaglandin release from
      cultured mucosa.

PMID- 1410520
TI  - Prostanoid-induced inhibition of lipolysis in rat isolated adipocytes: probable
      involvement of EP3 receptors.
AB  - Sulprostone, enprostil and 16, 16 dimethyl PGE2 have all been found to be potent
      inhibitors of lipolysis induced by 3-isobutyl-1-methyl-xanthine (IBMX) in rat
      isolated adipocytes. The potency of sulprostone and enprostil in particular
      indicates that the response is likely to be mediated through either EP3 or EP1
      receptors. However, the EP1-receptor blocking drug, AH6809, had no effect on the
      antilipolytic response to either PGE2 or sulprostone. We therefore conclude that
      the receptors mediating prostanoid-induced inhibition of lipolysis in rat
      adipocytes must principally be of the EP3 sub-type.

PMID- 1410521
TI  - Secretory diarrhea in villous adenoma of rectum: effect of treatment with
      somatostatin and indomethacin.
AB  - The effects of treatment with the synthetic long-acting somatostatin analogue SMS
      201-995 were studied in a patient with a fluid and electrolyte secreting villous
      adenoma of the rectum. The effects of SMS-201-995 on rectal fluid volume and
      electrolyte loss, and local and general prostanoid production were compared with
      those of treatment with indomethacin. During treatment with the somatostatin
      analogue iso-osmolar rectal fluid production increased about 25%; the quantity of
      prostaglandin E2 in the rectal fluid rose almost 20-fold. Prostaglandin F2 alpha,
      6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha and 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F2 alpha
      output showed similar, though less impressive increments during somatostatin
      treatment. The somatostatin analogue did not affect urinary prostanoid excretion
      except for levels of 2,3-dinor-thromboxane B2, which doubled. With indomethacin
      treatment diurnal rectal fluid production dropped by about 50% and all
      prostanoids measured in urine and rectal fluid decreased below control values. It
      appears that the somatostatin analogue SMS-201-995 has a marked stimulatory
      effect on the in vivo prostanoid production by the villous adenoma. Perhaps this
      stimulation is not confined to the tumor only, but also affects thromboxane
      synthesis.

PMID- 1410522
TI  - Physiological evidence for the possible existence of anhydrolevuglandin E2-like
      activity in extracts and media from uteri of rats.
AB  - Physiological evidence is presented for the possible existence of
      anhydrolevuglandin E2-like activity in extracts of uteri from diestrous rats and
      after treatment of adult rats with estradiol and progesterone. The extracts were
      able to inhibit contractions in rat uterine preparations stimulated by PGE2.
      Uteri of vaginal Stage 3 (metestrus) were quiescent and showed decreased
      responsiveness to PGE2 and PGF2 alpha. These uteri showed some contractility when
      incubation medium from diestrous uteri (Stage 5) were transferred to them and
      incubation medium from them inhibited the contractility of Stage 5 uteri. When
      incubation media were exchanged between contractile uteri from of stages other
      than Stage 3, there was no change in the contraction patterns. Taken together, we
      believe these data indicate that AnLGE2 may be a normal constituent of the rat
      uterus and is physiologically increased during Stage 3 (metestrus) of the estrous
      cycle.

PMID- 1410523
TI  - Enhanced esterification process of 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE) in PMN
      from asthmatic patients.
AB  - Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) generate 5-HETE which can be retained within
      cells as free metabolites or esterified into cellular lipids. Since this
      metabolite has been shown to have certain inflammatory properties, we compared
      the generation and distribution profile of 5-HETE in A 23187-stimulated PMN from
      asthmatic patients (AP) and normal subjects (NS). 5-HETE was analyzed using RP
      HPLC. After 5 min, total 5 HETE generation was similar in the two populations.
      However, esterified 5-HETE was significantly enhanced in AP (72 +/- 3% versus 47
      +/- 2% of the total synthesis, p less than 0.005), whereas intracellular free 5
      HETE was decreased (13 +/- 3% versus 37 +/- 4%, p less than 0.005) and similar
      low release was observed. Kinetic studies showed that PMN from AP esterified 5
      HETE more rapidly and to a greater extent than PMN from NS. By contrast, more
      intracellular free 5-HETE was recovered in PMN from NS. Esterification seems to
      be the major pathway of 5-HETE metabolism in PMN from AP. Moreover, we showed
      that most of the 5-HETE added exogenously was esterified into cellular lipids. In
      these experimental conditions, PAF-induced migration of PMN was increased. The
      enhanced ability of PMN to migrate could be due to the increase of 5-HETE
      esterification process.

PMID- 1410524
TI  - Dual metabolic pathways of 12-HETE in rat aortic smooth muscle cells.
AB  - 12(S)-HETE, a major lipoxygenase-derived compound from arachidonic acid is
      incorporated and metabolized by vascular smooth muscle cells via beta-oxidation.
      We have now identified for the first time in this cell type 12(S)-HETE
      metabolites formed by a combination of reductase and oxidation pathways. HPLC and
      GC-MS analysis of time-course experiments allow us to characterize two different
      metabolic pathways: a direct peroxisomal beta-oxidation of 12(S)-HETE leading to
      the formation of 16:3 (8-OH) which accumulates first and a reduction of one of
      the conjugated double bonds of 12(S)-HETE giving the dihydro-intermediate 20:3(12
      OH) that transiently accumulates before being converted itself by peroxisomal
      beta-oxidation to 16:2(8-OH). Taken together these results may suggest that the
      transient accumulation of 20:3(12-OH) through transcellular metabolism of 12(S)
      HETE may represent a part of the modulatory effect of 12(S)-HETE on vascular
      function.

PMID- 1410525
TI  - Limited utilization of exogenous arachidonic acid by the prostaglandin
      cyclooxygenase in gastric mucosa: the role of protein binding, glutathione
      peroxidase, and hydrogen peroxides.
AB  - We investigated the utilization of exogenous 14C-labelled arachidonic acid by the
      cyclooxygenase system of the gastric mucosa and its alteration by cytosolic
      factors, protein binding, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and hydrogen
      peroxides. Total prostaglandin (PG) synthesis from gastric microsomes was reduced
      in a dose- dependent manner to 12% and 68% of controls by increasing amounts of
      the 105,000g supernatant or albumin (8mg protein/ml), respectively (p less than
      0.01). The inhibitory cytosolic factor was heat labile, protease sensitive, and
      was retained by a 300,000 Dalton ultrafiltration membrane. Thus, it was likely a
      protein. Other possible inhibitory mechanisms like protease- or heme-induced
      destabilization of the cyclooxygenase, haptoglobin-mediated inhibition, or self
      inactivation by endogenous substrate were excluded. N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), an
      agent that alkylates sulfhydryl-groups thereby inhibiting GSH-Px, abolished the
      inhibitory effect of cytosol in a dose-dependent fashion. In contrast to their
      inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis, the binding of arachidonic acid by albumin
      or cytosolic proteins accounted to 75% and 19% under comparable conditions,
      respectively, however, cytosolic fatty acid binding was unaffected by NEM. Thus,
      it was concluded that the inhibitory effect of cytosol, in contrast to albumin,
      was mediated by a sulfhydryl-depending process, probably a GSH-Px. This
      conclusion was supported by a qualitatively comparable inhibition by a purified
      GSH-Px from bovine erythrocytes. The inhibitory action of cytosolic proteins was
      reduced significantly by increasing concentrations or repeated application of
      arachidonic acid; therefore, cytosolic GSH-Px was likely to affect substrate
      utilization by the microsomal PGH synthase through reduction of activating
      substrate peroxides. Similarly, the in vitro formation of cyclooxygenase products
      by mucosal homogenate or gastric microsomes in the absence of cytosol was limited
      at substrate concentrations below 80 microM, despite sufficient nonesterified
      arachidonic acid remaining in the incubate. This limitation was mediated only
      partially by self-inactivation of the prostaglandin cyclooxygenase. Neither N
      ethylmaleimide nor repeated application of hydrogen peroxides increased substrate
      utilization by isolated microsomes, excluding contamination by GSH-Px or simply a
      lack of hydrogen peroxides as possible mechanisms for the limited utilization.
      From these results, a special role of substrate-linked lipid peroxides in the
      activation of mucosal prostaglandin synthesis is proposed. The reduction of these
      peroxides by glutathione dependent or independent peroxidases, e.g. the PGH
      synthase-linked hydroperoxidase activity itself, could explain the reduced
      utilization of nonesterified arachidonic acid by the gastric mucosa.

PMID- 1410526
TI  - Relationships among mammalian gonadotropin-releasing hormone, prostaglandins, and
      sex steroids in the brain of the crested newt, Triturus carnifex.
AB  - The present study was carried out to evaluate the in vitro brain release of
      prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), androgens, and 17
      beta-estradiol in male and female crested newt, Triturus carnifex, during three
      different periods of the annual sexual cycle; in addition, the effects of
      mammalian gonadotropin-releasing hormone (mGnRH), PGF2 alpha, and PGE2 on
      prostaglandins and steroids release by the brain were evaluated during the same
      periods. In brain incubations of both sexes, PGF2 alpha and estradiol were higher
      during postreproduction, while PGE2 and androgens were higher during
      reproduction. In both sexes, mGnRH increased PGF2 alpha and estradiol during
      postreproduction, and PGE2 during reproduction; PGF2 alpha increased estradiol
      secretion during postreproduction. Only in the male, did both mGnRH and PGE2
      increase androgens during reproduction. It could be suggested that in Triturus
      carnifex, the regulation of the reproductive activity in the central nervous
      system (CNS) depends on the relationships among mGnRH, prostaglandins and
      steroids. In particular, PGF2 alpha and PGE2 seem to play different roles in the
      CNS of the newt: PGF2 alpha is involved in the postreproductive processes,
      through estradiol secretion, while PGE2 in the reproductive ones (through
      androgens secretion?).

PMID- 1410527
TI  - Platelet activation and prostacyclin release in essential hypertension.
AB  - To evaluate platelet activation thromboxane A2 (TxA2) and beta-thromboglobulin
      (beta TG) were used as markers and in addition we studied the biosynthesis of
      prostacyclin. Synthesis of TxA2 and prostacyclin was assessed by measurement of
      urinary metabolites. Fifteen untreated hypertensive patients (HT) and 15 age
      matched normotensive controls (NT) were investigated at rest, during and after
      exercise. HT patients were re-examined after 3 months on enalapril. During basal
      conditions there was no difference in the excretion of Tx-M, PGI-M or beta TG
      between the groups. During strenuous exercise HT exhibit a significantly higher
      increase in prostacyclin synthesis (162%) compared to NT (76%). The levels of
      beta TG increased with 82% in the HT and 24% in the NT group, Tx-M increased with
      27% and 23% respectively. Treatment with the ACE-inhibitor enalapril did not
      significantly alter these findings. These results indicate that there is no
      evidence of basal platelet activation in early essential hypertension. Strenuous
      exercise leads to some increase in Tx-M in both groups, with no pronounced
      differences between the groups. Hypertensive patients exhibit a significantly
      increased prostacyclin response to exercise which could be due to differences in
      vessel-wall reactivity. Enalapril seems to exert no effect on platelet activation
      or on prostacyclin biosynthesis.

PMID- 1410529
TI  - Opioid peptides are substrates for the bifunctional enzyme LTA4
      hydrolase/aminopeptidase.
AB  - We determined if any naturally occurring peptides could act as substrates or
      inhibitors of the bifunctional, Zn2+ metalloenzyme LTA4 hydrolase/aminopeptidase
      (E.C.3.3.2.6). Several opioid peptides including met5-enkephalin, leu5
      enkephalin, dynorphin1-6, dynorphin1-7, and dynorphin1-8 competitively inhibited
      the hydrolysis of L-proline-p-nitroanilide by leukotriene A4
      hydrolase/aminopeptidase, consistent with an interaction at its active site. The
      enzyme catalyzed the N-terminal hydrolysis of tyrosine from met5-enkephalin with
      Km = 450 +/- 58 microM and Vmax = 4.9 +/- 0.6 nmol-hr-1-ug-1 and from leu5
      enkephalin with Km = 387 +/- 90 microM and Vmax = 6.2 +/- 2.5 nmol-hr-1-ug-1.
      Bestatin, captopril and carnosine inhibited the hydrolysis of the enkephalins. It
      is noteworthy that the bifunctional catalytic traits of this enzyme include
      generation of an hyperalgesic substance, LTB4, and inactivation of analgesic
      opioid peptides.

PMID- 1410528
TI  - Proinflammatory cytokines interact synergistically with epidermal growth factor
      to stimulate PGE2 production in amnion-derived cells.
AB  - Recent evidence has implicated cytokines and growth factors in the initiation of
      parturition in women. In the present study, the amnion-derived cell line WISH was
      used to determine whether proinflammatory cytokines (interleukins 1 beta, 6, and
      8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and granulocyte/macrophage colony stimulating
      factor) could amplify epidermal growth factor-induced prostaglandin E2
      production. WISH cells were preincubated with cytokines (0.0001-10 ng/ml) for 60
      min and then challenged with EGF (10 ng/ml) for 4 hrs after which PGE2 production
      was measured by radioimmunoassay. EGF, IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha alone caused a
      dose-dependent increase in PGE2 production, while IL-6, IL-8 and GM-CSF were
      ineffective over the dose range tested. When cells were preincubated with IL-1
      beta or TNF-alpha, there was a dose-dependent potentiation of EGF-induced PGE2
      production that was greater than the sum of EGF alone and IL-1 beta or TNF-alpha
      alone. In each case, the minimum dose of IL-1 beta or TNF-alpha which amplified
      EGF-induced PGE2 production was 0.1 ng/ml (p less than 0.05, Student's t-test).
      These data show that low concentrations of IL-1 beta or TNF-alpha may serve to
      amplify EGF-mediated PGE2 biosynthesis in amnion-derived cells and suggest that
      cytokines may modulate EGF function in responsive cells.

PMID- 1410530
TI  - [Dumb August. Freud's "dream interpretation" as a critique of traditional common
      sense].
AB  - Freud's profound scepticism about philosophy and its fondness for philosophical
      "systems" is well-known. From an early stage, the author of the "Interpretation
      of Dreams" was convinced that philosophy--like animism--was nothing other than a
      narcissistic attempt to explain the world systematically from one single point.
      That point is the ego, synthesising everything manifold, alien and threatening
      into an intelligible mould and subjecting it to the intellectual censorship of
      the cogito. Gekle shows that Freud's "Interpretation of Dreams" undercuts and
      decentralizes the imperialist claims of the ego, thus opening up vistas on the
      areas where the ego is not sole and undisputed master. At the same time, however,
      it becomes apparent that the decentralizing work of dream interpretation is
      itself confronted by a paradox. The insights gained in the process cannot be
      presented in any other than a theoretical, systematic and hence ego-oriented
      form.

PMID- 1410531
TI  - [Signs of change in the affective context of dreams and the psychoanalytic
      process].
AB  - The author inquires whether dreams related in psychoanalysis can be indicator of
      curative change, and if so what affective conditions go to making this possible.
      To answer this question convincingly, he puts forward a new model of dream
      generation. It proceeds from the relation between cognitive elements, regulatory
      affective processes and species of interaction represented in individual dream
      situations. Such a model requires a new theory of mental representation,
      affective processes and memory. For precise analysis of change processes, Moser
      has recourse to a coding system for dream content. Finally he compares change
      processes in dreams with those in the psychoanalytic situation and suggests
      hypotheses on the extent to which changes in dreams can be indicators of changes
      in the psychoanalytic process.

PMID- 1410532
TI  - [The functional correlations of dreams and transference].
AB  - The author discusses the old question about an exceptional position of the dream
      in psychoanalysis in a new way: he postulates the exceptional position of the
      dream in relation to the transference. Case material is given to illustrate how
      the dream report goes beyond the level of information insofar it is in itself
      equivalent to a specific ongoing of the transference process. In conclusion the
      relations between dream and transference are discussed in regard to a hypothetic
      functional unit.

PMID- 1410533
TI  - [Father and daughter: identifying with difference. A contribution to sexual
      heterodoxy].

PMID- 1410534
TI  - [Historical identity and the identity of the historian].

PMID- 1410535
TI  - [Freud in the USSR. Psychoanalysis can only develop in a free state. Freud's
      works now becomes public in Russia].

PMID- 1410537
TI  - Somatization.

PMID- 1410536
TI  - Challenges of somatization: diagnostic, therapeutic and economic.

PMID- 1410538
TI  - Medicolegal aspects of factitious disorder.

PMID- 1410539
TI  - Psychological appraisal and emotional response to physical injury: a clinical,
      phenomenological study of 109 adults.
AB  - We studied the cognitive, emotional and behavioral responses at four points of
      time in a random sample of 109 accidentally injured adults via audio taped
      semistructured interviews and self-assessment rating scales. Neither the subjects
      appraisal of death or disability, nor the emotional responses corresponded
      strongly to the severity of the physical injury sustained or the "objective"
      threat to life but, instead, reflected, to a large extent, the personal meaning
      of the injury or the accident. Dissociative responses reported by 17 persons were
      of short duration and associated with young age and immaturity, and did not
      predict or a poor longterm post-traumatic psychiatric course. Ratings of
      intrusion, avoidance and anxiety were more strongly associated with
      psychopathology than "objective" danger or injury severity. This study indicates
      that following civilian trauma, the cognitive, emotional and behavioral responses
      are strongly related to preaccident and accident-independent life circumstances.
      The findings question the validity of the DSM-IIIR criterion of stressors of PTSD
      in civilian accidents, and suggest that post-traumatic mental disorders should be
      evaluated in much the same way as psychiatric disorders after physical illness.

PMID- 1410540
TI  - Somatization in child, adolescent and family psychiatry.

PMID- 1410541
TI  - Coping with accidental injury.
AB  - Coping styles and perceptual defense were studied in 20 accidentally injured
      adult males during hospital stay and 28 months later via clinical psychiatric and
      surgical examinations, the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale, Ways of
      Coping Checklist, Impact of Event Scale, Basic Character Inventory, the
      Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale, State Anxiety Inventory and
      Defense Mechanism Test. Coping styles, particularly emotion-focused coping, were
      more strongly correlated with underlying psychopathology than with severity of
      injury. Coping styles remained stable during the period of study and did not
      correlate with perceptual defense, state anxiety, personality traits or symptoms
      of post-traumatic stress. However, six specific coping efforts predicted patients
      who suffered from short- and long-term negative consequences with a specificity
      and positive predicting power of 100% and sensitivity of 69%. Results correspond
      to previous studies of coping with chronic illness, and suggest that somatization
      following physical trauma is better explained with reference to personal meaning
      than to a fright-model as suggested in the post-traumatic stress criteria of the
      DSM-III-R.

PMID- 1410542
TI  - Building a psychiatric-medical liaison: observations of the process.

PMID- 1410543
TI  - Somatization in the elderly.

PMID- 1410544
TI  - Family psychiatric history of patients with somatization disorder.
AB  - We estimated the prevalence of psychiatric disability and disorders (depression,
      mania, schizophrenia, alcohol disorder, drug disorder, antisocial personality,
      and somatization) in the parents, siblings, and children of three groups of index
      cases: primary care patients with somatization disorder (n = 70), primary care
      patients who approached, but did not reach, DSM-III-R criteria for somatization
      disorder (n = 29), and randomly-selected community residents with no psychiatric
      disorder (n = 1633). Nearly all psychiatric disorders were more common in
      relatives of both patient samples than in relatives of community residents, and
      the patient samples rarely differed from each other. In the patient samples, the
      22.9% rate of patients with multiple unexplained medical problems is
      substantially higher than previous investigations of somatization would predict.
      The most common disorders in patients' relatives were depression and alcohol
      disorder. There was little difference in the rates of depression in relatives of
      somatization patients who were or were not themselves depressed. A similar
      pattern occurred for alcohol disorder. There was a high risk for antisocial
      personality disorder in parents of patients meeting DSM-III-R criteria for
      somatization disorder, but this increase was not found for other relatives.

PMID- 1410545
TI  - Psychiatric disorder and functional somatic symptoms as predictors of health care
      use.
AB  - Data from Wave 1 of the National Institute of Mental Health Epidemiologic
      Catchment Area study were used to examine how functional somatic symptoms and
      other psychiatric disorders relate to use of health care. Panic disorder and
      functional somatic symptoms were strongly linked to use of general medical
      services while depression showed such a relationship only among females. Panic
      disorder and depression also showed strong association with use of mental health
      services, but functional somatic symptoms showed only a weak relationship.
      Multivariable models suggest that functional somatic symptoms lead to selective
      use of general medical services over mental health services.

PMID- 1410546
TI  - Somatization, co-morbidity, and the quality of life: measuring the effect of
      depression upon chronic medical illness.

PMID- 1410547
TI  - Somatization and pulmonary disease.

PMID- 1410548
TI  - Pseudosomatization.

PMID- 1410549
TI  - Nurse practitioners hampered.

PMID- 1410550
TI  - The career structure--some questions answered.

PMID- 1410551
TI  - Regionalisation and the community nurse.

PMID- 1410552
TI  - Occupational asthma.

PMID- 1410553
TI  - A decision for enrolled nurses.

PMID- 1410554
TI  - Articulatory and phonological determinants of word length effects in span tasks.
AB  - Several previous studies have shown that memory span is greater for short words
      than for long words. This effect is claimed to occur even when the short and long
      words are matched for the number of syllables and phonemes and so to provide
      evidence for subvocal articulation as being one mechanism that underlies memory
      span (Baddeley, Thomson, & Buchanan, 1975). The three experiments reported in
      this paper further investigate the articulatory determinants of word length
      effects on span tasks. Experiment 1 replicated Baddeley et al.'s finding of an
      effect of word length on auditory and visual span when the stimuli consist of
      words that differ in terms of the number of syllables. Experiments 2 and 3 showed
      that the effects of word length are eliminated when the words in the span task
      are matched for the number of syllables and phonemes but differ with respect to
      the duration and/or complexity of their articulatory gestures. These results
      indicate that it is the phonological structure of a word and not features of its
      actual articulation that determines the magnitude of the word length effect in
      span tasks.

PMID- 1410555
TI  - Saccadic eye movements in Parkinson's disease: I. Delayed saccades.
AB  - The saccadic eye movements of nine patients with Parkinson's disease were
      compared to those of nine age-matched controls in two paradigms generating
      volitional saccades. In both paradigms, subjects had to make delayed saccades to
      peripheral LED targets: a peripheral target appeared 700 msec before a buzzer
      sounded, the buzzer being the signal to make a saccade to the target. In the
      first paradigm ("centre-off"), the fixation target was extinguished
      simultaneously with buzzer onset. In the second ("centre-remain") it was not
      extinguished until 1000 msec later. The results showed that for outward saccades
      in both paradigms, there was no difference between Parkinsonian patients and
      controls, but saccadic latencies were significantly shorter in the "centre
      remain" paradigm. The initial outward saccades were indistinguishable from the
      normal, reflex saccades of the same subjects. However, saccades returning to the
      centre (a type of remembered target saccade) were hypometric and showed
      multistepping. Both effects were more pronounced in patients with Parkinson's
      disease. The significance of these findings in terms of current hypotheses about
      the nature of the Parkinsonian saccadic deficit is discussed.

PMID- 1410556
TI  - Saccadic eye movements in Parkinson's disease: II. Remembered saccades--towards a
      unified hypothesis?
AB  - Ten patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease were compared with ten age
      matched normal controls in a series of saccadic paradigms in order to test
      various hypotheses relating to the origin of the Parkinsonian saccadic defect.
      The paradigms comprised a reflex saccade paradigm, a standard remembered saccade
      paradigm, a remembered saccade paradigm with delayed centre-offset, and a
      remembered saccade paradigm with a second target flash immediately prior to
      saccade execution. Finally, subjects executed both reflex and remembered saccades
      in a standard remembered paradigm (the "two-saccade" paradigm). As has been
      reported previously, Parkinsonian subjects demonstrated hypometria on all
      remembered saccade paradigms, particularly the "two-saccade" paradigm. There was,
      however, no significant difference between the first three remembered saccade
      paradigms. These studies serve to refute a simple attentional capture hypothesis,
      and a hypothesis that suggests that the abnormality of remembered saccades is due
      to concurrent reflex saccade suppression. On the basis of the results, further
      hypotheses are advanced in an attempt to explain all published work on
      Parkinsonian saccades.

PMID- 1410557
TI  - On the relation between time perception and the timing of motor action: evidence
      for a temporal oscillator controlling the timing of movement.
AB  - Studies of time estimation have provided evidence that human time perception is
      determined by an internal clock containing a temporal oscillator and have also
      provided estimates of the frequency of this oscillator (Treisman, Faulkner,
      Naish, & Brogan, 1990; Treisman & Brogan, 1992). These estimates were based on
      the observation that when the intervals to be estimated are accompanied by
      auditory clicks that recur at certain critical rates, perturbations in time
      estimation occur. To test the hypothesis that the mechanisms that underlie the
      perception of time and those that control the timing of motor performance are
      similar, analogous experiments were performed on motor timing, with the object of
      seeing whether evidence for a clock would be obtained and if so whether its
      properties resemble those of the time perception clock. The prediction was made
      that perturbations in motor timing would be seen at the same or similar critical
      auditory click rates. The experiments examined choice reaction time and typing.
      The results support the hypothesis that a temporal oscillator paces motor
      performance and that this oscillator is similar to the oscillator underlying time
      perception. They also provide an estimate of the characteristic frequency of the
      oscillator.

PMID- 1410558
TI  - Amnesics have a disproportionately severe memory deficit for interactive context.
AB  - Two experiments were used to compare the recognition memory of amnesic and normal
      subjects for intentionally encoded words (targets) and for incidentally encoded
      words that were meaningfully related to the targets and presented at the same
      time (interactive context). In both experiments the target recognition of the two
      groups was matched at a high level by presenting the amnesics with much shorter
      lists of words to remember. Experiment 1 compared 20 amnesics and their matched
      controls and showed that whereas the amnesics' recognition of the target words
      did not benefit significantly when they were presented together with their
      interactive context words (relative to their recognition when the target words
      were presented alone), that of the controls did. Experiment 2 compared 14
      amnesics and their matched controls and showed that when patients and their
      controls were matched on their target word recognition in isolation, then the
      patients still showed worse recognition for the interactive context words. These
      effects were not found only in Korsakoff patients, and their size did not
      correlate with behavioural measures of frontal-lobe damage. It is concluded that
      amnesics may be more impaired at recognizing incidentally encoded interactive
      context than they are at recognizing target material, and this deficit may be an
      essential feature of the syndrome.

PMID- 1410559
TI  - A dynamical systems approach to skill acquisition.
AB  - This paper argues that the answer to the question, what has to be learned, needs
      to be established before the question, how is it learned, can be meaningfully
      addressed. Based on this conviction, some of the limitations of current and past
      research on skill acquisition are discussed. Motivated by the dynamical systems
      approach, the question of "what has to be learned" was tackled by setting up a
      non-linear mathematical model of the task (i.e. learning to make sideways
      movements on a ski apparatus). On the basis of this model, the phase lag between
      movements of the platform of the apparatus and the actions of the subject was
      isolated as an ensemble variable reflecting the timing of the subject in relation
      to the dynamics of the apparatus. This variable was subsequently used to study
      "how" the task was learned in a discovery learning experiment, in which
      predictions stemming from the model were tested and confirmed. Overall, these
      findings provided support for the hypothesis, formulated by Bernstein (1967),
      that one of the important effects of practice is learning to make use of reactive
      forces, thereby reducing the need for active muscular forces. In addition, the
      data from a previous learning experiment on the ski apparatus--the results of
      which had been equivocal--were reconsidered. The use of phase lag as a dependent
      variable provided a resolution of those findings. On the basis of the
      confirmatory testing of predictions stemming from the model and the clarification
      of findings from a previous experiment, it is argued that the dynamical systems
      approach put forward here provides a powerful method for pursuing issues in skill
      acquisition. Suggestions are made as to how this approach can be used to
      systematically pursue the questions that arise as a natural outcome of the
      experimental evidence presented here.

PMID- 1410560
TI  - Imaging in cardiac mass lesions.
AB  - In 26 patients with cardiac mass lesions confirmed by surgery, diagnostic imaging
      was performed preoperatively by means of two-dimensional echocardiography (26
      patients), angiography (12 patients), correlative computed tomography (CT, 8
      patients), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, 3 patients). Two-dimensional
      echocardiography correctly identified the cardiac masses in all patients.
      Angiography missed two of 12 cardiac masses; CT missed one of eight. MRI
      identified three of three cardiac masses. Although the sensitivity of two
      dimensional echocardiography was high (100%), all methods lacked specificity.
      None of the methods allowed differentiation between myxoma (n = 13) and thrombus
      (n = 7). Malignancy of the lesions was successfully predicted by noninvasive
      imaging methods in all six patients. However, CT and MRI provided additional
      information concerning cardiac mural infiltration, pericardial involvement, and
      extracardiac tumor extension, and should be integrated within a preoperative
      imaging strategy. Thus two-dimensional echocardiography is the method of choice
      for primary assessment of patients with suspected cardiac masses. Further
      preoperative imaging by CT or MRI can be limited to patients with malignancies
      suspected on the grounds of pericardial effusion or other clinical results.

PMID- 1410561
TI  - Multi-directional positron imaging: evaluation of cancer detection with 2-(F-18)
      fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose.
AB  - We developed a multi-directional positron imaging system for the whole body in
      order to evaluate the spatial distribution of radiopharmaceuticals. A positron
      emission tomography (PET) scanner with ring detectors was modified to provide 54
      directional planar images with a three-dimensional appearance by using cinematic
      display. The initial clinical evaluation was performed on two normal volunteers
      and 17 cancer patients with 32 foci. Images were obtained approximately one hour
      after the intravenous administration of 2-(F-18)-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose. In all
      19 subjects, good quality images with a three-dimensional appearance were
      obtained. We were able to visualize 16 of 20 (80%) lesions that were three
      centimeters or more in greatest diameter. In contrast, only seven of 12 (58%)
      lesions less than three centimeters in greatest diameter were identified. The
      overall detectability of lesions was 72%. These results suggest that this system
      will be useful for tumor detection.

PMID- 1410562
TI  - Influence of matrix size, vessel shape, vascular diameter, flow velocity, course
      of vessels on MR angiography.
AB  - Basic experiments were done to examine the influence of the extent of curve,
      direction of flow, vascular diameter, velocity of flow, and course of vessels on
      MR angiography. In the first experiment, two phantoms were constructed of vinyl
      tubing, a hairpin type and one with tubes bent to varying degrees. These phantoms
      were imaged in two matrices, different FOV, and of various velocities with a 1.5
      Tesla system. Images of a normal volunteer were also obtained. In studies of the
      hairpin phantoms, a low intensity artifact appeared at the curve position, and
      the edge became fuzzy when the flow was perpendicular to the phase encoding
      direction. These phenomena were more apparent with a smaller matrix, smaller FOV,
      more gentle angle, larger diameter, and faster flow; in other words the component
      along the direction was dominant. In the phantom that used bent tubes, another
      low intensity artifact appeared on the medial side of the outflow portion. The
      results obtained from the volunteer corresponded well to those from the basic
      experiments. It was thought that the profile of flow was not well demonstrated
      due to the coarse matrix. In the second experiment, water flowed at various
      speeds through three-dimensional phantoms that were made of vinyl tubes of
      various diameters and directions. The phantoms were imaged with two- and three
      dimensional time of flight and phase contrast angiography. The lower limits of
      detection of the phase contrast method were almost the same. In the coronal
      plane, the lower limit decreased to 2.5 mm for arteries and 9.5 mm for
      veins.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1410563
TI  - Atypical arteriographic features of myositis ossificans circumscripta (MOC).
AB  - Earlier reports on the angiographic features of MOC concluded that there may be
      hypervascularity and tumor stain but no A-V shunting, pooling, or vessel
      amputation as a result of the lesion. However, our cases demonstrated A-V
      shunting in MOC, and showed that the vascularity of this lesion can closely mimic
      that of malignant neoplasms. Therefore, the possibility of MOC should not be
      excluded because of the presence of A-V shunts or "tumor vessels" in suspected
      MOC lesion on plain radiography. These points are underscored by the findings in
      two MOC patients, whose cases are described.

PMID- 1410564
TI  - A Japanese adult case of cystic fibrosis causing bone demineralization.
AB  - Cystic fibrosis is an inherited, multisystem disorder characterized by an
      abnormality in exocrine gland function. It leads to chronic pulmonary disease in
      most cases and pancreatic insufficiency in 85 percent of patients. Although this
      disease is not uncommon in Caucasians, it has been considered very rare among
      Japanese. The majority of patients are diagnosed in infancy or childhood. The
      patient in this case report was a 45-year-old Japanese man who had not been
      diagnosed as having cystic fibrosis. This patient had recurrent episodes of
      pulmonary infection that started in childhood, and plain films of the chest
      showed increased interstitial markings, hyperaeration, and bronchiectasis. CT of
      the upper abdomen showed a generally enlarged pancreas with complete fatty
      replacement. Serum and urine pancreatic enzyme levels were low, suggesting
      pancreatic insufficiency. Repeated sweat tests were positive. A roentgenologic
      skeletal survey showed general demineralization, which may be multifactorial. In
      this case, it was concluded that vitamin D deficiency caused by vitamin D
      malabsorption and/or insufficient sunlight exposure was mainly responsible for
      the demineralization and that chronic respiratory acidosis might also be
      partially responsible.

PMID- 1410565
TI  - Unusual complication of liver irradiation: acute thrombosis of a main hepatic
      vein: CT and MR imaging features.
AB  - The pathologic changes resulting from liver irradiation include congestion,
      fibrosis, and veno-occlusive disease. We report an unusual complication of
      radiation induced injury: acute thrombosis of a main hepatic vein within the
      radiation port. CT and MR features are described and the etiology of this unusual
      complication is discussed.

PMID- 1410566
TI  - Computed tomographic findings of small-bowel volvulus.
AB  - Computed tomographic examinations of two cases of small-bowel volvulus were
      reviewed. At laparotomy, both cases were proved to be secondary to adhesions. CT
      examinations showed focal, wedge-shaped, edematous mesentery with trapped fluid
      between mesenteric folds radiating toward the site of torsion. One case showed
      the superior mesenteric vein spiraling around the superior mesenteric artery. At
      laparotomy, affected small-bowel loops showed ischemia in both cases. CT
      performed in patients with acute abdomen may show findings suggestive of small
      bowel volvulus.

PMID- 1410567
TI  - Dosimetry of intracavitary placements for uterine and cervical carcinoma: results
      of orthogonal film, TLD, and CT-assisted techniques.
AB  - A total of 720 192Ir high-dose-rate (HDR) applications in 331 patients with
      gynecological tumors were analyzed to evaluate the dose to normal tissues from
      brachytherapy. Based on the calculations of bladder base, bladder neck, and
      rectal doses derived from orthogonal films the planned tumor dose or
      fractionation was altered in 20.4% of intracavitary placements (ICP) for cervix
      carcinoma and 9.2% of ICP for treatment of the vaginal vault. In 13.8% of
      intracervical and 8.1% of intravaginal treatments calculated doses to both the
      bladder and rectum were greater than or equal to 140% of the initially planned
      dose fraction. Doses at the bladder base were significantly higher than at the
      bladder neck (p less than 0.001). In 17.5% of ICP the dose to the bladder base
      was at least twice as high as to the bladder neck. The ratio of bladder base dose
      to the bladder neck was 1.5 (+/- 1.19 SD) for intracervical and 1.46 (+/- 1.14
      SD) for intravaginal applications. The comparison of calculated doses from
      orthogonal films with in-vivo readings showed a good correlation of rectal doses
      with a correlation coefficient factor of 0.9556. CT-assisted dosimetry, however,
      revealed that the maximum doses to bladder and rectum were generally higher than
      those obtained from films with ratios of 1-1.7 (average: 1.44) for the bladder
      neck, 1-5.4 (average: 2.42) for the bladder base, and 1.1-2.7 (average: 1.37) for
      the rectum. When doses to the specified reference points of bladder neck and
      rectum from orthogonal film dosimetry were compared with the corresponding points
      on CT scans, similar values were obtained for both methods with a maximum
      deviation of +/- 10%. Despite the determination of multiple reference points our
      study revealed that this information was inadequate to predict doses to the
      entire rectum and bladder. If conventional methods are used for dosimetry it is
      recommended that doses to the bladder base should be routinely calculated, since
      single point measurements at the bladder neck seriously underestimate the dose to
      the bladder. Also the rectal dose should be determined at several points over the
      length of the implant due to the wide range of anatomic variations possible.

PMID- 1410568
TI  - A comparison of accuracy of computer treatment planning systems in brachytherapy.
AB  - An intercomparison was made between dose-rate point calculations with five
      commercial computer treatment planning systems used in brachytherapy. Sixteen
      Italian radiotherapy medical physics institutions performed a twofold test,
      respectively for point and linear sources, reproducing actual clinical implants
      and the results were compared to references values. The test was designed in
      order to determine the errors introduced separately by computation and by implant
      reconstruction via orthogonal films. The results show that for point sources a
      better accuracy can be achieved than for linear sources. It is also shown that a
      large variation of results exists between computation systems and the variability
      is larger for linear sources. The digitizing procedure adds a large amount of
      error. In the whole set of calculation points, the overall percent difference
      between computed and reference dose-rate values is larger than +/- 5% in 18%
      cases for point and in 52% cases for linear sources, with data input by
      digitizer. It seems that relevant errors do occur when computing actual dose
      rates, resulting in clinically relevant inaccuracies in the calculated absorbed
      dose and in its relative effectiveness.

PMID- 1410569
TI  - Clinical experience with a single field rotational total skin electron
      irradiation technique for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
AB  - Between October 1981 and December 1989, 44 patients with cutaneous T-cell
      lymphoma (CTCL) were treated with a single field rotational total skin electron
      irradiation (RTSEI) technique developed in the McGill University, Department of
      Radiation Oncology. Only 11 (25%) of the 44 patients had received no prior
      treatment. Three-quarters (33/44) had advanced (T3 or T4) disease. Complete
      responses were seen in 32/44 (73%) of patients (91% T2, 71% T3 and 58% T4), but
      only 3/11 (27%) of patients with T2 disease and 3/21 (14%) of patients with T3
      disease remain in continuous complete remission in the skin, after median
      intervals of 58 and 35 months, respectively. Median cause-specific survival for
      the whole group is 43 months and survival at 5 years is 38%. Survival was
      significantly better for patients with T2 disease than for patients with T3
      disease (relative risk 4.3; 95% CI 1.4-13.2) and patients with T4 disease
      (relative risk 3.1; 95% CI 0.8-12.1). The RTSEI technique used at McGill has
      depth-dose characteristics and photon contamination similar to other commonly
      used TSEI techniques. It is relatively simple and provides a homogenous dose
      distribution over the entire skin surface in a short treatment time. Results of
      treatment are similar to those obtained with other techniques. For T2 disease,
      TSEI is an effective treatment modality with a possibility of long-term tumor
      control. For more advanced disease, more aggressive treatment, which may include
      TSEI, is necessary.

PMID- 1410570
TI  - Carcinomas of the nasal cavity.
AB  - Between 1969 and 1985, 45 patients with carcinomas of the nasal cavity proper
      received curative treatment. Thirty patients had squamous cell carcinoma, one had
      undifferentiated carcinoma, 9 had adenocarcinoma, and 5 had adenoid cystic
      carcinoma. Eighteen patients were treated with definitive radiotherapy
      (interstitial brachytherapy in 5 and external beam therapy in 13 patients), and
      27 received surgery and radiotherapy. The median length of follow-up was 11 years
      (range: 2.8-16.8 years). Thirty-six patients had no evidence of disease at the
      last follow-up visit. All 14 patients with carcinoma of the nasal septum had the
      disease controlled. Nine of 31 patients with lesions of the lateral wall and
      floor died of the disease, 5 of uncontrolled local disease, 2 of distant
      metastases, and 2 of both. The disease-specific survival rates at 5 and 10 years
      were 83 and 80%, respectively, and the corresponding overall survival rates were
      75 and 60%, respectively. Blindness occurred in 4 patients, 2 due to orbital
      exenteration and 2 to radiation injury to the cornea and optic pathway. Other
      infrequent side effects were bone necrosis, dental decay, nasal stenosis, and
      septal perforation. This study indicated that the prognosis of patients with
      nasal cavity carcinoma was better than that of patients with maxillary sinus
      cancer treated during the same era. In addition, the study showed that carcinomas
      of the nasal septum were smaller than those of lateral wall and floor at
      diagnosis, so that excellent control could be achieved by definitive
      radiotherapy; when accessible, interstitial brachytherapy might be the treatment
      of choice in such patients.

PMID- 1410571
TI  - The effect of unlabelled monoclonal antibody (mAb) on the biodistribution of 131I
      anti-idiotype mAb in murine B cell lymphoma.
AB  - The 38C13 murine B cell lymphoma model was used to study the effect of the
      preinjection of unlabelled anti-idiotype monoclonal antibody (mAb) on the
      subsequent biodistribution of 131I-anti-idiotype mAb. Mice with established
      tumors received 0-500 micrograms of unlabelled anti-idiotype mAb 24 h prior to
      the administration of 131I-anti-idiotype (specific), or both 125I-anti-idiotype
      and 131I-isotype-matched irrelevant control (nonspecific) mAb. Mice were counted
      daily in a gamma counter and sacrificed at 2-144 h following injection. Mice were
      dissected and the weight and activity of the animals and organs were measured.
      Mice were bled periodically and circulating idiotype levels were measured using
      an ELISA assay. Five hundred micrograms of unlabelled anti-idiotype mAb increased
      the retention time of the specific but not the nonspecific mAb in all organs and
      tumor. Following pretreatment with unlabelled mAb, the cumulative tumor/whole
      body and tumor/normal organ ratios became similar to those of the nonspecific
      mAb, with concentration ratios (specific/nonspecific mAb) of approximately 1,
      which persisted until 96 h post injection when circulating idiotype reappears in
      antigen excess. In the absence of unlabelled mAb there was less retention in
      tumor and normal tissue. This is presumed to be due in part to decreased levels
      of circulating 131I-mAb secondary to rapid plasma clearance of antigen-antibody
      complexes and tumor cell mediated dehalogenation, which results when the specific
      mAb specifically binds the targeted antigen. Thus, the addition of unlabelled mAb
      increased the retention by decreasing the specific behavior of the anti-idiotypic
      antibody.

PMID- 1410572
TI  - Mouse hemithoracic irradiation and its interaction with cytotoxic drugs.
AB  - Irradiation of the mouse right or left hemithorax at 14 or 18 Gy produced a dose
      dependent rise in breathing rate 16 weeks after irradiation without significant
      mortality. The measurement of breathing rate changes following right hemithoracic
      irradiation combined with the maximally tolerated dose of cytotoxic drugs was
      assessed as a method for qualitatively detecting drug-irradiation interactions
      which either exacerbate pneumonitis or alter its time course. Cyclophosphamide at
      100 mg/kg accentuated and accelerated the rise in breathing rate, culminating in
      early mortality. BCNU 30 mg/kg delayed the appearance of the radiation response.
      Busulphan 30 mg/kg appeared to be radioprotective, but this was shown to be due
      to the DMSO-containing vehicle. Doxorubicin 6 mg/kg had no effect when combined
      with right or left hemithoracic irradiation. Carboplatin 100 mg/kg, vindesine 4
      mg/kg and vinblastine 4 mg/kg had no substantial effect upon the changes in
      breathing rate.

PMID- 1410573
TI  - The use of large fractions in radiotherapy for malignant melanoma.
AB  - Eighty-nine cutaneous, subcutaneous or lymph node metastases of malignant
      melanoma in 15 patients were treated with radiotherapy using electron beams at
      appropriate energies (6-15 MeV). A total dose of 40 Gy was given in 8 fractions
      (fraction size 5 Gy) over 23 days. The therapy was given as two weekly fractions
      on two consecutive days with a 24-h interval. The next two fractions were given
      after a pause of 6 days. Eighty-six of 89 lesions (97%) responded to treatment,
      response rate being clearly dependent on tumour size. All the 67 lesions less
      than 2 cm in diameter responded, 51 of them (78%) completely disappearing, while
      in tumours over 4 cm among 10 lesions only 2 CR lesions were achieved. In cases
      where prolonged follow-up (greater than one year) was possible no major late side
      effects were observed. The treatment scheme with large fractions appears to be
      well-tolerated and effective for metastatic malignant melanoma.

PMID- 1410574
TI  - The clinical application of a non-axial treatment plan for pancreatic and biliary
      malignancies.
AB  - Standard radiation therapy for adenocarcinoma of the pancreas treats a
      substantial portion of the renal parenchyma. It was hypothesized that rotating
      the plane of treatment to a non-axial orientation, with the anterior field
      entering the patient from an inferior oblique direction, would decrease the renal
      dose of radiation without increasing the liver dose or compromising the target
      dose. To test this hypothesis, patients referred for radical radiation treatment
      for tumors of the pancreas or distal common bile duct were prospectively
      evaluated by performing treatment planning using axial and non-axial field
      arrangements. Treatment plans were compared using dose volume histograms (DVHs)
      of both kidneys and the liver. In all 15 cases analyzed, the non-axial plan was
      superior to the axial plan with respect to renal dose, without significantly
      increasing the hepatic dose and was used for treatment. Treatment was not
      significantly more complex nor was gastrointestinal toxicity increased. These
      findings show that non-axial field arrangements can be used on a routine basis to
      decrease the renal dose of radiation for the treatment of pancreatic and biliary
      malignancies. It is anticipated that in the future, a combination of DVH-guided
      treatment planning and sophisticated renal function studies will be necessary to
      permit a more accurate prediction of the probability of renal complications
      resulting from radiation therapy.

PMID- 1410575
TI  - The effect of the hypoxic cell drug SR-4233 alone or combined with the ionizing
      radiations on two human tumor cell lines having different radiosensitivity.
AB  - The influence of the hypoxic cell drug, SR-4233, alone and/or combined with
      ionizing radiations on the survival of two human cell lines having very different
      intrinsic radiosensitivity was analysed. The killing effect of SR-4233 in hypoxia
      was similar for both cell lines. Twenty microM SR-4233 under hypoxic conditions
      had a killing effect equivalent to 6.6 Gy for the poorly sensitive cell line
      (HT29) and equivalent to 3.9 Gy for the highly sensitive cell line (SW48). The
      effect of SR-4233 and ionizing radiations on these two cell lines was tested in
      vitro: the cells were incubated for one hour in hypoxia with or without 20 microM
      SR-4233 and then irradiated in air. The HT29 cells that survived treatment with
      SR-4233 are more radiosensitive than untreated cells. However, their
      radiosensitivity is similar to that of cells that have been given a dose of 6.6
      Gy. This suggests that SR-4233 acts additively, rather than as a radiosensitiser.
      As SR-4233 acts selectively in hypoxia, these results appear encouraging for the
      treatment of poorly-radiosensitive human tumors.

PMID- 1410576
TI  - The effect of increasing the treatment time beyond three weeks on the control of
      T2 and T3 laryngeal cancer using radiotherapy.
AB  - Local control of cancer by radiotherapy may be prejudiced by accelerated tumour
      clonogen repopulation particularly during protracted treatment schedules. A
      series of 496 cases of T2 and T3 larynx cancer treated here by radiotherapy has
      been studied to examine the impact on local control of treatment durations
      ranging from 9 to 41 days. Data were analysed using a linear-quadratic
      formulation describing the fractionation sensitivity, with the incorporation of a
      parameter relating to treatment time. Using combined T2 and T3 data, the increase
      in dose required to maintain a constant local control (the time factor) was
      between 0.5 and 0.6 Gy per day. These values are similar to those reported for 4
      weeks or more in the literature. Also, the calculated dose to control 50% of
      tumours, given over the standard Christie duration of 21 days, was on the line
      projected back from literature data over 28-66 days. The present data are
      consistent with the presence of such a time factor following a lag phase of not
      more than 3 weeks after starting radiotherapy. Hence, further consideration
      should be given to using shorter overall treatment times in radiotherapy for head
      and neck cancer.

PMID- 1410577
TI  - Aggressive treatment of intrathoracic recurrences of thymoma.
AB  - Between 1974 and 1988, 21 patients with intrathoracic recurrences of thymoma
      received radiotherapy with radical intent; surgery was always attempted when
      considered feasible: 11 patients were partially (6 cases) or totally (5 cases)
      resected before irradiation, while in the other 10 radiotherapy was the only
      treatment. In 7 cases the recurrence was confined to the anterior mediastinum, 9
      had pleural nodules without mediastinal lesions and 5 had both mediastinal and
      pleural lesions. Mediastinal recurrences were treated by opposed parallel
      mediastinal fields with 2/3 of the dose delivered through the anterior port:
      doses ranged between 38 and 44 Gy; a boost of 10-16 Gy was given in patients not
      radically resected. Pleural nodules were treated with a variety of techniques
      according to the extent of the lesions. The 7-year survival of the whole group
      was 70%; 5 patients died: 4 with intrathoracic progression and one with distant
      metastases. The survival was 74% in the 11 patients having received surgery,
      either radical or subtotal, and 65% in the 10 patients treated with radiotherapy
      alone: the difference is not significant. Patients with Karnofsky index greater
      than 70 had a significantly better survival (100%, versus 28%, p = 0.0015). This
      is a selected series of patients presenting recurrences still amenable to a
      radical treatment either by surgery and radiotherapy or by radiotherapy alone:
      the results confirm that an aggressive approach is warranted in patients in good
      general conditions with recurrences confined to the mediastinum and/or 1
      hemithorax.

PMID- 1410578
TI  - The use of asymmetric-field inversion gel electrophoresis to predict tumor cell
      radiosensitivity.
AB  - The success of a predictive assay for radiotherapy relies on the use of one or
      more tumor cell traits that equate with tumor radioresistance or
      radiosensitivity. These traits can be divided into intrinsic (genetic) and
      extrinsic (epi-genetic) factors. Most probably, a tumor's response to
      radiotherapy will be influenced by both of these sets of traits. Radiobiological
      analysis of cultured cells derived from explanted tumors of head and neck
      patients has shown that in vitro survival of tumor cells is not the only factor
      affecting tumor radiocurability. Two possible reasons are the high degree of
      selection involved in growing the cells in vitro and the inability to assess the
      contribution of the cell-cell contact effect with cultured cells. A possible
      means of overcoming both of these problems would be an assessment of the
      radiosensitivity of the cell population immediately after removal from the tumor.
      Since a good correlation exists between intrinsic cellular radioresistance and
      DNA double-strand break repair (DSBR) as assayed by the Neutral Elution technique
      [21], we have investigated the feasibility of using asymmetric field inversion
      gel electrophoresis (AFIGE) in identifying resistant tumor cells in vitro. AFIGE
      has several advantages over neutral elution in that it is faster (approximately
      60-80 samples can be run on the same agarose gel) and, most importantly, one can
      visualize DNA damage and repair by staining the DNA with ethidium
      bromide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1410579
TI  - Potentiation of alkylating chemotherapy by dual function nitrofurans in multi
      cell spheroids and solid tumors.
AB  - The cytotoxicity and chemosensitizing potential of four dual function nitrofurans
      was determined in human HT-29 multi-cell spheroids and rodent KHT sarcoma solid
      tumors. Spheroids were treated with a range of doses of the bioreductive drugs
      for a period of up to 48 h and the extent of cell kill was assessed at various
      times after treatment. Cytotoxicity was determined using a clonogenic cell
      survival assay. The results demonstrated that two of the nitrofurans were even
      more toxic to spheroid cells than was the potent bioreductive nitroimidazole
      aziridine RSU 1069. The dose of the nitrofuran which, after a 24-h exposure, led
      to a survival value between 0.5 and 1.0, then was chosen for subsequent studies
      aimed at assessing the ability of these agents to potentiate the efficacy of the
      nitrosourea CCNU. Exposure to this chemotherapeutic agent was for a period of 1
      h. The results indicated that all four dual function nitrofurans enhanced the
      cell killing of the conventional chemotherapeutic agent by factors ranging from
      1.1 to 1.7. Subsequent studies evaluated the therapeutic benefit of combining
      these bioreductive agents and CCNU in KHT sarcoma-bearing C3H/HeJ mice. The
      nitrofurans were administered i.p. 0.5 h prior to the chemotherapy and tumor
      response was assessed by measuring the survival of clonogenic KHT cells 22-24 h
      after treatment. Normal tissue toxicity was determined using a bone marrow stem
      cell (CFU-GM) assay. Combining these bioreductive agents with CCNU increased the
      tumor cell kill by factors of 1.2 to 1.7.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1410580
TI  - Radiosensitizing and repair-inhibiting properties of dipyridamole.
AB  - Radioresistance and postirradiation repair of potentially lethal damage (PLD
      repair) are important factors underlying failure to control local disease in
      cancer. Dipyridamole (DP) is known as a modifier of the action of cytotoxic
      drugs. We therefore investigated DP as a potential radiosensitizer and inhibitor
      of PLD repair in X-irradiated Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in vitro.
      Exposure to the drug alone resulted in a slight reduction of the clonogenic
      capacity of the cells. Preincubation for 18 h with 10 and 20 microM DP in cells
      subcultured at low density, led to a significant radiosensitization. In confluent
      density-inhibited cultures, preincubation alone as well as pre- and
      postincubation with 20 microM DP resulted in a significant inhibition of PLD
      repair. Dipyridamole and related compounds may thus be useful tools for modifying
      and investigating the response of mammalian cells to radiation.

PMID- 1410581
TI  - A practical evaluation of five dose-volume histogram reduction algorithms.
AB  - A unifying approach to cumulative dose-volume histogram (CDVH) reduction analysis
      is presented, utilising two weighted linear interpolation models (VWD, DWV), two
      weighted probability models (VWP, DWP) and a novel integral probability model
      (IPM). As a test of their predictive value these algorithms were applied to CDVH
      data generated from lung doses, measured by TLD arrays in a female
      anthropomorphic phantom. Three arbitrary configurations of breast size and
      location of "target volume" within the breast were "treated", using an
      appropriate electron field (Varian Clinac 1800) or double-plane iridium-192
      implant. Calculated effective doses from each of the reduction algorithms showed
      the iridium implant to be dosimetrically the most favourable in two the three
      configurations. Likewise, complication probabilities, based on a logistic dose
      volume response function showed lung complication probabilities to be lower for
      the interstitial technique in the same situations. All algorithms tested showed
      reasonable consistency, with the exception of the VWD. The rationale and value of
      comparative rather than absolute dose-volume histogram analyses are discussed.

PMID- 1410582
TI  - Maximizing setup accuracy using portal images as applied to a conformal boost
      technique for prostatic cancer.
AB  - A design procedure of a patient setup verification protocol based upon frequent
      digital acquisition of portal images is demonstrated with an application for
      conformal prostatic boost fields. The protocol aims at the elimination of large
      systematic deviations in the patient setup and includes decision rules which
      indicate when correction of the patient setup is needed. The decision rules were
      derived from the results of a theoretical and quantitative analysis of patient
      setup variations measured in three pelvic fields (one anterior-posterior and two
      lateral fields) of 105 fractions for nine patients. Deviations in the patient
      positioning, derived from one field, were quantified as two-dimensional (2-D)
      displacement vectors in the plane perpendicular to the beam axis by alignment of
      anatomical features in the portal and the simulator image. The magnitude of the
      overall setup variations along the anterior-posterior, superior-inferior and
      lateral directions varied between 2.6 and 3 mm (1 S.D.). Inter- and intra
      treatment variations could be separated, both having equal magnitudes of 1.7 to
      2.2 mm (1 S.D.). In addition, intra-treatment variations appeared to be
      predictable which was a prerequisite for the development of the decision rules.
      The 2-D setup deviations, measured in the three fields of one fraction were
      strongly correlated and a 3-D displacement vector was calculated. Utilization of
      this 3-D vector in a setup verification protocol may lead to an early detection
      of systematic setup deviations.

PMID- 1410583
TI  - Primary radiotherapy of breast cancer: treatment results in locally advanced
      breast cancer and in operable patients selected by positive axillary apex biopsy.
AB  - To evaluate the efficacy of radiotherapy without surgery, treatment results in
      patients treated for locally advanced breast cancer (n = 209) and those selected
      by positive axillary apex biopsy (n = 289) in the period between 1977 and 1985
      have been analysed retrospectively. Treatment consisted of primary irradiation to
      the breast and regional lymph nodes followed by a boost to the primary breast
      tumour and palpable regional disease to a mean normalised total dose (NTD) of
      64.7 Gy with a range of 33.4-93 Gy (2 Gy fractions, alpha/beta = 5 Gy). Adjuvant
      systemic treatment was given in 30% of the locally advanced and in 40% of the
      apex positive patients. Thirty percent of the apex positive patients had an
      excisional biopsy of the breast tumour. By multivariate analysis a prognostic
      index is constructed for locoregional control, overall survival and distant
      disease-free interval. Primary tumour size and clinical nodal status are
      independent prognostic factors for locoregional control. Based on the prognostic
      index for local control four different groups can be identified with 5 year local
      control rates varying from 47 to 86%. Patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy
      and patients irradiated to a NTD of 60 Gy or more had significantly better local
      control. For overall survival primary tumour size, clinical nodal size and age
      are independent prognostic factors. Patients irradiated to a NTD above 60 Gy had
      significantly better results. Survival according to the prognostic index for
      survival varies between 20 and 50% at 5 years for the four groups subdivided
      according to the index for survival. Primary tumour size, clinical node size and
      age are independent prognostic factors for distant disease-free interval.
      Patients treated with adjuvant hormonal therapy had significantly better results.
      In the four groups subdivided according to the prognostic index for distant
      disease-free interval results vary from 17 to 30% at 5 years.

PMID- 1410584
TI  - The influence of mineralising radionecrosis on the dose distribution in
      interstitial radiation therapy of brain tumours.
AB  - The influences of radionecroses arising during interstitial radiation of brain
      tumours with 125I, 192Ir or 198Au on dose distribution was investigated using
      Monte Carlo methods. The necroses have a higher density than normal tissue due to
      radiation-induced changes in tissue composition as well as mineral deposits. They
      can have a diameter of up to 1 cm around the single seeds. The higher density and
      changed chemical composition compared to homogeneous normal tissue leads to
      increased absorption of radiation around the necroses which results in a lower
      dose rate in the surrounding tissue. It is shown that the formation of necroses
      during treatment with higher energy radiation such as 192Ir (340 keV) or 198Au
      (400 keV) may be neglected during therapy planning as the dose rate is affected
      by less than 2%. If low energy radiation, e.g. 125I (28 keV) is used, the dose
      rate can be reduced by more than 30%. In this case the influence of the necroses
      on dose distribution, at least for permanent 125I implantation, may not be
      negligible.

PMID- 1410585
TI  - Cardiac doses in post-operative breast irradiation.
AB  - Data were collected on radiation doses given to the heart and coronary arteries
      during primary breast irradiation in order to analyze factors which might be
      important in the aetiology of subsequent cardiac-related disease. Twenty eight
      patients with breast cancer were studied. Fourteen patients treated from 1957 to
      1984 were studied retrospectively (group 1), and 14 treated from 1988 to 1989
      were studied prospectively (group 2). All patients had stage I or II disease at
      presentation, and were under 70 years of age. None had chemotherapy as a primary
      form of treatment. Patients were given a computed tomography scan of the chest,
      and three-dimensional reconstruction was made of the heart, lung and body
      contour. Original dose distributions were super-imposed on these outlines, and
      doses to the total cardiac volume and three main coronary arteries were estimated
      using an alpha/beta ratio of 4 Gy. Nine out of 14 patients in group 1 had a
      mastectomy followed mainly by orthovoltage radiation with similar techniques used
      up until 1984. Thirteen out of 14 patients in group 2 had conservative surgery
      followed by a modern two- or four-field megavoltage technique. We found that for
      patients with left-sided tumours (n = 20), the heart volume irradiated to a
      minimum extrapolated target dose of 5 Gy is significantly decreased for patients
      treated with a modern technique (group 2) when compared with those treated with
      earlier techniques (group 1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1410587
TI  - Hypothyroidism following radiotherapy for head and neck cancer: multivariate
      analysis of risk factors.
AB  - The incidence of hypothyroidism following radiotherapy for head and neck cancer
      is 10-45% in several series. In order to identify possible risk factors a
      multivariate analysis was performed in 221 patients previously treated with
      either radiotherapy alone or combined with surgery or chemotherapy. Diagnostic
      procedures included: total T3 and T4, free T4 and TSH measured by
      radioimmunoassay, and thyroid scintigraphy. The absolute rate of hypothyroidism
      was 41.17% (subclinical 26.24%, clinical 14.93%). No thyroid nodules were
      detected in any patient. By multivariate analysis, risk factors that
      significantly influenced a higher incidence of hypofunction were: high radiation
      dose (p = 0.000), combination of radiotherapy and cervical surgery (p = 0.003),
      time from therapy (p = 0.022) and no shielding of midline (p = 0.026).

PMID- 1410586
TI  - Vestibular apparatus disorders after external radiation therapy for head and neck
      cancers.
AB  - External irradiation of different head and neck cancers may involve parts of the
      ear. The vestibular function of 25 patients in which the inner ear was comprised
      in the irradiated volume was investigated by electronystagmography (ENG). Doses
      administered to the vestibular system ranged between 2800 and 5120 cGy. Five
      patients suffered subjective vertigo or dizziness. Eleven patients (three out of
      five with vertigo) showed vestibular abnormalities to ENG (44% of the total).
      Altered responses to specific tests were as follow: six patients to the bithermal
      caloric stimulation, two to the pendular-sinusoidal test and the other three to
      both of them. Patients were evaluated 3 and 6 months after the ending of the
      radiation therapy course. At the first evaluation, abnormalities to caloric test
      were noted in three patients (12%) and to sinusoidal rotatory test in one patient
      (4%). At the second evaluation, rates of abnormal response increased to 36% and
      20%, respectively. Vestibular disorders seemed to be scantly related to the total
      radiation dose. Data of literature are discussed in order to identify possible
      implications on treatment planning.

PMID- 1410588
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of nicotinamide and its effect on blood pressure, pulse and body
      temperature in normal human volunteers.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of nicotinamide were studied in four human volunteers after
      oral doses of 1-6 g. Plasma concentrations and clearance rates of the vitamin
      were found to be dose-dependent, with a half-life of approximately 7-9 h for the
      two highest doses administered (4 and 6 g), approximately 4 h with 2 g and
      approximately 1.5 h with a 1-g dose. Peak concentrations ranged from 0.7 to 1.1
      mumol.ml-1 after a 6-g dose. The time to reach peak plasma concentration was dose
      independent with a broad range from 0.73 to 3 h. In this study, nicotinamide had
      no detectable effect on blood pressure, pulse or body temperature.

PMID- 1410589
TI  - BW12C-induced changes in haemoglobin-oxygen affinity in mice and its influence on
      the radiation response of a C3H mouse mammary carcinoma.
AB  - The effect of the substituted benzaldehyde BW12C on haemoglobin-oxygen binding
      affinity, tumour radiation response and blood perfusion were investigated in a
      C3H mouse mammary carcinoma grown in the feet of CDF1 mice. Mouse P50 (partial
      pressure of oxygen at half saturation) was estimated using an ABL blood gas
      analyzer; radiation response determined from tumour regrowth and local tumour
      control assays; and tumour blood perfusion measured with a 86RbCl extraction
      procedure. A single intravenous injection of BW12C substantially decreased mouse
      P50. This effect was dependent on the time after injection with the nadir
      observed within 15 min and only returning to normal after several hours. It was
      also dependent on drug dose, the decrease becoming larger with increasing
      concentration, reaching a maximum 50% reduction at 70 mg/kg. The decrease in P50
      could be maintained for at least 6 h following injection of 70 mg/kg, if mice
      were also given 25 mg/kg at hourly intervals. However, no changes in radiation
      response or tumour blood perfusion were observed with either single or multiple
      administrations of BW12C. These results suggest that BW12C induced changes in
      tumour hypoxia reported by several groups of workers, may not be entirely the
      result of a change in haemoglobin-oxygen affinity.

PMID- 1410590
TI  - A pilot study of a method of estimating the number of functional eccrine sweat
      glands in irradiated human skin.
AB  - Following stimulation with pilocarpine, the secretion from eccrine sweat glands
      produces characteristic imprints in hardening silicone polymers applied to the
      skin. This permits an accurate determination of the numerical density of
      functional eccrine glands in irradiated skin which can be compared to non
      irradiated skin. A description of this inexpensive, noninvasive, and quantitative
      technique is presented as well as preliminary results determined in six normal
      subjects and 28 irradiated patients. Eleven patients, with atrophy and
      telangiectasia after radiotherapy to the skin to a high dose, were found to have
      no functional eccrine glands by this technique. A range of results from normal
      numbers of eccrine glands through partial and, rarely, complete loss was observed
      in patients given lower doses and in whom the skin was visually normal. When the
      irradiated side outside the boost area in 16 breast cancer patients who received
      postoperative radiotherapy was compared to an equivalent area on the untreated,
      contralateral side, 11 showed a greater than 50% reduction in the density of
      functional eccrine glands. The method appears to be a sensitive, quantitative
      assay for a permanent change in skin and so ought to facilitate meaningful
      comparison of different regimens of radiotherapy. Further studies are required to
      determine the dose-response relationship, latency and progression of the observed
      changes.

PMID- 1410591
TI  - Radiotherapy treatment planning of basal meningiomas: improved tumor localization
      by correlation of CT and MR imaging data.
AB  - A localization technique, based on three-dimensional CT and MR imaging data for
      precision radiotherapy of basal meningiomas, is presented. Indications for
      radiotherapy included unresected tumors, gross disease remaining despite surgery,
      and recurrences. The patient's head was fixed in a stereotactic localization
      system which is usable at the CT, MR and the linear accelerator installations.
      The geometrical distortion of MR imaging data was evaluated in three dimensions
      by phantom measurements. The geometrical distortion was "corrected" (reducing
      displacements to the size of a pixel) by calculations based on modelling the
      distortion as a fourth order two-dimensional polynomial. The target volume was
      defined in three-dimensional MR imaging data after application of 0.1 mmol/kg
      b.w. Gd-DTPA solution and transferred precisely from MR onto CT data to provide a
      map of the radiation attenuation coefficient for dose calculation. The superior
      soft tissue contrast of MR showed an excellent tumor delineation especially when
      the bony base of the skull obscured the target in CT images. Target volume,
      calculated dose distribution, and critical structures could be transferred
      between CT and MR imaging data and displayed as three-dimensional shaded
      structures for better assessment for matching of target volume and dose
      distribution. With the described planning system a more precise target definition
      of basal meningiomas was possible by integration of the superior tumor
      delineation in MR compared with CT.

PMID- 1410592
TI  - "PCL" a new automatic fast reader suitable for in vivo dosimetry.
AB  - The authors present a new automatic TLD reader specially designed for medical
      dosimetric applications, which allow considerable time-saving. The "PCL" reader
      is based on an isothermal heating kinetics and can be used with TL material of
      any nature and any shape (powder, microrods, pellets). Doses from 1 microGy to 10
      Gy can be measured, or higher doses by interposing an optical absorber in front
      of the PM. The readout system is controlled by an IBM compatible personal
      computer. Results can be printed under the form defined by the users and then can
      be straightly stored in a patient sheet or an experience book. Tests performed
      with LiF chips TLD 100 and 700 (HARSHAW), Li2B4O7:Mn discs LiB (ALNOR), LiF
      powder PTL 717 (DESMARQUET) and Li2B4O7:Cu powder (CEN-FAR) are presented. They
      show a good reproducibility and interesting dosimetric properties.

PMID- 1410593
TI  - Are port films reliable for in vivo exit dose measurements?
AB  - The possibility of using conventional port films as an in vivo method for
      obtaining relative exit dose distribution in patients is evaluated. Kodak
      "Verification" films in "Localization" cassettes are positioned in the usual
      clinical conditions behind an homogeneous polystyrene phantom as well as behind a
      phantom containing air, wood and aluminium inhomogeneities. Taking beam
      divergency into account the densitometric profiles are projected back to the exit
      side of the phantom. They are compared to the profiles obtained with an
      ionization chamber used under full backscatter conditions. The agreement between
      the off-axis ratios determined with either method are mostly better than 2% and
      never exceed 5%. These phantom measurements are completed by a comparison between
      off-axis ratios determined on a port film for a head and neck patient and those
      obtained by diode dosimetry applied on the patient at the exit side of the beam.
      A similar agreement as between film and ion chamber on the phantoms is obtained.
      These encouraging results illustrate the possibilities of using conventional port
      films for in vivo dosimetry.

PMID- 1410595
TI  - Are you prepared?

PMID- 1410594
TI  - The treatment of resistant neuroblastoma with 131I-mIBG: alternative methods of
      dose prescription.
AB  - A UK multi-centre study has been carried out to collect medical and dosimetry
      data from treatments with 131I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (mIBG) for patients
      suffering from resistant neuroblastoma. All data have been acquired in a
      standardised way, following strict physics and clinical protocols. The accuracy
      of three different methods of dose prescription was studied. The results show
      that the most accurate method involved the use of an initial tracer study to
      determine the therapeutic activity required to deliver a predetermined absorbed
      whole-body (WB) dose.

PMID- 1410597
TI  - Home study.

PMID- 1410596
TI  - Case #1. Developmental lingual mandibular salivary gland defect.

PMID- 1410598
TI  - Perio charting systems.

PMID- 1410599
TI  - Organization provides timely information on infection control.

PMID- 1410600
TI  - Case #1. Distomolar.

PMID- 1410601
TI  - Of special concern.

PMID- 1410602
TI  - Kids' oral health program rewarding for New York RDH.

PMID- 1410603
TI  - Helping those in need.

PMID- 1410604
TI  - OSHA issues the final protection standards on bloodborne pathogens.

PMID- 1410605
TI  - Patients undergoing chemotherapy have special treatment needs.

PMID- 1410606
TI  - A new curet series: the Gracey curvettes.

PMID- 1410607
TI  - A reminder about the benefits of dental fluorides.

PMID- 1410608
TI  - Case #3. Dens in dente.

PMID- 1410609
TI  - It's time to let go of our unconditional loyalty to floss.

PMID- 1410610
TI  - Taking a walk on the wild side.

PMID- 1410611
TI  - Salary and benefits review.

PMID- 1410612
TI  - A dental picture is worth a thousand words.

PMID- 1410613
TI  - Are we missing an important segment of the population?

PMID- 1410614
TI  - OSHA exposure control plan requires organized records.

PMID- 1410615
TI  - Case #4. Ranula.

PMID- 1410617
TI  - Silent victims.

PMID- 1410616
TI  - Ugh! What can we do about that awful morning mouth?

PMID- 1410618
TI  - Ultrasonics come of age.

PMID- 1410619
TI  - Getting to the heart of the matter.

PMID- 1410620
TI  - OSHA standard requires some control of staffs' activities.

PMID- 1410621
TI  - The right STEPS will help guide anxious patients through treatment.

PMID- 1410622
TI  - Frequent flosser program is RDH's creative way to motivate patients.

PMID- 1410623
TI  - Our education builds hygiene's future for the 21st century.

PMID- 1410624
TI  - The entrepreneurial spirit.

PMID- 1410625
TI  - Case #5. Angular cheilitis.

PMID- 1410626
TI  - Knowing mechanical differences helps distinguish ultrasonic units.

PMID- 1410627
TI  - Employers required to supply workers with protective gear.

PMID- 1410628
TI  - Protect your paycheck.

PMID- 1410629
TI  - Perio program can put money where the mouth is.

PMID- 1410630
TI  - Case #6. Tetracycline staining.

PMID- 1410631
TI  - Effective sonic and ultrasonic use is all in the technique.

PMID- 1410632
TI  - Remember, eye protection is necessary for patients too.

PMID- 1410633
TI  - OSHA says hepatitis B vaccine must be offered free to workers.

PMID- 1410634
TI  - Dental health education: is it an option for you?

PMID- 1410635
TI  - Spirit of volunteerism abounds at Indiana dental health clinic.

PMID- 1410636
TI  - Getting patients to take ownership of their oral health improves recalls.

PMID- 1410637
TI  - Sign for the times.

PMID- 1410638
TI  - Case #7. Lateral periodontal cyst.

PMID- 1410640
TI  - Gold medal treatment.

PMID- 1410639
TI  - What to do if employee reports exposure to bloodborne disease.

PMID- 1410641
TI  - Fear of AIDS.

PMID- 1410642
TI  - Studies question extensive root planing to remove cementum.

PMID- 1410643
TI  - Hygienists in Israel want to work more hours per week.

PMID- 1410644
TI  - Meticulous attention to infection control reassures wary patients.

PMID- 1410645
TI  - Working for VA medical centers offers RDHs numerous benefits.

PMID- 1410646
TI  - Advances in diagnostic imaging of interstitial lung disease.

PMID- 1410647
TI  - Clinical assessment of interstitial lung diseases.

PMID- 1410648
TI  - Conventional radiology and high resolution computed tomography of lung anatomy
      and general semeiotics.

PMID- 1410649
TI  - Diagnostic imaging of non infiltrative interstitial lung disease.

PMID- 1410650
TI  - Diagnostic imaging of pneumoconioses.

PMID- 1410651
TI  - Nuclear medicine: what role in interstitial lung disease?

PMID- 1410652
TI  - Glycidyloxy compounds used in epoxy resin systems: a toxicology review.
AB  - The glycidyloxy compounds constitute an important group of chemicals used
      extensively in the formulation of epoxy resin systems employed in coatings,
      electronics, structural composites, and adhesives. Although extensive
      toxicological data are available on glycidyloxy compounds, use and understanding
      of the data have been hampered by two major problems: (1) proper identification
      and complexity of the epoxy systems in question, and (2) absence of meaningful
      classification of epoxy materials. This paper provides a classification scheme
      with CAS numbers and reviews the mammalian toxicology of the most common
      glycidyloxy derivatives used in epoxy resin systems based on both published and
      proprietary information. Although the toxicity of many of the glycidyloxy
      compounds used in epoxy resin systems can be characterized as low, the diversity
      of compounds found within this group precludes broad generalizations for the
      class. This comprehensive account should facilitate a clearer understanding of
      the potential health effects and allow for easier comparison among compounds
      containing the glycidyloxy moiety.

PMID- 1410653
TI  - Cancer risk assessment: the science that is not.
AB  - Regulators have adopted the assumption of low dose linearity in cancer risk
      assessment, variously justified as scientifically correct and as responsible
      public health policy. Corollary assumptions are the one-molecule-one-hit
      hypothesis, the exclusion of no-effect thresholds, and the equivalency of
      response in experimental rodents and man. While our understanding of the
      carcinogenesis process remains tentative, these generalizations are not sustained
      by the limited scientific evidence available, not even as interim working
      hypotheses. In this light, they reflect a facile bureaucratic response to
      pragmatic demands borne of political perceptions, rather than the recognition of
      a complex and still opaque reality.

PMID- 1410654
TI  - Relationship between the shape of dose-response curves and background tumor
      rates.
AB  - Various authors have argued that a chemical which augments a carcinogenic
      process, which is already producing tumors spontaneously, will produce an
      increase in tumors no matter how small the dose. For this situation, no threshold
      dose exists whether or not the chemical is genotoxic. Under such conditions, it
      is expected that the dose-response will contain a linear term. A large database
      of animal bioassays (Gold et al., 1984) was examined to study the relationship
      between the shape of dose-response curves and the background tumor rate. The
      multistage model was fit to 143 data sets from 75 different chemicals. As
      expected, the presence of the linear term was correlated with the background
      tumor rate and the presence of higher degree terms in dose (cubic or greater)
      decreased as the background rate increased. This examination of a large number of
      chronic bioassay results appears to support the premise that low dose linearity
      is generally expected for tumor sites where background tumors occur, even for
      carcinogens which were negative by the Salmonella genotoxicity test.

PMID- 1410655
TI  - A proposed approach to regulating contaminated soil: identify safe concentrations
      for seven of the most frequently encountered exposure scenarios.
AB  - Since 1980, more than 10,000 sites in the United States have been shown to
      contain soil which has elevated concentrations of various xenobiotics. Since that
      time, guidelines for deciding whether the level of contamination is worthy of
      concern have been proposed or promulgated by dozens of local, state, and federal
      regulatory agencies. Unfortunately, there has been little consistency in the
      guidelines suggested for each soil contaminant. For example, (a) the basis or
      rationale for some of the cleanup levels is unclear, (b) approaches to setting
      cleanup levels vary between states and agencies, (c) cleanup objectives often
      vary among agencies within the same state, and (d) the cleanup levels are usually
      set in a scientifically haphazard manner. This paper proposes that the most cost
      effective and efficient way to quickly regulate contaminated soil is to establish
      "safe" concentrations for each chemical for the seven most common exposure
      scenarios. These exposure scenarios include (1) residential, (2) industrial, (3)
      agricultural, (4) recreational, (5) groundwater, (6) wildlife and aquatic
      species, and (7) runoff/erosion of particulates to waterways. The scientific
      approach and rationale for calculating the cleanup criteria are illustrated by
      evaluating dioxin and benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX). The methods suggested
      here indicate that levels of dioxin of 25 and 50 ppb in residential and
      industrial soils, respectively, should be acceptable. The predominant concern for
      the agricultural and recreational scenarios is the runoff of particulates to
      waterways. For BTX, benzene will dictate the degree of cleanup and the primary
      hazard at most residential sites will be the inhalation of vapors. Benzene
      concentrations of 2.5, 14, and 250 ppm should be acceptable for residential,
      industrial, and recreational soils, respectively. Depending on the depth to
      groundwater and aquifer use, protection of groundwater may be the driving concern
      for establishing BTX cleanup levels and must be determined using site-specific
      factors.

PMID- 1410656
TI  - On the carcinogenicity of cadmium by the oral route.
AB  - Cadmium and cadmium compounds are carcinogenic both by inhalation and by
      injection. For purposes of risk assessment, a prudent public health approach has
      been that, if a chemical has been demonstrated to be carcinogenic by one route,
      it should be considered carcinogenic by all routes. This policy has been
      questioned for several toxic metals including cadmium. After reviewing the
      literature on cadmium carcinogenicity and genotoxicity, we think that cadmium
      should be considered noncarcinogenic by the oral route. The bases for this
      decision included: (1) a database for genotoxicity of cadmium with more negative
      test results than positive results and with most positive results in in vitro
      tests, indicating that cadmium has limited genotoxicity; (2) some epidemiologic
      evidence of respiratory tract cancer and prostatic cancer in people
      occupationally exposed to airborne cadmium but no reliable evidence of
      gastrointestinal tract cancers in workers; and (3) a large dietary oncogenicity
      study in rats of cadmium chloride at several dose levels, including a maximally
      tolerated dose (50 ppm) in males, which showed no increase of tumors due to
      cadmium ingestion in all of the 19 tissues examined. The conclusion that an
      agent, which has been shown to be carcinogenic by one route of exposure, is not
      carcinogenic by a second route should be made only in the presence of robust data
      which indicate the lack of effect via the second route of exposure.

PMID- 1410657
TI  - An abbreviated repeat dose and reproductive/developmental toxicity test for high
      production volume chemicals.
AB  - A novel protocol is described for obtaining preliminary data on repeated dose
      systemic effects and reproductive/developmental toxicity. The test protocol was
      developed by a group of experts at the request of the U.S. Environmental
      Protection Agency (EPA) for use as part of a Screening Information Data Set on
      high production volume chemicals. Interest in this protocol is shared by several
      regulatory agencies, including the Organization for Economic Cooperation, the
      European Community, and the EPA. To validate the study protocol, ethylene glycol
      monomethyl ether (EGME) was used. After a dosing period of approximately 6 weeks,
      EGME showed both systemic and reproductive/developmental effects similar to those
      previously reported using standard protocols. Thus, this test protocol may be
      used as a screening tool for high production volume chemicals.

PMID- 1410658
TI  - Rising cancer mortality in the United States, 1962-1987: evidence against
      environmental causation.
AB  - The recorded rise in cancer mortality, particularly in industrialized nations
      such as the United States, is often attributed to increasing environmental
      carcinogens and has resulted in the public expectation for increased regulation.
      However, longitudinal Gompertzian analysis indicates that the major factor for
      rising cancer mortality is the increasing deterministic competitiveness of cancer
      in a climate that is becoming more conducive to human survival. Hence, rising
      cancer mortality is a predictable manifestation of a natural relationship between
      human aging and mortality, and should not be interpreted as evidence of increased
      environmental carcinogens.

PMID- 1410659
TI  - Exposure to airborne asbestos in buildings.
AB  - The concentration of airborne asbestos in buildings and its implication for the
      health of building occupants is a major public health issue. A total of 2892 air
      samples from 315 public, commercial, residential, school, and university
      buildings has been analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. The buildings
      that were surveyed were the subject of litigation related to suits alleging the
      general building occupants were exposed to a potential health hazard as a result
      of exposure to the presence of asbestos containing materials (ACM). The average
      concentration of all asbestos structures was 0.02 structures/ml (s/ml) and the
      average concentration of asbestos greater than or equal to 5 microns long was
      0.00013 fibers/ml (f/ml). The concentration of asbestos was higher in schools
      than in other buildings. In 48% of indoor samples and 75% of outdoor samples, no
      asbestos fibers were detected. The observed airborne concentration in 74% of the
      indoor samples and 96% of the outdoor samples is below the Asbestos Hazard
      Emergency Response Act clearance level of 0.01 s/ml. Finally, using those fibers
      which could be seen optically, all indoor samples and all outdoor samples are
      below the Occupational Safety and Health Administration permissible exposure
      level of 0.1 f/ml for fibers greater than or equal to 5 microns in length. These
      results provide substantive verification of the findings of the U.S.
      Environmental Protection Agency public building study which found very low
      ambient concentrations of asbestos fibers in buildings with ACM, irrespective of
      the condition of the material in the buildings.

PMID- 1410660
TI  - [Synchrotron radiation: a new source in x-ray mammography].
AB  - This work was aimed at evaluating the image quality obtainable in X-ray
      mammography using synchrotron radiation monochromatic lines. After a short review
      of the current mammographic techniques, the main features of synchroton radiation
      in the X-ray field are analyzed, especially of that emitted by the Adone storage
      ring. Its features are then compared with the radiation emitted by a Coolidge
      tube. The experimental unit used in this study, including beamline, monochromator
      and mammograph, is then described together with the experimental method for
      carrying out a series of experiments in the mammographic field employing both
      monochromatic lines (E = 17 keV) and white radiation from conventional sources.
      The first series of experiments is described, which employed standard phantoms:
      the dependence of resolution and contrast on both wavelength and thickness of
      breast specimens is reported. Several mammograms of neoplastic breast specimens
      were obtained after mastectomy: they were acquired using both synchrotron
      monochromatic lines and radiation emitted by a conventional tube and employing
      the same acquisition system. The comparison of the two series of images shows
      that synchrotron radiation can demonstrate a high number of anatomopathologic
      details with high definition, contrast and resolution which cannot be obtained by
      means of a conventional source. Our results appear very promising and suggest
      synchrotron radiation as the major tool in the early diagnosis of neoplastic
      breast lesions.

PMID- 1410661
TI  - [Image perception and interpretation in senology. The relationship between the
      clinical picture, radiological sign and histology].
AB  - Once more, the authors are confronted with the difficult interpretation of
      senological images. When reviewing the radiologic features of a series including
      the symptomatic, the asymptomatic and the male breasts, the goal is to relate the
      patterns to clinical and histologic findings in order to improve the perception
      of the radiologist himself in transferring and integrating the information. The
      final conclusions, after reviewing the images, are: a) for the correct
      interpretation of senological images, the sign must be correlated with clinical
      findings and with data from other modalities; b) the radiologist's attitude must
      be always investigative and never exhaustive, due to the variability of all
      factors, which sometimes make a judgement of "radiological tranquility" in the
      breast impossible; c) the radiologist must, nowadays, improve his perception of
      senological images, thus becoming the one who knows how to correlate clinics to
      the images. By increasing his perception, his interpretation capabilities will
      certainly increase too.

PMID- 1410662
TI  - [A multicenter study for the evaluation of the diagnostic efficiency of
      mammography and echography in nonpalpable breast neoplasms].
AB  - The Breast Section of the Italian Society of Radiology set up a cooperative study
      which included 17 Departments of Radiology and Breast Diagnosis in order to
      evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of US versus mammography in nonpalpable breast
      lesions. From January 1, 1989 to december 31, 1990, 400 nonpalpable breast
      lesions (142 benign lesions, 59 in situ and 199 infiltrating carcinomas) were
      detected by mammography and/or US; they had questionable/suspicious findings
      which called for further investigation by means of cytology and/or histology. US
      proved much less sensitive in non-palpable carcinomas than mammography (49.2% vs
      93.8%), also in younger women, and failed to detect 50% of the benign/malignant
      nonpalpable lesions identified by mammography. US sensitivity was directly
      related to lesion diameter and probe frequency: 38.7% in infiltrating carcinomas
      < or = 5 mm vs 56.8% in those > 10 mm; 12% in the patients examined with a 5-MHz
      probe vs 57.7% in those examined with a > or = 7.5-MHz probe. Furthermore, the
      most significant US patterns of nonpalpable lesion were irregular contours,
      posterior attenuation and irregular internal echoes, while an irregular skin line
      and Cooper ligaments had no significant relation with carcinoma. Thus, breast US
      cannot be used as a screening test on asymptomatic patients not even on young
      women with radiologically dense breasts. On the contrary, US performed with high
      frequency probes is useful in the assessment of nonpalpable lesions identified by
      mammography, and allows, in many cases, US-guided cytology and preoperative
      localization.

PMID- 1410663
TI  - [The diagnostic imaging of complex breast nodules].
AB  - This study was aimed at determining the role of high-frequency (7.5 MHz) US
      combined with cytology in the diagnosis of complex breast nodules (complex cysts-
      cystic tumors). The study population included 60 patients presenting with complex
      breast nodules selected on the basis of US patterns among 3,000 cases. All
      patients were also submitted to US-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB).
      Cytology of nipple discharge was always performed when discharge was present (15
      cases), mammography was performed in 50 cases and pneumocystography in 10. US
      allowed the identification of the lesion in all patients and the diagnosis of
      nature in 73%; with FNAB the figure reached 96.7%. Mammography identified the
      lesion in 95% of patients, but failed to reveal the complex nature of the nodule.
      In a small number of cases mammography proved to be a useful complementary tool
      demonstrating malignant features not recognizable on US images. On the contrary,
      pneumocystography yielded no further information with respect to US. Diagnostic
      control was obtained by means of surgery in 30 patients and of clinical-US follow
      up in the extant 30 cases. On the basis of their US features the lesions were
      classified into two groups: I) nodules having a mainly liquid component--i.e.,
      hemorrhagic, septic, multilocular cysts, papillary cystadenoma; II) nodules
      having a mainly solid component--i.e., solitary intraductal papilloma,
      intracystic carcinoma, mixed carcinoma, phylloid adenoma, sarcoma. As to the
      former group, US proved reliable in making a diagnosis in the cases with typical
      hemorrhagic, septic and multilocular cysts. In the atypical cases, FNAB of the
      solid component of the nodule was necessary to differentiate irregular clots,
      thick septa or inflammatory thickening from different conditions. As to the
      latter group, FNAB of the solid component and/or mammography proved useful in
      making a diagnosis, even though to this aim US revealed peculiar patterns which
      were highly suggestive. In our experience, combined US and FNAB are of basic
      importance in the diagnosis of breast lesions, thus replacing pneumocystography
      which has been widely employed so far. As regards mammography, its role seems
      limited to pointing out the peculiar characters of malignancy which could not be
      demonstrated otherwise.

PMID- 1410664
TI  - [A comparison between echography and computed tomography in assessing neoplastic
      recurrences in superficial soft tissues].
AB  - Thirty-seven superficial soft-tissue recurrences were evaluated with
      ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) to assess the correct
      diagnostic approach. US and CT examinations were performed at the same time. High
      frequency US probes and a third-generation CT scanner were employed; all the
      lesions underwent also histology or cytology. US correctly identified as
      recurrences or fibrous tissue all the 37 lesions, whereas CT diagnosed 30 lesions
      only. Seven of the 14 recurrences < 2 cm diameter were not demonstrated. In
      conclusion, US provides more reliable information than CT relative to small
      lesions, which suggests that US must be performed just after therapy.
      Nevertheless, when bone involvement is suspected, CT is required and its use is
      also suggested to monitor distant metastases.

PMID- 1410665
TI  - [Contrast media in echography].
AB  - In medical US, the use of specific contrast media to increase the echogenicity of
      structures and organs changes their absorption of the US beam, and modifies the
      through-transmission velocity. This can be of great diagnostic value. Contrast
      media can help depict vessels and cavities, increase the sensitivity of Doppler
      examination, and make the differentiation of normal and pathologic tissues
      easier. The products which are currently available do not completely fulfill the
      needs of clinical researchers. The first papers reporting on some clinical
      applications of these contrast media in humans are now appearing in literature.
      Contrast media for diagnostic US can be classified in five groups: 1) free gas
      bubbles; 2) stabilized gas bubbles; 3) colloidal suspensions; 4) emulsions; 5)
      aqueous solutions. These agents are quite different, as to both chemical and
      physical features and distribution within living tissues. Different clinical
      applications are thus possible for each of them; a unique contrast medium which
      will meet all the needs of the various clinical situations seems inconceivable at
      present. Most probably, a variety of products will develop, each with its own
      application field; in clinical practice, it seems likely that different products
      will be used, according to the specific clinical needs.

PMID- 1410666
TI  - [Digital radiology with storage phosphors in cephalometric study in
      orthodontics].
AB  - Conventional radiology is continually modified with the development of digital
      systems which can be used for several types of radiologic examinations. Our study
      was aimed at evaluating the advantages of these new technologies in the
      orthodontic field, where the problems associated with image quality and radiation
      protection are major especially in young patients; the latter goal is achievable
      by dramatically reducing radiation dose and by avoiding repeating the exam. In
      our study, we compared lateral teleradiographs of the skull for cephalometric
      analysis obtained using conventional and digital diagnostic methods. The
      preliminary results demonstrated that the two imaging techniques did not differ
      relative to bone structure representation, even though the digital system
      provided better visualization of soft tissue structures. Computed radiography
      also allowed a marked reduction in the number of repeats and reduced radiation
      dose. The current disadvantages of this imaging method are the high initial cost
      of the equipment, reduced work rate, and the need of frequent technical
      assistance.

PMID- 1410667
TI  - [Destructive spondylopathy in the dialysis patient. The diagnostic role of
      magnetic resonance].
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was employed to study 7 long-term hemodialysis
      patients affected with destructive amyloid spondyloarthropathy. In the
      appropriate clinical setting, MRI proved to be more useful than conventional
      radiography or CT and more definitive in excluding infections. Indeed, MRI can
      replace more invasive procedures in making the correct diagnosis. Different than
      what is reported in literature, a high incidence of odontoid lesions (C2) was
      observed in our series, with extraosseous and extradural deposits of soft tissue
      masses (amyloid pseudotumors), subluxation, odontoid invagination and medullary
      compression. Bone lesions, involved disks and amyloid pseudotumors typically
      exhibited low-intensity signal on both T1- and T2-weighted sequences and no
      enhancement following Gd-DTPA injection. The use of MRI is thus suggested,
      especially at cervical level, also in case of relatively mild symptoms.

PMID- 1410668
TI  - [Psoriasis arthropathica. A review of the literature, general considerations and
      the authors' personal experience].
AB  - A retrospective study has been carried out on 897 psoriatic patients in order to
      verify the incidence and radiological patterns of psoriatic arthropathy (PA).
      Site of involved joints, appearance and degree of involvement were correlated
      with extent of skin disease and blood test results. Sixty-five patients (7%)
      showed "clinical" arthritis whereas only 20 cases (2.2%) were radiologically
      positive; among them, 35% were classified as "severe" forms. Peripheral arthritis
      was observed in all cases, involving the hand in 85% of patients. The distal
      interphalangeal joints were the most affected location in the feet (78%) and the
      proximal interphalangeal joints in the hands (94%). The extant small peripheral
      joints were involved in decreasing rates proceeding proximally. Bilateral and
      asymmetric involvement was observed in most of the patients; hypertrophic
      interphalangeal joints erosion was the typical pattern in 100% of cases, evolving
      in rheumatoid-like ankylosis in 23% of them. Spondylitis and/or sacroiliitis were
      associated in 50% of patients. No correlation between degree of arthritis and
      skin disease was found in our series, with the exception of proximal and axial
      joints arthritis, in which extensive skin disease and severe small joints
      involvement were associated in 80% of cases. Clear differential features were
      demonstrated between peripheral PA and rheumatoid arthritis, and between spinal
      involvement in PA and ankylosing spondylitis. Poor correlation of distal
      arthritis to psoriatic nail involvement was also demonstrated.

PMID- 1410669
TI  - [The treatment of acute cholecystitis by percutaneous cholecystostomy].
AB  - The authors report on their personal experience with percutaneous cholecystostomy
      (PC) in 36 cases of acute cholecystitis (AC). PC was successful in 34 cases,
      improving the clinical condition of the patients within the first hour following
      treatment and normalizing the laboratory data within 24-48 hours. Twenty-seven
      patients with calculous AC underwent cholecystectomy within 4-15 days. In 6 cases
      (3 calculous and 3 acalculous ACs) PC was the only treatment performed; in one
      case (calculous AC) PC was combined with lithotomy, the stone fragments being
      extracted via the cholecystostomy. According to literature reports, to date PC
      has been performed mainly--as an alternative to surgical cholecystostomy--on the
      patients unsuitable for cholecystectomy due to their age or to severe impairment
      of their conditions. In our experience, the procedure can be performed on a wider
      range of patients as a final (notably in acalculous AC) or temporary step
      (notably in calculous AC where it may allow cholecystectomy to be delayed and
      thus performed under better clinical conditions, with decreased morbidity and
      mortality risks).

PMID- 1410670
TI  - [Biliodigestive anastomoses on echography. The normal and pathological aspects].
AB  - The normal and pathological US features of different types of bilioenterostomy
      (hepaticojejunostomy, choledochoduodenostomy, polyductal bilioenteric
      anastomosis) are described, as observed in a prospective study of 27 patients,
      for a total number of 35 (18 normal and 17 abnormal) examinations. For 20
      patients with hepaticojejunostomy, the bilioenteric anastomosis was identified on
      13/13 normal examinations and 10/12 pathological examinations. For 2 patients
      with choledochoduodenostomy, the bilioenteric anastomosis was identified on 2/2
      examinations. For 5 patients with polyductal bilioenteric anastomosis (each
      patient having 2 or 3 anastomoses), all surgical anastomoses were separately
      identified on 6/8 examinations; as for the remaining 2 patients, 2/3 and 1/3
      anastomoses were seen. An abnormal condition was correctly recognized in all the
      11 patients with local disease (lithiasis and benign biliary stricture, 2
      patients; benign biliary stricture, 5 patients; primary cholangiocarcinoma, 1
      patient; recurrent malignancy, 3 patients); in 1 patient, parenchymal and biliary
      abnormalities due to vascular obstruction were misinterpreted as a result of
      benign stricture. US can demonstrate the surgical anastomoses between the
      resected common bile duct or second order intrahepatic ducts and the jejunal
      loop, with typical features according to the type of surgery performed. Knowledge
      of such normal appearances after bilioenteric surgery is mandatory in order to
      detect and correctly evaluate such possible abnormalities at this site as
      lithiasis and benign or malignant strictures.

PMID- 1410671
TI  - [The experience of diagnostic and therapeutic integration in rectal cancer.
      Preliminary notes].
AB  - In our University, many different radiosurgical options are available to treat
      rectal carcinoma. Selecting the patients to submit to treatment requires accurate
      clinical and radiological staging. A team of radiologists, radiotherapists,
      surgeons, endoscopists and pathologists has been created to stage the patients
      and to follow the final results. The team have decided the diagnostic and
      therapeutic protocols. The patients with rectal cancer undergo radiotherapy after
      staging and are subsequently restaged. If indicated, surgery is performed and
      histology is compared with restaging, to assess the accuracy of the diagnostic
      procedures. All diagnostic and therapeutic decisions are made collectively by the
      team, during scheduled meetings. All data are stored in a computer program. This
      paper deals with the working method we used, its advantages and the outcome of
      the first 23 studied patients. Restaging was compared with histology: transrectal
      US (performed in 8 patients) showed 100% accuracy in evaluating local tumor
      spread (T). CT had 91% accuracy in defining T and 60% accuracy in N, with a
      tendency to overstaging. In 78% of patients > 50% reduction of tumor size was
      observed and the distance from the anal canal increased in 95.5%. This study will
      provide the overall accuracy of the clinico-radiologic staging, the survival
      rates and the indication of prognostic signs.

PMID- 1410672
TI  - [The anatomical assessment of the renal fascia in the normal subject by using
      computed tomographic equipment with advanced technology].
AB  - One hundred patients, affected with diseases not involving the peri-renal and
      pararenal spaces, have been examined in order to evaluate the visibility of the
      renal fasciae, using a CT scanner provided with high spatial and contrast
      resolution. The anterior renal fascia has been recognized in 71% of cases on the
      right side and in 88% on the left. The posterior renal fascia had 96% of positive
      bilateral detectability. The latero-conal fascia was detected in 83% of cases on
      the right and in 91% on the left. The inter-renal fascia was recognized in 25% of
      cases, at the pancreas or, more frequently, on caudal planes. The peri-renal
      septa were seen in 58% of cases, mainly on the left side. Compared to previous
      data reported by other authors, the visibility of the renal fasciae has been
      increased by the greater spatial and contrast resolution offered by the new CT
      scanner, thus allowing better anatomical evaluation of peri and para-renal
      spaces.

PMID- 1410673
TI  - [The stenotic-occlusive anatomy and pathology of the renal arteries. Their
      evaluation by magnetic resonance angiography].
AB  - Magnetic resonance angiography of the renal arteries was performed in 10 healthy
      subjects, 10 patients with renal artery stenosis and 2 patients with accessory
      renal artery (1 unilateral, 1 bilateral). All patients selected among 35 subjects
      with suspected renovascular hypertension had previously undergone digital
      subtraction angiography. Four patients were studied before and after percutaneous
      transluminal angioplasty. MRA was performed with time-of-flight technique, with
      2D and 3D FISP and 2D FLASH gradient-echo sequences. Digital subtraction
      angiography demonstrated stenoses ranging 40% to 90% in 10 cases, 7 unilateral (1
      transplanted kidney) and 3 bilateral. RA correctly depicted > 90% stenoses in 5
      cases, between 50% and 90% stenoses in 2 cases and < 50% in 2 cases. Four
      stenoses were not properly graded (3 over-graded and 1 not visualized because
      distal to ostium). Diagnostic accuracy was 71% for unilateral stenoses and 66%
      for bilateral stenoses (overall accuracy 69.2%).

PMID- 1410674
TI  - [Percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty of the solitary kidney].
AB  - We report on our experience with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of
      the renal artery in solitary kidney patients. PTA was performed on 31 subjects
      (mean age: 52 years): 7 had a solitary kidney because of nephrectomy and 24 had a
      solitary functioning kidney. Patients were selected with clinical and laboratory
      examinations first and then with angiography. PTA was employed to treat renal
      artery stenoses 60%-95% of the whole arterial lumen. The procedure has been
      considered technically successful in 29 cases, with 77%-33% reduction of the mean
      amount of stenosis. As to the clinical evaluation of the results, blood pressure
      and creatinine values variations were considered. Of the 25 patients on follow
      up, 13 appeared to be treated (52%), 8 improved (32%) and 4 unchanged (18%). On
      the whole, we observed 5 complications (2 hematomas at the approach site, 1
      intimal dissection and 2 segmental infarcts), with a 23.4% rate comparable with
      PTA complications in non-solitary kidney patients. The good revascularization,
      the reduction in blood pressure values, the very small percentage of
      complications point to PTA of the renal artery as the procedure of choice in
      solitary kidney patients.

PMID- 1410675
TI  - [An evaluation of the N parameter according to the system of the American
      Thoracic Society (ATS) in pulmonary carcinoma. A comparison between radiology,
      surgery and histological diagnosis].
AB  - The hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes of 36 patients with bronchogenic carcinoma
      were evaluated with computed tomography (CT). The American Thoracic Society (ATS)
      mapping was employed, which defines nodal stations in terms of well-recognized
      anatomic landmarks which are easily identified with CT and during thoracotomy.
      The differences (30 cases) between CT and surgical measurements in the 124 nodal
      stations which could be analyzed are discussed in detail. A better correlation
      was found using a 2-cm threshold value to define a "positive" or "negative" lymph
      node with CT. The comparison of radiologic data and the presence of metastases
      showed how with the 2-cm size criterion sensitivity drops from 81% to 53%,
      whereas specificity rises from 53% to 84%, thus affecting the subsequent
      diagnosis and therapy positively.

PMID- 1410676
TI  - [Dosimetric problems and their solution in the preparation of a 6-dual-field
      total-skin technique].
AB  - The six-field total skin electron irradiation (TSEI) technique needs an accurate
      preliminary dosimetric study. The American Association Physics in Medicine (AAPM)
      defined a dosimetric protocol that recommends the careful dosimetry of the
      horizontal, the dual and the six-dual fields by using both a cubic and a
      cylindrical phantoms. In our Institute, in a TSEI development program, we carried
      out the preliminary dosimetry according to AAPM criteria. We also investigated
      some dosimetric problems--e.g., the so-called "cable effect", which takes place
      when the detector cable in a TSEI field is not well shielded, polarity effects
      and photon contamination. As to the "cable effect", it is especially marked with
      the Markus NE2534 chamber; moreover, this effect, if not considered, can lead to
      overestimation of X-rays contamination.

PMID- 1410677
TI  - [Conformal technics by the movement of bars in pendular fields. 1. Prototype
      realization and the possible applications].
AB  - The growing interest for conformal radiotherapy originates from the need of
      giving the prescribed dose to the target volume, by sparing, at the same time,
      surrounding healthy tissues and organs. More dose to the target volume with
      respect to the healthy tissues always increases the curative possibilities of the
      treatment. However, the development of conformal techniques implies an increased
      complexity of the treatment and the solution of many technical and dosimetric
      problems. In our Institute we are developing new conformal techniques, based on
      the use of moving bars driven by a computer-controlled system in arc therapy.
      This paper refers to the conclusion of the preliminary part of our work: a
      movement (translating or rotating) of bars in arc therapy seems to have good
      chances to tailor dose distribution in a relatively simple way. We realized two
      mechanical systems driven by computer for translating and rotating movements of a
      bar. The two techniques have been tested by TLD and film dosimetry on acrylic
      phantoms. We present the results of these tests, and describe technical problems
      and the clinical possibilities of this method.

PMID- 1410678
TI  - [Conformal technics by the movement of bars in pendular fields. 2. The dosimetric
      aspects].
AB  - The development of conformal techniques by movement of bars in pendular fields
      requires a careful examination of many physical and dosimetric problems: bar
      critical organ synchronization problems, dose calculation problems, and problems
      relative to the "shadow effect". The use of a bar in an arc field, causes to a
      slow gradient of dose between shielded zone and target volume with a loss of
      homogeneity in dose distribution. This effect is well known ("shadow effect") and
      depends on the fact that different points spend different times beyond the bar's
      shadow. In this work the problem is investigated in the case of moving bar
      technique, mainly for dose calculation possibilities; then the possibility is
      analyzed of optimizing dose distribution by means of filters whose profile can be
      calculated for simple geometric conditions (fixed bar on the isocenter without
      considering the profile of the patient). These filters will be made in our
      Institute and they will be tested in various conditions, for both fixed bars and
      moving bars in arc fields.

PMID- 1410679
TI  - [Rhinocerebral mucormycosis. The clinico-radiological aspects of a case with a
      progressive and fatal course].

PMID- 1410680
TI  - [Carbon monoxide poisoning: computed tomography and magnetic resonance of the
      brain. A case report].

PMID- 1410681
TI  - [Ganglioneuroma: the diagnostic procedure in a case of retroperitoneal
      localization].

PMID- 1410682
TI  - [Intestinal infarct: the diagnostic contribution of computed tomography. 5
      cases].

PMID- 1410683
TI  - [The reduction of a uterovaginal prolapse after the drainage by ultrasound-guided
      needle aspiration of a voluminous ovarian cyst. A case report].

PMID- 1410684
TI  - [A stamp issued by the Austrian postal system commemorating the 150th anniversary
      of the enunciation of the Doppler effect].

PMID- 1410685
TI  - [Mammography and Canadian screening].

PMID- 1410686
TI  - Assessing human exposures to pesticides.
AB  - Pesticide use is inevitably associated with chemical exposures that range from
      inferred nondetectable levels to easily measurable ones using sensitive, readily
      available analytical tools. Whether these exposures are of any biological
      significance is determined by duration, dose, and biological reactivity. The
      overwhelming majority of human exposures occur in a diverse chemical milieu of a
      nutritive substances and are of no known significance. Technologies that minimize
      human chemical exposures and maximize pesticide effectiveness are favored. The
      risk characterization process is ideally suited to assist decision makers
      concerning the protection of human health and evaluation of agricultural tools.
      It is the best means available to balance the review of pesticide impacts on
      health and agriculture. Regulators must be cautious to acknowledge the relative
      rather than absolute nature of the risk characterization process. Workplace
      biological monitoring must become more commonplace as a means to evaluate the
      chemical exposure potential of various work tasks and greater attention must be
      given to the biological validation of methods. Earlier needs for data to develop
      workplace hygiene strategies have been replaced in recent years by demands of the
      risk assessment process, which utilizes direct estimates of exposure and absorbed
      dose. Animal models, no matter how attractive, are not presently a substitute for
      human experience. Opportunities to gather more information on human experience
      associated with pesticide exposures must be more aggressively identified and
      pursued. Only a very small time lag should exist between identification of
      pesticide metabolites in rats and evaluation of metabolic similarities in humans.
      At the present levels of analytical sensitivity, most of our current uncertainty
      about the extent of worker exposure and patterns of metabolism between species
      can be at least clarified with the cooperation of persons who are exposed during
      normal day-to-day activities in the workplace. Only with better human data will
      the risk assessment process warrant greater reliance in decision making
      concerning our chemical exposures and human experience.

PMID- 1410687
TI  - Biomarkers of pesticide exposure.
AB  - Incorporation of biomarkers in studies of occupational exposure hazards is now
      recognized as a highly useful adjunct to the surrogate measures employed in the
      past, for example, time worked, ambient air data, interview responses.
      Application to studies of workers potentially exposed to pesticides has barely
      begun and provides many challenges to chemist/epidemiologist teams. This review
      indicates several excellent studies employing multiple-exposure measures to
      document the validity of specific biomarkers for particular exposure situations.
      In general, exposure reflected by urinary assays of specific pesticides is a low
      percentage of that indicated by dermal or breathing zone measures. Markers for
      many of the pesticides in current usage have yet to be developed and validated,
      and information on population variability is generally lacking for existing
      markers. The challenge provided by the complexity of multiple, and often unknown,
      exposures to individuals in pesticide environments has begun to be addressed
      employing cytogenetic or urinary measures that attempt to integrate these complex
      exposures. The lack of data regarding sensitivity and specificity of biomarkers,
      especially in complex exposure situations, is a major problem that perhaps will
      best be addressed by studies combining nonspecific measures with specific ones,
      utilizing stored sample banks created for that purpose. Expanding the repertoire
      of available biomarkers of pesticide exposure and employing multiple ones in well
      designed study protocols will provide critical tools in the evaluation of
      pesticide safety and design of appropriate measures to minimize adverse
      exposures. Ironically, one of the problems that biological markers of exposure
      can help overcome, reliance on poorly measured ambient exposure data, hampers the
      evaluation of the markers themselves. Therefore, the combination of in vitro,
      animal, and human data will give the best picture of a marker's performance.
      (Wilcosky 1990).

PMID- 1410688
TI  - Estimating worker exposure for pesticide registration.
AB  - For the registration procedures of pesticides, the level of exposure during the
      various activities in which pesticides are handled has to be estimated. Different
      worker exposure models have been put forward in Europe and North America. These
      models are discussed and compared to each other for their output in terms of
      estimated levels of potential inhalation and dermal exposure. It is concluded
      that the output varies with the model, largely for two reasons. First, the
      underlying databases are completely different, which is inherent to locally
      different equipment and farm sizes. Second, the statistic used in the estimation
      of a level of exposure from a database varies from a geometric mean to the 90
      percentile. The estimated levels of exposure may be used in a first step of the
      risk assessment. It is recommended that the relevant parts of all four models be
      considered to increase the representativity of the predicted level of exposure.

PMID- 1410689
TI  - Blood esterase determinations as markers of exposure.
AB  - The bases of using blood enzyme activity measurements [e.g. AChE, non-specific
      cholinesterase (BChE), carboxylesterase] as markers of organophosphate ester (OP)
      exposure are inhibition of activity by the binding of OPs to serine active sites
      in the enzymes, and the accessibility of the enzymes in RBCs and serum. The
      methods used to determine esterases in the blood of humans, experimental animals,
      and wildlife are outlined with emphasis on the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) of the
      red blood cell. Adaptations of an acetylthiocholine ester assay of Ellman et al.
      (1961) are common, but other colorimetric procedures, radiometric assays, and pH
      methods are also in use. Optimized, standardized methods are needed to assess
      exposures and provide a solid basis for risk assessment analyses. Useful adjuncts
      to ChE measurements are oxime reactivation tests and assay of neuropathy target
      esterase, an enzyme associated with organophosphate-induced delayed neuropathy.
      Determination of urinary metabolites compliments, but does not substitute for,
      the information obtained from blood ChE studies. Future assays are likely to
      involve antibodies to OP-protein complexes. Improvements in techniques permit the
      detection of small decreases in ChE activities. Whether or not such small
      decreases in ChE activities can, by themselves, constitute an adverse effect for
      input into risk assessment analyses is a controversial matter.

PMID- 1410690
TI  - Reentry field data and conclusions.
AB  - A review of the reported foliar residue data has revealed a number of
      deficiencies in the reentry intervals currently regulated, in particular, by the
      EPA and some by California. Deficiencies were also identified in the available
      information necessary to recommend better reentry intervals. Information
      regarding the frequency of exposure for individual or groups of harvesters is the
      most fundamental deficiency. It is needed to define a more realistic chronic
      criterion of allowable daily cholinesterase inhibition without cumulative
      symptoms. The second criterion of preventing acute overexposure is more readily
      defined. For the purposes of this study, the criteria of 4% mean daily inhibition
      and 50% acute inhibition were chosen as acceptable. Based on these criteria, the
      available data, and by using the unified field model assessment as the basis for
      comparison (Table 9), EPA reentry intervals for nine insecticides in Table 4
      appear inadequate (i.e., not within the range of the model recommendations); 10
      are adequate; and only one appears excessive as summarized in Table 10. A similar
      comparison of California's reentry intervals indicates only two may be inadequate
      or marginal; 13 are adequate; and five may be excessive. Although these
      conclusions are based on a considerable amount of residue data, the data are not
      equally distributed among all pesticides nor has the model been confirmed in all
      the cropping and harvest conditions examined. However, the model has been
      developed under realistic field tests, most of its premises have been confirmed
      in a limited number of tests, and its simulated predictions appear to parallel
      experience in California where pesticide use and decay conditions may have been
      most severe but recently well scrutinized. The model's recommendations largely
      substantiate the regulations developed in California. However, its conclusions
      definitely suggest that improved levels of protection are needed in other
      regions. Future reentry intervals will require more comprehensive residue data.
      The toxicities of detectable metabolites for a few insecticides will need to be
      determined. More crop residue dosing coefficients are also needed for manually
      harvested crops. These data must be interpreted in terms of the potential both
      for acute poisoning from variable residues and for chronic poisoning from
      repeated exposure to more consistent residues. Surveys of the temporal exposure
      patterns of harvesters or crews of harvesters are vital to assess the cumulative
      effects and set the most appropriate chronic cholinesterase response limits.
      While we await further data, there is sufficient information now to justify
      longer reentry intervals to protect harvesters nationally.

PMID- 1410691
TI  - Pesticide protective clothing.
AB  - In looking into future directions of "protective clothing" for pesticide users,
      the final EPA ruling scheduled for release in June 1992 (Smith personal
      communication) places the majority of its recommendations on the label.
      Therefore, it will be up to pesticide manufacturers to provide protective
      clothing information on their products labels. Research on protective clothing
      continues to show variations due to fabric characteristics of fiber content,
      fabric construction and finish. These variabilities are compounded by variation s
      due to pesticide formulation and pesticide chemical and are further compounded by
      field studies vs laboratory simulations. With hundreds of fabric variations
      compounded by the thousands of chemical compounds and formulation variations, the
      consumer cannot be expected to make proper decisions regarding protective
      clothing. The user of the product does not have the knowledge to select the
      appropriate clothing. Manufacturers must supply this information, but they must
      also have data to support recommendations of their clothing for pesticide
      protection. This shifts the responsibility for recommending adequate protective
      clothing, as well as the concern for product liability, to the manufacturer.

PMID- 1410692
TI  - Exposure to pesticide mixer/loaders and applicators in California.
AB  - Pesticide exposure occurs both when preparing (mixing/loading) the pesticide for
      application and when actually applying the pesticide. Equipment cleanup and
      repair may also contribute to exposure. These separate tasks may be done by
      different people or a single individual may combine them. Different formulations,
      handling methods, and application methods may affect levels of exposure. Good
      workplace hygiene dictates that the first priority in workplace safety is to put
      in place engineering and administrative controls to make the workplace safer
      rather than rely on the use of PPE to prevent exposure. Providing a physical
      barrier, such as closed systems for the mixer/loader and an enclosed cab or
      cockpit for applicators, is associated with reduced exposures of workers. The
      Worker Health and Safety Branch in the DPR of Cal/EPA has been monitoring various
      work task exposures. The results of these studies are summarized in Figures 1-4,
      where exposure is shown based on both time worked and amount of material handled.
      The studies were done using dosimeters, skin washes/wipes, and air pumps. Water
      soluble packets, which are very popular with users, surpassed closed systems in
      reducing exposure to mixer/loaders in these studies. Hand spraying proved to
      present the greatest risk of exposure of the methods of application studied. It
      was found that the dermal route of exposure is most important, comprising 87-95%
      of a handler's exposure. Although this survey cannot be considered conclusive,
      since it leaves many formulations, systems, and methods incompletely studied or
      unstudied, it is clear that exposure is affected by different handling
      strategies. Manufacturers, regulators and users should work more closely to
      refine or develop new systems for safely handling pesticides.

PMID- 1410693
TI  - Global estimates of acute pesticide morbidity and mortality.
AB  - Mathematical models have projected increasing numbers of pesticide poisoning
      throughout the world, rising from 500,000 cases/yr in 1972 to 25,000,000 cases/yr
      in a 1990 estimate. Among 148 outbreaks (excluding Bhopal and three probable
      epidemics of pesticide-related suicide) reported between 1951-90, the known
      number of cases was 24,731 with 1065 deaths (4.3% case fatality); these are
      probably underestimates. Among the known outbreaks, the most commonly identified
      agents were organophosphates (58), carbamates (23), chlorinated hydrocarbons
      (23), and organic mercurials (11). Food was the most common vehicle of exposure
      in these epidemics (83 outbreaks), followed by skin contact (26), multiple types
      of exposure (22), and respiratory exposure (16). Two countries, the United States
      and Thailand, accounted for more than half the reports. Both the mathematical
      models and the outbreak investigations support the need for continuing
      investigation and improved surveillance throughout the world.

PMID- 1410694
TI  - Acute pesticide morbidity and mortality: California.
AB  - The California Pesticide Illness Surveillance Program collects, investigates,
      abstracts, and records reports received from physicians. A minority of the
      reports are received through the county health officers who are notified by
      physicians under a state requirement for reporting pesticide-caused conditions.
      Most of the cases are identified by review of workers' compensation records. All
      the cases identified are investigated by the agricultural commissioners of the
      counties where exposure occurred. The investigation reports are reviewed and
      abstracted by staff of the Worker Health and Safety Branch of the California
      Department of Pesticide Regulation, California Environmental Protection Agency
      (Cal/EPA). The crucial determination is assessment of the degree of relationship
      between the exposure and subsequent disease: definite, probable, possible,
      unlikely, or unrelated. In most years, the number of cases investigated has been
      between 2,500 and 3,000. Excluding antimicrobials, the number of cases found
      after investigation to have a definite, probable, or possible relationship with
      pesticide exposure has ranged from 970 (in 1989) to 1,372 (in 1988). Cases
      involving antimicrobials rarely were reported prior to 1987. In that year,
      surveillance staff began reviewing workers' compensation records personally, with
      the specific goal of identifying antimicrobial cases. Since then, antimicrobials
      have been found to account for 746-813 cases annually, primarily involving
      splashes and squirts to the eye and inhalation of fumes or vapors. Numbers of
      case reports from agricultural situations have varied irregularly, driven by
      small numbers of episodes concerning multiple individuals. Variability in numbers
      of cases involving the skin has depended almost entirely on variation in numbers
      of field worker dermatitis. The most common situation for field worker dermatitis
      has been summer work in table grapes grown in the southern San Joaquin valley. In
      the two years since reentry intervals for the acaricide propargite were
      lengthened, there have been no more major clusters of field worker dermatitis.
      Although the cases collected by the surveillance program are predominantly
      occupational, because of dependence on workers' compensation for case
      identification, most recorded deaths are nonoccupational. Nonoccupational
      fatalities include suicides, mistaken ingestion of pesticides (especially if
      stored in food containers), and entry into structures being fumigated.
      Occupational deaths are less common and more varied. The circumstances of each
      reported occupational death are summarized above.

PMID- 1410695
TI  - Challenges in assessing long-term health effects studies.
AB  - After almost 50 yr since modern synthetic pesticides first received wide-spread
      use in the USA, many of the challenges that need to be met in determining their
      long term effects on human health remain unanswered. Answers to many of the key
      challenges, such as accurate exposure assessment, pesticides' role in
      multifactorial causation of disease, latency, publishing of negative results,
      misclassification, low-level dose measurement, accurate diagnosis, the role of
      biomarkers, adequate study design, and adequate funding, will continue to be key
      factors in investigating the role, if any, of these chemicals in the transmission
      of human diseases.

PMID- 1410696
TI  - Comparison of exposure assessment guidelines for pesticides.
AB  - The field of exposure assessment of pesticides has become well established in the
      past decade. Consequently, government agencies and industry groups have
      identified the need for guidelines for conducting studies that assess
      mixer/loader/applicator exposure to pesticides, as well as the exposure of
      individuals to residues. This paper reviews guidelines on mixer/loader/applicator
      exposure studies issued by the International Group of National Associations of
      Manufacturers of Agrochemical Products, the National Agricultural Chemicals
      Association, the U.S. EPA, and the World Health Organization. Mention is also
      made of Canadian exposure guidelines in preparation. Also reviewed are two
      guidelines for conducting indoor occupant exposure studies, one by the National
      Agricultural Chemicals Association and one by Health and Welfare Canada. The only
      available guideline (EPA) on assessing pesticide exposure to workers upon reentry
      into treated fields is also reviewed. These guidelines are reviewed and compared
      as to criteria for requirements of exposure studies, methodologies recommended
      for dermal, inhalation, and biological monitoring, quality assurance and quality
      control, the use of surrogate data, data reporting, and exposure calculations.
      From this comparison, it is evident that there has been little significant
      progress in the area of methodologies used for dermal exposure monitoring. The
      use of patches as suggested by Durham and Wolfe (1962) is still accepted and
      widely used, despite its limitations. However, relatively recent research in this
      area has shown that the fluorescent tracer technique (Fenske et al. 1986a,b) and
      use of full-body dosimeters may help in overcoming some of these limitations. The
      tracer technique is mentioned in the EPA guidelines and full-body dosimeters are
      addressed by EPA, WHO, and NACA. Biological monitoring can also overcome many of
      the limitations of passive dosimetry, but all guidelines stress the need for
      extensive knowledge of the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of the pesticide
      before this approach can be used. Rapid advancement has been made in quality
      assurance/quality control and analytical techniques. This has increased the level
      of confidence placed in exposure estimates and is evidenced by the detailed
      requirements of quality assurance and quality control in most of the guidelines
      reviewed. Guidelines on conducting indoor occupant exposure studies deal
      extensively with methodologies for collecting residue samples, but do not make
      concrete recommendations for estimating human exposure based on these residues.
      More research is required before the subject can be adequately dealt with in
      guidelines. It is encouraging that this research is being coordinated among
      industry, academia, and government. Further research is also needed in
      determining exposure to pesticides during reentry into treated areas in order to
      develop further guidelines.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1410697
TI  - Saliva as a monitoring medium for chemicals.
AB  - Saliva has been used to estimate plasma levels in humans for a variety of
      analytes. The potential for estimating the internal dose of pesticides in humans
      has been demonstrated with the rat. The utility and problems of saliva-sampling
      techniques remain to be investigated. Measurement of pesticides and other
      environmental toxicants in saliva has great potential because of sampling
      simplicity and the potential accuracy of using the saliva concentration of a
      chemical to estimate its concentration in human tissues.

PMID- 1410698
TI  - [Guidance of tooth eruption in the support areas using proximal grinding].
AB  - This article brings a description of a procedure for interproximal slicing. When
      persistence of the second deciduous molar occurs, the premolar is likely to be
      blocked in his eruption, while the canine is guided out of the dental arch; in
      these conditions it might be necessary to perform a slicing mesially of the
      second deciduous molar. Beforehand one should check for the posterior tooth-size
      and eruption pattern or sequence of each quadrant.

PMID- 1410699
TI  - [Approach to pulpal and pulpo-periodontal lesions of the temporary teeth using
      therapeutic endodontics].
AB  - The anatomical and physiological properties of deciduous teeth make them
      susceptible to caries and inflammatory and infectious complications. This
      specificity, the proximity of the germ of the underlaying permanent tooth, and
      the relation of the last one to the deciduous tooth, make delicate its
      conservation by endodontal therapeutics after a pulpal or pulpo-periodontal
      affection. The success of this attempt is related to a good case-selection, based
      on the general condition of the child, his and his parents motivation, the
      condition of cariogenicity of the mouth, the analysis of the unity deciduous
      tooth/germ of the underlaying permanent tooth, the follow-up of the case. A
      success spares young children extraction of the deciduous teeth before the
      physiological period of permutation.

PMID- 1410700
TI  - [Observations on prosthetic restoration in children].
AB  - In young children there are two frequent factors, that cause edentation: the
      syndrome of the sugar "baby's bottle" or the "honey dummy" and tooth-loss by
      trauma. Multiple extractions can be programmed in children for reason of general
      condition, in the major concern to remove present or potential infectious foci.
      Still less frequently, sometimes lately diagnosed anomalies in number or
      structure oblige to replacement of missing or deficient tooth. The complexity of
      these restorations can be related to technical problems, less frequent, in
      contradiction to the current opinion, to psychological problems. They have to be
      integrated in structures in growth, the key character of each treatment in
      children or adolescents. Consequently it is necessary to take account of all this
      factors, before to attempt this charge, and to foresee adaptations, regular
      control, succession of the case and interception.

PMID- 1410701
TI  - [Glass ionomer cements in children].
AB  - Glass-ionomer cements are becoming more and more popular in restorative
      dentistry. This paper describes their principal characteristics and their use in
      children's dentistry; a pictorial essay illustrates some possible clinical
      applications.

PMID- 1410702
TI  - [Multi-caries in the young child].
AB  - This article describes the clinical and therapeutic aspects of multi-caries in
      young children. These rampant cervical caries usually begin with the eruption of
      the first teeth. Two typical cases are presented in which the prolonged use of
      nursing bottle at bedtime and the use of pacifiers dipped into honey are
      responsible for the development of multi-caries. Although such patient can be
      treated successfully, efforts should be made to promote preventive measures and
      parents education.

PMID- 1410703
TI  - [Space maintenance following the premature loss of temporary teeth].
AB  - Despite contemporary techniques, we still don't have the ability of saving all
      deciduous teeth in their place on the dental arch until the time of physiological
      loss. A premature loss of temporary teeth interferes with the harmony of the
      adult dentition. The principal consequence of this premature loss is crowding,
      caused by migration of the adjacent teeth. This article ames to guide our
      policies in the decision making process whether or not maintaining space, in
      causes of premature loss of one or more deciduous teeth.

PMID- 1410704
TI  - Poorer is riskier.
AB  - To examine the relationship between economic well being and health status, two
      economic concepts were explored: the permanent-income hypothesis and the
      transitory-income hypothesis. A regression analysis of time-series mortality data
      for the period of 1950-1988 was conducted. The regression results indicated that
      the total mortality rate is negatively associated with permanent income and
      positively associated with the transitory income. Results are also reported for
      the 8 major causes of death in the United States. The implications for risk
      analysis are discussed.

PMID- 1410705
TI  - Risk to groundlings of death due to airplane accidents: a risk communication
      tool.
AB  - During the period 1975-85 in the United States the 70 year lifetime risk of dying
      from being hit by an airplane when the individual is on the ground was 4.2 per
      million people. In contrast to many other risks used for comparison purposes,
      risk to those on the ground from an airplane crash is not a function of our own
      skills; is not optional; provides no benefit to anyone involved; and is not an
      act of nature. As a risk comparison tool it also has the useful characteristics
      of being something about which we can agree that regulatory action, such as
      control of airplane use and traffic, is warranted; but that no significant change
      in personal behavior, such as living in the basement to protect against dying
      from a plane hitting the home, is commensurate with the extent of risk.

PMID- 1410706
TI  - Risk, statistical inference, and the law of evidence: the use of epidemiological
      data in toxic tort cases.
AB  - Toxic torts are product liability cases dealing with alleged injuries due to
      chemical or biological hazards such as radiation, thalidomide, or Agent Orange.
      Toxic tort cases typically rely more heavily than other product liability cases
      on indirect or statistical proof of injury. There have been numerous theoretical
      analyses of statistical proof of injury in toxic tort cases. However, there have
      been only a handful of actual legal decisions regarding the use of such
      statistical evidence, and most of those decisions have been inconclusive.
      Recently, a major case from the Fifth Circuit, involving allegations that
      Benedectin (a morning sickness drug) caused birth defects, was decided entirely
      on the basis of statistical inference. This paper examines both the conceptual
      basis of that decision, and also the relationships among statistical inference,
      scientific evidence, and the rules of product liability in general.

PMID- 1410707
TI  - Biological markers of environmental and ecological contamination: an overview.
AB  - An approach, using biomarkers (biological responses) for assessing the biological
      and ecological significance of contaminants present in the environment is
      described. Living organisms integrate exposure to contaminants in their
      environment and respond in some measurable and predictable way. Responses are
      observed at several levels of biological organization from the biomolecular
      level, where pollutants can cause damage to critical cellular macromolecules and
      elicit defensive strategies such as detoxication and repair mechanisms, to the
      organismal level, where severe disturbances are manifested as impairment in
      growth, reproduction, developmental abnormalities, or decreased survival.
      Biomarkers can provide not only evidence of exposure to a broad spectrum of
      anthropogenic chemicals, but also a temporally integrated measure of bioavailable
      contaminant levels. A suite of biomarkers are evaluated over time to determine
      the magnitude of the problem and possible consequences. Relationships between
      biomarker response and adverse ecological effects are determined from estimates
      of animal health and population structure.

PMID- 1410708
TI  - The application of bioassays in risk assessment of environmental pollution.
AB  - Increased contamination of the environment by toxic chemicals has resulted in the
      need for sensitive assays to be used in risk assessment of polluted sites.
      Traditional tests are useful to detect and measure concentrations of chemicals in
      the environment and in tissues. However, physicochemical assays possess
      deficiencies that impair their use in evaluating complex environmental
      contamination. We have developed cytogenetic procedures, including chromosomal,
      micronucleus, and flow cytometric assays, to assess the mutagenic damage of
      petrochemicals and low-level radioactivity on indigenous terrestrial and aquatic
      wildlife populations. These procedures are sensitive to the perturbation of DNA
      that results from exposure to mutagenic contaminants in both field and laboratory
      studies. The use of natural populations of animals in biomonitoring, combined
      with traditional chemical assays, will ultimately provide sufficient information
      to estimate the risk to human health and environmental quality from anthropogenic
      pollution.

PMID- 1410709
TI  - Reassessing benzene cancer risks using internal doses.
AB  - Human cancer risks from benzene exposure have previously been estimated by
      regulatory agencies based primarily on epidemiological data, with supporting
      evidence provided by animal bioassay data. This paper reexamines the animal-based
      risk assessments for benzene using physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK)
      models of benzene metabolism in animals and humans. It demonstrates that internal
      doses (interpreted as total benzene metabolites formed) from oral gavage
      experiments in mice are well predicted by a PBPK model developed by Travis et al.
      Both the data and the model outputs can also be accurately described by the
      simple nonlinear regression model total metabolites = 76.4x/(80.75 + x), where x
      = administered dose in mg/kg/day. Thus, PBPK modeling validates the use of such
      nonlinear regression models, previously used by Bailer and Hoel. An important
      finding is that refitting the linearized multistage (LMS) model family to
      internal doses and observed responses changes the maximum-likelihood estimate
      (MLE) dose-response curve for mice from linear-quadratic to cubic, leading to low
      dose risk estimates smaller than in previous risk assessments. This is consistent
      with the conclusion for mice from the Bailer and Hoel analysis. An innovation in
      this paper is estimation of internal doses for humans based on a PBPK model (and
      the regression model approximating it) rather than on interspecies dose
      conversions. Estimates of human risks at low doses are reduced by the use of
      internal dose estimates when the estimates are obtained from a PBPK model, in
      contrast to Bailer and Hoel's findings based on interspecies dose conversion.
      Sensitivity analyses and comparisons with epidemiological data and risk models
      suggest that our finding of a nonlinear MLE dose-response curve at low doses is
      robust to changes in assumptions and more consistent with epidemiological data
      than earlier risk models.

PMID- 1410710
TI  - The use of generalized estimating equations for risk assessment in developmental
      toxicity.
AB  - This paper reviews and compares several approaches to fitting dose-response
      models to developmental toxicity data. The main issue of interest is how to
      appropriately account for litter effects. Among the approaches reviewed are Beta
      Binomial models, models that attempt to characterize the litter effect through
      the use of covariates, and models that avoid the complication of correlated
      offspring by modeling "affected litter" rather than fetus-specific outcomes.
      Finally, we discuss our recommended approach, which is to use Generalized
      Estimating Equations, or quasi-likelihood. We give a number of reasons for
      preferring the latter and illustrate its application with an example.

PMID- 1410711
TI  - A content analysis of written behavior management programs.
AB  - A method is described for assessing the elements of individual behavior
      management programs. The content analysis, consisting of 24 items covering the
      general categories of behavior specification, objectives, program procedures,
      data collection, and quality assurance, was applied to 141 written behavior
      programs of two large institutions from different regions of the United States.
      These data can be utilized readily to establish a data base for program
      evaluation at both the individual and institutional levels. In addition, to
      provide a measure of validity, the items included in the content analysis were
      rated by experts in the treatment of severe behavior disorders. General strengths
      and weaknesses of the programs, and of the content analysis itself, are discussed
      in light of their implications for program implementation and evaluation.

PMID- 1410712
TI  - Assessment and training of functional conversation behaviour.
AB  - Measures for the assessment of initial, dyadic conversations are critically
      reviewed, and an alternative approach is described. The Verbal Interaction
      Analysis System is illustrated by two case studies featuring mildly to moderately
      intellectually disabled adults. These studies show how the VIAS provides an index
      of competence and assists in the development of specific treatment strategies.
      Social validity is examined in each case, and suggestions are made for
      improvements to the VIAS.

PMID- 1410713
TI  - Components of personal competence and community integration for persons with
      mental retardation in small residential programs.
AB  - This study identifies components of personal competence and community adjustment
      in a national sample of persons with mental retardation living in residential
      facilities of six or fewer residents. Factor analysis of 65 variables yielded an
      8 principal component solution that accounted for approximately half the total
      variance in the observed variables (49%). The eight identified components of
      personal competence and community adjustment were labeled (1) Self Care and
      Functional Personal Living Skills, (2) Community Living Skills, (3) Home Living
      Skills, (4) Problem Behavior, (5) Community Training Goals and Objectives, (6)
      Recreation/Leisure Activity, (7) Family Contact/Relationships, and (8) Community
      Assimilation and Acceptance. The implications of reducing potentially hundreds of
      indicators of personal competence and community adjustment into relatively few
      broad internally consistent composite constructs are discussed.

PMID- 1410714
TI  - Translation, cultural adjustment, and validation of a measure of adaptive
      behavior.
AB  - This paper investigates whether a measure of adaptive behavior, which has been
      developed and validated in western countries, could be successfully adapted to a
      nonwestern country, Indonesia. The purposes of the study were to (a) delineate
      procedures for cross-cultural adaptation and validation of adaptive behavior
      measurement, (b) create an operational version of an instrument in an Indonesian
      setting, and (c) investigate the validity of the resultant instrument by studying
      whether it had the same psychometric properties as its United States counterpart.
      The results are discussed in terms of the usefulness of the methodology employed
      for ascertaining the worth of any operationalizations of constructs and themes
      borrowed from other cultures that will form the basis for educational program
      development and individual pupil assessment.

PMID- 1410715
TI  - [De Quervain's tenosynovitis. Transversal scar and fixation of the capsular
      flap].
AB  - The authors report 62 cases of De Quervain tenosynovitis treated from 1983 to
      1990 by the same surgeon. The de Quervain's tenosynovitis is an inadequation
      between the volume of the abductor pollicis longus and the extensor pollicis
      brevis and their tunnel above the radial styloid process producing a mechanical
      tenosynovitis. This disease occurs mostly in women with an average age of 47 and
      almost never before the age of 30. Clinically the patients have pain and swelling
      above the radial styloid process. Most of the surgeons know today this disease,
      nevertheless complications may occur (Abductor pollicis longus luxation,
      disgratious enlargement and adhesion of the scar). The transversal incision
      provides a less disgracious scar. As the tendinous pulley is opened frequent
      anatomical variations of the tendons are found. A ventral capsular flap fixation
      with a subcuticular continuous suture is made. This fixation prevents any ventral
      luxation. Radial nerve neuromas or neuritis is constantly looked for. The authors
      expose and analyse the statistical data of this intervention's results with a 6
      month minimal and 7 years maximal follow up.

PMID- 1410716
TI  - [Quintus varus supraductus. Results of the surgical treatment by cutaneous graft,
      internal capsulotomy and external transfer of the extensor of the 5th toe].
AB  - The overlapping fifth toe has often a congenital origin. It may be isolated or
      associated with an another pathology, congenital or acquired, but the
      relationship between them. Cannot be ascertained. The overlapping fifth toe is
      responsible for an esthetic deficit and/or a functional discomfort, it justifies
      a correct surgery. Twenty-one feet in 16 patients aged from 2 to 30 years
      (especially between 5 and 15 years) have been operated on and reviewed after a
      mean follow-up of 4 years. The technic associated a cutaneous dorsal Z-plasty on
      the cutaneous retraction a medial and dorsal capsulotomy of the metatarso
      phalangeal joint, an external transfer of the fifth extensor tendon or its
      tenotomy and, in 10 cases, a plantar skin resection 19 results were excellent,
      one fair result and one failure. The condition of a stable result seems to be
      based on a complete and spontaneous correction of the deformity at the end of the
      operation.

PMID- 1410717
TI  - [Localizations of histiocytosis X in bone].
AB  - Histiocytosis X is still of unknown origin. Its clinical patterns are various and
      it is above all a bone disease of children, mostly boys. It is a tumoral
      condition basically benign but with a strong tendency toward dissemination and
      destruction. Its natural history is unpredictable. The authors have reviewed 37
      cases after a 44 months mean follow-up for bringing up a better understanding of
      the role of orthopedic surgery. The diagnosis was always based on biopsies
      looking for at least two basic signs out of four possible ones. Scintigraphy was
      used to detect other locations. MRI was used to evaluate the effect of treatment.
      In single eosinophilic granuloma, curettage was associated with biopsy. Local
      injections of corticoids may help in spinal locations. In disseminated forms,
      surgical treatment should be little aggressive, limited to a biopsy of the most
      superficial lesion. These forms should be treated by radiotherapy corticotherapy
      and chemotherapy, as well as the aggressive lesions, the extensive ones, the
      threatening ones and those which are not accessible.

PMID- 1410718
TI  - [Remodeling of the spinal canal after comminuted fracture of the spine. Apropos
      of a case].
AB  - A burst fracture of T 12, without neurological impairment, was treated by plaster
      cast. Prior to treatment, there was a significant narrowing of the spinal canal,
      due to posterior displacement of a bone fragment. This was not modified by
      treatment, as the narrowing was unchanged on the second CT scan, done eight days
      later. At 17 months, there was no more narrowing on the CT scan, as a consequence
      of vertebral body remodeling. The patient had no pain and performed several sport
      activities.

PMID- 1410719
TI  - [Dislocation of the tibialis posterior tendon].
AB  - The authors report a case of traumatic dislocation of the tibialis posterior
      tendon on the medial malleolus. They describe the treatment applied and made a
      review of the literature about this rare pathology.

PMID- 1410720
TI  - [Idiopathic chronic retraction of the deltoid muscle. Apropos of 3 cases].
AB  - Three cases of a previously undescribed condition of idiopathic, non-progressive
      deltoid muscle contracture are reported. The clinical features are presented as
      also the management of the cases. Intra-operative appearance of the fibrotic band
      responsible for the pathology is described. The relevant literature is reviewed.
      Though such cases are rare, they show striking features which enable them to be
      distinguished from other causes of scapular winging. Surgical excision of the
      band confers lasting correction of the deformity.

PMID- 1410721
TI  - [Osteochondritis dissecans of the acetabulum. Apropos of a case].
AB  - Osteochondritis dissecans acetabuli is a rare affection. The observation
      presented is one of a 23 year old man, who presented hip blockages in external
      flexion rotation. X-ray only allowed to find a sequestrum in the acetabulum by
      tomography-Arthroscanner confirmed the osteochondritis without cartilage rupture.
      Arthroscopy eliminated a cartilage lesion and directed towards a cavity filled by
      spongious bone through an extra articular approach.

PMID- 1410722
TI  - [Cement wedge replacing iliac graft in tibial wedge osteotomy].
AB  - The authors report their experience in substituting cement for full-thickness
      iliac crest wedge in medial tibial wedge osteotomy using buttress plate fixation.
      A review of 107 osteotomies performed between January 1985 and March 1989,
      demonstrated that using cement wedge do not expose to any special complication
      and raise the accuracy of frontal mechanical axes correction. At last, cement
      wedge seems not to evolve as a stranger corpus able to give long or mean terms
      complications; it perhaps make unnecessary bone substitute or allografts wedges.

PMID- 1410723
TI  - [Comparison of the mechanical qualities of cortical bone preserved by
      cryopreservation].

PMID- 1410724
TI  - [Congenital asymmetrical pelvis. Clinical, radiological study and outcome].
AB  - In congenital pelvic obliquity, there is a restricted abduction in one hip and an
      abduction contracture in the other. This association has been considered as a
      cause of acetabular dysplasia with progressive subluxation of the hip opposite to
      the abduction contracture. The clinical and radiological study of 120 children
      with an average follow-up of 3 years and 3 months permitted to demonstrate that
      two different types exist: the simple types (93 cases) without dysplasia, which
      never developed progressive subluxation and must not be treated, and the pelvic
      obliquities with dysplasia-subluxation-dislocation (27 cases) which have to be
      treated if the decentration of the hip opposite to the abduction contracture is
      marked. Distinguishing between these two types may be difficult because the X-ray
      is nearly never strictly correct because of the pelvic obliquity. This work leads
      to a better comprehension of the acetabular dysplasias who are subdivided into
      pseudodysplasias, secondary dysplasias and primary dysplasias. In the screening
      for the detection of congenital dislocation of the hip, it is essential that a
      pelvic obliquity be recognised because it constitutes a sign of hip at risk.
      Then, the clinical research of instability could be completed by echographic
      study in the two or three months or by radiographic study after 3 months in order
      to have a very precise diagnosis and apply the best treatment.

PMID- 1410725
TI  - [Surgical treatment of dislocations and subdislocations of the hip in patients
      with cerebral palsy by femoral and pelvic osteotomy].
AB  - Fifty-one skeletally immature cerebral palsied (C.P.) children with 70 subluxated
      or dislocated hips were treated by conservative methods: femoral osteotomy (65
      hips), pelvic osteotomy (52 hips) and arthrotomy when necessary (19 cases). 31
      children were less than 10 years of age when operated on (mean 6 years, 6
      months), 20 children were more than 10 years of age (mean 13 years, 13 months);
      mean follow-up was 4 years. Reduction and coverage were achieved and maintained
      in all patients, except for 6 redislocations: a pelvic obliquity was neglected in
      3 cases; femoral shortening was not performed in 2 cases. Post-operative course
      was difficult in eldest patients with pain and stiffness but functional result
      was acceptable at follow-up in all cases except redislocations. Open reduction
      was related to a higher rate of postoperative rehabilitation problems. Modeling
      of previously deformed femoral heads and improvement of hip mobility were
      consistently seen at last follow-up, except for 3 redislocations. It is concluded
      that conservative methods are quite advisable in CP children and adolescents. Hip
      reduction should be preferred to femoral resection even in adolescent.

PMID- 1410726
TI  - [Caput valgum in children. Natural history and treatment of a series of 17 hips
      that reached skeletal maturation].
AB  - The growth disturbance of the superior end of the femur which is related to a
      superior lateral epiphysiodesis of the femoral neck is known as caput valgum
      (C.V.). Most often, it appears after the treatment of a congenital dislocation of
      the hip (C.D.H.) which can also produce many other growth disorders of the hip.
      Fifteen children (seventeen hips) presenting similar evolution and morphological
      abnormalities have been reviewed. We performed nine surgical procedures most of
      the time for painful hips because of excentration of the femoral head. When the
      bone maturity was acquired all hips except two (sequelae of infections) were
      asymptomatic with femoral heads well covered. When discovered or suspected, this
      disease needs of careful follow-up. When operative treatment is necessary, we
      think that it has to be a pelvic surgery. We performed 4 times a triple pelvic
      osteotomy; 3 times a Chiari osteotomy; and twice a hip shelf arthroplasty. Those
      operative treatments have always been done with good results in our review.

PMID- 1410728
TI  - [Patient-controlled anesthesia in postoperative pain].

PMID- 1410727
TI  - [Neurological complications of surgery for spinal deformities].
AB  - The aim of this study was to precisely analyse the physio-pathogenic mechanisms,
      bring to light the risk factors, and find a more practical way of proceeding in
      spinal surgery. Out of 667 spinal instrumentation surgical operations carried out
      between 1980-1989, we found 33 (4.8 per cent) neurological complications and have
      divided them into 2 groups: 7 peripheral complications, 26 cord and central
      complications. After further analysis, especially of the cord complications (2.5
      per cent), we were able to pick out the factors which influence the rate of
      neurological complications and their evolution: secondary aetiology and the
      kyphotic composition of spinal deformation, and above all the notion of cord at
      risk. The delay of cord complications and especially the relation between the
      severity of the neurological syndrome and its evolution is extremely important.
      Somesthesic evoked potential monitoring confirmed that per operative diagnosis of
      a cord injury is possible. The steps to take when confronted with neurological
      complications, depend on the results of many examinations: pre and post-operative
      neurological evaluations electrophysiological exploration of the cord and neuro
      radiological explorations (myelography, scanner and IRM). This helps to complete
      aetiology and eliminate mechanical causes, which are the only positive
      indications of iterative surgery. The problems of instrumentation removal in
      emergency and the legal-medical aspect brought on by this type of complication
      are discussed.

PMID- 1410729
TI  - [Administration of lysine acetylsalicylate and meperidine in acute postoperative
      pain].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Postoperative analgesia is insufficiently done due, among others,
      to the undesirable effects of analgesic agents. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study
      was to analyze the effects of the simultaneous administration of opiates
      (meperidine) and AINES (lysine acetylsalicylate, ASL). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We
      studied 160 patients during the immediate postoperative phase. All of them
      underwent programmed surgery with the same general anesthetic technique. Patients
      were allocated into 8 groups of treatment: A) ASL 900 mg and 1.800 mg/8 h, B) ASL
      900 mg and 3.600 mg/8 h, C) ASL 900 mg and meperidine 100 mg/8 h, D) ASL 900 mg
      and 1.800 mg/8 h together with meperidine 100 mg/8 h, E) meperidine 50 mg and ASL
      1.800 mg/8 h, F) meperidine 50 mg and ASL 3.600 mg/8 h, G) meperidine 50 mg and
      100 mg/8 h, and H) meperidine 50 mg and 100 mg/8 h together with ASL 1.800 mg/8
      h. The effects of analgesic agents were evaluated on the basis of patient's
      appreciation of the degree of pain and relief and on the basis of an observer who
      did not know the therapeutic regime administered. Results were compared according
      to the analysis of variance in a graded factorial design. A p value less than
      0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The degree of pain was significantly
      lower in groups C, D, G and H (specially in G and H) than in the remaining
      groups, but there were no significant differences between them. The lowest pain
      relief was observed in groups A, B, E and F. The highest attenuation of pain was
      achieved in groups G and H. The highest attenuation of pain was achieved in
      groups G and H. The observer considered that the two latter groups were those
      with the highest pain relief, followed by groups C and D. The remaining patients
      failed to show appreciable improvement. Nausea and vomiting only occurred in some
      patients after administration of a bolus of meperidine. There were no other
      secondary effects. CONCLUSIONS: The best degree of postoperative analgesia is
      achieved after administration of continuous infusion of meperidine 100 mg/8 h.
      Simultaneous infusion of ASL 1.800 mg/8 h did not improve the analgesia obtained
      with a bolus of 900 mg of ASL nor with a bolus of 50 mg of meperidine. Secondary
      effects were only nausea and vomiting and coincided with the administration of a
      bolus of meperidine.

PMID- 1410730
TI  - [Postoperative analgesia using the intravenous PCA technique. Results in the
      first 400 patients treated at a general hospital].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: PCA (patient controlled analgesia) has represented a remarkable
      advance in the treatment of postoperative pain. In this work we describe our
      experience with this analgesic technique. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred
      patients undergoing thoracic and abdominal surgery were selected after giving
      information to the medical and nurse personnel. Pharmacologic agents used in this
      study were morphine (intravenous PCA) and fentanyl (epidural PCA). Starting of
      the perfusion pump was done by the anesthesiologist at the Recovery Unit and the
      treatment was continued by the nurse. Every morning the patients were visited and
      the degree of analgesia was recorded according to the following score: 1: no
      pain, and 5: intolerable pain. An anesthesiologist was permanently available.
      Later on, this study was expanded to 400 patients including other types of
      surgery. RESULTS: Mean duration of the treatment was 60 hours. The amount of
      analgesics administered varied among patients and was greater during the first
      postoperative hours specially in the group of patients treated with fentanyl. The
      mean degree of pain was 1.5 (grade 1 in 37.5% of cases and grade 5 in 3.5% of
      patients). Secondary effects were only nausea and vomiting. Inconvenient features
      of the technique were: patient's difficulties in the management of the technique
      (3 cases), and spontaneous loss of the program (1 case). Patient's acceptance of
      the technique was good. CONCLUSIONS: PCA analgesia has been successfully
      introduced in our hospital since it is effective, safe, easy to manage.

PMID- 1410731
TI  - [Comparative analysis of the criteria for surveillance and monitoring in
      anesthesia, resuscitation and pain therapy. Recommendation of the Sociedad
      Espanola de Anestesia y Reanimacion].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: One part of morbidity and mortality associated with anesthesia is
      due to accidents. It is thought that an additional monitoring can prevent and
      avoid most of anesthetic accidents. OBJECTIVES: In order to improve patient's
      safety and quality of anesthesia, Harvard University hospital approved in 1985
      the rules for intraoperative monitoring. These were adopted by the American
      Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) in 1986. In line with this procedure,
      professional associations of several countries pronounced their own rules. SEDAR
      did it in 1989. The purpose of this study was to compare spanish rules with those
      of America (Harvard and ASA), Australia, England and France. RESULTS: Comparative
      analysis revealed that the spanish norms are more extensive since they include
      not only the intraoperative anesthetic activities, but also those related to
      recovery, pain, and obstetric anesthesia. However, it has some deficiencies such
      as the lack of a periodical revision, and of an adaptative period and assistance
      to the anesthesiologist provided by auxiliary personnel. Successful points were
      the recognition that pulse oximetry is essential, the preoperative verification
      of all material, and, more importantly, is the only one that considers essential
      capnography in the assessment of ventilation and pulse oximetry during regional
      anesthesia and postoperative phase. CONCLUSION: Spanish norm is comparable to
      that of the other countries considered in this study. It shows important
      successful points and at the same time some significant deficiencies.

PMID- 1410732
TI  - [Thalassemic syndromes and anesthesia].
AB  - Thalassemic syndromes are produced by a quantitative defect in the synthesis of
      globin chains of hemoglobin. They are classified according to the severity of the
      clinical picture and to the type of globin chain that is affected.
      Physiopathology, clinical picture, and treatment of thalassemias are discussed in
      this work. Thalassemia minor does not create, in general, anesthetic problems. In
      cases of thalassemia major one should consider not only problems derived from the
      severity of the anemia it self, but also those related to transfusional therapy,
      and to bony malformations that may disturb tracheal intubation. Discussion on the
      management of homozygotic thalassemia during the pre, per, and postoperative
      phase completes this revision.

PMID- 1410733
TI  - [The introduction of chloroform anesthesia in Madrid. Notes for studying its
      history].
AB  - Until present, the introduction of chloroform anesthesia in Madrid has not been
      specifically studied by any author. Therefore, knowledge of the events related to
      this happening is lacking. We have studied this chapter of our history by
      analyzing primary documents and articles published at the daily press, political
      press, and scientific journals of Madrid during 1847 to 1848. This investigation
      allowed us to follow the most relevant news dealing with the discovery of the
      drug and with its first experimental and clinical applications in Madrid. Based
      on the present bibliographic material we could establish a chronologic report of
      all surgical interventions using chloroform that were performed in Madrid. We
      conclude that albeit surgeons in Madrid were not the first to use chloroform in
      Spain, they were, however, the ones who most extensively used it. Their
      contribution was of relevance in the settlement of the new anesthetic agent in
      Spain.

PMID- 1410734
TI  - [Tracheal rupture during a transhiatal esophagectomy without thoracotomy. Intra-
      and postoperative treatment].
AB  - We report the case of a male patient with a carcinoma of the upper third of the
      esophagus who presented a tracheal rupture during a transhiatal esophagectomy.
      The clinical picture was characterized by a severe alteration of the ventilatory
      function that required selective intubation and, later on, a right thoracotomy
      for repairing the tracheal lesion. After surgery the patient was treated at the
      Recovery Unit. He received high-frequency mechanic ventilation (jet ventilation
      type) during nine days in a attempt to decrease the risk for dehiscence of the
      tracheal suture and to ensure an adequate oxygenation and hemodynamic control.
      The clinical course was favourable.

PMID- 1410735
TI  - [Pain caused by brachial plexus injury during coronary revascularization. Report
      of 3 cases].
AB  - We report three cases of injury of the brachial plexus after coronary
      revascularization surgery. During the postoperative phase all patients presented
      plexopathy involving the left C8 and D1 roots. The symptoms were pain,
      paresthesia, and motor deficits. The proposed mechanisms for injury of the
      brachial plexus during cardiac surgery are: hyperabduction of the arm, direct
      traumatism produced by the needle during catheterization of the internal jugular
      vein, and traction and compression associated with sternal retraction. In the
      three patients we ruled out alterations during cannulation of the internal
      jugular vein and malposition of the arms. We think that in our cases the
      fundamental mechanism was an excessive and assymetrical opening of sternal and
      Favoloro's separators that were used in all cases during dissection of the left
      internal mammary artery. We conclude that injury of the brachial plexus can be
      minimized by reducing the opening of both separators and by placing Favaloro's
      separator in a lower position.

PMID- 1410736
TI  - [Experience with the Du Pen epidural catheter in chronic cancer pain].
AB  - We evaluate the results obtained with the use of Du Pen's epidural catheter in a
      series of patients with chronic oncologic pain. There were 27 patients with
      neoplasms of different etiologies who received a total number of 30 catheters.
      Inclusion criteria were established. All patients received bolus of morphine
      chloride free of conservers. Follow-up controls were carried out at least every
      week and consisted on the evaluation the dosage efficacy, dose adjustments,
      catheter condition, physical activity, neurologic state, and requirements of
      adjuvant medication. The documented use of the 30 catheters implanted in this
      study lasted up to 1452 days with a mean of 48.5 days. There were no
      complications related to catheter insertion. However we observed complications
      related to the use of the catheter: reflow at the site of catheter implantation
      in 4 cases, infection of the external (one case) and internal (one case) catheter
      route without antibiotic resolution, and infection of the epidural space
      responding to antibiotherapy without catheter withdrawal in one patient. Twenty
      patients died. Mortality was not attributed to catheter complications in any
      case. The present study confirms that placement of the catheter is technically
      easy and provides an efficacious opiate analgesia with minimal complications.

PMID- 1410737
TI  - [Adverse effects of the administration of opiates by the spinal route].

PMID- 1410738
TI  - [The work of Juan Vicente Hedo].

PMID- 1410739
TI  - [Asystole during the removal of an epidural catheter].

PMID- 1410740
TI  - [Transient pneumothorax caused by carbon dioxide following laparoscopy].

PMID- 1410741
TI  - [Myoclonus of the legs as a complication of spinal morphine].

PMID- 1410742
TI  - [Alternative method when confronting an intubation failure in emergency obstetric
      anesthesia].

PMID- 1410743
TI  - [Aortobifemoral shunt and exeresis of 2 paragangliomas in the same surgical
      procedure].

PMID- 1410744
TI  - [Catastrophic pulmonary vasoconstriction].

PMID- 1410745
TI  - [Obtaining organs for transplantation].

PMID- 1410746
TI  - [Epidemiology of head traumas. "Barcelona" data base. Objectives, design and
      analysis of 584 cases].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Descriptive analysis of some features in patients with cranio
      encephalic traumatisms (CET) admitted to our hospital and collected in a data
      base, in order to establish the prognosis of the lesions and apply the most
      appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Since
      July 1987 to June 1989 we collected data on 584 patients with CET who presented
      the following selection criteria: consciousness level lower than 13 points in the
      Glasgow scale and/or pathologic computerized tomography. According to the
      consciousness level (Glasgow scale) on admission, patients were classified into
      three groups: slight CET (Glasgow 15-13), moderate CET (Glasgow 12-9), and severe
      CET (Glasgow < 9). The traumatic mechanisms were divided into 8 categories
      (occupant, pedestrian, motorbike, aggression, labor, drop, sporting, cyclist).
      According to the main lesion we considered the following diagnoses: subdural
      hematoma, epidural hematoma, cerebral contusion (s), diffuse lesion with normal
      computerized tomography and/or subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral congestion, and
      diffuse axonal lesion. Results were evaluated six months after using the Glasgow
      scale. RESULTS: The mean age of patients with slight CET was 37.7 +/- 22.1 years,
      those with moderate CET 31.7 +/- 22.6 years, and those with severe CET 30.8 +/-
      21.6 years. Four hundred and forty-two were men (75.6%). The time period between
      the accident and hospital admission could be determined in 512 cases (87.6%).
      Severe CET arrived to the hospital (4.8 +/- 7.3 hours) earlier than the other
      groups (6.6 +/- 11.9 hours in moderate CET and 14.2 +/- 23 hours in slight CET).
      Most of patients, 488 (83.5%), were referred from another hospital, whereas the
      remaining cases came directly from the accident place. Traumatic mechanisms
      according to the previous categories were: occupant 145 (25%), pedestrian 112
      (20%), motorbike 104 (18%), cyclist 2 (0.003%), labor 39 (7%), drop 154 (27%),
      sporting 7 (1%), aggression 10 (2%). Percentage of traffic accident was higher in
      patients with severe CET (74.6, 64, and 47% in severe moderate, and slight CET,
      respectively). The main lesions were: acute subdural hematoma, 72 (12.3%);
      cerebral contusion, 207 (35.4%); epidural hematoma, 88 (15%); normal computerized
      tomography/subarachnoid hemorrhage, 87 (14.8%); swelling, 17 (2.9%); diffuse
      axonal injury, 74 (12.6%); and the remaining, 39 (6.6%) had other lesions such as
      hydrocephalus fracture-sinking, etc. Mortality was 44.2, 12.2, and 3.7%
      respectively in severe, moderate, and slight CET. CONCLUSIONS: Data base may
      contribute to establish the prognosis of CET and to determine the efficacy of
      therapeutic procedures as well as that of diagnostic and investigational methods.

PMID- 1410747
TI  - [Regional blockage for arterial blood pressure control during placement of head
      holder in neurosurgery].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To achieve a hemodynamic stability in neurosurgery during placement of
      the craniostate, we compared the effects of blocking frontal and occipital nerves
      with supplementary doses of fentanyl with the effects observed after subcutaneous
      infiltration of craniostate fixation points. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied 34
      patients with intracranial masses programmed for craniotomy who were randomly
      allocated into three groups. Group I received fentanyl 3-5 micrograms/kg, 5
      minutes before implantation of craniostate; Group II was treated with
      subcutaneous infiltration of mepivacaine 2% at craniostate fixation points; and
      Group III underwent blockade of frontal and occipital nerves. Mean arterial blood
      pressure was measured at baseline, immediately before craniostate placement, and
      during the maximal rise induced after placement of the craniostate. RESULTS: Mean
      arterial blood after craniostate placement was significantly higher in Group I
      than in Group II (p < 0.01), and higher than in Group III (p < 0.05).
      CONCLUSIONS: Blockade of frontal and occipital nerves is a useful method for
      maintaining hemodynamic stability during craniostate placement in neurosurgical
      patients.

PMID- 1410748
TI  - [Comparative study in pediatric inhalation anesthesia. Clinical characteristics
      and anesthetic complications with halothane and isoflurane].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Comparative study of clinical characteristics and complications
      during induction, maintenance, and recovery in pediatric inhalational anesthesia
      between two commonly used fluoride agents (halothane and isoflurane). MATERIAL
      AND METHODS: We studied 66 children aged 1 month to 13 years undergoing general
      anesthesia for short lasting surgery who were divided into two groups of 33
      patients each one: Isoflurane group and halothane group. Induction and
      maintenance anesthesia was performed with the corresponding inhalant agent.
      Parameters measured were duration of unconsciousness, time elapsed for intubation
      and recovery, heart rate, arterial blood pressure, and incidence of
      complications. RESULTS: Children anesthetized with isoflurane showed a shorter
      period of unconsciousness (1.55 +/- 0.11 min) than those anesthetized with
      halothane (1.91 +/- 0.12 min); whereas that the time required for intubation was
      significantly more prolonged (8.94 +/- 0.51 and 6.57 +/- 0.32 min, respectively).
      The incidence of complications was higher in the isoflurane group, mainly
      expressed as laryngeal spasm during the induction period. Both groups of patients
      showed a similar hemodynamic behaviour, although diastolic arterial pressure
      during maintenance anesthesia was significantly lower with isoflurane. Anesthesia
      recovery was faster and more predictable with isoflurane than with halothane.
      CONCLUSIONS: Anesthetic agent isoflurane is less appropriate than halothane for
      induction in pediatric anesthesia due to a high incidence of complications,
      specially laryngeal spasm.

PMID- 1410749
TI  - [Treatment of spasticity with intrathecal baclofen].
AB  - INTRODUCTION: Severe spasticity, according to Lance's definition, is a
      manifestation of superior motoneurone injury syndrome which is characterized by
      increased stretching tonic reflexes, osteotendinous hyperreflexia, and release of
      propioceptive reflexes. Baclofen (a beta-4 chlorophenyl derived from gamma-amino
      butyric acid) was firstly administered by intradural route in humans by Penn and
      Kroin in 1985 for the treatment of severe spasticity of muscular and central
      origin. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We report the results obtained in eleven patients
      with severe spastic picture, six of medullar origin and five of central origin
      who were treated with intradural administration of baclofen using an implanted
      programmable continuous perfusion system (Synchromed 8611H). The age of patients
      ranged from 12 up to 58 years. Six were males and five females. The duration of
      the treatment ranged from a maximal period of 36 months to a minimal period of 12
      months. The initial dose of baclofen varied from 50 micrograms/day to 144
      micrograms/day. RESULTS: The better results were obtained in patients with
      spasticity of medullar origin. The most marked beneficial effects were the
      reduction of spasms elicited, or not, by external stimuli. In all cases the doses
      of baclofen had to be progressively increased, leading to a mean final dose of
      235.6 micrograms/day, with a maximal dose of 480 micrograms/day and a minimal
      dose of 144 micrograms/day. CONCLUSIONS: Baclofen administered by intradural
      route is more effective than administered by orally and the required doses were
      lower. Intradural administration was effective even though the oral route was
      unsuccessful.

PMID- 1410750
TI  - [Maintenance of organ donor].

PMID- 1410751
TI  - [Some Spanish contributions to anesthesiology at the end of the XIXth century].
AB  - At the end of the XIXth century some original, although poorly known, Spanish
      contributions were made on the field of inhalational general anesthesia that are
      important for the history of our specialty in Spain. The purpose of this work is
      to report the Spanish contributions to inhalational general anesthesia made
      during the chronological period that coincides with the locus-regional anesthetic
      techniques grown after the appearance of cocaine in 1884.

PMID- 1410752
TI  - [Study of thyroid function in the organ donor during brain death].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the thyroid function in organ donors undergoing cerebral
      death and evaluate the effects that these possible alterations may exert on the
      early function of renal graft. DEVELOPMENT: Prospective study. Hormonal analysis
      when: 1) the diagnosis of cerebral death was made and 2) before organ extraction.
      PATIENTS: Fifteen organ donors with cerebral death. Twenty-nine patients who
      received the kidneys of these donors. PLACE: Neurotraumatologic Unit at the
      University Hospital Marques de Valdecilla. Referring center. MEASUREMENTS AND
      RESULTS: All donors showed low T3 and T4 values. Values of T4 and IT4L were
      significantly lower during the second determination (p < 0.05). Eighty percent of
      donors showed increased T3r values. TSH was low in 73% of cases. Dopamine
      requirements in donors or the incidence of acute tubular necrosis in recipients
      were not significantly higher in donors with lowest T3 values. CONCLUSION: The
      hormonal picture observed in the donors of this study is more characteristic of a
      "ill euthyroid syndrome" than a real hypothyroidism. The low values of T3 in
      donors is not associated with higher requirements of inotropic agents, nor with a
      higher incidence of acute tubular necrosis in renal grafts.

PMID- 1410753
TI  - [Prophylaxis with dantrolene sodium in 2 patients with susceptibility to
      malignant hyperthermia].
AB  - We report 2 patients programmed for elective surgery who were considered
      susceptible to develop the malignant hyperthermia syndrome. The first patient had
      two familiarly antecedents of death produced by postanesthetic malignant
      hyperthermia, whereas the second patient suffered a clinical picture compatible
      with this syndrome during tonsillectomy, although followed a favourable recovery.
      The preoperative study including measurement of muscular enzymes, isoenzymes, and
      muscular biopsy was normal. In both patients an intravenous prophylactic
      treatment with dantrolene 2.5 mg.kg1 was undertaken before surgery. The first
      patient underwent hysterectomy under intradural anesthesia with bupivacaine 0.5%.
      The second patient had a maxillary fracture which was treated with osteosynthesis
      under general anesthesia. During the intervention and the postoperative follow
      up, both patients were free of signs related to malignant hyperthermia. We
      conclude that prophylaxis with dantrolene is necessary in patients susceptible to
      develop the syndrome of malignant hyperthermia.

PMID- 1410754
TI  - [Local anesthesia of the knee for arthroscopic surgery. Our experience in 1,000
      cases].
AB  - We performed local anesthesia of the knee for arthroscopic surgery in 1,000
      patients who were diagnosed of meniscopathy, chondropathy, or block of the knee.
      We established two anesthetic times. The first consisted of an intraarticular
      administration of 40 ml of a mixture containing bupivacaine 0.5%, lidocaine 0.5%
      or prilocaine 1%, and adrenaline 1:200,000. The second was extraarticular and
      consisted of a local infiltration at the sites of entrance of the arthroscope or
      instrumental material with lidocaine 0.5% or prilocaine 1%, with adrenaline
      1:100,000. We kept a latency period of 10 to 15 min, time required for setting up
      the arthroscopic procedure. Ischemia was systematically avoided. With this
      technique the following surgical treatments were performed: meniscectomy,
      curettage of articular cartilage, synovectomy, plica sections, and extraction of
      free bodies. Tolerance to surgery was excellent in 32.3% cases, good in 46.5%,
      regular in 16%, and bad in 5.2%. In no cases more complex anesthetic techniques
      were undertaken. We conclude that the anesthetic technique used in this study is
      appropriate for arthroscopic surgery of the knee and allows to perform ambulatory
      surgery. The procedure is not useful in cases of ligament reconstruction,
      regional infection, and rupture of the articular capsula. Although the anesthetic
      technique is easy some factors should be considered before indication of the
      procedure such as a careful selection of the patient, skillfulness of the surgeon
      in performing the arthroscopy, and the accuracy of the preoperative diagnosis.

PMID- 1410755
TI  - [Efficacy of topical administration of lidocaine through a Malinckrodt Hi-Lo Jet
      tube in lessening cough during recovery from general anesthesia].
AB  - To achieve tracheal anesthesia during intubation, an endotracheal tube was
      purposely designed. The tube had multiple laser-induced perforations in its lower
      portion produced that allowed administration of the local anesthetic in a
      pulverized form. We evaluated the efficacy of lidocaine 2% in preventing cough
      during recovery from general anesthesia. The goal of this study was to perform a
      topical anesthesia of the hypopharynx, larynx, and trachea. This attenuates the
      laryngeal reflex occurring during anesthesia recovery and therefore, prevents
      from potential complications. Sixteen patients ASA I-II underwent surgery with
      general anesthesia. They were prospectively studied following a randomized double
      blind protocol. The control group received saline infusion (n = 6) whereas the
      experimental group (n = 10) was treated with lidocaine. At the end of the
      anesthesia period, the presence of cough was treated with the test solution. In
      90% of cases treated with lidocaine, cough disappeared in about 30 seconds and
      patients tolerated the endotracheal tube until extubation was performed. All
      patients who received saline solution presented cough until extubation.

PMID- 1410756
TI  - [Thrombosis of intrathoracic veins. A complication of venous catheterization for
      temporary hemodialysis].
AB  - Venous thrombosis of large vessels is a common complication, generally
      asymptomatic, that may occur during central venous catheterization for temporal
      hemodialysis. We report 2 cases of intrathoracic venous thrombosis which were
      suspected because of the difficulties occurring during catheterization of a new
      venous approach during dialysis. Both cases were diagnosed by angiography.

PMID- 1410757
TI  - [Incidence of perioperative myocardial infarction in patients undergoing
      extracorporeal circulation for cardiac prosthesis implantation].

PMID- 1410758
TI  - [Transfusional problems in oncologic surgery].

PMID- 1410759
TI  - [Double episode of air pulmonary embolism].

PMID- 1410760
TI  - [Polyneuropathy of the critical patient].

PMID- 1410761
TI  - [Prolonged and deep neurologic depression after intravenous perfusion of
      midazolam].

PMID- 1410763
TI  - [XXIVth National Congress of the Spanish Society of Cardiology. Valencia, 4-7
      October 1992. Abstracts].

PMID- 1410762
TI  - [Use of laryngeal mask for fiber optic bronchoscopy in a neonate with facial
      malformations].

PMID- 1410764
TI  - Nitrobenzylthioinosine binding cooperativity in chromaffin tissue membranes.
AB  - The nucleoside transporter present in chromaffin tissue membranes has been
      studied by [3H]nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBTI) binding. This ligand presents a high
      affinity, with a Kd value of 2.1 +/- 0.2 nM and a Bmax of 1.7 +/- 0.2 pmol/mg
      protein. From the Scatchard and the semilogarithmic graphical representations a
      positive cooperativity was deduced, with a Hill coefficient of 1.7 +/- 0.4. In
      displacement studies of NBTI by the non labelled compound, the Hill coefficient
      was also higher than 1 (1.44 +/- 0.11) in the presence of ATP. This nucleotide
      seems necessary to maintain the number of high affinity binding sites.

PMID- 1410765
TI  - [Effect of the level of sexual receptivity on plasma estradiol and the ovulatory
      response during the postpartum period in the rabbit].
AB  - The relation between plasma estradiol 17-beta mean levels (E2), sexual
      receptivity and ovulation response, as well as the evolution of E2 from day 29 of
      pregnancy until day 11 of postpartum in rabbits, was studied. The results suggest
      a direct relation between plasma E2 mean levels and high or low sexual
      receptivity. With a determined plasma E2 concentration was not able to predict
      sexual receptivity. The best ovulation response was obtained in rabbits of high
      or medium receptivity treated with 20 micrograms or 40 micrograms of GnRH. High
      plasma E2 mean concentrations were detected on day 1 and 9 postpartum. The
      evolution of E2 levels from day 29 of pregnancy until day 11 postpartum suggests
      that day 9 is the most favorable breeding day, when rabbits are to be submitted
      to a semi-intensive reproduction management.

PMID- 1410766
TI  - Potentiation by epidermal growth factor of the in vitro HCG stimulation of
      testicular steroidogenesis in hamsters.
AB  - Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) has been reported to stimulate or inhibit
      steroidogenesis in murid Leydig cells depending on the experimental conditions
      used. In the present study, testicular fragments from an adult cricetid rodent,
      the Syrian hamster, were incubated with various doses of mouse EGF (0-2.0
      micrograms/ml media), in the presence or absence of HCG (0-12.5 mlU/ml media).
      Although EGF alone did not affect in vitro testicular steroidogenesis, it
      significantly potentiated the HCG-induced elevation of the accumulation of
      testosterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone in the media. In contrast, the effect of
      HCG on media progesterone concentration was not affected by EGF. Since in the
      Syrian hamster intracellular calcium loading functions as a gonadotropic
      stimulus, the present results could be a consequence of the EGF-induced increase
      in cellular calcium levels.

PMID- 1410767
TI  - Morphofunctional changes in gastrointestinal tract of rats due to cafeteria diet.
AB  - Female rats fed a cafeteria diet from birth developed obesity at 60 days of age
      and their stomach, small intestine and caecum were enlarged when compared with
      controls, i.e. these regions had greater food storage capacity. In spite of the
      enlargement, these regions had similar or reduced weight and linear density,
      which is seen as proof of reduced mechanical performances. Cafeteria diet
      produced increased glucose duodenal absorption in older animals unlike the
      typical reduction known in controls. Tryptophan absorption was maintained high in
      adulthood, compensating for the low structural nutritive properties of the
      cafeteria diet. The results are interpreted as an adaptation to the cafeteria
      diet effects and properties: the characteristic overeating of foodstuffs with
      greater energy density, lower mechanical requirements and lower structural
      nutritive value than pelleted chow.

PMID- 1410768
TI  - On the multiplicity of sugar transport systems in guinea pig jejunum.
AB  - A study has been made in everted sacs of guinea pig jejunum to see if the two
      transport systems of glucose analogues characterized at the brush border membrane
      vesicles are operative. The transport kinetics of D-galactose and alpha
      methylglucoside up to 80 mM concentrations has been studied, as well as the
      mutual inhibitions between them at low and high concentrations of the substrate
      and at different concentrations of the inhibitor. Low temperature (20 degrees C)
      inhibits galactose transport at 0.1 mM (70%) and 40 mM (78%) concentrations. A
      mass transfer coefficient, KD, somewhat higher for galactose than for alpha
      methylglucoside, was obtained when the transport component was abolished by
      phlorizin. The transport of D-galactose and alpha-methylglucoside seemed to be
      compatible with the function of one system shared by both substrates, which
      presents greater affinity for alpha-methylglucoside. The functional existence of
      two systems of active transport at the brush border of guinea pig was not
      evidenced in intestinal preparations of whole tissue, due perhaps to the effect
      of the unstirred water layers. However, differences in KD values and some results
      of the mutual inhibitions may suggest a second system.

PMID- 1410769
TI  - Conformational changes of S-1 related to its dissociation from actin.
AB  - The peptide pattern obtained after proteolysis of S-1 with trypsin was different
      in the absence or presence of anions. The affinity of tryptic and undigested S-1
      for anions (CN-, SCN- or HCO3-) was different, as reflected by the altered values
      of Ki or Ka obtained from ATPase activity measurements. Anions CN-, SCN-, HCO3-,
      or PPi induced dissociation of actomyosin when added to acto-S-1 or acto-heavy
      meromyosin. Among nucleoside di- and triphosphates, only triphosphates were
      effective with regard to the dissociation. The results suggest the existence of a
      regulatory site of cationic nature on S-1, which might be involved in the
      dissociation of actin from myosin.

PMID- 1410770
TI  - A preliminary study on the action of genus Allium on thyroid 131iodide uptake in
      rats.

PMID- 1410771
TI  - [Photoperiod variations of various blood biochemistry constants in the rabbit].
AB  - Biochemical blood parameters generally show fluctuations during the day. The aim
      of this study is to determine the variations of the following parameters:
      hemoglobin, glucose, triglycerides, ASAT, ALAT, urea and creatinine in New
      Zealand white (NZW) rabbits, kept under five different circadian rhythms (12/12,
      14/10, 10/14, 16/8, 8/16, light/dark). These parameters were analyzed by using a
      reflection photometer (Reflotron). Most results are found within the
      physiological range for this species but there are significant differences among
      cycles. These findings could be explained by the dependence of the biochemical
      blood parameters on the light/dark cycle. It can be concluded that the most
      useful cycle to find fewer variations of the biochemical blood parameters in NZW
      rabbit is 12/12 light/dark cycle.

PMID- 1410772
TI  - [Focus on rehabilitation of the spinal cord injury patient--development and
      outlook].

PMID- 1410773
TI  - [25 years Heidelberg Rehabilitation Center for Spinal Cord Injuries--retrospect
      and prospects].
AB  - In the framework of a commemorative gathering and scientific symposium in
      November 1991, an account was given of the 25 years of service of the
      Rehabilitation Centre for Spinal Cord Injured Persons of the Heidelberg
      Orthopaedic University Hospital Foundation. Tribute was at the same time paid to
      the lifework of Kurt Lindemann, former director of the Orthopaedical University
      Hospital and rector magnificus of the Heidelberg Ruperto Carola University, in
      memory of the 25th anniversary of his death in 1966. Encouraged by the father of
      SCI rehabilitation Sir Ludwig Guttmann, of Stoke Mandevillehospital, England,
      Kurt Lindemann had taken the initiative for establishing this centre and prepared
      its opening in 1966. Comprising a clinical department, the Ludwig Guttmann House,
      and a department for vocational-social rehabilitation, the Kurt Lindemann House,
      the centre has since enabled provision of all measures required for comprehensive
      rehabilitation of spinal cord injured women, men and children--starting at the
      day of injury till full resettlement of this population in family, occupation,
      and society. Erected a quarter century ago, the centre has in the last two years
      been brought up to date architecturally and structurally; further measures for
      implementing the most recent state of the art in rehabilitating spinal cord
      injured patients lie ahead.

PMID- 1410774
TI  - [Clinical rehabilitation of the spinal cord injury patient--is the Guttmann
      concept still valid?].
AB  - The focus of Guttmann's treatment concept had been to set up a comprehensive
      rehabilitation system, aimed not only at saving the life of a person with
      paraplegia or tetraplegia but at giving it meaning as well. Progress made in the
      fields of rescue services, anaesthesia, intensive medicine, in spinal surgery,
      neurourology and diagnostics (CT, MRI) as well as in pharmacology, have
      decisively enhanced the possibilities of clinical rehabilitation, and have in
      some respects entailed deviations from Guttmann's classical treatment principles.
      Moreover, the patient population has changed in profile in the course of time,
      due to better chances of survival also in high-level tetraplegia, greater numbers
      of higher-age SCI patients and of patients with non-traumatic SCI (tumours,
      metastases, infections). A higher life expectancy achieved by better
      possibilities as regards prevention and treatment of SCI-related complications,
      new challenges for the future emanate from age-related diseases occurring in
      addition to the spinal lesion.

PMID- 1410775
TI  - [Neuro-urology--development of a new focus in rehabilitation of the spinal cord
      injured patient].
AB  - While preservation of renal function continues to be the primary objective in the
      urological care of spinal cord injured patients, new treatment principles have
      resulted in increased attention being given also to restoration of lost urinary
      continence, a goal shared by the patient as well. The fact that intermittent
      catheterization has stood the test also for the long-term management of
      micturition, as well as the development of effective medication for
      hyperreflective detrusor relaxation have resulted in a treatment concept that
      enables 70 percent of those treated to achieve dry intervals between
      catheterizations. Effective electromiction is today enabled by the sacral
      anterior root stimulator (Brindley), with continence ensured by sacral
      deafferentation performed at the same time; both measures have proved successful
      at medium term. Bladder augmentation is another operative measure for controlling
      detrusor hyperreflexia. Neurogenic urinary stress incontinence can be tackled
      successfully by implanting an hydraulic sphincter system (Scott). Both the
      advantages and the possible disadvantages or risks of these new management
      concepts are set out, dealing also with their indications. Successful treatment
      of erectile dysfunction is possible today, and inseminable sperma can be obtained
      in some 40 to 50 percent of the spinal cord injured patients.

PMID- 1410776
TI  - [Management of the spinal cord injured patient--hospital routine or principles of
      comprehensive rehabilitation?].
AB  - Based on her own experience in the rehabilitation of spinal cord injured
      patients, the author describes the nursing service's self-concept and its
      development over the past 25 years, as well as changes in its working conditions
      inter alia entailed by technical advances. Requirements are posited, which are
      considered indispensable for comprehensive rehabilitation, specifically with
      regard to the aftercare necessary for the person with SCI in the domiciliary
      situation.

PMID- 1410778
TI  - [Between creativity and functional use--development and determination of the
      status of ergotherapy in rehabilitation of the spinal cord injured patient].
AB  - In the 60s, Occupational Therapy (OT) with spinal cord injured patients had
      primarily been based on manual activities, aimed at improving functional levels.
      Gradually, attainment of the highest possible level of independence became a
      central emphasis of OT care. While creative development of the patient seemed to
      conflict with this foremost objective of independence, practical experience in
      the meantime has taught that creative activity can be an avenue toward
      independence. Also, the OT regimen for SCI patients has for several years now
      been extended to include computer-based technology for functional treatment as
      well as prevocational measures.

PMID- 1410777
TI  - [Integration of patient exercise/physical therapy in the rehabilitation team].
AB  - Described is the position of physiotherapy in the rehabilitation of persons with
      spinal cord injury, starting out on the assumption that physiotherapy lays the
      foundations for functional rehabilitation, enabling the other disciplines to
      build up on. Ideally, the treatment approach is not confined to a single concept,
      but several treatment modalities should equally be available. Physiotherapy must
      be integrated into the overall team approach. This can only be achieved on the
      basis of mutual respect, as well as physiotherapy staff continuity which enables
      broad knowledge and experience to be built by physiotherapists.

PMID- 1410779
TI  - [Responsibilities of clinical psychology in rehabilitation of patients with
      severe physical handicaps].
AB  - Rehabilitation is a process intended to lead from disablement to enablement. This
      process must begin at the very onset of an impairment, with close cooperation of
      the rehabilitee with all the specialties involved, as well as among these
      specialties, being an indispensable prerequisite. Clinical psychology is one of
      these specialties, its primary emphases are diagnostics, counselling, therapy,
      research, staff training and further education, as well as organizational,
      operational and institutional counselling. To take part in shaping a more humane
      world is a task of psychology in research, theory, and practice.

PMID- 1410780
TI  - [...and after the clinic? Reflections on domestic-familial rehabilitation and
      management of the spinal cord injured patient].
AB  - Both from a personal and professional perspective, considerations are presented
      concerning the domiciliary-familial rehabilitation of persons with spinal cord
      injury. The field of tension present within the living community affected by the
      disability (parents/children, partners, children/parents) is examined, the
      various specific strains, physical, mental, social-societal, are outlined. The
      problems entailed as regards autonomy/dependence, intimateness/distantness,
      lover, mother/father, and avoiding/facing conflict, are analyzed, and possible
      solutions suggested.

PMID- 1410781
TI  - [2.7 million unemployed--nonetheless occupational rehabilitation of patients with
      severe physical handicaps?].
AB  - The concept of rehabilitation initially is defined as it is understood in the
      Federal Republic of Germany today. The potential opportunities and risks inherent
      in an outcome-oriented notion of rehabilitation are set out in light of its
      historical development. The reasons for unemployment among severely disabled
      persons are analyzed from various perspectives, dealing furthermore with the
      manner the vocational rehabilitation system is responding. Also mentioned are the
      difficulties where our system is working only to a limited degree, as well as the
      consequences this entails. Further, reasons are given to substantiate that the
      rehabilitation of severely disabled people remains an important and meaningful
      task in our country notwithstanding current unemployment.

PMID- 1410782
TI  - [Progress, detours, errors--social legislative aspects of the development of
      rehabilitation].
AB  - Any person threatened by the onset of disability has a right to the assistance
      needed to integrate in work, career, and society (section 10, Book 1 of the
      Social Code). A highly sophisticated system of legal provisions and pursuant
      administrative competencies, eligibility requirements and benefit provision
      modalities seeks to fulfill this entitlement. The system of available services is
      subject to on-going development, with adjustments necessary in response both to
      medical advances and labour market or technological developments. The adjustment
      process is limited by the economic resources available, which may restrict the
      scope of what is considered feasible regardless of what might be possible or
      desirable. To avoid becoming entangled in the "jungle" of its own system of
      competencies and eligibilities, a rehabilitee-centred rehabilitation approach
      must seek to make even better use of the manifold opportunities of rehabilitation
      legislation in light of the individual case at hand and based on professional
      cooperation. Any further development of rehabilitation legislation will moreover
      have to pay attention to those persons for whom occupational integration is no
      longer, or not yet, possible, in order to face up to future social challenges.

PMID- 1410783
TI  - [Handicap--negative variant of the "normal"--or else? Comments on the problem of
      attitude to deficits in rehabilitation and ethical principles].
AB  - Uncertainty as to what exactly is comprised by disability is quite frequently
      encountered not only in the general public but also among rehabilitation workers.
      The "normal" is deemed the desirable, and "disability" turns into its negative
      counterpart. Attention is focussing on the deficits that appear on measuring and
      comparing. A critical discussion of deficit orientation in education and care of
      disabled persons is needed. Isolated identification of and attendance to
      deviations must be overcome by interdisciplinarity and team work, in order to pay
      due respect to the person as a whole, to his or her social and personal identity.
      Also, fundamental issues of the current ethics discussion in special education
      arise in this context. Shown on the example of J. J. Rousseau, reference to
      philosophical or educational "authorities" may turn out to be misguided.

PMID- 1410784
TI  - [25 years rehabilitation. Questions--answers, unanswered questions--retrospective
      answers].
AB  - Starting out from the 10th World Congress of the International Society for
      Rehabilitation of the Disabled, held 1966 in Wiesbaden on the subject of
      "Industrial Society and Rehabilitation", social-legislational developments are
      out-lined, among them the 1971 accident insurance coverage for pupils, the 1974
      rehabilitation harmonization act, and the 1975 extension of social insurance
      coverage to disabled persons working in workshops for the disabled; problems yet
      unsolved in the structured system of social protection are pointed out. The
      problem of "early rehabilitation", still to a very great extent unresolved, is
      dealt with in the context of the present distinction between "acute medicine" und
      "rehabilitation" facilities. In rehabilitation of persons with chronic mental
      illness, numerous models have been developed; a generally accepted, and available
      approach however has not emerged so far. For ensuring care quality and
      continuity, the urgent need for community-based availability of the
      "rehabilitation team" is underlined, and interdisciplinary further education
      efforts are demanded for all professions in the team, both in facility- and
      community-based service delivery.

PMID- 1410785
TI  - [Combined vocational education and industrial management--presentation of a
      cooperative project for improved integration of adolescents with learning
      handicaps].
AB  - Major structural labour market changes, i.e. dramatic losses in job opportunities
      for unskilled labour and continually rising levels of job requirements facing
      skilled workers on the one hand and an increasing demand for skilled workers on
      the other, are entailing enhanced job opportunities for disadvantaged societal
      groups, at the same time however also increasing the occupational risk of these
      populations, among them the learning disabled. The vocational training centres
      having for more than a decade been gaining experience in the vocational and
      social rehabilitation of this latter group, the project outlined is intended to
      make even better use of their potential. The main objectives of the project are:
      1. optimizing the vocational training centres' range of placement-focussed
      measures by: intensifying industrial training periods, coordinated "start up"
      support on occupational entry, post-placement services; 2. transfer of the
      vocational training centres' technical knowledge and experience into industry
      based training by: follow-along support services ("ausbildungsbegleitende
      Hilfen"), workshops on the initial vocational training of learning disabled young
      adults, and other forms of cooperation. Apart from reaching the goals outlined,
      the project is expected to give new impulse to the day-to-day practice of the
      vocational training centres as well as to generate even greater networking of the
      centres with their industrial environments.

PMID- 1410786
TI  - [The favorable effect of group housing on the occupational performance of
      psychiatrically handicapped patients].
AB  - A cohort of psychiatrically disabled persons was investigated to determine
      whether work performance changed after entry into a residential commune. Both
      before and after entering the commune, a differentiated spectrum of work
      opportunities graded according to performance requirements had been available. A
      clear enhancement of work performance was found following entry into the
      residential commune. In a further step, variables associated with above- or below
      average increases in work performance were identified. On the whole, the results
      underscore the value of residential communes in the vocational rehabilitation of
      psychiatrically disabled persons.

PMID- 1410787
TI  - [Changes in health status and attitude due to sports with rheumatic disease
      patients].
AB  - A six-months sports programme had been implemented to analyze the impact of
      movement, play and sports on the physical situation of persons having rheumatism,
      their mental well-being and attitudes towards sporting activities. 41 patients
      participated in the programme, attending training sessions in a fitness studio
      once a week. The sports programme contained general endurance training,
      functional and strengthening exercises, elements of gymnastics and play, as well
      as relaxation techniques. The following assessment tools were used: Measurement
      of Patient Outcome (MOPO) scales, sports questionnaire, and the STEP test. It was
      found that participants' health status, both physical and mental, had been
      influenced in a positive manner, with proof being provided of reduced levels of
      anxiety, depression, and pain. Moreover, attitudinal changes toward sports appear
      to have resulted, suggesting persistent motivation to engage in sporting
      activity.

PMID- 1410788
TI  - Biosynthesis and distribution of N-carboxyalkyl amino acids (opines) in bacteria.

PMID- 1410789
TI  - Transcriptional mapping of the promoter of the aminoglycoside acetyltransferase
      gene (aacC9) of neomycin-producing Micromonospora chalcea.
AB  - We have studied the promoter of the gene encoding aminoglycoside
      acetyltransferase (aacC9) in neomycin-producing Micromonospora chalcea. S1
      nuclease mapping showed that the transcription initiation point of this gene is
      at the translation start point, with no evidence of a conventional ribosome
      binding site. The aac of paromycin-producing Streptomyces rimosus forma
      paromomycinus shows the same characteristic; there is no homology in the promoter
      regions of the two genes, whereas the coding sequences are very similar.

PMID- 1410790
TI  - Structure/function relationships in the Escherichia coli mannitol permease:
      identification of regions important for membrane insertion, substrate binding and
      oligomerization.
AB  - The Escherichia coli mannitol permease (EIIMtl) of the phosphoenolpyruvate
      dependent phosphotransferase system is a 68-kDa membrane protein that carries out
      the concomitant transport and phosphorylation of D-mannitol. Previous studies
      indicated that there are ca. 6 membrane-spanning helices within the N-terminal
      half of the protein, while the hydrophilic C-terminal half was shown to be
      exposed in the cytoplasm. In the present study, an analysis of C-terminally
      truncated EIIMtl mutants showed that proteins from which only the cytoplasmic
      domain has been deleted were present in the membrane at > or = 50% the amount of
      the intact protein. However, deletion proteins smaller than ca. 34 kDa were
      present in the membrane at only about 20% the amount of the intact protein. We
      also constructed a plasmid that encodes the first 43 amino acid residues of
      ELLMtl fused to residues 378 to 637 (the C-terminal domain). The corresponding
      protein was associated with the cytoplasmic membrane. These results show that the
      first 43 amino acid residues of the N terminus are sufficient for membrane
      localization, although the region comprising the last 2 membrane-spanning helices
      appears to be important for maximum stability and/or efficient membrane insertion
      of the complete N-terminal domain. Further studies of these deletion proteins
      showed that binding of mannitol to the permease occurs even if the entire
      cytoplasmic domain is absent, but is abolished if the last putative membrane
      spanning region is removed. Finally, regions of the protein within the membrane
      bound domain were identified that influence the oligomerization state of the
      protein. These results further define domains of this multifunctional transport
      protein that are important for membrane insertion, stability, substrate binding
      and oligomerization.

PMID- 1410791
TI  - Bacteriocin-like activity of Bacteroides fragilis group isolated from marmosets.
AB  - The ability of strains of the B. fragilis group, isolated from the oral cavity
      and intestine of marmosets, to produce bacteriorin-like substances in solid
      medium, in terms of auto-, iso- and heteroantagonism, was evaluated. Antagonistic
      activity was exhibited by 52% of the intestinal strains, 3 of which showed
      autoantagonistic activity. Three out of 9 oral strains isolated, tested against
      themselves, showed simultaneous isoantagonism to 4 indicator strains; but not
      autoantagonism. The same 9 oral strains, when tested against 16 reference
      strains, revealed interspecific activity only against 2 Gram-positive
      microorganisms. Higher activity, evaluated by the size of the inhibition halo,
      was observed in BHI-S agar, and greatest inhibition was obtained after 72 h of
      incubation.

PMID- 1410792
TI  - Catabolic pools in Escherichia coli.
AB  - Methods are described for measuring soluble pool magnitudes in steady-state or
      exponentially growing cultures, and for distinguishing between anabolic,
      catabolic and total metabolic pools within cells. These methods were applied to
      the measurement of pool magnitudes for several amino acids and other precursors
      in Escherichia coli THU. Our results support the independence of the magnitudes
      of total metabolic pools and growth rate in steady-state cultures. Our results
      also show that the total metabolic pool size is much larger than previously
      published estimates, which failed to include the contribution of catabolic pools.
      The average value of the total soluble material in exponential-phase cells is
      estimated to be 8 to 9% of the cell dry mass; pool values could be almost twice
      as large during midcycle because of the known increase in the magnitudes of
      protein and RNA precursor pool during the cell cycle.

PMID- 1410793
TI  - Evaluation of a chemiluminescent DNA probe assay for the rapid confirmation of
      Listeria monocytogenes.
AB  - A Listeria monocytogenes-specific, acridinium-ester-labelled DNA probe was
      evaluated in a chemiluminescent homogeneous protection assay (HPA) for the rapid
      confirmation of suspect L. monocytogenes colonies from blood agar plates. The HPA
      uses an acridinium-ester-labelled chemiluminescent DNA probe in a free-solution
      hybridization format. After the DNA probe hybridized with the target ribosomal
      RNA, the acridinium label on the unhybridized probe was inactivated by a chemical
      differential hydrolysis step. Formation of a hybrid between probe and target was
      detected in a luminometer after the addition of a detection reagent. The assay
      can be completed in 30 to 45 min and allows for simultaneous processing of
      several (50-100) samples. The probe showed 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity
      for L. monocytogenes when evaluated in the HPA against L. monocytogenes, other
      Listeria species and other Gram-positive bacteria. The lower detection limit of
      the HPA was between 10(4) and 10(5) cells. In an evaluation with 296 bacterial
      colonies isolated from food, the HPA colony confirmation showed 100% agreement
      with conventional biochemical characterization. HPA will be useful for the rapid
      confirmation of L. monocytogenes isolated from food and clinical specimens.

PMID- 1410794
TI  - Contribution of high-performance liquid chromatography to the identification of
      some Corynebacterium species by comparison of their corynomycolic acid patterns.
AB  - Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography of corynomycolic acids
      provided a specific pattern for each Corynebacterium species studied. These data
      suggest that a fast and reproducible procedure is now available for
      bacteriological identification at the genus and at the species level of
      corynomycolic-acid-containing bacteria. Mass spectrometry analysis of post-column
      collected fractions provided the order of elution of some corynomycolic acids and
      isomers and showed the high specificity of the chromatographic assay which could
      be used for the routine bacteriological identification of some species belonging
      to the genus Corynebacterium.

PMID- 1410795
TI  - Heterogeneity in restriction patterns of Gardnerella vaginalis isolates from
      individuals with bacterial vaginosis.
AB  - This study was undertaken to resolve the genetic make up of Gardnerella vaginalis
      present in bacterial vaginosis (BV). DNA from several G. vaginalis isolates from
      within and between individual BV patients were compared by BamHI, ClaI and EcoRI
      restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) followed by a restriction fragment length
      polymorphism (RFLP) study, utilizing a 5.7-kb BamHI G. vaginalis ATCC14018 DNA
      probe. Four G. vaginalis isolates from one patient (GVP-062) were composed of 3
      different biotypes (biotypes 3, 5 and 8), and while the REA mirrored the biotype,
      in RFLP studies at least 3 isolates had DNA fragments in common. All of the
      isolates from 2 other patients (GVP-063 and GVP-072) represented a single biotype
      (biotype 2), but under REA and in RFLP studies, the isolates GVP-063 differed
      from GVP-072. An opposite case existed with the isolates GVP-072 (biotype 2) and
      GVP-065 (biotype 5), which appeared similar under REA and in RFLP studies.
      Finally, reisolates after 8 weeks (GVP-080) from a BV patient (isolates GVP-065)
      representing the same biotype (biotype 5) differed under REA and in RFLP studies.
      Thus, lacking any unique DNA fingerprint, G. vaginalis occurring in BV represents
      a (genetically) mixed population.

PMID- 1410797
TI  - Evaluation of synthetic pseudo cord-factor-like glycolipids for the serodiagnosis
      of tuberculosis.
AB  - A number of glycolipids were evaluated in an ELISA test for their serodiagnostic
      usefulness in tuberculosis. One hundred and twelve (112) sera belonging to
      bacteriologically confirmed TB patients, patients with pathologies other than
      tuberculosis and healthy individuals were examined against several synthetic
      "mirror" pseudo cord factors (analogues of trehalose-6,6'-dimycolate or TDM)
      using natural cord factor and another recently described natural glycolipid (SL
      IV) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as control antigens. Analysis of the results
      shows that all synthetic "mirror" pseudo cord factors, except one with a short 8
      carbon chain, were better recognized by the sera of tuberculosis patients than
      natural cord factor, with sensitivity and specificity values in the ELISA test
      similar to those reported for M. tuberculosis species-specific SL-IV. Of all
      antigens tested in this study, BDA. TDA, a bis(N,N-dioctadecylamide) of
      "trehalose dicarboxylic acid", [(alpha-D-glucopyranosyluronic acid) (alpha-D
      glucopyranosiduranic acid)], showed the highest serodiagnostic discriminating
      power (93% sensitivity and specificity). We postulate that either these
      artificial molecules are cross-reactants of similarly structured native
      glycolipids of M. tuberculosis or that they bear closer resemblance to actual
      phagosome-lysosome-modified antigens than to native mycobacterial ones.

PMID- 1410796
TI  - Novobiocin, brilliant green, glycerol, lactose agar: a new medium for the
      isolation of Salmonella strains.
AB  - We describe a medium, novobiocin, brilliant green, glycerol, lactose (NBGL) agar,
      for the routine isolation of Salmonella strains from stool samples. The NBGL agar
      principle involved the use of the antisaprophytic effect of brilliant green and
      novobiocin. Glycerol and lactose were added in order to distinguish between
      Citrobacter and Salmonella. NBGL was used in parallel with salmonella-shigella
      (SS) and Hektoen (H) agar for culturing 2,853 stool samples, of which 184 were
      confirmed to be salmonellae. NBGL showed a high sensitivity: 94% in direct
      plating compared to 74% (p < 10(-3)) and 65% (p < 10(-5)) for H and SS,
      respectively, and 96% in enrichment broth plating vs. 83% (p < 10(-4)) and 86% (p
      < 10(-3)), respectively, for H and SS. In direct plating using NBGL, 95% of black
      centred colonies were confirmed to be salmonellae (vs. 31% and 36%, H and SS). In
      enrichment plating using NBGL, this figure was 82% (vs. 26% and 28%). The results
      suggest that NBGL agar is advantageous for the isolation of non-Typhi H2S+
      salmonellae.

PMID- 1410798
TI  - Identification of sulpholipid I by thin-layer chromatography in the rapid
      identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
AB  - A simple, rapid and reliable thin-layer chromatography method for the detection
      of the 2,3,6,6'-tetraacyl trehalose-2'-sulphate (sulpholipid I) from
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis was described. The method was found to be satisfactory
      as an aid in the rapid identification of M. tuberculosis in clinical
      laboratories.

PMID- 1410799
TI  - Relation between the number of sperms to be deposited and pregnancy rate in tubal
      insemination in rabbits.
AB  - Pregnancy rate of tubal insemination with semen diluted to concentrations of
      x10(0) to x10(7) was studied in rabbits. The animals were laparotomized under
      general anesthesia, and 0.05 ml of diluted semen was injected with a glass
      capillary from the tubal fimbria into the oviduct. The semen was obtained from
      mature male rabbits by means of an artificial vagina and diluted to
      concentrations between x10(0) and x10(7). One hour after the insemination,
      ovulation was induced by administration of hCG. Six experimental groups were set
      up according to the semen concentrations. In the x10(0), x10(2), x10(4), and
      x10(7) groups, newborn rabbits were obtained. The best pregnancy rate was
      obtained with the x10(2) groups, in which 10(5) level of sperms were deposited.
      The newborn rabbits were normal not only morphologically, functionally, but also
      in chromosomal examination. The results suggested that tubal insemination with a
      small number of sperms could be applied in sterility due to oligospermia in
      human.

PMID- 1410800
TI  - Long term monitoring of immunoreactive endothelin-1 and endothelin-3 in
      ventricular cerebrospinal fluid, plasma, and 24-h urine of patients with
      subarachnoid hemorrhage.
AB  - Endothelins (ETs), peptides that were originally isolated from endothelial cells,
      have extremely potent and long-lasting vasoconstricting effects on cerebral
      vessels in vitro and in vivo. Observations that astrocytes produce these peptides
      and that their ET production can be stimulated, e.g. by thrombin, and potentiated
      via a self-enhancing autoregulatory mechanism may have shed new light upon the
      pathogenesis of cerebrovasospasm (CVS). ETs are present at low levels in normal
      human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Few and contradictory reports exist on ET levels
      in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)-associated CVS. We monitored ventricular CSF,
      plasma, and 24-h urine levels of immunoreactive endothelin-1 (ET-1) and
      endothelin-3 (ET-3) in seven patients with SAH, who did (five) or did not (two)
      develop CVS in the course of their disease, as well as in two patients with
      different conditions (acoustic neuroma/postoperative meningitis; hydro
      /hematocephalus) over 7-19 days. A distinct peak of both ET-1 and ET-3 in CSF of
      patients with SAH coincided with clinically documented signs of CVS and was
      absent in CSF of patients with SAH but no CVS. CSF levels of ET-1 and ET-3
      displayed a striking parallelism in all subjects. Plasma ET-1 levels were
      essentially in the normal range. ET-3 was not detectable in plasma under our
      assay conditions. The excretion profiles of ET-1 and ET-3 in 24-h urine revealed
      again a predominantly parallel behavior of the two peptides. Interestingly,
      patients with high ET levels in CSF showed simultaneous peaks in urinary ET
      excretion, expressed as nanograms per gram of creatinine. Our findings support an
      association of ETs with the pathogenic events following SAH. The well-documented
      effects of these peptides on cerebral vessels suggest they are mediators rather
      than markers of disease.

PMID- 1410801
TI  - Hemodynamic effects following intraperitoneal infusion of pancreatic ascites
      fluid.
AB  - Severe necrotizing pancreatitis is accompanied by release of hemorrhagic ascites
      fluid (HAF), which is thought to be related to the occurrence and frequency of
      cardiocirculatory and pulmonary failure as a consequence of acute pancreatitis.
      The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of HAF due to these systemic
      complications. Experiments were performed in 25 pigs (mean b.wt. 22 +/- 1 kg)
      under general anesthesia and mechanical ventilation. The animals received 50
      ml/kg b.wt. i.p. of either physiologic saline solution (control CO, n = 9) or
      hemorrhagic ascites fluid (HAF, n = 16). HAF was obtained from 16 pigs with
      pancreatitis induced by intraductal infusion of bile salt. Eight animals in the
      HAF group were pretreated with indomethacin (10 mg/kg i.v. INDO/HAF). All animals
      were followed up for 6 h. Mean arterial pressure, cardiac output, and stroke
      volume fell significantly in the HAF (-25%, -27%, -27%) and in the INDO/HAF
      groups (-24%, -20%, -17%) as compared with controls (-6%, -6%, -6%). Also, left
      ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) decreased by 52% and 48% in both HAF
      recipient groups, whereas LVEDP was unchanged in the control group. Myocardial
      contractility (Vmax) remained unaltered in all experimental groups. No
      significant differences in gas exchange and lung dry/wet weight ratio were
      observed. Lipase and PGI2 of the unpretreated HAF group rised to 203% and 198% in
      arterial blood at 6 h compared with unaltered levels in the control group. No
      increase of prostanoid concentrations was detected in the indomethacin-pretreated
      group, whereas lipase increase by a comparable extent as in the HAF group. We
      conclude that the early consequences of HAF are mainly characterized by systemic
      hypotension due to hypovolemia.

PMID- 1410802
TI  - Increase of S-(1,2-dicarboxyethyl)glutathione in regenerating rat liver.
AB  - Changes in the level of S-(1,2-dicarboxyethyl)glutathione (DCE-GS) with time were
      determined during regeneration of rat liver after partial hepatectomy. The DCE-GS
      level increased in regenerating rat liver, reaching a maximum level (4.7-fold) on
      day 2 and reverted to the normal level in 1 week. During the liver regeneration
      process, the activity of DCE-GS-synthesizing enzyme in the liver retained its
      control level, while the level of glutathione--a substrate of the enzyme in the
      liver--fluctuated in parallel with that of DCE-GS.

PMID- 1410803
TI  - Changes in membrane-bound hydrolases by metronidazole in rat renal brush border.
AB  - The antiprotozoal drug metronidazole, when administered orally at a dose level of
      100 mg/kg body wt. daily for 7 days to rats, brought about significant elevation
      of renal brush-border-membrane-bound hydrolytic enzymes, such as alkaline
      phosphatase, maltase, sucrase, and leucine aminopeptidase (LAP). Kinetic analysis
      of the enzymes (substrate saturation) indicated that the drug produced an
      increase in the maximum of apparent initial enzyme velocity (Vmax), while the
      substrate affinity constant (Km) remained unaltered. These changes were not
      recovered to the normal level even after the drug regimen was stopped and the
      animals were allowed to recover for a period of 7 days. Lipid analysis of brush
      border membrane (BBM) revealed a significant elevation in the cholesterol,
      phospholipid, and ganglioside levels, while no marked change was recorded in
      triglyceride, free fatty acid and plasmalogen. Study of the temperature-dependent
      parameters of the enzymes showed that metronidazole induced a shift in the
      transition temperature (To) in LAP with nearly total reversibility in the
      recovery group. No such change was seen in the other enzymes. However, there also
      was a lowering in the energy of activation (Ea) below To, which returned to
      normal after the treatment was withdrawn.

PMID- 1410804
TI  - Recently described scrapie-like encephalopathies of animals: case definitions.
AB  - Since 1986, naturally occurring scrapie-like encephalopathies have been described
      in the United Kingdom in domestic cattle, in five species of captive exotic
      bovids and in domestic cats. The disease in domestic cattle, bovine spongiform
      encephalopathy, has been characterised by all currently available diagnostic
      criteria as a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy or 'prion' disease, and has
      been shown to have a dietary origin. The pathology in the other species is also
      entirely consistent with the scrapie-like diseases. The contemporaneous
      occurrence in the UK of such disease in these species suggests a close
      epidemiological association. The diagnostic criteria of the scrapie-like
      encephalopathies of animals are reviewed in the light of experience with the
      recent extension of their natural host range.

PMID- 1410805
TI  - Clinical equine dysautonomia and autonomic neuron damage.
AB  - Damage to the neurons of selected autonomic ganglia was quantified in relation to
      the severity of the clinical signs shown in acute, subacute and chronic cases of
      dysautonomia (grass sickness). No connection between the clinical severity of
      acute or subacute dysautonomia and the amount of neuronal damage in the superior
      cervical, stellate and coeliaco-mesenteric ganglia could be demonstrated.
      However, a higher proportion of normal neurons were found in chronic cases.
      Jejunal submucosal neuronal damage was correlated with clinical severity but
      further work is required to confirm this finding and to establish how widespread
      the alimentary neuronal lesions are in dysautonomia of different severities.

PMID- 1410806
TI  - Improved isolation of rinderpest virus in transformed bovine T lymphoblast cell
      lines.
AB  - Bovine T lymphoblast cell lines transformed by the protozoan Theileria parva were
      compared with bovine kidney (BK) and Vero cells for their ability to isolate
      various strains of rinderpest virus from tissues and infected secretions. All of
      the strains of rinderpest virus that were tested, including attenuated cell
      culture, caprinised and lapinised vaccines, and both mild and virulent pathogenic
      strains, readily induced syncytial cytopathic effect (cpe) in T lymphoblasts. The
      cpe could often be detected within one day of inoculation of lymphoblasts,
      whereas it took three to 14 days to appear in Vero and BK cells. Using
      lymphoblasts it was possible to reisolate rinderpest virus from nine of 42 swabs
      collected from three cattle experimentally infected with an isolate from a recent
      outbreak of mild disease whereas the same swabs yielded only one reisolate on BK
      cells. It was also possible using the lymphoblasts to detect infectious virus in
      the ocular, nasal and oral secretions of goats and rabbits infected with
      caprinised and lapinised virus, respectively. Peste des petits ruminants virus
      appeared to grow as rapidly as rinderpest virus in the lymphoblasts whereas
      canine distemper virus readily induced cpe on first passage but less readily on
      subsequent passage. Measles virus induced relatively little cpe when inoculated
      into lymphoblasts and did not appear to passage in these cells. The lymphoblasts
      are easy to maintain in culture and since they rapidly recovered 11 isolates from
      37 diagnostic samples could prove useful in laboratories carrying out rinderpest
      diagnosis.

PMID- 1410807
TI  - Anaerobic microflora associated with the pars oesophagea of the pig.
AB  - In healthy pigs aged one to 35 days significant populations of microorganisms
      (5.5 to 6.9 log10 viable count cm-2 of the tissue) were found, by strict
      anaerobic techniques, to adhere to the pars oesophagea. The genera of anaerobes
      which were isolated included Actinomyces, Bifidobacterium, Clostridium,
      Lactobacillus, Peptostreptococcus, Streptococcus and Veillonella and facultative
      anaerobes included Escherichia, Klebsiella, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and
      yeasts. The microbial population adhering to the pars oesophagea varied little
      from birth till after weaning and Lactobacillus, Clostridium and Eubacterium
      predominated. There were generally small numbers of facultatively anaerobic
      microorganisms in the pars oesophagea of healthy sucking or weaned pigs but large
      numbers of anaerobes, particularly Lactobacillus. In the pars oesophagea of
      sucking and weaned pigs with diarrhoea, large numbers of facultative anaerobes
      were frequent but Lactobacillus were also present in large numbers.

PMID- 1410808
TI  - Bracken poisoning and enzootic haematuria in cattle in China.
AB  - Acute bracken poisoning and enzootic haematuria are believed to have occurred in
      cattle in China for a long time. It is only in the past 10 years, however, that
      these diseases associated with the consumption of bracken ferns have been studied
      in detail and this paper reviews these recent studies. Based on a large scale
      survey, both conditions were found to be serious problems with a wide
      geographical distribution, especially in the mountainous regions of southwest
      China. Epidemiological and experimental work revealed that two species of bracken
      ferns, Pteridium aquilinum and Pteridium revolutum, were associated with these
      diseases, but the latter seems more important in China.

PMID- 1410810
TI  - Changes in the spontaneous and evoked electrical activity in the brain of hens
      during stunning with 30 per cent carbon dioxide in argon with 5 per cent residual
      oxygen.
AB  - Changes in the somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and spontaneous
      electroencephalogram (EEG) in hens were investigated during stunning with a
      mixture of 30 per cent carbon dioxide in argon with 5 per cent residual oxygen.
      The results showed that the SEPs were lost on average in 17 seconds (maximum 28
      seconds), which is similar to the 19 seconds (maximum 32 seconds) reported while
      stunning hens with a mixture of 30 per cent carbon dioxide in argon with 2 per
      cent residual oxygen. The spontaneous EEG showed suppression and a quiescent
      phase at 14 and 58 seconds, respectively. It is concluded that a mixture of 30
      per cent carbon dioxide in argon with 2 per cent residual oxygen would be ideally
      suited for batch stunning chickens and any inadvertent increase in the residual
      oxygen level up to 5 per cent in the stunning atmosphere would not lead to
      inadequate stunning or recovery of consciousness before neck cutting.

PMID- 1410809
TI  - Effects of clinically occurring chronic lameness in sheep on the concentrations
      of plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline.
AB  - Plasma adrenaline (AD) and noradrenaline (NA) concentrations were measured by
      high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection in blood
      samples from control and lame sheep. The lame sheep suffered from naturally
      occurring foot rot and showed behavioural characteristics normally associated
      with chronic pain. The lame sheep were scored both for impairment of gait and
      pathology of the foot and divided into mild and severely affected groups. Both
      the mildly and severely lame group showed a significant increase in plasma AD and
      plasma NA which tended to persist even after clinical resolution of the
      condition. The measurement of plasma AD and NA may provide information which can
      be used to assess animals experiencing chronic pain, when taken in conjunction
      with other parameters, such as nociceptive thresholds and plasma hormone levels.

PMID- 1410811
TI  - Administration of levothyroxine to euthyroid dogs does not affect
      echocardiographic and electrocardiographic measurements.
AB  - The effects of a replacement dose of levothyroxine on electrocardiographic and
      echocardiographic parameters in euthyroid dogs were examined. Two-dimensional
      guided M-mode echocardiograms and electrocardiograms were obtained before and
      after administration of levothyroxine (0.5 mg m-2 twice a day) to 10 euthyroid
      dogs for a period of eight weeks; four untreated dogs acted as controls. The
      resting serum total thyroxine concentration was significantly increased in
      treated dogs during weeks 4 to 8. There were no significant differences in any of
      the echocardiographic or electrocardiographic measurements resulting from
      treatment.

PMID- 1410812
TI  - Comparative immunoelectrophoretic analysis of Echinococcus granulosus, Taenia
      hydatigena and Taenia pisiformis cyst fluid antigens by hyperimmune rabbit sera.
AB  - Cyst fluid antigens of Echinococcus granulosus, Taenia hydatigena and T
      pisiformis were examined by electrophoresis using homologous and heterologous
      hyperimmune rabbit sera to these antigens. While arc 5 forming antibodies were
      identified in sera from rabbits immunised with E granulosus and T hydatigena cyst
      fluids, antibodies responsible for forming precipitating antigen B band were
      detected in rabbit antisera to E granulosus, T hydatigena and T pisiformis
      antigens. T hydatigena cyst fluid appears to contain antigen similar to E
      granulosus antigen 5 and probably antigen B while T pisiformis cyst fluid has
      mainly an antigen close to hydatid antigen B.

PMID- 1410813
TI  - Effects of nicarbazin on sugar intestinal absorption in rabbits.
AB  - Nicarbazin is an anticoccidial drug, used mainly in birds, which can also be used
      in rabbits. It has been shown to produce several effects, such as inhibition of
      growth and feed efficiency in poultry. The aim of the present work was to
      determine whether nicarbazin alters intestinal absorption of sugar. Results
      obtained show that nicarbazin decreases D-galactose accumulation in the jejunal
      tissue and increases mucosal to serosal transepithelial fluxes of this sugar, in
      both cases in a dose-dependent way. Furthermore, nicarbazin seems not to modify
      the sugar diffusion across the intestinal epithelium. The drug also stimulates
      the sugar uptake in brush border and basolateral membrane vesicles. The results
      suggest that in rabbits nicarbazin increases sugar intestinal absorption mediated
      by carriers.

PMID- 1410814
TI  - Indirect myosin immunocytochemistry for the identification of fibre types in
      equine skeletal muscle.
AB  - The histochemical ATPase method for muscle fibre typing was first described by
      Brooke and Kaiser in 1970. However, problems have been found with the subdivision
      of type II fibres using this technique. To determine whether indirect myosin
      immunocytochemistry using anti-slow (5-4D), anti-fast (1A10) and anti-fast red (5
      2B) monoclonal antibodies with cross reactivity for type I, II and IIa fibres,
      respectively, in a number of species, could identify three fibre types in equine
      skeletal muscle, data on fibre type composition and fibre size obtained using the
      two different techniques were compared. Results indicate that different myosin
      heavy chains can coexist in single equine muscle fibres. Type I and type II
      fibres were identified by immunocytochemistry, but subdivision of type II fibres
      was not possible. Although the percentage of type I and type II fibres was not
      significantly different for the two techniques, a few fibres reacted with both
      the 1A10 and 5-4D antibodies.

PMID- 1410815
TI  - Plasma 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, insulin-like growth factor-1, calcium, magnesium
      and phosphorus concentrations in pregnant beef cows and calves from a herd with a
      known history of congenital joint laxity and dwarfism.
AB  - An investigation was undertaken to ascertain the possibility of a relationship
      between calcium, inorganic phosphorus, magnesium, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D
      [1,25(OH)2D], and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentrations in blood
      plasma and occurrence of congenital joint laxity and dwarfism (CJLD) in young
      cattle. Pregnant cows were fed hay (30 cows) or grass silage (122 cows) during
      winter months (October 15 to calving in March). Blood samples were taken from
      cows on seven occasions during the experiment and 48 hours after calving, and
      from calves at birth, and at seven, 14 and 56 days old. Five per cent of calves
      born (six of 122) to cows fed grass silage and none born to cows fed hay were
      affected by CJLD. The diet and health status of calves were not significantly (P
      greater than 0.05) associated with the plasma concentration of 1,25(OH)2D. The
      plasma calcium concentration declined with age of the calves (P less than 0.05)
      but was not affected by the occurrence of CJLD. Plasma phosphorus and magnesium
      concentrations in calves born to cows fed silage were higher (P less than 0.05)
      than in those born to cows fed hay. At birth and seven days old, plasma
      phosphorus concentrations were higher (P less than 0.05) in CJLD-affected calves
      than in healthy calves but the plasma concentration of IGF-1 was not different (P
      greater than 0.05). It was concluded that the high plasma phosphorus
      concentrations in CJLD-affected calves and their dams could be related to the
      aetiology of the CJLD condition in calves.

PMID- 1410816
TI  - Effect of cyclophosphamide immunosuppression on the immunity of turkeys to viral
      rhinotracheitis.
AB  - Turkey poults, free of antibodies to turkey rhinotracheitis (TRT) virus were
      treated with cyclophosphamide on days 1, 2 and 3 after hatching and vaccinated by
      eyedrop when 10 days old with a Vero cell-attenuated preparation of TRT virus. No
      ELISA antibodies to TRT virus developed in the sera of these poults but they were
      as resistant to virulent virus challenge 21 days later as vaccinated groups which
      were not cyclophosphamide-treated but produced humoral antibodies. Following
      challenge with virulent virus at 31 days old cyclophosphamide-treated
      unvaccinated poults developed a more severe clinical response than untreated
      birds and had higher virus titres in tracheal swabs. The findings show that the
      respiratory tract of turkeys may be resistant to TRT despite the absence of ELISA
      antibodies in the serum.

PMID- 1410817
TI  - Protective effects of an oral microencapsulated Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccine
      against experimental infection in pigs.
AB  - Oral microencapsulated Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae vaccines were tested for their
      ability to prevent mycoplasmal pneumonia in pigs. Eighteen four-week-old specific
      pathogen free pigs were divided into six groups of three. Each pig of groups 1 to
      4 was inoculated intramuscularly with formalin-inactivated M hyopneumoniae in
      adjuvant and boosted orally 14 days later with four different microencapsulated
      vaccine microspheres. Group 5 was used as a positive control. All 15 pigs of
      groups 1 to 5 were challenged at 28 days after the first vaccination by an
      intratracheal inoculation of pneumonic lung suspension. The three pigs of group 6
      were used as a negative control. All four vaccinated groups showed some
      protection when challenged, but the protection was more solid in pigs boosted
      with vaccine D (group 4) which contained less porcine serum in the microsphere.
      The study indicates that oral vaccination with M hyopneumoniae could play a role
      in prevention and eradication of mycoplasmal pneumonia in the pig.

PMID- 1410818
TI  - Tissue distribution of monomeric glutathione peroxidase in broiler chicks.
AB  - It is known that there are two kinds of enzymes which show glutathione peroxidase
      activity, 'classical' glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase.
      Recently, a third enzyme was found, monomeric glutathione peroxidase, in broiler
      chick liver cytosolic fraction. To gain an insight into the possible
      physiological role of the monomeric glutathione peroxidase, the distribution of
      this enzyme in other broiler tissues was studied. The monomeric glutathione
      peroxidase was found in all tissues examined and in erythrocytes. The percentage
      of the total glutathione peroxidase activity accounted for by the monomeric
      enzyme ranged from 4 per cent in erythrocytes to 28 per cent in liver. Livers
      from three avian and two mammalian species contained the monomeric glutathione
      peroxidase. The contribution of the monomeric enzyme to total glutathione
      peroxidase activity with cumene hydroperoxide was high in poultry livers, while
      only trace monomeric glutathione peroxidase activity was found in mammalian
      livers. Chick monomeric glutathione peroxidase showed high activity toward
      phospholipid hydroperoxide. Thus, monomeric glutathione peroxidase might be an
      important enzyme in reducing membrane lipid hydroperoxides in birds.

PMID- 1410819
TI  - Effects of age, sex and housing on the trabecular bone of laying strain domestic
      fowl.
AB  - To determine the effects of age, sex and housing on trabecular bone volume,
      samples were collected from groups of male and female domestic fowl housed in
      cages or floor pens from four to 60 weeks old. Between 25 and 60 weeks old,
      trabecular bone volume decreased by 25 per cent in sections of free thoracic
      vertebrae (T5) from female birds, the loss occurring at an earlier age in caged
      birds. Over the sample period, TBV in male caged birds diminished by 35 percent,
      but male floor birds showed no reduction in trabecular bone volume. At 60 weeks,
      trabecular bone volume was 30 per cent greater in male caged birds and 40 per
      cent greater in male floor birds than in the corresponding females. In
      reproductively active females, no trabecular osteoid was observed, indicating no
      new trabecular bone formation. However, trabecular osteoid was present in two
      birds aged 60 weeks which had regressed ovaries. Osteomalacia was not seen in any
      of the bone samples.

PMID- 1410820
TI  - Variations in blood flow to and from the bovine mammary gland measured using
      transit time ultrasound and dye dilution.
AB  - Blood flow across the lactating bovine mammary gland was measured by two
      techniques. The use of transit time flow probes appeared to give flows which
      correlated well with dye dilution in only one of five cows, although the relative
      changes in flow were similar between the techniques in four of the cows. Further
      studies were made on the effect of posture on mammary blood flow using both
      techniques. The crossover of venous blood from one side of the mammary gland was
      also studied using the dye dilution technique, and revealed large differences
      between animals and also with posture. These observations suggest that particular
      care should be taken when sampling blood from the milk vein of cows, if a
      representative sample is required. Changes in blood flow with posture may be
      indicative of a repartitioning of flow within the body, and the physiology of
      such a mechanism would be of interest in itself. The control of this mechanism
      may be useful in modifying blood flow to the mammary gland and thus milk yield,
      since blood flow is related to the level of milk production.

PMID- 1410821
TI  - Pyrolysis mass spectrometry of Listeria monocytogenes isolates from sheep.
AB  - Forty-eight isolates of Listeria monocytogenes from sheep and silage, involved in
      five small outbreaks of listeriosis, were compared by pyrolysis mass spectrometry
      (PyMS). The method clustered isolates from single animals, and showed that
      epidemiologically associated isolates were closely related to each other. PyMS is
      a simple technique capable of analysing large numbers of samples daily, and its
      application in veterinary studies should help to elucidate the epidemiology of
      listeriosis.

PMID- 1410822
TI  - Comparison of endocrine changes and ultrasound as means of identifying ovulation
      in the bitch.
AB  - Twenty bitches were monitored through pro-oestrus and oestrus using both
      circulating plasma hormone levels and ultrasonic examination of the ovaries.
      Using luteinising hormone (LH) as being the generally accepted optimum indicator
      of the day of ovulation, comparisons were made of the accuracy of progesterone
      and ultrasound to identify ovulation. Progesterone agreed with LH in 12 of 20
      bitches and was within one day in seven of the other eight. Ultrasound was less
      accurate in that only four of the 16 estimates agreed, with a further six being
      within one day. However, if only the bitches which were examined by ultrasound
      with the latest equipment were included, while only three of 11 coincided, six of
      the remaining eight were within one day of the LH estimated ovulation. It is
      concluded that, at present, of the rapid assessments, the measurement of plasma
      progesterone is a better estimator of ovulation than ultrasound.

PMID- 1410823
TI  - Pathophysiology of ovine trypanosomiasis: ferrokinetics and erythrocyte survival
      studies.
AB  - The haematological changes, erythrokinetics and ferrokinetics of sheep were
      investigated after infection with Trypanosoma congolense. Following the detection
      of parasites in blood, the infected sheep developed macrocytic hypochromic
      anaemia. Studies with 51Cr-red cells, 125I-albumin and 59Fe as ferric citrate 11
      weeks after infection revealed that infected sheep had significantly lower mean
      circulating red cell volumes but higher plasma and blood volumes than control
      sheep. The infected sheep also had enhanced erythropoietic activity as judged by
      significantly higher plasma iron turnover rates, faster disappearance of radio
      labelled iron and higher iron incorporation rates than control sheep. The rate of
      disappearance of 51Cr-labelled red cells was greater in infected than in control
      sheep. It was concluded that the anaemia observed at this stage of infection was
      due to an increased rate of removal of red cells from the circulation coupled
      with haemodilution, with no evidence of dyshaemopoiesis.

PMID- 1410824
TI  - Immune-mediated disease in the old English sheepdog.
AB  - Immunological data are reported from 19 cases of immune-mediated disease recorded
      in the old English sheepdog breed in Western Australia between 1978 and 1989. The
      conditions included autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (seven), idiopathic
      thrombocytopenia (one), Evans' syndrome (five), multiple myeloma (two), systemic
      lupus erythematosus (one), discoid lupus erythematosus (one) and hypothyroidism
      (two). The most consistent serological findings were raised serum IgG (60 per
      cent), depressed serum IgM (60 per cent) and the presence of multiple
      autoantibodies (anti-red blood cell 78 per cent, antinuclear antibody 44 per
      cent, rheumatoid factor 19 per cent). An underlying, breed-related disorder of
      immune regulation may account for these observations.

PMID- 1410825
TI  - In vitro studies and in vivo immunisation with the first viral haemorrhagic
      septicaemia viruses isolated in Spain compared to international reference
      serotypes.
AB  - The first five viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) isolates found in
      Spain were examined for in vitro growth characteristics, neutralisation by trout
      antiserum and immunisation challenge of trout fingerlings by water immersion. The
      viruses had come from different host species in various geographical locations in
      different years. Three reference VHSV serotypes (F1, F2 and 23.75) were also
      included in the study. There appeared to be little relationship between the in
      vivo delay of mortality or the protection of the immunised trout after challenge
      and the in vitro characteristics studied. In contrast to the in vitro results,
      the in vivo delay of mortality suggested a closer relationship of the Spanish
      VHSV isolates to the F2 serotype than to the F1 or the 23.75 serotypes. If the
      final protection figures are analysed, however, there could be three or four
      groups of viruses.

PMID- 1410826
TI  - Response of Trypanosoma congolense in goats to single and double treatment with
      diminazene aceturate.
AB  - Diminazene aceturate is one of a limited number of compounds currently marketed
      for treatment of trypanosomiasis in cattle, sheep and goats. The pharmacokinetics
      of the compound in goats suggest that double treatment with diminazene aceturate
      might enhance the compound's therapeutic activity. A study was therefore
      conducted in goats using two clones of Trypanosoma congolense, IL 3274 and IL
      1180, which were previously shown to be resistant and sensitive, respectively, to
      single treatment with diminazene aceturate. The results indicated that, as
      compared to single treatment, double treatment with diminazene aceturate at a
      dose of 7.2 mg kg-1 bodyweight, at either eight or 24 hour intervals, did not
      greatly enhance the therapeutic activity of the drug. Furthermore, treatment with
      the same drug dose eliminated infections with T congolense IL 3274 when treatment
      was administered 24 hours after infected Glossina morsitans centralis had fed,
      but failed to do so if treatment was delayed until after goats were detected to
      be parasitaemic. This suggests that failure of T congolense IL 3274 to respond to
      treatment with diminazene may not be due to drug resistance per se.

PMID- 1410827
TI  - Genetic evidence for variant selection in the course of dilute passaging of mumps
      vaccine virus.
AB  - Mumps vaccine viruses, Leningrad-3 (L-3) strain, harvested at the 8th (8P) and
      38th (38P) passage levels, were compared by nucleotide sequencing of the fusion
      (F) and the phosphoprotein (P) genes, and for replication efficiency in cell
      culture. Sequencing revealed only one clear base substitution throughout the
      entire F gene, and no substitutions in the variable 183-nucleotide-long region of
      the P gene. However, the 8P virus, unlike the 38P variant, contained multiple
      "ambiguous" nucleotide regions, i.e., additional bases positioned at the level of
      the principal ones. The 38P variant replicated faster and appeared more
      homogeneous by its plaque character compared to the 8P virus. The results
      indicate that the 8P progenitor virus consisted of more than one viral variant
      and that one of these was selected on repeated passage due to its higher
      replication efficiency.

PMID- 1410828
TI  - Localization of cauliflower mosaic virus in the cell nucleus of Brassica
      pekinensis L.
AB  - Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) particles were observed in the nuclei of xylem
      parenchyma cells in Brassica pekinensis L. doubly infected by CaMV and turnip
      mosaic virus (TuMV). CaMV particles were aggregated in the nucleoplasm but not
      embedded in viroplasms. This phenomenon was not detected in cell nuclei of
      mesophyll tissue. Typical features associated with infection by either CaMV or
      TuMV normally occurred in the cytoplasm of cells of both tissues: two types of
      viroplasms with embedded CaMV particles and cylindrical inclusions induced by
      TuMV. Among the main hypotheses which could explain this particular CaMV
      localization, we checked that it was not the result of the coinfection with TuMV,
      since we also found CaMV particles in the same place in single infected plants.
      Other explanations are discussed, including a possible particularity of the
      infection in xylem tissue or a specific property of an unusual CaMV isolate.

PMID- 1410829
TI  - Choroidal angiography today and tomorrow.

PMID- 1410830
TI  - Minimized surgery for retinal detachments with segmental buckling and
      nondrainage. An 11-year follow-up.
AB  - A prospective study was conducted of 107 retinal detachments operated on between
      August 1979 and January 1980, with a complete follow-up period ranging from 11
      years to 11.5 years. Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) stage C1 or C2 was
      seen in 16 detachments. Surgery consisted of cryopexy and segmental buckling
      (limited to the area of breaks) with nondrainage. Of the surgical procedures, 71%
      were radial buckles, 19% circumferential, and 10% radial combined with
      circumferential buckles. The primary reattachment rate was 92.6%, and 97% after
      reoperation. During the long-term follow-up period, redetachment occurred in
      12.1% of the eyes: 5.6% were classified as early redetachments (between 2 and 4
      months), and 6.5% as late redetachments (between 3 and 7 years). Early
      redetachment was caused by PVR, and late redetachment by new holes. After
      reoperation, reattachment occurred in 92.6% of the eyes. The predominant cause of
      final failure was PVR (3.7%). Only one eye had two reoperations. There was a
      highly significant (P less than 0.001) improvement between preoperative visual
      function (mean 0.32) and postoperative visual function (mean 0.56) in all 99
      reattached eyes during the follow-up period (Mann-Whitney U test).

PMID- 1410831
TI  - Clinicopathologic study of idiopathic macular pucker in children and young
      adults.
AB  - Clinically significant idiopathic macular pucker was observed in 11 patients aged
      30 years or younger. In these patients, the tissue was well defined and fibrous
      in appearance, in contrast to the thin, cellophane appearance that is typical of
      macular pucker in elderly patients. Vitrectomy and epiretinal membrane peeling
      were performed in each case. Visual acuity improved after surgery in seven cases
      and worsened in one case, and follow-up data was not obtained in three cases.
      Recurrent membranes were noted in four cases, two of which detached
      spontaneously. Ultrastructural studies were performed on the removed specimens in
      each case. Myofibroblasts, myoblastic differentiation of retinal pigment
      epithelial cells and fibrous astrocytes, and new collagen formation were more
      common than in idiopathic macular pucker in older patients. The clinical and
      ultrastructural features of juvenile macular pucker reflect more rapidly
      changing, contractile tissue compared with the usually more quiescent features in
      series involving older patients.

PMID- 1410832
TI  - Surgical treatment of retinal detachment in the choroidal colobomas.
AB  - Seven eyes from seven patients with retinal detachment and choroidal coloboma
      (with or without optic disc involvement) were treated. The retinal break was
      always inside the colobomatous area, except in the cases with evidence of
      peripheral retinal breaks. In order to produce reattachment of the retina,
      vitrectomy procedures with removal of posterior hyaloid were used. Drainage of
      subretinal fluid was performed through the break in the area of the coloboma,
      with simultaneous fluid-air exchange. Previously undetected retinal breaks were
      identified by inspecting for the presence of schlieren in the colobomatous area
      during fluid-air exchange. A peripheral scleral buckle was then applied. Argon
      laser endophotocoagulation was performed, but when the coloboma involved the
      optic disc, red krypton endophotocoagulation was used. Retinal reattachment was
      achieved in all cases.

PMID- 1410833
TI  - Xanthic scotoma and yellow foveolar shadow caused by a pseudo-operculum after
      vitreofoveal separation.
AB  - The biomicroscopic detection of a small opacity (pseudo-operculum) suspended in
      front of the normal foveal retina is a sign of vitreofoveal separation. This
      report concerns five patients in whom slit-lamp illumination of the pseudo
      operculum produced a yellow spot (shadow) on the adjacent pigment epithelium.
      This occurred in two patients who presented because of a small yellow central
      scotoma. In one patient, the yellow spot and scotoma disappeared after complete
      posterior vitreous separation. One patient presented because the referring
      physician misinterpreted the yellow spot as a Stage 1 impending macular hole.

PMID- 1410834
TI  - Traction retinal detachment due to preretinal proliferation of surface
      epithelium.
AB  - A seven-year-old boy sustained severe blunt trauma with globe rupture. After
      repair of the globe and lensectomy and vitrectomy, a fistula was noted along with
      epithelial downgrowth on the posterior surface of the cornea. Extensive
      peripheral preretinal membrane formation resulted in traction retinal detachment.
      The fistula was excised and the preretinal membranes were removed. Pathologic
      examination of the membrane revealed it to be composed of surface epithelium.
      Retinal reattachment was achieved with intravitreal injection of silicone oil.
      This case illustrates that surface epithelium can proliferate on the inner retina
      and can lead to tractional retinal detachment.

PMID- 1410835
TI  - Primary nonfamilial amyloidosis of the vitreous. A light microscopic and
      ultrastructural study.
AB  - Nonfamilial amyloidosis, a form of primary amyloidosis accompanied by vitreous
      opacity, is a rare condition. Here, a 50-year-old man developed strand-like
      opacities in the vitreous of both eyes. Pars plana vitrectomy was performed to
      improve the patient's vision. The vitreous specimens showed typical light
      microscopic and ultrastructural features of amyloidosis.

PMID- 1410836
TI  - Foveal hypoplasia in complete oculocutaneous albinism. A histopathologic study.
AB  - Histopathologic and ultrastructural findings in an eye from a patient with
      complete oculocutaneous albinism are reported. Examination revealed posterior
      embryotoxon, high myopia, no foveal differentiation, and absence of melanin
      pigment in all ocular structures. A few nonmembrane-bound electron-dense granules
      of lipofuscin were present in the iris and retinal pigment epithelial cells.

PMID- 1410837
TI  - Comparison of retinal photocoagulation using pulsed frequency-doubled neodymium
      YAG and argon green laser.
AB  - The photocoagulation effects on retinal and choroidal tissue of the argon green
      and pulsed frequency-doubled neodymium-YAG lasers were examined in rabbit eyes.
      In contrast to the continuous wave output of the argon green laser, the pulsed
      frequency-doubled neodymium-YAG laser produces a series of 1 microsecond pulses
      emitted at a repetition rate of 10 kHz. The high repetition rate results in pulse
      averaging, allowing relatively low peak powers to be used while producing average
      powers capable of thermal tissue effects. Photocoagulation lesions in the rabbit
      retina were placed in pairs using each of the lasers. Light microscopic
      comparison of the argon and neodymium-YAG burns revealed morphologically similar
      lesions for up to 14 days after photocoagulation, with damage predominantly at
      the level of the retinal pigment epithelium and outer retina. The high repetition
      rate, pulsed frequency-doubled neodymium-YAG laser produced thermal tissue
      effects similar to the continuous wave argon green laser.

PMID- 1410838
TI  - Comparison of three permanent intraocular magnets.
AB  - A comparison was performed of three small-gauge, permanent, rare-earth,
      intraocular magnets to assist the posterior segment surgeon with the decision as
      to which magnet to purchase or to use in different clinical situations. The
      magnetic force was measured at varying distances from the instrument tip using a
      1/8-inch steel ball as the test object. There were small differences in magnetic
      strength between the three instruments that may have clinical significance in
      certain situations. Two of the instruments had a retractable magnet within an
      outer sleeve, allowing for controlled attraction and release of a magnetic
      foreign body by the surgeon.

PMID- 1410839
TI  - Retinal cartography. An analysis of two-dimensional and three-dimensional mapping
      of the retina.
AB  - The current two-dimensional (2D) retinal drawing chart is an azimuth equidistant
      representation of the retina. The distortion produced by this chart was analyzed
      and compared to other 2D projections, such as stereographic, equal area, and
      orthographic maps of the retina. Circumferential distortion was calculated for
      lesions at varying distances from the macula using the azimuth equidistant
      retinal map and was found to increase exponentially as a function of the distance
      from the macula. Circumferential distortion was 57.1% at the equator, 88.5% 3 mm
      anterior to the equator, and 137.8% 6 mm anterior to the equator. A three
      dimensional (3D) model of the retinal surface was created using 3D computer
      assisted design (CAD) software. This 3D model was able to represent retinal
      lesions such that their true size, shape, location, and orientation were all
      conserved. Retinal lesions could be viewed from multiple angles and examined in
      cross section. The use of 3D CAD software coupled with ultrasound or magnetic
      resonance imaging data has the potential to represent retinal lesions more
      accurately than current methods.

PMID- 1410840
TI  - Regional variation and control of cutaneous gas exchange in bullfrogs.
AB  - Previous work has demonstrated regional differences in morphometric diffusing
      capacity and cutaneous blood flow in anuran amphibians, leading to the prediction
      of a higher rate of cutaneous gas exchange across the dorsal skin of bullfrogs.
      Regionally measured cutaneous O2 and CO2 flux rates (MO2 and MCO2) support this
      prediction: flux rates across the dorsal skin are 15-32% greater than across the
      ventral skin in both pulmonary ventilating and apneic (anesthetized) bullfrogs.
      The rates of cutaneous gas exchange were much greater in anesthetized frogs;
      however, MO2 and MCO2 did not increase in parallel, which decreased the cutaneous
      respiratory exchange ratio from 3.5 to 2.0 in apneic frogs. Regional
      differentiation in cutaneous gas exchange suggests the possibility of independent
      regulation; however, cutaneous MCO2 varied little in response to changes in O2
      content above these regions, neither in the anesthetized nor awake bullfrogs. The
      bullfrogs are able to increase whole body cutaneous gas flux during prolonged
      apnea but were not able to respond to changes in local O2 content.

PMID- 1410841
TI  - Effects of analysis method and forcing waveform on measurement of respiratory
      mechanics.
AB  - The respiratory system has been shown to exhibit nonlinear mechanical properties
      in the frequency (f) range of normal breathing, manifested by tidal volume (Vt)
      dependence. Calculations of respiratory system resistance (R) and elastance (E)
      from pressure-flow measurements during external forcing at a given f may be
      ambiguous, especially if non-sinusoidal forcing waveforms are used. We evaluated
      the degree to which R and E depended upon: (1) analysis method (Fourier
      transform, multiple regression and pressure-volume loop analysis) and; (2) shape
      of the forcing waveform (sinusoidal, quasi-sinusoidal and step). We measured
      pressure and flow at the mouth of 5 healthy, awake subjects, relaxed at
      functional residual capacity, during forcing with the three different waveforms
      in the normal range of f (0.2-0.6 Hz) and Vt (250-750 ml). During sinusoidal
      forcing, E and R were not affected by analysis method (P greater than 0.2). With
      Fourier transform and multiple regression, E was not affected by waveform shape
      (P greater than 0.05); with loop analysis, E was slightly (less than 10%) higher
      during quasi-sinusoidal and step forcing than during the sine (P less than 0.05).
      R was least affected by waveform shape with Fourier transform. We conclude that,
      in the f and Vt range of normal breathing: (1) respiratory system impedance is
      'quasi-linear,' i.e. despite dependencies of R and E on Vt, non-linearities are
      not large enough to restrict interpretation of R and E at a given f and Vt; (2)
      it may be possible to measure R and E using non-sinusoidal forcing waveforms
      available on most clinical ventilators, incurring only modest error.

PMID- 1410842
TI  - Inspiratory muscle activity during pulmonary edema in anesthetized dogs.
AB  - Pulmonary edema is known to induce a rapid and shallow breathing pattern.
      However, its effects on the level and pattern of distribution of motor activity
      to the respiratory muscles is unclear. In the present study we evaluated the
      effect of oleic acid induced pulmonary edema on the electrical activity of the
      inspiratory muscles (costal and crural diaphragm and parasternal and external
      intercostal muscles) in the dog, and related it to the transdiaphragmatic
      pressure and ventilatory parameters over the course of CO2 rebreathing. Pulmonary
      edema, reflected by a 7.1 +/- 0.6 wet to dry ratio, decreased lung compliance by
      57%, increased pulmonary shunt to 35%, and was associated with a rapid and
      shallow breathing pattern. When compared at equal levels of PCO2 during CO2
      rebreathing before and during edema, ventilation and mean inspiratory flow were
      increased only at lower levels of hypercapnia and their responses to increasing
      levels of PCO2 were significantly diminished during edema. Transdiaphragmatic
      pressures were elevated during edema as compared to control values. The rate of
      rise of the electrical activity of all inspiratory muscles increased
      significantly during edema at all levels of PCO2. Peak activity, however,
      remained unchanged, due to shortening of the inspiratory duration. The EMG
      responses to progressive hypercapnia were not affected by edema. Pulmonary edema
      did not change the pattern of breathing and neural output to the inspiratory
      muscles in vagotomized dogs. We conclude that stimulation of pulmonary
      proprioreceptors during edema increases neural output to all inspiratory muscles.
      The neural response to hypercapnia is not altered by edema, and is additive to
      the vagal input. The ventilatory response to CO2 is blunted during severe edema,
      due to alterations in lung mechanics.

PMID- 1410843
TI  - Menthol in the upper airway depresses ventilation in newborn dogs.
AB  - Upper airway cooling depresses ventilation in the newborn dog. Since airway
      cooling stimulates laryngeal cold receptors and inhibits laryngeal
      mechanoreceptors, the type of afferent ending responsible for this reflex cannot
      be easily identified. l-menthol, a specific stimulant of cold receptors in the
      absence of any cooling, has been used to ascertain the discrete role of upper
      airway cold receptors in this ventilatory depression. Experiments were carried
      out in 8 anesthetized 7-14-day-old dogs breathing through a tracheostomy with the
      upper airway functionally isolated. Constant flows of warm air (37 degrees C),
      with and without addition of l-menthol, and cold air (25 degrees C) were
      delivered through the upper airway in the expiratory direction. As compared to
      warm air trials, cold air and warm air + l-menthol trials greatly reduced
      ventilation (57.5 +/- 10.7% and 52.8 +/- 11.7% of control, respectively; P less
      than 0.01) mostly due to a prolongation of Te (291.2 +/- 106.4% and 339.2 +/-
      90.0%, respectively, P less than 0.01). Section of the superior laryngeal nerve
      abolished the response to cold air. However, a residual depressive effect of l
      menthol was still present in 3 of 5 animals and was abolished by nasal
      anesthesia, suggesting the involvement of nasal cold receptors. The results
      suggest that in the newborn dog stimulation of laryngeal cold receptors, without
      any concurrent inhibition of laryngeal mechanoreceptors, is a sufficient stimulus
      to cause respiratory depression.

PMID- 1410844
TI  - Hypoxia-induced ANP secretion in subjects susceptible to high-altitude pulmonary
      edema.
AB  - We investigated the effects of acute hypoxia (10% O2) on plasma level of atrial
      natriuretic peptide (ANP) and pulmonary hemodynamics in five subjects with a
      history of high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). Plasma renin activity and plasma
      levels of aldosterone, epinephrine and norepinephrine were also measured. The
      plasma ANP levels in HAPE-susceptible subjects rose significantly in response to
      10% O2 (from 34.8 +/- 5.4 to 51.4 +/- 7.3 pg.ml-1; P less than 0.05), not
      associated with any increase in either atrial pressure. Compared with six control
      subjects, the rise of ANP level was greater in HAPE-susceptible subjects (16.6 +/
      4.4 vs 3.9 +/- 1.2 pg.ml-1; P less than 0.05). There was a significant positive
      correlation between the rise of ANP level and the increase of pulmonary arterial
      pressure. No significant difference was observed in any of other hormonal
      responses to acute hypoxia between the two groups. We interpret these results as
      indicating that the ANP secretory response to acute hypoxia in HAPE-susceptible
      subjects, which is not mediated by an increase in atrial pressure, may be greater
      than that in nonsusceptible subjects in association with a greater pressor
      response of pulmonary circulation.

PMID- 1410845
TI  - Effect of increased metabolic rate on oxygen isotopic fractionation.
AB  - 16O16O is preferentially used over 18O16O (a stable isotope of oxygen comprising
      about 0.2% of atmospheric O2) as oxygen is consumed during respiration in humans
      (Epstein and Zeiri, 1988, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85: 1727-1731). To test the
      hypothesis that oxygen isotopic fractionation is related to the metabolic rate, 8
      healthy adults performed 5 min of constant work rate cycle ergometer exercise
      below and above their anaerobic threshold. Moreover, 3 subjects performed an
      incremental exercise to the limit of tolerance. Oxygen uptake (VO2) was measured
      breath by breath. Samples of the exhaled breath for oxygen isotope measurement
      were obtained at rest and at various times during exercise and recovery. Oxygen
      isotopic fractionation was determined by isotope ratio mass spectrometry and
      calculated as the ratio of the degree of fractionation to the oxygen consumed in
      the breath sample (Z value). For the constant work rate protocol, both low and
      high intensity exercise resulted in a significant decrease in Z compared to the
      rest values (P less than 0.01). However, for the high intensity exercise the
      reduction in fractionation was greater compared to the low intensity protocol (P
      less than 0.05). For the incremental test, there was a significant negative
      correlation between oxygen isotopic fractionation and VO2 expressed as percent of
      the maximal oxygen uptake (r = -0.91, P less than 0.0001). These data suggest
      that during exercise low-fractionating processes become more important as
      limiting steps for O2 transport.

PMID- 1410846
TI  - Uneven perfusion within single cat muscles: nitric oxide and citrate synthase
      play no role.
AB  - There is an unexplained, marked regional heterogeneity in perfusion within single
      skeletal muscles both in dogs and rabbits. We asked if a similar distribution of
      perfusion was present within cat muscles. If present, we wanted to assess the
      possible roles of nitric oxide (NO) mediated vasodilation and citrate synthase
      (CS) activity for the regulation of this perfusion pattern. Perfusion was
      determined in 0.25 g regions within the gastrocnemius muscles by trapping of
      microspheres. We studied awake or anesthetized cats before and during inhibition
      of NO-formation using N-monomethyl-L-arginine. The CS activity was determined in
      homogenates of these regions. The coefficient of variation corrected for the
      Poisson distribution of microspheres (CVc) for the regional perfusion averaged
      0.39. Despite a 25% reduction in perfusion to the whole muscles as compared to
      control, the uneven distribution of perfusion was not affected by blocking NO
      formation. Regional perfusion was not correlated to regional CS activity. Even if
      the regional distribution of CS activity also showed a scatter, mean coefficient
      of variation corrected for methodological error = 0.20, it was markedly less than
      that for perfusion. We conclude that neither NO vasodilation nor CS activity play
      an important role in the regulation of the regional perfusion pattern within
      single cat muscles.

PMID- 1410847
TI  - Liquid volume, Na+ and mannitol concentration in a hypertonic mannitol-Ringer
      hydrothorax.
AB  - In anesthetised rabbits with a 2 ml hypertonic mannitol-Ringer hydrothorax in the
      right space 30 mM/L mannitol were required for an unchanged volume of the
      hydrothorax after 60 min. [Na+] in the pleural liquid 10, 30 and 60 min after
      this hydrothorax was 8, 7 and 5 mEq/L, respectively, lower (P less than 0.01)
      than the initial one and that in a Ringer-hydrothorax. This seems due to the
      active transport of Na+ out of the pleural space followed by little water because
      of the osmotic pressure exerted by mannitol. This finding provides further
      evidence for an active transport without using inhibitors, and implies that the
      mesothelium offers an appreciable resistance to small solute diffusion. Mannitol
      concentration, measured at corresponding times from the activity of labeled
      mannitol, was 76, 68 and 56%, respectively, of the initial one (24.5 mM/L). From
      30 to 60 min 6.5 microM of mannitol left the right space mainly by diffusion. The
      diffusional permeability of the mesothelium was indirectly assessed from the
      diffusional outflux of mannitol, the surface of the pleural space, and an
      estimate of mannitol concentration in the interstitium next to the mesothelium:
      it is smaller than that found in vitro.

PMID- 1410848
TI  - Lung growth in newborn guinea pigs: effects of endurance exercise.
AB  - Newborn Hartley albino guinea pigs were exercised daily on a rodent treadmill at
      25 m/min, 0 degree grade for a maximum of 1 1/2 h. Groups were exercised for 1, 2
      and 3 weeks. Controls were age-matched sedentary animals. A separate group of
      animals was sacrificed after 12 h of life to establish baseline lung growth data.
      A morphological and biochemical comparison was made between the lungs of
      exercised and sedentary animals. No effect of exercise on lung growth was
      observed. After 2 weeks of exercise animals had diminished somatic growth
      compared to the controls. The data was pooled from exercised and control guinea
      pigs at 1 and 3 weeks, at which time there were no differences, in order to
      obtain normal growth data. The only change between 0 week and 1 week was a slight
      increase in femur length. Between 1 week (and also 0 week) and 3 weeks there were
      significant increases in lung volume, lung weight, protein content, inter
      alveolar wall distance, mean chord length of alveoli and ducts, and gas
      exchanging surface area. The guinea pig lung is well alveolated at birth and
      there was no evidence of subsequent alveolar multiplication. Enlargement of
      airspaces suggested that lung growth was primarily brought about by dilation. The
      lack of alveolar multiplication following exercise may be due to the fact the
      alveoli are fully developed at birth.

PMID- 1410849
TI  - Pathophysiology and management of anemia in chronic progressive renal failure.
AB  - Hypoproliferative anemia is a predictable and serious complication of progressive
      renal failure and contributes significantly to the overall morbidity of the
      uremic state. Until recently, there has been no satisfactory therapy to resolve
      the anemia. Now the anemia can be explicitly corrected with erythropoietin
      replacement therapy, and the clinical debility generally attributable to renal
      insufficiency can be lessened and retarded. Anemia must no longer be regarded as
      an intractable consequence of the uremic syndrome and should be managed as
      conscientiously as the other polysystemic features of uremia.

PMID- 1410850
TI  - Status of renal transplantation in the 1990s.

PMID- 1410851
TI  - Glomerulonephritis.

PMID- 1410852
TI  - Chronic renal disease and potassium depletion in cats.

PMID- 1410853
TI  - Nephrocalcinosis caused by hyperparathyroidism in progression of renal failure:
      treatment with calcitriol.
AB  - Nephrocalcinosis is accepted to contribute to the progression of renal failure.
      We have reviewed evidence that nephrocalcinosis is caused directly by the excess
      parathyroid hormone produced in renal disease. Evidence that hyperparathyroidism
      in uremic patients results from calcitriol deficiency and the mechanisms by which
      this comes about have been discussed. We have shown that renal secondary
      hyperparathyroidism can be eliminated or substantially reduced without increasing
      blood calcium using a low-dosage regimen of calcitriol. Decreasing PTH
      concentrations to or near normal alleviates this hormone's toxicity to many
      organs, including the kidneys. Potential benefits for the uremic patient include
      an increase in the quality and length of life. Calcitriol treatment provides a
      powerful means to reduce PTH concentration in uremic patients that may not be
      achieved with other methods. Further prospective clinical studies of uremic dogs
      and cats are warranted to document preservation of renal function and histology
      during calcitriol treatments.

PMID- 1410854
TI  - Hypertension and chronic renal failure.

PMID- 1410855
TI  - High dietary protein intake does not cause progressive renal failure in dogs
      after 75% nephrectomy or aging.

PMID- 1410856
TI  - Dietary protein restriction: some unanswered questions.

PMID- 1410857
TI  - The influence of dietary protein intake on progression of chronic renal failure
      in dogs.

PMID- 1410858
TI  - The role of HLA matching for cadaveric renal transplants in the cyclosporine era.

PMID- 1410859
TI  - Antilymphocyte antibodies in the treatment of allograft rejection: targets,
      mechanisms of action, monitoring, and efficacy.

PMID- 1410860
TI  - The goal of specific immunologic unresponsiveness in clinical kidney
      transplantation.

PMID- 1410861
TI  - Clinical immunosuppressive regimens and clinical results in renal
      transplantation.

PMID- 1410862
TI  - Patient and renal allograft survival in the late posttransplant period.
AB  - Finding the proper balance between too much and not enough immunosuppression is
      just as important in the late posttransplant period as it is during the first
      year after transplantation. In general, too much immunosuppression leads to an
      increase in patient mortality, whereas inadequate immunosuppression can lead to
      an inordinately high rate of allograft failure (Fig 5). In the late
      posttransplant period, patient and allograft survival are both critically
      dependent on the degree of immunosuppression and on the long-term side effects of
      the agents used to achieve this immunosuppression. Adequate immunosuppression is
      important in treating and preventing the acute allograft rejection episodes that
      are common during the first year after transplantation (Fig 6). Some data suggest
      that the severity of early acute rejection episodes may influence the development
      of chronic rejection, the most common cause of graft failure in the late
      posttransplant period. Otherwise, the role of immunosuppression in treating and
      preventing chronic rejection is unclear. The discontinuation of immunosuppression
      by noncompliant patients is a major cause of late graft failure. Whether the
      nephrotoxicity of CsA will also result in graft failure in the very late
      posttransplant period is still unknown. The agents used to achieve
      immunosuppression, along with decreased graft function and proteinuria,
      contribute to hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia. These and
      other risk factors have a negative impact on both graft and patient survival.
      Thus, immunosuppression is directly, or indirectly linked to most of the common
      causes of death and graft failure after renal transplantation. Although potent
      new immunosuppression protocols have increased the rate of short-term patient and
      allograft survival after renal transplantation, future advances in long-term
      survival after renal transplantation will depend on improvements that are
      effective in the late posttransplant period. Currently, the best approach to
      preventing complications in the late posttransplant period is to maintain a
      vigilant, comprehensive program of on-going medical care. The minimal amount of
      immunosuppression required to prevent allograft rejection should be used, while
      adhering to the principle that it is better to lose the graft than to lose the
      patient.

PMID- 1410863
TI  - Clinical approach to viral and fungal infections in the renal transplant patient.

PMID- 1410864
TI  - Circulating immune complexes in renal injury.

PMID- 1410865
TI  - T cells and macrophages and their role in renal injury.

PMID- 1410866
TI  - The role of the complement system in renal injury.

PMID- 1410868
TI  - Eicosanoids in immune-mediated renal injury.

PMID- 1410867
TI  - Cytokines and growth factors in renal injury.

PMID- 1410870
TI  - [Non parenchymatous cells of the liver and viral infection].

PMID- 1410869
TI  - [Prevention of infectious endocarditis].

PMID- 1410871
TI  - [Bone localizations disclosing Hodgkin's disease. Apropos of 11 cases].
AB  - The authors report 11 cases of Hodgkin's disease in which the first sign was due
      to bone involvement. Such observations are rare and raise diagnosis delays
      (Means: 5, 6 months in this series). Modern medical imaging techniques
      (scintigraphy, CT scan, magnetic resonance imaging) are very useful to an earlier
      diagnosis which will be better confirmed by lymph node biopsy given the poor
      information yielded by osseous cytology and/or histology. The elective
      localisation in bones belonging to the axial skeleton seems to support the
      hypothesis of a contiguous osseous involvement from lymphoid organs in contact
      with bones. Evolution with chemotherapy and radiotherapy is very similar to that
      observed in patients without bone involvement.

PMID- 1410872
TI  - [Cost effectiveness of Doppler-echocardiography in the diagnosis of deep venous
      thrombosis of the lower limbs. Theoretical calculation from a prospective series
      of 511 patients].
AB  - The management of deep venous thrombosis has non-negligible financial
      implications due not only to the high frequency of clinical suspicion--and
      therefore to the methods used a positive diagnosis--but also to the overall cost
      of management. To evaluate the expenditure incurred for the diagnostic tests, 511
      patients suspected of deep venous lower limb thrombosis were examined clinically,
      then by Duplex ultrasonography combined with plethysmography. Whenever a
      suspected phlebitis was detected by this method, or at random if it was not,
      phlebography was performed. The 185 phlebography/ultrasonography comparisons
      enabled us to extrapolate the results obtained to all 511 patients and thus to
      compare the theoretical cost of 4 decisional algorithms according to the
      diagnostic criteria utilized. Our conclusions were as follows: the clinical
      diagnosis alone is not cost-effective, whereas Duplex ultrasonography is reliable
      and, compared with phlebography, saves more than 1,500,000 francs per year,
      including 1,000,000 francs saved on the global hospital budget in France.
      Phlebography used in each proximal venous thrombosis for accurate localization of
      the upper end of the clot does not significantly increase the cost: the annual
      savings on systematic phlebography are still above 1,200,000 francs, including
      800,000 francs to the benefit of public hospitals.

PMID- 1410873
TI  - ["New cytology" and diagnosis of malignant tumors].
AB  - Cytology is an old method of diagnosis: it is the microscopical observation of
      cells in the aim of their identification, of the recognition of morphological
      abnormalities to obtain diagnosis or prognosis informations. During the last 20
      years, new technics have been developed: 1) Immunocytochemistry permits the
      identification of the tissue or the organ of which a tumoral cell population is
      born, the determination of its stage of differentiation, its kinetic and the
      diagnosis of bone marrow or lymph node metastasis. 2) With in situ molecular
      biology, it becomes possible to detect, at the cell level, virus, oncogenes or
      chromosomic abnormalities. 3) Flow and image cytometry are easy means for DNA
      content determination and for an objective and reproducible cell definition. None
      of these methods are able, at this time, to replace the cytological analysis, but
      they are useful, sometimes necessary, for the diagnosis and the prognosis
      evaluation of malignancy.

PMID- 1410874
TI  - [Diagnosis of muscular intolerance during exercise caused by enzyme deficiency in
      adults].
AB  - The exertional muscle pain syndrome in adults is expressed by recurrent episodes
      of pain and/or episodes of acute rhabdomyolysis, sometimes with transient
      myoglobinuria or even acute renal failure. The enzymatic origin of this syndrome
      is suggested by a familial history, by its usual onset during childhood or
      adolescence, and by its recurrent attacks usually, but not exclusively, caused by
      exercise. The aetiological diagnosis, suggested by the clinical context and some
      dynamic tests, is almost always based on good histological and biochemical
      examinations of the muscle biopsy.

PMID- 1410875
TI  - [Lymphedema: is there a treatment?].
AB  - More than hundred medical treatments for lymphedema have been described. This
      very high number shows the evidence of difficulties: lymphatics are very small
      vessels, under low pression and velocity respondent to spontaneous quiet
      lymphatic contractions. The treatments can be listed in 3 groups: 1)
      physiotherapeutic methods, increasing lymphatic flow: cold, field stimulation,
      manual lymph drainage, intermittent compression, heat; 2) drugs: venous agents
      (flavone, benzo-pyrone), and intraarterial lymphocytes injection, promoting
      lymphatic flow or increasing normal proteolysis by macrophages in order to remove
      trapped proteins from interstitial fluid; 3) surgical procedures subdivided in 2
      groups: excisional techniques and bridging drainage techniques; radical or
      partial excision removes involved subcutaneous tissue, recently by the way of
      liposuction; Efforts to drain lymphedema by subcutaneous implants, pedical flaps,
      myocutaneous flaps, omental transposition and intestinal flaps are historical.
      Microsurgical lymphatic anastomosis to vein (nodo-venous then lymphovenous), and
      to lymphatic themselves are now performed: lymphatic collectors or venous
      autografts are interpositioned to by-pass lymphatic blockade with end-to end
      anastomosis. The free transplantation of a lymphatic flap with its own
      vascularisation from healthy inguinal nodes to axillary blockade is the last
      described procedure. Lymphatic anastomosis are not needed. Actually,
      physiotherapy is always first indicated. Benzo-pyrones are additive drugs.
      Excisional procedures concern monstruous lymphedema. Microsurgical bridging
      procedures can be attempted only for secondary lymphedemas. They could be of
      benefit if physiotherapy and elastic bandages, stockings or sleeves, could then
      be avoided. Studies assessing independently the efficiency of each procedure are
      needed.

PMID- 1410876
TI  - [Involvement of central nervous system disclosing Waldenstrom's disease:
      demonstration of intrathecal secretion of immunoglobulin M].
AB  - We report the case of a 68-year old woman complaining of disorders of memory and
      persistent headaches in whom the diagnosis of Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia
      (WM) was made. Computerized tomography of the brain showed a butterfly-shaped
      hyperdensity in the splenium of the corpus callosum, with ventricular dilatation.
      Magnetic resonance imaging displayed high-intensity signals on T2-weighted
      sequences. Protein immunoelectrophoresis elicited an IgM kappa peak. The CSF was
      found to contain proteins and lymphocytes in excess, and immunohistochemical
      staining confirmed the predominance of anti-kappa and the presence of intrathecal
      IgM secretion. Chemotherapy was temporarily effective on the memory disorders,
      but the patient died 26 months after the beginning of treatment. Central nervous
      system manifestations are seldom observed in WM, and they are now grouped under
      the name of Bing-Neel syndrome. Psychic disorders are rarely reported. It is
      suggested that IgM secretion plays a predominant role in the pathogenesis of
      leucoencephalitis, and this is supported by the finding of intrathecal IgM
      synthesis.

PMID- 1410878
TI  - [Constrictive pericarditis in severe seronegative rheumatoid polyarthritis].
AB  - Constrictive pericarditis is a rare complication of rheumatoid arthritis, with 78
      published cases. We report a new typical case where the pericardial disease was
      associated with a severe seronegative rheumatoid arthritis of 17 years duration.
      Constrictive pericarditis generally occurs in men (62.8% of all cases) aged 52.4
      +/- 11.5 years. Its clinical features are identical with those of constrictive
      pericarditis due to other causes. Diagnosis rests on echocardiography and,
      chiefly, on right heart catheterization. The arthritis is seropositive in 85.7%
      of the cases, frequently nodular (75%) and advanced. There is no relation between
      its duration (mean: 9.6 +/- 7.4 years) and the occurrence of the pericardial
      pathology. The pericardial fluid has no specific abnormality. Histology shows
      fibrosis and a non-specific inflammatory cell infiltrate. Immunoglobulin and
      complement deposits in the walls of the pericardial vessels are detected by
      immunofluorescence. The only treatment is pericardiectomy; without it the disease
      is constantly lethal.

PMID- 1410877
TI  - [Rhabdomyolysis caused by simvastatinin a patient following heart transplantation
      and cyclosporine therapy].
AB  - Hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors are cholesterol
      lowering agents which may induce rhabdomyolysis. The authors present a case of
      rhabdomyolysis attributed to simvastatin in a heart-transplant recipient. They
      stress the probability of a dose-dependent muscular toxicity and the risk of
      overdosage in patients already under treatment with drugs that interfere with the
      pharmacokinetics of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, notably ciclosporine.

PMID- 1410879
TI  - [Role of polyols in the development of diabetic complications. Value of aldose
      reductase inhibitors].
AB  - The evidence of sorbitol excess in the crystalline lens of alloxan-diabetic rats
      has led to anticipate the role of the enzyme aldose-reductase in the pathogenesis
      of the diabetic cataract. In addition, a number of experimental works have more
      recently shown the involvement of myoinositol deficiency, which probably results
      from the sorbitol accumulation. These metabolic pathways are most likely
      implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy and perhaps additionally in
      that of microangiopathy. The synthesis of several aldose-reductase inhibitors (AR
      inhibitors) confirmed experimentally these hypothesis. By reducing the activity
      of the enzyme aldose-reductase, these substances suppress the adverse metabolic
      consequences of polyol accumulation, myositol deficiency and dysfunction of the
      Na+/K+ ATPase dependent sodium activity. Although different experimentations
      showed that the AR inhibitors could prevent in animals the development of
      experimental cataract as well as the early functional or later anatomic
      abnormalities of the diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy, the clinical trials
      did not clearly support these experimental results in humans. On the other hand,
      the AR inhibitors were proved to exhibit some efficacy in the early stage of
      diabetic neuropathy and in incipient nephropathy where they delay the development
      of albustix positive proteinuria. However, the benefit of an early treatment with
      AR inhibitors should be confirmed by long term prospective studies, which could
      also assess the safety of these drugs in chronic administration.

PMID- 1410880
TI  - [Apropos of the treatment of hypercalcemia].

PMID- 1410881
TI  - [Symptomatic hypercalcemia: a therapeutic emergency].

PMID- 1410882
TI  - [The glucagonoma syndrome. 3 new cases].
AB  - We report three new cases of glucagonoma revealed, 6 to 12 months after its
      onset, by non-specific and misleading skin lesions associated in all 3 cases with
      diabetes mellitus, severe deterioration of the general condition and
      hyperglucagonaemia. Non-invasive methods, such as ultrasonography and
      computerized tomography (CT), are most helpful to locate the pancreatic tumour.
      Phlebography with tiered venous blood sampling is useful in difficult cases. A
      false positive result has been recorded with arteriography. Ultrasonography and
      CT have yielded two false negative results. The alpha-chain of the chorionic
      gonadotrophin hormone has limited value in the diagnosis of malignant
      glucagonoma. Treatment is surgical, but despite it, the prognosis is severe (two
      of our three patients died), due to the risk of thromboembolism, to cachexia and
      to metastases that are frequent at the time of diagnosis.

PMID- 1410883
TI  - [Identification of overtreated hypertension with statistical analysis of 100
      consecutive ambulatory blood pressure monitoring].
AB  - The data obtained from 100 consecutive ambulatory blood pressure (BP) recordings
      performed in treated hypertensive patients (60 men, 40 women, mean age 52 +/- 14
      years) were analysed to make a choice between several possible definitions of
      overtreatment and to evaluate the prevalence of patients thus defined as
      overtreated. Recordings were studied over two periods: diurnal from 9 a.m. to 7
      p.m. (100 patients, 37 +/- 5 measurements/patient), and nocturnal from 11 p.m. to
      7 a.m. (98 patients, 19 +/- 2 measurements/patient). The patients were first
      classified on the basis of reference ambulatory BP values according to sex and
      age. Subnormal levels were found in 25 patients for diurnal SBP, 25 for nocturnal
      SBP, 13 for diurnal DBP and 33 for nocturnal DBP. Several criteria of
      overtreatment were then tested, based on the percentile method and on the number
      of subnormal values: the median DBP was below the 30th reference percentile in 16
      patients, and the percentage of subnormal DBP values was above 80% in 18
      patients. Clinically, there was little to differentiate these patients from the
      rest of the population treated. The goal of treatment which, in terms of BP
      values, is to normalize the ambulatory BP was therefore overshot in 1 out of 5 or
      6 patients depending on the criteria adopted. The significance and consequences
      of overtreatment cannot yet be evaluated.

PMID- 1410884
TI  - [How to understand mechanisms of metastases].
AB  - The dissemination of malignant cells is the result of successive and complex
      biological steps. In most cases, physiopathological observations can explain the
      different cases of metastatic spread observed in clinical oncology. Our knowledge
      of the biological mechanisms involved in tumoral dissemination is poor. However,
      recent data have disclosed cellular modifications associated with malignant
      spread: these observations concern physiopathological aspects of the cytoplasmic
      membrane of malignant cells, their interconnexion with the stroma of tumors, the
      characterisation of new genes involved in tumoral progression and viral oncogenic
      mechanisms involved in cervical neoplasia. These data will yield biological
      parameters of potential value in assessing the metastatic risk of malignant
      tumors at the time of diagnosis. In the near future, it should be possible to
      more accurately select patients for antitumoral therapy and to achieve a better
      understanding of the cellular mechanisms involved in tumoral progression.

PMID- 1410885
TI  - [Identification of persons with high risk of venous thrombosis].
AB  - The aim of identification of patients with high risk of deep venous thrombosis is
      a selective and more efficiency prophylaxis. Deficiencies of coagulation
      inhibiting and fibrinolytic proteins are implicated in less than 10% of patients.
      However there are several clinical situations with an increased risk of
      thrombosis. Thus the characterization of blood abnormalities as screening tests
      for the diagnosis of patients at risk is an important goal.

PMID- 1410886
TI  - [Renovascular hypertension: diagnostic and therapeutic strategy].
AB  - Investigations for renal artery stenosis have been greatly facilitated by
      advances in imaging techniques. Intravenous digital subtraction angiography is
      now performed in all patients with progressive, drug-resistant hypertension
      associated with aorto-iliac lesions or with renal impairment induced by
      angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. Yet the finding of hypertension with
      renal artery stenosis is not enough to make the diagnosis of renovascular
      hypertension, this term being reserved to hypertension reversible by
      revascularization. The selection of patients who may benefit from
      revascularization rests on urography to explore the excretory and endocrine
      functions of the ischaemic kidney, as well as on scintigraphy and measurement of
      renin levels in renal veins before and after administration of captopril. The
      functional data are completed by vascular exploration which helps in evaluating
      the usefulness and safety of revascularization: repercussions of hypertension on
      target organs and extension of the vascular disease to other territories.
      Revascularization as first-line treatment consists of percutaneous transluminal
      dilatation; surgery must be reserved to difficult cases, such as arterial
      obliteration or failed dilatation.

PMID- 1410887
TI  - [Infertility in a couple. Focus on the different techniques of medically assisted
      procreation].
AB  - In view of the advent of effective medically assisted procreation (MAP)
      techniques, it is now more necessary than ever to use the most strict and
      systematized methods in the management of couples who consult for infertility.
      The authors present the modalities of this management and review the present MAP
      techniques which are all based on bringing together the gametes in an optimal
      environment conditioned by the clinical situation of the couple. The main results
      obtained are presented under the headings: percentage of success, multiple
      pregnancies prevention policy and future of the children.

PMID- 1410889
TI  - [Apropos of 2 cases of Scedosporium apiospermum nasosinusal infection].
AB  - We report two cases of nasosinusal infection caused by Scedosporium apiospermum
      and involving the nasal fossa in one case and the maxillary sinus in the other.
      The course of the disease varied according to the patient's immune status. The
      otherwise healthy patient (case n. 1) was completely cured by surgery, whereas
      the immunosuppressed patient (case n. 2) had local extension with pseudotumoral
      symptoms and lysis of the inter-sinusonasal septum; an early surgical treatment
      combined with local administration of a specific antifungal agent resulted in an
      apparent cure, but the patient died a few months later. A review of the
      literature confirms the invasive potential of this fungus which in
      immunosuppressed patients (by therapeutic immunosuppressants or by a debilitating
      disease) becomes a dangerous opportunistic organism. Cultures on Sabouraud's
      medium provide an accurate diagnosis and enable antifungal drugs to be tested,
      miconazole being the most regularly effective of them. In healthy subjects
      surgery is the sole treatment of nasal or sinusal lesions, while in all
      immunocompromised patients it must be combined with an antifungal treatment.

PMID- 1410888
TI  - [Pulmonary metastasis of meningioma of the falx cerebri].
AB  - We report the case of a woman who had been operated upon for a recurrent
      meningioma of the falx cerebri which, 22 years after it was discovered, produced
      pulmonary metastases. Metastases from meningiomas are extremely rare; they affect
      the lungs in 60% of the cases or, less frequently, the liver or lymph nodes. The
      factors predictive of secondary dissemination are the site of the tumour, the
      quality of excision, the histological type (haemangiopericytic meningioma) and
      the presence of cell necrosis, hypercellularity and strong mitotic activity.

PMID- 1410890
TI  - [Myopathy in adults caused by acid maltase deficiency. A trial of treatment with
      high protein diet].
AB  - A 21-year old women with rhizomelic muscular deficit and signs of hypercapnia
      developed acute respiratory failure. Laboratory tests revealed high creatine
      kinase activity, and electromyograms showed myogenic patterns with a few myotonic
      discharges. Biopsy of the quadriceps muscle elicited major vacuolar myopathy with
      glycogen overload. Acid maltase activity was undetectable in muscular tissue.
      After 7 months on high-protein diet (1540 calories, 37% proteins) there was no
      clinical or biochemical improvement. The other published cases of acid maltase
      deficiency treated with high-protein diet are discussed.

PMID- 1410891
TI  - [Association of IgA linear dermatitis and non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma].
AB  - The association between linear IgA dermatosis and neoplasia has been the subject
      of several publications which suggest that the association is not fortuitous. We
      report a new case in which a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was associated with a linear
      IgA dermatosis and underline the need for full evaluation in search of an
      associated neoplasia. However, the neoplasia-LAD association is not a true
      paraneoplastic syndrome since the two pathologies seldom follow a parallel
      course.

PMID- 1410892
TI  - [Homologies between membrane proteins result in expected or unexpected relations
      between neuromuscular and erythrocyte diseases].
AB  - The advances achieved in biochemistry and molecular genetics have made it
      possible to demonstrate that the membrane proteins of the erythrocytes belong to
      protein "families" that are present in most cell membranes and share remarkable
      structural and functional homologies. Abnormalities of erythrocyte membrane
      proteins might then totally or partially reflect lesions of other cell membranes
      that are intrinsically more severe than those of the erythrocytes. Examples of
      these physiopathogenetic links can be found in congenital diseases where muscular
      and erythrocytic pathologies coexist. Such are: (1) choreaacanthocytosis
      supported by molecular abnormalities of the so-called band 3 protein or anion
      channel; (2) Mac Leod syndrome by deficiency of a membrane protein precursor of
      Kell antigens; (3) some cases of hereditary spherocytosis associated with
      qualitative and quantitative ankyrin alterations. Yet, despite the homologies
      that are known to exist between spectrin and dystrophin, all attempts to use
      spectrin analysis as marker of Duchenne-Becker muscular dystrophy have met with
      complete failure, which shows that at this early stage one should refrain from
      drawing firm physiopathological conclusions from the available data.

PMID- 1410894
TI  - [Intravascular hemolytic anemia resulting from a dystrophic mitral valve].

PMID- 1410893
TI  - [Intravenous immunoglobulins and anti-idiotypic suppression of auto-immunity].
AB  - This review summarizes the clinical use of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) in
      autoimmune diseases and focuses on the mechanisms by which IVIg suppress
      autoimmune responses. Evidence is presented of a role of IVIg in modulating the
      regulatory function of the idiotypic network on the expression of the natural and
      pathological autoimmune repertoires.

PMID- 1410895
TI  - [Orphan drugs: the American model].

PMID- 1410896
TI  - [Lipids and lipoproteins in chronic alcoholism. Outcome after alcohol
      withdrawal].
AB  - The plasma lipids and lipoproteins changes observed in chronic alcoholic subjects
      and their modifications after cessation of drinking were studied in 379 patients
      admitted for alcohol withdrawal. The modifications were evaluated after one month
      (n = 348), 6 months (n = 56) and one year (n = 29) of abstinence. A significant
      decrease of HDL-cholesterol and apo A-I levels was noted after one year. HDL
      cholesterol, apo A-I and apo B showed a biphasic variation with significant post
      withdrawal changes which became less pronounced after 6 months of abstinence. The
      authors insist on the need for a prolonged post-withdrawal monitoring of plasma
      lipoproteins and apolipoproteins levels to evaluate the consequences of cessation
      of major chronic alcohol abuse. This study shows that the variations of plasma
      lipids and lipoproteins levels observed in heavy drinkers are similar to those
      observed in moderate drinkers, whereas the incidence of cardiovascular diseases
      seems to be higher in the former than in the latter.

PMID- 1410897
TI  - [Retrospective study of 594 HIV-1 seropositive patients seen in 8 hospitals of
      western Paris].
AB  - This multicenter retrospective study concerns 594 cases of HIV-1 positive
      patients. The majority were asymptomatic. Some had Aids-related complex and some
      had AIDS. They were all seen in seven hospitals of the western outskirts of Paris
      and in one Paris hospital between 1983 and 1988. There was a predominance of
      homosexuals and of cases of AIDS in the center of Paris. Intravenous (IV) drug
      users and asymptomatic cases were more numerous in the city outskirts, a
      reflection of the populations at risk around each hospital. The proportion of
      cases of AIDS was lower among IV drug users than among homosexuals or bisexuals
      probably due to the fact that the viral infection was discovered at an earlier
      stage in a population contaminated at a later date or to the tendency to ask for
      the test "systematically" in drug addicts. 22% of the cases were women with a sex
      ratio of 3.5. HIV infection was attributed to use of intravenous drugs in 51% and
      to heterosexual transmission in 18% of the women. But the incidence of
      heterosexual transmission increased significantly, essentially in women. Overall,
      the incidence of infection by the HIV 1 has decreased since 1986. A number of
      recent publications seem to indicate the same tendency. But this fundamental
      observation remains to be validated by further studies. The yearly incidence of
      AIDS increases. The 5 year calculated actuarial rate of probability of remaining
      asymptomatic decreased to 40% in 385 initially asymptomatic patients.

PMID- 1410898
TI  - [Death in Horton disease. Prognostic factors].
AB  - The authors reported causes of death and searched for prognosis factors in Giant
      Cell Arteritis (GCA). The diagnosis was confirmed by temporal biopsy in all
      cases. Fourteen patients died during treatment; thirty-six patients had
      completely recovered (follow up > 6 months after withdrawal of steroid therapy).
      The commonest causes of death were cardiovascular (n = 7) and digestive (n = 4);
      they occurred after an average of 195 days of treatment, half of them during the
      first three months. One death was due to GCA (autopsy) and five deaths were
      attributed to the treatment with corticosteroids. The prognosis factors were
      searched for by comparing age, sex, clinical signs, laboratory data before
      treatment, past medical history in the both series; further more initial dose of
      Prednisone and the dose after 180 days of steroid therapy were compared in the
      two groups. The adverse prognosis factors revealed by this study were: advanced
      age (p < 0.01), previous ischaemic heart disease (p < 0.05) and higher dose of
      corticosteroids administered at 6 months of treatment (< 0.01).

PMID- 1410899
TI  - [Hand disorders in pianists].
AB  - During the past 10 years numerous studies have been devoted to the pathology of
      musicians. A few of these studies exclusively concern pianists. From a
      questionnaire filled and returned by 44 pianists we were able to determine the
      type and frequency of the symptoms encountered. Pain and stiffness are the
      principal symptoms, the 4th and 5th fingers being those most affected. Three
      pathologies predominate in the literature: overuse syndrome, entrapment
      neuropathy and functional dystonia. The often long and difficult curative
      treatment rests on rehabilitation. Training in the fundamental postures the
      pianists must adopt should enable them to reduce the occurrence of these
      pathologies.

PMID- 1410900
TI  - [Current aspects of paraneoplastic acute polyarthritis].
AB  - Paraneoplastic acute polyarthritis (PAP) is a recognized rheumatological entity
      with semeiological features that are based only on a few published cases. We
      thought that it would be of interest to review the literature and present the
      current characteristics of PAP, taking into account only those cases where the
      acute polyarthritis and a neoplastic disease followed parallel courses. The
      clinical manifestations of PAP are extremely varied, making it difficult to
      distinguish this disease from some forms of rheumatoid arthritis, the RS3 PE
      syndrome or polymyalgia rheumatica. Clinicians must be vigilant when they are
      faced with a particularly progressive acute polyarthritis in a patient aged over
      60, and particularly when this patient's general condition is altered and when
      fever and a clear-cut inflammatory syndrome are present. In such circumstances,
      it is mandatory to investigate for an underlying neoplasia.

PMID- 1410901
TI  - [Inflammatory neuropathies].
AB  - Inflammatory neuropathy is the term used for all neuropathies associated with an
      inflammatory infiltrate of the nerves and/or nerve roots. Broadly speaking, there
      are two types of inflammatory neuropathies: those caused by an identified
      infectious agent, and those of uncertain origin for which an autoimmune process
      is usually blamed. Among the neuropathies of infective origin, leprosy is the
      most important owing to its frequency and to the physiopathological and
      therapeutic problems it still poses to clinicians and researchers, since the form
      and severity of nerve lesions depend on cellular immunity to the bacillus'
      antigen rather than on the bacillus itself. Retroviral infections, caused by the
      virus of AIDS more than by the virus of tropical spastic paraplegia, are
      responsible for numerous neuropathies the mechanisms of which are discussed here.
      The principal inflammatory neuropathies of uncertain origin are polyradiculitis
      and its different forms, and the heterogeneous group of neuropathies associated
      with Sjogren's syndrome.

PMID- 1410902
TI  - [Epidemiology and clinical aspects of imported tropical diseases].
AB  - The number of people travelling of the tropical countries is in constant
      progression and today represents about 5% of the population of the developed
      countries. Mortality is mainly accidental. Morbidity essentially concerns
      transmissible diseases. Diarrhoeal symptoms occur in 20-55% of travellers, are
      bacterial in 2 cases out of 3, and can be prevented. Cholera should soon have an
      efficient oral vaccine. Hepatitis A is frequent in some travellers (2-3%) and can
      be prevented by vaccination. Hepatitis E is beginning to be observed.
      Strongyloidiasis can in some cases evolve to serious complications; it may be
      latent, so should be sought systematically after any visit to the tropics. Most
      affections on returning to the industrialised world concern paludism of the
      Plasmodium falciparum type, leading to a still high mortality rate of 400 per
      year in Europe, while the preventive and curative means available are sufficient.
      Any fever should therefore be suspected and suitable treatment given. Other
      causes of fever are acute viral hepatitis, typhoid fever, the arboviroses, and
      numerous other conditions. Dermatoses represent the third reason for consultation
      on returning. These mainly concern pruriginous symptoms with filariases and
      abnormal hosts being evidenced. Furunculous lesions indicate a diagnosis of
      cutaneous leishmaniosis or myases. Any form of pruritus should suggest a
      diagnosis of HIV infection, or pruritus should suggest a diagnosis of HIV
      infection, or particularly trypanosomiasis. The risk of sexually transmissible
      disease is overall 6-fold higher in tropical travellers; advice before travelling
      is therefore of paramount importance. Should a seropositive subject travel to the
      tropics?(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1410903
TI  - [Destructive polyarthritis in Behcet's disease. Apropos of a case and review of
      the literature].
AB  - The authors report a case of a 37 years old man with Behcet's disease since 7
      years who develops a destructive chronic polyarthritis involving wrists, hands
      and one knee. The parallel evolution between recurrent orogenital ulceration and
      arthritis added to the absence of other associated destructive rheumatism permit
      to link this polyarthritis to Behcet disease. In spite of the few reports, the
      occurrence of destructive arthritis can't exclude absolutely the diagnosis of
      this affection.

PMID- 1410904
TI  - [Gorham disease disclosed by pathological fracture].

PMID- 1410905
TI  - [Extensive pharyngeal necrosis: an unusual complication of dermatomyositis].
AB  - To our knowledge, the occurrence of extensive pharyngeal necrosis in patients
      with dermatomyositis has not yet been reported. We report such a case
      characterized by a vast ulceration of the posterior laryngeal wall, extending
      from the velum palati to the larynx and responsible for both dysphagia and
      dysphonia. Treatment with an immunosuppressant had no effect on the lesions.

PMID- 1410906
TI  - [Double heart valve replacement disclosing antiphospholipid syndrome].
AB  - In patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) heart valve lesions are
      usually discovered at echocardiography; their haemodynamic repercussions are
      uncommon, and valve replacement is exceptional. We report the case of a woman who
      had undergone aortic and mitral valve replacement before antiphospholipid
      antibodies were found associated with 4 ARA criteria of SLE. Histopathological
      examination confirmed the diagnosis of Libman-Sachs specific endocarditis. The
      presence of antiphospholipid antibodies leads to a discussion of their role in
      the physiopathology of the heart valve lesions and vascular accidents that
      occurred in this patient. The overlap observed between the diagnostic criteria of
      SLE and those of primary antiphospholipid syndrome is discussed. Heart valve
      lesions may be one of the modes of access to the antiphospholipid syndrome.

PMID- 1410907
TI  - [Prophylaxis of malaria].
AB  - The prevention of malaria is based on chemoprophylaxis and protection against the
      vector. Nocturnal mosquito bites can be avoided by individual and collective
      measures, while chemoprophylaxis involves the use of various agents according to
      the place and duration of stay. Three endemic zones can be defined on the basis
      of chemoresistance. Chloroquine, proguanil and mefloquine are the three drugs
      used in this setting, the latter being contraindicated for pregnant women and
      children. Travellers making long stays in areas of low-level chemoresistance and
      short stays in areas of high-level resistance and for whom mefloquine is
      contraindicated are advised to take antimalarial drugs at the first signs of
      potentially malarial fever when medical care is unavailable. Quinine,
      halofantrine and mefloquine are used for the curative treatment of malaria in
      areas of chloroquine resistance.

PMID- 1410908
TI  - [Osteolytic metastases of breast cancer and biphosphonates].
AB  - Three-quarters of breast carcinomas at an advanced stage display metastases,
      usually of the osteolytic type. Osteolysis results from a predominant increase of
      osteoclastic activity stimulated by humoral or local factors secreted by
      cancerous cells. Bisphosphonates interfere with osteoclasts and therefore can
      reduce the osteolysis. These compounds act through three main mechanisms: physico
      chemical inhibition of bone crystal, cytostatic effect on osteoclasts, and in the
      case of pamidronate, direct or indirect action on the mononucleate precursors of
      osteoclasts. Three bisphosphonates are now available: etidronate, clodronate and
      pamidronate. Ten published studies report on their use in breast carcinoma with
      osteolytic metastases, and without hypercalceamia. Four studies concern
      clodronate in 54 patients, and six studies concern pamidronate in 128 patients.
      Intravenous pamidronate seems to be the more effective of the two, with
      densification of the lytic areas in 25% of the cases. All studies mention a
      decrease of pain, risk of fracture, hypercalcaemia and new metastatic locations.
      Side-effects are minimal. Controlled studies are needed to confirm the position
      of bisphosphonates in the management of malignant osteolysis.

PMID- 1410909
TI  - [Mediastinal adenopathies and myeloma].

PMID- 1410910
TI  - [Hepatotoxicity of cyproterone acetate].

PMID- 1410911
TI  - [Case reports of the Kummel-Verneuil syndrome].
AB  - The significance of the complex clinical-radiological diagnosis is demonstrated
      in three cases of the Kummel-Verneuil syndrome, the bone scintigraphy allows the
      demonstration and localisation of the bone process, but in respect to the
      differential diagnosis the results are unspecific. The CT allows an early and
      sure demonstration of the intravertebral vacuum phenomenon. In patients with
      nonspecific vertebral fractures the quantitative determination of the mineral
      content of the vertebral bones is indicated. The therapeutic decision is
      determined by the necessity of the biomechanical stabilisation.

PMID- 1410912
TI  - Recurrent benign retroperitoneal lipoma.
AB  - A case of a rare recurrent lipoma originating from the perirenal fat is reported.
      Onset of symptoms (abdominal pain, weight loss, appetite loss, abdominal
      swelling, nausea, constipation) is late and the treatment is surgical, but
      postoperative radiation or chemotherapy may be indicated. Ultrasound, CT and NMR
      scans, pyelograms and barium enemas are the most important diagnostic
      investigations. Follow-up in these patients is important.

PMID- 1410913
TI  - [Cancer of the cervix uteri in young people].
AB  - The age-group distribution, risk factors, histopathological aspects, diagnosis,
      treatment and prognosis of 111 diagnosed and/or treated cervical carcinomas in
      women aged up to 40 years out of 478 cases with the same diagnosis were reviewed.
      It is considered that the incidence of 23.2% in this series is situated at the
      extreme of the high frequencies reported in the literature. Nineteen per cent of
      the cases were diagnosed in stages O and Ia, a well organize program for early
      detection being required. In our series, the 5-year survival rate was 73.3%. This
      finding, although in a small series of cases, supports the opinion that age has
      no influence upon the prognosis of this disease.

PMID- 1410914
TI  - [The use of cell cultures in the cytotoxicity testing of dental materials].
AB  - On lines of human (HeLa) and monkey (BS-C-1) cell cultures, the cytotoxicity of
      15 products of dental use for radicular and coronary fillings, alloys and
      endodontic antiseptics was analysed. It was found that the simplified method can
      be used, together with the in vivo and in vitro tests recommended by I.S.O., for
      determining the bioavailability of dental products.

PMID- 1410915
TI  - [Viral hepatitis C: new epidemiological horizons].

PMID- 1410916
TI  - [Painters, drawers and engravers with medical themes (IV)].

PMID- 1410917
TI  - [Acute nosocomial bacterial meningitis. Apropos 27 cases].
AB  - Our series includes 27 patients with nosocomial meningitis (22 post neurosurgery
      and 5 post spinal puncture) of whom 15 with stated etiology (gram-negative
      bacilli and staphylococcus aureus in equal shares). Under the treatment with
      chloramphenicol + rifampicin + gentamicin a cure was obtained in 22 cases,
      improvement in 3 cases and 2 patients died.

PMID- 1410918
TI  - The timing of violence amongst psychiatric in-patients.
AB  - The timing of violence among psychiatric in-patients with reference to the time
      of day, day, month and season over a four-year period were studied. Most of the
      violence occurred in the daytime. There was no daily variation, but there were
      spring and summer peaks of violence. The implications of these findings on
      staffing discussed.

PMID- 1410919
TI  - [The involvement of biologically active lipids in cardiovascular
      pharmacotherapy].

PMID- 1410920
TI  - [Biological markers in the precise diagnosis of chronic alcoholic intoxication-
      the significance of blood changes].
AB  - The frequency of some blood disturbances during chronic alcoholism determined us
      to extend the biological investigations of alcohol abuse effects on blood
      figurated elements and hemostasis. The investigation of some series of alcohol
      addicts revealed clear-cut differences, directly proportional with the quantity
      and length of intoxication. The obtained results certify a disordered hemostasis,
      insufficiently elucidated as a possible biological cause of alcoholic states,
      manifested by alterations of some humoral elements in various forms of chronic
      alcoholism with mental disturbances.

PMID- 1410921
TI  - [A microepidemic of severe tuberculosis in a hospital for chronic
      neuropsychiatric patients].
AB  - Details and considerations on a microepidemic of severe tuberculosis occurring in
      a hospital for chronic neuro-psychic patients are presented. This episode
      presents a practical interest by the knowledge of the circumstances of occurrence
      and progression, clinical-epidemiological features, associated favouring factors
      (immunodeficiency, absence of a sustained program for tuberculosis investigation)
      and biologic prophylaxis by BCG vaccinations and revaccinations. Several measures
      for avoiding such epidemics and, in prospect, of AIDS in the institutions at high
      risk are discussed.

PMID- 1410922
TI  - [Ticlopidine and its use in therapy].

PMID- 1410923
TI  - [The evaluation of the nitrate and nitrite content of meals in Moldova].
AB  - Between 1986 and 1990 the content in nitrites and nitrates of the daily meals in
      various collectivities in Moldavia was determined. The nitrite content ranged
      between 1.3 mg. NO2-/day (Suceava) and 7.38 mg NO2-/day (Botosani) and the
      nitrate content between 24.93 mg NO3-/day (Suceava) and 92.30 mg. NO3-/day
      (Galati). The content in these poisons of the daily meals in two creches from
      Iasi and Bacau was also analysed, high values for both of them being found in the
      Bacau creche. Some measures are suggested.

PMID- 1410924
TI  - [The interpretation of the telomic distribution of the pulmonary arterial trunk].
AB  - The analytical study of the periodicity of organic processes is of great interest
      as reflected by the literature. This paper aims at describing the functional
      implications from the viewpoint of pulmonary functional arterial circulation
      regularity. In the light of morphological aspects, the pressure falls along a
      symmetric telomic tree were followed up and compared with the experimentally
      obtained data.

PMID- 1410925
TI  - [Pharmacological studies of sulbactam and its association with semisynthetic beta
      lactam antibiotics].
AB  - The acute toxicity, local tolerance and pharmacokinetic properties of sulbactame
      manufactured by the Iasi Antibiotic Investigation Centre, alone or in association
      with ampicillin or amoxicillin were tested. Some tests were made comparatively
      with the product Unasyn--Pfizer. The obtained data show that this beta-lactamase
      inhibitor has a low toxicity--DL50 i.p. in mice over 4,000 mg/kg, both alone or
      associated with the two semisynthetic beta-lactamic antibiotics. The local
      tolerance is good and the serum levels of the above mentioned associations are
      above towards the tested bacteria and are similar or very close to those of
      Unasyn. It is believed that the therapeutical use of the association sulbactame +
      ampicillin or sulbactame + amoxicillin is very useful in the beta-lactamase
      producing germs infection.

PMID- 1410926
TI  - [The physicochemical characterization and therapeutic evaluation of Cicatrol].
AB  - Cicatrol ointment with the formula: argentic sulphamethoxydiasine 1 g, bentonite
      hydrogel 12.5% for 100 g is manufactured at the Microproduction Laboratory of the
      Faculty of Pharmacy of Iasi. The one-year physicochemical determinations of the
      aspect, colour, homogeneity, pH, rheological behaviour and relative viscosity,
      content in argentic sulphamethoxydiasine as well as "in vitro" antimicrobial
      activity of Cicatrol showed a good stability and gel properties enabling an
      uniform and long-term contact with the wound. The clinical investigations carried
      out until now in patients with burns, varicose ulcers, trophic shank ulcers,
      superficial phlebitis with atonic ulcerations or wounds with multiple sites
      revealed its remarkable therapeutic value. As compared to other similar products,
      Cicatrol by its aseptic properties favours the scarring of any type of wound, a
      normal skin, without keloid scars being obtained, it also being well tolerated.

PMID- 1410927
TI  - [The quality assessment of a product with adhesive properties for complete dental
      prostheses].
AB  - A formula of dental adhesive using as an agent responsible for this activity an
      indigenous product, C.M.C.Na 1080, gelified with preservative solution with added
      astringent agents was elaborated. The possible interaction between the
      constituents during preservation and the product qualities by determining the pH,
      extensibility index, sliding limit tension, antimicrobial activity and certain
      clinical aspects were evaluated.

PMID- 1410928
TI  - [Phthalazinilides. The action of ethyl bromopyruvate on phthalazine].
AB  - Our investigation for obtaining carbon-nitrogen stable ilides continued by the
      synthesis of new phthalazinic derivatives by the action of ethyl brompyruvate.
      The structure of the obtained products was confirmed by chemical and spectral
      analyses. The results regarding their antimicrobial action are also presented.

PMID- 1410929
TI  - [Our experience in the conservative surgical treatment of coxarthrosis].
AB  - The authors present the substantiation of the use of conservative treatment in a
      series of 163 patients with coxarthrosis operated upon between 1983 and 1990. In
      135 of these patients various types of osteotomies were performed: Pauwels
      valgisation or varus femoral osteotomy (42 cases), McMurray displacement
      osteotomy (41 cases), varus and displacement osteotomy (19 cases) and Chiari
      pelvic osteotomy (33 cases). In the remainder of 28 patients tenotomies and hip
      denervations were performed. The postoperative results, estimated by a strict
      clinico-radiological survey revealed a marked clinical improvement and
      radiographically a restoration of joint congruence in about 80% of the cases.

PMID- 1410930
TI  - [Research trends in the field of toxicology in Iasi (1964-1991)].

PMID- 1410931
TI  - [Dento-periodontal interferences in extended partial anodontia].
AB  - In this paper, part of a mixed longitudinal study on the growth and development
      phenomena in extended partial anodontia, the author, based on the data of the
      thorough clinical and paraclinical investigations carried out, underlines the
      implications of this isolated dental anomaly on temporary or impacted permanent
      teeth as well as on their periodontal support. Thus, 48 patients aged between 4.6
      and 30.5 years with various clinical forms of extended partial anodontia were
      investigated. It resulted that the severity of the dental-periodontal involvement
      is strongly correlated with the etiopathogenic and clinical features and severity
      of the anomaly under study.

PMID- 1410932
TI  - [Lyme disease].

PMID- 1410933
TI  - [The psychopathological risk factors in chronic alcoholism].

PMID- 1410934
TI  - [The involvement of eicosanoids in reproduction (II)].

PMID- 1410935
TI  - [Situational psychiatric understanding of the genetic contribution (I)].

PMID- 1410936
TI  - [A iatrogenic manifestation: the neuroleptic malignant syndrome].

PMID- 1410937
TI  - A new methyl bromide gas generator for inhalation toxicity studies.
AB  - A simple generator for methyl bromide gas has been newly developed by us. For
      inhalation toxicity studies, until now, there have been few generators capable of
      producing a constant and stable concentration of methyl bromide gas easily
      because of its high volatility. The principle of this new generator is based on
      gas-liquid equilibrium. The gas is generated from the surface of liquid methyl
      bromide in an evaporator made of a Teflon tube. The generator can produce up to
      10,000 ppm of methyl bromide gas in a 0.1 m3 exposure chamber, and the
      concentration of this generated gas is able to be kept within +/- 0.8% over a
      long period of time. The generator has proved to be useful for investigating the
      effects of methyl bromide on health in inhalation toxicity studies.

PMID- 1410938
TI  - Ethnic differences of the primary gene defect at the cytochrome P-450 2D6.
AB  - The cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenase system is involved in the metabolism
      of both endogenous compounds and xenobiotics. The role of these enzymes in
      toxicological response is exemplified by an autosomal recessive polymorphism at
      the cytochrome P-450 2D6 debrisoquine-4-hydroxylase locus, which results in the
      severely impaired metabolism of many drugs [Gough et al. (1990) Nature 347: 773
      776]. The prevalence of this polymorphism (poor metabolizer) differs considerably
      between ethnic groups. Here we analyzed the P-450 2D6 polymorphism in 25 Japanese
      and 20 Chinese by DNA-based genetic assay using peripheral leukocyte. Although
      the phenotype of all the normal metabolizers and 79% of the poor metabolizers
      could be identified in Caucasians, this DNA-based genomic assay could not predict
      poor metabolizers in both the Japanese and Chinese. These results indicate that
      the genetic mechanism of the phenotyped poor metabolizer in Orientals is
      different from that in Caucasians.

PMID- 1410939
TI  - [Studies on purine-pyrimidine metabolism (1)--Quantitation of purine-pyrimidine
      metabolites and allopurinol-oxipurinol in biological fluids].
AB  - A reversed-phase high-performance liquid-chromatography method for determining
      simultaneous quantitation of purine-pyrimidine metabolites, allopurinol and
      oxipurinol in plasma and urine samples was studied. Separation was optimal with
      phosphate buffer (10 mmol/l, pH 5.0) containing 1% methanol as an eluent and mu
      Bondapak C18 as a column. An isocratic separation of a standard mixture of 13
      compounds was achieved within 40 minutes with adequate reproducibilities
      (coefficient of variation: 2.49% for 1.63 mumol/l orotidin-0.12% for 50 mumol/l
      uridine). A simple ultrafiltration of plasma yielded quantitative recoveries
      (uric acid: 101.7-107.5%, hypoxanthine: 90.4-102.8%, xanthine: 95.9-99.5%,
      oxipurinol: 104.4-107.1%, allopurinol: 97.4-103.4%). Compounds were identified by
      their retention times, absorbance ratios, co-elution with standards and enzymic
      shifts. In addition to the above compounds, simultaneous quantitation of
      pseudouridine, uridine, adenine and inosine in the plasma would be possible under
      the same conditions.

PMID- 1410940
TI  - [A descriptive epidemiology on sudden death among workers].
AB  - A survey on sudden unexpected death, that is, death within 24 hours from acute
      onset, among Japanese workers was carried out. Questionnaires were sent to full
      time occupational health physicians who were active members of the Japan
      Association of Industrial Health at the time of the survey. Though 241 doctors
      answered (response rate: 61.5%), only 53 of them who had had both sudden death
      cases and the desire to join in this research co-operated in this survey. During
      the 5 years of observation (from Jan. 1, 1986 to Dec. 31, 1990), 143 cases of
      sudden death, 141 males and 2 females, were reported. The mean age was 46.5 (S.
      D. 10.5) for males. The ages of the 2 females were 31 and 44. Onset took place
      most frequently at home (55%) and most often during sleep (26%). This may be due
      to the higher rate not only of onset but of death resulting from acute onset at
      home and during sleep. Similar to the previous findings, a small peak of
      incidence was found early in the morning (4:00 AM--9:00 AM), although this was
      not statistically significant. However, the weekly and seasonal variations were a
      little different from previous reports. In this study, sudden death tended to
      occur more on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (not statistically
      significant), and as for the seasonal variation, more cases occurred in April,
      November, and December which were statistically significant.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1410941
TI  - [X-ray examination of the gastrointestinal tract in systemic cutaneous disease].
AB  - An X-ray examination of the gastrointestinal tract was performed on 56 patients
      with systemic cutaneous disease that is often considered associated with internal
      malignancies. Found were one case of esophageal cancer, two cases of gastric
      cancer, and two cases of colon cancer. The prevalence of gastric and colon cancer
      in these patients showed a statistically significant increase compared to the
      general population. The rate of gastric cancer was 16.26 times higher than the
      general population and that of colon cancer 32.26. X-ray examination of the
      gastrointestinal tract in patients with systemic cutaneous disease is useful for
      detecting malignancy.

PMID- 1410942
TI  - [Cutaneous thermal-cooling and -warming detection thresholds in distal
      extremities of normal subjects].
AB  - The cutaneous thermal-cooling and -warming detection thresholds were evaluated on
      the dorsal side of the right distal forearm and on the dorsum of the right foot
      in 134 normal subjects (66 men and 68 women) without sensory symptoms and signs,
      aged from 11 to 87 years by using a Thermal Threshold Tester (Vickers Medical
      International, England). The normative data for the clinical evaluation of the
      severity and the pathologic process of the sensory disturbance of the patients
      were obtained. The data obtained included 1) the mean of each threshold and 2)
      its upper limit value of 95% confidence interval for each decade. The mean of
      each threshold was significantly increased with aging (P less than 0.0001).
      Therefore, the cutaneous thermal-cooling and -warming detection thresholds of the
      patients with sensory disturbances should be compared with the normative data
      adjusted for the age of each subject obtained in this study. Based on the
      evaluation, repeated six times for three weeks, of each threshold of six
      volunteers (ages from 21 to 66), high reliability of each threshold (intraclass
      correlation coefficient from 0.78 to 0.96) was observed.

PMID- 1410943
TI  - Current status of education and training in occupational health and their
      development programs in China.
AB  - There are 40 post graduate schools of public health in China, from where 1,400
      students are graduating every year. Fourteen percent of them are going into
      occupational health field. A total of about 25,000 specialists are now working in
      the occupational health field. However, this number is only 1 percent of all
      health workers in China. Facts on the educational resources in China including
      responsible institutions and programs for such occupational health specialists
      are introduced and discussed. Finally a program for increasing the number of
      occupational health specialists in the Eighth Five-year Plan of China is
      introduced.

PMID- 1410944
TI  - Humanism in medicine. Benevolence or realism?

PMID- 1410945
TI  - What does a human relationship with the doctor mean?
AB  - Previous studies have demonstrated that the human relationship with the doctor is
      very important. The aim of this study was to describe the specific behaviour in
      consultations where the patient experiences a satisfying human relationship with
      the family doctor. 46 consultations with 12 participating general practitioners
      were video-taped in four health care centres. Afterwards the patients and the
      doctors, on different occasions, commented on the recorded consultations. The
      comments were audio-taped. Those comments of the patients which dealt with human
      relationship to the doctor were analysed. The sequences in the videotaped
      consultations just before these comments were transcribed and analysed. The study
      demonstrated that the concrete meaning of human relationship deals with simple
      and obvious things. The patients want the doctor to take their symptoms
      seriously; to listen and/or ask questions about the symptoms, and to treat the
      patient as a real person, not only a patient; to ask questions about other things
      than the disease, e.g. about the patient's family or work.

PMID- 1410946
TI  - A controlled, multicentre trial of manual therapy in low-back pain. Initial
      status, sick-leave and pain score during follow-up.
AB  - 101 outpatients with acute or subacute low-back pain were randomly allocated to
      one of two treatment groups. One group was given standardized conventional but
      optimal activating treatment by primary health care teams. The other group
      received manual treatment such as manipulation, specific mobilization, muscle
      stretching, auto-traction, and cortisone injections. The two groups were similar
      in most of the pretrial variables, including age, sex, previous low-back pain
      problems, sick-leave, previous treatment, findings at the physical examination,
      quality-of-life score, disability rating, and pain score. After one month in the
      study, the proportion of patients on sick-leave was six times larger in the
      conventionally treated group than in the group receiving the specific manual
      treatment. The difference diminished over time but was still significant after
      eight months. Two slightly different pain scores ("pain at the moment" and "pain
      during the last weeks"), initially similar in the two groups, diminished in both
      groups but were significantly lower in the manual treatment group during the
      study. The group receiving specific manual treatment thus had a significantly
      better outcome than the group receiving conventional treatment as far as sick
      leave and pain score are concerned.

PMID- 1410947
TI  - General practitioners' attitudes to oestrogen prescription in the menopause: a
      national survey in Norway.
AB  - A questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of approximately 10% of Norwegian
      general practitioners (GPs) in order to investigate attitudes to the prescription
      of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in menopausal women. Nine short case
      histories were presented, and the GPs indicated their attitude to oestrogen
      prescription in each case on a five-step scale. Each case history contained four
      items that were systematically varied so that the effect of each could be
      investigated by comparing the answers from case to case. 251 GPs (74%) responded
      to the questionnaire. The answers indicated restrained attitudes towards
      prescription of HRT. Smoking and a family history of cardiovascular disease were
      regarded as contraindications. Angina pectoris was considered a contraindication
      for local oestrogen application in elderly women with urogenital complaints.

PMID- 1410948
TI  - Predictive validity of factors influencing the institutionalization of elderly
      people with psycho-geriatric disorders.
AB  - The predictive validity of certain items was tested with respect to their
      influence on the institutionalization of elderly people with psycho-geriatric
      disorders (n = 69). Twelve items measuring both the patient's condition and the
      exhaustion around the patient were tested. Two outcome measurements were used,
      the first measuring the number of patients who were institutionalized after the
      end of 12 months and the second measuring the number of days at an institution
      during 12 months. The items "Exhaustion of spouse" and "Supervision need" showed
      the highest correlation with institutionalization and predicted
      institutionalization, better than items describing the degree of dementia.

PMID- 1410949
TI  - Screening of an elderly population in primary care for primary
      hyperparathyroidism.
AB  - In order to assess the diagnostic outcome of a screening for primary
      hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) in an elderly population, we determined ionized
      calcium in serum from 368 individuals participating in a health control at
      Molnlycke Primary Care Centre (200 women, 168 men; age range 75-95 years); four
      fifths of the individuals living in their homes, the remainder in homes for aged
      or nursing homes. Intact parathyroid hormone was determined in the samples with
      oinized calcium concentration greater than mean + 3SD of the truncated population
      sample, and these individuals were also recalled for another blood sample.
      Moderate hypercalcaemia, probably due to PHPT, was found in eight individuals (2%
      of the complete sample, 3% of the women), five having neuropsychiatric or
      neuromuscular symptoms consistent with PHPT. Surgical intervention is probably
      indicated in only a small proportion of elderly patients. We conclude that
      optimal benefits in relation to costs of screening for PHPT in old people will
      depend on the availability of a safe and simple pharmacological treatment that
      could determine any causal relationship between hypercalcaemia and symptoms.

PMID- 1410950
TI  - The Butajira rural health project in Ethiopia: epidemiological surveillance for
      research and intervention in primary health care.
AB  - Ten study populations sampled from a total of 86 communities in a rural Ethiopian
      area, have been registered and followed for a period of four years. A baseline
      census revealed a median age of 15 years, a literacy rate of 24%, poor housing
      and environmental conditions, and low utilization of the existing health care
      facilities. A surveillance system was established which made it possible to
      estimate the occurrence of vital events. This showed a crude birth rate of
      40.3/1000, a crude death rate of 16.4/1000, a life-expectancy at birth of 48
      years, an infant mortality rate of 114/1000, a yearly child (1-4 years) mortality
      rate of 36/1000, and an under-five mortality rate of 210/1000. The implications
      of these data in terms of the planning and operations of research and health
      services are discussed, and on-going and projected studies are outlined
      emphasizing the methodological potentials of this epidemiological study base.

PMID- 1410951
TI  - Recruitment and participation of general practitioners in a multipractice study
      of smoking cessation.
AB  - In May 1986, all 398 general practitioners (GPs) in western Norway were invited
      by letter to take part in a multipractice intervention study of smoking cessation
      among pregnant women. The aims of the intervention study were: 1) to find out how
      a smoking cessation model can be implemented in ordinary consultations in general
      practice, and 2) to compare smoking cessation in pregnant and non-pregnant women.
      The intervention study lasted for three years. 187 (47%) GPs completed the study.
      Working in a group practice, working on regular salary, having started
      specialization in general practice, being less than 40 years of age, and being a
      non-smoker were significantly more common among the participating GPs. They also
      had significantly fewer consultations per week than their non-participating
      colleagues. A stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that
      smoking habits predicted participation in the study far more than any other
      predictor.

PMID- 1410952
TI  - Urinary incontinence in women and the effects on their lives.
AB  - The aim of this study was to assess and analyse the effects of urinary
      incontinence in women and to examine the relationship between these effects and
      the type and severity of incontinence. 110 women aged 20 to 65 who had reported
      urinary incontinence to their general practitioners underwent a comprehensive
      history and a complete urodynamic evaluation. The reported consequences of
      incontinence included low self-esteem, changing life-style in order to avoid
      potentially embarrassing situations, and all kinds of practical worries. Fear of
      the odour played the most important part and was mentioned as being the worst
      effect in 40% of the cases. Most of the women appeared to cope adequately with
      the unpleasant aspects of this condition. More effects were associated with urge
      incontinence than with stress incontinence, while there was a significant
      relationship between the objective severity of the incontinence and its
      psychosocial impact. The main conclusion is that although urinary incontinence is
      not a severe physical disability, a spectrum of psychological problems is
      associated with it. In particular, the fear of being smelt was of the utmost
      importance.

PMID- 1410953
TI  - Intervention in alcohol abuse among macrocytic patients in general practice.
AB  - The study examined the effectiveness of routine intervention in alcohol abuse by
      a general practitioner, with help of a laboratory test. Patients diagnosed as
      abusers because of high erythrocyte mean cell volume value (MCV) and having no
      other cause for it were randomly allocated to two groups: 1) an intervention
      group, comprising 92 patients (69 men and 23 women), who were invited for follow
      up at three-monthly intervals for a year; 2) a control (mini-intervention) group,
      86 patients (71 men and 15 women), who were followed-up only after 12 months.
      Follow-up attendance was poor, particularly in the intervention group. In
      general, MCV-values were unchanged in the groups at the end of the study, though
      there was a clear trend for the female controls to have lower values (101.9 fl at
      the start, 98.5 fl at the end, p = 0.06). Altogether 11% (4/38) of the women and
      7% (10/140) of the men had clearly reduced their alcohol consumption after one
      year, and this was also seen in their MCV-values. Mini-intervention, especially
      in women with an abnormal laboratory value, seems to be, with the help of MCV, at
      least as effective a way of counselling nonalcoholic abusers as a more systematic
      intervention.

PMID- 1410954
TI  - An evaluation of a commercial co-agglutination test for the diagnosis of group A
      streptococcal tonsillitis in a family practice.
AB  - The result of a rapid co-agglutination test was compared with the clinical
      diagnosis of group A streptococcal tonsillitis, a laboratory culture from the
      throat serving as the correct result. The study was carried out in a family
      practice, with two GPs partaking: it included 105 consecutive patients. The
      outcome of the rapid test was significantly correlated to the degree of growth
      determined by throat culture, and it was superior to the clinical judgement. The
      statistical analysis of the results of the rapid test revealed (95% confidence
      limits in brackets) a specificity of 97% (91-100), sensitivity of 68% (48-84), a
      positive predictive value of 90% (70-99), and a negative predictive value of 89%
      (81-95). Although the co-agglutination test was superior to the clinical
      diagnosis, the sensitivity of this test is rather low when compared with other
      recently evaluated rapid tests for use in family practice.

PMID- 1410955
TI  - Diagnosis of pneumonia in adults in general practice. Relative importance of
      typical symptoms and abnormal chest signs evaluated against a radiographic
      reference standard.
AB  - The diagnostic value of typical symptoms and abnormal chest signs for pneumonia
      have been evaluated against a radiographic reference standard in 402 adult
      patients with respiratory tract infection in general practice. Pneumonia was
      diagnosed in 20 patients by a positive chest radiograph. The doctors diagnosed
      pneumonia in seven of these on the basis of history and physical examination
      alone, and in addition in 22 patients with normal radiographs. The diagnostic
      value of the typical symptoms cough, chest pain, and dyspnoea, reported by the
      patients on a questionnaire, increased with increasing intensity of the symptoms,
      and both "very annoying lateral chest pain" and "very annoying dyspnoea" had
      likelihood ratios (LR) between 4 and 5. The LR of crackles was 3.7. When
      evaluated against the doctor's clinical diagnosis of pneumonia as reference
      standard, crackles achieved an LR of 14.8, while the typical symptoms achieved
      lower LRs than when evaluated against the radiographic reference standard. These
      discrepancies, which were confirmed by logistic regression, indicate that
      crackles and other abnormal chest findings are interpreted too frequently as
      features of pneumonia and that the importance of typical symptoms is
      underestimated in the diagnosis of pneumonia.

PMID- 1410956
TI  - Laboratory tests for pneumonia in general practice: the diagnostic values depend
      on the duration of illness.
AB  - The usefulness in the diagnosis of pneumonia of temperature and the laboratory
      tests: erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), leucocyte count, and C-reactive
      protein (CRP) was evaluated against a radiographic reference standard in 402
      adult patients with respiratory tract infection in general practice. Radiographic
      pneumonia was diagnosed in 20 patients. CRP and ESR were the most useful tests.
      CRP greater than 50 mg/l had lower sensitivity and likelihood ratio (LR), 0.50
      and 4.8, respectively, compared with previous studies of selected patient
      populations. Among patients whose duration of illness exceeded six days the
      corresponding LR was 11.3, due to a higher specificity in this subgroup of
      patients. ESR and oral temperature were also more useful in this subgroup than in
      patients with a shorter duration of illness. A highly significant diagnostic
      contribution of adding ESR and CRP to history and physical examination,
      particularly when the illness had lasted one week or more, was demonstrated by
      logistic regression.

PMID- 1410957
TI  - The changing geographical coherence of measles morbidity in the United States,
      1962-88.
AB  - Geographical coherence may be defined as the degree to which the behaviour of a
      time series in one geographical area corresponds with the time series behaviour
      in another. This paper illustrates the concept using the epidemiological time
      series of reported monthly measles morbidity for the states of the United States
      for the 27 years from January 1962 to December 1988. Over this period, as measles
      morbidity has declined in response to vaccination campaigns, and as the seasonal
      peaking of the disease in late spring has become less pronounced, the
      geographical coherence has altered at the national, divisional, regional and
      state levels. There was a steady decline in coherence from 1962 to 1980. In 1981,
      a dramatic reduction occurred, but there has been some recovery since. The
      implications for spatial forecasting models of these reducing levels of coherence
      are discussed.

PMID- 1410958
TI  - Short and medium term projections of the AIDS/HIV epidemic by a dynamic model
      with an application to the risk group of homo/bisexual men in Amsterdam.
AB  - Several methods exist for short term projection of the numbers of AIDS cases.
      Some use extrapolation of empirical curves fitted to data up to a given time,
      whereas others such as the popular method of 'back projection' or actuarial
      methods also use information about the process. In this paper we describe a
      dynamic model based on a distributed modelling technique allowing for variability
      both in infectiousness and in age distribution of the population at risk. Some
      model parameters are taken from the literature, others are estimated from AIDS
      incidence data from the homo/bisexual population in Amsterdam. The model
      described here simulates prevalence and incidence of HIV infection. We present
      prediction intervals for two years from January 1990 onwards. We discuss three
      scenarios based on the estimated model, two of which consider early treatment
      with anti-viral drugs. Given the model and the state of the epidemic in
      Amsterdam, early treatment intervention must be combined with very drastic
      measures for reducing infectivity in order to have any serious impact on the
      course of the epidemic.

PMID- 1410959
TI  - Analysis of disease risks using ancillary risk factors, with application to job
      exposure matrices.
AB  - Epidemiological studies of disease can make use of ancillary risk-factors,
      acquired from individuals outside the disease study. For example, several disease
      studies might use the same job-exposure matrix to quantify risks due to
      occupational exposure to industrial agents. We construct a graphical model to
      combine a logistic regression disease model with models for the ancillary data
      and the risk-factor distribution in the population. We estimate the graphical
      model using Gibbs sampling, and in simulations compare it with methods of direct
      substitution into logistic regression.

PMID- 1410960
TI  - Methods for comparing cumulative hazard functions in a semi-proportional hazard
      model.
AB  - Graphical methods based on the analysis of differences between log cumulative
      hazard functions are considered for a two-group semi-proportional hazard model
      which allows for interaction between treatments and covariates. Confidence
      procedures and test statistics that can be used to test for interaction and for
      main effects are developed. Their use is illustrated by applying them to the
      analysis of kidney transplant data from the University of California, San
      Francisco.

PMID- 1410961
TI  - Evaluations of methods for statistical surveillance.
AB  - The needs for statistical surveillance in different areas of medicine are
      described. The predictive value of an alarm and other measures for the evaluation
      of alarm procedures are suggested. The measures are used to evaluate some common
      methods of continual surveillance of time series. It is demonstrated that some
      methods have about the same properties at the start of the surveillance period as
      later. This is however not the case for all methods. For some methods the
      consequence of an early alarm should be quite different from that of a late one.

PMID- 1410962
TI  - Sensitivity and specificity for correlated observations.
AB  - A general estimating equation approach is used to obtain estimates of sensitivity
      and specificity when the data consist of correlated binary outcomes. First order
      approximations to the variances of estimated sensitivity and specificity for
      prospective and retrospective studies are given. Data from a dental study are
      used to motivate and illustrate the methods.

PMID- 1410963
TI  - A goodness-of-fit approach to inference procedures for the kappa statistic:
      confidence interval construction, significance-testing and sample size
      estimation.
AB  - We propose a new procedure for constructing a confidence interval about the kappa
      statistic in the case of two raters and a dichotomous outcome. The procedure is
      based on a chi-square goodness-of-fit test as applied to a model frequently used
      for clustered binary data. The procedure provides coverage levels that are
      accurate in samples of smaller size than those required for other procedures. The
      procedure also has use for significance-testing and the planning of corresponding
      sample size requirements.

PMID- 1410964
TI  - On the sample size for studies based upon McNemar's test.
AB  - When computing the sample size for studies using McNemar's test, one needs to
      know the probability of discordance and the odds ratio to be detected. In many
      studies, the investigator is unable to specify the probability of discordance,
      but can state, at least approximately, the marginal probabilities of each
      variable. This information leads to restrictions on the possible values of the
      cell probabilities and provides a range of admissible values for the off-diagonal
      cells. We compute the sample size needed in these circumstances and compare them
      to the results cited by Schlesselman and Connett et al. These sample sizes for
      the method are quite close to those found in the Monte Carlo study of Connett et
      al.

PMID- 1410965
TI  - The standard error of Cohen's kappa by J. Barry Garner, Statistics in Medicine,
      10, 767-775 (1991)

PMID- 1410966
TI  - [Multiple neoplasms: etiological problems and possibilities for prevention].
AB  - The authors present a review of the literature concerning multiple malignancies
      in a single patient. They emphasize etiological aspects and possible preventive
      strategies in a clinical entity which appears to be recognized with an increasing
      frequency.

PMID- 1410967
TI  - [Pelvic venous compression syndrome: description of a case and literature
      review].
AB  - A case of a genuine common iliac vein compression (Cockett's syndrome) is
      reported. From review of the literature, it appears that the treatment should be
      essentially medical. Surgery is indicated in case of severe post-thrombotic
      sequellae.

PMID- 1410968
TI  - [Fetal alcohol syndrome].
AB  - Ethanol teratogenicity manifests itself in the form of the foetal alcohol
      syndrome (FAS). This syndrome is characterised by growth delay, impairment of the
      central nervous system, and various facial dysmorphisms. We report the case of a
      19 month-old boy affected by FAS. In addition to the three common features of
      FAS, this patient disclosed organic (digestive and cardiac) malformations and
      cellular chemotaxis deficiency. We have reviewed the literature to provide an
      update on the clinical signs of FAS. The abnormalities provoked by foetal
      exposure to ethanol can be very varied, none of them being specific.

PMID- 1410969
TI  - [Primary hyperoxaluria type 1, peroxisomal disease: therapeutic consequences].
AB  - On the occasion of a combined liver-kidney graft doing well after 3 years, the
      molecular anomalies responsible for primary hyperoxaluria type 1 are discussed.
      This rare condition may be listed in the expanding group of hereditary diseases
      involving peroxisomes, cellular organelles with increasingly recognised
      functions. Recent progress in the molecular biology of this disease have led to
      the proposal of of new transplant strategies for its cure.

PMID- 1410970
TI  - [Accidentally discovered vascular abnormality].

PMID- 1410971
TI  - [Attempt at restoration of the glucose-insulin regulation loop in the patient
      with insulin-dependent diabetes].

PMID- 1410972
TI  - [Laparoscopy in 1992. A 37-year experience].

PMID- 1410973
TI  - [The ozone hole and its impact on chronobiology. Are we directly concerned?].

PMID- 1410974
TI  - [Action of drugs on the glucose-insulin regulation loop].

PMID- 1410975
TI  - [Importance of fetal cardiac rhythm monitoring at home in the follow-up of
      pregnancies at risk: evaluation following 2 years of utilization].

PMID- 1410976
TI  - [What is your roentgen diagnosis? Acute peptic ulcer of the duodenal bulb with
      perforation].

PMID- 1410977
TI  - [Problems and changes in education exemplified by cholecystectomy].

PMID- 1410978
TI  - [Subcutaneous apomorphine infusion in the treatment of Parkinson disease].
AB  - Apomorphine, a dopamine-agonist was applied as s. c. infusions to 7 patients with
      idiopathic Parkinson's disease. The indications were longlasting akinetic
      episodes (4 patients) and therapeutically resistant invalidating motoric
      fluctuations ("on-off") as well as hyperkinesia (3 patients) on anti-Parkinson
      medication. The effect of apomorphine as an anti-Parkinson therapeutic was
      verified using clinical scales and a portable activity-monitoring device. The s.
      c. infusion therapy (20-90 mg/die, or 0.025-0.01 mg/kg/die respectively) was
      effective in the akinetic patients interrupting akinesia and the inability to
      swallow. An improvement was also registered in patients with "on-off" and
      hyperkinesia using longlasting subcutaneous apomorphine infusions. The therapy
      was continued over a longer period of time with 2 patients as outpatients. The
      side-effects were nausea and local subcutaneous indurations at sites of
      infusions.

PMID- 1410979
TI  - [Potential use of the sauna in the long-term treatment of hypertensive
      cardiovascular circulation disorders--a comparison with kinesiotherapy].
AB  - The authors report about the long-term response (one and three years) of blood
      pressure and heart frequency under rest and load (50 W) in patients with
      hypertension, coronary heart disease, essential hypertension and after
      aortocoronary venous-bypass operation (ACVB) (n = 65) under regular visits (twice
      a week) to the Finnish sauna. In comparison, 68 hypertensive patients who took a
      regular kinesiotherapy (running and swimming) were studied. Besides the
      parameters of heart circulation mentioned above, peripheric microcirculation (M.
      tibialis anterior) by means of xenon-133 muscle clearance and central
      hemodynamics by means of LVEF (single probe with In 113) were studied in CHD
      patients. Cardiac output at rest and under 50 W load was recorded in hypertensive
      patients. It was shown that regular balneotherapy had a positive effect on
      regulation of blood pressure and hemodynamics in patients with hypertension or
      CHD with hypertension, as had kinesiotherapy in hypertensive patients.

PMID- 1410980
TI  - [Main involvement of the central nervous system in alcoholism].
AB  - The effects of alcohol on the central nervous system can be subdivided into three
      main categories: the effects of acute intoxication (drunkenness, acute
      encephalopathy, stroke), the effects of tolerance and ethanol withdrawal
      (delirium tremens, seizures) and the delayed manifestations of chronic alcohol
      consumption (cerebellar degeneration, Wernicke's encephalopathy, dementia).

PMID- 1410981
TI  - [Livedo racemosa, skin necrosis at the basal toe joint].
AB  - An 81 year old male patient treated by sulfonylurea and diet was known to have
      type II diabetes for three years. Because of pulmonary embolism phenprocoumon had
      been administered for four months. Painful livedo racemosa developed acutely on
      both lateral sides of the feet and the left knee. A necrosis of the skin over the
      base of the left small toe developed within a few days. On the basis of the
      clinical picture cholesterol-embolism was diagnosed. Since anticoagulation is
      known to promote cholesterol-embolism it was discontinued. Prostaglandin E1
      infusions into both legs were administered. Within 3 months the cutaneous lesions
      healed completely.

PMID- 1410982
TI  - [What is your diagnosis? osteochondroplastic tracheo-bronchopathy].

PMID- 1410983
TI  - [Interleukins].
AB  - Interleukins are polypeptide hormones which are primarily but not exclusively
      synthesized by cells of the immune system (monocytes/macrophages, T- and B
      lymphocytes). Up to now 12 interleukins (IL-1 to IL-12) have been described. The
      central function of the interleukins is the orchestration of the different cells
      of the immune system during host defence against pathogens. Besides the regulated
      stimulation of the immune reaction against foreign antigens, interleukins are
      involved in the stimulation of unspecific inflammatory reactions and in the
      induction of the acute phase response.

PMID- 1410984
TI  - [Magnetic resonance imaging in spinal cord diseases: 127 cases].
AB  - Acute or chronic spinal cord syndromes with or without evidence of cord
      compression are a common diagnostic problem in neurology. Magnetic resonance
      imaging (MRI) was performed on 127 patients to assess the sensitivity of this
      examination in detecting local spinal cord lesions. The most common location
      noticed in this study were the cervico-thoracic (40.9%) and cervical regions
      (33.8%). A total spine examination accounted for 14.9% of the examinations
      performed, and the lumbar spine was evaluated in 10.2%. An increased signal
      corresponding to plaques of multiple sclerosis was the most frequent diagnosis
      (25 cases), followed by cervical narrowing of the spinal canal and cervical disk
      diseases (23 cases), neoplasms (15 cases), spinal cord infarctions (12 cases),
      spinal infections (6 cases) and spinal cord injuries (3 cases). A myelopathy of
      undetermined etiology was diagnosed in 19 cases. MRI is very sensitive in
      multiple sclerosis, but it is not possible to diagnose the disease from abnormal
      scan only, other supportive laboratory results, such as oligoclonal bands, are
      necessary. MRI is very useful in evaluating intraspinal cord parenchymal lesions,
      such as neoplasms or congenital abnormalities.

PMID- 1410985
TI  - [Rhabdomyolysis in body building. Report of a case and literature review].
AB  - A 24-year-old man was sent to the emergency unit and evaluated with the symptom
      of acute right-sided chest pain. Myocardial infarction and pulmonary embolism
      were excluded. A creatine kinase (CK) serum concentration of 17,034 U/l (normally
      up to 270) was found. The patient gave a history of excessive body-building
      exercises on the previous day. During the follow-up period symptoms resolved
      within several days, and CK values gradually diminished. A review of current
      literature on rhabdomyolysis in patients with body-building is presented.

PMID- 1410986
TI  - [A case from practice (250). Costochondritis].

PMID- 1410987
TI  - [What is your roentgen diagnosis? Pulmonary edema with enlarged hili].

PMID- 1410988
TI  - [Cerebral complications and general anesthesia].
AB  - Postoperative cerebral dysfunction is usually assumed to be a consequence of
      anaesthesia. Temporary postoperative confusion is quite common. This review
      points out that the anaesthetic technique is clinically relevant for mental
      dysfunction only in the few hours immediately following operation. Of primary
      importance are the preoperative state of the patient, the drugs used in the
      perioperative period, the type and duration of the operation, the technique of
      postoperative analgesia and sedation and the postoperative clinical course of the
      patient. Cerebral infarction is a very severe but rather rare complication which
      occurs mainly after the operation. The incidence of perioperative cerebral
      infarction is about 1% in 65-year-old patients and increases with higher age. An
      asymptomatic preoperative carotid bruit is not a risk factor; therefore, invasive
      investigations are not warranted. The most frequent cause for cerebral insults
      are emboli. Intraoperative hypotensive periods are very rarely responsible for
      cerebral insults. Peripheral and central nervous lesions due to positioning of
      the patient for the operation occur not frequently and are certainly an avoidable
      neurologic complication. Hypoxic cerebral damages are usually the consequence of
      anaesthetic mismanagement. Today they are very rare, due to modern monitoring
      techniques.

PMID- 1410989
TI  - [Cerebrovascular accidents and surgery].
AB  - There are very few observations on the occurrence of stroke after general
      surgery; the incidence lies between 0.2 and 0.7%. On the other hand,
      cerebrovascular accidents are mainly seen after cardiac and carotid surgery,
      where the incidence is high (5%). Strokes are also an important cause of
      morbidity and mortality following orthotopic transplantations, particularly
      heart, heart/lung and liver transplantations.

PMID- 1410990
TI  - [Spinal lesions in surgery of the aorta].
AB  - Aortic diseases in particular aneurysms may be accompanied by spinal ischemia
      occurring either spontaneously or as complications of surgical interventions.
      Surgery of the abdominal or thoraco-abdominal aorta is followed in 5 to 15% by
      ischemia of the spinal cord, in exclusively abdominal interventions in 1.5%.
      Clinical manifestation depends largely on anatomy of the spinal vessels. If
      complete transverse myelopathy does not occur, presentation as anterior or
      posterior arterial ischemic syndrome is common. Other forms of myelopathy are
      rare. Perfusion deficits through intercostal and lumbar arteries are important in
      pathogenesis. The great radicular artery is particularly important. Ischemia
      occurs after hypotensive episodes (ruptured aneurysm) intraoperative clamping of
      the suprarenal aorta or by occlusion (thrombotic, arterio-arterial embolism).
      Careful surgical techniques are important for prevention of these neurologic
      complications. Possibilities for treatment and chances for spontaneous recovery
      of established spinal-cord lesions are poor.

PMID- 1410991
TI  - [Ilio-inguinal and genito-femoral neuralgia. Causes, clinical aspects, therapy].
AB  - Entrapment neuropathy of the ilioinguinal and of the genito-femoral nerves is a
      rare but sometimes very painful complication of abdominal surgery (herniorrhaphy,
      appendectomy, nephrectomy, gynecological surgery, removal of bone from the inner
      table of the iliac crest, etc.). Sometimes symptoms develop during a normal
      pregnancy or delivery. Spontaneous entrapment of the ilioinguinal nerve as it
      passes through the Mm. obliquus internus and transversus abdominis has also been
      observed. We have operated such a case. The causes, features and the associated
      findings of entrapment neuropathy of the two nerves are pointed out. In the
      frequent cases attributable to previous surgery the retroperitoneal resection of
      the nerves is advocated instead of a local revision, which is usually
      unsuccessful due to the impossibility of finding and restoring the fine nerves in
      a dense scar.

PMID- 1410992
TI  - [A case from practice (251). 1. HIV-infection CDC IVE--chronic lymphocytic
      interstitial pneumonia. 2. Chronic emphysematous bronchitis in severe nicotine
      abuse. 3. Status following hepatitis B, syphilis and stomach ulcer 1981 and 1982.
      4. Status following bilateral femoral fractures 1958].

PMID- 1410993
TI  - [A case from practice (252). Hyperkinetic heart syndrome].

PMID- 1410994
TI  - [What is your roentgen diagnosis? Ulcerating leiomyosarcoma of the small
      intestine].

PMID- 1410995
TI  - [The treatment of cardiac insufficiency past and present].

PMID- 1410996
TI  - [Heart sounds--a mathematical transformation of blood pressure? On the origin of
      heart sounds].
AB  - Two main theories exist concerning the origin of the heart sounds. The first
      proposes that rapid pressure fluctuations cause the cardiac valve leaflets to
      vibrate and produce the sound. The second theory suggests that sudden pressure
      perturbations cause the entire cardiohemic mass to vibrate as a whole. In 35
      patients (26 men and 9 women, aged 18 to 73) with various heart diseases
      microtransducer catheters (Millar) were used to simultaneously record aortic
      pressures and aortic internal phonocardiograms in order to determine if they had
      a common mode of origin and propagation. The propagation velocities of the first
      heart sound and the foot of the aortic pressure pulse were found to be similar,
      5.24 +/- 0.61 m/s and 5.97 +/- 1.87 m/s respectively (+/- SE). It was possible to
      derive facsimiles of the aortic internal phonocardiogram by double
      differentiation of the corresponding aortic pressure pulse and conversely to
      derive the pressure pulse by double integration of the phonocardiogram. These
      data support the concept that the low-frequency pressure variations produced by
      the entire cardiohemic mass, which predominate in the aortic pressure pulse
      waveforms, are generated and propagated in the same manner as the high-frequency
      pressure variations, which are the first and second heart sounds.

PMID- 1410997
TI  - [Elevation of the ST-segment in the electrocardiogram and ischemic injury
      current].
AB  - The TQ segment depression and the ST segment elevation in the electrocardiogram
      during acute myocardial ischemia are caused by flow of injury current. This
      current flows between potential gradients across the ischemic border. The initial
      change is the TQ segment depression, which is brought about by a positive shift
      of the resting membrane potential of the ischemic cells. After 1 to 2 minutes ST
      segment elevation develops as a consequence of the action potential shortening
      and loss of plateau. The loss of potassium ions and ensuing extracellular K+
      accumulation is the major cause of the alterations in action potential. After 15
      to 20 minutes of ischemia, electrical cell-to-cell uncoupling occurs and
      interrupts the flow of injury current (decrease of TQ segment depression and ST
      segment elevation), producing conduction block.

PMID- 1410998
TI  - [Coronary thrombosis--an old concept in a new light].
AB  - The morphologic-clinical links in acute myocardial ischemia have been established
      in the last few years. Angiographic and biochemical investigations have
      contributed to the understanding of the connection between the acute coronary
      lesion (fissure or rupture of a plaque, dissection) and the dynamic process of
      thrombus formation, lysis and coronary spasm that occur during the first minutes
      and hours of acute myocardial ischemia. Deep arterial lesions with thrombotic
      tendency also occur after coronary bypass operations, thrombolysis and PTCA.
      Conventional antithrombotic substances like aspirin and heparin are only
      partially effective, and new compounds are tested which either inhibit platelet
      aggregation or thrombin formation more completely. Hopefully, these new drugs
      will prevent reocclusion after thrombolysis and restenosis after PTCA more
      effectively.

PMID- 1410999
TI  - [Myocardial infarct without classical Q-waves in the ECG].
AB  - In this article the ECG pattern of myocardial infarction not associated with the
      commonly seen pathologic Q waves (greater than 0.03 s) or QS waves is discussed.
      In a short introduction the differential diagnosis of pathologic Q or QS waves is
      recalled. Thereafter, the authors insist on their experience, that the diagnosis
      of infarction should generally be based on the combination of RIsk factors,
      THOracic pain, a pathologic ECg and elevated cardiac ENzymes. Therefore, the
      diagnosis of a myocardial infarction should be made only, if it is 'RITHOCGENE'
      (abbreviation of the above-mentioned combination). The typical or possible 'non-Q
      wave infarction' ECG patterns are listed, including a normal ECG.

PMID- 1411000
TI  - [Non-invasive assessment of left ventricular diastolic function disorder using
      Doppler echocardiography].
AB  - Symptoms of a variety of cardiac diseases may well be caused predominantly by
      diastolic dysfunction, which appears to be one of the first detectable cardiac
      alterations. Diastole represents a complex interplay of multiple factors. Doppler
      echocardiography offers a noninvasive and relative simple method to assess left
      ventricular volumetric filling rates. The pulsed-wave Doppler method enables us
      to measure mitral flow velocities. Two distinct mitral flow velocity patterns
      have been recognized for situations with diastolic dysfunction. The pattern of
      delayed relaxation was reported in primary and in secondary left ventricular
      hypertrophy, myocardial ischemia and infarction and in dilated cardiomyopathy.
      The pattern of increased stiffness was described in constrictive pericarditis,
      restrictive processes and in heart transplant rejection. Doppler echocardiography
      has shown to be a helpful diagnostic tool, but a number of factors influencing
      mitral flow measurements have to be considered in each case, as there are age,
      heart rate, loading conditions and mitral regurgitation. Further studies are
      needed with respect to future control of therapeutic interventions and prognostic
      statements.

PMID- 1411001
TI  - [Complementary information from Doppler echocardiography in the electrocardiogram
      in the basic assessment of chronic coronary heart disease, especially following a
      myocardial infarct. Observations from an ambulatory cardiology clinic].
AB  - In chronic ischemic heart disease, Doppler echocardiography (DE) at rest permits
      semiquantitative evaluation of scarring and remodelling processes, global
      ventricular function and, frequently, regional wall motion state. Late
      complications are detected, namely infarct expansion, true and false ventricular
      aneurysm, mitral insufficiency, thrombus formation, and associated valvular and
      aortic diseases are discovered. We studied 100 patients with known chronic
      coronary artery disease referred for noninvasive evaluation, including
      electrocardiogram (ECG) and DE. In all patients, the global left-ventricular
      function was satisfactorily assessable. In roughly two thirds of the documented
      infarctions. DE confirmed the ECG diagnosis and permitted a more precise
      diagnosis in the majority of them in terms of localization and/or dimension of
      the necrosis. In one third of the patients. DE clarified inconclusive ECG
      tracings. Thus, the baseline noninvasive investigation with ECG and DE is a
      potent tool in the management of chronic ischemic heart disease, serving as a
      guide to further investigation and to treatment adjustments.

PMID- 1411002
TI  - [The elderly patient in cardiology].
AB  - This paper summarizes the special aspects of cardiovascular disease in the
      elderly. Arterial hypertension, heart failure and electrical disturbances may
      often lead to a different therapeutic approach in this clinical setting.
      Myocardial infarction is often complicated and may lead to considerable
      disability; therefore, thrombolytic therapy should be considered also in elderly
      patients. Coronary angioplasty and heart surgery are successfully performed in
      patients greater than or equal to 80 years of age, but special consideration has
      to be given to the functional states and the presence of concomitant disease in
      these patients.

PMID- 1411003
TI  - [What is your diagnosis? Myelitis of the cervical spine].

PMID- 1411004
TI  - [Urinary tract infection in women in daily clinical practice].
AB  - Questions concerning the clinical picture, diagnosis and treatment of
      uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women related to daily practice are
      discussed on the basis of personal experience and a review of the literature.
      Indications and rationale for a single-dose therapy with Cotrimoxazole,
      Trimethoprim or Fosfomycin are detailed. Special considerations are given to
      therapeutical approaches to recurrent infection as well as special situations
      like asymptomatic bacteriuria, acute urethral syndrome, bacteriuria in pregnancy
      and nosocomial, catheter-associated infections are discussed.

PMID- 1411005
TI  - [The value of CT and MRI in the assessment of basal encephaloceles in children].
AB  - Basal cephaloceles of the child are rare pathologies which require accurate
      preoperative imaging work-up. The CT and MR studies of six children with
      surgically proven basal cephalocele were retrospectively reviewed to evaluate the
      role of CT and MR in the preoperative work-up of a basal cephalocele of the
      child. In five patients, MR allowed to define the nature and topography of the
      cephalocele, and allowed an accurate depiction of the optic tract, ante- and post
      hypophysis and associated agenesis of corpus callosum when present. 3-D CT
      allowed in one case a more precise depiction of the basal bony defect. MRI allows
      in a non invasive and non ionising way the best depiction of herniating meninges,
      brain or ventricles as well as associated cerebral anomalies.

PMID- 1411006
TI  - [A case from practice (253). 1. Ross syndrome. 2. Residual, probably post
      infectious lymphadenopathy].

PMID- 1411008
TI  - [New diagnostic windows to heart and blood vessels].

PMID- 1411007
TI  - [What is your diagnosis? Styloid syndrome. Discrete right convex abnormality of
      the apex at C6. No inflammatory changes].

PMID- 1411009
TI  - [Assessment of blood flow in hart and large vessels using Doppler color flow
      mapping].
AB  - Two-dimensional echocardiography allows the noninvasive assessment of the
      morphology and the movement of cardiac structures, including valves and
      ventricular walls. Color Doppler flow imaging presents a spatial visualization of
      blood flow, superimposed on two-dimensional echocardiographic images. The color
      indicates the direction of flow. Turbulent flow is readily identified by the
      'mosaic pattern' of the color flow signal. The method facilitates the detection
      and localization of obstruction to flow, valvular regurgitation or a shunt.

PMID- 1411010
TI  - [Transesophageal echocardiography: technique, indications and findings].
AB  - The introduction of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) as a 'semi-invasive'
      technique with few complications in clinical practice represents a major
      diagnostic advance in the evaluation of cardiac disease. The close anatomic
      vicinity of the transducer to the heart and thoracic aorta allows the use of high
      frequency devices with better resolution compared to transthoracic
      echocardiography. Furthermore, the diagnostic gain when evaluating structures
      that are poorly visualized by the transthoracic approach such as the left atrial
      appendage, interatrial septum, prosthetic valves and the thoracic aorta is highly
      improved by TEE. Major indications for TEE include the search for a cardiac
      source of embolism and cardiac tumors, the work-up prior to balloon mitral
      valvuloplasty, the evaluation of prosthetic valves and the search for vegetations
      and aortic dissection. After a short summary of patient preparation,
      instrumentation and examination technique, the major indications,
      contraindications and complications are reviewed on the basis of our own
      experience and the literature.

PMID- 1411011
TI  - [What is your diagnosis? Gout (not excluding bacterial superinfection)].

PMID- 1411012
TI  - [Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) for long-term nutrition--comparison of
      2 different caliber tubes].
AB  - Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is often used nowadays for long-term
      enteral nutrition in patients with swallowing disorders and severely altered
      esophageal-duodenal transit. The most common indications for gastrostomy tubes
      were neurological disturbances and malignancies of the oropharynx and esophagus.
      We compared in a prospective sequential trial PEG-tubes of two different sizes
      (2.9 mm [CH-9] vs. 4.8 mm [CH-15]) with respect to placement, complications,
      durability and handling. The tube was successfully placed in 51 of 52 patients
      (98%). In 1 patient placement was impossible due to missing diaphanoscopy. The
      mean observation period was 22 weeks for the CH-9-tubes (n = 28) and 14 weeks for
      the CH-15-tubes (n = 23). The only early complication was 1 case with a
      hemorrhage at the site of implantation (CH-15). In both groups 2 cases of local
      infection were noted. In the CH-9-group 2 PEG-tubes disappeared into the stomach
      and in 1 case a cicatricial granuloma developed. In the CH-15-group a leak
      occurred 10 days after implantation. All complications were treated
      conservatively. There was no causal relationship between the size of tube and the
      complications. The period of implantation was mostly limited by the death due to
      the underlying disease of the patient and was not related to the type of PEG
      tube. We conclude the both PEG-tubes were easy to place, safe and effective means
      of providing enteral nutrition. We would, however, recommend CH-15-tubes for long
      term nutrition, since in our experience they were less frequently obstructed and
      handling for the nurses was easier.

PMID- 1411013
TI  - [How reliable is oscillometric blood pressure determination at the finger using
      the Omron device?].
AB  - The precision of oscillometric blood-pressure measurements on the finger with the
      model HEM-812F, manufactured by Omron, was compared to the standard method. The
      digital measurements from 180 inpatients (115.0 +/- 1.2 mmHg systolic, 68.8 +/-
      0.8 mmHg diastolic) were significantly lower than oscillometric measurements from
      the upper arm using a Bosomat (121.3 +/- 1.4 mmHg systolic, 74.2 +/- 0.9 mmHg
      diastolic). Correlation coefficients were r = 0.713 for systolic and r = 0.683
      for diastolic values, with significant variance of individual values. In direct
      comparison of the two methods immediately after ergometry the differences were
      even greater (57 mmHg systolic, 32 mmHg diastolic). Significantly lower digital
      pressures at the finger were noted in comparison with direct blood-pressure
      measurements after punction of the femoral artery. Because of significant
      differences of blood-pressure measurements compared to the Riva-Rocci method, the
      digital measurement with the HEM-812F device (Omron) can not be generally
      recommended.

PMID- 1411015
TI  - [A case from practice (254). Adult-type cystic kidney. HIV infection group CDC IV
      C2].

PMID- 1411014
TI  - [Intestinal leiomyoma. Case report and discussion of the difficult assessment of
      grade].
AB  - The case of a male patient operated for a leiomyoma of the jejunum is presented.
      The clinical symptoms, the morphological differential diagnosis and the problems
      evaluating aggressiveness of this tumour are discussed. We intend to demonstrate
      that histopathological diagnostic implicate a certain grade of uncertainty too.
      With the example of leiomyoma we like to show that diagnosis means a tight
      cooperation of the clinician and his pathologist by collecting clinical and
      histomorphological data.

PMID- 1411016
TI  - [Magnetic resonance imaging: cardiological diagnosis].
AB  - Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been in clinical use for
      barely a decade. During this relatively short period MRI has established itself
      as an important diagnostic instrument. MRI is an intrinsically three-dimensional,
      completely noninvasive technique. Its inherent high contrast between the flowing
      blood on the surrounding tissue make MRI an ideal diagnostic method for
      cardiovascular diseases, since it does not expose patients and staff to ionizing
      radiation and there is no need for the application of contrast media. The high
      spatial and excellent contrast resolution are the basis for the distinct
      delineation of the cardiovascular pathoanatomy. Infarcted and non-infarcted
      myocardium may be differentiated by the assessment of tissue relaxation times.
      With the use of Cine MRI, global and regional ventricular function may be
      quantified and bloodflow within cardiac chambers may be analyzed. Today's
      indications for cardiovascular MRI based on personal experience and the
      literature are presented.

PMID- 1411017
TI  - [Digital subtraction angiography for the assessment of myocardial perfusion].
AB  - Coronary angiography does not only permit to evaluate the severity of coronary
      disease but also to assess coronary flow reserve in various myocardial perfusion
      areas by digital processing. Use of colour flow mapping allows the assessment of
      both, density as well as distribution velocity of contrast-medium (= parametric
      imaging). The advantage of this technique is given by the possibility to assess
      coronary flow reserve not only at rest but also under physiologic situations such
      as bicycle ergometry. Clinical investigations have shown that coronary flow
      reserve determined after papaverine administration does not correlate with
      physiologic conditions such as physical exercise.

PMID- 1411018
TI  - [Positron emission tomography in cardiological diagnosis: principles and clinical
      application].
AB  - Positron emission tomography (PET) is an emerging new cardiac imaging modality
      which allows sophisticated tissue characterization using radiopharmaceuticals.
      This technique provides absolute quantification of regional tracer concentration
      using short-lived isotopes such as carbon-11, oxygen-15 and nitrogen-13, which
      can be easily incorporated in many compounds without changing their biological
      behaviour. These technical advantages are somewhat offset by the high cost of
      this technology which includes camera as well as on site cyclotron required for
      the preparation of radiopharmaceuticals. Recent clinical dates suggest that
      unique information can be obtained with PET. Using blood flow tracers in
      combination with PET, coronary artery disease can be detected and localized with
      high diagnostic accuracy. First studies comparing Tl-201 SPECT and PET in the
      same patient population indicate diagnostic superiority of PET. In combination
      with tracer kinetic models, regional myocardial blood flow can be quantitated and
      the functional significance of coronary artery stenosis defined by regional
      coronary reserve measurements. The assessment of regional glucose metabolism by
      PET with the tracer F-18 deoxyglucose has received wide clinical acceptance.
      Metabolic imaging in patients with advanced coronary artery disease allows the
      delineation of ischemically compromised but viable myocardium. Selection of
      patients for revascularization based on this scintigraphy tissue characterization
      has been shown to have a high predictive value for subsequent tissue recovery.
      Comparison of PET/FDG imaging with thallium-201 scintigraphy for assessment of
      tissue viability indicate that, in patients with fixed thallium-201 defects,
      additional diagnostic information can be obtained by this more expensive
      technology.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411019
TI  - [A case from practice (255). Munchausen syndrome in borderline personality.
      Bacterial right and left heart endocarditis following i.v. injection of feces.
      Abscessed pneumonia. Acute post-infection glomerulonephritis with reversible
      kidney failure. Multi-drug addiction with i.v. drug abuse (Temgesic and other
      opiates)].

PMID- 1411020
TI  - [Idiopathic scoliosis: screening, diagnosis and treatment].

PMID- 1411021
TI  - [The child's foot in daily practice].

PMID- 1411022
TI  - [Total knee prosthesis with preservation of the posterior cruciate ligament: the
      Lausanne experience].

PMID- 1411023
TI  - [Importance of meniscal and ligamentous lesions in the long-term prognosis of
      fractures of the tibial plateau].

PMID- 1411024
TI  - [Surgery of the rotator cuff--indications and results].

PMID- 1411026
TI  - [Painful muscles syndrome: the unknown once again].

PMID- 1411025
TI  - [Rapidly destructive coxarthrosis].

PMID- 1411027
TI  - [Osteoarticular manifestations of brucellosis. Apropos of 2 cases of brucellosis
      induced sacroiliitis].

PMID- 1411028
TI  - [Panic disorders: current findings and clinical approach in pharmacological
      treatment].

PMID- 1411029
TI  - Percutaneous renal stone removal using the Swiss Lithoclast.

PMID- 1411030
TI  - Management of ureteric calculi (minimally invasive therapy of ureteric stones).
AB  - As documented with results obtained in 1685 patients the treatment of ureteric
      stones is today based on ESWL in situ and ureteroscopy with semirigid, ultrathin
      ureteroscopes and laser lithotripsy. All stones in the upper third of the ureter
      and larger stones in the distal third of the ureter are preferably treated with
      ESWL in situ whereas smaller stones in the distal ureter are better treated
      endoscopically. Midureteric stones remain the domain of primary ureteroscopy;
      with moderate obstruction in the asymptomatic patient it may also be acceptable
      to wait for the stone to pass into the distal ureter spontaneously to be treated
      by ESWL in situ there. Manipulating stones back into the kidney and treating them
      by ESWL there (pushback/ESWL) offers no advantage over ESWL in situ, as the
      results are similar, yet morbidity is higher. Blind instrumentation and open
      surgery have lost all justification.

PMID- 1411031
TI  - [The treatment of urinary calculi in 1992].

PMID- 1411032
TI  - Long term follow-up after ESWL of large kidney stones.
AB  - In 76 patients (53 women and 23 men) aged 24-92 years, extracorporeal shock wave
      lithotripsy (ESWL) was performed between June 1986 and December 1988 as
      monotherapy for large kidney stones (diameter > 2.5 cm). There were 41 complete
      and 24 partial staghorn calculi. The patients were treated with the Dornier HM3
      lithotripter under sedoanalgesia. Of the 60 patients with large stones whose last
      ESWL treatment was at least 24 months earlier, only 15 ultimately came for this
      long-term control check-up. Reports on 15 other patients were received from their
      doctors stating that the patients were doing well, not having new stone episodes.
      These subjects had to be excluded from final evaluation since they did not
      fulfill all requirements. Thirty patients had either moved out of the area or
      were from distant locations and therefore unable to appear. Creatinine was normal
      and urinalyses negative in these 15 patients; 12/15 were stone-free. The ones who
      were not had small remnants in the lower pole calices which did no harm at all.
      One patient already had elevated pretreatment blood pressure; 6/14 with normal
      blood pressure before ESWL showed elevated values 30 or more months after hte
      last ESWL. Radio-isotope examinations with separate clearance tests demonstrated
      no real evidence of loss of kidney function on the treated in comparison with the
      untreated side. Sonographic findings on the longitudinal and transverse diameter
      of the treated and untreated kidneys with regard to total number of shock waves
      did not show marked differences as they all remained below the 9% limit.

PMID- 1411033
TI  - [Laser lithotripsy of ureteral stones using a pulsed dye laser with automatic
      tissue recognition].

PMID- 1411034
TI  - The "TUR-Catheter", a new catheter for postoperative drainage of the bladder.
AB  - A new catheter for postoperative irrigation of the bladder after operation of the
      prostate or bladder is introduced. Instead of 1 to 3 large holes measuring 5.5
      6.5 mm by 2.5-3 mm at its tip, as in common catheters, it has 32 drainage holes,
      each of them measuring 1.5 mm in diameter. This type of construction still
      secures sufficient unhindered drainage of the bladder, even if the majority of
      holes is obstructed. Thus, postoperative tamponade is prevented.

PMID- 1411035
TI  - Diagnostics and treatment of prostatitis: an actualized overview.

PMID- 1411036
TI  - [Prostatic cancer before the age of 50. Diagnostic and therapeutic
      considerations].

PMID- 1411037
TI  - Functional restoration & reconstruction of the incontinent female urethra.

PMID- 1411038
TI  - Pelvic endometriosis. Some pathophysiological and clinical conditions.

PMID- 1411039
TI  - [Are peritoneal implants of endometriosis painful?].

PMID- 1411040
TI  - [Role of IVF/ET in the treatment of endometriosis].

PMID- 1411041
TI  - [Reconstruction of the breast using a transverse abdominal muscle flap].

PMID- 1411042
TI  - [Traumatic pathology of the scapulo-thoracic girdle].

PMID- 1411043
TI  - [The Roux esophago-jejuno-gastrostomosis (1906)].

PMID- 1411044
TI  - [Cytokines-endothelium interaction: its role in the thrombotic process].
AB  - The in vivo relationship between the immune and the coagulation systems is a well
      documented fact. In a number of pathological conditions, thrombosis is not
      understood isolately, but in the context of inflammation and immunity. The
      mediators in these complex multidirectional interactions are the cytokines, a
      group of soluble peptides which act on surface cellular receptors, with
      immunoregulatory properties. These molecules influence negatively the
      physiological antithrombogenic situation by two different mechanisms. They are
      involved in processes which disrupt the endothelial integrity, and at the same
      time, they are capable of activating the endothelium in a prothrombotic manner,
      by stimulating procoagulant activities and by inhibiting different
      anticoagulants.

PMID- 1411046
TI  - [Brain death?].

PMID- 1411045
TI  - [Nutrition of the terminally ill patient: dietetic guidelines].
AB  - Food is a factor of great importance in personal relationship during the terminal
      phase. There are numerous causes of appetite and taste disturbances that must be
      known by the family and physician. Some ideas are provided about the different
      ways to improve nutrition and appetite as a part of a plurisymptomatic management
      to maintain the patient's comfort until his last days of life.

PMID- 1411047
TI  - [The university and their professors].

PMID- 1411048
TI  - [Surgical treatment of the tumors of the hand and the wrist].

PMID- 1411049
TI  - [Single lung transplantation].
AB  - Thirteen single lung transplantations have been performed in our department for
      non-infected end-stage lung diseases. Two patients died after surgery; a female
      patient died of uterine carcinoma one year and six months after the operation.
      The remaining ten patients are alive; they have resumed an active life and often
      working. The number of single lung transplantation is rapidly growing in the
      world, whereas heart-lung transplantation is regressing considerably.

PMID- 1411050
TI  - [Health effects of chronic exposure to tobacco smoke on a non-smoker population].
AB  - A study devised to evaluate the effects of chronic exposure to tobacco smoke on
      the health of a population of non-smokers was conducted in a prison. Fourteen
      volunteers among male, non-smoking prisoners in good health and without history
      of lung disease were put for thirty days in a cell that was already occupied by
      three smokers. These subjects were examined on arrival and on the 30th day of
      their imprisonment. The examination included filling a questionnaire concerning
      daily habits and food, respiratory function tests, measurement of CO in the
      expired air, measurement of nicotine, cotinine, thiocyanates and cadmium
      concentrations in blood and in urine, and measurement of mutagenic substances
      excreted. The purpose of the study was to detect possible changes in the
      variables tested between the first and last days of confinement. No significant
      difference could be demonstrated within this lapse of time. These results are in
      agreement with the data available in the literature. In the present state of our
      knowledge, it is difficult to find evidence of a biological impact, notably on
      the concentrations of the specific indicators nicotine and cotinine, in subjects
      passively exposed to tobacco smoke.

PMID- 1411051
TI  - [Bilateral chylothorax after mild trauma: apropos of a case].
AB  - The authors report a new case of bilateral chylothorax predominant on the left
      side, which occurred after movements of body trunk hyperextension in a 52-year
      old woman without any notable history. The clinical signs revealing the lesion
      were left thoracic pain and dyspnoea. The effusion had been preceded by a
      painless and transient left cervical tumefaction. The outcome was favourable
      after two left pleural draining punctures and rest.

PMID- 1411052
TI  - [Giant cell tumors of the ribs. Apropos of a case].
AB  - The authors report a case of grade I-II giant-cell tumour of the ribs extending
      to the thorax and the vertebral column. The tumour was treated by surgical
      resection followed by vertebral curettage in two stages and adjuvant regional
      radiotherapy. Giant-cell tumours of the ribs are exceptional and rarely found in
      the literature. They raise a therapeutic problem (surgery is essential, but
      radiotherapy is controverted), and a prognostic problem (there is always a
      potential risk of recurrent malignancy).

PMID- 1411053
TI  - [Apropos of "cardiac pseudo-asthma"].

PMID- 1411054
TI  - [Selective digestive decontamination in intensive care patients. European Society
      of Intensive Care Medicine. Consensus Conference].

PMID- 1411055
TI  - The advancement of dental laboratory technology into professional status.

PMID- 1411056
TI  - Management and leadership--is your laboratory on automatic pilot?
AB  - Many management professionals have attempted to define the relationship between
      leadership and management. Some believe that leadership and management are
      interrelated characteristics, with one perhaps an extension of the other; others
      maintain that they are different qualities altogether. Few would argue with the
      notion, though, that leadership is a great quality for managers to have. This
      article explores management and leadership, and looks at some ways to enhance and
      encourage leadership in your laboratory.

PMID- 1411057
TI  - Basics for selecting attachments.

PMID- 1411058
TI  - P.C. Wafer: an improvement in the fixed removable implant system.

PMID- 1411059
TI  - Preparing for the 90s--increasing production while decreasing costs.

PMID- 1411060
TI  - The Consumer Price Index (CPI).

PMID- 1411061
TI  - Compatibility in porcelain to metal systems: Part 3.
AB  - As described in parts one and two of this article, all the steps leading to the
      finished casting can influence the compatibility between porcelain and alloy.
      This final part of the article will examine the influences of metal conditioning
      and thermal handling on the completed restoration.

PMID- 1411062
TI  - Changes are needed.

PMID- 1411063
TI  - Certification and manpower.

PMID- 1411064
TI  - New focus on sexual harassment: a review of workplace policies.

PMID- 1411065
TI  - Controlling porosity in microwave processed acrylic.
AB  - The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship of bench curing
      techniques, processing time and microwave wattage to porosity in the processed
      acrylic resin.

PMID- 1411067
TI  - CDT today: candidate rights to appeal grades.

PMID- 1411066
TI  - Permanent soft reline of a Swing Lock partial.

PMID- 1411068
TI  - Processed bases for complete dentures.

PMID- 1411069
TI  - Organizational climate, motivation and productivity.

PMID- 1411070
TI  - CDT today: the successful grade appeal.

PMID- 1411071
TI  - The preliminary prosthetic consultation form.

PMID- 1411072
TI  - New generation of palladium-indium-silver dental cast alloys: a review.

PMID- 1411073
TI  - The employer's role in reporting workers' compensation claims.

PMID- 1411074
TI  - Engineering and physics in dental technology. 1.
AB  - This work is a compilation of the principles of engineering and physics that are
      involved in the design and construction of various types of prostheses in the
      dental laboratory. It is intended as a reference of scientific doctrines for
      dental technicians who wish to advance their knowledge and skills. This article
      is the first of several that will be published in Trends & Techniques during the
      next several issues. The article in its entirety is by no means complete--the
      field is too enormous to identify all the tenets that apply, and future
      scientific advancement will certainly add others. Some elements of biomechanics
      are included in this work because of the interrelationship of biomechanics to
      engineering.

PMID- 1411075
TI  - Treatment of the partially edentulous patient.

PMID- 1411076
TI  - Fabrication of a custom-fitted mouthguard.

PMID- 1411077
TI  - Individual responsibility--involving and empowering your people.

PMID- 1411078
TI  - The set-up and process of a mandibular hybrid denture.

PMID- 1411079
TI  - Engineering and physics in dental technology. Part 2.
AB  - Part 2 covers the areas of friction and lubricants, cross sections, parallelism,
      passivity and equilibration, levers, reducing the radius, immobilization, and
      transmitral of forces. Some elements of biomechanics are included in the article
      because of the interrelationship of biomechanics to engineering.

PMID- 1411080
TI  - The use of lateral rotated papillae flaps as an alternative source for
      reconstructing gingiva.

PMID- 1411081
TI  - The clinical effects of electrostimulation on salivary function of Sjogren's
      syndrome patients. A placebo controlled study.
AB  - A multi-center double-blind study of an electro-stimulator device was conducted
      to evaluate its ability to increase the production of saliva and reduce clinical
      symptomatology. A total of 77 Sjogren's syndrome patients at three centers were
      assigned to active devices (n = 40) or to placebo devices (n = 37). There were 2
      male and 32 female patients assigned to active devices, and 1 male and 36 female
      patients assigned to placebo devices. The age range with the greatest number of
      patients was 60-69 years making up more than 31% of the study population. The
      selection criteria required the patients to have no greater than 0.2 g/min of
      whole salivary production (approximately 19% of normal salivary production). At
      the start of the study, the patients assigned the active device had a mean
      salivary production of 0.06 ml per min (6% of normal) and patients assigned
      placebo devices had a mean salivary production of 0.07 ml per min (7% of normal).
      There were three scheduled visits, 2 weeks apart, over a treatment period of 4
      weeks. At all visits, the patients using active devices showed a statistically
      greater (P = 0.005 to 0.02) increase in the production of saliva than placebo
      patients. The study also evaluated the reduction of patients symptoms associated
      with xerostomia. Patients showed significant improvement in (1) difficulty in
      swallowing and (2) burning tongue (P = 0.008). Some patients on their initial
      visit had no response to the active device and did not show a significant
      response at subsequent visits.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411082
TI  - Influence of prolonged neuropsychological testing on immunoregulatory cells and
      hormonal parameters in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - The influence of a 2-h neuropsychological stress test on plasma catecholamines,
      cortisol, and on the distribution of lymphocyte subpopulations was studied in 14
      patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 10 patients on prednisone
      treatment (without collagenosis), and 14 sex-and-age-matched healthy controls.
      Psychological stress induced comparably significant increases in plasma
      adrenaline and noradrenaline levels as compared with baseline values (P less than
      0.05) in all three groups, whereas plasma cortisol remained unchanged. The rise
      in plasma catecholamines was accompanied by a significant cell mobilization in
      healthy subjects and prednisone-treated patients, but not in patients with SLE.
      CD19+ cells increased significantly in number from baseline in healthy subjects
      and prednisone-treated controls (P less than 0.05), while remaining unchanged in
      SLE patients. In conclusion, SLE patients showed a reduced cell mobilization due
      to psychological stress despite hormonal alterations paralleling those of healthy
      subjects or prednisone-treated patients without collagenosis.

PMID- 1411083
TI  - Spontaneous expression of immediately-early response genes c-fos and egr-1 in
      collagenase-producing rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts.
AB  - In view of the important role of interstitial collagenase in the pathogenesis of
      rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we studied the expression of fibroblast-type
      collagenase in rheumatoid synovium and searched for its potential transcription
      factors, namely the oncoprotein c-fos and the early-growth-response gene-1 (egr
      1), an inducible zinc-finger encoding gene. Elevated levels of RNA sequences
      complimentary to c-fos and egr-1 cDNA probes could be detected in cytoplasmic
      extracts of collagenase-expressing synovial fibroblast-like cells when compared
      to equivalent RNA amounts isolated from control fibroblasts. Utilizing
      immunocytochemistry, immunoreactivity for c-fos oncoprotein was found in 13 of 19
      joint specimens obtained from patients with active RA. These oncoprotein data
      were positively correlated to the collagenase expression in the same specimens.
      Moreover, immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the localization of both
      oncoprotein c-fos and fibroblast-type collagenase within synovial fibroblast-like
      cells attached to bone erosions.

PMID- 1411084
TI  - Rheumatic manifestations of infective endocarditis.
AB  - Rheumatic manifestations are common and varied in infective endocarditis. We
      performed a retrospective case analysis on 87 patients with 93 episodes of
      infective endocarditis admitted to Flinders Medical Centre over an 11 year period
      (1980-1990). Disabling musculoskeletal symptoms and signs were documented in 22
      (25%) of the patients. Thirteen patients developed severe or moderately severe
      low back pain during their illness, two with radiological evidence of a septic
      discitis or vertebral osteomyelitis. Two patients developed
      polyarthralgia/arthritis, four had septic arthritis (all with acute
      Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis), three developed severe loin pain, two acute
      gout, two had severe buttock pain and sacroiliac joint tenderness and two each
      developed disabling jaw/facial pain, neck/scapular pain and flank pain
      respectively. Five patients presented initially to the orthopaedic or
      rheumatological unit for management of their musculoskeletal symptoms. Four of
      seven patients with Streptococcus bovis endocarditis demonstrated prominent low
      back pain supporting a previously noted association between this organism and
      back symptoms. Furthermore, in one patient who had three separate episodes of
      endocarditis involving three different organisms, florid back symptoms were only
      seen in the infective episode involving Streptococcus bovis.

PMID- 1411085
TI  - Changes in clinical features of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
      followed prospectively over 2 decades.
AB  - In the past decades the general concept of the disease course and the prognosis
      of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has changed dramatically. The improvement
      in prognosis of our SLE patients is often said to be related to the growing
      awareness of the disease. This study focussed on whether or not the clinical
      features at the onset of the disease, and at diagnosis, and the clinical course
      as well as the age at the onset of the disease had changed during the past
      decades. No obvious differences were observed in the age at the onset of the
      disease or in the age at diagnosis. Of the 22 clinical signs studied, only the
      prevalence of Raynaud's phenomenon at the onset of the disease had increased
      during the past 20 years. At diagnosis, the prevalence of oral ulcers and false
      positive syphilis test had decreased. Only small differences in the type but not
      in the number of exacerbations were observed; in the past 20 years, the
      prevalence of renal involvement increased from 20% to 43%. However, this was not
      significant. Our results did not support the theory that during the past 2
      decades the disease had changed in its expression, neither did we find that the
      disease is presently diagnosed at an earlier age, as would be expected from the
      increased awareness of the disease.

PMID- 1411086
TI  - Cyclosporin A in a pregnant patient affected with systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - Few data regarding the use of cyclosporin A (CyA) in pregnancy are available and
      those available refer mainly to transplant recipients and not to patients with
      connective tissue diseases. We report the case of a patient with systemic lupus
      erythematosus (SLE), taking CyA before, during and after her pregnancy at a dose
      of 4 mg/kg per day. CyA was effective in controlling SLE activity and no side
      effects were observed in mother or baby. The lack of teratogenicity in this case
      was in keeping with previous reports in experimental systems, animals and human
      transplant recipients. If our observation is confirmed by further studies, CyA
      might become useful in the treatment of pregnant patients with SLE.

PMID- 1411087
TI  - Palmar fascial thickening and contractures of fingers resembling arthritis--a
      paraneoplastic symptom?
AB  - A 59-year-old women presented with contractures of the fingers of both hands 11
      months before a diagnosis of an ovarian carcinoma with paraaortic lymph node
      metastases was made. We suggest that the contractures, which were associated with
      palmar fascial thickening and which clinically resembled arthritis, might have
      been a paraneoplastic sign.

PMID- 1411088
TI  - AB0 and Lewis blood groups in reactive arthritis.
AB  - In this study we evaluated secretor status in patients with reactive arthritis.
      Previous evidence indicates that non-secretion of AB0 and Lewis blood group
      antigens to saliva and other secretions is associated with susceptibility to
      certain bacterial infections and certain diseases with suspected autoimmune
      etiology. Secretor status can be determined based on the Lewis phenotype. We
      studied AB0, Lewis and Rhesus blood groups of 54 patients with previous reactive
      arthritis, 26 of whom had uroarthritis and 28 of whom had arthritis after enteric
      infection. Furthermore, 25 patients with uncomplicated yersiniosis and 57 healthy
      controls were studied. We did not find any correlation between secretor status
      and reactive arthritis or gastroenteritis due to Yersinia. AB0 blood group
      antigen B appeared to be protective against uroarthritis.

PMID- 1411089
TI  - Survival in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in India.
AB  - Survival in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in developed
      countries has improved considerably over the last 2 decades. In India, however,
      survival in patients with SLE reported 5 years ago from this tertiary referral
      centre was very poor. The present study was conducted to examine trends, if any,
      towards improvement in the survival of patients with SLE attending the same
      centre during the period 1981-1990. No statistically significant change in
      survival was noted. It appears that improvement in the survival of SLE patients
      would require an overall improvement in the standard of medical care in India.

PMID- 1411090
TI  - Clinical significance of rheumatoid factor isotypes in seropositive arthritis.
AB  - In this cross-sectional study a comparison was made of rheumatoid factor (RF)
      isotypes in 203 RF positive patients with arthritis. Of these, 129 had rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA) and 74 a milder disease that would formerly have been classified
      as probable RA. The majority (74%) of the RA patients had elevations of two or
      three RF isotypes compared with only 34% of the patients with the milder form of
      arthritis. A striking feature was that combined elevation of IgM RF and IgA RF
      was found in 67% of the RA patients compared to only 20% of the patients with
      milder arthritis who most frequently had an isolated elevation of IgM RF (41%).
      RA patients with an isolated elevation of IgA RF were younger and had a shorter
      disease history than RA patients with an isolated elevation in IgM RF or a
      combined elevation of IgA RF and IgM RF. The prevalence of raised IgM RF was,
      furthermore, found to increase with age and disease duration. We conclude that a
      raised level of IgA RF is an adverse phenomenon in patients with seropositive
      arthritis while patients with an isolated increase in IgM RF may be expected to
      experience a relatively mild disease course.

PMID- 1411091
TI  - Scanning electron microscopic evaluation of the arthritis in MRL/lpr mice.
AB  - The articular surfaces of disarticulated knee joints from MRL/lpr and MRL/n mice,
      aged 4-33 weeks were examined by light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron
      microscopy (SEM). Light microscopy did not reliably predict SEM findings. Most of
      the abnormalities detected by SEM were related to surface disruption of articular
      cartilage. However, areas of articular cartilage covered by tightly adherent non
      confluent monolayers of stellate-shaped cells with intertwining cytoplasmic
      processes were observed. In these areas the integrity of the underlying cartilage
      matrix was disrupted, with exposure of collagen fibers. These findings suggested
      that outgrowth of proliferating synovial cells in the joints of arthritic MRL/lpr
      mice may lead to cartilage destruction.

PMID- 1411092
TI  - Analysis of glycosaminoglycans in human serum after oral administration of
      chondroitin sulfate.
AB  - Chondroitin sulfate was administered orally to six healthy volunteers, six
      patients with rheumatoid arthritis and six patients with osteoarthritis. Blood
      was collected at intervals before and after treatment and the glycosaminoglycan
      concentration was analyzed in serum using a sensitive assay based on the
      metachromatic reaction with 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue. The glycosaminoglycan
      concentration in serum before and after ingestion of chondroitin sulfate was
      statistically unchanged in all of the subjects studied. We suggest that
      chondroprotection by orally administered chondroitin sulfate is a biologically
      and pharmacologically unfounded theory. Any possible benefit to osteoarthritic
      patients after ingestion of chondroitin sulfate should be sought at the
      gastrointestinal rather than at the plasmatic or articular cartilage level.

PMID- 1411093
TI  - Lymphokines and soluble interleukin-2 receptors in juvenile chronic arthritis.
      Clinical and laboratory correlations.
AB  - Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-2, interferon gamma (IFNg) and soluble IL-2
      receptors (sIL-2R) were determined in sera from 34 patients with poly- or
      pauciarticular juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) by use of enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Levels of sIL-2R were elevated in the group of
      patients compared with those of healthy children and correlated significantly
      with several parameters of clinical activity, including the functional capacity,
      joint score, visual-analogue score and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).
      Serum IL-2 levels were also elevated in the JCA patients, correlating with the
      patients functional capacity. Serum levels of IFNg were below the detection limit
      of the assay. Our data supported the notion that T-cell activation plays a role
      in the immunopathologic processes leading to clinical JCA.

PMID- 1411094
TI  - Arthritis community education by leather puppet (wayang kulit) shadow play in
      rural Indonesia (Java).
AB  - As part of the WHO/International League Against Rheumatism (ILAR) sponsored
      community organized programme for the control of rheumatic disease (COPCORD), an
      arthritis community education programme (ACE) was undertaken utilizing the
      traditional form of entertainment in a rural area in Central Java-the wayang. The
      point prevalence rate of musculoskeletal complaints was estimated in 4683 men &
      women aged 15 years and over by house-to-house interviews. From 1105 respondents
      recording recent musculoskeletal pain, 844 were randomly selected and half the
      latter attended a puppet shadow play (wayang) incorporating the ACE. The other
      half, matched for age, sex and educational level who did not see the play, served
      as controls. A questionnaire containing biphasic choices of correct or incorrect
      ways of performing activities of daily living (ADL) to minimize musculoskeletal
      problems was administered to the whole group before, 1 month and 6 months after
      the wayang. Increased knowledge of correct ways of performing ADL (correct ADL)
      in the intervention group compared with the control group at 1 and 6 months after
      wayang was significant (P less than 0.05). Comprehension of correct ADL following
      the wayang could be demonstrated even in subjects who were illiterate and those
      who had attended primary school only. Retention of knowledge at the 6 month
      assessment declined more markedly in the illiterate group. ACE by wayang was
      shown to be feasible and effective in transferring knowledge on ADL to people
      with musculoskeletal problems in the sample population in Java. This effect could
      be shown even in the poorly educated section of the community.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411095
TI  - Influence of topical steroid treatment on maxillary sinusitis.
AB  - The clinical efficacy and adverse effects of budesonide administered as a nasal
      aerosol in addition to sinus washings and erythromycin therapy was assessed by
      comparison with placebo in a randomized, double-blind study of 40 patients with
      chronic or recurrent maxillary sinusitis. Most of the patients had been referred
      for operative treatment. Corticosteroid therapy, 400 micrograms daily, or placebo
      was continued for 3 months. Budesonide and antral irrigations reduced nasal
      symptoms more effectively than placebo, and there was a significantly greater
      reduction in facial pain and sensitivity in the budesonide group than in the
      placebo group. During the treatment period, mucosal thickening as evaluated by
      radiology decreased more clearly in the budesonide group than in the placebo
      group, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. The most
      frequently isolated bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus
      epidermidis and Haemophilus influenzae. Only 2 of 20 Haemophilus strains were
      beta-lactamase producers. The cellular picture was dominated by neutrophils in
      all secretions. There was no significant difference in clinical outcome between
      the two groups. Topical steroid therapy did not cause any adverse effects.

PMID- 1411096
TI  - The value of high-resolution CT-scan for diagnosis of infectious paranasal
      sinuses disease and endonasal surgery.
AB  - Since 1986 the high resolution CT in two planes is part of our preoperative
      diagnostic program for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis, acute, complicated
      rhinosinusitis and polyposis nasi. The importance of the CT for diagnosis,
      localization, and planning the operation shall be demonstrated.

PMID- 1411097
TI  - Nasal sensitization of dairy farmers to bovine epithelial and urinary antigens.
AB  - Nineteen dairy farmers with nasal symptoms associated with working in cowhouses
      participated in the study. Nasal challenge with bovine epithelial antigen (BEA)
      and bovine urinary antigen (BUA) was made before and after the indoor feeding
      season. Nasal challenge made before the indoor feeding season with BEA was
      positive in five patients and three of them showed positive reaction in nasal
      challenge also with BUA. After the indoor feeding season the results in nasal
      challenge with BEA were approximately equal to BEA and four of them showed
      positive response in nasal challenge to BUA. However, we did not find any
      significant increase in sensitivity in nasal challenge to BEA or BUA after the
      indoor feeding season. In addition to these patients, two patients who were
      excluded from nasal challenge before the indoor feeding season showed positive
      results in nasal challenge after the indoor feeding season with both BEA and BUA.
      Our results suggest that BUA in addition to BEA may have significance to nasal
      symptoms.

PMID- 1411098
TI  - Nasal mucosa reaction. A model for mucosal reaction during challenge.
AB  - Rhinological symptoms in aspects of hyperreactivity and allergy are increasing
      problems. Previous reports on this subject are based on studies of airway
      obstruction (rhinomanometry), secreted substances during challenge, and symptom
      scores. To be able to define and evaluate the pathological reactions in nasal
      hyperreactivity and allergy, it is necessary to find principles to describe and
      standardize the reactions of the healthy nasal mucosa. The aim of this study was
      to examine congestion of the nasal mucosa in healthy volunteers. Existing
      measuring methods, in this aspect, are either indirect or not accurate enough for
      this purpose. With the development of rhinostereometry, an optical measuring
      method, it is possible to record nasal mucosa congestion with high accuracy. A
      nasal challenge test was made in healthy volunteers with gradually raised
      concentrations of a histamine solution, which was applied to the inferior concha
      on the right side. Recordings of the mucosal congestion were made with
      rhinostereometry. We found that it is possible, with statistical significance, to
      standardize the reactions of the healthy nasal mucosa: There is no congestion
      more than 0.4 mm with a histamine concentration of less than 4 mg/ml (p less than
      0.05); congestion of more than 0.4 mm is present at histamine concentrations of
      16 mg/ml (p less than 0.05).

PMID- 1411100
TI  - Medico-legal aspects of sinus surgery.

PMID- 1411099
TI  - Hereditary haemorrhagic teleangiectasia: unsuccessful treatment with the
      flashlamp-pulsed dye laser.
AB  - In seven patients with hereditary haemorrhagic teleangiectasia (HHT) only one
      patient had lasting benefit from treatment with the flashlamp-pulsed dye laser.
      In seven other patients who had received other treatment before, none had any
      observable effect of this laser. The flashlamp-pulsed dye laser therefore does
      not seem to be effective in the treatment of nasal teleangiectasias.

PMID- 1411101
TI  - Nasal vascularization: experiences using the microcorrosion technique in human
      foetuses.
AB  - The authors have studied the three-dimensional aspect of the vascular
      architecture of the nasal mucosa, using the microcorrosion method followed by
      scanning electron microscopical observation of casts of the vascular networks in
      both the septum and the lateral part of the nose. Batson's compound was
      introduced into the vascular system through the ascending aorta, in order to
      obtain a replica of the nasal mucosa vessels. Twelve- to 24-week-old foetuses
      obtained from spontaneous abortions were used for this purpose.

PMID- 1411102
TI  - Fractured-nose reduction under local anaesthesia. Is it acceptable to the
      patient?
AB  - This article examines patients' acceptance of fractured-nose reduction under
      local anaesthesia, both objectively and subjectively. At each stage of the
      reduction the level of the discomfort, the patients' experiences were recorded.
      The success rate of complete reduction of the nasal fracture was found to be 71%
      and this was similar to that obtained in other studies that have used general
      anaesthesia. An overall level of discomfort for the procedure in terms a layman
      can understand was obtained by comparing the manipulation with that of having a
      tooth filled at the dentist. Sixty-three percent of the patients said that the
      nasal fracture reduction was no worse or the same as a dental filling. Our study
      showed that 96% of patients would be willing to undergo the same local
      anaesthetic procedure if they fractured their nose a second time. We conclude
      that it is possible to reduce the majority of fractured noses adequately with
      little inconvenience to the patient under local anaesthesia, and so we recommend
      that this procedure should be considered in the first-line treatment of the
      displaced fractured nose.

PMID- 1411103
TI  - Nasal mucociliary clearance and resolution of otitis media with effusion in
      children following adenoidectomy.
AB  - Numerous workers have studied the relationship between nasal mucociliary
      clearance and adenoid removal in terms of nasal function. This study was
      performed to investigate the role of preoperative saccharin clearance time and
      velocity determination in selecting children with established otitis media with
      effusion (OME) for adenoidectomy. Testing was not found to be particularly
      reproducible and there was no statistically significant relationship between
      mucociliary parameters and the otoscopic resolution of effusion.

PMID- 1411104
TI  - [Treatment of asthma].

PMID- 1411105
TI  - [Holistic treatment of asthma by the pediatrician].

PMID- 1411106
TI  - [Anemophilous fungi: viability and allergenicity].
AB  - Three strains of anemophilous fungi (Alternaria, Rhizopus and Monilia) from
      different genera were studied. We found that the liquid Sabouraud and culture
      media used in this study lost nutrients after seven days of strain growth,
      without affecting their viability. This was proven when the fungi were reseeded
      at 15 and 60 days. Extracts from supposedly sensible patients were developed
      using intradermoreaction skin tests, finding no significant differences among the
      results obtained from these tests. We recommended further studies with more
      prolonged growth periods (90, 120, 180 or more days) to see whether this incides
      on the viability and allergenicity of the anemophilous fungi.

PMID- 1411107
TI  - [Effectiveness of sodium cromoglycate in the reduction of bronchodilator doses in
      asthmatic patients].
AB  - Thirty asthmatic patients, ages ranging from 6 to 72 years, who were submitted to
      a 14 weeks clinical evaluation, were studied measuring the severity of dysnea,
      coughing, expectoration and wheezing. Sodium chromoglycate (SCG) was administered
      in aerosol starting the second week of the study and the doses of bronchial
      dilators was reduced starting the fourth week, with a 25% decrease in the total
      established initial dosage, every two weeks. In this study, SCG showed to be
      useful in decreasing symptoms caused by bronchial hyperreactivity and the use of
      bronchial dilators in 70% of asthmatics who react with the presence of just one
      risk factor (cold, the most frequent).

PMID- 1411108
TI  - [In vitro and in vivo acari tests].
AB  - We studied 40 children with one o more perennial allergic diseases (bronchial
      asthma, allergic rhinitis, and/or atopic dermatitis) to assess the value in our
      country of in vivo and in vitro tests more frequently used in the diagnosis of
      allergy, such as total serum IgE, specific allergen IgE (RAST) and prick skin
      test in patients sensitives to D. pteronissinus, D. farinae or both. All patients
      had positive prick skin tests. Total serous IgE was elevated in 95% of cases with
      poor correlation coefficient (r) between prick skin test reactivity and total
      serous IgE concentration with no statistical significance. On the other hand, 95%
      of patients showed a positive RAST with a correlation coefficient of 0.31 (p less
      than 0.05). We concluded that in our country clinical history and prick skin
      tests are sufficiently accurate in a reasonable way to make a diagnosis of
      allergic etiology in patients sensitives to mites of the house dust.

PMID- 1411109
TI  - [Intrahospital epidemic outbreaks. Their study and control].

PMID- 1411110
TI  - [Peridual morphine and postoperative pain].

PMID- 1411111
TI  - [The quality of the public water supply. A study in Albacete].

PMID- 1411113
TI  - [Vaccination against influenza in groups at risk].

PMID- 1411112
TI  - [Influenza, an important health problem].

PMID- 1411114
TI  - [Txagorritxu Hospital at the service of Alava].

PMID- 1411116
TI  - [Work hours: their repercussions on health].

PMID- 1411115
TI  - [Our experience with Anna].

PMID- 1411117
TI  - [The cancer patient. The other parameters of care].

PMID- 1411118
TI  - [Anthropology applied to feeding and nutrition policies].

PMID- 1411119
TI  - [Continuing education. 71. Concepts of administration].

PMID- 1411121
TI  - [Vaccines: an instrument of health].

PMID- 1411120
TI  - [A waste-disposal unit (macerator)].

PMID- 1411122
TI  - Abnormal auditory brainstem responses and cochlear pathology in rats induced by
      an exaggerated styrene exposure regimen.
AB  - Groups of 12 male 42-day-old rats were exposed to 0 or 800 ppm styrene vapors for
      14 hr/day, 5 days/week for 3 weeks. Tone-pip auditory brainstem responses (ABRs)
      at 4, 8, 16, and 30 kHz were obtained after the last exposure. ABRs were
      minimally affected at 4 kHz and moderately to severely affected at 8, 16, and 30
      kHz as indicated by waveforms which had a decreased amplitude and increased
      latency as compared to the controls. Missing outer hair cell(s) were evident in
      the basal and lower middle turns of the organ of Corti. Outer hair cell loss was
      least in the first row and greatest in the second and third rows. Occasional
      inner hair cells were also missing in regions of severe outer hair cell loss. The
      distribution of hair cell loss within the cochlea was consistent with the pattern
      of ABR alterations. These data document mid-frequency auditory dysfunction in
      styrene-exposed young adult rats with significant damage to the organ of Corti
      following an exaggerated styrene exposure regimen.

PMID- 1411123
TI  - Light microscopic and ultrastructural pathology of seminiferous tubules of rats
      given multiple doses of Pasteurella multocida group D protein toxin.
AB  - Male Holtzman rats were given subcutaneous doses of a purified Pasteurella
      multocida group D heat-labile toxin on alternate days for up to 22 days. Rats
      were necropsied at 18 days or 36 days (14 days after last dose of toxin) or when
      moribund, and testicles were taken for histologic and ultrastructural
      examination. Other selected tissues, including liver and spleen, were taken for
      histologic examination. Histologically, testicular and splenic lesions occurred
      more consistently and at much smaller doses when compared with lesions in other
      target organs such as liver. Testicular and splenic lesions were present in all
      rats (6/6) given 0.8 micrograms/kg toxin and were seen in some rats (1/6) given
      as little as 0.2 micrograms/kg toxin. Only 3/6 rats given 0.8 micrograms/kg toxin
      had hepatic lesions; no hepatic lesions were seen at doses of 0.2 micrograms/kg.
      Testicles from toxin-treated rats were smaller and weighed less than controls.
      Seminiferous tubules were moderately dilated and lined by polygonal sertoli
      cells. The normal spermatogenic maturation sequence and mature spermatids were
      absent, and many tubules contained multinucleate spermatocytes. Severely affected
      tubules were necrotic and mineralized. Ultrastructurally, there was necrosis of
      adluminal spermatocytes, multinucleate cell formation, and spaces between Sertoli
      cell plasma membranes. Testicular lesions were similar to those described for
      vitamin D-deficient rats, vitamin A-deficient rats, vasectomized rats, and rats
      given intravenous tumor necrosis factor; however, rats given lethal doses of
      toxin did not have elevated levels of TNF alpha activity.

PMID- 1411124
TI  - Liver tumors in male rats following treatment with glucocorticosteroids.
AB  - Male rats treated with either budesonide, prednisolone, or triamcinolone
      acetonide in drinking water for up to 104 weeks developed slightly increased
      incidences of basophilic foci, and significantly increased incidences of combined
      hepatocellular adenomas/carcinomas as compared to controls. Based upon reduced
      body weight gains and survivals, the doses administered were considered to be
      toxic. It was concluded that the positive findings represented a class effect,
      and probably involved glucocorticoid receptors.

PMID- 1411125
TI  - Histological sectioning of the rodent larynx for inhalation toxicity testing.
AB  - In rodents, the larynx is a major site of histopathologic alteration following
      inhalation exposure to particulates, vapors, and aerosols. Specifically, the
      epithelial lining of a narrowly delineated region on the ventral floor of the
      larynges of rats and mice appears to be especially vulnerable to inhaled
      materials, and is recognized as a preferred site for histopathological evaluation
      in inhalation studies. This site is located at the base of the epiglottis,
      cranial to the ventral laryngeal diverticulum (ventral pouch). The presence of
      underlying seromucinous glands is critical for histologic identification of this
      site. We report a histologic sectioning technique, using the ventral laryngeal
      diverticulum as the anatomical landmark, to obtain tissue sections from this area
      of predilection in rats and in mice.

PMID- 1411126
TI  - Spontaneous renal neoplasms in aged Crl:CDBR rats.
AB  - Primary neoplasms of the kidneys occurred in 11/682 male (1.6%) and 2/694 female
      (0.3%) Crl:CDBr strain Sprague-Dawley rats. Eight of 13 neoplasms were of
      mesenchymal origin and 5 of 13 were epithelial. Five neoplasms were lipoma (3) or
      liposarcoma (2). Three of 13 were either hemangioma (1) or mesenchymal tumors
      (2). The epithelial neoplasms were carcinomas. There was no microscopic evidence
      of metastasis among those neoplasms judged malignant on morphologic criteria. The
      overall natural incidence in males was nearly double that compiled for this
      strain while in females the incidence was similar to that reported for other
      females.

PMID- 1411127
TI  - Prednisone is not a mouse carcinogen.
AB  - The carcinogenic potential of prednisone, a synthetic corticosteroid used as an
      anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agent, was investigated by feeding it to
      Crl:CD-1(ICR) mice (50/sex/dose) at doses of 0.25, 0.50, 1.0, and 5.0 mg/kg/day
      for 18 months. Prednisone did not significantly increase the incidence of
      neoplasms (p less than or equal to 0.05); on the contrary, it significantly
      decreased the incidence of hepatocellular tumors (p = 0.002 in males, p = 0.027
      in females), male lacrimal/Harderian gland tumors (p = 0.05), female pulmonary
      adenomas (p = 0.047), female endothelial cell tumors (p = 0.035), and female
      lymphosarcomas (p = 0.02). This study suggests that long-term (lifetime)
      prednisone use does not increase cancer risk and may actually reduce it.

PMID- 1411128
TI  - Stereological evaluation of altered hepatocellular foci in control Wistar rats.
AB  - Quantitative evaluation and stereological analysis of altered hepatocellular foci
      (AHF) were performed on hematoxylin and eosin-stained (H&E) liver sections from
      control Wistar rats from 9 2-yr carcinogenicity studies conducted between 1981
      and 1991. Morphologic criteria previously described were used to classify AHF in
      H&E stained livers into basophilic, eosinophilic, clear, mixed, or vacuolated
      cell foci. Hepatocellular adenomas were seen in 1.6% of control rats and
      carcinomas were seen in 0.2%. AHF were diagnosed in 20% of control Wistar rats
      and were seen only in rats dying after 47 weeks. Basophilic foci were the most
      common AHF seen; incidences of tigroid and diffuse basophilic AHF were similar.
      Vacuolated foci were not identified in any rat. The mean number of AHF per cubic
      centimeter of liver was 101. The mean AHF volume varied from 0.002-0.048 mm3 and
      the mean volume fraction ranged from 0.005-0.026%. Compared to AHF in aged
      control Fischer 344 rats, AHF in control Wistar rats were fewer and smaller.

PMID- 1411129
TI  - Testicular damage caused by inhalation of ethylene oxide in rats: light and
      electron microscopic studies.
AB  - Although testicular damage caused by ethylene oxide vapor (EtO) has been
      previously reported, the morphological changes occurring in seminiferous tubules
      remain unclear. We examined the time course of the testicular lesion induced by
      EtO in order to clarify its morphogenesis. Wistar rats were exposed to 500 ppm
      EtO for 6 hr per day, 3 times per week for 2, 4, 6, or 13 weeks through
      inhalation. In the 2-week exposure group, Sertoli cells often showed condensation
      and retraction of the cytoplasm, and dilatation of the endoplasmic reticulum
      (ER). In apical Sertoli cells, processes which encapsulated the heads of elongate
      spermatids, ectoplasmic specializations, and tubulobulbar complexes were often
      deformed and many elongate spermatids were degenerated. In the 4- and 6-week
      exposure groups, many degenerated Sertoli cells were present, and deformed germ
      cells, sometimes with multinucleation, appeared to make direct contact with each
      other without interlocation of Sertoli cell lateral processes. A few scattered
      immature Sertoli cells were evident in the 6-week exposure group. In the 13-week
      exposure group, seminiferous tubules containing almost all types of germ cells
      reappeared, mixed with atrophic tubules containing Sertoli cells only. In the
      former tubules, Sertoli cells often possessed regularly regenerated lateral
      processes, which were interposed between germ cells. These results indicate that
      the germ cell damage may be associated with damage to Sertoli cells. In spite of
      the intermittent exposure, focal regeneration of Sertoli cells appeared after 6
      weeks of exposure to EtO and preceded patchy recovery of germ cells. Therefore,
      the data suggest that Sertoli cell regeneration may permit regeneration of germ
      cells.

PMID- 1411130
TI  - Histologic methods and interspecies variations in the laryngeal histology of
      F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice.
AB  - The relatively high incidence and variety of lesions induced in the upper
      respiratory tract of rodents by inhalation of xenobiotics has resulted in
      considerable attention given to the microscopic anatomy of this area. Specific
      areas of the rodent laryngeal mucosa appear to be more sensitive to inhaled
      materials and more likely to contain cellular changes in response to injury.
      These include the epithelium covering the base of the epiglottis, ventral pouch,
      and the medial surfaces of the vocal processes of the arytenoid cartilages. There
      are few good landmarks for trimming rodent larynges to get consistent and
      accurate sections through these target areas. We have obtained consistently
      reproducible results by cutting transversely through the easily palpable
      cricothyroid notch and embedding the entire larynx anterior to this in paraffin
      with the cut surface against the face of the block. Multiple sections are cut
      from the caudal larynx toward the epiglottis, unstained sections examined
      microscopically for orientation, and sections from target areas selected for
      staining and histopathologic examination. Routine use of these methods for
      preparation and microscopic examination of sections of the larynx has revealed
      some variations in normal laryngeal anatomy between Fischer 344 (F344/N) rats and
      B6C3F1 mice.

PMID- 1411131
TI  - Effects of corn oil, time-related changes, and inter-laboratory variability on
      tumor occurrence in control Fischer 344 (F344/N) rats.
AB  - Survival, body weight, and site-specific tumor rates in untreated, corn oil
      gavage, and water gavage control Fischer 344 (F344/N) rats from 88 National
      Toxicology Program (NTP) long term carcinogenicity studies were evaluated to
      determine which factors were primarily responsible for inter-study variability.
      For male rats, previously-reported decreases in leukemia and increases in body
      weight, survival, and pancreatic acinar cell tumors attributable to corn oil
      gavage were confirmed. Corn oil did not appear to affect tumor rates in female
      rats. The gavage technique per se did not appear to influence tumor rates in rats
      of either sex. Previously reported time-related increases in certain site
      specific neoplasia in control rats appeared to have stabilized in recent years,
      but control tumor rates are still much greater than those seen a decade ago. More
      recent studies continue to show increasing rates of leukemia and mammary gland
      tumors and decreasing survival. Female rats also continue to show time-related
      increases in maximum mean body weight. Inter-laboratory variability in body
      weight and in the rates of a number of site-specific neoplasms were also
      significant. High mean body weights in control groups were found to be associated
      with increased rates of mammary and pituitary tumors. Our evaluation supports the
      view that if historical control data are to be utilized in the interpretation of
      experimental results, primary emphasis should be given to lab and route of
      administration-specific tumor rates for studies that are contemporary to the
      study under evaluation. It also suggests that certain experimental design changes
      (e.g., dietary modifications) may be needed to reduce tumor rates and to increase
      survival.

PMID- 1411132
TI  - Hepatic morphologic and biochemical changes induced by subacute cocaine
      administration in mice.
AB  - The initial event and site of cocaine-induced hepatic injury have not been
      elucidated. In an attempt to identify the minimal effective dose and the site of
      injury, we have examined the livers of mice exposed to small daily doses of
      cocaine, using morphological and biochemical methods. All doses of cocaine
      greater than 5 mg/kg were able to cause significant elevation of serum glutamic
      pyruvic transaminase. Light microscopy revealed a progression of centrilobular
      necrosis as the dose increased from 10-30 mg/kg. The initial morphologic changes
      observed prior to necrosis included aggregation of intermediate filaments and
      dilation of rough endoplasmic reticulum with loss of ribosomes.
      Immunohistochemistry, using antibodies to cytokeratins, showed staining of
      individual hepatocytes in livers from cocaine-treated animals but not in
      controls. In contrast to earlier reports, we found little, if any, disruption of
      mitochondria. In vitro, the direct application of cocaine, norcocaine, and N
      hydroxynorcocaine on isolated mitochondria had no effect on the ADP:O or
      respiratory control ratios, at concentrations up to 2.0 mM. Our studies
      demonstrate that any early cellular alterations in cocaine-induced hepatic injury
      are manifested in intermediate filaments and endoplasmic reticulum with no
      evidence of mitochondrial involvement.

PMID- 1411134
TI  - Pathogenesis of blood-filled cavities in estrogen-induced anterior pituitary
      tumors in male Sprague-Dawley rats.
AB  - The formation of blood-filled cavities in developing tumors of the anterior
      pituitary of estrogen-treated male Sprague-Dawley rats was studied in a serial
      sacrifice experiment. Two treated and 2 control rats were killed at each of 15
      time points ranging from 7-272 days after sc implantation of an estradiol-17 beta
      pellet. The pituitaries were examined using light and electron microscopy.
      Changes at 7-9 days after implantation included epithelial cell swelling and
      trabecular arrangement. At 11-13 days, epithelial cells were further enlarged.
      Arrangement of epithelial cells in islands and endothelial degeneration were
      first seen at this interval. Also, any sinusoids were distended, whereas some
      were compressed by swollen epithelial cells. At 16-81 days, scattered necrotic
      and immature epithelial cells were present, and cell size decreased. Endothelial
      degeneration and both distended as well as compressed sinusoids were more
      prominent at this time. Loss of basement membrane was first seen during this
      interval. At 114-133 days, small hemorrhagic areas partially lined by epithelium
      were first seen; sinusoidal compression, endothelial necrosis, and loss of
      basement membrane were more frequent, but there was less sinusoidal distention.
      Between 150 and 272 days, epithelial cells were increasingly pleomorphic and
      arranged in nodules, and there was an increase in number and size of the
      hemorrhagic areas. Sinusoidal compression, endothelial necrosis, and loss of
      basement membrane were abundant, whereas sinusoidal distention had almost
      disappeared at this interval. Local compression of sinusoids and perhaps
      compression of pituitary surface veins due to epithelial cell swelling, were
      thought to play a primary role in the development of ischemic endothelial damage
      leading to loss of endothelial lining and basement membrane, and eventually to
      the formation of blood-filled spaces partially lined by epithelial cells.

PMID- 1411133
TI  - Drug-induced hepatic microgranulomatosis in cynomolgus monkeys.
AB  - This report discusses a unique drug-induced hepatotoxicity in cynomolgus monkeys
      treated orally with a novel potassium sparing experimental diuretic, [2,6-bis(4
      chlorophenyl)-4-pyridinecarboxylic acid]. Groups of 6 adult male and female
      monkeys were treated orally with vehicle diluent, modified vehicle #122 or a
      suspension of the drug at 5.0, 12.5, or 32.0 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks. Another group
      of 5 monkeys were treated orally with 25.0 mg/kg/day of the drug for 2 weeks.
      Disposition of the drugs was evaluated in 2 monkeys in the later group that
      received 27.4 mg/kg of radiolabelled drug on the 1st and last day of dosing.
      Hepatic toxicity was characterized biochemically, light and electron
      microscopically, histochemically, immunocytochemically, and toxico-kinetically.
      Conjugated serum bilirubin, alanine transaminase, and aspartate transaminase
      levels were increased in monkeys treated with over 12.5 mg/kg/day of the
      diuretic. The periacinar hepatic plates of monkeys treated with 25.0 or 32.0
      mg/kg/day were distorted by accumulation of PAS and oil red-O positive
      multinucleated Kupffer cells. The cytosol of these cells was expanded by
      phagolysosomes containing granular materials of varying electron densities.
      Granular electron dense materials were also in endothelial cells and bile
      canaliculi. Fatty change, cholestasis, and rare piecemeal hepatic necrosis were
      minimal. The drug was primarily excreted through urine. Plasma concentration and
      half life of the drug were increased with multiple dosing. The highest
      concentration of unexcreted parent drug was in the liver. Drug-induced
      noninflammatory hepatic microgranulomatosis, apparently caused by sequestered
      drug-lipid/mucopolysaccharide complex in the phagocytic cells of the liver, can
      occur in any species, including humans, if orally administered xenobiotics are
      presented to the liver in particulate form.

PMID- 1411135
TI  - Histopathological effects in Poecilia reticulata (guppy) exposed to methyl
      mercury chloride.
AB  - To evaluate the usefulness of histopathology in aquatic toxicity testing, studies
      were carried out on the small freshwater fish Poecilia reticulata (guppy)
      following aqueous methyl mercury chloride exposure. Fish were exposed to
      concentrations of 0, 1.0, 1.8, 3.2, 5.6, or 10 micrograms/L for 1 and 3 months.
      Histopathological changes included the occurrence of multiple granulomas in
      various tissues, in particular, the integument and orbit. These changes were
      accompanied by hyperplasia of monocytopoietic interrenal tissue, and
      hepatocellular change which was confirmed by morphometry. The latter findings
      were probably a result of monocyte "consumption" by granulomas, and hepatic
      synthesis of ("stress") proteins, respectively. The bile duct and, focally, the
      proximal intestine, showed hyperplasia of the epithelium. In the testis of
      sexually mature fish (3-month study), degeneration and necrosis of sperm
      occurred, with severe cases exhibiting Sertoli cell hypertrophy, interstitial
      inflammation, and absence of mature sperm. Epidermal mucous cells disappeared in
      the highest concentration used, and, after 3 months, clusters of undifferentiated
      basophilic cells were seen in the gas gland, which occasionally were suggestive
      of malignant growth. The changes in the kidney tubules were characterized by
      degeneration and necrosis of single cells which also showed mitotic figures. This
      is considered a result of the mitosis-disturbing activity of methyl mercury
      (MeHg). It is concluded that MeHg has effects on various target organs in guppies
      with the occurrence of granulomas as the most sensitive indicator, yielding a no
      observed-effect concentration (NOEC) of 1.0 micrograms/L. In contrast to
      mammalian species, no morphologic evidence for neurotoxicity was found.

PMID- 1411137
TI  - Evidence that chemical carcinogens interfere with specific regeneration
      controlling mechanisms of urodeles.
AB  - The present investigation was conducted in an attempt to understand the
      interrelationships between carcinogenesis and regeneration. The aim was to find
      out whether chemical carcinogens constitute a class of agents specifically
      interfering with the normal developmental process during amphibian limb
      regeneration. To achieve this, the potent chemical carcinogens N-methyl-N'-nitro
      N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and N-nitrosodimethylamine (DMN) were inserted at a
      position slightly proximal to the blastema of regenerating Triturus cristatus
      forelimbs. The results indicate that, sometimes, the two developmental
      parameters, growth rate and morphogenesis, were differently affected depending on
      the treated limb and the carcinogen used. The effect of DMN on regenerative
      growth rate was negligible, but morphogenesis was highly impaired. Similarly,
      MNNG-treated stumps displayed abnormal regenerates in both forelimbs, whereas
      growth rates were significantly affected only in the right forelimbs. The
      findings are discussed in the framework of the relevant hypotheses.

PMID- 1411136
TI  - Rat urinary bladder hyperplasia induced by oral administration of carbonic
      anhydrase inhibitors.
AB  - The carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, acetazolamide and MK-0927, were given by oral
      route to male Sprague-Dawley rats at 200 mg/kg/day and 25 mg/kg/day,
      respectively, for up to 4 weeks. Sequential necropsies were performed and urinary
      bladders were examined by light microscopy (LM), scanning electron microscopy
      (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Similar urinary bladder
      changes were seen with both compounds. SEM evidenced slight multifocal urothelial
      changes consisting of cell swelling, dissociation, degeneration, and exfoliation
      after 3 and 5 days of treatment. After 2 and 4 weeks of treatment, elevated or
      leafy microridges on the luminal cell surfaces were seen together with foci of
      swollen cells. After a 2-month-recovery-period, the urothelial surfaces were
      normal. LM and TEM showed multifocal vacuolation of the urothelium associated
      with inflammation of the underlying lamina propria after 3 and 5 days of
      treatment. Cellular hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the transitional epithelium
      was seen after a 5-day treatment, persisted without increasing severity after 2
      and 4 weeks of treatment, and totally regressed after the recovery period. It was
      concluded that, in the rat urinary bladder, oral administration of acetazolamide
      and MK-0927 induced early degeneration and inflammation followed by epithelial
      regeneration, resulting in a reversible hyperplasia of the transitional
      epithelium.

PMID- 1411138
TI  - Quantitation of metastatic tumor burden from human colon tumor xenografts using
      radiolabelled monoclonal antibody 17-A fragments.
AB  - In realistic models of human tumor xenograft metastasis, the metastatic foci
      arise in perivascular sites and rarely grow to sizes which are easily
      quantifiable by visual inspection. As an alternative approach, we have used
      monoclonal antibody (MAb) 17-1A F(ab')2 fragments labelled with radioiodine
      (125I) to study the differential accumulation of label in xenografts and
      metastatic tumor sites as well as in noninvolved tissues of NIH Swiss nude mice
      receiving HT-29 human colon tumor cells. Images of the whole-body distribution
      and sites of localization were determined using a pinhole-collimated Angergamma
      camera. Radioactivity was determined in tissue samples using a well scintillation
      system, and pharmacokinetics were assessed during the initial 72 h after
      injection of antibody fragments. The half-life of 125I-F(ab')2 fragments in the
      blood, 8.6 h, was similar in nontumor-bearing control and tumor-bearing mice. The
      half-life in subcutaneous tumor xenografts was 30.1 h. The tumor xenograft to
      tissue activity ratios per unit weight (radiolocalization indices) at 72 h were:
      blood 90, lung 65, pancreas 50, muscle 35, spleen 20, liver and mesenteric lymph
      node 10. All subcutaneous xenografts were successfully imaged, and images of 5 of
      9 mice (55%) appeared to demonstrate the presence of metastatic tumor by
      differential and focal accumulation of MAb fragments after 48 or 72 h in the lung
      (2 cases) or abdominal cavity (3 cases). Necropsy and subsequent histological and
      biodistribution studies confirmed the presence of metastatic tumor in these sites
      and identified tumor in several additional sites. The smallest volume of
      metastatic tissue in liver or lung determined at necropsy which appeared to have
      been detected by imaging was about 20 mm3. Generally, for mice with metastatic
      tumors, the radioactivity per unit weight of metastatic tumor-bearing organs
      compared to tumor-free organs was 2- to 7-fold greater. The results indicate that
      a radiolocalization index of > or = 2 is generally necessary for metastatic tumor
      detection by imaging although this is influenced by the extent of anatomical
      location of the tumor. It was possible to predict the tissue distribution of the
      fragments from the planar image for the amounts of radioactivity (approximately 1
      mCi/kg body weight) employed in this study. These results demonstrate the utility
      of this approach to quantitate the metastatic burden arising from human colon
      tumor xenografts in this experimental model.

PMID- 1411139
TI  - Serum markers for primary and recurrent breast cancer: BCM-EIA, CAM 26 and CAM
      29.
AB  - Three sandwich enzyme immunoassays were used to evaluate serum from 93 women: 20
      normal, 20 with benign breast disease, 22 with primary and 31 with recurrent
      breast cancer. Using the three assays, breast cancer mucin enzyme immunoassay
      (BCM-EIA) carcinoma-associated mucin antigen (CAM) 26 and CAM 29, both singly and
      in combination, we were unable to establish meaningful cut-offs to differentiate
      between patients with or without breast cancer. The sensitivity and specificity
      for BCM-EIA were 90% and 40%, for CAM 26, 89% and 42%, and for CAM 29, 91% and
      66%, respectively. Serial serum specimens from 29 patients with recurrent breast
      cancer were assayed. At recurrence, an increase of 25% or more in marker level
      over the previous value was found in 24/29 (83%) BCM results, 14/29 (48%) CAM 26
      results and 12/29 (41%) CAM 29 results. Prior to clinical detection of
      recurrence, stepwise increases in BCM and CAM 26 marker levels were seen up to
      299 days prior to clinical detection of recurrence. We conclude that these
      markers may help in the early detection of recurrent breast cancer.

PMID- 1411140
TI  - Detection of xenogeneic anti-idiotypic antibodies specific to murine monoclonal
      antibody 17-1A in patients with gastrointestinal cancer.
AB  - Murine monoclonal antibody (MoAb) 17-1A, which reacts with an adenocarcinoma
      associated antigen, has recently been utilized in a phase I clinical trial for
      patients with gastrointestinal tract cancers in Japan. In order to analyze anti
      idiotypic (Id) antibodies to murine MoAb 17-1A in the sera of these cancer
      patients, we established a simple and specific assay. In a modified sandwich
      assay, normal mouse sera were utilized for neutralization of rat antimouse
      immunoglobulin (Ig) antibodies and reduction of their nonspecific effects. When
      the modified sandwich assay was applied to the sera of patients who had been
      treated with MoAb 17-1A, anti-Id antibodies were induced in 53% of 13 cancer
      patients with gastrointestinal cancers at 3-4 weeks after infusion of MoAb.

PMID- 1411141
TI  - Clones of a spontaneously metastatic human lung carcinoma cell line differ in
      their in vitro and in vivo phenotypic characteristics.
AB  - In order to isolate subpopulations of cells with differing metastatic capacity, a
      spontaneously metastatic human lung carcinoma cell line was cloned in vitro,
      using limiting dilution methods. The karyotypic profile, in vitro and in vivo
      growth as subcutaneous xenotransplants in athymic mice of 11 randomly selected
      clones were very similar. No consistent differences were seen in the adhesion to
      a variety of substrates or in the integrin profile of the few subunits examined.
      However, the in vivo metastatic capacities differed. Most of the isolated cell
      lines, in spontaneous metastasis assays, formed variable numbers of
      microscopically visible metastatic foci in only the lungs and lymph nodes of
      these animals. One of the 11 cell lines examined, TV9, was observed to form
      grossly visible metastases in the lungs as well as in the ovaries, pancreas and
      omental lymph nodes. Immunoprecipitation analyses detected a decrease in the
      expression of the previously described low-metastasis-associated H7 molecule
      within the high metastatic TV9. The low and high metastatic subpopulations thus
      isolated will provide a means to dissect the metastatic mechanisms of this human
      lung carcinoma cell line.

PMID- 1411142
TI  - We should all be tested for AIDS.

PMID- 1411144
TI  - Look Good ... Feel Better--a program for cancer patients.

PMID- 1411143
TI  - We turned med/surg staff into telemetry experts.

PMID- 1411145
TI  - Nurses assess U.S. health care.

PMID- 1411146
TI  - These patients truly need our help.

PMID- 1411147
TI  - "Here's something I want you to read".

PMID- 1411148
TI  - When a ventilator patient is going home.

PMID- 1411149
TI  - How the law protects emergency patients.

PMID- 1411150
TI  - Preventing food allergies.

PMID- 1411151
TI  - Follow ACAI guidelines if you're allergic to latex.

PMID- 1411152
TI  - Sometimes it's okay for nurses to show patients they care.

PMID- 1411154
TI  - AIDS costs didn't match insurers' fears.

PMID- 1411153
TI  - Here's a resource for people affected by gluten intolerance.

PMID- 1411155
TI  - Helping patients get back to work.

PMID- 1411156
TI  - Remembering Bill.

PMID- 1411157
TI  - When it's hot enough to kill.

PMID- 1411158
TI  - Diabetes complications that can cripple.

PMID- 1411159
TI  - Ten years later.

PMID- 1411161
TI  - When the liver breaks down.

PMID- 1411160
TI  - Can you rely on tympanic thermometers?

PMID- 1411162
TI  - PV shunts relieve ascites.

PMID- 1411163
TI  - Speak up! When silence is negligence.

PMID- 1411164
TI  - Teens can shape their postmenopausal years.

PMID- 1411165
TI  - Learn a new language.

PMID- 1411166
TI  - [Definition of asymptomatic biliary lithiasis].
AB  - Asymptomatic biliary lithiasis can be defined as biliary lithiasis having
      determined no complication and no episode of biliary pain. Biliary pain is a
      consequence of acute increase of pressure inside the biliary tract. The increased
      pressure is induced by a stone transiently obstructing the cystic duct or the
      Oddi sphincter. In most patients, the site of the pain is epigastric. The level
      of the pain is high. The duration of the episode of biliary pain is usually less
      than 5 hours. Abdominal pain having other characteristics, dyspepsia, and
      headache are not related to biliary lithiasis.

PMID- 1411167
TI  - [Natural history of asymptomatic lithiasis].
AB  - The natural history of asymptomatic gallstones, according to the best published
      studies, indicates that seventy per cent of the patients remain symptom-free.
      Nonetheless there are no clinical or morphological findings which can predict the
      occurrence of symptoms on a individual basis.

PMID- 1411168
TI  - [Management of asymptomatic lithiasis].
AB  - A careful analysis of the series of patients with asymptomatic gallstones
      suggests that prophylactic cholecystectomy is not necessary. The purpose of this
      work was to try to detect subgroups of asymptomatic patients with factors
      predictive of symptoms or of severe complications such as acute cholecystitis,
      pancreatitis, or gallbladder carcinoma. Among local factors, neither the size,
      number or nature of gallstones, nor alterations of the walls or contractility of
      the gallbladder were predictive of symptoms or complications. Among general
      factors, neither the age or sex of patients nor associated diseases such as
      diabetes mellitus or recent organ transplantation were predictive of symptoms or
      complications. Only the few patients with a porcelain gallbladder were at high
      risk for gallbladder carcinoma requiring prophylactic cholecystectomy. In all
      other patients treatment of asymptomatic gallbladder stones is unnecessary as
      well as any surveillance.

PMID- 1411169
TI  - [Results of the treatment with biliary dissolvents].
AB  - Cholesterol gallstones can be dissolved by chenodeoxycholic acid or by
      ursodeoxycholic acid administered orally. This treatment is subject to the
      following conditions: the gallbladder must be functioning; the gallstones must be
      radiolucent; the stones must not be too large; the main bile ducts must be
      patent; the cholelithiasis must be symptomatic but without severe complications.
      The two biliary acids are equally effective, but ursodeoxycholic acid is
      preferred to chenodeoxycholic acid because it is devoid of undesirable side
      effects. The effectiveness of treatment varies from one published series to the
      other, but it primarily depends on the size of the gallstones: if they are less
      than 5 mm wide dissolution can be obtained in 70 to 80% of the cases. After the
      end of treatment the bile becomes lithogenic again, and a relapse is possible;
      after 5 years this relapse occurs in about 50% of the patients. The position
      occupied by biliary acids in the treatment of gallstones is modest, owing to the
      conditions of their use and to the advantages of surgery, and notably
      laparoscopic surgery. Biliary acids are usually given to elderly people or to
      subjects at high risk for anaesthesia or surgery. Attempts have been made to
      introduce another cholesterol dissolvant, methyl-tert-butyl-ester, directly into
      the gallbladder by the transcutaneous-transhepatic route. The gallstones were
      dissolved, but the invasiveness of this technique and the potential toxic effects
      of this particular drug are such that the indications for this treatment are
      extremely reduced.

PMID- 1411170
TI  - [Results of extracorporeal lithotripsy in the treatment of cholelithiasis].
AB  - Treatment of gallstones with extracorporeal lithotripsy includes the stones
      fragmentation with shock-waves and the dissolution of fragments with bile acids.
      It is a well-tolerated treatment than can be performed on an out-patient basis.
      However, lithotripsy is an effective treatment only in highly selected patients
      (low calculous volume, radiolucent stones, functioning gallbladder). A
      satisfactory clearance rate is observed only in patients with solitary stones <
      or = 20 mm in diameter (70-80% at one year). The stone recurrence rate seems to
      be low in patients who had solitary stones.

PMID- 1411171
TI  - [Oral dissolvents and extracorporeal lithotripsy: respective role and modalities
      of application].
AB  - Oral dissolution therapy can be proposed to patients with symptomatic gallstones,
      with stones less than 15 mm diameter, in any number, without calcification,
      within a functioning gallbladder (i.e. opacified by oral cholecystography). In
      particular, it may be useful in patients aged over 70, or with a high operative
      risk, or who refuse surgery or general anesthesia. Extracorporeal shock wave
      lithotripsy (followed by oral dissolution therapy) is also indicated in
      symptomatic gallstones, without calcification or slightly calcified in a
      functioning gallbladder, when stone size is between 8-10 and 30 mm and stone
      number lower than 3. After successful dissolution, recurrence is observed with an
      incidence of 5 to 10% per year during the first five years. In case of
      symptomatic recurrence, retreatment is indicated.

PMID- 1411172
TI  - [Contact litholysis and contact lithotripsy of symptomatic biliary calculi].
AB  - Contact litholysis and lithotripsy are invasive methods of gallstone destruction,
      since the gallbladder must necessarily be approached by the transhepatic or
      transperitoneal routes or through Oddi's sphincter. Both methods expose to
      complications which may require a corrective operation. The risk of recurrence is
      the same as with extracorporeal lithotripsy. Unless proved otherwise by further
      clinical trials, in the future these experimental methods should be used in a
      very small number of patients.

PMID- 1411173
TI  - [Cholecystectomy through laparotomy].
AB  - Laparotomy cholecystectomy is the "gold standard operation". Its mortality is
      almost nil. Its morbidity dramatically decreased while digestive surgery was
      improving. Alternative therapies are to be compared to it. Indications of
      laparotomy cholecystectomy remain frequent today but will decrease promptly due
      to the functional and cosmetic benefits of coelioscopic cholecystectomy.

PMID- 1411174
TI  - [Celioscopic cholecystectomy].
AB  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was born in 1987 and is now commonly performed,
      usually under general anaesthesia, and under the same technical conditions as
      conventional surgery. The operative procedure varies with the operators, but it
      is mandatory to evaluate the state of the bile duct by pre- or peroperative
      explorations. Compared with conventional surgery, the advantages of laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy are well known: the entire peritoneal cavity is explored; the
      lack of postoperative ileus makes it possible to resume normal feeding, and hence
      normal activity, after a short interruption; systemic and parietal complications
      are less frequent, but the biliary tract complication rate is higher, probably in
      relation to the operator's training. The indications were initially restrictive
      but now embrace the quasi-totality of gallstones, complicated or not, and in
      particular when the patient's general condition is fragile.

PMID- 1411175
TI  - [Incidents, accidents and limits of cholecystectomy by celioscopy].
AB  - Series of coelioscopic cholecystectomy until 1991 has shown that morbidity rate
      of this procedure remains higher than conventional laparotomy. Complication are
      related to technical problems included: (a) biliary leak with a rate of 0.5%; (b)
      hemorrhage; and (c) digestive perforation. Contra-indication of this procedure
      are: cirrhosis, portal hypertension, bilio-biliary fistula and severe
      cholecystitis. Progress is expected with willing to open cholecystectomy;
      improvement of intervention, perioperative cholangiography and specific train of
      surgeons involved in the field of surgery.

PMID- 1411176
TI  - [Training for celioscopic surgery].
AB  - All surgeons specialized in the digestive tract will have to use the laparoscopic
      approach in an unlimited number of operations. This has already been established
      in biliary tract surgery. Practising surgeons must learn to perform laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy by themselves, i.e. in a manner that is neither organized nor
      officially approved in France. Students in surgery benefit, as with other
      techniques, from team training. These two categories of surgeons should be able
      to receive a specific teaching in order to maintain the safety of biliary tract
      surgery at its high level of safety. To make sure that this is done, keeping
      national registers is strongly advised.

PMID- 1411177
TI  - [Indications for classical surgery and celiosurgery. Evaluation].
AB  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a novel technique resulting from the advances
      achieved in video-endoscopy. In the field of uncomplicated gallstones it has in a
      few years thoroughly altered the surgical indications, taking preference over
      conventional surgery and ousting extracorporeal lithotripsy. However, the risk of
      complications must be kept in mind, and the utmost care must be taken in training
      operators and in recording all cases and their complications. Nowadays,
      conventional cholecystectomy remains indicated when laparoscopy is contra
      indicated, notably in cases with tight peritoneal adhesions precluding
      laparoscopy.

PMID- 1411179
TI  - [Androgen receptor. From molecular biology to clinics].

PMID- 1411178
TI  - [Medico-economic strategy for biliary lithiasis].
AB  - The purpose of this study was to assess the relevance of a medico-economic
      evaluation of gallstones. In other words, would it be possible to define economic
      criteria that would permit to select the best therapeutic method whilst
      respecting medical ethics? The frequency of gallstones, the high consumption of
      goods and medical services they require and the important loss of productivity
      that ensues justify this approach. The medical literature and a number of experts
      have made it possible to evaluate the advantages and drawbacks of each
      therapeutic method by defining its indications according to criteria of
      effectiveness such as duration of survival, quality of life of asymptomatic
      patients, gallbladder clearance, etc. We have tried to find out whether the
      introduction of medico-economic criteria in this pathology was likely to modify
      the various therapeutic methods available at present. We give here three
      examples. The first one is that of asymptomatic gallstones where the introduction
      of a cost/effectiveness ratio let to the conclusion that abstention is better
      than surgical treatment. The second example is a comparison of costs between
      cholecystectomy and medical treatment in high risk patients; the result was that
      surgery is preferable at the age of 50 years and medical treatment from 70 years
      onward. Finally, a comparison between surgery and lithotrity including the
      cost/effectiveness ratio concluded in favour of surgery. However, ethical,
      methodological and conceptual problems taking into account the value of human
      life, the difficulty to evaluate the quality of life and exterior incitations
      make it necessary to moderate the practical applications of these results.

PMID- 1411180
TI  - [Anti-cytoplasmic antibodies of polynucle or "ANCA". A new class of
      autoantibodies].
AB  - The specific antigens to antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) and their
      relations with renal diseases begin to be well-known. In patients with systemic
      vasculitis, two major antigens have been recognized: proteinase 3 and
      myoloperoxydase. These enzymes are located in the azurophilic granules of
      neutrophils and migrate to the surface of these cells when they are activated.
      Other antigens, such as elastase, lactoferrin, CAP57 and cathepsin G, have been
      identified, but they are less commonly encountered. The presence of ANCA is
      particularly frequent in Wegener's granulomatosis, microscopic periarteritis,
      crescentic necrotizing glomerulonephrites without immunoglobulin deposits; it is
      less frequent in periarteritis nodosa and in Churg-Strauss' syndrome. ANCA can
      now be considered as markers of vasculitis; they are related to disease activity
      and can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments.

PMID- 1411181
TI  - [Selective digestive tract decontamination (SDD) in intensive care patients.
      First European Consensus Conference in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine].

PMID- 1411182
TI  - [Puberty. Determining the criteria for normal development].

PMID- 1411183
TI  - [Drug accidents of immunological origin. Physiopathology].

PMID- 1411184
TI  - [Cutaneous ecto-parasitic diseases: pediculosis. Etiology, epidemiology,
      diagnosis, treatment].

PMID- 1411186
TI  - [Burns. Etiology, physiopathology, diagnosis, principles of early treatment].

PMID- 1411185
TI  - [Migraines. Diagnosis, principles of the treatment].

PMID- 1411187
TI  - [Neurotic syndrome: conversion hysteria. Diagnosis, principles of the treatment].

PMID- 1411188
TI  - [Lesions of ligaments and menisci of the knee. Physiopathology, diagnosis,
      development, principles of the treatment].

PMID- 1411189
TI  - [A big task].

PMID- 1411190
TI  - [3 cases of polyarthritis treated with recombinant alfa interferon].
AB  - Bilateral symmetrical polyarthritis occurred in three patients (2 males and 1
      female), with no previous history of inflammatory rheumatologic disease, given
      alpha-interferon for 1 1/2, 7, and 10 months as treatment of chronic non A-non B
      hepatitis, myelofibrosis, and thrombocytopenia with myeloproliferative disorder,
      respectively. Joint manifestations developed 1 1/2, 3, and 10 months after
      initiation of alpha-interferon in a dosage of 3.10(6) U three times a week,
      4.5.10(6) U per day, and 8.10(6) U three times a week. Polyarthritis persisted
      following withdrawal of alpha-interferon in the two last patients of whom one had
      rheumatoid nodules and positive rheumatoid serology and the other had scleritis,
      exanthema, and negative rheumatoid serology. Erosive rheumatoid arthritis was
      diagnosed after 28 months and 12 months, respectively, in two patients who
      required systemic corticosteroids with antimalarials (1 case) or azathioprine
      after failure of methotrexate (one case). Follow-up in the third case (12 months)
      is too short to allow differentiation of systemic lupus erythematosus (ANA:
      1/1500 H with anti-DNA antibodies 58 U/ml) and chronic autoimmune hepatitis.
      Reports of chronic inflammatory rheumatologic disease during alpha interferon
      therapy are exceedingly few in number. In the cases reported herein, alpha
      interferon may have either triggered or revealed the joint disease. To prevent
      occurrence of this complication, exclusion from alpha-interferon therapy of
      patients with autoantibodies or a positive history for clinical evidence of
      immune dysfunction may be considered.

PMID- 1411191
TI  - [Lumbar inter-apophyseal arthrosis and bone mineral content: prospective study
      versus controls with dual photonic absorptiometry and tomodensitometry].
AB  - Dual photon absorptiometry (DPA) is a non invasive and repeatable technique to
      measure vertebral bone mineral content (BMC). This method can be altered, in
      frontal incidence, by superposition of abnormal calcifications as calcified aorta
      or interapophyseal arthrosis. The authors studied nineteen females with lumbar
      apophyseal arthrosis compared with twenty one controls matched by age. Bone
      densitometry was performed by Am-Ba DPA and monoenergetic computerised
      tomodensitometry (CT) from L2 to L4. Arthrosis was studied by standard X ray
      radiographs and CT. Our results showed that inter-apophyseal arthrosis does
      increase BMC determined by DPA, especially when expressed as linear BMC (g/cm).
      The body mass index [weight (kg)/size (m2)] also increased these measures by DPA.
      CT results were, at the opposite, not influenced by osteo-arthrosis nor body mass
      index. Detailed analysis of DPA pictures allowed to recognize most of patients
      with osteo-arthrosis and to correct their results by using adjacent vertebral
      measures (L1) or abandoning pictures of unusual aspect. The authors mentionned
      necessity to match populations for age and body mass index and to include L1 in
      routine vertebral bone mineral content determination. By this way they supposed
      that osteo-arthrosis may not alter lumbar BMC measured with DPA technique.

PMID- 1411192
TI  - [Aspects and role of spinal MRI in the assessment of solitary plasmacytoma and
      multiple myeloma. Apropos of 11 cases].
AB  - Spinal MRI was performed in 9 multiple myeloma and 2 solitary plasmacytoma, using
      sagittal, T 1-weighted (TR: 350-550 ms/TE: 15-26 ms) and T 2-weighted (TR: 2,000
      2,500 ms/TE: 60-120 ms) sequences, with additional gadolinium injection in 3
      cases. MRI features were the following: 1) round, patchy lesions with low T 1
      signal highlighted by gadolinium and bright T 2 signal were present in 10 of the
      11 patients: all osteolytic lesions seen on plain X-rays corresponded to such
      lesions and biopsy performed in 4 cases showed massive marrow replacement by
      plasma cells. 2) overall marrow signal was dramatically decreased in 3 patients
      (2 of whom had a high tumoral mass). 3) extra-dural compression was present in 4
      cases. 4) 25 vertebral compression fractures (10 of whom with a "benign"
      appearance) and focal fat deposition were seen. 5) postradiation treatment
      examination seemed predictive of the outcome in the 2 solitary plasmacytomas. MRI
      proved to be more sensitive than plain X-rays or bone scintigraphy. Number and
      size of focal tumor-like lesions did not correlate with the low marrow signal
      appearance. Both correlated poorly with overall tumoral mass but diffuse
      abnormalities were associated with rapidly fatal outcome in three cases. These
      features might reflect qualitative rather than quantitative patterns of the
      disease (nodular or diffuse macroscopic marrow replacement). These findings are
      in agreement with those of the few previous studies. MRI is valuable for spinal
      cord damage assessment. It appears less accurate in benign versus malignant
      vertebral compression fracture determination than it does in bone metastasis. Its
      prognostic value is still questionable.

PMID- 1411193
TI  - [Significance of inflammatory syndrome in the diagnosis of Horton's disease.
      Attempt at the application of Bayesian analysis].
AB  - This study was designed to investigate the value of biologic evidence of
      inflammation for the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis. Experienced physicians
      were asked to evaluate five pairs of medical records based on real cases. In each
      pair, one case lacked biologic evidence of inflammation. This study offered the
      opportunity to explore the feasibility of a simplified Bayes model. A blind
      evaluation obtained by showing the paired case-reports with similar evidence of
      inflammation in both cases of each pair to 14 specialty physicians yielded a
      likelihood of diagnosis of +/- 20%. Analysis of the 46 responses to the study
      demonstrated, despite wide variations, a significantly greater likelihood of
      diagnosis in the cases with evidence of inflammation. Nevertheless, 17% to 36% of
      physicians--according to the case-report--ascribed virtually no importance to the
      ESR. Most of the physicians considered temporal artery biopsy was warranted when
      the likelihood of diagnosis was greater than 25%. Emergency corticosteroid
      therapy while awaiting the histologic results was approved by most responders
      when the likelihood of diagnosis was greater than 65%. The "pre-test" likelihood,
      calculated assuming that sensitivity and specificity of the ESR are 0.99 and
      0.50, respectively, ranged from 0.89 to 0.98 for the case-reports with no
      evidence of inflammation and from 0.16 to 0.59 for the case-reports with evidence
      of inflammation In theory, the figures for the two types of case-report should
      not differ by more than 20%. Use of a low value for specificity (0.05) would
      improve the fit of values in cases without evidence of inflammation but would
      increase discrepancies in the other cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411194
TI  - [Real effects of sport on the bone mass in women].
AB  - What is the role of physical training in the prevention of osteoporosis? The
      authors tried to answer the question, comparing the positive and negative effects
      of exercise on women bone mass before and after the menopause and proposed a way
      of management of bone loss in amenorrheic women athletes.

PMID- 1411195
TI  - [Dermatopolymyositis induced by D-penicillamine in rheumatoid polyarthritis.
      Apropos of 1 case with review of the literature].
AB  - Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with D-penicillamine (DP) is associated
      with development of dermatopolymyositis (DPM) in 0.2 to 1.2% of cases. A case of
      DPM which developed after four years DP therapy in a 58-year-old female with RA
      is reported. The favorable outcome after discontinuation of DP and administration
      of corticosteroids and the absence of recurrence or malignant disease after 4
      years 9 months follow-up demonstrated the causal relationship between DP therapy
      and development of DPM. An analysis of 34 previously published cases of DP
      induced DPM (DP/DPM) showed the following: development of DPM was not influenced
      by the dosage or duration of DP therapy; reported cases of DP/DPM were clinically
      identical with primary DPM but had a different outcome, with permanent recovery
      of DP/DPM occurring 1.5 to 6 months after withdrawal of DP; patients with DP/DPM
      had immune disorders, including antinuclear antibodies in 14 of 34 patients; the
      high prevalence of the B18, B35, DR4 haplotype in these patients denotes
      immunogenetic differences with primary DPM patients (B8-DR3) and DP-induced
      myasthenia (DR1).

PMID- 1411196
TI  - [Lumbosacral pain revealing intramural rectal abscess. Apropos of 2 cases].
AB  - Intramural abscess of the rectum is an uncommon (7%) form of perianal abscess in
      which the suppuration moves upwards within the rectal wall. Diagnosis is usually
      readily established on the presence of prominent anorectal symptoms and on rectal
      examination findings. However, atypical cases occur occasionally. Two cases of
      intramural abscess with misleading presenting symptoms suggestive of
      rheumatologic disease are reported herein. Both patients had subacute lumbosacral
      pain suggestive of an inflammatory condition. In one patient, the correct
      diagnosis was established two years after onset of symptoms when the patient
      passed pus per rectum. In the other, endoscopic ultrasonography readily evidenced
      the abscess. Modern imaging techniques including endorectal ultrasonography, CT
      scan with enhancement and MRI are very helpful for the diagnosis of such
      difficult cases. Intramural rectal abscess should be added to the list of
      possible nonspinal visceral etiologies routinely looked for during the evaluation
      of patients with atypical lumbosacral pain.

PMID- 1411197
TI  - [Tibial hyperostosis and Propionibacterium acnes].
AB  - In a 39-year-old patient with tibial productive osteitis, Propionibacterium acnes
      was identified in a surgical specimen of the bone lesion. Similar cases have been
      reported by others. The possibility that P. acnes may play in a pathogenic role
      in the SAPHO syndrome by causing inflammatory or infectious changes is discussed.

PMID- 1411199
TI  - [Osteoid osteoma of the olecranon].

PMID- 1411198
TI  - [Brucella osteomyelitis of the upper end of the humerus: contribution of magnetic
      resonance imaging].
AB  - The authors report a case of brucella osteomyelitis of the upper end of the
      humerus in a 77-year-old patient, presenting as a large swelling of the soft
      tissues of the shoulder, present for a year. The diagnosis was made by isolation
      of the organism and specific serology. The authors stress the value of magnetic
      resonance imaging, which provided confirmation of the diagnosis of osteomyelitis
      as well as an accurate topographic assessment.

PMID- 1411201
TI  - [Vertebral sarcoidosis with condensing pseudo-Paget's disease].

PMID- 1411200
TI  - [Toxopachyosteosis with bilateral clavicular dysmorphism].

PMID- 1411202
TI  - [Role of the intestine in the physiopathology of inflammatory rheumatism].

PMID- 1411203
TI  - [Henry Bloch-Michel (1909-1992)].

PMID- 1411204
TI  - [Inflammatory myalgic syndrome and muscular mitochondrial abnormalities: 4
      cases].
AB  - Histologic and biochemical anomalies of muscle mitochondria were identified in
      four patients with predominantly rhizomelic myalgia clinically suggestive of an
      inflammatory disease but inconsistent biologic evidence of inflammation. This
      clinical pattern was initially suggestive of atypical polymyalgia rheumatica and
      could not be ascribed to any other disease. To explain this combination of
      anomalies, several hypotheses can be put forward, including coincidence, aging,
      and nonspecific mitochondrial anomalies resulting from immunologic or
      inflammatory disease. The speculation that these patients have an autonomous
      syndrome cannot be outruled but should be considered with caution. A therapeutic
      trial with coenzyme Q is under way.

PMID- 1411205
TI  - [Infectious spondylodiscitis. Analysis of a series of 105 cases].
AB  - Among 105 cases of infectious spondylitis diagnosed and treated from 1971 through
      1990, 23 were due to tuberculosis (TS) and 82 to other causes (NTS). The annual
      number of cases of NTS rose over the study period, partly because of an increase
      in iatrogenic spondylitis, whereas the number of TS cases fell. In both groups,
      mean age of patients was higher than in earlier studies. The leading causative
      agents in NTS were staphylococci, followed by streptococci, then Escherichia
      coli. Diagnosis of spondylitis was dependent on the imaging techniques used;
      among available methods, the most reliable was magnetic resonance imaging which
      improved diagnostic performance by detecting early, specific changes. Except in
      patients with positive blood cultures and in TS patients with Koch bacilli
      recovered from other visceral foci, bacteriologic diagnosis rested on studies of
      samples taken from the spinal infection site. Half the subjects underwent
      discovertebral needle biopsy, with a success rate of 47.5%, a figure comparable
      with those reported in other studies. In 30% of patients, bacteriologic
      documentation of the infection was not obtained and diagnosis rested on a set of
      clinical, biological, and radiological criteria.

PMID- 1411206
TI  - [Rheumatoid metatarsals, original development of the first metatarsals].
AB  - Weight-bearing roentgenograms of 308 feet of rheumatoid arthritis patients were
      analyzed. Several angles were determined, including the metatarsus primus
      adductus angle (between the first and second metatarsals, > or = 10 degrees) and
      the forefoot spread angle (between the first and fifth metatarsals, > or = 30
      degrees). Pes planus was diagnosed when the internal arch angle was equal to or
      greater than 130 degrees. Tarsal arthritis was defined as the presence of joint
      space narrowing. Varus of the first metatarsal was correlated with tarsal
      arthritis and pes planus but not with duration of the disease. Forefoot spread
      was correlated with duration of the disease and erosive metatarsal disease but
      not with involvement of the midfoot. These data demonstrate that orthopedic
      treatment should be initiated as soon as involvement of the first metatarsal is
      detected and should be directed at the hindfoot, midfoot, and first metatarsal
      whose deformations occur concomitantly.

PMID- 1411207
TI  - [Value and limits of tomodensitometry applied to the diagnosis of sacroiliitis in
      young adults: study of 200 cases].
AB  - Diagnosis of sacroiliitis may be difficult to establish in patients under 25
      years of age since growth is not yet completed and joint damage is often still
      minor. A prospective study of 200 subjects with a median age of 22 years was
      carried out to compare the value of CT scan and conventional radiology. The study
      population included 32 healthy subjects and 168 consecutive patients with
      presumptive spondylarthropathy including 36 with bilateral sacroiliitis and 8
      with unilateral sacroiliitis. Conventional roentgenograms and CT scans were
      performed in every patient. Blind reading of roentgenograms and CT scans was
      carried out by two pairs of observers with differing experience. CT scan provided
      no additional information when reading was done by experienced observers: rates
      of mistaken and doubtful results were similar with both investigations (10%);
      specificity of both tests was comparable (90%) but sensitivity was significantly
      greater for CT scan (91.2%) than for conventional roentgenograms (71.6%),
      reflecting improved detection of roentgenographically occult sacroiliitis. Less
      experienced observers obtained better results with CT scans, illustrating the
      ease of interpretation of CT scan images. Analysis of false-positive CT scans
      revealed that normal variations and, above all, features due to as yet
      uncompleted growth were the main sources of mistakes. These mistakes cancelled
      the advantage of increased sensitivity of CT scan studies and explained why CT
      scan failed to improve diagnosis.

PMID- 1411208
TI  - [Total prosthesis on a rheumatoid knee].
AB  - Results of 81 total knee replacements in 67 patients with rheumatoid arthritis
      were studied. Mean follow-up was three years. Pain was the main reason for knee
      replacement surgery; knee mobility was well preserved prior to surgery. Failure
      occurred in four patients, as the result of infection, due in three instances to
      skin necrosis. Arthrodesis of the knee proved necessary in these patients. The
      fourth patient developed delayed hematogenous infection which was treated by a
      change of prosthesis. At follow-up, 82% of patients reported no pain and 18%
      moderate pain. Mean passive flexion was 113 degrees +/- 17 degrees. HSS score was
      83.6 +/- 1.3 and all the patients except for the four with prosthesis failure
      stated that they were satisfied on very satisfied. Mechanical results were
      satisfactory, with a mean mechanical femur-tibial angle of 180.4 degrees. A
      circling line was visible at follow-up in 40% of operated knees but was partial
      in every case. No reoperations for prosthesis loosening were required. These data
      show that total knee replacement is the only reliable and radical treatment of
      rheumatoid arthritis of the knee and should be performed as soon as fixed flessum
      or axial deviation develops.

PMID- 1411210
TI  - [Lupus chorea revealing. Study in magnetic resonance imaging. Success of plasma
      exchanges after resistance to pulsed cortisone].
AB  - Chorea as a manifestation of SLE is infrequent (1% of all cases of SLE). A new
      case is reported herein. The patient, a seventeen-year-old female, was admitted
      with a one-week history of choreic movements of the left half of the body and
      arthritis of both wrists. Biologic findings confirmed the diagnosis of SLE with
      presence of an antiprothrombinase circulating anticoagulant. Findings upon
      cerebral CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging were normal. Clinical symptoms
      worsened despite corticosteroids in a daily dosage of 1 mg/kg with three pulses
      of 800 mg methylprednisolone. High-dose neuroleptic therapy was given and three
      plasma exchanges were performed. A dramatic improvement in clinical symptoms and
      biological anomalies occurred and persisted during follow-up which now exceeds
      one year. The lack of MRI anomalies suggests that the pathogenesis of SLE
      associated chorea involves functional neurone activation by immune complexes; the
      dramatic effectiveness of plasma exchanges may obviate the need for using
      immunosuppressant agents in patients who fail to respond to corticosteroids.

PMID- 1411209
TI  - [Rheumatic manifestations associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection
      (HIV)].
AB  - The number of subjects presenting articular manifestations associated with HIV
      infection is constantly on increase due to the growing number of seropositive
      patients. The pathophysiological mechanism of this association is still unknown.
      A recent review of the literature has shown that spondyloarthritis are the most
      frequently observed articular manifestations in HIV-positive patients. Septic
      arthritis are rare but severe. The immunodepression due to HIV-infection makes it
      difficult to use immunosuppressors and renders local therapeutics preferable. The
      articular manifestations may allow to discover seropositivity that has not been
      diagnosed before. These data strongly suggest to include serological examination
      for HIV in the etiological screening for every articular manifestation of unknown
      origin, even if the patient presents no risk factors.

PMID- 1411212
TI  - [Peripheral erosive arthritis in pustulosis palmoplantaris. Apropos of 3 cases].
AB  - Three cases of pustulosis palmoplantaris with erosive arthritis are reported.
      There were two females (aged 53 and 59 years) and one male (aged 39 years). Skin
      lesions preceded joint lesions in every case (by 2 years, several weeks, and 1
      year, respectively). Joints involved were one wrist in two patients and both hips
      in one patient. Inflammatory joint pain occurred concomitantly with an
      exacerbation of the skin disease. In two cases, an upper respiratory tract
      infection preceded the joint manifestations by a few days. Synovial fluid from
      affected joints was obtained in all three cases and found to be sterile. In the
      two patients who had histologic studies of skin lesion biopsy specimens,
      unilocular non-spongiform lesions suggestive of nonpsoriasic disease were found.
      Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels were raised in every
      case. HLA groups were [A2, A19, B12, B27], [A2, A9, B12, B19, B27, Dr4, Dr6], and
      [A2, A19, B12, B13, Dr7, Dr8]. All three patients were given a nonsteroidal
      antiinflammatory agent. Despite this therapy, destruction of the wrist occurred
      in both females and bilateral hip destruction required bilateral total hip
      replacement in the male. The rapidity with which joint destruction occurred
      suggested infectious disease, especially due to a saprophytic organism. Virtually
      all previously reported pustulosis palmoplantaris patients with bone and joint
      manifestations had arthralgia or non-destructive arthritis in appendicular
      joints, whereas bone and joint destruction has been described in axial
      structures.

PMID- 1411211
TI  - [A case of benign chondroblastoma of the iliac wing treated by extensive exeresis
      and reconstruction with methylmethacrylate].
AB  - Complete remission can be achieved by extensive surgical exeresis in patients
      with benign chondroblastoma of the iliac wing despite the reputation of these
      tumors for aggressive behavior. The case of a 28-year-old male treated with
      extensive surgery and acrylic cement reconstruction is reported. After seven
      years follow-up, the functional result is satisfactory and there is no evidence
      of local recurrence. Use of cement obviated the need for bone grafting. However,
      subsequent removal of the cement proved necessary because of skin intolerance.
      Data from a review of the literature confirmed that iliac chondroblastoma carries
      a poor prognosis, mainly because of the potential for mechanical complications.
      The cases of malignant transformation reported occurred after radiotherapy. In
      the authors' opinion, extensive surgical exeresis performed as early as possible
      is the treatment of choice.

PMID- 1411213
TI  - [Condensing myeloma. Apropos of 2 cases with bone histomorphometric study].
AB  - Two cases of myeloma with roentgenographic evidence of bone sclerosis confirmed
      by iliac histomorphometric measurements are reported. In one patient, increased
      resorption, major depression of osteoblast activity, initial intense
      myelofibrosis, and myeloid deposits were found. The other patient had both
      increased resorption and increased osteoblast activity with clinical
      manifestations suggestive of POEMS syndrome. These two cases are compared with
      116 cases previously published in the occidental medical literature and with five
      histomorphometric studies demonstrating increased bone trabecula volume (BTV).
      Conventional histologic studies suggest several mechanisms as possible
      explanations for the occurrence of bone sclerosis, including increased modeling
      unit activity, isolated osteoblast activation, metamorphic neoosteogenesis in
      myelofibrosis foci, and, in exceptional cases, inhibition of resorption due to
      increased production of calcitonin. The diversity of bone modeling patterns
      evidenced by the seven histomorphometric studies reviewed in this article is
      striking. Bone modeling patterns provide only a snapshot of bone modeling units
      and may vary over time in a given patient. Reported cases are too few to allow
      conclusions but emphasize the need for performing further histomorphometric
      investigations.

PMID- 1411214
TI  - [Megakaryoblastic transformation of myeloid splenomegaly with hypercalcemia and
      pseudomyelomatosis osteolysis].

PMID- 1411215
TI  - [Misleading spontaneous lumbar intradural and extradural hematoma].

PMID- 1411216
TI  - [Maurice Lepoivre (1910-1991)].

PMID- 1411217
TI  - [Otologic manifestations of the pain dysfunction syndrome of the stomatognathic
      system].
AB  - Phylogenesis, ontogenesis and anatomy explain the close relationship between
      temporo-mandibular joint and the middle ear and can therefore help understanding
      otologic symptoms such as: otalgia which often correspond to articular and
      muscular pain irradiation (coming from sterno-cleido-mastoid, lateral and medial
      pterygoid, deep layer of the masseter and temporal muscles); acouphens and ear
      block sensation that could be caused by a spasm extension of the manducatory
      (i.e. medial pterygoid) to levator and tympani tensors. These three muscles,
      which originate from the first branchial arch, have a proprioceptive sensitivity
      and share the same innervation. What is more tensor and levator veli exchange
      certain muscular fibers. Tensor tympani spasm can be held responsible both for a
      decrease or abolition of the Klockhoff's reflex, together with a decrease of the
      stapedian reflex, the latter due to tympani rigidity induced by a spasm of the
      tensor tympani.

PMID- 1411219
TI  - [The discal system of the temporo-mandibular junction].
AB  - The discal apparatus represent the intra-articular part of the lateral pterygoid
      muscle tendon, which is differentiated in front of articular surfaces. It is
      involved in craniomandibular shock absorbing, joint proprioception, and also
      plays an important part in both condylar growth and morphogenesis. This is to
      emphasize the different roles of this apparatus, which should be religiously
      preserved, its lesions being, most of the time, irreversible and cause of TMJ
      disorders.

PMID- 1411218
TI  - [Occurrence of post-traumatic temporo-mandibular ankylosis. Trial of
      classification of anatomo-pathologic lesions].
AB  - According to the authors, who have an 18-year experience, the treatment of
      temporomandibular ankylosis in children consists in the resection of the
      ankylosis block and of the corresponding neck of the condyle, along with the
      preservation of the capsule and articular disk and a dynamic blockade with the
      mouth open until the mandibular condyle is completely reconstructed. After
      witnessing the constitution of ankylosis in a child who was initially examined 3
      weeks after the trauma, we were able to carry out a thorough clinicopathological
      examination of the areas of tissue characterizing incipient ankylosis, both in
      the condylar cartilage and in the underlying bone. The initial stage produces the
      progressive emergence of the bony surfaces, which then bear no cartilage. This is
      osteogenesis as well as cartilage resorption, as evidenced by the presence of
      neoformed Haversian canals at that level. This is a formal argument in favor of a
      systematic dynamic blockade with the mouth open in all cases of fresh condylar
      surface and the menisceal surface of the joint is the best way to prevent
      ankylosis or malunion.

PMID- 1411220
TI  - [Muscular insertions on the temporo-mandibular disk. Physiologic implications].
AB  - The aim of this work was to identify the elements of an anatomical consensus
      about the description of the direct and indirect muscular insertions on the
      temporomandibular meniscus. A classical dissection was performed on two joints
      and completed with a histological study. Fourteen joints were studied, after deep
      freezing of fresh whole heads, with 3-millimeter thick macroscopic sections in
      the coronal, sagittal and axial planes and in a plane perpendicular to the axis
      of the condyle. The study of the specimens with a binocular magnifying glass was
      completed by oriented histological sections after fixation in 10% formaldehyde.
      The comparison of our findings with the studies published in the literature shows
      that the ideas are evolving towards an anatomical consensus about the reality of
      the direct and indirect insertion of the sole mandibular elevator muscles on the
      temporomandibular articular disk. The classical description of the dynamics of
      the meniscus must therefore be changed.

PMID- 1411221
TI  - [Complications of temporo-mandibular arthroscopy. Report of 100 arthroscopies].
AB  - TMJ arthroscopy is a little invasive and of poor morbidity procedure of both
      investigation and treatment of temporomandibular pathology. A highly equipped
      operating room (double instrumentation) together with fine skill and proper
      knowledge of arthroscopic joint anatomy can easily prevent the rare complications
      described (articular, vascular, neurologic and otologic).

PMID- 1411222
TI  - [Reconstruction of the mouth floor with nasolabial flap after cancer resection.
      Report of 81 cases].
AB  - The authors report functional results in a series of 81 patients with carcinoma
      of the floor of the mouth treated by surgical resection and reconstruction by
      nasolabial flap. The study confirms the literature concerning advantages and
      limits of such a flap. With regards to others techniques of reconstruction,
      nasolabial flap is still perfectly usefull in reconstruction of T2 T3 carcinomas
      of the floor of the mouth.

PMID- 1411223
TI  - [Dentascan in dental implantation].
AB  - The software called dentascan utilizes the data acquired during a conventional CT
      examination to reconstruct accurate images with a 1/1 scale, both of sections
      taken at right angles to the axis of curvature of the bony relief of the
      maxillary or mandibular arch and of sections taken parallel to this axis. This
      means of investigation proves to be practical and useful for assessment before
      implantation.

PMID- 1411224
TI  - [Skin aplasia of the vertex. Report of a familial form].
AB  - The authors report about a familial case of skin aplasia of the vertex cranii, of
      which they present a form that required emergent surgical repair with a favorable
      outcome. The investigation allowed tracing two relatives with minor forms
      expressed as alopecia of the vertex. Skin aplasia of the vertex cranii is an
      exceptional condition, which consists in the congenital absence of cutaneous,
      bony and/or dural tissue in the cranium. The various etiopathogenetic, clinical,
      diagnostic, evolutive and therapeutic aspects are reviewed.

PMID- 1411225
TI  - [Our experience with surgical treatment of posterior epistaxis. Report of 16
      cases].
AB  - Management of intractable posterior epistaxis remains a challenge to the
      otolaryngologist. When anterior and posterior packing techniques fail to control
      the hemorrhage, a surgical technique designed to interrupt the blood supply to
      the posterior parts of the nose is indicated. The common procedures employ
      ligation of the external carotid artery, of the maxillary artery and its terminal
      branch the sphenopalatine artery. Those procedures performed on 16 patients are
      clearly described and the indications for each one are established. Immediate
      control of bleeding was accomplished in 14 of 16 patients. Two patients had
      postoperatively recurrent but less severe epistaxis.

PMID- 1411226
TI  - [Microscopic innervation and vascularization of the tongue. General study].
AB  - Our study deals with 23 prenatal human tongues, and a comparative study was
      carried out on one neonatal tongue and a few human and animal postnatal tongues.
      Sagittal and coronal sections were stained with various techniques. After the 7th
      week, the development of the nerves and their relationships with the neighboring
      structures can be observed. There are very few capillaries making up the
      superficial vascular network under the epithelium. The vessels whose walls are
      beginning to develop include the future red blood cells with their basophilic
      nuclei. During the whole process of evolution, there is a tight correlation
      between the collagen fibers and the neighboring structures. The innervation and
      vascularization--the latter with changes in the vascular walls--progressively
      increase. A short time before birth, the nerve fibers include their
      characteristic components, except for the Schmidt-Lantermann fissures. A
      considerable innervation advances towards the papillae, and anterior and
      posterior nerve networks enter the papillae, whose connective tissue includes
      groups of corpuscles on serial sections.

PMID- 1411227
TI  - [Decision strategy in orthognathic surgery. Part 2: The esthetic choice in
      orthognathic surgery--practical applications].
AB  - Even if the functional factors are the most important in the decision, we have
      always to remember the need of our patient concerning aesthetic improvement. At
      this moment, the traditional approach based upon morphologic cephalometric
      analysis (which are frequently discordant) must be substituted by an aesthetic
      approach. The goal is to obtain a realistic 3D-imaging of the face as it will be
      after surgery. But it cannot really be achieved yet and we are obliged to work on
      lateral X-ray cephalograms. The most important at this stage of the decision is
      not to make a static aesthetic evaluation. It is on the contrary to perform a
      prospective simulation of the new profile line, as accurate as possible, based
      upon statistical correlations between soft- and hard-tissues changes. Even if
      there are some technical problems, even if the results are not currently good
      enough, the aesthetic prospective analysis allows validation or modulation of the
      initial functional surgical indication. We can compare for instance the aesthetic
      results of different amounts of displacements in bimaxillary surgery. Meanwhile,
      it is sure that the result depends also on the precision of the surgical
      procedure and on the good functional re-equilibration which is essential for the
      stability.

PMID- 1411228
TI  - [Post-traumatic enophthalmos. Pathogenic, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches].
AB  - Post-traumatic enophthalmos has a complex pathogenesis, resulting from injuries
      to the bony walls of the orbit or to the intraorbital contents. Computed
      tomography allows specifying this pathogenesis by locating displaced bone, fat
      leakage or muscle incarceration, as well as calculating the volumes of the orbit
      and of the soft tissues. This assessment guides surgery (most often bone grafts),
      but correction remains limited by scar retraction, especially around the orbit.
      The prognosis of enophthalmos mainly depends on a general initial treatment after
      the trauma.

PMID- 1411229
TI  - [Enophthalmos of the enucleated eye].
AB  - Even when it is corrected by an ocular prosthesis, enucleation often causes
      enophthalmos. After studying the integrality of the walls of the orbits with CT,
      the presence and position of the intraorbital implant must be controlled and the
      enophthalmos treated by compensating for the residual volume loss of the orbital
      content (bone or biomaterials) and, sometimes, filling up the upper palpebral
      space (dermal graft, galea flaps or biomaterials). The retraction of palpebral
      scars limits the possibilities of correction.

PMID- 1411230
TI  - [Cutaneous melanoma of the cervicofacial region. Personal experiences].
AB  - The malignant melanomas are expansive tumors of neoplastic melanocytes. In the
      present study, five cases of patients are reported which have been hospitalized
      in E.N.T. department of our hospital during the last four years with skin
      melanomas of the head and neck. We note our opinions on diagnosis and treatment
      of these malignant tumors.

PMID- 1411231
TI  - [Inverted papilloma of the nose. Apropos of a case associating polyps and an
      inverted papilloma of the nose].
AB  - In this article is presented a case report of a 59 years old woman with a medical
      history of recurrent nasal polyps (from 20 years ago). This woman presented an
      inverted papilloma in the middle meatus of the lateral wall of the nasal cavity
      simultaneously with the nasal polyps, and she was faced with surgical intranasal
      removal. The patient, two years later, presented again nasal polyps, but without
      any indication of the recurrence of the inverted papilloma. It is noticed the
      value of the local surgical removal of the inverted papilloma in patients who do
      not present extensive tumors.

PMID- 1411232
TI  - [Orofacial dyskinesia. A current pathology].
AB  - Bucco-facial dyskinesia is particularly frequent in aged persons, for whom the
      condition is a definite handicap because of its social and, sometimes, functional
      impact. The etiology of these abnormal movements is variable. On one hand, many
      treatments can be incriminated, especially neuroleptics, and on the other hand,
      there also are frequent spontaneous dyskinesias, movements for which the risk
      factors are described. The physiopathology remains open to discussion and
      research, but we already know that the regulation of the nigro-striated pathway
      plays a role in it, as well, maybe, as toxic (free radicals) and immunological
      factors. Various therapies are described, but the outcome for such dyskinesias is
      often unfavorable, at least in elderly subjects, hence the merits of prevention.
      The latter is based on the prescription of as few neuroleptic drugs as possible,
      on the use of possibly protective substances, and finally on the suppression on
      the triggering elements that some local factors may form.

PMID- 1411233
TI  - Inadvertent intracranial placement of a Foley catheter. A rare iatrogenic
      complication of severe frontomaxillary trauma.
AB  - Severe comminuted fractures of the facial bones involving the cranial base are
      often accompanied by heavy bleeding into the nasopharynx. This presents
      considerable problems in primary care both for the anesthesiologist and the
      surgeon. Such bleeding can be controlled by Bellocq tamponade or using a Foley
      inflatable catheter. Skull base fractures may involve the risk of the catheter
      inadvertently penetrating into the brain. The authors describe a case in which a
      misguided Foley catheter, which was blindly inserted through the nose in an
      attempt to tampon the nasopharynx, resulted in fatal cerebral damage.

PMID- 1411234
TI  - [Biopsy of the salivary glands. The importance and technic of biopsy of the
      sublingual gland on its anterio-lateral side].
AB  - A new method of taking a sublingual gland sample is suggested by the authors in
      the fore pole. They emphasize on this straightforward operating act and on the
      amount of tissue removed. The aim of the removal could be etiologic within the
      framework of the Gougerot-Sjogren's syndrome, diagnostic in the sarcoidosis and
      rheumatoid arthritis, prognostic in the graft versus host disease.

PMID- 1411235
TI  - [Adenomatoid odontogenic tumor].
AB  - Adenomatoid odontogenic tumor is observed most frequently in male patients aged
      between 10 and 20 years. Occurring usually in the anterior part of the upper jaw,
      its discovery is often fortuitous during routine radiological examinations, which
      show a well defined clear zone 1 to 3 cm in diameter. Treatment by curettage
      results in healing by secondary bone cicatrization. A case is reported and
      epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic features
      reviewed.

PMID- 1411236
TI  - [The use of cryotherapy in oral pathology. Our experience in 36 cases].
AB  - Cryotherapy is a simple to use, weakly invasive technique provoking only moderate
      complications in the treatment of certain mucosal lesions of the buccal cavity.
      Indications of choice for this type of treatment are angioma and papilloma. Long
      term follow up of patients treated for reactive keratosis or epithelioma in situ
      is at present insufficient to establish precise indications.

PMID- 1411237
TI  - [The brevity of the acquisition period of phonemes. Arguments for the early
      treatment of maxillo-palatal clefts].
AB  - Very early, the new-born no more listen the phonemes which are not used around
      him. In the same way, he does not listen the phonemes impossible to pronounce by
      himself, because he is not concerned. He does not engrave then. Consequently, we
      must give him, quickly, complete anatomical means of pronunciation, and train him
      by early intensive imitation-interchange mechanism. For those two reasons, we
      propose to complete immediately the early surgical reparation of the soft palate
      by a thin obturating plate and by an early orthophonic parental guidance.

PMID- 1411238
TI  - Upper gastrointestinal bleeding as a complication in end stage renal disease
      patients.
AB  - The commonest pathological findings in the upper gastrointestinal tract have been
      verified by studying 320 autopsies as related to chronic renal failure through
      the 20-year span. In our series of 99 patients having been hospitalized within
      the period of 1989 to 1990, lesions of upper gastrointestinal tract were
      summarized that might be responsible for bleeding in the course of the dialysis
      and after renal transplantation. In accordance with literature sources, the
      investigated group showed gastric and duodenal mucosal lesions to be the most
      frequent sources of hemorrhages. For both the early diagnosis and therapy all
      patients have to be examined prior to the initiation of a regular maintenance
      dialysis. Gastroscopy is also indicated in all patients without any exception.
      Subsequent conservative treatment should be performed in an intensive and
      accurate way. While unsuccessful, the surgery is indicated. Authors referred to
      indicatory criteria based on surgical management of gastroduodenal ulcer. Both
      the early diagnosis and indication to surgery were stated to be of crucial
      importance for patient's destiny when the conservative treatment has failed. The
      present study should contribute to a closer collaboration of nephrologists,
      gastroenterologists and surgeons in order to prevent such serious complications
      that are represented by gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with chronic renal
      failure.

PMID- 1411239
TI  - The changing pattern in peptic ulcer surgery.
AB  - The authors analyse the methods of treatment for the peptic ulcer disease (PUD)
      in two 5-year periods (group A 1979-1983, group B 1985-1989). From these groups
      patients with perforated gastroduodenal ulcer were excluded. In the first period
      206 operations were carried out using nearly exclusively classical partial
      gastrectomies of both types (94 per cent). The second period involves 94
      operations, where the most frequent type of operations was the proximal gastric
      vagotomy (40.4 per cent), and vagotomy with anthrectomy in the Roux-en-Y
      modification (26.6 per cent). The number of operations for a complicated PUD has
      increased from 43.2 per cent to 53.2 per cent, the ratio between the duodenal and
      gastric ulcer has changed from 3:1 to 2:1. The mortality was 5.3 and 4.7 per cent
      respectively, the morbidity 14.5 and 13.8 per cent respectively. The authors
      confirmed their accordance with the world-wide trend of diminution of the
      proportion of surgically treated PUD and a shift in the pattern of surgical
      methods towards the non-resective and more physiological procedures.

PMID- 1411241
TI  - Complicated duodenal ulcer, vagotomy or distal resection--own experience.
AB  - An analysis of clinical material through 10-year-period (1980-1989) is presented.
      There were 708 gastric operations performed for gastroduodenal ulcer disease.
      Most frequently distal gastric resections (585) were used, 233 in B. I. and 352
      in B II. modification. Selective proximal vagotomy (SPV) was less frequently used
      (only 116 cases). Authors think there is no reason for a general use of SPV for
      each form of duodenal ulcer because of very serious competition with the H2
      blockers. A different individual proved choice of the method as well as an
      appropriate subtle operating technique is considered to be essential.

PMID- 1411240
TI  - Surgical treatment of cardiospasm and megaoesophagus.
AB  - Long-term results of operative treatment of cardiospasm and megaoesophagus in 111
      patients are presented. There were 67 women and 44 men treated, age 4 to 65. The
      authors have for several years used their own, in this Department developed
      method of operation for cardiospasm, which joins Heller's operation with the
      reconstruction of the cardia to prevent reflux. In very advanced stages of the
      disease as megaoesophagus they use an original surgical procedure, which consists
      in connecting the thoracic segment of the oesophagus with the prepyloric part of
      the stomach by means of a pedicle jejunal graft. Clinical follow-up supported by
      x-ray examination and endoscopy has shown very good results of such treatment.

PMID- 1411242
TI  - Pathogenesis of carcinoma in operated stomach--an animal model.
AB  - An experimental study on rats was performed to observe pathogenetic factors
      causing cancerogenesis in operated stomach. In sets I and II without exogenous
      carcinogen exposition 450 rats were operated upon by a different methods. In
      groups I it was B II gastrectomy, B II with Braun's anastomosis, B II in Roux en
      Y modification, B I and B I with jejunal interposition. In group II non-resective
      methods were tested: gastroenterostomy, gastroenterostomy with Braun's
      anastomosis, gastroenterostomy in Roux en Y modification, and vagotomy with
      pyloroplasty. In the group III 147 rats with different gastric operations were
      submitted to oral nitrate and nitrate with ascorbic acid exposition. The results
      confirmed significant pathogenetic influence of enterogastric reflux on
      cancerogenesis in the operated stomach. Ascorbic acid added to the exogenous
      cancerogen leads to a suppression of development of gastric cancer in rats.

PMID- 1411243
TI  - [Fibroplastic dust and cardio-respiratory functions].
AB  - Repeated measurements of dust concentrations and work loads were made at the
      workplaces in iron foundries (interval 10 years) and processing of asbestos
      (dusts 27 years and work load 8 years). The work load was mild to moderate,
      rarely heavy (energy output 2.0 to 5.7 MJ in the shift) with a mean heart rate 94
      106. The incidence of occupational diseases was stabilized in the foundries,
      increased in the asset processing plants (mostly lung cancer). Two thirds of the
      workers were smokers, in spite of that the workers in the foundries had their
      mean flow-volume curve almost identical with the standards. Their age conditioned
      diminution was faster especially for FEF50 and 25 and accompanied with a bigger
      rise of FRC and RV. Exercise testing demonstrated the same fitness as in normal
      population (2.7 +/- 0.7 l/min). As far as asbestos processing is concerned, a
      diminution of dust concentrations below the limits was found. Despite of this, an
      increase in lung cancer incidence was observed probably as a consequence of high
      dust concentrations in the past and smoking habits (2/3 of workers). The flow
      volume curves were obviously smaller than the normals. With the rising of
      exposure to asbestos and with the advancing age (more close correlation), the
      deterioration of respiratory parameters (measured during 6-7 years) was two times
      faster. The correlations were more close for women then for men. In the man
      group, this deterioration was greater in the last measurements. The results of
      ergometer testing up to anaerobic threshold were identical with those found in
      normal population.

PMID- 1411244
TI  - On the relationship between theoretical presumptions asbestos genotoxicity and
      the practical monitoring of exposed workers.
AB  - From the genotoxic viewpoint, there exists a sufficient evidence for asbestos
      carcinogenicity to human population and animals. Asbestos is a solid cancer
      promoter (cocarcinogen) of non-mutagenic character having epigenetic effects (15,
      16). No data have been published on its mutagenic activity in "in vivo"
      conditions in man. The only results are those of our pilot study carried out in
      the period of 1981-1983, which cast doubts on the official view of non-mutagenic
      character of asbestos--at least under occupational conditions of its processing
      (34, 36, 37). The study presented here represents ten years' efforts made in the
      biological (cytogenetic) monitoring of persons occupationally exposed to asbestos
      in a factory for its processing (occupational risk). Simultaneously, a
      preliminary answer is given to the question whether the Osinek factory (situated
      in a housing area) is or is not dangerous for inhabitants of the town of Kostelec
      nad Orlici, namely for their genetic apparatus (environmental risk). Using the
      method of chromosome aberrations analysis in peripheral blood lymphocytes, a
      total of 431 subjects (245 males and 186 females) were examined in the period of
      1981 to 1988. Of these, 111 persons were from control workplaces (from Osinek or-
      starting from 1984--from other plants in Kostelec nad Orlici; in addition to that
      14 pensioners without any occupational exposure were examined). The average age
      of workers exposed to asbestos risk was 42.7 years, in the controls it was 43.9
      years, in pensioners exposed to asbestos earlier 63.5 years and in those never
      exposed to asbestos 66.5 years. The average number of years spent at Osinek
      factory amounted to 21.5 years. About one third of employees were found to suffer
      from allergies (first of all those of air passages) and one sixth from chronic
      ailments of the upper air passages (Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae
      and Streptococcus beta-haemolyticus were diagnosed most frequently). A third part
      of workers from high-risk workshops are smokers, only a fourth of the controls.
      About 40% of workers regularly consume alcoholic drinks. The average morbidity
      rate at Osinek in 1981 to 1988 was 6.3% (in workers as high as 9%), which is
      about 2% higher as compared with mean values obtained in the district of Rychnov
      nad Kneznou and East-Bohemian region. Within the nine-year period (1981-1989), 21
      occupational diseases were diagnosed, while in the previous 24 years there were
      24 cases of an occupational disease. Earlier they were mainly asbestoses (87%),
      in the last period mainly cancer diseases coinciding with asbestosis
      (81%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1411245
TI  - Scleroplasty in progressive myopia--selection of materials.
AB  - Scleroplastic surgery is known to encounter the pathogenetical agent when the
      progressive myopia develops. In the first part, the implemented surgical
      approaches as well as up-to-date surgical techniques are presented. The
      experimental part is reserved for the selection of material which is necessary to
      perform scleroplasties. Both the allogenic and xenogenic grafts have been studied
      for histocompatibility on 20 rabbits. Following materials were used: 2 types of
      collagenic sponge, native and deproteinated human sclera, modified dura mater as
      well as both the native and devitalized sclera from rabbits. The best results
      were obtained with allogenic sclera, deproteinated xenogenic sclera and
      collagenic sponge. The application of other materials is discussed.

PMID- 1411246
TI  - Communication with patients as a problem in undergraduate medical education.
AB  - The work is based on the following concepts: communication with patients ceases
      being a matter of experience learning only (the trial and error method) and
      should become a part of systematic training; it should not be included only into
      continuous education of graduated physicians but must be gradually introduced
      into undergraduate education as well; it is not an optional activity which may
      but may not be performed by physicians, but it is a specific component of their
      clinical competence. Today attempts to instruct medical students in communication
      with patients and their relatives are being made at many medical schools all over
      the world. Reports on such instruction are, however, scattered in various
      journals or in internal publications published by universities, faculties and
      clinics. Thus they are not available very easily. If there exist some survey
      works, they are mostly conceived on the national level. The objective of the
      study presented here is to show a comparatively comprehensive survey dealing with
      the medical student instruction on the international level, analyze trends in
      development and identify problems that have not been solved so far. The work
      consists of five chapters. The first one gives a short survey of current concepts
      in communication with patients reaching beyond the traditional training in taking
      medical history. Among others, the following factors are included here:
      explanation of both diagnostical and therapeutical methods to the patient,
      informing the patient about results obtained from the examination, telling him or
      her general conclusions and recommendations, informing patients of social
      associations of the disease, developing in the patients those attitudes which
      support their cooperation with physicians and the patient's will to live, ability
      to treat serious and terminal patients properly, ability to treat patients'
      relatives and communicate with other members of a medical team. The second
      chapter shows current attempts to train the medical student-patient communication
      in Czechoslovakia, especially at Charles University. Third chapter describes how
      medical students in the former USSR were instructed, especially at medical
      schools in Moscow. This kind of information is still difficult to be had for
      people from abroad. The fourth chapter is the most important. Current attempts to
      train medical students in communication with patients in Europe, North and South
      America, Asia, Africa and Australia are described there. Reference frames in
      which the instruction takes place (medical, educational, psychological frames)
      are studied.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1411247
TI  - Increased breathing gas density enhances cardiac workload.
AB  - The effect of increased breathing gas density on the left ventricular pressure
      (LVP), cardiac contractility (dP/dt), heart rate (HR), intrapleural pressure
      (P(ip)) and respiratory frequency (RF) was evaluated in pentobarbital
      anaesthetized rats (n = 8) and cats (n = 6). Catheters were placed in the left
      cardiac ventricle via the right carotid artery to measure the LVP, in the
      oesophagus for indirect measurements of P(ip) and RF, and into the aorta from the
      right femoral artery for arterial pressure measurements. The RF fell
      significantly within the first 30 s and had reached a stable value 2 min after
      gas shift in both rats and cats. Concomitant with the RF fall, the depth of
      inspiration and intrapleural pressure differences in both rats and cats
      increased. The acid-base balance remained at control levels in both animal
      groups. LVP and dP/dt started to increase during the first half-minute, and
      reached their maximum values 2-5 min after the introduction of normoxic sulphur
      hexafluoride. A linear relationship between the enhanced dP/dt and the P(ip)
      increase was found. The HR remained unchanged in both cats and rats. These
      findings indicate that the breathing gas density might influence the cardiac
      contractility found during hyperbaric exposure, and that a gas density of five
      times that of air at 1 bar does not influence the diffusion of O2 and CO2 in the
      lung. The O2 consumption of the heart in cats and rats was calculated to rise by
      25% and 30% respectively in the dense breathing gas atmosphere.

PMID- 1411248
TI  - Response of diastolic blood pressure to long-term sodium restriction is posture
      related.
AB  - Eighty-five subjects, aged 31-55 years, suffering from uncomplicated essential
      hypertension and receiving no regular medication were randomized to sodium
      restriction and control groups. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure
      were measured during an orthostatic test at baseline and after 6 months sodium
      restriction. The mean daily sodium excretion of 43 treated subjects decreased
      from 193 +/- 91 mmol to 95 +/- 70 mmol (p less than 0.001). Treated patients were
      divided on the basis of their mean overall out-patient clinic (OC) DBP decrease
      in the sitting position during the 6 months (monthly measurements) into sodium
      sensitive (DBP decrease greater than 10 mmHg, n = 17), indeterminate (DBP
      decrease 5-10 mmHg, n = 18) and sodium-resistant (DBP decrease less than 5 mmHg,
      n = 8) subgroups. At 6 months the level of DBP in the supine position was lower
      than at baseline in both sensitive and resistant subgroups, whereas in the
      standing position a lower DBP than at baseline was seen only in the sodium
      sensitive subgroup. The magnitude of the subsequent OC DBP decrease was
      significantly associated with a high baseline seated OC DBP (p less than 0.001)
      and a high, for baseline OC DBP adjusted orthostatic DBP increase (p = 0.014).
      Our data suggest that posture should be included in the concept of sodium
      sensitivity and that an orthostatic test is useful in the prediction of seated
      and standing DBP decrease produced by moderate, long-term sodium restriction.

PMID- 1411249
TI  - A microtitre assay system for glucocorticoid receptors: decreased receptor
      concentration in myocardial infarction.
AB  - A major difficulty in determination of glucocorticoid receptor sites is the very
      complicated assay procedure. Therefore, we describe a microtitre assay system for
      glucocorticoid receptors which is a whole-cell competitive binding radioassay
      using [3H]-dexamethasone as radioligand. This modification of a previously
      described protocol simplifies and reduces laboratory work and allows assay
      reproducibility to be controlled more reliably. Thus enabled to perform the test
      on multiple blood samples in parallel, we investigated cardiac infarction
      patients over a 12-day period to test if glucocorticoid receptor binding is
      altered in this 'stressful' disease. On the first day of the disease,
      glucocorticoid receptor capacity was significantly decreased without alteration
      of the receptor-ligand affinity, whereas on days 4 and 12 the number of receptor
      sites was normal again. This result fits well into the general observation of
      stress-induced down-regulation of immune responses.

PMID- 1411250
TI  - Both the polysaccharide and lipid A parts of endotoxins are needed for the
      inhibitory effects of endotoxins on cellular LDL uptake.
AB  - We previously reported that endotoxins inhibit low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
      uptake and degradation in Hep G2 cells. In the present study, we tried to
      elucidate which part(s) of the endotoxin molecules contribute(s) to the
      inhibitory effect of endotoxins on LDL uptake and degradation. The results show
      that the endotoxin isolated from Salmonella minnesota Re595 (Re mutant), which
      lacks polysaccharide, had no effect on the uptake and degradation of 125I
      labelled LDL in Hep G2 cells. This mutant form also decreased the inhibitory
      effects of endotoxins which have complete polysaccharides on cellular LDL uptake
      and degradation. However, the polysaccharide part of endotoxins by itself had no
      effect on LDL catabolism by the cells. This suggests that both the polysaccharide
      and the lipid A parts of endotoxins are needed for the inhibitory effects of
      endotoxins on LDL uptake and degradation.

PMID- 1411251
TI  - Enhanced urinary excretion of albumin in congestive heart failure: effect of ACE
      inhibition.
AB  - Urinary excretion of albumin and beta 2-microglobulin were measured in 13
      patients with congestive heart failure, NYHA class II-IV, before and after
      captopril treatment for 4 weeks, and in 13 healthy control subjects. The urinary
      excretion of albumin was enhanced in heart failure patients compared to control
      subjects (12.0 micrograms min-1 vs 2.8 micrograms min-1; medians, p less than
      0.01), whereas beta 2-microglobulin excretion was normal. No significant change
      in urinary excretion of albumin was observed after captopril. Using Spearmann's
      test the urinary excretion of albumin was correlated to the NYHA class (Px =
      0.681, p less than 0.05, plasma renin (Px = 0.886, p less than 0.01) and plasma
      angiotensin II (Px = 0.5840, p less than 0.05). Correlations with atrial
      natriuretic peptide (rho = 0.412, p = 0.153) and aldosterone (Px = 0.487, p =
      0.106) did not reach significance. By multiple linear regression analysis only
      plasma renin activity was correlated to albumin excretion. In conclusion,
      patients with congestive heart failure had an increased urinary excretion of
      albumin. It is suggested that the enhanced transglomerular passage of albumin in
      congestive heart failure is partly due to an increased intra-renal angiotensin II
      generation, but elevated plasma level of atrial natriuretic peptide and increased
      renal venous pressure may also be important pathogenetic factors.

PMID- 1411252
TI  - CA 125 serum levels in patients with non-neoplastic liver diseases. A clinical
      and laboratory study.
AB  - CA 125 is a tumour marker usually used in the monitoring of ovarian carcinoma
      patients. This study was performed to evaluate the behaviour of CA 125 in 159
      patients with benign diffuse hepatic diseases who underwent thorough clinical and
      laboratory evaluation. Abnormal serum levels of CA 125 were found in 40.3% of the
      159 patients, 70.6% of the 85 cirrhotics and 5.4% of the 74 non-cirrhotics. There
      was a correlation between CA 125 and numerous biochemical parameters
      characteristic of liver diseases, the liver failure tests being the most
      relevant. Ascites was a determining factor of serum CA 125 levels (98.4% of the
      ascites patients and only 4.1% of the non-ascitic patients had abnormal levels),
      and CA 125 had excellent sensitivity, specificity, efficiency, predictive values
      and likelihood ratios to detect ascites. In the absence of ascites, liver
      dysfunction played a small but significant role in the increase of CA 125. In
      liver disease patients with ascites the threshold required to obtain only 10% of
      abnormal values was more than 50-fold the basal level. These findings invalidate
      CA 125 as a tumour marker in these patients.

PMID- 1411253
TI  - Alteration of erythrocyte glutathione, cysteine and glutathione synthetase in
      alcoholic and non-alcoholic cirrhosis.
AB  - Glutathione (GSH) and cysteine were determined in the plasma and the erythrocytes
      of alcoholic and non-alcoholic cirrhotics as fluorescent monobromobimane
      derivatives by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Cirrhotic patients
      displayed a significant decrease of plasma GSH, as well as of plasma cysteine,
      that was related to the degree of liver disease but not to the nutritional
      conditions. On the contrary, erythrocyte cysteine was found to increase
      significantly in all cirrhotics, particularly in alcoholics, regardless of the
      severity of disease. In an attempt to find a possible explanation of these
      alterations, the GSH synthesizing enzymes, gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GC
      s) and GSH synthetase (GSH-s) activities were determined in the erythrocytes. GSH
      s activity was significantly lower in cirrhotic patients, whereas GC-s activity
      did not differ in the three groups.

PMID- 1411254
TI  - Long-term supplementation with n-3 fatty acids, I: Effect on blood lipids,
      haemostasis and blood pressure.
AB  - The effect of dietary supplementation with 4 g of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids
      (PUFA) daily for 9 months on blood pressure, plasma lipids and lipoproteins,
      platelet function, coagulation and fibrinolysis was studied in 24 healthy
      volunteers. Each variable was determined before, after 6 weeks and 9 months of
      supplementation with n-3 PUFA, and 3 months after the supplementation period had
      ended. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure declined after intake of n-3 PUFAs.
      Plasma triglycerides were reduced, and there was a trend towards an increase in
      HDL-cholesterol after 9 months of supplementation, while total cholesterol, LDL
      cholesterol and apolipoproteins A1 and B were unaltered. The bleeding time was
      increased, and plasma levels of von Willebrand factor decreased after 9 months
      supplementation with n-3 PUFA. Fibrinogen levels increased, while fibrinolysis
      was reduced after 9 months supplementation with n-3 PUFA. Overall, no clear
      benefit on lipid pattern and haemostasis was achieved with respect to development
      of coronary heart disease.

PMID- 1411256
TI  - Thyroid function tests: performance and limitations of current methodologies.

PMID- 1411255
TI  - Long-term supplementation with n-3 fatty acids, II: Effect on neutrophil and
      monocyte chemotaxis.
AB  - The effect of a daily supplement with 4 g of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids
      (PUFA) for 9 months to 24 healthy volunteers on neutrophil and monocyte
      chemotaxis was studied using the under-agarose technique. Autologous serum and n
      formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine were used as chemoattractants. The effect
      after 9 months of supplementation with n-3 PUFA was also compared to results
      after short-term supplementation with n-3 PUFA for 6 weeks. Monocyte chemotaxis
      was reduced after 9 months of supplementation with n-3 PUFA to the same extent as
      after 6 weeks supplement. Neutrophil-directed migration towards chemoattractants
      was reduced after 9 months on fish oil, and this decrease was significantly
      greater than the decrease obtained after 6 weeks of supplementation. The
      spontaneous migration of neutrophils was significantly attenuated after 9 months
      compared to baseline and to 6 weeks. These findings lend support to a role for n
      3 PUFA in the management of chronic inflammatory and atherosclerotic vascular
      diseases.

PMID- 1411257
TI  - Radio-immunoassay of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and characterization of ANP
      immunoreactivity in human plasma and atrial tissue.
AB  - A sensitive radio-immunoassay (RIA) was developed to determine the occurrence of
      atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in plasma and atrial extracts from patients
      undergoing open heart surgery. The immunoreactive ANP (irANP) was characterized
      by high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with RIA. The plasma irANP
      response to releasing stimuli during the operation was determined in
      simultaneously sampled venous and arterial blood, in order to evaluate any
      differences. The antiserum recognized the intact ring-structure of alpha-humanANP
      (alpha-hANP) and its propeptide gamma-hANP, as well as beta-hANP, an anti
      parallel dimer of alpha-hANP. Less bioactive N-or C-terminal fragments of alpha
      hANP, or an N-terminal fragment of the propeptide, gamma-hANP 1-67, did not cross
      react with the antiserum. Sep Pak C18-extraction of plasma resulted in an 80%
      recovery of synthetic alpha-hANP. The assay had a sensitivity of 1.9 pmol l-1,
      well below the venous plasma concentrations of irANP found in healthy volunteers
      (7.4 +/- 1.3 pmol l-1, mean +/- SEM, n = 19), and the local standard was
      identical to an international standard of alpha-hANP. In atrial extracts three
      major peaks of irANP were identified as alpha-, beta- and gamma-hANP, with gamma
      hANP as the most abundant form. In plasma alpha-hANP dominated, but in two cases
      high plasma levels of beta-hANP were seen, reflecting the high atrial content in
      these patients. In peripheral arterial blood, irANP was on an average 56% +/- 20%
      (p less than 0.01, n = 18) higher than in venous blood; this was associated with
      more distinct arterial irANP responses to releasing stimuli during the operation.

PMID- 1411258
TI  - Calcium clamp technique: suppression of serum intact PTH by induced
      hypercalcaemia in normal man and primary hyperparathyroidism.
AB  - The aim of the study was to investigate the interrelation between induced
      hypercalcaemia and serum intact parathyroid hormone (S-PTH(1-84)) in normal man
      and in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) by measuring blood
      ionized calcium (B-Ca++) and S-PTH(1-84) before and during a controlled calcium
      infusion. Guided by frequent measurements of B-Ca++, we adjusted the calcium
      infusion rate continuously, thereby keeping B-Ca++ in a steady state at a pre
      determined level approximately 0.25 mmol l-1 above baseline values. This calcium
      clamp technique (CCT) applied to 14 normal volunteers for 120 min established a
      standardized reference for parathyroid suppression and the renal physiological
      PTH response. The reproducibility of the method and the results obtained by the
      CCT were satisfactorily assessed in six of the 14 normal subjects. In normal
      subjects B-Ca++ was raised from 1.25 +/- 0.3 mmol l-1 (mean +/- SD) to 1.49 +/-
      0.02 mmol l-1 suppressing S-PTH(1-84) to 264 +/- 9.9% of pre-infusion levels. We
      applied the CCT to 10 patients with PHPT for 120 min raising B-Ca++ from 1.41 +/-
      0.09 mmol l-1 to 1.69 +/- 0.08 mmol l-1, thereby suppressing S-PTH(1-84) to 47.9
      +/- 16.3% of pre-infusion levels. The renal handling of calcium and phosphate
      during CCT demonstrates the biological effects of suppressed activity of PTH on
      the renal tubules showing increments in the maximal tubular phosphate
      reabsorption in relation to the glomerular filtration rate (TmP/GFR) and
      decreased tubular reabsorption fraction of calcium. The described CCT is a safe
      and reliable dynamic test.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411259
TI  - Cardiac systolic time intervals and thyroid hormone levels during treatment of
      hypothyroidism.
AB  - This study was undertaken to compare results of modern serum thyroid hormone
      assays with cardiac systolic time intervals (STI) during thyroxine treatment in
      hypothyroid patients. The patients were assessed clinically (Billewicz index) and
      the STI and serum thyrotropin (TSH), total and free thyroxine (T4) and total and
      free triiodothyronine (T3) were determined in 16 hypothyroid women (Group I)
      treated with 50 micrograms increments of thyroxine, and in 13 women who had a
      history of thyroid carcinoma and high-dose thyroxine replacement therapy and had
      elevated thyroid hormone concentrations (Group II). The STI of 24 matched healthy
      female controls were used for reference of STI. The pre-ejection period (PEP)
      index and the PEP/LVET ratio (left ventricular ejection period) were greater in
      untreated overtly and mildly hypothyroid patients (p less than 0.05) than in the
      controls. During stable thyroxine therapy [mean daily dosage for Group I 137.5
      (7.3) micrograms and for Group II 220 (61) micrograms] the PEP correlated with
      serum free T4 (FT4), as measured by a two-step method (SpectriaR) (r = -0.55, p
      less than 0.01, n = 29) and total T4 (r = -0.51, p less than 0.05, n = 29), but
      not with TSH, T3, FT3 or FT4 measured by an analogue method Amerlex-M(R). The TRH
      test was not valuable in follow-up because of the strong correlation between
      basal TSH and stimulated TSH values (r = 0.95). In conclusion, STI are useful for
      assessment of the thyroid state in untreated hypothyroid patients. Serum TSH
      becomes normal in the same time as STI and is the best for follow-up. If serum
      TSH is low and the patient is on stable thyroxine therapy, we recommend serum FT4
      for monitoring thyroxine replacement. Two-step FT4 assays had the best
      correlation with STI, which has significance in patients with non-thyroidal
      illness.

PMID- 1411260
TI  - Levels of calprotectin (leukocyte L1 protein) during apheresis.
AB  - The plasma concentration of calprotectin was measured before, during and after
      apheresis in patients with Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), Waldenstrom's syndrome
      or hypercholesterolaemia and in healthy donors of platelets. Increased
      calprotectin levels were found after plasma exchange in the Waldenstrom's
      syndrome patients, probably caused by release of the protein from activated
      leukocytes. The decreased calprotectin values observed in the other patients, may
      be due to plasma dilution. Unexpectedly, the GBS patients were found to have high
      initial calprotectin levels in plasma but not in cerebrospinal fluid. In donors,
      normal and unchanged calprotectin concentrations were found throughout.

PMID- 1411261
TI  - What causes impaired glucose tolerance to deteriorate or normalize?
AB  - Twenty-five middle-aged subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) were
      analysed 5 years later, showing normal glucose tolerance in 28% and persistent
      glucose deterioration in 72%. Body mass index (strongly) and 2-h glucose levels
      were clinically useful predictors, in the newly detected IGT-subjects, of
      persistent glucose deterioration (IGT or NIDDM) 5 years later. The frequency of
      hypertension was 36% in the newly-detected IGT subjects. Five years later this
      frequency increased to 54% in the persistently hyperglycaemic group, and
      decreased to none in the normalized group. Predictors of hypertension at the
      follow-up were baseline blood pressure and parts of the hyperinsulinaemic
      syndrome, such as serum triglyceride at baseline, BMI and 2-h glucose at the
      follow-up. Microalbuminuria (greater than 20 mg day-1) was not found at the 5
      years follow-up, either if the subjects then had NIDDM, IGT or normal glucose
      tolerance. ECG abnormalities (ST segment and T wave changes) were two-fold more
      prevalent in the group with IGT or NIDDM than in the normalized group at the
      follow-up. Predictors were baseline BMI and incremental BMI. In conclusion,
      obesity and high 2-h glucose in newly-detected IGT-subjects seemed to predict the
      persistence of IGT 5 years later. Hypertension, but not microalbuminuria, was
      frequent when glucose deterioration persisted.

PMID- 1411262
TI  - Measurement of CA 125 by an automated microparticle enzyme immunoassay;
      comparison with a manual enzyme immunoassay.
AB  - The technical characteristics and the clinical usefulness of a new automated
      microparticle enzyme immunoassay (Abbott IMxR CA 125) for cancer antigen 125 (CA
      125) in serum were investigated. The microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA) had
      a high degree of practicability and a short turn-around-time. The imprecision
      (2.5-6.4%), detectability (less than 1 kU l-1), and carryover (less than 0.01%)
      of the analysis were low and the recovery of CA 125 after dilution with serum
      from ovarian cancer patients was good. The antigen was measured in samples from
      72 ovarian cancer patients by the MEIA and a well documented manual enzyme
      immunoassay (Abbott CA 125 EIA). The correlation between the CA 125 MEIA and EIA
      results was non-linear. CA 125 EIA values below 39 kU l-1 (95% CI: 36-42) gave
      higher MEIA results and EIA values above this level resulted in lower MEIA
      values. The marker was measured before second-look laparotomy of 57 ovarian
      cancer patients. Using different cut-off levels, the clinical information of CA
      125 MEIA measurements was equivalent to that obtained by EIA. The relationship
      between the CA 125 EIA values and the corresponding MEIA results was complex and
      the clinician may have difficulties in interpreting the MEIA CA 125 results until
      the calibration has been approximated to that of EIA. Alternatively, clinical
      investigations should be performed to establish an upper reference limit of MEIA
      CA 125 values.

PMID- 1411263
TI  - Apolipoprotein(a) in insulin-dependent diabetic patients with and without
      diabetic nephropathy.
AB  - Insulin-dependent diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy have a highly
      increased morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases. To determine
      whether altered levels of apolipoprotein(a) (apo(a)), the glycoprotein of the
      potentially atherogenic lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), contribute to the increased risk
      of ischaemic heart disease, apo(a) was determined in 50 insulin-dependent
      diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy (group 1), in 50 insulin-dependent
      diabetic patients with microalbuminuria (group 2), in 50 insulin-dependent
      diabetic patients with normoalbuminuria (group 3), and in 50 healthy subjects
      (group 4). The groups were matched with regard to sex, age and body mass index.
      The diabetic groups were also matched with regard to diabetes duration. The level
      of apo(a) was approximately the same in the four groups, being: 122 (x/ divided
      by 4.2) U l-1, 63 (x/ divided by 4.4) U l-1, 128 (x/ divided by 3.5) U l-1 and
      126 (x/ divided by 3.7) U l-1 (geometric mean (x/ divided by antilog SD)) in
      group 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. 1 U l-1 apo(a) approximates 0.7 mg l-1
      Lp(a).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411264
TI  - Effects of nicotinic acid on glucose tolerance and glucose incorporation into
      adipose tissue in hypertriglyceridaemia.
AB  - Nicotinic acid 4 g daily was given to 28 weight-stable hypertriglyceridaemic
      patients. The aim was to study its effects on serum lipoprotein lipid levels,
      intravenous glucose tolerance (k-values) and glucose incorporation into
      subcutaneous adipose tissue (GLIAT) in vitro. The investigations were performed
      prior to the nicotinic acid therapy, after 6 weeks, and 6 months of drug
      treatment. Fasting blood glucose levels increased by 13%, whereas k-values fell
      by 26% after the nicotinic acid treatment. Decrease in k-values was predicted
      from the initial k-values (R2-value = 0.76). GLIAT increased by 76%, while in the
      subgroup of eight patients, treated for 6 months with nicotinic acid, GLIAT
      increased by 331%. The changes in k-values and GLIAT were not significantly
      interrelated. Serum triglyceride levels were strongly decreased. The most likely
      explanation for the decrease in intravenous glucose tolerance is that nicotinic
      acid stimulates glucose output from the liver and that this effect outweighs the
      stimulating effects of the drug on glucose utilization in extrahepatic tissues.
      The latter is reflected by the increased uptake of glucose in adipose tissue. A
      stimulated GLIAT, reflecting formation of alpha-glycerophosphate in adipose
      tissue, might contribute to the reduction of serum triglyceride levels induced by
      nicotinic acid, since alpha-glycerophosphate is the acceptor of fatty acids
      assumed to be liberated from circulating triglycerides by lipoprotein lipase.

PMID- 1411265
TI  - Effects of nicotinic acid treatment on fatty acid composition of plasma lipids
      and adipose tissue in hyperlipidaemia.
AB  - Effects of 6-week treatment with 4 g daily of nicotinic acid on fatty acid
      composition in different serum lipids and in adipose tissue glycerides were
      studied in 31 hyperlipidemic patients. The percentages of eight fatty acids in
      triglycerides, phospholipids and cholesteryl esters of whole plasma as well as in
      subcutaneous adipose tissue glycerides were measured. Nicotinic acid treatment
      produced decreases in triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations of VLDL
      and LDL, whereas HDL total cholesterol levels in serum increased after drug
      therapy, all p less than 0.01. There were reductions in the relative contents of
      myristic acid in plasma phospholipids (from 0.4% to 0.3%; p less than 0.05) and
      cholesteryl esters (from 0.9% to 0.7%; p less than 0.001). There were decreases
      in the percentages of stearic acid in plasma phospholipids (from 17.0% to 15.0%)
      and cholesteryl esters (from 1.2% to 1.0%; both p less than 0.001). The relative
      contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids, mainly linoleic acid, in plasma
      phospholipids were increased (from 32% to 33.5%; p less than 0.05). There were
      reductions in the linolenic acid contents of adipose tissue (from 1.5% to 1.1%)
      and plasma triglycerides (from 1.1% to 0.8%), both p less than 0.05, possibly
      indicating increased conversion of linolenic acid to prostaglandins. There was no
      relationship between changes in the percentages of individual fatty acids and
      changes in triglyceride or total cholesterol levels of whole serum and its VLDL,
      LDL and HDL fractions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411266
TI  - Presence of bile acid metabolites in serum, urine, and faeces in cirrhosis.
AB  - Studies have been made of the presence of bile acid metabolites in ten patients
      with liver cirrhosis as a consequence of alcohol abuse. Eight of the patients
      were categorized as Child group A, indicating only mild impairment of liver
      function, whereas the remaining two patients comprised Child group C. A complex
      mixture of bile acids was isolated from serum, urine, and faeces, and 26 bile
      acids were identified by gas-liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry.
      Identification was made of the primary bile acids, cholic (C) and
      chenodeoxycholic (CDC) acid, and metabolites of these bile acids converted
      through 7-dehydroxylation, keto-formation, 6-hydroxylation, 1 beta-hydroxylation,
      allo-formation or nor-formation. All of the bile acids have previously been
      described either in healthy humans or patients with hepatobiliary disease. With
      the exception of C, CDC, and deoxycholic acid, all of the bile acids were present
      only infrequently, and none of the bile acids was pathognomonic for liver
      cirrhosis. The proportion of metabolites of the primary bile acids C and CDC was
      similar to that previously reported in healthy humans, the lowest proportion
      being recorded in the Child group C patients. Repeated determinations of the
      metabolite pattern in two patients showed large variations, indicating that the
      bile acid metabolism varies from time to time. We conclude that in mild
      cirrhosis, no significant alterations in microbial or hepatic transformation of
      bile acids seem to occur.

PMID- 1411267
TI  - Analysis of unconjugated bilirubin in serum by reversed-phase high performance
      liquid chromatography.
AB  - A high performance liquid chromatographic method for the analysis of unconjugated
      bilirubin in neonatal serum is presented. Bilirubin was dissociated from protein
      with caffeine reagent and extracted with chloroform. An isocratic, reversed-phase
      HPLC system based on a C18 column was used. Bilirubin was detected at 450 nm.
      Bilirubin SRM 916a from National Institute of Standards and Technology, USA was
      the primary calibrator. An average recovery factor of 0.996 (SD = 0.018; N = 16)
      was obtained for bilirubin added to neonatal cord sera. The measurement range
      extended from 25 to 500 mumol l-1 L-1. The method is proposed as a reference
      method for unconjugated bilirubin in neonatal sera.

PMID- 1411268
TI  - Root canals in one-rooted maxillary second molars.
AB  - The Royal Dental College, Copenhagen, houses an extensive collection of human
      teeth extracted in Denmark. The collection currently contains 104 one-rooted,
      permanent maxillary second molars. The root complex on these teeth was sectioned
      at the junction between the coronal and the apical halves, i.e. mid-root, and at
      the junction between the middle and the apical thirds, i.e. apically. Using a
      stereomicroscope we then registered, mid-root and apically, the following
      variables: canal number, canal position, and canal cross-section. Mid-root there
      was 1 centrally located root canal in 25.96% of the teeth examined; 2 canals were
      observed either mesially and distofacially, mesiofacially and distally, or
      facially and lingually in 34.62%; 3 canals positioned mesiofacially,
      distofacially, and lingually were found in 39.42%. At the same level 63.51% of
      the canal cross-sections were non-circular, whereas 36.49% of the canals had a
      circular cross-section image. The non-circular canal cross-sections could more
      specifically be characterized as C-shaped, Y-shaped, hourglass-shaped or the root
      canal had a greater faciolingual than mesiodistal extension or, respectively, a
      greater mesiodistal than faciolingual extension. Apically there was 1 centrally
      located root canal in 35.58%; 2 canals were observed with a position either
      mesially and distofacially, mesiofacially and distally, or facially and lingually
      in 37.49%; 3 canals located mesiofacially, distofacially, and lingually were
      found in 26.92%. At the apical level, 64.32% of the root canal cross-sections
      were non-circular, whereas 35.68% of the canals showed a circular cross-section.
      The results presented here are aimed at: clinical dentists, endodontists, and
      dental morphologists.

PMID- 1411269
TI  - Effects of phosphonoformic acid and 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-bisphosphonate (HEBP)
      on distribution of tetracycline in the developing rat molar.
AB  - Tetracycline was used as a marker to study the effect of phosphonoformic acid and
      1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-bisphosphonate (HEBP) on the mineralization of the
      developing dental hard tissues. Groups of young rats were given a single
      subcutaneous injection of tetracycline and at the same time were injected with a
      single dose of either phosphonoformic acid or HEBP (10 mg P/kg b.w.).
      Alternatively, rats were injected with the tetracycline after different time
      intervals from the phosphonate injection. Rats were sacrificed at intervals
      ranging from 1 to 4 days. Frozen-sections were obtained at the level of the
      maxillary first molar and prepared for light and fluorescence microscopy. The
      results of the present study indicate that the distribution pattern of
      tetracycline in the developing dental hard tissues is greatly affected by the
      pathologic changes induced by phosphonoformic acid and HEBP. Both drugs caused
      similar changes in the pattern of tetracycline uptake in the developing enamel.
      There seems to be a direct relation between the presence of developmental defects
      of enamel and the degree of discoloration induced by tetracycline. Aberrations in
      the mineralization of dentin were caused only by HEBP. As demonstrated by this
      study, HEBP is capable of inducing a provisional inhibitory effect on dentin
      mineralization.

PMID- 1411270
TI  - Contribution of autogeneic membranous bone chips and bone paste to healing of
      rabbit skull defects.
AB  - In skeletal surgery, bone chips and bone paste are often used to facilitate bony
      repair. However, no comparative investigation between these forms of bone graft
      implantation has been undertaken. In this study four trephine skull defects were
      produced in each of 14 adult rabbits and inlays of bone paste and two separate
      amounts of bone chips were then implanted in each animal. The results were
      compared relative to a control defect and assessed by gross inspection, light
      microscopy, and contact radiography after periods of 4 and 15 wk. Bone chips
      offered only minor advantages over controls in the defects investigated and
      differences in bony regeneration between the diversified amounts of bone chips
      were negligible. After bone paste implantation, a cellular and mature bone was
      rapidly produced. The clinical significance of these findings is discussed.

PMID- 1411271
TI  - Oral function in patients wearing fixed prosthesis on osseointegrated implants in
      the maxilla: 3-year follow-up study.
AB  - Seventeen consecutive selected patients rehabilitated by means of a full
      maxillary bridge on osseointegrated implants ad modern Branemark were evaluated
      over a 3-yr period. Besides a subjective evaluation by means of a questionnaire
      an examination of the occlusal relationship, chewing force, chewing efficiency
      and interocclusal threshold level was performed before, immediately after, 3-6
      months after, and finally 3 yr after bridge installation. All subjects were very
      pleased with the oral rehabilitation. The chewing force and the chewing
      efficiency development increased over time, while the threshold level for
      interocclusal detection remained unchanged. The clinical dysfunction index
      according to Helkimo indicated that there was no marked change in signs of
      dysfunction of the patients' masticatory systems during the observation period.
      From the present longitudinal investigation one can conclude that the replacement
      of a full maxillary denture with a fixed prosthesis on osseointegrated implants,
      facing a natural dentition or an osseointegrated implant supported bridge in the
      opposite jaw, leads to a progressive increase of chewing efficiency and chewing
      force, and a constant subjective improvement of jaw function, while no
      masticatory dysfunction seems to occur during the observation period.

PMID- 1411272
TI  - Occlusal control of mandibular elevator muscles.
AB  - Occlusal stability and mandibular elevator muscle function was studied in 25
      women (20-30 yr of age). They had 27-32 fully erupted teeth with few treated
      occlusal surfaces, and craniomandibular function including mandibular mobility
      was normal. The aim was to analyze the influence of natural patterns of occlusal
      contact on electromyographic activity, unaffected by pain and functional
      disorders. Occlusal stability was assessed in the intercuspal and in lateral
      contact positions as the number of teeth with physical contact and the number of
      opposing pairs of teeth in contact. Electromyographic activity was recorded by
      surface electrodes over anterior and posterior temporalis and masseter muscles.
      In general, positive correlations were found between occlusal stability in
      intercuspal position and moderate to strong static and dynamic contractions, most
      significant in masseter muscles, indicating that forceful contraction of these
      muscles implies stable occlusion. Systematically, the duration of activity during
      chewing was negatively correlated with occlusal stability in the intercuspal
      position, most pronounced in working-side muscles. This pointed to shorter
      contractions with stable occlusion and is interpreted as the result of less need
      for stabilizing activity. It is concluded, that the correlations between occlusal
      stability and elevator muscle function are probably based on feedback mechanisms
      from periodontal pressoreceptors.

PMID- 1411273
TI  - Dummy- and finger-sucking habits in young Swedish and Norwegian children.
AB  - The prevalence of dummy- and finger-sucking habits in 3-yr-old children was
      registered in four different areas of Sweden and Norway. In Norway 245 children
      were examined and in Sweden 171 children. The Swedish children were more prone to
      develop a dummy-sucking habit as well as to prolong it. About 10-19% of the
      children in the different groups become finger-suckers. Very few of these finger
      suckers had stopped sucking at 3 yr of age. The highest rate of non-suckers was
      found among the children from Karasjok/Kautokeino in northern Norway, who were
      mainly of Lappish origin.

PMID- 1411274
TI  - Effect of temperature and duration of post-cure on selected mechanical properties
      of resin composites containing carboxylic anhydrides.
AB  - Resin composites containing carboxylic anhydrides have recently been formulated
      for use as inlay materials. To optimize the post-cure, the present study measured
      the effect of post-cure temperature and duration on four mechanical properties of
      anhydride-containing resin composites. Temperatures were varied between 37
      degrees C and 225 degrees C, and durations were varied between 0 and 24 h. An
      optimum in strength and stiffness was found when post-cure temperatures of 125
      150 degrees C were used. Strength and stiffness were found to increase with
      increasing duration of post-cure. Due to discoloration of the resin composites
      when post-curing for 6 or 24 h, a post-cure period of 1 h was preferred.

PMID- 1411275
TI  - Dental caries and Streptococcus mutans in a rural child population in Iceland.
AB  - In spite of having a high socioeconomic standing, in Iceland caries prevalence
      has remained stubbornly high. This study reports findings from a mixed fishing
      and farming community in East Iceland that has traditionally been associated with
      the highest prevalence of caries. A total of 188 children aged 3-16 yr (96.4% of
      residents of that age group) were examined. At 6 yr the mean dmfs score was 4.1,
      DMFS 0 and 48% were caries-free. The mean DMFS score at 12 yr was 4.7 and 22.6%
      remained caries-free but at 16 yr the DMFS score was 11.6 and no children were
      caries-free. Caries was unevenly distributed within each age group and was more
      prevalent among residents of the fishing town than the surrounding farming
      district. In a pilot study conducted in 1989 mean counts of Streptococcus mutans
      for children aged 4-7 yr were 2.6 x 10(5) cfu/ml and declined to 4.6 x 10(4)
      cfu/ml in 1990 after a program of chlorhexidine brushing had been added to the
      routine caries preventive measures adopted in this community. It may therefore be
      possible to screen Icelandic children for caries risk and apply preventive
      measures to those demonstrated to be most in need.

PMID- 1411276
TI  - The intestinal permeability barrier. A hypothesis as to its regulation and
      involvement in Crohn's disease.

PMID- 1411277
TI  - Primary sclerosing cholangitis in patients with ulcerative colitis.
AB  - The prevalence of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) in patients with
      ulcerative colitis (UC) attending the Depts. of Medical and Surgical
      Gastroenterology, Aalborg Hospital, during a 12-year period, was determined. All
      patients with an alkaline phosphatase (ALP) value above the normal range were
      investigated. Of 305 patients with UC, 24 patients had elevated ALP values, and
      11 of these (3.6% of the study population), 4 males and 7 females, were found to
      have PSC by direct cholangiography. In five patients the disease worsened (two
      patients died of cholangiocarcinoma), in four it was stationary, and in two
      patients the disease improved during a mean observation period of 6 years. No
      differences in location of disease, disease activity, or duration of disease were
      found between patients with UC and PSC and patients with UC without PSC. The ALP
      values were raised to a mean of 3.7 times the upper normal limit (observed range,
      1.5-5.5 times the upper normal limit). Aspartate aminotransferase was moderately
      elevated in most patients, but no other abnormal biochemical liver test results
      were observed at onset. The results of our study indicate that PSC is the major
      cause of raised ALP values in patients with UC; thus cholangiography should be
      performed in UC patients with unexplained elevated ALP levels. A prognostic
      indicator is needed to predict the individual prognosis and to determine the
      optimal timing of liver transplantation.

PMID- 1411278
TI  - Cellular distribution of a colonic adenoma-associated antigen as defined by
      monoclonal antibody Adnab-9.
AB  - Adenomatous colonic polyps constitute a precursor for colorectal cancer.
      Antibodies to these precancerous lesions might identify specific early tumor
      antigens. Adnab-9 is a murine monoclonal antibody raised against membranes of
      colonic adenomas. Adnab-9 binding in colonic washings (effluent) correlates with
      the presence of colorectal cancer. Immunohistochemical staining with Adnab-9
      shows cytoplasmic reactivity in scattered cells in 4 of 31 adenomatous tissue
      sections, 0 of 14 sections of colorectal cancer cells, and 1 of 8 normal
      appearing colonic mucosa specimens examined. Adnab-9 recognized a dominant M(r)
      87,000 protein species in tissue extracts in the membrane-bound fraction of
      effluent by Western blotting. Adnab-9 binding by enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay in adenomatous extracts is higher than cancer or normal tissue, is membrane
      bound, and is absent from established colorectal cancer cell lines. This
      distribution and nature of immunostaining suggest that Adnab-9 recognizes a
      determinant associated with the membrane component of a subpopulation of adenoma
      cells which may have a role in early colorectal neoplasia.

PMID- 1411279
TI  - Pancreatic atrophy in rats produced by the cholecystokinin-A receptor antagonist
      devazepide.
AB  - According to recent reports, the powerful and selective cholecystokinin (CCK)-A
      receptor antagonist devazepide (also referred to as L-364,718 or MK-329) is
      without effect on the weight of the pancreas. This has been interpreted to mean
      that basal and meal-stimulated endogenous CCK does not play a major role in the
      normal maintenance of the pancreas. In the present study we show that continuous
      subcutaneous infusion of devazepide effectively and dose-dependently reduced the
      weight of the pancreas both in normal rats and in hyperCCKemic rats (because of
      pancreaticobiliary diversion). The maximum reduction of the pancreatic weight was
      40%. Maximum or near-maximum effects were seen with a dose of 200
      micrograms/kg/h. The DNA content of the pancreas was also reduced. The reduction
      in weight and DNA content of the pancreas was maximal after 10 days. Provided
      that devazepide acts solely by inhibiting CCK-A receptors, we can conclude that
      endogenous CCK plays an important role in both normal and stimulated growth of
      the rat pancreas.

PMID- 1411280
TI  - Role of the antrum in the gastric emptying of a non-nutrient liquid in the rat.
AB  - Forty male Wistar rats underwent liquid gastric emptying analysis with a non
      nutrient liquid--99mTC-tin colloid in physiologic saline. Twenty then had two
      thirds resection of the glandular stomach with Billroth-II-type reconstruction.
      Twenty served as controls: 10 unoperated and 10 with a laparotomy alone. Emptying
      was studied weekly for 4 weeks, then monthly for 4 months. Emptying was unchanged
      in unoperated controls. Laparotomy alone caused delayed emptying for 2 months (p
      less than 0.05). After Billroth-II resection emptying was delayed for 4 months (p
      less than 0.01). This delay included both the early and late phases of gastric
      emptying. We conclude that a laparotomy alone delays gastric emptying. The
      addition of an antrectomy causes a greater emptying delay, which persists for
      longer than that due to laparotomy alone. Thus, in a situation in which the small
      bowel and gastric feedback mechanisms are inoperative, the antrum is seen to play
      an important role in the gastric emptying of liquids. This supports the concept
      in man that antral contractions are important in ensuring the normal active
      emptying of liquids from the stomach.

PMID- 1411281
TI  - Cardiovascular effects of omeprazole and famotidine.
AB  - In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover comparison, 12
      patients with congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association class II) and
      dyspeptic complaints were treated orally for 1 week each with placebo, 40 mg
      omeprazole daily, and 40 mg famotidine daily. Non-invasive haemodynamic
      measurements were taken on the last day of treatment. Although omeprazole did not
      alter cardiac performance in impedance cardiography and mechanocardiography, the
      administration of famotidine led to a significant fall in stroke volume and
      cardiac output as compared with placebo (both p less than 0.05). Thus, omeprazole
      did not exert any relevant cardiovascular effects, in contrast to the H2-receptor
      antagonist famotidine.

PMID- 1411282
TI  - Experimental colonic inflammation and ulceration. Permeation of a water-soluble
      contrast medium as a measure of 'disease' activity.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate the permeation of an isosmolar water
      soluble X-ray contrast medium (CM) from the unperforated colon after experimental
      induction of inflammation and ulceration. One hundred and sixty-five male rats
      were included. In 110 rats 0.25 ml of 40% ethanol + 15 mg or 30 mg
      trinitrobenzene (TNB) was instilled into the colon, 7-9 cm proximal to the anus,
      inducing different degrees of inflammation. Fifty-five rats served as controls
      and had 0.25 ml saline instilled with the same procedure. At 7, 14, 21, and 28
      days 3 ml of the non-ionic CM iodixanol was applied as an enema, and subsequently
      all urine was collected for the next 4 h. High-performance liquid chromatography
      analyses of the urine showed a positive relation between the severity of
      inflammation/ulceration in the colonic wall as assessed by a macroscopic damage
      score and the amount of CM excreted in the urine. Water-soluble contrast media
      may have prospects of combining functional tests of intestinal membrane
      dysfunction with segmental exposure control.

PMID- 1411284
TI  - Simultaneous administration of lactulose and 51Cr-ethylenediaminetetraacetic
      acid. A test to distinguish colonic from small-intestinal permeability change.
AB  - In normal adults intestinal permeation of ingested 51Cr
      ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is greater than that of lactulose. This
      difference is abolished in patients with ileostomies, suggesting that it results
      from colonic permeation of 51Cr-EDTA, which, unlike lactulose, resists bacterial
      degradation. To investigate the effect of an increase in colonic permeability on
      absorption of the two molecules, lactulose (5 g) and 51Cr-EDTA (50 microCi) were
      given orally in isosmolar solution to 11 patients with colitis, and their 24-h
      urinary excretion measured. By comparison the effect of an increase in small
      intestinal permeability induced by ingestion of a hyperosmolar solution (4240
      mosm/l) was measured in 10 healthy adults. Hyperosmolar stress increased the 24-h
      urinary excretion of 51Cr-EDTA above the normal mean + 2 standard deviations
      (3.31%) in all 10 healthy subjects, and in all of these excretion of lactulose
      was also increased (greater than 1.06%). In contrast, although seven colitics had
      a urinary excretion of 51Cr-EDTA above the normal mean + 2 SD, in only two of
      these patients was recovery of lactulose increased. This suggests that
      simultaneous administration of lactulose and 51Cr-EDTA may enable permeability
      changes affecting the colon alone to be distinguished from those involving the
      small intestine.

PMID- 1411283
TI  - Effects of the M1 muscarinic receptor antagonist pirenzepine on gastric mucus
      glycoprotein in rats with or without ethanol-induced gastric damage.
AB  - Changes in gastric mucus glycoprotein (mucin) isolated from pirenzepine-treated
      rats with or without ethanol (50%)-induced gastric damage were studied. The prior
      administration of pirenzepine inhibited significantly and dose-dependently the
      occurrence of macroscopically observable hemorrhagic lesions induced by treatment
      with ethanol. The gastric mucosa was separated into the surface mucosa, including
      the mucus gel layer, and the deeper mucosa by mechanical scraping, and the mucin
      in each was isolated. In ethanol-treated animals the mucin content of the deep
      corpus mucosa was significantly reduced to 68% the control value. This reduction
      was inhibited by pretreatment with pirenzepine. In the surface mucosa mucin
      content was also reduced to 48% of control value by ethanol treatment, but
      pirenzepine pretreatment increased mucin content to 235% the control value. Total
      mucin content in the entire stomach essentially resumed the control level by
      pretreatment with 100 mg/kg of pirenzepine. A single oral administration of
      pirenzepine (100 mg/kg) caused no change in total mucin content, but mucin in the
      deep corpus mucosa selectively and significantly increased to 124% the control.
      These and the results of carbohydrate analysis of purified mucin indicate that
      pirenzepine administration possibly accelerates the secretion of accumulated deep
      corpus mucus, retains this deep mucus on surface mucosal mucus, and protects the
      gastric mucosa in ethanol-induced gastric damage. This may be related to the
      antiulcerogenic effects of pirenzepine.

PMID- 1411285
TI  - Evaluation of different laboratory tests and activity indices reflecting the
      inflammatory activity of Crohn's disease.
AB  - In a prospective study we compared the usefulness of various laboratory tests
      (albumin, alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor (A1PI), cholinesterase (CHE), C-reactive
      protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, hematocrit) and activity indices (CDAI,
      VHAI) in relation to the disease activity by endoscopic criteria. Except for
      hematocrit highly significant differences (p less than 0.0005) of the mean values
      of all test results were found for patients without or with slight mucosal
      lesions compared with patients with severe inflammation of the mucosa. Further
      analysis of the data indicates the highest test efficiency (84%), sensitivity
      (80%), and specificity (88.6%) for CHE. CHE showed good correlations to all other
      tests; the highest correlation was found between CHE and VHAI (r = -0.78). We
      suggest that a suppression of CHE synthesis mediated by endotoxins and cytokines
      rather than an increased intestinal loss explains the decreased CHE in severe
      Crohn's disease. It is concluded from the data that CHE is a useful test to
      assess the inflammatory activity of Crohn's disease.

PMID- 1411286
TI  - Interval cancers in screening with fecal occult blood test for colorectal cancer.
AB  - Interval cancers, which are cancers diagnosed in spite of one or more negative
      screening tests, were studied in a randomized population with Hemoccult-II for
      colorectal cancer in 61,938 persons between 45 and 74 years old. Three biannual
      screenings were performed from 1985 to 1991, and 52% of all the cancers detected
      after doing at least one Hemoccult-II test were interval cancers (81 persons).
      These were more advanced than cancers diagnosed after a positive Hemoccult-II
      test, of larger size, less frequently of Dukes stage A, more often invading
      neighboring organs, and less often resectable for cure. They were located in the
      rectum more often than cancers diagnosed by screening and cancers in controls.
      Otherwise, interval cancers did not differ from cancers in controls or cancers in
      non-responders, and all characteristics suggested that no delay in diagnosis
      resulted from one or more negative Hemoccult-II tests, compared with controls.
      However, even if screening with Hemoccult-II demonstrates a reduction in
      mortality from colorectal cancer, the present high number of interval cancers
      makes it necessary to look for other methods of screening populations for
      colorectal cancer.

PMID- 1411287
TI  - Calcitonin gene-related peptide: effect on contractile activity and luminal cross
      sectional area in the isolated, perfused porcine ileum.
AB  - Because calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is an abundant peptide in the
      enteric nervous system we studied the effect of intra-arterial infusions of
      synthetic human CGRP I in concentrations from 10(-10) to 10(-8) mol/l on
      contractile activity and luminal cross-sectional area in the isolated perfused
      porcine ileum, using manometry and impedance planimetry. The frequency of the
      basal contractile activity was 0.37 +/- 0.1 contractions per minute. CGRP induced
      phasic contractions, which at the highest dose were superimposed on tonic
      contractions, as determined by measurement of luminal cross-sectional area. The
      frequency of contractions dose-dependently increased to approximately 10/min at
      10(-8) mol/l CGRP. The amplitude of contractions increased from a maximum of 35
      cm H2O to 51 +/- 3 at 5 x 10(-9) mol/l CGRP and 52 +/- 6 cm H2O at 10(-8) mol/l
      CGRP. After the termination of CGRP infusion at the highest dose a short phase of
      up to 5 min with strong tonic contraction was observed. No phasic activity was
      detected by manometry during this phase. In conclusion, CGRP dose-dependently
      increased contractile activity in the pig ileum. CGRP may therefore participate
      in the regulation of small-intestinal motility in the pig.

PMID- 1411288
TI  - Assessment of the neutrophil dominating protein calprotectin in feces. A
      methodologic study.
AB  - This study describes methods for extraction and quantification of calprotectin
      (L1 protein) in feces by enzyme immunoassay. This protein is a prominent
      antimicrobial component of neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages, and squamous
      epithelia. Calprotectin was stable in feces during storage for 7 days at room
      temperature. Small fecal samples taken from a 24-h feces collection gave a
      reliable estimate of calprotectin. Within-assay precision was 1.9%, and between
      assay precision 14.8%. In healthy subjects (n = 33) median fecal calprotectin was
      2025 micrograms/l and in hospital controls (n = 40) 10,500 micrograms/l. Median
      values in patients with Crohn's disease (n = 21) was 43,000 micrograms/l and in
      ulcerative colitis (n = 17) 40,000 micrograms/l. Fecal calprotectin was
      significantly correlated to fecal alpha 1-antitrypsin in the patients with
      Crohn's disease. Ten of 11 patients with gastrointestinal carcinomas had
      calprotectin level above the suggested reference limit of 6740 micrograms/l.

PMID- 1411289
TI  - Gastric emptying in infants with gastroesophageal reflux. Ultrasound evaluation
      before and after cisapride administration.
AB  - The present study aimed to evaluate gastric emptying in children with
      gastroesophageal reflux (GER) by means of real-time ultrasonography, on the basis
      of measurements of the cross-sectional area of the gastric antrum. Twelve
      children with GER were studied (seven males, five females; age range, 3-13
      months) and compared with 12 normal control children (six males, six females; age
      range, 3-13 months). The diagnosis of GER was confirmed by 24-h esophageal pH
      monitoring. The GER patients had a significantly greater antral area than the
      controls at 90, 105, and 120 min after eating a standard meal (cow's milk
      formula, 300 ml/m2 body surface area); in addition, final gastric emptying time
      was significantly greater in the patients than in the controls (145 +/- 36.9
      versus 78.7 +/- 19.3 min; p less than 0.0025). After 8 weeks of treatment with
      cisapride (0.3 ml/kg, three times a day) 24-h esophageal pH-monitoring and
      ultrasonography studies were repeated in the patients. The total percentage
      reflux time was significantly lower (p less than 0.038), and ultrasonography
      showed a decreased antral area at all the various study times, with no
      significant difference between patients and controls; final gastric emptying time
      was also significantly lower than before treatment (p less than 0.009).
      Furthermore, in the GER patients there was a significant correlation between
      gastric emptying time and the sum of the various reflux times recorded in the 2 h
      after all meals over the 24 h.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411290
TI  - Computer-aided analysis of gastrointestinal pressure recordings. Comparison with
      manual scoring.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to compare computer-based and visual/manual
      scoring of pressure recordings from the gastric antrum and duodenum. The computer
      system was based on three separate principles of recognition: moving average,
      tracking base line, and threshold filters. Computer scoring resulted in the
      detection of more contractions than visual/manual scoring, owing to inclusion of
      artefacts of duration and amplitude above the selected thresholds. Owing to its
      unreliability, visual/manual scoring led to inclusion of some contractions of
      below-borderline amplitude or duration. The median difference in the frequency of
      contractions was, however, 0 min-1. There was close agreement on amplitudes of
      contractions. As the differences between visual/manual analysis and computer
      aided scoring by the present system are of an unimportant magnitude and as
      computer-based scoring is consistent, we conclude that computer-aided analysis is
      preferable to visual/manual analysis.

PMID- 1411291
TI  - Treatment and prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal complaints.
AB  - Ninety-eight patients (48 male, 50 female; age median, 56 years; range, 25-85
      years) with solid tumors (21 breast cancers, 6 sarcomas, 2 colorectal cancers, 1
      pancreatic carcinoma, 1 hypernephroma, and 1 lung cancer) and hematologic
      neoplasms (24 multiple myelomas, 32 lymphomas, and 10 myeloproliferative
      syndromes) were recruited into the study. The patients received at least three
      cycles of chemotherapy with alkylating substances, anthracyclines,
      antimetabolites, and vinca alkaloids, with or without corticosteroids. A total of
      325 cycles of chemotherapy were administered. The symptoms were evaluated by
      means of a score system on the basis of which heartburn, sensation of repletion,
      nausea, and cramps were assessed by incidence and degree of severity. Before
      initiation of concomitant therapy with sucralfate, 47 patients (48%) had symptoms
      during chemotherapy (heartburn, sensation of repletion, nausea, cramps). After
      initiation of therapy with sucralfate these symptoms improved in 42 patients
      (89%); in 6 patients there was a transitory increase in heartburn and nausea. All
      other patients remained without symptoms in spite of chemotherapy. The evaluation
      of the patient population as a whole showed a significant decrease of
      chemotherapy-induced heartburn (p less than 0.01) and nausea (p less than 0.01)
      during sucralfate therapy. This was tolerated extremely well; side effects were
      not observed. To summarize, this prospective clinical study shows that sucralfate
      is an effective and suitable therapeutic principle in long-term therapy for the
      treatment and prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal complaints.

PMID- 1411292
TI  - Conservative treatment of stress ulcer bleeding: a new approach.
AB  - Stress ulcer prophylaxis diminishes but does not eliminate the risk of severe
      bleeding from this complication. In 70-80% of the cases the source of bleeding is
      hemorrhagic gastritis. No controlled studies exist which have in particular
      investigated conservative therapy in patients with stress-induced hemorrhage.
      Even effective measures to suppress gastric acid secretion or to reduce
      splanchnic blood flow are ineffective in 10-40% of intensive care unit patients
      with stress-induced bleeding. In these cases total gastrectomy has so far often
      been the only therapeutic approach. We report our experience with a new approach
      in treating severe stress-induced hemorrhagic gastritis after ineffective primary
      treatment with H2-receptor antagonists, pirenzepine and somatostatin. Continuous
      gastric lavage with 5-10 l ice-cold Ringer's solution was used until complete
      cessation of bleeding, as evident from clear lavage. Repeated administration of
      12 g sucralfate (60 ml) at 2-h intervals for 24 h through a gastric tube was used
      to prevent recurrence of bleeding and to promote healing. Sucralfate was reduced
      on the 2nd and 3rd day to 20 ml 2-hourly and later to 10 ml 4-hourly. In four
      patients this treatment was used as an ultima ratio when the patients were
      already scheduled for total gastrectomy. A total of 23 patients were treated
      during a 7-year period; all of them responded successfully, and no patient
      required surgery.

PMID- 1411293
TI  - Follow-up of endoscopic gastritis after healing with sucralfate or an H2-receptor
      antagonist.
AB  - 48 patients in whom previous endoscopic signs of chronic gastritis had been
      abolished by treatment with either 1 g sucralfate three times daily or 40 mg
      famotidine at night were followed up for 3 months without further therapy.
      Cumulative endoscopic relapse rates at 3 months were 21.7% in the sucralfate
      group and 57.1% in the famotidine group (p = 0.017). All patients with endoscopic
      recurrence of gastritis also reported recurrence of dyspeptic symptoms of various
      degrees. Most patients with endoscopic relapse had persisting histologic
      gastritis, but up to 67% of subjects with histologic gastritis at the time of
      initial endoscopic healing did not have subsequent endoscopic or clinical
      recurrence. It is concluded that gastritis, especially if histologically active,
      tends to recur quickly after endoscopic healing and that early relapses are
      significantly more frequent after treatment with an H2 blocker than after
      sucralfate.

PMID- 1411294
TI  - Triple therapy with sucralfate is as effective as triple therapy containing
      bismuth in eradicating Helicobacter pylori and reducing duodenal ulcer relapse
      rates.
AB  - Duodenal ulcer relapse rates after therapy with sucralfate or bismuth are lower
      than those after H2-receptor antagonist therapy. This may be mediated by an
      antibacterial effect of these drugs on Helicobacter pylori. Bismuth has become an
      integral part of 'triple therapy' because of its documented anti-H. pylori
      effect. In vitro and clinical data suggest that sucralfate may also have an anti
      H. pylori effect. The aim of this randomized, prospective therapeutic trial was
      to compare the efficacy of triple therapy containing bismuth with that containing
      sucralfate and to determine the effect of therapy with these combinations on
      duodenal ulcer relapse. Forty H. pylori-positive duodenal ulcer patients were
      healed with omeprazole and randomized to receive either 1 g sucralfate four times
      daily or 120 mg bismuth compound four times daily. All patients received 400 mg
      metronidazole three times daily and either 250 or 500 mg tetracycline four times
      daily for 7-14 days. Thirty-five patients could be analysed. Overall eradication
      rates did not differ in the treatment groups (10 of 17 eradicated with sucralfate
      and 11 of 18 with bismuth). Relapse rates were significantly lower in the
      eradicated group (1 of 21 compared with 8 of 14 in the non-eradicated group) and
      did not differ between treatment groups in those patients not eradicated. A
      triple therapy regimen utilizing sucralfate appears to be as effective as the
      bismuth-containing regimen.

PMID- 1411295
TI  - Prevention of peptic ulcer relapse by sucralfate: mechanisms of action.
AB  - Sucralfate has a complex effect on the luminal and mucosal environment of the
      stomach and duodenum. Some of the actions are important in ulcer healing whilst
      others are important in preventing subsequent ulcer relapse. Although sucralfate
      has little direct effect on acid secretion, there is evidence that after ulcer
      healing with this drug, parietal cell responsiveness is reduced. This may in part
      be mediated by increased somatostatin release from gastric D cells and may be
      important in reducing ulcer relapse. Sucralfate has been shown to increase
      mucosal resistance to damaging agents, such as ethanol and aspirin. Studies have
      shown that this protective action may be related to the drugs effect on various
      protective zones such as the 'mucous-bicarbonate' barrier, mucosal
      hydrophobicity, epithelial cell function and morphology, and mucosal blood flow.
      These complex actions of sucralfate are in part related to direct interaction
      between the drug or its components and gastroduodenal tissues, and in part
      related to effects on various mediators of tissue injury and repair.

PMID- 1411296
TI  - Prevention and therapy of radiation-induced bowel discomfort.
AB  - In a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study, including 70 patients
      treated with radiotherapy of localized malignancies in the pelvis, the effects of
      prophylactic sucralfate in preventing bowel discomfort were evaluated.
      Radiotherapy was delivered in a conventional manner with high-energy photons in a
      total dose of 62-66 Gy (target dose, 1.8-2.2 Gy) during 6.5 weeks. Dose granules
      of sucralfate or placebo were given 2 weeks after irradiation started and
      continued for 6 weeks. All analyses were performed blindly. The patients in the
      sucralfate group had significantly less problems with acute (5 weeks) and chronic
      (66 weeks) bowel discomfort. The consumption of loperamide was also reduced in
      the sucralfate group, and the weight decrease was less pronounced. No adverse
      effects were seen. Thus, sucralfate seems to be beneficial in minimizing the
      problems of bowel discomfort during and after irradiation of malignancies in the
      pelvis. These results are discussed in relation to other related observations.

PMID- 1411297
TI  - The Nobel Lectures in Immunology. Lecture for the Nobel Prize for Physiology or
      Medicine, 1980: Studies in histocompatibility.

PMID- 1411298
TI  - Speculations on immunosomatics: potential diagnostic and therapeutic value of
      immune homeostasis concepts.

PMID- 1411299
TI  - TCR gamma/delta+ cell subsets in the synovial membranes of patients with
      rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - Using a peroxidase/anti-peroxidase immunohistochemical staining method, we
      examined sections of inflammatory synovial membranes from 13 patients with
      juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and 11 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The
      relative numbers of TCR gamma/delta+ cells and the proportions of V delta 1+ and
      V delta 2+ subsets were recorded in the areas of the membranes most heavily
      infiltrated by CD3+ cells. In the JRA group, the majority (8/13) of the membranes
      had TCR gamma/delta+ cells which contributed between 5 and less than 10% of the
      total number of CD3+ cells. In the RA synovial membranes examined, 5/11 samples
      had between 5 and 10% TCR gamma/delta+ cells, but in another 5 TCR gamma/delta+
      cells contributed to between 10 and 20% of CD3+ cells. No significant difference
      was noted between the two patient groups. However, the range of values found in
      the RA membranes appeared to be slightly higher in comparison to previously
      reported values for RA synovial fluid, peripheral blood and eluted synovial
      membrane T cells. Analysis of the relative proportions of the V delta 1+ and V
      delta 2+ subsets revealed a significant dominance of V delta 1+ cells in RA
      membranes and approximately equal numbers of the two populations in the JRA
      patients. As the majority of peripheral blood TCR gamma/delta+ cells use the V
      delta 2 segment this suggests a preferential homing or expansion of the V delta
      1+ cells in both RA and JRA synovium. The overall distribution pattern of the TCR
      gamma/delta+ and V delta 1+ and V delta 2+ cells was also recorded. These cells
      mostly accumulated in the lymphoid-like tissues and in the perivascular area in
      the tissues of both RA and JRA patients. Occasionally, augmented numbers of these
      cells were found in the subsynovial layer or in the loose connective tissue. In
      the majority of cases, only a few TCR gamma/delta+ cells were located in the
      synovial layer. The function and the possible pathogenetic importance of these
      TCR gamma/delta+ cells have not so far been determined.

PMID- 1411300
TI  - Membrane expression and function of complement receptors CR1 and CR3 on
      neutrophils from HIV-infected subjects: modulation by rTNF-alpha and rGM-CSF.
AB  - We evaluated membrane expression and function of complement receptors CR1 and CR3
      on neutrophils from 27 HIV-positive (HIV+) subjects (14 in the CDC class III and
      13 class IV) as well as their modulation in vitro by recombinant tumour necrosis
      factor-alpha (rTNF-alpha) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor
      (rGM-CSF). While CR1 was expressed at similar levels on neutrophils from controls
      and HIV+ subjects, CR3 expression was significantly higher in CDC class IV
      subjects than in healthy controls. CR1 and CR3 expression was significantly
      increased after treatment of neutrophils with both cytokines, without differences
      between controls and HIV+ subjects. Similarly, the superoxide anion (O2-)
      production in response to C3-coated zymosan (C3zy) was significantly enhanced on
      neutrophils from CDC class IV subjects when compared with controls. rGM-CSF and
      rTNF-alpha treatment significantly enhanced the spontaneous as well as C3zy
      stimulated O2- production by neutrophils from controls and CDC class III
      subjects, and induced an upward trend in the CDC class IV group. These results
      indicate that the neutrophils of HIV+ patients are preactivated in vivo but they
      also indicate that these cells may correctly respond to a subsequent particulate
      stimulus as well as to activating cytokines. Our findings suggest that
      desensitization or functional exhaustion of complement receptors are not
      implicated in the abnormalities observed on neutrophils from HIV+ patients.

PMID- 1411301
TI  - Dopamine-induced lymphoma cell death by inhibition of hormone release.
AB  - Dopamine inhibits prolactin release from pituitary cells and seems to affect the
      release of several other hormones as well. We report here that dopamine may have
      similar effects on human B lymphoma cells leading to inhibition of production or
      release of endogenous factors required for cell viability and proliferation.
      Thus, addition of dopamine to serum-free cultures of Burkitt lymphoma cells
      (Raji, Namalwa, Daudi and Jijoye) resulted in rapid and extensive cell death
      while a myeloma cell line, SKO, appeared to be refractory to this treatment. The
      addition of FCS or supernatant from serum-free cultures of Raji or T24 bladder
      carcinoma cells could, to a variable degree, counteract the effect of dopamine,
      suggesting that dopamine acts by inhibiting the production of essential autocrine
      factors. When two of the hormones known to be under dopamine control, i.e.
      prolactin (PRL) and thyrotropin (TSH), were tested, they were able to prevent
      dopamine-induced cell death if combined with heparin. We further observed that
      the reducing agent 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME), which is known to inhibit the
      binding of TSH to its receptor, displayed similar effects to those of dopamine
      and was strongly inhibitory for Burkitt lymphoma but not for myeloma cells. As
      expected from its blocking activity at the receptor level, the effect of 2-ME
      could not be reversed by adding exogenous factors. Contrary to its effect on B
      lymphoma cells, 2-ME is essential for growth of the murine T-cell lymphoma line
      CTLL. However, we show here that dopamine can fully compensate for 2-ME,
      suggesting that TSH or another factor under dopamine control is intimately
      involved in the regulation of T-cell growth. This study lends further support to
      the notion of an active interplay between the neuroendocrine and immune systems
      and emphasizes PRL and TSH as important regulators of lymphoid cell function. It
      also shows that these hormones may contribute to the autonomous growth pattern of
      B lymphoma cells and suggests a potential role for dopamine in the treatment of B
      cell tumours.

PMID- 1411302
TI  - Antigen-specific increases in the number of splenocytes expressing MHC class II
      molecules following restimulation with antigen in various physical forms.
AB  - To understand how a presentation system for antigens initiates an immune response
      and why it has a strong adjuvant activity, a number of parameters need to be
      analysed. In this study the frequency of spleen cells expressing MHC class II (Ia
      antigen) was determined after immunization of mice and restimulation of their
      spleen cells, in vitro, with influenza virus envelope proteins in different
      physical forms, namely iscoms, micelles and virus particles. All three forms of
      the antigen stimulated, in an antigen-specific manner, an increased proportion of
      spleen cells expressing MHC class II in the restimulation experiments. The
      induction of increased MHC class II expression was at least partly dependent on
      antigen-specific induction of IFN-gamma since an antibody to IFN-gamma partly
      inhibited the increase of MHC class II+ cells induced by iscom or by Concanavalin
      A. The iscom-borne antigens were superior to micelles to prime the immune
      response in vitro, indicating a capacity to induce memory cells. This primed
      immune response was readily recalled in vitro, as measured by IFN-gamma
      production and an increased number of MHC class II positive cells.

PMID- 1411303
TI  - Production of basic fetoprotein in human peripheral lymphocytes during blastic
      transformation.
AB  - To clarify the significance of basic fetoprotein (BFP) in lymphocytes, we
      investigated whether BFP is produced in lymphocytes during blastic
      transformation. Peripheral blood lymphocytes obtained from 14 adults were
      cultured under the stimulation of lectins. The concentration of BFP in the
      culture medium (extracellular BFP) was estimated serially. The incorporation of
      [6-3H]-thymidine was assayed simultaneously. The intracellular BFP was measured
      by dual flow cytometry for DNA and BFP. A lymph node was studied
      immunohistochemically. Serum BFP was measured in four cases of lymphocytic
      leukaemia. In two cases, dual staining was performed. The intracellular BFP of
      the mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes was increased within 24 h. The extracellular
      BFP was increased exponentially from 72 h. The extracellular BFP at 96 h did not
      correlate with the [3H]-thymidine incorporation. The intracellular BFP increase
      began in G1 phase. Immunostaining showed that the B cells also produced BFP. The
      serum BFP level in leukaemia was high in 1 of 4 cases and the leukaemic cells in
      two cases showed high intracellular BFP content. These observations indicate that
      BFP is produced in activated human lymphocytes and in lymphocytic leukaemic
      cells. The production of BFP during blastic transformation will be a useful new
      in vitro model for studying the biological role of BFP, and BFP labelling may
      offer some new possibilities for the study of lymphocytes.

PMID- 1411304
TI  - Use of an anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibody in studying amyloidogenic light
      chains in cells, urine and fibrils: pathophysiology and clinical implications.
AB  - A monoclonal anti-idiotype antibody (IgG1k MoAb 3B11D4) raised against the
      amyloidogenic DEP lambda chain dimer binds a conformational idiotope also present
      on the monoclonal DEP IgA immunoglobulin. MoAb 3B11D4 does not recognize the
      reduced and alkylated lambda chain monomers, nor the 15-17-kDa fibrillar light
      chain fragments which have the same N-terminal sequence of the urinary light
      chains. The lack of about 70 amino acid residues of the C terminal of the protein
      prevents the formation of the self-limiting dimer and may facilitate the
      deposition of the fragments into amyloid fibrils. MoAb 3B11D4 recognizes the
      plasma cell clone in bone marrow and 9% of circulating B lymphocytes. Panning
      experiments demonstrate that this antibody has the capability to selectively
      eliminate the idiotype positive cells from peripheral blood. Antibodies with
      these characteristics could become a useful tool for better understanding the
      pathogenesis of the disease and for new therapeutic options.

PMID- 1411305
TI  - Epidemiological studies of penicillin resistance in Danish Staphylococcus aureus
      strains in the period 1977-1990.
AB  - During the period 1977-1990 the frequency of penicillin resistance increased from
      78.7 to 87.5% among a total of 278,193 Danish Staphylococcus aureus strains from
      hospitalized patients. By combining these data with phage-type patterns the
      increase was shown to be caused by 1) the introduction and spread of mainly
      resistant strains of type 95 and the 94,96 complex; 2) an increased occurrence of
      strains of group II which during the observation period became more frequently
      penicillin resistant; and 3) a gradual disappearance of strains of group III and
      the 83A complex which showed a decreasing degree of penicillin resistance. During
      the observation period community acquired strains reached nearly the same level
      of penicillin resistance as the hospital-acquired strains, and the frequency of
      penicillin resistance did not increase during hospitalization among the
      predominant strains of type 95, group II and the 94,96 complex. S. aureus
      isolated from airways had a higher frequency of penicillin resistance mainly
      caused by increasing amount of penicillin resistant strains of group II. Strains
      from urine had a lower frequency of penicillin resistance. The total antibiotic
      consumption and the usage of beta-lactam antibiotics remained nearly unchanged
      during the observation period. The frequent use of beta-lactam antibiotics for
      airway infections might explain the possible selection of penicillin resistant
      strains of group II.

PMID- 1411306
TI  - HIV-2 infection in Denmark.
AB  - A collection of 3019 selected serum samples (ss), comprising 329 ss from
      intravenous drug abusers, 558 ss from homosexual men, 682 samples from persons
      attending a STD clinic, 100 ss from individuals of African origin, 300 ss from
      sexual contacts to Africans, 650 ss from Danish blood donors who resided in
      Africa greater than 2 years prior to donating the ss, and 400 ss with equivocal
      antibody reactions in an HIV-1 Western blot was tested for antibodies against HIV
      2 by in-house HIV-2 ELISA and Western blot. Four ss were positive for antibodies
      against HIV-2. Three of the ss originated from West African men, the fourth
      belonged to the spouse of one of these men. Three of the samples presented with
      an uncharacteristic reaction in a HIV-1 Western blot. The study indicates that
      HIV-2 infection is not yet widespread in Denmark and that it remains closely
      related to West Africa.

PMID- 1411307
TI  - Intramuscular versus intradermal administration of a recombinant hepatitis B
      vaccine: a comparison of response rates and analysis of factors influencing the
      antibody response.
AB  - In an open controlled study 286 health care workers in Stockholm, Sweden,
      received 20 micrograms of a recombinant hepatitis B vaccine (Engerix B) by the
      intramuscular route, and 383 2 micrograms by the intradermal route.
      Seroconversion to protective anti-HBs levels (anti-HBs titre greater than or
      equal to 10 IU/l) was achieved in 94% of the i.m. and 89% of the i.d. vaccinees.
      Female sex, intramuscular vaccination, young age, and being a non-smoker were
      associated with a higher response rate and a higher geometric mean anti-HBs titre
      than male sex, intradermal vaccination, old age and being a smoker. If an
      acceptable response rate to protective anti-HBs levels of 85% is chosen,
      intradermal vaccination can be used as a cost reducing strategy for all women and
      for non-smoking men less than 30 years of age, as estimated in a logistic
      regression model. Due to the variable antibody response in different individuals,
      post vaccination testing for anti-HBs titres is recommended in health care
      workers, regardless of vaccination route.

PMID- 1411308
TI  - Spread of subclinical Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in a closed community.
AB  - Chlamydia pneumoniae infections may spread subclinically. The present
      investigation took place in a military setting. Sera drawn when the conscripts
      had entered their military service 2 months previously had been kept frozen and
      were available. In a camp with 500 people, 35 (7%) developed clinical symptoms of
      pneumonia. The infection was serologically verified with C. pneumoniae-specific
      micro-immunofluorescence technique. Of 40 healthy controls, 21 turned out to
      fulfil the serological criteria of infection, thus, representing subclinical
      cases. These 21 cases, when extrapolated to the whole camp, equalled a rate of
      49% which, added to the 7% of pneumonic cases, gave a total infection rate of
      56%. Pre-existing IgG antibodies were demonstrated in 10% of the pneumonic cases,
      48% of the subclinical cases, and 89% of the non-infected, healthy controls.
      Without the access to pre-epidemic sera permitting us to establish 4-fold titre
      rises, the spread of subclinical C. pneumoniae infection would have been noted at
      5%, and not 49% as here demonstrated.

PMID- 1411309
TI  - Serologically indicated pneumococcal respiratory infection in children.
AB  - Streptococcus pneumoniae infection was indicated serologically in 84 (19%) of 449
      children hospitalized with middle or lower respiratory tract infection.
      Pneumococcal antigen was detected in acute serum in 28 patients, but in acute
      urine in only 2. An antibody response to type-specific capsular polysaccharides
      of S. pneumoniae was indicated in 27 patients and to a protein antigen,
      pneumolysin, in 25 patients, but to C-polysaccharide in only 10 patients. The
      observations mentioned above suggest that each serological test for pneumococcal
      etiology is insensitive, and to get an optimal result, a large panel of
      pneumococcal antigen and antibody assays must be used. Pneumococcal infection
      could be indicated serologically although no focus of infection, such as
      pneumonia or acute otitis media, or no laboratory evidence of bacterial infection
      as elevated values of C-reactive protein concentration, erythrocyte sedimentation
      rate or white blood cell count was present. Particularly antibody responses to
      pneumococcal pneumolysin were present in children without pneumonia or acute
      otitis media. Our results point out that no nonspecific parameter can be used for
      the selection of patients with probable pneumococcal etiology among children with
      respiratory tract infection. Concomitant viral infection, in most cases RSV
      infection, was present in a third of the children with pneumococcal infection. It
      is concluded that pneumococcal etiology should be actively sought for also in
      patients with viral respiratory infection, especially in young children with RSV
      infection.

PMID- 1411310
TI  - Pneumococcal finding in a sample from upper airways does not indicate
      pneumococcal infection of lower airways.
AB  - The presence of pneumococcus (Pnc) by antigen detection and culture was examined
      in nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) of 315 children hospitalized with middle or
      lower respiratory tract infection. Pnc was found in NPA from 115 (37%) patients,
      being demonstrated by antigen detection alone in 34 (30%), by culture alone in 26
      (23%) and by both methods in 55 (48%) of Pnc-positive samples. Pnc findings in
      NPA were most common, 45-46%, in patients aged 1-4 years. Serological evidence of
      Pnc infection, based either on detection of Pnc antigen in serum or urine, or on
      demonstration of an antibody response to these antigens, was present in 31 (27%)
      of the 115 patients with and in 28 (14%) of the 200 patients without Pnc in NPA
      samples. In the 48 patients positive for Pnc in NPA samples both by antigen
      detection and culture the isolated Pnc strains were serotyped. In 45 (94%) of
      these the type/group of Pnc was the same by both methods indicating that the
      specificity of the antigen detection tests, latex particle agglutination and
      counterimmunoelectrophoresis, was high. To evaluate the diagnostic significance
      of Pnc antigen detection and culture in NPA, sensitivity, specificity and
      likelihood ratios were calculated; serological evidence of Pnc aetiology was used
      as a reference. For both methods, sensitivity was poor, less than 0.3, but
      specificity was good, greater than 0.8. It is concluded that the finding of Pnc
      by culture or antigen detection in NPA is no indication of Pnc respiratory
      infection. On the other hand, Pnc etiology is unprobable, if Pnc is not present
      in NPA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411311
TI  - Severe Pasteurella multocida infections in pregnant women.
AB  - We report 2 cases of severe infections due to Pasteurella multocida, both
      occurring during pregnancy in previously healthy women. Both women had contact
      with animals (dog and cat) but neither of them had been bitten. Apart from a
      slight decrease in IgG levels, no immunological defects could be detected. Both
      women had received oral phenoxymethylpenicillin in the early phase of the
      disease, but still fell ill with severe infections. One woman had meningitis
      while the other suffered from cellulitis with deep abscess formation.

PMID- 1411312
TI  - Cell surface proteins of Helicobacter pylori as antigens in an ELISA and a
      comparison with three commercial ELISA.
AB  - Cell surface proteins of Helicobacter pylori were solubilized by extraction with
      acidic glycine buffer, N-octyl-glucoside, lithium chloride, and distilled water,
      and by sonication. The preparations were evaluated as antigens in ELISA to detect
      serum IgG responses in patients and healthy subjects. SDS-PAGE analyses of the
      preparations from a type strain (NCTC 11637) and of acidic glycine extracts of 4
      clinical isolates showed multiple protein bands. The sera were classified as
      HP+ve and HP-ve by culture of biopsy and immunoblotting. Sera were considered
      positive for H. pylori if they detected the specific 120kD antigen or 4-5 other
      bands. 49 sera were HP+ve; the 51 HP-ve sera did not react in immunoblotting.
      35/44 sera (80%) that reacted with the 120kD antigen demonstrated high titers in
      ELISA with all antigen preparations, and the remaining 9(20%) sera gave
      discordant results. 4/5 HP+ve sera that did not react with the 120kD antigen,
      demonstrated high ELISA titers with all 5 antigen preparations. Glycine extracts
      of 3 isolates did not exhibit the 120kD protein, but were equally sensitive in
      ELISA. The role of 120kD antigen in our ELISA was not clear. Immunoblotting
      demonstrated that the 5 antigen preparations share similar antigenic components.
      All preparations were similarly high in sensitivity and specificity, indicating
      that surface antigens could be satisfactorily used in our ELISA. Our ELISA using
      the glycine extract was compared with commercial H. pylori ELISAs developed by
      Bio-Rad Laboratories, USA (GAP ELISA), Roche, Switzerland (EIA 2G), and Whittaker
      Bioproducts, USA (Pyloristat).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411313
TI  - A pilot study of piperacillin and ciprofloxacin as initial therapy for fever in
      severely neutropenic leukemia patients.
AB  - We studied the efficacy of piperacillin and ciprofloxacin as initial parenteral
      therapy in 41 adult patients with leukemia who developed 47 febrile episodes
      during severe neutropenia following chemotherapy. 40 patients (98%) survived
      their febrile episode(s), whereas 1 patient died of infection. When assessed at
      72 h after initiation of treatment (early evaluation), 24/47 episodes (51%) had
      been successfully treated. These 24 favourable responses were seen in 15/24 (63%)
      microbiologically documented infections and 9/19 (47%) fever of unknown origin
      (FUO). At the resolution of fever (late evaluation) 46 episodes were evaluable,
      and 28 (61%) had responded successfully to piperacillin and ciprofloxacin.
      Successful treatment was most frequently observed in microbiologically defined
      infections, 18/23 (78%). Three of 5 (60%) Gram-positive, 11/12 (92%) Gram
      negative and 1 of 2 mixed bacteremias were successfully treated. In contrast,
      only 10/19 (53%) FUO and none of 4 clinically defined infections had responded.
      Thus, this pilot study indicates that piperacillin and ciprofloxacin may be a
      safe and effective combination for the treatment of febrile episodes in severely
      neutropenic leukemia patients, which merits further investigation in randomized
      trials.

PMID- 1411314
TI  - Hospital-acquired infections in Norway: a national prevalence survey in 1991.
AB  - A 1-day prevalence survey of hospital-acquired infections (HAI) was carried out
      in Norwegian somatic hospitals in 1991. The survey aimed at assessing the problem
      of HAI. 950 infections were found among the 14977 surveyed patients (prevalence
      rate 6.3%). HAI were more prevalent in combined intensive care units (prevalence
      rate 22%), surgical intensive care units (17%), haematological wards (15%),
      special care baby units (14%), and geriatric wards (14%). Urinary tract
      infections were most prevalent (33% of all HAI) followed by respiratory tract
      infections (21%) and surgical wound infections (17%). 157 (3.6%) of the 4382
      patients who had undergone surgery, had a surgical wound infection. With a high
      response rate (76 out of 84 hospitals) and a sensitive method of screening the
      patients (chart review and bedside examination), this survey gives a fairly
      reliable measure of the prevalence of HAI in Norwegian somatic hospitals.

PMID- 1411315
TI  - Antibiotic susceptibility of upper respiratory tract pathogens in Sweden: a seven
      year follow-up study including loracarbef. Swedish Respiratory Tract Study Group.
AB  - The antibiotic susceptibility of Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis,
      Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae was investigated in five
      different geographical areas of Sweden in 1990 and compared with results from
      similar investigations performed in 1983 and 1986. Tests on 100 isolates per
      species and laboratory were performed by the disk diffusion method, and 10% of
      the strains plus all resistant ones were sent to the central laboratory for
      determination of MICs of ampicillin, phenoxymethylpenicillin, cefaclor,
      loracarbef, erythromycin, tetracycline and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Beta
      lactamase production was found in 7% of H. influenzae and 71% of M. catarrhalis,
      and reduced susceptibility to penicillin in 3% of S. pneumoniae. Low frequencies
      (1-3%) of tetracycline resistance were found in H. influenzae and in the 2
      streptococcal species, in which also less than 1% of the strains were resistant
      to erythromycin. Resistance to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole occurred in 7%
      (range 3-14%) of H. influenzae and in 3% of S. pneumoniae. Cefaclor was active
      against all streptococci except against S. pneumoniae with reduced susceptibility
      to penicillin. It was active against beta-lactamase negative strains of M.
      catarrhalis but had, according to the SIR-system, intermediate activity against
      H. influenzae. Loracarbef was twice as active as cefaclor against H. influenzae
      but equally active against the 3 other species tested.

PMID- 1411316
TI  - A 56-month prospective surveillance study on the epidemiology of aminoglycoside
      resistance in a Belgian general hospital.
AB  - In this survey, we studied the effect of extensive amikacin usage on the
      epidemiology of aminoglycoside resistance in a general hospital. The baseline
      resistance in the 12 months before amikacin was 5.8% for amikacin, 15.2% for
      gentamicin, 16.4% for tobramycin and 14.0% for netilmicin. During the following
      44 months, amikacin was the aminoglycoside of first choice. In the first 2 years
      of this phase, resistance to amikacin did not change significantly. Later,
      amikacin resistance rose significantly, mainly due to the introduction of
      amikacin-resistant Enterobacter aerogenes strains. In general there was a
      significant decrease in resistance to gentamicin and tobramycin. Resistance
      mechanisms were examined in 380 strains. AAC(3)V, and AAC(6')I alone or coupled
      with ANT(2") or AAC(3) were the most prevalent enzymes. In the amikacin phase, we
      noticed a significant increase of strains harbouring the AAC(6')I enzyme, while
      strains with the AAC(3)V were less frequently isolated. Strains with permeability
      resistance did not become more prevalent during the period of extensive amikacin
      use.

PMID- 1411317
TI  - A comparison of netilmicin and tobramycin therapy in patients with renal
      impairment.
AB  - We evaluated the toxicity and efficacy of netilmicin and tobramycin in 89 older
      adults with serious bacterial infections and pre-existing renal impairment in a
      prospective, blinded, randomized trial. Complete resolution or improvement of
      infection occurred at 34/36 (94%) evaluable sites in netilmicin-treated patients
      and at 26/31 (84%) evaluable sites in tobramycin-treated patients. 10/44 (23%)
      netilmicin- and 7/45 (16%) tobramycin-treated patients experienced nephrotoxicity
      during treatment. The mean serum creatinine level improved significantly at the
      end of therapy compared to pre-treatment in those patients who did not experience
      nephrotoxicity in both treatment groups. 5/19 (26%) netilmicin-treated patients
      and 2/18 (11%) tobramycin-treated patients assessable for ototoxicity experienced
      decrements in auditory thresholds. Ototoxic netilmicin-treated patients had
      higher serum netilmicin levels than did non-ototoxic patients. Patients who
      experienced ototoxicity were not more likely to have experienced nephrotoxicity.
      The rates of toxicity were not statistically different and were similar to those
      seen in studies of patients with normal pre-treatment renal function.

PMID- 1411318
TI  - First-year infections after initial hospitalization in low birth weight infants
      with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
AB  - Symptoms of infection, specific infections, antibiotic course and
      hospitalizations were evaluated prospectively by using monthly questionnaires
      after initial hospitalization in 73 low birth weight (LBW) infants (less than
      1751 g) and a subgroup of 19 infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)
      compared with 63 full-term controls matched for age, sex and home locality. The
      immunoglobulin G, A, M and E levels of the LBW infants were measured at corrected
      ages of 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 months. The LBW infants, the subgroup with BPD
      and their controls had similar frequencies of infectious symptoms and episodes of
      infection. Dyspnoea and lower respiratory tract infections often caused by
      respiratory syncytial virus (RBV) were more frequent and more severe among LBW
      and especially BPD infants compared with controls. Male sex, a large family and
      day-care were significant risk factors for illness. The IgG levels of the LBW
      infants were subnormal at the corrected age of 1 month, but otherwise
      immunoglobulin levels were normal. The results suggest that LBW infants and
      especially those with BPD are prone to lower respiratory tract infections and
      should be considered candidates for immunoprophylaxis against RBV. In order to
      reduce morbidity home care is preferable to day-care.

PMID- 1411319
TI  - Infectious diseases and day-care centre environment.
AB  - During the period from September 1986 to May 1987 all 25 day-care centre
      departments in the residential district of Teleborg in Vaxjo were studied to
      discover the frequency of absence due to infection. Mean absence/department was
      6.6% (SD 2.2), with a range from 3.9% to 10.2%. During the period from September
      1989 to May 1990 a follow-up study used the same methods to investigate 7
      departments, which in the first study had shown the highest and lowest rates of
      absence due to infection. In addition, the carbon dioxide content in indoor air
      was measured in all departments in the district. The new measurements showed that
      the average absence due to infection in the 7 departments had fallen from 7.5%
      (SD 2.9) to 5.6% (SD 1.4). It was not possible to reproduce the division seen in
      the first study into departments with high and low absence rates. The variations
      in infectious morbidity observed could not be explained by differences between
      the departments as regards physical environment or working routines. By contrast,
      a considerable difference as regards carbon dioxide content in indoor air was
      seen between the 3 departments housed in converted dwellings and the 4
      departments in purpose-built day-care centres; the mean values were 822 ppm and
      458 ppm, respectively (Mann-Whitney U-test; p = 0.028).

PMID- 1411320
TI  - Rat bite fever in a Greek child.
AB  - Rat bite fever was diagnosed in a 10-year-old boy in a rural area of south-west
      Greece. The clinical presentation was typical for this disease and the relevant
      causative agent (Streptobacillus moniliformis) was isolated from blood cultures
      of the febrile patient. Erythromycin treatment was efficient. Although extremely
      rare in continental Europe, this infection must be taken into account as a
      potential hazard of a rat bite.

PMID- 1411321
TI  - Rat bite fever (Streptobacillus moniliformis) with septicemia in a child.
AB  - A 5-year-old girl was admitted to hospital with fever, headache and nausea. Her C
      reactive protein raised from less than 11 mg/l to 65 mg/l and she developed a
      maculopapular, petechial rash, especially pronounced on the soles and palms.
      After incubation for 3 days, Streptobacillus moniliformis was found in all blood
      cultures that had been taken. Some weeks before her admission, the girl had been
      playing with her grandmother's pet rats, which later had died from an unknown
      disease. There was no history of rat bite. Her condition improved rapidly after
      treatment with penicillin and chloramphenicol, and she was discharged from
      hospital after 10 days without sequelae.

PMID- 1411322
TI  - First documented case of human babesiosis in Sweden.
AB  - A 34-year-old splenectomized man presented with fever, myalgia and dysuria. His
      condition rapidly deteriorated, he became anuric and developed severe haemolytic
      anaemia, thrombocytopenia and fibrinolysis. Peripheral blood smears revealed
      intra-erythrocytic parasites consistent with Babesia divergens in 40% of the
      erythrocytes. The diagnosis was confirmed by gerbil inoculation and by a
      significant rise in antibody titer. Blood exchange transfusion reduced the number
      of babesia infected erythrocytes to 1%. Parenteral therapy with a combination of
      quinine and clindamycin eradicated parasitaemia after 10 days of treatment and
      the patient rapidly improved. Renal failure necessitated haemodialysis for one
      month, whereafter the patient made a full recovery. Human babesiosis is a rare
      disease, but with a potential fatal outcome and should be considered as a
      diagnostic alternative in splenectomized and otherwise immunocompromised
      individuals with severe febrile illnesses.

PMID- 1411323
TI  - Early detection of circulating anodic antigen (CAA) in a case of acute
      schistosomiasis mansoni with Katayama fever.
AB  - A 34-year-old male developed acute Katayama fever with fever, diarrhoea, joint
      pains, headache, urticarial rash and eosinophilia 18 days after falling into and
      spending 15 min in the water during water-skiing in the outlet of the Volta
      river. Low anti-schistosomal antibody titres were found by the immunofluorescence
      assay after 4 weeks, and the first Schistosoma mansoni eggs were found in faeces
      after 6 weeks. Both symptoms and eosinophilia increased the first days after
      treatment with oxamniquine, after which he improved gradually. Examination of
      frozen sera by the newly developed Magnetic Beads Antigen Capture-EIA (MBAC-EIA)
      later demonstrated a peak in schistosomal circulating anodic antigen (CAA) levels
      of diagnostic significance already 4 weeks after he was infected.

PMID- 1411325
TI  - Swedish Association of Urology. Proceedings of the annual spring meeting. Orebro,
      May 21-22, 1992. Abstracts.

PMID- 1411324
TI  - Nosocomial pneumonia.

PMID- 1411326
TI  - The role of the family in psychiatric rehabilitation.
AB  - This article describes the multiple roles that families can play in the
      psychiatric rehabilitation process and suggests ways for professionals to
      collaborate with them. The authors discuss the family's experience of loss and
      their process of recovery; their caregiving role; their role in supporting other
      families; their teaching and educational role; their advocacy role; their role as
      researchers and research subjects; and some suggestions for supporting family
      roles.

PMID- 1411327
TI  - Prospective study of psychobiology in first-episode schizophrenia at Hillside
      Hospital.
AB  - Heterogeneity has been a consistent problem in the research and treatment of
      schizophrenia. Despite marked variation in the onset, phenomenology, treatment
      response and outcome of schizophrenic patients, our ability to identify subtypes
      is remarkably limited. A major problem in schizophrenia research has been the use
      of cross-sectional study designs and heterogeneous patient samples at different
      stages of the illness and who have been previously exposed to neuroleptics which
      have potentially confounding effects on the disease. This study intends to
      identify biologic correlates of the phenomenology and course of schizophrenia by
      using a prospective, longitudinal, repeated measures design assessing biologic
      and clinical parameters including measures of psychopathology, side effects, and
      social adjustment to examine clinical variables of treatment response, illness
      course, and outcome; measures of central nervous system dopamine activity and
      brain morphology in patients, from the onset of their illness. Patients were
      ascertained at hospital admission and assessed with a battery of clinical,
      neuropsychologic, and biologic measures before undergoing standardized treatment
      for the acute and maintenance phases of the illness. Upon completion,
      approximately 120 first-episode patients will have entered the study and will
      have been followed prospectively for up to 5 years and assessed at specific time
      intervals. Preliminary results reveal significant abnormalities in brain
      morphology, growth hormone secretion, eye movement function, and psychotogenic
      response to dopamine agonists in first-episode, treatment-naive patients which
      are associated with treatment response and outcome. This article describes the
      study's rationale, design, and methods, and a summary of the published results to
      date. These are discussed in terms of their significance for putative clinical
      subtypes and pathophysiological models of schizophrenia.

PMID- 1411328
TI  - Premorbid and onset features of first-episode schizophrenia.
AB  - Most descriptive studies of the psychopathology of schizophrenia have focused on
      the period following illness onset. Little attention has been paid to the
      assessment of psychopathology before onset of psychotic symptoms. In this study,
      71 first-hospitalization patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective,
      or schizophreniform disorder using DSM-III-R criteria were assessed on measures
      of premorbid adjustment, clinical history, and presenting symptomatology. A
      pattern of progressive decline was characteristic of 21 percent of the cases-
      primarily males with a long-term history of psychotic symptoms before first
      hospitalization and a trend for more severe negative symptoms at hospital
      admission. Patients who had a stable pattern of good premorbid adjustment
      experienced symptom onset and first hospitalization at a later age than those
      with a chronically poor premorbid adjustment. Time from onset of first psychotic
      symptom to first hospitalization varied from less than 1 month to over 20 years
      and was not associated with symptom severity or age of first psychotic symptoms.
      Systematic characterization of the earliest manifestations of schizophrenia may
      be important in identifying subgroups of patients with a similar course of
      illness, and may ultimately facilitate diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of
      the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

PMID- 1411329
TI  - Developmental Processes in Schizophrenic Disorders: longitudinal studies of
      vulnerability and stress.
AB  - The Developmental Processes in Schizophrenic Disorders project is a longitudinal
      study of schizophrenic patients who have recently had a first episode of
      psychosis. The project focuses on discriminating characteristics of schizophrenic
      patients that are "stable vulnerability indicators," "mediating vulnerability
      factors," and "episode indicators" by comparing normal subjects to schizophrenic
      patients assessed in clinically remitted and psychotic states. A parallel project
      goal is to identify predictors of relapse, social and work impairment, and
      illness course among potential psychobiological vulnerability factors and
      environmental potentiating factors. Hypothesized vulnerability factors and
      potential environmental stressors are examined first under standardized
      maintenance antipsychotic medication conditions for at least 1 year. Patients
      showing stable remission of psychosis after 1 year of maintenance antipsychotic
      medication are invited to enter drug crossover and withdrawal protocols to
      determine the need for continuous antipsychotic medication. Vulnerability and
      stress factors are again assessed. A summary of results to date is presented.
      Deficits in early components of processing visual arrays and in sustained
      discrimination of successive ambiguous perceptual inputs are relatively stable
      across psychotic and clinically remitted states in the schizophrenic patients.
      Performance on a vigilance task demanding active, working memory also remains
      abnormal during clinical remission but covaries significantly with psychotic
      state and is a candidate for a mediating vulnerability factor. Autonomic
      activation level does not appear to be an enduring vulnerability factor, but it
      predicts the extent of short-term symptomatic recovery and may mediate the impact
      of stressors. Under conditions of standardized, injectable antipsychotic
      medication, independent stressful life events and highly critical attitudes
      toward the patient in the social environment predict relapse risk. Prospective
      data suggest that signs and symptoms prodromal to psychotic relapse may be
      present in about 60 percent of patients.

PMID- 1411330
TI  - Ventricle-to-brain ratio and symptoms at the onset of first-break schizophrenia.
AB  - Ventricle-to-brain ratio (VBR) was measured from the computed tomographic (CT)
      scans of 33 very recent-onset psychotic patients. Illness severity and positive
      and negative symptoms were also assessed in 21 of these patients with
      schizophreniform disorder. Forty-five neurology patients served as controls.
      Analyses revealed no significant differences between the VBR of the psychotic
      group as a whole, the schizophreniform subgroup, the affective psychotic
      subgroup, and the controls. Control subjects with a neurological diagnosis of
      vertigo or syncope had significantly higher VBR than the remainder of the control
      group and the psychotic group. When the psychotic group was compared to the
      control group minus those controls with syncope or vertigo, the psychotic group
      had significantly higher VBR. The schizophreniform subgroup also had
      significantly higher VBR than the control group minus subjects with vertigo or
      syncope. In the schizophreniform subgroup, positive symptoms and illness severity
      were associated with smaller VBR. There was no association between negative
      symptoms and VBR.

PMID- 1411331
TI  - Intellectual deficits in first-episode schizophrenia: evidence for progressive
      deterioration.
AB  - The developmental processes leading to neuropsychological deficits in
      schizophrenia are poorly understood. Both early developmental defects and
      subsequent deterioration may occur. Intelligence test profiles are often used to
      estimate premorbid ability and deterioration from prior levels of functioning.
      These characteristics were assessed in samples of first-episode (n = 51) and
      chronic (n = 50) schizophrenic patients. Although the groups showed few
      differences on tests to estimate premorbid intellectual ability, the chronic
      group performed worse on measures considered sensitive to deterioration. Dextral
      (right-handed) patients tended to have better performance; this effect was marked
      in the first-episode sample, especially on verbal tests. Male patients showed
      more evidence of deterioration than female patients. Subgroups differing in the
      time course of premorbid social dysfunction also differed in intelligence test
      profiles, suggesting that estimates of social and cognitive deterioration may
      have concurrent validity. The results support the hypothesis that patients differ
      in the course of cognitive decline and suggest that deterioration of function may
      follow the onset of overt psychosis in some patients. Prospective longitudinal
      studies of first-episode schizophrenic patients could directly test this
      hypothesis.

PMID- 1411332
TI  - Phenomenology and functioning in first-episode schizophrenia.
AB  - One current view of schizophrenia is that its clinical and functional features
      show a deteriorating course, particularly for negative symptoms. However, this is
      difficult to study in chronic patients who have been exposed to pharmacologic
      treatment and institutionalization. Examining first-episode (FE) patients can
      help clarify which symptoms are present initially and how the symptom pattern is
      linked to functioning. We evaluated a sample of 37 FE patients with schizophrenia
      and compared them to 70 other schizophrenia (OS) patients on standard clinical
      scales, measures of premorbid functioning, and quality of life. FE patients
      showed a symptom profile similar to OS patients; in particular, there was no
      evidence that negative symptoms are less severe in the FE group. Analysis of the
      clinical data led us to the conclusion that the symptom profile of schizophrenia
      exists at the outset, that negative symptoms are associated with poor premorbid
      and current functioning, but that the role of positive symptoms is more complex
      and may vary in subtypes.

PMID- 1411333
TI  - Generalizability of first-episode studies in schizophrenia.
AB  - Over a 5-year period, 77 patients in their first episode of psychosis were
      recruited into a study of autoimmune factors in the pathogenesis of
      schizophrenia. In this article their demographic and clinical characteristics are
      compared to those of chronic patients recruited into the same study as well as to
      the entire outpatient population of a schizophrenia clinic in a Pittsburgh
      community mental health center. There were no significant demographic differences
      between the first-episode patients and either of the other groups of
      schizophrenic patients. There was a significantly higher proportion of black
      subjects in the clinic population compared to the catchment area from which they
      were drawn. Clinically, first-episode patients differed from chronic patients in
      having fewer negative symptoms and more of certain positive symptoms. Age of
      onset was not significantly different in male and female first-episode cases,
      although there was a trend of females to be slightly older. We conclude that if
      diagnosis includes followup and reassessment, findings from research cohorts such
      as ours can be generalized to populations of outpatient schizophrenic subjects
      volunteering for treatment.

PMID- 1411334
TI  - Where are the women in first-episode studies of schizophrenia?
AB  - Almost all investigations of first-episode schizophrenia uncover more male than
      female subjects. Two possible explanations for this observation are (1) first
      episode investigations suffer more or less consistent methodologic biases or (2)
      the incidence of schizophrenia is higher in men than in women. Data from the
      markers and predictors of schizophrenia (MAP) project, a community-based first
      episode study, permitted an investigation of the two alternatives. The results
      suggest that neither recruitment nor diagnostic vagaries explain the excess of
      males. Instead, the MAP results, consistent with other recent investigations,
      suggest that the incidence of schizophrenia is lower in women than in men. The
      findings are consistent with the literature on gender differences in
      schizophrenia, which indicates that schizophrenia in women is a less severe
      disorder than in men. The report includes recommendations for future first
      episode investigations to ensure adequate representation of women.

PMID- 1411335
TI  - The Iowa prospective longitudinal study of recent-onset psychoses.
AB  - In this article, the methods of a prospective longitudinal study of recent-onset
      psychoses are described. Methodological issues that may be common to studies
      employing a similar design are discussed in the context of the rationale behind
      this study's strategies. Particular attention is paid to statistical strategies
      that maximally exploit longitudinal data.

PMID- 1411336
TI  - First-episode studies in schizophrenia: criteria and characterization.
AB  - Studies of early schizophrenia offer several advantages for efforts to unravel
      the biology, treatment, and outcome of this disorder. A review of available first
      episode studies, however, suggests marked variability in findings, frequently
      attributed to the presumed heterogeneity of the disorder. Another cause may be
      variation in definitions and criteria used. Thus, attention has turned to the
      study of patients experiencing their first episode of psychosis. Although this
      strategy will not control for the true underlying heterogeneity of the illness,
      it provides a valuable method for homogenizing variability due to course. For
      this strategy to be effective, definition and operationalization of criteria for
      such studies are crucial. In this article, we reviewed assessment methods used in
      first-episode studies in the recent literature and found marked inconsistencies.
      We offer a framework for definition of patient populations for studies of early
      schizophrenia and outline some key variables that may serve as the basis for
      fuller characterization of the disorder. It is important to provide data on such
      variables to enhance comparability among studies of early schizophrenia and to
      facilitate meaningful interpretation of data.

PMID- 1411337
TI  - First person account: schizophrenia: some issues.
AB  - The article that follows is part of the Schizophrenia Bulletin's ongoing First
      Person Accounts series. We hope that mental health professionals--the Bulletin's
      primary audience--will take this opportunity to learn about the issues and
      difficulties confronted by consumers of mental health care. In addition, we hope
      that these accounts will give patients and families a better sense of not being
      alone in confronting the problems that can be anticipated by persons with serious
      emotional difficulties. We welcome other contributions from patients, ex
      patients, or family members. Our major editorial requirement is that such
      contributions be clearly written and organized, and that a novel or unique aspect
      of schizophrenia be described, with special emphasis on points that will be
      important for professionals. Clinicians who see articulate patients, with
      experiences they believe should be shared, might encourage these patients to
      submit their articles to First Person Accounts, Division of Clinical Research,
      NIMH, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rm. 10C-16, Rockville, MD 20857.

PMID- 1411338
TI  - Stimulation of regeneration of the sciatic nerve by experimentally induced
      inflammation in rats.
AB  - The effects of application of a chromic catgut suture (conditioning lesion)
      placed close to the sciatic or tibial nerves on regeneration of the sciatic nerve
      after a crush lesion (test lesion), that had been induced after an appropriate
      conditioning interval (two or four weeks) were assessed. The catgut suture
      induced an inflammatory reaction around the nerve during the four weeks after
      application of the catgut suture (conditioning interval) but no signs of
      degeneration of nerve fibres were seen. There was a significant increase in
      length of outgrowth of sensory nerve fibres as measured by the pinch reflex test
      when the test lesion was applied after two and four weeks' exposure to the catgut
      suture. The rate of regeneration was increased by about 11% when the catgut
      suture had been applied for four weeks before the test lesion was made. The
      findings indicate that an inflammatory reaction around a peripheral nerve may act
      as a conditioning lesion, thereby stimulating regeneration of the nerve.

PMID- 1411340
TI  - Ischemia in wound healing. II: Design of a flap model--biomechanical properties.
AB  - A standardized reproducible H-shaped double flap model for biomechanical testing
      of ischemic wounds was developed in rats. After 10 days of healing all the
      biomechanical parameters of the flap wounds decreased significantly, compared
      with normal healing incisional wounds. After 20 days of healing the extensibility
      as well as the most important biomechanical parameters were still significantly
      decreased. In part I of this study we showed that on day 1 the blood flow had
      decreased to 7% of the flow in normal incisional wounds, though it returned to
      normal on day 16. Here we show that this drop in blood flow results in a
      significant decrease in all the biomechanical parameters and thereby caused
      significant delay in the healing of the test wounds. There was no correlation
      between any of the biomechanical parameters and the length of surface necrosis on
      the flaps. These necroses thus do not necessarily reflect necrosis of the dermis,
      where the healing is responsible for the continuity and strength of the skin.

PMID- 1411339
TI  - Decreased muscle speed, strength and fatigability following two hours of
      tourniquet-induced ischaemia.
AB  - Contractile and morphological properties of the rabbit tibialis anterior muscle
      were measured 48 hours following a two-hour ischaemic episode. Ischaemia was
      induced using a specially-designed pneumatic tourniquet placed on the rabbit
      thigh. Maximum tetanic tension of muscle subjected to ischaemia (381 +/- 77 g)
      was only about 30% of the tension generated by control muscles (1,212 +/- 67 g).
      The rate of rise of tetanic tension of muscles subjected to ischaemia (15.9 +/- 3
      g/ms) was only 33% of control values (44.5 +/- 5.9 g/ms). Muscle fatigue index
      increased significantly from 0.22 +/- 0.7 in control muscles to 0.55 +/- 0.09 in
      ischaemic muscles suggesting that muscles subjected to ischaemia had a greater
      endurance capacity than control muscles. Morphologically, focal necrotic regions
      and inflammatory cells were observed in ischaemic muscle fibers. Taken together,
      these data are consistent with selective damage to the fast glycolytic muscle
      fibers within the ischaemic tibialis anterior muscles. Thus, ischaemia results in
      overall decreased muscle speed, strength and fatigability.

PMID- 1411341
TI  - Regenerative response to membranous and enchondral lyophilized allogeneic bone in
      rabbit skull defects.
AB  - The regenerative responses of inlays of lyophilized allogeneic bone of membranous
      (skull) and enchondral (tibia) origin were studied in an experimental
      cranioplasty model in rabbits. The lyophilized bone particles were also
      bioassayed for inductive bone production in an orthotopic critical size defect
      rat model. Three trephined calvarial defects were evaluated in each of 14 adult
      rabbits. The experimental materials were implanted into two of the defects and
      the third was left empty for control purposes. The implants disclosed no major
      structural divergences as assessed by scanning electron microscopy. Healing was
      evaluated by light microscopy and contact radiography after periods of four and
      15 weeks. The lyophilized bone allografts of both embryonic origins displayed a
      similar fashion of bone regeneration, bone marrow reappearance, and volumetric
      density of trabecular bone substance and displayed no obvious differences between
      experimental groups or intervals. The two materials exhibited low osteoinductive
      potential.

PMID- 1411342
TI  - Venous anatomy of the thumb and thenar area.
AB  - The venous anatomy of the thumb and the thenar area, including the first web
      space, was studied after injection of a polymerizing plastic resin into the
      vascular tree of six fresh human cadaveric specimens. As in the previously
      described parts of the hand and fingers, certain anatomical features were
      consistently present in all examined specimens. The topography of the vessels is
      different from that of veins in other parts of the hand, and we conclude that
      this reflects differences in mechanical demands upon the soft tissues in various
      parts of the hand and the digits.

PMID- 1411343
TI  - Pharyngo-oesophageal reconstruction with free jejunal transplants. New design of
      the upper anastomosis to improve monitoring of viability of transfer.
AB  - Since 1987, 13 free microsurgical jejunal transplants for large pharyngo
      oesophageal tumors have been done in 12 patients at Tampere University Hospital.
      The conventional technique was used for the end to end upper anastomosis in seven
      patients, and our new end to side anastomotic technique in six. Five patients
      were alive at the time of writing, the mean survival being 22 months (range 1
      48). Five patients developed orocutaneous fistulas, three of which healed
      spontaneously. In the remaining two the fistulas were caused by rapid recurrence
      of the tumour. There was no significant difference in ability to feed orally or
      swallow among the patients operated upon by the end to end or the end to side
      anastomotic technique. Our results show that the free microvascular jejunal
      transfer is a safe procedure for repair of the hypopharynx. Our new end to side
      hypopharyngojejunal anastomosis makes it possible to monitor the transplanted
      bowel reliably by direct vision.

PMID- 1411344
TI  - Long term evaluation of the unilink anastomotic system. A study with light and
      scanning electron microscopy.
AB  - The long term effects of the Unilink mechanical microvascular anastomosis in
      terms of anastomotic patency and histological changes in the vessel wall were
      evaluated in 10 rabbits. Both carotid arteries and facial veins were divided and
      reanastomosed with the Unilink device. At death two years later all 40
      anastomoses were fully patent, with histological changes similar to those
      described previously after 16 weeks, that is, normal endothelial lining, but
      almost total atrophy of the media at the anastomotic site. The thinning of the
      vessel wall at the anastomosis caused neither occlusions nor aneurysms during the
      observation period.

PMID- 1411345
TI  - Silicone rubber implants for arthrosis of the scaphotrapezial joint.
AB  - Between 1980 and 1983, 10 patients received high performance silicone rubber
      condylar implants for the treatment of isolated degenerative changes of the
      scaphotrapezial joint. Early clinical and radiographic results (at a mean of 15
      months) were excellent. Late follow up of these 10 together with a further 11
      patients, however, showed migration of the implant and radiological signs of
      silicone particle synovitis in all but two. We no longer recommend this operation
      for treatment of isolated arthrosis of the scaphotrapezial joint.

PMID- 1411346
TI  - Cephalometric measurements in patients with Pierre Robin syndrome and isolated
      cleft palate.
AB  - To compare craniofacial structure and growth, two standard lateral cephalograms
      of 35 children with Pierre Robin syndrome and 30 age and sex matched children
      with isolated cleft palate were taken at two different ages. The mean (SD) age of
      the children with Pierre Robin syndrome was 9.5 (3.0) years and of the children
      with isolated cleft palate 7.1 (1.1) years at the start of the follow up period.
      The follow up time in the first group was 4.3 (1.6) and in the second group 3.8
      (2.7) years. There were no significant differences between the groups in the
      shape of the cranial base or the maxilla. The main differences were in the
      mandible, which showed more recession among those with Pierre Robin syndrome.
      There was a significant correlation between the shape of the maxilla and that of
      the mandible in that group, but not in the group with isolated cleft palate.
      During the follow up period there were no significant differences between the two
      groups in the rate of growth of the jaws. The association between the maxilla and
      the mandible (ss-n-sm) remained unchanged, or increased, or decreased with equal
      frequency in both groups. There was no catch up mandibular growth among the
      children with Pierre Robin syndrome.

PMID- 1411347
TI  - Clefts with associated anomalies and syndromes in Finland.
AB  - Probands with clefts born during an 11-year period, 1975-85, were evaluated;
      1,586 probands were found of whom 345 (171 males and 174 females, 21.8%) had an
      associated anomaly. More male patients had cleft lips, with or without cleft
      palate (CL(P)) and more female patients had cleft palates (CP). The anomalies
      were subdivided according to anatomical site, and the biggest category was that
      of the extremities (29.7%) followed by cardiovascular (14.8%) and other facial
      anomalies (13.0%). The smallest category was chromosomal anomalies (2.7%)
      followed by miscellaneous anomalies (4.1%). A total of 560 malformations were
      found. Most anomalies per proband with clefts were found in the bilateral cleft
      lip and palate subgroup (mean 1.04). The lowest (0.14) was found in the subgroup
      with the least severe cleft deformity, the cleft lip with or without cleft
      alveolus. In the CP groups a similar trend was found with 0.21 in the subgroup of
      submucous cleft palate and 0.33 for the subgroup cleft palate, submucous clefts
      excluded. A total of 133 probands with 39 different recognised syndromes was
      delineated, 25 in the CL(P) group and 108 in the CP group (8.4% of the total
      1,586 patients with clefts). There was no difference in parental age between
      probands with an associated anomaly and those with a solitary cleft. Anomalies
      were more than three times as frequent among probands with clefts as among the
      general population.

PMID- 1411348
TI  - Craniofacial development in children with unilateral clefts of the lip, alveolus,
      and palate treated according to four different regimes. III. The soft tissue
      profile at 16-18 years of age.
AB  - The soft tissue profiles of 85 16-18 year old children with unilateral clefts of
      the lip, alveolus, and palate treated according to four different regimes were
      studied using lateral skull radiographs. Regimes that included secondary bone
      grafting to the alveolus in the mixed dentition gave better convexity of the soft
      tissue profile (excluding the nose) and better soft tissue sagittal jaw
      relationships compared with treatment regimens that included primary bone
      grafting. The soft tissue profile in regimes that excluded bone grafting was
      almost as favourable as those in regimes in which bone grafting was done during
      the mixed dentition.

PMID- 1411349
TI  - Reduction mammaplasty. A comparative study of the Orlando and Robbins methods in
      292 patients.
AB  - Between January 1984 and November 1990 a total of 292 patients underwent
      reduction mammaplasty for hypertrophic breasts. Of these 233 had a superomedial
      pedicle (Orlando's method) and 36 an inferior pedicle (Robbins' method). Twenty
      three had various other operations. Those operated on by Orlando's and Robbins'
      methods were compared retrospectively, and it was found that Robbins' method was
      superior in younger women because of increased sensitivity, particularly of the
      nipple-areola complex, and better lactation. In the physician's opinion ugly
      scars developed in 32% of the patients (n = 287). In our opinion wound closure
      with a subcuticular suture might improve the quality of the scar. Of the 287
      patients assessed, 281 (98%) were satisfied with the physical, and 248 (86%) with
      the cosmetic, outcome of the operation.

PMID- 1411350
TI  - The effects of infiltration with adrenaline on blood loss during reduction
      mammaplasty.
AB  - Between March and November 1990 a prospective study of the effect of an
      infiltration of diluted adrenaline on bleeding during and after reduction
      mammaplasty was carried out in 12 consecutive patients. There was a significant
      reduction in blood loss to less than 50% of that from the non-infiltrated
      breasts. There was no signs of increased postoperative bleeding or reduced flap
      viability as a result of infiltration of adrenaline.

PMID- 1411351
TI  - The circulation in the nipple-areola complex following subcutaneous mastectomy in
      breast cancer.
AB  - To evaluate the decrease in circulation in the nipple-areola complex after
      subcutaneous mastectomy and immediate implantation of a submuscular prosthesis,
      the blood flow was studied by both fluorescein flowmetry and laser Doppler
      flowmetry in 24 patients with invasive breast cancer. In 14 patients a lazy-S
      shaped horizontal lateral incision was used, and 10 underwent a subcutaneous
      reduction mammaplasty. After subcutaneous mastectomy with a lazy-S incision there
      was no significant decrease in blood flow in the nipple-areola complex compared
      with that in the untreated contralateral breast. In the breasts in which
      reduction mammaplasty had been done, the blood flow was reduced by 74% as
      measured by fluorescein (p less than 0.01), and 70% by laser Doppler flowmetry (p
      less than 0.05), compared with the contralateral breast. Five patients had
      partial or complete epidermal, and one patient had total dermal, necrosis of the
      complex, but there was no deep necrosis. No fluorescence was seen within the
      areas in which necrosis later developed in any of these six cases. The laser
      Doppler signal in the corresponding areas, however, was not reduced. The results
      show that the circulation in the nipple-areola complex is reduced more after
      subcutaneous reduction mammaplasty than after subcutaneous mastectomy with a lazy
      S incision.

PMID- 1411352
TI  - Factors that influence the incidence of brachial oedema after treatment of breast
      cancer.
AB  - Six factors that may increase the likelihood of swelling of the arm after
      treatment of breast cancer were investigated in 136 patients who had undergone
      treatment. The highest incidence of oedema was among patients who had received
      radiotherapy in high doses with few fractions to the axilla (60%), and in
      patients with a history of one or more infections in the arm on the operated side
      (89%). Overweight, oblique surgical incision, infection in the arm, and
      radiotherapy correlated with arm swelling. The age of the patient and whether the
      operation had been done on the dominant or non-dominant side correlated less with
      the incidence of oedema.

PMID- 1411353
TI  - Comparison of self reported and observed length, width, and colour of scar
      tissue.
AB  - To evaluate the reliability of self assessment as a substitute for follow up, 30
      self reported assessments of length, width, and colour of abdominal scars were
      compared with those of clinicians. The degree of disagreement between patients
      and medical observers was not significant. We conclude that as long as
      instructions to patients are unambiguous, reliable information may be obtained by
      postal inquiry. Self reported measurements may thus replace time-consuming follow
      up visits in studies on the influence of various factors on scar tissue.

PMID- 1411354
TI  - Basal cell carcinoma in a BCG scar in a young woman. Case report.
AB  - A 31 year old woman presented with a crusting lesion on the scar of her BCG
      vaccination. Histological examination showed it to be a basal cell carcinoma,
      which only rarely arises in vaccination scars, and is particularly unusual in BCG
      vaccination scars.

PMID- 1411355
TI  - Multicystic lymphatic malformations of the penis. Report of two cases.
AB  - Two patients presented with multicystic lymphatic malformations of the penis.
      These were congenital and progressive, and both were successfully treated by
      excision after injection of methylene blue.

PMID- 1411356
TI  - Motoneuron activity and muscle fibre type composition in hemiparesis.
AB  - The firing of single motor units (MUs) in musculus tibialis anterior (TA) was
      studied during maximal voluntary effort and maximal speed of walking in 10
      patients with severe chronic hemiparesis and the findings compared to normal
      data. As shown in a previous study, the paralysed TA exhibited an increase in
      proportion of type 2 fibres as compared with normal muscle. Thus, 57% of the
      muscle fibres were type 1 and 43% type 2, while the normal percentages were 80%
      and 20% respectively. The present findings indicate that in the paralysed muscles
      a little less than half of the fibres, i.e. roughly the equivalent of the type 2
      population, was not tonically active either during sustained voluntary
      contraction or during locomotion. Normally high threshold MUs reached high rates
      during both modes of activation. The findings paralysed muscles also indicate
      that a little more than half of the fibres, i.e. roughly the equivalent of the
      type 1 population, could be brought into tonic firing during voluntary
      contraction as well as during walking. Their maximal firing rate was, however, no
      more than two thirds of that of normal low threshold MUs.

PMID- 1411357
TI  - Gait evaluation in hemiparetic patients using subcutaneous peroneal electrical
      stimulation.
AB  - In hemiparetic patients with an implantable peroneal stimulator for correction of
      drop foot the gait pattern was studied over several years. The gait parameters
      and M-waves of subcutaneously stimulated muscles were compared with the results
      obtained before implantation and their variation was observed over time. Of a
      group of 35 patients with previously implanted electrodes 19 were evaluated.
      Significant improvements of gait were found although in some cases an excessive
      eversion of the foot was observed. Nine of these patients had reimplantation
      because of displacement of the stimulation electrodes after an average time of
      3.5 years of proper functioning of the implant. After the reimplantations,
      similar gait patterns and muscular responses to stimulation were observed as
      after the initial implantation.

PMID- 1411358
TI  - Symmetry of electro- and acoustic myographic activity of the lumbar paraspinal
      muscles in normal adults.
AB  - The symmetry of paraspinal muscle activity was examined in 15 healthy adults
      (aged 31-60 years). Acoustic myography (AMG), which provides a measure of force,
      was recorded with electromyography (EMG) to assess electromechanical
      relationships during contraction. Bilateral recordings of EMG and AMG were made
      over the paraspinal muscles at the level of the 4th lumbar vertebra during a
      fatiguing test manoeuvre. Subjects were strapped to a hinged couch in the prone
      position. When the upper part of the couch was lowered, subjects maintained the
      upper body (above the anterior, superior iliac spines) unsupported, in the
      horizontal position for 60 sec. The EMG and AMG signals were full-wave rectified,
      integrated (IEMG, IAMG) and recorded on an ink-jet oscillograph during the
      fatigue test. By 60 sec of activity, IEMG had increased (right 122% +/- 8.7; left
      125% +/- 11.8; mean +/- 1 SD as a percentage of initial values) while IAMG
      (reflecting force) remained unaltered (right 99% +/- 8.2; left 100% +/- 5.3). The
      IAMG:IEMG ratio (reflecting efficiency of activation) thus declined (right 0.81
      +/- 0.08; left 0.80 +/- 0.08). The similarly of changes on both sides of the
      spine have quantified normal symmetry of paraspinal muscle activity and could be
      used to assess asymmetry in patients with spinal pathology.

PMID- 1411359
TI  - Work-related chronic neck impairment. Neck motion analysis in female traverse
      crane operators.
AB  - Twenty-one female steel industry traverse crane operators with long-term sick
      leave (3 (1-8) years) due to chronic neck disability underwent careful analysis
      of case history, physical status and electrogoniometric three-dimensional
      recordings of active neck motion. Results were compared with those from working
      female crane operators having identical work posture and tasks and, further, with
      a group of working female clerks. The sick-listed crane operators had previous
      frequent contacts with the primary health care because of complaints from the
      neck and back. In comparison with the reference groups, the sick-listed crane
      operators showed tenderness of the trapezius and levator scapulae muscles and a
      short neck stature in combination with impaired active neck motion range with
      reduced motion speed. The motion pattern was however unchanged. The findings are
      consistent with the clinical picture of chronic neck myalgia that persisted
      despite long-term absence from the previous exposure to high static work load
      upon the neck-shoulders.

PMID- 1411360
TI  - Mechanical performance, level of continuous contraction and muscle pain symptoms
      in home care personnel.
AB  - The interrelationships between reported complaints, clinical status, mechanical
      performance and EMG pattern of the shoulder flexors and the knee extensors,
      respectively, during maximum dynamic contractions were investigated. A group of
      97 randomly selected women employed in the home care service participated. Those
      who reported complaints had more clinical findings, such as reduced mobility,
      tender points and muscle tightness, than non-complainers. The level of muscle
      activity during the passive part of the contraction cycle was significantly
      higher in the shoulder flexors than in the knee extensors. Subjects without
      reported complaints who had been employed for more than ten years had a
      significantly lower activity level in the shoulder muscles than subjects without
      complaints who had been employed for a shorter time. We suggest that a high
      muscle tension level between contractions might precede muscle pain. A cluster
      analysis including sociodemographic, clinical and physiological variables
      revealed different subgroups, which points to the need to investigate the work
      situation in a multivariate way.

PMID- 1411361
TI  - Rehabilitation and Parkinson's disease.
AB  - In this study we evaluated the efficacy of physical therapy together with drug
      therapy in a group of parkinsonian patients, compared with a group of patients
      treated using drug therapy only. The physical therapy program lasted four months
      and included passive and active mobilization exercises, adopted for postural
      control and equilibrium, walking and prevention of contractures and ankylosis.
      The assessment was accomplished by means of clinical rating scales and motor
      performance tests. Patients treated by means of physiotherapy showed an
      improvement at the end of the study in both clinical scales and motor performance
      tests. This improvement was noted in both patients with less severe and more
      severe symptoms as well as in those with shorter and longer disease duration. It
      is not easy to assess the role played by physical therapy due to the difficulty
      of an objective evaluation; our results, however, show an improvement in the
      functional performance of patients and suggest the usefulness of physical therapy
      associated with drug therapy in a comprehensive treatment for Parkinson's
      disease.

PMID- 1411362
TI  - Clues to cancer etiology from studies of farmers.
AB  - This article summarizes cancer risks among farmers to clarify the magnitude of
      the problem and to suggest directions for future research. Significant excesses
      occurred for Hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma, leukemia, skin melanomas, and
      cancers of the lip, stomach, and prostate. Nonsignificant increases in risk were
      also noted for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and cancers of connective tissue and brain.
      These excesses occurred against a background of substantial deficits among
      farmers for total mortality and mortality from many specific diseases. The tumors
      vary in frequency, histology, and prognosis and do not fall into any obvious
      grouping. Two commonalities may be important. Several of the tumors excessive
      among farmers appear to be rising in the general population and are excessive
      among patients with naturally occurring or medically induced immunodeficiencies.
      Therefore epidemiologic studies on specific exposures among farmers may help
      explain the rising trend of certain cancers in developed countries and provide
      clues to mechanisms of action for environmental carcinogens.

PMID- 1411363
TI  - Cancer incidence and mortality among Swedish Baltic Sea fishermen.
AB  - A 25% lower cancer mortality was found for 1360 Swedish fishermen who fished on
      the Baltic Sea than for the general population. The fishermen consumed twice as
      much fish as the population in the same county. In spite of the low overall
      cancer mortality, increased mortality from myeloma, as well as increased
      incidences of gastric carcinoma and squamous cell cancer of the skin and lips,
      was observed in the cohort. The decrease in risk for ischemic heart disease was
      not significant. Whether the dietary intake of fatty acids and selenium from fish
      contributed to the decreased risk was difficult to evaluate. Moreover, whether
      the consumption of fish from the Baltic Sea, contaminated with, for example,
      polychlorinated dioxins and dibenzofurans and other persistent organochlorine
      substances, contributed to the observed increased specific cancer risks is not
      known. However, the net health effect of high fish consumption from the Baltic
      Sea seems to be positive.

PMID- 1411364
TI  - Occupational exposure to sulfuric acid in southern Ontario, Canada, in
      association with laryngeal cancer.
AB  - A case-referent study, designed to test associations between asbestos, nickel,
      and the development of laryngeal cancer, was conducted in southern Ontario in
      1977-1979. The cases were individually matched to neighborhood referents for
      gender and age. This constituted the primary study. Personal interviews had
      secured tobacco, alcohol, and detailed work histories. To 183 of the male pairs
      was added retrospective assessments of sulfuric acid exposure for each job, blind
      of disease status; this constituted the data base for an augmented secondary
      analysis. Logistic regression revealed statistically significant odds ratios when
      tobacco and alcohol were controlled. Exposure-response gradients were strongly
      positive with odds ratios in the range of 1.97 [95% confidence interval (95% CI)
      0.63-6.13] for short duration-low level exposure through 6.91 [95% CI 2.20-21.74]
      for long duration-higher level exposure employing progressively more specific
      definitions of exposure. Asbestos as a confounder and the interaction terms
      examined were nonsignificant. These findings are corroborative of those of other
      studies.

PMID- 1411365
TI  - Empirical assessment of the effect of different summary worklife exposure
      measures on the estimation of risk in case-referent studies of occupational
      cancer.
AB  - The effect of different summary measures of worklife exposure on the estimation
      of risk is reported. Two matched case-referent studies associating sulfuric acid
      exposure and cancer from Baton Rouge and southern Ontario were used. Five summary
      exposure measures were converted to discrete levels of exposure through the
      selection of equivalent percentile points on each measure's respective percentage
      frequency distribution for logistic regression modeling purposes. The southern
      Ontario data set exhibited only minor differences across all five exposure
      measures. The Baton Rouge data set, however, produced different results, and the
      time-dependent measures appeared to underestimate risk. It is possible,
      therefore, to obtain different estimates of risk depending on the exposure
      measure selected. It is recommended that, in the absence of proved models for
      assessing exposure, a variety of summary measures be used to estimate risk. This
      approach would facilitate the comparison of findings across studies.

PMID- 1411366
TI  - An apparently incongruous exposure-response relationship resulting from the use
      of job description to assess magnetic field exposure.
AB  - Empirical data are presented to support the observation that nondifferential
      misclassification of subjects classified according to an ordinal scale can result
      in an artifactual nonmonotonic exposure-response curve. This phenomenon can be
      interpreted erroneously as an indication that an observed relationship is not
      causal. The occupational exposure of 40 subjects to extremely low-frequency
      magnetic fields was estimated on the basis of their job description while their
      "true" exposure was determined by direct dosimetry. A "true" risk was assumed to
      exist, and estimates of risk that could be obtained through hypothetical case
      referent or cohort studies were calculated.

PMID- 1411367
TI  - Agreement on medical fitness for a job.
AB  - Five experienced occupational physicians independently reviewed the uniformly
      structured, concise records of 180 applicants who had applied for a job in one of
      three categories. All had undergone a preemployment medical examination by the
      Governmental Occupational Health and Safety Service. Agreement was assessed by
      calculating the percentage of disagreement and Cohen's kappa. Agreement between
      the five panel physicians and between the panel physicians and the Service
      appeared to be poor, with overall percentages of disagreement of 31 and 37%,
      respectively, and kappa values of 0.38 and 0.37, respectively. On the average 31%
      of the applicants judged as unfit by one physician had been assessed as fit by
      the others, whereas agreement was only marginally better when detailed medical
      criteria for fitness were available. Lack of consensus on the medical fitness of
      an applicant, as evidenced by this study, suggests that the validity of such a
      judgment may be questionable even when detailed fitness criteria are available.

PMID- 1411368
TI  - Lack of renal changes in stainless steel welders exposed to chromium and nickel.
AB  - Biochemical markers of kidney damage were examined in 52 male stainless steel
      welders (manual metal arc welding) exposed to chromium and nickel. No difference
      was found in the mean urinary excretion of total proteins, albumin, protein 1,
      transferrin, retinol-binding protein, lactate dehydrogenase, lysozyme, or beta-N
      acetylglucosaminidase in a comparison with matched referents. Beta 2
      microglobulin was slightly increased in those welders with a urinary chromium
      concentration of greater than 64.5 nmol.mmol-1 creatinine. The prevalences of
      abnormal values did not differ from those observed in the reference group. No
      correlation was found between the concentrations of chromium or nickel in urine
      and that of proteins or enzymes. No consistent or clinically significant renal
      impairment was revealed among the stainless steel welders exposed to a chromium
      air concentration slightly above the current threshold limit value of the
      American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists for water-soluble
      hexavalent chromium compounds (50 micrograms.m-3).

PMID- 1411369
TI  - Seasonal variation in neck and shoulder symptoms.
AB  - The objective of the investigation was to study the course of neck and shoulder
      symptoms and the predictors for these symptoms among women in light sedentary
      work. Postal surveys were conducted among 351 tellers (age 20-50 years) of a bank
      company in September, December, March, and May. The response rates were 74-90%.
      The outcome was the frequency of the symptoms during the previous three months.
      In the analysis, univariate explorations and random-effects logistic binomial
      regression for distinguishable responses were used. A change in the frequency of
      neck and shoulder symptoms was seen in 40.5% of the subjects during the follow-up
      period from autumn to spring. The frequency of the symptoms decreased from autumn
      and winter towards spring. The stability of the frequency of the symptoms was
      positively associated with age. Seasonal variation in symptoms should be
      considered when preventive programs against neck and shoulder disorders are
      planned and evaluated.

PMID- 1411370
TI  - Electromyographic signs of shoulder muscle fatigue in repetitive arm work paced
      by the Methods-Time Measurement system.
AB  - Surface electromyographic (EMG) recordings from the lateral and cervical portions
      of the descending trapezius muscle and from the infraspinatus muscle were
      assessed for six female subjects performing a standardized repetitive work
      simulation task for 1 h. The work pace was determined according to the Methods
      Time Measurement system to 2466 cycles.h-1. The variation in load levels were
      high and indicated dynamic muscle activity. A decrease in the EMG mean power
      frequency and an increase in the root-mean-square amplitudes, both indicating
      muscle fatigue, developed in all muscles of most of the subjects. EMG signs of
      fatigue, analyzed separately for each 5-min period, showed variable fatigue
      patterns both between muscles and between subjects. It is therefore suggested
      that dynamic work movements do not protect the muscles of the shoulder and neck
      from fatiguing processes in highly repetitive work with short cycle times.

PMID- 1411371
TI  - Screening for occupational cancer.
AB  - The main strategy for preventing occupational cancer is an environmentally based
      approach or primary prevention. However, it should be combined with screening,
      early diagnosis, and treatment. This review discusses screening for occupational
      cancer but not from the point of view of medical screening. Instead it focuses on
      asbestos exposure and asbestos-related cancer in Finland and the role screening
      plays in the current Finnish asbestos program. For example it is the feeling in
      Finland that screening is a very effective way of preventing further occupational
      exposure to asbestos and of organizing antismoking campaigns. An individually
      oriented strategy in cancer prevention should include the modification of
      exposures by behavioral change, the monitoring of early effects of exposures, and
      health examinations. The termination of exposure, antismoking campaigns, improved
      diagnostics, and careful attention to compensation issues combined with the study
      of other opportunities for prevention are seen as the key issues in screening.

PMID- 1411372
TI  - Workplace cancer prevention.
AB  - Safety and health matters should be an integral part of the decision making of
      management. Cancer prevention at the workplace requires cooperation between
      management, occupational health personnel, and workers. At the planning stage of
      a new production facility the safety and health personnel should actively
      participate and bring their experience and special knowledge to the planning
      process. The basis for cancer prevention is exact information about exposure and
      real risk levels. Modern technology can essentially minimize both exposure and
      health hazards.

PMID- 1411373
TI  - Carcinogen metabolism and individual susceptibility.
AB  - Many chemical carcinogens need activation by drug metabolizing enzymes,
      principally cytochrome P450 enzymes, to become capable of binding to
      deoxyribonucleic acid and initiating the carcinogenic process. The activity and
      inducibility of drug metabolizing enzymes are regulated by interplay between
      genetic, host, and environmental factors. Consequently, individual differences in
      cancer susceptibility might be explained somewhat by genetic differences in
      metabolic activation. Three examples, the induction of aryl hydrocarbon
      (benzo[a]pyrene) hydroxylase by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polymorphic
      debrisoquine/sparteine oxidation, and polymorphic acetylation, are briefly
      reviewed. Despite useful animal models and promising early human findings, no
      consensus has been reached about the significance of genetically based
      differences in drug metabolism in cancer etiology. It is expected that, with the
      use of molecular biological methods, the genetic background of study subjects can
      be investigated without bias caused by the disease, age, treatment, or other
      factors which have plagued investigations thus far.

PMID- 1411374
TI  - Analysis of deoxyribonucleic acid adducts in workers.
AB  - Repeated blood samples were obtained from volunteers who were occupationally
      exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a Finnish iron foundry. Aromatic
      adducts were determined in white blood cell deoxyribonucleic acid of the subjects
      with the 32P-postlabeling technique after nuclease P1 treatment and butanol
      extraction, which showed no major difference. When repeated samples were
      analyzed, it appeared that the oldest ones displayed the lowest adduct levels,
      probably due to the instability of the adducts upon storage at -20 degrees C. The
      workers tended to maintain their adducts at a uniform level, a finding suggesting
      the contribution of host factors in the control of adduct levels.

PMID- 1411375
TI  - Design strategies, results and evaluations of long-term chemical carcinogenesis
      studies.
AB  - Long-term toxicology and chemical carcinogenesis experiments typically involve
      both sexes of two species of rodents divided randomly into sets of 50-60 animals
      per control and exposure groups. Ordinarily three exposure concentrations are
      gradated down from a top level likely to show some chemically associated
      toxicity, but which should not compromise the normal well-being or growth and
      survival patterns of the animals unduly. Duration of exposure is generally two
      years. Single, intermittent, or varied exposures are used to mimic specific
      occupational or environmental situations. Exposures are started prior to
      conception, during gestation and lactation, or at specified times thereafter.
      Extensive gross observations and microscopic pathology are performed on each
      animal, and incidences of neoplastic and nonneoplastic lesions are evaluated in
      age-adjusted statistical comparisons. The collated findings are then interpreted,
      evaluated, and presented for scientific peer review in public meetings, the aim
      being to identify qualitatively those environmental and occupational exposures
      that may likely induce cancer in humans.

PMID- 1411376
TI  - Use of molecular biology techniques in cancer epidemiology.
AB  - Biochemical techniques have been applied for years in clinical medicine to
      unravel disease indicators and mechanisms. The study design, resembling that of a
      case-referent study, has been to compare diseased and healthy individuals.
      Conclusive results have been obtained for diseases in which relatively few
      factors cause high risks. The same study design has been maintained with
      sophisticated methods of molecular biology, which have revealed many types of
      deoxyribonucleic acid lesions associated with cancer. It is likely that the
      relatively simple cross-sectional and case-referent studies require input from
      epidemiologists to unravel multifactorial etiologies. Longitudinal approaches may
      be the only alternative with which to evaluate the role and usefulness of the
      application of molecular biology markers in studies of cancer.

PMID- 1411377
TI  - The molecular epidemiology of oncoproteins.
AB  - Oncogene activation, which appears to play a critical role in carcinogenesis, can
      be conveniently studied in biological samples via immunologic detection of
      oncoprotein products with monoclonal antibodies. Immunohistochemical and
      immunocytochemical detection of oncoproteins can be used to differentiate normal
      cells from cancer cells, including those of cancers of occupational concern such
      as lung, bladder, and liver. Furthermore, oncoproteins appear to reach the
      extracellular environment and are detectable with immunoblotting techniques in
      the urine and serum of cancer patients. Similar techniques applied to the
      screening of sera of occupational cohorts with carcinogen exposures indicate that
      oncoproteins can be detected in workers at increased risk of the development of
      cancer, and thus oncoprotein detection may be a useful molecular epidemiologic
      biomarker of preclinical response for the surveillance and prevention of
      occupational cancer.

PMID- 1411378
TI  - Occupational cancer and carcinogenesis.

PMID- 1411379
TI  - Exposure from occupational versus other sources.
AB  - There is an increasing need to consider the various routes of exposure to
      individuals in occupational settings, as well as the exposure of the general
      public to a broad spectrum of carcinogens. The need to consider indoor
      environments is increasingly recognized in light of the amount of time spent
      indoors by a large majority of the population and the recognition that levels of
      certain toxicants are higher indoors than outdoors. This overview highlights (i)
      a general comparison of exposure to indoor and outdoor levels of 12 volatile
      organic compounds and (ii) the exposure of workers and the general public to
      benzene, 1,3-butadiene, formaldehyde, styrene, tetrachloroethylene, phthalate
      esters, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, radon, and electromagnetic fields.

PMID- 1411380
TI  - Cancer morbidity by occupation.
AB  - Data on cancer morbidity by occupation are available from surveillance systems,
      such as linkage studies based on census data and cancer register data. These data
      serve various purposes. First, they show the social distributions of cancer
      diseases. Second, they can form the background for generating hypotheses about
      chemical carcinogens by identifying occupations at high risk of cancer. Third,
      cancer morbidity data can be used in the interpretation of results from
      hypothesis-testing studies. Fourth, the data can facilitate the identification of
      cancer risks associated with new technologies and way of life in the service
      society. Finally, the data can be considered for inference about future trends in
      cancer mortality. Data from the Danish occupational cancer study are used for
      illustration.

PMID- 1411381
TI  - Proposal for future uses in epidemiology for cohort studies on the prevention of
      work-related cancer.
AB  - A new use of the cohort method in cancer prevention is proposed involving
      individual collection of information on past exposure to dominating cancer
      determinants. It is assumed that it is possible to determine individual cancer
      risk and, subsequently, to estimate the individual risks of cause-specific
      cancers on the basis of accurate individual data on exposure to cancer
      determinants. Individuals at given risk levels should subsequently be assigned to
      defined risk categories to establish groups designed for risk-determined
      screening programs and risk-determined information intervention. As increased
      risk to work-related cancer is generally more strongly related to past than to
      current exposure, a large proportion of those who are at high risk are no longer
      employed and thus not in reach of occupational health physicians. Therefore, risk
      determined intervention should be integrated into the daily work routines of both
      occupational health physicians and primary care physicians.

PMID- 1411382
TI  - Identification of carcinogens within the IARC monograph program.
AB  - Fewer than 50 chemicals, groups of chemicals, or mixtures have been causally
      linked with cancer in humans. Some 250 chemicals have, however, been found to be
      carcinogenic to rodents. Carcinogenic risk factors that have been identified for
      humans occur in clearly quantifiable exposure situations, but epidemiologic
      information on cancer in humans is missing or inadequate for the great majority
      of chemicals. Extrapolation of animal data to humans is complicated because long
      term carcinogenicity studies on animals are carried out under simplified
      conditions, whereas humans are exposed to a multitude of exogenous and endogenous
      agents. Furthermore, the carcinogenic process includes multistage and
      multifactorial aspects, and human populations are genetically and physiologically
      heterogeneous. Although the science of carcinogenesis is making rapid progress in
      terms of understanding some of these processes and interactions, there is still a
      need to err on the side of safety and accept animal data as a warning signal for
      possible human effects.

PMID- 1411383
TI  - A historical perspective on the classification developed and used for chemical
      carcinogens by the National Toxicology Program during 1983-1992.
AB  - To evaluate, interpret, and better communicate the data and findings from long
      term chemical carcinogenesis studies on laboratory animals, the National
      Toxicology Program began using five categories or levels of evidence of
      carcinogenicity in 1983 (clear, some, equivocal, and no evidence and inadequate
      experiment). Through July 1991 these defined terms had been used to describe 144
      chemical carcinogenesis studies comprising 530 sex-species experiments. Together
      with a selected descriptor of the chemically associated level of evidence for
      each experimental unit (male rats, female rats, male mice, female mice), mention
      is made of the length of the experiment, route of exposure, and the particular
      tumor type or types for each organ or system affected. The scientific judgements
      are comprised of this relevant information to inform the readers and users of
      these evaluations. In this paper the background rationale for the development and
      proper use of these categories of evidence of carcinogenicity are detailed,
      together with some personal reflections.

PMID- 1411384
TI  - Perspective and overview of the concepts and value of hazard identification as
      the initial phase of risk assessment for cancer and human health.
AB  - The identification of potential human health hazards stems from the obvious need
      to prevent, avoid, reduce, and eliminate exposure to hazardous agents, mixtures
      of agents, or exposure circumstances. The first step in the risk assessment
      process centers on determining if a hazard exists. The following strategies are
      used for this purpose: (i) epidemiologic investigations, (ii) long-term chemical
      toxicology and carcinogenesis studies on laboratory animals, (ii) shorter-term in
      vivo and in vitro assays, and (iv) physicochemical structure-activity
      relationships. Indicator 1 is the most relevant and reliable if adequate data are
      available; indicator 2 is the most valid and useful alternative for human
      experience; indicator 3 allows certain toxicologic end points to be identified,
      but generally needs confirmatory and supportive information; and indicator 4 has
      made gains in the area of predictivity. The advantages and limitations of each
      are given. The magnitude of the overall cancer hazard identification effort and a
      likelihood number of eventual chemical carcinogens have also been estimated.

PMID- 1411385
TI  - Quantitative assessment of human cancer risk.
AB  - Because exposure to carcinogens cannot be eliminated, it has become important to
      define exposure levels which are acceptable to society or are irreducible.
      Quantitative assessment of cancer risk is part of this process. This paper
      presents a definition of risk and discusses the role of epidemiologic observation
      in the quantitative assessment of cancer risk, the estimation of risk from
      epidemiologic data, and the role of animal cancer bioassays in the quantitative
      assessment of cancer risk. It is emphasized that quantitative risk assessment is
      inevitably based on multiple assumptions. Where possible, the magnitude of errors
      associated with these assumptions should be stated, even to the extent of an
      acknowledgment of complete ignorance.

PMID- 1411386
TI  - Technological changes in cancer prevention.
AB  - Exposures and technologies in the workplace are changing due to a variety of
      factors, including newly developed technologies, mechanization and automation,
      and improvements in industrial hygiene primarily effected in many developed
      countries. In addition substitution and removal of carcinogenic constituents in
      the workplace and general environment are increasing in a number of instances,
      particularly in North America, Western Europe, and Japan, and they are being
      accompanied as well by remediation either by source reduction, recycling, or
      compliance to more stringent national and international regulations and
      standards. This overview highlights some of the strategies employed in the
      technological changes in cancer prevention and cites examples in source
      reduction, changes in formulation, product or process changes, recycling, and
      hazardous materials management.

PMID- 1411387
TI  - [Treatment of movement disorders using botulinum toxin].
AB  - Intramuscular injections of botulinum toxin (Botox) are followed by a dose
      dependent focal paresis which can be used to treat several focal movement
      disorders. Botox injections are recommended as effective for the treatment of
      blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm, and cervical dystonia (torticollis). Focal
      dystonias elsewhere (for example, writer's cramp) can often be treated with
      similar success. Others, such as oromandibular dystonia, are more difficult to
      treat. In the case of more generalized dystonias, some focal muscle spasms can be
      treated with success by local intramuscular injections. New indications are still
      being investigated, for example in focal tremors and spasticity. Side effects are
      in general slight and disappear at the end of toxin effect. In general, it is
      necessary to repeat the injections after a couple of months, due to a cessation
      of effect after regrowth of nerve terminals. New injections have similar effects
      even over years of treatment.

PMID- 1411388
TI  - [Diagnostic value of ambulatory daily blood pressure profile: comparison with
      measurements performed by a laboratory technician].
AB  - Office blood pressure measured by a physician is often higher than under the
      usual ambulatory conditions. Therefore, alternative methods such as self
      assessment of blood pressure and ambulatory blood pressure measurements are
      increasingly promoted. The purposes of this study, covering 613 referred
      patients, were (1) compare office blood pressure with continuous ambulatory blood
      pressure measurements, (2) compare office blood pressure with blood pressure
      values recorded by a trained technician in the absence of a physician and (3)
      analyze the interpretation of the blood pressure profiles by the referring
      physicians. Office blood pressure exceeded average ambulatory blood pressure in
      94% of the patients and also the blood pressure values recorded by a technician
      in 88%. According to the office blood pressure there were 523 patients with
      elevated blood pressure, 20 with isolated increased systolic blood pressure and
      70 with normal blood pressure. Office blood pressure was higher (systolic +17 +/-
      18 and diastolic +9 +/- 12 mm Hg, p less than 0.0001) than the average value of
      the ambulatory blood pressure profile, whereas the latter did not differ
      significantly from blood pressure values measured by the technician (systolic -1
      +/- 12 and diastolic -2 +/- 9 mm Hg). 190 of the 523 (36%) patients had white
      coat hypertension according to the ambulatory blood pressure measurements.
      Conventional blood pressure measurements by the technician yielded a high
      sensitivity (84%) and specificity (87%) for distinguishing white coat
      hypertension. Analysis of the questionnaires showed that opinions about normal
      limits of ambulatory blood pressure vary considerably.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1411390
TI  - [Acute alveolitis due to mesalazine].
AB  - A 66-year-old male developed lymphocytic alveolitis with bronchiolitis after 3
      month's treatment with mesalazin for ulcerative colitis. The patient's symptoms
      disappeared after halting mesalazin and increasing the steroid dose, the reduced
      diffusing capacity ameliorated and the thoracic X-ray normalized. The question
      whether this was a case of pulmonary involvement in inflammatory bowel disease or
      a drug side effect.

PMID- 1411389
TI  - [Cost-benefit analysis of a new treatment concept in patients with indwelling
      catheters].
AB  - An earlier and a new treatment concept for patients equipped with long-term
      indwelling bladder catheters were compared with regard to cost, expenditure of
      time, and equipment in a retrospective study involving 58 patients treated by the
      earlier concept and 60 treated by the new one. The new concept dispensed with the
      need for bladder irrigation and routine replacement of the indwelling catheters.
      Under the earlier concept, 18 indwelling catheter replacements and 53 bladder
      irrigations were required per patient and year during the years 1979/80. This
      compares with 6 indwelling catheter replacements and 0.05 bladder irrigations per
      patient and year for the years 1989/90 under the new concept. The use of
      analgesics and spasmolytics fell from 55 to 21 units per patient per year.
      Significantly fewer urinalyses were performed during 1989/90. The use of
      antibiotics remained unchanged. When compared with the earlier one, the new
      concept for the management of patients with indwelling catheters provides savings
      of 1265 minutes (21 hours) of nursing time and sFr. 405 for equipment per patient
      per year. Applied to our geriatric hospital (120 beds, 80 nursing staff), this
      translates into annual savings of one full nursing post and sFr. 34,000 for
      equipment.

PMID- 1411392
TI  - [Respiratory rehabilitation].
AB  - Pulmonary rehabilitation is directed at all patients with severe chronic
      respiratory insufficiency of any origin. Patients with chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease clearly represent the majority. In a pulmonary rehabilitation
      programme, the patient must gain a better understanding of his disease and of the
      goals of the treatment. He benefits from permanent teaching on methods of
      independent self-treatment and follows a regular programme of exercise training
      and nutritional support aimed at increasing effort capacity. The ultimate goal of
      the programme is to send the patient home with improved quality of life and a
      higher degree of independence.

PMID- 1411391
TI  - [Leiomyosarcoma of the breast 16 years following successful treatment of a
      rhabdomyosarcoma of the orbit in childhood].
AB  - A case of a mammary leiomyosarcoma in a 23-year-old woman is presented. The tumor
      appeared 16 years after successful treatment of an embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of
      the orbit. Rhabdomyosarcomas are the most frequent soft tissue tumors of
      childhood, the orbit and the paratesticular region being the most common primary
      site for this tumor. In contrast, leiomyosarcomas other than those evolving from
      the viscera or the urogenital organs are rare neoplasms at any age. With the
      improvement of cancer treatment and survival rates, the risk of late effects
      after successful treatment for malignant tumors during childhood is increasing.
      Growth, development and fertility may be impaired and cosmetically disturbing
      facial and dental complications are common. Development of novel primary tumors
      is a known further consequence of successful treatment of brain tumors,
      retinoblastoma and acute leukemias. This is the case when high dose local
      radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy, especially alkylating agents, were used.
      Development of novel primary tumors is also known after treatment of childhood
      rhabdomyosarcomas. This report is intended to show that a second primary tumor
      may occur many years after a first successfully treated malignant neoplasm, and
      that young people are at risk for development of tumors at sites that are
      uncommon to this age group.

PMID- 1411393
TI  - [Staging and prognosis of colorectal carcinoma].
AB  - Three different systems in staging colorectal cancer (TNM3, ACPS, TNM4/Dukes)
      have been compared in 318 patients treated at some stage of their disease at
      Berne University Hospital. Simultaneously, the role of some prognostic factors
      for survival and relapse has been analyzed. The estimated 5 years' survival rate
      for all patients is 42%. After complete removal of the tumor 49% of patients
      relapsed. In a multivariate analysis the stage, age above 80 years and the site
      of the primary tumor have an influence on survival and relapse. Blood
      transfusions had no effect on either in this analysis. The concordance of the
      three staging systems is good and the resultant survival curves are similar. TNM3
      puts some patients with a bad prognosis into stage I. ACPS classifies patients
      with residual tumor after surgery with patients with distal metastasis. It has no
      further advantages over TNM4. TNM4 seems at present to be the best staging
      system. It incorporates the advantages of the well-known Dukes classification
      and, with possible refinements, has the qualities to be used as a standard
      method.

PMID- 1411394
TI  - [Pulmonary changes in ulcerative colitis].
AB  - We report on a 54-year-old patient who developed symptoms of bronchitis 3 months
      after colectomy for ulcerative colitis. Bronchiectases were documented by high
      resolution computer lung scan. Several cases of ulcerative colitis associated
      with alterations of the airways, of the pulmonary parenchyma, of the lung vessels
      and of the pleura have been published. Symptoms of bronchitis, often on the basis
      of bronchiectases, are the most commonly observed pulmonary problems in this
      inflammatory bowel disease. Furthermore, abnormal pulmonary functions have been
      found even in asymptomatic patients. Our patient was treated with oral and
      topical corticosteroids. The symptoms disappeared and pulmonary function returned
      to normal.

PMID- 1411395
TI  - [Improved glucose regulation and microalbuminuria/proteinuria in diabetic
      patients treated with ACE inhibitors. A meta-analysis of published studies of
      1985-1990].
AB  - In patients with diabetes mellitus, metabolic control, hypertension and kidney
      function are important prognostic factors. In this respect ACE inhibitors
      exhibit, according to previous publications, a potentially beneficial effect on
      diabetic patients. To further clarify this effect of ACE inhibitors, a meta
      analysis of 21 studies of type I and II diabetics under therapy with ACE
      inhibitors was performed. Altogether 325 cases were analyzed. The duration of
      diabetes varied between 2.5 and 22 years. Therapy with ACE inhibitors under long
      term treatment (up to 12 months) reduced diastolic blood pressure (-25%) and,
      both for type I and II diabetics, fasting blood sugar (-14%) and HbA1 (-9%).
      Microalbuminuria/proteinuria was reduced by 33% under short-term treatment with
      ACE inhibitors (up to 3 months) and by 66% under long-term treatment. Analysis of
      the subgroups with microalbuminuria (30-300 mg/day, n = 48) or clinical
      proteinuria (greater than 300-1500 mg/day, n = 9) showed similar results. The
      outcome of this meta-analysis shows that the treatment of diabetic patients with
      ACE inhibitors not only effectively reduces high blood pressure but also reduces
      microalbuminuria/proteinuria and, in addition, exhibits an anti-hyperglycemic
      effect by improving blood sugar levels.

PMID- 1411396
TI  - [Current aspects in the diagnosis and therapy of narcolepsy].
AB  - Narcolepsy is a potentially invalidating disorder of the sleep and wakefulness
      structure, characterized by attacks of sleepiness, cataplexy, hypnagogic
      hallucinations, sleep paralysis and disturbed night sleep. The diagnosis is
      mainly based on the history. Additional sophisticated examinations, such as
      nocturnal polysomnography, are primarily indicated to rule out other causes of
      excessive daytime somnolence. The recently detected high correlation between a
      certain HLA status and cataplexy has led to new pathogenetic concepts. The
      primary aim of the therapy is to keep the patient at work rather than attempting
      a symptom free state. Measures to organize his day with planned naps should
      precede the use of medication. Besides stimulants against daytime somnolence and
      tricyclic antidepressants to suppress cataplectic attacks, some new drugs have
      been administered successfully against the various symptoms of narcolepsy in
      recent years.

PMID- 1411397
TI  - [Measurement of pulmonary artery occlusion (wedge) pressure using the Swan-Ganz
      catheter: various pitfalls].
AB  - The Swan Ganz pulmonary artery catheter is widely used in the intensive care
      unit. It allows the determination of important hemodynamic parameters. Among
      these, pulmonary artery occlusion pressure ("wedge" pressure) is often considered
      to reflect accurately left ventricular preload and pulmonary capillary
      hydrostatic pressure. However, many interferences may render data interpretation
      difficult, especially in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. This article
      reviews some of these pitfalls.

PMID- 1411398
TI  - [Eosinophilic colitis--an unusual cause of acute abdomen. Case report and
      literature review].
AB  - Eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) is an etiologically obscure and rare
      inflammation which can affect all sections of the gastrointestinal tract from
      esophagus to rectum in a diffuse or segmentary manner. An infiltrate of
      eosinophilic granulocytes is found to varying degrees in all wall layers. The
      clinical symptoms depend on the site and extent of organ involvement. Diagnosis
      can only be established histologically. Peripheral eosinophilia is inconsistent
      and not diagnostic. ESR, leukocyte count, serum IgE, and RAST tests in foodstuffs
      may be normal or elevated. Two women patients are described with tumorous
      eosinophilic colitis of the cecum and colon ascendens, who underwent surgery for
      clinical acute abdomen. A further woman patient was hospitalized with bloody
      diarrhea and marked eosinophilia in the blood findings. Eosinophilic colitis was
      likewise found histologically in the mucosa which appeared with reddened patches
      in sigmoidoscopy. Eosinophilic colitis associated with eosinophilic
      gastroenteritis is rather rare and may therefore be overlooked. Our literature
      review contains only 64 such cases, in only 6 of which was the tumorous form
      found. Counting our own patients as well, eosinophilic colitis occurs somewhat
      more frequently in women (27 = 56%) than in men (21 = 44%). The clinical
      symptoms, possible causes and therapeutic approaches are discussed in the light
      of the literature.

PMID- 1411399
TI  - [Spontaneous reporting system for the assessment of new, unknown and rare
      undesirable effects of drugs].
AB  - The Swiss Drug Monitoring Center SANZ operates the spontaneous reporting system
      in Switzerland. Spontaneous reporting schemes represent the systematic approach
      to the collection of individual case reports on suspected adverse drug reactions
      (ADR). ADR spontaneous reporting systems are an important component of the
      postmarketing surveillance of drugs. Spontaneous reporting systems are primarily
      designed to detect new and unexpected ADR; they generate signals about possible
      ADR and create hypotheses to be tested in pharmaco-epidemiological studies.
      Besides collecting, analyzing and evaluating single case reports it is important
      to extract those cases from the data pool which can be used to produce signals. A
      computer-assisted early warning system enables SANZ to detect cases with signal
      function and thus to track down new, rare and unexpected ADR. Carefully selected
      parameters can help to identify important new hazards. However, the detection of
      new and unexpected ADR depends to a large extent on the minds of alert physicians
      and the practicing clinician's awareness of and cooperation with ADR reporting.

PMID- 1411400
TI  - [Decrease in general health status, febrile state and sinusitis in renal
      insufficiency].
AB  - A 59-year old man, dialysed for 9 years because of chronic renal failure of
      unknown etiology, was also suffering from a hypertensive cardiopathy and anemia.
      He has received more than 70 units of blood over the past few years. An elevated
      blood aluminium level prompted treatment with desferrioxamine for 3 years.
      Following episodes of melena, an intestinal-wall lesion, located 8 cm above the
      ileo-caecal valve was discovered. Blood serotonin levels were elevated; biopsy of
      the liver revealed tumor cells with round-shaped nuclei which stained positive
      for synaptophysin, findings compatible with a carcinoid tumor or a pancreatic
      islet-cells tumor. Considering the whole clinical situation, aggressive
      diagnostic of therapeutic measures were not pursued any further. The patient lost
      8 kg over the next few months and was finally hospitalised with fever. Physical
      examination revealed ascites, edema and a gingival abscess which was drained.
      Blood cultures grew Klebsiella pneumoniae. Antibiotics were prescribed. A month
      later the patient complained again of fever accompanied by myalgias, edema and
      pain of the eyelids, mainly on the right side, pain in the maxillary area and on
      right eye motion. ENT examination revealed a necrotic lesion of the right middle
      turbinate which on histology was diagnosed as acute purulent rhinitis without
      granuloma or vasculitis. A CT-scan demonstrated mucosal thickening of the left
      sphenoidal, ethmoidal, frontal and maxillary sinuses without any osteolytic
      lesions. The patient suffered a sudden right eye blindness with signs of retinal
      ischemia accompanied by an elevated sedimentation rate of 130 mm. Steroid
      treatment for suspicion of a temporal arteritis was introduced. 2 days later the
      patient was rehospitalized in a semi-comatose condition. No new information was
      gained from the usual laboratory investigations and the physical examination was
      comparable to the previous hospital stay. Blood cultures remained sterile. He
      died a few hours later. DISCUSSION: The discussant, A. de Torrente MD, accepts
      the diagnosis of a hypertensive cardiopathy, renal failure of unknown origin and
      a carcinoid of the terminal ileum with hepatic metastases. The role of iron
      overload as a contributory factor for the cardiac disease is discussed. More
      problematic are the manifestations of the terminal disease with involvement of
      the sinuses, the eyes and the mouth. The "lethal midline granuloma" (a syndrome
      and not a disease entity) covers many different diseases which can be considered
      in this case: Wegener's granuloma, various lymphomas, parasitic, bacteria- and
      fungus-induced diseases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1411401
TI  - [The status of surgery in 1992 or: what is the future of visceral surgery?].

PMID- 1411402
TI  - [Hepatitis and HIV infection in users of illegal drugs].
AB  - The prevalence of markers for ongoing or past infections with the hepatitis
      viruses A (HAV), B (HBV), D (HDV) and C (HCV) and with HIV are analyzed in i.v.
      drug users. The relevant serological parameters were measured in 1989, 1990 and
      1991 in 220 to 380 sera each of drug users who frequented the open drugscene
      "Platzspitz" in a recreational area in the center of Zurich. The prevalence of
      viral markers for ongoing and past infections was many times higher in drug users
      than in the Swiss population. Over the three years the prevalence of HAV-markers
      rose from 50% to 72%, remained stable for HBV (52%, 57%, 58%) and most probably
      also for HCV. It slightly declined for HIV from 21% to 18% in one series and from
      17% to 2% in another series. 10-34% of all individuals tested showed signs of at
      least one ongoing infection. Combined infections were frequently observed. The
      prevalence of viral markers was significantly dependent on the duration of drug
      use and if needle-sharing was practiced or not. Our data were analyzed in the
      context of the official notifications of these viral infections and related
      disorders to the Swiss Health Ministry. The risk of infections with the viruses
      analyzed here is 100-200 times higher in drug addicts than in the Swiss
      population. Drug users account for 42 to 52% of all infections (and clinical
      sequelae) notified in Switzerland. In the light of the fact that drug users also
      represent a potential source of spread of these viruses into the general
      population, the prevention effort in drug users should have first priority.

PMID- 1411404
TI  - [Patients returning after transplantation].
AB  - Numerous reports have dealt with patient survival and prognostic factors after
      renal replacement therapy. However, few data exist for patients after a failed
      renal transplant and who start dialysis again. With this purpose, we
      retrospectively studied 36 patients who returned to dialysis after a mean
      transplantation time of 42.8 +/- 7.8 months. Actuarial patient survival on
      dialysis after the failed renal transplant (D2) was 78%, 74%, 69% and 41% at 1,
      2, 3 and 5 years after restarting dialysis respectively. In comparison, survival
      of patients who started dialysis without a previous history of a renal transplant
      showed rates of 91%, 85%, 79% and 64% at 1, 2, 3 and 5 years respectively. The
      difference was statistically significant only at one year after beginning
      dialysis therapy (78% vs. 91%, p < 0.025). There were no differences in plasma
      urea concentration by the time of starting both first (D1) and second (D2)
      dialysis treatments (37.4 +/- 1.9 and 38.8 +/- 2.9 mmol/L respectively). Instead,
      a statistically significant difference was found between corresponding serum
      creatinine values (1100.1 +/- 47.1 and 856.9 +/- 50.0 mumol/L respectively, p <
      0.05). When actuarial survival and serum creatinine values at the start of D2
      were analyzed, there was a statistically better survival at 1 year for patients
      with serum creatinine values under 900 mumol/L, as compared with those above 900
      mumol/L (85% vs. 52%, p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411403
TI  - [Comparison of the efficacy of omeprazole/bismuth subcitrate or triple therapy in
      Helicobacter pylori gastritis. A prospective controlled study].
AB  - In a controlled, prospective, randomized trial, 10 patients with Helicobacter
      pylori positive gastritis were treated either with triple therapy (tetracycline,
      ornidazole, bismuth subcitrate; T, Or, CBS), or omeprazole/CBS (O/CBS) to test
      the eradication rate of each treatment, its effect on gastritis and meal
      stimulated gastrin release. METHOD: 6 patients were treated with triple therapy
      and 4 patients with O/CBS for 2 weeks. Initially, and 0.5, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months
      after therapy, patients were investigated by a highly specific, quantitative
      Helicobacter serology, 13C-urea breath test and measurement of meal-stimulated
      gastrin release. After 3 and 12 months antral biopsies were taken endoscopically
      for rapid urease testing and culture. Activity of histological gastritis was
      graded. RESULTS: Eradication for at least 12 months was achieved in 5 out of 6
      patients with triple therapy. Serology normalized and gastritis activity
      improved. In all patients treated with O/CBS, HP was suppressed only temporarily.
      No eradication was achieved. Urease testing and histology proved to be reliable
      tests for detecting HP. Culturing of HP was successful in only 66% due to
      technical problems. The 13C-urea breath test was correct in all cases. The
      initially, increased meal-stimulated gastrin release was normalized after
      eradication of HP. CONCLUSION: (1) Triple therapy is also successful in short
      term treatment in up to 80% of patients with HP gastritis and improves gastritis
      activity. (2) The combination O/CBS failed to eradicate HP in all treated
      patients. (3) The 13C-urea breath test and HP serology are reliable non-invasive
      parameters during follow-up. (4) Normalization of meal stimulated gastrin release
      after eradication of HP supports the hypothesis that HP induces increased gastrin
      release and hyperacidity.

PMID- 1411405
TI  - [Polymyositis: disease course and therapy with intravenously administered
      immunoglobulins].
AB  - Corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents are standard treatment for
      polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) respectively. Recent reports have
      emphasized a potentially successful regimen with intravenous immune
      gammaglobulins (IVIG). The short term success of this treatment in a personally
      observed case is described. IVIG treatment resulted in normalization of the serum
      concentrations of the muscle enzymes after continued inflammatory activity under
      treatment with azathioprine, cyclophosphamide and methotrexate in combination
      with corticosteroids. The improvement of PM by IVIG was further documented by an
      increase in muscle strength of up to 367% of the initial value and a regression
      of the myositic changes in the muscles of the thighs as evidenced by magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI). The therapeutic response was paralleled by reversal of
      peripheral lymphopenia. Experience with IVIG treatment in PM/DM is reviewed and
      the potential role of this regimen in the management of PM/DM is discussed.

PMID- 1411406
TI  - [Risk assessment in professional drivers with coronary heart disease: experiences
      with the evaluation program for locomotive drivers by the Swiss Federal Railroad
      1986-1991].
AB  - BACKGROUND: For operational reasons in 1985 the question arose for the Swiss
      Federal Railways (SBB) whether engine-drivers (ED) with coronary heart disease
      (CHD) could be licensed for unaccompanied driving on certain well-defined
      premises. Until that year, such ED were allowed to drive only when accompanied by
      an apprentice ED. No generally accepted directives have operated in Switzerland
      for licensing ED or other professional drivers with CHD. METHODS: Based on data
      in the recent literature and assuming an acceptable mortality risk of about 0.75%
      per year, admission criteria were devised for licensing of ED with CHD for
      unaccompanied driving. Since 1986 every ED with CHD has been investigated
      according to these criteria by the medical service of the SBB in close
      cooperation with free practising and clinical cardiologists, and classified for
      driving alone, driving with accompaniment or as unfit to drive. ED who were fit
      to drive (either alone or accompanied) have checkups at least every three months
      by their family doctor and yearly by the medical service of the SBB and by a
      cardiologist for early recognition of any deterioration of their individual risk.
      RESULTS: From 1986-1991 a total of 114 ED were enrolled in the investigation
      program, 80 of whom proved to have CHD. 30 out of these 80 ED (37%) were cleared
      to drive alone at least for several months, 36 were licensed to drive with
      accompaniment for cardiac and non-cardiac reasons, and 14 were classified as
      unfit to drive. Among the ED driving without accompaniment, there was one death
      from heart failure during a total observation period of about 90 person-years, in
      an ED who had previously been re-classified for accompanied driving. One ED of
      the accompanied driving group died while on duty but not while driving. The
      annual incidence of new non-fatal CHD (non-fatal infarction, angina pectoris, ECG
      abnormality of proved coronary origin) was 0.25% in 1987 through 1991, for non
      fatal infarction alone 0.14%. CONCLUSIONS: Our relatively restrictive licensing
      procedure served to identify an acceptable number of ED with CHD who could resume
      unrestricted work without compromising public safety in the short run. Framing of
      similar criteria for public service vehicle drivers is advocated.

PMID- 1411407
TI  - [Arterial blood pressure measurement--which cuff?].
AB  - In order to evaluate the influence of cuff size on blood pressure (BP)
      measurement, we compared values obtained with a standard cuff of 12 x 23 cm with
      those obtained with a large cuff of 15 x 28 cm in a group of 554 consecutive
      outpatients. Higher values were obtained with the standard cuff
      (systolic/diastolic 133.9 +/- 22/80.5 +/- 12 mm Hg) compared to the large cuff
      (128 +/- 21/76.5 +/- 11.6 mmHg (m +/- SD). This difference reached an average of
      10/7 mm Hg for the large arm circumferences (AC) and for high blood pressure
      values. With the standard cuff, hypertensive values were found twice as often as
      with the large cuff. Thus the choice of a cuff adapted to AC is of great
      importance in identifying and treating hypertensive patients. In 77 subjects with
      a range of AC from 16 to 48 cm, the values measured with the standard and the
      large cuffs were then compared to those obtained with a reference triple cuff
      fitting to AC of 8.5 x 26-12 x 36-15 x 46 cm. The measurement of BP was most
      accurate when the ratio between cuff breadth and AC was between 0.42 and 0.44.
      The error increased by 0.6-0.7% per centimeter of AC above and below this ratio
      for the short inflatable bladders (twice as long as broad) of the standard and
      large cuffs. However, the use of long bladders (3 times as long as broad)
      combined with the triple cuff appreciably decreased this error.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411408
TI  - [Monotherapy with the ACE-inhibitor ramipril or the calcium antagonist
      nitrendipine in essential hypertension].
AB  - Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and calcium antagonists have, by
      reason of their potentially favourable pharmacological profile, become
      increasingly established in the treatment of hypertension in recent years. In a
      double-blind randomized study with an initial placebo phase, carried out by
      practising physicians and thus aimed at the "usual" practice patients with
      essential hypertension, we assessed (1) the antihypertensive effect and
      tolerability of an ACE inhibitor (ramipril, 5 mg/d) or a calcium antagonist
      (nitrendipine, 20 mg/d) given in a single daily dose, and (2) a possible age
      dependent blood pressure (BP) effect of these therapies. In the 4 weeks' placebo
      phase, the two treatment groups were comparable as regards average age (49.6 and
      49.4 years), age-range (27-67 and 25-64 years) and BP. Fifty-two patients
      completed the following 6 weeks' phase with active drug therapy. On ramipril (n =
      26), the BP measured 24-25 hours after the last drug administration was reduced
      in the supine position from an average of 155/102 to 142/91 mmHg (mean reduction 
      10.1%) and in the upright position from 156/106 to 141/96 mmHg (-9.3%).
      Nitrendipine (n = 26) reduced the average BP from 155/102 to 147/94 mmHg (-6.8%)
      and from 155/106 to 146/99 mmHg (-6.6%) respectively. BP-lowering effects of both
      treatments were largely independent of age. Including the patients who
      discontinued the study prematurely because of side effects (1 on ramipril, 4 on
      nitrendipine), the "intention to treat analysis" shows BP normalization rates
      (diastolic < or = 90 mm Hg) of 55% (ramipril) and 30% (nitrendipine)
      respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411409
TI  - [In-vitro fertilization--progress in a method of sterility treatment].
AB  - The first IVF-baby (in-vitro fertilization) was born in England in 1978 and was
      greeted enthusiastically. But, despite the enormous effort invested, pregnancy
      rates were disappointingly low. Although in recent years the clinical pregnancy
      rate has increased worldwide to 15-20% per retrieval, a vast number of people
      remained unaware of this improvement. To demonstrate and analyze the progress of
      IVF we evaluated all 196 IVF treatments effected from 1988-1991 at Zurich
      University Hospital. With an initial clinical pregnancy rate of only 6% per
      retrieval in 1988, the rate improved to 35% (p < 0.025) in 1991. The crucial
      factors relating to this improvement were the 1990 introduction of the programmed
      short-term protocol for ovarian stimulation and reevaluation of the previously
      used embryo freezing technique. CONCLUSION: After a difficult start, IVF has
      become, if accurately indicated, a method of sterility treatment with a realistic
      pregnancy and delivery prospect.

PMID- 1411410
TI  - [Pericardial effusion in patients with malignant neoplasms].
AB  - Pericardial effusions are often present in patients suffering from tumoral
      diseases, especially lung and breast cancers. Between September 1984 and February
      1991 we observed 21 patients with "malignant pericarditis", of whom 57% had
      carcinoma of the bronchus and 33% a carcinoma of the breast. The symptoms most
      frequently seen were dyspnea (in 76% of the patients) and tachycardia (67%),
      accompanied by enlargement of the heart on chest radiograph. The effusions were
      bloody in all the patients, and the pericardial fluid cytology was positive in 9
      of 10 of the lung cancer patients. 16 patients were treated by pericardiocentesis
      and in 10 of these thiotepa and hydrocortisone were instilled intrapericardially.
      In this manner it was possible to avoid recurrences of major effusion. The
      survival of the patients who received the intrapericardial instillation seems to
      be longer than that of the remaining patients.

PMID- 1411411
TI  - [Prevalence of anti-HCV (C100-3) antibodies in 20.373 blood donors].
AB  - The anti-HCV antibody (C100-3) is present in the serum of 70-90% of patients that
      are carriers of posttransfusion non-A non-B hepatitis. This marker appears to be
      associated with a viral replication and infectiousness state. Since 1st August
      1990 the Swiss Red Cross Transfusion Service has operated a systematic search for
      anti-HCV antibodies for every blood donation. The aim of the study was to
      establish the prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in a donor population, look for
      the risk factors in the anti-HCV positive group, look for biological symptoms and
      signs of chronic hepatitis, and compare the data with that from an anti-HCV
      negative control group. From August to March 1991, 20,373 donors were tested by
      EIA (Ortho). The presence of anti-HCV antibody was confirmed by a neutralization
      test (Abbott). The donors in which both tests were positive formed the group
      studied (55 subjects). Their data was compared with that of a control group of
      anti-HCV negative donors. The prevalence of anti-HCV antibody in the group of
      20,373 donors was 0.29%. Possible parenteral exposure to hepatitis C virus was
      found in 47% of anti-HCV positive subjects (30% blood transfusion, 9% i.v. drug
      addiction, 8% tattooing). 42% of the anti-HCV positive donors had no risk factor
      presently known for hepatitis C. 27% of anti-HCV positive donors had elevated
      transaminase levels. Until more effective screening tests are introduced it
      appears necessary to stress the previous history of future blood donors in order
      to search for hepatitis C risk factors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411412
TI  - [Pertussis in clinical practice--critical evaluation of diagnosis and
      epidemiology].
AB  - In the Swiss Sentinel System pertussis is reported according to a clinical case
      definition. In our Sentinel practice, we have investigated in detail nine
      patients fulfilling these criteria. Seven of the nine patients have previously
      been vaccinated with whole cell vaccine. The clinical diagnosis could be
      confirmed in three cases by the detection of elevated serum IgA to filamentous
      hemagglutinin (FHA), and in one infant based on the peripheral blood
      lymphocytosis and the detection of pertussis in other family members. The likely
      diagnosis in another brother and sister pair was a parainfluenza virus infection,
      possibly with concomitant pertussis. Two sisters probably had a mycoplasmal
      infection, which in one was accompanied by pertussis. In two patients an
      infectious etiology could not be determined. The laboratory tests which have been
      used in these cases are discussed. The occurrence of pertussis in previously
      vaccinated adolescents and adults has been recognized worldwide and is of
      epidemiological concern in view of current vaccination policies. The Swiss
      Sentinel System could play an important role in the surveillance of pertussis in
      Switzerland.

PMID- 1411413
TI  - [Cardiovascular effects of everyday coffee consumption].
AB  - Whereas the earlier literature contains several studies on the acute
      cardiovascular effects of caffeine, systematic studies of the cardiovascular
      effects of regular daily coffee consumption have appeared only recently. Acute
      caffeine administration (total daily amount in one dose following caffeine
      abstinence) increases both systolic and diastolic blood pressures by 10-15 mm Hg
      and lowers the pulse by about 2-5 beats/min. Repeated caffeine administration
      leads to a rapid decline in the blood pressure response. Chronic switching
      between decaffeinated and caffeine-containing coffee showed no more than marginal
      changes in blood pressure. Plasma lipids are probably independent of caffeine
      consumption, but increase slightly with boiled (compared with filter) coffee. The
      question of the thermogenic effect of coffee consumption remains open. The
      prevalence of coronary disease appears to be epidemiologically independent of
      coffee consumption.

PMID- 1411414
TI  - [Concerning: "Anaphylactoid reaction to Physiogel SRK 4%--a contribution to the
      controversy on plasma substitute agents" by T.A. Cron and H. Gerber (Schweiz.
      med. Wschr. 1991; 127: 1773-1776)].

PMID- 1411415
TI  - [Molecular genetics diagnosis of Steinert's myotonic dystrophy].
AB  - Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is the most common neuromuscular disease with adult onset
      (incidence 1 in 8000). The biochemical basis of this autosomal dominantly
      inherited disease is still unknown. The most striking features are myotonia and
      progressive muscular wasting. There is high variability of disease severity in
      patients from different families, but also within the same family. For practical
      reasons three subtypes can be defined: The classical adult onset form of the
      disease, a mild form with late onset and/or very moderate symptoms, eg. cataracts
      only, and the most severe congenital form which is transmitted by affected
      females. Furthermore, the progression of DM in affected families may exhibit an
      increase in the severity of the disease in successive generations. This
      observation is called anticipation. Very recently the DM gene has been cloned and
      an unstable DNA sequence specific for the disease has been characterized.
      Detection of an enlarged DNA fragment due to the expansion of a trinucleotide
      (CTG) repeat within the DM gene can be used for direct DNA diagnosis in affected
      individuals and persons at risk. Furthermore, there is a strong correlation
      between the length of fragment expansion and the degree of disease severity in
      gene carriers. We report here our preliminary results of the investigation of
      over 70 patients and demonstrate the clinical usefulness of this new method by
      the findings in three families.

PMID- 1411416
TI  - [Non-enzymatic marking of gene probes using digoxigenin for the diagnosis of
      sickle cell mutation and beta thalassemia].
AB  - A method is described in which allele-specific oligonucleotides (ASO) are labeled
      non-enzymatically with digoxigenin (DIG). The ASOs were synthesized in a DNA
      synthesizer. A primary C6-alkylamine was incorporated at the 5'end of the ASO.
      The derivative was coupled to digoxigenin-3-0-methylcarbonyl-epsilon-aminocaproic
      acid-N-hydroxy-succinimide ester. The DIG-ASO probes were isolated from the crude
      preparation and hybridized with amplified genomic DNA. The annealed probes were
      detected with an ELISA test. The DIG-ASO probes were successfully used for the
      identification of sickle cell disease genotypes and the most common beta
      thalassemia mutations.

PMID- 1411417
TI  - [The effect of first aid and care times on the clinical course and treatment
      results in multiple trauma. Initial interim results of an interdisciplinary
      trauma registry in the St. Gallen district hospital].
AB  - QUESTION: To date little is known about the influence of variable rescue (i.e.
      transportation/preclinical care) and clinical care times on the clinical progress
      and outcome of patients suffering injuries ranging from average to severe. Having
      examined this question within the framework of an ongoing study of trauma, we
      present the first provisional results and compare them with existing
      documentation. METHOD: Since 15 June 1990, all cases of multiple injury have been
      recorded in a trauma register. The present interim investigation of 143 patients
      covers a period of 13.5 months. We have recorded the rescue and clinical care
      times and compared them with survival, disability, complications and length of
      stay in hospital or intensive care unit. RESULTS: 106 (74%) of the total of 143
      patients were operated on an average of 5.5 hours after the accident. In cases of
      intracranial or intraabdominal bleeding, there was an average time lag of 220
      minutes after the accident before the patient could undergo surgery. Overall, 70%
      of the total rescue time was spent on medical attention and waiting time in the
      emergency unit. The secondary transfer rate is 46%. In the case of 4 patients, it
      is possible that the delays involved contributed appreciably to mortality (19%.
      i.e. 4/21). Generally, however, no coherent and conclusive correlation could be
      established between prolonged rescue and clinical care times and a worsened
      outcome. False negative results cannot be totally excluded, since the
      classification of the individual degree of injury by means of ISS and TRISS is
      unreliable, the variable quality of medical care prior to arrival at our
      emergency unit has not been taken into account, and the case figures are low
      (possibly of a large-scale beta error). CONCLUSIONS: The database for the
      assessment of standard times is still inadequate. For a reliable analysis, a
      total number of at least 500 patients is necessary (beta error acceptable). Our
      own data and the meagre results of other studies support the supposition that it
      is not the absolute time-lapse which has prognostic significance but the
      qualified medical assistance provided within a critical, individual, but
      extremely variable time-span. The increased employment of highly qualified
      emergency staff and a more efficient "triage", in the sense of a clearly directed
      trauma regionalization, could thus lead to optimization of trauma care.

PMID- 1411418
TI  - [Severe thrombocytopenia in systemic Boeck's disease].
AB  - We present a case of sarcoidosis-associated severe thrombocytopenia, a rare but
      well known complication. Diagnosis of sarcoidosis was based on radiologically
      enlarged hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes and on histology of biopsies taken
      from them by mediastinoscopy. In most cases an autoimmune etiology is assumed and
      platelet-associated antibodies can be demonstrated. Therapy resembles that of
      chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenia; an early start, sufficient duration and slow
      reduction of the corticosteroid medication is crucial. If bleeding complications
      occur, high-dose human gamma-globulins are indicated. In the light of the
      literature the pathophysiological, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of this
      potentially lethal complication are discussed.

PMID- 1411420
TI  - [Ehrlichiosis in dogs: literature review and case description].
AB  - A case of E. canis in a 7 year old intact female bearded collie is described and
      possible clinical signs of Ehrlichiosis are discussed. Non-specific findings
      included elevated rectal temperature, depression and anorexia. Additional
      findings were generalized lymphadenomegaly, myalgia and painful swollen joints.
      Significant changes in the CBC were leucopenia and thrombocytopenia. The positive
      E. canis titer of 1:40 and rising titer to 1:160 were specific for Ehrlichiosis.
      Doxycycline and prednisolone were needed to obtain clinical remission, which
      underlines, that immune-mediated processes are important in the pathogenesis of
      Ehrlichiosis.

PMID- 1411419
TI  - [Fish diseases in Switzerland. A statistical evaluation of the diagnostic
      material of the Fish Research Institute from 1979-1988. II. Special aspects].
AB  - The frequency of fish diseases diagnosed at the Fish Disease Laboratory at the
      University of Berne from 1979 to 1988 is presented. Parasitic infections have
      been found to be the most frequent diagnosis. Among noninfectious diseases
      poisonings were predominant. Six infectious diseases have been considered to be
      economically relevant. These diseases (according to their frequency:
      Gyrodactylosis, Costiosis, Ichthyophthiriosis, Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia
      (VHS), Saprolegniosis and Furunculosis) were further analysed. Their incidence
      varies with season, species, origin and length of fish. Possible explanations for
      these findings are discussed.

PMID- 1411421
TI  - [Bacteriology and mycology of otitis externa in dogs].
AB  - The bacterial and fungal flora of 1118 ears of dogs with otitis externa and 100
      ears of healthy control dogs were studied in order to isolate the causative
      agents. The yeast Malassezia pachydermatis (56%) was by far the most common
      organism in otitic dogs followed by the bacteria Staphylococcus intermedius
      (23%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12%), Proteus spp. (6%) and Streptococcus canis
      (5%). A statistical analysis of observed results showed that the incidence of
      these organisms is significant in otitic dogs. Many strains of S.intermedius,
      P.aeruginosa and Proteus spp. are resistant to antimicrobial agents commonly used
      to treat otitis externa. Therefore an antimicrobial susceptibility testing was
      performed using "Cobas Bact" for these bacterias. Furthermore, 80 strains of
      M.pachydermatis were submitted to identification-kits (API 20 CAUX, API STAPH,
      Cobas Micro). The observed results showed that an identification with these tests
      was not possible.

PMID- 1411422
TI  - [Mechanism of multidrug resistance in human cancers].

PMID- 1411423
TI  - [Advances in research on photosensitizers].

PMID- 1411424
TI  - [Advances in research of endothelin].

PMID- 1411425
TI  - [Histochemical studies on the medial regions of the brainstem in guinea pigs].

PMID- 1411426
TI  - [Relation between oncogenes, aging and pathogenesis of tumor].

PMID- 1411427
TI  - [Intracellular control of contractility for airway smooth muscles].

PMID- 1411428
TI  - [Pancreastatin].

PMID- 1411429
TI  - [Biosynthesis and biological activities of lipoxins].

PMID- 1411430
TI  - [Immunity of erythrocytes].

PMID- 1411431
TI  - [Computer simulation in studies on mechanisms of action of antiarrhythmic
      agents].

PMID- 1411432
TI  - [Advances in research of diffuse noxious inhibitory controls].

PMID- 1411433
TI  - [Complex carbohydrates in intercellular matrix and cytoplasm].

PMID- 1411434
TI  - [Endothelin and hypertension].

PMID- 1411435
TI  - [Physiological functions of unmyelinated nerve fibres].

PMID- 1411436
TI  - [Adult respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary surfactant replacement
      therapy].

PMID- 1411437
TI  - [Anti-morphine-analgesic sites of cholecystokinin octapeptide in the central
      nervous system and the mechanism of its involvement in the formation of morphine
      tolerance].

PMID- 1411438
TI  - [Parathyroid hypertensive factor].

PMID- 1411439
TI  - [Regulation of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells by cytokines].

PMID- 1411440
TI  - [Functional reorganization of the somatosensory cortex].

PMID- 1411441
TI  - [Implantation of genetically modified endothelial cells. A new promising
      technique for gene therapy].

PMID- 1411442
TI  - [Endothelin in the central nervous system].

PMID- 1411443
TI  - [Humoral mechanism of renal effects during left atrial distension].

PMID- 1411444
TI  - [Physiologic and pathologic significances of myocardial contractile ATPase].

PMID- 1411445
TI  - [Influence of protein and amino acid on blood lipid].

PMID- 1411446
TI  - [Arachidonic acid metabolites in the liver and gallbladder].

PMID- 1411447
TI  - [Progress in the study of human requirement and safe range of dietary selenium
      intake].

PMID- 1411448
TI  - [Arthroscopy of the shoulder].
AB  - Shoulder arthroscopy has grown considerably for several years in a row. The
      progress obtained nevertheless should not lead to an underrating of both clinical
      and para-clinical investigations. Arthroscopic technique as applied to the
      shoulder joint has now reached a mature state. Diagnostic benefits due to
      arthroscopy are scant because the recent development of medical imaging
      techniques made its usefulness less obvious. A great number of reliable
      therapeutic acts are currently performed as well in the glenohumeral joint, as in
      the sub-acromial space.

PMID- 1411449
TI  - [Physical performance and sedation: comparative study of the effects of a
      benzodiazepine (temazepam) and of a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic (zolpidem)].
AB  - It is well-known that many athletes experience some form of precompetition stress
      that may result in insomnia during the night before their competition. Yet, sleep
      withdrawal even if only partial, has a negative influence on performance,
      particularly when the type of exercise requires good psychomotor performance The
      purpose of the present study was to investigate whether the intake of a hypnotic
      drug would have negative effects on physical performance capacity. The authors
      have compared the effects of oral temazepam, a medium half-life benzodiazepine vs
      oral zolpidem, a short half-life non-benzodiazepine drug, vs placebo. A
      randomized double-blind trial was used to assess endurance, resistance, strength
      and coordination in 26 athletes. The results did not show any differences between
      the three groups, neither in physical performance characteristic nor in
      coordination. It is concluded that as regards the performance capacity, there is
      no risk for stressed athletes to use sleep inducers the night before their
      competition.

PMID- 1411450
TI  - [Medicolegal aspects of mountain rescue for the emergency physician and
      personnel].
AB  - The remarkable spread and growth of mountain sports, as well as of their
      unfortunate succession of injuries sometimes give rise to medico-legal problems
      which up to now have been dealt with only in a very little number of
      publications. We discuss here briefly the main problems of setting up and
      organising the first aid and rescue squads and the resulting legal responsibility
      the health and medical staff may be exposed to.

PMID- 1411452
TI  - Diagnosis by DNA.

PMID- 1411451
TI  - On the epidemiology of sports injuries in Switzerland.
AB  - A review of the current literature and of insurance data sources on sports
      injuries in Switzerland during the latest decade is presented. Epidemiological
      denominator data to determine the population-at-risk and the exposure time are
      scarce and it is therefore recommended that both the quantity and the quality of
      Swiss research in this field will be enhanced. It is also proposed that at least
      one academic institution in Switzerland would assemble systematically all
      available data of standard format on sports and recreational injuries to ensure a
      continuous analysis of these data.

PMID- 1411453
TI  - Formula for diabetes? Cow's milk for infants may contribute to the disease.

PMID- 1411454
TI  - Mountain sickness.
AB  - The varied and subtle symptoms of this potentially lethal disorder humble many
      who scale the summits. But the problem is often preventable.

PMID- 1411455
TI  - Histones as regulators of genes.
AB  - Histones were once dismissed as little more than packing material for nuclear
      DNA. In fact, these proteins can both repress and facilitate activation of many
      genes.

PMID- 1411456
TI  - On treating AIDS.

PMID- 1411457
TI  - Scavenging and human evolution.

PMID- 1411458
TI  - Jumbling the genes.

PMID- 1411459
TI  - Intercepted messages. New biotechnology drugs target intracellular communication.

PMID- 1411460
TI  - Intuitive design. Artificial intelligence helps a drugmaker learn what works.

PMID- 1411461
TI  - Paradise lost? Microbes mount a comeback as drug resistance spreads.

PMID- 1411462
TI  - Health care reform.

PMID- 1411463
TI  - Visualizing biological molecules.

PMID- 1411464
TI  - The big bang of animal evolution.

PMID- 1411465
TI  - [New aspects in the evaluation of Doppler blood flow curves: three- dimensional
      image and analysis of Doppler shift frequencies within the heart cycle].
AB  - Since the introduction of Doppler ultrasound to the area of medical diagnostics,
      there have been numerous improvements and important technical refinements. In
      obstetrics, Doppler examination allows a more accurate and encompassing
      evaluation of the foetal condition than was previously possible. Combined with
      today's sophisticated computer technology, it has a great potential in research
      and to expand our knowledge about the physiology and pathophysiology of foetal
      and maternal haemodynamics. This paper describes a new way of integrating another
      factor into the evaluation of Doppler blood flow waveforms, namely, the
      intensities of various frequencies. One result should be more detailed
      information about the given haemodynamic situation; another, a valuable tool for
      the quality control of Doppler blood flow measurements. Although our work was on
      applications in the field of obstetrics, the method we have developed can be used
      in all medical areas.

PMID- 1411466
TI  - [Comparison of different blood flow parameters for evaluating blood flow spectra
      in fetal growth retardation].
AB  - Uteroplacental and foetoplacental vascular resistance is generally high in
      pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth retardation. Assessment of flow
      velocity curves using angle-independent indices as A/B ratio, resistance index
      (RI) or pulsatility index (PI) cannot classify all cases with pathological flow
      velocity profiles. Beneath the pulsatility the maximum frequency outline of the
      flow velocity waveform offers additional clinical information. The evaluation of
      flow velocity curves using polynome analysis (including III degrees) provides
      additional data including occurrence of diastolic notching and can be used as a
      more sensitive indicator of impaired uteroplacental blood flow. In such
      pregnancies accurate evaluation of the maximum flow velocity outline with
      polynome analysis has been shown to be an important qualitative criterion in the
      assessment of blood flow velocity waveforms.

PMID- 1411467
TI  - [Doppler sonography of the umbilical artery for evaluating the fetoplacental
      vascular tree: a prospective histologic comparison].
AB  - We compared the clinical data, Doppler sonographic results and histological
      placental findings of 252 patients prospectively. A normal flow velocity wave
      form may be related either to a normal placenta villous and vessel architecture
      or to an at least focal leason with compensatory angiosis and/or high placental
      weight, whereas in cases with missing compensation phenomenon the end-diastolic
      blood flow velocities in the umbilical arteries are reduced.

PMID- 1411468
TI  - [Umbilical blood flow relations in different segments of the umbilical cord. Part
      1. Physiologic index constellation].
AB  - Based on a collective of 500 women with normal singleton pregnancies we examined
      the indices of flow resistance along the umbilical cord. Measurements were taken
      at the foetal abdominal side of the Aa. umbilicales on the one hand and at the
      placental insertion of the vessels on the other. According to our results we were
      able to establish a physiological constellation of the indices for each week of
      gestation, and - subsequently - for the whole duration of pregnancy. These
      constellations could be considered physiological. They may serve as a basis for
      the definition of pathological conditions.

PMID- 1411469
TI  - [The normal vascularization of the female breast in Doppler ultrasound].
AB  - Specific Doppler-Ultrasound methods for the differentiation of benign and
      malignant lesions by measurement of abnormal flow, have been known for more than
      10 years. We used this method also in many patients without pathological breast
      problems and found a high physiological variation of blood flow. As basic
      definition of normal flow, to be compared with patients under medical treatment
      of mastopathy, we studied flow variations during menstrual cycles in normal
      volunteers. In both breasts we measured the amount of vessels, average frequency
      shifts according to flow velocity and the sum of all Doppler shifts, as
      measurement of the overall vascularity. Between different individuals the range
      of Doppler shifts was between 500 and 1000 Hz. However, in individual subjects
      the variation was only between 50-200 Hz, average 100 Hz. We also found between
      contralateral breasts no remarkable difference in vascularity. Flow increased at
      the 10th day after onset of menstruation, in 9 cycles with ovulation and in 8
      cycles with a lack of gestagen production. Dramatic flow increase occurred in one
      early pregnancy. It appears that influences of drugs can be controlled, after
      basic measurements of individual vascularity.

PMID- 1411470
TI  - [Ultrasound image of endometrial cancer].
AB  - In this prospective study 571 patients with postmenopausal bleeding/discharge
      (group I) and 300 patients without symptoms (group II) were ultrasonographically
      examined. The sonographic findings were compared with those of histology to
      evaluate the value of ultrasonography in endometrium diagnosis. The main
      parameters which we considered in the diagnosis of malignancy of the endometrium,
      were the thickness of the endometrium, the boundary of the endometrium,
      homogeneity and collection of fluid in the uterine cavity. However, the size of
      the uterus and the central endometrial echo were found not to be sensitive signs
      of malignancy. The sensitivity of sonography in group I was 86.3% higher than
      group II which is 75%. The rate of false-positive and false-negative in the total
      study population was 7.1%. We believe that ultrasonography is the easiest, most
      painless out-patient based and non-invasive diagnostic method in comparison to
      all other endometrium diagnostic measures, and is an advance towards better
      approach in the early diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma.

PMID- 1411471
TI  - [Attempt at three-dimensional imaging in obstetrics].
AB  - Different attempts have been already made to present sonographic findings in 3
      dimensions. In most of computer assisted systems the time for acquiring and data
      processing is too long to allow for an instantaneous interaction between the
      examiner and the machine; furthermore, valuable data; concerning the organ
      structure were lost. The aim of the system presented here is to acquire short
      time a sample volume for 3 dimensional display without employing an expensive
      periphery, containing all relevant sonic data and without substantial changes in
      handling the equipment. The technical details, advantages and shortcomings of the
      equipment are discussed. First results in obstetrics and gynaecology are
      presented.

PMID- 1411472
TI  - [Ultrasound diagnosis of lumbar intervertebral disk displacement--a clinically
      relevant method?].
AB  - In a prospective clinical study, 102 patients suffering from low back pain were
      examined by ultrasound. In all patients the segments L3/4, L4/5, and L5/S1 were
      evaluated. We analysed a total of 306 lumbar disc segments. Ultrasound evaluation
      was transabdominally performed by using a 3,5 MHz scanner. The results of the
      ultrasound documentation were compared to MRI or if the patient was operated on
      with the intraoperative findings. In 25 disc the dorsal border of the disc could
      not be demonstrated by ultrasound. The statistical analysis resulted in the
      following values: [table: see text] Comparing these results with the results of
      other imaging modalities like myelography, CT, or MRI, ultrasound scores are
      significantly inferior. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: With the present technique ultrasound
      does not seem to be of diagnostic value for patients with herniated disk.

PMID- 1411473
TI  - [Color-coded duplex sonography and ultrasound contrast medium in the study of
      peripheral arteries--initial clinical experiences].
AB  - Ultrasound contrast agents (US-CA) amplify reflected sound waves. Most substances
      used as contrast agents are destroyed when passing the lungs. SH U 508 is a new
      US-CA that can pass the lungs without impairment after peripheral intravenous
      application. In a clinical trial of this US-CA, we investigated its effect on the
      visualization of blood movement in peripheral arteries by color-coded Duplex
      sonography (CCDS). The leg arteries of 20 patients with severe chronic arterial
      occlusion were examined by CCDS (QAD I and Platinum) after i.v. application of
      the US-CA. After passage of the pulmonary capillaries, the US-CA amplified blood
      flow signals in the arterial system in a dose-dependent manner with both systems
      used. Undesired side-effects were not observed. The amplification produced by
      appropriate concentrations of the US-CA markedly improved the visualization of
      blood movement. Further studies are required to determine the optimal dosage and
      application technique as well as the indication for using this US-CA.

PMID- 1411474
TI  - [Diagnosis of cephalothoracopagus--a case report].
AB  - Cephalothoracopagus twins were diagnosed at 22 weeks' gestation, hence this case
      was diagnosed early enough antenatally to allow vaginal pregnancy termination.
      This case underlines the need for exact ultrasound screening during early
      pregnancy.

PMID- 1411475
TI  - Is there a role for natural remedies in rheumatoid arthritis?

PMID- 1411476
TI  - Outcome after thymectomy for myasthenia gravis: a retrospective review.
AB  - This is a retrospective study of 54 patients, who in the period November 1977 to
      November 1986 underwent thymectomy as treatment for myasthenia gravis. Patients
      in whom difficulty attempting complete excision of the gland was anticipated were
      selected for a transthoracic procedure. All others underwent an initial
      transcervical approach, proceeding to an upper sternal splitting incision if
      further access was required to remove adequately a large gland. The sample was
      split almost equally between the two surgical procedures. Patients in the
      transthoracic group were significantly older and experienced significantly
      greater peri-operative morbidity or mortality. There was no significant
      difference in outcome between the two groups, 52% achieving a good result
      (defined as remission or clinically significant improvement of symptoms) that was
      sustained over the five year follow-up period. In our opinion, complete removal
      of the thymus should be the goal of surgical treatment for myasthenia gravis.

PMID- 1411478
TI  - Thrombolytic therapy: impact on coronary care in a district general hospital.
AB  - The introduction of routine thrombolytic therapy in the Cardiac Care Unit (CCU)
      of a District General Hospital has resulted in an increased demand for admission
      particularly in the 70+ age group. Complications and side effects of such
      treatment have been similar to those reported in several large multicentre
      trials. The percentage of patients with myocardial infarction receiving
      thrombolysis has increased to 60% with the commonest reason for withholding of
      such treatment being the lack of ECG changes. Mortality rates have fallen and
      there has been an increased referral rate for urgent angiography. To maximise
      benefit CCU's should encourage early direct admission and ensure that, if not
      present on site, facilities for angiography can easily be arranged.

PMID- 1411477
TI  - Malaria in Aberdeen: an audit of 110 patients admitted between 1980-1991.
AB  - All 110 patients seen in North East Scotland after contracting malaria from
      foreign travel were treated in the Regional Infection Unit in Aberdeen. Those
      patients managed there from January 1980 to March 1991 are described. There were
      54 episodes of Plasmodium falciparum malaria (49%) and 26 episodes (23%) of
      Plasmodium vivax malaria. The remainder had either mixed infection or were
      diagnosed as malaria on high clinical probability. The majority of the patients
      were male (80%) and under 40 years of age (84%). Most patients were either
      caucasians born in the UK (69%) or native Africans (23%) who were students
      recently arrived for further education or who had returned from visiting their
      country of origin for summer holidays. The British residents acquired infection
      either while on oil related business in West or Central Africa (46%) or after
      travelling on holiday (30%). The peak incidence of presentation was August and
      September. 93.5% of patients with falciparum malaria had returned or originated
      from Africa. 42% with vivax malaria had visited Africa and 27% Papua New Guinea.
      70% had been prescribed antimalarial prophylaxis but less than half of these took
      their medication correctly. The majority of patients with falciparum malaria
      presented within two weeks of arrival in Britain while patients with vivax
      malaria presented at varying (but generally longer) intervals, 42% being
      diagnosed more than three months after exposure. Falciparum infection was more
      severe although there have been no deaths in the unit from malaria. Our
      experience seemed of interest and worth reporting because of the number of
      patients whose infection reflected travel related to the off shore oil industry,
      which is centred in Aberdeen.

PMID- 1411479
TI  - Time trends and geographical variation in Parkinson's disease in Scotland.
AB  - Parkinson's disease is a common and disabling condition which principally affects
      the elderly. The time and space distribution of Parkinson's disease has been
      examined to determine if it provides clues as to aetiology and factors affecting
      its distribution. Previous studies have used mortality data, data from
      epidemiological studies, and prescribing information particularly with regard to
      the use of levodopa. These studies have looked within countries and between
      countries.

PMID- 1411480
TI  - Streptococcus milleri and complex groin abscesses in intravenous drug abusers.
AB  - Intravenous drug abuse is an increasing problem. Septic complications occur
      frequently at the injection site, especially in the groin where large abscesses
      around the femoral vessels can threaten life or limb. We report four patients
      with extensive or complex groin abscesses following attempted self-injection into
      the femoral vein. Streptococcus milleri was cultured from all of these abscesses
      and prompted a review of the isolation of this organism in this hospital.

PMID- 1411481
TI  - Astrocytoma presenting with vasculitis.
AB  - A cerebral astrocytoma which had remained quiescent possibly for 12 years,
      presented with blackout, vasculitis and a lupus-like (L-E like) syndrome. The
      association between tumours and "L-E like" syndromes is reviewed briefly.

PMID- 1411482
TI  - "A beloved physician" John Abercrombie MD (EDIN) FRCSE, FRCPE, MD (Oxon) 1780
      1844.
AB  - This son of an Aberdeen minister, graduating MD in Edinburgh in 1803, established
      a leading practice in that city, attracting apprentices to study medicine and
      patients of all classes of society from throughout Scotland. Sir Walter Scott in
      his later years was one who relied on his medical expertise. Dr Abercrombie, a
      Fellow of both the Royal College of Surgeons and Royal College of Physicians,
      Edinburgh, was in the forefront of Edinburgh medicine. An extensive author,
      primarily on medical subjects and laterally turning to metaphysical, moral and
      religious works, he gained a reputation among intellectuals world-wide. A
      philanthropist, he gave large amounts of financial aid to Missionary Societies,
      both at home and overseas. A founder member of first President of the Edinburgh
      Association for Sending Medical Aid to Foreign Countries (two years later renamed
      the Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society).

PMID- 1411483
TI  - Surgeons and HIV.

PMID- 1411484
TI  - Odontoid fracture in the elderly: a case report of the screw fixation technique.
AB  - The case of a type II, highly unstable, odontoid fracture in a 92 year old
      patient is reported. This fracture was treated by a new technique for anterior
      odontoid screw fixation with excellent results. The authors discuss this
      technique and treatment options for odontoid fracture in the elderly.

PMID- 1411485
TI  - Once is not enough. Rational use of the blood culture.

PMID- 1411486
TI  - Research in context (or if you want to study how fox and chickens relate, go to
      the hen house, not the zoo).
AB  - The context in which the research is carried out frequently is as important as
      the research question being investigated. The fact certainly is the etiology for
      many of the problems practicing physicians face when applying traditional
      research findings to clinical practice. The recent development of a family
      practice research network in South Dakota brought the investigators face to face
      with divergent views on this issue. This article provides some insight into
      different research philosophies.

PMID- 1411487
TI  - New macrolide antibiotics.

PMID- 1411488
TI  - It's back.

PMID- 1411489
TI  - Pine Ridge IHS Primary Care Resident Rotation.
AB  - With the support of the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Aberdeen Area Indian Health
      Service, the University of South Dakota School of Medicine initiated development
      of a primary care resident rotation at the Pine Ridge IHS provider site. The
      rotation was conceived in an effort to help address the problem of recruitment
      and retention of physicians at Pine Ridge in the long term, while offering a
      unique educational experience for residents. It is a cooperative effort of four
      neighboring medical schools in South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska. Similar
      relationships between tribes, the Indian Health Service, and medical schools are
      encouraged, with the belief that such endeavors will assist in stabilizing
      professional staffs at provider sites, and lead to improved health care of the
      Indian people.

PMID- 1411490
TI  - When the stigma is gone (is this alcoholism?). A parable.

PMID- 1411491
TI  - Generation of mutagenicity by ozonation of humic substances' components.
AB  - Components of humic substances, such as vanillin, syringaldehyde, vanillic acid
      and di-n-butylphtalate, were ozonated and subjected to the mutagenicity assay
      using Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 and 100 with and without S9 mix. The strong
      mutagenic activity was found on all components except di-n-butylphtalate by
      strain TA 100 with and without S9 mix. Substances with strong mutagenic activity
      in ozonated vanillin were water-soluble and were slightly extracted with benzene,
      dichloromethane and ethyl acetate. Following gel chromatography on Sephadex G-10,
      the strong mutagens generated by ozonation were found with molecular weights
      greater than 300.

PMID- 1411492
TI  - Urban air pollution by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: levels and sources of
      variability.
AB  - The atmospheric levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), measured since
      the mid-1970s from approximately 60 towns world-wide, are reviewed. For each
      investigation, a concise description of sampling conditions and analytical
      methods is also given. The strongly carcinogenic benzo[a]pyrene was typically
      found in the range of 1-20 ng/m3 in Europe, and around 1 ng/m3 in the USA. For
      other PAHs, individual concentrations were generally in the range of 1-50 ng/m3
      in Europe, 0.1-1 in North and South America and in Australia, 1-10 in Japan, and
      10-100 in two towns in India and New Zealand. Data on the size distribution of
      PAH-containing particles are also presented, showing that PAH content is adsorbed
      mostly on respirable particles. The ratios of winter to summer levels, and of
      urban to rural levels, were found in the range of 2-10 in both cases. PAH levels
      have progressively decreased in the last few decades, most probably due to the
      introduction of anti-smoke regulations and the decrease of coal burning for
      heating. Measurements from different investigations can only be compared with
      great prudence, owing to sampling factors which can affect results. Sources of
      urban PAH contamination and of the variability in levels are discussed.

PMID- 1411493
TI  - Monitoring of air for microbial and metal contamination at selected sites in the
      vicinity of Johannesburg, South Africa.
AB  - A preliminary survey was undertaken to identify air contamination in the vicinity
      of industrial, residential and hospital sites. In many developing countries, poor
      town planning has resulted in growth of residential and commercial sites in close
      proximity to the industrial works, without the provision of a buffer zone. As
      prevailing winds blow across the industrial works to the other areas, undesirable
      pollution may be experienced. Before steps are taken to reduce factory emissions,
      the impact of the industry on the surrounding area needs to be clearly defined.
      In this study, the total particulate matter and the level of microbial
      contamination at the selected sites is reported. The elemental composition of the
      particulate matter is described.

PMID- 1411494
TI  - Carboxyhemoglobin levels in blood donors in Bahrain.
AB  - A total of 107 venous blood samples were obtained from blood donors in Bahrain
      for carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) analysis. The donors were categorized according to
      their sex, smoking habits, occupation, place of work (indoor or outdoor), and
      residential area. The mean COHb levels were significantly higher in smokers
      (4.8%) than nonsmoking (1.5%). The mean COHb levels were higher in smoking,
      outdoor working donors (4.98%) and nonsmoking outdoor working donors (2.29%) than
      smoking indoor working donors (3.07%) and nonsmoking indoor working donors
      (1.04%). Other factors, such as sex and residential area did not influence COHb
      concentrations. The results indicate a possible influence of the levels of
      environmental carbon monoxide on the COHb in the blood of the Bahraini
      population.

PMID- 1411495
TI  - Migration of radiocesium in two forest soils as obtained from field and column
      investigations.
AB  - Depth profiles of radiocesium were measured in a podsolic parabrown earth of a
      spruce stand and in a podsol of a pine stand up to 3 years after the Chernobyl
      accident. At the same sites undisturbed soil columns of 20 cm diameter and 40 cm
      length were taken, transferred to the laboratory and irrigated intermittently
      with synthetic rainwater containing initially a known amount of radiocesium. The
      resulting migration of radiocesium in the columns under unsaturated conditions
      was determined as a function of time up to 3 years with a scanner technique. The
      depth profiles of radiocesium observed in the field and in the columns were
      evaluated with a compartment model to obtain the residence half-times of this
      radionuclide in the various soil horizons. The field observations yielded a
      residence half-time in the organic layer of both soils of approximately 4-6 years
      for Chernobyl-derived cesium, and of 10-15 years for cesium from the global
      fallout of weapons testing. In the mineral soil (0-5 cm), under spruce the
      residence time of Chernobyl-derived cesium was 15 years, that of cesium from the
      global fallout (present in the soil since approximately 30 years) was 50 years.
      Under pine, the residence time in the mineral soil was 4 years for Chernobyl
      derived cesium and 11 years for global fallout cesium. Obviously, in each layer
      of both soils cesium becomes less available for migration with time. The
      residence times of radiocesium evaluated from the column experiments were in good
      agreement with those obtained from the field observations. Due to the
      comparatively short duration of the column experiments, however, the long-term
      increase of the residence time of radiocesium in the soil was not yet
      unambiguously observable.

PMID- 1411497
TI  - HIV-free AIDS reports.

PMID- 1411496
TI  - Lyme disease: asking the right questions.

PMID- 1411498
TI  - Gene therapy. Monkey tests spark safety review.

PMID- 1411500
TI  - Gene patents. Rumors fly over rejection of NIH claim.

PMID- 1411499
TI  - AIDS patent dispute. U.S. officials say non on royalties.

PMID- 1411501
TI  - New French biomedical center breaks the mold.

PMID- 1411502
TI  - 30-million-year-old DNA boosts an emerging field.

PMID- 1411503
TI  - Hungarian fossils stir debate on ape and human origins.

PMID- 1411504
TI  - Weighing naked proteins: practical, high-accuracy mass measurement of peptides
      and proteins.
AB  - Two new technologies have made the study of proteins by mass spectrometry
      straight-forward. Proteins with molecular masses of up to more than 100
      kilodaltons can be analyzed at picomole sensitivities to give simple mass spectra
      corresponding to the intact molecule. This development has allowed unprecedented
      accuracy in the determination of the molecular weights of proteins. A number of
      "case studies" are used to present the revolutionary impact that these powerful
      new ways of looking at proteins are having on biological research.

PMID- 1411505
TI  - From molecules to cells: imaging soft samples with the atomic force microscope.
AB  - Since its invention a few years ago, the atomic force microscope has become one
      of the most widely used near-field microscopes. Surfaces of hard sample are
      imaged routinely with atomic resolution. Soft samples, however, remain
      challenging. An overview is presented on the application of atomic force
      microscopy to organic samples ranging from thin ordered films at molecular
      resolution to living cells. Fundamental mechanisms of the image formation are
      discussed, and novel imaging modes are introduced that exploit different aspects
      of the tip-sample interaction for local measurements of the micromechanical
      properties of the sample. As examples, images of Langmuir-Blodgett films, which
      map the local viscoelasticity as well as the friction coefficient, are presented.

PMID- 1411507
TI  - Miocene fossil hominids and the chimp-human clade.
AB  - Miocene hominoids from Europe are among the earliest members of the great ape and
      human clade (the Hominidae). One of these forms, represented by well-preserved
      cranial remains from Rudabanya, Hungary, sheds new light on the question of the
      evolutionary relations among living hominids. This new evidence supports the view
      that humans have a specific evolutionary relation with chimpanzees, to the
      exclusion of all other apes.

PMID- 1411506
TI  - Interactions of small nuclear RNA's with precursor messenger RNA during in vitro
      splicing.
AB  - Precursor messenger RNA splicing requires multiple factors including U1, U2, U4,
      U5, and U6 small nuclear RNA's. The crosslinking reagent psoralen was used to
      analyze the interactions of these RNA's with an adenovirus precursor messenger
      RNA in HeLa nuclear extract. An endogenous U2-U4-U6 crosslinkable complex
      dissociated upon incubation with precursor messenger RNA. During splicing, U1,
      U2, U5, and U6 became crosslinked to precursor messenger RNA and U2, U5, and U6
      became crosslinked to excised lariat intron. U2 also formed a doubly crosslinked
      complex with U6 and precursor messenger RNA. The U1, U5, and U6 crosslinks to the
      precursor messenger RNA mapped to intron sequences near the 5' splice site,
      whereas the U2 crosslink mapped to the branch site. The kinetics of crosslink
      formation and disappearance delineates a temporal pathway for the action of small
      RNA's in the spliceosome. Potential base pairing interactions between conserved
      sequences in the small nuclear RNA's and precursor messenger RNA at the sites of
      crosslinking suggest that the 5' splice site is defined in several steps prior to
      the first cleavage event.

PMID- 1411508
TI  - DNA sequences from a fossil termite in Oligo-Miocene amber and their phylogenetic
      implications.
AB  - DNA was extracted from the fossil termite Mastotermes electrodominicus preserved
      in Oligo-Miocene amber (25 million to 30 million years old). Fragments of
      mitochondrial [16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA)] and nuclear (18S rDNA) genes were
      amplified by polymerase chain reaction. Phylogenetic analysis of fossil and
      extant 18S rDNA confirmed morphological cladistic analyses of living
      dictyopterans (termites, cockroaches, and mantids). The fossil termite shares
      several sequence attributes with Mastotermes darwiniensis. Addition of this
      fossil to living-species phylogeny is required to substantiate Mastotermes
      monophyly and affects molecular phylogenetic hypotheses of termites in this, the
      oldest DNA yet characterized.

PMID- 1411509
TI  - Measurement of quantum tunneling between chiral isomers of the cyclic water
      trimer.
AB  - A detailed experimental study of the water trimer is reported. A vibration
      rotation-tunneling band of the perdeuterated cluster has been measured near 89.6
      wave numbers by tunable far infrared laser absorption spectroscopy. The data
      indicate a chiral six-membered ring structure with rapid quantum tunneling
      occurring between the enantiomers. The observed vibration involves torsional
      motion of the water subunits about each hydrogen bond axis. It is speculated that
      larger water clusters would also exhibit transient chirality and that similar
      effects may be found in liquid water.

PMID- 1411510
TI  - Discovery of a peptide-based renin inhibitor with oral bioavailability and
      efficacy.
AB  - Peptidic renin inhibitors have been poorly absorbed across the intestine or
      rapidly eliminated by the liver and have been reported to have oral
      bioavailabilities of less than 2%. A peptide-based renin inhibitor, A-72517
      (molecular mass of 706 daltons), was devised that has oral bioavailabilities of
      8, 24, 32, and 53% in the monkey, rat, ferret, and dog, respectively. Dose
      related reductions in blood pressure, plasma renin activity, and plasma
      angiotensin II in parallel with increased plasma drug concentrations were
      observed after oral administration of A-72517 to conscious, salt-depleted dogs.
      Thus, peptide-based molecules of sizable molecular mass can be absorbed intact
      into the systemic circulation of animals. These findings support the potential of
      peptide-based drugs for oral administration.

PMID- 1411511
TI  - Actin filament dynamics in living glial cells imaged by atomic force microscopy.
AB  - Observation of filamentous actin (F-actin) in living cells is currently limited
      to the resolution of the light microscope. Higher resolution procedures require
      sample fixation and preclude dynamic studies. The atomic force microscope (AFM)
      can image and manipulate samples at very high, sometimes atomic resolution by
      scanning a fine tip over the surface of interest and detecting physical
      interactions between the tip and sample. This study demonstrates that F-actin can
      be readily resolved in living cells with the AFM and that the dynamic properties
      of F-actin are easily observed.

PMID- 1411512
TI  - Multiple zinc finger forms resulting from developmentally regulated alternative
      splicing of a transcription factor gene.
AB  - Transcripts encoding the Drosophila putative transcription factor CF2 are subject
      to developmentally regulated alternative splicing, and they encode protein
      isoforms that differ in the number of zinc fingers. One testis-specific RNA
      encodes an isoform that includes three zinc fingers and a frame-shifted segment.
      Two other transcripts encode isoforms with six and seven zinc fingers which bind
      to distinct promoters and DNA target sequences. Thus, because of alternative
      splicing, a single gene appears to encode distinct DNA-binding proteins, each
      capable of regulating different gene sets in different tissues and developmental
      periods.

PMID- 1411513
TI  - The dimensions of the brain.

PMID- 1411514
TI  - Rational science, irrational reality: a congressional perspective on basic
      research and society.

PMID- 1411515
TI  - Drugs from Third World plants: the future.

PMID- 1411516
TI  - NIH officials huddle with AIDS activists.

PMID- 1411517
TI  - R&D budget collides with the deficit.

PMID- 1411518
TI  - AIDS funding. Did political clout win vaccine trial for MicroGeneSys?

PMID- 1411519
TI  - HHS 'violence initiative' caught in a crossfire.

PMID- 1411520
TI  - The brain remaps its own contours.

PMID- 1411521
TI  - Spinal cord injuries. New optimism blooms for developing treatments.

PMID- 1411522
TI  - Are adult learning mechanisms also used for development?

PMID- 1411523
TI  - The physiology of memory: recordings of things past.

PMID- 1411524
TI  - Rodent carcinogens: setting priorities.
AB  - The human diet contains an enormous background of natural chemicals, such as
      plant pesticides and the products of cooking, that have not been a focus of
      carcinogenicity testing. A broadened perspective that includes these natural
      chemicals is necessary. A comparison of possible hazards for 80 daily exposures
      to rodent carcinogens from a variety of sources is presented, using an index
      (HERP) that relates human exposure to carcinogenic potency in rodents. A similar
      ordering would be expected with the use of standard risk assessment methodology
      for the same human exposure values. Results indicate that, when viewed against
      the large background of naturally occurring carcinogens in typical portions of
      common foods, the residues of synthetic pesticides or environmental pollutants
      rank low. A similar result is obtained in a separate comparison of 32 average
      daily exposures to natural pesticides and synthetic pesticide residues in the
      diet. Although the findings do not indicate that these natural dietary
      carcinogens are important in human cancer, they cast doubt on the relative
      importance for human cancer of low-dose exposures to synthetic chemicals.

PMID- 1411525
TI  - X-ray laser microscopy of rat sperm nuclei.
AB  - The development of high brightness and short pulse width (< 200 picoseconds) x
      ray lasers now offers biologists the possibility of high-resolution imaging of
      specimens in an aqueous environment without the blurring effects associated with
      natural motions and chemical erosion. As a step toward developing the
      capabilities of this type of x-ray microscopy, a tantalum x-ray laser at 44.83
      angstrom wavelength was used together with an x-ray zone plate lens to image both
      unlabeled and selectively gold-labeled dried rat sperm nuclei. The observed
      images show approximately 500 angstrom features, illustrate the importance of x
      ray microscopy in determining chemical composition, and provide information about
      the uniformity of sperm chromatin organization and the extent of sperm chromatin
      hydration.

PMID- 1411526
TI  - Intercellular propagation of calcium waves mediated by inositol trisphosphate.
AB  - Two types of calcium (Ca2+) signaling-propagating intercellular Ca2+ waves of
      increasing intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and nonpropagating
      oscillations in [Ca2+]i-co-exist in a variety of cell types. To investigate this
      difference in Ca2+ signaling, airway epithelial cells were loaded with heparin,
      an inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) receptor antagonist, by pulsed, high
      frequency electroporation. Heparin inhibited propagation of intercellular Ca2+
      waves but not oscillations of [Ca2+]i. In heparin-free cells, Ca2+ waves
      propagated through cells displaying [Ca2+]i oscillations. Depletion of
      intracellular Ca2+ pools with the Ca2+-pump inhibitor thapsigargin also inhibited
      the propagation of Ca2+ waves. These studies demonstrate that the release of Ca2+
      by IP3 is necessary for the propagation of intercellular Ca2+ waves and suggest
      that IP3 moves through gap junctions to communicate intercellular Ca2+ waves.

PMID- 1411527
TI  - Diverse migratory pathways in the developing cerebral cortex.
AB  - During early development of the mammalian cerebral cortex, young neurons migrate
      outward from the site of their final mitosis in the ventricular zone into the
      cortical plate, where they form the adult cortex. Time-lapse confocal microscopy
      was used to observe directly the dynamic behaviors of migrating cells in living
      slices of developing cortex. The majority of cells migrated along a radial
      pathway, consistent with the view that cortical neurons migrate along radial
      glial fibers. A fraction of cells, however, turned within the intermediate zone
      and migrated orthogonal to the radial fibers. This orthogonal migration may
      contribute to the tangential dispersion of clonally related cortical neurons.

PMID- 1411528
TI  - Prevention of programmed cell death of sympathetic neurons by the bcl-2 proto
      oncogene.
AB  - Approximately half of the neurons produced during embryogenesis normally die
      before adulthood. Although target-derived neurotrophic factors are known to be
      major determinants of programmed cell death--apoptosis--the molecular mechanisms
      by which trophic factors interfere with cell death regulation are largely
      unknown. Overexpression of the bcl-2 proto-oncogene in cultured sympathetic
      neurons has now been shown to prevent apoptosis normally induced by deprivation
      of nerve growth factor. This finding, together with the previous demonstration of
      bcl-2 expression in the nervous system, suggests that the Bcl-2 protein may be a
      major mediator of the effects of neurotrophic factors on neuronal survival.

PMID- 1411529
TI  - Release of Alzheimer amyloid precursor derivatives stimulated by activation of
      muscarinic acetylcholine receptors.
AB  - Altered processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a central event in
      the formation of amyloid deposits in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's
      disease. To investigate whether cellular APP processing is controlled by cell
      surface neurotransmitter receptors, human embryonic kidney (293) cell lines were
      transfected with the genes for human brain muscarinic acetylcholine receptors.
      Stimulation of m1 and m3 receptor subtypes with carbachol increased the basal
      release of APP derivatives within minutes of treatment, indicating that
      preexisting APP is released in response to receptor activation. Receptor
      activated APP release was blocked by staurosporine, suggesting that protein
      kinases mediate neurotransmitter receptor-controlled APP processing.

PMID- 1411531
TI  - Use of animal drugs.

PMID- 1411530
TI  - The dispersion of neuronal clones across the cerebral cortex.

PMID- 1411532
TI  - Science policy: the candidates' response.

PMID- 1411533
TI  - Radiation risks. Study casts doubt on Hiroshima data.

PMID- 1411534
TI  - Mortality: overturning received wisdom.

PMID- 1411535
TI  - E2F: a link between the Rb tumor suppressor protein and viral oncoproteins.
AB  - The cellular transcription factor E2F, previously identified as a component of
      early adenovirus transcription, has now been shown to be important in cell
      proliferation control. E2F appears to be a functional target for the action of
      the tumor suppressor protein Rb that is encoded by the retinoblastoma
      susceptibility gene. The disruption of this E2F-Rb interaction, as well as a
      complex involving E2F in association with the cell cycle-regulated cyclin A-cdk2
      kinase complex, may be a common mechanism of action for the oncoproteins encoded
      by the DNA tumor viruses.

PMID- 1411536
TI  - Atomic structure of the DNA repair [4Fe-4S] enzyme endonuclease III.
AB  - The crystal structure of the DNA repair enzyme endonuclease III, which recognizes
      and cleaves DNA at damaged bases, has been solved to 2.0 angstrom resolution with
      an R factor of 0.185. This iron-sulfur [4Fe-4S] enzyme is elongated and bilobal
      with a deep cleft separating two similarly sized domains: a novel, sequence
      continuous, six-helix domain (residues 22 to 132) and a Greek-key, four-helix
      domain formed by the amino-terminal and three carboxyl-terminal helices (residues
      1 to 21 and 133 to 211) together with the [4Fe-4S] cluster. The cluster is bound
      entirely within the carboxyl-terminal loop with a ligation pattern (Cys-X6-Cys-X2
      Cys-X5-Cys) distinct from all other known [4Fe-4S] proteins. Sequence
      conservation and the positive electrostatic potential of conserved regions
      identify a surface suitable for binding duplex B-DNA across the long axis of the
      enzyme, matching a 46 angstrom length of protected DNA. The primary role of the
      [4Fe-4S] cluster appears to involve positioning conserved basic residues for
      interaction with the DNA phosphate backbone. The crystallographically identified
      inhibitor binding region, which recognizes the damaged base thymine glycol, is a
      seven-residue beta-hairpin (residues 113 to 119). Location and side chain
      orientation at the base of the inhibitor binding site implicate Glu112 in the N
      glycosylase mechanism and Lys120 in the beta-elimination mechanism. Overall, the
      structure reveals an unusual fold and a new biological function for [4Fe-4S]
      clusters and provides a structural basis for studying recognition of damaged DNA
      and the N-glycosylase and apurinic/apyrimidinic-lyase mechanisms.

PMID- 1411537
TI  - Small-angle synchrotron x-ray scattering reveals distinct shape changes of the
      myosin head during hydrolysis of ATP.
AB  - In the energy transduction of muscle contraction, it is important to know the
      nature and extent of conformational changes of the head portion of the myosin
      molecules. In the presence of magnesium adenosine triphosphate (MgATP), fairly
      large conformational changes of the myosin head [subfragment-1 (S1)] in solution
      were observed by small-angle x-ray scattering with the use of synchrotron
      radiation as an intense and stable x-ray source. The presence of MgATP reduced
      the radius of gyration of the molecule by about 3 angstrom units and the maximum
      chord length by about 10 angstroms, showing that the shape of S1 becomes more
      compact or round during hydrolysis of MgATP. Comparison with various nucleotide
      bound S1 complexes that correspond to the known intermediate states during ATP
      hydrolysis indicates that the shape of S1 in a key intermediate state, S1-bound
      adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and phosphate [S1**.ADP.P(i)], differs significantly
      from the shape in the other intermediate states of the S1 adenosine
      triphosphatase cycle as well as that of nucleotide-free S1.

PMID- 1411538
TI  - Neural computing in cancer drug development: predicting mechanism of action.
AB  - Described here are neural networks capable of predicting a drug's mechanism of
      action from its pattern of activity against a panel of 60 malignant cell lines in
      the National Cancer Institute's drug screening program. Given six possible
      classes of mechanism, the network misses the correct category for only 12 out of
      141 agents (8.5 percent), whereas linear discriminant analysis, a standard
      statistical technique, misses 20 out of 141 (14.2 percent). The success of the
      neural net indicates several things. (i) The cell line response patterns are rich
      in information about mechanism. (ii) Appropriately designed neural networks can
      make effective use of that information. (iii) Trained networks can be used to
      classify prospectively the more than 10,000 agents per year tested by the
      screening program. Related networks, in combination with classical statistical
      tools, will help in a variety of ways to move new anticancer agents through the
      pipeline from in vitro studies to clinical application.

PMID- 1411539
TI  - Some anthropological aspects of the prehistoric Tyrolean ice man.
AB  - The corpse of a Late Neolithic individual found in a glacier in Oetztal is
      unusual because of the intact nature of all body parts that resulted from the
      characteristics of its mummification process and its protected geographical
      position with regard to glacier flow. Anthropological data indicate that the man
      was 25 to 40 years old, was between 156 and 160 centimeters in stature, had a
      cranial capacity of between 1500 and 1560 cubic centimeters, and likely died of
      exhaustion.

PMID- 1411540
TI  - Slowing of mortality rates at older ages in large medfly cohorts.
AB  - It is generally assumed for most species that mortality rates increase
      monotonically at advanced ages. Mortality rates were found to level off and
      decrease at older ages in a population of 1.2 million medflies maintained in
      cages of 7,200 and in a group of approximately 48,000 adults maintained in
      solitary confinement. Thus, life expectancy in older individuals increased rather
      than decreased with age. These results cast doubt on several central concepts in
      gerontology and the biology of aging: (i) that senescence can be characterized by
      an increase in age-specific mortality, (ii) that the basic pattern of mortality
      in nearly all species follows the same unitary pattern at older ages, and (iii)
      that species have absolute life-span limits.

PMID- 1411541
TI  - Demography of genotypes: failure of the limited life-span paradigm in Drosophila
      melanogaster.
AB  - Experimental systems that are amenable to genetic manipulation can be used to
      address fundamental questions about genetic and nongenetic determinants of
      longevity. Analysis of large cohorts of ten genotypes of Drosophila melanogaster
      raised under conditions that favored extended survival has revealed variation
      between genotypes in both the slope and location of age-specific mortality
      curves. More detailed examination of a single genotype showed that the mortality
      trajectory was best fit by a two-stage Gompertz model, with no age-specific
      increase in mortality rates beyond 30 days after emergence. These results are
      contrary to the limited life-span paradigm, which postulates well-defined,
      genotype-specific limits on life-span and brief periods of intense and rapidly
      accelerating mortality rates at the oldest age.

PMID- 1411542
TI  - Absorption spectra of the hybrid pigments responsible for anomalous color vision.
AB  - Unequal homologous recombination events between green and red cone pigment genes
      produce the red-green or green-red hybrid pigment genes found in many individuals
      with variant color vision. Photobleaching difference absorption spectroscopy of
      hybrid pigments produced in cultured cells shows that the spectral sensitivity of
      each hybrid pigment is intermediate between the parental green and red pigment
      sensitivities. Amino acids encoded by exons 2, 3, 4, and 5 produce spectral
      shifts at the wavelength of maximal absorbance of 0 to 4, 0 to 4, 3 to 4, and 15
      to 21 nanometers, respectively, the exact value depending on the identities of
      amino acids elsewhere in the hybrid.

PMID- 1411543
TI  - Spontaneous hypercholesterolemia and arterial lesions in mice lacking
      apolipoprotein E.
AB  - Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is a ligand for receptors that clear remnants of
      chylomicrons and very low density lipoproteins. Lack of apoE is, therefore,
      expected to cause accumulation in plasma of cholesterol-rich remnants whose
      prolonged circulation should be atherogenic. ApoE-deficient mice generated by
      gene targeting were used to test this hypothesis and to make a mouse model for
      spontaneous atherosclerosis. The mutant mice had five times normal plasma
      cholesterol, and developed foam cell-rich depositions in their proximal aortas by
      age 3 months. These spontaneous lesions progressed and caused severe occlusion of
      the coronary artery ostium by 8 months. The severe yet viable phenotype of the
      mutants should make them valuable for investigating genetic and environmental
      factors that modify the atherogenic process.

PMID- 1411544
TI  - Formation of a gated channel by a ligand-specific transport protein in the
      bacterial outer membrane.
AB  - The ferric enterobactin receptor (FepA) is a high-affinity ligand-specific
      transport protein in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Deletion of
      the cell-surface ligand-binding peptides of FepA generated mutant proteins that
      were incapable of high-affinity uptake but that instead formed nonspecific,
      passive channels in the outer membrane. Unlike native FepA, these pores acted
      independently of the accessory protein TonB, which suggests that FepA is a gated
      porin and that TonB acts as its gatekeeper by facilitating the entry of ligands
      into the FepA channel. The sequence homology among TonB-dependent proteins
      suggests that all ligand-specific outer membrane receptors may function by this
      gated-porin mechanism.

PMID- 1411545
TI  - DNA polymerase beta and DNA synthesis in Xenopus oocytes and in a nuclear
      extract.
AB  - The identities of the DNA polymerases required for conversion of single-strand
      (ss) M13 DNA to double-strand (ds) M13 DNA were examined both in injected Xenopus
      laevis oocytes and in an oocyte nuclear extract. Inhibitors and antibodies
      specific to DNA polymerases alpha and beta were used. In nuclear extracts,
      inhibition by the antibody to polymerase beta could be reversed by purified
      polymerase beta. The polymerase beta inhibitors, dideoxythymidine triphosphate
      (ddTTP) and dideoxycytidine triphosphate (ddCTP), also blocked DNA synthesis and
      indicated that polymerase beta is involved in the conversion of ssDNA to dsDNA.
      These results also may have particular significance for emerging evidence of an
      ssDNA replication mode in eukaryotic cells.

PMID- 1411546
TI  - The primary structure of MEK, a protein kinase that phosphorylates the ERK gene
      product.
AB  - Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, also known as extracellular signal
      regulated kinases (ERKs), are thought to act at an integration point for multiple
      biochemical signals because they are activated by a wide variety of extracellular
      signals, rapidly phosphorylated on threonine and tyrosine, and highly conserved.
      A critical protein kinase lies upstream of MAP kinase and stimulates the
      enzymatic activity of MAP kinase. The structure of this protein kinase, denoted
      MEK1, for MAP kinase or ERK kinase, was elucidated from a complementary DNA
      sequence and shown to be a protein of 393 amino acids (43,500 daltons) that is
      related most closely in size and sequence to the product encoded by the
      Schizosaccharomyces pombe byr1 gene. The MEK gene was highly expressed in murine
      brain, and the product expressed in bacteria phosphorylated the ERK gene product.

PMID- 1411547
TI  - Removal of nonhomologous DNA ends in double-strand break recombination: the role
      of the yeast ultraviolet repair gene RAD1.
AB  - Double-strand breaks (DSBs) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be repaired by gene
      conversions or by deletions resulting from single-strand annealing between direct
      repeats of homologous sequences. Although rad1 mutants are resistant to x-rays
      and can complete DSB-mediated mating-type switching, they could not complete
      recombination when the ends of the break contained approximately 60 base pairs of
      nonhomology. Recombination was restored when the ends of the break were made
      homologous to donor sequences. Additionally, the absence of RAD1 led to the
      frequent appearance of a previously unobserved type of recombination product.
      These data suggest RAD1 is required to remove nonhomologous DNA from the 3' ends
      of recombining DNA, a process analogous to the excision of photodimers during
      repair of ultraviolet-damaged DNA.

PMID- 1411548
TI  - Interaction of the immunosuppressant deoxyspergualin with a member of the Hsp70
      family of heat shock proteins.
AB  - Deoxyspergualin (DSG) is a potent immunosuppressant whose mechanism of action
      remains unknown. To elucidate its mechanism of action, an intracellular DSG
      binding protein was identified. DSG has now been shown to bind specifically to
      Hsc70, the constitutive or cognate member of the heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70)
      protein family. The members of the Hsp70 family of heat shock proteins are
      important for many cellular processes, including immune responses, and this
      finding suggests that heat shock proteins may represent a class of
      immunosuppressant binding proteins, or immunophilins, distinct from the
      previously identified cis-trans proline isomerases. DSG may provide a tool for
      understanding the function of heat shock proteins in immunological processes.

PMID- 1411549
TI  - The readers' NIH.

PMID- 1411550
TI  - The readers' NIH.

PMID- 1411551
TI  - The readers' NIH.

PMID- 1411552
TI  - The readers' NIH.

PMID- 1411553
TI  - The readers' NIH.

PMID- 1411554
TI  - The readers' NIH.

PMID- 1411555
TI  - The readers' NIH.

PMID- 1411556
TI  - The readers' NIH.

PMID- 1411557
TI  - The readers' NIH.

PMID- 1411559
TI  - The readers' NIH.

PMID- 1411558
TI  - The readers' NIH.

PMID- 1411560
TI  - The readers NIH.

PMID- 1411561
TI  - The readers NIH.

PMID- 1411562
TI  - The readers' NIH.

PMID- 1411563
TI  - Lobbying for an AIDS trial.

PMID- 1411564
TI  - Medicine: a signal contribution to cell biology.

PMID- 1411565
TI  - Biology: there's honor outside Stockholm.

PMID- 1411566
TI  - Familial Alzheimer's linked to chromosome 14 gene.

PMID- 1411567
TI  - Profiles. Diversity flourishes in Japan's research labs.
AB  - Japan may look homogenous but the pace of change has actually created a people of
      extraordinary diversity. Scientists educated before the war at the elite
      "Imperial" universities are different from those born a few years later; those
      who experienced postwar poverty are not the same as those born into riches a
      little later; researchers in wealthy industrial labs see the world differently
      from their poorer colleagues at the universities; and scientists who have lived
      abroad for a long while change their perceptions for ever. Below, Science talks
      to Japanese scientists of different ages and different experiences in a wide
      variety of disciplines: Among them are a Nobel Prize--winner, an ex-student
      radical, one of Japan's most powerful scientific leaders, an eccentric genius-
      and some older people who remember Japan's problems and younger people who see
      Japan's opportunities.

PMID- 1411568
TI  - Early cultivators of science in Japan.

PMID- 1411569
TI  - Interleukin-6 and its receptor: a paradigm for cytokines.
AB  - Many cytokines and cytokine receptors involved in the regulation of
      hematopoiesis, immune responses, and inflammation have been identified and
      characterized at the molecular level. Several characteristic features of
      cytokines, such as pleiotropy and redundancy, are now more clearly understood on
      the basis of their molecular structures. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated
      an intimate link between cytokines and various diseases such as allergy,
      autoimmune diseases, and cancer. The pathogenesis of these diseases and therapies
      to treat them will be discussed based on insights derived from cytokine research.

PMID- 1411570
TI  - Multistep carcinogenesis: a 1992 perspective.
AB  - Cancer is the leading cause of death in Japan. Recent changes in cancer incidence
      patterns may reflect the trend toward a more Western diet and life-style. Among
      the dietary factors that contribute to carcinogenesis are the heterocyclic
      amines, a group of mutagenic compounds present in cooked meat and fish.
      Carcinogenesis is a multistep process in which cells accumulate multiple genetic
      alterations as they progress to a more malignant phenotype. Recognition of the
      growing number of interacting factors that contribute to carcinogenesis may force
      reconsideration of current methods of risk assessment.

PMID- 1411571
TI  - Intracellular signaling by hydrolysis of phospholipids and activation of protein
      kinase C.
AB  - Hydrolysis of inositol phospholipids by phospholipase C is initiated by either
      receptor stimulation or opening of Ca2+ channels. This was once thought to be the
      sole mechanism to produce the diacylglycerol that links extracellular signals to
      intracellular events through activation of protein kinase C. It is becoming clear
      that agonist-induced hydrolysis of other membrane phospholipids, particularly
      choline phospholipids, by phospholipase D and phospholipase A2 may also take part
      in cell signaling. The products of hydrolysis of these phospholipids may enhance
      and prolong the activation of protein kinase C. Such prolonged activation of
      protein kinase C is essential for long-term cellular responses such as cell
      proliferation and differentiation.

PMID- 1411572
TI  - The economics of health care in Japan.
AB  - Japan's health care system balances universal coverage at reasonable cost. The
      government has taken on the responsibility of acting as insurer and subsidizing
      health care spending for the employees of small enterprises and the self
      employed. Despite the fee-for-service form of payment, costs have been contained
      by the use of a nationally uniform fee schedule that is mandatory for all
      providers. However, the increasingly affluent and aging population is making new
      demands on the system that can only be met by a major restructuring.

PMID- 1411573
TI  - A priori evaluation of aqueous polarization effects through Monte Carlo QM-MM
      simulations.
AB  - A Monte Carlo quantum mechanical-molecular mechanical (QM-MM) simulation method
      was used to determine the contributions of the solvent polarization effect to the
      total interaction energies between solute and solvent for amino acid side chains
      and nucleotide bases in aqueous solution. In the present AM1-TIP3P approach, the
      solute molecule is characterized by valence electrons and nucleus cores with
      Hartree-Fock theory incorporating explicit solvent effects into the total
      Hamiltonian, while the solvent is approximated by the three-point charge TIP3P
      model. The polarization energy contributes 10 to 20 percent of the total
      electrostatic energy in these systems. The performance of the hybrid AM1-TIP3P
      model was further validated by consideration of bimolecular complexes with water
      and by computation of the free energies of solvation of organic molecules using
      statistical perturbation theory. Excellent agreement with ab initio 6-31G(d)
      results and experimental solvation free energies was obtained.

PMID- 1411574
TI  - Hemoglobin-AGE: a circulating marker of advanced glycosylation.
AB  - Advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs) form spontaneously from glucose
      derived Amadori products and accumulate on long-lived tissue proteins. AGEs have
      been implicated in the pathogenesis of several of the complications of aging and
      diabetes, including atherosclerosis and renal disease. With the use of recently
      developed AGE-specific antibodies, an AGE-modified form of human hemoglobin has
      been identified. Termed hemoglobin-AGE (Hb-AGE), this modified species accounts
      for 0.42 percent of circulating hemoglobin in normal individuals but increases to
      0.75 percent in patients with diabetes-induced hyperglycemia. In a group of
      diabetic patients treated with the advanced glycosylation inhibitor
      aminoguanidine, Hb-AGE levels decreased significantly over a 1-month period.
      Hemoglobin-AGE measurements may provide an index of long-term tissue modification
      by AGEs and prove useful in assessing the contribution of advanced glycosylation
      to a variety of diabetic and age-related complications.

PMID- 1411575
TI  - Phase coupling by synaptic spread in chains of coupled neuronal oscillators.
AB  - Many neural systems behave as arrays of coupled oscillators, with characteristic
      phase coupling. For example, the rhythmic activation patterns giving rise to
      swimming in fish are characterized by a rostral-to-caudal phase delay in ventral
      root activity that is independent of the cycle duration. This produces a
      traveling wave of curvature along the body of the animal with a wavelength
      approximately equal to the body length. Here a simple mechanism for phase
      coupling in chains of equally activated oscillators is postulated: the synapses
      between the cells making up a "unit oscillator" are simply repeated in
      neighboring segments, with a reduced synaptic strength. If such coupling is
      asymmetric in the rostral and caudal directions, traveling waves of activity are
      produced. The intersegmental phase lag that develops is independent of the
      coupling strength over at least a tenfold range. Furthermore, for the unit
      oscillator believed to underlie central pattern generation in the lamprey spinal
      cord, such coupling can result in a phase lag that is independent of frequency.

PMID- 1411576
TI  - Genetic linkage evidence for a familial Alzheimer's disease locus on chromosome
      14.
AB  - Linkage analysis was used to search the genome for chromosomal regions harboring
      familial Alzheimer's disease genes. Markers on chromosome 14 gave highly
      significant positive lod scores in early-onset non-Volga German kindreds; a Zmax
      of 9.15 (theta = 0.01) was obtained with the marker D14S43 at 14q24.3. One early
      onset family yielded a lod score of 4.89 (theta = 0.0). When no assumptions were
      made about age-dependent penetrance, significant results were still obtained
      (Zmax = 5.94, theta = 0.0), despite the loss of power to detect linkage under
      these conditions. Results for the Volga German families were either negative or
      nonsignificant for markers in this region. Thus, evidence indicates a familial
      Alzheimer's disease locus on chromosome 14.

PMID- 1411577
TI  - Sarcoidosis in autoimmune disease.
AB  - Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease of unknown etiology.
      Sarcoidosis coexisting with connective tissue diseases, once considered rare,
      complicates various such disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic
      lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, Sjogren's syndrome, and the
      spondyloarthropathies. Symptoms common to sarcoidosis and autoimmune disease
      include keratoconjunctivitis sicca, weight loss, fever, lymphadenopathy,
      pulmonary complaints, and cutaneous lesions. Consequently, the diagnosis of
      sarcoidosis in association with connective tissue disease is often difficult and
      may require biopsy of the lung, liver, skin, lymph node, muscle, or bone marrow
      for pathological confirmation. Abnormalities of immune function as well as
      autoantibody production, including rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibodies,
      are seen in sarcoidosis and in connective tissue diseases, suggesting a common
      immunopathogenic mechanism. The severity and course of sarcoidosis associated
      with autoimmune disease is variable. The incidence of sarcoidosis in association
      with rheumatic disease may be underestimated if new symptoms of sarcoidosis are
      attributed to the primary rheumatic disease and a secondary diagnosis is not
      pursued.

PMID- 1411578
TI  - Cryptococcal meningitis in systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - Two cases of cryptococcal meningitis occurring in patients with systemic lupus
      erythematosus (SLE) are presented, and 24 additional cases from the literature
      are reviewed. The insidious onset of this infrequent complication is emphasized.
      The nonspecific neurological findings associated with this infection are often
      mistakenly diagnosed as a central nervous system manifestation of SLE. Earlier
      diagnosis and effective antifungal therapy have improved the prognosis of
      cryptococcal meningitis in SLE patients in recent years. Strategies for the
      treatment of patients with this complication are discussed.

PMID- 1411579
TI  - Septic subdeltoid bursitis.
AB  - Four cases of septic subdeltoid bursitis are described. Clinical presentations,
      microbiology, and therapies are reviewed for these cases as well as for the six
      previously reported cases in the literature. The etiology of septic subdeltoid
      bursitis was related to bacteremia, trauma, or immune incompetence. Compared with
      septic oelcranon and prepatellar bursitis, septic subdeltoid bursitis was
      associated with a more profound inflammatory reaction in the bursa, required more
      sophisticated diagnostic imaging, and necessitated more aggressive therapy.
      Appropriate therapy generally resulted in favorable outcomes.

PMID- 1411580
TI  - Cyclosporine in rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - The efficacy and toxicity of cyclosporine in the treatment of patients with
      rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are reviewed. Most of the early trials were restricted
      to patients with intractable RA. The initial daily dose of cyclosporine was 5 to
      10 mg/kg, which is now considered high. Of 283 cyclosporine-treated patients in
      nine studies, 8% discontinued the drug prematurely because of inefficacy and 17%
      because of adverse reactions. Cyclosporine improves clinical parameters but does
      not influence the erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The most important side effects
      are gastrointestinal intolerance and nephrotoxicity. The former is of minor
      importance with the present dosage schedule (starting daily dose, 2.5 mg/kg), and
      increments should follow the principle "go low, go slow." Guidelines are given to
      avoid or reduce nephrotoxicity. It may be beneficial to administer cyclosporine
      early in the course of RA.

PMID- 1411581
TI  - Collagenase in synovitis of rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - There are two types of collagenases, products of two distinct genes, called MMP-1
      (matrix metalloproteinase 1 or "fibroblast-type collagenase") and MMP-8
      ("neutrophil collagenase"). In synovial fluid, MMP-8 is stored as latent
      proenzyme in polymorphonuclear neutrophils. MMP-8 is activated by hypochlorous
      acid produced by myeloperoxidase from hydrogen peroxide and chloride ion and by
      the hydroxyl radical produced in Haber Weiss reaction fed by superoxide produced
      by, eg, NADPH (reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) oxidase and xanthine
      oxidase. In addition to activation upon secretion, oxidatively modified MMP-8 is
      susceptible to a subsequent proteolytic attack and activation by cathepsin G. The
      authors suggest that activation of neutrophil-derived MMP-8 involves oxidative,
      nonproteolytic activation upon secretion and a more slowly progressive
      proteolytic activation by cathepsin G (or chymases and tryptases), and that these
      oxidative and proteolytic activation mechanisms act in concert. In contrast to
      MMP-8, MMP-1 is synthesized de novo and secreted immediately after synthesis by
      fibroblasts, macrophages, and some epithelial cells. Human rheumatoid synovial
      tissue contains mainly fibroblast-type MMP-1 collagenase as assessed by
      collagenase extracted from synovial tissue and by MMP-1 and MMP-8 immunostaining.
      It is suggested that in vivo, MMP-1 in synovitis tissue is activated by a
      plasminogen activator/plasminogen/prostromelysin (alternatively tryptases)/proMMP
      1 cascade. In conclusion, MMP-8 and MMP-1 show type-specific compartmentalization
      and modes of activation in rheumatoid synovial fluid and tissue.

PMID- 1411582
TI  - Light and electron microscopic observations on the synovitis of ankylosing
      spondylitis.
AB  - Light microscopic studies on synovium obtained from seven knees and three hips of
      patients with ankylosing spondylitis and peripheral arthritis showed surface
      fibrin, proliferation of synovial lining cells, moderate infiltration with
      lymphocytes, and sometimes striking numbers of plasma cells. There was some
      vascular congestion and obliteration, occasional bone and cartilage debris, and a
      tendency toward increased fibrous tissue. Although the intensity of some findings
      varies from those in rheumatoid arthritis, there were no consistent
      distinguishing features. Electron microscopy of eight synovial tissue specimens
      showed increased type B or synthetic lining cells. Structures that could possibly
      have been organisms were seen among synovial cells in two patients. Immune
      complex-like deposits were not seen in vessel walls, although there were other
      vascular alterations. Synovial fluid studies showed 2,200 to 16,500 white blood
      cells/mm3 (mean, 8,236), 29% to 93% polymorphonuclear leukocytes (mean, 66%), and
      0.5 to 32% lymphocytes (mean, 18%). The presence of at least some activated
      lymphocytes (lymphoblasts) in seven of nine patients in addition to the above
      findings in synovium suggest an immunological component to the driven process. No
      more than 32% lymphocytes was found in any synovial fluid despite the use of
      nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Thus no support for synovial fluid
      lymphocytosis, such as has been described in rheumatoid arthritis patients
      treated with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs alone, is provided.

PMID- 1411583
TI  - [Defects in canalization of seminal pathways].
AB  - We assessed the value of ultra sonography in diagnosis and grading the
      alterations in canalization of seminal pathways. After clinical examination and
      semen analysis, we studied 4100 patients by scrotal US with sector mechanical
      (7.5 MHz) probe with water bag and by transrectal US for prostatic vesicular
      region evaluation with 5-6.5 MHz linear probe (lately we used biplanar probe). In
      three cases, we performed us guided aspiration and contrast media injection of
      prostatic cavity. In 63 cases (1.53%) we found developmental malformations of
      seminal vesicles. The abnormality was bilaterally in 33% and it was associated
      with malformations of urinary tract in 17.46%. Other malformations were found in
      0.12% cases. Ultrasonography was always able to establish obstruction level and
      type, and the possible associated abnormalities. US permitted to avoid or to
      restrict testis biopsy or vasoseminal vesiculogram. Ultrasonography is eventually
      able to guide second level diagnostic examination (aspiration biopsy and contrast
      media injection of prostatic cysts) and endourethral approach to drainage.

PMID- 1411584
TI  - [Ultrasound-color Doppler in the study of sexual impotence].
AB  - Male impotence is a relatively frequency disease. To define the correct aetiology
      of this disorder is important to plan a right diagnosis to difference organic,
      psychological and psycho-organic causes. From June 90 to June 91 fifty-four
      patients with male impotence of different degree were observed and went through
      diagnostic investigations. The patients were classified in four groups (A, B, C,
      D) as clinical results of the pharmacological test (intracavernous injection of
      PGE1 alpha 15 micrograms). A and B groups showed normal and nearly normal
      hemogenic finding. C group showed either low arterial flow increase after FIC or
      venous leakage. D group showed very low haemodynamic increase. The analysis of
      Eco-doppler studies was performed 5'-10'-20' after intracavernous injection of
      PGE1 alpha obtaining three haemodynamic markers: the systolic top flow (Vs) the
      diastolic ending flow (Vd) resistance flow index. The Authors discuss the results
      obtained considering the Eco-color-doppler the most important stage in the
      haemodynamic evaluation of sexual impotence.

PMID- 1411585
TI  - [Extrarenal ultrasound and color Doppler: renal artery stenosis].
AB  - There is a long term interest in noninvasive Doppler (Duplex Doppler, Color
      Doppler) methods to screen patients with reno-vascular hypertension resistant to
      medical therapy. Doppler criteria for the diagnosis of renal artery stenosis in
      native kidneys vary (peak systolic velocity exceeding 100 cm/sec; RAR (Renal
      Aortic Ratio) exceeding 3.5; Doppler shift frequency exceeding 6-8 KHz; dampened
      peripheral waveform; lack of signal in complete occlusion). When the vessels are
      adequately visualized (about 40% of cases) sensitivity and specificity are quite
      good (80-90%). In the transplanted kidney Doppler diagnosis of renal artery is
      easier (diagnostic accuracy about 90%). The diagnostic criteria have been well
      codified (Doppler shift of 7.5 KHz at an insonating frequency of 3 MHz).

PMID- 1411586
TI  - [Ultrasound and color Doppler control of percutaneous angioplasty (PTA) of the
      renal artery].
AB  - The Authors report their experience about fifty patients affected with
      renovascular hypertension, treated by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA)
      for stenosis of main renal artery and now studied by Duplex-Scan and Color
      doppler. Results, compared with arterial pressure measurements, renography and
      laboratory renal function evaluation, showed a sensibility of 84%, specificity of
      90% and an accuracy of 87.5%. Advantages and limits of Duplex-scan in patients
      treated by PTA are briefly discussed.

PMID- 1411587
TI  - [The role of nuclear medicine in renovascular pathology of urologic
      significance].
AB  - The diagnostic contribution of the radiological techniques (intravenous
      urography, angiography, sonography, computer tomography) is well-known. On the
      contrary, in this field, the possibilities of the Nuclear Medicine are
      underestimated. Radiological methods have high detail recognition but are only
      suitable for assessing the functional significance of morphological changes in a
      restricted sense; in the last 25 years, nuclear medical renal diagnosis has
      achieved a differentiated development stage which permits new qualitative and
      quantitative tests. The radioisotopic methods offer morphological informations
      which surely are less exact than those given by radiological techniques, on the
      other hand they add irreplaceable parameters of functional significance; these
      parameters concern the perfusion and the accumulation and excretion constants of
      selected areas of interest in renal districts. This is made possible by a wide
      choice of radiopharmaceuticals, having a different dynamic pattern and
      biodistribution. The Authors consider scintigraphic imaging of different renal
      pathologies: trauma, characterized by hypoperfusion; hematoma and/or urinoma;
      pseudotumor and carcinoma. Nuclear medical techniques allow in nearly all the
      cases a rapid and exact diagnostic guidance. The AA. emphasize the absence of
      invasiveness, the simplicity and the good compliance of these methods in all
      patients, even if seriously ill, and the usefulness in follow-up and diagnosis of
      several pathological conditions. Finally, they underline the absence of an
      appreciable radiobiological hazard.

PMID- 1411588
TI  - [Intra-renal ultrasound and color Doppler: pathology or nephrologic
      significance].
AB  - Us-Doppler examination of the native kidney gives more detailed information on
      nephrological vascular disease. Since there is a close connection between renal
      functional units (nephrons) and vascular and interstitial compartments,
      alterations in intrarenal flow will obviously occur in all types of medical
      nephropathy, irrespective of the origin of the anatomopathological damage.
      Altered intrarenal flow occur with increased vascular impedance, in turn related
      to an increased resistance index (RI). In nephropathy with dilatation, the RI can
      distinguish obstructive from non-obstructive dilatation (high and normal RI,
      respectively). Personal experience of 80 kidneys with nonobstructive medical
      nephropathy has shown a good correlation between increased RI and deterioration
      of renal function, demonstrating that, renal function being equal, RI is higher
      in Vascular than Tubulo-interstitial and Glomerular nephropathies. For medical
      nephropathy of transplanted kidneys, Us-Doppler evaluation can be combined with
      conventional Doppler for diagnosing acute rejection. In this series, an elevated
      RI (0.90) is highly predictive of acute rejection (92% specificity) but has low
      sensitivity (30%). At the threshold value of RI = 0.80, sensitivity is 66% and
      specificity is 78%. However, it is considered that far more reliable information
      is obtained if Doppler examination is combined with conventional U.S. morphology.

PMID- 1411589
TI  - [Integration of diagnostic methods in renal vascular pathology].
AB  - Modern technology allows us to study the renal vascular diseases by means of many
      diagnostic procedures. In the past the main diagnostic technique was Urography,
      whereas Angiography were performed only in few selected cases. The new Imaging
      Techniques totally changed the diagnostic approach to this kind of diseases.
      Today in fact Echo-Color-Doppler and Nuclear Medicine are the early diagnostic
      techniques to be performed. Actually only few selected patients undergo
      Angiography, not the conventional one but the Digital; this new technique, in
      fact, in case of renovascular Hypertension is not only of diagnostic value but is
      often the definitive therapy.

PMID- 1411590
TI  - [Diagnostic imaging in renal vascular diseases: old and new ways. Role of nuclear
      medicine].
AB  - Using the nuclear medicine procedures it is possible to evaluate the renovascular
      hypertension via the captopril test. Decreased renal blood flow due to stenotic
      vessel may produce a variety of findings on the renogram using both OIH-I131 and
      DTPA-Tc99m. Delayed transit time and excretion also may be detected. In this
      situation the sensitivity and specificity of Nuclear Medicine for RAS detection
      is very low. Using Captopril test is possible to detect enhanced modification on
      the shape of renogram due to Angiotensin Converting enzyme inhibition.

PMID- 1411591
TI  - [Vascular pathology of urologic significance: Doppler and color Doppler].
AB  - The combined use of B-mode ultrasonography and doppler (p.w. and/or color
      doppler) provides a more accurate and detailed study of vascular pathology than B
      mode ultrasonography alone. In fact, besides to document the presence of blood
      flow and to assess its direction, doppler US provides a quantitative evaluation
      of blood flow. Chromatic codification of blood flow (usually red if flowing
      towards the probe, blue if flowing away from the probe and yellow or green in the
      case of turbulence) permits to assess the presence of blood flow even in areas
      where a vessel cannot be depicted by B-mode ultrasonography. In fact in the study
      of blood flow to the kidney it's possible with color-doppler to visualize not
      only the main renal arteries but segmental-intraparenchymal arteries too; that is
      very useful in the detection of rejection of allograft. In renal artery, blood
      flow presents a pattern of low resistance: a brief systolic phase followed by a
      longer diastolic one, without inversion of flow. In renal vein, blood flow is, on
      the contrary, continuous. The main disorders of the kidney and urinary tract,
      which can be detected by color doppler are the following: renal-vascular
      hypertension, rejection of allograft, renal vein thrombosis, portal hypertension
      with spleno-renal collateral channels, disorders of ureteral motility, space
      occupying lesions, medical nephropathies and obstructive uropathies.
      Sophisticated analysis of the flow pattern to the kidney with color doppler, by
      some doppler sonographic parameters (resistance index RI, pulsatility index PI),
      in these disorders adds a functional element to the traditional ultrasonographic
      imaging with a better characterization of the disease.

PMID- 1411592
TI  - [Ultrasonography in the follow-up of patients after extracorporeal shockwave
      lithotripsy].
AB  - Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) has revolutionized treatment of
      urinary stones, but created new clinical situations and problems in the
      interpretation of which x-rays and ultrasonography have proved invaluable. This
      paper defined the role of ultrasound in the follow-up of patients who had
      undergone ESWL and assessed its advantages and limitations in evaluating the
      efficacy of this form of therapy and in monitoring the elimination of stone
      fragments. The utility of ultrasound in the diagnosis and monitoring of the
      complications due to ESWL has been emphasized. Finally ultrasound is a valid tool
      when performing those echo-guided procedures which are essential for the
      treatment of obstructive complications secondary to ESWL.

PMID- 1411593
TI  - [Role of ultrasonography in the follow-up of surgically treated patients. Upper
      urinary tract. Complications after conservative surgery].
AB  - The Authors describe the purposes of ultrasonographic follow-up after both
      conservative surgery and endoscopic or endourological operations of the upper
      urinary tract. In these cases ultrasonography evaluates the results of normal
      surgery, the presence of early or late complications, and of iatrogenic lesions.
      The echo-patterns of deformations in the outline of the kidneys, of hematic,
      urinary or lymphatic collections (both retroperitoneal and intraperitoneal), of
      fistulas, of sclero-lipomatosis and of post-cicatrization hydronephrosis are
      described. The importance of evaluating the degree of obstruction by a dynamic
      ultrasonographic study with furosemide-test is emphasized. The ultrasonographic
      monitoring of urethral and pyelostomy setting of catheters is also described. The
      echo-patterns of retroperitoneal and intraperitoneal fluid collections and renal
      hematomas, in relation also the kind of fluid contained are widely discussed.

PMID- 1411594
TI  - [Radical prostatectomy: role of ultrasonography in the follow-up].
AB  - After a brief summary about surgical technique of radical prostatectomy and its
      indications in the different stages of prostatic cancer, the Authors describe
      complications and surgical sequelae of this operation. The Authors report a brief
      series. It is composed with 13 patients. Their have been submitted to radical
      prostatectomy for prostatic cancer between January 1989 and September 1991.
      Pathological stage was B1 in 6 patients, B2 in 2 patients, C1 in 4 cases and C2
      in 1. Particularly the role of ultrasonography in detection and follow-up of
      early complications such as lymphocele, pelvic hematoma and anastomotic urine
      leakage is stressed. Transrectal ultrasound is especially useful in the detection
      of urine leakage from vesico-urethral anastomosis. This technique is compared
      with traditional cystourethrography and advantages and disadvantages of the two
      techniques are discussed. Later complications of radical prostatectomy are
      anastomotic stenosis, pelvic recurrences, nodal or parenchymal metastasis,
      urinary incontinence. The role of transrectal ultrasound in the detection of
      anastomotic strictures is stressed, especially when the study is done during
      micturition. Transrectal ultrasound is not so satisfying in the detection of
      pelvic recurrences, especially if they are smaller than 1 cm. In case of large
      masses digital examination is diagnostic itself. At last the Authors describe
      urinary incontinence and its etiology as a complication of radical prostatectomy.
      Particularly a surgical technique for vesico-urethral anastomosis proposed by
      Rocca Rossetti and its value in post-operative continence is described. The
      Authors show the results of transrectal ultrasound in the detection of striated
      urethral sphincter and its function after radical prostatectomy.

PMID- 1411595
TI  - [Use of ultrasonography in morphofunctional evaluation of orthotopic neo
      bladder].
AB  - Seventeen patients submitted to radical cystectomy and orthotopic bladder
      replacement according to Reddy's technique were studied at the 1, 3, 6 and 12
      month, then annually follow-up by physical examination, intravenous pyelogram,
      cystourethrography, suprapubic and transrectal ultrasonography and complete
      urodynamics. Sixteen patients (94%) reported day-time urinary continence and
      twelve patients (70%) day-time and nocturnal continence. Cysto-manometry showed a
      mean bladder capacity of 450 cc with a maximal endocavitary pressure of 40 cm.
      H2O and satisfactory peak flow rate. Vesico-ureteral reflux was never detected at
      roentgenography. Ultrasonography may be useful in the study of a possible reflux
      or stenosis of the neovesico-ureteral junction by detecting renal scars or
      dilatation of the renal cavities. Sovrapubic ultrasonography can quantify the
      capacity of the neo-bladder (300-600 cc), study its shape, walls and contractions
      that do not cause the involuntary opening of the neo-bladder neck. Transrectal
      ultrasonography studies the bladder neck shape and its dynamic function. Residual
      urine volume never exceeded 50 cc. Ultrasonography demonstrated its effectiveness
      and reliability and limited the application of more invasive roentgenographic
      procedures.

PMID- 1411596
TI  - [Circumvallate nephro-cystostomy].
AB  - Circumvallate nephro-cystostomy (CNC) provides a subcutaneous connection of a
      nephrostomy and a cystostomy catheter thus allowing spontaneous micturition. This
      procedure is suitable for those patients affected by an obstructive nephropathy
      where it was not possible to insert a double "J" stent or where surgical
      treatment was not allowed. Patients affected by debilitating disease benefit from
      these procedure by avoiding problems connected with daily handling of catheter,
      examples are medications at the insertion site or possible dislodgement of a
      nephrostomy catheter added to the psychological problems related to carry the
      urine collection bag. A number of 13 patients have been treated with this method,
      5 had monolateral CNC, 8 had bilateral CNC for a total of 21 procedures. All but
      one cause of ureteral obstruction were neoplastic, the exception being a patient
      with necrosis of the ureter subsequent to major vascular surgery. CNC had a
      residence time ranging from 1, 5 to 25 months with an average of 9.8 months. Only
      in 2 cases it was necessary to remove CNC due to recurrent cystitis and orchitis
      due to bladder irritation by a cystostomy catheter and for an obstruction which
      could not be remedied in a patient with necrosis of the ureter. The most
      important complication, i.e. obstruction, occurred in 4 cases. In the above
      mentioned case CNC was removed after 9 months of proper performance. In the other
      3 cases obstruction occurred after 2, 3, 18 months and in all this cases
      obstruction was easily removed. Besides obstruction only minor malfunctions were
      experienced and the procedure was very well tolerated by all patients.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411597
TI  - [Use of ultrasound-guided percutaneous nephrostomy before and after ESWL: 4 years
      of experience].
AB  - We evaluated the usefulness of percutaneous nephrostomy in 1700 patients treated
      for reno-ureteral stones by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL). Out of
      this group 81 patients (5.8%) underwent echo-guided percutaneous nephrostomy
      (EPCN): the procedure has been performed in local anesthesia in 38% of the cases
      (31 pts) before SWL and in 62% (50 pts) after. The majority of EPCN were carried
      out for the presence of acute or chronic ureteral obstruction with echographic
      evaluable dilation of pyelocaliceal system when retrograde ureteral manipulations
      failed or were considered unsuitable. EPCN before SWL was performed because of
      ureteral stone and uncomplicated pyelocalyceal dilation (19 pts); ureteral stone,
      pyelocaliceal dilation and fever > 38 degrees C (3 pts); ureteral stone,
      pyelocalyceal dilation and functional IVP exclusion (5 pts); pyelic stone in
      solitary kidney (1 pts); ureteral stones in pregnancy (2 pts). EPCN after SWL was
      performed because of uncomplicated, persistent pile-up (31 pts); ureteral pile-up
      complicated by fever and colics (9 pts); ureteral obstructing fragments (2 pts);
      double J obstruction by stone dust (3 pts); persistent ureteral pile-up around
      double J (3 pts); anuria in solitary kidney (1 pt). Out of the patients who
      underwent EPCN before SWL 13% were stone free and without drainage at discharge,
      77% had passable stone fragments at discharge and drainage has been taken out at
      15-30 days check up, 10% had unbroken stone and underwent with drainage to
      ureterolithotripsy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411598
TI  - [Endoscopic compression of bladder diverticula].
AB  - The authors refer on the pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy of bladder
      diverticula, with particular reference to the endoscopic compression technique
      performed in 35 patients. The authors stress the usefulness of bladder
      ultrasonography in the follow-up of operated patients. Results are comparable to
      those obtained cystography.

PMID- 1411599
TI  - [Bladder neoplasms].
AB  - The authors underline the diagnostic accuracy of transurethral bladder
      ultrasonography in the estimation of local infiltration of bladder tumors. The
      study was conducted on 21 patients who underwent either endoscopic resection or
      cystectomy. The clinical staging obtained by transurethral echography was
      compared with the pathological one. The results obtained by either method were
      comparable in all cases.

PMID- 1411600
TI  - [Pathology of the spermatic cord].
AB  - The purpose of this study has been to establish the role of spermatic cord in the
      etiopathogenesis of fertility. We describe herein the anatomy and pathology of
      the spermatic cord and objective method for diagnosing the disorder and
      evaluating the therapeutic results. The most pathological conditions affecting
      the cord there was a complete resolution, this condition it isn't the same for
      the vas deferens or varicocele. A variety of diagnostic modalities including
      thermography, Doppler, and particularly ultrasonography may be used to study
      satisfactorily. Ultrasonography technique may provide a simple but accurate non
      invasive method for accurately determined pathological conditions of the scrotum.
      It has a limited role in the management of the normal vas deferens or in
      congenital malformations including agenesis of vas deferens.

PMID- 1411601
TI  - [Duplex scanner in the diagnosis of vasculogenic impotence].
AB  - This paper is reporting the experience of the Authors in the use of Duplex
      scanner and eco-color-doppler in the diagnosis of the erectile dysfunctions and
      particularly in the importance of vascular (arterious and venous) origin. For
      this purpose, we selected a sample constituted of 41 patients: 22 with
      psychogenic, 8 with arterial, 5 with venous impotence, 5 patients with Peyronie's
      disease and 1 patient with posttraumatic arterio-venous fistula. The Authors,
      while underlining the remarkable accuracy and diagnostic reliability of eco
      doppler, emphasize the indication of the method up to consider it "investigation
      of prime choice", not only in the patients with the dysfunction of vis erigendi
      but, in the cases in which a morphological evaluation, besides hemodynamical one,
      become necessary.

PMID- 1411602
TI  - [Selective arteriography in the study of arterial vasculogenic impotence].
AB  - According to the fundamental circulatory nature of penile erection, insufficiency
      of the arterial blood supply to the corpora cavernosa caused by an organic
      arterial disease is found in a large fraction of case, overall among the patients
      aged more than 40. It is possible to evaluate arterial origin of erectile
      dysfunction by using of noninvasive methods, but to obtain the necessary
      panoramicity and the characterization of the lesions it needs the use of
      angiography. Performance of standard arteriography leads to insufficient
      visualization of pudendal and penile vessels and risks false positive results.
      Because of penile hemodynamic variability in its different states is necessary
      the use of pharmacologic devices to perform a diagnostic arteriography. For the
      selective study of the pudenda and peniena vascularization we perform a selective
      arteriography bilaterally, with the catheter tip placed in the proximal part of
      the internal iliac artery. We use a contrast medium particularly diluted and
      mixed with xylocaine. We perform angiographic sequences after intracavernous
      injection of 8-10 mgr of papaverine to obtain the maximum blood flow and to
      prevent spasm of the terminal arterioles. Arteriography gives a complete study of
      the pudenda arterial tree and its terminal ramifications, and it is able to
      supply all the necessary informations regarding the planning of revascularization
      procedures. Treatment of arterial lesions is possible with surgical and
      radiologic methods. As in other arteries, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty
      (P.T.A.) can be applied in the therapy of impotence caused by arterial
      insufficiency. P.T.A. is the election treatment in the stenosis of the common
      iliac and internal iliac arteries.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411603
TI  - [The Rigiscan system in the diagnosis of male sexual impotence].
AB  - The article reviews historical basis of Nocturnal Penile Tumescence (NPT) test
      and the evolution of techniques to perform it. From complex and time-consuming
      instruments, modern technology has brought us to the use of the Rigiscan system.
      This is a transportable (home or office usable), computerized method to detect
      change of penile rigidity and circumference during sleep-related spontaneous-or
      daytime induced-erections. While the instrument was mainly developed to perform
      NPT tests, it is nowadays used to record penile rigidity in realtime after the
      intracavernous injection of vasoactive drugs. In our experience, normal
      parameters to refer for a NPT evaluation are: number of erectile episodes: 4-5
      per night; mean duration od episodes: > 30 minutes; increase of penile
      circumference: > 3 cm (base loop) and > 2 cm (tip loop); maximal rigidity: > 70%
      (both base and tip). Reference parameters for realtime monitoring after
      intracavernous injection of PGEI are: latency of response: < 12 minutes; duration
      (with a stable plateau): > 30 minutes; constant plateau: > 70%; increase of
      penile circumference: > 3 cm (base) and > 2 cm (tip). The use of these reference
      parameters, together with the data coming from other procedures (e.g. penile
      arterial flow with the Doppler), allows a better diagnostic accuracy in the
      approach to sexual impotence.

PMID- 1411604
TI  - [Impotence: introductory notes].
AB  - If we define erectile impotence as the inability to achieve and maintain a firm
      erection we can distinguish several pathogens of impotence: psychologic
      disorders, neurogenic sinusoidal disorders, arterial disorders, venous &
      sinusoidal disorders and systemic diseases and other disorders can cause erectile
      impotence. An etiologic screening of impotence must be carried out by Urologists
      in order to adopt the best surgical approach. Especially when surgery has to be
      planned, a complete, often invasive screening associated with a super-specialist
      diagnostic study is necessary at the beginning of any procedure. Different
      approaches to impotence can be adopted on the basis of patient's age, etiology
      and failure of other devices. The main methods of surgical correction of
      impotence may be divided as follows: a) percutaneous transluminal angioplasty
      (P.T.A.); b) revascularization; c) surgical treatment of "venous leakage", d)
      trans-luminal veno-occlusion (T.L.V.O.); e) correction of penile curvature; f)
      prostheses placement. The diagnosis of arteriogenic impotence depends upon the
      arteriographic demonstration of bilateral hemodynamically significant
      obstruction. In our experience the injection of papaverine during the test has
      provided a better visualization of cavernous arteries and helicine branches.
      Reduction of luminal diameter by more than 50% suggest a hemodynamically
      significant stenosis. Intracavernous injection of vasoactive agents has provided
      an attractive alternative to surgery. We have employed papaverine alone or with
      phentolamine or phenoxybenzamine. After short term treatment, some patients have
      achieved good erections without further injections. For P.T.A. of the distal
      internal pudendal arteries our approach has been via the ipsilateral or
      contralateral femoral arteries. Under local anesthesia a penile arteriographic
      catheter is placed in the internal pudendal artery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1411605
TI  - [Role of penile ultrasonography in erection deficit].
AB  - The presence of penile nodule, curvature, disorders in blood flow to and from the
      corpora cavernosa is often correlated with organic sexual impotence. Echography
      allows to obtain a clear imaging of penile structures: diameters of corpora
      cavernosa can be measured before and after injection of vasoactive drugs. In our
      study penile structure were evaluated using a Combison 310 and a Toshiba with 7.5
      MHz probe. In a lot of cases echography was repeated after intracavernous
      injection of PGE 1 or papaverine. The equipment needed for this evaluation is
      expensive but echography is undoubtedly less invasive than other equivalent
      examinations like cavernosography. Although the sensitivity and specificity of
      penile echography have not yet been clearly established this test is generally
      considered to be an useful and objective one. Penile echography is particularly
      usefull in discriminating between echogenic and not-echogenic nodules in case of
      Peyronie disease.

PMID- 1411606
TI  - [Ultrasound and color Doppler in the diagnosis of vasculogenic impotence].
AB  - Echo-color-doppler is a non invasive diagnostic technique which can provide data
      about arterial and venous vascular circle of the penis with greater precision
      than Doppler CW. In the tumescent phase after a PGE1 injection the systolic
      velocity (SV) reaches a rate higher than 25 cm/sec and the diastolic velocity
      (DV) higher than 2 cm/sec, resistance index (RI) > to 0.70 with evident colour
      marked from 1 to 3 KHz. In erection arterial flow decrease and SV is lower than
      25 cm/sec with DV lower than 2 cm/sec or with negative values; RI < to 0.70 or
      negative. The data are confirmed by clinical investigation and traditional
      diagnostic exams in normal and pathological patients. Echo-color-doppler reduces
      invasive exams and acquires a primary position on the diagnostic scale of
      impotence.

PMID- 1411607
TI  - [Can post-traumatic renal failure be modified therapeutically?].
AB  - Acute renal failure in the late phase after severe trauma is particularly
      dangerous, since it is resistant to therapy and contributes to the development of
      post-traumatic multiple organ failure. We have studied different treatment
      regimes in order to establish whether late renal failure can be prevented (study
      A: colloidal and crystalloid solutions; study B greater than: crystalloid
      solutions and dopamine; continuous infusion 3 micrograms/kg body weight). Renal
      function was assessed by means of the score by Goris as well as by creatinine
      clearance over a period of 14 days. Haemodynamics and cardiac function were
      determined on a daily basis. The demographic parameters were comparable in both
      groups. In group A 37 of 61 patients died (60.6%), and in group B 17 of 38
      patients (44.7%) (P less than 0.05). The incidence of impairment of renal
      function was comparable; in group A there was significantly more severe damage
      (18%) compared to group B (2.6%). This coincided with significantly higher
      mortality in group A (group A: 60.65%; group B: 44.7%). In group A a lesser
      volume was given during the preclinical and clinical course, even after
      correcting for the volume-saving effect of colloidal solutions. In addition,
      cardiac index was higher in group B (day 9: 5.9 +/- 0.61 l/min) than in group A
      (day 9: 4.4 +/- 0.5 l/min) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) was
      lower and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) higher over the whole period. Also,
      the arterio-venous oxygen difference (AvDO2) was higher following day 9 in
      patients in group A, but creatinine clearance was better in group B
      patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411608
TI  - [Differences of acute and chronic epidural hematoma].
AB  - Standard neurosurgical management demands prompt evacuation of all extradural
      hematomas to obtain a low incidence of mortality and morbidity. In selected cases
      some authors have suggested that moderate hematomas can be managed conservatively
      without risk to the patient and with a normal outcome. The goal of this study was
      to analyze the differences in preoperative clinical parameters between a group of
      acute and a group of chronic extradural hematomas (chronic extradural hematoma
      was defined as a delay of more than 72 h from the accident to diagnosis). One
      hundred fifteen (115) patients with extradural hematomas underwent a standard
      evaluation, documentation and neurosurgical management (prompt evacuation of all
      extradural hematomas through a craniotomy). Ninety-five patients (83%) had an
      acute extradural hematoma. Twenty patients (17%) had a chronic extradural
      hematoma. We analyzed the following parameters: age, cause of accident, clinical
      findings, Glasgow Coma Score, morphology of hematoma, location of hematoma, cause
      of bleeding and clinical outcome. The mean age (chronic 30/acute 32) and age
      distribution were not significantly different between groups. There were no
      differences in the cause of accident. All patients in both groups had skull
      fractures. There was no difference between groups regarding hematoma location,
      most of there being located in the temporal fossa. In the group of acute
      extradural hematomas, 62% of patients had a Glasgow Coma Score of less than 8 and
      47% had pupillary dilation. In the group of chronic extradural hematomas,
      moderate clinical symptoms were found, with headache and discrete psychological
      changes most common. Eighty percent (80%) of the patients had a Glasgow Coma
      Score of greater than 13 and no patients had pupillary dilation.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411609
TI  - [Surgical treatment of fractures in tropical countries].
AB  - In tropical countries, the indication for operative treatment of fractures
      treatment must be restrictive. Based on our own experience and the treatment
      results, the prerequisites for operative treatment are given and proposals
      concerning indication, preoperative preparation and operative tactics. The
      osteosyntheses recommended are the different forms of external fixation, in
      particular the external fixator (AO) and the transfixational plaster cast
      technique. The external fixator is the basic tool in tropical traumatology.

PMID- 1411610
TI  - [Late results after lumbar vertebrae fracture with Lorenz Bohler conservative
      treatment].
AB  - We report on a clinical and radiological follow-up of patients who had sustained
      a fracture of their lumbar spine between 1982 and 1989 and were treated at our
      department by the method of Lorenz Bohler. 244 patients left our clinic with a
      plaster bodice after fracture reposition, 153 came to the follow-up (most of the
      cases are documented radiologically from the first to the follow-up x-ray). Our
      results are similar to the outcomes which are published after early functional
      treatment. We could not find a relationship between the radiological and clinical
      results and we saw, that it is impossible to fix the spine sufficiently in a
      plaster bodice without fracture redislocation.

PMID- 1411611
TI  - [Indications, technique and results of monosegmental dorsal spondylodesis in
      wedge compression fractures (grade II) of the thoracolumbar spine].
AB  - The management of wedge compression fractures of the thoracolumbar spine remains
      a controversial subject. Although there is an increasing tendency for operative
      intervention of spinal injuries, non-operative treatment of compression fracture
      has been the method of choice. The compression fracture is a fracture occurring
      during compressive forces of the anterior column due to flexion mechanisms. The
      more severe the compressive fracture, the more likely it will be to present, in
      an addition to anterior wedging, a failure of the posterior column indicating
      tension forces at that level. These fractures, defined as mechanically unstable
      and classified as compression fractures Grade II, are concentrated in the
      thoracolumbar region. Between June 1987 and July 1990 14 patients with
      compression fractures Grade II were treated posteriorly with one level internal
      fixation. Of the 14 patients, 9 had stabilization with plates and cerclage wire,
      5 with an internal fixator. All patients received a localized fusion. In order to
      permit a more reliable analysis of the results of our stabilizing procedures, a
      comparison was made with a series of 11 cases with equivalent fractures treated
      non-operatively between 1986 and 1989. At clinical and radiographic follow-up
      evaluation, the results in the operative group were much more favourable, both
      subjective and objective, than in the non-operative group. We derive from these
      results that in thoracolumbar compression fractures Grade II, posterior one level
      stabilization and fusion is a recommendable surgical procedure.

PMID- 1411612
TI  - Surgical management of pelvic ring disruptions. Indications, techniques and
      functional results.
AB  - In a period of 30 months, we treated 44 pelvic ring fractures by early operative
      stabilization. The ratio of associated musculoskeletal and intrapelvic lesions
      was very high, with a mean ISS of 36.2. The perioperative mortality rate (3/44)
      was acceptable with 6.8%. A second osteosynthesis was performed in fast 8% of
      type-B and in fast 40% of type-C lesions. The average hospital stay was very
      short with 42.0 days. We were able to mobilize the patients very early after
      their admission, thanks to the quick operative stabilization of the pelvic ring
      and the other skeletal injuries. Of the 39 surviving patients, 35 were reviewed
      clinically, functionally and radiographically after a mean of 19.3 months. There
      was a statistically significant difference in the rate of walking difficulties,
      walking distance, hip mobility, muscle force and the functional end-results
      between patients with type-B and those with type-C lesions. Lesions of type B are
      benign and can be adequately treated by the application of an anterior external
      fixator frame alone. The functional results are excellent or good in the great
      majority of cases. The type-C lesions are much more difficult to deal with. The
      anterior external fixator provides insufficient stability in many cases. It must
      be supplemented by posterior fixation or exchanged for anterior and posterior
      internal fixation. Even then, many patients with type-C lesions have functional
      disabilities and subjective complaints after treatment.

PMID- 1411613
TI  - [Arthroscopic technique for replacing the anterior cruciate ligament using a free
      patellar tendon transplant].
AB  - The replacement of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) by a free patellar tendon
      graft is a well-known procedure. The disadvantage is that the necessary
      arthrotomy destroys the nerve supply of the joint capsule. Therefore, we
      developed a procedure of ACL replacement that can be done by arthroscopy without
      opening the joint except for a small incision needed for the arthroscopy and
      working canal. The surgical technique is described.

PMID- 1411614
TI  - Knee-ligament injuries associated with leg fractures. Prospective study.
AB  - It has been proved in 25-35% of the cases that knee-ligament injuries are
      associated with fracture of the femoral diaphysis. No such association has been
      confirmed between leg fractures and knee ligaments. In order to find out if this
      is a coincidence, a prospective study was conducted on 229 patients who had
      undergone operations for leg fractures at various locations and of variable
      intensity. It was established in 41 cases (17.34%) that the leg fracture was
      associated with knee-ligament injuries, resulting in joint instability. A
      significantly higher percentage of associated ligament lesions was found in open
      fractures as opposed to closed leg fractures. The examination was carried out
      with the patient under general or block anesthesia. On the basis of what was
      established it is recommended that the knee be examined clinically in all leg
      osteosynthesis cases.

PMID- 1411615
TI  - Experience with ifosfamide in the EORTC Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma Group.
AB  - The Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma Group of the European Organization on Research
      and Treatment of Cancer has conducted a number of studies of chemotherapy in
      advanced disease over the past 15 years. Following the discovery that the CYVADIC
      regimen (cyclophosphamide/vincristine/doxorubicin/dimethyl imidazole carboxamide)
      was less active than had been reported originally, the individual components of
      CYVADIC were studied. This showed that doxorubicin had considerable activity and
      that ifosfamide 5 g/m2 given over 24 hours was at least as active as
      cyclophosphamide. Subsequent studies have therefore centered on a combination of
      doxorubicin and ifosfamide. A large randomized trial showed no significant
      benefit of doxorubicin/ifosfamide over single-agent doxorubicin, but the doses of
      doxorubicin were different. More recently, using bone marrow growth factors, it
      has been possible to increase the doxorubicin dose to that given as a single
      agent and also maintain the ifosfamide dose. This is now being tested in a
      randomized trial to determine whether improved response rates and other
      indicators of outcome will be seen.

PMID- 1411616
TI  - The clinical management of soft tissue sarcomas.
AB  - Sarcomas are a relatively rare and heterogeneous group of malignant tumors of
      principally mesenchymal origin. The histologic grade and size (and possibly
      compartmental localization) are the main factors predicting local and distant
      biologic aggressiveness. Tumor localization and surgical margins are significant
      prognostic factors that relate to the adequacy of local-regional therapy. A
      general consensus management usually consists of an incisional biopsy for
      diagnosis and grade, staging of the primary tumor and lungs, and function
      preserving surgery with margins free of tumor either followed by or preceded by
      tumor bed high-dose radiotherapy. Each of these concepts remains under active
      investigation. The role of adjuvant therapy is not yet established despite
      tantalizing biologic effects documented in their trials. Ifosfamide in addition
      to doxorubicin does appear to have major activity; however, further laboratory
      investigation of resistance and metastases mechanisms and new drug evaluations
      are necessary for further advance.

PMID- 1411617
TI  - Ifosfamide in pediatric oncology.
AB  - Ifosfamide is an effective drug for the treatment of solid tumors in children and
      most blastomas and sarcomas react favorably. It is administered in combination
      chemotherapy protocols. In young children, nephrotoxicity is a serious side
      effect. In older boys, gonadal damage is the major late side effect.

PMID- 1411618
TI  - Combination therapy with carboplatin/cisplatin/ifosfamide/etoposide in ovarian
      cancer.
AB  - In 1987 a phase II study of combined high-dose platinum (carboplatin 300/mg/m2
      day 1, cisplatin 50 mg/m2 days 2 and 3 q4wk) was carried out in 42 previously
      untreated ovarian cancer patients with residual disease. Since then, another
      phase II study of combined high-dose platinum and ifosfamide (1,500 mg/m2 days 1
      to 3) has been carried out in 37 patients, while a third study of combined high
      dose platinum and etoposide (70 mg/m2 intravenously days 1 to 5) is ongoing.
      Pathologic complete response (CR) and partial response (PR) rates in the first
      two studies were 62% in 37 evaluable patients, and 58% in 36 patients, 22% and
      42% of whom were CRs, respectively. The preliminary results from the third study
      were: CR plus PR, 56%; CR, 24%. Hematologic toxicity was the dose-limiting factor
      in all three studies. Myelosuppression became substantial, but manageable, if
      another drug was added to the platinum combination. The percentage of patients
      experiencing World Health Organization grades 3 and 4 toxicity during treatment
      were: white blood cells 44%, 92%, and 79%; platelets 81%, 100%, and 95%,
      respectively, in studies I, II, and III. Nonhematologic toxicity was modest in
      all studies. Dose-limiting neurotoxicity occurred in 7%, 6%, and 5%;
      nephrotoxicity in 22%, 6%, and 11% of the patients. The percentage of patients
      receiving the stipulated doses of all study drugs in the sixth cycle was 31 in
      the first study compared with none in the second study. Combined high-dose
      platinum given either alone or in combination with ifosfamide or etoposide is
      highly active in ovarian carcinoma. However, further follow-up and a randomized
      trial are needed to establish the superiority of any one regimen.

PMID- 1411619
TI  - The role of ifosfamide in gynecologic cancer.
AB  - Ifosfamide exhibits promising activity in a variety of gynecologic neoplasms. In
      carcinoma of the ovary, the drug shows clear-cut activity, effecting responses in
      patients who have proven clinically resistant to cisplatin-based combination
      chemotherapy. In carcinoma of the cervix, the drug also appears to be highly
      active, both as a single agent and in combination with other agents, such as the
      platinum compounds. The drug is active in uterine sarcomas and appears to be the
      most active agent studied to date in mixed mesodermal sarcomas of the uterus. The
      drug's role in combination with other agents in the treatment of all of these
      neoplasms is under study, but cannot be determined from currently available data
      on combination therapy. Its activity in other gynecologic tumors, such as
      endometrial carcinoma and ovarian germ cell tumors, is also indeterminate at
      present. Although further studies are needed, current evidence supports the
      contention that ifosfamide is a major new active drug in the management of
      gynecologic cancers.

PMID- 1411620
TI  - Carboplatin/cyclophosphamide combination chemotherapy for advanced ovarian
      cancer.
AB  - The efficacy and toxicity of combination intravenous carboplatin (300 mg/m2) and
      cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m2) were evaluated in 70 newly diagnosed patients with
      advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer. Cycles were administered at 4-week
      intervals for a total of six cycles, and treatment was provided on an outpatient
      basis without prehydration or forced diuresis. During treatment, patients were
      assessed by physical, gynecologic, and radiologic examinations. Seventy patients
      with a median age of 58 years (range, 35 to 77 years) were entered into the
      study. Most patients had serious cystadenocarcinoma; 78% had stage III or IV
      disease and 91% had grade II or III histologic subtype. Optimal debulking surgery
      was performed in only 46% of patients. The overall response rate to
      carboplatin/cyclophosphamide combination chemotherapy was 81%, with 66% achieving
      a clinical complete response. The median survival for all patients was 19+
      months. For patients who had undergone optimal debulking surgery, median survival
      was 26 months, compared with a median survival of 13+ months for those who had
      undergone suboptimal surgery. Treatment was well tolerated by most patients.
      Significant nausea and vomiting (World Health Organization grades 2 to 3)
      occurred in only 6% of 377 cycles of therapy. Myelosuppression was mild, with
      leukopenia (WBC count less than or equal to 2 x 10(9)/L) observed in only 11 of
      295 cycles (4%) and thrombocytopenia (less than or equal to 100 x 10(9)/L) in 17
      of 279 cycles (6%). Nadir levels generally occurred on day 21 of each cycle.
      Symptomatic anemia requiring transfusion occurred in 18 of 290 cycles (6%).
      Moderate alopecia, necessitating use of a hairpiece, occurred in six patients; no
      signs or symptoms of neurotoxicity, ototoxicity, or nephrotoxicity were observed
      in any patient. Renal function was normal on follow-up investigation, which was
      performed a median of 5 months after completion of treatment. This study
      demonstrates that carboplatin/cyclophosphamide combination chemotherapy is well
      tolerated in women with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer, and produces
      overall response rates and median survival times similar to those obtained with
      cisplatin-containing regimens.

PMID- 1411621
TI  - Intraperitoneal carboplatin: rationale and experience.
AB  - We conducted a phase I/II trial of intraperitoneal (IP) carboplatin in 27
      patients with advanced gynecologic malignancies. This was based on the known
      activity of carboplatin in ovarian cancer and pharmacologic measurements that
      predict a favorable ratio of IP to plasma drug exposure when carboplatin is
      administered by the IP route. All patients had extensive prior therapy with
      cisplatin (mean dose, 554 mg/m2). Starting dose was 200 mg/m2, which was
      escalated to 500 mg/m2. Patients with compromised renal function (creatinine
      clearance 30 to 60 mL/min) had slower escalations than patients with creatinine
      clearances greater than 60 mL/min. Myelosuppression, especially thrombocytopenia,
      was the dose-limiting toxicity. In pretreated patients, we recommend a starting
      dose of 400 mg/m2. Patients with creatinine clearances of 30 to 60 mL/min should
      start at the lower dose of 200 mg/m2. This is in general agreement with the
      results of other trials of IP carboplatin. Measurements of IP carboplatin in
      preclinical studies predict less tissue penetration by carboplatin than the
      parent compound cisplatin. Nevertheless, in our series of heavily pretreated
      patients receiving IP carboplatin, eight patients remained free of disease
      progression for more than 2 years. Further trials of IP carboplatin are
      indicated.

PMID- 1411622
TI  - Carboplatin in the treatment of carcinoma of the ovary: the National Cancer
      Institute of Canada experience. Ovarian Cancer Subcommittee.
AB  - The National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group has used
      carboplatin in two studies in women with ovarian carcinoma. In a phase II study,
      carboplatin produced a clinical response rate of 28% among patients with tumor
      persistence or recurrence following one prior cisplatin-containing regimen.
      Carboplatin was most efficacious in those with smaller tumors, in those who had
      the best responses to prior cisplatin therapy, and in those with longer intervals
      between the primary cisplatin treatment and the secondary carboplatin course. In
      this setting, a starting dose of 320 mg/m2 is suggested. A phase III randomized
      trial of first-line therapy compared the efficacy of cyclophosphamide/cisplatin
      with cyclophosphamide/carboplatin. Four hundred eighteen eligible patients were
      enrolled. The regimens demonstrated comparable efficacy; however, the carboplatin
      based regimen was more easily administered and caused less symptomatic toxicity.
      The long-term results in this population with macroscopic residual disease remain
      disappointing.

PMID- 1411623
TI  - Meta-analysis of the role of platinum compounds in advanced ovarian carcinoma.
      The Advanced Ovarian Cancer Trialists Group.
AB  - This paper presents a systematic overview or meta-analysis of 54 randomized
      clinical trials testing a variety of chemotherapeutic approaches in advanced
      ovarian carcinoma. Prolonged follow-up data are available for most patients and
      individual patient data were made available for all patients; analysis was made
      on the basis of "intention to treat." Our report concentrates on two comparisons:
      (1) platinum alone versus platinum in combination, which appears to show a long
      term survival advantage for the combination (however, the platinum dose in the
      single-agent arm was relatively low); and (2) carboplatin versus cisplatin, which
      shows no obvious survival differences. It is striking that no single study to
      date has been large enough to detect the modest survival differences expected
      from current therapy. Consequently, a series of international studies have been
      initiated. The International Collaborative Ovarian Neoplasm (ICON) group will
      examine the role of adjuvant chemotherapy in early ovarian cancer (ICON 1) and
      will compare carboplatin with cisplatin, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide in
      more advanced disease (ICON 2).

PMID- 1411624
TI  - Utility of individualized carboplatin dosing alone and in combination regimens.
AB  - Carboplatin represents an ideal candidate for dose optimization in individual
      patients. The excellent correlations between renal function and carboplatin total
      body clearance and between carboplatin area under the plasma concentration by
      time curve (AUC) and thrombocytopenia allow calculation of carboplatin dosages
      that simultaneously minimize the likelihood of toxicity and maximize the amount
      of drug that can be delivered. Current studies are defining the essential
      relationship between carboplatin AUC and the likelihood of achieving a
      therapeutic response in various tumor types. These quantitative relationships
      between carboplatin AUC and thrombocytopenia and AUC and response should be the
      foundation for the intelligent use of carboplatin as an individual agent and for
      the intelligent assessment of the beneficial or adverse effects of other agents
      when combined with carboplatin.

PMID- 1411626
TI  - Current experience with high-dose carboplatin therapy.
AB  - Carboplatin is well suited to dose escalation because its major dose-limiting
      toxicity is myelosuppression when given in 1,200 mg/m2 doses without marrow
      support. Repeated 800 mg/m2 doses can be given in an investigational setting.
      With autologous bone marrow rescue the maximum tolerated single-agent dose is
      approximately 1.8 to 2 g/m2, with dose-limiting toxicities being hepatitis, renal
      dysfunction, and ototoxicity. Combinations of carboplatin with other agents plus
      bone marrow rescue are now being investigated in germ cell tumors, ovarian
      cancer, breast cancer, and small cell lung cancer. High-dose carboplatin plus
      etoposide combinations are being evaluated with colony-plus stimulating factors
      in an effort to ameliorate myelosuppression. Future high-dose carboplatin studies
      could be designed with more predictable toxicity, using an assessment of
      carboplatin renal clearance. Carboplatin is an important new drug warranting
      further investigation at escalated doses.

PMID- 1411625
TI  - A dose-escalation study of carboplatin/cyclophosphamide/etoposide along with
      autologous bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell rescue.
AB  - Twenty patients have received 21 courses of high-dose cyclophosphamide (6 g/m2
      over 4 days), etoposide (1,800 mg/m2 over 3 days), and carboplatin (800 to 1,600
      mg/m2 by continuous infusion over 96 hours) and autologous bone marrow or
      peripheral blood stem cell rescue. The maximum tolerated dose of this regimen
      included these doses of cyclophosphamide and etoposide with a total of 1,600
      mg/m2 carboplatin. Acute renal failure was the dose-limiting toxicity and, at the
      maximum tolerated dose, was observed in two patients of 14 evaluable courses.
      Nonhematologic toxicity was otherwise modest, and the overall response rate was
      70% in patients with a wide variety of solid hematologic neoplasms.

PMID- 1411627
TI  - Future directions with carboplatin: can therapeutic monitoring, high-dose
      administration, and hematologic support with growth factors expand the spectrum
      compared with cisplatin?
AB  - This paper reviews the role of pharmacokinetic methods in the clinical use of
      carboplatin. Published data establish that pretreatment renal function is the
      most significant determinant of carboplatin pharmacokinetics. Evidence suggests
      that the area under the plasma concentration versus time curve (AUC) correlates
      well with hematologic toxicity. Published data also suggest that a relationship
      exists between the AUC and therapeutic outcome in testicular teratoma and in
      ovarian cancer, although in the latter case the data are not conclusive. It is
      suggested that pharmacokinetically based dosing schemes may be advantageous and
      that randomized trials should be performed to test this hypothesis. In some
      clinical situations where dose prediction is not feasible, a simple therapeutic
      drug-monitoring strategy may prove useful. Since the toxicities of carboplatin
      are mainly hematologic, it has been possible to study the use of high-dose
      carboplatin with various forms of hematologic support. Carboplatin doses have
      been increased fourfold to sixfold and high response rates have been reported in
      ovarian cancer. An overall therapeutic advantage for this strategy has not yet
      been demonstrated in a randomized setting. Published data on ovarian cancer cell
      lines suggest that the range of sensitivities encountered is very large (30- to
      100-fold). If the range of sensitivities found in vivo is equally large, then a
      clinical dose escalation of 10- to 100-fold may be necessary to produce a
      curative therapy for this disease. The investigation of the use of hematopoietic
      growth factors in association with carboplatin has just begun. Early data suggest
      that some support of the WBC count may be achieved, but the toxicities of
      granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor have themselves been a problem.
      Our own studies will attempt to achieve a substantial escalation in the
      administered AUC of carboplatin by increasing the frequency of carboplatin
      dosing, while administering granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and platelet
      support.

PMID- 1411628
TI  - Carboplatin in the treatment of squamous cell head and neck cancers.
AB  - Cancer of the head and neck, or aerodigestive tract, represents only a small
      percentage of all cancer cases in the United States, yet its variable
      presentations have wide-ranging implications that make it one of the most
      problematic cancers. Recent research has focused on treatment approaches for the
      patient with advanced disease. Encouraging results have been noted with
      combination cisplatin/5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and, more recently, with
      carboplatin/5-FU, particularly in previously untreated patients. The carboplatin
      containing regimen has several important advantages over that with cisplatin,
      including outpatient administration and less severe nausea and vomiting, an
      important consideration in terms of nutritional support for head and neck cancer
      patients. The demonstration of possible synergistic activity between platinum
      compounds and radiation therapy also has prompted considerable interest, as such
      a combined-modality approach offers the potential for improved quality of life in
      patients with head and neck cancers. Carboplatin is an excellent agent for the
      treatment of squamous cell head and neck cancers, with recognized single-agent
      activity and a high degree of efficacy, when combined with 5-FU. Carboplatin can
      be combined effectively with concurrent radiotherapy and, with its advantages
      over cisplatin, is increasingly used as part of initial therapy for head and neck
      cancers.

PMID- 1411629
TI  - Phase I/II study of simultaneous carboplatin and radiotherapy in unresectable
      squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
AB  - Escalating dose levels of carboplatin together with simultaneous accelerated
      radiation were administered to 36 previously untreated patients with unresectable
      carcinomas of the head and neck (two stage III and 34 stage IV disease). Twenty
      three patients received a total radiation dose of 58.8 Gy with two daily
      fractions of 2.1 Gy on days 1 to 4 in weeks 1, 2, and 5 and on another 2 days in
      week 6. Simultaneous carboplatin was given intravenously in escalating dose
      levels: 20 mg/m2 in three patients, 30 mg/m2 in five patients, 40 mg/m2 in five
      patients, 50 mg/m2 in six patients, and 60 mg/m2 in four patients. Another 13
      patients were treated with an escalated radiation dose of 67.2 Gy, which led to 2
      additional days of chemoradiotherapy in week 6. Six patients in this group
      received carboplatin 60 mg/m2/d, and seven received 50 mg/m2/d. All patients were
      evaluable for toxicity according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, and
      35 of 36 patients were evaluable for response. Dose-limiting toxicity was
      myelosuppression, with WHO grades 3 and 4 leukopenia in five of six patients
      treated with carboplatin 60 mg/m2 and 67.2 Gy radiation. In patients treated with
      carboplatin 50 mg/m2 and 67.2 Gy radiation, no grade 4 myelosuppression developed
      and toxicity was generally tolerable. Independent of the carboplatin dose, grade
      3 or 4 mucositis was seen in 12 patients. No other toxicities above grade 2
      occurred. There were 19 complete responses (53%) and 16 partial responses (44%).
      Comparing these results with our earlier data with sequential chemoradiotherapy
      (carboplatin/5-fluorouracil followed by conventional radiotherapy) indicated that
      the higher tumor-clearing rate of simultaneous chemoradiotherapy produced
      significantly better rates of survival and disease-free response.

PMID- 1411630
TI  - Cisplatin and platinum analogues in breast cancer.
AB  - Therapy for metastatic breast cancer can palliate disease and prolong life, but
      cannot cure. New drugs will be required if this is to change. Cisplatin and its
      analogue carboplatin offer new approaches to the treatment of metastatic breast
      cancer. Cisplatin has significant single-agent, front-line activity in metastatic
      breast cancer. In combination with other agents (eg, etoposide or 5
      fluorouracil), it provides response rates equivalent to other front-line
      combinations. The activity of carboplatin as a single agent is reportedly less
      than that of cisplatin in single-agent trials, and few combination trials have
      been reported. Both cisplatin and carboplatin, when used in high doses in the
      setting of autologous bone marrow transplantation, appear to be useful agents for
      the treatment of metastatic disease. Further research is needed to define the
      role of these compounds in the treatment of breast cancer.

PMID- 1411631
TI  - New developments with carboplatin in the treatment of ovarian cancer.
AB  - On the basis of prospective randomized comparisons, carboplatin now can be
      considered to have replaced cisplatin as the induction chemotherapy of choice for
      patients with advanced ovarian cancer. While its equal efficacy and lesser
      toxicity are encouraging features of carboplatin therapy, the primary goal of
      chemotherapy for ovarian cancer remains to improve cure rates. It is in this
      regard that new experimental studies with carboplatin have the potential for
      improving survival. In particular, studies of dose intensity of platinum
      compounds are now possible with high-dose carboplatin together with autologous
      bone marrow transplantation and cytokines. The dose-limiting toxicity of
      carboplatin is myelosuppression, particularly thrombocytopenia. It is hoped that
      the new cytokine, interleukin-3, will be useful in reversing this particular
      toxicity and permitting further dose escalation. Additional studies are in
      progress to evaluate the benefits of combining carboplatin and cisplatin in an
      effort to maximize dose intensity and avoid overlapping toxicities.

PMID- 1411632
TI  - Role of carboplatin in endometrial and cervical carcinomas.
AB  - The role of carboplatin in cervical and endometrial cancers is being assessed
      through clinical trials. Preliminary results indicate some activity against both
      of these gynecologic tumors. Carboplatin is also being integrated into
      combination regimens with other active drugs. In the treatment of cervical
      cancer, it is used as part of combined-modality regimens prior to radiotherapy.
      Patients have shown better subjective tolerance to carboplatin than to cisplatin.
      This finding may facilitate the widespread implementation of carboplatin-based
      combinations.

PMID- 1411633
TI  - Neoadjuvant therapy for cervical cancer.
AB  - The stage-by-stage prognosis for cervical cancer patients has not improved in the
      past decades. Our research work concerning adjuvant chemotherapy for the early
      stages induced a pilot study with untreated patients in advanced stages. Patients
      were treated with carboplatin 300 mg/m2 plus ifosfamide 5 g/m2 on day 1. In cases
      of remission or no change, the therapy was repeated after 4 weeks. A third course
      was given only after further remission. After chemotherapy, patients were treated
      with surgery or radiotherapy according to feasibility. A total of 34 patients
      were admitted to this study. Thirty-two patients with 88 chemotherapy courses
      were evaluable for response and toxicity. Nineteen patients achieved remission;
      three achieved complete remission. The most common toxic effects were
      myelosuppression with grade four leukopenia (28%) and thrombocytopenia (13%).
      Alopecia (60%) was the main nonhematologic toxicity. In conclusion, we suggest
      that this regimen is as effective as other platin-containing regimens for
      squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix uteri, but its hematologic toxicity
      precludes its recommendation in an adjuvant setting.

PMID- 1411635
TI  - Clinical pharmacology and schedule dependency of the podophyllotoxin derivatives.
AB  - Etoposide and teniposide are closely related derivatives of podophyllotoxin, and
      both have a phase-specific action in the late S and early G2 phases of the cell
      cycle. Etoposide has attracted more widespread use and study, although no
      evidence suggests a differing mode of action or spectrum of anticancer activity.
      The drugs have significant differences in their clinical pharmacology, however.
      Teniposide exhibits greater protein-binding affinity, has a longer plasma
      terminal elimination half-life, and has reduced plasma and renal clearances.
      Little is accurately known about the metabolism of either drug, but the fact that
      40% to 60% of administered etoposide is accounted for by excretion or metabolism,
      whereas the range is only 10% to 25% for teniposide, reflects a further
      difference between the drugs. Renal dysfunction impairs etoposide excretion, but
      the effect of hepatic impairment on drug clearance is unclear. A specific oral
      formulation exists only for etoposide, although the unpalatable intravenous
      preparations of both drugs can be taken orally. The bioavailability of oral
      etoposide is about 50% at doses of 200 mg or less and decreases as drug doses
      increase. There is considerable intrapatient and interpatient variation in
      etoposide absorption, but the reasons for this are unknown. In vitro, the
      efficacy of etoposide is highly dependent on the schedule of administration. The
      superior efficacy without increased toxicity of more prolonged schedules of
      etoposide administration has been demonstrated recently in patients with small
      cell lung cancer (SCLC). Although the optimal schedule in any specific tumor is
      not known, current pharmacodynamic evidence suggests that the efficacy of
      etoposide, at least in SCLC, is related to the maintenance of prolonged low blood
      concentrations of drug.

PMID- 1411634
TI  - Replacement of cisplatin with carboplatin in combination chemotherapy against
      ovarian cancer: long-term treatment results of a study of the Gynaecological
      Cancer Cooperative Group of the EORTC and experience at The Netherlands Cancer
      Institute.
AB  - Carboplatin-based chemotherapy has been evaluated in three studies of ovarian
      cancer patients. In the first, combination cisplatin and carboplatin plus
      doxorubicin/hexamethylmelamine/cyclophosphamide were compared as first-line
      treatment of ovarian cancer in 341 women with stage IIB to IV disease. There were
      no observed differences in results between the two treatment groups. In the
      second study, conventional doses of intravenous carboplatin (350 mg/m2, given on
      day 1) plus oral cyclophosphamide (100 mg/m2 days 2 to 6) were given to late
      relapsing patients (12 to 72 months) previously treated with cisplatin. Mature
      data showed a 55% overall response rate, acceptable toxicity, and an absence of
      additive neurotoxicity. Finally, 65 patients with refractory disease or in early
      relapse after cisplatin therapy (within 12 months) were treated with high-dose
      carboplatin (800 mg/m2). Toxicity was severe, but the 45% combined response rate
      was considered encouraging and worthy of further evaluation. It was concluded
      that carboplatin is an appropriate replacement for cisplatin in the treatment of
      ovarian cancer.

PMID- 1411636
TI  - Absolute bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of oral teniposide.
AB  - The absolute bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of orally administered
      teniposide were investigated in 25 patients. All patients received 50 to 60 mg/m2
      teniposide intravenously on day 1, before oral administration. Six patients
      received 60 mg/m2 as a single oral dose on day 8; 5 patients received 60 mg/m2
      and 120 mg/m2 as a single oral dose on days 8 and 15, respectively; 5 patients
      received 120 mg/m2 and 240 mg/m2 as a single oral dose on days 8 and 15,
      respectively; 6 patients received 60 mg/m2 as a single oral dose on 5 consecutive
      days from days 8 to 12; and 3 patients received 50 mg/m2 three times a day at 6
      hour intervals on day 8. The mean absolute bioavailability was 41.6% +/- 14.2%
      with a large interindividual variability (range, 19.7% to 71.4%) and a low
      intraindividual variability (range, 2.8% to 13.9%). At a dose of 240 mg/m2, the
      bioavailability was decreased, whereas administration of multiple doses on 1 day
      or 5 consecutive days increased the overall bioavailability. In conclusion,
      teniposide can be administered orally with a bioavailability comparable with that
      of etoposide. The schedule dependency of both drugs warrants investigations of
      oral administration for 21 or more days. A formulation of teniposide capsules of
      50 mg or less would be most helpful to facilitate oral administration.

PMID- 1411637
TI  - A phase I study of daily oral teniposide for 20 days.
AB  - In this phase I study, teniposide was administered orally for 20 consecutive days
      to patients with refractory cancers. All patients but one were pretreated. When
      given for 20 consecutive days, the maximum tolerated dose of teniposide was 100
      mg/d. Myelosuppression was the dose-limiting toxicity, and occurred between days
      17 and 31. In all patients blood counts had sufficiently recovered by day 35 to
      begin another 20-day course. Gastrointestinal toxicity persisted in 6 of 15
      patients despite antiemetics. Total alopecia was observed in 10 of 13 patients at
      risk. We recommend teniposide 100 mg/d for 20 consecutive days for evaluation of
      antitumor efficacy in phase II studies.

PMID- 1411638
TI  - Teniposide in adult solid tumors: a historical perspective.
AB  - Teniposide and etoposide are third-generation semi-synthetic derivatives of
      epipodophyllotoxin. Following the initial clinical introduction of teniposide in
      the 1970s, investigations focused almost exclusively on its analogue, etoposide,
      because of its formulation, which was felt to have advantages in addition to oral
      administration. Despite consistently inadequate dosing and scheduling, early
      phase I and II trial results with teniposide were promising, and current trends
      encourage a second look. The substantial antitumor activity of teniposide is
      comparable with that of etoposide, and clinical interest was rekindled when it
      was shown to have considerable activity against small cell lung cancer (SCLC). In
      view of the inadequacy of early trials and the premature cessation of clinical
      study, it is recommended that teniposide be reevaluated for its activity against
      malignant lymphomas, Hodgkin's disease, leukemias, and SCLC, against all of which
      its early results were encouraging. In addition, consideration should be given to
      its activity against brain tumors, neuroblastomas and other childhood solid
      tumors, and ovarian cancer; its potential value against gastric, hepatocellular,
      breast, and bladder cancers also should be investigated. Other areas that warrant
      further study include elucidation of the exact mechanism of action of teniposide,
      its role in both single- and multiple-agent chemotherapeutic regimens, and
      resolution of its optimal dose and schedule. Finally, it is suggested that with
      new routes of administration and improved formulations, teniposide may be
      expected to play a significant role in the treatment of malignant lymphomas,
      SCLC, and pediatric lymphocytic leukemia and neuroblastoma.

PMID- 1411640
TI  - Teniposide in lymphomas and leukemias.
AB  - The epipodophyllotoxins, etoposide and teniposide, have been used in leukemias
      and malignant lymphomas for the past 15 years. Although etoposide has acquired a
      place in many first-line protocols for lymphomas and, more recently, for
      leukemias, the role of teniposide has remained limited. Teniposide is a more
      potent inhibitor of topoisomerase II than etoposide, and has a less toxic effect
      on hematopoietic progenitor cells. Both drugs have been regarded as equitoxic and
      cross-resistant. The role of teniposide in front-line treatment of leukemias has
      only been established in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Some
      promising results have been obtained in small numbers of patients with refractory
      adult ALL and acute monoblastic leukemia. However, the remission rates and
      remission duration were not significantly different from those of other
      combination regimens. Data on teniposide in untreated acute nonlymphoblastic
      leukemia are very scarce. In non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, the antineoplastic activity
      of teniposide has been demonstrated in studies by the European Organization for
      Research and Treatment of Cancer and in two large studies conducted by the
      Australian and New Zealand Lymphoma Co-operative Chemotherapy Study Group. In
      these studies, teniposide had comparable but not significantly better activity
      than vincristine. The dose-dependent antineoplastic activity of teniposide has
      led to its use in several conditioning regimens in bone marrow transplantation
      for leukemias and lymphomas. The limited clinical data currently available on
      teniposide seem to warrant further clinical trials with this agent in leukemias
      and lymphomas.

PMID- 1411639
TI  - Clinical trials of teniposide (VM-26) in childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia.
AB  - We describe the development of VM-26 (teniposide) as an effective agent in
      combination chemotherapy for childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).
      Beginning with its paired use with cytarabine for patients relapsing on
      conventional therapy, teniposide has shown consistent ability to reduce leukemic
      cell populations not responsive to other agents. Encouraging results in the
      treatment of refractory ALL led to the decision to incorporate teniposide into
      combination chemotherapy for patients with newly diagnosed leukemia. This
      strategy has yielded higher cure rates for subsets of patients at high risk of
      treatment failure, including those with initial leukocyte counts of more than 100
      x 10(9)/L, and may extend remission lengths for all patients, regardless of risk
      status. In view of the prolonged marrow aplasia seen with use of teniposide and
      cytarabine as inducing agents, the optimal role of this combination may be that
      of "remission reinforcement" therapy. Because of its novel mechanism of action,
      teniposide affords opportunities to develop new drug combinations that may
      increase the proportion of long-term ALL survivors still further.

PMID- 1411641
TI  - The role of epipodophyllotoxin derivatives in bladder cancer.
AB  - Past and present experiences with podophyllin derivatives in bladder cancer are
      described. A preliminary study of teniposide was conducted in 1975 at the
      Institute of Urology, University of Palermo, in patients with advanced or
      superficial bladder cancer. In 18 patients with advanced bladder cancer,
      teniposide was administered intravenously (IV), followed in seven patients by
      peptichemio or doxorubicin. One complete response (CR) and four partial responses
      (PRs) were achieved. In 24 patients with superficial tumors, teniposide at a dose
      of 50 mg dissolved in 30 mL normal saline was administered intravesically as
      ablative therapy or as prophylaxis following transurethral resection (TUR). Of 12
      patients in the ablative therapy group, two CRs and two PRs were achieved. Only 2
      patients of 12 in the prophylaxis group relapsed within 6 months. In five cases,
      teniposide was administered in combination with peptichemio. In recent years, the
      Urological Group of the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of
      Cancer (EORTC) has performed a phase II study in which teniposide was used in
      combination with cisplatin given IV in the treatment of advanced bladder cancer.
      The EORTC group has also performed a randomized study to compare intravesical
      teniposide versus thiotepa versus no treatment other than initial resection. A
      brief report on both studies is given. In December 1987, a study was initiated to
      evaluate intravesical etoposide use in the prophylaxis of recurrences of
      superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. Intravesical etoposide
      (200 mg dissolved in 50 mL saline solution) was administered at weekly intervals
      for the first month after TUR and then monthly for 11 months. Of 38 evaluable
      patients, 20 had recurrences at a mean follow-up of 14 months. No systemic
      toxicity was noted.

PMID- 1411642
TI  - Teniposide (VM-26) in brain tumors.
AB  - Although teniposide activity in glioma was reported as early as 1971, it is only
      within the last 2 to 3 years that its effectiveness in small cell lung cancer
      and, most dramatically, in associated brain metastasis, has undergone long
      overdue systematic investigation. The drug appears to enjoy preferential uptake
      by brain-tumor tissue compared with disease-free brain tissue. Single-agent
      activity of teniposide in astrocytomas has been widely reported but the data are
      difficult to interpret due to differences among studies in definition of response
      and response duration. Combination therapy has focused primarily on teniposide
      with nitrosoureas and, again, definition variations have made it difficult to
      evaluate data. Similar problems plague trials by one group of investigators who
      reported that the combination of teniposide with doxorubicin and lomustine
      resulted in regression or improvement in significant percentages of their
      patients. While many studies indicate that teniposide has significant potential
      in treatment of adult glioma, controlled trials are needed to evaluate and
      optimize the use of this agent.

PMID- 1411643
TI  - Teniposide (VM-26) in ovarian cancer: a review.
AB  - Relatively few patients with gynecologic malignancies have been included in
      trials with teniposide given as a single agent. For 109 patients with advanced
      ovarian cancer treated with various doses and schedules, an overall response rate
      of 12% was reported. Most patients were heavily pretreated and presumably had
      resistant disease. Information about teniposide's activity in combination with
      other cytotoxic agents, as well as its efficacy in other gynecologic
      malignancies, is limited. In view of the favorable pharmacologic and toxicity
      profiles of teniposide and its possible synergism with cisplatin and carboplatin,
      new treatment strategies are discussed that may have implications for further
      investigation of the usefulness of teniposide in advanced ovarian cancer.

PMID- 1411644
TI  - Toxicology of chemotherapy.

PMID- 1411645
TI  - Toxicity: ten years later.

PMID- 1411646
TI  - Oral toxicity of chemotherapeutic agents.

PMID- 1411647
TI  - Ocular toxicities of chemotherapy.

PMID- 1411648
TI  - Dermatologic toxicity of chemotherapy.

PMID- 1411649
TI  - Pulmonary toxicity of antineoplastic therapy.
AB  - Pulmonary toxicity is often encountered in patients receiving antineoplastic
      therapy. It may produce a wide variety of clinicopathologic syndromes. As new
      agents are introduced and their adverse effects recognized, clinicians should be
      ever vigilant about the possibility of pulmonary toxicity.

PMID- 1411650
TI  - Renal toxicities of chemotherapy.

PMID- 1411652
TI  - Hematologic effects of chemotherapy.

PMID- 1411651
TI  - The cardiotoxicity of chemotherapeutic drugs.

PMID- 1411653
TI  - Chemotherapeutic agents and hepatotoxicity.

PMID- 1411654
TI  - Gastrointestinal toxicity of chemotherapeutic agents.

PMID- 1411655
TI  - Vascular toxicity associated with antineoplastic agents.
AB  - It is apparent that a variety of vascular disorders have been reported after the
      administration of antineoplastic agents. However, it is not clear whether all of
      these entities are related to cytotoxic drugs, the malignancy itself, or some
      other unrelated factor. Nonetheless, there does appear to be a cause-effect
      relationship between cisplatin, bleomycin, velban chemotherapy, and Raynaud's
      phenomenon. In addition, painful acral erythema may occur in association with
      several drugs, especially protracted infusions of 5-fluorouracil and high-dose
      cytosine arabinoside. Mitomycin is the most common cause of the thrombotic
      microangiopathic syndrome, and in the majority of cases it is a lethal event.
      Unfortunately, HVOD is a major toxic effect of many preparatory bone marrow
      transplantation protocols and ways to prevent this potentially life-threatening
      complication should be avidly pursued. In this regard, pentoxifylline and low
      dose heparin have recently been reported to be effective in preventing HVOD.
      Although recent reports have documented thromboses and thromboembolic events in
      patients with breast cancer treated with cytoxan, methotrexate, and 5
      fluorouracil-based protocols, only one study had a no-treatment control arm.
      Future breast cancer studies should evaluate this problem prospectively. More
      studies are needed to help elucidate the pathogenesis of vascular toxicity
      associated with chemotherapy.

PMID- 1411657
TI  - Breech presentation and delivery.

PMID- 1411656
TI  - Prospects for fertility after cancer chemotherapy.

PMID- 1411658
TI  - Health is wealth.

PMID- 1411659
TI  - Neonatal outcome of breech babies in Toa Payoh Hospital 1984-1989.
AB  - From 1984 to 1989, a total of 575 breech babies were born out of 21,243
      livebirths (2.71%) in the Toa Payoh Hospital, Singapore. There were 259 male and
      316 female infants, a sex ratio of 1 to 1.22. There were also no marked
      differences in the frequency of breech birth among the different racial groups.
      Many breech babies (385 or 67%) were delivered by Caesarean section and the
      mortality and morbidity were noted to be low in this series. We had 7 deaths, all
      weighing below 2000gm and only one, a premature infant, was delivered by
      Caesarean section. The majority of the infants had no evidence of asphyxia at
      birth (87.7%); and for those who had asphyxia (13.3%), two-thirds were delivered
      vaginally and one-third, by Caesarean section. The malformation rate in breech
      babies was twice that of non-breech babies (7.13% vs 3.08%, p = 10(-6)). Most
      birth defects were minor in nature. Only 10% of birth defects were major
      malformations. 5.9% (34) of all the breech babies were low birth weight (LBW),
      1/3 (11) of them were delivered by Caesarean section with one death. However,
      there was no increasing trend of Caesarean section for LBW breech infants in the
      Hospital. Over the past 6 years, out of the 23 LBW breech babies delivered
      vaginally, 6 deaths were noted. There were 13 breech stillbirths, the majority of
      which were macerated (7/13 or 53.8%). The stillbirth rate (SBR) for breech was 22
      per 1000 breech livebirths and stillbirths. The SBR for babies born normally was
      5.15. The corrected breech SBR was 18.7 after exclusion of lethal
      malformations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411660
TI  - Health promotion--a further field to conquer.
AB  - We examine some of the interpretations of health promotion. A brief review of the
      effectiveness of some health promotion programmes in the community and at the
      worksite in the United States is also presented in view of the similarity of its
      disease pattern with Singapore. We recommend the following strategies for the
      practice of health promotion in Singapore: formulation of clearly defined goals;
      intersectoral collaboration and community participation. Tanahill's model based
      on the overlapping spheres of health education, disease prevention and health
      protection is useful in identifying key groups and their roles in health
      promotion. Green's PROCEED-PRECEDE planning framework which identifies the
      various behavioural and environmental factors affecting health can help in
      deriving a highly focused subset of factors as targets for intervention. Research
      in health promotion should focus on compliance studies on healthy lifestyle
      regimens, and qualitative and quantitative evaluative studies on process and
      outcomes of different interventions.

PMID- 1411661
TI  - 1992 SMA Lecture. The doctor's role in a high-tech world.

PMID- 1411662
TI  - Surgery for brain metastases in Singapore.
AB  - The best possible treatment for a single metastasis to the brain is complete
      surgical excision followed by whole brain irradiation. A survey was done to
      determine the proportion of patients with brain metastases who had surgical
      excision of the lesion. The number of patients with a preoperative diagnosis of
      cerebral metastases who underwent surgical excision in Tan Tock Seng Hospital
      from 1985 to 1989 was obtained from the operation records. An average of 11
      surgical excisions were done for cerebral metastases annually. To estimate the
      number of cases of single brain metastases seen annually in Singapore, figures of
      cases of cancer of the lungs, breast and colorectum from 1978 to 1982 were
      obtained from the Singapore Cancer Registry. Based on a conservative estimate
      that 20% of these cancers metastasize to the brain, that 50% are single
      metastasis and of these, half are suitable surgical candidates, our calculations
      show that there are at least 67 cases of surgically excisable single brain
      metastasis in Singapore annually. This means that more than 84% of patients with
      a single brain metastasis are not getting the best possible treatment. The
      reasons may be due to patients' fear of operation and to lack of awareness among
      physicians on advances in the management of brain metastases. Patient education
      and physician update on recent advances in treatment will allow patients to
      obtain the best possible treatment.

PMID- 1411663
TI  - Surgical treatment of metastatic long bone disease.
AB  - A retrospective study of the results of operative treatment of 60 long bones
      secondaries in 46 patients was carried out. The mean period of follow-up was 10
      months. The most common primary in this study was carcinoma of the breast
      (28.2%), followed by carcinoma of the lung (21.7%) and unknown primary (10.9%).
      Three groups of patients were studied--pathological fracture group, prophylactic
      fixation group and a mixed group. In the pathological fracture group, 70% of
      patients achieved good to excellent pain relief and 60.9% was able to walk with
      or without walking aids. In the prophylactic group, all the patients achieved
      good to excellent pain relief and 60% were able to ambulate with or without
      walking aids. In the mixed group, all the patients achieved good to excellent
      pain relief and 66.6% of the patients were able to walk with aids. The operative
      mortality in both the pathological fracture group and prophylactic fixation group
      was 10% and 33.3% in the mixed group. Multiple internal fixation performed at one
      operative session was associated with high operative mortality (50%).

PMID- 1411664
TI  - Urinary tract infection in acute spinal cord injury.
AB  - Preservation of renal function and prevention of recurrent urinary tract
      infections is the ultimate goal of any method of neurogenic bladder management in
      spinal cord injury patients. METHOD--The hospital courses of fifty such patients
      admitted to our Rehabilitation Department from August 1989 to August 1990 were
      studied according to age, gender, spinal cord injury level, method of bladder
      drainage on admission and upon discharge, type of urinary tract infections and
      results of bladder management were documented. RESULTS--Forty-five men and ten
      women were studied. Mean age of males was forty and females, forty-two. The
      commonest cause of injury was road traffic accident followed by accidents at work
      place. Fifty-three percent had cervical cord injuries, thirteen percent
      thoracolumbar and sixteen percent lumbo sacral injuries. Seventy-eight percent
      had an indwelling foley catheter upon admission. Upon discharge eighty-two
      percent of spinal cord injury patients were able to void with/without tapping and
      compression. There were a total of one hundred and forty-three urinary tract
      infections in our study group. All positive urine cultures had greater than or
      equal to 100,000 CFU/ml. The commonest organisms causing urinary tract infection
      were Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus
      mirabilis. CONCLUSION--For bacteria to produce disease in the urinary tract, they
      must gain access and colonise the uroepithelium, induce inflammation and tissue
      damage. The indwelling catheter provides a direct access to the uroepithelium,
      making bacteriuria and subsequent infection inevitable. Impaired voiding and
      sensation in spinal cord injury patients provides an excellent reservoir for the
      multiplication of bacteria, tissue invasion and recurrent urinary tract
      infection. Hence current methods of neurogenic bladder management have to focus
      on attaining a catheter-free status as soon as possible; relevant antibiotic
      therapy and careful attention to individual urinary tract problems to reduce
      morbidity and improve on spinal cord injury patient's future. Although spinal
      cord injury patients are described, the material covered is applicable to any
      type of neurogenic bladder dysfunction.

PMID- 1411665
TI  - Difficult intubation: a prospective study.
AB  - Difficult intubation has been much discussed in the anaesthetic literature. The
      incidence of difficult intubation (11:560) was higher in obstetric patients
      (6:277) as compared to gynaecological patients (5:283) in our hospital. We tested
      the Mallampati's classification as a predictor of difficult intubation in 277
      obstetric and 283 gynaecological patients. We recommend that Mallampati's
      classification can be used reliably (p less than 0.05) to predict difficult
      intubation in obstetric but not in gynaecological patients.

PMID- 1411666
TI  - Sero-prevalence of hepatitis B infection among dental professionals.
AB  - Dental employees in government institutions in a State in Peninsular Malaysia
      were screened for exposure to hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 1989. Almost all (96.8%)
      of the 217 employees responded. One quarter (24.8%) was positive for at least one
      serological markers to HBV; 2.4% had hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and
      22.4% had anti-body to HBsAg (anti-HBs). The presence of HBsAg was unrelated to
      age, sex, ethnicity, geographical locality and occupations of the subjects. The
      prevalence of anti-HBs increased with age and was highest for ethnic Chinese
      (53.6%), followed by Indians (25%), compared to Malays (14.9%) (p less than
      0.001) and were increased among dentists (53.1%) and assistant nurses (33.3%).
      The overall prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HBs were similar to the situation in the
      community. However, dentists and their chairside assistant nurses, with a higher
      proportion of Chinese, had higher anti-HBs prevalences compared with that of the
      general population.

PMID- 1411667
TI  - Single-dose and steady-state effects of controlled-release salbutamol on drug
      level and airflow obstruction in patients with asthma.
AB  - Oral medication remains the mainstay of treatment for many asthmatics. We
      compared the single dose and steady-state effects of twice daily 4 mg and 8 mg
      controlled-release salbutamol (CRS) on plasma salbutamol and FEV1 in 10 asthmatic
      patients in a double-blind, double-dummy, cross-over study. On 5 separate days,
      one week apart, we measured FEV1 and plasma salbutamol hourly for 12 hours after
      a single dose and, after twice daily doses (4 mg, 8 mg or placebo CRS) for one
      week. Controlled-release salbutamol showed controlled release properties and dose
      effect for the two doses. At steady-state, it provided relatively constant plasma
      levels for 12 hours. Significant and similar bronchodilatation occurred after
      both 4 mg and 8 mg CRS taken either as a single dose or a steady-state regime.

PMID- 1411668
TI  - Comparison of two assays for the detection of haemolysins of Aeromonas species.
AB  - The haemolysins produced by Aeromonas species were detected and compared by two
      assay methods--a modified blood agar plate assay and the rabbit erythrocyte
      haemolysin method. Both assays showed a high level of agreement (86%). The titres
      of the rabbit erythrocyte haemolysin assay correlated with the haemolytic zone
      diameter of the ox blood agar assay. In addition the agar haemolysin assay had
      simple media requirements, was easy to perform and results were well defined.

PMID- 1411669
TI  - Wide versus selective decompression in the operative treatment of lumbar spinal
      stenosis.
AB  - The early post-operative results of wide versus selective decompression in a
      group of 64 patients with lumbar spinal stenosis were studied with the aim of
      ascertaining whether a more limited approach gives comparable results to the more
      traditional method of wide decompression. Wide decompression involved complete
      removal of a vertebral lamina at the stenotic level. Selective decompression
      refers to removal of the lower part of the superior lamina and the upper part of
      the inferior lamina at the stenotic level together with limited facetectomies.
      Patients were compared with respect to post-operative relief of back pain and
      sciatica/claudication as well as the ability to return to their pre-morbid level
      of functional activity. Follow up ranged from 4 months to 26 months. Results
      showed that both wide and selective decompression were able to achieve complete
      or considerable relief of symptoms and return to pre-morbid level of activity in
      74% to 84% of patients. The results in the 2 groups were not statistically
      different. It appears that within the first 2 years of surgery, the vast majority
      of our post-decompression patients had good results regardless of whether wide or
      selective decompression was used.

PMID- 1411670
TI  - Kielland's forceps delivery: is it a dying art?
AB  - A retrospective study in the use of Kielland's Forceps for rotation of the foetal
      head and mid-cavity delivery in Kandang Kerbau Hospital, Singapore from 1987-1990
      is presented. Out of a total of 53,889 singleton births during this period,
      Kielland's Forceps was used for delivery in 137 (0.25%) patients with an
      incidence of 0.65% in the primiparae and 0.07% in the multiparae. Primiparity,
      induction of labour and epidural analgesia were associated with a significantly
      higher incidence of rotational delivery by Kielland's forceps. The success rate
      of Kielland's forceps delivery was 93.4% (128 of 137). There was no maternal or
      perinatal mortality. About one-third of the mothers experienced postpartum
      morbidity, commonest being retention of urine, postpartum haemorrhage and vaginal
      lacerations. Traumatic injuries were present in about one-quarter of the babies
      and were minor. Out of a total of 306 mid-cavity deliveries for occipito
      transverse malposition, Kielland's forceps accounted for 38.2% (117), vacuum
      extraction 30.7% (94), manual rotation followed by Neville-Barnes forceps 11.1%
      (34) and Caesarean section 20.0% (61). The junior specialists tended to use
      vacuum extraction for rotational delivery more than the senior specialists.

PMID- 1411671
TI  - The mental diseases hospital, Singapore (the first 100 years)--a short history
      (Part I).
AB  - This article (in four parts) traces the history of the first four Mental
      Hospitals built in Singapore, which were occupied in 1840, 1861, 1887 and 1928.
      The management of the patients is described; also their lives and deaths. Mention
      is also made of the doctors and others who looked after them.

PMID- 1411672
TI  - Gout.
AB  - Gout is a common disease in the primary health care setting. Diagnosis of primary
      gout is definite if urate crystals are present in synovial fluid or tophi. The
      colchicine therapeutic trial is a useful diagnostic aid but not specific.
      Secondary gout is associated with myeloproliferative disease. Non-steroidal anti
      inflammatory agents or colchicine are the main stays of treatment in acute gouty
      arthritis. In the inter-critical period, uricosuric agents or allopurinol can be
      used to control hyperuricaemia. Allopurinol is the treatment of choice in
      secondary gout. Asymptomatic hyperuricaemia is not an indication for therapy.

PMID- 1411673
TI  - Radiologic manifestations of rheumatic joint diseases in the plain radiograph.
AB  - In the assessment of radiologic manifestations of joint diseases, rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA) is the disease to which all others are compared. Knowledge of its
      characteristics form the basis of the other conditions. To understand the changes
      seen on the plain radiograph, it is essential to understand its pathophysiology
      first so that the manifestations of each disease can be appreciated more fully.
      Due to space constraint, I shall only discuss the main forms of rheumatic joint
      disease. Other examples of erosive arthropathies, although not rheumatic in
      origin, will also be included as they form part of the differential diagnosis of
      an erosive arthropathy, eg gout and psoriasis.

PMID- 1411674
TI  - A 53-year-old man with atypical chest pain and deep T wave inversion. Apical
      hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

PMID- 1411675
TI  - The first oocyte donation pregnancy home-bred and delivered in Singapore to
      illustrate a simplified oocyte donation programme--no more embryo freezing,
      synchronisation or disruption of social life.
AB  - The wait for an oocyte donor is highly unpredictable and stressful. The
      recipients may have to remain contactable at all times. Even when a donor is
      present, their reproductive cycles may not be in synchrony to enable gamete or
      embryo replacement, and embryo freezing is required for the transfer of embryos
      in the subsequent cycle. After the release of the Guidelines for Assisted
      Reproductive Technique by the Ministry of Health we have established a simplified
      oocyte donation programme with which the need for synchronisation, embryo
      freezing and the disruption to the recipient couple's social life are eliminated.
      To illustrate, we report the first report of oocyte donation pregnancy home bred
      and delivered in Singapore.

PMID- 1411676
TI  - A successful pregnancy from the oocyte donation programme in Singapore General
      Hospital.
AB  - A 41-year-old Chinese woman was seen in our centre in June 1989 with 5 years of
      premature menopause, requesting ovum donation. She was placed on cyclical
      hormonal therapy and put on the waiting list for ovum donation. Excess ova became
      available through one of our IVF patients and were fertilised with her husband's
      semen. Four pre-embryos resulted and these were cryopreserved using 1,2
      propanediol. Embryo transfer in her second cycle of trying on 16 March 1990 of 2
      pre-embryos was successful and a singleton pregnancy resulted. The pregnancy was
      supported with estradiol valerate and intramuscular progesterone till 17 weeks of
      gestation. The pregnancy went on uneventfully and she delivered a healthy baby
      boy by Caesarean section on 21 December 1990.

PMID- 1411677
TI  - Ectopic thymoma: a case for median sternotomy for complete thymectomy.
AB  - Thymomas are normally found in the superior mediastinum or the upper part of the
      anterior mediastinum. We report a case of thymoma arising in the inferior aspect
      of the anterior mediastinum. This case illustrates that thymic tissue may be
      found low in the anterior mediastinum and supports the practice of a median
      sternotomy approach for thorough mediastinal exploration in all cases of
      thymectomy.

PMID- 1411678
TI  - A case of cavitating pneumonia in AIDS.
AB  - Tuberculosis is a common cause of cavitating pneumonia in Singapore. In patients
      with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), cavitary pneumonias mimicking
      tuberculosis can mislead the clinician, delaying diagnosis, resulting in
      increased morbidity. We describe a HIV seropositive patient with cavitating
      pneumonia in whom the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) was
      ultimately established only on bronchoscopy.

PMID- 1411679
TI  - Case report--melanoma of the anorectum.
AB  - Melanomas of the gastrointestinal tract are rare tumours, the anorectum being the
      most common site. Anorectal melanomas can pose difficult diagnostic and
      therapeutic problems. Awareness on the part of both the clinician and
      histopathologist that melanomas can rarely occur in the anorectum is an important
      pre-requisite to its diagnosis as specific histopathological staining may be
      required. Therapeutically, surgery remains the primary option. Prognosis is
      however poor as metastatic disease is commonly established at presentation. When
      the tumour is sited in the rectum, the cells of origin is controversial. A case
      of disseminated anorectal melanoma is described.

PMID- 1411680
TI  - Left bundle branch block and right axis deviation due to severe coronary heart
      disease.
AB  - The simultaneous occurrence of left bundle branch block and right axis deviation
      is very rare and occurs mainly in patients with cardiomyopathy. This paper
      describes a 61-year-old man with end stage ischaemic heart disease who presented
      with this unique electrocardiographic abnormality.

PMID- 1411681
TI  - Adult parameningeal rhabdomyosarcoma--a case report and literature review.
AB  - Although rhabdomyosarcoma is predominantly a malignant disease of children, it is
      also seen in adults. Since adults account for only 15% of rhabdomyosarcomas, the
      experience gathered for the treatment of the malignancy has been derived from
      treating children. The treatment of a case of adult extensive parameningeal
      rhabdomyosarcoma with CyVADlC chemotherapy and radiotherapy is described,
      together with a review of the literature.

PMID- 1411682
TI  - Recurrent cerebral thrombosis associated with protein S deficiency in a Chinese
      female.
AB  - A 52-year-old Chinese female with recurrent cerebral thrombosis associated with
      hereditary protein S deficiency is described. The need to consider clotting
      disorders in young patients with no known risk factors for stroke is emphasized.

PMID- 1411683
TI  - The toxic strept syndrome.

PMID- 1411684
TI  - An epidemic in the field? Rapid assessment procedures and health research.
AB  - This paper reviews the development of various methods designed to generate
      relevant social information, pertaining to health and disease control, quickly
      and accurately. In so doing, we examine the use of KAP surveys and the subsequent
      development of community diagnosis, rapid appraisal methods, rapid
      epidemiological assessment, and rapid assessment procedures (RAP) for
      anthropological studies. Our focus is on the development of anthropological RAPs,
      in response to the lack of professionally trained social scientists to work with
      disease control programmes and ministries of health, and in light of the
      demonstrable need for social science input in the development of health policies
      and programmes. These developments are assessed in terms of scope and method.
      Issues relating to the representativeness, reliability and validity of RAP
      studies are discussed, and mechanisms by which to maximise the yield of valid
      data are presented.

PMID- 1411685
TI  - Immunization coverage, infant morbidity and infant mortality in Freetown, Sierra
      Leone.
AB  - The study, which is based on data from a household level health survey conducted
      in 1990 in Freetown, Sierra Leone, examines the coverage of an Expanded Program
      on Immunization (EPI), infant mortality, and infant morbidity among children in
      Greater Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone. The results of the study indicate that
      there was a decline in infant mortality in the recent period of the survey, 1988
      89, compared to earlier periods. This decline seemed to have been the result of
      immunization coverage, which considerably increased by 1989-90, reaching above
      70% of the children under age 5. The study further reveals that the increased
      immunization coverage of children and their mothers might have considerably
      reduced the incidence of tetanus. While reduction of tetanus might have played
      the leading role in the latest reduction in infant mortality, the incidence of
      diarrhea, measles, and malaria continued to be high, suggesting that the increase
      in the quality and quantity of basic immunizations, oral therapy for diarrheal
      disease, and provision of chloroquine and improved drugs for malaria disease
      could further reduce most of the deaths from these prevailing diseases among
      children under age 5.

PMID- 1411686
TI  - Global budgeting of hospitals in Hong Kong.
AB  - Policy-makers in industrialized countries face the dilemma of having to contain
      soaring hospital costs while resisting any reduction in the quality and quantity
      of hospital services. Among the many hospital financing systems, centralized
      control via global budgeting is advocated by some to be the most effective in
      containing hospital costs. Containing hospital costs, however, is but one aspect
      of the trade-off between cost containment and quality of care. The hospital
      financing system of Hong Kong provides some insights into the extent to which
      cost control can be achieved through global budgeting; and its impact on the
      accessibility of hospital care. The case of Hong Kong highlights three necessary
      conditions for effective cost control: (1) the payer must have a clear policy
      stance on overall public spending; (2) the payer must have a clear policy stance
      on the importance of hospital care relative to other goods and services; and (3)
      the payer must also have the will and ability to limit hospital spending within
      finalized global budgets. However, successful cost containment in Hong Kong
      affects the accessibility of hospital care. In a time of population growth and
      economic prosperity, new community needs seem to have preceded government plans
      and actions to build hospital facilities.

PMID- 1411687
TI  - The psychological and social condition of hypertensives resistant to
      pharmacological treatment.
AB  - To characterize patients with therapy-resistant essential hypertension (TR) from
      a psychosocial point of view, 29 hypertensives, filling specified criteria for TR
      in a hypertension clinic were selected out of 800 patients screened. A control
      group of patients with established, but well controlled hypertension, pair-wise
      matching study patients for age and gender was also selected. TR patients were
      predominantly of working-class origin (68 vs 19% P less than 0.001). They tended
      to be more obese (BMI 28.7 +/- 5.5 vs 26.9 +/- 3.9 ns). TR tended to report fewer
      important life events, and reported significantly fewer positive events from the
      last 10 year period P less than 0.05. According to the EAI, their ability to
      channel emotions, especially anger, was impaired (P less than 0.01). So was their
      instrumental handling of emotions such as anger and sorrow (P less than 0.05).
      They experienced less of joy, and even had a more negative attitude towards that
      emotion (P less than 0.05). When adjusted for social class this latter difference
      was not statistically significant. Their degree of global emotional
      differentiation was lower (P less than 0.05). In the ISSI interview they had low
      scores for availability of emotional attachment (P less than 0.01), and
      friendship (P less than 0.05), but not for social integration. To conclude, when
      compared to well controlled hypertensives, TR exhibited the pattern, which has
      been shown to characterize young, asymptomatic, hypertensives in comparison to
      healthy subjects. These results must not be overinterpreted due to the limited
      sample.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411688
TI  - Re-assessing disability: the impact of schistosomal infection on daily activities
      among women in Gezira Province, Sudan.
AB  - Schistosoma mansoni is often perceived by governments and international aid
      agencies to present a major public health problem in the tropical and sub
      tropical world. This perception persists in spite of the fact that biomedical
      practitioners and research workers disagree about the nature and extent of
      disease and disability caused by schistosomes. This paper raises the question of
      whether S. mansoni should continue to be given priority as a public health
      problem in Gezira Province, Sudan. Biomedical and continuous observational data
      are blended with ethnographic information in order to develop a more integrated
      picture of the impact of S. mansoni on daily activity patterns among women.
      Research took place in one village in the Gezira/Managil irrigation scheme. The
      study is characterized by a small sample and a paired design. That is, 11
      infected women were paired with 11 uninfected women. These women were engaged in
      agricultural activities in the cotton picking season and they were matched for a
      wide range of social and economic factors that might otherwise have affected
      their working activities. Observations were conducted on a minute by minute basis
      in the cotton fields. These data, in combination with ethnographic information
      and data indicating female productive output, showed that infection with S.
      mansoni significantly altered activity patterns in the cotton fields. That is,
      infected women (with an arithmetic mean egg output of 1958 eggs/g) attempted to
      pick as much cotton as possible in the shortest time period feasible in the
      morning. This pattern was partially repeated by infected women who returned to
      the fields in the afternoon. However, a significant number of infected women felt
      too weak to sustain this work regime and the economic implications of this
      finding are discussed. Finally, Fisher's exact probability test showed that
      infected women were significantly less likely to undertake personal care
      activities between cotton picking sessions and this result suggests they may have
      been too tired and/or had a diminished perception of their own well-being. The
      implications of these results for public health policy in Gezira Province are
      discussed.

PMID- 1411689
TI  - Mother sold food, daughter sells her body: the cultural continuity of
      prostitution.
AB  - This article provides a cultural interpretation of female prostitution in
      contemporary lowland Buddhist Thai society. The heterosexual transmission of AIDS
      through prostitution has exposed the shallowness of our understanding of
      prostitution as a sociocultural phenomenon. The data were collected through case
      studies, participant-observation, and review of Thai language media and texts. It
      is argued that in the past decade or so, the simultaneous rapid growth of
      prostitution as a lucrative sex industry and of the Thai economy as an emerging
      newly industrialized country (NIC) have, paradoxically, enabled female
      prostitutes to conserve the basic institutions of society. This has occurred at a
      time when landlessness, rampant commercialism and poverty have threatened the
      survival of traditional lifeways among the majority rural agricultural
      population. Prostitution, although illegal, has flourished at least in part
      because it enables women, through remittances home and merit-making activities,
      to fulfil traditional cultural functions of daughters, conserving the
      institutions of family and village-level Buddhism, as well as of government.

PMID- 1411690
TI  - Oral contraceptive marketing in Ibadan, Nigeria.
AB  - The demographic transition in Nigeria is gradually moving towards the second
      stage. There is clear evidence of a declining mortality but the fertility rate
      remains exceptionally high. A realistic approach towards reducing fertility rate
      is the use of oral contraceptive. This study assesses the distribution system of
      oral contraceptive in Ibadan, the second largest city in Nigeria. The findings
      revealed that the people are aware of modern oral contraceptives as they purchase
      them freely at chemist shops. But effective distribution is hampered by existing
      channels and high costs. A local source recommended is the proprietary medicine
      stores, often at convenient locations to the potential users of contraceptives.
      The current cost which is between $1.3 and $19.5 per couple-years of protection
      is exorbitant, consuming 0.5-7.8% of the gross annual income of the average
      individual. Therefore, the government should subsidize the prices of oral
      contraceptives, to facilitate freedom from the tyranny of excessive fertility.

PMID- 1411691
TI  - Artificial donor insemination in Yaounde: some socio-cultural considerations.
AB  - Infertility affects about 14% of the population in Cameroon. The majority of
      those affected are between 26-30 years old. Between 40-50% of all cases of
      infertility are associated with male failure, and azoospermia is implicated in
      14.4% of the cases. There is thus an indication for assisted reproduction among
      this category of infertile couples particularly artificial insemination by donor
      (A.I.D.). A comparative study on fertile and infertile couples' perception of
      A.I.D. revealed that knowledge of A.I.D. is low, 35.30% of infertile respondents
      were aware of the procedure via a vis 30.6% of their fertile counterparts.
      Nonetheless 49% of infertile respondents accepted A.I.D. in principle compared to
      37.75% of their fertile counterparts. Despite the high value respondents placed
      on having children and the strong desire by infertile couples to have their
      reproductive potentials fulfilled, only 19.6% of infertile respondents and 42.87%
      of their fertile counterparts respectively, would actually practice A.I.D. if the
      need arose. There are indications that respondents did not perceive A.I.D. as an
      acceptable solution to infertility. Evidently, the possible influence of socio
      cultural barriers to A.I.D. as well as perceived socio-cultural alternatives
      which may be more acceptable to infertile couples than a technically assisted
      form of reproduction, have been overlooked.

PMID- 1411692
TI  - Marital status, fatness and obesity.
AB  - Marital status is related to morbidity and mortality, with married people
      healthier and at lower risk of death than those who are unmarried (especially
      among men). However, the relationship between marital status and obesity is not
      well established. Role theory suggests through a marital causation model that
      people in the marital role are more likely to be obese, and through a marital
      selection model that people in the marital role are less likely to be obese
      because of stigmatization. The martial causation model was examined using data
      from the National Survey of Personal Health Practices and Consequences, a cross
      sectional national telephone survey of 3025 adults age 20-64 in the United
      States. Sequential regression analyses revealed that married men were
      significantly fatter and more likely to be obese than never married or previously
      married men, even when demographic, social, and physical variables were
      controlled. By contrast, marital status was not significantly associated with
      fatness or obesity among women when other variables were controlled. The marital
      role appears to influence fatness and obesity among men, but not women.

PMID- 1411693
TI  - His and hers: male and female anatomy in anatomy texts for U.S. medical students,
      1890-1989.
AB  - Much recent work on gender has emphasized how ideas of male and female
      differences underlie cultural assumptions about appropriate social relations,
      behavior, institutions and knowledge. This study focuses on the specific ways
      that anatomy texts for medical students in the United States have presented male
      and female anatomy between 1890 and 1989, using both numerical data and analysis
      of textual examples from 31 texts. Despite public debates about gender
      representation, anatomy texts have generally remained consistent in how 'the'
      human body has been depicted in this century. In illustrations, vocabulary and
      syntax, these texts primarily depict male anatomy as the norm or standard against
      which female structures are compared. Modern texts thus continue long-standing
      historical conventions in which male anatomy provides the basic model for 'the'
      human body.

PMID- 1411694
TI  - Self-assessed health among Norwegian adults.
AB  - Previous research has used self-assessed health as a proxy for 'objective' health
      rating as an important element in sick role behaviour, as well as a predictor of
      life satisfaction and mortality. However, several authors have suggested that
      self-evaluations of health are not only reflections of the underlying medical
      condition. It has been claimed that personal and social background
      characteristics such as sex, age, race, and occupational status contribute
      independently to subjectively appraised health. The present article uses data
      from a large, nation-wide sample of Norwegian adults (N = 7302) to estimate the
      relative predictive power of 'medical' variables (number and duration of illness
      episodes, diagnosis, functional impairment) on the one hand and 'socio-cultural'
      variables (age, sex, socio-economic status, type of work, income, household
      composition/life cycle) on the other. It is concluded that when a sufficiently
      fine-grained array of medical information is available, socio-cultural factors
      contribute only marginally to self-assessments of health.

PMID- 1411695
TI  - Sickness Impact Profile: the state of the art of a generic functional status
      measure.
AB  - The Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) is a widely used health status measure, known
      to be valid and reliable. After the final development and testing in 1978,
      however, in which several methodological aspects were investigated, no
      descriptions of research projects that systematically evaluate the methodological
      and theoretical aspects of the instrument were found. In this article a review is
      presented of literature on the SIP. This review is the first step taken in a
      project that evaluates the SIP. The instrument appears to be a reliable
      instrument with sufficient content validity. It shows good correlations with
      other health status and functional status measures. Yet a number of questions
      about the SIP remain unanswered. Theoretical implications of the construct of
      sickness, the effect of age and gender on SIP scores, the construct validity
      judged by factor analysis, the responsiveness of the instrument, and the
      possibilities to use proxy-respondents or to shorten the list and to simplify the
      scoring procedure still have to be studied. If the instrument is to be used as an
      international standard measure of functional status, these topics should be
      thoroughly examined.

PMID- 1411696
TI  - Drug retailer training: experiences from Nepal.
AB  - Sale of modern medicines by untrained peddlers, general merchants, and other drug
      sellers is common throughout the developing world. Drug sellers operating in the
      'informal sector' are often the first source of health care outside the home.
      Reasons given by patients for using private drug sellers include expediency,
      convenience, efficacy of the medicines, dependability of supply, and reasonable
      cost. At the same time, self-medication through private drug sellers can be
      ineffective, wasteful, and at times distinctly harmful. Regulatory approaches to
      controlling drug selling in the informal sector, widely endorsed on paper through
      national drug control legislation, require a cadre of professional regulatory
      staff and enforcement mechanisms which are too often beyond the current economic
      and political reach of countries. In Nepal, where rugged terrain has limited
      infrastructure development, the doctor to population ratio is 1:23,000,
      utilization of government health services averages only 0.2 visits per person per
      year. Retail drug outlets outnumber health posts and health centers by a ratio of
      4:1 and private drug sellers often offer the only access to modern medicine for
      much of the population. Community surveys have found that drug retailers are very
      often the first and only source of health care outside the home. Given the
      importance of retail drug outlets and the lack of trained pharmacists, the
      Department of Drug Administration in 1981 established a 45-hr course for drug
      retailers which emphasized practical training as well as formal teaching on
      pharmacology, ethics, storage of drugs, and legal issues. By the end of 1989,
      4096 drug retailers had graduated from the course. Still run by the Ministry of
      Health Department of Drug Administration, the course has proven to be
      administratively feasible and has been quite popular with drug retailers. Initial
      reservations expressed by doctors and some pharmacists were soon overcome, and
      the course is now well accepted by professional groups. Because the course is
      offered in different locations, geographic coverage has also been very good
      despite Nepal's logistic constraints. The operating cost of the course averages
      about U.S. $18 per trainee. Informal evaluations have resulted in plans for
      refresher training more narrowly focused on safe dispensing and appropriate
      referral for a limited number of important public health problems. Since 50-90%
      of pharmaceutical expenditures typically pass through the informal private sector
      in developing countries, it is suggested that other countries consider focused
      drug retailer training as a response to the problems of manpower shortages and
      drug dispensing by unqualified staff.

PMID- 1411697
TI  - Deriving a survey measure of social support: the reliability and validity of the
      Close Persons Questionnaire.
AB  - The development of a new questionnaire to measure social support, the Close
      Persons Questionnaire is described from the Whitehall II Study, a longitudinal
      study of the impact of psychosocial factors on health. The Close Persons
      Questionnaire includes items on three types of support from up to four nominated
      close persons and social networks. Its repeatability over a four week period and
      its validity against the Self Evaluation and Social Support Interview is reported
      in a sample of British Civil Servants. The difficulties of satisfactorily
      validating measures of social support are discussed.

PMID- 1411698
TI  - The use of herbal and other agents to enhance sexual experience.
AB  - This study examines the use of herbal and other agents prior to sexual
      intercourse. This practice is thought to be common in central and southern
      Africa. The study comprises an analysis of the behavioural and psychological
      aspects of the practice. Structured interviews were conducted with 63 Zimbabwean
      women, 33 were attenders at an urban health clinic, 30 were nurses. Eighty-seven
      percent of the sample reported using herbs and other agents regularly as a
      preparation for sexual intercourse. The health and social consequences of such
      practices are examined; the problems of cervical cancer and HIV and their
      relation to these practices is discussed.

PMID- 1411699
TI  - Mothers' fear of child death due to acute diarrhoea: a study in urban and rural
      communities in northern Punjab, Pakistan.
AB  - The investigation of cultural models of diarrhoeal illness which are employed by
      mothers and their emotional responses to children's illnesses is presented in a
      study of 595 households in urban and rural communities in Punjab, Pakistan. The
      household survey of mothers of children 0-36 months was complemented with in
      depth interviews of a subsample of 70 mothers. Findings indicate that diarrhoea
      must be regarded not only as a disease but as a symptom belonging to several
      popular illness categories. Mothers' emotional responses to symptoms are in part
      shaped by the illness categories to which they assign a child's diarrhoea
      episode, and maternal fears that symptoms of diarrhoea may be life threatening
      are associated with previous experiences with death of children, with treatment
      choices and help-seeking. A significantly higher proportion of mothers who fear
      diarrhoea to be life threatening to their children than mothers with other
      concerns choose to use NIMKOL, the Pakistan ORS. The necessity of recognizing the
      complexity of interpretive and emotional processes which shape the care of
      children and the home treatment of childhood disease is emphasized.

PMID- 1411700
TI  - The effects of variations in AFDC and Medicaid eligibility on prenatal care use.
AB  - Despite substantial evidence linking improved pregnancy outcomes with receipt of
      prenatal care and recent improvements in prenatal care utilization, specific
      subpopulations continue to receive less than adequate care. The study reported
      here examined the effects on prenatal care utilization of differences among
      states in AFDC and Medicaid eligibility policies. The study was based on
      information obtained from birth certificates and a mailed questionnaire to
      stratified random samples of all women experiencing live births during specified
      periods in four states. States were selected to provide comparisons between two
      states with liberal AFDC and Medicaid eligibility standards--Wisconsin and
      Colorado--and two states--Maine and Texas--which had more restrictive standards
      at the time data were collected. Study findings generally indicate that more
      liberal AFDC/Medicaid eligibility standards improve the adequacy of prenatal care
      among low income women. They also suggest, however, that the often lengthy
      eligibility process may actually pose barriers to care.

PMID- 1411701
TI  - Behavior change strategies for family planning.
AB  - The technology of behavior modification is central to most family planning and
      population control strategies. Positive, differential and negative reinforcement,
      usually cast in terms of 'incentives' and 'disincentives', have been applied to
      promoting child spacing and contraceptive use throughout the developing world. A
      wide variety of options are available to program planners interested in decreased
      birth rates, increased contraceptive use and/or birth spacing, and general
      promotion of family planning behavior. Given the tremendous problems with
      overpopulation and maternal/child health in developing nations today, behavior
      modification techniques are proposed specifically as the most effective way to
      motivate behavior change in the area of birth planning. These techniques also
      provide a useful framework with which to classify current family planning
      strategies and maximize their overall effectiveness. Given the powerful potential
      of this technology, understanding relevant ethical considerations and limitations
      is of paramount importance.

PMID- 1411702
TI  - Discrimination towards disabled people seeking employment.
AB  - This research was undertaken to determine whether or not disabled persons are at
      a disadvantage when seeking employment. An experimental design--mailing
      unsolicited job applications to employers--in a natural social setting allowed a
      study of employer's behaviour under naturalistic conditions. A randomized
      comparative study was conducted on a representative sample of 2228 branches of
      French companies, stratified as a function of their size. Four different profiles
      of applications were constituted by crossing two independent variables: the
      presence or absence of mention of a physical deficiency (paraplegia, with a
      wheelchair) in the job application, and high or low level of qualification. Using
      random sampling, the investigators sent each company an application for a job
      using one of these four profiles. Two experimental groups of companies were
      constituted (each of which received an application with either high or low
      qualification and mention of disability) with two control groups (applications
      with high/low qualification, without mention of disability). It was found that
      highly qualified able-bodied applicants were 1.78 times more likely to receive a
      favorable response than their disabled counterparts, and modestly qualified able
      bodied applicants were 3.2 times more likely to receive a positive response. As
      well, discrimination became more marked as company size increased. In comparison
      with laboratory experiments, the results of this research permit a more objective
      assessment of discriminatory behaviour by companies confronted by disabled job
      applicants, and show a significant amount of discrimination towards individuals
      with a physical disability.

PMID- 1411703
TI  - Sociology in American medical education since the 1960s: the rhetoric or reform.
AB  - Despite recommendations by medical reformers that medical sociology be included
      in the curriculum, there is currently little evidence of a far-reaching
      integration of sociological perspectives in American medical education. Yet,
      support for the relevance of sociological knowledge has since the late 1960s
      helped to diffuse external pressures for change in health care and medical
      education. As a symbol of the communitarian commitment of the medical profession,
      claims in favor of the incorporation of sociological perspectives have thus
      occasionally, and largely unintentionally, served the public relations interests
      of biomedicine. However, the more recent interest in medical ethics has to some
      degree transformed medicine's educational agenda and the definition of medical
      'human values'. Whereas the rhetorical expropriation of medical sociology
      primarily has concerned medicine's responsibility vis-a-vis society as a whole,
      the new medical ethics education signifies a return to a more individualistically
      oriented medical morality.

PMID- 1411704
TI  - Maternal health and the measurement trap.
AB  - This paper focuses on the contribution of measurement-related factors to the
      neglect of maternal health in resource allocation for programmes and in public
      health research. As the recent interest in maternal health has now progressed
      beyond the need for information primarily for the purpose of advocacy,
      measurement-related factors have emerged as powerful constraints on programme
      action. Three outstanding needs for information can be identified: first, to
      establish the levels and trends of specific maternal health outcomes; secondly,
      to identify the characteristics and determinants of health outcomes; and thirdly,
      to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of programmes designed to influence
      health outcomes. In order to meet these needs, the emphasis placed on operational
      research by the current major initiatives in maternal health must be complemented
      by an equivalent emphasis on methodological studies. The call for improved
      information by international and national agencies should be made in unison with
      the call for action. Inadequate information is a reality that has to be faced
      throughout the world, but particularly in developing countries. The quality,
      quantity and scope of health-related data are the elements of this inadequacy and
      may be discussed in terms of four factors: the indicators, the data sources, the
      measurement techniques, and the conceptual framework. In this paper, the neglect
      of maternal health and the lack of information are shown to be self-reinforcing
      and constitute a measurement trap sprung by these four factors. Dismantling this
      trap has revealed a weak conceptual framework to lie at the very centre. Maternal
      health has tended to be conceptualized as a discrete, negative state,
      characterized by physical rather than social or mental manifestations, and by a
      narrow time-perspective focusing on pregnancy, delivery and the puerperium. The
      need to broaden this perspective and to develop equally broad operational
      definitions represent important steps forward that must be taken.

PMID- 1411705
TI  - Costs of home care for advanced breast and cervical cancer in relation to cost
      effectiveness of screening.
AB  - The costs of home care in the Netherlands are estimated for women with advanced
      breast and cervical cancer. We observe a growing role of intensive home care for
      the terminally ill patients. The average costs of home care are dfl 8,500 per
      patient for breast cancer patients and dfl 7,200 for cervical cancer patients.
      More than half of these costs are incurred in the last month before death. The
      level of home care in the preceding months is quite modest (dfl 120 per month for
      both diseases), not taking into account informal care. The costs of home care for
      patients with advanced cancer are only slightly related to the site of the
      primary tumor from which the metastases originate. Total average costs per
      patient during advanced disease, including hospital and nursing home care, amount
      to dfl 42,700 for breast cancer and dfl 29,000 for cervical cancer. This
      difference in costs is largely attributable to the longer duration of advanced
      disease for breast cancer, which substantially affects hospital costs. The high
      costs of care to patients with advanced cancer contribute to a favourable cost
      effectiveness ratio of those screening programmes which reduce mortality and
      consequently the costs of care to advanced cancer patients.

PMID- 1411706
TI  - Primary care in accident and emergency and general practice: a comparison.
AB  - This paper reviews the way in which literature describing 'inappropriate'
      attenders at Accident and Emergency (A & E) departments in Britain has suggested
      that they could be provided for in General Practice and that their attendance at
      A & E departments therefore implies a 'failure' of general practice in urban
      areas. One problem with much previous research is that 'inappropriate' attenders
      have been retrospectively identified. The comparative survey of attenders at a
      London A & E department and patients visiting their GP in the same district
      reported here prospectively identified A & E attenders with primary care problems
      and examined the differences between them and the GP attenders. Patients
      attending the hospital A & E department were similar to the GP attenders in terms
      of socio-economic indicators, but had problems which were not typical of the
      general practice workload and were in different circumstances. The results
      suggest that there will be a continuing demand for hospital-provided primary care
      in urban areas, and that attempts to deflect such care to the community will meet
      with limited success.

PMID- 1411707
TI  - Regular pattern of preventive dental services--a measure of access.
AB  - Having a regular pattern of care should be an indicator of access to and periodic
      use of preventive and health maintenance services. The analyses reported in this
      study are intended to provide a better understanding of the factors related to
      having a regular pattern of preventive dental care. The data were collected in
      1981 as part of a U.S. household survey, 'A Study of Dental Health Related and
      Process Outcomes Associated with Prepaid Dental Care', the most comprehensive
      cross-sectional data base available in dentistry. Descriptive analyses of a
      constructed variable, representing perceived and realized access and a preventive
      orientation, indicate that 53% of the population had a regular pattern of
      preventive care. Those with a regular pattern of care were more likely to be
      white, younger, have dental insurance, have no cost barriers, have more than 12
      years of education, be dentate, have no perceived symptoms, and no fear of pain.
      Logistic regressions indicated that there was an increased probability of having
      a regular pattern of preventive care if individuals had no economic access
      problems, had positive attitudes, had higher income, reported few oral symptoms,
      and were non-Black. Overall, the descriptive models used suggested that
      individuals with resources in the form of finances and education, and a sense of
      self-efficacy as expressed in attitudes toward oral health, had the greatest
      probability of having a regular pattern of preventive care.

PMID- 1411708
TI  - Content and context: working with mentally ill people in family therapy.
AB  - This article addresses the family's experience of caring for a mentally ill
      family member in the home. The focus is on how the family manages overt psychotic
      symptoms and the resulting interpersonal stresses. A model of intervention is
      proposed that allows therapists and families to examine the content and context
      of the psychotic material and to intervene in nonthreatening ways. This model has
      its base in psychoeducation and communications theory. The effectiveness of the
      content and context model is developed through the analysis of two case examples.
      The cases show the intervention to be helpful in decreasing family stress and in
      establishing empathic awareness between the family and the ill member.
      Implications for adapting this model to the psychoeducational model with the goal
      of enhancing the family's caretaking role are reviewed.

PMID- 1411709
TI  - Burnout in hospital social workers who work with AIDS patients.
AB  - Fears of a future shortage of experienced social workers in the acquired immune
      deficiency syndrome (AIDS) field because of burnout prompted this study of 128
      hospital social workers who work with AIDS patients. Results show that hospital
      AIDS social workers had slightly higher rates of emotional exhaustion and
      depersonalization on the Maslach Burnout Inventory but also felt a substantially
      higher level of personal accomplishment. Age, autonomy, and belonging to a
      support group explained 19 percent of the variance in burnout. Hospital
      administrators are urged to examine their administrative policies concerning
      these factors and to explore ways to preserve and enhance the most satisfying
      aspects of the work. Further research is encouraged to explore the relationship
      between young age and burnout and to better understand the factors that make AIDS
      work satisfying.

PMID- 1411710
TI  - Preventing AIDS among black gay men and black gay and heterosexual male
      intravenous drug users.
AB  - The black population is disproportionately affected by acquired immune deficiency
      syndrome (AIDS). Among those black people most at risk of becoming infected with
      the human immunodeficiency virus are black men who use intravenous drugs and
      black men who are gay. This article explores the complex cultural, economic, and
      social factors obstructing the reduction of the AIDS rate among these men.
      Implications and recommendations are made for developing effective AIDS
      prevention efforts by highlighting race-specific resources and supports for high
      risk black men.

PMID- 1411711
TI  - "Chronic fatigue syndrome and women: can therapy help?".

PMID- 1411712
TI  - "Chronic fatigue syndrome and women: can therapy help?".

PMID- 1411713
TI  - "Chronic fatigue syndrome and women: can therapy help?".

PMID- 1411714
TI  - Article makes eloquent statement.

PMID- 1411715
TI  - Grand rounds revisited: some comments on current practices.

PMID- 1411716
TI  - Isolated splenic metastasis from rectal carcinoma.
AB  - Splenic metastasis is a late manifestation of disseminated disease. Focal
      metastatic splenic involvement, however, without evidence of additional systemic
      disease, is unique. Review of the literature yielded only one case of isolated
      splenic metastasis incidental to rectal carcinoma. We have reported an additional
      case of isolated solitary splenic metastasis from primary adenocarcinoma of the
      rectum. Theoretically, certain anatomic, histologic, and functional splenic
      attributes may limit splenic involvement from metastatic disease.

PMID- 1411717
TI  - Acute pancreatitis due to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim.
AB  - We have reported a case of sulfonamide-induced acute pancreatitis. A review of
      the literature showed only eight previously reported cases. Adverse reactions to
      sulfonamides are well known, but acute pancreatitis is a very serious
      complication. If evidence of pancreatic involvement occurs during sulfonamide
      therapy, the medication should be discontinued immediately and, if necessary, be
      replaced by an alternative. Other causes of pancreatitis must be excluded.

PMID- 1411719
TI  - Delayed CSF seeding of benign oligodendroglioma.
AB  - We report the case of a man who at 42 years of age had right frontal lobectomy
      for removal of a benign oligodendroglioma. Seventeen years later, at age 60, he
      had resection of a fourth ventricular vermian lesion, which was found to be
      histologically identical to the original lesion. A further lesion in the left
      occipital lobe was not biopsied but was treated with radiation therapy. We
      suggest that these subsequent two neoplasms represent CSF spread of the original
      tumor. This case emphasizes the need for indefinite longitudinal surveillance for
      these patients.

PMID- 1411718
TI  - Hyperprolactinemia in a patient with Sheehan's syndrome.
AB  - I have reported the case of a woman with Sheehan's syndrome who had
      hyperprolactinemia rather than prolactin deficiency. The patient showed no
      increase in serum thyrotropin in response to TRH challenge and failed to show a
      normal increase in serum GH and cortisol after insulin-induced hypoglycemia. A
      blunted FSH response to LH-RH stimulation was also found. A CT scan of the sella
      showed no adenoma. The patient responded to prednisolone and thyroxine
      replacement therapy. When, a few months later, the dose of thyroxine was reduced
      to a suboptimal level, the hyperprolactinemia recurred.

PMID- 1411720
TI  - Recurrent pneumococcal pneumonia in an HIV-positive patient with lymphoid
      interstitial pneumonitis.
AB  - Lymphoid interstitial pneumonitis (LIP) is a rare complication of AIDS in adults.
      Patients with AIDS and LIP are at high risk for bacterial pneumonia caused by
      Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Staphylococcus aureus. We
      have described an HIV-positive patient with LIP complicated by recurrent
      pneumonia due to Streptococcus pneumoniae; recurrence was apparently prevented by
      maintenance penicillin therapy.

PMID- 1411721
TI  - Elective transtracheal jet ventilation for bronchoscopic removal of tracheal
      foreign body.
AB  - We have shown that transtracheal jet ventilation can be used safely and
      effectively when removing a foreign body from the airway. In some cases, it may
      be wise to choose this method of ventilation initially, thus avoiding the
      difficulties associated with more conventional modes of controlled ventilation.
      This is especially true when the potential for loss of the airway during the
      procedure is significant. This technique also allows the bronchoscopist the
      benefit of unimpeded access to the airway and adequate uninterrupted time for his
      operative procedure.

PMID- 1411722
TI  - Complications of trichobezoars: a 30-year experience.
AB  - We have reported the case of a mildly retarded woman in whom an obsessive
      compulsive disorder of hair eating (trichophagia) had begun between 2 and 3 years
      of age. Over the next 30 years, multiple complications of trichophagia included
      trichobezoars, malnutrition, intestinal obstruction, and ulceration with
      bleeding. One of the bouts of intestinal obstruction was associated with the
      superior mesenteric artery blocking the duodenum. This complication has not been
      reported previously in this disorder. The patient's trichotillomania (hair
      pulling) was treated with psychotherapy, behavior modification, and various
      medications, without success. The tricyclic antidepressant clomipramine
      (Anafranil) may be of benefit in such cases.

PMID- 1411723
TI  - Diffuse pulmonary tumor microemboli from adenocarcinoma of the colon.
AB  - We have presented a rare case of pulmonary tumor microemboli from adenocarcinoma
      of the colon. The majority of primary tumors are adenocarcinomas, with gastric,
      breast, and liver carcinomas most frequently identified. Dyspnea and respiratory
      distress without an obvious cause is common. The history, physical examination,
      chest roentgenogram, ventilation-perfusion lung scan, and pulmonary angiogram are
      often not helpful in establishing the diagnosis. Pulmonary hypertension, present
      in our patient, and cor pulmonale are well described in association with diffuse
      pulmonary tumor microemboli. The pathologic findings are limited to the
      intravascular compartment exclusively, frequently in association with thrombus.
      The true incidence of pulmonary tumor microemboli is not known and may be
      underestimated. Appropriate management requires a high index of suspicion to
      establish the diagnosis.

PMID- 1411724
TI  - Recurrence of neisserial meningococcemia due to deficiency of terminal complement
      component.
AB  - Recurrent infections with Neisseria meningitidis are attributed to deficiencies
      of terminal complement components. The serotype most commonly responsible for
      recurrent N meningitidis infections is serotype Y. We have reported a case of
      recurrent meningitis due to N meningitidis in a patient who was found to be
      deficient in the sixth component of complement. Complement deficiencies should be
      considered in any patient with recurrent infections caused by N meningitidis.

PMID- 1411725
TI  - Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome: not always ulcerated.
AB  - Our patient had a nonulcerated rectal lesion grossly resembling a villous tumor,
      but microscopically proving to be a solitary rectal ulcer. We have discussed the
      clinical and pathologic findings and the probable relationship of the lesion to
      straining at the stool.

PMID- 1411726
TI  - Transmission of AIDS.

PMID- 1411727
TI  - Transmission of AIDS.

PMID- 1411728
TI  - Endocarditis in drug abusers.

PMID- 1411729
TI  - Vocal cord dysfunction.

PMID- 1411730
TI  - There is no current indication for laparoscopic adhesiolysis to treat abdominal
      pain.

PMID- 1411731
TI  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a community experience.
AB  - Minimally invasive surgery appears to be gaining popularity, and removal of the
      gallbladder by laparoscopic methods is one such procedure for which there is
      recent enthusiasm. The concerns about safety, morbidity, and mortality in
      contrast to standard cholecystectomy are being evaluated. To address these
      concerns we reviewed the first 230 laparoscopic cholecystectomies done by one
      surgical group from October 1990 to September 1991. There were 161 women and 69
      men with an average age of 50 years. The average length of stay was 2.1 days,
      most patients being discharged in 24 hours. Complications occurred in 14 patients
      (6%). The one death was unrelated to the gallbladder surgery. Operative
      cholangiograms were done as frequently as possible. It appears that laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy can be done safely and with a shorter hospital stay.
      Complications are similar to those seen with standard cholecystectomy.

PMID- 1411732
TI  - Esophagogastric ring: why and when we see it, and what it implies: a radiologic
      pathologic correlation.
AB  - Schatzki first reported a ring-like structure at the esophagogastric mucosal
      junction in 1953. There is still no uniform agreement as to its exact location,
      etiology, or clinical importance. We found an esophagogastric ring in 15% to 18%
      of 22,368 patients having routine upper gastrointestinal examinations. It was
      present only in patients with cephalad displacement of the esophagogastric
      junction and only in those who had sharply and circumferentially marginated
      transition of esophagogastric mucosal junction. It is postulated that the
      esophagus shortens on vagal stimulation by contracture of the longitudinal
      esophageal muscle, which causes a mucosal infolding at the esophagogastric
      junction. In a small group of these patients, fibrosis apparently develops in
      this region and results in a fixed organic circumferential diaphragm, which may
      cause obstructive symptoms. These concepts affect therapeutic alternatives.

PMID- 1411733
TI  - Race-related differences in metabolic control among adults with diabetes.
AB  - The effect of race on differences in metabolic control was examined in patients
      with non-insulin-dependent (NIDDM) and insulin-dependent (IDDM) diabetes
      mellitus. Data were collected on HbA1c, age, duration of diabetes, age at onset,
      family function, stress, body mass index, waist/hip ratio, total cholesterol,
      insulin dose, diet, and physical activity. Among those with NIDDM, black patients
      had significantly higher HbA1c levels than their white counterparts. This
      difference persisted after adjustment for covariates. Among patients with IDDM,
      black subjects were found to have higher HbA1c levels, body mass index, and total
      cholesterol levels than their white counterparts. After correction for diabetes
      duration, relative insulin dose, physical activity, body mass index, and
      cholesterol, black women had significantly higher HbA1c levels than black men,
      white men, or white women. We conclude that race and sex differences do affect
      the metabolic control of patients with diabetes mellitus.

PMID- 1411734
TI  - Listerial infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - Infection with Listeria monocytogenes is known to occur more frequently in
      immunosuppressed patients, including those receiving high-dose prednisone or
      cytotoxic therapy for collagen vascular disease. We reviewed three cases of
      listeriosis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) seen at our institution, in
      addition to five cases reported in the English literature. Seven of the eight
      patients had non-CNS listerial infections. All patients but one had associated
      risk factors of either renal failure or pregnancy. From our review, we found that
      listeriosis is uncommon in SLE, and patients without renal failure or pregnancy
      do not seem to be at increased risk for listeriosis. Although most patients were
      treated with high-dose prednisone, with or without cytotoxic drugs, the role of
      immunosuppression by these drugs as a risk factor for listeriosis remained
      unclear.

PMID- 1411735
TI  - Archery-related injuries of the hand, forearm, and elbow.
AB  - The five patients reported herein had various archery-related injuries of the
      upper extremities. Acute injuries included arrow laceration of a digital nerve
      and artery, contusion of forearm skin and subcutaneous tissue, and compression
      neuropathy of digital nerves from the bowstring. Chronic injuries included
      bilateral medial epicondylitis and median nerve compression at the wrist, de
      Quervain's tenosynovitis, and median nerve compression at the elbow. Essential
      measures for archery safety include use of archery protective gear, use of a
      light-weight bow, conditioning of the forearm flexor muscles, and modifications
      in drawing the bowstring.

PMID- 1411736
TI  - Victims of crime: the internist's role in treatment.
AB  - This article reports a case study on a crime victim identified and treated in an
      internal medicine residency program. Recent findings on crime and violence in the
      United States are reviewed with a particular focus on the psychologic and medical
      aftermath faced by victims. A unique role for the internist is suggested in the
      management of such sequelae. Research studies suggest that victims of crime,
      especially violent crime, evidence one or more of several clusters of acute and
      delayed emotional responses that typically progress through three stages of a
      recovery process. Physician awareness of these symptom clusters should result in
      increased understanding and improved assessment/treatment of crime victims.

PMID- 1411738
TI  - Changes in residents' attitudes in response to residency program modifications: a
      prospective study.
AB  - Interventions to modify stress during residency training have rarely been
      formally analyzed for effectiveness. Using a 33-item, closed-ended questionnaire
      based on factors previously reported to cause residency stress, we studied how
      program modifications affected the attitudes of residents in a university
      affiliated community internal medicine residency training program. Training
      program modifications, targeting specific questions, were prospectively
      introduced, and questionnaire responses were compared from year to year and by
      resident year of training. Between 1988 and 1989, the noon conferences and ward
      rotations were modified. Between 1989 and 1990, a "night float" was introduced.
      Residents' responses varied little by year of training, but the mean responses to
      seven of the fourteen "targeted" questions showed significant changes over time.
      In particular, the introduction of a night float resulted in markedly improved
      attitudes regarding time demands. This study demonstrates that residents'
      attitudes can be objectively measured, and that residents accurately perceive and
      respond to program modifications. Efforts should be made to standardize,
      validate, and develop attitudinal scales from such questionnaires to aid in the
      assessment of the numerous changes in residency programs currently being
      considered or implemented nationwide.

PMID- 1411737
TI  - HIV seroprevalence in hospital patients in rural Georgia.
AB  - To determine human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroprevalence among hospital
      patients in three rural community-based hospitals in southern Georgia, we
      anonymously tested patients 15 to 54 years old for antibodies to HIV-1 from
      residual blood specimens collected for routine diagnostic purposes. Data
      collected included age, sex, race, hospital service, presenting condition,
      physician's knowledge of HIV infection status, and discharge diagnosis. Of 1319
      patients tested, seven (0.5%, 95% confidence interval = 0.2% to 1.1%) had
      antibodies to HIV-1. Of those seven, five had HIV infection unsuspected by their
      physicians, and four had an infectious disease. HIV seroprevalence was 0.5% for
      both men and women, 1.0% for blacks, and 0.3% for whites. HIV-positive patients
      were found on all hospital services. These results suggest that in rural southern
      Georgia hospitals, HIV should be routinely considered in the differential
      diagnosis of conditions that may be related to HIV. In addition, these data
      demonstrate a need for medical services or referral networks for HIV-related
      illnesses and a need for continuing HIV counseling and testing offered by local
      health departments in rural southern Georgia.

PMID- 1411739
TI  - Wandering spleen: anatomic and radiologic considerations.
AB  - Wandering spleen is a rare clinical entity and remains an elusive clinical
      diagnosis, particularly in the pediatric patient. Among the imaging modalities
      (computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine,
      ultrasonography, plain films) used in the diagnosis of wandering spleen,
      ultrasonography is the least invasive and most effective. Elective splenopexy
      remains the treatment of choice when the diagnosis is made before splenic
      infarction. We present two cases of wandering spleen manifested as a lower
      abdominal mass, and we discuss the surgical anatomy of the spleen and splenic
      ligaments and the hypothetical responsibility of these ligaments for the genesis
      of this clinical entity.

PMID- 1411741
TI  - To preach or teach: empowering patients and the health care crisis.

PMID- 1411740
TI  - Methylphenidate hydrochloride as an antidepressant: controversy, case studies,
      and review.
AB  - The use of psychostimulants as antidepressants remains controversial in the field
      of psychiatry. While methylphenidate hydrochloride (MPH) and dextroamphetamine
      (DA) are often considered to be equivalent drugs, differences in their
      neurobiologic mechanism of action may account for different clinical response
      patterns. Hence, clinical trials and literature reviews that examine the
      antidepressant efficacy of psychostimulants without distinguishing between MPH
      and DA may reach inaccurate conclusions. This paper is a critical review of
      controlled and uncontrolled studies examining the use of MPH as an
      antidepressant. We discuss the methodologic limitations of existing placebo
      controlled trials that have reached mixed conclusions about the efficacy of MPH
      as an antidepressant. These studies are offset by uncontrolled open trials and
      clinical case reports that endorse the drug's effectiveness in alleviating
      depressive symptoms. The series of patients we treated with MPH demonstrates the
      safety and efficacy of this drug in alleviating depressive symptoms in the
      medically ill elderly with a variety of mood disorders. Reviewing these six cases
      and balancing the positive and negative reports in the literature, we provide
      practical guidelines for identifying patients who are potential candidates for
      treatment with MPH.

PMID- 1411742
TI  - The not-so-immovable object meets the irresistible force.

PMID- 1411743
TI  - Depressive symptoms and mental health service utilization in a community sample.
AB  - This study examines the utilization of health visits for mental health purposes
      by community respondents with depressive symptoms. Data are drawn from first wave
      interviews of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) project at the Baltimore,
      Durham, and Los Angeles sites. The results indicate that persons with depressive
      symptoms, even in the absence of a recent DIS/DSM-III disorder, are at increased
      risk for making mental health related visits. The risk of visiting a general
      medical provider or mental health specialist for mental health treatment tends to
      increase as the number of depressive symptoms increase. Sociodemographic factors
      including age, racial background, and employment status also influence the risk
      of making a mental health related visit.

PMID- 1411744
TI  - Comparison of two self administered psychiatric questionnaires (GHQ-12 and SRQ
      20) in primary care in Chile.
AB  - The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the Self Report Questionnaire (SRQ
      20) were simultaneously validated against the criterion of the Revised Clinical
      Interview Schedule (CIS-R) in a primary care clinic in Santiago, Chile. A
      Relative Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine the
      optimal threshold point for case definition and to compare the performance of
      these two questionnaires. The validation coefficients for the GHQ-12 and the SRQ
      20 were, respectively: sensitivity 76% and 74%; specificity 73% and 77%; overall
      misclassification rate: 26% and 25%. Misclassification by these questionnaires
      was significantly associated with education and sex, males being more likely than
      females to be misclassified as false negatives and poorly educated respondents as
      false positives. The symptom response profile of both questionnaires showed that
      the most prevalent items were psychological complaints of anxiety and depression.
      Both instruments seem to have a similar ability to identify minor psychiatric
      disorders in primary care in Chile.

PMID- 1411745
TI  - Expressed emotion, relapse rate and utilization of psychiatric inpatient care in
      schizophrenia. A study from Czechoslovakia.
AB  - The link between expressed emotion (EE), relapse rate and the length of
      rehospitalization in the 12 months after index discharge was investigated in a
      sample of 125 patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective
      psychosis. The results showed that EE was the best single predictor of relapse
      and that patients from high EE families spent three times as long in hospital as
      patients from low EE families. The protective impact of regular antipsychotic
      medication and low face-to-face contact with relatives was found in patients both
      from high and low EE families.

PMID- 1411746
TI  - Evaluating the diagnostic criteria for panic disorder: measures of social
      morbidity as criteria.
AB  - Over 9% of the subjects in the NIMH Epidemiologic Catchment Area sample reported
      a history of at least one panic attack, yet only 1.5% of the sample met DSM-III
      criteria for panic disorder. In light of the revisions of these criteria for DSM
      IV, two of those diagnostic criteria, frequency of panic attacks and number of
      symptoms during a panic attack, are examined in this paper. We evaluated the
      relationship between those criteria and each of three measures of social
      morbidity:psychiatric hospitalization, emergency room (ER) use for emotional
      problems, and suicide attempts. Although only symptom count was significantly
      associated with either ER use or suicide attempts, both diagnostic criteria were
      associated with psychiatric hospitalization. The threshold for symptom count was
      also considered and while three appeared to have slightly better sensitivity and
      specificity, the continued use of four symptoms seemed acceptable. The diagnostic
      and clinical implications of the findings are considered.

PMID- 1411747
TI  - Why discrepancies exist between structured diagnostic interviews and clinicians'
      diagnoses.
AB  - The authors employed empirical methods to study the causes of discrepancies
      between clinicians' and epidemiologists' diagnoses of "cases" from the general
      population within the homogeneous DSM-III/DIS system. Four interviewers conducted
      139 interviews using the DIS, while psychiatrists completed a DSM-III checklist,
      after which they could then ask any questions they wanted. All kappas exceeded
      0.58. Meetings were subsequently organized with all participating psychiatrists
      in order to point out reasons for discrepancies between DIS diagnoses and
      clinical judgement. The authors came to the following conclusions: (1) DSM-III
      ambiguities led to discrepancies, especially when reference periods were not
      specified. (2) Discrepancies arose when cases were difficult: symptoms pertaining
      to different diagnoses or multiple diagnoses and the fact that clinicians could
      use volunteered comments, while interviewers were obliged to keep strictly to the
      schedule, contributed to discrepancies. (3) Other approaches, such as CIDI for
      anxiety and DISSA for depression, could improve DIS performances.

PMID- 1411748
TI  - Outcome of discharged psychiatric patients after short inpatient treatment: an
      Italian collaborative study.
AB  - This paper presents the results of an Italian multicentre study on the 6-month
      outcome of psychiatric patients discharged after short-term in-patient treatment
      from 21 general hospital psychiatric units. Two outcome measures were used:
      relapses (defined as readmissions for psychiatric treatment or suicide) and
      community tenure. The data showed, on average, a fairly high relapse rate (43% in
      6 months) combined with a good community tenure. The findings are discussed in
      the light of the heterogeneity in patterns of care provision observed in Italian
      psychiatric services after the changes introduced by the 1978 Mental Health Act,
      reported in a previous paper.

PMID- 1411749
TI  - Prevalence and demographic correlates of alcohol-related problems in Japanese
      employees.
AB  - To examine the relationship of basic sociodemographic characteristics to alcohol
      related problem in Japanese employees, a questionnaire survey was conducted of a
      total of 2,581 employees of a computer factory in a suburb of Tokyo. The
      questionnaires included items on gender, age, marital status, social class (i.e.,
      education, family income and occupation), alcohol consumption, and the Kurihama
      Alcoholism Screening Test (KAST). Data from 1098 male and 265 female current
      drinkers aged 20 years or older were analyzed; 15% and 6% of the male and female
      subjects, respectively, were classified as having alcohol-related problems on the
      basis of the KAST score (13% and 4% of the entire study population,
      respectively). Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that alcohol
      related problems were more prevalent in the less educated, managers and those who
      had a high alcohol consumption. The results suggested that education and
      occupation are important factors related to alcohol-related problems in Japanese
      employees.

PMID- 1411751
TI  - Vertebral burst fractures: an experimental, morphologic, and radiographic study.
AB  - Spinal burst fractures are produced by rapid compressive loading, and may result
      in spinal cord injury from bone fragments forced from the vertebral body into the
      spinal canal. This fracture is one of the most difficult injuries of the spine to
      successfully treat, in part because the biomechanics of reduction and the exact
      mechanism by which the distraction forces are transmitted to the intracanal
      fragments of the burst fracture have not been adequately investigated. The
      authors developed a reproducible technique for creating these fractures in vitro.
      The fractures produced were identical to those observed in clinical practice, and
      were used for investigating the mechanics of this fracture and its reduction.
      This work describes the pathologic anatomy of the burst fracture both on the
      gross structure and also on microtome sections of the vertebrae, and examines the
      biomechanics of fracture reduction. The margins of the vertebral bone fragment,
      which was forced posteriorly into the spinal canal during fracture, were noted to
      extend far laterally beyond the pedicles. The authors also found extensive damage
      not only to the disc above the injured level, but also to that below, explaining
      the clinical observation that disc degeneration frequently occurs at both levels.
      Examination of anatomic data provided by microtome section supported the
      hypothesis that the fibers that actually reduce the intracanal fragment originate
      in the anulus of the superior vertebra in the midportion of the endplate and
      insert into the lateral margins of the intracanal fragment. Investigations using
      magnetic resonance imaging confirmed that these obliquely directed fibers account
      for the indirect reduction of the fragment. The authors' studies demonstrate that
      the posterior longitudinal ligament provides only a minor contribution in the
      reduction of the fracture in comparison to the attachments of the posterior
      portion of the anulus fibrosus. The forces required to reduce this fragment were
      studied. Distraction was found to be the predominant force required for indirect
      posterior reduction. This was confirmed by a series of tests using devices that
      provided segmental fixation. The application of uniform distraction forces was
      most effective in the posterior reduction of the intracanal fragment.

PMID- 1411750
TI  - Prevalence of infantile autism in four French regions.
AB  - A survey conducted in four French regions identified a sample of 154 autistic
      children born in the birth cohorts 1972 and 1976. Their mean ages were
      respectively 6.9 and 5.5 years when their handicaps were registered to local
      administrative services. The overall prevalence estimate is 4.9/10,000, with
      little difference between the two cohorts. The boy/girl sex ratio is 2.1:1, and
      more than two thirds are mentally retarded. The SES distribution does not deviate
      from census data. An elevated incidence of epilepsy is found (22%), with higher
      rates among the most retarded subjects and those with perinatal antecedents.
      Otherwise, relatively few autistic subjects were reported to have a clearcut
      medical disorder known for its association with autism.

PMID- 1411752
TI  - Fibrinolytic activity as a predictor of the outcome of prolapsed intervertebral
      lumbar disc surgery with reference to background variables: results of a
      prospective cohort study.
AB  - In a prospective study 122 patients with a slipped lumbar disc and no previous
      surgery were preoperatively examined for fibrinolytic activity. Surgical results
      for these patients were evaluated 12 months postoperatively by clinical overall
      assessment. In a multiple linear regression analysis fibrinolytic variables,
      euglobulin clot lysis time and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, were shown to
      have predictive value regarding outcome of surgery; that is, normal fibrinolytic
      activity favors a satisfactory outcome and vice versa. Background variables and
      lipid profile were also recorded preoperatively. Body mass index, gamma-glutamyl
      transpeptidase, triglycerides and smoking were of statistical significance in
      relation to euglobulin clot lysis time and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1.
      Postoperative fibrinolytic re-examination of 20 patients seem to confirm that
      patients at risk of surgical failure have a prolonged depression of fibrinolytic
      activity.

PMID- 1411753
TI  - Classification of nonspecific low back pain. I. Psychological involvement in low
      back pain. A clinical, descriptive approach.
AB  - An unselected sample of outpatient subjects (n = 330) with localized nonspecific
      low back pain (LBP) was studied. Investigation consisted of clinical assessment,
      physical examination, and psychiatric interview based on the DSM-III
      classification. A psychiatric disorder, according to the DSM-III criteria (axis
      I) was found in 41% of the subjects. Multiple correspondence analysis and cluster
      analysis were used to objectively identify clinical subtypes without preconceived
      theoretical models. Correspondence analyses suggested the existence of a
      'psychological pain' syndrome consisting of several of the following symptoms:
      diffuse back pain, impossibility to assess intensity of pain on a pain scale,
      aggravation of pain by changing climate, by domestic activities or by
      psychological factors and dysesthesias in the back. Cluster analysis provided
      support for a four-group classification of low back pain, which may be
      interpreted through the relationships between psychological disturbances and the
      LBP clinical features. The results call for further investigation of the complex
      relationship between psychological disturbances and back pain. However,
      clinicians must be aware of the interest of a minimal psychiatric assessment in
      low back pain patients: psychiatric disorders frequently appear in these patients
      and an appropriate treatment of the psychiatric syndrome may reduce back pain.

PMID- 1411754
TI  - Classification of nonspecific low back pain. II. Clinical diversity of organic
      forms.
AB  - A classification study was conducted in an unselected sample of outpatient
      subjects with localized nonspecific low back pain. The heterogeneity of a
      subgroup of patients without a psychiatric disorder according to the DSM-III
      classification (axis I), and whose low back pain may be labeled as 'purely
      organic' (see part 1 of the study in the companion paper), led to further
      evaluation of this group by correspondence and cluster analysis. A seven-cluster
      population structure emerged from the cluster analysis. Comprehensive description
      of these clusters suggests at least four well-differentiated clinical entities or
      'syndromes.' Although no satisfactory correlation with pre-existing
      'pathoanatomic' classification or hypotheses was found, this variable clinical
      presentation suggests different etiological or physiopathologic patterns for low
      back pain (and possibly more specific management of this condition). More
      comprehensive descriptions and evaluations of clinical symptoms and syndromes
      appear necessary in order to elaborate a clinical classification of LBP.

PMID- 1411755
TI  - The evolution of compensated occupational spinal injuries. A three-year follow-up
      study.
AB  - This study was undertaken to follow up an incidence rate study of spinal injuries
      carried out from a cross-sectional random sample consisting of 2,342 workers who
      were compensated at least once in the year 1981 by the Quebec Worker's
      Compensation Board (QWCB) for an absence from work. These workers were followed
      for 3 years using the QWCB information system to record any recurrence of
      compensated absence from work. A total of 850 (36.3%) had at least one
      recurrence, and had longer episodes of absence than those without a recurrence (P
      less than 0.0001). Of these 850 workers, 824 (96.9%) had less than five
      recurrences and showed a systematic trend of gradual increasing duration of
      absence on each subsequent recurrence (P less than 0.05 in a repeated measures
      analysis of variance). A positive relationship was found between the duration of
      the initial episode of absence from work and the subsequent history of absence
      from work, both in terms of risk of recurrence (P less than 0.001) and of
      cumulated absence from work (P less than 0.0001), after controlling for age, sex,
      and site of symptoms. The computed instantaneous risk of entering a recurrence in
      a 31 year-old man experiencing lumbar symptoms, was 19.9% (95% confidence
      interval = 19.8-19.9) in the year following an initial episode of one day
      duration, and 26.7% (95% confidence interval = 24.3-29.3) after an initial
      episode of 6 months.

PMID- 1411756
TI  - Self-reported low back symptoms in urban bus drivers exposed to whole-body
      vibration.
AB  - The prevalence of self-reported low back symptoms was investigated by a postal
      questionnaire in a group of 234 urban bus drivers exposed to whole-body vibration
      and postural stress and in a control group of 125 maintenance workers employed at
      the same bus municipal company. The average vertical whole-body vibration
      magnitude measured on the seat pan of the buses was 0.4 m/s2. After controlling
      for potential confounders, the prevalence odds ratios for the bus drivers
      compared to the controls significantly exceeded 1 for several types of low back
      symptoms (leg pain, acute low back pain, low back pain). The occurrence of low
      back symptoms increased with increasing whole-body vibration exposure expressed
      in terms of total (lifetime) vibration dose (years m2/s4), equivalent vibration
      magnitude (m/s2), and duration of exposure (years of service). The highest
      prevalence of disc protrusion was found among the bus drivers with more severe
      whole-body vibration exposure. Frequent awkward postures at work were also
      related to some types of low back symptoms. It is concluded that bus driving is
      associated with an increased risk for low back troubles. This excess risk may be
      due to both whole-body vibration exposure and prolonged sitting in a constrained
      posture. The findings of this study also indicated that among the bus drivers low
      back symptoms occurred at whole-body vibration exposure levels that were lower
      than the health-based exposure limits proposed by the International Standard ISO
      2631/1.

PMID- 1411757
TI  - The association of pain with physical activities in chronic low back pain.
AB  - Most patients with chronic low back pain associate strenuous physical activities
      with increased pain. This association can cause avoidance of those activities
      believed to cause intolerable discomfort. This study explored the relationship of
      performance of physical activities with self-reported pain measures in 40
      consecutive patients with disabling low back pain (mean duration 17 months)
      during a functional restoration rehabilitation program (mean treatment period 7
      weeks). Evaluations were performed at initial presentation and at program
      completion. Measures included quantification of performance on eight physical
      tests assessing flexibility, lifting capacity and endurance. Before physical
      testing patients were asked to complete a pain analog scale, a quantified pain
      drawing, and a rating of the pain anticipated to result from the performance of
      each physical test. Results showed that pain measures did not generally correlate
      with measured physical performance. At completion of treatment, significant
      improvement in performance on all physical tests was found, but these were not
      associated with consistent changes in pain measures. These results demonstrate
      that subjects with chronic low back pain can increase their physical performance
      abilities within their same pain experiences. Medical recommendations for
      subjects' involvement in physical activities should not be based solely on the
      reported association of pain with those activities.

PMID- 1411758
TI  - Lifting capacity. Indices of subject effort.
AB  - The association between manual materials handling and occupational low back
      injuries has generated a wide variety of devices and protocols for testing
      lifting capacity. The validity of these tests depends critically on the subject's
      effort during the evaluation. This study compares the accuracy of several
      physiologic effort indices in identifying maximal and submaximal lifting efforts.
      Twenty-one men and twenty-three women free from back pain underwent isometric,
      isokinetic, and isoinertial tests of lifting capacity applying 50 and 100%
      efforts in random order. Effort indices included isokinetic force/distance curve
      variation, isoinertial peak force: weight ratios and peak force--weight
      differences, and heart rates and peak force variances for all three modes.
      Differences between 50 and 100% effort means were significant at P less than 0.01
      for isokinetic force/distance curve variation, isoinertial peak force: weight
      ratios, and peak force--weight differences, and for heart rates in all three
      modes using analysis of variance. Differences were not significant (P greater
      than 0.05) for peak force variances in any mode using Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests.
      According to a discriminant analysis model with optimal cutoff values, the only
      effort indices with better than 60% accuracy in identifying maximal and
      submaximal efforts were isokinetic force/distance curve variation (74%) and
      isoinertial peak force: weight ratios (69%), peak force--weight differences (62%)
      and heart rates (65%). For each index, subjects were divided into three groups
      according to whether their lifting outputs during 50% effort bouts were greater
      than, equal to, or less than one half their outputs in the 100% effort
      bouts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411759
TI  - Computed tomographic follow-up study of forty-eight cases of nonoperatively
      treated lumbar intervertebral disc herniation.
AB  - The authors prospectively followed the natural evolution of lumbar disc
      herniation in 48 patients treated by conservative measures. The initial computed
      tomographic scan was obtained during the acute phase of the disc herniation and
      the second was performed 1-48 months after healing. The initial computed
      tomographic scan allowed classification of the herniations according to size: 13
      were considered small, 20 medium and 15 large. Comparison with follow-up computed
      tomographic scans showed that 9 of the herniations decreased by at least 25%, 8
      decreased between 50 and 75% and 31 decreased between 75 and 100%. In the later
      group, a few had disappeared even though the second computed tomographic scan was
      performed as early as the month immediately after successful treatment. The
      largest herniations were those which had the greatest tendency to decrease in
      size. It is postulated that this could be secondary to the herniation breaking
      through the outer fibers of the anulus and entering the epidural space.

PMID- 1411760
TI  - Local electrophysiologic stimulation in experimental double level cauda equina
      compression.
AB  - Double level compression of nerve roots has been known to exist for a long time,
      but only in recent years the clinical significance of such conditions has been
      discussed. In the current study, nerve root function in double level compression
      was analyzed by measurements of tail muscle electromyogram, after stimulations of
      1) the intermediate segment between the compression sites and 2) cranial to the
      two compression sites in a pig model. The electromyogram-amplitudes were more
      reduced after intermediate, than cranial stimulation. This difference was
      suggested to be based on an additional increasing threshold to elicit an action
      potential within the intermediate segment due to a nutritional deficit at this
      location. The results further stress the importance of local changes within the
      intermediate segment in double level nerve root compression.

PMID- 1411761
TI  - The effect of lactate and pH on proteoglycan and protein synthesis rates in the
      intervertebral disc.
AB  - The intervertebral disc is the largest avascular tissue in the body. Its
      metabolism is mainly anaerobic, and thus lactate is produced at a significant
      rate. As a result the lactate concentrations in the center of the disc may be 8
      10 times as high as in the plasma. The pH in the disc center is thus acidic.
      Because low values of pH are known to affect proteoglycan synthesis in other
      cartilages, the authors measured the effect of lactate levels and pH on 35S
      sulphate and 3H-proline incorporation rates in the nucleus of bovine coccygeal
      discs and in human disc obtained during percutaneous nucleotomy. The maximum
      incorporation rate occurred at pH 7.2-pH 6.9. Here the rate was 40-50% greater
      than at pH 7.4. Below pH 6.8 the rate fell steeply, more so for sulphate than for
      proline. At pH 6.3 the sulphate incorporation rate was around 20 percent that at
      pH 7.4. The results indicate that proteoglycan synthesis rates in particular are
      sensitive to extracellular pH, and that the peak rate occurs around the level of
      pH seen in vivo. Factors that cause lactate levels to rise, such as a fall in O2
      levels as the result of smoking or vibration (Holm and Nachemson, 1988) could
      lead to a fall in proteoglycan synthesis rates, ultimately leading to a fall in
      proteoglycan content and to disc degeneration.

PMID- 1411762
TI  - The mechanism of initial flexion-distraction injury in the lumbar spine.
AB  - The threshold for flexion-distraction injuries was determined on lumbar
      functional spinal units exposed to a combined flexion-shear load in the sagittal
      plane. The specimens could resist a bending moment of 121 Nm and a shear force of
      486 N at the first sign of a permanent deformation of the osteoligamentous
      components, which occurred at 78% of the assumed ultimate strength of each
      specimen. The flexion angulation was 16 degrees. The bone mineral content
      determined in adjacent vertebrae by means of dual photon absorptiometry was an
      accurate predictor of structural properties of the entire functional spinal unit
      even at the first sign of a substantial structural injury and not only at
      ultimate failure as previously demonstrated.

PMID- 1411763
TI  - Long-term follow-up of patients with untreated scoliosis. A study of mortality,
      causes of death, and symptoms.
AB  - The mortality and causes of death in 115 patients (80 women), born 1902-1937,
      with untreated scoliosis were compared to the expected according to official
      Swedish statistics. Subgrouping for cause and onset of scoliosis was done. Fifty
      five patients had died; 21 of respiratory failure and 17 of cardiovascular
      diseases. The mortality was significantly (P less than 0.001) increased. The
      increased risk was apparent at 40-50 years of age. The mortality was
      significantly increased in infantile (P less than 0.001) and juvenile (P less
      than 0.01) scoliosis but not in adolescent scoliosis. The mortality was also
      increased in post-polio scoliosis, scoliosis combined with rickets and scoliosis
      of unknown etiology indicating an increased mortality in idiopathic scoliosis.
      Among the surviving patients anti-hypertensive treatment was frequent (23 of 50).

PMID- 1411764
TI  - Prevalence of scoliosis in children with myelomeningocele in western Sweden.
AB  - In a cross-sectional study of the prevalence of scoliosis in patients with
      myelomeningocele, 131 patients 5-20 years of age were investigated with clinical
      examination and radiograms. Sixty-nine percent of the myelomeningocele patients
      had scoliosis, this prevalence being present already at a young age (6 years).
      The occurrence of scoliosis increased drastically at high levels of dysraphism,
      being 20% in patients with sacral myelomeningocele but 94% in patients with
      thoracic MMC level. Between ages 5 and 10, the mean scoliosis increased
      successively from 15 to 33 degrees. After this age there was no significant
      further increase. The ambulatory status of the patients was strongly correlated
      to the scoliosis incidence. Forty-nine percent of the patients had a uni- or
      bilateral hip dislocation. There was no correlation between the side of the
      scoliosis convexity and the side of hip dislocation.

PMID- 1411765
TI  - Sitting balance in spinal deformity.
AB  - A computerized pressure plate system was used to analyze the sitting pressure
      distribution and balance of 100 subjects with both normal and abnormal spines.
      Normal subjects had a balanced sitting posture with the weight taken evenly on
      each ischial tuberosity. Patients with idiopathic scoliosis showed significant
      sitting imbalance especially in the presence of lumbar curves. Bracing improved
      the sitting balance and stability in most patients. Abnormal sitting patterns
      were seen with the spinal deformities of myelodysplasia or cerebral palsy. Some
      patients with severe scoliosis had very asymmetric patterns, which correlated
      with their loss of sitting stability. The kyphosis of myelodysplasia produced an
      abnormal tripod sitting pattern due to pelvic flexion and a hyperlordosis of
      cerebral palsy a pubic sitting pattern due to pelvic extension. The patients
      studied after spinal fusion also had poor sitting balance and occasionally
      persisting decubitus ulceration.

PMID- 1411766
TI  - Delay in diagnosis of intradural spinal tumors.
AB  - Fifty-seven patients with primary intradural spinal tumors operated on in North
      Manchester and Salford between 1978 and 1988 were reviewed retrospectively. The
      commonest diagnoses were meningioma and nerve sheath cell tumors (neurilemmomas
      and neurofibromas). The median delay in diagnosis was 2.5 years (range 3 days to
      24 years). Fifty-eight percent were initially referred to orthopaedic surgeons
      and 95% percent to specialties other than neurosurgery. The commonest presenting
      symptom was back pain, but later neurologic and urinary symptoms came to
      predominate. Eighty-eight percent are disease-free at a mean follow-up of 5.7
      years. Symptoms were partially or completely relieved in the majority of
      patients. Delay in diagnosis of these tumors arises from failure to consider the
      diagnosis in patients with longstanding back pain or neurologic problems.

PMID- 1411767
TI  - Effect of straight leg raising on blood pressure.

PMID- 1411768
TI  - Fracture of the occipital condyle. Case report.

PMID- 1411769
TI  - Vertebral and hip movement occurs almost simultaneously during symmetric bimanual
      lifting movements.

PMID- 1411770
TI  - [Public administration in health: a challenge of our times].

PMID- 1411771
TI  - [Financial diversity for the delivery of health services].
AB  - Financial options for the National Health System in Mexico are discussed in this
      paper. In the first part the conceptual elements needed to support financing
      schemes are presented. The second part deals with financing models of the
      National Health System. Finally, a map of financing proposals are discussed with
      the aim of enriching the financial options of the health sector.

PMID- 1411772
TI  - [Decentralization of the health sector in Mexico. Scope and limitations of local
      health systems].
AB  - This paper is a product of the reflection on the decentralization and
      sectorization experiences in Mexico since 1917 with particular emphasis on the
      1980s. The historical analysis included the creation of an analytical model
      designed to identify the relationship between the distinct sanitary policies
      implemented in Mexico and the tendencies towards decentralization and
      integration. This analysis is combined with a critical review of the recent
      decentralization experiences undertaken in the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca and
      Nuevo Leon. While comparing Guerrero and Oaxaca, restitution and deconcentration
      under similar socio-economic conditions were discussed. The comparison between
      Guerrero and Nuevo Leon allowed the discussion of the benefits and limits of
      restitution under different socio-economic conditions. In addition, with this
      model the author discusses a few generalizations regarding the possible future of
      decentralization.

PMID- 1411773
TI  - [Regionalization].
AB  - Health services regionalization is analyzed in its concept, components,
      characteristics and variations through literature review of experiences in
      different countries. It is concluded that regionalization means ordering or
      reordering resources and services within an area, provided that physical
      installations and personnel are already organized in order to assure health
      services at the highest quality. Those services must be economical, accesible and
      established in a comprehensive, coherent set with different levels of care in
      order to meet patients' needs. A regionalization model based on silos is
      presented, including functions, strategies and policies. Reasons to encourage the
      regionalization are also presented, such as the decrease in costs, increasing of
      program effectiveness and the potential development of the regionalized areas.

PMID- 1411774
TI  - [Health technology in Mexico].
AB  - The features of the health technology cycle are presented, and the effects of the
      demographic, epidemiologic and economic transition on the health technology
      demand in Mexico are discussed. The main problems of science and technology in
      the context of a decreasing scientific and technological activity due to the
      economic crisis and the adjustment policies are also analyzed: administrative and
      planning problems, low impact of scientific production, limitations of the
      Mexican private sector, and the obstacles for technology assessment. Finally,
      this paper also discusses the main support strategies for science and technology
      implemented by the Mexican government during the 1980s and the challenges and
      opportunities that lie ahead.

PMID- 1411775
TI  - [Advances and challenges in setting priorities in health].
AB  - The advances and problems in the definition of explicit criteria to measure
      health needs are discussed. In part one the advantages and limitations of the
      retrospective and prospective approaches in the identification of health needs
      for a rational distribution of resources are described. In part two progress in
      the application of explicit criteria for the prioritization of diseases and
      interventions to control them are analyzed. Finally, the methodological,
      conceptual, and operative challenges confronted by this field are discussed.

PMID- 1411776
TI  - [Coverage of health services].
AB  - In this paper the concepts and criteria related to health coverage are discussed
      in the context of the organization of national health systems. The main
      international agreements based on WHO/PAHO proposals are also described. The
      relationship between primary health care and health coverage is analyzed and the
      evolution of the programs for the extension of health coverage in Mexico are
      discussed, with emphasis on the problems of overlap and definition of the
      universe in the several institutions of the health sector. Finally, the author
      reviews the problems to measure coverage in order to guarantee social and
      operative efficiency of the Mexican health system.

PMID- 1411777
TI  - [From analysis to action: various conclusions of the forum].

PMID- 1411778
TI  - [Towards a strategy of quality assurance. From concepts to action].
AB  - The purpose of this paper is to present the basic principles needed to implement
      a national strategy for quality assurance in medical care in Mexico. The first
      part is devoted to a review of the basic concepts of quality of care with the aim
      of analyzing the evolution of the discussion of the concept of "quality
      assurance". This review constitutes the reference frame of the description of the
      historical evolution of quality assurance in different parts of the world.
      Finally, the experiences regarding quality assurance in Mexico are discussed and
      several basic proposals for the design of a national quality assurance strategy
      are presented.

PMID- 1411779
TI  - [Efficiency in the delivery of health care].
AB  - In this paper the role of efficiency in health care delivery is discussed. In the
      first part several definitions of efficiency are presented and the most common
      efficiency analysis are described. In the second part of the paper some
      experiences aimed at improving the efficiency of health care delivery in England,
      Latin America and Mexico are discussed. Finally, the author presents four
      proposals for the improvement of efficiency of health care delivery in Mexico:
      monetary reward associated to performance, alternative organization of health
      services, investment in management training for health manpower, and operational
      research in the health systems.

PMID- 1411780
TI  - [Is survival enough? Challenges of the integration of health and well-being in
      the third world].
AB  - In this paper the paths taken by developing countries to improve the health and
      well-being of their populations in a context of diminishing resources is
      discussed. Emphasis is placed on Latin American countries and the objective is to
      clarify the changing nature of the relationship between health and social well
      being in the 1970s and 1980s. In the second part of the paper three viable and
      different political scenarios to confront this problem are presented: 1) survival
      without well-being; 2) survival and eradication of extreme poverty, and 3)
      survival, eradication of extreme poverty, and selective reconversion of the poor.

PMID- 1411781
TI  - [Co-responsibility and social participation].
AB  - Social participation in health is the main issue of this paper. In the first part
      the role of the state and the necessary elements to guarantee political stability
      are discussed. In the second part the various forms of social participation are
      described. Finally, two possible scenarios regarding participation of the society
      in health activities in Mexico are analyzed.

PMID- 1411782
TI  - [Integration of the delivery of health services].
AB  - In Mexico the Constitution defines the right to health care as a social right
      and, as such, confers to the state the guiding role in the access of the
      population to health services. Unfortunately, this constitutional principle has
      not been fully met. One of the reasons for this is the fragmentation of public
      action in health and the continuous postponement of the integration of health
      services. In this paper the conceptual and practical limits of integration of
      health services are discussed, using as starting point a brief diagnosis of
      inequity and fragmentation of the health system in Mexico. The doctrinaire
      principles of integration are also described, as well as its practical advantages
      and disadvantages. Finally, a typology of forms of integration and previous
      integration experiences in Mexico are discussed. In the concluding remarks the
      integration prospects for Mexico are analyzed.

PMID- 1411783
TI  - [Equity and health].
AB  - This paper discusses the right to health in Mexico. The authors present some
      ideas regarding equity and data which shows the existence of a deep inequity in
      the field of health in the country. The efforts of the social security agencies
      and of the Ministry of Health aimed at diminishing inequity in health are also
      described. The authors conclude that it is time to avoid retorical positions and
      attitudes of administrative solidarity and start to implement actions to improve
      the health conditions of those living in extreme poverty. These actions should
      include providing comprehensive health services to all the population,
      reinforcing specific preventive programs, improving certain basic health
      indicators and prompting intersectoral collaboration.

PMID- 1411784
TI  - [X-ray study of the upper gastrointestinal tract. 1. The esophagus].

PMID- 1411785
TI  - [Visible mammographic changes following breast-conserving therapy: radiation
      effects or recurrence?].

PMID- 1411786
TI  - [Ultrasonic study of the breast].

PMID- 1411787
TI  - [Computed tomography of the paranasal sinuses in coronal section--a prerequisite
      for endonasal surgery].

PMID- 1411788
TI  - [Trends in medical radiation physics. Outlook for radiation oncology].

PMID- 1411789
TI  - [Rehabilitation of RA].

PMID- 1411790
TI  - [Clinical significance of rheumatoid factor--its complement activating property
      and isotype].
AB  - We investigated the relationship between complement-activating properties of
      rheumatoid factors (RF) and their isotypes. Active and inactive RA patients
      without extra-articular symptoms (EAS) and those with EAS were studied. Patients
      with SLE, liver cirrhosis (LC) and normal volunteers were served as controls.
      Isotype of RF was measured by ELISA and complement activation (CA) of RF was
      measured by hemolytic assay. The CA values were significantly higher in RA
      patients with EAS than those in RA patients without EAS and with other diseases.
      The IgG and IgM-RF values were significantly higher in active RA without EAS than
      in inactive RA. Positive correlations between IgM-RF values and CA values were
      observed in RA with or without EAS, SLE and LC. The Sephadex G-200 gel filtration
      analysis of sera revealed CA in only 19S IgM fraction. Additionally, we purified
      19S IgM-RF from sera of RA, SLE and LC patients by affinity chromatography, and
      found 19S IgM-RF had CA. These data suggest that serum IgM-RF may play a critical
      role in the pathogenesis of RA, especially in RA with EAS.

PMID- 1411791
TI  - [Studies on criteria for clinicopathological diagnosis of allergic granulomatous
      angiitis (AGA)].
AB  - Comparative studies in the evaluation of criteria for clinicopathological
      diagnosis of AGA which was proposed by Japanese Health and Welfare Ministry
      (JHWM) in 1988 and American College of Rheumatology (ACR) in 1990 were conducted.
      Twenty seven Japanese patients with AGA and 231 Japanese controlled patients with
      polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) and Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) were used as
      material patients who had been provided a second questionnaire in 1984 sponsored
      by the JHWM. As a result, the JHWM criteria was 85.2% in sensitivity and 96.5% in
      specificity, which was superior to the ACR criteria being 74.1% in sensitivity
      and 93.9% in specificity. These results were due to the low sensitivity and low
      accuracy in paranasal sinus abnormality and pulmonary infiltrates which were
      included in the ACR criteria. Furthermore, the JHWM criteria could be diagnosed
      as AGA using not only the histopathological findings but by the clinical symptoms
      alone. The controlled patients who were overdiagnosed as AGA using ACR criteria
      were thought to be included as patients with WG. On the other hand, the
      controlled patients who were overdiagnosed as AGA using JHWM criteria were
      thought to be included as patients with overlap syndrome of AGA and PAN. Accuracy
      of polyneuropathy, muscle weakness, melena and pretibial edema were over 60%,
      indicating that these clinical symptoms were available for vasculitis symptoms of
      the JHWM criteria.

PMID- 1411792
TI  - [Induction of interleukin-1 production in the cultured synovial cells from
      patients with rheumatoid arthritis].
AB  - Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is believed to be involved in articular destruction in
      rheumatoid arthritis. HLA-class II antigens are expressed on synovial cells of
      patients with RA. The relation between the production of IL-1 and expression of
      HLA-class II antigens was studied. Synovial cells of rheumatoid patients appeared
      to express HLA-DR and DQ antigens to a significantly greater extent than those of
      osteoarthritic patients. These cells produced IL-1 following interferon-gamma
      (IFN-gamma) stimulation and there was synergistic enhancement of production
      induced by IFN-gamma and monoclonal antibodies to HLA-DR or DQ antigens in
      combination. In the intracellular signal transduction mechanism for the
      production of IL-1 beta by these cells following IFN-gamma stimulation, protein
      kinase C and calmodulin may be involved as second messengers.

PMID- 1411793
TI  - [A histological study on the synovial tissue of rat knee joints in the
      experimental beta 2-microglobulin derived amyloidosis].
AB  - In recent years, a clinical syndrome comprising carpal tunnel syndrome,
      destructive spondylarthropathy, and cystic bone lesions has been recognized in
      the long-term hemodialysis patients. It is well known that the amyloid deposits
      have been found in these affected tissues and also beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2
      MG) has been identified as an amyloidgenic protein. But, those problems such as
      the mechanisms of amyloidgenesis from beta 2-MG in vivo and the subchondral bone
      cysts formation are not clarified yet. If it becomes clear, it will give us a
      very useful information of therapeutic and prophylactic considerations to the
      hemodialysis related arthropathy. Since the experimental amyloidosis derived from
      beta 2-MG has not been reported in the past, we intended to make the experimental
      amyloidosis derived from beta 2-MG in rats. We have used the Sprague-Dawley
      strain rats (4 weeks old) and performed the 3 different procedures as follows.
      Procedure 1: clip renal vessels to make the experimental renal failure. Procedure
      2: induce arthritis by the type II collagen induced arthritis (CIA). Procedure 3:
      inject beta 2-MG (10 micrograms) into the knee joint once every week for 6 weeks.
      We combined the above-mentioned procedures to make 5 experimental groups as
      follows. Group A: Procedure 1 + Procedure 3. Group B: Procedure 1 + Procedure 2.
      Group C: Procedure 1 + Procedure 2 + Procedure 3. Group D: Procedure 2 +
      Procedure 3. Group E: No treatment. After 6 weeks, they were sacrificed. We took
      specimens from the synovium and bone in their knee joints. First, the light
      microscopic specimens are stained with the Congo-red stain. When we confirmed the
      positive green birefringence in polarized light, we have performed the
      immunohistochemical stain with the monoclonal anti-amyloid P-component antibody,
      the anti-beta 2-MG antibody and the anti-amyloid A protein for the
      immunohistochemical stain subsequently. Moreover, we have used the electron
      microscope to confirm the amyloidfibrils in cases that the Congo-red and
      immunohistochemical stain of the amyloid P-component are both positive. As a
      result, we could confirm the amyloid fibrils in the 60% of the group C only. In
      this group, the amyloid deposition is observed in the inflammatory proliferated
      synovium in the joint as well as the subchondral bone lesion where the synovial
      capsule attaches to the bone. In other groups, although a certain degree of
      inflammation or proliferation of synovium as well as erosive changes of the joint
      surface are found, no amyloid deposition is confirmed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400
      WORDS)

PMID- 1411794
TI  - [A case of the eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome].
AB  - The Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) is a recently described clinical entity
      consisting of severe myalgia and eosinophilia that has ascribed to the ingestion
      of the amino acid L-tryptophan. Over 1500 cases of EMS have been reported to the
      Centers for Disease Control of United States as of June 1990. We report a case of
      EMS associated with the ingestion of L-tryptophan. A 24-year-old woman was
      admitted to our hospital due to severe myalgia. She had swelling on extremities
      and eosinophilia (1880/mm3). Full thickness biopsy of affected portion showed
      inflammation of fascia with eosinophils and histiocytes, which were compatible
      with eosinophilic fasciitis. She had a history of ingestion of fitness protein
      tablets bought at Hawaii for 3 months from Sep. to Dec. 1989, which contained the
      amino acid L-tryptophan. On the basis of these findings, we diagnosed her as EMS.
      It is suggested that this case is rare and important in Japan.

PMID- 1411795
TI  - [Lobenzarit disodium (CCA)--induced diabetes insipidus in a patient with
      rheumatoid arthritis].
AB  - A 44-year-old female with 16-year history of rheumatoid arthritis visited Akiru
      Hospital with complaints of a thirst, a dry mouth and a general fatigue. One week
      prior to admission, the patient manifested excessive thirsty feeling, a body
      weight loss and a sleepless by the polyuria. She has been given 5-10 mg of
      prednisolone and 240 mg of lobenzarit disodium (CCA) in a day for 11 months. A
      hematologic examination showed no abnormality, and the examination of her serum
      showed the following values: BUN, 9.3 mg/dl; creatinine, 0.9 mg/dl; sodium, 139
      mEq/l; chloride, 102 mEq/l; potassium, 3.9 mEq/l; osmolality, 290 mOsm/l. Plasma
      antidiuretic hormone (ADH) level increased slightly (6.0 pg/ml). Examination of
      her urine revealed specific gravity, 1.005; no trace of glucose, protein, blood
      and ketones; normal sediment; and osmolality, 209 mOsm/l. The patient was given
      exogenous ADH (10 units of vasopressin tannate in oil, intramuscularly) to obtain
      a diagnosis, and she was found to be unable to concentrate her urine more than
      1.008 in the specific gravity. A water restriction, as a test for diabetes
      insipidus, also failed to concentrate her urine in the specific gravity and in
      the osmolality. Together with these findings, the patient was diagnosed to be a
      diabetes insipidus, and CCA was seemed to account for the disease. This
      unfavorable effect of CCA appeared to be reversible, since the patient recovered
      her urinary concentrating ability after the medication of CCA was discontinued.

PMID- 1411796
TI  - [A case of Sweet's syndrome (acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis) associated
      with mixed connective tissue disease].
AB  - Sweet's syndrome (acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis) is an unusual condition
      characterized by fever, polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytosis of the blood,
      thick painful plaques on the face, neck and limbs, and a dense dermal infiltrate
      of mature neutrophils seen histologically. Recently, this disease has also been
      reported in association with various malignant neoplasms and chronic inflammatory
      disorders. In the literature, seven cases of Sweet's syndrome associated with
      collagen diseases have been reported, but no cases with mixed connective tissue
      disease (MCTD). The first case of Sweet's syndrome associated with MCTD was
      herein described and discussed. A 49-year-old man was admitted to our hospital
      with the complaints of high fever and painful erythema on his face, neck and
      limbs. Six months ago, MCTD was suspected, with the presence of limited cutaneous
      sclerosis of the hands, Raynaud's phenomenon, polyarthralgia, an elevation of CPK
      value and a positive anti-RNP antibody. Just before hospitalization, he suffered
      a prodromal infection of the upper respiratory tract for two weeks. He was
      diagnosed as Sweet's syndrome by the clinical and histological features. He began
      receiving corticosteroid therapy (prednisolone 60 mg/day), and within a week he
      showed dramatic improvement in the above symptoms.

PMID- 1411797
TI  - [Improvement of pancytopenia and articular and by splenectomy in a patient with
      Felty's syndrome].
AB  - A forty seven year-old woman with a 18 years history of rheumatoid arthritis
      presented with recurrent infection and pancytopenia. A diagnosis of Felty's
      syndrome was made hand on clinical and laboratory findings. In spite of drug
      therapy using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, D-penicillamine and
      corticosteroid, the hematological abnormalities and active joint symptoms
      continued. Recurrences of severe bacterial infection and the rupture of
      esophageal varices necessitated splenectomy. Soon after the operation, dramatic
      improvement of hematological abnormalities were observed. Furthermore, after 3
      months postoperatively, marked decrease in rheumatoid activities and
      disappearance of subcutaneous nodules were noticed. Titer of rheumatoid factor
      also showed a significant reduction and became negative 6 months after the
      operation. Although the efficacy of splenectomy on hematological abnormalities in
      Felty's syndrome has been well documented, its effect on rheumatic disease has
      not been clarified. The case presented here might suggested that suppression of
      reticuloendothelial system may have therapeutic effects in rheumatoid arthritis.
      The possible mechanisms involved in these findings have been discussed.

PMID- 1411798
TI  - [Recent progress on rheumatoid factor--idiotype and germline genes].

PMID- 1411799
TI  - [Structure and function of nuclear and cytoplasmic protein antigens recognized by
      autoantibodies].

PMID- 1411800
TI  - [Adhesion molecules in the immune system].

PMID- 1411801
TI  - Sphenoid sinus disease. Experience at King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban.
AB  - The increasing use of computed tomography (CT) to evaluate sinus disease in
      general, appears to have led to an increased pickup rate in isolated sphenoid
      sinus disease. It is probable that subtle disease of the sphenoid sinus was
      missed before the use of CT as a diagnostic tool. Six patients with sphenoid
      sinus disease and related pathological conditions seen during the past 2 years,
      are reviewed; these included 4 mucoceles, 1 case of aspergillosis and 1 of
      squamous cell carcinoma. Experience with sphenoid disease, with particular
      reference to the diagnosis, management and complications of this condition, is
      discussed.

PMID- 1411802
TI  - Endoscopic transnasal dacryocystorhinostomy. Results in 21 patients.
AB  - The transnasal endoscopic approach to the nasolacrimal sac was successfully
      applied in 20 out of 23 operations. The patients were followed up for 4-26
      months, the first 21 operations having been performed in August 1988. Twenty-one
      nasolacrimal sacs had primary endoscopic transnasal surgery and 2 had previous
      failed external operations. Five operations were revised of which 3 were still
      unsuccessful.

PMID- 1411803
TI  - Massive gastro-intestinal haemorrhage due to vascular ectasia of the duodenum. A
      case report.
AB  - Vascular ectasia of the duodenum as an unusual source of upper gastro-intestinal
      bleeding in a patient with cirrhotic portal hypertension and oesophageal varices
      is reported. Morphological structure and situation of ectatic duodenal vessels
      indicate the possible coexistence of variceal distension and angiodysplasia.

PMID- 1411804
TI  - Is tube cecostomy safe in the surgery of Hirschsprung's disease?
AB  - The use of concomitant tube cecostomy remains an option for decompression after
      distal large-bowel surgery but has been criticised because of a reported high
      complication rate. Two hundred and three patients who underwent a Soave
      endorectal pull-through procedure for Hirschsprung's disease (1974-1990) were
      evaluated. Operative technique included a modified sutured Soave endorectal pull
      through procedure and a Stamm tube cecostomy utilising a large-lumen catheter.
      One hundred and twenty patients who had a modified two-stage procedure plus
      concomitant tube cecostomy were compared with 83 patients who underwent a three
      stage procedure with colostomy cover. Early postoperative complications occurred
      in 8 patients (6.6%) in whom cecostomies were performed. A distal cuff abscess
      developed in 1 patient (0.8%), an anastomotic leak in 1 (0.8%) and 3 patients
      (2.5%) had colo-anal stenosis. The cecostomy tube dislodged in 2 patients and 1
      required operative closure of a faecal fistula at the cecostomy site. Colonic
      venting was adequate and little nursing care was required. In 2 instances colonic
      distension developed after cecostomy clamping. Decompression was achieved by
      opening the cecostomy tube; this resulted in relief of symptoms and a good
      subsequent recovery. In contrast, there were 11 postoperative complications in
      the 83 patients undergoing a three-stage procedure (13.2%). In 2 patients (2.4%)
      an anastomotic leak occurred and 5 distal cuff abscesses (6%), 3 (3.6%) early
      strictures and 1 (1.2%) neorectal retraction developed. The use of a concomitant
      tube cecostomy with a two-stage Soave procedure is an effective and safe means of
      providing proximal colonic venting and did not add to mortality or
      morbidity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411805
TI  - The clinical researcher--present and future prospective.

PMID- 1411806
TI  - Presentations to the Surgical Research Society of Southern Africa--the second 10
      years (1982-1991).
AB  - Over the 10-year period 1982-1991, 594 papers were read at the annual meetings of
      the Surgical Research Society of Southern Africa. One hundred and thirty-five
      (23%) reported work performed on experimental animals with a trend to an increase
      from this base; 152 (26%) were presentations from surgeons-in-training, also with
      a trend to increase over the decade. The distribution by subspecialty was: upper
      gastro-intestinal tract 28%; hepatobiliary 12%; vascular 16%;
      immunology/transplantation 9%; further subspecialties 9%; and miscellaneous 26%.
      Major observations are that the number of papers has doubled since the first
      decade, probably due to establishment of the poster session, and that
      presentations by surgeons-in-training remain in the minority at the Society.

PMID- 1411807
TI  - Routine peri-operative management of the diabetic patient.
AB  - Many aspects of peri-operative management of the diabetic patient remain
      controversial, although there are a variety of approaches towards management.
      These patients are at risk for certain complications related to the severity and
      chronicity of the disease. The surgeon and the anaesthetist must be conversant
      with the management of diabetes in elective and emergency situations. Reasonable
      metabolic control can be achieved within a few hours pre-operatively and clinical
      assessment can be performed on an out-patient basis. Anaesthetic management
      consists of assessment of the control of the disease followed by evaluation of
      diabetic complications and their severity. Different views are expressed
      regarding tight control of blood glucose level (4-8 mmol/l) versus moderate
      control (8-12 mmol/l) when managing diabetic patients. The importance of guarding
      against factors favouring metabolic decompensation in the peri-operative period,
      is stressed. Minor or major surgery has important implications regarding the
      management of diabetes. All patients scheduled for major surgery should be
      treated with intravenous insulin. Blood sugar should be monitored at regular
      intervals to protect the patient against hypoglycaemia. Emergency surgery is
      usually associated with an infectious process. Pronounced hyperglycaemia,
      dehydration and metabolic derangement may be present. The underlying pathology
      may aggravate the diabetic state and surgery may actually improve the patient's
      condition. It is unnecessary to postpone surgery to treat ketosis fully, because
      this may need 12-24 hours. Extreme insulin resistance and greater insulin
      requirements are present during cardiopulmonary bypass, hypothermia and
      rewarming. Beware of severe hypoglycaemia after cardiopulmonary bypass.

PMID- 1411808
TI  - Diabetic complications with special anaesthetic risk.
AB  - Diabetes mellitus leads to acute and chronic complications. Acute complications
      include hypoglycaemia, diabetic keto-acidosis, hyperglycaemic hyperosmolar non
      ketotic syndrome and lactic acidosis. Chronic complications are neuropathies,
      nephropathy, retinopathy, peripheral arterial disease, cerebrovascular disease,
      coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, hypertension, infection, delayed wound
      healing and stiff joint disease. End-organ pathology is in part responsible for
      the increased morbidity and mortality seen in diabetic patients in the peri
      operative period. A thorough pre-operative search for end-organ pathology is
      essential to optimise patient management. Relevant diabetic complications and
      their anaesthetic risk are discussed.

PMID- 1411809
TI  - Postoperative hypoxaemia--its causes and prevention.
AB  - Postoperative hypoxaemia presents with varying degrees of severity. Aetiology of
      the condition is diverse and may originate in the pre-, intra- or postoperative
      periods. However, induction of anaesthesia and the type of operation are
      important initiating factors over which there is little control. The impact of
      postoperative hypoxaemia, especially when detected early, can be alleviated. This
      article attempts to explain the pathophysiology and provide suggestions as to
      detection and management of postoperative hypoxaemia.

PMID- 1411810
TI  - Pre-operative assessment and management of the patient with ischaemic coronary
      artery disease in non-cardiac surgery.
AB  - Peri-operative cardiac events are the leading cause of death following
      anaesthesia and surgery. We attempt to put into perspective the various methods
      of pre-operative assessment of patients at risk, and suggest a logical sequence
      for the use of potentially costly investigations such as 12-lead ECG, exercise
      stress ECG, ambulatory ECG monitoring, myocardial perfusion imaging, radionuclide
      ejection fraction, and coronary angiography. Important principles are given for
      the management of patients at risk of peri-operative cardiac incidents if the
      decision is made to proceed with non-cardiac surgery despite the potential risk
      or because of inoperable coronary disease.

PMID- 1411811
TI  - Management guidelines for hypertension in southern Africa.

PMID- 1411812
TI  - Violence--today's major public health issue.

PMID- 1411813
TI  - A policy proposal to manage chronic diseases of lifestyle in South Africa.

PMID- 1411814
TI  - The future of medical administrators.

PMID- 1411815
TI  - New emphasis on atrial cardiology.

PMID- 1411816
TI  - The Columbus quincentenary--500 years of expanding tobacco addiction.

PMID- 1411817
TI  - The impact of chronic diseases of lifestyle and their major risk factors on
      mortality in South Africa.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of chronic diseases of
      lifestyle on the mortality pattern of South Africans and to estimate the number
      of South Africans affected by major risk factors for these diseases. The
      proportion of deaths due to chronic diseases of lifestyle was calculated from the
      deaths reported to the Central Statistical Services. This group of diseases was
      responsible for 24.5% of deaths of all South Africans and 28.5% of those aged 35
      64 years whose deaths were reported in 1988. The major causes of death
      contributing to these figures were cerebrovascular diseases (7.2% of all deaths
      and 7.9% of deaths of persons aged 35-64 years) and ischaemic heart disease (8.7%
      of all deaths and 9.6% of deaths of persons aged 35-64 years). The age
      standardised prevalence rates for the major risk factors reported in five cross
      sectional studies in different areas and groups are compared. Estimates from the
      reported prevalence rates, based on the size of the South African population
      recorded in the 1985 census figures, were calculated for the major risk factors.
      Overall 4.88 million South Africans smoked, the largest group of smokers being
      black males (2.6 million). for hypertension 5.5 million South Africans had blood
      pressures above 140/90 mmHg; again the largest groups were blacks (3.0 million).
      For hypercholesterolaemia and raised low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels,
      4.8 million and 3.1 million South Africans respectively had an increased risk for
      ischaemic heart disease, blacks having the lowest levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411818
TI  - Dietary patterns and nutritional status in free-living older white men with
      established vascular disease.
AB  - Thirty-nine white men aged 51-84 years with established vascular disease were
      studied to investigate the effect of fish oil capsules on the regression of these
      lesions. This article deals with the baseline data of the study. The subjects
      completed a 7-day dietary record, weight and height were measured and a fasting
      blood sample was analysed for proteins, haematological values and certain
      vitamins. Dietary analysis indicated that the mean energy intake was 8,552 kJ (SD
      = 2,095). The energy distribution was 15.5% protein, 33.6% fat and 46.4%
      carbohydrate. In the light of the recommended dietary allowances the diet was
      lacking in zinc, vitamin B6 and folic acid, which suggests that the subjects
      might be deficient in these micronutrients. Although the diets were lacking in
      these nutrients, no clinical stigmata were observed. The subjects averaged a body
      mass index of 26.1 and could therefore be classified as overweight. The mean
      haematological values as well as the plasma vitamins were within the normal
      range. In conclusion it can be said that the men consumed a diet that was too
      high in fat and that the diet lacked certain micronutrients.

PMID- 1411819
TI  - The level of mortality in South Africa in 1985--what does it tell us about
      health?
AB  - South African mortality data are inadequate for health planning. Estimates of
      mortality levels in blacks for 1985, derived using indirect demographic
      techniques, have provided an opportunity to analyse South African mortality in a
      health context. The infant mortality rate (IMR) for the population as a whole was
      64/1,000 live births in 1985, which is high when compared with those of other
      countries. The IMR varied between population groups and was highest in blacks
      (males 73, females 68) and lowest in whites (males 11, females 7). Adult
      mortality rates, measured in terms of the chance of a 15-year-old dying before
      reaching the age of 60, ranged from 42.8% for black males and 29.4% for black
      females, to 21.8% and 11.5% for white males and females respectively. Life
      expectancy at birth of black males and females was 55 and 61 years respectively,
      while for white males and females it was 68 and 76 years respectively. Infectious
      diseases are a leading cause of death in blacks under 5 years of age, while
      trauma, poverty-related diseases and chronic diseases related to lifestyle all
      contribute to the high levels of adult mortality in this group. Prevention and
      health promotion strategies focusing on these as well as HIV/AIDS must be
      incorporated in a primary health care strategy to reduce premature mortality.
      Most importantly, it is crucial to improve the registration system that is vital
      to facilitate ongoing evaluation.

PMID- 1411820
TI  - Beliefs about smoking and health and attitudes toward tobacco control measures.
AB  - The opinions of a representative sample of adult South Africans about the effects
      of smoking on health and their attitudes toward tobacco control measures were
      surveyed by means of an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Seventy-five per
      cent of the respondents were black and 55.3% were female. More than 50% of blacks
      and Asians (61.7% and 53.2%) were non-smokers, whereas 52.1% of 'coloureds' were
      current smokers and 23.8% of whites ex-smokers. The majority of smokers (68.5%)
      acknowledged the harmful effects of direct smoking and a larger percentage of non
      and ex-smokers (79.7% and 77% respectively) shared this view. A similar trend
      was observed in beliefs about passive smoking. Seventy-five per cent of
      participants felt that tobacco sales to minors should be banned and 55.8% thought
      that taxes on tobacco products should be increased. There was substantial white
      opposition to measures that prohibit tobacco companies from sponsoring sporting
      events. Most respondents felt that tobacco advertising should be banned on
      television (59.7%), radio (60.1%), in newspapers (58.4%), on billboards (58.7%)
      and in cinemas (59.3%). The results indicate that in the main the public supports
      the introduction of the measures proposed in the draft Tobacco Products Control
      Act and even more extensive legislation to control tobacco consumption. This
      augurs well for future strategies aimed at tobacco control in South Africa.

PMID- 1411821
TI  - Alcohol intake in relation to lipids, lipoproteins and blood pressure.
AB  - A cross-sectional population study of 655 men and 731 women was undertaken to
      evaluate the association between the level of alcohol intake, the level of high
      density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and its subfractions, and blood pressure
      in men and women in different age groups (20-44 and 45-64 years). Habitual
      alcohol intake was significantly related to higher levels of HDL-C in both men
      and women. In the case of men both HDL2-C and HDL3-C levels were raised, while in
      women this rise was restricted almost entirely to HDL2-C. Plasma apolipoprotein A
      I and A-II levels were elevated in men who drank, but not in women. In both,
      triglyceride and blood pressure levels were raised with habitual alcohol intake,
      and the increases in HDL subfractions and blood pressure levels became more
      marked with increasing age in both men and women. Recent alcohol intake had less
      effect on all the variables except blood pressure. We conclude that both HDL3-C
      and HDL2-C contribute to the rise in HDL-C levels that accompanies alcohol use,
      notwithstanding differences in the responses of the sexes. A regular alcohol
      intake is more likely to be beneficial and some of the positive or protective
      aspects of alcohol consumption could be reduced by the adverse changes in
      triglycerides and blood pressure levels.

PMID- 1411822
TI  - Risk factors and coronary heart disease in Durban blacks--the missing links.
AB  - Coronary heart disease (CHD) is still relatively uncommon in the black population
      of South Africa. We embarked on a study to determine the prevalence of risk
      factors leading to CHD in the black population of Durban. The study sample was
      selected from patients attending a dental clinic at a hospital. A total of 458
      patients (age range 16-69 years) was studied. The prevalence of CHD was 2.4%. The
      percentage prevalences of selected risk factors were: hypertension (blood
      pressure > or = 140 mmHg systolic and/or > or = 90 mmHg diastolic) 28% (31.9% for
      males, 25.4% for females); protective levels of high-density lipoprotein/total
      cholesterol > or = 20%, 81.3%; diabetes mellitus 4.9% for males, 2.9% for
      females; smoking > or = 10 cigarettes per day 28.1% for males, 3.4% for females;
      obesity 3.7% for males 22.6% for females. We found the Minnesota Coding System
      for electrocardiographic changes of CHD and the Rose questionnaire to be
      unreliable for eliciting CHD in blacks. Hypercholesterolaemia is less common, and
      this may explain the low incidence of CHD in blacks. Epidemics of CHD as seen in
      Indian, coloured and white South Africans can still be prevented in the black
      population, but preventive measures must be instituted rapidly.

PMID- 1411823
TI  - Hypertension in family practice. A study of knowledge, attitudes and practices.
AB  - A study was conducted in Cape Town during 1990 to investigate the knowledge,
      attitudes and practices of 90 family practitioners with regard to hypertension
      and its management. Hypertension was regarded as an important health problem by
      59% while 5% thought that it was not important. Sixty-eight per cent of family
      practitioners estimated that less than 15% of their patients suffered from
      hypertension and 78% of family practitioners estimated that more than 70% of
      their hypertensive patients' blood pressures were controlled. Fifty-five per cent
      of family practitioners thought it acceptable for a lay person to measure blood
      pressure and 68% felt that the use of a hypertension register in the practice
      would assist in the management of hypertension. The information gathered will be
      of great value in planning intervention strategies and developing hypertension
      management aids that could assist the family practitioner.

PMID- 1411824
TI  - Distribution of health personnel in the Republic of South Africa with special
      reference to medical practitioners.
AB  - Data from various sources indicate that there is no shortage of medical
      practitioners in the RSA. This was confirmed in a 1990 survey by the Department
      of National Health and Population Development. The perceived shortage is relative
      in nature and due to a geographical and functional maldistribution. The majority
      (77%) of medical practitioners reside in metropolitan areas in the RSA; the ratio
      of doctors to members of the population is 1:696. Only 23% of medical
      practitioners practise in non-metropolitan areas; the calculated ratio is 1:1
      920. The overall ratio in the self-governing territories is 1:15 272 and compares
      unfavourably with the ratios in non-metropolitan magisterial districts in the
      RSA. The medical practitioner/population ratio varies fifty-fold between the
      metropolitan areas in the RSA and the essentially rural self-governing territory
      of Lebowa (1:30 449). The registered medical practitioner/population ratios for
      the various development regions vary from 1:672 to 1:7 642. Failure to address
      these imbalances will have serious implications for the future rendering of
      acceptable and equitable health care.

PMID- 1411825
TI  - Can medical graduates afford to become state medical officers?
AB  - Over the past 7 years, the cost of tuition and residence fees at the University
      of Cape Town Medical School has risen by 21.75% each year. This is considerably
      higher than the increase in the consumer price index over the same period and
      students are increasingly having to resort to loans to finance their education.
      The starting salary of a medical officer in the state services has, however, only
      risen by 9.73% each year over the same period. If these trends continue, the
      likelihood of young medical doctors employed in such posts being able to repay
      their loans is bleak and the services will experience increasing difficulty in
      filling posts, particularly in the peri-urban and rural areas. An innovative
      manner of financing medical education is needed. This could include allowing
      education costs to be tax-deductible after graduation, or providing incentives,
      rather than using coercion, to encourage young doctors to settle in less popular
      locations.

PMID- 1411826
TI  - The incidence of surgical glove perforation during obstetric and gynaecological
      surgical procedures.
AB  - The increasing prevalence of diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis B makes safe
      surgical techniques more important than ever before. Intact surgical gloves act
      as a barrier against these infections and a study was therefore done to determine
      the incidence of surgical glove perforation during obstetric and gynaecological
      surgical procedures. Surgical gloves were collected and tested for perforations
      following 353 consecutive obstetric and gynaecological operations. Forty pairs of
      new unused surgical gloves were tested for perforations in the same way. Whereas
      none of the 40 control pairs of gloves was found to be perforated, 22%-24% of
      used gloves were perforated. The experience of the surgeon had no influence on
      the incidence of glove perforation (P = 0.997; chi 2-test). Left-hand gloves were
      more frequently perforated than right-hand gloves, but this difference was not
      statistically significant (P = 0.075: chi 2-test). These findings must be a
      source of concern to all those practising obstetrics and gynaecology and measures
      are therefore suggested to decrease the risk of HIV or hepatitis B transmission
      during operations.

PMID- 1411827
TI  - Road traffic collisions involving children as pedestrians. Provisional results of
      a hospital-based study.
AB  - In December 1990 a study was undertaken at Red Cross Children's Hospital to
      examine the circumstances surrounding pedestrian injuries in children under the
      age of 13. The provisional results, based on the first 154 parental interviews,
      are reported here. There is a strong correlation between pedestrian injury and
      children playing or running errands in residential areas during day-light hours,
      particularly in the late afternoon. Lack of adult supervision may be an important
      factor. The relevance of these findings to future road safety strategies is
      discussed.

PMID- 1411828
TI  - Financial compensation following road traffic injury: who is footing the bill?
AB  - A study was undertaken at Red Cross Children's Hospital to assess how aware
      parents were of motor vehicle accident (MVA) claim procedures on behalf of their
      children. Of 160 questionnaires sent out to the parents of road traffic injury
      (RTI) victims, 100 were answered. Sixty-six per cent of parents who responded had
      an income below R500 per month. The identity of the motorist responsible for
      injuring the child was known to only 26 parents. Third party damages were claimed
      by only 32 parents or guardians; the remaining 68 failed to do so principally
      through lack of awareness. The implications of these findings for both RTI
      victims and the hospitals where they are treated are discussed here.

PMID- 1411829
TI  - The symbol of medicine in ancient China.

PMID- 1411831
TI  - Discontinuation of bronchographic contrast medium.

PMID- 1411830
TI  - Further experience with the vaginal strips sling operation.

PMID- 1411832
TI  - Pelvic inflammatory disease and fertility. A cohort study of 1,844 women with
      laparoscopically verified disease and 657 control women with normal laparoscopic
      results.
AB  - From 1960 10 1984, 2,501 women underwent diagnostic laparoscopy (index
      laparoscopy) because of a clinical suspicion of acute pelvic inflammatory disease
      (PID). Of these women, 1,844 had abnormal laparoscopic findings (patients) and
      657 had normal findings (control subjects). The reproductive events after index
      laparoscopy of 1,732 patients and 601 control subjects were followed. The
      patients and control subjects were followed for a total of 13,400 and 3,958 woman
      years, respectively. During the follow-up period, 1,309 (75.6%) of the patients
      and 451 (75.0%) of the control subjects attempted to conceive. Of these women,
      209 (16.0%) of the patients and 12 (2.7%) of the control subjects failed to
      conceive. A total of 141 (10.8%) of the patients and 0 (0%) of the control
      subjects had confirmed tubal factor infertility, 21 (1.6%) of the patients and 3
      (0.7%) control subjects had other causes of infertility, and 47 (3.6%) patients
      and 9 (2.0%) control subjects did not have a complete infertility evaluation.
      Additional information on tubal morphology (hysterosalpingography, laparoscopy,
      or laparotomy) in women from couples for whom evaluation was incomplete indicated
      that 165 (12.2%) patients and 4 (0.9%) of the control subjects had abnormal tubal
      function or morphology after index laparoscopy. Tubal factor infertility after
      PID was associated with number and severity of PID episodes. The ectopic
      pregnancy rate for first pregnancy after index laparoscopy was 9.1% among the
      patients and 1.4% among control subjects.

PMID- 1411833
TI  - Comparison of polymerase chain reaction, monoclonal antibody based enzyme
      immunoassay, and cell culture for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in genital
      specimens.
AB  - An enzyme immunoassay (EIA; AntigEnz Chlamydia; Northumbria Biologicals,
      Northumberland, United Kingdom) and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay
      (Genemed Biotechnologies, San Francisco, CA) were evaluated for the detection of
      Chlamydia trachomatis in urogenital specimens. Of 324 specimens, 23 were positive
      by cycloheximide-treated McCoy's cell culture method. Of 23 culture-positive
      specimens, 20 and 22 were found to be positive by EIA and PCR, respectively.
      Among 301 culture-negative samples, 4 were found to be positive by both PCR and
      EIA, 2 were PCR-positive and EIA-negative, and 3 PCR-negative and culture
      negative specimens were found to be positive by EIA. In comparing nonculture
      methods with cell culture technique, combined sensitivities of 87.0% (90.9% in
      men and 83.3% in women) and 95.6% (90.9% in men and 100% in women), and
      specificities of 97.7% (99.4% in men and 95.7% in women) and 98.0% (99.4% in men
      and 96.5% in women) are achieved by EIA and PCR, respectively. The PCR proved to
      be the more sensitive of these two nonculture methods, and it can be used for the
      rapid diagnosis of C. trachomatis urogenital infection.

PMID- 1411834
TI  - Mucopurulent cervicitis as a predictor of chlamydial infection and adverse
      pregnancy outcome. The Investigators of the Johns Hopkins Study of Cervicitis and
      Adverse Pregnancy Outcome.
AB  - The role of mucopurulent cervicitis in identifying pregnant women with Chlamydia
      trachomatis infection and poor pregnancy outcome was examined at the Johns
      Hopkins Hospital Obstetric Clinic in Baltimore, Maryland. The women studied were
      at high risk for chlamydial infection (14%), low birthweight (12%), and preterm
      delivery (13%). Yellow endocervical discharge on a cotton swab had a sensitivity
      of 23.9%, specificity of 89.4%, and positive predictive value of 28.6% for
      predicting chlamydial infection. The presence of greater than or equal to 30
      polymorphonuclear cells per 1000 x field had a sensitivity of 25.0%, specificity
      of 87.6% and positive predictive value of 24.3%. Women with cervicitis defined by
      greater than or equal to 30 polymorphonuclear cells per 1000 x field were twice
      as likely to deliver a low-birthweight infant. Adjustment for potential
      confounding variables did not explain this association. The poor sensitivity,
      specificity, and positive predictive value of mucopurulent cervicitis suggests
      that this parameter is not a useful screening tool for chlamydial infection in
      pregnant women. However, mucopurulent cervicitis may be an indicator of increased
      risk for poor pregnancy outcome.

PMID- 1411835
TI  - The emergence of penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains carrying
      the 4.9 kb (Toronto) plasmid in Denmark and of a novel large plasmid in two
      nonpenicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains.
AB  - This study comprised plasmid analysis and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of
      712 out of a total of 730 penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG)
      and 744 random non-PPNG strains isolated in Denmark between 1985 and 1990. The
      rate of patients with PPNG infections rose from 1% to 2% during 1985-1987 to 6.9%
      in 1989, and then decreased to 4.8% in 1990. A decrease in cases of gonorrhea
      from 9,798 to 1,990 was seen during the same period. Strains harboring the 4.9 kb
      (Toronto) plasmid first appeared in 1987; in 1988-1990, 65% to 78% of strains
      from patients with PPNG infections acquired in Denmark contained this plasmid.
      The majority of these strains seemed to belong to a single clone. Tetracycline
      resistant PPNG strains (MIC greater than 32 mg/L) first appeared in Denmark in
      1989, and tetracycline-resistant non-PPNG strains carrying a 40 kb plasmid
      (tetM?) first appeared in 1990. A novel 41-42 kb plasmid appeared in one strain
      in 1987 and another in 1988. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of
      tetracycline for these two strains was 4 mg/l. The significance of this plasmid
      is yet unknown.

PMID- 1411836
TI  - Temporal trends in gonococcal antibiotic resistance in Baltimore.
AB  - Each month from August 1986 through July 1990, clinical and laboratory data were
      evaluated for the first 25 urethral isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from men
      attending a Baltimore sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic as part of an
      effort to understand factors that contribute to changes in gonococcal
      antimicrobial susceptibility. During the 48-month study period, 1193 gonococcal
      isolates were evaluated; the proportion of penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae
      (PPNG) isolates steadily increased, the prevalence of tetracycline-resistant N.
      gonorrhoeae (TRNG) remained relatively stable, and chromosomally mediated
      penicillin resistance increased steadily during the first 5 6-month intervals,
      then decreased, only to increase again during the final 2 6-month intervals.
      Changes in antibiotic treatment regimens for gonorrhea were associated with
      changes in the prevalence of chromosomally mediated penicillin resistance. In a
      supplementary study to characterize patterns of antibiotic use among men and
      women attending the STD clinics, 9% of patients reported antibiotic use in the 2
      weeks prior to clinic visit. Antibiotics were taken prior to clinic attendance by
      65% of patients reporting antibiotic use, because of concerns regarding possible
      STD or STD exposure. These patients were significantly less likely to be culture
      positive for N. gonorrhoeae when compared with patients who did not report
      antibiotic use. Temporal trends in N. gonorrhoeae antibiotic resistance appear to
      be influenced by many factors, including treatment regimens and self medication.

PMID- 1411837
TI  - Evaluation of an enzyme immunoassay and a modified coagglutination assay for
      typing gonococcal isolates with monoclonal antibodies.
AB  - In order to resolve methodologic and interpretation problems associated with the
      serotyping of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates with monoclonal antibodies specific
      for Protein I (PI) by coagglutination (the standard method; CoA1), two methods
      were compared with CoA1: an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and a modified
      coagglutination assay (CoA2), in which methylene blue was added to the monoclonal
      antibody reagents. When the EIA was compared with the CoA1 method, 92.7% of the
      WI isolates were typed identically and 89% of the WII/III isolates were typed
      identically. When the CoA2 was compared with the CoA1 method, 92.7% of WI
      isolates were typed into similar serovars, in comparison to only 80.5% of the
      WII/III isolates. With the EIA method, only 21 of 328 isolates (6.4%) were
      retested because duplicate results were inconsistent, in comparison to 72
      isolates (22%) with the CoA1 method and 120 isolates (36.6%) with the CoA2
      method. In most cases result inconsistencies between duplicate tests were due to
      differences in reading weakly positive coagglutination reactions with single
      reagents (which on duplicate testing might be negative), the most notable being
      PIA reagent 4A12(b) and PIB reagents 1F5(b) and 2G2(g). The EIA method was the
      most reproducible method, and provides some degree of automation when serotyping
      large numbers of isolates.

PMID- 1411838
TI  - Effectiveness of latex condoms as a barrier to human immunodeficiency virus-sized
      particles under conditions of simulated use.
AB  - Condoms were tested in an in vitro system simulating key physical conditions that
      can influence viral particle leakage through condoms during actual coitus. The
      system quantitatively addresses pressure, pH, temperature, surfactant properties,
      and anatomical geometry. A suspension of fluorescence-labeled, 110-nm polystyrene
      microspheres models free human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in semen, and condom
      leakage is detected spectrofluorometrically. Leakage of HIV-sized particles
      through latex condoms was detectable (P less than 0.03) for as many as 29 of the
      89 condoms tested. Worst-case condom barrier effectiveness (fluid transfer
      prevention), however, is shown to be at least 10(4) times better than not using a
      condom at all, suggesting that condom use substantially reduces but does not
      eliminate the risk of HIV transmission.

PMID- 1411839
TI  - Sentinel surveillance of human immunodeficiency virus infection in sexually
      transmitted disease clinics in the United States.
AB  - From April 1988 through December 1989, sera obtained for syphilis testing from
      consecutive patients attending 98 sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics in
      37 metropolitan areas were tested for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus
      (HIV) in an unlinked (blinded) survey. HIV seroprevalence in STD clinics ranged
      from 0 to 38.5% (median, 2.3%), with the highest rates found in the Mid-Atlantic
      states, Florida, and Puerto Rico. The highest median rates were found in men who
      have sex with men (36.1%) and heterosexual intravenous (IV) drug users (4.1%).
      For heterosexual persons who do not report IV drug use, median rates were highest
      in the 35- to 39-year-old age group for men (6.4%) and the 30- to 34-year-old age
      group for women (0.9%). Among persons who do not report risk behaviors for HIV
      infection, men had substantially higher median rates of HIV infection than women
      (P less than 0.001, Wilcoxon Signed Rank test), and rates were positively
      correlated with HIV infection rates in IV drug users in the same clinic (Pearson
      correlation coefficient [r] = 0.8; P less than 0.001). Among heterosexual STD
      clinic patients who do not report IV drug use, the median HIV infection rate for
      blacks (1.8%) was at least 2 times higher than the median infection rates for
      hispanics (0.9%) and whites (0.7%). The results of this study show that HIV
      infection in STD clinic patients varies by geographic area, sex, race and ethnic
      group, and risk behavior.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411840
TI  - Condoms for men, not women. Results of brief promotion programs.
AB  - Three different brief intervention programs to promote condom use were tested
      among patients in inner-city sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics. The
      first, "Condom Skills," focused on teaching mechanical aspects of how to use a
      condom. The second, "Social Influences," emphasized how to negotiate condom use
      with one's sexual partner. The third, "Distribution," provided patients with an
      unlimited number of free condoms, retrievable at local community businesses. Of
      the 903 subjects whose medical records were reviewed after exposure to the
      intervention programs, evidence of continued unsafe sexual behavior, documented
      by subsequent treatment for a new STD, was found for 12.6% of the women and 19.9%
      of the men. When compared with male control subjects, male study patients had
      fewer documented subsequent STD reinfections. The relative risk (RR) and 95%
      confidence interval (CI) values were 0.48 and 0.28, 0.81 for the condom skills
      group; 0.65 and 0.40, 1.04 for the social influences group; and 0.85 and 0.56,
      1.29 for the distribution group. There was no decrease in the incidence of STDs
      among female patients compared with control subjects; indeed, there was a trend
      toward increased risk of STDs among women exposed to the Social Influences
      intervention program. This study demonstrates that brief condom promotion
      programs can be effective for male STD patients, and that caution must be
      exercised in promoting condoms to women with a high risk of acquiring STDs.
      Further research on programs promoting safer sex among these women is needed.

PMID- 1411841
TI  - Underdiagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Diagnostic limitations in
      patients with low-level infection.
AB  - To determine limitations in commonly used methods for detection of Chlamydia
      trachomatis, 601 genitourinary specimens from patients in a sexually transmitted
      disease clinic were examined with quantitative cultures and by 2 different direct
      antigen tests, immunofluorescence (Micro Trak; Syva Company, Palo Alto, CA) and
      enzyme immunoassay (Chlamydiazyme; Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, IL).
      Genital specimens were held no longer than 5 hours (at 4 degrees C) prior to
      inoculation for culture; 28% (168/601) were positive. To evaluate the effect of
      storage on culture efficacy, duplicate specimens were also stored at -70 degrees
      C and brought out subsequently for culture a second time. Only 32% (8/25) of
      specimens cultured within 5 hours and having less than 10 inclusions were
      positive on reculture, compared with 98% (49/50) positive for specimens with
      greater than or equal to 10 inclusions initially (P less than 0.001).
      Sensitivities of the two antigen tests were similar and taken together diminished
      significantly (P less than 0.001) as the number of organisms (inclusion forming
      units) in corresponding cultures decreased: 82% (51/62) sensitivity in cultures
      with greater than 100 inclusions; 50% (22/44) with 10-100 inclusions; and only
      11% (6/53) with less than 10. Lack of urethral discharge in men with C.
      trachomatis infection (free of Neisseria gonorrhoeae) was associated with low
      numbers of inclusions (less than 10) and antigen tests failed in 68% (15/22) of
      these patients.

PMID- 1411842
TI  - High-risk behaviors for transmission of syphilis and human immunodeficiency virus
      among crack cocaine-using women. A case study from the Midwest.
AB  - This study examines the drug use patterns, sexual practices, condom use,
      knowledge and attitudes toward sexually transmitted diseases (STD)s and AIDS, and
      seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis among women who
      use crack in Dayton, Ohio. In 1990, two indigenous outreach workers recruited 150
      participants who were not in drug treatment programs, who were 18 years of age or
      older, and had used crack in the previous 3 months. Structured interviews
      revealed that 90% of the sample were black, 78% used crack "daily," 93% had
      multiple sexual partners, and 49% had 10 or more male sexual partners in the last
      3 months. A majority (67%) of the women felt they were in need of drug treatment.
      No reactive syphilis serologies were detected in 138 serum samples; 2 women
      (1.4%) were HIV seropositive. This case study provides insight into the high-risk
      sexual behaviors of crack users in a medium-sized, midwestern city. The study
      demonstrates the value of indigenous outreach prevention and STD screening
      initiatives in reaching this segment of our society, which has a high risk of
      acquiring STDs.

PMID- 1411843
TI  - Multiple partners and partner choice as risk factors for sexually transmitted
      disease among female college students.
AB  - Multiple sexual partners and partner choice are believed to increase the risk of
      sexually transmitted disease (STD), but these behaviors had not previously been
      assessed outside of clinical populations. In this study, a cross-sectional survey
      among single, white, female students in their senior year of college was
      conducted to measure the association between behavioral risk factors and the
      acquisition of self-reported STDs during college. The usable response rate was
      47.2% (n = 467). The combined prevalence of chlamydial infection, gonorrhea,
      genital herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, syphilis, and
      trichomoniasis during a 3.5-year period was 11.7%. There was a strong association
      between number of sexual partners and having an STD: those women with 5 or more
      sexual partners were 8 times more likely to report having an STD than those with
      only 1 partner, even after adjusting for age at first intercourse (odds ratio =
      8.1; 95% confidence interval = 1.99, 32.64). The prevalence of a history of STDs
      increased with more causal partner choice and earlier age at first intercourse,
      but neither factor was independently associated with a history of STDs. Of the
      respondents, 23% always used condoms. Future research should focus on identifying
      ways of effectively changing high-risk sexual behavior.

PMID- 1411844
TI  - The sexually transmitted diseases laboratory in a framework of population-based
      diagnostics.
AB  - Laboratory support for the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted
      diseases has traditionally been within a patient-based diagnostic paradigm. Tests
      and interpretative criteria developed within this paradigm may not be appropriate
      for laboratories supporting population-based STD control programs. As STD control
      strategies expand to population-based levels, the present patient-based
      laboratory models will have to be modified to meet these increased demands.

PMID- 1411845
TI  - Patterns of antibiotic susceptibility of gonococci isolated in Hong Kong, 1987
      1990.
AB  - Among the 14,528 strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated from the Government
      Social Hygiene Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Clinics in Hong Kong between
      1987 and 1990, there has been a trend toward a decrease in the percentage of
      penicillin resistant strains in both penicillinase-producing and nonpenicillinase
      producing N. gonorrhoeae (PPNG and non-PPNG) and an increase in moderate
      resistant strains, whereas the proportion of sensitive strains has remained
      stable, except for a small increase in 1990. Presently, PPNG still accounts for
      31% of all isolates. In early 1991, 100 consecutive isolates were tested for
      minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) against 6 commonly used antibiotics.
      Although ofloxacin has been used as the first-line treatment for gonorrhea for
      the last 5 years, there is still no sign of in vitro resistance. Two isolates
      with high-level tetracycline resistance (MIC greater than 16 mg/l) were detected
      that have not been seen before. Sensitivity to spectinomycin, cefuroxime, and
      ceftriaxone has also been maintained, and these drugs can probably be recommended
      as alternative treatments in noncompliant cases. Analysis of location of contact
      shows an increasing proportion of cases of gonorrhea from overseas, particularly
      from parts of China. Comparison with the limited information published in the
      region shows that the population sampled can be very heterogeneous. With the
      continued flux of international travel, one should be extremely careful when
      trying to get an accurate assessment of epidemiologic data.

PMID- 1411846
TI  - Fulminant endocarditis due to infection with penicillinase-producing Neisseria
      gonorrhoeae.
AB  - Endocarditis is a rare but potentially lethal manifestation of gonococcal
      infection. We report the case of a patient with fulminant endocarditis secondary
      to infection with penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG). The
      patient had rapid deterioration from extensive destruction of the aortic valve
      with abscess and fistula formation. Lifesaving emergency surgery was performed.
      To our knowledge this is the first reported case of gonococcal endocarditis
      secondary to infection with a penicillinase-producing organism.

PMID- 1411847
TI  - Treatment of chancroid with a single dose of spectinomycin.
AB  - Fifty patients with lesions characteristic of chancroid were enrolled in an open
      label prospective study to examine the efficacy of a single 2-gm dose of
      spectinomycin for treatment of chancroid. Only those patients (41 men; aged 18 to
      49 years) with positive culture results for Haemophilus ducreyi were included in
      the analysis. Patients each received a single 2-gm dose of spectinomycin
      intramuscularly. The recovery process began on the third day of follow-up, as
      evidenced by the occurrence of epithelialization and a decrease in inflammation.
      By the seventh day after treatment, only one patient had ulcers; 40 patients
      experienced eradication of all ulcers (P less than 0.0001). The condition of
      nodes affected by infection also indicated efficacy of treatment (P less than
      0.01); only one patient still had a swollen node by the fourteenth day after
      treatment. Of the 41 patients, 37 (90%) had negative culture results for H.
      ducreyi on the third day after treatment. Only 4 patients (10%) required a second
      dose of spectinomycin on the seventh day to affect a cure. Treatment with
      spectinomycin resulted in a 98% cure rate 14 days after treatment. The minimum
      inhibitory concentration (MIC) of spectinomycin was 1 microgram/mL to 3
      micrograms/mL in the 15 strains studied. The drug was well tolerated and no
      adverse reactions were reported. It is concluded that a single 2-gm dose of
      spectinomycin is a safe and effective alternative drug for treatment of
      chancroid.

PMID- 1411848
TI  - Split-dose metronidazole or single-dose tinidazole for the treatment of vaginal
      trichomoniasis.
AB  - In a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial, efficacy and safety of a single
      day split dose of 1.6 g of metronidazole were compared with a single 2-g dose of
      tinidazole in the treatment of vaginal trichomoniasis. Women with symptomatic
      vaginal trichomoniasis were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups.
      There were 67 women in the group treated with the single-day split dose and 65 in
      group treated with the single dose. There was no significant difference between
      the two groups in terms of clinical characteristics (age, weight, and length of
      follow-up period). The cure rates, using trypticase yeast extract iron serum
      (TYI) medium to confirm microbiologic cure, were 98.5% and 100% for the groups
      treated with a single-day split dose and with a single dose, respectively. The
      side effects were minimal and did not warrant any treatment. The differences in
      the results were not statistically significant. We recommend that the single-day
      split dose of 1.6 g of metronidazole regimen be given as an alternative drug for
      vaginal trichomoniasis. Its advantages include being highly effective,
      significantly less expensive, and with minimal side effects.

PMID- 1411849
TI  - Prevalence of sexually transmitted disease infection in women alleging rape.
AB  - During a 2-year period ending in October, 1989, 110 women who claimed to have
      been raped were treated at the sexually transmitted disease clinic at Birmingham
      General Hospital. A total of 22 sexually transmitted infections were found in 14
      (13%) women, of which Chlamydia trachomatis (in 8%) and Trichomonas vaginalis (in
      6%) were the most frequently found pathogens. In none of these patients was it
      possible to determine whether infection resulted from rape or from voluntary
      intercourse with another person. The high prevalence of infection found in this
      study and in previous studies indicates that all women alleging rape should be
      investigated at a sexually transmitted disease clinic.

PMID- 1411850
TI  - Epidemiology of low-back pain in industry.
AB  - Low-back pain and back injuries are of such a complex nature that any one
      criterion cannot be applied by itself to give a valid assessment of the risk
      associated with manual materials-handling jobs. There is no question that low
      back pain is an extremely significant cause of disability and has a major
      socioeconomic impact, but many different personal and job factors are associated
      with the incidence and prevalence of these complaints. There is a need for
      ongoing systematic investigations of the multiple risk factors that may be
      causally related to low-back pain and may possibly be amendable to preventive
      interventions. Knowledge of workplace and individual risk factors is far from
      complete. Prospective studies are needed so that factors contributing to the
      development of low-back pain can be separated from factors resulting from low
      back pain. It is difficult to relate low-back pain to the workplace because it
      occurs quite often in workers employed in sedentary occupations. However,
      incidence, severity, and disability are all related to the physical demands of
      the job. In this regard, jobs involving lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling,
      carrying, and holding; body movements such as frequent bending, twisting, and
      sudden movements; and working in bent-over postures appear to have a significant
      potential for producing low-back pain. A combination of lifting, bending, and
      twisting appears to be most hazardous. It is concluded that lifting heavy loads
      contributes to increased frequency and severity rates for low-back pain. This is
      true regardless of whether the lifting is performed over a short period or
      throughout the day and whether it is performed a few times per day of
      repetitively. If, however, such lifting is performed repetitively, the medical
      hazard extends beyond low-back problems to other musculoskeletal strain and
      sprain injuries and to fatigue-related injuries, particularly for weaker workers.
      In this latter regard, gender, age, anthropometry, and previous history of back
      pain are known to modify these risks for populations of workers. The inherent
      variability between workers and within any worker over time precludes the use of
      such factors to assign risk to any particular individual.

PMID- 1411851
TI  - Occupational biomechanics and low-back pain.
AB  - The basic principles of biomechanics are introduced and explained as they relate
      to the field of ergonomics, especially regarding the lumbar spine. The discussion
      is organized into the following sections: biomechanics--an overview, spinal
      structures and loading, biomechanical basis for low-back pain, compressive
      strength of the lumbar spinal column, biomechanical models, intra-abdominal
      pressure, lifting technique, and practical applications. The conclusion lists
      nine guidelines for understanding the internal stresses placed on the lower back
      by lifting and thereby for avoiding low-back injuries in the workplace.

PMID- 1411852
TI  - Prevention strategies and the low back in industry.
AB  - Several different approaches have been tried in industry to prevent low-back
      injuries. The scientific literature shows that only job-specific strength testing
      and ergonomic job design are partially effective in preventing low-back injuries.
      Job-specific strength testing is supported as a means of identifying high-risk
      workers who need to perform manual materials handling. However, this approach
      should be carefully validated for its effectiveness before it is used as a form
      of selection procedure. At present, ergonomic job design offers the most
      potential for preventing disabling low-back injuries and other musculoskeletal
      injuries. Quantitative and objective methods (such as NIOSH guidelines,
      biomechanical models, energy expenditure, and strength data) are available to
      analyze a given job and to determine the relative risk of an injury.

PMID- 1411853
TI  - Diagnoses and treatment options in occupational low-back pain.
AB  - Job modification is often effective for prevention of LBP, but employee selection
      is generally risky, unreliable, and (increasingly) illegal. For acute care,
      excellent results are obtained with a simple, well-organized protocol. A trial of
      additional interventions is usually not productive. In rehabilitation, the
      challenge is to choose interventions at the most cost-effective time and identify
      local programs which have proven effectiveness. Case-closure issues such as
      medical end-result, impairment rating, and permanent job restrictions continue to
      be poorly supported by scientific literature. They are often best resolved by
      consensus of the patient, physician, and employer. We look forward to more
      reliable predictors of long-term outcome. An old adage says, "If there are dozens
      of treatments for a disease, probably none of them is effective." In recent years
      we have advanced from dozens of equally acceptable treatments to a few well
      documented ones, as outlined in the Quebec study. Such an approach is very
      effective in changing the course of back pain. However, there are still many
      unproven treatments in common use. Perhaps some will prove useful. In adding
      interventions to a simple, effective protocol, one must be aware of the true
      risks and benefits.

PMID- 1411854
TI  - Toward an understanding of dynamic variables in ergonomics.
AB  - Although researchers have shown that dynamic activity may greatly increase the
      predicted loading experienced by a joint, most ergonomic assessments in the
      workplace have focused on the postures of the workers and the loads imposed on a
      joint due to these postures, ignoring the influence of dynamic motion on joint
      loading. Current technologic advancements now allow the performance of dynamic
      ergonomic assessments that were impossible a few years ago. This chapter reviews
      the recent efforts to understand how occupational settings influence the joint
      motions and subsequent risk of suffering an injury or illness, including the
      effect of trunk motion on the reaction of joint-supporting structures and the
      subsequent loading of the spine and wrist. The back appears to be sensitive to
      the velocity component of motion, and the wrist to acceleration.

PMID- 1411855
TI  - A functional job analysis technique.
AB  - An analytical approach is presented for evaluating functional job demands and for
      facilitating a team problem-solving process that should find cost-effective
      resolutions for designs that do not meet ergonomic guidelines. Information is
      included on ways to collect information about the job elements and demands, how
      to relate the demands to population work capacities, how to predict fatiguing
      tasks, and how to facilitate a problem-solving session within the plant or
      business. A case study is used to illustrate the process from the initial review
      of jobs in a plant to the generation of a list of possible actions and their
      expected benefits.

PMID- 1411856
TI  - Function, structure, and responses of components of the muscle-tendon unit.
AB  - A "muscle-tendon unit" is a composite structure that includes muscle, tendon,
      myotendon junctions, tendon sheaths, and tendon-bone junctions. Each component is
      unique in its structure, function, response to strain, and associated clinical
      disorders (usually called "tendinitis"). Tendinitis implies localized tenderness
      in the distribution of a muscle-tendon unit to palpation, passive stretching, or
      active contraction. A variety of distinct clinical entities associated with the
      various components of the muscle-tendon unit are usually grouped together under
      the term "tendinitis," although each has unique characteristics and etiologic
      factors. Most have short latencies and favorable prognoses with appropriate
      clinical management, and most also bear some direct relationship to biomechanical
      factors, such as compression or strain, as well as to work organizational
      factors, particularly unaccustomed work.

PMID- 1411857
TI  - Carpal tunnel syndrome.
AB  - Despite numerous publications in the literature, there is still a significant
      deficit of knowledge regarding carpal tunnel syndrome and its relationship to
      work. This chapter reviews a variety of observations from these studies.
      Epidemiologic studies have been mostly cross-sectional surveys using clinical
      criteria (symptoms and physical findings) as a basis for case definition, but
      these exposure assessments cannot discriminate between work-related and non-work
      related cases of carpal tunnel syndrome. These studies do reveal a fairly
      consistent pattern of observations regarding the spectrum and relative frequency
      of upper extremity morbidity among jobs believed to be hazardous. Carpal tunnel
      syndrome, however, is but one of these disorders and is not the most common one.
      Historical perspectives, anatomic pathology, pathophysiology, theories of
      pathogenesis, epidemiologic observations, associations with exposure, and current
      issues are discussed.

PMID- 1411858
TI  - [Phakomatosis: anatomo-clinical expressions of urological interest].
AB  - Up to date etiopathogenetic knowledge of phakomatoses allows a more rational
      classification as compared to the known ones, based on anatomopathological and/or
      clinical features. Some genes have been identified, which are correlated with
      neurofibromatoses, tuberous sclerosis and other conditions, through general
      biologic mechanisms (derivatives of the embryonic neural crest; nerve growth
      factor and its receptor; oncogenes and antioncogenes, etc.). A prenatal
      predictive value from those genetic connections can also ensue. The new
      diagnostics, both by imaging and by laboratory techniques, may affect the
      therapeutic choices, as for as urological involvement is concerned.

PMID- 1411859
TI  - [Bilateral non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the adrenal gland. Report of 2 cases].

PMID- 1411860
TI  - [Aneurysm of the renal artery mimicking a cyst].
AB  - Renal artery aneurysms are not frequent, insidious clinico-pathological entities.
      They are often asymptomatic and cannot be readily differentiated from renal cysts
      on routine US. The Author presents a case with fatal outcome and stresses the
      need of Doppler testing before cyst puncture for diagnostic or therapeutic
      purpose.

PMID- 1411861
TI  - [A case of epididymal lymphangioma].

PMID- 1411862
TI  - [A case of human dirofilariasis (D. repens) of the spermatic cord].
AB  - A 52 year old man, living in the province of Trapani (Sicily), presented with
      right hydrocele and slight orchialgia. The patient underwent epididymectomy and
      resection of T. vaginalis. The "tunica" was involved by a granulomatous process,
      containing a parasite of genus Dirofilaria (D. repens). Dirofilaria repens is a
      filarial nematode. Dogs, foxes and cats are the definitive hosts and principal
      reservoirs of the parasite. In humans the parasite dies before reaching sexual
      maturity and the result is an inconspicuous granulomatous reaction in the
      subcutaneous tissue. S. Pampiglione et al. (Cattedra di Parassitologia
      Veterinaria dell'Universita di Bologna-Italy) reported from 1971 more than 30
      cases of human Dirofilariasis in Italy, suggesting that the parasite is able to
      migrate from the inoculation site to other districts (lung, eye etc.). The case
      is exceptional for the localization of the parasite (never reported) and can
      contribute to a better knowledge of the disease.

PMID- 1411863
TI  - [A case of retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma].
AB  - The Authors present a case of retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma, diagnosed because
      of the early symptomatic hydronephrosis due to the compression of the tumour on
      the lumbar ureter. Some general clinical aspects of retroperitoneal sarcomas are
      discussed too. In the case presented adjuvant therapy was not advised, because of
      the small volume of the tumour and the possibility of its complete excision.

PMID- 1411864
TI  - [Retroperitoneal malignant mesenchymoma in a patient subjected to exeresis of an
      epididymal leiomyoma].

PMID- 1411865
TI  - [Hemo-rheologic changes following treatment with human recombinant erythropoietin
      in chronic hemodialysis patients].
AB  - Human recombinant erythropoietin constitutes a remarkable improvement in the
      treatment of uraemic anemia. Nevertheless, it causes haemorheological changes,
      which in turn may affect smaller blood vessel circulation. Our study was
      conducted on a pool of chronic uraemic patients under hemodialytic treatment who
      were given erythropoietin therapy. Substantial increases in overall blood
      viscosity and red cell aggregation were recorded, with no change in erythrocyte
      deformation. An increase in cardiovascular morbidity might occur in these
      patients who are already liable to this condition. Several years will have to
      elapse and thorough studies will have to be conducted on a large number of
      patients, to have conclusive evidence on this point.

PMID- 1411866
TI  - [Clinical evaluation of 12 months of biofiltration in an elderly group].
AB  - Biofiltration (BF) was performed on 8 elderly uraemic patients (mean age 73.75 +/
      8.72 years; dialytic age 75.00 +/- 38.42 months) to improve cardiovascular
      stability and to reduce the dialytic session time. Small molecules (nitrogen,
      creatinine, uric acid, phosphorus) depuration, heamogasanalysis and PA
      monitoring, were compared against previous datum obtained by the same group that
      had undergoing acetate dialysis (AC. HD) for a year. Small molecules showed no
      significant differences; in BF the incidence of symptomatic hypotensions and the
      dialytic session time were reduced (30% and 30 min. respectively), with a better
      metabolic acidosis correction versus AC.HD. Our results showed that BF is better
      than AC.HD in elderly uraemic patients.

PMID- 1411867
TI  - [Efficacy and safety of simvastatin in the treatment of hyperlipidemia in uremic
      patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment].
AB  - The efficacy, tolerability and safety of simvastatin in the treatment of
      hyperlipemia in uremic patients undergoing hemodialysis were evaluated in 6
      patients; a further 6 patients were treated with placebo and represented the
      control group. All patients treated completed the study. No clinical or
      laboratory side-effects were noted during the entire period of observation.
      Simvastatin caused a significant 26% reduction in total cholesterol, a 36%
      reduction in LDL cholesterol and a 28% reduction in triglycerides; HDL
      cholesterol and Apolipoprotein A increased by 19% and 12% respectively.

PMID- 1411868
TI  - [Neoplasia of the testis: surgical, radiological, and chemotherapeutic approach.
      Analysis and results of a retrospective study].
AB  - The Authors report the results of a retrospective study in patients with
      testicular cancer admitted to hospital between January 1979 and July 1991. A
      total of 59 cases of testicular cancer were treated: 42 seminomatous and 17 non
      seminomatous. Radiotherapy was carried out with satisfactory results in patients
      with stage 1 and 2 seminoma (22 cases). A "wait and see" policy was adopted in 2
      cases. The majority of non-seminomatous tumours underwent retroperitoneal
      lymphadenectomy followed by chemo- and/or radiotherapy (9 cases). Retroperitoneal
      lymphadenectomy plays a vital role in correct pathological staging and the
      evaluation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

PMID- 1411869
TI  - [Squamous metaplasia as a prognostic factor in urothelial carcinoma of the
      bladder].
AB  - The Authors report a retrospective review of 224 cases of transitional cell
      carcinoma of the bladder observed between 1986 and 1990. Squamous metaplasia was
      present in 45 case. This histological feature was found especially in association
      with poorly differentiated and invasive tumours: the presence of extensive areas
      of squamous metaplasia (metaplastic areas = or greater than 50% of neoplastic
      surface) was always found in association with high grade neoplasms and with a
      disease-free period shorter than transitional cell carcinoma. The Authors
      conclude that squamous metaplasia in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder
      is a really unfavourable prognostic factor.

PMID- 1411870
TI  - [When does a child begin to have pain?].

PMID- 1411871
TI  - [The Gustave Roussy child pain scale].

PMID- 1411872
TI  - [These examinations hurt].

PMID- 1411873
TI  - [The pain of the child with cancer].

PMID- 1411874
TI  - [Patient controlled analgesia].

PMID- 1411875
TI  - [The child with pain].

PMID- 1411876
TI  - [Pain in children].

PMID- 1411877
TI  - [Pain in the child. Role of the nursing staff].

PMID- 1411878
TI  - [Management of pain in neonatology].

PMID- 1411879
TI  - [The PEDIADOL databank].

PMID- 1411880
TI  - [Reasons for the delay].

PMID- 1411882
TI  - [Breast nodule].

PMID- 1411881
TI  - [Maternal lactation].

PMID- 1411883
TI  - [Physiology of pain].

PMID- 1411884
TI  - Long term results of percutaneous catheter drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts.
AB  - Percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) has become an established and often
      preferred alternative to surgical treatment in the management of pancreatic
      pseudocysts. However, the long term results of percutaneous drainage of
      pancreatic pseudocysts remain uncertain. In an effort to determine the long term
      outcome of this therapy, 42 patients undergoing PCD of a pancreatic pseudocyst
      were analyzed retrospectively. Forty-two pancreatic pseudocysts were drained
      percutaneously in 42 patients. Sixty-seven percutaneous drainage procedures were
      performed--22 patients underwent one, 15 had two and five patients required three
      procedures. Percutaneous drainage was considered not to be effective when the
      pseudocyst persisted or when it recurred after initial resolution. Twenty-three
      pseudocysts were infected at the time of drainage and 19 were not infected. In 30
      patients, the cause of the pseudocyst was alcoholic pancreatitis. There were no
      deaths related to the procedures and seven complications occurred, including
      hemorrhage, pancreatic fistula and empyema. Mean follow-up evaluation time of the
      patients was ten months. In nine patients, the pseudocyst was successfully
      drained and resolved. There were 33 treatment failures, among which 26
      pseudocysts failed to resolve and seven recurred after initial resolution.
      Eventually, 25 patients underwent a surgical procedure, 20 for persistent
      pseudocyst and five for recurrence. Using contingency table analysis, the size of
      the pseudocyst, amount of fluid drained, amylase concentration in the aspirate,
      presence of infection, number of drainage procedures performed and duration of
      catheter drainage had no influence on the likelihood of success in long term
      pseudocyst resolution after PCD. Pseudocysts not related to alcoholic
      pancreatitis seemed to be less likely (p < 0.05) to resolve with percutaneous
      drainage than those caused by alcohol. PCD is a safe and valuable procedure in
      the acute management of patients with pancreatic pseudocyst. However, the current
      data suggest that despite early success with percutaneous drainage, the lack of
      resolution and recurrence rate of pancreatic pseudocyst is high. Therefore, it
      should not be considered as the definitive form of therapy in most patients.
      Close surveillance of patients undergoing percutaneous drainage and communication
      between surgeons and radiologists are critical in the management of pancreatic
      pseudocysts.

PMID- 1411885
TI  - Management of periareolar abscess and mamillary fistula.
AB  - During a 15 year period, 18 patients with 28 mamillary fistulas were treated. In
      eight women, periareolar abscess had preceded recognition of a fistula. Ten
      patients were primarily diagnosed as having mamillary fistula. In six patients,
      when the underlying fistula tract was not identified and excised at the time of
      operation, discharging sinus reoccurred. Twenty-two fistulas were completely
      excised together with an extensive lactiferous duct system. Operative wound was
      primarily closed using antibiotic cover. Periareolar abscess and mamillary
      fistula should be treated primarily by complete excision of the fistula tract and
      extensive duct system of the breast.

PMID- 1411886
TI  - Venous and arterial anomalies of the lower extremities diagnosed by duplex
      scanning.
AB  - The complex embryologic development of the vascular system often results in a
      myriad of clinically relevant anomalies. It has been stated that the classic
      anatomic venous pattern in the lower extremity is found in only 16 percent of
      patients. Previous studies on this topic are limited to isolated venous
      dissections or phlebography that lack complete anatomic detail. The recent
      introduction of high resolution duplex scanners for the assessment of veins of
      the lower extremity provides a unique opportunity to determine the incidence of
      anatomic variation. The current prospective study was done to identify venous or
      arterial anomalies apparent during routine duplex scanning of the lower extremity
      performed to rule out deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Limbs that had evidence of
      acute or chronic extensive DVT were excluded. Of 1,600 consecutive extremity
      scans, 946 extremities (59 percent) had no evidence of DVT. Of these, there were
      43 patients with 64 anomalies in 57 extremities. The mean age of the group was
      53.4 years. There were 24 women (55.8 percent) and 19 men (44.2 percent). There
      were 59 (92.2 percent) venous and five (7.8 percent) arterial anomalies.
      Duplication of the superficial femoral vein was the most common anomaly noted.
      Duplication of the deep femoral and popliteal vein was also noted. Unilateral
      anomalies were more common than bilateral anomalies, namely 67.4 versus 32.6
      percent, respectively. Pain and swelling, common complaints in the patients with
      an anomaly, were noted in 71.4 and 45.7 percent, respectively. The frequency of
      deep venous anomalies of the lower extremities may be less than previously
      reported. Knowledge concerning the incidence and distribution of venous anomalies
      may lead to improved assessment and treatment of venous disease.

PMID- 1411887
TI  - Preliminary results of a prospective randomized study of Cooper's ligament versus
      Shouldice herniorrhaphy technique.
AB  - Surgeons have developed many methods for the repair of direct inguinal hernias.
      The Cooper's ligament (McVay) repair and the Shouldice repair are widely used
      techniques. To determine the recurrence rates with differing techniques performed
      in a surgery residency program, we conducted a prospective randomized study for
      elective adult direct inguinal herniorrhaphies. Three hundred and eight elective
      direct inguinal herniorrhaphies in 269 adult patients were performed by residents
      in general surgery supervised by staff surgeons. Patients had yearly follow-up
      physical examinations (compliance rate of 87 percent) during an average follow-up
      period of 36.4 months. The recurrence rate was 8.8 percent for the McVay repair
      and 6.6 percent for the Shouldice repair (not significant). Bilateral inguinal
      hernias (repaired six weeks apart) had a recurrence rate of 12.8 percent, while
      the recurrence rate for unilateral repairs was 5.6 percent (p = <0.05). We found
      no significant difference in recurrence rates between the McVay and Shouldice
      herniorrhaphy techniques. However, there was an increase in hernia recurrence
      with either technique when bilateral direct inguinal herniorrhaphies were
      performed.

PMID- 1411888
TI  - The risk of perforation when children with possible appendicitis are observed in
      the hospital.
AB  - The morbidity rate from perforation demands that appendicitis be diagnosed
      promptly in children with abdominal pain. Although admitting and observing
      uncertain instances of appendicitis can refine the diagnostic accuracy, it is
      often claimed, but not proved, that this necessitates increasing the number of
      perforations. To assess the risk of perforation while observing uncertain
      instances of childhood appendicitis, we admitted 150 consecutive referrals during
      a period of one and one-half years. Immediate appendectomy was performed for 74
      patients (49 percent) with convincing clinical signs and symptoms for
      appendicitis. The remaining 76 (51 percent) with unconvincing clinical signs and
      symptoms were observed as inpatients. One-third of the patients admitted for
      observation (26 of 76) underwent appendectomy after an average period of 12
      hours. Two-thirds (50 of 76) of the patients got better and were discharged from
      the hospital without an appendectomy after an average admission of two days.
      Seven of the 100 appendices removed were normal. Three of the observed patients
      had perforations, one of whom may have perforated during observation, but that
      child went on to do well. The 50 patients who got well without appendectomy were
      similar to the patients with appendicitis, but significantly less likely to have
      peritoneal signs (8 versus 70 percent), tenderness in the right lower quadrant
      (48 versus 81 percent) and guarding (19 versus 75 percent). We conclude that
      admission and active observation in the hospital of children with possible, but
      unconvincing, signs and symptoms of appendicitis is a safe and effective way to
      determine which patients need an operation.

PMID- 1411889
TI  - Palpable abnormalities of the breast not requiring excisional biopsy.
AB  - The evaluation of a patient with a palpable abnormality of the breast typically
      includes physical examination, mammography and fine needle aspiration biopsy
      (FNAB) with cytologic interpretation of the aspirate. If the findings of these
      three diagnostic modalities are negative for malignancy, the current standard of
      care is to proceed to surgical biopsy to confirm the benign nature of the lesion.
      The current study was done to identify a subset of patients who could be safely
      observed without surgical (histologic) biopsy. These patients fulfilled specified
      criteria on physical examination, mammogram and needle sensation when the FNAB
      needle entered the lesion. Results of the cytologic studies of the FNAB were used
      as a corroborative rather than as a diagnostic test. Of 305 patients with mammary
      abnormalities, 106 were identified with "subsuspicious" lesions. Seven of the
      latter patients underwent surgical biopsy, four because the results of cytologic
      studies of FNAB revealed cytologic atypia. One of the four patients had
      infiltrating ductal carcinoma. All other patients have had follow-up evaluation
      for a mean of 61 months (range of 43 to 74 months). No carcinomas have developed
      at the subsuspicious site. The current study is the first to clearly define a
      subset of patients with palpable abnormalities of the breast who do not require
      surgical biopsy.

PMID- 1411890
TI  - Effect of prostaglandin E on immune function in normal healthy volunteers.
AB  - Prostaglandin E (PGE) has been hypothesized to be the endogenous metabolite that
      results in the immunosuppression seen in patients with tumor and trauma. This has
      resulted in multiple investigators proposing that administration of PGE
      inhibitors, such as aspirin and indomethacin, might improve immune function in
      such patients. We administered a long acting PGE analog, misoprostol, to nine
      normal healthy volunteers for five days and assayed immune function before and
      after therapy. The PGE analog improved lymphocyte blastogenesis and increased
      tumor necrosis factor production. The PGE analog also resulted in the volunteers
      having symptoms similar to those seen in patients with sepsis. The results of
      these studies indicate that elevated levels of PGE do not seem to result in
      impairment of immune function, but may be the endogenous metabolite responsible
      for the symptologic factors seen in infected patients.

PMID- 1411891
TI  - Prospective randomized study to compare a closed vault technique using absorbable
      staples at the time of abdominal hysterectomy versus open vault technique.
AB  - The current prospective randomized study in 102 women having a hysterectomy
      compared closed vault technique using absorbable staples with open vault
      technique. Fifty-six patients had the cuff stapled while 46 patients had the
      vault sutured open. The groups were equivalent with respect to indications for
      operation as well as other surgical procedures performed in conjunction with the
      hysterectomy, although more patients were randomized to open vault. No patient
      left the study. Operating time in the group with staples was 24 minutes (standard
      deviation of seven minutes) compared with 33 minutes (standard deviation of eight
      minutes) with the group with the open vault (p<0.0001). Hemostasis was also
      better in the group with staples (p<0.0001). The frequency of postoperative
      granulation tissue at the apex of the vaginal vault and the incidence of vaginal
      discharge during 12 weeks of follow-up evaluation were also less in the group
      with staples.

PMID- 1411892
TI  - Hemodynamic, hematologic and eicosanoid mediated mechanisms in 7.5 percent sodium
      chloride treatment of uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock.
AB  - Hypertonic saline solution (HTS) (7.5 percent sodium chloride [NaCl]) treatment
      (5 milliliters per kilogram) of rats subjected to uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock
      (n = 7) caused an initial partial recovery of blood pressure (+38 +/- 5 percent,
      p<0.05) and cardiac index (+48 +/- 6 percent, p<0.01) followed by increased
      bleeding (+53 +/- 5 percent versus rats treated with 0.9 percent NaCl, p<0.05),
      secondary shock (mean arterial pressure [MAP] 23 +/- 7 millimeters of mercury,
      p<0.01) and decreased survival (-54 +/- 15 minutes versus control, p<0.05). The
      increased blood loss resulted from: 1, increased vascular pressure and
      vasodilatation (total peripheral resistance index -27 +/- 5 percent, p<0.05), as
      initial bleeding occurred when MAP and cardiac index are increased compared with
      the control group (+88 +/- 10 percent, p<0.05 and +82 +/- 7 percent, p<0.01,
      respectively) and as the concomitant infusion of angiotensin II, a potent
      vasoconstrictor, delayed the HTS-induced bleeding (resumed at 60 minutes), and 2,
      a defect in platelet aggregation reflected by decreased adenosine diphosphate
      (ADP)-induced maximal aggregation (-79 percent versus rats treated with 0.9
      percent NaCl, p<0.05) and increased EC50 of ADP (+159 percent, p<0.05). These
      hemodynamic and hematologic responses might be mediated at least in part by
      prostacyclin, a vasodilator and antiplatelet aggregator, as HTS-treated rats
      markedly elevated the 6-keto-PGF1 alpha per thromboxane B2 ratio (+140 +/- 12
      percent, p<0.01) and pretreatment with indomethacin decreased blood loss and
      improved MAP and survival. These data point out potential untoward hemodynamic
      and hematologic consequences of HTS treatment in traumatic injury in which
      control of bleeding cannot be confirmed.

PMID- 1411893
TI  - Serum amylase levels in gynecologic patients with acute abdominal pain.
AB  - Total amylase and salivary (S) type isoamylase were measured in serum from 80
      women with acute abdominal pain admitted to the Department of Gynecology. Fifty
      seven patients had verified gynecologic diseases, including 21 patients with
      inflammation of the internal genitals and 11 with ectopic pregnancy. Twelve
      patients had an intrauterine pregnancy in the first trimester. None of the 80
      patients showed hyperamylasemia.

PMID- 1411894
TI  - A single technique for polypropylene mesh hernioplasty of inguinal and femoral
      hernias.
AB  - The main factor in the repair of groin hernias is the reinforcement of posterior
      wall defects of the inguinal canal, including the femoral ring, because the
      normal insertion of the transversalis fascia and transversus abdominis muscle is
      on Cooper's ligament and not Poupart's ligament. In approximately one-half of
      primary femoral hernia repairs in men, a coincidental ipsilateral inguinal hernia
      existed. Recurrence after inguinal herniorrhaphy is usually femoral. Forty-three
      patients with direct, large indirect or femoral hernias (primary or recurrent)
      had a Marlex mesh hernioplasty to treat the inguinal and femoral region
      simultaneously.

PMID- 1411895
TI  - Long term central vascular access through the gonadal vein.
AB  - A technique for long term central venous access through the gonadal vein is
      described. It has been used five times in four patients with consistently
      satisfactory results.

PMID- 1411896
TI  - From Hunter and the Great Pox to Jenner and smallpox.

PMID- 1411897
TI  - The wandering spleen.
AB  - Wandering spleen is an unusual entity, occurring in both sexes and at any age,
      but is more frequent in women of reproductive age and in children. Wandering
      spleen is probably most often a result of congenital anomalies of development of
      the dorsal mesogastrium, but acquired factors may have a role in certain
      instances. Patients present most commonly with an asymptomatic mass, mass and
      subacute abdominal or gastrointestinal complaints or with acute abdominal
      findings. Clinical diagnosis can be difficult, but noninvasive imaging
      procedures, such as sonography, nuclear scintigraphy, computed tomography and
      magnetic resonance imaging are usually diagnostic. Laboratory tests are usually
      nonspecific, but may occasionally reveal evidence of hypersplenism or functional
      splenia. Symptoms may remain limited or absent for long periods of time, but
      complications related to torsion or compression of abdominal organs by the spleen
      or the pedicle are quite common. Splenomegaly is usually a result of torsion of
      the pedicle and splenic sequestration. Significant morbidity and mortality rates
      seem to be considerably less than described in 1933 and limited primarily to
      patients presenting initially with acute abdominal findings. Management
      recommendations have varied, but recognition of a significant risk of
      postsplenectomy sepsis supports a conservative approach. Patients with limited
      symptomatology may be medically managed until they exhibit worsening symptoms
      indicating progressive splenic torsion or gastrointestinal compression. Detorsion
      and splenopexy may be considered a reasonable surgical option even in patients
      presenting with acute abdomen, if there is no evidence of infarction, thrombosis
      or hypersplenism. Splenic preservation is especially recommended in extremely
      young patients who are at particular risk for postsplenectomy sepsis. However, it
      should be noted that follow-up evaluation data on splenopexy patients are notably
      lacking. Splenectomy is ideally reserved for patients presenting with acute
      abdomen and splenic infarction or thrombosis or with hypersplenism and patients
      in whom splenopexy is technically unfeasible. Subtotal splenectomy and splenic
      autotransplantation may be of limited value. Pneumococcal, Hemophilus and
      meningococcal vaccines are indicated before elective splenectomy and shortly
      after nonelective splenectomy. Antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended for those at
      particular risk. Prospective studies are unlikely, but extended follow-up
      information on patients already reported, particularly those managed expectantly
      or with conservative surgical measures, is needed.

PMID- 1411898
TI  - The immunologic properties of epidermal Langerhans cells as a part of the
      dendritic cell system.
AB  - Dendritic cells form a system of antigen-presenting cells that is widely
      distributed in the body. They constitute trace populations in lymphoid and non
      lymphoid tissues and in the circulation. They are characterized by their typical
      dendritic and "veiled" morphology, by their constitutive expression of high
      levels of major histocompatibility complex class II molecules on their surface,
      and by their outstanding capacity to initiate primary immune responses. Dendritic
      cells occur in two states of differentiation. In the immature state they are
      highly specialized for processing foreign protein antigens; in the mature state
      they efficiently stimulate resting antigen-specific T cells. Dendritic cells can
      migrate from the non-lymphoid tissues, where they reside in the immature state,
      via the afferent lymphatics or the blood to the T cell-dependent areas of the
      lymphoid organs (lymph nodes, spleen). There, they appear as mature dendritic
      cells. Therefore, dendritic cells are ideally suited to mediate important aspects
      of immunogenicity: they can acquire antigens in the tissues and process them in
      an immunogenic form; they can carry the immunogen to the lymphoid organs; and
      they can find and efficiently activate antigen-specific T cell clones and thus
      generate an immune response. Studies of epidermal Langerhans cells have greatly
      helped in establishing this concept. They can be investigated freshly isolated
      from the epidermis where they represent immature (tissue) dendritic cells. After
      2-3 days in culture they develop into mature dendritic cells. The mechanisms of
      dendritic cell maturation, which can be studied best using epidermal Langerhans
      cells, and the specific functions of Langerhans cells in immunogenicity are
      discussed.

PMID- 1411899
TI  - Induction of T helper cell subsets.

PMID- 1411900
TI  - T cells in allergic responses to haptens and proteins.

PMID- 1411901
TI  - Keratinocyte-derived tumor necrosis factor and the physiopathology of the skin.

PMID- 1411902
TI  - Leukocyte-endothelium interactions in cutaneous inflammatory processes.

PMID- 1411903
TI  - Induction and control of lichenoid tissue reactions.

PMID- 1411904
TI  - Cutaneous lymphoproliferative disorders: strategies for molecular biological
      analysis and their major findings.
AB  - This article focuses on the principal molecular biological methods that have been
      devised to study cutaneous lymphoid infiltrates. These methods involve analysis
      of antigen receptor gene rearrangements, chromosomal translocations and proviral
      integration using Southern blot analysis and gene amplification techniques. The
      major findings are discussed that pertain to early diagnosis, staging, disease
      monitoring, the development of new immunopathological assays and the detection of
      tumor-associated retroviruses.

PMID- 1411905
TI  - Recent advances on the 180-kDa epidermal antigen in autoimmune subepidermal
      bullous skin diseases.
AB  - The blistering skin disease bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an example of how
      autoantibodies from patients can be used as tools to improve our knowledge of the
      molecular structure of normal skin. BP autoantibodies bind to the basement
      membrane zone of normal human skin and usually react with two main epidermal
      antigens of approximately 230-kDa and 180-kDa. From recent studies, it is now
      established that the 180-kDa polypeptide is distinct from the 230-kDa BP antigen
      and is a major component of hemidesmosome. In this article, the recent data
      regarding the localization and structure of the epidermal 180-kDa BP antigen are
      reviewed in detail, together with its clinical significance, since it appears to
      be also a target antigen for pemphigoid (herpes) gestationis and, perhaps,
      cicatricial pemphigoid autoantibodies.

PMID- 1411906
TI  - T cell and cytokine patterns in leprosy skin lesions.

PMID- 1411907
TI  - Immunopathology of atopic dermatitis.

PMID- 1411909
TI  - International longevity comparisons.
AB  - Japan leads the world in life expectancy with an average future lifetime of 78.9
      years. Iceland is next, followed by Sweden and Switzerland. The United States
      ranks 11th at 75.4 years. In the past decade, United States' men generally
      narrowed the expectation of life gap among other industrialized nations, but for
      the country's women the experience was uneven. These international longevity
      disparities for men and women in the United States narrowed considerably at later
      years of age. For instance, the United States-Japan expectancy gap is currently
      2.0 years at age 45 and declines to about 0.9 years at age 65.

PMID- 1411910
TI  - Coronary artery bypass grafts: 1990 charges update.
AB  - During 1990, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operation charges among MetLife
      group health policyholders and dependents averaged $43,370. Among the 16 states
      with at least 50 CABGs, the total charges ranged from a high of $59,870 in
      California, to a low of $32,500 in Wisconsin. Three-fourths of the total was due
      to the hospital bill, with wide variation by state. The New York hospital
      proportion of total charges was the lowest (64 percent), whereas hospital charges
      in Alabama averaged 80 percent of the bill for a CABG. Physician charges averaged
      $11,220 across the country, ranging from $15,170 in California to $8,280 in
      Tennessee. Hospital stay averaged 11.6 days; patients in California and Alabama
      remained hospitalized for 10.2 and 10.3 days, respectively, whereas those in New
      Jersey had hospital stays of 16.1 days.

PMID- 1411908
TI  - Immunological mechanisms involved in psoriasis.

PMID- 1411911
TI  - U.S. longevity at a standstill.
AB  - Life expectancy in the United States did not increase during 1991, remaining at
      the 1990 level of 75.4 years. For boys, it was 72.0 years and for girls, 78.8
      years. On the other hand, the infant mortality rate continued downward when a new
      benchmark was achieved--an all-time low, 8.9 per 1,000 live births. Also
      encouraging was a marked improvement in longevity among black Americans that
      significantly narrowed the white-nonwhite differential.

PMID- 1411912
TI  - Anti-arthritic medication usage: United States, 1991.
AB  - In 1991, about 70.3 million prescriptions for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
      drugs (NSAIDs) were filled across the United States to treat arthritis and
      related musculoskeletal problems. The retail costs exceeded $2.2 billion in 1991
      and were 6 percent higher than the costs in 1990 despite a 2.2 percent decrease
      in volume of prescriptions written. Per capita consumption averaged 278.6
      prescriptions per 1,000 population with substantial variation by state. Kentucky
      led with 380.9 per 1,000 population and the District of Columbia had the lowest
      rate, 177.0. Ibuprofens were the most frequently prescribed class of NSAIDs, with
      Motrin capturing 20 percent of this generic class. Naproxen (Naprosyn) was the
      second most frequently prescribed class accounting for 19 percent of the NSAIDs.

PMID- 1411913
TI  - A better definition of "accident mortality".

PMID- 1411914
TI  - [Athletic capacity after surgical management of acromioclavicular joint
      separation].
AB  - Acromioclavicular separation is a common injury in sports. This study was done to
      show the activity and problems of athletes after operative treatment of this kind
      of injury. Between 1986 and 1989 21 athletes with acromioclavicular separation
      had been treated by operation. The coracoclavicular ligaments had been sutured
      and augmented by a PDS cord. The acromioclavicular ligaments had also been
      reattached and the ac-joint had been transfixed with a Kirschner-wire. The
      results show 18 athletes doing their sports on the same level as preoperatively.
      Two athletes with a frequency of sporting activity once a week could not continue
      their sporting activity. One athlete changed the disciplines to less shoulder
      stressing kind of sport. The comparison of clinical and radiological results
      showed no correlation, even patients with an osteoarthrosis of the ac-joint and
      coracoclavicular ossifications had best clinical results. We recommend therefore
      operative treatment for acromioclavicular separation in athletes.

PMID- 1411915
TI  - [Nuclear magnetic resonance tomography diagnosis of changes in the glenoid
      process in patients with unstable shoulder joints].
AB  - In 4 fresh specimens and in 14 healthy volunteers we studied normal anatomy of
      the glenoid labrum by MRI. In a total of 124 patients we examined the shoulder
      joints by MRI. 69 patients had any kind of subacromial pathology. 55 patients
      showed a glenohumeral instability. All MRI findings were compared with the
      surgical findings during arthroscopy and during open surgery. 44 patients showed
      a recurrent anterior instability, 7 patients showed a multidirectional
      instability, 2 patients showed a posterior instability, and 2 patients presented
      acute anterior dislocation. We found significant variability in the labral shape
      as well as significant variability of anterior capsular attachment. The
      pathologic changes of the glenoid labrum were classified in four different types.
      In 78% we found a concomitant Hill-Sachs lesion of various diameter. 5 patients
      suffered from an additional complete rotator cuff tear. Compared to the
      intraoperative findings MRI had a sensitivity of 95%, a specificity of 94%, an
      accuracy of 94%, a positive predictive value of 91%, and a negative predictive
      value of 96% in detecting labral pathology. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Presenting a high
      diagnostic value for detecting Bankart lesions, MRI may replace other diagnostic
      modalities like CT-arthrography.

PMID- 1411916
TI  - [Monteggia injuries in athletes. Causes, classification, results].
AB  - Monteggia-fractures are serious combination injuries to the forearm. Sport
      injuries are being increasingly observed; the reason for this, besides the
      general expansion of mass sports, is the increasing burden of high-performance
      sports. Monteggia fractures can occur during a fall on an outstretched arm, for
      example in motor or bicycle sport injuries, but also when falling from gymnastic
      equipment. Generally, it is easy to diagnose the monteggia injury. Considerable
      secondary damage could occur from the frequent failure to notice the involved
      radiohumeral joint. It should be demanded that in case of an uluar fracture the
      adjoining joints should be x-rayed on two planes in order not to overlook the
      possibility of a chisel fracture. The different forms of this combination injury,
      its classification and the results of our own medical bulletins are presented.

PMID- 1411917
TI  - [Isolated injuries of the pulley of the finger flexor tendon sheath--injuries in
      extreme climbing sports].
AB  - Injuries of pulleys are quite common in mountain climbing. The clinically
      diagnosed rupture of a pulley can now be verified by MRI. Partial ruptures, which
      in MRI always showed as scars, can frequently lead to intrinsic bow-stringing.
      The injuries were primarily treated non-surgically. With regard to chronic,
      recurring cases or large ruptures, however, annular ligament plastics have to be
      considered. As a prophylaxis we recommend special training exercises for climbers
      on wide ledges with changing exertion patterns and a tape-bandage for the
      fingers. During climbing, the PIP-joint should best not be strained in an obtuse
      angle. Warming-up and stretching exercises before climbing are absolutely
      necessary.

PMID- 1411918
TI  - [Ultrasound image of the Lachman test in lesions of the anterior cruciate
      ligament].
AB  - The sonographic examination of the knee-joint can, in many pathological
      alterations of the knee-joint, supply additional informations. In the
      standardized ultrasound examination of the knee-joint ventral and dorsal
      sectional planes will be adjusted (4, 7, 14, 17). For the examination of the
      lesions of the anterior cruciate ligament direct adjustment techniques in the
      aere of origin of the anterior cruciate ligament (15, 16) and indirect
      examination methods are known (7, 8, 9, 20). While Hien chose a direct medial
      parapatellaric horizontal sagittal sectional plane in the course of the lig.
      patellae (8), we carry out our examination in a ventral infrapatellaric sagittal
      plane. The examinations were conducted with an ultrasound unit of the type
      Siemens Sonoline SL 2 with a linear transducer with a frequency of 5 MHz without
      a stand off pad. In the course of a prospective clinical examination an
      anteromedial test of stability of both knee-joints was conducted on 360 patients
      with the help of a sonographic Lachman-test. Two examination groups were formed:
      in group 1 60 patients with a arthroscopically secured lesion of the anterior
      cruciate ligament were registered and set against 300 probationers with "empty"
      anamnesis of the knee-joint of group 2. In the group of patients with a cruciate
      ligament injury a tibia translation of 5.3 mm in the Lachman-test was found; the
      side difference between the leg injured and the one uninjured amounted to 3.0 mm.
      In the control group the tibia translation amounted to 2.9 mm with a side
      difference of 0.9 mm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1411919
TI  - [Tarsal tunnel syndrome in athletes].
AB  - Pain in the hindfoot due to overuse has many causes. One uncommon cause is the
      entrapment of the posterior tibial nerve: the tarsal tunnel syndrome. Pain when
      palpating posterior the medial malleolus and pain in the abductor hallucis muscle
      are typical symptoms. Application of a local anaesthetic leads to immediate pain
      relief. The distal motoric latency is prolonged, but not in all cases. First of
      all, treatment consists of local and oral antiphlogistics, orthopaedic arch
      support and physiotherapy. In case of therapy-resistant pain over more than three
      months period, surgical decompression of the tibial nerve should be performed. In
      the last three years we treated 18 patients with a tarsal tunnel syndrome: 6 of 8
      patients were symptom-free after surgical intervention, whereas only 3 of 10 were
      symptom-free after conservative treatment.

PMID- 1411920
TI  - [Discussion of indications for surgical treatment of pediatric forearm shaft
      fractures].

PMID- 1411921
TI  - [Traumatology and athletic injuries in basketball].
AB  - This analysis outlines the facts concerning sports injuries and damages of 473
      active basketball players covering a 5-year period in more than 100 clubs in
      southern Germany. The average age was 26.8 years and 34.5% were women. 658
      medically treated basketball injuries were described in detail. With 40.7%
      distortions were the most frequent injuries followed by ruptures of ligaments in
      24.6% and fractures in 9.3%. In the majority of cases the lower extremities were
      involved (65.3%), of which most commonly the ankle joint was injured (45.6%).
      Another 14% were lesions to the fingers and 12.9% trauma to the knee. In 3600
      reported cases players did not consult a physician after inflicting distortions
      to a ankle or a finger. Aside from interaction with adversaries (41%) also the
      relatively heavy ball (650 g) caused 11.9% accidents. Survey shows, that younger
      players and "center"-players were most often subject to injuries. More than 2/3
      of actives in question suffer from permanent pain due to basketball activities.
      43.8%, mainly younger players, report continues pain in the knee and 28.1%,
      predominantly older players, suffer from permanent damage of the ankle joint,
      caused by repeatedly occurring, however light, distortions of the ankle.

PMID- 1411922
TI  - [Radiochemotherapy concepts in advanced carcinomas of the mouth, oro- and
      hypopharynx].
AB  - Among combined radiochemotherapy regimens of advanced head and neck tumors four
      modalities can be discriminated: 1. Induction chemotherapy, 2. simultaneous
      radiochemotherapy, 3. adjuvant chemotherapy, 4. accelerated hyperfractionated
      radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The results of the presently available randomized
      trials are as follows: 1. Induction chemotherapy has no influence on long-term
      recurrence-free survival. 2. With respect to simultaneous radiochemotherapy,
      recurrence-free survival has been unproved with 5-FU and Mitomycin C. 3. There is
      evidence that adjuvant cisplatin therapy improves recurrence-free survival. 4. No
      results are available to date using hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy
      regimens in combination with chemotherapy.

PMID- 1411923
TI  - Unusual combination of Cis platinum and radiotherapy followed by a three
      fractions per day irradiation in splitcourse: a phase I-II study in brain glioma
      patients.
AB  - An unusual protocol based on a preliminary clinical study on cylindromas
      metastasized to the lung was proposed to brain glioma patients: Day 2 100 mg/m2
      i.v. Cis platinum (Cis PII) followed at days 3 and 5 by 6 Gy irradiation (RT) in
      two fractions and three days. Five cycles were scheduled at 21 days interval. On
      disease progression a three fractions per day radiotherapy regimen (3 FRT) in
      split-course (two series of 22.50 Gy in 15 fractions and five days separated by a
      two weeks period of rest) was then delivered to the patients. All patients had a
      measurable mass on the CT scan. 19 were entered into the study: 13 as first line
      therapy (group A) and six for salvage treatment (group B). Tolerance was globally
      good. Eight patients were considered responders at the end of five cycles of Cis
      PII-RT. They were all group A patients. Median symptom-free interval was six
      months for the whole population. Survival was twelve months. The 3 FRT was well
      tolerated but does not seem to have improved the therapeutic gain of the
      chemoradiotherapy combination. The present study concerns patients whose
      prognosis was poor on inclusion: surgery inadvisable or unsatisfactory and
      diagnosis mainly based on biopsy only. The number and the duration of responses
      justify further study into Cis PII as first line therapy as either an effective
      cytotoxic drug or a potential radio enhancer.

PMID- 1411924
TI  - Long-term follow-up in 39 patients with an ependymoma after surgery and
      irradiation.
AB  - 1954 to 1989, 33 patients with intracranial ependymomas had primary treatment in
      our hospital with surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. Five- and ten-year
      survival rates were 48% and 34% in 25 patients with a high-grade ependymoma and
      for low-grade ependymomas was maintained at 78% for both the five- and ten-year
      follow-up period. Cumulative frequency of local or intracranial recurrence was
      70% (high-grade) and 20% (low-grade). Despite the fact, that only three of 25
      patients with high-grade ependymomas had spinal irradiation with 19.5 to 30 Gy,
      there was only a single patient with clinical signs of spinal metastases
      simultaneously with an intracranial recurrence. Twelve out of 13 living patients
      without signs of tumor have been classified according to the neurological
      performance: Performance was good or very good in five patients, satisfying in
      three with an independent life, fair in two patients working in a sheltered
      office and dependent on some assistance and poor in two patients. Published
      results are discussed and compared with the own observations and our current
      treatment policy is given.

PMID- 1411925
TI  - [Transrectal sonographic (TRUS) prostatic volumetry in assessing tumor response
      to radiation].
AB  - The aim of this study was to document the grading-related response of carcinoma
      of the prostate to radiotherapy, especially in views of the fact that the PSA
      values of hormonal therapy are not evaluable if hormonal therapy is done prior to
      radiotherapy or in patients with high likelihood of metastatic spread. Controls
      were done on 55 patients before, during and after primary external radiotherapy
      of carcinoma of the prostate with volumetric analysis of transrectal ultrasound
      (TRUS) of the prostate. There were significant differences between G1 and G2
      tumors on the one hand and G3 tumors on the other hand. The latter had a much
      larger volume to start with and their volume reduced more rapidly after therapy.

PMID- 1411926
TI  - [The value of adjuvant irradiation in lymphatic vessel invasion in patients with
      a cervical carcinoma in histopathological stage Ib and with negative lymph
      nodes].
AB  - The present retrospective study attempts to evaluate the significance of adjuvant
      radiotherapy as a prognostic factor for stage Ib cervical carcinoma without lymph
      node metastases but with lymph-vascular space invasion. 54 patients fulfilled the
      inclusion criteria: histopathological stage Ib, radical hysterectomy with pelvic
      lymphadenectomy, negative pelvic lymph nodes and lymph-vascular space
      involvement. Though larger tumors were found (tumor infiltration of the cervix
      greater than 2/3) in the irradiated group (chi 2-test p = 0.003), there was no
      significant difference in the five-year overall survival (92% five-year survival
      without vs. 90% with adjuvant irradiation). In contrast statistical significant
      difference was found in recurrence-free interval between these groups (Wilcoxon
      test p = 0.02).

PMID- 1411927
TI  - [Pseudotumor orbitae--a chameleon in diagnosis and therapy?].
AB  - Between 1972 and 1988, 25 patients were diagnosed and treated for "pseudotumor
      orbitae" in the Departments of Radiotherapy and Ophthalmology of Munster
      University Clinics. All cases had been initially confirmed by histology. Later in
      seven cases (28%) the histology showed a definitive alteration, and eventually
      turned to malignancy in five patients. Criteria indicating such a shift are seen
      in higher age, subacute onset of the disease, low pain, minor signs of
      inflammation, low echoes in ultrasound diagnostics, and the absence of "Dutcher
      bodies" in histiocytes, if these are evident in histology. These patients at
      increased risk of malignant transformation should be considered for radiotherapy
      at an earlier stage than prescribed by the current routine.

PMID- 1411928
TI  - [Case reports on the importance of the locoregional radiotherapy of Merkel cell
      tumor].
AB  - The Merkel cell tumor is becoming an increasingly diagnosed primary neoplasm of
      the skin. This subepidermal tumor is commonly located on the head and neck or
      extremities of elderly patients. Occasionally misinterpreted as cutaneous
      metastases, they show a high rate of local recurrence (27 to 52%) and distant
      metastatic spread (18 to 52%). The definitive diagnosis can be made with
      immunohistochemistry. Wide surgical excision with postoperative irradiation to
      the local site and regional lymphatics is the therapy of choice. In seven
      patients we describe management strategies and discuss their clinical results.

PMID- 1411929
TI  - [The special aspects in the planning and use of an electron linear accelerator
      facility for intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT)].
AB  - Limiting conditions for the planning of the installation of an electron linear
      accelerator in an operating theatre are described taking into account the
      radiotherapeutical and surgical requirements based on the example of the Essen
      facility for intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) with electrons. Special features
      of the facility like a non-contact electron applicator system with television
      monitoring, table-top trolley, which is used also during irradiation, are
      explained in detail. Measured isodose curves for all tubes and all electron
      energies serve for the radiotherapist as criteria for decision on tube size and
      electron energy selection during surgical operation. The influence of
      misalignments of the tube on dose distributions is investigated. Limit values of
      alignment tolerances are deduced. Daily constancy tests for monitor calibration,
      electron energy, and tube alignment system are to be performed for quality
      assurance. Tables of the planned and realized treatments and of a representative
      time schedule of an IORT give a survey on the indications and the necessary time
      effort and staff. Completion of the set of tubes as well as optimization of the
      tube fixation accessory and of the table-top trolley are main subjects for future
      developments.

PMID- 1411930
TI  - Responsibilities and rights.

PMID- 1411931
TI  - Primary colorectal anastomosis with the intracolonic bypass tube.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intracolonic bypass with primary colocolonic or colorectal
      anastomosis may be an effective option in the operative management of complicated
      colonic disease when adequate bowel preparation is not possible. A pliable latex
      tube is anchored to mucosa and submucosa 3 centimeters proximal to a site of
      colocolonic anastomosis and later spontaneously evacuated by way of the rectum.
      METHODS: Twenty-nine consecutive patents who required urgent colorectal
      operations in the presence of unprepared bowel underwent left colon resection
      with intracolonic bypass and primary anastomosis. These patients would have
      otherwise undergone multistage procedures for the management of the colorectal
      disorders. Demographic data, APACHE II scores, and type and frequency of
      complications were recorded. RESULTS: Between July 1, 1990, and June 30, 1991, 31
      patients were eligible for entry in the study. Two patients ultimately had
      contraindications for the use of intracolonic bypass. The causes encountered
      included complicated diverticular disease, colonic carcinoma, sigmoid volvulus,
      and iatrogenic colorectal injury. Complications included wound infection (7),
      myocardial infarction (2), prolonged ileus (1), deep vein thrombosis (2), and
      anastomotic leak (2). Postoperative myocardial infarction and subsequent
      multiorgan system failure were responsible for the only death in this study.
      CONCLUSIONS: Intracolonic bypass permits a safe primary anastomosis where
      multistage procedures would otherwise be required. Avoidance of colostomy and the
      attendant socioeconomic benefits warrants further study of this method.

PMID- 1411932
TI  - Radioimmunoguided surgery challenges traditional decision making in patients with
      primary colorectal cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Initial experience with the radioimmunoguided surgery system (RIGS)
      has been found to impact on decision making in patients with recurrent colorectal
      cancers. Reported here is experience with RIGS-influenced therapeutic decisions
      in patients with primary colorectal cancer. METHODS: Thirty-six evaluable
      patients with primary cancers were injected with the second-generation anti-tumor
      associated glycoprotein antibody CC49 labeled with 1 to 2 mCi iodine 125.
      Pharmacokinetic determination and precordial counts were obtained after injection
      and weekly until levels were less than 20 counts/2 sec. At surgery abdominal and
      pelvic explorations were performed, first traditionally by inspection and
      palpation and then with the hand-held, gamma-detecting probe. RIGS-positive
      tissue was considered cancerous and removed if possible. RESULTS: Thirty patients
      (83%) had positive antibody localization at surgery. Of those patients with
      localization, in 24 (80%) additional information was obtained at the time of
      surgery. In 11 patients (34%) staging changes were made as a result of RIGS
      exploration. New findings resulted in operative changes in nine patients (25%).
      Eleven (30%) of the original 36 patients became eligible for adjuvant
      chemotherapy based on current recommendations because of RIGS findings.
      CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the RIGS system provides immediate staging
      information that impacts on therapeutic interventions, challenging the adequacy
      of traditional procedures alone for primary colorectal cancer exploration.

PMID- 1411933
TI  - Total parenteral nutrition-induced changes in gut mucosal function: atrophy alone
      is not the issue.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) has been implicated in gut atrophy
      and breakdown of barrier function leading to bacterial translocation (BT) in
      animals. BT during TPN, however, is not found consistently, and it has therefore
      been suggested that macromolecular permeability may occur independently of BT
      during TPN. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered isocaloric
      standard TPN enterally, parenterally, or split equally between the two routes or
      allowed food ad lib. A second group of rats was administered isocaloric TPN with
      and without 4% lipids, and changes in gut barrier function were assessed by
      measuring lactulose permeability. RESULTS: Rats receiving TPN both enterally and
      parenterally maintained histologic intestinal structure to the same degree as
      rats fed enterally and those allowed food. Although parenteral feeding led to
      significant gut atrophy and cecal bacterial overgrowth, BT was not increased. Gut
      permeability to lactulose, however, was increased significantly in the TPN
      groups. Lipid content did not affect outcome. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest
      that gut atrophy, BT, and permeability to macromolecules are not necessarily
      related. Gut-origin septic states during TPN or trauma may be caused by an
      increased escape of macromolecules from the gut, and BT may be an end result
      rather than a primary cause of such septic episodes.

PMID- 1411934
TI  - Comparison of minimally invasive methods of parietal cell vagotomy in a porcine
      model.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Parietal cell vagotomy (PCV) is an accepted therapy for peptic ulcer
      disease. Traditional operative PCV results may be obtained laparoscopically or
      endoscopically. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively evaluate newer
      methods of PCV. METHODS: Variations in PCV, gastroscopic chemoneurolysis and
      laparoscopic photoneurolysis, were evaluated in 20 to 25 kg pigs. Traditional
      operative PCV was performed by laparotomy and served as the operative control.
      With a posterior truncal vagotomy, a PCV was performed laparoscopically by an
      anterior seromyotomy with either operative division of the neurovascular bundles
      with titanium clips or with a defocused CO2 laser. Transesophageal gastroscopic
      PCV was performed by transmucosal injections of the chemoneurolytic agents, 0.75%
      cobaltous chloride or 0.1% benzalkonium chloride. Adequacy of PCV at the time of
      operation was assessed by endoscopic Congo red testing. Two weeks later, repeat
      Congo red testing was performed by open gastrotomy. Quantitation of completeness
      of PCV and statistical comparison was determined by photographing the
      pentagastrin-stimulated gastric mucosa 5 minutes after Congo red application and
      subsequent comparison of innervated area versus total gastric mucosal area by a
      computer-driven digitized area-calculation program. RESULTS: All PCV techniques
      studied produced significant acid-secretory reduction, and both laparoscopic and
      gastroscopic PCV denervated the parietal cells in a manner comparable with
      operative PCV. Laser photoneurolysis could only be accomplished by producing full
      thickness necrosis of the gastric wall. Submucosal injection of cobaltous
      chloride produced granulomatous nodules with foreign body crystals. Unlike
      operative and laparoscopic PCV, transmucosal gastroscopic benzalkonium PCV did
      not produce gross gastroparesis. CONCLUSIONS: All evaluated laparoscopic and
      endoscopic PCV techniques effectively denervated the parietal cells of the
      porcine stomach when evaluated at 2 weeks after treatment. Gastroscopic
      submucosal injection of benzalkonium chloride produced effective denervation with
      no evident histologic tissue changes and suggestive evidence of normal gastric
      emptying. Further evaluation with more extended periods of observation of these
      new techniques of performing PCV appear warranted.

PMID- 1411935
TI  - Natural history of recurrent and residual stenosis after carotid endarterectomy:
      implications for postoperative surveillance and surgical management.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Noninvasive surveillance of patients after carotid endarterectomy is
      practiced routinely to detect recurrent stenoses. Many authors advocate repair of
      asymptomatic severe stenoses so detected. The likelihood of these lesions causing
      neurologic symptoms is unknown. Our aims were to (1) define the incidence of
      lesions, (2) determine the frequency of associated neurologic symptoms, and (3)
      identify patient-dependent factors that might predict restenosis. METHODS: Data
      on the status of 449 carotid arteries after endarterectomy were reviewed. The
      number of recurrent and residual severe (greater than or equal to 80%) stenoses
      was identified. Interval to development of symptoms was determined by life-table
      analysis. Patient-dependent factors (age, gender, smoking, diabetes, and patch
      closure) were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis to identify
      possible associations with severe lesions. RESULTS: Severe (greater than or equal
      to 80%) stenoses were seen in 35 patients (7.9%). Residual lesions were seen in
      17 cases (eight occlusions and nine stenoses); recurrent lesions were identified
      in 18 patients (3.9%). Symptoms developed in five cases (14%) (one residual and
      four recurrent) 35, 48, 68, 98, and 103 months after surgery. The likelihood of
      developing symptoms associated with stenosis at 5 years was 6%. No factors
      correlated with residual stenosis. Age less than 60 years, female gender, primary
      closure, and absence of diabetes were more common in patients with recurrent
      lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Severe lesions can be found after carotid endarterectomy in
      at least 8% of patients and consist of residual defects, as well as recurrent
      stenoses. Recurrent lesions are more common in specific patient subgroups. These
      lesions are stable for long periods and the majority remain asymptomatic.
      Operation is not indicated unless symptoms develop in these patients.
      Intraoperative completion evaluation may be indicated to reduce the incidence of
      residual disease. Early noninvasive evaluation is useful as a quality-control
      measure. Repeated surveillance may provide data on the course of restenosis or
      contralateral disease progression but is of limited clinical benefit.

PMID- 1411936
TI  - A preliminary experience with use of magnetic resonance angiography in assessment
      of failing lower extremity bypass grafts.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study evaluates the ability of magnetic resonance angiography
      (MRA) to detect hemodynamic failure of lower extremity bypass grafts and
      questions whether conventional angiography is necessary for this purpose.
      METHODS: A prospective surveillance protocol with segmental plethysmography and
      color flow Doppler scanning has been used to detect hemodynamic graft failure in
      110 patients with 120 lower extremity bypass grafts (90 vein, 30
      polytetrafluoroethylene). Twenty (17%) bypass grafts fit the criteria for
      impending failure (drop in ankle/brachial index determination greater than or
      equal to 0.15; velocity less than 45 cm/sec; focal velocity two to three times
      mean graft flow). Intraarterial digital subtraction angiography and MRA studies
      were performed on all 20 grafts. RESULTS: Intraarterial digital subtraction
      angiograms showed graft occlusion in two grafts, severe native artery progression
      in three grafts, graft wall defects in six grafts, and anastomotic strictures in
      nine grafts. MRA results showed an exact correlation in 15 (75%) of 20 cases.
      False-positive tests occurred in four cases (20%), and false-negative tests
      occurred in one case (5%). Common reasons for interpretation error were metallic
      clips and field-of-view limitations. These problems are preventable. When MRA
      results were compared with color flow scan data, overall accuracy improved to
      95%. CONCLUSIONS: Our studies suggest that MRA can be useful in graft
      surveillance and that the need for conventional angiography may be reduced in the
      future.

PMID- 1411937
TI  - Internal carotid artery occlusion: operative risks and long-term stroke rates
      after contralateral carotid endarterectomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To determine the short- and long-term benefits of carotid
      endarterectomy (CEA) contralateral to an occluded internal carotid (ICA), we
      reviewed our experience since 1976. METHODS: In 66 (13.8%) of 478 patients
      undergoing 544 CEAs, the contralateral ICA was occluded. Mean follow-up was 50.1
      months (range, 1 to 165 months). Complete follow-up was available in 83.0% of
      patients. RESULTS: Operative death occurred in one (1.5%) of 66 patients with
      contralateral occlusion and six (1.3%) of 478 patients without contralateral
      occlusion (p = 0.99). Operative strokes occurred in two (3.0%) of 66 patients
      with contralateral occlusion and 14 (2.9%) of 478 without contralateral occlusion
      (p = 0.99). Life-table stroke-free rates at 1, 3, 5, and 8 years were 96.8%,
      93.0%, and 93.0% in patients with contralateral occlusion and 95.9%, 94.2%,
      91.1%, and 88.0% in patients without contralateral occlusion (p = 0.36). Five-
      and 8-year stroke-free rates were 100% and 100% in the asymptomatic subgroup with
      occlusion, 95.9% and 92.2% in the asymptomatic subgroup without occlusion (p =
      0.45), 91.2% and 91.2% in the symptomatic subgroup with occlusion, and 89.7% and
      86.8% in the symptomatic subgroup without occlusion (p = 0.47). Life-table
      survival rates at 5 and 8 years were 72.5% and 56.0% in patients with
      contralateral occlusion and 81.8% and 69.0% in patients without contralateral
      occlusion (p = 0.15). CONCLUSIONS: CEA performed in patients with and without
      symptoms with a contralateral ICA occlusion produces short- and long-term
      mortality and stroke morbidity rates comparable to those of similar patients
      without contralateral ICA occlusion. The indications for CEA in patients with
      contralateral ICA occlusion should not differ from those applied to patients
      without contralateral occlusion.

PMID- 1411938
TI  - Management of myasthenia gravis by extended thymectomy with anterior mediastinal
      dissection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Thymectomy has continued to gain acceptance as definitive treatment
      for myasthenia gravis. Because of the nature of thymic embryology with scattered
      rests throughout the anterior mediastinum, we advocate a transsternal thymectomy
      with extended anterior mediastinal dissection. METHODS: A series of 48 patients
      with myasthenia gravis treated by thymectomy between 1979 and 1991 were reviewed.
      RESULTS: The mean length of duration of disease from onset to operation was 48.7
      +/- 11.3 months, and the mean length of follow-up was 51.6 +/- 6.5 months. The
      operation was associated with a 21% morbidity rate (4% major morbidity) with no
      deaths. Forty-five patients (94%) have improved, requiring decreased medication.
      The overall drug-free remission rate was 42%. Of the 20 patients in remission,
      three had thymomas and four had hyperplastic glands. All of the patients who
      achieved drug-free remission were classified as Osserman's I or II. CONCLUSIONS:
      An aggressive surgical approach to myasthenia gravis can result in a high
      percentage of overall improvements and drug-free remissions. The best results are
      achieved in patients with lower-stage disease. Therefore transsternal extended
      thymectomy for myasthenia gravis appears to be the procedure of choice and should
      be advocated as soon as the diagnosis is made and the patient stabilized.

PMID- 1411939
TI  - Long-term follow-up of patients with node-negative breast cancer treated only by
      regional therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study examines the potential impact of intercurrent diseases on
      survival after adjuvant chemotherapy for node-negative (N0) breast cancer in
      light of 30-year follow-up results in 136 patients with N0 disease receiving only
      regional therapy at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center between
      1958 and 1960. METHODS: We made a retrospective review of treatment records.
      RESULTS: Thirty-nine women (28.6%) died of the initial breast cancer, including
      12 (22%) of 54 premenopausal women, 15 (43%) of 35 perimenopausal women, and 12
      (25%) of 47 postmenopausal women (p less than or equal to 0.09). Six (12%) of 49
      patients with T1 disease died of the initial breast cancer versus 27 (38%) of 70
      patients with T2 disease and 6 (35%) of 17 patients with T3 disease (p less than
      or equal to 0.006). Five of 10 women died of metachronous contralateral breast
      primary lesions. Deaths from other cancers occurred in 11%, 2.8%, and 6.4% of
      premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal women, respectively. Deaths
      from nonmalignant conditions occurred in 22%, 20%, and 59% of premenopausal,
      perimenopausal, and postmenopausal women, respectively. Overall survival at 30
      years was 35 (26%) of 136 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Given these statistics, if one
      postulates that adjuvant chemotherapy reduces the death rate from an initial
      breast cancer by 30% to 77% (estimates based on data from adjuvant chemotherapy
      trials in patients with N+ or N0 disease), a 5% to 12.9% increase in the 30-year
      survival would have resulted.

PMID- 1411940
TI  - Liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alcoholism is the leading cause of end-stage liver failure in the
      United States, but the application of liver transplantation to the treatment of
      alcoholic liver disease remains controversial because of medical and ethical
      concerns. Information about the outcome of patients who undergo transplantation
      for alcoholic cirrhosis would help to resolve these concerns. METHODS: The
      results of 41 patients (Group 1) with alcoholic liver disease were compared with
      those of patients who underwent liver transplantation for other medical problems
      (group 2) at this center. Thirty of the 32 survivors from group 1 and 30 matched
      subjects from group 2 were interviewed to assess substance dependence,
      recidivism, and activity level. RESULTS: Compared with control subjects, patients
      with alcoholic liver disease had equivalent patient and graft survival rates and
      achieved an equal level of postoperative health. These results were achieved even
      though patients with alcoholic liver disease had significantly worse liver
      failure and more morbidity before surgery, and one third of the patients in this
      group were not abstinent before transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that
      patients with alcoholic liver disease merit equal consideration for liver
      transplantation compared with other causes of liver failure. Treatment of the
      addictive disorder should be included before and after surgery.

PMID- 1411941
TI  - Preoperative risk factor assessment in liver transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing success of liver transplantation, there is
      lack of objective data defining appropriate candidate suitability. This study was
      undertaken to determine preoperative risk factors that independently or in
      combination affected outcome after orthotopic liver transplantation. METHODS: We
      reviewed data on 229 consecutive adult liver transplant recipients. Thirty-one
      preoperative risk factors recorded at the time of listing and immediately before
      transplantation were analyzed. Outcome variables included hospital mortality
      rates, bacterial or fungal sepsis, and the need for renal support. RESULTS: The
      overall hospital mortality rate was 15.7%. Patients who were in the intensive
      care unit immediately before transplantation had the highest hospital mortality
      rate (32.6%; p = 0.006), incidence of bacterial sepsis (51%; p = 0.001), fungal
      infection rate (27.6%; p = 0.001), and need for renal support (38.7%; p = 0.001).
      Preoperative renal dysfunction was significantly associated with sepsis and was
      reflected in higher hospital mortality rates (29.5%; p = 0.011). Child-Pugh class
      C was associated with higher mortality rates (23.9%; p = 0.017), an increased
      incidence of bacterial (37.2%; p = 0.020) and fungal infection (20.3%; p =
      0.049), and a 30.4% requirement for postoperative renal support (p = 0.004).
      CONCLUSIONS: These results emphasize the need for earlier referral and
      transplantation in patients with advanced liver disease. Further studies are
      needed to refine identified risk profiles and devise strategies to decrease
      morbidity and mortality rates.

PMID- 1411942
TI  - The role of intrahepatic cholangiojejunostomy in liver transplant recipients
      after extensive destruction of the extrahepatic biliary system.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Extensive destruction of the extrahepatic biliary system after liver
      transplantation can be a catastrophic event. We present our experience with the
      use of intrahepatic cholangiojejunostomy (IHCJ) in this setting. METHODS: From
      July 1985 through December 1991, 668 liver transplantations were performed in 583
      patients. Seven patients required IHCJ. This technique involves creating an
      anastomosis between the jejunal mucosal and hepatic parenchyma/capsule with the
      use of a Roux-en-Y limb of bowel. There were four adults and three children. The
      clinical presentation included bile leak (n = 4), subhepatic abscess (n = 2), and
      intrahepatic abscess (n = 1). The probable cause of these events included hepatic
      arterial thrombosis (n = 4), occult bile leak (n = 2), and fungal cholangitis (n
      = 1). RESULTS: After IHCJ, six of the seven patients are currently alive, with a
      mean follow-up of 28 months. The current liver function test results include a
      mean bilirubin of 0.7 mg/dl (range, 0.4 to 1.9 mg/dl), serum glutamic pyruvic
      transaminase of 69 units/L (range, 32 to 118 units/L), and gamma
      glutamyltranspeptidase of 118 IU/L (range, 111 to 265 IU/L). CONCLUSIONS: These
      results suggest that IHCJ is a safe and effective alternative to
      retransplantation in liver recipients with extensive destruction of the
      extrahepatic biliary system.

PMID- 1411943
TI  - Cause and management of upper gastrointestinal bleeding after distal splenorenal
      shunt.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to determine the causes of recurrent
      upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (UGH) after distal splenorenal shunting (DSRS)
      and to summarize our experience in the prevention and management of this
      complication. METHODS: This study is based on a retrospective review of 145
      consecutive patients undergoing DSRS from 1978 through 1991. RESULTS: Recurrent
      UGH developed in 19 patients (13%), most frequently secondary to residual portal
      hypertension (84%). Eight patients had shunt thrombosis and 11 had patent shunts.
      The incidence of shunt thrombosis was significantly greater in patients whose
      splenic vein was less than or equal to 8 mm in diameter (44%) than those whose
      splenic vein was greater than 8 mm (7%, p less than 0.001). The frequency of
      shunt failure from 1985 through 1991 was significantly lower (2%) than from 1978
      through 1984 (10%, p less than 0.05). Five patients, all with occluded shunts,
      underwent surgical treatment for recurrent UGH and three died (60%). Fourteen
      patients were managed nonoperatively, with a mortality rate of 38%. CONCLUSIONS:
      Recurrent UGH after DSRS occurs in patients with patent shunts and in those with
      occluded shunts; DSRS thrombosis is more frequent when the splenic vein diameter
      is less than or equal to 8 mm; DSRS thrombosis decreases with operative
      experience; and the mortality rate for this complication is high with both
      operative and nonoperative management.

PMID- 1411945
TI  - Necessity and safety of completion thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid
      carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma during the course of lobectomy for
      a dominant nodule occasionally cannot be rendered on the basis of frozen section.
      Once the diagnosis of carcinoma is made, the question of completion thyroidectomy
      arises. The decision to perform completion thyroidectomy and the timing, safety,
      and efficacy of this procedure are reviewed. METHODS: During the past 25 years
      (1965 to 1990), we operated on 351 consecutive patients with thyroid carcinoma.
      One hundred of these patients (84 women and 16 men) were initially treated by
      unilateral thyroid lobectomy for the previously stated reasons. Histopathologic
      examination of the permanent sections of the initial thyroid lobectomy specimen
      demonstrated papillary carcinoma in 70 patients and follicular carcinoma in 30
      patients. Within a few months, a completion thyroidectomy was performed. RESULTS:
      The completion thyroidectomy specimen contained papillary carcinoma in 33 (47%)
      of the 70 patients with papillary carcinoma and 10 (33%) of the 30 patients with
      follicular carcinoma. Overall, 43 of these 100 patients harbored thyroid
      carcinoma in the contralateral lobe. Complications of completion thyroidectomy
      were transient recurrent nerve paresis in two patients and temporary
      hypoparathyroidism in three patients, requiring calcium and vitamin D therapy for
      a few months. CONCLUSIONS: Although the significance and treatment of papillary
      carcinoma are debated on the basis of size and grade of the primary lesion and
      age and sex of the patients, once the diagnosis is made in one lobe we believe
      that a completion thyroidectomy should be considered, not only for papillary
      carcinomas but also for follicular carcinomas because 47% (papillary) to 33%
      (follicular) of these patients will harbor the neoplasm in the contralateral
      lobe.

PMID- 1411944
TI  - Familial nonmultiple endocrine neoplasia medullary thyroid carcinoma: an evolving
      clinical entity.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A rare kindred of familial nonmultiple endocrine neoplasia medullary
      thyroid carcinoma arising from a 73-year-old proband case is reported to further
      define this distinct entity. METHODS: Twenty-four family members across four
      generations, four with medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and two with C-cell
      hyperplasia (CCH), were studied. RESULTS: Basal calcitonin levels were elevated
      in three patients with MTC and were normal in one patient with microscopic MTC
      and two patients with CCH who had persistent subtle elevation in calcium and/or
      pentagastrin-stimulated calcitonin levels. One patient had unilateral MTC without
      CCH. Associated abnormalities included papillary carcinoma (2), thyroiditis (4),
      adenoma (2), and colloid nodule (1). Minimum treatment was total thyroidectomy.
      Two patients with MTC and marked hypercalcitonemia have recurrent disease at 2.5
      year and 11-year follow-up. Two patients with MTC and normal or minor elevations
      in basal calcitonin and two with CCH had normal provocative calcitonin testing at
      6 to 18 months follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Unilateral MTC without CCH and MTC in the
      elderly do not preclude a familial cause. Microscopic MTC or CCH may be seen with
      subtle elevations in stimulated calcitonin levels, and recognition allows for
      curative thyroidectomy. Other apparent dominant thyroid pathologic conditions may
      occur concomitantly with familial medullary thyroid carcinoma and thus routine
      calcitonin, and immunohistochemical testing should be performed in patients with
      an appropriate family history.

PMID- 1411946
TI  - Choledochal duct cyst: resection with physiologic reconstruction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The accepted surgical treatment of choledochal duct cyst is complete
      excision and enteric drainage through an intestinal conduit. Peptic ulceration
      and fat malabsorption have been reported after Roux-en-Y reconstruction. Such
      long-term complications may be avoided by a technique that simulates normal
      physiology. METHODS: Twenty-one patients have undergone resection of a
      choledochal duct cyst in the past 12 1/2 years. The pathologic duct is resected
      to the level of normal mucosa. A short segment of jejunum with a intussusception
      valve (1.5 to 2 cm) is interposed between the common hepatic duct and the
      duodenum. The medical records and all radiographs of each patient were reviewed.
      Eighteen children were reexamined or the parents were contacted by phone.
      RESULTS: Twenty of 21 patients recovered without major perioperative
      complications. Twelve of them are well and have no symptoms at 3 to 12+ years
      (mean, 6 years) after operation. Four children are currently well 6 to 19 months
      after operation. Three children were well when lost to follow-up. Two patients
      have radiographic evidence of incompetence of the interposition valve. One of
      these, who initially underwent operation at 9 months of age, was reexplored at 10
      months and at 10 years for a stricture at the hepaticojejunal anastomosis. The
      other, a 7-year-old girl who was admitted with jaundice and pancreatitis, has had
      episodic abdominal pain for 7 years after operation but is well. CONCLUSIONS: The
      valved jejunal interposition hepaticoduodenostomy offers superior biliary
      reconstruction after excision of a choledochal duct cyst. Normal physiology is
      simulated, with bile draining directly into the duodenum. A short conduit
      prevents stasis, and biliary reflux is minimized with the addition of an
      intussusception valve.

PMID- 1411947
TI  - Conservative management of large ovarian cysts in children: the value of serial
      pelvic ultrasonography.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The management of large ovarian cysts in children is controversial
      and complicated by a poorly understood natural history. The purpose of this study
      was to determine the course of sonographically detected large ovarian cysts in a
      pediatric population. METHODS: All pelvic ultrasonograms in which an ovarian cyst
      was detected during a 6-year period were reviewed. Large cysts were defined as
      those of more than 5 cm in any dimension or a volume of more than 13 cc. Clinical
      data and follow-up was derived from either the hospital chart or by telephone
      interview. RESULTS: Large ovarian cysts were detected in 92 of 191 patients
      (48.2%). The average age was 14.9 years (range, 3 to 22 years). Eight patients
      were premenarchal. In 23 patients, surgery was performed, with findings of
      neoplasm in 10. In patients managed without surgery and with follow-up, 46 of 51
      cysts (90%) decreased in size or completely resolved. Both complex and simple
      cysts resolved. CONCLUSIONS: Most large ovarian cysts in children (simple or
      complex) may be safely followed with serial pelvic ultrasonography, because most
      cysts will either decrease in size or resolve. Neither the character of the cyst
      nor the size reliably predicted clinical outcome. The decision for surgical
      intervention should not be based solely on ultrasonographic characteristics, but
      other factors such as severe symptoms, complications associated with the large
      mass, other evidence suggestive of neoplasm, ovarian source in doubt, or whether
      the cyst fails to resolve or decrease in size on follow-up ultrasonography.

PMID- 1411949
TI  - Occult gastrointestinal malignancies producing metastatic Clostridium septicum
      infections in diabetic patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clostridial soft-tissue infections usually occur from traumatic
      injury but may be related to unrecognized gastrointestinal malignancy.
      Overwhelming sepsis with Clostridium septicum developed in five diabetic patients
      within 24 hours of onset of disease, and their course is reviewed. METHODS: The
      personal experience of the author in four cases is reviewed. RESULTS: Patients
      were seen within 12 to 24 hours of the onset of the disease with painful, rapidly
      spreading, gas-producing infection of the lower extremity (three patients), upper
      extremity (one patient), or pelvis (one patient), with severe sepsis in four of
      five patients. Three of the five patients had pertinent past histories that
      should have led to the prevention of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: Urgent laparotomy
      should be performed in otherwise healthy diabetic patients who had rapidly
      progressive, necrotizing, gas-producing infections with no obvious source.
      Metastatic spread can recur if the focus is not eradicated. All diabetic patients
      with guaiac-positive stools should have a gastrointestinal evaluation, including
      colonoscopy if barium enema is normal.

PMID- 1411948
TI  - Pentoxifylline preserves small-intestine microvascular blood flow during
      bacteremia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intestinal mucosal ischemia with subsequent mucosal dysfunction has
      been implicated in the pathogenesis of ongoing sepsis and multiple systems organ
      failure. We have previously reported vasoconstriction and hypoperfusion in the
      intestinal microcirculation during sepsis. Efforts to improve microcirculatory
      blood flow during sepsis may lead to more effective treatment or prevention of
      multiple systems organ failure. Pentoxifylline improves survival and visceral
      organ perfusion in experimental sepsis and hemorrhage. The purpose of this study
      was to determine whether pentoxifylline would improve microvascular blood flow in
      the small intestine during bacteremia. METHODS: In vivo videomicroscopy was used
      to quantitate alterations of the small-intestine microcirculation during
      Escherichia coli bacteremia in rats pretreated with either intravenous
      pentoxifylline or saline solution. Systemic hemodynamic and microvascular
      variables were measured every 15 minutes for 2 hours. RESULTS: Tachycardia and
      increased cardiac output developed in bacteremic rats while they remained
      normotensive. Intestinal vasoconstriction and hypoperfusion occurred in
      bacteremic rats treated with saline solution. Microvessel diameters and blood
      flow remained within 5% to 10% of baseline in bacteremic rats pretreated with
      pentoxifylline. Pentoxifylline in nonbacteremic rats resulted in intestinal
      vasodilation and increased blood flow. CONCLUSIONS: Pentoxifylline prevented
      small-intestine vasoconstriction and preserved microvascular blood flow during
      hyperdynamic sepsis. Pentoxifylline in nonbacteremic rats increased microvascular
      blood flow.

PMID- 1411950
TI  - Hemorrhagic shock inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced myelopoiesis in both germ
      free and conventional rats.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bacterial translocation has been implicated in the alteration of the
      immune response after shock and trauma. This study examined the effect of
      bacterial translocation on myelopoiesis after hemorrhagic shock in germ-free and
      conventional rats. METHODS: Awake, unrestrained germ-free and conventional rats
      were bled to a mean arterial pressure of 30 mm Hg until the animal required
      infusion of 10% of the shed blood. Rats were resuscitated with shed blood and
      crystalloid. Sham rats were catheterized but not bled. Twenty-four hours after
      shock or sham, rats were administered lipopolysaccharide 100 micrograms or saline
      intraperitoneally. Twenty-four hours later, bone marrow cells were cultured for
      growth of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CFU-GM). RESULTS:
      Lipopolysaccharide increased the number of CFU-GM/femur in sham germ-free rats
      (801 +/- 129 versus 455 +/- 110; p less than 0.05) and conventional rats (1458 +/
      200 versus 492 +/- 59; p less than 0.05) compared with saline-treated rats. In
      contrast, hemorrhagic shock inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced CFU-GM growth in
      both germ-free and conventional rats. Shock, itself, was a stimulus for CFU-GM
      growth in germ-free but not conventional rats. Bone marrow white blood cell
      counts were unaffected by shock, lipopolysaccharide administration, or the germ
      free state. CONCLUSIONS: Hemorrhagic shock inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced
      CFU-GM proliferation independent of the germ-bearing status of the rat, and
      bacterial translocation exerted no influence on myelopoietic dysfunction after
      hemorrhagic shock.

PMID- 1411951
TI  - Splenic abscess associated with endocarditis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Refractory or recurrent sepsis in patients with endocarditis may be
      from splenic abscess. The purpose of this review is to assess this relationship.
      METHODS: Of 564 patients treated for documented endocarditis between 1970 and
      1990, splenic abscesses developed in 27 patients. The mean age of the 18 men and
      nine women was 37 years. Etiologic factors included street drugs, dental abscess,
      and rheumatic fever. Symptoms included fever, myalgia, chills, and dyspnea; the
      prodrome averaged 2 weeks. Typical signs were heart murmur, left lower-lobe
      infiltrate, and leukocytosis. Splenomegaly was found in three patients. All
      patients had valve lesions, which involved the aortic valve alone in 10 patients,
      the mitral valve alone in eight patients, and multiple valves in nine patients.
      RESULTS: A splenic defect on computed axial tomographic scan was diagnosed
      correctly as an abscess in 10 patients, was indeterminant in three patients, and
      was incorrectly called an infarct in four patients. Thirteen patients died. All
      10 patients treated without splenectomy died, including five patients who
      underwent valvular replacement. In contrast, only three of 17 patients treated by
      splenectomy with (11 patients) or without (six patients) valvular surgery died.
      CONCLUSIONS: Splenic abscess often accompanies endocarditis. The diagnosis is
      suspected by refractory fever and confirmed by abdominal computed axial
      tomography scan. Splenectomy is warranted before or after valvular surgery,
      depending on the patient's clinical response to antibiotics.

PMID- 1411952
TI  - Duration of antibiotic therapy for penetrating abdominal trauma: a prospective
      trial.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The optimal duration of antibiotic use in penetrating abdominal
      trauma is incompletely defined. It is generally accepted that short-term
      antibiotics are appropriate for low-risk wounds. However, with colon injury and
      significant degree of injury, abdominal trauma index (ATI) more than 25, concern
      exists that short-term treatment is not adequate. METHODS: The study was a
      prospective double-blind trial of 24-hour treatment (cefoxitin or cefotetan)
      compared with 5-day treatment in 515 patients. Major abdominal infections (MAI)
      included abscess, necrotizing fasciitis, and diffuse peritonitis. RESULTS: MAI
      occurred in 8% of those patients with 1-day therapy and 10% with 5-day therapy.
      Subgroup analysis of high-risk groups (colon wounds and ATI of more than 25)
      showed the following MAI rates: colon, 1-day therapy, 14%; 5-day therapy, 15%;
      ATI of more than 25, 1-day therapy, 17%; 5-day therapy, 30%. CONCLUSIONS:
      Regardless of contamination and degree of injury, 24-hour antibiotic therapy is
      satisfactory for all penetrating abdominal trauma.

PMID- 1411953
TI  - Clinical value of endoscopy and histology in the diagnosis of duodenogastric
      reflux disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The endoscopic observation of a bile lake in the stomach, antral
      gastritis, or ulcerations and the histologic finding of foveolar hyperplasia or
      chronic gastritis have been implicated as indicators of excessive duodenogastric
      reflux. The accuracy of these criteria was evaluated in 135 patients with
      nonspecific symptoms in the foregut suggestive of duodenogastric reflux and no
      evidence for alcohol- or drug-induced gastric mucosal injury. METHODS: The
      presence of excessive duodenogastric reflux was objectively determined by means
      of both gastric pH monitoring and cholescintigraphy with cholecystokinin
      stimulation. RESULTS: Endoscopy showed antral gastritis in 67 patients, gastric
      ulcers in 19, and a bile lake in the stomach in 39 (total of 135 patients). Of 90
      patients who underwent biopsy, histologic findings showed foveolar hyperplasia in
      26, chronic gastritis in 19, and active gastritis in 28 patients. The latter
      condition was associated with Helicobacter pylori in 20 patients. When gastric pH
      monitoring, cholescintigraphy, or both were used as "gold standard," the
      sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive predictive value of endoscopic
      and histologic criteria to diagnose the presence of excessive duodenogastric
      reflux were poor except in the rare case of active gastritis but no Helicobacter
      pylori. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of duodenogastric reflux disease cannot be
      accurately diagnosed with endoscopic or histologic criteria. The diagnosis should
      be made with objective techniques, particularly when surgical therapy is
      considered.

PMID- 1411954
TI  - Use of the appendix for urethral reconstruction in children with congenital
      anomalies of the bladder.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The presence of the cecal appendix offers a unique opportunity for
      the achievement of urinary continence and stable access to the reconstructed
      urinary bladder. METHODS: We have reviewed the cases of 17 children treated over
      a 56-month period whose urinary anomalies have required the construction of a
      neourethra. Fourteen of these patients underwent neourethral reconstruction by
      use of the appendix. RESULTS: All neourethras are easily catheterized, and all
      are continent. CONCLUSIONS: The ease of application of this reconstructive
      modality along with its high success rate makes incidental appendectomy
      contraindicated in children with congenital anomalies of the bladder.

PMID- 1411955
TI  - Preoperative screening with ultrasonography for laparoscopic cholecystectomy: an
      alternative to routine intraoperative cholangiography.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic management of choledocholithiasis is not routinely
      successful. A prospective study was undertaken to determine if preoperative
      screening with ultrasonography and liver function tests (LFTs) could minimize the
      incidence of unsuspected choledocholithiasis. METHODS: One hundred twenty-one
      patients were studied. Patients with a common bile duct greater than 6 mm and
      either clinical symptoms or elevated LFT results were referred for preoperative
      endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). RESULTS: Ten patients (8%)
      were referred for preoperative ERCP, of whom seven had choledocholithiasis, two
      had papillary stenosis, and one had a normal examination (90% positive ERCPs).
      One hundred eight patients underwent successful laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
      Nine patients underwent postoperative ERCP dictated by increasing common bile
      duct size, elevated enzyme levels, or symptoms. Four patients (3%) had
      choledocholithiasis that was successfully treated endoscopically. One patient had
      papillary stenosis, one had oriental cholangitis, and three had normal results on
      examination. CONCLUSIONS: In this study ultrasonography and LFTs identified
      patients at high risk for choledocholithiasis, allowing preoperative referral for
      endoscopic stone extraction.

PMID- 1411956
TI  - Laparoscopy: the preferred method of cholecystectomy in the morbidly obese.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Morbid obesity has been considered a contraindication to laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy (LC). METHODS: To evaluate this we reviewed our first 201
      patients undergoing LC and compared the operative procedure and outcome in
      morbidly obese (greater than or equal to 100 pounds over ideal body weight [IBW])
      and nonobese patients. We also compared a group of morbidly obese patients who
      underwent standard open cholecystectomy (n = 11) with the obese group undergoing
      LC (n = 21). All groups were comparable in terms of age, sex, and symptoms (acute
      vs chronic). The obese groups undergoing LC and open cholecystectomy had similar
      weights (134.0 +/- 9.4 pounds over IBW [range, 100 to 286 pounds] and 133.8 +/-
      6.0 pounds over IBW [range, 108 to 170 pounds], respectively) and were
      significantly different from the nonobese group undergoing LC (28.3 +/- 2.0
      pounds over IBW [range, 23 to 98 pounds]). Parameters evaluated included
      operative time, resumption of normal diet, length of postoperative
      hospitalization, complications, conversion to open procedure, and ability to
      perform cholangiography. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant
      differences between the obese and nonobese groups undergoing LC in any parameters
      studied (operative time, 151.7 +/- 4.0 minutes vs 160.7 +/- 9.9 minutes;
      tolerance of diet, 1.2 +/- 0.1 days vs 1.1 +/- 0.1 days; time to discharge, 2.0
      +/- 0.1 days vs 1.8 +/- 0.2 days; complications, 7.0% vs 0.0%). Operative time
      (117.6 +/- 11.6 minutes) was shorter (p = 0.45) in obese patients undergoing open
      cholecystectomy. However, time to normal diet and length of postoperative
      hospitalization were significantly longer (3.1 and 4.6 days, respectively; p less
      than 0.01), and there were more complications (18.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Rather than
      being contraindicated in the morbidly obese, LC appears to be the preferred
      method of cholecystectomy.

PMID- 1411957
TI  - Secondary pancreatic infections: are they distinct clinical entities?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Infected pseudocysts, pancreatic abscesses, and infected pancreatic
      necroses have been proposed as distinct clinical entities in terms of treatment
      and outcome. To evaluate this classification, we reviewed the clinical course and
      bacteriologic findings of pancreatic infections. METHODS: Of 1299 patients with
      pancreatitis or a related complication admitted over a 7-year period, 64 (4.9%)
      with culture-documented secondary pancreatic infections were reviewed with regard
      to cause, clinical course, bacteriologic findings, and outcomes. RESULTS: Group I
      consisted of 23 patients with infected pseudocysts; group II, 20 patients with
      pancreatic abscesses; and group III, 21 patients with infected pancreatic
      necrosis. The causes were alcohol in 36%, biliary tract disease in 30%, and
      postoperative in 16%, with no significant difference between groups. Patients in
      group I had abdominal pain or a mass without accompanying signs of sepsis,
      whereas patients in groups II and III had sepsis. In group I, 15 patients were
      treated with internal drainage, four with percutaneous drainage, and four with
      external drainage. In group II, three had percutaneous drainage, 15 operative
      drainage, and two open packing. In group III, 19 patients had operative drainage
      and two had open packing. Morbidity occurred in 26% of patients in group I, 40%
      in group II, and 90% in group III (p less than 0.001). Mortality rates were 9% in
      group I, 25% in group II, and 48% in group III (p less than 0.01). Enteric
      organisms were present in 66% of isolates, with no difference between groups,
      suggesting a common mode of infection. CONCLUSIONS: Despite similar bacteriologic
      findings, infected pseudocysts, pancreatic abscesses, and infected pancreatic
      necroses have significantly different presentations, clinical courses, and
      outcomes, confirming that they are distinct entities. This distinction is
      important when therapeutic outcomes are compared.

PMID- 1411958
TI  - The expanding utility of endoluminal ultrasonography in the management of rectal
      cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study assessed the ability of endoluminal ultrasonography (ELUS)
      to determine extent of local invasion and lymph node (LN) metastasis of primary
      rectal tumors, to assist in ELUS-guided pelvic LN biopsies, and to assess
      invasion of locally recurrent rectal cancers compared to computed tomography
      (CT). METHODS: Eighty-one patients with rectal adenocarcinoma (n = 67) or villous
      adenoma of more than 3 cm (n = 14) underwent ELUS with a 360-degree 7.0-MHz
      transducer For LN biopsy (n = 10), ELUS was used with an 18-gauge core biopsy
      needle passed transrectally. ELUS and CT were compared in 14 locally recurrent
      tumors. RESULTS: Staging for primary tumors (ELUS compared with pathologic
      examination, TNM system) revealed ELUS accurately predicted wall penetration and
      LN status with 95% confidence intervals of 0.88 to 0.99 and 0.87 to 0.99. Eight
      cancers were overstaged, and two were understaged by ELUS. ELUS-guided LN biopsy
      revealed carcinoma (n = 3) or lymphoid tissue (n = 3) in six of 10 patients.
      Extent of pelvic organ involvement was predicted in 11 of 14 ELUS and eight of 14
      CT examinations in recurrent rectal cancer. CONCLUSIONS: ELUS is accurate in
      staging rectal cancers, can guide biopsies of pararectal LNs, and may be more
      reliable than CT in assessing local recurrence. The role of ELUS in the
      management of rectal cancer is expanding.

PMID- 1411959
TI  - Indications for enteric conversion after pancreas transplantation with bladder
      drainage.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bladder drainage has become the procedure of choice for 94% of
      transplant centers in North America. Bladder drainage is superior to other
      techniques as far as graft survival and technical success are concerned; however,
      the procedure is associated with significant urologic problems that might
      necessitate conversion to enteric drainage. This review summarizes the
      indications and results for enteric conversion at this institution. METHODS:
      Between June 1982 and January 1992 a total of 240 pancreas transplantations were
      performed at our center. In 229 cases exocrine secretions were drained into the
      bladder. These cases were reviewed, and those with enteric conversions were
      further analyzed to delineate indications, complications, and results. RESULTS:
      Sixteen (7%) were converted to enteric drainage (side-to-side
      duodenojejunostomy). The reasons for conversion were urethral disruption (six),
      recurrent urine leaks (five), bleeding (four), and chronic urinary tract
      infection (one). Enteric conversions were performed between 1 1/2 and 32 months
      after the initial transplantation. With the exception of one anastomotic leak
      resulting in an intraabdominal abscess, no complications occurred. All patients
      undergoing enteric conversions had resolution of their problems and, in addition,
      were able to discontinue use of oral bicarbonate. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that
      enteric conversion after pancreas transplantation with bladder drainage is safe
      and effective in the correction of urologic problems. Based on our experience, we
      recommend early enteric conversion if urologic problems do not resolve after an
      appropriate period of conservative therapy.

PMID- 1411960
TI  - Fine structure of presynaptic axonal terminals in sympathetic autonomic ganglia
      of aging and diabetic human subjects.
AB  - The neuropathologic changes that may underlie autonomic nervous system
      dysfunction in nondiabetic elderly human subjects or as a complication of
      diabetes have been systematically examined in sympathetic ganglia of a series of
      autopsied human subjects. As in animal models of aging and diabetes, enormously
      swollen terminal axons were found closely apposed to the perikarya of principal
      sympathetic neurons in prevertebral superior mesenteric sympathetic ganglia of
      aged and diabetic human subjects. Dystrophic axons consisted of two stereotyped
      forms: the first was composed of large numbers of misaligned aggregates of
      neurofilaments surrounded by variable numbers of small dense core vesicles; the
      second was characterized by large numbers of mitochondria, vacuoles, and dense
      and multivesicular bodies. The fine structural characteristics of neuroaxonal
      dystrophy, its predilection for prevertebral rather than paravertebral
      sympathetic ganglia, and the tendency for multiple dystrophic axons to cluster
      preferentially around selected neurons were identical in aged and diabetic human
      ganglia and were similar to changes seen in animal models of aging and diabetes.
      Neither diabetic nor aging ganglia demonstrated evidence of neuronal
      degeneration. Such structural changes may represent a degenerative influence of
      diabetes and aging on the normal remodeling of nerve terminals in autonomic
      ganglia, i.e., the continually ongoing process of turnover and replacement of
      axonal terminals. Similarity of lesions in human diabetes and aging suggests the
      possibility of pathogenetic mechanisms that are common to diabetes and the aging
      process. The substantial parallels between humans and animal models provide
      support for the validity of testing some proposed pathogenetic mechanisms
      directly in animal models.

PMID- 1411961
TI  - High-affinity binding of [125I]RTI-55 to dopamine and serotonin transporters in
      rat brain.
AB  - RTI-55 (3 beta-(4-iodophenyl)tropan-2 beta-carboxylic acid methyl ester), one of
      the most potent inhibitors of dopamine uptake reported to date, was
      radioiodinated and tested as a probe for the cocaine receptor in Sprague-Dawley
      rat brain. Saturation and kinetic studies in the striatum revealed that [125I]RTI
      55 bound to both a high- and low-affinity site. The Kd for the high-affinity site
      was 0.2 nM, while the Kd for the low-affinity site was 5.8 nM. The corresponding
      number of binding sites in the striatum was 37 and 415 pmol/g protein. The
      pharmacological profile of specific [125I]RTI-55 binding in the striatum was
      consistent with that of the dopamine transporter. Additionally, [125I]RTI-55 was
      found to bind with high affinity to the cerebral cortex. Scatchard analysis
      revealed a single high-affinity component of 0.2 nM with a density of 2.5 pmol/g
      protein. The pharmacological profile demonstrated by [125I]RTI-55 in the cerebral
      cortex matched that of the serotonin transporter. Autoradiographic analysis of
      sagittal brain sections with [125I]RTI-55 binding was consistent with these
      findings. Specific binding of [125I]RTI-55 was blocked by dopamine uptake
      inhibitors in areas rich in dopaminergic nerve terminals. Conversely, serotonin
      uptake inhibitors blocked the binding of [125I]RTI-55 in brain areas rich in
      serotonergic neurons. These results demonstrate that [125I]RTI-55 may be a very
      useful ligand for the dopamine and serotonin transporters.

PMID- 1411962
TI  - In vivo binding of [125I]RTI-55 to dopamine transporters: pharmacology and
      regional distribution with autoradiography.
AB  - Previous studies have demonstrated that para-substituted WIN 35,065-2 analogs of
      cocaine show high binding affinity for dopamine uptake sites both in vitro and in
      vivo, and inhibit DA uptake in vitro. These analogs also produce potent cocaine
      like behavioral effects in various procedures. The purpose of the present studies
      was to evaluate the iodinated WIN 35,065-2 analog [125I]RTI-55 as an in vivo
      ligand for the DA transporter. Following intravenous injection in mice, [125I]RTI
      55 showed highest accumulation in areas with high densities of dopamine uptake
      sites. Light microscopic autoradiography was used to examine binding with higher
      resolution. Displacement studies demonstrated that [125I]RTI-55 binding in
      dopamine containing regions, striatum and olfactory tubercles, was saturable and
      inhibited by other cocaine analogs. GBR 12909 and WIN 35,428 significantly
      inhibited [125I]RTI-55 binding in striatum, while paroxetine significantly
      inhibited hypothalamic binding but had little effect in striatum. The latter
      finding suggests that [125I]RTI-55 also binds to the serotonin transporter.
      Haloperidol had no effect on [125I]RTI-55 binding in any brain region measured.
      In addition, treatment of animals with the dopamine neurotoxin MPTP caused
      significant reductions in striatal [125I]RTI-55 binding. The results of these
      studies indicate that [125I]RTI-55 binds primarily to the dopamine transporter in
      the mouse striatum in vivo.

PMID- 1411963
TI  - Quantitation of carbon-11-labeled raclopride in rat striatum using positron
      emission tomography.
AB  - Using conventional autoradiographic and tissue counting techniques, the
      experimental quantitation of in vivo kinetics of prospective or established
      radioligands for PET is animal and labour intensive. The present study tested the
      feasibility of using PET itself to quantitate the specific binding of
      [11C]raclopride to rat striatum and to study the effects of experimental
      manipulation of endogenous dopamine on binding parameters. Carbon-11-labeled
      raclopride was given i.v. to anaesthetised rats, positioned in a PET camera and
      dynamic emission scans acquired over 60 min. Time-activity curves were generated
      for selected regions of interest, representing striatum and cerebellum and the
      striatal data fitted to a compartmental model, using cerebellum as the input
      function, thus circumventing the need for individual metabolite-corrected plasma
      curves. In control rats, the binding potential (BP), defined as the ratio of the
      rate constants for transfer from "free to bound" and "bound to free"
      compartments, was of the order of 0.6. This was reduced threefold by predosing
      with nonradioactive raclopride. Increasing extracellular dopamine levels by
      predosing with d-amphetamine resulted in a significant decrease in BP whereas
      reducing extracellular dopamine by predosing with gamma-butyrolactone caused a
      significant increase. Thus, despite the limitation in spatial resolution of PET,
      specific binding of raclopride could be assessed from regional time-activity
      curves from individual rats. The system was sufficiently sensitive that changes
      in BP could be detected following modulation of endogenous dopamine levels, a
      finding of potential relevance to the interpretation of clinical PET data.

PMID- 1411965
TI  - [Health policy--improved treatment in fewer hospitals].

PMID- 1411964
TI  - [Working environment. 3 out of 10 occupations break laws].

PMID- 1411966
TI  - [My firing].

PMID- 1411968
TI  - [Psychological working environment--profession: nurse].

PMID- 1411967
TI  - [Labor market--women in jobs in Denmark and the EEC].

PMID- 1411969
TI  - [Clinical nursing. Best and cheapest].

PMID- 1411970
TI  - [Danish Nursing Council--start on project professional development].

PMID- 1411971
TI  - [Asthma--to be young and sick].

PMID- 1411972
TI  - [Latvia--thick everyday shadows for the future].

PMID- 1411973
TI  - [Latvia--nurses are mostly on their own].

PMID- 1411974
TI  - [Todays education builds on days of yore].

PMID- 1411975
TI  - [Cancer needs special knowledge].

PMID- 1411976
TI  - [Opinion: needed, a broad public discussion].

PMID- 1411978
TI  - [A long way toward continuing education].

PMID- 1411977
TI  - [Anesthesia--children under anesthesia].

PMID- 1411979
TI  - [Education--psychiatry on the move].

PMID- 1411980
TI  - [Geriatrics--with care and respect].

PMID- 1411981
TI  - [Croatia--hospitals are targets].

PMID- 1411982
TI  - [Clinical development--experts in incontinence].

PMID- 1411983
TI  - [Education--speaking plainly to the students].

PMID- 1411984
TI  - [Teaching hospital--a Utopia?].

PMID- 1411985
TI  - [Executive Board].

PMID- 1411987
TI  - [Personnel policy: clear guidelines but also flexibility].

PMID- 1411986
TI  - [Prevention of AIDS from an ethical viewpoint].

PMID- 1411988
TI  - [Education--on equal terms after joint course].

PMID- 1411989
TI  - [Eastern Europe--a new era with joint responsibility].

PMID- 1411991
TI  - [Aphasia--1000-pictures word].

PMID- 1411990
TI  - [Urinary incontinence--close by is taboo. Interview by Grethe Kjaergaard].

PMID- 1411992
TI  - [England: health under market conditions].

PMID- 1411993
TI  - [Education--demand for cost control threatens university. Interview by Grethe
      Kjaergaard].

PMID- 1411994
TI  - [Analysis of a judgment investigation. Incredible].

PMID- 1411995
TI  - [I screamed with pain. Interview by Mette-Marie Davidsen].

PMID- 1411996
TI  - [History--uniforms as distinctive marks].

PMID- 1411997
TI  - [Research--health care in the 90s].

PMID- 1411998
TI  - [Work environment--ambitious goals].

PMID- 1411999
TI  - [Work environment--a success].

PMID- 1412000
TI  - [Analysis of a judgment. Did it happen this way?].

PMID- 1412001
TI  - [Prioritizing--quality of life by fractions].

PMID- 1412002
TI  - [A breach in hygiene].

PMID- 1412003
TI  - [Once upon a time there was...].

PMID- 1412004
TI  - [Competition--stories about nursing].

PMID- 1412005
TI  - [Nursing stories--finding the right word].

PMID- 1412006
TI  - [Nursing stories--a howler].

PMID- 1412008
TI  - [Primary nursing care--nursing assistants' last stand].

PMID- 1412007
TI  - [Nursing stories--in a foolish mood].

PMID- 1412009
TI  - [Primary nursing care--dignity is more important than service].

PMID- 1412010
TI  - [District psychiatry. Problems in daily activities].

PMID- 1412011
TI  - [District psychiatry. Across professions and sectors].

PMID- 1412012
TI  - [Ghosts].

PMID- 1412013
TI  - [Heard police beat an inmate. Interview by Mette-Marie Davidsen].

PMID- 1412014
TI  - [Unethical to transfer brain-dead patient. Open letter].

PMID- 1412015
TI  - [Education: struggle over positions].

PMID- 1412017
TI  - [Close the mouth].

PMID- 1412016
TI  - [Who wants to have an undergraduate?].

PMID- 1412018
TI  - [Care of the dead--a dignified farewell].

PMID- 1412019
TI  - [Prioritizing--ethics and quality of life].

PMID- 1412020
TI  - [Research: quality of life pitfalls].

PMID- 1412021
TI  - [Education: that's why philosophy. Interview by Lars Peter Bergqvist].

PMID- 1412022
TI  - [History--regulations and procedures].

PMID- 1412023
TI  - [Professional guidance: supervision provides professional pride].

PMID- 1412025
TI  - [Nursing--lend a hand to hygiene].

PMID- 1412024
TI  - [Professional guidance: 2 sides of team work].

PMID- 1412026
TI  - [France: while doctors operate].

PMID- 1412027
TI  - [Skin irritation from gloves--a problem in dental practice?].

PMID- 1412028
TI  - [Allergy and other skin reactions as a result of rubber gloves].
AB  - Protective latex surgical gloves and examination gloves may cause allergic
      contact dermatitis, mainly due to rubber chemicals used in the manufacturing
      process. Latex proteins in the gloves may cause contact urticaria and even
      anaphylactoid reactions. Eighty-eight dentists and other members of the dental
      team were tested for contact allergy to thiuram- and mercapto-derivatives, and
      for contact-urticaria to latex proteins. All but 5 persons used gloves at least
      periodically. Fifty-one of 87 of the persons who answered a questionnaire had or
      had had symptoms from the skin on the hands, but in only 3 cases could allergy to
      the gloves be proved. Women had more often symptoms than men, and female dentists
      with symptoms used gloves more often and for longer periods than female dentists
      without symptoms. It can be concluded that redness of the skin, itching, vesicles
      and eczema are common symptoms reported in connection with use of gloves, but
      proved allergy to the gloves is rare. Most symptoms are supposed to be due to
      skin irritation from the gloves in addition to irritative exposure from
      handwashing and other chemical irritants in dental work. The nature of the
      irritative effect from gloves is only partly known and should be studied further.

PMID- 1412029
TI  - [Permeability of protective gloves to (di)methacrylates in resinous dental
      materials].
AB  - Dentists may develop contact allergy induced by handling resinous dental
      materials. Vinyl and latex gloves may provide protection against the monomers of
      these materials during the time it takes for a monomer to permeate the glove. The
      passage times and rates of penetration of four commonly used (di)methacrylates,
      HEMA, TEGDMA, BISGMA and UEDMA for 11 protective gloves were measured. The
      passage time in vinyl gloves for HEMA and TEGDMA was about 2 min, and around 20
      min for BISGMA and UEDMA. The rates of penetration of HEMA and TEGDMA in vinyl
      gloves were between 1 and 4 mumol.min-1.cm-2. The passage times of HEMA and
      TEGDMA through most of the latex and modified latex gloves were between 5 and 8
      min and the rates of penetration between 0.5 and 1 mumol.min-1.cm-2. Latex and
      modified latex gloves provide protection against BISGMA and UEDMA in 80 min or
      more with one exception (Elastyrene), which burst after about 50 min in contact
      with the resins. Of the tested gloves Ansell, Neutralon, Mediglove and Biogel D
      provide protection against HEMA and TEGDMA for at least 5 min.

PMID- 1412030
TI  - [Early appearance of occupational skin irritation in dental practice].

PMID- 1412031
TI  - [Necrotizing sialometaplasia].
AB  - Necrotizing sialometaplasia is a benign, self-limiting disease that requires no
      treatment. It is often confused with malignancy, resulting in unnecessary,
      extensive surgery. Clinicians need to be aware of this lesion and include it in a
      differential diagnosis of ulcerated lesions, especially in the hard palate.
      Correct diagnosis depends upon histological diagnosis by a pathologist who is
      familiar with the characteristics of this disease. One case is presented and the
      total number in our department from 1985-1991 is summarized.

PMID- 1412032
TI  - [From fault to rigid connection].

PMID- 1412033
TI  - [Dental impressions from Sudan].

PMID- 1412034
TI  - [Glass-ionomer cements: composition and technical properties].

PMID- 1412036
TI  - [Glass-ionomer cements and fluorides].

PMID- 1412035
TI  - [Biological properties].

PMID- 1412037
TI  - [Tunnel preparations].

PMID- 1412038
TI  - [Glass-ionomer cements as base material and dental bonding].

PMID- 1412039
TI  - [Cementation with glass-ionomer cement: types and clinical progress].

PMID- 1412040
TI  - [Glass-ionomer cements as building material].

PMID- 1412041
TI  - [Glass-ionomer cements and dental sealing].

PMID- 1412042
TI  - [Results after short- and long-term observations of bone transplantation to
      vertical, marginal bone defects].
AB  - The effect of autologue bone transplantation to 26 vertical, marginal bone
      defects has been investigated on a long-term scale ranging from 2 to 26 years.
      The operation technique included excision of gingival pocket epithelium, removal
      of granulation tissue, and cleansing of the root surface with scalers. The bone
      cavities were filled preferably with cancellous bone chips, usually from the
      patients' upper third molar region. After suturing, the area was covered with a
      wound paste for 12-14 days. Loosened teeth were splinted for at least 2 months.
      In 25 of 26 teeth (96%) a bone regeneration was observed radiographically. The
      maximum healing of 22 cases occurred 2-12 months (median 6 months)
      postoperatively (Table 1). The maximum healing was maintained for more than half
      of the teeth (56%) at the last control, median 16 years (range 2-26 years), and
      none of these teeth were extracted of periodontal causes. They might therefore be
      expected to function for still a long time. Eight teeth (32%) showed more or less
      recurrence when controlled 5 to 15 years (median 10 years) after operation and 6
      of the 8 teeth with recurrence were extracted. Three teeth (12%) developed root
      resorption and were extracted 6, 10 and 14 years postoperatively. As most of the
      complications occurred after extended observation periods, this factor has to be
      taken into account when prognosis of periodontal treatment procedure is
      considered.

PMID- 1412044
TI  - [Dental and other impressions of Taiwan].

PMID- 1412045
TI  - [Argument about oral mucous membrane epithelium].

PMID- 1412043
TI  - [Effect of irradiation with dental polymerized lamps on human Langerhans cells: a
      study made on human skin transplanted to nude mice].
AB  - Light polymerized composite resin materials are now widely used in dentistry.
      Most resins are polymerized by light sources which have a powerful emission of
      visible light and a small emission in the ultraviolet light A spectrum (UV-A 320
      400 mm). Possible eye damage, induced by such light, has been investigated, but
      the effects on the oral mucosa, which is directly exposed to the light, have been
      examined in only one animal study. Langerhans cells (LC) are dendritic non
      epithelial cells which form a network within stratified epithelia. LC have
      features of macrophages, functions as antigen-presenting cells, and play an
      important role in the immune system associated with skin and oral mucosa. Pilot
      studies on human skin transplanted to nude mice showed that radiation with small
      therapeutic doses from a dental light curing unit (DLU) having only a small
      fraction of UV-light can reduce or deplete the OKT6 surface marker of LC in human
      epithelium. Further investigation of the photobiologic mechanisms involved
      spectral analyses of the emmission from the lamps and construction of a suitable
      light source for establishing an action spectrum for LC in the UV-A range. The
      action spectrum for LC in the UV-A range was obtained by exposing human skin,
      grafted to nude mice, to monochromatic light with a band pass of 5-10 nm.
      Criterion for threshold doses was total depletion of LC, visualized by staining
      with known LC-markers, monoclonal antibodies OKT6, DAKO-Vimentin, DAKO-HLA-DR and
      DAKO-S-100. The action spectrum for LC consisted of a biphasic curve, with a non
      linear, strong wave-length dependency.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1412046
TI  - [Development of dentistry].

PMID- 1412047
TI  - [Dentist and physician integrated training at the Health Sciences Faculty at
      Copenhagen].

PMID- 1412049
TI  - [Single-side fracture of mandibular condyle].

PMID- 1412048
TI  - [A comparison of two methods for pre-operative radiographic examination in
      treatment with oral implants in the anterior mandibular area].
AB  - Insertion of osseointegrated implants in the anterior mandibular region for
      retaining a removable denture represents a treatment, which is cheap for the
      patient and surgically uncomplicated. Bone height measures from two radiographic
      examinations 1) panoramic radiographs and 2) lateral tangential views, were
      compared. Radiographs from 20 patients were analyzed. The vertical height of the
      mandible was measured in the midline as well as in the cuspid region on the
      panoramic radiographs and the tangential views ("maximum" bone heights). The mean
      maximum bone heights were higher on tangential views in both regions. On the
      tangential views the inclinations of the future implants were estimated and the
      part of the alveolar ridge having a width less than 5 mm, which is the minimum
      width for housing an implant, was compiled. The resulting height ("effective bone
      height") was calculated. In 10% of the cases the effective bone height was equal
      to the maximum height, and in 90% it was smaller. The over-estimation varied
      between 0 mm and 15.3 mm. It is concluded that panoramic radiographs are
      unreliable for evaluating bone height in planning insertion of oral implants in
      the anterior mandibular region. They give no information about form and width of
      the bone. Tangential views reveal the true morphology of the mandible as seen in
      a cross-section, and offer an opportunity for calculating the effective bone
      height at disposal for oral implants.

PMID- 1412050
TI  - [Lymphangioma of the tongue: case report and review of the literature].
AB  - A case of lymphangioma in the tongue is discussed with special reference to
      diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. The patient is a boy, aged 13, with a
      congenital malformation in the right half of the tongue. The lesion was removed
      by surgery. Histologic examination showed lymphangioma. In cases of minor,
      localized lymphangiomas the clinical diagnosis may be difficult. A past history
      information of recurring swellings can be regarded as almost diagnostic. The
      treatment of choice is surgery, if necessary in several settings. Recurrences are
      often seen.

PMID- 1412051
TI  - [Hemangioma of the maxilla].
AB  - A patient with a cavernous hemangioma of the maxilla is presented. The tumor had
      caused resorption of the roots af adjacent teeth. After enucleation, the area
      healed without complications, and the pulpal tissues of the teeth remained vital.

PMID- 1412052
TI  - Comments on "Reply to 'Comments on "Moebius syndrome: animal model--human
      correlations and evidence for a brainstem vascular etiology"'".

PMID- 1412053
TI  - Conjoined twins: theoretical embryologic basis.
AB  - A theoretical basis for the embryology of conjoined twins was formulated from
      clinical experience with ten cases and extensive review of pertinent embryologic
      and clinical literature, including over 500 cases. Regarding the age old question
      of fusion or fission, it is concluded that there is no known embryologic process
      by which conjoined twins can be formed by fission but firm evidence to support
      fusion in all cases. Whether the fusion occurs between embryos on one embryonic
      disc or on two is of no consequence since they are all monovular. Intact ectoderm
      will not fuse to intact ectoderm, and all seven types of conjoined twins are
      explained by seven possible sites of union in the early embryo. One new term is
      proposed: parapagus, from the Greek para, meaning "side," combined with pagus,
      meaning "fixed"; this is the group formerly called dicephalus or diprosopos.
      These anterolaterally united parapagus twins must result from two nearly parallel
      notochords in close proximity; craniopagi and pygopagi from fusion at the cranial
      and caudal neuropores, respectively; cephalopagi and ischiopagi from union at the
      pharyngeal and cloacal membranes, respectively; thoracopagi from merging of the
      cardiac anlage; and omphalopagi from fusion of the umbilicus or of the edges of
      two embryonic discs in any area not including the above sites. Parasitic twins
      result from embryonic death of one twin, leaving various portions of the body
      vascularized by the surviving autosite. The rarity of cases (2) not easily
      explained by the above theories, and the nearly 6% of twins with two umbilical
      cords arising from the placenta would seem to support these conclusions. Should
      one wish to learn the methods of a conjurer, he might vainly watch the latter's
      customary repertoire, and, so long as everything went smoothly, might never
      obtain a clue to the mysterious performance, baffled by the precision of the
      manipulations and the complexity of the apparatus; if, however, a single error
      were made in any part or if a single deviation from the customary method should
      force the manipulator along an unaccustomed path, it would give the investigator
      an opportunity to obtain a part or the whole of the secret.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      400 WORDS)

PMID- 1412054
TI  - Extraembryonic tissue changes induced by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and
      2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran with a note on direction of maternal blood flow
      in the labyrinth of C57BL/6N mice.
AB  - Histologic changes in extraembryonic and embryonic tissues induced by 3 or 6
      micrograms 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin/kg (TCDD) or 80 micrograms
      2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran/kg/day (4-PeCDF) were studied 24 h after the
      last of four daily doses administered orally to C57BL/6N mice on days 10-13 of
      pregnancy. Both test compounds ruptured (1) the embryo-maternal vascular barrier
      in the labyrinth, which resulted in hemorrhage of embryonic blood into the
      maternal circulation, (2) the visceral yolk sac membrane with the embryonic blood
      from the vitelline vessels escaping into the uterine, exocelomic and amniotic
      cavities, and (3) the maternal vascular spaces of the placental periphery
      resulting in hemorrhages into the interconceptal space. The role of the
      hemorrhagic lesions in the induction of cleft palate and hydronephrosis by the
      two compounds remains to be investigated. The presence of embryonic nucleated
      erythroblasts that hemorrhaged into the maternal lacunar network allowed the
      identification of maternal venous channels in the placenta. It revealed that (1)
      the labyrinth could be tentatively divided into two caudocranially oriented
      zones, an arterial and a venous zone; (2) the maternal blood in the labyrinthine
      lacunae circulated from the arterial to the venous zone, somewhat parallel to the
      uterine axis; and (3) the largest maternal vessels in the center of the placenta
      hitherto named the "central maternal artery," was in fact, venous.

PMID- 1412055
TI  - Axial skeletal malformations induced by acetazolamide in rabbits.
AB  - In order to evaluate the teratogenic potential of acetazolamide in rabbits, three
      groups of 18 artificially inseminated females were treated orally with 50, 100,
      or 150 mg/kg/day of acetazolamide on days 6-18 of gestation. These doses induced
      maternal acidosis and electrolyte changes, consistent with those reported in rats
      and considered to be a result of carbonic anhydrase inhibition, as well as
      reductions in maternal body weight gain. At cesarean sections, average fetal body
      weights in the acetazolamide groups were dose-dependently decreased compared with
      controls. There were no effects of acetazolamide on embryonic survival or
      external morphology of live fetuses. In the fetal skeletal examination, thoracic
      and lumbar vertebral malformations occurred in 0.7%, 3.9%, and 6.1% of fetuses in
      the 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg/day groups, respectively, compared with none in the
      control group. In addition, missing vertebra was seen in a small number of
      fetuses in the 100 and 150 mg/kg/day groups. These axial skeletal malformations
      were, in some cases, associated with costal malformations. These results indicate
      that acetazolamide at maternotoxic doses can produce axial skeletal malformations
      in the rabbit.

PMID- 1412056
TI  - Analysis of high dysmorphogenic activity of Ro 13-6307, a tetramethylated
      tetralin analog of retinoic acid.
AB  - Certain synthetic retinoids differ widely from retinoic acid (RA) in teratogenic
      potency, being much more or much less effective than RA. It is assumed that the
      potency of a retinoid may depend on the nature of its interaction with cellular
      binding components (nuclear retinoic acid receptors or cytoplasmic binding
      proteins) and, as in the case of retinoids that are mammalian teratogens, on
      factors that determine its accessibility to the embryo. To investigate some of
      the factors that contribute to potency, we used a new synthetic retinoid Ro 13
      6307 that differs in structure from RA in having an aromatic ring inserted in its
      side chain along with gem dimethyl modification of the natural cyclohexenyl ring.
      Pregnant ICR mice were given a single oral dose (0, 1, or 10 mg/kg) on day 11 of
      gestation, and the resultant teratogenic outcome was monitored on day 17. Direct
      effects on cell differentiation were obtained by exposing high density cultures
      of limb bud mesenchymal cells to a range of concentrations (0.3 ng/ml-3
      micrograms/ml) of Ro 13-6307 and scoring for chondrogenic suppression.
      Concentrations reaching the embryo after maternal administration of Ro 13-6307
      were measured by HPLC to quantify the analog for a period of 4 h after
      administration of the oral dose. We found that this retinoid was 40-fold as
      active as RA in both inducing teratogenesis and suppressing chondrogenesis, yet
      its concentration in the affected embryo was only a fraction of that achieved
      after an equivalent dose of RA was employed in a similar protocol.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1412057
TI  - Trends in rates of multiple vascular disruption defects, Atlanta, 1968-1989: is
      there evidence of a cocaine teratogenic epidemic?
AB  - Research suggests that, perhaps through mechanisms initiated by vasoconstriction
      and leading to vessel thrombosis or embolism, cocaine causes vascular disruption
      defects, and that frequent cocaine use during early pregnancy could disrupt
      multiple organ systems in the fetus. We hypothesized that if cocaine is an
      important cause of multiple vascular disruption defects, a rising prevalence of
      cocaine use by mothers during pregnancy should be accompanied by rising rates of
      these defects in their offspring. Using data from the Metropolitan Atlanta
      Congenital Defects Program, we identified all infants born in Atlanta from 1968
      through 1989 who had nonsyndromic, provisional vascular disruption defects
      affecting more than one organ system: 61 infants (78%) had gastrointestinal and
      genitourinary defects, 7 (9%) had gastrointestinal and abdominal wall defects, 2
      (3%) had gastrointestinal and limb reduction defects, 2 (3%) had limb reduction
      and abdominal wall defects, 2 (3%) had central nervous system and
      gastrointestinal defects, 2 (3%) had genitourinary and limb reduction defects, 1
      (1%) had genitourinary and abdominal wall defects, and 1 (1%) had central nervous
      system and genitourinary defects. The prevalence of Atlanta infants with more
      than one vascular disruption defect is 0.13 per 1,000 live births. Chi-square
      analysis for trends showed no increase in prevalence during the study period. Our
      data are from one of the first population-based studies in which trends for
      defects potentially caused by maternal cocaine use are examined; the results of
      our study show no significant change in the prevalence of multiple vascular
      disruption defects over time.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1412058
TI  - Growth and differentiation schedule of mouse embryos obtained from delayed
      matings.
AB  - We previously showed that digit formation in mouse embryos from early morning
      mating seemed to progress faster than those from overnight mating. In this study,
      to confirm this phenomenon, we examine whether the embryos from normal (0 hr from
      ovulation to fertilization) and delayed matings (3, 6, or 9 hr from ovulation to
      fertilization) respond differently to some acute teratogens when they are treated
      at the same time point from mating. Five mg/kg of cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C)
      was given to pregnant mice intraperitoneally at 246, 249, or 252 hr (day of
      gestation (dg) 10) after mating. The patterns of Ara-C induced digit
      malformations in embryos from the delayed mating groups were those of more
      advanced stages, when compared with normal mating groups with the same time
      intervals from mating to Ara-C treatment. In other words, oocytes fertilized up
      to 9 hr after the presumed time of ovulation could grow similarly to those of
      normally fertilized oocytes. This catch-up phenomenon suggests that the ovulation
      clock should be used for the startpoint of the time scale of the growth and
      differentiation of embryos rather than fertilization clock.

PMID- 1412059
TI  - Variation in development of rat embryos at the presomite period.
AB  - Rat embryos at a single gestational time in the presomite period were studied for
      their variation in development and their fate after culture. They were explanted
      at 8 A.M. on day 9 of gestation from timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats which
      were obtained by mating between 8 and 10 A.M. (plug day = day 0). In the first
      experiment, a total of 203 embryos from 20 litters were examined for their
      variation in development. Several dimensions of embryo/egg cylinder were measured
      and development of various embryonic/extraembryonic structures were assessed
      using a scoring system that we developed for the present study. Embryos were then
      divided into different stages of development based on their scores using the
      staging system that we developed previously. A large variation in developmental
      stage was demonstrated; the youngest embryo was at the early primitive streak
      stage with no signs of amniotic folds and the oldest one was at the late neural
      plate stage with a foregut pocket but without visible somites. No strong
      correlation was demonstrated between developmental stage and size of embryo/egg
      cylinder, nor between developmental stage and development of the proamniotic
      tube, ectoplacental cavity, or allantois. In the second experiment, embryos were
      explanted at the same time and those at different stages were cultured separately
      in rotating bottles and their outcomes were compared after 49 hours. The
      difference in mean somites number of embryos cultured from the mid primitive
      streak and late neural plate stages was 6.1. This difference corresponds to
      approximately 10 hours based on the known linear increase of somites number on
      day 11 of approximately 0.6 somites per hour. These results indicate a large
      variation in development of presomite period embryos supposedly of the same
      gestational age and suggest the importance of careful staging at the time of
      explantation if precision is needed for whole embryo culture experiments.

PMID- 1412060
TI  - Increased postimplantation loss and malformations among the F2 progeny of male
      rats chronically treated with cyclophosphamide.
AB  - Cyclophosphamide, administered to the male rat, produces increased pre- and
      postimplantation loss in the progeny as well as an increase in the numbers of
      malformed and growth retarded fetuses. The purpose of this study was to determine
      whether the adverse effects of chronic paternal cyclophosphamide exposure are
      transmissible to the next generation, the F2 progeny. Adult male rats were
      treated by gavage daily with saline or with cyclophosphamide (3.4 or 5.1 mg/kg)
      for 4 or 18 weeks and mated. The male and female offspring in each treatment
      group (F1 generation) were randomly mated. The resulting pregnant females were
      killed on day 20 of gestation to evaluate progeny outcome in the F2 generation.
      There was a significant increase in postimplantation loss among the offspring of
      the group whose fathers had been treated with cyclophosphamide at a dose of 5.1
      mg/kg/day. Exposure to a dose of 5.1 mg/kg/day of cyclophosphamide also resulted
      in an F2 generation with a significantly decreased mean fetal weight per litter
      and a significant increase in the number of malformed fetuses. The malformations
      observed among the F2 progeny included open eyes, omphalocele, generalized edema,
      syndactyly, gigantism, and dwarfism. Thus, exposure of the father to
      cyclophosphamide does result in a specific and heritable alteration in the
      fertility of the surviving "apparently normal" F1 progeny. Interestingly, the
      adverse consequences of exposure of male rats to cyclophosphamide are similar in
      the F2 generation to those previously reported for the F1 progeny.

PMID- 1412061
TI  - Further genetic studies of the cause of exencephaly in SELH mice.
AB  - We have developed an inbred stock of mice called SELH that has a high frequency
      of the neural tube defect exencephaly at birth. A previous genetic study
      indicated that the exencephaly is due to two to three additive loci differing
      between SELH and a closely related normal strain, ICR/Bc, but this analysis was
      not designed to detect genetic maternal effects. Recently, we demonstrated that
      there is genetic polymorphism among normal mouse strains leading to differences
      in site of initiation of closure of the cranial neural tube. In the present
      study, an inbred substrain of SELH mice, with 24% exencephaly among embryos, was
      crossed with an unrelated normal strain, SWV/Bc, and the frequency of exencephaly
      in subsequent generations used to extend our understanding of the genetic cause
      of exencephaly in SELH mice. The purposes of the genetic studies reported here
      were twofold. First, based on the influence of genetic maternal effects on other
      genetically complex birth defects in mice, we hypothesized that the exencephaly
      of SELH mice would exhibit strong genetic maternal effects. This hypothesis was
      tested by comparisons among the four possible reciprocal backcrosses to SELH. The
      result was an overall frequency of 2.3% exencephaly in first backcross embryos
      with no difference among the four crosses and no evidence of genetic maternal
      effects. Second, the frequency of exencephaly recovered in the backcross and F1
      embryos was compared with the previous genetic study and with various genetic
      models. The frequencies were similar to those obtained from the cross to ICR/Bc
      mice and were compatible with a hypothesis of additive gene action at a few
      loci.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1412062
TI  - Effect of ACE inhibition on the fetal kidney: decreased renal blood flow.
AB  - The kidneys of nine fetuses whose mothers were chronically hypertensive were
      examined microscopically. Three of these mothers used antihypertensive agents
      throughout pregnancy including one who used an angiotensin-converting enzyme
      (ACE) inhibitor. The tubular defects found in these kidneys were compared to the
      kidneys of 20 normal controls, 13 fetuses with various multiple malformation
      syndromes and six cases of the twin to twin transfusion syndrome. Evidence from
      these cases as well as the literature suggest that the primary mechanism by which
      ACE inhibitors affect development of the fetal kidney is through decreased renal
      blood flow.

PMID- 1412063
TI  - Pathogenesis of ethanol-induced limb reduction defects in mice.
AB  - Acute administration of dosages of 2.5, 2.8, or 2.9 g/kg of ethanol to pregnant
      C57BL/6J mice on gestational day 9 1/4 resulted in major malformations of the
      forelimb including postaxial ectrodactyly, preaxial syndactyly, and reduction
      defects involving intermediate digits. The incidence and severity of these
      defects was positively correlated with dosage. Sidedness of the defects was also
      dose-dependent. In affected embryos, excessive amounts of cell death were notable
      within 5-9 hr of treatment initiation in selected cell populations. Cell death
      was primarily distributed in two regions of the developing limb bud--a
      ventrodistal ectodermal cell population (apical ectodermal ridge) and a proximal
      mesenchymal cell population. The patterns of cell death observed appear to be
      pathogenically related to the limb defects noted at later stages. In particular,
      it would appear that the deficiencies in the apical ectodermal ridge resulting
      from ethanol-induced cell death can account for virtually all the subsequent limb
      defects.

PMID- 1412064
TI  - A decade of rabbit fertility data: study of historical control animals.
AB  - Reproductive data for 1795 artificially inseminated Hra: (NZW)SPF control rabbits
      in 93 developmental toxicity studies conducted from 1980 through 1989 were
      summarized. Data were obtained during terminal Caesarean-sectioning procedures
      performed on animals which survived to day 29 of gestation and during postmortem
      evaluation of does which aborted, delivered prematurely, or were found dead.
      Significant seasonal variation was not observed. Average pregnancy rate,
      percentage of rabbits that aborted, and percentage of rabbits that delivered
      prematurely throughout the decade were 86, 2.0, and 1.6%, respectively. Average
      numbers of corpora lutea, implantations, live fetuses, dead fetuses, early
      resorptions, and late resorptions for each doe that survived to scheduled
      termination were 10.8, 7.8, 7.1, 0.02, 0.49, and 0.15, respectively. The various
      vehicles used, routes of administration, and a variety of maternal and paternal
      factors were compared with the fertility data, and no correlations were observed.
      Rabbits that aborted earlier in gestation had fewer implantations than does which
      aborted late or delivered prematurely. Does which resorbed 100% of their
      conceptuses had fewer corpora lutea and implantations when compared with rabbits
      in the remainder of the population. Rabbits pregnant at scheduled termination
      which had a low number of corpora lutea or implantation sites had higher than
      expected pre- and postimplantation losses relative to the population as a whole.
      Does with a high number of corpora lutea had significantly higher preimplantation
      loss relative to the general population. This may indicate the presence of a
      "ceiling value" for the number of ova that can become fertilized and/or implant
      when the ovulation rate is high and which probably varies according to strain as
      well as a number of factors related to the individual rabbit. Based upon the
      results of this study and the work of a previous author, a minimum of four
      corpora lutea may be necessary for the successful maintenance of pregnancy in the
      New Zealand white rabbit. The minimum number of corpora lutea required may be
      strain dependent and may bear a relationship to the normal litter size of the
      strain.

PMID- 1412065
TI  - Serotonin as a regulator of craniofacial morphogenesis: site specific
      malformations following exposure to serotonin uptake inhibitors.
AB  - During craniofacial development in the mouse embryo (days 9-12 of gestation; plug
      day = day 1), transient expression of serotonin (5-HT) uptake in epithelial
      structures of this region correlates with critical morphogenetic events (Lauder
      et al., '88; Shuey, '91; Shuey et al., '89, '92). The purpose of the present
      investigation was to assess the possible functional significance of these uptake
      sites by examination of patterns of dysmorphology following exposure of embryos
      to selective 5-HT uptake inhibitors. Exposure of mouse embryos in whole embryo
      culture to sertraline, at a concentration (10 microM) which produced no evidence
      of general embryotoxicity, caused craniofacial malformations consistent with
      direct action at 5-HT uptake sites. Two other 5-HT uptake inhibitors, fluoxetine
      and amitriptyline, produced similar defects. The critical period of sertraline
      exposure occurred on days 10-11. The observed craniofacial defects were
      associated with decreased proliferation and extensive cell death in mesenchyme
      located 5-6 cell layers deep from the overlying epithelium. In contrast, the
      subepithelial mesenchymal layers showed normal or elevated levels of
      proliferation. From these results it appears that inhibition of 5-HT uptake into
      craniofacial epithelia may produce developmental defects by interference with
      serotonergic regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal interactions important for
      normal craniofacial morphogenesis.

PMID- 1412066
TI  - The warfarin embryopathy: a rat model showing maxillonasal hypoplasia and other
      skeletal disturbances.
AB  - Sprague-Dawley rats were given daily subcutaneous doses of sodium warfarin (100
      mg/kg) and vitamin K1 (10 mg/kg) for up to 12 weeks, starting on the day after
      birth. This dosing regimen creates an extrahepatic vitamin K deficiency while
      preserving the vitamin K-dependent processes of the liver. Control rats received
      either vitamin K1 only or were untreated. All rats survived without any signs of
      hemorrhage. The warfarin-treated rats developed a marked maxillonasal hypoplasia
      associated with a 11-13% reduction in the length of the nasal bones compared with
      controls. The length of the posterior part of the skull was not significantly
      different from controls. In the warfarin-treated rats, the septal cartilage of
      the nasal septum showed large areas of calcification, not present in controls,
      and abnormal calcium bridges in the epiphyseal cartilages of the vertebrae and
      long bones. The ectopic calcification in the septal cartilage may have been the
      cause of the reduced longitudinal growth of the nasal septum and the associated
      maxillonasal hypoplasia. It is proposed that (1) the facial features of the human
      warfarin embryopathy are caused by reduced growth of the embryonic nasal septum,
      and (2) the septal growth retardation occurs because the warfarin-induced
      extrahepatic vitamin K deficiency prevents the normal formation of the vitamin K
      dependent matrix gla protein in the embryo.

PMID- 1412068
TI  - Nursing is a science and an art: a hero story.

PMID- 1412067
TI  - The effects of continuous exposure to 20-kHz sawtooth magnetic fields on the
      litters of CD-1 mice.
AB  - Mated CD-1 mice were exposed to 20-kHz sawtooth magnetic fields similar to those
      associated with video display terminals (VDT). Four groups of animals were
      continuously exposed from day 1 to day 18 of pregnancy to field strengths of 0,
      3.6, 17, or 200 microT. There were no less than 185 mated dams in each exposure
      group. On day 18, the dams were sacrificed and assessed for weight gain and
      pregnancy. The litters were evaluated for numbers of implantations, fetal deaths
      and resorptions, gross external, visceral and skeletal malformations, and fetal
      weights. There were no less than 140 pregnant females in each group, and there
      were no significant differences between any of the exposure groups and the sham
      group (0 microT) for any of the end points. The results of this study do not
      support the hypothesis that the 20-kHz VLF magnetic fields associated with video
      display terminals are teratogenic in mammals.

PMID- 1412069
TI  - AIDS Q&A.

PMID- 1412070
TI  - Stop the beating: a report on domestic violence.

PMID- 1412071
TI  - Niche breadth in parasites: an evolutionarily stable strategy model, with special
      reference to the protozoan parasite Leishmania.
AB  - A parasite's host range essentially defines its niche breadth, which, as foraging
      theory predicts, is influenced by resource availability. For parasites, the
      interaction of infection and transmission characteristics with host population
      dynamics determines host availability. An epidemiological model, involving two
      host types and describing competition between a "generalist" parasite strain and
      a related "specialist" strain, is used to examine the interplay among host range,
      relative host availabilities, and adaptational compromises engendered by
      increased host range. Results show that the generalist can predominate even when
      it cannot maintain itself in either host alone, but that the specialist can
      persist if its reproductive rate attains some threshold relative to either of the
      generalist's respective rates in its two hosts. The model is in rough,
      qualitative agreement with observed dynamics of two Leishmania parasite-host
      systems, and overall results suggest that infection of two species with a common
      parasite can lead to complex, indirect coevolutionary dynamics.

PMID- 1412072
TI  - Of Nobel class: a citation perspective on high impact research authors.
AB  - The purpose of this paper was to determine if quantitative rankings of highly
      cited research authors confirm Nobel prize awards. Six studies covering different
      time periods and author sample sizes were reviewed. The number of Nobel laureates
      at the time each study was published was tabulated, as was the number of high
      impact authors who later became laureates. The Nobelists and laureates-to-be were
      also compared with non-Nobelists to see if they differed in terms of impact and
      productivity. The results indicate that high rankings by citation frequency
      identify researchers of Nobel class--that is, a small set of authors that
      includes a high proportion of actual Nobelists and laureates-to-be. Also, the
      average impact (citations per author) of Nobelists and laureates-to-be is
      sufficiently high to distinguish them from non-Nobelists in these rankings. In
      conclusion, a simple, quantitative, and objective algorithm based on citation
      data can effectively corroborate--and even forecast--a complex, qualitative, and
      subjective selection process based on human judgement.

PMID- 1412073
TI  - Arrhenius vs. Ehrlich on immunochemistry: decisions about scientific progress in
      the context of the Nobel Prize.
AB  - This study forms part of a larger research project examining the election process
      for the Nobel prizes for Physiology or Medicine at the Karolinska Institute in
      Stockholm, and the role and function of the prizes in early 20th century Swedish
      and international medicine. The purpose of the study is to clarify the decision
      making process which led to the Nobel prize for Paul Ehrlich in 1908, 'for work
      on immunity'. His award was preceded by the most dramatic conflict within the
      prize authority concerning any prizewinner prior to World War I, and thus is apt
      to illuminate both the implicit and explicit criteria and the strategies used in
      the prize deliberations. Ehrlich's chemical ideas on the immune response were
      criticized by the physical chemist Svante Arrhenius who recommended the
      application of his disciplines's methods and principles on immunological
      problems. This criticisms were brought into the Nobel prize debate by J.E.
      Johansson, a physiologist who asserted that Ehrlich's research was of little
      scientific value and therefore not worthy of a prize. Yet the majority of the
      Institute, led by its chairman, the chemist K.A.H. Morner, succeeded in awarding
      Ehrlich. An analysis of the controversy shows it to be primarily based upon (1) a
      difference of scientific styles between the antagonists, resulting in incongruous
      definitions of immunology as a research field, and of the proper aims and methods
      of immunological studies. Other factors influencing the final decision were (2)
      the Institute's negative reaction to what was considered an intrusion in medical
      Nobel prize matters by a chemist, (3) Arrhenius' and Johansson's diverging views
      on what kind of work should be awarded a prize, and (4) Johansson's position as a
      non-conformist at the Karolinska.

PMID- 1412074
TI  - Theory change in immunology. Part I: Extended theories and scientific progress.
AB  - This two-part article examines the competition between the clonal selection
      theory and the instructive theory of the immune response from 1957-1967. In Part
      I the concept of a temporally 'extended theory' is introduced, which requires
      attention to the hitherto largely ignored issue of theory individuation. Factors
      which influence the acceptability of such an extended theory at different
      temporal points are also embedded in a Bayesian framework, which is shown to
      provide a rational account of belief change in science. In Part II these factors,
      as elaborated in the Bayesian framework, are applied to the case of the success
      of the clonal selection theory and the failure of the instructive theory.

PMID- 1412075
TI  - Theory change in immunology. Part II: The clonal selection theory.
AB  - This two-part article examines the competition between the clonal selection
      theory and the instructive theory of the immune response from 1957-1967. In Part
      I the concept of a temporally 'extended theory' is introduced, which requires
      attention to the hitherto largely ignored issue of theory individuation. Factors
      which influence the acceptability of such an extended theory at different
      temporal points are also embedded in a Bayesian framework, which is shown to
      provide a rational account of belief change in science. In Part II these factors,
      as elaborated in the Bayesian framework, are applied to the case of the success
      of the clonal selection theory and the failure of the instructive theory.

PMID- 1412076
TI  - The proliferation of prizes: Nobel complements and Nobel surrogates in the reward
      system of science.
AB  - In the last two decades, prizes in the sciences have proliferated and, in
      particular, rich prizes with large honoraria. These developments raise several
      questions: Why have rich prizes proliferated? Have they greatly changed the
      reward system of science? What effects will such prizes have on scientists and on
      science? The proliferation of such prizes derives from marked limitations on the
      numbers and types of scientists eligible for Nobel prizes and consequent
      increases in the number of uncrowned laureate-equivalents. These would-be
      surrogates for Nobel prizes extend the reward system of science in its upper
      reaches but this change is not fundamental. The spread of rich prizes to new
      fields provides added incentives to potential winners, which has its own
      disutilities; it reinforces competitiveness, concern for priority and attendant
      secrecy, all this amplifying ambivalence toward the reward system in science.
      There may also be modest positive effects of such new awards in the form of
      heightened popular esteem for science and interest in it.

PMID- 1412077
TI  - Discovery, theory change, and the Nobel Prize: on the mechanisms of scientific
      evolution. An introduction.

PMID- 1412078
TI  - [Basic considerations in the rehabilitation of foreign workers].
AB  - Rehabilitation involves executive duties, the patient must actively cooperate
      with the rehabilitation team, and both sides must set clear goals. In the case of
      rehabilitation of foreigners, it is difficult to set goals because of language
      and cultural differences. The rehabilitation clinic in Bellikon hospitalizes so
      many foreigners that it decided to comply with their demands by choosing a
      specific personnel. In fact, with the purpose of improving the basis for
      communication, the clinic employs therapists and nursing staff that come from
      other countries and cultures, offering them further vocational training, too. Not
      only should misunderstandings and feelings of frustration be avoided as far as
      possible, but interactive therapy should become the foundation stone for a
      successful treatment and rehabilitation. The conference on rehabilitation that
      was organized by the SAR in autumn 1991 made up a part of these efforts.

PMID- 1412079
TI  - [Immigrants in Switzerland: possibilities and difficulties of integration].
AB  - Immigrants find it hard--although not all in the same way--to adapt to the
      language, the social structure and the way of life of their host country.
      Different factors overlap: the foreigners' social and cultural background, their
      education and their adaptability to a foreign environment, their plans for the
      future, the political and legal situation in the host country as well as the
      local population's acceptance of and tolerance and respect for a foreign culture.
      The fact that 75% of all foreigners in Switzerland possess a residence permit can
      be considered as rather positive; however, this does not necessarily mean that
      these people are familiar with the local language and way of life. Isolation and
      a continuously postponed return to the home country are conditions well known
      even among resident foreigners. Seasonal workers, on the other hand, feel great
      uncertainty and concern. In critical life situations, for instance caused by
      illness, accidents or unemployment, the process of rehabilitation can strongly be
      influenced by earlier living conditions. The Swiss legislation on foreigners as
      well as the legislation on social security can often bring about fundamental
      fateful questions. In order to find efficient solutions to the wide range of
      possible difficulties, a whole-hearted interdisciplinary cooperation is extremely
      important.

PMID- 1412080
TI  - [Sinistrosis: cultural approach to understanding chronicity and its economic
      aspects].
AB  - Migration-related health problems can be acute and/or chronic. The chronization
      is a characteristic of sinistrosis, a multi-institutional phenomenon in which the
      patient-clinician relationship is trapped in a dead end. To unlock this
      situation, the author proposes an explorative methodology for case-history making
      that focuses on the economic aspect of sinistrosis.

PMID- 1412081
TI  - [Prevalence and persistence of back pain in foreign workers: class or culture
      induced?].
AB  - Physically working people are more likely to suffer from backache. Not only is
      their work hard and menial but usually also degrading. Unpleasant circumstances
      such as an offensive environment, the monotony of work, poor qualifications or
      unsatisfactory work generally influence the persistence of pain. The course of an
      illness such as a lingering backache, is hardly ever determined by somatic
      factors. A prognosis is rather based upon the attitude and behaviour of the
      single patient and his social surroundings, as well as upon the pathological
      process. Medication might even worsen rather than improve the patient's
      condition. The typical foreign worker, who generally merely has an elementary
      education and whom we therefore assign unqualified work, does not only risk to
      suffer from backache. His personal strength and his circumstances can seriously
      hinder his rehabilitation, more than it would be the case with native patients.
      The accumulation of negative factors is closely connected to his role of a
      foreign worker, whereas cultural aspects do not seem to be determining.
      Therefore, the foreign patient's rehabilitation can be fostered and improved by
      adopting the same methods used with Swiss patients against the chronicisation of
      backache. Nevertheless, the mentioned unfavourable factors and additional
      language problems considerably foil all efforts to a successful rehabilitation.

PMID- 1412082
TI  - [Experiences in family therapy with immigrants].
AB  - By emigrating, the foreigner has to meet with various expectations and therefore
      stands under pressure. On one hand, his decision is closely linked to his wish
      for new achievements and prosperity--his relatives and friends attentively watch
      over him to make sure that he succeeds. On the other hand, the new environment
      requires him to adapt to new ways of thinking and behaving. His own values are
      neither followed anymore nor considered as general guideline through everyday
      life. In a relatively short time, therefore, the emigrant has to make the
      strenuous effort to change his views, even if it involves neglecting old family
      traditions. For the emigrant these demands are often too excessive, so that he
      becomes insecure and sceptical, finally desperately but subconsciously clinging
      to his traditional values. Furthermore, he might feel to be surrounded by
      enemies. All that makes the integration become sluggish if not impossible.
      Mechanisms of thought and behaviour such as these, are the starting point in
      family therapy with emigrants. The goal is to make the foreigner more aware of
      his life in emigration. The experience acquired in family therapy is certainly
      useful in the rehabilitation of foreign workers who have fallen victim to an
      accident or an illness.

PMID- 1412083
TI  - [Rehabilitation of foreign workers: myths and reality].
AB  - In terms of chances for a successful professional reintegration of a worker who
      has fallen victim of an accident or an illness, there are no significant
      differences between Swiss workers and foreign workers. This viewpoint is based on
      a survey of limited representation. Two groups of 65 and 50 patients from the
      French speaking part of Switzerland were questioned. The results clearly warn
      against generalizations, prejudices and cliches. It is wrong to rashly judge a
      whole cultural or ethnic group only upon one negative experience made with a
      single person of that group. On the other hand, it is rather significant that the
      chances for a successful reintegration become smaller for Swiss and foreign
      workers, the longer it takes to introduce the necessary measures after the
      beginning of an illness or a handicap. The causes of chronification and
      interdependence between complex circumstances and conflict situations must be
      taken appropriately into account with interdisciplinary cooperation. If cases
      with serious problems can be singled out early, the risk of total disability of
      the patient can be avoided.

PMID- 1412084
TI  - [Social counseling for immigrants--practical experiences exemplified by Portugese
      immigrants].
AB  - The basis for an adequate communication being insufficient, it is very hard to
      offer foreigners in difficult situations efficient advisory assistance and care.
      The reason is not only the difference in language but also the difference in
      culture. Not everything can be expressed properly with a literal translation. The
      statements must be interpreted in connection with the way of thinking and
      behaving as well as with the cultural, social and religious environment of those
      seeking advice. According to the Portuguese community as well as all other
      emigrants, intermediaries of their mother tongue and culture should stand in more
      frequently. This way, there would be a better chance of success for all people
      involved.

PMID- 1412085
TI  - [Rehabilitation of foreign workers from the viewpoint of the foreign police
      authorities].
AB  - When speaking of rehabilitation of a foreign worker who has fallen victim to an
      accident or an illness, it is important to ask one fundamental question: Should
      he be reintegrated in the society of his host country or in his home country? The
      Swiss foreign police authorities play a decisive role in answering this question.
      Whether a residence permit should be granted, extended or denied depends on their
      considerations. For this purpose, all decisions taken by the cantonal authorities
      are based on particularly significant discretionary powers guaranteed by the
      Swiss legislation on foreigners. Numerous factors are determining for the
      evaluation of a case. Often, it is difficult to find the appropriate overview for
      circumstances, so that a sound and farsighted approach is essential, which-for
      its part-requires a constructive cooperation of all parties involved.

PMID- 1412086
TI  - [Practical experiences in legal counseling of foreign workers].
AB  - When foreign workers ask for legal advice, very often their questions concern
      primarily insurance rights for disability. Most uncertainties exist about
      specific clauses in the legislation on disability insurance and about the
      measurings of disability. Primarily, discussions arise from controversy about
      claims made to the state disability insurance. The legislation on disability
      insurance establishes strict requirements for foreigners asking for insurance
      rights for disability. However, the Agreement on Social Security signed worldwide
      by over 20 nations being more tolerant in terms of disability insurance, Swiss
      legislation can be applied only to a minority of foreigners. That is why the
      system of legislation has become so complex. There are two major points that are
      rigidly to be observed: On one hand, the process of reintegration measures can
      start only if the prescribed minimum duration of contributions is guaranteed. On
      the other, proceedings for disability pensions can be initiated only after the
      currently valid waiting period. In both cases, it is considerably important that
      the patient has a domicile in Switzerland or a valid residence permit. Numerous
      disagreements can possibly result during the evaluation of the degree of
      disability, as certain factors-such as language problems, lack of education or
      the labour market situation-, which are not directly linked to the disability,
      are not taken into consideration.

PMID- 1412087
TI  - Children and smoking: the problem and the way forward.

PMID- 1412088
TI  - Endoscopy assisted microthoracotomy.

PMID- 1412089
TI  - Endoscopy assisted microthoracotomy: initial experience.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although thoracoscopy has been used for diagnostic and minor
      therapeutic procedures for many years, there have been few reports of its use in
      performing major intrathoracic procedures, which have traditionally required
      formal thoracotomy. METHODS: Twenty one patients (M:F 1.2:1; mean (SD) age 47.1
      (18.8), range 17-75 years) underwent endoscopic intrathoracic surgery. Eight had
      unidentified peripheral masses on the chest radiograph, eight required lung
      biopsy, and five had recurrent or persisting pneumothoraces. Under general
      anaesthesia a laparoscope attached to a video monitor was introduced into the
      chest. One or two additional stab incisions were made as needed for the
      introduction of standard surgical or endoscopic instruments and staplers.
      RESULTS: There were no complications or deaths, though one patient developed a
      second pneumothorax seven days after endoscopic pleurectomy, necessitating open
      pleurodesis. All patients were discharged home from two to six days after surgery
      (mean (SD) 3.7 (1.2) days). CONCLUSION: Endoscopic thoracic surgery is a safe and
      useful technique for certain cases. It merits further investigation and
      assessment.

PMID- 1412090
TI  - Clinicopathological correlations in cor pulmonale.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The relation between pulmonary disease and physiological abnormality
      in patients with hypoxic cor pulmonale is controversial and the association
      between arterial hypoxaemia and right ventricular hypertrophy has been
      challenged. To address these problems matched patients treated with and without
      domiciliary oxygen were studied. METHODS: Necropsy data were obtained on 19
      patients (14 male), 10 of whom had been treated with domiciliary oxygen.
      Pulmonary artery pressure and total pulmonary vascular resistance as well as
      blood gas tensions during the breathing of air and oxygen were available for the
      six months before death. Formalin fixed lung slices were assessed for panacinar
      and centriacinar emphysema. Right and left ventricular weights were measured and
      their ratio (LV&S/RV) was used as an index of right ventricular hypertrophy.
      Carotid body weights were available in 14 cases. RESULTS: Fourteen patients died
      of respiratory failure and antemortem thrombus was found in the pulmonary
      arteries of eight cases. Physiological measurements were unrelated to the degree
      of macroscopic emphysema, pulmonary hypertension, or daytime blood gas tensions.
      When allowance was made for the higher "ambient" arterial oxygen tension (PaO2)
      of those who had oxygen, PaO2 was correlated with LV&S/RV (r = 0.79), absolute
      right ventricular weight (r = -0.53), and carotid body weight (r = 0.68).
      CONCLUSIONS: These data show that in hypoxic cor pulmonale in vivo physiological
      disturbances are poor indicators of the underlying disease process. The relation
      of "ambient" PaO2 to right ventricular hypertrophy and carotid body weight
      suggests that domiciliary oxygen therapy might lead to regression of such
      established disease.

PMID- 1412091
TI  - The site of disruption of the bronchial epithelium in asthmatic and non-asthmatic
      subjects.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Attention has recently been focused on the basal cells of the
      tracheobronchial epithelium as the mechanism of anchorage of the tall columnar
      cells, which themselves do not appear to form hemidesmosomes with the basement
      membrane of the epithelium. Residual basal cells have been described as remaining
      attached to the basement membrane after epithelial denudation. This led this
      group to formulate the hypothesis that there may be a potential plane of cleavage
      between the basal cells and the overlying columnar cell layer within the
      bronchial epithelium, which becomes disrupted in asthma. METHODS: Bronchoalveolar
      lavage samples were obtained during bronchoscopy from eight patients with atopic
      asthma and four normal controls. Ultrathin sections of lavage cell pellets were
      examined by electron microscopy and the number of columnar and basal cells found
      in each epithelial cell cluster was counted. Cytocentrifuge preparations of the
      lavage samples from the same subjects were also examined for free epithelial
      cells and epithelial cell clusters. RESULTS: Electron microscopic examination of
      the cell pellets showed that basal cells were present in very small numbers in
      the epithelial clusters in all subjects (mean 0.03 (SE 0.02)/cluster) and the
      ratio of columnar cells to basal cells was far greater than was encountered in
      the intact bronchial epithelium (167 nu 4). The cytocentrifuge preparations
      showed an increased number of epithelial cell clusters and epithelial cells in
      the asthmatic patients. Although these clusters were similar in size in the two
      groups of subjects (6.3 nu 5.1 cells/cluster) the ratio of free epithelial cells
      to cells within the cluster was higher in the non-asthmatic subjects.
      CONCLUSIONS: It is proposed that shedding of epithelial cells occurs along a
      suprabasal plane and that there is a potential plane of cleavage between the
      suprabasal and the basal cell layers, which might be more vulnerable to the
      various insults.

PMID- 1412092
TI  - Quantitative morphology and water distribution of bronchial biopsy samples.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An approach to the study of the pharmacokinetics of drugs in the lung
      is to measure their concentrations in bronchial biopsy specimens. The main
      criticism of this technique is that bronchial biopsy specimens consist of more
      than one tissue type and that drugs are often not distributed evenly. The
      morphology of bronchial biopsy specimens and the distribution of water between
      the extracellular and the intracellular compartments is therefore important.
      METHODS: Fifteen subjects undergoing fibreoptic bronchoscopy each had four
      bronchial biopsy samples taken. Thirty sections from 10 patients were examined
      and the proportion of tissue types noted, a morphometric analysis computer being
      used. The water distribution was investigated in the other biopsy specimens with
      radiolabelled markers. RESULTS: There was pronounced variation in the relative
      proportions of tissue types. Ciliated epithelium occupied a mean of 22.3% of the
      biopsy sample, submucosa 53.4%, muscle 17.6%, and glandular tissue 7.0%. There
      were no differences between second and the fourth generation subcarinae and
      macroscopic normality of the mucosa was a good predictor of histological
      normality. The extracellular water content was 40% of the total weight of the
      specimen and the total water content was 70%. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide the
      basis for pharmacokinetic study of drugs in bronchial mucosa. They show for
      pharmacokinetic study that macroscopically normal mucosa may be assumed to be
      histologically normal; that multiple biopsy specimens should be taken for any
      study, as there is considerable variation in the proportion of tissue types; that
      specimens from second and fourth generation subcarinae are the same; and that
      extracellular water contributes 40% to the total weight of the biopsy specimen.

PMID- 1412093
TI  - Lymphocyte and lymphocyte subset numbers in blood and in bronchoalveolar lavage
      and pleural fluid in various forms of human pulmonary tuberculosis at
      presentation and during recovery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lymphocytes have a central role in human defences against
      mycobacteria. A study was designed to assess the relation between lymphocyte
      responses and clinical pattern of disease, nutrition and recovery during
      treatment in patients with tuberculosis. METHODS: Lymphocyte numbers and subsets
      (on the basis of CD3, CD4, and CD8 monoclonal antibodies) were measured in
      peripheral blood and, where appropriate, bronchoalveolar lavage or pleural fluid
      of patients with different forms of pulmonary tuberculosis. Eleven had localised
      pulmonary tuberculosis, 18 miliary tuberculosis and seven a tuberculous pleural
      effusion. RESULTS: CD4 lymphocytes were found in greatly increased numbers in
      pleural fluid and were relatively depleted in the blood. Lymphocyte numbers in
      bronchoalveolar lavage fluid varied widely in localised pulmonary and miliary
      tuberculosis but were highest in lavage fluid from patients with miliary
      tuberculosis. This was due to an increase in CD8 lymphocytes, which were also
      increased in the blood. Lymphocyte numbers bore no relation to nutrition, symptom
      duration, or radiographic profusion scores. In miliary tuberculosis the time
      taken for the chest radiograph to clear (mean (SD) 17.6 (7.8) weeks) correlated
      with lymphocyte numbers in lavage fluid, especially CD8 cells (r = 0.74), but not
      with the patients' age or nutrition. After 8 weeks' treatment, total and CD4
      lymphocyte numbers in lavage fluid showed a substantial increase. CONCLUSION: The
      association of CD8 cells with delayed recovery is compatible with suppression of
      the antimycobacterial action of macrophages. The switch to predominance of CD4
      cells in lavage fluid during successful treatment supports the view that they may
      have a role in eliminating mycobacteria.

PMID- 1412094
TI  - Predictive equations for total lung capacity and residual volume calculated from
      radiographs in a random sample of the Michigan population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Published predicted values for total lung capacity and residual
      volume are often based on a small number of subjects and derive from different
      populations from predicted spirometric values. Equations from the only two large
      studies gave smaller predicted values for total lung capacity than the smaller
      studies. A large number of subjects have been studied from a population which has
      already provided predicted values for spirometry and transfer factor for carbon
      monoxide. METHODS: Total lung capacity was measured from standard posteroanterior
      and lateral chest radiographs and forced vital capacity by spirometry in a
      population sample of 771 subjects. Prediction equations were developed for total
      lung capacity (TLC), residual volume (RV) and RV/TLC in two groups--normal and
      total. Subjects with signs or symptoms of cardiopulmonary disease were combined
      with the normal subjects and equations for all subjects were also modelled.
      RESULTS: Prediction equations for TLC and RV in non-smoking normal men and women
      were square root transformations which included height and weight but not age.
      They included a coefficient for duration of smoking in current smokers. The
      predictive equation for RV/TLC included weight, age, age and duration of smoking
      for current smokers and ex-smokers of both sexes. For the total population the
      equations took the same form but the height coefficients and constants were
      slightly different. CONCLUSION: These population based prediction equations for
      TLC, RV and RV/TLC provide reference standards in a population that has provided
      reference standards for spirometry and single breath transfer factor for carbon
      monoxide.

PMID- 1412095
TI  - Effects of posture on flow-volume curves during normocapnia and hypercapnia in
      patients with obstructive sleep apnoea.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A high ratio of forced expiratory to forced inspiratory maximal flow
      at 50% of vital capacity (FEF50/FIF50) may identify upper airway dysfunction.
      Since hypercapnia increases the motor activity of airway dilating muscles its
      effects on the maximum expiratory and inspiratory flow-volume curves (MEIFV) in
      patients with obstructive sleep apnoea and in normal subjects in different
      postures was studied. METHODS: The effects of posture on the maximum expiratory
      and inspiratory flow-volume curves during the breathing of air and 7% carbon
      dioxide in 11 patients with obstructive sleep apnoea were compared with those in
      nine normal subjects. Measurements were made in the sitting, supine, and right
      lateral recumbent positions. Forced expiratory flow at 50% vital capacity
      (FEF50), forced inspiratory flow at 50% vital capacity (FIF50) and FEF50/FIF50
      were determined. RESULTS: In the normal subjects FEF50, FIF50, and FEF50/FIF50
      were not affected by change in posture or by breathing carbon dioxide. In the
      patients there was a fall in FIF50 and an increase in FEF50/FIF50 when breathing
      air in the supine position compared with values in the seated and lateral
      position. While they were breathing carbon dioxide there was a slight increase in
      FEF50 when patients were seated or in the lateral position compared with values
      during air breathing. Hypercapnia abolished the effects of posture on
      FEF50/FIF50. Values for FEF50/FIF50 in the supine position while they were
      breathing air correlated with the apnoeic index but not with other
      polysomnographic data. CONCLUSION: In patients with obstructive sleep apnoea the
      upper airway is prone to collapse during inspiration when the patient is supine,
      even when awake; this tendency can be reversed by breathing carbon dioxide.

PMID- 1412096
TI  - Comparison of the prevalence of asthma among Asian and European children in
      Southampton.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Primary health care workers have reported an impression that asthma
      is commoner among Asian than European children, and a cross sectional survey was
      designed to compare the prevalence in Asian and European children. METHODS: The
      survey was carried out in children aged 7-11 in eight primary schools in
      Southampton. Four schools contained predominantly children of European ancestry,
      two contained predominantly Asian children, and two contained a mixture of ethnic
      groups. Data were collected by means of parent completed questionnaire on recent
      asthma symptoms, diagnosis, morbidity, and treatment from 759 European and 274
      Asian children. RESULTS: The prevalence of reported wheeze in the previous 12
      months was higher among European (19.6%) than Asian children (11.9%), as was the
      prevalence of a night cough (European 64.2%, Asian 42.3%). Although the
      prevalence of diagnosed asthma was higher in European (12%) than Asian (6.2%)
      children, a slightly higher proportion of Asian than European children with
      current wheeze had visited their doctor (European 66.9%, Asian 78.1%, not
      significant) or been admitted to hospital for wheezing (European 4.8%, Asian
      6.5%) in the previous 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: This study failed to demonstrate a
      higher prevalence of asthma among Asian than European children in Southampton.

PMID- 1412097
TI  - Platelet kinetics in asthmatic patients with and without aspirin intolerance.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A reduced platelet survival time has been described in asthmatic
      patients. There is also good evidence that platelets are involved in aspirin
      induced asthma. Since aspirin intolerant patients usually suffer from an active
      disease and often require anti-inflammatory treatment, it has been suggested that
      platelet survival time may be shorter in aspirin intolerant asthmatic subjects
      than in aspirin tolerant subjects. The objective of this study was to investigate
      this hypothesis. METHODS: Thirteen asthmatic subjects (six aspirin tolerant and
      seven aspirin intolerant) in a stable clinical condition and ten healthy subjects
      were studied. Platelet kinetics and survival time were measured with indium-111
      labelled autologous platelets. RESULTS: Mean (SD) platelet sequestration ratios
      in the spleen and liver were lower in asthmatic (2.3 (0.9) and 0.6 (0.2)
      respectively) than in healthy subjects (3.2 (0.7) and 1.1 (0.4) respectively).
      However, mean (SD) platelet survival time in asthmatic subjects (8 (2.7) days)
      did not differ from that in healthy subjects (7.6 (1.1) days). No differences
      were observed in platelet kinetics between aspirin tolerant and aspirin
      intolerant patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest the existence of an
      active non-splenic pool of platelets in patients with asthma. However, they
      failed to show platelet kinetic differences among asthmatic subjects with and
      without aspirin intolerance and do not support previous studies suggesting an
      altered platelet survival in stable asthma.

PMID- 1412099
TI  - Should we judge a mask by its cover?
AB  - BACKGROUND: A table of the approximate ranges of inspired oxygen delivered at
      given oxygen flow rates is often given on the packaging of oxygen masks. A study
      was carried out to check the inspired oxygen concentration given by one of the
      new masks, which has been designed to be used with or without the Venturi
      attachment as a result of the proposal to use it without the Venturi attachment
      as a general purpose mask for emergency use. METHODS: Measurements were made at
      resting respiratory rate and 26 breaths/min in 12 normal subjects. Continuous
      oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations were recorded at the lips with a mass
      spectrometer, and inspired oxygen concentrations were calculated from end tidal
      values by means of the alveolar gas equation. Measurements were made at oxygen
      flow rates of 2, 4, and 6 l/min for the mask alone and at 2 and 4 l/min with both
      the 24% and the 28% Venturi attachments. RESULTS: Without the Venturi attachment
      the mask gave average inspired oxygen concentrations 8-10% greater than are
      stated on the packaging at oxygen flow rates of 2, 4, and 6 l/min at resting
      respiratory rates of 8-20 breaths/min, some individuals receiving 30% more than
      expected. Addition of the interchangeable Venturi attachments designed to give
      24% and 28% inspired oxygen delivered average concentrations within 2% of the
      expected concentrations, no individual receiving more than 5% above the expected
      concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: The labelling on the packaging of oxygen masks may
      lead to inappropriate use by those not expert in prescribing oxygen therapy.
      Caution is still needed when a single multipurpose mask is being selected for
      emergency use, where accurate delivery of low concentrations of oxygen is vital
      for some patients.

PMID- 1412098
TI  - Asthma from birth to age 23: incidence and relation to prior and concurrent
      atopic disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Few studies present prospective data on the incidence of asthma. Its
      associations with sex and with prior and concurrent hay fever and eczema were
      examined in a nationally representative sample followed from birth to 23 years of
      age (British 1958 birth cohort). METHODS: Reports of asthma or wheezy bronchitis,
      hay fever and eczema were obtained by interview of parents of children at ages 7,
      11, and 16 years, and of cohort members at age 23 years. Linked data from all
      four interviews were available on 7225 subjects (43% of the original birth
      cohort). RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of asthma or wheezy bronchitis was
      18.2%, 21.8%, 24.5%, and 28.6% by the ages of 7, 11, 16, and 23 years
      respectively. Over the four incidence periods examined (0 to 7 years, 8 to 11
      years, 12 to 16 years, 17 to 23 years) the average annual incidence of new cases
      was 2.6%, 1.1%, 0.71%, and 0.76% respectively. The male:female incidence ratio
      rose from 1.23 in the 0 to 7 year period to 1.48 at 12 to 16 years but had
      reversed to 0.59 at 17 to 23 years. A prior report of hay fever or eczema each
      increased the subsequent incidence of asthma or wheezy bronchitis by a factor of
      1.7 to 2.0 independently of sex. This effect of prior atopic illness, however,
      was largely explained by the strong independent association of incidence of
      asthma and wheezy bronchitis with atopic disease at the end of each incidence
      period (odds ratios 2.0 to 2.5 per atopic condition, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS:
      Gender differences in the incidence of asthma or wheezy bronchitis vary with age
      and are not explained by atopy. The incidence of asthma or wheezy bronchitis can
      be predicted from a clinical history of hay fever or eczema but is more strongly
      associated with the presence of atopic disease at the time of onset.

PMID- 1412100
TI  - Rapid diagnosis of gram negative pneumonia by assay of endotoxin in
      bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of ventilator associated pneumonia can be made by
      quantitative cultures of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid or of protected specimen
      brushings, though cultures require 24-48 hours to provide results. In 80% of
      cases aerobic Gram negative bacteria are the cause. METHODS: A rapid diagnostic
      method of assessing the endotoxin content of lavage fluid by Limulus assay is
      described. Forty samples of lavage fluid were obtained from patients with
      multiple trauma requiring mechanical ventilation for a prolonged period.
      Pneumonia was diagnosed on the basis of clinical, radiological, and
      bacteriological findings, including quantitative cultures of lavage fluid.
      RESULTS: A relation was observed between the concentration of endotoxin in lavage
      fluid and the quantity of Gram negative bacteria. The median endotoxin content of
      lavage fluid in Gram negative bacterial pneumonia was 15 endotoxin units (EU)/ml;
      the range observed in individual patients was 6 to > 150 EU/ml. In patients with
      pneumonia due to Gram positive cocci and in non-infected patients the median
      endotoxin level was 0.17 (range < or = 0.06 to 2) EU/ml. An endotoxin level
      greater than or equal to 6 EU/ml distinguished patients with Gram negative
      bacterial pneumonia from colonised patients and from those with pneumonia due to
      Gram positive cocci. CONCLUSION: The measurement of endotoxin in lavage fluid is
      a rapid (less than two hours) and accurate diagnostic method. It should allow
      specific and early treatment of Gram negative bacterial pneumonia.

PMID- 1412101
TI  - Short term effect of oxygen on renal haemodynamics in patients with hypoxaemic
      chronic obstructive airways disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Oxygen therapy is effective in the prevention and treatment of
      oedematous exacerbations of cor pulmonale. As renal blood flow is reduced in cor
      pulmonale a study was designed to investigate whether one of the beneficial
      effects of oxygen was to increase renal blood flow. The effect of oxygen therapy
      on renal haemodynamics measured noninvasively was examined in patients with
      chronic obstructive airways disease and previous episodes of oedema. METHODS:
      Renal blood flow waveforms were recorded in a single vessel by colour flow
      Doppler ultrasound in nine hypoxaemic patients (PaO2) (arterial oxygen tension <
      8 kPa while they were breathing air) with chronic obstructive airways disease and
      previous oedema and eight age matched normoxaemic volunteers (arterial oxygen
      saturation (SaO2) 97% or more when breathing air) while they were breathing air
      and oxygen. SaO2 and transcutaneous PaO2 (TcPO2) and PaCO2 (TcPCO2) were
      monitored. Five renal velocity profile recordings were made from the same
      segmental vessel with the patient breathing room air for one hour followed by
      oxygen titrated to achieve an oxygen saturation of 95% or more without a rise in
      TcPCO2 for 15 minutes. Control subjects breathed 35% oxygen. RESULTS: No
      significant change in the pulsatility index (a measure of distal vascular
      resistance) or mean height of the waveform (Tamx, a measure of renal blood flow)
      occurred in the control subjects while they were breathing air or oxygen. The
      pulsatility index of the patients with chronic obstructive airways disease was
      significantly greater than that in the control subjects breathing air (1.44 (SD
      0.28) v 1.03 (0.14). Breathing oxygen was associated with an increase in TcPO2 in
      the patients (from 6.9 (1.9) to 11.5 (0.7) kPa), a fall in pulsatility index
      (from 1.44 (0.28) to 1.26 (0.14) and an increase in Tamx (from 0.187 (0.055) to
      0.234 (0.087) m/s). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that renal vascular
      resistance is increased in patients with chronic obstructive airways disease and
      hypoxaemia and that short term oxygen therapy reduces renal vascular resistance
      and increases blood flow. Some of the benefits of oxygen therapy in cor pulmonale
      may be due to improvements in renal haemodynamics.

PMID- 1412103
TI  - Endobronchial sonography: feasibility and preliminary results.
AB  - Endobronchial sonography, a new ultrasound technique, has been evaluated for the
      assessment of normal lungs and bronchial carcinomas. The procedure was performed
      with ultrasound catheters, which were introduced into central and peripheral
      bronchi through the operating channel of fibreoptic bronchoscopes. The bronchial
      wall is highly echogenic and laminated. The lung parenchyma appears echo rich and
      patchy. Pulmonary arteries can be identified by the pulsatile changes and
      floating echoes within the echo free lumen. Echo poor bronchial carcinomas were
      detected in 69 out of 74 patients with endoscopically visible tumours and in 19
      out of 26 patients with peripheral carcinomas. The correct implantation of
      metallic stents was facilitated by endobronchial sonography in nine patients. The
      sonographic examination carried no particular risk and caused little discomfort.

PMID- 1412102
TI  - The pulmonary physician and critical care. 2. The injured lung: conventional and
      novel respiratory therapy.
AB  - Several alternatives to conventional ventilation in acute lung injury are now
      available and have been investigated to a varying degree. The assessment of all
      such techniques is limited by difficulties in designing proper comparative
      studies and by the time needed to recruit a large number of appropriate patients
      with acute lung injury. A common theme of lung volume maintenance combined with
      strategies designed to limit the extent of ventilator induced lung damage has
      emerged and should encourage reassessment of the conventional approach. The
      results of several large prospective comparative studies are eagerly awaited.
      Meanwhile we may reasonably suggest that improvements in respiratory support,
      together with advances in microbiological and pharmacological treatment, have the
      potential for improving the persistently disappointing survival rate in acute
      lung injury.

PMID- 1412104
TI  - Chronic necrotising pulmonary aspergillosis caused by Aspergillus niger in a
      mildly immunocompromised host.

PMID- 1412105
TI  - Neutrophilic alveolitis in Sweet's syndrome.
AB  - In a case of Sweet's syndrome (acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis)
      neutrophilic alveolitis was found by lung biopsy. Pulmonary disease in this
      condition may be underrecognised yet, like the dermatological features, it
      responds rapidly to corticosteroids.

PMID- 1412106
TI  - Prescribed fenoterol and death from asthma in New Zealand, 1981-7: a further case
      control study.

PMID- 1412107
TI  - Pleural abrasion: a new method of pleurodesis?

PMID- 1412108
TI  - Shunting through a patent foramen ovale.

PMID- 1412109
TI  - Persistent alveolar increased permeability to 99mTc DTPA in patients with
      advanced HIV infection.

PMID- 1412110
TI  - The management of tuberculous meningitis.

PMID- 1412111
TI  - Effects of corticosteroids in acute severe asthma.

PMID- 1412112
TI  - Corticosteroids in acute severe asthma: effectiveness of low doses.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although the need for corticosteroids in acute severe asthma is well
      established the appropriate dose is not known. METHODS: The response to
      intravenous hydrocortisone 50 mg (low dose), 100 mg (medium dose), and 500 mg
      (high dose), administered every six hours for 48 hours and followed by oral
      prednisone, was compared in patients with acute asthma in a double blind
      randomised study. After initial emergency treatment with bronchodilators subjects
      received oral theophylline or intravenous aminophylline and nebulised salbutamol
      four hourly. Patients were given low, medium, or high doses of intravenous
      hydrocortisone and then 20, 40, or 60 mg/day respectively of oral prednisone with
      a reducing regimen over the following 12 days. Beclomethasone dipropionate, 400
      micrograms twice daily by metered dose inhaler, was also started. Peak expiratory
      flow (PEF), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and visual analogue
      dyspnoea scores (VAS) were recorded daily in hospital and PEF and VAS twice daily
      after discharge for a total of 12 days. RESULTS: The 66 subjects (40 female) who
      completed the study had a mean (SD) age of 31(14) years. On presentation mean
      (SD) FEV1% predicted in the low (n = 22), medium (n = 20), and high dose (n = 24)
      groups was 17(13), 19(12), and 19(11) and after emergency bronchodilator
      treatment 32(20), 30(12), and 36(13). After 24 hours of treatment the respective
      post-bronchodilator FEV1% predicted values were 62(22), 62(23), and 65(28)
      compared with 71(24), 69(22), and 71(24) after 48 hours. No significant
      difference between the groups was detected. PEF and VAS improved with treatment
      over the 12 days but was not influenced by steroid dose. CONCLUSIONS:
      Hydrocortisone 50 mg intravenously four times a day for two days followed by low
      dose oral prednisone is as effective in resolving acute severe asthma as 200 or
      500 mg of hydrocortisone followed by higher doses of prednisone.

PMID- 1412113
TI  - Controlled trial of intravenous corticosteroids in severe acute asthma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The value of corticosteroids in severe acute asthma continues to be
      debated. METHODS: Ninety consecutive patients admitted to the emergency room with
      severe acute asthma were studied in a randomised, double blind, controlled trial
      to determine the efficacy of corticosteroids. Eighty two patients completed the
      study. All received oxygen therapy and intensive bronchodilator treatment. The
      patients were divided into three groups for steroid treatment, receiving
      intravenous methylprednisolone 10 mg/kg every four hours for 48 hours (29
      patients, group A); intravenous methylprednisolone 2 mg/kg every 4 hours for 48
      hours (27 patients, group B); or no intravenous corticosteroids (26 patients,
      group C). RESULTS: There were no differences on admission among the three groups
      in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC),
      peak expiratory flow (PEF), or arterial oxygen or carbon dioxide tension; and the
      rates of recovery in FEV1, FVC, and PEF were similar. CONCLUSIONS:
      Corticosteroids given with bronchodilators have not shown a beneficial effect in
      the first 48 hours of recovery of severe acute asthma. Only in those patients who
      failed to respond by the third hour of treatment, and in those who were
      previously taking oral corticosteroids, does a favourable, though not
      statistically significant, effect appear to occur.

PMID- 1412114
TI  - Attenuation of exercise induced asthma by local hyperthermia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Prior treatment with local hyperthermia has been shown to prevent
      mast cell degranulation and leucocyte histamine release, and to reduce mortality
      and cellular infiltrates in a model of acute lung injury. Local hyperthermia is
      effective in reducing the symptoms of the common cold and perennial and seasonal
      allergic rhinitis, nasal patency also being improved in rhinitis. It is possible
      that these effects are mediated by common anti-inflammatory mechanisms, and that
      this treatment may be effective in the treatment of asthma. The effect of prior
      local hyperthermia on the response to exercise challenge and histamine
      bronchoprovocation was therefore examined. METHODS: In a randomised, double
      blind, placebo controlled, crossover study, 10 asthmatic subjects with exercise
      induced asthma used machines delivering 40 1/minute of fully humidified air at
      either 42 degrees C (active treatment) or 31 degrees C (placebo treatment) for 30
      minutes' tidal breathing. For each pretreatment, at two week intervals they
      underwent exercise challenges starting one and 24 hours after starting the
      inhalations. After a further two weeks the protocol was repeated with histamine
      substituted for the exercise challenges. RESULTS: The mean (SE) maximum
      percentage fall in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was
      significantly lower one hour after treatment with air at 42 degrees C (30.8%
      (3.1%)) than after treatment with air at 31 degrees C (22.3% (2.9%)). There was
      no significant effect on exercise challenge at 24 hours, or on histamine
      challenge at either time point, though there were nonsignificant trends towards
      protection with exercise at 24 hours and with histamine at one hour. CONCLUSION:
      In asthmatic subjects the response to exercise challenge is significantly
      attenuated one hour after treatment with local hyperthermia. This treatment
      warrants further investigation in the treatment of clinical asthma and other
      inflammatory disorders.

PMID- 1412115
TI  - Controlled trial of respiratory muscle training in chronic airflow limitation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Whether respiratory muscle training is of benefit to patients with
      chronic airflow limitation is controversial. The objective of the study was to
      determine the effect of resistance breathing training on physiological and
      functional measures in patients with chronic airflow obstruction. METHODS: The
      design was a randomised, double blind, controlled trial with a six month follow
      up. Eighty two patients with a forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) of
      less than 70% predicted, and an FEV1/vital capacity ratio of less than 0.7, were
      randomised to receive training for 10 minutes five times daily with progressively
      larger resistances through a resistive breathing device (PFLEX) as tolerated or
      to a sham device which gave minimal resistance. The main outcome measures,
      respiratory muscle strength and endurance, a progressive exercise test, a six
      minute walk test and physical and emotional function (chronic respiratory
      questionnaire) were assessed at monthly intervals. Patients in both groups were
      also randomised to wear or not wear nose clips during their training. RESULTS: No
      significant differences were observed between treatment and control groups, with
      or without nose clips, for any of the outcomes. Confidence intervals on the
      difference between treatments were narrow, excluding clinically important
      difference in any major outcome. CONCLUSION: This training regimen fails to
      strengthen respiratory muscles or improve exercise or functional capacity in
      patients with chronic airflow limitation.

PMID- 1412117
TI  - Variability of inspired oxygen concentration with nasal cannulas.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The likely values of inspired oxygen concentration (FIO2) of patients
      with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease breathing via nasal cannulas have not
      been assessed previously. METHODS: Seven patients with chronic obstructive lung
      disease and seven healthy subjects were studied while breathing oxygen via nasal
      cannulas or fixed performance (Venturi) or uncontrolled (MC) oxygen masks. Breath
      to breath values of FIO2 were calculated by extrapolation from expired oxygen and
      carbon dioxide concentrations on the basis of the oxygen-carbon dioxide
      relationship and on the assumption of a respiratory exchange ratio (R) of 0.8.
      RESULTS: In both groups of subjects the average values of FIO2 with nasal
      cannulas at 1 and 2 l min-1 were of a similar order to those achieved with 24.5%
      and 28% Venturi masks, but variations within and between subjects in both groups
      breathing via nasal cannulas were considerable and similar to those found with MC
      masks. In the seven patients with chronic obstructive lung disease breathing via
      nasal cannulas at 2 l min-1 the average FIO2 varied from 23.7% to 34.9%.
      CONCLUSIONS: "Typical" values of FIO2 quoted with nasal cannulas can mislead. The
      results confirm that this mode of oxygen delivery is unsatisfactory if precise
      control of inspired oxygen is desired.

PMID- 1412116
TI  - Integrity of the alveolar-capillary barrier and alveolar surfactant system in
      smokers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The permeability of the alveolar-capillary barrier to technetium-99m
      labelled diethylenetriamine pentaacetate (99mTc DTPA) is known to be greatly
      increased in smokers, but the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. Abnormal
      permeability of the alveolar epithelium as well as impaired surfactant function
      has been suggested. The purpose of this study was to examine transudation of urea
      and albumin into the alveoli and alveolar surfactant function in smokers and non
      smokers and to relate these variables to the rate of alveolar-capillary transfer
      of 99mTc DTPA. METHODS: Standardised bronchoalveolar lavage was performed and the
      yield of urea and albumin measured in the lavage fluid. The integrity of the
      alveolar surfactant system was assessed by measurement of the surface activity
      and of the yield of phospholipids in alveolar lavage fluid. RESULTS: The mean
      decay constant for the pulmonary clearance of 99mTc DTPA was 0.028/min in the
      smokers and 0.009/min in the non-smokers. The recovery of albumin and urea in
      alveolar lavage fluid was very similar in the two groups. The surface activity of
      alveolar lavage fluid was lower in smokers than in non-smokers (minimum surface
      tension 37.9 versus 28.6 mN/m) and the yield of phospholipids was reduced (2.08
      versus 3.86 mg). The rate constant for the pulmonary clearance of 99mTc DTPA
      correlated with the yield of phospholipids at bronchoalveolar lavage.
      CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that increased alveolar-capillary transfer of 99mTc
      DTPA in smokers is not accompanied by increased transudation of small or large
      molecules into the alveoli. The findings support the hypothesis that increased
      clearance of 99mTc DTPA in smokers is related to surfactant dysfunction.

PMID- 1412118
TI  - Induction of sleep apnoea with negative pressure ventilation in patients with
      chronic obstructive lung disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Negative pressure ventilation provides intermittent non-invasive
      ventilatory assistance for patients with advanced chronic obstructive lung
      disease. Upper airway obstruction during sleep, a reported complication of the
      technique, may, however, limit its clinical applicability. METHODS: The effects
      of nocturnal negative pressure ventilation on ventilation and on indices of sleep
      quality were investigated in five patients with severe chronic obstructive lung
      disease (mean (SE) FEV1 31% (3%) predicted) who had completed three months of
      nightly negative pressure ventilation. Subjects underwent overnight
      polysomnography on consecutive nights, the first night serving as a control and
      negative pressure ventilation being provided on the second night. Ventilators
      were adjusted to result in maximum suppression of the peak phasic electromyogram
      signal from the diaphragm. RESULTS: Negative pressure ventilation resulted in
      substantial increases in episodes of obstructive apnoea and hypopnoea (mean
      (SE)/h 59.3 (19.8) v 3.2 (1.3) on control nights). Most obstructive events,
      however, were associated with under 3% oxygen desaturation, and the lowest
      recorded values for overnight oxygen saturation were similar on the two study
      nights. Negative pressure ventilation was also associated with significant
      increases in the frequencies of movement arousals and changes in sleep stage.
      CONCLUSIONS: Negative pressure ventilation applied during sleep to patients with
      advanced chronic obstructive lung disease may result in the development of
      recurrent episodes of apnoea and hypopnoea as well as altered sleep quality,
      which could limit its clinical applicability.

PMID- 1412119
TI  - Effects of corticosteroids on bronchodilator action in chronic obstructive lung
      disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Short term treatment with corticosteroids does not usually reduce
      airflow limitation and airway responsiveness in patients with chronic obstructive
      lung disease. We investigated whether corticosteroids modulate the effects of
      inhaled salbutamol and ipratropium bromide. METHODS: Ten non-allergic subjects
      with stable disease were investigated; eight completed the randomised, double
      blind, three period cross over study. Treatment regimens consisted of 1.6 mg
      inhaled budesonide a day for three weeks, 40 mg oral prednisone a day for eight
      days, and placebo. After each period cumulative doubling doses of salbutamol,
      ipratropium, a combination of salbutamol and ipratropium, and placebo were
      administered on separate days until a plateau in FEV1 was reached. A histamine
      challenge was then performed. RESULTS: At the end of placebo treatment mean FEV1
      was 55.5% predicted after inhaled placebo, 67.9% predicted after salbutamol and
      64.0% predicted after ipratropium. Compared with the results after the placebo
      period the FEV1 with salbutamol increased by 0.7% predicted after treatment with
      budesonide and by 0.7% predicted after treatment with prednisone; the FEV1 with
      ipratropium increased by 0.7% predicted after budesonide and by 4.8% predicted
      after prednisone; none of these changes was significant. After placebo treatment
      the geometric mean PC20 was 0.55 mg/ml after placebo, 1.71 mg/ml after salbutamol
      and 0.97 mg/ml after ipratropium. Compared with the placebo period the PC20 with
      salbutamol was increased by 0.86 doubling concentrations after treatment with
      budesonide, and by 0.67 doubling concentrations after prednisone; the PC20 with
      ipratropium increased by 0.03 and 0.34 doubling concentrations after budesonide
      and after prednisone respectively compared with placebo; none of these changes
      was significant. CONCLUSIONS: In non-allergic subjects with chronic obstructive
      lung disease short term treatment with high doses of inhaled or oral
      corticosteroids does not modify the bronchodilator response to salbutamol or
      ipratropium or the protection provided by either drug against histamine.
      Salbutamol produces greater protection from histamine induced bronchoconstriction
      than ipratropium.

PMID- 1412120
TI  - Nilutamide pneumonitis: a report on eight patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Nilutamide is a new, specific synthetic antiandrogen, released in
      several countries for the treatment of metastatic carcinoma of the prostate.
      Eight patients at the University Medical Centre at Dijon and affiliated referring
      hospitals developed reversible pulmonary opacities and respiratory symptoms while
      taking the drug. METHODS: Records of eight patients who developed new, otherwise
      unexplained chest opacities while taking nilutamide were reviewed. In each
      patient a careful aetiological search was made for other environmental or
      endogenous causes. Six patients underwent bronchoalveolar lavage, and lavage
      fluid was cultured. Corticosteroids were not given, unless gas exchange was
      compromised (two patients). RESULTS: The eight patients (all male) had had
      carcinoma of the prostate diagnosed on average 10.2 months earlier. All had
      improved with nilutamide, with a dramatic decrease of prostate specific antigen
      levels. Seven had received nilutamide at the recommended dosage of 150 mg/day,
      and one had received twice that amount. Treatment had lasted on average 113
      (range 10-225) days, and the mean cumulated exposure was 21.8 (3-38) grams. The
      chest radiographs showed bilateral infiltrates, with no consistent topographic
      predilection. A restrictive lung defect was present in six patients and hypoxia
      in all (mean arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) 6.6 kPa). Bronchoalveolar lavage
      showed lymphocytosis in four patients and neutrophilia in two. The outcome was
      favourable in all patients after they had stopped nilutamide only (five
      patients), with corticosteroids (two patients) or a simple reduction of
      nilutamide from 300 to 150 mg/day (one patient). Recovery was associated with
      improvement of pulmonary function and PaO2. CONCLUSION: Nilutamide is associated
      with interstitial pneumonitis in about 1% of patients and appears reversible.

PMID- 1412121
TI  - Acute pneumonitis associated with low dose methotrexate treatment for rheumatoid
      arthritis: report of five cases and review of published reports.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Low dose methotrexate has become established in the treatment of
      refractory rheumatoid arthritis. Until recently it has been considered that the
      use of a low dose regimen (< 20 mg/week) would avoid the pulmonary toxicity
      associated with the higher doses prescribed in malignant disease. Although
      initial experience with low dose methotrexate was encouraging, an increasing
      number of cases of an acute, life threatening pneumonitis are being reported in
      patients with refractory rheumatoid arthritis. PATIENTS: Since 1984 43 patients
      with refractory rheumatoid arthritis have been established on low dose
      methotrexate in the Oxford Health District. Five of these patients have
      subsequently developed acute methotrexate induced pneumonitis. The clinical and
      radiological features of these cases are described and previous reports reviewed.
      RESULTS: Five patients having low dose methotrexate treatment developed acute
      pneumonitis. Presentation was subacute and dominated by constitutional features.
      Respiratory symptoms developed insidiously but progressed rapidly with increasing
      dyspnoea associated with severe hypoxia. Chest radiographs were non-specific,
      showing diffuse interstitial infiltration and alveolar shadowing. Microbiological
      investigation gave negative results. In all cases methotrexate was discontinued
      and high dose corticosteroids started, with rapid clinical and radiological
      improvement. After withdrawal of steroid both clinical and radiological
      resolution was maintained at follow up. CONCLUSION: Acute pneumonitis is an
      uncommon but serious adverse effect of low dose methotrexate treatment for
      refractory rheumatoid arthritis. The initial presentation is non-specific and a
      high index of suspicion is required as respiratory failure may develop rapidly.
      Management depends on exclusion of infection, withdrawal of methotrexate, and
      high dose corticosteroid treatment. Full supportive treatment is indicated as the
      prognosis in such patients is good.

PMID- 1412122
TI  - Effect of heparin on pulmonary fibroblasts and vascular cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is a large increase in mast cell numbers in fibrotic lung
      tissue, suggesting that mast cells may play a part in the pathogenesis of
      pulmonary fibrosis. Glycosaminoglycans, such as heparan sulphate, that are
      structurally related to heparin (a mast cell product) are part of the
      extracellular matrix and known to regulate cell growth. Basic fibroblast growth
      factor is a heparin binding growth factor produced by endothelial cells. METHODS:
      A study was carried out to examine the effect of heparin, basic fibroblast growth
      factor, and mast cell products on the proliferation of normal human lung
      fibroblasts and the effect of adding heparin on the proliferation of lung
      fibroblasts and pulmonary vascular cells incubated with basic fibroblast growth
      factor. RESULTS: Heparin at low concentration (0.03, 0.3-1.0 micrograms/ml)
      stimulated the proliferation of normal human lung fibroblasts in culture whereas
      a higher concentration (100 micrograms/ml) had an inhibitory effect. Mast cell
      products also stimulated the proliferation of fibroblasts, and the effect was
      decreased by pretreatment with heparinase or protamine. Heparin enhanced the
      growth of both fibroblasts and pulmonary vascular cells induced by low
      concentrations of basic fibroblast growth factor. CONCLUSIONS: Mast cells in
      fibrotic lung tissue may regulate fibroblast proliferation by releasing heparin.
      These results suggest that endothelial cells may interact with mast cells and
      modulate fibroblast growth by release of basic fibroblast growth factor.

PMID- 1412123
TI  - High resolution computed tomographic assessment of asbestosis and cryptogenic
      fibrosing alveolitis: a comparative study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the distribution and
      configuration of lung opacities in patients with cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis
      and asbestosis by high resolution computed tomography. METHODS: Eighteen patients
      with cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis and 24 with asbestosis were studied. Two
      independent observers assessed the type and distributions of opacities in the
      upper, middle, and lower zones of the computed tomogram. RESULTS: Upper zone
      fibrosis occurred in 10 of the 18 patients with cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis
      and in six of the 24 patients with asbestosis. A specific pattern in which
      fibrosis was distributed posteriorly in the lower zones, laterally in the middle
      zones, and anteriorly in the upper zones was seen in 11 patients with cryptogenic
      fibrosing alveolitis and in four with asbestosis. Band like intrapulmonary
      opacities, often merging with the pleura, were seen in 19 patients with
      asbestosis but in only two with cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis. Areas with a
      reticular pattern and a confluent or ground glass pattern were the commonest
      features of cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis (15 and 14 patients respectively)
      but were uncommon in asbestosis (four and three patients). Pleural thickening or
      plaques were seen in 21 patients with asbestosis and in none with cryptogenic
      fibrosing alveolitis. CONCLUSION: Apart from showing pleural disease high
      resolution computed tomography showed that confluent (ground glass) opacities are
      common in cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis and rare in asbestosis whereas thick,
      band like opacities are common in asbestosis and rare in cryptogenic fibrosing
      alveolitis.

PMID- 1412125
TI  - An expansible cannula: a new technique for chest drain insertion.
AB  - The insertion of a chest drain into the pleural space is a common procedure used
      by many specialties. The commonly used device is a prepacked, sterile plastic
      tube with its own central metal trocar. Complications may arise during its
      insertion, with the occasional penetration of intrathoracic and upper abdominal
      organs. As most chest drains are inserted by junior and relatively inexperienced
      doctors, it is therefore imperative that a simple, safe, and effective technique
      of insertion is found. A device has been developed that consists of a 5 cm
      conical length of an expansible cannula, made from rolled metal foil, which when
      inserted into the chest reaches only a few millimetres within the pleura. When an
      expander tube, 10 mm in diameter, is passed through the device from its proximal
      end the conical tube is distended into a hollow cylindrical one, through which a
      standard Portex chest catheter is passed. The whole appliance is then removed
      over the end of the tube, leaving the drain in situ. The efficacy of this unique
      device has been tested in a pilot study in 22 patients. There have been no
      complications.

PMID- 1412124
TI  - The pulmonary physician and critical care. 3. Pharmacotherapy in lung injury.

PMID- 1412126
TI  - Recurrent respiratory obstruction from a mediastinal bronchogenic cyst.
AB  - A large mediastinal bronchogenic cyst presented acutely with paroxysmal atrial
      fibrillation and severe airflow obstruction. The patient had experienced
      identical symptoms on two other occasions over the previous 24 years. These had
      been previously misdiagnosed as due to a mediastinal lymphoma. Percutaneous
      extrapleural aspiration successfully decompressed the cyst with substantial
      improvement in lung function. Recurrent swelling of the cyst occurred that could
      not be relieved surgically. After repeat aspiration percutaneous instillation of
      bleomycin and alcohol has been used to prevent further increase in the size of
      the cyst.

PMID- 1412127
TI  - Treatment of desmoid tumours in Gardner's syndrome.
AB  - A 24 year old woman with Gardner's syndrome developed a massive chest wall
      desmoid tumour, which required radical excision and prosthetic reconstruction. In
      view of the local aggressiveness of this tumour and the fact that it does not
      metastasize a policy of radical surgery when possible is recommended.

PMID- 1412128
TI  - Endobronchial actinomycosis mimicking pulmonary neoplasm.
AB  - A 60 year old man had recurrent pneumonia. Bronchoscopy disclosed a necrotic mass
      in the left lower lobe bronchus, which histological examination showed to contain
      sulphur granules. The endobronchial mass had disappeared by the second
      bronchoscopy one week later. The patient was treated with penicillin for one year
      and was cured. Actinomycosis must be included in the differential diagnosis of an
      endobronchial mass.

PMID- 1412129
TI  - Barcelona's asthma epidemics.

PMID- 1412130
TI  - Cellular mechanisms of acute lung injury: implications for future treatment in
      the adult respiratory distress syndrome.

PMID- 1412131
TI  - [Physiology of the digestive smooth muscle].
AB  - By comparison with striated muscle, the main features of digestive smooth muscle
      are richness, complexity and diversity specially with thanks to the enteric and
      prevertebral nervous neurons which add up their effects to those of the central
      nervous system. The morphological and molecular characteristics of the smooth
      muscle contractility begin to be unveiled, but a lot of basic knowledge is still
      needed for further pharmacological advances.

PMID- 1412132
TI  - [Methods for studying the motility in the small intestine, colon and recto-anal
      area].
AB  - Small bowel and colonic motility can be studied either indirectly by the
      determination of the transit time or directly in recording bowel contractions.
      Small bowel transit time is usually assessed with the H2-breath test when colonic
      transit time is mainly determined fluoroscopically in studying the progression of
      radiopaque markers along the large bowel. Scintigraphic techniques are promising
      but not routinely used techniques. In the small bowel, gut contractions are
      recorded with manometric probes. To study colonic movements, electromyography is
      more usual than manometry. In both cases, whatever the technique employed, the
      large inter- and intra (topographic and nycthemeral) variability need to be
      considered for the interpretation of the motor patterns. Rectoanal studies led to
      consider two aspects: how the rectum acts as a reservoir and anal function. The
      ability of the rectum to be a reservoir is assessed either by the volume
      remaining in the rectum during the rectal perfusion with saline or by the
      determination of the maximal tolerable volume of distension. Manometry and/or
      electromyography test anal function at rest and during a rectal distension,
      straining or a voluntary contraction.

PMID- 1412133
TI  - Experimental models to evaluate the effects of drugs on digestive motility.

PMID- 1412134
TI  - [Study methods in clinical pharmacology of the upper digestive tract (esophagus,
      stomach)].

PMID- 1412135
TI  - [Endoscopic evaluation of the effect of low-dose ketoprofen, ibuprofen and
      aspirin on the gastric mucosa in man].

PMID- 1412136
TI  - [Successful treatment of ocular candidiasis with fluconazole].

PMID- 1412137
TI  - [Protection with misoprostol of gastric mucosa lesions induced by aspirin.
      Measurement of the difference in transgastric potential].

PMID- 1412138
TI  - Assessment of the efficacy of vasodilator drugs in peripheral vascular disease
      through a study of skeletal muscle metabolism using 31P nuclear magnetic
      resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.

PMID- 1412139
TI  - Insulin action in cirrhosis. The importance of protein-energy malnutrition.

PMID- 1412140
TI  - [Evaluation criteria for protocols submitted to the consultant committee for
      protection of persons in biomedical research (CCPPRB) Lyon-C].
AB  - In order to fulfill its task, the Lyon-C institutional review board (CCPPRB)
      developed standards for the evaluation of clinical research protocols. This check
      list envisages 1- the mandatory documents in the absence of which the protocol
      will not be considered, 2- scientific quality standards, 3- ethical quality
      standards. An agreement on the use of such standards in France might improve the
      functioning of institutional review boards (CCPPRB) and the quality of clinical
      research.

PMID- 1412141
TI  - [Double blind study of the efficacy of mebendazole in minor forms of human
      toxocariasis].
AB  - The authors discuss the results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised
      study on the efficacy of mebendazole versus placebo in the treatment of human
      toxocariasis in 45 and 43 patients respectively, who exhibited evocative clinical
      and biological symptoms and a seropositivity. Scores were used to quantify
      clinical (20 parameters) and biological (blood count, sedimentation rate,
      determination of total and anti-Toxocara IgE, serodiagnosis by
      immunoelectrophoresis) abnormalities. The reassessment were done 1 month after
      the end of treatment. Analyzing the results showed a similar efficacy of
      mebendazole and placebo on the score of clinical signs; the score of biological
      abnormalities was significantly reduced in mebendazole group, but the
      serodiagnosis by immunoelectrophoresis was the only parameter that was
      significantly normalized. These results corroborate previous prospective studies
      and allow to make a conclusion in favour of a moderate efficacy of mebendazole.

PMID- 1412142
TI  - [Parkinson disease in neurologic general practice in Alsace-Lorraine.
      Characteristics and study of the treatment].
AB  - A study was performed in 220 out-patients with Parkinson's disease followed by
      general neurologists. The general characteristics of the patients are similar to
      those observed in the large epidemiological studies. The main conclusion concerns
      the low use of dopamine agonists. It confirms the discrepancy between drug
      prescription in general practice and the data from therapeutic drug trials.

PMID- 1412143
TI  - [Physiological and clinical recall on equilibrium disorders].
AB  - Static and dynamic equilibrium (posture and gait) is indispensable for a normal
      behavior in human. Its mechanisms are nearly the same in superior species and in
      man, but humans are the only ones to have acquired exclusively biped upright
      position and gait. Equilibrium is a sensory function involving 3 sub systems:
      visual, vestibular and sensori-motor (proprioceptive), controlled by cerebellum
      and cerebral structures. Information coming from those 3 sub systems must be
      concordant. In case of discordance, the patient is in a state of sensory
      conflict. This conflict can induce disequilibrium or true vertigo. After a recall
      on equilibrium, the authors report the results of an epidemiologic study upon
      5298 patients suffering of balance disorders and treated by an alpha-blocker:
      nicergoline (30 mg/day during 6 months).

PMID- 1412144
TI  - [Extended worldwide experience. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors: lovastatin and
      simvastatin].
AB  - Lovastatin and simvastatin are the first licensed compounds of a potent new class
      of lipid lowering drugs whose mechanism of action is to inhibit HMG-CoA
      reductase, a rate-limiting enzyme in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway in the
      liver. Inhibition of cholesterol synthesis leads to upregulation of LDL-receptors
      in the liver and subsequent increased LDL clearance. Both agents are pro-drugs
      (lactones) which undergo extensive first-pass hepatic metabolism to the beta
      hydroxyl acid form. These drugs are liver specific and have low systemic exposure
      as open-acid forms (plasma concentration < 5% of oral dose). Thus, theoretically
      both drugs have low potential for systemic adverse events. They are potent and
      effective agents for the treatment of primary hypercholesterolemia. The adverse
      experiences reported for both drugs demonstrate an excellent safety profile.

PMID- 1412145
TI  - Carbamazepine, fluvoxamine. Is there a pharmacokinetic interaction?

PMID- 1412146
TI  - [Rhabdomyolysis associated to fenoverin therapy and complicated by acute renal
      failure].

PMID- 1412148
TI  - [Pharmacology of gastric antisecretory agents and of modifying drugs of the
      digestive motility. Current methodological developments; introductory
      discussion].

PMID- 1412147
TI  - [Thrombopenia induced by pipemidic acid].

PMID- 1412149
TI  - Pharmacological assessments of antisecretory drugs in man. The role of
      intragastric pHmetry.

PMID- 1412150
TI  - [In vitro evaluation of antacid activity in gastric acid secretion in static and
      dynamic systems].
AB  - A valid in vitro evaluation of antacid capacity should consider: 1) the
      intragastric pH-range; 2) the antacid mechanism; 3) the dependence of antacid
      activity from intraluminal flux variations; 4) the interaction between proteins
      and antacids. Pharmacologically, a static method allows 1) to quantify H+ binding
      sites at different pH-end points of the titration: pH 3.0, 2.0 and 1.0 and 2) to
      characterize the antacid mechanism, neutralizing activity and/or buffering
      capacity. In dynamic conditions, using the "artificial stomach-duodenum" model
      the antacid-induced resistance to acidification was measured, the antacid
      mechanisms were characterized in regard to intraluminal gastroduodenal flux
      variations and the incidence of antacid activity on duodenal pH was evaluated.
      These procedures were applied to antacid evaluation of proteins, as natural
      antacids, and of drugs containing aluminium salts alone or combined with
      magnesium salts. Pharmacologically, antacid drugs exhibited a greater amount of
      H+ binding sites when titration end-point was pH 1.0 than pH 3.0 corresponding to
      the development of neutralizing activity and/or buffering capacity. In dynamic
      conditions, the drugs, like proteins, induced a potent resistance to
      acidification related to gastric emptying fluxes. Antacid effect was supported by
      neutralizing activity and/or by buffering capacity. It was prolonged by removal
      of H+ ions since lagtimes for recovering initial pH were longer than antacid
      total emptying, the dilution of intragastric content by H+ impoverished secretory
      flux contributing thus to prevent gastric acidification. At duodenal site,
      proteins and aluminium-containing antacids induced the same duodenal pH as
      controls, without antacids, while magnesium-containing antacids increased it.

PMID- 1412151
TI  - Peritoneal fluid and plasma fibrinolytic activity in women with pelvic
      inflammatory disease.
AB  - Previous studies have shown that the fibrinolytic activity of peritoneum is
      depressed in local inflammation. We measured fibrinolytic parameters in
      peritoneal fluid and in plasma of 10 women with pelvic inflammatory disease
      (PID). Nine women, in whom laparoscopy for sterilisation was performed, served as
      a control group. In the peritoneal fluid of women with PID, PAI-Ag, t-PA-Ag and u
      PA-Ag were many times higher than in the control group. In contrast to the
      antigens which may be present in inert complexes, the potentially active
      compounds, measured as t-PA activity and plasmin-activable scu-PA, were not
      significantly different in the two groups, and in none of the samples was the
      active enzyme tcu-PA detectable. Nevertheless, the mean peritoneal fluid TDP and
      FbDP concentrations were about twenty times higher in the PID group than in the
      control group. In plasma of PID patients, none of the parameters except u-PA-Ag
      differed from those in the control group. The difference between control and
      patient plasma u-PA-Ag was statistically significant, but too small to attach any
      relevance to the observation. Our data suggest that, in contrast to the classical
      concept of decreased fibrinolytic activity as a cause of adhesion formation,
      intraperitoneal fibrinolysis is enhanced in peritoneal inflammation through
      stimulation of the local production of t-PA and u-PA. Despite concomitant
      production of PAI, fibrinolysis occurs at a high rate, resulting in high levels
      of fibrin degradation products. Since this activated fibrinolysis does not meet
      the demand, therapeutic enhancement should be considered to prevent adhesions.

PMID- 1412152
TI  - Desmopressin has no beneficial effect on excessive postoperative bleeding or
      blood product requirements associated with cardiopulmonary bypass.
AB  - Cardiopulmonary bypass during open-heart surgery is sometimes associated with
      excessive perioperative bleeding. Following a non-randomized study suggesting
      that desmopressin acetate (desmopressin) reduced blood product requirements in
      these patients, we conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial
      of desmopressin (0.3 micrograms/kg, i. v.) in 92 patients with overt bleeding and
      a prolonged bleeding time. Mean blood loss during the first 24 h post-treatment
      was similar in the desmopressin and placebo groups (582 vs 465 ml, respectively;
      p = 0.15). Red-cell (p = 0.76), fresh frozen plasma (r = 0.66) and platelet unit
      (p = 0.74) requirements were also similar. The haemostatic effect of desmopressin
      has been attributed to the release of von Willebrand factor (vWF) and a reduced
      bleeding time. In our study, vWF and factor VIII:C levels increased while the
      bleeding time decreased significantly at 90 min and 24 h in both groups and,
      although vWF and factor VIII:C levels were slightly higher in desmopressin
      treated patients at 90 min, the difference was not significant. Thrombin
      antithrombin III complex, fibrinogen degradation product and tissue plasminogen
      activator levels, reflecting activation of the coagulation and fibrinolytic
      systems, respectively, decreased uniformly in both groups. We conclude that
      desmopressin is not useful in reducing blood loss or blood product requirements
      in patients with excessive immediate postoperative bleeding.

PMID- 1412153
TI  - Monocyte tissue factor expression induced by Plasmodium falciparum-infected
      erythrocytes.
AB  - Monocytes are active elements of the host response against Plasmodium falciparum.
      They are able to express tissue factor and trigger the extrinsic pathway of blood
      coagulation the activation of which remained unclear in malaria. Our aim was to
      assess the tissue factor expression of purified blood monocytes stimulated by
      cultured Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes. Malaria parasite induced an
      early generation of tissue factor with a peak between 8 and 12 h of stimulation.
      Maximum expression was observed for parasitemia ranging from 1 to 2%. Plasmodium
      falciparum culture supernatants had the same effect showing the existence of a
      soluble factor able to induce the tissue factor expression. These data,
      demonstrating an activation of the tissue factor pathway by the malaria parasite,
      emphasize thrombin generation. Therefore, thrombin could participate in malaria
      pathology either in the microcirculatory blockade via platelet and fibrinogen
      activation or as a mitotic.

PMID- 1412154
TI  - A collaborative study on the measurement of protein S antigen in plasma.
AB  - A collaborative study on the measurement of protein S (PS) antigen (total and
      free) in a freeze-dried ampouled test plasma by assay against local house
      standard plasmas was carried out in eleven laboratories. Potency estimates of
      total PS showed good agreement between laboratories with a geometric coefficient
      of variation (gcv) of 5.9% and an overall combined potency of 0.84 units per ml.
      Potency estimates of free PS antigen in the test sample were associated with
      increased variability between laboratories resulting from the polyethylene glycol
      (PEG) precipitation step which is used to separate free PS from PS bound to the
      C4b binding protein. Free PS in the test could be expressed relative to either
      total PS in the house standards (e.g. 0.28 units per ml) or relative to free PS
      in the house standards following PEG precipitation (e.g. 0.71 units free PS per
      ml).

PMID- 1412155
TI  - High level expression of active human prothrombin in a vaccinia virus expression
      system.
AB  - We have worked out an efficient and time saving procedure for the expression of
      recombinant human prothrombin. The glycoprotein was expressed in the vaccinia
      virus expression system in several mammalian cell lines. The kidney cell lines
      Vero and BHK and the human cell line Hela were found to efficiently secrete
      prothrombin. Expression level of 3-4 micrograms of factor II per 10(6) cells per
      day corresponding to 18-23 mU per 10(6) cells per day were achieved. Since the
      expression levels obtained with the vaccinia virus/Vero cell system were
      comparable to those obtained in amplified transformed CHO cells it provides an
      alternative system for the efficient expression of human prothrombin and may
      allow to further elucidate structure-function relationships of (pro)thrombin and
      its various effectors.

PMID- 1412156
TI  - Inhibition by D-MePhe-Pro-Arg-H (GYKI-14766) of thrombus growth in experimental
      models of thrombosis.
AB  - The antithrombotic action of the highly effective synthetic thrombin inhibitor D
      MePhe-Pro-Arg-H (GYKI-14766) was studied in various models of experimental
      thrombosis. The compound administered to rats and rabbits by i.v. bolus
      injections, continuous i.v. infusions, subcutaneously and orally, respectively,
      induced significant decrease in thrombus weight (i) in a quantitative venous
      thrombosis model with stasis based on vascular lesion in rats, (ii) in an
      extracorporeal arterio-venous shunt model in rabbits, and (iii) prevented the
      occlusion of the vessel in arterial thrombosis induced by mechanical damage in
      rats. By using the arterio-venous shunt model in rabbits the inhibitory effect on
      thrombus growth could be demonstrated as a function of dose and time in self
      controlled experiments. Blood level of the inhibitor determined by a bioassay
      varied between 0.09-0.67 microgram/ml whole blood when doses of 15 and 20 mg/kg
      were administered orally. A correlation was found between thrombin time, platelet
      aggregation induced by thrombin ex vivo and the weight of thrombi formed.

PMID- 1412157
TI  - The consumption of antithrombin III during coagulation, its consequences for the
      calculation of prothrombinase activity and the standardisation of heparin
      activity.
AB  - The decay rate of thrombin in plasma is shown to be linearly proportional to the
      concentration of antithrombin III (AT III), not only in the absence but also in
      the presence of heparin. This is a consequence of partitioning of heparin between
      AT III and other plasma proteins. In previous articles were calculated the
      prothrombin converting activity assuming a fixed concentration of AT III. Since
      AT III is consumed during the clotting process, prothrombinase activity is more
      accurately approximated using an algorithm that counts with the decrease of the
      AT III concentration. It is shown this leads to higher prothrombinase activities.
      The (absence of) inhibition of prothrombin conversion by prothrombinase in the
      presence of heparins found with the previous method is also found using the new
      algorithm. From the results presented it is evident that characteristic
      parameters of heparin action have to be normalised to the AT III concentration.
      On this basis we define a Standard Independent Unit of the antithrombin activity
      of heparin.

PMID- 1412158
TI  - Insights on monoclonal antibodies to kininogens' heavy chain which influence
      kininogens' binding to platelets.
AB  - Purified domains of low molecular weight kininogen (LK) can be used directly to
      determine the epitopes of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that have been shown to
      influence kininogen function. LK, purified from plasma by carboxymethyl-papain
      Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography and kaolin adsorption, was digested by
      trypsin and chymotrypsin. The domains of LK were then separated by gel filtration
      followed by carboxymethyl-papain-Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography. Using the
      purified domains of LK's heavy chain, the regions on kininogens' heavy chain
      which various monoclonal antibodies are directed to were determined by enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblotting. MAb 2B5 which neutralized
      kininogens' ability to inhibit calpain cross-reacted with domains 2 and 3. MAb
      HKH8 which reacted with kininogens' domain 1 and 2 was found to inhibit 125I-HK
      binding to platelets. At two-fold molar excess, mAb HKH8 was a better inhibitor
      of 125I-HK binding to platelets than higher concentrations, where the antibody
      was shown to cause increased binding to platelets. Alternatively, HKH8 F(ab')2
      completely inhibited 125I-HK binding to platelets even at high concentrations of
      antibody. These studies indicate that purified domains of kininogens' heavy chain
      can be used to rapidly localize epitopes for antibodies. Further, mAb HKH8 should
      be a valuable probe to understand the mechanisms of kininogens' binding to
      platelets.

PMID- 1412159
TI  - Multicenter evaluation of three commercial methods for measuring protein S
      antigen.
AB  - This collaborative study was designed to assess the performance of commercial
      methods for protein S (PS) antigen measurement. Twenty-five different samples
      were distributed deep-frozen (24 plasmas) or lyophilized (one plasma) to five
      laboratories. They were analyzed blind in each laboratory by the method used
      locally and by three commercial methods which included two electroimmunoassays
      (EIA), Asseraplate-PS (Diagnostica Stago), Rellplate-S (American Diagnostica) and
      an ELISA system, Asserachrom-PS (Diagnostica Stago). 1. Reproducibility. Average
      between-laboratory coefficients of variation were 15.4%, 17.6% and 25.3% for
      Asserachrom-PS, Asseraplate-PS and Rellplate-S. 2. Specificity. Results of all
      methods showed that PS is underestimated when C4b binding protein is high. This
      influence was particularly evident for the ELISA Asserachrom-PS and disappeared
      when the antibody-antigen incubation period was prolonged to overnight. 3.
      Sensitivity. In all laboratories ELISA detected even the lowest PS concentration
      (4 U/dl), whereas the two EIAs were less sensitive (lower detection limit 14
      U/dl). All methods and laboratories correctly diagnosed a plasma sample from a PS
      congenitally deficient patient. Conclusions. This study shows that better
      standardization of PS immunoassays is necessary to improve accuracy and reduce
      interlaboratory variability before a candidate plasma standard can be
      successfully calibrated in an international collaborative study.

PMID- 1412160
TI  - Standardisation of factor VIII--V. Calibration of the 2nd International Standard
      for Factor VIII and von Willebrand factor activities in plasma.
AB  - The proposed 2nd International Standard for Factor VIII and von Willebrand Factor
      activities in plasma, NIBSC code 87/718, was assayed against the 1st IRP, 80/511,
      and against fresh normal plasma, in 21 laboratories. There were no significant
      differences between the various assay methods for factor VIII antigen, von
      Willebrand factor antigen, and von Willebrand factor ristocetin co-factor
      activity. For factor VIII clotting activity there was a significant difference
      between the results of one-stage and two-stage assays. Plasma 87/718 has now been
      established by the WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardisation as the 2nd
      IS for factor VIII and vWF in plasma with the following potencies: VIII:C 0.60
      IU/ampoule; VIII:Ag 0.91 IU/ampoule; vWF:Ag 0.91 IU/ampoule; vWF/RCo 0.84
      IU/ampoule.

PMID- 1412161
TI  - Relationship between total prothrombin, native prothrombin and the International
      Normalized Ratio (INR).
AB  - Plasma levels of total prothrombin and fully-carboxylated (native) prothrombin
      were compared with results of prothrombin time (PT) assays for patients
      undergoing oral anticoagulant therapy. Mean concentrations of total and native
      prothrombin in non-anticoagulated patients were 119 +/- 13 micrograms/ml and 118
      +/- 22 micrograms/ml, respectively. In anticoagulated patients, INR values ranged
      as high as 9, and levels of total prothrombin and native prothrombin decreased
      with increasing INR to minimum values of 40 micrograms/ml and 5 micrograms/ml,
      respectively. Des-carboxy-prothrombin increased with INR, to a maximum of 60
      micrograms/ml. The strongest correlation was observed between native prothrombin
      and the reciprocal of the INR (1/INR) (r = 0.89, slope = 122 micrograms/ml, n =
      200). These results indicated that native prothrombin varied over a wider range
      and was more closely related to INR values than either total or des-carboxy
      prothrombin. Levels of native prothrombin were decreased 2-fold from normal
      levels at INR = 2, indicating that the native prothrombin antigen assay may be a
      sensitive method for monitoring low-dose oral anticoagulant therapy. The inverse
      relationship between concentration of native prothrombin and INR may help in
      identification of appropriate therapeutic ranges for oral anticoagulant therapy.

PMID- 1412162
TI  - Vampire bat salivary plasminogen activator promotes robust lysis of plasma clots
      in a plasma milieu without causing fluid phase plasminogen activation.
AB  - Vampire bat salivary plasminogen activator (BatPA), human tissue-type plasminogen
      activator (tPA) or streptokinase (SK) were incubated in human citrated plasma
      containing a plasma clot that was radiolabelled with iodine-125 fibrin(ogen).
      Complete clot dissolution by BatPA (30 nM) was associated with slight activation
      of "fluid phase" plasminogen; the plasma levels of functional fibrinogen and
      alpha 2-antiplasmin decreased by only 8 and 19%, respectively. Addition of SK
      (3,600 IU/ml) to the clot-containing plasma caused complete clot lysis and
      massive activation of the "fluid phase" plasminogen, leading to greater than 60
      and 96% decreases of the functional levels of fibrinogen and alpha 2-antiplasmin,
      respectively. Incubation of tPA (30 nM) in clot-containing plasma caused complete
      clot lysis as well as substantial activation of "fluid phase" plasminogen; the
      plasma levels of functional fibrinogen and alpha 2-antiplasmin decreased by 45
      and 79%, respectively. The profound degradation of fibrinogen in the SK and tPA
      but not BatPA-containing samples was confirmed by immunoblot analysis. Additional
      experiments showed that the presence of soluble clot lysate in plasma containing
      tPA enhanced the extent of fibrinogen degradation from 25% to greater than 60%;
      the addition of soluble clot lysate to the plasma containing BatPA did not prompt
      further fibrinogen degradation. Finally, studies using exogenous alpha 2
      antiplasmin suggested that plasmin generated via tPA-mediated activation of
      "fluid phase" plasminogen does not play an important role in clot dissolution.

PMID- 1412164
TI  - Depression of tissue-type plasminogen activator and enhancement of urokinase-type
      plasminogen activator as an expression of local inflammation.
AB  - Inflammatory processes are accompanied by extravascular deposition and breakdown
      of fibrin. We measured fibrinolytic parameters in synovial fluid (SF) and in
      plasma of 36 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). As a control, SF of 13
      patients with blunt knee trauma, and plasma of 17 healthy volunteers were
      studied. In RA patients, extravascular t-PA mediated plasminogen activation was
      depressed: mean SF tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA:Ag) concentration (2.1
      +/- 1.6 ng/ml) was four-fold lower, and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)
      activity (284 +/- 212%) four-fold higher than the plasma values of the same
      patients or of healthy donors. In contrast, u-PA related plasminogen activation
      was strongly enhanced: urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) antigen (23.1
      +/- 12.4 ng/ml) was more than four-fold higher, single-chain u-PA (scu-PA) (5.3
      +/- 1.9 ng/ml) three-fold higher than in plasma of the same patients or of
      healthy donors, and active two-chain u-PA (tcu-PA) was detected in 14 of the 36
      SF samples of RA patients. All of these changes in extravascular fibrinolytic
      parameters correspond with those induced by inflammatory mediators in cell
      cultures. In joint effusions of patients with a blunt knee trauma, the effects
      were intermediate: u-PA related parameters showed moderate changes in the same
      direction as in arthritis; t-PA antigen was also decreased. The only exception
      was that PAI was not increased. We conclude that the findings in traumatic
      effusions reflect transient effects as a reaction to trauma. In joint
      inflammation, the depressed t-PA mediated plasminogen activation, although more
      than compensated by the enhanced u-PA mediated plasminogen activation, results in
      protraction of fibrin removal. Besides, the enhanced u-PA activation might lead
      to proteolytic damage of the cartilage.

PMID- 1412163
TI  - Thrombolytic and pharmacokinetic properties of a recombinant chimeric plasminogen
      activator consisting of a fibrin fragment D-dimer specific humanized monoclonal
      antibody and a truncated single-chain urokinase.
AB  - A recombinant chimeric plasminogen activator consisting of a humanized monoclonal
      antibody specific for cross-linked human fibrin (MA-15C5Hu) and a 32 kDa single
      chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA-32k) comprising amino acids
      Leu144-Leu411, MA-15C5Hu/scu-PA-32k, was previously found to have a 12-fold
      higher fibrinolytic potency than recombinant scu-PA-32k towards a human plasma
      clot in a human plasma milieu in vitro (Vandamme et al., Eur J Biochem 1992; 205:
      139-46). Therefore, the thrombolytic and pharmacokinetic properties of MA
      15C5Hu/scu-PA-32k were compared with those of recombinant single-chain urokinase
      type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) in 3 different venous thrombosis models in
      vivo. In hamsters with a pulmonary embolus consisting of a human plasma clot, the
      thrombolytic potency (% lysis per dose in mg/kg administered) of MA-15C5Hu/scu-PA
      32k was 23-fold higher than that of scu-PA (p less than 0.0005). In rabbits with
      a jugular vein clot prepared from human plasma, the thrombolytic potency of MA
      15C5Hu/scu-PA-32k was 11-fold higher than that of scu-PA (p = 0.012). In baboons
      with an autologous whole blood clot in the femoral vein, the chimera had a 5-fold
      higher thrombolytic potency than scu-PA. In all three animal species, the
      clearance of the chimera was 10- to 27-fold reduced as compared to scu-PA. The
      specific thrombolytic activity (% lysis per micrograms/ml steady-state plasma u
      PA antigen) was increased up to 7-fold with MA-15C5Hu/scu-PA-32k as compared with
      scu-PA, which is indicative of targeting of the chimera to the clot. No
      fibrinogen breakdown or alpha 2-antiplasmin depletion was observed during
      thrombolysis with the chimera. Thus, MA-15C5Hu/scu-PA-32k constitutes a
      recombinant chimeric plasminogen activator with a significantly enhanced
      thrombolytic potency in 3 different animal models of venous thrombosis.

PMID- 1412165
TI  - Lysine-binding heterogeneity of Lp(a): consequences for fibrin binding and
      inhibition of plasminogen activation.
AB  - Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is recognized as an independent risk factor for
      atherosclerosis. Lp(a) consists of a LDL-like moiety with an additional
      glycoprotein, apo(a), linked to apolipoprotein B-100. Apo(a) has a high homology
      with plasminogen (Pg). In vivo, Pg is activated on a fibrin surface by tissue Pg
      activator (tPA). We prepared Lp(a) from plasma by sequential ultracentrifugation
      followed by lysine-sepharose affinity chromatography. We found that a changing
      (donor dependent) fraction of the Lp(a) did not bind to lysine-sepharose. This
      fraction, designated Lp(a)lys-, was further purified using gel filtration. Bound
      Lp(a) [Lp(a)lys+] was eluted with 0.2 M EACA. Apo(a) isoforms in both fractions
      were identical. In contrast Lp(a)lys+ inhibited Pg activation by tPA in vitro
      (IC50% 20 mg/l), whereas Lp(a)lys- did not. In addition Lp(a)lys- did not bind to
      CNBr-digested fibrinogen whereas Lp(a)lys+ did (Kd, app = 0.2 nM). Therefore we
      conclude that a changing donor dependent fraction of human plasma Lp(a) does not
      inhibit Pg activation in vitro and does not bind to CNBr-digested fibrinogen.

PMID- 1412166
TI  - Unexpected effects of aurin tricarboxylic acid on human platelets.
AB  - Aurin tricarboxylic acid (ATA) is a potent inhibitor of ristocetin-mediated
      platelet agglutination and of shear-induced, von Willebrand factor (vWf)-mediated
      platelet aggregation, probably via inhibition of vWf interaction with
      glycoprotein Ib (GPIb). We examined the effects of ATA (both the sodium salt and
      a solution of ATA in ethanol) on platelet functions in citrated plasma (PRP) and
      in suspensions of washed platelets in Tyrode-albumin solution (contains 2 mM
      Ca2+). ATA (42-211 micrograms/ml) blocked aggregation and release of granule
      contents induced by thrombin (0.15 U/ml in PRP; 0.03 U/ml in platelet
      suspension). Responses to higher concentrations of thrombin were not inhibited.
      ATA also prolonged thrombin-induced clotting of fibrinogen. Since ATA had no
      effect on fibrinogen-induced responses of chymotrypsin-treated platelets, ATA
      probably acts on thrombin rather than on fibrinogen. In PRP and platelet
      suspensions, ATA (acid form 106 micrograms/ml; sodium salt 122 micrograms/ml) had
      little effect on ADP-induced platelet aggregation. The sodium salt of ATA (61-122
      micrograms/ml) enhanced collagen-induced aggregation and release by platelets in
      citrated plasma and by washed platelets; the enhancement was extensively
      inhibited by aspirin. With platelet suspensions, ATA significantly enhanced
      aggregation and release caused by low concentrations of sodium arachidonate (15
      50 microM); aggregation and release caused by higher concentrations of
      arachidonate were somewhat inhibited by ATA. Arachidonate-induced aggregation and
      release were also enhanced by ATA in PRP. ATA enhanced aggregation and release
      induced by the calcium ionophore A23187; aspirin had little effect on the
      enhancement.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1412167
TI  - Transient expression of recombinant glycoprotein Ib alpha polypeptides in COS
      cells that inhibit von Willebrand factor binding to the platelet glycoprotein
      Ib/IX complex.
AB  - The cDNA encoding the glycoprotein Ib alpha polypeptide has been expressed in COS
      cells. Transfection with full-length cDNA and a cDNA truncated at an internal
      XbaI site produced a recombinant polypeptide doublet with estimated molecular
      weights of 48 and 46 kDa (rGpIb alpha L318) which could be resolved into a single
      band of molecular weight 36 kDa following digestion with endoglycosidase F. A
      portion of the truncated polypeptide was retained in the endoplasmic reticulum of
      COS cells and slowly released. A second fraction was rapidly secreted into COS
      cell-conditioned medium and could be used for functional studies. Soluble rGpIb
      alpha L318 harvested from COS cell-conditioned medium inhibited ristocetin
      dependent binding of [125I]-vWF to fixed washed human platelets (IC50 20 nM).
      Binding was inhibited by reduction and alkylation of "rGp1b alpha L318"
      suggesting the need for a critical disulfide bond to maintain biological activity
      of the recombinant polypeptide. We conclude that the recombinant polypeptides
      produced by transfection of GpIb alpha cDNA into heterologous cells are secreted,
      soluble, and can inhibit vWF binding to platelet GpIb/IX.

PMID- 1412168
TI  - Defect of platelet aggregation and adhesion induced by autoantibodies against
      platelet glycoprotein IIIa.
AB  - A young patient developed chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Prednisone
      therapy normalized platelet number, but bleeding symptoms did not disappear.
      Platelet function was severely impaired, since platelet aggregation, ATP release
      and adhesion to collagen and subendothelial matrix were significantly reduced.
      Plasma and purified immunoglobulins of the patient reproduced the functional
      defects in normal platelets. Immunoblotting revealed that patient's plasma
      contained an antibody reacting with a component of platelets with the same
      electrophoretic mobility of glycoproteins IIIa of normal platelets. Moreover,
      patient's plasma inhibited the binding of an anti-GPIIb/IIIa monoclonal antibody
      to platelet surface. Additional immunosuppressive therapy with prednisone and
      azathioprine normalized platelet function and induced the disappearance of
      bleeding symptoms.

PMID- 1412169
TI  - Ridogrel inhibits systemic and renal formation of thromboxane A2 and antagonizes
      platelet thromboxane A2/prostaglandin endoperoxide receptors upon chronic
      administration to man.
AB  - The effects of ridogrel, a dual thromboxane A2 (TXA2) synthase inhibitor and
      TXA2/prostaglandin (PG) endoperoxide receptor antagonist, on systemic and renal
      production of prostaglandins and on platelet TXA2/PG endoperoxide receptors was
      evaluated upon chronic administration (300 mg b.i.d. orally, for 8 and 29 days)
      to man. Such a medication with ridogrel inhibits the systemic as well as the
      renal production of TXA2 as measured by the urinary excretion of 2,3-dinor-TXB2
      and TXB2 respectively without inducing significant changes in systemic or renal
      PGI2 production. Simultaneously with the latter effects, the production of TXB2
      by spontaneously coagulated whole blood ex vivo is inhibited (greater than 99%)
      while that of PGE2 and PGF2 alpha is largely increased. Administration of
      ridogrel causes a three- to five-fold shift to the right of concentration
      response curves for U46619 in eliciting platelet aggregation; no tachyphylaxis is
      observed after 29 days of treatment in this respect. Apart from a reduction of
      serum uric acid levels with a concomitant increase in urinary uric acid excretion
      during the first days of treatment, no clinically significant changes in
      hematological, biochemical, hemodynamic and coagulation parameters occur during
      the 8 days or 29 days study. The study demonstrates that ridogrel is a potent
      inhibitor of the systemic as well as renal TXA2 synthase and an antagonist of
      platelet TXA2/PG endoperoxide receptor in man, covering full activity during 24 h
      at steady-state plasma level conditions without tachyphylaxis during 29 days of
      medication. The compound is well tolerated, at least during 1 month of
      administration.

PMID- 1412171
TI  - Intravenous acetylsalicylic acid--dose-related effects on platelet function and
      fibrinolysis in healthy males.
AB  - Low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) has been shown to be beneficial in patients
      with acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina pectoris. Oral
      administration of ASA is difficult in the acute phase of these syndromes. In this
      study we evaluated the effect of 25 mg, 50 mg or 100 mg of ASA given as an
      intravenous bolus injection on platelet function and fibrinolysis in healthy
      males and related this to plasma concentrations of ASA. No adverse effects were
      found. A complete inhibition of serum thromboxane B2 synthesis was demonstrated 5
      min after injection of 100 mg ASA intravenously. ASA disappeared from the
      circulation within 60 min after bolus injection and at this time thromboxane B2
      synthesis was inhibited dose-dependently by 71%, 90% and 100% for doses of 25 mg,
      50 mg and 100 mg, respectively. Inhibition of thromboxane B2 synthesis after 100
      mg of intravenous ASA was still 96.5% at 24 h and 93.4% at 48 h after the
      injection. The bleeding time measured at 30 min after ASA administration was
      significantly prolonged on the average by 70 s, 144 s and 211 s after 25 mg, 50
      mg and 100 mg of ASA, respectively. Minor, but significant changes were found in
      tissue plasminogen activator antigen and in plasminogen activator inhibitor
      within the first hour after injection of low dose ASA, but similar changes were
      found after injection of saline. No change in tissue plasminogen activator
      activity was found.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1412170
TI  - Studies of fibrinogen binding to platelets by flow cytometry: an improved method
      for studies of platelet activation.
AB  - Platelet function is dependent upon membrane receptors and their interaction with
      other proteins. Platelet activation appears to cause a structural change of the
      glycoprotein IIb/IIIa complex that exposes the fibrinogen binding site, which
      subsequently binds fibrinogen. Fluorescence-activated flow cytometry (FACS) is an
      efficient method for studying membrane proteins. Flow cytometry gives single-cell
      data, allowing the detection of only a small proportion of labelled platelets in
      whole blood without any washing steps. One problem with this method is that the
      labelled antibodies and the antigen, if present in plasma, form an immune
      complex, which may cause false positive reactions due to interaction between
      mammalian IgG and Fc gamma receptors on the platelets. We show that immune
      complexes with chicken IgG do not activate human platelets. We have developed a
      method for measuring platelet-bound fibrinogen in whole blood and platelet-rich
      plasma utilising fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated chicken antibodies
      directed towards human fibrinogen. As low as 1% activated platelets could be
      detected without interference from Fc-interactions.

PMID- 1412172
TI  - Lack of correction of acquired heparin cofactor II deficiency in patients with
      liver failure after successful orthotopic liver transplantation.

PMID- 1412173
TI  - Reversible prothrombin time prolongation after plasma storage on dry ice.

PMID- 1412174
TI  - Danazol therapy in hypoplasminogenemia.

PMID- 1412175
TI  - A raised beta 2-glycoprotein I level does not prolong the DRVVT.

PMID- 1412176
TI  - Contributions of Mayme Williams to the elucidation of the multiple functions of
      plasma kininogens.

PMID- 1412177
TI  - Alfred L. Copley, the teacher and founder.

PMID- 1412178
TI  - The bioluminescent detection of platelet released ATP: collagen-induced release
      and potential errors.
AB  - The bioluminescent detection of ATP released from activated platelets is an
      important diagnostic and experimental assay. Potential errors in the
      interpretation of the data may be introduced due to the lability of luciferin
      luciferase and the amount of platelet agonist employed. Loss of luciferin
      luciferase activity is temperature dependent with a 50% decrease in activity in 1
      4 min at 37 degrees C. Plasma components do not appear to contribute to the
      inactivation of the detection system. Due to the significant loss of enzyme
      activity at variable times, the method of standardizing ATP concentrations is
      crucial for the accurate determination of ATP released from activated platelets.
      A nearly 5-fold error is introduced into the routinely employed assay procedure
      where the standard ATP concentration is determined 5 min after the addition of
      agonist. This report demonstrates that the standard ATP concentration must be
      determined with a separate platelet sample at the same time as the ATP was
      released from the agonist-induced experimental platelet sample. A second
      significant error in the assay system may be introduced by the agonist
      concentration employed even when the final level of aggregation is the same. When
      collagen is employed as the agonist the amount of ATP released appears to depend,
      in part, on the initial intensity of the aggregation response and not on collagen
      type (Type I versus IV). The corrective procedures described here for the
      detection of ATP are not likely to change the qualitative results of most studies
      but would significantly alter the quantitative results.

PMID- 1412179
TI  - Role of platelet-activating factor in the development of endothelial dysfunction
      in hemorrhagic hypotension and retransfusion.
AB  - Platelet-activating factor (PAF), an important mediator of ischemic and shock
      states, has been shown to prime direct and neutrophil-mediated endothelial cell
      injury. In the present study we investigated therefore whether PAF is involved in
      the development of dysfunction of the cerebrovascular endothelium in hemorrhagic
      hypotension and retransfusion in cats. In vitro responses of middle cerebral
      arteries prepared from control animals and from animals subjected to hemorrhagic
      hypotension with or without specific PAF antagonist WEB 2086 treatment (1 mg/kg
      initial bolus followed by a 0.05 mg/kg/min infusion) were studied by measuring
      isometric force in organ chambers containing Krebs-Henseleit solution (37 degrees
      C, gassed with 95% O2-5% CO2). Bleeding was performed in a stepwise fashion by
      bringing the mean arterial blood pressure to 90, 70 and 50 mmHg and maintained
      for 20 min at each level followed by a 20-min retransfusion. Hemorrhagic
      hypotension and retransfusion caused a marked attenuation of the acetylcholine-
      and ATP-induced endothelium-dependent relaxations of the middle cerebral artery
      whereas the dilations induced by the nitric oxide donor and direct vasorelaxant
      SIN-1, remained unaltered. In the vessels, prepared from animals which received
      WEB 2086 treatment during hemorrhage and retransfusion there were more pronounced
      cholinergic (but not purinergic) relaxations than in the untreated animals
      subjected to hemorrhage. SIN-1 induced relaxations remained unaltered after WEB
      2086 treatment. Our results suggest that platelet-activating factor is in part
      involved in the pathophysiological processes leading to the development of the
      endothelial dysfunction in the present model of hemorrhagic hypotension and
      retransfusion.

PMID- 1412180
TI  - Alfred L. Copley--the scientist and his contributions to our understanding of
      haemostasis, thrombosis and atherogenesis.

PMID- 1412181
TI  - Determination of r DNA hirudin and A-human thrombin- hirudin complex in plasma
      samples: enzyme linked immunosorbent assays for hirudin and complex vs.
      chromogenic thrombin substrate assay.
AB  - rDNA hirudin plasma concentrations in man and rhesus monkeys were determined over
      a period of 15 and 24 h. The plasma concentration of alpha-human thrombin-hirudin
      complex was measured after administration of the complex to rhesus monkeys. The
      complex was also determined after administration of hirudin to man and rhesus
      monkeys to study a possible formation of a complex with alpha-human thrombin in
      blood. The determination of hirudin was performed by a sandwich ELISA, using
      polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies and the chromogenic thrombin substrate
      assay. The alpha-human thrombin-hirudin complex concentration in the plasma of
      rhesus monkeys was measured over a period of 48 hours. The results of a sandwich
      ELISA were compared with those of the chromogenic thrombin substrate assay. A
      good agreement between the total hirudin concentrations analyzed by the hirudin
      ELISA and the alpha-human thrombin-hirudin complex ELISA and those of the
      chromogenic thrombin substrate assay, measuring total hirudin, too, was observed.

PMID- 1412182
TI  - Preparation of plasma for the detection of lupus anticoagulants and
      antiphospholipid antibodies.
AB  - The effect of different methods of plasma preparation on the results of 1) a
      clotting assay for lupus anticoagulant (LA) detection (the dilute activated
      partial thromboplastin time, dAPTT), and of 2) an ELISA test for anticephalin
      antibody (aCEPHA) detection, was evaluated. It is well known that platelet
      disintegration resulting from freeze-thawing of plasma samples may release
      procoagulant phospholipid--"LA-bypassing" activity. Even with fresh plasma, the
      dAPTT of LA positive samples was sensitive to the presence of residual blood
      platelets. This effect was accentuated by freezing and thawing: with test plasma
      that had been prepared by a centrifugation force of 3,000 g or less for 15 min at
      4 degrees C, freeze-thawing caused a significant shortening of the dAPTT. This
      phenomenon could not be demonstrated with filtered test plasma, which was
      platelet free. Surprisingly, ultracentrifugation also led to a substantial
      shortening of the dAPTT compared to filtered plasma, and should not be
      recommended as a method of plasma preparation for LA detection. The ELISA test
      was less sensitive to residual platelets than the dAPTT. Thus, plasma prepared by
      a centrifugation force of at least 1,500 g may be stored at -20 degrees C before
      performance of the ELISA test. For the dAPTT, filtering of test plasma and
      control plasma after centrifugation is recommended for maximum sensitivity,
      regardless of whether they are to be examined in the fresh state or after
      freezing and thawing.

PMID- 1412183
TI  - Effects of long-term treatment with warfarin on fibrinogen, FPA, TAT, and D-dimer
      in patients with coronary artery disease.
AB  - Sixty-four patients undergoing aorto-coronary bypass surgery were randomized to
      receive antithrombotic treatment with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), 300 mg/d (n =
      30) or warfarin, INR = 2.5 - 4.2 (n = 34). The levels of fibrinogen, thrombin
      antithrombin III complexes (TAT), fibrinopeptide A (FPA) and D-dimer were
      assessed before surgery and 9 months postoperatively. In the warfarin treated
      group the fibrinogen levels were increased after 9 months, while the levels of
      TAT, FPA and D-dimer were decreased. In the ASA group TAT levels were increased
      at 9 months, whereas no significant changes in fibrinogen, FPA or D-dimer from
      baseline were noted. Thus, a reduced activation of the coagulation system has
      been demonstrated during long-term treatment with warfarin in patients with
      coronary artery disease.

PMID- 1412184
TI  - HA-29: an inhibitor of thromboxane A2 formation with antagonism of thromboxane
      A2/prostaglandin endoperoxide receptor in rabbit platelets.
AB  - HA-29, 2-[(3-methoxyphenyl)methyl]-pyrano[2,3-c]pyrazol-6(1H)-one, was
      investigated for its inhibitory mechanism of action in washed rabbit platelets.
      This compound inhibited the aggregation and ATP release of rabbit platelets
      induced by arachidonic acid and collagen in a concentration-dependent manner,
      without affecting those induced by ADP, PAF and thrombin. Prolongation of the
      incubation time of HA-29 with platelets did not cause further inhibition and the
      aggregability of the agent-treated platelets could be restored after washing of
      platelets. The concentration-response curve of U-46619-induced platelet
      aggregation was shifted to the right by HA-29 in a concentration-dependent
      manner, but the maximal aggregation was suppressed by HA-29. The pA2 and pA10
      values of HA-29 on U-46619-induced platelet aggregation were 4.26 and 3.58,
      respectively, with a slope value of -1.4. The U-46619-induced aggregation was
      markedly disaggregated by HA-29 even it was added 5 min after U-46619. HA-29
      inhibited the secondary aggregation and ATP release, but not the primary
      aggregation of human platelet-rich plasma induced by ADP and epinephrine.
      Thromboxane B2 formation caused by arachidonic acid, collagen and thrombin was
      markedly suppressed by HA-29. HA-29 also inhibited the formation of prostaglandin
      D2 caused by arachidonic acid. HA-29 inhibited almost completely the formation of
      inositol monophosphate caused by U-46619, but not that by collagen or thrombin.
      HA-29 did not affect U-46619-induced contraction of rat aorta. It is concluded
      that the antiplatelet effect of HA-29 is due to the inhibition of thromboxane A2
      formation and blockade of thromboxane A2/prostaglandin endoperoxide receptor.

PMID- 1412185
TI  - Enhancement of t-PA release by mucopolysaccharide polysulphate.

PMID- 1412186
TI  - Three missense mutations in Arg codons of the factor VIII genes of mild to
      moderately severe hemophilia A patients.

PMID- 1412187
TI  - Low concentrations of sodium azide specifically inhibit a thromboxane A2 pathway
      in human platelets.
AB  - Sodium azide completely inhibits the serotonin release induced by ADP,
      arachidonic acid and the thromboxane A2 mimetic U46619, but does not have any
      effect on the activation by PMA. Collagen and thrombin are inhibited when used at
      low concentrations, but not at high concentration. This pattern of activation
      suggests that the inhibition by azide is not a metabolic inhibition. The
      antagonism of U46619-induced secretion was further studied and was shown to be
      non-competitive. It is selective for certain components of the U46619 stimulus
      response coupling: aggregation, serotonin secretion and the activation of protein
      kinase C are completely or almost completely inhibited by 300 microM sodium
      azide. Shape change, calcium elevation, cytoplasmic alkalinization and
      phosphorylation of myosin light chain are only partially modified. This suggests
      that azide may specifically inhibit one of the different forms of thromboxane A2
      receptors present in platelets.

PMID- 1412188
TI  - Influence of heparin treatment on biochemical markers of an activation of the
      coagulation system.
AB  - Monitoring of anticoagulant treatment is not yet satisfactory. Otherwise optimal
      treatment control in special situations as low dose heparin prophylaxis in hip
      surgery or high dose anticoagulant treatment in patients after coronary stent
      implantation may be desirable. Recently available thrombin markers were analyzed
      in 51 patients under low dose (group 1) and 30 patients under high dose therapy
      with unfractionated heparin (group 2a and b) as well as in controls (n = 26).
      Before therapy these parameters were significantly elevated in both patient
      groups. Elevated thrombin-antithrombin III-complexes (TAT) despite adequate
      prolongation of aPTT under high dose heparin in 38.2% of patients indicate that
      therapeutic concentrations of heparin in these cases are insufficient for
      depressing this parameter completely. During low dose therapy only prothrombin
      fragment (F1 + 2) significantly decreased. This may be explained by catalytic
      induction of TAT-complex formation by heparin. Decrease of D-Dimer under heparin
      therapy in both groups does not parallel with TAT and F1 + 2 but was more
      prolonged. This can be explained by dependence of the D-Dimer level on
      spontaneous fibrinolytic activity and by a longer plasma half-life as well as a
      chronic and continuous fibrinolytic process in an older thrombus. In conclusion,
      thrombin markers seem to be helpful in estimating anticoagulant treatment
      efficacy. As a consequence, anticoagulant treatment has to be intensified in high
      risk patients for complete depression of these markers. Whether the benefit of
      higher heparin doses is worth the risk of drug-induced hemorrhage, however,
      remains to be clarified in clinical studies.

PMID- 1412189
TI  - Effect of physical stress on 5-hydroxytryptamine uptake kinetics (Km and Vmax) in
      human platelets.
AB  - Platelet 5-HT uptake is possibly one mechanism by which plasma level of 5-HT is
      physiologically controlled. This mechanism may be of importance in the vascular 5
      HT mediated tone and protect against thrombolysis and cardiovascular events.
      Physical stress is known to affect various platelet functions. The aim of this
      study was to investigate whether or not physical stress has any influence on
      platelet 5-HT uptake kinetics. In healthy adult persons (n = 13) the maximal rate
      (Vmax) and Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) of platelet 5-HT uptake (in vitro) were
      determined before (a), immediately after (b) and 1 hour after 50 min of squash
      playing (c). Immediately after squash Vmax and Km were elevates significantly as
      compared to the values before squash [Vmax(a): 77.0 +/- 31.0 (SD) pmol 5-HT/10(8)
      pl./min, Vmax(b): 109.9 +/- 48.4 (SD) pmol 5-HT/10(8) pl./min, p less than 0.01;
      Km(a): 5.16 +/- 1.73 (SD) x 10(-7) mol/1, Km(b): 7.59 +/- 2.37 (SD) x 10(-7)
      mol/1, p less than 0.05]. The percent elevations of Vmax (47%) and Km (42%) were
      of the same range. One hour after squash the values of Vmax(c) and Km(c) were
      found to be normalized. It is concluded that physical stress, like squash
      playing, does not affect net platelet 5-HT uptake in healthy persons at
      physiological plasma 5-HT concentrations. The significant increases of Vmax and
      Km of platelet 5-HT uptake are suggested to be adaptation reactions to keep the
      platelet net 5-HT uptake constant.

PMID- 1412190
TI  - Activation of human prothrombin by the venom of Lonomia achelous (Cramer)
      caterpillars.
AB  - In this paper, we demonstrated that the procoagulant action of Lonomia achelous
      (Cramer) is due in part to a component that activates prothrombin. The activation
      by crude venom and Fractions obtained by gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 is not
      dependent of phospholipid, Ca++ or Factor V. The activation of prothrombin by
      Fraction I is greatly stimulated by Factor V in the presence of phospholipid and
      Ca++; in presence of SBTI, we found that the Fraction I and Factor Xa act in a
      similar manner. These results suggest that the Fraction I is a Factor Xa - like
      prothrombin activator.

PMID- 1412191
TI  - Rapid quantitative evaluation of plasma D-dimer levels in thrombotic states using
      an automated latex photometric immunoassay.
AB  - To evaluate a recently developed latex photometric immunoassay (LPIA) that which
      can measure 40 samples quantitatively within 30 minutes, we measured D-dimer
      levels in blood samples obtained from patients with disseminated intravascular
      coagulation (DIC). Linearity of D-dimer determination was shown over the range
      from 0.5 to 36 micrograms/ml, and recovery studies demonstrated 94 to 108%
      recovery. The intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation ranged from
      0.6 to 11.3% at plasma D-dimer levels of 0.54 to 30.1 micrograms/ml. No
      interference by lipids, bilirubin, haemoglobin, rheumatoid factor, or gamma
      globulin was noted. The normal D-dimer range was less than 0.5 microgram/ml in
      healthy ambulatory subjects, while the level in elderly subjects with
      atherosclerosis (14%) or in immobilized subjects (38%) was well above this limit.
      There was a strong correlation between plasma and serum D-dimer levels (r =
      0.993). D-dimer levels measured by this LPIA showed a good correlation with those
      determined using two kinds of ELISA. The LPIA D-dimer levels were elevated in
      some subjects with diseases predisposing to DIC, but remained below 10.0
      micrograms/ml. On the other hand, the LPIA D-dimer levels in DIC subjects were
      almost always above 10.0 microgramS/ml. Our study showed that a hypercoagulable
      state should be suspected when the LPIA D-dimer level is greater than 0.5
      microgram/ml and that DIC should be diagnosed when the level is greater than 10.0
      micrograms/ml in the presence of an appropriate underlying disease. This LPIA
      system can rapidly evaluate the presence of a hypercoagulable state as accurately
      as any ELISA, and thus seems potentially valuable for both emergency and routine
      laboratory use.

PMID- 1412192
TI  - A computerised system of screening for deep venous thrombosis.
AB  - We have developed a computer controlled system of strain gauge plethysmography
      for use as a screening tool for proximal segment venous thrombi which is simple
      to use, well tolerated by patients and extremely accurate. The computerised test
      was evaluated in 171 limbs of 163 symptomatic patients by comparison with
      subsequent ascending venography. Each of twenty occlusive proximal segment
      thrombi were identified, one non occlusive thrombus screened normal giving an
      overall sensitivity of 95.2%. The specificity of the test was 80% with a negative
      predictive value of 99.0%. The computerised system allows accurate screening for
      proximal segment venous thrombosis, and may permit more selective use of
      venography in the symptomatic post-operative limb.

PMID- 1412193
TI  - Hemorheological alterations in mild essential hypertension.
AB  - Blood rheological properties were studied in 21 patients suffering from essential
      hypertension (EHT), degree I-II according to WHO criteria. These patients were
      diagnosed "de novo". The whole blood filterability (WBF), blood viscosity (BV) at
      230 s-1 and 23 s-1, red cell deformability (FI), erythrocyte aggregation in
      autologous (MEA) and normal plasma (MEAc), fibrinogen (Fbg) and hematocrit (Ht)
      have been evaluated. In the hypertensive patients we have found decreased WBF,
      greater BV and FI in comparison with the control group (p less than 0.001).
      Likewise, MEA and Fbg were increased, though the differences were less
      significant (p less than 0.01). The evaluation of Ht did not show any differences
      between the two groups. The results suggest that in the newly diagnosed EHT,
      clear hemorheological alterations occur, both in plasma and in the erythrocytes,
      which could play a role in the pathogenesis of the aforementioned disease.

PMID- 1412194
TI  - Soluble, cross-linked fibrin(ogen) hybrid oligomers do not stimulate t-PA
      conversion of plasminogen.
AB  - Cross-linked hybrid oligomers of fibrinogen and fibrin are found in plasma from
      fibrinaemic patients and normal individuals as well as in preparations of
      purified human fibrinogen. The present study was undertaken to see if such hybrid
      oligomers have the same stimulatory effect on tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA)
      conversion of plasminogen as do polymeric and monomeric fibrin. Hybrid oligomeric
      fibrin(ogen) material was provided by subjecting purified human fibrinogen to gel
      filtration in urea-containing buffer at pH 5.6. Well separated fractions of
      hybrid oligomeric material and monomeric fibrinogen were thus obtained. Some of
      this material was converted to soluble polymeric or monomeric fibrin using
      insolubilized thrombin. Hybrid polymeric fibrin, polymeric fibrin or monomeric
      fibrin were then added to citrated, normal plasma to 2.5 or 5 per cent of the
      plasma fibrinogen concentration. The added material was kept in solution by
      plasma fibrinogen. The "COA-SET Fibrin Monomer Test" (Kabi,Stocholm,Sweden),
      based on the ability of fibrin monomers to enhance t-PA mediated plasminogen
      plasmin conversion, was used to compare the potential stimulatory effect of the
      preparations above. The results led to the following conclusions: 1) Cross
      linked, soluble fibrin(ogen) hybrid polymers in a concentration of 5 per cent of
      plasma fibrinogen concentration (w/w) do not stimulate t-PA. 2) Thrombin
      conversion of the fibrin-fibrinogen hybrid material resulted in an increase in
      the rate of t-PA mediated plasminogen conversion, corresponding to the one
      observed with equivalent (w/w) amounts of fibrin monomers. Compared on a mole to
      mole basis, fibrin oligomers are more powerful than fibrin monomers as
      stimulators of t-PA activity.

PMID- 1412195
TI  - Platelet microvesicles adhere to subendothelium and promote adhesion of
      platelets.
AB  - A role in hemostasis has been suggested for platelet membrane microvesicles (mv).
      The objectives of the studies reported here include functional analysis of
      platelet mv in models developed for study of platelet adhesion, as well as
      investigation of possible interactions between mv and intact platelets in these
      same adhesion models. Microvesicles were prepared from washed platelet
      concentrates by repeated freezing and thawing. Adhesion to subendothelium was
      measured quantitatively by radiolabelling mv with 111-In, and morphologically by
      scanning electron microscopy. Platelet mv adhered to subendothelium
      quantitatively over time. Using a modified Baumgartner chamber, we found adhesion
      of mv to subendothelium significantly increased with increasing shear rates. With
      this same model we found that prior exposure of subendothelium to mv greatly
      increased subsequent adhesion of platelets to the same everted vessel, compared
      to platelet adhesion in the absence of mv. All of these experiments were
      conducted with mv suspended in ACD/saline, indicating that plasma components are
      not essential for adhesion of mv. Our studies show that platelet mv adhere to
      subendothelium in much the same way as do platelets, and support the concept of a
      hemostatic role for mv in that they appear to increase platelet adhesion.

PMID- 1412196
TI  - Thromboxane does not play a significant role in acute, cold-induced
      vasoconstriction in Raynaud's phenomenon. Studies with combined thromboxane
      synthase inhibition and thromboxane receptor antagonism.

PMID- 1412197
TI  - Familial elevation of plasma histidine-rich glycoprotein. A case associated with
      recurrent venous thrombosis and high PAI-1 levels.

PMID- 1412198
TI  - Pharmacokinetic investigations of the alpha-human thrombin-hirudin complex in
      rhesus monkeys.

PMID- 1412199
TI  - Plasminogen activators and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 before and after
      venous occlusion of the upper limb in thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's
      disease).
AB  - Plasma levels of plasminogen activators (t-PA, u-PA) and their inhibitor (PAI-1)
      were studied in patients suffering from Buerger's disease and healthy volunteers
      before and after 15 minutes of venous occlusion test. The baseline levels of t-PA
      in group of patients did not differ from those of controls. On the contrary
      patients with Burger's disease showed a marked increase in u-PA antigen
      concentrations with concomitant decrease in PAI-1 antigen levels. During venous
      stasis t-PA antigen concentrations increased in all subjects, however it was much
      pronounced in controls. Venous occlusion resulted in significant decrease in free
      PAI-1 levels in the group of patients only. In conclusion, Buerger's disease is
      associated with the endothelial derangement with increased u-PA release and
      decreased PAI-1 release, which does not influence the function of fibrinolytic
      system. The fact that the reduced response of the endothelium to release t-PA
      after venous stasis goes in parallel with marked decrease in PAI-1 antigen levels
      seems to suggest that patients suffering from Buerger's disease are not at high
      risk of intravascular fibrin deposition.

PMID- 1412200
TI  - Pharmacological profile of G619, a new platelet aggregation inhibitor.
AB  - G619, a 4-OH-isophthalic acid derivative, was studied for its capacity to inhibit
      platelet aggregation. G619 dose-dependently inhibited U46619, collagen, ADP, PAF,
      thrombin and epinephrine-induced platelet aggregation in vitro. The IC50 values
      for inhibition of U46619-induced human and rabbit platelet aggregation were 39
      and 43 microM, respectively. G619, at 100 microM, inhibited high concentration
      collagen (10 micrograms/ml)-induced aggregation of rabbit platelets pretreated
      with indomethacin and increased the level of cAMP in washed rabbit platelets by
      30% (p less than 0.01 vs basal). However, G619, did not inhibit fibrinogen
      binding to GPIIb/IIIa receptor, phosphodiesterase, U46619-induced contractile
      responses on canine saphenous vein or rabbit aorta, calcium-induced
      vasoconstriction and thrombin or PAF-induced elevation of [Ca++]i in platelets in
      vitro. In vivo, the U46619-induced maximal thrombocytopenia in rats was reduced
      from 40% (vehicle) to 22% and 18% by 10 and 30 mg/kg of G619 i.v., respectively.
      G619 (30 mg/kg) had no effect on the U46619-induced vasopressor response or
      sudden death in rats, and had no effect on TxB2 formation. Our results indicate
      that G619 is a broad-spectrum platelet aggregation inhibitor and may have its
      effect on a common mechanism for platelet aggregation besides an effect on the
      thromboxane A2 receptor.

PMID- 1412201
TI  - Laboratory heterogeneity of the lupus anticoagulant: a multicentre study using
      different clotting assays on a panel of 78 samples. Hemostasis Committee of the
      "Societe Francaise de Biologie Clinique".
AB  - The laboratory heterogeneity of the lupus anticoagulant (LA) was investigated in
      a multicentre study using a panel of 78 plasma samples diagnosed as containing a
      LA. Consecutive samples were collected by 12 participants using various screening
      tests, and sent to 7 laboratories which performed one or more clotting assays
      among the following: activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), dilute Russell
      viper venom time, kaolin clotting time (KCT), dilute tissue thromboplastin time
      (dTTI) and a platelet neutralization test. For APTT and dTTI, 10 versions of
      these tests including standard and mixing procedures were carried out. They
      varied by reagents, phospholipid concentration or methodology. Cut-off times were
      determined for each test by comparing the results of the panel to those of a
      control population. When the data of all clotting assays were pooled, 70 of the
      78 selected plasmas were considered to contain LA, 15 of them having a low-titer
      inhibitor. Sensitivity, defined as the proportion of positive results among LA
      containing plasmas, varied from 62 to 100% and was positively related to
      responsiveness (defined as the mean ratio of clotting time to cut-off time).
      Laboratory heterogeneity of LA-containing plasma was illustrated by a star symbol
      plot analysis. Different populations of samples, with LA preferentially
      recognized by one assay (or group of assays) irrespective of the overall
      sensitivity of this assay, were identified. Multiple component analysis
      demonstrated the heterogeneity of low-titer inhibitors, which complicates their
      recognition in routine laboratory investigation.

PMID- 1412202
TI  - Blood compatibility of venous prosthesis made of textile or non-textile material.
AB  - To study blood compatibility of venous prosthesis made of textile or non-textile
      material, the inferior vena cava of 37 rabbits was partly replaced by 3 mm
      internal diameter synthetic tube graft made of textile material (T: woven tetron)
      or non-textile material (P: polytetrafluoroethylene). At designated time
      intervals after the replacement (5 hours to 4 weeks), graft patency was examined
      and the dry weight of intraluminal deposits was measured. The harvested grafts
      were then subjected to light and scanning electron microscopy. All the T-grafts
      were occluded as early as 5 hours after grafting but when ticlopidine was
      administered prior to the grafting, all the grafts were patent. All the P-grafts
      were patent up to 4 weeks after grafting, though the amount of intraluminal
      deposits was increased in a time related manner, narrowing the lumen of the
      grafts. The luminal surface of the P-grafts harvested at 5 hours after grafting
      was covered by piles of fibrin networks entrapping erythrocytes without an
      association of platelet aggregates, which resembles the finding in the T-grafts
      harvested from the ticlopidine treated rabbits. In the P-grafts, both the
      proximal and distal luminal surfaces near the anastomosis were fully covered with
      endothelial cells by 2 weeks and the entire luminal surface was covered with
      these cells by 4 weeks. From these results, the following conclusions were
      obtained; (1) P-graft was superior to T-graft for venous prosthesis, which is
      mainly due to the inertness of P against platelet activation. (2) Though the
      luminal surface of the P-grafts was completely covered with endothelial cells by
      4 weeks after grafting, the lumen was markedly narrowed by intimal hyperplasia.

PMID- 1412203
TI  - Increased levels of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and tissue plasminogen
      activator inhibitor (PAI) correlate with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha)
      release in patients suffering from microangiopathy following allogeneic bone
      marrow transplantation (BMT).
AB  - Severe microangiopathy resembling thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) has
      been reported as a complication of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) in
      patients receiving cyclosporin (CsA) prophylaxis following allogeneic BMT. In
      order to analyze the pathophysiological events involved in microangiopathy, a
      prospective study comparing release of von Willebrand Factor (vWF), t-PA and PAI,
      as well as TNF alpha and further coagulation parameters was performed in 32
      patients. Endothelial damage as the central lesion was confirmed by the close
      association of vWF and t-PA:Antigen with severity of microangiopathy. t-PA
      activity, however, was neutralized by a simultaneous rise in PAI. Activation of
      coagulation in the course of microangiopathy was further confirmed by increased
      levels of DDimer (DDi), fibrinopeptide A (FPA), beta-thromboglobulin (beta TG)
      and platelet factor 4 (PF4). As clinical grades of microangiopathy, as well as
      the release of t-PA:Ag and PAI were correlated with systemic release of TNF alpha
      our data further support our hypothesis of cytokine induced endothelial damage in
      clinical complications following allogeneic BMT.

PMID- 1412204
TI  - Subcellular localization of radioactively labelled defibrotide in cultured
      endothelial cells.
AB  - Defibrotide is a new antithrombotic and fibrinolytic drug which is obtained by
      controlled depolymerization of mammalian DNA. In various models of arterial and
      venous thrombosis, it has been shown that it induces tissue plasminogen activator
      [tPA] and prostacyclin [PGI2] release from the vessel wall. We have previously
      shown the presence of specific binding sites with a Kd of 4.2 micrograms/ml for
      radioactively labelled defibrotide. The present study was undertaken to identify
      the location of the binding site. Confluent cultures of endothelial cells from
      human umbilical vein were incubated with media containing 3H-acetyl-defibrotide
      for various intervals of time. Cells were then washed and harvested
      nonenzymatically. Subcellular location of 3H-defibrotide was investigated by
      fractionating cells on discontinuous sucrose gradient and measuring the
      distribution of radioactivity. 5'-nucleotidase enzyme activity was also measured
      to ensure the location of membrane fraction. Our results suggest that the major
      location of 3H-defibrotide in endothelial cells is the plasma membrane. On the
      other hand, nuclei also contain a considerable amount of the drug which suggests
      a mechanism where binding to a membrane protein is followed by internalization.

PMID- 1412205
TI  - Plasma fibrinolytic activity in healthy subjects with high and low lipoprotein(a)
      concentrations.

PMID- 1412206
TI  - Purification of factor XIa inhibitor from human platelets.
AB  - An inhibitor of activated factor XI (FXIa) in human platelets was recently
      identified as an amyloid beta-protein precursor (APP). We purified an FXIa
      inhibitor (XIaI) from the supernatant of activated human platelets, and assessed
      its inhibitor activity toward FXIa amidolytic activity. Approximately 90
      micrograms of XIaI that cross-reacted with anti-APP antibody was obtained from
      two hundred units of platelet suspension by employing a six-step column
      chromatography procedure. The molecular weight of the purified XIaI was 94,000.
      The Ki value of XIaI to factor XIa was 526 +/- 120 pM, and the inhibition was
      enhanced by the addition of ZnCl2. The amino-terminal sequence of XIaI was L-E-V
      P-T-D-G-N-A-, which is identical to that for the leucine (N18) to alanine (N26)
      sequence of APP751 and the amino-terminal sequence of protease nexin-2.

PMID- 1412207
TI  - Formation of an association between factor XII and kallikrein in human plasma-
      significance of storage of plasma and the functional state of plasma kallikrein.
AB  - In a previous study evidence was provided that zymogen FXII might associate with
      part of the kallikrein generated by acetone treatment of human plasma in the
      presence of benzamidine (Thromb. Res. 61, 123-133, 1991). Some results also
      suggested an increase in such a complex formation upon storage of plasma, and two
      questions were raised in the present study: Does kallikrein activated by acetone
      treatment of plasma exist in modifications with different abilities to associate
      with FXII? And will -70 degrees storage of plasma increase the liability to
      complex formation? S-2302 amidase assays carried out in mixtures of normal plasma
      and plasma genetically deficient in prekallikrein (PK) suggested an inhomogeneity
      of the kallikrein generated. A minor and unstable part of it could be blocked by
      corn trypsin inhibitor, thus indicating the presence of an association with FXII.
      In fractions from gel filtration of acetone-activated plasma, kallikrein was
      assayed as S-2302 amidase, high molecular weight kininogen (HK) was measured in
      rocket immunoassay, and FXII, PK and HK were studied in PAGE immunoblot
      experiments. When freshly collected plasma was used, an amidase double peak (mol.
      wts. 400 and 300 kD) indicated an inhomogeneity of the kallikrein present, HK
      being observed in both peaks. FXII eluted separately over a gel. mol. wt. range
      of 90-55 kD. When plasma was stored at -70 degrees for 10 months before use, the
      more low-molecular part of the kallikrein double-peak had disappeared and was
      recovered, in a highly unstable state, adsorbed to the column material together
      with HK and FXII. Accordingly both functional assays and the results of
      immunoblot experiments indicated an inhomogeneity of the kallikrein present, and
      also a tendency of the minor part of it to associate with FXII, a tendency
      increased upon storage of plasma at -70 degrees.

PMID- 1412209
TI  - Fibrinolytic abnormalities. A Spanish multicenter study ebt.I on 443 patients
      with venous thromboembolic disease.

PMID- 1412208
TI  - Preferential consumption of heparin cofactor II in disseminated intravascular
      coagulation associated with acute promyelocytic leukemia.
AB  - We measured plasma heparin cofactor II (HC II) activity in patients with
      disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) due to various underlying diseases
      together with the levels of antithrombin III (AT III), pseudocholinesterase (a
      marker of hepatic synthesis), and various haemostatic molecular markers. Both HC
      II and AT III were decreased in DIC secondary to all the underlying diseases
      studied, except acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), when compared with healthy
      subjects. The lowest HC II and AT III levels was observed in coagulopathy
      secondary to liver disease, the HC II level in sepsis was the second lowest. In
      DIC due to APL, the decrease in HC II was not accompanied by a decrease in AT
      III. Thus, we divided all 124 samples tested into APL and non-APL groups. The HC
      II level correlated positively with fibrinogen and plasminogen in both the APL
      and non-APL groups. In the APL group, the HC II level had a significant negative
      correlation with the thrombin-AT III complex (TAT), fibrinogen/fibrin degradation
      products, and D-dimer levels as well as the prothrombin time, while AT III showed
      no correlations with any of the haemostatic parameters. These results suggest
      that HC II may be consumed preferentially by thrombin in APL patients with DIC,
      and thus may spare the consumption of AT III. Accordingly, HC II seems to be a
      superior indicator of DIC than AT III in APL patients. Moreover, replacement
      therapy with HC II instead of AT III may be useful to treat DIC associated with
      APL. In the non-APL group, the HC II levels were positively correlated with the
      levels of AT III and pseudocholinesterase activity. This indicates that plasma HC
      II levels are closely related not only to consumption coagulopathy but also to
      hepatic synthetic activity, as is the case for plasma AT III.

PMID- 1412210
TI  - Antibodies to anionic phospholipids in normal human, rabbit and mouse sera.

PMID- 1412211
TI  - Helge Stormorken--still going strong at 70.

PMID- 1412212
TI  - Portrait of a scientist.

PMID- 1412213
TI  - New methods may allow answers to old questions in vascular biology.

PMID- 1412214
TI  - Thoughts on future trends in studies of the thrombo-haemorrhagic balance.

PMID- 1412215
TI  - Gene transfer in the hemophilias: retrospect and prospect.

PMID- 1412216
TI  - The haemophiliac in the society.

PMID- 1412217
TI  - Purification of tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) from rabbit plasma and
      characterization of its differences from TFPI isolated from human plasma.
AB  - Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) is a Kunitz-type protease inhibitor that
      is thought to function as a natural anticoagulant to regulate tissue factor
      induced coagulation (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 88, 708, 1991). TFPI's
      mechanism of action has been well characterized as a two step reaction in which
      TFPI combines with factor Xa and subsequently TFPI/factor Xa combines with and
      effectively neutralizes factor VIIa/tissue factor. In human plasma, TFPI occurs
      in two major molecular weight forms of 34 and approximately 40 kDa. The 40 kDa
      form is a heterodimer of TFPI in covalent disulfide linkage to human
      apolipoprotein AII. TFPI circulates in human plasma primarily in association with
      the plasma lipoproteins. We have now isolated and partially characterized TFPI
      from rabbit plasma and find that, although functionally and immunologically
      related to TFPI isolated from human plasma, it differs from human TFPI in some of
      its physical properties. Rabbit TFPI is larger (approximately 45 kDa) and more
      extensively glycosylated than human TFPI, does not form mixed disulfides with
      other proteins in plasma, and unlike its human counterpart, does not circulate in
      plasma associated with lipoproteins.

PMID- 1412218
TI  - Changes in plasma tetranectin following hip surgery with or without thrombotic
      complications.
AB  - The fibrinolytic system seems to play a role in the development of postoperative
      thromboembolic complications (DVT). The newly described tetrameric protein
      tetranectin (TN), which has been found to enhance the activation of plasminogen
      to plasmin, therefore was studied in 55 patients who had total hip replacement
      and solely elastic stockings as physical thromboprophylaxis. No significant
      difference in plasma TN was found between the 5 patients with DVT and those
      without DVT, neither preoperatively or postoperatively at day 0, 1, 3, 7 or 10. A
      significant decrease in plasma TN was found from preoperative to postoperative
      values, indicating that TN may be a possible marker for other postoperative
      events. Because of the observed postoperative decrease it is important to
      consider the sampling time in the future research with TN.

PMID- 1412219
TI  - A method for quantitative determination of flow induced human platelet adhesion
      and aggregation.
AB  - Adhesivity and aggregability of blood platelets may reflect normal and diseased
      states. A quantitative assessment of such reactivity should thus provide further
      insight into disease mechanism. The well defined conditions of stagnation point
      flow using platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) as fluid permit quantitative treatment of
      the formation of platelet microthrombi on the stagnation plate. By measuring the
      growth kinetics (photometry) and corresponding morphology (light- and electron
      microscopy) of the microthrombus, platelet adhesion as well as aggregation could
      be analyzed separately by means of a quantitative procedure. Parameters are
      evaluated for PRP samples obtained from patients exhibiting deep venous
      thrombosis, arterial angiopathy or myocardial infarction, respectively. The
      results obtained demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed method for
      quantifying platelet reactivity as reflected by type and degree of flow induced
      platelet deposition. This, in turn, provides a basis for correlating the in vitro
      findings with the disease state.

PMID- 1412221
TI  - F1 + 2 and FpA in urine from patients with multiple trauma and healthy
      individuals. A pilot study.

PMID- 1412220
TI  - Affinity chromatography of platelets on immobilized thrombin: retention of
      catalytic activity by platelet-bound thrombin.
AB  - Radioactivity from I125-labeled human platelets was measured to estimate the
      extent of binding of platelet surface proteins to immobilized thrombin. 1-3% of
      the radioactivity was bound with 10-20% of this amount apparently irreversibly
      bound to the thrombin matrix. Site-specific chemical modification of thrombin
      with pyridoxal-5'-phosphate, N-bromosuccinimide or tetranitromethane resulted in
      a variable reduction of the amount of radiolabel bound. When thrombin modified
      with H-D-PheProArg-chloromethyl ketone (PPACK) was coupled to the matrix, there
      was no difference in the binding of platelet membrane proteins when compared to a
      control thrombin preparation while thrombin modified with tosyl-Lys-chloromethyl
      ketone (TLCK) coupled to the matrix did not bind radiolabel any more effectively
      than albumin which served as the control. However, when thrombin was modified
      with PPACK after coupling to the agarose matrix, ability to bind radiolabel was
      lost. Thrombin bound to platelets remained catalytically active when assayed with
      a peptide nitroanilide substrate. These results suggest tight binding between
      thrombin and platelets that is not only not dependent on active site integrity
      but leaves the bound thrombin catalytically competent.

PMID- 1412222
TI  - Arterial thrombosis model with photochemical reaction in guinea-pig and its
      property.
AB  - We have already developed an arterial thrombosis model in the rat femoral artery
      which utilized photochemical reaction between systemically injected rose bengal
      and transillumination of a green light with 540 nm wave length from the outside
      of the vessel. In the present study, we applied this model to guinea-pigs in
      order to produce a more suitable thrombus model for evaluation of antithrombotic
      drugs which act on the prostaglandin cascade. In the guinea-pigs, the irradiated
      femoral artery was completely occluded in 7 min after the injection of rose
      bengal (10 mg/kg) in a similar manner to the rats. The processes of primary
      endothelial injury and the subsequent formation of thrombus during this
      manipulation were observed by the electron microscopy. Pretreatment with aspirin
      and Y-20811, a thromboxane synthetase inhibitor, significantly prolonged the time
      required for occlusion in the guinea-pigs, while these drugs were ineffective in
      the rats. The antithrombotic effect of vapiprost, a thromboxane A2 receptor
      antagonist, was more pronounced in the guinea-pigs than the rats. In conclusion,
      this model in guinea-pigs is more suitable for evaluating antithrombotic drugs,
      particularly, the action of which is exerted involving the prostaglandin cascade.

PMID- 1412223
TI  - Non-specific influence of chemical modification upon the properties of
      antithrombin III:modification of carboxyl groups.
AB  - The ability of antithrombin III to inhibit thrombin was observed to be rapidly
      inactivated upon specific modification of carboxyl groups. The loss of activity,
      upon treatment with nitrotyrosyl ester in the presence of 1-cyclohexyl-3-(2
      morpholinoethyl) carbodiimide metho-p-toluenesulfonate, was concomitant to the
      incorporation of 2 moles of nitrotyrosine per mole of inhibitor indicating the
      modification of only two carboxyl groups. Moreover, the modification occurred
      with loss, also, of the ability of the native protein to bind tightly to heparin.
      The modified antithrombin III retained a reduced affinity for heparin (eluting at
      0.3M NaCl from heparin Agarose) and was observed to be a competitive inhibitor of
      the heparin-dependent rate of inhibition of thrombin by native antithrombin III.
      However, FAB-MS (fast atom bombardment mass spectroscopy) analysis of digests of
      modified material gave no indication that modification was localized to specific
      Asp or Glu residues. It is concluded that the loss of activity is due to
      deleterious change in conformation during modification. These findings, together
      with our previous report upon tryptophan modification of antithrombin III [1]
      suggest that the nature of the molecule is such that considerable care must be
      taken in interpretation of results when investigating the structure/function
      relationships of this protein by chemical modification.

PMID- 1412224
TI  - Studies of the platelet fibrinogen receptor in Glanzmann patients and uremic
      patients.
AB  - The purpose of the present study was to investigate the binding of fibrinogen to
      the platelet fibrinogen receptor. Glycoprotein (GP) IIIa was measured utilizing a
      fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labelled monoclonal antibody and an Ortho
      Spectrum III flow cytometer. The number of binding sites per platelet was
      calculated to be 30,200. Using this technique it appears possible not only to
      diagnose Glanzmann's thrombasthenia but also to identify carriers. In uremic
      patients a slightly lower number of GPIIIa molecules per cell than in control
      subjects was found. Treatment with erythropoietin had no significant effect on
      the expression of GPIIIa. Thrombin, and to a less extent ADP, increased the
      binding of FITC-conjugated fibrinogen to normal platelets but had no significant
      effect on the expression of GPIIIa.

PMID- 1412225
TI  - The response of plasma von Willebrand factor to desmopressin (DDAVP) is related
      to the platelet levels of von Willebrand factor.

PMID- 1412226
TI  - Two routine methods for antithrombin III determination.

PMID- 1412227
TI  - [Rehabilitation in the way of Sisyphus].

PMID- 1412228
TI  - [Drugs and quality assurance in hospitals--a responsibility even for physicians].

PMID- 1412229
TI  - [Posttraumatic acute renal failure].

PMID- 1412230
TI  - [Lung cancer--still a sad story].

PMID- 1412231
TI  - [Treatment of lumbar disk prolapse].

PMID- 1412232
TI  - [Lumbar disk prolapse treated with chymopapain].
AB  - We report results from 108 consecutive patients followed up for one year after
      chymopapain injection. The patients were selected on strict clinical and
      radiological criteria. In nine patients (8%) the result was poor, and they were
      surgically treated within one year after the injection. 99 (92%) patients
      improved and after one year 87 of these (81% of the total material) had returned
      full time to their previous occupation. The only serious complication was one
      case of septicemia and possible discitis. The patient made a full recovery after
      antibiotic treatment. On the basis of these results, we shall continue to use
      chymopapain injection to treat selected patients with sciatica caused by
      herniated lumbar discs.

PMID- 1412233
TI  - [New therapeutic possibilities for acquired clonal blood diseases and
      myelodysplasia].
AB  - Examples of patients are used as a basis for discussing the treatment of severe
      aplastic anaemia with clonal chromosomal aberrations in haematopoietic cells, the
      aplastic form of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria and myelodysplasia, with
      allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Transplantation with marrow from an HLA
      identical sibling donor has curative potential in selected patients with these
      disorders. The procedure should preferably be carried out before the patients
      have received massive treatment for the complications of marrow failure. The use
      of matched unrelated bone marrow donors is still at the investigation stage.

PMID- 1412234
TI  - [Rehabilitation of patients with brain stem damage].
AB  - We describe seven patients with serious brain stem damage who were admitted to
      Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital over a period of two years (1989-91). Our
      patients had quadriplegia and anarthria with some or completely preserved
      cognitive function. They experienced varying degrees of restitution, but all
      remained severely impaired. Important areas for rehabilitation include
      communication, alimentation, mobility, emotional reactions, medical complications
      and daily living arrangements. Severely impaired patients can enhance their
      quality of life by use of technical devices. Minimal motor function is necessary
      to control a switch, but preserved cognitive function is essential.

PMID- 1412235
TI  - [Helicobacter pylori and gastrointestinal tract diseases].
AB  - We review the bacteriological, epidemiological and pathogenetic aspects of
      Helicobacter pylori and related diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It is
      concluded that H. pylori seems to be at least one of several etiological factors
      for diseases such as chronic gastritis and duodenal ulcer. It may also be an
      important cofactor in the development of gastric carcinoma.

PMID- 1412236
TI  - [Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection. Rapid urease test, microscopy of
      smears and culture from ventricular biopsy compared with the 14C-urea breath
      test].
AB  - By employing the 14C-urea breath test as the reference method we determined the
      specificity and sensitivity of three bioptic methods for diagnosis of
      Helicobacter pylori infection in 103 subjects. All biopsy specimens were obtained
      from the gastric antrum. For culture the specificity was 100%. Its applicability
      was reduced, however, by a low sensitivity (73.8%) and a delay of several days
      before the final result was available. Microscopy of Loeffler-stained biopsy
      smears yielded a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 92.9%, but the method
      was regarded time-consuming. The rapid urease test yielded a specificity of 98.4%
      and a sensitivity of 85.7%. Being quick, simple and inexpensive the rapid urease
      test is well suited for routine use in gastroscopy.

PMID- 1412237
TI  - [Rhabdomyolysis in self-induced poisoning. A prospective study].
AB  - In a prospective study of 103 patients hospitalized for self-poisoning the
      incidence of rhabdomyolysis (creatine kinase > 1000 U/l) was nearly 7%. A further
      9.7% had elevated creatine kinase activity, but lower than 1000 U/l. Two patients
      showed clinical symptoms of rhabdomyolysis at time of admission; one after heroin
      and the other after salicylate intoxication. Both developed renal failure, and
      one of them underwent peritoneal dialysis. The high incidence of rhabdomyolysis
      found in the study suggests that creatine kinase activity should be considered in
      all cases of intoxication admitted to hospital. Rhabdomyolysis may often present
      no symptoms even in conscious patients, and serious complications can be limited
      by preventive measures if rhabdomyolysis is recognized early.

PMID- 1412238
TI  - [Rapidly progressing glomerulonephritis].
AB  - 20 patients with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis were treated at the
      nephrological section, Medical Department A, Haukeland Hospital from 1973 to
      1988. Nine patients had an idiopathic type of nephritis, while seven patients had
      this type of glomerulonephritis secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus,
      endocapillary glomerulonephritis, Henoch-Schonleins purpura or Wegener's
      granulomatosis. Four patients had antibodies to glomerular basement membrane. All
      renal biopsies showed extracapillary proliferation and tubular cell damage. All
      patients were given immunosuppressive treatment with corticosteroids and
      cytotoxic drugs. Nine patients who were admitted to the hospital from 1973 to
      1978 were not treated with plasmapheresis, 11 patients from 1978-1988 were all
      treated with plasmapheresis. After one year of observation, six of the nine
      patients in the first group had died, while this applied to only two in the group
      treated with plasmapheresis. Early diagnosis and plasma exchange, in addition to
      immunosuppression, seems to be the best treatment for these patients.

PMID- 1412239
TI  - [Ultrasonic examination of the breast].
AB  - Ultrasonography can be a valuable adjunct to mammography in the evaluation of
      breast pathology. Breast sonography can differentiate a cyst from a tumour.
      Fibroadenomas and carcinomas can often present characteristic ultrasonic features
      but, as a rule, ultrasonography does not give a confident diagnosis of benign or
      malignant tumour. Ultrasound-guided needle biopsies and preoperative localization
      of non-palpable lesions can be performed. Breast sonography should be regarded as
      an adjunct to mammography. The practical role of ultrasonography in a breast
      imaging centre will depend on the quality of the triple diagnostics.

PMID- 1412240
TI  - [Prevention of acute renal failure in muscular injuries].
AB  - Rhabdomyolysis may be caused by sustained, continuous pressure to skeletal
      muscle. The syndrome is characterized by hypovolemia, hyperkalemia and release of
      excessive amounts of myoglobin to the circulation. If untreated, the syndrome
      becomes complicated by potentially fatal acute renal failure. Two case reports
      are presented which illustrate the importance of early and aggressive fluid
      substitution where forced alkaline diuresis seemed to prevent life threatening
      renal complications.

PMID- 1412241
TI  - [Immunophenotyping of leukemias].

PMID- 1412242
TI  - [A record of procedures--its use and usefulness. Evaluation of a tool for general
      practitioners in Telemark].
AB  - A loose-leaf book of procedures has been published earlier. The aim of this
      evaluation was to study the use of this book in the county of Telemark, and the
      possible effect of the book on the quality of the letters notifying admission to
      hospital. A questionnaire has been sent twice to all general practitioners in
      Telemark. In addition, the medical directors of two hospital departments have
      evaluated the quality of the letters of admission before and after the
      distribution of the book. The results are interesting, and show that the book is
      widely used in the county of Telemark.

PMID- 1412243
TI  - [Quality assurance in hospitals. Evaluation of the old and new system for
      medication routines at the Sentralsjukehuset in Rogaland autumn 1990/spring 1991
      and 1992].
AB  - The routines for ordination and documentation of medication were found to be
      inadequate in our hospital. A new ordination system was introduced in 1991 based
      on the following principles: 1) All ordinations/seponations must be signed by a
      doctor. 2) Each day, all medication must be considered and signed by a doctor. 3)
      Ordinations by telephone must be signed later by a doctor. 4) The original
      ordination must be used when drugs are prepared. 5) Nurses must sign for supplied
      doses. The old and new system was evaluated in a medical and a surgical ward. In
      the medical ward the change of system had reduced errors of documentation from
      20% to 1.8%, and in the surgical ward from 33% to 8%. The new ordination system
      has resulted in better patient documentation and has improved the hospital's
      written records.

PMID- 1412244
TI  - [Cancer in Pasvik. II. Pollution from Nikel--no relationship after all?].
AB  - Previous medical investigations have indicated a connection between heavy metal
      pollution from the metallurgical industry in the Russian town of Nikel on the
      Kola peninsula and an observed increase of incidence of cancer among the
      Norwegian population living near the Russian border. This report contains the
      latest measurements of heavy metals in the local environment and discusses
      exposure levels in relation to possible health effects. It is concluded that
      exposure to heavy metals via food, water and air is considered so low as to be
      unlikely to cause any increase in incidence of cancer. Thus, the previously held
      hypothesis of a connection between heavy metal pollution from Nikel and cancer in
      Pasvik is not confirmed.

PMID- 1412245
TI  - [Functional dyspepsia--a stress disease].

PMID- 1412246
TI  - [Which women should be tested for Chlamydia trachomatis in general practice?].

PMID- 1412247
TI  - [Avoiding the use of not virus-inactivated plasma].

PMID- 1412248
TI  - [Percutaneous central venous catheter in newborn infants].

PMID- 1412249
TI  - [Admission criteria for medical studies].

PMID- 1412250
TI  - [Quality assurance--where is the challenge?].

PMID- 1412251
TI  - [A totally private health care system for rich patients?].

PMID- 1412252
TI  - [Patients' rights with a basis in the Norwegian welfare ideology].

PMID- 1412253
TI  - [Undergraduate medical education is outdated].

PMID- 1412254
TI  - [The Fosen team--psychiatry in a new style].

PMID- 1412255
TI  - [Mental retardation--a challenge for health services].

PMID- 1412256
TI  - [Primum nil nocere (first: do no harm). Should the treatment of patients with
      ventricular arrhythmia be centralized?].

PMID- 1412257
TI  - [Torsades de pointes ventricular tachycardia induced by disopyramide at
      therapeutic serum concentration].
AB  - We describe a patient who developed torsades de pointes ventricular tachycardia
      after several years of treatment with disopyramide. The case demonstrates that
      measuring disopyramide serum concentration provides limited information about
      correct dosages. Life-threatening arrhythmias may arise even at recommended doses
      and therapeutic serum concentration. Clinical trials have shown that class Ic
      antiarrhythmic drugs, and perhaps all class I antiarrhythmics, may increase the
      risk of serious arrhythmias and sudden death in certain groups of patients.
      Aspects of the pharmacology of disopyramide are discussed, with particular
      emphasis on the variable plasma protein binding and the narrow therapeutic
      specter. This complexity seems to be the most important reason for the limited
      reliability of serum concentration measurements for predicting the best dosage
      for the individual patient.

PMID- 1412258
TI  - [Treatment of mentally retarded in psychiatry].
AB  - The reform decentralizing the special care of the mentally retarded in Norway has
      caused concern within the Norwegian psychiatric community. The frequency of
      psychiatric disturbances and behaviour problems in this population is known to be
      high, and closing down special institutions may eventually direct more mentally
      retarded persons to psychiatric hospitals. Behaviour problems like poor
      communication skills, lack of social skills and self-care, and disruptive
      behaviours seem to cause more concern than the actual diagnosis. However, the
      same behaviour problems are found in psychiatric hospital populations, for
      instance among chronic schizophrenics. From a behaviour modification point of
      view these behaviours can be treated regardless of diagnosis. The article
      describes how a psychiatric hospital unit can apply behaviour modification
      resulting in a better life for an otherwise untreatable patient. It is
      recommended that behaviour modification techniques should be used concurrently
      with other methods of treatment used in psychiatry. As well as being potentially
      helpful to psychiatric patients, behaviour modification techniques will make
      psychiatry better equipped to treat mentally retarded people in need of
      psychiatric care.

PMID- 1412260
TI  - [Pregnant diabetics. A retrospective study of pregnancy and labor in women with
      type 1 diabetes in Sor-Rogaland 1982-90].
AB  - Foetal mortality and morbidity rates are higher among pregnant diabetics than in
      the general population of pregnant women. From 1982 to 1990, 59 pregnant
      diabetics were closely supervised by a dedicated outpatient team. Throughout the
      pregnancies the insulin demand increased, and metabolic control improved. 78
      babies were born. The perinatal mortality rate was 3.9%. Major congenital
      anomalies occurred in 6.4%. The presence of maternal diabetic complications was
      associated with a higher rate of perinatal complications. The risk of anomalies
      and high birth weight increased with poor metabolic control. Diabetic women of
      childbearing age should therefore receive advice before any planned pregnancy.

PMID- 1412259
TI  - [Psychiatric consultations at a somatic central hospital. Review of 383 referrals
      over 3 years].
AB  - We present an analysis of all psychiatric consultations with inpatients in the
      somatic wards at the Central Hospital in Alesund over a period of three years.
      About 1% of the patients were referred for psychiatric consultation. Most of
      these patients had no previous experience of psychiatry. Mean age was 45 years
      (range 16-90), and 56% were females. The reasons for referral were assessment of
      suicidal behaviour (47%), depression (16%) and psychosis (11%). The most common
      psychiatric diagnoses were personality disorders (16%), affective disorders (14%)
      and alcohol and drug abuse and dependence (14%). About 10% were admitted to
      psychiatric wards, and 21% were referred to psychiatric outpatient clinics. The
      referring physicians were satisfied with the psychiatric consultation service.

PMID- 1412261
TI  - [Smoking habits of pregnant women in municipalities of Asker and Baerum].
AB  - Smoking in pregnancy is unequivocally harmful to both foetal and maternal health.
      Earlier investigations in Norway among pregnant women who smoke have demonstrated
      a prevalence of smoking of around 40% and that some women stop smoking as soon as
      the pregnancy is confirmed (around 20%). This investigation reports only 16%
      smokers among pregnant women registered at 18th week of pregnancy in the two
      municipalities of Asker and Baerum. Average daily consumption was 8.6 cigarettes,
      and 65% of the women stated that they smoked more than five cigarettes per day.
      97% expressed a positive interest in quitting smoking, and 76% had tried to quit
      earlier. 77% had a partner who was a daily smoker. An assessment of level of
      education showed that 82% had completed 12 years of schooling and 23% reached a
      higher educational level. We conclude that the relatively low incidence of daily
      smoking among pregnant women in these two municipalities should inspire the
      initiation of active intervention programmes.

PMID- 1412262
TI  - [Kasabach-Merritt syndrome. A differential diagnosis in thrombocytopenia].
AB  - The Kasabach-Merritt syndrome consists of hemangioma in association with
      thrombocytopenia and localized consumption coagulopathy. It is primarily a
      disease of childhood, but may be seen in adult patients too. When untreated, it
      involves considerable risk of mortality. Two adult patients are described. The
      disease can be cured by surgery. We discuss different options for treatment when
      surgery is not feasible.

PMID- 1412263
TI  - [Abdominal wall hematoma].
AB  - We describe three case reports of hematomas in the abdominal wall muscles and
      discuss etiology, diagnostic findings and treatment. Abdominal wall hematomas are
      uncommon, and the condition is often misdiagnosed. One of our patients was
      laparotomised owing to suspected appendicitis, and one patient presented a
      tuberculous abscess that may have been an infected hematoma. Ultrasonographic
      examination or CT gives the correct diagnose. Conservative management is the
      treatment of choice unless bleeding is severe or the course is complicated by
      infection.

PMID- 1412264
TI  - [Insulin pen in the treatment of childhood diabetes].
AB  - 37 diabetic children changed from insulin syringes, with individually adapted
      mixtures of rapid and intermediate acting insulin, to a regimen involving use of
      an insulin pen (Insuject, Novo Nordisk, Copenhagen) and standard insulin
      mixtures. During the study an attempt was made to arrive at an optimal regimen
      for each child by selecting from among the following available insulin
      preparations (proportion rapid/intermediate acting in parentheses): Velosulin
      (100/0), Initard (50/50), Mixtard (30/70), Combitard (15/85), and Insulatard
      (0/100). The 35 families who completed the one-year study maintained that the
      Insuject pen made the injection procedure much easier. The pen proved to motivate
      the children to perform the injection without help. No effort was made to
      increase the number of daily injections, but seven families changed from two to
      three daily doses on their own initiative. The HbAlc at zero, three, six, nine
      and 12 months were as follows (SD in parentheses): 7.5 (1.2); 7.9 (1.5); 7.6
      (1.2); 7.8 (1.4); and 7.9 (2.1). We conclude that the Insuject insulin pen is a
      safe and reliable instrument in childhood diabetes. Good metabolic control can be
      obtained with commercial insulin mixtures given 2-3 times daily.

PMID- 1412265
TI  - [Failed induced abortion. Pregnancy continuing after induced abortion].
AB  - Operations classified as induced abortion fail, i.e. the pregnancy continues, in
      approximately 0.05% of the cases. Termination procedures before 7-8 weeks of
      gestation and wrong assessment of the size of the uterus imply significantly
      increased risk of failed abortion. The article describes current methods for
      early termination of pregnancy, as well as preoperative procedures and
      postoperative advice aimed at avoiding or detecting failed induced abortions.

PMID- 1412266
TI  - [Medical undergraduate education is outdated. From the interns' point of view].
AB  - This survey is based on a questionnaire sent to all 517 interns in Norway in
      December 1990, of whom 93% replied. Ten interns were interviewed personally. The
      majority felt they received a good theoretical basis during their medical
      studies, but less than a third stated that the education had adequate vocational
      orientation. Students from the University of Tromso, were the exception in this
      respect. They were more positive towards the vocational aspects of their studies.
      Most interns had high expectations with regard to learning during internship, and
      half of them to have to face various traumatic experiences during this period.
      One out of two stated that, so far, their internship training had been inspiring
      for their career as medical practitioner. About a third replied that they doubted
      whether they would choose the same profession if they were to make this decision
      again. The results of this study emphasize the importance of the current changes
      in the curriculum at all four medical faculties in Norway. The results also
      suggest a need for better coordination of university studies and internship, and
      more structured teaching during the internship.

PMID- 1412267
TI  - [Professionalization without management? A study of the scientific content during
      the internship].
AB  - The basic medical education in Norway ends with one year as house physician or
      surgeon and six months as assistant to general practitioner. This internship is
      an important period in the course of education leading to a medical degree.
      According to a new national standard issued in 1989 all interns should have a
      personal supervisor and a formal curriculum covering this period. The present
      survey was carried out in order to evaluate the quality of learning during
      internship as experienced by the trainees. A questionnaire was sent to all 517
      Norwegian interns as of December 1990. 93% replied. Ten of the interns were
      interviewed personally. 34% of the house officers had an appointed supervisor
      compared with 54% in primary care. Few of the interns had a formal curriculum.
      Many of them felt the need for constructive feedback on their professional
      performance, but few received it. They nevertheless claimed that it was easy both
      to raise questions and to obtain assistance in solving medical problems. One out
      of six interns had been severely depressed during the period of internship and
      related this to experiences at work. Women were generally more sensitive than men
      in this respect and were more critical of the interpersonal relationships
      experienced during this period. Despite the new standard, which sets realistic
      and necessary goals for this part of the medical education, learning during
      internship is still much a matter of chance. It is a major challenge to the
      medical profession to take the needs of young medical practitioners seriously.

PMID- 1412268
TI  - [Quality assurance, internal control and patients' security].
AB  - Quality assurance of health services includes elements of both medicine and law.
      The professional standard has to be defined by the medical establishment, while
      the legislation points out the duties that have to be discharged in order to
      obtain the goal of quality and a high standard of health care. A superior goal in
      all health care is to offer the patients adequate medical treatment. The
      patients' rights usually correspond to the duties of the providers of the care,
      and in order to satisfy the patients' requirements it is important to ensure that
      these providers fulfill their duties.

PMID- 1412269
TI  - [Ergotherapy--more than stimulation of activities].
AB  - There are many ways of forming a caring relationship. One way is to give people
      the opportunity to be active, whether they have a long or a short time left to
      live, and irrespective of intelligence, skills, values or cultural background.
      The occupational therapist focuses on and emphasizes the patients' need to master
      their environment and stresses a person's sense of self, bringing out what she or
      he feels is essential to be a competent person. Quality of life depends on an
      internal feeling of personal worth. By being able to contribute even on a small
      scale, for example by making a little gift to a friend, a person may gain both
      self-respect and the admiration of others.

PMID- 1412271
TI  - [Adverse effects and the press].

PMID- 1412270
TI  - [Administration of propofol (Diprivan) to children].

PMID- 1412273
TI  - [Deep sighs or heretical reflections on diabetes].

PMID- 1412272
TI  - [How to differentiate myelogenous leukemia FAB-type 6 (erythroleukemia) from the
      myelodysplastic syndrome?].

PMID- 1412274
TI  - [Professional secrecy, what is it worth?].

PMID- 1412275
TI  - [On the difference between draining the cup and washing one's hands].

PMID- 1412276
TI  - [Support good self concept in employees receiving dismissal notice and those
      affected by company merging].

PMID- 1412277
TI  - [Information and support to cancer patients].

PMID- 1412278
TI  - [Distribution of physicians--with intentional prejudice?].

PMID- 1412279
TI  - [International activities of the Norwegian Medical Society].

PMID- 1412280
TI  - [Use of drugs without an approved indication].

PMID- 1412281
TI  - [Treatment with botulinum toxin--a new and effective therapy].

PMID- 1412282
TI  - [Psychiatric diagnosis].

PMID- 1412283
TI  - [Classification systems in theory and practice. The National Social Insurance
      Board demands the ICPC codes from 1 October 1992].

PMID- 1412284
TI  - [Surgical treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Risk factors and
      complications].
AB  - Between January 1985 and April 1991 156 patients underwent surgery for abdominal
      aortic aneurysm at Nordland Regional Hospital. Of these, 90 underwent elective
      surgery; 36 were operated on for symptomatic aneurysm; 30 for ruptured aneurysm.
      The mortality rates were respectively 10%, 14% and 47%. Surgery for aortic
      aneurysm is on the increase. Advanced age, and associated serious cardiac disease
      predispose to postoperative complications and death. To reduce mortality better
      preoperative evaluation and treatment are essential.

PMID- 1412285
TI  - [Aortic aneurysm misinterpreted as pulmonary tumor].
AB  - Two cases have been reported of patients with an atherosclerotic saccular
      aneurysm of the descending aorta which simulated a left-sided lung neoplasm.
      Despite advanced diagnostic procedures, the diagnosis was not made before
      thoracotomy. The authors discuss some of the diagnostic problems related to
      thoracic saccular aneurysms.

PMID- 1412286
TI  - [Abdominal aortic surgery. Transperitoneal or retroperitoneal approach?].
AB  - During the past five years a retroperitoneal approach was used in 34 patients and
      the transabdominal route in 49 patients for treatment of abdominal
      aortosclerosis. Both groups were identical with respect to age, sex and
      preoperative morbidity. In patients with previous laparotomy the retroperitoneal
      approach was always chosen. There was no significant difference with regard to
      postoperative complications. The only significant difference between the two
      groups after the operation was a trend towards earlier defecation among the
      patients treated by the retroperitoneal approach. We can not demonstrate any
      important advantage or disadvantage of the retroperitoneal approach. The
      transabdominal approach provides an opportunity to examine the abdominal organs
      for malignancy. We found one asymptomatic gastric cancer. The retroperitoneal
      approach is particularly suitable in patients who have undergone laparotomy
      before for expected severe abdominal adhesions.

PMID- 1412287
TI  - [Surgical treatment of aortic occlusion and obliterating aorto-iliac
      arteriosclerosis].
AB  - From 1985 to March 1991, 83 patients with the diagnosis aortoiliac obliteration
      and aortic occlusion were operated on at the Department of Surgery, Nordland
      Central Hospital. The main symptom was claudicatio intermittens. 16 patients had
      pain while at rest, and two had gangrene. The surgical technique was either Y
      prosthesis or thrombendarterectomy. Four patients (4.8%) died postoperatively,
      three of myocardial infarction and one of intestinal ischemia and peritonitis. In
      our study 66 patients with aortoiliacal atherosclerosis were compared with 17
      patients with aortic occlusion. Patients with aortoiliacal atherosclerosis
      demonstrated by angiography had much more severe infrainguinal arterial
      pathology. In the occlusion group the postoperative outcome, as measured by
      ankle/brachial index, was significantly better (p < 0.01). The study included
      four female patients less than 50 years of age with total infrarenal aortic
      occlusion. Their symptoms and signs are discussed.

PMID- 1412288
TI  - [Surgical treatment of acute intestinal ischemia. Successful treatment with
      embolectomy of the superior mesenteric artery].
AB  - We describe a patient with acute intestinal ischemia successfully treated with
      embolectomy of the superior mesenteric artery. Over the last four years, 11
      patients with the same disease were treated with bowel resection at Nordland
      Regional Hospital. The mortality rate after bowel resection was 45%. Long
      duration of symptoms, and high frequency of associated cardiovascular disease was
      characteristic. In elderly patients with acute abdominal pain and cardiovascular
      disease, a diagnosis of acute mesenterial ischemia should be seriously
      considered. In patients with acute mesenteric ischemia and no bowel necrosis,
      embolectomy must be considered in preference to bowel resection.

PMID- 1412289
TI  - [Familial hypercholesterolemia--intensive diet therapy combined with drug
      therapy].
AB  - The aim of the investigation was twofold: to study the effect of lovastatin, a
      potent inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, alone and in
      combination with other lipid lowering drugs in an open 48 week single centre
      study, and to study if lipid lowering drugs influence adherence to diet in adult
      patients with familial hypercholesterolemia. Lovastatin monotherapy (80 mg daily)
      for 12 weeks reduced serum cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides levels
      by 36%, 44% and 24% respectively. HDL-cholesterol level was increased by 12%. The
      addition of 16 g cholestyramine daily further increased the reduction of total
      cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels by 17% and 24% respectively. Addition of 1
      g probucol daily decreased total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol
      levels by 9%, 5% and 27% respectively. Addition of omega-3-fatty acids (3.6 g
      daily) reduced total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides levels by
      10%, 12% and 20% respectively. Administration of potent lipid lowering agents did
      not influence adherence to a diet with a mean daily fat energy of 21% (CI: 20
      22), cholesterol of 177 mg (CI: 157-196) and P/S ratio of 0.75 (CI: 0.66-0.84). A
      significant increase in liver enzymes was recorded in only one patient. One
      patient was withdrawn from the study because of myositis.

PMID- 1412290
TI  - [Inadequate treatment of affective disorders].
AB  - Inadequate treatment of mood (affective) disorders is related to the mind/body
      dualism, desinformation about methods of treatment, the stigma of psychiatry, low
      funding of psychiatric research, low educational priority, and slow acquisition
      of new knowledge of psychiatry. The "respectable minority rule" has often been
      accepted without regard to the international expertise, and the consequences of
      undertreatment have not been weighed against the benefits of optimal treatment.
      The risk of chronicity increases with delayed treatment, and inadequately treated
      affective disorders are a leading cause of suicide. During the past 20 years the
      increase in suicide mortality in Norway has been the second largest in the world.
      Severe mood disorders are often misclassified as schizophrenia or other non
      affective psychoses. Atypical mood disorders, notably rapid cycling and bipolar
      mixed states, are often diagnosed as personality, adjustment, conduct, attention
      deficit, or anxiety disorders, and even mental retardation. Neuroleptic drugs may
      suppress the most disturbing features of mood disorders, a fact often
      misinterpreted as supporting the diagnosis of a schizophrenia-like disorder.
      Treatment with neuroleptics is not sufficient, however, and serious side effects
      may often occur. The consequences are too often social break-down and post
      depression syndrome.

PMID- 1412291
TI  - [ICPC in general practice].
AB  - The aim of this pilot study was to describe the distribution of diagnoses in
      general practice using International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC). The
      study took place in a group practice in Kongsberg, Southern Norway, in May 1991.
      It was of particular interest to find out how often doctors could use a disease
      as diagnosis (ICPC component 7) after the meeting with the patient and how often
      they used a symptom or complaint (ICPC component 1) as diagnosis. Results from
      1,189 consultations show that a disease was used as diagnosis in 61% of all
      cases. A complaint or a symptom was used in 21%. Women were more often given a
      symptom as diagnosis. The study also shows that disorders of the respiratory and
      musculoskeletal systems were the most common diagnoses, accounting for 18% and
      16% respectively. During one month, 247 diagnoses were used. Inter-observer tests
      of reliability showed that 81% of all consultations were coded to the same
      chapter.

PMID- 1412293
TI  - [Use of propofol in Norwegian hospitals].
AB  - Propofol is approved by the Norwegian authorities (The Norwegian Medicine Control
      Authority) only for anaesthesia for less than three hours in adults. 54% of
      Norwegian hospitals had used propofol for anaesthesia in children and 33% for
      anaesthesia of more than three hours duration. In hospitals with an intensive
      care unit, 66% had used it for sedation in adults, 24% in children. It is not
      illegal to use a drug without the approval of the control authority, but the
      sedation of children had taken place without a basis in scientific documentation.
      The market for propofol fell by 40% shortly after the media focused on possible
      severe side effects in sedated children. Many of the anaesthesiologists found the
      media focus useful, but many thought that it was incorrect, and most of them that
      it was too general.

PMID- 1412292
TI  - [Botulinum toxin treatment of spastic torticollis].
AB  - Botulinum toxin A was administered to 19 patients with spasmodic torticollis. A
      significant decrease of abnormal head and neck movements was recorded, and all
      the patients who suffered pain reported relief. Side effects were minor and
      transient. The results of this study indicate that botulinum toxin is an
      effective means of treating torticollis.

PMID- 1412294
TI  - [Quality adjustment of life years--possibilities, limitations, alternatives].
AB  - QALYs express the sum of individual utility gains from medical interventions. As
      such they are potentially a useful measure in deciding how to allocate resources.
      They should not, however, be equated with the overall value that society places
      on different health care programmes. The latter is determined not only by the
      number of QALYs gained, but also by a series of distributional and ethical
      considerations. This should be made clear in the presentation of QALY
      calculations, particularly in cost-per-QALY league tables. More comprehensive
      measures of social value that may be used in cost-utility studies need
      investigating.

PMID- 1412295
TI  - [Administration of propofol (Diprivan) to children].

PMID- 1412296
TI  - [Treatment of hypertension in the elderly].

PMID- 1412298
TI  - [Law on patients' rights].

PMID- 1412297
TI  - [The significance of chromium for metabolic cardiovascular syndrome].

PMID- 1412299
TI  - [The role of health care missions in the health care of developing countries-
      history and future].

PMID- 1412300
TI  - [Views in Norwegian psychiatry].

PMID- 1412301
TI  - [Prioritizing in health care--how to go further?].

PMID- 1412302
TI  - [Strategies for cardiovascular diseases].

PMID- 1412303
TI  - [Resistance problems in developed and developing countries].

PMID- 1412304
TI  - [Resistance problems in developing countries--use and misuse of antiinfective
      agents].
AB  - Widespread use and misuse of antiinfectiva have resulted in a problem of drug
      resistance linked to treatment of infectious diseases. In developing countries
      especially, the sale of such drugs is poorly controlled and the pharmaceutical
      industry is dumping obsolete products. Intensive marketing, lack of diagnostic
      facilities and receptive local cultural attitudes to new "wonder drugs" such as
      antibiotics, have resulted in dramatic unnecessary use of such. Therefore the
      ideal strategies for treatment of infectious diseases guided by microbiological
      diagnosis and resistance pattern are violated in most developing countries,
      leading to excessive use of antiinfectiva and development of resistance. This has
      serious consequences for the infections that cause most cases of infant
      mortality, namely malaria, diarrhoeas and infections of the respiratory tract.
      Improvements in this vicious circle of drug use and resistance can only be made
      by attacking several factors simultaneously. There is a need for general
      information, stricter legislation, essential drug lists, national drug policies,
      better knowledge of local resistance patterns, better diagnostic facilities,
      better knowledge about local beliefs about drugs and better communication to
      local health workers and the community.

PMID- 1412305
TI  - [Bacteriological examination of bronchial aspirates obtained via fiberoptic
      bronchoscopy].
AB  - We present the bacteriological findings in 329 aspirates from fiberoptic
      bronchoscopy. Quantitative cultures were not performed. 92 of the patients had
      radiologically confirmed pneumonia, 58 possibly had infectious bronchitis or
      pneumonia which was not verified radiologically, 154 had other pulmonary diseases
      and 25 had no verified pulmonary disease. 13% of aspirates contained no bacterial
      isolates and 33% revealed growth of multiple bacteria, classified as "normal
      pharyngeal flora". Among the 54% with specified bacterial findings the most
      frequent bacteria were viridans streptococci, staphylococci, Haemophilus
      influenzae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The differences in bacterial flora
      between the patient groups were only minimal. Klebsiella and Escherichia coli
      were the only bacteria indicating presence of pneumonia. S pneumoniae were found
      more frequently among patients with no signs of infection. Bronchial aspirates
      obtained with a fiberbronchoscope may give false positive results and are of
      limited value in diagnosing pneumonia. However, the presence of gram negative
      intestinal rods may indicate bacterial respiratory infection in hospitalized
      patients. Improving sampling and culture techniques can possibly improve the
      value of bacteriological findings.

PMID- 1412306
TI  - [Lower respiratory tract infections among the elderly in Finnoy municipality. A
      retrospective study of the incidence, treatment and outcome].
AB  - Based on a retrospective study of the case records of the primary health care
      services in a small Norwegian coastal community (Finnoy), we found an incidence
      of 13% for lower respiratory infections in persons aged 70 years or more. Most
      often the initial medication was penicillin. In 23% of recorded episodes,
      medication was changed, owing to unsatisfactory response. Overall mortality in
      the group was 9%. Three out of five deaths occurred in patients terminally ill
      from other diseases at the time the respiratory infection started. Problems
      related to diagnosis, management and prevention are discussed.

PMID- 1412307
TI  - [Pseudomembranous colitis. Surgical treatment].
AB  - Pseudomembranous colitis is an inflammatory intestinal disease that is usually
      secondary to antibiotic treatment. The disease upsets the normal bacterial flora
      of the large intestine. Therapy consists of fluid replacement, discontinuation of
      broad-spectrum antibiotics and treatment with vancomycin or metronidazole. In
      severe or resistant cases surgical treatment is required. We describe one case
      history and give some guidelines for surgical treatment.

PMID- 1412308
TI  - [Local resection of cancer of the Vater's papilla].
AB  - Tumours of the papilla of Vater are almost always adenocarcinomas and are often
      less than 2.5 cm in diameter. Lymph node metastases occur in one fourth of the
      patients with tumours with a diameter of less than 2.5 cm. Whipple's procedure
      has been the most common operation when attempting radical excision. Local
      resection has not won acclaim, even though the five year survival rates are often
      reported to be about the same as for Whipple's procedure. We present a patient
      who was operated on by local resection, and describe the operative technique.

PMID- 1412309
TI  - [Necrosis of the small intestine. A diagnostic and therapeutic challenge].
AB  - The paper describes three patients with small intestinal necrosis from different
      causes: One patient had diabetes, and severe ketoacidosis, which may cause
      microthrombosis in small intestinal vessels. This patient died in septic shock
      during laparotomy, removing the necrotic gut. The second patient was
      laparotomized because of free air in the abdomen originating from a clostridial
      intestinal infection. The third patient caught a salmonella infection during a
      holiday in the Canaries, thereafter peritonitis due to small intestinal necrosis.
      These three patients illustrate principal aspects of the surgical management of
      patients with intestinal necrosis. Firstly, necrotic intestinal segments must be
      removed as soon as possible. Delay represents a threat to the patient's life in
      all situations when intestinal segments are devascularized. Secondly,
      relaparotomy may be mandatory in clostridial intra-abdominal infections. We
      report these patients to illustrate that well known surgical principles may be
      life-saving if effectuated without delay. This applies also in the case of
      patients with uncommon diseases and complications.

PMID- 1412310
TI  - [Examination and treatment of gynecological bleeding disorders].
AB  - The investigation and treatment of gynaecological dysfunctional bleeding has
      remained largely unchanged since the problem was dealt with in a special issue of
      the Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association in 1976, in spite of the advent
      of modalities like endometrial cytology, hysteroscopy and vaginal
      ultrasonography, as well as knowledge about the relative lack of efficiency of
      dilatation and curettage in the investigation and treatment of the condition. We
      describe a modern programme for investigation and treatment of gynaecological
      dysfunctional bleeding. The programme relies on clinical assessment combined with
      medical therapy, with optional use of modern investigative modalities when
      indicated. In a strictly controlled outpatient programme the need for dilatation
      and curettage can be greatly reduced without jeopardizing the safety of the
      patient.

PMID- 1412311
TI  - [Selection by consequences].
AB  - Selection made on the basis of consequences is a causal mode found only in
      "living" things. Selection happens at the level of species, individual and
      culture. Human behaviour is the joint product of the contingencies of existence
      responsible for natural selection and of contingencies by which the behaviour of
      individuals are selected, including the contingencies maintained by an evolved
      social environment. Behaviour is not caused by immaterial processes inside the
      organism. It is the contingencies for behaviour and the behaviour itself that
      have to be analysed, and possibly changed. The implications for treatment may be
      great.

PMID- 1412312
TI  - [Triglycerides, HDL and coronary disease. Consensus conference: National
      Institutes of Health 1992].
AB  - The article describes the conclusions and recommendations of the panel. A review
      of the information on HDL-cholesterol and coronary heart disease provides
      considerable evidence of a causal relationship. In the case of serum
      triglycerides, the data are ambiguous; although strong associations are found in
      some studies, evidence of a causal relation is still incomplete. Seen in relation
      to the latest Norwegian programme for treatment of hypercholesterolemia in
      adults, greater emphasis should be placed on measuring HDL-cholesterol. A
      complete initial lipid profile should also include determination of serum
      triglycerides. When taking these factors into consideration, the present
      Norwegian recommendations seem to be appropriate for evaluating and treating
      hyperlipidemia.

PMID- 1412313
TI  - [Who is long-term sick-listed in Norway? From the project Evaluation of the
      follow-up of long-term sick-listed].
AB  - The aim of the study was to analyse the characteristics of persons with long-term
      sickness certification at the end of 1990 in Norway. The study was based on data
      registered by the National Insurance Administration: Age, sex, place of
      residence, diagnoses, and prognosis as registered on Sickness certificate II. At
      the end of 1990 a total of 57,567 persons had been incapacitated for work for
      longer than eight weeks and up to 52 weeks. The prevalence was 27.9 per 1,000
      employed persons, with a significantly higher prevalence among women than among
      men. 25% of the women certified as sick were 40-49 years old. The highest
      prevalence of long-term certification of sickness was found in the counties
      Finnmark and Troms in Northern Norway, and Hedmark in central Norway. In cases of
      long-term sickness certification, the most common diagnoses were
      musculoskeletal/connective tissue diseases and mental disorders, with a
      prevalence of 9.3 and 3.1 per 1,000 employed persons respectively. The study
      indicates the possibility of using data from existing administrative population
      registers to provide information on the epidemiology of long-term sickness
      certification in Norway. It is necessary to further improve the validity of the
      data.

PMID- 1412314
TI  - [Psychiatry in newspapers].

PMID- 1412315
TI  - [Submitting of medical records to the courts].

PMID- 1412316
TI  - [Behavior is formed and selected by consequences. The psyche is not suitable as
      explanation of behavior].

PMID- 1412317
TI  - [Emergency medicine in sparsely inhabited regions].

PMID- 1412318
TI  - [Sugar molecules, cell adhesion and cancer etiology].

PMID- 1412319
TI  - [Occupation and smoking as risk factors for obstructive lung disease].

PMID- 1412320
TI  - [Obstructive lung disease in a Norwegian population group--risk factors and
      occurrence].
AB  - In an ordinary Norwegian population which we studied, one in 13 persons suffered
      from an obstructive lung disease--bronchial asthma or chronic obstructive lung
      disease. The prevalence of the disease was the same in both sexes, but increased
      with age. There was a strong association between smoking and the disease.
      Occupational airborne pollution was an important risk factor. Taking the longest
      job held as a basis for the study, the adjusted odds ratio for obstructive lung
      disease in those exposed to a high degree of airborne pollution was 2.5 relative
      to those not so exposed. There was no difference between urban and rural areas in
      the frequency of the disease. Allergy and bronchial hypersensitivity were both
      associated with obstructive lung disease. Greater efforts should be put than at
      present into preventing obstructive lung disease.

PMID- 1412321
TI  - [Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia--not only in AIDS].
AB  - Two patients with haematologic malignancies developed Pneumocystis carinii
      pneumonia while under outpatient treatment, one on busulphan for chronic myelogen
      leukemia, and the other on prednisone plus chlorambucil for non-Hodgkin's
      lymphoma. The first patient was moderately ill and required hospitalization for
      12 days while the second patient was critically ill and needed assisted
      ventilation for two weeks. Eventually they both recovered and returned to work.
      Tests for serum antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were
      negative in both patients. We review the problem of P. carinii pneumonia in
      patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs.

PMID- 1412322
TI  - [Percentage of body fat and risk factors of coronary heart disease].
AB  - This study is a cross sectional analysis using measurement of the relative amount
      of fat on the right upper arm by means of the near infra-red method (NIR) and
      computerised calculation of the percent body fat by the use of the Futrex 5000.
      The total sample consisted of 1,988 subjects (942 women and 1,046 men) in the two
      age groups 40-42 years (n = 1,180) and 65-67 years (n = 808). Average percentage
      of relative fat in the total sample was 26.7, average percentage of body fat was
      26.5 and average Body Mass Index, BMI (kg/m2) was 24.4. The percentage of fat and
      the BMI would both appear to increase with age and be higher in non-smokers. The
      BMI was higher in men, while the percentage of body fat was higher in women. A
      relatively weak correlation was found between the relative amount of fat and the
      BMI (0.4 < or = r < or = 0.57) but there was a relatively strong correlation
      between the percentage of fat and the BMI (0.72 < or = r < or = 0.88). The
      correlation with total cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure (SBP, DBP, MAP)
      and susceptibility to cardiac infarction (calculated estimated units) was similar
      for both the percentage of fat and the BMI. All correlations were positive, but
      with a relatively low r (0.05 < or = r < or = 0.39). The interaction between the
      percentage of body fat and the BMI would appear to be independent of age and
      sex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1412323
TI  - [Diagnostic imaging of the gastrointestinal and biliary tracts. Pattern of
      examinations during the period 1975-90].
AB  - The procedures used for imaging of the gastrointestinal tract, the gall bladder
      and the bile ducts were registered in six Norwegian hospitals during the period
      1975-90. Data obtained from all hospitals showed a significant decrease in
      radiological examinations of the stomach and the large bowel, and a dramatic
      decrease of such examinations in the case of the gall bladder and bile ducts. The
      changes are mainly due to the increasing use of newer methods such as
      ultrasonography, gastroscopy and colonoscopy. The shift in the pattern of
      examinations, as shown in the present study, may well have many implications for
      patients and for the health service as a whole.

PMID- 1412324
TI  - [Subcutaneous emphysema in gastrointestinal tract perforation].
AB  - Perforation of the gastrointestinal tract can lead to retroperitoneal abscess
      formation. Clinical signs and symptoms are often non-characteristic. In
      undetected cases the first sign of perforation may be subcutaneous emphysema. The
      place where this first appears correlates with the localization of the
      perforation. The pathogenetic mechanisms and clinical features are discussed,
      with reference to a case report.

PMID- 1412325
TI  - [Abdominal actinomycosis. Actinomycotic abscess 10 years after appendectomy].
AB  - A case of actinomycosis of the abdomen ten years after surgery for acute
      appendicitis is reported. The patient, a 2 1/2 years old girl at the time of
      operation, presented with acute abdominal pain ten years after appendectomy.
      Computed tomography (CT) showed a mass in the region of the right psoas muscle.
      Fine needle aspiration revealed pus which on culture was found to contain
      Actinomyces israeli. Since surgery is a well known probable cause of abdominal
      actinomycosis, we must assume the appendectomy and the formation of the
      actinomycotic abscess to be related. Discovery of an abdominal mass even years
      after violation of the gastrointestinal tract should arouse suspicion of an
      abscess involving these otherwise infrequent pathogens.

PMID- 1412326
TI  - [Cell surface carbohydrates are involved in various biological processes].
AB  - All human cells show carbohydrate structures on the surface. New knowledge about
      the genetic mechanisms for the synthesis of these carbohydrates and the
      generation of monoclonal antibodies with high specificity shows that
      carbohydrates are involved in various cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. For
      instance, cell surface carbohydrates seem to be important in connection with
      fertilization, embryonic development, cell differentiation, cancer, adhesion of
      microorganisms and immunological processes. This new knowledge will increase our
      understanding of various biological phenomena, and will thus be of value for
      diagnosis and treatment of various diseases.

PMID- 1412327
TI  - [Cyclosporine in the treatment of psoriasis].
AB  - Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease of unknown etiology. An immune
      reaction mediated by T lymphocytes is important in the pathogenesis. Cyclosporin
      is a selective immuno-suppressant that inhibits helper T lymphocytes. Several
      controlled clinical studies have shown that cyclosporin is highly effective in
      controlling severe psoriasis. The main side effects are hypertension,
      nephrotoxicity and increased risk of developing malignancies, particularly after
      long-term treatment. Side effects during short-term therapy appear to be
      reversible. Some questions connected to the long-term use and safety of
      cyclosporin are still unsolved.

PMID- 1412328
TI  - [Streptococci group B and pregnancy. Need for routine check-ups?].
AB  - Group B streptococci are a major cause of perinatal infections and affect 1-5
      infants out of every 1,000 live births. Maternal vaginal colonization with these
      bacteria is common (5-25%), and has been associated with late abortions, foetal
      growth retardation, early rupture of membranes and premature delivery.
      Colonization with group B streptococci may be observed in more than 70% of
      neonates born to mothers with the bacteria in their vaginal tracts at delivery. A
      high number of bacteria in the maternal urogenital tract during pregnancy may
      predispose to early-onset disease in neonates. The estimated attack rate in
      colonized neonates is 1-2%. A high specific IgG antibody concentration in the
      mother may protect the infant, but probably not before 32 weeks of gestation.
      Colonized women who are unable to produce such antibodies risk having affected
      offspring. Neonatal infection with group B streptococci frequently results in
      death or permanent neurologic morbidity; especially from the early-onset type
      (case-fatality more than 50%) which is most often vertical transmitted. Four
      cases with early-onset disease illustrate the severity of perinatal group B
      streptococcal infections. The severity and outcome of the disease may be
      moderated by screening for group B streptococci during late pregnancy. This
      screening must be combined with special attention to irregularities in pregnancy
      or perinatal complications.

PMID- 1412329
TI  - [Cardiopulmonary resuscitation performed by laymen--the Nord-Gudbrandsdal Project
      -circulatory arrest in sparsely populated regions].
AB  - Previous investigations from densely populated areas have shown that more
      patients with prehospital circulatory arrest caused by ischemic heart disease can
      be successfully treated by strengthening a chain of survival. This chain consists
      of immediate alarm followed by prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation, early
      defibrillation and advanced medical support before transportation to hospital.
      This paper describes the methods used in the training of lay people in
      cardiopulmonary resuscitation, as well as how ambulance personnel were trained to
      use a semiautomatic defibrillator. During the period 1987-89 11.7% of the
      inhabitants in Nord-Gudbrandsdal attended a course in heart lung resuscitation
      and all the ambulance personnel were trained and certified to use Heartstart 2000
      semiautomatic defibrillators.

PMID- 1412331
TI  - [Centralization of obstetric care and perinatal mortality in Norwegian counties
      1986-90. Analysis based on public statistics from the medical birth registry].
AB  - The relationship between centralization of obstetric care and perinatal mortality
      was studied in 19 Norwegian counties for the period 1986-90. No significant trend
      was found. However, during the period 1988-1990 prenatal mortality was
      significantly higher, with a relative risk of 1.21 (95% confidence interval 1.00
      1.45), in the three counties with only one obstetric department than it was in
      all other counties. The analysis did not support the notion that greater
      centralization of obstetric care would decrease perinatal mortality.

PMID- 1412330
TI  - [Results of treatment--the Nord-Gudbrandsdal Project--circulatory collapse in
      sparsely populated regions].
AB  - In Project Nord-Gudbrandsdal we aimed to reduce prehospital mortality from
      myocardial infarction in a sparsely populated area. The ambulance system
      consisted of local ambulances with semi-automatic defibrillators (the ambulance
      personnel were trained in the use of these), combined with advanced medical
      support from the local doctor and/or the air ambulance doctor. During the three
      year period (1987-89) 75 prehospital cardiac arrests were observed in a
      population of 22,000 inhabitants. 12 patients with ventricular fibrillation were
      defibrillated, and eight primarily with success. Four patients were discharged
      from hospital in a satisfactory condition. We discuss the factors determining
      successful resuscitation.

PMID- 1412332
TI  - [On liposuction and madness].

PMID- 1412333
TI  - [Antihypertensive treatment with relative lopsidedness].

PMID- 1412334
TI  - [Little more about the SI units].

PMID- 1412335
TI  - [Basic medical education is out of date].

PMID- 1412336
TI  - [Humans are the subjects for treatment. However, the cancer patient and his
      problems are often ignored in the process].

PMID- 1412337
TI  - [Strategy for quality medicine].

PMID- 1412338
TI  - [Quality assurance--an art of balancing].

PMID- 1412339
TI  - [Physicians and leadership].

PMID- 1412340
TI  - [Can type 1 diabetes be prevented?].

PMID- 1412341
TI  - [Do physicians not examine patients with bad backs?].

PMID- 1412342
TI  - [Embolization of bronchial arteries in severe and recurrent hemoptysis].
AB  - Bronchial artery embolization is an established treatment for massive and serious
      haemoptysis. We review etiology, pathogenesis and different treatment modalities
      of major haemoptysis, and discuss indications and outcome. Massive haemoptysis,
      defined as > 300 ml/24 hrs., is a rare condition with a high mortality rate (30
      80%) if treated conservatively. We describe seven patients treated with bronchial
      artery embolization. Three patients had massive haemoptysis, and four patients
      were treated for recurrent and severe haemoptysis. Two patients had haemorrhage
      because of inactive tuberculosis, five had cystic fibrosis. All patients were
      successfully treated by embolization, one patient suffered recurrent haemoptysis
      after four weeks. The other patients have shown no further haemoptysis during the
      observation period (mean 20 months). No complications were observed other than
      the common, self-limited post-embolization syndrome (mild fever and chest pain).
      In patients with severely reduced lung function and progressive disease,
      recurrent haemoptysis of even smaller amounts might interfere with postural
      drainage and cause infections and deteriorate lung function. Bronchial artery
      embolization should be considered for these patients as well. Unless localized
      lesions can be cured through surgical resection, we consider bronchial artery
      embolization to be the treatment of choice.

PMID- 1412343
TI  - [Etiology and diagnosis of chronic shoulder pain].
AB  - Shoulder pain of more than three months' duration is regarded as chronic.
      Activity with an elevated arm is a risk factor, due to reduced local flow of
      blood to the supraspinatus muscle. Knowledge about normal shoulder biomechanics
      and dysfunctional behaviour patterns is essential when treating patients with
      chronic pain. It is necessary to consider psychosocial factors in addition to
      local pathology. The clinical examination should enable the physician to
      distinguish between referred and true shoulder pain and between restricted and
      free passive range of movement. Diagnoses may be classified into eight groups.
      The association between pain and degenerative changes has yet to be solved. This
      emphasizes the danger of deciding treatment without matching findings from
      radiological examinations with clinical signs and symptoms.

PMID- 1412344
TI  - [Indications for surgery in ulcerative colitis. Some aspects of a hospital case
      load].
AB  - From 1.1.1985 to 1.1.1992, 233 patients with ulcerative colitis were treated in
      the Medical Department, Aker Hospital. 30 patients (12.9%) were referred for
      surgery. The main indications for surgery were severe colitis and chronic
      persisting symptoms. The increased risk of developing colorectal carcinoma in
      cases of long-standing extensive ulcerative colitis is generally accepted. Many
      of our unoperated patients belong to this risk group. In the present sample the
      resection rate was lower than recently reported from Sweden and Denmark.
      Symptomatic patients in the risk group for developing colorectal carcinoma should
      be offered surgery more liberally, and asymptomatic patients in this group should
      be offered colonoscopic surveillance.

PMID- 1412345
TI  - [Skin tests with Pityrosporum ovale extract in atopic dermatitis].
AB  - The etiology of atopic dermatitis is multifactorial. Immediate-type sensitivity
      to the lipophilic yeast, Pityrosporum ovale, may be important, especially in a
      subgroup of patients with dermatitis predominantly in the head and neck region.
      100 patients with atopic dermatitis were investigated by means of skin prick
      tests, including Pityrosporum ovale extract. Positive tests were found more often
      in atopic patients with "head and neck"-dermatitis, but the correlation between a
      positive prick test to Pityrosporum and the severity of atopic dermatitis,
      estimated by means of clinical criteria and total IgE, was even higher.

PMID- 1412346
TI  - [Quality assurance of medical leadership].
AB  - Quality assurance is a managerial responsibility, but the medical management
      itself must also be quality assured. Today quality assurance of medical
      management is usually performed when the organization is not functioning
      properly, but quality assurance should be a continuous process. Regular feedback
      to the management is essential from all levels of the organization. Standards
      must be established for good medical management. The medical profession must
      start this work now. There are many others who want to take it over.

PMID- 1412347
TI  - [Quality assurance in psychiatry--is it possible?].
AB  - The assessment of quality depends on the eye of the beholder, the patient, the
      clinician and his colleagues or society/third party payers. There are already
      several structures that regulate quality: training requirements, judicial control
      commissions and public health authorities, and in psychiatry also individual
      supervision and extensive clinical meetings. Most clinical parameters in
      psychiatry are measurable, but there remains the elusiveness of mental processes,
      which often defies quantification. Levels of symptoms and functioning, however,
      can be scored. Computerisation of macro-data often permits useful comparisons, as
      may consensus conferences and consultations with peers. The essence of quality
      monitoring is to find indicators that predict results and also reflect the most
      important situations and problems.

PMID- 1412348
TI  - [Routine determination of homocysteine in plasma. A new and improved possibility
      for risk evaluation and diagnosis of common diseases].
AB  - The performance of a rapid, fully automated HPLC assay for total homocysteine in
      plasma has made it possible to offer this analysis as a routine laboratory test.
      The reference interval in fasting individuals is 7-14 mumol/l. In EDTA-plasma,
      homocysteine remains stable for up to four days at room temperature. The most
      important indications for analysing homocysteine are deficiency of vitamin B12 or
      folate, premature cardiovascular disease and inherited homocystinuria. The
      clinical usefulness of the assay is based on the fact that the intracellular
      metabolism of homocysteine is dependent on vitamin B12, folate and vitamin B6.
      Moreover, homocysteine may be an atherogenic agent, and there is increasing
      evidence that a high level of homocysteine in plasma is an independent risk
      factor for developing premature atherosclerotic disease.

PMID- 1412349
TI  - [Highly specialized medicine. How to assign the tasks?].
AB  - Norway has four million inhabitants and five university hospitals, each serving
      one health region. The authors describe the work of a governmental medical
      committee, whose mandate is to advise on where to locate the various highly
      specialized medical services. Important questions have been the relationship
      between experience and quality, and the desire of each university clinic to be
      able to provide treatment within its own region for most health problems. Their
      reasons are concern about research and specialist training, and the preference of
      patients for treatment near to home. A list of proposed national and over
      regional centers for certain treatments has been prepared on the basis of the
      experts' report and comments from all university clinics. These recommendations
      have provided a medical basis for later economic and political analyses prior to
      final decision by the Government. Norwegian legislation permits strong
      governmental regulation of the highly specialized health services.

PMID- 1412350
TI  - [Treatment of hypertension in the elderly--diuretics/atenolol?].

PMID- 1412351
TI  - [Treatment of heart failure].

PMID- 1412352
TI  - [Radiation accidents].

PMID- 1412353
TI  - [The role and qualification of the teacher in changing medical education].

PMID- 1412354
TI  - [How are you? On use of self-reported health status in medical research].

PMID- 1412355
TI  - [Mucosal lesions in the pars esophagus in swine: prevalence and the effect of
      stress].
AB  - Morphological investigations of slaughterhouse material revealed a prevalence of
      63% of the sows (n = 224) and 36% of the slaughter pigs (n = 209) with mucosal
      lesions in the pars oesophagea. The mucosal lesions were composed of severe
      hyperkeratosis, erosions or ulceration. Microscopic examination showed that
      hyperkeratosis is attended with parakeratosis. From experiments in a climate
      controlled pighouse it could be concluded that mixing of unfamiliar pigs resulted
      in higher prevalences of gastric lesions as compared with keeping the litter
      together until the end of the experiment (farrow to finish system). There was no
      relation between gastric lesions and climatic stressors or between gastric
      lesions and growth and sex of the pigs. When pigs, according to social ranking,
      were divided in high, middle and low rank it showed that more pigs in the middle
      ranked group had gastric lesions. The serum pepsinogen was not related with
      gastric lesions. There was a tendency that plasma cortisol increased with
      severity of gastric lesions. There was a strong significant 'litter-effect',
      which can indicate a genetic predisposition for the development of gastric
      lesions. Maybe that the presence of mucosal lesions in the pars oesophagea can be
      used as an objective indicator for welfare in intensive pig husbandry.

PMID- 1412356
TI  - [2 cases of 'hardware' foreign objects in ponies].
AB  - An obstruction of the small intestine was suspected in two ponies with colic. At
      surgery and at necropsy, the cause of the colic appeared to be an inflammation
      process caused by perforation of the jejunum by a piece of wire. One pony
      recovered after laparotomy and enterectomy, but had to be put down eight weeks
      later because of severe laminitis. The other pony was euthanized immediately
      after clinical evaluation.

PMID- 1412358
TI  - [Application of lungworm vaccination in severe lungworm disease].

PMID- 1412357
TI  - [Feces in calves].

PMID- 1412359
TI  - [How often does urinary incontinence occur as a complication following ovario
      hysterectomy in dogs?].

PMID- 1412360
TI  - [Be wise--refer! Fact or fantasy?].
AB  - On the occasion of his retirement as an active specialist in Surgery dr. P.H.A.
      Poll describes the history of the development of the specialties in Veterinary
      Medicine in The Netherlands and carefully looks forward. As a tribute, his
      specialist colleagues, all related to the Companion Animal Hospital "De
      Wagenrenk", publish one or more case reports from there respective disciplines
      (ophthalmology, surgery, radiology, dermatology).

PMID- 1412362
TI  - [Conjunctivitis in rabbits].

PMID- 1412361
TI  - [Possible significance of spiral-shaped bacteria in the etiology of abomasal
      ulcers in adult cattle].
AB  - Enzyme-chemical and histological evaluations were used to examine the abomasal
      mucosa of adult cattle with or without mucosal lesions of the corpus. Urease
      activity was detected with the CLO (Campylobacter-like organisms) test in the
      abomasal mucosa of all cattle except one, which had mucosal lesions. Spiral
      shaped bacteria were visualised histologically in the mucus layer, with the
      highest number being found in the pars pylorica. Variable amounts of intra
      epithelial mucin were found in the corpus and pars pylorica of both test and
      control cattle. Most inflammatory cells were found in the lamina propria of the
      pars pylorica. It is suggested that spiral-shaped bacteria, together with a
      diminished mucosal barrier, play a role in the pathogenesis of abomasal ulcers in
      adult cattle.

PMID- 1412363
TI  - [Acute soporous calf].

PMID- 1412365
TI  - [Diseases in bees in The Netherlands].

PMID- 1412366
TI  - [Environmental pollution and attendant contamination of agricultural domestic
      animals. Practical conditions in the provinces].
AB  - Cattle are exposed to pollution by air, water, grass or soil. Exposure to
      environmental pollution is mainly through the eating of contaminated grass or
      feed. Case studies in the province of South-Holland show the importance of risk
      evaluation not just for human health but also for the health of cattle. The
      sequence "environment-cattle-public health" needs attention. The economic effects
      of pollution on agriculture may be considerable.

PMID- 1412364
TI  - [Inspection and re-inspection].

PMID- 1412367
TI  - [Plants as transfer factor of environmental pollutants to domestic animals].
AB  - Environmental contaminants in pasture and fodder crops may be 'carried over' to
      animal products and thus contribute to the contaminant burden of man. The
      processes by which plants collect contaminants from their environment can be
      divided into three categories: interception (mainly atmospheric deposition),
      surface contamination from adhering soil, and uptake from the soil (either by
      roots or by leaves after volatilization). In the field all processes may operate
      at the same time, but one is them often predominates. Identification of the
      (most) relevant process is a prerequisite for effective measures to reduce the
      burden of contaminants in plants and animals as well as man.

PMID- 1412368
TI  - [Behavior of environmental contaminants in farm livestock].
AB  - Knowledge about pharmacokinetic factors is essential to evaluate the consequences
      of the exposure of farm animals to high levels of environmental contaminants. The
      bioavailability, which depends on for instance the exposure route and the matrix
      in which the contaminant is embedded, is of primary importance. The exposure of
      an animal expressed as internal dose rate is determined by the efficiency of the
      various elimination processes. If the combined rate of these processes is low,
      high body concentrations relative to exposure rate will occur. Metabolic
      elimination may lead to the formation of toxic metabolites and in that case it is
      necessary to study these metabolites as well. Residue problems may occur as a
      consequence of substance properties and/or the presence of specific binding
      proteins in organs and tissues. Finally, pharmacokinetic studies should be
      conducted at various levels of exposure as some kinetic processes may be non
      linear in nature.

PMID- 1412369
TI  - [Cortical necrosis].

PMID- 1412370
TI  - [Toxicity of cadmium in cattle].
AB  - After having investigated the metabolism of cadmium in plants and animals, the
      Animal Health Service of North Brabant in 1982 instigated research into the level
      of cadmium in the livers and kidneys of beef cattle kept in the vicinity of a
      zinc processing factory. Cadmium levels in these cattle were more than twice as
      high as those of cattle kept in control areas. Clinical abnormalities as a result
      of the increased cadmium levels were not observed, although haemoglobin and iron
      levels, iron-binding capacity and iron saturation were lower in these animals
      than in control animals. Cadmium therefore appears to have an adverse effect on
      iron absorption. Administration of high doses of cadmium for a limited period to
      14 heifers did not cause discernable clinical abnormalities. These animals
      retained cadmium to a much smaller extent than anticipated on the basis of data
      for monogastric (mainly rats) animals.

PMID- 1412372
TI  - [Contamination of production animals with environmental pollutants and public
      health risk].
AB  - Exposure to dairy products contaminated as a result of environmental pollution
      can be an important route of exposure for humans. Whether this route of exposure
      will cause a serious health risk depends on many factors. In this paper three
      examples of different types of environmental pollution are discussed with regard
      to exposure to contaminated dairy products. Specific groups in the Dutch
      population could be at risk, because the "silent" chronic contamination of dairy
      products. Human risk assessment, on which many standards for tolerable levels of
      contaminants in food are based, should take into account not only exposure of the
      average human, but also the more than average exposure of specific groups at
      risk.

PMID- 1412371
TI  - [Food products of animal origin and environment contaminants].
AB  - Environmental contaminants may reach humans via products of animal origin is
      obtained mainly from production animals but also from fish. Heavy metals such as
      lead, mercury and cadmium are present in food in minor quantities only and, in
      general, do not represent a serious threat to the consumer. Xenobiotics which
      accumulate in adipose tissue are discussed subsequently. In The Netherlands, the
      presence of organochlorine pesticides is not problematic anymore. HCH isomers,
      however, still require attention. The same applies for PCB's and dioxins in fish
      and in milk, respectively. Finally, some attention is paid to the way in which
      food of animal origin can become contaminated by certain radionuclides.

PMID- 1412373
TI  - [Dacryocystitis].

PMID- 1412374
TI  - [Veterinary dentistry (6). From back to the roots to buck on the rock].
AB  - The Royal Netherlands Veterinary Association is organizing its yearly congress in
      the old city of Utrecht where all Dutch veterinarians have been graduated. 'Back
      to the roots' is the slogan of this meeting. The Diergeneeskundige Studenten
      Kring (the Dutch veterinary students association) is celebrating the 60th
      anniversary at the same time with the slogan: 'Bok on the rock.' On the first day
      of this celebration the students are organizing a symposium Veterinary Dentistry.
      The author has been inspired by the two slogans to a discourse in which the past
      and the future of animal dentistry is discussed. In 'Back to the Roots' history
      and anecdotes about dental treatments are presented. It is clear that dental
      treatment in animals is possible for every well-educated veterinarian. In 'De bok
      on the rock' the author shows the ropes how to develop a dental minded practice.
      Oral examination, a good knowledge of dentistry and a dental-minded staff are the
      most important factors to build up such a practice. There is an abundance of
      dental patients in every practice. An optimal client education and coaching is
      the best way to find them and to follow them.

PMID- 1412375
TI  - Intravascular membrane oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal--a new application
      for permissive hypercapnia?
AB  - Pressure limited ventilation or "lung rest" may prevent further exacerbation of
      acute lung injury from high airway pressures. A therapeutic goal of an
      intracorporeal oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal device (IVOX) is reduction
      of airway pressures. We noted increased IVOX CO2 removal as mixed venous CO2
      increased in experimental animals. However, we recognize the limited clinical
      utility of removing approximately 30% of venous CO2. Therefore, intentional
      hypoventilation to limit airway pressures (mild permissive hypercapnia) was used
      in 5 patients with respiratory failure, and again we noted improved CO2 removal
      with increasing mixed venous CO2 concentrations. Preliminary calculations
      demonstrate that a CO2 gradient of approximately 70 mm Hg is needed to remove 100
      ml CO2/min. The use of more aggressive permissive hypercapnia protocols with IVOX
      may permit further reduction in airway pressure without problems of severe
      respiratory acidosis.

PMID- 1412376
TI  - Temporary lung support using an intravascular gas exchanger.
AB  - Severe respiratory failure may be difficult to overcome by conventional
      mechanical ventilation. As an alternative to the very demanding lung support
      using various modalities of extracorporeal circulation (ECMO, ECLA, etc.) we
      evaluated an intravascular gas exchanger (IVOX) in a "reversible" bovine model.
      Several degrees of hypoventilation were studied with and without intravascular
      gas exchange in 5 endotracheal intubated, anaesthetized, and volume-controlled
      ventilated animals (body weight 73 +/- 4 kg). After systematical heparinization
      (300 IU/kg body weight) the animals were instrumented with EKG electrodes,
      thermodilution pulmonary artery catheter with continuous measurement of O2
      saturation, central venous and femoral arterial catheter, etc. The intravascular
      gas exchanger made from siliconized microporous polypropylene hollow fibres was
      placed in the caval veins under radiofluoroscopic control. The following
      scenarios were studied without and with intravascular gas exchange (gas inlet
      100% O2): Normoventilation (with 14-20 strokes/min) at F10(2) 0.50 and at F10(2)
      0.21; Hypoventilation (ventilator frequency reduced to 50% and tidal volume
      reduced to 50% of normoventilation) at F10(2) 0.50 and at F10(2) 0.21.
      Hemodynamics, mixed venous O2-saturation, arterial and venous blood gases, and
      gas-exchanger exhaust were analyzed after stabilization over 15 minutes (mean +/-
      standard deviation). Blood gas analyses showed significant improvement with
      intravascular gas exchange during hypoventilation at F10(2) 0.21: pH moved from
      7.10 +/- 0.17 to 7.19 +/- 0.15*, PaCO2 moved from 9.9 +/- 4.2 kPa to 8.7 +/-
      2.8*, PaO2 moved from 6.5 +/- 1.2 kPa to 7.3 +/- 0.8* and mixed venous O2
      saturation moved from 33.9 +/- 16.0% to 48.1 +/- 4.6* (* = p less than 0.05 for
      without versus with intravascular gas exchange).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1412377
TI  - The influence of obesity on perioperative morbidity: retrospective study of 502
      aortocoronary bypass operations.
AB  - The incidence of perioperative complications after coronary artery surgery was
      investigated by a retrospective study of all 502 patients undergoing coronary
      artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in our Department between January 1st and
      December 31st of last year (1990). Furthermore, the influence of obesity on the
      early results of surgery was assessed and the effect of preoperative weight
      reduction on perioperative complication rates examined. Obese patients had a
      greater incidence of left-stem coronary artery stenosis (p less than 0.001),
      hyperlipidaemia (p less than 0.05), hypertension (p less than 0.05), diabetes
      mellitus (p less than 0.02), and were in general younger at the time of operation
      (57.9 +/- 8.4 vs. 60.8 +/- 8.5 years). There were no differences in the surgery
      performed and in operative mortality, but there were some in perioperative
      morbidity. Obese patients had higher rates of infection (p less than 0.02),
      sternal dehiscence (p less than 0.02), arrhythmias (p less than 0.02) and
      myocardial infarction (p less than 0.02). No significant differences were
      identified in obese patients with or without preoperative weight reduction,
      although there was a trend of better postoperative recovery and results in
      patients having undergone preoperative weight reduction. Analysis of our results
      demonstrated obesity to be an independent risk factor for perioperative
      complications, hospital morbidity, and length of hospitalization.

PMID- 1412378
TI  - Pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum: results and predictive factors
      of surgical treatment.
AB  - Between 1970 and 1989 26 children were operated for pulmonary atresia with intact
      ventricular septum (PA/IVS). According to the degree of right heart hypoplasia
      the patients were divided into 3 groups of mild (5), moderate (17) or severe (4)
      hypoplasia. Palliative operations were performed in 25 children (17 male, 8
      female) at a mean age of 10 days: 13 valvotomies (valv.), 5 aortopulmonary
      shunts, and 7 valv. plus shunt. One patient had total correction as primary
      procedure. A total of 17 reoperations was necessary in 12 of 26 patients (10
      palliations, 7 total corrections). Total corrections were: 2 conduits and 5
      patches of the right-ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). Total mortality was 14/26
      (54%) children (early 10/26 = 38%, late 4/26 = 16%). After total correction
      mortality was 3/7 (43%) patients. After a mean follow up of 10.8 years after
      palliation the 12 survivors are mostly in NYHA class I. Actuarial survival after
      palliation was 60% after 30 days and 44% after 5 and 10 years. We analyzed 9
      clinical and hemodynamic variables by univariate and multivariate analysis to
      assess the predictive factors of postoperative outcome. Multivariate analysis
      disclosed the degree of right-ventricular hypoplasia (p = 0.023) as an
      independent predictor for death whereas the age at palliation only approached
      significance (p = 0.065). We recommend the following surgical strategy, aiming in
      the first place at decompressing the right ventricle: in mild hypoplasia
      valvotomy alone or combined with a shunt for palliation, in moderate hypoplasia
      shunt plus patch of the RVOT and in severe hypoplasia shunting alone. In case of
      a restrictive foramen ovale initial balloon septostomy is performed.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1412379
TI  - Cardiodynamic effects of dopamine and dobutamine.
AB  - On 11 patients undergoing coronary surgery, at the end of the surgical
      intervention, the inotropic responses to 0.4 and 0.8 microgram x kg-1 x min-1
      dopamine and dobutamine given via the aorto-coronary bypass directly into the
      coronary artery were compared. These dosages correspond to ones 10 times greater
      applied intravenously. The measurements were made using needle force probes which
      were implanted into the myocardial offstream area in the left ventricular wall.
      Bypass flow was measured simultaneously by an electromagnetic flow probe. There
      is a significant increase in coronary bypass flow induced by both rates of 0.4
      and 0.8 microgram x kg-1 x min-1 dobutamine, but there was no significant effect
      on bypass flow induced by dopamine. Developed myocardial force is raised more by
      dobutamine medication than by dopamine. However, the rate of contraction
      increases significantly and relaxation is significantly accelerated by dopamine
      at both dosages. A significant increase in rate of contraction and relaxation was
      only induced by the higher dosage of 0.8 microgram x kg-1 x min-1 dobutamine.

PMID- 1412380
TI  - The effect of superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione on cardiac performance
      after coronary occlusion and reperfusion--an experimental study in dogs.
AB  - To determine the effect of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Reduced Glutathione
      (GSH) as free-radical scavengers on cardiac performance in the reperfusion period
      up to 60 minutes after occlusion of the Left Anterior Descending artery (LAD), 16
      dogs were selected for study. In the 30th and 60th minutes of LAD occlusion and
      reperfusion periods Cardiac Output (CO), Heart Rate (HR), Mean Arterial Pressure
      (MAP), Pulmonary Capillary Wedge Pressure (PCWP), Coronary Perfusion Pressure
      (CPP), Rate Pressure Product (RPP) and Triple Index (TI) values were determined.
      Of the 16 dogs, 7 as controls and 7 treated with SOD and GSH could be included in
      the study, and 2 had to be excluded because of death. In the 30th and 60th
      minutes of reperfusion period, the treated dogs had higher CO and CPP (p less
      than 0.05, p less than 0.01 respectively), MAP values were different (p greater
      than 0.05, p less than 0.05 respectively) from controls, whereas lower HR (p less
      than 0.05, p greater than 0.05, respectively), RPP and TI values (p less than
      0.05) were determined. It was concluded that the combination of SOD and GSH may
      improve cardiac performance in the reperfusion period.

PMID- 1412381
TI  - Oxygen free radical scavengers and reperfusion injury in dog lung preserved in
      cold ischemia.
AB  - Oxygen-derived free radicals are now considered important contributors to tissue
      injury associated with ischemia and reperfusion. The purpose of this study was to
      determine the influence of oxygen free radical scavengers on reperfusion injury.
      The left lower lobes of 15 canine lungs were isolated, preserved, and then
      reperfused for 120 minutes. Three groups of lobes were studied: Group 1 (n = 5),
      without ischemia, group 2 (n = 5) four hours of cold ischemia in Euro-Collins
      solution, group 3 (n = 5) four hours cold ischemia+oxygen free radical scavenger
      glutathione (0.1 nmol/L) given at the moment of perfusion. Extravascular lung
      water (grams per gram of blood-free dry lobe weight) after reperfusion was 2.82
      +/- 0.32, 5.06 +/- 0.45, 4.21 +/- 0.33 for groups 1 through 3 respectively (p
      less than 0.001 group 1 versus group 2, p less than 0.001 group 2 versus group
      3). Lung tissue lipid peroxidation, measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive
      material was 125 +/- 11, 270 +/- 30, and 185 +/- 17 nmol/g dry lobe weight for
      groups 1, 2 and 3 respectively (p less than 0.05 group 2 versus 1 and group 3
      versus group 2). The data suggest that oxygen free radical scavengers attenuate
      reperfusion injury.

PMID- 1412382
TI  - Added hospital stay due to wound infections following cardiac surgery.
AB  - To determine the prolongation of hospital stay due to postoperative wound
      infections following cardiac surgery, a prospective cohort study was performed by
      matching multiple control patients without infection to each infected patient (=
      case). Out of 22 cases, no patient died. No case had to be excluded from the
      matching process because of a lack of suitable control patients. The maximum
      number of controls per case was 10. The mean added stay was 12.2 days
      constituting a considerable prolongation of stay due to wound infection in
      cardiac surgery.

PMID- 1412383
TI  - Aortoiliac endarterectomy: a 9-year experience.
AB  - Thirty-two patients (median age: 51 years) underwent aortoiliac endarterectomy
      between 1982 and 1990, for disabling claudication (27), rest pain (3), and tissue
      loss (2). There was no post-operative death and morbidity affected 6 patients.
      Five patients showed insufficient or suboptimal vascularisation of a limb which
      justified early reoperation in four. Follow-up was obtained in 31 patients with a
      median time of 36 months (6 months to 8 years). Five patients experienced
      recurrence of claudication symptoms: two received an aortofemoral bypass at 6 and
      36 months. In the other patients, distal arterial occlusive disease accounted for
      recurrence alone (2 patients) or in association with aortoiliac involvement (1).
      Technical problems or disputable indications were responsible for postoperative
      failure in 3 cases or early recurrence of symptoms in 2. Cumulative patency rates
      of aortoiliac endarterectomy were 94 and 90 per cent at 2 and 5 years, and
      actuarial rates of clinical improvement were 90 and 82 per cent at 2 and 5 years,
      respectively. Aortoiliac endarterectomy provides the advantages of avoiding
      foreign material. The success of this reconstruction depends on strict criteria
      of selection and surgical expertise. It is indicated for the relatively young
      patient with nonectasic disease where atherosclerosis has not attacked the
      external iliac arteries.

PMID- 1412384
TI  - Congenital absence of the left pericardium in combination with left pulmonary
      artery hypoplasia, right aortic arch, and secundum atrial septal defect.
AB  - The authors describe a rare congenital anomaly--absence of the left pericardium-
      in one patient who was operated on for a secundum atrial septal defect. The
      symptomatology, diagnostic, and therapeutic possibilities are discussed.

PMID- 1412385
TI  - Modified Janke net technique for exposure of the circumflex artery.
AB  - A novel method of the circumflex coronary artery exposure by rotating the heart,
      using a Janke net and a silicone rubber tube, is described.

PMID- 1412386
TI  - Surgical treatment of solitary peripheral pulmonary artery aneurysm associated
      with ventricular septal defect.
AB  - In the case presented a solitary peripheral pulmonary artery aneurysm occurred in
      a woman with ventricular septal defect (VSD). During the operation of repairing
      the VSD under cardiopulmonary bypass, the pulmonary artery aneurysm (PAA)
      suddenly ruptured into the bronchus and a large amount of air entered the
      pulmonary artery and right ventricle when the anesthetist inflated the lungs. The
      air in the right ventricle could not be evacuated completely, so we had to remove
      the lobe where the aneurysm was located. The operation was successful and the
      postoperative course was uncomplicated.

PMID- 1412387
TI  - Cardiac surgery in Germany during 1991. A report by the German Society for
      Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.

PMID- 1412388
TI  - Surgical critical care: who is responsible?

PMID- 1412389
TI  - Laser Doppler velocimetry measurement of canine mucosal circulation response to
      bronchial artery reperfusion after lung transplantation.
AB  - Left lung transplantation accompanied by reestablishment of the circulation of
      the bronchial arteries by simultaneous transplantation of part of the aorta was
      performed on seven dogs. Mucosal circulation of the bronchi at the anastomosis
      was evaluated using laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV). Since the donor lung must
      maintain blood supply through the bronchial arteries, the donor aorta from its
      ascending portion to the descending portion below the outlet for the last
      bronchial artery was retained with the lung graft. The distal end of the left
      brachiocephalic artery was sutured to the side of the recipient aorta when the
      blood supply to the bronchial arteries was to be restored. The LDV values before
      reperfusion of the bronchial arteries were 20 to 65% (mean: 42.8%) of the
      preoperative value. Since the LDV values increased to 36 to 125% (mean: 79.9%) of
      the control, blood flow to the bronchial mucosa increased evidently. Four out of
      seven dogs died one to two days after the operation due to bleeding and operative
      stress. One dog was sacrificed on the 4th postoperative day and another on the
      16th. The last dog died 40 days after surgery. The unfavorable course of the LDV
      values in these three dogs suggest that the method used does not ensure an
      adequate blood supply to the bronchial arteries in the long term.

PMID- 1412390
TI  - Thoracoscopic resection of a pericardial cyst.
AB  - The development of new instruments that can be applied endoscopically opens up
      new possibilities for minimally invasive thoracic surgery. The surgical technique
      is exemplified by a thoracoscopic resection of a pericardial cyst. The benefits
      for the patient are impressive: minimization of surgical trauma and postoperative
      pain, a short convalescence, and an optimal cosmetic outcome.

PMID- 1412391
TI  - Thoracoscopic resection of benign schwannoma.
AB  - The recent improvement of endoscopic surgical instruments allows new
      therapeutical application of thoracoscopy. We report a thoracoscopic resection of
      a benign schwannoma of the 6th intercostal nerve in a 35-year-old patient. The
      operative technique and extraction of the tumor from the chest is described.
      Postoperative morbidity was minor. We consider the thoracoscopic resection as
      first choice of treatment.

PMID- 1412392
TI  - Diaphragmatic cyst with elevated level of serum tissue polypeptide antigen.
AB  - A 58-year-old woman with a mesothelial cyst of the diaphragm showed high level of
      serum Tissue Polypeptide Antigen (TPA) and cyst fluid TPA. Mesothelial cells of
      the cyst may excrete TPA and TPA was accumulated in the cysts. The measurement of
      tumor marker such as TPA of the serum or of the content of the cyst is useful in
      observation of the clinical course.

PMID- 1412393
TI  - Madura foot of the chest wall; cure after radical excision.
AB  - Maduromycosis is a chronic granulomatous condition caused by fungal infection and
      is rarely encountered in Europe. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a
      case of maduromycosis affecting the chest wall in the United Kingdom.
      Conservative excision and drainage of the lesion combined with ketoconazole
      treatment in a dose 400 mg daily for several months failed to cure the condition.
      However, radical excision of the lesion combined with myoplastic repair of the
      defect in the chest wall eradicated the disease. Maduromycosis can occur in the
      chest wall and should be suspected in the immigrant population from tropical and
      subtropical areas. We recommend radical resection of similar lesions, combined
      with prolonged treatment with an antifungal agent e.g. ketoconazole when the
      causative organism is madurella mycetomis.

PMID- 1412394
TI  - Primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the diaphragm. Report of a case presenting with
      hemothorax.
AB  - A rare case of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the diaphragm occurring in an adult
      male and presenting with hemothorax is reported. The unusual clinical features of
      this patient underline the need for an accurate preoperative evaluation. The
      surgical procedure consisted of left thoracotomy with resection of the neoplasm,
      including a portion of the diaphragm muscle, and then reconstruction. One month
      after discharge chemo- and radiotherapy were carried out. The immunohistochemical
      study proved to be very helpful for the pathological diagnosis. A three years
      follow-up with patient alive and disease-free confirms that a multimodal approach
      may prove effective in the long term.

PMID- 1412395
TI  - The optimal temperature for 24-hour heart preservation using continuous coronary
      perfusion method.
AB  - This experiment was designed to compare three preservation temperatures, 0
      degrees C, 4 degrees C, and 10 degrees C, in 24-hour heart preservation using a
      continuous coronary perfusion method in terms of myocardial extracted enzymes
      during preservation (CPK, LDH, and GOT), left ventricular (LV) function at
      reperfusion and ultrastructural changes both at the end of preservation and at
      reperfusion. Rabbit hearts were preserved at 0 degrees C (n = 6), 4 degrees C (n
      = 6), and 10 degrees C (n = 6) for 24 hours and reperfused with arterial blood
      from the abdominal aorta of support rabbits. The value of CPK in the 10 degrees C
      group was statistically higher than those of the 0 degrees C group or 4 degrees C
      group (p less than 0.05: 0 degrees C vs 10 degrees C, p less than 0.025: 4
      degrees C vs 10 degrees C). Left ventricular developed pressures (LVDPs) at 60
      minutes after reperfusion in the 4 degrees C group were statistically greater
      than those in the 0 degrees C group and 10 degrees C group at several LV balloon
      volumes (p less than 0.005: 4 degrees C vs 0 degrees C or 10 degrees C). Electron
      microscopic examination at reperfusion demonstrated remarkably swollen
      mitochondria associated with disruption of cristae in the 0 degrees C and 10
      degrees C groups, but much less morphological change in the 4 degrees C group
      throughout preservation and reperfusion. From an overall view point of these
      enzymatic, functional and ultrastructural results, 4 degrees C proved to be a
      superior preservation temperature of choice for prolonged heart preservation.

PMID- 1412396
TI  - Retrograde coronary sinus cardioplegia in myocardial revascularization:
      hemodynamic evaluation of the influence on the right-ventricular function.
AB  - The problem of the efficacy of right-ventricular protection with retrograde
      coronary sinus cardioplegia is studied. Sixty patients undergoing myocardial
      revascularization were prospectively assigned to receive cold St. Thomas'
      Hospital cardioplegia into the aortic root (30 patients) or retrogradely in the
      coronary sinus (30 patients). The two groups were similar concerning preoperative
      and operative data. The hemodynamic recovery postoperatively was good in both
      groups, the increase of the heart rate, the decrease of the mean aortic pressure
      and the right-ventricular stroke-work index were not significantly different in
      the two groups. However, right atrial pressure increased significantly (p less
      than 0.001) in patients who received cardioplegia anterogradely and decreased,
      but not significantly, in the retrograde group. The data suggest that the
      decrease of the right-ventricular stroke-work index in the anterograde group is
      related to a depressed contractility and in the group with retrograde delivery of
      cardioplegia to a decreased preload. There were no differences between the groups
      with respect to clinical outcome. We conclude that retrograde delivery of
      cardioplegia results in an excellent protection of the right-ventricular function
      in elective myocardial revascularization.

PMID- 1412397
TI  - Pediatric myocardial protection in the United States: a survey of current
      clinical practice.
AB  - A nationwide survey of institutions in the United States that perform congenital
      heart disease surgery was conducted to obtain an overview of the current use of
      myocardial protection in pediatric patients (aged 0-16 years). One hundred and
      one (55%) of 183 institutions responded, completing a 4-page questionnaire about
      pediatric cases in 1989. A total of 12,072 cases were represented. Caseloads
      ranged from 7 to 498 at these institutions (mean 124, median 30). Cardioplegia
      was used by 100 institutions (44 blood, 45 crystalloid, 11 both). Administration
      was guided by formulas alone in 69 and by clinical criteria alone in 32. A wide
      variety of compositions of cardioplegic solutions was found with no preference
      for any particular type. No correlation between caseloads and cardioplegic
      solutions was found. Hypothermia was used by all institutions, with a mean of
      25.8 +/- 3.5 degrees C for a simple ventricular septal defect closure. Deep
      hypothermia and circulatory arrest were used in 3048 cases (25.2%). A clear trend
      indicated that circulatory arrest was used more frequently in larger institutions
      (p less than 0.0001). Fibrillation as a strategy was used in 45 institutions.
      Twenty-five institutions changed cardioplegia technique during 1989. The findings
      suggest that, even though no consensus exists about its ideal composition,
      cardioplegia in conjunction with hypothermia is currently the strategy most often
      used for pediatric myocardial protection.

PMID- 1412398
TI  - Successful resection of a distal aortic arch aneurysm in a patient with Behcet's
      disease using an "aortic no-touch" technique and hypothermic total-body
      retrograde perfusion.
AB  - Resection of a false aneurysm of the aortic arch in a patient with Behcet's
      disease was safely performed using an "aortic no-touch" technique. This consisted
      of: (1) femoral artery and bicaval cannulation, (2) profound hypothermia (below
      20 degrees C) by core cooling, (3) retrograde cardioplegia through the coronary
      sinus, and (4) total body retrograde perfusion via both venae cavae without
      aortic cross-clamping. The patient showed no evidence of neurological damage and
      the postoperative course was uneventful.

PMID- 1412399
TI  - Aortic annular enlargement with the use of a homograft valve.
AB  - A technique of annular enlargement for use in homograft aortic valve surgery is
      described. Potential advantages of this technique, that allows convenient valve
      sizes in small aortic annuli, lie in the pediatric group of patients requiring
      aortic valve replacement.

PMID- 1412400
TI  - Congenital quadricuspid aortic valve associated with aortic regurgitation.
AB  - A case of quadricuspid aortic valve is described. The aortic valve consisted of 3
      equal-sized and 1 smaller cusps, and a supernumerary cusp located between the
      right and noncoronary cusps. A right coronary ostium was close to the accessory
      commissure, and in a lower position. Three fenestrations were found at the
      supernumerary commissure. Aortic valve replacement was performed successfully
      with a St. Jude Medical prosthetic valve. On histological examination, the
      resected cusps showed fibrotic thickening with calcification and no sign of
      previous inflammatory disease. Quadricuspid aortic valve must be considered a
      malformation capable of leading to severe valve failure in later life.

PMID- 1412402
TI  - Intracardiac needle in a man with self-injurious behaviour presenting with only a
      heart murmur.
AB  - Symptoms of a heart murmur in a 48-year-old male schizophrenic patient with self
      injurious behaviour were investigated. Immediately noticeable were multiple scars
      on his hands. Clinical evidence of subcutaneous needles and aortic regurgitation
      was found. Echocardiography revealed a linear metallic foreign body across the
      interventricular septum. He underwent surgery and via a right atriotomy, a needle
      from the same location was removed.

PMID- 1412401
TI  - Intracardiac primary fibrosarcoma. Case report and literature review.
AB  - A 58-year-old woman was hospitalized because of shortness of breath, cough,
      weakness, and physical signs suggestive of mitral stenosis. Echo-Doppler
      examination revealed a left atrial mass. This was removed and turned out to be a
      fibrosarcoma. Recurrence of the tumor with metastases into the pericardium,
      thyroid goiter, and left kidney led to the patient's death 6 months later. The
      clinical and pathological features of our rare case are compared with those in
      the literature.

PMID- 1412403
TI  - [Situation of heart surgery in Germany 1991].

PMID- 1412404
TI  - [Stridor in infants: sometimes not so innocent].
AB  - Stridor is a frequent symptom in the neonate. Often it consists of a discrete
      inspiratory stridor in an alert child or of a transient symptom of a viral
      respiratory infection. In both cases no specific therapy is required. Whenever
      stridor occurs in the first months of life, or when it is severe or chronic, or
      when stridor also persists throughout expiration, an underlying anatomic anomaly
      frequently exists. The following steps are important to the diagnostic
      management: besides a detailed and complete history and physical examination, an
      X-ray of the airways and, if necessary, laryngo/bronchoscopy, angio(cardio)graphy
      or computerized tomography of the chest and the cervical region. Subsequently,
      appropriate therapeutic management can be initiated by proficient and
      accomplished physicians.

PMID- 1412405
TI  - [Chronically tired or the chronic fatigue syndrome in an adolescent].
AB  - To fulfill the criteria of the chronic fatigue syndrome a patient must have new
      onset persistent or relapsing, debilitating fatigue or easy fatigability. The
      symptoms do not resolve with bedrest and are severe enough to reduce or impair
      average daily activity below 50% of the patient's premorbid activity level for a
      period of at least 6 months. Other clinical conditions that may produce similar
      symptoms must be excluded. Using a case history the (differential) diagnosis,
      treatment and prognosis of the chronic fatigue syndrome are discussed.

PMID- 1412406
TI  - [Complete situs inversus in one half of a monozygotic twin].
AB  - The history of a monochorial monoamniotic twin, born at 27 weeks of gestation, in
      which a situs inversus was present in one of the twin is given. The incidence of
      a situs inversus in twins and the etiologic factors as described in literature
      are given.

PMID- 1412407
TI  - [Vertebral osteomyelitis in an infant].
AB  - Neonatal osteomyelitis is uncommon. The disease starts often without signs of
      infection and may lead to severe complications. A case is reported of a neonate
      with vertebral osteomyelitis of the cervical vertebrae. Difficulties of
      diagnosing the disease and several therapeutic regimes proposed in the literature
      are discussed.

PMID- 1412408
TI  - [Ureterocele in children].
AB  - Two case reports of children with ectopic ureteroceles are presented. The
      embryologic development, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment are discussed. Hemi
      nephroureterectomy is the treatment of choice. In instances, such as serious
      urinary tract infections, massive vesicoureteral reflux in other ureters and in
      single system ureteroceles, endoscopic incision of the ureterocele can be
      effective in terms of control of infection and decompression of other kidney
      parts. Definite surgery can be deferred until the child is in a better condition.

PMID- 1412409
TI  - [Lithium poisoning in a newborn infant].
AB  - We describe a newborn with a lithium intoxication. Her mother used lithium during
      her entire pregnancy. The intoxication was successfully treated with an exchange
      transfusion.

PMID- 1412410
TI  - Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy: lack of association between circulating organ
      specific cardiac antibodies and HLA-DR antigens.
AB  - Organ-specific cardiac antibodies are serological markers of autoimmunity in
      dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). HLA-DR4 and possibly DR5 are immunogenetic markers
      of susceptibility in DCM, but it is not known whether they are associated with
      autoantibody production. We studied the frequency of HLA-DR antigens and the
      presence of organ-specific cardiac antibodies in 80 DCM Caucasian patients from
      Northern Italy. HLA-DR typing was performed by serology; 289 healthy blood donors
      from the same region were tested as controls. HLA-DR frequencies in DCM were also
      compared with VIII International Workshop control data for Italy. Cardiac
      antibodies were detected by indirect immunofluorescence on human heart. Skeletal
      muscle was used to identify cross-reacting antibodies. The prevalence of cardiac
      antibodies in DCM was: organ-specific 34% and skeletal muscle cross-reactive 30%.
      The previously reported positive association between DCM and HLA-DR4 was
      confirmed using either the controls from the same region (21.25% vs 10.73% p =
      0.02, relative risk = 2.30) or from all of Italy (21.25% vs 12.3%, p = 0.03). HLA
      DR5 frequency was slightly but not significantly higher in DCM than in controls
      from the same region (46.25% vs 31.49% p = 0.02, relative risk of 1.87, p
      corrected = NS) or from all of Italy (46.25% vs 35.8% p = NS). HLA-DR3 frequency
      was lower in DCM than in controls from the same region (12.50% vs 29.41% p =
      0.003, relative risk of 0.36, p corrected = 0.03). This negative association was
      not confirmed using the control data from the whole of Italy (12.50% vs 16.5% p =
      NS).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1412411
TI  - The HLA DQB1*0502 allele is neutrally associated with insulin-dependent diabetes
      mellitus in the Sardinian population.
AB  - In the Sardinian population a very high incidence of insulin-dependent diabetes
      mellitus (IDDM) and the lack of HLA-DR2 protective effect due to the high
      frequency of the A2, Cw7, B17, 3F31, DR2, DQw1 extended haplotype has been
      reported. This haplotype, carrying a Serine at position 57 of the DQB1*0502
      allele, has been previously reported to be underrepresented in patients when
      compared to controls. In order to provide an explanation for this finding, we
      defined by RFLP analysis the HLA haplotype of 45 Sardinian IDDM patients and 49
      controls. All DR-2DQw1 subjects were molecularly characterized at the HLA DQA and
      DQB loci. All DR2-positive patients and the vast majority of the DR2-positive
      controls had the DQB1*0502 allele at the DR2-linked DQB1 locus, with no
      statistically significant difference between the two groups. All DQA1 genes were
      the ones expected, with only two exceptions. Nine out of 10 of the DR2-positive
      patients were compound heterozygotes for DQB1*0201/DQB1*0502 alleles; only this
      allele combination was significantly increased (p less than 0.0003). Our data
      suggests that a) the DQB1*0502 allele is neutral for IDDM development and b) the
      susceptibility to IDDM in our DR2-positive patients is related to the compound
      heterozygous state between the neutral DQA1*0102/DQB1*0502 and the susceptibility
      DQA1*0501/DQB1*0201 alleles.

PMID- 1412412
TI  - Population and family studies of HLA-DR4 by use of oligonucleotide typing.
AB  - Using PCR and DR4 group-specific primers and SSO's we have examined DRB1*04
      nucleotide polymorphisms in a population of 123 DR4-positive individuals (86 NAC,
      27 Hispanics and 10 African Americans) from New York carrying a total of 134 DR4
      haplotypes. We found that the distribution of DRB1*04 alleles on DR4 haplotypes
      differs in these three ethnic groups. In this relatively small population,
      certain alleles such as DRB1*0406 and 0411 were encountered only in Hispanics,
      while others such as DRB1*0403, 0408 and 0409 were found only in NAC (North
      American Caucasians). Such differences may be important in studies of HLA-DR4 and
      disease associations. Evidence from MLC and PLT studies of an HLA-B/DR crossover
      family, which was informative for the segregation of HLA-DRB1*0406 and DRB1*0407,
      supports the concept that subtypes of HLA-DR4 and/or associated HLA-DP alleles
      elicit T-cell alloreactivity, and may thus play a role in transplantation.

PMID- 1412413
TI  - HLA-DPB1*0401 is associated with the presence of autoantibodies reactive with the
      U1-70 kD polypeptide antigen of U1-small nuclear ribonucleoprotein among
      connective tissue disease patients.

PMID- 1412414
TI  - Dw14 is a Dw4-independent risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis among Norwegians.

PMID- 1412415
TI  - Molecular analysis of novel HLA-DR2.DQwl haplotypes in Asian Indians.

PMID- 1412416
TI  - A novel HLA-DPB1 sequence, DPB1*2301.

PMID- 1412418
TI  - HLA-DP polymorphism in Sudanese controls and patients with insulin-dependent
      diabetes mellitus.
AB  - Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes are candidates for susceptibility to insulin
      dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). The association of IDDM with particular DR
      and DQ alleles has been reported in all populations studied, but its association
      with HLA-DP alleles has been controversial. To address this question we analyzed
      19 DPB1 and 2 DPA1 alleles and their associations in well-characterized Sudanese
      (an admixture of Arab and Black) IDDM patients (n = 71) and ethnically matched
      controls (n = 86) using polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific
      oligonucleotide (PCR-SSO) typing. There were no significant differences between
      the patient and control groups in the DPB1 frequencies. DPB1*0201, *0401 and
      DPA1*01 were the most frequent alleles in both IDDM patients and control
      subjects. Significant positive and negative associations between DPB1 and DPA1
      alleles were detected in both groups. A novel DPB1 allele included in DPB1*1701
      was identified.

PMID- 1412417
TI  - HLA antigens in Tlingit Indians with rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - HLA-DR4 has been described in association with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in
      multiple populations. We have studied HLA antigens in Alaskan Tlingit Indians.
      HLA-DR4 was decreased in the RA group (n = 32) compared with controls (n = 62)
      (6% vs 21% p = 0.07). The predominant DR4 allele observed was DRB1*0403 (Dw13.1).
      The most striking observation in these studies was a marked predominance of the
      DRB1*1402 allele encoding Dw16 (DRw14). This allele was present in 91% of RA
      cases, but was also highly prevalent in controls (80%, OR = 2.4 p = 0.20).
      DRB1*1402 only was observed in 47% of cases and 31% of controls. The DRB3*0101
      (DRw52), and the DQA*0501 and DQB*0301 alleles encoding a subset of DQw3 were
      associated with DRB1*1402 in cases and in controls. HLA-Bw62 was increased in RA
      cases (28%) compared with controls (8%) (OR = 4.5, p = 0.01, corrected p = ns).

PMID- 1412419
TI  - Two new HLA DRB1 alleles found in African Americans: implications for balancing
      selection at positions 57 and 86.
AB  - Two new DRB1 alleles have been identified (DRB1*0303 and DRB1*0805) in African
      Americans that differ from known DRB1 alleles only by a glycine to valine
      exchange at position 86. The novel DRB1*0303 allele, found in one individual, has
      the same DQA1*0401-DQB1*04 haplotype as DRB1*0302, suggesting that it may be a
      recent diversification of *0302. The novel DRB1*0805 allele, identified in 4
      individuals, was found on two haplotypes, sharing a DQA1*0501-DQB1*0301 haplotype
      with DRB1*0804, and a DQA1*0102-DQB1*0602 haplotype found with DRB1*0801 in some
      African populations. DRB1*0805 differs from *0804 only at position 57 and differs
      from *0801 only at position 86. Assuming that DRB1*0801 and DRB1*0802 are
      ancestral, based on their distribution in various human populations, DRB1*0805
      may have been generated twice by two independent mutations or gene conversion
      events at each of these positions. Alternatively, DRB1*0805 may have arisen from
      a single gene conversion event (or mutation) and recombined to generate multiple
      DR-DQ haplotypes. These findings increase the number of DRB1 allelic pairs that
      differ only at position 86 to 9, suggesting strong balancing selection at this
      position. A number of DRB1 alleles for DR8 and DR4 also differ only at position
      57, a site previously postulated to be strongly influenced by balancing selection
      in DQB1 alleles by phylogenetic analysis.

PMID- 1412420
TI  - Monoclonal antibodies specific for canine CD4 and CD8 define functional T
      lymphocyte subsets and high-density expression of CD4 by canine neutrophils.
AB  - The characteristics of canine homologues of CD4 and CD8, defined by murine
      monoclonal antibodies CA13.1E4 (IgG1) and CA9.JD3 (IgG2a) respectively, are
      described. These antibodies identify mutually exclusive subpopulations of non-B
      lymphocytes in peripheral lymphoid organs and blood. However, in thymus the
      antibodies defined populations of double-positive, double-negative and single
      positive cells that showed a progressive maturation consistent with that
      described for CD4 and CD8 in other mammalian species. Furthermore, functional
      studies clearly associated cytotoxic effector cell function with the
      subpopulation reactive with CA9.JD3 (CD8). In contrast, proliferation stimulated
      by allogeneic cells and mitogens was more pronounced in the subpopulation
      reactive with CA13.1E4 (CD4). Cell and tissue distribution studies revealed that
      CA13.1E4 stained neutrophils with equivalent intensity to the staining of
      peripheral T cells. CA13.1E4 precipitated a 60 kD protein from the surface of T
      cells and highly purified neutrophils under both reducing and nonreducing
      conditions. CA9.JD3 precipitated a heterodimer of 32 kd and 36 kD under reducing
      conditions, and a 70 kD protein under non-reducing conditions. The expression of
      CD4 by canine neutrophils is without precedent in other mammalian species; the
      functional significance of neutrophil CD4 expression is puzzling in light of the
      current understanding of the functions of CD4 which include it's role as a
      receptor for nonpolymorphic regions of MHC class II molecules.

PMID- 1412421
TI  - DPB1*WA4--an additional HLA class II allele identified in west Africa.

PMID- 1412423
TI  - [The clinical case. Epistaxis, thoroughbred stallion, 4 years old].

PMID- 1412422
TI  - [Ocular manifestations of selected zoonoses in humans].
AB  - A report is given on the epidemiology and clinical signs of some selected
      zoonoses that may be of significance for ocular infections in man: brucellosis,
      leptospirosis, Lyme borreliosis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis, Newcastle Disease,
      ornithosis (chlamydiosis), rabies, Streptococcus suis infection, larva migrans
      ocularis by Toxocara canis or Baylisascaris procyonis, toxoplasmosis and
      tularemia.

PMID- 1412424
TI  - [The clinical case. Vomiting brown stomach contents. German shepherd dog, male, 2
      years old].

PMID- 1412425
TI  - [Diagnosis of hemostasis disorders].

PMID- 1412426
TI  - [The occurrence of hyena disease in young cattle].
AB  - Eight juvenile cattle with symptoms of hyena disease are described. This
      represents the first occurrence of the condition in the Republic of Poland. The
      growth of the affected animals was retarded, with a marked difference in
      longitudinal growth of the femoral, humeral, tibial and metatarsal bones. The
      animals showed altered nickel, manganese and inorganic phosphate concentrations,
      which may be related to the disease. The genetic studies did not reveal any
      aetiological factors.

PMID- 1412427
TI  - [Hysteroscopy as a diagnostic aid for uterine diseases of cattle].
AB  - A method for hysteroscopy in cattle, using a rigid tube for passage through the
      cervical canal, is described. Using this method, passage through the cervical
      canal is possible independent of the stage of the gynaecological cycles. The
      hysteroscopic findings of 105 examinations in cows are described and discussed.

PMID- 1412428
TI  - [Myocardial fibrosis and degeneration with heart failure (cardiomyopathy) in two
      goats].
AB  - Myocardial fibrosis and degeneration of unknown etiology is described in two
      adult, female goats of the Saanen and Pfauen breeds. Both animals presented with
      clinical signs of cardiac failure with subcutaneous edema, hydrothorax and
      ascites. The pathological lesions were characterized by cardiomegaly with
      ventricular and auricular dilatation and hypertrophy, massive subcutaneous edema
      and body cavity edema. The first goat additionally showed chronic liver
      congestion due to cardiac failure. Histologically, the most prominent changes
      were focally extensive cardiomyocyte degeneration and cardiac fibrosis. The
      clinical history and pathologic lesions are comparable to those of dilatative
      cardiomyopathy in SixRH cattle.

PMID- 1412429
TI  - [Detection of embryonic mortality in cattle using sonography].
AB  - In 70 pregnant cattle the diameter of conceptus, the size of embryo and corpus
      luteum were estimated with a 5 MHz-linear array scanner on days 22, 25, 28, 35
      and 42 (+/- 1 day) after insemination. Additionally, the milk progesterone level
      was determined. Embryonic mortality was found in 7 cases, in 3 cows on day 35, in
      4 cows on day 42. The lack of embryonic heart beat was the first sign; later in
      pregnancy significant differences in sizes of conceptus and embryo compared with
      physiological pregnancies occurred. Membranes and bubble-like structures became
      visible in the lumen of the conceptus. The conceptus could be detected until the
      following oestrus, which began 8 to 42 days after embryonic death. The corpus
      luteum remained until proestrus. This correlated positively with the progesterone
      levels.

PMID- 1412430
TI  - [Epidemic late abortion in swine--status of research].
AB  - This article briefly describes the PRRS (Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory
      Syndrome), which arose in the winter of 1990 in Germany and other European
      countries. The data are accumulated from the literature and own experiences. The
      clinical picture of this new disease, which led to important economical losses is
      dominated by 1. an increased rate of reduced length of pregnancy with late
      abortion before day 110 or an increased length of pregnancy; 2. an increase of
      stillborn piglets; 3. a larger scale of preweaning mortality combined with a
      higher frequency of secondary infections. Pathological findings in piglets are
      subcutaneous edema, accumulation of fluids in the body cavities and sometimes
      interstitial pneumonia is observed. In sows originating from affected farms
      examined before partus a mononuclear placentitis is present. At present a non
      classified virus, isolated by Dutch researchers is proposed to be the causative
      agent and named Lelystad virus.

PMID- 1412431
TI  - [Ocular manifestations of systemic diseases in birds. Part 1].
AB  - Among the representatives of the class Aves ocular lesions may be a particularly
      strong indication of systemic disorders. A causative diagnosis of ocular lesions
      may be vital for the avian patient, not only as a basis for effective therapy of
      the primary disease, but also for saving the vision, as birds orientate
      themselves primarily by vision. The following paper presents a synopsis of
      important ocular disorders in avian patients that are either pathognomonic for
      certain disorders or, when considered in conjunction with other organic diseases,
      enable a specific diagnosis to be arrived at. In part 1 bacterial and parasitic
      etiologies will be described. Part 2 deals with viral infections and
      noninfectious etiologies.

PMID- 1412432
TI  - [Plasma gastrin levels in horses with colic].
AB  - The plasma gastrin levels in fasted horses (21.1 +/- 15.6 pg/ml), in horses with
      spasmodic colic (7.3 +/- 5.4 pg/ml) and in horses with impaction of the left
      ventral large colon and/or pelvic flexure (11.4 +/- 3.1 pg/ml) were not
      significantly different. The plasma gastrin concentrations of horses with
      strangulation obstruction of the small intestine, large colon displacement or
      adynamic ileus, and which had no gastric reflux, were 12.9 +/- 8.7 pg/ml and did
      not differ from fasted gastrin levels. Horses which had 5-10 litres of stomach
      content reflux had a higher mean gastrin level (32.2 +/- 22.6 pg/ml) (range 8.7
      83.0) than the fasted horses. The mean plasma gastrin level (69.0 +/- 32.2 pg/ml)
      (range 27.0-122.0 pg/ml) in horses which had gastric reflux and 11-20 litres of
      stomach content outflow through the nasogastric tube were significantly higher (P
      less than 0.0004) than in fasted horses or in horses with spasmodic colic,
      impaction of the left ventral large colon or in horses from which no gastric
      reflux could be obtained.

PMID- 1412433
TI  - [Early sonographic diagnosis of twin pregnancy in mares and its reduction to a
      single pregnancy].
AB  - The frequency of double ovulation and the chances of twin pregnancy in the mare
      are presented with reference to the relevant literature. A novel manual technique
      for reducing the embryo number from two to one is introduced and illustrated by
      ultrasonographic images.

PMID- 1412434
TI  - [Double ovulation in mares. Clinical, hormone analytical and sonographic
      studies].
AB  - 108 mares with a total of 135 oestrous cycles were examined. 30% of the mares
      showed development of double follicles, found by palpation and ultrasonography.
      Eight cases of double ovulation, four of them synchronous and four asynchronous,
      were examined closely. These cases of double ovulation showed different growth
      and different development of the follicular wall. This occurred at the same time
      in cases of synchronous double ovulation whereas it differed in case of
      asynchronous double ovulation. The later ovulating follicle was still growing
      while the first one had already burst. With both forms of double ovulation an
      equal concentration of progesterone was detected in peripheral blood. On the day
      of ovulation the rate of progesterone was low (1 ng/ml blood plasma) and it first
      started rising from the day +1 on. Double follicles matured slower than single
      follicles. Mares with synchronous double ovulation showed the typical oestrus
      behavior. This behavior was less distinct after the first ovulation in mares with
      asynchronous double ovulation. All four mares with asynchronous and two mares
      with synchronous double ovulation became pregnant. Twins did not occur. A
      possible relationship between double ovulation and twin pregnancy is discussed.

PMID- 1412435
TI  - [Pathology of the cornea].
AB  - The basic pathologic mechanisms of corneal inflammation, including hereditary and
      degenerative-dystrophic keratopathies, are presented. Inflammatory keratopathies
      of non-ulcerative and ulcerative forms, which often occur in the
      ophthalmopathological diagnostics, are described, and special nosological
      entities are emphasized. The consequences of corneal ulceration are mentioned,
      and the incidence of neoplastic corneal processes is considered.

PMID- 1412437
TI  - [The blood supply to the stomach of the dog--a corrosion cast and scanning
      electron microscopic study].
AB  - An unimpaired vascular circulation is vital for gastric function. The arteries of
      the stomach originate from the coeliac artery; the veins lead to the portal vein.
      Arteries in the right half of the organ form a perigastric circle of anastomosing
      vessels, which is lacking on the left side. The basal capillary network of the
      gastric submucosa shows no important regional differences. Territories of
      vascularisation are documented for the canine stomach.

PMID- 1412436
TI  - [Cytology of the cerebrospinal fluid in dogs with brain tumors and spinal cord
      compression. Part 4].
AB  - The results of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology of 9 dogs with brain tumors and
      50 dogs with spinal cord compression are discussed. Of the 50 dogs with spinal
      cord compression, disc protrusion was diagnosed in 31, myelomalacia in 7,
      discospondylitis in 3 and spinal cord tumors in 9 dogs. In 4 of 9 dogs with brain
      tumors, tumor cells could be found by the sedimentation apparatus of Kolmel.
      Pleocytosis existed in 6 patients. In about 70% (29 of 41) of cases with disc
      protrusion, more than 200 cells could be evaluated in the CSF sediment,
      consisting mostly of transformed lymphocytes and activated monocytes. As the
      neurologic deficits increased, the amount of cells and especially cell complexes
      increased. This was especially evident in cases with myelomalacia of the spinal
      cord. Only in cases with discospondylitis or spinal cord neoplasia was the CSF
      cytology unchanged.

PMID- 1412438
TI  - Kidney and hypertension. Festschrift on Professor Kaoru Yoshinaga's retirement.

PMID- 1412439
TI  - Calcium antagonists and the kidney.
AB  - Recently, attention has focused on the effects of calcium antagonists on renal
      function. When administered in vitro to the isolated perfused kidney, calcium
      antagonist exhibit consistent actions permitting characterization of their renal
      effects. Calcium antagonists do not affect the vasodilated isolated perfused
      kidney, but they do dramatically alter the response of the kidney to
      vasoconstrictor agents. In the presence of norepinephrine, calcium antagonists
      markedly augment glomerular filtration rate but produce only a modest improvement
      in renal perfusion. Utilizing the isolated perfused hydronephrotic rat kidney
      model that permits direct visualization of afferent and efferent arterioles, we
      have demonstrated that this preferential augmentation of glomerular filtration
      rate is primarily attributable to a selective vasodilation of pre-glomerular
      vessels. Although the clinical implications of such observations are not yet
      clear, preliminary studies in experimental animal models indicate that calcium
      antagonists may exert salutary effects on renal function in clinical settings
      that are characterized by impaired renal hemodynamics. The possible benefits of
      calcium antagonists in ameliorating the development of renal dysfunction in
      patients in whom there is increased risk for the development of acute renal
      insufficiency remain to be evaluated.

PMID- 1412440
TI  - The diuretic effect of calcium entry blockade in normals and hypertensive
      patients.
AB  - Calcium entry blockers have been shown to exert hemodynamic and diuretic effects
      in the kidney. The diuretic effects can be demonstrated most clearly in the
      isolated perfused kidney, not influenced by compensatory mechanisms such as a
      lower blood pressure or changes of hormones. However, they can also be shown in
      vivo in humans. We studied the renal effects of calcium entry blockade after the
      first dosage and after continued oral dosages of 20 mg nicardipine tid in
      patients with essential hypertension and in normotensive controls. Renal function
      was determined during maximal free water clearance, allowing estimation of
      changes in "proximal" and "distal" tubular sodium reabsorption. Results showed a
      natriuretic effect. In the control subjects, clearance results were compatible
      with a decrease of proximal and distal tubular reabsorption, but in the
      hypertensive group natriuresis was mainly achieved by an increase of the
      glomerular filtration rate and a decrease of fractional distal reabsorption. In
      both groups the natriuresis occurred concomitantly with a lower blood pressure.
      The ratio plasma renin activity/plasma aldosterone concentration increased,
      although nicardipine did not inhibit the increase of plasma aldosterone during
      angiotensin II infusion. Pre-treatment with the calcium entry blocker
      nitrendipine enhanced the natriuretic effect of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF)
      in sodium replete normal volunteers. Facilitation of sodium excretion by human
      ANF may be an additional diuretic mechanism of calcium entry blockers.

PMID- 1412441
TI  - Systemic and renovascular hypertension.
AB  - To ascertain the contribution of systemic hypertension in the progression of
      renal failure, we have studied the effects of pharmacological treatment of
      hypertension in rats with the remnant kidney model of renal insufficiency,
      streptozotocin diabetes, or nephrotoxic serum nephritis. Treatment with the
      angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor enalapril lowered systemic blood
      pressure in the remnant kidney and diabetic animals, but did not lower blood
      pressure in rats with nephrotoxic serum nephritis. Proteinuria was reduced in all
      three models, and creatinine clearance improved in the remnant kidney and
      diabetic animals, when compared with untreated controls. In the remnant kidney
      and diabetic models systemic blood pressure was lowered to a similar degree by
      treatments with a calcium blocker, with no improvement in either proteinuria, or
      glomerular filtration rate. Further studies of the long-term effects of enalapril
      have been undertaken in rats with the two kidney one clip model of hypertension.
      Rats treated with enalapril had a lower blood pressure and improved survival over
      one year of treatment, compared with untreated rats. After 1 year of treatment
      however the clipped kidney was small and fibrotic, and non functional. Following
      withdrawal of enalapril therapy there was no functional improvement of the
      clipped kidney. The possibility that ACE inhibitors have a specific intra-renal
      effect reducing the rate of progression of renal disease now needs confirmation
      in human studies. In renovascular hypertension however, intra-renal changes
      induced by ACE inhibitors may cause irreversible renal damage.

PMID- 1412442
TI  - Preservation of renal function in chronic renal failure.
AB  - Mechanisms of progression of chronic renal failure (CRF) have been well
      documented in the rat but may not be relevant in man. Factors which may modify
      clinical CRF include underlying disease, diet, hypertension, intercurrent events,
      and adverse or beneficial effects of drug therapy. It has been argued that
      progression in many forms of renal disease is inexorable below a certain level of
      renal function. In other diseases, eg primary malignant hypertension, analgesic
      nephropathy, function frequently improves in both the short and long term with
      appropriate management. Thus knowledge of the nature of the underlying disease is
      essential in assessing progression. The value of diet in preserving renal
      function has been debated, particularly the relative roles of protein and
      phosphate control. In our own unit, a prospective randomized study showed a
      benefit of protein restriction. Development of accelerated hypertension is an
      important cause of progression of renal disease and clinical and experimental
      evidence supports the view that non-accelerated hypertension is also a factor in
      progression, amenable to treatment. Various intercurrent events may accelerate
      progression and function may be lost permanently following sepsis, urinary tract
      obstruction, renal arterial or venous obstruction, hypotension and in some cases
      pregnancy. Numerous drugs can have deleterious effects on the kidney. The
      possibility that converting enzyme inhibitors might preserve renal function is
      attracting attention but in view of their side effects their place in therapy
      should be determined by prospective controlled studies in which the above factors
      are carefully considered.

PMID- 1412443
TI  - Localization of components of the renin-angiotensin system within the kidney and
      sustained release of angiotensins from isolated and perfused kidney.
AB  - We found colocalization of renin, angiotensin (Ang) I and Ang II in
      juxtaglomerular (JG) cells of the kidney. Coexistence of Ang II in renin granules
      was demonstrated by electron microscopic immunogold labeling of these components.
      Coexistence of both Ang I and Ang II in the high density renin storage granules
      were also demonstrated by gradient centrifugation of renal homogenate. These
      findings supported the synthesis of Ang I and Ang II in juxtaglomerular cells.
      Isolated and cultured JG cells showed the synthesis of Ang I, Ang II and renin.
      Ang I and Ang II were secreted from isolated and perfused rat kidneys at steady
      rates over 2 hr. Their secretion rates were proportional to that of renin. The
      rate of Ang II secretion from the kidney was higher than that from the vascular
      bed. Ang II was also found in renal lymph. These findings indicate that a large
      amount of Ang II is generated in JG cells by the intracellular action of renin
      and may play a significant role in the regulation of renal function.

PMID- 1412444
TI  - Effect of sulindac on prostaglandin synthesis in human and in cultured rat renal
      and vascular smooth muscle cells.
AB  - To examine the hypothesis that sulindac does not inhibit renal prostaglandin (PG)
      synthesis, we investigated the effects of sulindac and other nonsteroidal anti
      inflammatory drugs on PG synthesis in human and in cultured rat renal and
      vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells. In 7 patients with chronic glomerular
      disease, creatinine clearance and proteinuria were not changed by sulindac but
      were significantly reduced by diclofenac sodium. However, urinary excretion of
      PGE2 was decreased by both drugs. In cultured glomerular mesangial (GM), renal
      papillary collecting tubule (RPCT) and VSM cells from mesenteric artery,
      indomethacin, tiaprofenic acid, aspirin and ibuprofen inhibited both basal and
      arachidonic acid (AA)-stimulated PG synthesis dose-dependently. Although sulindac
      sulfoxide, at the same concentrations, inhibited both basal and AA-stimulated
      PGE2 synthesis in RPCT cells, it was less potent to inhibit PGI2 synthesis in VSM
      cells or PGE2 synthesis in GM cells. Active form sulindac sulfide inhibited PG
      synthesis in all types of cells but its inactive form sulfone did not. We
      conclude that sulindac inhibits renal PG synthesis but has little effect on renal
      function. This may be explained by its relatively weak potency on glomerular or
      vascular PG synthesis inhibition possibly due to the different biotransformation
      of the sulfoxide to the active sulfide in these cells.

PMID- 1412445
TI  - Macula densa control of renin release and glomerular hemodynamics.
AB  - In each nephron of the mammalian kidney, the tubule returns to the hilus of the
      parent glomerulus, forming the juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA). The JGA displays
      a unique arrangement of afferent and efferent arterioles, interstitial cells and
      macula densa (a specialized plaque of tubular epithelial cells). Because of this
      intimate anatomical relationship, it has long been suggested that the macula
      densa may somehow sense changes in the composition of the tubular fluid and
      control both the glomerular filtration rate and renin release. Despite extensive
      investigation, attempts to obtain direct evidence of this have been hindered by
      the anatomical complexity of the JGA. However, recent technical developments now
      permit direct assessment of the role of the macula densa in the control of both
      renin release and glomerular hemodynamics. These developments include
      microdissection/perfusion of the afferent arteriole, the macula densa or both, as
      well as a sensitive renin assay which permits measurement of renin release from a
      single JGA. Observations resulting from such developments are discussed in this
      article.

PMID- 1412446
TI  - Localization and regulation of renal receptors for angiotensin II and atrial
      natriuretic peptide.
AB  - The anatomical distribution of receptors for angiotensin II (Ang II) and atrial
      natriuretic peptide (ANP) within the kidney has been investigated by in vitro
      autoradiography. Ang II and ANP receptor binding occurs together in several sites
      in the kidney, including renal vasculature, glomeruli, proximal convoluted tubule
      of the outer cortex, and the vasa recta bundles of the inner stripe of the outer
      medulla. However, in the glomeruli, Ang II receptor binding occurs predominantly
      in mesangial cells, while ANP receptors are localized mainly to the visceral
      epithelial cells. In the inner medulla, there is a moderate density of ANP
      receptors in marked contrast with Ang II binding which is not detected in this
      site. Both Ang II and ANP receptors are modulated by alterations in sodium and
      fluid intake, and the peptides themselves. The overlapping distribution of
      receptors for these two peptide hormones in several intrarenal sites may provide
      an anatomical basis for their physiological interaction to regulate renal
      hemodynamics and tubular reabsorption of sodium and water.

PMID- 1412447
TI  - Eicosanoids, mesangial contraction, and intracellular signal transduction.
AB  - The glomerular mesangial cell is a specialized pericyte with multiple functional
      capabilities including contraction. Mesangial contraction may reduce the
      glomerular filtration surface area and hence the ultrafiltration coefficient, Kf.
      Cultured mesangial cells convert arachidonic acid into biologically active
      eicosanoids which are either contractile (thromboxane A2 [TxA2], prostaglandin F2
      alpha [PGE2 alpha]) or relaxant (PGE2, PGI2). The addition of TxA2 analogues,
      PGE2 or sulfidopeptide leukotrienes (LTC4 and LTD4) stimulated contraction of
      cultured mesangial cells with threshold responses at approximately 1 nM and
      maximum responses at 1 microM. PGE2 and PGI2 antagonized mesangial contraction
      induced by TxA2 analogues. Contraction was enhanced by inhibiting mesangial
      cyclooxygenase with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID). Contractile
      eicosanoids stimulated phospholipase C thereby elevating intracellular inositol
      trisphosphate and cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). Vasorelaxant
      prostanoids stimulated adenylate cyclase, increasing intracellular cyclic AMP. We
      conclude that eicosanoids control mesangial contractility by regulating [Ca2+]i
      and cAMP. NSAID increase mesangial reactivity by blocking the inhibitory effects
      of endogenous vasodilator eicosanoids, with potential consequences on glomerular
      hemodynamics.

PMID- 1412448
TI  - Functions of ascending thin limb of Henle's loop with special emphasis on
      mechanism of NaCl transport.
AB  - Major controversy concerning the ascending thin limb of Henle's loop (ATL)
      centers on the urine concentration mechanism based on the countercurrent
      multiplier system in the inner medulla of the kidney. This renal tubular segment
      has specific transport properties which function to dilute the urine without any
      movement of water across the epithelium. This segment is fundamentally
      impermeable to water, moderately permeable to urea, and highly permeable to Na+
      and Cl-. Whether NaCl is reabsorbed actively in the ATL has long been an
      important question. While mathematical modelling studies have failed to explain
      completely how the osmotic gradient in the inner medulla is generated without
      active NaCl transport in the ATL, the experimental data support the view that
      active NaCl reabsorption is absent. Recently, we succeeded in measuring the
      intracellular Na+ concentration by using the fluorescent Na+ indicator sodium
      binding benzofuran isophthalate in the in vitro microperfused ATL. Our data
      suggest that the ATL maintains a low intracellular Na+ concentration by the
      ouabain-sensitive Na+/K+ ATPase in the basolateral membrane, and that the luminal
      membrane of the ATL has furosemide-insensitive Na+ permeability. Active Na+
      reabsorption estimated in our study amounts to only a few per cents of the net
      Na+ reabsorption in the ATL. It is therefore suggested that the major role of Na+
      extrusion in the ATL cells is to maintain a low cellular Na+ concentration
      against ambient hyperosmolarity, although small but substantial amount of Na+ is
      reabsorbed by the furosemide-insensitive Na+ permeability and ouabain-sensitive
      Na+/K+ ATPase.

PMID- 1412449
TI  - Effect of acute and chronic treatment of tin on blood pressure in spontaneously
      hypertensive rats.
AB  - Cytochrome P450-dependent metabolites of arachidonic acid (AA) are increased in
      the kidneys of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) as compared to control rats
      (WKY) in the period of rapid elevation of blood pressure (BP) from 5 to 13 weeks.
      We treated rats with stannous chloride (SnCl2) (10 mg/100 g body weight/day for 4
      days) to decrease selectively renal cytochrome P450 content through increasing
      renal heme oxygenase activity. A decrease in renal cytochrome P450-dependent AA
      metabolites was associated with decreased BP and increased urinary Na+ excretion
      in 7- but not in 20-week-old SHR rats. Chronic treatment with SnCl2 (10 mg/100 g
      body weight twice a week) from 5 to 20 weeks prevented the elevation of BP in SHR
      rats. Further, the antihypertensive effects of tin persisted for 7 weeks beyond
      its discontinuation. BP in WKY rats was unaffected by tin. Both the acute and
      chronic treatment with tin are the first studies to demonstrate amelioration of
      hypertension in SHR by an intervention which is targeted at a single enzyme
      system.

PMID- 1412451
TI  - Experimental studies on carcinogenesis in anomalous arrangement of the
      pancreaticobiliary ducts.
AB  - An experimental model of anomalous arrangement of the pancreaticobiliary ducts
      (APBD) was produced by pancreaticocholecystostomy performed in 29 mongrel dogs.
      Our purpose was to study carcinogenesis of the extrahepatic biliary tract by DNA
      ploidy analysis with cytofluorometry. The amylase level in the bile was elevated
      in all 25 dogs tested except the controls. The phospholipase A2 level in the bile
      was elevated in all selected dogs except the controls. Common bile duct (CBD)
      dilatation was found in 23/29 (79%) of the dogs, and biliary stones were found in
      3/29 (10%) dogs. Inflammatory changes were observed microscopically in all
      specimens except those from the controls. Intramural glandular structures were
      found in 17/25 (68%) of gallbladder (GB) specimens and 10/25 (40%) of CBD
      specimens; goblet cells were found in 7/25 (28%) of GB specimens and 2/25 (8%) of
      CBD specimens. In the controls neither glandular structures nor goblet cells were
      observed except for two GB specimens showing mild cholecystitis. Cytofluorometry
      showed 21% GB and 7% CBD diploidy, 69% GB and 65% CBD low ploidy, 10% GB and 28%
      CBD high ploidy patterns of histograms. These results show that, APBD may be
      central to high risk condition or play a key role to develop atypical biliary
      tract epithelium and DNA ploidy abnormality with or without biliary duct
      dilatation.

PMID- 1412450
TI  - Roles of renal cytochrome P450-dependent arachidonic acid metabolites in
      hypertension.
AB  - Cytochrome P450 represents the third metabolic pathway of arachidonic acid giving
      rise to several biologically active compounds, such as 19-HETE, 20-HETE and EETs
      and their corresponding DHETs. The kidney is the rich source of these metabolites
      which have some important biologic actions within the kidney. These metabolites
      have a wide and contrasting spectrum of biological and renal effects, from
      vasodilation to vasoconstriction and from inhibition to stimulation of Na-K
      ATPase, their relative production rates may influence not only renal hemodynamics
      but also pro- and anti-hypertensive mechanisms of hypertension. There is
      increasing evidence that the abnormality of these metabolites in animal models of
      hypertension. However, sufficient evidence of the physiological and
      pathophysiological roles of hypertension in man is still lacking.

PMID- 1412452
TI  - Correlation of carotid B-mode scanning with endarterectomy findings in Japanese
      patients.
AB  - In this study, 13 Japanese patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy with en
      bloc method were prospectively evaluated by high-resolution B-mode scanning. B
      mode imaging was carried out 1-2 days before operation. The most suitable
      consecutive longitudinal planes of the carotid bifurcation were photographed (5-8
      planes). The echogain was gradually changed from a lower to a higher intensity
      during B-mode scanning to identify the echogenicity of the atheromatous plaques.
      Three-dimensional reconstructions were made of the carotid plaques before
      performing carotid endarterectomy, and the author investigated the correlations
      between the echo characteristics and the histology of the resected plaques. The
      echogenicity of all atheromatous plaques, except for those with calcification,
      was lower than that of the normal medial layer of the vessel wall. The
      consecutive B-mode image data correlated well with the histological findings of
      the resected plaques in this study. In 2 out of 13 cases, it was found to be very
      difficult to distinguish an ulcerated plaque from a region of fresh intraplaque
      hemorrhage. High-resolution B-mode scanning was found to be a very useful and
      reliable method for identifying the detailed structure of atheromatous plaques in
      the cervical carotid artery.

PMID- 1412453
TI  - Clinical appraisal of stereotactic hematoma aspiration surgery for hypertensive
      thalamic hemorrhage--with respect to volume of the hematoma.
AB  - Three hundred and four patients with hypertensive thalamic hemorrhage were
      managed by medical treatment, ventricular drainage, or CT-controlled stereotactic
      aspiration surgery (AS). The therapeutic results of the 6-month outcome were
      analyzed and correlated with the volume of the hematoma. A hematoma volume of 20
      ml was thought to be the critical size in determining whether the outcome would
      be favourable or unfavorable. Indications for AS are suggested as follows. In
      patients with a small-sized hematoma having a volume of less than 10 ml use of AS
      should be restricted to patients with severe paralysis or other neurological
      complications and the elderly (aged 70 years or older). For patients with a
      medium-sized hematoma having a volume between 10 ml and 20 ml, AS is indicated
      for patients having severe paralysis and disturbances of consciousness. For
      patients with a large-sized hematoma having a volume of 20 ml or more, AS
      increases not only the survival rate of patients but also reduces the number of
      bedridden patients. We conclude that AS opens up a new avenue of surgical
      treatment for hypertensive thalamic hemorrhage, which has been no indication for
      hematoma evacuation by conventional craniotomy.

PMID- 1412454
TI  - Accuracy of the results measured by in vivo 1H-MRS using model solutions.
AB  - In in vivo 1H-MRS of human brain, main three metabolites such as N-acetyl-L
      aspartate (NAA), creatine/phosphocreatine (PCr/Cr), and choline (Cho) have been
      observed. In this paper an accuracy of the results measured by in vivo 1H-MRS
      using above model solutions was discussed. 1.0 mmol/l choline and 1.5 mmol/l
      creatine/phosphocreatine saline solutions were measured with STEAM method (echo
      time 270 msec). The peak area of Cho was larger than that of PCr/Cr against their
      concentrations and was linearly increased with its concentration in the range of
      5.8 and 29 mumol/27 cm3. Although both peak areas of Cho and Cr/PCr were varied
      with Volume-of-interest (VOI) coordinates, the ratio of Cho to PCr/Cr was
      approximately 1.6.

PMID- 1412455
TI  - Glutamine antagonist with diet deficient in glutamine and aspartate reduce tumor
      growth.
AB  - This study was designed to investigate whether a combination of a glutamine
      antagonist (DON) and a diet deficient in glutamate and aspartate (AG) altered
      glutamine metabolism in tumor tissue, and inhibited tumor growth. In experiment
      1, 21 male Donryu rats were fed with AG and implanted with Yoshida's Sarcoma. Of
      them, 7 rats were sacrificed on the 5th day (group AG), other 7 were sacrificed
      next day (group AG-1) and the remaining 7 were injected with DON on the 5th day
      and sacrificed next day (group AG+D). The tumor weight of group AG+D was
      significantly lower than of group AG, or of group AG-1. In experiment-2, of 23
      rats, 9 were fed with control diet and 14 were fed with AG and implanted. 12 were
      sacrificed on the 5th day (group C, AG), and 11 were injected with DON on the 5th
      day and sacrificed next day (group C+D, AG+D). The reduced ratio of tumor weight
      in group C+D and group AG+D were 25% and 67%, respectively. These results show
      that the tumor growth could be inhibited by using metabolic antagonist of
      glutamine, and that it had synergistic effect in conjunction with the imbalanced
      diet.

PMID- 1412456
TI  - Comparison of cytofluorometric nuclear DNA ploidy analysis on fresh and paraffin
      embedded specimen.
AB  - The cytofluorometric nuclear DNA ploidy analysis was performed in gallbladder
      (GB) epithelium of eight patients of chronic cholecystitis to make a comparison
      between fresh and paraffin embedded tissue analysis, to make an ideal single
      cellular suspension, to evaluate the ploidy pattern affected by inflammation and
      to assess the histological correlations. Six (75%) fresh specimens and eight
      (100%) paraffin embedded specimens showed diploidy pattern of histogram. Two
      (25%) fresh specimens showed low ploidy pattern of histogram. There was a good
      correlation between histological findings and the ploidy patterns of 100%
      paraffin embedded specimens and 75% fresh specimens. The relative fluorescence
      intensity was found higher and more stable in paraffin embedded tissues than
      fresh tissues. Inflammation did not affect the ploidy patterns of paraffin
      embedded specimens whereas the ploidy patterns of fresh specimens were affected.
      It can be concluded that the DNA ploidy patterns and histological findings have a
      good correlation and inflammation does not affect the cytofluorometric DNA ploidy
      pattern when using the paraffin embedded specimens. Paraffin embedded specimens
      are superior to fresh specimens for making an ideal single cellular suspension to
      obtain stable, high, and accurate fluorescence intensity with less background
      fluorescence which makes the ploidy pattern behave like exact behavior of
      tissues.

PMID- 1412457
TI  - Quantified application of MRI for diagnosis of head and neck tumors.
AB  - We evaluated T/M ratios and T2 values of 6 malignant lymphomas and 8 squamous
      cell carcinomas in the head and neck in order to differentiate these two
      entities. T/M ratios were calculated by dividing intensity of tumor by that of
      muscle in same slice images. T2 values were calculated from T2-weighted images
      and proton-weighted images. Statistical difference of T/M ratios was found
      between malignant lymphomas and squamous cell carcinomas, but no difference of T2
      values was seen between two groups. T/M ratio was considered to be a useful and
      quantified index for evaluation of head and neck tumor.

PMID- 1412458
TI  - Protein deficiency and excess lipid synergistically augmented lipid peroxidation
      in growing rats.
AB  - The influence of dietary protein and lipid on superoxide dismutase (SOD),
      glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione (GSH) and tissue lipid peroxidation, as
      measured by thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), was investigated in
      post-weaning male Wistar rats, fed either a diet containing 5% or 20% corn oil
      with 5%, 10% or 20% soy protein isolate (SPI) for four weeks. TBARS
      concentrations in 5% corn oil group was highest in 5% SPI group for all organs,
      followed by 10 and 20% SPI groups in the liver and 10 and 20% SPI groups in other
      organs. High lipid diet significantly increased TBARS formation in the liver of
      10% SPI group. The liver and kidney SOD and GPx activities were higher in 5% and
      10% SPI groups than in 20% SPI group, suggesting an augmented formation of
      radical substrates for these enzymes in low protein groups. Organ GSH
      concentrations did not show a linear correlation with dietary protein level.
      These results suggest that protein deficiency along with high lipid intake
      accelerates the peroxidative damage of the tissues by increasing oxy-radical
      formations and/or decreasing the defense mechanism.

PMID- 1412459
TI  - Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis from lung cancer presenting with
      paraparesis: an autopsied case.
AB  - A 75-year-old male presented with paraparesis and pain in the thighs, which
      progressed rapidly. Five days later, he was unable to stand or to void urine. A
      lung cancer was found in the right upper lobe. A spinal cord metastasis from the
      lung cancer was suspected from the neurologic and pulmonary findings. After 2
      weeks, motor dysfunction and a total sensory deficit were observed below the
      lumbar region, and the patient developed pneumonia, which resulted in death.
      Autopsy showed an extensive intramedullary metastasis at the third lumbar segment
      of the spinal cord. Histology revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of
      the lung.

PMID- 1412460
TI  - Human and experimental studies on renal eicosanoid response to long-term cadmium
      exposure.
AB  - In order to assess the effects of long-term exposure to cadmium (Cd) on the renal
      metabolism of eicosanoids, the urinary excretion of 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha
      (6-keto-PGF1 alpha), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2
      alpha), and thromboxane B2 (TXB2) was determined in 37 workers exposed to Cd and
      in female Sprague-Dawley rats given 100 ppm Cd in drinking water for 10 months.
      Urinary output of sodium and calcium was also determined. The Cd-exposed workers
      showed an increased urinary concentration of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, PGE2, sodium, and
      calcium. The rise of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha was related to Cd levels in blood and
      weakly correlated with urinary sodium. Calcium in urine was not related to the
      concentration of the metal in blood and urine. A slight elevation in urinary TXB2
      was also observed in workers with blood Cd higher than 5 micrograms/liter. After
      10 months of exposure to Cd, female Sprague-Dawley rats presented an enhanced
      urinary excretion of albumin, transferrin, beta 2-microglobulin, sodium, and PGE2
      in urine. The latter was significantly correlated with albuminuria and
      transferrinuria. In conclusion the results show that chronic exposure to Cd
      induces changes in the urinary excretion of some eicosanoids. The possible
      relation of these changes to Cd-induced kidney dysfunction are discussed.

PMID- 1412461
TI  - Altered capillary filtration coefficient in parathion- and paraoxon-induced edema
      in isolated and perfused rabbit lungs.
AB  - Changes in pulmonary endothelium permeability and in microvascular hemodynamics
      induced by parathion (Pth) and paraoxon (Pox), its active metabolite, were
      investigated in isolated, perfused rabbit lungs. Blood-free perfusate was
      recirculated through isolated and ventilated lungs in an isogravimetric state and
      in zone III conditions. The arterial/venous/double occlusion technique was used
      to divide the total vascular resistance (Rt) into four components: arterial,
      precapillary, postcapillary, and venous. The capillary filtration coefficient
      (Kfc) was evaluated by measuring the amount of fluid filtering through the
      endothelium when the arterial and venous pressures were suddenly increased. Pth
      and Pox induced pulmonary edema by increasing endothelium permeability without
      changing the hemodynamic parameters at any level of the vascular bed. The Kfc
      value increased progressively, reaching a maximum (Emax) 60 min after
      administration of organophosphate (558 +/- 65% (n = 5) and 707 +/- 109% (n = 5)
      of baseline values, for Pth and Pox, respectively). During the next 60 min, it
      decreased. The time course of Pox-induced changes in Kfc was similar to that
      obtained with Pth. The concentration-response curve (Emax) expressed as a
      percentage of the baseline value versus the logarithm of the molar Pth
      concentration, ranging from 2 x 10(-5) to 4 x 10(-4) M) was linear (y = 1661.1 +
      327.3x, r = 0.89, p < 0.001, n = 14). Piperonyl butoxide (4 x 10(-4) M), an
      inhibitor of cytochrome P450, had a strong protective effect against Pth (4 x 10(
      4) M)-induced alterations of endothelium permeability (n = 5, p < 0.001). The
      effects of Pox (4 x 10(-4) M) on Kfc were completely abolished by pretreatment
      with 10(-5) M atropine, as shown by the significantly lower Emax value recorded
      in atropine-pretreated lungs (129 +/- 33%, n = 4) than in Pox-treated lungs (707
      +/- 109%, n = 5, p < 0.001). The effects of Pth, on the other hand, were only
      partially inhibited, since the Emax value recorded in atropine-pretreated lungs
      (196 +/- 20%, n = 4) remained significantly higher than that recorded for control
      lungs (129 +/- 15%; n = 5; p < 0.05). These results show that isolated and
      perfused rabbit lungs constitute an appropriate model for studying the direct
      pulmonary effects of organophosphates. The edema-inducing action of Pth depends
      on its activation by conversion to Pox in the lung tissue.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      400 WORDS)

PMID- 1412462
TI  - A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model for nicotine disposition in the
      Sprague-Dawley rat.
AB  - A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed to describe
      the disposition of nicotine in the Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat. Parameters for the
      model were either obtained from the literature (blood flows, organ volumes) or
      determined experimentally (partition coefficients). Nicotine metabolism was
      defined in the liver compartment by the first-order rate constants KNC and KNP
      which control the rate of nicotine metabolism to cotinine and "polar metabolites"
      (PM), respectively. These rate constants were estimated by optimizing the model
      fit to pharmacokinetic data obtained by administering an intraarterial (S)-[5
      3H]nicotine bolus of 0.1 mg/kg to 6 rats. Model simulations that optimized for
      the appearance of cotinine in plasma estimated KNC and KNP to be 75.8 and 24.3 hr
      1, respectively. Use of these constants in the model allowed us to accurately
      predict nicotine plasma kinetics and the fraction of the dose eliminated by renal
      (8.5%) and metabolic (91.5%) clearance. To validate the model's ability to
      predict tissue kinetics of nicotine, 21 male SD rats were administered 0.1 mg/kg
      (S)-[5-3H]nicotine intraarterially. At seven time points following treatment, 3
      rats were euthanized and tissues were removed and analyzed for nicotine. Model
      predicted nicotine tissue kinetics were in agreement with those determined
      experimentally in muscle, liver, skin, fat, and kidney. The brain, heart, and
      lung exhibited nonlinear nicotine elimination, suggesting that saturable
      nicotinic binding sites may be important in nicotine disposition in these organs.
      Inclusion of saturable receptor binding expressions in the mathematical
      description of these compartments resulted in better agreement with the
      experimental data. The Bmax and KD estimated by model simulations for these
      tissues were brain, 0.009 and 0.12; lung, 0.039 and 2.0; and heart, 0.039
      nmol/tissue and 0.12 nM, respectively. This PBPK model can successfully describe
      the tissue and plasma kinetics of nicotine in the SD rat and will be a useful
      tool for pharmacologic studies in humans and experimental animals that require
      insight into the plasma or tissue concentration-effect relationship.

PMID- 1412463
TI  - Characterization of lewisite toxicity in isolated perfused skin.
AB  - Lewisite (L) is a potent organic arsenical that causes rapid onset of pain and
      severe vesication on contact with epithelial tissues. The isolated perfused
      porcine skin flap (IPPSF) is an in vitro model that has shown potential as a
      model for cutaneous vesicant research. The objective of this study was to
      characterize IPPSF responses after topical exposure to six concentrations of L
      ranging from 0.07 to 5.0 mg/ml (n = 4/treatment plus controls). Biochemical
      markers of viability (glucose utilization (CGU) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
      release), vascular resistance (VR), venous arsenic flux, and morphological
      parameters (light and electron microscopy) were evaluated. In addition, lewisite
      lesions were characterized at 1, 3, 5, and 8 hr after exposure (n = 4/time plus
      controls) using these morphological parameters, as well as enzyme histochemistry.
      Macroscopic and microscopic lesions caused by L exposure were dose related. Mild
      decreases in CGU were noted with the higher concentrations of L, while generally
      increased responses in LDH release and VR were seen. Marked increases in LDH
      activity were noted in the blister fluid of IPPSFs treated with 5.0 mg/ml of L.
      Also, significant cutaneous arsenic flux was noted at the 5.0 mg/ml dose of L.
      The formation of gross blisters, the location and characterization of epidermal
      dermal junction separation, and the time course of lesion production paralleled
      the description of L-induced lesions in humans. The sensitivity of the IPPSF to L
      exposure and the similarity of lesions to those described for humans suggests
      that this model provides a relevant in vitro model with which to study mechanisms
      of chemical vesication and arsenic toxicity, as well as protective and
      therapeutic intervention for vesicant exposure.

PMID- 1412464
TI  - Inhibition of calcium-dependent pathways of B-cell activation by DMBA.
AB  - The purpose of the experiments described in these studies was to determine the
      effects of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) on B-cell activation produced by
      anti-IgD antibodies and interleukin-4 (IL-4). B and T cells are known to share
      many of the same biochemical pathways for cell activation by mitogen and antigen
      receptors. Previous studies in this laboratory have shown that DMBA inhibits
      mitogen-induced Ca2+ mobilization in murine and human T cells and produces an
      increase in intracellular Ca2+ in resting cells. The results of the present
      studies demonstrate that DMBA increases Ca2+ in resting B cells and inhibits B
      cell activation produced by anti-IgD antibodies, as measured by mobilization of
      free intracellular Ca2+ and [3H]thymidine incorporation. The proliferative
      response of B cells to insolubilized anti-IgD was suppressed only when cells were
      preexposed to DMBA. In contrast, IL-4 pathways of B-cell activation were
      insensitive to inhibition by DMBA, even when cells were preexposed. The induction
      of Class II MHC antigen (Ia) antigens on B cells by IL-4 was also found to be
      insensitive to DMBA treatment. These results suggest that DMBA suppresses only
      Ca(2+)-dependent pathways of B cell activation and indicate that altered Ca2+
      homeostasis may be responsible for immunosuppression induced by this agent.

PMID- 1412465
TI  - Differences in pulmonary biochemical and inflammatory responses of rats and
      guinea pigs resulting from daytime or nighttime, single and repeated exposure to
      ozone.
AB  - Rats and guinea pigs were exposed to 0.8 mg ozone (O3)/m3 (approximately 0.4 ppm)
      for 12 hr during the daytime, 12 hr during the nighttime, or continuously to
      investigate circadian variation in O3-induced pulmonary toxicity during single
      and repeated O3 exposures. Biomarkers in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and
      lung tissues were measured as indicators of biochemical and inflammatory
      responses. Nighttime O3 exposure of rats resulted in larger increases of protein,
      albumin, and inflammatory cells in BAL fluid compared to those after daytime O3
      exposure and this daytime-nighttime difference was statistically significant (p <
      0.05). Single daytime or nighttime O3 exposure of guinea pigs resulted in
      comparable increases of BAL fluid proteins and inflammatory cells without a
      daytime-nighttime difference. Nighttime and continuous O3 exposure of rats for 3
      days resulted in comparable increases in lung antioxidant enzyme activities, both
      of which differed statistically from effects from daytime O3 exposures (p <
      0.05). Continuous O3 exposure of guinea pigs for 3 days caused, in general,
      statistically larger increases in lung tissue parameters compared to nighttime O3
      exposures (p < 0.05). These results suggest that the extent of O3-induced acute
      pulmonary biochemical and inflammatory responses is directly related to the level
      of physical and respiratory activity. For rats, effects from continuous O3
      exposure appear to be controlled by the nighttime, physically active period. In
      guinea pigs, the comparable responses following daytime or nighttime O3 exposure
      seem in accordance with their random behavioral daily activity pattern. This
      study supports the view that physical activity-related increases in inhaled dose
      significantly enhance the pulmonary O3 responses.

PMID- 1412466
TI  - Enantioselective induction of peroxisomal proliferation in CD-1 mice by
      leukotriene antagonists.
AB  - The effects of a racemic leukotriene antagonist (MK-0571) and its component
      enantiomers (L-668,018 and L-668,019) on hepatic peroxisome proliferation were
      examined in mice, rats, and rhesus monkeys. Administration of racemic MK-0571 to
      mice resulted in increased liver weights, increased peroxisomal volume density,
      and a pleiotropic induction of characteristic peroxisomal and nonperoxisomal
      enzyme activities associated with peroxisomal proliferation. When the individual
      enantiomers of MK-0571 were administered to mice, a pronounced enantioselective
      induction of peroxisome proliferation was observed. Toxicokinetic studies showed
      that the levels of each enantiomer in the liver or plasma after separate
      administration were similar. Thus, the enantioselectivity in the induction of
      peroxisome proliferation could not be explained on the basis of pharmacokinetic
      differences between the enantiomers. The hepatic peroxisomal response of the rat
      to MK-0571 was greatly attenuated compared to the mouse. As has been seen with
      other peroxisome-proliferating agents, MK-0571 had no effect on either
      peroxisomal volume density or peroxisomal enzyme activity in monkeys. Due to the
      high degree of enantiomeric discrimination toward the induction of peroxisomal
      proliferation by these enantiomers, compounds of this type may prove useful as
      probes to examine the mechanisms by which peroxisomal proliferating agents induce
      their effects.

PMID- 1412467
TI  - Pulmonary cellular effects in rats following aerosol exposures to ultrafine
      Kevlar aramid fibrils: evidence for biodegradability of inhaled fibrils.
AB  - Previous chronic inhalation studies have shown that high concentrations of Kevlar
      fibrils produced fibrosis and cystic keratinizing tumors in rats following 2-year
      inhalation exposures. The current studies were undertaken to evaluate mechanisms
      and to assess the toxicity of inhaled Kevlar fibrils relative to other reference
      materials. Rats were exposed to ultrafine Kevlar fibers (fibrils) for 3 or 5 days
      at concentrations ranging from 600-1300 fibers/cc (gravimetric concentrations
      ranging from 2-13 mg/m3). A complete characterization of the fiber aerosol and
      dose was carried out. These measurements included gravimetric concentrations,
      mass median aerodynamic diameter, fiber number, and count median lengths and
      diameters of the aerosol. Following exposures, cells and fluids from groups of
      sham- and fiber-exposed animals were recovered by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL).
      Alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), protein, and N-acetyl
      glucosaminidase (NAG) values were measured in BAL fluids at several time points
      postexposure. Alveolar macrophages were cultured and studied for morphology,
      chemotaxis, and phagocytosis by scanning electron microscopy. The lungs of
      additional exposed animals were processed for deposition, cell labeling, retained
      dose, and lung clearance studies, as well as fiber dimensions (from digested lung
      tissue), histopathology, and transmission electron microscopy. Five-day exposures
      to Kevlar fibrils elicited a transient granulocytic inflammatory response with
      concomitant increases in BAL fluid levels of alkaline phosphatase, NAG, LDH, and
      protein. Unlike the data from silica and asbestos exposures where inflammation
      persisted, biochemical parameters returned to control levels at time intervals
      between 1 week and 1 month postexposure. Macrophage function in Kevlar-exposed
      alveolar macrophages was not significantly different from sham controls at any
      time period. Cell labeling studies were carried out immediately after exposure,
      as well as 1 week and 1 month postexposure. Increased pulmonary cell labeling was
      measured in terminal bronchiolar cells immediately after exposure but returned to
      control values 1 week later. Fiber clearance studies demonstrated a transient
      increase in the numbers of retained fibers at 1 week postexposure, with rapid
      clearance of fibers thereafter. The transient increase in the number of fibers
      could be due to transverse cleaving of the fibers, since the average lengths of
      retained fibers continued to decrease over time. In this regard, a progressive
      decrease in the mean lengths and diameters of inhaled fibers was measured over a
      6-month postexposure period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1412468
TI  - Lead inhibits secretion of osteonectin/SPARC without significantly altering
      collagen or Hsp47 production in osteoblast-like ROS 17/2.8 cells.
AB  - In an effort to better understand the consequences of lead (Pb2+) on skeletal
      growth, the effects of Pb2+ were investigated using ROS 17/2.8 bone-like cells in
      vitro. These studies revealed that Pb2+ (4.5 x 10(-6) M -4.5 x 10(-7) M) has
      little or no effect on cell shape except when added immediately following seeding
      of the cells. However, proliferation of ROS cells was inhibited, in the absence
      of serum, at concentrations of 4.5 x 10(-6) M Pb2+. Protein production was
      generally increased, however, the major structural protein of bone, type I
      collagen, production was only slightly altered. Following treatment of ROS cells
      with Pb2+, intracellular levels of the calcium-binding protein osteonectin/SPARC
      were increased. Osteonectin/SPARC secretion into the media was delayed or
      inhibited. Coincident with retention of osteonectin/SPARC there was a decrease in
      the levels of osteonectin/SPARC mRNA as determined by Northern analysis. These
      studies suggest that processes associated with osteonectin/SPARC translation and
      secretion are sensitive to Pb2+.

PMID- 1412469
TI  - Metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene by murine splenic cell types.
AB  - The objective of the present study was to determine which splenic cell type(s) of
      B6C3F1 mice was capable of metabolizing B(a)P. Separation of splenocytes based on
      density by centrifugation through discontinuous Percoll gradients along with
      immunomagnetic negative selection or antibody-mediated complement lysis was
      utilized to obtain highly enriched populations of splenocytes for B(a)P
      metabolism studies. Immunofluorescent cell staining in conjunction with flow
      cytometry and examination of Giemsa-stained cytospin cell preparations indicated
      that B- or T-cell populations of greater than 95% purity and an 80-90% pure
      population of splenic macrophages were routinely attained. Splenic cell
      populations were incubated with [3H]B(a)P for 24 hr. High-pressure liquid
      chromatography was used to separate and quantitate the B(a)P metabolites
      generated by the enriched splenic cell populations. The results of these studies
      demonstrate that the macrophage is the cell type responsible for the metabolism
      of B(a)P within the spleen. The major metabolites of B(a)P produced were as
      follows: an unidentified peak of polar metabolites containing polyhydroxylated
      metabolites, B(a)P-9,10-dihydroxy-9,10-dihydrodiol, and B(a)P-7,8-dihydroxy-7,8-
      dihydrodiol. Other splenic cell types examined, including B and T cells,
      polymorphonuclear cells, or the spleen capsule did not produce amounts of B(a)P
      metabolites significantly above background levels. Based on these findings,
      macrophages are the splenic cell types which metabolize B(a)P. As a result,
      macrophages may be the cell type targeted by B(a)P resulting in suppression of
      splenic humoral immune responses.

PMID- 1412471
TI  - 1992 Arnold J. Lehman Award. Roger O. McClellan.

PMID- 1412472
TI  - 1992 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Toxicology Scholar Award. Janice Chambers.

PMID- 1412470
TI  - Evaluation of murine splenic cell type metabolism of benzo[a]pyrene and
      functionality in vitro following repeated in vivo exposure to benzo[a]pyrene.
AB  - Recent studies have demonstrated that macrophages are the cell types capable of
      metabolizing benzo[a]pyrene (B(a)P) within the spleens of untreated mice. Since
      repeated exposure to B(a)P results in immunosuppression and B(a)P is known to
      induce cytochrome P450 levels, the first objective of this study was to
      investigate whether exposure of mice to B(a)P could increase the amounts of
      immunosuppressive B(a)P metabolites generated and/or alter the pattern of B(a)P
      metabolites formed by several different splenic cell types. Mice were dosed with
      a daily sc dose of 200 mg/kg B(a)P or vehicle for 4 days. Separation of
      splenocytes based on density by centrifugation through discontinuous Percoll
      gradients along with immunomagnetic negative selection or antibody-mediated
      complement lysis was used to obtain different splenic cell populations. Cells
      were incubated with [3H]B(a)P for 24 hr. High-pressure liquid chromatography was
      used to separate and quantitate B(a)P metabolites. Results indicate that splenic
      macrophages of B(a)P-treated mice produced significantly greater amounts of some
      metabolites compared to those of vehicle-treated mice. The three major
      metabolites produced were an unidentified peak of polar metabolites containing
      polyhydroxylated metabolites, B(a)P-9,10- and B(a)P-7,8-dihydrodiols. Other
      splenic cell types examined did not produce metabolite amounts significantly
      above (T-cells, PMNs, or the capsule) or just above (B-cells) background. The
      second objective was to investigate the splenic cell type(s) targeted by B(a)P
      resulting in suppression of humoral immunity. Separation-reconstitution studies
      along with in vitro sensitization techniques with several different antigens
      (sheep red blood cells (SRBC), dinitrophenyl-Ficoll (DNP-Ficoll),
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS)) were used to identify splenic target cells following
      exposure of mice to B(a)P (200 mg/kg/day, sc for 4 days). Findings indicate that
      in vitro plaque-forming cell (PFC) suppression was due to alterations in the
      adherent (macrophage) cell population. Exposure also suppressed the PFC response
      to the T-dependent antigen SRBC and the T-independent antigen DNP-Ficoll, but did
      not suppress the PFC response to the polyclonal antigen, LPS. These data suggest
      that B(a)P is targeting macrophages.

PMID- 1412473
TI  - Education Award. Dean E. Carter.

PMID- 1412474
TI  - 1992 Frank R. Blood Award. Donald Fox.

PMID- 1412475
TI  - 1992 Merit Award. W. Norman Aldridge.

PMID- 1412476
TI  - 1992 Achievement Award. Michael P. Holsapple.

PMID- 1412477
TI  - Advancing the understanding of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS): overview and
      recommendations from an AOEC workshop.

PMID- 1412478
TI  - Diagnosis and treatment of hypersensitivity syndrome.

PMID- 1412479
TI  - Immunologic evaluation of chemically sensitive patients.

PMID- 1412480
TI  - Biologic and social factors in food sensitivities.

PMID- 1412481
TI  - Neuropsychophysiologic observations in patients presenting with environmental
      illness.

PMID- 1412482
TI  - The experience of the Yale Occupational and Environmental Medicine Clinics with
      multiple chemical sensitivities, 1986-1991.

PMID- 1412483
TI  - Chronic fatigue syndrome.

PMID- 1412484
TI  - Research strategies for investigating multiple chemical sensitivity.

PMID- 1412485
TI  - Possible models for multiple chemical sensitivity: conceptual issues and role of
      the limbic system.
AB  - Conceivably, chemicals contacting olfactory nerve projections in the nose could
      either be transported into or relay electrical signals to the limbic region,
      leading to a vast array of symptoms. Likewise, thought processes and mood states
      may trigger or interrupt pre-existing limbic activity. At present, however, no
      evidence suggests that limbic activity triggered by environmental exposures can
      be entirely overcome by psychologic interventions. One important ramification of
      a limbic hypothesis, if true, is that no convenient biologic marker for multiple
      chemical sensitivity may exist at the present time. Ten years from now, we may
      finally confirm the existence of multiple chemical sensitivities (by careful,
      blinded challenges) but still have no single mechanism to explain it; that is,
      after all avenues of biochemical and immunologic inquiry have been exhausted, no
      single cause or marker for this disorder may be apparent. The theory that
      adaptation plays a role in MCS is based on the observed responses of patients in
      a deadapted state who have been housed in an environmental unit. Although
      adaptation is only an observation at this time, not a mechanism, biologic limits
      might regulate how much an organism can adapt. Such limits could be highly
      individual and vary by orders of magnitude. Certainly adaptation occurs at all
      levels of biologic systems, from enzyme systems to cells, tissues, organs, and
      even behavior (Fregly, 1969). Theoretically, a major insult or the accumulation
      of lower-level injuries within these systems could lead to a kind of "overload"
      or "saturation" effect with respect to adaptive capacity. This might cause an
      individual to have environmental responses, which, instead of being flexible and
      fluid, would become fragile and overly responsive. Many MCS patients report that
      years, and in some cases decades, after the onset of their problems, they have
      recovered only a portion of their former energies and tolerance for their
      environment. Their descriptions seem to suggest the loss of an intangible
      capacity to adapt, parts of which may be temporary and recoverable and other
      parts of which may not. Perhaps our patients have been telling us the diagnosis.

PMID- 1412486
TI  - Multiple chemical sensitivities and the immune system.

PMID- 1412487
TI  - History and clinical presentation of the chemically sensitive patient.
AB  - Although no one has all the answers to the mystery of chemical sensitivity, the
      reality of this condition, most recently called multiple chemical sensitivities,
      is not in doubt. Evidence is increasing of its possible physiologic mechanisms,
      which will be discussed later in this volume. From the evidence and from personal
      and professional experience, the author believes that chemical sensitivity is not
      a diagnosis of exclusion, and that fixed-name diseases may have environmental
      triggers or complicating factors (Rea, 1990b). With appropriate preparation and
      environmental controls, MCS can be investigated and diagnosed in a scientific and
      reproducible manner.

PMID- 1412488
TI  - Is there evidence of an immunologic basis for multiple chemical sensitivity?

PMID- 1412489
TI  - Multiple chemical sensitivity: a respiratory disorder?

PMID- 1412490
TI  - Models of multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS) syndrome: using empirical data
      (especially interview data) to focus investigations.

PMID- 1412491
TI  - Acquired intolerance to solvents following pesticide/solvent exposure in a
      building: a new group of workers at risk for multiple chemical sensitivities?

PMID- 1412492
TI  - Epidemic multiple chemical sensitivity in an industrial setting.

PMID- 1412493
TI  - Development of multiple chemical sensitivity after an outbreak of sick-building
      syndrome.
AB  - Investigation of this outbreak raises some important points for future research.
      Although for various reasons the case ascertainment for MCS was not complete, the
      three MCS patients described here all had preexisting conditions that may have
      put them at risk. In addition, one person among the 20 described had chronic
      fatigue syndrome but did not develop MCS. Many of the persons described here
      continue to have ongoing complaints that are not MCS. Significant exacerbation of
      preexisting allergic disease and new onset of asthma occurred among those
      patients. As a group, they did not recover completely after the outbreak; several
      are no longer working in the building but in alternative work spaces. An
      important distinction should be made between individuals who met the definition
      used here for MCS and others who had significant exacerbation of some better
      defined illness brought on by building conditions. New onset of MCS was a partial
      but not complete explanation of the clinical course for this group of 20 persons.

PMID- 1412494
TI  - A survey of AOEC physician practices and attitudes regarding multiple chemical
      sensitivity.

PMID- 1412495
TI  - Multiple chemical sensitivity: treatment and followup with avoidance and control
      of chemical exposures.
AB  - Reducing unnecessary chemical exposures, particularly pesticides and other
      petrochemicals, shows promise for reducing illness episodes in the chemically
      sensitive. Because similar types of exposures have been associated with the onset
      of chemical sensitivity, such precautions could have wider preventive value for
      the rest of society as well. Many uses of chemicals have dubious social benefits,
      and reduced use should be achievable. The chemical industry will likely bitterly
      contest the reduced use of chemicals because it stands to lose substantial sales.
      Compensation and liability insurance carriers also stand to lose if the
      environment is found problematic, rather than individual psychology, for example.
      Professionals should also recognize conflicts of interest for the chemical and
      insurance industries by openly acknowledging funding sources for research. The
      author believes that research on chemical sensitivity that blames the psyche of
      the victim rather than the chemical will more likely be funded by the insurance
      or chemical industry than will other research. Study designs should be developed
      in an atmosphere removed from financial conflicts of interest. This means a
      substantially larger role for government funding of research on chemical
      sensitivity to avoid biasing the knowledge base by financially interested
      parties. The time is critical for government funding of research on chemical
      sensitivity because the illness is being defined and characterized. If
      preliminary research is flawed by improper design and focus, our understanding of
      the problem could be delayed for years.

PMID- 1412496
TI  - Treatment options in multiple chemical sensitivity.
AB  - The essential features of treatment for chemical sensitivity are: 1) Encouraging
      the provision of clean air, food, water, and surroundings. 2) Identifying
      substances to which the patient is sensitive, with subsequent a) enhanced
      avoidance, or b) specific immunotherapy to reduce the patient's reactivity to
      those substances. 3) Assessing and enhancing the patient's nutritional status to
      maximize the body's ability to detoxify and to minimize the free-radical
      production and oxidative stress of xenobiotics. 4) Addressing concurrent problems
      such as infections, immunosuppression, and other medical conditions in an
      appropriate fashion. 5) Evaluating the patient's psychologic status and
      addressing any social and emotional problems in a compassionate manner. The
      author believes that multiple chemical sensitivity is a real condition with
      documented physiologic abnormalities. It is not a functional or psychologic
      illness or a belief system of the patient. Second, this condition is diagnosable
      and treatable by various means. These treatment options not only make common
      sense but usually result in significant improvement for these unfortunate
      patients, who deserve the very best efforts of their health care providers.

PMID- 1412497
TI  - Multiple chemical sensitivities: a practicing clinician's point of view. Clinical
      and immunologic research findings.
AB  - The multiple chemical sensitivities syndrome is a symptom complex characterized
      by emotional depression, short-term memory loss, acquired intolerance to
      environmental agents such as aerosolized petrochemicals and foods, and alteration
      in metabolic rate associated with increased body mass. This syndrome can be
      caused by multiple etiologic agents. With careful evaluation, it is rare that a
      causal agent can not be identified in this syndrome. Our treatment regimens
      include combinations of diet and environment control as well as antiviral,
      antifungal, and immune modulator therapy. We find that the majority of patients
      can, through time and appropriate treatment, be restored to a normal and
      productive lives.

PMID- 1412498
TI  - Effects of amiodarone administration during lactation in Fischer-344 rats.
AB  - The antiarrhythmic drug, amiodarone, was administered (35 mg/kg, p.o.) once daily
      to lactating Fischer-344 rats for either the first 7 days of lactation, the first
      14 days of lactation, or for the full 24-day lactational period. Treatment with
      amiodarone resulted in a decrease in maternal weight gain compared to pair-fed
      vehicle-treated controls, however, neonatal weight gain was not affected. The
      concentration of amiodarone in the maternal milk was approx. 6-fold higher than
      its primary metabolite, desethylamiodarone. Plasma levels of amiodarone and
      desethylamiodarone were higher in maternal rats compared to neonates. Both
      amiodarone and desethylamiodarone were distributed to neonatal tissues through
      lactational transfer. The levels of desethylamiodarone were higher in neonatal
      lung compared to liver at all treatment times. They were also elevated above
      amiodarone in neonatal lung at all treatment times. The amiodarone levels in
      neonatal lung and liver were similar.

PMID- 1412499
TI  - Studies of the amplification of carbaryl toxicity by various oximes.
AB  - The administration of 2-pyridine aldoxime methyl chloride (2-PAM Cl) is a
      standard part of the regimen for treatment of human overexposure to many
      organophosphorus pesticides and nerve agents. However, some literature references
      indicate that poisoning by carbaryl (1-naphthyl N-methyl carbamate), an
      insecticide in everyday use, is aggravated by the administration of 2-PAM Cl.
      This effect has been reported in the mouse, rat, dog and man. We have found that
      the inhibition of both eel acetylcholinesterase (eel AChE, EC 3.1.1.7) and human
      serum cholinesterase (human BuChE, EC 3.1.1.8) by carbaryl was enhanced by
      several oximes. Based on 95% confidence limits the rank order of potentiation
      with eel AChE was TMB-4 = Toxogonin > HS-6 = HI-6 > 2-PAM Cl. By the same
      criterion, the rank order of potentiation with human BuChE was TMB-4 > Toxogonin
      > HS-6 = 2-PAM Cl. Carbaryl-challenged mice also reflected a potentiation since
      TMB-4 exacerbated the toxicity more than 2-PAM Cl. Our hypothesis is that certain
      oximes act as allosteric effectors of cholinesterases in carbaryl poisoning,
      resulting in enhanced inhibition rates and potentiation of carbaryl toxicity.

PMID- 1412501
TI  - Effect of preperfusion of ascending concentrations of lead on digoxin-induced
      cardiac arrest in isolated frog heart.
AB  - The present work investigated the effect of preperfusion of ascending
      concentrations of lead acetate (LA) (10(-9), 10(-7) and 10(-5) M) on digoxin
      (DGN) cardiotoxicity in isolated frog heart, in order to look for any consequent
      variations in its lead-induced potentiation. The DGN perfusion time(s) and DGN
      exposure (micrograms DGN/10 mg heart weight) for, and myocardial DGN level (ng
      DGN/g wet tissue) at, cardiac arrest were the parameters evaluated so as to
      assess cardiotoxicity. Both sodium acetate and LA (10(-7) M) preperfusion led to
      a diminution in cardiac rate at 10 min of DGN perfusion without altering the
      contractility compared to the DGN alone group. With regard to DGN perfusion time
      for cardiac arrest, preperfusion of ascending concentrations of LA induced a
      corresponding decrease which was statistically significant (P < 0.05). On the
      other hand, in the experimental group that received preperfusion of 10(-9) M LA,
      the DGN exposure for cardiac arrest was not significantly different from that of
      the control, whereas in the 10(-7) and 10(-5) M groups, it was significantly
      lower (P < 0.05). In the experimental group that received preperfusion of 10(-7)
      M LA, the significant reduction in DGN perfusion time and DGN exposure was well
      corroborated by a diminution in the myocardial DGN level (4.01 +/- 0.17 ng/g wet
      tissue in comparison with the control value of 5.72 +/- 0.4 ng/g wet tissue, P <
      0.05) at cardiac arrest. Taken together, these data reveal that with the
      preperfusion of LA in ascending concentrations, there is a relative increase in
      LA-induced potentiation of DGN cardiotoxicity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1412500
TI  - Dietary pyrrolizidine (Senecio) alkaloids and tissue distribution of copper and
      vitamin A in broiler chickens.
AB  - The effect of feeding a diet containing 5% tansy ragwort (TR) (Senecio jacobaea),
      a poisonous plant containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA), on the blood and liver
      levels of copper, zinc, iron and vitamin A in broiler chicks was examined. Serum
      and liver copper and liver iron concentrations were increased in chicks fed a
      diet with 5% TR, while serum and liver zinc and vitamin A decreased. When PA were
      removed from the diet, partial restoration of normal serum vitamin A level
      occurred, indicating that the ability to mobilize liver vitamin A is not
      irreversibly inhibited by PA. The decline in serum vitamin A occurred by 8 days
      of TR feeding with a concurrent decline in growth rate. When chicks were fed a
      diet high in vitamin A (25,000 IU/kg), followed by a basal diet containing TR,
      serum vitamin A levels were significantly (P < 0.01) decreased, while liver
      vitamin A level increased. This indicates that mobilization of previously stored
      vitamin A from the liver is impaired by PA. Prior feeding of a high vitamin A
      level resulted in protective effects against PA toxicity, as assessed by
      histopathology. This study shows that a dietary source of PA modifies metabolism
      and tissue distribution of minerals and vitamin A.

PMID- 1412502
TI  - Morphological changes in the respiratory system of mice after inhalation of
      mosquito-coil smoke.
AB  - Male ICR mice were exposed to mosquito-coil smoke with d-allethrin or without d
      allethrin at airborne particles concentration of 1.27 mg/m3, 7 h/day, 7 days/week
      for 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Additional groups of air exposure animals served as
      controls. At 1 month after exposure, the histopathological lesions included the
      loss of cilia, and the alteration of the alveolar pattern in the treated and the
      sham mice. Volume fractions of the type I and II cells were smaller (0.028 +/-
      0.006, 0.044 +/- 0.002) in the treated group than those of the controls (0.049 +/
      0.008, 0.059 +/- 0.003). Fractions of the lumina of vessels and the vessel wall
      decreased in both the treated and the sham groups as compared to the control
      group. However, the volume fraction of alveolar air space increased significantly
      in both treated and sham groups as compared to the controls (0.619 +/- 0.022,
      0.685 +/- 0.018 vs. 0.507 +/- 0.025). After 3- and 6-months exposure, the lesions
      observed in the trachea persisted. The intercellular fibrosis in the lung was
      increased in both the treated and sham groups at 6 months and became more severe
      at the later stages. At 12-months exposure, an increase in vascularity of the
      alveolar wall was observed and fine granular debris was frequently present in the
      alveolar space. The fraction volumes of the type II cells in the treated group
      and the type I cells in the sham group were significantly increased (0.059 +/-
      0.010, 0.042 +/- 0.003) compared with those of the controls (0.038 +/- 0.008,
      0.033 +/- 0.003). However, the fraction volume of air space and vessel lumen were
      not different among the three groups. Finally, there were no differences in the
      morphologic appearance of the airways and the lung periphery between the treated
      and the sham-exposed animals.

PMID- 1412503
TI  - Combined effect of cadmium and nickel on rat hepatic monooxygenases: possible
      stimulation of certain cytochrome P-450 isozymes.
AB  - When male rats were given either a single dose of cadmium (3.58 mg CdCl2.6H2O/kg,
      i.p.) 72 h prior to sacrifice or a single dose of nickel (59.5 mg NiCl2.6H2O/kg,
      s.c.) 16 h prior to sacrifice, the activities of ethylmorphine N-demethylase,
      aminopyrine N-demethylase and aniline 4-hydroxylase, and the levels of cytochrome
      P-450 and microsomal heme were significantly decreased. Cadmium decreased the
      cytochrome b5 level significantly, whereas it did not alter the NADPH-cytochrome
      c reductase activity significantly. In contrast, Ni did not alter the cytochrome
      b5 level significantly but decreased the NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity
      significantly. For the combined treatment, animals received the single dose of
      nickel 56 h after the single dose of cadmium and then they were killed 16 h
      later. In these animals ethylmorphine N-demethylase, aminopyrine N-demethylase
      and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activities and cytochromes P-450 and b5 levels
      increased significantly as compared to those of controls, whereas aniline 4
      hydroxylase activity and microsomal heme level remained unaltered. In concordance
      with the increase in the enzyme activities, certain P-450 protein bands were
      observed to be elevated when studied on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
      Furthermore, when the monooxygenase activities and SDS-polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis profiles of combined metal-treated animals were compared with
      those of the animals treated with classic inducers such as phenobarbital (75
      mg/kg i.p., 72, 48 and 24 h prior to sacrifice) and 3-methylcholanthrene (20
      mg/kg i.p., 72, 48 and 24 h prior to sacrifice), the combination of metals seemed
      to have tendency to stimulate certain phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene
      inducible cytochrome P-450 isozymes.

PMID- 1412504
TI  - The metabolism of 1,3-dinitrobenzene by rat testicular subcellular fractions.
AB  - The metabolism of 1,3-dinitrobenzene by rat testicular subcellular fractions
      (microsomes, cytosol or 9000 x g supernatant (S-9)) was studied. The effects of
      NADPH, oxygen, glutathione (GSH) and carbon monoxide upon the rate of metabolism
      were determined. Three metabolites were identified, and characterised as 3
      nitrosonitrobenzene, 3-nitrophenylhydroxylamine and 3-nitroaniline by co
      chromatography with authentic standards. These findings indicate the presence of
      an inherent enzyme system capable of facilitating nitro-reduction in the testes.
      The implications of these findings to the mechanism of 1,3-DNB-induced testicular
      toxicity are discussed.

PMID- 1412505
TI  - Carcinogenicity assessment of lonidamine by dietary administration to Sprague
      Dawley rats.
AB  - Following chronic dietary administration of 20, 60 and 180 mg/kg per day of
      lonidamine for 2 years to groups of Sprague-Dawley rats, treatment-related non
      tumour findings seen microscopically included the following: atrophy of the
      testis with associated changes in epididymis and pituitary at all dosages;
      neuropathy in the sciatic nerve accompanied by skeletal muscle atrophy which was
      dose-related, particularly in male animals. Neither the incidence of tumour
      bearing animals, nor the spectrum of tumours seen, was significantly changed. In
      the females given 180 mg/kg per day an overall reduction in tumour incidence was
      noted, which was reflected in a significant reduction (P < 0.001) in mammary
      tumours.

PMID- 1412506
TI  - Subchronic toxicity study of peppermint oil in rats.
AB  - Peppermint oil was given p.o. to four groups of 28 rats at dosage levels of 0,
      10, 40, and 100 mg/kg body wt. per day for 90 days. At the highest dose
      histopathological changes consisting of cyst-like spaces scattered in the white
      matter of cerebellum were seen. No other signs of encephalopathy were observed.
      Nephropathy was seen in the male rats in the highest dose group. A no-observed
      adverse-effect level of 40 mg/kg body wt. per day was determined.

PMID- 1412507
TI  - Covalent binding of ethylene dibromide and its metabolites to albumin.
AB  - The present study was undertaken to determine covalent binding of [1,2
      14C]ethylene dibromide (EDB) to albumin under in vivo and in vitro conditions.
      For the in vivo covalent binding, 25 mg/kg body weight of [1,2-14C]EDB was given
      daily to male rats for 12 consecutive days and the animals were sacrificed at 24
      h following the last dose. Blood was withdrawn from inferior vena cava in
      heparinized tubes and plasma was separated, dialyzed against ice-cold 10 mM
      phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) and then subjected to size-exclusion high-performance
      liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC). A major radioactive peak eluted at an elution
      volume corresponding to 65,000 dalton molecular mass was found to be associated
      to albumin at a level of 0.14 nmol equivalent EDB/mg protein. For the in vitro
      covalent binding, human plasma or purified albumin was incubated with [1,2
      14C]EDB in the presence of phenobarbital-treated rat liver microsomes and NADPH
      generating system for 2 h at 37 degrees C. The 100,000 x g supernatant of the
      incubation mixture was dialyzed extensively and analyzed as described for the in
      vivo studies. Approximately 0.28 nmol equivalent EDB/mg protein was found to be
      associated to albumin (about 2-fold higher than the in vivo binding). Binding of
      14C-label to albumin under in vivo and in vitro conditions was further supported
      by the affinity chromatography of albumin fraction isolated by SE-HPLC. Reversed
      phase HPLC analysis of pronase digest of the albumin obtained from in vitro
      studies indicated formation of several amino acid adducts of EDB and/or its
      metabolites. Structure elucidation of such amino acid adducts will be helpful in
      developing a relatively non-invasive method of measuring the EDB exposure.

PMID- 1412508
TI  - Co-exposure to gasoline vapor decreases benzene metabolism in Fischer-344 rats.
AB  - The metabolic interactions of benzene and gasoline vapor were investigated in
      male Fischer-344 rats. A closed chamber gas-uptake exposure system was used to
      obtain inhalation uptake curves for benzene alone and benzene in the presence of
      gasoline vapor. Exposure to benzene as a component of gasoline vapor resulted in
      a decrease of benzene metabolism. A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model
      of benzene metabolism was used to quantitatively determine the extent of the
      inhibitory effect of gasoline vapor on benzene metabolism. This observed
      inhibitory effect cannot be accounted for by the presence of toluene in gasoline
      vapor.

PMID- 1412509
TI  - Inhibition of human hepatic glutathione S-transferase isozymes by ethacrynic acid
      and its metabolites.
AB  - The comparative inhibition of ethacrynic acid (EA) and its known metabolites
      against glutathione S-transferase (GST) was investigated using human livers
      procured from kidney donors. EA and all three metabolites of EA had an inhibitory
      effect against conjugation between 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) and
      glutathione (GSH). The GSH adduct of EA (EA-GSH) was the most potent inhibitor of
      GSTs; EA-GSH was approximately one order of magnitude more potent than the parent
      EA, while L-cysteine conjugate of EA (EA-cysteine) and N-acetyl-L-cysteine
      conjugate of EA (EA-mercapturate) were approximately two orders of magnitude less
      potent than the parent EA. Further metabolism of EA-GSH conjugate is suggested to
      be a detoxification process in terms of GST activities.

PMID- 1412510
TI  - In vitro hydrolysis of methyl acetate, a limitation in application of head-space
      gas-chromatography in biological monitoring of exposure.
AB  - Stoichiometric conversion of methyl acetate to methanol in vitro was detected
      when methyl acetate was incubated with blood for 2 to 8 h. The velocity of the
      reaction was so fast that almost all of methyl acetate disappeared in 8 h. The
      methanol formation was further confirmed by means of gas-chromatography-mass
      spectrometry. The capacity to hydrolyze methyl acetate was evenly distributed in
      cellular and noncellular fractions of blood, but not in urine. The significance
      of the observation is discussed in relation to biological monitoring of exposure
      to industrial ester solvents by means of head-space gas-chromatography of blood
      samples.

PMID- 1412511
TI  - Benzo[a]pyrene and nicotine impair epidermal growth factor mediated cellular
      functions of buccal mucosa.
AB  - This study investigated the effect of two major ingredients in cigarette smoke,
      benzo[a]pyrene (BP) and nicotine, on epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor
      binding and EGF-mediated cellular functions in rat buccal mucosa. Rat buccal
      tissue was incubated in DMEM in the absence (control) and presence of 10 microM
      BP or nicotine for 2.5 h at 25 degrees C. There were no significant differences
      in [125I]EGF binding to the buccal mucosal membranes between the control and
      treatment groups. Protein tyrosine kinase assay showed that EGF stimulated
      phosphorylation of a 170-kDa protein band in the controls, but not in the BP- and
      nicotine-treated samples. The basal [3H]thymidine incorporations were not
      significantly different between the groups. Nevertheless, addition of 5 nM EGF
      increased [3H]thymidine incorporation by 22% in the control, but not in the BP-
      or nicotine-treated group. The results demonstrate that BP and nicotine change
      the buccal mucosal functions associated with alteration of EGF receptor.

PMID- 1412512
TI  - Endocrine pancreas in the postnatal offspring of alloxan diabetic rats.
AB  - This study was conducted to investigate the morphological changes in the
      postnatal pancreatic islets in offspring of diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced
      in female Sprague Dawley rats by intravenous injection of alloxan (40 mg/kg).
      After 1 week, rats with blood sugar above 270 mg% were bred and watched until
      spontaneous delivery occurred. Litters in the following age groups were
      sacrificed by decapitation, 0, 8, 24, 72 and 168 h, and compared with their
      controls. Blood sugar levels were significantly higher in the neonates of
      diabetic mothers immediately after delivery compared to the control, then became
      normal after 8 h. Islets of the offspring of the diabetics at birth showed weak
      positive staining for insulin using immunocytochemical techniques. By 72 h some
      cells showed immunopositive staining similar to the control, while at 168 h all
      the beta (B) cells were stained normally. Beta cells of the islets from the
      diabetic series at birth were almost completely degranulated except for scattered
      granules toward the periphery. Their cytoplasm exhibited glycogen and lipid
      accumulations. Cells also showed signs of hyperfunction in the form of an
      extensive endoplasmic reticulum and well-developed Golgi complex with distended
      Golgi cisternae. At 8 h postnatally the population of pale secretory granules was
      markedly increased. The changes described at birth persisted at 24 h and, to a
      lesser extent, 72 h after delivery. At the age of 1 week, the beta cells appeared
      to be normal.

PMID- 1412513
TI  - Rates of ethyl acrylate binding to glutathione and protein.
AB  - Ethyl acrylate is a monomer used extensively in polymer manufacturing. Although
      ethyl acrylate is toxic at high concentrations, it is metabolized and detoxified
      rapidly at low concentrations. In the current studies, in vitro experiments have
      demonstrated that [14C]ethyl acrylate reacts with both glutathione (GSH) and
      protein to give either [14C]3-(glutathion-S-yl)ethylpropionate or covalently
      bound protein adducts, respectively. The second-order rate constant for
      [14C]ethyl acrylate conjugation with GSH was determined by quantification of
      [14C]3-(glutathion-S-yl)ethylpropionate using an HPLC system equipped with a flow
      through radioactive detector. The rate constant for conjugation was 32.8 M-1 min
      1. Additionally, the apparent second-order rate constants were determined for
      [14C]ethyl acrylate binding to the protein fraction of 14 whole tissue
      homogenates. Estimation of total protein binding sites was performed by reacting
      tissue homogenates with high concentrations of [14C]ethyl acrylate, while rates
      of binding were determined by reacting tissue homogenates with 200 microM
      [14C]ethyl acrylate at 37 degrees C for various periods of time. Apparent second
      order rate constants for ethyl acrylate binding to protein homogenates were
      similar to that observed for GSH reacting with ethyl acrylate. The role of GSH
      transferase in catalyzing 3-(glutathion-S-yl)ethylpropionate formation also was
      evaluated with whole tissue homogenates. In most tissues, the GSH-transferases
      poorly catalyzed the conjugation reaction. However, a significant increase in 3
      (glutathion-S-yl)ethylpropionate formation was observed with liver homogenate.

PMID- 1412514
TI  - Inhibition of acetaminophen hepatotoxicity by acetaldehyde in the rat.
AB  - Since we have observed that acetaldehyde, an oxidative metabolite of ethanol,
      inhibits acetaminophen activation in rat liver microsomes, the in vivo effect of
      acetaldehyde on acetaminophen hepatotoxicity was tested. In vivo experiments in 3
      methylcholanthrene-pretreated male Sprague-Dawley rats showed that administration
      of cyanamide (20 mg/kg, i.p.) and acetaldehyde (600 mg/kg, s.c.) given 3 and 1 h,
      respectively, prior to acetaminophen (500 mg/kg, i.p.) but not cyanamide alone
      prevented acetaminophen hepatotoxicity as assessed by serum transaminases and
      histology. Acetaldehyde may partly be responsible for the inhibitory effect of
      ethanol on acetaminophen hepatotoxicity.

PMID- 1412515
TI  - Mechanism of the increase in lipid peroxide induced by cisplatin in the kidneys
      of rats.
AB  - To clarify the mechanism where by cisplatin induces increases in lipid peroxide,
      we examined the effects of antioxidants on changes in the activity of lipid
      peroxidation protecting enzymes in the kidneys of rats after cisplatin
      administration. alpha-Tocopherol and glutathione (GSH) significantly depressed
      lipid peroxidation in the kidneys of cisplatin-treated rats on the 4th day after
      cisplatin administration, and GSH depressed the increases in blood urea nitrogen
      levels induced by cisplatin. Thus, GSH appeared to reduce cisplatin-induced
      nephrotoxicity. However, alpha-tocopherol and GSH had no effect on the
      significant decrease in the activity of lipid peroxidation protecting enzymes
      induced in the kidney after cisplatin treatment. These results showed that lipid
      peroxide produced by cisplatin had no effect on these enzymes, suggesting that
      the increases of lipid peroxide were a result of the cisplatin-induced reduction
      in the activity of these enzymes.

PMID- 1412516
TI  - Endrin-induced production of nitric oxide by rat peritoneal macrophages.
AB  - The effect of oral endrin administration to rats on the production of nitric
      oxide (NO) by peritoneal macrophages was investigated. Nitric oxide formation was
      measured as nitrite. Endrin (4.5 mg/kg) enhanced the secretion of NO by approx.
      300%. The effect of endrin on NO formation was both dose- and time-dependent.
      Ellagic acid, which has been shown to be a potent antioxidant, inhibited the
      elevation of NO production induced by endrin. These results suggest that the
      toxicity of endrin may at least in part be due to the production of an oxidative
      stress.

PMID- 1412517
TI  - Wy-14,643 stimulates hepatic protein kinase C activity.
AB  - The mechanism by which hypolipidemic drugs and industrial plasticizers cause
      hepatic tumors in rodents remains unknown. Protein kinase C is elevated during
      hepatic cell turnover, and sustained cellular replication has been shown to
      correlate with an increase in hepatic tumors. Therefore, the effect of [4-chloro
      6-(2,3-xylidino)-2-pyrimidinylthio]acetic acid (Wy-14,643) on protein kinase C
      activity was examined. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were given 100 mg/kg Wy-14,643
      in olive oil (i.g.), while control rats received equal volumes of oil vehicle.
      After 24 h, the activity of protein kinase C was estimated in isolated hepatic
      fractions by measuring the binding of 3H-phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate, a specific
      ligand for protein kinase C. Administration of Wy-14,643 significantly increased
      protein kinase C activity nearly 2-fold in microsomal fractions. Thus, it is
      possible that Wy-14,643 increases cell proliferation and causes tumors by
      mechanisms involving protein kinase C.

PMID- 1412518
TI  - Effects of metyrapone and L-tryptophan administration on eosinophils in
      peripheral blood of mouse.

PMID- 1412519
TI  - Criterion of reliability as the function of variability and significance of
      biological parameters.
AB  - A differentiated approach to the choice of criterion of reliability in
      toxicological studies is recommended. This approach is based on quantitative
      assessment of variability of biological parameters using the variation
      coefficient. All biological parameters are classified into rigid, flexible and
      high-flexible ones. The establishment of the biological significance of various
      parameters and assessment of the degree of their deviation allows the detection
      of prepathological changes in the body state, this being of importance for a more
      accurate LOAEL and NOAEL determination.

PMID- 1412520
TI  - Protective effect of copper against cadmium cytotoxicity on cultured vascular
      endothelial cells.
AB  - We investigated the effect of copper on cadmium-induced cytotoxicity on vascular
      endothelial cells from bovine aorta in a culture system. Cytotoxicity was
      evaluated by the [3H]adenine release assay and the histological observation.
      After a 24-h incubation, cadmium exhibited a significant cytotoxicity on
      confluent cultures of endothelial cells in a dose-dependent manner, while copper
      only slightly did after a 24-h incubation. It was found that copper (5 microM)
      significantly decreased cadmium (1 and 2 microM) cytotoxicity; histologically,
      formation of de-endothelialized areas in the cell layer caused by cadmium was
      reduced by copper. The accumulation of cadmium in the cell layer was
      significantly decreased by copper; however, that of copper was unaffected by
      cadmium. It was therefore suggested that copper significantly protects cadmium
      induced cytotoxicity on cultured endothelial cells primarily through decreasing
      the cellular cadmium accumulation.

PMID- 1412522
TI  - Detection of sulphur-conjugated pyrrolic metabolites in blood and fresh or fixed
      liver tissue from rats given a variety of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids.
AB  - Rats were given single injections of hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids and
      killed after 30 h. Sulphur-bound pyrrolic metabolites from the alkaloids in
      samples of their blood or liver tissue were converted to extractable ethyl ethers
      of low molecular weight for detection and identification using TLC, HPLC or GC
      MS. Liver samples were also preserved as an acetone-washed powder or in formalin
      based fixative before being later subjected to similar analyses. S-Bound pyrrolic
      metabolites were identified in samples from rats given all the types of alkaloid
      tested, which included mono-esters (heliotrine, indicine), a diester
      (lasiocarpine), and macrocyclic diesters (retrorsine, senecionine). The pattern
      of pyrrolic metabolites from the crotanecine-based alkaloid anacrotine differed
      and could be distinguished from retronecine- or heliotridine-based alkaloids.
      Whereas the alkaloids tested ranged widely in toxicity, single doses of 0.25 x
      acute LD50 or more led to detectable metabolites. Liver pyrroles remained
      detectable in fixed or powdered samples preserved for long periods. Similar tests
      on rats given monocrotaline continuously in their drinking water (20 mg/l) led to
      detectable pyrroles in blood after 12 days (total intake approx. 27 mg/kg) and in
      liver after 25 days. The metabolites remained detectable in rats killed 17 days
      after the alkaloid exposure was discontinued. The simple procedures described are
      applicable to the diagnosis of pyrrolizidine alkaloid exposure in livestock,
      using fresh or dried blood or fresh or preserved liver samples. They bring to
      pyrrolizidine toxicology for the first time the capability to demonstrate
      chemically that livestock (or people) have been exposed to these alkaloids many
      days or weeks previously.

PMID- 1412521
TI  - Mutagenicity of nitroxyl compounds: structure-activity relationships.
AB  - Three piperidinoxyl radicals were found to be directly mutagenic in Salmonella
      typhimurium TA 100, one pyrrolidinoxyl compound had weaker activity, and two
      other pyrrolidinoxyl derivatives did not produce an increase of the spontaneous
      revertants. The tester strain TA 100 was selected in preliminary tests for its
      higher sensitivity compared to TA 98 and TA 102. The mutagenic activity of the
      three active compounds was abolished by partial reduction with ascorbic acid,
      suggesting that the mutagenicity was linked to the free radical nature of these
      compounds, and reduced in the presence of a cofactor supplemented rat liver
      subcellular fraction. The mutagenicity of the tested compounds was correlated to
      the resistance of the nitroxyl spin labels to reduction: the more reactive
      radicals were found to possess higher mutagenic activity.

PMID- 1412524
TI  - Pentamidine isethionate is negative in tests for microbial mutagenicity and
      chromosomal breakage in vitro.
AB  - Pentamidine isethionate, a drug used for the treatment of Pneumocystis carinii
      pneumonia in AIDS patients, was assayed for mutagenicity in five strains of
      Salmonella typhimurium and for clastogenicity and mutagen-induced chromosomal
      breakage in five human lymphoblastoid cell lines. The mutagenicity assay employed
      both repair-deficient and repair-positive strains without and with the addition
      of rat liver S-9. There was no indication of a mutagenic response in any of the
      strains of Salmonella. Chromosomal breakage was measured in lymphoblastoid cell
      lines, both in the absence and presence of bleomycin. Following 2, 5 and 24 h of
      treatment, pentamidine alone did not induce clastogenicity, nor was there an
      increase in chromosomal breakage when the cell lines were treated with bleomycin
      simultaneously with, or 22 h prior to, the addition of pentamidine. From these
      data it can be concluded that pentamidine is not mutagenic or clastogenic in the
      two assays employed in this study.

PMID- 1412523
TI  - Sex differences in the bioavailability of soil-adsorbed m-xylene in orally
      exposed rats.
AB  - The bioavailability of soil-adsorbed m-xylene was assessed in male and female
      rats gavaged with an aqueous suspension of 14C-m-xylene alone or adsorbed to
      sandy or clay soil. Sex-related differences were observed in the rate and the
      amount of m-xylene-derived radioactivity absorbed and excreted in the presence of
      the soils. A higher peak plasma concentration of radioactivity was observed in
      females following treatment with sandy soil-adsorbed m-xylene. Further, sandy and
      clay soil-adsorbed chemicals demonstrated significantly longer absorption half
      lives (t1/2), while sandy soil produced a shorter elimination t1/2 vs. m-xylene
      alone in female rats. Increased bioavailability of sandy soil-adsorbed m-xylene
      in females was evidenced by a significantly increased area under the plasma
      concentration time curve (AUC). Neither of the soils altered the maximum plasma
      concentration, the rate at which xylene-derived radioactivity was absorbed or
      eliminated, or the AUC in male rats. Fat contained the highest tissue
      concentration of xylene-derived radioactivity in all treatment groups of both
      sexes. Further, in all male and female treatment groups m-xylene was primarily
      metabolized and excreted in urine with methyl hippuric acid identified as the
      main urinary metabolite. Sandy soil slightly delayed urinary excretion in females
      while both soils increased expired air excretion in males compared to m-xylene
      alone. Methylhippuric acid was the main urinary metabolite in all groups.

PMID- 1412525
TI  - Kinetics of aluminum in rats. IV: Blood and cerebrospinal fluid kinetics.
AB  - Aluminum causes central nervous system (CNS) toxicities in both humans and
      various animal species. Although blood aluminum concentrations are monitored in
      the clinic, very little is known regarding the relationship between such
      concentrations and corresponding CNS aluminum content. As a first step in that
      direction, this study was undertaken to simultaneously determine blood and CSF
      kinetics of this element. Following intravenous injection of aluminum (1 mg/kg),
      there was a rapid (within 30 min, post injection) increase in CSF aluminum; peak
      concentrations (38-45 ng/ml) were achieved between 2-3 h. While peak blood
      aluminum concentrations increased about 58-fold from the pre-dose value (from 256
      +/- 120 to 14,730 +/- 388 ng/ml), corresponding increases in CSF aluminum were
      only about 20-fold. Blood and CSF aluminum concentrations declined
      monoexponentially with half-lives of 2.77 and 3.45 h, respectively (P < 0.05).
      Results from these showed that blood and CSF compartments achieve equilibrium and
      indicated the feasibility of determining brain aluminum content using blood
      concentrations.

PMID- 1412526
TI  - Stability of allylthiocyanate and allylisothiocyanate in bovine ruminal fluid.
AB  - The rate of allylisothiocyanate (AITC) disappearance in bovine rumen fluid in
      vitro was 50-fold greater than the rate for allylthiocyanate (ATC). The results
      indicate that unlike AITC, ATC is more likely to be absorbed from the
      forestomachs and possible transferred to milk.

PMID- 1412527
TI  - Glutathione and tissue amino acid responses to light-exposed parenteral
      nutrients.
AB  - Effects of infusion of light-exposed (+L) or light-protected (-L) total
      parenteral nutrition solutions were investigated in rats. The parenteral
      infusions were carried out for 7 days through jugular cannulas in freely moving
      rats in metabolic cages. Plasma tyrosine and citrulline, hepatic methionine,
      valine, isoleucine, leucine and tyrosine, and biliary cystathionine were
      significantly greater in the -L than +L rats, whereas biliary arginine was
      significantly lower in the -L compared to +L rats. Bile flow, biliary inorganic
      phosphate and glucose were significantly lower, whereas biliary total glutathione
      (GSH+GSSG) was significantly greater in the -L compared to +L animals. These data
      suggest adverse effects on hepatobiliary function due to light exposure of
      parenteral nutrients. The endogenous markers used suggest that tight junction
      permeability, bile acid-independent flow, glutathione and amino acid homeostasis
      are altered by light exposure and that these changes can be minimized by light
      protection. The mechanisms involved in the induction of these changes need to be
      elucidated. The role of light exposure of parenteral nutrients during routine
      clinical use in the induction of hepatic dysfunction, a common metabolic
      complication of parenteral nutrition, needs to be considered.

PMID- 1412528
TI  - Dietary restriction decreases thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances generation
      in the small intestine and in the liver of young rats.
AB  - This study investigated the influence of dietary restriction on thiobarbituric
      acid-reactive substances (TBARS) contents and on the intracellular antioxidant
      defence system in the small intestine or liver of young rats. Four weeks of diet
      restriction (-40%) lowered the TBARS level in both organs. No variations were
      found for the superoxide dismutase and catalase activities; only liver seleno
      dependent glutathione peroxidase was enhanced by the restriction. The protection
      appeared more marked in the intestine than in the liver, and would be dependent
      on glutathione concentration.

PMID- 1412529
TI  - Clinical expression of organophosphate-induced delayed polyneuropathy in rats.
AB  - Single doses of certain organophosphates (OP), such as dibutyl-2,2-dichlorovinyl
      phosphate (DBDCVP) cause organophosphate-induced delayed polyneuropathy (OPIDP)
      in hens. Clinical effects correlate with inhibition of neuropathy target esterase
      (NTE) which is considered the target for this toxicity. Pre-treatment with non
      neuropathic NTE inhibitors, such as phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (PMSF),
      protects from OPIDP. However, when given after OPs, these compounds promote
      OPIDP. Chicks are relatively resistant to OPIDP despite high NTE inhibition. It
      has also always been reported that rats represent a species which is resistant to
      OPIDP and that they might develop morphological but not clinical signs of OPIDP.
      We report here that clinical OPIDP can be produced in 3.5- and 6-month-old rats
      by DBDCVP (5 mg/kg s.c.) and that it correlates with high (> 90%) NTE inhibition.
      When PMSF (120 mg/kg s.c. x 2) was given after DBDCVP, OPIDP was promoted.
      Pretreatment with PMSF protected from OPIDP. We conclude that resistance to OPIDP
      in the rat is age-related, as it is in the hen.

PMID- 1412530
TI  - [The morphological changes in the periodontal tissues of outbred white rats
      during ontogeny].
AB  - Morphologic studies, carried out by three methods, by van Gieson's, Schmorl's
      methods, and with the use of 0.1% solution of safranin T, have revealed
      heretofore unknown structures lying beyond the tooth rudiment of white noninbred
      rats and disappearing in the course of ontogenesis. The mechanism of the
      formation of autonomic circulation of the dental follicle, unrelated to the
      animal body, has been shown. Dental follicular tissues were found grown together
      with the gingival epithelium and they ruptured during tooth eruption.

PMID- 1412531
TI  - [The effect of different vacuum therapy regimens on protein and mineral
      metabolism in periodontal tissues].
AB  - Radionuclide label was used to study the effects of various vacuum therapy
      schemes on the protein and mineral metabolism in periodontal tissues. Vacuum
      therapy was found to normalize Ca, P, and protein metabolism in spontaneous
      atrophy of the alveolar processes in white rats. Focal dosed vacuum was found the
      most effective. These data will be used to develop a complex of measures to
      prevent atrophies of the maxillary alveolar processes.

PMID- 1412532
TI  - [Alkaline and acid phosphatase activity in the dynamics of ectopic osteogenesis].
AB  - Activities of marker enzymes of osteoblasts (alkaline phosphatase), osteoclasts
      (tartrate-resistant isoform of acid phosphatase), and macrophages (tartrate
      sensitive isoform of acid phosphatase) in bone tissue forming after
      osteoinduction on the basis of demineralized bone matrix were under study. Early
      (1 week) stages of osteosynthesis were characterized by low activity of alkaline
      phosphatase, acid phosphatase being represented by the tartrate-sensitive
      isoform. Two-three weeks later alkaline phosphatase activity grew and the
      tartrate-resistant isoform of acid phosphatase appeared. By the fourth-sixth
      weeks of osteogenesis alkaline phosphatase activity stabilized at a certain level
      and acid phosphatase activity still grew at the expense of the tartrate-resistant
      isoform. Conformity of the enzymologic data to changes in cellular populations in
      ectopic osteogenesis is discussed.

PMID- 1412533
TI  - [An experimental study of the effect of biopolymers on the course of an
      inflammatory process in the oral mucosa].

PMID- 1412534
TI  - [Lipid peroxidation and the status of the basal membrane of the acinar cells in
      the minor salivary glands of patients with Sjogren's syndrome].
AB  - Lipid peroxidation parameters were assessed from the levels of malonic
      dialdehyde, antioxidant activity from the blood and salivary total antioxidant
      activity, biopsy specimens of the minor salivary glands were examined by electron
      microscopy in 34 patients with Sjogren's disease. Both blood and salivary levels
      of malonic dialdehyde were found increased whereas total antioxidant activity
      lowered in these patients; destructive changes were detected in the acinar cells
      basal membranes. The authors suggest that spontaneous (because of insufficiency
      of antioxidant enzymic systems) lipid peroxidation reactions are responsible for
      these changes.

PMID- 1412535
TI  - [Mineral metabolism in orthotopic allografts preserved by different methods after
      their transplantation to a defect in the mandible].

PMID- 1412536
TI  - [A method for assessing the efficacy of means for interdental space hygiene].
AB  - A method for assessment of the efficacy of various means for maintenance of
      interdental space hygiene is suggested, based on measurement of the activity of
      acid producing oral microflora expressed through local pH-metry values. Three
      types of dental threads were under study.

PMID- 1412537
TI  - [Changes in the electric conductivity of the dentin during caries treatment].
AB  - Dentin permeability at the bottom of carious cavities of 124 teeth was studied by
      electrometry. Dentin permeability was found to be higher in deep caries than in
      moderate-severe and higher in the teeth that had not been treated before than in
      those filled. Treatment of the cavities with potassium oxalate before filling
      helped rapidly and effectively lower the dentin permeability in order to prevent
      involvement of the pulp.

PMID- 1412538
TI  - [The ATPase content of the blood neutrophils and lymphocytes in patients with
      chronic periodontitis].
AB  - Chronic periodontitis is associated with reduced immunologic reactivity of the
      body, that may present as disturbed status of the lymphocytes and neutrophils due
      to reduced activity of adenosine triphosphatases. Drug therapy of periodontitis,
      physiotherapy, oral hygiene, sodium chloride reducing diets are conductive to
      improvement of the clinical status of the periodontium and to recovery of ATPase
      activities.

PMID- 1412539
TI  - [The results of the hirudotherapy of patients with paresthesia of the oral
      mucosa].
AB  - Presents the immediate and late (a follow-up of up to 3 years) results of the
      treatment of 30 patients with oral mucosa paresthesia by the method of
      hirudotherapy. Discusses the factors influencing the treatment efficacy and
      leading to recurrences of the disease.

PMID- 1412540
TI  - [The use of hyperbaric oxygenation and helium-neon laser radiation in the
      combined treatment of patients with odontogenic phlegmons of the face and neck].

PMID- 1412541
TI  - [The role of the genotype in the development of suppurative inflammatory
      complications in trauma to the facial bones].
AB  - The distribution of the genetic markers of leukocytes (HLA I and II), serum
      proteins (allotypes Gm, transferrin, haptoglobin, group-specific component), red
      cell enzymes (acid phosphatase--AP, phosphoglucomutase--PGM, esterase D,
      adenosine deaminase) was found to be universal in patients suffering from various
      pyoinflammatory diseases. The incidence of HLA A10, Cw4, DR5 antigens, IgG
      allotype G1m (2) and phenotype G1m (+1+2) and AP (aa) and PGM (2-2) phenotypes
      was found increased in patients with maxillofacial suppuration and
      pyoinflammatory complications of maxillofacial injuries as against normal
      subjects and patients with maxillofacial injuries without such complications.
      Traumatic osteomyelitis much more often develops in the carriers of the before
      genetic markers than in those in whom these markers are absent (61.6 and 20.4%,
      respectively).

PMID- 1412542
TI  - [The reasons for the overdiagnosis of odontogenic infection due to Staphylococcus
      and a complex bacteriological approach to detecting an association of causative
      agents].

PMID- 1412543
TI  - [The medical procedure when a tooth is present in the line of a mandibular
      fracture].

PMID- 1412544
TI  - [Disorders of immunity, nonspecific resistance and hemostasis in patients with
      mandibular fractures who abuse alcohol].

PMID- 1412545
TI  - [The clinico-morphological characteristics of the regional blood circulation of
      the parotid glands in patients with chronic parenchymatous parotitis].
AB  - Regional circulation in the parotid glands was studied in 34 patients with
      chronic parenchymatous parotitis (CPP) with the use of clinical (rheography and
      coagulography) and morphologic methods. A relationship has been revealed between
      regional circulation changes and the inflammation severity, CPP stage, type of
      concomitant diseases.

PMID- 1412546
TI  - [The potentials of a cytological method for studying the lymph nodes in the
      neck].
AB  - Diagnostic potentialities of the cytologic method for the detection of local
      metastases on the neck were under study. Three groups of lymph nodes,
      characterized by different clinical manifestations, were distinguished:
      nonmetastatic nodes, nodes suspected for metastases, and nodes clinically
      identified as metastatic. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the
      cytologic method for all these three groups have made up 87.6, 86, and 93.5%,
      respectively. Diagnostic errors occurred in only 6.5% of cases. In 20 patients
      (7.2%) the cytologic findings helped correct the previous erroneous clinical
      diagnosis.

PMID- 1412547
TI  - [An evaluation of the body's immune response under the influence of cryosurgery
      on cancer of the lower lip].

PMID- 1412549
TI  - [The development of a subsystem for the automated input and analysis of clinico
      diagnostic information in oral surgery clinic].

PMID- 1412548
TI  - [The characteristics of the removal of fatty masses from the submandibular and
      the parotid-masticatory areas in benign symmetrical lipomatosis (Madelung's
      disease)].

PMID- 1412550
TI  - [Enzyme immobilization on the dental enamel and its probable role in the
      physiology and pathology of the oral cavity].
AB  - Immobilized alkaline phosphatase was detected on the dental enamel surface of man
      by histochemical analysis for the first time. A heretofore unknown mechanism of
      the regulation of metabolic processes on the enamel-saliva border is discussed.
      Experimental findings confirm that irreversible absorption represent the
      immobilization mechanism. A new mechanism of enamel remineralization is
      suggested: that due to phosphatase-active proteins.

PMID- 1412551
TI  - [The determination of the area and closeness of the fit of the dental arches].
AB  - A device and method for estimation of the area and tightness of the dentition
      contact are described, based on the photoelectric effect. Characteristics of the
      material used to obtain the occlusion impression are presented.

PMID- 1412552
TI  - [A comparative evaluation of fixed dentures with metal ceramic and titanium
      nitride coatings].
AB  - The authors emphasize that cermet and metal plastic dentures should be widely
      used in practical orthodontics. They suggest new approaches to the selection of
      indications for the tooth preparation to cast dentures in view of the necessity
      of coating these dentures. The shortcomings of dentures with titanium nitride
      coating are disclosed.

PMID- 1412553
TI  - [The compatibility of dentures made from precious metals and from corrosion
      resistant steels with nitride coatings].
AB  - Measurements of electrode potentials of individual half-cells and galvanic
      currents between dentures made of gold, silver-palladium alloys, and stainless
      steel with titanium nitride coating, carried out in conditions of mechanic
      activation, have revealed that these parameters did not surpass the values
      characteristic of homogeneous elements. Therefore the aforesaid alloys are fairly
      well compatible in the oral cavity and may be combined in denture making.

PMID- 1412554
TI  - [The dynamics of the basic autonomic body functions of patients during a
      consultation with the orthodontist].
AB  - Vegetotropic effects of several psychotropic drugs were studied, based on the
      time course of vegetative symptoms. Computer-based automated diagnostic complex,
      developed by the author, was used in the study. A total of 261 patients aged 17
      to 61, afraid of stomatologic manipulations, were examined. Psychotropic drugs
      normalized the principal vegetative functions of the body. This fact confirms not
      only the psychotropic, but the vegetotropic effect of these drugs.

PMID- 1412555
TI  - [The dynamic indices of dental caries in first-graders in Donetsk Province over
      the last 25 years].

PMID- 1412556
TI  - [A chewing gum with mineral additives].
AB  - Finely dispersed hen egg shell was added to a new chewing gum as a mineral
      component. The studies carried out in 28 schoolchildren have shown that 15 min
      chewing of this gum results in a marked elevation of salivary Ca levels and in
      improvement of the hygienic status of the oral cavity. This fact recommends this
      chewing gum as an additional means for care of the oral cavity for both hygienic
      purposes and for improving the mineralizing potential of the saliva.

PMID- 1412558
TI  - [The comparative characteristics of the parameters of the temporomandibular joint
      and skull in children with bite anomalies].
AB  - The authors compare the mean values of 5 parameters of the temporomandibular
      joint and 19 skull parameters, analyzing 155 tomograms of the joint and 246
      teleroentgenograms of the head of children with sagittal and vertical occlusion
      abnormalities during change of teeth and in permanent occlusion. This comparison
      has revealed a relationship between the parameters of the temporomandibular joint
      and the skull. The correlations were the most marked between the height of the
      mandibular head, height of the mandibular fossa, on the one hand, and
      anterosuperior and total posterior heights of the face, length of mandibular body
      and height of its branch, on the other hand. The longitudinal size of the
      mandibular head corresponded to the longitudinal size of the base of the skull,
      maxilla, and the angle of the skull base inclination. Complete harmony between
      the longitudinal and vertical sizes of the skull is observed after change of
      teeth.

PMID- 1412557
TI  - [The clinico-experimental validation of the use of low-intensity laser radiation
      for the treatment of exacerbated recurrent herpetic stomatitis in children].
AB  - Experimental data are presented, validating the use of low-intensity laser
      irradiation at a wave length of 633 nm for the treatment of chronic recurrent
      herpetic stomatitis. Clinical trials were carried out in 167 children. Laser
      exposure with the optimal stimulating parameters was found to be an effective
      means for the treatment of children suffering from this condition.

PMID- 1412559
TI  - [AN experimental study of the action of industrial aerosols and toxic gases on
      dental status].
AB  - Experiments with white rats have demonstrated that exposure to adverse factors of
      industrial environment (aerosols and gases) results in increased incidence of
      caries (by 30-40%) and in a more grave course of the carious process. These
      changes course along with disorders of the metabolic processes, of the blood and
      salivary enzymatic systems first of all.

PMID- 1412560
TI  - [Endoscopy of the antrum of Highmore as a means for choosing the method in
      treating odontogenic maxillary sinusitis].

PMID- 1412561
TI  - [Drug therapy in periodontology: from stereotypes and empiricism to reality].

PMID- 1412562
TI  - [A collar-shaped splint in plastic operations on the neck].

PMID- 1412563
TI  - [The optimized teaching of an integrated course of radiodiagnosis in a dentistry
      department].

PMID- 1412564
TI  - [The achievements and problems of delivering dental care to the elderly in the
      USA (a review of the literature)].

PMID- 1412565
TI  - [The mechanisms of the adaptation of the neuromuscular apparatus to removable
      dentures (a review)].

PMID- 1412566
TI  - [Clinical and technical measures to improve the fit of whole-cast fixed dentures
      to the denture bed].
AB  - Basing on the literature data and their clinical experience, the authors analyze
      the following factors influencing the union of whole-cast permanent dentures and
      denture bed: shape of the prepared tooth, use of various types of benches,
      presence of free space for cement, compensation for the alloy shrinkage,
      simplification of placing the dentures by perforating the crowns, use of
      vibration, lesser volumes of cement put into the crown, and various methods of
      transferring the masticatory pressure to the denture over the course of denture
      fixation. Practical significance of these factors is estimated.

PMID- 1412567
TI  - Studies on anabolic steroids. 9. Tertiary sulfates of anabolic 17 alpha-methyl
      steroids: synthesis and rearrangement.
AB  - A simple and convenient method has been developed to prepare sulfates of anabolic
      17 beta-hydroxy-17 alpha-methyl steroids. The sulfates of methandienone, 17 alpha
      methyltestosterone, mestanolone, oxandrolone, and stanozolol were prepared.
      Different A-ring functions were not affected under the sulfation condition. The
      buffered hydrolyses of these sulfates provided the 17-epimers of the original
      steroids and 17,17-dimethyl-18-nor-13(14)-ene steroids, presumably via the 17
      carbocations.

PMID- 1412569
TI  - Stereochemical aspects in the enantioselective synthesis of cortisone by the
      indan synthon method.

PMID- 1412568
TI  - Androgen metabolism assessment by routine gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
      profiling of plasma steroids: Part 1, Unconjugated steroids.
AB  - Using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry we have developed a method for the
      simultaneous determination of six plasma steroids: testosterone, 4
      androstenedione, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta
      diol, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone. For each analyte,
      a deuterium-labeled internal standard was used for quantification. Due to the
      high isotopic purity of our standards, no complex corrections for isotope
      contributions were necessary. The procedure provides a sensitive and specific
      technique with good accuracy and precision.

PMID- 1412570
TI  - Hepatic metabolism of 3-oxoandrost-4-ene-17 beta-carboxylic acid in the adult
      rat: formation of carboxyl-linked glucuronides both in vivo and in vitro.
AB  - The hepatic metabolism of 3-oxoandrost-4-ene-17 beta-carboxylic acid (etienic
      acid), a probable acidic catabolite of deoxycorticosterone, was investigated
      using rats prepared with an external biliary fistula. Metabolic products were
      identified by GC-MS after hydrolysis with beta-glucuronidase and by proton
      nuclear magnetic resonance after chromatographic purification of protected
      glucuronides. About 80% of the injected dose was secreted into bile in 20 hours.
      Three fully reduced etianic acids (3 alpha-hydroxy-5 alpha-, 3 beta-hydroxy-5
      alpha-, 3 alpha-hydroxy-5 beta-androstan-17 beta-carboxylic acids) were
      identified as were several of their di- and trihydroxylated congeners.
      Glucuronides of these reduced and/or hydroxylated metabolites constituted over
      half of the recovered dose, with carboxyl-linked glucuronides predominating over
      3-hydroxyl-linked glucuronides. The mode of glucuronidation correlated well with
      the ability of liver microsomes to form the corresponding compounds in vitro from
      the set of four 3,5-diastereomeric etianic acids.

PMID- 1412571
TI  - Influence of glucocorticoid on the metabolism of aldosterone in the isolated
      perfused rat liver and kidney.
AB  - The effect of glucocorticoid deficiency and excess on the extraadrenal metabolism
      of D-[4-14C]aldosterone (at 4 nM) was studied by radioimmunoassay and by high
      performance liquid chromatography in the isolated perfused liver and kidney of
      adult Wistar rats. Bilateral adrenalectomy was performed 3 weeks before
      experiments. In nonadrenalectomized rats, 0.3 mg/kg/day dexamethasone was
      continuously infused subcutaneously for 1 week before experiments. Adrenalectomy
      did not affect hepatic or renal metabolism of aldosterone. Dexamethasone
      treatment did not change the renal handling of aldosterone. However, the hepatic
      clearance of aldosterone was 19% lower (P less than 0.05) in livers of
      dexamethasone treated rats than in livers of normal rats. After 5 minutes,
      perfusate [4-14C]aldosterone metabolites were lower in livers of dexamethasone
      treated than in livers of normal rats (P less than 0.05). Similar perfusate
      levels were then obtained. Radiometabolite peaks with similar relative retention
      times were found in the hepatic perfusate of all groups. However, the ratio
      between circulating polar metabolites of aldosterone and the metabolites less
      polar than tetrahydroaldosterone, after 5 and 15 minutes, was highest in livers
      of dexamethasone-treated rats. Biliary elimination of 14C was similar in all
      groups. Significant amounts of conjugated tetrahydroaldosterone were only
      excreted in the bile of dexamethasone-treated rats. In conclusion, glucocorticoid
      excess reduced the hepatic clearance of aldosterone and changed the pattern of
      the hepatic metabolites of aldosterone both in circulation and in bile.

PMID- 1412572
TI  - Two new 9,11-secosterols from the marine sponge Spongia officinalis. Synthesis of
      9,11-seco-3 beta,6 alpha,11-trihydroxy-5 alpha-cholest-7-en-9-one.
AB  - Two new 9,11-secosterol, 9,11-seco-3 beta,6 alpha,11-trihydroxy-5 alpha-cholest-7
      en-9-one (2) and 9,11-seco-3 beta,6 alpha,11-trihydroxy-24- methylene-5 alpha
      cholest-7-en-9-one (3), have been isolated from the marine sponge Spongia
      officinalis and their structures elucidated by analysis of spectral data
      including 1H nuclear magnetic resonance correlation spectroscopy (COSY)
      experiments. Partial synthesis of 2 starting from 3 beta,6 alpha-dihydroxy-9-oxo
      9,11-seco-5 alpha-cholest-7-en-11- al (1) confirmed the structure assignment.

PMID- 1412573
TI  - Low-dose aspirin and stroke. "It ain't necessarily so".

PMID- 1412574
TI  - Effects of low-to-high doses of aspirin on platelet aggregability and metabolites
      of thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of
      low-to-high doses of aspirin on platelet aggregability determined by different
      methods and on the metabolism of thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin. METHODS: We
      administered increasing doses (40, 320, and 1,280 mg/day) of aspirin to 19
      poststroke patients and studied the differences in 1) the changes in platelet
      aggregability depending on the methods of evaluation and 2) the concentrations of
      prostaglandin metabolites in the blood and urine. RESULTS: Aggregation of
      platelet-rich plasma induced by a strong stimulus (10 microM ADP) was
      significantly reduced after 40 mg/day aspirin (p less than 0.005), and this
      reduction was similar to that after higher aspirin doses. In contrast,
      aggregation of platelet-rich plasma induced by weaker stimuli (1 and 5 microM
      ADP) decreased less significantly after 40 mg/day aspirin compared with that
      after higher aspirin doses. The serum thromboxane B2 generated after ex vivo
      incubation was reduced significantly (by 85%) after 40 mg/day aspirin and
      decreased further after 320 mg/day (by 96%) and 1,280 mg/day (by greater than
      99%) of aspirin. The urinary 11-dehydro-thromboxane B2 concentration decreased
      less significantly after 40 mg/day aspirin (by 42%) compared with that after 320
      mg/day (by 78%) and 1,280 mg/day (by 91%) aspirin doses. The urinary
      concentration of 2,3-dinor-6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha did not decrease after
      40 mg/day aspirin but decreased significantly after higher doses of aspirin.
      CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that different doses of aspirin may be
      necessary to prevent thrombogenesis induced by different triggers of different
      strengths and that 40 mg/day aspirin is able to inhibit a large proportion of
      maximum thromboxane A2 release provoked acutely, with the prostaglandin I2
      synthesis being little affected; however, higher doses of aspirin are required to
      attain further inhibition.

PMID- 1412575
TI  - Hematogenous factors and prediction of delayed ischemic deficit after
      subarachnoid hemorrhage.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Delayed ischemic deficits contribute to the high
      morbidity and mortality rates associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage. We
      evaluated the potential usefulness of measuring coagulation and hemorheological
      variables and cardiolipin antibodies for prediction of delayed ischemic deficit
      after subarachnoid hemorrhage. METHODS: Consecutive patients with subarachnoid
      hemorrhage were studied. Coagulation and hemorheological variables and
      cardiolipin antibodies were measured on admission, within 7 days of subarachnoid
      hemorrhage. A subset of patients was studied on admission and at two subsequent
      occasions. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients were studied. Sixty-one of these were
      without clinical manifestations of vasospasm at admission, and 16 developed
      delayed ischemic deficit during their hospitalization. None of the laboratory
      variables measured were significantly different between patients with or without
      later development of delayed ischemic deficit. Elevation of the fibrin fragment D
      dimer was found in the group of eight patients admitted with ischemic symptoms
      and in 49% (34 of 69) of all patients, but this was not associated with delayed
      ischemic deficit. Sixteen patients were studied on three occasions; this group
      showed a significant decrease in hematocrit, an increased white blood cell count,
      and no change in fibrinogen concentration. Fibrin D-dimer levels rose
      significantly after surgery (from 5.01 +/- 0.69 to 5.53 +/- 0.58 ln-ng/ml, p less
      than 0.025) and after onset of delayed ischemic deficit (from 4.71 +/- 0.64 to
      5.84 +/- 0.34 ln-ng/ml, p less than 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Hemostatic measurements,
      hemorheological variables, and cardiolipin immunoreactivity did not predict
      delayed ischemic deficit in this population.

PMID- 1412576
TI  - Stroke incidence rates were unchanged, while fatality rates declined, during 1971
      1987 in Goteborg, Sweden.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Stroke risk factors have been shown to change with time
      in several places; simultaneously, stroke incidence rates have increased in some
      and decreased in other places. In Goteborg, Sweden, cardiovascular
      epidemiological research has included stroke registration since 1971. From these
      data on stroke, incidence and fatality rates from a 17-year period are given.
      METHODS: During the period 1971-1987 all cases of stroke occurring in people aged
      15-65 years in the city of Goteborg were uniformly recorded, with an estimated
      case detection rate of 90% or more. RESULTS: Age-adjusted incidence rates of
      first-ever stroke by sex did not change during the period. Age-specific rates and
      rates for individual types of stroke (subarachnoid hemorrhage, intracerebral
      hemorrhage, and cerebral infarction-unspecified stroke combined) were also
      largely unchanged. A slight increase in the incidence rate of intracerebral
      hemorrhage may be due to better detection after computed tomography came into use
      in 1976. Stroke fatality rates declined through the whole period in both sexes
      and all age groups, markedly so for intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid
      hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: This conforms with vital statistics for Goteborg and for
      Sweden of declining stroke mortality during the period. The decline in stroke
      fatality rates may be related to decreases in smoking habits and blood pressure
      together with an increase in the percentage of people on antihypertensive
      treatment among middle-aged men, and to some extent even middle-aged women,
      reported from the same population. Why stroke incidence rates did not decline
      concomitantly is unexplained.

PMID- 1412577
TI  - Impact of unruptured intracranial aneurysms on public health in the United
      States.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Unruptured intracranial aneurysms constitute a
      significant public health problem that has not been quantified. The purpose of
      this study is to document the magnitude of this problem in the United States.
      METHODS: National Hospital Discharge Survey data from 1979, 1984, and 1989 served
      as the basis for calculating patient numbers and frequency distributions. Cost
      estimates included the direct costs of hospitalization and surgery for those who
      had surgery, disability and lost income from morbidity, and lost income from
      mortality. RESULTS: The estimated lifetime cost (including hospitalization,
      surgery, morbidity, and mortality) for annual cases of patients hospitalized with
      unruptured intracranial aneurysms in the United States is $522,500,000 compared
      with $1,755,600,000 for patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
      CONCLUSIONS: These data underscore the need to better understand unruptured
      intracranial aneurysm as a risk factor for subarachnoid hemorrhage, to define
      other subarachnoid hemorrhage risk factors, and to optimize the management of
      patients with these conditions.

PMID- 1412578
TI  - Circadian rhythmicity of stroke onset. Intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Our purpose was to describe and further understand the
      determinants of the time of onset of parenchymatous intracerebral hemorrhage and
      subarachnoid hemorrhage in patients enrolled in the Stroke Data Bank. METHODS: We
      analyzed the observed times of onset of intracerebral hemorrhage (n = 237
      patients) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (n = 243 patients) compared with expected
      times of onset if the probability of onset was constant across all time
      intervals. We also analyzed the role of clinical features (if any) in explaining
      the findings. RESULTS: For intracerebral hemorrhage, 52.5% of patients reported
      onset times between 0600 hours and 1400 hours, with peak onset between 1000 and
      1200 hours (chi 2 = 62.94, df = 11, p less than 0.001). Patients with
      subarachnoid hemorrhage were more likely to lack a history of hypertension
      compared with patients who had intracerebral hemorrhage (chi 2 = 23.3, df = 1, p
      less than 0.001). Patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage were more likely to have
      more uniform onset time throughout the day (chi 2 = 12.92, df = 7, p = 0.074).
      However, subarachnoid hemorrhage patients with a history of hypertension were
      more likely to have peak onset times in mid-to-late morning compared with
      patients without such a history (chi 2 = 35.25, df = 10, p less than 0.001). The
      nonuniformity of onset times for intracerebral hemorrhage persisted even if
      patients with unknown onset times were treated as through their onset times were
      randomly distributed between 0000 and 0800 hours. Seasonal periodicity and the
      relation between initial systolic or diastolic blood pressure and time of onset
      for either type of hemorrhage were not observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest
      that the time of onset for both intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid
      hemorrhage patients with a history of hypertension is similar to the diurnal
      variation in blood pressure.

PMID- 1412579
TI  - Assessment of intracranial hemodynamics in sleep apnea syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Sleep apnea syndrome may lead to changes in cerebral
      hemodynamics due to altered alveolar ventilation. We investigated the dynamics of
      CO2- and blood pressure-regulated alterations of cerebral blood flow velocities
      during apneic episodes and evaluated CO2 reactivity during different sleep
      stages. METHODS: A computer-assisted pulsed Doppler system (2 MHz) was used for
      continuous overnight recordings of middle cerebral artery flow patterns together
      with simultaneous polysomnography, continuous blood pressure recordings, and
      measurements of end-expiratory CO2 in six patients with sleep apnea syndrome.
      RESULTS: Increases in mean flow velocity of 19-219% and in blood pressure of 12.5
      83.1% could be observed during the apneic episodes, with maximum increases during
      rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. CO2 reactivity was in the normal range (4.4 +/-
      1.2%) in the waking state and was markedly increased during sleep stages 1 and 2
      (p less than 0.005 compared with awake). The greatest increase was found during
      REM sleep, with a rise of up to three times the waking value (p less than 0.0001
      compared with sleep stage 2). CONCLUSIONS: The changes of mean flow velocity
      could be interpreted as reactive adaptation processes because of CO2 and blood
      pressure increases corresponding to apnea. The increased CO2 reactivity during
      sleep may indicate a "hypersensitivity" of intracranial vascular CO2 or pH
      receptors and a disturbance of central catecholaminergic and cholinergic systems.
      The pronounced velocity changes during apneic episodes and the concomitant
      alterations of vessel wall tension might lead to microangiopathies and
      macroangiopathies due to chronic strain on the brain vessels.

PMID- 1412580
TI  - Leukoaraiosis in relation to prognosis for patients with lacunar infarction.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Close relations between leukoaraiosis detected by
      computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging and stroke, particularly
      lacunar infarction, have been reported. We studied whether leukoaraiosis is
      related to long-term prognosis for patients with lacunar infarction. METHODS: We
      examined monthly 215 patients with lacunar infarction after their first stroke.
      They comprised 95 patients with leukoaraiosis disclosed by computed tomography on
      admission (58 men and 37 women; mean age, 71.3 +/- 9.0 years) and 120 patients
      without leukoaraiosis (81 men and 39 women; mean age, 65.5 +/- 8.9 years). These
      patients had no previous history of either stroke or obvious dementia before
      their index stroke. We compared the prognosis with and without leukoaraiosis
      based on analysis of recurrent stroke, survival, and the prevalence of dementia
      and rate of dependence in activities of daily living. RESULTS: Life table
      analysis revealed that the recurrent stroke rate was significantly higher in the
      patients with leukoaraiosis than in those without it (p = 0.004). The prevalence
      of dementia and rate of dependence in activities of daily living both 1 month
      after the index stroke and at the end of the follow-up period were significantly
      higher in the patients with leukoaraiosis (all parameters, P less than 0.001).
      Their survival rate was significantly lower than in those not suffering from
      leukoaraiosis (p = 0.012). Significant differences in these comparisons were also
      observed after matching for age and sex. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of
      leukoaraiosis as identified by computed tomography indicates a poor prognosis for
      patients with lacunar infarction.

PMID- 1412581
TI  - Relation between middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity and stump pressure
      during carotid endarterectomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Many patient monitoring techniques have been used for
      detecting cerebral hypoperfusion during carotid endarterectomy. We compared
      middle cerebral artery blood flow velocities with carotid artery stump pressures
      to evaluate the indications for common carotid artery cross-clamp shunting and
      the probable hemodynamic causes of cerebrovascular complications. METHODS: Blood
      flow velocities were monitored with transcranial Doppler ultrasound and carotid
      stump pressures were measured at the time of common carotid artery cross-clamping
      during 97 carotid endarterectomy procedures. Stump pressures measured with the
      gauge zero reference at the common carotid artery level were correlated with the
      percentage change of velocities. RESULTS: Middle cerebral artery blood flow
      velocities usually decreased upon common carotid artery cross-clamping, depending
      on collateral availability and the autoregulation response. The best fit of the
      data was to an exponential function concave to the pressure axis, with velocity
      as a percentage of the pre-cross-clamp value reaching zero at 15 mm Hg stump
      pressure (r = 0.85 and p less than 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There is a less critical
      margin of error with percentage middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity
      decreases than with stump pressure measurements. This relation establishes
      changes in middle cerebral artery blood flow velocities as a reliable parameter
      for judging the effects of carotid cross-clamping on cerebral blood flow and
      providing an excellent indicator as to the necessity for shunting.

PMID- 1412582
TI  - Anosognosia in patients with cerebrovascular lesions. A study of causative
      factors.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Psychological and biological hypotheses have been
      proposed to explain anosognosia. We correlated the presence of anosognosia with
      the presence and severity of psychiatric disturbances, neglect, intellectual
      impairments, and computed tomographic evidence of lesion size, location, and
      measurements of brain atrophy. METHODS: A series of 80 patients with acute stroke
      were assessed using a battery of psychiatric and neuropsychological tests and
      computed tomography. RESULTS: There were five main findings. First, 27 (28%) of
      the 96 patients originally screened showed anosognosia. Second, patients with
      anosognosia had significantly higher frequencies of hemispatial neglect and
      related phenomena, as well as deficits in recognizing facial emotions and in
      receptive prosody. Third, depression was equally frequent among patients with and
      without anosognosia. Fourth, patients with anosognosia had a significantly higher
      frequency of right hemisphere lesions, primarily involving the temporoparietal
      junction, thalamus, and basal ganglia. Fifth, patients with anosognosia showed
      significantly more subcortical brain atrophy, primarily involving the frontal
      white matter and diencephalic areas. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates
      that anosognosia does not "protect" stroke patients from depressive feelings;
      rather, it represents arousal-attentional disorders after lesions in specific
      areas of the right hemisphere in nonaphasic patients with preexisting subcortical
      atrophy.

PMID- 1412583
TI  - Beneficial effect of mild hypothermia and detrimental effect of deep hypothermia
      after cardiac arrest in dogs.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Mild cerebral hypothermia (34 degrees C) induced
      immediately after cardiac arrest improves outcome. Deep postarrest hypothermia
      (15 degrees C) has not been studied. METHODS: We used our dog model of
      normothermic ventricular fibrillation (no blood flow) of 12.5 minutes,
      reperfusion by brief cardiopulmonary bypass, controlled ventilation to 20 hours,
      and intensive care to 72 hours. Head surface cooling and bypass cooling were
      performed from start of reperfusion to 1 hour. Five groups of six dogs each were
      compared: group I, normothermic controls; group II, deep hypothermia (15 degrees
      C); group III, moderate hypothermia (30 degrees C); group IV, mild hypothermia
      (34 degrees C); and group V, mild hypothermia with head surface cooling begun
      during no flow. RESULTS: In control group I, five dogs remained comatose (overall
      performance category [OPC] 4) and one severely disabled (OPC 3). In group II,
      four dogs achieved OPC 4 and two dogs OPC 3 (NS versus group I). Compared with
      group I, OPCs were better in group III (p less than 0.05), group IV (p less than
      0.05), and group V (p less than 0.05). Neurological deficit scores were also
      better in groups III, IV, and V than in groups I or II (p less than 0.05). Total
      brain histological damage scores were better in group III (p = 0.02), group IV (p
      = 0.06), and group V (p less than 0.05) than in group I. In group II, OPC and
      neurological deficit scores were the same and histological damage scores
      numerically worse than in group I and all were worse than in groups III, IV, and
      V (p less than 0.05). Cardiovascular complications and myocardial morphological
      damage in groups II and III were worse than in groups I, IV, and V (p less than
      0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Mild or moderate cerebral hypothermia induced immediately
      after cardiac arrest improves cerebral outcome, more likely when initiated during
      arrest, whereas deep postarrest hypothermia can worsen cerebral and cardiac
      outcome.

PMID- 1412584
TI  - Effects of ischemia duration on neurological outcome, CA1 histopathology, and
      nonmatching to sample learning in monkeys.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Male cynomolgus monkeys (n = 10) were subjected to
      varying durations of global cerebral ischemia to determine the relation between
      dose (ischemic duration) and response (outcome). METHODS: Each monkey was
      anesthetized with halothane, and global cerebral ischemia was produced by a neck
      tourniquet and trimethaphan-induced hypotension. The animal was subjected to 3 (n
      = 3), 9 (n = 3), or 12 (n = 4) minutes of ischemia. Neurological examinations
      were performed daily for 30 days or until the monkey was neurologically normal.
      Approximately 1 month after ischemia, the animal was evaluated for evidence of
      neurobehavioral abnormalities with the nonmatching to sample test. When testing
      was complete, the monkey was killed with an overdose of pentobarbital and the
      brain perfused with formalin and removed for histopathologic analysis, with
      particular attention devoted to the hippocampal CA1 region. RESULTS: Monkeys
      subjected to 3 or 9 minutes of ischemia were neurologically normal (except for a
      very mild injury in one 9-minute animal) immediately after ischemia and had
      normal CA1 histology. Monkeys subjected to 12 minutes of ischemia were grossly
      abnormal neurologically after ischemia, but two of the four animals made a
      complete recovery (neurological deficit score of 0) by 30 days. Monkeys subjected
      to 12 minutes of ischemia had mild damage in the CA1 region, with all other brain
      regions appearing normal. None of the animals had demonstrable decrements in
      neurobehavioral function as measured by the nonmatching to sample test.
      CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that neurobehavioral testing after global cerebral
      ischemia in primates is feasible, but the ischemic time necessary to produce CA1
      damage that could potentially be quantified antemortem with the nonmatching to
      sample test is greater than 12 minutes in cynomolgus monkeys and may produce
      temporary severe gross neurological abnormalities as well.

PMID- 1412585
TI  - Tirilazad mesylate does not improve early cerebral metabolic recovery following
      compression ischemia in dogs.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Tirilazad mesylate (U74006F) has been reported to improve
      recovery following cerebral ischemia. We conducted a randomized blinded study to
      determine if the drug would improve immediate metabolic recovery after complete
      cerebral compression ischemia. METHODS: Mongrel dogs were anesthetized with
      pentobarbital and fentanyl and treated with either vehicle (citrate buffer, n =
      8) or tirilazad (1.5 mg/kg i.v. plus 0.18 mg/kg/hr, n = 8). Normothermic complete
      cerebral compression ischemia was produced for 12 minutes by lateral ventricular
      fluid infusion to raise intracranial pressure above systolic arterial pressure.
      Cerebral high-energy phosphate concentrations and intracellular pH were measured
      by phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Cerebral blood flow was measured
      with radiolabeled microspheres, and oxygen consumption was calculated from
      sagittal sinus blood samples. Somatosensory evoked potentials were measured
      throughout the experiment. RESULTS: During ischemia, both groups demonstrated
      complete loss of high-energy phosphates and a fall in intracellular pH (vehicle,
      5.76 +/- 0.23; tirilazad, 5.79 +/- 0.26; mean +/- SEM). At 180 minutes of
      reperfusion, there were no differences between groups in recovery of
      intracellular pH (vehicle, 6.89 +/- 0.07; tirilazad, 6.88 +/- 0.18),
      phosphocreatine concentration (vehicle, 89 +/- 16%; tirilazad, 94 +/- 24% of
      baseline value), oxygen consumption (vehicle, 2.6 +/- 0.2 ml/min/100 g;
      tirilazad, 1.8 +/- 0.5 ml/min/100 g), or somatosensory evoked potential amplitude
      (vehicle, 11 +/- 6%; tirilazad, 7 +/- 4% of baseline value). Forebrain blood flow
      fell below baseline levels at 180 minutes of reperfusion in the tirilazad-treated
      animals but not in the vehicle-treated dogs (vehicle, 28 +/- 4 ml/min/100 g;
      tirilazad, 18 +/- 5 ml/min/100 g). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that tirilazad
      pretreatment does not improve immediate metabolic recovery 3 hours following 12
      minutes of normothermic complete ischemia produced by cerebral compression.

PMID- 1412586
TI  - Mechanism of cerebral blood flow augmentation by hemodilution in rabbits.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Hemodilution is known to increase cerebral blood flow,
      but it is not known whether the increase in flow is a direct result of a decrease
      in viscosity or whether it may be due to compensatory vasodilatation in response
      to the decrease in oxygen carrying capacity that results from hemodilution. This
      study is designed to investigate this question. METHODS: Changes in regional
      cerebral blood flow were studied in normal and ischemic brains of 15 and 18
      rabbits, respectively. In one group of rabbits graded hemodilution was used to
      reduce arterial oxygen content progressively in stages; in the second group the
      arterial oxygen content was reduced in similar stages by progressively larger
      reductions in the concentration of inspired oxygen (hypoxic hypoxia). In the
      ischemic animals focal ischemia was produced by embolic occlusion of the right
      middle cerebral artery. RESULTS: In the normal rabbits, hypoxic hypoxia and
      hemodilution resulted in similar progressive increases in cerebral blood flow as
      arterial oxygen content fell. In the ischemic animals, there was a significant
      fall in cerebral blood flow in the ischemic region in all groups after arterial
      occlusion. Hemodilution resulted in a progressive increase in cerebral blood flow
      in both ischemic and nonischemic regions. With hypoxic hypoxia, however, cerebral
      blood flow in the ischemic region showed no increase or a slight decrease.
      CONCLUSIONS: Even though hypoxic hypoxia results in a marked increase in cerebral
      blood flow in normal brain, it does not significantly change cerebral blood flow
      in ischemic brain. In contrast, hemodilution resulting in a comparable degree of
      hypoxemia is capable of significantly increasing cerebral blood flow in ischemic
      brain. Therefore, the mechanism of blood flow augmentation by hemodilution in
      ischemic brain is probably related to a direct hemorheologic effect rather than
      to the resulting hypoxemia.

PMID- 1412587
TI  - Effect of diabetes mellitus on flow-mediated and endothelium-dependent dilatation
      of the rat basilar artery.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Diabetes mellitus may impair endothelium-dependent
      responses in cerebral arterioles. The basilar artery dilates in response to
      increases in blood flow. The goal of this study was to examine effects of
      diabetes mellitus on "flow-mediated" and endothelium-dependent dilatation of the
      basilar artery. METHODS: Diabetes was induced in rats with 50 mg/kg
      streptozotocin. Six months later, vessel diameter and velocity of blood flow
      through the basilar artery were measured using a cranial window in anesthetized
      rats under baseline conditions and during occlusion of the carotid arteries.
      Changes in vessel diameter were also measured during topical application of
      acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside. RESULTS: With aortic pressure maintained
      at baseline levels, blood flow velocity through the basilar artery increased
      similarly in control and diabetic rats during unilateral common carotid artery
      occlusion and during bilateral occlusion. In control and diabetic rats, diameter
      of the basilar artery increased by 10 +/- 2% and 10 +/- 4% during unilateral
      occlusion and by 27 +/- 5% and 31 +/- 4% during bilateral occlusion,
      respectively. Thus, diabetes did not impair flow-mediated dilatation of the
      basilar artery. In contrast, dilatation in response to 10(-5) M topical
      acetylcholine was less in diabetic rats (13 +/- 2%) than in control rats (45 +/-
      8%) (p less than 0.05). Dilator responses to nitroprusside were not impaired by
      diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that diabetes produces impairment of
      endothelium-dependent responses to acetylcholine, but not flow-mediated
      dilatation, in the basilar artery.

PMID- 1412588
TI  - Effect of diabetes mellitus on responses of the basilar artery in rats to
      products released by platelets.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Aggregation and adherence of platelets to vascular
      endothelium are increased during diabetes mellitus, and thus responses of
      cerebral arteries to products released by platelets may have important
      implications for the pathogenesis of stroke during diabetes. The goal of this
      study was to determine whether responses of the basilar artery to products
      released by platelets are altered during diabetes. METHODS: A craniotomy was
      performed over the ventral medulla to expose the basilar artery. Diameter of the
      basilar artery was measured using intravital microscopy in nondiabetic and
      diabetic (50-60 mg/kg i.p. streptozotocin) rats in response to adenosine 5'
      diphosphate, serotonin, and the thromboxane analogue U-46619. RESULTS: Topical
      application of 10 and 100 microM adenosine 5'-diphosphate produced only minimal
      changes in diameter of the basilar artery that were similar in nondiabetic and
      diabetic rats (p greater than 0.05). At 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 microM serotonin
      produced dose-related constriction of the basilar artery that was similar in
      nondiabetic and diabetic rats (p greater than 0.05). At 0.1 and 1.0 microM U
      46619 also produced similar dose-related constriction of the basilar artery in
      nondiabetic and diabetic rats (p greater than 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings
      suggest that responses of the basilar artery to products released by platelets
      are not altered by diabetes mellitus. Thus, it does not appear that alterations
      in reactivity of the basilar artery to products released by platelets contribute
      to the pathogenesis of stroke during diabetes.

PMID- 1412589
TI  - Glucose-associated alterations in ischemic brain metabolism of neonatal piglets.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: During global brain ischemia or hypoxia-ischemia in
      adults, hyperglycemia is deleterious to the brain. In contrast, similar adverse
      effects have not been found in neonatal animals. This investigation examined
      neonatal piglets to determine if there were specific alterations of ischemic
      brain metabolism associated with different systemic glucose concentrations and to
      potentially clarify the effects of hyperglycemia during ischemia in neonates.
      METHODS: Two groups of animals (n = 12 in each group) were studied during partial
      ischemia to compare the effects of hyperglycemia (plasma glucose concentration,
      258 +/- 97 mg% [mean +/- SD]) with modest hypoglycemia (plasma glucose
      concentration, 62 +/- 23 mg%). A broad spectrum of cerebral blood flow reduction
      was achieved by combining inflation of a cervical pressure cuff with varying
      degrees of hemorrhagic hypotension. High-energy phosphorylated metabolites,
      intracellular pH, and cerebral blood flow were simultaneously measured using a
      magnetic resonance spectroscopic technique. Brain metabolic variables (beta-ATP,
      inorganic phosphorus, phosphocreatine, intracellular pH) were plotted as a
      function of blood flow reduction during partial ischemia for each group. RESULTS:
      During ischemia values of cerebral blood flow were comparably distributed between
      groups and ranged from 15% to 110% of those of control. At a given reduction of
      cerebral blood flow, hyperglycemic piglets maintained a higher concentration of
      beta-ATP (p = 0.011) and had a smaller increase in inorganic phosphorus (p less
      than 0.001). At cerebral blood flow less than 50% of control, the intracellular
      pH of piglets with modest hypoglycemia during partial ischemia was never reduced
      to less than 6.46, whereas intracellular pH fell as low as 5.97 for hyperglycemic
      animals. CONCLUSIONS: ATP preservation may account for the differing effects of
      glucose during ischemia in neonates compared with adults, provided that the
      accentuated brain acidosis is not deleterious to neonatal brain tissue.

PMID- 1412590
TI  - Effect of lidocaine on somatosensory evoked response and cerebral blood flow
      after canine cerebral air embolism.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Victims of air embolism often recover rapidly on
      hyperbaric treatment then deteriorate again, even if hyperbaric treatment is
      continued. In previous animal experiments, lidocaine has been shown to improve
      recovery of somatosensory evoked response amplitude after air embolism. However,
      animals in these experiments rarely deteriorated. We have shown that the
      induction of air embolism and transient hypertension in canines produces
      deterioration despite hyperbaric treatment, and we decided to test the effect of
      lidocaine on somatosensory evoked potential recovery and cerebral blood flow in
      this model. METHODS: Dogs were treated with repeated doses of lidocaine or
      equivalent volumes of saline during hyperbaric therapy after internal carotid air
      embolism and transient hypertension. The investigators were unaware of treatment
      group assignment during the experiments. The amplitude of the median nerve
      somatosensory evoked potential and cerebral blood flow measured with carbon-14
      labeled iodoantipyrine autoradiography were used to assess effect of therapy.
      RESULTS: Lidocaine-treated dogs recovered 60 +/- 10% (mean +/- 95% confidence
      limits) of the baseline somatosensory evoked potential amplitude 220 minutes
      after air embolism; saline-treated dogs recovered 32 +/- 10% (a significant
      difference at p less than 0.01). Lidocaine-treated dogs also had higher cerebral
      blood flow values than saline-treated dogs 220 minutes after air embolism.
      CONCLUSIONS: Lidocaine ameliorated the delayed deterioration of evoked potential
      associated with air embolism and hypertension in this canine model. The improved
      cerebral blood flow may be a mechanism of action of lidocaine or an associated
      effect of improved neuronal survival.

PMID- 1412591
TI  - Endothelium-derived relaxing factor modulates noradrenergic constriction of
      cerebral arterioles in rabbits.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cerebral arterioles are relatively unresponsive to
      norepinephrine. We tested the hypothesis that release of endothelium-derived
      relaxing factor is stimulated by norepinephrine and attenuates adrenergic
      constriction of pial arterioles. METHODS: In seven anesthetized New Zealand White
      rabbits, diameter of pial arterioles was measured through a cranial window.
      Responses to topical application of norepinephrine and arginine vasopressin were
      examined before and during application of NG-nitro-L-arginine, which inhibits
      synthesis of endothelium-derived relaxing factor. RESULTS: Norepinephrine (10(-6)
      M) had no effect (0 +/- 3%, mean +/- SE) on arteriolar diameter under basal
      conditions. Norepinephrine decreased arteriolar diameter by 15 +/- 4% during
      application of nitro-L-arginine (10(-4) M) (p less than 0.05 versus basal
      response). L-arginine inhibited the effect of nitro-L-arginine on responses of
      pial arterioles to norepinephrine. In contrast to norepinephrine, constrictor
      responses of pial arterioles to vasopressin were not potentiated by nitro-L
      arginine. CONCLUSIONS: Norepinephrine, but not arginine vasopressin, releases
      endothelium-derived relaxing factor, which inhibits constrictor responses of
      cerebral arterioles in rabbits. This mechanism contributes to the finding that
      cerebral vessels in rabbits are relatively unresponsive to noradrenergic stimuli.

PMID- 1412592
TI  - Oral administration of glycerol may not cause hemolysis.

PMID- 1412593
TI  - Cerebrovascular responsiveness to hypercapnia in Alzheimer's dementia and
      vascular dementia of the Binswanger type.

PMID- 1412594
TI  - Failure of magnetic resonance imaging in the detection of pontine lacune.

PMID- 1412595
TI  - Maintenance payments for child support in southern Africa: using law to promote
      family planning.
AB  - This article presents some of the legal, social, cultural, and practical
      constraints facing women who attempt to enforce their right to maintenance (child
      support) payments in southern Africa. It is based on research by the Women and
      Law in Southern Africa Trust, a network of women who research women's legal
      rights in six countries: Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia, and
      Zimbabwe. Statutes in all countries in the region provide that a man must support
      his legitimate and illegitimate children; there are, however, weaknesses in the
      laws on the books. The social and cultural constraints that influence the
      enforcement of maintenance laws include women's lack of knowledge of the law,
      attitudes toward child support influenced by customary law, allegations of
      women's abuse of maintenance payments, financial and practical problems, and fear
      of physical violence or other forms of retribution. Maintenance laws are relevant
      to family planning in that if such laws were more effectively enforced, so that
      the financial burden of children were more equally shared between women and men,
      men would have a financial stake in controlling their fertility.

PMID- 1412596
TI  - Contraceptive use in Matlab, Bangladesh: the role of gender preference.
AB  - Research in several Asian societies has suggested that sons are generally
      preferred over daughters. The implications of gender preferences for actual
      fertility behavior have not been adequately investigated, however. This analysis
      examines the effect of the sex composition of surviving children on the
      acceptance and discontinuation of contraception in a sample of 3,145 women in
      Matlab, Bangladesh, who were observed for 60 months. Hazards regression analyses
      are employed in the analysis. Strong and highly significant effects of gender
      preference on contraceptive use are observed. The preference is not monotonically
      son-biased but is moderated toward a balanced composition, because parents desire
      to have several sons and at least one daughter. These findings suggest that
      gender preferences, particularly a preference for sons, represent a significant
      barrier to fertility regulation in rural Bangladesh.

PMID- 1412597
TI  - Preceding birth intervals and child survival: searching for pathways of
      influence.
AB  - The importance of the length of preceding birth intervals for the survival
      chances of young children has been established, but the debate concerning the
      causal biomedical or behavioral mechanisms continues. This article uses data from
      17 Demographic and Health Surveys to investigate the effect of birth intervals on
      child mortality: Anthropometry of children, recent morbidity of children, and use
      of health services are examined in addition to child survival data for children
      born in the five years before the survey. Various methodological approaches are
      used to investigate the relative importance of the postulated mechanisms linking
      birth intervals and child survival. Short preceding birth intervals are
      associated with increased mortality risks in the neonatal period and at 1-6
      months of age, and, to a much lesser extent, at 7-23 months of age. The effects
      of short birth intervals on nutritional status are rather moderate, and there is
      a weak relationship with lower attendance at prenatal care services. No
      consistent relationship exists between the length of birth intervals and other
      health status or health-service utilization variables. The results indicate that
      prenatal mechanisms are more important than postnatal factors, such as sibling
      competition, in explaining the causal nature of the birth interval effect.

PMID- 1412598
TI  - Fertility and contraceptive adoption and discontinuation in rural Kenya.
AB  - After a long period of slow progress, the recent uptake of contraceptive use in
      Kenya has been dramatic. This report describes adoption of a method and method
      switching and discontinuation among a cohort of married women aged 25-34 in two
      contrasting rural areas. A retrospective "fertility diary" completed by each
      woman provided information on spousal separation, reproductive status, and
      contraceptive use over a period of 46-48 months. Contraceptive prevalence rose
      rapidly over the period in both areas, with significant net adoption of
      injectables in both areas and of IUDs in one only. Method discontinuation was
      concentrated among users of pills, barrier methods, and "natural" methods, and
      only one-third of all discontinuations were voluntary. The wide differences
      between the two rural areas in contraceptive prevalence were not totally
      reflected in recent fertility levels, and the contribution of other proximate
      determinants of fertility, particularly postpartum amenorrhea and spousal
      separation, are discussed.

PMID- 1412599
TI  - Estimates of demand for abortion among Soviet immigrants in Israel.
AB  - In 1990, more than 185,000 Soviet Jews emigrated to Israel, increasing Israel's
      population by 4 percent; 148,000 more arrived in 1991. Given the fertility and
      abortion patterns prevailing among Soviet women in their native country, this
      article inquires about the short-range expected increase in abortion demand in
      Israel engendered by this large migratory inflow. Estimation techniques based on
      the abortion experience of an earlier wave of Soviet-born immigrants in Israel
      reveal that the increase in requests for abortion brought about by the 1990
      immigrants may reach up to 14 percent, and as high as 24 percent for the combined
      immigration waves of 1990 and 1991. The expanded demand for abortions in Israel
      engendered by the new Soviet immigrants necessitates an expansion of both family
      planning services and of the medical committees entitled to grant a legal
      abortion. A failure in these fields would benefit illegal abortion.

PMID- 1412601
TI  - Population pharmacokinetics of gentamicin in premature infants.
AB  - The population kinetics of gentamicin were studied in 97 newborn patients with a
      gestational age ranging between 28 and 43 weeks and a postnatal age ranging
      between 2 and 30 days undergoing routine therapeutic monitoring of their serum
      gentamicin levels. The individual kinetic analysis of serum drug levels was
      performed using a single-compartment model. The clearance and apparent
      distribution volume were calculated in each patient. The population model
      employed assumes the existence of residual variability in the serum
      concentrations and interindividual variability in the pharmacokinetic parameters.
      The effects of demographic variables on the clearance, distribution volume, and
      optimum daily dose of gentamicin were established using multiple linear
      regression. Gestational age is the best predictive variable of the clearance and
      the optimum dose/day in the whole population studied. In the premature infant
      patients, the predictive capacity increases with postconceptional age. Weight is
      a good predictive variable of all of the parameters, especially of the apparent
      distribution volume in the overall population of newborns. Analysis of the
      population kinetic behavior and optimum dose/day in each subgroup recommends that
      the interval of drug administration should be increased, keeping the same
      dose/day ratio, due to the tendency of the drug to accumulate its long half-life,
      especially in premature babies.

PMID- 1412600
TI  - Pakistan 1990/91: results from the demographic and health survey.

PMID- 1412602
TI  - Utility of a one-point (3-hour postdose) plasma metabolic ratio as a phenotyping
      test using metoprolol in two east Asian populations.
AB  - We examined the utility of the postdose 3-h plasma metabolic ratio (MR) as a
      phenotyping method for assessing genetically determined debrisoquine-type
      oxidation polymorphism after an oral dose of 100 mg of metoprolol tartrate
      administered to 402 unrelated, healthy, and native East Asian (218 Korean and 184
      Japanese) subjects. All of them were phenotyped simultaneously with the reported
      MR employing urine samples collected during an 8-h postdose period. In the two
      populations, the distribution histograms and probit plots of log10plasma MRs
      derived from the metoprolol/alpha-hydroxymetoprolol concentration values
      indicated a large gap between the extensive and poor metabolizers who were
      phenotyped by the reported criteria of the 8-h urinary MR. There were
      statistically significant (p less than 0.001) correlations (rs = 0.688 and 0.810,
      respectively) between the postdose urinary and plasma MRs in the Korean and
      Japanese populations. Two poor metabolizers (one each included in the two racial
      groups) identified according to the 8-h urinary MR gave the greatest plasma MRs
      (i.e., 549.7 among the Koreans and 150.0 among the Japanese). The results suggest
      that the one-point, postdose 3-h plasma MR is also useful for the phenotyping
      purpose of oxidation pharmacogenetic polymorphism of metoprolol, a widely
      prescribed beta-adrenoceptor blocking drug.

PMID- 1412603
TI  - Subjective side effects of mianserin in relation to plasma concentrations of
      mianserin and desmethylmianserin.
AB  - The main purpose of the present study was to examine the possibility that plasma
      concentrations of mianserin and its metabolite, desmethylmianserin, might be
      predicted by recording subjective side effects. In 44 depressed patients,
      subjective side effects during 3 weeks of treatment with 30 mg of mianserin were
      evaluated by the UKU Side Effect Rating Scale, and their relationships to plasma
      concentrations of mianserin and desmethylmianserin were analyzed. There was no
      significant relationship between plasma concentrations of these compounds and the
      occurrence of mianserin-induced side effects, except for dryness of mouth during
      week one. Our study, therefore, suggests that it is difficult to predict plasma
      concentrations of mianserin and desmethylmianserin based on the occurrence of
      subjective side effects.

PMID- 1412604
TI  - Interaction between fluvoxamine and imipramine/desipramine in four patients.
AB  - We describe four patients in whom the addition of fluvoxamine (100 mg/day) to the
      treatment with imipramine or desipramine (100-150 mg/day) resulted in a dramatic
      increase in the plasma concentrations of the tricyclic antidepressants associated
      with adverse effects. These observations indicate that fluvoxamine inhibits both
      the demethylation of imipramine and, possibly to a lesser extent, the
      hydroxylation of desipramine. The combination of fluvoxamine with tricyclic
      antidepressants should be avoided whenever possible.

PMID- 1412605
TI  - Therapeutic drug monitoring of retinoids.
AB  - Retinoids are natural or synthetic compounds related to vitamin A. They are
      successfully used in the treatment of dermatological disorders. However, one of
      the limiting factors in the use of retinoids is their huge teratogenic potential.
      The investigation into the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of retinoids has
      encountered many difficulties due to lack of suitable techniques to deal with
      these labile compounds. Because of the teratogenic nature of the retinoids, the
      sensitivity of the assay is of utmost importance. We report a systematic
      comparison between two high-performance liquid chromatographic methods used to
      monitor levels of etretinate and its metabolites acitretin and 13-cis-acitretin
      in plasma. Our analysis suggests that the column-switching method is superior
      owing to smaller variability in results and its simplicity. We also describe our
      therapeutic drug monitoring program for counseling women of reproductive age
      following etretinate or acitretin exposure. Presently, labeling of etretinate in
      North America suggests that women should refrain from conception for an
      undetermined length of time. Assessment of serum concentrations over time is
      beneficial in defining the length of period to postpone conception.

PMID- 1412606
TI  - Bioavailability of labetalol in patients with end-stage renal disease.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of labetalol were assessed after a
      single oral and intravenous dose in eight patients with end-stage renal disease
      (ESRD) maintained on chronic hemodialysis, and in eight age-and sex-matched
      normal volunteers. The mean area under the serum concentration-time curve, volume
      of distribution, clearance, and terminal elimination half-life values after a
      single intravenous dose of 0.5 mg/kg of labetalol were not significantly
      different between ESRD patients and normal volunteers. Similarly, the absolute
      bioavailability of an oral dose of 200 mg of labetalol was 0.33 in ESRD patients
      and was not significantly different from that of normal volunteers (0.26).
      However, a significant decrease in the area under the mean blood pressure-time
      curve was found after a single oral dose in ESRD patients, which was not observed
      in normal volunteers. The pharmacokinetics of labetalol were not associated with
      changes in blood pressure. Thus, when given orally to the ESRD patient, labetalol
      should be slowly titrated and the blood pressure closely monitored.

PMID- 1412607
TI  - Radioimmunoassay for ceronapril, a new angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor,
      and its application to a pharmacokinetic study in healthy male volunteers.
AB  - Ceronapril is a member of a new chemical class of angiotensin-converting enzyme
      inhibitors being developed by The Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research
      Institute. A radioimmunoassay (RIA) has been developed for the measurement of
      ceronapril in biological fluids. The RIA has a range of 0 to 500 ng/ml and has
      the sensitivity to detect 1.0 ng/ml of ceronapril. Satisfactory zero binding and
      sensitivity were obtained after a 2-h incubation at room temperature or overnight
      at 4 degrees C. Separation of the antibody-bound and free radiolabel was achieved
      by employing polyethylene glycol-goat anti-rabbit gamma-globulin separant. A
      quantitative recovery of the exogenous analyte was obtained at all concentrations
      of ceronapril tested. Intraassay coefficients of variance (CV's) were 3.9% and
      4.6% for the low and medium controls, respectively. A highly significant
      statistical correlation between RIA and [14C]TLRC was observed for both plasma
      and urine samples. Clinical samples from the ascending dosage studies have been
      analyzed by the ceronapril RIA. The maximum concentration and the area under the
      plasma concentration-time curve did not increase in a dose-proportional manner
      for doses above 100 mg.

PMID- 1412608
TI  - Tissue concentrations of cefepime in acute cholecystitis patients.
AB  - Cefepime is a new broad-spectrum cephalosporin with activity against
      Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Pseudomonas, and the Enterobacteriaceae. The
      purpose of this study was to measure cefepime concentrations in plasma,
      peritoneal fluid, bile fluid and appendix tissue in patients undergoing elective
      cholecystectomy. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either cefepime, 2 g
      intravenously in phosphate buffer (IVPB) q 12 h or gentamicin 1.5 mg/kg IVPB q 8
      h plus mezlocillin 4 g IVPB q 6 h. During surgery, gall bladder tissue, plasma,
      peritoneal fluid, and bile fluid samples were obtained at approximately the same
      time. Thirty-three patients had data acceptable for analysis. Values are given as
      mean +/- standard deviation. The mean delta time (defined as the time between the
      administration of cefepime and the time the samples were obtained) was 8.58 +/-
      3.53 h. The values for plasma, peritoneal fluid, bile fluid, and gall bladder
      tissue concentrations were 7.63 +/- 14.17 micrograms/ml, 5.66 +/- 6.80
      micrograms/ml, 15.51 +/- 16.94 micrograms/ml, and 5.36 +/- 6.57 micrograms/gm,
      respectively. The peritoneal fluid/plasma ratio was 2.10 +/- 2.33, the bile
      fluid/plasma ratio was 14.44 +/- 31.99, and the gall bladder tissue/plasma ratio
      was 1.44 +/- 1.82. There was a significant correlation between peritoneal fluid
      and plasma concentration (r = 0.91, p less than 0.0005), and gall bladder tissue
      and plasma concentration (r = 0.90, p less than 0.0005). There was no correlation
      between bile fluid and plasma cefepime concentrations. The minimum inhibitory
      concentration (MIC) data from previous in vitro studies indicate that cefepime
      concentrations achieved in this patient population would be adequate against
      typical biliary tract pathogens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1412609
TI  - Specific enzyme-multiplied immunoassay and fluorescence polarization immunoassay
      for cyclosporin compared with Cyclotrac [125I]radioimmunoassay.
AB  - The analysis of cyclosporin-A (CsA) has proved a valuable adjunct to clinical
      care of patients who have received organ grafts. The measurement of CsA in whole
      blood by specific methods has recently taken a new direction with the
      introduction of a range of rapid methods, including a homogeneous enzyme
      immunoassay technique (EMIT) and a monoclonal fluorescence polarization
      immunoassay (FPIA). The present paper compares these two methods with the
      established Cyclotrac specific [125I]RIA (radioimmunoassay) using both commercial
      CsA-spiked control material as well as a group of 60 patient specimens
      (predominantly renal transplants). While each of the new methods showed
      acceptable precision and accuracy with the commercial quality control material,
      significant differences were demonstrated with patient specimens, such that FPIA
      was 12.5% greater than [125I]RIA (p less than 0.0001), which was in turn 5.9%
      greater than EMIT (p = 0.007). These data suggested that the FPIA may have
      residual CsA-metabolite interference and that the EMIT method was the most
      "specific" for parent CsA of the three tested, potentially therefore more
      comparable to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

PMID- 1412610
TI  - Plasma assay of salbutamol by means of high-performance liquid chromatography
      with amperometric determination using a loop column for injection of plasma
      extracts. Application to the evaluation of subcutaneous administration of
      salbutamol.
AB  - An isocratic high-performance liquid chromatography method with amperometric
      detection for the assay of plasma salbutamol is described. The plasma extract is
      injected into the chromatographic system via a loop column. This insures the
      purification of the injected extracts and allows a simple and rapid liquid-solid
      extraction procedure. The good reliability, as shown by the low limit of
      detection (0.5 ng/ml) and a precision ranging between 5 and 10%, has permitted
      the investigation of a new mode of administration of salbutamol using a portable
      subcutaneous infusion pump. Our results show that subcutaneous administration
      yields plasma levels comparable with those obtained after usual intravenous
      doses.

PMID- 1412611
TI  - Determination of salivary digoxin with a dry strip immunometric assay.
AB  - Analysis of salivary digoxin using a rapid dry chemistry, enzyme-labeled
      immunometric assay (ELIA) was compared with fluorescence polarization immunoassay
      (FPIA). Saliva and serum samples were obtained from 40 hospitalized patients who
      were taking digoxin chronically and from 8 patients just prior to treatment with
      digoxin. Unstimulated saliva samples were collected from 20 patients; however,
      saliva volumes from 10 pediatric patients were inadequate to permit analysis by
      FPIA, and 1 other had unmeasurable concentrations by both methods. Stimulated
      saliva was collected by having patients chew a small piece of Parafilm for 1-2
      min. Salivary digoxin was analyzed using the same procedure recommended for serum
      digoxin by each manufacturer. There were no significant differences found between
      ELIA and FPIA determinations of unstimulated or stimulated salivary digoxin,
      serum digoxin, or saliva/serum concentration ratios. The saliva/serum ratio of
      the unstimulated group was approximately twice that of the stimulated group (p
      less than 0.01) by both methods, suggesting that salivary digoxin concentration
      decreases with increased saliva production rate. Excellent correlations were
      found between ELIA and FPIA salivary digoxin concentrations and between
      stimulated saliva and serum concentrations by both assays. Weaker correlations
      were observed between unstimulated saliva and serum concentrations. There was no
      evidence of assay interference with either method in eight nondigitalized
      patients, each taking an average of 6.5 medications. The ELIA appears to provide
      equivalent results compared with the FPIA for the determination of salivary
      digoxin concentration. Further investigations are needed before salivary digoxin
      concentration monitoring can be recommended as an acceptable alternative to serum
      monitoring.

PMID- 1412612
TI  - Determination of plicamycin in plasma by radioimmunoassay.
AB  - This article describes a method for the determination of plicamycin in plasma by
      radioimmunoassay. The anti-plicamycin antibody was produced against a plicamycin
      bovine serum albumin conjugate prepared by using diazotized p-aminobenzoic acid
      as a cross-linker. The radiolabeled ligand, 125I-plicamycin, was prepared by the
      chloramine-T method. The linear plicamycin concentration range was 7-400 ng/ml.
      The coefficients of variation for intra- and interday variabilities were 7.5 and
      15%, respectively. No interference was observed from either the structurally
      related chromomycin A or concomitantly used drugs hydroxyurea or allopurinol.
      With this method of testing, plicamycin levels in plasma could be determined in
      patients receiving small (0.85-1.0 mg/m2) therapeutic plicamycin doses.
      Preliminary pharmacokinetic data in humans indicate that the plasma drug
      disappearance curve was biphasic with a mean elimination half-life of 10.6 +/-
      1.7 h, total clearance rate of 11.1 +/- 0.4 ml/min/m2, and area under the plasma
      drug concentration-time curve of 1,289-1,546 ng-h/ml. This assay method is
      clinically useful for pharmacokinetic studies of plicamycin and may be helpful in
      the design of rational therapeutic drug trials.

PMID- 1412613
TI  - Haloperidol disposition is dependent on the debrisoquine hydroxylation phenotype:
      increased plasma levels of the reduced metabolite in poor metabolizers.
AB  - We have previously shown that the disposition of haloperidol is decreased in poor
      (PM) compared to extensive (EM) metabolizers of debrisoquine. We now report that
      the plasma levels of the reduced metabolite of haloperidol, after a single 2- or
      4-mg oral dose of the parent drug, are significantly higher in PM than in EM of
      debrisoquine. As PM have higher concentrations of haloperidol than EM, more of
      the reduced metabolite should be formed, since the formation of reduced
      haloperidol from haloperidol seems to be independent of the debrisoquine
      hydroxylase (cytochrome P4502D6) activity. Another reason to explain the
      increased metabolite levels in PM may be a decreased reoxidation of the reduced
      metabolite to haloperidol, as this reaction is catalyzed by cytochrome P4502D6. A
      third reason might be that reduced haloperidol is transformed to other
      metabolites by this enzyme.

PMID- 1412614
TI  - [Age discrimination in the labor establishment].

PMID- 1412615
TI  - [Nutritional status of elderly patients at admission to a general psychiatric
      hospital. An inventory].
AB  - The nutritional status of 121 psychiatric patients over the age of 60 years was
      examined on admission in a general psychiatric hospital. Before admission all
      patients were living independently. They were admitted directly from their homes.
      We found that the older psychiatric patient is evidently at risk for
      malnutrition. A quarter of the males had, according to the Quetelet's index, a
      low weight. Half of the males and one third of the females had a thiamin
      deficiency, whereas half of all patients showed a deficiency of folic acid.
      Furthermore, in half of the males and one tenth of the females anaemia was
      diagnosed. Widowers and to a lesser extent also patients with an organic brain
      disease or psychotic disturbance ran a greater risk of malnutrition in comparison
      to their fellow patients. A relation between behaviour, measured by the Nosie
      (Nursing Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation) and the nutritional status
      was not found.

PMID- 1412616
TI  - [Assessment of health status of the elderly. Application of a Dutch version of
      the MOS scale].
AB  - The 'MOS Shortform General Health Survey', a measure for assessing general
      health, has been used in an elderly population in the Netherlands (N = 354). The
      20-item (mail) questionnaire comprises six dimensions or subscales: physical
      functioning (6 items), role functioning (2), social functioning (1), mental
      health (5), health perceptions (5) and body pain (1). Our results show reasonable
      psychometric properties of the subscales (internal reliability, skewness and
      kurtosis of distribution, correlation between subscales and correlation with
      other health measures, 8 weeks test-retest reliability), which are comparable to
      those in the United States in a general patient population. The six subdimensions
      of the scale together seem to meet the criteria of the stochastic cumulative
      measurement model (Mokken-type scale). The results show that this instrument
      gives an opportunity to assess general health in the elderly within just a couple
      of minutes.

PMID- 1412617
TI  - [Consequences of handicaps following a cerebrovascular accident for patient's
      partner].
AB  - What is the influence of stroke on experienced burden, coping and well-being of
      the patient's spouse? To explore this problem we interviewed 22 spouses, living
      with their husband or wife at home. Stroke had occurred over 12 months ago. There
      appeared to be different consequences for the spouse, depending upon the kind of
      handicap: The physical handicaps in stroke-patients were associated with an
      increase of household tasks and caregiving, and with diminished opportunities for
      the spouse to relax. Mental deterioration after stroke was slightly associated
      with a lower level of well-being in the spouse. Spouses of patients with severely
      impaired communication had fewer opportunities to relax, reported more
      deterioration of the marital relationship and showed slightly more depression
      than spouses of patients with slightly impaired communication.

PMID- 1412618
TI  - [Paced addition. A neuropsychological test for assessment of divided attention].
AB  - The Pasat (Paced auditory serial addition task) is a test requiring addition of
      simple digits presented auditorily in several series of a successively higher
      pace of presentation. The task reflects the capacity for divided attention, is a
      measure of information processing speed and has appeared to be sensitive to minor
      attention deficits. We made a Dutch version characterized by longer time
      intervals between digits, for use in a study among (altogether 130) middle-aged
      and elderly persons. This modified version was evaluated with respect to
      feasibility. It appeared to be fairly feasible, provided sufficient opportunity
      for practice is given. Two series with inter-stimulus intervals of 4 and 3
      seconds respectively were then evaluated with respect to validity and reliability
      in subjects of 48 to 74 years. Both Pasat series correlated well with two tests
      of attention: Digit Symbol (WAIS) and d2-test (r = 0.53-0.67), the relation with
      reaction decision speed being generally weak (r = 0.29-0.33) and weak to absent
      with a number of memory tests (r = -0.04-0.29). The Pasat performance shows a
      positive relationship with educational level and intelligence (inter-stimulus
      interval 4 seconds: r = 0.28 and 0.33 resp.; inter-stimulus interval 3 seconds: r
      = 0.40, 0.57 resp.). The stability of test performance over a period of about two
      months is moderate (r = 0.54, 0.61 resp.). In view of the excellent inter
      observer reliability (r = 0.99) and the good parallel-test reliability (r = 0.79,
      0.68 resp.), this might be explained by fluctuations in the capacity measured,
      rather than measurement error.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1412619
TI  - Recognition and treatment of surgical wound infections.
AB  - 1. Tissue traumatized by surgery heals in a three-phase sequential process: a
      defensive response to the injury, reconstruction of the site, and maturation
      (closing) of the wound. 2. Not all patients undergoing surgery are at equal risk
      for infection. The anatomic location of the surgery, the seeding of the surgical
      site with the patient's own normal flora, the OR environment and personnel, and
      the presence of a foreign body left in place after closure all contribute to the
      risk of infection. 3. The treatment of postoperative infection can be divided
      into the physical aspects of wound care and the appropriate use of antimicrobial
      agents.

PMID- 1412620
TI  - The facts about methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
AB  - 1. Staphylococcus aureus is a gram-positive organism that can be cultured from
      the anterior nares of 30% to 40% of the general population. S aureus causes about
      10% of all nosocomial infections, and is the leading cause of surgical wound
      infections. 2. Several factors can influence the recovery of MRSA from specimens,
      including mixed cultures in the person, a person who is an intermittent carrier,
      and a culture that is taken or transported incorrectly. 3. Two approaches can be
      used to reduce the risk of cross-transmission of organisms among patients and
      health-care workers: a generic infection precautions strategy for all patients,
      and identifying patients infected or colonized with MRSA and treating them
      differently than other patients.

PMID- 1412621
TI  - Reducing occupational exposure to blood in the OR.
AB  - 1. Many occupational exposures to blood in the operating room can be prevented.
      Some percutaneous injuries may not be preventable, but their frequency can be
      reduced by implementing engineering and work practice controls. Work practice
      controls and personal protective equipment can help eliminate mucocutaneous
      exposures to blood. 2. Identifying risk factors for intraoperative exposure is a
      vital step in presurgical and intraoperative assessment to plan infection
      prevention and control interventions. The decision to use risk reduction
      strategies should be based on probability and type of exposure anticipated rather
      than on the index of suspicion for bloodborne infection in the patient. 3. The
      responsibility for using safety and barrier precautions in the operating room
      remains that of the health-care worker. Not only the patient, but also the health
      care worker need to be protected.

PMID- 1412622
TI  - Important issues in infection: surveillance, prevention, and control.

PMID- 1412623
TI  - Federal medical waste management: an idea whose time has come.

PMID- 1412624
TI  - Tuberculosis: the return of a monster.

PMID- 1412625
TI  - Feeling personal power.
AB  - Feelings of personal power are important for personal feelings of well-being.
      Although feelings of personal power relate to authority, either given by others
      or acquired with the job, personal power is largely a personal feeling that is
      created and can be developed. Careful assessment of position power, expertise
      power, and personal characteristics that add or detract from personal power can
      increase self-awareness and cause strong areas to be maximized and weak areas to
      be developed. With the development of feelings of personal power come feelings of
      confidence in a nursing role. Feelings of personal power also benefit the nursing
      profession because this enables the profession to grow in strength and pride.

PMID- 1412626
TI  - Surgical wound infection rates: use caution when comparing.
AB  - 1. Comparing surgical wound infection (SWI) rates without a complete
      understanding of and at least a partial control for those factors that can
      account for observed variations can be misleading. 2. Variations in SWI rates can
      be attributed to patient-related factors, type of operation, differences in case
      finding, differences in definition of SWI, and chance variation. 3. Use of a risk
      stratification prior to rate calculation controls for intrinsic (patient-related)
      and extrinsic (operation-related) risk for the purpose of comparison.

PMID- 1412627
TI  - Perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis: the importance of timing.
AB  - 1. Although prophylactic antibiotics have demonstrated efficacy in surgical
      procedures, they can fail because, generally, an inappropriate agent is used or
      the agent is inappropriately administered. 2. The timing of administration is
      important. Studies indicate that to reduce the risk of infection, high levels of
      antibiotic must be present in the bloodstream and tissues at the time of the
      incision. 3. Nurses play a central role in ensuring the proper timing of the
      administration of prophylactic antibiotics. Improvement in the timing of
      administration will reduce both morbidity and institutional costs.

PMID- 1412628
TI  - The port: delivering intraperitoneal chemotherapy in ovarian cancer.
AB  - 1. Ovarian cancer is rarely diagnosed in the early stages because there are no
      easily identifiable signs and symptoms. When recognizable signs and symptoms
      appear, they are commonly unimpressive, elusive, and vague. 2. A significant
      advantage of intraperitoneal administration of chemotherapy is that high
      concentrations of drugs can be maintained within the peritoneal cavity with less
      systemic toxicity than with intravenous administration of similar doses. 3.
      Surgically implanted ports allow for a completely closed system, eliminating the
      need for daily care and greatly reducing the potential for infection.

PMID- 1412629
TI  - Intraoperative radiation therapy.
AB  - 1. Local and regional recurrence of disease is a major problem in cancer
      management. Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) combines surgery with
      irradiation to treat any disease remaining after surgery and to decrease the
      local recurrence rates for certain cancers. 2. The development of an IORT
      treatment program is often undertaken by groups and institutions with expertise
      in multidisciplinary oncology, particularly surgical and radiation oncology. The
      program uses multiple resources, requiring cooperation and teamwork to achieve an
      efficient procedure with maximum patient outcome. 3. The process should be
      reviewed and modified each time it is performed. There is no "standard" way to
      use IORT, and every program will have variations that adapt to the circumstances
      existing in each specific facility.

PMID- 1412630
TI  - Head and neck cancer resection and reconstruction: from past to present.
AB  - 1. Head and neck tumors occur predominantly in men between 50 and 70 years of age
      who typically abuse tobacco or alcohol. These individuals often have poor oral
      hygiene and dentition as well as nutritional deficits, and achlorhydria, anemia,
      and iron and riboflavin deficits are common. 2. The tumor and treatment of head
      and neck cancer may cause many devastating effects, such as facial disfigurement,
      dysphagia, alterations in airway and communication, partial or total loss of
      taste and smell, xerostomia, pain, or fatigue. Treatment and rehabilitation may
      take months. 3. Although advances in technology and reconstructive surgery have
      not improved the overall survival rate, they preserve appearance, function, and,
      ultimately, the patient's quality of life.

PMID- 1412631
TI  - The changing face of cancer.

PMID- 1412633
TI  - OR fires: do you know what to do?

PMID- 1412632
TI  - American Cancer Society services for cancer patients.
AB  - 1. As the incidence of cancer continues to rise among Americans, the number of
      new cancer patients increases along with the survival rates. It is becoming
      increasingly important for nurses to recognize and respond to the needs of those
      living with cancer. 2. Those faced with cancer fear death, disfigurement,
      financial ruin, and isolation from their friends and loved ones. Patients and
      families have tremendous needs for assistance but do not know where to turn.
      Nurses in any practice setting can help these patients access community
      resources. 3. The American Cancer Society is a national organization offering
      programs for patients and families in the areas of resources, information, and
      guidance; education and support programs; and direct services.

PMID- 1412634
TI  - Breast cancer surgery: understanding the story.
AB  - 1. Research has shown that mastectomy, with or without reconstruction, is no more
      effective in the long run than breast conservation and irradiation. Therefore,
      the important factor seems to be choice. 2. A Halsted radical mastectomy involves
      the removal of the whole breast along with the pectoralis major and minor muscles
      and a complete axillary dissection. A modified radical mastectomy involves
      removal of the whole breast and most or all of the axillary lymph nodes, but
      preserves the pectoralis major muscle. 3. Breast preserving strategies remove the
      malignant cells and minimal surrounding tissue. These segmental resections
      include lumpectomy, quadranectomy, and wedge resection along with axillary node
      dissection.

PMID- 1412635
TI  - Malaria resistance genes: a natural selection.

PMID- 1412636
TI  - A DNA hybridization assay for use in drug sensitivity tests in vitro for
      Plasmodium falciparum under field conditions.
AB  - A deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) hybridization technique was applied to in vitro
      drug sensitivity testing of P. falciparum using a synthetic 21-mer
      oligonucleotide coupled to alkaline phosphatase (PFR1-AP) to monitor development
      of parasite stages in culture. The density of the coloured spot clearly
      distinguished schizonts from ring forms. This assay system was applied in the
      field on Hainan Island, China. Blood samples obtained from patients were
      cultivated in the presence of antimalarial drugs and the minimum drug
      concentration required to inhibit development of parasites was determined by the
      DNA hybridization assay and by microscopical observation of Giemsa-stained blood
      smears. The 2 methods yielded identical results, indicating that the DNA
      hybridization assay can be used for in vitro drug sensitivity testing under field
      conditions.

PMID- 1412637
TI  - Chloroquine sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum in vivo in a savanna town in
      Cameroon.
AB  - Chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum has been reported in the Sahel and
      forest regions of Cameroon since 1985. In vivo response to chloroquine treatment
      (25 mg/kg) was assessed in 19 patients with malaria in the savanna North-West
      province. 58% of the cases showed RII resistance to chloroquine. RIII resistance
      was suspected in one patient. Only 35% of cases showed complete parasite
      clearance by day 5 of treatment. Chloroquine reduced parasite counts by at least
      87% in all patients. Chloroquine resistance now seems to be well established and
      widespread in Cameroon. Its rapid spread and the prevalence of resistance suggest
      the existence of sustained drug pressure resulting in rapid selection of less
      sensitive strains. Unfortunately, similar pressure is also being exerted with
      quinine.

PMID- 1412638
TI  - Plasmodium falciparum: sensitivity to chloroquine in vivo in three ecological
      zones in Ghana.
AB  - 4690 children aged 6-15 years in 5 urban and 4 rural communities in 3 ecological
      zones in Ghana were screened from June 1988 to December 1990 to provide suitable
      candidates for the World Health Organization standard in vivo test for
      susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine. 1880 (40.1%) had
      parasitaemia, mostly (83.7-98.6%) due to P. falciparum infection. Of the 626 in
      vivo tests performed, 570 (91.1%) showed sensitivity to chloroquine and 56 (8.9%)
      responses were classified as resistant to chloroquine at RI (5.1%) and RII
      (3.8%). The resistance responses were commonest (17.1-22.7%) in the coastal zone,
      followed by the savanna zone (8.6-10.0%), and lowest in the forest zone (3.1
      6.3%). The RII responses occurred mainly in communities in the coastal zone.
      There was no RIII resistance in any zone. The pattern of RI (early) and RII
      responses of P. falciparum to chloroquine in this study suggested an increase in
      sensitivity, or a reduction in resistance, of P. falciparum to chloroquine from
      the coast to the forest and northern savanna zones, and from the urban to the
      rural communities in each zone in Ghana.

PMID- 1412639
TI  - Halofantrine given with food for falciparum malaria.

PMID- 1412640
TI  - The activity in vitro of cycloguanil and pyrimethamine in combination against
      Plasmodium falciparum.

PMID- 1412641
TI  - Lack of effect of desipramine on the response to chloroquine of patients with
      chloroquine-resistant falciparum malaria.
AB  - The potential of desipramine to improve the efficacy of chloroquine against
      chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum in vivo in man was investigated.
      Fifty-three malaria patients were selected according to the criteria for the
      standard World Health Organization (WHO) in vivo test and were randomly divided
      in 2 groups. One group (n = 27) was given standard therapeutic doses of
      chloroquine (25 mg/kg body weight of base) and the other (n = 26) was given
      standard doses of chloroquine, as above, in combination with desipramine (1.3-2.8
      mg/kg body weight) daily for 3 consecutive days. Standard WHO in vitro micro
      tests were performed in parallel with the tests in vivo to provide chloroquine
      sensitivity patterns of the P. falciparum parasites. The results in vitro from
      both groups did not differ with regard to chloroquine sensitivity and the means
      of the pre-treatment parasite densities were similar. There was no apparent
      difference in parasite clearance in vivo between the 2 groups. This study
      provided no evidence for enhanced chloroquine efficacy in vivo through the use of
      desipramine in doses corresponding to the usual therapeutic range.

PMID- 1412642
TI  - The role of shops in the treatment and prevention of childhood malaria on the
      coast of Kenya.
AB  - A community survey of 388 mothers in a rural and peri-urban population
      surrounding a district hospital on the coast of Kenya revealed that the preferred
      choice of treatment for childhood febrile illnesses was with proprietary drugs
      bought over the counter at shops and kiosks (72% of interviews). 67% of the
      mothers who reported using shops claimed they would buy chloroquine-based drugs.
      Preventative measures such as mosquito nets were uncommon (6.2%), but the use of
      commercial pyrethrum mosquito coils was reported more frequently (46.4%).
      Separate investigations of treatment given to 394 children before presentation at
      hospital with severe and mild malaria was consistent with the reports in the
      community of high usage of shop-bought anti-malarials and anti-pyretics. The
      involvement of the private sector in peripheral health care delivery for malaria
      is discussed.

PMID- 1412643
TI  - Haemoglobin-E in the presence of oxidative substances from fava bean may be
      protective against Plasmodium falciparum malaria.
AB  - A case-control study was carried out at a community hospital in eastern Thailand
      in order to study the association between haemoglobin E and Plasmodium falciparum
      malaria; 271 P. falciparum cases and 271 controls were enrolled. After adjusting
      for age, sex, time since last malaria attack, history of mosquito net use, and
      history of fava bean consumption in the previous month, neither heterozygous nor
      homozygous haemoglobin E provided significant protection against P. falciparum
      infection, with odds ratios (OR) = 0.91 (95% confidence limits = 0.61, 1.36) and
      0.78 (0.34, 1.82) respectively when compared to persons with haemoglobin A who
      were not consumers of fava beans. However, haemoglobin E carriers who ate fava
      beans were significantly protected against P. falciparum malaria with OR = 0.26
      (0.09, 0.76) and OR = 0.001 (0.00, 1120.59) for subjects with heterozygous and
      homozygous haemoglobin E, respectively. The study suggests a possible synergistic
      protective effect of haemoglobin E on the risk of P. falciparum malaria in
      subjects who have consumed fava beans.

PMID- 1412644
TI  - Leishmanin reaction in the human population of a highly endemic focus of canine
      leishmaniasis in Alpes-Maritimes, France.
AB  - The reactivity of the human population was studied in the village of l'Abadie, a
      suburban focus of canine leishmaniasis (17% of dogs seropositive in 1985); 237
      subjects were tested in 1989. The total positive rate was 30%. A higher
      proportion of positive skin tests was obtained in the 61-70 years age group (62%)
      than in the younger groups. The proportion of positive tests also increased with
      the duration of living in this locality (22% for less than 5 years; 66% for more
      than 21 years). These data confirm the continuing occurrence of transmission of
      leishmaniasis to human beings in this focus.

PMID- 1412645
TI  - Is leishmaniasis ever cured?
AB  - The persistence of parasites in mice cured of Leishmania mexicana infection was
      investigated by using immunosuppressive drugs and checking for the reappearance
      of lesions. BALB/c (susceptible) and C57BL/6 (partially resistant) mice infected
      with 10(4) amastigotes were treated with either thermotherapy or meglumine
      antimonate and subsequently immunosuppressed with either cyclophosphamide or
      hydrocortisone. Immunosuppression by either method caused lesions to reappear in
      both strains of mice regardless of the treatment used to produce clinical cure.
      In both strains of mice the proportion of animals developing lesions after
      immunosuppression was greater in the mice cured by the drug. The relevance of
      these findings to human therapy is discussed.

PMID- 1412646
TI  - High-dose nifurtimox for arseno-resistant Trypanosoma brucei gambiense sleeping
      sickness: an open trial in central Zaire.
AB  - Thirty patients with arseno-resistant Trypanosoma brucei gambiense sleeping
      sickness were treated with high-dose nifurtimox (30 mg/kg/d for 30 d). During
      treatment, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) white blood cell (WBC) count decreased
      in all patients except one (mean CSF WBC count before nifurtimox: 117/mm3; after
      nifurtimox: 25/mm3), and trypanosomes disappeared from the CSF of all 9 patients
      in whom parasites had been demonstrated before nifurtimox. Among 25 patients seen
      at least once after treatment, 9 (36%) have relapsed so far. High-dose nifurtimox
      was significantly toxic: one patient died during treatment and 8 others developed
      adverse neurological effects. High-dose nifurtimox seems more effective than the
      previously used regimen (15 mg/kg/d for 60 d), but at the expense of significant
      toxicity.

PMID- 1412647
TI  - Relative efficacy of melarsen oxide compared with mel Cy (Cymelarsan) when used
      in combination with difluoromethylornithine in the treatment of trypanosomiasis
      of the central nervous system.
AB  - A comparison was made between the efficacy of mel Cy (Cymelarsan) and melarsen
      oxide to cure central nervous system trypanosomiasis in a chronic Trypanosoma
      brucei mouse model. Combination treatment with difluoromethylornithine and
      arsenical was used and it was found that there was only a marginal advantage in
      using the water-soluble mel Cy in terms of the numbers of mice cured.

PMID- 1412648
TI  - Detection of high titres of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in sera of patients with
      leprosy in Pakistan.
AB  - Untreated and treated leprosy patients and their household contacts were screened
      for antibody to Toxoplasma gondii using antigen-coated latex particles. A
      significantly high level of seroprevalence (29.6%) was observed in the untreated
      leprosy patients compared to endemic controls (P < 0.01) with a mean reciprocal
      antibody titre of 20,007 +/- 3580 (n = 98) in seropositive patients. In treated
      patients seroprevalence dropped to 13.5%. Seroprevalence in a group of household
      contacts of leprosy patients was similar to that of control subjects from an
      endemic area but not exposed to leprosy (7.8% and 6.1% respectively), indicating
      that the increased seroprevalence in leprosy patients was not merely due to
      increased exposure related to socioeconomic factors. Antigenic cross-reactivity
      between T. gondii and Mycobacterium leprae antigens was ruled out by cross
      inhibition experiments carried out with soluble antigens from each of the
      organisms. We believe these antibodies may be induced by an increase in T. gondii
      load in leprosy due to a transient reactivation of latent T. gondii infections,
      as the antibodies in these leprosy patients were not associated with any sign of
      eye or lymphatic pathology related to toxoplasmosis.

PMID- 1412649
TI  - Low seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in a Tanzanian village.
AB  - The prevalence of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii was studied in the
      population of Nyamisati village in Tanzania using the direct agglutination test,
      indirect immunofluorescence test, and immunosorbent agglutination test. All
      positive sera were positive by both direct agglutination and indirect
      immunofluorescence tests and were confirmed by the dye test. The seropositivity
      was confirmed by immunoblotting showing a distinct 32 kDa band in all the
      seropositive samples. The seropositivity rate was 4% (19/450) among the subjects
      of Nyamisati origin and 47% (15/32) among immigrants from other areas of
      Tanzania. Most of the infections appeared to have occurred between 5 and 15 years
      of age. The generally low transmission in this mainly Muslim village appeared to
      be related to sparse consumption of contaminated food and low prevalence of
      oocysts due to scarcity of felines.

PMID- 1412650
TI  - Nutritional status of children with schistosomiasis mansoni in two different
      areas of Machakos District, Kenya.
AB  - A possible association between nutritional status and Schistosoma mansoni
      infection or morbidity was investigated by comparing anthropometric indices among
      362 children from 3 primary schools in Machakos District, Kenya. Matithini was a
      prosperous school in an area (Kangundo) of moderate intensity of schistosome
      infection but low associated morbidity. A second area (Kambu) showed more severe
      schistosome-associated morbidity: in this area, Kitengei school was prosperous
      and with high intensities of schistosome infection, while Misuuni school was less
      prosperous and with low intensities of infection. Nutritional status was assessed
      by measurement and appropriate standardization of height, weight and skinfold
      thickness and by questionnaires concerning diet. Children in Kangundo were better
      nourished than those in Kambu. Within Kambu, children from Misuuni showed low
      mean skinfold thickness and low mean weight-for-height ('wasting'): this was
      associated with a lack of dietary variety and of intake of animal products. In
      contrast, those from Kitengei showed low mean height-for-age ('stunting'). The
      relationship between intensity of schistosome infection and nutritional indices,
      although significant, was complex and not readily interpretable. However,
      intensity of infection was also correlated with hepatomegaly, which was more
      clearly related to nutritional status. Depending on the school, children with
      hepatomegaly were significantly more stunted and/or wasted than those without,
      and had less variety in their diet. Possible reasons for the observed
      associations are discussed and, of various possibilities, the hypothesis is
      suggested that schistosome-associated morbidity leads to a subsequent nutritional
      defect. This hypothesis can now be tested by appropriate intervention studies.

PMID- 1412651
TI  - Estimation of the number of cases of schistosomiasis in a country: the example of
      Cameroon.
AB  - An estimate of the number of schistosomiasis infections in Cameroon was based on
      a statistically representative national prevalence survey carried out in the
      entire country. The number of cases of infection by Schistosoma haematobium was
      estimated to be 393,900, and 419,600 for S. mansoni, a total of 813,500. Taking
      into account the dual infections the total number of cases was 719,100 (95%
      confidence interval: 392 900-1 027,800). A current World Health Organization
      estimate extrapolating from the results of limited epidemiological surveys showed
      2,239 591 cases for Cameroon, an estimate 3.1 times higher than the more accurate
      estimate based on the national survey. Schistosomiasis being a focal disease,
      prevalences observed in limited foci are not representative of regional
      prevalences. Prevalence survey data in the literature are biased toward reporting
      only positive results. Therefore extrapolations made on limited surveys may lead
      to an overestimation of the number of cases of schistosomiasis.

PMID- 1412652
TI  - A community trial of ivermectin for onchocerciasis in Sierra Leone: clinical and
      parasitological responses to four doses given at six-monthly intervals.
AB  - Clinical and parasitological responses were studied in villagers receiving all 4
      doses of treatment, at 6-monthly intervals, in a placebo-controlled community
      trial of ivermectin for onchocerciasis in Sierra Leone. Skin microfilarial loads
      were markedly lowered by ivermectin throughout and there were reductions in the
      severity, but not the prevalence, of skin lesions. Markers of general health and
      the prevalences of itching, Onchocerca nodules and visual loss were not
      significantly reduced during the study period. Despite our inability to
      demonstrate obvious clinical benefit, treatment with ivermectin was well accepted
      throughout the study. Simple clinical measures for evaluating the short to medium
      term impact of the mass distribution of ivermectin on populations with
      onchocerciasis need further development.

PMID- 1412654
TI  - Adverse events following mass ivermectin therapy for onchocerciasis.
AB  - The Achi community of south-east Nigeria was given mass ivermectin therapy to
      control endemic onchocerciasis. 7556 subjects (75.6% of those eligible) were
      dosed. 992 patients (13.1%) complained of adverse effects, mostly within one week
      of dosing. Adverse events were mainly of the Mazzotti type. Exacerbation of
      pruritus (71.2%), oedema (47.4%), headache (46.4%), and worsening of rash (24.4%)
      were the most common. In 962 subjects (97%), adverse events were mild and did not
      prevent work. Two patients suffered severe sustained postural hypotension. The
      incidence of adverse events was greater in villages with a high load of
      microfilarial infection.

PMID- 1412653
TI  - Ivermectin does not reduce the burden of itching in an onchocerciasis endemic
      community.
AB  - Degrees of itching were estimated before and for 6 months after a fourth dose of
      ivermectin or placebo was given to 97 subjects in Sierra Leone. There was no
      reduction in itching attributable to ivermectin at any stage, but there were non
      significant increases in the prevalence, severity and localization of itching
      within the first 2 months after ivermectin compared to placebo. We also found
      that cell-mediated immune responses to Onchocerca volvulus were significantly
      increased 4 weeks after a single dose of ivermectin compared to before treatment.
      A temporary reversal of the state of immunosuppression in people with
      onchocerciasis may counterbalance the reduction in skin microfilarial loads
      following ivermectin, with no consequent reduction in itching. The lack of effect
      of ivermectin on itching, a major symptom of onchocerciasis, while disappointing,
      need not detract from the success of mass distribution programmes.

PMID- 1412655
TI  - Long-term suppression of microfilaraemia following ivermectin treatment.
AB  - Lymphatic filariasis has been difficult to control until recently because of the
      lack of a suitable drug for treatment. Ivermectin has proven safe and effective
      at reducing levels of circulating microfilariae. However, the apparent need to
      administer the drug every 6 to 9 months to keep microfilaraemia levels
      sufficiently suppressed to reduce transmission has been a major drawback to using
      ivermectin in community-based intervention programmes. In a study conducted in
      Haiti, we have found that high doses of ivermectin suppress microfilaraemia
      levels for 2 years. Our findings suggest that a single dose of ivermectin can
      reduce transmission of lymphatic filariasis for extended periods of time, thus
      eliminating the need for costly biannual treatment.

PMID- 1412656
TI  - Ivermectin treatment of loiasis.

PMID- 1412657
TI  - A rare case of mixed cystic and alveolar hydatidosis.

PMID- 1412658
TI  - Ivermectin therapy in chronic strongyloidiasis.

PMID- 1412659
TI  - Detection of circulating antigens in human trichinellosis.
AB  - A 'sandwich' enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was established to detect
      circulating antigens of Trichinella spiralis in human sera, its sensitivity and
      specificity was evaluated using 4 antigens (Trichinella spiralis, Trichuris
      trichiura, Dirofilaria immitis and Ascaris suum), and it was found to be
      sensitive and specific for T. spiralis antigen. Samples of 347 individuals with
      suspected trichinellosis, who had eaten incompletely cooked bear meat containing
      larvae of T. spiralis, were examined. Among individuals showing clinical
      symptoms, circulating antigens were detected in 29.9%, and the prevalence of
      antibodies was 18.9%. Among individuals lacking clinical symptoms, antigens were
      detected in 21.4% and antibodies in 5.0%. It was concluded that detection of
      circulating antigens was more useful for making diagnoses than measurement of
      specific antibodies.

PMID- 1412660
TI  - Sero-epidemiological studies of respiratory syncytial and adenoviruses in
      children in Ibadan, Nigeria, 1985-1988.
AB  - Retrospective and prospective serological surveys to determine the prevalence of
      respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and adenovirus (ADV) infections in children
      with respiratory diseases were carried out from 1985 to 1988 at the University
      College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. 306 sera from subjects between 3 months and 12
      years old were assayed by complement fixation test for antibodies to both
      viruses. Second samples were available from 42 of the subjects for antibody
      conversion testing. The rate varied with age, period of the year and virus.
      Overall prevalences of 23.5% and 18.3% were obtained for RSV and ADV
      respectively. 2.6% of the subjects had antibodies to both viruses. Among 42
      paired samples tested, 61.9% and 33.3% showed positive antibody conversion to RSV
      and ADV respectively. Although there was evidence of active circulation of both
      viruses throughout the year, infection with RSV was higher from September to
      January, while ADV infection was significantly higher during February and March.
      Antibody prevalence to both viruses increased with age up to a peak of 39.1% for
      RSV in children 5-6 years old and 32% for ADV in children 3-4 years old. None of
      the subjects aged 10 years and above was positive for both viruses. Both RSV and
      ADV are important agents of acute respiratory infection in children in Nigeria.

PMID- 1412661
TI  - Tropical spastic paraparesis associated with HTLV-1 in Egypt.

PMID- 1412662
TI  - The slim disease in African patients with AIDS.
AB  - Ten unselected African patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
      and with slim disease were evaluated using physical examination, anthropometric
      measurements, Karnovsky performance score, and muscle biopsy. All had marked
      weight loss (36.8 +/- 10.8%) with extreme fatigue, marked diffuse wasting with
      significantly decreased circumferences of arms, thighs and calves (P < or =
      0.002), and a low Karnovsky performance score (range 30-70). Mild to moderate
      motor deficit (in 9/10 patients) contrasted with the major amyotrophy. Chronic
      diarrhoea (in 7/10) and/or prolonged fever (in 7/10) were always associated with
      the amyotrophy. Atrophy of muscle fibers was the main finding of muscle biopsy.
      Only 5 patients met the CDC criteria for the 'HIV wasting syndrome'. We conclude
      that slim disease, which is highly suggestive of the acquired immune deficiency
      syndrome (AIDS) in Africa, is a condition associated with chronic diarrhoea
      and/or prolonged fever, that encompasses the 'HIV wasting syndrome' sensu stricto
      and probably other debilitating diseases associated with AIDS, such as
      tuberculosis.

PMID- 1412663
TI  - Serological response to tetanus toxoid: a field study in Pondicherry, India.
AB  - To study the serological response to various doses of tetanus toxoid given to
      pregnant women, 320 samples of blood obtained from 173 pregnant women were
      analysed using the indirect haemagglutination technique. Two doses of toxoid were
      necessary to achieve protective titres in women who were previously unimmunized.
      The antibody levels appeared to persist for up to 4 years. During a subsequent
      pregnancy, a single booster dose of toxoid was sufficient to raise the titres
      adequately for protection. These findings are in accordance with the immunization
      programme followed for prophylaxis against tetanus among pregnant women.

PMID- 1412664
TI  - Causes of conjunctivitis and keratoconjunctivitis in Karachi, Pakistan.
AB  - The causes of conjunctivitis and keratoconjunctivitis in 388 patients who
      attended eye casualty departments in Karachi, Pakistan, during a 5 month period
      were investigated. Most of these infections were diagnosed as adenovirus (291,
      75%) or bacterial (71, 18.3%). Of the remainder, 9 cases (2.3%) were caused by
      herpes simplex virus and 7 (1.8%) by Chalmydia trachomatis. There was no evidence
      of typical active trachoma in this urban population. Bacteria or Candida albicans
      were also grown from 44 of the adenovirus cases (15%). Many of the bacteria grown
      from eyes in this study were resistant to antibiotics, probably because of
      inadequate and/or inappropriate self-medication with antibiotics in this
      community.

PMID- 1412665
TI  - First fatal human case of Rift Valley fever in Madagascar.

PMID- 1412666
TI  - A cluster of tick-borne infections: association with military training and
      asymptomatic infections due to Rickettsia rickettsii.
AB  - During the spring of 1989, 86 members of a military unit from the state of
      Maryland, USA, participated in two-week-long training manoeuvres in the states of
      Arkansas (location FC) and Virginia (location FAPH). Acute febrile illnesses due
      to infections with two tick-borne pathogens, Rickettsia rickettsii and Ehrlichia
      sp., were confirmed serologically in 2 initial cases who were admitted to the
      hospital. A seroepidemiological investigation among unit members found an
      additional 17 of 109 individuals (16%) with elevated post-exposure indirect
      immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) titres to R. rickettsii (16 cases) and/or E.
      canis (2 cases). The seropositivity rate of personnel who trained at FC was 38%
      (15 of 40), compared to only 13% (4 of 31) and 8% (3 of 38) of personnel who
      trained at FAPH or who did not train in the field, respectively (P < 0.001).
      Seropositivity was associated with symptoms suggestive of a tick-borne illness.
      Only 4 (22%) and 6 (33%) of the 18 personnel seropositive for R. rickettsii
      reported an erythematous or petechial type of rash or a febrile illness,
      respectively, within 4 weeks of exposure; 5 of 18 (28%) personnel infected with
      R. rickettsii reported no symptoms and only 8 of 18 (44%) received medical
      treatment. Mild infections with R. rickettsii, or a closely related spotted fever
      group agent, may have accounted for the high infection rate experienced by this
      group.

PMID- 1412667
TI  - Twenty-five years of blackfly control in a localized moist forest area of
      Cameroon: a review.
AB  - The high number of blackfly bites in a moist forest area of Cameroon, around the
      Sanaga river, was causing considerable nuisance and had led to a local ground
      based larval control campaign. We have reviewed the 25 years of almost
      uninterrupted weekly larvicide applications in this area and emphasized the
      problems related to application difficulties, environmental pollution and
      blackfly resistance to the insecticides. Although the number of larvicidal
      compounds readily available is now limited, the future of blackfly control at
      this site does not seem to pose real technical difficulties because of its
      economic importance (hydroelectric dam) and the progress made in the fields of
      resistance management, search for new insecticide molecules and development of
      new control methods.

PMID- 1412668
TI  - Infestation by Auchmeromyia senegalensis as a consequence of the adoption of non
      nomadic life by Pygmies in the Congo Republic.

PMID- 1412669
TI  - Some aspects of traditional birth attendants' practice in a rural area in
      Tanzania.
AB  - As a pre-intervention study to improve the safety of the practice of traditional
      birth attendants, all 29 attendants in one rural area in Tanzania were
      interviewed, using a pre-tested questionnaire seeking information on the
      instruments used, care of the umbilical cord, and how they dealt with problem
      cases. The results are presented and discussed in this paper.

PMID- 1412670
TI  - Stunting, intestinal parasitism and the home environment.

PMID- 1412671
TI  - A mini-stirrer for preparing antigen/adjuvant emulsions.

PMID- 1412672
TI  - 'Entamoeba histolytica' is a complex of two species.

PMID- 1412673
TI  - The works of Frideric Bolling--an early British-Danish relationship.

PMID- 1412674
TI  - Is the deferred-donor notification process effective?

PMID- 1412675
TI  - A survey of hepatitis B surface antigen-positive blood donors: degree of
      understanding and action taken after notification.
AB  - All blood donors in the United States are tested for hepatitis B surface antigen
      (HBsAg) upon donation; if the test result is positive, the primary method of
      notification is by letter. To assess the effectiveness of this notification
      methods in stimulating HBsAg-positive donors to seek medical care and take
      preventive measures, 54 donors who tested HBsAg-positive on donation at the
      American Red Cross Blood Services. Atlanta Region, from January 1987 to July 1989
      were interviewed. Thirty-nine donors (72%) had sought medical care after
      notification; the only motivating factor was that the letter told the donor to
      consult with his or her physician. Compared with donors who did not seek medical
      care, donors who did so were more likely to understand that the blood test was
      abnormal or that they were infected, and they were more likely to understand how
      hepatitis B virus is transmitted and that a vaccine is available. The differences
      were not significant, however. Of those donors who sought medical care, less than
      half received appropriate recommendations for protection of contacts, and of
      those who did, only one-third received prophylaxis. In-person and telephone
      interviews with donors, revision of the notification letter, and hepatitis B
      education programs targeted at medical care providers are suggested.

PMID- 1412676
TI  - Human immunodeficiency virus infection due to clotting factor concentrates:
      results of the Seroconversion Surveillance Project.
AB  - From 1987 to the present, the Seroconversion Surveillance Project has provided
      the means by which to monitor the risk of transmission of human immunodeficiency
      virus (HIV) by clotting factor concentrates. One hundred thirty-one hemophilia
      treatment centers in the United States are contacted regularly, and data on HIV
      testing of patients are collected. To date, 4366 (46.0%) of 9496 patients have
      been reported to be seropositive, and 37 new seroconversions have been
      identified. Nine of these have met the Centers for Disease Control criteria for
      seroconversion while the patient was taking factor concentrate. None of the nine
      seroconversions were due to concentrates that had been treated to inactivate
      viruses and made from plasma that had been tested for HIV antibody. These results
      indicate that there is a high prevalence of seropositivity in affected patient
      groups, but that the risk of HIV infection from currently available clotting
      factor concentrates is extremely low.

PMID- 1412678
TI  - Pretransfusion incubation of apheresis platelets at 37 degrees C improves
      posttransfusion recovery.
AB  - The effect of brief 37 degrees C pretransfusion incubation of apheresis platelets
      (n = 25) was studied in 14 allogenic bone marrow transplant recipients (5
      children, 9 adults). Apheresis platelets were collected on a cell separator,
      divided in two aliquots, and stored 1 to 5 days at 22 degrees C during agitation.
      One aliquot was incubated at 37 degrees C for 1 hour before transfusion, and the
      other was transfused as a paired control. When the patient's peripheral platelet
      count fell below 30 x 10(9) per L, one aliquot was transfused. The other aliquot
      was transfused the following day. Each patient received the two aliquots in
      random order. Corrected count increment (CCI) at 1 hour after transfusion of 37
      degrees C incubated platelets was 12.2 +/- 9.5 (mean +/- SD) compared to 7.5 +/-
      5.4 for paired control platelets (p < 0.05). CCIs the next day were 4.4 +/- 6.1
      and 2.4 +/- 2.7, respectively (not significant). It can be concluded that 37
      degrees C incubation of apheresis platelets improves posttransfusion CCI.

PMID- 1412677
TI  - Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: outcome in 24 patients with renal impairment
      treated with plasma exchange. Canadian Apheresis Study Group.
AB  - The Canadian Apheresis Study Group recently completed a randomized clinical trial
      involving 102 patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), in which
      treatment with plasma infusion and treatment with plasma exchange were compared.
      Thirty-three other patients were ineligible or refused to be randomly assigned in
      the trial. Of the 33 patients, 24 were assessed as ineligible because they would
      be unable to tolerate the fluid input that would occur if they were randomly
      assigned to receive plasma infusion. All 24 patients had oliguria and elevated
      creatinine and/or blood urea nitrogen level. These 24 patients were treated with
      acetylsalicyclic acid, dipyridamole, and plasma exchange according to the
      standardized protocol defined in the trial. Blood for tests of factors possibly
      involved in the pathogenesis of TTP was drawn before exchange and at intervals
      during and after exchange. The mean platelet count before exchange was 35.5 x
      10(9) per L. In 12 of the 24 patients, the platelet count reached 150 x 10(9) per
      L or greater by 7 days after the initiation of plasma exchange. Three patients
      responded partially, in that their platelet count increased to at least twice
      that at presentation, but remained below 150 x 10(9) per L. One patient died
      during the first week. Of the eight other patients who experienced treatment
      failure at the 7-day assessment point, six subsequently responded, four while
      continuing to receive plasma exchange and two after plasma exchange had been
      discontinued. Of the 15 patients who either responded fully or responded
      partially by the end of the first cycle, all survived.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1412679
TI  - Anti-idiotypic antibody to T-cell receptor in multiply transfused patients may
      play a role in resistance to graft-versus-host disease.
AB  - Most patients who receive multiple blood or platelet transfusions do not develop
      graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in spite of the transfusion of donor white cells
      -cells that are capable of engraftment and subsequent GVHD. The object of this
      study was to search for the factors responsible for resistance to GVHD in such
      patients. Some sera from patients who have received multiple platelet
      transfusions inhibit the proliferation of alloreactive T-cell clones that
      function as an in vitro model of donor-derived proliferating T cells recognizing
      recipient alloantigens. The humoral factor in such sera was capable of binding to
      the T-cell clones, but not to stimulator cells. Further analysis revealed that
      the humoral factor in such sera was IgG, which specifically bound to membrane
      molecules of the T-cell clones. The antibody competed with WT31, a monoclonal
      antibody (MoAb) to T-cell receptor (TCR), in binding to TCR of the T-cell clones.
      It did not compete with CD3 or CD2 MoAb. These observations strongly favor the
      view that the antibody against TCR exists in the sera of multiple transfusion
      recipients. It is suggested that the TCR antibody binds to TCR of the T-cell
      clones, thus blocking the interaction of the T-cell clone with alloantigens of
      stimulator cells and resulting in inhibition of the proliferation of T-cell
      clones. Furthermore, in view of T-cell clone-specific binding of the antibody in
      sera, it might be concluded that the antibody is anti-idiotypic.

PMID- 1412680
TI  - Five-day storage of platelets in a non-diethylhexyl phthalate-plasticized
      container.
AB  - A non-diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP)-plasticized blood bag for 5-day storage of
      random-donor platelet concentrates has been developed. The plastic bag is
      composed of polyvinylchloride plastic with a butyryl trihexyl citrate
      plasticizer. The suitability of this plastic for the storage of platelet
      concentrates for use in clinical transfusion practice was evaluated. In vitro
      storage studies showed no significant differences at Day 5 for a series of in
      vitro assays (test plastic vs. control plastic) including pH (7.31 vs. 7.44),
      lactate dehydrogenase discharge (21.8 vs. 17.1%), pO2 (103 vs. 120 torr), osmotic
      recovery (52 vs. 57%), and morphology score (527 vs. 516). For paired
      radiolabeled recovery and survival data from autologous blood donors, results
      showed equivalence between the test plastic and two control plastics. A small but
      significant difference between test and control plastics in regard to survival
      was found by using a linear computer model, but not with a gamma function
      (multiple-hit) model. For paired transfusions to thrombocytopenic patients, the
      corrected count increments at 1 to 4 hours (test vs. control) were 13,534 versus
      15,494 (p > 0.05, NS). Similar results were seen for corrected count increments
      determined at 12 to 24 hours. It can be concluded that platelets stored in the
      test plastic are acceptable for use in clinical practice.

PMID- 1412681
TI  - A randomized trial on the efficacy of an autologous blood drainage and
      transfusion device in patients undergoing elective knee arthroplasty.
AB  - The purpose of the study reported here was the determination of the efficacy of a
      postoperative autologous blood drainage and transfusion device in reducing
      allogeneic red cell requirements in patients undergoing elective knee
      arthroplasty. The study was a randomized controlled trial with adult patients
      undergoing unilateral elective arthroplastic knee surgery. Patients underwent
      suction drainage, attached to an autologous blood drainage and transfusion
      device, or standard suction drainage. Allogeneic red cells were given according
      to strict transfusion guidelines based on blood loss and postoperative hemoglobin
      values. Outcome measures included the mean number of allogeneic red cell
      concentrates required and the number of patients in each group who required no
      transfusion. Patients assigned to standard suction drainage had a mean allogeneic
      red cell utilization of 1.2 units (SD 1.0), as compared to a mean of 0.4 units
      (SD 0.8) in the group undergoing drainage with the autologous blood drainage and
      transfusion device (p = 0.0007). The percentage of patients not requiring
      allogeneic red cells was significantly higher in the latter group (74.3% vs.
      32.5%; p = 0.002). The postoperative drainage and transfusion device was
      efficacious in reducing the amount of allogeneic red cells required by patients
      undergoing knee arthroplasty, and its use resulted in a 42 percent reduction in
      the number of patients requiring allogeneic transfusion.

PMID- 1412683
TI  - Low-temperature storage of bone marrow in nitrogen vapor-phase refrigerators:
      decreased temperature gradients with an aluminum racking system.
AB  - Large temperature gradients may exist in nitrogen vapor-phase refrigerators.
      Cryopreserved cells stored at higher levels may be considerably warmer than those
      stored closer to the liquid nitrogen reservoir. To decrease this temperature
      gradient, racking systems constructed of aluminum were placed in marrow storage
      refrigerators. The higher heat conductivity of aluminum resulted in a vapor-phase
      temperature gradient of only 5.9 degrees C at 22.5 inches above the liquid, as
      compared to the gradient of 86 degrees C seen with steel frames in a similar
      refrigerator. Temperature fluxes were minimal with lid opening or nitrogen
      filling. The thicker frame size and loss of the lowest storage level resulted in
      a storage capacity 63 percent of that achievable with steel frames and liquid
      immersion. Consumption of nitrogen was estimated to be 174 to 220 percent of the
      static usage in this model of refrigerator with 6 inches of nitrogen, but
      comparable to the consumption expected with full immersion of the racking system,
      regardless of frame construction. These data demonstrate the feasibility of
      achieving very low, stable, cryogenic temperatures in a vapor-phase refrigerator.

PMID- 1412682
TI  - Feasibility and success of a single-donor red cell program for pediatric elective
      surgery patients.
AB  - Although the risks of allogeneic blood transfusions are small, it is wise to
      limit donor exposure whenever possible. A program has been developed in which one
      donor provided all red cell (RBC) units for each patient awaiting elective
      surgery. Patients were mostly children who were ineligible for autologous blood
      donation. Seventy-three patients and 115 donors (mostly parents) entered the
      program. Of the 115 donors, 90 (78%) were eligible to participate and 25 (22%)
      were ineligible; 21 were ineligible because of RBC incompatibility. For each of
      the 73 patients, one eligible donor was selected to donate all RBC units.
      Preoperative RBC orders were 1 to 2 units for 41 patients and > or = 3 units for
      32 patients. Of the 73 donors, 58 (79%) gave all RBC units ordered; 15 (21%)
      failed to complete all donations, but only 1 because of anemia (hematocrit < 33%
      [0.33]). Of 73 patients entered, 46 (63%) underwent transfusion, and 27 (37%) did
      not. Of 46 patients transfused, 38 (83%) received only single-donor RBCs. Thus,
      the RBC needs of nearly all pediatric elective surgery patients were provided by
      a single donor for each patient. Single-donor blood programs should be considered
      for elective surgery patients who are ineligible for autologous blood donation
      and who would otherwise be exposed to multiple donors.

PMID- 1412684
TI  - Modulation of fibrinogen content in cryoprecipitate by temperature manipulation
      during plasma processing.
AB  - In routine blood bank production of single-donation cryoprecipitate, the
      introduction of a 16-hour hold at 4 degrees C, with the frozen plasma units
      packed into polystyrene containers, resulted in plasma prethaw temperatures of -4
      degrees C to -8 degrees C. This in turn resulted in cryoprecipitate fibrinogen
      levels that were 214 percent of those obtained when units were thawed immediately
      after removal from -30 degrees C storage. In scale-model production of factor
      VIII concentrate, plasma warmed from -30 to -10 to -15 degrees C over 18 hours
      before pooling and thawing yielded cryoprecipitate fibrinogen levels that were 66
      percent of those found in plasma warmed to -2 to -5 degrees C over the same
      period. Processing -30 degrees C plasma without a warming period led to
      cryoprecipitate fibrinogen levels that were 40 percent of those obtained from
      plasma warmed to -2 to -5 degrees C. These differences were accentuated after
      purification of the cryoprecipitates to an intermediate-purity factor VIII
      concentrate. These results suggest that simple modifications in production
      methods allow the fibrinogen content of cryoprecipitate to be tailored to
      specific uses.

PMID- 1412685
TI  - Risk factors associated with hepatitis B or C markers or elevated alanine
      aminotransferase level among blood donors on a tropical island: the Guadeloupe
      experience.
AB  - Donated blood is currently screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg),
      antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), antibody to hepatitis C virus
      (anti-HCV), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels to prevent posttransfusion
      hepatitis. A prospective study of 2368 blood donors was carried out in Guadeloupe
      (French West Indies) with a view to determining the risk factors associated with
      serologic abnormalities. Blood donors included in the study had to complete a
      questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed on the data thus obtained: 571
      donations (24%) were positive for at least one of the four analyzed markers. The
      results were that 3.2 percent were positive for HBsAg, 22 percent for anti-HBc,
      and 0.8 percent for anti-HCV, and 1.4 percent had ALT > or = 45 IU per L. A good
      correlation was found between anti-HCV and elevated ALT. Transfusion history and
      two socioeconomic categories (working class, military personnel) were found to be
      risk factors. Other risk factors were lifelong residence in Guadeloupe (with risk
      increasing with the number of years), birthplace and current residence in the
      southern part of the island, and the existence of gastrointestinal discomfort
      unrelated to viral hepatitis (odds ratio = 2.98). The results of this study
      illustrate the difficulty of implementing a preventive policy against
      posttransfusion hepatitis in a tropical area. The unique epidemiologic situation
      of Guadeloupe as regards hepatitis B virus has led to more restrictive criteria
      for the acceptance of blood donors.

PMID- 1412686
TI  - The effects of blood transfusion on serum ferritin, folic acid, and cobalamin
      levels.
AB  - Thirty patients with anemia of various causes received packed red cell
      transfusions. To evaluate the influence of blood transfusion on the serum levels
      of different nutrients, serum ferritin, folate, and cobalamin levels were
      determined before and 2, 2 to 4, 5 to 7, 8 to 10, and 11 to 14 days after blood
      transfusion. No significant change was found in these levels before or at any
      time after blood transfusion. Blood transfusion exerted little effect on the
      serum levels of ferritin, cobalamin, or folate. Moreover, if the blood for
      testing was drawn 1 to 14 days after transfusion, nearly all cases of nutritional
      deficiency anemia could have been diagnosed without the influence of blood
      transfusion.

PMID- 1412688
TI  - Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteremia from transfusion of contaminated platelets:
      application of bacterial DNA analysis.
AB  - Septicemia is a rare complication of platelet transfusion. A case is reported of
      transfusion-associated septicemia in a 66-year-old man who received a 10-unit
      pool of platelets. During transfusion, he experienced rigors, wheezing, dyspnea,
      and fever. A total of four blood cultures drawn 10 and 36 hours after
      discontinuation of the transfusion grew Staphylococcus epidermidis. Culture of
      the residual platelet pool yielded S. epidermidis with a colony count of 10(5)
      organisms per mL. Strain identity of all four blood isolates and the platelet
      pool isolate was confirmed by gel electrophoresis of EcoRI and HindIII
      restriction digests of whole-cell DNA. There have been 31 prior reported cases of
      platelet transfusion-associated septicemia, of which 9 have been caused by
      coagulase-negative staphylococci. Systemic reactions to platelet transfusions
      should prompt consideration of transfusion-associated bacteremia as the cause.

PMID- 1412687
TI  - Diagnosis of transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease by genetic
      fingerprinting and polymerase chain reaction.
AB  - A patient with Hodgkin's disease (clinical stage IIIB) received chemotherapy and
      total nodal irradiation. After the transfusion of filtered packed red cells, this
      patient developed transfusion-associated graft-versus-host disease (TA-GVHD). The
      genetic fingerprint of the patient's peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) differed
      completely from that of her other body tissues. Normally, after transfusion, only
      the patient's own genetic fingerprints are observed in the PBLs, as exemplified
      in more than 10 control cases in which the transfused blood had not been filtered
      before transfusion. No signal bands corresponding to those of the blood donor
      could be demonstrated in samples of the patient's tissue DNA. Moreover, chimerism
      was detected in the hybridization pattern of the patient's PBLs on the ninth day
      after the onset of symptoms. Polymorphic simple repeats in the HLA-DRB gene after
      amplification by polymerase chain reaction were also investigated, which
      confirmed the fingerprinting results. The advantages of these methods for the
      diagnosis of TA-GVHD include the rapid and unequivocal diagnosis as well as the
      fact that there is no need for the relatives to be HLA typed.

PMID- 1412689
TI  - A prospective blood utilization review system.

PMID- 1412690
TI  - Iron for autologous blood donors needs more work.

PMID- 1412691
TI  - An anti-K apparently induced by Enterococcus faecalis in a 30-year-old man.

PMID- 1412692
TI  - Cold agglutinin autoimmune hemolytic anemia as a severe complication in B-cell
      acute lymphocytic leukemia.

PMID- 1412693
TI  - Hydrolysis of phosphate monoesters: a biological problem with multiple chemical
      solutions.
AB  - Formation of phosphate esters by kinases has long been recognized as an important
      process in biochemistry, but the reverse reaction, hydrolysis of phosphate esters
      by phosphatases, has attracted less attention. Recent work suggests that
      phosphatases are as important as kinases in regulatory processes, and that they
      constitute a diverse group of enzymes that utilize a variety of chemical means to
      accelerate phosphate ester hydrolysis.

PMID- 1412694
TI  - Fructose-bisphosphate aldolases: an evolutionary history.
AB  - Two mechanistically distinct forms of fructose-bisphosphate aldolase are known to
      exist. It has been assumed that the Class II (metallo) aldolases are evolutionary
      more primitive than their Class I (Schiff-base) analogs since the latter had only
      been found in eukaryotes. With the identification of prokaryotic Class I
      aldolases, we present here an alternative scheme of aldolase evolution. This
      scheme proposes that both aldolase classes are evolutionarily ancient and
      rationalizes the observed highly variable expression of both enzyme types in
      contemporary file forms.

PMID- 1412696
TI  - Ribonucleotide reductase: regulation, regulation, regulation.
AB  - Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) catalyses the rate limiting step in the production
      of deoxyribonucleotides needed for DNA synthesis. It is composed of two
      dissimilar subunits, R1, the large subunit containing the allosteric regulatory
      sites, and R2, the small subunit containing a binuclear iron center and a tyrosyl
      free radical. Recent isolation of the mammalian and yeast RNR genes has shown
      that, in addition to the well documented allosteric regulation, the synthesis of
      the enzyme is also tightly regulated at the level of transcription. The mRNAs for
      both subunits are cell-cycle regulated and, in yeast, inducible by DNA damage.
      Yeast encode a second large subunit gene, RNR3, that is expressed only in the
      presence of DNA damage. This regulation is thought to provide a metabolic state
      that facilitates DNA replicational repair processes.

PMID- 1412695
TI  - Dual-specificity protein kinases: will any hydroxyl do?
AB  - Protein kinases are classified by the target amino acid in their substrates.
      Those protein kinases that phosphorylate hydroxyamino acids comprise two groups,
      the protein-tyrosine and protein-serine/threonine kinases, which, until recently,
      had been thought to be mutually exclusive. However, several new protein kinases
      have been discovered that, by the criterion of primary structure, would be
      classified as protein-serine/threonine kinases but which, surprisingly, are able
      to phosphorylate tyrosine residues. Even more surprising, there are reports of
      protein kinases that are capable of phosphorylating both tyrosine and
      serine/threonine residues. We review and discuss recent developments concerning
      these 'dal-specificity' protein kinases.

PMID- 1412697
TI  - Trimeric G proteins in Golgi transport.

PMID- 1412698
TI  - Chromatin condensation: does histone H1 dephosphorylation play a role?
AB  - In this article we describe three distinct biological systems where histone H1
      phosphorylation is uncoupled from mitosis and highly condensed chromatin is
      enriched in dephosphorylated forms of H1: the amitotic macronucleus of
      Tetrahymena, terminally differentiated avian erythrocytes and sea urchin sperm.
      Each system offers informative contrasts to the idea that H1 hyperphosphorylation
      is causally related to mitotic chromosome condensation. Assuming that higher
      order chromatin folding is primarily driven by electrostatic interactions between
      H1 and DNA, an alternative model is presented for the role of H1 phosphorylation
      in chromatin condensation.

PMID- 1412699
TI  - Inositol lipids in cellular signalling mechanisms.
AB  - At the opening of the 1980s, two camps vigorously contested whether receptor
      stimulated inositol lipid hydrolysis was a transmembrane signalling reaction that
      brought about an elevation of cytosolic [Ca2+] or simply a frequent, but
      unexplained, response of many stimulated cells to a stimulated elevation of
      cytosolic [Ca2+]. Since 1984, this discussion has been replaced by intensive work
      that is well on the way to providing a detailed description of the complex set of
      signalling pathways initiated by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis
      to form the second messengers inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and 1,2
      diacylglycerol. In addition, it has been realized that cells closely regulate
      their levels both of a novel family of 3-phosphorylated inositol lipids and of a
      large number of water-soluble inositol polyphosphates; the definition of the
      functions of these molecules will be a job for the 1990s.

PMID- 1412700
TI  - The cell cycle then and now.
AB  - In the last few years a general model of cell cycle control has been established
      for all eukaryotic cells. Experiments from a variety of organisms and from a
      variety of experimental approaches have identified a protein kinase and its
      unstable regulatory subunit as the activator of mitosis; related molecules seem
      to be involved in the activation of chromosome replication. The identification of
      the biochemical components of these important regulatory pathways is providing
      several new insights into homeostatic and developmental control mechanisms in
      higher organisms.

PMID- 1412701
TI  - Hemopoietic regulators.
AB  - The production and maturation of blood cells from the eight major blood cell
      lineages is a complex and continuous process, which is largely controlled by
      specific glycoprotein hemopoietic regulators. These regulators also control the
      functional activity of the blood cells through eliciting a diverse set of
      intracellular responses initiated by a regulator-specific membrane receptor.
      Twenty of these regulators have now been characterized, and their mass production
      has led to four already being licensed for clinical use in disease states
      involving subnormal blood cell formation.

PMID- 1412702
TI  - The molecular and biochemical basis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
AB  - Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD, BMD) have both been clinically
      recognized for over 100 years, yet throughout much of that time nothing beyond
      clinical evaluation and supportive care during the disease course was available
      to patients. The identification of the molecular basis of DMD/BMD in 1986 paved
      the way for extensive progress toward the understanding, diagnosis and treatment
      of this disease.

PMID- 1412703
TI  - Protein engineering.
AB  - Ten years of protein engineering have seen the synthesis of novel therapeutic
      agents and the analysis of the structure, activity, specificity, stability and
      folding pathways of proteins. It is hoped that protein engineering will
      eventually lead to the design of novel catalytic sites on either novel or
      existing proteins.

PMID- 1412704
TI  - Microtubule motors: many new models off the assembly line.
AB  - A far greater variety of microtubule-based motors populate the interior of most
      eukaryotic cells than was ever imagined, and the inventory of these proteins is
      growing each year. The discovery of new motors, however, has raised many
      questions of how cells use their arsenal of force-generating machines. The
      ability to apply genetics, bacterial expression, biochemistry and in vitro
      motility assays to study motor proteins provides new opportunities for examining
      these problems at a molecular level.

PMID- 1412705
TI  - The retinoblastoma protein and the regulation of cell cycling.
AB  - Increasing attention has been focused on how the retinoblastoma (RB) protein
      regulates cell growth. Recent evidence indicates that it is a substrate for
      phosphorylation by cyclin-dependent kinase-cyclin complexes and suggests that
      this phosphorylation modulates the ability of this protein to regulate transit
      through the cell cycle, perhaps in its G1 phase.

PMID- 1412706
TI  - Now you see it, now you don't: the Golgi disappearing act.

PMID- 1412707
TI  - Does Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy provide useful information on
      protein structures?

PMID- 1412708
TI  - Oxygen and the connective tissues.
AB  - Avascular connective tissues (cartilage, discs, cornea) change with maturation
      and aging, particularly in large animals, where diffusion paths are longest. It
      is suggested that the changes in such tissues are responses to increasing
      difficulties in obtaining oxygen. Two almost identical structural polymers are
      made in these tissues: chondroitin sulphate, which requires large amounts of
      oxygen for biosynthesis and keratan sulphate, which requires relatively little.
      The observed balance of these polymers in the tissue is proposed to depend on the
      control of biosynthesis by the ambient oxygen tension, and/or selective
      breakdown.

PMID- 1412709
TI  - A novel zinc finger coiled-coil domain in a family of nuclear proteins.

PMID- 1412710
TI  - A neurofilament-specific sequence motif.

PMID- 1412711
TI  - Protein phosphorylation and LHCII structure.

PMID- 1412712
TI  - Nuclear targeting sequences.

PMID- 1412713
TI  - Excavations into the active-site gorge of cholinesterases.
AB  - Acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase (ACHE, BCHE) from evolutionarily distant
      species display a high degree of primary sequence homology and have biochemically
      similar catalytic properties, yet they differ in substrate specificity and
      affinity for various inhibitors. The biochemical information derived from
      analyses of ACHE and BCHE from human, Torpedo, mouse, and Drosophila, as well as
      that from the recombinant forms of their natural variants and site-directed
      mutants, can currently be re-examined in view of the recent X-ray crystallography
      data revealing the three-dimensional structure of Torpedo ACHE. The picture that
      emerges deepens the insight into the biochemical basis for choline ester
      catalysis and the complex mechanism of interaction between cholinesterases and
      their numerous ligands.

PMID- 1412714
TI  - Cell membrane-associated mucins and their adhesion-modulating property.
AB  - A class of highly sialylated glycoproteins with very large mucin-like domains
      that protrude high above the plasma membrane have been shown to strongly reduce
      cellular adhesion. In normal epithelial cells, where the expression is restricted
      to the luminal side of the cell, these molecules may prevent inadvertent closing
      of the lumen as a result of weak, non-specific protein-protein interactions
      between opposite luminal membranes. In malignant tumors cellular polarization is
      often lost, which can lead to the entire cell surface being covered by these
      molecules. The resulting strongly reduced adhesion and immune recognition
      properties may play an important role during invasion and metastasis.

PMID- 1412715
TI  - Alloimmunization, memory, and the interpretation of crossmatch results for renal
      transplantation.

PMID- 1412716
TI  - The role of beta-2 microglobulin in temperature-sensitive and interferon-gamma
      induced exocytosis of HLA class I molecules.
AB  - The passage of MHC class I heavy chains through the exocytic pathway is promoted
      by association with beta 2 microglobulin (beta 2m). In order to analyze the
      structural basis of this phenomenon, processing and cell surface expression of
      HLA class I molecules have been investigated in the beta 2m null human melanoma
      cell line FO-1 transfected with either the human or mouse beta 2m genes. These
      natural structural variants of beta 2m display 30% amino acid sequence
      divergence. In comparison with a human beta 2m transfectant of the FO-1 cell line
      (designated FO-1H), FO-1 cells transfected with the mouse beta 2m gene (FO-1C)
      express HLA class I molecules that are processed with grossly altered kinetics
      and are present on the cell surface at reduced levels. The suboptimal expression
      of HLA class I heavy chains encoded by FO-1C cells reflects a defect in heavy
      chain stability since cell surface expression of HLA class I antigens was
      increased following incubation at 30 degrees C. The increased cell surface
      expression paralleled accelerated processing of HLA class I heavy chains by FO-1C
      cells. In contrast, no induction in either cell surface expression or processing
      of HLA class I heavy chains was observed for the beta 2m-negative FO-1 parent
      cell line, which remained HLA class I antigen null when cultured at 30 degrees C,
      or the FO-1H human beta 2m transfectant, which expressed equivalent levels of HLA
      class I antigens on the cell surface at 37 degrees C and 30 degrees C. Further up
      regulation of the temperature-sensitive induction of HLA class I antigen
      expression was accomplished by treatment of the FO-1C transfectant with
      interferon-gamma; this latter effect appears to be active at a
      posttranscriptional step for FO-1 cells since IFN-gamma was not as potent a
      transcriptional activator at 30 degrees C as it was at 37 degrees C. These
      results indicate that HLA class I heavy chains expressed by FO-1C cells are
      subject to temperature-sensitive and cytokine-inducible stabilization that
      increases their affinity for the structural variant of beta 2m and promotes
      exocytosis of the HLA class I heterodimer to the cell surface. Furthermore, beta
      2m non-conformed MHC class I heavy chains undergo stabilization that is not
      associated with enhanced cell surface expression, indicating that the exocytosis
      of putative "empty" HLA class I antigens is a process dependent upon association
      with beta 2m.

PMID- 1412717
TI  - The prolongation of concordant hamster-to-rat cardiac xenografts by brequinar
      sodium.
AB  - Brequinar sodium (BQR) prevents cell proliferation by virtue of its inhibition of
      de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis. The immunosuppressive activity of BQR is highly
      effective in prolonging heart, liver, and kidney allograft survival in the rat.
      In these experiments, we have tested the ability of BQR to prevent the rejection
      of concordant cardiac xenografts. LEW inbred rats transplanted with heterotopic
      hamster hearts were treated orally with brequinar sodium as a single agent. The
      survival of the cardiac xenografts was significantly prolonged with a variety of
      treatment regimens. The most effective treatment was the daily oral
      administration of BQR at 3 mg/kg. At this level, the median graft survival was
      approximately 25 days. Four animals had hamster heart xenografts that functioned
      for more than 90 days. The prolonged survival of the xenografts was associated
      with relatively constant plasma drug levels of approximately 1 to 3 micrograms/ml
      and a marked suppression of IgM production. At rejection, there was a significant
      rise in IgM levels compared with those of recipients with stable xenografts. In
      vitro MLR responses were effectively inhibited by BQR, with an IC50 of 0.08
      microgram/ml. The results of these experiments demonstrate that BQR is a new
      immunosuppressive agent that is highly effective as a single agent in prolonging
      the survival of hamster-to-rat cardiac xenografts. The prolonged xenograft
      survival is associated with effective suppression of rat antihamster antibody
      production, suggesting that brequinar sodium may be an important addition to
      multidrug immunosuppressive regimes designed to prevent B and T lymphocyte
      mediated immune responses.

PMID- 1412718
TI  - Evidence that long-term survival of concordant xenografts is achieved by
      inhibition of antispecies antibody production.
AB  - Antibody and complement have been shown to be of primary importance in the
      rejection of hamster heart xenografts by rats. Very high anti-hamster antibody
      titers were detected at the time of rejection of hamster hearts transplanted into
      untreated or T cell deficient rats. This study demonstrates a method of
      inhibiting this antibody production by pulse therapy with cyclophosphamide (CyP)
      and continuous cyclosporine treatment, resulting in a median survival of the
      hamster heart of greater than 100 days. Controls and CsA-treated rats reject the
      transplanted hamster heart in a median of 3 days. CyP as a sole therapy resulted
      in a median survival of 14 days. Prolonged CyP therapy when combined with CsA was
      associated with increased death among rat recipients due to infection.
      Antispecies antibody production was suppressed during CyP and CsA therapy and did
      not recur after cessation of CyP therapy. Cessation of CsA therapy at 60 and 100
      days posttransplantation resulted in subsequent rejection of the xenografts
      (median survival after cessation of therapy of 11 and 19.5 days, respectively)
      and was associated with production of rat anti-hamster antibodies.

PMID- 1412719
TI  - The effects of gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester, a prodrug of glutathione, on
      ischemia-reperfusion-induced liver injury in rats.
AB  - This study was designed to clarify the effects of changes in liver tissue
      glutathione (GSH) concentration on postischemic liver injury together with the
      effects of gamma-glutamylcysteine ethyl ester (GCE), a prodrug of GSH, and GSH.
      Rats were pretreated with GSH (50 mg/kg, i.v.), or GCE (50 mg/kg, i.v.), or
      untreated. In each rat, liver was isolated, and liver mitochondria were prepared
      after 2 h of ischemia or 1 h of reperfusion following 2 h of ischemia.
      Mitochondrial function was measured polarographically. Liver adenine nucleotide
      concentrations were also determined using high-performance liquid chromatography.
      Liver tissue GSH, an oxidized form of glutathione (GSSG) concentrations, and
      activities of GSH peroxidase and GSSG reductase were determined enzymatically.
      Liver hypoxanthine and xanthine concentrations were determined by HPLC. Liver
      tissue concentration of lipid peroxide was measured. Leakages of aspartate
      aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase
      (LDH), and adenine nucleotides into the hepatic vein after reperfusion were also
      measured. Administration of GCE improved the recovery of mitochondrial function
      and maintained tissue GSH concentration concomitantly. Increases in liver lipid
      peroxide concentration after reperfusion, and leakage of liver cell enzymes and
      adenine nucleotides were mitigated by administration of GCE. Administration of
      GSH itself failed to maintain tissue GSH concentration and had no protective
      effects. From these results, it is concluded that in the postischemic process,
      free radical formation might be enhanced, and the radical scavenging system
      deteriorated. To enhance the radical scavenging system is a possible maneuver to
      prevent radical-related cell damage associated with reperfusion, because
      pharmacological reduction of breakdown of ATP to hypoxanthine and xanthine seems
      to be difficult. GCE maintained liver GSH concentrations and mitigated
      postischemic liver injury, concomitantly. Clinical use of GCE might be
      recommended.

PMID- 1412720
TI  - The effect of prostaglandin E1 on heart preservation.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of prostaglandin E1 on
      rabbit heart preservation. The hearts were arrested with cardioplegia (CP)
      solution, followed by intracoronary infusion of Euro-Collins (E-C) solution. They
      were immersed in E-C solution at 4 degrees C for 9 hr, flushed with terminal warm
      CP solution, and reperfused with oxygenated Tyrodes' solution at 80 mmHg for 90
      min. Eighteen rabbits (Kabushikigaishya BioTec Japanese white) were divided into
      3 groups. Group I served as the control. In groups II and III, 200 ng/kg/min of
      PGE1 was given for 30 min before the heart was removed and 5 micrograms was added
      to the initial CP solution. In group III, 5 micrograms was also added to both E-C
      solutions and to the terminal CP solution. The values of CPK and LDH in the
      terminal CP solution and in the coronary effluent in groups II and III were
      lower, and coronary flow after reperfusion in group III was significantly greater
      at 5 min and from 60 min until the end of the experiment. Left ventricular
      maximum dP/dt at each end-diastolic pressure was significantly higher than
      control in groups II and III. The values of the wet/dry ratio of reperfused
      hearts in groups II and III were significantly lower than in the control. In
      conclusion, treatment with PGE1 before heart extraction and the addition of PGE1
      to both E-C solutions and to the terminal CP solution contributed to superior
      left ventricular function after reperfusion, by improving preservation and
      reducing interstitial edema.

PMID- 1412721
TI  - The effects of long-term graft preservation and prostaglandin E1 on
      intraoperative hemodynamic changes in liver transplantation. A comparison between
      orthotopic and heterotopic transplantation in the pig.
AB  - The study aimed to compare the intraoperative hemodynamic changes during
      orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) with those during heterotopic liver
      transplantation (HLT) after different durations of cold storage of the graft. The
      effect of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) on these parameters was also studied. Sixty
      nine female Yorkshire pigs underwent either OLT (n = 32) or HLT (n = 37) with a
      graft stored for 2 hr (n = 31), 24 hr (n = 16), 48 hr (n = 7), or 72 hr (n = 15).
      In 16 transplantations in the various groups, PGE1 was given intravenously to
      both donor and recipient animals and it was added to the preservation and
      flushing solutions. Univariate nonparametric tests (Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon
      rank-sum) were used for analysis of cardiac output (CO), mean arterial pressure
      (MAP), left and right ventricular minute work (LVMW, RVMW), pulmonary capillary
      wedge pressure (PCWP), and systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance (SVR, PVR),
      at different intervals during the operative procedure. For the three main
      variables--i.e., the type of transplantation, the use of PGE1, and the
      preservation time, multiple regression analysis was performed. During HLT, portal
      vein clamping lowered MAP and CO, while during the anhepatic phase in OLT, SVR
      increased and CO dropped. After recirculation of the graft, an increase in PVR
      and a decrease in SVR were found in both OLT and HLT. At different stages of the
      surgical procedure, longer graft storage time diminished CO and MAP (P less than
      0.001), especially in OLT. PGE1 appeared to reduce the cardiovascular reserves
      needed to compensate the changes after recirculation of the graft. The observed
      differences in intraoperative hemodynamics between OLT and HLT can partly be
      attributed to differences in operative techniques. Extension of the graft
      preservation period resulted in poor cardiac performance, more so in OLT than
      HLT. The native liver in HLT might be able to metabolize the presumed myocardial
      depressant factors, released by the graft upon reperfusion. Prostaglandin E1 did
      not protect against the reperfusion syndrome.

PMID- 1412722
TI  - The outcome of pregnancy following renal transplantation--the experience of a
      single center.
AB  - Many centers still recommend avoidance of pregnancy after renal transplantation
      because of fears for the safety of both mother and fetus. These fears are in part
      based on a lack of information concerning the effects of newer immunosuppressive
      drugs such as cyclosporine on the course and outcome of pregnancy. The present
      study examines the experience of first pregnancies following renal
      transplantation in a single center, with emphasis on the role of CsA. Data on the
      first pregnancies of 22 women transplanted between 1977 and 1988 were studied.
      The mean age of patients at the time of transplant was 23.4 +/- 3.1 years and
      interval from transplant to pregnancy was 34.5 +/- 24.5 months (range 1-75
      months). Twelve patients received CsA alone or in combination with other
      immunosuppressives, while the remaining 10 patients received azathioprine and
      prednisone. Mean serum creatinine fell progressively during pregnancy in both CsA
      and azathioprine-treated mothers. Mean CsA dose rose during pregnancy while mean
      CsA blood concentration fell during the 2nd trimester (P = 0.042). The gestation
      period ranged from 27 to 40 weeks (35.5 +/- 3.3) with 14 pregnancies ending
      prematurely prior to 37 weeks. Thirteen deliveries occurred by Caesarian section.
      Hypertension complicated 10 pregnancies. Birth weight correlated directly with
      both maternal weight gain (r = 0.57; P less than 0.02) and gestational age (r =
      0.9; P less than 0.01). Ten of 23 offspring were below the 10th percentile for
      weight. Mean birth weight ranged from 0.72 to 3.7 kg (2.3 +/- 0.84 kg). The mean
      birth weight and gestational age of children born to mothers taking CsA were
      lower than those in azathioprine treated mothers but these differences were not
      statistically significant. Successful pregnancy is possible following renal
      transplantation, although there is a high rate of prematurity, low birth weight,
      and intrauterine growth retardation. CsA dose requirements may be increased.
      Maternal risks including hypertension require that such pregnancies be handled by
      a multidisciplinary team approach.

PMID- 1412723
TI  - The long-term effects of prophylactic OKT3 monoclonal antibody in cadaver kidney
      transplantation--a single-center, prospective, randomized study.
AB  - We conducted a randomized, prospective study to determine the long-term effects
      of prophylactic OKT3 in cadaveric renal transplantation. In the first group of
      patients (n = 56) OKT3 (5 mg/day) was administered for the first 14 postoperative
      days in association with azathioprine (AZA) and low-dose steroids, cyclosporine
      (CsA) being introduced on day 11. The other group of patients (n = 52) received
      CsA from the first POD, together with AZA and steroids. Both protocols were
      identical from POD 14 on. The total number of infections was higher in OKT3
      patients (124/1455 patient-months [P-M] vs. 68/1320 in CsA patients, P less than
      0.001) without impact on patient survival (94.5% in OKT3 vs. 93% in CsA
      patients). OKT3 patients experienced a lower number of rejection episodes (61 per
      1455 P-M of risk exposure vs. 81/1320 in CsA patients, P less than 0.05). In
      addition, the frequency of corticoresistant rejection episodes was lower in OKT3
      patients (9 out of 61 vs. 24 out of 81 in CsA patients, P less than 0.05). This
      resulted in a trend toward improved overall graft survival (83% vs. 75%, P =
      0.12) and in a significant increase in immunological graft survival (92% vs. 79%,
      P = 0.02) in OKT3 patients at 3 years. Taken together, these data suggest that
      prophylactic OKT3 therapy might have long-term beneficial effects in cadaveric
      renal transplantation.

PMID- 1412724
TI  - Plasma fibronectin levels during acute rejection and acute tubular necrosis in
      renal transplant patients.
AB  - Fibronectin (Fn), an acute phase glycoprotein synthesized by the liver, has an
      important immunomodulatory role. We have investigated the changes in plasma Fn in
      patients after renal transplantation in order to determine whether these changes
      predict graft injury or rejection episodes. Besides normal healthy controls,
      healthy pregnant controls, and a trauma control group, we used two groups of
      chronic renal failure patients as controls: group I, patients with end-stage
      renal failure (ESRF) on peritoneal dialysis; group II, patients with ESRF on
      hemodialysis. These were compared with two groups of renal transplant patients:
      group III, patients 3 months after successful renal transplantation; group IV,
      patients studied sequentially 10 days immediately posttransplantation. The renal
      transplant patients were treated with low-dose cyclosporine, azathioprine, and
      steroids. Citrated plasma samples were collected for Fn assay by a sandwich-type
      ELISA and for SDS-PAGE analysis and Western blotting. The mean plasma Fn levels
      were as follows: healthy controls 311.6 SEM, 13.5 micrograms/ml; healthy pregnant
      controls 357 SEM, 5.9 micrograms/ml; trauma controls 262.3 SEM 31.7,
      micrograms/ml; group I 169 SEM, 25.1 micrograms/ml; group II 199 SEM, 27.2
      micrograms/ml; group III 272 SEM, 21.7 micrograms/ml; group IV 212 SEM, 27.4
      micrograms/ml (day 3 postop). There was a significant difference in the plasma Fn
      levels on day 3 posttransplant between the patients with delayed and immediate
      renal function (P less than 0.03) (group IV). A significant decrease in plasma Fn
      levels occurred immediately after steroid therapy was stopped (P less than 0.03)
      in patients treated for acute rejection. Plasma Fn levels were significantly
      decreased in the presence of delayed graft function but did not predict
      rejection.

PMID- 1412725
TI  - The influence of increased age and age matching on graft survival after first
      cadaveric renal transplantation.
AB  - We examined the influence of donor and recipient age as well as close donor and
      recipient age matching by analysis of the actuarial survival of 397 consecutive
      first cadaveric renal transplants carried out in the years 1987 to 1990. Graft
      failure was defined as return to dialysis, transplant nephrectomy, or death of
      the recipient from any cause. Overall 1-, 2-, and 3-year actuarial graft survival
      was 87, 84, and 79%. No effect on graft survival in adult patients was seen of
      advanced age of either donor or recipient. The source of the donor whether from
      within or outside the North Western Regional Health Authority did not influence
      outcome whatever the donor age. Results from patients in whom the donor was
      within 5 years of the recipient's age were no different from those obtained when
      the age difference was greater than 5 years. These data do not support the
      hypothesis that close age matching influences graft survival. Age matching need
      not be used as a recipient selection criterion. As neither recipient nor donor
      age influenced early graft survival, consideration should be given to increasing
      the average age of both donors and recipients.

PMID- 1412726
TI  - Quality-of-life changes and psychiatric and neurocognitive outcome after heart
      and liver transplantation.
AB  - A prospective study compared psychiatric, neurocognitive, and quality-of-life
      changes of heart and liver transplant patients. The 51 heart and 61 liver
      transplant candidates and recipients completed the Beck depression inventory
      (BDI), state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), sickness impact profile (SIP), mini
      mental state (MMS), California verbal learning test (CVLT), Wisconsin card
      sorting test (WCST), trailmaking test (TMT), and the impact message inventory
      (IMI). Data were gathered before transplant and at 3-month intervals for up to 1
      year after transplant. Psychometric tests scores were correlated with
      electroencephalograms for the liver patients. Both groups showed significant
      improvements after transplant in neurocognitive functioning, depressive symptoms,
      and quality of life.

PMID- 1412727
TI  - The relationship of serum IL-6 levels to acute graft-versus-host disease and
      hepatorenal disease after human bone marrow transplantation.
AB  - The potential involvement of cytokines in acute graft-versus-host disease led us
      to analyze interleukin-6 in serial serum sets from 22 allogeneic marrow
      recipients who developed either grade 3 or 4 GVHD (n = 10), grade 2 GVHD (n = 6),
      or grade 1 or no diagnosed GVHD (n = 6). A total of 279 serial serum samples
      taken three times weekly before day 35 were analyzed. Maximum IL-6 levels were
      greater than 40 U/ml (range, 40-1536 U/ml), 11-40 U/ml, and less than or equal to
      10 U/ml for six, eleven, and five patients, respectively. Serum IL-6 peaks were
      temporally related to onset of GVHD, onset of a syndrome of hepatorenal
      dysfunction (HRD), or bilateral lung infiltration. Eight of ten patients who
      developed grade 3 or 4 GVHD overall had IL-6 maxima of greater than 10 U/ml an
      average of 1.5 +/- 1.8 days before the clinical onset. Fifteen of 17 patients
      with peak IL-6 levels greater than 10 U/ml developed symptoms of hepatic and
      renal dysfunction within three days of the peak, while none of five patients with
      less than or equal to 10 U/ml of Il-6 developed HRD. Regression analysis
      demonstrated a linkage between the log magnitudes of the serum IL-6 peaks and
      onset of either GVHD or HRD within three days (P = 0.001). Furthermore, IL-6
      peaks tended to precede GVHD onset for the 10 patients whose GVHD onset and IL-6
      peak were within three days of each other (P = 0.02). These results, confirmed by
      both specific bioassay and by IL-6 ELISA, support the idea that acute GVHD in
      humans involves a cytokine cascade that includes production of IL-6 in addition
      to the previously reported involvement of tumor necrosis factor alpha and
      interferon-gamma.

PMID- 1412728
TI  - Pretransplant and posttransplant antibodies in human corneal transplantation.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to measure the association between antibody
      formation and endothelial corneal allograft reactions in 533 consecutive corneal
      graft recipients. The median follow-up time of these recipients was 732 days.
      Pretransplant panel-reactive antibodies were not found to be associated with
      endothelial corneal allograft reactions. Out of 533 recipients, 239 developed
      posttransplant antibodies during the course of this study. The formation of
      posttransplant antibodies was frequent in recipients with pretransplant
      antibodies and in HLA-A,-B-incompatible recipients. Posttransplant antibodies
      most often appeared within the first six months after transplantation whereas
      endothelial allograft reactions most often occurred later. Out of 65 recipients
      who developed PPRA and underwent an allograft reaction, 53 had a PPRA peak prior
      to, or at about the time of, the allograft reaction. Corneal allograft reaction
      events diagnosed during the second and third year after surgery were correlated
      with PPRA formation during the first year after grafting. The 36-month reaction
      free survival rate of transplants was estimated at 72% in recipients with PPRA
      compared with 86% in recipients without PPRA (log rank P value = 0.002).
      Furthermore, posttransplant antibody formation altered the outcome of corneal
      allografts in both HLA-A and -B-compatible and -incompatible recipients. These
      findings suggest that posttransplant antibody development represents a high risk
      of endothelial corneal allograft reactions.

PMID- 1412729
TI  - Induction of specific tolerance to class I-disparate renal allografts in
      miniature swine with cyclosporine.
AB  - Previous studies in miniature swine have suggested that the mechanism underlying
      the spontaneous development of tolerance in one third of one-haplotype class I
      disparate renal allografts (i.e., ag----ad) involves a relative T cell help
      deficit at the time of first exposure to antigen. If this hypothesis were
      correct, then one might expect the administration of an immunosuppressive agent
      capable of inhibiting lymphokine production during this period to lead to the
      induction of tolerance to class I MHC antigens in two-haplotype class I
      mismatched renal allografts (i.e., gg----dd), which are otherwise uniformly and
      acutely rejected. This hypothesis was tested in eight two-haplotype class I
      disparate, class II matched donor-recipient pairs, in which recipients were
      treated with cyclosporine 10 mg/kg, i.v. q.d. for 12 days. This protocol led to
      the induction of long-term (greater than 100 days) specific tolerance in 100% of
      recipients, as compared with control animals that rejected grafts in 13.7 +/- 0.9
      days (P less than 0.0001). The specificity of tolerance was assessed both in vivo
      with subsequent skin grafts and in vitro by mixed lymphocyte response (MLR) and
      cell-mediated lymphocytotoxicity (CML). Survival of donor-specific skin grafts
      was prolonged compared with skin grafts bearing third-party class I antigens
      (19.5 +/- 2.0 versus 11.5 +/- 2.0 days, n = 4, P less than 0.05). Tolerant
      recipients had markedly diminished or absent anti-donor MLR and CML responses,
      but maintained normal reactivity to third party. Four of eight CsA-treated
      recipients showed detectable levels of anti-donor IgM, while none demonstrated
      the presence of anti-donor IgG, which was found in all rejecting controls.

PMID- 1412730
TI  - Thromboxane augmentation of alloreactive T cell function.
AB  - Thromboxane (Tx) plays a vital role in the dysfunction and ultimate rejection of
      MHC-disparate renal allografts. In addition to its potent vasoconstrictory
      properties, in vivo studies have implied that Tx is capable of promoting immune
      cytotoxic T cell function within transplants. In this study, we have examined the
      in vitro effect of Tx inhibition on alloreactive immune cells using MHC-disparate
      mouse strain combinations. Coculture of either Tx-synthetase or Tx-receptor
      inhibitors modified the response of unprimed mouse lymphoid populations in a
      primary MLR, implying that Tx inhibition and not endoperoxide shunting was
      responsible for the modulatory effects seen. For example, B10.S lymphoid cells
      displayed decreased proliferation to H-2 disparate B10.A cells with Tx inhibitors
      present during the MLR, at pharmacologically active drug concentrations.
      Moreover, in vitro addition of TxA2 had an augmentory effect on the response in
      the primary and secondary MLR. Interleukin 2 production and percentages of T cell
      populations in the primary MLR were not affected by the presence of these
      compounds, although CD4 and CD8 expression was often increased in the treated
      populations. Finally, alloreactive primed effector cells also displayed reduced
      proliferation to specific alloantigen in a secondary MLR when Tx inhibitors were
      also present, although responses to IL-2 by T cells were not influenced by
      thromboxane inhibition. These data imply that thromboxane is an important
      immunoregulatory mediator capable of potentiating the function of naive and
      primed alloreactive immune T cell populations crucial to the rejection of the
      transplant.

PMID- 1412731
TI  - Reduction of delayed-type hypersensitivity by the injection of n-3
      polyunsaturated fatty acids in mice.
AB  - The effects of injection of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on the
      delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response was investigated in mice. Mice were
      immunized with sheep red blood cells (SRBCs). Six days later 50 microliters of a
      20% SRBC suspension was injected into the right hind footpad of each mouse. Just
      before the challenge of SRBCs, various amount of a trieicosapentaenoyl-glycerol
      emulsion (10%) was injected through tail veins (5 mice per each dose). Then 24 hr
      later the dorsoventral thickness of the right hind footpad was measured and
      compared with that of the left hind footpad. The difference in thickness between
      both footpads was regarded as the DTH response. The effect of the emulsion on DTH
      was dose-dependent; the DTH responses (in mm) in the control group (injected with
      0.5 ml of a 2.5% glycerol solution through tail veins) and EPA-injected groups
      (with 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg) were 1.53 +/- 0.16 (mean +/- SEM), 1.09 +/- 0.14,
      0.43 +/- 0.07 (P less than 0.005), and 0.36 +/- 0.13 (P less than 0.005),
      respectively. The DTH response was also depressed by the injection of a
      tridocosahexaenoyl-glycerol emulsion. Consequently, n-3 PUFA emulsions have
      clinical implication in DTH-related diseases such as rejection of allografts.

PMID- 1412733
TI  - Resistance and susceptibility of neural cells to lysis by cytotoxic lymphocytes
      and by cytolytic granules.
AB  - The susceptibility of neural cells to immune-mediated lysis by alloantigen
      specific cytotoxic lymphocytes is important in understanding cell-mediated immune
      responses during rejection of transplanted neural tissues and in inflammatory
      responses of the central (CNS) and peripheral (PNS) nervous systems. In this
      study, we used 51Cr-release and granzyme A assays to examine whether primary
      cultures of astrocytes and CNS and PNS neurons could serve as targets for
      alloantigen-specific CTLs and granule-mediated lysis. The level of astrocyte
      killing by alloantigen-specific CTLs correlated with expression of the class I
      gene products of the major histocompatibility complex. Astrocytes cultured for 1
      2 weeks did not express class I MHC antigens and were not susceptible to lysis by
      activated alloantigen-specific CTLs. Lengthening the astrocyte culture period to
      3 weeks resulted in class I MHC antigen expression on the astrocyte surface and
      alloantigen-specific lysis. Astrocytes of all ages tested were susceptible to
      lysis by isolated cytolytic lymphocyte granules. PNS neurons of various ages
      tested also served as targets for CTLs and were lysed by isolated granules. In
      contrast, CNS neurons did not express class I MHC antigens and were highly
      resistant to killing by CTLs and lymphocyte granules. CNS neurons and astrocytes
      did not trigger specific granzyme A secretion from effector cells. In the
      presence of leucoagglutinin, CTLs-specific recognition of target cells is
      bypassed, and virtually any cell, regardless of its antigens, is killed
      nonspecifically. Although leucoagglutinin-treated CNS neurons and astrocytes
      triggered increased granzyme A secretion from effector cells, only astrocytes
      were lysed in an antigen-nonspecific manner, whereas CNS neurons remained
      strikingly resistant. These results suggest differences in the susceptibility of
      PNS and CNS neurons to T cell-mediated lysis. CNS neurons appear to possess
      protective mechanisms that render them refractory to CTL-mediated lysis and
      granule-mediated lysis, whereas PNS neurons and astrocytes are far more
      susceptible to both types of immune attack.

PMID- 1412734
TI  - The time course of cell-mediated lympholysis in rat hepatic allograft recipients
      pretreated with a single donor-specific blood transfusion.
AB  - A single intravenous injection of 1 ml freshly heparinized donor blood seven days
      before transplantation significantly prolonged the survival of subsequent donor
      specific hepatic allografts in the fully allogeneic ACI(RT1a-to-LEW(RT1l)) rat
      combination. The time course of cell-mediated lympholysis was studied in this
      animal model. The activity of CML in lymphocytes infiltrating into the hepatic
      allograft (CML-G) and in the spleen (CML-S) was determined by measuring % lysis
      of donor Con A blast cervical lymph node cells. Preoperative DST resulted in an
      increased activity of CML-S with a peak (31.6%, E/T = 150) on day 7. This
      increased CML-S activity after DST rapidly declined during the first days
      following hepatic transplantation. The activities of both CML-S and CML-G then
      increased after transplantation and reached peaks on days 15 (48%, E/T = 150) and
      20 (2.57%, E/T = 75), respectively. These were much higher than the peak values
      of CML-S (11.2%, E/T = 150) on day 7 and CML-G (19.5%, E/T = 75) on day 6 in
      untreated controls and were followed by a subsequent gradual decrease in those
      activities to preoperative levels by day 113 posttransplant. Phenotypic analysis
      of lymphocytes infiltrating grafts in DST-treated hosts demonstrated that the
      CD4/CD8 ratio remained relatively constant (less than 1.0). While the ratio in
      control grafts increased and reached a peak (2.17) on day 9. Histological
      examination revealed that mononuclear cell infiltration of grafts reached a peak
      on day 9 in both DST-treated hosts and controls. This mononuclear cell
      accumulation gradually subsided in DST-enhanced grafts. The mitotic index of
      graft hepatocytes reached a peak on day 15 in DST-treated hosts and on day 7 in
      control. The evidence of prolonged survival of hepatic grafts in recipients
      pretreated with DST, despite the presence of cytotoxic T cells with increased CML
      activity in vitro, suggests that effector cytotoxic cell activity may not be
      necessary for rat liver allograft rejection and that there may be limitations in
      measuring host cytotoxic activity simply by CML assays.

PMID- 1412732
TI  - Maturing thymocytes in accelerated rejection of cardiac allografts in
      presensitized rats.
AB  - LBNF1 cardiac allografts are rejected within 36 hr in LEW rats sensitized with BN
      skin grafts 7 days earlier (acute rejection in unmodified hosts = 8 days). We
      have studied and compared the function and migration patterns of thymocytes one
      day after engraftment in sensitized recipients, unmodified hosts, and normal
      naive rats. Thymocytes from animals experiencing accelerated rejection were more
      mature and functionally active, as shown by a significant elevation in percentage
      of OX-44+ (CD37+) cells, increased alloreactivity to BN and WF antigens, and
      proliferative responses to Con A and exogenous IL-2. However, the cells could
      neither lyse BN targets in vitro nor trigger rejection of otherwise indefinitely
      functioning test cardiac allografts in immunologically unresponsive T cell
      deficient (B) rats after adoptive transfer. The traffic of 111In-labeled
      thymocytes was then evaluated. The migration index increased significantly during
      accelerated graft rejection, with thymocytes preferentially circulating in the
      blood, penetrating peripheral lymph nodes--and, interestingly, migrating back to
      the thymus. Thus, immunoresponsive and functionally active thymocytes, which lack
      the ability to recognize primed specific antigen, appear during accelerated
      rejection of cardiac allografts in sensitized rats. These cells migrate to the
      periphery, and then return in large numbers to their site of origin, the thymus.
      Hence, this study describes a novel behavior of thymocytes in the state of host
      alloreactivity that is distinct from the physiological one in otherwise normal
      thymus.

PMID- 1412735
TI  - Immunogenicity of MHC class I alloantigens expressed on parenchymal cells in the
      human kidney.
AB  - The goal of the present study was to examine the capacity of human kidney cell
      lines (KCL) to elicit T cell responses to MHC class I alloantigens. KCL exhibited
      the phenotypic characteristics of tubular epithelial cells and were devoid of
      detectable contamination with leukocytes. Coculture of normal peripheral blood
      leukocytes (PBL) with allogeneic KCL elicited cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTL) that
      lysed the stimulating KCL but failed to lyse third-party KCL. Cell panel and
      antibody blocking studies demonstrated that the CTL were directed to the HLA
      class I alloantigens expressed on the KCL stimulators. Purified T cells
      completely failed to mount a CTL response to KCL, but the response could be
      reconstituted by supplementing the cultures with either autologous non-T cells or
      supernatant from a mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC). IL-2, but not IL-1, IL-4, IL
      6, or gamma-interferon, restored the anti-KCL response, suggesting that IL-2 is
      the active factor in the MLC supernatant. Induction of class II antigens on the
      KCL stimulators with gamma-IFN failed to restore a CTL response, suggesting that
      KCL are deficient in a costimulatory factor important for class II restricted T
      helper responses. Nonetheless, our data demonstrate that parenchymal cells in the
      kidney are capable of presenting class I antigens to alloreactive T cells and,
      therefore, may contribute to the immunogenicity of renal allografts.

PMID- 1412736
TI  - Marginal benefit of donor corticosteroid therapy in prolonged lung allograft
      preservation.

PMID- 1412737
TI  - Herpes simplex virus and neutropenia following bone marrow transplantation.

PMID- 1412738
TI  - Extended survival of MHC-identical allogeneic islet grafts in diabetic BB rats-
      the effect of an interleukin 2 receptor-targeted immunotherapy.

PMID- 1412739
TI  - The transplantation of encapsulated islets of Langerhans into the peritoneal
      cavity of the biobreeding rat.

PMID- 1412740
TI  - A comparison of initial flushing solutions in liver preservation.

PMID- 1412741
TI  - Oxygenation of the human pancreas during preservation by a two-layer (University
      of Wisconsin solution/perfluorochemical) cold-storage method.

PMID- 1412742
TI  - Maintenance of liver adenine nucleotides during cold ischemia. The value of a
      high-pH, high-pK flush.

PMID- 1412743
TI  - Evidence that the risks of misoprostol outweigh its benefits in stable
      cyclosporine-treated renal allograft recipients.

PMID- 1412744
TI  - The impact of HLA matching on graft survival.

PMID- 1412745
TI  - The low number of natural killer cells in renal transplant recipients with de
      novo malignancies.

PMID- 1412747
TI  - The role of natural IgM in the hyperacute rejection of discordant heart
      xenografts.
AB  - The mechanism of xenograft hyperacute rejection in discordant species
      combinations remains controversial. The purpose of this work was to study the
      role of natural antibodies in the hyperacute rejection of guinea pig hearts
      transplanted into rats, a highly discordant combination. This study was conducted
      in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo. The endothelial cells of the graft being the
      first targets damaged in the process of hyperacute rejection, the binding of rat
      natural antibodies to guinea pig endothelial cells was studied by
      immunofluorescence. The study was carried out in vitro on guinea pig endothelial
      cells in culture, and ex vivo on isolated guinea pig hearts perfused with either
      rat serum or immunoglobulins or immunoglobulin fragments bearing the antigen
      binding site. In vitro and ex vivo, rat natural IgM were found to bind
      specifically to guinea pig endothelial cells, since IgM fragments bearing the
      antigen-binding site (Fab mu and Fab' mu) could be detected on these cells. IgM
      fragments were able to inhibit the fixation of native IgM molecules. In contrast,
      rat IgG only bound to endothelial cells through Fc portions. Thus rat natural IgM
      might play a role in hyperacute rejection by binding to the graft endothelial
      cells and triggering the complement cascade activation. In order to test the role
      of natural IgM in vivo, isolated guinea pig hearts were first perfused with rat
      Fab' mu, which inhibit the binding of IgM and are unable to activate the
      complement cascade. These hearts were then transplanted into Lewis rats. The
      rejection time of Fab' mu-perfused guinea pig hearts was prolonged compared with
      hearts perfused with buffer or IgG F(ab')2. Therefore, in the guinea pig to rat
      combination, preventing the binding of the recipient's natural IgM to the graft
      endothelium delays the hyperacute rejection. In addition, natural IgM are likely
      to play a greater role than natural IgG.

PMID- 1412746
TI  - Discordant xenograft rejection in an antibody-free model.
AB  - Newborn pigs prevented from suckling colostrum were shown to have less than 0.05
      micrograms/ml total immunoglobulin present in their serum. Rabbit heart
      xenografts transplanted heterotopically into the neck of such pigs were
      hyperacutely rejected, with a mean survival time of 92 +/- 14 min (mean +/- SD).
      Pigs which had been allowed to suckle and whose serum contained 10-15 mg/ml
      maternal immunoglobulin hyperacutely rejected rabbit heart xenografts in 109 +/-
      62 min. Histological studies showed no Ig binding but complement component 3 (C3)
      binding to rabbit hearts placed in immunoglobulin-negative pigs. Prolongation of
      rabbit heart xenograft survival was achieved by administering cobra venom factor
      (1 mg/kg) to the pigs pretransplant. These data show hyperacute xenograft
      rejection in the absence of antibody and suggest that its cause is activation of
      complement by the alternative pathway.

PMID- 1412748
TI  - Histological and immunopathological analysis of recovered encapsulated allogeneic
      islets from transplanted diabetic BB/W rats.
AB  - Allogeneic islets encapsulated in an alginate/poly-L-lysine membrane and
      transplanted into diabetic BB/W rats resulted in graft failure within 2 weeks of
      transplantation. Graft failure was associated with a dense pericapsular
      infiltrate (PCI) that resulted in necrosis of the encapsulated islets. The PCI
      could be inhibited by immunosuppressive agents, including cyclosporine and
      dexamethasone, and this resulted in a significant increase in graft survival.
      Immunopathological characterization of the PCI indicated that there was a
      predominance of macrophages. T helper cells also appeared to be present in this
      PCI. Empty capsules were also found to induce a similar PCI that was identical in
      composition to that found around encapsulated islets. Thus alginate/poly-L-lysine
      capsules do not appear to be biocompatible and may account for the variable
      results in islet graft survival found with these capsules.

PMID- 1412749
TI  - The effects of 16, 16 dimethyl prostaglandin E2 therapy alone and in combination
      with low-dose cyclosporine on rat small intestinal transplantation.
AB  - The use of prostaglandin E (PGE) in the setting of allotransplantation both
      clinically and experimentally has been suggested because PGE has significant
      immunosuppressive effects and potentially could lessen the toxic effects of
      cyclosporine. In the present study, we examined the immunosuppressive effects of
      16,16 dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (dmPGE2) alone and in combination therapy with
      low-dose CsA to assess the clinical course, histology and expression of
      monocyte/macrophage procoagulant activity (PCA) following small intestinal
      transplantation in a heterotopic model of rat allograft rejection. Therapy with
      low-dose CsA (1 mg/kg) failed to prevent rejection and all animals reached a
      terminal state by day 26. In contrast, animals treated with high-dose CsA (10
      mg/kg) showed no clinical or histological evidence of rejection and all animals
      survived. The dmPGE2 (100 micrograms/kg/twice daily) delayed the onset of
      rejection, but all animals developed severe rejection and subsequently died.
      Treatment of animals with low-dose CsA (1 mg/kg) in combination with dmPGE2 (100
      micrograms/kg twice daily) resulted in a delay in the onset (P = 0.05) and a
      reduction in the intensity of allograft rejection (P = 0.0001) compared with
      either agent used alone. Monocyte/macrophage procoagulant activity levels
      correlated with the degree of rejection in all animals (P = 0.03). There was a
      statistically significant relationship between PCA levels and the time of onset
      of rejection and histologic grade of rejection in all groups. The data presented
      here, therefore, demonstrate a beneficial role for long-term combination therapy
      with CsA and PGE in small intestinal transplantation and strongly suggest a role
      for allogeneic induction of PCA in the pathogenesis of rejection.

PMID- 1412750
TI  - Twenty-four-hour hypothermic preservation of rat liver with Euro-Collins and UW
      solutions. A comparative evaluation by 31P NMR spectroscopy, biochemical assays,
      and light microscopy.
AB  - A comparative study of 24 hr preservation at 4 degrees C of excised rat livers
      with Euro-Collins and hydroxyethyl starch-free University of Wisconsin (UWm)
      solutions has been conducted based on the assessment of (1) the cellular energy
      status determined by 31P NMR spectroscopy and (2) cellular injury estimated from
      the loss of purine compounds (inosine, hypoxanthine, xanthine, and uric acid)
      during cold ischemia and reperfusion measured by HPLC, the leakage of
      intracellular enzymes, and the modifications of parenchyma established by light
      microscopy. Recovery of nucleosides di- and triphosphate was greater in the UWm
      group (80 +/- 6% vs. 58 +/- 6%) while inorganic phosphate formation was
      comparatively reduced. During hypothermic storage, the UWm groups generated a
      higher amount of inosine and hypoxanthine (in relation to the presence of
      adenosine in the protective solution) while no xanthine or uric acid was detected
      due to the inhibitory effect of allopurinol. Conversely, large quantities of
      xanthine and uric acid were found in the reperfusate of the EC group, pinpointing
      the cytotoxic role of oxygen-derived free radicals in the generation of cellular
      damage, as also illustrated by a higher aspartate aminotransferase leakage in the
      EC group (devoid of allopurinol and glutathione. Light microscopy indicated no
      histological alterations in the UWm group and mild alterations in the EC group
      that showed ballooning of hepatocytes (no lactobionate and raffinose in EC) and
      an alternation of clarifications and eosinophilic condensations. This study
      clearly confirms and illustrates the overall superiority of UWm solution in liver
      transplant preservation.

PMID- 1412751
TI  - 31P NMR assessment of orthotopic rat liver transplant viability. The effect of
      warm ischemia.
AB  - The relationship between NMR visible high energy phosphates and transplant
      outcome for the case of liver damage by warm ischemia was investigated. In vivo
      31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of rat liver was performed
      before the induction of warm ischemia in the donor and 20 min after
      reestablishment of portal blood flow in the recipient. Pretransplant damage was
      varied by subjecting the livers to 0, 15, 30, or 60 min of warm ischemia prior to
      harvesting. In the controls (0 min warm ischemia), 4 of 4 rats survived
      transplantation (one week survival end-point) and the mean NTP recovery was 94 +/
      8%; 3 of 6 rats survived in the 15 min warm ischemia group. Mean NTP recovery
      was 77 +/- 20% in the 15 min survival subgroup and 32 +/- 20% in the nonsurvival
      subgroup. Of 6 rats, 1 survived in the 30 min group. NTP recovery was 44% for the
      30 min survivor and 37 +/- 5% in the nonsurvival subgroup. Of 4 rats, 1 survived
      in the 60 min warm ischemia group. NTP recovery was 56% for the 60 min survivor
      and 28 +/- 7% in the nonsurvival subgroup. Overall, there was a significant
      difference between the mean NTP recovery of the survival and nonsurvival
      subgroups (78 +/- 21% versus 31 +/- 18%, P < 0.001). The dividing line between
      the survival and nonsurvival groups was approximately 50% NTP recovery. Of 9 rats
      with liver NTP recovery greater than 50%, 8 survived while 10 of 11 rats with
      less than 50% recovery died. NMR visible NTP recovery 20 min after the
      reestablishment of portal blood flow was a good indicator of transplant outcome
      in the case of rat liver damage by warm ischemia.

PMID- 1412752
TI  - A comparison of histidine-lactobionate and UW solution in 48-hour dog liver
      preservation.
AB  - Many modifications of the UW solution have been reported to yield successful
      results in rat liver preservation and transplantation. One solution used
      histidine, in combination with lactobionate (HL-I), and gave superior
      preservation of the rat liver when compared with the UW solution. In this study
      we have compared the HL-I solution with 90 mM histidine, HL-II solution with 30
      mM histidine, and the UW solution in dog liver preservation and transplantation.
      Dog livers were preserved for 48 hr in one of the three solutions and
      transplanted. The peak AST and ALT values were highest in livers preserved in HL
      I, intermediate in UW solution, and lowest in HL-II. However, there were no
      significant differences among survival rates (average 5-7 days per group),
      posttransplant serum concentration of liver enzymes (AST, ALT, LDH, and alk
      phos), clotting factors (PT and PTT), bilirubin, and fibrinogen concentration for
      each group. Dogs were sacrificed or died within 5-7 days due to rejection in
      nonimmunosuppressed dogs. Also, rat livers were preserved in the HL-II solution
      or in a solution in which histidine was replaced by isoleucine (IL-I). Isoleucine
      is an amino acid with a molecular mass similar to that of histidine, but is not
      as good a hydrogen ion buffer as histidine at the pH used for liver preservation
      (7.4). The buffer capacity of the IL-I solution was similar to the UW solution,
      but about one-half as much as the HL-II solution. Rats receiving a liver
      preserved for 30 hr in HL-II or IL-I were 100% viable. Rats receiving a liver
      preserved for 40-44 hr in HL-II or IL-I showed less survival (33% and 25%,
      respectively). This shows that histidine can be effectively replaced by
      isoleucine in a preservation solution and gives equivalent preservation results.
      Thus, the mechanism of improvement of liver preservation with histidine is not
      due to its action as a hydrogen ion buffer. These studies show that, although the
      HL solutions are superior for preservation of the rat liver, they are not
      superior to the UW solution for preservation of the dog liver. However, as others
      have shown in the rat liver transplant model, a simplified UW solution (HL-II)
      appears effective in dog liver preservation. The dog liver transplant model
      remains a more appropriate model for testing new preservation solutions prior to
      initiation of clinical trials.

PMID- 1412753
TI  - The spectrum of Pneumocystis carinii infection after liver transplantation in
      children.
AB  - We report the experience with Pneumocystis carinii lung infections in the 109
      children undergoing liver transplantation at our hospital between August, 1985
      and May, 1989. PCP developed in 9 of the 86 patients (10%) surviving > or = 6
      weeks after transplantation and not receiving P carinii chemoprophylaxis. Of the
      59 patients undergoing BAL 2 or more weeks after transplantation there were 16
      specimens from 14 patients (24%) positive for P carinii. These patients had a
      spectrum of illness ranging from asymptomatic to severe pneumonia requiring
      mechanical ventilation. The mean interval from first transplantation to
      bronchoalveolar lavage positive for P carinii was 24.9 weeks and the mean
      interval to first PCP was 28.0 weeks. The earliest and latest occurrences of PCP
      were 7 weeks and 73 weeks, respectively, after transplantation. There were no
      complications attributed to BAL.

PMID- 1412755
TI  - Tissue factor in normal and transplanted human kidneys.
AB  - Tissue factor (TF) plays a central role in the initiation of blood coagulation
      that frequently is enhanced in renal allografts. The identification and
      localization of TF was studied immunocytochemically in biopsies from normal and
      transplanted human kidneys and classified according to its distribution. The
      clinical status of each allograft was then correlated with the TF
      classifications. From these correlations, four distributional types of TF were
      identified. In normal kidneys, TF was localized to glomerular epithelium and
      basement membranes. Glomerular TF expression did not colocalize with mesangial or
      endothelial HLA-DR reactivity as determined by double antibody techniques. Tissue
      factor in donor kidneys also was identified in the renal capsule and in the
      adventitia of large arteries. These structures were not reactive in long-term
      transplanted grafts. Some cadaver kidneys prepared for transplantation had
      depleted glomerular TF, and exhibited TF reactivity within stromal tissues. Long
      term allografts with progressive loss of renal function and kidneys with advanced
      rejection exhibited diminished TF reactivity of glomerular epithelium and
      basement membranes. This was frequently associated with fibrin deposition within
      the glomeruli and in the intertubular microcirculation. These findings indicate
      that the evaluation of TF in transplanted kidneys is related to the prognosis of
      graft survival.

PMID- 1412754
TI  - A randomized trial of cyclosporine and prednisolone versus cyclosporine,
      azathioprine, and prednisolone in primary cadaveric renal transplantation.
AB  - A randomized trial was performed with the aim to compare two immunosuppressive
      treatment schedules in adult recipients of first cadaveric renal transplants. A
      total of 229 patients were randomized to double therapy with cyclosporine and
      prednisolone and 234 patients were randomized to triple therapy with
      cyclosporine, azathioprine, and prednisolone. Minimum follow-up was 4 years. The
      actuarial 5-year patient survival was 79.8% in the double therapy group and 82.3%
      in the triple therapy group (n.s.). The corresponding graft survival figures were
      54.4% and 59.6% in the two groups, respectively (n.s.). There were no differences
      between the groups regarding cause of death or cause of graft loss. Renal
      function as determined by serum creatinine did not differ between the groups and
      was stable throughout the observation period. Azathioprine was instituted in a
      total of 51 patients randomized to double therapy. This subgroup of patients had
      a patient and graft survival not different from the remaining patients randomized
      to double therapy or from the patients randomized to triple therapy. There were
      no differences between the double and triple therapy groups regarding incidence
      and timing of acute rejection or infections. The incidence of other medical
      diseases and adverse events such as nephrotoxicity or malignancy did not differ
      between the groups. Azathioprine-induced leukopenia was uncommon (19 episodes in
      the triple therapy group). In a multivariate analysis of the whole series the
      only covariates that significantly influenced graft survival were age of
      recipient and occurrence of acute rejection, while among other factors treatment
      schedule did not. Thus this prospective study, in accordance with previous such
      studies, failed to find support for the use of triple therapy as first choice
      immunosuppression in first cadaveric renal transplantation. However, the study
      could not rule out the possibility that some patients at risk for the development
      of irreversible rejection or nephrotoxicity of CsA might benefit from the
      addition of azathioprine to the treatment schedule.

PMID- 1412756
TI  - Outcome of cardiac transplant recipients with a positive donor-specific
      crossmatch--preliminary results with plasmapheresis.
AB  - To assess the influence of a positive T or B cell IgG crossmatch on the
      development of rejection and mortality following cardiac transplantation, we
      reviewed all cardiac transplants performed in Utah between March 1985 and October
      1990. Of the 328 cardiac allograft recipients, 11 (3.4%) had an IgG positive
      crossmatch. Actuarial survival at 24 months in the positive crossmatch group was
      57.3% +/- 0.02 while that of the controls was 86.1% +/- 2.1 (P < 0.05). Allograft
      rejection occurred earlier in recipients with a positive crossmatch (10.0 +/- 5.8
      days versus 34.0 +/- 2.3 days, P < 0.001). The first allograft rejection episode
      in patients with a positive crossmatch was characterized by immunoglobulin and
      complement deposition in small blood vessels and interstitial edema and
      endothelial cell activation in the absence of a lymphocytic infiltrate.
      Furthermore, the allograft rejection in the positive crossmatch group was
      accompanied by hemodynamic compromise in a large proportion of the patients
      (73%). In addition to augmentation of immunosuppression, plasma exchange therapy
      was performed within the first week following transplantation in 8 of the 11
      positive crossmatch patients. Survival in the patients treated with plasma
      exchange (75%) appears to be better than in those not receiving plasma exchange
      (33%) within one week of transplantation. While immunosuppressive therapy aimed
      at the humoral arm of the immune system and plasma exchange therapy may improve
      survival in recipients with a positive donor-specific crossmatch, survival is
      worse in patients with a positive crossmatch than in patients with a negative
      crossmatch. Thus, it would appear prudent to prospectively crossmatch cardiac
      transplant candidates with a greater risk of developing a positive crossmatch,
      such as those potential recipients with an elevated level of panel-reactive
      antibodies.

PMID- 1412758
TI  - The effect of injection of donor bone marrow on the frequency of donor-reactive
      CTL in antilymphocyte serum-treated, grafted mice.
AB  - The survival of C3H/He skin grafts can be prolonged on B6AF1 mice
      immunosuppressed with ALS by the injection of C3H/He marrow 1 week postgrafting.
      The precursor frequencies of donor-reactive CTL in the spleen and lymph nodes of
      ALS-treated, grafted mice given donor marrow were compared with CTL frequencies
      observed in ALS-treated, grafted controls. Spleens and nodes were removed from
      experimental and control mice on days +8, +14, +21, +58, and 1 year postgrafting,
      and used as effectors in the LDA. Donor-reactive CTL in the marrow-injected group
      remained suppressed as long as the recipients maintained their grafts. The
      frequency of CTL to third-party antigens was normal in mice bearing long-term
      C3H/He grafts. When marrow-injected mice rejected their grafts, the total donor
      reactive CTL frequency returned to normal. In contrast, in ALS-treated controls
      that did not receive marrow, the total number of donor-reactive CTL returned to
      normal levels with recovery from the immunosuppressive effects of ALS. These
      results suggest that donor marrow suppresses the regeneration of donor-reactive
      CTL in the lymphoid tissues of ALS-treated mice, possibly by veto cell activity.

PMID- 1412757
TI  - The quality of life in renal transplantation--a prospective study.
AB  - Methodologically sound measures of quality of life are required to judge
      accurately the impact of successful renal transplantation on patient well-being.
      The time trade-off (TTO) method is a reproducible and valid measure which we used
      to prospectively assess changes in the quality of life of 27 patients on
      maintenance dialysis who subsequently underwent renal transplantation. TTO scores
      approaching 0 signify a very poor quality of life, while scores approaching 1
      represent perfect health. Of 98 dialysis patients who completed baseline TTO
      interviews, 31 consecutive patients subsequently received 28 cadaveric and 3
      living related kidney transplants. Four of 31 patients did not complete a second
      TTO assessment, because of death in 2 patients and graft loss in 2 others. The
      remaining 27 patients completed a second TTO interview an average of 30.9 months
      following transplantation (range 1.5-52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 24.4-37.5)
      and formed the study cohort. At the time of study the mean serum creatinine for
      the cohort was 173 mumol/L (range 90-290, 95% CI 152-195 mumol/L). The employment
      rate rose 27% following transplantation (P = 0.10); but when males alone were
      analyzed, a significant increase of 38% (P = 0.048) was noted. During the
      dialysis period, the mean baseline TTO score was 0.41 (95% CI 0.33-0.49),
      confirming the observations of others. Following transplantation, the mean TTO
      score rose to 0.74 (95% CI 0.67-0.81), a difference that is statistically
      significant (P < 0.001). The mean increase in TTO score observed as a result of
      successful transplantation was 0.33 (95% CI 0.26-0.40). This magnitude of
      improvement was found in 20 of 27 patients (74%), whose TTO scores lay within or
      above the 95% CI (0.26-0.40) for the mean change in score of 0.33. One patient's
      score fell, while the remaining 6 patients had improvements in their TTO score
      which fell below the lower 95% CI value (0.26) for the mean change in score. We
      conclude that the 95% CI of 0.26-0.40 identifies a range in which clinically
      important improvements in quality of life will be found for the majority of
      patients receiving successful kidney transplants.

PMID- 1412759
TI  - Evidence that the antiproliferative effect of verapamil on afferent and efferent
      immune responses is independent of calcium channel inhibition.
AB  - Calcium channel blockers are capable of inhibiting the afferent and efferent
      limbs of the immune responses of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in in
      vitro systems. This effect is thought to be related to the ability of the calcium
      channel blocker to limit the transmembrane flux of calcium. We report herein that
      two optical enantiomers of verapamil, one (S-) which is capable of blocking the
      slow calcium channel and mitogen-stimulated 45Ca++ uptake into human lymphocytes,
      while the other (R+) is incapable of either activity, share almost identical
      capabilities of depressing both the afferent and efferent limbs of immunity.
      These observations suggest that the inhibitory effects of verapamil on various
      afferent and efferent immune events are, in part at least, unrelated to the
      inhibition of transmembrane calcium flux.

PMID- 1412760
TI  - Prolongation of second heart transplants in rats.
AB  - Second clinical kidney grafts often survive longer than first grafts. Using a rat
      cardiac allograft model, we examined the conditions under which survival of a
      second graft can be longer than first graft survival. In the BUF-to-LEW
      combination, following rejection of the first transplant, second cardiac
      allografts from the same donor strain implanted immediately survived longer than
      the first grafts (P = 0.047). Although the mean survival time of first grafts was
      9.0 days, second grafts implanted in the same animals survived 19.5 days. In
      contrast, when ACI donors were used for the same LEW recipients, the second
      grafts were rejected in 3 days compared with 6.6 days for first grafts. Donor
      specific spleen cell transfusions in these combinations resulted in prolonged
      survival in the BUF to LEW combination, but had no effect when the donor strain
      was ACI. Second grafts from BUF had prolonged survival following rejection of the
      first graft. Thus the histocompatibility difference was a determining factor of
      whether or not prolongation would be obtained. Another factor was timing of the
      second transplant. If 7 days were allowed to elapse following rejection of the
      first graft before implantation of the second, the enhancement effect was lost.
      Moreover, in the LEW-to-ACI combination in which second grafts were rejected
      rapidly, removal of the first graft after 7 days (before rejection), resulted in
      prolonged survival of the second graft. There is, therefore, a window of time
      before rejection of first grafts and shortly thereafter, when the enhancement
      effect can be obtained. Passive transfer of serum in the BUF-to-LEW combination
      resulted in enhancement, but transfer of splenic cells was ineffective. We
      conclude that graft rejection can result in induction of enhancement during a
      specific period, after which this effect is lost; and that enhancement can be
      obtained only in certain strain combinations. This suggests that human patients
      with heart transplants that reject might benefit from a second graft, even from a
      donor with a mismatch similar to the first graft.

PMID- 1412761
TI  - Orthotopic corneal transplantation in mice--evidence that the immunogenetic rules
      of rejection do not apply.
AB  - The fate of orthotopic corneal transplants has been studied in inbred strains of
      mice. Using a surgical technique that achieves > 95% success of syngeneic cornea
      grafts, it was determined that a high proportion of orthotopic cornea allografts
      were accepted indefinitely, irrespective of the degree of immunogenetic disparity
      between graft donor and recipient. Grafts that succumbed to irreversible
      rejection developed extensive corneal edema and intrastromal neovascularization
      as harbingers of corneal opacity and endothelial cell failure. The highest rate
      of rejection occurred among grafts that confronted their hosts with multiple
      minor histocompatibility antigens, with or without major histocompatibility
      antigens. Much lower rates of rejection (< 35%) were observed when the donors of
      the grafts differed from recipients at class I and/or class II major
      histocompatibility loci. Corneal grafts that confronted their hosts with class II
      MHC alloantigens alone experienced early, acute inflammation, and eventually
      developed stomal neovascularization, but only a small minority of these grafts
      were eventually destroyed. Allogeneic corneas that were transplanted
      orthotopically into eyes of presensitized mice were uniformly subjected to an
      acute rejection process that produced opacity within three weeks; however, in a
      minority of instances, the inflammation and opacity subside, and after eight
      weeks the grafts displayed a clear, nonvascularized appearance. The high rate of
      success of even grossly histoincompatible orthotopic corneal allografts in mice
      resembles the extraordinary success of unmatched allogeneic corneas transplanted
      into human eyes. The results are discussed in terms of the possible mechanisms
      that permit orthotopic corneal allografts to enjoy significantly better survival
      than orthotopic grafts of other types of solid tissues.

PMID- 1412763
TI  - Progressive albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis in a rat model of chronic renal
      allograft rejection.
AB  - A significant proportion of renal allografts fail within several months or years
      after transplantation, primarily because of chronic rejection. The etiology and
      pathophysiology of this condition remain unclear. We studied the renal function,
      morphology, and immunohistology, in parallel, among F344-to-Lewis allografts (n =
      23) and isografts (n = 13) over the course of 24 weeks. Only an initial 10-day
      course of CsA (5 mg/kg/day) was given to both groups to prevent acute rejection.
      Hypertension did not develop, although awake systolic blood pressure was
      significantly higher in allografts at the end of the study. Significant
      differences in urine albumin excretion (UalbV) between isografts and allografts
      were evident as early as 4 weeks after engraftment but rose dramatically by 20
      weeks (3.3 +/- 0.7 vs. 21.2 +/- 3.7 mg/day, respectively, P < .001). This pattern
      continued until the conclusion of the study (5.0 +/- 1.1 vs. 53.5 +/- 7.6 mg/day,
      P < .001). Serum creatinine values were only significantly elevated in allografts
      at 16 weeks, which temporally corresponded to the dramatic increase in UalbV.
      However, renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate, measured by
      paraaminohippurate and inulin clearances, respectively, were significantly lower
      in allografted organs, at 24 weeks. The frequency of glomerulosclerosis lesions
      was significantly increased in allografted kidneys at 24 weeks and correlated
      with UalbV values. Glomerular localization of mononuclear leukocyte subsets were
      equivalent between allografts and isografts; however, the numbers of interstitial
      macrophages, CD8+, and pan-T-cells were all significantly greater in allografts
      at 24 weeks. The infiltration of significantly greater numbers of macrophages and
      lymphocytes into the tubulointerstitium of the allograft group suggests a
      mononuclear leukocyte effector cell mediation of the progressive glomerular
      abnormalities in this model of chronic renal allograft rejection in the rat.

PMID- 1412762
TI  - Evidence that rapamycin rescue therapy delays rejection of major (MHC) plus minor
      (non-MHC) histoincompatible heart allografts in rats.
AB  - The capacity of delayed onset of rapamycin (RAPA) therapy to block process of
      destruction was examined in rats undergoing heart allograft rejection. Untreated
      Wistar Furth (WFu; RT-1u) recipients reject Buffalo (BUF; RT-1b) heart allograft
      with a mean survival time (MST) of 6.5 +/- 0.5 days. A 14-day i.v.infusion of 0.8
      mg/kg RAPA begun on the day of transplantation prolonged the survival to 74.1 +/-
      20.2 days (P < 0.001), 0.2 mg/kg to 32.2 +/- 10.0 days (P < 0.001), and 0.08
      mg/kg to 36.4 +/- 11.8 days (P < 0.001). When RAPA therapy (0.8 mg/kg) was begun
      3 or 4 days after transplantation, the grafts survived 85.2 +/- 31.1 (P < 0.001),
      and 70.2 +/- 43.3 (P < 0.005) days, respectively. Therapy initiated on day 5 was
      much less effective; most transplants were rejected within 10 days; one graft
      survived 32 and two grafts 60 days (MST = 17.6 +/- 20.0, NS). A 0.2 mg/kg RAPA
      dose prolonged graft survival with initial use on days 3 (31.6 +/- 12.2 days; P <
      0.001) or 4 (31.4 +/- 8.1 days; P < 0.001) but not on day 5. The 0.08 mg/kg RAPA
      prolonged hearts only when started on day 3 (47.2 +/- 2.7 days; P < 0.001) but
      not on days 4 or 5. WFu recipients treated with a subtherapeutic dose of
      cyclosporine (1 mg/kg; 9.1 +/- 1.5 days) displayed prolonged heart allograft
      function when treated subsequently with RAPA (0.8 or 0.08) beginning from days 4,
      5, or 6 postgrafting. These in vivo results are supported by in vitro
      experiments. The frequency of BUF alloreactive elements among normal WFu LN cells
      (fTc) was 337 +/- 139/10(6) T cells in limiting dilution assay. Addition of RAPA
      (1 muMol) at the beginning of culture significantly reduced (P < 0.025) the fTc
      to 17 +/- 6.6/10(6), or alternatively on days 4 or 6 to 37.3 +/- 20.0/10(6) and
      58.6 +/- 21.8/10(6), respectively. Thus, both in vivo and in vitro data
      demonstrate that delayed RAPA therapy may interrupt alloimmune reactions.

PMID- 1412764
TI  - The use of DiI-marked hepatocytes to demonstrate orthotopic, intrahepatic
      engraftment following hepatocellular transplantation.
AB  - A novel method is described for marking primary hepatocytes with the fluorescent
      dye DiI prior to hepatocellular transplantation and identifying these cells
      within the hepatic parenchyma of recipient animals by fluorescence microscopy and
      flow cytometry. Optimal conditions are described for marking cells with DiI in
      suspension or in monolayer cultures prior to transplantation. DiI is shown to be
      nontoxic to hepatocytes and not to be exchanged between adjacent cells in vitro.
      Histological analysis of transplanted tissues shows DiI staining of engrafted
      hepatocytes and phagocytotic cells (Kupffer cells). This analysis shows that
      hepatocytes engraft within the hepatic parenchyma and exhibit a histological
      appearance indistinguishable from normal by conventional hematoxylin and eosin
      staining. Many previous reports of hepatocellular transplantation have been
      limited by their inability to unequivocally identify transplanted cells within
      the liver. These data illustrate the importance of having specific markers for
      transplanted cells that engraft in an orthotopic location and assume a normal
      morphological appearance.

PMID- 1412766
TI  - Reversible cyclosporine arteriolopathy.

PMID- 1412765
TI  - A transplantation antigen, possibly of mitochondrial origin, that elicits
      rejection of parental strain skin grafts by F1 rats.

PMID- 1412768
TI  - Allograft renal vein thrombosis in a kidney with two veins.

PMID- 1412767
TI  - Triiodothyronine treatment in brain-dead multiorgan donors--a controlled study.

PMID- 1412769
TI  - Unsuspected portal vein thrombosis associated with temporizing sclerotherapy
      prior to orthotopic liver transplantation.

PMID- 1412770
TI  - Improved immediate graft function with nifedipine in cyclosporine-treated renal
      allograft recipients--a randomized prospective study.

PMID- 1412771
TI  - Intraoperative kinetics and regional distribution of interleukin-6 during human
      liver transplantation.

PMID- 1412772
TI  - The immunohistopathology of obliterative bronchiolitis following lung
      transplantation.

PMID- 1412773
TI  - A role for MHC antigens in donor-specific blood transfusion for the inhibition of
      liver allograft rejection in the rat.

PMID- 1412774
TI  - Prevention of liver allograft rejection in rats by a short course of therapy with
      Brequinar Sodium.

PMID- 1412775
TI  - The influence of the glycogen content of the donor liver on subsequent graft
      function and survival in rat liver transplantation.

PMID- 1412776
TI  - The immunosuppressive effect of polyethylene glycol in a flush solution for rat
      liver transplantation.

PMID- 1412777
TI  - Prolongation of the survival of murine cardiac allografts by the vitamin D3
      analogue 1,25-dihydroxy-delta 16-cholecalciferol.

PMID- 1412778
TI  - Inhibition of the proliferation of human thymocytes in vitro by rapamycin.

PMID- 1412779
TI  - Compensation for organ donors.

PMID- 1412780
TI  - The first liver transplant in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world.

PMID- 1412781
TI  - Forty years of transplantation--merely a prologue.

PMID- 1412782
TI  - Immunology of transplantation.

PMID- 1412783
TI  - Disparate regulation of interleukin-6 secretion from blood monocytes and human
      kidney cells by interleukin-4.

PMID- 1412784
TI  - Suppression of in vitro lymphocyte reactivity to PHA by lysates from human
      placentae: lack of correlation with gravida number.

PMID- 1412785
TI  - An immunohistochemical study of lymphocytes occurring in heart allografts in
      rats.

PMID- 1412786
TI  - Identification and characterisation of two glycoproteins of molecular weights 60
      and 180 kd from human multigravid placenta having strong in vitro
      immunosuppressive activity.

PMID- 1412787
TI  - Donor-type blood and immunoadjuvant-induced accelerated cardiac allograft
      rejection: a rat model.

PMID- 1412788
TI  - Comparative study of skin graft survival rates in BALB/c mice treated with either
      cyclosporine A, cyclosporine G, or 1/1 combination of both.

PMID- 1412789
TI  - Effect of cyclosporine A at therapeutic and toxic doses on the superluteinized
      ovaries in BALB/c mice.
AB  - Administration of cyclosporine (CyA) at therapeutic (10 to 50 mg/kg per day) and
      at toxic doses (100 mg/kg per day) to gonadotropin-treated immature BALB/c mice
      led to detection of this drug in the blood and in the ovary at levels that were
      dose- and time-dependent, the maximum level reached in the blood was 23.8
      micrograms/mL, and in the ovary was 0.164 micrograms/mg ovarian weight. Although
      these were toxic levels, there was no adverse effect on the survival rate as it
      ranged from 90% to 100%, nor did it induce body weight reduction. In addition, it
      did not cause any significant structural alterations in the ovarian tissues. The
      histology of the graafian follicles and the corpora lutea were the same as in the
      control. On the other hand, the numbers of the corpora lutea were decreased in
      the ovaries of the CyA-treated mice. This was parallel to the reported decrease
      in plasma progesterone level to values less than that of the control. These
      results indicate that the use of gonadotropin primed mice decreased the degree of
      CyA-induced toxicity.

PMID- 1412791
TI  - Complement-mediated damage to liver xenografts in an isolated perfusion circuit-
      electron microscopic findings.

PMID- 1412790
TI  - Efficacy and mechanism of action of rapamycin in presensitized recipients of
      experimental allografts.

PMID- 1412792
TI  - Tissue typing--minimum requirements for clinical transplantation.

PMID- 1412793
TI  - The relevance of HLA A,B,C, matching on graft survival, patient survival, and
      graft function in living related renal transplant patients treated with
      cyclosporine.

PMID- 1412794
TI  - The effect of HLA-A,B matching in cadaver grafts.

PMID- 1412796
TI  - Antiphospholipid antibodies causing positive flow crossmatches and interfering
      with T-cell immunophenotyping.

PMID- 1412795
TI  - HLA-A, -B, and -DR matching contributes to graft survival in black recipients of
      renal allografts.

PMID- 1412797
TI  - Cytotoxic B-cell crossmatches: comparing three techniques.

PMID- 1412798
TI  - Toward identification of minor histocompatibility antigens in mouse and man.

PMID- 1412799
TI  - Cyclosporine quality assessment in Japan.

PMID- 1412800
TI  - Retrospective study of renal transplantation with cyclosporine (CyA) monotherapy-
      the importance of CyA blood trough levels on long-term graft survival.

PMID- 1412802
TI  - Long-term results with conversion from cyclosporine to azathioprine at 3 months
      after renal transplantation.

PMID- 1412801
TI  - Short-term cyclosporine conversion in living related donor renal transplantation-
      preliminary observations.

PMID- 1412803
TI  - Cytologic analysis of CyA nephrotoxicity: double vs triple drug therapy in kidney
      grafted patients.

PMID- 1412804
TI  - Impact of imipenem/cilastatin on cyclosporine metabolism and excretion.

PMID- 1412805
TI  - Ketoconazole in posttransplant triple therapy: comparison of costs and outcomes.

PMID- 1412806
TI  - Concomitant administration of cyclosporine and ketoconazole in renal transplant
      patients.

PMID- 1412807
TI  - Cyclosporine blood level monitoring by three specific methods; RIA H3, RIA I125,
      and fluorescence polarization: comparison of accuracy, cost, reproducibility and
      percent recovery.

PMID- 1412808
TI  - Cyclosporine dosage according to pharmacokinetic profiles leads to better graft
      and patient survival rates and a decrease in cyclosporine consumption.

PMID- 1412809
TI  - Rheologic complications of cyclosporine treatment and red cell membrane K+ and
      Ca++ transport.

PMID- 1412810
TI  - Long-term effects of cyclosporine on hemodynamic parameters of renal allograft
      recipients.

PMID- 1412811
TI  - Plasma exchange vs cyclosporine retrieval therapy in steroid-resistant acute
      rejection of renal allografts.

PMID- 1412813
TI  - Experience with administration of 15-deoxyspergualin in rejection in kidney
      transplant recipients.

PMID- 1412812
TI  - Low-dose dexamethasone--an alternative therapy for acute renal allograft
      rejection.

PMID- 1412815
TI  - Prospective trial of OKT3 for early prophylaxis of rejection in immunologic "high
      risk" renal transplant recipients: long-term results.

PMID- 1412814
TI  - Optimal dose of Minnesota antilymphocyte globulin for induction immunosuppression
      in cadaveric renal transplants.

PMID- 1412816
TI  - A new chimeric monoclonal CD4 antibody for prevention of rejection after heart
      transplantation.

PMID- 1412818
TI  - Successful living-related ABO incompatible renal transplant using the BIOSYNSORB
      Immunoadsorption Column.

PMID- 1412817
TI  - Safety and efficacy of BIOSYNSORB immunoadsorption column treatment.

PMID- 1412819
TI  - Long-term problems of renal transplantation.

PMID- 1412820
TI  - Renal transplantation and parenthood.

PMID- 1412821
TI  - Hyperreactivity against panel: a risk factor for renal transplant.

PMID- 1412822
TI  - Donor-specific transfusion in living-related renal transplants.

PMID- 1412823
TI  - Predictors for late allograft nephrectomy in the cyclosporine era.

PMID- 1412824
TI  - The detrimental effect of early rejection on long-term renal allograft outcome.

PMID- 1412825
TI  - The effect of successful renal transplantation on visual evoked potentials and
      brain stem auditory evoked responses.

PMID- 1412826
TI  - The influence of race and the impact of socioeconomic and clinical factors on
      primary renal allograft survival.

PMID- 1412827
TI  - Is mezlocilline prophylaxis effective in clinical renal transplantation?

PMID- 1412828
TI  - Single center renal transplant experience of oriental recipients with white donor
      kidneys.

PMID- 1412830
TI  - Complications in stable renal transplant recipients.

PMID- 1412829
TI  - Is Indian origin a risk factor in cadaveric renal transplantation?

PMID- 1412831
TI  - Spontaneous intestinal perforation in renal transplant patients.

PMID- 1412832
TI  - Utility of renal functional studies to evaluate mild elevation of serum
      creatinine in stable transplant patients.

PMID- 1412833
TI  - The influence of recovery of early function on long-term renal allograft outcome.

PMID- 1412834
TI  - Urinary protein patterns in kidney transplant patients.

PMID- 1412835
TI  - Chronic rejection and urinary acidification in kidney transplant patients.

PMID- 1412836
TI  - Polycythemia in renal transplant recipients.

PMID- 1412837
TI  - Hyperuricemia and gout in renal allograft recipients.

PMID- 1412838
TI  - Protein catabolic rate after renal transplantation.

PMID- 1412839
TI  - Renal transplantation in diabetic patients: a survey of 100 cases.

PMID- 1412840
TI  - Diabetes mellitus after renal transplantation.

PMID- 1412841
TI  - Postrenal transplant diabetes in conventional and cyclosporine regimens.

PMID- 1412842
TI  - Renal transplantation in patients with amyloidosis due to familial Mediterranean
      fever.

PMID- 1412843
TI  - Renal transplantation in cyclosporine-treated patients with end-stage lupus
      nephropathy.

PMID- 1412844
TI  - The results of transplantation of patients with amyloid nephropathy.

PMID- 1412845
TI  - Refractory hypertension in transplant recipients.

PMID- 1412846
TI  - Infections in kidney transplantation in Latin America.

PMID- 1412847
TI  - Twenty-four-year experience in kidney transplantation at one single institution
      in Mexico City.

PMID- 1412848
TI  - Transplantation in Mexico.

PMID- 1412849
TI  - Kidney transplantation in systemic lupus erythematosus: experience from a
      reference center in Mexico.

PMID- 1412850
TI  - Kidney transplantation in Alport's syndrome: experience of one center in Mexico.

PMID- 1412851
TI  - Malignant neoplasms in renal transplant patients: a 24-year experience.

PMID- 1412852
TI  - Twenty years of pediatric renal replacement therapy in the state of Rio Grande do
      Sul, Brazil.

PMID- 1412853
TI  - End-stage renal disease in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

PMID- 1412854
TI  - Organ harvesting program improves cadaver renal transplant at Sao Paulo
      University, Brazil.

PMID- 1412855
TI  - Morbidity and mortality among Australian aboriginal renal transplant recipients.

PMID- 1412856
TI  - Transplantation practices in the Philippines.

PMID- 1412857
TI  - Kidney transplantation in Cebu.

PMID- 1412858
TI  - Living related donor renal transplantation in Semarang, Indonesia (1985 to 1991).

PMID- 1412859
TI  - Kidney transplantation in Indonesia.

PMID- 1412860
TI  - Surgical complications of living unrelated kidney transplantations in a Third
      World country.

PMID- 1412861
TI  - Living related donor kidney transplantation in Sri Lanka.

PMID- 1412862
TI  - Sri Lankan experience with three immunosuppressive protocols in living related
      donor kidney transplantation.

PMID- 1412863
TI  - Renal transplantation in Singapore.

PMID- 1412864
TI  - Present status of transplantation in Japan.

PMID- 1412865
TI  - Organ transplantation practices in Taiwan.

PMID- 1412866
TI  - Renal transplantation in India.

PMID- 1412867
TI  - Rehabilitation after renal transplantation in a rural population of Rajasthan
      State, India.

PMID- 1412868
TI  - Experience of kidney transplantation in Bangladesh.

PMID- 1412869
TI  - End-stage renal disease in the native population of the United Arab Emirates.

PMID- 1412870
TI  - Review of surgical complications of renal transplantation in the Jeddah
      Transplant Program.

PMID- 1412871
TI  - Living related-cadaveric-living unrelated kidney transplants: a comparison study
      at King Fahad Hospital, Riyadh.

PMID- 1412872
TI  - Cadaveric transplantation in Saudi Arabia: a 5-year experience.

PMID- 1412873
TI  - Five-years' experience with cadaveric kidney transplantation at King Faisal
      Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh.

PMID- 1412874
TI  - Eleven years of renal transplantation in children (Israel).

PMID- 1412875
TI  - Triple-drug regimen for first kidney transplants in developing countries.

PMID- 1412876
TI  - Excellent results with imported cadaveric kidneys.

PMID- 1412877
TI  - Comparative results of second kidney transplantation.

PMID- 1412879
TI  - Assessment of attitudes toward cadaver donation at Tabriz Medical Science
      University.

PMID- 1412878
TI  - Living related donor kidney transplantation at a Turkish center.

PMID- 1412880
TI  - Chronic renal failure at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital: a 10-year
      review.

PMID- 1412881
TI  - Renal transplant odyssey.

PMID- 1412883
TI  - The incidence and etiology of chronic renal failure in the Republic of Slovenia.

PMID- 1412882
TI  - Transplant organization in Italy.

PMID- 1412884
TI  - Severe surgical complications after kidney transplantation.

PMID- 1412885
TI  - Parathyroidectomy before and after renal transplantation.

PMID- 1412887
TI  - Complex renal transplant for vascular reasons.

PMID- 1412886
TI  - Follow-up of 29 kidney transplant recipients having more than 20 years of
      functioning allografts.

PMID- 1412888
TI  - Donor polar kidney arteries: experience with 10 cases among 140 living-related
      kidney transplants.

PMID- 1412889
TI  - Renal transplants with multiple arteries.

PMID- 1412890
TI  - Renal artery stenosis in the transplanted kidney.

PMID- 1412891
TI  - Urological complications in 884 consecutive transplants.

PMID- 1412892
TI  - Renal transplant-related urologic complications (Philippine experience).

PMID- 1412893
TI  - Extravesical ureteroneocystostomies in kidney transplant: comparison between Lich
      Gregoir and Barry's technique in our first 50 kidney transplants (India).

PMID- 1412894
TI  - Management of vesicoureteral reflux in renal transplant recipients by endoscopic
      Teflon injection.

PMID- 1412895
TI  - Surgical alternatives in renal transplantation with unavailability of the lower
      urinary tract.

PMID- 1412896
TI  - Renal transplantation in patients with Chagas' disease: a long-term follow-up.

PMID- 1412897
TI  - Automated biopsy device for renal transplant monitoring.

PMID- 1412898
TI  - Color Doppler studies of the transplant renal artery in patients with allograft
      rejection--correlation with graft biopsy.

PMID- 1412899
TI  - Living-related and living-unrelated kidney transplantation using low-dose triple
      immunosuppression.

PMID- 1412900
TI  - Factors responsible for elimination of potential kidney donors in a living
      related donor kidney transplant program.

PMID- 1412901
TI  - Steroid withdrawal in HLA-nonidentical living-related donor transplant
      recipients.

PMID- 1412902
TI  - Living unrelated donor kidney transplantation.

PMID- 1412904
TI  - Cryptococcosis in renal transplant recipients.

PMID- 1412903
TI  - Unrelated living donor kidney transplant and developing countries.

PMID- 1412905
TI  - Renal transplantation and Chagas' disease.

PMID- 1412906
TI  - Special infections in organ transplantation in South America.

PMID- 1412907
TI  - Tuberculosis in renal allograft recipients.

PMID- 1412908
TI  - Tuberculous interstitial granulomatous nephritis in renal transplants: report of
      three cases.

PMID- 1412909
TI  - Is there a place for prophylaxis against tuberculosis following renal
      transplantation?

PMID- 1412910
TI  - Prevalence of hepatitis B, hepatitis delta, and human immunodeficiency virus
      infections in Omani patients with renal diseases.

PMID- 1412911
TI  - Liver disease in renal transplant recipients.

PMID- 1412912
TI  - Impact of renal transplantation on liver disease of diverse etiology.

PMID- 1412913
TI  - Safe use of acyclovir (Zovirax) in renal transplant patients on cyclosporine A
      therapy: case reports.

PMID- 1412914
TI  - Multiple respiratory tract infections with particular reference to
      immunocompromised patients.

PMID- 1412916
TI  - Infection in kidney transplantation recipients in Indonesia.

PMID- 1412915
TI  - Infections after kidney transplantation.

PMID- 1412917
TI  - Determination of the causes of fever in allograft recipients in west Iran
      (Bakhtaran).

PMID- 1412918
TI  - Fungal infections in renal allograft recipients.

PMID- 1412919
TI  - Infectious complications in renal allograft recipients.

PMID- 1412920
TI  - Bone banking and transplantation in developing countries.

PMID- 1412921
TI  - Malignancy following renal transplantation.

PMID- 1412923
TI  - The necessary requirements for the development of a national liver transplant
      programme.

PMID- 1412922
TI  - Increased risk of malignant tumors in renal transplant recipients receiving
      cyclosporine.

PMID- 1412924
TI  - Initial experience with liver transplantation at a private university hospital in
      Spain.

PMID- 1412925
TI  - Initiation of a liver transplant program in South Africa.

PMID- 1412926
TI  - Liver splits--the answer to a low donor pool?

PMID- 1412927
TI  - Segmental (partial) liver transplantation from a living donor.

PMID- 1412928
TI  - MEGX as a test of donor liver function.

PMID- 1412929
TI  - Causes of death after pediatric liver transplantation.

PMID- 1412930
TI  - Reoperative procedures following pediatric liver transplantation.

PMID- 1412931
TI  - Liver retransplantation--indications, frequency, results.

PMID- 1412932
TI  - Living related and cadaver donor liver transplantation.

PMID- 1412933
TI  - Importance of body temperature control during liver transplantation.

PMID- 1412934
TI  - Serial changes of h-HGF and IL-6 in living-related donor liver transplantation
      with special reference to their relationship to intraoperative portal blood flow.

PMID- 1412935
TI  - Semiquantitative histologic evaluation of the liver in patients after liver
      transplantation.

PMID- 1412936
TI  - Subcellular lesions of the biliary tract in human liver transplants incurred
      during preservation.

PMID- 1412937
TI  - Effect of initial perfusion with lactated Ringer's solution in 24-hour canine
      liver preservation with University of Wisconsin solution.

PMID- 1412938
TI  - Cyclosporine hepatotoxicity and cold ischemia liver damage.

PMID- 1412939
TI  - Color flow Doppler imaging during epoprostenol (PGI2) therapy of primary
      nonfunction following liver transplantation.

PMID- 1412940
TI  - New technique for veno-venous bypass in a canine liver transplant model.

PMID- 1412941
TI  - Animal model for reduced left liver lobe transplantation.

PMID- 1412942
TI  - Changes in prostaglandin E2 during and after liver transplantation in pigs.

PMID- 1412943
TI  - Fetal islet transplantation.

PMID- 1412944
TI  - Fetal islet transplantation in China.

PMID- 1412946
TI  - Scale production of porcine isletlike cell clusters and xenotransplantation.

PMID- 1412945
TI  - Human fetal pancreata for islet cell research: the Singapore experience.

PMID- 1412947
TI  - The HeartMate: a left ventricular assist device as a bridge to cardiac
      transplantation.

PMID- 1412948
TI  - Mechanical circulatory support: a necessary adjunct to a cardiac transplantation
      service.

PMID- 1412949
TI  - Heart transplantation: additional criteria for patient selection.

PMID- 1412950
TI  - Cardiopulmonary transplantation service establishment in the 1990s: Australia--a
      developing country?
AB  - 1. A National Transplantation Service has been established at the Alfred Hospital
      performing more than 50 transplants per year. 2. Increased access to
      transplantation technology has facilitated an improvement in national population
      servicing from 2.7 to 6.2 transplants per million population per year. National
      funding of A$4.062 million per year has been secured. 3. Basic research into
      organ preservation has facilitated transcontinental organ procurement. 4. An
      active lung transplantation program has been established synchronous with the
      cardiac transplant service activities. 5. MCS program establishment has
      paralleled clinical transplantation activities. 6. Budget management and cost
      containment has been achieved through rationalisation of management protocols.

PMID- 1412951
TI  - Clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of vascular rejection after
      cardiac transplantation.

PMID- 1412952
TI  - Long-term function of Euro-Collins--preserved human cardiac allografts.

PMID- 1412953
TI  - Survival and intermediate-term effects of cyclosporine-treated heart
      transplantation.

PMID- 1412954
TI  - Echo-controlled endomyocardial biopsy after orthotopic and heterotopic heart
      transplantation.

PMID- 1412955
TI  - Aortic aneurysms after heart transplantation.

PMID- 1412956
TI  - Exercise capacity after combined heart-lung transplantation.

PMID- 1412957
TI  - Urinary thromboxane B2 excretion during acute rejection in cyclosporine-treated
      experimental lung allotransplantation.

PMID- 1412958
TI  - Tracheobronchial blood flow after a modified canine lung autotransplant: effect
      of omental wrapping.

PMID- 1412959
TI  - Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry: cost-effectiveness and ethnic
      considerations.

PMID- 1412960
TI  - Changing application and problems of bone marrow transplantation in children.

PMID- 1412961
TI  - Infections in bone marrow transplant patients: use of reverse-barrier isolation.

PMID- 1412962
TI  - Corneal graft rejection: incidence, manifestation, and interaction of clinical
      subtypes.

PMID- 1412963
TI  - The establishment and development of an international tissue transplant program:
      Bio Implant Services.

PMID- 1412964
TI  - The non-heart-beating kidney donor: of any help in developing countries?

PMID- 1412965
TI  - Cyclosporine immunosuppression in non-heart-beating cadaver donors.

PMID- 1412966
TI  - The influence of cold ischemia and donor age on renal allograft outcome in the
      cyclosporine era.

PMID- 1412967
TI  - The organisation of cadaver multiple organ donation: a critical issue for
      establishing and maintaining successful transplantation programs.

PMID- 1412968
TI  - The role of the operating theatre in organ transplantation.

PMID- 1412969
TI  - The role of the media in cadaver transplantation in a developing country.

PMID- 1412970
TI  - The evolution of transplant coordinators in Australia.

PMID- 1412971
TI  - Organizational structures as the basis for successful kidney transplantation in
      Germany.

PMID- 1412972
TI  - Enhancement of organ procurement by the National Program of Cadaveric Organ
      Transplantation in Mexico.

PMID- 1412973
TI  - Public attitudes toward organ donation in Saudi Arabia.

PMID- 1412974
TI  - Problems encountered in the development of organ transplantation in Japan.

PMID- 1412975
TI  - Development of a local network for liver transplantation in the Kinki region of
      Japan: two-year experience of the Recipient Selection Committee. Recipient
      Selection Committee Members of the Kinki Network for Liver Transplantation.

PMID- 1412976
TI  - How to increase cadaver organ donation in Japan: a transplant recipients'
      approach.

PMID- 1412977
TI  - Strategy for a public education campaign to enhance altruistic donation of
      kidneys for transplantation in India.

PMID- 1412978
TI  - Outcome of brain-dead patients in Jeddah Kidney Center.

PMID- 1412979
TI  - Opinion poll regarding knowledge, attitudes, and suggestions for developing a
      cadaver donor program.

PMID- 1412980
TI  - Funding the bridge to renal transplantation: the National Kidney Foundation of
      Singapore model.

PMID- 1412981
TI  - The potential for cadaver organ retrieval in Singapore.

PMID- 1412982
TI  - Cadaver organ donors in Singapore.

PMID- 1412983
TI  - Difficulties of foreigners seeking transplantation in the United States.

PMID- 1412985
TI  - Multiorgan harvesting from heartbeating donors in Turkey.

PMID- 1412984
TI  - Ultrastructural aspects of the iliac arteries of multiorgan donor preserved in
      University of Wisconsin solution for 48 hours.

PMID- 1412986
TI  - Cadaveric multiple organ removal in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

PMID- 1412987
TI  - Donor factors and liver transplantation.
AB  - There are thus many factors that may affect the suitability of a donor liver for
      transplantation, and a reliable, objective method of determining whether or not a
      liver is likely to function adequately after transplantation is urgently
      required. At the present time, however, the decision to use a particular donor
      liver remains a matter of clinical judgement. This decision will inevitably be
      influence both by the general availability of donor organs and by the urgency of
      recipient need at the time the liver becomes available, but should nevertheless
      be based primarily on an appreciation of the donor factors described above.

PMID- 1412988
TI  - Immediate and ongoing needs of donor families.

PMID- 1412989
TI  - Nonrelated donors and commercialism: a historical perspective.

PMID- 1412990
TI  - Current risks of organ commerce.

PMID- 1412991
TI  - Rewarded gifting: is it ever ethically acceptable?

PMID- 1412993
TI  - Social and ethical aspects of organ donation.

PMID- 1412992
TI  - Toward an affordable ethic.

PMID- 1412994
TI  - Ethical dilemmas in transplantation.

PMID- 1412995
TI  - Ethics in organ procurement in Turkey.

PMID- 1412996
TI  - Public attitudes to organ donation in South Africa.

PMID- 1412997
TI  - Cadaver transplantation as an ethical and cost-effective alternative to living
      donor transplantation: the Spanish experience.

PMID- 1412998
TI  - Extending organ availability with living-nonrelated renal transplants.

PMID- 1412999
TI  - Sale of kidneys for transplantation: attitudes of the health-care profession and
      the public.

PMID- 1413000
TI  - Developing countries as the major future source of living donor renal
      transplants.

PMID- 1413001
TI  - Buying a kidney: the easy way out?

PMID- 1413002
TI  - Organ donation and transplantation: a Christian viewpoint.

PMID- 1413003
TI  - Organ donation and transplantation--a Muslim viewpoint.

PMID- 1413004
TI  - Legal aspects of transplantation--judicial issues.

PMID- 1413005
TI  - The function of legislation in transplant programs.

PMID- 1413006
TI  - Legal aspects of transplantation: emerging trends in international action and
      national legislation.

PMID- 1413007
TI  - Legal aspects of transplantation in Argentina: a model to be considered for
      developing countries.

PMID- 1413008
TI  - Economics of renal rehabilitation in Pakistan: a case for increasing
      transplantation activity.

PMID- 1413009
TI  - Costs and financing of kidney transplantation in the United States.

PMID- 1413010
TI  - Creation of low-cost model of renal transplantation suitable for developing
      countries.

PMID- 1413012
TI  - Organ procurement: supply, demand, and ethics.

PMID- 1413011
TI  - Supply and demand for transplantable organs: the ethical perspective.

PMID- 1413013
TI  - Supply, demand, and ethics of organ procurement: the medical perspective.

PMID- 1413014
TI  - The body as property: some philosophical reflections.

PMID- 1413015
TI  - Need, demand, and supply in organ transplantation.

PMID- 1413016
TI  - Required request: what difference has it made?

PMID- 1413017
TI  - Psychological impediments to procurement.

PMID- 1413018
TI  - The problem of organ donation in minorities: some facts and incomplete answers.

PMID- 1413019
TI  - Postmortem and living organ donation in Europe: transplant laws and activities.

PMID- 1413020
TI  - The case for presumed consent to transplant human organs after death.

PMID- 1413021
TI  - Presumed consent to organ transplantation: a different perspective.

PMID- 1413022
TI  - The moral duty to contribute and its implications for organ procurement policy.

PMID- 1413023
TI  - Organ transplantation: duty reconsidered.

PMID- 1413024
TI  - Should receiving depend upon willingness to give?

PMID- 1413025
TI  - More blessed to give than to receive?

PMID- 1413026
TI  - My kingdom for a kidney?

PMID- 1413027
TI  - The case for commerce in organ transplantation.

PMID- 1413028
TI  - The case against buying organs and a futures market in transplants.

PMID- 1413029
TI  - Future markets: claims and meanings.

PMID- 1413030
TI  - Inducements for donation: benign incentives or risky business?

PMID- 1413031
TI  - Rewarded gifting.

PMID- 1413032
TI  - Used body parts: buy, sell or swap?

PMID- 1413033
TI  - Unrelated living donors: should they be used?

PMID- 1413034
TI  - Anencephalic infants as organ donors.

PMID- 1413035
TI  - High-risk donors: diabetics, the elderly, and others.

PMID- 1413036
TI  - Liver transplantation using living donors.

PMID- 1413037
TI  - Xenografts.

PMID- 1413038
TI  - General principles for allocating human organs and tissues.

PMID- 1413039
TI  - Ethics of organ transplantation from living donors.

PMID- 1413040
TI  - First report of an Australian randomised trial comparing
      cyclosporine+prednisolone with cyclosporine+azathioprine and
      cyclosporine+azathioprine+prednisolone in renal transplantation.

PMID- 1413041
TI  - Live donor renal transplantation with low-dose triple immunosuppression.

PMID- 1413042
TI  - The outcome of children transplanted with either pediatric or adult cadaver donor
      kidneys.

PMID- 1413043
TI  - Prostaglandin E1 therapy in orthotopic liver transplantation recipients:
      indications and outcome.

PMID- 1413044
TI  - Liver allograft rejection: analysis of OKT3 rescue therapy.

PMID- 1413045
TI  - Living related liver transplantation.

PMID- 1413046
TI  - Human resistance artery reactivity is altered by liver transplantation and
      treatment with cyclosporin A.

PMID- 1413047
TI  - Psychosocial adjustment to illness: quality of life following liver
      transplantation.

PMID- 1413048
TI  - Diltiazem co-administration reduces cyclosporine toxicity after heart
      transplantation: a prospective randomised study.

PMID- 1413049
TI  - Mini-dose trimethoprim with sulphamethoxazole prevents pneumocystis and
      toxoplasmosis infections after heart transplantation.

PMID- 1413050
TI  - Combined heart-lung transplantation including the "domino" donor procedure in the
      single lung transplant era.

PMID- 1413051
TI  - Prophylactic use of GM-CSF in pediatric marrow transplantation.

PMID- 1413052
TI  - Genetic factors influence the development of acute graft-versus-host disease in
      adults undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

PMID- 1413053
TI  - Can the demand for cadaver kidneys be met?

PMID- 1413054
TI  - Cadaver kidneys from elderly and other "suboptimal" donors: can we afford to
      discard a scarce resource?

PMID- 1413055
TI  - The induction of tolerance to small bowel transplants in rats.

PMID- 1413056
TI  - Is thymic epithelium inherently immunogenic?

PMID- 1413057
TI  - Age at marrow transplantation is critical for successful treatment of canine
      fucosidosis.

PMID- 1413058
TI  - Stereoscopic analysis of focal interstitial infiltrate in a model of chronic
      rejection.

PMID- 1413059
TI  - A microsurgical rat model for aortic valve allografts.

PMID- 1413060
TI  - Xenotransplantation of fetal pig proislets in anti-CD4-treated diabetic NOD/Lt
      mice.

PMID- 1413061
TI  - Anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody prolongs survival of fetal pig pancreas grafts in
      NOD mice.

PMID- 1413062
TI  - Destruction of xenografts but not allografts within cell impermeable membranes.

PMID- 1413063
TI  - The MEGX test as a measure of liver viability in an isolated liver perfusion
      circuit.

PMID- 1413064
TI  - Castanospermine, an inhibitor of glycoprotein processing, prolongs
      pancreaticoduodenal allograft survival.

PMID- 1413066
TI  - The transplantation of segmental pancreas isografts in nonobese diabetic mice.

PMID- 1413065
TI  - CD8+ T-cell removal reduces survival of minor antigen mismatched islet allografts
      (CBA-->C3H) in mice treated with anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody.

PMID- 1413067
TI  - Destruction of transplanted beta cells into diabetic NOD mice is not mediated by
      antibody alone.

PMID- 1413068
TI  - Immunosuppression by aminopterin or idarubicin conjugated to anti-CD8 in the
      mouse heart allograft model.

PMID- 1413069
TI  - The anticoagulants protein C and protein S display potent antiinflammatory and
      immunosuppressive effects relevant to transplant biology and therapy.

PMID- 1413070
TI  - Use of an anti-LFA-1 antibody in renal allograft rejection in sheep.

PMID- 1413071
TI  - Mechanism of a clinically relevant protocol to induce tolerance: peritransplant
      spleen cells plus cyclosporine suppress IL-2 and IFN-gamma production.

PMID- 1413072
TI  - Levels of cytokine expression in rat liver allograft rejection compared to
      allograft tolerance.

PMID- 1413073
TI  - Identification of cytokine protein expression in human liver allograft rejection:
      methods development and expression of IL-1 beta, IL-6, IFN-gamma, and basic
      fibroblast growth factor.

PMID- 1413074
TI  - In vivo evidence for the Th1/Th2 paradigm: oral alloantigen-induced modulation of
      accelerated allograft rejection is associated with dense intragraft IL-4.

PMID- 1413075
TI  - Cells, cytokines, adhesion molecules, and humoral responses in a rat model of
      chronic renal allograft rejection.

PMID- 1413076
TI  - Lymphokine production in vivo in a murine graft-versus-host reaction.

PMID- 1413077
TI  - Adhesion molecule expression: a comparison of human blood dendritic cells,
      monocytes, and macrophages.

PMID- 1413078
TI  - Cellular protein profiles of human dendritic cells: a comparative study.

PMID- 1413079
TI  - CD16dim and CD16bright subpopulations of human natural killer cells.

PMID- 1413080
TI  - Functional recombinant soluble human Fc gamma RII.

PMID- 1413081
TI  - Serum soluble Fc gamma RII levels in dialysis and renal transplant recipients.

PMID- 1413082
TI  - Functional characterisation of alternatively spliced CD46 cytoplasmic tails.

PMID- 1413083
TI  - Tissue-specific expression of CD46 isoforms.

PMID- 1413084
TI  - Ancestral haplotypes predict EC-1 alleles.

PMID- 1413085
TI  - Keeping an eye on the I site: imidazoline-preferring receptors.

PMID- 1413086
TI  - Cell volume and hormone action.

PMID- 1413087
TI  - Neuroendocrine actions of endothelins.
AB  - Endothelins are produced in neuronal, pituitary and peripheral endocrine cells,
      and act through specific endothelin receptors (predominantly the ETA subtype)
      that are widely distributed in the neuroendocrine system. Endothelin receptors
      share a common signal transduction pathway with other Ca(2+)-mobilizing
      receptors, and endothelins induce IP3 and diacylglycerol production, and
      elevation of [Ca2+]i in many cell types, with kinetics similar to the cognate
      agonists. As reviewed here by Stanko Stojilkovic and Kevin Catt, the
      physiological consequences of endothelin-mediated cell signalling are relevant to
      the control of several neuroendocrine and endocrine activities including
      neuropeptide release, pituitary hormone secretion, gonadal and placental
      function, fluid and electrolyte homeostasis and glycogenolysis.

PMID- 1413088
TI  - Recent advances in the electrophysiological characterization of 5-HT3 receptors.
AB  - 5-HT3 receptors are ligand-gated, cation-selective ion channels, mediating
      membrane depolarization and neuronal excitation. Established and potential
      therapeutic applications of selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, coupled with
      the localization of this receptor subtype within discrete areas of the CNS, have
      resulted in an intensification of research in this area. In this review, Jeremy
      Lambert and colleagues summarize recent developments in the electrophysiological
      characterization of 5-HT3 receptors, and comment upon the unresolved issue of 5
      HT3 receptor heterogeneity.

PMID- 1413089
TI  - Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release and its modulation by cyclic ADP-ribose.

PMID- 1413090
TI  - New insights into activation of the steroid hormone receptor superfamily.
AB  - For many years the prevailing view of how steroid hormone receptors exert their
      effects on gene transcription has been that these intracellular receptor
      proteins, upon association with their specific cognate ligands, undergo a
      transformation to a state where they are capable of interacting with chromatin
      and regulating the transcription of specific genes. It has become implicit dogma
      in the field of biochemical endocrinology that receptor activation is absolutely
      dependent upon this ligand-binding event. However, recent studies described here
      by Bert O'Malley and colleagues have shown that certain members of the steroid
      hormone receptor superfamily can be activated in a totally ligand-independent
      manner by a cell membrane receptor agonist, the neurotransmitter dopamine.

PMID- 1413091
TI  - Designing therapeutically effective 5-lipoxygenase inhibitors.
AB  - Metabolism of arachidonic acid by the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase leads to the
      formation of a group of biologically active lipids known as leukotrienes.
      Peptidoleukotrienes are powerful bronchoconstrictor agents while leukotriene B4
      is a potent chemotactic agent for a variety of leukocytes. In view of these
      properties, leukotrienes have been proposed as important mediators in allergic
      and inflammatory disorders, and inhibitors of 5-lipoxygenase, by blocking
      leukotriene synthesis, have therapeutic potential in a range of diseases
      including arthritis and asthma. This review by Rodger McMillan and Ed Walker
      summarizes the biology of leukotrienes and the current knowledge of the mechanism
      of 5-lipoxygenase, providing a framework for consideration of the discovery,
      development and clinical status of drugs in the three major classes of 5
      lipoxygenase inhibitors: 'redox' inhibitors, iron ligand inhibitors and 'non
      redox' inhibitors.

PMID- 1413092
TI  - Diet, diseases and cancer.

PMID- 1413093
TI  - An update on viral hepatitis.

PMID- 1413094
TI  - Spastic colitis and irritable bowel syndrome: which expression is prevalent? (A
      review of 120 cases).
AB  - Spastic Colitis (SC) of the fifties has been deleted and included in the
      Irritable Bowel Syndrome, as inflammation is not present, and the disturbed
      intestinal motility may involve the small and large intestine. With the advent of
      colonoscopy, we could investigate this generalized common term. Between 1983 and
      1988 we have studied 120 documented cases of SC by colonoscopy with multiple
      biopsies. In every patient, we relied on consecutive procedures to confirm the
      diagnosis. They included: Stool examination, barium enema, small bowels series,
      colonoscopy with multiple biopsies. Serological diagnosis of Amebiasis has been
      applied to 41 patients only. With a normal small bowels, barium enema revealed a
      severe spasm of the whole colon, or a segmental spasm in one part of the colon.
      In 53 cases (44%,) we have noted virtual absence of haustra in the tubular
      descending colon. Colonoscopy in all cases has revealed an active contraction
      with some congestion of the mucosa or hyperemia. Different degrees of
      inflammatory reaction shown on multiple biopsies make the diagnosis of SC in
      these cases more relevant. In the Afro-Asiatic countries where amebiasis is
      endemic, SC is to be considered, as colonoscopy is proving the prevalence of
      congested or inflammatory process in the colonic mucosa, even when stool
      examination is repeatedly negative for amebiasis.

PMID- 1413095
TI  - Heller's cardiomyotomy after failed pneumatic dilatation for achalasia cardia-
      operative pitfalls.
AB  - A female aged 46, with achalasia cardia had no relief of dysphagia after
      pneumatic dilatation done twice. At surgery the muscle fibres were found
      disrupted, with submucosal adhesions and friable mucosa. Heller's cardiomyotomy
      could not be done. Repair similar to Mickulicz pyloroplasty was done.

PMID- 1413096
TI  - Indian diets and carcinogenesis.

PMID- 1413097
TI  - Training in gastroenterology.

PMID- 1413098
TI  - Imaging techniques in diagnosis of hepatic lesions.

PMID- 1413099
TI  - Radiologic diagnosis of hydatid disease of the liver.

PMID- 1413101
TI  - The surgical pathology of colorectal carcinomas in Nigerians.
AB  - This paper presents a 10-year experience on the examination of surgical specimens
      of colorectal carcinomas in Nigerians. Colorectal carcinomas were found to
      constitute about 80% of all cases of large bowel malignancy. The Male: Female
      ratio was 2.28:2. Most of the cases (65.9%) were 50 years or younger and the peak
      incidence was in the 41-50 year age group. The site distribution in order of
      frequency was recto-sigmoid area (57.3%), descending colon (23.2%), caecum
      (12.2%) ascending colon and transverse colon 3.7% each. Seventy-three percent of
      the tumours were well differentiated adenocarcinomas while 15.9% were poorly
      differentiated. Mucinous carcinoma and signet ring carcinoma were found in 7.3%
      and 3.7% respectively. There was colonic metastasis in 54.9% of cases and 20.8%
      had distant metastases at initial surgery. Associated lesions were villous
      adenoma, 24.4%, Tubular adenoma-17.1%, amoebiasis 6.1% and schistosomiasis, 3.7%.
      The above observations together with those of previous authors suggests a
      difference in the biology of colorectal carcinomas in the tropics. The
      association with chronic granulomatous diseases, in particular, may be indicative
      of an entirely different oncogenic mechanism in their development in the tropics.

PMID- 1413100
TI  - Typhoid and paratyphoid fever: a retrospective study.
AB  - Sixty-eight proved cases of typhoid and paratyphoid fever were reviewed in a
      retrospective study covering 5 years (1986-1990). Patients within the age range
      of 10 to 39 years constituted 82.3 per cent of cases and there was equal
      incidence in both sexes. The mean duration of illness before presentation was
      9.67 days. The major clinical features were fever (97%), abdominal tenderness (
      9.4%), headache and abdominal pain (70.58%) each). Intestinal perforation was the
      commonest complication (27.9%) with a male preponderance (M:F-3:1). Perforation
      occurred after the first week of illness in 73.7 per cent of cases. Fourteen out
      of the nineteen patients who perforated were not on therapy at the time of
      perforation and they constituted 80 per cent of those cases of mortality in which
      perforation played a role. Surgical management of perforation gave better results
      than conservative management (mortality rates of 16.7% and 40% respectively).
      Salmonella was sensitive to Chloramphenicol in all the cases where the organism
      was grown. There were 10 recorded deaths (14.9%) of whom 60 per cent (i. e. 6
      patients) presented after two weeks of illness.

PMID- 1413102
TI  - Evaluation of antacid gel preparations available commercially in the Indian
      market.
AB  - A scoring system based on the neutralising capacity, cost efficiency and time of
      buffering of twenty four commercially available antacid gels was analysed. A gel
      scoring eight out of the ten points was considered as the best antacid. The study
      provides a practical guide in choosing a quick neutralizing and low cost antacid
      gel.

PMID- 1413103
TI  - Peroperative cholangiogram--routine or selective results of a prospective study.
AB  - Peroperative cholangiography (POC) performed as a routine during cholecystectomy
      for cholelithiasis was evaluated in 102 patients. POC was normal 93 patients.
      Nine patients had abnormal POCs: 5 were true positive--CBD stones (4) and
      sphincteric fibrosis (1): 4 were false positive--air bubbles (2) and sphincteric
      spasm (2). Preoperative indication of CBD stones were present in 12 patients-5 of
      these had abnormal POC (4 true positive and 1 false positive). CBD exploration
      was avoided in 7 patients with normal POC. Ninety patients did not have any
      preoperative indication of CBD stones-4 of these had abnormal POC (1 true
      positive and 3 false positive). None of the patients with a normal POC had any
      clinical evidence of residual stones on follow up for one year. POC did not help
      in any case to delineate biliary ductal anatomy. Routine POC during
      cholecystectomy should be abandoned and should be performed selectively in
      patients suspected to have CBD stones only to avoid a negative CBD exploration.

PMID- 1413105
TI  - Views on "training in gastroenterology in India".

PMID- 1413104
TI  - Malignant carcinoid tumor of the gallbladder: a case report and review of
      literature.
AB  - Carcinoid of the gallbladder and bile ducts is a rare tumor. Till date 20 cases
      have been reported. Here we report one more case and review all 21 cases
      collectively. The tumor affects elderly patients of either sex equally. Surgical
      obstructive jaundice (SOJ), followed by abdominal symptoms were the commonest
      presenting complaints. None of the patients presented with carcinoid syndrome.
      Bile duct carcinoids presented significantly earlier than gallbladder carcinoids
      because of strategic location causing SOJ. Gallstones were present only in 3
      cases. Fifty per cent of these tumors were malignant, with liver followed by bone
      as the commonest site of metastasis. Surgery has been the mainstay of the
      treatment of these lesions. Old age, jaundice and metastasis at presentation and
      location of carcinoid in bile duct were found to be bad prognostic factors. In
      the absence of these features overall survival after surgical procedures like
      radical cholecystectomy was encouraging enough to undertake the surgical
      challenge.

PMID- 1413106
TI  - [Antivitamin activity of oxythiamine disulfide nicotinate].
AB  - The B1-antivitamin activity of oxythiamine disulphide nicotinate has been
      determined in experiments on albino mice and it is shown that in the liver this
      derivative exerts the equal action while in the blood and heart--a more profound
      and prolonged inhibitory action on the transketolase activity in comparison with
      oxythiamine disulphide. Like the initial compound oxythiamine disulphide
      nicotinate does not penetrate through hemato-encephalic barrier and does not
      inhibit the brain transketolase.

PMID- 1413107
TI  - [Effect of ethanol and ethylene glycol on the circadian rhythm of adenylic
      nucleotide levels in muscles].
AB  - The 24-hour's changes in ATP content in the gastrocnemiuses of intact rast are
      not significant. Both the ADP and AMP content is subjected to 24-hour's
      variations. It reaches its maximum within the time period from 12 to 15 o'clock
      p.m. for ADP and at 18 o'clock p.m. for AMP. Intragastric administration of
      ethanol and ethylene glycol to rats in a dose of 1/3 LD50 once per 24-hour period
      at 9 a. m. during a 7-days-long period dramatically changes the 24-hour's rhythm
      of adenylic nucleotide content in the rat gastrocnemius. It has been found that
      ethanol increases the average 24-hour's content of ATP, but decreases that of
      ADP. It increases the range of their 24-hour period variations and changes the
      acrophase. Ethylene glycol decreases the average 24-hour content of the both ATP
      and ADP, but it increases that of AMP. It changes their acrophases and increases
      the ranges of 24-hour-period variations of ATP.

PMID- 1413108
TI  - [Respiratory and detoxication activity of two fractions of hepatocytes isolated
      by a non-enzymatic method].
AB  - Slow centrifugation of isotonic sucrose medium containing the suspension of
      hepatocytes, obtained after disaggregation of liver, which has been preliminarily
      perfused by EDTA solution, results in the formation of two fractions of cells of
      different colour. Fraction 1 contains intact and metabolically active
      hepatocytes. Cells of fraction 2 have a damaged membrane, but they are capable of
      realizing biotransformation of xenobiotics in the presence of exogenous NADPH as
      well as maintaining efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation of mitochondria under
      the transfer to the medium simulating cytoplasm.

PMID- 1413109
TI  - [Effect of sodium nitrite poisoning on the activity of enzymes of anti-oxidant
      protection and peroxidation processes in mouse erythrocytes].
AB  - The intoxication of white mice with sodium nitrite results in the decrease of red
      cell superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activity. The glutathione peroxidase
      activity is the same as in the control group. The level of red cell lipid
      peroxidation in the group of mice that receive sodium nitrite is higher as
      compared to the control group. After the intoxication the total activity of
      glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and dehydrogenase of 6-phosphogluconate as well
      as the activity of glutathione reductase are higher than in the control group.
      The level of SH-groups and reduced glutathione is higher in the group of mice
      that receive sodium nitrite in comparison with the control group.

PMID- 1413110
TI  - [Biochemical criteria for assessment of the population status of the northern
      birch mouse in technologic pollution].
AB  - Energy metabolism and microsomal oxidation in the liver of meadow mice caught
      near a source of technogenic pollution (0.5 km from the enterprise) were studied
      for 2 years for their peculiarities. Intensification of oxidative processes of
      succinic acid in the liver mitochondria and a tendency to a decrease of
      glycolysis in the liver homogenates were observed. Under conditions of
      technogenic pollution in liver of animals the level of lipid peroxidation and
      rate of aniline metabolism increase. Activation of the processes of aminopyrine
      metabolism took place in the meadow mice liver only for one season. The next year
      the rate of aminopyrine metabolism in the animals liver was lower. This is
      explained by the system inhibition under the effect of technogenic factors.
      Therefore, the investigation of biochemical indices is used to indicate the
      unfavourable effect of technogenic factors in the natural populations of small
      rodents.

PMID- 1413111
TI  - [Mathematical modelling of charge properties of protein molecules].
AB  - A procedure of theoretical determination of the dependence of protein molecule
      charge on the medium pH has been developed. The suggested procedure allows
      calculating the protein pI value, the molecule charge at the definite pH value,
      as well as the corresponding values for the protein molecule. Calculations for
      insulin, apo A-I and apo A-II molecules have been carried out. Calculated pI
      values are equal to 5.25, 5.64 and 4.86, respectively. A comparison of the
      theoretical curves and experimental data allows obtaining information of the
      molecule structure. Carboxyl groups with abnormally high pK values are
      discovered, that, probably, indicates to the direct interaction of two COOH
      groups. A supposition is made on the most probable arrangement of the functional
      fragments in apo A-I and apo A-II molecules.

PMID- 1413113
TI  - [Comparative analysis of spatial organization of myoglobins. II. Secondary
      structure].
AB  - An analysis of probability of distribution curves of alpha-helical sites and
      bends of polypeptide chains of myoglobins in half-water mammals (beaver, nutria,
      muskrat, otter) carried out in comparison with those of myoglobins of the horse
      and Sperm whale (X-ray diffraction analysis has revealed their tertiary
      structure) has revealed a coincidence of the secondary structure sites end bends
      of the chain in the studied respiratory hemoproteins of muscles. Despite a
      considerable number of amino acid substitutions the profiles of alpha-helicity
      and B-bends of the compared proteins are practically identical. This indicates to
      the "resistance" of the probability curves to amino acid substitutions and to
      retention of the tertiary structure of myoglobins in evolutionary remote species
      of the animals.

PMID- 1413112
TI  - [Comparative analysis of the spatial organization of myoglobins. I.
      Hydrophobicity profiles].
AB  - Hydrophobicity profiles of myoglobins in the animal species far remote in the
      evolutionary series are considerably similar. A complete coincidence as to the
      arrangement of hydrophobic zones along the polypeptide chain in myoglobins of the
      compared species (from a man to mollusc) is revealed at the beginning of alpha
      helix of B-segment and in the area corresponding to a cluster which embodies a
      heme- bound water molecule, distal histidine E7 being directed to this cluster.
      The mollusc myoglobin with two absent (as compared to myoglobins of other
      species) hydrophobic sites differs in the profile of hydrophobicity most of all.
      It is supposed that hydrophobic nuclei forming the heme circumference create a
      globule "skeleton" thus pre-setting general spatial structure of the myoglobin
      molecule, which is very significant for its functional activity.

PMID- 1413114
TI  - [Anti-oxidant system of blood plasma].
AB  - Recent data available in literature and the author's data about the state of the
      antioxidant protection of the blood plasma have been generalized. The role of
      superoxide dismutase as the basic compound of the antioxidant system is
      discussed. The character of individual macromolecules (transferrin,
      ceruloplasmin, albumin) which have shown nonenzymatic specific antioxidant
      properties is presented. Possible mechanisms of biological activity of some
      antioxidants have been examined.

PMID- 1413115
TI  - [Role of the K4 and K5 plasmin heavy chain kringles in the fibrin clot structure
      destruction].
AB  - A comparative analysis of the rates of polymeric fibrin structure destruction by
      plasmin (Pm) and its proteolytic derivatives such as Val354-plasmin (c-Pm),
      Val442-plasmin (m-Pm) and Lys530-plasmin (mu-Pm) has been undertaken. It was
      shown, that Pm, c-Pm, m-Pm and mu-Pm at equal proteolytic activity, have
      dissolved fibrin clots with relative rates 40.3:38.0:4.6:1.0 correspondingly. The
      Pm, m-Pm and mu-Pm relative rates were changed by epsilon-aminocaproic acid to
      4.6:1.5:1.0 correspondingly. In this case fibrin clot destruction time was
      increased for Pm and m-Pm and was not changed for mu-Pm. The rates of fibrinogen
      hydrolysis were nearly equal for these forms of enzyme. It was suggested, that
      the specific interactions between plasmin K4 and K5 kringles and solid phase
      fibrin substrate determine the polymer fibrin structure destruction rate.

PMID- 1413116
TI  - [Level and correlation of metabolites of NAD(P)+-dependent dehydrogenase systems
      in newborn calf tissues in acute diarrhea].
AB  - Substantial disorders of redox and energetic processes are observed in the
      newborn calf tissues which is evidenced by changes in glucose, lactate oxalo
      acetate, malate, citrate, alpha-ketoglytarate and glutamate concentrations, as
      well as in activity of lactate dehydrogenase and gamma-glutamyltransferase,
      succinate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase and correlations of
      (NAD(p)/NAD(P)H) in blood cytoplasm and liver and kidney mitochondria.

PMID- 1413117
TI  - [Effect of stress factors on carboxypeptidase H activity in areas of the rat
      brain].
AB  - It is established that carboxypeptidase H activity increases as affected by
      various stress factors in the rat brain departments. The increase of the enzyme
      activity because of the emotional-pain stress is of continuous character.
      Possible role of carboxypeptidase H in the development of the stress response is
      discussed.

PMID- 1413119
TI  - [Immunomodulating effect of ecdysterones].
AB  - Ecdysterone, its 20-desoxy-derivative alpha-ecdysone, their 2-desoxy-derivatives
      ecdysterone 2, 3, 22-triacetate and preparation BTI-4 have been studied for their
      effect on [3H]-thymidine incorporation in different populations of animal and
      human lymphocytes. It is shown the ecdysteron and its analogs in concentrations
      of 10(-12)-10(-5) M take considerable stimulating effect on DNA biosynthesis in
      animal lymphocytes activated by polyclonal mitogens. The concentration of
      ecdysterone being increased to 10(-4) m one can observe complete inhibition of
      activating effect of polyclonal mitogens. Effect of the studied ecdysteroids did
      not considerably depend on their structure. In case of splenocytes the
      stimulating effect of ecdysterone on DNA biosynthesis is less expressed than in
      the case of activated thymocytes. Ecdysterone was established to have
      considerable inhibiting effect on DNA biosynthesis in the culture of activated
      Con A cells of lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of healthy donors.

PMID- 1413118
TI  - Effects of compound RU38486 on growth and lipid biosynthesis in glucocorticoid
      sensitive human leukemia line CEM-C7.
AB  - Glucocorticoid sensitive human lymphoblastoid cells CEM-C7 were examined for the
      effects of antiglucocorticoid RU38486 on the prevention of early dexamethasone
      induced changes, including reduced cell growth, cell shrinkage and fragmentation,
      decrease in cell plating efficiency and incorporation of acetate into cellular
      lipids. When RU38486 was added no later than 24 hours after the addition of
      dexamethasone, it prevented the inhibition of [14C]acetate incorporation into
      nonsaponifiable lipids, partly reversed the decrease in plating efficiency and
      reduced cell fragmentation. In addition, the accumulation of dolichols in the
      nuclei of dexamethasone-treated cells was abolished by RU38486. These results
      indicate that glucocorticoid-induced changes in cellular lipids are receptor
      dependent and may be linked to the initiation of the apoptotic cascade.

PMID- 1413120
TI  - [Change in concentration of cholesterol and lipoprotein fractions of rabbit blood
      serum in the dynamics of hypercholesterolemia].
AB  - Three quantitatively different periods have been detected as a result of 21-week
      monitoring of blood serum total cholesterol at hypercholesterolemia in rabbits.
      The first of them (4th week) ends by a relative decrease of cholesterol
      concentration: the second one (4th-13th weeks) is characterized by its sharp
      increase; in the third period (13th-21st weeks) the sterol accumulation slows
      down. Concentration variations of all main lipoprotein fractions are observed in
      each of the above periods. Their specific features enable us to suppose that in
      the first period the cholesterol transport system is activated which, probably,
      reflects the development of adaptation mechanisms of hypocholesterolemia. The
      second period can be considered as a transition stage from norm to pathology and
      is most likely, connected with atherogenesis induction. In the third period, in
      spite of relative stabilization of total cholesterol level clear signs of
      hyperbeta and hypoalpha dyslipoproteinemias are observed.

PMID- 1413121
TI  - [Localization and causes of lipid peroxidation disorders in the rat cerebral
      cortex in the early stages of hereditary retinal degeneration].
AB  - It is established that previously observed increased rate of the induced lipid
      peroxidation in brain tissue of rats with hereditary retinal degeneration as
      compared with normal rats is due to the change of the rate of this process in the
      microsome cortex brain fraction and was not observed in the mitochondrial
      synaptosomal and nuclear fractions. The content of nonheme iron ions in microsome
      cortex brain fraction of the Campbell rats is decreased by 35% and of the Fe ion
      was in the reduced form as compared with the Wistar rats. The ratio of Fe2+/Fe3+
      in this fraction of the Campbell rats will be 5.21; Wistar rats--0.51. The
      increase of the reduced form of the Fe ion may be a result of the increased rate
      of the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in cortex brain tissue of the
      Campbell rats. We accept change of the content and the forms of the Fe ions in
      the microsome cortex brain fraction as a cause of the increased rate of induced
      lipid peroxidation in brain of the Campbell rats. All the observed phenomena are
      manifested at the early stage of life and indicated that different metabolic
      disorders can be observed in the Campbell rats not only in the retina and eye
      pigment epithelium but also in the brain tissue.

PMID- 1413122
TI  - [Incorporation of [3H]alpha-tocopherol into isolated nuclei and its binding by
      rat liver chromatin].
AB  - The investigation of inclusion of [3H]alpha-tocopherol to isolated rat liver
      nuclei has revealed its nonspecific character. The presence of cytosol is
      necessary for specific interaction of alpha-tocopherol with nuclei. After the
      centrifugation of preliminarily labeled chromatin the most quantity of tocopherol
      was bound with oligonucleosomes and pelleted chromatin. It is supposed, that the
      preservation of supernucleosomes level of chromatin folding was necessary for the
      interaction of alpha-tocopherol with chromatin.

PMID- 1413123
TI  - [Role of alpha-tocopherol and retinol in the antiradical protection of the body
      in peptic ulcer].
AB  - Retinol and tocopherol content, the intensity of spontaneous chemiluminescence as
      well as concentration of malonic dialdehyde in the blood of practically healthy
      persons of different age groups and in patients with gastric and duodenal ulcer
      have been studied. Results are presented. The lower content of tocopherol was
      revealed in the young persons as compared with other age groups, while the level
      of vitamin A was not established to depend on age. The content of tocopherol is
      established to decrease in the blood serum under peptic ulcer. Under these
      conditions low level of retinol correlates with considerable growth of
      spontaneous chemiluminescence. Reserve interrelation of tocopherol content in the
      blood with the level of spontaneous chemiluminescence as well as the absence of
      true dependence on the concentration of malonic dialdehyde at peptic ulcer are
      proved. Mechanisms of participation of vitamins E and A in the inhibition of free
      radical reactions are discussed, role of their deficiency in pathogenesis fo
      peptic ulcer is substantiated.

PMID- 1413124
TI  - [Oxygen binding of myoglobins of diving animals].
AB  - When studying oxygen binding by myoglobins of diving animals it is shown that
      half-saturation of myoglobins obtained from the muscles of animals who can stop
      the external respiration for a long period of time occurs at oxygen strength of
      0.62-0.67 mm Hg. Such indices of oxygenation of respiratory hemoprotein of
      muscles are characteristic of most mammals. Temperature being decreased from 37
      to 15 degrees C, myoglobin affinity to oxygen considerably increases.

PMID- 1413127
TI  - [Surgery of ulcer disease].

PMID- 1413125
TI  - [Selective N-heterylazimine inhibition of reactions catalyzed by rat liver
      glutathione transferase].
AB  - Three reactions (nucleophile substitution, thiolysis and N-deoxygenation)
      catalyzed by rat liver glutathione transferase have been studied using several N
      heterylazimine inhibitors. The inhibitors are sharply different in their
      effectiveness in the transferase reactions. Their efficiency depends on their
      structure. The mechanism which underlies the found regularities is suggested.

PMID- 1413126
TI  - [Kinetic characteristics of Ca2+-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase from the
      rat liver in the early stages after x-ray irradiation].
AB  - The changes of kinetic characteristics (apparent Km and Vmax) of the Ca2+
      phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C) from the rat liver for
      substrates ATP and histone Hl 2 and 24 hours after total X-ray irradiation have
      been established. The obtained results evidence for the important role of these
      changes in early radiosensitivity of protein kinase C.

PMID- 1413128
TI  - [Chronic inflammatory bowel disease--current status].
AB  - Chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) encompasses the disease entities,
      ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). An aetiologic agent has not yet
      been defined and the diagnosis is based, therefore, on the sum of clinical,
      paraclinical, radiologic, endoscopic and histopathologic features. In recent
      years pathogenetic studies have focused on immune mechanisms, transmissible
      infectious agents, the potential role of the normal intestinal flora, dietary
      factors, enzymatic alterations and genetic features, in addition to vascular,
      neuromotor, allergic and psychologic factors. The prevalence of IBD is increased
      in first-degree relatives of patients and there is a high rate of disease
      concordance among monozygotic twins. Thus abnormal genes may encode for one or
      several immunoregulatory factors, while bacterial wall products seem to activate
      colonic inflammatory cells in a non-specific way, leading to increased production
      of cytokines, complement-derived peptides, eicosanoids, platelet activating
      factor, biogenic amines, kinins, chemotactic oligopeptides, and neuropeptides.
      The named soluble inflammatory mediators, in addition to free oxygen radicals,
      are considered responsible for the secondary amplification of the inflammatory
      process. The corner stones in medical therapy of IBD are still corticosteroids
      and sulphasalazine (SAZ). The new oral salicylates, which are analogues of SAZ or
      "slow release" preparations of 5-aminosalicylic acid (mesalazine), have provided
      a therapeutic progress, because they are tolerated better than SAZ.
      Immunosuppressive agents, such as azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine, reduce the
      requirement for corticosteroids and are effective in refractory CD, but the
      effect is delayed up to several months. The therapeutic action of cyclosporine A
      is not sustained, but often associated with side effects. Metronidazole has a
      beneficial effect on perineal disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413129
TI  - [Phlebography as the "golden standard" in studies on prevention of thrombosis? A
      study on interobserver variation in a multicenter study].

PMID- 1413130
TI  - [Autoimmune hepatitis. Forms of manifestation, diagnosis and treatment].
AB  - A retrospective study concerning ten patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AiH),
      diagnosed during a 2 1/2-year period is presented. The age of the patients ranged
      from 25 to 82 years and nine of the patients were women. Their symptoms included
      jaundice, pruritus, fever, anorexia and fatigue during a few weeks to years.
      Seven patients had increased serum aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) levels. The
      three patients with normal ASAT levels had hypoalbuminaemia, decreased level of
      prothrombin or high levels of serum immunoglobulin G. Moderate or high levels of
      smooth muscle antibody titer were detected in nine patients, while none had
      increased levels of anti-nuclear antibody titer. Histological features of
      moderate or severe chronic active hepatitis were demonstrated in nine patients.
      One patient presented with clinical and histological features of acute hepatitis.
      Prednisolone therapy was followed by biochemical improvement in all the patients.
      In one patient, maintenance therapy with prednisolone was combined with
      azathioprine.

PMID- 1413132
TI  - [Monosymptomatic pneumoperitoneum is not an indication for surgery].
AB  - Pneumoperitoneum results from a perforation of the gastrointestinal tract in the
      majority of instances and the necessity for surgery is involved. In some cases
      with monosymptomatic pneumoperitoneum, surgery is unnecessary. A case of a man
      aged 64 with great amount of free intraperitoneal air is presented. The patient
      was clinically unaffected and had neither fever nor signs of peritoneal
      affection. The intraperitoneal air decreased slowly and disappeared after about
      60 days. A self-sealing perforation of a duodenal ulcer was the cause of
      pneumoperitoneum. The most common causes of non-surgical pneumoperitoneum (PP)
      are discussed. IN CONCLUSION: Monosymptomatic PP is not an indication for
      emergency surgery. If the patient has no signs of peritoneal reactions
      conservative treatment can be considered.

PMID- 1413131
TI  - [Patients' knowledge about their own medication--does verbal information help? A
      blind, randomized study].
AB  - Patient's knowledge about their own medicine is often insufficient, and this is
      possibly a contributory factor for noncompliance. We interviewed 65 patients
      (median age 61 years) from an out-patient clinic with free access and 86 patients
      (median age 68 years) from a hospital outpatient clinic. In both groups,
      knowledge about the dosage and the adverse effects of the drugs was poor. Old age
      and polypharmacy were associated with poor knowledge; there were no differences
      as regards knowledge between the two out-patient clinics. The 86 patients from
      the hospitals out-patient clinic were randomised to either 30 minutes of extended
      verbal information or to the standard information of the department. At the
      subsequent visit eight weeks later, a repeated interview indicated, that the
      informed group had generally improved knowledge about their own medication, while
      this was not the case in the control group. A statistically significant
      difference between the groups was, however, only found for medication knowledge
      about side effects. It is concluded that out-patients knowledge about their own
      medication is often poor, but can be improved by verbal information.

PMID- 1413133
TI  - [Spontaneous esophageal rupture during the 3rd trimester].
AB  - A 30-year-old woman, 35 weeks pregnant, developed spontaneous rupture of the
      oesophagus following severe vomiting, probably caused by treatment with Ritodrin
      (Utopar). The symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of spontaneous oesophageal
      rupture are discussed.

PMID- 1413134
TI  - [CT in preoperative evaluation of renal tumors].

PMID- 1413135
TI  - [Should we eat fish oil?].

PMID- 1413136
TI  - [Should I also eat fish oils? A critical assessment of the use of fish oils in
      the prevention of ischemic heart disease].
AB  - The effect of a daily dietary supplement of 6 g fish oil (3.4 g eicosapentaenoic
      and docosahexaenoic acid) on body weight, blood pressure, bleeding time and blood
      lipids was assessed in an open trial. The fish oil was taken for four weeks by
      nine 30-55 year-old individuals. An age- and sex-matched control group took
      equivalent amounts of safflower oil, which has an overall fatty acid composition
      similar to the tested fish oil. The fish oil supplement caused significant
      changes in body weight (median: +0.9 kg), systolic blood pressure (-10 mmHg),
      diastolic blood pressure (-5 mmHg), and high density lipoprotein (HDL)
      cholesterol concentration (+0.21 mmol/l), whereas serum triglycerides decreased
      insignificantly (-0.25 mmol/l). Low density lipoprotein (LDL) concentration were
      not affected. We observed no changes in the control group. In the discussion, it
      is underlined that fish oil supplementation may affect some risk markers of
      ischemic heart disease favourably. However, other important risk markers,
      including LDL cholesterol, are unaffected or unfavourably affected by fish oils.
      A more uni-directional reduction in risk can be attained by a change in dietary
      habits, which should be preferable to a fish oil supplement in the general
      population. Individuals who show critically low HDL/total cholesterol ratios, who
      are hypertriglyceridemic, or are mildly hypertensive may, however, benefit from a
      fish oil supplement of the amount tested here.

PMID- 1413137
TI  - [Use of pneumatic anti-shock equipment (MAST = military anti-shock trousers) in
      prehospital emergency treatment. A review].
AB  - Employment of pneumatic anti-shock (MAST) equipment is a therapeutic possibility
      in some countries for hypovolaemic and shocked patients. This treatment may be
      associated with particularly serious side effects and no documentation is
      available to prove that MAST is beneficial for the patients. The only meticulous
      clinically controlled investigation concludes that MAST is without effect in city
      regions with well-trained paramedical or medical staff and employment of MAST can
      thus not be recommended. The effect of MAST outside urban regions is unknown and
      should be assessed by means of a clinically controlled investigation.

PMID- 1413138
TI  - [Dynamic continuous vectorcardiography].
AB  - Continuous dynamic vectorcardiography is an ideal method for monitoring patients
      with myocardial ischemia. The monitoring is a non-invasive and real time
      registration and simultaneously safe and reproducible. The method has proved
      valuable for describing the evolution in different ischemic heart diseases. The
      method measures the electric myocardial activity in three orthogonal leads and a
      computer calculates the different vectorcardiographic parameters for the ST- and
      QRS-complexes. Vectorcardiographic registration is feasible for computer
      analysis, because it can summarize all information in a few parameters. Using
      continuous registration, the different parameters can show dynamic evolution and,
      in this way, describe the variability during acute myocardial infarction and
      unstable angina pectoris. The method also made it possible to evaluate anti
      ischemic treatment in patients, as for example thrombolytic therapy.

PMID- 1413139
TI  - [Sick-leave during pregnancy--focusing on textile workers].
AB  - In order to illustrate the conditions involved in sick-leave during pregnancy,
      593 consecutive parturient women received a questionnaire on the day after
      delivery. 48% of the pregnant women were certified as sick and 16% were admitted
      to hospital during pregnancy. The most common reasons for sick-leave were
      threatening abortion (19%), haemorrhage (18%) and threatening premature delivery
      (15%). The duration of sick-leave averaged 15 weeks as compared with 7.3 weeks in
      Denmark as a whole. In the subgroup of textile workers, 71% considered that the
      work was physically stressing and 70% were certified sick. Compared with all of
      the other occupationally active women, textile workers were more frequently
      certified sick, considered that their work was more physically stressing and had
      more frequently required sick-leave but were more rarely admitted to hospital.
      Similarly, textile workers had a greater risk for sick-leave on account of
      threatening abortion, pelvic loosening or pain in the locomotor system.

PMID- 1413141
TI  - [Cholesteatoma behind an intact ear drum--an overlooked disease?].
AB  - On the background of increasing international interest for early diagnosis,
      pathogenesis and treatment of cholesteatoma in children, a sub-group is described
      and termed primary cholesteatoma, congenital cholesteatoma in the middle ear or
      cholesteatoma in the middle ear behind an intact ear-drum. This review is based
      on a retrospective review of cholesteatoma in children submitted to operation in
      Hjorring Hospital during a period of five years from 1986 to 1991. All of the
      children were under the age of 16 years. Out of 22 cholesteatoma treated
      operatively in children, the authors found six cases (27%) of congenital
      cholesteatoma. The symptomless congenital cholesteatoma in the middle ear is
      recognized clinically by otoscopy where it appears as a white shadow, most
      frequently in the anterior upper quadrant, behind an intact ear-drum. Early
      diagnosis is important and may be established by general practitioners,
      paediatricians and otologists at routine otoscopy.

PMID- 1413140
TI  - [Experiences with microcomputer based registration of esophago-gastro
      duodenoscopy].
AB  - The development of and the experience with a microcomputer based register of
      endoscopy is described. The paper work was reduced from nine forms to one. The
      register provides the information necessary for budgeting the resources for staff
      and new equipment. The system provides the opportunity for analysing existing and
      new principles for treatment and provides information about the pattern of
      diagnoses, thereby supporting the running of clinical controlled studies. During
      the first 29 months, data from 6,014 endoscopies were collected. The categories
      of patients and the distribution of diagnoses is presented.

PMID- 1413142
TI  - [Extraintestinal manifestations of Salmonella infections illustrated by 2 cases
      of mycotic aortic aneurysm].
AB  - Following an increased number of cases of Salmonella bacteraemia during recent
      years, an increased number of extra-intestinal manifestations were observed.
      Early diagnosis and rapid institution of treatment (both surgical and antibiotic)
      is decisive for the prognosis. Peroperative antibiotic treatment should cover
      possible Salmonella infection.

PMID- 1413143
TI  - [Conservative treatment of brain abscess complicating neonatal Escherichia coli
      meningitis].
AB  - The case of a newborn infant who developed meningitis caused by E. coli is
      presented. During i.v. treatment with ampicillin and gentamycin in recommended
      doses and according to susceptibility patterns, the patient developed cerebral
      abscesses detected on CT. After changing to third generation cephalosporin, the
      patient improved clinically and the CT-changes regressed and disappeared. Because
      of their superior bactericidal effect, we recommend a third generation
      cephalosporin as a first choice in the treatment of neonatal E. coli meningitis.

PMID- 1413144
TI  - [The fat canard of Christmas].

PMID- 1413145
TI  - [Obesity research has a reliability problem].

PMID- 1413146
TI  - [Treatment of hypertension in the elderly].

PMID- 1413147
TI  - [Treatment of isolated systolic hypertension in the elderly by general
      practitioners].
AB  - By means of a questionnaire investigation, 150 general practitioners selected at
      random were asked about how they defined isolated systolic hypertension in
      elderly individuals, whether they employed medicinal treatment of this patients
      group and what their reasons for this were. The mean values for the highest
      systolic blood pressure which were considered to be normal were 175, 185 and 200
      mmHg for the age groups 60-69 years, 70-79 years and > or = 80 years. Only
      approximately one fourth of Danish general practitioners consider medicinal
      treatment of isolated systolic hypertension and only at a much higher systolic
      blood pressure level than shown by a corresponding investigation among American
      doctors where 89% employ treatment for isolated systolic hypertension. On the
      basis of the present strategy in Denmark and the recent results from the first
      prospective placebo-controlled investigation of the treatment of isolated
      systolic hypertension, the future therapeutic strategy is discussed.

PMID- 1413148
TI  - [Reduction of blood pressure in children after physical training. The Odense
      study of school children].

PMID- 1413149
TI  - [Temporal lobe epilepsy--psychiatric aspects and surgical treatment].
AB  - The prevalences and types of psychiatric disorders connected with temporal lobe
      epilepsy and surgical treatment hereof are discussed. Studies comparing
      psychiatric morbidity among surgically treated patients and less selected groups
      of patients with epilepsy, respectively, are desired. Previous follow-up studies
      of patients undergoing temporal lobe resection point to a high prevalence of
      psychiatric disorders pre- and postoperatively, in terms of personality
      disturbances (especially aggression) and various psychotic disorders. On the
      basis of older studies, postoperative psychoses are believed to appear in 7-10%
      of surgically treated patients. New Brain Imaging and neurophysiological
      techniques permit a more precise focal diagnosis. Thus more selective surgical
      procedures have been introduced, e.g. resection of the amygdala and hippocampus.
      Together with an increased awareness of the importance of psycho-social factors
      and the absence of severe psychiatric disturbances for a good postoperative
      outcome this means that results of older studies may no longer apply. Studies
      reflecting present day conditions are needed.

PMID- 1413150
TI  - [Psychosocial consequences and surgical treatment of epilepsy. A review].
AB  - Epilepsy is one the commonest neurological diseases. In 25% of the cases,
      particularly in patients with temporal foci, the seizures prove to be resistant
      to medicinal treatment. Several investigations have stressed that these patients
      have pronounced psychosocial problems which may be more important to the patient
      than the actual seizures. Taking into consideration the WHO definition of health
      as complete physical, mental and social well-being, patients with epilepsy have
      problems in all of these dimensions. The major problems are social isolation and
      employment. Surgical treatment of epilepsy has a pronounced effect on the
      seizures in 90% of the operations in the best series but it is still uncertain
      whether reduction in the number of seizures also implies better quality of life.
      The present data suggest improvement in the psychosocial conditions of the
      patients who functioned best preoperatively and who became seizure-free after
      operation. The importance of further longitudinal studies emphasizing the
      psychosocial aspects is stressed.

PMID- 1413151
TI  - [What do they do? And what can they do? Functional assessment of 70-year old
      subjects].

PMID- 1413152
TI  - [Extent of HIV infection and AIDS among drug addicts].
AB  - The purpose of this study was to review the extent of the HIV-epidemic and to
      make a prognosis about the number of AIDS-cases among drug addicts in the
      community of Copenhagen. In the public institutions for treatment of drug
      addicts, 191 HIV-positive individuals were known by January 1991. In the period
      August 1990-November 1991, 33 newly recognized cases of seropositivity were
      registered among drug addicts in the area of Copenhagen, but the time of
      infection was unknown. By October 1991, 53 cases of AIDS among drug addicts in
      Denmark were recorded. Based upon the knowledge of incubation period and
      mortality of AIDS, it was possible to set up a mathematical model, from which the
      number of expected AIDS-cases could be estimated. This model showed that the
      number of living drug addicts with AIDS in the community of Copenhagen probably
      not will exceed 20 during the coming years. It was also showed, that the number
      of drug addicts, who were infected with HIV in the primary spread of the virus in
      1985-1986, was probably lower than 250. The actual prevalence and incidence of
      HIV-infection among drug addicts is uncertain, and there is a need for better
      surveillance of the epidemic.

PMID- 1413153
TI  - [Blood pressure check-up--routine blood pressure measurements in a patient with
      arteriovenous shunt and under dialysis].
AB  - A case of untreated hypertension in a patient, where blood pressure could be
      measured in the right arm only is presented. At autopsy, the brachio-cephalic
      artery was found to be occluded explaining why blood pressure values were low.
      Significant left ventricular hypertrophy indicating high central blood pressure
      was found. Sudden death followed a spontaneous intracerebral bleeding. The value
      of conventional blood pressure measurement in patients with arteriovenous shunt
      because of chronic dialysis is discussed.

PMID- 1413154
TI  - [Psoriasis and anticoagulant therapy].

PMID- 1413155
TI  - [Treatment of isolated systolic hypertension in the elderly].

PMID- 1413157
TI  - [Antibiotic prevention in lung surgery].

PMID- 1413156
TI  - [Intermittent claudication].

PMID- 1413158
TI  - [Functional hypoglycemia. Fancy or fact?].
AB  - Idiopathic reactive or functional hypoglycemia is not a recognised disease
      entity. It is defined solely on the basis of a history of hypoglycemic symptoms
      in everyday life, which can be relieved by food intake. However, the general
      opinion is that functional hypoglycemia exists, but it is not a frequent
      condition. The coincidence of a low blood glucose nadir and hypoglycemic symptoms
      in the hypoglycemic phase of the oral glucose tolerance test is not diagnostic of
      functional hypoglycemia. Endocrine dysfunction has never been demonstrated. The
      logical approach to the problem is to study blood glucose values during everyday
      life and at the onset of symptoms. This has been done in two controlled studies
      using reliable monitoring techniques. Low blood glucose concentrations during
      attacks could only be demonstrated in one of the studies and only in some of the
      subjects. Furthermore, the pattern of recorded symptoms was independent of the
      measured levels. Thus, these patients are probably not hypoglycemic in the true
      sense of the word. In a recent controlled but unblinded study, a higher blood
      glucose threshold for the onset of hypoglycemic symptoms was demonstrated in a
      group of patients with functional hypoglycemia. This, combined with a highly
      refined diet poor in fibre and starch, could provide symptomatic oscillations of
      blood glucose levels. However, much more research is needed in this field, before
      any conclusions are drawn.

PMID- 1413159
TI  - [Should all women be ordered gynecological examination a few days after
      delivery?].
AB  - The results of a national survey, including all maternity units in Denmark,
      showed that 43 of 57 units (almost 75%) advocated routine pelvic examination a
      few days after delivery. Three out of 60 units did not answer the enquete
      corresponding to a 95% reply rate. Following the same procedure as the main part
      of delivery units in Denmark, all women confined in Sonderborg Hospital were
      offered routine pelvic examination four days after birth, however six days after
      caesarean section. A retrospective survey of the records for all women
      hospitalised for delivery in Sonderborg Hospital during 16.5.1990-16.11.1990
      showed that 550 out of 715 women (77.0%) had been submitted to routine pelvic
      examination. Twenty one of these (3.8%) were treated according to one of the
      following abnormalities: atony of the uterus (14), superficial inflammation in
      caesarean scar of episiotomy (4) or endometritis (3). Based on a critical review
      of the cases, its concluded that all the treated complications were either
      insignificant, were treated unnecessarily or should have been diagnosed from the
      symptoms. As an alternative it is proposed, that routine pelvic examination a few
      days after birth should be restricted to selected women at risk. Other puerperal
      women should be observed closely and, depending on relevant symptoms, a pelvic
      examination should be made. In all cases and according to regulatives of the
      Danish Health Authorities (Sundhedsstyrelsen) all puerperal women should be
      offered a final examination by their practitioner eight weeks after birth.

PMID- 1413160
TI  - [CO2 laser treatment of proximal pharyngo-esophageal diverticula (Zenker's
      diverticula)].
AB  - The pharyngo-esophageal diverticulum (Zenker's diverticulum) has traditionally
      been treated operatively by an external approach. Since the 1950's the endoscopic
      technique has been performed increasingly as a good alternative. Since 1989, we
      have treated Zenker's diverticulum endoscopically as a standard procedure, and
      hereby we present our results here. We use the Benjamin-Hollinger
      diverticuloscope, through which the septum between the diverticulum and esophagus
      is divided by a CO2-laser. Nine patients have been treated, five men and four
      women. Mean age 77 years (range 59-93). Diverticulum size varied between 1x2 cm
      and 6x6.5 cm. No major complications occurred. One patient had recurrence of
      symptoms after three months and was reoperated with the same technique. The mean
      observation period is 12 months (range 4-28). We find the endoscopic CO2-laser
      technique safe, and for the elderly age group suffering from Zenker's
      diverticulum, less traumatic than the external approach.

PMID- 1413161
TI  - [Preventive hepatitis B vaccination of hospital staff].
AB  - In March 1990, a vaccination campaign against hepatitis B was organized in a
      municipal hospital in Copenhagen (Bispebjerg Hospital). The hospital staff (830
      subjects) at risk of infection with hepatitis B were offered vaccination with
      Engerix B. The vaccination was given as Engerix B (recombinant DNA vaccine) in
      muscle deltoid after 0, 1 and 6 months. Antibody level was measured after one
      month. A total of 362 (44%) received vaccination against hepatitis B and 86% of
      these completed the vaccination schedule and received at least three
      vaccinations. 95% of the vaccinated subjects were protected after three
      vaccinations (HBsAg more than 10 IU/l). CONCLUSION: The recombinant DNA vaccine
      does not differ from the plasma-derived vaccine concerning immunogenicity and
      adverse reactions. There was a low compliance with the vaccination campaign,
      especially among doctors (35%) and laboratory technicians (35%), despite central
      organization.

PMID- 1413162
TI  - [Use of narcotics by school children in Greenland. A nation-wide study of habits
      of school children concerning narcotics].
AB  - An attempt was made to describe the extent to which school pupils employ the
      intoxicants: tobacco, alcohol, hash and sniffing. The prophylactic committee,
      PAARISA, issues informative campaigns about intoxicants, the effects of which are
      assessed by means of investigations such as this. An anonymous questionnaire was
      employed. This was sent to 18 towns and seven villages distributed over all of
      Greenland. The questionnaire contained questions about social background, smoking
      habits, alcohol habits, sniffing and smoking of marihuana. The questionnaire was
      completed by the pupils in the schools under confidential conditions and was then
      returned to the author. The investigation was carried out during the period from
      15.10. 1990- 15.11. 1990. All of the towns and the largest villages in all
      Greenland participated. The investigation was established on the initiative of
      the author in cooperation with PAARISA. A total of 1,934 school pupils aged from
      12 to 19 years replied to the questionnaire. The percentage of replies was 88 of
      these questioned. Out of 1,557 pupils who spoke Greenlandic, 774 were boys and
      783 girls. Out of 377 pupils who spoke Danish, 208 were boys and 169 girls. 26%
      of the Danish-speaking boys and 45% of the Greenlandic-speaking boys smoke, while
      39% of the Danish-speaking girls and 61% of the Greenlandic-speaking girls smoke.
      Three quarters of the oldest age group smoke. Girls smoke more frequently than
      boys. 71% smoke more than three cigarettes daily. 87% of the Danish-speaking and
      63% of the Greenlandic-speaking pupils had tried drinking alcohol.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413163
TI  - [Written patient information. Analysis of Danish biomedical research programs].
AB  - All patients involved in biomedical research must, according to the Helsinki II
      declaration, receive complete verbal and written information about the project.
      Valid consent must be based on adequate information. This study analyses all of
      the 225 written patient information sheets submitted for approval to the regional
      research ethical committee covering the three southernmost counties in Jutland
      (Denmark) during the years 1989 and 1990. Linguistic analysis shows that the
      information is written in a difficult style with a median readability index of
      48.2. It is generally recommended that information directed to the general public
      should have a readability index below 40 (approximately the level of the popular
      press). Analysis of information content shows that several important pieces of
      information are often missing: for instance, information about the name of the
      leader of the research and about the fact that the relationship with the
      institution will not be adversely affected by a refusal to participate in the
      research programme.

PMID- 1413164
TI  - [Total uterine rupture of a cesarean section scar during attempted vaginal
      delivery under epidural analgesia].
AB  - A case of complete uterine rupture and abruptio placentae during an attempt of
      vaginal delivery under epidural analgesia in a woman with previous caesarean
      section is described and discussed. When using epidural analgesia for such a
      patient during vaginal delivery it is imperative that newly developed pain should
      be ascribed to the uterine scar and the diagnosis of threatening uterine rupture
      be made immediately.

PMID- 1413165
TI  - [Meningitis caused by Capnocytophaga carnimorsus with development of erythema
      nodosum].
AB  - A case of meningitis in a 42-year-old previously healthy man caused by the gram
      negative rod Capnocytophaga carnimorsus is presented. The patient had erythema
      nodosum. Bacteremia was possibly induced during dental treatment.

PMID- 1413166
TI  - [Leptospirosis. A disease with non-specific initial symptoms].
AB  - A case of leptospirosis in a young fish-farm worker is described. Early
      penicillin therapy was initiated solely on the clinical suspicion of the disease.
      The importance of recognition of the disease is emphasized together with early
      institution of penicillin therapy and effective eradication of vermin.

PMID- 1413167
TI  - [Fenoterol and asthma mortality].

PMID- 1413168
TI  - [Insect allergy].

PMID- 1413169
TI  - [Heart rate disorders in potassium and magnesium deficiency].
AB  - Potassium and magnesium deficiencies are common in patients with heart disease.
      These are often coexistent and pathophysiologically related. Potassium deficiency
      cannot be treated without correction of concomitant magnesium deficiency.
      Correlations between serum levels and body stores are very poor for both ions.
      Therefore diagnosis and treatment of these conditions based on serum levels alone
      are erroneous. There is some evidence that it is primarily the intracellular
      depletion of these ions which is arrhythmogenic. Magnesium infusion has been
      proved effective in treatment of torsade de pointes ventricular tachycardia and
      arrhythmias induced by digoxin-intoxication, and is recommended in these
      conditions. Whether it is effective in other forms of arrhythmia is not yet
      elucidated.

PMID- 1413170
TI  - [Parasitic diseases in patients with impaired immune response. Clinical picture
      and diagnosis].
AB  - Patients with impaired immune system are frequently infected with various
      parasitic diseases. The clinical picture is characterized by unusual
      manifestations and frequently severe recurrences of infections which are not
      normally serious. Some almost parasitic microorganisms produce symptoms
      exclusively in patients with impaired immune system. Parasitic infections have
      become increasingly common with the increasing number of patients who live for
      prolonged periods with impaired immune systems, often as a result of infection
      with HIV. Among the numerous parasitic infections which are observed in man,
      there are a few which occur particularly frequently in patients with impaired
      immune systems. This is a brief review of the clinical pictures and diagnostic
      options in parasitic disease in individuals with impaired immune system with
      particular emphasis on infections caused by: Pneumocystis carinii, Toxoplasma
      gondii, Cryptosporidium ssp., Microspora, Entamoeba histolytica, Leishmania ssp.,
      and Strongyloides stercoralis. In patients with impaired immunity, parasitic
      infections frequently cause nonspecific symptoms and, on account of the impaired
      immunity, antibodies to the parasite are not always produced. The diagnosis of
      these infections is, therefore, based on morphological demonstration of the
      microorganism concerned, culture, specific antigen or DNA defections.

PMID- 1413171
TI  - [Prognosis and risk factors in acute dialysis-requiring renal failure after open
      heart surgery].

PMID- 1413172
TI  - [Is it possible to change long-term benzodiazepine consumption by counseling in
      general practice?].
AB  - Twelve general practitioners in a community offered 576 long-term consumers of
      benzodiazepines interviews in order to discuss possible reduction in medication.
      A total of 175 accepted the offer. Consumption of benzodiazepines was registered
      in the local pharmacy before and after the intervention. The total average
      reduction occurred in 20% and a definite reduction in consumption of sedatives by
      30-49 years in 60%. The consumption of benzodiazepines by patients aged over 70
      year remained the same as before the intervention.

PMID- 1413173
TI  - [Characteristics of a group of long-term consumers of benzodiazepines who were
      offered interview with their general practitioner].
AB  - In connection with a project aimed at reducing the consumption of benzodiazepines
      in the Municipality of Odder, an attempt was made to select the patients who
      would be motivated for accepting offers of interviews with the general
      practitioner to discuss possible reduction of the consumption of benzodiazepines.
      It did not prove possible to select the group of patients who would be motivated
      for this type of encounter in advance. A positive effect of the offer of
      interviews to discuss possible reduction in the use of benzodiazepines was
      observed. More than half of the patients had either discontinued or had reduced
      the consumption of benzodiazepines.

PMID- 1413174
TI  - [Adolescents' wishes to have children].
AB  - During the period 1984-1986, an investigation concerning sexual behaviour,
      contraceptive methods and pregnancies was performed among Danes aged 16-20 years
      in Denmark. A random sample consisting of 286 women (respondent rate = 75.3) and
      336 men (respondent rate = 79.6) was interviewed by the Institute of Social
      Research. During the same time interval, 140 women admitted for legal termination
      of pregnancy in the County of Funen (respondent rate = 73.6) replied to a
      corresponding questionnaire. Some results have been published previously (4-6).
      This paper present results concerning the number of children the adolescents wish
      to have in the future and the age at which they want to become parents. A
      remarkable correspondence in the replies was found. The majority, including the
      women admitted for termination of pregnancy, the non-pregnant women and the young
      men, want to have two to three children. The majority, however, would prefer to
      have children when they themselves were between 20 and 30 years of age. In all,
      62.9% (n = 171) of the non-pregnant women and 54.5% (n = 181) of the men would
      choose or advise application for legal termination, in the case of pregnancy. The
      women admitted for termination of pregnancy were asked to give priority to ten
      preformulated attitudes and their importance for the choice made when applying
      for abortion. A total of 70.5% (n = 93) replied that the formulation "It is too
      early for me to have a child" was of great importance for their choice, while the
      financial situation, housing problems and the possibility of being a single
      mother had lower priorities.

PMID- 1413176
TI  - [Insect allergy and sudden unexpected death].
AB  - A case of sudden unexpected death after an insect sting in a middle aged man
      known to be allergic to insect stings is presented. In connection with an
      allergic shock, many years before death occurred, he had been offered
      allergological investigation. If the directives in the consensus report on insect
      sting allergy, recently published by the Danish Association for Allergology had
      been followed, similar deaths and expensive visits to casualty departments could
      probably be reduced.

PMID- 1413175
TI  - [Duplication in a medical department of tests previously performed in a primary
      sector].
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate whether an insufficient flow of information
      from the primary to the secondary sector was the cause of unnecessary
      duplications of investigations. From practitioners of 202 patients admitted to a
      medical department information about paraclinical examinations during the
      previous year was obtained. In all 111 general practitioners participated. An
      average of 3.0 blood analyses and 0.9 other investigations were carried out on
      each patient. 44% of the patients were not investigated at all. An average of 1.9
      blood analyses and 0.2 other investigations on each patient were repeated. 22% of
      the repetitions in both cases were due to insufficient communication between the
      practitioner and the hospital. These figures seem low and insufficient
      communication between the primary and the secondary sector appears to be a minor
      problem.

PMID- 1413177
TI  - [Congenital tuberculosis. 2 case reports].
AB  - Two cases of congenital tuberculosis are presented and the literature is
      reviewed. One child survived without sequelae while the other survived but was
      severely handicapped. The importance of early diagnosis and treatment of this
      rare but serious manifestation of tuberculosis is emphasized.

PMID- 1413178
TI  - [Experiences with breast cancer surgery performed in a specialist's practice].

PMID- 1413179
TI  - [Follow-up after treatment of colorectal neoplasms].

PMID- 1413180
TI  - [Check-ups of colorectal neoplasms--current practice].
AB  - In order to investigate the practice for control of patients with colorectal
      adenomata and cancer, a questionnaire investigation was carried out in 1990-1991
      among 53 Danish surgical departments. The investigation revealed great
      differences in the control programmes offered to these patients as regards the
      methods, the intensity and duration. In addition, differences were present in the
      control pattern for adenomata in specialist departments as compared with the
      remaining departments where there was a tendency to very frequent but, on the
      other hand, brief control. On the basis of these results, it is considered
      necessary that a reference programme should be prepared on this subject.

PMID- 1413181
TI  - [The pacemaker syndrome].
AB  - The pacemaker syndrome is a complex of symptoms consisting of heart failure, near
      fainting, sensations of pulsation in the neck or abdomen or cough which develop
      or are aggravated after cardiac pacing. Objectively, a fall in systolic blood
      pressure is observed in the majority of cases and also canon waves in the neck
      veins, signs of heart failure, retrograde arterial activation and possibly canon
      a-awaves in the central venous pressure. The syndrome occurs in approximately 15%
      of the patients with ventricular pacing. The condition is most probably caused by
      lack of atrioventricular synchrony with resultant distension of the atria which
      results in a reflex mediated decrease or defective increase in the total
      peripheral resistance and, thus, a fall in systolic blood pressure. Treatment
      consists of establishing normal atrioventricular synchrony either by implantation
      of an atrial or AV-sequential pacemaker or by re-programming so that the patient
      has, primarily, his own rhythm. Ensuring normal atrioventricular synchrony has
      also other advantages as several investigations have shown that 60-80% of the
      patients prefer this form of pacing rather than ventricular pacing. The working
      capacity improves and the patients feel subjectively better and the risk for
      development of chronic atrial fibrillation and heart failure decreases.

PMID- 1413182
TI  - [Surgical treatment of temporomandibular joint ankylosis].
AB  - Surgical treatment of temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis may be a
      particularly difficult procedure due to unfavourable anatomic configurations and
      the proximity of vital structures. Postoperatively, it is followed by an often
      long and painful period of physiotherapy. The results of treatment of eight
      patients with TMJ ankylosis are reported. Different methods were used according
      to age of the patient and the extent of the ankylotic changes. The importance of
      early treatment is emphasized. This results in less extensive surgery and reduces
      secondary growth anomalies of the jaws.

PMID- 1413183
TI  - [Effect of 0-(beta-hydroxyethyl)-rutoside (Venoruton) on symptomatic venous
      insufficiency in the lower limbs].
AB  - Forty-three patients recruited from general practice with symptom-producing
      chronic venous insufficiency in the lower limbs participated in a randomized
      double-blind clinical trial with Venoruton (300 mg x 3) or a placebo for 28 days.
      Twenty-eight patients were treated with Venoruton and 19 with a placebo. None of
      the patients received other forms of treatment for chronic venous insufficiency.
      No differences were observed between the two groups as regards changes in
      symptoms (swelling, pain, heaviness, restlessness, itching and cramps) the
      subjective assessment of the discomfort in the extremities or the circumference
      of the limbs. Venoruton does not appear to have any effect on chronic venous
      insufficiency in the lower limbs.

PMID- 1413184
TI  - [Measurement of urethral stress relaxation in women].

PMID- 1413185
TI  - [Failure of the pacemaker in electric cardioversion of atrial fibrillation].
AB  - A 72-year-old man with an AAI-rate-responsive pacemaker (Siemens-Elema Sensolog
      III; unipolar pacing electrode) was admitted for cardioversion of atrial
      fibrillation. Electrical defibrillation was followed by severe nodal bradycardia
      and pacemaker malfunction characterized by loss of atrial capture. The pacemaker
      failure was due to an acute rise in the stimulation threshold, possibly secondary
      to current-induced tissue damage at the electrode-endomyocardial interface. It is
      recommended that a pacemaker is reprogrammed to maximum pulse voltage amplitude
      prior to elective DC-cardioversion and that serial measurements of the myocardial
      stimulation threshold are performed after defibrillation. Other factors essential
      for the management of the pacemaker patient who requires electrical
      defibrillation are outlined.

PMID- 1413186
TI  - [Diabetes and diet--changes in insulin resistance induced by food and need of
      individualized dietary guidelines].

PMID- 1413187
TI  - [A model for standardizing of clinical physiological/nuclear medical results].

PMID- 1413188
TI  - [Diabetes and diet--does the rationale hold even in the 1990's?].

PMID- 1413190
TI  - [The Danish fund for basic research--a new cigar-box].

PMID- 1413189
TI  - [Thoughts from a consensus conference].

PMID- 1413191
TI  - [Stress fractures].
AB  - The authors present stress fracture (fatigue fracture). Theories about the cause,
      the underlying mechanism, etiology, pathology, localisation, diagnoses and
      treatment are discussed, and two case histories are mentioned. Suitable
      precautions are recommended for runners. The authors would like to emphasize the
      importance of further investigations including technetium scintigraphic, in cases
      where stress fracture is suspected.

PMID- 1413192
TI  - [Malaria and pregnancy].
AB  - In regions where malaria is endemism, the disease is a recognised cause of
      complications of pregnancy such as spontaneous abortion, premature delivery,
      intrauterine growth retardation and foetal death. Malaria is seldom seen in
      pregnant women in Denmark but, during the past two years, the authors have
      treated four patients in the University Hospital in Copenhagen. These pregnancies
      were all successful but two of the mothers required emergency Caesarean section
      on account of threatening intrauterine asphyxia. The patients came relatively
      late for treatment which may be because not only the patients but also their
      practitioners were unaware that malaria can occur several years after exposure.
      Three out of the four patients had employed malaria prophylaxis. As resistance to
      malarial prophylactics in current use is increasing steadily, chemoprophylaxis
      should be supplemented by mechanical protection against malaria and insect
      repellents. As a rule, malaria is treated with chloroquine. In cases of
      Falciparum malaria in whom chloroquine resistance is suspected, treatment with
      mefloquine may be employed although this should only be employed in cases of dire
      necessity in pregnant patients during the first trimester. Severe cases should be
      treated with infusion of quinine. During pregnancy, benign malaria may run a
      violent course and pregnant women with malaria should be monitored in maternity
      departments and should be treated in cooperation with specialists in tropical
      medicine.

PMID- 1413193
TI  - [Sensory deprivation].
AB  - A review of sensory deprivation is presented. The history of the concept and the
      terminological problems are reviewed. The symptoms are subdivided into:
      perceptual, cognitive and affective and the physiological disturbances are
      reviewed. Various etiological theories are discussed. These include biological,
      psychodynamic and social psychological theories. Experimental variables related
      to the subject, the investigator and the design of the research are presented. A
      review of the clinical and practical implications of sensory deprivation is
      given. It is emphasized that sensory deprivation might contribute to development
      of symptomatology in numerous situations. Finally, the potential therapeutic
      effects of controlled sensory deprivation are discussed.

PMID- 1413194
TI  - [Medial acoustic neurinomas. A new clinical subsection of acoustic neurinomas].

PMID- 1413195
TI  - [Product-related home accidents among children. A study of 1590 injuries].

PMID- 1413196
TI  - [3-layer anastomoses after resection of colorectal cancer. A prospective study of
      1015 anastomoses].
AB  - This study included patients who underwent elective curative resection of
      adenocarcinoma of the large bowel with primary suture of the anastomosis. The
      overall incidence of clinical anastomotic leakage was 5%. The incidence of
      anastomotic leakage was significantly higher in men than in women after low
      anterior resection. The three-layer anastomosis has no advantage in large bowel
      surgery when compared with data from other sutured anastomoses reported in the
      literature.

PMID- 1413197
TI  - [Consumption of psilocybin-containing hallucinogenic mushrooms by young people].
AB  - The aim of this questionnaire survey was to investigate the extent of
      hallucinogenic mushroom consumption among students from a high school in the
      county of Aarhus, Denmark and among students at the University of Aarhus and
      students from the Danish school of journalism in Aarhus, Denmark. 3% of the high
      school students had used psilocybine-containing mushrooms as a hallucinogen. Only
      1% had experience with LSD. Of the students at the University of Aarhus, and
      students from the Danish school of journalism in Aarhus, 333 persons (83%)
      returned the anonymous questionnaire. 9% had experience with hallucinogenic
      psilocybine containing mushrooms while only 2% had LSD experience. The use of
      hallucinogenic mushrooms was surprisingly high. This suggest that mushrooms are
      the most commonly used hallucinogenic substance in Denmark and that the use has
      exceeded that of LSD. Compared to non-users mushrooms users had significant more
      friends with mushroom experience. Furthermore, the study shows that the intention
      to use mushroom is commoner in persons who have friends with HPS experience. We
      find that the use of mushroom takes place in minor groups known to each other.
      Compared to non-users, mushroom-users are significant more experienced with
      marijuana and other substances. Unfortunately, our data do not permit us to show
      whether mushroom users are more inclined to try other drugs or whether persons
      with a high drug experience use mushrooms as well. Further investigation on the
      subject is recommended.

PMID- 1413198
TI  - [Serum creatine kinase isoenzyme MB and myoglobin in patients with acute
      myocardial infarction and coronary reperfusion].
AB  - Thrombolytic therapy in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) changes
      the time-concentration curve of serum creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CK-MB) and
      serum myoglobin. In this study, 60 AMI patients received thrombolytic therapy and
      acute coronary arteriography, or conservative treatment. Group one (n = 32)
      demonstrated a patent infarct-related artery after intravenous thrombolytic
      therapy; group two (n = 17) had an initially occluded coronary artery which
      became patent during catheterisation; group three (n = 11) did not receive
      thrombolytic therapy. Frequent serum CK-MB and myoglobin measurements showed that
      patients with acute coronary reperfusion had a rapid increase, an earlier peak
      value and less total release of both CK-MB and myoglobin to blood compared to AMI
      patients treated conservatively. The changes in serum myoglobin compared to CK-MB
      demonstrated an even more rapid, more uniform, and relatively greater increase.
      Measurements of serum myoglobin may be a useful non-invasive method for
      evaluation of thrombolytic therapy in AMI patients.

PMID- 1413199
TI  - [Intravagal paragangliomas].
AB  - Two patients with vascular tumors adjacent to the carotid branch of the vagus
      nerve are presented. Contrary to expectations, the tumours proved to be
      intravagal paragangliomata. Both were treated surgically.

PMID- 1413200
TI  - [Atrial flutter with paroxysmal 1:1 atrioventricular conduction].
AB  - Three patients with "lone" paroxysmal atrial flutter complicated by paroxysms of
      1:1 AV conduction are presented. One patient (42 years of age) had been
      misdiagnosed as an neurotic for 18 years. The mechanism, diagnosis and treatment
      of the condition are outlined. The most characteristic symptoms are dizzy spells
      and fainting. The recommended diagnostic procedures include long term ECG
      recording by telemetry or Holter, exercise-ECG and oesophageal-ECG.

PMID- 1413201
TI  - [Venereal diseases in Greenland. Positive trends during the last 6 months].

PMID- 1413202
TI  - [Neonatal mortality and Streptococcus agalactiae].

PMID- 1413203
TI  - [Quality evaluation--counting and interpretation].

PMID- 1413204
TI  - [Research in physiotherapy--rational physical medicine and physiourgy].

PMID- 1413205
TI  - [Good will].

PMID- 1413206
TI  - [Cerebral aneurysms in children. Etiological aspects].

PMID- 1413207
TI  - ["Case manager" in district psychiatry. A review of the concept].
AB  - During the past 20 years, the "case manager" has become a central expression in
      district psychiatry in USA. The case manager is a person who has the main
      responsibility for coordination and to a varying extent granting of the district
      psychiatric contributions to persons with prolonged psychoses. This function was
      introduced because the previous system with many administrative and physically
      separate offers appeared to be uncoordinated, mutually competitive and
      ineffective. The case manager acts as a supplementary "ego" for the patient on
      his own terms and has an active supportive function. Whereas, coordination was
      previously the central task, it became considered to an increasing extent more
      suitable that a multidisciplinary team of case managers supply the district
      psychiatric therapy themselves. Investigations reveal that the results are just
      as good or even better than those of the previous combination of hospitalization
      and outpatient treatment and that the patients are more satisfied. Many
      hospitalizations can be avoided but the employment of resources is probably not
      reduced on account of expenses for the case manager function and housing. The
      number of patients per case manager varies between four and 50, depending on the
      therapeutic needs of the patient group and, in particular, the tasks which the
      case manager must perform (all over the treatment or coordination of treatment
      administered by others). On account of the close contact by the case manager and
      his supportive activity, there are reasons for particular attention to ethical
      problems concerning personal choice and exchange of information. Utilization of
      the American experience with case managers is recommended simultaneously with
      avoidance of administrative practical splitting of district psychiatry which
      would make the total therapy ineffective.

PMID- 1413208
TI  - [Does peroperative monitoring with pulse oximetry reduce the occurrence of
      hypoxemia?].

PMID- 1413209
TI  - [Pelvic inflammation after induced abortion].
AB  - A total of 949 women referred for legal termination of pregnancy in the first
      trimester participated in an investigation to assess the risk of pelvic
      inflammation in connection with the intervention in women with and without
      previous pelvic inflammation in connection with previous pregnancies, the
      gestational age and the clinical experience of the surgeon. Women who had not
      borne children developed pelvic inflammation more frequently after legal
      termination of pregnancy (p < 0.01) than women who had previously borne children.
      Women with previous pelvic inflammation developed renewed pelvic inflammation, if
      they had not previously borne children (p < 0.01) or if they had previously
      undergone legal termination of pregnancy (p < 0.05). Women without previous
      pelvic inflammation developed pelvic inflammation significantly more frequently,
      if they had not previously been pregnant (p < 0.05). The occurrence of pelvic
      inflammation was independent of the gestational age and the clinical experience
      of the surgeon.

PMID- 1413210
TI  - [Registration under the diagnosis of traumatic hip luxation in the national
      registry].
AB  - A national study of patients treated on account of traumatic dislocation of the
      hip in Denmark in 1989 and 1990 revealed that 755 cases had been registered under
      this diagnosis in the National Patient Register. A review of case reports from 71
      departments with 755 registered identity numbers in the National Patient Register
      demonstrated that 121 patients had been treated for traumatic dislocation of the
      hip during the same period, and that seven of these had not been registered via
      the National Patient Register. The remaining 605 patients (80%) had either
      sustained dislocation of a hip prosthesis or had congenital dislocation of the
      hip. It is concluded that the Danish National Register, in its present form is of
      no value whatsoever in registration of traumatic dislocation of the hip nor
      congenital dislocation of the hip or dislocation of a total hip prosthesis.

PMID- 1413211
TI  - [Exercise echocardiography. A new valuable method for demonstration or exclusion
      of myocardial ischemia].
AB  - The aim of our study was to assess the diagnostic value of exercise
      echocardiography compared with exercise ECG and coronary arteriography. Exercise
      echocardiography was performed in 60 consecutive patients referred for coronary
      arteriography because of suspected coronary artery disease. Echocardiography was
      carried out in combination with bicycle exercise ECG and was performed 1) at rest
      before exercise with the patient supine, 2) at peak exercise on the bicycle and
      3) immediately after exercise in supine position. Conventional standard views
      were recorded by means of an image computer. For the regional wall motion
      analysis, images were displayed simultaneously from the rest, peak and post
      exercise situations in a quadscreen format. Ischemia was diagnosed when wall
      motion deteriorated from rest to peak or post exercise in at least one out of a
      total of 16 left ventricular segments. Analysis was made without knowledge of
      patient data or results of exercise ECG or coronary arteriography. No patient was
      excluded because of reduced echocardiographic image quality during exercise or
      other technical reason. Coronary arteriography was performed in all patients and
      used as reference. The sensitivity of exercise echocardiography was 91% and the
      specificity 100%. The predictive value of a positive test was 100% and the
      predictive value of a negative test 78%. For exercise ECG the corresponding
      values were 58%, 100%, 100% and 39% respectively. We conclude that exercise
      echocardiography seems to be useful for the diagnosis and exclusion of ischemic
      heart disease. This and other studies indicate that the method is more sensitive
      than exercise ECG.

PMID- 1413212
TI  - [Amphetamine abuse in Denmark].
AB  - Over a five-year period (1985-1989) among a population of 5 million, a survey was
      made of the presence of amphetamine in 741 cases, in living persons where the
      police had asked for analyses for amphetamine(s), narcotics, heroin-like
      compounds, methadone etc. Cases, where the requisition was for morphine (heroin)
      only, were not included, on account of analytical reasons. Two hundred and fifty
      nine cases were found to be positive for amphetamine, with only 18 cases in 1985
      followed by approximately 60 cases per year during the remainder of the period.
      Most of the cases concerned men (93%). The age range was 15-58 years with a
      median of 26 years. In 194 of the amphetamine-positive cases where relevant
      information was available, 56% were cases of violation of the traffic laws, 17%
      were cases of violence, 3% were cases of sexual offence and 9% were cases of
      robbery. Nineteen of the 259 amphetamine-positive cases were analysed only for
      amphetamine and, in 75 cases, only amphetamine was found. In the 165 remaining
      cases, there were 279 positive findings of other drugs/narcotics than amphetamine
      with benzodiazepines, morphine, cannabis and methadone as the main groups with
      86, 57, 49 and 44 findings respectively.

PMID- 1413213
TI  - [Emergency services in the admission department of a central hospital].
AB  - Medical treatment during the evening and night hours has been the subject of
      debate at present on account of changes in the practitioner-on-call system. The
      emergency medical service in the catchment region for the Central Hospital in
      Naestved before these changes was therefore analysed. Services rendered in this
      region outside working hours, both by the physician-on-call and the hospital,
      were registered for the period 1.12.1989-31.1.1990. A total of 8,742
      consultations occurred during the period, viz every tenth member of the
      population sought medical advice. The majority of these contacts were with the
      practitioner-on-call as 7,253 (83%) sought their general practitioner first and
      the remainder came to hospital. This corresponds to 117 consultations with the
      practitioner-on-call and 22 visits to the casualty department per 24 hours of
      emergency service. Among the patients seeking help from the casualty department,
      it was found that 30% could have been treated in general practice. Among the taks
      for the practitioner-on-call, there were 27% telephone consultations, 21% in
      practice and 52% home visits. No differences were observed between urban rural
      regions as regards the proportions of services but the number of services
      followed population percentages. 11% sought medical help at night and 1/3 of
      these patients were referred to hospital. In the present material, there appeared
      to be relatively great misuse of the telephone number 000 (equivalent to 999) as
      only 1/3 of these patients were admitted to hospital. A total of 1,263 patients
      were admitted to hospital and 78% (982) of these had been seen primarily by the
      practitioner-on-call.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413214
TI  - [Torsades de pointes ventricular tachycardia caused by terodiline (Mictrol)?].
AB  - We report a 84 year old man taking terodiline who had torsades de pointes
      ventricular tachycardia with prolongation of the QT-interval. The QT-interval
      became normal after withdrawal of terodiline. Worldwide, the manufacturers have
      received a total of 37 reports of ventricular tachyarrhythmia during the past
      months, 28 of which were torsades de pointes ventricular tachycardia and have
      decided to recall the product temporarily.

PMID- 1413215
TI  - [Legionnaires' disease--a multifaceted syndrome].
AB  - Multiorgan involvement is often seen in Legionella infections. We report two
      cases, with classical pneumonia complicated by facial paresis and severe kidney
      affection demanding haemodialysis. One patient had Legionella infection
      concomitantly with pneumococcal pneumonia. As the diagnosis often is not verified
      till weeks after onset of illness, it is concluded that the treatment should be
      started and maintained on clinical suspicion. Isolation of another respiratory
      pathogen does not exclude the possibility of Legionella infection.

PMID- 1413216
TI  - [Migration of suture material from the abdominal cicatrix to the urinary tract].
AB  - Migration of foreign material to the genitourinary tract, often from the
      gastrointestinal tract through a fistula or perforation is well known. In this
      case, migration of a non-absorbable suture material from the abdominal wall to
      the urethra is illustrated. The possible mechanism was insufficient closure
      technique.

PMID- 1413217
TI  - ["Case manager" in district psychiatry--a Danish model].

PMID- 1413218
TI  - [Risk of melanoma and health education campaign].

PMID- 1413219
TI  - [Cutaneous malignant melanoma in Denmark].

PMID- 1413220
TI  - [Microbiology and practice--we need each other].

PMID- 1413221
TI  - [Clinical microbiological service in general practice in the municipality of
      Copenhagen. Experiences from the clinical microbiological department at the
      Hvidovre Hospital 1987-1991].
AB  - Since 1987, the clinical microbiological department in Hvidovre Hospital has
      served physicians in primary health care in the municipality of Copenhagen with
      microbiological diagnoses and instruction. This paper describes the service model
      and experience gained during the past four years. During the observation period,
      the annual number of analyses doubled. In 1990, 66,460 analyses were performed
      for a total of 399 physicians. The number of specimens per physician varied from
      1 to 1903 with a median value of 95. Chlamydia specimens (CS) and vaginal
      discharge specimens (VDS) examined for yeasts, Gardnerella and Trichomonas
      comprised the two largest categories. In spite of the increasing number of
      specimens, the overall rate of positive samples remained unchanged. Physicians
      who sent many CS in 1990 scored a significantly lower positive rate than
      physicians who sent few, however, no corresponding difference was demonstrable
      for VDS. Thus, there is scarcely evidence to assume that microbiological
      specimens are taken on less strict indications than previously. The increasing
      number of specimens reflects rather a hitherto uncovered need for microbiological
      diagnosis in primary health care. Specialists scored significantly lower positive
      rates for CS and VDS than general practitioners, which may indicate that these
      specimens are often repeated unnecessarily, when a patient is referred to a
      specialist. With a view to decentralizing selected categories of specimens,
      including VDS, courses in microscopy were held, in which one fourth of the
      physicians of the region participated. A questionnaire survey evaluating the
      course showed that there is a great interest among physicians in primary health
      care to perform simplified microbiological diagnosis, but there is still a great
      need for training and education.

PMID- 1413223
TI  - [Dog bites in the sledge-dog districts of Greenland].
AB  - Serious attacks on humans by dogs occur every year in Greenland. As prophylactic
      measures, cutting of dogs canine teeth and chaining of sledge dogs have been
      compulsory for many years. The significance of cutting of canine teeth and
      municipal regulations concerning keeping the sledge dogs in Greenland was
      evaluated in a retrospective study of the death certificates and the nosocomial
      reports. A total of twenty-two dog bite-related fatalities from 1967 through 1989
      and 23 hospitalized patients following dog attacks from 1986 through 1988 in a
      population of 15,000 inhabitants and 29,000 dogs was studied. In only two of the
      killed and four of the hospitalized persons, reports of intact canine teeth as
      demonstrated by the typical lesions were available. However, the severe cut-out
      wounds in 14 survivors and twenty fatalities with great loss of tissue indicated
      intact canine teeth of the dogs. Unchained dogs were most frequently involved,
      but at least four fatalities and one severely injured person were caused by
      chained dogs. 87% (39/45) of the victims were under ten years of age, so future
      intervention should primarily involve this group despite a declining mortality
      rate since the mid-seventies. Small children should be escorted by adults out-of
      doors and first aid education of laymen ought to have a higher priority because
      half of the killed children were still alive, on arrival in hospital. Infants and
      toddlers should be carried in an amaat, a special rucksack well known in the
      Eskimo culture and still used in Eskimo Canada, or alternatively rucksacks
      mounted on a tubular frame of aluminium.

PMID- 1413222
TI  - [Hyperthermic regional perfusion in malignant melanoma of an extremity].
AB  - Circulatory isolation of an upper or lower limb and perfusion of this with heated
      cytostatics is an established method of treating local recurrence and in-transit
      metastases from malignant melanoma. Not only recurrence-free survival but also
      total survival are increased compared with the results after surgical excision
      alone. Even when this method is employed in connection with excision of a primary
      tumour, there appear to be favourable effects as regards recurrence-free and
      total survival of patients in high risk groups (tumour thickness > 1.5 mm and/or
      Clark level IV-V). The actual treatment is well tolerated by the patients and
      complications in the form of oedema of the limb and wound infection are
      reversible. The frequency of amputation is low and, similarly, the mortality
      which is 0.6%. As the frequency of malignant melanoma is increasing and, as a
      great proportion of the melanomata are localized to the extremities, these
      patients should be offered hyperthermic regional perfusion on removal of the
      primary tumour and also if recurrence occurs.

PMID- 1413224
TI  - [Efficiency of a screening program for gestational diabetes].
AB  - From 1.1.1991-31.5.1989, we evaluated a selective screening system for detection
      of diabetes in pregnancy in an unselected consecutive population of 665 pregnant
      women. The screening procedure was carried out by the general practitioners and
      the midwives. The screening was based on clinical criteria for potential diabetes
      consisting of previous delivery of a large baby, a family history of diabetes and
      obesity combined with examination for glucosuria and determination of the fasting
      blood glucose concentration. Only 2% of the pregnant women were examined
      correctly and only two out of 665 women were found to have diabetes in pregnancy.
      The screening procedure failed when it was organised by general practitioners and
      midwives.

PMID- 1413225
TI  - [Screening for gestational diabetes in Denmark].
AB  - A questionnaire regarding the screening procedure for gestational diabetes was
      sent to all maternity hospitals in Denmark in 1990. Only 15 out of 51 departments
      used the screening procedure as proposed by Guttorm & Pedersen. Glucosuria was a
      clinical risk factor in 49 of 51 departments. There was no agreement about the
      histories and clinical risk factors. The factors used were family history of
      diabetes, obesity, a previous infant weighing 9 lbs or more, a previous infant
      born with low gestational age, habitual abortion, previous perinatal deaths,
      previous preterm delivery, hydramnios, excessive fetal growth or glucosuria in
      the present pregnancy. No department used universal screening.

PMID- 1413226
TI  - [Loratadine in hay fever].

PMID- 1413227
TI  - [A hypersensitive reaction after radiography of the colon].
AB  - A case of systemic allergic reaction following barium enema is described. The
      reaction was most probably provoked by a latex balloon on the rectal catheter.

PMID- 1413228
TI  - [Malignant melanoma of the penis].
AB  - Malignant melanoma of the penis is rare, and accounts for only a small percentage
      of penile carcinomas. The prognosis is poor, and most patients die within three
      years due to distant metastases. Awareness of the possibility of malignant
      melanoma occurring at this uncommon site is an important factor in early
      diagnosis and consequent improvement of survival. The case report of a man with
      malignant melanoma of the penis is presented.

PMID- 1413229
TI  - [Menopausal estrogen therapy and risk of breast cancer].

PMID- 1413230
TI  - [Quality assurance or research?].

PMID- 1413231
TI  - [Danish-Bagladesh Leprosy Mission].

PMID- 1413232
TI  - [Possibilities and limitations in gerontology].

PMID- 1413233
TI  - [Research of aging: epidemiological perspectives].
AB  - The epidemiological aging research has the descriptive task of characterizing the
      phenomena of aging and their consequences: illness, disability, handicap, and
      death--in defined population groups and comparing these groups. The other closely
      related task is analytical epidemiology, which searches for predictive or causal
      factors: traits, events or conditions of the aging phenomena. Special problems
      for this research are created by the facts that exposure to the causal factors
      often may be assumed to have taken place long time before the aging process
      becomes apparent, that the causal factors may act on cumulative basis over long
      time, that the effects may be irreversible, and that the factors may no longer
      play a role at advanced age. The possible role of genetic factors, acting alone
      or in combination with environmental factors, must be considered and elucidated
      by special epidemiological methods. The rapid advances in molecular biology raise
      expectations about epidemiological utilization providing much more precise
      assessment of the genetic contribution to the aging phenomena, which also will
      improve the outlook of identification of environmental factors, particularly when
      there is a gene-environment interaction. The results of these studies will
      contribute to prevention and treatment of the health problems related to aging.

PMID- 1413234
TI  - [Research on aging: biological perspectives].
AB  - Aging is a part of the continuous process from conception to death and is
      strongly modulated by environmental factors throughout the lifespan. Variability
      in functional capacity between different organs and between individuals therefore
      increases with aging. This review will discuss two tissues of importance for the
      fitness of the aging human being: connective tissue and bone. Connective tissues
      become stiffer with age, which can be mitigated by physical exercise. The
      physical-chemical stability of collagen is a precise measure for the functional
      age of the organism. While in the aged, the healing (formation of connective
      tissue scar) of uncomplicated incisional wounds is slightly impaired, the healing
      of ischemic wounds is endangered. The clinical observation that "simple" wounds
      also heal less well in the aged might be due to the presence of diseases with
      ischemia and other pathologies. During normal aging bone loses mass, structural
      continuity, and strength. When pronounced, these changes cause osteopenia and
      osteoporotic fractures. The age-adjusted incidence of osteoporotic fractures is
      increasing on account of changes in our lifestyle. Preventive efforts, with
      increased physical activity as the main feature, must be implemented to alter
      this trend. Our knowledge of the mechanisms of aging is not yet sufficient to
      formulate a policy containing preventive measures enabling man to achieve his
      maximum biological lifespan with good physical health and a high quality of life.
      Multidisciplinary efforts by biologists, clinicians and epidemiologists are
      warranted to achieve this goal.

PMID- 1413235
TI  - [Research on aging: geriatric perspectives].
AB  - Geriatric efforts have prophylactic effects on further reduction of functional
      ability at every link in the therapeutic chain by means of interdisciplinary
      qualitative and quantitative assessment which establishes goal and plans which
      lead to coordinated action. This results in early diagnosis of multiple
      pathology, reduction of polypharmacy, confidence on account of good information,
      continuity on account of coordination between primary and secondary sectors,
      simultaneous efforts, early interruption of the cascade effect which results in
      production of helpless patients. By means of clinically controlled trials,
      effects have been obtained on a number of recently discovered diagnoses requiring
      treatment, unnecessary medication is withdrawn, conditions of rehabilitation,
      functional ability, quality of life, employment of bed-days, institutionalization
      and mortality. It is necessary to state that this is the only age group where the
      effect is obtained without further expense or where the effort has even resulted
      in economic savings. In Denmark, research is required as regards how prophylactic
      health visits to the elderly can best be carried out in all communities, the risk
      situations (death of a spouse, removal, illness) which require immediate
      increased efforts and research into how offensive geriatrics is to be
      established, how rehabilitation is ensured for healthy and sick elderly patients
      and research into the occurrence and treatment of the five geriatric giants
      (immobility, instability, incontinence, intellectual reduction and iatrogenesis).
      More Danish controlled trials are required of the individual components in and
      the total function of geriatric assessment and rehabilitation and the
      significance of personal choice when the functional ability is such that
      dependence on care by others is inevitable and, finally, the conduct and expenses
      of various arrangements.

PMID- 1413236
TI  - [Risk to the surgeon of trauma and exposure to blood during thoracic surgery].

PMID- 1413237
TI  - [Organization of obstetric ultrasonography in Denmark in 1990].

PMID- 1413238
TI  - [99mTc-HMPAO leukocyte scintigraphy in inflammatory intestinal disease].
AB  - Eighteen patients, suspected of active inflammatory bowel disease, were
      investigated. The 99mTc-HMPAO-leucocyte scintigraphy was evaluated using the
      results of the simultaneous clinical examinations, which included clinical and
      biochemical parameters, small intestinal series, colonoscopy and, in two
      patients, operation, as reference. In agreement with the clinical examinations,
      the leucocyte scintigraphy indicated active inflammatory bowel disease in 14 of
      the 18 patients. The leucocyte scintigraphy disclosed inflammation in all of the
      19 bowel segments, in which the clinical examinations indicated active
      inflammation. In three patients with Crohn's disease the scintigraphy indicated
      more extensive inflammation. A correlation between the scintigraphic activity and
      the Crohn's Disease Activity Index was found. However, the leucocyte scintigraphy
      did not seem useful as a disease activity index. The 99mTc-HMPAO-leucocyte
      scintigraphy seemed especially useful in severely ill patients and in patients
      suspected of relapse.

PMID- 1413239
TI  - [Encrusted ureteral endoprosthesis].
AB  - The case of a patient with a ureter endoprosthesis is presented. The
      endoprosthesis became encrusted after remaining in position for three years.
      Ureter endoprosthesis in connection with renal or ureteric calculi should only
      remain in position for 6-8 weeks.

PMID- 1413240
TI  - [Captopril-induced toxic hepatitis].
AB  - Captopril, the competitive inhibitor of angiotensin-converting enzyme, has proved
      efficient in the treatment of arterial hypertension and heart failure. Its use is
      generally associated with low incidence of adverse reactions and hepatic injury
      has not been emphasized as an important adverse reaction in Denmark. However
      worldwide, several cases of hepatic injury have been reported. We report one case
      of Captopril-induced hepatic injury. Despite discontinuation of Captopril a
      hepatorenal syndrome developed and the patient died five weeks after admission.
      This report emphasizes the need to be aware of the possibility of hepatic injury
      in patients receiving Captopril.

PMID- 1413241
TI  - [Hip surgery in Alborg and hospital management].

PMID- 1413242
TI  - [Burns and "plastic bag therapy"].

PMID- 1413243
TI  - Domain walls on graphite mimic DNA.
AB  - We show that domain walls on graphite are very likely to mimic features of
      extended macromolecules like DNA strands, when imaged with an STM. We explain
      with a simple model how different translational periods along a grain boundary
      originate from different relative orientations of the graphite lattice at the
      domain wall. We show how simple geometrical analysis of the images can be used to
      distinguish true macromolecular features from artifacts.

PMID- 1413244
TI  - Electrostatic spraying of DNA molecules for investigation by scanning tunneling
      microscopy.
AB  - We have investigated electrostatic spraying of DNA onto gold surfaces as an
      alternative sample-preparation technique for STM studies. Preliminary results
      show that a higher distribution of isolated strands as well as well ordered
      aggregates can be obtained with this technique when compared with
      electrodeposition or drop evaporation. In many places, the well ordered
      aggregates were found to cleave in a direction perpendicular to their length
      after repeated scanning in the same direction.

PMID- 1413245
TI  - Scanning tunneling microscopy of DNA: a novel technique using radiolabeled DNA to
      evaluate chemically mediated attachment of DNA to surfaces.
AB  - pBS+ plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was imaged by scanning tunneling
      microscopy (STM) after mounting microdroplets by aerosol deposition onto heated
      epitaxial gold surfaces. However, the instability of the adsorbate to forces
      exerted by the tunneling tip points out the need for more aggressive bonding of
      molecules to surfaces. We describe a sensitive assay for the qualitative and
      quantitative evaluation of chemical agents to influence binding of DNA to
      surfaces using 32P-labeled pBS+ plasmid DNA. We propose that such an assay can
      make an important contribution to immobilization techniques prior to STM imaging.

PMID- 1413246
TI  - Tip-radius-induced artifacts in AFM images of protamine-complexed DNA fibers.
AB  - Isolated DNA fibers complexed with protamine (the chromosomal protein that
      packages DNA in mammalian sperm) have been produced by partially decondensing the
      highly compacted mouse sperm chromatin particle on a glass coverslip. These DNA
      fibers were then scanned with the atomic force microscope (AFM). While the
      smallest of the fibers appear in AFM images as ribbon-like structures 250-350 A
      wide and 10-25 A high, experiments indicate that these images are the result of a
      convolution of the imaging-tip's shape with the object's actual shape. In such
      convolutions the height of the object is affected only by the compressibility of
      the object, while the width is affected in addition by the sharpness of the tip.
      Images of polyamidoamine particles also appear to show this artifact. We have
      also deduced the tip's radius of curvature from images of sharp steps and attempt
      to demonstrate the artifacts associated with a relatively large imaging tip.

PMID- 1413247
TI  - Imaging isolated strands of DNA molecules by atomic force microscopy.
AB  - We have employed an atomic force microscope (AFM) to image in air isolated
      strands of pBS+ plasmid DNA adsorbed onto freshly cleaved mica. At a DNA
      concentration below 0.3 micrograms/ml isolated strands of the plasmid DNA are
      usually seen, while for concentrations higher than 3 micrograms/ml a uniform
      coverage of interconnected DNA strands was observed. We found that the contrast
      and the width of DNA were dependent upon humidity. When the relative humidity
      exceeds 60%, negative contrast images with strand widths 20 times the width of
      DNA are found, while positive contrast images with 7 to 10 times the width of DNA
      are found when the humidity is below 30%. By placing the AFM in an environment
      where the humidity could be controlled, we were able to switch between positive
      and negative contrasts.

PMID- 1413248
TI  - Visualization of the algal polysaccharide carrageenan by scanning tunnelling
      microscopy.
AB  - Scanning tunnelling microscopy has been used to obtain images in the constant
      current mode in air and moist conditions at molecular resolution for the kappa-
      and iota-carrageenan algal polysaccharides. The molecules were deposited from an
      aqueous solution onto a graphite substrate. The samples formed aligned nematic
      like arrays and were also found as individual molecules. The molecular dimensions
      of width, height and repeat distance along the molecule were found to be close to
      the values previously determined by X-ray diffraction. The results support a
      molecular model based on a double-helix structure for carrageenan.

PMID- 1413249
TI  - Atomic force microscopy imaging of T4 bacteriophages on silicon substrates.
AB  - A new atomic force microscope incorporating microfabricated cantilevers and
      employing laser beam deflection for force detection has been constructed and is
      being applied to studies of biological material. In this study, T4 bacteriophage
      virus particles were deposited from solution onto electronic-grade flat silicon
      wafers and imaged in air with the microscope. Microliter droplets of the solution
      were deposited and either allowed to dry or removed with blotting paper. The
      images show both isolated viruses and aggregates of various sizes. The external
      structure as well as strands believed to be DNA streaming out of the virus could
      be observed. The construction of the microscope and its performance are also
      described.

PMID- 1413250
TI  - Streptavidin binding observed with an atomic force microscope.
AB  - An atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to investigate a specific recognition
      reaction: the binding of streptavidin to a biotinylated lipid bilayer. Prior to
      the recognition reaction, the phase coexistence of the lipid bilayer was clearly
      observed: fluid domains were lower than the crystalline domains. After
      introducing to the bilayer a very dilute solution of streptavidin to give a final
      concentration of approximately 0.5 microM, the recognition reaction was imaged in
      real time. Several hours later, we observed a contrast reversal, i.e., the
      previously lower fluid domains grew so much in height that they became higher
      than the crystalline domains. We found that the streptavidin molecules bound
      almost exclusively to the biotin in the fluid domain (less than 0.25% coverage of
      the crystalline domains). The apparent structure of the few streptavidin
      molecules bound to the crystalline domain of the bilayer is shown to depend on
      the applied force. Finally, in a 2-dimensional quasi-crystal in which the
      streptavidin molecules were compressed at the air-water interface molecular
      resolution was achieved.

PMID- 1413251
TI  - Molecular-resolution images of aspirin crystals with atomic force microscopy.
AB  - The atomic force microscope was developed in order to image arrays of molecules
      on the (001), (100) and (011) faces of aspirin crystals in water. Lattice
      spacings and symmetries of methyl groups and the part of the phenyl groups on the
      (001) face in water are consistent with X-ray diffraction data. Surfaces of the
      (100) face that show the best-developed cleavage, in general, are difficult to
      image. Although the lattice constant derived from (100) image is consistent with
      the X-ray diffraction data, the c-glide plane symmetry is lost and diffused spots
      are observed that are 1.8-3.1 times more elongated than (001) spots. It is not
      possible to image the (011) surface. This initial success in imaging the
      molecular crystal surfaces of drug compounds has clarified the different
      submolecular structures of the three different crystal faces, and the close
      relationship between the imaging difficulties and the differences in the
      dissolution process in water.

PMID- 1413252
TI  - Morphological difference between fibronectin sprayed on mica and on PMMA.
AB  - We have imaged with scanning force microscopy in air fibronectin (Fn) molecules
      sprayed on mica and on polymethylmetacrylate (PMMA), the latter being extensively
      used as biomaterial for implants. On mica we can observe small aggregates as well
      as individual molecules whose shape is influenced by the tip interaction during
      the scanning process, most of the isolated molecules showing a V-shape oriented
      in the scan direction. This indicates that the arms of the molecules are
      relatively free to move and the binding to the mica substrate is located near the
      disulfide bridge between the two subunits of the molecule. On the other side,
      when Fn molecules are sprayed on PMMA under the same conditions as for mica, we
      observe a thin network which we interpret as Fn molecules bound to each other. We
      relate our observation to the fact that mica is known to be strongly hydrophilic,
      which could reduce the Fn binding properties by interacting relatively strongly
      with molecules. On the other side, PMMA being hydrophobic, would interact less
      with molecules, leaving more binding sites for inter-molecular attachment.

PMID- 1413253
TI  - In situ investigations of single living cells infected by viruses.
AB  - In this paper we report the direct observation of biological processes on living
      cells. The experiments were done in situ by scanning force microscopy on a scale
      inaccessible by other techniques under physiological conditions. Living monkey
      kidney cultured cells were imaged under normal growth conditions and showed
      reproducible features on the 10 nm scale. Upon adding a suspension of pox
      viruses, characteristic changes of the cell membrane were repeatedly observed in
      different experiments on different cells. Almost immediately, a pronounced
      softening of the cell surface occurred which lasted only for a few minutes. More
      than two hours later very significant protrusions appeared to grow out of the
      cell membrane. These protrusions abruptly disappeared again. These events were
      only observed after infection and we interpret them as the exocytosis of proteins
      related to viral reproduction. After almost 20 h, a different type of event
      occurred which we interpret as the exocytosis of the progeny viruses themselves.

PMID- 1413254
TI  - Scanning force microscopy and cryo-electron microscopy of tobacco mosaic virus as
      a test specimen.
AB  - In this study, tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) provides a resolution criterion for
      specimen preparation methods as well as for imaging parameters of the scanning
      force microscope (SFM). We present scanning force microscopic images of the virus
      embedded in 0.5% buffered phosphotungstic acid solution adsorbed on a freshly
      cleaved mica surface, and imaged under atmospheric conditions. Individual TMV
      particles were clearly identified with a characteristic shape of long rods of
      about 300 nm long and 60-70 nm in apparent width due to the geometric parameters
      of the tip. The structure of the virus was compared with cryo-electron
      microscopic data of vitrified suspensions observed to a resolution of 1.15 nm.
      Uncoated TMV particles were also deposited on evaporated titanium thin films and
      imaged by SFM.

PMID- 1413256
TI  - Investigation of dialysis membranes with atomic force microscopy.
AB  - AFM was used to investigate dialysis membranes made of regenerated cellulose by
      the cuoxam process. The membranes were either Cuprophan or experimental samples,
      modified with different amounts of diethylaminoethylcellulose (DEAE). Atomic
      force microscopes with optical-lever detection systems were used to image the dry
      membranes in air as received from the manufacturer as well as wet membranes in a
      swollen state under water. Differences could be observed between modified and
      unmodified as well as between dry and wet membranes.

PMID- 1413255
TI  - Electrodeposition procedure of E. coli RNA polymerase onto gold and deposition of
      E. coli RNA polymerase onto mica for observation with scanning force microscopy.
AB  - Molecules of the transcriptional enzyme E. coli RNA polymerase (RNAP) have been
      deposited using three different deposition methods: (1) passive adsorption onto
      gold, (2) electrochemical adsorption onto gold and (3) adsorption onto mica. In
      all cases SFM imaging was straightforward and reliable, and surface coverage by
      the protein varied with deposition conditions as expected. To determine the
      nature of the electrochemical treatment on the gold substrate, cyclic voltammetry
      was performed with various chemical solutions. Finally, a comparison is made
      between the SFM images of RNAP obtained with these methods and STM images
      obtained earlier. Both STM and SFM show strikingly similar results; however,
      heights and widths of individual molecules differ.

PMID- 1413257
TI  - Is it possible to observe biological macromolecules by electrostatic force
      microscopy?
AB  - Biological macromolecules such as proteins are charged species in solution. The
      exact charge depends upon the pH, temperature and ionic strength of the medium in
      general. This suggests the possibility of employing electrostatic force
      microscopy as a useful tool for the observation of these macromolecules. Our
      calculations show that electrostatic forces could be used for this purpose, thus
      helping to remove ambiguities in the location and identification of proteins. The
      long-range nature of electrostatic forces could make them useful to locate these
      macromolecules on the appropriate substrate while, at the same time, overcoming
      important disturbing effects such as lateral displacement of the macromolecules
      or destructive contact with the sample.

PMID- 1413258
TI  - Imaging of subunit complexes of thermophilic bacterium H(+)-ATPase with scanning
      tunneling microscopy.
AB  - Using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), we observed reconstructed subunit
      complexes of H(+)-ATPase of a thermophilic bacterium. The measurement was carried
      out in air without conductive coating on the samples deposited on a highly
      oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). The F1 subunit complex of the H(+)-ATPase,
      and an H(+)-ATPase whose F0 portion was embedded into liposomes prepared from
      soybean lecithin were imaged. Overall structural images of the subunit complex F1
      were obtained: the structural dimensions of the STM images are in agreement with
      those deduced from conventional methods such as an transmission electron
      microscopy (TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAX) experimentation.
      Regarding the STM imaging of these samples, we discuss the advantages and
      disadvantages of the STM over those of conventional methods such as a TEM and
      SAX.

PMID- 1413259
TI  - Imaging of proteins by scanning tunnelling microscopy.
AB  - Scanning tunnelling microscopy has been used to examine the structure of proteins
      deposited on a graphite surface. Three molecules have been studied;
      immunoglobulin G (IgG), Complement component 1q (C1q) and ATP-citrate lyase
      (ACL). The images show IgG as a tri-lobed molecule, consistent with the known 3D
      structure as determined by X-ray crystallography. The C1q images differ from the
      well known "tulip bunch" model derived by electron microscopy, but are consistent
      with the model if it is assumed that the six globular heads have aggregated.
      Molecules of ACL are visible as discrete units, with some hints of substructure.
      These results highlight the potential of STM in studying protein structures, but
      also illustrate the difficulties of interpreting micrographs of proteins whose
      structure is currently unknown.

PMID- 1413260
TI  - Molecular images of cereal proteins by STM.
AB  - Scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) has been used to study a seed storage
      protein of wheat known as gamma-gliadin. The protein was deposited onto highly
      oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) from solutions of trifluoroethanol (TFE) and
      1% acetic acid. Samples were dried down and then scanned in air. Transmission
      electron microscopy (TEM) was also used to visualise the distribution of protein
      on the substrate. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) was used to compare the
      molecular size and shape obtained with those from the STM images.

PMID- 1413261
TI  - Scanning force microscopy studies of the S-layers from Bacillus coagulans E38-66,
      Bacillus sphaericus CCM2177 and of an antibody binding process.
AB  - In many prokaryotic cells (eubacteria and archaebacteria) the outermost cell
      envelope component is composed of a regularly structured protein surface layer (S
      layer). The two-dimensional S-layer from Bacillus coagulans E38-66 and Bacillus
      sphaericus CCM2177 has been investigated by SFM at molecular resolution under
      physiological conditions (i.e., in buffer solution). We find the E38-66 S-layer
      lattice to be oblique with lattice parameters of a = 9-10 nm, b = 7-8 nm and
      gamma = 80 degrees -90 degrees (E38-66). The CCM2177 lattice is square with a =
      12-14 nm, in good agreement with TEM data. We have used the unique possibility of
      the SFM to study the kinematics of biological processes and have performed
      experiments on the adhesion of polyclonal antibodies to the recrystallized E38-66
      protein layer on a time scale of about two to ten seconds per image frame. This
      represents a first step in directly visualizing molecular recognition reactions.

PMID- 1413263
TI  - Deposition and imaging of metal-coated biomolecules with the STM.
AB  - We have applied a simple and reliable procedure for imaging biomolecules with the
      scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The biomolecules are adsorbed on glow
      discharged mica, then coated with a thin film of platinum-carbon. We have tested
      this method with linear and circular (plasmid) DNA molecules. The contrast and
      resolution of the STM images are comparable to electron micrographs of the same
      molecules when shadowed. Though the present lateral resolution (5-6 nm) is
      limited by the grain size of the conductive film, some details like supercoiled
      regions in the DNA are resolved. This method is interesting for two reasons.
      First, as an alternative technique for imaging biomolecules. Second, for use as a
      control in STM studies of bare biomolecules.

PMID- 1413262
TI  - Substrate preparation for reliable imaging of DNA molecules with the scanning
      force microscope.
AB  - A simple method of substrate preparation for imaging circular DNA molecules with
      the scanning force microscope (SFM) is presented. These biomolecules are adsorbed
      onto mica that has been soaked in magnesium acetate, sonicated and glow
      discharged. The stylus-sample forces that may be endured before sample damage
      occurs depends on the ambient relative humidity. Images of circular DNA molecules
      have been obtained routinely using tips specially modified by an electron beam
      with a radius of curvature, Rc, of about 10 nm [D. Keller and C. Chih-Chung,
      Surf. Sci. 268 (1992) 333]. The resolution of these adsorbed biomolecules is
      determined by the Rc. At higher forces individual circular DNA molecules can be
      manipulated with the SFM stylus. Strategies to develop still sharper probes will
      be discussed.

PMID- 1413264
TI  - How useful are acceleration- and deceleration-based Doppler indices? A trial on
      patients with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.
AB  - The usefulness of indices commonly used in Doppler sonography is limited; the aim
      of this study was to investigate if inclusion of systolic acceleration and
      deceleration patterns in Doppler indices will result in practical diagnostic
      advantages. Systolic delay time index (SDTI) and height-width index (HWI) are
      compared to Gosling's pulsatility index (PI) and to PI-based damping factors (DF)
      in patients with isolated lesions in the distal superficial femoral artery before
      and after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). Before PTA, all indices
      distal to the lesion differ significantly from proximal indices. After successful
      PTA, none of the indices is able to detect the PTA outcome with sufficient
      sensitivity. The additionally defined curve broadening index (CBI) shows a 100%
      sensitivity for detecting PTA success in the examined patient population.

PMID- 1413265
TI  - Modelling the feto-placental circulation: 1. A distributed network predicting
      umbilical haemodynamics throughout pregnancy.
AB  - The modifications of the Doppler flow velocity parameters occurring in the feto
      placental circulation throughout pregnancy have been reproduced on the basis of a
      mathematical model. Some simple assumptions were made, such as the progressive
      development of a dichotomous villous vessel network and the increase of the
      perfusion pressure and of the umbilical arteries dimensions throughout pregnancy.
      Moreover, both the viscous and capacitive characteristics of the vascular bed
      were taken into consideration in order to predict the mean values of blood
      volume, flow and velocity and the pulsatility index. Their value is shown to
      depend on few parameters, and mainly on the cross-sectional area ratio between
      the vessels belonging to two succeeding generations.

PMID- 1413266
TI  - Modelling the feto-placental circulation: 2. A continuous approach to explain
      normal and abnormal flow velocity waveforms in the umbilical arteries.
AB  - A mathematical model of the feto-placental circulation which describes the
      development of the placental vasculature throughout pregnancy on the basis of
      simple assumptions is used to simulate some abnormalities of the villous vascular
      tree which may affect the values of Doppler indices. In normal cases, the model
      shows a decreasing trend of the pulsatility index (PI) throughout pregnancy which
      is comparable to that observed in vivo. When a pathological interruption of the
      villous growth is simulated, the PI does not decrease any further, unless the
      input pressure keeps increasing. When various degrees of obliteration of the
      villous tree are simulated, either through an occlusive process or a reduction of
      the lumen of the vessels, the PI values increase and the volume flow decreases to
      a greater extent. The data predicted by the model are compared to those obtained
      in clinical studies and in experimental animal models.

PMID- 1413267
TI  - In vitro classification of gallstones by quantitative echography.
AB  - Gallstones (n = 20) were classified by dual energy Computer Tomography (CT) into
      three main classes: pure cholesterol stones (I), combination stones (II) and
      calcium stones (III). Further subclassification was possible by using
      morphological criteria. The acoustic measurements that were performed were
      measurements of the velocity of sound, the attenuation coefficient slope with
      frequency and intercept at 4.5 MHz, the attenuation coefficient slope per unit of
      time, the backscattering characteristics, and the appearance of B-mode echograms.
      The velocity of sound in calcium stones (c = 1695 +/- 107 m/s) was distinctly
      lower than in those containing some cholesterol (c > 2000 m/s). The attenuation
      coefficient slope ranged from 4.3 to 16.2 dB/cm MHz, the 4.5 MHz intercept from
      21 to 66.2 dB/cm. The lowest values were found for the pure cholesterol stones
      (class IA), the highest values for subclass IIB (combination stones with shell).
      The attenuation coefficient slope per unit of time was distinctly lower (< 0.50
      dB/microseconds MHz) for the cholesterol stones than for the combination and
      calcium stones (>0.64 dB/microseconds MHz). The backscattering spectrum was
      approximated by a straight line fit, and the slope for the cholesterol stones was
      lower than for the combination and calcium stones (<0.75 dB/MHz vs. >1.0 dB/MHz,
      respectively). The latter two parameters were assessed by in vivo applicable
      methods. The front echo level was found to be more than 5 dB higher for class IIB
      as compared to the other classes, while the spectral backscatter level at 4.5 MHz
      was considerably higher for both classes IIB and III. The B-mode echograms showed
      that a strong front echo in combination with a strong attenuation of the
      remaining echo signals was mainly found for stones of classes IIB and III. A
      significant difference between the group of stones that are suitable for
      lithotripsy and dissolution treatment (classes IA, IB and IIA) and the
      nontreatable calcium-containing stones (classes IIB and III) was found for the
      velocity of sound (p <0.01), the attenuation coefficient slope per time unit (p
      <0.10), the slope of the backscattering spectrum (p <0.05) and the 4.5 MHz
      intercept (p <0.01). B-mode classification yielded no complete distinction of
      these two groups of stones. It can be concluded that in vivo assessment of
      quantitative characteristics (front reflection, backscattering characteristics,
      attenuation coefficient slope per unit of time) in combination with the B-mode
      characteristics might be useful for in vivo gallstone classification.

PMID- 1413268
TI  - An attempt to reconstruct the lithotriptor shock wave pulse in kidney: possible
      temperature effects.
AB  - Based on measurements carried out in water in two lithotriptor systems, the
      authors have made an attempt to reconstruct numerically amplitudes and shapes of
      shock wave pulses penetrating into kidney which differ from those in water. The
      difference between these pulses and those observed in water was analyzed and was
      also demonstrated experimentally. The amplitude and the steepness of the
      reconstructed pulse front were shown to be much lower than in water depending on
      the distance of the kidney stone from the patient's body surface. For a distance
      equal to 4 cm, the shock wave pulse amplitude of 40 MPa in water was estimated to
      decrease in the kidney by a factor of about two and the steepness of the positive
      shock pulse front to decrease several times. The analysis was carried out by
      considering the possible changes of absorption and attenuation in tissues which
      increase in an unknown way with the wave amplitude. It was shown that the
      temperature elevation caused by the increase of nonlinear high amplitude
      absorption is limited due to a corresponding increase in attenuation of the shock
      wave penetrating soft tissues. The temperature elevation was estimated on the
      basis of this work to be at most 1.8 times that one estimated in the case of two
      considered lithotripsy systems when assuming small amplitude absorption and
      attenuation coefficients.

PMID- 1413269
TI  - Red cell aggregation and the echogenicity of whole blood.
AB  - To study the relationship between red cell aggregation and whole blood
      echogenicity, red cell aggregation was quantitated by a photometric method, whole
      blood echogenicity was quantitated by videodensitometry and sedimentation rate
      was quantitated by a modified Westergren method. Changes in red cell aggregation
      were produced by alterations in the hematocrit. The results showed that red cell
      aggregation increased in a linear fashion with increases in hematocrit. The
      sedimentation rate decreased in a linear manner with increases in hematocrit.
      Whole blood echogenicity showed a biphasic response, with an initial increase in
      echogenicity, peaking at hematocrits varying from 14-24% and decreasing
      thereafter. Over the physiologic range of hematocrits, an increase in the
      formation of red cell aggregates is associated with a decrease in the
      echogenicity of whole blood. Thus, red cell aggregates were not visible using our
      ultrasound equipment at physiologic hematocrits, and the echo contrast in blood
      under our experimental conditions at these hematocrits must represent either
      plasma spaces, platelet aggregates or possibly white cell aggregates. The
      association between spontaneous contrast and a propensity for thromboembolism
      imply that platelet aggregates are the most likely origin of in vivo echo
      contrast in flowing blood.

PMID- 1413270
TI  - Identifying acoustic scattering sources in normal renal parenchyma in vivo by
      varying arterial and ureteral pressures.
AB  - Ultrasonic backscatter properties of normal dog kidney parenchyma are examined in
      vivo to determine sources of acoustic scattering. We systematically varied the
      renal perfusion and ureteral pressures to obtain detailed information about
      scattering sources that could not be seen under in vitro conditions. These data
      suggest that in normal parenchyma the principal sources of backscatter are
      Bowman's capsule at low frequencies (2.5-5.0 MHz) and glomerular arterioles at
      high frequencies (5.0-15.0 MHz). We found that the integrated backscatter
      coefficient (IBC) in normally perfused kidney cortex is approximately half that
      measured in the ischemic organ at all frequencies. Ischemia was found to reduce
      scatterer size estimates (D) by 10% at low frequencies and increase D54% at high
      frequencies. Acute obstruction of the kidney, under diuresis, produced an 11%
      increase in D at low frequencies, and no significant change in D at high
      frequencies. These variations in backscatter measurements are explained in terms
      of changes in the microscopic anatomy of the kidney.

PMID- 1413271
TI  - Conservation of bactericidal activity in ultrasound-exposed murine peritoneal
      phagocytic cells.
AB  - Murine peritoneal exudate cells (PEC), predominantly macrophages, were insonated
      in vitro with burst-mode ultrasound and assayed for their ability to phagocytose
      and kill Staphylococcus aureus. PEC were exposed at 37 degrees C in rotating
      tubes to 1-MHz, burst-mode (10 ms on, 10 ms off) ultrasound at 3.7 +/- 0.2 W/cm2
      ISPTA (7.4 +/- 0.4 W/cm2 ISPBA) for 150 s. Bactericidal activity was assayed at
      1, 2, and 3 h after exposure and subsequent 37 degrees C incubation with the
      bacteria for 20 min. In these experiments, which comprised 17 treated and 7 sham
      treated control samples, there was no significant difference in results between
      treated and control samples (p > 0.29).

PMID- 1413272
TI  - Ultrasonic vibrational potentials in gels and preparations of biological tissue.
AB  - Measurements of the ultrasonic vibrational potentials (UVP) were performed at 815
      kHz in agar and agarose gels as well as in several biological tissues from frog,
      rat and pig. The results for gels show that the magnitude of the UVP depends on
      the charge of the solid components of the gel, its mechanical strength and
      particularly on the concentration of free electrolytes present in the gel. The
      UVP decreases to less than 10 microV for a velocity amplitude of 1 cm/s if the
      salt concentrations exceed 10(-2) mol/L. The measurements in biological tissue in
      vitro demonstrate that the UVP are of the order of magnitude of a microV s cm-1
      which is also explained by the presence of electrolytes of high concentrations in
      tissues. The measurements in biological tissue in vitro demonstrate that the UVP
      are of the order of magnitude of microV s cm-1 which is also explained by the
      presence of electrolytes of high concentrations in tissues. Based on these
      experiments, it can be concluded that the potential for harm to humans due to
      electrical effects of ultrasound as used in medical diagnostics is very low.

PMID- 1413273
TI  - Influence of dissolved and free gases on iodine release and cell killing by shock
      waves in vitro.
AB  - Exposure of a potassium iodide solution to lithotripter shock waves resulted in
      formation of iodine with the amount of iodine depending on the gas dissolved in
      the solution. Iodine yield was higher with O2 and Ar, as compared to CO2 and N2O;
      degassed solution revealed the lowest iodine yield. Exposure of L1210 mouse
      leukemia cells to shock waves reduced the number of viable cells with no
      difference between O2-, Ar-, or N2O-equilibrated and degassed conditions. CO2
      equilibration resulted in a more pronounced reduction. The difference between
      chemical and biological effects argues against the involvement of free radicals
      in cell killing by shock waves. In additional experiments, gas bubbles of various
      sizes were introduced into the test vials. Addition of a 10 microL gas bubble
      revealed an over 10-fold increase in iodine yield from degassed potassium iodide
      solution with all gases. Addition of a gas bubble also reduced the number of
      viable cells again with no difference between the gases. It is suggested that
      shock wave-gas bubble interaction is an important mediator of iodine release and
      cell killing by shock waves.

PMID- 1413274
TI  - The influence of spatial polarization distribution on spot poled PVDF membrane
      hydrophone performance.
AB  - The influence of spatial polarization distribution on spot poled PVDF membrane
      hydrophone performance was calculated and then experimentally verified using a
      one-dimensional model based on acoustic wave propagation through a layered
      medium. It is shown that the sensitivity of the hydrophone is markedly dependent
      on the spatial polarization distribution. It is also shown that there can be a
      significant difference between the voltage sensitivities measured in the same
      hydrophone probe depending on which electrode is actually facing the acoustic
      source. The measurements carried out in the frequency range 1-20 MHz indicate
      that this difference, while negligible below 2 MHz, may exceed 1.6 dB at higher
      frequencies. The model developed can also be used to determine the "effective"
      piezoelectric constant d33 of the PVDF material as a continuous function of
      frequency. Moreover, the model predicts the existence of a negative slope in the
      frequency response of the spot poled membrane hydrophone. The experimental
      confirmation of this prediction underscores the importance of using swept
      frequency methods during calibration measurements.

PMID- 1413275
TI  - Continuous and simultaneous ultrasound Doppler velocimetry of the internal
      carotid and vertebral arteries: preliminary observations of cerebral blood flow
      changes with common carotid compression.
AB  - We have developed a new technique for simultaneous assessment of the four
      cervical cerebral arteries. Using a cervical brace with four freely adjustable
      Doppler probes attached, we studied four healthy young males and observed their
      cerebral blood flow changes during common carotid compression. The results
      indicated various reactivity in these subjects. We observed that carotid
      compression sometimes affects or stops the ipsilateral vertebral flow according
      to the intensity and location of compression. Also, the flow of the contralateral
      internal carotid artery (ICA) and vertebral artery (VA) showed remarkable
      increases greater than those due to ICA obliteration alone. This indicates the
      possibility that using only one probe during compression may often result in
      unknown obliteration of the ipsilateral VAs flow and could also produce other
      incomplete data. Moreover, with our technique, we would be able to assess the
      cerebral reserve more precisely and clearly in patients with carotid or vertebral
      occlusive diseases.

PMID- 1413276
TI  - The assessment of benign uterine tumor vascularization by transvaginal color
      Doppler.
AB  - Transvaginal color flow Doppler was used to study uterine flow and fibroid
      arterial supply. These studies were carried out in 101 patients with palpable
      uterine fibroids and 60 women attending the clinic for annual checkups. Blood
      flow impedance expressed as resistance index (RI), pulsatility index (PI), and
      blood velocity are calculated from the 5th to the 8th day of the menstrual
      calendar. Increased blood velocity and decreased RI and PI in both uterine
      arteries occurred in patients with uterine fibroids. The same technique was also
      used to study blood flow in the main arteries supplying identifiable fibroid.
      Diastolic flow in these arteries was always present and increased in comparison
      with uterine artery blood flow. The difference in uterine artery blood flow
      between patients with fibroids and healthy volunteers is statistically
      significant and may have predictable value in growth rate evaluation of the
      benign uterine mass.

PMID- 1413277
TI  - Colour Doppler velocity imaging of the myocardium.
AB  - A technique has been developed for producing images of the velocity of tissue
      motion within the myocardium. It has been demonstrated that Colour Flow Doppler
      imagers can be operated to depict the velocities within the myocardium rather
      than moving blood in the cardiac chambers. The technique exhibits the normal
      advantages of diagnostic ultrasound, i.e., real-time imaging with relatively
      inexpensive equipment and no hazard to the patient. Further work requires to be
      done to determine the optimum signal processing algorithms for moving tissue
      echoes and to ascertain whether the technique is of value in clinical
      applications.

PMID- 1413278
TI  - [Penetrating thoracic injuries].
AB  - In a period of peace in Germany and other westeuropean countries, penetrating
      trauma of the thorax (PTT) is much more rarer than blunt trauma. An analysis of
      103 patients with PTT, treated in the Surgical Department of the University of
      Cologne from 1980 to 1990, showed, that these are usually isolated injuries in
      young patients. These occur usually following violence as stab wounds and less
      commonly gunshot wounds. Two thirds of the patients could be treated adequately
      with intensive care therapy and the use of thoracic drains. One third of the
      patients underwent thoracotomy, which was carried out in two thirds within one
      hour after hospital admission and in the remaining one third within the first 24
      hours. The mortality for all PTT was 13%, being 10% for isolated thoracic
      injuries and 19% for patients with multiple trauma.

PMID- 1413279
TI  - [Clinical criteria of acute epidural hematoma].
AB  - In a retrospective study 368 epidural hematomas are presented, treated from 1970
      until August 1991. The clinical course and manifestation of acute epidural
      hematomas is commented on by means of own cases. Assessing the success of
      treatment, it could be demonstrated that the prompter diagnosis reduced the
      lethal outcome of epidural hematoma to 6.6%.

PMID- 1413281
TI  - [Damage to the knee ligament as a concomitant injury in femoral shaft fractures].
AB  - Knee ligament injuries associated with femoral shaft fractures can severely
      influence the functional results of treatment. In a follow-up of 59 operatively
      treated femoral shaft fractures 18.6% of the patients revealed ligamentous
      damages. In all cases one or both of the cruciate ligaments were injured.
      Especially polytraumatized car front-seat passengers are at higher risk with
      30.8% ligament ruptures. While only 61.6% of the ligament injuries were primarily
      diagnosed, the testing of knee joint stability after osteosynthesis of a femoral
      fracture is essential. Furthermore arthroscopy should be performed if there is
      any hint of ligamentous damage. The ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament
      and the ligamentous avulsion fractures can be successfully treated on by
      operative means.

PMID- 1413280
TI  - [MR and ultrasound study of Achilles tendon injury].
AB  - In 24 patients with lesions of the achilles tendon MRI and ultrasound was
      performed to compare the results with clinical examination. MRI had an accuracy
      of 100%, ultrasound of 90%. Especially partial rupture with chronic degenerative
      lesions of the tendon can be diagnosed more accurate by MRI which enables easier
      indication for treatment. By MRI diagnostic differentiation of our patients in
      four groups was possible.

PMID- 1413282
TI  - [The value of sonographic diagnosis of the injured knee joint in trauma-surgical
      practice].
AB  - In a period of two years (January 1990 to December 1991) 136 knee joints were
      examined by ultrasound and arthroscopy. 40 out of 42 arthroscopically proven
      lesions of the anterior cruciate ligament were detected by ultrasound. The
      sensitivity therefore was 95.24%. We found three cases of ruptures of the
      posterior cruciate ligament, which were not detected clinically. 16 cases of
      ruptured medial collateral ligaments and 27 cases of elongations of the same
      ligament were diagnosed. Ultrasound examination of the knee and especially of the
      cruciate ligaments showed to be an accurate tool in order to obtain additional
      information on an injured knee even if clinical examination is difficult or
      impossible. Sonography is able to exclude lesions of the cruciate ligaments
      precisely. Therefore it helps to restrict the necessity of acute or early
      arthroscopy of knee joints.

PMID- 1413283
TI  - [Bilateral tibial head epiphysiolysis in somersault jumping].
AB  - We are reporting about a rare case of a bilateral epiphyseal separation of the
      proximal tibial epiphysis which occurred to a 16 year old male at the time of
      bileged take-off when somersault diving. The X-rays at admission showed a
      bilateral proximal tibial epiphyseal separation of Salter-Harris type I on the
      right side and Salter-Harris type II on the left side. Both epiphyses showed a
      posterior dislocation. Stable, anatomical position on both sides was achieved by
      closed reduction under general anaesthesia and fixed by a plaster cast for five
      weeks. Healing occurred in anatomical position and no redislocation or growth
      disturbance was observed. The treatment for such separations is usually
      conservative; the prognosis is very good, provided that an optimal reposition
      with restoration of the anatomical situation has been achieved.

PMID- 1413285
TI  - [PC-assisted planning and documentation of the surgical schedule].
AB  - A computer program for personal computers was developed to support and control
      the schedule in the operation theatre. With this program a great amount of
      operational and medical data will be recorded (e.g. the duration of operation and
      anesthesia, the number of operating rooms occupied, the personnel involved, the
      diagnosis and surgical therapy). The screen shows up-to-date information about
      the ongoing events. All data can be easily evaluated for different criteria. In a
      four years period the program presented has proved valuable for daily routine
      planning and documentation in a great operation unit.

PMID- 1413284
TI  - [Initial experiences with the humerus interlocking nail].
AB  - A preliminary report is given on the good results of eleven patients, who had
      been treated with a locking nail for a fracture of the humerus at three different
      trauma departments. No non-union, infection or radial palsy has been seen nor was
      there any neurovascular complication intraoperatively. Four patients had
      misalignments of up to 15 degrees, whereof three of them had combined varus
      recurvation-angulations without functional or cosmetic sequelae. All but one had
      excellent functional results six months postoperatively. Bone healing could be
      confirmed three months postoperatively. Only transverse and spiral fractures of
      the second to fifth sixth had been treated until now, though open fractures up to
      the second degree can be managed too. Finally, some technical issues are
      considered, which include a better guiding device, the use of cancellous screws
      for proximal looking, a more oblique position of one of the proximal screwholes
      to obtain some kind of interfragmentary compression for appropriate fractures,
      and the use of a Williams-screwdriver.

PMID- 1413286
TI  - [The status of surgical continuing education in Germany].

PMID- 1413287
TI  - [Comment on G. Sowa, J. Sowa, J. Koebke: Alloplastic replacement of the anterior
      cruciate ligament].

PMID- 1413288
TI  - [Comment on T. Raslan, W. Wartenburger: Case report of isolated dislocation
      fracture of the os trapezium].

PMID- 1413289
TI  - [Infections in children: prevention and treatment. Interview by Isabelle
      Lecomte].

PMID- 1413290
TI  - [Hospitals and the university mission].

PMID- 1413291
TI  - [An effective intervention project for arterial hypertension screening in family
      medicine].
AB  - This study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of a preventive protocol
      in improving hypertension detection in a hospital-based family medicine unit.
      This protocol was planned and implemented by local practitioners and did not need
      any additional budgeting. Two distinct groups, each of 850 adults, were randomly
      selected from patients having consulted before and after the introduction of the
      protocol. Medical records were audited. Hypertension screening rate improved of
      17.7% (p less than 0.00001) after the application of the preventive intervention.
      Furthermore, a 20.5% increase of the screening rate was estimated after
      adjustment by the logistic regression method, for characteristics related to
      patients and to practitioners. In conclusion, these findings support the
      hypothesis that this preventive protocol contributes to improve in family
      physicians their hypertension screening performance and they justify further
      assessment with a control group.

PMID- 1413292
TI  - [Radiological consultation].

PMID- 1413293
TI  - [Mammography].
AB  - Mammography is the most important method for the diagnosis and the screening of
      breast diseases. Sensitivity and accuracy of mammography are very high in the
      detection of breast cancer. The use of the stereotaxic localization and fine
      needle aspiration of nonpalpable breast lesions improve its effectiveness. The
      American Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project (BCDDP) has demonstrated
      the benefits of breast screening for women over 40 years of age. Many American
      medical associations and societies have adopted the guidelines based on the BCDDP
      results, promoting breast cancer screening for these women. However, recently
      released results of some randomized breast screening studies demonstrated only a
      5% reduction in mortality from breast cancer in women 40-49 years of age, and a
      40% reduction for women aged over 50 years. There is no explanation for this
      dilemma at the present time. However, screening mammography should stay available
      for women over 40 years of age.

PMID- 1413294
TI  - [Periodical medical examination update 1991: 3. Secondary prevention of prostate
      cancer. Canadian study group on the periodical medical examination].

PMID- 1413296
TI  - [Alopecia: to avoid certain predispositions, to prevent, to control. Interview by
      Robert Henry].

PMID- 1413295
TI  - [Alopecia: a good way to interrupt the fall... Interview by Robert Henry].

PMID- 1413297
TI  - Cytogenetic evidence of intratumoral focal heterogeneity in prostatic carcinomas.
AB  - Although prostatic cancer is the most common malignant disease in men in western
      countries, only limited data on chromosomal changes are available. We report on
      our cytogenetic findings in cell cultures from four primary prostatic carcinomas
      indicating the existence of intratumoral focal heterogeneity concerning
      chromosomal anomalies in prostatic cancer.

PMID- 1413298
TI  - Tumor size of renal cell carcinoma: its clinical implication.
AB  - We studied the clinical implication of tumor size in renal cell carcinoma, by
      revealing its relation with the other histopathological and clinical features.
      The tumor size was well correlated with histopathological findings and metastatic
      status of the carcinoma. Smaller carcinomas (usually less than 60 mm) generally
      had a higher disease-specific survival than those of 60 mm or greater. The
      results indicated that the size reflected the biological character of the
      carcinoma. However, 10% of patients with the smaller carcinoma had lymph node
      metastasis or distant metastasis at the time of diagnosis, each of which
      contributed to a renal cell carcinoma-related death in the early follow-up
      period.

PMID- 1413299
TI  - Partial ureteric obstruction in weanling rats. II. Long-term effects on renal
      function and arterial blood pressure.
AB  - A partial obstruction of the left ureter was created in weanling (3-week-old)
      rats. Renal function was studied after 7-9 weeks and compared to that in age
      matched controls. Arterial blood pressure was found substantially increased.
      During normal hydration, the hydronephrotic kidney had low excretions of urine,
      potassium, osmoles and, especially, sodium. The contralateral, intact side showed
      no compensatory traits. On volume expansion, the hydronephrotic kidney
      demonstrated an unimpaired reacting capacity, leading to normalization of urine,
      sodium and osmole excretions and even to supernormal renal blood flow, glomerular
      filtration and potassium excretion. On the intact side, the excretion of
      potassium was increased like that on the hydronephrotic one, while excretions of
      urine, sodium and osmoles were increased even more. The fact that the intact
      kidney handled most of the urine excretion was interpreted as the result of a
      mechanism protecting the obstructed kidney from additional pressure insults while
      homeostasis was maintained. The arterial hypertension may result from the
      combination of retention of fluid and sodium by the hydronephrotic kidney and the
      absence of compensation by the intact kidney during normal hydration--like that
      in everyday life. The functional changes during normal hydration were generally
      more severe than those we found after obstruction in neonatal and adult rats, in
      which arterial hypertension was never observed. The clinical implication would be
      that the kidney may be less tolerant to pressure rises during the infant year.
      Changes due to obstruction are known to occur rapidly, but after that neither
      progress nor reverse.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413300
TI  - Adenosine triphosphate and adenosine diphosphate in human semen: correlation with
      sperm count and motility.
AB  - Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) have been correlated
      with traditional semen parameters such as forward motility and sperm count. ATP
      and ADP were determined by a bioluminescence assay using the luciferin-luciferase
      reaction. Short boiling of the ejaculate was performed to inactivate phosphatases
      (ATPases) in the seminal plasma and the sperm tails. Fresh and deep-frozen semen
      samples from 45 men with oligozoospermia (n = 22) and normal sperm count (n = 23)
      were evaluated. Freezing of the sperm for 12 weeks did not effect the ATP or ADP
      content in the spermatozoa as compared to fresh semen. ATP and ADP concentration
      was in the range of picomoles/microliter and showed a significant correlation
      with the number of normal sperm per milliliter and a less marked correlation with
      the sperm motility. ATP and ADP concentration in the spermatozoa can be measured
      relatively easy and is reproducible. Unlike the monotonous evaluation of sperm
      motility by a technician, this biochemical method provides an objective parameter
      for semen quality. These qualities suggest that this method could be a way to
      determine the fertilizing potential of semen and to relate this to actual
      pregnancy rates.

PMID- 1413301
TI  - Urinary tract infection caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella: report of 30 cases.
AB  - Thirty cases of nontyphoidal Salmonella bacteriuria were identified by review of
      cultures performed at the Mayo Clinic (Minn.) from 1985 to 1989 and at the
      Federal Public Health Laboratory Innsbruck (Austria) from 1979 to 1989. All
      patients had symptoms of an acute urinary tract infection (UTI). In 24 cases
      nontyphoidal Salmonella was the sole pathogen isolated. Only 1 patient presented
      with concomitant gastroenteritis and 2 had experienced episodes of diarrhea
      during the weeks before the UTI, but 15 patients had positive stool cultures in
      the absence of a gastrointestinal illness. Among all positive urine cultures at
      the Mayo Microbiology Laboratory, 0.015% were positive for nontyphoidal
      Salmonella; at the Federal Public Health Laboratory Innsbruck, 0.024% of
      organisms cultured from urine were nontyphoidal salmonellae. In the majority of
      our patients, Salmonella UTI did not differ clinically from UTI caused by other
      members of the Enterobacteriaceae; only in renal transplant recipients was the
      course of genitourinary salmonellosis more serious. While some urinary isolates
      of nontyphoidal Salmonella may be fecal contaminants, all 30 isolates recovered
      from urine during this study were considered to be the cause of symptomatic UTI.

PMID- 1413302
TI  - Efficacy of prophylactic gentamicin use in postoperative urinary tract infections
      after endoscopic procedures of the urinary tract.
AB  - In this study, the efficacy of prophylactic antibiotic use was investigated. A
      total of 110 patients undergoing endoscopic procedures of the urinary tract were
      enrolled in the study. Fifty-five of the patients were treated with 8-hourly, 80
      mg gentamicin sulfate of total three doses. The drug administration began just
      prior to the operation. Seven postoperative infections (12.7%) were detected, the
      same number as in the control group of 55 patients. The results confirm that
      there is no place for gentamicin prophylaxis in endoscopic procedures of the
      urinary tract.

PMID- 1413303
TI  - Inhibitors of calcium oxalate crystallization and urolithiasis.
AB  - In urolithogenic processes both, promoters and deficit of inhibitors, play an
      important role. The inhibitory action of added inhibitors (magnesium, citrate,
      pyrophosphate and chondroitin sulphate) was investigated using the urine of 72
      patients with calcium urolithiasis. It was concluded that the deficit of
      inhibitors seems to be an important cause of stone formation in idiopathic
      oxalocalcic urolithiasis. Nevertheless, when that specific heterogeneous
      nucleation takes place it becomes an important factor and the inhibitor plays a
      complementary role in calcium oxalate urolithiasis.

PMID- 1413304
TI  - Renal damages after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy evaluated by Gd-DTPA
      enhanced dynamic magnetic resonance imaging.
AB  - Renal damages after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) were evaluated
      by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including Gd-DTPA-enhanced dynamic MRI in 37
      patients with renal stone by spin echo methods (T1 and T2-weighted scan) and
      small tip angle gradient echo method (T2-weighted scan). Sixty-eight percent of
      the patients had changes in the MRI findings after ESWL. The frequently observed
      findings were perirenal fluid collection (38%), loss of corticomedullary junction
      (35%), and increased signal intensity of muscle and other adjacent tissue (34%).
      Preoperative Gd-DTPA-enhanced dynamic MRI showed low intensity band which
      suggests Gd-DTPA secretion from the glomerulus into the renal tubulus. In all
      cases the low intensity band became unclear after ESWL because of renal contusion
      due to ESWL. MRI, including Gd-DTPA-enhanced dynamic MRI, is considered to be a
      good procedure for evaluation of renal damages due to ESWL.

PMID- 1413305
TI  - Effect of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy for urolithiasis on concentrations
      of creatine kinase isozymes in patient serum and urine.
AB  - To determine whether extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) for urolithiasis
      causes renal injury, we immunoassayed creatine kinase isozymes (CK-B and CK-M) in
      serum and urine from patients with renal stone (n = 21) and ureteral stone (n =
      18) before and after (0, 2, and 24 h) ESWL. CK-B is generally present in renal
      tissue at relatively high concentrations, whereas CK-M is found at low
      concentrations. CK-B and CK-M levels were enhanced both in the serum and urine
      samples after ESWL in both groups of patients but CK-B levels return to almost
      normal very rapidly. Because CK-M, which is mainly localized in muscle tissue,
      also increased in both groups, the increased CK-B in serum after ESWL might be
      derived not only from kidney but also from muscle tissues which also contain a
      significant level of CK-B. These results suggest that significant tissue injury,
      including kidney and muscles, might be caused by ESWL treatment for urolithiasis
      but there is no long-term renal adverse effect, and that creatine kinase isozymes
      in serum and urine might be useful markers of tissue injury by such treatment.

PMID- 1413306
TI  - An azoospermic male with reciprocal translocation t(3;4)(p12;q21).
AB  - We report a case of autosomal translocation associated with azoospermia. The
      literature is reviewed, and hormone condition and testicular histology are
      discussed.

PMID- 1413307
TI  - Surgical reinforcement of gender identity in adolescent intersex patients.
AB  - The presentation of phenotypic gender ambiguity at the time of adolescence is
      uncommon. Surgical reinforcement of gender, or reassignment is often complex and
      multistage. We present 2 cases of children who developed secondary sexual
      characteristics contrary to their chromosome status who, because of their late
      presentation, required significant surgical intervention to reinforce the gender
      assigned to them. We review some of the surgical techniques involved.

PMID- 1413308
TI  - Urethral narrowing due to ectopic prostatic tissue in the bulbar urethra.
AB  - Ectopic prostatic tissue in the bulbar urethra is a rare disorder. A case of
      urethral narrowing due to such tissue is presented. The tissue specimen from the
      urethral narrowing was positively stained immunohistochemically by the prostatic
      specific antigen. Urethrocystographic findings are also discussed.

PMID- 1413309
TI  - Urethral tuberculosis.
AB  - Tuberculous affection of the urethra is very rare. Herein we report 2 cases of
      urethral tuberculosis. One in a young married female who had isolated urethral
      involvement presenting as urethral caruncle and the second in a young male with
      urethral stricture complicated by fistulae and abscess in association with renal
      tuberculosis. The relevant literature is briefly reviewed.

PMID- 1413310
TI  - Abscess of corpus cavernosum.
AB  - A rare case of abscess of the corpus cavernosum is described. Culture of the
      abscess yielded beta-hemolytic streptococcus. Ultrasound scan and cavernosography
      confirmed the physical examination findings of involvement of the corpus
      cavernosum. The patient was treated successfully by percutaneous ultrasound
      guided aspiration drainage and systemic antibiotic therapy.

PMID- 1413311
TI  - Spontaneous thrombosis of the renal vessels. Rare entities to be considered in
      differential diagnosis of patients presenting with lumbar flank pain and
      hematuria.
AB  - We report 2 cases of spontaneous thrombotic occlusion of the main renal vessels
      presenting with acute lumbar flank pain and hematuria suspect of nephrolithiasis.
      Clinical and laboratory signs of blood hypercoagulability, generalized arterial
      embolism, nephrotic syndrome or glomerulonephritis were absent. Excretory
      urography, nephrosonography and retrograde ureteropyelography showed no evidence
      of upper urinary tract calculi or other causes of obstruction. Renal angiography
      and cavography demonstrated an acute renal vein thrombosis in 1 patient and a
      thrombotic occlusion of all but one of the segmental renal arteries in the other
      patient. These 2 cases demonstrate that thrombotic occlusion of the renal artery
      or renal vein has to be considered in patients who are presenting with lumbar
      flank pain and hematuria, in whom the excretory urogram shows severe malfunction
      of one of the kidneys, and stone disease can be excluded. Renal angiography and
      cavography as well as CT scan should be carried out in these patients. When the
      disease is diagnosed at an early stage, an intra-arterial thrombolysis can be
      attempted.

PMID- 1413312
TI  - Renal cell carcinoma with unusual metastatic lesions detected by angiography.
AB  - The case of a patient with left renal cell carcinoma with two small metastatic
      lesions in the mesenterium and retroperitoneal fatty tissue is reported. These
      metastatic lesions were incidentally detected by preoperative routine
      angiographic examinations. The patient underwent left radical nephrectomy and
      resection of the metastatic nodules. The usefulness of angiography for detecting
      metastatic lesions and the possible metastatic pathways of these uncommon lesions
      are discussed.

PMID- 1413313
TI  - Coexisting renal cell carcinoma and xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis in a
      chronic calculous disease.
AB  - Association of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with renal calculi is very rare. Herein
      we report a case of RCC developing in a non-functioning kidney containing
      multiple renal and ureteric calculi. Histologically, the kidney, in addition,
      revealed changes of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP). XGP can be confused
      clinically, grossly and microscopically with RCC. In the present case both were
      coexistent and thus make it interesting.

PMID- 1413314
TI  - Focal xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis: diagnostic and therapeutic aspects.
AB  - The authors report 2 cases of localized xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP)
      in which computed tomography (CT) permitted to raise a motivated clinical
      suspicion of inflammatory disease: the surgical exploration documented absence of
      neoplasm and allowed a conservative therapy implying only the removal of the
      mass. A literature review confirms that some CT signs in XGP permit
      differentiation from carcinoma. If they are present, in unifocal cases of
      disease, the authors suggest a limited surgical approach and a therapeutic
      strategy as conservative as possible.

PMID- 1413315
TI  - Bellini duct carcinoma of the kidney.
AB  - We report a very rare case of Bellini duct carcinoma originating from the
      collecting tubules of the kidney. A left renal tumor was detected during a health
      examination and radical nephrectomy was performed. Histological examination
      showed papillary adenocarcinoma. By means of immunohistochemical methods, we felt
      that the tumor was a renal carcinoma of Bellini duct origin.

PMID- 1413317
TI  - Flap valve ureteral stent with an antireflux function: a review of 46 cases.
AB  - During a 2-year period, 46 patients with upper urinary obstructions (intrinsic
      obstruction and extrinsic compression) underwent treatment with a flap valve
      indwelling double-pigtail stent. Our subsequent analysis suggests that a flap
      valve at the lower end of a conventional ureteral stent can effectively prevent
      reflux in the upper urinary tract, and reduce discomfort and pain in the flank
      region during micturition.

PMID- 1413316
TI  - Gynecomastia and ectopic human chorionic gonadotropin production by transitional
      cell carcinoma of the bladder.
AB  - We report a patient with gynecomastia and ectopic production of human chorionic
      gonadotropin (HCG) by a transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. In the
      present case, serum HCG levels and gynecomastia paralleled the clinical course.
      On admission, the patient was suffering from invasive transitional cell carcinoma
      (grade 3) of the bladder with metastasis to the left inguinal lymph nodes,
      together with gynecomastia. The serum HCG level was also elevated. After
      anticancer chemotherapy, the apparent bladder lesion and gynecomastia
      disappeared, and the serum HCG level declined to within normal limits. About 2
      months after discharge, when the patient suffered from recurrent invasive tumors
      of the bladder, gynecomastia reappeared and the serum HCG level again became
      elevated. beta-HCG was demonstrated in biopsy tissue using the immunoperoxidase
      technique. The presence of beta-HCG was always focally demonstrated and was shown
      to be localized in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells.

PMID- 1413318
TI  - Secondary tumors of testis: two rare cases and review of the literature.
AB  - Secondary testicular tumor is a rare event. Approximately 200 cases have been
      documented in the international literature since 1935. The most common primary
      tumor sites have been the prostate, lung and kidney with other sites being
      reported less frequently. Our literature review discovered only 7 cases
      originating from primary tumors of the stomach and 14 cases from primary tumors
      of the colon. We want to add 2 more cases and discuss the possible mechanism of
      this neoplastic dissemination.

PMID- 1413319
TI  - Implantation of the urethral stent for treatment of complex urethral strictures.

PMID- 1413320
TI  - Significance of cavernosography in standardized cavernosometry.
AB  - Ninety-five patients with erectile dysfunction underwent standardized
      cavernosometry and cavernosography. In a first stage, the investigation was
      performed in each patient without and in a second stage with 60 mg papaverine
      injected intracavernously. A pathological maintenance flow rate between 20 and
      120 ml/min decreased by 55% on average. The induction flow is of considerable
      variability and of poor diagnostic value. For quantification of venous leakage,
      the maintenance flow rate is of great importance and in correlation with the time
      of pressure decrease. Our results with a sensitivity of 59% suggest that
      cavernosography as the only screening method for venous leakage is not
      sufficient. In most of the cases, cavernosography is indicated only in
      consideration of venous leakage surgery.

PMID- 1413321
TI  - Surgical approach of venous leakage.
AB  - Venous leakage is a cause of impotence easily demonstrated by dynamic
      cavernosography. It revealed dorsal venous leakage in 41 patients, perineal
      leakage in 15 patients and dorsal plus perineal leakage in 42 patients. Dorsal
      vein ligation was performed in 38 cases. Fourteen patients underwent ligation of
      crura penis. Combined procedure was done in 36 patients. Immediate results of the
      surgical approach are quite encouraging, but finally, they are satisfactory in
      only 20% of the cases. Nevertheless, surgical treatment of venous leakage can
      further be taken into consideration to reduce blood outflow and strengthen
      vasoactive drug effects.

PMID- 1413322
TI  - Venous surgery in veno-occlusive dysfunction: long-time results after deep dorsal
      vein resection.
AB  - Follow-up of patients 1 year after deep dorsal vein resection gives evidence of
      an approximate 50-60% success rate. A careful selection of only this small
      percentage of patients, in whom abnormal drainage through the penile dorsum is
      obvious, is mandatory. Men with an arterial cofactor have to be excluded or to be
      subsequently treated by intracavernosal autoinjection of vasoactive substances.
      Late results from our study demonstrate a further loss of sufficient erection,
      also in men considered as persistent success by us, in the subjective view of the
      patient and/or his sexual partner.

PMID- 1413323
TI  - Venous surgery in erectile dysfunction.
AB  - According to the physiopathological process beyond it, veno-occlusive dysfunction
      (VOD) may be classified in organic or functional VOD. The former is caused by
      lack of control of smooth muscle relaxation, while the later is related with
      morphological alterations of the corporeal tissue. The differential diagnosis of
      those two types is fundamental when venous surgery is to be discussed. Functional
      VOD may be treated with sex therapy, while in organic VOD, surgical treatment may
      be considered. The experience with venous surgery for impotence at the H. Ellis
      Institute was not encouraging. Although a few patients were cured, the long-term
      follow-up showed that only 9 out of 57 patients were able to have a normal sexual
      life. New diagnostic tools, as well as a better understanding of the erectile
      mechanism, may lead to a better selection of cases with an improvement of the
      results in the future. Today, venous surgery remains as an option to patients
      with organic VOD, who are willing to accept a 45% probability of improvement for
      a few months, having been informed about all the other options in the treatment
      of erectile disorders.

PMID- 1413324
TI  - Penile venous ligation surgery for the management of cavernosal venous leakage.
AB  - Forty-one patients underwent penile venous ligation surgery for pure cavernosal
      venous leakage diagnosed by infusion cavernosometry and cavernosography. Before
      surgery, arterial integrity was assessed by pelvic angiography, and all patients
      were found to have a normal penile arterial system. The patients were divided
      into two groups on the basis of the type of venous operation performed. The
      overall complete-potency success rate was 46% (19 of 41 patients). Postoperative
      complications were minimal. Our experience shows that penile venous surgery
      remains an acceptable option for treatment of carefully selected patients with
      documented pure cavernosal venous leakage of a mild degree who have no evidence
      of arterial insufficiency and who do not prefer, or are not suitable for, other
      medical or surgical treatment options. Patients who had more severe degrees of
      cavernosal venous leakage had a poor result from this procedure. For patients
      with moderate to severe venous leakage, we now perform a combined surgical
      procedure, deep dorsal vein arterialization and venous ligation.

PMID- 1413325
TI  - Venous surgery in erectile dysfunction. The role of dorsal-penile-vein ligation
      and spongiosolysis for impotence.
AB  - We report here on our surgical experience with venous leakage of the cavernous
      bodies. Out of 159 patients operated on, 134 were available for long-term follow
      up. Depending on the cavernosographic findings, one of three different surgical
      procedures was carried out: ligation of the deep dorsal vein of the penis,
      spongiosolysis, or ligation of the crura. 18% of the patients undergoing ligation
      of the deep dorsal vein, postoperatively attained spontaneous erections, while
      35% needed adjuvant corpus cavernosum autoinjection therapy. Spongiosolysis gave
      a more favourable result: spontaneous erections in 30% and vasoactive drug
      dependent erections in 35%. Crural ligation did not prove successful. No serious
      complications were encountered postoperatively. Our data suggest that venous
      surgery should only be offered to a selected group of patients comprising young
      impotent men with venous leakage, maybe in combination with arterial disease, and
      patients suffering from distal venous leakage. Old age, neurogenic disorders
      causing erectile dysfunction, and diabetes mellitus should represent exclusion
      criteria for venous surgery.

PMID- 1413326
TI  - Management of corporal veno-occlusive dysfunction.
AB  - Veno-occlusive dysfunction has become a recognized cause of organic impotence.
      The existence of concomitant arterial and sinus smooth-muscle disease makes this
      disorder often difficult to diagnose. It rarely can be the sole etiology for
      impotence. The authors' experience in the treatment of this disorder in over 100
      patients is presented. The authors rely on
      cavernosometry/pharmacocavernosometry/pharmacocavernosogr  aphy and the color
      duplex Doppler screening test (to eliminate concomitant arterial disease) as the
      primary diagnostic tools. Twenty-two patients of 58 (38%) have achieved long
      lasting success from the surgery so that they are able to have vaginal
      intercourse. Another 12 patients (21%) have been improved but must depend upon
      pharmacological injection therapy to obtain a sufficient erection for
      intercourse. There has been a 41% failure rate, and these are discussed.

PMID- 1413327
TI  - Venous leakage--a new therapeutical concept.
AB  - According to our opinion, so-called venous leakage is no venous disease but a
      result of impaired cavernous tissue. Since in over 90% of all patients with
      venous leakage also arterial disease was discovered and since ultrastructural
      degenerative processes in the cavernous bodies were detected, we consider
      traditional corrective venous surgery as unphysiological and illogical. We
      suggest arterial revascularization combined with a mechanical penis banding as a
      new therapeutical concept.

PMID- 1413329
TI  - Venous leakage.

PMID- 1413330
TI  - Organic erectile dysfunction appears to occur frequently as a consequence of
      abnormal corporal veno-occlusive hemodynamics.

PMID- 1413328
TI  - Venous surgery in erectile dysfunction: therapeutic strategy and results.
AB  - The therapeutic rationale of venous surgery is to create an effective obstacle to
      the pathologically increased venous outflow, determined by an intrinsic pathology
      of the cavernous bodies. In the last 15 years, many techniques have been
      proposed, and our therapeutic approach has evolved with our knowledge of penile
      haemodynamics. Up to October 1990, we performed 316 operations for the relief of
      impotence. In a 2-year follow-up our recurrence rates were as follows: DDV plus
      corporpexy (n = 50): 26% (n = 13); DDV plus crura plication (n = 34): 47% (n =
      16); DDV plus collateral vein ligation (n = 48): 62.5% (n = 30).

PMID- 1413331
TI  - Present state of diagnostic management in veno-occlusive dysfunction.
AB  - Pharmacocavernosometry and pharmacocavernosography are essential for the
      diagnosis of veno-occlusive dysfunction. Pressure fading obtained by
      cavernosometry correlates excellently with results of intracavernosal pharmacon
      testing. Venous drainage as visualized by pharmacocavernosography is essential
      for localization of the venous channels especially if venocorrective surgery is
      planned.

PMID- 1413332
TI  - [The cardiovascular and thromboembolic complications of intravital estrogen
      therapy in middle-aged and elderly patients with prostatic cancer].
AB  - Cardiovascular and thromboembolic complications arising as a result of 1-16-year
      estrogen therapy were evaluated in 105 prostatic cancer patients. The incidence
      of the complications was higher in those who had pretreatment cardiological or
      vascular load. The latter caused death in half of the patients. Preventive and
      therapeutic measures to control the complications, prognosis signs are indicated.

PMID- 1413333
TI  - [The prognosis of the treatment results in patients with operable kidney cancer].
AB  - Computer processing by 73 characteristics in the system "host-tumor" was
      performed for 322 patients operated on for renal carcinoma from 1976 to 1986. The
      automatic classification method or cluster-analysis allowed distribution of the
      patients into homogeneous preoperative and postoperative groups (classes) which
      differed by the mean of the signs in the classes, survival and response to
      treatment. The formulas have been derived that enable the clinicians to refer the
      patients to a certain prognostic group without using a computer. This suggests
      more grounded examinations and treatment policy.

PMID- 1413334
TI  - [The role of transperitoneal fine-needle aspiration biopsy in the diagnosis of
      obstructive uropathy in patients with cervix uteri cancer].
AB  - Upon the exposure to remote or combined radiotherapy, the patients with uterine
      cervical cancer often develop ureterostenosis due to recurrence or postradiation
      alterations in the walls and adjacent tissues of the ureter. Etiology of the
      urodynamic defect is essential for the treatment policy choice. Therefore, in
      attempt to find out effective means of differential diagnosis between ureteral
      obstruction due to cervical cancer relapse and due to postradiation lesion, the
      authors tried transperitoneal aspiration biopsy with thin needle as a tool of
      such diagnosis. The biopsy was obtained from 19 females. In 14 of them the
      obstruction was attributed to recurrent cancer, in 5 to radiotherapy. No errors
      in the diagnosis were made. Thus, the accuracy of the method reached 100%.

PMID- 1413335
TI  - [The functional assessment of the renal parenchyma and perirenal fatty tissue
      during electropiezolithotripsy by x-ray computed tomography].
AB  - Computed tomography was performed before and after telelithotripsy to evaluate
      changes in renal parenchyma induced by the procedure in 34 patients with
      nephroliths. Piezolith-2300 lithotriptor ("Wolf", FRG) was employed. The images
      showed no serious parenchymal injuries or paranephric hematomas, on the one hand,
      but density changes in the parenchyma, on the other hand. These were of 3 types:
      focal reduction in 3, diffuse reduction in 4 and diffuse increase of the density
      in 2 patients. As shown by comparison with literature data, telelithotripsy on
      "Piezolith-2300" causes minimal changes in renal parenchyma and perirenal fat. In
      view of this, the procedure is recommended for wide clinical and outpatient
      practice.

PMID- 1413336
TI  - [Telelithotripsy in the treatment of staghorn nephrolithiasis in children using
      the URAT-P lithotriptor].
AB  - The paper presents the results of telelithotripsy monotherapy for 34 staghorn
      stones in 32 nephrolithiasis children carried out at the RSFSR Research Institute
      of Urology, Moscow. Commonest manifestations of the disease were leukocyturia
      (87.5% of cases) and Proteus bacteriuria (31.8% of cases). Basing on
      roentgenological findings, the stones were classified into 3 groups: initial
      (K1), incomplete (K2) and complete (K3). All the children underwent treatment on
      Soviet lithotriptor "URAT-P" under a delicate regime using different techniques
      of disintegration which started from the periphery and advanced to the pelvic
      part of the calculus. No pretreatment drainage of the pelvicaliceal system was
      performed. The intended staged disintegration of the stones was achieved in 94.2%
      of cases at 2.4 sessions, on the average, and overall number of impulses 1973.1
      per each stone. At discharge 76.4% of the children were free of the main mass of
      the stone dust. Acute pyelonephritis which appeared the most frequent
      postoperative complication developed in 7.8% of the patients one of which
      required open nephrostomy and one percutaneous puncture nephrostomy. Other cases
      were treated by specific antimicrobial therapy. Complete series of investigations
      in the postoperative period did not reveal any intra- or pararenal hematomas.
      Radioisotopic renography revealed improvement in renal function in 62% of cases
      in early postoperative follow-up. Thus, 93.8% of children with stag-horn stones
      were spared of traumatic operative intervention or invasive manipulations. This
      makes the method of telelithotripsy a valuable therapeutic tool in childhood
      staghorn nephrolithiasis.

PMID- 1413337
TI  - [Extensive operations in kidney cancer complicated by tumor thrombus invasion of
      the inferior vena cava].
AB  - Invasion of renal tumor into retroperitoneal major vessels with thrombosis should
      be characterized as local spread of renal carcinoma and a serious complication.
      Extensive interventions were conducted in 30 subjects out of 196 nephrectomy
      cases. Nephrectomy was attended by colectomy (3 cases), pancreatic resection and
      adrenalectomy (3 cases), resection of the liver (2 cases), one-stage lobectomy (2
      cases), adrenalectomy (9 cases), resection of the uterine appendages (1 case),
      resection of the colon, splenectomy, opening of an intraorganic abscess. 12
      patients underwent thrombectomy from the major vein via the
      thoracophrenoabdominal approach. Cavathrombectomy was carried out in 7 (3.6%)
      patients, in 3 of which vena cava inferior was resected. Removal of the thrombus
      from the renal vein with resection of the opening and suturing of the vena cava
      inferior was performed in 5 patients. The thrombus originated from the right
      kidney in 9, while from the left one in 3 patients treated surgically. The
      thrombi occupied 4-10 cm along the renal vein from its opening. The removed
      kidney weighted from 400 to 3200 g. One death occurred due to pulmonary embolism
      during the operation, one on day 5 due to cardiopulmonary insufficiency.
      Histological examinations of the thrombi showed them to consist of fibrin, blood
      elements and tumor cells within the thrombus. The thrombi grow slowly, undergo
      organization and vascularization. Tumor cells multiply in the thrombus. Fibrin
      coating restricts cancer cell free dissemination via the venous system.
      Cavathrombectomy is considered the only way to prolong survival for the above
      patients.

PMID- 1413338
TI  - [The removal of calculi from the pelvic ureter by extracorporeal lithotripsy].
AB  - Using high-energy impulses from Dornier HM-3 lithotriptor, iliac ureteroliths
      were crushed in 18 patients for the period of 2.5 years. The mean age of the
      patients was 38 years. The lithotripsy was in all cases preceded by retrograde
      catheterization. Reposition of the stones was achieved in 6 patients. Prone
      position lithotripsy was conducted in 12 patients. Specially designed support
      cushions helped to keep the patient in a steady position, speeded up the stones
      excretion, relaxed knee joints and reduced the exposure to the impulses. All the
      patients underwent antiinflammatory and spasmolytic therapy. The mean hospital
      stay reached 3.2 days. Good results were reported in 94.1% of those treated.
      Neither early nor long-term complications arose.

PMID- 1413339
TI  - [The rehabilitation of patients with urethral injuries and their sequelae].
AB  - The treatment was conducted for 154 patients aged 3-69 with traumatic rupture of
      the urethra. Eighteen patients underwent primary suturing, five patients primary
      delayed repair of the urethra. Urethral patency was achieved in all the cases. In
      127 cases urethral rupture was associated with visceral and skeletal injuries
      managed by epicystostomy with good results. 16 patients without extended
      diastasis of the urethral fragments got circular tubes. 24 patients out of 111
      developed restenosis (7 due to urethrotomy and 17 after tunneling). Later on 14
      of these and the rest 87 patients were subjected to plastic reconstruction. Out
      of 101 patients operated on 3 needed bougienage, 1 patients retained
      urethrorectal fistula. 8 patients had postoperative dynamic urethral obstruction
      removed upon augmentation of detrusor tonicity by means of intravenous
      administration of calcium chloride and strofantina. Copulative dysfunction
      occurred in 70% of the patients over 22 years of age. Extracavernous prosthetic
      implantations performed in 33 of them corrected erectile impotence [correction of
      importance].

PMID- 1413340
TI  - [The characteristics of the membranous part of the urethra].
AB  - The membranous part of the urethra has anatomic specificity influencing its
      trauma mechanism and allowed for in the trauma treatment policy. In 239 patients
      with an injured membranous part of the urethra described in the paper, the
      rupture was mainly due to the hip fracture. 85% of the patients developed a
      complete rupture with subsequent obliteration, 15% had strictures. Cicatrization
      involved the whole membranous part in 74% of the cases. In relevant traumas
      common are severe rectourethral and peritoneal fistulas surgical treatment of
      which as well as obliterations involves great technical difficulties. There is a
      variety of operative approaches and techniques (perineal, original anteropubic
      and anorectal). Urethral reconstruction should not be followed by bougienage.
      Typical are also frequent renal and genital complications (phlegmons,
      nephroliths, ureteroliths, epididymitis, orchitis, prostatitis, pyelonephritis).
      The number of complications depends on the choice of the adequate operative
      technique and due consideration of anatomical characteristics of the membranous
      part of the urethra.

PMID- 1413341
TI  - [Treatment results in urethral strictures].
AB  - A total of 231 patients with urethral strictures were treated. The disease
      resulted from trauma, adenomectomy, chronic urethritis, prostatic sclerosis in
      92, 72, 51 and 16 patients, respectively. Fifty-one patients underwent
      conservative treatment which involved bougienage, resolving and anti-inflammatory
      agents. 38 of them responded, 13 nonresponders were operated on. 72 patients were
      subjected to partial urethral tunneling according to an original technique which
      brought success in 90% of the cases. Out of 92 traumatic urethral strictures 88
      were cured after end-to-end plastic reconstruction. It is believed that urethral
      strictures should be managed individually basing on the stricture cause,
      location, length, severity, complications.

PMID- 1413342
TI  - [The surgical treatment of posttraumatic urethral strictures].

PMID- 1413343
TI  - [An improved guide for urethral bougies].
AB  - A routine-technique urethral bougienage using an elastic guide in marked urethral
      strictures is performed practically at random in view of great difficulties of
      the guide advance through the narrow part of the urethra which is not safe for
      urethral tissues. An atraumatic guide developed by the authors is radio-opaque.
      This makes it possible to bring it along the urethra to the bladder under the
      control of x-ray television and to avoid damage to the tissues. The guide was
      used in 9 patients with urethral strictures who failed bougienage attempted by
      conventional methods. Not only the results were positive, but also there were no
      complications such as urethrorrhagia, false urethral passages and urethral fever.

PMID- 1413344
TI  - [A way to improve the quality of compression anastomoses of the urethra in
      children].
AB  - The paper presents the analysis of compression anastomosis establishment in
      surgical treatment of children with posttraumatic strictures of the posterior
      urethra. It is noticed that quality of the anastomoses deteriorates with
      enlargement of the interpolated tissues layer. Anastomosis is suggested to be
      formed between submucous layers. The new variant was tried in experiment on 9
      dogs and in 5 patients with posttraumatic urethral strictures. As a result of
      more advanced anastomoses the thickness of the interpolated tissues reduced 2-3
      fold. The techniques of the above surgery are discussed as well as the advantages
      of the proposed submucous compression anastomosis in posttraumatic strictures of
      the posterior urethra.

PMID- 1413345
TI  - [The assessment of the state of the blood lipid spectrum, hemostasis, hormonal
      homeostasis and hemodynamics in the early diagnosis and drug correction of the
      cardiovascular changes in prostatic cancer patients undergoing estrogen therapy].
AB  - A complex of investigation was performed in 30 males with newly diagnosed
      prostatic cancer (stages T2NOMO-T3NO-1MO) before treatment with estrogens, 2-3
      months and 1 year after its start. The complex included evaluation of blood lipid
      spectrum (HDL, LDL, VLDL, triglycerides), hemostasis (coagulation, platelet
      aggregation, fibrinolysis), hormonal profile (blood hydrocortisone, aldosterone,
      testosterone, estradiol, STH, FSH, LH, prolactin, plasma renin activity), central
      and intracardiac hemodynamics, ECG. 66 healthy men of advanced age served
      control. It was found that estrogen therapy affected blood lipid metabolism,
      leading to impairment of physiological correlation between HDL and triglycerides,
      increased blood levels of VLDL and triglycerides. Long-term estrogen treatment
      brought about enhancement of hemocoagulation and platelet aggregation. Hormonal
      shifts involved hyperprolactinemia, hypersomatotropism, hypercorticism,
      aldosterone hypersecretion, proportional androgens-estrogens alterations.
      Hormonal abnormalities produce side effects in estrogen-treated CHD and
      hypertonic patients: negative ECG readings indicative of deteriorated coronary
      circulation and hypertensive episodes, central hemodynamic disorders,
      respectively. In view of possible cardiovascular damage related to estrogen
      therapy, a differentiated approach is proposed which would allow a long-term
      estrogen treatment free of relevant complications.

PMID- 1413346
TI  - Current diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections.

PMID- 1413347
TI  - Technique of external sphincter balloon dilatation.
AB  - We report on our technique and early experience with balloon dilatation of the
      external sphincter in 7 spinal cord-injured men with detrusor external sphincter
      dyssynergia and elevated voiding pressure. Following dilatation, bladder emptying
      into condom catheters was achieved in all patients without dribbling
      incontinence.

PMID- 1413348
TI  - Technical aids in investigation and management of urethral diverticula in the
      female.
AB  - Three aids in the diagnosis and management of urethral diverticula are described.
      First, the technique of double-balloon urethrography has been modified. Diluted
      contrast medium is used to inflate the intravesical and external balloons so that
      improved delineation of the anatomy of the diverticular pouches is obtained with
      undiluted contrast medium. Second, for identification and irrigation with
      antibiotic solution of the nondraining pouches of compound diverticula, an
      angiographic catheter is placed in the most distal pouch using fluoroscopically
      guided manipulation, and then this catheter is replaced with a pigtail-shaped
      nephrostomy drainage catheter. Third, a 7 F Foley catheter balloon is placed in
      thin-walled and friable diverticular pouches to facilitate dissection.

PMID- 1413349
TI  - Prototype of a reflux-preventing ureteral stent and its clinical use.
AB  - We have experimentally produced a ureteral stent which prevents vesicorenal
      reflux. This stent has a thin silicon sleeve at its distal end (intravesical
      portion). In a model experiment the sleeve demonstrated an excellent capability
      to prevent reflux. The sleeve allowed flow of fluid with minimal pressure rise. A
      patient with bilateral ureteral obstruction was managed with endoscopic insertion
      of a sleeved stent in the right ureter and a usual pigtail stent in left ureter.
      During cystography vesicorenal reflux was not observed on the right side while
      reflux occurred on the left side. Excretory urography forty days after stent
      placement demonstrated recovery of renal function and maintenance of drainage in
      both renal units. Thus, the drainage characteristic of this stent appears to be
      approximately the same as that of usual stent.

PMID- 1413350
TI  - KTP-532 laser ablation of urethral strictures.
AB  - In 1988 the KTP-532 laser was used to ablate a series of benign urethral
      strictures. Rather than using a single incision as in urethrotomy, strictures
      were treated with 360-degree contact photoradiation. Thirty-one male patients,
      average age 53.2 years, received thirty-seven treatments; 6 patients underwent a
      second laser treatment. Stricture etiology was commonly iatrogenic (32%),
      traumatic (16%), and postgonococcal (10%). Stricture location included mainly
      bulbar (49%), membranous (20%), and penile (12%) areas. The surgical technique
      consisted of circumferential ablation, followed by Foley catheter placement
      (mean, 10 days). Follow-up on 29 of 31 patients ranged from one to sixteen months
      (mean 9.7). Complete success occurred in 17 patients (59%) who had no further
      symptoms or instrumentation. Partial success was seen in 6 patients (20.5%) with
      symptom, but not stricture, recurrence. Six patients (20.5%) failed therapy,
      requiring additional surgery or regular dilations. No complications were seen.
      Although longer assessment is required, KTP-532 laser ablation of urethral
      strictures appears efficacious.

PMID- 1413351
TI  - Identification of motile sperm in caput epididymis. Intraoperative observations
      and clinical correlations.
AB  - This retrospective review of patients who underwent vasoepididymostomy
      demonstrates that motile sperm may be identified in the most proximal portion of
      the epididymis, and implies that induction of sperm motility may be independent
      of transit through the epididymis. Although further studies are needed, the data
      imply that it may not be necessary to identify motile sperm in the epididymal
      fluid to achieve a successful vasoepididymostomy.

PMID- 1413352
TI  - Vesicoureteral reflux in children with and without a history of urinary tract
      infection: a comparative analysis.
AB  - Eighty-eight children who were discovered to have vesicoureteral reflux were
      prospectively studied over a two-year period. Two groups were compared: 49 who
      presented with a urinary tract infection and 39 who were identified through
      prospective screening. Based on the distribution of grade and the presence of
      parenchymal scarring, the severity of vesicoureteral reflux was comparable in the
      two groups. Of note, more males with reflux were identified in the noninfected
      group, whereas sex distribution was almost equal in the infected group.
      Ultrasound alone was found to be highly inaccurate in identifying reflux or
      parenchymal changes. In conclusion, screening of at-risk groups of children
      without a history of urinary tract infection may identify patients with
      clinically significant vesicoureteral reflux.

PMID- 1413353
TI  - Accessory and ectopic scrotum with VATER association.
AB  - Scrotal ectopia or accessory scrotum are both rare conditions. This report
      describes a neonate with both abnormalities, who also has elements of the VATER
      association. This constellation of anomalies has not been previously described.

PMID- 1413354
TI  - Preoperative assessment of prostatic carcinoma by computerized tomography.
      Weaknesses and new perspectives.
AB  - A retrospective study of five years' experience with fourth-generation
      computerized tomography (CT) scan was undertaken to assess the frequency of
      understaging in prostate cancer. A total of 160 patients with preoperative scans
      were surgically staged. In 10 patients, the operation was aborted after pelvic
      node dissection had revealed unsuspected metastatic involvement. Based on the
      histopathologic evidence of local tumor invasion, extension into seminal vesicles
      or pelvic lymph nodes, restaging was required in 78 percent of cases. Accuracy
      was 24 percent for capsular extension, 69 percent for seminal vesicle invasion,
      and 72 percent for lymphadenopathy. The poor yield of CT scan as a preoperative
      staging modality is demonstrated. Recent advances in the understanding and
      management of prostatic cancer require reassessing patient benefit and cost
      effectiveness of available imaging techniques, focusing on the problem of
      detecting nodal metastases, and predicting tumor spread to regional lymph nodes
      by accurately evaluating the primary neoplasm. We conclude that CT scan fails to
      demonstrate the required precision needed to evaluate local tumor spread;
      therefore, this goal must be pursued with newer imaging modalities.

PMID- 1413355
TI  - Is magnetic resonance imaging alone accurate enough in staging renal cell
      carcinoma?
AB  - A patient with renal cell carcinoma extending into the inferior vena cava
      presented to our institution. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated the
      superior extent of the thrombus to be at the level of the hepatic veins.
      Preoperative venacavography showed extension into the right atrium. The need for
      both studies in evaluating patients with Stage 3A disease is reviewed.

PMID- 1413356
TI  - Unusual presentation of renal oncocytoma.

PMID- 1413357
TI  - A new, efficient table-drain assembly for endoscopic surgery.

PMID- 1413358
TI  - Adenomatoid tumor of testicle.
AB  - A rare case of intratesticular adenomatoid tumor is described. Pathologically and
      clinically this tumor is associated with the seminiferous tubules and the rete
      testis. The patient underwent left inguinal exploration to confirm the testicular
      tumor. A radical orchiectomy was performed. We believe this is the first case of
      documented intratesticular adenomatoid tumor that did not arise from either
      tunica albuginea or epididymis. The cytologic origin of adenomatoid tumors and an
      unusual finding of decreased spermatogenesis with marked atrophy of the testes
      are also presented.

PMID- 1413359
TI  - Ureteropelvic junction obstruction caused by accessory renal vessels in
      association with preureteral vena cava and vena caval duplication.
AB  - An apparent ureteropelvic junction obstruction on the right side may herald an
      array of anomalous conditions for which the surgeon should be prepared. A case is
      presented in which ureteropelvic junction obstruction caused by accessory renal
      vessels was found in association with a preureteral vena cava and a vena caval
      duplication on the right side. The embryology of caval anomalies associated with
      preureteric vena cava is reviewed.

PMID- 1413360
TI  - Testicular teratocarcinoma with intracaval metastases to the heart.
AB  - We report a case of testicular teratocarcinoma involving the inferior vena cava
      with extension to the right atrium and metastases to the tricuspid valve. We
      believe this to be the first such reported case.

PMID- 1413361
TI  - Priapism associated with asplenic state.
AB  - Priapism may be primary (idiopathic) or secondary to sickle cell anemia, trauma,
      leukemia, drugs, venous thromboembolic diseases, and other less common disorders.
      This study concerns 21 patients with priapism treated during a period of ten
      years. Nine patients (43%) had sickle cell anemia. Of the 12 individuals (57%)
      classified as idiopathic, 3 (25%) had previously undergone surgical splenectomy
      for benign conditions. Considering the propensity for this unusual condition to
      develop in patients with hemoglobinopathy-induced hyposplenism, the possibility
      of a relationship between the asplenic state and priapism is considered.

PMID- 1413362
TI  - Use of tunica vaginalis patch graft for repair of traumatic testicular rupture.
AB  - Early exploration of patients with testicular rupture has become the standard of
      care in traumatic testicular injuries. We report on a case of traumatic rupture
      of the testicle diagnosed by ultrasonography, with a large testicular defect that
      could not be closed primarily. This was managed successfully with a free graft of
      tunica vaginalis. The affected testicle is palpably normal three months
      postoperatively. This technique may represent a valuable adjunct in managing
      major testicular ruptures.

PMID- 1413363
TI  - Sarcomatoid renal carcinoma with angiosarcomatoid component. Light microscopic
      and immunohistochemical study.
AB  - We describe a case of primary renal pelvic carcinoma which showed an unusual
      histologic pattern of anastomosing blood-filled channels lined by atypical cells.
      This angiosarcomatoid pattern merged with solid areas typical of renal carcinoma.
      Immunoperoxidase stains for cytokeratin and epithelial membrane antigen were
      positive in both the angiosarcomatoid and typical carcinomatous areas, while
      stains for factor VIII-related antigen and desmin were negative. Since primary
      renal angiosarcomas are rare neoplasms, the diagnosis of sarcomatoid renal
      carcinoma should be considered in primary renal neoplasms which show this
      angiosarcomatoid pattern.

PMID- 1413365
TI  - William Bosworth Castle.

PMID- 1413364
TI  - Anatomic, functional, and pathologic changes from internal ureteral stent
      placement.
AB  - The anatomic, hydrodynamic, functional, and pathologic changes associated with
      unilateral internal ureteral stenting were evaluated in 20 female canines.
      Selective glomerular filtration rates (GFR) were measured with technetium 99m
      diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) renal scans (N = 14) prior to and
      several weeks after unilateral internal stent placement. Cystometry and
      cystography were done at weekly intervals to determine if reflux occurred and to
      measure the intravesical pressure to produce this reflux (N = 16). Ureteral
      lumenal capacities of mid 6-cm ureteral segments of stented and unstented ureters
      were compared. The mid-ureteral lumenal volumes were three times greater in the
      stented ureters (p < 0.002). There were no significant differences in the
      selective GFR before and after stenting. Low-pressure vesicoureteral reflux
      occurred at a mean intravesical pressure of 13.7 cm of water and was present in
      84.6 percent (11/13) of the canines whose stents did not migrate or obstruct from
      encrustation. There were no significant alterations in serum chemistries or blood
      counts. Fluoroscopic imaging also showed ineffective ureteral peristalsis. This
      study confirms that internal ureteral stents cause vesicoureteral reflux and
      significant lumenal dilation without altering renal function.

PMID- 1413366
TI  - Walter Murray Kirkendall.

PMID- 1413367
TI  - Francis Clark Wood.

PMID- 1413368
TI  - Frank P. Brooks.

PMID- 1413369
TI  - Pacesetters of the American image or (a case for a pleasant diversion).
AB  - Regardless of how you resolve the morality of our history, the fact is that
      Currier and Ives documented in their own special and often biased way the
      iconography of the growth and development of the United States of America (Fig.
      88) in some of the most eventful years of its history from about 1840 through
      1895. Now, as we near our 500th anniversary commemoration of Columbus' voyage to
      the Americas, it seems especially appropriate to review--to think about all of
      this. I think you have sensed, as we have gone along, that learning about Currier
      and his colleagues--these pacesetters of the American Image--has meant, as Osler
      predicted, a pleasant diversion for me. These activities have carried me into new
      areas of interest, expanding my perspective of the American Image--of people, of
      medicine, of life in general, and aiding in the identification of values, my own,
      as well as those of others. All along, my knowledge has been enhanced, especially
      of the history of this wonderful complex country of ours. Furthermore, and of
      considerable importance, this endeavor has sharpened my power of observation. I
      have, like a good doctor should do, learned to look better!

PMID- 1413370
TI  - The role of endothelial dysfunction to predict the development of allograft
      coronary artery disease following cardiac transplantation.

PMID- 1413371
TI  - The human prepro thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) gene: cloning,
      characterization, hormonal regulation, and gene localization.

PMID- 1413372
TI  - Thyroid disease during pregnancy.

PMID- 1413373
TI  - An analysis of the medical problems of the Civil War.

PMID- 1413374
TI  - The Gordon Wilson Lecture. The ABC's of viral hepatitis.

PMID- 1413375
TI  - The natural history of primary biliary cirrhosis.

PMID- 1413376
TI  - Solving the puzzle of hormone-dependent breast cancer.

PMID- 1413378
TI  - The crisis in biomedical research funding.

PMID- 1413377
TI  - Marijuana use and the risk of new onset seizures.

PMID- 1413379
TI  - The crisis in biomedical research funding--a commentary.

PMID- 1413380
TI  - The Jeremiah Metzger Lecture. Microbial defenses against killing by phagocytes.
AB  - Phagocytes are a key feature of defense against microorganisms. Phagocyte
      function is a complex system with many intricately involved components. Each of
      these components provides microorganisms with a target for countermeasures
      against phagocytes. We have discussed examples and purported mechanisms for
      microbial defenses against the steps involved in killing by phagocytes.
      Understanding the interplay of these host and pathogen factors leads to a better
      understanding of both normal host defenses and pathogenesis of disease.

PMID- 1413382
TI  - Is asthma always an allergic disease?

PMID- 1413381
TI  - Plaque-associated immune reactivity as a tool for the diagnosis and treatment of
      atherosclerosis.
AB  - In summary, we have confirmed that a specific humoral immune reactivity involves
      human atherosclerotic plaque. By isolating some of the autoantigens and employing
      them in prototype immunoassays, we have been able to measure for the presence of
      plaque-specific antibodies. Extracted plaque antigens have also served as
      immunogens in monoclonal antibody generation. These have shown early promise as
      plaque-directed in vivo targeting agents. Further scientific evaluation and
      reagent development remains before the practical utility of employing such
      reagents or methods in the care of patients with atherosclerosis-related diseases
      can be ascertained.

PMID- 1413385
TI  - Evaluating medical technology in the 1990's.

PMID- 1413384
TI  - Human chorionic gonadotropin-like proteins: secretion in nonpregnant humans and
      production by bacteria.

PMID- 1413383
TI  - Autonomic dysfunction: diagnosis guided by therapy.

PMID- 1413386
TI  - The remarkable contributions of S. Burt Wolbach on rickettsial vasculitis
      updated.

PMID- 1413387
TI  - [The effect of Zindep on B-lymphocyte levels in pregnant cows].
AB  - In the present study the immunomodulation effects of the Zindep preparation,
      based on elementary zinc and zinc oxide, were followed on the humoral response of
      gravid cows in the 8th and 9th months, a week after parturition and in calves
      immediately after parturition and on day 15 of their life. An increased level of
      B-lymphocytes was observed on days 2, 5, 8, 15, 30 and 50 of the experiment. The
      highest average values were recorded in the experimental group on days 8 and 15
      of the experiment. The mentioned values were statistically significant (T-test)
      at the level 0.05 and 0.01. The average values of B-lymphocytes in cows after
      parturition reached 22.3% in the cows of the experimental group and 20.5% in the
      control group. No pronounced differences in the number of B-lymphocytes in the
      calves of both followed groups were recorded. The statistical evaluation of the
      values obtained in the cows after parturition as well as in the calves was not
      carried out due to a small number of samplings.

PMID- 1413388
TI  - [The characteristics and regulation of glutamate dehydrogenase in strains of
      Bacteroides ruminicola ssp. ruminicola isolated from the rumen of fallow deer].
AB  - Very little information about NH4+ assimilation paths in rumen anaerobic bacteria
      is available, and the information about wild animals is completely missing.
      Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) isolated from the rumen strain B. ruminicola in
      fallow deer was purified and its properties were specified after crystalline
      ammonium sulphate precipitation and gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. The
      properties of partly purified GDH were specified. One of the first specifications
      concerning GDH from various sources was to determine its coenzyme specificity.
      The results of these determinations enabled to draw a general conclusion that GDH
      from non-animal sources was specific to only one coenzyme while GDH from animal
      sources could utilize the two coenzymes (Frieden, 1964). In our study the
      specificity of GDH isolated from the rumen strain B. ruminicola in fallow deer to
      the coenzyme NADH (Tab. I) was determined; this specificity was different from
      the coenzyme specificity of GDH isolated from the rumen strain B. ruminicola in
      calves where GDH was found to be specific to the coenzyme NADPH. The effect of
      increasing concentrations of NADH, 2-oxoglutarate and NH4+ on the enzyme reaction
      velocity was also investigated and Km was determined for NADH, 2-oxoglutarate and
      NH4+ (Tab. II). The kinetic properties of GDH isolated from different sources are
      considerably variable. Michaelis constants for GDH range from 0.003 to 0.125
      mmol/dm3 for NADPH (NADH), from 0.95 to 7.4 mmol/dm3 for 2-oxoglutarate, and from
      0.25 to 16 mmol/dm3 for NH4+ (Misono et al., 1985). The average value of Km for
      NH4+ in a mixed rumen population was 33 mmol/dm3 (Erfle et al., 1977).(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413389
TI  - [A practical immunologic skin test for piglets].
AB  - At present immune system performance in pigs is decreasing, particularly as a
      result of environment quality deterioration. Immunological skin tests can also be
      used to determine the degree of immune system impairment in piglets. A practical
      immunological skin test was carried out in 48 weaned piglets with the body weight
      of 15-30 kg. The test was located on the piglets' backs after bristles had been
      shaved off. The test consists in intradermal injections of a physiological saline
      (900 micrograms NaCl in 0.1 ml), histamine (100 micrograms in 0.1 ml) and
      phytohaemagglutinin (0.1 ml; Institute of Sera and Vaccines, Praha). The size of
      the papule (in 20 minutes) and the size of the induration (in 24 hours) were
      measured in two perpendicular directions, and the mean value (in mm) was
      calculated from the measured data. In 20 minutes the average size of the papule
      was 9.4 mm after the application of the physiological saline and 20.5 mm after
      histamine application (Fig. 1). In 24 hours after phytohaemagglutinin application
      the average size of the induration was 15.9 mm (Fig. 2). In twenty minutes the
      increased reaction to histamine (the papule larger than 24 mm) was observed in
      four piglets (8.3%); these piglets show the predisposition to allergic diseases
      (Fig. 3). In another four piglets (8.3%) the decreased reaction to
      phytohaemagglutinin (endurance of 13 mm and less) was observed in 24 hours; these
      are piglets with the decreased cellular immunity (Fig. 4). The increased reaction
      to histamine and the decreased reaction to phytohaemagglutinin were found only in
      one (2.1%). Piglets with abnormal dermal reaction can represent the risky part of
      the pig subpopulation which adapt themselves less easily to the stress on large
      pig farms. A veterinary surgeon and his assistant can examine by this test 20
      piglets in the herd. This skin test was recommended as a practical cheap
      screening test for use in pig herds to evaluate preliminarily the predisposition
      to allergic diseases and cellular immunity of piglets.

PMID- 1413390
TI  - [The effect of defaunation on fermentation in vitro].
AB  - An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of defaunation on the
      fermentation of two different diets consisting of hay (100%) and hay+barley (80%
      + +20%) in a rumen pouch (RUSITEC). The survival and composition of protozoa were
      investigated in an in vitro system in control vessels where no defaunation was
      carried out. Defaunation decreased the production of total volatile fatty acids
      (P < < 0.01), acetate, butyrate (P < 0.001)--Tab. II; dry matter digestibility (P
      < 0.05) and detergent fibre digestibility: acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral
      detergent fibre (NDF), cellulose (P < 0.001), hemicellulose (P < 0.01 and P <
      0.001, respectively) in our experiment (Tab. I). These parameters also decreased:
      production of CH4 (P < 0.001), CO2 (P < 0.01 for the barley diet), total
      production of gases (P < 0.001 for the barley diet), total utilization (P < 0.01
      and P < 0.001, respectively) and recovery of H2 (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001,
      respectively), NH3-N in effluent (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively)--Tab.
      III; and production of ATP (P < 0.01)--Tab. IV, as a result of fermentation in
      our experiment. On the other hand, there was a significant increase in the
      following parameters: production of propionate (P < 0.001 for the barley diet)-
      Tab. II; microbial nitrogen/kg of organic matter fermented--OMF (P < 0.001), Tab.
      III; energy yield--E of volatile fatty acids (VFA), proportion of VFA energy with
      respect to fermented hexose energy--E1, proportion of energy in bacterial cells
      with respect to fermented hexose energy--E3 (P < 0.001) and the effectiveness of
      microbial proteosynthesis--YATP (P < 0.001), Tab. IV, as a result of defaunation.
      The total number of protozoa and the number of some species, especially the
      number of big entodinio-morphid protozoa, were markedly higher (p < 0.001) for
      the barley diet--Tab. V. The number of protozoa decreased rapidly within three
      days after the system initiation. Later on, the values were more or less steady.

PMID- 1413391
TI  - [Changes in the amino acid levels in hydrolysates of bacteria adhering to the
      rumen in sheep during feeding with high and low nitrogen diets].
AB  - The effects of low and high nitrogen diets on amino acid levels were studied in
      hydrolyzates of ruminal bacteria adhered to four topographically different
      anatomic parts of the ruminal wall (dorsal, ventral and caudal parts as well as
      reticulum) in 18 sheep + of the Slovak Merino breed divided into three
      experimental groups. The epimural bacteria of the dorsal and ventral parts of the
      ovine rumen revealed the most sensitive reaction to the varying amounts of
      nitrogen ingested with the diet. In hydrolyzates of ruminal bacteria adhered to
      the dorsal and ventral epithelium, 15 and 14 amino acids were changing (Figs. 1,
      2). In hydrolyzates of epimural bacteria, a sensitive reaction was observed in
      the following amino acids: alanine, histidine, thyroxin, arginine and proline
      (Tabs. I-IV). In all topographical and anatomical parts of the rumen, both
      alanine and histidine levels in hydrolyzates of epimural ruminal bacteria
      significantly increased with the diet with high-nitrogen content fed, but was
      falling in sheep fed with low-nitrogen diet. Changes in alanine concentrations
      may be explained by the fact that alanine forms a part of the mechanism for short
      time storage of ammonia in bacterial cells (Bartos, 1987). The fact that alanine
      is in its lack deaminated to pyruvate (Havassy, 1976) is explained by significant
      fall in alanine contained in hydrolyzates of bacterial proteins when fed low
      nitrogen diets. Significant fall in alanine in shortage of amino acid bound
      nitrogen can be explained by the fact that under these conditions, the alanine
      skeleton is being incorporated in to 80% of amino acids synthetized de novo by
      ruminal bacteria (Syvaoja and Kreula, 1980). When sheep flock was fed the high
      nitrogen diet, thyroxin and proline levels were significantly reduced in
      hydrolyzates of epimural bacteria from all parts of the rumen, while low-nitrogen
      diet significantly increased the concentrations of both given amino acids in
      comparison with the control. Bartos (1987) gives in his study the table
      containing weight representation of different amino acids in proteins of bacteria
      of the ruminal content compiled on the basis of data of several authors. These
      data principally correspond to the results of our measurements in hydrolyzates of
      epimural bacteria. The highest weight representation of amino acids in
      hydrolyzates of epimural bacteria was found for glutamic acid, aspartic acid and
      arginine, while the lowest ones were detected for thyroxin, proline and
      phenylalanine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1413392
TI  - [Nuclear volume of cells in the stratum granulosum and theca folliculi interna of
      the largest dominant and atretic tertiary follicles in sheep during the selection
      process].
AB  - According to available literary data, an increased nuclear volume of endocrine
      gland cells, various structures of the diencephalon and endocrine ovarial
      structures could be observed when the respective organs and structures were more
      active; a decreased nuclear volume was revealed when the activity of the
      respective organ or its structure was suppressed (Mess, 1962; Maracek and
      Arendarcik, 1976, 1978). Attention was paid to the karyometric analysis of
      follicular cells of the stratum granulosum (SG) and secretory cells of the theca
      folliculi interna (TFI) during selection of the dominant ovulatory follicle
      (DOF). The aim of this study was to determine differences in hte nuclear volumes
      of the granulosa follicular cells and the secretory cells of the inner theca of
      the DO1F in comparison with the largest atretic follicles (AF) as well as to
      verify the use of karyometric variance analysis for the evaluation of the
      selection process of the dominant ovulatory tertiary follicle. Histological
      sections were prepared from large DOF and AF from the ovaries of 18 sheep aged 3
      5 years and held under standard conditions of a controlled herd. Control group I
      (n = 3) consisted of Wallachian sheep on day 15 of the sexual cycle (day 0).
      Excisions of ovaries from the animals of the experimental group (n = 3) were made
      on day 16 of the cycle after i.m. treatment with 120 micrograms GnRH 10 and 7
      hours prior to sampling. Control group II (n = 3) consisted of Tsigai sheep at
      the 9th or 10th day of the oestrous cycle (hour 0) and three experimental groups
      (n = 3 each) consisted of Tsigai sheep 24, 48 and 72 hours after i.m. treatment
      with 125 micrograms cloprostenol. After excision the ovaries were fixed in
      neutral formaline, cut into 4 mm thick transverse segments and subjected to
      standard histological processing. After staining with Harris' HE the 5-7 microns
      thick sections were karyometrically evaluated at a magnification of 2200 x
      according to the method of Palkovits (1961) using the PC programme Karyotest 03
      (Maracek et al., 1991). 200 cells were evaluated from each sample and both cell
      types; altogether 7200 cells were examined. GnRH treatment (Dirigestran inj.
      Spofa) increased the nuclear volume of follicular cells (SG) in the dominant
      ovulatory follicle in the process of selection (Tab. I, Fig. 1). The former,
      however, reduced the nuclear volume not only of the SG follicular cells of LAF
      (Tab. II, Fig. 2) but also of the secretory cells of both the DOF and AF theca
      interna (Tab. II, Figs. 3, 4). Cloprostenol treatment (Oestrophan inj. Spofa)
      affected the follicular cells of the granulosa in the dominant ovulatory
      follicle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1413393
TI  - [Antiproteolytic activity of blood and cervical mucus in sheep after hormonal
      ovarian stimulation and gamma ray irradiation (2.45 Gy) during anestrus].
AB  - The antiproteolytic activities of the blood plasma (BP) and cervical mucus (CM)
      determined as trypsin inhibiting activities (TIA) where trypsin served as a model
      serine protease, were variable after superovulatory stimulations of ewes and
      after their gamma irradiation (2.45 Gy). TIA's were determined from the reduction
      in the bovine trypsin hydrolysis of the low-molecular chromogenic substrate N
      alpha-tosyl-L-arginyl-p-nitro anilide (TAPA) (Bartik et al., 1974). The
      inhibition was expressed in per cent when delta A405 = 1.0 for 10-minute
      incubation at 25 degrees C, pH = 8.05, 0.2 mol/l tris-HCl buffer, was taken as
      100%. Student's t-test was used for the statistical evaluation. A hundred ewes of
      the Merino breed were applied Agelin vaginal tampons (20 mg chlor-superlutin per
      head) on day 1 for 10 days in the anoestric period (May). A part of these ewes
      were subjected to whole-body gamma irradiation on days 6 to 11. When the
      irradiation was completed and the tampons were taken out, the ewes (three to four
      years old lambing ewes, yearling ewes) were stimulated to superovulations by an
      administration of 1500 IU serum gonadotropin (SG) or 450 IU follicle stimulating
      hormone (FSH). These parameters were followed in the subsequent 5-6 days: BP TIA
      (Figs. 1 and 4), fraction of low-molecular BP (n) TIA (Figs. 2 and 5), CM TIA
      (Figs. 3 and 6). Fig. 7 shows the average values of the results. The lambing ewes
      and yearling ewes had various responses to irradiation and superovulatory
      stimulation. Gamma irradiation eliminated the increase in BP TIA (P < 0.001) in
      the ewes after stimulations (Fig. 1a, b). The yearling ewes showed nonsignificant
      changes (ns) as their responses to SG stimulations and gamma irradiation, but the
      responses on the particular days of the trial were different (Fig. 1c, d--FSH
      stimulation). Similar changes were observed in the BP nTIA fraction. The changes
      in the average values of CM TIA were nonsignificant in the lambing ewes, the
      gamma irradiation reduced CM TIA only after FSH stimulation (P < 0.002). The
      amount of cervical mucus decreased after stimulations and irradiation, the
      thickness of ovarian epithelium and muscles was reduced in the particular parts,
      differently in lambing ewes and in yearling ewes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400
      WORDS)

PMID- 1413394
TI  - [The effect of fatty acids in the feed on xanthine dehydrogenase activity in the
      Japanese quail].
AB  - The aim of the present study is to determine the effect of different fatty acids
      on the amino acid catabolism judged on the level of xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH).
      The model system of protein depletion with subsequent repletion was used in the
      trial consisted of Japanese quails 71 days old. In the period of protein
      repletion, the fatty acid (stearic, palmitic, oleic, linolenic, linoleic and
      lauric, respectively) was used instead of common fatty compound in the diet.
      Specific activities of XDH in liver, kidneys and pancreas of quails were tested
      dynamically from the first to the eighth day of feeding. It was demonstrated that
      neither lauric, palmitic nor oleic acid, respectively, had an effect on the
      development of the specific activity of XDH (Fig. 3). Stearic acid as a sole
      fatty compound in the diet however evoked reactibility of XDH in liver or in
      pancreas in different way as in kidneys (Fig. 4). The dynamics of the XDH
      development in kidneys was practically identical than that in the control.
      However, XDH in liver and pancreas raised statistically already from the first
      day of feeding. The effects of linoleic and linolenic acids on the development of
      specific activity of XDH were organ selective, too (Fig. 5). XDH in kidneys was
      shown in the same manner as in the control group. In liver and pancreas, however,
      the specific activity of XDH was diminished markedly just from the first day of
      feeding.

PMID- 1413396
TI  - [A method for detection of cryptosporidial oocysts in mammals and birds].

PMID- 1413395
TI  - [Continuous intravenous anesthesia in dogs using a combination of xylazine,
      ketamine and guaifenesin].
AB  - The tested anaesthesia through a permanent infusion of a xylazine, ketamine and
      guaifenezine (XKG) mixture was used in ten experimental dogs without clinical
      signs of a disease and in fifty two patients during different surgical
      interventions. After joint i.m. atropine (0.05 mg/kg) and xylazine (2 mg/kg)
      premedication, anaesthesia in dogs was induced by an i.v. administration of 1%
      ketamine at a dose of 2 mg/kg, and the XKG was infused instantly after the
      previous treatment. The mixture contained 2.0 ml of 5% ketamine and 1.25 ml of 2%
      xylazine added to 100 ml of 5% guaifenezine. The infusion was applied at a rate
      of 3.3 ml/kg for the first five minutes and then it was maintained at constant
      values of 2.2 ml/kg during the whole surgical intervention (Tab. I). The
      induction and course of anaesthesia, and waking up and recovery from anaesthesia
      were evaluated in all dogs, and the trias values were also followed. These
      additional parameters were followed in the test group: breathing volumes, ECG
      values and acid-base balance parameters were determined from the collected blood
      samples. The observation of measurable parameters (Figs. 1 to 5) and ECG analysis
      did not demonstrate any large departures from the starting values, and the
      changes in the acid-base balance (Tab. II) suggest the partly compensated
      respiratory acidosis. On the basis of our results, we can recommend this tested
      method for general anaesthesia particularly of dogs of larger breeds and for
      longer-lasting operations. This method is suitable to be used first of all in the
      veterinary establishments where inhalation anaesthesia is not practicable.

PMID- 1413397
TI  - [Descent of ova and embryos in cows superovulated with serum gonadotropin].
AB  - The descent and localization of eggs and embryos in individual segments of the
      reproductive tract of superovulated cows were studied in this work. For the
      induction of superovulation, serum gonadotropin (PMSG, Ivanovice in Hana) at a
      dose of 2,500-3,500 I.U. was used, in combination with 0.5 mg of Cloprostenol
      (Oestrophan, Spofa), administered 48 hours after gonadotropin treatment. The
      start of superovulation fell on days 9 to 12 of the sexual cycle and was
      conditioned by the presence of the corpus luteum (CL). After the onset of the
      heat, 2-3 inseminations were carried out using fresh semen. Donor cows were
      slaughtered 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 days after the second insemination and isolated
      reproductive organs (Fig. 1) were divided into five segments (two on oviducts and
      three on uterine horns) by the applied ligature. In laboratory conditions
      superovulation response was determined accurately, the volume of ovaries was
      assessed according to water displacement and the segments of oviducts and uterus
      were rinsed with TCM 199 or PBS supplemented with FCS. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 days
      after insemination (Tab. I). 18.1 (+/- 3.55), 12.4 (+/- 0.91), 19.2 (+/- 2.86),
      20 and 23 (+/- 2.44) CL on average were recorded, which corresponded to the
      ovulation of 64, 50, 56, 71 and 72 percent of stimulated follicles (Fig. 2).
      Within 3 to 7 days after insemination nearly triple enlargement of ovaries was
      also observed (Tab. I, Fig. 3). During the lavage of individual segments of the
      tubular reproductive tract, 38 per cent of eggs and embryos were detected in the
      uterus as early as 3 days after insemination (Tab. II). Unfertilized eggs and
      degenerated embryos were found in the 2nd and 3rd uterine segment, embryos at the
      stage of 8-16 blastomeres were localized in the 1st and 2nd segment of the
      uterus. Four days after insemination (Tab. III), about 64 per cent of eggs and
      embryos at the stage up to 16 blastomeres were found in the uterus, but embryos
      up to 32 blastomeres were still flushed out of the oviduct. On day 5 after
      insemination, 92 per cent of eggs and embryos were released into the uterus,
      being localized mostly in the cranial and medial part of the uterus (Tab. IV).
      7.5 per cent of recovered eggs and embryos at the stage of early or compacted
      morulae were still detected in the oviducts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1413398
TI  - [The effect of high-dose ultraviolet irradiation on sodium, calcium and
      aldosterone in the blood of calves].
AB  - Five Holstein-Friesian calves, from one sire, with prevalent black hair coat
      pigmentation were used in the experiment. The mean age was 33 days and the mean
      live weight 51 kg. The animals were exposed free running without interruption for
      12 hours to an artificial ultraviolet light in the range of 280-320 nm. The mean
      doses of radiation was 179.10(-10) J/h/m. One-spot high-pressure mercury
      discharge lamps Tesla RVK 400 W were used as a radiation source. The dose rate
      was estimated from measurements by a spectral photometer with filter UG 2 for
      absorbtion of visible light located at the height of the back of standing calf.
      Blood samples were collected immediately before the beginning of treatment and
      after 5, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours. The blood plasma aldosterone was measured by
      radioimmunoassays, the levels of sodium, potassium and calcium in blood plasma by
      flame spectrophotometry. Double classification variance analysis and evaluation
      according to the Snedecor F-test, the contrast effect test according to Duncan
      and regression analysis were used for statistical evaluation. Compared to the
      first sampling, sodium increased significantly after 5 and 12 hours of exposure
      (Tab. I) to 138.1 and 138.3 mmol/l, respectively. In the subsequent samplings
      this trend continued up to 72 hours from the beginning of irradiation (140.5
      mmol/l). The potassium level did not change statistically significantly. Owing to
      an excessive irradiation, the calcium concentration increased significantly. The
      greatest increase occurred after 12 hours of irradiation (from 2.29 mmol/l to
      2.61 mmol/l) and after 36 hours from the end of irradiation (2.70
      mmol/l).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413399
TI  - [Production of progesterone and testosterone in ovarian granulosa cells in sows
      after administration of nonapeptide hormones in vitro].
AB  - In the present paper the effects of nonapeptide hormones and of some of their
      chemical analogues were investigated on progesterone and testosterone production
      in granulosa cells of sow ovaries; the experiments were made in vitro. This
      objective was given by data on potential regulatory roles of nonapeptides at the
      level of hypothalamus, pituitary and reproductive organs. The goal of this
      experiment was to analyze the effects of various doses of oxytocin (OT), arginine
      8-vasopressin (AVP), arginine-8-vasotocin and of some of their analogues on
      progesterone and testosterone production in vitro in granulosa cells of sow
      ovaries. The production activity of granulosa cells was investigated which were
      obtained from slaughtered sows without any changes in their reproductive process
      and abnormalities in their reproductive organs. Follicles of the size 2-5 mm
      without marked paleness in the early follicular phase were selected for
      aspiration. Granulosa cells with determined viability (more than 75%) and
      concentration (2 million/ml) were cultivated in defined culture conditions (37.5
      degrees C, 5% CO2) after threefold resuspension and centrifugation of follicle
      fluid. These hormonal preparations were used in the experiments: pFSH, synthetic
      OT, synthetic AVP, synthetic AVP with antidiuretic effects and synthetic AVT.
      Progesterone and testosterone concentrations were analyzed
      radioimmunoanalytically using commercial kits of the Institute of Radio ecology
      and Nuclear Technology at Kosice. Statistically significant differences between
      the groups were evaluated by Student's t-test. The administered preparations were
      found to influence progesterone and testosterone production in dependence on the
      doses applied (Figs. 1-6). OT stimulation of progesterone production in granulosa
      cells indicated its regulatory role in relation to secretion of this
      hormone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413400
TI  - [Experimental chronic phenylmercuric chloride poisoning in pigs].
AB  - Four gilts, sisters from one litter, aged 70 days and weighing 20-24 kg, were
      used for a trial. Two experimental gilts (P) were administered an experimental
      feed mixture containing phenylmercury chloride (40 mg/kg). Two control gilts (K)
      were fed the same mixture but without phenylmercury chloride. P gilts began to
      lag behind in their growth from day 60 of the experiment, they manifested
      nonphysiological postures (dog's sitting posture), paresis of hind limbs and
      uncoordinated movements. P gilts had cloudy, orange-brown urine from day 70 and
      from day 75 they began to suffer from diarrhoea. Mercury (Hg) contents in urine
      and blood serum of P gilts were irregularly variable: urine 0.58-2.15 mg/l, blood
      serum 0.02-0.37 mg/l. Hg content in excrements of P gilts fluctuated from 23 to
      26 mg/kg. Vitamin A concentrations in blood serum and liver decreased in P gilts.
      Phenylmercury chloride feeding caused mutagenic changes in peripheral lymphocytes
      of P gilts (an increase in the number of aberrant cells from 2-3% to 8-9%) and
      reduced IgA, IgM and IgG immunoglobulin levels in blood serum. Pathological
      lesions were observed in the colon, kidneys and liver. None of the above
      mentioned changes were observed in K gilts. Increased resistance to the negative
      effects of Hg was found in one experimental gilt. In comparison with K gilts, Hg
      concentrations in P gilts after 130 days of the experiment increased as follows:
      427 times in kidneys, 333 times in liver, 106 times in guts, 71 times in
      pancreas, 53 times in ovaries, 50 times in muscles, 47 times in bristles and 16
      times in the brain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413401
TI  - [The effect of repeated administration of carbetocin (Depotocin, Spofa) in the
      first days postpartum on levels of thyroxine, triiodothyronine, 17 beta
      estradiol, progesterone and on fertilization].
AB  - Application of new procedures in the sphere of the control of sexual functions
      requires an extension of present knowledge of postparturient endocrinium or
      endogenic factors comprised in postparturient physiology of sexual activity.
      According to recent data, oxytocin, besides its uterotonic and luteolytic
      activity, acts as an ovarian factor in the local intrafollicular regulation of
      stereidogenesis and as a modulator of uterine secretion of prostaglandines. Based
      on present knowledge of oxytocin effects, this study was aimed at investigation
      of the influence of repeated carbetocin (Depotocin inj. Spofa) administration on
      the dynamics of changes in thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), 17 beta
      estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4) concentrations and their mutual correlations
      from the 36th hour till the 51st day after parturition. Simultaneous study of a
      possible delayed influence of applied carbetocin on conception of ewes after
      oestrus evocation on day 51 after lambing was carried out. Nineteen ewes of the
      Slovak Merino breed, lambed in the first decade of February, were assigned to the
      experimental (n = 9) and to the control group (n = 10). Experimental ewes were
      subjected to repeated postparturient carbetocin treatment at the dose 0.07 mg per
      animal. The first dose was applied i. m. in 24 hours, and the second in 72 hours
      after parturition. On day 51 oestrus was induced in nine ewes of each group by
      combined treatment with chlorsuperlutin (Agelin, vaginal pessaries, Spofa) and
      PMSG (500 I.U./animal). On the day of PMSG application ewes were housed together
      with rams for the period of the next six days. Samples of blood were taken 24
      hours before parturition (-1st day), up to 36 h after parturition and on days 4,
      7, 14, 17, 21, 25, 34, 42 and 51 after parturition. Concentrations of T4, T3, E2
      and P4 were determined by commercial kits RIA-test-T4; RIA-test-T3; RIA-test
      ESTRA and RIA-test-PROG (URVJT Kosice). Animal of the control group showed
      variations of T4 concentrations (Tab. I, Fig. 1) at the level of original values
      (59.4 +/- 9.69 nmol.l-1) up to the 21st day with the exception of temporary drop
      on day 4 and rise on day 7, insignificant compared to the -1st day. T4
      concentrations of the control group displayed an intermittent increasing trend
      with the statistically insignificant peak after 36 h and on day 17, compared to
      the -1st day. After the 21st day controls revealed a sustained moderate increase
      while the experimental ewes displayed a decline of its concentrations until the
      51st day.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1413402
TI  - [Levels of mercury in samples of bees and honey from areas with and without
      industrial contamination].
AB  - Increasing numbers of specialists have been concerned with the problem of
      friendly environment in relation to man as well as to farm and wild animals.
      Greater interest in the biological monitoring of environment and ecosystem
      contamination can be observed. Determination of residues of organic and inorganic
      substances in bees (Apis mellifera) and in their products is one of effective
      possibilities of environmental pollution monitoring. Our work was aimed at the
      study of mercury levels in bees and their products. Mercury levels were
      determined in the head, abdomen and thorax of bees (Apis mellifera) from 20 bee
      populations coming from industrially contaminated areas with a dominant load of
      mercury (10 populations) and from uncontaminated areas. Mercury levels were
      determined simultaneously in honey coming from both contaminated and
      uncontaminated areas. The following mercury levels were found in bees from the
      contaminated area: heads 0.029-0.385 mg/kg, thorax 0.028-0.595 mg/kg and abdomen
      0.083-2.255 mg/kg. Mercury levels in samples from uncontaminated areas ranged
      from 0.004 to 0.024 mg/kg in the heads, from 0.004 to 0.008 mg/kg in the thorax
      and from 0.008 to 0.020 mg/kg in the abdomen. In honey samples from the
      contaminated and uncontaminated areas mercury levels ranged from 0.050 to 0.212
      mg/kg and from 0.001 to 0.003 mg/kg, respectively. The results of sample analyses
      for mercury loads in bees and honey from both contaminated and uncontaminated
      areas are given in Tab. I. Mean mercury levels in the single parts of the body in
      Apis mellifera and in honey from contaminated and uncontaminated areas are given
      in Figs. 1, 2, 3.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413403
TI  - A survey of epithelial odontogenic tumors and cysts in dogs and cats.
AB  - A retrospective histologic study of 12 canine and eight feline epithelial
      odontogenic tumors and cysts was conducted from oral masses (n = 3,917) obtained
      between 1980 and 1990. No sex or breed predilection was identified. Ameloblastoma
      was observed in two dogs (case Nos. 1, 2) 6 and 8 months of age. Calcifying
      epithelial odontogenic tumors were seen in a dog (case No. 3) and in two cats
      (case Nos. 4, 5) between 8 and 16 years of age. Ameloblastic fibroma (or
      fibroameloblastoma) was observed in cats (case Nos. 6-10) only. Inductive
      fibroameloblastoma was observed in four cats (case Nos. 6-9) up to 1 year of age,
      whereas ameloblastic fibroma was seen in a 14-year-old cat (case No. 10). A
      single ameloblastic odontoma was identified in a 20-month-old dog (case No. 11).
      Two complex odontomas occurred in a 6-month-old (case No. 12) and a 4-year-old
      (case No. 13) dog. Odontogenic cysts were identified in five dogs (case Nos. 14
      18) aged 4.5 months to 16 years and in a 1-year-old cat (case No. 19) and have
      not been previously reported in these species. These cysts were lined by a
      stratified epithelium reminiscent of the appearance of ameloblastic epithelium.
      An odontogenic keratocyst with prominent central parakeratotic keratinization was
      identified in one 9-year-old female dog (case No. 20). Almost all epithelial
      odontogenic tumors were circumscribed, benign tumors that warranted a good
      prognosis for survival, although local recurrence may have followed (or may
      follow) incomplete excision. Calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumors may be
      locally invasive. Of six odontogenic cysts (case Nos. 14-19), two (case Nos. 15,
      18) gave rise to basi-squamous carcinomas. The classification and behavior of
      epithelial odontogenic tumors and cysts in human beings, dogs, and cats are
      discussed.

PMID- 1413404
TI  - Correlation between histologic diagnosis mean nucleolar organizer region count
      and prognosis in canine mammary tumors.
AB  - In this study, surgically excised mammary tumors from 98 bitches were graded
      histologically, and the grade was compared with the mean nucleolar organizer
      region (NOR) count in silver-stained paraffin-embedded sections. Histologically
      benign tumors, papillary adenocarcinomas, and intraductal carcinomas showed
      relatively little variation; the mean count for each category was between three
      and four NOR per nucleus. There was, however, a significant increase in the NOR
      counts in tubular and solid carcinomas. This increase was most pronounced for
      tumors that showed evidence of infiltration into the surrounding connective
      tissues. The mean NOR count for noninfiltrative carcinomas was 5.1, and that for
      invasive carcinomas was 7.3 (P less than 0.03). The mean NOR count for individual
      carcinomas ranged from 2.0 to 12.3, and a significant correlation was found
      between an increased NOR count and tumor-related death during the first post
      surgical year. The 39 bitches in which the tumor had an NOR count less than 8.0
      had a generally favorable prognosis; only six (15%) died as a result of the
      original neoplasm. In contrast, 18/21 dogs (85%) with a carcinoma having an NOR
      count greater than 8.0 died from the tumor during the first post-surgical year. A
      similar, although less pronounced result was obtained specifically for invasive
      carcinomas, in which 3/12 (25%) tumors with an NOR count less than 6.0 resulted
      in the death of the host, compared with 17/20 (85%) that had an NOR count greater
      than 6. By using this technique, it is possible to identify a subgroup of bitches
      with invasive mammary carcinomas that have a very poor prognosis following
      apparently adequate surgical ablation of the primary tumor.

PMID- 1413405
TI  - Correlation of DNA ploidy to tumor histologic grade, clinical variables, and
      survival in dogs with mast cell tumors.
AB  - By using flow cytometry, a retrospective analysis of the DNA content of 40
      primary canine mast cell tumors and seven lymph nodes that contained metastatic
      mast cell tumor from 44 dogs of various breed, sex, and age was performed on
      formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples of the tumors and nodes. These samples
      were chosen according to the following criteria: samples contained sufficient
      well-preserved tumor tissue in the paraffin block for processing, sufficient
      patient history data were available, clean and homogeneous cell suspensions were
      obtained after processing, and interpretable DNA histograms were produced on
      analysis. The ploidy data obtained were compared with the histopathologic grade,
      the anatomical site of occurrence, the clinical stage of the tumors, and the
      survival of the dogs. Over 70% (29/40) of the mast cell tumors were diploid.
      Three metastatic mast cell tumors in lymph nodes had the same ploidy status as
      their corresponding primary tumors. In five dogs, mast cell tumors from multiple
      sites in each dog displayed similar ploidy status. Of 26 dogs evaluated for
      survival times, 69% (18/26) had diploid tumors and 31% (8/26) had aneuploid
      tumors. When numbers of diploid versus aneuploid tumors were compared, no
      significant difference was found between any two grades, clinical stages, or
      anatomic sites. A significant difference (P = 0.02) was found, however, between
      aneuploid and diploid tumors when comparing Stage I and non-Stage I disease. The
      Kaplan-Meier survival plot indicated a tendency towards an increased survival
      within the first year in dogs with diploid versus aneuploid tumors (P = 0.06).

PMID- 1413406
TI  - Characterization of morphologic changes and lymphocyte subset distribution in
      lymph nodes from cats with naturally acquired feline immunodeficiency virus
      infection.
AB  - Lymph nodes were collected at biopsy or necropsy from 18 cats with naturally
      acquired symptomatic feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection and from 18
      seronegative cats. Thirty-five of the cats were domestic shorthairs and one was a
      Persian cross. The cats ranged from 7 months to 16 years of age and were mainly
      obtained from California veterinary practitioners, a California cattery, and a
      Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Based on clinical signs present at tissue
      collection, ten FIV-infected cats fell into the acquired immunodeficiency
      syndrome (AIDS)-related complex (ARC) clinical stage and eight in the terminal
      (AIDS) stage of FIV disease. All cats were FeLV negative by antigen ELISA.
      Histologic sections of lymph nodes from each cat were examined blindly and were
      categorized as hyperplastic, involuting, mixed hyperplastic and involuting,
      depleted, or normal based upon subjective evaluation of follicles and paracortex.
      The relative abundance of plasma cells was evaluated in methyl green pyronin
      (MGP) and hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections. Similar numbers of FIV
      seropositive and -seronegative cats fell into each lymph node category. The only
      difference evident between FIV-infected cats and control cats was in the degree
      of plasmacytosis present; moderate to marked plasmacytosis was present in 13/18
      FIV-infected cats but in only 3/18 control cats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413408
TI  - A morphologic and immunocytochemical study of hepatic neoplasms in cats.
AB  - A retrospective study was done of 47 neoplasms of the hepatic and biliary systems
      from 47 cats brought to The Animal Medical Center over a period of 10 years (1980
      to 1989). Histologic examination of specimens taken at necropsy revealed that 87%
      (41/47) of the hepatic neoplasms were epithelial and 13% (6/47) were
      nonepithelial. Of the epithelial tumors, 25/47 (53%) were of intrahepatic bile
      duct origin, 9/47 (19%) were of hepatocellular origin, 5/47 (11%) involved the
      extrahepatic bile ducts, and 2/47 (4%) were adenocarcinomas of the gall bladder.
      Of the nonepithelial neoplasms, hemangiosarcomas were more common, 5/47 (11%),
      than leiomyosarcomas, 1/47 (2%). Multiple liver lobes were involved in 21/34
      (62%) of the epithelial and all six of the nonepithelial intrahepatic neoplasms.
      Most of the bile duct adenocarcinomas (6/9) were predominantly characterized by
      acinar structures with mucin production, diffuse necrosis, and little
      desmoplasia. The hepatocellular carcinomas were characterized by three patterns
      trabecular (five tumors), pseudoglandular pattern (two tumors), and anaplastic
      (one tumor). The hepatic carcinoid was characterized by various-sized groups of
      acinar and rosettelike structures, some with lumens, separated by thin
      fibrovascular stroma. The extrahepatic bile duct adenocarcinomas (4/4) were
      acinopapillary with moderate desmosplasia, whereas the adenocarcinomas of the
      gall bladder had elongated tubular structures lined by anaplastic cells and a
      severe desmoplastic reaction. The neuroendocrine carcinoma of the extrahepatic
      bile duct, the hemangiosarcomas, and the leiomyosarcoma had morphologic features
      characteristic of these neoplasms. Two of the 16 (13%) bile duct adenomas had
      anaplastic and precancerous changes. Residual benign components were seen in
      10/15 (67%) of the biliary adenocarcinomas, 4/9 (44%) of the intrahepatic bile
      duct adenocarcinomas, and all of the extrahepatic bile duct adenocarcinomas and
      gall bladder adenocarcinomas. Results of immunohistochemical studies of the
      biliary neoplasms were similar to those described in studies of biliary neoplasms
      in human beings. Results of this study revealed that the frequency of different
      types of hepatic neoplasms in cats varied from that seen in dogs and human
      beings, but the morphologic features were comparable.

PMID- 1413407
TI  - Hematologic features of iron deficiency anemia in llamas.
AB  - Iron deficiency anemia was identified and characterized in three 14 to 29-month
      old male llamas (llama Nos. 1-3) from separate herds in Colorado. The
      identification of iron deficiency anemia was based on hypoferremia (serum iron =
      20-60 micrograms/dl), erythrocytic features, and hematologic response to iron
      therapy. The anemia was moderate and nonregenerative and characterized by
      erythrocyte hypochromia, microcytosis (mean cell volume = 15-18 fl), and
      decreased mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (36.0-41.0 g/dl). Morphologic
      features unique to llamas with iron deficiency anemia included irregular
      distribution of hypochromia within erythrocytes and increased folded cells and
      dacryocytes. The cause of iron deficiency was not determined. The llamas were
      treated with various doses and schedules of parenteral iron dextran. Two of the
      llamas were monitored for up to 14 months after the start of iron therapy and
      experienced increases in hematocrit and mean cell volume values. In one llama,
      progressive replacement of microcytic cells with normal cells was visualized on
      sequential erythrocyte volume distribution histograms following iron therapy.

PMID- 1413409
TI  - Massive thymoma with medullary differentiation in a dog.

PMID- 1413410
TI  - New meat hygiene regulations published.

PMID- 1413411
TI  - Historical, clinical and laboratory features of 126 hyperthyroid cats.
AB  - The historical and clinical features and the haematological and biochemical
      changes in 126 cats with hyperthyroidism are described; 125 of the cats were
      domestic short- or longhaired, and one was a chinchilla. There were 62 males and
      64 females with a mean age of 13.0 years. The duration of signs ranged from two
      days to two years with a mean of 5.4 months. The historical and clinical features
      were weight loss, polyphagia, polyuria/polydipsia, tachycardia, hyperactivity,
      diarrhoea, respiratory abnormalities, other cardiac abnormalities, skin lesions,
      vomiting, moderately raised temperature, decreased activity, decreased appetite,
      congestive cardiac failure, haematuria and intermittently decreased appetite.
      Goitre was palpable in 123 cats. The serum total thyroxine concentrations of the
      cats were more than three standard deviations above the mean of the reference
      range. Serum total tri-iodothyronine concentrations ranged from 0.78 to 14.96
      nmol/litre and were within the reference range in 11 of the cats. Mild
      hyperthyroidism was a much commoner cause of high normal or marginally above
      normal thyroid hormone concentrations than severe, concurrent, non-thyroidal
      illness. Other common biochemical changes were increased of serum alanine
      aminotransferase, urea, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and
      lactate dehydrogenase. There were minimal changes in the red cell parameters.
      Leucocyte changes showed two trends: a mature neutrophilia, either with or
      without an accompanying leucocytosis often in association with a lymphopenia, or
      an eosinophilia, either with or without a lymphocytosis.

PMID- 1413412
TI  - Non-patent left uterine horn and segmental aplasia of the right uterine horn in
      an infertile cat.

PMID- 1413413
TI  - Giardia in straw-necked ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis) in Western Australia.

PMID- 1413414
TI  - Foxoil--a toxic experience in lambs.

PMID- 1413415
TI  - Equine vaccination.

PMID- 1413416
TI  - Veterinary nursing examinations.

PMID- 1413417
TI  - Possible complication with rumen boluses.

PMID- 1413418
TI  - Copper toxicosis in Bedlington terriers.

PMID- 1413419
TI  - Is Escherichia coli a phocine pathogen?

PMID- 1413420
TI  - Possible complication with rumen boluses.

PMID- 1413421
TI  - An outbreak of blue-eared pig disease (porcine reproductive and respiratory
      syndrome) in four pig herds in Great Britain.
AB  - The clinical syndrome of a new disease of pigs in four herds in the Humberside
      area is described. The first signs of the disease were anorexia, lethargy and
      pyrexia with up to 60 per cent of the dry sows affected. These signs were
      followed by an increased incidence of abortions which occurred in up to 3.3 per
      cent of sows, premature farrowings in up to 20.6 per cent of sows and stillbirths
      and late mummification which affected up to 26.0 and 18.8 per cent of fetuses,
      respectively. Mortality in neonatal and pre-weaning pigs reached up to 88 per
      cent and respiratory disease of high morbidity and low mortality occurred in
      fattening pigs. There were infertility problems in sows, with an increase in
      returns to service and a failure to show oestrus after weaning or aborting. The
      signs of the disease in boars were anorexia and malaise. Cyanosis of the
      extremities affected up to 2 per cent of the animals. The outbreak lasted 11
      weeks in all the herds.

PMID- 1413423
TI  - Purulent streptococcal lymphadenitis in swine.

PMID- 1413422
TI  - Acute tubulo-interstitial nephritis in a dog after halothane anaesthesia and
      administration of flunixin meglumine and trimethoprim-sulphadiazine.
AB  - Acute tubulo-interstitial nephritis was diagnosed post mortem when a dog died
      four days after surgery for a femoral head resection. Possible causative factors
      associated with halothane anaesthesia, flunixin meglumine analgesia and
      prophylactic antibiotic therapy with trimethoprim-sulphadiazine are discussed. It
      is concluded that death was due to renal failure associated with tubulo
      interstitial nephritis as a result of a combination of ischaemic and toxic
      events.

PMID- 1413425
TI  - Out-of-hours cover.

PMID- 1413424
TI  - Actinomyces pyogenes mastitis among lactating cows following foot-and-mouth
      disease.

PMID- 1413426
TI  - Veterinary nurse training.

PMID- 1413427
TI  - Out-of-hours cover.

PMID- 1413428
TI  - Systemic pasteurellosis.

PMID- 1413429
TI  - Use of free-access minerals.

PMID- 1413430
TI  - Preliminary observations on inhalation and intradermal challenges of horses with
      oil seed rape.
AB  - Horses with asymptomatic or symptomatic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
      (COPD) and control horses were challenged with oil seed rape either by exposure
      to a field of flowering Brassica campestris for six days, or by an inhalation
      challenge with freshly collected pollen from Brassica napus, or by inhalation
      challenge with a commercial extract of B napus pollen. Clinical and bronchoscopic
      examinations showed that the challenges did not induce detectable pulmonary
      disease in the control or asymptomatic COPD affected horses and did not
      significantly affect their pulmonary mechanics, arterial blood gas tensions,
      arterial pH or the cytology of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. However, the
      challenges with fresh B napus pollen and the commercial extract of B napus pollen
      exacerbated the pulmonary disease in some of the symptomatic horses, possibly
      owing to non-specific toxicity or non-specific bronchial hyperresponsiveness.
      Intradermal testing with the commercial extract of B napus pollen suggested that
      none of the horses were hypersensitive to this agent.

PMID- 1413431
TI  - Urethral conformation and position in relation to urinary incontinence in the
      bitch.
AB  - The conformation of the urethra, the position of the bladder neck and the
      distance between the external urethral orifice and the cranial pubic brim were
      compared in 30 continent and 30 incontinent bitches with incompetence of the
      urethral sphincter mechanism, using the measurements made from vagino
      urethrograms. The bladder neck was significantly (P less than 0.001) further
      caudal in incontinent dogs than in continent dogs. Its position was not affected
      by neutering and could not be explained by the degree of urethral curvature. The
      distance from the external urethral orifice to the cranial pubic brim was
      correlated (P less than 0.001) with bodyweight but was not significantly
      different in the continent and incontinent bitches. In neutered animals, the
      distance between the cranial pubic brim and the external urethral orifice was
      significantly (P less than 0.05) shorter than in entire animals.

PMID- 1413432
TI  - Squamous cell carcinoma of the equine stomach: a report of five cases.
AB  - Five horses with squamous cell carcinoma of the stomach are described. The
      clinical findings included anorexia, weight loss, abdominal distension, abnormal
      chewing and swallowing behaviour and abdominal masses palpable per rectum in four
      cases. Haematological studies revealed a normocytic anaemia in three horses, and
      neutrophilia and hypoalbuminaemia in two. Analysis of peritoneal fluid revealed
      abnormal effusions in all five horses and neoplastic cells were identified in
      three of them. The tumours originated in the cardia and metastases were present
      in all the horses. Three of them had many small nodules covering the entire
      peritoneum.

PMID- 1413433
TI  - Effect of probenecid on disposition kinetics of ampicillin in horses.
AB  - The effect of an oral dose of probenecid on the disposition kinetics of
      ampicillin was determined in four horses. An intravenous bolus dose (10 mg/kg) of
      ampicillin sodium was administered to the horses on two occasions. On the first
      occasion the antibiotic was administered on its own, and on the second occasion
      it was administered one hour after an oral dose of 75 mg/kg probenecid. The
      plasma concentration of probenecid reached a mean (+/- se) maximum concentration
      (Cmax) of 188-6 +/- 19.3 micrograms/ml after 120.0 +/- 21.2 minutes and
      concentrations greater than 15 micrograms/ml were present 25 hours after it was
      administered. The disposition kinetics of ampicillin were altered by the presence
      of probenecid and as a result the antibiotic had a slower body clearance (ClB;
      109.4 +/- 6.71 ml/kg hours compared with 208.9 +/- 26.2 ml/kg hours) a longer
      elimination half-life (t1/2 beta 1.198 hours compared with 0.701 hours) and
      consequently a larger area under the plasma concentration versus time curve (AUC
      92.3 +/- 5.09 mg/ml hours compared with 35.95 +/- 3.45 mg/ml hours) when compared
      with animals to which ampicillin was administered alone. The ampicillin
      concentrations observed suggest that the dosing interval for horses may be
      increased from between six and eight hours to 12 hours when probenecid is
      administered in conjunction with the ampicillin.

PMID- 1413434
TI  - Hepatic haemangioma in a pig.

PMID- 1413435
TI  - Bovine embryo transfer.

PMID- 1413436
TI  - Transplacental infection of a foal with Toxoplasma gondii.

PMID- 1413437
TI  - 'Mal seco' and grass sickness.

PMID- 1413438
TI  - Spread of F gigantica in Tanzania.

PMID- 1413440
TI  - Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia. A review.
AB  - The prevalence, characteristics of the aetiological agent, clinical signs,
      pathological changes, pathogenesis, epizootiology, microbiological and
      serological diagnosis, prevention, and control of contagious bovine
      pleuropneumonia (CBPP), caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides
      SC.type, are reviewed. New aspects of the disease are discussed. A renewed
      interest in this disease is important because of outbreaks in Southern Europe
      since 1980. When, at the end of 1992, the national borders of the countries of
      the European Community are abolished, it is conceivable that the disease will be
      introduced by cattle imported into CBPP-free countries.

PMID- 1413439
TI  - Increased prevalence of Mycoplasma bovis in the Netherlands.
AB  - The epidemiology, therapy, and prevention of M. bovis infections are briefly
      reviewed. In a survey begun in 1982, M. bovis was found frequently in the
      respiratory tract [corrected] of veal calves and beef cattle with respiratory
      problems. In replacement calves infected with respiratory disease in dairy herds,
      however, the organism has only been detected since 1986. Respiratory tract
      specimens collected from calves with respiratory disease were submitted for
      examination for M. bovis from 1986 to 1991 and originated from 83 herds.
      Mycoplasma bovis was detected in specimens from 59 of the herds, 20% of which
      were dairy herds and 80% fattening herds. Arthritis caused by M. bovis was
      observed in 12 herds until July 1991. Since 1976 when the first mastitis outbreak
      caused by M. bovis was diagnosed, M. bovis has caused 14 more outbreaks. The
      number of diseased cattle varied from 1 tot 16 per farm, and clinical signs of
      mastitis varied from mild to severe. In all instances the infection has been
      eradicated from the herds. Because M. bovis can cause great losses in intensively
      reared cattle herds, it is advisable to separate purchased veal calves and beef
      cattle from dairy cattle to prevent further spread of M. bovis.

PMID- 1413441
TI  - Risks connected with the use of conventional and genetically engineered vaccines.
AB  - A review is given of real and potential risks connected with the use of
      conventional and genetically engineered live and dead vaccines. Special attention
      is given to live carrier vaccines expressing one or more heterologous genes of
      other microorganisms. Because most carrier vaccines are still in an experimental
      phase, there is only limited experience with the risks of carrier vaccines. There
      are three potential risks of live carrier vaccines which will be discussed: 1.
      Changes in cell, tissue, of host tropism, and virulence of the carrier through
      the incorporation of foreign genes. 2. Exchange of genetic information with other
      vaccine or wild-type strains of the carrier organism. 3. Spread in the
      environment. Only limited experimental data are available on changes in
      biological behaviour of microorganisms through the incorporation of foreign
      genes. For example, there are indications that vaccinia virus carrying the
      attachment protein G of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) replicates better in
      lungs of mice than vaccinia virus carrying other genes of RSV. Poxviruses carry
      genes that probably determine their replication in different hosts. Exchange of
      such host tropism genes might alter their host spectrum. Recombination between
      herpesvirus vaccine or wild-type strains may lead to the appearance of virulent
      strains with of without heterologous genes. Before carrier vaccines are applied,
      these risks must be thoroughly evaluated case-by-case. Potential methods for the
      design of safe carrier vaccines are discussed.

PMID- 1413442
TI  - Clinical trial of long-acting oxytetracycline and piroxicam in the treatment of
      canine ehrlichiosis.
AB  - Forty-three dogs with canine ehrlichiosis were treated with long-acting
      oxytetracycline (TLA) at a dose of 20 mg/kg. In order to eliminate pain at the
      site of injection of TLA, varying doses of piroxicam were administered
      intramuscularly to the treated dogs. A minimum of 15 mg of piroxicam proved
      effective in eliminating pain and swelling at the TLA-injection sites, while
      fever was eliminated with a minimum of 10 mg of piroxicam 24 hours post
      treatment. Rapid restoration or improvement of appetite in treated dogs was also
      observed after treatment with piroxicam and TLA. Both TLA and piroxicam were
      found to be suitable for use in dogs.

PMID- 1413443
TI  - Hyperadrenocorticism in four cats.
AB  - This paper describes four cats with hyperadrenocorticism. Cat 1 showed polydipsia
      and polyphagia. Diabetes mellitus was initially diagnosed. As the animal appeared
      to be insulin resistant, pituitary and adrenocortical function tests were
      performed and the diagnosis of hyperadrenocorticism was made. Resistance to the
      high-dose dexamethasone suppression test was noticed in this cat. Pathological
      examination revealed a pituitary chromophobe adenoma. Cat 2 presented with
      diabetes mellitus, which was treated with insulin. The animal had a pendulous
      abdomen and its coat was in a poor condition. The low-dose dexamethasone
      suppression test demonstrated hyperadrenocorticism. Necropsy findings of
      pituitary tumour and hyperplasia of the adrenal cortex confirmed the diagnosis.
      Cat 3 showed clinical abnormalities indicative of hyperadrenocorticism, for
      instance, muscle weakness, alopecia, multiple abscesses. The diagnosis of
      hyperadrenocorticism was confirmed by the results of the lowe-dose dexamethasone
      suppression test. Pathological examination revealed an adrenocortical carcinoma.
      Cat 4 presented with polydipsia. The cause of this symptom was not found
      initially. One and a half years later additional symptoms, such as nephritis and
      polyphagia developed. Hyperadrenocorticism was diagnosed because of a palpable
      mass cranial to the left kidney. The diagnosis was confirmed by the results of
      the lowe-dose dexamethasone suppression test and the necropsy findings.

PMID- 1413444
TI  - Transdermal delivery and intramuscular injection of trimethoprim/sulphadiazine in
      sucking piglets.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of a combination of trimethoprim (TMP) and sulphadiazine
      (SDZ) after topical application to sucking piglets was compared with the
      pharmacokinetics after intramuscular injection. A long-lasting and fairly
      constant SDZ/TMP concentration ratio in plasma was obtained after topical
      application. The mean plasma concentration of TMP ranged from 0.091 to 0.17
      micrograms/ml and that of SDZ from 0.72 to 1.1 micrograms/ml for at least 24 h.
      TMP and SDZ had different half-lives after intramuscular injection. Transdermal
      delivery of a combined preparation of TMP/SDZ may be usable for colibacillosis of
      sucking piglets, although the bioavailability of the drugs is poor.

PMID- 1413445
TI  - The response of pigs experimentally infected with Trypanosoma brucei to
      isometamidium chloride therapy and the relation to nutrition.
AB  - Growing pigs were placed on feeds with high (Group A), medium (B) and low (C)
      dietary energy and were infected with a virulent stock of T. brucei. Eight weeks
      later, the infected pigs were treated with isometamidium chloride at 1 mg/kg live
      weight and all pigs were subsequently placed on a high energy diet to investigate
      their response to therapy. Clearance of T. brucei from blood was completed 72h
      after treatment. There was no evidence of relapsed infection up to eight weeks
      after treatment. Red blood cell parameters returned to normal four to six weeks
      after treatment with responses being fastest in Group A, B and C had gained about
      two-thirds of the live weight gains of their non-infected pair-fed controls. It
      appears that the retarded weight gain as a result of the infection persisted
      after therapy since drug-treated pigs did not gain as much weight as their non
      infected controls.

PMID- 1413446
TI  - Myocardial damage in cats that died after anaesthesia.
AB  - The necropsy findings of 85 cats that died up to six weeks after administration
      of injectable anaesthetics are described. The most obvious findings in these cats
      were degeneration and necrosis of heart muscle fibres followed and related to
      time after the administration of the anaesthetics, by infiltration of
      predominantly mononuclear cells and by an increase in collagenous connective
      tissue. The lesions were most obvious on the inner side of the myocardium,
      indicating that hypoxic injury occurred during anaesthesia. The possible
      mechanism of the damage to the heart and its role in the pathogenesis of
      cardiomyopathy in the cat is discussed.

PMID- 1413447
TI  - The effect of T. vivax infection in west African dwarf goats on energy and
      nitrogen metabolism.
AB  - To investigate how T. vivax affects metabolism in dwarf goats, nine wethers
      (infection group) given alfalfa pellets ad libitum were infected intravenously
      and food intake was recorded up to 49 days after infection in the infection group
      and in the control group (n = 9). Controls received the same diet, ad libitum
      before infection and in restricted amounts after infection in order to obtain
      similar intakes in the two groups. Digestible organic matter intake (DOMI) and
      nitrogen balance (NB) were determined during four balance trials. All animals
      were bled regularly to measure parasitaemia, packed cell volume (PCV) and a
      number of serum metabolites. All infected animals showed symptoms typical for T.
      vivax infection as judged by parasitaemia, PCV and rectal temperature. Infection
      had a non-uniform negative effect on food intake. Compared with controls at equal
      DOMI, NB was lower in infected animals, the difference being significant 4 weeks
      after infection. This was caused by a gradual increase in NB at equal DOMI of the
      control group. The NB of the ad libitum fed infected animals 2 and 4 weeks after
      infection was comparable to values normally found in healthy ad libitum fed dwarf
      goats with an equal DOMI. NEFA values in serum were significantly elevated after
      infection. Except for two infected animals with an extremely low food intake
      towards the end of the experiment, no rise in serum ketone bodies was evident.
      After infection, serum protein increased, differences with controls being
      significant 4 and 7 weeks after infection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413448
TI  - The interaction of Trypanosoma congolense and Haemonchus contortus infections in
      trypanotolerant N'Dama cattle.
AB  - The interactions between Trypanosoma congolense and Haemonchus contortus
      infections were studied in N'Dama calves. A total of 38 N'Dama bulls was divided
      into four groups and each group infected either with H. contortus 1 week after
      infection with T. congolense or with T. congolense 4 weeks after infection with
      H. contortus, or with either infection singly. Parasitological (faecal egg
      counts, parasitaemia), haematological (packed cell volume, white blood cell
      counts, albumin) and clinical parameters (body weight change, mortality rate)
      were compared among the various groups. The results showed a reduced prepatent
      period and a markedly increased pathogenicity of H. contortus infections in
      animals with a concurrent T. congolense infection. The most harmful combination
      was a H. contortus infection 1 week after the T. congolense infection which
      resulted in a progressive and severe anaemia, accompanied by hypoalbuminaemia,
      increased weight loss and high mortality. The anaemia induced by dual infections
      showed a low responsiveness to chemotherapy and in several cases supportive
      treatment did not help recovery. The results also showed that animals with a
      concurrent T. congolense and H. contortus infection ran a higher risk of
      succumbing during the infection, and also during 10 weeks following treatment.
      Although infections with T. congolense alone produced no clinical signs, they
      were found to significantly reduce the ability of infected animals to mount a
      normal response to a subsequent H. contortus infection. It was concluded that the
      increased H. contortus egg excretion observed in animals infected with both
      parasites might significantly increase the risk of nematode infections and that
      the reduced prepatent period might necessitate more frequent anthelmintic
      treatments. These interactions should, therefore, be considered wherever attempts
      are made to control these two diseases.

PMID- 1413449
TI  - Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in pastoral camels (Camelus
      dromedarius) in the Butana plains, mid-Eastern Sudan.
AB  - A total of 482 serum samples from pastoral camels in the Butana plains, mid
      Eastern Sudan, were tested for Toxoplasma antibodies by the latex agglutination
      test (LAT). Sixty-seven percent of the camels were seroreactive. The prevalence
      rate of seroreactivity increased significantly with age (P less than 0.01) and
      was highest among camels aged over 7 years (74.2%). The prevalence rate of
      seropositivity decreased proportionally with the level of serum dilution. At
      dilutions of 1:32 and above, the prevalence rate was 25.9%. There were no sex
      linked differences in seroreactivity. This study suggests widespread infection
      with Toxoplasma gondii among pastoral camels, a finding that warrants a closer
      look into the possible ways infection is acquired by camels in their arid
      environment, its economic impact, as well as its public health significance,
      especially among the nomads who consume cameline milk and liver raw.

PMID- 1413450
TI  - The effect of neutrophils, tumor necrosis factor, and granulocyte
      macrophage/colony stimulating factor on Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in
      culture.
AB  - Bovine neutrophils, human recombinant tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF), and
      bovine recombinant granulocyte macrophage/colony stimulating factor (GM/CSF) were
      added to microaerophilic cultures of Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina to
      determine if those substances could inhibit growth. Incorporation of
      [3H]hypoxanthine by the Babesia spp. was utilized as an indirect measure of
      parasite growth. When neutrophils were added to cultures of B. bovis and B.
      bigemina, the highest percentage inhibition of growth was attained. There was no
      significant enhancement of neutrophil killing when TNF or GM/CSF or both were
      added to either Babesia spp. Addition of TNF or GM/CSF or both substances
      (without neutrophils) resulted in an increase in growth of B. bovis and B.
      bigemina. For B. bovis, the group that contained neutrophils only and the group
      that contained neutrophils and TNF resulted in significantly higher growth
      inhibitions than the treatment group which contained neutrophils and GM/CSF or
      the group that contained neutrophils, TNF, and GM/CSF. No significant differences
      in inhibition were observed for the same treatment groups between B. bovis and B.
      bigemina.

PMID- 1413451
TI  - Development of ELISAs based on recombinant antigens for the detection of
      Toxoplasma gondii-specific antibodies in sheep and cats.
AB  - ELISAs using recombinant parasite polypeptides as antigens were developed to
      measure Toxoplasma gondii-specific antibodies in the sera of sheep and cats.
      Compared with an ELISA based on traditional parasite antigen, the ELISA for sheep
      sera had a sensitivity of 79% and a negative predictive value of 80%, and the
      ELISA for cat sera had a sensitivity of 100% and a negative predictive value of
      100%. Both ELISAs had specificities of 100% and positive predictive values of
      100%. These ELISAs appear to be a useful cost-effective alternative to ELISAs
      based on traditional parasite antigen for the measurement of T. gondii-specific
      antibodies in the sera of sheep and cats.

PMID- 1413452
TI  - Effects of infection with Trypanosoma brucei brucei on different trimesters of
      pregnancy in ewes.
AB  - The effects of Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection during the first, second or
      third trimesters of pregnancy in 13 ewes were studied. All infected ewes were
      anaemic with the anaemia being most severe, moderate and least in ewes infected
      in the second, third and first trimesters, respectively. Weight loss occurred in
      all infected ewes but was most severe in ewes infected in the third trimester.
      Three of the four ewes infected in the first trimester died without aborting
      while one aborted and later died. Of the four ewes infected in the second
      trimester, three died without aborting while one lambed and later died. In the
      third trimester ewes, one aborted, two lambed and all three later died while one
      died without aborting. None of the lambs was viable. The control ewe lambed
      normally. The infection resulted in 16.7% abortion, 100% death and 33.3% neonatal
      deaths. This study demonstrates that T. brucei brucei has a devastating effect on
      pregnancy irrespective of the trimester of infection.

PMID- 1413453
TI  - Experiments on anthelmintic control of Fasciola hepatica in Brazil.
AB  - Two separate field trials involving naturally infected cattle were carried out on
      two farms known to have a history of Fasciola hepatica infection. On the first
      farm, 15 animals per group were allocated as follows: G1, triclabendazole (TCBZ)
      four times a year; G2, TCBZ twice a year (May and September); G3, untreated
      control. All groups grazed together and after 3.5 years the animals were
      slaughtered and their livers examined by federal meat inspectors who condemned
      100% of livers in G3 and 8.3% in G2 owing to the presence of lesions of
      fasciolosis. In G1 no livers were condemned. Significant differences in weight
      gains were not detected and fluke counts remained at low levels in the treated
      groups. Also, in the control group, egg counts started to decrease when animals
      were 2 years old. On the second farm, groups of 20 animals were treated as
      follows: G1, TCBZ three times a year (May, September and December); G2, TCBZ
      twice a year (May and September); G3, nitroxynil twice a year (May and
      September); G4, rafoxanide twice a year (May and September); G5, untreated
      controls. All animals were weighed and faecal samples examined at approximately
      28-day intervals. During the period of the study, larger weight gains were
      detected in the TCBZ treated groups than in the others. TCBZ treatment kept F.
      hepatica egg counts at a lower level for longer periods than the other drugs and
      significant differences in weight gains were only obtained between the group
      receiving TCBZ three times a year and the control group.

PMID- 1413454
TI  - The purification and characterization of a cysteine protease of Fasciola
      gigantica adult worms.
AB  - A 26-28 kDa protease was isolated from Fasciola gigantica adult worms by a two
      stage purification process of column chromatography in a Sephacryl S-200 column
      and affinity chromatography in an L-phenylalanine-agarose column. This protease
      is a cysteine (thiol) proteinase with an optimum pH of 4.5 and is not inhibited
      by anti F. gigantica immunoglobulin G. The enzyme was inhibited by protease
      inhibitors known to inhibit cysteine proteases but not by metallo-, aspartate or
      serine protease inhibitors. The effect of several protease inhibitors and anti-F,
      gigantica IgG was also assessed on the total proteolytic activity of F.
      gigantica. There appears to be a preponderance of cysteine protease activity in
      F. gigantica and there was a significant inhibition of total proteolytic activity
      by anti-F. gigantica IgG.

PMID- 1413455
TI  - Frequency distribution of Echinococcus granulosus in dog populations in the
      Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China.
AB  - Age-prevalence and age-intensity data of Echinococcus granulosus in dog
      populations were collected in four counties in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous
      Region, People's Republic of China. The frequency distribution of the parasite
      per dog was adequately described by the negative binomial model, with parameter k
      being 0.0571. The mathematical model of the life cycle of E. granulosus
      constructed by Roberts et al. (1986--Parasitology, Vol. 92, pages 621-641) was
      used to estimate the epidemiologic parameters of E. granulosus in Xinjiang. This
      model showed that the prevailing infection pressure on dogs was 0.4560 infectious
      insults year-1 and the mean length of an infection was 1.4975 years. The effect
      of acquired immunity on the prevalence of E. granulosus in dogs was considered to
      be insignificant.

PMID- 1413456
TI  - Precipitin response of the mitogen produced by Strongylus vulgaris arterial
      larvae.
AB  - The precipitin response of the mitogen produced by Strongylus vulgaris arterial
      larvae was investigated. IgG (T) from the sera of horses naturally infected with
      S. vulgaris adults and arterial larvae recognised the presence of two antigenic
      components of the mitogenic fractions. The results obtained seem to confirm that
      these antigens are immunogenic in stimulating the production of increased levels
      of IgG(T) in infected animals, and showed that the procedures could be used as
      immunological tools in the diagnosis of S. vulgaris infection.

PMID- 1413457
TI  - Anthelmintic activity of paraherquamide in calves.
AB  - Paraherquamide, an oxindole alkaloid metabolite of Penicillium paraherquei and
      Penicillium charlesii, was tested against the adult stages of nine common
      gastrointestinal and lung nematodes of calves at single, oral dosages of 0.5,
      1.0, 2.0 or 4.0 mg kg-1. At dosages 1.0-4.0 mg kg-1 there was 95% or more removal
      of Haemonchus placei, Ostertagia ostertagi, Trichostrongylus axei,
      Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Cooperia oncophora, Nematodirus helvetianus,
      Oesophagostomum radiatum, and Dictyocaulus viviparus. Cooperia punctata, the
      dosage-limiting species, was virtually unaffected by any dosage except the
      highest, which produced an efficacy of 89%. The 0.5 mg kg-1 dosage was 95% or
      more efficacious against H. placei, O. ostertagi, C. oncophora, and D. viviparus,
      but weaknesses were evident against the other five species. No adverse reaction
      was observe in any calf.

PMID- 1413459
TI  - The epizootiology of gastrointestinal nematodes of cattle in selected areas of
      Oregon.
AB  - A study was initiated to (1) determine species of gastrointestinal nematodes
      present in cattle in selected areas of Oregon, (2) examine seasonal abundance of
      these nematodes as an indicator of periods of transmission, and (3) determine
      when developmental inhibition occurs in the major genera of nematodes
      encountered. Four study sites were chosen: Corvallis, Langlois, near Fort Rock,
      and southeast of Klamath Falls on the Oregon-California border. Eight sets of
      three to four tracer calves each were introduced onto pasture at each site over a
      2 year period with time of turn out onto pasture corresponding to late spring,
      mid-summer, late fall and late winter. At Corvallis, a distinct seasonality in
      parasite transmission was evident, peaking during the fall and winter. At
      Langlois, transmission was fairly constant throughout the year. No discernible
      patterns were evident at either Klamath Falls or Fort Rock. Eight nematode genera
      were found during the study. Ostertagia, Cooperia, Nematodirus and
      Trichostrongylus were present at all study sites and were the most common genera
      at each. Trichuris was found at all sites except Klamath Falls. Oesophagostomum
      was present in tracers only from Langlois and Corvallis while Haemonchus was
      found only at Klamath Falls and Fort Rock. Capillaria was only present at Klamath
      Falls. Where possible, specific transmission patterns for Nematodirus, Cooperia,
      and Ostertagia were determined for each site. Nematodirus was transmitted fairly
      steadily at both Langlois and Corvallis but was quite variable at Fort Rock.
      Developmental arrest was detected in this genus at all study sites during the
      fall and/or winter. Cooperia exhibited the most seasonally defined pattern of
      transmission, peaking during the fall and winter at Langlois, Corvallis and
      Klamath Falls. Hypobiotic larvae of Cooperia were present during the fall and/or
      winter only at Langlois and Corvallis. Peak transmission of Ostertagia at
      Langlois and Corvallis occurred during the fall and winter. At Fort Rock,
      transmission was lowest in the fall and increased in the winter. Hypobiotic
      larvae were evident in the fall and winter at Corvallis, Fort Rock and Klamath
      Falls. These data suggest Type II ostertagiasis may occur in late winter through
      spring in these areas. Hypobiotic larvae of Ostertagia were not detected at
      Langlois. The lack of appropriate environmental stimuli is one possible
      explanation for the apparent lack of hypobiosis at that site.

PMID- 1413458
TI  - Effect of fenbendazole and ivermectin on development of strongylate nematode eggs
      and larvae in calf feces.
AB  - Thirty-nine weaned steer calves (mean weight 284 kg) were maintained under dry
      lot conditions and assigned (based on fecal nematode egg count) to one of three
      treatment groups of 13 animals each as follows: control (no treatment),
      fenbendazole (5 mg kg-1), and ivermectin (0.2 mg kg-1). Fecal samples were
      collected 12 h before treatment, at treatment, and 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after
      treatment for determination of nematode eggs per gram, and (after culture)
      infective larvae per gram and population distribution. The effect of treatment on
      egg development was observed in feces collected 12 and 24 h after treatment.
      There was essentially no difference in efficacy, based on egg counts, of
      fenbendazole and ivermectin. Egg count was reduced 100% by both anthelmintics at
      72 h after treatment. Viability, based on percent of eggs reaching the infective
      larval stage, of developing stages at 12, 24, and 48 h after fenbendazole
      treatment was 0.1%, 1.1%, and 0%; after ivermectin treatment the corresponding
      values were 23.7%, 30.1%, and 28.6%, respectively. Fenbendazole treatment
      resulted in little or no development of eggs and/or larvae in feces deposited 12
      and 24 h after treatment, whereas development proceeded normally (compared with
      the control group) in ivermectin treated feces. Population distribution of
      infective larvae was predominantly Haemonchus and Cooperia with some Ostertagia
      and Oesophagostomum.

PMID- 1413460
TI  - Efficacy of Cydectin moxidectin 1% injectable against experimental infections of
      Dictyocaulus viviparus and Bunostomum phlebotomum superimposed on natural
      gastrointestinal infections in calves.
AB  - Twenty male Holstein calves averaging 105 kg in weight and naturally infected
      with gastrointestinal nematodes and small numbers of lungworm and hookworm, were
      given experimental infections with the two latter species to provide adult and
      larval stages for anthelmintic evaluation. Following random allotment, one group
      of 10 calves was injected subcutaneously with moxidectin at a dosage of 0.2 mg kg
      1 of body weight. A second group of 10 was injected subcutaneously with
      unmedicated blank vehicle at a dosage of 1 ml per 50 kg of body weight. Fecal
      samples were examined before treatment and at 7 and 13 days after treatment. The
      20 calves were necropsied for worm recovery at 13 and 14 days after treatment.
      All calves were positive for lungworm and hookworm on the treatment date.
      Treatment was 100% effective in elimination of hookworm eggs and lungworm larvae
      and 99.9% in reducing total egg counts at both 7 and 13 days after treatment.
      Moxidectin was 100% effective (P less than 0.01) in eliminating the following 11
      species of nematodes. Dictyocaulus viviparus mature and immature adults (E5),
      Bunostomum phlebotomum adults and L4, Ostertagia ostertagi adults and early L4,
      Ostertagia lyrata adult males, Haemonchus placei adults. Trichostrongylus axei
      adults, Cooperia spp., including Cooperia punctata, Cooperia spatulata, and
      Cooperia pectinata adults, Oesophagostomum radiatum adults and Trichuris discolor
      adults. No adverse reactions to moxidectin treatment were observed.

PMID- 1413462
TI  - Exfoliative colpocytology: a method for the diagnosis of Capuchin monkey
      filariasis?
AB  - During vaginal fluid examinations (Papanicolaou) to study the physiological
      sexual cycle of Cebus sp., abundant Dipetalonema gracile microfilariae (110-160
      microns x 4-5 microns, without a sheath) were encountered in the genital fluid,
      but not in peripheral blood. Considering the great difficulty in diagnosing this
      obscure parasitosis, exfoliative colpocytology was found to be an efficient
      diagnostic.

PMID- 1413461
TI  - Influence of exposure period and management methods on the effectiveness of
      chickens as predators of ticks infesting cattle.
AB  - Experiments undertaken on Rusinga Island, Kenya, indicated that Rhipicephalus
      appendiculatus (Neumann) was the predominant tick consumed on tick-infested
      cattle by chickens, followed by Amblyomma variegatum (Fabricius), Boophilus
      decoloratus (Koch) and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (Neumann). The number of
      ticks consumed by chickens released with cattle in a 3 h release period was not
      significantly different from ticks consumed in a 4 h release period. In a free
      management system, chickens 1-3 months of age consumed more ticks than older
      ones; in a confined management system however, chickens 4-6 months of age
      consumed more ticks than younger birds. Although the numbers of ticks consumed by
      local and exotic breeds of chickens were not significantly different, a period of
      8-10 weeks was necessary for the exotic breeds to become behaviorally adapted to
      tick predation on cattle. Local chickens bred in environments where cattle were
      absent took a shorter period of 4-6 weeks to adapt. It was concluded that the
      relatively large number of ticks consumed by each chicken during the 3 or 4 h
      release period is an indication that a good reduction of ticks on cattle can be
      achieved through tick predation by chickens. The preponderance of R.
      appendiculatus over other tick species consumed was a reflection of its relative
      abundance on cattle on the island rather than a selective preference for tick
      species.

PMID- 1413463
TI  - Subsidence of an uncemented canine femoral stem.
AB  - Factors contributing to subsidence were analyzed by radiographic evaluation and
      mechanical testing of 36 canine cadaver femora during and after insertion of an
      uncemented porous-coated femoral stem and by radiographic evaluation of 35 canine
      total hip arthroplasties. Mean percentage of canal fill in immediate
      postoperative radiographs, and percentage of canal fill at midimplant and distal
      implant locations, were accurate predictors of subsidence. Force required to
      implant the femoral stem was strongly correlated with force required for implant
      subsidence. Femoral morphology and percentage of canal fill at the middle and
      distal sites were accurate predictors of subsidence. Implants in femora with a
      stovepipe morphology (canal flare index less than or equal to 1.8) were six times
      more likely to subside than implants in femora that had a normal appearance
      (canal flare index 1.8 to 2.5), and 72 times more likely to subside than implants
      in champagne-fluted femora (canal flare index greater than or equal to 2.5).
      Femora with more than 85% mean, middle, or distal canal fill were less likely to
      subside.

PMID- 1413464
TI  - Effect of sagittal plane positioning errors on measurement of the angle of
      inclination in dogs.
AB  - Angles of inclination were calculated from ventrodorsal (VD) and caudocranial
      horizontal beam (CaCrHB) radiographs of 17 anesthetized dogs, and from
      radiographs of left femurs of the same dogs positioned 0 degree, 10 degrees, 15
      degrees, and 20 degrees from the cassette in the sagittal plane. Angles of
      inclination also were measured directly from radiographs of the bones rotated to
      correct for anteversion. Calculated angles of inclination from the bones at 10
      degrees, 15 degrees, and 20 degrees from the cassette were significantly
      different from the 0 degree values obtained by calculation and direct
      measurement. Inclination angles from live dogs were consistently larger than
      those from 0 degree bones. Differences between angles of inclination calculated
      from VD and CaCrHB radiographs of live dogs were not significant.

PMID- 1413466
TI  - Use of a retained urethral catheter in three dogs with prostatic neoplasia.
AB  - Percutaneous nephrostomy catheters modified by cutting off the tubing connectors
      were implanted in three dogs with prostatic neoplasia to relieve or prevent
      stranguria. One catheter was implanted with a guide wire through a perineal
      urethrotomy, and two catheters were implanted via celiotomy and cystotomy.
      Morbidity and complications were minimal. Inflammation of the abdominal incision
      was present from day 4 to day 8 in the dogs with celiotomy. Urinary incontinence
      was continuous in one dog and intermittent in two dogs. Hematuria occurred in two
      dogs. The retained urethral catheter was a suitable palliative treatment for
      urethral obstruction in three dogs with prostatic neoplasia.

PMID- 1413465
TI  - Hemimaxillectomy for the treatment of oral tumors in 69 dogs.
AB  - Hemimaxillectomy was performed in 69 dogs for the treatment of benign or
      malignant maxillary tumors. Eighteen dogs with ameloblastomas had a median
      disease-free interval of 21.5 months (range, 1 to 76 months), with a 72% 1-year
      survival time. There was recurrence in three dogs, with metastasis after
      malignant transformation in one of them. Based on calculated survival curves,
      seven dogs with squamous cell carcinoma had a median survival time of 19.2 months
      (range, 2 to 24 months), with a 57% 1-year survival time. There was local
      recurrence in two dogs. Twenty-three dogs with melanoma had a median survival
      time of 9.1 months (range, 1 to 46 months), and a 27% 1-year survival time.
      Twelve dogs died or were euthanatized because of recurrence or metastases.
      Fifteen dogs with fibrosarcoma had a median survival time of 12.2 months. Eight
      dogs died or were euthanatized because of recurrence or metastases. Six dogs with
      osteosarcoma had a median survival time of 4.6 months (range, 1 to 12.5 months),
      with a 17% 1-year survival time. Five dogs died or were euthanatized for
      recurrence or metastases. Tumor size or location and type of partial maxillectomy
      performed did not affect survival.

PMID- 1413467
TI  - Thermal injury by in vitro incision of equine skin with electrosurgery,
      radiosurgery, and a carbon dioxide laser.
AB  - Freshly harvested equine skin incised with an electrosurgical unit, a
      radiosurgical device, or a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser was examined by light
      microscopy to determine the extent of thermal injury caused by each instrument.
      There was no significant difference between the thermal injury caused by the
      electrosurgical unit in the pure-cut mode and the CO2 laser in the superpulse
      mode, or between the electrosurgical unit and the radiosurgical device in the
      fully filtered cut mode. However, thermal injury caused by the CO2 laser was
      significantly less than that caused by the radiosurgical device. The amount of
      thermal injury in this in vitro study was similar to that found in vivo with
      other species.

PMID- 1413468
TI  - The effect of CO2 laser neurectomy on neuroma formation and axonal regeneration.
AB  - In an attempt to prevent neuroma formation and digital reinnervation after sharp
      palmar digital neurectomy in 10 adult horses with navicular disease, 18,426 W/cm2
      of CO2 laser energy was applied to the proximal nerve stump. Clinical follow-up
      was 4 to 23 months. In two horses, palmar digital nerve biopsies were taken at
      month 4 (four nerves) and month 7 (two nerves). Nine horses were sound
      immediately and at all follow-up examinations. None had clinical evidence of
      painful neuroma or digital reinnervation. Histologically, there was minimal scar
      tissue at the surgical site; axonal sprouts were comingled with fibrous tissue.

PMID- 1413469
TI  - Holding power of cortical screws after power tapping and hand tapping.
AB  - Paired equine third metacarpal bones were drilled and tapped for 4.5 mm and 5.5
      mm cortical screws. Tapping was done by hand or with an air-driven reversible
      orthopedic drill. Screws were inserted and subjected to extraction forces to
      failure of the osseous threads or the screws. There was no difference in holding
      power of either screw size between hand-tapped and power-tapped holes.

PMID- 1413470
TI  - Regional limb perfusion for antibiotic treatment of experimentally induced septic
      arthritis.
AB  - Septic arthritis was induced in one antebrachiocarpal joint of seven horses by
      the intra-articular injection of 1 mL Staphylococcus aureus suspension containing
      a mean of 10(5) colony-forming units. Twenty-four hours after inoculation, four
      horses were treated by regional perfusion with 1 g of gentamicin sulfate, and
      three horses received 2.2 mg/kg gentamicin sulfate intravenously (IV) every 6
      hours. Synovial fluid was collected for culture and cytology at regular
      intervals, and the synovial membranes were collected for culture and histologic
      examination at euthanasia 24 hours after the first treatment. Gentamicin
      concentration in the septic synovial fluid after three successful perfusions was
      221.2 +/- 71.4 (SD) micrograms/mL; after gentamicin IV, it was 7.6 +/- 1.6 (SD)
      micrograms/mL. The mean leukocyte count in the inoculated joints decreased
      significantly by hour 24 in the successfully perfused joints. Terminal bacterial
      cultures of synovial fluid and synovial membranes were negative in two horses
      with successfully perfused joints. S. aureus was isolated from the infected
      joints in all three horses treated with gentamicin IV.

PMID- 1413471
TI  - Use of an ecraseur for ovariohysterectomy in mares.
AB  - Ovariohysterectomy was performed in 20 mares at three stages of estrus. An
      ecraseur was used to severe the ovarian branch of the ovarian artery and vein and
      the ovarian suspensory ligament en masse. All other vessels supplying the ovaries
      and uterus were doubly ligated and transected. All mares survived. Complications
      were intraoperative hemorrhage in three mares, postoperative vaginal bleeding in
      two mares, and a hematoma in the remnant of the broad ligament in one mare. No
      adhesions between the uterine stump or remnants of the broad ligament and
      abdominal structures were detected by palpation per rectum.

PMID- 1413472
TI  - A one-stage repair of third-degree perineal lacerations and rectovestibular
      fistulae in 17 mares.
AB  - Third-degree perineal lacerations or rectovestibular fistulae in 17 mares were
      repaired surgically by a one-stage method. Primary healing occurred in 14 mares;
      there were one complete dehiscence and two partial dehiscences with fistula
      formation. Twelve of 13 mares that were bred became pregnant; nine carried foals
      to term and two are still pregnant. Two mares have each produced one unthrifty
      foal. One mare repeatedly aborts in the first trimester. Four mares have produced
      several healthy foals with no further problems. One mare suffered further
      perineal trauma while foaling.

PMID- 1413473
TI  - Cardiovascular and pulmonary effects of atropine reversal of oxymorphone-induced
      bradycardia in dogs.
AB  - Oxymorphone was administered intravenously (IV) to 10 dogs (0.4 mg/kg initial
      dose followed by 0.2 mg/kg three times at 20-minute intervals). Four hours after
      the last dose of oxymorphone, heart rates were less than 60 bpm in six dogs.
      After atropine (0.01 mg/kg IV) was administered, heart rate decreased in five
      dogs and sinus arrhythmia or second degree heart block occurred in four of them.
      A second injection of atropine (0.01 mg/kg IV) was administered 5 minutes after
      the first and the heart rates increased to more than 100 bpm in all six dogs. Ten
      minutes after the second dose of atropine, heart rate, cardiac output, left
      ventricular minute work, venous admixture, and oxygen transport were
      significantly increased, whereas stroke volume, central venous pressure, systemic
      vascular resistance, and oxygen extraction ratio were significantly decreased
      from pre-atropine values. The PaCO2 increased and the PaO2 decreased but not
      significantly. The oxymorphone-induced bradycardia did not produce any overtly
      detrimental effects in these healthy dogs. Atropine reversed the bradycardia and
      improved measured cardiovascular parameters.

PMID- 1413474
TI  - A clinical comparison of oxymorphone-acepromazine and butorphanol-acepromazine
      sedation in dogs.
AB  - Oxymorphone (0.2 mg/kg, maximum 4.5 mg) or butorphanol (0.2 mg/kg, maximum 4.5
      mg), with acepromazine (0.05 mg/kg) and atropine (0.02 mg/kg), was administered
      intravenously to 106 healthy dogs undergoing radiographic examination of the
      pelvis. The dogs were returned to their owners after the examination and opioid
      reversal with naloxone (0.02 mg/kg intravenously, maximum 0.4 mg). Questionnaires
      were completed by the radiology staff and owners of the dogs, and results were
      coded by one person, all of whom were unaware of the treatment used. There was a
      lower incidence of temporary excitement upon injection and less panting in dogs
      sedated with butorphanol than with oxymorphone. There were no significant
      differences in degree of sedation, response to noise or manipulation,
      vocalization, defecation, heart rate, reversibility, sedation after reversal, or
      personality. Both forms of chemical restraint were satisfactory for radiographic
      examination of the pelvis, with no significant side effects in healthy dogs.

PMID- 1413475
TI  - Bile acid fractionations by high-performance liquid chromatography in equine
      liver disease.
AB  - Serum bile acids were fractionated by high-performance liquid chromatography
      (HPLC) in 13 control and 8 cases of liver disease in horses. The severity and
      type of liver injury was determined by histopathological examination of biopsy
      and/or necropsy specimens. The total serum bile acids (tSBA) were determined in
      these horses by an enzymatic method (SBA-EA) and by summation of the bile acids
      (SBA-LC) as fractionated by the HPLC. The SBA-LC were generally higher than the
      SBA-EA in both the controls and liver disease and they did not parallel each
      other. The primary bile acids, total cholates and total chenodeoxycholates
      accounted for most of the tSBA increases in liver disease. There was a shift in
      profile from taurocholate to free (unconjugated) cholate in direct relation to
      the severity of the liver injury. Among the secondary bile acids, total
      deoxycholates and total taurodeoxycholates increased at random. The pattern of
      the SBA profile in relation to the severity of the liver disease suggested that
      hepatocellular excretion is the most sensitive step in the enterohepatic
      circulation of the bile acids.

PMID- 1413476
TI  - Plasma and red cell cholinesterase concentrations in guinea-fowl (Numuida
      meleagris) and Nigerian domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus).

PMID- 1413477
TI  - Co-migrating and shared antigens of selected Pasteurella haemolytica untypable
      strains.
AB  - Bacterial cell envelope preparations from eight untypable strains of Pasteurella
      haemolytica were compared by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis and immunoblotting with rabbit antisera prepared against the
      eight untypable strains (one untypable strain per rabbit) and with cattle
      antisera prepared against P. haemolytica serotypes 1, 2, 5, 6, 9 and against one
      heterologous untypable strain. Numerous comigrating and shared antigens were
      recognized by the eight rabbit antisera and the P. haemolytica serotype cattle
      antisera. Comigrating antigens at 43 and 30 kilodaltons (kDa) were recognized by
      all eight rabbit antisera. Shared antigens, detected by all eight rabbit antisera
      when reacting against P. haemolytica serotype 1, were recognized at 43, 32, 30,
      20 and 15 kDa.

PMID- 1413479
TI  - Multiple anthelmintic resistance in a field strain of Haemonchus contortus in
      goats.

PMID- 1413478
TI  - The effect of including anti-Ig sera in the haemagglutination inhibition test for
      Mycoplasma gallisepticum.
AB  - Addition of anti-immunoglobulin M (anti-IgM), G (anti-IgG) and A (anti-IgA) sera
      to the haemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test (anti-Ig HI test) for Mycoplasma
      gallisepticum resulted in 2- to 8-fold increases in the HI titres. On
      investigating the anti-Ig HI reaction using IgM and IgG antibodies separated by
      affinity chromatography, it was confirmed that, in the enhanced HI titres,
      specificity existed between the chicken Ig classes having antibody activity and
      the antisera used in the test. Four days after inoculation of M. gallisepticum,
      the anti-Ig HI reaction was markedly enhanced by anti-IgM antiserum in the
      intravenously inoculated chickens and by anti-IgA serum in the nasally inoculated
      chickens. Ten days after inoculation of M. gallisepticum marked enhancement of
      the reaction was produced by anti-IgG serum in both intravenously and nasally
      inoculated chickens, but the enhancement of the anti-Ig HI reaction diminished
      from the second week after inoculation.

PMID- 1413480
TI  - Glutathione transferase activity in livers from lambs of three different breeds
      of Norwegian sheep, and its possible relationship to alveld.

PMID- 1413482
TI  - Pharmacokinetics following a single intravenous administration and a dosage
      regimen for sulfadoxine in buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis).

PMID- 1413481
TI  - The effect of central sympathectomy by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) on the response
      to morphine in conscious sheep.
AB  - When morphine, an opioid mu-agonist, was administered in vivo into the third
      cerebral ventricle (ICV) of conscious sheep at 20 and 40 micrograms/kg body
      weight, it caused psychomotor excitability for 2-3 h and a significant decrease
      in the reticuloruminal frequency for 45 min and in the mean amplitude of the
      primary contractions for 65 min. From 60 min after infusion, the same doses of
      morphine caused a significant increase in the average amplitude of the
      contractions for 45 min. This suggests that an inhibitory mu-opioid acceptor is
      involved in the central control of forestomach motility and general behaviour in
      sheep. All the effects of morphine were completely prevented by pretreatment with
      18.2 micrograms/kg body weight 6-OHDA ICV. These results suggest that both
      morphine-induced inhibition of rumen motility and psychomotor excitability are
      due to central noradrenergic descending system activation. The exact location of
      the noradrenergic system remains to be determined.

PMID- 1413483
TI  - The comparative haematology of cross-bred and indigenous east African goats of
      Tanzania and breeds reared in Denmark.
AB  - Erythrocyte counts, haematocrit, haemoglobin concentration, red blood cell
      indices, total and differential leukocyte counts were determined in 202 cross
      bred and 14 indigenous East African goats aged 6-12 months and also in 59
      Norwegian dairy goats, of which 24 were 15-45 days old, 8 were 8 months old and
      27 were over 3 years and pregnant. These were reared in Tanzania. Comparisons
      were made with 24 Dwarf and 57 Danish Landrace goats at 6-12 months of age and 76
      adult pregnant Danish Landrace goats reared in Denmark. The purpose was to
      determine reference ranges for cross-bred and indigenous East African goats and
      to compare these with those of other breeds. The haemoglobin concentration,
      haematocrit, erythrocyte and white blood cells were lowest in the Norwegian kids.
      The highest values were observed in 6-12-month-old goats in all the breeds,
      whereafter they decreased to relatively constant adult levels. The mean
      corpuscular volumes were highest in kids followed by adult pregnant Norwegian and
      Danish Landrace goats, and lowest in 6-12 months old goats. East African and
      cross-bred goats had the smallest mean corpuscular volumes. The haemoglobin
      concentration, erythrocyte and leukocyte counts were highest in indigenous East
      African, followed by young Norwegian and cross-bred goats. The mean corpuscular
      haemoglobin concentration was highest in the cross-breds, while the mean
      corpuscular haemoglobin was higher in pregnant than in other goats. The age and
      breed differences were statistically significant.

PMID- 1413484
TI  - Biochemical and physiological parameters and estimated work output in draught
      horses pulling loads for long periods.
AB  - A study was undertaken in five draught horses of 648 +/- 33 kg body weight to
      find the effects of continuously pulling loads on their cardiovascular,
      respiratory and metabolic responses. A cart equipped with an odometer, for
      measuring distance, and a hydraulic dynamometer, for measuring draught force, was
      used. Heart and respiration rates and rectal temperatures were recorded. Blood
      samples for measuring arterial and venous pH and blood gases, haemoglobin,
      glucose and lactic acid concentrations and the serum activity of the enzymes
      creatine phosphokinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase
      and alkaline phosphatase were taken before exercise and immediately after each
      journey (morning and afternoon) of the daily work. Draught exercise, with loads
      which generated forces of between 0.57 and 0.59 kN, at speeds of 1.60 to 2.11
      m/s, for 8 h daily for five consecutive days, with resting intervals of 10 min
      each hour, was well tolerated. Exercise tolerance was evaluated from the recovery
      from the changes observed in the biochemical and physiological parameters induced
      by the work. The analysis of these showed that, when the horses were subjected to
      prolonged periods of resting, their loss of fitness for work was shown by
      significant increases in the serum activity of muscle-derived enzymes and in
      blood lactate concentrations during the first day of work. However, over the
      following days the horses adapted to the work, so that the decreases in serum
      enzyme activities and blood lactate concentrations were reduced. Since similar
      observations have been described for racehorses, the determination of blood
      lactate concentrations and the serum activities of muscle-derived enzymes,
      specifically CK, seem to be good indicators of fitness in draught horses.

PMID- 1413485
TI  - Effect of ageing and malnutrition on rat myocardium. I. The myocyte.
AB  - The effects of ageing and starvation on the rat myocardium were studied by
      morphometric methods. Since cardiac muscle is a tissue with a high level of
      anisotropy, methods based on the concept of vertical planes were used to describe
      quantitative alterations in the rat myocyte both at the cellular and
      ultrastructural level. During starvation rapid and important changes were noted,
      particularly in the transverse dimension of cells and organelles. The most
      striking change, however, was the immediate dilatation of the myocyte T-system,
      reflecting an adaptive interaction between the intra- and extracellular
      environment. At the same time exocytosis of intracellular components into the
      extracellular space of the T-system was observed. The ratio of mitochondria to
      myofibrils decreased progressively during starvation. Such a decrease, in
      general, may reach a point when cellular energy supply becomes compromised. A
      comparison between different regions of the heart showed no differences and it
      can be concluded that the morphological changes during starvation are the same,
      and equally distributed, in both ventricles. The changes described in the aged
      rat heart point in the direction of a hypertrophy of the aged myocyte. This leads
      to a lower ratio between surface and volume which finds its representation at the
      subcellular level in a more spherical shape of nuclei and mitochondria. Unlike
      what is seen in malnutrition, the mitochondrial/myofibril ratio is higher in the
      older rat. From the morphological point of view, the atrophy of malnutrition and
      the hypertrophy of ageing are opposed, but in both there is a change in the
      relationship of the myocyte to its environment which directly influences the
      substrate exchange capacity. This tends to protect the myocyte in starvation but
      jeopardizes the older cell.

PMID- 1413486
TI  - Effect of ageing and malnutrition on rat myocardium. II. The microvasculature.
AB  - The modulating effects of ageing and malnutrition on rat myocardium were studied
      morphometrically with respect to the microvasculature. An increase in capillary
      density together with a decrease in capillary lumen cross-sectional area was
      noted during starvation. The important changes seen in the myocyte T-system were
      paralleled by a decreased diffusion distance for oxygen from the capillary lumen
      to the mitochondrion. The changes described in the aged rat heart point to an
      altered inter-relationship between parenchyma and vascularization with a lower
      capillary volume fraction and a greater diffusion distance from the capillary
      lumen to the mitochondrion; this is caused by hypertrophy of the aged myocyte.
      This reduction in capacity to exchange substrates is further reduced by the less
      developed T-system in the older myocyte.

PMID- 1413487
TI  - Ag-NOR protein distribution correlates with patient survival in stage I
      endometrial adenocarcinoma.
AB  - The relationship between argyrophil nucleolar organizer region (Ag-NOR) protein
      quantity and prognosis was studied in 33 cases of stage I endometrial
      adenocarcinoma. Ag-NOR protein quantity was measured by image analysis in silver
      stained sections from paraffin-embedded samples of curettings. Patients had a
      minimum 10-year follow-up. Only 2 out of 25 patients exhibiting a mean Ag-NOR
      protein area of less than 3 microns2 died of cancer, whereas 5 of the 8 patients
      with a mean Ag-NOR protein area of more than 3 microns2 died of the disease. The
      present results demonstrate that the Ag-NOR protein value is closely related to
      patient survival in stage I endometrial carcinoma and that it is a reliable
      prognostic indicator in this type of carcinoma.

PMID- 1413489
TI  - Cell populations in the lesion of human cutaneous leishmaniasis: a light
      microscopical, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study.
AB  - To characterize the in situ cellular immune response in localized cutaneous
      leishmaniasis (LCL), the authors studied frozen skin biopsies from 50 patients
      with LCL due to Leishmania braziliensis guyanensis. A panel of 31 monoclonal
      antibodies was used, which defined the number and distribution of inflammatory
      cell subsets. Skin inflammatory infiltrates were composed of T cells (with a
      local CD4/CD8 ratio of 1.05 +/- 0.7 vs 1.48 +/- 0.3 in peripheral blood),
      macrophages and a smaller number of B cells, natural killer cells and
      granulocytes. Most of the T cells expressed activation markers (interleukin-2 and
      transferrin receptors, HLA-DR+) and an increase in T-cell-receptor gamma delta
      expression was noted. Analysis of the CD4+ subpopulations with newly available
      reagents showed that helper T cells (CD4+CD45RO+) exceeded the suppressor/inducer
      subset (CD4+CD45RA+) by 1.4:1. There were no differences between local immune
      variables from patients with primary infection (45 patients) and those with
      recurrence (5). In 7 patients, biopsies were analysed before and 1 month after
      specific treatment, and did not show significant differences except for a small
      increase of dermal CD1a+ (Langerhans) cells/mm2. The observed pattern of cellular
      skin infiltration suggests an immune-mediated tissue injury including T-cell
      mediated cytotoxicity and delayed hypersensitivity reactions in addition to
      direct parasitic action.

PMID- 1413488
TI  - Comparative analysis of p53 protein immunoreactivity in prostatic, lung and
      breast carcinomas.
AB  - In this study we analysed the expression of p53 protein in a total of 143
      carcinomas immunohistochemically. These consisted of 34 prostatic
      adenocarcinomas, 59 lung and 50 breast carcinomas. In 28 cases, an average of 2-3
      additional sections from different tumour areas were analysed. Forty-nine of the
      143 carcinomas (34%) showed typical nuclear immunoreactivity by
      immunohistochemical staining with the p53 antibody CM-1. Two of the 34 prostatic
      carcinomas (6%) were p53 positive while 25 of the 59 lung carcinomas (43%) and 22
      of the 50 breast carcinomas (44%) showed positivity for p53. By grade: 49% of
      grade III tumours, 36% of grade II and 5% of grade I tumours were p53 positive.
      There were significantly more p53-positive cases in grade II-III tumours than in
      grade I tumours (P = 0.001) when all tumours were taken into account. Further,
      there were significantly more p53-positive cases in grade III than in grade I-II
      tumours (P = 0.001). In lung tumours there were significantly more p53-positive
      cases in grade II-III tumours than in grade I tumours (P = 0.018). Similarly,
      there were significantly more p53-positive tumours in grade III breast tumours
      than in grade I-II tumours (P = 0.003). The low incidence of p53 positivity in
      prostate carcinomas suggests that mutations of the p53 gene are not as frequent
      in the neoplastic transformation of these tumours as in lung or breast
      carcinomas. The association of p53 positivity with tumours of higher grade
      suggests that p53 mutations lead to tumours of a more aggressive type. The
      analysis of tumours by multiple sections indicates that p53 positivity is not
      evenly distributed in tumour tissue. Therefore, analysis of additional tumour
      areas may reveal positivity some cases, which is not evident if only one section
      is studied.

PMID- 1413490
TI  - Localization of thromboxane synthase in human tissues by monoclonal antibody Tu
      300.
AB  - Using the monoclonal antibody Tu 300 we localized thromboxane synthase, a
      secondary enzyme of the arachidonic acid cascade, employing the alkaline
      phosphatase anti-alkaline phosphatase method and indirect double labelling
      immunofluorescence in frozen sections of human tissues. Aside from platelets, the
      source of the antigen, all cells of the mononuclear phagocytic system were
      positive, including epithelioid cells and associated giant cells, starry sky
      macrophages, dendritic cells of T-cell areas, Langerhans cells and Kupffer cells.
      In addition, some epithelial cells such as epithelia of tonsillar crypts,
      reticular epithelia of the thymic cortex and ductular epithelia in liver,
      pancreas, female breast and salivary glands showed occasional focal reactivity
      for thromboxane synthase. We suggest that the mAb Tu 300 is a key marker for the
      macrophage system and the thromboxane generating system in normal and
      pathological conditions. It may detect functional activities of as yet unknown
      significance in some specialized epithelial cells.

PMID- 1413491
TI  - Immunopathological study of eosinophils in eosinophilic granuloma of bone:
      evidence for release of three cationic proteins and subsequent uptake in
      macrophages.
AB  - Eosinophils from two patients with eosinophilic granuloma of bone (EGB) were
      studied by combined immunohistochemical and immuno-ultrastructural methods with
      antibodies directed against three eosinophil granule proteins: major basic
      protein, eosinophil cationic protein, and eosinophil peroxidase.
      Immunohistostaining showed the presence and distribution of large numbers of
      eosinophils in the granuloma. Immuno-ultrastructural methods showed alterations
      of eosinophil fine structure associated with some steps in the release of granule
      proteins. No granule extrusion was seen, but rather cationic proteins diffused
      within cytoplasmic tubulo-vesicular structures. Furthermore, the three granule
      proteins were found within phagolysosomes of surrounding macrophages, suggesting
      an interaction between eosinophils and phagocytic cells at the destructive stage
      of EGB.

PMID- 1413493
TI  - Abnormal p53 immunoreactivity and prognosis in node-negative breast carcinomas
      with long-term follow-up.
AB  - The expression of the p53 gene product was investigated immunocytochemically in a
      retrospective series of 164 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded invasive breast
      carcinomas with pathologically proven negative lymph nodes. Overall, 78 tumors
      (48%) showed a variable degree of p53 immunoreactivity. Among these, 38 cases
      were low expressors (1-10% p53 immunoreactive tumor cells), 21 moderate
      expressors (10-50% immunoreactive cells) and 19 high expressors (> 50%
      immunoreactive cells). Abnormal p53 expression correlated significantly with
      tumor size, histological and nuclear grade, DNA ploidy, mitotic rate and
      proliferation index, and with the lack of estrogen receptors. Disease-free and
      adjusted survival analysis of the 124 node-negative patients with long term (more
      than 10 years) follow-up, however, did not reveal an independent prognostic role
      for p53 expression. These data suggest that the evaluation of p53
      immunoreactivity may only play a role in a multiparametric prognostic assessment
      of node-negative breast carcinoma.

PMID- 1413492
TI  - Composition and classification of human atherosclerotic lesions.
AB  - Human atherosclerotic disease can be resolved into eight types of lesion, each
      characterized by its composition and structure and the absence or degree of
      intimal injury. The eight types have been arranged in the sequence in which they
      may progress in complexity from the initial change in childhood or youth to the
      clinical endpoints in older persons. While lesions at first increase primarily by
      intra- and extracellular accumulation of lipid, this in itself rarely accounts
      for symptomatic obstruction. Lipidic lesions become symptomatic primarily by
      means of successively superimposed deposits of thrombotic material. Non
      homogeneity of hemodynamic forces within the length of an artery account for
      local differences in intima thickness (adaptive intimal thickening) and, in
      persons with risk factors, differences in susceptibility to lesion formation.
      According to the degree to which they can accumulate or retain lipid and bring
      about secondary mechanisms, specific locations of the arterial tree have been
      designated as atherosclerosis-resistant, atherosclerosis-prone and progression
      prone.

PMID- 1413494
TI  - Comparison of various basement membrane components in benign and malignant
      peripheral nerve tumours.
AB  - Immunohistochemical methods were used to analyse benign and malignant tumours of
      peripheral nerve tissue. We tested for the distribution of basement membrane (BM)
      components collagen IV, laminin, heparan sulphate proteoglycan, fibronectin, for
      S100 protein and for the presence of interstitial collagens III and V. Laminin
      was generally noted in association with Schwann cells, but collagen IV occurred
      with perineural cells. When tested for BM components, fibroblasts were notably
      non-reactive except for fibronectin. Three specific area-dependent BM patterns
      were observed in the benign tumours: (a) Schwann cell-like, in fascicular areas
      (Antoni A areas of schwannoma, central fibrous bundles of plexiform neurofibromas
      and central areas of cutaneous neurofibroma), (b) perineural cell-like (capsular
      structures of schwannoma) and (c) fibroblast-like (myxoid and fibrously
      transformed areas). Most malignant tissues showed a variably fragmentary focal
      deposition of laminin. Other BM components were present only in well
      differentiated areas. Poorly differentiated tumours demonstrated fibronectin
      reactivity alone. Our results provide evidence that the specific staining pattern
      for BM components helps to differentiate the various cellular proliferations in
      neurogenic tumours. Schwann cells are not only distinguishable from perineural
      cells by S100 protein staining, but also by their specific BM staining. In
      addition, perineural cells can be separated from fibroblasts, which do not
      express BM material. The "tropism" of laminin in normal nerves and benign neural
      tumours--which persists in neurogenic sarcomas--indicates preferential Schwann
      cell differentiation in these cells.

PMID- 1413496
TI  - Eccrine gland involvement in Krabbe's disease.
AB  - Lysosomal storage inclusions were observed in skin eccrine gland secretory and
      myoepithelial cells in three cases of Krabbe's disease. In addition to storage
      there were numerous degenerative changes, occasionally resulting in cell
      necrosis. These findings suggest a generalized nature of the storage process in
      this lysosomal enzymopathy and point to high galactocerebroside turnover in
      eccrine gland epithelium. This knowledge may be of value in the biopsy diagnosis
      of Krabbe's disease.

PMID- 1413495
TI  - Immunohistology of islet amyloid polypeptide in diabetes mellitus: semi
      quantitative studies in a post-mortem series.
AB  - Immunoreactivity for islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) in the islets of Langerhans
      of non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients and non-diabetic patients of a non
      selected post-mortem series was studied with a new polyclonal IAPP antibody. Out
      of 133 patients examined, 124 exhibited immunoreactivity for IAPP.
      Immunoreactivity was localized intra- and extracellularly and was limited to the
      islets of Langerhans. No extracellular immunoreactivity was observed in amyloid
      negative cases. Co-localization of insulin and IAPP in the same islet-cells was
      verified by double staining with monoclonal insulin and polyclonal IAPP
      antibodies. Of 100 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)
      and islet amyloid, 98 exhibited IAPP-positive deposits and 71 exhibited
      intracellular immunoreactivity. Evaluation of intracellular immunoreactivity and
      degree of islet amyloid deposition in cases of overt NIDDM revealed an inverse
      relationship, in that intracellular IAPP immunoreactivity were reduced in
      patients with developing islet amyloid deposition. Our data are consistent with
      the hypothesis of primary beta-cell dysfunction leading to amyloid formation,
      with subsequent disturbance of beta-cell homeostasis.

PMID- 1413497
TI  - Site-directed mutations in the potyvirus HC-Pro gene affect helper component
      activity, virus accumulation, and symptom expression in infected tobacco plants.
AB  - Helper component (HC-Pro) is a virus-encoded nonstructural protein required for
      aphid transmission of potyviruses. In the tobacco vein mottling virus (TVMV)
      polyprotein, HC-Pro represents a 457 residue polypeptide from amino acid position
      257 to 713. Previous sequence comparison studies have suggested that mutations of
      one or two specific amino acid residues in the HC-Pro protein might result in
      loss of aphid transmission activity. To test this hypothesis, the initial targets
      were the residues corresponding to these specific amino acids, a lys to glu
      change and an ile to val change at amino acid positions 307 and 482,
      respectively, of the TVMV polyprotein, as well as the combination of the two. Two
      additional mutations within the HC-Pro representing dipeptide changes thr-ser to
      ile-asp and thr-ala to leu-glu at amino acid positions (283/284) and (368/369),
      respectively, were also tested to further define the effects of mutations in this
      region on helper component activity. The mutations at positions 482 and (368/369)
      had no effect on aphid transmission activity, while mutation at position 307
      completely abolished the activity. Except for the 482 mutation, all the mutations
      also affected symptomatology and virus accumulation in infected plants. Due to
      the very low concentrations of HC-Pro in plants infected with the (283/284)
      mutant, the effect of this dipeptide change on aphid transmission activity could
      not be assessed. The majority of the tested mutations fall within a putative zinc
      finger motif postulated in the cysteine-rich N-terminus of HC-Pro. The possible
      role of this motif in the potyviruses is further discussed in the light of our
      present results with TVMV.

PMID- 1413498
TI  - Myxoma virus M11L ORF encodes a protein for which cell surface localization is
      critical in manifestation of viral virulence.
AB  - Myxoma virus (MYX) induces extensive immunosuppression in infected rabbits and is
      associated with high levels of mortality. The virus encodes multiple gene
      products designed to circumvent the cellular immune response to the viral
      infection. Deletion analysis has shown that the M11L open reading frame (ORF) is
      an important virulence factor which downregulates leukocyte infiltration of MYX
      induced tumors. To investigate the role of the M11L protein in viral
      pathogenesis, we sequenced the MYX M11L ORF and showed that the sequence has
      motifs consistent with a 166-aa class III membrane-spanning molecule possessing a
      single transmembrane helix near the C-terminus and a 142-aa N-terminal
      extracellular domain that has six cysteine residues plus two consensus N
      glycosylation sites. Transcription analysis indicates that M11L is expressed as
      an early gene, and surface immunofluorescence studies with anti-M11L antibodies
      reveal that M11L protein is transported to the infected cell surface.
      Immunoprecipitation analysis of an attenuated viral recombinant, vMYX-GF-delta
      M11L, indicates that an M11L variant protein with an altered C-terminus is
      synthesized at about 45% of wild type levels; however, it is not detectable on
      the cell surface, suggesting that proper M11L function requires localization at
      the infected cell membrane. We propose that M11L is a virulence factor whose
      function is to recognize an extracellular ligand essential for the cellular
      inflammatory response.

PMID- 1413499
TI  - The nucleotide sequence of adenovirus type 11 early 3 region: comparison of
      genome type Ad11p and Ad11a.
AB  - The early 3 region (E3) of two strains (genome type Ad11p and Ad11a) of human
      adenovirus serotype 11, causing persistent urinary and acute respiratory
      illnesses, respectively, has been identified and partially sequenced. The
      sequenced E3 regions of Ad11p and Ad11a were 1980 and 1966 bp long and encoded
      three complete ORFs, 18.5, 20.3, 20.6k within the Ad11p genome and 18.5, 20.3,
      20.2k within the Ad11a genome. The sequence analysis of the 18.5k gene product
      demonstrated that a transmembrane domain and a cytoplasmic domain of Ad11p,
      Ad11a, and Ad35 was identical. Ad11p and Ad35 were homologous in the signal
      sequence. There was one amino acid mismatch between Ad11p and Ad11a, represented
      by an alanine instead of a proline. The endoplasmic reticulum lumenal domain,
      which binds to class I MHC, was relatively conserved between Ad11p and Ad11a with
      the exception of Glu80 and Glu104 in Ad11p, which were replaced by Gln80 and
      Lys104 in Ad11a. Within the 20.2k protein of Ad11a, the amino acid sequence Thr
      Thr-Ser-His was deleted from a position immediately upstream the transmembrane
      region of the Ad11p 20.6k protein. The 9.0k E3 open reading frame (ORF) of Ad3
      was deleted in the genomes of Ad11p and Ad11a. It is noteworthy that Ad11p and
      Ad35 which both cause persistent infection of the urinary tract display a
      remarkable similarity in several ORFs of the E3 region.

PMID- 1413500
TI  - Adenovirus transformation revertant resistant to retransformation by E1 but not
      by SV40-T and HPV16-E7 oncogenes.
AB  - We have previously described a revertant cell line which expresses a dominant
      tumor suppressor phenotype to E1 but not to heterologous oncogenes such as c-myc,
      N-ras, or polyoma middle t (Sircar et al. (1988) Oncogene 3, 725-728). DNA tumor
      virus oncogenes have been suggested to transform cells via the common mechanism
      of sequestering the Rb-105 antioncoprotein. This paradigm would predict that our
      revertant cell line, which is resistant to retransformation by E1a, should also
      be resistant to the other members of the Rb-105 binding family of oncogenes. To
      test this hypothesis we transfected the revertant cell line with plasmids bearing
      SV40-T or the HPV16-E7 oncogenes. Because transformation was obtained by both
      oncogenes at efficiencies similar to the transformation of a related revertant
      cell line, the results suggest that the resistance phenotype is specific to E1a.
      This specificity was further confirmed by cell fusion experiments.

PMID- 1413501
TI  - The complete nucleotide sequence of pepper mottle virus genomic RNA: comparison
      of the encoded polyprotein with those of other sequenced potyviruses.
AB  - The complete nucleotide sequence of a pepper mottle virus isolate from California
      (PepMoV C) has been determined from cloned viral cDNAs. The PepMoV C genomic RNA
      is 9640 nucleotides excluding the poly(A) tail and contains a long open reading
      frame starting at nucleotide 168 and potentially encoding a polyprotein of 3068
      amino acids. Comparison of the PepMoV C presumptive polyprotein with those of
      other sequenced members of the potyvirus group, including tobacco etch virus
      (TEV), tobacco vein mottling virus (TVMV), plum pox virus (PPV), and potato virus
      Y (PVY), allowed localization of putative protein cleavage sites. A similar
      analysis was used to determine the position of conserved viral protein-coding
      regions along the viral genomic RNA. These analyses confirm previous work
      indicating that genome organization is conserved among members of the genus
      Potyvirus. The localization of one PepMoV C gene product, the nuclear inclusion
      body protein a (NIa protein), was analyzed by expressing PepMoV cDNA deletion
      clones in bacteria and assaying for appearance of mature-sized coat protein, a
      cleavage product of the NIa protease. Comparative sequence analyses of the
      putative PepMoV polyprotein with those of TEV, TVMV, PPV, and PVY served to
      identify regions of the potyviral polyproteins which have diverged within the
      genus, as well as highly conserved protein features which may play an important
      functional role in the potyviral life cycle.

PMID- 1413502
TI  - Complete nucleotide sequence of the cloned infectious genome of Junonia coenia
      densovirus reveals an organization unique among parvoviruses.
AB  - We previously constructed a recombinant plasmid, pBRJ, encompassing an infectious
      Junonia coenia densovirus (JcDNV) genome (M. Jourdan et al. (1990). Virology 179,
      403-409). We report here the complete viral sequence of pBRJ. The genome, 5908
      nucleotides (nt) long, consists of an internal unique sequence flanked by long
      (517 nt) inverted terminal repeats. The first 96 bases of one extremity can fold
      into a typical Y-shaped hairpin structure. The opposite extremity is incomplete,
      lacking 88 nt. These terminal structures, similar to those of dependoviruses,
      human parvovirus B19 and Bombyx mori densovirus (BmDNV), strongly suggest a
      common mechanism of DNA replication for these parvoviruses. JcDNV genomic
      organization is unique among parvoviruses in that coding sequences are evenly
      distributed in the 5' half of both strands. On one strand, the major open reading
      frame (ORF1) encodes the four structural proteins. On the complementary strand,
      ORF2, ORF3 (included in ORF2), and ORF4 probably encode nonstructural proteins.
      JcDNV genome has little DNA homology with vertebrate parvoviruses and
      surprisingly even less with the two densoviruses presently sequenced. ORF1
      contains the highly conserved PGY and G-rich regions and ORF2 the NTP-binding
      domain common to most structural and to all nonstructural vertebrate parvoviral
      ORFs, respectively. The single homology between JcDNV and BmDNV is unexpectedly
      located in JcDNV NTP-binding domain and BmDNV ORF2 assumed to encode structural
      polypeptides. Only a weak homology exists between JcDNV and Aedes DNV in their
      NTP-binding domain.

PMID- 1413504
TI  - Replication capacities of natural and artificial precore stop codon mutants of
      hepatitis B virus: relevance of pregenome encapsidation signal.
AB  - The emergence of hepatitis B virus variants unable to express HBe protein during
      late stage of viral infection may represent an important mechanism of viral
      persistence. The molecular mechanisms responsible for the elimination of HBe
      expression are nonsense or frameshift mutations or initiation codon mutations in
      part of its coding sequence, the precore region. So far only 2 of the 29 precore
      amino acid codons have been found mutated to stop codons in nature, although a
      total of 10 codons are convertible to stop codons by single nucleotide changes.
      Since the HBe-coding sequence is largely overlapped by the pregenome
      encapsidation signal (epsilon signal), a recently found cis-acting element
      required for the packaging of pregenomic RNA, the absence of other potential
      nonsense mutants could result from their impairment of the epsilon signal. Seven
      such potential stop codon mutants were constructed and tested for replication
      capacities by transfection into a hepatoma cell line. Five mutants were
      replication competent, but at levels lower than that of a prevalent natural stop
      codon mutant. The remaining two mutants were completely defective in DNA
      replication, which clearly explained why these two mutants are not found in
      nature. Northern blot analysis revealed wild-type levels of RNA transcription by
      these two mutants but complete lack of packaged pregenomic RNA. Additional
      studies lent further support to the importance of the epsilon signal in pregenome
      encapsidation and suggested relaxed sequence requirements for the computer
      predicted hexanucleotide bulge region as compared to the hexanucleotide loop of
      the signal.

PMID- 1413505
TI  - Transcription dependence of DNA packaging of bacteriophages T3 and T7.
AB  - T3 and T7 phages package homologous DNA more efficiently than heterologous DNA
      and recombinant plasmids carrying DNA sequences necessary for DNA packaging (pac
      sequence). The pac sequence contains a promoter for phage RNA polymerase and
      transcription from the promoter is necessary for DNA packaging. T3 and T7 RNA
      polymerases are stringently specific for their own promoters. To examine the
      relationship between DNA packaging and transcription, we constructed a cleared in
      vitro system for packaging T3 or T7 DNA containing an ammonium sulfate
      fractionate of a high-speed supernatant of phage-infected cells. In the system,
      DNA packaging required GTP and was inhibited by the 3'-deoxy analog of GTP, ATP,
      or CTP. The DNA packaging activity paralleled the transcriptional activity,
      assayed by incorporation of [32P]UTP into acid-insoluble material. In the system,
      homologous DNA was packaged more efficiently than heterologous DNA, but
      heterologous DNA was packaged as efficiently as homologous DNA by the addition of
      heterologous phage RNA polymerase, demonstrating that the transcriptional
      specificity determines the DNA packaging specificity of T3 and T7.

PMID- 1413503
TI  - Mutational analysis of the coat protein gene of potato virus X: effects on virion
      morphology and viral pathogenicity.
AB  - The role of the coat protein of potato virus X (PVX) was investigated by site
      directed mutation of the coat protein gene. Mutant viruses with in-frame
      deletions in the 5' end of the coat protein gene were capable of systemically
      infecting plants, but produced virions with atypical morphology. Viruses with a
      frameshift mutation near the 5' end or with deletions in the central part of the
      coat protein gene failed to accumulate at detectable levels, even in the
      inoculated leaf. In protoplasts, mutants that infected systemically either had a
      wild-type phenotype or showed a small reduction in accumulation of genomic RNA.
      The other mutants, which did not accumulate in the inoculated leaf, were
      unaffected in genomic RNA accumulation 8 hr postinoculation, but at 16 hr and
      later they accumulated less genomic RNA than wild-type virus. None of the
      mutations had an effect on accumulation of negative-strand RNA. The data indicate
      that efficient accumulation and spread of PVX, even in the inoculated leaf,
      requires coat protein production and encapsidation of the viral RNA.

PMID- 1413506
TI  - Evidence for multiple species of vaccinia virus-encoded palmitylated proteins.
AB  - When cells were infected with vaccinia virus in the presence of [3H]palmitic
      acid, radiolabel was incorporated into six viral proteins with apparent molecular
      weights of 92, 41, 37, 26, 17, and 14 kDa, all of which are expressed at late
      times during the infection cycle. The [3H]palmitate-labeled fatty acid moieties
      from the modified proteins were isolated, converted to p-nitrophenacyl
      derivatives, and subjected to reverse phase HPLC analysis which confirmed the
      identity of the fatty acid group as palmitic acid. Furthermore, the radiolabeled
      palmitate-protein bonds were sensitive to treatment with neutral hydroxylamine,
      suggesting that association of the fatty acid moieties with these proteins occurs
      via a thioester linkage. Previous studies by other investigators have identified
      the 37-kDa protein as the major antigen present in the outer membrane of
      extracellular enveloped virions, and demonstrated that the protein is modified by
      palmitic acid but is not glycosylated (G. Hiller and K. Weber J. Virol. (1985)
      55, 651-659). Growth of vaccinia virus in the presence of tunicamycin indicated
      that the 41- and 26-kDa palmitylated proteins were also subject to modification
      by glycosylation, whereas like the 37-kDa protein, the 92-, 17-, and 14-kDa
      species did not appear to be glycosylated. Subcellular fractionation studies
      provided evidence that all of the viral palmitylated proteins were membrane
      associated. Extraction of purified vaccinia virus with NP-40 and DTT demonstrated
      that the palmitylated proteins were associated with one of the viral membranes
      rather than the core of the virion. Viewing these results together with the
      previous reports of myristylated VV proteins (Franke et al. J. Virol. (1989) 63,
      4285-4291), suggests that acylation of VV proteins represents a major
      modification pathway utilized by VV proteins during the assembly of progeny
      virions.

PMID- 1413507
TI  - Phylogenetic analysis of alphaviruses in the Venezuelan equine encephalitis
      complex and identification of the source of epizootic viruses.
AB  - We studied the evolution of alphaviruses in the Venezuelan equine encephalitis
      (VEE) complex using phylogenetic analysis of RNA nucleotide sequences from
      limited portions of the nsP4, E1, and 3' untranslated genome regions of
      representative strains. The VEE complex constituted a monophyletic group of
      viruses (descended from a common ancestor); some serologic VEE varieties such as
      subtype III formed monophyletic groups while subtype I did not. Subtype II
      Everglades and variety ID enzootic viruses formed a monophyletic group which also
      included all epizootic variety IAB and IC VEE isolates. Everglades virus diverged
      from this ID lineage (colonized North America) ca. 100-150 years ago, followed by
      divergence of variety IAB and IC epizootic viruses. Variety IAB viruses probably
      emerged from the variety ID lineage once during the early part of this century,
      while variety IC viruses evolved at least two times. These results identify the
      source of epizootic VEE viruses as the variety ID enzootic virus lineage which
      occurs in northern South America and Panama. Even if variety IAB and IC viruses
      are extinct, recent, multiple emergences of epizootic viruses from an enzootic
      lineage suggests that other epizootic VEE viruses may evolve again in the future.
      The close genetic relationship of subtype II Everglades virus to the variety ID
      lineage also implies the potential for emergence of equine-virulent VEE viruses
      in Florida.

PMID- 1413508
TI  - Characterization of the hepatitis B virus X- and nucleocapsid gene
      transcriptional regulatory elements.
AB  - The regulatory DNA sequence elements that control the expression of the hepatitis
      B virus X- and nucleocapsid genes in the differentiated human hepatoma cell
      lines, Huh7, Hep3B, PLC/PRF/5, and HepG2, the dedifferentiated human hepatoma
      cell line, HepG2.1, and the human cervical carcinoma cell line, HeLa S3, were
      analyzed using transient transfection assays. In this system, the hepatitis B
      virus enhancer I located between coordinates 1071 (-239) and 1238 (-72) increases
      transcription from the X-gene promoter located between coordinates 1239 (-71) and
      1376 (+67) more than 30-fold in the differentiated hepatoma and the HeLa S3 cell
      lines. In the dedifferentiated hepatoma cell line, HepG2.1, the enhancer I
      sequence increases the level of transcription from the X-gene promoter
      approximately 10-fold. The enhancer I subregion between coordinates 1117 (-193)
      and 1204 (-106) appears to be important for enhancer function only in the
      differentiated hepatoma cell lines, whereas the enhancer I subregion between
      coordinates 1222 (-88) and 1238 (-72) is required for enhancer activity in each
      of the cell lines examined. In all of the cell lines, the X-gene minimal promoter
      element was within a 138-nucleotide sequence located between coordinates 1239 (
      71) and 1376 (+67). The enhancer I sequence increases transcription from the
      nucleocapsid promoter approximately 3- to 10-fold in the Huh7, Hep3B, PLC/PRF/5,
      and HeLa S3 cell lines, whereas it had little influence on the level of
      transcription from this promoter in HepG2 and HepG2.1 cells. The minimal
      nucleocapsid promoter element was within a 105 nucleotide sequence located
      between coordinates 1700 (-85) and 1804 (+20). This indicates that the levels of
      transcription from the X- and nucleocapsid gene promoters are determined in a
      cell-type-specific manner, in part, by the hepatitis B virus enhancer I and the
      corresponding minimal promoter sequence.

PMID- 1413509
TI  - Hepatitis B virus-DNA transfected myeloma cell-specific cytotoxic T cells in
      chronic hepatitis B patients.
AB  - To study the mechanisms of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced chronic hepatitis (B
      CH), we took chronic hepatitis B patients' peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and
      examined their cytotoxic activities against human myeloma cells (ARH77)
      transfected by HBV-DNA. Two different transfected cells, one expressing HBV
      envelope antigens (S6) and the other expressing HBV core antigens (C4), were
      prepared and used as targets in the in vitro cytotoxic test. We found that PBL of
      B-CH patients had specific cytotoxic activity against these target cells (S6,
      22.0 +/- 4.8%; C4, 21.6 +/- 4.8%), whereas no remarkable cytotoxic activity was
      observed in non-B chronic hepatitis patients as well as asymptomatic chronic HBV
      carriers. These specific cytotoxic activities were inhibited with anti-CD3
      antibody, hence these killer cells belonged to T cells (cytotoxic T cells; CTL).
      The requirement of HLA class 1 antigens to exert these CTL activities was
      demonstrated by the absence of CTL activity with PBL obtained from HLA
      nonidentical B-CH patients and by the inhibition of their activities with anti
      HLA class 1 antibody. Thus, our results indicate that, at least two different
      CTL, one recognizing envelop antigen and the other recognizing core antigen,
      exist in chronic hepatitis B patients.

PMID- 1413510
TI  - Membrane fusion of mumps virus with ghost erythrocytes and CV-1 cells.
AB  - The octadecyl rhodamine (R18) fluorescent dequenching assay was used to examine
      membrane fusion between mumps virus and mammalian cells. Rapid fluorescent
      dequenching, indicative of membrane fusion, was observed when labeled mumps virus
      was mixed with either ghost erythrocytes or CV-1 cells. After 15 min a saturation
      limit of 18 virus per erythrocyte ghost and 6400 virus per CV-1 cell was
      observed. Fetuin was found to inhibit virus fusion, suggesting a role for sialic
      acid in virus binding to the cells. Two dequenching processes were observed of
      which the faster process is thought to be membrane fusion and the second process
      is thought to be probe proximal transfer.

PMID- 1413511
TI  - Mutational analysis of the monopartite geminivirus beet curly top virus.
AB  - Mutants of the monopartite geminivirus beet curly top virus have been screened
      for infectivity and symptom development in Nicotiana benthamiana and Beta
      vulgaris, for replication competence in N. benthamiana leaf discs, and for
      transmission by the leafhopper Circulifer tenellus. Disruption of open reading
      frame (ORF) V2 by the introduction of a termination codon resulted in symptomless
      infection of N. benthamiana associated with low levels of virus and reduced
      single-stranded (ss) DNA and prevented systemic infection of B. vulgaris. Reduced
      levels of ssDNA were produced by the mutant in N. benthamiana leaf discs,
      suggesting that V2 affects the synthesis or accumulation of this viral DNA form.
      Mutants in which ORF C2 had been truncated by the introduction of termination
      codons or by frame-shifting remained highly infectious and induced severe
      symptoms in both N. benthamiana and B. vulgaris. Similarly, a mutant containing a
      termination codon within ORF C3 was highly infectious and induced severe symptoms
      in N. benthamiana although infectivity in B. vulgaris was greatly reduced,
      symptoms were extremely mild, and virus levels were low. A synergistic effect of
      a double mutation in ORFs C2 and C3, manifested by the inability of mutants to
      systemically infect N. benthamiana and the production of reduced amounts of ssDNA
      in N. benthamiana leaf discs, suggests that both ORFs are functional in this
      host. A mutant containing a termination codon within the 5' terminus of ORF C4
      produced severe symptoms in both N. benthamiana and B. vulgaris resembling those
      induced by wild-type virus. Comparison with the phenotypes of previously
      characterized ORF C4 mutants suggests that a conserved core sequence of this ORF
      is an important symptom determinant. ORF C2, C3, and C4 mutants produced virus
      particles and were transmitted by C. tenellus, eliminating agroinoculation as a
      contributory factor to the mutant phenotypes. Our results are compared with those
      derived from mutagenesis studies on related bipartite geminiviruses.

PMID- 1413512
TI  - Expression of functional parvoviral NS1 from recombinant vaccinia virus: effects
      of mutations in the nucleotide-binding motif.
AB  - The gene encoding the major replicative protein, NS1, of minute virus of mice
      (MVM) was transferred into a recombinant vaccinia virus vector in place of the
      vaccinia thymidine kinase gene. The NS1 gene was placed under control of a
      bacteriophage T7 promoter and expressed in cells coinfected with another
      recombinant vaccinia virus, vTF7-3, which encodes the T7 RNA polymerase.
      Expression of NS1 was further enhanced by the presence of a 5' untranslated
      region, derived from encephalomyocarditis virus, which allows efficient cap
      independent translation. This system was used to produce and analyze wild-type
      NS1 and two mutant forms of the protein, NS1K405R and NS1K405M, in which the
      highly conserved lysine codon located in the putative purine triphosphate binding
      site of NS1 was changed to arginine and methionine, respectively. Full-length NS1
      was expressed efficiently in both human and mouse cells infected with each of the
      three recombinant viruses, and in each case the NS1 was rapidly and efficiently
      translocated into the nucleus. Wild-type NS1 expressed in this way was
      biologically active. It was able to trans-activate an MVM P38 promoter located in
      a host chromosomal site, whereas the two mutant forms of NS1 showed no
      significant activity in this assay, and it was capable of resolving palindromic
      junction fragments cloned from multimeric MVM replicative form DNA molecules.
      These substrates, representing MVM genomic left-end:left-end and right-end:right
      end fusions, were resolved in a DNA synthesis-dependent in vitro reaction
      supplemented with nuclear extracts containing recombinant wild-type NS1. Neither
      of the two mutant forms of the polypeptide had any detectable activity in this
      assay.

PMID- 1413513
TI  - Polylactosaminoglycan modification of the respiratory syncytial virus small
      hydrophobic (SH) protein: a conserved feature among human and bovine respiratory
      syncytial viruses.
AB  - We investigated the nature of the oligosaccharide modification of the
      glycosylated forms of the small hydrophobic integral membrane protein, SH
      (previously designated 1A), of respiratory syncytial (RS) virus. Analysis of SH
      protein expressed in cells infected with RS virus or with a recombinant vaccinia
      virus revealed two glycosylated SH protein species, SHg and SHp, which contained
      N-linked carbohydrate residues. SHp migrated diffusely on polyacrylamide gels,
      which suggested modification by polylactosaminoglycan oligosaccharides.
      Polylactosaminoglycan modification of SHp was established from three lines of
      investigation: (1) the synthesis of SHp in a cell line (IdID) conditionally
      defective in the ability to add specific carbohydrate residues to N- or O-linked
      oligosaccharide chains required the addition of galactose, which is a component
      of the N-acetyllactosamine repeating unit; (2) SHp was sensitive to digestion
      with endo-beta-galactosidase, which cleaves the beta 1-4 linkage between
      galactose and N-acetylglucosamine of the repeated N-acetyllactosamine subunit;
      and (3) SHp was selected by Datura stramonium lectin (Dsl), which has specificity
      for polylactosaminoglycans. The presence of SHp as a component of purified human
      subgroups A and B and bovine RS virus particles was demonstrated by Dsl affinity
      selection. In addition to SHp, nonglycosylated SHo was selected by Dsl affinity,
      indicating that SHp and SHo may associate to form complexes within infected cells
      and virus particles. To identify conserved amino acid residues among the human
      and bovine SH glycoproteins that may function as signals for
      polylactosaminoglycan modification, the nucleotide sequences of the SH protein
      genes of a human subgroup B virus (8/60) and a bovine virus (391-2) were
      determined and compared to those of a human subgroup A virus (A2), a subgroup B
      virus (18537), and a bovine virus (A51908). A comparison of the deduced amino
      acid sequences of the human and bovine RS virus SH proteins indicated that a
      central hydrophobic region and the presence of potential N-linked glycosylation
      sites on either side of the central hydrophobic region were conserved features
      that may be required for the polylactosaminoglycan modification of SH.

PMID- 1413514
TI  - Hyperexpression of baculovirus polyhedrin and p10 is inversely correlated with
      actin synthesis.
AB  - Polyhedrin and p10, two proteins encoded by Autographa californica M nuclear
      polyhedrosis virus, are hyperexpressed very late during normal infections. In
      this study we found that cytochalasin D, a drug that leads to increased actin
      synthesis in infected and uninfected host cells, delayed the amplified expression
      of polyhedrin and p10 when added to infected cells before hyperexpression was
      already in progress. Restoration of polyhedrin and p10 hyperexpression could be
      achieved by removal of the drug, but required new protein synthesis. An inverse
      correlation was observed between polyhedrin/p10 mRNA levels and actin mRNA levels
      at late and very late times during infection, regardless of whether cytochalasin
      D was added, removed, or never present. In comparison to mRNAs of polyhedrin and
      p10, the mRNA levels of the early/late viral gene 39K were much less affected by
      cytochalasin D and responded to drug removal more slowly. The results of these
      studies revealed an apparent correlation between the shut down of host actin
      genes and the amplified expression of polyhedrin and p10 in the presence and
      absence of cytochalasin D. The possibility that newly synthesized actin itself,
      either directly or indirectly, plays a negative regulatory role in the
      accumulation of polyhedrin and p10 mRNAs is discussed.

PMID- 1413515
TI  - Analysis of 3' and 5' ends of N and NSs messenger RNAs of Toscana Phlebovirus.
AB  - The 5' and 3' ends of N and NSs mRNAs, transcribed from the S segment of Toscana
      Phlebovirus, were analyzed by oligonucleotide primer extension and S1 nuclease
      mapping procedures. The results showed that both mRNAs acquired, at their 5' end,
      approximately 9-15 nucleotides not present in the viral template, suggesting an
      initiation transcription mechanism similar to the one described for influenza
      virus. Furthermore, the 3' ends of the two mRNAs were located in a sequence motif
      conserved in the S segment of two other Phleboviruses, the Rift Valley Fever and
      Sandfly Fever Sicilian viruses. This finding suggests the possible involvement of
      this sequence in the mechanism of transcription termination.

PMID- 1413516
TI  - Characterization of the antibody response to three different versions of the HTLV
      I envelope protein expressed by recombinant vaccinia viruses: induction of
      neutralizing antibody.
AB  - Recombinant vaccinia viruses (RVV) designated RVV E1, RVV E2, and RVV E3, were
      constructed to express three different versions of the human T cell leukemia
      virus type I (HTLV-I) envelope proteins to determine which configuration elicits
      an optimal antibody response. RVV E1 expressed the native HTLV-I envelope
      proteins gp46 (surface protein) and gp21 (transmembrane protein), while RVV E2
      expressed the envelope precursor with the proteolytic cleavage site deleted. The
      RVV E3 construct expressed only the external surface glycoprotein, gp46.
      Radioimmunoprecipitation and FACS analysis confirmed that the appropriate
      envelope proteins were expressed by RVV E1-, E2-, and E3-infected cells.
      Immunization studies were carried out using Balb/c, A/J, and C57BL/6 strains of
      mice. Balb/c mice responded poorly to immunization with all of the three RVV
      constructs. C57BL/6 mice produced neutralizing antibodies in response to
      immunization with all three constructs, whereas A/J mice developed neutralizing
      antibodies only when immunized with the RVV E1s construct. The results indicate
      that the humoral immune responses depend on the form of HTLV-I envelope proteins
      expressed by each RVV.

PMID- 1413517
TI  - cis-acting elements for in trans complementation of replication-defective mutant
      of tobacco mosaic virus.
AB  - We have shown that virus-encoded replicase components of tobacco mosaic virus
      (TMV)(130K/180K proteins) could complement a replication-defective mutant (LDR28)
      for viral replication in trans [Ogawa et al. Virology 185, 580-584 (1991)]. Using
      this trans-complementation system, we investigated the dispensability of regions
      of the 130K/180K protein genes as cis-acting elements for viral replication. A
      series of replication-defective mutants (LDRs) which had various deletions in the
      130K/180K coding region were constructed. These were co-inoculated with a
      replication-competent mutant (LDCS29) into tobacco protoplasts. Accumulation of
      LDR-genomic RNA, CP mRNA, and CP was much increased by the removal of the 3'
      terminal one-third of the readthrough part of 180K protein gene (residues 4529
      4937 of TMV-RNA) from LDR, suggesting that this region interferes with the viral
      replication in this trans-complementation system. In addition, accumulation of CP
      mRNA and CP was much decreased by the removal of the 5'terminal half of the 30K
      protein gene (residues 4938-5263 of TMV-RNA), suggesting the presence of an
      element to enhance the synthesis of CP mRNA in this region.

PMID- 1413518
TI  - Structural and functional organization of the human endogenous retroviral ERV9
      sequences.
AB  - The human genome contains a variety of genetic elements similar in structure to
      retroviruses and retrotransposons. We report here the structural and functional
      organization of a novel human endogenous retroviral family (ERV9). Three
      polyadenylated RNAs, 8, 2, and 1.5 kb long, are detected by Northern blot in
      undifferentiated embryonal carcinoma NT2/D1 cells. Upon genomic cloning of an
      expressed ERV9 locus, we demonstrated that the three polyadenylated RNAs are
      originated by a single ERV9 locus by alternative usage of splicing and
      polyadenylation signals. DNA sequence analysis of different ERV9 LTRs have
      revealed that they are heterogeneous in length and that the length variability is
      due to the number of tandemly repeated subelements present in both U3 and U5
      regions; moreover, the ERV9 LTRs are capable to drive expression of a reporter
      gene in transient expression assays. Finally, analysis of the ERV9 5'
      transcription start site has allowed us to define the U3-R-U5 organization of the
      ERV9 LTR.

PMID- 1413519
TI  - Nucleotide sequence identifies Vilyuisk virus as a divergent Theiler's virus.
AB  - The Vilyuisk virus, originally thought to be the cause of a degenerative
      neurological disease of inhabitants of Siberia, has been characterized by
      sequence analysis of its 5' noncoding and coat protein coding regions. In the 5'
      noncoding, leader, and VP4 regions, the nucleotide identity between the sequences
      of known strains of Theiler's virus and Vilyuisk virus is about 90%. In the VP1
      encoding region, the similarity drops to about 66% compared to the 50% similarity
      between sequences of Theiler's virus and encephalomyocarditis virus. Using the
      known crystal structure of one Theiler's virus strain, it is shown that the
      sequence heterogeneities generally occur at exposed surface residues. Vilyuisk
      virus is the most divergent Theiler's virus known. A tissue culture-adapted
      isolate has been propagated and found to exhibit low neurovirulence in CD-1 mice.

PMID- 1413520
TI  - The coat protein of white clover mosaic potexvirus has a role in facilitating
      cell-to-cell transport in plants.
AB  - Functions of the coat protein of white clover mosaic potexvirus (WCIMV) were
      investigated using C-terminal deletion mutants. Whereas plants inoculated with
      RNA transcripts of a full-length wild-type clone of WCIMV produced typical
      infections, plants inoculated with transcripts of each mutant did not produce
      symptoms, and viral RNA species were not detected by Northern analysis. The
      mutants were able to replicate in protoplasts, although, relative to the wild
      type RNA profile, the level of genomic RNA, but not subgenomic RNA, was reduced.
      These results indicate a role for the coat protein in efficient cell-to-cell
      transport in plants. Virus-like particles were detected in protoplast extracts
      inoculated with transcripts of a mutant in which the coat protein was truncated
      by 31 amino acids. This result suggests that the lack of detectable transport in
      plants was not due solely to a failure of the mutants to form virus particles.
      Possible roles for the coat protein in transport and replication are discussed. A
      6-kDa open reading frame, internal to the coat protein gene, was shown by
      mutational analysis not to be essential for replication or transport.

PMID- 1413521
TI  - The genome of bovine ephemeral fever rhabdovirus contains two related
      glycoprotein genes.
AB  - A 3789 nucleotide region of the bovine ephemeral fever virus (BEFV) genome,
      located 1.65 kb downstream of the N gene, has been cloned and sequenced. The
      region contains two long open reading frames (ORFs) which are bounded by putative
      consensus (AACAGG) and polyadenylation (CATG[A]7) sequences and are separated by
      an intergenic region of 53 nucleotides. Discrete mRNAs corresponding to each ORF
      have been identified. The first ORF encodes a polypeptide comprising 623 residues
      which was identified by peptide sequencing as the virion G protein. The deduced
      amino acid sequence of the G protein includes putative signal and transmembrane
      domains and five potential glycosylation sites. The second ORF encodes a
      polypeptide of 586 amino acids which also has characteristics of a rhabdovirus
      glycoprotein, including putative signal and transmembrane domains and eight
      potential glycosylation sites, and appears to correspond to a 90-kDa
      nonstructural glycoprotein (GNS) identified in BEFV-infected cells (Walker et al.
      [1991] J. Gen. Virol. 72, 67-74). A database search indicated that both the G and
      GNS proteins share significant amino acid sequence homology with other
      rhabdovirus G proteins and with each other. Highest homology scores for each
      protein were with sigma virus and vesicular stomatitis virus serotypes.

PMID- 1413522
TI  - Functional organization of enhancer (ENII) of hepatitis B virus.
AB  - A new enhancer ENII, located in the X open reading frame and immediately upstream
      of the core gene promoter, has recently been identified in the genome of
      hepatitis B virus. We have studied the functional constituents of this new
      enhancer in different cell lines. ENII can be divided into two functional
      elements, A and B, corresponding to two major binding sequences for nuclear
      protein factors. Element A alone gave very low activity; however, it was a
      modulatory element important for cell-type specificity. Element B was shown to be
      the basic functional element of ENII, which retained about 70% of the enhancer
      activity of the complete ENII in HepG2 cells. Element B can be further dissected
      into three subunits, B1, B2, and B3, which act synergistically. A 52-bp sequence
      is identified as the core sequences of element B. A model for the mechanism of
      ENII function is proposed.

PMID- 1413523
TI  - African swine fever virus-induced DNA polymerase is resistant to aphidicolin.
AB  - African swine fever virus (ASFV) induces the synthesis of a virus-specific DNA
      polymerase, which is inhibited by phosphonoacetic acid and cytosine arabinoside.
      In contrast to all other alpha-like DNA polymerases of DNA viruses, ASFV-specific
      DNA polymerase is resistant to aphidicolin. Concentrations of the drug as high as
      160 microM had no effect on virus production or plaquing efficiency. The
      resistance of ASFV DNA polymerase to aphidicolin was confirmed by analyzing the
      effect of the drug on viral DNA synthesis. A moderate inhibition of viral DNA
      synthesis was observed when aphidicolin was added immediately after virus
      adsorption but normal synthesis occurred, with a peak at 10 hr p.i., when the
      drug was added at 2 or 4 hr p.i. This suggests that a very early phase of ASFV
      DNA replication is sensitive to aphidicolin and is probably catalyzed by a
      different enzyme. An in vitro assay of DNA polymerase activity was used to assay
      the sensitivity of the virus-specific DNA polymerase to inhibitors. In
      correspondence to the results observed in vivo, phosphonoacetic acid strongly
      inhibited the enzyme activity, whereas aphidicolin had no effect. Resistance to
      aphidicolin was independent of the concentration of dCTP used in the assay. Three
      independent ASFV mutants resistant to phosphonoacetic acid showed the same
      resistance to aphidicolin as wild type virus.

PMID- 1413524
TI  - Human coronavirus gene expression in the brains of multiple sclerosis patients.
AB  - Total RNA extracted from both white and gray matter of brain tissue from multiple
      sclerosis (MS) patients and controls was analyzed using a reverse transcription
      polymerase chain reaction for the presence of the nucleic acid of human
      coronavirus (HCV) 229E and OC43, the two strains characterized to date and
      associated with respiratory infections. HCV-229E viral RNA was detectable in the
      central nervous system tissue of 4 of 11 MS patients and in none of 6
      neurological and 5 normal controls. No HCV-OC43 nucleic acid was detected in any
      of the specimens. These results suggest a neurotropism on the part of the 229E
      strain of human coronavirus and underline the importance of further studies on
      its tissue distribution. The fact that it was detected only in tissue from MS
      patients illustrates the need for continued studies on the possible role of
      coronaviruses in the etiology of MS.

PMID- 1413525
TI  - Nucleotide sequence changes in the polymerase basic protein 2 gene of temperature
      sensitive mutants of influenza A virus.
AB  - Influenza A viruses bearing temperature-sensitive (ts) mutations are restricted
      in replication in the respiratory tract of animals and humans and are therefore
      attenuated. Nucleotide sequences were determined for the RNA segment coding for
      the polymerase basic protein 2 (PB2) from a panel of 12 influenza A/Udorn/307/72
      (H3N2) ts viruses, previously characterized to have a ts mutation in the PB2
      gene. Each of the viruses with a ts mutation in the PB2 gene had a single amino
      acid change located at position 65, 100, 112, 174, 298, 310, 386, 391, 556, or
      658 of the PB2 protein. The sites of the single mutations were scattered
      throughout the length of the protein and occurred in regions that are highly
      conserved among the influenza A virus PB2 predicted amino acid sequences.
      Interestingly, the substitution of aspartic acid for asparagine at position 556
      was found to lie within a region that has homology with cap-binding motifs of
      human and yeast proteins. Taken together, the findings of lesion sites in the
      A/Udorn/307/72 PB2 gene and the three reported amino acid changes at positions
      265, 417, and 512 for A/AA/6/60, A/WSN/33, and A/FPV/Ros/34 ts PB2 genes,
      respectively, indicate that the PB2 gene can sustain a viable ts mutation at
      different sites. This information will allow us to construct cloned cDNA copies
      of the A/Udorn/307/72 PB2 gene mutagenized at specific sites. Different
      configurations of two or more ts mutations may be incorporated into the cDNA PB2
      gene constructs. We have a host-range reassortant virus that should permit rescue
      of in vitro-produced transcripts of the PB2 gene into infectious virus. The
      rescue of these mutated PB2 RNA segments into an infectious influenza A virus may
      lead to the development of live attenuated reassortant virus vaccines that are
      satisfactorily attenuated, genetically stable, and immunogenic in humans.

PMID- 1413527
TI  - Molecular characterization of a polymerase mutant human immunodeficiency virus.

PMID- 1413526
TI  - Cell receptor-independent infection by a neurotropic murine coronavirus.
AB  - The cellular receptors for a coronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), have been
      recently identified as one or more members of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)
      family. The neurotropic JHM strain of MHV (MHV-JHM) possesses a highly fusogenic
      surface (S) glycoprotein. This protein is now shown to promote the spread of MHV
      into cells lacking the specific CEA-related MHV receptor. Resistant cells are
      recruited into MHV-induced syncytium with consequent production of progeny virus.
      Cell-to-cell spread of virus via membrane fusion without the requirement for
      specific cell surface receptor offers a novel way for virus to spread within
      infected hosts.

PMID- 1413528
TI  - A regulatory role for the 32K protein in proteolytic processing of cowpea mosaic
      virus polyproteins.
AB  - We have studied the regulation of proteolytic processing of the polyproteins
      encoded by cowpea mosaic virus M-RNA and B-RNA. For that purpose mutations were
      introduced in full-length cDNA clones of these RNAs. RNA transcripts were
      translated in rabbit reticulocyte lysate and the effect of mutations on the
      processing was analysed. These studies revealed that the 32K protein is released
      from the 200K B-polyprotein by an intramolecular cleavage and remains associated
      with the 170K protein, probably by interaction with the 58K domain of the 170K
      protein. In this complex the conformation of the 170K protein is such that
      further cleavages are very slow. This complex carries out the processing of the
      Gln/Met site in the M-polyprotein. The 170K protein produced by a B-RNA mutant
      that lacks the 32K coding region was efficiently processed into 110K, 87K, 84K,
      60K, 58K and 24K cleavage products. Thus, the 32K protein regulates the B
      polyprotein processing by slowing it down and, on the other hand, enhances trans
      cleavage of M-polyproteins at a Gln/Met site.

PMID- 1413529
TI  - Processing of VPg-containing polyproteins encoded by the B-RNA from cowpea mosaic
      virus.
AB  - To study the processing of putative VPg precursors the expression of specific
      mutant transcripts derived from a full-length cDNA clone of cowpea mosaic virus
      (CPMV) B-RNA was examined in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system. This study
      revealed that the 170K protein produced by a B-RNA mutant that lacks the 32K
      coding region was efficiently processed by mainly intramolecular cleavages at
      three different sites into three sets of proteins of 60K + 110K, 84K + 87K, and
      58K + 112K. Further cleavage of the 60K protein into 58K and VPg has not been
      observed in this in vitro system. The 84K protein can be further processed by an
      intramolecular cleavage reaction via two alternative pathways, either into 26K
      (VPg + 24K) and 58K proteins or into 24K and 60K proteins. VPg can be released
      from the 112K (VPg + 110K) precursor either directly or via the 26K intermediate.
      Immunoblot analysis showed that the 112K protein is present in CPMV-infected
      plant cells indicating that the in vitro observations may hold true in vivo.

PMID- 1413531
TI  - [Transformation by the tax gene of HTLV-1].

PMID- 1413530
TI  - The nucleotide sequence of apple stem grooving capillovirus genome.
AB  - The complete nucleotide sequence of apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) genome has
      been determined. The genome is 6496 nucleotides in length excluding a 3'-terminal
      poly(A) tail and contains two overlapping open reading frames (ORFs). ORF1 begins
      at nucleotide position 37 and is terminated at position 6341, encoding a protein
      with a molecular weight of 241 kDa. ORF2, which is in a different reading frame
      within ORF1, begins at position 4788 and can encode a 36-kDa protein. The 241-kDa
      protein contains two consensus sequences associated with the RNA-dependent RNA
      polymerase and the NTP-binding helicase. Comparisons of amino acid sequences
      around these conserved motifs with other RNA viruses revealed that ASGV has
      extensive similarities with apple chlorotic leaf spot, tymo-, carla-, and
      potexviruses, and is a member of the sindbis-like supergroup. ASGV coat protein
      is found to be located in the C-terminal region of the 241-kDa polyprotein. The
      36-kDa protein encoded by ORF2 contains the consensus sequence Gly-Asp-Ser-Gly
      found in the active site of several cellular and viral serine proteases.

PMID- 1413532
TI  - [The clinical features of HTLV-I infection. HTLV-I associated myelopathy].

PMID- 1413533
TI  - [Immune response to HTLV-I infection].

PMID- 1413534
TI  - [Regulatory mechanism of HTLV-1 replication and its association with abnormal
      cell growth].

PMID- 1413535
TI  - [Transmission of HTLV-I].

PMID- 1413536
TI  - [Epidemiology of HTLV-I].

PMID- 1413537
TI  - [Genetic engineering of negative strand RNA viruses].

PMID- 1413538
TI  - [A brief chronological history of some critical publications on the discovery of
      retrovirus etiology of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL)].

PMID- 1413539
TI  - The 3'-nucleotide sequence of an ordinary strain of potato virus S.
AB  - The sequence of 1346 nucleotides of the 3'-terminal region of an ordinary strain
      of potato virus S was determined from cloned cDNA. This portion of the viral RNA
      contains two major open reading frames (ORFs), encoding the coat protein of
      M(r)33K and a protein of M(r)11K 3' to the coat protein, both of which showed
      high homology, 93% and 79%, respectively, with the equivalent proteins of the
      Andean strain. A major block of amino acids that differ between the ordinary and
      Andean strains was present in both the coat protein and the 11K. These blocks may
      be responsible for the substantial differences between the ordinary and Andean
      strains at the symptom and aphid transmissibility levels.

PMID- 1413540
TI  - Expression of biologically active HIV glycoproteins using a T7 RNA polymerase
      based eucaryotic vector system.
AB  - Bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase and a derivative containing a nuclear
      localization signal were transiently expressed in CV-1 cells and were shown to
      localize to the cytoplasm and nucleus, respectively. A vector was constructed
      containing T7 promoter and transcription terminator sequences flanking a
      picornaviral 5' untranslated sequence for cap-independent translation and a polyA
      signal. Expression of the HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins in this vector system gave
      high levels of specific transcripts and translation products, independent of the
      subcellular localization of T7 RNA polymerase. The synthesis of HIV glycoproteins
      was also completely independent of the coexpression of the HIV rev protein, which
      is normally required for the expression of HIV structural proteins. In addition,
      a polyA signal was not required, whereas the presence of the picornaviral 5'
      untranslated region was necessary for efficient expression. Different
      possibilities to account for these findings are discussed. The HIV glycoproteins
      synthesized in this system were normally processed and assembled; they could
      induce syncytium formation and complement an env-deletion mutant of HIV-1.

PMID- 1413541
TI  - Multiple cis-acting DNA elements that regulate transcription of the adenovirus 12
      E1A gene.
AB  - To delineate cis-acting elements for adenovirus (Ad) 12 E1A gene transcription,
      we transfected HeLa and NIH3T3 cells with DNAs having various deletions in the 5'
      upstream region linked to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene. Deletions
      in the regions between nucleotide (nt) positions 54 and 166, and 167 and 200,
      with respect to the left end of the viral genome at nt position 1, caused a two-
      to three-fold reduction in transcription. Transcription decreased to an almost
      undetectable level with loss of the region between nt positions 201 and 282. The
      effect of these mutations was almost consistent between both cell lines. The
      region between nt positions 77 and 94 stimulated transcription when situated
      upstream of the simian virus 40 early promoter in either orientation.
      Transcription was stimulated about ninefold in the presence of the DNA that
      encodes the product of the 13S, but not the 12S mRNA of the Ad12 E1A gene. These
      results indicate that transcription of the Ad12 E1A gene is regulated by multiple
      cis-acting elements and is stimulated by its own gene product.

PMID- 1413542
TI  - Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against alpha and beta subunits of the
      Ustilago maydis virus encoded toxin.
AB  - The toxins secreted by Ustilago maydis are encoded by dsRNA viruses. The KP6
      toxin encoded by subtype P6 consists of two polypeptides alpha and beta, which
      are not covalently bound. Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) were raised
      against each subunit. Some of the anti-beta MoAbs identify different epitopes in
      the antigen. The MoAbs were used to affinity purify alpha and beta polypeptides
      from culture media and to detect the precursor of the mature toxin.

PMID- 1413543
TI  - Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence of the canine adenovirus type 1
      proteinase.
AB  - The DNA sequence of an open reading frame (ORF) corresponding to the canine
      adenovirus type 1 (Can1) proteinase gene was determined. A total of 1171 base
      pairs were sequenced from the downstream end of the HindIII-A Can1 genomic
      fragment, including adjacent regions corresponding to the carboxy-terminal
      portions of the hexon and the DNA-binding proteins. The predicted Can1 proteinase
      consists of 206 residues (23,325 D) of which 68% are identical and 83% are
      similar to the sequence of the human Ad2 proteinase. Alignment with the Ad2
      proteinase identified a number of conserved residues that could form part of the
      catalytic triad of the enzyme.

PMID- 1413544
TI  - The phase of PVEP in Maxwellian view: influence of contrast, spatial and temporal
      frequency.
AB  - The temporal phase of the pattern reversal VEP has been investigated using
      stimulation with laser interference fringes in Maxwellian view. VEP phase was
      almost constant as function of spatial frequency (2-30 c/deg, 6.5 r/sec, 51
      subjects). The phase function however shows a small phase increase at low spatial
      frequencies consistent with the existence of multiple temporal mechanisms.
      Contrast variation yields a smaller phase increase with decreasing contrast than
      conventional stimulation. The phase is linear as function of reversal rate (2-31
      r/sec) for low and high spatial frequencies. The indication of more than one
      temporal mechanism has also been found when the test field diameter was varied.
      With decreasing test field size the phase increases at 6.5 r/sec, but decreases
      at 18 r/sec (for 12 c/deg).

PMID- 1413545
TI  - Pharmacological study of the chicken's monocular optokinetic nystagmus:
      involvement of the ON retinal channel evidenced by the glutamatergic separation
      of ON and OFF pathways.
AB  - The chicken's monocular optokinetic nystagmus (OKN), recorded by the magnetic
      search coil technique, displays a directional asymmetry, the temporal-nasal (T-N)
      stimulation being more efficient than the nasal-temporal (N-T) one to evoke the
      reflex. The intravitreal administration of APB, a glutamate agonist which
      selectively blocks the ON retinal channel strongly reduced the eye monocular OKN;
      it also induced spontaneous eye movements in the T-N direction. The intravitreal
      injection of PDA another glutamate analog, which reduces the OFF channel, while
      increasing the activity of the ON channel, induced a large increase in OKN
      velocity gain, especially for a N-T stimulation at the lowest drum speeds. These
      results indicate the main involvement of the ON retinal channel in the OKN
      genesis and the inhibitory effect of the OFF channel upon this oculomotor reflex.

PMID- 1413546
TI  - The development of maximum displacement limits for discrimination of motion
      direction in infancy.
AB  - The development of visual motion mechanisms has been studied in infants by using
      forced-choice preferential looking to measure maximum displacement limits (dmax)
      for the detection of coherent motion in random-dot patterns. The motion consisted
      of a sequence of coherent displacements at intervals of 20 msec. Between 8 and 15
      weeks, dmax for discrimination of coherent from incoherent motion, and for
      discrimination of opposite directions of coherent motion, increased with age; in
      both conditions, dmax for the oldest infants was less than a third of the value
      found in adults. For 10-11-week-old infants, and for an adult subject, reducing
      stimulus contrast from 88 to 48% had no effect on dmax for direction
      discrimination, which indicates that the rise in dmax with age is not simply a
      result of improving contrast sensitivity. When the displacement interval was
      increased from 20 to 40 msec, dmax increased significantly in 8-11-week-olds, but
      remained unchanged in 12-15-week-olds. These results show that while directional
      mechanisms are present in the visual system by 8 weeks, they operate over a
      restricted velocity range. The upper limit of this velocity range increases with
      age. After about 12 weeks, the increase is mainly due to changes in the spatial
      properties of motion mechanisms; however, in younger infants changes in their
      temporal properties are also important.

PMID- 1413547
TI  - Contrast sensitivity as a function of spatial frequency, viewing distance and
      eccentricity with and without spatial noise.
AB  - Using computer graphics and a two-alternative forced-choice method we measured
      threshold contrast as a function of viewing distance, spatial frequency, and
      eccentricity for gratings with and without added, white two-dimensional spatial
      noise. Our experiments showed that in spatial noise contrast sensitivity was
      independent of viewing distance as long as contrast sensitivity was lower with
      noise than without. With increasing spatial frequency (f) the grating area (A)
      was reduced in order to keep the relative grating size (Af2) constant. At all
      spatial frequencies the test gratings thus had the same amount of detail and
      contour. Noise spectral density was reduced in direct proportion to grating area
      in order to keep the physical signal-to-noise ratio constant. An increase in
      spatial frequency was thus accompanied with reductions in grating area and noise
      spectral density similar to those produced by a corresponding increase in viewing
      distance. In agreement, contrast detection in spatial noise was found to be
      independent of spatial frequency as long as contrast sensitivity was lower with
      noise than without. The effect of increasing eccentricity on visual performance
      can be compensated for by reducing the viewing distance (M-scaling). Hence,
      without M-scaling the effect of increasing eccentricity is similar to that of
      increasing viewing distance. In agreement, we found that contrast sensitivity in
      spatial noise was independent of eccentricity as long as contrast sensitivity was
      lower with noise than without.

PMID- 1413548
TI  - Effects of contrast substitutions upon motion detection in spatially random
      patterns.
AB  - We report the effects of contrast changes between frames in a random-square
      kinematogram. When the contrasts of both frames are too low to permit directional
      discrimination, increasing the contrast of either the first or the second frame
      alone makes directional discrimination possible. However, at suprathreshold
      contrasts for motion detection, increasing the contrast of either the first or
      the second frame alone makes discrimination more difficult. We conclude that
      motion detection is a special case of contrast discrimination, in agreement with
      the Reichardt model of motion detection.

PMID- 1413549
TI  - Scotopic visual efficiency: constraints by optics, receptor properties, and rod
      pooling.
AB  - We studied the influence of optics, photoreceptor properties, and rod pooling on
      scotopic contrast sensitivity by comparing the performance of an ideal
      discriminator to that of human observers. Comparisons of human and ideal contrast
      sensitivities indicated that preretinal factors and summation area were not
      sufficient to explain the shape of the human CSF. Spatial pooling of rods was
      explored as a possible explanation of this discrepancy. Our highest efficiency,
      expressed in terms of a human/ideal contrast sensitivity ratio, was about 1:3
      (0.33) for a contrast discrimination task.

PMID- 1413550
TI  - The role of color in the motion system.
AB  - We have examined the ability of observers to determine the direction of movement
      of a variety of colored plaid patterns. When the two plaid components are of
      unequal spatial frequency or of unequal luminance or chromatic contrast,
      observers judge the direction of movement incorrectly. These errors are
      correlated with a misjudgement of the speeds of the two components. Our results
      provide support for an initial decomposition into oriented components followed by
      a subsequent component-to-pattern recombination of moving equiluminant and
      colored plaids. At equal multiples of threshold contrast a moving luminance
      grating is about 8 times more powerful than a moving equiluminant grating in
      determining the apparent direction of motion of a plaid. When both are present,
      luminance and color do not interact linearly. Color and motion must be processed
      in parallel in at least partially separate pathways.

PMID- 1413551
TI  - Head-centric visual localization with lateral body tilt.
AB  - The aim of the present investigation was to decide whether subjects can correctly
      judge the head-centric orientation of a display in the dark in spite of the
      counterrolling of their eyes caused by head tilt. Four subjects were asked to set
      two luminous points orthogonally to the median plane of their heads, with head
      and body upright or tilted 90 degrees to the left or right side. The luminous
      points could be rotated in a frontal plane about a stationary fixation light
      situated straight ahead. Subjects viewed this display monocularly with either
      eye. In the same three body positions, ocular counterroll was determined
      photographically. The settings turned out to be neither accurately oculocentric
      nor head-centric, and there were considerable inter- and intrapersonal variances.
      However, on average, display adjustments were more head-centric: mean difference
      of ocular counterroll between left-ear-down and right-ear-down conditions was
      13.2 deg, whereas the mean difference of the subjective head-centric orientations
      was only 3.8 deg.

PMID- 1413552
TI  - Predictive smooth pursuit eye movements near abrupt changes in motion direction.
AB  - The stimulus-response characteristics of predictive smooth pursuit eye movements
      near the time of predictable, abrupt changes in target motion direction were
      studied. Expectations about the speed and direction of target motion both before
      and after the direction change affected specific components of the predictive
      pursuit responses. We propose that, when the direction of target motion is
      expected to change, the cessation of motion in one direction and the initiation
      of motion in a new direction are separately anticipated and that predictive
      pursuit movements are summated responses to these two events.

PMID- 1413553
TI  - Two-stage analysis of the motion of 2-dimensional patterns, what is the first
      stage?
AB  - The sum of two differently orientated moving sinusoidal gratings of similar
      spatial frequency, contrast, and velocity appears as a single coherent "plaid"
      pattern. The visual system is thought to analyse the motion of plaids in two
      stages, first analysing the motion of the (1-D) components, and then calculating
      a speed and direction which is consistent with those 1-D motions. We find that
      the direction of motion of a plaid (components 1.6 c/deg orientated +60 degrees
      and -60 degrees) can be discriminated at velocities so low that the direction of
      motion of its components is not discriminable. This finding is not consistent
      with the "two-stage" hypothesis in the form that it is usually expressed. We
      suggest that mechanisms sensitive to the motion of local elements in the pattern,
      such as edges, could also contribute to the first stage of the analysis of plaid
      motion.

PMID- 1413554
TI  - Analysis of the motion of 2-dimensional patterns: evidence for a second-order
      process.
AB  - The sum of two differently orientated moving sinusoidal gratings of similar
      spatial frequency, contrast, and velocity appears as a single coherent "plaid"
      pattern. The visual system is thought to analyse the motion of plaids in two
      stages, first analysing the motion of the (1-D) components, and then calculating
      a speed and direction which is consistent with those 1-D motions. We studied the
      apparent direction of motion of plaids made by adding two components that had the
      same spatial frequency and contrast, and were symmetrically oriented about the
      vertical axis. The gratings moved in jumps, and we studied the effect of varying
      the size of the jump, the angle between the component gratings, and the temporal
      interval between the jumps, on the perceived direction of motion. When the size
      of the jumps was increased to 3/8 of their spatial period, the perceived
      direction of motion of the plaid pattern reversed, although if one component were
      presented alone, its direction of movement did not reverse. Reversed motion of
      this type was consistently obtained if the angle between the components was
      greater than about 140 degrees, if the interval between jumps was at least 25
      msec, and if the spatial frequency of the component gratings was less than about
      4 c/deg. When the angle between the components was smaller, or the time between
      jumps was greater, most observers saw normal motion in the direction predicted by
      the two-stage hypothesis. When the spatial frequency was raised, observers saw no
      consistent motion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413555
TI  - A comparison between colour and luminance contrast in a spatial linking task.
AB  - We report experiments which compare the ability of subjects to employ colour vs
      luminance contrast as a basis for discriminating the degree of collinearity of
      random element string pairs. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent
      to which spatial integration mechanisms could utilize colour contrast. In order
      to probe directly the processes of spatial integration per se, it was necessary
      to control for any differences in the efficiency with which the visual system
      utilized colour and luminance contrast to locate the positions of the individual
      elements in the test stimuli. To do this we first established the "equivalent"
      luminance contrast of an isochromatic stimulus which produced equal performance
      to an isoluminant stimulus in a 2 element per string alignment task. This equated
      the colour defined and luminance defined stimuli for local positional acuity. We
      then measured performance for both isoluminant and equivalent luminance contrast
      stimuli for strings consisting of 2, 4, 8 and 16 elements. This tested for any
      differences in the processes of spatial integration. For both unmasked stimuli
      and stimuli embedded in luminance noise, there was no consistent trend favouring
      either luminance or colour contrast as the number of elements in the stimuli was
      increased. We conclude that the visual system is able to employ colour contrast
      as efficiently as luminance contrast for collinearity judgements, thus
      implicating a general role for colour vision in spatial integration tasks.

PMID- 1413556
TI  - Nonlinear processes in spatial-frequency channel models of perceived texture
      segregation: effects of sign and amount of contrast.
AB  - Observers rated the degree of segregation between two textures, each composed of
      the same two element types but in differing arrangements (a checkerboard
      arrangement in the middle region of the pattern and a striped arrangement in the
      top and bottom regions). The two element types in a given pattern were either
      both solid squares or both center-surround elements. In center-surround elements
      the average luminance equaled the background luminance. The two elements types
      were identical in size but differed in sign and/or amount of contrast.
      Discrepancies between the observers' ratings of perceived segregation and the
      predictions of simple (linear) spatial-frequency and orientation channels models
      of texture segregation suggested adding nonlinear processes to the model. Complex
      channels (a rectification-type nonlinearity between two linear-filtering stages)
      can explain why some patterns made of center-surround elements segregate even
      though there is little energy at the spatial frequencies that differentiate the
      two textures. Complex channels cannot, however, explain the very poor segregation
      of "same-sign-of-contrast" patterns (where the luminances of the two element
      types were both far above or both far below the background). This second result
      might arise from a local nonlinearity preceding the channels and might be
      ascribed to retinal light adaptation except that it occurs at contrasts less than
      or equal to 25%! Alternatively, it might arise from normalization, which may
      result from intracortical inhibition. Some preliminary quantitative predictions
      were computed from two models, one incorporating complex channels and an early
      local nonlinearity, the other complex channels and normalization. With suitable
      choices of parameters, either model could account for the results.

PMID- 1413558
TI  - "Effortless" texture segmentation and "parallel" visual search are not the same
      thing.
AB  - If a region composed of one set of texture elements is effortlessly perceived on
      a background composed of another set, the texture segmentation is said to occur
      "preattentively". If the time required to find a target item among distractor
      items is independent of the number of distractor items, the visual search is said
      to occur with all items processed "in parallel". Effortless, preattentive texture
      segmentation and parallel visual search are sometimes assumed to be equivalent
      measures of the same parallel processing stage in the visual system. The
      demonstrations presented here show that this is not the case. Parallel processing
      can occur with stimuli that do not support effortless texture segmentation and
      vice versa.

PMID- 1413557
TI  - A reduction in stimulus duration can improve wavelength discriminations mediated
      by short-wave cones.
AB  - Virtually all visual discriminations become less accurate when either the
      luminance or the duration of the stimulus is reduced. An exception is found for
      wavelength discriminations near 460 nm, where an increase in either luminance or
      duration can cause the threshold to rise. For flashes of 100 msec or less, the
      critical variable is the total energy of the flash (i.e. the product of retinal
      illuminance and flash duration), and wavelength discrimination is optimal at an
      intermediate value; higher stimulus energy causes discrimination to deteriorate.
      To explain these findings we suppose that discrimination in this region of the
      spectrum is mediated by a channel that draws opposed signals from the short
      wavelength cones and from some combination of the middle- and long-wavelength
      cones, and that high stimulus energies cause saturation of this channel.

PMID- 1413560
TI  - Effects of lateral masking and spatial precueing on gap-resolution in central and
      peripheral vision.
AB  - The data made available by this experiment add two points to the information
      obtained by previous studies on eccentric vision and lateral masking. First, they
      demonstrate a clear effect of target-mask similarity on visual gap-resolution in
      eccentric vision: increasing target-mask similarity systematically decreases
      resolution performance. Second, spatial precueing has no effect on gap-resolution
      performance. One implication of this experiment is that with the present stimulus
      configurations, visual resolution should decrease much more strongly with
      eccentricity than it does with classical isolated or bar-masked optotypes.

PMID- 1413559
TI  - Detection of eyeshine by flashlight fishes of the family Anomalopidae.
AB  - Flashlight fishes of the family Anomalopidae live in clear tropical waters and
      are nocturnally active. They have luminescent organs located just below the
      pupils of their eyes. The relation of the luminescent organ to the pupil of the
      anomalopid eye is similar to that of the illumination and pupil system of the
      ophthalmoscope and identical to that of some photoretinoscopes. Indeed, one
      species of flashlight fish, Anomalops katoptron, actually moves its luminous
      organ away from its pupils in the process of occluding its light organ, making a
      retinoscopic-like movement. By photographing the eyeshine of a number of fishes
      with a photoretinoscope and by analyzing the optics of light organs of fish of
      the family Anomalopidae as well as the optics of reflecting eyes, we show under
      what light conditions and ranges flashlight fishes may reasonably be able to
      detect eyeshine from other fishes in the environment. Further, we suggest that
      flashlight fishes may be able to communicate with each other by altering the
      accommodation of their eyes. In such a communication system, the sender radiates
      no energy and communicates only with the interrogating receiver of the
      information. To our knowledge, this utilization of eyeshine, both for detection
      and for communication, is unique in the animal kingdom.

PMID- 1413561
TI  - Quantal noise and decision rules in dynamic models of light adaptation.
AB  - To evaluate some of the consequences of including probabilistic processes (e.g.
      quantal noise) in a computable model of light-adaptation dynamics, we considered
      the behavior of a general class of models. These models contain four stages: (1)
      early noise; (2) a deterministic filtering and gain-changing stage; (3) late
      noise; (4) a decision rule that is either an ideal (signal-known-exactly)
      detector or a peak-trough detector. With the ideal detector and without late
      noise, the observer's sensitivity as a function of mean luminance and temporal
      frequency is not affected by the filtering and gain-changing stage. Consequently,
      if the early noise is entirely quantal fluctuations, sensitivity will always be a
      square-root function of mean luminance and a uniform (flat) function of temporal
      frequency. This latter prediction is contradicted by all known data; either the
      ideal-detector is the wrong decision rule or sensitivity is almost always limited
      by sources of noise other than quantal fluctuations. With the peak-trough
      detector, however, with or without late noise, the observer's sensitivity as a
      function of temporal frequency does reflect the sensitivity of the low-level
      filtering and gain-changing stage. Late noise is needed, however, if the
      observer's sensitivity as a function of mean luminance is to go through both a
      square-root and a Weber region. Comparing these conclusions to similar work on
      the spatial frequency dimension highlights differences between the spatial and
      temporal frequency domains. Finally, on the basis of these analyses and evidence
      from the literature, we question whether quantal fluctuations limit visual
      sensitivity under any condition.

PMID- 1413562
TI  - Plan and operation of the NHANES I Epidemiologic Followup Study, 1987.
AB  - This report describes the plan and operation for the 1987 data collection wave of
      the Epidemiologic Followup to the first National Health and Nutrition Examination
      Survey (NHANES I). Tracing and data collection were conducted on 11,750 persons
      25-74 years of age at NHANES I who were not known to be deceased in the 1982-84
      and 1986 data collection waves of the NHANES I Epidemiologic Followup Study.

PMID- 1413563
TI  - Sample design: Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
AB  - This report presents a detailed description of the sample design for the Third
      National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-94, including a brief
      description of research that led to the choice of the final design. The National
      Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is one of the major surveys of
      the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control.
      Information on the health and nutritional status of the noninstitutionalized
      population of the United States is collected through the NHANES household
      interviews and standardized physical examinations.

PMID- 1413564
TI  - [Changes in hemostasis in persons exposed to a change in atmospheric pressure].
AB  - In eight healthy volunteers--four professional and four amateur divers--in a
      hyperbaric chamber simulated diving was implemented, corresponding to the most
      frequently encountered conditions of diving activities in Czechoslovakia.
      Throughout the trial indicators of haemostasis were investigated. Under the
      selected model conditions changes of the investigated parameters developed which
      can be considered indicators of a latent process of disseminated coagulation and
      the so-called syndrome of silent bubbles.

PMID- 1413565
TI  - [Air embolism].
AB  - Air embolism is a dramatic event which threatens the patient's life during
      invasive therapeutic and diagnostic procedures. Immediately after establishment
      of the diagnosis treatment in a hyperbaric chamber should be started. The
      prognosis depends to a certain extent on how quickly the patient is transferred
      into a hyperbaric chamber. Treatment with hyperbaric oxygen is based on
      fundamental physical and physiological principles of the action of compressed air
      and the supply of a large amount of oxygen in a dissolved form into the ischaemic
      tissue beyond the obstruction. Installation of hyperbaric chambers in hospitals
      would make successful and prompt treatment of all cases of embolism possible, as
      well as of some other diseases indicated for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

PMID- 1413566
TI  - [Hyperbaric oxygenation in the treatment of necrotizing fasciitis].
AB  - The authors present the results of treatment provided to 11 patients with
      necrotizing fasciitis who were after a surgical operation and after
      administration of antibiotics treated in a hyperbaric chamber. A total of 8
      patients (82%) recovered completely. The authors discuss the theory of action of
      hyperbaric oxygen on microorganisms and draw attention to the possible reduction
      of mortality of this serious disease when using hyperbaric oxygenation. The
      latter is considered an important auxiliary method which supplements surgical
      treatment, rational antibiotic therapy and in particular careful intensive care.

PMID- 1413567
TI  - [Treatment of ischemic cerebrovascular accidents with hyperbaric oxygenation].
AB  - The authors present eleven year's experience with comprehensive treatment of
      patients who suffered an ischemic cerebrovascular attack. This comprises so
      called conventional treatment of cerebrovascular attacks and also hyperbaroxia,
      i.e. administration of oxygen under high partial pressure. The authors used a
      therapeutic pressure of 0.2 MPa for 90 minutes in individual exposures. Of 31
      treated patients 23 improved, i.e. 76%; eight improved slightly, eight
      significantly and seven substantially. The condition of the remainder did not
      change. Hyperbaroxia should therefore be used everywhere where this method is
      available.

PMID- 1413568
TI  - [Estimation of energy utilization in patients based on catabolism of endogenous
      proteins].
AB  - The authors describe their own methodical procedure used for estimation of energy
      requirements of patients with a defined nutrition. They ascribe importance to the
      quantitative assessment of the degree of catabolism of endogenous proteins the
      value of which they transform mathematically to calculate the catabolic factor
      with which they multiply the basal energy output calculated according to Harris
      Benedict equations. At the same time they take into account also the thermogenic
      action of nutrients. In 28 patients with gastroenterological diseases they
      confronted their own procedure with indirect calorimetry and theoretical
      calculations using Jabor's catabolic factor and Nejedly's formula. Differences
      between values of their own and other theoretical calculations, as compared with
      the results of indirect calorimetry, nor the results of Jabor's and Nejedly's
      calculation as compared with those of the authors did not reach the level of
      statistical significance. With regard to the assembled results the authors
      consider the suggested procedure for estimation of energy requirements as
      feasible, in particular when indirect calorimetry is not available.

PMID- 1413569
TI  - [Rapid continuous stimulation of the atrium (overdrive) in the treatment of
      refractory supraventricular tachycardia].
AB  - In 71 patients, divided into four groups by the type of supraventricular
      tachycardia (SVT) during electrophysiological examination, 918 stimulations were
      implemented by the method of rapid continuous stimulation of the atria
      (overdrive) in order to interfere with a SVT paroxysm. In addition to
      characteristics of tachycardia the authors evaluated parameters of overdrive
      stimulation, i.e. the duration of the stimulation cycle (CL STIM), the ratio CL
      STIM/CL SVT, the number of stimuli required to terminate tachycardia (N STIM) and
      their mutual relations. In the group of atrioventricular reciprocal tachycardias
      (WPW, n = 17) the effectiveness was 50.4%, CL SVT 334 +/- 43 ms, the ratio CL
      STIM/CL SVT 78.3 +/- 12%, the median of N STIM 14 +/- 6. In the group of AV nodal
      tachycardias (AVNR, n = 26) the effectiveness is 53.1%, CL SVT 356 +/- 70 ms, CL
      STIM/CL SVT 77 +/- 8.6%. In the group of atrial tachycardias (AT, n = 5) the
      effectiveness was 62.3%, CL SVT 348 +/- 24 ms, CL STIM/CL SVT 73.7 +/- 7.5%, N
      STIM 6 +/- 4. In the group of atrial flutter (AFL, n = 23) the effectiveness was
      9.2%, CL SVT 226 +/- 29 ms, CL STIM/CL SVT 84.5 +/- 8.2%, N STIM 22.5 +/- 9. The
      effectiveness of overdrive stimulation in AFL is significantly lower than in
      other groups of SVT. The regression correlation in the entire group of
      tachycardias for calculation of a suitable duration of CL STIM--0.855 x CL SVT-
      28 (ms), the median number of stimuli N STIM 14 +/- 7.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1413570
TI  - [Hypercalciuria].
AB  - Hypercalciuria is the cause of almost 20% of all secondary osteoporoses and in
      23% these cases are associated with calcium urolithiasis. It is therefore
      necessary to search for these patients actively because their treatment with
      hydrochlorothiazide and amiloride is easy and highly effective. We must not be
      satisfied with the finding of hypercalciuria as the only cause of
      demineralization of bone, as several causes may combine in a single patient.
      Comprehensive treatment of osteopenia associated with hypercalciuria is
      relatively shorter and more successful than in other forms of secondary
      osteopenias.

PMID- 1413571
TI  - [Anti-idiotype antibodies to specific HLA. Incidence after bone marrow
      transplantation. Specificity and binding activity].
AB  - Anti-idiotype antibodies against HLA specificities anti-HLA-A1, -A2, -A9, -A10, 
      B7, -B8, -B12 were detected in sera of 13 patients after transplantation of bone
      marrow and in five patients who had no transplantation but many blood
      transfusions. They had a multispecific character, inhibited concurrently 4-5 of
      the mentioned HLA antibodies. HLA antibodies were not present in sera of these
      patients and did not develop even after treatment with dithiothreitol. It seems
      therefore that anti-idiotypic antibodies have also a IgG structure. The bond of
      anti-idiotype antibodies with HLA specificities was firm and maximal: they were
      not released after 24 hours incubation at room temperature and did not form bonds
      with other HLA antibodies with the same specificity. The authors discuss the
      importance of anti-idiotype antibodies against HLA specificities for the outcome
      of bone marrow transplantation and therapeutically successful thrombocyte
      transfusion.

PMID- 1413572
TI  - [Immunotyping of medullary and circulatory cells for prognostic evaluation of
      plasmacytoma].
AB  - The authors discuss the prognostic impact of immunophenotyping of circulating
      lymphoplasmatic cells in the peripheral blood stream in patients with generalized
      plasmocytoma. From a group of 250 patients followed up from 1981 to 1991 they
      selected a sub-group of 70 patients where they evaluated in 1986-1991 after six
      month intervals the phenotype of medullary and circulating cells. They used the
      method of immunofluorescent detection of the presence of cytoplasmic Ig, the
      kappa-lambda index and phenotyping of antigens CD 9, CD 10, CD 20, CD 38, HLA-DR
      by monoclonal antibodies. In a longitudinal investigation of the survival period
      they revealed that the finding of circulating cells with signs of non
      differentiation (presence of antigen CD 10 detected by antibody CALLA, presence
      of antigens B 1 (CD 20), CD 9 on circulating lymphocytes) has a prognostic
      meaning suggesting shorter survival. There was a direct correlation between the
      increase of CALLA positive cells and CD 9 positive cells. The authors found also
      that release of the clonus with signs of immaturity was present when the disease
      developed into the aggressive stage. While the group of 250 patients had
      according to statistical analyses, when treated according to protocol VMCP/MOCCA,
      a median survival of 90 months, the median survival of the aggressive stage (with
      the plasmoblast and lymphoplasmocytic type resp.) was only 12 months. The authors
      emphasize the prognostic importance of immunological typing of heterogeneous
      plasmocytoma populations.

PMID- 1413573
TI  - [How knowledgeable are Czech physicians regarding risk factors for ischemic heart
      disease?].
AB  - The authors present the results of an enquiry made by means of questionnaires in
      which 298 physicians participated. The enquiry was focused on risk factors of
      ischaemic heart disease. 41.8% physicians did not know their cholesterol level,
      22.1% admitted that they smoked and another 17.8% were ex-smokers. Only half the
      physicians indicate dietetic treatment of hypercholesterolaemia when the blood
      level is 6.2 mmol/l. These and other data in the paper indicate that behaviour
      and knowledge of physicians as regards prevention of cardiovascular diseases most
      be substantially improved.

PMID- 1413574
TI  - [A case of systemic mastocytosis].
AB  - The authors describe a rare case of systemic mastocytosis without skin
      infiltration. The first symptom were episodes of flushing in the face and upper
      trunk. From the case-history it was assumed that the condition had a several
      year's benign course, the diagnosis was established in the stage of malignant
      acceleration of the disease from bone marrow biopsy and liver biopsy. Atypical
      mastocytes displayed metachromasia with toluidine blue and positive naphthol-AS-D
      chloroacetate esterase. Symptomatic treatment with sodium cromoglycate reduced
      temporarily the frequency of flushing episodes, but it was not possible to arrest
      the increase of the mastocyte mass by cytostatic treatment.

PMID- 1413575
TI  - [Oxalosis in patients on regular dialysis therapy].
AB  - The authors draw attention to the case of a 46-year-old man who developed after
      three years of regular dialyzation treatment three times a week the first
      manifestations of acquired generalized oxalosis. The oxalosis was most marked on
      the skin, skeleton, heart, and kidneys. Oxalosis was confirmed after eight years
      of dialysis after death by post-mortem and histological examination and
      microscopic detection of oxalate crystals. The authors recommend that as part of
      regular dialyzation treatment patients should not be given more than 100 mg
      ascorbic acid per day. Oxalates are also the end product of degradation of
      ascorbic acid and high doses may lead also to hyperoxalosis. Moreover deposits in
      some visceral organs, in particular the heart may cause clinical manifestations.
      In the authors patients they caused attacks of auricular flutter. Although these
      clinical manifestations develop only rarely, the latent form of acquired oxalosis
      is probably more frequent.

PMID- 1413576
TI  - [Angiodysplasia--a cause of severe hemorrhage in the gastrointestinal tract].
AB  - The authors describe a case of relapsing severe haemorrhage from angiodysplasias
      localized in the small intestine in an eighty-year-old female patient diagnosed
      only after probatory laparotomy. They discuss the diagnostic possibilities in
      angiodysplasia of the gastrointestinal tract and how it can be influenced by
      therapy. Even after resection of the affected portion of the intestine the
      formation of new angiodysplasias must be foreseen in previously intact areas and
      those can be the source of further severe haemorrhage.

PMID- 1413577
TI  - [Psychosomatic aspects of arterial hypertension].
AB  - In patients with labile hypertension aged 18-25 years the authors observed an
      increased sympathicoadrenal reactivity to mental strain caused by solution of a
      numerical square, parallel with a rise of diastolic blood pressure. Despite the
      fact that we do not know so far to what extent prolonged mental strain
      participates in the genesis and development of essential hypertension, the
      findings of the influence of some types of short-term strain on an acute rise of
      the blood pressure in hypertonic subjects should be used to modify the non
      medicamentous procedure in treatment of the disease.

PMID- 1413578
TI  - [Lipoproteinemia and diabetes mellitus].
AB  - The author presents a review on lipoprotein metabolism in diabetes mellitus type
      I and II. He discusses the position in different lipoprotein classes--in
      particular LDL, VLDL, HDL and draws attention to the role of apolipoproteins and
      the association between lipoprotein disorders and complications of
      atherosclerosis in patients with diabetes of type I and II. The author deals also
      with the influence of genetic factors in the aetiology of hyperlipoproteinaemias.

PMID- 1413579
TI  - [Clinico-experimental prerequisites for the physiotherapeutic use of laser
      radiation].
AB  - The paper reports clinical and experimental evidence in support of the validity
      of low-energy laser radiation in the treatment of chronic inflammatory and
      dystrophic diseases. Laser radiation was capable of improving the results of
      multimodality treatment.

PMID- 1413580
TI  - [A comparative analysis of the effect of low-intensity physical training on a
      bicycle ergometer, graded walking and drug therapy on the cardiovascular system
      of patients with stage-II hypertension].
AB  - In contrast to standard bicycle exercise with moderate or submaximal effort, low
      effort exercises were employed by the author who studied their effect on
      cardiovascular system of stage II hypertension patients. They were males (n-126)
      aged 47.2 +/- 3.6 with the disease history of 8.4 +/- 1-9 years. Associated
      coronary heart disease was diagnosed in 82% of the patients. The test subjects
      were divided randomly into three groups: group 1 patients received drugs only,
      group 2 received drugs and exercised walking, group 3 received drugs and
      exercised on bicycle ergometer in the nonstrenuous regimen. It was found that
      exercise tolerance of the patients was different and depended on the hemodynamic
      type. Hypokinetic circulation patients showed the lowest exercise tolerance. Low
      effort bicycle exercise in addition to drugs is indicated for hyper- and
      eukinetic circulation patients. Walking is inferior to the bicycle exercise and
      can be recommended as a variety of nonpharmacological treatment of hypertension
      stage II. The combined effect of walking and chemotherapy produced the rise in
      cardiac capacity in the absence of the adequate increment in coronary blood flow,
      whereas bicycle exercise seems to enhance cardiac coronary circulation in
      hypertensive subjects.

PMID- 1413581
TI  - [The optimization of the sanatorium-health resort treatment of children with
      cardiovascular diseases].
AB  - Functional systemic changes as compared to pretreatment characteristics served
      criteria of adaptation in children suffering from cardiovascular diseases. A load
      test with a single balneological procedure was used. Adaptation and compensation
      response proved useful as individual test loads to make therapy most efficient.

PMID- 1413582
TI  - [The treatment of patients with autonomic dyshormonal myocardial dystrophies at
      health resorts with nitrogen radon springs].

PMID- 1413583
TI  - [The morphofunctional characteristics of the effect of centimeter-range
      microwaves on the rat liver depending on the exposure parameters].

PMID- 1413584
TI  - [The dynamics of the indices of lipid peroxidation and mineral and lipid
      metabolism under the influence of UHF at different wave lengths in experimental
      chronic pancreatitis].

PMID- 1413585
TI  - [The immunological and hormonal effects of combined exposure to a bitemporal
      ultrahigh-frequency electrical field and to decimeter waves at different sites].
AB  - Bitemporal UHF electric field is shown to enhance glucocorticoid adrenal function
      unlike inhibition of the thyroid function suppressing a primary immune response
      (PIR) in the productive phase. The combined exposure to bitemporal UHF electric
      field and decimeter waves of the adrenals doubles glucocorticoid synthesis
      abolishing the inhibitory action of the UHF therapy on thyroid function resultant
      in much more suppressed PIR. Both modalities inhibit thymic production. Decimeter
      waves alone are less effective. The exposure of the thyroid to decimeter waves
      initiated PIR by 2.5-fold activation of medullar lymphocytes and by a 80%
      increase in the thymic function. No response was achieved in combined action on
      the thyroid of the electric field and decimeter waves.

PMID- 1413586
TI  - [The mechanism of the pathogenetic action of mud in treating the irritable bowel
      syndrome].

PMID- 1413587
TI  - [Patient psychological characteristics after transient cerebral ischemia under
      the influence of physical factors].
AB  - Seventy-eight patients with transitory cerebral ischemia (TCI) received a course
      of physiotherapy (68 subjects) or UHF therapy (10 control subjects). According to
      the authors' data TCI patients differed from hypertensive subjects as regards
      psychological status by predominance of psycho-organic and asthenic symptoms. It
      was found that neurological and mental statuses benefited from physiotherapy. The
      psychological status underwent less pronounced positive shifts.

PMID- 1413588
TI  - [The potentials of manual therapy in the neuromotor correction of the
      statokinetic disorders in infantile cerebral palsy].
AB  - It is shown that manual therapy to abolish functional cervical and lumbar blocks
      is beneficial in reducing spasticity of the synergic muscles, biomechanic
      characteristics of the support and kinematic pace phases improve. Manual therapy
      in multimodality rehabilitation treatment of cerebral paralysis creates a
      functional base for neuromotor correction of a defective motor stereotype in
      these patients.

PMID- 1413589
TI  - [Methods for decontaminating balneological technical systems].

PMID- 1413590
TI  - [The effect of the helium-neon laser on the cyclic nucleotide level in
      experimental hypodynamia].

PMID- 1413591
TI  - [The action of laser radiation on the hydroxyl enzymatic system of the
      endoplasmic reticulum in hepatocytes].

PMID- 1413592
TI  - [The organization of a network of pediatric health resorts and recreational
      institutions under the conditions of the new societal order].

PMID- 1413593
TI  - [The organizational problems of therapeutic and conditioning physical exercise at
      the sanatorium-health resort stage of rehabilitation].

PMID- 1413594
TI  - [A method of therapeutic massage in the sanatorium rehabilitation of patients
      with chronic bronchitis].

PMID- 1413595
TI  - [The use of a UHF electrical field and dry-air carbon dioxide baths in the early
      periods after a cerebrovascular circulatory disorder and reconstructive
      operations on the major extracranial cerebral arteries].

PMID- 1413596
TI  - [Interference therapy].

PMID- 1413597
TI  - [The 70th anniversary of the Tomsk Research Institute of Health Resort Medicine
      and Physiotherapy].

PMID- 1413598
TI  - [The valvular effect of the skin in electrophoresis with an alternating polarity
      of the electrodes].
AB  - The effectiveness of iontophoresis by means of changing current direction was
      investigated on the skin of piglets using labelled potassium iodide (125I and
      131I). Permeability without current served control. Percutaneous uptake was
      measured by blood levels and elimination of the isotopes from the urine. About a
      200-fold increase of uptake was found in iontophoresis involving current change
      every 120 seconds and the concentration of 0.25 g/l of potassium iodide. Anions
      and cations may be pumped through the horny layer if the a-c frequency is less
      than 1/15 s-i.

PMID- 1413599
TI  - [The dynamics of the indices of myocardial autonomic regulation and contractile
      function in children with meteoropathic reactions undergoing health resort
      treatment and physical conditioning].
AB  - The paper reports the results of examination of 93 patients with rheumatic fever
      and 42 healthy children aged 10-13 on treatment at Evpatoria sanatorium under
      different weather conditions. In unfavourable weather (hypoxic, spastic)
      vegetative regulation underwent changes dependent on clinical condition of the
      child and initial vegetative status. Sanatorium treatment and conditioning
      inhibited sensitivity to meteorological factors in rheumatic children by 60 and
      in healthy children by 83%.

PMID- 1413600
TI  - [Magnetotherapy in obliterating vascular diseases of the lower extremities].
AB  - The investigators have developed a polymagnetic system "Avrora-MK-01" employing
      running impulse magnetic field to treat diseases of the leg vessels by the action
      on peripheral capillary bed. At a pregangrene stage a positive effect on
      peripheral capillaries was achieved in 75-82% of the patients treated.

PMID- 1413601
TI  - [The methods and efficacy of motor regimens in chronic nonspecific lung diseases
      at a family sanatorium].
AB  - Conditioning exercises according to a specially designed schedule were performed
      at family sanatorium by the majority of 1757 patients with chronic nonspecific
      pulmonary diseases (CNPD). From those who completed the course of the
      conditioning, a pronounced effect was achieved in 20.7%, improvement in 78.4% of
      the patients. 0.9% of the test subjects did not respond, the disease progressed
      in 0.6% of the cases.

PMID- 1413602
TI  - [The dynamics of glucose homeostasis in non-insulin-dependent diabetics under the
      influence of mineral water intake].
AB  - The paper presents time course changes registered in glycohomeostasis of patients
      suffering from non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) as a result of a
      single or course intake of acidulous chloride hydrocarbonate sodium mineral
      waters. The treatment promoted immediate or delayed improvement in glycemia and
      insulinemia control, correction of imbalance of hormonal glycohomeostasis
      regulators (insulin, glucagon), enhancement of gastrinemia. The insulinotrophic
      effect varied with mineralization of the water, concentrations of bicarbonate and
      sodium ions. Water regimens were specified for NIDDM patients.

PMID- 1413603
TI  - [The assessment of the efficacy of bitemporal inductothermy in the combined
      treatment of obesity].
AB  - To treat obese patients with arterial hypertension, bitemporal inductothermy was
      proposed. It was to be used in association with diet N 8 and drugs, improving
      trophism in brain cellular structures. The treatment led to reduction of body
      mass, normalization of arterial pressure without hypotensive drugs, improvements
      in lipidogram and physiological reaction of vasopressin-renin-aldosteron system.

PMID- 1413604
TI  - [The treatment of periodontitis by using a permanent magnetic field].

PMID- 1413605
TI  - [The ultrasonic therapy of hypertensive patients].
AB  - The collar zone of 40 subjects with essential hypertension stage II was exposed
      to continuous low-dose ultrasound (0.2-0.4 W/cm2). The course of 12-18 procedures
      reduced clinical symptoms. The decline in the maximal and minimal arterial
      pressure was statistically significant. Cerebral and central hemodynamics,
      sympathicoadrenal systems improved.

PMID- 1413607
TI  - [The extension of the use of physical methods of treatment to patients with
      disseminated sclerosis].
AB  - The trial of various physiotherapeutic and balneological modalities (radon and
      turpentine baths, heparin electrophoresis, diadynamic current, acupuncture) in
      317 patients with disseminated sclerosis showed their high therapeutical
      potential in the disease stage II-IV. The techniques and schedules need further
      investigations.

PMID- 1413606
TI  - [Oriented psychophysical action on patients with neurocirculatory dystonia].

PMID- 1413608
TI  - [The analgesic efficacy of sulfur mud baths in treating rheumatic diseases of the
      soft tissues. A study using the double-blind control method].
AB  - Changes in pain thresholds assessed in 16 trigger points were traced in two
      randomly selected groups of patients subjected to diluted mud baths in the
      presence or absence of sulfur compounds. Sulfur baths produced a significant
      lowering of pain sensitivity. The effect was augmenting with the number of
      procedures, the rise slowing down to the end of the course.

PMID- 1413609
TI  - [Medical gymnastics in the rehabilitative treatment of patients with locomotor
      injuries in combined and multiple trauma].
AB  - The follow-up of 70 patients with trauma-related locomotor disorders proved that
      breathing exercises, vibratory massage, chest heparin electrophoresis, drug
      inhalations early after the injury can be effective in prevention and treatment
      of pulmonary complications. Transcutaneous neuroelectrostimulation noticeably
      enhanced the recovery of the locomotor function.

PMID- 1413610
TI  - [The experimental and clinical antianemia efficacy of the chalybeate waters from
      the Skhodnitsa springs].
AB  - Low-mineral waters of Skhodnitsa [correction of Skhodnitsky] springs N 13 and N
      15 rich in iron, silicon and manganese were tried for an antianemic effect. The
      latter was registered clinically and experimentally.

PMID- 1413611
TI  - [Electrostimulation in the rehabilitative treatment of urinary incontinence].

PMID- 1413612
TI  - [The indications for the treatment at Truskavets health resort of different
      groups of patients with urological pathology].

PMID- 1413613
TI  - [Immune suppression in local exposures to low-energy infrared laser radiation].

PMID- 1413614
TI  - [The role of the macrophage-leukocyte component of the immune system in the
      mechanism of the desensitizing action of speleotherapy].

PMID- 1413615
TI  - [The coronary and myocardial reserves of patients with ischemic heart disease
      under the influence of the peloid therapy of concomitant spinal osteochondrosis].
AB  - Exercise test in coronary patients with angina of effort class II and III,
      painless cardiac ischemia reflected their increased coronary and myocardial
      reserves due to peloid therapy of cervical and thoracic osteochondrosis. As
      indicated by bicycle ergometry, angina of effort class III complicated by attacks
      of retrosternal pain at rest, circulatory insufficiency stage IIA, complex
      arrhythmia present contraindications for peloid application.

PMID- 1413616
TI  - [The dynamics of the lipid metabolic shifts during the naphthalan therapy of
      patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans of the vessels of the lower
      extremities].

PMID- 1413617
TI  - [Inhalation aerosol therapy: the rules and allowable errors].

PMID- 1413618
TI  - [A radon beta applicator].

PMID- 1413619
TI  - [The microbiology of potable mineral waters].

PMID- 1413620
TI  - [Structural and functional features of the erythrocyte membrane cytoskeleton].

PMID- 1413621
TI  - [Modulation of lipid peroxidation by biogenic amines in model systems].
AB  - Specific effects of serotonin, histamine, noradrenaline and tyramine on the rate
      of lipid peroxidation were studied in model systems by means of measurement of
      malonic dialdehyde and Schiff base concentration as well as of kinetics of O2
      consumption. Alterations in the lipid peroxidation rate in the presence of
      biogenic amines occurred dissimilarly depending on localization of oxidation
      substrates either in bilayer membranes or in micellar solution. The antioxidative
      effect of serotonin was the most pronounced as a result of its ability to react
      with lipid peroxidation radicals.

PMID- 1413622
TI  - [Change in the opioid peptide level in the heart and blood plasma during acute
      myocardia ischemia complicated by ventricular fibrillation].
AB  - After occlusion of the anterior descending coronary artery content of opioid
      peptides was increased 2-3-fold in blood plasma of all the rats with and without
      ventricular fibrillation. Content of Leu-enkephalin was decreased in ischemic and
      non-ischemic regions of myocardium under conditions of ventricular fibrillation.
      At the same time, concentration of Met-enkephalin in myocardium was increased in
      the acute ischemia independently on the effect of fibrillation. Synthetic enzyme
      resistant derivative of Leu-enkephalin, administered before acute myocardial
      ischemia, prevented a decrease in the ventricular fibrillation threshold caused
      by the occlusion. Alteration of the Leu-enkephalin content in heart tissue
      appears to be importance in pathogenesis of ventricular fibrillation developed
      after acute myocardial ischemia.

PMID- 1413623
TI  - [Deamination reaction of biogenic amines and other nitrogen compounds during the
      long-term influence of ethylenediamine in an experiment on rats].
AB  - Activity and substrate specificity of monoamine oxidase (MAO) were studied in
      tissues of rats inhaling low concentrations of ethylene diamine for a long time.
      While the activity of MAO-A (serotonin as a substrate) was decreased in brain,
      functions of the enzyme were altered: the enzyme acquired the ability to
      deaminate glucosamine, which is not a substrate of MAO under normal conditions.
      Ethylene diamine-dependent modification of MAO was responsible for alterations of
      the enzyme catalytic properties involved in oxidation of substances with specific
      biochemical functions. A new drug diethon as well as ionol, pyrazidole and
      ascorbic acid were used in attempts to normalize the MAO properties; ionol proved
      to be the most effective compound. Detection of alterations in the MAO catalytic
      properties, developed after influence of the chemical factor at very low
      concentrations but without symptoms of toxicosis, may be used as a sensitive test
      for evaluation of early steps of ethylene diamine-produced intoxication. Ionol
      may be used for pathogenetic prophylaxis of ethylene diamine caused intoxication.

PMID- 1413624
TI  - [Derivatives of 4-phenylpiperidine as substrates of rat brain monoamine oxidase].
AB  - A rate of utilization of 4-phenyl piperidine and its 12 derivatives by brain
      monoamine oxidase (MAO) was studied as compared with typical neurotoxin 1-methyl
      4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). The enzyme was isolated from P2
      synaptosomal fraction of brain corpus striatum of Sprague-Dawley rats. 10 drugs
      were oxidized in the MAO-catalyzed reaction with the rate close or similar to the
      MPTP oxidation while 6 of them exhibited the neurotoxic effect. Analysis of MAO
      inhibition, using 1 microM of chlorgyline and/or deprenyl, enabled to evaluate
      the contribution of MAO-A and MAO-B forms to utilization of 1 mM content of the
      substances studied. MAO-B was shown to oxidize preferably the drugs radicals of
      which were substituted at 3rd position of the piperidine ring, while MAO-A
      preferred the derivatives with radical substitution at 4th position. The rate of
      substrate oxidation was decreased distinctly after introduction of complete
      substituents into the 3rd and 4th positions of the nitrogenous heterocycle; at
      the same time, presence of cyclic fluorine-containing structures increased the
      rate of utilization, similar to that of MPTP oxidation. Derivatives of 4-phenyl
      piperidine, which contained in a number of drugs, were oxidized in the MAO
      catalyzed reactions and might exhibit direct- or side-neurotoxic effects.

PMID- 1413625
TI  - [Natural modulators of the function of the amine oxidase system in the body].
AB  - In cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) obtained from patients with chronic alcoholism
      natural modulators of monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity, containing in human
      mitochondrial and microsomal fractions or in rat brain mitochondria, have been
      found. These modulators, which were previously unknown, did not affect the
      activity of partially purified diamine oxidase from human placenta with 14C
      putrescine as a substrate. The MAO modulators from CSF were thermostable (during
      3 min at 100 degrees), penetrated through dialysing membrane thus differing from
      high molecular modulators of MAO previously described. In the system containing
      membrane bound MAO from human placenta, where the MAO-A is predominating, the
      modulators studied mostly inhibited deamination of 14C-serotonin. However, in the
      system containing membrane bound MAO from rat brain with prevalence of the MAO-B,
      the modulators from human CSF caused either inhibition or stimulation of
      oxidative deamination of 14C-serotonin or 14C-beta-phenylethylamine used as
      substrates. The modulators studied were not similar to tribulin (isatin) or
      quinolinic acid in their effects on catalytic properties of the amine oxidases
      investigated.

PMID- 1413626
TI  - [Effect of biogenic amines on glycogen degradation in isolated rat hepatocytes].
AB  - Serotonin and tyramine affected dissimilarly the enzyme activity involved in
      degradation of glycogen in isolated rat hepatocytes. Serotonin inhibited
      hydrolytic enzymes acid alpha-glucosidase, alpha-amylase and amylo-1,6
      glucosidase but activated phosphorylase inducing a decrease of glycogen content
      in cells. Tyramine inhibited acid alpha-glucosidase and amylo-1,6-glucosidase,
      did not affect the alpha-amylase and phosphorylase activities and increased
      content of glycogen in cells. Tyramine may be used as stimulator of glycogen
      accumulation in liver cells.

PMID- 1413627
TI  - [Activity of antioxidant protection enzymes and content of lipid peroxidation
      products in blood serum and cerebrospinal fluid in patients with ischemic brain
      disease].
AB  - Activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and
      glutathione reductase as well as content of diene conjugates and malonic
      dialdehyde were studied in blood serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with
      transitory ischemia, small ischemic insult, ischemic insult of middle severity
      and with severe ischemic insult without lethality within 1-2, 7-8 and 14-15 days
      of diseases. Content of lipid peroxidation products and activity of antioxidant
      enzymes were decreased in the biological fluids studied in all the forms of brain
      circulation impairments within early periods of pathology. These patterns tend to
      normalization within 14-15 days. The rate of biochemical alterations corresponded
      highly to severity of impairments developed and these patterns may be used for
      diagnostic and prognostic purposes.

PMID- 1413628
TI  - [Specifics of changes in various groups of enzymes in rat cerebral cortex after
      interstrain transplantation of embryonal nerve tissue].
AB  - Embryonal nervous tissue from Wistar rats was transplanted into male rats of
      Wistar and August strains. Activity of eight enzymes belonging to various systems
      was estimated in brain cortex of rats recipients within 36 days after the
      transplantation. Lactate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, acid
      phosphatase, 5'-nucleotidase, ATPase and aldolase exhibited the dissimilarly
      decreased rate of activity in brain cortex of Wistar rats after transplantation
      as compared with the enzymatic activity in intact animals of this strain, while
      activity of alkaline phosphatase and esterases hydrolyzing alpha-naphthyl acetate
      was increased. Activation of almost all the enzymes studied was found within 36
      days in Wistar rats after the transplantation. The rate of activity of zonal
      esterase isoenzymes was higher in brain cortex of August rats after
      transplantation of embryonal nervous tissue from Wistar strain as compared with
      that of Wistar to Wistar rats transplantation. The data obtained suggest that
      tissues of donors affected definitely the enzymatic activity in brain cells of
      rats-recipients as activity of most enzymes studied was higher in brain cortex of
      donors as compared with that of recipients.

PMID- 1413629
TI  - [Current concepts on the biogenesis of lysosomal proteins in normal condition and
      in disease].

PMID- 1413630
TI  - [Metabolism of neuronal and neuroglial phospholipids in seizures].
AB  - Metabolism of individual phospholipids was studied in neurones and neuroglia
      under conditions of convulsions caused by picrotoxin administration. Metabolic
      activity of all the phospholipids studied was increased in neuronal membranes
      under extreme conditions of convulsive attacks. The rate of metabolism of
      phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and sphingomyelin was increased 2
      2.5-fold approximately. The most distinct alterations of metabolic activity were
      observed in the fraction of minor phospholipids: specific radioactivity of
      phosphatidylserine was increased 10-fold and phosphatidylinositol--16-fold.
      Metabolism of phosphatidic acid and lysophosphatidylcholine was elevated more
      than 15-fold. Convulsions exhibited the most distinct effect on metabolism of
      phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine in neuroglia cells. As distinct from
      neurones, metabolism of phosphatidyl choline and sphingomyelin was not markedly
      altered in neuroglia. Similar metabolism and universal cell response, carried out
      via phospholipids, appear to occur in the system neurone-neuroglia.

PMID- 1413631
TI  - [Antioxidant effect of dimethyl sulfoxide in acute liver injury by carbon
      tetrachloride].
AB  - After subcutaneous administration of dimethyl sulfoxide into rats with toxic,
      tetrachloromethane-produced impairment of liver tissue, lipid peroxidation was
      effectively inhibited in hepatocytes and the state of anti-oxidation system was
      improved. Antioxidative properties of dimethyl sulfoxide were shown also in
      vitro.

PMID- 1413632
TI  - [Alcohol and atherogenesis: effect of low and high doses of ethanol on rat blood
      cholesterol].
AB  - Alterations in content of cholesterol and specific radio-activity of erythrocyte
      lipoproteins were studied in rats after administration of labelled sterol under
      conditions of acute and chronic influence of low 0.6 g/kg and high 4.0 g/kg doses
      of ethanol. Both these doses caused a decrease in content of high density
      lipoproteins (HDL) after single ethanol administration, while content of apoB
      containing lipoproteins as well as binding of labelled sterol with erythrocytes
      were elevated after long-term ethanol treatment. Atherogenicity index was
      increased after single and chronic administration of either low or high doses of
      ethanol. In chronic administration of low doses of ethanol specific radioactivity
      of HDL was decreased, thus suggesting that cholesterol acceptor function of these
      particles was lowered.

PMID- 1413633
TI  - [Prostacyclin-thromboxane system in children and adolescents with a high risk of
      developing ischemic heart disease].
AB  - Studies of the prostacyclin-thromboxane system in children and juveniles of 7-18
      years old with hereditary ischemic heart disease demonstrated that the hereditary
      factor proved to be of importance for the system state. Alterations of
      prostanoids in these children and juveniles were related to atherogenesis
      development, particularly to hyperproduction of thromboxane A2, whereas patterns
      of the system studied varied depending on sex and family history.

PMID- 1413634
TI  - [Systemic and regional hemodynamic in rats after use of 5-methoxytryptamine:
      mechanisms of "pharmacological adaptation" to hypoxia].
AB  - Effects of 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MOT) on parameters of systemic and regional
      hemodynamics were studied in awake Wistar rats. Arterial pressure and pulse were
      measured using a direct procedure. Content of systolic blood and volume rate of
      blood flow in 12 vascular zones were estimated by means of the radioactive
      microsphere technique. The microspheres were inoculated in left heart ventricle
      under free conditions before, within 30 min and after termination of the
      "pharmacological training". Single intraperitoneal administration of 5-MOT, 25
      mg/kg, led to increase in total peripheral resistance by 67% and in cardiac index
      by 34%. The rate of blood flow was decreased in skin, spleen, kidney and
      testicular tissues, while it was increased in heart and adrenal glands.
      "Pharmacological training", carried out within 9 days with daily administration
      of 5-MOT 25 mg/kg, resulted in a decrease in total peripheral vascular resistance
      by 46%, while cardiac index was increased by 97%; blood flow rate was increased
      in brain, stomach, heart and diaphragm.

PMID- 1413635
TI  - [Effect of essential phospholipids on intensity of lipid peroxidation in the
      myocardium in experimental post-hypoxic reoxygenation].
AB  - Correction of the lipid peroxidation rate using essential phospholipids was
      studied. The phospholipids were used in protection of heart tissue in
      experimental posthypoxic reoxygenation. Administration of essential phospholipids
      into the rats during myocardium reoxygenation led to an increase in activity of
      superoxide dismutase. The drugs containing essential phospholipids may be used in
      clinical practice for treatment of the impairments when elevated lipid
      peroxidation occurred.

PMID- 1413636
TI  - [Determination of procollagen type III aminopropeptide by a solid phase method
      using antibodies conjugated with peroxidase or protein A labelled with
      radioactive iodine].
AB  - A solid-phase assay was developed for estimation of procollagen III
      aminopropeptide which involved both immunoenzymatic and radioimmune procedures.
      The assay did not require the iodine-labelled aminopropeptide, while content of
      the antigen was estimated using the conjugate of secondary antibodies and
      peroxidase or iodine-labelled protein A. Substitution of the protein A for the
      antibodies conjugate and peroxidase enabled to abolish the radioactive materials
      use.

PMID- 1413637
TI  - [Determination of cholesterol esterase activity using micro-thin layer
      chromatography].
AB  - A procedure is developed for estimation of the cholinesterase activity in
      biological materials immediately on the plates for micro-thin-layer
      chromatography using a chamber of original construction. The procedure involved
      incubation of cholesterol esters, used as substrates and biological materials
      containing the enzyme, directly on the chromatographic plates in the chamber and
      the subsequent chromatography of the hydrolysis products. The enzymatic activity
      was calculated on the basis of the decrease in the substrate content per min per
      mg of protein. The procedure is simple, convenient; it allows to vary the
      incubation time and to estimate the enzymatic activity in minimal samples of the
      biological material using only small amounts of reagents.

PMID- 1413638
TI  - [Changes in phosphatidylinositol content in patients with myocardial infarct].
AB  - The changes of phosphatidylinositol content in blood of patients with myocardial
      infarction was studied. A procedure is developed for multiple estimation of
      phosphatidylinositol content within short-time intervals which enabled one to
      obtain additional data on the functional state of biomembranes. In the clinical
      practice the data obtained may be used for diagnosis and evaluation of efficiency
      of ischemic heart disease treatment.

PMID- 1413639
TI  - [Change in content of fatty acids in rabbit brain hemispheres in experimental
      concussion].
AB  - Content of fatty acids in rabbit brain hemispheres in dynamics of experimental
      brain concussion was estimated by means of gas liquid chromatography. Content of
      fatty acids was increased within 15 min after experimental brain concussion and
      then it decreased reaching minimal values within 7 days. The phenomenon observed
      is a pathogenetically important factor in the traumatic disease.

PMID- 1413640
TI  - [Effect of alpha-tocopherol on lipid peroxidation in the liver in acute blood
      loss].
AB  - The effect of single administration of alpha-tocopherol at a dose of 50 mg/kg on
      lipid peroxidation, content of alpha-tocopherol in liver tissue and on the
      activities of some enzymes in rat serum was studied under conditions of acute
      blood loss. The rate of lipid peroxidation in liver tissue and activities of
      aspartate- and alanine-transferases in blood serum were increased while content
      of alpha-tocopherol in liver tissue was decreased under the conditions of acute
      blood loss. These effects were abolished after tocopherol administration. Use of
      alpha-tocopherol as an antioxidant drug proved to be suitable for pathogenetic
      correction of metabolic impairments in acute blood loss.

PMID- 1413641
TI  - [Lipid peroxidation upon the use of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the
      treatment of hypertension and ischemic heart disease].
AB  - Anti-atherosclerotic diet containing 10 or 20 g of ichthyenic oil, used for
      treatment of 29 patients with cardiovascular diseases, caused an increase in
      content of polyunsaturated omega 3 fatty acids species in the patients
      erythrocyte membranes; this pattern may be used as a sensitive criterion of
      evaluation of the diet fatty component effect. Despite an increase of oxidation
      potential substrates in tissues, elevation of malonyl dialdehyde in blood plasma
      and hemolysis of erythrocytes in presence of H2O2 were not observed. This
      suggests absence of lipid peroxidation induction in adequate consumption of
      antioxidants.

PMID- 1413642
TI  - [The effect of diets containing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on
      biochemical indicators and the fatty acid composition of the cell membranes in
      patients with ischemic heart disease and hereditary hyperlipidemia].
AB  - A decrease in content of total cholesterol, triglycerides, fibrinogen, and
      atherogeneity index as well as increase in fibrinolytic activity and prolongation
      of the hemorrhage time were observed in blood serum of 20 patients with ischemic
      heart disease and hyperlipidemia of the IIa and IIb types maintained on anti
      atherosclerotic diet containing 20 g of ichthyenic oil within 4 weeks. Relative
      content of polyunsaturated fatty acids omega 6 was decreased while the content of
      omega 3 fatty acids was distinctly increased in erythrocytes and blood platelets
      membranes, thus demonstrating the high efficiency of ichthyenic oil.

PMID- 1413643
TI  - [Specific relationships of the content of iron, transferrin, ceruloplasmin and
      malondialdehyde in rat blood in various types of wound healing processes].
AB  - Correlation between parameters of iron metabolism and the antioxidative system
      activity was studied in blood of 220 Wistar rats with simulated aseptic and
      infectious types of wound healing. Deposition of iron and stability of the anti
      oxidation system were impaired in purulent complication of wound healing. At the
      same time, a high correlation between the patterns studied was detected in
      aseptic form of healing, suggesting distinct co-ordination between the
      antioxidative system components. Approaches to the correction of the impairments
      observed are discussed.

PMID- 1413644
TI  - [Features of the structure and fatty acid composition of serum albumin in
      experimental myocarditis].
AB  - Properties of animal serum albumin transport and its structure were studied in
      experimental myocarditis. The data obtained suggest that impairments in
      myocardium were of chronic and recurring type. The albumin exhibited a high
      structure-functional variability.

PMID- 1413645
TI  - [Features of the lipid peroxidation process and antioxidant activity of white
      rats in extreme, multi-stage supercooling].
AB  - High content of polyenic fatty acids, slight increase in antioxidative activity
      and decrease in content of malonic dialdehyde (MDA) in rat myocardial tissues
      were observed in supercooling. The data obtained suggest that intensive oxidation
      of fatty acids occurred in the tissues, which may be essential for synthesis of
      biologically active substances involved in development of resistance to
      supercooling. Multiple supercooling caused an opposite effect in lung tissue:
      saturation of lipids was increased, antioxidative activity was maintained on the
      level similar to the control values, while content of MDA was markedly increased
      apparently due to destruction of metabolic products penetrating from other
      tissues. The dissimilar impairments of lipid metabolism were detected in liver
      tissue, where multiple supercooling did not alter the rate of lipid saturation,
      antioxidative activity was unaltered and content of MDA was as low as in the
      control animals.

PMID- 1413646
TI  - [Age changes in brain monoamine oxidase in mice from four lines].
AB  - Mice of strains CC57/Br, A/He, C3H/He and CBA/Lac were studied at the age of 1,
      2, 3, 4 and 5 months old. Activities of monoamine oxidases A and B (MAO A and MAO
      B) were increased in brain tissue of all the mice strain studied with ageing,
      although not simultaneously and dissimilarly. The ratio MAO A/MAO B approximated
      to 1.0 in old animals. At the age of 1 month old the MAO A/MAO B ratio was more
      than 1.0 in brain stem of mice of CC57/Br and C3H/He strains as well as in
      hemispheres of mice of A/He and CBA/Lac strains. In mice of A/He strain the MAO
      A/MAO B ratio exceeding 1.0 maintained within the first three months. Possible
      correlation between the elevated MAO A/MAO B ratio and high sexual activity of
      the A/He strain mice is discussed.

PMID- 1413647
TI  - [Multiple forms of monoamine oxidase in the growing human placenta].
AB  - A ratio between two types of monoamine oxidase (MAO) was studied in the
      mitochondrial fraction of growing human placenta: MAO-A which is predominant in
      the tissue and the minor MAO-B. Activity of MAO-A with serotonin as a substrate
      was statistically distinctly lower (by 22%) in placenta within early periods of
      pregnancy as compared which the mature placenta during the delivery time. In the
      growing placenta activity of MAO-B with benzylamine as a substrate reached 365%
      of the MAO-B activity in the mature placenta. The ratio between MAO of the A and
      B types was altered during pregnancy as shown by inhibitory analysis, carried out
      using selective inhibitors of the MAO-A and -B types--Lilly 51641 substance and
      deprenyl as well as with semicarbazide as an inhibitor of benzylamine oxidase. At
      the early periods of pregnancy the rate of placental MAO-B oxidative deamination
      of benzylamine was distinctly higher as compared with that during the delivery
      act. At the same time, content of semicarbazide-sensitive benzylamine oxidase was
      increased during the delivery period. Possible biological significance of
      alterations in the amine oxidases ratio in the growing placenta is discussed
      considering the known property of the MAO-B inhibitor pargyline to cause abortion
      within early periods of pregnancy.

PMID- 1413648
TI  - [Placental-renal prealbumin: immunochemical identification, physico-chemical
      characteristics and affinity chromatography on immobilized steroids].
AB  - A protein with prealbumin mobility and MW of 40 kD was identified in early
      placental tissue. Using immunodiffusion analysis the protein was also detected in
      fetal and adult kidney tissues, in urine of donors and pregnant women and in
      amniotic fluid. The protein was termed placenta-kidney prealbumin (PKPA). During
      affinity chromatography on immobilized steroid hormones, PKPA was bound to
      testosterone and was not bound to diethylstilbestrol.

PMID- 1413649
TI  - [Physico-chemical, immunochemical, and biological activity of prolactin from
      human amniotic fluid].
AB  - Highly purified preparation of prolactin with molecular mass 23 kDa, which is the
      main form of the hormone in human amnionic fluid, was isolated from the fluid
      using gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose,
      concanavalin A Sepharose, CM-cellulose. Physico-chemical, immunochemical and
      biological properties of the amnionic prolactin were studied as compared with
      those of hypophyseal hormone. Properties of the hormonal forms isolated from both
      these tissues were similar. The glycosylated form of prolactin with molecular
      mass 25.0 kDa was detected either in amnionic fluid or in hypophysis.

PMID- 1413650
TI  - [Physico-chemical properties of the thrombolytic compound longolytin].
AB  - A preparation exhibiting high fibrinolytic activity and ability to activate
      plasminogen was isolated from cultivation medium of Arthrobotrys longa.
      Homogeneous protein, obtained after gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, had
      molecular mass 28,600, pI-3.68-3.74, optimum activity at pH 6.0-9.0 and
      temperature optimum at 37 degrees. The enzyme proved to be serine proteinase as
      shown by analysis using inhibitors; it required thiol groups.

PMID- 1413651
TI  - [Features of metabolic disorders in the liver during morphine poisoning of
      various duration].
AB  - Administration of morphine into rats at a dose of 30 mg/kg within 6 days led to a
      decrease in total rate of tRNA aminoacylation in liver tissue. Content of
      lactate, pyruvate, malate and alpha-ketoglutarate was decreased within 6 days
      long course of morphine administration, while content of lactate was only altered
      after 5 weeks of the intoxication. Adaptation reactions appear to be increased
      with time in long-term intoxication with morphine.

PMID- 1413652
TI  - [Change in the lipid composition of rat tissues in hyperthermia of varying
      degree].
AB  - The most typical alteration of membrane phospholipids in rat tissues in acute
      hyperthermia was an increase in content of sphingomyelin and
      phosphatidylinositol. The increase in phosphatidylinositol appears to occur as a
      result of unspecific effect of hyperthermia on the cells, while the increase of
      sphingomyelin is apparently important for stabilization of membrane structure.
      Indirect data were obtained on increase in membrane liquidity during thermic
      shock.

PMID- 1413654
TI  - [Effect of alpha-acidic glycoprotein on oxyproline metabolism in experimental
      thermal trauma].
AB  - alpha 1-Acid glycoprotein, isolated from human blood plasma, was shown to
      accelerate healing of burn wounds in rats and to increase daily urine excretion.
      The glycoprotein restricted an elevation of the peptide-bound hydroxyproline in
      blood plasma, decreased the ratio between peptide-bound and free hydroxyproline
      within all the periods of experiment during 3 weeks as well as stimulated
      hydroxyproline excretion with urine at the step of active reparation of burn
      wounds. The glycoprotein appears to protect connective tissue metabolism in
      burns.

PMID- 1413653
TI  - [Molecular mechanisms of damage to fractionated liver chromatin by
      tetrachloromethane].
AB  - Impairing effects of tetrachloromethane on genetic apparatus were shown to
      consist in its high affinity and binding to transcriptionally active fraction of
      chromatin and subsequent destruction of DNA. As a result of the impairment the
      density of the chromatin fraction was increased which expressed as elevated
      stability to hydrolysis by endogenous nucleases. At the same time, content of
      single-stranded structures enriched with proteins was increased in the DNA of the
      transcriptionally active fraction of chromatin. Two dissimilar properties were
      detected in the fraction of impaired chromatin from the poisoned animals:
      increase of density in the chromatin fraction accompanied by insensitivity to S1
      nuclease, which was detected after denaturation of chromatin and slight
      relaxation of apparently supernucleosome structures where content of sites,
      sensitive to short-term treatment with DNAase I, was increased. The hypothesis of
      the tetrachloromethane toxic effect on genetic apparatus is considered, according
      to which lipid moiety of chromatin and activation of lipid peroxidation are of
      definite importance in effects of the xenobiotic on chromatin.

PMID- 1413655
TI  - [Effect of middle molecular weight peptides, isolated from blood of intact dogs
      and those with burns, on proteolysis in mouse tissue].
AB  - The median molecular-weight peptides (MMP), detected in blood of patients with
      burns and in that of experimental animals with burns, were shown to affect
      various systems in vivo. The MMP from the blood of intact dogs and of the animals
      with burns exhibited the modifying effect on proteolysis within acid and neutral
      pH ranges in liver and brain tissues of mouse. The MMP appears to be involved in
      the regulation of proteolysis both in normal state and in burns.

PMID- 1413656
TI  - [Molecular types of breast milk triacylglycerols at various stages of lactation].
AB  - The composition of individual triacylglycerols was studied in women milk in
      various periods of lactation. The spectra of triacylglycerols were studied in the
      early lactation milk, in the mature milk and in the late lactation milk using a
      method of "main components", the program of "immediate neighbour" as well as by
      construction of graphic plot (by means of a set "Statgraphics"). The methods of
      calculation used enabled one to find great differences in the triacylglycerol
      spectrum of mature milk as compared with those of milk in the early and late
      periods of lactation.

PMID- 1413657
TI  - Gift or good? A contemporary examination of the voluntary and commercial aspects
      of blood donation.
AB  - The safety and ethical aspects of blood donation are examined in the light of
      current legislation and practice. The advantages and disadvantages of voluntary
      and paid donation are looked at in view of recent data concerning risk factors in
      various potential donor groups. It is concluded that voluntary, non-remunerated
      blood donation remains the safest and most ethical means of securing the blood
      supply.

PMID- 1413658
TI  - Studies in red blood cell preservation. 6. Red cell membrane remodeling during
      rejuvenation.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to examine whether vesiculation of RBC plays a
      significant role in their rejuvenation. Outdated units of Adsol blood, were
      divided into two aliquots and incubated with equal volumes of a solution of 100
      mM pyruvate and inosine, 103 mM phosphate and 5 mM adenine (PIPA) or 0.9% saline.
      Following 1 h incubation, vesicles were isolated from the supernatants and
      quantitated for hemoglobin content. Restoration of RBC ATP, 2,3-DPG, morphology,
      and osmotic fragility after rejuvenation was satisfactory. The postrejuvenation
      mean corpuscular volumes (88.2 +/- 6.9 fl) were significantly lower (p less than
      0.001) than the prerejuvenation (94.6 +/- 6.8 fl) and control (104.0 +/- 7.3 fl)
      volumes. The hemoglobin shed in vesicles during rejuvenation was significantly
      greater than in the saline controls (0.44 +/- 0.31 vs. 0.18 +/- 0.10 mg/dl RBCs;
      p = 0.026). These data suggest that the decreased MCV following rejuvenation is
      in part due to membrane loss in exocytic vesiculation.

PMID- 1413659
TI  - Bone marrow fractionation by the haemonetics system: reduction of red cell mass
      before marrow freezing, with special reference to pediatric marrow volumes.
AB  - For purposes of freezing autologous marrow or transplants of allogeneic marrow
      with major ABO blood group incompatibility, 54 freshly harvested bone marrows
      from children of 7-65 kg of weight were depleted of their red cells with the
      Haemonetics V50 system. The marrow volumes ranged from 230 to 1,145 ml, with 17
      small (200-399 ml), 18 intermediate (400-799 ml) and 19 large (800-1,200 ml)
      volumes. After processing, the median recoveries were: volume 24%, red cell mass
      18%, and nucleated cells 75%. In the small marrow volume group, a good nucleated
      cell recovery was achieved at the expense of red cell depletion. The colony
      forming units, granulocytes-macrophages (CFU-GM) were normal after thawing of
      processed, cryopreserved marrows, and good engraftment of both allogeneic and
      autologous marrows were achieved. We conclude that marrow processing with the
      Haemonetics V50 system results in adequate red cell depletion and good nucleated
      cell recovery without open-air contact of marrow or excessive time consumption.
      For small marrow volumes, however, the red cell depletion was suboptimal, and a
      bowl size smaller than 125 ml is desirable for pediatric use.

PMID- 1413660
TI  - Transfusion results of filtered and subsequently stored random platelet
      suspensions prepared from buffy coats.
AB  - There is almost general agreement that removal of leukocytes from blood
      components reduces the incidence of HLA-antibody formation and refractoriness to
      random platelet transfusions. Recently filters have become available, which are
      able to reduce leukocyte contamination in platelet suspensions with acceptable
      platelet loss. We evaluated a cellulose acetate (CA) and a polyester (PE) filter,
      and stored buffy coat-derived platelet suspensions after filtration. Both filters
      are effective for the removal of leukocytes to levels below 5 x 10(6) per
      transfusate. For the CA filter, platelet recovery was 73 +/- 13% yielding 256 +/-
      53 x 10(9) platelets per transfusate from 6 donors. For the PE filter, platelet
      recovery was 90 +/- 9% and 327 +/- 51 x 10(9) platelets per transfusate. When a
      loading dose of less than 5 x 10(8) leukocytes was applied, 98% of the CA
      filtered suspensions and 100% of the PE-filtered suspensions contained less than
      5 x 10(6) residual leucocytes. In 123 patients transfusion results of CA-filtered
      platelet suspensions stored for 72 h, were compared with those obtained by non
      stored, non filtered, random platelet suspensions which had been leukocyte
      depleted by differential centrifugation. Platelet increments 1 and 20 h after
      transfusion showed no statistical difference between CA-filtered platelet
      transfusions stored for 72 h and non-stored, non-filtered platelet transfusions.
      In a new cohort of 117 patients, two filters and various postfiltration storage
      times were compared. Using both filters, the 1-hour posttransfusion increments
      decreased to approximately 60% after 96 h of storage compared to results of
      storage periods of 72 h or less.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413661
TI  - Red cell and platelet concentrates from blood collected into half-strength
      citrate anticoagulant: improved maintenance of red cell 2,3-diphosphoglycerate in
      half-citrate red cells.
AB  - This study confirms previous work suggesting equivalent in vitro properties in
      blood components prepared from donations collected into half-citrate preservative
      (HCPD) compared to components derived from donations collected into standard
      citrate-phosphate-dextrose (CPD) preservatives. In addition, red cell products
      harvested from HCPD donations showed significantly improved maintenance of pH
      over storage, and this was reflected in improved maintenance of intracellular 2,3
      diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG). This effect was observed in whole blood and in red
      cells suspended in a phosphate-containing additive solution (Tuta AAS).
      Collection into HCPD also improved 2,3-DPG maintenance in red cell concentrates
      processed following an 18-hour hold at 22 degrees C. These improvements were less
      pronounced in red cells suspended in a non-phosphate-containing medium (Fenwal
      Adsol) in which a higher pH was maintained even in units collected in CPD.
      Platelets harvested from HCPD blood and suspended in plasma showed equivalent
      quality to platelets from standard donations. Some deterioration of platelet
      properties was observed when HCPD platelets were stored in a non-citrate
      synthetic medium. Together with data indicating improved coagulation factor
      stability, these results suggest that collection into HCPD improves stored blood
      quality and may also allow logistical benefits in blood component preparation.

PMID- 1413662
TI  - Severe haemolytic disease in an infant born to an Rh(null) proposita.
AB  - A 35-year-old Brazilian woman (gravida 4, para 2) was delivered of a severely
      anaemic child whose cord red blood cells had a strongly positive direct
      antiglobulin test and who required two exchange transfusions within 24 h of
      birth. Because of the emergency of the situation and the lack of a local
      immunohaematology reference laboratory, the phenotype of the mother and the
      specificity of the relevant antibody could not be determined. Hence, compatible
      blood was not immediately available and the infant had to be given repeated
      exchange transfusions with incompatible group 0 Rh-negative blood. The infant is
      now healthy and thriving. The mother's red cells were subsequently found to lack
      all the antigens of the Rh system, and her serum reacted with all red cell
      samples except those of two unrelated Rh(null) individuals. Her serum gave high
      titres (i.e. 1,024-4,096) by the indirect antiglobulin test against red cells of
      normal Rh phenotype, as well as against cells with partially deleted Rh
      phenotypes (titres = 128-512 with -D-/-D- and .D./.D. samples, respectively), and
      was extremely active in antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and
      monocyte monolayer assays against red cells of normal Rh phenotypes.

PMID- 1413663
TI  - Granulocyte serology findings in juvenile symptomatic idiopathic autoimmune
      neutropenia using a multiassay procedure. Report on 21 cases.
AB  - The serological findings on 21 children with idiopathic autoimmune neutropenia
      are reported. A multiassay procedure was adopted including agglutination,
      immunofluorescence and cytotoxicity tests. Beside a cause-effect correlation
      between granulocyte antibodies and clinical course, a serologic polymorphism was
      found. As the sensitivity of each assay seemed to be related to the
      characteristics of the involved antigens and antibodies, as well as to the
      intrinsic sensitivity of the tests, the performance of a multiassay procedure
      appears to be advisable for the diagnosis and the follow-up of autoimmune
      neutropenia.

PMID- 1413664
TI  - Expression of red cell antigens C and c on neonatal and adult erythrocytes. A
      flow-cytometric analysis.
AB  - Red cell membrane proteins expressing Rh antigens appear to be important for the
      stabilization of the phospholipid membrane bilayer. Neonatal red cells possess a
      shorter in vivo life span and different deformability properties as compared to
      adult red blood cells, differences which could potentially be explained by
      different cell surface antigen densities of Rh-antigenic determinants. Although
      conventional serologic techniques have demonstrated Rh antigens on fetal and
      neonatal red cells, other more sensitive techniques are required when
      quantitative information is needed. Therefore, in this study, 40 adult and 45
      neonatal red blood cell suspensions of differing Rh phenotypes were evaluated for
      C and c antigen density using flow cytometry. Neonatal and adult red blood cells
      had the same mean channel fluorescence intensity (expressed in mV) of c antigen
      in either the homozygous (cc) or heterozygous (cC) state: 485 +/- 44 versus 471
      +/- 29 and 416 +/- 31 versus 411 +/- 23, respectively. In addition, neonatal and
      adult C antigen density was similar in heterozygous (Cc; 415 +/- 49 versus 455 +/
      44) and homozygous (CC; 438 +/- 53 versus 469 +/- 38 C states. As expected,
      homozygous (double dose) states for either C or c had greater intensities than
      heterozygous states for both neonates and adults. Although no differences were
      noted for C or c antigens, studies of other Rh antigens may indicate lower
      antigenic density in neonatal red cells.

PMID- 1413665
TI  - Point mutation in the glycophorin C gene results in the expression of the blood
      group antigen Dha.
AB  - The blood group Duch (Dha) antigen is located on glycophorin C (GPC). Total RNA
      prepared from the reticulocyte fraction of two Dh(a+) individuals were used in
      the synthesis of first-strand cDNA. The first-strand cDNA served as templates for
      the amplification of GPC-related DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The
      expected PCR product consisted of 412 base pairs. On sequencing the PCR-amplified
      DNA, a base change (cytosine----thymidine) at nucleotide 40 of the GPC cDNA was
      detected. Thus, the variant GPC (GPC.Dha) on Dh(a+) red cells has a substitution
      of leucine by phenylalanine at amino acid residue 14.

PMID- 1413666
TI  - Polynesian patients of the Gerbich-negative phenotype Ge: -2-3.

PMID- 1413667
TI  - Prevalence of bleeding as cause of death in HIV-seropositive patients with
      congenital clotting disorders.

PMID- 1413668
TI  - [The psychological preparation of patients with a paroxysmal systolic
      tachyarrhythmia for helium-neon laser treatment].
AB  - The psychological structure was studied in 120 patients with paroxysmal disorders
      of the cardiac rhythm. Anxiety, obsessive-phobic, neurasthenic and ergopathic
      syndromes were singled out. It was established that psychological aspects of
      personality of the patients depended on the course of paroxysmal disorders of the
      rhythm and influence the number of arrhythmia triggering that often reduced the
      grade of medicosocial adaptation. Psychological preparation of these patients to
      laser treatment may be achieved by rational psychotherapy. Details of such
      psychotherapy are discussed.

PMID- 1413669
TI  - [A case of drug-induced litholysis of a uric acid staghorn calculus in the left
      kidney].

PMID- 1413670
TI  - [The differential diagnosis of syringomyelia from pseudosyringomyelitic ulcero
      mutilating acropathy].
AB  - The authors describe some differential diagnostic criteria of atypical
      syringomyelia and pseudosyringomyelitic acropathy. It was found that trophic
      disorders in the skin, metatarsal bones were in atypical syringomyelia usually
      associated with sensibility disorders of the dissociated type in the zone of
      corresponding segments. In pseudosyringomyelitic acropathy trophic and skin
      changes precede sensibility disorders and do not always correspond to innervation
      zones of the lower extremities. Dysraphic state is of importance for the
      diagnosis of syringomyelia.

PMID- 1413671
TI  - [My concept of hematopoiesis].

PMID- 1413673
TI  - [Russian-Ukrainian medical dictionary. 7000 words].

PMID- 1413672
TI  - [The methodological problems of conducting practical exercises in lecture series
      for physician advanced training in rheumatology].

PMID- 1413674
TI  - [Autoimmune processes in patients with different forms of the clinical course of
      ischemic heart disease].
AB  - A study of autoimmune processes in 286 patients with different clinical forms of
      ischemic heart disease revealed a high frequency of antibodies to "healthy
      myocardium" antigen in patients with non-stable stenocardia and acute myocardial
      infarction that may indicate acquirement of antigenic properties of the healthy
      myocardium. Patients with unstable stenocardia also show an increased antibody
      titer to vascular antigens that indicates the possible role of activation of
      autoimmune reactions in the mechanisms of destabilization of the clinical course
      of ischemic heart disease.

PMID- 1413675
TI  - [The content of ceruloplasmin, fibronectin and selenium in the blood of patients
      with an acute myocardial infarct].
AB  - The content of ceruloplasmin, fibronectin and selenium was evaluated in the blood
      plasma of acute myocardial infarction patients within the first three days after
      onset if the disease. Results showed a reduction of fibronectin during the first
      hours after onset of the disease. The content of ceruloplasmin was increased,
      selenium reduced during the entire period of examination indicating pronounced
      disturbances of lipid peroxidation in the acute period of myocardial infarction
      as well as potentiation of antioxidant processes.

PMID- 1413676
TI  - [The action of the new beta-adrenoblocker Lopressor on the hemodynamics of
      hypertension patients].
AB  - The authors carried out a complex clinico-instrumental investigation of the
      effect of a new cardioselective beta-blocking agent leprozor in 116 patients with
      hypertensive disease (stage II). A quantitative evaluation of the hemodynamics of
      the left compartments of the heart with two-dimensional echocardiography was
      carried out. Evaluation of the efficacy of using leprozor in this category of
      patients was based on an analysis of the state of their hemodynamics against the
      background of systematic intake of the drug for 7 months. Selection of the dosage
      was individual under the control of circulation parameters. It is concluded that
      leprozor proved effective in normalization of the hemodynamics in patients with
      hypertensive disease.

PMID- 1413677
TI  - [The effect of lunar rhythms on the incidence of acute coronary failure and
      hypertensive crisis].

PMID- 1413678
TI  - [The indices of thrombocyte coagulating and fibrinolytic activity in rheumatoid
      arthritis patients].
AB  - Blood coagulation values (thrombocyte count, adhesive-aggregation thrombocytic
      activity, coagulographic data) were analysed in 90 patients with rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA). Increase of plasma coagulation activity was observed in all
      coagulation activity grades. The anticoagulation activity was most pronounced in
      grade III RA activity. Thrombocytes of RA patients possessed procoagulant
      properties and lost significantly their fibrinolytic activity most expressed in
      grade II RA. This increased the thrombophilic tendency of the plasma potential
      creating favourable conditions for intravascular coagulation and microthrombus
      formation, resulting in deterioration of the rheological properties of the blood
      and the course of the rheumatoid synovitis.

PMID- 1413679
TI  - [The use of thermographic and immunological indices in choosing adequate
      treatment for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and arthrosis deformans].
AB  - A study is presented of the thermal semeiotics and the state of cellular and
      humoral immunity in 29 patients with osteoarthrosis deformans, 35 patients with
      rheumatoid arthritis of different activity. It is recommended to use data of the
      thermographic picture and immunological status for objectivation of the character
      of the pathological process, differential diagnosis and dynamic express
      evaluation of treatment adequacy.

PMID- 1413680
TI  - [The importance of osteoscintigraphy for the early detection of rheumatic joint
      lesions].
AB  - The scintigraphic semeiotics was investigated of involvement of osteoarticular
      system in rheumatoid polyarthritis in 186 patients (79 of them suffered of
      rheumatoid arthritis, 62 of systemic lupus erythematosus, 34 of systemic
      scleroderma, 11 of dermatomyositis). Roentgenological examination was
      supplemented by consecutive local scintigraphy of axial skeleton and peripheral
      joint by of gamma rays with labeled 99mTc phosphate complexes. Isoactive zones
      with subsequent quantitative evaluation of the information were obtained as a
      result of computerized processing of the scintigraphic images of the joints. The
      results were compared with those obtained in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
      It was established that inspite of the similarity of the scintigraphic
      manifestations, each of them has its regularities due to differences of the
      pathomorphological processes in the joints.

PMID- 1413681
TI  - [The efficacy of treating glomerulonephritis patients with a hematuria
      component].
AB  - A clinical evaluation was carried out of treatment efficacy of patients suffering
      of glomerulonephritis with hematuria component. TREATMENT: membrane stabilizing
      therapy including unithiol, dimephosphon (delagil) and alpha-tocopherol acetate.
      Duration of this treatment was 1 month; 2 months--with alpha-tocopherol and
      delagil; 6 months--with delagil. TREATMENT was carried out in 80 patients. Six
      month follow-up was evaluated in 62 patients. In 48 patients the treatment was
      effective as concerns proteinuria and in 4--only hematuria. Comparing the results
      of such treatment with indomethacin treatment where a positive dynamics was
      observed in 10 of 38 patients and only in 2 patients improvement concerned
      proteinuria and erythrocyturia. CONCLUSION: membrane stabilizing therapy is the
      method of choice in comparison with traditional indomethacin treatment.

PMID- 1413682
TI  - [The role of immune links in the gastric acid-forming function in peptic ulcer
      patients].
AB  - Results are of a comparative analysis of immunological and biochemical parameters
      in 116 patients with duodenal ulcer before operative treatment and in the follow
      up (1-3 years) after different types of vagotomy. A close relationship has been
      established between the immune and neurohumoral links of regulation and state of
      the acid forming gastric function in patients with ulcer disease.

PMID- 1413683
TI  - [The clinico-morphological characteristics of malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphomas].
AB  - It was established that most patients with non-Hodgkin malignant lymphomas
      against the background of secondary immunodeficiency show an activation of the
      saprophytic bacterial and mycotic flora that results in the development of
      different infectious complications essentially, thus, influencing the course and
      prognosis of the disease. A dependence was established between the malignancy
      grade of non-Hodgkins lymphomas and frequency of development of non-infectious
      complications.

PMID- 1413684
TI  - [Changes in the cytochemical indices and in the phagocytic activity of the
      leukocytes during the combined therapy of rectal cancer].
AB  - Changes of cytochemical indices and phagocytic activity of neutrophil
      granulocytes of the peripheral blood were revealed in patients with cancer of the
      rectum at different stages of combined treatment. These changes evidence an
      increase of vascular permeability and catabolism, disorders of energy resources,
      oxidation-reduction processes and functional activity of granulocytes. The
      dynamics of changes of cytochemical indices of leucocytes reflect the efficacy of
      different methods of treatment and prophylaxis of postoperative purulent
      complications.

PMID- 1413685
TI  - [The electrical excitability of the mimetic muscles in patients with a facial
      nerve lesion].
AB  - Sixty patients with lesions of the facial nerve were examined.
      Electroexcitability of the mimic muscles was determined. The obtained data allow
      to predict the state of the function of mimic muscles and institute adequate
      electrostimulating therapy of corresponding intensity and duration.

PMID- 1413686
TI  - [The enzymatic activity of ammonia metabolism in the liver during the parenteral
      nitrogen feeding of animals with experimental liver failure].
AB  - It was established that liver insufficiency the activity of hepatic glutamate
      dehydrogenase is markedly reduced that is, apparently, the main cause of
      hyperammonemia that accompanies hepatic encephalopathy. Here occurs a significant
      reduction of the processes of ammonia detoxication with formation of glutamine in
      the liver as evidenced by changes of the activity of glutamine synthetase.
      Administration parenterally of a preparation of nitrous feeding increases
      essentially ammonia detoxicating function of muscular tissue which supplements
      the detoxicating function of the liver.

PMID- 1413687
TI  - [The role of autoimmune reactions in the development of disseminated sclerosis].
AB  - The immune status was investigated in 97 patients with multiple sclerosis.
      Patients of this group showed marked changes at the cellular lever of the immune
      system. T-lymphocytopenia was accompanied by a dysbalance of the main correlative
      cells according to a relatively hyposuppressor variant of immune deficit with
      formation of circulating immune complexes and thermodependent lymphocytotoxic
      autoantibodies.

PMID- 1413688
TI  - [Mineral metabolism in bacterial meningoencephalitis].
AB  - The authors investigated the concentration of some metals in the cerebrospinal
      fluid in 70 patients with bacterial meningoencephalitis in the dynamics of the
      inflammatory process and in different regions of the brain in 10 autopsy cases.
      There was a correlation between potassium, sodium, manganese, magnesium, copper
      and zinc in the brain and quantity of water, as well as their concentration in
      cerebrospinal fluid. It is shown that determination of some metals in the
      cerebrospinal fluid allows to diagnose edema swelling of the brain and to predict
      the disease sequels.

PMID- 1413689
TI  - [The characteristics of the instrumental diagnosis of organic diseases of the
      hepatopancreatoduodenal area in patients with the postcholecystectomy syndrome (a
      review of the literature)].

PMID- 1413690
TI  - [Immunodeficiency states in lung diseases and the possible ways for their
      correction].
AB  - The author discusses problems on the mechanisms of formation of immunodeficiency
      state in pulmonary diseases. It is suggested that T-cell deficit revealed in
      pulmonary pathology is caused by several factors (intoxication, mediators of
      allergic-reactions immune complexes, C-reactive protein, hormones, endorphin-like
      substances etc.), the removal of which furthers normalization of the immune
      system. Data are reported on the possible variants of secondary immunodeficiency
      states and the main regularities for immunocorrection are discussed.

PMID- 1413691
TI  - [A program for the accelerated activation of myocardial infarct patients and its
      implementation in the hospitals and sanatoria of Ukraine].
AB  - The possibility is shown of reducing the time of hospitalization for 7-12 days in
      25% of patients with a history of myocardial infarction. An analysis of health
      resort rehabilitation of patients according to program of enhanced activation
      revealed that such rehabilitation program proved effective and showed the
      possibility of its realization in conditions of practical medicine.

PMID- 1413692
TI  - [The prognostic significance of heart rhythm and conduction disorders in the
      postinfarct period].

PMID- 1413693
TI  - [The prevalence of ischemic heart disease and its relation to the incidence of
      blood rheological disorders].

PMID- 1413694
TI  - [Sex hormones and cerebral hemodynamics in men with cerebrovascular
      insufficiency].
AB  - The authors determined content of steroid hormones (testosterone, estradiol) and
      gonadotropic pituitary hormones (follicle stimulating, luteinizing, prolactin) in
      blood plasma by means of radioimmunological assay and evaluated the state of
      cerebral hemodynamics by results of zonal rheoencephalography in 77 patients with
      initial manifestation of circulatory brain insufficiency, transient disorders of
      the cerebral circulation and in the restorative period of stroke against the
      background of cerebral atherosclerosis. Established was a significant correlation
      between the content steroid sex hormones and the main quantitative values of the
      rheoencephalograms of the above patients.

PMID- 1413695
TI  - [The use of acoustic vibromassage in diseases of the respiratory organs].

PMID- 1413696
TI  - [The fibrinolytic system of bronchial asthma patients in the late terms of
      pregnancy].
AB  - Women suffering of infectious-dependent bronchial asthma show at the second half
      of pregnancy a sharp reduction of the fibrinolytic potential that is manifested
      in a decrease of plasminogen activator and urokinase activity of the urine, in an
      elevation of the antiactivator and antiplasmin activity, growth of the
      concentration of alpha2-macroglobulins. At the same time high levels of
      fibrinogen are noted and low levels of fibrin degradation.

PMID- 1413697
TI  - [The pathophysiological characteristics of anaphylactic shock].
AB  - Data are reported on the course of anaphylactic shock in 27 patients. It was
      established that respiratory insufficiency is as a rule, a sequel of distress
      syndrome. The symptoms of hepatic failure are mainly manifested in patients with
      a previously involved liver. Hyperazotemia has a productive character.

PMID- 1413698
TI  - [The incidence of urolithiasis (based on autopsy data from the Donetsk Province
      Clinical Hospital)].
AB  - Autopsy data indicate that urolithiasis is found in 3.6% of 100 autopsies, most
      frequently in men (62 cases) over 40 years of age. In 2/3 of patients the length
      of the disease was under 8 years, rarer over 15 years. In most cases renal
      involvement was bilateral (72 patients). In more that 70% two or three operations
      were performed. A pathogenetic relationship was found between urolithiasis and
      malformations of the kidneys and ureters, urinary stasis in disorders of
      innervation of lesser pelvis organs, hyperplasia of the prostate and disorders of
      the mineral metabolism.

PMID- 1413699
TI  - [The evaluation of the efficacy of repeated inoculations against influenza using
      inactivated vaccines].

PMID- 1413700
TI  - [Transcutaneous muscle electrostimulation and therapeutic physical exercise in
      the rehabilitation of patients with the pain syndrome in osteochondrosis of the
      lumbar spine].

PMID- 1413701
TI  - [Senescent-hypochondriac disorders accompanied by subjective signs of involvement
      of the genitalia].
AB  - Examined were 65 patients complaining of unpleasant sensations in the zone of sex
      organs. It was established that neither the localization of hypochondriac
      feelings, the character of senestopathias nor their characteristic aspects of
      interpretation and emotional accompaniment are not of significance for
      differential diagnosis with neuroses and torpid schizophrenia. The diagnosis
      should be based on the presence or absence of characteristic for schizophrenia
      personality changes, thinking disorders.

PMID- 1413702
TI  - [The efficacy of different regimens for using millimeter-wave resonance therapy
      in duodenal peptic ulcer].

PMID- 1413703
TI  - [A trial of the clinical use of millimeter-wave resonance therapy with different
      levels of electromagnetic radiation intensity].

PMID- 1413704
TI  - [Phytotherapy in the combined treatment of autonomic vascular disorders in
      workers of industrial enterprises].

PMID- 1413705
TI  - [A case of hyperergic vasculitis].

PMID- 1413706
TI  - [A case of bettolepsy in acute pneumonia].
AB  - Literature lists more than 300 case reports of bettolepsy developing mainly in
      chronic diseases of the respiratory organs (chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma,
      pulmonary emphysema, cor pulmonale) as well as in patients with epilepsy and
      organic brain diseases. The authors describe a case of bettolepsy in a patient
      with acute (croupous) pneumonia without respiratory diseases in the anamnesis and
      without a burdened neurological status. The role of nicotin and alcohol in the
      development of bettolepsy is shown. The problems of pathogenesis, clinical
      picture, differential diagnosis and treatment of bettolepsy are discussed.

PMID- 1413707
TI  - [The use of the vif gene expression product of HIV-1 in bacteria for detecting
      specific antibodies in the sera of infected persons].
AB  - A fragment of the genome of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) coding
      for p23 protein, the product of vif gene, was cloned in a plasmid vector pUR291.
      The resulting recombinant plasmid pLacVif1 was conducive in E. coli cells to the
      synthesis of a hybrid polypeptide with molecular weight of 136 kDa containing
      antigenic determinants of p23 protein of HIV-1. The employment of this
      polypeptide for analysis of HIV-1-positive sera by indirect enzyme immunoassay
      showed that vif-specific antibodies were found in 53% of the cases and their
      appearance was not related to the stage of the disease.

PMID- 1413708
TI  - [The antigenic and immunogenic properties of a recombinant protein of the HIV-1
      gag-pol gene secreted by Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells].
AB  - Analysis of the immunological properties of recombinant proteins of HIV-1 gene
      gag-pol secreted by yeast cells S. cerevisiae was carried out. The proteins under
      study interacted with antibodies from HIV-1-seropositive human subjects and with
      antibodies of rabbit immune serum to the native virus as effectively and
      specifically as natural HIV-1 proteins. The yeast gag-pol-protein complex was
      markedly immunogenic and induced in animals synthesis of antibodies of a certain
      specificity spectrum. A comparative immunochemical analysis of the properties of
      the recombinant proteins carried out by EIA and immune blot showed a certain
      degree of similarity between the yeast proteins and those of analogous
      construction produced in E. coli system.

PMID- 1413709
TI  - [The isolation of HIV from children with the initial signs of an HIV infection
      and from symptom-free carriers].
AB  - A high rate of HIV carrier state was observed in seropositive children with early
      symptoms of HIV infection. The virus was also isolated from 2 seropositive adults
      (mothers) showing no clinical manifestations. The intervals of virus
      manifestation in culture varied from 6 to 30 days with maximal frequency of
      detection in the 2nd week. Different modifications of the procedure for HIV
      isolation were assayed, and it was shown that the efficacy of isolation
      (shortening of the period of virus detectability and increase in the number of
      the antigen-containing cells) could be improved by the addition to the culture of
      the Jurkat-tat III line expressing the product of the tat gene important for
      virus reproduction.

PMID- 1413710
TI  - [The reproduction of reassortant influenza A and B viruses with a known genome
      composition in different cell systems].
AB  - Reproduction of parental strains and reassortants (with known genome composition)
      of influenza A and B viruses was studied in chick embryos (CE) and in different
      cell lines (SPEV, MDCK, BHK-21, M22, etc.). The results agree with the concept
      that the yield of influenza A virus in CE depends on its M-gene. At the same
      time, the experimental results suggest that reproduction of influenza B virus in
      the same system is not determined by M-gene. Reproduction (hr-phenotype) of
      influenza A and B viruses in cell cultures was shown to be determined not only by
      the gene coding for hemagglutinin but also by other virus genes, the reproduction
      level being dependent on different genes in different cell systems.

PMID- 1413711
TI  - [The evaluation of the degree of attenuation of cold-adapted influenza A virus
      strains in CBA-strain mouse and Syrian hamster models].
AB  - The pattern of the infectious process induced by the epidemic A/Leningrad/134/57
      (H2N2) virus and its cold-adapted (CA) variants in CBA mice and Syrian hamsters
      was studied. The strains under study inoculated into the animals under a mild
      ether anesthesia differed by virulence, reproductive capacity in the nasopharynx,
      trachea and lungs, as well as by the isolation rate from extrarespiratory organs
      of both mice and hamsters. Upon intranasal inoculation of mice without
      anesthesia, the CA strains were found to be incapable of dissemination into the
      lower parts of the respiratory tract with distinguished these viruses from the
      original epidemic strain A/Leningrad/134/57 as well as from the mouse-adapted
      strain A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) used as control. The experimental results show that both
      models are suitable for laboratory evaluation of the attenuation degree of human
      influenza viruses.

PMID- 1413712
TI  - [The antigens and nucleotide sequences of influenza A and B viruses in the
      lymphocytes of human peripheral blood].
AB  - Markers of influenza A and B viruses (antigens of hemagglutinin and specific
      nucleotide sequences) were detected in lymphocyte preparations from normal
      subjects. The rate of detection of the antigens and specificity (type and subtype
      appurtenance) of the markers correlated with the influenza epidemic situation.
      Lower titers of antibodies to the virus whose antigens were present in
      lymphocytes were observed.

PMID- 1413713
TI  - [The antigenic characteristics of the influenza virus subpopulations isolated
      from a single patient].
AB  - Examinations by HI and EIA of influenza A (H3N2) virus isolates of 1985-1990
      showed the strains derived from nasopharyngeal washings from patients to present
      very frequently as phenotypic mixtures of stable virus variants. Immunological
      analysis with monospecific antibody to hemagglutinin antigenic sites revealed a
      wide spectrum of antigenic activity based on the degree of relationship with
      viruses of previous years. By means of the immune pressing with antibody of
      different specificity the isolated strains could be divided into 2 subpopulations
      each characterized by the presence of only three antigenic sites. The
      subpopulations homogeneous by the antigenic composition of hemagglutinin
      represented the strains with antigenic markers of hemagglutinins of previous
      variants with drift variants of epidemic nature.

PMID- 1413714
TI  - [The reproductive characteristics of the tick-borne encephalitis virus in
      interspecific somatic hybrids].
AB  - The study dealt with features of tick-borne encephalitis virus reproduction in
      two series of interspecies somatic hybrids generated by fusion of transformed
      cells of Chinese hamster (Ag17) with human diploid fibroblasts (KM/3) and with
      pseudonormal cells of Indian deer (Muntiacus munjak) (KOM). The viral infection
      in hybrid Ag17 cells ran an acute course with cell damage, but in KM/3 and KOM
      cells virus multiplication was not accompanied by the development of cytopathic
      effect. Two other parameters of tick-borne encephalitis virus infection under
      study: the extent of infectious particles production and electroimmunochemical
      properties were found to be under control of genomes of different parental cells.

PMID- 1413715
TI  - [The immunogenic properties of Marburg virus proteins].
AB  - Immunogenic and protective properties of VP40 and NP proteins of Marburg virus
      were studied. VP40 protein was shown to have insignificant immunogenicity and NP
      protein to be capable of protecting the animals from lethal infection by
      stimulation of cell-mediated immunity. No significant increase in the specific
      antibody level was found.

PMID- 1413716
TI  - [On the centenary of the discovery of viruses].

PMID- 1413717
TI  - [The antiproliferative activity of monoclonal anti-idiotypic antibodies imitating
      the biological effects of human alpha-interferons].
AB  - The experimental data from the study of antiproliferative activity (AP-activity)
      of monoclonal antiidiotypic antibody (mono-Ai-At) imitating biological effects of
      human alpha interferons (h-IF-alpha) are presented. The mono-Ai-At present in the
      ascitic and culture fluids (the culture fluid was obtained from cultivation of
      hybrid cells immobilized in alginate-gelatine gel) were shown to inhibit
      propagation of IF-sensitive continuous cells from normal and tumor tissues. The
      AP-activity of mono-Ai-At was found to be within the range of their antiviral
      activity. It is concluded that mono-Ai-At may be used as a new experimental model
      for investigation of h-IF-alpha biological effects.

PMID- 1413718
TI  - [The isolation and identification of the Sindbis virus from migratory birds in
      Estonia].
AB  - The data on isolation from birds and identification of two strains of
      alphaviruses in Estonia in the territory of Vilsandy natural reserve are
      presented. Electron microscopy of purified virions allowed the isolates to be
      classified into the family of togaviruses, and serological identification
      (neutralization test, CFT) using polyvalent sera and monoclonal antibody showed
      them to belong to Sindbis virus.

PMID- 1413719
TI  - [Carriage of the hepatitis B virus surface antigen as one of the unfavorable
      prognostic factors in breast cancer].

PMID- 1413720
TI  - Are malpractice claims driving up the cost of health care? Don't be fooled.

PMID- 1413721
TI  - Ask the nurse attorney. To report or not to report--that is the question.

PMID- 1413722
TI  - What to do when you believe staffing is unsafe. Part 2: Nursing practice
      committees.

PMID- 1413723
TI  - The role of the ethical decision-making process in health care reform. WSNA
      Health Access Task Force Report #10.

PMID- 1413724
TI  - What to do when you believe staffing is unsafe. Part 3: New WSNA publication
      helps nurses deal with unsafe staffing.

PMID- 1413725
TI  - Our health care crisis is not new but different today. WSNA Health Access Task
      Force Report #11.

PMID- 1413726
TI  - WSNA BSN/certification survey: baccalaureate for certification?

PMID- 1413727
TI  - Ask the nurse attorney. Co-signing others' charting.

PMID- 1413728
TI  - Pensions and savings retirement plans.

PMID- 1413729
TI  - Making research work for you.

PMID- 1413730
TI  - Reflections in Thailand.

PMID- 1413731
TI  - Agency RNs enjoy independent contractor relationship.

PMID- 1413732
TI  - An interview with Margarethe Cammermeyer. Interview by Claudette Boudreaux.

PMID- 1413733
TI  - [Biotransformation of zearalenone].
AB  - The conversion of Zearalenone by some strains of microorganisms was investigated.
      When the selective strains of Rhodotorula sp., Arthrobacter sp., Saccharomyces
      sp., and Candida sp. were incubated by shaking or standing at 28 degrees C for 72
      h with an alcoholic solution of Zearalenone as the substrate at a concentration
      of 2-10 mg/ml ethanol (50-100 micrograms/ml medium), it was readily converted to
      give Zearalenols, consisting either mainly of the alpha-isomer (e.g. 96% in case
      of Rhodotorula sp. and 84% in case of Arthrobacter sp. as determined by HPLC) or
      beta-isomer (e.g. 91% and 92% in Saccharomyces sp. and Candida sp.,
      respectively). The structure of the product was confirmed by 13C-NMR, MS and
      HPLC.

PMID- 1413734
TI  - [Microbiological production of 3-oxo-bisnorchola-1, 4-dien-22-oic acid from
      cholesterol by an Arthrobacter 82].
AB  - Among nineteen strains of Arthrobacter which showed to be able to decompose
      cholesterol in preliminary experiments, a strain of Arthrobacter 82 was selected
      for microbiological production of 3-oxo-bisnorchola-1,4-dien-22-oic-acid (BNC)
      from cholesterol. The yield is over of 50% weight percent concentration of 0.25%
      in the presence of cobalt sulfate. The main intermediate in such a conversion
      process is cholestenone. Lower glucose and higher corn steep liquor concentration
      were favorable for side chain degradation of cholestenone and more BNC could be
      produced. BNC was crystallized in acidic solution and obtained by centrifugation.
      The structure and characteristics of BNC has been identified by means of
      conventional physical, chemical and spectrometric techniques.

PMID- 1413735
TI  - [Purification and characterization of alpha-glucosidase from an extreme
      thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB 8].
AB  - A highly thermostable alpha-glucosidase (E C.3.2.1.20) from an extreme
      thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB 8, was purified to homogeneous by ammonium
      sulfate fractionation, DEAE-cellulose chromatography and preparative slab gel
      electrophoresis. The enzyme was purified 17 fold with 21% recovery of activity.
      The enzyme had a molecular weight of 67000 by SDS-PAGE. The isoelectric point was
      pH4.5 by IEF on PAG. The enzyme hydrolized p-nitrophenyl-alpha-glucoside (PN-PG),
      sucrose and maltose, but not cellobiose, melibiose and soluble starch. The km
      value for PNPG was 0.4mmol/L, the Vmax was 0.29 mumol.min-1.mg-1. The enzyme
      exhibited high thermostability. After incubation at 90 degrees C for 10 h in 50
      mmol/L acetate buffer pH 5.8, the enzyme retained 90% of its original activity.
      The half-live (t1/2) at 95 degrees C was 108 min. The enzyme was activated by
      Mg2+, Mn2+, Ca2+, Ba2+ and strongly inhibited by Hg2+, Cu2+. Modification of the
      enzyme by EDC or DEPC led to complete loss of activity, which suggests that
      carboxyl group(s) and histidine residue(s) are essential for activity of alpha
      glucosidase.

PMID- 1413736
TI  - [An urease negative Cryptococcus neoformans].
AB  - We report an urease negative Cryptococcus neoformans derived from pigeon
      dropping. This isolate produced brown pigmented colonies on cornmeal Tween-80
      agar with 300 micrograms/ml caffeic acid, but was failure to hydrolyze urea. More
      identification tests were performed for this isolate, such as assimilation and
      fermentation of carbohydrates, nitrate assimilation, production of starch like
      compound, growth on GCP medium, germ tube formation and inoculation of mice, ect.
      Most of the results showed that the microbiological characteristics of the
      isolate were typical of C. neoformans except for negative urease test. Even
      though there has been a report about an urease negative C. neoformans derived
      from an AIDS patient, but we have never found any report about isolation from
      pigeon dropping or nature environment. We should pay attention to the exist of
      this atypical strain of C. neoformans in nature environment and the possibility
      of infection to human being. Additionally, we also be aware of the possibility of
      neglect when this urease negative C. neoformans is identified with urease test.

PMID- 1413737
TI  - [Study and preparation of Vi-PHA reagent and its application for detection of
      Salmonella typhi carriers].
AB  - Purified S. typhi Vi antigen is sensitized with equal volume of tannic acid
      treated formalational sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) at a final concentration of 1
      microgram/ml. The Vi-passive hemagglutination assay (Vi-PHA) diagnostic reagent
      is developed to detect Vi antibodies to S. typhi for the detection of chronic
      carriers after typhoid fever and the screening S. typhi healthy carriers from
      food-handlers, which is characterized with high sensitivity, strong specificity
      and good stability. This Vi-PHA reagent is able to detect 1.16 micrograms/ml of
      Vi antibodies and doesn't make any cross reaction with healthy sera. For the sera
      of other diseases, the cross rate is only 0.84%. Using this reagent, 19 positive
      sera (6.93%) are detected from 274 convalescent sera from typhoid fever, 14
      convalescents of which are stool-culture S. typhi positive, that persists a
      positive rate of 73.68%; 3 positive sera are detected from 106 foodhandlers, one
      of which is stool-culture S. typhi positive. Therefore, the reagent is simple,
      convenient, rapid and easy to be applicated in basic unit.

PMID- 1413738
TI  - [Expression and secretion of alpha-amylase gene from Bacillus subtilis in E.
      coli].
AB  - The E. coli which carrying the alpha-amylase gene fragment cloned from B.
      subtilis secreted the gene products into the medium. The reason is the exogenous
      gene fragment act on the cell wall of E. coli by some way, gives rise to the
      change of its structure. It leads up to the alpha-amylase and some periplasm
      proteins passing through the cell wall into the medium. It also causes the change
      of host colonial morphology. The secrete process are non-specific.

PMID- 1413739
TI  - Dexamethasone and bacterial meningitis. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled
      trials.
AB  - A meta-analysis of 5 randomized, controlled trials using dexamethasone as
      adjunctive therapy in the treatment of bacterial meningitis in children was done
      to assess the efficacy in reducing sequelae. A 6th study including both children
      and adults was analyzed separately. Results of the 5 pediatric studies indicated
      no significant difference in case-fatality rate between the placebo and
      dexamethasone groups. Significantly more neurologic sequelae were found in the
      placebo group during the period from discharge from hospital to 6 weeks after
      discharge (relative risk [RR] = 1.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13 to 3.53)
      and during the period beginning 6 months after discharge (RR = 3.90, 95% CI 1.72
      to 8.85). The incidence of neurologic sequelae from 6 weeks to 6 months after
      discharge, though less with dexamethasone administration, did not reach
      statistical significance. The frequency of bilateral hearing loss was
      significantly greater in the placebo group (RR = 4.12, 95% CI 1.74 to 9.79), but
      unilateral loss was not statistically different in the two groups. Dexamethasone
      administration in addition to antimicrobial therapy appears to be effective in
      reducing neurologic sequelae and bilateral hearing loss associated with bacterial
      meningitis in children.

PMID- 1413740
TI  - Risk for AIDS in multiethnic neighborhoods in San Francisco, California. The
      population-based AMEN Study.
AB  - To examine the actual and potential spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
      from an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epicenter to surrounding
      neighborhoods, we studied the prevalence of the viral infection and AIDS risk
      behaviors from 1988 to 1989 in a representative sample of unmarried whites,
      African Americans, and Hispanics living in San Francisco. We surveyed 1,770
      single men and women aged 20 to 44 years (a 64% response rate) in a random
      household sample drawn from 3 neighborhoods of varying geographic and cultural
      proximity to the Castro District where the San Francisco epidemic began. Of 1,369
      with blood tests, 69 (5%) had HIV antibodies; all but 5 of these reported either
      homosexual activity (32% HIV-positive; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 23%, 41%),
      injection drug use (5% HIV-positive; CI = 1%, 14%), or both (59% HIV-positive; CI
      42%, 74%). Homosexual activity was more common among white men than among African
      American or Hispanic men, but the proportion of those infected was similar in the
      3 races. Both the prevalence of homosexually active men and the proportion
      infected were much lower in the 2 more outlying neighborhoods. Risk behaviors in
      the past year for acquiring HIV heterosexually--sex with an HIV-infected person
      or homosexually active man or injection drug user, unprotected sexual intercourse
      with more than 4 partners, and (as a proxy) having a sexually transmitted disease
      -were assessed in 1,573 neighborhood residents who were themselves neither
      homosexually active men nor injection drug users. The prevalence of reporting at
      least 1 of these risk behaviors was 12% overall, and race-gender estimates ranged
      from 5% among Hispanic women to 21% among white women. We conclude that in San
      Francisco, infection with HIV is rare among people who are neither homosexually
      active nor injection drug users, but the potential for the use spread of
      infection is substantial, as 12% of this group reported important risk behaviors
      for acquiring the virus heterosexually.

PMID- 1413741
TI  - Health care use by human immunodeficiency virus-infected students at a California
      student health service.
AB  - We report characteristics of 16 college students with human immunodeficiency
      virus (HIV) infection but without the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who
      received care at a student health center at a major university in California.
      Sociodemographic and clinical data and medical expenditures were obtained
      retrospectively from medical charts and computerized billing records. All 16
      students were men who had sex with men, and 3 had also used intravenous drugs.
      Dermatologic conditions, upper respiratory tract infections, gastrointestinal
      conditions, anemia, lymphadenopathy, sexually transmitted diseases, and
      ophthalmologic conditions were more frequent among HIV-infected students than
      among the general student population using the health center. On average, HIV
      infected students visited the student health service about 3 times more often and
      incurred charges about 10 times higher than the general population of students
      visiting the health center. Student health centers, which have been at the
      forefront of developing strategies for HIV prevention, education, and counseling,
      must also develop treatment programs for HIV-infected students.

PMID- 1413742
TI  - Factors influencing family physicians to continue providing obstetric care.
AB  - To determine the reasons some family physicians continue to practice obstetrics
      when most of their colleagues do not, we surveyed family physicians in 26
      counties of northern California whose practices include obstetrics and those who
      have recently discontinued it. In all, 70% of family physicians practicing
      obstetrics cited enjoying it as a reason for continuing this practice. Over a
      third of family physicians practicing obstetrics thought that obstetric practice
      was a responsibility to the community. Only 1 in 6 reported obstetrics to be
      important in terms of financial implications. Despite this, family physicians
      practicing obstetrics had a mean gross income derived from obstetric practice of
      $30,000 above the cost of their total malpractice premium. In contrast, a
      comparison group of family physicians who had recently discontinued obstetrics
      cited malpractice insurance costs most frequently as the reason for discontinuing
      it. Nearly 40% of these physicians indicated that they would be willing to return
      to obstetrics if circumstances were to change substantially. The most frequently
      cited change necessary for these physicians to return to obstetrics was a
      reduction in malpractice insurance rates.

PMID- 1413745
TI  - Use of thallium 201 in tumor evaluation.
AB  - The Council on Scientific Affairs of the California Medical Association presents
      the following inventory of items of progress in nuclear medicine. Each item, in
      the judgment of a panel of knowledgeable physicians, has recently become
      reasonably firmly established, both as to scientific fact and important clinical
      significance. The items are presented in simple epitome, and an authoritative
      reference, both to the item itself and to the subject as a whole, is generally
      given for those who may be unfamiliar with a particular item. The purpose is to
      assist busy practitioners, students, researchers, or scholars to stay abreast of
      these items of progress in nuclear medicine that have recently achieved a
      substantial degree of authoritative acceptance, whether in their own field of
      special interest or another. The items of progress listed below were selected by
      the Advisory Panel to the Section on Nuclear Medicine of the California Medical
      Association, and summaries were prepared under its direction.

PMID- 1413746
TI  - Technetium 99m-hexamethyl propyleneamine oxime-labeled leukocytes for diagnosis
      of infection.

PMID- 1413747
TI  - Radionuclide evaluation of brain death.

PMID- 1413744
TI  - Do we need an intravenous fluoroquinolone?
AB  - Intravenous ciprofloxacin, the first parenteral fluoroquinolone available in this
      country, represents another class of antimicrobial agents from which physicians
      must choose when treating nosocomial infections. Fluoroquinolones are
      bactericidal antimicrobial agents that act by inhibiting DNA gyrase. They are
      active in vitro against most gram-negative bacteria and methicillin-susceptible
      staphylococci. Activity against anaerobic bacteria and streptococci is poor. The
      rapid development of bacterial resistance in centers with high quinolone usage is
      of great concern. Resistance develops most commonly in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and
      staphylococci. Resistance emerges most often when quinolones are used to treat
      chronic infections or in patients with poorly drained abscesses, necrotic tissue,
      or indwelling catheters. Clinical trials have shown ciprofloxacin to be as
      effective as ceftazidime in the treatment of infections caused by gram-negative
      bacteria. Although the overall frequency of side effects to fluoroquinolones is
      low, seizures and allergic reactions have been attributed to their use.
      Ciprofloxacin inhibits the metabolism of theophylline, and morbidity and death
      have been reported in patients taking the two drugs concomitantly. Parenteral
      fluoroquinolones should be reserved for the treatment of gram-negative bacterial
      infections in patients in whom standard agents cannot be used.

PMID- 1413748
TI  - Radionuclide therapy for thyroid disease.

PMID- 1413743
TI  - Endoscopic laser therapy in gastroenterology.
AB  - Endoscopic laser therapy has become an important and widely used tool in
      gastroenterology. It has become important for outpatient palliative therapy for
      ablating obstructing gastrointestinal neoplasms. This method has often
      circumvented the need for major palliative surgical resections. Caution must be
      applied to laser therapy for potentially curable malignant neoplasms because,
      with vaporization of the target tissue, no tissue specimen is available to assure
      that local or invasive residual carcinoma is excluded. Therefore, in good
      surgical candidates, surgical resection of potentially curable cancers is always
      recommended. In the future, however, the combination of refined endoscopic
      ultrasonography and laser fluorescence techniques may lead to earlier detection,
      more precise localization, and even curative ablation of gastrointestinal
      malignancy.

PMID- 1413749
TI  - Diagnostic and therapeutic uses of metaiodobenzylguanidine.

PMID- 1413750
TI  - Chronic atypical seizure disorder and cataracts due to delayed diagnosis of
      pseudohypoparathyroidism.

PMID- 1413751
TI  - Hypokalemia as a cause of tetany.

PMID- 1413752
TI  - Current management of diabetic retinopathy.
AB  - Diabetic retinopathy progresses through three distinct stages. A rational
      approach to management is based on an understanding of the pathophysiology of
      each stage. Based on the results of national multicentered clinical trials of
      laser photocoagulation and other treatments, advances in our understanding of the
      pathogenesis and treatment can now make a dramatic impact on blindness in the
      diabetic population: Panretinal laser photocoagulation treatment can reduce the
      risk of vision loss from high-risk proliferative diabetic retinopathy by at least
      50%. Laser photocoagulation treatment of clinically significant diabetic macular
      edema can reduce the risk of vision loss by more than 50%. Vitrectomy can restore
      useful vision to some patients with severe diabetic retinopathy and vitreous
      hemorrhage with or without an accompanying traction retinal detachment. Diabetes
      2000 is a new project sponsored by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the
      goal of which is to eliminate preventable blindness from diabetes by the year
      2000. As its name implies, Diabetes 2000 will be a long-term project aimed at a
      specific disease--diabetic retinopathy and its complications. It will provide the
      latest research findings to ophthalmologists and primary care physicians as the
      first priority, followed by the education of patients and the general public.
      Recent advances and treatment guidelines for the medical and surgical treatment
      of diabetic eye disease will be emphasized through the continuing education of
      ophthalmologists, other physicians, and allied health professionals. In later
      phases, educational programs for diabetic persons and the public will be
      developed. Ultimately, improved access of diabetic patients to ophthalmologic
      care and a close working relationship between ophthalmologists and primary care
      physicians will ensure early detection of diabetic retinopathy and the timely
      delivery of state-of-the-art treatments.

PMID- 1413753
TI  - Global health leadership. A continuing US challenge.

PMID- 1413754
TI  - Scientific medicine, social ills, and child health.

PMID- 1413755
TI  - Playing the cost-containment game.

PMID- 1413756
TI  - Earthquakes and the office-based surgeon.
AB  - A major earthquake may strike while a surgeon is performing an operation in an
      office surgical facility. A sudden major fault disruption will lead to thousands
      of casualties and widespread destruction. Surgeons who operate in offices can
      help lessen havoc by careful preparation. These plans should coordinate with
      other disaster plans for effective triage, evacuation, and the treatment of
      casualties.

PMID- 1413757
TI  - You light up my life ... and liver. Gastroenterologic laser therapy in the 1990s.

PMID- 1413758
TI  - Eight years and counting--what can Americans do?

PMID- 1413760
TI  - History and diagnosis.

PMID- 1413759
TI  - Meta-analysis redux-steroids and meningitis revisited.

PMID- 1413761
TI  - History and diagnosis.

PMID- 1413762
TI  - If syncope, think long QT.

PMID- 1413763
TI  - Cross-cultural medicine.

PMID- 1413764
TI  - Cultural diversity--changing the context of medical practice.

PMID- 1413765
TI  - Translation is not enough. Interpreting in a medical setting.
AB  - Unique obstacles must be overcome when providing medical care to patients who
      have an incomplete command of the English language. Serious barriers to effective
      communication may arise at the exact point where our health care system must
      succeed or fail. Miscommunication, differences in attitudes about health care,
      and various other misunderstandings interfere with or frustrate good health care
      for these patients and their families. Such difficulties are best overcome by the
      use of a professional interpreter who can ensure good communication between
      patients and health care professionals. My daily experiences as a professional
      medical interpreter and translator in Spanish provide insights into the
      complexities of bilingual and bicultural communication in the hospital setting.
      Although the examples given relate to Hispanic patients, the lessons learned can
      be extended to other foreign language patients as well.

PMID- 1413766
TI  - Modesty, sexuality, and breast health in Chinese-American women.
AB  - Although breast cancer rates among Chinese women are lower than among white
      women, breast cancers and other breast diseases often go undetected and untreated
      in Chinese women. Cultural values with respect to modesty and sexuality,
      especially in unmarried women, partly account for a Chinese lack of attention to
      breast health. In addition, institutional barriers, such as an unavailability of
      information in Chinese languages, few female physicians, and an absence of
      educational campaigns, contribute to Chinese women's neglect of breast health.

PMID- 1413767
TI  - Health, illness, and immigration. East Indians in the United States.
AB  - East Indian immigrants to the United States represent the diversity in religion,
      language, and culture that exists in India, so it is difficult to make
      unequivocal statements about their health beliefs and behaviors. Despite the
      diversity, an understanding of Ayurvedic humoral concepts of health and illness
      provides a key to some pervasive and persistent ideas and practices. India has a
      pluralistic medical system in which Western medicine, which is increasingly
      popular for some ailments, is one option among many. Even those who are familiar
      with the "Western" medical system in India may find American medicine alien.

PMID- 1413768
TI  - Health issues of Afghan refugees in California.
AB  - Since the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, more than 6 million Afghan
      refugees have become the world's largest refugee population. Although refugees in
      Pakistan and Iran are now beginning to repatriate, continuing political turmoil
      in Afghanistan and children's acculturation and educational opportunities will
      keep many Afghans in the United States permanently. Although there are no
      accurate statistics, local resettlement agencies and Afghan community leaders
      estimate that there are 10,000 to 35,000 Afghans in northern California. They
      suffer from a variety of problems common to refugees: language, economic and
      occupational problems, and substantial challenges in psychological, family,
      social, and cultural adjustment to the United States. Although many Afghans are
      doing well, many others have depression, psychosomatic symptoms, and
      posttraumatic stress disorder.

PMID- 1413769
TI  - Gypsies and health care.
AB  - Gypsies in the United States are not a healthy group. They have a high incidence
      of heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. When they seek medical
      care, Gypsies often come into conflict with medical personnel who find their
      behavior confusing, demanding, and chaotic. For their part, Gypsies are often
      suspicious of non-Gypsy people and institutions, viewing them as a source of
      disease and uncleanliness. Gypsy ideas about health and illness are closely
      related to notions of good and bad fortune, purity and impurity, and inclusion
      and exclusion from the group. These basic concepts affect everyday life,
      including the way Gypsies deal with eating and washing, physicians and hospitals,
      the diagnosis of illness, shopping around for cures, and coping with birth and
      death.

PMID- 1413770
TI  - Health and aging of urban American Indians.
AB  - Although half of the American Indian population resides off the reservation,
      mostly in the western states, research on the health of urban American Indians
      remains sparse. American Indians living in urban areas are not eligible for the
      federally mandated health care provided by the Indian Health Service and receive
      health care services in a variety of settings. This population is at high risk
      for many health problems, especially cardiovascular disease and diabetes
      mellitus. Social, cultural, and economic barriers that impede access to health
      care for this group, particularly for elders living in an urban setting, could be
      reduced if physicians improved their understanding of and communication with
      American Indian patients.

PMID- 1413771
TI  - African-American culture and AIDS prevention. From barrier to ally.
AB  - African Americans make up an increasing proportion of persons with the acquired
      immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). I identify and describe cultural elements such
      as oral traditions, multiple naming, a collective identity, extended families,
      and sexuality influenced by myth and exaggeration that condition African
      Americans' reactions to AIDS prevention. I also offer suggestions on how these
      cultural elements can be used for effective AIDS prevention efforts in African
      American communities.

PMID- 1413772
TI  - Mental health and illness in Vietnamese refugees.
AB  - Despite their impressive progress in adapting to American life, many Vietnamese
      still suffer from wartime experiences, culture shock, the loss of loved ones, and
      economic hardship. Although this trauma creates substantial mental health needs,
      culture, experience, and the complexity of the American resettlement system often
      block obtaining assistance. Vietnamese mental health needs are best understood in
      terms of the family unit, which is extended, collectivistic, and patriarchal.
      Many refugees suffer from broken family status. They also experience role
      reversals wherein the increased social and economic power of women and children
      (versus men and adults) disrupts the traditional family ethos. Finally, cultural
      conflicts often make communication between practitioners and clients difficult
      and obscure central issues in mental health treatment. Rather than treating
      symptoms alone, mental health workers should acknowledge the cultural, familial,
      and historical context of Vietnamese refugees.

PMID- 1413773
TI  - Dysphoria and somatization in Iranian culture.
AB  - Iranians express dysphoria through an undifferentiated term called narahati,
      meaning depressed, ill at ease, nervous, inconvenienced, or anxious. People try
      masking this emotion or express it in specific ways nonverbally, such as sulking
      or not eating. Two other dysphoric affects, sadness and anger, are not masked.
      Because of the social conception of persons being emotionally sensitive, the
      expression of narahati is guarded: expressing it not only could show that one is
      socially vulnerable, it could also make another sensitive empathic person
      narahat. The body is also sensitive, but to the physical world. Physical health
      is maintained by balancing a diet of "hot" and "cold" foods and avoiding exposure
      to cold and moisture. With the social and cultural problems brought on by
      revolution, war, immigration, and accommodation to a new society, Iranian
      refugees experience changes in family, role, status, finances, language, and
      other sociocultural ways of being that cause them to feel narahat and to express
      it verbally, nonverbally, or through somatization. Understanding Iranian
      conceptions of emotional and physical sensitivity will help clinicians in
      treating Iranian patients.

PMID- 1413774
TI  - Working with refugee survivors of torture.
AB  - Numerous factors must be taken into account to best provide for the health and
      well-being of refugee patients in developed countries. One issue that is rarely
      considered is the awful and not uncommon occurrence of political torture. Large
      numbers of refugees and other displaced persons are survivors of political
      torture, and health care professionals must be prepared for this possibility when
      treating refugee patients. The effects of torture are pervasive, and we provide
      some practical considerations for health professionals who care for survivors of
      torture. Specific challenges include problems relating to exile and resettlement,
      somatic symptoms and pain, and the "medicalization" of torture sequelae.

PMID- 1413775
TI  - This, that, and the other. Managing illness in a first-generation Korean-American
      family.
AB  - The use of Western medicine and of holistic traditional medicine and healing
      rituals is common in Korean-American families with a chronically ill member. I
      present a case as an example of the complexity of health management in first
      generation Korean-American immigrants. Immigration and acculturation issues,
      Confucian-related sociocultural and psychological factors, and the psychiatric
      diagnosis of Western specialists all elicited family conflict leading to
      emotional and physiologic distress.

PMID- 1413776
TI  - Use of traditional and modern health services by Laotian refugees.
AB  - Although refugee health care emerged as a special interest in the United States
      following the influx of almost a million Southeast Asians since 1975, few studies
      have been done of the influence of refugee traditions on the use of Western
      medical services. The illness patterns, medical beliefs, and health care behavior
      of a Southeast Asian refugee group, the Mien from Laos are described in this
      study. A cohort of 119 Mien refugees living in Richmond, California, was observed
      for a 6-month period. In-home interviews were undertaken about all episodes of
      ill health, including treatment and health care decisions. This study shows that
      the Mien integrate traditional healing beliefs and practices with the use of
      American health services. Such findings are important because the increasing
      cultural diversity in the United States, particularly in Western states,
      necessitates that health care professionals understand the importance of cultural
      factors for access to and the use of health care by all patients including
      refugees and other immigrant groups.

PMID- 1413777
TI  - The effect of values and culture on life-support decisions.
AB  - Withdrawing life support is always difficult. When patients and health
      professionals are from different ethnic backgrounds, value systems that form the
      basis for such decisions may conflict. Many cultural groups do not place the same
      emphasis on patient autonomy and self-determination that Western society does and
      find the idea of terminating life support offensive. Although physicians should
      never assume patients will respond in a particular way because of their ethnic
      background, issues of life support should be discussed in a culturally sensitive
      way. African-American, Chinese, Jewish, Iranian, Filipino, Mexican-American, and
      Korean patients were surveyed about their views on life support. The findings
      reported here, although not meant to be definitive, should add to health
      professionals' understanding about diverse beliefs around life-and-death issues.
      By becoming aware of this diversity of beliefs, health professionals can avoid
      the damage to the physician-patient relationship caused by conflicting value
      systems.

PMID- 1413779
TI  - Medical disclosure and refugees. Telling bad news to Ethiopian patients.
AB  - The strong value in American medical practice placed on the disclosure of
      terminal illness conflicts with the cultural beliefs of many recent refugees and
      immigrants to the United States, who often consider frank disclosure
      inappropriate and insensitive. What a terminally ill person wants to hear and how
      it is told are embedded in culture. For Ethiopians, "bad news" should be told to
      a family member or close friend of the patient who will divulge information to
      the patient at appropriate times and places and in a culturally approved and
      recognized manner. Being sensitive to patients' worldviews may reduce the
      frustration and conflict experienced by both refugees and American physicians.

PMID- 1413778
TI  - Ethical dilemmas in a cross-cultural context. A Chinese example.
AB  - Considerable attention is now being given to ethical conflicts raised by such
      issues as the disclosure of diagnosis and prognosis, the role of the family in
      making medical decisions, and the withholding or withdrawing of treatment of
      terminally ill patients. Already complicated, these issues take on added
      complexity in contexts where medical professionals and patients have differing
      cultural beliefs and practices. Ethical dilemmas that develop in multicultural
      settings have been largely unaddressed. Through the analysis of a case involving
      the hospital admission and death of a Chinese woman with metastatic lung cancer,
      we examine some of these dilemmas and their effect on the patient, family, and
      physicians. Many issues were raised by this case regarding the relationships
      among ethnic background, bioethics, and medical care.

PMID- 1413780
TI  - Older Russian emigres and medical care.
AB  - Although emigration from the former Soviet Union is dramatically increasing
      nationwide, little information has been reported on the medical problems of these
      emigres. For older emigres in particular, the medical realities of aging, in
      combination with cultural expectations, make the United States' medical system an
      arena where the stresses of emigration are expressed and help is sought. We
      describe the influences of culture and aging on older emigres' health and
      interaction with the American medical system. A qualitative, exploratory study
      was done of problems and issues in health care use by older Russian emigres at
      the ambulatory medical clinic of Mount Zion Medical Center, San Francisco.
      Cultural expectations and beliefs about health, adaptive health behaviors learned
      in the former Soviet Union, the stresses of emigration, and the medical realities
      of aging can result in serious problems in the care and treatment of older
      Russian emigres. Recommended solutions include educating emigres and health care
      professionals, integrating mental health services into the primary care setting,
      and expanding supportive services in the community such as adult day health care.

PMID- 1413781
TI  - Getting by at home. Community-based long-term care of Latino elders.
AB  - Although evidence suggests that the morbidity and mortality of Latino elders (of
      any Hispanic ancestry) are similar to those of non-Latino whites, Latinos have
      higher rates of disability. Little is known about influences on the use of in
      home health services designed to assist disabled Latino elders. We examine the
      effects of various cultural and structural factors on the use of visiting nurse,
      home health aide, and homemaker services. Data are from the Commonwealth Fund
      Commission's 1988 national survey of 2,299 Latinos aged 65 and older. Mexican
      American elders are less likely than the average Latino to use in-home health
      services despite similar levels of need. Structural factors including insurance
      status are important reasons, but acculturation is not pertinent. Physicians
      should not assume that Latino families are taking care of their disabled elders
      simply because of a cultural preference. They should provide information and
      advice on the use of in-home health services when an older Latino patient is
      physically disabled.

PMID- 1413782
TI  - The French are different. French and American medicine in the context of AIDS.
AB  - Medicine has often been approached as a thing apart from culture, as a uniform
      Western science. Within the past 10 years, we have begun to recognize that
      medicine is a system of beliefs and practices intrinsically linked to its larger
      sociocultural context. Still, it is generally perceived as uniform across North
      America and Western Europe. My recent research on French and American medical
      perspectives on the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) challenges this
      view by exploring differences in the structure of health care, the physician
      patient relationship, and the conceptualizations of disease, particularly AIDS.
      These differences are not specific to AIDS, but the disease serves to exemplify
      them and to act as a medium for expressing what makes French and American
      medicine distinct. Global epidemics such as AIDS require both international
      response and cross-cultural understanding.

PMID- 1413783
TI  - The business of preventing African-American infant mortality.
AB  - African-American women are twice as likely as women from other ethnic groups to
      have babies with low birth weights and to experience the loss of infant death.
      The problem is so endemic in black communities in Alameda County, California,
      that numerous programs have been developed over the past decade to reduce
      maternal risk factors and eliminate barriers to prenatal care. Despite these
      efforts, African-American ethnicity continues to be a major risk factor for
      infant mortality for reasons that are poorly understood. We take a critical look
      at 3 types of studies characteristic of infant mortality research: epidemiologic,
      studies that advocate prenatal care, and ethnomedical (cultural). We argue that
      the assumptions informing this research restrict the thinking about infant
      mortality and the political issues involved in how prevention programs are
      developed and structured. The persistent focus on maternal behavioral
      characteristics limits more in-depth analysis of the micropolitics of perinatal
      bureaucracies established in response to this ongoing crisis.

PMID- 1413784
TI  - Health policy and ethnic diversity in older Americans. Dissonance or harmony?
AB  - The rapid growth and diversity of the older population have long-term
      implications for health care policies in the United States. Current policies
      designed for a homogeneous population are increasingly obsolete. To ameliorate
      obstacles that handicap many ethnic minority elders and to provide equal access
      to adequate and acceptable health care, several factors need to be considered.
      Enhanced data collection and analytic techniques are needed. The effects of race
      or ethnicity must be separated from other biologic, environmental, socioeconomic,
      cultural, and temporal factors on health status and behavior. Health care
      professionals and organizations serving minority elders must continue to expand
      their advocacy efforts to articulate the findings and their concerns to
      policymakers. Policymakers must understand and acknowledge the implications of an
      increasingly diverse society and determine what will constitute adequate,
      accessible, and acceptable health care within continuing fiscal constrains.
      Program planning, implementation, and evaluation methods must be revised to meet
      future health care needs effectively and efficiently.

PMID- 1413785
TI  - A season in the life of a migrant farm worker in California.
AB  - There is an erroneous but widespread belief that in the past few decades
      California agriculture has become increasingly mechanized and reduced its need
      for migrant labor. Steeply increasing demand, however, for specialty fruit and
      vegetable crops, which are labor-intensive, has actually increased the need for
      migrant workers, who come mainly from Mexico. A case study of a young migrant
      describes the dismal work, economic, and living conditions such workers typically
      endure and the possible health consequences of those conditions.

PMID- 1413787
TI  - [Nephrotic syndrome with mesangial hyperplasia and an unfavorable outcome].
AB  - In a group of 109 children with the nephrotic syndrome caused by mesangial
      hyperplasia 5 cases with unfavourable outcome were observed. The follow-up was
      from 3 years to 11 years. In all children no remissions of the syndromes were
      obtained after treatment with prednisone, methylprednisolone pulses,
      immunosuppressants. They had hypertension poorly responding to hypotensive drugs,
      and chronic renal failure developed with early progression to terminal renal
      failure. In three children subjected to renal transplantation the signs of the
      nephrotic syndrome returned, in two of them biopsy of the renal graft
      demonstrated evidence of mesangial hyperplasia, and in one case vascular
      rejection and extracapillary proliferation of cells with presence of semilunar
      hyperplasia.

PMID- 1413788
TI  - [Trans-esophageal stimulation of the heart in pre-excitation syndrome].

PMID- 1413786
TI  - Occupational health problems among migrant and seasonal farm workers.
AB  - Migrant and seasonal farm workers are one of the most underserved and
      understudied populations in the United States. The total US population of such
      farm workers has been estimated at 5 million, of whom about 20% live or work in
      California. Farm workers perform strenuous tasks and are exposed to a wide
      variety of occupational risks and hazards. Low socioeconomic status and poor
      access to health care also contribute to existing health problems in this
      population. Potential farm work-related health problems include accidents,
      pesticide-related illnesses, musculoskeletal and soft-tissue disorders,
      dermatitis, noninfectious respiratory conditions, reproductive health problems,
      health problems of children of farm workers, climate-caused illnesses,
      communicable diseases, bladder and kidney disorders, and eye and ear problems.
      Few epidemiologic studies exist of these occupational health problems. No
      comprehensive epidemiologic studies have assessed the magnitude of occupational
      health problems among migrant and seasonal farm workers and their dependents.
      Although the migratory nature of this population makes long-term studies
      difficult, the development of standardized data collection instruments for health
      consequences and scientific assessment of farm work exposures and working
      conditions are vital to characterize and reduce the occupational health risks in
      farm workers.

PMID- 1413789
TI  - [Intermediate lymphocytic lymphoma].
AB  - The characteristic features are presented of intermediate lymphocytic lymphomas
      which have suggested the pathomorphological and clinical peculiarity of this
      disease entity. They occur in two forms: diffuse and nodular which are two phases
      in the development of the disease. The phenotypic and karyotypic characteristics
      of these lymphomas resemble those of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, but their
      more malignant course is similar to that of centrocytic lymphomas.

PMID- 1413790
TI  - [Effect of lead on thyroid function].
AB  - Lead in organic and inorganic compounds is a health risk factor leading after
      high-grade exposure to poisoning. It can accumulate in the organism and exert
      toxic effects, especially on the haemopoietic system and nervous system. Its
      action includes damage to cell membranes and disorders of the oxidoreductive
      processes in the cells. Hypothyroidism occurring in subjects with occupational
      exposure to lead may evidence a negative effect of the element on thyroid
      function.

PMID- 1413791
TI  - [Selected clinical aspects of modern teratology].

PMID- 1413792
TI  - [Systemic arteriovenous fistula of the brain as cause of circulatory
      insufficiency in the newborn].

PMID- 1413793
TI  - [Protein in infant food--contemporary observations].

PMID- 1413794
TI  - [A case of esophageal pemphigus].
AB  - A case of oesophageal pemphigus was observed in a man aged 76. Attention is
      called to the rarity of this disease and resulting diagnostic difficulties.

PMID- 1413795
TI  - [A case of Hashimoto struma coinciding with limited scleroderma].
AB  - In a female patient aged 43 years severe hypothyroidism was caused by Hashimoto
      struma. She had also cutaneous changes suggestive of collagen disease. On the
      basis of clinical manifestations, laboratory investigations and histological
      examinations coexistence was diagnosed of two autoimmunological diseases. Stress
      is laid on diagnostic difficulties and choice of management.

PMID- 1413796
TI  - [Visceral toxocariasis in three children].

PMID- 1413797
TI  - [A case of malignant melanoma of the clitoris].

PMID- 1413798
TI  - [The effect of hormones on the gastrointestinal mucosa].
AB  - Proliferative effects of hormones on the gastrointestinal mucosa are discussed
      according to literature data. There are presented the trophic effects of gastrin,
      cholecystokinin, secretin, enteroglucagon, somatostatin, growth hormone,
      thyroxine, peptide YY, epidermal growth factor and submaxillary growth factor.

PMID- 1413799
TI  - [The fight against disease as applied to the plague epidemic in Wroclaw in 1542
      1543].

PMID- 1413800
TI  - [Different course of myocardial infarction in old age].
AB  - For the assessment of the peculiarities of acute myocardial infarction in
      patients aged over 60 years 100 patients with this disease treated at the
      Department of Internal and Occupational Diseases, Silesian Medical Academy were
      compared with 100 patients aged below 60 years. The location of myocardial
      infarction was similar in both groups. In the younger group premature ventricular
      beats were more frequent while in the older group supraventricular or ventricular
      tachycardia and left bundle branch block were more frequent. The death rate was
      much higher in the older group.

PMID- 1413801
TI  - [Conservative treatment of arterial occlusion with streptokinase administered
      intra-arterially].
AB  - The effectiveness of conservative treatment of the occlusion of peripheral
      arteries with streptokinase administered intra-arterially was assessed in 16
      cases. In 11 cases the blood flow in the extremity was returned (68.7%). Good
      therapeutic results were obtained in properly selected cases.

PMID- 1413802
TI  - [Effect of hemodialysis on somatosensory evoked potentials of medium and long
      latency].
AB  - In 16 patients with terminal renal failure aged from 21 to 74 years maintained on
      haemodialysis programmes for 2 to 60 months somatosensory evoked potentials were
      studied after stimulation of the median nerve immediately before and after
      haemodialysis. The central conduction time, the P 45-N 60, P 100-N 140-P 200
      complexes and the P 300 wave were evaluated. The results were compared with those
      in 16 healthy volunteers aged 20 to 66 years. In the patients on haemodialyses
      the evoked somatosensory potentials of medium and long latency differed
      statistically significantly from those in the control group, but not direct
      effect of haemodialysis on these potentials was found.

PMID- 1413803
TI  - [Allergic reactions to teniposide (VM-26) in children with neoplasms].
AB  - Allergic reactions of dramatic intensity were observed in 5 children treated with
      Teniposide (VM-26) for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and histiocytosis X. In the
      further treatment this drug was replaced with epoxide, a cytostatic agent which
      is also a podophyllin derivative but in other chemical formulation. In none of
      these patients the allergic reaction returned.

PMID- 1413804
TI  - [Morphologic appearance of intestinal microvilli in children with coeliac disease
      and secondary malabsorption syndromes after gluten-free diet and gluten
      challenge].
AB  - The glycocalyx and the structure of the microvilli were analysed in electron
      microscopy in 122 children with coeliac disease and secondary syndromes of
      malabsorption. Slight differences were noted in glycolayx structure between both
      groups of children. In children with coeliac disease its reduction was noted
      (after gluten challenge). Changes were observed also in the structure of the
      microvilli. They were lower and often with abnormal shape in coeliac disease,
      while they were high and of normal structure in secondary malabsorption
      syndromes.

PMID- 1413805
TI  - [Changes in the visual system of children with subacute sclerosing
      panencephalitis].
AB  - The results of ophthalmological examinations were compared in 20 children aged 6
      to 13 years with SSPE. The examinations in the first phase of the disease
      demonstrated fundus changes with presence of choked disc in 4 cases, papilloedema
      in 4 cases, uveitis in 1 case, retrobulbar optic neuritis in 1 case (in this case
      ophthalmological changes developed 4 months prior to the onset of typical
      neurological sings.

PMID- 1413806
TI  - [Diagnosis of inborn errors of metabolism: necessity or luxury?].

PMID- 1413807
TI  - [Clinical suspicion of inborn errors of metabolism].
AB  - A number of inherited metabolic disorders are diagnosed by means of the
      nationwide newborn screening programme, usually before the first clinical signs
      occur. As for the rest of the varied metabolic disorders, knowledge and intuition
      of the paediatrician is a prerequisite for selection of patients for further
      metabolic investigation (selective screening procedure). Clinical symptoms of the
      most important metabolic diseases can be classified according to their
      pathophysiological background as: "intoxication type, energy deficiency type,
      storage type, neurodegenerative type". Especially in the first year of life,
      clinical features are unspecific: psychomotoric retardation, muscular hypotonia,
      cerebral convulsions, recurrent vomiting, sepsis-like conditions. In these cases
      indication for metabolic screening is broad. Especially in older children some
      clinical symptoms can be specific for a metabolic disorder: distinctive odour of
      urine, changes in hair, skin or eyes, organomegaly, skeletal changes. Recently,
      Reye-like syndrome, stridor, macrocephaly and vague, cerebral ischaemic episodes
      have been described in association with a metabolic defect. In conclusion,
      experience has shown that only a small number of metabolic disorders will be
      diagnosed from the typical clinical picture alone. In most cases a selective
      screening procedure leads to diagnosis because initial symptoms are unspecific.

PMID- 1413808
TI  - [Differential diagnosis and therapy of various forms of hyperphenylalaninemia:
      facts and fiction].
AB  - The various conditions which can lead to elevated blood phenylalanine (PHE)
      levels must be differentiated promptly in the neonatal period so that the correct
      treatment can be implemented as soon as possible. In order to exclude the rare
      tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) deficiency, it is advisable to perform a BH4 loading
      test and to determine the renal excretion of pterins, as well as the
      dihydropteridine reductase activity in erythrocytes. The practical consequence of
      differentiating the various types of PHE hydroxylase deficiency is that with both
      phenylketonuria (PKU; PHE greater than 20 mg/dl) and hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA)
      with PHE levels above 15 mg/dl a diet restricted in PHE is initiated, whereas HPA
      infants with PHE levels below 8 mg/dl are fed normally. In the case of PHE
      concentrations between 8 and 15 mg/dl standardized protein intake can be used to
      decide whether a diet restricted in PHE or only a restriction of protein intake
      has to be instituted. Optionally a protein challenge can be performed at the age
      of six months in order to evaluate the individual PHE tolerance. Psychometric
      investigations of PKU patients after diet discontinuation at different ages, as
      well as animal studies are in favour of a diet-for-life. The diet in PKU patients
      is known to lead to some side effects such as bony changes and amino acid
      imbalance, as well as deficiency of selenium and carnitine. Finally, great
      efforts have to be made in order to avoid the increasing danger of PHE
      embryofetopathy in the offspring of PKU mothers (maternal PKU).

PMID- 1413809
TI  - [25 years Austrian screening program for inborn errors of metabolism at the
      Vienna University].
AB  - The results are presented by the Austrian screening program for inborn errors of
      metabolism, which is one of the oldest and most comprehensive in the world. At
      present, the program comprises screening for the following diseases:
      phenylketonuria, galactosemia, homocystinuria, maple syrup urine disease,
      hypothyroidism, biotinidase deficiency. The results of the program with regard to
      diagnosed cases are presented: in total, 747 carriers of various inborn errors of
      metabolism have been detected by means of the Screening Program and were referred
      for therapy where appropriate.

PMID- 1413810
TI  - [Long-term results in children with classical galactosemia].
AB  - Galactosemia due to uridyl-transferase deficiency was detected in 47 patients
      between 1/1/1967 and 31/12/1988. The condition took a fulminant course in 31
      patients and 10 infants in this group died between the 6th and the 18th day of
      life. The determination of uridyl-transferase in 36 patients confirmed the
      diagnosis. Exchange blood transfusion was undertaken in 25 infants because of
      hyperbilirubinemia, septicemia or neurological symptoms. 5 of the 31 children had
      a cataract. In most cases the lactose-free diet was commenced in the 2nd week of
      life. 27 patients were followed up with respect to somatic and intellectual
      development. Gonadal function was investigated in 5 patients; hypergonadotropic
      hypogonadism was found in the 4 girls.

PMID- 1413811
TI  - [Vasoactive drugs with an effect on the prostaglandin system].
AB  - The balance between prostaglandin (PG)I2, a potent vasodilator and inhibitor of
      platelet aggregation mainly produced by endothelial cells, and thromboxane
      (TX)A2, a vasoconstrictor and inducer of platelet aggregation and adhesion
      synthesized predominantly by platelets, seems to be relevant for the regulation
      of vessel tone and platelet aggregation. PGE2 has vasodilating properties, too.
      Thus, substances affecting the biosynthesis of PG and TX may have prophylactic
      and therapeutic, but also detrimental effects with regard to hypertension and
      atherosclerosis. A mechanism of action which is related to the PG system is
      discussed for a number of antihypertensive agents, e.g. propranolol, angiotensin
      converting enzyme inhibitors, furosemide and cicletanine. The vasoprotective
      effect of inhibition of platelet cyclooxygenase by acetylsalicylic acid is well
      known. Calcium antagonists, dipyridamole, estradiol, aprotinin and interferon
      have also been reported to possibly exert beneficial effects on PG/TX levels,
      while cyclosporin A and streptokinase have shown undesirable interactions with
      the PG system.

PMID- 1413812
TI  - [Risk factors of atherosclerosis--primary examination of Vienna employees].
AB  - In the course of an atherosclerosis intervention study, a basic medical check-up
      of 2105 out of 4800 employees of a Viennese banking house was carried out (37.1
      +/- 11.0 years, 54.6% females). Apart from liver and kidney function parameters,
      an extensive lipid status was determined, the blood pressure was measured, and a
      cardiovascular-centered case history ascertained. The mean cholesterol level in
      females was 208.3 +/- 54 mg/dl and that in males was 226.8 +/- 61.1 mg/dl. The
      HDL-cholesterol level in males was 43.8 +/- 11.9 mg/dl; that in females (54.9 +/-
      13.4 mg/dl) was significantly higher. The mean value of LDL-cholesterol in the
      entire group was 141.6 +/- 51.4 mg/dl and it was significantly higher in males,
      as well as in participants with known hypertension. 33.4% of the persons stated
      that they smoked. The obtained data will serve not only to discover potential
      interrelations between the individual risk factors of atherosclerosis in Austria,
      but also in particular as a basis for interventional strategies on the part of
      the company's medical services.

PMID- 1413813
TI  - Risk factors for atherosclerosis in female type II diabetic patients with
      incipient diabetic nephropathy.
AB  - Risk factors for atherosclerosis were investigated in a group of 17 female Type
      II diabetic patients with microalbuminuria-urinary albumin excretion (UAE) in the
      range of 30-300 mg/day, and in a control group including 15 Type II diabetic
      females with UAE less than 30 mg/day. Significantly increased mean concentrations
      of total and LDL-cholesterol were measured in the group with microalbuminuria (p
      less than 0.05). Also mean levels of some other cardiovascular risk factors
      (systolic blood pressure, fibrinogen, apolipoprotein B, triglycerides and uric
      acid) were higher in the group of patients with microalbuminuria, although the
      differences in comparison to the control group did not reach the level of
      statistical significance. In the multiple stepwise regression analysis log
      transformed UAE values correlated significantly with three independent factors-
      uric acid (p less than 0.01), fibrinogen (p less than 0.05), and systolic blood
      pressure (p less than 0.05). It is concluded that a slight increase in the levels
      of a number of cardiovascular risk factors observed in incipient diabetic
      nephropathy suggests an additive effect favouring atherogenesis.

PMID- 1413814
TI  - [Development of arterial revascularization of the myocardium at the Linz general
      hospital. Personal experiences with 1000 patients].
AB  - Arterial revascularization of the myocardium, particularly the use of the
      internal mammary artery (IMA) as a bypass graft in coronary artery surgery has
      become an established procedure over the past decade. From March 1986 to June
      1991, of 2070 patients who underwent coronary heart surgery at our department,
      revascularization of the myocardium was performed with an IMA graft in 1000
      cases, whereby the percentage increased from 10.4% in 1986 to 75.0% in 1991 (p
      less than 0.01). The range of indications gradually widened throughout the
      period, age no longer being a contradiction today. One reason for this
      development is the substantial improvement in IMA preparation technique. No
      increase was found in rethoracotomy rate or in the rate of perioperative
      infarctions. The mean age of patients receiving an IMA graft increased from 55.2
      years (1986) to 64.7 years (1991) and therefore reflects the change in ranges of
      indication. 54 IMA jump grafts were anastomosed, in 30 cases bilateral IMAs were
      used and the IMA was implanted as a free graft twice. In the future these
      successful results with the implementation of IMA grafts will lead to a further
      displacement of the saphenous vein as main bypass material.

PMID- 1413815
TI  - [Snuff aspiration as a cause of recurrent pulmonary infiltrations in a 60-year
      old patient with chronic renal failure].
AB  - Pulmonary infiltrations associated with renal failure demand several diagnostic
      procedures to exclude autoimmune disorders affecting both organ systems or to
      find an infectious cause of the disease. We report the case of a 60 year-old man
      with chronic renal failure and recurring pulmonary infiltrations. On admission to
      hospital all diagnostic parameters for systemic vasculitis, infectious or
      neoplastic disease were negative, including the histological report on
      transbronchial biopsies. Eventually, follow-up biopsies taken 3 months later
      showed vegetable fibres and necrosis due to intensive snuff abuse during the
      previous months. After the patient stopped taking snuff the pulmonary
      infiltrations improved quickly. Uraemic neuropathy, which may have facilitated
      aspiration, as well as the reduced pulmonary and systemic defence mechanisms due
      to chronic renal failure probably contributed to a considerable degree to the
      development of pulmonary infiltration.

PMID- 1413816
TI  - [Staphylococcus epidermidis infection. Results of three groups evaluated
      according to APACHE II--severity of disease classification system--with reference
      to risk, mortality and prognosis].

PMID- 1413817
TI  - [Report of 111 patients with multiple cancers of the first medical department of
      the Vienna-Lainz nursing home 1981-1987].
AB  - After a short synopsis of the literature we describe 111 patients with multiple
      primary cancer and compare these patients with 804 patients with solitary cancer
      admitted over the same period. Patients who developed primary cancer at a younger
      age are more prone to developing a second cancer than patients who developed
      cancer first at an older age. This concerns younger women with breast or genital
      cancer, who are much more likely to develop a second cancer than older women;
      nevertheless these women have a more favourable prognosis. As the great majority
      of patients were already over 70 at the time of diagnosis of the second cancer,
      the prognosis of geriatric diseases has become of considerable significance. We
      present a detailed investigation of the interrelations between the first and
      second cancer, also between oncological and geriatric diseases.

PMID- 1413818
TI  - [Successful treatment of HIV-associated pneumocystis carinii pneumonia with
      dapsone plus trimethoprim].
AB  - Standard treatments of HIV-associated Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP)
      consist of high dose intravenous or oral cotrimoxazole or intravenous
      pentamidine. Both treatment modalities are associated with a high incidence of
      side effects which strengthen the need for alternative therapies. Since April
      1987 we have used the combination of dapsone plus trimethoprim (DP+TMP) as
      primary treatment for PCP in patients who could be managed on an outpatient
      basis. We report the results of an analysis of the efficacy and toxicity of this
      treatment in 20 episodes of PCP in 18 patients. PCP was diagnosed by
      identification of the pathogens in bronchoalveolar lavage specimens. Chest X-ray
      revealed bilateral involvement in 11 and unilateral in 7 cases and no
      infiltration in one patient. Treatment over three to four weeks was successful in
      14 of 20 PCPs (70%). In six cases (30%) treatment was changed to another regimen
      after a mean of seven days due to a maculopapular rash (n = 2), haematotoxic side
      effects (n = 2), persistent fever (n = 1) and for unexplained reasons (n = 1).
      Less severe side effects not causing a change in treatment were a slight to
      moderate neutropenia (n = 10), a moderate elevation of liver enzymes (n = 2) and
      a well tolerated rash (n = 2). The success rate of DP+TMP was in the same range
      as it is known for the standard regimens, whereas the rate of severe side effects
      appears to be lower. The results suggest that in AIDS patients DP+TMP may be used
      as first line treatment of PCP which is not severe enough for hospitalisation.

PMID- 1413819
TI  - [Biochemical and immunohistochemical detection of epidermal growth factor
      receptor in breast and ovarian tissue].
AB  - The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was assessed in 52 breast and 46
      ovarian biopsies by the radio ligand binding assay and/or the immunoperoxidase
      technique. A direct comparison of the two methods was undertaken in 27 breast and
      32 ovarian biopsies. The results of both methods correlated positively (r = 0.59)
      in malignant tumours (n = 34), but not in benign lesions (n = 16) nor in normal
      tissues (n = 9). The different results may be explained by the fact that
      different aspects were measured by the two methods, while the biochemical assay
      assessed the receptor binding capacity, the immunohistochemical method detected
      an EGFR epitope. Since the histochemical method allows the localization of EGFR
      positive cells and the biochemical assay gives a quantitative measure, both
      methods together give more information on the receptor situation. A comparison of
      the results of these methods used simultaneously, rather than alternating one
      method with another improves the degree of accuracy of evaluation.

PMID- 1413820
TI  - [Human immunodeficiency virus].

PMID- 1413821
TI  - [Risk factors for the development of diabetic retinopathy in patients with
      insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin
      infusion].
AB  - During a one year observation period, the retinal status, glycosylated hemoglobin
      levels (HbA1), hypoglycemias, lipid values, blood pressure and clinical
      abnormalities of IDDM (insulin dependent diabetes mellitus) patients treated by
      CSII (continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion) were documented. In 70 (out of n
      = 81) patients 137 retinal follow-up examinations were performed and evaluated.
      In 86.1% of those patients, CSII appeared to have a positive influence on their
      retinal status. In 14.6% (8.6% with background retinopathy + 5.8% with
      proliferative retinopathy) improvement of a pre-existing retinopathy could be
      seen. The diabetes duration itself seemed to have no influence on development or
      progression of diabetic retinopathy, but elevation of HbA1 or serum triglyceride
      levels, as well as elevated systolic blood pressure leaded (on a medium term
      base) to statistically significant deterioration or development of retinopathy.
      In addition, hypoglycemias and impaired renal function have to be seen as risk
      factors potentiating each other. CONCLUSION: Besides the treatment of
      cardiovascular risk factors, getting normal HbA1 values while avoiding
      hypoglycemia must be the major aim in therapy management to prevent
      microangiopathy. In certain cases, even patients with severe retinopathy might
      benefit from CSII. When blood sugar levels are carefully lowered during the first
      months, no deterioration of the retinal status is seen in patients with long-term
      metabolic decompensation.

PMID- 1413822
TI  - [Surgical treatment of glossopharyngeal neuralgia].
AB  - Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is a rare disease which is characterized by severe
      paroxysmal pain attacks in the distribution of the 9th cerebral nerve. Although
      uncommon, the condition has to be considered in the differential diagnosis of
      various craniofacial neuralgias. The purpose of this study was to describe 3
      cases of glossopharyngeal neuralgias and to discuss its diagnosis and therapy.
      Various surgical therapeutic procedures have been described, including neurotomy
      of the glossopharyngeal nerve in the frontal neck, thermocoagulation of
      Andersch's ganglion, and para-pontine neurotomy (Dandy). Because of its good
      results and low incidence of recurrences, microvascular decompression (Jannetta)
      is considered the procedure of choice.

PMID- 1413823
TI  - Cerebral palsy: improved outcome by early detection of latent failure of
      psychomotor development in infants.
AB  - A prospective cohort study was performed to evaluate the results of a new
      screening system for latent psychomotor disturbances in infancy developing into
      cerebral palsy (CP). The system has been based on an early diagnosis within the
      first 2 months of life with a subsequent follow-up. All liveborn children were
      screened and suspect cases were immediately referred to detailed neurological
      examination. With the new screening system implemented within 1988 to 1989, the
      incidence of cerebral palsy in the area could be halved as compared to 1980 to
      1986 (0.26% vs. 0.52% of liveborn children respectively). Out of 4,166 liveborn
      children, 527 newborns had to be referred to neurologic examination, thereof 460
      required follow-up and 228 had to be treated. In only 11 of the children CP was
      diagnosed at the age of 15 months. 8 of the CP children presented signs of
      serious neurologic disturbance at birth and were considered as "requiring high
      tech use". A latent psychomotor disturbance developing slowly into CP during the
      first year of life occurred but in 3 children, 2 of them having relatively
      favorable prognosis; this group was termed as "requiring skilled clinical
      organization". Premature children (under 37 weeks of gestational age) had an 82%
      share on our recent CP patients.

PMID- 1413824
TI  - [Does a supportive "muscle corset" prevent spinal complaints?].
AB  - By strengthening trunk muscles, we hope to prevent back pain. The logic behind
      this argument is, however, fragmentary. The scientific evidence for the
      effectiveness of such measures is conflicting. Rigorous trials provide little
      indication as to the correctness of the above thesis. Thus further research on
      this important matter is necessary. Until it is available, primary prevention
      programs based on trunk strengthening exercise are lacking a scientific basis.

PMID- 1413825
TI  - Differentiated thyroid carcinoma in children and adolescents.
AB  - From 1936 to 1990, 89 children and adolescents (72 girls and 17 boys) were
      treated for differentiated thyroid carcinoma at the University of Michigan
      Medical Center; 58 of these patients were first reported in 1971. Thirty (34%)
      patients had previously received external irradiation to the head and neck,
      although only 1 (3%) patient of the last 33 patients seen had this history.
      Patients first presenting from 1971 to 1990 had less advanced disease than those
      seen earlier. Also, during this time period, the rate of initial palpable
      cervical adenopathy fell from 63% to 36%, local infiltration of primary cancer
      from 31% to 6%, and initial pulmonary metastases from 19% to 6%. The incidence of
      cervical nodal metastases has remained 88% for 54 years. Papillary or the
      follicular variant of papillary carcinoma was found in 93% of all patients.
      Seventy-nine (89%) patients had total or completion total thyroidectomy. Surgical
      management of lymphatic metastases varied from regional excision of nodes to
      radical neck dissection. The overall rate of permanent accidental recurrent
      laryngeal nerve palsy and hypoparathyroidism was 4.5%, although neither has
      occurred in a child or adolescent undergoing surgery at the center in the past 25
      years. The most recent 33 patients had a low rate of local/regional persistence
      or recurrence. Cervical nodal persistence occurred in 21%; there were no thyroid
      recurrences. Eighty-two percent of patients received 131I. The long-term
      mortality rate was 2.2%. We continue to advocate total thyroidectomy, cervical
      lymph node dissection, and postoperative 131I therapy as the most conservative
      treatment regimen for children with differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

PMID- 1413826
TI  - Causes of failed primary exploration and technical aspects of re-operation in
      primary hyperparathyroidism.
AB  - Hypercalcemia was corrected in 62 (90%) of 69 patients after re-operation for
      primary hyperparathyroidism during a mean follow-up of 6.3 years. Failed primary
      exploration was mainly due to inadequate visualization of the pathological
      parathyroid glands, often in association with misleading or absent peroperative
      histology. Other causes included seeding of parathyroid adenoma tissue, truly
      recurrent adenomas, and recurrent hyperplasia, especially in patients with
      multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1. A considerable number of parathyroid glands
      missed at the primary operations were subsequently found in essentially normal
      positions. Ectopic superior glands were most frequently positioned para
      esophageally or retro-esophageally, while abnormally placed inferior glands were
      generally situated within or close to the thymus. Glands in 3 patients were
      dissected from around the large vessels in the mediastinum. Concomitant thyroid
      procedures during the primary operation yielded few abnormal parathyroids and
      made the re-exploration considerably more difficult. We suggest a semilateral
      approach and caudal identification of the recurrent laryngeal nerve to reduce the
      hazards of difficult parathyroid re-operations. Mediastinal exploration may
      require total removal of the thymus and careful dissection of the middle
      mediastinum.

PMID- 1413827
TI  - Mutational activation of RAS and GSP oncogenes in differentiated thyroid cancer
      and their biological implications.
AB  - Activating mutations of ras-genes (Kirsten-ras, Harvey-ras, N-ras) and genes
      encoding for the alpha subunit of G-proteins (Gs, Gi2, Gi3, Go, Gz) were assessed
      in 32 differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) tissues from German (n = 22) and
      American (n = 10) patients. Gs-protein (GSP) and/or ras mutations were found in
      69% of all tissues with a heterogeneous distribution pattern. An increased
      prevalence could be demonstrated in metastatic (8 of 9 mutation positive) when
      compared to localized disease (13 of 23 mutation positive) (p less than 0.001)
      and in patients greater than 50 years of age (16 of 18 mutation positive), when
      compared to younger patients (6 of 14 mutation positive) (p less than 0.001). No
      activating mutations were found on H-ras and K-ras genes nor on genes encoding
      for the alpha subunits of Gi2, Gi3, Go, and Gz. Differentiated thyroid cancer
      tissue from German patients revealed a higher prevalence for GSP mutations (73%)
      than did DTC from American patients (20%) (p less than 0.001). We demonstrated a
      high frequency of ras and GSP mutations in DTC and suggest that these mutations
      may contribute to our basic understanding of this disease and might initiate a
      new search for more rational and individualized therapeutic approaches in
      patients with DTC.

PMID- 1413828
TI  - Outcome of long standing solitary thyroid nodules.
AB  - We investigated the outcome of long standing palpable solitary thyroid nodules by
      surveying 441 patients and examining 140 patients who had untreated thyroid
      nodules for 15 +/- 4.5 years. In our clinical survey, the most common outcome was
      disappearance of the thyroid nodule (38.3%). Also a significant number of
      patients (36.3%) underwent surgery in other hospitals. Five (1.1%) patients died
      of thyroid cancer. When thyroid nodules were re-examined, most nodules indeed
      decreased in size or disappeared; however, 13% of nodules increased in size.
      Ultrasound of the nodules showed that most solitary nodules were multiple and
      partially cystic and solid. There was an increased incidence of calcification in
      long standing nodules. Thyroid cancer was found by fine needle aspiration biopsy
      in 26.3% of enlarging nodules and 6.4% of nodules without changing size. The risk
      of cancer decreased when the size of the nodule decreased. A total of 15 patients
      with suspicion of malignancy underwent surgery. Surgical procedures were
      lobectomy, near total thyroidectomy, or resection of nodules with or without
      modified neck dissection. Seven patients had papillary carcinoma and 2 patients
      with benign cytology had microscopically evident papillary carcinoma. In our
      study, the majority of palpable solitary thyroid nodules tended to decrease in
      size; these nodules do not require treatment. Enlarging solid nodules are a
      definite risk for thyroid cancer. If the size of the nodule remains the same,
      judicious approach with fine needle aspiration biopsy is needed.

PMID- 1413829
TI  - Follicular tumors of the thyroid gland: diagnosis, clinical aspects and nuclear
      DNA analysis.
AB  - From 1985 to 1990, 169 patients underwent surgery for follicular thyroid tumors
      at the Department of Surgery, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Nine of the
      patients had tumors which were diagnosed as follicular carcinoma, 4 of whom had
      recurrences in the neck region. In 6 of the patients the carcinomas were
      diagnosed as widely invasive and in 3 patients as minimally invasive. Of the 160
      patients with follicular adenomas, 21 adenomas were of oxyphil type ("Hurthle"
      adenomas), 17 adenomas were diagnosed as "atypical", and 6 adenomas were
      classified as being both "atypical" and having oxyphil cell differentiation. The
      nuclear DNA content was measured with image cytometry and/or flow cytometry. Six
      of the 9 carcinomas were euploid and 3 were aneuploid. In the adenoma group, 32
      (20%) were aneuploid. Thus 38% of all adenomas showed atypical cellular features,
      oxyphil cell differentiation, and/or aneuploid nuclear DNA pattern. None of the
      patients with adenomas have shown any sign of recurrence. In the present
      prospective study, the nuclear DNA content could not discriminate between a
      benign and a malignant follicular tumor, and was of limited value in predicting
      prognosis in the patients with follicular carcinoma. Still, the best way to
      establish a diagnosis and to predict prognosis is to surgically remove the
      follicular tumor for a proper histopathological examination.

PMID- 1413830
TI  - Recurrent renal hyperparathyroidism and DNA analysis of autografted parathyroid
      tissue.
AB  - In spite of recent therapeutic advances, severe overt secondary
      hyperparathyroidism due to chronic renal failure necessitates parathyroidectomy
      and recurrent hyperparathyroidism is one of the most significant problems in this
      patient population. In the present study, the incidence of recurrent
      hyperparathyroidism was evaluated in relation to the histopathological features.
      Image cytometric DNA analysis was performed to estimate the proliferative
      potential of parathyroid tissue. The study comprised 248 patients who underwent
      parathyroidectomy from 1973 to 1991. The frequency of recurrent
      hyperparathyroidism after subtotal parathyroidectomy was 4 (21.1%) of 19
      patients, the rate of graft-dependent recurrence after removal of residual
      parathyroid tissue with forearm autograft was 2 (50%) of 4 patients. The
      frequency of graft-dependent recurrence after total parathyroidectomy with
      forearm autograft was 16 (7.5%) of 212 patients. The frequency of recurrence was
      significantly higher (p less than 0.01) when nodular hyperplastic parathyroid
      tissue was autografted (17 of 68 patients, 25%) than when diffuse-hyperplastic
      tissue was grafted (1 of 105 patients, less than 1%). All 58 specimens subjected
      to image cytometric DNA analysis showed a diploid nuclear pattern cytometrically.
      However, the relative number of scattered cells that displayed cytometric nuclear
      DNA values outside the main diploid histogram peak was significantly greater (p
      less than 0.01) in nodular hyperplastic tissue before being autografted and in
      parathyroid tissue removed at re-operation performed for recurrence than in
      diffuse hyperplastic tissue. These clinical findings and results of DNA analysis
      clearly indicated that nodular hyperplastic parathyroid tissue has a higher
      growth potential, and it is concluded that to prevent graft-dependent recurrence,
      the nodular type of hyperplastic tissue should not be autografted.

PMID- 1413831
TI  - Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the thyroid: is more than biopsy necessary?
AB  - Whereas excisional surgery and radiotherapy have resulted in a favorable outcome
      when non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the thyroid (NHLT) is confined to the thyroid
      gland, controversy persists over the potential advantage of aggressive debulking
      in favor of diagnostic biopsy alone when disease cannot be completely resected.
      Our aims in this study were to delineate the present role of surgery in NHLT in
      pre-operative staging, the impact of the extent of resection on achieving
      complete remission and cause-specific survival, and patterns of failure. All 62
      patients who underwent primary surgery for NHLT at the Mayo Clinic between 1965
      and 1989 were analyzed. By postoperative staging, 50 patients were stage IE or
      IIE. Overall survival was 53% and 46% at 5 and 10 years; 80% for stage IE
      confined to the thyroid, 58% for stage IE-extrathyroid, 50% for stage IIE, and
      36% for stages IIIE and IVE. Complete remission was achieved in 88% of patients
      who underwent diagnostic biopsy plus adjuvant therapy alone compared to 85% for
      patients in whom debulking plus adjuvant therapy was used. There was no
      difference in cause-specific survival in these two groups or in cause-specific
      survival in two subgroups who achieved complete remission. Relapse after complete
      remission occurred in 12 (26%) of 46 patients, only 2 of whom survived long-term
      after salvage therapy. The role of surgery in NHLT is diminishing and advances
      that will increase complete remission and relapse-free survival will not likely
      involve more aggressive surgical resections.

PMID- 1413832
TI  - Dynamics of parathyroid hormone release and serum calcium regulation after
      surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism.
AB  - Analysis of 14 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) prior to and
      during the first year after parathyroid surgery disclosed that the operation was
      associated with rapid reductions of intact serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and
      total serum and ionized plasma calcium values. A decreased urinary calcium
      excretion, a gradual elevation of renal calcium reabsorption, a transient
      reduction of serum calcitriol, and a late increase in 25-hydroxycholecalciferol
      values were also noted. Dynamic tests of parathyroid function by EDTA infusion
      and an oral calcium load revealed a sigmoidal relationship between serum PTH and
      calcium levels, and that parathyroid surgery induced considerable changes in both
      the position and slope of the dose-response curve. It was also apparent that PTH
      release was submaximally stimulated event at periods of hypocalcemia. The
      findings substantiate that adjustments of PTH release to acute alterations of
      serum calcium occur along the prevailing dose-response relationship, while
      stimuli being maintained for longer periods of time induce compensatory shifts in
      the position and slope of this curve. It is further suggested that unknown
      factors with PTH-like function may participate in the calcium regulation after
      surgery for primary HPT.

PMID- 1413833
TI  - Unilateral neck exploration for primary hyperparathyroidism: analysis of a
      controversy using a mathematical model.
AB  - Most endocrine surgeons explore both sides of the neck and identify all
      parathyroid glands when operating on patients with primary hyperparathyroidism.
      Others, however, advocate the unilateral approach, i.e., if an adenoma and a
      normal gland are identified, the contralateral side is not explored. We analyzed
      the strategy of the unilateral approach using a mathematical model to determine
      the variables that influence the probability of missing a tumor on the unexplored
      side of the neck. Assuming the frequency of single adenoma is 80%, hyperplasia
      14%, double adenomas 4%, triple adenomas 1%, and carcinoma 1%, and the
      probability of missing a tumor on the explored side is 5%, we found that: 1. Only
      41% of the patients treated by the unilateral approach undergo unilateral
      exploration. This is increased to 62% when a localization study with a
      sensitivity of 80% is used pre-operatively. 2. The probability of missing a tumor
      on the unexplored side of the neck parallels the prevalence of multiple adenomas.
      Half of the patients with triple adenomas and two-thirds of the patients with
      double adenomas will have a missed tumor when treated by the unilateral approach.
      3. Patients who undergo unilateral exploration have an additional 7% to 8%
      probability of missing a tumor that would have been found if bilateral
      exploration is performed. This risk is lowered to 2% by a pre-operative
      localization study that is 80% sensitive. 4. A prospective study will require 684
      patients, randomized to the unilateral or bilateral approach, to have an 80%
      statistical power (alpha = 0.05, beta = 0.20) of detecting a difference between a
      5% and a 10% risk of missing a tumor.

PMID- 1413834
TI  - Adrenal cortical carcinoma in Norway, 1970-1984.
AB  - Adrenal cortical carcinoma is a rare and highly malignant tumor. This
      retrospective study includes 99 patients (57 males and 42 females) reported to
      The Cancer Registry of Norway during the 15 year period from 1970 to 1984. The
      age adjusted incidence was 1.5 per million per year. Eighty-one patients were
      diagnosed with adrenal cortical carcinoma when still alive. In 18 cases the
      diagnosis was first made at autopsy. Median age at diagnosis was 54 years (range
      2-88 years) with a slight male predominance. Information about initial symptoms
      was available in 67 patients, of whom 26 patients (18 females and 8 males)
      presented with clinically functioning tumors, the Cushing syndrome and
      virilization being most frequently encountered. Only 28 (35%) of 81 patients
      diagnosed when still alive had tumors confined to the adrenals. Half of the
      patients had distant metastases, with lungs and liver being the most frequent
      sites. Sixty-one patients underwent surgery; 51 patients had a radical or
      debulking operation and 10 patients had laparotomy with tumor biopsy. After a
      complete follow-up for at least 6 years (range 6-21 years), only 9 patients were
      still alive. Early stage (Stage I and II) and curative resection had a
      significant impact on the outcome of this disease. To improve prognosis, early
      diagnosis and radical surgery, if feasible, are needed.

PMID- 1413835
TI  - Hurthle cell (oxyphilic) papillary thyroid carcinoma: a variant with more
      aggressive biologic behavior.
AB  - The latest World Health Organization International Classification defines
      papillary thyroid carcinoma by its "follicular cell differentiation...as well as
      characteristic nuclear changes". However the oxyphilic (Hurthle cell) papillary
      carcinoma have nuclei which generally resemble the nuclei seen in oxyphilic
      follicular carcinomas, and such oxyphilic papillary tumors may behave more
      aggressively than typical papillary cancers. To further characterize these rare
      tumors, we identified during a 32-year period 22 patients with oxyphilic
      papillary cancer and compared them with 1,084 patients with typical papillary
      cancers and 57 patients with oxyphilic follicular cancers treated by the Mayo
      surgical group during the same time period. Although typical papillary and
      oxyphilic papillary cancers were comparable with regards to patient age, tumor
      size and extent, TNM stage, and prognostic score (AGES), there were significant
      differences. Compared to typical papillary tumors, oxyphilic papillary cancers
      had fewer neck nodal metastases at primary diagnosis (5% vs 40%, p less than
      0.0001), were more often DNA non-diploid (71% vs 21%, p less than 0.001), and
      after 10 postoperative years had higher rates of both tumor recurrence (28% vs
      11%, p less than 0.0001) and cause-specific mortality (1.7% vs 4%, p less than
      0.0005). In these four important respects the oxyphilic papillary cancers more
      resembled the oxyphilic follicular cancers. For oxyphilic follicular cancers, the
      frequency of initial neck nodal metastases was 7% (cf 5%); 83% of the oxyphilic
      follicular tumors were non-diploid (cf 71%), and at 10 years postoperatively the
      tumor recurrence and cause-specific mortality rates were 28% and 18%,
      insignificantly different from 28% and 17% seen with the oxyphilic papillary
      cancers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413836
TI  - Adrenalectomy in primary aldosteronism: a long-term follow-up study in 52
      patients.
AB  - From 1975 to 1989, 52 patients with primary aldosteronism underwent
      adrenalectomy. There were 16 men and 36 women. The average age was 42.5 years,
      ranging from 28 years to 70 years. They were all hypertensive, with average pre
      operative diastolic pressures varying from 105 to 140 mm Hg (median 117 mm Hg).
      The subjective symptoms most frequently reported were headache (71%) and asthenia
      (53%). In all patients except two, serum potassium concentration was 3.3 mEq/L
      (median 2.7 mEq/L) at the time of diagnosis. Plasma aldosterone concentration was
      elevated in all patients, 48 +/- 5.3 ng/mL in the recumbent position and 52.6 +/-
      6.0 ng/mL in the upright position. The operations carried out were 50 unilateral
      and 2 bilateral adrenalectomies. In 4 patients a transperitoneal approach was
      employed and in the remaining 48 patients an extraperitoneal flank incision was
      used. The histological findings were 47 adenomas (with dimension ranging from 1
      to 4.5 cm), unilateral macronodular hyperplasia in 2 patients, an adenoma plus
      controlateral hyperplasia in 1 patient, bilateral hyperplasia in 1 patient, and
      unilateral hyperplasia in 1 patient. After long-term follow-up (median 77 months,
      range 13 to 189 months), 15 patients remained hypertensive (diastolic blood
      pressure up to 100 mm Hg). In 9 of these patients the hypertensive illness had
      been present for more than 5 years prior to operation. In the remaining 37 (71%)
      patients, the arterial pressure returned to normal and in almost half of the
      patients this result was evident one or two days after operation.

PMID- 1413837
TI  - Solid cell nests of the thyroid gland: precursor of mucoepidermoid carcinoma?
AB  - Solid cell nests (SCN) are found within the thyroid parenchyma on routine
      clinical pathological examinations, but their histogenesis and clinical
      significance are still obscure. From November 1987 to May 1991, a total of 3,260
      patients underwent thyroid surgery at Ito Hospital and SCN were noted in 42
      (1.3%) patients. Serial sections of the specimens from these patients were
      studied morphologically and immunohistochemically. The location and growth
      pattern of SCN within the thyroid parenchyma were distinct from those of
      hyperplastic C-cells. SCN were located in the isthmus lobe in 1 patient and even
      in the pyramidal lobe in 3 patients. In another patient neoplastic proliferation
      of SCN was observed. Immunohistochemically, SCN were negative for neuron-specific
      enolase, chromogranin A, and S-100 protein. These findings strongly suggest that
      SCN are of endodermal origin and that they may be closely related to
      mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the thyroid gland.

PMID- 1413838
TI  - Retrospective analysis of prognostic factors affecting the thyroid functional
      status after subtotal thyroidectomy for Graves' disease.
AB  - To determine the factors causing thyroid dysfunction after surgery for Graves'
      disease, we studied 321 patients who underwent subtotal thyroidectomy during the
      7-year period from 1981 to 1987. Thyroid functional status was evaluated
      biochemically and the patients were divided into four categories: recurrent
      hyperthyroidism, euthyroidism, latent hypothyroidism, and hypothyroidism. The
      following factors were analyzed: sex, age at onset of the disease, indication for
      surgery, serum titer of antimicrosomal hemagglutination antibody (MCHA), weight
      of resected thyroid tissue, size of remnant thyroid relative to body surface
      area, pathological findings of lymphoid follicles, and lymphocytic infiltration
      in the thyroid tissue. Probabilities of failure (recurrent hyperthyroidism and
      hypothyroidism) were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors for
      failure were identified by using Cox's proportional hazards model. The incidence
      of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism 5 years after subtotal thyroidectomy was
      16.2% and 9.6%, respectively. Significant factors for hyperthyroidism were
      relatively large thyroid remnant, high serum titer of MCHA (greater than or equal
      to 1:3200), and age at onset of the disease less than 20 years. The significant
      factor for hypothyroidism was severe lymphocytic infiltration. The level of
      postoperative thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)-binding inhibition
      immunoglobulins (TBII) in patients with recurrence was significantly higher than
      in patients in remission. It is reasonable to determine the amount of remnant
      thyroid tissue in relation to patient body surface area. Although subtotal
      thyroidectomy can induce immunological remission by reduction of antigen, if the
      remission disappears, that is if TBII increases, recurrence of hyperthyroidism
      may develop even in patients without the unfavorable factors.

PMID- 1413839
TI  - Serum chromogranin A in the diagnosis and follow-up of neuroendocrine tumors of
      the gastroenteropancreatic tract.
AB  - Hormonally active neuroendocrine tumors may easily be diagnosed by elevated serum
      levels of their specific peptides and hormonal products, but there are no
      reliable markers for neuroendocrine tumors without hormonal activity.
      Chromogranin A (CgA), a secretory protein of neuroendocrine cells, has recently
      been characterized as a valuable tissue marker in hormonally active and non
      functioning neuroendocrine tumors. This study analyzes the role of CgA as a serum
      marker for different neuroendocrine tumors. Thirty-three patients with
      neuroendocrine tumors of the stomach (n = 7), the ileum (n = 18), and the
      pancreas (n = 8) were investigated. Serum CgA levels were analyzed by
      radioimmunoassay at the time of diagnosis and during follow-up under different
      therapeutic regimens. Serum CgA was elevated in 30 (91%) patients. Mean CgA serum
      levels varied with tumor location (pancreas: 7068 +/- 3008 ng/ml, ileum: 5381 +/-
      1740 ng/ml, stomach: 529 +/- 179 ng/ml, x +/- SEM ng/ml) but did not differ
      between functioning and non-functioning tumors. Eight of 10 patients treated with
      either somatostatin or interferon-alpha showed changes of CgA concentrations
      corresponding to tumor growth. We conclude that CgA is a useful broad-spectrum
      tumor marker in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Its determination
      is especially recommended in tumors without hormonal activity.

PMID- 1413840
TI  - The incidence of bilateral well-differentiated thyroid cancer found at completion
      thyroidectomy.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to evaluate the surgical outcome of completion
      thyroidectomy in patients with presumed unilateral well-differentiated thyroid
      cancer (WDTC). The medical records of all patients having had unilateral thyroid
      lobectomy for WDTC, who subsequently underwent completion thyroidectomy, were
      reviewed. From 1980 to 1991, 60 patients with WDTC underwent completion
      thyroidectomy. Forty-seven patients had presumed unilateral WDTC, with no
      evidence of residual disease prior to their completion thyroidectomy. Twenty-five
      (53%) of these patients were found to have residual neoplastic disease in the
      neck. In 20 (43%) of 47 patients, a focus of cancer was found in the remaining
      thyroid lobe and in 5 additional patients no cancer was found in the
      contralateral lobe, however, unsuspected nodal disease was found. The remaining
      13 of the 60 patients presented with either regional recurrence (n = 12) or
      distant metastases (n = 1) at the time of their completion thyroidectomy. All
      (92%) but 1 of these 13 patients had cancer in the remaining thyroid lobe.
      Multifocal disease in the primary lobe was associated with bilateral thyroid
      cancer (p less than 0.01). Complications were infrequent; transient hypocalcemia
      occurred in 5 (8%) patients, permanent hypoparathyroidism occurred in 1 (1.7%)
      patient, and transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy occurred in 3 (5%)
      patients. Residual WDTC was found in 37 (62%) of 60 patients undergoing
      completion thyroidectomy. Multifocal disease in the primary resected lobe was
      associated with a high incidence of contralateral thyroid cancer. Completion
      thyroidectomy is a safe procedure and may prevent the development of regional
      recurrence by eliminating an unsuspected focus of cancer.

PMID- 1413841
TI  - Prognostic factors in parathyroid cancer: a review of 95 cases.
AB  - The clinical course, histopathology, and tumor DNA distribution patterns were
      analyzed in 95 patients with parathyroid cancer. The median follow-up was 6 years
      (range 1-25 years). Eighteen patients received a benign diagnosis at their first
      operation. The initial procedure was tumor resection in 42 patients and tumor
      resection plus partial or total thyroidectomy in 40 patients. Forty patients
      developed recurrent disease and 36 patients underwent 1 to 9 re-operations.
      Cervical recurrence and lung metastases were most commonly encountered. The
      median time from the first operation to recurrence was 33 months (range 1-228
      month). Twenty-one patients died of parathyroid cancer a median of 28 months
      following discovery of their first recurrence. The histopathological reevaluation
      confirmed unequivocal parathyroid cancer, i.e., infiltration and/or metastases,
      in 41 cases. Fifty-four cases lacked these criteria but showed various forms of
      atypia. Image cytometry demonstrated tumor aneuploidy in 26 of 39 cases with
      definite cancer by histological criteria, compared to the 13 of the 52 with
      equivocal histological diagnosis. Twelve patients with aneuploid tumors and 7
      patients with euploid tumors died of parathyroid cancer. In a multivariate
      analysis, patients treated with extensive surgery, i.e., tumor resection and
      unilateral or bilateral thyroidectomy, had a longer survival and a longer relapse
      free period. Other factors of importance for survival were age and
      histopathology. Histopathology and an aberrant nuclear DNA content were important
      factors for the time to recurrence. We conclude that histopathology alone is
      unable to confirm a cancer diagnosis in the absence of infiltration and/or
      metastases. Because recurrence may occur late, patients should be followed
      closely. Even repeated surgical interventions have proven beneficial.

PMID- 1413842
TI  - Long-term effects of parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism on
      arterial hypertension.
AB  - The prevalence of arterial hypertension in primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is
      higher than in the general population. With the aim of determining the evolution
      of hypertension associated with PHPT, we analyzed a group of 56 patients followed
      for a mean of 60 months (range 10-101 months) after successful parathyroidectomy
      for PHPT. The study group consisted of 16 men and 40 women. The mean age was 49
      +/- 12 years (range 18-73 years). None of the patients had renal impairment. Two
      hypertensive patients died during the follow-up from complications related to
      their hypertension. Twelve (21.8%) patients were hypertensive before parathyroid
      surgery (systolic greater than 160 mmHg and/or diastolic greater than 90 mmHg).
      Pre-operative midregion serum parathyroid hormone concentration was higher in the
      hypertensive patients than in normotensive patients (2.7 +/- 2.4 vs 0.82 +/- 0.4
      mu iEq/l, p = 0.018). Pre-operative creatinine clearance was lower in the
      hypertensive patients than in normotensive patients (65.4 +/- 27.5 vs 86.7 +/- 26
      ml/min, p = 0.002). There were no significant differences between normotensive
      and hypertensive patients in age, sex, body weight, clinical manifestations,
      weight of parathyroid tissue removed, and calcium metabolism, or in plasma
      concentrations of magnesium, uric acid, cholesterol, proteins, or albumin. During
      follow-up, none of the patients with pre-operative hypertension became
      normotensive, whereas 32% of the patients who were normotensive preoperatively
      developed clinical hypertension. The global prevalence of postoperative
      hypertension was thus 48%. The patients that developed hypertension after
      parathyroidectomy were followed for a longer period than the normotensive
      patients (76 +/- 17 vs 53 +/- 10 months, p = 0.005), had a lower postoperative
      creatinine clearance (74 +/- 28 vs 90 +/- 25 mg/min, p = 0.07), and higher
      cholesterol levels (6.2 +/- 1.5 vs 5.5 +/- 0.9 mmol/L, p = 0.08).(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413843
TI  - Single and multigland disease in primary hyperparathyroidism: clinical follow-up,
      histopathology, and flow cytometric DNA analysis.
AB  - Two-hundred seventy-four patients with primary hyperparathyroidism had selective
      removal of enlarged parathyroid glands. Biopsies were taken from all parathyroid
      glands. Normal-size glands were not resected irrespective of their histological
      appearance. After a mean follow-up of 13.5 years the rates of persistent and
      recurrent hyperparathyroidism were, respectively, 3.6% and 0.7%. Transient and
      permanent hypoparathyroidism occurred in 24% and 2.5% of the patients. The
      microscopic appearance of enlarged glands and of biopsies taken from normal-size
      glands were reviewed by two pathologists. Normal parathyroid glands were
      distinguished from abnormal glands fairly accurately (sensitivity 93%,
      specificity 80%). Microscopic classification of abnormal parathyroid glands as
      adenomas or hyperplastic glands correlated poorly with the gross classification
      as single or multigland disease. Flow cytometric DNA analysis of paraffin
      embedded parathyroid tissue showed significant differences for DNA index, % S
      phase and % G2M (p less than 0.001). Differentiating single from multigland
      disease by means of DNA analysis was not possible. In conclusion, removal of only
      enlarged parathyroid glands results in acceptable rates of persistent and
      recurrent hyperparathyroidism. Biopsies should only be taken sparingly to prevent
      transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism. Microscopic examination and flow
      cytometric DNA analysis can differentiate normal from abnormal parathyroid glands
      but are unable to differentiate abnormal glands into single or multigland
      disease.

PMID- 1413844
TI  - The value of measurement of ras oncogenes and nuclear DNA analysis in the
      diagnosis of Hurthle cell tumors of the thyroid.
AB  - Hurthle cell tumors (HCT) remain difficult to treat because some which appear non
      malignant on light microscopy later metastasize. In order to improve diagnostic
      accuracy, the value of ras mutations and nuclear DNA analysis was determined in
      65 patients with HCT. Rapid nuclear DNA cytometry (MicroTICAS system) was
      performed. Mutations of H-ras, K-ras, and N-ras genes were analyzed by
      oligonucleotide probe hybridizations to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified
      DNA. HCT were classified by light microscopy as benign (n = 22), intermediate (n
      = 30), and malignant (n = 13). After a mean follow-up of 7 years, 1 (4.5%) of 22
      benign tumors and 4 (13%) of 30 intermediate tumors had metastasized, leading to
      tumor death in 3 of these 5 patients. Six of the 13 cancers diagnosed by light
      microscopy also resulted in tumor-related deaths. Aneuploidy was found in 83% of
      all Hurthle cell cancers, including 3 (60%) of the 5 cancers not diagnosed
      microscopically. However, 49% of non-malignant HCT also demonstrated aneuploidy.
      A nuclear area of less than 55 square microns was found in 83% of all Hurthle
      cell cancers and in 100% of those cancers not diagnosed by light microscopy.
      However, 47% of non-malignant HCT also demonstrated a "small" nuclear area.
      Aneuploidy correctly identified 8 of 9 cancers that resulted in tumor death and
      each of 3 other tumors that developed metastases. However, 1 patient with a
      diploid tumor died of metastatic cancer. A nuclear area of less than 55 square
      microns identified each cancer that resulted in a tumor death.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413846
TI  - The role of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine in blood pressure
      disturbances in patients with pheochromocytoma.
AB  - Fifty-six patients with pheochromocytoma underwent surgery during the 9-year
      period from 1981 to 1990. These patients were divided into two groups according
      to whether the dominant plasma concentration was of epinephrine or
      norepinephrine. Plasma levels of the catecholamines were stratified into three
      grades at 5 and 10 times the normal upper limit. Pre-operative disturbances of
      blood pressure, sustained or paroxysmal, and normal blood pressure were highly
      correlated with the dominantly secreted catecholamine and its plasma
      concentration. Thirteen patients with high plasma norepinephrine levels (greater
      than or equal to 10 times normal) had sustained hypertension while 18 patients
      with moderate to high plasma epinephrine levels (greater than or equal to 5 times
      normal) had paroxysmal hypertension. In the majority of normotensive patients (12
      of 14), plasma catecholamine levels were less than 10 times the upper normal
      limit. Urinary excretion of dopamine and size of the tumor were analyzed
      according to these patient groups. In the norepinephrine dominant group, urinary
      dopamine excretion tended to be proportional to the plasma epinephrine levels and
      when the patients were normotensive, urinary dopamine excretion decreased. In
      norepinephrine-secreting patients, urinary dopamine tended to be inversely
      correlated with the plasma norepinephrine level; however dopamine did not prevent
      the hypertensive action of norepinephrine. Tumor size showed no correlation with
      the plasma levels of catecholamine in the moderate to high plasma catecholamine
      groups. We conclude that the plasma catecholamine type and its level are the most
      important factors in determining the patterns of blood pressure disturbances of
      patients with pheochromocytoma.

PMID- 1413845
TI  - Survival rates and prognostic factors in adrenocortical carcinoma.
AB  - In the last 12 years, 41 patients with adrenocortical carcinoma were operated on
      at Cochin Hospital. There were 29 females and 12 males having an average age of
      42 +/- 17 years. Seven of them underwent repeat operation for local recurrence
      after an average interval of 22 months. Eighty per cent of the tumors had
      secretory activity while 20% did not. Adrenalectomy and lymphadenectomy were
      performed on all patients. Thirteen (32%) patients underwent extensive resection
      because of invasive cancer. The same procedure was performed on 7 patients
      undergoing re-operation. Operative mortality was 4% (2 of 48 patients). Twenty
      four patients died of cancer with an average survival time of 22 months (range 2
      86 months) and 15 (37%) patients were still alive, 4 of them with metastases,
      with an average survival time of 51 months. Curative resection for the 31
      patients with local (n = 21) or regional disease (n = 10) allowed a 5 year
      actuarial survival rate of 45%. The 5 year actuarial survival rate for patients
      undergoing repeat surgery was 33%. Only 1 of the 10 patients with metastases, and
      who had an impressive response to OP'DDD, was alive 2 years after the operation.
      The other 9 patients died within 3-4 months after operation. We found that
      neither patient characteristics or tumor characteristics were of significant
      prognostic value. There was no overall prolongation of survival in patients
      receiving OP'DDD. However 4 patients with metastases occurring in the course of
      their disease experienced an impressive response with OP'DDD and a relatively
      long survival.

PMID- 1413847
TI  - Surgery for hyperthyroidism: hemithyroidectomy plus contralateral resection or
      bilateral resection? A prospective randomized study of postoperative
      complications and long-term results.
AB  - Fifty consecutive patients undergoing surgical treatment for hyperthyroidism were
      randomized to have either bilateral subtotal resection (n = 23) or
      hemithyroidectomy plus contralateral resection (n = 27). No significant
      differences in operating time or intra-operative bleeding were found. No
      postoperative bleeding and no temporary or persistent recurrent laryngeal nerve
      paralysis occurred. Four patients who underwent bilateral resection and 2
      patients who had hemithyroidectomy resection needed temporary calcium
      supplementation, and the serum calcium concentrations were slightly lower during
      the first few postoperative days in the patient undergoing
      hemithyroidectomy/resection. No persistent hypocalcemia occurred in either of the
      groups. At follow-up 3-4 years (mean 3.6 years) postoperatively, 1 patient in the
      bilateral resection group developed recurrent hyperthyroidism; no patients in the
      hemithyroidectomy/resection group developed recurrent hyperthyroidism. Twelve
      (44%) patients in the hemithyroidectomy/resection group and 8 (35%) patients in
      the bilateral resection group needed thyroxine supplementation because of a rise
      in thyroid stimulating hormone concentration combined with clinical signs of
      hypothyroidism that developed during follow-up. Hyperthyroidism can be treated by
      hemithyroidectomy plus contralateral resection without increasing the risk of
      complications. The results also suggest that when using this method, a slightly
      larger thyroid remnant should be left to avoid an increase in the incidence of
      hypothyroidism postoperatively.

PMID- 1413848
TI  - Primary hyperparathyroidism in Austria: results of an 8-year prospective study.
AB  - Serum calcium determinations in 45,217 hospitalized patients during an 8 year
      period revealed sustained hypercalcemia in 124 (0.3%) patients. Further clinical
      and biochemical investigations established primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP) in
      at least 40 (32%) patients, an incidence of PHP of 89.6 +/- 41.5 per 100,000
      patients per year. The incidence of PHP in males and females was 31.5 and 124.2
      per 100,000, respectively. The highest incidence was found in females greater
      than 66 years of age (268.8 per 100,000). Nineteen (48%) patients showed
      classical symptoms of PHP, 14 (35%) patients were minimally symptomatic, and 7
      (17%) patients were asymptomatic. The incidence and symptomatology of PHP in
      Austria is nearly the same as in other countries. Because of the multiple actions
      of parathyroid hormone in the body, PHP can cause debilitating symptoms but too
      often it remains undiagnosed clinically. Routine calcium determinations are very
      important and PHP must always be considered in the differential diagnosis,
      especially in minimally symptomatic patients.

PMID- 1413849
TI  - Percutaneous ethanol injection treatment of autonomously functioning single
      thyroid nodules: optimization of treatment and short term outcome.
AB  - Twenty-five patients with solitary autonomous thyroid nodules (15 nontoxic, 10
      toxic) received percutaneous ethanol injection treatment (PEIT) under sonographic
      guidance in 4-7 sessions (1-2 weekly). To test different doses, smaller nodules
      (volume less than 15 mL) were given 0.75-2.8 mL ethanol/mL nodular tissue while
      larger nodules received 0.5-1 mL/mL. Except for 1 patient who developed
      hyperpyrexia, no relevant adverse effects were observed. A slight, asymptomatic
      increase in serum thyroid hormone levels was observed in both groups during the
      treatment. Three months after treatment, a biochemical and clinical remission of
      hyperthyroidism was observed in 8 of 10 patients with toxic nodules. A
      significant increase of TSH level was seen in both groups (p less than 0.01).
      Significant shrinkage of volume (p less than 0.001) as well as structural
      alterations of nodules were consistently recorded at sonography. A linear
      relationship (r = 0.98; p less than 0.0001) between pretreatment volume and
      volume reduction was found both for large and small nodules, thus suggesting that
      even limited ethanol doses may be therapeutically effective. A recovery of
      extranodular parenchyma activity at scintiscan occurred in 16 (64%) of 25
      patients. These data confirm that PEIT is effective in obtaining functional
      ablation and in inducing remission of hyperthyroidism. Adverse effects are
      infrequent. In spite of the small patient sample, a 0.5-1 mL ethanol dose per
      each mL of tissue appears as effective as larger doses and seems appropriate for
      treatment.

PMID- 1413851
TI  - Comment on the treatment strategy for cecal diverticulitis as proposed by Schmit
      and coworkers.

PMID- 1413852
TI  - A template for health information.
AB  - The Template for Health Information is a software package for microcomputers
      developed by the National Task Force on Health Information of Statistics Canada.
      The Template software provides a conceptual framework for the collection,
      analysis and utilization of health information for policy planning and management
      uses. This framework involves interactions between a population of individuals,
      their external environment, and sets of potential health-affecting interventions.
      The Template is seen as a pedagogical device for incorporating the many
      perspectives of different health constituencies. A floppy diskette is provided
      with the article to demonstrate the potential of the Template.

PMID- 1413850
TI  - Primary hyperparathyroidism in younger and older patients: symptoms and outcome
      of surgery.
AB  - Two-hundred and fifty patients undergoing initial exploration for primary
      hyperparathyroidism were analyzed for differences in clinical presentation,
      biochemical status, pathology, and outcome of surgery. In patients less than 60
      years of age (younger patients, n = 119) the most common preoperative symptoms
      and signs were fatigue (40.3%), bone pain (33.6%), renal stones (31.0%),
      hypertension (27.7%), and psychiatric illness (27.7%). In patients greater than
      or equal to 60 years of age (older patients, n = 131) the most frequent symptoms
      and signs were hypertension (46.6%), fatigue (35.1%), bone pain (30.5%), muscle
      weakness (28.2%), and joint pain (22.9%). Renal stones were 2.6 times more common
      (p less than 0.001, chi 2) in younger patients and hypertension 1.7 times more
      common (p less than 0.05, chi 2) in older patients. There was no significant
      difference in the preoperative and postoperative laboratory values typically
      associated with primary hyperparathyroidism. Double adenomas were more common in
      older (9.2%) than in younger patients (2.5%, p less than 0.05, chi 2). Surgical
      cure was obtained in 98.8% of patients, and after parathyroidectomy 83% of the
      younger and 82% of the older patients experienced substantial relief of pre
      operative symptoms. Specific questioning revealed most patients to be symptomatic
      and older patients appear to receive the same clinical and metabolic benefits
      from parathyroidectomy as younger patients.

PMID- 1413853
TI  - Trends in cancer mortality sex ratios in Europe, 1950-1989.
AB  - A study was carried out to analyse trends in cancer mortality sex differentials.
      This study compared age-standardized sex ratio values for mortality from 18
      cancers (or groups of cancers), and total cancer mortality over the period 1950
      1989 in 24 European countries, for 4 age groups (all ages, 20-44 years, 45-64
      years, and 65 years and over). For lung cancer and other tobacco-related
      neoplasms, appreciable rises in sex ratio values were observed until the late
      1970s, particularly in Southern and Eastern Europe, before levelling off in
      recent years, particularly among the younger age groups. In the late 1980s, the
      range of variation in overall age-standardized sex ratios for lung cancer was
      between 2 and 3 in the United Kingdom and in Nordic countries, and around or over
      10 in Southern Europe. In young adults, the decline in sex ratio values observed
      in Denmark and Sweden (unity), and in other Nordic countries and in the United
      Kingdom (around or below 2) reflects a levelling of lung cancer in young males
      and an increase in young females. This clearly indicates that young women are a
      priority target group for smoking control interventions in Europe. Appreciable
      cohort effects were also observed for stomach cancer: rises in sex ratio values
      were greater in, or restricted to, middle- and older age groups, whereas in the
      young there was some tendency towards a levelling in sex differentials. The
      overall sex ratio values for stomach cancer were around 2 in most areas of Europe
      in the late 1980s. For intestinal cancer, sex ratio values showed some tendency
      to rise, reaching a level of 1.3-1.7 in the late 1980s; steady rises were also
      registered in sex ratio values for melanoma (skin cancer), reaching 1.5-1.8 in
      the late 1980s in most countries. These upward trends which were minor or
      inconsistent at younger ages in several countries became progressively stronger
      with advancing age. Sex ratio values were below unity for cancers of the
      gallbladder and the thyroid. Sex ratio values tended to rise also for leukaemia
      (from 1.2-1.5 to 1.5-1.7), but showed no noticeable trend for lymphomas or
      myeloma. The overall sex ratio values for total cancer mortality in the 1950s
      were between 1.2 and 1.4 in most European countries. Thereafter, they rose
      appreciably in several countries, reaching 1.9 in Czechoslovakia, Italy and
      Poland, and 2.3 in France.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1413854
TI  - The evolving demography of aging in the United States of American and the former
      USSR.
AB  - In the United States of America and in the republics of the former USSR, the
      elderly (persons aged 60 and over) will comprise the same proportion of their
      respective societies by the year 2000, namely 17%. In both countries, this
      population subgroup is growing at a faster rate than the rest of the population
      and living longer, although there are now more differences than similarities
      between the two countries in respect of the elderly, as summarized below.
      Similarities. In both countries today, the age group 50 years and over represents
      26% of the total population, and by the year 2000 it is expected that 17% of the
      population will be 60 years and over. Diseases of the circulatory system and
      neoplasms are the major causes of death in both countries. Life expectancy beyond
      retirement age (i.e. the number of years a person is expected to live after
      having retired) is about the same in both, but this is due to the statistical
      fact that in the former USSR women are expected to have an extra year of life
      expectancy compared to their United States counterparts, while men are expected
      to live 2.5 years less beyond retirement than their United States counterparts.
      Differences. Mortality rates in the former USSR are higher than those in the
      United States. Life expectancy for men in the former USSR is 6.5 years below the
      figure for United States males. By age 65, the differences are 2.7 years for
      women and 2.4 years for men. Today, the proportion of the population having
      reached retirement age is larger in the former USSR than in the United States
      (17% vs 15%) because of lower retirement age in the former USSR. By the year
      2000, these figures are expected to be 19% and 25%, respectively. Men make up 27%
      of the pension-age population in the former USSR against 41% in the United
      States. Life expectancy at birth could increase by 4 years for men in the former
      USSR if they had the same mortality rates from diseases of the circulatory and
      respiratory systems as their United States counterparts. Similarly, women in the
      former USSR would gain 4 years of life from these two causes alone. Older women
      are more likely to be married in the United States than in the former USSR, and
      this difference increases with age: at age 65, 25% of the former USSR's women are
      married versus 41% in the United States.

PMID- 1413855
TI  - Analysis of mortality data from the former USSR: age-period-cohort analysis.
AB  - The objective of this article is to review research on age-period-cohort (APC)
      analysis of mortality and to trace the effects of contemporary and historical
      factors on mortality change in the former USSR. Several events in USSR history
      have exerted a lasting influence on its people. These influences may be captured
      by an APC model in which the period effects measure the impact of contemporary
      factors and the cohort effects the past history of individuals which cannot be
      attributed to age or stage in the life cycle. APC models are extensively applied
      in the study of mortality. This article presents the statistical theory of the
      APC models and shows that they belong to the family of generalized linear models.
      The parameters of the APC model may therefore be estimated by any package of
      loglinear analysis that allows for hybrid loglinear models.

PMID- 1413857
TI  - Economic aspects of health.
AB  - This study described in this article was undertaken to assess the possibility of
      getting a general picture of the public health situation to be used in such
      economically oriented models as cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness and cost
      utility. Problems of data bases encountered in this assessment of various
      republics, regions and administrative entities are also considered. New
      mathematicodemographic statistical models and a family of potential factographic
      automated information reference systems (FAIRS) based on these models and
      designed to be utilized in projects, programmes and regional systems of public
      health are analysed.

PMID- 1413856
TI  - Some problems of medicodemographic development in the former USSR.
AB  - The republics of the former USSR show great diversity in life expectancy, and in
      morbidity and disability prevalence rates. The diversity in life expectancy is
      strongly influenced by the different age, sex and cause-specific mortality rates
      obtaining in each republic. These in turn are determined by environmental,
      climatic and topographic features, as well as by social and economic development
      and lifestyle, including nutritional habits. In addition, large urban and rural
      differences are noted which may be partly accounted for by the restricted access
      to and low quality of health care in rural areas. Mortality, morbidity and
      disability rates have also shown unfavourable trends between 1965 and 1989 in
      many of the republics. The authors suggest further research to elucidate observed
      mortality, morbidity and disability differentials and trends, viz. analyses using
      finer breakdown of the population; examination of risk-factor-pattern data for
      mortality and morbidity by social groups and regions; the collection of data on
      health and demographic problems of ethnic minorities; greater use of
      socioeconomic development indicators at the regional level; surveys of individual
      opinions on perceived health, health requirements and quality of care received;
      and the development of appropriate medicodemographic models for analytic and
      forecasting purposes.

PMID- 1413858
TI  - Data needs for health policy in an aging population (including a survey of data
      available in the United States of America).
AB  - The development of a coordinated, systematic and responsive data base is
      essential for governments to make informed decisions for policy development and
      planning, to assess the impact of these decisions, and to operate their
      programmes effectively. One of the most significant challenges is the development
      of data systems capable of satisfying the multiple needs for data, and providing
      the data required for evaluating the impact of health programmes, while keeping
      the respondent burden reasonable. The United States of America is fortunate in
      having well-developed systems of data collection by national surveys for
      demographic, social and economic characteristics of the population, morbidity and
      mortality, health expenditures, and use of health and long-term care services.
      Current survey and administrative record data sets are described. Policy issues
      in health care for aging populations require the use of multiple data sets which
      may require modification of or addition to existing surveys and administrative
      records. Recommendations are made for an extension of the data bases already in
      existence and on the expansion of analytical capacity to address health policy
      issues for the elderly.

PMID- 1413859
TI  - An overview of relevant data sources in the former USSR for studies in
      demographic trends, aging and noncommunicable disease problems.
AB  - This article provides an overview of health data available in the former USSR. It
      is not all-inclusive in terms of chronic diseases covered or in details of data
      collection activities carried out. However, several broad conclusions can be
      drawn: There is a system of population and mortality data collection which covers
      the former USSR and which can be disaggregated to smaller administrative areas.
      The system is being exploited by population specialists, demographers, medical
      demographers and epidemiologists, both nationally and internationally, both for
      analytical purposes and as part of health monitoring systems. A national-level
      data-collection system for morbidity and disability, based on delivery of health
      services, is in place and is exploited by both health researchers and health
      planners. The shortcomings of such a health service-based statistical system are
      well recognized. Further standardization or calibration of measures of total and
      cause-specific morbidity and disability measures should be examined. A potential
      calibration tool is the 1988-1993 health examination and interview survey
      covering a representative (but highly clustered) sample of the former USSR
      population. The possibilities of greater standardization of measurement
      procedures used in this survey should also be investigated. In certain disease
      areas, e.g. cardiovascular diseases, cancer, rheumatic diseases and gerontology,
      clinical and epidemiological studies involving international collaboration have
      been carried out. This has resulted in the use of internationally accepted
      disease definitions, diagnostic procedures, and of clinical and laboratory
      standardization of demographic, social and biological measurements. Participation
      in multilateral or bilateral studies should be encouraged in research in disease
      areas where these types of programmes have not yet been instituted.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413860
TI  - Epidemiology and aging: how gerontology has changed noncommunicable disease
      epidemiology in the United States of America.
AB  - Epidemiology is a continuously evolving discipline that has been greatly enriched
      by addressing the health problems of the elderly. In the United States of
      America, this has resulted in a large national data resource of functional and
      health measures on older populations, heretofore not available. In this article,
      suggestions are made for research priorities in the next 10 years in the
      epidemiological study of the elderly. They include: (i) a special emphasis on
      enhancing analytical methods, particularly for complex longitudinal data; (ii) an
      effort to understand the impact of the physiochemical environment on older
      persons, both in the household and workplace setting; (iii) the identification of
      new ways to determine early life exposures among older persons, so that
      hypotheses about early influences on aging processes can be tested; and (iv) a
      general effort to include function status and other geriatric measures as a
      routine part of the clinical record, so that secondary research on such records
      can be more conveniently performed.

PMID- 1413861
TI  - Forecasting health: data needs and implications for model structure.
AB  - An agenda for analysing data on the health and functioning of the elderly must
      indicate new types of data to be collected, innovations in data collection
      strategies and new methods for analysis and forecasting. The required research
      agenda is broad and will require inputs from investigators in a number of
      disciplines. The data and methods required will need to be developed in order to
      reflect national, regional and local variations in the health phenomena under
      study; they will also have to be responsive to these variations. In the end,
      however, if the investment is to be most useful, it must be integrated into
      simulation and forecasting models, the mechanics of which are based on individual
      level processes and not on the elements of the service system.

PMID- 1413862
TI  - Resource allocation problems and health services for the elderly.
AB  - The provision of appropriate health support services for the elderly has
      increased in importance because of the trend towards aging populations in Europe
      and other developed regions. Health service resource allocation models and their
      roles in health service systems, which are also changing to reflect changing
      needs for the elderly, are discussed in this article. Different types of economic
      and health care delivery systems are examined, particularly those leading towards
      decentralization, consumer participation and "deinstitutionalization". A
      promising resource allocation approach--the "balance-of-care" approach--is
      described in some detail. This and other potential approaches make it possible to
      identify areas which hold promise for crossnational research.

PMID- 1413863
TI  - Health economic issues relevant to countries with aging populations.
AB  - This article investigates the health economic impacts of aging populations, using
      scenario techniques and economic systems analysis. Age-related data on hospital
      utilization and health care expenditure are linked with demographic models for
      Germany from 1990 to 2040. Findings indicate that the demographic component may
      not play a major role in determining long-term trends as compared with other, not
      yet fully elucidated components of utilization and expenditure, both of which are
      the result of the interplay between supply and demand in health care, and of
      interactions with the general economy. This acts as a deterrent against the use
      of simple extrapolations of current indicators (or their trends), but more
      adequate theoretical economic models are still lacking.

PMID- 1413864
TI  - Metabolism of pravastatin sodium in isolated rat hepatocytes. I. Glutathione
      conjugate formation reaction.
AB  - 1. The metabolic fate of pravastatin sodium (sodium (+)-(3R,5R)-3,5-dihydroxy-7
      ((1'S,2'S,6'S,8'S,8'aR)-6'-hydroxy-2'methyl- 8'-[(S)-2"-methylbutyryloxy]
      1',2',6',7',8', 8'a-hexahydro-1'-naphthyl) heptanoate) was studied in isolated
      rat hepatocytes. 2. Two polar metabolites were isolated and identified as a
      glutathione conjugate and a dihydrodiol. 3. Both metabolites were formed via an
      epoxide which has been identified as the 4'a beta,5' beta-epoxide on the decalin
      moiety. 4. Formation of the glutathione conjugate was enzymic, while the
      dihydrodiol was formed by non-enzymic hydrolysis of the epoxide accompanied by
      the intramolecular migration of the double bond.

PMID- 1413865
TI  - Structural determination of the carboxylic acid metabolites of
      polychlorotrifluoroethylene.
AB  - 1. Polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) is a perhalogenated hydrocarbon which
      consists mainly of C-6 and C-8 oligomers of chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE) end
      capped with chlorine and referred to as trimer and tetramer, respectively. PCTFE
      is a hydraulic fluid considered for use in advanced weapon systems. 2. Inhalation
      studies have shown that PCTFE causes a dose-related hepatotoxicity in rats that
      is accompanied by proliferation of hepatic peroxisomes and increased liver
      weight. 3. Carboxylic acid metabolites of PCTFE have been isolated from rats
      exposed to PCTFE via inhalation. These metabolites, or their formation, may be
      involved in the toxicity of PCTFE. 4. Trimer carboxylic acids have been isolated
      from rat urine and identified, and tetramer carboxylic acids have been isolated
      from rat liver, and identified. 5. Our investigation of trimer and tetramer
      carboxylic acid metabolites of PCTFE has shown that the terminal carbon bearing
      two chlorine atoms is the exclusive site of oxidation. No evidence was found
      indicating oxidation of terminal carbon atoms having one chlorine.

PMID- 1413866
TI  - The effect of age on inducibility of various types of rat liver cytochrome P-450.
AB  - 1. The content and specific activities of inducible cytochrome P-450 enzymes were
      determined in liver microsomes of rats of various ages after maximal induction
      with phenobarbital, isosafrole of 3-methylcholanthrene, and in untreated animals.
      2. With age an increase in liver weight was observed both in untreated rats and
      in maximally induced ones; the microsomal protein content/g of liver decreased
      with age in untreated animals but not in induced ones. Total cytochrome P-450
      content/mg microsomal protein remained unchanged with age in all experimental
      groups. 3. Immunologically detectable levels of cytochrome P4501A1/1A2 and
      2B1/2B2 remain unchanged with age both in untreated animals and in maximally
      induced ones. 4. Several cytochrome P-450 activities showed an age-related
      decrease in untreated animals, but no change with age was observed in the
      activities of cytochrome P4501A1, 2A2 and 2B1/2B2 in rat liver microsomes. This
      indicates that ageing affects only the activity of some constitutive forms of
      cytochrome P-450 in male rats, but not the activity of inducible types of P-450.
      5. Although previous results indicated decreased inducibility of the cytochrome P
      450 mRNA levels with age, the present study clearly demonstrates that this is not
      reflected in decreased enzyme levels or activities after maximal induction. From
      this it is concluded that the decreased mRNA levels might rather be reflected in
      a decreased rate at which maximal induction can be achieved.

PMID- 1413867
TI  - Effects of various medium formulations and attachment substrata on the
      performance of cultured ruminant hepatocytes in biotransformation studies.
AB  - 1. A procedure for the isolation and primary culture of hepatocytes from goat and
      cattle is described. Hepatocyte culture performance was monitored for 51 h by
      measuring viability, cytochrome P-450 maintenance, dealkylation of scoparone and
      ethylmorphine, and glucuronidation of phenol red. 2. Culture medium composition
      is discussed in relation to differences between splanchnic blood composition of
      ruminant and monogastric animal species. Main differences are in glucose and
      volatile fatty acid concentrations. Modified Williams' E culture medium did not
      yield higher culture performance than non-modified Williams' E. 3. Coating of
      culture dishes with either collagen or fibronectin did not improve culture
      performance. 4. Williams' E, although developed for rodent cells, proves to be a
      suitable basal medium for ruminant hepatocytes. In this medium, culture quality
      is high for at least several days. 5. In cultured goat hepatocytes,
      biotransformation rate for scoparone amounted to 20 nmol/mg protein per h, for
      ethylmorphine 96 nmol/mg protein per h and for phenol red 2 nmol/mg protein per
      h. Biotransformation activity in cow hepatocytes is approximately half that in
      goat hepatocytes.

PMID- 1413868
TI  - Simplified approach for evaluation of hepatic drug-oxidizing capacity with a
      simultaneous measurement of caffeine and its primary demethylated metabolites in
      carbon tetrachloride-intoxicated rats.
AB  - 1. Prediction of hepatic injury from changes in blood concentrations of caffeine
      (CA) and its three primary metabolites (theobromine: TB; paraxanthine: PX;
      theophylline; TP) after CA administration has been studied in carbon
      tetrachloride (CCl4)-intoxicated rats. 2. The plasma half-life (t1/2) of CA (10
      mg/kg, oral) was increased, and total body clearance (CL) decreased, in CCl4
      treated rats; the apparent volume of distribution (Vd) was relatively unchanged.
      3. The ratios of CA to the three metabolites (TB/CA, PX/CA, TP/CA) were
      significantly decreased compared to those of controls. 4. There were good
      correlations between the ratios of TB/CA, PX/CA, and TP/CA and CL of CA (TB/CA; r
      = 0.944 at 1 h, r = 0.942 at 2 h: PX/CA; r = 0.974 at 1 h, r = 0.923 at 2 h:
      TP/CA; r = 0.866 at 1 h, r = 0.962 at 2 h). 5. Results indicate that it is
      possible to evaluate hepatic drug-oxidizing capacity by measuring the ratio of CA
      to its metabolites, using single blood sampling 1 or 2 h after CA administration
      in CCl4-intoxicated rats.

PMID- 1413869
TI  - Pharmacokinetics and efficacy of structurally related spirohydantoin and
      spirosuccinimide aldose reductase inhibitors.
AB  - 1. Six potent aldose reductase inhibitors (ARI), three spirohydantoin (I to III)
      and three spirosuccinimide (IV to VI) compounds, showed similar IC50 activities
      in vitro for the inhibition of rat lens aldose reductase, but their ED50 values
      in diabetic rats varied as much as 20-fold in the lens and 50-fold in the sciatic
      nerve tissue. Pharmacokinetic studies were undertaken to investigate these
      findings. Structure-pharmacokinetic relationships were studied following i.v.
      administration to cynomolgus monkeys. 2. The clearance (CL) of each
      spirosuccinimide ARI was faster (greater than 5 times) than that of the
      corresponding spirohydantoin compound. In both series the CL values of the C(4)
      methyl and methoxy analogues were 4-fold greater than those for the unsubstituted
      compounds, although the CL values of the methoxy and methyl derivatives in the
      same series were not significantly different. 3. The volumes of distribution
      (Vss) of the spirohydantoins were about one-half those of the corresponding
      spirosuccinimides, and the Vss values of the parent compounds of both ARI series
      did not differ dramatically from those of their methyl and methoxy analogues. 4.
      All six compounds were eliminated from plasma in a biexponential fashion. The
      half-lives (lambda 1 and lambda 2) of the spirohydantoin compounds were much
      longer than those of the corresponding spirosuccinimide compounds, and the
      unsubstituted compounds had longer half-lives than their methyl and methoxy
      derivatives. The longest lambda 1 and lambda 2 half-lives were observed for
      imirestat, while two of the spirosuccinimides had the shortest half-lives. 5.
      These results indicate that the relationships observed between the in vitro and
      in vivo activities of the six ARI can be attributed to structurally dependent
      differences in metabolic clearance.

PMID- 1413870
TI  - Pharmacokinetics and excretion of phenol red in the channel catfish.
AB  - 1. Disposition of phenol red was examined in channel catfish (Ictalurus
      punctatus) after oral or intravascular (i.v.) dosing at 10 mg/kg body weight. 2.
      Phenol red was not detectable in plasma, urine, or bile after oral
      administration. 3. After i.v. dosing, plasma concentrations of phenol red were
      best described by a two-compartment pharmacokinetic model with distribution and
      elimination half-lives of 2.3 and 21 min, respectively. The apparent volume of
      distribution at steady state (Vss) was 225 ml/kg and total body clearance (Clb)
      was 658 ml/h per kg. Plasma protein binding was 19%. 4. Biliary excretion was the
      primary route of elimination of phenol red; in 24 h, 55% of the i.v. dose was
      excreted in bile compared with 24% in urine. No metabolites were detected in
      these fluids. 5. The use of anaesthesia during dosing had no effect on the
      quantitative excretion of phenol red by renal or biliary routes.

PMID- 1413871
TI  - Diazepam metabolism by rat and human liver in vitro: inhibition by mephenytoin.
AB  - 1. Diazepam metabolism and its association with mephenytoin hydroxylase were
      studied in vitro using human and rat livers. 2. Enzyme kinetic parameters were
      obtained for the formation of p-hydroxydiazepam (p-hydroxy-DZP), N
      desmethyldiazepam (NDZ), and temazepam (TMZ) from diazepam (DZP) in rat liver
      fractions. The Km values for formation in rat of p-hydroxy-DZP, NDZ and TMZ were
      14 +/- 3 (SEM) microM, 44 +/- 4 and 63 +/- 8, respectively; clearance values
      calculated from Vmax/Km were 5.7, 3.2 and 4.9 ml/g per min, respectively. 3.
      Mephenytoin (MP) competitively inhibited, in rat liver, the formation of NDZ, but
      not the formation of p-hydroxy-DZP or TMZ; in human liver neither NDZ nor TMZ
      formation was inhibited by MP. 4. In seven different human livers the formation
      of p-hydroxy-DZP represented a minor pathway compared to the formation of NDZ and
      TMZ.

PMID- 1413872
TI  - The metabolism of muzigadial by microorganisms.
AB  - 1. A total of 114 microorganisms were evaluated for their ability to metabolize
      the antifungal drimane sesquiterpene, muzigadial. 2. Cryptococcus neoformans was
      found to convert muzigadial to one major metabolite, identified as a hemiacetal.
      3. Streptomyces platensis produced three metabolites: the hemiacetal, its
      corresponding lactone, and the epoxide of the hemiacetal. 4. Streptomyces
      spectabilis produced the hemiacetal as well as the epoxy hemiacetal. 5. The
      proposed structures of all of the metabolites were based on comparisons of the
      spectroscopic data (1H- and 13C-n.m.r. spectra and mass spectra) between the
      metabolites and the parent compound. 6. Antimicrobial evaluation of the microbial
      metabolites indicate that metabolism decreases antifungal activity.

PMID- 1413873
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of ticlopidine during chronic oral administration to healthy
      volunteers and its effects on antipyrine pharmacokinetics.
AB  - 1. The pharmacokinetics of ticlopidine, a novel antithrombotic agent, have been
      investigated in 10 healthy volunteers dosed orally with the drug (250 mg 12
      hourly for 21 days), to determine the basic pharmacokinetic parameters in humans,
      to investigate its accumulation during repeated administration, and to assess its
      effects on hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes. 2. After the first dose, peak
      plasma concentrations (median 0.31, range 0.08-0.80 mg/l) were generally found at
      2 h. The levels decreased rapidly to a median concentration of 0.087 mg/l by 4 h
      then declined to 0.022 (range less than 0.005-0.128) mg/l at 12 h after
      administration, with apparent half-lives of approx. 4 h. The median AUC value for
      this first dosage interval (AUC tau) was 0.97 (range 0.41-3.49) mg h l-1. 3. Pre
      dose plasma concentrations indicated that steady state was reached after 5-10
      days, and then remained essentially unchanged through to the end of the study.
      From 30 h after the final dose, drug levels declined exponentially with a median
      half-life of 28.8 (range less than or equal to 20-50) h. 4. Following the final
      dose, the median peak concentration and AUC tau were 0.99 (range 0.22-2.12) mg/l
      and 4.06 (range 0.90-15.2) mg h l-1 respectively. Based on AUC values, the mean
      accumulation factor +/- SD was 3.73 +/- 1.14. 5. The metabolic status of subjects
      was assessed by administration of single doses of antipyrine (700 mg orally) 7
      days before the first dose of ticlopidine and 2 days after the final dose.
      Treatment with ticlopidine decreased antipyrine clearance, demonstrating that it
      inhibited drug-metabolizing enzymes. Significant correlations (r2 = 0.84, p less
      than 0.01) were found between the AUC values for ticlopidine and antipyrine,
      indicating that the interindividual variation in the pharmacokinetics of
      ticlopidine are explained by differences in metabolic clearance.

PMID- 1413874
TI  - Effects of arsenite on hepatic mixed-function oxidase activity in rats.
AB  - 1. Injection of arsenite (As3+) to control rats results in losses of total
      hepatic cytochrome P-450 and significant decreases of ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase
      (ECOD) and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activities. However, As3+ appears
      to decrease the activity of these enzymes differentially, with EROD showing
      greater sensitivity than ECOD. 2. Injection of As3+ to rats treated with
      phenobarbital and isosafrole significantly decreases the total content of hepatic
      cytochrome P-450 and various mixed function oxidase (MFO) activities, with the
      exception of ECOD which appears to be insensitive to As3+. 3. 3
      Methylcholanthrene administration apparently protects against the effects of As3+
      on the cytochrome P-450 system, since total content of the cytochrome P-450 and
      various MFO activities were all insensitive to this treatment.

PMID- 1413876
TI  - Linoleate-dependent co-oxygenation of benzo(a)pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene-7,8
      dihydrodiol by rat cytosolic lipoxygenase.
AB  - 1. Co-oxygenation of 14C-labelled benzo(a)pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene-7,8
      dihydrodiol was studied in rat lung cytosol, using linoleic acid as a co
      substrate. Covalently bound and soluble metabolites were quantified by radiometry
      and h.p.l.c., respectively. 2. The co-oxygenation resulted in the production of
      reactive metabolites capable of protein binding as well as a series of soluble
      derivatives. 3. Co-oxygenation of benzo(a)pyrene yielded primarily a significant
      amount of benzo(a)pyrene-6,12-dione while benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol led to a
      significant amount of benzo(a)pyrene-trans-anti-tetrol. 4. Their production was
      abolished by addition of 25 microM of the lipoxygenase inhibitor and antioxidant
      NDGA. 5. It is postulated that the linoleic acid peroxyl radicals, formed by rat
      lung lipoxygenase, initiate the one-electron oxidation of benzo(a)pyrene to its
      quinones, and epoxidation of benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-diol to the ultimate carcinogenic
      benzo(a)pyrene-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxide.

PMID- 1413877
TI  - Hepatic mixed-function oxidases of ferret.
AB  - 1. Ferret liver mixed-function oxidase enzymes have been quantified using a
      variety of substrates and the activities have been compared with those found in
      rat liver. 2. Ferret liver total cytochrome P-450 is only 30% of that of rat
      liver and exhibits higher 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity, and
      lower lauric acid hydroxylase activity than rat liver; other mixed-function
      oxidases are at similar levels of activity in both species. 3. Induction with 3
      methylcholanthrene (MC), similar to MC-induction in rat, increases the total P
      450 of ferret liver by 140%, but does not increase P-450 reductase or microsomal
      protein. EROD specific activity (pmol/min per mg protein) is increased 20-fold by
      MC treatment. 4. Turnover number of EROD for control liver microsomes of ferret,
      hamster, mouse, guinea pig and rat were 460, 69, 44, 36 and 35 pmol/min per nmol
      P-450, respectively, indicating the much higher value for ferret than for any of
      the rodent species studied. 5. Ferret liver EROD activity is inhibited by the
      P4501A1 inhibitor, alpha-naphthoflavone. Use of monospecific antibodies in ELISA,
      Western blot and enzyme-inhibition techniques has shown that EROD activity in
      ferret liver is attributable to two enzyme proteins orthologous with rat liver
      cytochromes P4501A1 and 1A2, with the former predominating. MC induces both
      P4501A enzyme proteins in ferret liver, as in rat liver, with P4501A1 activity
      predominating.

PMID- 1413875
TI  - The interaction of phosphine with haemoglobin and erythrocytes.
AB  - 1. Phosphine progressively converts oxyhaemoglobin to methaemoglobin and
      hemichrome species, with the product formed being time- and concentration
      dependent. 2. The reaction of phosphine with oxyhaemoglobin leads to the
      formation of phosphite and phosphate. 3. Incubation of rat erythrocytes with
      various concentrations of phosphine results in the progressive uptake of
      phosphine by the erythrocytes in a temperature-dependent first-order process. 4.
      Uptake of phosphine by erythrocytes causes crenation, but conversion of
      oxyhaemoglobin to methaemoglobin and hemichrome could not be demonstrated.

PMID- 1413878
TI  - Metabolism of 2,6-dinitro[3-3H]toluene by human and rat liver microsomal and
      cytosolic fractions.
AB  - 1. 2,6-Dinitrotoluene (2,6-DNT) metabolism by human liver and male Fischer F344
      rat liver subcellular fractions under aerobic (100% oxygen) and anaerobic (100%
      nitrogen) incubation conditions was examined. Under aerobic conditions the major
      2,6-DNT metabolite formed by hepatic microsomes was 2,6-dinitrobenzyl alcohol
      (2,6-DNBalc); under anaerobic conditions 2-amino-6-nitrotoluene (2Am6NT) was the
      major metabolite. 2. Rates of 2,6-DNBalc formation by human and rat liver
      microsomes under aerobic conditions were 247 and 132 pmol/min per mg protein,
      respectively. Rates of 2Am6NT formation by human and rat liver microsomes under
      anaerobic conditions were 292 and 285 pmol/min per mg protein, respectively.
      Anaerobic reduction of 2,6-DNT to 2Am6NT by rat and human liver microsomes was
      inhibited by carbon monoxide and metyrapone, which indicates that microsomal
      metabolism of 2,6-DNT to 2Am6NT is mediated by cytochrome P-450. 3. Liver
      cytosolic fractions also metabolized 2,6-DNT to 2Am6NT under anaerobic
      conditions. Formation of 2Am6NT by human and rat liver cytosols was supported by
      hypoxanthine, NADPH and NADH. Allopurinol inhibited the hypoxanthine-supported
      anaerobic metabolism of 2,6-DNT by rat, but not human, liver cytosol. Dicumarol
      inhibited the NADPH-supported anaerobic metabolism of 2,6-DNT by human, but not
      rat, liver cytosol. These results indicate that xanthine oxidase contributes to
      the hypoxanthine-supported anaerobic metabolism of 2,6-DNT by human liver
      cytosol.

PMID- 1413879
TI  - A new carbamazepine metabolite in uraemic filtrate.
AB  - 1. After administration of carbamazepine (Tegretal) to an epileptic patient
      suffering also from uraemia, a previously unknown metabolite was detected in the
      haemofiltrate. It was identified as the 10,11-dihydro-10-hydroxy-carbamazepine-O
      beta-glucuronide. 2. Its identification was accomplished mainly by electron
      impact (EI), liquid secondary ion (LSI) mass spectrometry and n.m.r.
      spectroscopy.

PMID- 1413880
TI  - Lacidipine metabolism in rat and dog: identification and synthesis of main
      metabolites.
AB  - 1. The main metabolites of lacidipine were isolated from bile and plasma of rats
      and dogs following an oral dose of the 14C-labelled drug (10 mg/kg for rats: 2
      and 1 mg/kg for dogs). They were identified by comparison of chromatographic and
      spectral data with authentic reference compounds synthesized ad hoc. 2. Five
      metabolites (I-V) were isolated and identified in dog bile by gradient h.p.l.c.
      with u.v. detection and h.p.l.c.-thermospray mass spectrometry. In all
      metabolites the heterocyclic ring has been oxidized to pyridine. Further
      biotransformation reactions involved hydroxylation of the methyl substituents and
      hydrolysis of the ethyl and t-butyl ester groups to produce carboxylic acids and
      a lactone. Some of these metabolites also occurred as glucuronide conjugates. 3.
      A metabolite retaining the intact dihydropyridine ring, the des-ethyl analogue of
      lacidipine (VI), was isolated from rat plasma where it accounted for 60% of the
      total circulating radioactivity up to 24 h after administration. To characterize
      this metabolite, h.p.l.c. with photodiode array u.v. detection also was employed.
      This compound was detected in dog plasma, but there was no evidence of its
      presence in dog bile samples. 4. Profiles of circulating metabolites were
      qualitatively similar in rats and dogs. Identified metabolites accounted for the
      large majority of total radioactivity in all the analysed samples.

PMID- 1413881
TI  - Thioethers as urinary metabolites of thiophene and monobromothiophenes.
AB  - 1. Thiophene and its two monobromo derivatives were administered to rats and the
      amounts of thioether excreted in urine were measured by an assay based on
      Ellman's reagent. This assay, which involves extraction and hydrolysis, was
      validated by determining extraction and hydrolysis efficiencies for several
      authentic thioethers including N-acetyl-S-(2-thienyl)-L-cysteine, a previously
      reported metabolite of thiophene and 2-bromothiophene. 2. The thioethers present
      in urine of animals dosed with thiophenes have been examined chromatographically.
      Contrary to previous reports, the present work indicates that S-substituted, N
      acetyl-L-cysteines (mercapturic acids) are not important thioether metabolites of
      thiophene in rats, and the small quantity of such compounds formed does not
      include either of the two simple S-thienyl derivatives. 3. The two monobromo
      thiophenes form higher proportions of thioethers than does thiophene, and one of
      these thioethers, arising from 3-bromothiophene, was identified,
      chromatographically, as N-acetyl-S-(3-thienyl)-L-cysteine.

PMID- 1413882
TI  - Lactose conjugation of sulphonamide drugs in the lactating dairy cow.
AB  - 1. 14C-Sulphamethazine (4-amino-N-(4,6-dimethyl-2-pyrimidinyl)benzene-[U-14C]
      sulphonamide; 220 mg/kg of body weight) was given orally or i.v. to lactating
      dairy cows. Milk collected from 0-48 h after dosing accounted for 2.0% (oral
      dose) and 1.1% (i.v. dose) of the total 14C-activity administered. 2.
      Sulphamethazine accounted for 70-79% (oral dose) and 54-75% (i.v. dose) of the
      total 14C in milk samples collected from 0-48 h after dosing. N4
      acetylsulphamethazine accounted for 1-2% (oral dose) and 1-4% (i.v. dose) of the
      14C in milk. 3. The major 14C-labelled metabolite in the milk was isolated and
      identified as the N4-lactose conjugate of sulphamethazine, a unique type of
      metabolite not previously reported. This metabolite accounted for 10-14% (oral
      dose) and 9-20% (i.v. dose) of the 14C-activity in the milk collected from 0-48 h
      after dosing with 14C-sulphamethazine. 4. N4-lactose conjugates of
      sulphapyridine, sulphamerazine, sulphathiazole, sulphadimethoxine and
      sulphaquinoxaline were present in the milk from cows orally dosed with these five
      sulphonamide drugs.

PMID- 1413883
TI  - Sex difference in the excretion of zenarestat in mice, rats, dogs and humans.
AB  - 1. Mice show a sex difference in the excretion of zenarestat similar to that seen
      in rats, but dogs and humans show no significant sex difference. 2. Female rats
      and mice, and both sexes of dogs and humans, appear to possess an active
      secretory mechanism in the renal excretion of zenarestat, which is lacking or
      relatively inactive in male rats and mice.

PMID- 1413884
TI  - The metabolism of benzo(a)pyrene by English sole (Parophrys vetulus): comparison
      between isolated hepatocytes in vitro and liver in vivo.
AB  - 1. Metabolites and DNA adducts of 3H-benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) formed by isolated
      hepatocytes from English sole (Parophrys vetulus) in vitro were compared to those
      in bile and liver of sole exposed i.m. to 3H-BaP. 2. English sole liver was
      perfused with a collagenase solution and hepatocytes were isolated with greater
      than 95% viability. Determination of kinetic parameters for metabolism of 3H-BaP
      showed a Km of 29 +/- 10 microM and an apparent Vmax of 1300 pmol BaP
      metabolized/10(6) cells per h. 3. Analysis of medium from hepatocyte cultures and
      bile by ion-pair h.p.l.c. showed significant amounts of radioactivity in regions
      where glucuronide and glutathione conjugates of BaP metabolites elute. No
      sulphate conjugates of BaP metabolites were detected. The major unconjugated
      metabolite formed by hepatocytes was the BaP-9,10-dihydrodiol. 4. Hydrolysis of
      glucuronide conjugates by beta-glucuronidase and reversed-phase h.p.l.c. analysis
      of chloroform-soluble metabolites showed the presence of BaP-7,8-dihydrodiol, 1
      hydroxyBaP and 3-hydroxyBaP. The identities of these metabolites were confirmed
      by comparing their fluorescence spectra with those of standard BaP metabolites.
      5. Analysis by 32P-postlabelling of the BaP-DNA adducts formed in isolated
      hepatocytes and liver revealed that major adducts detected are derived from the
      anti-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxideBaP (anti-BaPDE) and syn-BaPDE. 6. Results show
      that the types of conjugated metabolites and BaP-DNA adducts formed in primary
      hepatocyte culture were similar to those in bile and liver of English sole
      exposed to BaP. Thus, isolated hepatocytes from English sole afford a reliable
      alternative to live fish for studies of the mechanisms of hepatic xenobiotic
      metabolism and DNA adduct formation in a species shown to be susceptible to
      induction of hepatocarcinogenesis by PAHs.

PMID- 1413885
TI  - The metabolism of 14C-tazadolene succinate in the dog.
AB  - 1. Beagle dogs dosed orally with 14C-tazadolene succinate excreted much of the
      dose in the urine (mean 63.1% in 5 days with most excreted in the first 24 h). A
      lesser proportion of the dose was excreted in the faeces (mean 20.7%) and again
      most of this was voided in the first 24 h. 2. Four metabolites were identified
      and quantified in the urine, namely 3-hydroxy-(M1), 4-hydroxy- (M2a), and 3
      methoxy-4-hydroxy-tazadolene (M2b) and N-[2-(phenylmethylene)cyclohexyl]-beta
      alanine (M3). 3. In the 24 h urine, M2a and b glucuronides accounted for 17.7%
      dose, unconjugated M2a and b for 11.3%, and M3 for 18.3%. Insufficient M1 was
      present to be quantified. The same metabolites were seen in the 24 h faeces, but
      at lower concn. Thus M2a and b glucuronides, M2a and b, and M3 were 3.2%, 4.9%
      and 3.5% dose respectively. 4. All three phenols were present in plasma as their
      glucuronides as well as the beta-alanine derivative. They all had the same tmax
      of 2 h and t1/2 lambda 1 of the order of 1 h.

PMID- 1413886
TI  - The metabolism of cypermethrin in man: differences in urinary metabolite profiles
      following oral and dermal administration.
AB  - 1. The pyrethroid insecticide cypermethrin was administered orally to six male
      volunteers as a single dose of 3.3 mg (cis: trans 1:1) and dermally to six
      volunteers at a dose of 31 mg/800 cm2 (cis:trans 56:44) as a soya oil-based
      formulation. Urine samples were collected for up to 5 days and analysed for the
      metabolites cis and trans 3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane
      carboxylic acid (DCVA), 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3PBA) and 3-(4'-hydroxyphenoxy)
      benzoic acid (4OH3PBA) following an acid hydrolysis procedure. 2. Following oral
      dosing approx. equal amounts of (cis+trans DCVA) and (3PBA+4OH3PBA) were excreted
      with peak excretion rates occurring between 8 and 24 h after dosing. The ratio of
      trans:cis DCVA was on average 2:1. Based on DCVA measurements the amount of
      cypermethrin absorbed was estimated to be between 27% and 57% (mean 36%) of the
      administered dose. 3. Peak urinary excretion rates of metabolites occurred
      between 12 and 36 h after dermal dosing. The amount of metabolites derived from
      the phenoxybenzyl moiety (3PBA+4OH3PBA) was on average 4 times greater than the
      amount of (cis+trans DCVA) recovered in urine. The ratio of trans:cis DCVA was,
      on average 1:1.2. Based on the recovery of the phenoxybenzyl metabolites it is
      estimated that 0.85-1.8% (mean 1.2%) of the administered cypermethrin was
      absorbed. 4. These studies demonstrate marked differences in the urinary
      metabolite profile by the two routes, and provide an improved basis for
      determining the extent and main route of absorption of cypermethrin under
      occupational exposure conditions.

PMID- 1413887
TI  - A potentially new metabolic pathway: ethyl esterification of acitretin.
AB  - 1. The acidic retinoid, acitretin, was esterified to etretinate (ethyl ester) by
      rat and human liver 12,000 g supernatant. The amount of etretinate formed was
      increased by adding ethanol to the rat preparation. 2. This esterification almost
      certainly involves enzymic catalysis, and the amounts of etretinate formed were
      increased by the use of fresh rat liver. 3. Co-administration of acitretin and
      ethanol to rats resulted in a maximum plasma concentration of etretinate at
      approximately 1 h after dosing. Secondary maxima were induced by administering
      ethanol alone at 5 and 8 h after dosing with acitretin. 4. Comparison of
      acitretin and etretinate concentrations in rat portal and jugular vein plasma
      after ethanol administration indicated that the ester was formed mainly
      systematically, rather than during absorption. 5. The results of our study in the
      rat could indicate that the presence of etretinate in plasma of some patients
      being treated with acitretin may result from the intake of alcohol.

PMID- 1413888
TI  - Morphogenic development of the pancreas in the staged human embryo.
AB  - The Carnegie stage is widely applied in the field of human embryology, and it is
      more logical to analyze the embryos by this stage than CR length or menstrual
      age. In this study, the early development of the pancreas is studied by tissue
      observation and reconstruction using serial sections of 33 human embryo ranging
      from Carnegie stages 11 to 23. The dorsal pancreas develops from the dorsal wall
      of the duodenum in stage 12, and the ventral pancreas from the proximal part of
      the cystic primordium in stage 13 or 14 as a single epithelial thickening, but in
      one case, as a bilateral thickening which contains some isolated spaces. The
      rotation of the ventral pancreas starts in stage 15, and completes in stage 17.
      Surrounding connective tissue differentiates in stage 18.

PMID- 1413889
TI  - Effect of peripheral nerve stimulation on the dorsal horn cell activity in cats
      with cutaneous inflammation.
AB  - There are some reports showing that an experience of long-enduring pain causes a
      change in the pain transmission system, suggesting a plastic nature of the
      nociceptive system. However, most of the studies concerning the analgesic effect
      of peripheral nerve stimulation dealt with normal animal or human subjects. So,
      the present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of peripheral nerve
      stimulation on the dorsal horn cell activity using a tonic pain model, which was
      made by producing a cutaneous inflammation. The main results are summarized as
      follows. 1) The evoked activity by electrical or natural stimulation as well as
      spontaneous activity was enhanced, and the receptive field size was also expanded
      by the inflammation. 2) Peripheral nerve conditioning stimulation reduced the C
      response of the dorsal horn cell in the normal and inflamed group, and the degree
      of inhibition between the two groups showed no significant difference. 3)
      Inhibition of the C-response of the dorsal horn cells by peripheral conditioning
      stimulation was completely reversed by naloxone in the inflamed group whereas
      there was a partial block in the normal group.

PMID- 1413890
TI  - Network analysis of Korean health insurance policy-making process.
AB  - This study examines how the decision-making process evolved in Korea during the
      initial phases of introduction and implementation of National Health Insurance.
      This study analyses the official documents and interviews views made with
      government officials and related personnel. We used the method of network
      analysis and multidimensional scaling in order to demonstrate how the major
      participants in the decision-making process developed and changed under the
      contemporary political situations. In the pre-implementation stage around 1976,
      major concerns were concentrated around the issues of financial support for
      social insurance, the fee schedule and who ought to be covered first. The total
      number of participants of the health or health-related organization was 61, which
      included the President, the Minister of Health and Social Affairs,
      representatives of special interest groups, etc. In the actual implementation
      period of 1982, different issues were brought up by the major participants. The
      number of participants in this period declined to 44 with the deletion of 19 and
      with the addition of two newly formed health insurance organizations. By 1988, as
      the implementation reached its final decision period, disagreements were centered
      on progressive premium rating and the administration of National Health
      Insurance. The number of participants increased to 60 after the addition of 16
      participants. The analysis of this paper may provide some insight for other
      countries which wish to establish National Health Insurance; as reference to the
      policy-making process, it may provide some suggestions for when to initiate and
      how to formulate National Health Insurance policies.

PMID- 1413891
TI  - Should all the N3 lymph nodes group metastasis be regarded as distant metastasis
      (M1) in curatively resected gastric cancer?
AB  - Recently, metastasis to N3 lymph nodes group was regarded as distant metastasis
      by the new TNM staging system due to poor overall survival. However, the 5-year
      overall survival rate of patients with metastasis to N3 groups was 34.5% after
      curative surgery. Moreover, in patients with metastasis to lymph node subgroups
      of #12, #13, #14, the overall 5-year survival rate increased upto 47.2% after
      curative resection and adjuvant chemotherapy. This was similar to that of the
      patients with metastasis to N1 and N2 lymph nodes groups. But in these highly
      tumor burden states, no survival benefit was found with the addition of
      immunotherapy to chemotherapy as we achieved in stage II and III. Therefore, we
      suggest that, at least, metastasis to #12, #13, #14 lymph nodes subgroups should
      not be categorized as a distant metastasis. And in these situations, active
      curative radical surgery with extended lymphadenectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy
      are recommended.

PMID- 1413892
TI  - Blood gas and electrolyte changes after tourniquet application in total knee
      replacement surgery.
AB  - The tourniquet is widely used in upper and lower extremity surgery in orthopedic
      practice. However, safe working guidelines for the application of the tourniquet
      are not clearly defined. The use of a tourniquet is an important step in
      performing total knee arthroplasty, and it seems plausible that mechanical damage
      is directly related to the height and the duration of the pressure of the
      tourniquet applied. Even the tourniquet pressure which is widely accepted in
      clinical practice, if it is applied for several hours, would permanently damage
      not only tissues directly under the tourniquet but also the muscles and the
      nerves distal to the tourniquet. The resultant ischemia to limb produces local
      changes including hypoxemia, acidosis and hyperkalemia. Relatively little is
      known about the systemic effects of tourniquet release when the patient is
      undergoing total knee replacement surgery under a general anesthesia. Therefore,
      we studied the systemic effects. The results were as follows: 1) Approximately
      five minutes after the tourniquet was released there was a statistically
      significant increase in mean heart rate.: 2) Serum potassium levels tended to
      increase significantly until five minutes while the serum sodium level rose
      significantly only one minute, and the lactate level rose significantly for only
      two minutes after tourniquet released; 3) PaCO2 increased for five minutes after
      tourniquet release and remained elevated for 30 minutes; 4) PaO2 did not change
      significantly two minutes after tourniquet release; 5) The mean pH dropped to
      7.34 and remained low for over five minutes.

PMID- 1413893
TI  - Luminal development of the eustachian tube and middle ear: murine model.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to describe the luminal development of the murine
      eustachian tube and middle ear. Thirty specimens, aging from gestational day 11
      to postnatal day 21, were investigated through the light microscopic
      observations. The present study also used digitizer, computer, and serially
      sectioned temporal bone specimens for three-dimensional reconstruction to measure
      the volume of the eustachian tube and middle ear cavity at different gestational
      and postnatal ages. The first pharyngeal pouch elongated during gestational day
      12 to form the tubotympanic recess. Between gestational day 13 and 14 this
      tubotympanic recess extended to the middle ear area. A rapid increment in the
      volume of the tubotympanic recess was noted between gestational day 15 and 16. At
      this age, a definite division of the tubotympanic recess into the eustachian tube
      and middle ear cavity was observed. During the postnatal period, the maximum
      change of the middle ear volume was noted on postnatal day 11 when the
      mesenchymal tissue in the middle ear cavity disappeared completely.

PMID- 1413894
TI  - Impact of clinical history on film interpretation.
AB  - We performed a study to determine whether clinical history gives a positive or
      negative influence on X-ray film interpretation. One hundred and nine patient's
      radiograms, consisting of 55 normal and 54 abnormal cases (136 abnormalities),
      were interpreted twice by three pairs of residents in radiology and a pair of
      qualified radiologists, without clinical history first and with clinical history
      next. The interpreters recorded diagnosis and confidence level of normal or
      abnormal findings on a six-point scale. Analysis of receiver operating
      characteristic (ROC) curves showed that knowledge of clinical history improved
      diagnostic accuracy. Residents, especially beginners, should be advised to obtain
      clinical history whenever they read radiograms.

PMID- 1413895
TI  - Surgical intervention in patients with aplastic anemia.
AB  - Eighteen surgical procedures have been performed on 14 cases of aplastic anemia
      (AA). Of the 10 major surgical procedures, 7 were emergency and 3 elective. The
      median duration from the diagnosis of AA to major surgery was 0.5 months (3 days
      47.3 months), and the median survival after surgery was 12.3 months (4 days-38
      months). The hematological status of AA at the time of major surgery were 3 in
      partial response (PR), 2 with no response (NR) and 5 at diagnosis, respectively;
      and those after major surgery were 2 with complete response (CR), 2 in PR, 1 with
      minimal response, and 2 in NR. Three postoperative complications were sepsis,
      pneumonia and atelectasis encountered in 2 cases. A total of 3 deaths were caused
      by infection and cancers. Considering the fact that surgery may not only control
      complications, but offer the opportunity to give effective therapy for AA and
      therefore improves chances for survival, it is strongly suggested that active
      surgical intervention should be performed if the patient's status is not
      terminal.

PMID- 1413896
TI  - Serum interleukin-6 in Kawasaki disease.
AB  - Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile illness of infancy and early childhood.
      In spite of extensive studies, the cause of KD is not known. Interleukin 6 (IL-6)
      has manyfold biological functions involved in the immune or inflammatory
      responses of the host to various stimuli. Here the author investigated whether IL
      6 might be responsible for manifestations of KD, such as immunoglobulin
      hypersecretion, lymphocyte activation and systemic vasculitis. Serum IL-6 levels
      in KD were determined by ELISA. Usually sera from healthy children contained only
      negligible levels of IL-6. Serum IL-6 was markedly elevated in all patients with
      acute KD, which gradually decreased during the course of the disease. Serum IL-6
      correlated with serum concentration of C-reactive protein and with serum soluble
      interleukin-2 receptor level, but did not show any correlation with peak platelet
      count during subacute phase of the disease. Increased serum IL-6 level did not
      show any relation to development of coronary aneurysms and dilatation. Further
      studies will be needed to examine the source and the pathogenetic roles of
      increased serum IL-6 in KD.

PMID- 1413897
TI  - Gastric varices: diagnosis with duplex Doppler ultrasonography--a case report.
AB  - The diagnosis of gastric varices may be difficult due to their anatomic location
      and morphology. In this abstract we describe a case of gastric varices, of which
      a duplex Doppler sonography was useful in the diagnosis, that was initially
      suggested as submucosal tumor of the stomach by barium studies and endoscopy.

PMID- 1413898
TI  - Congenital self-healing reticulohistiocytosis--report of a case of the solitary
      type and review of the literature.
AB  - A 2-month-old female infant presented with a single hemorrhagic crusted papule on
      the chin present since birth. No visceral involvement could be demonstrated. The
      lesion involuted spontaneously with scarring in 3 months. Mononuclear cells in
      the cutaneous infiltrate were Langerhans cells with typical Birbeck granules
      which positively stained with S-100 protein. This case is the solitary type of
      congenital self-healing reticulohistiocytosis.

PMID- 1413899
TI  - Radiotherapeutic management in carcinoma of the uterine cervix: GOG experience.

PMID- 1413900
TI  - [Stage classification of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma].

PMID- 1413901
TI  - [New aspects in the prevention and therapy of cytostatic drug-induced nausea and
      vomiting].

PMID- 1413902
TI  - [Clinical aspects, diagnosis and therapy of echinococcosis in the human].

PMID- 1413903
TI  - [Risks and prevention in orthotopic liver transplantation and persistent
      infection with hepatitis type B and type delta viruses].

PMID- 1413904
TI  - [Detection of Helicobacter pylori infections by antibody determination].

PMID- 1413905
TI  - [Sexual and contraceptive behavior of adolescents].

PMID- 1413906
TI  - [Medical care in Saxony between 1927 and 1924].

PMID- 1413907
TI  - [Obesity--pacemaker of the metabolic syndrome].

PMID- 1413908
TI  - [Disorders of lipid metabolism within the scope of the metabolic syndrome].

PMID- 1413910
TI  - [The lactulose challenge. Part 2. Importance of regulation of enteric bile acid
      circulation by lowering pH value for lithogenesis].

PMID- 1413909
TI  - [The lactulose challenge. Part 1. On the cholesterol lowering effect of
      lactulose].

PMID- 1413911
TI  - [Hyperuricemia and gout].

PMID- 1413912
TI  - [The metabolic syndrome--conclusions for general practice].

PMID- 1413913
TI  - [Surgery of intestinal arteries. Part 2: The chronic intestinal ischemia
      syndrome].

PMID- 1413914
TI  - [Determination of patients' blood glucose in ambulatory practice].

PMID- 1413915
TI  - [The incidence of abnormalities after flu epidemics].

PMID- 1413916
TI  - [Adolescents and computers: attitude, personality and motive for interaction].
AB  - This empirical study was undertaken to clarify controversial points emanating
      from previous theoretical and empirical papers dealing with apparently negative
      consequences on the personality development of young people who have at least a
      causal working-acquaintance with computers. We tested 174 persons of both sexes
      (age: 14-18 years) with a "Computer-Attitude-Questionnaire" and the
      "Mehrdimensionaler Personlichkeitstest fur Jugendliche" (Schmidt, 1981;
      "Multidimensional-Personality-Test"). A subgroup of 63 persons who have access to
      and do avail themselves of computers on a regular basis (as leisure-time
      activity) also answered the "Computer-Motive-Questionnaire". Statistical analyses
      revealed that the personality test-values of young people with a positive
      attitude toward computers range within the test-norm. The data for these people
      describe them as stress resistant, emotionally stable, well-balanced, sociable,
      achievement-oriented, and less aggressive.

PMID- 1413917
TI  - [Processing steps in perception of speech sounds].
AB  - The aim of this study is to investigate whether speech sounds--as is stated by
      the widely accepted theory of categorical perception of speech--can be perceived
      only as instances of phonetic categories, or whether physical differences between
      speech sounds lead to perceptual differences regardless of their phonetic
      categorization. Subjects listened to pairs of synthetically generated speech
      sounds that correspond to realizations of the syllables "ba" and "pa" in natural
      German, and they were instructed to decide as fast as possible whether they
      perceived them as belonging to the same or to different phonetic categories. For
      'same'-responses reaction times become longer when the physical distance between
      the speech sounds is increased; for 'different'-responses reaction times become
      shorter with growing physical distance between the stimuli. The results show that
      subjects can judge speech sounds on the basis of perceptual continua, which is
      inconsistent with the theory of categorical perception. A mathematical model is
      presented that attempts to explain the results by postulating two interacting
      stages of processing, a psychoacoustical and a phonetic one. The model is not
      entirely confirmed by the data, but it seems to deserve further consideration.

PMID- 1413918
TI  - [Biofeedback of slow brain potentials].
AB  - Slow cortical potentials constitute neurophysiological indicators of cortical
      excitability. Behaviorally they correlate with attention and motor preparation. A
      system for biofeedback and self-regulation of slow cortical potentials (SCP) has
      been developed. The portable system allows on-line visual feedback of filtered
      and corrected slow brain potentials in a predetermined sequence of trials. Three
      different algorithms for transforming the original SCP-signal into a feedback
      signal have been developed and were compared in a controlled outcome study. With
      the optimal feedback method subjects were able to produce cortical positivity and
      negativity on command after three sessions. Increases and decreases of negativity
      of up to 20 microV were also achieved. Therefore a simple and portable PC-based
      device for the clinical application of SCP-biofeedback is now available.

PMID- 1413919
TI  - [Characteristics of changes of personal odor after experimental bone marrow
      transplantation].
AB  - In an operant conditioning paradigm 4 Balb/c inbred strain mice were conditioned
      to discriminate between urine samples of two other inbred strains. The purpose
      was to examine whether or not the known stimulus configuration during training
      had any effect upon the rate of recognition of other stimuli. On the basis of
      this procedure, we subsequently investigated the extent to which an allogeneic
      bone marrow transplantation interferes with the olfactory identity of an
      individual. For the transplants a strain was inbred which had no contact to the
      animals tested, a procedure used for the first time here. Furthermore, also for
      the first time, it was possible to demonstrate in a direct comparison, the role
      played by donor versus recipient characteristics on the olfactory composition of
      the recipients odor.

PMID- 1413920
TI  - [Psychological variables and success of interpersonal coordination of motor
      performance tasks].
AB  - This paper examines which dispositional, cognitive and motivational variables
      will contribute to improved multi-person motor coordination. The study
      conceptually refers to a control-theoretical approach of continuous motor
      behavior. According to this approach interpersonal behavior should be determined
      by similar regulative processes as is individual behavior. Results of a
      laboratory study with 18 three-person groups support assumptions of this
      approach. Substantial effects on group performance are found for dispositional
      and motivational variables. Theoretical implications of the results obtained are
      discussed. Conclusions for applied issues are derived.

PMID- 1413921
TI  - [The effect of "stress hormones" on emotional sensitivity].
AB  - Stress is associated with an increased secretion of hormones from the
      hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal-axis (HPA-axis). Once released into the blood
      stream they induce a number of adaptive changes that may also have pertinence to
      brain functions, resulting, for example in alterations of mood. To provide
      evidence for a mediation of mood changes by stress related hormone secretion, the
      influences of a short-term administration of hormones of the HPA-axis on mood and
      activation were assessed in a total of 182 healthy men (aged between 18 and 34
      years in 7 experiments). Effects of intravenously administered hormones on self
      perceived mood and activation were assessed by a standardized adjective checklist
      (Eigenschaftsworterliste) in placebo-controlled, double-blind experiments during
      rest. Results indicated no effects following corticotropin releasing-hormone or
      cholecystokinin, but specific effects resulted after vasopressin, oxytocin, ACTH
      related hormones, and cortisol. Vasopressin and oxytocin increased activation and
      attenuated arousal and anger, ACTH-related hormones increased sensitivity and
      diminished extraversion, while cortisol increased activation and concentration.
      It is concluded that hormones of the HPA-axis specifically affect mood and
      activation. The pattern of hormonal changes in mood may have adaptive functions
      by preparing for behavioral and cognitive coping with stress.

PMID- 1413922
TI  - [Changes in spontaneous slow potentials and visually (flash) evoked potentials in
      response to stimuli with no performance implication].
AB  - The influence of spontaneous slow potential shifts (SPSs) on visual (flash
      )evoked potentials (VEPs) was studied. Eighteen subjects received 100 flashes.
      The sequence of interstimulus-intervals (ISIs) was pseudo-randomized. ISI
      durations were 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11 seconds. EEG was recorded from Fz, Cz, Pz and Oz
      with linked-mastoids as reference. EEG was EOG-corrected and VEPs were calculated
      for preceding positive SPSs. Averaging was done for local SPSs; VEP pairings as
      well as VEPs were calculated over occipital SPS-polarities. Results showed an
      influence of SPSs on VEP-amplitudes. Differences in amplitudes were interpreted
      with the 'activation-correction'-hypothesis and with the 'ceiling'-hypothesis.
      Negative SPSs were followed by smaller negative peaks, and positive SPSs were
      followed by smaller positive peak-amplitudes. Differences in latencies of N145
      P300 peak-to-peak amplitudes after SPSs of different polarity were explained with
      the threshold-regulation hypothesis. Spectral-analysis were done for SPS-data.
      There were only poor effects, showing increased parietal alpha 2-power after
      negative SPSs.

PMID- 1413923
TI  - [Modification of autoregulation of intrinsic physical processes in field
      dependent subjects: a study of performance in heart rate biofeedback].
AB  - Witkin, the founder of the concept of "field dependence", assumed that there is a
      relationship between field dependence and body perception. However, this
      hypothesis was never investigated experimentally in a well-controlled study.
      Twenty healthy subjects learned to increase and decrease their heart rate
      dependent upon two discriminative stimuli. In order to increase and decrease
      their heart rate they received exteroceptive feedback (movements of a rocket-ship
      on a video screen). Each trial lasted 6 s. The distance of the rocket-ship from a
      certain point indicated the amount of the achieved increase or decrease. Field
      dependent subjects scoring higher in field dependency as measured by the Embedded
      Figures Test were poorer at heart rate control on feedback and transfer trials
      (test trials with feedback removed) than were subjects scoring low in field
      dependency. This result may be of therapeutic interest in the application of
      behavioral medicine to psychosomatic and psychiatric disorders.

PMID- 1413924
TI  - [Unconscious induction of emotions and unintended change in behavior].
AB  - The problem of most mood induction procedures in psychological laboratories is
      located in their demand characteristics. The subjects either have to help change
      their mood actively, or are at best only passively aware of the induction
      process. To overcome the necessity of consciousness of the mood induction
      procedure we developed a technique based on the involuntary tendency to imitate
      the expression of perceived faces ("emotional infection"). Three different mood
      induction conditions--operationalized by means of happy, neutral, or sad pairs of
      faces, which had to be compared in spite of their age--were imbedded in an
      experiment disguised as, research in perception'. The results show mood
      influences only in the behavioral measures: Happy induced subjects wrote
      significantly faster than neutral and sad ones. In contrast, the self description
      data--measured via mood adjectives--showed no typical changes due to the
      induction condition. The subjects seemed to be unaware of the cause and the
      effect of their changed mood.

PMID- 1413925
TI  - [Endoscopic sclerosing of esophageal varices--technique, possibilities and limits
      of the method].
AB  - The paper intends to give a survey of the significance of endoscopic
      sclerotherapy in gastro-esophageal varices. The control of an acute bleeding can
      be achieved in a high percentage (70-95%). However, the hospital mortality has
      persisted in 30% depending on early rebleeding episodes and alterations in
      hepatic function. Controlled trials have confirmed a lowering of rebleeding risk
      as well as an improved survival by repeated sclerotherapy. The effectiveness of
      prophylactic sclerosing before the first bleeding is uncertain because of
      contrary results published. A prophylactic application seems to be favourable in
      patients at high risk of bleeding only.

PMID- 1413926
TI  - [Incidence of local complications after heart catheter studies and their imaging
      with intravenous digital subtraction angiography: a retro- and prospective
      study].
AB  - Frequency of local complications following punction of the femoral artery aimed
      to cardiac catheterisation has been checked with 1051 patients retrospectively as
      well as 300 patients prospectively. Intravenous DSA was carried out when symptoms
      like stenotic murmurs, pulsations, hematoma, swelling or resistance within the
      concerned inguinal region appeared with suspicion diagnose of pseudoaneurysm,
      arteriovenous fistula or any other complications of vessels. The retrospective
      study reviewed a rate of complications of 1.62% and the prospective study a rate
      of 2.7%. The study reviewed that by using of DSA-checkings during a time period
      of 4 up to 10 month later no rest aneurysm or AV-fistula could be proved. That
      means a spontaneous thrombose took place with patients without operation
      indication. Significant connections were found between clinical pathological
      findings next to the position of punction and the occurrence of local
      complications. The single symptoms like stenotic murmurs or large hematoma are
      statistically proved indications to a complication of vessel. There is no
      connection between findings like pseudoaneurysm or AV-fistula and small hematomas
      next to the punction position. The intravenous DSA has been proved as easy and
      proof method with a small quantity of complications for the inclusion and
      differentiation of local complications following punction of the artery femoral.

PMID- 1413927
TI  - [Ventilation and hemodynamics as control parameters of spa treatment].
AB  - Physical endurance training as practised at spas in the active treatment of
      hypertension will usually result in an increase in oxygen supply reserves and
      will also improve haemodynamics, so that it could help in objectively identifying
      the success of cardiovascular treatment. For this reason we conducted a bicycle
      ergometer load test in recumbent position in a group of 23 male hypertensives in
      stages I and II (age between 25 and 58 years) before and after a treatment course
      at a spa of 4 to 5 weeks' duration. The measurement parameters were ECG, blood
      pressure, cardiac output and the ventilatory parameters tidal volume, oxygen
      uptake, respiratory equivalent and respiratory quotient. Significant blood
      pressure reductions were seen if the load did not exceed 75 watts. The treatment
      course had a definite influence on cardiac output at rest and under stress. The
      treatment course achieves reduction and largely also normalisation of the tidal
      volume which is otherwise higher than in healthy persons. No influence is
      exercised on the respiratory equivalent. Reduction of the tidal volume and of the
      oxygen uptake, as well as reduction of the respiratory quotient after the
      treatment course can be interpreted as an improvement in the economy of the
      cardiovascular system. The ventilatory parameters are only conditionally suitable
      for arriving at an objective assessment of the curative effect of the treatment
      course.

PMID- 1413928
TI  - [Population screening on a population level in Leipzig within the scope of the
      Bavarian cholesterol project].
AB  - Cholesterol determinations of 15.391 inhabitants of Leipzig were carried out in
      November 1990 within the Bavarian Cholesterol-Screening-Project. The aim of this
      screening on population basis was to identify individuals with elevated blood
      cholesterol levels as one of the risk factors of atherosclerosis. Capillary blood
      cholesterol was measured by means of the Reflotron dry-chemistry system
      (Boehringer, Mannheim). 27% of the inhabitants of Leipzig show cholesterol levels
      lower than 5.2 mmol/l as recommended by the European Society of Atherosclerosis
      Research. Furthermore the characteristic age dependence is seen. In comparison
      with the town Nurnberg lower mean cholesterol values were found in Leipzig.

PMID- 1413930
TI  - [Developmental trends in the malpractice process. II: Legal process and legal
      malpractice].

PMID- 1413929
TI  - [Selection modalities in the history of the medical faculty of the Halle
      University. II. The 19th century].
AB  - Up to the 19th century a university chair was offered to a physician, surgeon or
      researcher at the Department of Medicine of the University of Halle mainly by
      means of a decree issued by the Government or state. The statutes of the
      Departments of Medicine of different universities were revised and updated in the
      19th century, providing for a little more leeway in respect of such calls to a
      university, giving the universities a right to suggest to the relevant ministers
      as to who, in their opinion, should receive a call to the chair of professor or
      assistant professor. Examples taken from the history of the university of Halle,
      however, show that this freedom of action was rather limited and that royal or
      government decrees had to be carried out even if they contradicted the conceded
      right to nomination.

PMID- 1413931
TI  - [Physician's rights--what are they?].

PMID- 1413932
TI  - Long-term results of treatment of malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the
      stomach.
AB  - Our experience with 66 endoscopic-bioptic diagnosed malignant non-Hodgkin's
      lymphomas (NHL) showed that in most of them (57 of 66 patients) a tumor stage IE
      or IIE was present. All 57 primary gastric lymphomas were B-cell-lymphomas
      arising from the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT). After curative primary
      gastric resection in stage IE and IIE the 5-year survival rate was 81%, and the 5
      years lymphoma-related survival rate was 88%. These results are superior to those
      reported in the literature. The following two points are probably of importance
      for improving the prognosis: early diagnosis made possible by better knowledge of
      the infiltrative-flat type of tumor growth (38 out of 57 patients, including 23
      cases in which infiltration was limited to mucosa and submucosa = "early
      lymphoma"), and extensive preoperative staging. The infiltrative-flat type, which
      is difficult to diagnose endoscopically, usually shows low-grade malignancy on
      histology (76%; in early lymphoma 83%) and has an excellent prognosis when
      submitted to surgery. In our experience the question as to whether additional
      treatment by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy improves the prognosis of NHL of
      the stomach remains unanswered and further studies are needed.

PMID- 1413933
TI  - [The time requirement for endoscopic diagnosis and therapy: results of a
      multicenter study].
AB  - For evaluation of the time requirements for endoscopic diagnostic and therapeutic
      procedures data of 13,321 patients gathered from 155 endoscopic units were
      collected. Time requirements were calculated for preparation of the procedure,
      examination and after-care of patients and instruments. The data indicate, that
      time requirement is significantly influenced by the special procedure. Therefore,
      calculation of the time requirement of an individual unit needs exact
      consideration of the frequency of different procedures. Only cleaning of
      instruments by washing machines could be shown to reduce time requirement.
      Education of endoscopists was demonstrated to be time intensive. Age (exemption
      children) sex of patients and video-endoscopy did not effect duration of
      procedures.

PMID- 1413934
TI  - [Gallbladder motility in diabetic patients with and without cardiovascular
      neuropathy].
AB  - In 50 diabetic patients without gallstones, including 26 patients with
      cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction, and 60 normal volunteers the fasting volume
      and volume reduction of the gallbladder after a liquid fatty meal were determined
      ultrasonically in intervals of ten minutes up to one hour. Simultaneously the
      gastric emptying of the liquid meal was followed by ultrasound imaging. Despite
      an association of other complications of diabetic disease (peripheral neuropathy,
      retinopathy) with autonomic cardiovascular dysfunction, an altered gallbladder
      resting volume or impaired fat-induced volume reduction was not evident in this
      group of patients when compared the diabetics without cardiovascular dysfunction
      or controls. The time to reach the minimal residual gallbladder volume was only
      tendentiously prolonged in diabetics with autonomic cardiovascular dysfunction.
      The residual volume of the stomach showed no significant difference between the
      three study groups using a liquid test meal. In conclusion neuropathic
      dysfunction of the gallbladder is unlikely to play a major pathogenetic role in
      the development of gallstones in diabetic patients.

PMID- 1413935
TI  - [Routine gastroscopy before laparoscopic cholecystectomy: evaluation of the
      technology in 376 patients].
AB  - We performed endoscopy of the upper digestive tract in 376 patients before
      elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Abnormalities were found in 60 (15.9%); 14
      patients had peptic ulcers, 15 gastric erosions, and 11 oesophagitis. Because of
      endoscopic findings 30 patients were treated medically and 2 by endoscopic
      polypectomy. Endoscopy lead us to cancel cholecystectomy in 4 patients; in 2 the
      complaints have persisted. Patients with abnormal endoscopic findings showed few
      significant differences in 40 variables (history and symptoms) compared with
      patients with normal findings. The incidence of ulcers, erosions or oesophagitis
      in patients over 72 years of age without loss of weight was 28.6%, compared with
      an overall incidence of 10.6%. Endoscopy confined to this group of patients,
      however, would have shown only 15% of all lesions. Consequently these predictors
      for endoscopic abnormalities had no practical benefit. Technology assessment
      according to the criteria of Fineberg et al. showed a health improvement for only
      2 patients (0.5%). We conclude that routine endoscopy before laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy is not clinically useful in patients with symptomatic gallstone
      disease. This is exclusively related to patients with typical gallstone symptoms
      according to our definition.

PMID- 1413936
TI  - Sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis: differential diagnosis to peritoneal
      encapsulation and abdominal cocoon--a case report.
AB  - A 59 year old man presented with symptoms of partial bowel obstruction. Small
      bowel x-ray studies did not allow to identify the nature of the intestinal
      process in the upper ileum. At laparotomy small bowel encapsulation with a
      whitish membrane was encountered. Despite partial removal of this membrane small
      bowel obstruction persisted and two weeks postoperatively the patient died of
      peritonitis and cardiac insufficiency. Autopsy findings revealed massive fibrous
      adhesions in the abdomen with granulomatous inflammation. The presence of foreign
      body giant cells and bifringent crystals were characteristic for talcum powder.
      The latter suggested a causal role of an appendectomy 45 years earlier. The
      diagnosis of sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis as established in our patient
      needs to be separated from peritoneal encapsulation, a congenital malformation,
      and abdominal cocoon, which contains histological elements of inflammation. This
      case report should draw attention to these entities in the differential diagnosis
      and surgical management of small bowel obstruction.

PMID- 1413937
TI  - Splenic hematoma in acute pancreatitis. Role of coagulation disorders.
AB  - Splenic hematomas are infrequent complications of acute pancreatitis. In some
      cases, local factors that may play a role in the pathogenesis of the hematoma
      (thrombosis of the splenic artery or veins, intrasplenic pseudocysts, perisplenic
      adhesions, enzymatic digestion) are found. In the absence of local factors, the
      etiology of splenic hemorrhage remains unknown. We report two cases of splenic
      hematoma occurring during an acute necro-hemorrhagic pancreatitis associated with
      renal failure that required renal replacement therapy (hemodialysis and
      continuous arteriovenous hemodialysis). In both cases, more than half of splenic
      parenchyma was affected by multiple infarctions. No local factors responsible for
      the splenic abnormalities were detected in either case. Thrombosis of the splenic
      arterial microcirculation and a coagulation disorder consistent with disseminated
      intravascular coagulation was detected in one patient. In the second patient,
      coagulation disorders secondary to either liver disease, pancreatitis and its
      septic complications, or extracorporeal circuit heparinization for renal
      replacement therapy were present. Coagulation disorders should be considered
      whenever a splenic hematoma is found in a patient with acute pancreatitis.
      Disseminated intravascular coagulation may be the etiology of a splenic hematoma
      in acute pancreatitis.

PMID- 1413938
TI  - [Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis].
AB  - Patients with liver cirrhosis and ascites suffer from spontaneous bacterial
      peritonitis (SBP) in up to 25%. The typical clinical signs are abdominal pain
      with tenderness and fever. 30% have no signs of peritonitis. Then clinical
      worsening, encephalopathy, rising serum creatinine levels, and therapy resistant
      ascites may be the only clinical features. SBP must be differentiated from
      bacterascites and culture negative neutrocytic ascites by the polymorphonuclear
      neutrophil (PMN) count in the ascites and the presence of positive culture
      results, which has prognostic implications. Gram negative rods from the colon
      play an important etiological role in SBP. Gastrointestinal bleeding, lack of
      serum complement, a low ascites protein and the extent of intrahepatic shunts
      predispose to SBP. Then, prophylaxis with the comparable drugs neomycin and
      norfloxacin is indicated. Coexisting encephalopathy has to be treated by the
      therefore effective neomycin. Otherwise, norfloxacin is the drug of choice
      because of better acceptance and lower costs. Chemical parameters of the ascites
      (pH value less than 7.4; LDH and lactate greater than serum levels; glucose less
      than 50 mg%) help to assess the severity of peritonitis. The course of ascitic
      PMN under therapy and the time of persisting positive cultures can discriminate
      SBP from secondary peritonitis. Antibiotics of choice are amoxicillin-clavulanic
      acid and cefotaxime. Short course therapy (5 days) is a effective as long course
      therapy (10 days). Today SBP is no more life-threatening because diagnosis,
      prophylaxis and therapy have improved. However, complication rate of patients
      with liver cirrhosis and ascites has not changed.

PMID- 1413939
TI  - [Formal decision aids in gastroenterology--results of a survey].
AB  - Formal decision aids such as scores, decision-trees and expert systems, are
      recommended for supporting research and daily clinical work. In the field for
      gastroenterology it is unknown, to which degree these tools are accepted and
      applied in clinical routine. We therefore conducted a mail survey in order to
      find out whether clinical gastroenterologists know, use or want formal decision
      aids. To all clinical members of a german gastroenterological scientific society
      (Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Verdauungs- und Stoffwechselkrankheiten, n = 584) an
      information leaflet and a questionnaire was sent. The form contained questions
      about use, knowledge and requests with respect to decision-aids in
      gastroenterology and concerning the attitude to computerized decision-aids in
      general. 584 clinicians received the questionnaire, 215 sent it back for analysis
      (39%). Formal decision-aids were used by half of the survey participants (56%),
      mainly three scores (Child-Pugh, Best and other indices for inflammatory bowel
      disease, Ranson) and four classifications (TNM, Forrest, Savary-Miller, Paquet).
      Computer-based formal decision-aids (e.g. expert systems) were used by a
      minority. Clinicians, who applied formal decision-aids stated more frequently a
      request for further decision-aids (72%) than those who did not (46%). A
      considerable part of the survey participants believed that computerized decision
      aids will come into clinical routine (52%) and will improve education (37%) and
      clinical practice (35%). 88% were convinced, that decision-aids should be tested
      in controlled clinical trials before a clinical use can be recommended. There is
      a discrepancy between propagation of formal decision-aids and it's clinical use.
      Only a few scores and classifications are used in clinical routine.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413940
TI  - [Motilin and motilides--future perspectives for therapy of gastrointestinal
      motility disorders].

PMID- 1413941
TI  - [What factors modify the condition of the newborn infant in emergency cesarean
      section?].
AB  - Based on 207 emergency caesarean sections carries out in 66 maternity units in
      North Rhine Westphalia, the condition of the newborns (pH, UA and Apgar-index
      after 1 minute) was examined focusing the dependence of these variables from the
      time management (5 time factors were analysed). Rank-correlation coefficients
      according to SPEARMAN were calculated and a stepwise multiple regression analysis
      was performed. We found a significant (P less than 0.005) positive correlation on
      the one hand between the preparation time for the caesarean-section (time 1) and
      the actual pH (UA) and on the other hand between the total time (decision to
      perform a caesarean section up to the delivery of the baby (time 3)) and the
      actual pH, UA. No significant correlation was found between the time-factors and
      the Apgar-index (1 min). As the correlations are positive, this means that very
      low pH values are associated with short time intervals and high pH values with
      longer time intervals respectively. We concluded, that in case of an emergency
      caesarean section the urgency of the emergency itself controls and determines the
      time management. The spatial situation in each hospital which is reflected in the
      time factors 4 and 5 seems to be of less important for the overall result.

PMID- 1413942
TI  - [Diagnosis and therapy of hemodynamic disorders. A contribution to the management
      of pregnancies with threatened premature labor].
AB  - 114 pregnant women (without multiple pregnancies) with premature labour were
      examined in a randomized prospective study. Pulsatility index (PI) in the uterine
      artery and fetal thoracic aorta was the parameter we used for the examination,
      the determination of which was done with doppler sonography at the time of
      hospital admission. Therapy with beta-sympathomimetics alone or additionally
      either Oxygen inhalation therapy or transcutaneous dorsal nerve stimulation were
      conducted and the pulsatility index was controlled at intervals of one and two
      weeks after initiation of the aforementioned therapy. The negative correlations
      which we determined between pulsatility index and prolongation of duration of
      pregnancy, gestational age at the time of delivery and birth weight were
      significant. This confirms the clinical importance of maternal perfusion already
      at the time of admission for the clinical end-results. Similarly significantly
      negative correlations between pulsatility index of uterine vessels, weight
      percentile of the corresponding newborns and antenatal CTG scores (Fischer)
      verify the close connections between the hemodynamic, nutritional and respiratory
      partial functions of the fetoplacento-maternal unit. The clinical results after
      normalization of an impaired perfusion were found to be improved significantly
      after a combined therapy with beta-sympathomimetics and transcutaneous dorsal
      nerve stimulation (TNS) as compared with beta-sympathomimetic therapy alone.
      These results justify the recommendation that doppler sonographic measurements of
      utero-placental perfusion can be used for the diagnostic and therapeutic concept
      in pregnancies with premature labour.

PMID- 1413944
TI  - [Unpreventable effects of neonatal intensive care on the later development of
      extremely small premature infants].
AB  - This review of the literature presents the pooled data from several perinatal
      centers throughout the world published during the last three years. It regards
      the longterm prognosis of extremely low birthweight infants (less than 1000 g).
      Since the introduction of neonatal intensive care the mortality rate dropped from
      greater than 90% to less than 50%. On the other hand the morbidity rate improved
      only slowly. Recent reports from the Anglo-American literature show that among
      the survivors 13.7% are seriously and 25.1% mildly handicapped. 60-70% of the
      extremely low birthweight infants, despite of normal IQ's, are experiencing
      school problems. Most of them have cognitive, perceptual and motor deficits
      combined with behaviour problems ("the new morbidities"). The incidence of
      cerebral palsy remained unchanged (6-8%) over the last two decades. Until now,
      there is no significant effect of the surfactant therapy on the morbidity rate.
      The rate of serious longterm disability increases with decreasing birthweight.
      The results of the Anglo-American and German follow-up studies differ only
      slightly.

PMID- 1413943
TI  - [The effect of bovine surfactant in premature infants with respiratory distress
      syndrome. Results of an open, multicenter study].
AB  - We investigated the effects of a bovine surfactant (SF-RI 1, Alveofact) in very
      low birth weight infants (VLBW, b.w. 500-1500 g) with established respiratory
      distress syndrome (RDS; definition: FiO2 greater than or equal to 0.6 or peak
      inspiratory pressure greater than 22-28 cm H2O). Fifty mg/kg b.w. bovine
      surfactant was administered intratracheally as a bolus, if the acute response was
      unsatisfactory (FiO2 greater than 0.5), further administrations of surfactant up
      to a maximum cumulative dose of 200 mg/kg b.w. were permitted. One hundred and
      sixty-four VLBW infants (gestational age 28.0 +/- 2 wks; b.w. 1054 +/- 251 g;
      mean +/- SD) with a mean FiO2 of 0.84 +/- 0.15 were enrolled in the study.
      Maximum improvement in oxygen requirements was observed 1/2 h post administration
      (FiO2 0.53 +/- 0.22); incidence of complications during the neonatal period:
      pulmonary interstitial emphysema 26%, pneumothorax 10%, patent ductus arteriosus
      37%, intracranial hemorrhage 47%. The overall survival rate was 61%, survival
      rate without bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) was 47%. A multiple regression
      analysis was performed in order to identity factors determining survival without
      BPD (p less than or equal to 0.05). We observed a positive correlation for
      gestational age and birth weight and a negative correlation for pretreatment
      oxygen requirements. For further optimizing surfactant-therapy in VLBW infants
      with RDS, studies are mandatory using intervention criteria at lower FiO2-values
      and higher initial doses of bovine surfactant.

PMID- 1413945
TI  - [Umbilical cord complications as a cause of intrauterine fetal death].
AB  - In a group of 71 intrauterine fetal deaths in monozygotic pregnancies, umbilical
      cord complications were the cause of death in 11 cases (16%). These included 5
      umbilical knots, 3 loops, and one case each of torsion with constriction,
      umbilical prolapse and velamentous insertion (with rupture of the umbilical
      vessels). The relative importance of these umbilical complications is pointed out
      and discussed in regard to clinical and pathological factors.

PMID- 1413946
TI  - [Effects of prostaglandin E1 analogs on the cervix--observations with vaginal
      sonography].
AB  - In this study participated 17 patients, in whose pregnancies not viable
      malformations or intrauterine deaths were diagnosed. The termination of the
      pregnancies was done with PG-E-1 suppositories Gemeprost (Cergem) 1 mg.
      Collectively the patients received 3 Cergem suppositories applicated all 3 hours.
      Before beginning therapy and every 4-6 hours a vaginosonography was done. The
      cervical changes under the influence of Gemeprost were documented
      vaginosonographically. The measurements before Gemeprost treatment showed an
      average cervical length of 44.2 +/- 6.3 mm, a width of 29.5 +/- 1.7 mm and an
      internal os of 2.5 +/- 0.5 mm. The results of the second ultrasound showed a
      length of 30.6 +/- 4.1 mm, a width of 32.3 +/- 2.5 mm and an internal os of 7.0
      +/- 3.0 mm. The last measurements (ca. 107 minutes before abortion) showed a
      remaining of cervical length of 15.2 +/- 4.5 mm, a width of 41.5 +/- 4.6 mm, an
      internal os of 19.2 +/- 4.1 mm and the amniotic membranes bulged into the
      cervical channel.

PMID- 1413947
TI  - [Cervix reconstruction after amniotic fluid puncture in amniotic sac prolapse in
      the second trimester].
AB  - The possibility and the problems of an surgical technique because of cervical
      insufficiency in the 2. trimester with a hourglass amniotic prolapse is shown in
      three cases. A new concept including amniocentesis and doubleclerclage is
      developed with a wide physiological reconstruction of the cervix and its
      occlusion mechanism at the inner and outer cervix. We show an alternative to
      previous surgical techniques that makes a prolongation of the pregnancy possible
      and causes additionally because of the minimal surgical procedure no disadvantage
      for the cervical function in coming pregnancies. Small surgical strain, quick
      surgical procedure and simultaneously continue of diagnostic possibilities as
      well as the reconstructive technique with small trauma of the cervical tissue are
      the advantages of this method.

PMID- 1413948
TI  - Quality of life in long-term survivors of orthotopic heart transplantation.
AB  - This study was designed to evaluate quality of life and life changes after heart
      transplantation in long-term survivors, to compare the patients' results with
      those obtained from healthy subjects of similar age, and to correlate quality of
      life with psychological and clinical variables. Questionnaires were mailed to all
      43 adult German-speaking transplant patients operated between 1982 and 1986.
      Forty-one (95%) of this patient population completed the questionnaires; 52
      controls answered those questions not addressing transplant-specific issues. 83%
      of the transplant patients versus 88% of the controls rated global quality of
      life as "good" or "excellent". Psychological affect and well-being were
      comparable in both groups. 70% of the transplant patients versus only 30% of the
      controls stated "to be bothered by symptoms". Despite that response, heart
      transplant recipients perceived postoperative life changes mostly as positive,
      although sexual function and professional situation had worsened in 34% and 41%,
      respectively. Global quality of life correlated best with job satisfaction (r =
      0.65, p less than 0.01), satisfaction about health (r = 0.64, p less than 0.01),
      well being (r = 0.53, p less than 0.01), and everyday life function (r = 0.53, p
      less than 0.01), and correlated negatively with depression (r = -0.40) and
      physical symptoms (r = -0.36). The study shows that the subjective quality of
      life of long-term survivors after heart transplantation is similar to that of
      healthy individuals of the same age group. Thus, survival is certainly not the
      only indicator of success; aspects of quality of life must also be included in
      cost effectiveness and/or cost benefit considerations in transplantation
      policies.

PMID- 1413949
TI  - [Electrocardiographic diagnosis of acute graft rejection after heart
      transplantation].
AB  - In order to evaluate the diagnostic value of standard-ECG (ST-ECG) and precordial
      mapping-ECG with 63 unipolar leads (PM-ECG) for detection of acute cardiac
      allograft rejection, 15 patients (12 male, 3 female; age range 24-64 years) were
      studied. ST-ECG and PM-ECG were recorded along with 94 endomyocardial biopsies.
      Twenty-four acute rejections were detected histologically. Using the ST-ECG, a
      reduction of the QRS-amplitude-sum (lead I, II, III, V1 and V6) greater than or
      equal to 5% in comparison with the ECG obtained 1 week before was found to be the
      best diagnostic criterion (sensitivity 63%, specificity 74%, positive predictive
      value 48%, negative predictive value 85%). By analysing the PM-ECG a drop of the
      QRS-amplitude greater than or equal to 12% in greater than or equal to 14/63
      precordial leads was determined to be the most reliable parameter (sensitivity
      79%, specificity 71%, positive predictive value 49%, negative predictive value
      91%). In contrast to the high sensitivity of PM-ECG, ST-ECG was less suitable for
      detection of acute rejection. However, taking into account the high negative
      predictive value of PM-ECG, acute rejection could be excluded with high
      probability, if the QRS-amplitudes of the PM-ECG remained stable. This may lead
      to a lower frequency of routinely performed endomyocardial biopsies.

PMID- 1413950
TI  - [Magnetic resonance tomography image of transmural myocardial infarct in
      comparison with 99mTc-methoxyisobutylisonitrile SPECT].
AB  - To assess the ability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to identify morphologic
      and functional abnormalities associated with transmural anterior and inferior
      myocardial infarction, 18 patients with anterior myocardial infarcts and 11
      patients with inferior myocardial infarcts confirmed by ECG and cine
      ventriculography underwent gradient-echo MRI of transverse and short-axis imaging
      planes. Myocardial perfusion of corresponding imaging planes was measured by
      99mTc-methoxyisobutyl-isonitrile single-photon emission computed tomography (MIBI
      SPECT). Transmural scar by MRI was defined as diastolic wall thickness 2.5 SD
      below corresponding normal values of a healthy control group (n = 21). MIBI-SPECT
      scar was defined as a MIBI uptake less than 2.5 SD below mean values of a healthy
      control group (n = 11). By MIBI-SPECT, 231 segments contained normal tissue and
      161 contained scarred myocardium. In 352/392 (90%) segments gradings based on
      diastolic wall thickness and MIBI-SPECT gradings were identical. Diastolic wall
      thickness was significantly higher in normal than in scarred MIBI-SPECT segments
      (10.3 +/- 1.5 vs 5.2 +/- 2 mm, p less than 0.0001). Additionally, normal segments
      by MIBI-SPECT showed significantly higher systolic wall thickening than scar
      segments (5.5 +/- 1.5 vs 0.6 +/- 1.6 mm, p less than 0.0001). The correlation
      between MRI and MIBI-SPECT assessed infarct size was r = 0.91 for anterior and r
      = 0.77 for inferior myocardial infarcts. The agreement between MIBI-SPECT
      perfusion defect size and regions with reduced diastolic wall thickness on MRI
      tomograms was significantly better for anterior myocardial infarcts than for
      inferior myocardial infarcts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413951
TI  - [Indium-111 or Tc-99m-HMPAO marked granulocytes as specific markers of florid
      stage endocarditis--results comparing clinical, histological and scintigraphic
      findings in 30 patients with suspected endocarditis].
AB  - Thirty patients with clinically suspected infective endocarditis were scanned
      with Indium-111- or Tc-99m-HM-PAO-labeled granulocytes. The scans were correlated
      with the clinical course, and in 20 cases with the results from histologic
      examination of the valves. In six cases the scintigraphic examination gave
      correct positive results, in three cases false negative, in one case a false
      positive, and in 20 cases correct negative results. If we limit the analysis to
      only the histologically proven cases, our data suggest a specificity of the
      method of 86% and a sensitivity of about 67%.

PMID- 1413952
TI  - [Initial clinical trial of a multi-planar transesophageal echoscope].
AB  - The prototype of a multiplanar transesophageal echocardiographic transducer was
      evaluated clinically. This 5 MHz, phased array, 64-element transducer allows to
      continuously rotate the imaging plane from the transverse (0 degree) position to
      a maximal 180 degrees position, thus encompassing transverse, longitudinal, and
      every intermediate position. The transducer is incorporated in the echoscope tip
      measuring 16 by 11 by 40 mm. The shaft of the instrument is 110-cm long and has a
      9-mm diameter. The instrument has pulsed wave, continuous wave, and color Doppler
      capabilities. 176 clinical patients were examined with the multiplane transducer.
      No complications occurred. Advantages of this transducer included: 1)
      comprehensive scanning of the whole mitral circumference and mitral valve; 2)
      quick and precise alignment of aortic valve long and short axis views, including
      long axis views of the ascending aorta, with a mean visualized length of 6 cm; 3)
      improved imaging and evaluation of transvalvular and paravalvular regurgitant
      jets in mitral and aortic valve prostheses; 4) complete evaluation of all left
      ventricular segments using multiple planes from transgastric and transesophageal
      transducer positions. An important potential application is three-dimensional
      reconstruction of cardiac structures and color Doppler jets.

PMID- 1413953
TI  - [Morphology of aortic isthmus stenosis--invasive study using intravascular
      ultrasound].
AB  - In patients with coarctation of the aorta, intravascular ultrasound can yield
      important additional diagnostic information concerning stenosis morphology and
      aortic wall structure that, thus far cannot be obtained with conventional
      angiography. For the first time, we were able to visualize, in vivo, the
      eccentric thickening of the posterior aortic wall, which is the typical
      morphological finding in patients with coarctation of the aorta, known from post
      mortem or intraoperative specimens. The additional information about stenosis
      morphology and aortic wall structure, obtained with intravascular ultrasound, is
      especially valuable for the newer interventional therapy of balloon angioplasty.
      With intravascular ultrasound, not only the direct quantitative assessment of the
      aortic cross-sectional luminal area, but also the immediate visualization of
      local dissections and aneurysms is possible. Using special angioplasty catheters
      with integrated ultrasonic crystals (which are currently under manufacturing
      development), a step-wise dilation with immediate evaluation of the therapeutical
      success may improve the short- and long-term results of balloon angioplasty. At
      present, intravascular ultrasound is still only an additional diagnostic tool. If
      it is combined with interventional balloon angioplasty, however, it could gain
      increasing clinical importance for the treatment of aortic coarctation in the
      near future.

PMID- 1413954
TI  - [Control of catheters in coronary angiography--resistance to torsion in the
      aortic arch].
AB  - A curved catheter, unlike a straight catheter, cannot be rotated around its
      longitudinal axis without resistance. In a curved catheter section, the torsion
      causes internal deformation of the material which consumes energy and which is
      associated with resistance to rotation. This resistance can be measured in terms
      of a moment of torsion (Nm); it greatly differs in magnitude depending on the
      cross-section of the catheter and on the catheter material. This resistance to
      rotation must always be reckoned with in transfemoral coronary angiography, as a
      consequence of the semicircular curvature of the catheter. The controllability of
      the catheter therefore does not depend solely on its (likewise measurable)
      torsional stability, but rather on the ratio between the torsional stability and
      resistance to rotation in the aortic arch. In the 20 catheter types of caliber
      7F, 6F, and 5.2F investigated, the corresponding measurement results were the
      most favorable for 6F braided nylon catheters.

PMID- 1413955
TI  - [Complications during directional coronary atherectomy (DCA): catheter fracture
      between housing assembly and shaft point with subsequent vascular occlusion].
AB  - Directional coronary atherectomy of a severe stenosis of the left anterior
      descending coronary artery was complicated by device fracture between the
      cylindric housing portion and the distal nose-cone collecting chamber. After
      successful removal of the DCA device, an early occlusion of the coronary vessel
      occurred, which could be successfully treated by perfusion balloon catheter.

PMID- 1413957
TI  - [Abstracts of the autumn meeting of the German Society for Cardiac and
      Circulatory Research. 15-17 October 1992, Dresden. Abstracts].

PMID- 1413956
TI  - [Dysplastic intramyocardial arteries with subaortic septum in patients with
      hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy].
AB  - Abnormal, dysplastic intramyocardial arteries were reported in autopsied hearts
      of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. To elucidate their significance, the operatively
      excised myectomy specimens of 24 patients with hypertrophic-obstructive
      cardiomyopathy (HOCM), of 18 patients with valvular aortic stenosis and of 10
      postmortem normal hearts were investigated. Eight patients with HOCM had
      dysplastic intramyocardial arteries (greater than 100 microns external diameter)
      as well as dysplastic arterioles (less than 100 microns external diameter). The
      value of the scores for the thickness and fibroelastosis of the media was nearly
      doubled, the tunica intima was frequently thickened, and the lumen was relatively
      reduced in dysplastic vessels. Neither in controls nor in aortic stenosis
      dysplastic arteries were found. Volume density of patchy fibrosis (scars) was
      increased in patients with dysplastic arterial vessels (HOCM II) (7.2 +/- 4.4
      Vv%) (p less than or equal to 0.05) as compared with HOCM without dysplastic
      vessels (HOCM I) (0.8 +/- 2.3 Vv%), with aortic stenosis (0.9 +/- 1.6 Vv%) or
      with controls (0 Vv%), Patients with HOCM II were significantly (p less than or
      equal to 0.05) younger (30 +/- 13 years) than those with HOCM I (53 +/- 12
      years), aortic stenosis (56 +/- 12 years), or controls (63 +/- 21 years). The
      anterior septum was significantly thicker in HOCM II (29 +/- 7 mm) than in HOCM I
      (22 +/- 4 mm), in aortic stenosis (19 +/- 3 mm), or in controls (12 +/- 2 mm).
      Syncopes were complained by about 75% (6/8) of patients in HOCM II, by 54% (9/16)
      in HOCM I, and by 44% (8/18) in aortic stenosis (not significant).(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1413958
TI  - [Geriatric rehabilitation].

PMID- 1413959
TI  - [The role of geriatrics in medicine].

PMID- 1413960
TI  - [Legal aspects of geriatric rehabilitation].
AB  - Nowadays geriatric rehabilitation is recognized as a matter of social law
      performance. Nevertheless there are very small chances to realize corresponding
      legal claims in view of the infra-structural deficits. This subscription works
      out the claims of social law for geriatric rehabilitation, names questions of
      delineation between illness, prevention and care indigence and discusses problems
      of geriatric rehabilitant institutions and services.

PMID- 1413961
TI  - [The rehabilitation potential of the elderly].
AB  - This contribution points to the existence of potentials for rehabilitation in the
      elderly and underlines the necessity of rehabilitation in chronically ill
      patients. Especially important for the success of rehabilitation is a
      differential diagnosis and treatment. The potentials for rehabilitation differ
      among the several functions, abilities, and skills. For this reason, a
      differential profile of the rehabilitation potentials is necessary. Theoretical
      and empirical contributions to the plasticity, to developmental potentials, and
      to competence in the elderly form the basis for prognosis of rehabilitation
      potentials in old age. It is made clear that realizing these potentials is not
      only a task of the patient, but is also dependent on the ecological and social
      environment.

PMID- 1413962
TI  - [20 years geriatric rehabilitation at the Hannover at the Henrietta Foundation].
AB  - This report includes the historical formation of the institution in regard to the
      background of the development of the German Society of Gerontology. A description
      of the newly formed clinic and its special institute for geriatric rehabilitation
      is supposed to provide a survey about the conditions of clinical work as well as
      the special courses and training possibilities. This is followed by the
      presentation of treatment methods and results.

PMID- 1413963
TI  - [The dynamics of aging and rehabilitation following coronary bypass operation].
AB  - The dynamics of aging encompass the topics "aging of society" and "coping with
      chronic illness". Both are discussed using data from a qualitative study on
      return to work after coronary artery bypass surgery. Data from the retrospective
      substudy reveal four forms of aging as biographical development toward early
      retirement, old-age retirement, or related stages. It emerges that the manner of
      aging is less influenced by medical rehabilitation or medical history, and more
      by the patient's occupation and socio-economic status. Case reports are used to
      show that social class is a facilitation context, but not a determining force,
      regarding the choice between postoperative retirement or return to work. The
      final section briefly discusses whether the findings concerning the dynamics of
      aging of the cohort operated on in the late 1970s apply also to that of the
      cohort operated on in the late 1980s; this is addressed using some data from the
      prospective sub-study.

PMID- 1413965
TI  - [The role of nursing care in geriatric rehabilitation].
AB  - This article intends to present goals, tasks and focus points in different kinds
      of institutions of geriatric rehabilitation. This is be done under the aspects
      of: 1. Accompanying handicappeds during their disease. 2. Nursing orientated of
      activities in daily life. 3. Nursing with a multiprofessional team and its role
      within the rehabilitative concept. Besides this, goals and development strategies
      in professional nursing will be worked out.

PMID- 1413964
TI  - [Neuropsychological therapy at the computer with the elderly].
AB  - Since the end of the 1970s, computers have been used in neuropsychological
      rehabilitation. This article points out the possibilities, as well as the limits
      in using computers with the elderly, and is focused on their particular needs.
      Furthermore, indications are listed whereby computers in neuropsychological
      therapy in Albertinen-Haus, Hamburg, FRG, have been applied. The need for a
      neuropsychological diagnostic is shown and illustrated with test examples.
      Finally, four individual case studies are discussed.

PMID- 1413966
TI  - Falls and lying helpless in the elderly.
AB  - Twelve percent of men and 19% of women aged 65 years and over who sought medical
      attention after a fall, lie where they fell for 15 min or more after falling. The
      occurrence of a fall with a long period of lying helpless was associated in
      bivariate analyses with severe injury, an intrinsic or unknown mechanism of
      falling, falling indoors, poor functional capacity, use of walking aids, body
      temperature 37.5 degrees C or over, and serum potassium concentration under 3.5
      mmol/l. A log-linear model showed that a fall with a lie of this kind was related
      independently to high body temperature, low serum potassium concentration, and
      severe injury. The occurrence of such a fall due to an extrinsic mechanism was
      related to poor functional capacity, but no similar relationship could be found
      when the fall was due to an intrinsic or unknown mechanism.

PMID- 1413967
TI  - [Current classification of primary malignant bone tumors].
AB  - The classification of primary malignant bone tumors has to include: 1. Histologic
      diagnosis, iusing immunohistochemistry especially in small-round- and spindle
      cell tumors. 2. Grading of malignancy, iusing proliferation factors. 3.
      Definition of compartmentalisation. 4. Staging. Only when all these factors are
      defined it is possible to plan the best therapy, to compare the results of
      different centers and to overwork it scientifically. Investigation of
      chromosomes, oncogenes, chemotherapy resistance a.o. are to be added for
      classification in next future.

PMID- 1413969
TI  - [Imaging procedures in diagnosis of bone tumor].
AB  - The historical development of the various imaging procedures for diagnosis,
      differential diagnosis and for the effect of chemotherapy of malignant bone
      lesions are discussed. The present status of imaging including MRT has been
      defined.

PMID- 1413968
TI  - [Osteosarcoma].
AB  - Osteosarcoma includes several distinct varieties. It is therefore essential to
      rely upon a very specialized pathologist. It is necessary to stage the tumor and
      to histologically define the oncologic quality of the surgical removal (surgical
      margins). The limb salvage surgery in osteosarcoma involves several areas of
      risk: the biopsy, the extension of the tumor in the marrow spaces and canal, the
      impingement or plugging of the vessels by the tumor, the invasion of the joint
      tissues, the contamination of the joint space and/or soft tissue compartments.
      The reconstruction after bone segmental resection involves many problems,
      including long-lasting prostheses, bone bank, microsurgical techniques--the
      preoperative chemotherapy dramatically reduced the need for amputation, in favour
      of conservative surgery. A good response to chemotherapy (almost total necrosis
      of the tumor), is the most important factor correlated with a favorable
      prognosis. The more recent protocols aim to increase the tumor response and the
      survival rate through a very intense primary chemotherapy, using Adriamycin, high
      dose Methotrexate, Cisplatin and Ifosfamide.

PMID- 1413970
TI  - [Legal evaluation of bone tumors].
AB  - Three topics are of major importance in the legal evaluation of bone tumors: The
      questions of medical liability, of causality and of medical evaluation.
      Concerning medical liability, the legal consequences of proven cases of
      malpractice are stressed. A causal connection between an accused trauma and the
      occurrence of a malignant bone tumor can be denied in nearly all circumstances.
      Due to the well known occurrence of a secondary sarcoma, the irradiation of a
      benign bone tumor or tumorlike lesion is strongly disfavored. In cases of medical
      evaluation, patients with malignant bone tumors should be judged by the same
      criteria as patients with any other diseases and impairments.

PMID- 1413971
TI  - [Technique and tactics of biopsy including puncture].
AB  - The biopsy is the key for the exact diagnosis of bone and soft tissue sarcomas.
      However the biopsy implicates risks that eventually may significantly interfere
      with the prognosis. The steps of the biopsy can be differentiated in tactical and
      technical aspects. Tactical aspects include laboratory examinations (e.g. blood
      count, immunological, chemical tests) in order to establish the prebiopsy
      differential diagnosis, basic imaging procedures (bone scan, magnetic resonance
      imaging) and to discuss with the pathologist questions as which region of the
      tumor might be most informative, how should the material be preserved and whether
      a frozen section might be useful and allow for initiation of therapy as early as
      possible. Furthermore the site of the biopsy has to be carefully chosen, the
      compartments that need being passed through or opened up during biopsy must be
      considered. The technical aspects refer to the approach and tissue handling
      during the biopsy itself. Fine needle aspiration allows only for a cytologic,
      core biopsies for a histologic examination (however only of a small sample),
      while the open biopsy provides more material for more analyses. Any biopsy (open
      biopsy as well as percutaneous puncture) contaminates the path with tumor cells
      and increases the risk of systemic seeding. In order to keep these risks as small
      as possible the most careful technique and tissue handling is mandatory. The
      biopsy path has to be completely ('en bloc') resected later for local tumor
      control.

PMID- 1413972
TI  - [Differentiation of osteogenetic cells: systems and regulators].
AB  - Bone formation comprises a complex but ordered sequence of events, beginning with
      the proliferation of chondrogenic and osteogenic precursor cells followed by
      their subsequent differentiation, ultimately leading to extracellular matrix
      maturation and mineralisation. Several models have been established which
      recreate discrete elements of this network. Factors induce ectopic bone
      formation, when implanted into muscle pouches, have been characterized as members
      of the TGF-beta-superfamily. Detailed information about the course of OB
      differentiation has been obtained from an in vitro model system. The process of
      mineralisation was found to consist of three distinct time periods: a
      proliferative phase, a period of extracellular matrix maturation and
      mineralisation. The development of each states depends on each other. This model
      is not as complex as the whole organ and cannot of course lead to any conclusion
      about the kinetic differentiation path of a cell in its normal spatial
      environment. Different organ culture systems are described and through the
      application of sensitive methods the differentiation can be studied in the normal
      spatial environment. The cascade of events in the differentiation process must be
      strictly regulated. Hormones and growth factors in many cases show a bone-forming
      and/or bone-resorbing action. The effects of the classical calcium regulating
      hormones Vitamin D and PTH on OB-differentiation are reviewed. A large number of
      growth factors have been shown to effect OB. Growth factors, that have been
      isolated from the bone matrix are of particular interest to bone formation.

PMID- 1413973
TI  - [Chemotherapy of osteosarcoma].
AB  - Intensified adjuvant chemotherapy increased the 4-year metastasis-free survival
      probability from 50% (COSS-77) to roughly 80% (COSS-86). Preoperative
      chemotherapy was found without recognizable hazard and promoting conservative
      surgery. Following resection the local failure rate ist significantly higher than
      after demolitive procedures, including rotation plasty (10.5% vs. 2.5%). Local
      failures bare a very poor prognosis (19/23 DOD). The acute therapy related
      mortality is less than 3%. Late toxicities like ototoxicity and cardiotoxicity
      are intriguing and deserve increased attention. The management of the
      osteosarcoma patient is a complex and difficult interdisciplinary task which is
      best performed in centers experienced in the treatment of malignant musculo
      skeletal tumors.

PMID- 1413974
TI  - [KMFTR (Kotz Modular Femur Tibia Reconstruction System) modular tumor
      endoprosthesis system for the lower extremity].
AB  - 206 patients with tumorendoprosteses of the KMFTR-type at the lower extremity
      were operated at the Institute Rizolli Bologna and at the University Clinic of
      Vienna. The minimum follow up was 2 years (mean 3.2, max. 8 years). In order to
      bridge the defect caused by tumor resection the proximal femur was replaced in 42
      cases, the distal femur in 119 cases and in 6 patients a total femur prosthesis
      was used. The proximal tibia was replaced in 35 cases and in 4 cases a total knee
      prosthesis was implanted. Clinical evaluation according to Enneking revealed
      71.6% excellent and good results. In 83.4% the radiological score was higher then
      20. We saw deep infections in 8.2% (17 patients), breakage of the prosthesis in
      6.8% and aseptic loosening in 5.8%. 3 patients had to be amputated due to
      infection. In the remaining cases of infection in 66% of the patients healing was
      observed. All cases of aseptic loosening or breakage could be revised
      successfully by an exchange of the prostheses and therefore salvage of the leg
      was achieved.

PMID- 1413975
TI  - [Psychological adjustment to invasive surgical and medicamentous tumor treatment
      of osteosarcoma patients with rotation-plasty].
AB  - Ten patients with osteosarcomas and rotation plasties made themselves available
      for a psychological survey. The time elapsed after their operations was between
      two and ten years, giving an average of six years. All patients were free of
      tumours at the time of the follow-up examination. Both in personal interviews and
      in psychological tests, it was possible to observe a very positive development of
      these patients' attitudes. Contributory factors in this context were discussions
      with the doctors administering treatment, the cheerful atmosphere of the hospital
      and the nursing staff, the physicotherapists and ergotherapists, and the
      excellent social support which all those interviewed also received from their
      relatives. Continuous positive motivation, a favourable social dialogue and
      patients' ability to control their own lives would appear to be the key factors
      in helping patients to come to terms with their illness.

PMID- 1413976
TI  - [Metal-metal total prosthesis of the hip joint: back to the future].
AB  - Late loosening in total-hip-replacement is explained by a foreign body reaction
      of the connective tissue along the bone-implant interface due to polyethylene
      debris. In contrast, metal-metal-prostheses, implanted in the sixties, may still
      today work perfectly without any signs of osteolysis along the bone-cement
      interface, proving, that metal-metal-pairing is superior to prostheses with
      polyethylene cups and that cement-anchorage may also be adequate for fixation. A
      new metal-metal-total hip-joint is presented, that has been implanted from 1988
      1990 62 times.

PMID- 1413977
TI  - [Mobility of patients with coxarthrosis].
AB  - The common methods of evaluating walking capacity of patients with osteoarthritis
      of the hip reported in literature are all inaccurate and are based on symptoms.
      It has been proved, that these informations are to uncertain and therefore have
      to be replaced by objective criterias. A method of assessment was developed which
      can easily be applied in clinical routine without great apparative means. With a
      pedometer and a stopwatch the time can be measured which the patient needs to
      pass a distance of 30 meters as quick as possible (MAX 30). Similarly the maximal
      walking distance (MAX DIST) is evaluated as well as the average walking distance
      (MEDIAN). It could be shown, that walking capacity is not dependent on the amount
      of degenerative changes, duration of hip disease and hip motion. Walking capacity
      is negatively influenced by pain, muscle atrophy and lack of training. Patients
      with osteoarthritis of the hip are able to walk on average 3 km without
      interruption, thereby they develop a speed of 4 km/h on average. So they are not
      much slower than healthy subjects. The two must important aims of conservative
      treatment of hip disease must be alleviation of pain and improvement of muscular
      strength. Main indication criterium for hip replacement is walking capacity, not
      the radiological assessed amount of degenerative changes.

PMID- 1413978
TI  - [Results 2 to 5 years after implantation of the cement-free "APS" total knee
      prosthesis. A retrospective study of the first 160 cases].
AB  - One hundred-and-forty-seven out of 160 cementless APS total knees replacements
      have been clinically and radiologically evaluated with a mean follow-up period of
      38 (24-60) months. Primary diagnosis has been osteoarthrosis in two thirds and
      rheumatoid arthritis in one. Reoperations have been performed in 4.9% due to
      aseptic loosening of the tibial tray, and in 3.7% due to patellar problems
      (aspetic loosening in 1.2% and luxation in 2.5%). There have been three late
      infections of the joint leading to arthrodesis in two or exchange operation in
      one case. The radiologic course of the remaining 126 implants showed excellent or
      good osseous integration of the implants in more than 80%. We were able to show
      that rheumatoid arthritis as well as malimplantation of the prosthesis can
      decrease the rate of osseous integration.

PMID- 1413979
TI  - [Functional Independence Measure as a predictor of expected rehabilitation
      outcome in patients with total endoprosthesis replacement and after apoplectic
      infarct].
AB  - Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is a method for uniformly recording
      functional status in rehabilitation patients. It has been under development in
      the USA since 1985. In this study, the prognostic value of function tests by FIM
      on admission to the rehabilitation clinic was investigated in two groups (45
      patients in all). Thirty-three patients were admitted for rehabilitation
      following apoplectic shock, the remaining 12 following treatment of fractures of
      the femoral neck by total hip replacement. A highly significant correlation was
      found between the total FIM score on admission and the patient's status on
      discharge. Of the individual functions studied, the activities "dressing and
      undressing" and "walking/riding in wheelchair" were found have the highest
      predictive value.

PMID- 1413980
TI  - [A modern textbook is 100 years old. Albert Hoffa and the "Textbook of Orthopedic
      Surgery"].
AB  - The appearance of Albert Hoffa's "Textbook book of orthopaedics" in 1891 saw the
      young special discipline enter a new phase of professionalisation in the German
      speaking countries. Hoffa defined in this work the scope and methodology of
      orthopaedics in a sense that is still valid today. By including operative and
      conservative forms of treatment, he created the foundation for a continued
      scientific development of the subject. Only with the appearance of Hoffa's work
      did orthopaedics gain acceptance as a special area by many physicians. The far
      reaching influence and significance of the textbook for orthopaedics is portrayed
      with the aid of historic sources.

PMID- 1413981
TI  - [Isolated systolic hypertension in persons older than 60].
AB  - Isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) is generally defined as a systolic pressure
      of 160 mmHg or more, with a diastolic pressure cut-off point below 95 mmHg in
      some studies and 90 mmHg in others. Its prevalence and incidence vary from 3 to
      30% depending on the definition applied, methodology of measurement, as well as
      the population and the age and sex of the patients. Mechanisms that could lead to
      the development of isolated systolic hypertension are discussed, especially the
      role of atherosclerosis and sodium intake. Comparing results from different
      countries, the Intersalt study showed that the age related rise in systolic
      pressure was positively related to the mean sodium excretion in that country. A
      post-hoc analysis of data from 4 Belgian groups could not show such a correlation
      within our country. The risks of systolic hypertension on mortality and morbidity
      in the elderly are considered. The need for further studies to quantify the risk
      and to establish the effect of treatment is emphasized. Three such studies in
      patients above the age of 60 years with ISH were started. The studies are double
      blind, placebo-controlled trials and the main purpose is to examine the influence
      of treatment on morbidity, mortality, and general well-being. In the American
      SHEP study the patients of the actively treated group received a diuretic and
      possibly a beta-blocker or reserpine. The results indicate a significant
      reduction in non fatal stroke, heart failure and myocardial infarction without a
      significant reduction in fatal stroke, fatal myocardial infarction,
      cardiovascular or all cause mortality. Studies in other continents are still in
      progress, such as the Syst-Chin in China and the Syst-Eur trial in Europe. They
      may indicate whether the results obtained in the U.S.A. can be extrapolated to
      other continents and whether the use of other drugs without metabolic
      disturbances, such as calcium entry blockers and angiotensin converting enzyme
      inhibitors, produce a similar reduction in events. Additional studies are needed
      to establish the effect of reducing salt intake in younger age groups on the
      prevalence of ISH and of the related morbidity and mortality.

PMID- 1413982
TI  - Maternal diabetes and the effect for the offspring.

PMID- 1413983
TI  - [Water quality].
AB  - The quality of water is more and more important in the polluted world of today.
      The nephrologist is with his patients a great consumer of water; water for
      dialysis should be of the highest quality as each maintenance dialysis patient
      uses up to 150 liters 3 times per week for years, in direct contact with his
      blood through a very thin dialysis membrane. Water may be polluted at the
      collection-, treatment- or distribution centers or locally at the place of
      consumption. Aluminum, chloramine, pesticides, copper, herbicides and many other
      substances as well as bacteria, may be found in water. For these reasons the
      nephrologist uses a series of devices to clean or purify the water before use in
      his dialysis unit: softeners, de-ionisators, reverse-osmosis, charcoal filters,
      ultraviolet irradiation, a.o. A correct water circuit is important as well, as
      dead spaces could cause bacterial contamination. The ultra pure water has to be
      mixed before use in the dialyzer, with a concentrated electrolyte solution. The
      author discusses all these different aspects of water treatment in the particular
      situation of hemodialysis.

PMID- 1413984
TI  - Influence of supplementation with N-3 fatty acids on different coronary risk
      factors in men--a placebo controlled study.
AB  - Recent epidemiological studies have shown some beneficial health effects of the
      long chain (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fatty fish. Although the
      results of these studies are often ambiguous and inconclusive, they have prompted
      many intervention trials to study the effects of n-3 fatty acids (FA) on the
      cardiovascular risk profile. However screening of the literature revealed that
      many of the beneficial effects of fish (oil) were obtained in intervention
      studies which had several serious shortcomings in their design. Therefore we
      started a placebo controlled randomised trial with increasing doses of n-3FA
      (respectively 0; 1.12; 2.24 and 3.37 g n-3 FA/day) and in order to have a maximum
      compliance this study was done in healthy monks. Fifty eight subjects took the
      fish oil capsules during 12 months and were thereafter followed for another 6
      months. We couldn't detect any effect of n-3 FA supplementation on total
      cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, apo A1, Lp(a), HbA1C, glucose,
      fibrinogen, factor VIII, antithrombin III, plasminogen activator inhibitor,
      tissue plasminogen activator and von Willebrand factor concentration, on bleeding
      time or on systolic or diastolic blood pressure. A pronounced significant dose
      dependent decrease of triglyceride levels was seen, while a slight but
      statistical significant decrease of apo B levels was observed in the highest fish
      oil dose. As the importance of triglycerides in the pathogenesis of
      atherosclerosis is still under discussion, the clinical relevance of these
      finding is not clear at the moment. It seems therefore improbable that the anti
      atherosclerotic action of n-3 FA is due to an effect on the lipid, apoprotein,
      coagulation or fibrinolysis parameters as measured in our study. Hence further
      research must be focused on other parameters (prostaglandins) which can be
      influenced by n-3 FA and which probably play an equally important role in the
      atherosclerotic process.

PMID- 1413985
TI  - Modulation of the Ca(2+)-sensitivity in phasic and tonic smooth muscle.
AB  - This work describes the relationship between the cytoplasmic free calcium
      concentration ([Ca2+]i) measured by the fluorescent Ca(2+)-indicator fura-2, the
      phosphorylation of the myosin light chain and the force development in the phasic
      longitudinal smooth muscle layer of guinea-pig ileum and the tonic rabbit
      pulmonary artery. The close temporal relationship between the rise in cytoplasmic
      Ca2+ and the initiation of force development as well as the rather good
      correlation between cytoplasmic Ca2+ and force maintenance leaves little doubt
      about cytoplasmic Ca2+ being the primary regulator of force. However the present
      experimental evidence indicate that [Ca2+]i and force are not invariably tightly
      coupled in smooth muscle. A dissociation between the time course of [Ca2+]i and
      force was found in the tonic rabbit pulmonary artery but not in the phasic ileum
      of the guinea-pig. In contrast, there was a pronounced decline in the Ca(2+)
      sensitivity of the contractile apparatus (desensitization to Ca2+) in the guinea
      pig ileum during prolonged depolarization, an observation not found in the
      pulmonary artery. Such desensitization could reflect the activation of highly
      active myosin light chain phosphatase(s) and the different Ca(2+)-sensitivities
      of tonic and phasic smooth muscles can, at least in part, be due to differences
      in myosin light chain kinase/phosphatase activity ratios. The sensitivity of the
      regulatory/contractile apparatus to Ca2+ was increased by agonists in intact and
      in permeabilized preparations. Furthermore a different sensitizing potentiation
      between different agonists was observed. The mechanism of the "sensitization" of
      the contractile response to Ca2+ could act through the activation of the
      phosphorylation of a protein phosphatase inhibitor, thereby inhibiting the myosin
      light chain phosphatase. The experiments therefore show that different levels of
      tension may be present at the same [Ca2+]i and indicate that the Ca(2+)
      sensitivity can be modulated in smooth muscle.

PMID- 1413986
TI  - [The neonatal form of Bartter's syndrome: current findings in etiology and
      physiopathology].
AB  - I. Time has come to distinguish "Bartter syndrome" from "Bartter disease". The
      latter is an autosomal recessive renal tubulopathy which manifests itself mostly
      during infancy and childhood. II. Bartter disease is caused neither by a primary
      renal potassium loss nor by a primary renal hyperprostaglandinism. All evidence
      is in favor of a defect in the chloride pump located at the thick ascending limb
      of Henle's loop. III. The most severe expression of Bartter disease is its
      neonatal form which is characterized by polyhydramnios, premature delivery and a
      life threatening sodium chloride loss during the early weeks of life. It takes
      several weeks before sodium wasting turns into renal potassium wasting. IV.
      Polyhydramnios not associated with echographically detectable fetal malformation
      is highly suggestive of Bartter disease. Prenatal diagnosis is based on the
      combination of fetal polyuria and elevated chloride in the amniotic fluid. V. In
      this setting the administration of indomethacin is useless and even dangerous
      from the 32nd week of gestation on. Similarly, indomethacin should not be given
      to the newborn Bartter patient for the first weeks and months of life. Treatment
      at that stage consist mainly of the administration of large amounts of fluid and
      sodium chloride. VI. Indomethacin can be used as soon as children with Bartter
      disease stop growing normally and preferably after the age of 18 months when
      kidney maturation is established. The daily dose should not exceed 2.5 mg/kg body
      weight. VII. Hypercalciuria is part of (the neonatal form of) Bartter disease and
      it is so severe that nephrocalcinosis seems to be the rule. This hypercalciuria
      is the direct consequence of the chloride reabsorption defect in Henle's loop.
      Research is needed to find an adequate solution to this problem.

PMID- 1413987
TI  - [Nucleolus organizer regions in pathomorphologic tumor diagnosis].
AB  - Morphology and biological behaviour of tumours are closely related to each other
      and are the main objects of diagnostic tumour pathology. Anaplasia, for example,
      a well-known cytomorphological criterion of malignancy, is however only an
      indirect sign of impaired cellular growth control mechanisms. Nowadays, it is a
      goal of cancer research to investigate these regulatory processes in order to
      elucidate new diagnostic criteria of malignancy. Silver staining of nucleolar
      organizer regions (AgNORs) basically meets this new concept. NORs (rDNA) encode
      for ribosomal RNA and are thus of central importance for the protein synthesis of
      a cell. Silver stains NOR associated proteins and indicates activated rDNA.
      Therefore, AgNOR staining covers the proliferative potential of a given cell or a
      tumour respectively. A prerequisite of reliable application of the AgNOR method
      to diagnostic tumour pathology is standardization of the technique, which should
      be based upon scientific results obtained by basic research. Accordingly, in
      interphasic cells AgNORs are primarily substructures of nucleoli corresponding to
      the fibrillar centers at the ultrastructural level. This has been shown to be an
      important criterion to determine the quality of the silver staining reaction.
      Most artifacts result from inadequate tissue preservation (fixation), unspecific
      argyrophilic structures and the staining procedure itself. They should either be
      excluded or--when ever possible--controlled by a proper staining technique, i.e.
      adjustment to the stainability of every individual specimen. In this respect,
      digital image analysis proved to be a useful tool. The mean size of AgNORs in
      small lymphocytes of the same tissue sample is an equivalent of the argyrophilia
      of a given histological and cytological specimen (internal staining standard). By
      use of such a standardized staining technique a high diagnostic accuracy is
      achieved. The proliferative potential of a cell or a tumour can be determined by
      number, size, staining intensity and distribution of the silver stained dots. In
      histological tissue sections the quotient of the mean number of AgNORs/cell and
      the mean area of one AgNOR dot/cell has been shown to be a very sensitive
      diagnostic parameter. In cytological specimens determination of the total silver
      stained area per cell is superior to counting of AgNORs simply by eye. Normal and
      malignant tissue can reliably be discriminated by these morphometric values. In
      addition, the malignancy potential of the different preneoplastic lesions, e.g.
      of the urinary bladder, can precisely be described. Flat urothelial lesions with
      moderate cytological atypia (D2) exhibit AgNOR values in the range of well
      differentiated papillary carcinomas.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1413988
TI  - Identification of bent DNA and ARS fragments in the genome of Choristoneura
      fumiferana nuclear polyhedrosis virus.
AB  - We identified four CfMNPV DNA fragments with autonomously replicating sequences
      (ARS) functional in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A 0.9-kb fragment which, mapped to
      54.5 to 55.3 map units within EcoRI HI of the CfMNPV genome, showed the strongest
      ARS activity of the four. Sequence analysis of this 0.9-kb DNA segment revealed
      an A+T-rich region separated from a G+C-rich region by 320 bp. Although no
      sequence matched exactly the ARS core-consensus sequence, 13 near-matches
      differing by only one or two nucleotides from the core-consensus sequence, were
      identified. Ten near-matches were clustered within a 105-bp A+T-rich region, and
      were arranged as inverted repeats. A section of bent DNA structure was predicted
      within this region. The bent DNA, which showed temperature-dependent retardation
      during polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was unique as its sequence was
      arranged as a symmetrical 'tilde' (approximately) structure. The second (1.0 kb)
      and third (1.6 kb) ARS-bearing fragments mapped within EcoRI-E and -B fragments
      which contain homologous repeat sequences. The fourth (1.5 kb) fragment had the
      weakest ARS activity and mapped to the EcoRI-D or -B regions of the genome.

PMID- 1413989
TI  - Transfer of maternal antibodies results in inhibition of specific immune
      responses in the offspring.
AB  - A potentially detrimental consequence of maternally transferred antibodies was
      demonstrated in a mouse model for rabies virus, where pups from rabies virus
      immune dams showed a decrease in the generation of specific B- and T-cell
      responses to immunization with rabies virus antigen, resulting in vaccine
      failures. The degree and duration of the vaccine failures was inversely
      correlated with the amounts of maternally transferred antibodies, and exceeded
      the time when maternal antibodies provided reliable protection against a viral
      challenge. The low responsiveness to vaccination, measured by serum antibody
      titers and by lymphokine release upon in vitro restimulation of in vivo-primed
      lymphocytes, was specific for the target virus of the maternal antibodies and was
      also observed in pups from Sendai virus-immune dams upon vaccination with the
      homologous virus. In addition, an inhibition of the specific immune responses was
      demonstrated upon passive immunization of newborn mice with monoclonal antibodies
      to rabies virus. Although the mechanism(s) that causes the observed inhibition in
      the offspring of immune dams or in pups that were inoculated with antibodies
      postnatally is currently unknown, data presented in this manuscript indicate that
      the observed effect on B- and T-cell responses might not be solely caused by
      removal of the antigenic load due to residual maternal antibodies.

PMID- 1413990
TI  - Characterization of rabies virus glycoprotein expressed by recombinant
      baculovirus.
AB  - A cDNA of the glycoprotein (G protein) gene of rabies virus Nishigahara strain
      was cloned and inserted into a baculovirus genome under the control of the
      polyhedrin promoter. Infection of Spodoptera frugiperda cells with this
      recombinant virus produced a large quantity of new protein instead of the
      parental polyhedrin protein. By immunofluorescent and immunoblotting analyses,
      the recombinant protein was antigenically similar to the authentic G protein. Its
      molecular mass estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis, however, was slightly smaller than that of the authentic one,
      and this observation was suggested to be due to the difference in glycosylation
      level between the two G proteins. The recombinant G protein expressed on the cell
      surface of the insect cells showed a fusion activity at low pH. The fusion
      activity was inhibited by antiserum against either whole virions or G protein of
      rabies virus.

PMID- 1413991
TI  - Increased influenza A virus sialidase activity with N-acetyl-9-O-acetylneuraminic
      acid-containing substrates resulting from influenza C virus O-acetylesterase
      action.
AB  - Influenza virus type C (Johannesburg/1/66) was used as a source for the enzyme O
      acetylesterase (EC 3.1.1.53) with several natural sialoglycoconjugates as
      substrates. The resulting products were immediately employed as substrates using
      influenza virus type A [(Singapore/6/86) (H1N1) or Shanghai/11/87 (H3N2)] as a
      source for sialidase (neuraminidase, EC 3.2.1.18). A significant increase in the
      percentage of sialic acid released was found when the O-acetyl group was cleaved
      by O-acetylesterase activity from certain substrates (bovine submandibular gland
      mucin, rat serum glycoproteins, human saliva glycoproteins, mouse erythrocyte
      stroma, chick embryonic brain gangliosides and bovine brain gangliosides). A
      common feature of all these substrates is that they contain N-acetyl-9-O
      acetylneuraminic acid residues. By contrast, no significant increase in the
      release of sialic acid was detected when certain other substrates could not be de
      O-acetylated by the action of influenza C esterase, either because they lacked O
      acetylsialic acid (human glycophorin A, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein from human
      serum, fetuin and porcine submandibular gland mucin) or because the 4-O-acetyl
      group was scarcely cleaved by the viral O-acetylesterase (equine submandibular
      gland mucin). The biological significance of these facts is discussed, relative
      to the infective capacity of influenza C virus.

PMID- 1413992
TI  - Analysis of relatedness of subgroup A respiratory syncytial viruses isolated
      worldwide.
AB  - Respiratory syncytial virus strains (subgroup A) isolated from around the world
      during the period 1988-1991 were analysed to determine their relatedness.
      Analysis was by restriction mapping and nucleotide sequencing following
      amplification of selected regions of the virus genome by polymerase chain
      reaction (PCR). Twenty-three viruses of subgroup A isolated from cities in
      temperate regions of the Northern and Southern hemispheres and the tropics during
      the period 1988-1991 fell into distinct groupings closely related to four of the
      six lineages defined in analysis of recurrent epidemics within the same city
      (Birmingham, UK) during the same period. These observations confirm that multiple
      lineages of RS virus co-circulate locally, and show that very similar viruses are
      present simultaneously in widely separated countries.

PMID- 1413993
TI  - The attenuation phenotype conferred by the M gene of the influenza A/Ann
      Arbor/6/60 cold-adapted virus (H2N2) on the A/Korea/82 (H3N2) reassortant virus
      results from a gene constellation effect.
AB  - A single gene reassortant (SGR) virus that derived its M gene from the attenuated
      influenza A/Ann Arbor/6/60 cold-adapted (CA) donor virus and the remaining genes
      from the A/Korea/82 (H3N2) wild type (WT) virus (designated A/Korea/82 CA M-SGR)
      was previously shown to be attenuated in mice, hamsters, ferrets, and humans. The
      attenuation (ATT) phenotype of this SGR virus could result directly from an
      altered function of the mutant M gene product of the A/Ann Arbor/6/60 CA virus,
      which differs from the M gene of the A/Ann Arbor/6/60 WT virus at only one amino
      acid or, indirectly from a gene constellation effect in which ATT results from an
      inefficient interaction between the products of the M gene of the A/Ann
      Arbor/6/60 virus and other genes of the A/Korea/82 virus. Several lines of
      evidence from the present study are consistent with our interpretation that the
      ATT phenotype of the A/Korea/82 CA M-SGR results from a gene constellation
      effect. First, the A/Korea/82 CA M-SGR and an A/Korea/82 SGR containing the A/Ann
      Arbor/6/60 WT M gene were each restricted in replication in the upper and lower
      respiratory tract of mice compared with the A/Korea/82 WT virus. Second, an
      A/Udorn/72 CA M-SGR containing the M gene from the A/Ann Arbor/6/60 CA donor
      virus in a background of other genes derived from the A/Udorn/72 (H3N2) WT virus
      was not attenuated in the respiratory tract of mice. These data suggest that the
      change in the amino acid sequence of the M gene product from the A/Ann Arbor/6/60
      WT to CA virus is not responsible for the ATT phenotype of the A/Korea/82 CA M
      SGR. In addition, evidence of the genetic instability of the A/Korea/82 CA M-SGR
      is presented, specifically, an extragenic mutation that results in loss of the
      ATT phenotype. The implications of these findings for the ATT phenotype of the
      live attenuated reassortant viruses derived from the A/Ann Arbor/6/60 CA donor
      virus are discussed.

PMID- 1413995
TI  - Baculovirus expression of the glycoprotein gene of Lassa virus and
      characterization of the recombinant protein.
AB  - A recombinant baculovirus was constructed that expresses the glycoprotein gene of
      Lassa virus (Josiah strain) under the transcriptional control of the polyhedrin
      promoter. The expressed protein (B-LSGPC) comigrated with the authentic viral
      glycoprotein as observed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), was reactive with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) in
      Western blots, and was glycosylated. Although the recombinant protein was not
      processed into the mature glycoproteins, G1 and G2, it demonstrated reactivity
      with all known epitopes as measured by indirect immunofluorescence (IFA), and it
      was immunogenic, eliciting antisera in rabbits that recognized whole virus in
      IFAs. Regarding future applications to diagnostic assays, the recombinant
      glycoprotein proved to be an effective substitute for Lassa virus-infected
      mammalian cells in IFAs and it was able to distinguish sera from several human
      cases of Lassa fever, against a panel of known negative sera of African origin,
      in an enzyme immunoassay (EIA).

PMID- 1413994
TI  - Expression and properties of the V protein in acute measles virus and subacute
      sclerosing panencephalitis virus strains.
AB  - Measles virus (MV) inserts one guanosine (G) residue at a specific site in a
      subpopulation of the mRNA transcribed from the phosphoprotein (P) gene to produce
      V mRNA. Using an antiserum against the unique carboxyl-terminal region of the
      predicted V protein, we found that a phosphorylated V protein was expressed in
      two acute MV strains (Edmonston and Nagahata) and three SSPE virus strains
      (Biken, Yamagata, and Niigata). The V protein of Biken strain SSPE virus was
      electrophoretically and antigenically indistinguishable from the V protein of
      Nagahata strain acute MV, the likely progenitor of the Biken strain. The V
      protein of these two viruses was not present in the intracellular viral
      nucleocapsids, but was found only in the cytosolic free protein pool. Pulse-chase
      experiments failed to show transport of the V protein to the plasma membrane. The
      V protein was also absent in the extracellular virions. The P protein synthesized
      from the cloned gene associated with the MV nucleocapsids in vitro, but the V
      protein had no affinity to the MV nucleocapsids. These results suggest that
      expression and properties of the V protein are conserved in chronic MV infection.

PMID- 1413996
TI  - [The synchronization of behavior and individual distances in groups of wild boars
      (Sus scrofa L.)].
AB  - Some ways of synchronization are identified in the wild pig behaviour, which are
      parallel body orientation, group getting together and away, individual
      approaching and moving away, sound signals. Parallel synchronization is
      characteristic for various compact groups, males and females exposing some
      differences in the synchronization duration and distances. The synchronization is
      mainly a property of individuals united by common motivation and interests. Each
      family union, each offspring group have their own peculiarities of
      synchronization depending on their structure. Synchronization duration and
      distances vary by season, while within- and between-group distances are different
      in ages and sexes. Two ways of appearance of special distances are recognized.
      The synchronization works as a trigger system regulation spatial distribution of
      individuals and various social functions.

PMID- 1413997
TI  - Genetic and physical maps of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Edition 11.

PMID- 1413998
TI  - [Occurrence of beta-phenylethylamine and its derivatives in cocoa and cocoa
      products].
AB  - 2-Phenylethylamine was extracted from cocoa nibs and chocolates and analysed by
      coupled gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The amine concentration increases
      in fermentation of cocoa and decreased during roasting and alkalization. Its
      concentration in chocolates is dependent on non-fat cocoa contents. Previously
      unreported aldimines were found in cocoa powders, which arise from the
      condensation of phenylethylamine and aldehydes. The main component of these
      products is N-phenylmethyl-N-phenylmethylene amine (CAS 3240-95-7).

PMID- 1413999
TI  - [Determination of polydextrose in food using ion exchange chromatography and
      pulsed amperometric detection].
AB  - A method to determine the synthetic carbohydrate polydextrose, which is used as a
      bulking agent for the preparation of calorie-reduced foodstuffs, is described.
      The sample clean-up involves the extraction of polydextrose with water and
      enzymatic degradation of interfering polysaccharides, such as starch and inulin.
      The chromatographic system consists of a high-performance anion-exchange column
      that separates carbohydrates up to molecular weights of 15,000 and pulsed
      amperometric detection. For unbaked goods recoveries ranged from 94 to 106%, for
      baked goods recovery rates of 100 to 115% were measured.

PMID- 1414000
TI  - Social pediatrics: the essence and the vision.

PMID- 1414001
TI  - Power calculation for cohort studies with improved estimation of expected numbers
      of deaths.
AB  - This paper focuses on improving the accuracy of sample size calculations for
      cohort studies by careful calculation of the expected number of deaths in the
      population, taking into account either prior information or realistic assumptions
      about variables which may affect the mortality or incidence. Sometimes small
      changes in the assumptions can dramatically alter the expected numbers and may
      necessitate modifications in the design of the study. Possible modification
      include extension of the follow-up time, and recognition that the real strength
      of the study may lie in the potential for pooling several similar studies. The
      problem will be discussed with reference to two examples of occupational cohort
      studies where differing prior information was available.

PMID- 1414002
TI  - Case-control studies in pediatric epidemiology: parent surrogates and potential
      pitfalls of inaccurate and selective recall.
AB  - The case-control study is quite popular as a study design for exploring
      associations between risk factors and disease in pediatric epidemiology. Since
      data concerning exposures to the child are often collected through interviews
      with parents or other surrogates, researchers should be aware of the
      opportunities for bias due to inaccurate or incomplete recall. Methods which
      exist for the control of this problem are presented. These include: the selection
      of control groups with childhood conditions of similar etiologic uncertainty as
      the disease being studied; collecting exposure data from both parents; collection
      of data from children where possible; diligent interviewer training; reviewing
      clinical records; and use of validity scales. Strengths and weaknesses of these
      strategies are discussed.

PMID- 1414003
TI  - AIDS in the 1990s: meeting the challenge.

PMID- 1414004
TI  - [Prevention of AIDS in homosexuals].

PMID- 1414005
TI  - [Quality of data provided by VESKA medical statistics: the case of the fractured
      proximal femur].
AB  - Within the framework of a retrospective study of the incidence of hip fractures
      in the canton of Vaud (Switzerland), all cases of hip fracture occurring among
      the resident population in 1986 and treated in the hospitals of the canton were
      identified from among five different information sources. Relevant data were then
      extracted from the medical records. At least two sources of information were used
      to identify cases in each hospital, among them the statistics of the Swiss
      Hospital Association (VESKA). These statistics were available for 9 of the 18
      hospitals in the canton that participated in the study. The number of cases
      identified from the VESKA statistics was compared to the total number of cases
      for each hospital. For the 9 hospitals the number of cases in the VESKA
      statistics was 407, whereas, after having excluded diagnoses that were actually
      "status after fracture" and double entries, the total for these hospitals was
      392, that is 4% less than the VESKA statistics indicate. It is concluded that the
      VESKA statistics provide a good approximation of the actual number of cases
      treated in these hospitals, with a tendency to overestimate this number. In order
      to use these statistics for calculating incidence figures, however, it is
      imperative that a greater proportion of all hospitals (50% presently in the
      canton, 35% nationwide) participate in these statistics.

PMID- 1414006
TI  - [Learning from America?--Managed Health Care, experiences in health cost
      containment exemplified by Medicaid in Massachusetts, USA].
AB  - Managed Health Care is characterized by a number of different control mechanisms
      aiming at cost containment in health care delivery. The means and consequences of
      its application are discussed using the approach of the state of Massachusetts to
      improve care delivery for Medicaid eligibility as an example and unsolved
      problems are specified.

PMID- 1414007
TI  - Physical activity and health--continuing focus of interest for epidemiologic
      research.

PMID- 1414008
TI  - Leisure time physical activity in Scotland: trends 1987-1991 and the effect of
      question wording.
AB  - In this article data collected between 1987 and 1991 is analyzed to identify
      changes in the proportion of sedentary individuals in Edinburgh and Glasgow. In
      the primary question, which asked the respondents about physical activity for
      exercise such as walking, running and swimming, a wording change deleting the
      prompt to specific activities is taken into consideration. The data were
      collected by telephone on 13,586 respondents. A considerable decrease in the
      proportion of sedentary individuals in both cities was observed between 1987 and
      1991. This decrease could not be related to changes in specific sporting
      activities. The change to an unprompted question led to a 14% lower estimate of
      physical activity. This was almost fully explained by a change in the estimate of
      the proportion of walkers. Older respondents in particular were affected by the
      question change.

PMID- 1414009
TI  - Detrimental effect of alcohol intoxication on severity of injuries in male
      traffic accident victims: a cross-sectional study.
AB  - A cross-sectional emergency room study was performed among traffic accident
      victims aged 16 to 75 years in order to investigate the prevalence of alcohol
      intoxication (blood alcohol concentration (BAC greater than or equal to 0.8 g/kg)
      and its potential detrimental effect on injury severity. A BAC greater than or
      equal to 0.8 g/kg was present in 29% of the male patients. Intoxicated patients
      had a similar propensity to require inpatient hospital care (65 versus 60%) but
      had significantly longer hospital stays than the non-intoxicated patients (36
      versus 20 days; p less than 0.05), observations which may be explained by the
      higher prevalence of serious injuries (head and internal injuries) among the
      intoxicated cohort. This study supports and emphasizes the detrimental effect of
      alcohol intoxication on the severity of injuries in traffic accident victims, and
      reinforces the need for further legal and public health measures in preventing
      alcohol-related traffic accidents.

PMID- 1414010
TI  - [Disabilities and impairment in activities of daily living as possible risk
      factors in dementia: prospective study in Basel 1986].
AB  - Because of the increasing number of old people in our society more and more
      dementia cases will be expected. The etiology of dementia is far from being
      clear. To get some idea about risk factors 4200 participants (on average 60 years
      old) of the Prospective Basel Study were asked by letter questions about their
      health and their way of life. One of the hypotheses to be tested is whether or
      not disabilities or impairments of activities of daily living could be risk
      factors for dementia. At present only the results of the basic survey can be
      discussed. Impairments of hearing, of mobility, of cutting toe-nails and of
      general physical activity were the conditions which were most frequently named.
      These results of people being mainly healthy with regard to dementia, will make
      it possible in the future--in contrast to the cross-sectional studies mentioned
      in the literature--to test the risk of physical disabilities and impairments of
      activities of daily living for dementia without being confounded by impairments
      due to dementia.

PMID- 1414011
TI  - [Prevalence of smoking in hospital personnel and future teachers].
AB  - We have surveyed the prevalence of smoking habits and the opinions about it's
      regulation among 192 students in two different schools (a teachers' and a nursing
      school) and among 320 employees of the University Hospital of Geneva. Smoking
      prevalence varies depending on the profession and sex, and remains high
      considering the level of education of the surveyed population. Among the future
      school teachers 23% are smokers. In the hospital, the smoking prevalence is 25%
      in the health professionals and 32% in the administrative and technical staff. As
      many as 46% of the future nurses are smoking. Obviously much still needs to be
      done in order to decrease the number of smokers among the health professionals.
      The majority of the employees questioned, both smokers and non-smokers, were in
      favor of regulating smoking in the workplace. 91% of the hospital staff, and 86%
      of the smokers among them, favored a smoke free hospital policy. Restriction of
      tobacco use in the workplace should be implemented particularly when it is the
      wish of a majority of employees.

PMID- 1414013
TI  - AIDS--over a million new infections in eight months.

PMID- 1414012
TI  - Knowledge of and attitudes towards family planning and early detection of breast
      and cervical cancer in two female populations in Greece.
AB  - This paper presents the results of surveys of contraceptive use, the frequency of
      induced abortions, the use of the Papanicolaou smear test and knowledge about the
      practice of breast self-examination in two female populations, characterized by a
      different socioeconomic level. There exist similar trends, as well as some
      remarkable differences between the two populations. Both of these populations
      included a high proportion of women who had undergone at least one abortion.
      Withdrawal and condom use were the most common contraceptive methods. About one
      third of women of the two populations had had a smear Pap-test carried out during
      the last year. 53.8% of the women in the population I and a 44.8% of the
      population II stated that they know how to practice breast self-examination.

PMID- 1414014
TI  - Editorial choices: to expand or not to expand...

PMID- 1414015
TI  - A descriptive analysis of articles in the journal of Social and Preventive
      Medicine (Soz Praventivmed): 1980-1990.
AB  - This study provides a descriptive image of the work published in Soz Praventivmed
      between 1980 and 1990, and analyses certain trends. All articles of this period
      were categorized and recorded in a data base for: language of publication, city
      of location and affiliation of first author, sponsor (funding body), citation in
      Medline, regions and population concerned, type of article and subject matter.
      Over the decade, we note a reduction in the number of articles with a
      corresponding increase in their page length, and a progressive increase in the
      number of articles in English when compared with the two principal languages,
      German (1/2) and French (1/3). A majority of authors have university
      affiliations. Studies with original results comprise on average 44.6% of all
      publications, a tendency which gradually decreases over time. The proportion of
      epidemiological studies, a majority of which are descriptive studies, has
      increased progressively since 1980. Among the twelve categories of subject matter
      chosen as indicators some, such as health services research and research on
      elderly persons, appear more frequently during the first half of the decade, and
      others, such as heart disease, cancer epidemiology and AIDS, appear during the
      second half.

PMID- 1414016
TI  - Measuring discrepancies between knowledge, preoccupation and fear of aids in
      populations.
AB  - A simple tool to quantify discrepancies between knowledge, preoccupation and fear
      regarding hiv and aids is presented. This tool is based on standard questions
      available in health surveys. Some results using recent Swiss data are presented,
      and the method is discussed.

PMID- 1414017
TI  - [Restrictions to smoking at the workplace and smoking habits: a literature
      review].
AB  - Based on a critical review of the literature, we assess the consequences of
      restrictive smoking policies at the worksite on smoking habits of active smokers.
      The majority of the fourteen studies reported to date (eleven studies from the
      United States, one study from Canada, one from Australia and one from the FRG)
      suggest that restrictive smoking policies might have a major impact on reduction
      of cigarette smoking and eventual smoking cessation of active smokers. However,
      most of the studies suffer from serious methodologic limitations, and more
      stringent scientific investigations should be carried out. Nevertheless,
      implementation of restrictive smoking policies at the worksite appears to be a
      reasonable measure of nonsmoker protection, even before definitive evaluation of
      the impact on smoking behavior of active smokers. Such implementation should take
      place without discrimination of smokers in the context of comprehensive worksite
      prevention programs and should be accompanied by thorough scientific evaluation.

PMID- 1414018
TI  - [Rheumatism epidemiology in Europe].
AB  - The article describes the present and potential of the epidemiology of the
      rheumatic diseases in Europe, considering especially rheumatoid arthritis (rA)
      and fibromyalgia (FMA). This is preceded by a short review of the history of
      European rheuma-epidemiology within the past 40 years. In rA European
      rheumatologists and epidemiologists have made important contributions to a
      differentiated nosology, longterm follow up studies and prognostication,
      conceptualization and measurement of outcomes and the analysis of a possibly
      decreasing incidence and severity of the disease. In an own study we were able to
      use the 1987 revision of the ARA-criteria and to test their stability over time.
      Among 11,534 German residents of Hannover, aged 25-74 we identified 58 with
      clinically proven rA or undifferentiated arthritis (uA), resulting in an
      estimated true prevalence of 0.83% (prevalence according) to Rome-criteria 0.53%,
      ARA-criteria 1987 0.33%). 39/58 could be reexamined after an average of 29
      months. Only 9 of 25 ARA-1987-positive rAs maintained their nosological status.
      The actual care of the total group seemed widely inadequate. The Concept of FMA
      has been developed in Canada (H. Smythe) and in Germany/Switzerland (W. Muller)
      at about the same time, in Europe under the notion of "generalized
      tendomyopathie". Whereas the credit for developing and defining FMA-criteria goes
      entirely to rheumatologists from North America, it is an European privilege to
      provide first epidemiological data. After Jacobsson's work in Malmo/Sweden we
      studied in Southern Germany 541 German residents of Bad Sackingen, aged 25-74. We
      eventually identified 10 subjects with a history of widespread pain, 17+ out of
      34 tender points and 2 or less out of 10 control points, giving a minimal FMA
      prevalence of 1.9% and an estimated true prevalence of 3.0% (95%-Ci 1.6-4.4%). We
      identified however several nosologic as well as nosographic difficulties, that
      question the concept of FMA as an exclusively rheumatological disorder within the
      spectrum of "soft tissue" rheumatism.

PMID- 1414019
TI  - [Performance appraisal of internal health services].
AB  - In the present context of scarce resources, satisfying at best essential needs in
      the area of health care leads gradually towards a new conception of the
      management of health services and towards the development of information tools
      designed to evaluate performance. This paper presents a general framework for
      that purpose; it can be adapted to more specific and contextual problems. The
      authors review the difficulties involved in the measure of performance, the basic
      data required by the methods as well as some indicators that can be derived from
      their application, all exemplified in a case study.

PMID- 1414020
TI  - [First time granting of the Helmut Horten Research Award to Richard Doll and
      Richard Peto].

PMID- 1414021
TI  - [Case report: anorexia nervosa in a 10-year-old boy].
AB  - A 10-year-old boy was admitted to the Children's Hospital with a 7-month history
      of disturbed eating behavior and a recent rapid weight loss: During the 24-day
      hospital stay the boy displayed a characteristic anorectic eating pattern,
      hyperactivity, anxiety, depression and compulsive behavior. Discharge followed a
      4-kg weight gain. During the subsequent 12 months of outpatient care weight gain
      and eating behavior normalized. The boy's premorbid personality was described as
      compulsive and difficult. Although his intelligence was above average the boy had
      spelling problems and inadequate verbal skills. A change to a college-preparatory
      school and contact with a family with a vegetarian way of life probably
      precipitated the acute illness.

PMID- 1414022
TI  - [Correlation between inpatient and ambulatory psychotherapy exemplified by a case
      of secondary encopresis in preadolescence].
AB  - By comparing the in-patient and out-patient psychotherapeutic treatment of a
      patient with encopresis in early adolescence the authors develop a
      psychoanalytical understanding of the psychotherapeutic effects which the
      different settings have on the patient and his parents. In the authors' opinion
      both forms of therapy supplement each other and promote the patient's development
      during the course of treatment.

PMID- 1414023
TI  - [Need for control and anxiety of losing it--reflections on the treatment of
      anorexia nervosa].
AB  - In connection with the symptoms of anorexia nervosa, which are usually based on a
      fear of losing control over food intake, we describe a therapeutic approach with
      the following important aims: To reduce patient's fear of loss of control, to
      free parents from controlling the food intake of their daughter and to establish
      a framework that provides a good climate for effective family-oriented or
      individual psychotherapy or both. In patients with anorexia that began early, we
      recommend starting with family therapy. This can be followed by individual
      psychotherapy, which is in fact often requested by the patients themselves.

PMID- 1414024
TI  - [Psychobiological aspects of the origin and therapy of compulsive disorder].

PMID- 1414025
TI  - [Psychotherapy with adolescents].

PMID- 1414026
TI  - [Significant progress in the genetic origin of Martin-Bell syndrome including
      diagnostic consequences].

PMID- 1414027
TI  - [Nicotine-induced ambulatory stimulant effect and its reverse tolerance].
AB  - Nicotine-induced ambulatory stimulant effect and its reverse tolerance produced
      by daily administration of nicotine in rats were investigated. Nicotine (0.5 and
      1.0 mg/kg, sc) increased the ambulatory activity, which was enhanced by the daily
      administration of nicotine. Although total ambulatory activity and drinking
      behavior during 20 h (from 13:00 to 9:00) following daily administration of
      nicotine (1.0 mg/kg, sc) for 7 successive days decreased, these behaviors
      returned to the control levels after the nicotine-treatment period. Moreover the
      periods (tau s) of the ambulatory activity and drinking were not changed by daily
      injections of nicotine (1.0 mg/kg, sc) for 6 successive days. The enhancement of
      the ambulatory stimulant effect produced by daily injections of nicotine (0.5
      mg/kg) was antagonized by mecamylamine (0.2 mg/kg) and haloperidol (0.05, 0.1 and
      0.2 mg/kg), which were subcutaneously administered at 20 min before injections of
      nicotine. These results suggest that the enhancement of nicotine-induced
      ambulatory stimulant effect by the daily administration of nicotine is concerned
      with central dopaminergic stimulation through the nicotinic acetylcholine
      receptor in the rat brain.

PMID- 1414028
TI  - [A simple method using a maze task for estimating working memory in mice].
AB  - Mice were housed in a cage with a T-maze for 7-9 h a day. A watering place was
      equipped at one end of the maze. At the other end of the maze, the right and left
      arms each have two exits, one of which leads to the home cage where food is
      placed, and the other of which leads to the watering place via a bypass. The exit
      leading to the home cage in either the right or left was alternately closed every
      two hours. One-way swinging doors were inserted at the entrance to each arm and
      between each bypass and the watering place. The mice housed in this apparatus
      acquired the alternation task at 5 s delay on the 6th day. As the delay became
      longer (5-150 s), correct response rate showed gradual decrease. Scopolamine (0.1
      0.4 mg/kg) did not decrease correct response rate at 5 s delay, but did at longer
      delay (30 s and 60 s). These results suggest that this method is useful in
      estimating working memory of mice.

PMID- 1414029
TI  - 5-HT3 receptor antagonists block cocaine- and methamphetamine-induced place
      preference.
AB  - The effects of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, MDL72222 and ICS205-930, on cocaine-
      and methamphetamine-induced place preference were examined. Cocaine (0.5-4.0
      mg/kg, ip) and methamphetamine (0.25-2.0 mg/kg, ip) induced a dose-dependent
      place preference. The cocaine (4 mg/kg)-induced place preference was blocked by
      both MDL72222 and ICS205-930 (0.1 mg/kg, ip). On the other hand, the dose (0.1
      mg/kg) of 5-HT3 antagonists did not block the methamphetamine (2 mg/kg)-induced
      place preference, although a higher dose (1.0 mg/kg) of 5-HT3 receptor
      antagonists did block it. The difference in sensitivity may reflect a difference
      in attack point in dopaminergic system of these two psychostimulants. Our
      findings suggest that the rewarding effects of cocaine and methamphetamine may be
      indirectly regulated by 5-HT3 receptor; cocaine being more sensitive to 5-HT3
      receptor antagonists than methamphetamine.

PMID- 1414030
TI  - [Behavioral assessment of antidepressants (1)--The forced swimming test: a review
      of its theory and practical application].
AB  - Forced swimming test is now widely used as a screening method for antidepressant
      drugs since it was proposed by Porsolt in 1977. In this article, we at first
      reviewed its theoretical background and then pointed out various factors which
      could possibly affect the results. These include the apparatus used for the test
      (quality and size of cylinder), experimental animals (breeding condition, body
      weight, age and strain), method of drug administration and evaluation of animal's
      behavior (criteria for counting the immobility time and those for excluding
      variety of orienting or escape behaviors, such as jumping, climbing, diving,
      circling and extended sniffing behaviors). Finally, potential pitfalls and
      difficulty of the test were discussed based on our own experiences. We concluded
      that the various factors discussed in this article should be carefully controlled
      for the pertinent application of the forced swimming test.

PMID- 1414031
TI  - [Effects of nicotine on circadian rhythm of ambulatory activity and drinking in
      rats].
AB  - Effects of the intake of nicotine solution and/or forced administration of
      nicotine at a fixed time-of-day on circadian rhythm of ambulatory activity and
      drinking in rats were observed under various conditions. Rats showed nocturnal
      pattern under the light-dark cycle (L: D = 12:12, light period 6:00-18:00), and
      the patterns scarcely altered while the rats were given 150 micrograms/ml of
      nicotine solution. When a restricted feeding only for 1 h per day (10:00-11:00)
      was loaded to the rats, the ambulatory activity and drinking appeared in the
      light period, especially around the feeding time. While rats were given 15-150
      micrograms/ml of nicotine solution under the restricted feeding condition, they
      demonstrated a marked phase-shift in the circadian rhythm in the concentration
      dependent manner. Rats showed free-running rhythms with tau value of longer than
      24 h under the constant red dim light condition (CRDL), and such rhythm was
      scarcely modified by the intake of nicotine solution of 50-150 micrograms/ml.
      However, when nicotine (1.5 mg/kg po), but not tap water, was administered at
      10:00 every day under the CRDL condition, it also produced phase-shift which was
      similar to that induced by the nicotine ingestion under the redose of nicotine is
      administered or taken at a fixed time-of-day.

PMID- 1414032
TI  - [The threshold lowering effects of chronic treatment with haloperidol on beta
      carboline derivative-induced tonic convulsion].
AB  - To clarify a relationship between dopamine neuron and purine, GABA or
      benzodiazepine system, we have studied the changes in the threshold of tonic
      convulsion induced by each antagonist after chronic treatment with haloperidol in
      mice. Mice were given haloperidol (1 mg/kg, sc) once a day for 19 d and
      challenged with caffeine (an adenosine receptor antagonist), beta-DMCM (beta
      carboline derivative: as a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist), picrotoxin (a Cl-
      channel blocker) or bicuculline (a GABAa receptor antagonist) 30 min, 24 h and 48
      h after the last injection of haloperidol. Only the threshold of beta-DMCM
      induced tonic convulsion was lowered and it was reversed 7 d after the last
      injection. The beta-DMCM-induced convulsions on 2 d withdrawal were reversed by
      diazepam (2.5 mg/kg, ip; a benzodiazepine receptor agonist), Ro15-1788 (5.0
      mg/kg, ip; as like a benzodiazepine receptor partial agonist), muscimol (2.0
      mg/kg, ip; a GABAa receptor agonist) or apomorphine (0.25 and 2.0 mg/kg, ip; a
      dopamine receptor agonist). These results suggest that the lowering effect of
      chronic haloperidol on seizure threshold may be involved in the development of
      tolerance to haloperidol. It may implicate in direct interactions between
      benzodiazepine and dopamine or GABA systems but may not between dopamine and GABA
      neurons in development of lowering seizure threshold following chronic
      haloperidol treatment.

PMID- 1414033
TI  - [Postsynaptic mechanism of long-term potentiation].
AB  - Long-term potentiation (LTP) is an experimental model for memory and learning in
      higher animals. It is a well-known fact that intracellular rise in Ca2+ is an
      essential requirement for generation of LTP. Little is known about the synaptic
      modulation triggered by the intracellular Ca2+ rise, though the involvement of
      protein kinase C, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM KII), and/or
      calpain are indicated experimentally. For the purpose of making the synaptic
      change clearer we tried to characterize the substrates for the protein kinases
      associated with isolated postsynaptic density (PSD)-enriched fractions. Four
      major groups of substrates for the CaM KII (250 k M(r), 200 k M(r), 180 k M(r),
      and 140 k M(r)) and one for kinase C (17 k M(r)) were identified. The 250 k M(r)
      substrate resembled P400 protein, IP3 receptor, in structure. The 17 k M(r)
      substrate was different from myelin basic protein which was electrophoresed
      nearly at the same distance. We made an antibody against the 140 k M(r)
      substrates to obtain biological and physicochemical properties of the protein. We
      also made an antibody specific to the Thr286-autophosphorylated and autonomous
      form of CaM KII. The latter antibody is an extremely useful reagent to understand
      the biological functions of the CaM KII, especially the role of
      autophosphorylation of the kinase in modulation of the synaptic function such as
      in LTP.

PMID- 1414034
TI  - [The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease demonstrated by immunocytochemistry with
      anti-beta-protein antibody].
AB  - Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly. The
      characteristic neuropathologic findings in this disease are neurofibrillary
      tangles, senile plaques, and often amyloid infiltration of cerebrovascular walls.
      These lesions are commonly found in the neocortex and hippocampus, and their
      clinical significance has been highlighted by quantitative studies showing a
      significant correlation between the numbers of neurofibrillary tangles and senile
      plaques and the clinical severity of dementia. In 1984, Glenner and Wong isolated
      a novel protein (termed "beta-protein") from cerebrovascular amyloid of
      individuals with Alzheimer's disease and adult Down's syndrome. In the following
      year, Masters et al, using amino acid sequence data, demonstrated that beta
      protein is also a component of senile plaque amyloid fibrils. Subsequently, this
      chemical data was supported by light microscopic and electron microscopic
      immunohistochemical studies showing that cerebrovascular and senile plaque
      amyloid deposits are reactive to synthetic beta-protein peptide antibodies. In
      addition, some recent histochemical and immunocytochemical studies have revealed
      important new information on the pathogenesis of the senile plaque: senile
      plaques may undergo sequential structural changes. On the basis of the
      investigation on a series of Down's syndrome cases, an extensive appearance of
      beta-protein deposits is an early pathologic change in Alzheimer's disease, and
      the formation of neurofibrillary changes, including tangles, develops at an
      advanced stage. The availability of beta-protein amino acid sequence data led to
      the identification of a full-length cDNA clone coding a possible precursor of
      amyloid beta-protein. However, the origin or function of this beta-protein
      precursor still remains uncertain. Further studies are required to know the exact
      pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1414035
TI  - [Discriminative stimulus properties of D-amphetamine: a neuropharmacological
      review].
AB  - It has been reported that laboratory animals can discriminate the presence of the
      psychomotor stimulant, D-amphetamine, from a non-drug or another drug condition.
      Under test conditions, doses lower than the training dose typically result in
      proportional decreases in D-amphetamine-appropriate responding, that is, dose
      response curve is obtained. When drugs other than the training drug (D
      amphetamine) are tested, they produced drug-appropriate responding to the extent
      that they resemble D-amphetamine (generalization or substitution test). And some
      antagonists (e.g., chlorpromazine) attenuate the stimulus effects of training
      drug. In the present review, the attempt to characterize the neuropharmacological
      characteristics of the discriminative stimulus properties of D-amphetamine is
      presented. The neural processes due to the transduction of D-amphetamine into
      stimulus properties may primarily involve central dopaminergic nervous system.
      Furthermore, drugs that share the discriminative stimulus properties in
      laboratory animals often produce similar subjective effects in human.

PMID- 1414036
TI  - [Autoradiography for drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics study].
AB  - Since Ullberg presented a macroautoradiograph showing the distribution of 35S
      benzylpenicillin in rats by use of a commercial X-ray film in 1954, anything
      besides X-ray film has never been used for macroautoradiography. In the
      minireview a new type of radiation sensor, "Imaging Plate" (IP), is introduced as
      a useful sensor as a sensor that is more useful than previous ones. The IP is a
      photo-stimulable phosphor that can trap and store the radiation energy
      quantitatively. About 100 times higher sensitivity than any of ordinary X-ray
      films and very precise quantitativeness are demonstrated by many results reported
      recently. Simple procedures are herein presented with a few demonstrative
      examples of macro- and microautoradiography.

PMID- 1414037
TI  - [Regulation of (-)-sulpiride-induced increase in evoked dopamine release from
      striatal slices in rat].
AB  - The effects of dopamine (DA) agonist and antagonists on (-)-sulpiride-induced
      increase in electrically evoked DA release from striatal slices of rats were
      investigated. (-)-Sulpiride at concentrations of 10 nM to 1 microM in the
      superfusate caused a dose-dependent increase in electrically evoked DA release
      from the slices. (+)-Sulpiride had little effect on the evoked DA release up to 1
      microM. Apomorphine inhibited the electrically evoked DA release which was
      antagonized by sulpiride. SCH 23390 and forskolin had no effect on the sulpiride
      induced enhancement of evoked DA release. Pretreatment with the irreversible DA
      receptor antagonist, N-ethoxy-carbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ),
      caused a significant increase in evoked DA release and prevented the sulpiride
      induced increase in evoked DA release. These results indicate that the sulpiride
      induced increase in evoked DA release is due to an antagonism of the activation
      of DA autoreceptors by endogenously released DA.

PMID- 1414038
TI  - [Treatment of chronic eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome--effective therapy regimens
      become evident].

PMID- 1414039
TI  - [L-tryptophan-associated chronic eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome treated with
      cyclosporin].
AB  - After 2 weeks of ingestion of 130 g L-Tryptophan a 52 year old female develops an
      Eosinophilia Myalgia Syndrome with acute onset of deep venous thrombosis of
      forearm and possible initial cardiac manifestation featuring intermittent
      sinustachykardia. This is followed by a severe chronic disease (follow-up 15
      months) with diffuse scleroderma and sensomotoric polyneuropathia. The deep
      muscle biopsy-specimen shows mononuclear infiltration of fascia and interstitial
      myositis with rare eosinophils. A blood eosinophilia (900/ul) occurs only in the
      initial acute onset of the illness. Plasma level of Kynurenine is significantly
      high (4000 pmol/ml), collagenneosynthesis is activated (Procollagen type III
      peptid 0.927 U/ml). No significant clinical improvement was seen with
      Acathioprine (100 mg/d) and Prednisolon (40-60 mg/d), after treatment with
      Ciclosporin scleroderma regresses completely, polyneuropathy is persisting.

PMID- 1414040
TI  - [Data of two years of the comparative study methotrexate/aurothiomalate in 102
      patients].
AB  - 102 patients (pat.) with active erosive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with a median
      disease duration of only 14 months without malalignment or deformities entered a
      randomized study to compare the effects of 15 mg methotrexate (MTX) and 50 mg
      gold sodium thiomalate (GST) administered intramuscularly once a week. The study
      was double blind during the first year and open during the second year. Clinical
      and laboratory evaluations were made every three months. X-rays of hands, wrists
      and forefeet in standard a.p.-projection were taken at month 0, 6, 12 and 24. 32
      joints were evaluated according to Larsen. 17/52 (MTX) and 21/50 (GST) patients
      were withdrawn for several reasons. Withdrawals for toxicity were significantly
      more frequent in the GST group. 35 patients in the MTX group and 26 patients in
      the GST group were evaluated for efficacy. All clinical parameters, ESR and CRP
      improved by more than 50% in both groups without significant intergroup
      difference. The greatest improvement was seen already after six months. An > 50%
      improvement occurred in 57% of pat. in both groups. The Larsen score (sum of the
      Larsen grades of 32 joints) deteriorated significantly in both groups during the
      first six months (MTX = 3.0, GST = +4.3), it remained stable thereafter in the
      MTX group and decreased in the gold group. The number of erosive joints increased
      significantly in both groups during the first six months. This increase was
      slowed down after six months in the MTX group, in the gold group a decrease was
      seen indicating a healing of erosions. All differences between the groups were
      not significant, however. CONCLUSION: While tolerability was better with MTX,
      both drugs were similarly effective in the treatment of RA and slowed down
      radiologic progression.

PMID- 1414041
TI  - [3H-thymidine incorporation into chondrocytes of arthritic cartilage].
AB  - An autoradiographic investigation was done to characterize cell proliferation in
      osteoarthrotic cartilage with regard to the formation of clusters. Altogether, 3H
      thymidine labelled chondrocytes were rarely observed--a labelling index of
      0.5/1000 was calculated. One isolated 3H-thymidine labelled mitosis was found.
      Labelled cells were often encountered in chondrocyte clusters leading to the
      assumption that an increased proliferation of chondrocytes is the mechanism of
      cluster formation.

PMID- 1414042
TI  - [AA-amyloidosis in inflammatory rheumatic diseases. A report of clinical
      experiences].
AB  - A review of the literature on rheumatic diseases with secondary amyloidosis and
      our diagnostic and therapeutic experiences in 33 own cases were reported. The
      place of subcutaneous fat biopsy in the diagnosis of secondary amyloidosis was
      shown included our own results and the corresponding literature. We saw
      amyloidosis type AA mostly in patients with high disease activity and progressive
      stage. There is no sure relationship to the duration of the disease. The renal
      involvement is clinical most significantly and also most frequently. The renal
      amyloidosis type AA can be influenced therapeutically however only in normal or
      unimportant restricted renal function. The therapeutic success is not depended on
      the choice of the long acting antirheumatic drug. The results were discussed in
      respect with the current literature.

PMID- 1414043
TI  - [Arthrography of the iliosacral joint].
AB  - We anatomically dissected four pelvic bones without damaging any ligaments, and
      tried to find a dorsal approach to arthrograph the sacroiliac joint. The joint
      could not be punctured through its proximal two-thirds: on the one hand, because
      of its overall angulated orientation, on the other hand, because of the
      significant overhang of the spina iliaca posterior superior, medially, and the
      impossibility to make further needle corrections through the very strong
      ligaments. The only possible approach was situated one finger's width medially to
      the spina iliaca posterior inferior, with the needle directed laterally at an
      angle of 20 degrees to the horizontal. Only 0.1-0.2 ml of contrast fluid could be
      injected. The arthrographic information was reduced to only determining the form
      of the joint; the state of the cartilage and integrity of the capsule could not
      be assessed. The best image exposure had to be determined individually and for
      each case under fluoroscopy, with, unfortunately, a certain level of irradiation.
      In vivo, the puncture of the lower third of the joint is impossible; the concept
      of "intraarticular injection of the sacroiliac joint" must be abandoned, as this
      joint can hardly be punctured dorsally.

PMID- 1414044
TI  - [Systemic lupus erythematosus: therapy and prevention].

PMID- 1414045
TI  - [4th International ANCA Workshop and 2d International Symposium on Wegener's
      granulomatosis and related vasculitis, Lubeck 28-30 May 1992].

PMID- 1414046
TI  - [The limits of intensive care medicine].

PMID- 1414047
TI  - [Soft tissue sarcoma in adulthood].
AB  - Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) represent a heterogenous group of malignant tumors
      arising in mesenchymal tissue and in the autonomal and peripheral nervous
      systems. Only 1% of all malignancies in adults are STS. Most of them are
      localized at the extremities, but they also occur in the abdomen and the thorax
      as well as at the abdominal and chest wall. They are usually surrounded by a
      pseudocapsule which contains tumor cells and they can exhibit a discontinuous
      growth pattern. Macroscopically undetectable branches might grow along given
      anatomical structures. Thus the whole sarcoma-related anatomic compartment should
      be judged as tumor-contaminated. The high rate of local failure is often caused
      by insufficiently extended primary resections. Lymph node metastases are rare.
      The main prognostic factors are histological grading, tumor size and surgical
      radicality. Diagnosis of STS is often made at a rather late state of tumor
      progression often too late for curative therapy. Early histological diagnosis is
      thus of great importance. The operation aims at the removal of the whole tumor
      bearing anatomic compartment. Even wide excisions of the sarcoma surrounded by 3
      cm of tumor free tissue will lead to at least 60% local recurrencies. Excisions
      along the pseudocapsule (enucleation) will most likely leave parts of the tumor
      behind. Insufficient surgical radicality cannot be compensated for by adjuvant
      therapies. The resection should be carried out without compromises.

PMID- 1414048
TI  - [The incidence of wound healing disorders in heart surgery].
AB  - In a five-year retrospective study we investigated the wound infection rate after
      median sternotomy in 2805 adult patients on whom elective surgery had been
      performed with extracorporeal circulation. On the basis of 14,700 apparently
      relevant data from 101 patients with wound healing disturbances at the sternotomy
      site, both the significance of predisposing risk profiles and the prevalence of
      nosocomial pathogens were evaluated. The control group was formed by 100 patients
      selected at random. The results were checked for statistical significance using
      the X2 test for alternative characters; the significance level was set at alpha =
      5%. The infection rate observed in our group was 3.6%, which was assigned to 5
      internally defined degrees of severity. Cases of healing by second intention were
      caused to 93% by coagulase-negative staphylococci and staphylococcus aureus.
      Factors leading to a decrease in oxygenation of the wound area (low-output
      syndrome, rethoracotomy), diabetes, obesity and the duration of wound drainage
      were accompanied by a significantly more frequent occurrence of wound healing
      disturbances. On the other hand, perfusion-technical parameters, operation
      duration, revascularisation techniques (IMA/ACVB), pulmonary conditioned
      hypoxemias and the end-of-year desinfection usual in our clinic had no influence
      on wound healing. Seasonal fluctuation of the epidermal microclimate appear to be
      responsible for the prevalence and virulence of the pathogen strains in the
      clinic environment. The preventive measures used in cardiosurgical clinics do not
      yet represent a fully developed prophylaxis against exposure to nosocomial
      pathogens.

PMID- 1414049
TI  - [Treatment of type II B open fracture--therapeutic regimen and results].
AB  - A consecutive series of 119 type III B compound fractures in 103 patients was
      treated at the University of Louisville from May 1983 to May 1989. All patients
      had timely irrigation of their wounds, serial wound debridements, external
      skeletal stabilization and parenteral systemic antibiotics (penicillin,
      cefazolin, tobramycin). 96 open fractures were managed with the supplemental
      local use of tobramycin-PMMA-beads. There were 13.5% wound infections and 10.1%
      osteomyelitis observed. The additional local antibiotic therapy was of
      significant (p less than 0.001, p less than 0.025) benefit to lower both
      infectious complications. The amputation rate was overall 5%, 9.7% for the lower
      leg. Four patients died due to multiple trauma.

PMID- 1414050
TI  - [Closing the resection surface in left pancreatic resection with the surgical
      stapler].
AB  - In the present paper a technique is demonstrated wherein the closure of the
      pancreatic remnant following left pancreatectomy with absorbable staples was
      performed. The good results with minimal complications recommend this method.

PMID- 1414051
TI  - [Perioperative treatment in elective colorectal resection in Germany].
AB  - The perioperative treatment of patients with elective colorectal resections in
      1086 german hospitals was analysed. In 40% of all hospitals preoperative
      parenteral nutrition was administered. Following resection iv-fluids were
      administered in every hospital (6.2% hypo-, 72.4% normo-, 18.7% hypercaloric).
      Systemic chemoprophylaxis with iv-antibiotics was given in 95.4% of all
      hospitals. Preoperative bowel preparation included orthograde lavage in 86.1% of
      the hospitals and oral non-resorbable antibiotics were given in 22.5%. 40.1% of
      all surgeons performed intraoperative testing of colorectal anastomoses and
      abdominal drains were used on a regular basis in more than 83% of the hospitals.
      The principles in perioperative treatment of patients with elective colorectal
      resections are almost identical all over Germany. Minor differences in
      perioperative treatment occurred in association with localisation, class of
      hospital, size of surgical department and annual amount of resections. Also
      differences between clinical practice and results of recent scientific studies
      can be observed.

PMID- 1414052
TI  - [Preoperative intestinal lavage with a polyethyleneglycol-containing solution. A
      prospective randomized study in comparison with Ringer's lactate solution].
AB  - Aim of that study was to prove, whether a solution containing polyethyleneglycol
      (PEG) is more useful in comparison to the normal method using Ringer's-lactate
      solution for preoperative bowel preparation. METHODS: From January 1990 up to
      February 1991 we compared in a prospective randomized simple blind study on 110
      patients the whole gut solution (Hewitt) to a bowel preparation with PEG
      (Oralav). RESULTS: The patients, that were prepared in the common way (Ringer's
      lactate, control group; n = 54) were approximately given the double amount of
      liquid (9663 ml) as those in the other group (target group; n = 54: 4777 ml). We
      found no significant differences concerning the electrolytes. Hemoglobin (-1.1
      g/dl) and hematocrit (-3.5%) were significantly lower in the control group. Both
      groups showed a similar frequency of nausea (control group 25% vs target group
      34%). Vomiting was mainly found in the control group (20.8% vs 1.9%). Both groups
      showed comparably good results in bowel cleansing. Between the two groups we
      found no differences in specific bowel bacterial flora. Characteristic and number
      of postoperative complications were similar low (5.7 vs 3.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Due
      to a better compliance by oral application, the lower given amounts of liquid and
      the equal cleansing effect we prefer the use of the PEG containing solution
      (Oralav).

PMID- 1414053
TI  - [Angioarchitecture of the ileum and colon in Crohn disease].
AB  - Vascular changes in resected bowels of Crohn's disease were examined
      angiographically, microangiographically, micro-preparatorily and histologically.
      The proper angioarchitecture of the small and the large bowel is being destroyed
      in the course of the ongoing inflammatory process. Dilated capillaries,
      destruction of the primary angioarchitecture and its replacement by an irregular,
      partially bizarre pattern of scar vessels with bundling of the unchanged Vasa
      recta as varying vessel diameters caused by obliterating secondary fibroses can
      be seen in advanced Crohn's disease. The angioarchitecture of the pseudo-polyps
      in Crohn's disease is characterized by an increased number of vessels, bizarrely
      bended vessels and a radial pattern of veins. All these vascular changes in
      Crohn's disease are to be seen as secondary changes due to the inflammatory
      reaction.

PMID- 1414054
TI  - [Puncture catheterization of central veins--experiences from a primary care
      clinic].
AB  - BACKGROUND: We introduced in the years 1984-1989 317 central venous catheters.
      Our results and conclusions for using those catheters in smaller hospitals are
      described. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 4 physicians inserted under standardized
      conditions 317 central venous catheters in the intensive care unit using the
      transmuscular way for puncturing the V. jugularis interna and the infraclavicular
      way for puncturing the V. subclavia. RESULTS: Puncturing the V. basilica
      complications were not registered. By the V. subclavia route a Pneumothorax rate
      of 1.7% and an arterial puncture rate of 4.1% were found compared with a 4%
      arterial puncture rate using the V. jugularis interna. We couldn't find the V.
      subclavia in 3.4% and the V. jugularis interna in 8%. The complication rate
      decreased with increasing experience of the physicians. The positions of the
      catheters in the venous system were not appropriate in 46.9% of the cases after
      puncture of the V. basilica and in 1.3% after puncture of V. subclavia. Wrong
      catheter positions were not found after puncturing the V. jugularis interna.
      Complications as thrombophlebitis were observed in 6.5% after puncturing the V.
      basilica and 1.1% of the cases after V. subclavia puncture. CONCLUSIONS: Central
      venous catheters can be safely used also in smaller hospitals if applied by a
      standardized method. A limited team of physicians can get enough experiences also
      in a slight number of patients, so that complication rates as low as in
      international statistics were found.

PMID- 1414055
TI  - [The compartment syndrome with special reference to vascular surgery aspects. A
      patient sample of the Cologne University Clinic 1981 to 1991].
AB  - The compartment syndrome, a well known complication in traumatized patients, is
      not taken enough notice of in the literature of vascular surgery despite it's
      obviously important pathophysiological context. Considering arterial occlusive
      disease the ischemia as well as the reperfusion can increase the compartmental
      volume respectively the tissue pressure. The subfascial pressure measurement
      should not lead to a false certainty, since no critical pressure values exist
      that can serve as a general criterion for diagnosis and treatment. The "thought
      about it" may be the first step to a clinical diagnosis and subsequent therapy.
      Decompression of all four compartments at the lower leg by the technique of
      Matsen represents the therapy of choice for the compartment syndrome of the lower
      leg.

PMID- 1414056
TI  - [Serum gastrin level in patients with colorectal adenoma or carcinoma].
AB  - During the last years interest has focused on the trophic effect of gastrin in
      colorectal carcinomas. Some reports indicated an increased serum level of gastrin
      in patients with colorectal adenomas or carcinomas. In a prospective study in 261
      patients submitted to colonoscopy fasting serum gastrin concentrations were
      determined. 91 patients served as control, 89 patients had one or more adenomas,
      55 patients suffered from a colorectal carcinoma, 17 had a benign, postoperative
      stenosis of the colon, and 9 had a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. All
      patients fulfilled the following criteria: No regular drug intake, no previous
      gastric or small bowel operation, no known ulcer disease, no abnormalities in
      serum calcium, creatinine, triglycerides, cholesterol and blood urea. Mean
      gastrin level was 86.63 +/- 23.8 pg/ml in the control, 84.57 +/- 25.1 pg/ml in
      the adenoma group and 84.6 +/- 24.4 pg/ml in the carcinoma group. No difference
      of serum gastrin levels were observed regarding sex, age, tumor stage and
      localisation.

PMID- 1414057
TI  - [Results of surgical therapy of choledocholithiasis--a retrospective study].
AB  - A multimodal therapeutic concept of choledocholithiasis with endoscopic and
      surgical procedures is presented. Between January 1986 and December 1990 106
      patients with choledocholithiasis were operated. These patients are
      retrospectively analyzed. The success rate is 95.3%, the morbidity 18.7% and the
      mortality 0. These results are compared with the published data of the surgical
      or endoscopic therapy of the choledocholithiasis.

PMID- 1414058
TI  - [The arterial blood supply of extrahepatic bile ducts of the donor liver].
AB  - The discussion of the etiopathogenesis of biliary complications after orthotopic
      liver transplantation have always encountered the problem of the status of a
      limited or interrupted blood supply of the ductus hepatocholedochus in the liver
      graft. For the description of the arterial vascular anatomy of the common bile
      duct 40 liver specimen were postmortem explanted and injection replica were made
      using corrosion technique. The arterial structures were systematically analysed
      and classified on the basis of their origin, distribution, calibre and
      combination. As a result, two types of arterial blood supply were defined and
      conclusions drawn for the surgical dissection during hepatectomy of the graft.

PMID- 1414059
TI  - [Gunshot and stab injuries of the abdomen].
AB  - From 1973 to 1991 a total of 422 patients underwent surgery because of an
      abdominal trauma. 12 patients had gunshot wounds and 46 patients stab wounds. In
      a retrospective study the diagnostic and therapeutic procedure and the indication
      for surgery are analysed. After gunshot wounds of the abdomen we always performed
      a laparotomy. In 11 od 12 cases we found serious intra-abdominal injuries. Only
      in one case the laparotomy was "unnecessary", because of a tangential wound
      without penetrating of the abdominal wall. After stab wounds the diagnostic and
      therapeutic management was more selective. Indications for mandatory laparotomy
      after stab wounds were a manifest hemorrhagic shock, evisceration and a still
      left weapon in the abdomen (n = 22). The first clinical examination was completed
      by ultrasound or peritoneal lavage. Pathological findings like free
      intraperitoneal fluid or a positive lavage also were indications for laparotomy
      (n = 9). The other patients were observed closely, including repeated physical
      examination. The indication for surgery then based on the development of clinical
      signs. The time between first examination and laparotomy was never more than 12
      hours. 39 patients (84.7%) had injuries of intraabdominal organs. 5 patients
      (10.8%) had a negative laparotomy. The mortality rate was 3.4%, but there was no
      death as a result of the selective approach.

PMID- 1414060
TI  - [Use of the dynamic condylar screw in fractures of the coxal end of the femur-
      are there advantages in gerontologic traumatology?].
AB  - Till now instable fractures of the upper end of the femur were treated by using
      the 95 degrees fixed angle blade in gerontotraumatology, too. As an alternative
      treatment within 16 month we used the dynamic condylar screw (DCS) in 87 cases of
      patients elder than 65 years. The results were compared to 81 patients, who had
      been treated by implantation of 95 degrees fixed angle blades. As to
      gerontotraumatology it was interesting, that there were no DCS-specific
      complications, which demanded operative revision. Advantages of the DCS are easy
      insertion, firm fixation, increased strength and resistance to stress failure,
      short times of operation and hospitalisation. The most important disadvantage--as
      to gerontotraumatology--however is the not existing primarily load capacity.

PMID- 1414061
TI  - [External torsion fractures of the tibia combined with ankle joint fractures].
AB  - The aim of this retrospective study is to emphasize on combined fractures of the
      tibia with lesions of the ankle joint. The report bases on 820 fractures of the
      lower leg. 123 cases showed external rotation fractures of the tibia, which were
      combined with lesions of the ankle joint in 88 cases. 25 patients were operated
      on the ankle joint. Because of the combination of external rotation fractures
      with lesions of the ankle joint, which accounted to 65% of the posterior tibial
      margin, to 17% of the lateral malleolus and to 3% of the syndesmosis, it is
      important to investigate the ankle joint radiologically and clinically.

PMID- 1414062
TI  - [What is the best method of contraception?].

PMID- 1414063
TI  - [Trichomonas infection in the female and the current status].

PMID- 1414064
TI  - [Uterine abnormality and fallopian tube damage--surgical correction in one
      session?].
AB  - From 1983 to 1990 15 metroplasties were carried out at the Department of
      Obstetrics and Gynecology Greifswald. 11 of these operations were combined with a
      microsurgical tubal operation. For the diagnostics of uterus malformation and
      tubal damage as many methods as possible (hysterosalpingography, laparoscopy with
      chromotubation, hysteroscopy and sonography) should be used. A postoperative life
      birth rate of 62.5% shows that an operative correction of uterus malformation and
      tubal damage in one session is justified. Metroplasty is also indicated at
      primary tubal sterility with simultaneous uterus malformation. A caesarean
      section is not primarily indicated after metroplasty.

PMID- 1414065
TI  - The grand multipara--an obstetric problem?
AB  - At the Medical Central Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Sibenik over
      1970-1991 period there were 26,116 deliveries (multiple births excluded), of
      which 254 (0.97%) occurred in grand multiparas (five and more deliveries). The
      authors have found that the number of grand multiparas decreased by 38.3% (P <
      0.001) over the past eleven years. Control subjects were 7920 multiparas (two to
      four deliveries, 20-34 years of age, from the same period). In 84.3% of the cases
      grand multiparas were delivered of their fifth or sixth infant, and 68.5% were >
      or = 35 years of age. Spontaneous abortion occurred in 16.9%, and 14.2% had no
      antenatal visit. EPH gestosis (8.3%), glucose intolerance (9.9%), preterm
      delivery (8.3%) and meconium-stained amniotic fluid (15.0%) were more common in
      the grand multiparas, whereas cervical cerclage (5.4%) and 7-to-12-hour duration
      of labour (12.8%) were more common in the control group. No significant
      differences were found in weight gain, prolonged pregnancy, caesarean delivery,
      assisted breech and vacuum extraction between two groups. There was also no
      difference in the incidence of neonatal morbidity and congenital abnormalities
      between the grand multiparas and controls. Late fetal and early neonatal deaths
      in the grand multiparous and control group occurred in 1.18% and 1.57,
      respectively, resulting in a 2.75% overall perinatal death rate for both groups
      (P > 0.05). No case of maternal death or uterine rupture occurred in either
      group. The authors conclude that pregnancy and delivery in grand multiparas are
      at higher risk due to poorer antenatal care and advancing maternal age.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414066
TI  - [Experiences in dealing with tubal sterilization].
AB  - The political changes in the GDR and the unity of Germany give the women the
      possibility of deciding for tubal sterilization as a method of contraception that
      was restrictively used in the GDR. This investigation analysis the psychosocial
      and medical factors influencing the women in their decision for sterilization.
      103 women were interviewed with a questionnaire before they underwent tubal
      sterilization in a great medical center in Sachsen-Anhalt. The findings known in
      the literature regarding the satisfied after sterilization were discussed.
      However the sterilization is an intervention that should be thought over
      carefully.

PMID- 1414067
TI  - [Lupus anticoagulant and antiphospholipid antibody values in a family with
      systemic lupus erythematosus].
AB  - The Lupus Anticoagulant (LA) is an immunoglobulin directed towards the
      phospholipid portion of the prothrombin activator complex. This immunoglobulin
      because first identified in the plasma of patients with Systemic Lupus
      Erythematodes, was named as Lupus Anticoagulant. Although initially described in
      patients with SLE, it was subsequently observed in other diseases and also in
      patients without any manifest disease. SLE or similar diseases are present in 35%
      of LA (+) patients. The LA prevalence in SLE patients has been found as 34%
      whereas ACA prevalence was found as 44%. While searching for the presence of LA
      and the levels of APA in cases having unexplained recurrent fetal losses, a
      family (a mother and 3 daughters) was discovered, whose each member has been
      diagnosed as SLE at different times and with different symptoms. Data suggesting
      the presence of LA and high APA levels were determined in all the members of the
      family and also it was realised that cause who had recurrent fetal losses had the
      highest APA levels. In addition to immunoassay methods to detect APA, examination
      of coagulation tests in patients with unexplained thrombosis and/or fetal losses,
      would be of great help.

PMID- 1414068
TI  - Acute periappendicitis after an elective section.
AB  - The diagnosis periappendicitis is well known. The causes to periappendicitis are
      manifold. In the literature, we have not yet found a case, where periappendicitis
      developed because amnion fluid passed to the peritoneum during an elective
      section. We present a case, where a patient, 5 days after an elective section,
      developed the symptoms of appendicitis. The pathologic diagnosis is
      periappendicitis, presumably developed because of the amnion fluid.

PMID- 1414069
TI  - [Factor XIII deficiency: blood coagulation defect in pregnancy].
AB  - Rare haemorrhagic disorders cause a lot of diagnostic and therapeutic problems to
      the obstetrician. By means of a pregnancy course and a birth process a report is
      given on the physiological drop of the factor XIII serum concentration and its
      difficult clinical interpretation. This paper presents pathophysiology, symptoms,
      complications and treatment of factor XIII deficiency in pregnancy.

PMID- 1414070
TI  - [C-1 esterase inhibitor deficiency as an obstetric problem: a case report].
AB  - The present paper reports a case of C-1-esterase-inhibitor-deficiency in
      pregnancy. After preoperative i.v. application of 500 E-1-esterase the section
      caesarean was performed. Problems of this disease, relevant for obstetrics have
      been described. An interdisciplinary cooperation between obstetrics, anaesthetics
      and dermatologists is important.

PMID- 1414071
TI  - [Crede's prevention of ophthalmia under discussion].

PMID- 1414072
TI  - [Functional aspects of healing in microsurgical tubal anastomosis--experimental
      studies of the rabbit fallopian tube].
AB  - Ovarian function and fertility was studied in 46 female New Zealand White rabbits
      after isthmic-isthmic reanastomosis of the oviduct. Postoperative ovarian
      function was slightly suppressed and returned to normal after two month. No
      significant differences were found between the control side and the side of
      anastomosis. Fertility was reduced directly after surgery on the side of
      anastomosis as well as on the control side. On the side of reanastomosis a
      continuous increase of tubal function occurred up to two month after surgery. At
      this time tubal function was reduced to 30%, the nidation index was about 0.6.
      Tubal function of the untreated oviduct was nearly normal (nidation index 0.8)
      two weeks after surgery.

PMID- 1414073
TI  - [Ultrasound assessment of the endometrium in early detection of endometrial
      cancer in high risk patients].
AB  - In 300 postmenopausal adipose and complaint-free patients but with one risk
      factor for the development of endometrial carcinoma one prospective study
      transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasonographic examinations by 3.75-MHZ
      abdominal and 5-MHZ vaginal sound was carried out. In all cases with endometrial
      thickness of 10 mm and also with endometrial thickness of 5-10 mm and irregular
      endometrial boundary fractional curettage was done. The rate of abnormal findings
      was 8% of which in 18 patients the findings were histologically confirmed (3
      endometrial cancer, 5 hyperplasia, 8 polyp and 2 submucosal myomas). The
      sensitivity of ultrasonography was found to be 75%. Patients with normal findings
      were controlled in 6 months, none of these patients showed pathological symptoms.

PMID- 1414074
TI  - [Organ preserving endosurgery in pyosalpingitis].
AB  - Pyosalpinges are a difficult therapeutic problem in a complicated pelvic
      inflammatory disease. To avoid a diffuse peritonitis, often a laparotomy with
      salpingectomy is performed. 20 women of reproductive age with a uni- or bilateral
      pyosalpinx were incorporated in a prospective study to investigate the
      possibilities of a combined endosurgical/antibiotical treatment. After endoscopic
      confirmation, the patients were taken into study. During diagnostic laparoscopy,
      a salpingotomy with rinsing of the tubes and a drainage of the Douglas pouch took
      place. After one week of antibiotic treatment, a second-look laparoscopy was
      performed in all patients; no recurrence was documented. The combination of
      endosurgery and chemotherapy showed to be a safe and efficient therapy of tubal
      abscesses in women of reproductive age.

PMID- 1414075
TI  - [Duplicity of Gartner duct cysts--a single case report].
AB  - A 44 year old patient has pains over a long period of years. Only surgical
      removal of residuals of Gartner-duct-system both para-vaginal and sub-urethral
      could make her painless.

PMID- 1414076
TI  - [VII. International Congress on Infections in Gynecology and Obstetrics 4-7 March
      1992 in Munich].

PMID- 1414077
TI  - [I. Symposium of the German-Japanese Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians 3
      April 1992 in Chiba, Japan].

PMID- 1414078
TI  - [8th professional workshop of the "Zurich Discussion Circle" April 1992.
      Recommendations for oral contraception].

PMID- 1414079
TI  - Surgery, dopamine agonist therapy of combined treatment--results in prolactinoma
      patients after a 12 month follow-up.
AB  - In a non-randomized retrospective study n = 36 prolactinoma patients (n = 7 micro
      and n = 29 macroadenomas) were evaluated before (E0), 4 (E1) and 52 weeks (E2)
      after applying 3 different treatment modalities: A dopamine agonist (DA) therapy
      (n = 14), B surgery as initial procedure (n = 12) and oral DA therapy, C DA
      preinjection, subsequent surgery (n = 10) and oral DA medication. T0 outline the
      effect of the 3 regimens upon serum prolactin (PRL) and tumour size reduction,
      clinical signs and symptoms, anterior/posterior pituitary lobe function and
      MRI/CT findings were evaluated in each patient at E0, E1 and E2. In group A, PRL
      normalization was achieved in n = 10 patients (71%), although the frequency of an
      empty sella was only one out of 12 macroprolactinoma patients (less than 10%).
      Patients of group C showed the lowest PRLE2 levels (32 +/- 11 ng/ml,
      normalization rate 60%), although not statistically significant when compared
      with the other groups (A: 41 +/- 28 ng/ml, B: 114 +/- 33 ng/ml, normalization
      rate 31%). According to MRI studies in groups B and C total removal was achieved
      in 33% and 50% of macroprolactinomas, respectively. The most favourable ratio of
      the leading pre/posttreatment signs and symptoms was observed in patients of
      group C. It was concluded that no superiority of either treatment regimen exists
      for prolactinoma patients. Each mode of therapy has its own benefits which may be
      applied to the different biological behaviour of a prolactinoma in the respective
      patient.

PMID- 1414080
TI  - [Delayed onset of postoperative deterioration in clivus chordoma and clivus
      meningioma].
AB  - The starting-point of the presented retrospective, clinical study is the
      observation, that in some cases a delayed postoperative neurological
      deterioration develops after removal of great, extraparenchymal, infratentorial
      brain tumors. Therefore, we evaluated the postoperative clinical course of 50
      clivuschordomas and clivusmeningiomas of the Neurosurgical University Clinic in
      Mainz (Germany). The results obtained show, that 1 of 3 patients develops a
      delayed, postoperative deterioration. Important factors, which cause that
      deterioration, are the age of patients and the size of tumors. Mostly, we found a
      perifocal edema concomitant to the delayed deterioration within the decompressed
      brain tissue. We call that phenomenon "decompression edema" as a "hypothesis a
      posteriori", which has to be proven experimentally.

PMID- 1414081
TI  - [Effects of nimodipine in experimental permanent focal cerebral ischemia].
AB  - In a controlled double blind experiment the influence of a continuous i.v.
      infusion of Nimodipine (1 microgram kg-1 min-1) upon infarct size, histopathology
      and neurological outcome in rats with permanent middle cerebral artery (MCA)
      occlusion was examined. The infusion was started 20 min. before the induction of
      ischemia and continued 4 hours thereafter. The nimodipine treated animals were
      subdivided into hypotensive (MABP lower than 85 mmHG for more than 5 minutes
      after arterial occlusion) and normotensive groups. Infarction size, documented by
      TTC, H&E and Nissl staining was significantly smaller (p less than 0.001) in
      nimodipine normtonic rats than the lesions in placebo and saline treated rats, as
      well as compared with hypotonic nimodipine animals (largest infarction). These
      differences were found to be entirely at the expense of the cortical
      (frontoparietal) component of the lesion, suggesting "penumbra" action of the
      drug. Moreover, nimodipine normotonic rats displayed lower cortical neuronal
      injury in the periinfarct zone. These findings were corroborated by corresponding
      better neurological scores. Our results indicate that nimodipine is effective in
      reducing focal cerebral ischemia, provided the MABP is maintained higher than 85
      mmHg.

PMID- 1414082
TI  - [Linear relations of brain pulse amplitude to mean intracranial pressure].
AB  - A catheter for intracranial pressure monitoring was introduced into the right
      lateral ventricle in 71 neurosurgical patients. In 63 patients (88.7%) a
      significant linear relationship was found between the cerebral pulse amplitude
      (PA) and the mean intracranial pressure (Pm). In 8 patients (11.3%) no linear
      relationship was established between PA and Pm. PA- and Pm-analyses performed
      subsequent to these compliance tests are discussed on the basis of the
      pathophysiology of the intracranial space.

PMID- 1414084
TI  - Influence of duration of simulated transport on plasma stress markers in the
      calf.
AB  - The effects of simulated transport of calves for 150 min on plasma cortisol,
      NEFA, glucose, and calcium were evaluated. Both cortisol and NEFA reached maximal
      values within 30-60 min, with no further increases during the transportation.
      Changes in glucose and calcium were not significant. The results indicate that in
      simulated transport, the duration per se is not a crucial factor in transport
      stress.

PMID- 1414083
TI  - [Remission of schizophreniform psychosis after brain tumor surgery].
AB  - A 19-year-old female was admitted to hospital due to a schizophrenia-like
      psychosis of the paranoid type including delusions and various hallucinations.
      Neurologically she only showed tics of the eyebrows with increased eye blinking.
      30 months before an astrocytoma located on the left basal temporal lobe had been
      resected after the patient suffered from several psychomotor and two grand mal
      seizures. Following post-operative anticonvulsant therapy seizures had completely
      disappeared and the patient had been free of symptoms of any kind. After the
      acute onset of the psychosis another follow-up MRI of the brain using coronary
      sections revealed a small relapse-tumor. Symptoms disappeared after high-dose
      neuroleptic therapy. Finally another surgical intervention led to a lasting
      remission of the psychotic symptomatology (so far 18 months). Postoperatively
      neuroleptics could be discontinued. Clinical picture and MRI findings will be
      discussed with a focus on possible etiological factors in schizophrenia.

PMID- 1414085
TI  - [Diagnostic potential of biochemical and cytological parameters in
      bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in healthy calves and calves with pneumonia].
AB  - Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (LF) was obtained from cranial as well as from
      caudal regions of the bovine lung in healthy and pneumonic calves. LF was
      investigated biochemically, cytologically, and bacteriologically. In healthy
      lungs free of pneumonic lesions, no differences due to the different parts of the
      lung were established. An increase in both protein content and number of cells
      and a marked influx of neutrophils were found to be the most important
      alterations caused by pneumonic lesions. The diagnostic potential of lactate
      dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase and the size of alveolar macrophages in LF
      was validated.

PMID- 1414086
TI  - Electrocardiographic findings in calves with experimentally induced right
      ventricular hypertrophy.
AB  - Surface electrocardiograms (ECG) from 20 clinically healthy calves and 3 calves
      with experimentally induced right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) were studied to
      assess the influence of RVH on the configuration of the bovine ECG. In the calves
      with RVH decreased cardiac axes and increased voltages of QRS complexes in leads
      I and aVL (extremity leads) and in bv1 and bv5 (precordial leads) were found.
      Using generally accepted human electrocardiographic theories, these findings
      could be explained from geometrical differences between the hearts of normal
      calves and the hearts of calves with RVH.

PMID- 1414087
TI  - Relationship between lactation-associated body weight loss, levels of metabolic
      and reproductive hormones and weaning-to-oestrous interval in primiparous sows.
AB  - Twelve conventionally fed primiparous sows with a similar number of piglets were
      divided into 3 groups (n = 4) according to their body weight loss after a 5-week
      lactation as follows: H-gr (loss greater than 25 kg), M-gr (loss 11-25 kg) and L
      gr (loss less than or equal to 10 kg). Blood samples were collected at 9, 12, 15,
      18 and 21 h, from 4 days before weaning until 3 days afterwards, and every 15 min
      for 6 h on the day before and the day after weaning. The group of sows with
      higher weight loss during lactation tended to have a higher farrowing weight and
      higher pre-weaning plasma prolactin levels. At weaning, the L-gr sows had higher
      plasma insulin and lower plasma cortisol concentrations, especially when compared
      with H-gr sows. Among the ten sows that showed oestrus within 10 days of weaning,
      no between-group differences were found in the length of the interval from
      weaning to oestrus. No significant differences between groups were observed in
      levels of oestradiol-17 beta and LH. The higher level of insulin in L-gr sows
      might relate to the higher number of corpora lutea observed in this group.

PMID- 1414088
TI  - Farrowing disorders in the sow: a field study.
AB  - A prospective study was carried out in three intensive farms. 150 sows were
      individually followed from 20 days prior to farrowing to 5 days after farrowing.
      During the five post farrowing days, the prevalences of fever (rectal temperature
      greater than or equal to 39.8 degrees C), anorexia, vulval discharges and mammary
      gland disorders were 15.3%, 20%, 64.5% and 3.3% respectively. Parturition
      duration (piglet delivery) was 197 minutes on average. Farrowing lasted over 300
      minutes for 10% of the sows. The 5 parameters were combined to build a score on
      farrowing disorders. The sows getting the highest rate of disorders tended to
      show specific physical features prior to farrowing. The oldest sows, the
      heaviest, those showing urinary infections or locomotor disorders were more
      predisposed to problems. Moreover affected sows gave birth to larger litters for
      a given parity.

PMID- 1414089
TI  - Opioid inhibitory control of the ruminant stomach motility: functional importance
      of the hypothalamus.
AB  - In conscious sheep, Leu-enkephalin (10 and 20 micrograms.kg-1) administered into
      the third cerebral ventricle caused a psychosedative action and a significant
      inhibition of the frequency of rumen contractions. The amplitude of the first
      rumen contractions, following immediately after the end of the Leu-enkephalin's
      infusion (at a dose of 20 micrograms) and the average amplitude of primary rumen
      contractions were also significantly inhibited. The hypothalamic isolation
      prevented both the inhibitory effect of Leu-enkephalin on the rumen motility and
      the drug induced psychosedative action. In contrast, Leu-enkephalin (20
      micrograms.kg-1), significantly enhanced phasic contractions of the rumen after
      hypothalamic isolation. However the hypothalamic isolation did not prevent Leu
      enkephalin induced inhibition of the mean amplitude of rumen contractions, but
      this inhibition was not significant (NS). The character of the histopathological
      changes induced by the isolation of the hypothalamus showed descending
      degenerative changes of the neuronal pathways connecting the hypothalamus to the
      pons and lower to the medulla. These results do suggest that the isolation of the
      hypothalamus causes the degeneration of the descending inhibitory opioid pathways
      connecting the hypothalamus to the gastric centers of the medulla and point act
      out the functional importance of descending tonic opioid inhibitory control of
      ruminant forestomach motility.

PMID- 1414090
TI  - Bovine vectocardiography: a comparative study relative to the validity of four
      tridimensional lead systems.
AB  - For spatial vectocardiography to become applicable for cardiac investigation in
      cattle, it was necessary to develop a reliable standardized electrocardiographic
      lead system in this species. In this study, four tridimensional lead systems,
      initially developed in horses, were compared when applied in calves. Fifty seven
      electrocardiograms were collected. The between-subject variability of the
      magnitude and angles of the tridimensional P, QRS and T modal vectors obtained by
      use of each lead system was compared. Reproducibility of vectrocardiographic
      measurements was analyzed by comparing results obtained in 10 calves within a one
      day interval. The Holmes semi-orthogonal lead system, giving the lowest between
      subject variability and the highest between-day reproducibility, appeared to be
      the most reliable lead system in order to apply vectocardiography in the bovine
      species.

PMID- 1414091
TI  - Ectopic mammary tissue in the vulva of goats.
AB  - Ectopic mammary tissue was described in ten goats belonging to the Nubian and
      Syrian breeds. This consisted of multiple cavitations containing white milky
      fluid, which greatly resembled milk in colour, odour and composition.
      Histologically, the tissue was composed of alveoli lined by cuboidal epithelium
      and contained pinkish staining secretion. Surgical removal of the tissue was
      achieved without complications.

PMID- 1414092
TI  - Immunocytochemical identification of a bovine peritoneal mesothelioma.
AB  - Peritoneal mesotheliomas are uncommon among cows although there has been an
      increase in the frequency of diagnosis of this neoplasia in the past few years.
      The case of a 2 year old cow is described. On post-mortem examination, several
      nodules of variable size were found in the peritoneal cavity. These nodules fused
      together, but they did not go deep into the organs. Histologically, such nodules
      were formed by a population of fusiform cells of malignant morphological
      character and sarcomatous appearance. Immunocytochemical study, using P.A.P.
      techniques, showed a highly positive reaction towards vimentin and a negative
      reaction towards wide-spectrum cytokeratins, hence suggesting a mesenchymal
      origin of the neoplasia. According to the histopathological study, a multifocal
      peritoneal mesothelioma of sarcomatous appearance was identified.

PMID- 1414093
TI  - Distribution of ASFV antigens in pig tissues experimentally infected with two
      different Spanish virus isolates.
AB  - Lymph nodes, spleen, liver, lung and kidney obtained from pigs experimentally
      infected with two African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV) isolates of differing
      virulence were fixed by perfusion with glutaraldehyde and embedded in paraffin.
      An immunoperoxidase technique using a polyclonal anti-ASFV serum was performed on
      tissue sections in order to detect ASFV antigen. The distribution of ASFV antigen
      in such infected organs is shown and the differences between both infections
      compared and discussed. Monocytes, macrophages, hepatocytes, endothelial cells,
      neutrophils and epithelial cells were found to contain ASFV antigens.

PMID- 1414094
TI  - An outbreak of enterotoxaemia in cats.
AB  - Eighteen local breed cats suffered from enterotoxaemia after scavenging on
      chicken-remnants. They suffered from vomitus and diarrhoea and collapsed dead
      after a few hours. An untypable strain of Clostridium perfringens was isolated in
      pure form and was suspected to be the cause of the outbreak.

PMID- 1414095
TI  - [The diagnosis of Listeria encephalitis in ruminants using cultural and
      immunohistological techniques. I. Comparison of different selective media and
      culture techniques for the detection of Listeria from ruminant brains].
AB  - The selective L-PALCAMY differential enrichment broth, the Listeria enrichment
      broth of the International Dairy Federation, Oxford Listeria selective agar, and
      PALCAM Listeria selective agar were comparatively examined in the cultural
      isolation of Listeria spp. from ten ruminant brains. The L-PALCAMY medium proved
      to be superior to the IDF broth in both selectivity and productivity for Listeria
      spp. in the brain samples, which were also contaminated with other bacteria. The
      Oxford and PALCAM agars corresponded in their productivity for Listeria spp. The
      latter, however, was more selective than the Oxford agar. Bacterial counts of up
      to 1.2 x 10(9) CFU/g of brain stem sample were made from Listeria monocytogenes
      (L.m.), and up to 6.2 x 10(4) CFU/g from Listeria innocua. A total of 164 brains
      from ruminants showing CNS disturbances and/or pathoanatomical CNS alterations
      were examined using L-PALCAMY medium, and Oxford and PALCAM agar. L.m. could be
      isolated from 29 of the brains, and Listeria innocua from five. Cultural
      isolation of both Listeria spp. occurred in one brain. Of 27 brains containing
      L.m., which were also examined using cold enrichment, L.m. was isolated in 59.3%
      of the cases with direct culture, in 81.5% of the cases using selective warm
      enrichment, and in 77.8% of the cases by means of selective cold enrichment. Five
      cases each were identified solely by cold or warm enrichment, respectively. In
      investigations of further 69 ruminant brains the number of brains shown to
      contain L.m. could be increased from seven to 13 by means of selective cold
      enrichment for three months.

PMID- 1414096
TI  - Detection of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis antigen with colloidal immunogold in
      naturally infected sheep.
AB  - The anti-Mycobacterium paratuberculosis polyclonal serum is proved useful for
      labelling Mycobacterium paratuberculosis in glutaraldehyde-osmium-fixed and epon
      embedded intestinal samples from sheep with clinical symptoms of
      paratuberculosis. M. paratuberculosis marked with antibody-coated colloidal gold
      stain was seen in macrophages, epithelioid cells, giant cells and neutrophils
      throughout intestinal mucosa. In large macrophages with a low lysosomal content,
      a great number of intact mycobacteria was seen within phagosomes. In macrophages
      with average lysosomal content, very few intact mycobacteria or mycobacterial
      debris were present and lysosome-phagosome fusions were observed. Mycobacteria
      within neutrophils were scanty. These results show the usefulness of colloidal
      immunogold techniques for studies of the pathogenesis of paratuberculosis.

PMID- 1414097
TI  - Immuno-gold labelling of turkey rhinotracheitis virus.
AB  - The morphology and morphogenesis of five viruses isolated in Great Britain,
      France and South Africa from turkeys with rhinotracheitis were examined. The five
      isolates were antigenically related by immunofluorescence and were
      indistinguishable by negative contrast and thin section electron microscopy.
      Negative contrast electron microscopy of infected Vero cell cultures revealed
      ortho- or paramyxovirus-like particles and helical nucleocapsids 14 nm in
      diameter with a pitch of 6 nm. The viral nature of these structures was confirmed
      by immuno-gold labelling, using a hyperimmune rabbit antiserum to TRT virus and
      15 nm gold-labelled goat anti-rabbit IgG. Ultrastructural changes characteristics
      of paramyxovirus infection were observed in Vero cell cultures infected with each
      of the five TRT virus isolates. These alterations, which included areas of
      localised thickening of plasma membrane, associated cytoplasmic inclusions of
      nucleocapsids and budding virus particles also labelled specifically following
      immunogold staining. These observations are in accord with the suggestion that
      TRT virus is an avian pneumovirus.

PMID- 1414098
TI  - [The fatty acid composition of the total lipids in Vibrio cholerae].
AB  - The fatty acid composition of total cell lipids of V. albensis typing strains,
      serovars 01-012, isolated from patients and environmental objects, as well as V.
      eltor and NAG vibrios, has been studied. Fatty acids contain 14-18 carbon atoms
      and are mainly represented by unsaturated monoacids. Palmitoleic and oleic acids
      constitute the greater part of unsaturated acids (their total content is 55.2
      71.0%). The level of saturated fatty acids in considerably lower (27.0-43.1%),
      and these acids are mainly represented by palmitic acid, its maximum level being
      28.4%. The similarity of the fatty acid profiles of the lipids common to the
      strains under study may indicate that these strains are phylogenetically related.

PMID- 1414099
TI  - [The pathogenicity factors of bacteria in the genus Acinetobacter].
AB  - Eighty Acinetobacter strains, isolated in Togliatti from patients with purulent
      inflammatory diseases, were studied to determine their pathogenicity factors. Out
      of these 80 strains, 32.5% were found to have enterotoxigenic activity and 46.2%,
      adhesive activity. They were related to adhesins of the human type and to
      adhesins of the sheep, rabbit, swine and guinea pig types. But the most important
      phenomenon established in this study was the combination of different
      pathogenicity factors detected in Acinetobacter bacteria. Analysis of the
      combination of pathogenicity factors revealed that 7.5% of Acinetobacter strains
      had adhesive and enterotoxigenic activity, 15.3% of these strains combined
      adhesive and hemolytic activity and 1.2% of them were found to be enterotoxigenic
      and hemolytic. Only 5.0% of Acinetobacter strains were found to carry all there
      pathogenicity factors simultaneously.

PMID- 1414100
TI  - [The temperature-induced early and late development of resistance to the
      bactericidal action of blood serum in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis].
AB  - Y. pseudotuberculosis strains were grown at 6 degrees-8 degrees C and then
      incubated at 37 degrees C. 3-6 hours later serum resistance appeared in the
      strains having plasmid virulence and producing outer membrane polypeptide with a
      molecular weight of 120 kD, known as P1. 10-12 hours later serum resistance
      appeared in the strain having the virulence plasmid, but not producing P1, as
      well as in strains in which the plasmid was eliminated.

PMID- 1414101
TI  - [Hospital infections: the problems and ways to resolve them].
AB  - The authors present the critical analysis of the existing situation in the spread
      of purulent septic infections in surgical hospitals of the USSR and the state of
      epidemiological surveillance. Considering this situation to be highly
      unfavorable, the authors propose a number of urgent organizational measures (the
      inclusion of hospital epidemiologists into the medical staff of large clinics,
      the system of training in this problem). The article deals with the specific
      features of the epidemiological process in purulent septic infections and the
      main principles of the organization of the epidemiological surveillance system
      for this group of infections.

PMID- 1414103
TI  - [Improvement in the laboratory methods of assessing the safety of the of the
      pertussis component of DPT vaccine adsorbed].
AB  - The mouse paw edema test and the tests for the determination of leukocytosis
      stimulating and histamine-sensitizing activity are reproducible if standard
      samples are used and the properties under test are evaluated with reference to
      the characteristics of standard samples. The standard character of the weight
      gain test on mice is also enhanced if all conditions of the test are
      standardized. The most accurate information on the toxicity of the pertussis
      component of adsorbed DPT vaccine can be obtained if a single human dose (0.5 ml)
      is injected to mice and the toxicity of the vaccine is estimated from the weight
      gain registered in the test mice and the control animals. The use of standard
      samples in each test makes it possible to observe the conditions for controlling
      the toxicity of the tested preparations.

PMID- 1414102
TI  - [The protective activity of preparations made from the tick-borne encephalitis
      virus grown using different cell cultures].
AB  - The preparations of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus grown in swine embryo
      kidney cell culture have been shown to possess pronounced protective activity per
      unit of virion protein E in comparison with TBE virus preparations derived from
      cell culture 4647 and chick embryo cell culture. The antigenic activity of all
      virus preparations under study has proved to be practically the same. The role of
      post-translation modifications of TBE virus protein E in the manifestation of
      some of its biological properties is discussed.

PMID- 1414104
TI  - [The antibacterial immunity of people under dynamic observation in an altered
      radiation situation].
AB  - The comparative study of the isolation rate, level, antigenic and class
      specificity of serum antibodies to the causative agents of purulent septic
      infections (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis) and
      acute enteric infections in healthy adults with different ABO blood groups before
      (836 persons) and after (1,429 persons) the catastrophe at the Chernobyl nuclear
      power station was made. The study revealed the fact that the genesis of
      antibodies directed against different microorganisms can be stimulated without
      additional antigenic challenge in the form of disease or immunization, which was
      definitely indicative of the influence of small radiation doses in Kiev on the
      humoral immunity of the population. The multifactor character of the dependence
      of antibacterial antibody formation under altered radiation conditions on the
      specific features of the infective agent and the intensity of its circulation
      among the population, individual immune responsiveness of the body and concrete
      radiation conditions was established.

PMID- 1414105
TI  - [A comparative study of the expediency of using different chemical methods for
      determining protein in allergen preparations].
AB  - Parallel use of some known chemical procedures for measurements of protein in
      commercial forms of allergens revealed considerable variations in the results,
      which was due to the nature of the methods used and to admixtures of different
      substances in the preparations under study. The conclusion on the necessity of
      using at least two methods of protein determination for the standardization of
      allergens was made. Preference was given to Bradford's method. As the
      standardization of allergens manufactured in the USSR is carried out on the basis
      of the quantitative determination of protein (in PNU), this problem is of not
      only theoretical, but also practical importance.

PMID- 1414106
TI  - [The syndromal approach to the diagnosis of toxic food poisonings].
AB  - The authors criticize the nosological principle of the diagnosis of toxic
      infections and believe that in a vast majority of cases such diagnosis must be
      based on syndromes. The only exceptions are cases of mass outbreaks and hospital
      infections. The definition of alimentary toxic infection is given, the
      difficulties of their clinical diagnosis and the ways to overcome these
      difficulties are indicated.

PMID- 1414107
TI  - [Yersinia pestis adenylate cyclase and the deregulation of transmembrane signal
      transmission in the peritoneal leukocytes of white mice].

PMID- 1414108
TI  - [New developments in the classification and identification of enterobacteria].

PMID- 1414109
TI  - [The adhesive properties of S and R mutants of Salmonella minnesota during batch
      cultivation].
AB  - The study of the adhesive, surface-electrical and hydrophobic properties of S.
      minnesota S- and R-mutants in the process batch cultivation has revealed that the
      maximum values of the above parameters are characteristic of the stationary phase
      of culture growth and their minimum values, of the end of the lag phase.
      Electrophoretic mobility and adhesiveness increase from S- to Re-chemotype. The
      surface of Salmonella S-form is more hydrophilic, than in R-mutants which are
      indistinguishable in the degree of their hydrophobic properties. The
      heterogeneity of the populations under study with respect to the electrophoretic
      mobility and adhesiveness of cells has been detected.

PMID- 1414110
TI  - [The random parasitism of microorganisms].

PMID- 1414111
TI  - [The phenotype of the causative agent of yersiniosis and its significance for
      diagnosis].

PMID- 1414112
TI  - [The advantages and prospects of using immunoenzyme analysis for assessing
      pertussis immunity].

PMID- 1414113
TI  - [The individualized procedure for immunoprophylaxis].

PMID- 1414114
TI  - [Basic directions in the development of individual student capacities and of
      teacher creative activity in a department of microbiology].

PMID- 1414115
TI  - [People's Commissar of Public Health G. N. Kaminskii (1895-1938) and medical
      science].

PMID- 1414116
TI  - [Sterol transformation by Escherichia].
AB  - The use of the Liebermann-Burhard reaction and the thin-layer chromatography of
      nonsaponifiable lipids of culture medium (donor blood serum) permitted the
      isolation of three biological variants of Escherichia in the process of their 48
      hour cultivation in this medium. The cholesterol-destroying variant of
      Escherichia is characterized by a decrease in the content of total, free,
      esterified cholesterol and a decrease in the occurrence of fractions
      corresponding to cholesterol, delta 4-cholestenone-3, delta 5-cholestenone-3), as
      well as nonsaponifiable lipid, where Rf was equal to 0.36; two fractions of
      labeled nonsaponifiable lipids, not corresponding to cholesterol, appeared on
      plasma with sodium acetate-1-14C. Cholesterol-transforming biovars produced
      insignificant changes in the content of chemically determined cholesterol in the
      medium, but in plasma nonsaponifiable lipid with Rf = 0.26 and other less polar
      lipids were found. Escherichia strains increasing the amount of chemically
      determined cholesterol in the process of their growth more frequently transformed
      or used nonsaponifiable lipids with Rf = 0.26 and 0.42. As a rule, the occurrence
      of cholesterol and less polar lipids increased. The sodium acetate-1-14C was
      incorporated into 3-4 fractions of nonsaponifiable lipids, one of them being
      identified as cholesterol.

PMID- 1414117
TI  - Distribution of cortical neurons projecting to dorsal column nuclear complex and
      spinal cord in the hedgehog tenrec, Echinops telfairi.
AB  - Using retrograde axonal flow and wheatgerm agglutinin conjugated to horseradish
      peroxidase, we studied the distribution of cortical neurons giving rise to spinal
      and dorsal column nuclear projections, and correlated the regions involved in the
      projections with the cytoarchitectonic areas recently identified in the lesser
      hedgehog tenrec, Echinops telfairi (Insectivora). Labeled cortical neurons were
      most numerous following injections of tracer into higher cervical segments,
      whereas almost none were found following thoracic injections. The cortical
      labeling appeared more prominent ipsilaterally than contralaterally after spinal
      injections, although it was more prominent on the contralateral side after
      injection into the dorsal column nuclear complex. The majority of labeled neurons
      found in lamina V occupied the neocortex adjacent to the interhemispheric fissure
      along the rostrocaudal extent of the small corpus callosum. This location
      corresponded to an intermediate rostrocaudal portion of the hemisphere, and
      particularly to area 2 of Rehkamper. In some cases, adjacent portions of areas 1
      and 3 were also involved, as well as neocortical regions of the lateral
      hemisphere. The present data did not suggest a somatotopic organization of the
      projections; likewise, evidence for the presence of more than one
      somatosensorimotor representation was sparse.

PMID- 1414118
TI  - The ganglionic origins and central projections of primary sensory neurons
      innervating the upper and lower lips in the rat.
AB  - Retrograde and transganglionic transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was used
      to investigate the neurons innervating the upper and the lower lips and their
      central projections in the rat. Both the upper and the lower lips were observed
      to be innervated by a very large number of trigeminal sensory neurons, with their
      cell bodies located in the maxillary and the mandibular parts of the trigeminal
      ganglion, respectively. The central projections of neurons innervating the upper
      lip formed a long continuous column starting rostrally at midlevels of the
      trigeminal main sensory nucleus (5P) and extending caudally through the C1 dorsal
      horn, with occasional fibers reaching the C3 segment. The heaviest projections
      appeared in the middle portions of 5P and nucleus interpolaris (5I), as well as
      in the rostral part of nucleus caudalis (5C). A small but consistent projection
      to the solitary tract nucleus, originating from cells in the inferior vagal
      ganglion, was observed in the upper-lip experiments. The central projections from
      neurons innervating the lower lip also appeared as a long column located dorsally
      or dorsomedially to the projections from the upper lip. The most prominent
      projections from the lower lip were located in the caudal part of 5P, the middle
      part of 5I, and the caudal two-thirds of 5C. Sparse projections could be traced
      as far caudally as C4. At 5C and cervical levels, some labeling appeared
      contralaterally in the same location as on the ipsilateral side.

PMID- 1414119
TI  - Retrograde labeling of lumbosacral interneurons following injections of red and
      green fluorescent microspheres into hindlimb motor nuclei of the cat.
AB  - In order to map the laminar and segmental positions of lumbosacral interneurons
      that project to L7 motor nuclei, red and green fluorescent latex microspheres
      ("beads") were pressure-injected through micropipettes into the deep peroneal or
      posterior biceps-semitendinosus motoneuron pools of cats. Micropipette tips were
      positioned by recording the antidromic field potentials evoked by electrical
      stimulation of the muscle nerves. Projecting interneurons were identified by the
      presence of retrogradely transported beads. Small bead injections labeled large
      numbers of neurons. These were observed in all the spinal segments examined, L1
      S2, and were most densely concentrated within laminae VI and VII ipsilateral to
      the injections and lamina VIII contralaterally. In addition, significant numbers
      of labeled cells were observed in lateral lamina V ipsilaterally and in lamina X.
      A few cells with bilateral projections were double-labeled following injections
      of red and green beads on opposite sides of the cord. These were most often
      observed in midlumbar segments (L3-L5) in medial regions of the gray matter. The
      results suggest that the intermediate zone (laminae V-VIII and X) of the
      lumbosacral spinal cord is a major source of interneuronal projections to the L7
      ventral horn. This is true for both lateral and medial areas of the intermediate
      zone, as the fluorescent microspheres labeled neurons in medial regions of the
      cord largely undetected in previous studies in which other methodologies were
      employed.

PMID- 1414120
TI  - The sensory effects of l-menthol on human skin.
AB  - Psychophysical measurements were made of the sensory effects of l-menthol applied
      topically to the forearm under controlled thermal conditions. In the first
      experiment, subjects judged the intensity and quality of sensations produced by
      warming or cooling the skin in the presence of menthol or the vehicle. During
      cooling, menthol intensified cutaneous sensations and increased reports of
      burning. During warming, menthol intensified sensations transiently at low
      temperatures and weakened them lastingly at higher temperatures; the frequency of
      reports of burning varied with intensity. A second experiment tested the
      hypothesis that menthol would lower the threshold for warmth and raise the
      threshold for heat pain. No change in either threshold was observed. The primary
      sensory effects of l-menthol on hairy skin are therefore to heighten the
      perception of cooling and to attenuate the perception of moderate warming. In
      contrast with other common chemical irritants, menthol's pungent qualities appear
      to be enhanced by cooling and suppressed by warming; this suggests that its
      sensory irritancy may be attributable to the stimulation of a population of high
      threshold cold fibers or cold-sensitive nociceptors.

PMID- 1414121
TI  - Further evidence for the involvement of SmI cortical neurons in nociception:
      modifications of their responsiveness over the early stage of a carrageenin
      induced inflammation in the rat.
AB  - In this electrophysiological study, changes in the responsiveness of neurons in
      the primary somatosensory (SmI) cortex in rats were analyzed during the
      development of carrageenin (CRG)-induced inflammation, an animal model of acute
      inflammatory hyperalgesia. SmI neurons were characterized as responding to non
      noxious light touch, non-noxious articular movement, or noxious pinch. A total of
      23 neurons so characterized in three groups were recorded for 60 min (17 of these
      neurons were recorded for up to 150 min) after an intraplantar injection of CRG.
      The possible modifications in their background and evoked activities were
      analyzed over this period of time. After CRG administration, cells responding to
      noxious pinch stimuli (n = 8) showed a nonsignificant increase in spontaneous
      activity, but a significant increase in their evoked response to pinch. These
      results were quite similar to past observations in the ventrobasal nucleus of the
      thalamus (VB). Cells responding to non-noxious articular stimulation (n = 6)
      showed variable modifications and no significant increase in the mean evoked
      response for up to 60 min. These results for articular cells were also quite
      comparable to results seen for VB responses for similar cells. However, mean
      spontaneous activity, which showed a highly variable increase, was significantly
      increased after 60 min. The depressive effect of a local anesthetic, Xylocaine,
      was tested on the activities of four cells (one pinch, three light touch units)
      60 min after CRG administration over a 20-min interval. Xylocaine was found to
      depress both spontaneous activity and responses to the effective somatic
      stimulus, thereby implying that the observed central modifications in neuronal
      discharge are linked to the peripheral inflammation. Modifications observed for
      each group of cells are compared with past observations in peripheral fibers, in
      spinal dorsal horn neurons, and especially in the VB under similar inflammatory
      conditions. These data confirm that the SmI cortex is involved in the nociceptive
      process. Furthermore, the contrast between some modifications observed at this
      level and past observations under similar inflammatory conditions suggests a
      unique role of some cortical neurons, which might partially account for
      mechanical allodynia.

PMID- 1414122
TI  - [The expression of TGF beta-related mRNAs in the early development of Xenopus].
AB  - Using porcine TGF beta 1-cDNA probe, we found that three TGF beta-related mRNAs
      (4.2 kb, 3.2 kb and 2.3 kb) were detected in blastula (Stg. 7/8). The 4.2 kb and
      3.2 kb mRNAs were very highly expressed in the blastula (Fig. 3). However, we
      could hardly detect them in embryos of cleavage, gestrula and neurula stages. On
      the other hand, the 2.3 kb mRNA could be identified in embryos of cleavage
      stages, blastula, gastrula and neurula and the quantity was rather stable.
      Comparing the quantities of TGF beta-related mRNAs in different parts of
      blastula, that is, animal half or vegetal half and dorsal or ventral half, we
      found that the transcripts were enriched in the vegetal hemisphere (Fig. 6). But
      no obvious difference between dorsal and ventral halves could be detected (Fig.
      7).

PMID- 1414123
TI  - [Immunohistochemical studies on the TGF beta-related protein in the early
      development of Xenopus laevis].
AB  - By the method of immunocytochemistry, using the polyclonal antibodies raised
      against the 1-29 N-terminal residues of TGF beta-1, we found that the protein
      could bind to the antibodies was present in the early embryos of Xenopus. The
      protein was named TGF beta-related protein. It was distributed mainly in the
      endoderm from blastula (stg. 7) to late neurula. In the blastula (stg. 8), the
      protein was localized in the vegetal hemisphere near the floor of the blastocoel
      [Plate I, Fig. 1]. In the early gastrula (stg. 10.5) [Plate I, Fig. 2], it was
      localized in the central part of the vegetal hemisphere. In late gastrula (stg.
      12), it was mainly distributed around the gastrocoel [Plate I, Fig. 3], but the
      fluorescence in endoderm cells (ventral part beneath the gastrocoel) was stronger
      than in the mesoderm cells (dorsal part of the gastrocoel). In the early neurula
      (stg. 14), the whole endoderm displayed strong fluorescence and the part of
      dorsal mesoderm (presumptive somite & notochord) close to endoderm was also found
      to be positively stained [Plate I, Fig. 4,5], but the part close to neural plate
      was negative. In The late neurula (stg. 20) [Plate I, Fig. 6], it was found in
      the central area of yolk mass (endoderm cells). No positive stain was detected in
      the unfertilized egg, embryos earlier than stage and later than stage 20/21.2+
      protein in early development.

PMID- 1414124
TI  - [The effect of microinjection of anti-TGF beta-1 antibodies on the early
      development of Xenopus laevis].
AB  - In order to testify the function of the TGF beta related protein, we
      microinjected the antibodies against the TGF beta-1 to one blastomere of two-cell
      stage embryos. Dosages of antibodies injected were 24-36 ng, 12 -18 ng, 6-9 ng
      and 1.5-2.25 ng. Malformed embryos with exposed yolk mass were produced. They
      were designated as YE-1, YE-2 and YE-3 according to the degree of malformation
      which was found to be related to the dosage of antibodies injected to the
      blastomere. These malformed embryos could normally develop to blastula, but the
      yolk mass was exposed on the injection half during gastrulation. In the group
      with the highest dosage, the most seriously affected embryos belong to the YE-1.
      For most of them, no muscle tissue could be found from head to tail in the
      injection half, the development of mesoderm seemed to be thoroughly inhibited. YE
      2 was the group with decreased dosage, small block of muscle tissue was usually
      observed in the injection half. YE-3 was the least affected group with the
      injection half containing blocks of muscle tissue similar to that of the non
      injection half. The different groups of malformations seemed to be related to the
      degree and range of interference on gastrulation. In the group with highest
      dosage, the gastrulation of the entire injection half seemed to be prohibited,
      and YE-1 was produced. In the groups with lower dosages, only part of injection
      half was interfered, and YE-3 v and YE-3 d were resulted. From the results
      mentioned above, we concluded that TGF beta-related protein are not only present
      in the early embryos of Xenopus laevis, but also may be concerned with mesoderm
      induction.

PMID- 1414125
TI  - [A comparative study on the metabolism of nucleic acids during the subculture and
      differentiation of tobacco callus].
AB  - Changes in the contents of DNA and RNA, RNA species, the synthesis rates of DNA
      and RNA, and the activity of DNase and RNase were investigated in the callus of
      tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Willow Leaf) during subculture and
      differentiation. The contents of DNA and RNA were higher in differentiating
      callus than that in subcultured callus. After day 12, the contents of DNA and RNA
      in differentiating callus rose continuously while the contents of DNA and RNA in
      subcultured callus remained constant. Changes in RNA species and its relationship
      to total RNA level were also analyzed. At the stage of shoot primordium formation
      in differentiating callus, the activity of RNase increased markedly and the
      synthesis rate of RNA increased continuously; while the RNase activity and the
      synthesis rate of RNA in subcultured callus were much lower during the same
      period. During the period of shoot growth, the synthesis rate of DNA in
      differentiating callus was elevated compared to that in subcultured callus. The
      results above suggested that the metabolism of nucleic acids in differentiating
      callus was more active than that in subcultured callus.

PMID- 1414126
TI  - [Studies on genetic engineering of human insulin-purification and
      characterization of human proinsulin and insulin].
AB  - E. coli DH 5 alpha cells harboring a plasmid pWR 590-BCA 4 for fused human
      proinsulin production were cultured. The fused human proinsulin was isolated from
      the fermented cells and then subjected it to cleavage with BrCN. The cleaved
      product was then converted to crude proinsulin-S-sulfonate using oxidative
      sulfitolysis. The isolation of human proinsulin-S-sulfonate was accomplished by
      ion exchange chromatography on QAE-sephadex A-25, followed by gel filtration on
      sephadex G-50. The purified human proinsulin-S-sulfonate was folded using a
      disulfide interchange method. The folding mixture was then chromatographed on
      sephadex G-50 and purified proinsulin was obtained. The proinsulin was then
      converted to human insulin and C-peptide by a combination cleavage with trypsin
      and carboxypeptidase B. The total yield of human insulin was about 5 mg/L The
      Zinc insulin crystals were obtained with amorphous human insulin using citrate
      method. The amino acid composition N-terminal sequences as well as C-terminal
      amino acid residues are in agreement with expected results. The hypoglycemic
      activity of purified human insulin is 26-27 U/mg, as judged by mouse convulsion
      assay, and the RIA activity is about 99% of that of porcine insulin.

PMID- 1414127
TI  - Molecular and functional properties of EF-Tu from Calderobacterium
      hydrogenophilum.
AB  - Protein synthesis elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) was purified from an extreme
      thermophilic hydrogen-oxidizing bacterium Calderobacterium hydrogenophilum. The
      relative molecular mass of EF-Tu. GDP was 51,000. The factor was heat stable and
      lost only 50% of its activity after heating at 80 degrees C for 5 min. Native and
      reduced EF-Tu or EF-Tu. GDP contained one SH-reactive group. The elongation
      factors from C. hydrogenophilum and E. coli were shown to be immunologically
      identical. From the Southern hybridization analysis seems to suggest that
      chromosome DNA of C. hydrogenophilum has two tuf genes.

PMID- 1414128
TI  - [Association of chromosomal telomere DNA with nuclear matrix in HeLa cells].
AB  - Nuclear matrix from HeLa cells was gently extracted with a high salt solution and
      treated with DNase I. DNA that remained associated with the nuclear matrix (N. M.
      DNA) and DNA fragments released into the supernatant (SN.DNA) were isolated
      respectively and dot hybridized to human telomere sequence (AGGGTT/TCCCAA)40
      probe. As the time of DNase I treatment was extended, the amount of N. M. DNA
      decreased while the concentration of telomere sequence in N.M. DNA proportionally
      increased. These preliminary results suggest that the telomere sequence is
      tightly bound to nuclear matrix in HeLa cells.

PMID- 1414129
TI  - [The dynamics of two types of tyrosine protein kinases in the proliferation of
      cultivated vascular smooth muscle cells].
AB  - We have studied the membrane-bound tyrosine protein kinases (TPK) in cultivated
      aortic smooth muscle cells (ASMC) from the rabbit, and found that the cytosolic
      (membranous)TPK and the nuclear (membranous)TPK are two distinctive types of
      isozymes as judged by criteria on dynamics: (1) using synthetic poly(Glu. Ala.
      Tyr)n(6:3:1) as a substrate, the relative extents of stimulation by Mn2+ (450%)
      was more effective than that by Mg2+ (100%) on cytosolic TPK, but Mn2+ was less
      effective (100%) than Mg2+ (130%) on nuclear TPK: (2) the concentrations of Mn2+
      and Mg2+ giving maximal stimulation on cytosolic TPK were 15 mmol/L and 50
      mmol/L, whereas on nuclear TPK were 1 mmol/L and 5 mmol/L, respectively. These
      results indicate that the attitudes toward Mn2+ and Mg2+ can distinguish the
      cytosolic TPK from the nuclear one. In nucleus, with the entry of ASMC from G0 to
      G1 stage, TPK activity increased rapidly and reached the peak (12 times G0
      activity) at the early G1 stage (3 hrs from G0), then decreased dramatically to
      basic line, and remained at a lower level thereafter. In cytosol, the TPK
      activity decreased with the entry of ASMC from G0 to G1 stage and reached its
      lowest point at the middle of G1 stage (6 hrs from G0), and then increased with a
      transient peak at the late G1 stage (9 hrs). It went down to G0 level before DNA
      synthesis.

PMID- 1414130
TI  - [Occupational transmission by HIV and by hepatitis B virus. Attitude of Belgian
      surgeons and anesthetists. An opinion survey].
AB  - Risk of professional transmission of hepatitis B is known since the seventies.
      Recently the possibility of HIV transmission during surgical practice was
      demonstrated. It was interesting to assess Belgian surgeons and anesthetists
      opinion about this risk and about the precautions taken. An opinion survey was
      performed with a representative sample of Belgian surgeons and orthopedists (340)
      as well as anesthetists (100). Risks of transmission of HIV and possible
      elementary precautions are not well known. The rate of vaccination against
      hepatitis B is low, specially in smaller hospitals. However the frequency of
      injuries during practice is high in surgeons as well as in anesthetists. This
      study shows that important information efforts about the risks of HIV infection
      and the possible precautions to be taken are still necessary. Information about
      the need for vaccination against hepatitis B should also be done, considering the
      high incidence of operative injuries.

PMID- 1414131
TI  - [Primary inguinal hernia: Lichtenstein's ambulatory hernioplasty: early clinical
      results and economic implications. Study of the initial 130 surgical cases].
AB  - The authors report their preliminary experience of 130 ambulatory treatment under
      local anesthesia of primary inguinal hernia. This method of treatment is very
      well accepted by the patients. There are few early recurrences. This method of
      treatment is very cost-effective.

PMID- 1414132
TI  - [Delayed perforation of the sigmoid colon following closed abdominal trauma.
      Apropos of a case report].
AB  - Blunt abdominal trauma and delayed colon perforations are not common and usually
      occur in patients sustaining other injuries, but also as isolated event. We
      report a case of delayed perforation of sigmoid colon, three days after a blunt
      abdominal trauma in a male adult. It was caused by disinsertion of sigmoid colon
      mesentery for about ten centimeters. This condition is discussed with literature
      review.

PMID- 1414134
TI  - [Malignant retroperitoneal paraganglioma. Case report and literature review].
AB  - The authors report a case with a retroperitoneal recurrent malignant non
      secretory neuroendocrine tumor. The diagnosis of this rare pathology is based on
      immunohistochemical and electron microscopic techniques. Due to radio- and
      chemotherapeutic resistance of the tumor, the therapy has to be surgical. The
      locoregional recurrent nature of the disease asks for a close clinical and
      radiological follow-up.

PMID- 1414133
TI  - [Small intestinal ulceration and stenosis induced by non-steroidal anti
      inflammatory agents].
AB  - We report a case who developed a small bowel ulceration in a long segment of
      distal duodenum and proximal jejunum, a few days after he had taken high doses of
      diclofenac. After a month, it was complicated by a stenosis of the same segment.
      Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs have recently been recognised as a possible
      etiologic factor of small bowel ulcerations. Clinical findings are aspecific.
      Complications of small bowel ulcerations are: obstruction, perforation or
      bleeding. Those have to be treated by surgery. We proposed a physiopathologic
      model and correlated it with histological findings. CONCLUSION: careful
      prescription of those drugs has to be pursued and one should think about a small
      bowel ulceration in a patient with an abdominal syndrome, who takes non-steroidal
      antiinflammatory drugs.

PMID- 1414135
TI  - Massive intestinal haemorrhage due to a solitary jejunal metastasis of a primary
      bronchogenic tumour.
AB  - A case is presented of a 72-year old male patient presenting with a massive
      intestinal blood loss due to a solitary jejunal metastasis of a poorly
      differentiated adenocarcinoma of the right lung resected two years earlier. After
      diagnostic workup and stabilization a small bowel resection with end to end
      anastomosis was performed. Patient is alive and well 5 months after operation.
      Solitary bleeding intestinal metastasis of a primary bronchogenic tumour are
      extremely rare but should be included in the differential diagnosis of
      gastrointestinal blood loss in a patient with a known bronchogenic tumour.
      Resection with end to end anastomosis is the treatment of choice.

PMID- 1414136
TI  - Simulation of appendicitis by tumor-like lesion of cecum.
AB  - Four cases are presented in which an initial diagnosis of appendicitis was made.
      At laparotomy, a cecal lesion simulating a tumour was found. Pathological
      examination showed inflammatory granulomatous tumour against foreign body, non
      specific ulcer, diverticulitis and acute solitary diverticulitis. When malignancy
      is excluded, hemicolectomy is not necessarily the best treatment and we propose
      conservative management for these patients.

PMID- 1414138
TI  - Traumatic false aneurysm of the superficial temporal artery.
AB  - Traumatic false aneurysms of the superficial temporal artery are very infrequent.
      They usually do not reveal themselves clinically until 1 to 6 weeks after the
      initial trauma. Diagnostic techniques are echo-doppler, CT-scan and
      arteriography; treatment is surgical.

PMID- 1414137
TI  - [Neonatal ovarian cyst. Case report and literature review].
AB  - The authors report a case of antenatal ultrasound diagnosis of a large fetal
      ovarian cyst; surgical extirpation in the neonatal period due to locoregional
      complications. Review of the literature; diagnosis, treatment, complications.

PMID- 1414139
TI  - Late results in replanted digits. Is replantation of a single digit worthwhile?
AB  - During the period 1980-1989 35 patients with successfully replanted digits could
      be selected. Only 17 patients with 32 long fingers and 2 thumbs replanted were
      prepared to cooperate for this retrospective study, looking for the late
      functional results. Mobility of the replanted digits was measured by the TAM
      value. Power was indicated by grip strength and tip pinch. Weber two-point
      discrimination test and Von Frey test were used to investigate sensibility. Most
      patients show cold-intolerance. Mobility was worse for the more proximal
      replantations. Replantations distal to PIP do functionally very well. Therefore
      single digit amputations should be considered as an indication for replantation,
      especially amputations distal to the pip. Ring and little finger replantations
      have a better mobility than index and middle fingers. Mobility in younger
      patients is also better. Grip strength and tip pinch are respectively 66% and 73%
      of the normal values. All patients (except 2) could return to their work in a
      reasonably short time (average 5 months).

PMID- 1414140
TI  - Degloving injuries. A retrospective study at the University Hospital Rotterdam.
AB  - Degloving injuries are severe and frequently underestimated lesions. In a
      retrospective study, 65 patients treated between 1985 and 1991 were reviewed.
      Therapy consisted of surgical exploration as soon after injury as possible, with
      defatting of the avulsed skin and its replacement on the most functionally
      important sites. The remaining raw areas were covered with split skin grafts
      (SSG). This technique reduced morbidity, hospital stay and work incapacity, as
      compared with patients treated by other methods.

PMID- 1414141
TI  - [The treatment of giant lipomas].
AB  - Lipomas are the most frequent benign tumours. Usually they are removed for
      cosmetic reasons only. For the treatment of giant lipomas, liposuction was
      proposed to reduce the size of the skin incision. The reliability of this
      technique was compared to surgical resection in a series of 30 patients
      presenting with a giant lipoma. One year follow-up of these patients showed a
      high percentage of recurrences after liposuction but only one after excision.

PMID- 1414142
TI  - Corticotropin-releasing hormone in health and disease: an update.
AB  - Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) was initially sequenced and identified in
      1981, and has since become established as the principal organizer of the stress
      response. It causes activation of the pituitary-adrenal axis, behavioural
      arousal, sympathetic stimulation and a decrease in appetite. In vitro studies
      have shown regulation of hypothalamic CRH by a variety of neuro-transmitters,
      including the cytokines interleukin-1 and interleukin-6. However, circulating CRH
      is mainly derived from extra-hypothalamic sites, and levels may be elevated in
      patients with tumours secreting ectopic CRH. The placenta is a further source of
      CRH, which may be specifically raised in patients with pre-eclampsia, and could
      be a factor in the initiation of parturition. The recently identified CRH binding
      protein may play a vital role in this process. Clinically, CRH testing has become
      extremely useful in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of Cushing's
      syndrome, and particularly for the localization of ACTH following inferior
      petrosal sinus catheterization. There is considerable evidence that many patients
      with depressive illness may have a disturbance of the central control of CRH, and
      this may be become of increasing importance in the therapy of this common
      condition. There are also intriguing new data suggesting that abnormalities in
      CRH regulation may be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritis.

PMID- 1414143
TI  - Effects of corticotropin-releasing hormone on the postoperative course of elderly
      patients under long-term artificial respiration.
AB  - In both human and animal studies a stimulatory effect of corticotropin-releasing
      hormone (CRH) on respiration and on cognitive parameters has been demonstrated.
      Our own studies employing human CRH (hCRH) iv in healthy volunteers and different
      groups of patients have shown hCRH to be a safe drug. We prospectively studied
      the clinical effects of a standardized dose of 100 micrograms hCRH iv in 12
      elderly patients following major abdominal surgery who remained comatose and were
      under prolonged respirator therapy over a mean period of 37 days. Cardio
      respiratory parameters, blood gas values, plasma cortisol and catecholamines were
      evaluated before and 30 min following hCRH injection. Furthermore, vigilance was
      tested using a score system. Ventilation was markedly enhanced following hCRH
      injection while the cardiovascular parameters were only moderately affected.
      Vigilance was augmented in all subjects and improved impressively in five
      patients. The changes were of great benefit for the patients treated and
      supported their respirator weaning procedures and mobilization training.

PMID- 1414144
TI  - The effect of a met-enkephalin analogue on growth hormone, prolactin,
      gonadotropins, cortisol and thyroid stimulating hormone in healthy elderly men.
AB  - The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the guanyl derivative of the
      opioid analogue D-ala2,MePhe4-Met-enkephalin-(o)-ol (G-DAMME) on pituitary
      secretion in healthy elderly men. Nine healthy elderly men (65-88 years) and 10
      young adults (20-30 years) were studied. GH, PRL, gonadotropins, cortisol (to
      evaluate the effect on ACTH) and TSH were measured after G-DAMME (0.25 mg iv) or
      placebo administration. In elderly men, the GH response to G-DAMME was reduced or
      absent, while prompt GH release was found in all young men. G-DAMME lowered LH
      levels in young men but not in elderly men. No significant variations in FSH
      levels after G-DAMME and placebo were noted in either group of subjects. A
      similar and significant rise in PRL and TSH, and a fall in cortisol, after G
      DAMME was observed in both elderly and young adults. We have demonstrated that
      the sensitivity to opioid modulation by G-DAMME on PRL, TSH and cortisol
      secretion is unchanged with aging. On the other hand, the data indicate that LH
      and GH responsiveness to G-DAMME change with age.

PMID- 1414145
TI  - Effect of digoxin on the in vitro secretion of renin and angiotensin II/III
      immunoreactivity by the human adrenal gland.
AB  - Cardiac glycosides in man inhibit renin secretion, probably through a direct
      effect at the renal level (i.e. inhibition of juxtaglomerular cell Na/K ATPase).
      Since there is evidence that the human adrenal possesses an intrinsic renin
      angiotensin system, we investigated the effect of digoxin on the in vitro
      generation of renin and angiotensin II/III, as well as of aldosterone, by the
      human adrenal gland. Minced normal adrenal tissues were studied in a superfusion
      system, measuring in the 15-min superfusate fractions active renin by
      immunoradiometric assay and angiotensin II/III and aldosterone by
      radioimmunoassay, respectively. In a first set of four experiments using
      different concentrations of digoxin in sequence for 45 min periods, digoxin 10(
      5), but not 10(-8) and 10(-6) mol/l, significantly reduced renin and angiotensin
      II/III output from adrenals, while no change in aldosterone was observed. In a
      second set of three experiments, the addition of digoxin 10(-5) mol/l for 120 min
      caused a sustained reduction of renin and angiotensin II/III, but not of
      aldosterone. In the final experiment, the decrease of renin and angiotensin
      II/III during superfusion with digoxin 10(-5) mol/l was significantly greater
      than that observed during superfusion with digoxin in the presence of antidigoxin
      antibodies. Our data indicate that digoxin at high doses reduces renin and
      angiotensin II/III but not aldosterone secretion by the human adrenal gland. This
      suggests two different effects of digoxin, probably both mediated by inhibition
      of the Na/K ATPase activity, on the adrenal renin-angiotensin- and aldosterone
      secreting cells.

PMID- 1414146
TI  - A monthly cycle in the plasma concentration of GnRH and the glomerular filtered
      load of GnRH during second trimester pregnancy.
AB  - Six healthy women were examined three times a week during the second trimester.
      The aim of the study was to test the existence of a monthly cycle in plasma GnRH.
      Because the kidney plays a dominant part in the elimination of small peptides
      from the circulation by filtration, the filtered load (P-GnRH x GFR) of GnRH was
      estimated and tested for a cycle. A mathematical model (parabolas overlaid with a
      cosine curve and containing parameters for cycle length, cycle amplitude and
      phase) was used in a multivariate analysis of changes in plasma GnRH, creatinine
      clearance and GnRH filtered load. We found significant monthly cycles in plasma
      GnRH (p = 0.003) and in GnRH filtered load (p = 0.004), but no significance for a
      cycle in creatinine clearance. As an intermediate result we demonstrated that the
      tubular reabsorption of GnRH was unsaturated for all values of plasma GnRH and
      GnRH filtered load in question. The increased pregnancy level of plasma GnRH
      originates in part in the placenta, but we assume that the cycle generator is
      contained in the maternal neuroendocrine system.

PMID- 1414147
TI  - Body weight and/or endogenous estradiol as determinants of cortical bone mass and
      bone loss in healthy early postmenopausal women.
AB  - The objective was to study the independent relationships of body mass index and
      endogenous estradiol to cortical bone mineral density and the rate of cortical
      bone loss at the radius in healthy early postmenopausal women. Fifty-one healthy
      early postmenopausal women (aged 58-66 years) participated. The women were a
      subset of a population participating in a 10-year longitudinal study to elucidate
      the influence of dietary calcium on the rate of cortical bone loss. Cortical bone
      mineral density at the radius, body weight and body height were measured annually
      (1979-89). Concentrations of sex steroids were measured in serum samples
      collected during the last year of follow-up (1989). Endogenous estradiol levels,
      although significantly positively correlated with body mass index, were not
      independently related to bone mass indices of the radius. Body mass index, on the
      other hand, was found to be positively related to cortical bone mineral density
      and negatively to the rate of bone loss, even after adjustments had been made for
      confounding factors. Our results suggest that the level of total estradiol is not
      an important determinant of cortical bone mass indices in healthy early
      postmenopausal women. Other factors of overweight such as mechanical loading may
      be important.

PMID- 1414148
TI  - The hypothalamo-pituitary regulation of androgen secretion in young men after
      prolonged physical stress combined with energy and sleep deprivation.
AB  - During a five days' military training course for male cadets with hard physical
      activity day and night and almost no sleep or food, a decrease was found in LH,
      FSH, PRL and TSH. A decrease was also found in testosterone, dihydrotestosterone
      (DHT), androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone and 17 alpha-OH progesterone,
      whereas dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate increased twofold. The LH and FSH
      responses to GnRH intravenously were increased at the end of the course. This
      demonstrates enhanced pituitary reserves of gonadotropin, or, alternatively,
      increased sensitivity to GnRH stimulation and may be due to decreased
      hypothalamic secretion of GnRH during the course. The decreased DHT and
      testosterone levels were almost normalized after HCG stimulation, indicating a
      gonadotropin regulated decrease in testosterone secretion during the course. In
      spite of fairly weak correlation between the alteration in gonadotropins and
      androgens it is concluded that there is a major regulation of testicular androgen
      secretion during prolonged stress by the hypothalamo-pituitary axis.

PMID- 1414149
TI  - Acute beta-interferon or thymopentin administration increases plasma growth
      hormone and cortisol levels in children.
AB  - The interaction between the immune and endocrine systems has recently been
      investigated. Hodgkin's disease represents a model of immune disturbance
      frequently associated with endocrine impairment. The present study evaluated the
      effect of the acute administration of beta-interferon or thymopentin on plasma
      growth hormone, prolactin and cortisol levels in children with Hodgkin's disease
      (N = 8) and age- and sex-matched healthy controls (N = 8). beta-interferon
      (1,000,000 IU), thymopentin (50 mg) or placebo (saline) were injected after two
      basal blood samples (-15 and 0) and further samples were drawn at 15, 30, 45, 60,
      90 and 120 min. Plasma growth hormone, prolactin and cortisol levels were
      measured by specific RIAs. Plasma prolactin levels did not show significant
      change following beta-interferon or thymopentin injection in either the controls
      or the patients. In the patients with Hodgkin's disease, beta-interferon
      injection induced a significant increase in both plasma growth hormone and
      cortisol levels, while thymopentin was not effective. In controls both
      thymopentin and beta-interferon administration increased plasma growth hormone
      and cortisol levels. These results indicate that beta-interferon and thymopentin
      are immune substances active on the release of growth hormone and cortisol in
      healthy children. The lack of effect of thymopentin in children with Hodgkin's
      disease suggests an impairment of the immune-endocrine interaction in these
      patients.

PMID- 1414150
TI  - Interrelationships between urinary sodium, calcium, hydroxyproline and serum PTH
      in healthy subjects.
AB  - The effect of sodium intake on the excretion of calcium, hydroxyproline (OHP) and
      serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) was examined. When seven healthy males increased
      their sodium intake by 200 mmol/day, excretion of calcium increased by 1.70
      mmol/day and that of OHP by 27%. Serum PTH, however, did not increase
      significantly. In a cross-sectional study of 334 healthy female subjects there
      were strong positive correlations between fasting urinary sodium/creatinine
      (Na/Cr) and calcium/creatinine (Ca/Cr) ratios (r = 0.573) and between Na/Cr and
      urinary OHP/Cr ratios (r = 0.246). Serum PTH was negatively correlated with Na/Cr
      ratio (r = -0.161). We conclude that an increase in dietary sodium causes
      calciuria and an increase in hydroxyproline excretion. The results do not support
      the hypothesis that this is mediated by PTH.

PMID- 1414151
TI  - Glucose metabolism in embryos of normal and diabetic rats during organogenesis.
AB  - To investigate whether malformations in the offspring of diabetic rats are
      related to a disturbed embryonic glucose metabolism, lactate production, lactate
      content and glucose oxidation in embryos of normal and manifestly diabetic rats
      were measured in vitro during the period of organogenesis. The embryonic
      production and content of lactate decreased by 90% between gestational days 10
      and 11. On both gestational days the embryos of diabetic rats showed increased
      lactate production and content compared to the embryos of normal rats. The
      embryonic oxidation of glucose decreased slightly from gestational day 10 to day
      11, and the embryos of diabetic rats exhibited a lower glucose oxidation rate
      than those of normal rats on both days. The lactate production and content in the
      embryos increased with increasing concentrations of glucose in the incubation
      medium, whereas the oxidation of glucose was unaffected by the glucose
      concentration. The results suggest that the embryonic metabolism of glucose is
      only marginally affected by changes in the availability of glucose. The lactate
      production rate was higher and the glucose oxidation rate lower in the embryos of
      diabetic than in those of normal rats, even when the values for these metabolic
      variables were normalized to the embryonic DNA content. Thus, a causative role
      for a disturbance of the glucose metabolism in diabetes-induced embryonic
      dysmorphogenesis could be envisaged.

PMID- 1414152
TI  - Role of the antiglucocorticoid RU 486 in the prevention of steroid-induced
      hypertension.
AB  - In the present study, we determined the effect of RU 486 on two experimental
      models of hypertension in the rat, deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt in
      nephrectomized rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats. Uni-nephrectomized
      saline-drinking male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups and each
      animal was given either 0.2 ml olive oil (control), 1 mg DOCA, or 1 mg DOCA + 10
      mg RU 486 dissolved in 0.2 ml olive oil every third day for a period of three
      weeks. Within a week of steroid administration, there was a significant increase
      in the systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the DOCA-salt (157 +/- 3.8 mmHg) and DOCA
      + RU 486 (155 +/- 2.1 mmHg) treated rats over the control (116 +/- 2.6 mmHg)
      rats, which remained elevated throughout the experimental period. There was
      significant increase in the water intake and urine output in DOCA or DOCA + RU
      486 treated rats as compared to the control untreated rats. In the experiment
      involving the spontaneously hypertensive rats, the rats were divided into three
      groups and each animal given 0.2 ml olive oil (control), 1 mg RU 486, or 5 mg RU
      486 dissolved in 0.2 ml olive oil for six weeks. Instead of the expected decrease
      in the blood pressure, RU 486 significantly elevated blood pressure during the
      six weeks of drug administration. Water intake, urine output, and weights
      remained comparable in both groups. We conclude that RU 486 has no effect on the
      DOCA-salt model of hypertension but, surprisingly, elevates hypertension in the
      spontaneously hypertensive rats.

PMID- 1414153
TI  - Multihormonal response to corticotropin-releasing hormone in inferior petrosal
      sinus blood of one patient with Cushing's disease: comparison with in vitro
      secretion of the tumoral corticotropes.
AB  - A multihormonal response to CRH during inferior petrosal sinus sampling in
      patients with Cushing's disease has recently been described. Whether it reflects
      multihormonal secretion by the corticotropic adenoma, or secretion by non
      tumorous adjacent cells via paracrine mechanisms remains debatable. We have
      compared the effect of CRH on ACTH, GH, PRL and TSH secretion during inferior
      petrosal sinus sampling with its effect on the in vitro secretion of the
      corticotropic adenoma after excision in one case of Cushing's disease. Before CRH
      injection in vivo results show significant central-peripheral gradients for all
      hormones but only ACTH lateralized to the side of the tumor. After CRH
      administration, the petrosal concentrations of all hormones increased
      preferentially on the side of the adenoma resulting in significant intersinus
      gradients: 8.1 for ACTH, 2.0 for GH, 1.8 for PRL and 1.5 for TSH. In vitro
      results: the adenoma cells were immunostainable for ACTH only. In culture, they
      secreted ACTH only. Addition of CRH to the culture induced a mean increase of
      160% in ACTH secretion but GH, PRL and TSH remained undetectable. Our results
      favor the hypothesis that the multihormonal response to CRH seen during inferior
      petrosal sinus sampling in Cushing's disease reflects a paracrine stimulation of
      the adjacent non-tumorous pituitary cells by the corticotropic adenoma.

PMID- 1414154
TI  - HbH disease in Sardinia: molecular, hematological and clinical aspects.
AB  - In this study we have defined the molecular basis and correlated the clinical
      phenotype with the alpha-globin genotype in a large series of patients of
      Sardinian descent with HbH disease. The most prevalent molecular defect was the
      deletion of 3 alpha-globin structural genes most commonly the (--/-alpha 3.7)
      genotype (83.6%) and rarely the (--/-alpha 4.2) genotype (1.4%), followed in
      decreasing order of incidence by the combination of deletion alpha zero
      thalassemia and initiation codon mutation of the alpha 2-gene (--/alpha NcoI
      alpha = 9.8%), deletion alpha zero-thalassemia and pentanucleotide deletion of
      IVS-I of the alpha 2-globin gene, (--/alpha HphI alpha = 3.3%) deletion alpha
      zero-thalassemia and initiation codon mutation of the alpha 1-gene (--/alpha
      alpha NcoI = 1.3%), a homozygous state for initiation codon mutation of the alpha
      2-gene (alpha Nco alpha/alpha NcoI alpha = 0.7%). Patients with the (--/alpha
      thal alpha) genotypes showed severer clinical and hematological features as
      compared to those with the (--/-alpha) or those with the (--/alpha alpha thal)
      genotypes. The single patient with the (alpha Nco alpha/alpha Nco alpha) genotype
      had a clinical phenotype intermediate between HbH disease and the alpha
      thalassemia carrier status. This heterogeneity depends on the fact that the alpha
      2-globin gene produces 2-3 times alpha-globin chains than the alpha 1-gene and
      the single remaining alpha 1-like globin gene in the -alpha 3.7 chromosome has a
      compensatory increase in the alpha-globin chain output. alpha-Globin gene mapping
      of HbH disease patients may be useful for predicting the clinical outcome and to
      improve genetic counseling.

PMID- 1414155
TI  - Rare inherited bleeding disorders secondary to coagulation factors in Jordan: a
      nine-year study.
AB  - This work reports on rare inherited coagulation factors defects which were seen
      in a developing country over a 9-year period. There were a total of 30 cases
      which fulfilled this diagnosis. Fibrinogen abnormalities were the most frequently
      encountered. There were 10 patients with afibrinogenemia, 2 with
      hypofibrinogenemia and 1 case with dysfibrinogenemia. Factor XI deficiency was
      found in 7 patients, factor V and VII deficiencies accounted for 3 cases each.
      Factor X and XIII deficiencies were found in 2 patients each. All these rare
      deficiencies accounted for 10% of all inherited bleeding disorders in the
      population studied over 9 years.

PMID- 1414156
TI  - A randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study of danazol in hemophilia A.
AB  - A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial of danazol was
      carried out in 19 cases of hemophilia A. Danazol was given for 3 months at a dose
      of 150 mg/day to patients under 15 years of age, and 300 mg/day to older
      patients. The basal factor VIII:C level was 8.3 +/- 5.6% (mean +/- SD), and after
      3 months of danazol treatment was 15.3 +/- 11.0% (p = 0.02). Six patients (basal
      factor VIII:C 2-22%) showed a 1.36- to 2.87-fold elevation of factor VIII:C
      levels after danazol. 0/2, 1/4 and 5/13 cases of severe, moderate and mild
      disease, respectively, responded. Decreases in the number of bleeding episodes
      and cryoprecipitate requirement were seen in the responders. No adverse reactions
      to danazol were encountered. Danazol appears to raise the factor VIII:C levels in
      selected cases of hemophilia A.

PMID- 1414157
TI  - Comparison of the proliferative activity and sensitivity to cytosine arabinoside
      of leukemic blast progenitors in acute myeloblastic leukemia at diagnosis and in
      relapse.
AB  - To determine whether the biological characteristics of leukemic cells change
      after repeated chemotherapy, we compared the proliferative activity and drug
      sensitivity of leukemic blast progenitors in 7 patients with acute myeloblastic
      leukemia at diagnosis and in relapse. The proliferative activity of leukemic
      blast progenitors was assessed based on primary (PE1) and secondary (PE2) colony
      formation in methylcellulose culture and on the recovery of clonogenic cells in
      suspension culture. The effect of cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) on leukemic blast
      progenitors was studied both in methylcellulose and in suspension cultures. PE1
      and PE2 values varied among the patients. PE2 of 4 patients out of 7 patients
      became significantly higher in relapse than at diagnosis. The sensitivity to Ara
      C of leukemic blast progenitors deteriorated in 5 patients in relapse. The
      results suggest that the biological nature in terms of proliferative activity and
      Ara-C sensitivity of leukemic blast progenitors may change in the clinical course
      after chemotherapy.

PMID- 1414158
TI  - In vitro effect of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on proliferation and collagen
      synthesis by bone marrow fibroblasts.
AB  - 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] has been used in the treatment of
      myelofibrosis and beneficial effects have been observed. The mechanism of this
      effect still remains unclear. The present study examined whether 1,25(OH)2D3
      directly affects bone marrow fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis.
      Third to sixth subcultures of rabbit bone marrow fibroblasts were used.
      1,25(OH)2D3 exerts dose-related response-inhibitory effects on collagen
      synthesis. 1,25(OH)2D3 significantly inhibited collagen synthesis at 10(-9) to
      10(-7) M, while 25(OH)D3 was not different from controls. Furthermore,
      1,25(OH)2D3 exerted its effect on collagen synthesis without affecting cellular
      proliferation. Both the cellular protein content and tritium-labeled thymidine
      incorporation after treatment with either 1,25(OH)2D3 or 25(OH)2D3 were not
      different from controls.

PMID- 1414159
TI  - Myelofibrosis and systemic lupus erythematosus: reversal of fibrosis with high
      dose corticosteroid therapy.
AB  - A case of myelofibrosis in association with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is
      reported. Acute thrombocytopenia and a bleeding tendency developed in a 24-year
      old woman with SLE. Bone marrow aspiration was unsuccessful due to myelofibrosis.
      Pulse therapy with methylprednisolone reversed both thrombocytopenia and
      myelofibrosis. A review of the literature revealed that the coexistence of SLE
      and myelofibrosis is a rare occurrence. Only 7 cases, to our knowledge, have ever
      been reported in detail. The present case is the 3rd in which myelofibrosis was
      reversed by corticosteroids.

PMID- 1414160
TI  - Central nervous system expression of a monoclonal paraprotein in a chronic
      lymphocytic leukemia patient.
AB  - An unusual complication of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is reported. The
      patient, a 79-year-old man, had a long standing history of CLL, that had been
      complicated by the development of a Guillain-Barre-like syndrome and a peripheral
      biclonal gammopathy. The biclonal immunoglobulins identified in the serum were
      IgM lambda and IgG lambda. The patient's condition progressed and he eventually
      developed ophthalmologic complications. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) obtained during
      evaluation of his visual dysfunction contained numerous small, mature lymphocytes
      consistent with the presence of CLL cells in the central nervous system (CNS);
      immunoperoxidase staining of these cells revealed a monoclonal population.
      Protein electrophoretic evaluation of the patient's CSF showed a single
      monoclonal band and immunofixation electrophoresis of the CSF revealed that the
      immunoglobulin present was IgG lambda. No evidence for the monoclonal IgM
      paraprotein identified in serum could be appreciated in the CSF by
      immunofixation. Taken together, these findings strongly implied that there was
      CNS involvement by the leukemia and this process caused the patient's neurologic
      symptoms. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that chronic lymphocytic leukemia
      should also be considered as one of the hematopoietic malignancies associated
      with monoclonal gammopathies involving the CNS.

PMID- 1414161
TI  - An unclassified case of congenital dyserythropoietic anaemia with a severe
      neonatal onset.
AB  - The case of a 13-year-old child with a congenital dyserythropoietic anaemia (CDA)
      is reported. A severe anaemia associated with a slight increase in reticulocytes,
      erythroblastosis, hyperbilirubinaemia, hepatosplenomegaly, generalized oedema and
      hypoproteinaemia was present at birth. Three exsanguino-transfusions were needed
      in the first 4 days of life. In the following years a continuous transfusional
      regimen was maintained in association with a chelating treatment. Bone marrow
      aspirates showed a striking hyperplasia of the erythroid lineage with ineffective
      erythropoiesis and changes of erythroblastic nuclei which were double but
      incompletely separated. Numerous histio-erythroblastic islands were also present.
      Electron microscopy studies did not show specific alterations of the
      erythropoietic cells. By a long-term evaluation of the clinical signs and of the
      haematological data, we came to the conclusion that the case does not fit into
      any of the three classical categories of CDA.

PMID- 1414162
TI  - Autoimmune hemolytic anemia presenting in Sezary syndrome. Report of a case and
      review of the literature.
AB  - A 52-year-old man, who presented with Sezary syndrome with autoimmune hemolytic
      anemia (AIHA) and was successfully treated with corticosteroids is reported.
      Helper function assay determining immunoglobulin confirmed inducer capability of
      this clonal population. This patient brings to 4 the number of cases of T cell
      cutaneous lymphoma and AIHA now reported in the English literature, and is the
      first case of Sezary syndrome and AIHA thus far.

PMID- 1414163
TI  - A familial case of hyper-IgM immunodeficiency.
AB  - A 22-year-old male was diagnosed as having immunodeficiency with hyper-IgM based
      upon recurrent pneumonia, marked elevation of serum IgM and markedly decreased
      level of IgG. IgG-or IgA-bearing B cells were not detected in peripheral blood
      while a number and a proportion of peripheral blood T lymphocytes were normal.
      Peripheral blood lymphocytes from this patient proliferated normally in response
      to T-independent and T-dependent B cell mitogens, and to T cell mitogens.
      Furthermore, the same type of dysgammaglobulinemia with increased IgM was found
      in the patient's father and brother. From these observations, it is suggested
      that it is a rare case of autosomal dominant or polygenal inheritance of hyper
      IgM immunodeficiency.

PMID- 1414164
TI  - High plasma urokinase-type plasminogen activator levels are present in patients
      with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia.
AB  - An exaggerated hemorrhagic syndrome is a characteristic in acute non
      lymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL) and it determines the patient's outcome.
      Disseminated intravascular coagulation as a result of a procoagulant factor
      release and primary hyperfibrinolysis due to plasminogen activators also released
      by leukemic cells have been implicated in the development of this syndrome. The
      aim of this work was to evaluate urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) and
      related parameters of the fibrinolytic system in 14 ANLL patients. Our results
      showed an increased u-PA concentration in ANLL patients compared to controls
      [2.63 (1.61-4.62) vs. 0.95 (0.77-1.48) ng/ml, p < 0.01]. u-PA levels correlated
      positively with tissue-type plasminogen activator. The relevance of the
      enhancement of u-PA in this clinical setting was supported by the fact that it
      was the only analytical parameter positively correlated with patient mortality (p
      < 0.05). Though u-PA levels do not seem to be the determining factor in the
      development of the hemorrhagic syndrome of ANLL patients, a contributory role of
      this plasminogen activator is suggested from our results.

PMID- 1414165
TI  - [Is it necessary to treat silent myocardial ischemia?].
AB  - Since the mid eighties of our century the clinical importance of silent
      myocardial ischemia, concerning definition, prevalence and pathophysiology is
      well established. The implication of silent myocardial ischemia, or its
      combination with other parameters of coronary heart disease on the outcome of
      ischemic heart disease concerning the endpoints myocardial infarction, myocardial
      insufficiency or death is still not clear. In consequence therapeutic guidelines
      at the moment can not be given for the entire spectrum of silent ischemia,
      whereas some details are becoming more and more evident.

PMID- 1414166
TI  - [Is it necessary to treat silent myocardial ischemia?].
AB  - At the present time there is no firm evidence that silent myocardial ischemia (on
      exercise or Holter ECG) should be treated with anti-ischemic drugs. Silent
      ischemic episodes obviously are a marker for ischemic activity of coronary artery
      disease and therefore a bad prognostic sign. However, antianginal drugs
      (nitrates, calcium-blockers, beta-blockers) have not been shown to improve
      prognosis. Patients with ischemic episodes should be further evaluated by
      thallium scintigraphy and coronary angiography. If a significant coronary disease
      is present, the established therapy with risk factor reduction, lipid lowering
      drugs and aspirin should be administered. In some instances PTCA or CABG may be
      indicated.

PMID- 1414167
TI  - [Early therapeutic intervention in heart failure].
AB  - During the past years, several large trials (Consensus, VHEFT I and II, SOLVD)
      have shown a significant reduction of mortality in patients with moderate and
      severe heart failure. However, despite effective treatment with vasodilators,
      digitalis and diuretics mortality in these patients remains unacceptable high. It
      seems logic, to state treatment at an earlier stage of the disease to achieve
      more benefit. The main early pathophysiological disturbance is left ventricular
      hypertrophy, resulting from hypertension, coronary artery disease, increasing age
      and obesity. On the long run, LVH may lead to diastolic and systolic heart
      failure, myocardial ischemia, arrhythmias and sudden death. With ACE-inhibitors
      LVH can be reduced within 1 month of treatment. The large SAVE- and SOLVD
      prevention trials will show, whether this early intervention will improve
      proposis in patients with asymptomatic heart failure.

PMID- 1414168
TI  - [Effects of treatment of arrhythmias requiring therapy in dilated cardiomyopathy
      with amiodarone on alpha human atrial natriuretic peptide].
AB  - In a longitudinal study comprising a total of 18 patients, the paradoxical time
      course of hANP plasma levels, i.e. the reproducibility of the low levels
      previously reported in cases of extreme cardiac insufficiency after
      administration of amiodarone, was investigated over a period of 9 months. At the
      same time, the effect of the degree of cardiac insufficiency and arrhythmia on
      the secretion of hANP was observed. The patients had been admitted to hospital
      because of the diagnoses "cardiac insufficiency secondary to cardiomyopathy" or
      "Grade IVb arrhythmia according to Lown's classification". During in-patient
      treatment, antiarrhythmic therapy was commenced in all patients. Clinical
      examinations and determinations of humoral parameters during therapy showed a
      substantial number of patients, who exhibited no increase in hANP levels despite
      massive cardiac decompensation. As far as drug therapy of patients with severe
      arrhythmias secondary to congestive (dilated) cardiomyopathy is concerned,
      amiodarone has proved to be the drug of choice in combination with digitalis, ACE
      inhibitors and diuretics. There is a close correlation between the degree of
      cardiac insufficiency and plasma hANP levels.

PMID- 1414170
TI  - [23rd annual meeting of the Austrian Society for Internal Medicine. Abstracts].

PMID- 1414169
TI  - [Abnormal origin of the ramus circumflexus sinister from the left atrium in a 30
      year-old patient with aortic isthmus stenosis and atrial septal defect].
AB  - In this case report a 30-year-old woman suffering from progressive angina
      pectoris and dyspnea, having been operated on previously for atrial septum defect
      at the age of 19 and later aged 24 for coarctation of the aorta, is described.
      Upon observation, patient showed cardiac symptoms already under mild stress and
      remained resistant to nitroglycerin. Rest-ECG and serum cardiac enzymes were
      repeatedly without findings, while stress-ECG at a level of 100 W showed a ST
      segment depression of 0.15 mV, at the same time complaining of angina pectoris
      symptoms. Coronary angiography revealed a left circumflex coronary artery arising
      from the left atrium being fully supplied by the left anterior descendent artery
      and the right coronary artery via pronounced collaterals, both originating from
      the ascending aorta. Despite such severe symptoms patient refused surgery
      suturing the abnormally arising artery. One year following coronary angiography
      patient is suffering from stabile angina pectoris without occurrence of
      myocardial infarction or another cardiovascular event.

PMID- 1414171
TI  - A call to power: transforming attitudes into actions.

PMID- 1414172
TI  - Reduce, reuse and recycle in the anesthesia workplace.

PMID- 1414173
TI  - New Jersey's hospital anesthesia standards.

PMID- 1414174
TI  - AHCPR releases clinical practice guideline on pain management.

PMID- 1414175
TI  - Postanesthesia care standards, obstetrical anesthesia/analgesia guidelines, and
      end-tidal carbon dioxide monitoring.

PMID- 1414176
TI  - Carbon dioxide embolism during laparoscopy: a case report.
AB  - A 28-year-old female with a diagnosis of multiparity was scheduled for
      laparoscopic tubal ligation. The patient had an unremarkable medical history,
      except that she had been a pack-a-day smoker for the past 10 years and had
      experienced a recent upper respiratory infection. General anesthesia was
      accomplished without incident, and insufflation of the abdomen with carbon
      dioxide (CO2) gas was begun. During insufflation the end tidal carbon dioxide
      (ETCO2) level dropped dramatically, ECG changes were noted, and vital signs
      deteriorated with the subsequent development of cardiac arrest. The patient was
      successfully resuscitated, fully awake, and extubated approximately 1 hour after
      the incident. A CO2 embolus caused by CO2 insufflation was suspected. In
      laparoscopic procedures, the use of CO2 gas is an efficient and inexpensive means
      of improving visualization of the abdominal cavity. The effect of CO2
      insufflation on the patient should be given special consideration in these cases.
      Although serious complications associated with the use of CO2 gas are rare, such
      procedures must not be viewed with complacency. A protocol for the management of
      emergency situations should be developed and reviewed.

PMID- 1414177
TI  - AANA journal course: update for nurse anesthetists--managing human
      immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome during anesthesia
      care.
AB  - The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and its advanced progression to acquired
      immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has had a greater impact on our society than
      any other disease entity during this century. Throughout the past decade the
      prevalence of HIV disease has grown to pandemic proportions throughout many
      regions of the world. The infectious and often fatal nature of HIV has made AIDS
      the most threatening epidemic currently facing modern medicine. A myriad of fears
      concerns, challenges, and frustration face all healthcare providers whose
      awareness and impact on practice is continuously challenged. Every nurse
      anesthetist is responsible for maintaining the ability to both prevent HIV
      disease transmission and appropriately care for HIV-infected patients during
      anesthesia care. Experience throughout the past decade of a continuously
      increasing prevalence of both HIV and AIDS has provided a wealth of information
      and knowledge that continues to enhance patient care. The following AANA Journal
      Course will present a current overview of HIV disease and considerations for
      providing quality anesthesia care while preventing disease transmission.

PMID- 1414178
TI  - Attitudes of certified registered nurse anesthetists toward AIDS and AIDS
      patients.
AB  - This study was intended to examine and identify the nature of CRNAs' attitudes
      concerning acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and patients with
      homosexual lifestyles. This research question has been previously addressed using
      sample populations of registered nurses, physicians, and medical students. This
      inquiry was conducted using a sample population of nurse anesthetists. The target
      population was 500 CRNAs who reside in areas of high AIDS incidence--New York
      City, San Francisco, and Houston. The participants were equally divided among the
      three cities using a randomized list provided by the AANA. The design for this
      study was an experimental 2 x 2 factorial with two independent variables: disease
      of the individual, either leukemia or AIDS, and the sexual preference of the
      individual, either heterosexual or homosexual. The randomly distributed
      questionnaire consisted of three scales: the interpersonal attraction inventory,
      the prejudicial evaluation scale, and the social interaction scale. Multivariate
      analyses of variance (MANOVA) were conducted not only on the main effects,
      disease and sexual preference, but also on the interaction effects of disease and
      sexual preference. The significant findings of the MANOVAs were subjected to
      factorial analysis for each scale, and then the MANOVAs were conducted again. The
      statistical analysis indicated that CRNAs possess a negative attitude toward AIDS
      patients but not toward leukemia patients. Their attitudes are based on their
      perception that AIDS patients are responsible for their illness. Potential
      behavioral consequences were also reported by CRNAs, based on these
      attitudes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414179
TI  - The effect of pH-adjusted 2-chloroprocaine on the duration and quality of pain
      relief with a subsequent continuous epidural bupivacaine infusion.
AB  - A randomized, double-blind true experimental design with a post-test only was
      chosen to determine if the addition of sodium bicarbonate to 2-chloroprocaine
      would result in a longer duration of epidural analgesia, as well as increase the
      quality of pain relief in stage I parturients receiving a continuous bupivacaine
      epidural infusion. The experimental group (number (N) = 16) received sodium
      bicarbonate and 2-chloroprocaine followed by a continuous bupivacaine epidural
      infusion. The control group (N = 15) received normal saline and 2-chloroprocaine
      followed by a continuous bupivacaine epidural infusion. Only ASA I or II patients
      in stage I labor were included in this study. Measures of pain perception were
      made using a self-report, visual analog scale. Measures also were made of the
      quality and duration of block over time, the intensity of motor block over time,
      and the blood pressure over time. The cephalad dermatome level of analgesia was
      determined by pinprick. A record of the need for a supplemental bolus of local
      anesthetic to maintain a sensory level of T-10 was also recorded. The mean self
      perceived level of pain was significantly different for the two groups (P =
      .024). Moreover, the pattern of self-perceived level of pain over time differs
      for the two groups in a significant way (P = .023). Additional bolus injections
      occurred nine times in the control group and six times in the experimental group.
      The differences were not found to be significant (P > .106). The differences in
      time and amount of local anesthetic delivered were also found to be trivial (P >
      .80).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414180
TI  - Charleston Area Medical Center scholarship/loan program for nurse anesthesia
      students.

PMID- 1414181
TI  - The need for alternative educational pathways in nurse anesthesia education.

PMID- 1414182
TI  - Midwifery: a designated profession. What next?

PMID- 1414183
TI  - Pain corner.

PMID- 1414184
TI  - Help for parents--talking to their children about AIDS.

PMID- 1414185
TI  - Medical profession stops nurse practitioner's practice: accountability, lawsuit
      and a PHC opportunity.

PMID- 1414186
TI  - Health reform--the next step. Notes from the Minister.

PMID- 1414187
TI  - Nursing in a northern isolated post.

PMID- 1414188
TI  - You touched me.

PMID- 1414190
TI  - Future directions in nursing.

PMID- 1414189
TI  - The nurse as care giver negligence actions: the basic elements.

PMID- 1414191
TI  - Pain corner. Stop, look ... and listen!

PMID- 1414192
TI  - Iron overload of the bone marrow by trimethylhexanoyl-ferrocene in rats.
AB  - Iron-deficient female Wistar rats were fed a diet which contained 0.5% 3,5,5
      trimethylhexanoyl (TMH)-ferrocene over a 57-week period. The state of iron
      deficiency was characterized by means of the absence of stainable iron in the
      bone marrow. After the first days on the iron-enriched diet, ferritin-containing
      siderosomes were found, in numerous erythroblasts up to orthochromatic
      normoblasts and in reticulocytes, i.e. the dispensed iron was used for
      haemoglobin synthesis. After 1 week the first macrophages showed a positive
      Perls' Prussian blue reaction. In the cytoplasm they stored the iron in the form
      of free ferritin molecules and lysosomally as aggregated ferritin and/or
      haemosiderin. The iron loading of the macrophages increased in both of the
      storage qualities proportionally with duration of the feeding period and reached
      a maximum after 38 weeks. Final stages showed extremely iron-loaded macrophages
      with high concentrations of free ferritin molecules and large siderosomes,
      partially flowing together to still greater units. Iron deposits within
      endothelial cells of bone marrow sinusoids can be observed for the first time
      after 4 weeks. In these cells the iron is stored as ferritin in siderosomes of
      relatively small and uniform size; free ferritin molecules in the cytosol were of
      only slight concentration. The TMH-ferrocene model of iron overload shows in the
      bone marrow: (1) an unimpeded utilization of the iron component for
      erythropoiesis, (2) development of excessive iron overload of the bone marrow in
      macrophages and endothelial cells of sinusoids and (3) a pattern of distribution
      of iron as seen in secondary haemochromatosis.

PMID- 1414193
TI  - An increase in thymocyte proliferation during pseudopregnancy in two inbred
      strains of rat.
AB  - Coitus is a unique physiological event which may result in internal
      fertilization, whereby active allogeneic spermatozoa are presented to the female
      host which can invade her tissues. Sterile coitus on the other hand, stimulates
      the uterine cervix in the rat and induces a physiological state of
      pseudopregnancy which interrupts the normal pattern of the oestrous cycle and
      establishes a persistent dioestrous state. This state is hormonally controlled
      and in its early stages is not dissimilar from that of true pregnancy. Pregnancy
      hormones are known to influence the immunological status of the female. Thymic
      observations during early pseudopregnancy showed interstrain differences in
      weight, cell content and thymocyte proliferation. Pooled data indicated increased
      cell density on days 3, 4 and 5 of pseudopregnancy associated with a peak of
      mitotic activity on day 3 in both strains. The timing of this proliferative
      activity seems to reflect the needs of the immune system in its putative response
      to mating and implantation.

PMID- 1414194
TI  - The innervation of the lymphoid tissue at the ileocolonic transition: an enzyme
      and immunohistochemical study.
AB  - Using enzyme and immunohistochemical methods on whole-mount preparations and
      cryostat sections, a morphologic and semiquantitative study was performed of the
      nervous tissue in the appendix and the ileum (areas with and without Peyer's
      patches) of the rabbit. The plexus submucous externus (Meissner) consists of a
      network of small ganglia, vaguely associated with the vascular submucosal plexus.
      From the nerve cell bodies, cell processes occasionally penetrate the lymphoid
      follicles at the junction between the mucosa and the submucosa while other
      extensions form a dense plexus in the lamina propria of the mucosa. No nerve
      fibers are present in the dome of the follicles. The plexus submucous internus
      (Henle), consisting of large cell bodies and large processes, closely follows the
      blood vessels. The numeration of the nerve fibers of the submucosal plexus
      endorses the histological finding that the appendix is a richly innervated
      lymphoid organ. In addition, the plexus myentericus (Auerbach) of the appendix is
      a network of small meshes, while in the ileum, in the area of Peyer's patches,
      the same plexus is composed of a network with large meshes. These differences
      point to a higher density of innervation in the appendix. Yet a specialized
      anatomic distribution of the innervation of lymphoepithelial structures cannot be
      demonstrated.

PMID- 1414195
TI  - Weaning and the histology of the mandibular condyle in the rat.
AB  - Eighty-eight Long Evans/Turku rats were used in the study. The effect of the
      articulatory function on the mandibular condyle was observed histologically
      during normal growth, when the rat is changing its diet from milk to whole
      pellets as a part of weaning. Six animals each were killed at the age of 10, 15,
      20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 50 days for histological tissue processing. For further
      information, 30 animals were fed a soft diet (6 animals each were killed at the
      age of 25, 30, 35, 40 and 50 days), and 10 animals were fed hardened pellets (2
      animals each were killed at the ages of 25, 30, 35, 40 and 50 days). An even and
      regular transition from mesenchymal cells via immature chondroblasts into mature
      chondroblasts and hypertrophied chondrocytes was found at 10, 15 and 20 days
      during normal growth and also at 25, 30, 35, 40 and 50 days when animals were fed
      a soft diet. This maturing process appeared to be disturbed at the age of 25, 30,
      35 and 40 days in the superior aspect of the condyle in animals fed ordinary
      pellets. The density of the mesenchymal cell layer was decreased, and the amount
      of intercellular matrix seemed to be evaluated in mesenchymal and intermediate
      cell layers. These features were later manifest deeper in the cartilage as
      acellular regions and as cell clusters. The changes were similar but more severe
      when the animals were fed hardened pellets.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414196
TI  - Immunohistochemical study of carbonic anhydrase III in the extraocular muscles of
      human embryos.
AB  - The differentiation of extraocular muscles was studied immunohistochemically in
      externally normal human embryos (Carnegie stages 13-23), using antibodies to
      carbonic anhydrase (CA) III and beta-enolase as the markers of type 1 and type 2
      muscle fibers, respectively. At stage 18, some myoblasts were immunoreactive to
      beta-enolase antibodies, however, CA-III immunoreactivity was not observed around
      the optic vesicle. At stage 20, CA-III immunoreactivity appeared in some muscle
      fibers of extraocular muscles. From stage 21 to stage 23, CA-III-immunoreactive
      fibers increased and almost equalled the number of beta-enolase-immunoreactive
      fibers. These findings suggest that CA-III-immunoreactive type 1 fibers appear in
      the late stage of myogenesis compared with beta-enolase-immunoreactive type 2
      fibers.

PMID- 1414197
TI  - [The origin and distribution of cartilage canals in the chick embryo].
AB  - 113 femurs and 111 tibias originating from chick embryos 8-21 days after
      incubation were injected with Indian ink and made transparent. The origin and
      distribution of cartilage canals are described. The existence of a pattern of
      segmental distribution, atypical canals and anastomosis between epiphysial canals
      and diaphysial marrow processes is reported.

PMID- 1414198
TI  - Measurements of cross-sectional areas in selected human wrist-joint ligaments.
AB  - The cross-sectional area of a particular ligament is an important characteristic
      in order to establish the biomechanical properties of this ligament. Calculations
      of the cross-sectional areas of the ligaments of the wrist joint are made from
      two three-dimensional models. It is discussed that differences between the
      presented and the scarcely published data on cross-sectional areas are the result
      of different divisions of the wrist-joint ligamentous complex into separate
      ligaments.

PMID- 1414199
TI  - How little luteal tissue of rats is needed to maintain pregnancy till term--an
      experimental verification.
AB  - Surgical reduction of luteal tissue to about 20% of its total mass on day 5 pc
      was found to maintain gestation till term. A high degree of fetal loss was,
      however, evident. An identical surgical manipulation at the end of maximal luteal
      maturity, that is, on day 16 pc, resulted in normal maintenance of gestation.
      Fetal growth and their survival rate were found to be comparable to controls. An
      exclusive surgical extirpation of corpora lutea, on the other hand, either on day
      16, 17, 18 or 19 was found to cause 100% fetal loss by day 23. However,
      progesterone replacement therapy concurrently with surgical luteal ablation till
      day 20, or surgical extirpation of the entire luteal mass when shifted on day 20,
      led the pregnancy to term. Present experimental findings, therefore, suggest that
      only about 20% of the functionally matured luteal mass until day 20 is
      essentially enough to maintain an ideal pregnancy status till term.

PMID- 1414200
TI  - Melanocytes--a UV-sensitive neural network and circadian rhythms.
AB  - The melanocytes are acutely sensitive to a single pulse of UV and express neural
      differentiation. The present work was undertaken to observe whether the
      melanocyte can sense variations in the duration of UV exposure. Whole skin organ
      cultures from marginal zone in vitiligo were exposed to a single pulse of UV, 30,
      60, 90 and 120 s each. Catecholoxidase levels in the marginal melanocytes and the
      volume of melanocytes were used to calculate and quantitate the changes in enzyme
      production. The melanocytes' dendricity, volume and enzyme production increases
      with the duration of UV exposure. This sensitivity of the marginal melanocytes,
      to changes in the duration of UV exposure, simulates the coat color changes in
      weasels and the polar fox exposed to extreme variations in the day/night cycles.
      The UV response is associated with proliferation of melanocytes as it is G2-phase
      dependent. Thus the melanocytes form a UV-sensitive neural network responding to
      annual changes in the photoperiodicity.

PMID- 1414201
TI  - Development of the urinary system of the marsupial native cat Dasyurus
      hallucatus.
AB  - The development of the mesonephros and metanephros was examined in the marsupial
      Northern native cat, Dasyurus hallucatus, from birth through to the end of
      lactation. The mesonephros was present at birth, reached a maximum volume 11 days
      after birth and had regressed completely by day 30. The metanephros was present
      on day 2; glomeruli were first seen on day 8, and nephrogenesis continued until
      day 89 post partum. The newborn native cat is at a very primitive stage of
      development compared to other marsupials. However, at weaning, like other
      marsupial species, the native cat has developed a fully morphological and
      functional urinary system.

PMID- 1414202
TI  - Morphology of corpuscular receptors in hairy and nonhairy human skin as
      visualized by an antiserum to protein gene product 9.5 compared to anti-neuron
      specific enolase and anti-S-100 protein.
AB  - The present study elucidates the morphology of encapsulated receptors in human
      skin by means of immunohistochemistry for the recently characterized
      neurospecific marker protein gene product 9.5, in comparison with neuronal
      specific enolase and S-100 protein. Only two types of corpuscles are identified,
      Meissner's corpuscles and simple coiled corpuscles. Moreover, this investigation
      reveals that though regional specialization may exist with regard to the
      encapsulated receptor density, the comparison of hairy and nonhairy skin does not
      reveal important differences.

PMID- 1414203
TI  - Nerve growth factor receptor-like immunoreactivity in the human spinal cord.
AB  - Nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor-like immunoreactivity has been demonstrated in
      the normal human adult spinal cord using the monoclonal antibody ME20.4. Intense
      immunoreactivity was associated with fibres and terminals in the substantia
      gelatinosa. In lamina IX the neuropil demonstrated punctate staining, the motor
      neurons themselves being negative. At thoracic levels occasional neurons of the
      intermediolateral column cell group were NGF receptor positive. Fine axonal and
      punctate terminal reactivity was observed in the gracile fasciculus,
      corresponding to axons in transverse section. Similar, though slightly less dense
      immunoreactivity was observed in the cuneate fasciculus. The demonstration of NGF
      receptor immunoreactivity may provide a useful marker of sensory innervation in
      the human spinal cord.

PMID- 1414204
TI  - An immunoelectron-microscopical observation of mouse juxtaglomerular cells in the
      case of experimental hydronephrosis.
AB  - Changes in juxtaglomerular (JG; renin-containing) cells in experimental
      hydronephrosis 1 month after ureteral ligation were investigated with
      immunoelectron-microscopical techniques. Two types of granules, electron dense
      (D) and lucent (L), were observed. D type granules were labeled more intensely
      with gold particles than those of L type. Granules intermediate between D and L
      types and exocytosis of D types were observed. In the cells containing D types
      exclusively, gold particles were restricted to the granules, whereas in the cells
      containing both D and L type granules, the particles were scattered throughout
      the cytoplasmic cytosol. The authors discuss the mechanisms of renin release in
      JG cells.

PMID- 1414205
TI  - Lymphoid tissue changes during early syngeneic pregnancy in the RT1u rat.
AB  - An active immunological response by the female to mating and pregnancy is
      important, if not essential, to successful reproduction. Alloantigens which have
      been demonstrated on spermatozoa include histocompatibility antigens. In the
      enigmatic success of the fetal allograft, the conceptus survives owing to failure
      of the mother either to initiate or complete the process of rejection. In this
      study, AO(RT1u/AgB2) female rats were caged with male rats of the same strain.
      Observations were obtained from the first 5 days of their postcoital period,
      identifying lymphoid tissue changes which are due to the presence of the
      ejaculate and early products of conception in the female reproductive tract. A
      significant increase in intrathymic proliferation by day 3 is thought to be a
      hormonal effect induced by the cervical stimulation at mating. The postcoital
      exodus of lymphocytes from the thymus is possibly in response to coitus and
      induced by the seminal plasma to safeguard the implanting conceptus.

PMID- 1414206
TI  - Prenatal growth pattern of the human maxilla.
AB  - Regarding maxillofacial morphogenesis there has been a long debate on the growth
      of the maxillary structure. Using 120 normal fetal maxillae of gestational ages
      from 16 to 41 weeks, palatal radiograms and frontal histologic sections were
      made. We have observed two pairs of accentuated growth areas in the fetal
      maxillae and named them primary growth centers to formulate the maxillary
      trapezoid (MT) by radiologic image. The MT is formed by four primary growth
      centers that are best demonstrated by palatal radiograms of the fetal maxilla as
      well as by frontal histologic sections. The dimensional increase in the MT during
      the fetal period is documented and statistically analyzed. From this series of
      results, we have suggested that the growth centers which demarcate the MT are the
      basic structures of the developing human maxilla. It was also found that the four
      primary growth centers are the most active sites for maxilla formation until 20
      weeks of gestation and thereafter the growth of the maxilla is enhanced by the
      participation of the intramembranous bone formation along the periphery. This was
      in contrast to the central primary growth centers that have already finished
      maturation in the early fetal period and remain only as a peripherally radiating
      arrangement of thick trabecular bones.

PMID- 1414207
TI  - [Post-eruptive formation of the root apex. A scanning electron microscopic
      study].
AB  - During the course of root formation, histologic examination show many pictures;
      however, the last stage of root formation is not well documented. In this paper,
      we describe cellular and extracellular components of immature teeth with
      incompletely formed roots. The odontoblast cells were observed with reticular
      fibers. The cementoblasts and epithelial cells covered the cementoid tissue. The
      results are discussed.

PMID- 1414208
TI  - Ontogeny of afferents to the fetal rat cerebellum.
AB  - Afferents to the fetal rat cerebellum have been studied in fixed tissue with the
      fluorescent tracer, 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'tetramethylindocarbocyanine
      perchlorate (DiI). The dye was applied to the cerebellar anlage at ages from
      embryonic day (E) 12 to birth (P0). Central processes of vestibular ganglion
      cells were found to be the first identifiable afferents to the cerebellum, being
      present at least by E13 and perhaps as early as E12. Ipsilateral spinocerebellar
      fibres may be labelled from E15, vestibular nuclei (both ipsi- and contralateral)
      also from E15, while contralateral inferior olivary nuclei could not be
      retrogradely labelled until E17. Trigeminocerebellar neurons in the interpolaris
      subnucleus of the nucleus of the trigeminal spinal tract and neurons of the
      lateral reticular nucleus were not labelled until E22 and P0, respectively.
      Finally, contralateral pontine nuclei were retrogradely labelled from the
      cerebellum after birth.

PMID- 1414209
TI  - Histological study of the temporomandibular joint capsule: theory of the
      articular complex.
AB  - The findings of the histological study of the human temporomandibular joint
      confirm that the cranium and the lower jaw are jointed by two temporomandibular
      articular complexes (one on the left and another on the right side), each made
      up, in turn, of two joints--a condylomeniscal condyloarthrosis and a reciprocally
      fitting meniscotemporal joint. Both these joints are surrounded by short capsular
      bands which stretch from the condyle to the meniscus and from the latter to the
      temporal bone and form the true joint capsules. Longer bands which extend from
      the condyle to the temporal bone may be regarded as reinforcements passing over
      two articulations.

PMID- 1414210
TI  - Morphological, histochemical and immunohistochemical differences between tumorous
      and adjacent tissues in chemically induced colon cancer in rats.
AB  - Methods of morphological, histochemical and immunohistochemical analyses were
      used to further characterize differences between tumourous and adjacent grossly
      normal tissues in chemically-induced colon cancer in rats. Colon tumors were
      induced by the treatment of rats with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine or with N-methyl-N'
      nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine alone or with subsequent treatment with deoxycholic bile
      acid. Tissues were studied morphologically (for the presence of goblet cells in
      the colon crypts, and the extent of infiltration of lymphocytes into the crypts
      and between them), histochemically (for the presence of positive reaction to
      neutral and acid mucopolysaccharides) and immunohistochemically (for the presence
      of tissue polypeptide antigen). All data were evaluated quantitatively, and index
      of tissue damage was calculated for both tumorous and non-tumorous tissues.
      Significant morphological differences were found between tumorous and adjacent
      apparently normal tissue. Histochemically and immunohistochemically, both types
      of tissue reacted very similarly to exposure to the carcinogens. Index of damage
      was significantly different from normal untreated colon in both kinds of tissue.
      It was suggested that precancerous state in tissue adjacent-to-tumor could be
      detected using the combination of these methods.

PMID- 1414211
TI  - [Histology, immunocytology, histochemistry and muscle fiber innervation of the
      pectoralis major and supracoracoideus muscles of Excalfactoria chinensis
      chinensis (L.)].
AB  - The morphology of the pectoralis major muscle and its antagonist, the
      supracoracoideus muscle, of the Chinese quail was studied in comparison with the
      Japanese quail, in relation to behavioral characteristics. The actomyosin ATPase
      reaction after alkaline and acid preincubation reveals two fibre types. The
      indirect immunofluorescence, using specific antibodies against 'slow' (twitch)
      myosin from the human vastus lateralis muscle, provokes a weak reaction. All
      fibres observed show focal, monoaxonal 'en plaques' endings, typical of the
      phasic motor system. For the two quail species, the muscle structure seems
      adequate in relation to the movement characteristics, meaning muscle activity of
      migratories, flying long distances.

PMID- 1414212
TI  - Thenar and hypothenar muscles and their innervation by the ulnar and median
      nerves in the human hand.
AB  - The thenar and hypothenar muscles as well as their supplying nerves were analyzed
      with an improved dissecting method. Among the four thenar muscles, the m.
      abductor pollicis brevis (AbPB) has a separate muscle belly, whereas the m.
      opponens pollicis (OP), the superficial and deep heads of the flexor pollicis
      brevis (sFPB and dFPB), and the adductor pollicis (AdP) are fused with each other
      to make a single mass (deep thenar muscle group). These muscles are innervated by
      branches of the recurrent nerve and the accessory recurrent nerve from the median
      nerve as well as by terminal branches of the deep branch (ramus profundus) of the
      ulnar nerve. These three nerves frequently form a loop within the deep thenar
      muscle group (thenar loop), and a branch to the OP and one to deep parts of the
      sFPB often make a smaller loop (intrathenar loop), whereas the AbPB receives a
      separate nerve branch. Among the hypothenar muscle, the m. abductor digiti minimi
      and the m. flexor digiti minimi brevis are fused with each other, and their
      supplying nerves frequently form a loop in these muscles (intrahypothenar loop),
      whereas the m. opponens digiti minimi is separated from the others and receives a
      separate nerve branch. In the distribution pattern of supplying nerves to the
      thenar and hypothenar muscles, we find regularities in that they branch off in a
      regular manner from the ulnar and the median nerve, and that nerve branches to
      those muscles with fused bellies frequently communicate with each other to make
      loops.

PMID- 1414213
TI  - Vascularization of the cochlea of the guinea pig: a light- and stereomicroscopic
      study.

PMID- 1414214
TI  - Effects of 1 alpha(OH)-vitamin D3 and 24,25(OH)2-vitamin D3 on long bones of
      glucocorticoid-treated rats.
AB  - Glucocorticoids may induce osteopenia in experimental animals and in man. In
      order to study the possible effects of vitamin D metabolites in the prevention of
      glucocorticoid-induced osteopenia in rats, we administered 1 alpha(OH)-vitamin
      D3, 24,25(OH)2-vitamin D3 or a combination of both metabolites, by intragastric
      intubation, to rats treated daily by intramuscular injections of 10 mg/kg
      cortisone acetate. Treatment with the vitamin D metabolites started after 1 month
      of glucocorticoid therapy, at the time osteopenia was already present. Cortisone
      acetate decreased the gain weight, increased alkaline phosphatase (AP) and
      decreased Ca serum levels. It also decreased tibial wet and ash weight and tibial
      Ca content. Computerized histomorphometry of sections from the upper tibia showed
      decreased epiphyseal bone volume and increased bone marrow volume; decreased
      height of hypertrophic cartilage in the growth plate and decreased amount of
      persisting cartilage in the metaphyseal bone trabeculae were also observed.
      Administration of 24,25(OH)2D3 alone did not reduce these glucocorticoid-induced
      bone changes and sometimes even worsened them. 1 alpha(OH)D3 reversed many of the
      deleterious effects of cortisone acetate. It reduced serum AP levels, increased
      serum Ca levels, increased bone ash weight, epiphyseal and metaphyseal bone
      volume, with a concomitant reduction in epiphyseal and metaphyseal bone marrow
      volume. The best results were obtained by a combination of 1 alpha(OH)D3 and
      24,25(OH)2D3. It is presumed that both metabolites are needed to reduce the
      impact of glucocorticoids on bone. 1 alpha(OH)2D3 acts on the gut, increasing Ca
      absorption (which was decreased by glucocorticoids), and 24,25(OH)2D3 directly
      acts on bone to enhance bone formation and mineralization.

PMID- 1414215
TI  - Presence of melanin in the cat pineal gland.
AB  - Light- and electron-microscopic features of pigmented cells in the cat pineal
      gland are described. These cells were observed throughout postnatal life from the
      second postnatal day to the oldest cats studied (up to 13 years old). No apparent
      relationship was observed among the amount of pigment and the animal age or sex.
      Pigmented cells showed a preferential localization at the ventral surface of the
      pineal gland near its distal end. The pineal pigment was histochemically
      identified as melanin. Pineal pigment granules showed ultrastructural features
      similar to melanocyte melanin granules.

PMID- 1414216
TI  - Structural characterization of the mandibular condyle in human fetuses: light and
      electron microscopy studies.
AB  - Mandibular condyles from 18- to 20-week-old human fetuses were examined in the
      light and electron microscope with particular attention to intratissue
      organization and extracellular matrix. In the human fetus the condyle has been
      divided into five layers: (1) the most superficial, articular layer, (2)
      chondroprogenitor cell layer, (3) condroblast cell layer, (4) nonmineralized
      hypertrophic cell layer, and (5) mineralized hypertrophic cell layer. The
      articular layer is rich in collagen fibers (mostly of the type I collagen), but
      the cells seldom divide. By contrast, in the chondroprogenitor cell layer and
      upper part of the chondroblastic cell layer mitosis gives rise to new cells. The
      matrix in the latter layer is composed of thick banded 'lucent' fibrils in a
      loose feltwork of granules representing cartilage proteoglycans. The daughter
      cells in the progenitor cell layer undergo differentiation which is apparently
      completed along the lower border of the mineralized hypertrophic cell layer--the
      ossification front. The matrix in the hypertrophic cell layer reveals distinct
      matrix vesicles that undergo mineralization and subsequently coalesce to form
      larger sheets of mineralized extracellular matrix. Mineralized cartilage serves
      as a backbone for new bone formation as marrow-derived osteoblasts and
      osteoclasts attach to remnants of mineralized cartilage, which enables the
      turning on of the remodeling cycles involved in new bone formation. It can be
      concluded that the process of endochondral ossification as has been reported in
      lower animals is recapitulated in the human fetus, thus the dynamics associated
      with condylar morphogenesis is maintained through phylogeny.

PMID- 1414217
TI  - Sensitivity of the fetal rat pituitary-adrenal system to corticotropin-releasing
      factor in organ culture.
AB  - Six groups of adrenal glands from 17-day fetal rats were explanted to organ
      culture for 2 days. In one group, adrenal gland was cultured alone, and in the
      remaining five groups adrenal gland was cultured with pituitaries from fetuses
      ranging in age from 14 to 18 days. In each of the groups, half of the cultures
      had corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) added to the medium. A histometric
      parameter utilized the size of adrenocortical cells as an indicator of
      sensitivity of the pituitary-adrenal system. When 17-day adrenal gland was
      cultured alone, addition of CRF did not cause any enlargement of cortical cells.
      When the adrenal gland was cultured with two 14-day pituitaries, cortical cells
      were enlarged. Addition of CRF to this culture induced no further change. With
      two 15-day pituitaries in the presence of CRF, cortical cells were slightly
      larger than those in the absence of CRF. With 16- to 18-day pituitaries, a marked
      hypertrophy of cortical cells was induced, and the addition of CRF caused further
      acceleration in their enlargement. These results suggest that, in organ culture,
      14-day pituitary can release some adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) with or
      without additional CRF. Older pituitaries (16- to 18-day) can apparently release
      an amount of ACTH in the presence of CRF that is greater than their own
      spontaneous ACTH secretion.

PMID- 1414218
TI  - Myasthenia gravis in Hong Kong Chinese. 1. Epidemiology and adult disease.
AB  - A territory-wide study of myasthenia gravis (MG) was conducted in Hong Kong. Two
      hundred and sixty-two Chinese patients (159 adult and 103 paediatric onset) were
      identified, corresponding to a point prevalence and period prevalence of 53.5 and
      62.2 per million respectively, and an average annual incidence of 4.0 per million
      population. Nine patients died, 7 from MG, giving a case fatality rate of 0.027.
      Female predominance was present in the whole group of patients (female to male
      ratio 1.6:1) and in those with adult disease (ratio 2.1:1), but not in those with
      onset in childhood (ration 1.1:1). Onset of disease was most common in the first
      3 decades of life, and became less common in subsequent decades. Juvenile onset
      MG occurred in 39.3% of patients and restricted ocular MG in 47.9%. Familial
      occurrence was found in 5 patients. In the 159 adult onset patients, ocular
      disease was most common (32.7%), followed by mild generalised (29.6%), moderately
      severe generalised (24.5%), fulminating (11.9%) and late severe disease (1.3%).
      The mean age of onset of symptoms was 36.7 years. The symptomatology was similar
      to that of Caucasoid populations. Autoimmune thyroid disease was the commonest
      associated disease, and the incidence of thymoma among thymic abnormalities was
      high at 38%.

PMID- 1414219
TI  - Absence of interaction between oxcarbazepine and erythromycin.
AB  - When erythromycin (ERY) is co-administrated with the antiepileptic carbamazepine
      (CBZ), a drug interaction may cause an increase in CBZ plasma concentrations,
      which can result in CBZ related toxic symptoms. This cross-over study was
      designated to investigate whether ERY influences the pharmacokinetics of the new
      antiepileptic oxcarbazepine (OXC) and its metabolites. In 8 healthy volunteers
      there were no significant differences in AUC, peak plasma concentrations or time
      to peak concentration when OXC was administered either with or without ERY. The
      results of this study suggest that OXC may offer an important advantage over CBZ
      especially when concomitant therapy with ERY is required.

PMID- 1414220
TI  - Neuropsychological assessment in MS: clinical, neurophysiological and
      neuroradiological relationships.
AB  - We assessed cognitive performance and its relationship with clinical and anatomic
      disease severity in MS with mild to moderate handicap; 34 definite MS and 18
      healthy subjects matched for age and education were submitted to a
      neuropsychological test battery. Both groups were examined for anxiety. MS
      patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging examination. MS performed worse
      than controls on all WAIS-P subtests and had learning, short- and long-term
      verbal memory impairment. Cognitive deficits were not related to abnormal
      emotional states, but were found to be associated with attentional process and
      information-processing speed impairment. Cognitive impairment did not correlate
      with severity of physical disability. The most severe memory deficits were found
      in patients with extensive periventricular damage.

PMID- 1414221
TI  - Humoral CSF parameters in the differential diagnosis of hematologic CNS
      neoplasia.
AB  - Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples of 20 patients with central nervous
      system manifestations of hematological malignancies including primary cerebral
      lymphoma (n = 5) and disseminated non-Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 7) were examined for
      albumin, IgG, IgM, fibronectin, beta 2-microglobulin, interleukin-6, soluble
      interleukin-2 receptor, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and oligoclonal
      immunoglobulin bands. Although a broad range of abnormalities were detected, no
      reliable CSF parameter for the diagnosis of leptomeningeal spread from
      hematological neoplasias could be identified. An analysis of 61 repeat lumbar
      punctures added little to the findings of the first CSF examinations. Currently,
      immunochemical studies of CSF cell surface markers and early biopsy have probably
      more clinical value than the determination of the humoral CSF parameters included
      in this study. However, analysis of cytokine synthesis by single CSF cells using
      molecular biology techniques may improve the differential diagnosis of
      hematological neoplasia of the brain and spinal cord in the future.

PMID- 1414222
TI  - First seizure in adults: a prospective study from the emergency department.
AB  - A prospective study of 98 consecutive adults with a first seizure to determine
      the most important etiological factors and the optimum diagnostics. 27 were
      thought to have cryptogenic seizures. Main causes of symptomatic seizures were:
      cerebral infarction, alcohol-withdrawal, CNS infections, tumors, vascular
      malformations, traumatism and miscellanea. Eight were infected by human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) representing 8.2% of all the patients with a first
      seizure and 20% of the 15-45-year age group. CT disclosed structural lesions in
      33 cases. MRI in those with normal CT and no other explanation of seizure
      revealed additional lesions in 22.2%, but did not change management in any. We
      conclude that CT is essential in evaluation of adults with first seizure. MRI may
      be useful in selected cases. The HIV-infected now represent an important group
      with a first seizure.

PMID- 1414223
TI  - Nocturnal prolactin and growth hormone levels in children with complex partial
      and generalized tonic-clonic seizures.
AB  - This study measures whether there is a rise in the secretion of nocturnal
      prolactin and growth hormone (GH), during the delta phase of the first sleep
      cycle in children who are suffering from either complex partial or generalized
      tonic-clonic seizures. The findings are compared with those obtained in the
      control group of patients which is made up who suffer from pseudoseizures. There
      is a moderate but significant rise in the nocturnal prolactin plasma level in
      both types of infantile seizures. No significant difference was found in the GH.

PMID- 1414224
TI  - Aging and spectral analysis of EEG in normal subjects: a link to memory and CSF
      AChE.
AB  - We studied the effect of aging on EEG spectra recorded from T5-O1 (T6-O2)
      derivation. The aging series composed of 52 normal individuals aged 20 to 91
      years. Seventy-nine per cent of visual and 81% of quantitative EEGs were
      considered normal. The absolute amplitude of delta and theta bands and absolute
      power of delta band were lower for the oldest group (aged 60 and over) than for
      the youngest group (aged 20-39 years). Age was inversely related to the amount of
      delta and theta indicating that the amount of slow activity in quantitative EEG
      does not increase with age in the context of good health status. Women had more
      beta activity compared with men. In addition, the amount of beta and alpha bands
      showed tendency for a reduction with age. Fifteen subjects aged 50 years or older
      participated in a 2-year follow-up including EEG and neuropsychological
      evaluation. Seven of them deteriorated in learning ability and showed increase in
      delta activity. In the oldest age group, delta amplitude was positively
      correlated with intrusion errors in the list learning test and inversely related
      to acetylcholinesterase activity of the CSF. Thus, a link between the cholinergic
      system, EEG slowing and memory problems in old age is suggested.

PMID- 1414225
TI  - Elevation of serum ceruloplasmin levels in brain tumours.
AB  - Serum ceruloplasmin levels have been estimated in 80 patients with various
      intracranial space occupying lesions and in 30 controls. The ceruloplasmin levels
      were significantly increased in all brain tumours except in meningiomas. After
      therapy, the ceruloplasmin levels were still significantly increased when
      compared to controls and their respective preoperative values. However, the rise
      in levels of ceruloplasmin in malignant tumours compared to benign was
      statistically not significant. It is concluded that ceruloplasmin may have a role
      to play as an acute phase reactant protein in brain tumours.

PMID- 1414226
TI  - Debrisoquine hydroxylation in Parkinson's disease.
AB  - Debrisoquine (DBQ) metabolism was studied in 80 Parkinson's disease (PD)
      patients, 26 of whom had young onset Parkinson's disease (YOPD), and in 143
      controls. There was no significant difference between the proportion of poor
      metabolisers of DBQ among YOPD patients compared either to other parkinsonians,
      or to controls. Nor was there a significant correlation between the age of
      disease onset and DBQ metabolic ratio (MR). The results do not support the
      suggestion that impairment of DBQ metabolism (and hence cytochrome P450) is a
      primary defect in YOPD. However, in comparison with controls, MR values were
      modestly but significantly higher in PD patients, even in those not treated with
      drugs known to affect DBQ metabolism.

PMID- 1414227
TI  - Effects of withdrawal of phenytoin on cognitive and psychomotor functions in
      hospitalized epileptic patients on polytherapy.
AB  - The effects of the withdrawal of phenytoin (PT) on cognitive and psychomotor
      functions of long-term patients in an epilepsy centre were studied. The patients
      had been treated for many years (31.1 +/- 10.8 yrs.) with PT in combination with
      other antiepileptic drugs. The serum concentration of PT was in the lower to
      middle therapeutic range (6.8 +/- 3.1 mg/l). Only patients in which the efficacy
      of PT was questionable were included in the study. PT was withdrawn in 17
      patients. The PT dose was not changed in 12 patients (control group).
      Psychological tests were carried out immediately before the withdrawal of PT and
      about 10 weeks later. Tests were also carried out with the control group at the
      same time. A significantly improved performance (using a composite score) was
      noted after the withdrawal of PT. The statistical evaluation of the different
      tests showed an significant improvement in one test of concentration and two
      tests of psychomotor function (tapping and pursuit rotor with the dominant hand).
      There was no significant change in the frequency of seizures.

PMID- 1414228
TI  - Intravenous gamma globulin in progressive MS.
AB  - In an attempt to prevent disease exacerbations, intravenous gamma globulin (500
      mg to 2 g/kg) plus methylprednisolone was administered monthly to 14 patients
      with progressive multiple sclerosis, 11 of whom were steroid dependent. Seventeen
      exacerbations of disease activity were seen in 11 patients over a mean follow-up
      period of 7.8 months. Four exacerbations occurred in 3 patients within one month
      of receiving 1.6 to 2.0 g/kg of intravenous gamma globulin (IVGG). Most
      exacerbations occurred within 2 weeks of steroids being tapered; thus a steroid
      sparing effect of IVGG could not be demonstrated. We conclude that IVGG plus
      methylprednisolone can be given safely at monthly intervals for a prolonged
      period but in the dosage administered did not prevent exacerbations in 80% of
      patients with progressive multiple sclerosis.

PMID- 1414229
TI  - Oscillatory activity in different motor subsystems in palatal myoclonus. A case
      report.
AB  - In a patient with palatal myoclonus the mutual interaction between voluntary
      movements and the myoclonic activity was analysed. Amplitude and frequency of
      myoclonic activity in hand muscles were modulated by flexions and extensions. A
      1:1 relationship was found between EMG-bursts in hand muscles and palatal
      movements. A 1:2 relationship was found between eye and finger movements.
      Resetting of myoclonus in the abductor digiti minimi muscle occurred after
      cutaneous ulnar nerve stimulation. It is suggested that feedback plays an
      important role in the generation of the oscillatory activity in PM in addition to
      pacemaker activity in brainstem neurons.

PMID- 1414230
TI  - Ex vivo release of eicosanoids after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a
      preliminary experience in humans.
AB  - Authors addressed the question whether the byosynthesis and the release of
      specific eicosanoids may occur in human brain cortex, and if the qualitative
      pattern of arachidonic acid metabolism is similar to that observed in
      experimental SAH. Human brain samples from 18 patients operated on for anterior
      communicating artery aneurysm (5 unruptured aneurysms considered as control
      cases, 7 patients operated on between Days 1 and 4 after SAH and 6 patients
      operated on between Days 10 and 14) were studied for the ex vivo release of 4
      selected eicosanoids (Prostaglandin D2, E2, 6-keto-PGF1a and Leukotriene C4).
      Levels of arachidonate metabolites were determined by radioimmunoassay technique.
      PGD2 release is significantly lower in cases operated on delayed phase if
      compared to both control cases (p less than 0.05) and patients operated on in the
      acute phase, while there is no significant difference between the release of PGD2
      in control cases and patients operated on in the acute phase. Release of 6-keto
      PGF1a is significantly higher in patients operated on in a delayed phase (p less
      than 0.03 vs patients operated on in the acute phase and p less than 0.05 versus
      control cases). The release of LTC4 is significantly enhanced (p less than 0.05)
      in cases operated on in the acute phase if compared with unruptured aneurysms.
      The release of PGE2 is significantly enhanced in patients operated on in the
      acute phase (p less than 0.05) if compared to patients with unruptured
      aneurysm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414231
TI  - Early and late outcome in head injury patients with radiological evidence of
      brain damage.
AB  - This study examined the early and late outcome in head injury patients with focal
      or multifocal (unilateral or bilateral) brain contusions revealed by computerized
      tomography (CT) scanning. The outcome was also evaluated in patients hospitalized
      due to brain concussion. Three months after the injury (the early outcome) 43% of
      the 86 cases with multifocal contusions on the CT scan were dead. As evaluated by
      the Glasgow Outcome Scale, all the 57 patients with a focal brain contusion, as
      well as the 117 cases with brain concussion, made a good recovery or were
      moderately disabled. The late outcome (1 to 5 years after injury) was evaluated
      in 78 cases with brain contusion and in 85 cases with brain concussion, and
      revealed that complaints and impaired adaptive functioning were frequent in both
      the contusion and concussion group. The occurrence of headache, dizziness and
      sleep problems did not significantly differ among the various head injury groups.
      However, focal or multifocal brain contusions on the CT scan increased the
      frequency of impaired memory, impaired concentration, speech problems, weakness
      in arms or legs and seizures with loss of consciousness. Cognitive deficits and
      speech problems were particularly common in patients with a focal contusion in
      the temporal lobe. The late adaptive and social functioning were most markedly
      impaired in cases with multifocal bilateral contusions.

PMID- 1414232
TI  - Platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase activity in red blood cell-stroma from
      patients with cerebral thrombosis.
AB  - Platelet-activating factor (1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, PAF)
      is a bioactive phospholipid and inactivated by a specific enzyme, PAF
      acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH). We have measured PAF-AH activity in red blood cells
      (RBCs) from patients with a history of cerebral thrombosis and age-matched
      healthy controls. The activities in 34 patients and 34 controls were 1.29 +/-
      0.28 and 1.64 +/- 0.26 nmol/10(9) RBCs/min (or, 30.0 +/- 5.8 and 35.1 +/- 4.7
      nmol/g protein/min) (mean +/- SD), respectively, and the difference was
      significant (p less than 0.001). In patients, RBC PAF-AH activity correlated
      positively with RBC filterability, an index of RBC deformability (r = +0.501, p
      less than 0.05). The RBC activity may play a role in scavenging oxidation
      products of membrane phospholipids. Lower RBC PAF-AH activity may predispose to
      ischemic diseases by disturbing microcirculatory behavior of the RBCs.

PMID- 1414233
TI  - Clinical-radiographic correlations within the first five hours of cerebral
      infarction.
AB  - Fifty patients, ages 54-79, with ischemic hemispheric strokes productive of
      hemiparesis, at a minimum, underwent standardized neurological evaluations,
      computed tomographic scanning and cerebral angiography (N = 38) or carotid
      ultrasound (N = 12) within 5 h of onset. A second scan was performed at 5-7 days.
      Clinical scores were not associated with a history of, or the presence of:
      hypertension, smoking or cardiac disease, including atrial fibrillation, nor with
      severe internal carotid artery stenosis or occlusion. Clinical scores were
      adversely affected by early scan abnormalities (especially mass effect), lesion
      size, intracranial arterial occlusions, elevated serum glucose levels and the
      subsequent development of hemorrhagic infarction. Glucose levels correlated with
      infarct size and the development of hemorrhagic infarction. Delayed intracranial
      arterial filling and collateral flow were associated with reduced infarct size
      but did not confer clinical protection. We believe that combining the initial
      glucose level and scan results has prognostic significance, and early angiography
      is valuable in characterizing infarct etiology and assessing clinical severity.

PMID- 1414234
TI  - Chorea gravidarum and chorea associated with oral contraceptives--diseases due to
      antiphospholipid antibodies?
AB  - A woman with chorea gravidarum in the absence of SLE is described. She later
      developed severe chorea while using the contraceptive pill, and high titered
      antiphospholipid antibodies were detected in serum. A rapid recovery after high
      dose i.v. methylprednisolone was observed. Deterioration occurred in a later
      pregnancy.

PMID- 1414235
TI  - Incidence of transient global amnesia in a Alcoi (Spain)

PMID- 1414236
TI  - Pregnancy in multiple sclerosis.

PMID- 1414237
TI  - Stretch reflex of quadriceps femoris and its relation to rigidity in Parkinson's
      disease.
AB  - Much evidence suggests that parkinsonian rigidity is due to hyperactivity of a
      reflex arc. While tendon jerk and H reflex are not modified in Parkinson's
      disease (PD), the long-latency component of stretch reflex (LLR) shows an
      increased size in PD. It has been proposed that this modification could account
      for rigidity. We studied in 14 PD patients and 8 normal subjects the stretch
      reflex of the quadriceps femoris. The muscle was stretched by a torque motor in
      two experimental sets: at rest and with voluntary background activity. Latency,
      duration and size of the reflex were compared in two groups; correlation between
      size of the reflex and rigidity was investigated. A lower threshold for the
      reflex was found in PD patients in trials at rest, and LLR showed increased size
      and duration in trials with background activity. No clear relationships between
      these data and rigidity were demonstrated.

PMID- 1414238
TI  - Epidemic of acute inflammatory myopathy in Karnataka, south India: 30 cases.
AB  - Thirty patients of acute inflammatory myopathy were seen over a short period of
      11 months (February to December 1986) at NIMHANS, Bangalore, South India. The
      characteristic features were: short febrile illness followed a few days later by
      myalgia, edema of extremities, severe motor weakness and involvement of multiple
      other systems. Their mean age was 32.3 years and M:F ratio was 4:1. CK levels
      were increased in all. EMG done in 23 patients showed spontaneous activity in 13
      and myopathic pattern in all. Nerve conduction studies revealed abnormalities in
      12 cases. Muscle biopsy done in 21 patients showed varying degree of
      myophagocytosis and inflammatory infiltrates. All patients received steroids for
      only 6-8 weeks. Twenty-two patients recovered, one developed residual disability
      and 7 patients died during the acute phase. None of the survivors has developed
      relapse so far. Such cases with monophasic illness in clusters have not been
      reported earlier.

PMID- 1414239
TI  - Oxiracetam in dementia: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
AB  - A multicentre, double-blind, between-patient study was carried out to evaluate
      the efficacy and tolerability of oxiracetam (800 mg tablet), in comparison with
      placebo, each given twice daily for 12 weeks to patients suffering from primary
      degenerative, multi-infarct or mixed dementia. Efficacy was assessed by a
      neuropsychological battery (simple reaction time, controlled associations, short
      story, Raven's Progressive Matrices, token test, digit span, word list learning),
      administered at the beginning and at the end of the study, and by a quality of
      life scale, administered at entry and after 6 and 12 weeks treatment. Sixty-five
      patients (28 men, 37 women, mean age 71 yrs) were enrolled; 58 completed the
      study: 2 on oxiracetam were withdrawn because of poor tolerability, 2 (one in
      each group) were withdrawn for poor compliance, one (on oxiracetam) for the
      occurrence of a transient ischaemic attack (defined as not related to the
      treatment) and 2 for administrative reasons. A significantly (p < 0.01) different
      effect in favour of oxiracetam was observed on the quality of life scale, and
      confirmed by significant (defined according to the Bonferroni technique)
      differences in some neuropsychological tests (e.g. controlled associations, short
      story). Four patients in the oxiracetam group complained of a total of 5 unwanted
      effects, and 1 on placebo complained of 3 unwanted effects, but none of them was
      withdrawn from the study.

PMID- 1414240
TI  - Slowed reaction time in asymptomatic HIV-positive patients.
AB  - A total of 24 asymptomatic HIV-infected patients (CDC II/III) and 27 HIV-negative
      controls were tested for speed of reaction and for general neuropsychological
      functioning. Reaction time was assessed with two computerized tests with
      differing levels of cognitive complexity. The results show that the asymptomatic
      HIV-positive patients have a significantly longer mean reaction time to simple
      and complex stimuli (SRT p < 0.001, CPT p < 0.05), and a significantly greater
      standard deviation (SD) (SRT-SD p < 0.005). No significant differences were
      observed on any of the clinical neuropsychological tests, or in the number of
      false positive (FP) or non-responses to stimuli (NR) from the CPT. The results
      indicate that asymptomatic HIV-infected patients are slower and have a greater
      intra-subject variability in speed using a simple test for reaction time. The
      difference is less pronounced when doing a more demanding cognitive task and not
      significant in a test of visuo-motor coordination or on other clinical
      neuropsychological tests. Emotional state or cognitive strategies affecting
      speed/accuracy trade-off do not account for the findings.

PMID- 1414241
TI  - Six-year follow-up study on the efficacy and safety of vigabatrin in patients
      with epilepsy.
AB  - Twenty-five patients with epilepsy (mostly with partial seizures) who had
      responded favourably to a short-term trial of add-on vigabatrin entered
      maintenance treatment. After 52 to 78 months, 15 patients continue to take the
      drug with good therapeutic response. Median monthly seizure frequency during the
      last 2 months on vigabatrin in all patients, including drop-outs, was 3.5 (range
      0-74) as compared with 10 (range 3-98) during an initial placebo period (p <
      0.01). Drop-outs were caused by adverse events in 2 cases (ataxia and psychotic
      symptoms respectively), seizure breakthrough in 4 cases and reasons unrelated to
      treatment in 4 patients. In most patients, side effects were absent or mild, the
      most frequent complaint being weight gain. It is concluded that the antiepileptic
      efficacy and good clinical tolerability of vigabatrin are generally maintained
      during long-term treatment for up to 6 years.

PMID- 1414242
TI  - Effect of torasemide on intracranial pressure, mean systemic arterial pressure
      and cerebral perfusion pressure in experimental brain edema of the rat.
AB  - The study was performed to establish whether a lipophilic loop diuretic,
      torasemide could modify intracranial pressure and cytotoxic brain edema. Brain
      edema was induced by water intoxication in nephrectomized rats. Following
      intravenous injection of 100 mg torasemide/kg body weight at 50, 60, 70, 90 and
      120 min, a significant decrease of intracranial pressure was observed.

PMID- 1414243
TI  - Immunosuppression by whole-body irradiation and its effect on oedema in
      experimental cerebral ischaemia.
AB  - The effect of global immunosuppression by sublethal whole body X-irradiation on
      the development of cerebral oedema was assessed 24 h after right middle cerebral
      artery occlusion in the rat. Irradiation produced a significant leukopenia and
      thrombocytopaenia, and significantly reduced cortical oedema when compared to non
      irradiated control animals.

PMID- 1414244
TI  - Five different tests of reaction time evaluated in HIV seropositive men.
AB  - In an attempt to develop a short neuropsychological test battery five different
      tests of reaction time were assessed according to their ability to discriminate
      between HIV seropositive men and healthy controls. In all tests a patient group
      with clinical symptoms was slower than the control group. In the complex reaction
      time test, which has a large cognitive aspect, even a clinically "asymptomatic"
      group was slower than the control group. The movement test, a new test with a
      large motor component, identified most slow responders, defining approximately
      half of the patients with clinical symptoms and one third of the "asymptomatic"
      patients as such. A test battery consisting of three tests is suggested for
      serial assessment and screening.

PMID- 1414245
TI  - CT-scanning and magnetic resonance imaging in idiopathic spasmodic torticollis.
AB  - Twenty-five consecutive patients with idiopathic spasmodic torticollis (IST) were
      investigated with computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging
      (MRI) of the brain. In only six patients (24%) did CT or MRI reveal brain
      pathology (focal cortical atrophy and lacunary infarcts). No consistent
      pathological pattern was detected. Consequently, CT and MRI of the brain provides
      little diagnostic information in this disorder.

PMID- 1414246
TI  - Radiological assessment of stenosis of the internal carotid artery at the
      junction with the common.
AB  - Stenoses at the origin of 100 internal carotid arteries from patients with
      ischemic cerebrovascular disease were studied by intra-arterial angiography.
      Three principles were employed to evaluate the degree of stenosis: 1) verbal
      description, grading stenoses as mild, moderate of severe, 2) estimation of the
      true residual diameter, and 3) calculation of percent stenosis, defined here as
      the diameter of the artery at the origin relative to that at the level of the
      angle of the mandible. The true diameter, estimated to the nearest whole mm,
      corresponded well with the verbal description, and correlated significantly with
      percent stenosis. Since the true diameter is precisely defined, easy to estimate,
      and directly related to its hemodynamic effect, we suggest that this simple
      parameter, rather than the more commonly used, but more vaguely defined term
      "percent lumen reduction", is used to grade stenoses of the internal carotid
      artery.

PMID- 1414247
TI  - Carbamyl phosphate synthetase-1 deficiency discovered after valproic acid-induced
      coma.
AB  - Valproic acid induced coma is presented in an adult patient without a history of
      metabolic disease. Liver biopsy revealed a reduction in activity of carbamyl
      phosphate synthetase-I, an enzyme obligated for transformation of ammonia to urea
      in the urea cycle. After recovery CT scan follow-up showed marked cerebral
      atrophy which did not exist prior to the state of coma. Risk factors are
      discussed.

PMID- 1414248
TI  - Early onset MS under the age of 16: clinical and paraclinical features.
AB  - MS in juvenile patients under the age of 16 occurred in 31 (5%) of our whole MS
      population of 620 patients in the time from 1975-1991. It does not differ
      clinically from the disease as observed in 72 patients with later onset MS in
      respect to symptoms at onset, course, progression rate, rate of relapses and
      abnormalities in CSF and MRI. However, fever, headache, nausea and vomiting with
      pleocytosis in CSF during the first episode and development of oligoclonal bands
      with passage of time may be characteristic in some juvenile patients. The
      presence of oligoclonal bands and MRI results are of high diagnostic value in
      this special group of patients.

PMID- 1414249
TI  - Cortical metabolism in posterolateral thalamic stroke: PET study.
AB  - In 8 patients with small unilateral posterolateral thalamic (or, in one case,
      thalamocapsular) stroke (infarction or hemorrhage) selected on strict clinical
      (pure hemisomatosensory deficit without hemiparesis, visual field defect or
      neuropsychological impairment) and MRI criteria, we studied cortical energy
      metabolism using positron emission tomography with the 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose or
      the 15O-oxygen method. We found no significant ipsi- or contra-lateral metabolic
      depression either in the whole cortical mantle or in the sensorimotor cortex.
      These results support the hypothesis that location of thalamic stroke is a major
      determinant of the ipsilateral cortical hypometabolism characteristic of
      cognitively impaired patients with thalamic lesions and further emphasize the
      influence of the "non-specific" thalamocortical system on resting cortical
      metabolism. The lack of sensorimotor cortex hypometabolism in our patients
      suffering from hemidysesthesia and/or -hyperpathia also suggests that cortical
      metabolism is unaltered in thalamic pain.

PMID- 1414250
TI  - Large striatocapsular infarcts: clinical presentation and pathogenesis in
      comparison with lacunar and cortical infarcts.
AB  - In a well-defined prospective series of 247 patients with a first-ever
      supratentorial brain infarct, 15 patients (6%; 95% confidence interval 3-9%) had
      a large striatocapsular infarct. Twelve (80%) had signs of cortical dysfunction,
      whereas risk factor profile, frequency of significant carotid stenosis, and
      frequency of potential cardioembolic sources did not differ between patients with
      striatocapsular and those with cortical infarction. However, patients with
      striatocapsular infarction more frequently had potential cardioembolic source and
      significant carotid stenosis than patients with lacunar infarction. Our findings
      show that large striatocapsular infarcts differ from lacunar infarcts with regard
      to both presenting signs and symptoms, and pathogenesis, whereas they resemble
      infarcts involving the cortex. Such patients should therefore be managed and
      treated as patients with cortical infarction.

PMID- 1414251
TI  - Anticardiolipin antibodies, a disease marker for ischemic cerebrovascular events
      in a younger patient population?
AB  - The prevalence of anticardiolipin antibodies (ACLA) in sera of 49 patients having
      had their first TIA or ischemic stroke before 50 years of age was studied using a
      solid phase enzyme immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Five patients had IgM antibodies,
      eight had IgG, and three had antibodies belonging to both classes. Although ACLA
      were detected in 32% of patients (95% confidence interval [CI] 19-45%), the ACLA
      positive group did not differ with respect to clinical characteristics and
      distribution of major stroke risk factor frequency from the ACLA negative group.
      Further investigations are needed to establish the role of ACLA in the
      pathogenesis of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases.

PMID- 1414252
TI  - Local intraarterial thrombolysis for acute stroke in the carotid artery
      territories.
AB  - We have tested the feasibility of local intraarterial thrombolytic therapy in
      ischemic stroke in the carotid artery territories observed within 5 h of the
      onset of symptoms. Only 5 of 615 consecutive patients were enrolled. They were 1
      man and 4 women aged 50 to 75 years. Angiography disclosed occlusion of the M2
      tract in one, of the M3 tract in one, of the carotid siphon in one of M4 tract in
      two. Intraarterial urokinase was infused at a mean dosage of 560,000 units close
      to the site of occlusion. Four of them had partial or complete recanalisation at
      early angiographic control and were independent at 6th month control. The one who
      did not demonstrate recanalisation was confined to a wheelchair. One patient, who
      had recanalisation, sustained a hemorrhagic transformation of the brain ischemia
      not interfering with outcome. Our experience, at the light of the low rate of
      enrollment, despite the results, suggest that intraarterial thrombolysis may be a
      therapeutic tool for selected patients with stroke in the carotid artery
      territories and not a routinary treatment for them.

PMID- 1414253
TI  - Inhibition of the startle reaction by physostigmine in patients with early brain
      damage.
AB  - The influence of physostigmine and atropine on the startle reaction and EEG
      epileptic paroxysmal activity was examined in 24 severely impaired children with
      early brain damage. The startle motor reaction could be regularly evoked by
      tapping on the sternum in 12 of the patients. Physostigmine inhibited this
      reaction significantly, while atropine was without effect. In 12 patients without
      a previous startle reaction, atropine had a possible activating effect, however,
      the result was not significant. Physostigmine had no effect. The EEG paroxysmal
      activity was inhibited by physostigmine and activated by atropine in both groups
      of patients. A cholinergic system disturbance was suggested in the
      pathophysiology of the paroxysmal activity. The disturbance which is probably
      present in early brain damage, is presumed to be also involved in the genesis of
      the startle reaction.

PMID- 1414254
TI  - Correlation of magnetic resonance imaging and CSF findings in patients with acute
      monosymptomatic optic neuritis.
AB  - Acute monosymptomatic optic neuritis (AMON) may be the first indication of
      multiple sclerosis (MS), and this sign offers a special opportunity to study the
      very early clinical stages of MS. This prospective investigation compares results
      of CSF findings and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a large, homogeneous and
      well-defined group of patients with AMON. Of 68 consecutively referred patients,
      11 had clinically definite MS, another 5 refused a lumbar puncture, and 7 could
      not participate for various reasons. With the remaining 45 untreated patients,
      aged 12-52 (mean 31) years, with idiopathic AMON, we have studied
      interrelationships of CSF findings (leucocyte count, IgG-index and in 29 of the
      patients oligoclonal bands (OB)) and MRI. Lumbar puncture and MRI were performed
      within median 24 and 16 days of onset, respectively. In the CSF one or more
      abnormalities (in 17/45 = 38% pleocytosis, in 16/45 = 36% increased IgG-index,
      and in 20/29 = 69% OB) was found in a total of 23/29 = 79% of patients. MRI at
      1.5 T (double SE and IR sequences) showed multiple cerebral lesions in 65% of
      patients. A significant relation was observed between results of MRI and
      leucocyte count (p < 0.05) and between results of MRI and IgG-index (p < 0.05),
      but not between results of MRI and OB (p > 0.20). Over a median observation
      period of 27 months, 13 patients developed clinically definite MS. All of these
      patients had lesions on MRI at onset, illustrating the prognostic importance of
      MRI findings. Results of CSF had until now no marked predictive value for
      developing clinically definite MS.

PMID- 1414255
TI  - Remission rate after thymectomy in myasthenia gravis when the bias of
      immunosuppressive therapy is eliminated.
AB  - The clinical course of all 86 myasthenia gravis (MG) patients who were
      thymectomized at Sahlgrenska Hospital between 1955 and 1980 was evaluated in
      order to estimate what the rate of complete clinical remission (with or without
      anticholinesterase medication) would be without immunosuppressive (IS) therapy;
      19 of 73 patients without thymoma received IS therapy. A suitable way of
      dissociating the course after thymectomy from the influence of IS therapy is the
      Markov method. The calculated probability of remission was 0.18, 0.35, 0.43, 0.53
      and 0.56 in the 0-1, 2-3, 4-5, 5-10 and more than 10-year periods after
      thymectomy. A similar result (53 +/- 7%) was obtained by a life-table method with
      censoring of IS-treated patients when they received such therapy. Time to
      remission was significantly shorter for patients with age of MG onset before 35
      years. Timing of IS therapy after thymectomy is discussed, considering the post
      thymectomy remission rate.

PMID- 1414256
TI  - Impaired blood superoxide dismutase in the traumatic paraplegic patients.
AB  - Blood superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and blood copper, zinc-superoxide
      dismutase (Cu.Zn-SOD) content were measured by luminol chemiluminescence assay
      and by single radial immunodiffusion assay, respectively, in 50 patients with
      paraplegia due to traumatic injury to the spinal cord by the Tangshan Earthquake
      on July 28, 1976, compared with 20 age-matched healthy subjects. We found that
      blood SOD activity and blood Cu.Zn-SOD content in the paraplegic patients were
      significantly lower than those in healthy subjects (p < 0.01). In healthy
      subjects, blood Cu.Zn-SOD fully expressed the enzymatic activity, whereas only
      77% of blood Cu.Zn-SOD in the paraplegic patients expressed the enzymatic
      activity, indicating that in the patients, part of blood Cu.Zn-SOD protein is in
      a state without function. Also the serum lipid peroxide level in the paraplegic
      patients was higher than that in healthy subjects (p < 0.05). These findings
      suggest decreased endogenous blood protection against oxygen derived free
      radicals in these paraplegic patients.

PMID- 1414257
TI  - Estimating neuron dendritic length in 3D from total vertical projections and from
      vertical slices.
AB  - The recently developed method of total vertical projections is illustrated to
      estimate the total dendritic length of a human Substantia Nigra neuron. Next, the
      length of the different orders of dendritic branches, and the mean segment length
      for each order--commonly regarded as important parameters in neuron physiology-
      are also estimated. Finally, it is shown how to estimate the mean dendritic
      length in a population of neurons from vertical slices of arbitrary and unknown
      thickness. Being unbiased and highly efficient, the proposed methods offer
      interesting alternatives to current procedures used for the metric analysis of
      neuron arborizations.

PMID- 1414258
TI  - Stereological quantitation of human brains from normal and schizophrenic
      individuals.
AB  - The complex organization and high density of nerve cells in the human brain
      presents a challenge to the estimation of total cell numbers. The first unbiased
      counting method, the disector, was described in 1984 and has since made it
      possible to accurately count total neuron numbers in any region that can be
      defined, while excluding artifacts of earlier counting methods. The disector
      method has been applied to normal neocortex and to four subcortical brain regions
      from schizophrenics and controls. The total neuron number in neocortex in 26
      normal individuals was estimated to be 25.10(9). A 40 and 50% reduction of total
      nerve cell number was found in the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus and nucleus
      accumbens in schizophrenics, respectively. Furthermore, the Cavalieri principle
      has been used to estimate the volume of human cortex, white matter, central grey
      regions and the volume of the ventricular system in both controls and
      schizophrenics. As shown by these studies, the introduction of unbiased
      stereological methods and subsequent modifications in recent years have made it
      possible to estimate a number of parameters in the human brain without the biases
      included in most classical works. By comparison, earlier conventional counting
      methods have been relatively time consuming, mostly biased to a smaller or larger
      degree, and generally less precise. The application of these new
      neurostereological methods will undoubtedly provide greater confidence for future
      brain studies.

PMID- 1414259
TI  - Estimation of the total number of neurons in different brain areas in the
      Mongolian gerbil: a model of experimental ischemia.
AB  - The quantitative stereological method is applied to a study of the number of
      neurons in three different areas in the brains of an animal model, the Mongolian
      gerbil. The simplicity and accuracy of the method is emphasized. The usefulness
      of the method and the model is mentioned especially focusing on the major
      disabling disease in the Western world today, cerebrovascular disorders. Some
      results are presented to give an idea of the maximum number of neurons in these
      animals within the delineation of the brain areas here applied.

PMID- 1414260
TI  - Mean volume of pigmented neurons in the substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease.
AB  - A new unbiased stereological estimator, the rotator, was used to estimate the
      mean volume of pigmented substantia nigra (SN) neurons in three Parkinson's
      disease (PD) brains and age-matched controls. Average pigmented neuron volume was
      31,300 microns 3 (5200) in controls and 28900 microns 3 (120) in patients.
      Estimating the absolute size distribution, revealed that PD patients had
      approximately 80% less total SN pigmented volume than controls. Compared with
      biased methods, in addition to dramatic improvements in efficiency and accuracy,
      results obtained by the unbiased rotator suggest that primarily the largest
      pigmented neurons in SN are lost in PD.

PMID- 1414261
TI  - The aging brain.
AB  - A recent interest in aging of the nervous system is related to the remarkable
      increase in the numbers of elderly persons throughout the world. As a reflection
      of the added years, pathologies in the older person have also increased. Primary
      among those which affect the activities and behavior of these people are the
      dementias, especially Alzheimer's Disease. To focus on such problems, however,
      requires an understanding of the changes which take place in the normal aging
      nervous system. This paper reviews some of the accepted criteria for these
      changes as well as the possible attempts by the nervous system to alter its
      structure in response to these changes.

PMID- 1414262
TI  - Quantitative neuropathology in epilepsy.
AB  - Counting of neurons has brought new insight to the mechanism of epilepsy. The
      reduction in Purkinje cells and neuron loss in hippocampus are related to
      generalized convulsions in man. Generalized convulsions provoked by electric
      shock in rats do not result in neuron loss. However, mongolian gerbils from
      seizure-susceptible strains with "spontaneous" seizures of various types, have a
      reduced number of H1-neurons and Purkinje cells after only a restricted number of
      seizures of any type. Loss of neurons is a possible consequence of generalized
      convulsions. Even "seizure activity", as such, seems to damage nerve cells. The
      consequence is early effective treatment in such cases where epilepsy is a
      secondary threat as in febrile convulsions, post-traumatic, post-infectious and
      post-infarction epilepsy.

PMID- 1414263
TI  - Clinical classification of dementia conditions.

PMID- 1414264
TI  - Descriptive epidemiology and risk factors for Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1414265
TI  - Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease by primary care physicians and
      specialists.

PMID- 1414266
TI  - Alzheimer's disease. Diagnosis by specialists: psychological testing.

PMID- 1414267
TI  - EEG in diagnostics and follow-up of Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1414268
TI  - Functional imaging procedures in dementias: mapping of EEG and evoked potentials.

PMID- 1414269
TI  - Differential diagnosis of cortical vs subcortical dementing disorders.

PMID- 1414270
TI  - Biological markers and the cholinergic hypothesis in Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1414271
TI  - Tacrine in Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1414272
TI  - The pathology of dementias: an overview.

PMID- 1414273
TI  - Alzheimer's disease. Nonpharmacologic treatment of behavioral symptoms.

PMID- 1414274
TI  - Memory training and memory improvement in Alzheimer's disease: rules and
      exceptions.

PMID- 1414275
TI  - Ultrastructure of the microglia that phagocytose amyloid and the microglia that
      produce beta-amyloid fibrils.
AB  - The function of microglia associated with beta-amyloid deposits still remains a
      controversial issue. On the basis of recent ultrastructural data, microglia were
      postulated to be cells that form amyloid fibrils, not phagocytes that remove
      amyloid deposits. In this electron microscopic study, we examined the ability of
      microglia to ingest and digest exogenous amyloid fibrils in vitro. We demonstrate
      that amyloid fibrils are ingested by cultured microglial cells and collected and
      stored in phagosomes. The ingested, nondegraded amyloid remains within phagosomes
      for up to 20 days, suggesting a very limited effectiveness of microglia in
      degrading beta-amyloid fibrils. On the other hand, we showed that in microglial
      cells of classical plaques in brain cortex of patients with Alzheimer's disease,
      amyloid fibrils appear first in altered endoplasmic reticulum and deep infoldings
      of cell membranes. These differences in intracellular distribution of amyloid
      fibrils in microglial cells support our observations that microglial cells
      associated with amyloid plaques are engaged in production of amyloid, but not in
      phagocytosis.

PMID- 1414276
TI  - Neuronal uptake of plasma proteins in brain contusions. An immunohistochemical
      study.
AB  - Twenty-five cases of cerebral contusions of various age were examined
      immunohistochemically for neuronal uptake of albumin and fibrinogen. The neurons
      in the damaged areas were heavily stained in all cases, even in those of only a
      few minutes' survival, and they remained positive for serum proteins until they
      disappeared from the lesions. In hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections, neuronal
      changes were observed from the first minutes after the lesion but they were
      indistinguishable from the shrunken "dark" neurons that occur as artifacts in
      poorly fixed material. However, in contrast to the artificially changed cells,
      the truly damaged ones took up serum proteins. It is concluded that staining with
      antisera against serum proteins may serve as early markers for neuronal injury
      before reliable histological changes have developed.

PMID- 1414277
TI  - Tubulovesicular structures in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
AB  - By electron microscopy tubulovesicular structures (TVS) have been consistently
      observed in brain tissue of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies such as
      natural and experimental scrapie, bovine spongiform encephalopathy and
      experimentally induced, but not naturally occurring, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
      (CJD). For the first time we report here the presence of TVS in human brains with
      CJD as detected by transmission electron microscopy. TVS were observed in all
      three CJD specimens (two biopsies, one autopsy), but they were rare and were
      found only in one or two location(s) per grid. TVS were seen in distended pre-
      and postsynaptic terminals and measured approximately 35 nm in diameter; they
      were smaller and of higher electron density than synaptic vesicles. Their
      occurrence in all types of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies irrespective
      of the affected host and the strain of the infectious agent suggests their
      biological significance.

PMID- 1414278
TI  - Immunohistochemical localization of the proteinase inhibitor region of amyloid
      precursor proteins in the neocortex of Alzheimer's disease and aged controls.
AB  - The immunohistochemical localization of the proteinase inhibitor region of
      amyloid protein precursors (APPI) in the postmortem human neocortex was studied
      using a polyclonal antibody raised against a purified recombinant human APPI
      derivative produced by COS-1 cells. APPI-like immunoreactivity (APPI-LI) was
      found diffusely in the human neocortex. APPI-LI appeared as irregularly shaped
      granular structures. The size of the APPI-LI structures was 1-4 microns in
      diameter. APPI-LI usually formed a cluster of 10- to 20-microns diameter in the
      cortical gray matter and 20- to 40-microns diameter in the subcortical white
      matter. Double staining for APPI and glial fibrillary acidic protein indicated
      that APPI-LI in the white matter and molecular layer was localized exclusively in
      the fibrillary astrocytes. In contrast, APPI-LI was found in neurons as well as
      in the fibrillary astrocytes in layers II through to VI. Under fluorescence
      microscopy, APPI-LI in both neurons and fibrillary astrocytes were found in close
      association with lipofuscin. The present observations indicate that APPI is
      localized in neurons and astrocytes in the human neocortex and that APPI may be
      associated with lipofuscin or lysosome in the human neocortex.

PMID- 1414279
TI  - Neuropathologic findings in surgically treated hemimegalencephaly:
      immunohistochemical, morphometric, and ultrastructural study.
AB  - Tissues from three cases of hemimegalencephaly (HME) causing intractable seizures
      treated by cortical resection were studied using immunohistochemical,
      ultrastructural, and morphometric techniques. Severe cortical dysplasia was seen
      in all cases and included lesions best characterized as hemilissencephaly and
      polymicrogyria. Blurring of the cortex-white matter junction, the presence of
      large neuronal heterotopias, and neuronal cytomegaly were frequent observations.
      Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated cellular colocalization of astrocytic
      markers glial fibrillary acidic protein and vimentin in one case of
      hemilissencephaly. Morphometric data showed significant increases over controls
      in neuronal profile area in all cases of HME. Neuronal cell density was increased
      significantly above controls in one of the cases. The study shows that HME
      results from severe cortical dysplasia which may be caused by multiple insults,
      manifest in one of several ways, and reflects abnormal or altered signals that
      regulate cortical morphogenesis.

PMID- 1414280
TI  - Stress-response (heat-shock) protein 72 expression in tumors of the central
      nervous system: an immunohistochemical investigation.
AB  - This report deals with the expression of stress-response (heat-shock) protein 72
      (srp 72) in a series of 95 primary human brain tumors and 21 carcinoma metastases
      to the central nervous system (CNS). Immunohistochemical procedures were
      employed; cells of the human cervical cancer line HeLa S3 were used as positive
      controls. The protein was detected in 14/22 meningiomas and in 6/13
      glioblastomas. Tumor cells expressing srp 72 were also found in 4/17
      astrocytomas, 2/9 pituitary tumors, 2/14 primitive neuroectodermal tumors and
      1/10 medulloblastomas. Whereas the majority (8/10) of the breast carcinoma
      metastases had tumor cells that expressed srp 72, only 2/11 lung tumor metastases
      were positively stained. These results document srp 72 expression by a variety of
      primary and metastatic tumors of the CNS.

PMID- 1414281
TI  - The cerebrovascular response to experimental lateral head acceleration.
AB  - A number of microvascular changes, such as the development of astrocyte lucency,
      increased endothelial pit/vesicle activity, development of crater like lesions,
      and endothelial microvilli have been reported after injury to the brain. Lateral
      head acceleration in the non-human primate, however, still provides the best
      experimental model for human diffuse axonal injury. No attempt has yet been made
      to document the spatial extent or time course of the microvascular response to
      acceleration injury to the head. We have examined the brains of baboons 1, 4, 6,
      and 12 h and 7 days after acceleration injury to the head to analyse the
      microvascular response. In the experimental animals there was a short-term rise
      in intracranial pressure followed by a long-term resolution, and a reduction in
      both mean arterial blood pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure which, however,
      never dropped below 75% of baseline for more than 5 min after injury in any
      animal. We found evidence for extravasation of blood in a small number of blood
      vessels in all parts of the brain. Interendothelial tight junctions are not
      disrupted. Pit/vesicle activity rises in the 1st h in the occipital cortex, but
      not until 4 h in the frontal cortex, and remains elevated for at least 7 days.
      There is little change in the thalamus. Development of microvilli is most rapid
      in the frontal cortex with peak values at 1 h, but slower in the thalamus and
      occipital cortex where peak values are only obtained at 6 h. Highest numbers of
      microvilli occur in parasagittal regions of the brain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1414282
TI  - Simultaneous detection of ferritin and HIV-1 in reactive microglia.
AB  - Using ferritin as a marker of reactive microglia, we demonstrated a close
      association between proliferation of reactive microglia and expression of human
      immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in brain tissue from autopsied cases of
      acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). An increased number of ferritin
      positive reactive microglia was observed in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded
      brain sections from all 13 AIDS cases examined. Similar findings were observed in
      brain tissue from other neurological diseases (subacute sclerosing
      panencephalitis, herpes simplex encephalitis and multiple sclerosis).
      Multinucleated giant cells were found in 7 of the AIDS cases which were also
      intensely labeled for ferritin. Dual-label immunohistochemistry using anti
      ferritin and cell-specific markers showed that ferritin-positive cells were
      distinct from astrocytes, neurons and endothelia using anti-glial fibrillary
      acidic protein (anti-GFAP), anti-neurofilament protein and Ulex europaeus
      agglutinin 1, respectively. In 5 AIDS brains, only ferritin-positive cells were
      shown to contain HIV-1 gp41 antigen using dual-label immunohistochemistry. In
      addition, HIV-1 RNA was localized in ferritin-positive reactive microglia but not
      in GFAP-positive astrocytes using immunohistochemistry combined with in situ
      hybridization. Ferritin-positive reactive microglia and multinucleated giant
      cells were co-labeled with the microglial marker, Ricinus communis agglutinin 1
      (RCA-1). However, RCA-1 also extensively stained resting microglia only a few of
      which were co-labeled for ferritin. The density of ferritin-positive cells was
      correlated with the presence of HIV-1 RNA-positive cells in AIDS brain. Thus,
      ferritin immunoreactivity can be used as an activation marker of microglia in
      archival paraffin sections and reflects the extent of inflammation in HIV-1
      infected brain.

PMID- 1414284
TI  - Brain lesions of the Leigh-type distribution associated with a mitochondriopathy
      of Pearson's syndrome: light and electron microscopic study.
AB  - Pearson's syndrome is a disease of refractory sideroblastic anemia and exocrine
      pancreatic dysfunction due to abnormal mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). A male infant
      with Pearson's syndrome developed necrosis of both thalami and basal ganglia when
      he suffered from gastroenteritis at 1 year and 11 months of age. He died of
      sepsis at the age of 2 years and 4 months. Analysis of mtDNA from various organs
      revealed abnormal mtDNA with deletion by 5 kbp, confirming the diagnosis. At
      autopsy, the brain had symmetrical cavities in putamen, caudate nuclei and medial
      nuclei of the thalami. Ferruginous granules in nerve cells in medial thalamic
      nuclei, and scattered round bodies with neuronophagia in lateral nuclei were
      found at light microscopic observation. Electron microscopy showed that these
      granules were composed of radiating spicules and a dense layer containing packed
      cytoplasmic organelles, respectively. The macroscopic distribution of brain
      lesions was very similar to and characteristic of Leigh's disease. This
      similarity leads to the supposition that defective intracellular energy
      utilization common to Leigh's disease could be responsible for brain lesions in
      this case. Although the histological appearance was somewhat atypical for Leigh's
      disease, very acute formation of brain lesions in this case was thought to have
      caused the histological difference.

PMID- 1414283
TI  - Increased iron content in the putamen of patients with striatonigral
      degeneration.
AB  - We measured the total content of iron, copper, zinc and manganese in the putamen
      of four patients with striatonigral degeneration (SND) and age- and gender
      matched normal controls. The iron content in the SND patients was five times
      greater than in the controls. Electron microscopic histochemistry revealed the
      iron reaction products in the pigments showing a triphasic pattern of coarse,
      electron-dense globules, fine granular and fibrillary materials, and lamellated
      structures. These findings suggest that increased iron deposition may be related
      to pigment formation in the putamen of SND.

PMID- 1414285
TI  - Prevalence of retinitis pigmentosa and allied disorders in Denmark. II. Systemic
      involvement and age at onset.
AB  - A population survey of retinitis pigmentosa and allied disorders in the Danish
      population disclosed 1301 cases prevalent in Denmark per January 1, 1988. Crude
      prevalence rates and World Standardized prevalences of systemic and non-systemic
      RP are presented. Sixty-four per cent of all RP-cases were non-systemic. A
      preponderance of males was encountered in both systemic and non-systemic RP.
      Usher disease was diagnosed in 12%, Bardet-Biedl syndrome constituted 5%, and the
      frequency of Spielmeyer-Vogt disease was 1% of all prevalent RP-cases. Other
      defined syndromes occurred in 1% of the cases. The Danish figures with respect to
      Usher disease are compared with standardized prevalence rates from Sweden and
      Finland. Nineteen per cent of patients affected by non-systemic RP had an onset
      later than 30 years of age. In patients affected by systemic RP the eye disease
      tended to an earlier debut with only a few per cent beginning after the age of 30
      years.

PMID- 1414286
TI  - Contrast visual acuities in cataract patients. II. After IOL implantation.
AB  - Contrast visual acuities were measured in 100 eyes of 75 patients who attained a
      best-corrected visual acuity of greater than or equal to 0.8 (20/25) after
      intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. The variable contrast visual acuity chart
      (VCVAC), with three contrast levels of 90, 15, and 2.5% and reverse polarity of
      90% contrast, was used to measure contrast visual acuities. The follow-up period
      ranged from 3 to 35 months (mean 7.41). The mean visual acuities measured with
      the 90, 15, and 2.5% charts were 0.92 (SD = 0.11), 0.59 (SD = 0.13), and 0.33 (SD
      = 0.14), respectively. The mean visual acuity measured with the 90% reverse
      polarity chart was 0.97 (SD = 0.11). The decreases in visual acuities compared
      with the 90% contrast were 0.64 and 1.48 octaves in the 15% and the 2.5% contrast
      charts, respectively. The pattern of the contrast acuity profile was comparable
      to normal subjects, but in 28 of 100 (28%) eyes, the visual acuities measured
      with the reverse polarity chart were slightly better than those measured with the
      standard 90% contrast chart, suggesting that the glare effect still exists after
      IOL implantation, though to a lesser degree than in cataractous eyes.

PMID- 1414287
TI  - Exfoliation syndrome in patients scheduled for cataract surgery.
AB  - A series of 305 consecutive patients 30 years of age or older scheduled for
      cataract surgery was examined to find out the frequency of exfoliation syndrome,
      the predominant type of cataract, and the intraocular pressure status. The mean
      age of 222 (72.8%) females and 83 (27.2%) males was 71.7 (+/- 11.1) years (range
      32 to 91 years). Exfoliation was detected in 77 (25.2%) patients. It was
      unilateral in 37 (48.0%) patients, the affected eye being in 29 (78.4%) cases
      scheduled for cataract surgery, and bilateral in 40 (52.0%) patients. Exfoliation
      was increased steadily with age. It was most often seen on the anterior lens
      capsule (88.9%). Krukenberg's spindle was seen in 31 (20.4%) eyes of patients
      with and in 12 (2.6%) eyes of patients without exfoliation (p less than 0.001).
      Nuclear sclerosis predominated in eyes with (83.8%) as compared to those without
      (61.9%) exfoliation (p less than 0.01). Posterior subcapsular cataract was less
      common in eyes with exfoliation (1.5%) than in eyes (21.1%) without it (p less
      than 0.001). A tendency to slightly higher preoperative intraocular pressure was
      measured in eyes with exfoliation as compared to those without it, and glaucoma
      occurred much more frequently (33.8% vs 10.8%) in the former group (p less than
      0.001). Exfoliation and capsular glaucoma, which must be promptly detected to
      avoid surgical complications, are frequent in patients scheduled for cataract
      surgery.

PMID- 1414288
TI  - Fluorescein and fluorescein glucuronide in plasma.
AB  - The evaluation of the blood-ocular barrier for fluorescein requires the
      measurement of free and unconjugated fluorescein in plasma. This study introduces
      a new and simple method for the determination of free fluorescein in plasma on
      the basis of determined total free plasma fluorescence and the free fraction of
      fluorescence. An excellent good correlation between differential
      spectrofluorophotometry and this new method is demonstrated. After intravenous
      administration of sodium fluorescein, the contribution of fluorescein glucuronide
      to total free plasma fluorescence was evaluated on basis of the areas under the
      plasma concentration/time curves for fluorescein and fluorescein glucuronide,
      respectively. After 1 h 8.2% of total free fluorescence in plasma was found to
      originate from fluorescein glucuronide and after 24 h 18.3% originated from this
      metabolite. It was concluded that although plasma fluorescein glucuronide
      measurements are important in the exact evaluation of the blood-ocular barrier,
      the contribution of fluorescein glucuronide to vitreous fluorescence after
      intravenous fluorescein administration seems to be of minor magnitude.

PMID- 1414289
TI  - Primary argon laser trabeculoplasty vs. pilocarpine. Short-term effects.
AB  - This is a prospective study of 82 newly discovered patients with simplex or
      capsular glaucoma from two centres, collected between 1984 and 1989 and selected
      at random for primary treatment by either laser or pilocarpine. Preliminary two
      year follow-up shows that primary laser treatment gives a significantly higher
      number of patients where the intraocular pressure is successfully controlled.
      Primary argon laser trabeculoplasty has been carried out in 40 patients. The
      first treatment was given to either the upper or to the lower half of the
      trabecular meshwork. In the second treatment after one month the other half was
      treated. In both groups the first treatment gave the highest pressure reduction.
      The somewhat higher pressure reduction after upper treatment versus lower was
      insignificant. The degree of trabecular pigmentation did not influence the two
      month follow-up result, neither did the type of glaucoma. Of the eyes treated
      with laser, peripheral anterior synechiae could be seen in 18%. Acute intraocular
      pressure rises greater than 5 mmHg occurred in 21% of the eyes after the first
      treatment and in 37% after the second treatment. Pressure rises greater than 10
      mmHg occurred in 5% after the first and in 10% after the second treatment. No
      pressure-lowering substances were given. Considering that 16% of the eyes had an
      intraocular pressure that was higher than baseline pressure even 6 h after either
      first or second treatment, it is recommended that a pressure-lowering medication
      on the day of treatment should be administered.

PMID- 1414291
TI  - Quantitative layer-by-layer perimetry adapted to the Humphrey Field Analyzer. I.
      Design of methodology and instrumentation.
AB  - Quantitative layer-by-layer perimetry is a psychophysical technique believed to
      assess response characteristics of individual retinal layers. This paper presents
      a new design of this technique, implemented into the existing hardware
      environment of the computerized perimeter Humphrey Field Analyzer. The technique
      was optimized for a more simple, fast and reproducible testing of larger visual
      field point patterns. The paper deals with the design of instrumentation and with
      methodological aspects of this adaptation of the technique.

PMID- 1414290
TI  - Epikeratophakia for keratoconus. Long-term results using fresh, free-hand made
      lamellar grafts.
AB  - Epikeratophakia using fresh, free-hand made corneal grafts was done in 16
      patients with keratoconus. The follow-up period averaged 27.8 months (range 13-45
      months). A significant improvement of visual acuity was obtained (p = 0.002), and
      14 of the 16 eyes (87.5%) achieved a corrected visual acuity greater than or
      equal to 6/12. The spherical equivalent and the cylindrical refractive error were
      reduced (p less than 0.05), and a significant flattening of the central corneal
      curvature was obtained (p less than 0.002). The mean postoperative central
      corneal astigmatism was 4.25 D. Postoperatively, the mean central corneal
      thickness was 0.670 mm, and the mean central thickness of the epithelialized
      graft was 0.336 mm. Six patients reported some postoperative glare or blurring of
      vision, despite a visual acuity greater than or equal to 6/9 on the Snellen
      chart. No significant subjective or objective changes were noticed after the 6
      month postoperative follow-up visit.

PMID- 1414292
TI  - Quantitative layer-by-layer perimetry adapted to the Humphrey Field Analyzer. II.
      Centre-surround interaction produced by sustained surround stimulation.
AB  - In this paper the practical applicability of a new design of quantitative layer
      by-layer perimetry is confirmed by studying centre-surround interaction produced
      by sustained surround stimulation in preliminary trials on four normal
      individuals. The results are discussed in relation to established laws for
      retinal light perception, and some practical aspects of the employed test design
      and the chosen test variables are discussed.

PMID- 1414293
TI  - Quantitative layer-by-layer perimetry adapted to the Humphrey Field Analyzer.
      III. Centre-surround interaction produced by transient surround stimulation. Area
      characteristics of the transient stimulus pattern.
AB  - In this paper some qualitative aspects of centre-surround interaction produced by
      transient surround stimulation are investigated, employing a new design of
      quantitative layer-by-layer perimetry. Using a rotating windmill pattern, a
      transient response, believed to be organized in the inner plexiform layer of the
      retina, is assessed in four normal individuals. The paper considers area
      characteristics of the stimulus pattern used to produce the transient response,
      and optimal dimensions for this pattern are proposed.

PMID- 1414294
TI  - The cumulative frequency distribution curve of the eye pressure.
AB  - Knowledge of the probability of having glaucoma at different levels of eye
      pressure is a prerequisite for estimating at which eye pressure levels preventive
      pressure-lowering treatment ought to be applied. The glaucoma tolerance may not
      be the same in all population groups. Calculation of tolerance distribution
      curves may be performed if the frequency distribution curves of pressure in eyes
      with and without glaucoma are known. Regression analysis has been performed to
      compute curves approaching the cumulative frequency distribution of the eye
      pressure in different subgroups. Results of a population study including subjects
      greater than or equal to 65 years of age have been used. An equation describing
      an asymmetric sigmoid curve has been applied in the curve fitting procedure. The
      derivative of this equation was used to describe the noncumulative frequency
      distribution curves. The analysis has been performed in subgroups consisting of
      normal eyes, glaucomatous eyes, eyes with and without pseudo-exfoliation.

PMID- 1414295
TI  - Long-term study of patients with congenital pit of the optic nerve and persistent
      macular detachment.
AB  - During the period 1970-87 we evaluated the changes of the optic disc,
      peripapillary area, detached macula and visual acuity in 16 cases with congenital
      pit of the optic nerve and macular detachment. The study revealed in 9 of the 16
      cases (56%) an increase of the dimension of the pit or changes in its color,
      findings which were directly related to the duration of the macular detachment.
      Chorioretinal scarring, pigment migration, or both, were also noted mainly at the
      temporal margin of optic disc. In 5/16 cases we found during the follow-up an
      extension of macular elevation. In altogether 10 out of 16 cases the retinal
      elevation covered the larger portion of the mid-periphery temporally. In 7/16
      cases the final visual acuity remained unchanged, in 9/16 cases deteriorated. The
      difference, however, in the latter 9 cases between initial and final visual
      acuity was negligible. During the follow-up period deterioration of the visual
      fields was also noted.

PMID- 1414296
TI  - Polyamine and histopathological changes after unilateral endotoxin-induced
      uveitis and its contralateral effects.
AB  - The polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine are essential for normal cell
      function and proposed to be involved in inflammatory reactions. The polyamines
      were measured bilaterally in rabbit aqueous humor after unilateral endotoxin
      induced uveitis. The contralateral eyes were injected with saline or not touched.
      Aqueous protein levels and leukocytes were determined and a histological
      evaluation was performed. Protein, leukocytes, putrescine and spermine increased
      in the treated eyes, but not in the untouched eyes. When saline was injected in
      the contralateral eye, a small increase in spermine was seen. Spermidine
      decreased first, but increased later, in both the endotoxin-injected and the
      other eye. Histopathologically, the treated eyes showed an infiltration of
      leukocytes, vasodilatation and in some cases optic nerve involvements. A mild
      reaction was also seen in the unchallenged contralateral eyes. The results show
      that polyamines might serve as a marker for acute inflammation in the eye and
      that the mechanism of putrescine and spermine induction is different from the one
      of spermidine. Polyamines are suggested to play a role in the cellular immune
      response.

PMID- 1414297
TI  - Serum alpha-1 acid glycoprotein levels in patients with idiopathic peripheral
      retinal vasculitis (Eales' disease).
AB  - Serum alpha-1 acid glycoprotein levels were measured in 27 patients with
      idiopathic peripheral retinal vasculitis (Eales' disease) and 31 healthy subjects
      by single radial immunodiffusion technique. The levels were found to be
      significantly increased in both moderate and severe types of the disease. The
      serum levels of this protein paralleled the severity of the disease. The
      increased alpha-1 acid glycoprotein in serum showed a significant fall to near
      normal levels during the quiescent stage. Our observations support the hypothesis
      that idiopathic peripheral retinal vasculitis is an immune mediated disease. It
      is proposed that serum alpha-1 acid glycoprotein may be considered as a reliable
      parameter of the activity and the degree of severity of the disease, as well as
      an useful tool for monitoring the efficacy of treatment.

PMID- 1414298
TI  - Sucralfate and sodium sucrose sulphate in the treatment of superficial corneal
      disease in keratoconjunctivitis sicca.
AB  - We have studied the effect of the aluminum complex of sucrose sulphate
      (Sucralfate suspension) and the sodium salt of sucrose sulphate (sodium sucrose
      sulphate solution) on patients with keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Eyes treated with
      either of these two drugs showed a decrease in painfulness and blurring of
      vision. On examination the surface area of the corneal lesions, stained with
      fluorescein, diminished during treatment. As for the difference in effect between
      the two eyedrops, the solution was better tolerated.

PMID- 1414299
TI  - The effect of indomethacin 1% ophthalmic suspension on the pupil during
      extracapsular cataract surgery.
AB  - Fifty-six patients who underwent extracapsular cataract surgery were randomized
      in two groups with 28 patients in each group. Group 1 was treated with standard
      preoperative dilation regime and group 2 received in addition indomethacin 1%
      ophthalmic solution. Horizontal and vertical pupil diameter measurements were
      taken before capsulotomy, before exprimation of the lens nucleus and before lens
      implantation. The size of the pupil at the time of capsulotomy and at the time
      just before lens exprimation was greatest in the non-indomethacin treated group,
      but at the time of lens implantation the pupil of the indomethacin treated group
      was greatest. It is concluded that even though indomethacin seems to be able to
      inhibit surgically induced miosis, probably through its inhibitory effect on
      prostaglandin synthesis, the effect is only marginal and from a clinical point of
      view it cannot be recommended.

PMID- 1414300
TI  - Serum transferrin in patients with retinitis pigmentosa.
AB  - The CDG syndrome is a newly detected disorder with a carbohydrate defect in
      glycoproteins such as transferrin. As retinitis pigmentosa is a part of this
      syndrome, there could also be other subtypes of retinitis pigmentosa with a
      similar biochemical defect. Isoforms of serum transferrin were therefore analysed
      in 78 patients from different families with retinitis pigmentosa and showed
      slightly or moderately elevated values for less glycosylated isoforms in two
      families. The study suggests that abnormal glycoprotein metabolism manifested by
      elevated values of carbohydrate-deficient isotransferrins may be present in a
      small proportion of families with retinitis pigmentosa. The relationship between
      the glycoprotein defect and retinitis pigmentosa remains to be established.

PMID- 1414301
TI  - Fluconazole in the treatment of candida albicans endophthalmitis.
AB  - A 29-year-old former drug addict with candida albicans endophthalmitis determined
      by cultivation was treated with vitrectomy and systemic fluconazole. The
      infection resolved completely and the patient recovered a visual acuity of 6/6.
      Fluconazole was well tolerated and a high concentration was found in the vitreous
      cavity.

PMID- 1414302
TI  - Excimer laser treatment of pterygium.
AB  - Primary experience with the use of excimer laser in pterygium therapy is
      presented. Twenty-two pterygia (11 primary and 11 recurrent) were surgically
      removed using the bare-sclera technique followed by excimer laser ablation to
      smooth the corneal surface. As recurrence was observed in 20 eyes (91%) during
      the first year, supplementary excimer laser treatment of a pterygium does not
      seem to reduce the recurrence rate. The high recurrence rate in this series may
      to a certain extent reflect the surgical technique used (bare-sclera).

PMID- 1414303
TI  - Asymmetry of retinitis pigmentosa-related to initial optic disc vasculitis.
AB  - A case of highly asymmetric retinitis pigmentosa is reported. Signs of pigmentary
      retinopathy appeared in the first eye following optic disc vasculitis or
      neuroretinitis of unknown etiology. Within 2 years the visual field became
      markedly restricted and the dark adaptation thresholds elevated. Twelve years
      later this eye was almost blind and the ERG was non-recordable. In the fellow
      eye, the first pigmentary changes were observed 5 years after the initial
      presentation, and the progression was slow. Nineteen years after the initial
      examination the visual field of the less affected eye was constricted to 30
      degrees nasally and 60 degrees temporally, the dark adaptation threshold was only
      slightly elevated, and the full-field ERG was within normal range. It is possible
      that neuroretinitis or vasculitis of the optic disc caused the earlier onset and
      the more progressive course of pigmentary retinopathy in the initially affected
      eye.

PMID- 1414304
TI  - Spontaneous resolution of proliferative vitreoretinopathy.
AB  - A case of proliferative vitreoretinopathy that spontaneously regressed, leading
      to reattachment of the retina, is presented. The importance of such a spontaneous
      resolution in terms of understanding the pathogenesis, and planning a treatment,
      is discussed.

PMID- 1414305
TI  - [Historical notes on the ethmoid bone].
AB  - The intriguing historical exploration of the anatomy of the ethmoid and ethmoidal
      cells is described. Despite continuing research, the ethmoid remains a puzzling
      topic.

PMID- 1414306
TI  - [Surgical anatomy of the middle meatus and ethmoid].
AB  - The evolution of rhino-sinusal endoscopy and the progress in endonasal surgery
      under endoscopic guidance, justifies a review of the ethmoid anatomy. A simple
      and logical scheme of the ethmoid bone is presented. The observer has to develop
      an "endoscopic eye" since the panoramic view offered by the optics modifies the
      image. Special attention is drawn upon the endoscopic anatomical fine points in
      the crucial area of the "bullar circus". These are necessary guides in surgical
      practice.

PMID- 1414307
TI  - Nasal septum deviation in newborns.
AB  - The patency of the nose is very important for the newborn. Nasal septum deviation
      (NSD) is one of the most important factors causing disorders of the patency of
      the nose. It is usually the result of mechanical trauma. The relationship between
      the course of delivery and deformation, deviation and luxation of the nasal
      septum is examined. 410 newborns--297 born in natural labour and 113 in Caesarean
      section, were examined. Also the kind of birth, the position of the fetus during
      the first and second stages of labour and the weight of the newborns was
      analyzed. NSD was found in 14.3% of the cases. Follow-up examination of those
      children was performed 4-6 months after the first check-up. NSD was observed
      mainly in children born head first.

PMID- 1414308
TI  - [Endonasal microsurgery of antro-choanal polyps].
AB  - Between 1986 and 1991, 33 patients were operated on by the senior author. Neither
      sex, nor side prevalence has been observed. In 50% of the cases, the patient was
      a teenager. In 18% of the cases, a cystic oedematous transformation was the cause
      of the polyp. Its treatment must be surgical. Five cases were operated on by
      gingival access, the others by median and inferior meatotomy which is recommended
      by the authors. They found one recurrence out of the recorded 24 cases.

PMID- 1414309
TI  - [Medial maxillectomy in transitional papilloma].
AB  - Transitional Papilloma, the formerly inverted papilloma, is a rather rare
      neoplasm of the nasal cavity. Its origin is still debated. The only constant
      symptom is unilateral nose obstruction. This lesion is of considerable interest
      because of the recurrence tendency and its association with malignancy. Although
      a benign tumor, radical aggressive surgery is advocated. A medial maxillectomy is
      the treatment of choice. A sublabial incision gives excellent exposure without
      external facial scar.

PMID- 1414310
TI  - [Medico-surgical management of chronic maxillary sinusitis in adults].
AB  - Every maxillary sinusitis suspected of chronicity has to be fully investigated by
      CT-scan. Failure of medical treatment will confirm chronic disease and will lead
      to surgery. According to the authors, endoscopic middle meatotomy is the
      treatment of choice, possibly associated with anterior ethmoidectomy and/or
      inferior meatotomy.

PMID- 1414311
TI  - [Sinus mucoceles: diagnostic and surgical aspects (apropos of 8 cases treated
      with rhino-surgical endoscopy)].
AB  - Sinus mucoceles are benign and expansive pseudocystic formations situated in the
      paranasal sinuses. Their pathogenicity is still misunderstood. Clinical signs are
      multiple and often delayed due to tumour localisation. CT-scan is the best
      diagnostical investigation and surgery the treatment of choice. Marsupialization
      under endoscopic control is becoming widespread.

PMID- 1414312
TI  - [Orbital involvement of sinusitis].
AB  - Sinusitis can spread to the orbital tissues. 'Preseptal' soft-tissue bacterial
      infections are relatively common during childhood and with appropriate
      antimicrobial therapy they usually resolve quickly. 'Orbital' soft-tissue
      infections, in contrast, are relatively rare and frequently cause serious
      morbidity. Four cases are presented. Symptomatology and pathogenesis are
      reviewed. Diagnostic procedures, especially CT-scan, are discussed and
      recommendations are given for medical and surgical management.

PMID- 1414313
TI  - Dysthyroid orbitopathy and orbital decompression. A review.
AB  - In the treatment of severe manifestations of dysthyroid orbitopathy, such as
      optic neuropathy and exposure keratitis, orbital decompression occasionally may
      be performed if steroids fail. In general, medial and inferior orbital wall
      decompression gives satisfactory results. The route may be transantral, but the
      transconjunctival or endonasal approach may be more appropriate for extraocular
      muscle balance and optic neuropathy respectively.

PMID- 1414314
TI  - Optic nerve decompression for indirect posterior optic nerve trauma.
AB  - Posterior indirect optic nerve trauma is a rare but possibly dramatic event.
      Since spontaneous recovery is unlikely, medical treatment by megadose steroid
      therapy is advocated. Optic nerve decompression may be usefull, but is still
      controversial. Medial optic canal wall decompression seems best and may be
      achieved by various approaches.

PMID- 1414315
TI  - [Anterior sinusitis: indications for and results of endoscopic surgery].
AB  - With the exclusion of posterior or diffuse disease, anterior sinusitis is an
      inflammatory process affecting one or more cells draining through the middle
      meatus. When medical treatment fails, functional endoscopic surgery is indicated.
      Two hundred and three surgical cases are reviewed. Anterior sinusitis forms 44%
      of the surgical indications. Twenty months later, 80% obtain good or very good
      subjective and objective results. In 20% the quality is poor with suppuration.
      When suppuration persists, further endoscopic or radical surgery is indicated. In
      this series, complication rate is low. Endoscopic surgery advantages are
      discussed.

PMID- 1414316
TI  - [Preoperative radiotherapy and medial maxillectomy. Treatment concept for
      carcinomas of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses].
AB  - Multimodal treatment modality for paranasal sinus malignancies is discussed.
      Therapy consists in pre-operative 50 Gy radiotherapy delivered over 5 weeks,
      followed three weeks later by a medial maxillectomy. Although local control rate
      is improved through this treatment, an increase in late metastases is observed.

PMID- 1414317
TI  - [Techniques of uvulopharyngoplasty for snoring].
AB  - Snoring is considered abnormal even in children. Breathing difficulties can
      modify the development of the face and provoke upper respiratory dysfunction.
      Some surgical techniques are presented.

PMID- 1414318
TI  - [Medicolegal implications of sinus surgery].
AB  - Possible sinus surgery complications are reviewed. The difficult anatomy and its
      relationship with the orbit, the optic nerve and the olfactory fossa are the main
      reason of complication. However by technical improvement of imaging and
      endoscopy, as well as by surgical skill refinement the complication rate
      decreases. In the patient's interest, and to avoid medico-legal suits, some
      recommendations are suggested.

PMID- 1414319
TI  - [The cervicofacial manifestations of Kaposi's sarcoma and of non-Hodgkin's
      lymphomas in HIV-infected patients].
AB  - Infection from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is well known for the
      particular host susceptibility to a variety of opportunistic infections and
      unusual malignant neoplasms. Although no tumor develops exclusively in
      concomitance with HIV infection, malignancies in these patients have different
      clinical behaviour, response to treatment and prognosis than the pattern observed
      in HIV negative hosts. Kaposi's sarcoma (EKS) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL)
      are tumors per se diagnostic of AIDS in patients with HIV infection. From 1987 to
      1991, 210 HIV positive patients underwent ENT examination without symptom-related
      selection: 128 were intravenous drug users, 50 homosexual males, 22
      heterosexuals, 4 intravenous male homosexual drug users, 3 blood recipients and 3
      subjects without known risk factors. Sixteen were allocated in group II, 37 in
      III, 9 in IV A, 2 in IV B, 31 in IV C1, 37 in IV C2, 48 in IV D and 30 in IV E.
      Fourteen had head and neck EKS localization. All were males, with a median age of
      40 of which 11/14 were homosexuals. The concomitant involvement of skin and
      mucosa was the most common manifestation and the palate was the most frequently
      affected mucosal site. Twenty-four had NHL localized within the head and neck: 21
      males and 4 females with a average age of 38, 10 intravenous drug users, 9
      homosexual males, 3 heterosexuals, 1 blood recipient, 1 subject without known
      risk factors. Extranodal localization was the most frequent characteristic while
      the gums were the most commonly involved site. The main characteristics of head
      and neck manifestations of EKS and NHL are reported with references to
      literature. The majority of HIV infected patients with EKS or NHL have ENT
      localizations, perhaps because lymphatic tissue, a HIV target, is well
      represented in this area and contamination by infectious agents (such as Epstein
      Barr virus and cytomegalovirus, probably involved in the pathogenesis of EKS and
      NHL) can easily occur in the head and neck. The otolaryngologist should be aware
      of the various, and sometimes misleading, characteristics of these diseases.

PMID- 1414320
TI  - [The reliability of biopsy-determined grading in laryngeal squamous cell
      carcinoma].
AB  - Grading evaluation is becoming increasingly more important in establishing a
      valid prognosis and in the choice of therapeutical strategies in dealing with
      squamous laryngeal cancer. It follows, therefore, that grading of bioptic tissue,
      made before therapy planning, must offer reliable data and correspond to data
      gathered through grading of the entire neoplasm. Thus the aim of our study
      carried out on 267 cases was to verify if grading of bioptic tissue corresponds
      to that of the operatory specimen. In 7% of the cases (19 in 267) bioptic grading
      overestimated the neoplasm in that post-operatory grading revealed a less
      differentiated form. On the contrary, in 16% of the cases (43 in 267) bioptic
      grading underestimated the form since as post-operatory grading showed a more
      highly differentiated form. It appears clear that these values depend on the
      clinical extension of the neoplasm in that the difference was inferior in the
      case of limited neoplasms and greater in that more largely extended ones.
      Generally speaking then, the less extended the neoplasm (the most frequently
      observed clinical form), the more coinciding the bioptic evaluation indicating
      good differentiation with the post-operatory evaluation. On the other hand,
      bioptic evaluation indicating moderate or poor differentiation is less reliable
      since it does not coincide with findings in approximately 16% of the neoplasms,
      above all those most limited (12%). This means that any reductive adoption of
      therapy planning made on the basis of the degree of differentiation revealed upon
      bioptic examination is possible only in the case of those forms more advanced
      with regard to extension.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414321
TI  - [Local immunity following treatment with S-carboxymethylcysteine-lysine in
      tracheotomy patients].
AB  - Pathological modification in secretory IgA values as well as in circadian rhythms
      were found in tracheotomized patients in both nasal and tracheo-bronchial
      secretions. The protective role of the mucosal immune system in addition to the
      frequency of severe infectious respiratory diseases in laryngectomized patients
      justifies the efforts of clinicians to prevent and treat such modifications.
      Mucoregulatory drugs have a peculiar role in these therapeutical attempts. Forty
      tracheotomized subjects with neoplastic disease were studied. Twenty received
      SCMC-Lys as a mucoregulatory drug. IgA 7S, 11S and albumin values in nasal and
      tracheo-bronchial secretions, were evaluated at surgery, 15 and then 40 days
      later. In accordance with clinical data, an improvement in local antibody
      production, damaged by tracheostomy, was found in the treated group. The
      influence of SCMS-Lys on SIgA production, whose evaluation was made by means of
      an original, highly selective and sensitive Immuno-IsoElectroFocusing procedure,
      seems to encourage the use of mucoregulatory drugs in laryngectomized patients.

PMID- 1414322
TI  - [The incidence and location of inflammatory paranasal sinus lesions in CT].
AB  - Several recent studies have labelled the anterior ethmoid as the main source of
      chronic and/or recurrent sinusitis in the entire paranasal sinus system. In an
      attempt to identify other possible patterns of developing sinusitis, 1,345
      computed tomographies of neurological and neurosurgical patients with no previous
      history of paranasal sinusitis were evaluated. These scans were made between 1985
      and 1989 in the Neurosurgical Clinic of the University of Freiburg. Seventy-five
      of these studies revealed evidence of inflammatory changes. In 57 scans maxillary
      sinus disease was evident, while in 46 there was en ethmoid disease, in 24 a
      sphenoid sinus disease and in 17 a frontal sinus disease. Nine scans showed
      pansinusitis. In 24 studies, one sinus location was involved (uni- or
      bilaterally) and among these were 21 with maxillary, 2 with anterior ethmoidal
      and 1 with frontal sinus involvement. In 38.7% of the examined scans, the
      anterior ethmoidal complex was free of disease. This study shows that, at least
      radiographically, the ethmoidal infundibulum is not always the origin of
      paranasal sinus disease. An isolated frontal, maxillary or sphenoidal sinusitis
      can develop as well. These results show that a simple anterior ethmoidectomy
      cannot be considered the panacea for chronic and/or recurring sinusitis. Surgical
      therapy of inflammatory sinus disease should, on the contrary, be tailored to
      each patient depending on anamnesis, clinical findings and CT results.

PMID- 1414323
TI  - [The variability of functional gain and insertion gain in hearing aid fitting].
AB  - Functional gain (FG) and insertion gain (IG) are currently used as real ear gain
      measurement of hearing aids. The gain differences observed with hearing aid
      modifications made in order to achieve the desired prescriptive target must be
      greater than the variability associated with repetition of measurement in order
      to be really useful. Limited research is available on FG and IG intratester
      variability. In order to evaluate single variability factors, some studies use
      experimental designs not common in clinical work-up while others use equipment
      mot available commercially. The present study evaluates intratester variability
      of FG and IG (Madsen IGO 1500 equipment) in a typical clinical configuration in
      42 users of behind-ear hearing aids. Mean standard deviation of FG test-retest
      differences was 5.19 dB. Range of variability was expressed in term of centiles.
      5-- and 95-- centiles were -9.8 and 8.7 dB respectively. Mean s.d. of IG test
      retest differences was 3.18 dB; 5-- and 95-- centiles were -5.2 and 6.05 dB
      respectively. Major variability was found at higher frequencies. High variability
      at lower frequencies was also found probably due to sealing problems of ear molds
      in the ear canal. Accord between FG and IG was also examined. A good mean
      correspondence in mid frequency range was found (FG-IG mean difference less than
      5 dB) with large inter-subject differences between the two measurements (s.d. 11
      dB).

PMID- 1414324
TI  - [Sandwich-graft myringoplasty: the authors' personal technic and results].
AB  - The authors describe the anatomic and functional results obtained with a sandwich
      myringoplasty technique (MPL) employing an endaural approach. The suggested
      technique is a modified sandwich MPL by endaural approach with a reduced
      Shambaugh incision, a systematic profiling of the canal wall bulge and separation
      of the meatal and tympano-meatal flaps that are maintained pedunculated. The
      temporal fascia is inserted between the fibrous layer of the tympanic remnant and
      a single pedunculated tympano-meatal cutaneous flap replaced in the original
      location. The authors present 72 cases operated between January 1987 and December
      1989 for perforations involving up to three quadrants. In 93.1% of the cases a
      complete and lasting resolution of the perforation was obtained. Of the 5
      failures, 4 presented a perforation smaller than the original one. An average
      (250, 500, 1000 Hz) functional recovery of 14.1 dB was observed compared to an
      average pre-operatory gap of 21.6 dB. In 25% of the cases, average recovery was
      greater than 25 dB and in 5 patients a slight worsening with an average
      difference of -3.3 dB was observed. On the whole, in 41 patients a residual post
      operatory gap of only 10 dB was achieved. The anatomical results obtained with
      the MPL presented are similar to those found in the literature describing the
      classical overlay technique. However, the cases reported do not present those
      inconveniences associated to the latter technique (lateralization of the graft
      and blunting). The anatomic and functional results obtained with the technique
      discussed are on the whole superior to those described with the underlay and the
      classical overlay techniques. The Authors believe that this is mainly due to the
      absence of the gelfoam in the middle ear and to the double contention and
      vascularization of the temporal fascia graft. By means of the profiling of the
      canal wall the endaural approach permits a good view of the operating field.
      Furthermore, it is less traumatic and more acceptable to the patient than the
      postauricular one that has to be limited to the MPL where there are clinical
      indications for the exploration of antrum. The personal technique here presented
      implies, however, a certain presence of epithelial pearls. Their localization is
      nevertheless facilitated by the absence of blunting, thickening and
      lateralization of the graft. This allows for an early and easy removal on an out
      patient basis. Other inconveniences of the technique are the length of the
      procedure and a more difficult control of the ossicular chain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1414325
TI  - [Wallenberg's syndrome: an assessment of the dysphagic and postural
      symptomatology].
AB  - Dysphagia and postural disorders are the most important symptoms of the
      Wallenberg [correction of Wallemberg] syndrome, which takes in a considerable
      number of neurological symptoms including an alternate sensitive syndrome, the
      Claude Bernard Horner syndrome, paralysis of the half palate, of the half pharynx
      and of the vocal fold on the side of the injury, a vestibular syndrome and,
      finally, a cerebellar hemisyndrome. In the course of this study, four patients
      with the Wallenberg [correction of Wallemberg] syndrome were examined and
      underwent further periodical checks after injury. All the patients were fed
      employing a naso-gastric tube and in one case an emergency tracheostomy was
      performed because acute dyspnea. The diagnostic protocol following included the
      collection of a series of anamnestic data, an objective study of U.A.D.T. with
      fiberoptic endoscopy, swallowing simulation, dynamic radiologic examination
      (videofluoroscopy) and computerized static posturography. This routine was
      repeated upon every successive check. During the first observation a substantial
      uniformity of physiopathological characteristics was found in all the patients.
      Following logopedic and rehabilitation treatment, a high degree of diversity in
      the results obtained was observed in three patients (one of the patients was
      absent from successive checks). The most interesting phenomenon was the
      difference in time necessary to rehabilitate the swallowing reflex only after
      which it was possible to reassume oral alimentation. After two months of
      physiokinesitherapy, computerized static posturography, which initially revealed
      a sharp increase in the number of oscillations, showed a partial improvement of
      the postural disease with a reduction in oscillation amplitude. Even though the
      number of case followed was limited, our experience encourages us to underline
      importance of immediate rehabilitation therapy and of the collaboration of
      patients and their family members.

PMID- 1414326
TI  - [Mycosis of the paranasal sinuses: a report of 4 cases].
AB  - With recent advances in medicine, fungal diseases are not only being better under
      stood, but are also becoming increasingly important in the management of patients
      with paranasal sinus disease. Fungal sinus diseases range from allergic fungal
      sinusitis to invasive and fulminant fungal sinusitis. Although patients often
      have some predisposing factor, such as local tissue hypoxia or massive fungal
      ++exposure, most patients are not immuno-compromised. Invasive fungal sinusitis
      may be treated with the traditional Caldwell-Luc surgical technique or with newer
      endoscopic procedures. Fulminant fungal sinusitis generally occurs in immuno
      suppressed patients and requires aggressive surgical excision and debridement as
      well as systemic chemotherapy, usually amphotericin B. In this article we review
      fungal diseases of the paranasal sinuses and present four cases of paranasal
      fungal sinusitis.

PMID- 1414327
TI  - [Histomorphological changes induced by recurrent tonsillitis].
AB  - Palatine tonsils are lymphoepithelial mucosal structures whose particular role as
      a defense mechanism in the human immune system makes them fundamental in
      protecting organs of much greater importance. If follows, therefore, that dealing
      with recurrent tonsillar phlogosis--diagnosis as well as therapy choice, surgical
      or medical--is today problematic and shrouded in doubt. The authors examined
      tonsillar tissue specimens of 65 patients (age range 4-30 years) who had
      previously undergone tonsillectomy. Light microscopy and immunocytochemistry were
      used to study subepithelial tissue while scanning electronic microscope was
      employed to observe epithelial ultrastructure in order to determine which
      alterations were most meaningfully correlated to the history and clinical picture
      of the subjects. In 100% of the cases the cryptic reticular epithelium was
      hyperplastic while in 44% a squamous metaplasia was observed. Epithelial
      alteration in various forms was also revealed with scanning electronic
      microscope: cellular disjunction ridging of the cryptic floor, conrifying
      squamous epithelial cells, plasma cells and infiltrated lymphocytes. The authors
      suggest that it is precisely epithelial alteration which, due to inadequate
      antigen uptake, triggers the series of events which leads from tonsillar
      disorders to systemic metafocal manifestation.

PMID- 1414328
TI  - Comparison of the incidence of intracranial hemorrhage following conventional
      mechanical ventilation and high frequency oscillation in beagle puppies.
AB  - Controversy exists as to whether high frequency oscillation (HFO) increases the
      risk of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) compared with conventional mechanical
      ventilation (CMV). We compared the risk of intracranial hemorrhage after
      phenylephrine-induced hypertension, combined with a hypovolemic, hypotensive
      insult followed by rapid volume replacement in two groups of newborn beagle
      puppies (one group on a piston pump HFO and the other on CMV). A total of 12
      beagle puppies (6 on HFO and 6 on CMV) survived the protocol. Arterial blood gas
      analysis and arterial blood pressures through the study were of the same
      magnitude in both groups. The length of time for which the puppies remained
      hypertensive and hypotensive also did not vary significantly between the groups.
      Intraventricular hemorrhages were observed in two of six CMV puppies and two of
      six HFO puppies. One animal in each group had a white matter hemorrhage.
      Subarachnoid hemorrhages were seen in 4 animals on CMV and 3 on HFO. This study
      indicated that HFO does not increase the risk of any kind of intracranial
      hemorrhage, including IVH, in beagle puppies.

PMID- 1414329
TI  - Comparison of severity of viremia and antibody responses between infants and
      children with measles.
AB  - Severity of viremia and neutralizing antibody responses were compared between
      nine young infants (less than or equal to 10 months) with measles and 18 infants
      and children (greater than or equal to 11 months) with ordinary measles.
      Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-associated viremia was detected between
      the first day of elevation of fever (day 0) and day 5 of the disease in the
      former group, whereas PBMC-associated and cell-free viremia were detected between
      day 0 and day 14 in the latter group. The number of infected PBMC during the
      first 7 days of the disease was 3.22 +/- 1.07 (log10, mean +/- s.d.) per 10
      million PBMC in the former group, which was significantly smaller (P = 0.02) than
      that of the latter group (4.21 +/- 1.18). The former group reached the maximum
      level of antibody earlier than the latter group.

PMID- 1414330
TI  - Neuroradiological findings in glutaric aciduria type I: report of four Japanese
      patients.
AB  - We examined neuroradiological computerized tomography (CT) findings and the
      clinical course of four Japanese children with glutaric aciduria type I (GA1)
      whose enzyme activity of glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase was undetectable. Brain CT in
      all cases examined showed low density white matter, fluid collection in bilateral
      frontotemporal regions (particularly surrounding the Sylvian fissures),
      enlargement of the lateral ventricles and slight atrophy of the basal ganglia.
      Although these findings seemed to be characteristic for GA1, they were unlikely
      to be more extended, at least over 2 years after infancy. The low density white
      matter was observed more evidently in the neonatal or early infantile periods
      than in later periods. The degree of enlargement of fissures in bilateral
      frontotemporal regions about the Sylvian fissures appeared to correlate with the
      severity of symptoms such as dystonia or choreoathetosis. Magnetic resonance
      images (MRI) in one case showed bilateral linear-shaped low intensity in areas of
      the external capsules and putamen on a T1-weighted image. These CT and MRI
      findings, as well as clinical symptoms such as choreoathetosis or dystonia, may
      suggest that metabolic abnormalities in GA1, such as glutaconate, are toxic to
      the extrapyramidal tract system in the central nervous system, and that the
      clinical symptoms of the patients are attributable to atrophy of basal ganglia.
      Brain CT may be useful in diagnosis and evaluation of the clinical course of GA1
      patients.

PMID- 1414331
TI  - Partial imitation and partial sensory agnosia in mentally normal children with
      convulsive disorders.
AB  - Mentally normal 6-9 year old children with or without convulsive disorders were
      examined using the procedures of the five soft signs (SS) selected from
      conventional soft neurological signs and Berges' gesture imitation tasks. In
      comparisons of SS between the 60 children with convulsive disorders (CD group)
      and the 38 without (N group), the average number of SS detected in each case and
      the incidence ratio of the two signs--partial imitation (PI) and partial sensory
      agnosia (PSA)--were higher in the CD group than the N group. Examinations of
      relationships between age, IQ, error index (EI; an index taken from the
      Continuous Performance Test) and SS, and of correlations among the SS, found two
      kinds of SS: age-related and El-related signs. The former included right-left
      confusion, clumsiness and PI, which correlated with each other, while the latter
      included unstableness of lateral gazing and PSA, which did not correlate with
      each other. Even though several factors belonging to characteristics of
      convulsive disorders were evaluated concerning the presence or absence of PI and
      PSA, there was only one relationship: PSA was more common in children with
      febrile convulsions than in those with epilepsy. We speculated that PSA reflected
      an immaturity of the brain in children with febrile convulsions.

PMID- 1414332
TI  - Oscillatory variations of cutaneous blood flow in newborns using a laser Doppler
      flowmeter.
AB  - Oscillatory variations of cutaneous blood flow were studied using laser Doppler
      flowmetry in 20 newborns. Simultaneous monitoring of cardiorespiratory state was
      also performed. The frequency and amplitude of oscillatory curve varied, even on
      identical skin regions in each infant. When their respiration and heart rate were
      irregular, the frequencies of oscillatory curves were significantly higher and
      with a larger amplitude than when cardiorespiratory function was regular. The
      frequencies of oscillatory curves at two symmetrical points of an individual were
      not different, but a significant difference in the oscillatory cycle was
      recognized at two asymmetrical points. Distributions of peak-to-peak time periods
      of oscillatory curves were studied in nine healthy and four sick newborns. Seven
      of nine healthy newborns had more than two peaks in their distributions, while
      only one peak with a narrowly-spread distribution was observed in the four sick
      newborns with almost exclusively periodic breathing throughout monitoring. In
      conclusion, we speculate that cardiorespiratory state and some neurogenic control
      affects the variations observed. In addition, the narrowly-spread distribution of
      each time period appeared to be an important indicator of morbidity.

PMID- 1414333
TI  - Balloon valvuloplasty for congenital aortic valve stenosis in an infant and
      children.
AB  - Percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) was performed in 14 patients,
      including one critically ill infant with congenital valvular aortic stenosis
      (AS). BAV was effective in 13 patients (except the infant). The peak systolic
      pressure gradient between the left ventricle (LV) and the ascending aorta
      decreased from 76.6 +/- 21.6 to 29.5 +/- 15.3 mmHg (P less than 0.001). Follow-up
      cardiac catheterization was performed for eight patients between 1 and 3 years
      (1.6 +/- 1.1 years) after BAV. Restenosis was found in only one patient, and the
      efficacy of BAV continued significantly. Aortic regurgitation developed or
      increased in severity in 5 of 13 children immediately after BAV. Any other severe
      complication was not observed. Dilatation by BAV was not sufficient for the
      infant with critical AS, and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the lateral
      wall of the LV occurred during the BAV procedure. The infant died 3 days after
      the procedure due to AMI. It was concluded that the retrograde double balloon
      technique was superior to the retrograde single balloon technique. In two cases,
      the single balloon technique was ineffective because it was impossible to fix the
      balloon at the aortic annulus. However, the double balloon technique was
      effective in every patient. BAV is effective for AS in children, and an optional
      repeat trial may enable BAV to be the first choice for AS. Although BAV may be
      effective for neonates and infants with critical AS as an emergency treatment,
      much attention must be paid during the procedure.

PMID- 1414334
TI  - Methacholine inhalation challenge in children with idiopathic chest pain.
AB  - Bronchial reactivity to inhaled methacholine (MCH) was evaluated in 32 patients
      with 'idiopathic' chest pain. Each pain was recurrent in nature. The incidence of
      cases with a provocative concentration causing a 20% fall in the forced
      expiratory volume in 1 sec (PC20) of 10 mg/ml or less was 62.5% (20 cases), while
      it was only 11.1% (three cases) in 27 healthy controls. Seventeen patients had no
      personal history of allergic diseases, elevated serum IgE level or positive house
      dust mite-specific IgE antibody. Among these 17, eight (47.1%) had a PC20 of 10
      mg/ml or less, the incidence of which was also higher than that of the healthy
      controls. During the challenge, eight patients complained of chest pain similar
      to that experienced before. The present results indicate that bronchial hyper
      reactivity is an important cause of 'idiopathic' chest pain. Patients with
      unexplained chest pain should be considered for inhalation challenge.

PMID- 1414335
TI  - The measles outbreak in Chikuhou District, Fukuoka, Japan, 1990: correlation
      between herd immunity level and outbreak size.
AB  - A measles outbreak occurred in the Chikuhou district of Fukuoka, Japan from May
      to October 1990, during which 71 patients were cared for at the Itoda Public
      Hospital. Hospital records revealed a large outbreak in the adjacent town of
      Kanada. In order to characterize the outbreak, questionnaires were sent to all
      preschool-age children in Itoda (73% effective response) and in Kanada (76%
      effective response) requesting information about their vaccination and/or history
      of measles. The number of patients was 22 (4%) in Itoda and 63 (14%) in Kanada,
      most of these being preschoolers, while the vaccination rate was 61% and 44%,
      respectively. The herd immunity levels in age-specific groups were compared
      between the two towns. Before the epidemic, the immunity level of 1 year old
      children in Kanada, who showed the higher attack rate, was lower (18%) than that
      in Itoda (39%), while after the epidemic it rose above 60% in both towns. When we
      studied the correlation between the attack rate and the vaccination rate, or the
      number of children susceptible to measles (susceptibility rate) in each
      preschool, the attack rate correlated negatively with the vaccination rate
      (correlation coefficient [CC] = -0.818; P less than 0.01), and positively with
      the susceptibility rate (CC 0.860; P less than 0.01). The regressed equation on
      the correlation indicated that the immunity level should be more than 70% to keep
      the attack rate under 5% in preschools. After the epidemic, the immunity levels
      of all preschoolers reached above 70%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414336
TI  - Prenatal diagnosis in high risk pregnancies for Zellweger syndrome.
AB  - Zellweger syndrome is a lethal disorder. At present, no effective therapies are
      known for the patients of Zellweger syndrome. Recently a typical case of
      Zellweger syndrome in Japan was observed. In spite of intensive care, the patient
      died at the age of 3 months. Following this, the parents requested prenatal
      diagnosis for their following two pregnancies. We investigated levels of very
      long chain fatty acids (VLCFA), levels of bile acids in amniotic fluid and
      immunoblotting of peroxisomal beta-oxidation enzymes in cultured amniocytes. We
      report that immunoblotting using cultured amniocytes is an effective method for
      prenatal diagnosis of Zellweger syndrome. Furthermore, if we use immunoblotting
      for prenatal diagnosis, we can discriminate pseudoZellweger syndrome from
      pseudoneonatal adrenoleucodystrophy. Following prenatal diagnosis, two healthy
      babies were delivered. After birth, no abnormal levels of VLCFA in either serum
      or red blood cell membranes were confirmed. In this paper, we report that we can
      diagnose a healthy fetus in a high risk pregnancy for Zellweger syndrome.

PMID- 1414337
TI  - Cardiac beriberi (shoshin beriberi) caused by excessive intake of isotonic drink.
AB  - A 21 month old female had voluntarily ingested 0.5-1.51 of isotonic sports drink
      daily from 10 months of age. She developed hyponatremia and beriberi heart
      disease, which resulted in metabolic acidosis and cardiogenic shock (shoshin
      beriberi). Mechanical ventilation was applied for pulmonary edema. Right heart
      failure was improved after administering vitamin B1. However, 5 days after the
      shock, hypoxemia and diffuse radiographic infiltrates progressed, and a diagnosis
      of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was made. After the occurrence of
      an air leak, the patient died of respiratory failure. The cardiogenic shock and
      pulmonary edema due to cardiac beriberi may have triggered the ARDS.

PMID- 1414338
TI  - Disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome in anorexia nervosa.
AB  - A 15 year old boy with anorexia nervosa developed disseminated intravascular
      coagulation syndrome (DIC). Because of severe cachexia he had been admitted to
      the Shimane Prefectural Central Hospital. During his hospitalization he developed
      generalized massive ecchymosis. Laboratory data revealed not only DIC but also
      multiple organ complications. The patient was treated intravenously with FOY
      (gabexate mesilate, a protease inhibitor), heparin, a transfusion of fresh frozen
      plasma, antithrombin III concentrates and platelets. Intravenous
      hyperalimentation was also administered. The laboratory data, the general
      condition and the emotional state of the patient improved remarkably. We
      emphasize the importance of keeping in mind coagulopathy as a complication in
      anorexia nervosa.

PMID- 1414339
TI  - Long duration of erythrocyte hypoplasia after bone marrow transplantation.
AB  - Bone marrow transplantation was performed on a 15 year old girl with chronic
      myelogenous leukemia. The bone marrow was obtained from her younger sister, who
      was human leukocyte antigen haplo-identical but major ABO incompatible. As a
      result, the condition of pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) persisted over a long
      period of time. In order to overcome major ABO incompatibility, erythrocytes were
      eliminated from the bone marrow graft before transplantation, and methotrexate
      and cyclosporine (CsA) were used to prevent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
      Administration of erythropoietin proved ineffective. B19 parvovirus infection
      could not be detected during that time. Agglutinin titers decreased to less than
      fourfold in parallel with the recovery of erythrocytes. Reports on similar PRCA
      have been limited to cases of transplantation with ABO incompatibility and cases
      where CsA was administered to prevent GVHD. This suggests that ABO
      incompatibility and CsA might be related to the development of PRCA.

PMID- 1414340
TI  - A case of ulcerative colitis induced by oral ferrous sulfate.
AB  - We report a case of ulcerative colitis (UC) in a 15 year old female undergoing
      treatment for anemia with oral ferrous sulfate. We suggest that the oral ferrous
      sulfate initiated the typical symptoms of UC in this case. This case is the first
      clinical report to our knowledge supporting the 'iron-catalysed oxidant-mediated
      ischemic injury theory' of UC.

PMID- 1414341
TI  - Gallbladder changes in neonatal hepatitis: markedly thickened wall and lack of
      contractility.
AB  - The gallbladder wall changes were observed on ultrasonography during the course
      of a patient with neonatal hepatitis. The gallbladder was not detected at 53 days
      of age, but on the next day its wall was observed to be markedly thickened and
      without contraction following the administration of cerulein. It had a thinner
      wall at 57 days of age and reacted to cerulein. The wall thickness and
      contractility went together with the improvement of jaundice and liver function
      tests. Histological diagnosis was compatible with neonatal hepatitis.
      Ultrasonographic detection of the gallbladder has been helpful to differentiate
      neonatal hepatitis from biliary atresia. It is reported to be compatible with
      neonatal hepatitis to detect a normal-sized gallbladder or its contraction
      following cerulein administration or feeding. Since this case did not meet these
      criteria initially, thickened wall of the gallbladder may be an additional
      finding indicating neonatal hepatitis. The importance of repeated ultrasonography
      and clinical correlation was stressed.

PMID- 1414342
TI  - Immature gastric teratoma in an infant.
AB  - A 45 day old boy presented with progressive abdominal distension, tarry stools
      and anemia. A plain roentgenogram of the abdomen showed irregular, coarse
      calcifications in the left upper quadrant. The ultrasonography and computerized
      tomography of the abdomen revealed a large heterogeneous tumor with calcified
      parts in the left hemiabdomen. At operation, a 12 cm x 11 cm x 10 cm,
      multilobular, exogastric and endogastric tumor, including a portion of the
      anterior wall of the stomach, was extirpated. The pathological examination
      revealed a gastric teratoma with immature neural elements. Eight years after the
      total excision of the tumor there has not been any recurrence. This study
      includes a review of 88 cases (including the present case) of gastric teratoma
      reported in the English and Japanese literature.

PMID- 1414343
TI  - Repressive adaptation and family environment.
AB  - The hypothesized connection between adaptive style, specifically repressive
      adaptation, and the family environments of adolescent clinical samples was
      investigated. Adolescent patients (n = 221) were studied, who were then divided
      into four groups matched for sex, age, and socioeconomic status (mean age = 15.7
      years, SD 2; sex = 14% boys, 86% girls; SES = 2.4). Grouping was based on the
      Marlowe Crowne Social Desirability Scale and Spielberger's Trait Anxiety
      Inventory Scores [repressors (n = 43), impression managers (n = 54), high anxious
      (n = 55) and low anxious (n = 69)]. Results by MANOVA, Scheffe and discriminate
      function analysis confirmed our hypothesis. Repressors had distinct family
      environments as measured by the Family Environment Scale (p = 0.0001). Families
      were characterized by high levels of cohesion, expressiveness, independence, and
      organization, displaying correspondingly low levels of achievement orientation,
      conflict, control and incongruence. Repression may be an effort to adapt to an
      idealized family environment.

PMID- 1414345
TI  - General event representations of young children in a child psychiatric clinic.
AB  - Thirty-nine Children (5-8 years old) in a child psychiatric clinic and 50 5-year
      old and 50 7-year-old schoolchildren were interviewed about two events: "getting
      dressed" and "a day in school". Both the children in the clinical and in the
      normal group formed general representations of these events. Children in the
      clinical group mentioned fewer acts, props and locations. Nearly all the children
      in both groups described how one gets dressed in the correct temporal order, but
      fewer children in the clinical than in the normal group described a day in school
      in the correct temporal order. Fewer children in the clinical than in the normal
      group gave causal explanations. Within the clinical group children with
      cognitive/attentional deficits tended to have less complete and less organized
      representations than children whose primary problems are relational.

PMID- 1414344
TI  - An evaluation of the effectiveness of psychiatric treatment on adolescent in
      patients and out-patients.
AB  - The psychopathology of 33 adolescents (11 inpatients and 22 out-patients) was
      measured by a variety of standardized and non-standardized instruments,
      immediately prior to treatment (baseline), and 10 weeks later (outcome). Their
      parent were assessed on measures of current mood and personality traits, over the
      same time interval, also on quality of life, marital satisfaction, and amount of
      contact with family, friends and relatives, at baseline only. Together with
      extensive measures of family life and demography, a psychosocial profile of
      subjects and their families was obtained. The demographic homogeneity of the sub
      groups was demonstrated, the only significant differences being that in-patients
      were older, and out-patients' households larger. Significant clinical differences
      at baseline were also few; all in-patients were clinically disordered, as were 19
      out-patients. There was an even spread of disorders (conduct, emotional, and
      mixed) between sub-groups. Parents of in-patients rated their children as more
      disordered than out-patient's parents rated their children. Outcome measures,
      including the repeated measure of child psychopathology, indicated more
      significant and substantial trends for improvement over baseline conditions for
      in-patients than for out-patients, although both sub-groups were less disordered,
      overall. Both sub-groups of mothers were depressed at baseline, and out-patients'
      mothers remained so, at outcome. Anxiety in mothers of in-patients was
      significantly less at outcome. Personality traits among both sub-groups of
      parents were similar, showing slight introversion and neuroticism, and these
      traits remained stable over time.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414346
TI  - The outcome of childhood suicidal behaviour.
AB  - A group of children under 16 years of age who were admitted to hospital after
      episodes of deliberate self-poisoning, were followed up after one year. Ninety of
      the original sample of 100 were traced, and interviewed. Almost half of the
      subjects were improved after one year but the remaining children continued
      disturbed. Improvement was most marked in relation to "school problems" and
      "running away from home". There was significant improvement for some children in
      their family relationships. Ten per cent of children had been involved in further
      self-poisoning during the follow-up period. Extended follow-up some seven years
      later traced 41 of the original subjects. The repetition rate for self-poisoning
      was 20% although the majority of these episode occurred within a year of the
      original self-poisoning. Overall, the situation of subjects was judged as
      improved by them and their families although significant psycho-social
      difficulties remained for some.

PMID- 1414347
TI  - The hyperkinetic child. A historical review.
AB  - A historical review of the concepts and classification of the hyperkinetic child
      is presented, ranging from the supposed biological origins in the late nineteenth
      century to the hyperkinetic impulse disorder, and then to the concept of minimal
      brain dysfunction. The differences in European and North American approaches are
      described.

PMID- 1414348
TI  - Savant capabilities of autistic persons.
AB  - Various savant abilities, mostly those in intellectual fields, found in autistic
      people, namely in music, memory, mathematics, specific knowledge and drawing, are
      presented. Their social importance is discussed. As an interpretation three
      hypotheses are offered. In autistic people perception and storing of perceived
      impulses function differently from in normal people (comparable to those of
      eidetics). The memory process and the storing function abnormally. Outstanding
      abilities are reinforced unilaterally by the environment and are produced as a
      kind of avoidance material, because many usual abilities cannot be performed.

PMID- 1414349
TI  - Music therapy in the treatment of autistic children. Medico-sociological data
      from the Federal Republic of Germany.
AB  - Related to the theoretical research on the use of music therapy in the treatment
      of autistic children there was made a postal survey about the attitude towards
      and the application of music therapy. The data of established paediatricians and
      paediatric institutions in FRG show that music therapy is already accepted in the
      treatment of autistic children. The implications of these medico-sociological
      data are discussed.

PMID- 1414350
TI  - Treatment of incarcerated offenders. Possibilities and problems.
AB  - The author discusses in detail the operations of a prison treatment program for
      youthful offenders. Although a model program and an exception to the typical
      prison, the treatment program had problems. One is the inherent difficulty of
      working with anti-social people. The other, analyzed in detail, is the unpleasant
      nature of many of the prison staff, several of whom were unqualified to work in a
      treatment setting. Suggestions are made for humanizing the staff.

PMID- 1414351
TI  - Self-organisation of cognitive processes and psychosis. Development and test of a
      theoretical model.
AB  - The development of a theory of self-control of brain processes leads to a model
      of disturbance of integration of brain processes in psychotic persons. The theory
      is that the "novelty-familiarity relation" of the current state of the processed
      information normally dominates the current mode of information processing. In the
      second part of the study adults with schizophrenia in remission and children with
      infantile autism were tested as to the manner in which they used newly introduced
      elements. The psychotic persons took the different character of the new elements
      less into consideration. The difference from the normal control persons is
      significant.

PMID- 1414352
TI  - Naltrexone open trial with a 5-year-old-boy. A social rebound reaction.
AB  - The neurobiological rationale for an opiate antagonist pharmacotherapy of autism
      is presented. Naltrexone efficacy in decreasing autistic behaviour and in
      increasing social-affiliative behaviour was explored in a 5-year-old autistic
      boy. Naltrexone (0.5 mg/kg 3 times peer week) was effective in immediately
      decreasing gross motor activity and stereotyped behaviour and caused a delayed
      increase of crying, smiling and rough-and-tumble play. This single case presents
      preliminary evidence that a therapeutically valuable rebound reaction is possible
      and that the human opioid system modulates social-affective processes. The
      possibility of psychological factors being instrumental in achieving this effect
      is discussed as being suitable for future clinical trials.

PMID- 1414353
TI  - Early intervention for children in trouble. Educational and health system in
      Iceland.

PMID- 1414354
TI  - The Benton test in school counselling diagnostics. An exploratory study.
AB  - The Visual Test is subject to a critical appraisal, according to the standards of
      psychological tests. Investigating the test results of clients from a school
      counselling service it is shown that this test does not comply with the
      requirements of item analysis and reliability; referring to validity this test
      might be useful to estimate the general intelligence of pupils.

PMID- 1414355
TI  - Defense style and adaptation in adolescents with depressions and eating
      disorders.
AB  - Maturity of defense style has been associated with the level of adaptive
      functioning, but few studies have assessed defense style using self-report
      questionnaires which can provide ratings with great reliability and objectivity.
      We compared self-perception of defense style (using Bond's Defense Style
      Questionnaire) with ratings of adaptation assessed retrospectively by two
      independent raters (using the DSM III-R Global Assessment of Functioning scale)
      in a population of 100 adolescent girls diagnosed as having either an eating
      disorder or depression. There was significant correlation between maturity of
      defense style and level of adaptation, with greater maturity of defense style
      being associated with higher levels of adaptive functioning. This effect was
      independent of diagnosis within this population.

PMID- 1414356
TI  - Effects of nicotinamide and its isomers on iron-induced renal damage.
AB  - The effects of three isomers of pyridinecarboxamide (picolinamide (2
      pyridinecarboxamide), nicotinamide (3-pyridinecarboxamide) and isonicotinamide (4
      pyridinecarboxamide)) on iron-induced renal damage were studied.
      Pyridinecarboxamide (250 mg/kg body weight, ip) was administered 10 min before
      injection of ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe(III)-NTA) (7.5 mgFe/kg body weight,
      ip). In picolinamide-treated rats, the renal tubular necrosis induced by Fe(III)
      NTA was attenuated and serum creatinine did not increase. Picolinamide most
      efficiently suppressed renal lipid peroxidation in vivo-induced by Fe(III)-NTA.
      Non-heme iron levels in the kidneys after Fe(III)-NTA injection did not differ in
      groups to which pyridinecarboxamides were administered. To elucidate the
      protective effects of picolinamide, we studied the action of pyridinecarboxamides
      on lipid peroxidation and DNA damage in vitro. These isomers inhibited iron
      induced lipid peroxidation of linolenic acid. Picolinamide had no effect on DNA
      damage, but nicotinamide and isonicotinamide promoted DNA damage by iron,
      especially when ascorbate was used as a reductant. None of these
      pyridinecarboxamide isomers changed the chlelate structure of Fe(III)-NTA as
      shown by electronic absorption spectra. Among the three isomers, picolinamide
      most effectively protected the kidneys against iron-induced renal damage, since
      it not only inhibited iron-induced lipid peroxidation, but also had little
      enhancing action on DNA damage by iron.

PMID- 1414357
TI  - Characterization of transmural and subendocardial infarction by typing and
      grading of ischemic lesions in autopsied human hearts.
AB  - Two types of myocardial infarction, transmural and subendocardial, were
      macroscopically examined, and the gross and microscopic findings were correlated.
      The transmural type usually consisted of yellowish-brown coagulation necrosis in
      the center of an infarcted focus and coagulative myocytolysis at the marginal
      zone. The subendocardial type was characterized by coagulative myocytolysis
      throughout the entire focus. Wavy fiber and colliquative myocytolysis of non
      specific ischemic lesions were seen only microscopically in both peripheral and
      subendocardial areas of infarcted foci. Coagulation necrosis was associated with
      obstructive thrombus formation in 79% of cases as a result of absolute ischemia
      in the transmural type. Coagulative myocytolysis was associated with obstruction
      by plaque hemorrhage in 27% of cases, and multivessel disease was frequently
      encountered in the subendocardial type due to insufficient blood supply. Based on
      histochemical and immunohistochemical examinations, the ischemic lesions were
      graded in descending order of coagulation necrosis, coagulative myocytolysis,
      wavy fiber, and colliquative myocytolysis. The close relation between coagulation
      necrosis and the transmural type as well as that of coagulative myocytolysis with
      the subendocardial type suggests two different pathogenetic mechanisms of
      transmural and subendocardial infarction.

PMID- 1414358
TI  - Primitive neuroectodermal tumors of bone and soft tissue. With reference to
      histologic differentiation in primary or metastatic foci.
AB  - Primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET) of the bone and soft tissue were reviewed
      by immunohistochemistry and partly by morphometry, focusing particularly on
      histologic changes in recurrent or metastatic foci, in order to elucidate their
      probable histogenetic relationship with Ewing's sarcoma (ES) and its
      extraskeletal counterpart (EES). Eleven cases of bone tumor (average patient age;
      15.1 yr) and 12 cases of soft tissue tumor (average patient age; 22.1 yr) which
      disclosed unequivocal Homer-Wright rosettes and/or at least foci of ganglion cell
      differentiation either in a given primary tumor or metastatic (or recurrent) foci
      were selected from small round cell tumors primarily categorized as ES or EES.
      Most of the cases for which follow-up biopsy samples were available disclosed
      prominent Homer-Wright rosettes in the metastases, whereas the primary tumors
      showed features of ES and lacked rosettes. In only one case, Homer-Wright
      rosettes were absent in the metastatic tumor. Most cases had been treated by
      combined intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which might have influenced
      cell differentiation. Neural markers (neuron-specific enolase, neurofilament
      protein and others) were positive in most cases. Three cases with otherwise
      typical histologic features of ES or EES showed minute foci of ganglion cell
      differentiation, as confirmed by morphometry and neural markers. These results
      suggest that ES (or EES) and PNET are histogenetically related, but represent
      different stages of cell differentiation.

PMID- 1414359
TI  - Light chain nephropathy in a 19-month-old boy with AIDS.
AB  - A 19-month-old boy with AIDS developed clinically unexplainable proteinuria.
      Biopsied renal tissue was examined by light microscopy, transmission electron
      microscopy, and immunofluorescence. Findings included an increase of mesangial
      matrix with occasional nodular sclerosis, mesangial hypercellularity, and
      glomerular deposits of kappa and lambda light chains. There were deposits of
      kappa, but not lambda, light chains in the arteriolar walls, and around the
      tubular and interstitial capillary basement membranes. Quantitative urinary
      immunoelectrophoresis revealed an extremely high urinary concentration of kappa
      light chain. These changes are diagnostic of light chain nephropathy. The rarity
      of light chain nephropathy in childhood and its occurrence in a patient with AIDS
      make this case unusual.

PMID- 1414360
TI  - Cardiac rupture complicating hemorrhagic infarction after intracoronary
      thrombolysis.
AB  - An 80-year-old woman with acute myocardial infarct received intracoronary
      thrombolysis by a large dose of urokinase four hours after the onset of chest
      pain. Despite the patient having no chest pain after intracoronary thrombolysis
      and her general condition being stable, she died suddenly on the 4th hospital
      day. Autopsy revealed hemopericardium due to cardiac rupture, which occurred at
      the center of the transmural hemorrhagic infarction of the anteroseptal wall. The
      massive hemorrhagic infarction was promoted by reperfusion from thrombolytic
      therapy. She had also classic risk factors for cardiac rupture, such as
      hypertension, senility, female gender, and first acute myocardial infarct.
      Therefore, the present case demonstrated that hemorrhagic infarction increased
      the incidence of cardiac rupture.

PMID- 1414361
TI  - Unusual huge intramuscular granuloma with calcium phosphate crystal deposition in
      the buttock.
AB  - An unusual case of a huge granuloma featuring marked calcium phosphate crystal
      deposition in muscle is presented. A 58-year-old male demonstrated a well
      circumscribed, large, elastic firm mass which had slowly grown over 8 years in
      the left buttock. Clinical examinations including X-ray, ultrasonography and
      computed tomography all suggested a neoplastic growth. Surgical excision revealed
      three inter-connected irregular-shaped masses, measuring up to 11 x 10 x 6 cm in
      size. The histological appearance was of granulomas composed of numerous small
      crystals surrounded by reactive mononuclear cells embedded in fibrous tissue
      containing many foreign body type giant cells. Chemical analysis demonstrated the
      crystals to be made up of calcium phosphate.

PMID- 1414362
TI  - [Synthesis of 2 beta-(4'-methyl-1'-piperazino)-3 alpha-hydroxyl-16,17-
      substituted-5 alpha-androstanes].
AB  - According to some studies, the vicinal amino-alcohol compounds of 5 alpha
      androstane possess to a certain extent biological activities in cardiovascular
      system. In order to find new antiarrhythmic agents, seven new 2 beta-(4'-methyl
      1'-piperazino)-3 alpha-hydroxyl-16, 17-substituted-5 alpha-androstanes were
      synthesized through 2 alpha,3 alpha-epoxyl-5 alpha-adrostan-17-one from
      epiandrosterone. Preliminary results of biological experiment showed that they
      possess to a different extent antiarrhythmic activities among which compounds VI,
      XI and XIV showed higher activities than others.

PMID- 1414363
TI  - [Selective long-range DEPT NMR technique and its application to structural study
      of glycoside].
AB  - This paper reports a new NMR technique: selective long-range DEPT. The result
      obtained showed that the technique can be used to assign NMR signal of 13C, 15N
      and 31P nuclei, and connect the spin systems separated by quaternary carbon or
      heteroatom. This paper deals mainly with applying the technique for determining
      the glycosidation position in aglycone moiety and sequence of sugar moiety in a
      natural glycoside.

PMID- 1414364
TI  - [The structure identification of pyridinemono terpene isocantleyine].
AB  - Siphonostegia chinensis Benth. as a traditional Chinese medicine "liujinu" has
      been used for centuries in China, but up to date little has been reported about
      its chemistry. Now, four compounds have been isolated from the aerial parts of
      this genus. On the basis of spectroscopic analysis (UV, IR, MS, 1HNMR, 13CNMR and
      2D-NMR) and chemical evidences, compound I was shown to be a new
      pyridinemonoterpene alkaloid which is a stereoisomer of the known compound
      cantleyine, and named isocantleyine. Its structure was determined as 5H-2
      pyridine-4-carboxylic acid, 6,7-dihydro-6-hydroxy-7-methyl-methyl ester. Compound
      III was identified as the known compound loliolide. The other two (II and IV) are
      still under investigation. This paper deals mainly with the structure
      identification of compound I.

PMID- 1414365
TI  - [Studies on the chemical components of Rhodiola crenulata].
AB  - Six chemical components I-IV were isolated from the roots of Rhodiola crenulata
      (Crassulaceae). Five (I-V) of them were identified as known salidroside (I), p
      tyrosol(II), pyrogallol, gallic acid, and beta-sitosterol, based on comparison of
      its Rf(TLC), mmp and spectral data with those of authentic samples. The sixth
      component was found to be a new delta 1-isopentenyl-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside
      and named crenulatin(VI). Its structure was confirmed on the basis of its
      spectral data (IR, MS, 1H- and 13C-NMR).

PMID- 1414366
TI  - [Isolation and identification of yibeissine].
AB  - A new steroidal alkaloid, yibeissine (II), with a know alkaloid (I) was isolated
      from the bulb of Fritillaria pallioiflora Schrenk by column chromatographic
      techniques. Their structures have been determined based on spectral and chemical
      data.

PMID- 1414367
TI  - [Studies on iridoid glycosides from Swertia angustifolia].
AB  - Five secoiridoid glycosides were isolated from Swertia angustifolia Buch. -Ham.
      ex D. Don. The structures of two new compounds, angustiamarin (I) and
      angustioside (II) with three known compounds sweroside (III), swertiamarin (IV)
      and epi-eustomoside (V) were elucidated by means of spectroscopic and chemical
      methods.

PMID- 1414368
TI  - [Quantitative analysis of compound injection of aminopyrine by dual-wavelength
      linear regression spectrophotometry].
AB  - A dual-wavelength linear regression spectrophotometry has been introduced and
      evaluated. Depending on a group of standard mixture solutions the optimal
      wavelengths and calibration curve can be determined simultaneously by linear
      regression method. The deviation of absorption resulting from molecular
      interaction can be calibrated by this method and the results are more accurate.
      The validity of this method has been confirmed through its use in the analysis of
      compound injection of antipyrine with satisfactory recoveries. Results obtained
      by Kalman filtering (KF), partial least squares (PLS) and target factor analysis
      (TFA) are also given.

PMID- 1414369
TI  - [Studies on first derivative differential pulse polarography and its
      applications].
AB  - First derivative differential pulse polarography was developed and used for the
      quantitative analysis of chlorphenamine maleate, haloperidol, pyridoxine and
      their preparations. The method is simple, swift, sensitive and accurate.

PMID- 1414370
TI  - [The kinetics of ascorbic acid oxidation catalyzed by Cu(II)/H2DCA in the
      presence of DNA].
AB  - In phosphate buffer (pH 7.40), at 20.00 +/- 0.05 degrees C, the visible spectra
      of Cu(II) and Cu(II) complexes and the kinetics of ascorbic acid oxidation
      catalyzed by Cu(II)/H2DCA in the presence of DNA were studied. Measurements were
      reported on rate of .OH formation by the oxidation of ascorbic acid in the
      presence of Cu(II)/H2DCA. It showed that ternary complex Cu(II)/H2DCA/DNA may
      exist in the system in which DNA strand was broken by ascorbic acid in the
      presence of Cu(II)/H2DCA, and it was assumed that the DNA-breaking action of
      ascorbic acid in the presence of Cu(II)/H2DCA conformed to site-specific Fenton
      reaction mechanism. All the result of DNA-breaking action can be explained in
      terms of this site-specific Fenton reaction mechanism.

PMID- 1414371
TI  - [X-ray diffraction studies on tolbutamide solid dispersion].
AB  - D860 (tolbutamide) solid dispersions prepared with urea, polyvinyl pyrrolidone
      (PVP), and polyethylene glycal (PEG) 6000 as carriers were studied by X-ray
      diffraction, relating to their dissolution rates. D860 in D860-PVP dispersion was
      shown to be in an amorphous state and to have greater dissolution rate. D860-urea
      and D860-PEG melts were found to be partly in miscible solid solution state and
      partly in microcrystal state and possess higher activity and greater dissolution
      rate. D860-PEG coprecipitate was a physical mixture and its dissolution rate is
      slower than its melt. No variation in the crystal structure of the D860
      dispersions was observed during the ageing test.

PMID- 1414372
TI  - [Synthesis and antitumor activity of beta-germanyl-alpha-amino acid derivatives].
AB  - Some beta-germanyl-alpha-amino acid derivatives were prepared from the reaction
      of HGeCl3 with substituted oxazolines. The compositions of the above compounds
      were studied using IR, element analysis and so on. Experimental results were as
      follows: for 1-substituted-2-amino-2-carboxyethylgermanium susquioxide (such as
      IIIb), the po LD50 for mice was found to be above 10 g/kg. When given ip, a
      maximum inhibition of 50% of the growth of S180 was obtained for IIIb, whereas an
      inhibition of 42% was achieved for 5-Fu under the same experimental condition.

PMID- 1414373
TI  - [Determination of active constituents in shi-wei (Folium Pyrrosiae) by high
      performance liquid chromatography].
AB  - A new analytical method for the simultaneous determination of three constituents,
      viz, mangiferin, isomangiferin and chlorogenic acid in Folium Pyrrosiae using
      high performance liquid chromatography was developed. A Zorbax-CN column (4.6 mm
      x 25 cm) was used; methanol--water--phosphoric acid (pH 2.5) (20:80:0.1) was used
      as the mobile phase. The method was rapid, sensitive, precise and showed good
      reproducibility. The three constituents in crude drugs were completely separated
      within 15 min. Recoveries of three constituents were 96.78-101.3%, with
      coefficients of variation 1.8-4.7%. Mangiferin and isomangiferin were separated
      for the first time. Pyrrosia plant materials were analyzed as follows: The
      powdered sample was refluxed with methanol for 4 hours, the extract was
      transferred into a 25 ml volumetric flask and diluted to 25 ml with methanol. A
      definite amount of this sample solution was injected for HPLC. The content of
      constituents in Folium pyrrosiae was calculated from the relevant peak height or
      peak area. The content of these three constituents in 7 species of Chinese
      Pyrrosia collected in 17 districts were determined. The results showed that these
      constituents varied greatly with the plant species and varied with the districts
      for the same species also, and should be evaluated accordingly.

PMID- 1414374
TI  - [Studies on secondary derivative differential pulse polarography and its
      applications].
AB  - Secondary derivative differential pulse polarography was developed and used for
      the quantitative analysis of ribostamycin sulfate, kanamycin and their
      preparations. By using sodium hydroxide-potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution
      as the base solution, ribostamycin sulfate and kanamycin showed good peaks at
      0.105 V and -0.37 V (vs Ag/AgCl) respectively. The linear relationship of
      ribostamycin sulfate and kanamycin between concentration and peak height was
      obtained in the concentration range of 1.8-10.8 x 10(-4) mol/L and 3.1-18.6 x 10(
      4) mol/L and the determination limit was 7.2 x 10(-9) mol/L and 4.6 x 10(-8)
      mol/L respectively. This method is simple, rapid and sensitive. The result is
      accurate.

PMID- 1414375
TI  - [Measurement of dopamine in rat striatum in vivo with a biomicroelectrode made
      from mixed plant tissue-carbon paste].
AB  - The mixed plant tissue-carbon paste electrode was prepared and their
      electrochemical characteristics were investigated. The sensitivity and
      selectivity of this bioelectrode were found to be good because of the utility in
      biocatalysis. It may work continuously with high stability for 10 h in vivo. The
      principal advantages of the new bioelectrodes are shorter in response time and
      longer in stability. These advantages meet the requirements of in vivo
      determination. Using these electrodes, the dopamine contents in rat striatum were
      measured by anodic stripping voltammetry. The drug-induced changes in dopamine
      levels were monitored. From the results, we can conclude that the
      biomicroelectrode is a very economic biosensor for its low cost and easiness to
      prepare and is a valuable tool for studying dopamine function. It will provide a
      good method for the evaluation of drug actions on dopamine neurones.

PMID- 1414376
TI  - [The lead generation of protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors by quantitative
      structure-activity relationship analysis].
AB  - Analysis of the quantitative relationship between a series of substituted
      benzylidenemalononitriles and the inhibitory action on protein tyrosine kinases
      were carried out using the Hansch-Fujita method. The results indicate that the
      presence of two or three hydroxy groups attached to a phenyl ring, which connects
      an extended (trans form) conjugated chain, is essential to the inhibition.
      Compared with the structure of other kinds of inhibitors, a presumable basic
      structure for inhibiting the enzyme was generated.

PMID- 1414377
TI  - [Antioxidative effect of three water-soluble components isolated from Salvia
      miltiorrhiza in vitro].
AB  - The antioxidative effect of three water-soluble components isolated from Salvia
      miltiorrhiza has been investigated. All the three components were found to
      inhibit both NADPH-vit C and Fe(2+)-cysteine induced lipid peroxidation
      (malondialdehyde formation) in rat brain, liver and kidney microsomes in vitro.
      The order of their inhibitory effect is as follows: salvianolic acid A,
      salvianolic acid B and rosmarinic acid. The inhibitory effect on lipid
      peroxidation induced by NADPH-Vit C was more than that induced by Fe(2+)
      cysteine. In addition, the three compounds lowered the production of superoxide
      anion radical (O2-) in xanthine-xanthine oxidase system. The order of their
      potency was similar to that in antilipoperoxidation. The above results suggest
      that the three components have strong antilipoperoxidant activity in vitro, which
      may be partly through scavenging O2-..

PMID- 1414378
TI  - [Effect of arteether on Schistosoma japonicum].
AB  - NIH mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum cercariae for 3, 7, 14, 21 or 35 d
      were treated ig either with arteether or artemether at the daily dose of 100-200
      mg.kg-1 for 2 d, the efficacy produced by both drugs was similar. The d 7
      schistosomules and d 35 adult worms were more susceptible to arteether or
      artemether with respective worm reduction rates of 77.5%-87.2% and 51.7%-61.3%.
      Histological and histochemical studies showed that d 7 and d 35 schistosomes,
      harbored in mice treated with arteether 300 mg.kg-1.d-1 for 2 d appeared in
      cloudy swelling and vesiculation in the tegument, distension of intestine,
      apparent decrease or even disappearance of glycogen and inhibition of alkaline
      phosphatase activity in the tegument and parenchymal tissues, as well as
      formation of dead worm granuloma.

PMID- 1414379
TI  - [Studies on biotransformation of etheofazine in isolated perfused rat liver].
AB  - The biotransformation of etheofazine (EDMTP), a new anticancer drug, was studied
      by using isolated perfused rat liver. Two main metabolites were separated from
      the perfusate by HPLC and TLC and their chemical structures were determined by
      MS, 1H-NMR and IR. EDMTP-I is the parent compound. EDMTP-II is 7-ethyl-8
      aminotheophylline. EDMTP-II was also separated and identified from the blood of
      mice after iv of 10 mg/kg. Species difference of biotransformation of EDMTP
      between rat and mouse seems to be not significant in this study.

PMID- 1414380
TI  - [Acute and chronic hypotensive effect of m-nifedipine].
AB  - Three groups of adult stroke--prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRsp) were
      treated with m-nifedipine (m-Nif) 2.5, 5 and 10 mg.kg-1 by intraperitoneal
      injection. The systolic blood pressure (SBp) decreased significantly. The
      hypotensive effect persisted for 2-4, 6-8, and 12 h respectively and the peak
      effect appeared in 1 h. The range of hypotension was markedly greater than that
      of nifedipine (Nif). In SHPsp, treatment with m-Nif 10 or 30 mg.kg-1.d-1 for 4
      weeks reduced significantly the SBp, but the hypotensive action is about the same
      as Nif.

PMID- 1414381
TI  - [Studies on the alkaloids of Cephalotaxus. VII. Structures and semi-synthesis of
      two anticancer cephalotaxine esters].
AB  - Two new alkaloids, namely neoharringtonine (1) and anhydroharringtonine (2) with
      significant antileukemic activity were isolated from Cephalotaxus fortunei Hook
      f.. Their structures have been established by spectral analyses and semi
      synthesis. Seven known alkaloids, deoxyharringtonine (3), isoharringtonine (4),
      isocephalotaxinone (5), acetylcephalotaxine (6), cephalotaxine (7), harringtonine
      (8) and homoharringtonine (9), were also isolated and identified.

PMID- 1414382
TI  - [Studies on the alkaloids of Cephalotaxus. IX. Semi-synthesis of cephalotaxine
      esters and their anti-leukemic activity].
AB  - Harringtonine, homoharringtonine, deoxyharringtonine and isoharringtonine
      isolated from Cephalotaxus plant are the esters of cephalotaxine with significant
      inhibitory activity against P-388 leukemia. In this investigation seventeen new
      esters of cephalotaxine type alkaloids have been synthesized. Preliminary
      pharmacological examination showed that compounds 1, 2, 2 + 3, 6 and 8 showed
      similar antileukemic activity as homoharringtonine. Compounds 4, 5, 15 and 16
      showed moderate inhibitory activity. Some structure activity correlations of
      these esters were discussed.

PMID- 1414383
TI  - [Studies on the chemical constituents of Annona squamosa].
AB  - Twelve compounds were isolated from Annona squamosa. Their structures were
      identified as liriodenine (AS-1), moupinamide (AS-2), -(-)-kauran-16 alpha-ol-19
      oic acid (AS-3), 16 beta, 17-dihydroxy-(-)-kauran-19-oic acid (AS-4), anonaine
      (AS-5), 16 alpha, 17-dihydroxy-(-)-kauran-19-oic acid (AS-6), (-)-isokaur-15(16)
      en-17,19-dioic acid (AS-7), squamosamide (AS-8), 16 alpha-methoxy-(-)-kauran-19
      oic acid (AS-9), sachanoic acid (AS-10), (-)-kauran-19-al-17-oic acid (AS-11),
      daucosterol (AS-12). Among them, AS-8 is a new amide, AS-9 is a new natural
      product.

PMID- 1414384
TI  - [Application of 2D NMR techniques in the structure determination of
      chrysanthetriol].
AB  - Chrysanthemum indicum L. is a Chinese traditional drug used for antifebrile,
      detoxication and hypotensive purposes. In continuation of our efforts to search
      for the active principles of this species, a new sesquiterpene compound, named
      chrysanthetriol was isolated from the more polar fraction of the title plant.
      Chrysanthetriol is a colorless oil, [alpha]D20-31.8 degrees (c 0.3, MeOH). HRMS
      showed the molecular formula to be C15H26O3. The structure and stereochemistry of
      chrysanthtriol was elucidated as I by the use of 1H-1H COSY, 1H-13C COSY, 1H-13C
      COLOC 2D NMR spectroscopy.

PMID- 1414385
TI  - [The application of circular dichroism on the structure analysis of natural
      products--diterpenoid dilactones and tylophorines].
AB  - In this paper, circular dichroism (CD), sector projection and reverse octant rule
      projection of four diterpenoid dilactones and five tylophorines (two of them, 6,
      8, are new compounds) are reported in which reverse octant rule projection is the
      first application to the configuration determination of diterpenoid dilactone. By
      using these rules, the predicted Cotton effects of these compounds coincided with
      the result of previous determinations, so, their absolute configurations are
      assigned.

PMID- 1414386
TI  - [Structure of lamiophlomiol C].
AB  - A new highly oxygenated iridoid, lamiophlomiol C isolated from the alcohol
      soluble fraction of the roots of Lamiophlomis rotata (Labiatae), was shown to
      have the molecular formula C11H14O7. On the basis of UV, IR, MS and NMR
      spectroscopic data, particularly X-ray crystallographlic analysis, structure I
      has been assigned to this iridoid.

PMID- 1414387
TI  - [Studies on the triterpenoid saponin of Cinopodium chinense (Benth) O. Kuntze].
AB  - A new triterpenoid saponin named clinopodiside was isolated from Clinopodum
      Chinense (Benth) O. Kuntze. The structure of clinopodiside A was elucidated by
      spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction analysis as 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1---
      6)-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1----4)]-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-olean-11, 13 (18)-diene
      3 beta, 16 beta, 23, 28-tetrol.

PMID- 1414388
TI  - [Computer-aided prediction of optimal composition of multicomponent mobile phase
      in high performance liquid chromatography].
AB  - This paper proposed a systematic optimizing method for the composition of
      multicomponent mobile phase in high performance liquid chromatography. A new
      chromatographic response function (CRF) has been constructed according to the
      fundamental retention equation and rule of peak width at half-height, and the
      optimal composition of multicomponent mobile phase can be automatically predicted
      by a computer with CRF. This paper improved the known complex method, therefore,
      the optimal mobile phase composition in the global area may be found by means of
      this modified complex method. The optimal separation conditions of four vitamins
      and three nitrophenols were determined by use of the optimizing method reported
      in this paper. The results predicted by the computer were verified by the
      experimental data obtained in HPLC using ternary mobile phase.

PMID- 1414389
TI  - [Studies on analysis of Belladonna alkaloids by capillary GC and GC-MSD].
AB  - A method for analyzing belladonna alkaloids--hyoscyamine, scopolamine,
      anisodamine and anisodine, by means of capillary GC and GC-MSD was described. The
      retention data and characteristic ions of the parent and TMS derivatives of these
      alkaloids are given and will be very useful for identification of unknown
      alkaloids. The derivatization of different silylation reagents was compared, and
      the derivatization with MSTFA was found to be better than with BSA and BSTFA. The
      method has been used for studying biotransformation of these alkaloids in
      biosynthesis. Analysis of anisodamine and anisodine by CGC and GC-MS has not been
      found in the literature. In addition, the advantages of TMS derivatization are
      also discussed.

PMID- 1414390
TI  - [Study on pilules of indomethacin--PEG 6000].
AB  - Indomethacin (IDM)-PEG 6000 pilules were prepared using PEG 6000 as the carrier.
      The solubility of IDM in IDM-PEG 6000 pilules was about twice as much as pure
      IDM. When the effective dose of IDM-PEG 6000 was only half that of IDM tablet,
      the irritation of IDM-PEG 6000 pilule on rat stomach was reduced significantly
      but it still manifested the action of inhibiting the secretion of basal gastric
      acid.

PMID- 1414391
TI  - [Development of rapid-dissolution armillarisin-A tablet and study on its
      choleretic action in rats].
AB  - For increasing the choleretic action of armillarision-A, a new formulation of
      rapid-dissolution tablet (A) was developed. The effect of A, a marketed
      amillarisin-A tablet (B) and a armillarisin-A Na sterile power (C) on rats
      biliation in vivo were investigated. The dissolution rates of A and B were also
      determined. The results demonstrate that the choleretic action of A is equal to C
      but superior to B, and the dissolution rate of A is higher than B. Moreover, the
      armillarisin-A dissolved percentage of A in vitro at time t was well correlated
      with the biliation net accumulative amount in vivo at time 3t.

PMID- 1414392
TI  - [Synthesis and properties of 3,17-disubstituted estrogenic steroids].
AB  - In order to develop new radio protectors of low estrogenic activity and high
      potency and to study the structure-activity relationships, 10 estrogenic steroids
      were synthesized from the view point of drug latentiation, and by substitution
      with active groups in different positions of the steroidal skeleton. The
      compounds were tested in mice for estrogenic activity and radioprotective effect.
      The results showed that the introduction of hydroxyalkylimido or hydroxy group
      into 17-position resulted in reduction of estrogenic activity. Hydroxyalkylimides
      (2d, e) showed better protective effect in 750 rad of 60CO gamma-irradiation in
      mice by the reduction of radiation dose of 144-156 rads than estradiol (reduction
      of 62.2 rad). Whereas 2a-c and 4a, b showed weak or no protective effect.
      Compounds 1, 3, and 5a, b increased the 30-day survival rates by 35-80% in mice
      exposed to 900 rad of irradiation, when administered ip 0.1 mg per mouse 24 h
      before irradiation.

PMID- 1414393
TI  - Should be biologic marker be sensitive and specific?
AB  - Potential biologic markers in psychiatry are often subjected to tests of
      sensitivity and specificity. However, in many instances, clinically diagnosed
      diseases may not be truly singular in their pathophysiology, and these tests may
      be inappropriate. One may distinguish between diagnostic markers useful in
      clinical pathology, linkage markers specifying genetic location and
      pathophysiologic markers that are primarily valuable as research tools. The
      latter are probably most useful in present-day psychiatry but they may not be
      sensitive or specific in their correspondence to clinical diagnosis.

PMID- 1414394
TI  - Exploration and support in psychotherapeutic environments for psychotic patients.
AB  - Clinical experience and previous investigations suggest that insight-oriented
      milieu therapy with psychotic patients presupposes a specific balance of
      explorative and supportive factors in the milieu. Explorative and supportive
      factors were translated here to two optimal ward atmosphere profiles using the
      subscales in the Community-oriented Programs Environment Scale (COPES) as profile
      variables. Three Swedish therapeutic communities for psychotic patients were then
      studied by means of COPES. The study showed distinct patterns in these units
      regarding deviations from the optimal profiles, differences in the balance
      between the explorative and supportive factors, divergences between explicit
      treatment philosophy and the perceived ward atmosphere, and differences between
      patient and staff perceptions of the ward atmosphere. These patterns followed a
      continuum from a self-governing, nonhierarchical and nonmedical organization to a
      hierarchical unit that is an integral part of the medical care organization. The
      conclusion was that a beneficial psychotherapeutic environment requires
      consistency in the applied treatment model, including an organization and setting
      that corresponds to the explicit treatment philosophy, well mirrored in the
      patients' perceptions.

PMID- 1414395
TI  - Discriminant validity of a reduced set of Mini-Mental State Examination items for
      dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - Linear discriminant analysis was used to construct a series of discriminant
      functions including subsets of demographic variables and Mini-Mental State
      Examination item responses for a case series and a population sample. A 9-item
      discriminant function including the variables for time orientation, recall,
      calculation, copying a figure, age, writing, 3-step command, naming, and race
      distinguished demented subjects from community controls with 91% sensitivity and
      88% specificity. The same discriminant function classified Alzheimer's disease
      patients and controls with 96% sensitivity and 98% specificity. This discriminant
      function has been cross-validated as a potential screening instrument for
      Alzheimer's disease in a community-based sample.

PMID- 1414396
TI  - Detecting psychopathology in young adults: the Young Adult Self Report, the
      General Health Questionnaire and the Symptom Checklist as screening instruments.
AB  - This study compares the screening capacity of an age-adjusted child-oriented
      questionnaire, the Young Adult Self Report (YASR) with two adult-oriented
      questionnaires, the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) and Symptom
      Checklist-90 (SCL-90) in a sample of young adults (18-25 years). The YASR
      performed just as well as the SCL-90 and both performed better than the GHQ-28.
      The relatively poor performance of the GHQ-28 compared with the YASR and SCL-90
      could not be attributed to instrument characteristics or to the use of referral
      status as indicator of psychopathology. In assessing psychopathology in young
      adults an age-adjusted child-oriented instrument might be a good alternative to
      the existing adult-oriented instruments, especially when one takes into account
      the problem of data comparability over time in longitudinal studies in which
      children are followed into adulthood.

PMID- 1414397
TI  - The course of thyroid abnormalities during lithium treatment: a two-year follow
      up study.
AB  - A total of 116 patients on lithium treatment were followed up for 2 years to
      determine the course and the clinical relevance of thyroid abnormalities.
      Elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations were transitory in most
      patients, except those with serum antithyroid antibodies. The patients who
      initially had microsomal antibodies remained positive, with an increase in titre
      in two-thirds of cases. Three young patients of both sexes developed thyroid
      autoimmunity early in the treatment. The risk of developing hypothyroidism was
      higher in women, especially in the presence of antibodies. TSH concentrations
      were significantly lower when carbamazepine was combined with lithium.

PMID- 1414398
TI  - The thyrotropin response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone as a predictor of
      response to treatment in depressed outpatients.
AB  - We evaluated the predictive value of the thyrotropin (TSH) response to
      thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in 32 depressed outpatients completing a
      double-blind placebo-controlled trial of s-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAMe), which
      failed to show any significant difference between SAMe and placebo. Treatment
      response was defined as the change in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD
      24) score between baseline and the end of the six-week trial. Subjects with TSH
      response outside the normal range (7-25 uU/ml) had a significantly greater
      response than patients with a normal response. There was also a significant
      correlation between absolute deviations from the mean TSH response (16 uU/ml) and
      changes in HRSD-24 scores.

PMID- 1414399
TI  - Cases of buprenorphine abuse in India.
AB  - Buprenorphine was introduced as a potent analgesic with low abuse potential.
      Reports of buprenorphine abuse by opiate abusers have accumulated over the years,
      highlighting its use as a cheap alternative to heroin. The lower potency compared
      with heroin is being compensated by using a cocktail of buprenorphine with
      benzodiazepines or cyclizine. This study of 18 cases seen over 3 years broadly
      confirms these findings. Four cases reported haematemesis during acute
      withdrawal, a symptom not reported in earlier studies.

PMID- 1414400
TI  - Clinical staging of dementia in a population survey: comparison of DSM-III-R and
      the Washington University Clinical Dementia Rating Scale.
AB  - In a population survey in Stockholm, 224 dementia cases were staged using two
      scales: the Washington University Clinical Dementia Rating Scale and DSM III-R.
      Both scales had to be modified by adding additional specifications and, in the
      case of DSM III-R, a new category of questionable dementia. After modification,
      the comparison of the two scales showed good agreement when all stages were
      analyzed (kappa = 0.60), but moderate agreement on the questionable and mild
      stages (kappa = 0.47). These results confirm the staging of mild dementia as the
      most problematic issue. Finally, the scales both showed moderate agreement with
      the categorized Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (0-17 for severe and
      moderate forms; 18-23 for mild cases). Our data suggest new cut-off points for
      the MMSE when used as a staging scale.

PMID- 1414401
TI  - Antidepressants may not assist recovery in practice: a naturalistic prospective
      survey.
AB  - A total of 130 people attending psychiatric hospitals within 6 months of onset or
      relapse of an episode of depressive disorder were interviewed about their
      symptoms and treatment at the time of their initial contact. After a mean 4-month
      interval, 119 were reassessed to test the hypothesis that patients treated with
      antidepressants would be significantly more likely to be clinically improved
      compared with those untreated. Severity and duration of the episode emerged as
      the only significant clinical predictors of clinical improvement. Patients on
      treatment with antidepressants at the start of the study showed a nonsignificant
      trend for a lesser degree of clinical improvement, even when clinical severity
      and compliance were taken into account. Those who were not commenced on treatment
      until later in the study also fared no better than those who were never
      prescribed antidepressants. The effect of low doses of antidepressants (almost
      always a tricyclic) appeared to be less beneficial than either higher doses or
      clinical management without antidepressant drugs. The need for further
      experimental and naturalistic studies conducted over various periods of time and
      the implications for clinical practice, medical audit and the appropriate use of
      health outcome indicators are discussed.

PMID- 1414402
TI  - The Nordic concept of reactive psychosis--a multicenter reliability study.
AB  - Reactive psychosis is a common diagnosis in the Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden,
      Denmark, Finland and Iceland) and in several other parts of the world. In ICD-9
      and DSM-III-R, the concept is defined more narrowly than in the Nordic tradition.
      In this study we examined the interrater reliability of the Nordic concept by the
      case-summary method between clinicians from 9 university departments in the
      Nordic countries. The results show that Nordic psychiatrists have a reasonably
      reliable concept of reactive psychosis, and that this psychosis can be diagnosed
      as reliably as schizophrenia and affective psychosis.

PMID- 1414403
TI  - Suicidal acts on metro systems: an international perspective.
AB  - Suicide is a problem experienced by railway networks worldwide. The epidemiology
      of this method of suicide has not been described in any detail. To investigate
      the characteristic features of railway suicide, data were gathered from 23 metro
      systems around the world. The similarities in the nature of this problem across
      systems were striking. Universally the victims were young (aged less than 40
      years); most incidents involved men; case fatality was generally less than 60%;
      there was no consistent seasonal variation in incidence; the peak time of day for
      incidents was 1000-1200; proximity to psychiatric institutions was possibly a
      risk factor. This method of suicide may be prevented by environmental
      modification of the railway system. Strategies for reducing the opportunities for
      suicide on railways are discussed.

PMID- 1414404
TI  - The Bible suicides.
AB  - Death by suicide is described in the Holy Bible. The number of characters
      affected ranges from 3 to 11, depending on the inclusion of the Apocrypha, the
      definition of suicide adopted and the version of the death accepted when there is
      more than one account. The Bible treats suicide in a factual way and not as wrong
      or shameful.

PMID- 1414405
TI  - Risk of deliberate self-harm and factors associated with suicidal behaviour among
      asymptomatic individuals with human immunodeficiency virus infection.
AB  - The study was aimed at evaluating the risk of deliberate self-harm (DSH) and
      factors associated with suicidal behaviour in 213 asymptomatic individuals with
      human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in 3 transmission categories (68 gay
      men, 123 intravenous drug users and 22 heterosexuals). The results showed that 12
      HIV-seropositive (HIV+) subjects were involved in DSH after the notification of a
      positive HIV test result, of which 8 occurred within 6 months and 4 between 6
      months and 3 years. HIV+ subjects with a past psychiatric history showed a 7.7
      fold increase in the relative risk of DSH, and HIV+ subjects with a history of
      DSH showed a 5-fold increase in the relative risk of DSH compared with HIV+
      individuals without a past psychiatric history and a history of DSH.
      Professionals involved in the care of HIV+ individuals need to be aware of this
      risk, especially in the first few months after notification of HIV status and
      also at later stages of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

PMID- 1414406
TI  - Suicides in the former Soviet republics.
AB  - The suicide rate in the former Soviet Union rose from 17.1 per 100,000
      inhabitants in 1965 to 29.6 in 1984. In regions of long-standing traditional
      lifestyles, strong religious faith and multi-generation families (the Caucasus
      and central Asia), the suicide rate was low, whereas in regions with
      sociopolitical antagonisms (Baltic States) and forced social changes (Russia), it
      was high. A significant decline in the suicide rate (34.5%), from 29.6 to 19.4
      per 100,000 inhabitants, occurred in 1984-1988 throughout the Soviet Union, in
      the hopeful period of social democratization and stiff restrictions on the sale
      of alcohol. Rates varied widely between different republics - from 1.8 in Armenia
      to 26.3 in Lithuania and 24.3 in the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic
      (RSFSR) in 1988. In contrast to the pattern in several countries in western
      Europe, the suicide rates in the Russian SFSR were much higher in the rural
      regions than in the urban ones.

PMID- 1414407
TI  - Trends in psychiatric hospitalization in Denmark: a 10-year register-based
      investigation.
AB  - Information about all admissions to psychiatric hospitals and departments in
      Denmark in 1977, 1982 and 1987 and about all resident patients on census days in
      the same years were extracted from the central psychiatric register. The number
      of available beds decreased by 43% from 1977 to 1987. The admission rates
      decreased for all diagnostic groups but schizophrenia, which increased. The group
      of younger schizophrenic men declined in size, which is alarming if mentally ill
      homeless people are considered. The census study shows a decrease in all
      diagnostic groups, most pronounced in the elderly age groups. Patients with
      neuroses disappear from the available beds in the mental hospitals and
      departments. The changes in the psychiatric service system from mostly
      hospitalization to outpatient treatment and community psychiatric treatment
      require a comprehensive personal registration of treatment regardless of the
      administrative affiliations of these services.

PMID- 1414408
TI  - Therapeutic sleep deprivation in a depressed patient: prolongation of response
      with concurrent thyroxine.
AB  - A 53-year-old woman with major depression was studied throughout 7 trials of
      therapeutic sleep deprivation (SD). Under conditions where the patients was
      either medication-free or receiving antidepressant therapy, improvement with SD
      was followed by full relapse on returning to sleep. Four SD sessions conducted
      while the patient was receiving thyroxine each resulted in remission, sustained
      for several days. These results suggest that the beneficial effects of SD may be
      mediated by thyroid hormones, or associated activity in the hypothalamic
      pituitary-adrenal axis.

PMID- 1414409
TI  - Miscounting suicides.

PMID- 1414410
TI  - Distressing behaviour of schizophrenics at home.
AB  - The care of mentally ill people at home is being encouraged nowadays. As a
      result, the family members feel an increased burden of care and find it difficult
      to cope with the care of a schizophrenic patient at home. We interviewed the
      relatives of 62 schizophrenics systematically regarding the behaviour of the
      patients that was perceived to be distressful. This was done using the Scale for
      Assessment of Family Distress. It was noted that behaviours related to activity
      and self-care were perceived to be most distressful, and not aggressive or
      psychotic behaviour. Distress was more often reported by younger relatives and
      those with more education. The findings have implications in planning appropriate
      family intervention methods.

PMID- 1414411
TI  - A population-based survey of the characteristics of high school students with and
      without a history of suicidal behavior.
AB  - In a sample of 570 15- and 16-year-old normal high school students, the
      characteristics of those with and without a history of suicidal behavior were
      compared. In a written inquiry, information was obtained on family background,
      emotional and behavioral problems, sexual and physical abuse and suicidal
      thoughts and behavior. Differences between the students with and without a
      history of suicidal behavior were statistically analyzed for boys and girls
      separately by a matched control design. The results for both boys and girls
      indicated that the experience of sexual abuse, feelings of loneliness, depressed
      mood, low self-esteem and the use of drugs were particularly strongly related to
      suicidal thoughts and behavior; for girls, physical abuse and for boys, low self
      reported academic achievement appeared to be clearly related aspects.
      Furthermore, the strong interrelations between all of these variables is
      underlined, suggesting a multi-problem background of youngsters with a history of
      suicidal behavior.

PMID- 1414412
TI  - Incidence of anorexia nervosa in Denmark.
AB  - From 1970 to 1989, 915 people were admitted for the first time to psychiatric
      institutions in Denmark and had as their main diagnosis an eating disorder, ICD-8
      306.50-59. The incidence of these admissions increased from 0.42/100,000
      population in 1970 to a maximum of 1.36/100,000 in 1988. During the time of our
      investigation, the number of discharges of patients with an eating disorder as
      the main diagnosis was constant from somatic hospitals, whereas discharges from
      psychiatric institutions increased.

PMID- 1414413
TI  - Reciprocated self-disqualification among parents of schizophrenics.
AB  - Is deviant parental communication an interactional phenomenon? If it is, is this
      interaction stronger or weaker among parents of schizophrenics (S) than among
      parents of non-schizophrenic psychiatric controls (NS) and normals (N)? These two
      questions were investigated by using sequential analysis of parental interaction
      during Spouse Rorschach. Parents' deviant communication was measured by the self
      disqualification (SD) category in the Relationship Control Coding System. Results
      showed that self-disqualification clearly depended on the quality of the previous
      parental communication: an SD utterance greatly increased the probability of an
      SD response from the spouse among S (n = 17), NS (n = 15) and N (n = 14).
      However, this increased probability was significantly higher among S parents.
      Furthermore, S parents' communication was significantly less dependent on their
      own previous communication than NS and N parents' communication was. However, the
      sheer magnitude of parental SD communication was a significant predictor of
      offspring diagnosis even when the interaction between the spouses was controlled
      for. Thus, the results indicate that the high rate of deviant communication among
      S parents is partly due to individual characteristics of the parents and partly
      due to reciprocation of the other spouse's deviant communication. The results are
      discussed with reference to possible gene-environment interaction in both
      schizophrenia and deviant communication.

PMID- 1414414
TI  - Vigilance deficits in schizophrenics and affectively disturbed patients.
AB  - Vigilance is a concept associated with the early levels of information
      processing. Vigilance deficits have repeatedly been found in schizophrenic
      patients. It has not been clear, however, whether such cognitive dysfunctions are
      specific to schizophrenics or not. In this study, 28 schizophrenics were compared
      with 19 affectively disturbed patients and 17 normals on a vigilance test that is
      a hybridization of a Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and a Span of Apprehension
      Test (SAT). The results showed that schizophrenics performed significantly below
      the normals only on target hits on the CPT. There were no differences between the
      two patient groups, either on number of correct hits or on commission errors. On
      the SAT measures, normals performed better than the two psychiatric groups on all
      measures. Schizophrenics had more commission errors than the affectives, but
      there were no differences between the two groups with respect to target hits.
      Neither CPT nor SAT deficit, thus, seem to be specific schizophrenic
      characteristics.

PMID- 1414415
TI  - Risk factors for depression in elderly people: a prospective study.
AB  - In 1982-1983 a random sample of 1486 people aged 65 years and above was generated
      from general practitioner lists; 1070 were interviewed in the community using the
      Geriatric Mental State and a Social History questionnaire. The cohort was
      followed up by interview 3 years later. At year 3 the diagnostic computer program
      AGECAT diagnosed 44 incident cases of depression. Information from the depressed
      group's initial and further interviews was compared with a control group (which
      excluded cases of affective or organic mental illness). Univariate analysis
      yielded three factors that were significantly associated with the development of
      depression 3 years later: a lack of satisfaction with life; feelings of
      loneliness; and smoking. Multivariate analysis confirmed their independent
      effects and revealed 2 further factors attaining significance: female gender and
      a trigger factor, bereavement of a close figure within 6 months of the third-year
      diagnosis. Some other factors traditionally associated with depression, such as
      poor housing, marital status and living alone, failed to attain significance as
      risk factors.

PMID- 1414416
TI  - The effect of long-term lithium treatment on the mortality of patients with manic
      depressive and schizoaffective illness.
AB  - Clinical research centers in Aarhus, Berlin, Hamilton and Vienna collected
      mortality data for 827 manic-depressive and schizoaffective patients given
      lithium treatment for more than 6 months. The average duration of the treatment
      was 81 months and the total time on lithium 5600 patient-years. For each patient,
      the mortality risk was calculated by entering the appropriate national life
      tables for the general population. The number of observed deaths was 44; the
      number of expected deaths was 49.7. The standardized mortality ratio, 0.89, did
      not differ significantly from 1.0. The mortality of manic-depressive patients is
      2-3 times that of the general population. Our data show that the mortality of
      manic-depressive and schizoaffective patients given long-term lithium treatment
      does not differ significantly from that of the general population.

PMID- 1414417
TI  - Somatization in primary care: pattern and correlates in a clinic in Nigeria.
AB  - During a study of mental disorder in a primary care clinic in Nigeria, 214
      patients, selected on the basis of their scores on the General Health
      Questionnaire, were interviewed with the Composite International Diagnostic
      Interview, a structured clinical interview that allows for a systematic
      assessment of somatization symptoms. Only 1.1% of this clinical sample fulfilled
      the DSM-III-R criteria for somatization disorder, but 4.7% and 10.8% met the
      criteria for somatoform pain disorder and undifferentiated somatoform disorder,
      respectively. Age, gender and the presence of a DSM-III-R diagnosis of depression
      or dysthymia accounted for significant variability in the number of reported
      somatization symptoms. On factor analysis, a factor with close similarity to DSM
      III-R somatization disorder was obtained. This factor is associated with the
      demographic features commonly found among patients with DSM-III-R somatization
      disorder.

PMID- 1414418
TI  - Does an attempted suicide actually have a cathartic effect?
AB  - It has been suggested in empirical studies that an attempted suicide has a
      cathartic effect. However, only one study used a control group of depressives who
      had not attempted suicide. A replication of these results using more strictly
      defined patient groups and a more comprehensive assessment of the psychopathology
      during index treatment was not possible. Major depressives with and without
      suicide attempts before index admission displayed similar courses of their
      depressive symptoms and somatic complaints during index treatment. The cathartic
      effect of a suicide attempt may be restricted to a severe major depression or to
      a violent suicide attempt.

PMID- 1414419
TI  - Trends in suicide rates among military conscripts.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to analyse the trends in suicide rates among
      conscripts in Finland and to compare them with suicide rates in men of the same
      age in the general population. The suicide rates among conscripts slightly
      increased from the mid-1960s until the mid-1970s, but this rise was less marked
      than among young men in the population as a whole. In the 1970s and 1980s, the
      suicide mortality among conscripts was half of that among civilian men of the
      same age in the population. The implications for suicide prevention are
      discussed.

PMID- 1414420
TI  - The Parental Bonding Instrument in adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa.
AB  - The Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) was administered to 54 adolescent patients
      with anorexia nervosa. Scores were compared with those of matched groups of
      normal and of nonanorectic adolescents referred for assessment to an adolescent
      psychiatric unit. Significant differences between the 3 groups were demonstrated
      with respect to care and protection dimensions. Overall scores of subjects in the
      anorectic group resembled those of normals rather than those of referred
      patients. Anorexia nervosa patients described their fathers and mothers as being
      more caring and their mothers as being less overprotective than did
      psychiatrically referred peers. The study raised questions concerning the use of
      the PBI in adolescents, in particular those with anorexia nervosa, and the role
      of the family in the aetiogenesis of this condition.

PMID- 1414421
TI  - The course of alcohol amnestic disorder: a three-year follow-up study of clinical
      signs and social disabilities.
AB  - Forty-four patients with alcohol amnestic disorder were prospectively studied
      from 1987 to 1990. The cognitive impairment, social disability and mental
      symptoms of patients under different conditions were compared. Thirty-three
      patients (75%) had no symptoms of Wernicke's disease nor a medical history to
      suggest its existence. The course of mean cognitive impairment of patients in
      different settings was stable. Change in intelligence quotient correlated with
      alcohol consumption during the study. The development of social disability
      differed remarkably in different settings. Patients in a large nursing home
      deteriorated and patients in small-scale sheltered accommodation improved.

PMID- 1414422
TI  - Extent and determinants of burden among families of patients with affective
      disorders.
AB  - The burden of care experienced by family members of 90 patients with major
      affective disorder was evaluated. The extent of burden in these families was
      considerable. The burden was significantly more among families of bipolar
      patients than those of major depression. Prolonged illness and high levels of
      dysfunction among patients correlated consistently with severity of burden.
      Severity of illness, higher age of the patient and number of episodes of the
      illness also influenced the extent of burden. Variables such as gender of the
      patient, religion, education, occupation, family type and size and the locus of
      control of both patients and relatives did not influence the extent of burden
      significantly. These results have substantial implications for the planning of
      intervention strategies.

PMID- 1414423
TI  - Parasuicide during Ramadan in Jordan.
AB  - To investigate the impact of national and religious events on the rate of
      parasuicide, a comparison was made between the number of reported parasuicides
      during the month of Ramadan and the month before and after Ramadan in Jordan, for
      the years from 1986 to 1991. Significantly fewer parasuicides were reported
      during Ramadan than the month preceding it and the month that follows Ramadan.
      The findings confirm previous observations that national events reduce the rate
      of parasuicide, but the protective effect does not persist into the month that
      follows Ramadan.

PMID- 1414424
TI  - Angiographic methods for the study of fluid mechanical factors in atherogenesis.
AB  - The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the feasibility of using
      angiographic methods to study, in vivo, fluid mechanical phenomena believed to
      influence the development and localization of atherosclerotic lesions, in
      particular, separated flow. This involved developing a method to recognize
      separated flow by digital analysis of cineangiography films, testing this method
      both with model measurements and in a clinical material, and a detailed analysis
      of certain methodological problems. In addition, methods have been developed to
      measure the tortuosity of arteries, a phenomenon which may, according to fluid
      mechanical theory, promote the occurrence of separated flow. In a glass model of
      an arterial bifurcation, a pump generated a pulsatile flow resembling that in
      large arteries. Using LDV (laser Doppler velocimetry) as a reference method,
      three velocity profiles in the symmetry plane of the model were recorded. During
      diastole, extensive separated flow was demonstrated in the larger branch of the
      bifurcation. The flow was then cineradiographed during injection of contrast
      medium, and the image sequence was transferred to an image analysis workstation.
      Treating the image sequence as a set of time-intensity curves, time parameters
      representing the arrival time of the contrast agent were computed. In the
      resulting parametric images, zones of delayed filling were identified and found
      to correspond to the separated flow. Viscosity was measured for seven
      radiographic contrast media and, as expected, the highest values were found for
      the largest molecules. For iohexol and ioxaglate, which were studied in detail, a
      linear relation to temperature and a quadratic relation to concentration were
      found. Whole-blood viscosity was measured for 5 healthy volunteers at high and
      low shear rates, before and after mixing with contrast agents in varying
      proportions. At low shear, viscosity decreased, while at high shear, it increased
      with increasing contrast concentration. The conclusion was that modern contrast
      media, despite their higher viscosity, seem to affect blood rheology less than
      older agents. In a study of the imaging characteristics of the digitization
      equipment for cinefilms, the resolution proved comparable to that of an entirely
      digital system, while the noise level was higher. Algorithms for the correction
      of variations in exposure and geometric distortion are also presented. The method
      for analysis of cinefilms, tried in the model study, was applied, with slight
      modifications, to a material of 26 patients with hyperlipidemia and slight or
      moderate atherosclerosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1414426
TI  - Do physicians need assistance to help smokers quit?

PMID- 1414425
TI  - Do women under the care of family physicians have fewer cesarean sections?

PMID- 1414427
TI  - The usefulness of matched pair randomization for medical practice-based research.
AB  - To be feasible, study designs for most intervention research in primary care
      settings must limit the number of participating physicians, without sacrificing
      the statistical power required to test the research hypotheses. A model was
      developed to examine sample size and statistical power requirements when using
      the physicians' practice as the unit of analysis. Randomized designs using either
      matched or unmatched samples of practices were compared under varying conditions.
      When baseline variability is small or the number of practice pairs is large,
      matching at best marginally increases power. However, in the typical case when
      baseline variability is large or the number of practice pairs is small, matching
      substantially increases the power to find intervention effects with a smaller
      sample. Thus, matching prior to randomization could improve the design of many
      intervention studies in primary care settings.

PMID- 1414428
TI  - Specialty differences in primary cesarean section rates in a rural hospital.
AB  - To evaluate if physician specialty is a factor in determining whether cesarean
      sections are performed, a retrospective review of all obstetrical records was
      performed at a rural hospital in northeastern Kentucky. Review of 1522 patients
      who delivered between January 1, 1987, and June 30, 1989, showed that staff
      obstetricians had a 10.8% cesarean rate compared with 8.9% for family physicians.
      Analysis of the diagnoses that led to cesarean delivery showed no difference
      between the specialties for cesarean sections performed for fetal distress,
      preeclampsia, or other high-risk problems, but obstetricians had an increased
      cesarean section rate for cephalopelvic disproportion (10.7% of all deliveries vs
      6.3% for family physicians, P less than 0.001). These results suggest that
      physician specialty may influence cesarean section rates, although other factors
      could also contribute to these results.

PMID- 1414429
TI  - Cesarean section rate: a comparison between family physicians and obstetricians.
AB  - This retrospective study compared the cesarean section rates of family physicians
      and obstetricians for low-risk pregnancies. The study populations (n = 492) were
      demographically similar. The overall cesarean section rate for the study was
      7.5%. Chi-square analysis revealed a statistically significant higher rate of
      cesarean section for obstetricians compared to family physicians. Obstetricians
      were overall three times more likely to deliver by cesarean section than were
      family physicians (11.3% compared to 3.8%). This pattern persisted for normal
      length Stage I and Stage II labors. Equal cesarean section rates were noted in
      prolonged labor patterns. The rate of fetal distress, meconium, or other
      complications was equal between family physicians and obstetricians; equivalent
      fetal outcomes and Apgar scores were noted. None of the studied patient factors
      explained the difference in cesarean section rates between family physicians and
      obstetricians.

PMID- 1414430
TI  - Does nurse counseling or offer of nicotine gum improve the effectiveness of
      physician smoking-cessation advice?
AB  - Medical advice and use of nicotine gum have recently received increased attention
      as effective tools to encourage smokers to quit, yet the relative value of nurse
      vs physician counseling has not been explored in depth. In this study, 425
      smokers attending three urban primary care centers in Barcelona were
      systematically allocated to one of three groups: group A patients received a
      brief counseling session to quit from their family physician; group B patients
      were given the same brief counseling along with a free supply of nicotine gum;
      group C received a brief health-education session from the primary care nurse.
      Three hundred forty-nine patients (82%) could be reached by telephone at the two
      month follow up. By that time, after correcting for the estimated validity of the
      phone report of smoking status, the proportion declaring themselves to be
      nonsmokers was 10.9%, 11.1%, and 10.8%, respectively, without significant
      differences between them. At one-year follow up the proportions were 4.4%, 5.3%,
      and 6.0%. In the logistic regression analysis, only the expected difficulty of
      quitting was predictive of one-year abstention, OR = 3.1 (95% CI: 1.3-7.3). The
      present study shows no difference between physician versus nurse counseling and
      no improvement in the proportion of quitters with the addition of nicotine gum in
      the physician-counseled group.

PMID- 1414431
TI  - An analysis of 2846 industrial illnesses and injuries seen in a family practice.
AB  - We analyzed 2846 industrial illnesses and injuries in 2430 patients seen in a
      family practice with a large occupational medicine component over a three-and-a
      half-year period. Of the 268 medical diagnoses made, back injuries and cumulative
      trauma disorders to the upper extremities comprised the majority. A large number
      of pesticide and chemical exposures were also seen. Consultations were obtained
      in 16.7% of the cases and 61.7% of the cases were closed as resolved. There were
      17 patients hospitalized and no deaths. We recommend that family practice
      residents be trained in the procedures and laws of the workers' compensation
      system as well as in treating specific occupational health problems.

PMID- 1414432
TI  - Recurrent bacterial vaginosis: association with vaginal sponge use.
AB  - A hypothesis-generation study was conducted to examine risk factors for bacterial
      vaginosis recurrences among women participating in a randomized controlled trial
      of male sexual partner treatment. Of the 140 women enrolled in the trial, 72 had
      a normal vaginal gram-stained slide at the first follow-up visit and were
      included in this analysis. Nineteen of the 72 (26.2%) women developed a bacterial
      vaginosis recurrence documented by a vaginal gram-stained slide during the 6-week
      follow-up period. Of the 19 women, 4 of 6 sponge users (66%) developed a
      bacterial vaginosis recurrence (RR 2.93, 95% CI: 1.43-6.02). Logistic regression
      analysis supported the association between sponge use and bacterial vaginosis
      recurrences (adjusted RR 2.71, 95% CI: 1.06-6.99) but revealed that an apparent
      protective effect of diaphragm use was due to the confounding effect of sexual
      partner treatment. Our hypothesis is that bacterial vaginosis recurrences may be
      due to factors other than sexual transmission, such as sponge use. Further
      studies are needed to examine risk factors for bacterial vaginosis recurrences.
      In the interim, physicians might suggest another form of contraception to their
      sponge-using patient with frequent bacterial vaginosis infections.

PMID- 1414433
TI  - Tangible assistance: a simple measure of social support predicts pregnancy
      outcome.
AB  - The association between tangible assistance, a single-item measure of social
      support, and serious perinatal complications was prospectively measured in 548
      rural pregnant women. Those 38 women who reported no or one reliable helper in
      the third trimester (low tangible assistance) had a higher rate of poor outcomes
      (at least one of the following: neonatal death, transfer to neonatal intensive
      care unit, birthweight less than 2500 g or 5-min Apgar score less than 7) than
      those with 2 or more helpers (13.2% vs. 5.7%, p = 0.08). All of the increase in
      poor outcomes occurred in women with high sociodemographic risk (at least one of
      the following: age less than 18, no male partner, or less than high school
      education). In this subgroup of 121 women, the difference in poor perinatal
      outcomes was striking (28.6% vs. 7.6%, p = 0.03). The association between
      tangible assistance and poor outcome remained after controlling for biomedical
      risk. A simple question about the availability of supportive companions may be
      clinically useful.

PMID- 1414434
TI  - Perceived core procedural skills for Nebraska family physicians.
AB  - We conducted a mail survey of 287 practicing family physicians, 22 family
      practice faculty, and 60 family practice residents in both rural and urban
      Nebraska concerning their perceptions of "core" procedures in family medicine and
      their perceived competency in performing them. Final response rate was 45%. There
      was general agreement concerning what constituted the core procedures in family
      medicine, although several newer procedures, such as flexible sigmoidoscopy,
      provoked more controversy. Rural physicians were more likely to classify
      intrauterine device insertion, endometrial biopsy, and cervical biopsy as core
      procedures than their urban counterparts. As expected, whether a physician
      performed a procedure related directly to his reported competence in performing
      it. However, there were discrepancies between perceived training during residency
      and current practice for control of nasal hemorrhage, aspiration of breast mass,
      flexible sigmoidoscopy, endometrial biopsy, and joint aspiration. Faculty
      programs for teaching procedural skills, standards for documenting competence,
      and systems for ongoing quality assurance should be further developed.

PMID- 1414435
TI  - Cefoxitin-induced antibiotic resistance in Enterobacter species in the community
      hospital.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine whether beta-lactamases could be induced
      by cefoxitin in the community hospital, since this problem of antibiotic
      resistance has been shown to exist at the tertiary care level. One hundred sixty
      six Enterobacter species isolated from patients in two community hospitals in
      Dayton, Ohio, were tested for cefoxitin induction of beta-lactamase production by
      a disk-approximation method. Piperacillin and cefoxitin disks were placed in
      approximation to each other on Mueller-Hinton plates inoculated with Enterobacter
      species with appropriate controls. Three Enterobacter strains (1.8%) showed
      truncation of the zone of inhibition (indicating beta-lactamase induction) with
      sensitivity to both cefoxitin and piperacillin. However, 84 strains (50.6%)
      showed truncation around the piperacillin disk with resistance to cefoxitin. One
      hundred fifty (90.0%) strains showed resistance to cefoxitin. These data indicate
      that cefoxitin induction of beta-lactamases in Enterobacter species is indeed a
      potential problem in incurring antibiotic resistance in the community hospital.

PMID- 1414436
TI  - Office-based colonoscopy in a family practice.
AB  - A total of 112 patients, 64 women and 48 men, underwent 157 in-office
      colonoscopies with intravenous sedation. A total of 113 polyps were found. Thirty
      polyps were of the diminutive (less than 0.6 cm) hyperplastic (metaplastic) or
      nonneoplastic type. Forty-three were of the diminutive adenomatous, or villous,
      neoplastic type, and 40 were neoplastic but larger than 0.6 cm. Biopsies and
      polypectomies were done. There were no instances of perforation, hemorrhage, or
      other major complications. A spectrum of other colorectal pathology was found,
      the majority of which was treated in the office. Patients were risk stratified
      for surveillance according to polyp histopathology, with nonneoplastic polyps
      assigned no risk, and neoplastic polyps assigned high risk status. This study
      demonstrates that for the most reliable prognostication and risk stratification,
      all polyps should be removed for histopathological assessment.

PMID- 1414437
TI  - Influences on specialty choice of family physician graduates of a tertiary care
      medical school.
AB  - A survey of 392 University of Michigan Medical School family physician alumni who
      graduated from medical school between 1950 and 1984 explored factors influencing
      respondent specialty choice and satisfaction with specialty choice. The strongest
      influences on specialty choice were the opportunity to treat a variety of
      illnesses, know patients personally, and work with people as opposed to things.
      The traditional medical school setting offered an environment of high-quality
      education, opportunities to see a variety of illnesses, and a model of tertiary,
      uncoordinated, discontinuous care that the respondents were determined not to
      replicate in their own medical careers. Fifty-nine percent of the respondents had
      no reservations about their decision to become family physicians, 74% said they
      would return to the University of Michigan if they were to enter medical school
      again, and 91% were greatly or moderately satisfied with their choice, indicating
      their satisfaction with their career choice and medical school.

PMID- 1414438
TI  - Effects of serotonin on intracellular calcium in embryonic and adult Helisoma
      neurons.
AB  - The neurotransmitter serotonin has been shown to regulate neurite outgrowth in
      many embryonic and adult Helisoma neurons. To determine whether intracellular
      calcium concentration is also regulated by serotonin in large numbers of neurons,
      the calcium indicator Fura 2 was used to measure intracellular calcium in mass
      dissociated cultures of embryonic and adult neurons. Comparisons between
      embryonic and adult neurons revealed that embryonic neurons have a narrow
      population distribution of rest intracellular calcium levels around relatively
      low values. In contrast, the population distribution for adult neurons covered a
      much wider range of rest calcium concentrations. In both embryonic and adult
      cultures, serotonin induced a shift in the population distribution of calcium
      concentrations to higher levels, and increased the mean and median calcium
      concentrations. Analysis of individual adult neurons prior to and following the
      addition of serotonin revealed that approximately 50% of the neurons responded
      with an increase in calcium concentration. In contrast, there was no evidence of
      a serotonin-induced decrease in calcium concentration in any neurons. Since the
      percentage of neurons responding to serotonin in this study is very similar to
      the percentage that responded in previous studies on neurite outgrowth, these
      data support the hypothesis that an increase in intracellular calcium is a common
      intermediate step in the regulation of neurite outgrowth by serotonin throughout
      the Helisoma nervous system.

PMID- 1414439
TI  - Modifications of synaptosomal plasma membrane protein composition in various
      brain regions during aging.
AB  - The age-dependent modifications of synaptosomal plasma membrane protein
      composition in three different rat brain regions (cerebral cortex, cerebellum and
      striatum) at various ages (4, 12 and 24 months) were studied. The proteins were
      separated by gel-electrophoresis and the quantity of the different polypeptides
      was determined densitometrically from the stained gels. In the three brain
      regions examined several age-related modifications in the amount of the
      synaptosomal plasma membrane proteins were observed. In particular a significant
      decrease in the content of some synaptosomal plasma membrane proteins at 24
      months of age was found. The age-related modifications in the protein composition
      of synaptosomal plasma membrane may cause changes in many brain functions, such
      as neurotransmission, ionic transport and enzyme activities. Particularly
      interesting is the decrease of a protein with 18 kDa mol. wt. This protein has
      been identified as calmodulin by immunoblotting assay. The decrease in the amount
      of this protein may be correlated to the impairment of several Ca(2+)-requiring
      processes in the aging brain.

PMID- 1414440
TI  - Patterns of ethanol-induced cell death in the developing nervous system of mice;
      neural fold states through the time of anterior neural tube closure.
AB  - Vital staining and routine histological analyses of mouse embryos 12 h after
      acute maternal ethanol administration (2.9 g/kg) illustrated that selected
      neuronal cell populations are killed. At the time of treatment, embryos had 5-15
      somite pairs, corresponding to the developmental stages occurring in humans
      during the fourth week of post-fertilization; i.e. when neural folds are present
      and neural tube fusion begins. Affected cell populations in embryos having 6-26
      somite pairs (up to the stage of anterior neuropore closure) were in discrete
      locations in the alar and basal plates of the rhombencephalon, in the otic
      placode/vesicle, and in the regions of the epibranchial placodes, olfactory
      placodes and trigeminal ganglion. The potential basis for the vulnerability of
      these cell populations to ethanol-induced cell death is discussed. Our
      understanding of the scope of ethanol-induced CNS damage is dependent upon
      further defining ethanol-sensitive cell populations at all stages of CNS
      development.

PMID- 1414441
TI  - Insulin receptor in mouse neuroblastoma cell line N18TG2: binding properties and
      visualization with colloidal gold.
AB  - Insulin function in the nervous system is still poorly understood. Possible roles
      as a neuromodulator and as a growth factor have been proposed (Baskin et al.,
      1987, Ann. Rev. Physiol. 49, 335-347). Stable cell lines may provide an
      appropriate experimental system for the analysis of insulin action on the various
      cellular components of the central nervous system. We report here a study to
      investigate the presence and the properties of insulin specific binding sites in
      the murine neuroblastoma line, N18TG2, together with insulin action on cell
      growth and metabolism. Also, receptor internalization has been studied. Binding
      experiments, carried out in standard conditions at 20 degrees C, enabled us to
      demonstrate that these cells bind insulin in a specific manner, thus confirming
      previous findings on other cell lines. Saturation curves showed the presence of
      two binding sites with Kd 0.3 and 9.7 nM. Competition experiments with porcine
      and bovine insulin showed an IC50 of 1 and 10 nM, respectively. Competition did
      not occur in the presence of the unrelated hormones ACTH and FSH. Dissociation
      experiments indicated the existence of an internalization process of the ligand
      receptor complex; this was confirmed by an ultrastructural study using gold
      conjugated insulin. As far as the insulin action in N18TG2 cells is concerned,
      physiological concentrations stimulate cell proliferation, whereas no stimulation
      of glucose uptake was observed, indicating that insulin action in these cells is
      not mediated by general metabolic effects. On the basis of these data, N18TG2
      line appears to be a very suitable model for further studies of the neuronal type
      insulin receptors, and possibly insulin specific action on the nervous system.

PMID- 1414442
TI  - The extracellular matrix of cerebral gray matter: Golgi's pericellular net and
      Nissl's nervosen grau revisited.
AB  - Glial hyaluronate-binding protein (GHAP) and a large aggregating chondroitin
      sulfate proteoglycan (Ag-Pg) similar to a fibroblast proteoglycan (versican) were
      localized in bovine, dog and cat central nervous system (CNS) gray matter by
      indirect immunofluorescence. The distribution of the two hyaluronate-binding
      proteins was identical with that of hyaluronate, an extracellular
      glycosaminoglycan. All substances formed a finely reticulated mesh in the
      neuropil with a condensation of the stain around large neurons. It is concluded
      that in gray matter, as in white matter, the extracellular matrix (ECM) contains
      hyaluronate-protein aggregates. We suggest that the hyaluronate-protein
      aggregates correspond to the pericellular network first described by Golgi.

PMID- 1414443
TI  - Effects of pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures on dopamine and norepinephrine
      levels and on glucose utilization in various brain regions of the developing rat.
AB  - Levels of dopamine and norepinephrine were measured in seven brain areas after 60
      min of sustained seizure activity induced by intraperitoneal repetitive timed
      administrations of pentylenetetrazol in rats at 10, 14, 17 and 21 days of
      postnatal life. The tissue levels of norepinephrine were markedly reduced in the
      majority of brain structures, except for striatum at 10 and 14 days. Conversely,
      dopamine concentrations increased in many areas and at various ages, except in
      cerebral cortex at 10 and 14 days and in midbrain between 14 and 21 days. PTZ
      seizures induced marked increases over control levels in the rates of glucose
      utilization, measured by the quantitative autoradiographic [14C]2-deoxyglucose
      method, in all dopamine- and norepinephrine-innervated areas studied at 10 and 14
      days, except in cerebellar cortex at both ages and in frontal cortex and
      anteroventral thalamus at 14 days. At 17 and 21 days, glucose utilization
      remained increased over control levels in some areas, mainly in catecholaminergic
      cell groupings such as substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area and locus
      coeruleus, but was significantly reduced in cortex, caudate nucleus and thalamus,
      and similar to control rates in other regions. The present results suggest that
      pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures lead to a simultaneous increase in functional
      activity of norepinephrine neurons and an inhibition of dopaminergic-mediated
      neurons. They also confirm the maturation of connections, of metabolic activity
      and of neurotransmitter interaction within the brain, occurring mainly during the
      third week of postnatal life, paralleled by an increased selective vulnerability
      of some regions to this kind of insult.

PMID- 1414444
TI  - Culture of dorsal root ganglion neurons from aged rats: effects of acetyl-L
      carnitine and NGF.
AB  - In vitro neuronal preparations are used to study the action mechanism of
      substances which are active in normal and pathological brain aging. One major
      concern with in vitro assays is that the use of embryonic or adult neurons may
      hamper an appreciation of the relevance of these substances on aged nervous
      tissue. In the present study for the first time cultures of aged dorsal root
      ganglia from 24-months-old rats were maintained in vitro up to 2 weeks. This
      model was used to investigate the neurotrophic/neuroprotective action of nerve
      growth factor and acetyl-L-carnitine. A large population of aged dorsal root
      ganglia neurons was responsive to nerve growth factor (100 ng/ml). Nerve growth
      factor induced an increase of initial rate of axonal regeneration and influenced
      the survival time of these neurons. Acetyl-L-carnitine (250 microM) did not
      affect the axonal regeneration but substantially attenuated the rate of neuronal
      mortality. A significant difference was evident between the acetyl-L-carnitine
      treated and the untreated neurons from the first cell counting (day 3 in
      culture). After 2 weeks the number of aged neurons treated with acetyl-L
      carnitine was almost double that of the controls. The effects of acetyl-L
      carnitine on aged DRG neurons potentially explain the positive effects in
      clinical and in vivo experimental studies.

PMID- 1414445
TI  - Serotoninergic reinnervation of regenerating tentacular sensory organs in a
      pulmonate snail, Cryptomphalus aspersa.
AB  - Several ontogenetic studies performed in different species suggest a
      developmental role for 5-HT neurons. The 5-HT system interconnecting the CNS and
      the tentacular sensory organs in pulmonates is a suitable model for studying the
      postulated developmental role of 5-HT neurons. In this paper we describe the
      behavior of the 5-HT fibers during the early stages of blastema reinnervation,
      primordium formation and differentiation of regenerating tentacular sensory
      organs in the pulmonate snail Cryptomphalus aspersa. Our results show that the
      regeneration process allows the development of a normal pattern of 5-HT
      innervation of the regenerated sensory organs and suggest that 5-HT could be
      involved in reciprocal developmental interactions with regenerating tentacular
      tissues.

PMID- 1414447
TI  - Factors associated with regular aerobic exercise in an elderly population.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little is known regarding the characteristics of elderly persons who
      do not regularly exercise. This lack of knowledge limits the design and marketing
      of exercise programs to persons who could benefit from regular exercise. METHODS:
      We compared characteristics of regular exercisers and nonexercisers among 561
      randomly selected persons aged 65 years and older who were enrollees of a health
      maintenance organization. Baseline data were obtained on sociodemographics,
      health attitudes, and medical conditions. RESULTS: Of the 561 persons studied,
      192 (34 percent) were regular exercisers. Exercisers were slightly younger than
      nonexercisers and reported more positive health perceptions. Nonexercisers tended
      to report lower incomes and lower educational levels than did exercisers.
      Exercisers were less likely to report hypertension, arthritis, or two or more of
      the following medical conditions: heart disease, hypertension, arthritis, and
      emphysema (odds ratio 0.49; confidence interval 0.28 to 0.86). Sex differences
      were present. In logistic regression analysis, higher reported income, better
      perception of current health, and fewer than two medical conditions were
      associated with regular exercise status. CONCLUSIONS: Specific characteristics
      are present in persons who regularly exercise compared with those who do not.
      These findings may prove useful in understanding the dynamics of exercise
      behavior in this age group and in designing exercise interventions for this
      population.

PMID- 1414446
TI  - The effective diagnosis and treatment of hypertension by the primary care
      physician: impact of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) has been described as an
      effective method for the diagnosis and formulation of the treatment of
      hypertension by the primary care physician. METHODS: Sixty patients selected from
      a suburban private primary care practice participated in a study that compared
      measurements of office blood pressures using a mercury sphygmomanometer with the
      same pressures recorded by ABPM. RESULTS: Blood pressures and blood pressure
      loads measured by ABPM were significantly lower than blood pressures and pressure
      loads recorded in the office setting. CONCLUSIONS: Blood pressure recorded by
      ABPM differed from the same measurements made by office or casual
      sphygmomanometry. Use of ABPM changed diagnosis or treatment of hypertension in
      borderline and antihypertensive drug-treated patients. Ambulatory blood pressure
      monitoring is a useful tool for the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension by
      the primary care physician. It can be used to identify white-coat hypertension in
      various patient populations.

PMID- 1414448
TI  - Patient outcomes in hospital-based respite: a study of potential risks and
      benefits.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Primary care physicians provide increasing care for elderly patients
      with chronic disabilities. To maintain these individuals in the community,
      families and other caregivers are supplying more intensive support in the home.
      Services, such as short-term respite care, can relieve the caregiver burden and
      allow the patient to continue community living. Whether hospital-based respite
      can be an effective option for patients is unclear. METHODS: To determine the
      patient outcomes in hospital-based respite, 15 elderly male respite patients
      (mean age 71 years) were matched and compared during a 6-month period with 14
      elderly acute care control patients and 16 community-based elderly control
      patients who were chronically ill and were enrolled in a hospital-based home-care
      program. RESULTS: The average respite stay was 15 days. The respite group did not
      experience increased risk of mortality or iatrogenesis. Benefits at 6 months
      included fewer admissions for acute medical care for the respite group (P less
      than 0.05). Total number of hospital days was equivalent for the respite group
      and community-based control patients and was fewer than that for the acute care
      group. CONCLUSION: The results do not indicate any harm and argue that a slight
      benefit is associated with hospital-based respite for chronically ill older
      adults. Because of potential complications that can develop for chronically ill
      geriatric patients, a hospital setting for respite can be a viable respite
      alternative. A valid concern for physicians, however, remains the potential
      danger of a greater rate of iatrogenic illness and expectation of more aggressive
      care based on a tertiary care model.

PMID- 1414449
TI  - Intervention to increase seat belt use at a primary care center.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Increasing seat belt use represents an ideal opportunity for
      preventive health care in family practice. Little evidence exists, however, that
      primary care physicians can increase safety belt use. METHODS: Three hundred
      twenty-six patients seen in a rural primary care center were randomized to either
      a control or intervention group. Before their health care examination, patients
      completed a short questionnaire concerning seat belt use and then viewed a 6
      minute videotape explaining reasons to wear seat belts (intervention) or
      espousing general preventive health care guidelines with no mention of seat belts
      (control). In 6 months the questionnaire was again administered with no further
      intervention. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-three (74.5 percent) patients completed
      both baseline and 6-month questionnaires. Seat belt use increased significantly
      from baseline to 6 months for the intervention (22 to 37.3 percent, P = 0.00052)
      and control (20 to 33.6 percent, P = 0.00085) groups; however, the difference
      between the increase in the intervention (37.3 percent) and control (33.6
      percent) groups at 6 months was insignificant (P = 0.641). The most common
      reasons for not using seat belts were forgetfulness (40.3 percent), fear of being
      trapped (26.7 percent), and lack of comfort (21.8 percent). CONCLUSIONS: Seat
      belt use increased in this study, although the intervention videotape was no
      better than the control videotape at increasing restraint use. This increase in
      use supports office-based intervention to improve seat belt use, but further
      research is needed to clarify the mechanism and extent of change possible.

PMID- 1414450
TI  - Alpha 1-antitrypsin-deficiency-related emphysema.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A congenital cause of emphysema resulting from alpha 1-antitrypsin
      (A1AT) deficiency affects 1 in 2500 individuals and could account for emphysema
      in 2 percent of all persons with emphysema. Individuals aged 30 to 45 years with
      chronic shortness of breath and coughing could have A1AT deficiency. METHODS:
      Using the key words "alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency," "chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease," and "emphysema," the MEDLINE files were searched from 1985 to
      the present. Data from articles published before 1985 were accessed from cross
      reference of the recent articles. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Unlike smoker's
      emphysema, A1AT deficiency is panacinar, appears in middle-aged patients, and is
      more severe at the lung bases. Chronic bronchitis, mucous hypersecretion, and
      liver disease, as well as a family history of emphysema, are associated
      conditions. Clinical management includes the avoidance of smoking and atmospheric
      pollution. Also available is purified, functional human A1AT in quantities large
      enough for intravenous replacement or augmentation therapy. Future treatment for
      the disease includes synthetic elastase inhibitors and an aerosolized formulation
      of A1AT, which is currently under investigation.

PMID- 1414451
TI  - Premature labor, Part I: Risk assessment, etiologic factors, and diagnosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This paper, the first of a two-part series on premature labor,
      reviews the recent literature on the causes of and risk factors for preterm labor
      and methods of diagnosis. METHODS: A review of the literature on risk
      determination and diagnosis of preterm labor was conducted by searching MEDLINE
      files from 1983 to the present, using the key terms "preterm labor," "premature
      labor," "preterm labor and infection," and "uterine monitoring." Additional
      references were accessed by cross-referencing the bibliographies of the articles
      obtained through this search. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors for preterm
      labor, which include items related to the pregnant woman's demographic
      characteristics, history, daily habits, and current pregnancy, have been combined
      into scoring systems commonly used by clinicians and researchers to single out
      women at risk for preterm delivery. When such systems are tested in obstetric
      populations, results show variable success in predicting preterm labor or birth.
      These inconsistent results could be due, in part, to important factors that have
      often been omitted from scoring systems, such as chemical abuse, poor nutrition,
      little social support, demanding work, multiple sexual partners, past or current
      sexually transmitted diseases, and other gynecologic infections. Women who are
      considered high risk for preterm labor can benefit from participating in preterm
      birth prevention programs that incorporate home monitoring, patient education
      regarding the signs and symptoms of preterm labor, frequent contacts with health
      professionals, and cervical examinations.

PMID- 1414452
TI  - Improving marital relationships: strategies for the family physician.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Marital conflict and divorce are prevalent in our society, and
      patients frequently ask family physicians to assist them with marital
      difficulties. These difficulties are often associated with a decline in health,
      resulting in additional stress to the marital unit. METHODS: A MEDLINE search was
      undertaken using the key words "family medicine," "marital therapy," "marital
      counseling," "brief psychotherapy," and "short-term psychotherapy." The
      bibliographies of generated articles were searched for additional references. The
      authors used the resources of their individual behavioral science libraries, as
      well as their clinical experiences. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: With adequate
      training, many family physicians can include marital counseling skills in their
      clinical repertoires. Family life cycle theory provides a framework for
      understanding the common stresses of marital life and also guides the family
      physician in recommending strategies to improve marital satisfaction. The
      physician's role is twofold: (1) to identify couples in crisis, and (2) to
      provide preventive strategies geared to assist couples in achieving pre-crisis
      equilibrium or higher levels of functioning. For physicians whose practices do
      not include marital counseling, an understanding of the basic techniques can be
      beneficial in effectively referring appropriate couples for marital therapy.

PMID- 1414453
TI  - First name or last name: which do patients prefer?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Opinions are frequently expressed in the medical literature whether
      patients should be addressed by their first or last names, but few supportive
      data are available. Our objective was to determine the preferences of a sample of
      ambulatory patients to guide physicians and other professionals in addressing
      their patients appropriately. METHODS: Three hundred seventy-five patients in a
      variety of ambulatory settings were asked how they wished to be addressed by
      physicians in various contexts. RESULTS: When meeting a physician for the first
      time, 45 percent of the respondents wanted to be called by their first names, 29
      percent preferred last names, and 26 percent found either approach acceptable.
      When being addressed by a physician with whom they were already well acquainted,
      78 percent favored given names, and only 6 percent chose surnames. Preferences
      varied little with age of the patient or with age or sex of the physician.
      CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that one cannot predict reliably how a new
      patient will prefer to be addressed but that the great majority of established
      patients will want to be called by their first names.

PMID- 1414454
TI  - A fatal case of toxic shock associated with group A streptococcal cellulitis.

PMID- 1414455
TI  - Fetal tachycardia associated with maternal use of pseudoephedrine, an over-the
      counter oral decongestant.

PMID- 1414456
TI  - Hyperparathyroidism.

PMID- 1414457
TI  - Urinary gnathostomiasis in a Laotian refugee.

PMID- 1414458
TI  - Reflections in family practice. The last call.

PMID- 1414459
TI  - Primary medical care: a riddle and a parable.

PMID- 1414460
TI  - A "new" standard for the diagnosis of mild hypertension?

PMID- 1414461
TI  - Depression after childbirth.

PMID- 1414462
TI  - Measurers of clinical effectiveness.

PMID- 1414463
TI  - Health promotion for the nursing home patient.

PMID- 1414464
TI  - Intrapleural application of natural IFN alpha in breast cancer patients with
      pleural carcinomatosis. Monitoring of immunotherapy by assaying serum interferon
      levels.
AB  - For resistant local recurrence, e.g. in breast cancer, or metastatic spread,
      local infiltration of IFN may be an interesting new approach. The aim of this
      study was to find out if intrapleurally administered interferon, in breast cancer
      patients with pleural carcinomatosis, can cause measurable serum concentrations
      and how soon after administration. Serum IFN concentrations were compared with
      those in the pleural fluid, and correlated with the presence of malignant cells
      in the pleural fluid. To uncover possible rhythmicity of serum interferon levels
      and its relationship to the timing of therapy, natural leukocyte interferon was
      administered intrapleurally at 10 a.m. Data on pharmacokinetics were obtained
      from blood samples drawn at -2, 0, 2, 8, 14, 22 and 46 h during the course of
      treatment. In contrast to our previous observations in healthy volunteers, levels
      of serum IFN before therapy had no circadian rhythmicity. Daily pharmacokinetic
      profile of individual patients on interferon therapy has shown that serum IFN
      peaks 8 h after intrapleurally administered IFN alpha. The peak depended on
      frequency and number of applied doses. During treatment with IFN alpha, malignant
      cells degenerated and finally disappeared from pleural fluid. At the same time
      reactive cells appeared. This effect is rather uniformly observed, but varies in
      degree. The number of patients is too small, however, to permit conclusions in
      regard to correlation of this clinical effect and the levels of serum IFN alpha.

PMID- 1414465
TI  - Cerebrospinal fluid T cell receptor gamma/delta+ lymphocyte subsets in patient
      with AIDS-dementia complex.
AB  - A subset of peripheral T cells, whose physiological function is little known,
      expresses a distinct CD3-associated receptor composed of gamma and delta chains.
      We used two monoclonal antibodies to characterize the TcR gamma/delta lymphocytes
      (TcR delta 1+) and their fraction (TcS delta 1+) in peripheral blood and
      cerebrospinal fluid of patients affected by AIDS dementia complex (ADC). Thirty
      patients with ADC and a control group of twenty individuals with other non
      inflammatory neurological diseases (OND) were recruited. Our results demonstrate
      that the TcR gamma/delta cells were also present in cerebrospinal fluid of ADC
      patients, but we did not find any statistical difference between the two groups.

PMID- 1414466
TI  - In vivo and in vitro macrophage activation induced by IFN gamma spontaneously
      released by spleen cells from tumor bearing mice.
AB  - Peritoneal macrophages obtained from Lewis Lung carcinoma (3LL) tumor bearing
      mice release high amounts of soluble factors such as C3,H2O2 and lysosomal
      enzymes but fail to exert cytotoxic activity on tumor cells. In the present work
      we show that they acquire this property and become fully activated after in vitro
      incubation with supernatants derived from cultures of splenocytes from tumor
      bearing syngeneic mice. The presence of IFN gamma in the above supernatants was
      detected by immunoblotting analysis and by bioassay. The role played by IFN gamma
      in macrophage activation was investigated.

PMID- 1414467
TI  - [Angioplasty of the arteries of the aorto-iliac region].
AB  - Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of the aorto-iliac arteries was
      performed in 92 patients with atherosclerotic lesions. The initial success was
      87.8% and the late one was 69.4%. The late results were evaluated objectively in
      58 patients, 36 of which were studied by angiography and the remaining by
      Doppler. There were 6.6% of complications, in 2.8% of which surgery was
      performed. There was no mortality. The good initial and late results and the low
      morbility suggest that PTA is a good revascularization procedure. The best
      results were obtained in symptomatic patients with a short and significant
      stenosis or occlusion.

PMID- 1414468
TI  - [Angioplasty of the arteries of the femoro-popliteal region].
AB  - Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of the femuro-popliteal arteries with
      atherosclerotic lesions, was performed in 66 patients. There was an initial
      clinical success in 80.3% and a late one in 60.7%. Better results were obtained
      when there was good distal circulation, and the differences were significant.
      There was no mortality. These results show that PTA is an useful procedure in the
      treatment of obstructive lesions of femuro popliteal arteries.

PMID- 1414469
TI  - [Systemic granulomatous disease, of the sarcoid type, caused by inhalation of
      titanium dioxide. Anatomo-clinical and experimental study].
AB  - Epithelioid granulomas, sarcoid type, are reported in four workers exposed to the
      inhalation of titanium dioxide dust. The granulomas were observed in the lungs,
      associated with respiratory insufficiency leading to death, in the hilum lymph
      nodes and liver. Diagnosis was done after a search of the occupational background
      of the patients followed by chemical and histochemical identification of the
      inhaled dusts within the lesions (morin and chromotropic acid methods and atomic
      absortion spectrophotometry) and experimental production of the disease in guinea
      pigs. The harmful effects of titanium are not restricted to its dioxide, or to
      the inhalatory route. Different types of ceramic used in human implants and
      prostheses and the textile and aerospace industries use titanium.

PMID- 1414470
TI  - [Current therapy of rheumatoid arthritis and future perspectives].

PMID- 1414471
TI  - [Sarcoidosis as a cause of febrile++ syndrome of unknown origin. Retrospective
      study of 8 cases].
AB  - The authors report the results of a retrospective study of patients admitted to
      the Department of Infectious Diseases of Santa Maria Hospital with the diagnosis
      of sarcoidosis, from June 1982 to August 1991. Seven out of eight patients, were
      admitted due to fever of unknown origin. The results are discussed and the
      literature on sarcoidosis is also reviewed.

PMID- 1414472
TI  - [Organ transplantation and the beginning of programs of liver transplantation in
      Portugal].

PMID- 1414473
TI  - [Intravascular surgery--from the initial euphoria to the current pondering, the
      story repeats itself].

PMID- 1414474
TI  - [Psychosocial impact on children with mucopolysaccharidosis].
AB  - The authors present a global valuation of the psychological repercussion of the
      child produced by a cronic and genetic disease like mucopolissacaridosis. The A.
      describe also those repercussion on the family and the school of the child.
      Finally they point the actual therapeutic support of the child and his family and
      remarks the need or pedopsychiatric management.

PMID- 1414475
TI  - [Adenocarcinoma of the colon disclosed by endocarditis caused by Streptococcus
      bovis].
AB  - The association of Streptococcus bovis endocarditis with colonic neoplasms has
      been well documented. We describe a patient in whom the finding of a Str. bovis
      endocarditis stimulated investigation which resulted in the diagnosis and
      surgical treatment of an adenocarcinoma of the colon.

PMID- 1414476
TI  - [Dyskinesia induced by isolated and low-dose bromocriptine].

PMID- 1414477
TI  - X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets: a study (with literature review) of linear
      growth response to calcitriol and phosphate therapy.
AB  - Not all children with X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) have demonstrated improved
      linear growth with calcitriol [1,25-(OH)2D3] and inorganic phosphate (Pi)
      therapy. To assess which factors are associated with a favorable growth response
      during this treatment, we retrospectively compared demographics and biochemical
      parameters of bone metabolism to the linear growth patterns of 20 children with
      XLH who were prepubertal and had not required osteotomy. A total of 15 patients
      had family histories consistent with XLH; 5 appeared to be sporadic cases. During
      3 years of therapy, the growth velocities of 12 patients had been at or above the
      mean for age (good growers) and those of 8 patients had been below the mean (poor
      growers). Data from the two groups were contrasted. We found no difference
      between the good growers and poor growers before or after the 3 year period of
      therapy in mean age, dietary calcium, calcitriol dose or compliance, or Pi dose
      or compliance. Both groups increased their mean fasting serum Pi levels with
      treatment. The TmP/GFR (mean +/- SEM) of the good growers improved with therapy
      (1.9 +/- 0.2 to 2.6 +/- 0.2 mg/dl, p = 0.01), and their posttreatment value was
      higher compared to that of the poor growers (2.6 +/- 0.1 versus 2.2 +/- 0.1
      mg/dl, p = 0.02). However, their enhanced TmP/GFR was not associated with a
      reduction in serum iPTH levels (before, 693 +/- 50; after, 688 +/- 76 pg/ml; p =
      0.9). The Z test for binomial proportions showed that the group that grew well
      contained a disproportionate number of girls (10 of 12, p = 0.04). Our findings
      suggest that calcitriol may exert a direct effect on the renal tubule to improve
      Pi reclamation in XLH. The observation that heterozygous girls appear to respond
      better than hemizygous boys to calcitriol and Pi therapy provides evidence for a
      gene dosage effect in the expression of this X-linked dominant disorder.

PMID- 1414478
TI  - Longitudinal effect of tiludronate on bone mineral density, resonant frequency,
      and strength in monkeys.
AB  - The effect of Tiludronate on bone was studied in 72 growing monkeys (Papio
      papio), 36 males and 36 females, aged 4-7 years. They were randomly allocated
      into four groups (18 animals per group, 9 males and 9 females): group I,
      controls; group II, 10 mg/kg/day; group III, 20 mg/kg/day; and group IV, 40
      mg/kg/day of Tiludronate. A total of 12 animals (6 males and 6 females) in each
      group were sacrificed at the end of treatment (1 year) and 6 animals (3 males and
      3 females) per group 1 year later. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by
      dual-photon absorptiometry. Biomechanical properties were evaluated by an impact
      torsion test and by resonant frequency analysis. Bone mineral measurements
      indicated that at the end of 1 year of treatment BMD was significantly higher,
      especially at the distal epiphysis of the radius, than in controls. No
      significant differences between groups were found in BMD 1 year after stopping
      treatment. Biomechanical analyses indicated that torsional stiffness increased
      after treatment. No differences between groups were found 1 year after stopping
      treatment. Results of resonant frequencies indicated an increased calculated
      transversal stiffness after treatment and 1 year later and an increased buckling
      strength 1 year after stopping treatment. In conclusion, the results on the
      effect of Tiludronate in growing monkeys indicate a profound effect of this drug
      on bone density and biomechanical properties. The biomechanical results indicate
      that this drug is safe, with conservation of bone strength despite a change in
      intrinsic mechanical properties of the bone.

PMID- 1414479
TI  - Endurance training associated with slightly lowered serum estradiol levels
      decreases mineral density of canine skeleton.
AB  - The effects of long-term running exercise were studied in 20 beagle dogs. A total
      of 10 dogs ran from the age of 15 weeks to the age of 70 weeks in a progressive
      program for up to 40 km/day. A total of 10 sister dogs spent the study period in
      individual cages. When the dogs were 70 weeks old, bone mineral density of the
      vertebrae, hip, and radius was analyzed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry
      (DEXA; Lunar) and the vertebrae were also assessed by quantitative computed
      tomography (QCT; Siemens DR 1). Mineral density was lower in the running dogs
      than in the controls. The difference was greatest in the spine in the QCT
      analysis. Blood chemistry analyses revealed that the metabolism of the bone was
      significantly accelerated. The estradiol levels showed the trend to be reduced in
      the running group. The beneficial effect of exercise on mineral density has been
      shown in many earlier studies. However, in this study we demonstrate the
      possibility of adverse effects of long-term exercise on bone tissue. The change
      was associated with a decrease of serum estradiol level.

PMID- 1414480
TI  - Age-related decrements in bone mineral density in women over 65.
AB  - Age-related changes in bone density contribute to the risk of fractures. To
      describe the relationship between age and bone mass in elderly women, we studied
      a large cohort of women over age 65 years who were recruited from population
      based lists in four cities in the United States. Bone density in g/cm2 was
      measured by single-photon absorptiometry (SPA) and dual x-ray absorptiometry
      (DXA) at the distal and proximal radius, the calcaneus, the lumbar spine, and the
      proximal femur. Centralized data collection was used to control data quality and
      consistency. We found a strong inverse relationship between bone density and age
      for most sites. Decrements in bone density between women aged 65-69 years and
      women 85 years and older exceeded 16% in all regions except the spine, where the
      difference between the two age groups was 6%. Ward's triangle and the calcaneus
      exhibited the largest decrements, with 26 and 21%, respectively. The estimates of
      annual changes in bone mineral density by linear regression at sites other than
      the spine ranged from -0.82% at the femoral neck and trochanter to -1.30% at
      Ward's triangle. Correlations between the different regions ranged from r = 0.51
      between the proximal radius and Ward's triangle to r = 0.66 between the distal
      radius and calcaneus. We conclude that the inverse relationship between age and
      bone mass measured by absorptiometry techniques in white women continues into the
      ninth decade of life. The relationship is strongest for bone density of Ward's
      triangle and the calcaneus and weakest for the spine.

PMID- 1414481
TI  - Axial and appendicular bone density predict fractures in older women.
AB  - To determine whether measurement of hip and spine bone mass by dual-energy x-ray
      absorptiometry (DEXA) predicts fractures in women and to compare the predictive
      value of DEXA with that of single-photon absorptiometry (SPA) of appendicular
      sites, we prospectively studied 8134 nonblack women age 65 years and older who
      had both DEXA and SPA measurements of bone mass. A total of 208 nonspine
      fractures, including 37 wrist fractures, occurred during the follow-up period,
      which averaged 0.7 years. The risk of fracture was inversely related to bone
      density at all measurement sites. After adjusting for age, the relative risks per
      decrease of 1 standard deviation in bone density for the occurrence of any
      fracture was 1.40 for measurement at the proximal femur (95% confidence interval
      1.20-1.63) and 1.35 (1.15-1.58) for measurement at the spine. Results were
      similar for all regions of the proximal femur as well as SPA measurements at the
      calcaneus, distal radius, and proximal radius. None of these measurements was a
      significantly better predictor of fractures than the others. Furthermore,
      measurement of the distal radius was not a better predictor of wrist fracture
      (relative risk 1.64: 95% CI 1.13-2.37) than other sites, such as the lumbar spine
      (RR 1.56; CI 1.07-2.26), the femoral neck (RR 1.65; CI 1.12-2.41), or the
      calcaneus (RR 1.83; CI 1.26-2.64). We conclude that the inverse relationship
      between bone mass and risk of fracture in older women is similar for
      absorptiometric measurements made at the hip, spine, and appendicular sites.

PMID- 1414482
TI  - Appendicular bone mineral and a woman's lifetime risk of hip fracture.
AB  - Appendicular bone mass is inversely related to the risk of hip fracture in short
      term prospective studies, but hip fractures typically occur about 30 years after
      menopause. We developed a model that estimates a woman's lifetime risk of hip
      fracture based on measurement of radial bone mass at age 50 using short-term
      prospective data relating bone mass to hip fracture, the correlation between bone
      mass at age 50 and later years, the age-specific incidence of hip fracture and
      mortality, and prospective data about bone mass and mortality. We estimate that a
      50-year-old white woman has a 19% lifetime risk of hip fracture if her radial
      bone mass is at the 10th percentile for her age and an 11% lifetime risk if her
      bone mass is at the 90th percentile. Improved measurement techniques that have a
      higher predictive value for hip fracture in short-term studies could
      substantially increase this gradient of lifetime risk and therefore be more
      clinically useful.

PMID- 1414483
TI  - Radial bone mineral density in pre- and perimenopausal women: a prospective study
      of rates and risk factors for loss.
AB  - Radial bone mineral density (BMD) of 217 white women aged 22-54 years from a
      single rural community was evaluated in 1984 using single-photon absorptiometry.
      BMD was measured at a site one-third the distance from the wrist to the elbow, a
      site that represents predominantly cortical bone tissue. Most of these women
      (181; 83%) were reexamined 5 years later. The overall average 5 year radial BMD
      loss was -5.6%. The average rate of loss was -4.5% for women retaining positive
      estrogen status at follow-up (n = 108) and -7.4% for women who were in negative
      estrogen status at follow-up (n = 73). Baseline radial BMD measures were highly
      predictive of the follow-up BMD values (r = 0.80). Women with positive estrogen
      status and greater baseline BMD also had less BMD change. Greater baseline BMD
      did not predict the amount of change in women with negative estrogen status. The
      bone turnover markers osteocalcin and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase were
      significantly associated with BMD change in women with negative, but not positive
      estrogen status. There was no conclusive evidence of a "peak age" in the baseline
      and follow-up BMD measures. Based on rates of BMD change, "peak" bone mineral
      content appears to occur before age 25 years. Factors significantly associated
      with lower levels of BMD were menopause without estrogen replacement,
      nulliparity, smoking, and age at first pregnancy. Factors associated with more
      bone loss were menopause without estrogen replacement, smoking, shorter duration
      of oral contraceptive use, and older age. Quetelet index, muscle area, number of
      lost pregnancies, ever breast-feeding, or calcium intake were not associated with
      BMD level or its 5 year rate of loss. Physical activity and alcohol intake were
      not associated with BMD level or change after data were adjusted for age or
      estrogen status.

PMID- 1414484
TI  - Influence of oophorectomy on serum levels of sex steroids and bone metabolism and
      assessment of bone mineral density in lumbar trabecular bone by QCT-C value.
AB  - The present cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the influence of
      oophorectomy (OPX) on serum levels of sex steroids and bone metabolism, as well
      as bone mineral density (BMD), in OPX subjects in comparison with age- and body
      size-matched controls. Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and dual-photon
      absorptiometry (DPA) demonstrated a remarkable reduction in BMD in OPX subjects.
      In particular, the QCT of the centrum of vertebral bone (QCT-C) in these subjects
      was no more than 69.33 +/- 3.40% (X +/- SEM) of the control value, and this
      parameter was much lower than the QCT integral (QCT-I) value of total lumbar
      vertebrae. This means that BMD decreases specifically in spongy portions after
      OPX. The serum level of estrone (E1) was significantly lower in OPX subjects than
      in controls. The hormonal action of E1 on target organs has been thought to be
      only one-third of that of estradiol (E2), but the marked reduction in serum E1
      level seemed to be a significant cause of the reduction in BMD. The serum level
      of androstenedione (delta 4) significantly decreased in OPX subjects and appeared
      to affect bone metabolism negatively. Both bone formation and bone resorption
      were found to be stimulated following OPX, but the rate of bone resorption was
      found to be higher than that of bone formation: there was an imbalance between
      bone formation and bone resorption in OPX subjects. However, it was not possible
      to prove a relationship between Ca regulating hormone and this phenomenon. In
      conclusion, the QCT-C value reflects the changes in spongy vertebral BMD more
      sensitively than the QCT-I value or DPA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414485
TI  - Activation and inhibition of protein kinase C in cultured bovine parathyroid
      cells: effect on the release of C-terminal fragments of parathyroid hormone.
AB  - The response of the parathyroid gland to low Ca2+ may be mediated in part by
      protein kinase C (PKC). We assessed the effect of two PKC activators, SC-9 and SC
      10, and one PKC inhibitor, H-7, on Ca(2+)-regulated PTH release and degradation
      in primary cultures of bovine parathyroid cells. Both SC-9 and SC-10 stimulated
      PTH release, compared to high Ca2+ alone, in parathyroid cells incubated in high
      Ca2+, with maximal PTH release of at least twofold occurring at a concentration
      of either activator of 10 nM (p less than 0.05). We have previously shown that
      another PKC activator, PMA, not only enhances PTH release in the presence of high
      Ca2+ but suppresses low Ca(2+)-stimulated PTH secretion. In the present study,
      neither SC-9 nor SC-10 caused a comparable suppression of PTH release at low
      Ca2+. However, the PKC inhibitor, H-7 (1 microM), blocked low Ca(2+)-stimulated
      (compared to the low Ca2+ control) PTH secretion by approximately 50% (p less
      than 0.01) and did not affect high Ca2+ suppression of PTH secretion. H-7 (1
      microM) was able to oppose the stimulation of PTH release by the PKC activators
      SC-9, SC-10, and PMA at high Ca2+ and negated the PTH release-inhibiting effect
      of PMA at low Ca2+. Culture medium from these experiments was subjected to
      reversed-phase HPLC and the eluted fractions analyzed by RIA for the presence of
      intact and C-terminal fragments of PTH.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414486
TI  - Adaptive regulation of ascorbate transport in osteoblastic cells.
AB  - Osteoblasts possess a concentrative L-ascorbate (vitamin C) uptake mechanism
      involving a Na(+)-dependent ascorbate transporter located in the plasma membrane.
      The transporter is specific for ascorbate and stereoselective for L-ascorbate
      over D-isoascorbate. The present study examined the effects of ascorbate
      supplementation and deprivation on the activity of this transport system. L
      ascorbate transport activity was determined by measuring uptake of the vitamin by
      ROS 17/2.8 osteosarcoma cells during 1 minute incubations with 5 microM L
      [14C]ascorbate. The initial rate of L-[14C]ascorbate uptake by ROS 17/2.8 cells
      grown for 18 h in L-ascorbate-replete medium was 89 +/- 8 nmol/g protein per
      minute. Following removal of L-ascorbate from the growth medium, the initial rate
      of uptake increased within 6 h to 126 +/- 13 nmol/g protein per minute.
      Conversely, the initial rate of uptake by cells grown in ascorbate-free medium
      decreased following the addition of L-ascorbate, but not D-isoascorbate, to the
      medium. The effect of ascorbate pretreatment was specific for ascorbate transport
      in that preincubation of cultures with L-ascorbate did not affect uptake of 2
      deoxy-D-glucose. Kinetic analysis revealed that modulation of ascorbate transport
      arose from changes in the apparent maximum rate of transport (Vmax) without
      changes in the affinity of the transport system for L-ascorbate. These
      experiments are the first to show that ascorbate transport by osteoblastic cells
      responds to vitamin C deprivation and supplementation. Adaptation of transport
      activity to substrate availability may play an important role in the
      physiological regulation of intracellular ascorbate levels.

PMID- 1414487
TI  - Distinct proliferative and differentiated stages of murine MC3T3-E1 cells in
      culture: an in vitro model of osteoblast development.
AB  - We examine clonal murine calvarial MC3T3-E1 cells to determine if they exhibit a
      developmental sequence similar to osteoblasts in bone tissue, namely,
      proliferation of undifferentiated osteoblast precursors followed by postmitotic
      expression of differentiated osteoblast phenotype. During the initial phase of
      developmental (days 1-9 of culture), MC3T3-E1 cells actively replicate, as
      evidenced by the high rates of DNA synthesis and progressive increase in cell
      number, but maintain a fusiform appearance, fail to express alkaline phosphatase,
      and do not accumulate mineralized extracellular collagenous matrix, consistent
      with immature osteoblasts. By day 9 the cultures display cuboidal morphology,
      attain confluence, and undergo growth arrest. Downregulation of replication is
      associated with expression of osteoblast functions, including production of
      alkaline phosphatase, processing of procollagens to collagens, and incremental
      deposition of a collagenous extracellular matrix. Mineralization of extracellular
      matrix, which begins approximately 16 days after culture, marks the final phase
      of osteoblast phenotypic development. Expression of alkaline phosphatase and
      mineralization is time but not density dependent. Type I collagen synthesis and
      collagen accumulation are uncoupled in the developing osteoblast. Although
      collagen synthesis and message expression peaks at day 3 in immature cells,
      extracellular matrix accumulation is minimal. Instead, matrix accumulates
      maximally after 7 days of culture as collagen biosynthesis is diminishing. Thus,
      extracellular matrix formation is a function of mature osteoblasts. Ascorbate and
      beta-glycerol phosphate are both essential for the expression of osteoblast
      phenotype as assessed by alkaline phosphatase and mineralization of extracellular
      matrix. Ascorbate does not stimulate type I collagen gene expression in MC3T3-E1
      cells, but it is absolutely required for deposition of collagen in the
      extracellular matrix. Ascorbate also induces alkaline phosphatase activity in
      mature cells but not in immature cells. beta-glycerol phosphate displays
      synergistic actions with ascorbate to further stimulate collagen accumulation and
      alkaline phosphatase activity in postmitotic, differentiated osteoblast-like
      cells. Mineralization of mature cultures requires the presence of beta-glycerol
      phosphate. Thus, MC3T3-E1 cells display a time-dependent and sequential
      expression of osteoblast characteristics analogous to in vivo bone formation. The
      developmental sequence associated with MC3T3-E1 differentiation should provide a
      useful model to study the signals that mediate the switch between proliferation
      and differentiation in bone cells, as well as provide a renewable culture system
      to examine the molecular mechanism of osteoblast maturation and the formation of
      bone-like extracellular matrix.

PMID- 1414488
TI  - Isolation and characterization of a cDNA for osteopontin-k: a kidney cell
      adhesion molecule with high homology to osteopontins.
AB  - Screening of a bovine renal cDNA library with MAbs resulted in the isolation of a
      1447 bp cDNA. This cDNA (pBk2.1) was sequenced and shown to contain an open
      reading frame with a putative protein of 261 amino acids, with a molecular weight
      of 29,573 (minute leader sequence) and a hydrophobic leader sequence of 16 amino
      acids. pBk2.1 was shown to share a high level of nucleic acid sequence homology
      over portions of its sequence to human, porcine, mouse, and rat osteopontins (40
      60%). The peptide (osteopontin-k) had a potential glycosylation site (Asn-X
      Ser/Thr), a GRGDS receptor binding region, a high level of asparagine residues,
      and a high abundance of acid amino acids characteristic of osteopontin-like cell
      adhesion molecules. The N-terminal amino acid region of pBk2.1 (the first 82
      amino acids) and 42 amino acids at the C terminus had the highest level of
      homology with the osteopontins at 86%. The middle portion of the peptide had
      greatly reduced homology, ranging from 50% (amino acids 83-174) to 12% (amino
      acids 175-219). There were also deletions and additions of sequence in
      osteopontin-k that were not found in the other osteopontins. The homologies
      suggest that these proteins are highly related and may be derived from a common
      gene by alternative splicing. A 678 bp cRNA probe constructed from pBk2.1,
      containing a region with low homology to the osteopontins (amino acids 183-219
      with less than 20% homology, plus amino acids 220-261 and untranslated sequence),
      was used in northern blots and RNAse protection assays.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1414489
TI  - Estrogen therapy and variable-resistance weight training.

PMID- 1414490
TI  - Citation of Dr. Claude D. Arnaud for the 1991 William F. Neuman Award of the
      American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

PMID- 1414491
TI  - Citation of Dr. Dean T. Yamaguchi for the 1991 Fuller Albright Award of the
      American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

PMID- 1414492
TI  - Citation of Dr. Eduardo Slatopolsky for the 1991 Frederic C. Bartter Award of the
      American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

PMID- 1414493
TI  - Perspective. How many women have osteoporosis?
AB  - Osteoporosis is widely viewed as a major public health concern, but the exact
      magnitude of the problem is uncertain and likely to depend on how the condition
      is defined. Noninvasive bone mineral measurements can be used to define a state
      of heightened fracture risk (osteopenia), or the ultimate clinical manifestation
      of fracture can be assessed (established osteoporosis). If bone mineral
      measurements more than 2 standard deviations below the mean of young normal women
      represent osteopenia, then 45% of white women aged 50 years and over have the
      condition at one or more sites in the hip, spine, or forearm on the basis of
      population-based data from Rochester, Minnesota. A smaller proportion is affected
      at each specific skeletal site: 32% have bone mineral values this low in the
      lumbar spine, 29% in either of two regions in the proximal femur, and 26% in the
      midradius. Although this overall estimate is substantial, some other serious
      chronic diseases are almost as common. More importantly, low bone mass is
      associated with adverse health outcomes, especially fractures. The lifetime risk
      of any fracture of the hip, spine, or distal forearm is almost 40% in white women
      and 13% in white men from age 50 years onward. If the enormous costs associated
      with these fractures are to be reduced, increased attention must be given to the
      design and implementation of control programs directed at this major health
      problem.

PMID- 1414494
TI  - Chronic adaptation of dog parathyroid function to a low-calcium-high-sodium
      vitamin D-deficient diet.
AB  - The development of secondary hyperparathyroidism was studied in relation to
      changes in serum ionized Ca (Ca2+), 25-OHD, and 1,25-(OH)2D concentrations in six
      dogs maintained on a low-Ca (0.05%), high-Na (1.6%), and vitamin D-deficient diet
      for 91 weeks. Blood samples and evaluations of the parathyroid function were
      obtained before and after 3, 12, 24, 36, and 91 weeks of diet. Serum iPTH was
      measured by an intact hormone (I) and a carboxy-terminal (C) assay. The sigmoidal
      relationship between ionized Ca and iPTH values was evaluated mathematically.
      Results are means +/- SD. Statistically significant changes over a time period
      were evaluated by an ANOVA for repeated measurements. Over the first 3 weeks,
      serum Ca2+, 25-OHD, and 1,25-(OH)2D did not change but stimulated I-iPTH
      increased 84.3 +/- 39.9% (p less than 0.005) and C-iPTH only 25.3 +/- 12.2% (p
      less than 0.01), a significant difference (p less than 0.02). The increase in
      stimulated I-iPTH reached 487.4 +/- 139.6% (p less than 0.0001) and 418.4 +/-
      76.9% (p less than 0.0001) for C-iPTH by the end of the study. Similar
      significant increases were seen in basal and nonsuppressible iPTH at or after
      week 12.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414495
TI  - The calcium oxalate crystal growth inhibitor protein produced by mouse kidney
      cortical cells in culture is osteopontin.
AB  - Urine contains proteins that inhibit the growth of calcium oxalate (CaOx)
      crystals and may prevent the formation of kidney stones. We have identified a
      potent crystal growth inhibitor in the conditioned media from primary cultures of
      mouse kidney cortical cells. Conditioned media, incubated with the kidney cells
      for 6-72 h, was assayed for crystal growth inhibition; inhibitory activity
      increased 15-fold by 24 h. Inhibitory activity was purified from serum-free media
      containing proteinase inhibitors using anion-exchange and gel-filtration
      chromatography. A single band of molecular weight 80,000 daltons was seen after
      SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The sequence of the N-terminal 21 amino
      acids of this protein matched that of osteopontin (OP), a phosphoprotein
      initially isolated from bone matrix. Antisera raised to fusion proteins produced
      by plasmids containing the N-terminal or C-terminal portions of OP cDNA also
      cross-reacted with the protein purified from cell culture media on western blots.
      The effect of the purified protein on the growth of CaOx crystals was measured
      using a constant composition assay. A 50% inhibition of growth occurred at a
      protein concentration of 0.85 micrograms/ml, and the dissociation constant of the
      protein with respect to CaOx crystal was 3.7 x 10(-8) M. The concentration of OP
      in mouse urine, measured using antibodies raised to the purified protein, was
      approximately 8 micrograms/ml. We conclude that OP is synthesized by kidney
      cortical tubule cells and functions as a crystal growth inhibitory protein in
      urine.

PMID- 1414496
TI  - Is heritability a risk factor for postmenopausal osteoporosis?
AB  - We investigated heritability as a risk factor for the development of osteoporosis
      in two randomly selected populations of postmenopausal women and their
      premenopausal daughters. We determined the familial resemblance in bone mass at
      three sites; the distal forearm, lumbar spine, and proximal femur,
      premenopausally and with increasing maternal postmenopausal age. We also examined
      the bone mass of daughters in relation to mothers with and without osteoporotic
      fractures. Peak bone mass among premenopausal siblings was significantly
      correlated at all sites (r = 0.30-0.42, p less than 0.001). The same levels of
      resemblance were found between early postmenopausal mothers and premenopausal
      daughters. There was no significant difference in bone mass at any skeletal site
      between daughters of women with either peripheral or spinal fractures and
      daughters of women without fractures. We also examined familial resemblance with
      four biochemical markers of bone turnover (fasting urinary calcium and
      hydroxyproline, both corrected for creatinine, serum alkaline phosphatase, and
      plasma bone Gla protein). A generally significant resemblance were seen in
      premenopausal siblings (r = 0.25-0.39, hydroxyproline NS), but not between
      premenopausal daughters and postmenopausal mothers. We conclude that peak bone
      mass is hereditary in the distal forearm, lumbar spine, and proximal femur, but
      the mother-daughter resemblance explains only about 16% of the variability in
      daughters' bone mass. Furthermore, daughters of women with a moderate state of
      osteoporotic fractures are not substantially at an increased risk of having a low
      peak bone mass compared to the daughters of women without fractures.

PMID- 1414497
TI  - Genetic expression of extracellular matrix proteins correlates with histologic
      changes during fracture repair.
AB  - We characterized gene expression in the reparative callus that formed after
      fracture of the rat femur. The callus was divided into regions of bone formation
      (hard callus) and cartilage formation (soft callus), and gene expression was
      examined separately in each region. Expression of extracellular matrix protein
      genes varied with the progression of repair and differed between hard and soft
      calluses. Messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs) for osteonectin, alkaline
      phosphatase, and type I procollagen were detected in the hard callus at maximal
      levels during endochondral ossification and bone remodeling (day 15) and at 50%
      maximal levels during intramembranous bone formation (day 7). Messenger RNAs for
      these proteins in the soft callus were detected at low levels during
      chondrogenesis (day 9) but increased to 80% of maximal levels with chondrocyte
      hypertrophy and mineralization of the cartilage matrix (day 13). Messenger RNAs
      for type II procollagen and proteoglycan core protein were detected at maximal
      levels in the soft callus during chondrogenesis (day 9). Osteocalcin gene
      expression was detected in the hard callus during endochondral ossification and
      remodeling but not during intramembranous bone formation or at any time in the
      soft callus. Osteonectin mRNA was detected in both the hard and soft callus
      throughout the entire course of fracture repair. Expression of cartilage and bone
      related genes correlated with the temporal sequence of histologic changes,
      suggesting transcriptional regulation of gene expression during repair.
      Differences in gene expression between hard and soft callus and in each of these
      regions as repair progressed suggest local regulation of gene expression during
      cell differentiation and matrix synthesis.

PMID- 1414498
TI  - Responsiveness to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 is reduced in lymphocytes from
      osteoporotic women.
AB  - The purpose of this work was to test the hypothesis that reduced responsiveness
      of target organs to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3] is associated with
      osteoporosis. Peripheral blood mononuclear (PBM) cells have been previously shown
      to be a valid model for the action of 1,25(OH)2D3 on its classic target organs in
      various pathologic and physiologic situations. The responsiveness of lymphocytes
      to the hormone can be assessed by the extent of inhibition it exerts on the
      proliferative response to mitogenic lectins. A group of 39 postmenopausal women,
      at least 10 years after the menopause, participated in the study. Osteoporosis,
      defined as the presence of at least one nontraumatic vertebral crush fracture,
      was diagnosed in 19 subjects. Mitogenesis of PBM cells stimulated by
      phytohemagglutinin and cultured for 72 h in the presence or absence of 1,25
      (OH)2D3 (0.03-1 nmol/liter) was assessed by [3H]thymidine incorporation during a
      4 h pulse. The maximal inhibitory effect of 1,25-(OH)2D3 at saturating
      concentration (1 nM/liter) was 74.6 +/- 2.8% (mean +/- SEM) for normal compared
      to 65.3 +/- 2.9% for osteoporotic women (P = 0.015). The geometric mean of the
      ED50 values of 1,25-(OH)2D3 was 60% higher in the osteoporotic than in the normal
      group (P = 0.035). Our data are consistent with the notion that reduced
      responsiveness of target organs to 1,25-(OH)2D3 is associated with osteoporosis.

PMID- 1414499
TI  - Site-matched calcaneal measurements of broad-band ultrasound attenuation and
      single X-ray absorptiometry: do they measure different skeletal properties?
AB  - Because of the differences in the interactions of ultrasound and x-ray waves with
      bone, quantitative ultrasound (QUS) techniques may yield information about
      skeletal status not accessible by regular bone densitometry (BD) techniques.
      However, relatively strong correlations have been reported between broad-band
      ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and several x-ray-based BD methods. We assessed the
      precision and association of single x-ray absorptiometry (SXA) and BUA of the
      calcaneus. We examined both BUA and SXA at the calcaneus using special software
      for matching the regions of interest. An algorithm was derived and applied to
      correct the observed correlation coefficients for the attenuation effect caused
      by the precision errors for BUA and SXA. In a group of 33 volunteers covering a
      wide range of age and calcaneal bone mineral densities, the site-matched and
      precision-adjusted correlation coefficient between BUA and SXA was r = 0.58, with
      a standard error of the estimate (SEE) of 14.41 dB/MHz, or 17.08%. For the
      subgroup of 25 women the correlation was stronger, with r = 0.72 and SEE = 11.53
      dB/MHz, or 14.33%. SXA precision was 0.79% for the regular region of interest
      (ROI) and 1.22% for the site-matched ROI. BUA precision was 2.76% for the entire
      subject group and 1.63% for women of age 40 or older. The observed correlation
      coefficient between ultrasound and x-ray based techniques of the order of 0.7 is
      significant, but it leaves about 50% of the variability unexplained.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414500
TI  - Assessment of spinal and femoral bone density by dual X-ray absorptiometry:
      comparison of lunar and hologic instruments.
AB  - Clinical application of techniques for assessing bone mineral density (BMD)
      requires accurate and precise measurements that can be related to clearly defined
      normal ranges. In this study we investigated the clinical interpretation of BMD
      values in a group of individuals measured on the same day with two different dual
      energy x-ray densitometers (Lunar DPX and Hologic QDR 1000). The BMD results were
      analyzed as absolute values in g/cm2 and with respect to young and age-specific
      normals as defined by each manufacturer. Absolute BMD values measured by the two
      instruments were highly correlated (lumbar spine r = 0.98, femoral neck r = 0.95;
      p less than 0.0001). In the lumbar spine, the two instruments assigned almost
      identical values when expressed as a percentage of age-matched values and as a
      percentage of young normals, despite a small but systematic difference between
      the values assigned for the latter index. In the femoral neck, however, there
      were significant differences in assignments between instruments, expressed both
      as a percentage of young normal (mean difference 6.2%) and with respect to age
      matched values (mean difference 3.3%). In particular, in premenopausal subjects
      femoral neck values with the Hologic instrument were assigned significantly lower
      values. This study shows effective comparability between these two instruments
      for absolute and relative values for the lumbar spine, as well as for absolute
      values at the femoral neck, but important differences for normality assignments
      at the femoral neck. These latter differences may produce bias in the "diagnosis"
      of femoral neck osteoporosis and may have important implications for clinical
      decision making.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414501
TI  - Effects of deflazacort on aspects of bone formation in cultures of intact
      calvariae and osteoblast-enriched cells.
AB  - Deflazacort, a synthetic glucocorticoid reported to have bone-sparing properties
      in vivo, and cortisol were compared for their effects on bone formation in vitro.
      Deflazacort and cortisol were studied for their effects on DNA and collagen
      synthesis in cultures of intact fetal rat calvariae and of osteoblast-enriched
      (Ob) cells from 21- to 22-day-old fetal rat parietal bone. Both steroids were
      also examined for their effects on skeletal insulin-like growth factor (IGF) I
      production, which is decreased by cortisol and appears relevant to its mode of
      action. After 24 h of culture, deflazacort and cortisol had limited effects on
      the parameters studied, although cortisol at 100 nM decreased [3H]proline
      incorporation into collagen in intact calvariae. In contrast, after 72 h
      deflazacort and cortisol at 1-100 nM inhibited the incorporation of [3H]thymidine
      into DNA and at 100 nM decreased the incorporation of [3H]proline into collagen
      and noncollagen protein in intact calvariae. Deflazacort and cortisol at 10-1000
      nM decreased calvarial collagen degradation to a similar extent. Both steroids
      had a similar activity, and at 100 nM for 72 h they decreased IGF-I production by
      calvariae; however, cortisol at 10 nM was somewhat more effective than
      deflazacort in decreasing IGF-I levels. Deflazacort and cortisol had analogous
      effects in Ob cell cultures. After 24 h of treatment, deflazacort at 100-1000 nM
      and cortisol at 10-1000 nM decreased the labeling of DNA, and both steroids at
      100-1000 nM caused a similar decrease in [3H]proline incorporation into collagen
      in Ob cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414503
TI  - Demonstration of sodium/calcium exchange in rodent osteoblasts.
AB  - Based on the inhibition of stimulated Ca release from cultured bone by several
      different agents that alter Na transport, we proposed that hormonally stimulated
      bone resorption requires Na/Ca exchange. Calcemic hormones appear to interact
      primarily directly with the osteoblast, which then mediates the activation of
      osteoclast activity. In organ culture it is not possible to determine whether
      Na/Ca exchange is involved in this initiating step in the osteoblast or directly
      in osteoclast-mediated Ca release, and there have been no prior direct
      measurements of Na/Ca exchange in bone or bone cells. The purpose of this study
      was to demonstrate the presence of Na/Ca exchange transport in the osteoblast.
      Thus, we characterized Na-dependent Ca transport in osteoblast-like rat
      osteosarcoma cells (UMR-106) and primary bone cells isolated from neonatal mouse
      calvaria. Cells were loaded with the Ca-sensitive dye fura-2 in the presence of
      physiologic NaCl and the absence of Ca with or without 0.3 mM ouabain. Changes in
      free cytosolic Ca after the extracellular addition of 1.5 mM Ca were measured
      spectrofluorimetrically. An outward Na gradient was generated by decreasing
      extracellular Na while maintaining isotonicity. UMR-106 cells that were Na loaded
      by ouabain inhibition of Na,K-ATPase activity exhibited 30% greater Ca uptake
      than control cells. Similar results were obtained with primary bone cells. This
      uptake required extracellular Ca, was not inhibited by 200 microM verapamil, and
      was reversible upon reversal of the Na gradient. These data demonstrate the
      presence of a Na/Ca exchange transport system in osteoblasts.

PMID- 1414502
TI  - Restoring and maintaining bone in osteopenic female rat skeleton: I. Changes in
      bone mass and structure.
AB  - This experiment contains the crucial data for the lose, restore, and maintain
      (LRM) concept, a practical approach for reversing existing osteoporosis. The LRM
      concept uses anabolic agents to restore bone mass and architecture (+ phase) and
      then switches to an agent with the established ability to maintain bone mass, to
      keep the new bone (+/- phase). The purpose of this study was to learn whether
      switching to an agent known chiefly for its ability to maintain existing bone
      mass preserves new bone induced by PGE2 in osteopenic, estrogen-depleted rats.
      The current study had three phases, the bone loss (-), restore (+), and maintain
      (+/-) phases. We ovariectomized (OX) or sham ovariectomized (sham-OX) 5.5-month
      old female rats (- phase). The OX rats were treated 5 months postovariectomy with
      1-6 mg PGE2 per kg/day for 75 days to restore lost cancellous bone mass (+
      phase), and then PGE2 treatment was stopped and treatment began with 1 or 5
      micrograms/kg of risedronate, a bisphosphonate, twice a week for 60 days (+/-
      phase). During the loss (-) phase, the cancellous bone volume of the proximal
      tibial metaphysis in the OX rat fell to 19% of initial and 30% of age-matched
      control levels. During the restore (+) phase, the cancellous bone volume in OX
      rats doubled. When PGE2 treatment was stopped, however, and no special
      maintenance efforts were made during the maintain (+/-) phase, the PGE2-induced
      cancellous bone disappeared. In contrast, the PGE2-induced cancellous bone
      persisted when the PGE2 treatment was followed by either a 1 or 5 micrograms
      treatment of risedronate per kg given twice a week for 60 days during the
      maintain (+/-) phase. The tibial shaft demonstrated very little cortical bone
      loss during the loss (-) phase in OX rats. The tibial shaft cortical bone fell
      some 8%. During the restore (+) phase, new cortical bone in OX rats increased by
      22%. When PGE2 treatment was stopped and nothing was given during the maintain
      (+/-) phase, however, all but the PGE2-induced subperiosteal bone disappeared. In
      contrast, when PGE2 treatment was stopped and 1 micron risedronate per kg twice a
      week for 60 days was administered during the maintenance (+/-) phase, the PGE2
      induced subperiosteal bone and some of the subendocortical bone and marrow
      trabeculae persisted.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1414504
TI  - Hypocalcemic actions of amylin amide in humans.
AB  - Amylin (also known as islet amyloid polypeptide and diabetes-associated peptide)
      has recently been shown by us to have a potent hypocalcemic effect in rat and
      rabbit owing to inhibition of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. The
      hypocalcemic potency of amylin was found to be second only to that of calcitonin
      (CT) and is 100-fold more potent than calcitonin gene-related peptide. Here we
      demonstrate that amylin has a hypocalcemic effect in patients with Paget's
      disease of bone. Both human CT (hCT) and amylin induced a maximum hypocalcemic
      effect 2 h following intravenous administration of the peptides (p less than
      0.001). Although on a molar basis amylin is less potent than CT, it exhibits a
      significantly prolonged hypocalcemic effect compared to hCT. Here we demonstrate
      for the first time a profound hypocalcemic effect of amylin in the human, despite
      sharing only 15% amino acid sequence identity with hCT.

PMID- 1414505
TI  - Ultrastructure of the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNv) receiving tectal
      afferents in the cat.
AB  - The ultrastructure of the ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNv) associated
      with the superior colliculus was investigated. In addition to normal synaptic
      morphology tectal input was examined following unilateral ablation of the
      superior colliculus at survival times of 2 to 12 days. Eight cats were used (six
      experimental, two control). Examination of the ventromedial LGNv revealed a
      prevalence of Flat-Symmetric (FS) synapses (58.2 +/- 1.9%), relative to the
      usually more abundant, Round-Asymmetric (RA) contacts (41.8 +/- 1.8%). The
      functional morphology of terminating tectal fibres (although infrequent) was
      suggestive of the FS type. Since FS connections usually serve an inhibitory
      purpose, it is suggested that the tectal LGNv connection has a negative
      modulation function in the fixation and tracking process.

PMID- 1414506
TI  - The method of surgical hippocampal lesions in dogs.

PMID- 1414507
TI  - Catecholamines and DOPAC in cortical and neostriatal regions during rats'
      learning of delayed alternation.
AB  - Dopamine, norepinephrine and DOPAC were measured in two cortical areas (the
      medial prefrontal and the posterolateral, Te2) and in the anterior and posterior
      neostriatum in rats which were exposed to three different experiences for three
      different lengths of time. One group learned delayed alternation and the two
      others served as controls. Throughout the training period all animals were housed
      in single cages. There was no significant effect of the kind of experience on any
      measure, but the length of exposure did affect some values: the amount of non
      precursor dopamine was decreased significantly in both neostriatal samples. A
      significant increase of dopamine turnover and amount of norepinephrine was found
      in the Te2 area and in the posterior neostriatal sample. The observed changes are
      attributed to isolation stress. We conclude that although, as it has been
      described earlier, dopamine transmission is necessary for mediation of
      behavioural functions of the prefrontal system, it does not change quantitatively
      in the system during specific activity.

PMID- 1414508
TI  - Chlorpromazine exerts stronger suppressive action on the instrumental responses
      motivated by social than by alimentary reward.
AB  - Experiments were performed on six dogs over-trained before treatment, in
      differentiation of two instrumental responses, i.e. reinforced either by food or
      by sensory-social reward (petting by the experimenter). Chlorpromazine was
      injected intramuscularly (1.5 mg/kg) in two separate series. In the first series
      the drug was given four times during two weeks (twice a week). In the second
      series, it was injected every day for four consecutive days. Chlorpromazine
      produced a decrease of performance and an increase of response latencies and
      errors but this effect was much more evident with social than with alimentary
      reward. The effect of the drug was similar in both variants of the experiment,
      although it was more pronounced in the second than in the first series. Food
      intake was not changed. The motor and autonomic disturbances produced by the drug
      were not correlated with the decrease in instrumental performance. It is
      suggested that chlorpromazine acts rather on motivational or rewarding processes
      than on hunger drive or instrumental performance as such.

PMID- 1414509
TI  - 5-HT1 receptors in the structures of visual pathway of normal and monocularly
      deprived kittens.
AB  - The density and pattern of distribution of 5-HT1 receptor sites was examined
      using quantitative in vitro autoradiography with [3H]5-HT as a ligand in the
      visual structures of 5 weeks old kittens. One group of animals had normal
      binocular vision, the other was monocularly deprived during the last three days
      of life. The density of 5-HT1 receptor sites and the pattern of their
      distribution in the visual structures showed distinct regional, areal and laminar
      differences. In the primary visual cortex (area 17) a high labelling density was
      found as compared with other cortical areas investigated. Three bands of high
      binding density were observed corresponding to cortical layers II-III, IV c and
      VI. This pattern distinguished area 17 from other cortical areas investigated. In
      subcortical visual structures very high labelling was present in the superficial
      visual layers of superior colliculus, but LGN showed rather weak labelling
      although the lamination of LGN was also seen in the pattern of distribution of 5
      HT1 sites. Neither density nor pattern of 5-HT1 sites in the visual cortex and
      superior colliculus were affected by 3 days of monocular deprivation. High
      density of labelling and the distinct pattern of 5-HT1 receptor sites in the
      primary visual cortex suggest the important role of serotonergic transmission in
      the modulation of visual afferent input activity.

PMID- 1414510
TI  - Glycine enhances extracellular 45Ca2+ response to NMDA application investigated
      with microdialysis of rabbit hippocampus in vivo.
AB  - This study evaluates the role of glycine in in vivo modulation of the activity of
      excitatory amino acid receptors sensitive to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) in the
      rabbit hippocampus. Changes of extracellular calcium concentration were studied
      by the microdialysis technique combined with 45Ca-utilizing clearance method. The
      steady state level of amino acids in the dialysate was analyzed with HPLC.
      Pharmacologically active substances were applied directly to the hippocampus via
      the dialysis medium. Glycine concentration in the extracellular fluid of the
      hippocampus was in the range of 10(-5) M. Application of NMDA induced a drop of
      calcium concentration in the extracellular compartment of the hippocampus. This
      effect was inhibited by 7-Cl-kynurenic acid, an antagonist of glycine binding
      site on the NMDA receptors. Application of glycine and D-serine to the dialysis
      medium did not interfere with the basal level of extracellular calcium in the
      hippocampus, but resulted in an enhancement of the NMDA-induced decrease of
      calcium concentration. These results indicate that in the hippocampus the NMDA
      receptors are under constant positive modulation by endogenous glycine. Since
      glycine binding sites on the NMDA receptors are not saturated by an endogenous
      ligand, glycine may play a role in regulation of the NMDA receptor activity in
      the hippocampus in vivo.

PMID- 1414512
TI  - Motor units of medial gastrocnemius muscle in the rat during the fatigue test.
      II. Changes in the time course of sequential tetani of fatigue test.
AB  - Seventy motor units (MUs) of 3 types: fast fatigable (FF), fast resistant to
      fatigue (FR) and slow (S) were studied in medial gastrocnemius muscle of the rat.
      The fatigue test time course showed significant variability. It was found, that
      slow MUs, apart from greater resistance to fatigue, had less variable tetanic
      time course during the fatigue test than the fast MUs. The tetani of fast MUs
      were unfused with a marked sag. At the beginning of fatigue test the tension of
      fast motor units increased. The increase appeared to be greater and more rapidly
      developing in FF than in FR MUs. In the next part of fatigue test, when decrease
      in the tetanic tension was observed, the tetanic time course was changing in FF
      but not in FR MUs. During the first tetanus of fast MUs the sag exhibited a
      significant variability of its time course. In a proportion of fast MUs the sag
      appeared again when their tension was potentiated but in such a case it showed a
      different time course. The obtained results point to high degree of
      specialization of MUs in the studied muscle.

PMID- 1414511
TI  - Modulation of GABA transport in synaptosomes by histamine.
AB  - We have examined the effects of exogenous and intrasynaptosomal histamine on the
      GABA transport in rat brain synaptosomes. Exogenous histamine had no effect on
      GABA uptake, but inhibited veratridine-evoked GABA release. GABA uptake was
      susceptible to the modification of histamine synthesis in synaptosomes. The
      increase of synaptosomal histamine level by incubation under conditions favouring
      histamine synthesis from 2.6 to 5.2 pmole/mg protein, decreased the GABA uptake
      by about 75%. As demonstrated in experiments with an inhibitor of histidine
      decarboxylase--semicarbazide, this effect comprised 15% inhibition evoked by the
      histamine precursor--histidine, whereas the remaining 60% inhibition could be
      ascribed to the effect of newly synthesized histamine.

PMID- 1414513
TI  - Grading of supratentorial arteriovenous malformations on the basis of
      multivariate analysis of prognostic factors.
AB  - The case histories and angiograms of 93 consecutive patients who underwent
      surgery for arteriovenous malformations were analyzed retrospectively to find
      clinical and radiological prognostic factors influencing the outcome. A stepwise
      multiple regression was performed as follows. All radiological data such as size,
      location, and feeding and draining vessels as well as the clinical data such as
      age, sex, clinical grade on admission were introduced into the model and tested
      whether they contributed significantly to the prediction of the outcome which was
      the target variable. If so they were retained, otherwise eliminated. By this
      procedure the following features were identified as significant prognostic
      factors which adversely influence the outcome: poor clinical grade, feeding
      vessels from the A 1-segment and the anterior communicating artery, feeders from
      the M 1-segment, feeders from the Rolandic branches of the middle cerebral
      artery, a shunt through the anterior communicating artery. Neither the presence
      of a particular draining vein nor the type of the venous drainage when divided
      into superficial or deep had an influence on the outcome. Nor was the size of the
      lesion of significant importance. The bearing of these findings on the value of
      established grading systems is discussed and a new grading system is proposed.

PMID- 1414514
TI  - Are there typical localisations of lumbar disc herniations? A prospective study.
AB  - A prospective intra-operative analysis of the location of lumbar disc herniation
      was performed in 131 patients with verified 54% contained (incomplete) and 46%
      non-contained (complete) lumbar disc herniations. Bulging discs or protrusions
      are not included in this study. Complete disc herniations occurred more
      frequently in the upper lumbar spine. The localization of the lumbar disc
      herniations within its segment showed no correlation to the affected level. 64%
      of the disc herniations were located medio-laterally, 20% laterally, 12% within
      or lateral of the intervertebral compartment and 5% in the midline. Nearly one
      third of all herniations were found at the level of the disc space. Medio-lateral
      disc herniations were displaced more often in a caudal direction, lateral
      herniations were found displaced upwards and downwards with similar frequency
      while extraforminal herniations migrated significantly more often in a cranial
      direction. The pathomechanism and anatomical pathways of disc fragment migration
      are discussed on the basis of a new concept of the anterior extradural space.

PMID- 1414515
TI  - Postoperative spondylodiscitis: results of a prospective study about the
      aetiology of spondylodiscitis after operation for lumbar disc herniation.
AB  - In 412 patients undergoing surgery for herniated lumbar discs from September 1986
      to September 1987 and from January 1988 to July 1989 a microbiological specimen
      was taken from the intervertebral disc space and from the cover of the operating
      microscope. Also the tips of the wound drains were examined microbiologically
      after removal. 17% of the patients had a positive bacteriological culture from
      their intervertebral disc space; 12% of the specimen from the operating
      microscope were positive. These results favour the hypothesis that intra
      operative contamination of the disc space, in contrast to haematogenous spread,
      causes spondylodiscitis. On the other hand we saw during this time course only
      one case of clinical spondylodiscitis, which implies a possible involvement of
      other predisposing factors such as pre- or perioperative infections or
      compromised patient immunologically. It is also possible, that the routine
      application of local antibiotic or antiseptic solutions into the disc space at
      the end of the operation could decontaminate the operative site and prevent
      clinical infection despite positive culture findings.

PMID- 1414516
TI  - Clinical outcome and cognitive impairment in patients with severe head injuries
      treated with barbiturate coma.
AB  - This study reports on clinical outcome in 38 patients with severe head injuries
      (posttraumatic coma for 6 hours or more) treated with barbiturate coma because of
      intracranial hypertension. Eighteen patients died, 4 patients remained in a
      severely disabled or a chronic vegetative state, and 16 patients reached the
      levels good recovery/moderate disability. Six of these patients returned to work
      or school full time, 4 for half time and 3 were in a rehabilitation program.
      Fourteen patients were subjected to a comprehensive neuropsychological
      assessment. All patients except one exhibited varying degrees of cognitive
      dysfunction and 6 patients had signs of personality change. The quality of life
      for the majority of surviving patients was relatively good but the positive
      effects of barbiturate coma therapy in the age groups over 40 years appeared to
      be limited.

PMID- 1414517
TI  - Results of continuous long-term intravenous application of octreotide via an
      implantable pump system in acromegaly resistant to operative and X-ray therapy.
AB  - Long term results after surgery for growth hormone (GH)-secreting adenomas
      indicate only a limited cure rate, particularly in patients with tumours invading
      the dural boundaries of the sella with suprasellar extension. Since octreotide
      had become a treatment option, it was used i.v. via an implantable pump system in
      five patients (age range 24-46 yr) showing symptoms of uncontrolled acromegaly,
      in spite of previous surgery and X-ray therapy. The octreotide doses used
      permanently for a cumulative treatment period of 8.8 yr ranged between 300 and
      1000 micrograms/24 h. Serial evaluations of clinical findings, 24-h GH and
      insulin profiles, insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1), oral glucose tolerance test
      and pituitary function revealed sustained GH suppression, without interim escape,
      below 2 ng/ml in two and below 5 ng/ml in three patients, IGF-1 decrease in all
      with normalization in two patients and no clinically relevant disturbances of
      carbohydrate tolerance or thyroid-stimulating hormone secretion. In one case of
      previous unresponsiveness to dopamine agonists i.v. octreotide application for 29
      months facilitated later disease control by bromocriptine only. In two patients
      octreotide was terminated after 15 and 30 months of i.v. administration,
      respectively, because the effects of irradiation had occurred. For a subgroup of
      patients with resistant acromegaly continuous i.v. octreotide can be considered
      as a safe and effective alternative, which increases patients' independency from
      the inconvenience of daily repeated s.c. injections.

PMID- 1414518
TI  - Gangliosides in meningiomas: correlation of Glac2 to intermediary filament.
AB  - Human meninges and 29 meningiomas were analyzed as to their glycosphingolipid
      composition. In the neutral fraction GSL, a mostly even distribution of mono-, di
      , tri-and tetrahexoside was demonstrated. In the group of the gangliosides, Glac1
      in one broad band in chromatograms occurred in almost all meningiomas; Glac2 was
      present in 84% of tumours. Members of the Gtn-family were only found in a small
      minority of tumours while various Gtet-gangliosides were detectable in nearly
      half of them. No constant pattern or patterns emerged and no correlation to
      either morphological subtype or malignancy grade could be established.
      Immunohistochemistry revealed focal presence of Glac2 in a pattern similar to
      that of vimentin expression. Semiquantitative evaluation showed good correlation
      between both parameters.

PMID- 1414519
TI  - Relationships between Ki-67 labelling index, amplification of the epidermal
      growth factor receptor gene, and prognosis in human glioblastomas.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine possible relationships between Ki-67
      labelling index (Ki-67 LI), amplification of the epidermal growth factor receptor
      (EGFR) gene, and prognosis in human glioblastomas. Ki-67 LI was determined on
      cryosections of biopsy specimens of 20 human glioblastomas with a mouse anti
      human Ki-67 monoclonal antibody. Amplification of the EGFR gene was determined by
      slot blot and Southern blot analyses of DNA extracted from the tumour biopsies.
      The Ki-67 LI was higher in the glioblastoma group with EGFR gene amplification (8
      tumours, median value of Ki-67 LI 4.2, range 0.4-24.6) than in those without EGFR
      gene amplification (12 tumours, median value of Ki-67 LI 0.8, range 0.2-11.8)
      (0.05 p less than 0.1). The glioblastoma patients with Ki-67 LI greater than 1.5
      (10 tumours) had a statistically significant shorter survival than those with Ki
      67 LI less than 1.5 (10 tumours) (p less than 0.05). The glioblastoma patients
      with EGFR gene amplification lived shorter time than those without EGFR gene
      amplification (p greater than 0.05).

PMID- 1414521
TI  - Osseous metastases from a benign intraventricular meningioma. Case report.
AB  - The authors report a case of a 6 month-old male presenting with increasing head
      circumference and a large benign intraventricular meningioma which was grossly
      removed at the initial surgery. Twenty-four months later, the patient returned
      with subcutaneous and osseous metastatic lesions at the site of the previous
      craniotomy, revealing the same histology as the original tumour. The
      presentation, pathology and management of this unique case are discussed.

PMID- 1414520
TI  - Malignancy and viability of intraparenchymal brain tumours: correlation between
      Gd-DTPA contrast MR images and proliferative potentials.
AB  - The feasibility of diagnosing the malignancy and viability of intraparenchymal
      brain tumours using Gd-DTPA, enhanced and unenhanced T1-weighted MRIs was
      investigated. The relationship between the Gd-DTPA enhancement pattern, the
      growth fraction (GF) determined by using the anti-bromide-oxyuridine (BrdU)
      monoclonal antibody, the clinical condition, the proliferative potential and the
      change of Gd-DTPA enhancement over time was studied. Forty-five patients with
      intracranial tumours were studied with the static method of Gd-DTPA MRI. The
      enhanced effect in Gd-DTPA MRIs was dependent on tumour-cell density,
      vascularization, necrosis, and dilatation of vascular lumen. Tumour-cells were
      observed in eighty-seven of eighty-nine specimens taken from areas with Gd-DTPA
      enhanced MRIs. Seventy-four percent of these specimens (64 of 87) showed a
      malignancy of more than 5% growth fraction. On the other hand, tumour cells were
      observed in twenty-seven of fifty-six specimens taken from areas with Gd-DTPA
      unenhanced MRIs. Eighty-five percent of these specimens (23 of 27) showed a
      malignancy value of less than 5% GF. However, fifteen percent of these specimen
      showed values between 5 and 15% GF. In the kinetic study of Gd-MRIs five patients
      who were in a clinically stable condition and one patient who had radionecrosis
      showed a constant pattern of enhancement or slightly increased enhancement 30 min
      after injection compared to 4 min after injection. Therefore, GD-DTPA MRI can be
      used effectively in the diagnosis of tumour viability and malignancy after
      treatment.

PMID- 1414523
TI  - Changes in mechanical responsiveness of the rat aorta after cervical spinal cord
      stimulation.
AB  - The effect of cervical spinal cord stimulation on the mechanical vascular
      responsiveness of rat aortic artery rings was studied "in vitro". Arteries with
      and without endothelium from sham and stimulated male Wistar rats were placed in
      an organ bath studying the contractile response induced by noradrenaline,
      prostaglandin F2 alpha and serotonin. For spinal cord stimulation two electrodes
      were placed in the cervical epidural space using microsurgical technique. The
      parameters of stimulation were: monophasic waveform current, pulse width of 0.1
      ms, frequency of 120 cps, and intensity one third of the threshold which produced
      motor responses (between 0.3 and 0.5 v). The total period of stimulation was 120
      minutes. The potency of each vaso-active agent was calculated in the organ bath
      for each experimental group. There were differences only when arteries with
      endothelium from sham (7.2587 +/- 0.2308) and stimulated (8.0720 +/- 0.3723) rats
      were tested with noradrenaline (p less than 0.01). Our results suggest that
      cervical spinal cord stimulation induces changes in the vascular wall that might
      explain the effects of spinal cord stimulation on vasomotor control.

PMID- 1414522
TI  - Experimental study on the indications for barbiturate therapy. Change in
      haemodynamics and the influence of dopamine.
AB  - The effect of barbiturates on the cerebral haemodynamics and the influence of
      dopamine on barbiturates were investigated using 20 cats, and clinical indication
      of barbiturate therapy is discussed. Cerebral blood flow, oxygen extraction
      fraction, and cerebro-vascular resistance as well as physiological variables were
      evaluated at various concentrations of barbiturates in the blood. Thiamylal
      caused simultaneous reduction of mean arterial blood pressure and cerebral blood
      flow. As the disruption of autoregulation proceeded, cerebro-vascular resistance
      and oxygen extraction fraction increased till the barbiturate-induced coma stage.
      Furthermore, cerebro-vascular resistance increased much more markedly by the
      combined use of dopamine. Clinically, our results indicate barbiturates would
      increase cerebral circulatory disturbances caused by vasospasm following
      subarachnoid haemorrhage because barbiturates further increase cerebro-vascular
      resistance. Then again, the combined use of dopamine is not preferable because of
      deterioration in vasospasm.

PMID- 1414524
TI  - The use of coaxially aligned freeze-thawed skeletal muscle autografts in the
      repair of the cauda equina--in the sheep.
AB  - The aim was to develop a model for study of nerve regeneration in nerve roots
      above the level of the dorsal root ganglion and to investigate the use of freeze
      thawed muscle autografts for repair of nerve roots at this level. Four adult
      sheep were used for the experiment. A laminectomy was performed at the
      lumbosacral junction and the S2 root identified. Both the dorsal and ventral S2
      roots were divided unilaterally within the dura and a freeze-thawed muscle graft
      was inserted into the nerve gap. When assessed at 6 months an action potential
      was recordable from the ventral root in one sheep. Histological examination of
      the nerve roots showed evidence of regeneration across the graft in the ventral
      roots of all the sheep and the dorsal roots of some. This preliminary work
      indicates a capacity for regeneration of the cauda equina and that freeze-thawed
      muscle can support this. It provides a useful model for further study of nerve
      root repair.

PMID- 1414525
TI  - Ethico--legal aspects of high risk neurosurgery.

PMID- 1414526
TI  - Jugulare foramen paragangliomas.
AB  - A survey is given of the clinical picture, diagnosis and management of foramen
      jugulare paragangliomas (JFP), based on reports of 175 cases from the literature
      and personal experience of 26 cases. Special emphasis is given to the operative
      techniques. Improvements of diagnostic possibilities as well as operative
      techniques, including the pre-operative occlusion of tumour-feeding arteries by
      endovascular methods have markedly reduced the operative mortality to a rate
      between 0 and 5 percent. The rate of incomplete removal of C and D tumours
      dropped to about 15%. But very large and extensive tumours remain a real
      challenge. Teamwork between neuroradiologists, ENT-surgeons and neurosurgeons is
      mandatory.

PMID- 1414527
TI  - Experience with 36 surgical cases of petroclival meningiomas.
AB  - Thirty-six patients with petroclival meningiomas underwent surgery between 1978
      and 1990. The tumours accounted for 13% of a total of 284 skull base meningiomas
      operated upon during the same time period. The most frequent neurological signs
      related to cranial nerve deficits, mainly of the 8th, 5th, and 7th nerves
      respectively. The approaches to the petroclival region were: retromastoid,
      pterional, subtemporal, and combined retromastoid-subtemporal. In 12 patients we
      used a modification of the retromastoid-subtemporal approach with preservation of
      the sigmoid and transverse sinus (presigmoid approach). "Total" tumour removal
      was achieved in 27 cases (75%). There was no postoperative death, and in 83% of
      cases no severe morbidity. With careful pre-operative evaluation, improved
      operative approaches and microsurgical techniques the treatment of petroclival
      meningiomas has been considerably improved.

PMID- 1414528
TI  - Surgical treatment of anterior third ventricle tumours.
AB  - A review is given on the operative management of anterior third ventricle
      tumours, with special emphasis on the selection of the approach, the
      postoperative results and complications. The review is based on our own
      experiences with 337 cases and 340 operations, among them 198 craniopharyngiomas,
      80 gliomas, 23 colloid cysts, 11 ependymomas, and 25 others. The tumours can be
      approached through the lamina terminals or transcallosally or using a combination
      of both of these approaches. The approach through the lamina terminalis is useful
      only in rather small tumours, because it does not allow a sufficient revision of
      the upper and posterior third ventricle compartments. For larger tumours the
      transcallosal approach is preferable. We have abandoned the approach through the
      anterior horn of the lateral ventricle, because it does not allow an equally good
      vision of both sides of the third ventricle. In some of the craniopharyngioma
      cases it was necessary to combine the transcallosal and subfrontal approaches in
      order to achieve total or subtotal tumour resection. In craniopharyngiomas total
      or subtotal tumour removal was possible in 66% of the children and 59% of the
      adult patients, with a mortality higher in adults (30%) than in children (18.5%).
      The main causes of complications in craniopharyngiomas were acute disturbances of
      hypothalamic circulation and function, with water-electrolyte imbalance and other
      signs of diencephalic insufficiency. In glioma cases an additional important
      cause of complications has been haemorrhage into the remaining tumour parts.
      Colloid cysts could be exstirpated without mortality, using the transcallosal
      approach.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414529
TI  - Tumours of the limbic and paralimbic systems.
AB  - Clinical manifestations, findings, management and outcome of a series of 177
      cases with tumours of the limbic and paralimbic systems are presented. There was
      no operative mortality. Postoperatively 95% of them had no or only minor
      neurological deficits. Most of them were able to resume work. Pre-operatively 77%
      of the patients had epilepsy, but 84% became seizure-free after tumour removal.
      All 77 cases with malignant tumours died within 1-5 years. In the past many
      neurosurgeons were reluctant to attempt complete tumour removal in these areas.
      This series demonstrates the efficacy of highly skilled microneurosurgery.

PMID- 1414530
TI  - Surgical experiences with giant intracranial aneurysms.
AB  - The common method of presentation of intracranial aneurysms is at the time of
      their rupture (with subarachnoid haemorrhage) or on the occasion of their
      compression of neighbouring structures. While giant aneurysms may occasionally
      present with subarachnoid haemorrhage, their more common methods of presentation
      are due to their space occupying and neighbourhood effects. Giant aneurysms are
      commonly defined as those with a diameter larger than 2.5 cm. Previously this
      diameter was assessed either by arteriography, so that size meant internal
      diameter, or by the displacement of surrounding structures, as for example, small
      perforating vessels, which could be attributed positively to the presence of a
      larger mass. Before CT scanning however, the factor of a very considerable larger
      aneurysm, partly occluded by clot could occasionally cause unexpected operative
      difficulty. The advent of CT scan and now especially MR imaging has made the
      prediction of the size of the aneurysm much easier and the extent of the intra
      aneurysmal clot also clearly definable. This paper describes one surgeon's
      experience with 64 giant cerebral aneurysms operated on in the last 10 years
      (Table 1). It has emerged from this experience that the most satisfactory method
      of handling the lesion is to remove the intra-aneurysmal clot and clip the neck
      of the aneurysm, and the steps necessary to secure this laudable design from the
      burden of the paper.

PMID- 1414531
TI  - Multiple intracranial aneurysms: a high risk condition.
AB  - There is still a relative silence in the literature on what policy should be
      followed in treating multiple aneurysms. The main risks are: bleeding of a
      formerly asymptomatic aneurysm during the haemodynamic tides of the peri
      operative period; aneurysm(s) can be hidden on angiograms and tend to be
      overlooked easier in case of an already revealed aneurysm; misjudgement of the
      ruptured one as a silent additional aneurysm, therefore left for second stage
      surgery. This paper, based on a material of 330 operations for multiple
      aneurysms, focuses on these problems. It advocates the one stage complete repair
      of all lesions using both options of bilateral pterional craniotomies or the
      contralateral approach. But it also describes those silent aneurysms which safely
      could be clipped later. Hazards and disadvantages concerning the more aggressive
      surgery proved to be less significant than the natural history of multiple
      aneurysms represents.

PMID- 1414533
TI  - Interventional neuroradiology for the treatment of inaccessible arterio-venous
      malformations.
AB  - Embolization of cerebral arterio-venous malformations (AVM) has been performed at
      the Department of Neuroradiology of Verona in 136 patients with a total of 310
      procedures. The complication rate was 16%. In most of the cases embolization was
      followed by either operative removal of the AVM or by radiosurgery. In a group of
      38 embolized patients, who refused operation or radiosurgery, rebleeding occurred
      7 times (18%), but only in patients who already had bleedings before
      embolization. Indications and techniques of embolization are described and
      discussed.

PMID- 1414532
TI  - Transoral approach to anterior brain stem compression.

PMID- 1414534
TI  - Evaluation of intracranial pressure gradients by means of transcranial Doppler
      sonography.
AB  - The authors investigated the effects of intracranial pressure gradients generated
      by a unilateral intracranial mass on transcranial Doppler (TCD) readings. Eleven
      patients harbouring a symptomatic chronic or subacute subdural haematoma
      underwent pre- and post-operative TCD examinations of the intracranial internal
      carotid and middle cerebral arteries. Mean values of velocity and pulsatility
      index (PI) were compared to the contra-lateral counterpart. The haematomas were
      evacuated by means of burr hole drainage under local anaesthesia. Symptomatic
      subdural haematomas lowered the ipsilateral blood velocity in the internal
      carotid and middle cerebral arteries by a mean side-to-side difference of 15.64
      +/- 3.01 m.sec-1. The ipsilateral PI was higher than the contralateral values by
      an average of 0.23 +/- 0.04. Low mean velocity and high PI values were associated
      with high subdural pressure. Abnormal pre-operative ipsilateral TCD readings
      returned to normal following haematoma drainage. We postulate that intracranial
      pressure gradients generated by the subdural mass lesion are responsible for the
      asymmetry of TCD readings. These differences should be considered in the
      interpretation of post-subarachnoid haemorrhage vasospasm, as it is frequently
      associated with lateral clots. Our findings also provide a useful method for non
      invasive monitoring of intracranial pressure gradients.

PMID- 1414535
TI  - HM-PAO spect in head trauma.
AB  - Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) after intravenous
      administration of Technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene-amine oxime (Tc-99m HM-PAO)
      makes possible the evaluation of cerebral perfusion. We have been assessing the
      diagnostic accuracy of SPECT in some groups of head trauma patients: the
      preliminary results of this study are presented. Fourteen patients have been
      selected, all of them showing some kind of focal neurological deficit; the
      Computed Tomography (CT) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) were normal, or
      showed lesions that could not be responsible for the neurological deficits. In
      all of the patients Tc-99m HM-PAO SPECT has been performed, showing changes in
      cerebral perfusion in areas correlated with the abnormalities elicited on
      clinical examination. These results show that Tc-99m HM-PAO SPECT is a better
      technique than CT or NMR in demonstrating the organic basis of some neurological
      deficits observed after head trauma.

PMID- 1414536
TI  - Early post-traumatic cerebral blood flow mapping: correlation with structural
      damage after focal injury.
AB  - Focal post traumatic mass lesions such as contusions and intracerebral haematomas
      are common, and often difficult for neurosurgeons to manage, because little is
      known of their pathophysiology. We have mapped cerebral blood flow, and studied
      small vessel ultrastructure at different time points within the first three weeks
      of head injury, in patients with these lesions. A zone of ischaemic brain is
      always present around these lesions, and persists for weeks or months. This
      accords with astrocyte swelling and microvascular compression seen on electron
      microscopy. Focal zones of hyperaemia were also present in 42% of patients,
      within the first two weeks of injury, and this appeared only within apparently
      normal tissue as judged by late MRI or CT.

PMID- 1414537
TI  - The role of computer based techniques in patient monitoring: technical note.
AB  - In this paper the requirements of Neurophysiology and Neurotraumatology
      monitoring are analyzed. As a result a set of designated systems were developed
      by the authors a short description of which is given in the paper. Finally the
      future perspectives and problems to be faced are briefly described.

PMID- 1414539
TI  - Blunt basal head trauma: aspects of unconsciousness.
AB  - Two cases of street violence directed to the skull base level and transverse to
      the cervical axis are described. No skeletal damage. The violence resulted in the
      so-called "traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage", an often used, unspecified
      forensic "diagnosis"; it was here revealed to be due to rupture of the wall of
      the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (p.i.c.a). However, this was only one of
      the possible explanations for the acute symptoms of unconsciousness (concussion)
      and almost immediate death. The careful examination of these two cases and of a
      series of control cases revealed that at the trauma, stress and strain may have
      occurred to arterial branches serving as feeding perforant vessels to the medulla
      oblongata; in these cases they were coursing directly from the p.i.c.a. region.-
      The type of direct impact has often been regarded as mild! However, its location
      suboccipitally as in these cases can become dangerous. The resulting direct or
      indirect deficit of brain stem functions are discussed in these cases as well as
      "concussion-related symptoms" resulting after other types of head and neck
      injury.

PMID- 1414538
TI  - Significance of endocrine studies in the general assessment and prediction of
      fatal outcome in head injury.
AB  - Serial basal blood glucose, serum insulin, cortisol, growth hormone, glucagon and
      catecholamine examinations were performed in 81 brain-injured patients. 32
      patients with severe injuries of other parts of the body (chest, abdomen, limbs
      or polytrauma), and 17 patients with non-traumatic acute brain lesions served as
      double control. In the brain-injured patients there is a close relation between
      changes of the state of consciousness and those of basal blood glucose levels:
      the deeper coma the higher and wider is the pathological glucose-level range.
      Four types of blood-glucose changes could be identified in the background of
      which different alterations of each hormone level were observed. Fatal outcome
      could be predicted in a non-diabetic patient in the first days when seeing: 1)
      Fasting hyperglycaemia above 14 mmol/l; 2) Fluctuating basal blood glucose levels
      between 5 and 22 mmol/l; 3) Deeply depressed and unchanged basal insulin level;
      4) Extremely high cortisol level; 5) Decreased plasma epinephrine level. These
      changes in the carbohydrate metabolism seen after acute brain lesions are not
      identical to diabetes mellitus.

PMID- 1414540
TI  - Primary traumatic benign midbrain haematoma in hyperextension injuries of the
      head.
AB  - Primary traumatic brain stem injury occurring in isolation is not universally
      recognized as a distinct pathological entity which may follow a head injury. We
      describe two patients with clinical and radiological evidence of primary
      posttraumatic midbrain haemorrhage occurring in isolation associated with good
      recoveries. It is suggested that paramedian midbrain syndromes associated with
      midbrain haemorrhages should be recognized as a distinct, although unusual,
      complication of hyperextension injury to the head which may have a benign course.

PMID- 1414541
TI  - The prognostic value of some clinical and diagnostic factors in traumatic
      intracranial haematoma.
AB  - In order to carry out the analysis of predictive values of some clinical and
      diagnostic features, 146 patients of the Neurosurgical Clinic of the Silesian
      School of Medicine, were examined in 1980-1986. All the patients were in coma
      when admitted while CT findings showed traumatic intracranial haematomas. The
      examination included neurological diagnosis and CT examination. The analysis of
      statistical discrimination let us specify the probability of predicting death or
      survival of every patient. On the basis of 10 prognostic factors applied, the
      compatibility of prognosis and the real outcome for patients who survived was
      78.2% and for those who died 91.2%.

PMID- 1414542
TI  - Coexisting diffuse axonal injury (DAI) and outcome of severe head injury.
AB  - The importance of coexisting diffuse axonal injury (DAI) and outcome were studied
      in 107 patients with diffuse and focal brain injury. Comprehensive
      neuropathological study was undertaken in 26 fatal patients. There was a clear
      rank order of the mortality rate in the lesion type. The rank order of good
      recovery and moderate disability was also similar to the inverse of the mortality
      ranking. The pathological "marker" of DAI, macroscopic lesions in the corpus
      callosum and dorsolateral quadrant of the upper brainstem and histological
      evidence of axonal retraction balls, were commonly found not only in patients
      with diffuse brain injury but also in focal brain injury. The type of
      intracranial lesion in severe head injury is thus an important factor in
      determining outcomes and DAI of varying severity is the common subjacent lesion
      in the fatal patients.

PMID- 1414543
TI  - Brain oedema and intracranial hypertension treatment by GLIAS.
AB  - The authors present their results regarding the use of a buffered solution of
      glycerol 30%-sodium ascorbate 20% (GLIAS) for the treatment of brain oedema and
      intracranial hypertension. GLIAS was perfused intravenously in 80 patients with
      several types of brain oedema. In every patients serum and urinary osmolarity,
      diuresis, main blood and urine parameters, and ICP were monitored. Following
      GLIAS infusion an increase in plasma osmolarity was observed, changing the
      average basal value plus 13.4% after 15 min., 10.5% after 30'. At the same time
      there was a reduction of ICP and improvement in cerebral compliance. In each case
      there was a decrease in intracranial hypertension and brain oedema without
      significant collateral effects.

PMID- 1414544
TI  - Sedatives and antagonists in the management of severely head-injured patients.
AB  - Continuous intravenous sedation is often prescribed during the intensive
      treatment of severe head injury. It is known that intravenous hypnotics may
      prevent or treat the brief intracranial hypertension episodes associated with
      nociceptive stimuli, like tracheal intubation. However there is yet no clear
      evidence in the literature showing beneficial effects of sedation in severely
      head-injured patients on intracranial pressure control or outcome. Sedation
      should be primarily administered in neurotraumatology to allow good conditions
      for intensive treatment, while avoiding any depressive cardiovascular action. The
      abrupt reversal of sedation by means of specific antagonists may induce
      significant elevation of both cerebral blood flow and intracranial pressure and
      should be avoided.

PMID- 1414545
TI  - Indomethacin (Confortid) in severe head injury and elevated intracranial pressure
      (ICP).
AB  - In five head-injured patients with cerebral contusion and oedema in whom it was
      not possible to control ICP by hyperventilation and barbiturate sedation,
      indomethacin (Confortid) was used as a cerebral vasoconstrictor drug. In all
      patients indomethacin reduced ICP to below 20 mmHg for several hours. Studies of
      cerebral circulation and metabolism during indomethacin treatment showed a
      decrease in cerebral blood flow (CBF) at 2 hours. After 7 hours, ICP remained
      below 20 mmHg in three patients, and these still had reduced CBF. In two patients
      a return of ICP and CBF to pretreatment levels was observed. In all patients
      indomethacin treatment was followed by a fall in rectal temperature. Outcome
      scaling has not yet been performed, but all patients left hospital without
      neurological deficits. The results suggest, that indomethacin is an alternative
      in the treatment of ICP-hypertension in head-injured patients.

PMID- 1414546
TI  - Posttraumatic epilepsy in civilians: clinical and electroencephalographic
      studies.
AB  - Posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE) is a known consequence of head trauma. The factors
      involved in posttraumatic seizures generation and the relationship between acute
      seizures and posttraumatic epilepsy are not without controversy. This also
      applies to the evolution of the electroencephalographic characteristics. The
      study here reported was performed analysing data from patients with posttraumatic
      epilepsy (N = 205) and data from patients followed-up since trauma and considered
      as a high risk population for the development of PTE (patients with acute
      seizures and/or patients with focal lesions--contusion, haematomas or penetrating
      head injury) (N = 152). Seizure type was associated with age and trauma severity
      (children, elderly and worst trauma cases present with a higher proportion of
      partial seizures). Neurological deficit and lesion location were associated with
      the seizure occurrence. The increased incidence of seizures was found when the
      most diffused brain dysfunction was combined with neurological deficits. The
      analysis of sequential EEGs performed at first, at 6th and 12 months post trauma
      revealed a non-stationary pattern throughout these time periods with EEG focal
      abnormalities remaining frequent for more than two years after the trauma.
      Children and old people have a higher proportion of EEG abnormalities with more
      frequent abnormal generalized activity in children and more frequent abnormal
      focal EEG activity in the elderly.

PMID- 1414547
TI  - Monitoring of severe head-injured patients with transcranial Doppler (TCD)
      ultrasonography.
AB  - Intracranial haemodynamics were studied in 36 patients with severe head injury
      and experimental animals with acute intracranial hypertension by the use of TCD
      ultrasound. The mean flow velocity (FV) in the basal cerebral arteries commonly
      decreased on the side of the haematoma depending on intracranial pressure (ICP)
      elevation and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) reduction in focal brain injury.
      The FV decreased bilaterally and there was no difference between the right and
      left sides in diffuse brain injury without a clear relationship between the FV
      and CPP. The FV of the middle cerebral artery and blood flow in the internal
      carotid artery exhibited flow patterns which changed correlatively depending on
      CPP reduction in experimental animals. Monitoring with TCD ultrasound is valuable
      in evaluating compression ischaemia in focal brain injury. But many complicated
      factors are considerable in diffuse brain injury.

PMID- 1414548
TI  - Risk factors for late posttraumatic epilepsy.
AB  - The usually accepted risk factors for late post-traumatic seizures (LPTS) are
      those identified years ago by Jennet: early post-traumatic seizure (EPTS),
      depressed fracture, intracranial haematoma. Prolonged unconsciousness (PTA
      greater than 24 hrs) is another factor usually added. More recently, personal
      experience of the Authors and the data of the literature, compel us to question
      the validity of known risk factors based on clinical data. Authors believe that
      the identification of patients at risk for LPTS depends mainly on the precise
      definition of trauma severity and on CT or surgically documented lesions of brain
      substance. Three groups of patients, characterized by the presence of one or more
      of the accepted risk factors of LPTS, have been studied. In our experience, while
      in adults the presence of documented cortico-subcortical lesions represents the
      main risk factor of LPTS, in children the appearance of EPTS per se increases the
      risk of LPTS, irrespective of the presence of documented brain lesions.
      Alteration of consciousness without a focal lesion, even if prolonged and severe,
      is not a risk factor for LPTS.

PMID- 1414549
TI  - Mental deterioration at epilepsy onset: a hypothesis.
AB  - In this study, we hypothesized a type of mental deterioration in epilepsy,
      characterized as a discontinued, cascading process, i.e. a sudden mental decline
      in a limited time interval, immediately after the onset of the seizures. The
      posttraumatic epilepsy model (PTE) may appear to be exceptionally useful in
      avoiding one of the major methodological obstacles for testing this hypothesis,
      i.e. the unavailability of test results obtained with the same battery of tests
      prior to and directly after the onset of the seizures. We propose a multicentre
      study in which a large group of patients are assessed, after recovering from the
      direct aftermath of head injury, but before the onset of PTE. This baseline
      provides an opportunity for longitudinal follow-up. Full recovery from head
      injury before the onset of PTE is to be expected in the mild and moderate groups
      of closed head injury patients. In this category, approximately 2000 head injured
      patients have to be assessed to obtain a reasonable group of approximately 100
      200 PTE patients. This group will be followed during the critical period of 2-3
      years after the onset of epilepsy.

PMID- 1414550
TI  - Rehabilitation after severe head injury.
AB  - 123 survivors of severely head injured patients presenting with coma grade III
      show a decreasing mean duration of coma with increasing age. The numbers and
      frequency of good recovery decrease, whereas poor recovery increases with age.
      Increase of the duration of coma grade III produces an increase of the mean
      latency and time of recovery and of the frequency of poor recovery, regardless of
      the age of the patients. Increasing age does not increase the mean latency and
      time of recovery systematically. The important conclusion of this analysis is,
      that the clinical feature of coma grade III, corresponding to GCS score of 4 and
      RLS of 6 and 7, indicates a different kind of brain damage at various age groups.
      It represents a lesser degree of brain damage for younger patients under 20, than
      for those over 20. In our opinion our observations do not demonstrate a better
      capacity of recovery of the young patients: but the young patients show a more
      severe clinical picture than the older patients do, if only the clinical syndrome
      of coma grade III with extensor rigidity, is considered as a yardstick for
      comparison.

PMID- 1414552
TI  - Comparative study of magnetic resonance and CT scan imaging in cases of severe
      head injury.
AB  - The distribution, frequency, and appearance of head injuries were evaluated with
      MRI and CT in a prospective study of 155 patients with acute (n = 124) and
      chronic (n = 31) head injuries. MRI was significantly more sensitive than CT in
      the detection of intraaxial injury at any stage. In severe cases, central
      structure lesions were detected in approximately 80% of patients. Severity on
      admission was compatible with MR findings. However it was difficult to decide on
      neurobehavioural prognosis from initial MRI findings only.

PMID- 1414553
TI  - Oculo-dento-digital syndrome (Gorlin's syndrome): clinical and genetical report
      of a new family.
AB  - Here we report a family in which the Gorlin's syndrome or oculo-dento-digital
      dysplasia is transmitted with autosomal dominant inheritance of variant
      expressivity. Three cases, extensively studied, show also slight oligophrenia,
      symptom rarely described in this syndrome.

PMID- 1414551
TI  - Social-economic impact of head injury.
AB  - The socio-economic costs of traffic road accidents were analysed data
      epidemiological studies and compared with reported data. The costs are calculated
      as a function of accident type and vehicle involved, severity of head trauma,
      patients individual characteristics, type of care--intensive and emergency
      services, other hospital bed costs, including recovering and rehabilitation such
      as in-and out-patient services. Finally the costs of repairing materials (cars,
      walls, roads, etc.) are also estimated. The author concludes that the medical
      doctor must take part in compiling the statistics so as to be able to discuss the
      economics of injury and the social priorities.

PMID- 1414554
TI  - Hemianopic ataxic hemiparesis. A case report.
AB  - Ataxic hemiparesis and homonimous hemianopia developed in a hypertensive 60-year
      old woman. Magnetic resonance imaging detected multiple lesions in the territory
      of distribution of the posterior cerebral artery and in the inferior region of
      the left cerebellar hemisphere. At computed tomography only a right hypodense
      area involving the posterior right thalamus, the postero-medial region of the
      temporal lobe and the occipital lobe was evident.

PMID- 1414555
TI  - Effectiveness of oxiracetam therapy in the treatment of cognitive deficiencies
      secondary to primary degenerative dementia.
AB  - The effectiveness of oxiracetam (1600 mg/day) vs placebo was assessed in a group
      of 96 out-patients suffering from cognitive disorders secondary to primary
      degenerative dementia. The study, performed in double-blind, lasted 26 weeks and
      is expected to be continued in open conditions until a whole year of treatment is
      completed. The assessment of the results obtained at 6 months was carried out
      following both the methodology based on neuropsychological tests and scales, and
      the study of the simple reaction time by any of a computerised portable
      tachystoscope. The patients treated with oxiracetam showed a statistically
      significant improvement of cognitive function and simple reaction time. No
      significant variations in the scores of the tests used were observed in the
      placebo group. The patients themselves appeared in favour of oxiracetam. The drug
      tolerability proved to be very good for the whole duration of the treatment. The
      authors believe that oxiracetam favourably acts on the symptoms of senile
      cerebral deterioration and can improve the capability of information processing,
      as suggested by the better performances obtained at the reaction time tests.

PMID- 1414556
TI  - Acute encephalopathy following lumbar myelography with iohexol.
AB  - We report an unusual case of an acute encephalopathy following injection of
      iohexol for myelographic study, which was reversible after a treatment with water
      restriction and glucocorticoids. The pathophysiologic mechanism appears to be
      related with hyponatremia. We conclude that drinking of large amounts of fluids
      must be not recommendable in order to avoid the developing of encephalopathy.

PMID- 1414558
TI  - Sneddon's syndrome, anticardiolipin antibodies and anticardiolipin cofactor. A
      case report.
AB  - Sneddon's syndrome is a rare entity characterized by idiopathic livedo
      reticularis and cerebrovascular lesions. A case of a young woman with livedo
      reticularis and progressive cerebral arteriopathy is described. Abnormalities of
      sexual and gonadotropic hormones were present. Anticardiolipin and
      anticardiolipin-cofactor complex antibodies were not found.

PMID- 1414557
TI  - Metoclopramide-induced parkinsonism and depression.
AB  - A 46-year-old female patient with metoclopramide-induced parkinsonism and
      depression was reported in view of the rarity of the concurrent development of
      these side effects. A risk of metoclopramide administration is suggested.

PMID- 1414559
TI  - Correlation between the growth hormone and degenerative pathology.

PMID- 1414561
TI  - Isolated amnesia following a bilateral paramedian thalamic infarct. Possible
      etiologic role of a whiplash injury.
AB  - A previously healthy 45 years old carpenter suffered a whiplash injury in a road
      accident on July, 18th, 1990. He continued to work in spite of occipital
      headache, episodic sweatening and slight hypersomnia. On August, 8th, 1990 while
      parking his car into the deck of a ferry-boat he was found slightly confuse and
      markedly amnestic. A post-traumatic subdural haematoma was suspected. As a CT
      scan of the brain was normal, a toxic encephalopathy or an hysterical amnesia
      were proposed. However, a MRI performed on August, 22th, 1990, apart from a small
      infarct in the white matter of the left occipital lobe, showed two small
      bilateral paramedian thalamic infarcts. The last lesions usually follow a
      thrombotic or embolic occlusion of the "basilar communicating artery" (BCA)
      belonging to the vertebro-basilar system. The possible etiologic relationship
      between this syndrome and the previous whiplash injury has been considered. Six
      months later, while a control MRI showed a reduction of the brain lesions, a
      neuropsychological examination revealed a slight improvement of memory
      dysfunction evident also at a distance of further 6 months. This case is
      interesting because it tests the high sensitivity of MRI in amnestic syndromes
      and because of the possible role of a whiplash injury in the etiology of BPTI.

PMID- 1414560
TI  - Neurological damage mediated by cytokines.
AB  - Our results suggest that CKs, in particular Interleukin-1 and Tumor Necrosis
      Factor (TNF)-alpha, are involved in the pathogenesis of some neurological
      disorders and HIV infection. Infact, we observed an exaggerated spontaneous
      release of TNF-alpha in patients with migraine without aura. Furthermore, in a
      broad spectrum of patients with HIV-infection we have also found increased
      amounts of serum TNF-alfa and IL-1. Interestingly, a strict correlation between
      plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and IL-1 or TNF-alpha levels seems to exist in
      both group of patients, thus indicating that LPS could account for the production
      of CKs in the course of the above diseases.

PMID- 1414562
TI  - Verbalized anger and accusatory "you" messages as cues for anger and antagonism
      among adolescents.
AB  - This study investigated the impact of communications of negative feelings between
      adolescents in close relationships. High school boys and girls were asked to
      imagine discussing a relationship problem with a personally close partner and to
      rate likely reactions to four kinds of statements: assertively expressed
      distress, assertively expressed anger, aggressively expressed distress, and
      aggressively expressed anger. Accusatory "you" statements were rated as more
      aversive and evoked stronger antagonistic response inclinations than assertive
      "I" statements. Statements depicting anger were rated as more aversive and evoked
      stronger antagonistic response inclinations than statements depicting distress.
      Results were similar for boys and girls. Implications of the findings and
      directions for further research are discussed.

PMID- 1414563
TI  - The effects of a psychoeducational program on adolescents' activity involvement,
      self-esteem, and locus of control.
AB  - Adolescents' participation in extracurricular activities is related to a number
      of variables, such as higher grade point average, increased self-esteem, and
      lower absenteeism. This research, part of a larger longitudinal study, was
      designed to determine whether a short, psychoeducational intervention, the
      personal empowerment program, would affect adolescents' level of involvement in
      activities, their self-esteem, or their locus of control. Fifty-two ninth-grade
      students who were average participators were randomly selected and assigned to
      either the empowerment program or control group. Students were surveyed six
      months after the program. Analyses of covariance using pretest scores as the
      covariates indicated that students who participated in the program maintained
      their level of activity involvement during the transition to high school, a time
      when participation generally decreases. The program did not produce significant
      changes in self-esteem or locus of control. Implications for future research are
      discussed.

PMID- 1414564
TI  - Reliability and validity of the Korean Youth Depression Adjective Check List (Y
      DACL).
AB  - To develop a Korean version of the Youth Depression Adjective Check List (Y
      DACL), bilingual Koreans achieved consensus in their translation of the 22
      adjectives. Four hundred and seventeen male and 412 female adolescents from 8th
      through 12th grade of four Korean public schools (mean age ranged from 13.4 to
      17.3) completed the state form of the Y-DACL, the Beck Depression Inventory
      (BDI), and the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). Internal consistency was high
      (alpha = .87), split-half reliability was moderately high (.72), and test-retest
      reliability was low (.26) as expected. Estimates of concurrent validity indicated
      a moderate level of correlation between the Y-DACL and the BDI and SDS. The
      findings suggest that the Korean Y-DACL is suitable for use in research.

PMID- 1414565
TI  - Evaluating the efficacy of short-term counseling on adolescents in a school
      setting.
AB  - This study evaluated the efficacy of short-term school-based counseling with
      forty-two high school adolescents (twenty-seven males, fifteen females) by
      measuring pre- and posttest scores on a self-report, self-esteem measure. While
      there was a significant decline in self-esteem ratings after counseling in the
      areas of social acceptance, job competence, and close friendship, counseled
      students showed a significant improvement in the consistency between their
      adequacy ratings and their judgments about what competencies they valued.
      Specific gender differences emerged, as females appeared to have benefited more
      from the counseling experience than did males.

PMID- 1414566
TI  - The use of the MMPI special scales in the assessment of delinquent personality.
AB  - The MMPI was administered to 401 adjudicated male juvenile offenders, ages 13 to
      17, who had been referred to a juvenile court mental health unit for
      recommendations in court disposition. Mean T scores generated by 86 MMPI clinical
      and supplementary scales were tabulated and analyzed as to their relationships
      with completed court offense histories. Twenty-eight of these scales that best
      described and discriminated between high and low levels of recidivism, crime
      severity, assault, and property offenses were identified, profiled, and
      discussed. Data were analyzed by a suggested T-score cutoff of 1.5 standard
      deviations, univariate, and multivariate (discriminant) analysis. Scales that
      best discriminated between high and low levels of recidivism and property
      offenses were Pd (Psychopathic Deviance), Ma1 (Amorality), Pd2 (Authority
      Problems), Re (Social Responsibility), and MAC (MacAndrew Alcoholism). Low scores
      on Re (Social Responsibility), Es (Ego Strength), Cn (Control), and St (Social
      Status) best discriminated between high and low levels of crime severity. High
      and low levels of assault were best differentiated by Ma3 (Imperturbability),
      Scale 5 (Masculinity-Femininity), and Pa2 (Poignancy). Although the linear
      combination of Scales F, 4, 8, and 9 has some utility in the areas of recidivism
      and property offenses, its discriminative ability is extremely poor for levels of
      assault and crime severity.

PMID- 1414567
TI  - A comparison of the perceptions of the mother-daughter relationship of black
      pregnant and nonpregnant teenagers.
AB  - This study examined the relationship between mothers and their teenage daughters
      in order to determine if there was a significant difference in perceived
      relationships between pregnant and nonpregnant mother-daughter dyads in a
      predominantly black sample. Results indicated that the nonpregnant daughters and
      their mothers felt significantly more intimacy toward each other than did the
      pregnant daughters and their mothers. However, correlations of the mother and
      daughter scores revealed that the intimacy scores of the mothers of the pregnant
      daughters were positively correlated with their daughters' attachment scores,
      suggesting that the mothers and their pregnant daughters were more in agreement
      regarding their relationship than were the nonpregnant mother-daughter pairs.

PMID- 1414568
TI  - The association between teacher attitudes, behavioral intentions, and smoking and
      the prevalence of smoking among seventh-grade students.
AB  - Seventh-grade students and teachers from twenty-three middle and junior high
      schools were surveyed to determine the association between teacher attitudes,
      behavioral intentions, and smoking behavior and the prevalence of student
      smoking. Teacher attitudes toward smoking policies were found to be strongly
      related to the current smoking behavior of the teacher but not consistently
      related to student smoking. In addition, teacher likelihood of intervening showed
      a modest association with teacher smoking status, with current smokers generally
      indicating being the least likely to intervene for student possession or use of
      cigarettes. Teacher intentions to intervene were strongly associated with the
      prevalence of smoking among boys but not girls.

PMID- 1414569
TI  - Single-sex versus coeducational environment and achievement in adolescent
      females.
AB  - For women, the nature and range of experiences during the high school years take
      on special significance, since it is during this period that they usually weigh
      their various roles and adjust their levels of aspirations accordingly. If the
      high school environment is successful in reducing the discrepancy between what
      are often viewed as conflicting roles, adolescent females may place greater
      emphasis on achievement. It is within this context that the present paper
      explored the differential benefits of single-sex and coeducational schooling. The
      issue explored is not whether one is preferable for females; rather, the concern
      here is how each of these settings influences both achievement and personal
      fulfillment.

PMID- 1414570
TI  - Relationship between peer status and health behaviors.
AB  - Over the past decade, univariate studies have identified peer-rated
      popularity/sociability as a correlate of individual health practices (e.g.,
      alcohol and drug use, exercise habits). Yet, the relationship between multiple
      health habits and broader social competencies rarely has been systematically
      examined. Accordingly, using a multivariate approach, the present study
      investigated the relative influence of background characteristics (i.e., age,
      gender, race, family type, and socioeconomic status) and peer status on health
      related behaviors (i.e., physical activity, eating habits, smoking, alcohol use,
      and stress-related behaviors) in 589 junior high school students (ages 11-13). In
      this sample, peer popularity provided no significant increment in the prediction
      of health habits over and above the effects explained by demographics. These
      results are consistent with current perspectives on health and interpersonal
      behaviors, and have important practical implications for the initiation and
      maintenance of healthful and risky practices in the natural environment.

PMID- 1414571
TI  - The cognitive and social-emotional correlates of color deficiency in children: a
      literature review and analysis.
AB  - Although color deficiency is a prevalent problem in childhood, little is known
      about the cognitive and social-emotional variables linked to this visual deficit.
      A review of the literature revealed just seven empirical articles designed to
      explore the psychological functioning of color-deficient children, with the
      results yielding contradictory findings. An analysis of the literature indicated
      that the equivocal nature of past research may be due to an inadequate rationale
      explaining what outcome variables should be tied to color deficiency. This
      weakness can be remedied, and as a means toward that end, specific investigative
      recommendations are made to provide a more valid theoretical link between color
      deficiency and selected cognitive and social-emotional variables.

PMID- 1414572
TI  - Predictors of adolescent female decision making regarding contraceptive usage.
AB  - The relationship of cognitive capacity, cognitive egocentrism, and experience
      factors to decision making in a contraceptive usage problem was examined. Fifty
      sexually active, unmarried females, ages 14-19, served as subjects. Using
      correlational, regression, and canonical correlational analyses, cognitive
      capacity and cognitive egocentrism variables, not experience with contraceptives,
      were found to be significantly related to, and predictive of, five of seven
      decision-making variables. Forty-one percent of the variance was accounted for in
      predicting the canonical decision-making variable. The implications of these
      results for future research are discussed.

PMID- 1414573
TI  - The effect of free or reduced-price lunches on the self-esteem of middle school
      students.
AB  - This study proposed to determine whether 52 middle school students who received
      free or reduced-price meals suffered lower general or area-specific self-esteem
      than did 52 sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students who did not receive such
      benefits. It further sought to determine whether self-esteem varied according to
      grade level. Using the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, no significant
      differences were found for either group at any grade level for general or area
      specific self-esteem. Interpersonal process resources, the use of a checklist,
      short-term relief, defensiveness, and external forces are considered as possible
      explanations.

PMID- 1414574
TI  - Is parental divorce a critical stressor for young adolescents? Grade point
      average as a case in point.
AB  - Previous studies have shown parental divorce to be associated with poor
      functioning of children and adolescents. Almost all of the studies attempting to
      delineate these effects, and to shed light on the differences between boys and
      girls, have limited data collection to postdivorce. This practice has left a void
      in the picture of divorce--specifically in the area of predivorce effects. The
      purpose of the present study was to examine academic functioning of young
      adolescents with respect to both pre- and postdivorce effects. Fifty-eight young
      adolescents (29 from families which subsequently divorced and 29 from families
      which remained intact) were studied. Results indicated that boys from
      subsequently divorcing homes had significantly poorer academic functioning prior
      to their parents' divorce than did boys whose families remained intact and girls
      whose parents divorced. Differentially, girls from subsequently divorcing
      families showed a decline in academic functioning which began prior to divorce
      and continued beyond the time of divorce. Possible explanations for these gender
      differences are explored, and the importance of examining predivorce effects is
      addressed.

PMID- 1414575
TI  - A profile of young adolescents attending a teen family planning clinic.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to assess the client records of adolescents
      attending a teen family planning clinic to determine the reported episodes of
      sexually transmitted diseases, sexual abuse, alcohol and drug use, and other
      dysfunctional situations in the family. In addition, information about the
      initiation of sexual activity and sexual partners was assessed in the record
      review. Data were obtained from a county health department located in a
      metropolitan area of a southeastern state. A review of the records of 183
      adolescents 15 years of age or younger provided information on ethnicity, grade
      in school, and assessment data from the clinic interviews and exams. Twenty-five
      clients said they were not sexually active when they came to the family planning
      clinic for the first time, and were brought to the clinic by a parent (usually
      the mother). Those clients who came without parents said they were sexually
      active. Forty-one percent had their first sexual experience between 12 and 13
      years of age, 18% between the ages of 14 and 15, and the remainder before the age
      of 12. While over 7% specifically stated that they had been sexually abused or
      raped, an additional 19% described situations in the home or exhibited symptoms
      associated with a history of sexual abuse. Eleven percent had a history of two to
      three different sexually transmitted diseases, and 26% had three or more
      diseases. Seventy-two percent indicated that there was conflict in the home;
      several had left home because of abuse. Fourteen percent admitted using drugs,
      mostly cocaine or marijuana, and 17% reported that they used alcohol at least
      occasionally.

PMID- 1414576
TI  - Developmental profiles of adolescents and young adults choosing abortion: stage
      sequence, decalage, and implications for policy.
AB  - Three groups of unmarried females (ages 12-14, 17-19, and 23-25) electing to have
      an abortion in the first trimester of their first pregnancy were administered the
      Washington University Sentence Completion Test, the Rest Defining Issues Test,
      and a moral judgment interview of their reasons for choosing an abortion. Results
      indicated that there were clear developmental differences between the youngest
      group and the two older groups on the general measures of ego development and
      principled moral reasoning, as theory would have predicted. There were, however,
      no major differences across the three groups on the level of reasoning which
      directly assessed the specific decision concerning abortion. Further, all three
      groups were assessed at the self-protective level characterized by Stage 2
      reasons of financial consequences and the need to rely exclusively on one's own
      self in such a difficult dilemma. These findings and developmental profiles are
      compared to national base rates, and the possible implications of apparent
      decalage, or discrepancy between the general stage assessments and the specific
      assessment on abortion, are discussed. In addition, the similarity between the
      older group of adolescents and the young adults was examined, particularly in
      light of the current controversy over mandatory parental consent.

PMID- 1414577
TI  - The effects of gender, race, religion, and political orientation on the sex role
      attitudes of college freshmen.
AB  - Freshmen (N = 556) at a large eastern private university were administered a
      questionnaire during the first week of classes. A social learning perspective was
      used to examine the effects of gender, race (Asian, black, and white), religion
      (Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant), and political orientation (liberal and
      conservative) on four areas of sex role ideology--traditional attitudes toward
      female sexuality, justification of male dominance, negative attitudes toward
      homosexuality, and attitudes toward feminism. Although all four independent
      variables produced a significant effect on at least one measure of sex role
      ideology, religion and political orientation produced significant differences on
      all four sex role measures. Liberals as compared to conservatives and Jews as
      compared to Protestants were less traditional in their attitudes toward female
      sexuality, less accepting of male dominance and negative attitudes toward
      homosexuality, and more accepting of feminist attitudes. The results support the
      view that entering freshmen have established sex role belief systems that tend to
      be organized around constellations of traditional/conservative versus
      egalitarian/liberal attitudes.

PMID- 1414578
TI  - Temperament and self-esteem in late adolescence.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between temperament
      and self-esteem (or social competence) among late adolescents. The Dimensions of
      Temperament Scale and the Short Form of the Texas Social Behavior Inventory were
      administered to 186 students. It was found that Adaptability,
      Attention/Distractibility, and Reactivity all showed significant correlations
      with self-esteem. An interactive framework suggested that temperament may mediate
      how each individual perceives and experiences social demands and constraints,
      thereby influencing the level of positive regard and success during development.

PMID- 1414579
TI  - Demographic, clinical, and personality variables associated with male
      prostitution by choice.
AB  - This research compared demographic, clinical and personality variables in a
      sample of 15 male prostitutes and 15 nonprostitutes from the same cohort. Unlike
      previous samples of male prostitutes, these young men specifically reported that
      they were involved by choice, primarily to earn extra money. Significant findings
      included heavier drug and alcohol use, more limited vocational success and
      aspirations, and greater alcohol use among family members of male prostitutes.
      Male prostitutes were also more likely to identify themselves as drug or alcohol
      addicted. No significant differences were found in personality characteristics
      between the two groups, although there was limited support for the hypothesis
      that male prostitutes are more antisocial.

PMID- 1414580
TI  - Adolescent self-perception as a function of vision loss.
AB  - The potential effect of vision loss on adolescents' self-perception has been the
      subject of limited research. Several previous studies have failed to shed much
      light on this relationship. This study, utilizing a sample of adolescents with
      visual problems and a comparison sample with normal vision, found significant
      differences in dimensions of perceived self-concept between these groups. Some
      possible interpretations of these results are offered. The need for new research
      in this field of inquiry is emphasized.

PMID- 1414581
TI  - An evaluation of parental assessment of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program in
      New York City.
AB  - This study used a self-report survey to assess parents' impressions of the impact
      of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program on their children. Parents rated program
      success on each of seven outcome variables (school attendance, grades, getting
      along with family members, getting along with friends, self-esteem, staying out
      of trouble, and being more responsible), and two program variables (frequency of
      contact and length of time in program). While children were rated by their
      parents as benefiting significantly from the program, children's frequency of
      contact did not have a significant effect on the outcome measures. However, a
      trend of increased success with greater time spent in the program was found.
      Frequency of contact between parents and Big Brothers/Big Sisters was positively
      correlated with reported success.

PMID- 1414582
TI  - Holistic attitudes of high school students toward themselves and their school
      experiences.
AB  - This study was based on an analysis of essays written by 47 teacher education
      students in response to the question, "If you could live your high school days
      over again, what, if anything, would you change?" The responses were organized
      into 20 different categories and tabulated according to students' age and sex. In
      retrospect, 38% of these students would have improved their attitude toward high
      school. Thirty-six percent indicated that high school was a positive experience,
      though this attitude was often unrelated to academic achievement. The responses
      strongly suggest that for many high school students, general attitude toward
      school affects achievement more than do attitudes toward specific school
      characteristics.

PMID- 1414583
TI  - The validity and devolution of a concept: student alienation.
AB  - This study examined the correspondence between conceptual and empirical
      dimensions of student alienation. Responses from 2,056 secondary school students
      were analyzed using a multivariate technique, smallest space analysis. Except for
      a few items, there was a basic correspondence between a multidimensional
      conceptualization of alienation and empirical dimensions articulated by students.
      Such a correspondence for both intermediate and high school students serves to
      strengthen confidence in the concept of multidimensional alienation specific to
      the school context.

PMID- 1414584
TI  - 8th annual meeting, Society for the Advancement of Contraception. Barcelona,
      Spain, October 28-31, 1992. Abstracts.

PMID- 1414585
TI  - Immunomodulatory drugs of relevance to the management of microbial infections.

PMID- 1414586
TI  - Cytokine activation of killer cells in mycobacterial immunity.
AB  - Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI) is an ubiquitous soil contaminant that
      rarely causes disseminated disease in adults, regardless of immunological status.
      In AIDS patients, however, this microorganism invades virtually every tissue and
      organ, and most conventional chemotherapeutic agents are usually ineffective
      against MAI. We report here that monocytes, in which MAI has established an
      intracellular parasitic stage, appear to be under the control of natural killer
      (NK) cells. Autologous large granular lymphocytes (LGL), purified from human
      peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), were capable of efficiently lysing MAI
      infected monocytes in a 5 hr 51Cr-release assay. More importantly, interleukin 2
      (IL-2) was able to activate the LGL to a high degree of lysis of infected
      monocytes. Additionally, 3 to 4 days of incubation of LGL with MAI resulted in
      the induction of killer cells capable of killing bacterially-infected monocytes,
      as well as tumor cells. Northern blot analysis of RNA from MAI-stimulated LGL
      revealed specific messages for both IL-2 receptor proteins (p55 and p70). Thus,
      MAI can directly activate killer cells, which may therefore play a role in
      containment of MAI infection by lysis of parasitized monocytes before the
      bacteria can multiply and spread to other sites.

PMID- 1414587
TI  - T cell-monocyte interactions induced by Listeria monocytogenes.

PMID- 1414588
TI  - Recent thoughts on the immunotherapy of infectious diseases including HIV
      infection.

PMID- 1414589
TI  - "Inverse" effects of cortisone in experimental infection of mice.
AB  - Hydrocortisone (HC) ameliorated the course of experimental infection with E. coli
      given intraperitoneally. In experiments with Staphylococcus aureus and treatment
      with endotoxin on the day of infection, HC had also a beneficial effect, however
      only when LPS was injected intraperitoneally and bacteria intravenously. With the
      footpad swelling reaction as a model for cellular immunity it could be shown that
      HC alone reduced the reactivity by 75 per cent. Under endotoxin treatment,
      however, HC induced further inhibition when LPS was given intraperitoneally the
      day of sensitization but changing to a stimulatory effect when LPS was given two
      days later. In case of intravenous application of LPS, HC had no effect.

PMID- 1414590
TI  - Bacterial cell surface biological response modifiers and their synthetic
      counterparts.

PMID- 1414591
TI  - Determination of the antiinfectious activity of RU 41740 (Biostim) as an example
      of an immunomodulator.
AB  - Evaluation of the anti-infectious activity of an immunomodulator performed either
      in vitro or in vivo in animals as in humans must answer three questions: what are
      the targets? what models should be used to study the mechanism of action? what
      methodology should be selected for the assessment of therapeutic benefit? In the
      case of RU 41470 (Biostim), an immunomodulator with a known structure and of
      biological origin affects immunocompetent cells and two essential mediators: II1
      and CSF. Because of multiple interactions between anti-infectious, anti
      inflammatory and anti-allergic responses, as well as the pleiotropism of
      mediators, there exists no absolute predictive index of activity in vivo and,
      independently of models of immune deficiency, experimental infections are a
      particularly useful pharmacological model for study of the anti-infectious
      activity of any immunomodulator. In this model, RU 41470 tested by oral,
      intraperitoneal and aerosol administration, proved to be active regardless of the
      type of infectious agent for extracellular bacteria, intracellular bacteria,
      viruses or yeasts. Because of special local features of anti-infectious defences
      (pulmonary, cutaneous), the target organ must be identified when studying
      mechanism of action. RU 41740 stimulates the metabolic activities of alveolar
      macrophage and the target organ is the respiratory tract. From a clinical
      pharmacology standpoint, stimulation of different immune components has been
      investigated with RU 41470 at different dosages, using double-blind versus
      placebo designs. Target pathology, regardless of severity, includes a risk of
      infection and the existence of an immunological deficiency. Chronic bronchitis is
      a reference pathology since patients are subject to episodes of infection,
      resulting in acute decompensation and contributing to worsening of the
      ventilatory obstructive disorder. Clinical efficacy in terms of anti-infectious
      prophylaxis must be evaluated by a strict methodological approach: randomized
      double-blind placebo-controlled trials with prolonged follow-up. RU 41470 is
      effective in prophylaxis of respiratory infections in chronic bronchitis
      (reduction in the number of respiratory infections, their duration and in
      antibiotic consumption) and in prophylaxis of respiratory tract infections in
      children over one year old. Clinicians faced with the perplexity of the mechanism
      of action of immunomodulators and their number are preoccupied above all by the
      response which such an anti-infectious immunomodulator can offer in a context of
      clinical reality.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1414592
TI  - MDP derivatives and resistance to bacterial infections in mice.

PMID- 1414593
TI  - Therapeutic and prophylactic effects of romurtide against experimental animal
      infections.

PMID- 1414594
TI  - Enhancement of host resistance to opportunistic infections by ubenimex
      (bestatin).
AB  - Ubenimex is a low molecular biological response modifier (BRM) which has been
      demonstrated to have antitumor and immunomodulatory activities. In this study,
      the effect of ubenimex on infection with Candida albicans was investigated in
      normal and immunosuppressed mice, and it showed a prophylactic effect. In normal
      mice, ubenimex prolonged survival time in a dose-dependent manner. In
      immunosuppressed mice treated with cyclophosphamide 4 days before infection,
      ubenimex at 5 mg/kg for 5 days significantly increased the number of survivors.
      Significant improvement in peritoneal leukocyte counts and in function of
      neutrophils including phagocytosis and release of activated oxygen was observed
      in ubenimex-treated mice. These results indicate that ubenimex is a potent BRM
      for prevention against opportunistic infections.

PMID- 1414595
TI  - Potentiation of host resistance against microbial infections by lentinan and its
      related polysaccharides.

PMID- 1414596
TI  - Cytokines and anti-fungal immunity.
AB  - In summary, we have defined a unique host resistance circuit that has not
      previously been investigated. For the host control of an opportunistic fungal
      pathogen such as C. albicans, we have definitive evidence to indicate that LGL
      can respond to C. albicans by producing key cytokines, i.e. TNF, IFNg, and GMCSF,
      to activate neutrophil function against C. albicans. The cytokine-producing LGL
      differs from the spontaneous tumoricidal LGL by being DR+; otherwise other
      markers are identical, i.e., CD2(+)-CD16+CD4-CD8-CD15-. From the point of view of
      the neutrophils, they can respond to these cytokines readily within 2 hr of
      activation and may utilize any of the 3 antifungal pathways, i.e., oxidative
      radical production, enzyme degranulation, and lactoferrin release, to control
      Candida. It is of importance to note that TNF and GMCSF have also been shown to
      have chemotactic properties on neutrophils (27,28). Thus, the cytokines produced
      by LGL may have bifunctional roles for PMN, in not only activating them but in
      mobilizing them to the site of fungal invasion. In addition, we have defined that
      C. albicans as well as the bacterial polysaccharide, LPS, can activate PMN to
      produce TNF. Since TNF is a neutrophil activating factor, this implies that
      neutrophils may self-regulate function in an autocrine manner or utilize released
      TNF to recruit neighboring PMN. The possibility exists that other cytokines may
      also be produced by neutrophils when activated with C. albicans. Future studies
      should indicate the true role of neutrophils in host resistance to infection and
      may lead to a new identity for neutrophils as an active participant in the
      afferent phase of the immune response rather than an end effector cell
      population, waiting for outside signals to mobilize and activate them.

PMID- 1414597
TI  - Cryptococcal immunity and immunostimulation.

PMID- 1414598
TI  - Antiviral and adjuvant activity of immunomodulator adamantylamide dipeptide.

PMID- 1414599
TI  - Immunomodulation by medicinal plants.

PMID- 1414600
TI  - Immunomodulating effects of polysaccharides from medicinal plants.

PMID- 1414601
TI  - Effects of medicinal plants on hemopoietic cells.
AB  - It has been found that Juzentaihoto (TJ-48), one of the traditional Japanese
      kampo (herbal) medicines, improves the general condition of cancer patients
      receiving chemotherapy and radiation therapy. We analyze how TJ-48 elicits such
      effect, and show that oral administration of TJ-48 accelerates recovery from
      hemopoietic injury induced by radiation and the anti-cancer drug mitomycin C. The
      effects are found to be due to its stimulation of spleen colony-forming units.
      Based on the present findings, we propose that the administration of TJ-48 should
      be of benefit to patients receiving chemotherapy, radiation therapy or bone
      marrow transplantation.

PMID- 1414603
TI  - Biological response modifiers in infectious diseases: prospectives for the
      future.

PMID- 1414602
TI  - Multiple immunological functions of extracts from the cone of Japanese white
      pine, Pinus parviflora Sieb. et Zucc.

PMID- 1414605
TI  - Bacterial protein-LPS complexes and immunomodulation.

PMID- 1414604
TI  - Immunomodulation of C3H/HeJ cells by endotoxin associated protein and
      lipopolysaccharide endotoxin.
AB  - Protein kinase C plays a vital role in the activation of C3H/HeJ B lymphocytes by
      endotoxin associated protein; however, it is unlikely that G proteins are
      involved in the early signals stimulated by EP. On the other hand, LPS suppresses
      C3H/HeJ B cell DNA synthesis induced by EP which may be the result of PKC down
      regulation. LPS inhibits C3H/HeJ B cells from progressing through the G1 phase of
      the cell cycle blocking RNA synthesis within the first 12 hr after the cells are
      stimulated. Finally, this inhibition extends to activation of the arachidonic
      acid metabolism in C3H/HeJ macrophages and T cell proliferation to a limited
      extent.

PMID- 1414606
TI  - Suppression of antibody forming cells by lipid A analogs.

PMID- 1414607
TI  - BRM activities of low-toxic Bordetella pertussis lipopolysaccharides.
AB  - A low-toxic lipopolysaccharide (BP-LPS) was isolated from killed Bordetella
      pertussis (Tohama strain). LD50 of BP-LPS was about 0.8 mg/mouse which was about
      10-fold higher than the LD50 of E. coli-LPS(80 micrograms/mouse). Toxicity
      measured by decrease in body weight of BP-LPS-injected mice was similarly low. BP
      LPS had strong antitumor activities against various murine syngeneic tumors, and
      its systemic administration caused clear regression of such as MM46 mammary
      carcinoma and Meth A fibrosarcoma. It is noteworthy that a tolerable dosage of BP
      LPS (375 micrograms/mouse) showed clear antitumor activity against MH134
      hepatoma, which is known to be insusceptible to usual types of BRM including
      bacterial LPS. These findings suggest that BP-LPS is a promising candidate as an
      antitumor agent for clinical use. Biological activities of BP-LPS were examined
      and compared with those of toxic LPS extracted from Escherichia coli and other
      enterobacteria. Activation or stimulation of macrophages and lymphocytes by these
      LPS, including TNF induction, was found to be similar. However, activation of
      human or murine neutrophils, as estimated by neutrophil-adherence assay in vitro,
      though induced by all other toxic LPS tested, was not induced by BP-LPS. This
      inability of BP-LPS to activate neutrophils is assumed to be related to its low
      toxicity.

PMID- 1414608
TI  - Interleukin-2 and the regulation of activated macrophage cytotoxic activities.

PMID- 1414609
TI  - Protective effects of cytokines in murine Salmonella.

PMID- 1414610
TI  - Legionella pneumophila infection and cytokine production.

PMID- 1414611
TI  - Tourette syndrome: genetics, neurobiology, and treatment.

PMID- 1414613
TI  - Self-injurious behavior and Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414612
TI  - The natural history of Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414614
TI  - Immunohistochemical study of the basal ganglia in normal and parkinsonian
      monkeys.

PMID- 1414615
TI  - Postmortem analysis of subcortical monoamines and amino acids in Tourette
      syndrome.

PMID- 1414616
TI  - Neurochemical analysis of postmortem cortical and striatal brain tissue in
      patients with Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414617
TI  - Basal ganglia peptidergic staining in Tourette syndrome. A follow-up study.

PMID- 1414618
TI  - Pathogenesis of Tourette syndrome. Clues from the clinical phenotype and natural
      history.

PMID- 1414619
TI  - Issues in genetic linkage studies of Tourette syndrome. Phenotypic spectrum and
      genetic model parameters.

PMID- 1414620
TI  - Tourette symptoms in 161 related family members.

PMID- 1414621
TI  - Genetic study on Tourette syndrome in The Netherlands.

PMID- 1414622
TI  - Linkage studies in 16 St. Louis families. Present status and pursuit of an
      adjunct strategy.

PMID- 1414623
TI  - Alternative hypotheses on the inheritance of Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414624
TI  - Structural imaging in Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414625
TI  - SPECT imaging of cerebral blood flow in Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414626
TI  - Functional neuroanatomy of Tourette syndrome. Limbic-motor interactions studied
      with FDG PET.

PMID- 1414627
TI  - PET studies on the integrity of the pre and postsynaptic dopaminergic system in
      Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414628
TI  - Positron emission tomography evaluation of dopamine D-2 receptors in adults with
      Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414630
TI  - Clinical phenomenology of tic disorders selected aspects.

PMID- 1414629
TI  - Clonidine and clonazepam in Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414631
TI  - Neuroendocrine and behavioral effects of naloxone in Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414632
TI  - Therapeutics of Tourette syndrome. New medication approaches.

PMID- 1414633
TI  - Methylphenidate in hyperactive boys with comorbid tic disorder. I. Clinic
      evaluations.

PMID- 1414634
TI  - Psychopharmacology of obsessive-compulsive disorder in Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414635
TI  - Effects of foods on the brain. Possible implications for understanding and
      treating Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414636
TI  - Is there a role for megavitamin therapy in the treatment of attention deficit
      hyperactivity disorder?

PMID- 1414637
TI  - Educational management of children with Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414638
TI  - The family in Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414639
TI  - Social adaptation of Tourette syndrome families in Japan.

PMID- 1414640
TI  - Tourette syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder. An analysis of associated
      phenomena.

PMID- 1414641
TI  - Behavior therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder and trichotillomania.
      Implications for Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414642
TI  - Tourette syndrome. Extending basic research to clinical care.

PMID- 1414643
TI  - Methodology of epidemiological studies of tic disorders and comorbid
      psychopathology.

PMID- 1414644
TI  - Psychosocial factors in Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414646
TI  - Diagnosis and classification of tics and Tourette syndrome.

PMID- 1414645
TI  - A population-based epidemiological study of Tourette syndrome among adolescents
      in Israel.

PMID- 1414647
TI  - Tourette syndrome in a special education population. Hypotheses.

PMID- 1414648
TI  - Tourette syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PMID- 1414649
TI  - Comorbidity, Tourette syndrome, and anxiety disorders.

PMID- 1414650
TI  - Direct approach to the difficult anterior neck region.
AB  - This article presents an alternative method to correct the sagging neck with a
      local dermolipectomy and median platysma duplication. The technique is
      recommended mainly for the older patient with redundant skin and fat in that
      region and who, for some reason, does not want to undergo a facelift.

PMID- 1414651
TI  - Hypoplasia of the lower medial quadrant of the breast.
AB  - A corrective surgical technique is described for a newly defined deformity:
      hypoplasia of the lower medial quadrant of the breast. It involves reducing the
      usually enlarged nipple-areola complex and reshaping the breast by turning a
      glandular pedicled flap from the fairly large upper two quadrants on a medial
      base into the underdeveloped site of the medial lower quadrant. The method proved
      uniformly successful in 11 cases and 17 breasts involved.

PMID- 1414652
TI  - Ultrasonic liposculpturing.
AB  - The author describes a revolutionary body contouring technique based on the
      surgical use of ultrasonic energy. It allows the selective destruction of only
      excess adipose tissue. The technique is based on three fundamental steps: (1)
      preparation of the areas to be treated with a large infiltration of a special
      solution, (2) treatment of the areas with ultrasonic energy through special
      titanium probes, (3) manual remodeling of the treated areas to eliminate the
      fluid from the bursted adipocytes (fatty acids). The advantages of this new
      technique are selective destruction of just the undesired tissues, elimination of
      the fluid from the adipose tissues, and the possibility of a real "lifting" of
      the skin of the treated areas, and a reduction of physical strain on the surgeon.
      The author has already treated more than 280 patients with excellent results and
      without contraindications or undesired side effects. The fundamental steps of
      ultrasonic liposculpturing, including a description of the physical principles on
      which the technique is based, are presented.

PMID- 1414653
TI  - Influence of suction-assisted lipectomy on coagulation.
AB  - Suction-assisted lipectomy is the most commonly performed surgical aesthetic
      procedure in North America today. The procedure is not without significant
      morbidity, as death as well as serious nonfatal complications have been reported.
      Thromboembolic disease as a complicating factor of various types of surgical
      procedures and trauma has been well documented in the literature. Stasis, injury,
      and hypercoagulation--the limbs of Virchow's triad--contribute to predisposition
      for morbidity. The effects of stasis and injury are experienced with most
      operative procedures. We questioned whether suction-assisted lipectomy, in the
      appropriately selected and managed patient, would demonstrate a predisposition
      toward a hypercoagulable state and subsequent thromboembolic disease. In our
      group of ten female patients who underwent large-volume liposuction, a carefully
      selected assay of hematological factors demonstrated alterations consistent with
      a controlled response to tissue injury, but did not demonstrate a predisposition
      to a hypercoagulable state or subsequent increased risk of thromboembolic
      sequelae.

PMID- 1414654
TI  - External skin excision in the sebaceous nose and supratip deformity.
AB  - Some sebaceous noses cannot be properly reduced in size because of redundant
      skin. After standard rhinoplasty some noses develop a supratip deformity that
      recurs even after subcutaneous removal of the scar tissue. These noses can be
      corrected only by wedge-shaped skin excision. Most patients much prefer a
      pleasantly shaped nose, even at the cost of a midline scar on the nose. Most
      surgeons are hesitant to add scars to the face. However, the vast experience with
      wounds following accidents, tumor excisions, or corrections of malformations has
      shown that generally scar formation on the nose is inconspicuous. Nineteen
      patients were treated successfully by skin excision at the time of primary
      rhinoplasty or by a second operation.

PMID- 1414655
TI  - Local anesthesia in reduction mastoplasty for out-patient surgery.
AB  - To perform a breast reduction under local anesthesia we need a large amount of
      anesthetic with lasting effects. For this I use a solution of 25 cc of lidocaine,
      25 cc of bupivacaine, and 1 cc of epinephrine in 350 cc of saline solution. The
      bupivacaine allows a 4-6-hour operation. Once the breast is infiltrated, a great
      amount of anesthetic is lost in the incision, in the dissection, and in the
      resected tissue. Thus, a low dose remains subcutaneously to be metabolized by the
      liver. The serum lidocaine levels are low during these operations, as
      demonstrated by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Under analgesic sedation
      the submammary sulcus and the retroglandular space are infiltrated, blocking the
      perforants of the intercostal nerves, under the areola, beneath the skin where
      the incision is made and where the areola is placed. This procedure has been
      applied to many techniques of breast reduction by modifying the infiltration
      under the incision lines. For hypertrophy up to 1000 g, 200-300 cc of anesthetic
      solution is used for both breasts at one stage, while for gigantomastia, about
      400 cc of anesthetic is used, infiltrating and reducing one after the other. As
      the blood loss is minimal and the recovery very fast, with an appropriate
      adhesive bandage and a "soutien," the patient could be discharged in the
      afternoon. Our experience includes 94 reduction mastoplasties with local
      anesthesia, and also 74 other mastoplasties with equally good results. There were
      no patient complaints and, in general, they felt very comfortable, awakening
      without pain or side effects.

PMID- 1414656
TI  - Tissue suction of the male and female breast.
AB  - Liposuction has been used either alone or combined with resection for the
      correction of male and female breast deformities. The majority of the 32 patients
      in our study were treated for gynecomastia (69%). Other indications were
      Madelung's disease, gender dysphoria, asymmetry, hypertrophy, postburn and
      postreconstruction deformities. In 54% of the gynecomastia cases, suction alone
      gave a satisfactory result. In all but one male patient suction permitted us to
      avoid incisions other than periareolar incisions. Thirteen aspirates from
      gynecomastias and three glands resected secondarily after suction were examined
      histologically. All aspirates included glandular tissue. We conclude that breast
      tissue is accessible to the suction cannula, and that this is a valuable tool for
      correcting gynecomastia and for use in many aesthetic procedures on female
      patients.

PMID- 1414657
TI  - Male reduction mammoplasty in serious gynecomastias.
AB  - This article is a report on long-term followup of a total of 44 serious
      gynecomastia cases in the stages I-III (according to Deutinger). The treatment
      consisted of either a semicircular incision and subcutaneous mastectomy or a
      superiorly or an inferiorly based nipple transposition while performing male
      reduction mammoplasty. Aesthetically pleasing results could be obtained by a
      periareolar approach and mastectomy. This inconspicuous procedure is feasible
      even in massive gynecomastia cases (stage III) or in cases of male breast
      asymmetry. On the other hand, all cases with breast reduction plasty and nipple
      transposition resulted in wing-shaped, mainly broad scars, and subjectively
      unfavorable results. Consequently, we favor the semicircular approach in male
      reduction mammoplasty in treating serious gynecomastias. With regard to possible
      male breast cancer etiology, the histological specimen of the mammary gland in
      gynecomastia is excised prior to any additional liposuction for supplementary
      body contouring.

PMID- 1414658
TI  - Inferior pedicle reduction technique for larger forms of gynecomastia.
AB  - The treatment of larger types of gynecomastia is significantly different than
      that of less severe gynecomastias. Special concerns of the former include areola
      enlargement, nipple-areola ptosis, and redundant skin. Many procedures have been
      described to address these issues, none of which is completely satisfactory;
      these are reviewed here. Unsatisfactory results may be due to residual breast
      hypertrophy, skin redundancy, complications related to nipple-areola placement,
      form and viability, and cosmetically unacceptable scars. We describe a new
      technique that uses an inferior pedicle to reposition the nipple-areola complex
      and to maintain its neurovascular integrity and form. A superiorly based chest
      wall flap in conjunction with suction-assisted lipectomy maximizes chest wall
      contour. There are no breast mound scars, only a periareolar and inframammary
      scar.

PMID- 1414659
TI  - Periareolar mastopexy with mammary implants.
AB  - We present our experience with using a periareolar mastopexy technique combined
      with prosthesis implantation to correct mammary ptosis, misplaced areolas, and
      tuberous hypoplastic breasts. We draw a circle around the areola and deepidermize
      the skin between them. We enter the glandular tissue and introduce the implant in
      a submuscular pocket. A purse string suture of nonabsorbable material is used to
      gather the excess skin. Results were satisfactory in all cases. During the
      immediate postoperative weeks the shape was flatter and protruded less, but a
      progressive correction was observed. The tuberous breast could be released and
      reshaped adequately. Misplaced areolas can also be replaced correctly by drawing
      the periareolar circle and ellipse in eccentric forms. This technique does not
      allow great elevation of the areola (no more than 4-5 cm), but it is good and
      safe for correcting minor to moderate ptosis combined with volume augmentation.

PMID- 1414660
TI  - The use of leeches for treatment of venous congestion of the nipple following
      breast surgery.
AB  - The medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis, played a central role in the evolution
      of medieval and folk medicine. Today, for the first time in history, the leech
      actually has a real and valuable purpose in medicine as a useful adjunct for the
      plastic surgeon: It provides relief of venous congestion. For over 2000 years,
      leeches were needlessly applied for a multitude of maladies as an adjunct to
      blood-letting. Their use in Europe peaked between 1830 and 1850, however,
      shortages led to a subsequent decline in leech application. Today there is a real
      clinical use for leeches which had led to a resurgence in their use in plastic
      surgery. Plastic surgeons use leeches in microsurgery to salvage congested flaps,
      whose viability is uncertain due to venous congestion. We present our experience
      with two patients where leeches were used to treat isolated venous engorgement of
      the nipple following breast surgery. Leech therapy is painless, well tolerated,
      and does not result in significant scarring. Prompt initiation of treatment is
      mandatory and produces dramatic resolution of venous congestion.

PMID- 1414661
TI  - Mandibular angle implants.
AB  - A new type of implant designed to increase the angle of the mandible in three
      dimensions is described. Made of silicone and shaped like a saddle, this implant
      makes the technique of implantation relatively simple, and its versatility makes
      it a desirable addition to the tools for skeletal framework reconstruction of the
      face. The satisfaction rate has been high and the complications easy to manage.
      The surgical technique consists of an intraoral incision and the development of a
      subperiosteal pocket at the mandibular angle area, often performed under local
      anesthesia.

PMID- 1414662
TI  - Infracture technique for the zygomatic body and arch reduction.
AB  - In the Orient, prominent malar regions are considered unaesthetic and the
      majority of women with a prominent malar want to reduce the zygoma. Various
      operative procedures such as shaving or chiseling the zygomatic body or the
      zygomatic arch have been used for reducing malar eminence, but the zygomatic arch
      cannot be reduced sufficiently by these methods. By combining intraoral shaving
      of the zygomatic body and a new effect arch infracture technique through a
      temporopreauricular incision, we have obtained very satisfactory results in 19
      cases and notable minimal complications over the last three years.

PMID- 1414663
TI  - Felman double-liposuction cannula.

PMID- 1414664
TI  - Cornerstones in reconstructive plastic surgery: Argentinian development of
      muscular, myocutaneous, and fasciocutaneous flaps.

PMID- 1414665
TI  - Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

PMID- 1414666
TI  - Association of age with regional cerebral oxygen utilization: a positron emission
      tomography study.
AB  - Positron emission tomography scans were performed on 14 normal subjects over the
      age of 50. Cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen (CMRO2) was assessed in a number of
      cortical and subcortical regions. There was a trend for a decrease in CMRO2 with
      age but this was significant only in the parietal lobe. There was a suggestion
      that the age/CMRO2 correlation became less strong with advancing age. CMRO2 in
      the occipital lobe, subcortical regions and cerebellum was not related to age.
      The relationship between CMRO2 and age is discussed.

PMID- 1414667
TI  - Factors related to long-term stay in hospital by elderly people in a Japanese
      city.
AB  - The characteristics and social backgrounds of 61 elderly patients with long
      hospital stays and those of 179 incapacitated elderly people living at home in a
      Japanese city were compared. Discriminant function analysis was performed to
      clarify the factors associated with long-term use of hospital beds by elderly
      people. In addition to this analysis, the elderly patients with long hospital
      stays were divided into two subgroups according to the likelihood of discharge,
      and these subgroups were compared in the same way. The elderly patients with long
      hospital stays were more likely to be women, persons with low ADL, living alone
      and not living with a spouse or a second generation, compared with incapacitated
      elderly people living at home. Analysis of the subgroups of the elderly subjects
      with long hospital stays showed that use of a urethral catheter and not
      undergoing rehabilitation were the medical factors related to difficulty of
      discharge, while being women, of advanced age and not having their own room at
      home were the non-medical factors associated with long-term occupation of
      hospital beds.

PMID- 1414668
TI  - Age-associated changes in mesenteric arteries.
AB  - Vascular disease increases in incidence with age and is the commonest cause of
      morbidity and mortality among elderly people. Hypertension is associated with
      hypertrophy of the arterial media. This study was designed to investigate changes
      in arterial structure that may occur with age independent of blood pressure.
      Collapsed sections of human mesenteric arteries (external diameter 2-3 mm) were
      measured using a semi-automatic image analysis system. There was a nonlinear
      increase in both the wall/lumen area ratio and the relative intimal area with
      age. There were no significant relationships between blood pressure and either
      the wall/lumen ratio or the relative intimal area.

PMID- 1414669
TI  - Can elderly diabetic patients co-operate with routine foot care?
AB  - Foot care education is widely promoted as a preventive strategy for reducing foot
      ulceration in diabetes. We describe a simple method of assessing the ability of
      elderly diabetic patients to co-operate with foot care advice. Using small self
      adhesive red spots, foot lesions can be simulated and patients advised and
      prompted to detect and inspect these 'lesions'. Nineteen young non-diabetic
      volunteers and three groups of 14 elderly patients were assessed: diabetic
      patients with a foot ulcer, diabetic patients with no history of foot ulceration
      and non-diabetic patients. Eleven (39%) of the diabetic patients were unable to
      reach their toes and remove the lesions and only 6 (14%) of all elderly patients
      could respond to plantar lesions. It is therefore unlikely that unsupported foot
      care education can be effective in reducing the morbidity of foot problems in the
      elderly diabetic patient.

PMID- 1414671
TI  - Use of drugs by non-institutionalized urban Finns born in 1904-1923 and the
      association of drug use with mood and self-rated health.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to examine the use of drugs by elderly people and
      to investigate its associations with various other factors. Random sampling was
      used to select 800 interviewees born in 1904-13 and a further 800 born in 1914
      23. The average number of prescribed drugs per person was 2.2. Women used a
      greater number of prescribed drugs than did men; and this difference increased
      with age. The use of vitamins and trace elements seemed to decline with
      increasing age. Among women a significant association between the use of
      prescribed drugs and depressive symptoms was found. Women in the older age group
      used prescribed drugs more often than women in the younger age group. One fifth
      of the subjects had a greater number of drugs in simultaneous use than is
      generally recommended. It seems that, especially among elderly women, depression
      often remains undiagnosed and treatments are chiefly provided for the associated
      symptoms.

PMID- 1414670
TI  - Prevalence of biliary lithiasis in the elderly people of a small town in Sicily.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of biliary lithiasis
      (BL) and its major associated factors in the elderly people of a small town in
      Sicily. All inhabitants over the age of 65 were interviewed and underwent a
      general physical examination, blood tests and ultrasonography of the gallbladder
      and biliary tracts. The final group included 328 subjects (162 men and 166
      women), representing 63.1% of the population asked to participate, with a mean
      age of 74.3 +/- 6.8 years (range 65-95). The prevalence of BL (lithiasis in
      progress + subjects cholecystectomized for previous calculosis) was 18.6%. No
      male subject had been cholecystectomized. Prevalence was higher in women than in
      men, but there was no progressive increase with age. There was no significant
      correlation between number of pregnancies and BL and there was no statistically
      significant difference between subjects with and without lithiasis for total
      cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, A-I and B apoprotein values; a
      significant difference was found only for body weight values (p less than 0.01).
      Stones were more often multiple and more radiopaque than in younger subjects;
      specific symptoms and positive family histories were found in 22% and 18% of the
      study group, respectively.

PMID- 1414672
TI  - Sex differences in cancellous and cortical bone strength, bone mineral content
      and bone density.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to examine sex differences in cancellous and
      cortical bone strength, bone mineral content (BMC) and bone density of excised
      cadaver vertebral and phalangeal bones. The samples were age-matched. Bone
      strength was measured as the mechanical force required to crush or break the
      bones. Two parameters of bone strength were used on the vertebrae; the force at
      the first deviation from linearity and the mean force during the consolidation
      before final failure. The force at first deviation from linearity was not
      significantly different between the sexes, but there was a significant difference
      in the consolidation force. The mean men's phalangeal strength was twice that of
      the women's. BMC and BMC/BW of both types of bone were statistically different
      between the sexes. Radiographic photodensity measures on the vertebrae showed no
      sex differences. Cortical diameters of the finger bones were significantly
      greater in males.

PMID- 1414674
TI  - Alcohol and acute medical admission of elderly people.
AB  - In a prospective study of 539 consecutive elderly medical admissions (mean age
      77.3 years; 275 men), 42 patients (7.8%; 36 men) were identified as alcohol
      abusers, 41 by an alcohol intake history and one by a positive response to the
      CAGE questionnaire; none was identified by laboratory screening (gamma
      glutamyltransferase and red cell mean corpuscular volume) alone. Thirteen
      admissions (2%) were alcohol-related. In alcohol abusers, 24% of admissions (n =
      10; p less than 0.001) were alcohol-related. Alcohol abusers were predominantly
      men (86%; p less than 0.001) and independently mobile (88%; p less than 0.001),
      suggesting greater physical fitness. In these more active men (n = 167), the
      prevalence of alcohol abuse was 19.8% and 6% of admissions were alcohol-related.
      While the sensitivities of the CAGE questionnaire and laboratory screening were
      too low to be clinically useful, an alcohol intake history may allow for a
      significant opportunity in preventive medicine in this age group, particularly in
      the fitter men.

PMID- 1414673
TI  - The role of age in susceptibility to pneumococcal infections.
AB  - Whether or not age by itself increases susceptibility to pneumococcal infections
      separate from the effects of chronic disease is controversial. To address this
      issue, data collected for a retrospective cohort study of pneumococcal infections
      among 63 middle-aged and older veterans and 126 uninfected controls were
      reanalysed. Univariate analysis suggested a linear increase in risk with
      increasing age for patients 50 years old and older (p = 0.03). Subjects over age
      80 years seemed to be at particularly high risk when compared with patients under
      50 (odds ratio = 4.3, p less than 0.03). The odds of pneumococcal infection
      increased by an estimated factor of 1.33 (95% confidence interval = 1.03, 1.71)
      for each 10-year increase in age. Controlling for other risk factors did not
      appreciably change the point estimate of the age effect, but statistical
      significance was lost. This result however suggests that age has an independent
      association with the risk of pneumococcal infections. The potential impact of
      this finding on public policy urges that the association of age with the risk of
      pneumococcal disease be re-examined in a study of sufficient sample size to
      resolve the issue.

PMID- 1414675
TI  - Pulmonary function in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease of elderly people.
AB  - An effect of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) on respiratory function was
      studied in elderly patients. Twenty-seven patients with, and 29 patients without,
      abnormal gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) in 24-hour pH monitoring were included
      in the study. Symptoms suggestive of gastrooesophageal reflux disease were
      recorded and spirometry was performed in all the patients. Patients with abnormal
      GOR had lower vital capacity (percentage of predicted value) (VC%) than those
      with normal pH monitoring result (92 vs 102, p = 0.032). Forced vital capacity
      (FVC%) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1%) did not differ between
      these two groups. Thirty-two per cent of patients with slight and 73% of patients
      with moderate or severe reflux in pH monitoring had abnormal VC%, FVC%, or FEV1%
      (less than 80% of predicted value) at spirometry (vs 30% of patients without
      reflux, p = 0.039). When patients were divided according to their symptoms
      suggestive of GORD, lower VC%, FVC%, and FEV1% were found in patients with than
      in those without symptoms (87 vs 102, p = 0.0018; 76 vs 91, p = 0.0099; 80 vs 93,
      p = 0.0026). In conclusion, mainly a restrictive ventilatory defect was
      associated with GORD in elderly patients.

PMID- 1414676
TI  - Review: atrial fibrillation and stroke prevention.

PMID- 1414677
TI  - Intestinal transit and bacterial overgrowth.

PMID- 1414678
TI  - The selective protection afforded by ebselen against lipid peroxidation in an ROS
      dependent model of inflammation.
AB  - The effects of an experimental model of hydrogen-peroxide-induced foot pad oedema
      on indices of oxidative damage to biomolecules have been investigated. We have
      demonstrated increased levels of fluorescent protein and lipid peroxides
      occurring in plasma at 24 and 48 h post-injection. In addition, a decrease in the
      degree of galactosylation of IgG was observed which kinetically related the
      degree of inflammation and to the increase in protein autofluorescence (a
      specific index of oxidative damage). The effects of ebselen, a novel
      organoselenium compound which protects against oxidative tissue injury in a
      glutathione-peroxidase-like manner, have also been examined in this model.
      Pretreatment of animals with a dose of 50 mg/kg ebselen afforded significant and
      selective protection against lipid peroxidation only. This effect may contribute
      to the anti-inflammatory effect of this agent in hydroperoxide-linked tissue
      damage.

PMID- 1414679
TI  - Comparative effects of tetrandrine and berbamine on subcutaneous air pouch
      inflammation induced by interleukin-1, tumour necrosis factor and platelet
      activating factor.
AB  - The effects of the bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids tetrandrine and berbamine on
      the action of IL-1, TNF and PAF were investigated in the rat subcutaneous air
      pouch model of inflammation. Both compounds were equipotent in the suppression of
      leukocyte infiltration into air pouches induced by IL-1 and TNF, with ED50 values
      in the range 20-30 mg/kg/3 days. Both were also equipotent in suppression of PMN
      infiltration induced by PAF with ED50 values in the same range as that for IL-1
      and TNF. However, tetrandrine was more potent than berbamine as a suppressant of
      PAF-induced MNC infiltration, but much less potent than berbamine in carageenen
      induced PMN infiltration. These results suggest that these bisbenzylisoquinolines
      may have value in the therapy of chronic inflammatory diseases where IL-1, TNF
      and PAF have a role in pathogenesis.

PMID- 1414680
TI  - RP 54745, a potential antirheumatic compound. I. Inhibitor of macrophage
      stimulation and interleukin-1 production.
AB  - RP 54745 is an amino-dithiole-one compound found to be active at micromolar
      concentration on the metabolism of stimulated macrophages, for example, the
      hexose monophosphate pathway (HMP) and the exocytosis of lysosomal enzymes. LPS
      induced interleukin-1 (IL-1) production by murine peritoneal macrophages was also
      diminished by this compound in vitro as well as in vivo. This effect was
      confirmed at the mRNA level; at the concentration of 3 x 10(-6) M, the IL-1 alpha
      and beta mRNA signals were inhibited, whereas the TNF alpha mRNA signal was only
      slightly lessened. These observations were confirmed in vivo, with a dose of RP
      54745 of 25 mg kg-1. These results led us to consider that RP 54745 might
      influence certain cells and cytokines implicated in the regulation of the immune
      system, the disfunctioning of which can lead to inflammatory disorders or
      autoimmune pathologies.

PMID- 1414681
TI  - RP 54745, a potential antirheumatic compound. II. In vivo properties in different
      animal models.
AB  - The results obtained with RP 54745, an amino-dithiole-one compound, on stimulated
      macrophages, revealing inhibition of the hexose monophosphate pathway (HMP), of
      the exocytosis of lysosomal enzymes and of the production of interleukin-1 (IL
      1), by the compound in vitro as well as in vivo, suggested that RP 5475 might
      influence cells and cytokines implicated in the regulation of the immune system,
      the disfunctioning of which can lead to inflammatory disorders or autoimmune
      pathologies. RP 54745 was effective at moderate oral doses (around 5 mg kg-1) in
      different mouse models of induced arthritis and in the MRL/lpr mice, genetically
      predisposed to develop an autoimmune pathology including arthritic disorders. The
      clinical status of the MRL mice, and several of their disturbed biochemical and
      immunological parameters, improved after a 3-month treatment with RP 54745. This
      activity of RP 54745 makes it a very attractive antirheumatic compound and a
      potentially effective treatment in pathologies where IL-1 production is
      exacerbated.

PMID- 1414682
TI  - Differences in proinflammatory activity of several immunomodulatory derivatives
      of muramyl dipeptide (MDP) with special reference to the mechanism of the MDP
      effects.
AB  - Immunomodulatory agents, muramyl dipeptide (MDP) and several of its analogues,
      i.e. adamantylamide dipeptide, murametide, murabutide and their glucosaminylated
      derivatives, were tested for edemagenic activity in rats. Given systemically in
      aqueous solutions, only MDP and glucosaminylated MDP, at the dose of 3 mg/kg
      (s.c. or p.o.), were found to produce edematous swelling of the paws. Local
      (intra-pad) application of MDP was more effective than the systemic one.
      Supernatants of macrophages, in vitro cultured in presence of MDP, caused the
      swelling as well. The edema was of a transient nature. After reaching the maximum
      severity (about 6 h after injection of MDP solution or 1 h after macrophage
      supernatants), it was subsiding and disappeared completely within approximately 6
      days after cessation of the treatment. It was found that this type of rat paw
      edema is probably a prostaglandin-dependent consequence of macrophage activation.
      Hypotheses on the involvement of immunoregulatory cytokines, and possible
      chemical structure-inflammatory activity relationships have been suggested.

PMID- 1414683
TI  - Zinc monoglycerolate--a slow-release source of therapeutic zinc: solubilization
      by endogenous ligands.
AB  - A combination of 65Zn-tracer determinations, oxidative analyses for glycerol, and
      a bioassay for uncomplexed Zn2+ have shown that: (i) zinc monoglycerolate (ZMG)
      dissolves in aqueous salt solutions/physiological media by dissociation into zinc
      ions and glycerol, but the rate and extent of ZMG dissolution depend upon pH,
      and/or concentration and complexing efficiency of zinc-ligands; (ii) under
      physiological conditions certain ligands present in skin and blood (e.g. citrate,
      lactate, albumin, histidine, glutathione and other thiols and, to a lesser
      extent, amino acids) accelerate ZMG dissolution; and (iii) there is a general
      correlation between the conditional stability constants (pH 7.3, 25 degrees C) of
      zinc-ligand complexes and the ability of given ligands to (a) solubilize ZMG in
      vitro and (b) mask the irritancy of Zn2+ in vivo. These observations indicate a
      mechanism for the transformation of ZMG applied transdermally or subcutaneously,
      to bioactive zinc (anti-arthritic nutritional supplement, etc.).

PMID- 1414684
TI  - Role of the epithelium in the control of intestinal motility: implications for
      intestinal damage after anoxia and reoxygenation.
AB  - A vibration technique was used to dislocate the epithelium from the rat small
      intestine, in order to study the possible regulatory role of the epithelium on
      intestinal motility. Complete removal of the epithelium led to a slightly
      potentiated contraction of the longitudinal smooth muscle by the muscarinic
      agonist methacholine (pD2. 6.5 +/- 0.1 vs. 6.2 +/- 0.2). The maximal beta
      adrenergic response expressed relative to the relaxation by 0.5 mM dibutyryl
      cyclic AMP increased from 55.9 +/- 9.0% to 72.6 +/- 9.1% by this treatment.
      Efforts were made to relate these observations to the endothelium-dependent
      relaxation in blood vessels, but no indication was found for a similar mechanism
      in the small intestine. Not only mechanical dislocation can be employed to affect
      the mucosal layer, but also intestinal ischemia has been reported to lead to
      mucosal damage. In this study we mimicked ischemia by applying in vitro anoxia
      and subsequent reoxygenation to isolated intestinal segments. When intestinal
      segments are isolated and kept in physiological buffer, xanthine dehydrogenase is
      converted slowly to xanthine oxidase, irrespective of whether the buffer is
      oxygenated or not. No evidence was found for oxygen radical damage after anoxia
      and reoxygenation. However, the intestinal mucosa was damaged both after
      normoxia, and after anoxia and reoxygenation. Anoxia and subsequent reoxygenation
      did not affect muscarinic contraction, but slightly increased the beta-adrenergic
      relaxation, which partly correlates with the effects of mechanical dislocation of
      the epithelium. The increased sensitivity of the smooth muscle after epithelial
      damage might be involved in motility changes during intestinal inflammatory
      diseases.

PMID- 1414685
TI  - Effect of BW443C81, a novel opioid, on non-cholinergic bronchoconstrictor
      responses and neurogenic plasma extravasation in the guinea pig.
AB  - The novel, peripherally acting opioid peptide, BW443C81, which attenuates airway
      sensory nerve impulses, was examined on non-cholinergic (NC) constrictor
      responses in vitro and in vivo and neurogenic plasma extravasation in vivo in
      guinea-pig airways. Non-cholinergic contractions of guinea pig isolated bronchi,
      evoked by electrical field stimulation, were concentration-dependently inhibited
      by BW443C81 and morphine (10 nmol/1-100 mumol/l). In anaesthetised, artificially
      ventilated guinea pigs, frequency-related NC bronchoconstrictor responses evoked
      by antidromic electrical stimulation of the vagus nerves were reduced by BW443C81
      (100 micrograms/kg/min i.v. infusion) and morphine (1 mg/kg i.v.). Neurogenic
      plasma extravasation produced by bilateral electrical vagal nerve stimulation in
      spontaneously breathing, anaesthetised guinea pigs was also inhibited by BW443C81
      (1 mg/kg i.v.). The inhibitory effects of BW443C81 were reversed/prevented by
      naloxone. BW443C81 inhibits NC bronchoconstrictor responses and neurogenic plasma
      extravasation in guinea pig airways, consistent with its previously described mu
      opioid receptor-mediated inhibitory action on airway sensory nerve function.

PMID- 1414686
TI  - Vasoconstriction and bronchoconstriction induced by 2,5-di-(tert-butyl)1,4
      benzohydroquinone, an endoplasmic reticular Ca2+-ATPase inhibitor, in isolated
      and perfused rat lung.
AB  - The microsomal Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor 2,5-di-(tert-butyl)-1,4-benzohydroquinone
      (tBuBHQ) induced bronchoconstriction and vasoconstriction in the isolated
      perfused and ventilated rat lung. These effects were accompanied by increased
      levels of thromboxane and prostacyclin in the effluent perfusate. The effect of
      tBuBHQ was inhibited by L-655,240, a thromboxane receptor antagonist, indicating
      thromboxane-A2-mediated bronchoconstriction and vasoconstriction. Accordingly,
      the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin largely blocked the effects of tBuBHQ.
      The involvement of a phospholipase in the generation of thromboxane A2(TXA2) was
      supported by dibucaine protection on tBuBHQ effects. The results from this study
      indicate that tBuBHQ, probably by inhibiting the microsomal Ca(2+)-ATPase, can
      trigger the arachidonic acid cascade leading to the formation of TXA2, which in
      turn causes bronchoconstriction and vasoconstriction in rat lung.

PMID- 1414687
TI  - Separate induction of human blood platelet aggregation or cytotoxicity by
      different concentrations of PAF-acether and thrombin.
AB  - Using decreasing concentrations of PAF-acether or thrombin, it was possible to
      observe on human platelets, first, aggregation, classically associated to
      activation, then , below a threshold, cytotoxicity towards Schistosoma mansoni
      larvae, proposed here as stimulation. These two activities appeared as distinct
      and antithetic. However, their induction might be the consequence of triggering
      of the same receptors with different intensity, since PAF-induced, but not
      thrombin-induced, cytotoxicity could be inhibited with specific PAF-antagonists
      BN 52021 and BN 52024 also known to inhibit PAF-induced aggregation. These
      results give credit to the hypothesis that haemostatic and cytotoxic properties
      of platelets are two distinct functions of these blood elements.

PMID- 1414688
TI  - Inhaled budesonide regimen enhances serotonin- and arachidonic acid-induced
      platelet aggregation.
AB  - The influence of inhaled budesonide regimen (400 micrograms x 2 for 7 days), on
      agonist-induced platelet aggregation and secretion, was investigated in 18
      volunteers. Platelet activation induced by serotonin and arachidonic acid was
      significantly enhanced after budesonide, as demonstrated by an increase in
      aggregation velocity (Vmax) and amplitude (Amax), and in arachidonic acid-induced
      ATP-secretion. We found no change in platelet aggregation induced by ADP,
      epinephrine, and A23187. With the exception of epinephrine-induced platelet
      aggregation, which was inhibited by 10(-5)-10(-4) M budesonide, in vitro studies
      revealed no influence of 10 min budesonide preincubation (10(-9)-10(-4) M) on
      agonist-induced platelet activation, suggesting that the ex vivo enhancement of
      platelet function was mediated by secondary corticosteroid mechanisms. A
      tentative explanation of the increased arachidonic acid-induced platelet
      activation, may be a budesonide-induced stimulation of cyclooxygenase. The
      enhanced serotonin-induced platelet aggregation may be a reflection of exogenous
      corticosteroid stimulation of the 5-HT2-receptor.

PMID- 1414689
TI  - Rapid and sensitive detection of hydroxyl radicals formed by activated
      neutrophils in the presence of chelated iron: hydroxylation of deoxyguanosine to
      8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine.
AB  - Hydroxyl radicals (OH) can react with deoxyguanosine (dG) leading to the
      formation of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8OHdG). In this study, this has been used
      to detect the hydroxyl radicals formed when human polymorphonuclear leukocytes
      (PMNL) are stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) in the presence of
      chelated iron. Reaction mixtures containing PMNL, PMA, dG and Fe-EDTA were
      incubated at 37 degrees C, and the formation of 8OHdG was analysed with high
      performance liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection. 8OHdG formation
      was detected at PMA concentrations of 2 nM or higher, and half-maximal 8OHdG
      formation was found at around 6 nM PMA. Stimulation of 500,000 cells with 10 nM
      PMA for 20 min resulted in a 500 to 1000-fold increase in 8OHdG formation as
      compared to unstimulated cells. The 8OHdG formation decreased after addition of
      hydroxyl radical scavengers (sodium benzoate, dimethylsulfoxide, and mannitol)
      and increased after addition of platelet-activating factor (PAF), an agent known
      to stimulate the generation of reactive oxygen metabolites in neutrophils. These
      results demonstrate that hydroxylation of dG to 8OHdG can be used to determine
      neutrophil-generated hydroxyl radicals in different experimental systems. Since
      the analysis of 8OHdG is rapid, sensitive and easy, this may have wide
      applications in inflammation and cancer research.

PMID- 1414690
TI  - The pneumotoxicant paraquat potentiates IL-1 and TNF production by human
      mononuclear cells.
AB  - Interleukin 1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) have been implicated in the
      pathogenesis of bleomycin- and silica-induced lung damage. We have studied the
      effect of paraquat (PQ), a well-known pneumotoxicant, on IL-1 and TNF production
      by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells from different healthy donors
      stimulated with endotoxin. PQ (100 microM) potentiated IL-1 production (2-40
      fold) and TNF production (2-18 fold). It is, therefore, possible that IL-1 and
      TNF are also involved in the pneumotoxic action of PQ.

PMID- 1414691
TI  - Biphasic regulation by dexamethasone of IL-1- and LPS-stimulated endothelial
      prostacyclin production.
AB  - Body reaction to injury comprises two major pathways: the immune response,
      predominantly mediated by IL-1 and other cytokines, and neuroendocrine
      mechanisms, resulting in an increased glucocorticoid production. Each has
      distinct effects on prostaglandin (PG) production, which may in turn mediate both
      systemic and local inflammatory responses. The interactions, if any, between the
      two systems on PG synthesis have not been studied. Bovine aortic endothelial cell
      cultures were used and prostacyclin (PGI2) production was monitored. Cells were
      treated with dexamethasone (Dex) 10(-6) M and IL-1 10-30 U/ml in one experiment,
      and lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 0.1-1.0 micrograms/ml) in another experiment,
      separately or in combination, for either 2 or 24 + 2 h. While Dex was without
      effect, IL-1 and LPS stimulated PGI2 in a concentration- and time-dependent
      manner. Short exposure to Dex (2 h) enhanced the stimulation by IL-1 and LPS. On
      the contrary, more prolonged exposure (24 + 2 h) reversed the effects of IL-1 and
      LPS, resulting in PGI2 levels below the baseline. A biphasic regulation by Dex
      was also observed with increasing concentrations of LPS. Dex was actually
      ineffective by itself, but it enhanced PGI2 production in combination with lower
      concentrations of LPS, while abolishing the influence of higher concentrations of
      this agonist. The data suggest that Dex may initially stimulate phospholipase A2
      (PLA2) activity, while inhibiting it later. This biphasic behavior may be
      attributed to different concentrations of a PLA2-modulating protein, possibly
      lipocortin, that accumulate during exposure to Dex.

PMID- 1414692
TI  - Effect of prostaglandin E2 and 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1) on arachidonic
      acid metabolism in fMLP-stimulated rat neutrophils and on thrombin-induced human
      platelet aggregation.
AB  - The effects of prostaglandin (PG) E2 and the nitric oxide (NO) donor SIN-1 on
      leukotriene (LT) release from formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) (100
      nM)-stimulated rat peritoneal neutrophils (RPN) and on thrombin-induced
      aggregation of washed human platelets were investigated. Both PGE2 (1-100 nM) and
      SIN-1 (30-300 microM) inhibited release of LTB4 and cysteinyl-LT from RPN in a
      concentration-dependent manner. The combined effects of PGE2 and SIN-1 were not
      greater than expected by summation. On the other hand, the inhibitory effect of
      SIN-1 (0.5 or 1.0 microM) on platelet aggregation was potentiated by PGE2 (0.3-5
      microM) in a concentration-dependent manner, while PGE2 alone in the
      concentrations used had only marginal effects. The results suggest differential
      regulation of platelet and leukocyte functions by the mediators PGE2 and NO,
      which could be relevant for various physiological and pathophysiological
      conditions.

PMID- 1414693
TI  - Effects of prolactin on rat paw oedema induced by different irritants.
AB  - Evidence suggests that prolactin (PRL) may have a role in immune function, but no
      data exist on the possible interference between PRL and inflammatory processes,
      in spite of the known correlation between inflammatory and immune reactions. In
      the present study the activity of prolactin on rat paw oedema was investigated.
      Repeated administrations of ovine PRL or a hyperprolactinaemia induced by
      pituitary gland graft provoked an evident increase of the inflammatory response
      induced by carrageenan. This effect was also present when adrenalectomised
      animals were used. Indomethacin completely suppressed the pro-inflammatory effect
      of ovine PRL; bromocriptine reduced the paw oedema, but when both bromocriptine
      and PRL were administered the two opposite effects seem to annual each other.
      Also phospholipase A2-induced paw oedema was potentiated by PRL pretreatment and
      inhibited by bromocriptine, whereas in dextran or serotonin-induced paw oedema
      both PRL and bromocriptine were ineffective. A possible involvement of
      prostaglandins and/or of phospholipase A2 in the pro-oedemigenic activity of PRL
      is suggested.

PMID- 1414695
TI  - [Thinking on cataract surgery and intraocular lens].

PMID- 1414694
TI  - Interaction studies of tilomisole, aspirin, and naproxen in acute and chronic
      inflammation with assessment of gastrointestinal irritancy in the rat.
AB  - The effect of combination NSAID therapy of tilomisole with aspirin or naproxen
      was studied in rats with carrageenan-induced paw edema and established adjuvant
      arthritis. Inflamed paws were measured using mercury plethysmography and the
      arthritic paws were X-rayed to determine any bony/soft tissue changes. The
      gastrointestinal tract was also examined for bleeding and ulceration. Tilomisole
      had a less potent acute anti-inflammatory effect than aspirin or naproxen, but
      produced no significant gastrointestinal damage. A significant reduction in anti
      inflammatory activity was observed with the tilomisole/aspirin combination in
      acute inflammation. Only additive interactions were observed with the naproxen
      inhibition. In the established arthritis assay, a significant synergistic anti
      inflammatory response, i.e. both inhibition of paw edema and bone erosion, was
      also observed with the 80 and 93% tilomisole/naproxen combinations. The gastric
      ulcerogenic effect of the combination paralleled its increased activity. The
      synergism between tilomisole and naproxen in this chronic arthritic model may be
      due to enhanced cyclooxygenase inhibitory activity. These drug interaction
      studies suggest possible interactions in human clinical trials of rheumatoid
      arthritis.

PMID- 1414696
TI  - [Deterioration of amplitude of the accommodation with age and its possible
      restoration in the intraocular lens implanted eye].
AB  - This study aimed to determine whether pseudophakia which have deteriorated
      amplitude of accommodation with age, i.e., presbyopia and which received
      implantation of refractively changeable intraocular lenses after cataract
      extraction are able to regain accommodative function. According surveys on aging
      in the literature, functional deterioration of the ciliary muscle and the zonular
      fiber is not so striking compared to the changes of crystalline lens material and
      capsule. Consequently the artificially pseudophakic eye can be expected to regain
      accommodative function when the crystalline lens material could be replaced by an
      appropriately visco-elastic material before 80 years of age when the crystalline
      lens capsule still retain its elasticity.

PMID- 1414698
TI  - [Implantation of IOLs with different diameters].
AB  - The intraocular lenses (IOLs) commonly used today are 13.5 to 14 mm in diameter,
      and this diameter is considered by some to be unnecessarily large. The size of
      the crystalline lens and the diagonal width between the ciliary sulcus were
      measured in rabbit eyes and human eyes. Then, IOLs with a smaller diameter (12.5
      mm) were evaluated after implantation into rabbit eyes. The mean diameter of the
      human crystalline lens was 9.6 mm and its thickness was 4.1 mm. The mean width of
      the ciliary sulcus was 11.1 mm. The crystalline lenses of rabbits were larger
      than those of humans. Decentration and posterior capsular opacification score
      were 0.33 mm and 0.63 in 12.5 mm IOL, and 0.47 mm and 0.61 in 14.0 mm IOL.
      Indicating that the result of implanting the 12.5 mm IOL was not inferior to that
      of implanting the conventional 14 mm IOL. The average width of the ciliary sulcus
      is 11.1 mm, indicating that a 12.5 mm IOL is of a sufficient size to be firmly
      fixed in this sulcus. In addition, a 12.5 mm IOL is considered to be safer,
      because larger lenses may lead to erosion or vessel compression that could induce
      ischemia or neovascularization.

PMID- 1414697
TI  - [Effects of pre-instilled mydriatics on the intraocular concentration and anti
      inflammatory action of topical 0.1% pranoprofen (2)--Study on multiple dosing].
AB  - We studied the effects of multiple dosing and pre-instilled mydriatics (0.5%
      tropicamide and 0.5% phenylephrine) on the intraocular concentration and anti
      inflammatory action of topical 0.1% pranoprofen (PPF) in rabbit eyes. PPF was
      applied in a single or multiple doses: 1 to 4 times consecutively at 5-minute
      intervals with or without pre-instilled mydriatics. PPF concentrations in the
      aqueous humor increased dose-dependently. The PPF concentrations also increased
      dose-dependently, and reached the maximal concentration by instillation 3 times
      in the presence of pre-instilled mydriatics, and the concentrations were 3.4 to
      5.8 times higher than those without mydriatics. The PPF concentrations in the
      cornea, secondary aqueous, and iris-ciliary body increased in a dose-dependent
      manner, and the concentrations were higher in the presence of mydriatics. PPF
      reduced the protein rise in the secondary aqueous and miotic responses which were
      seen after paracentesis. The percent inhibitions ranged from 75 to 83, but the
      inhibitory actions were not enhanced by increases of intraocular PPF
      concentrations. These data indicate that the potent anti-inflammatory actions of
      PPF were obtainable by a single instillation, but it might be useful to instill
      the drug 3 times consecutively to ensure higher intraocular drug concentrations
      in combination with pre-instilled mydriatics.

PMID- 1414699
TI  - [An experimental study of the surgical trauma on the rabbit's lens suspensory
      apparatus after cataract surgery].
AB  - Extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) and posterior chamber intraocular lens
      (PC-IOL) implantation requires that the posterior capsule and the zonules remain
      sufficiently intact. To assess the surgical trauma on the lens suspensory
      apparatus of the enucleated rabbit eye, we developed a new fine pressure gauge
      that could quantitate its strength. The cornea and the iris of enucleated eyes
      were removed to allow clear visualization of the anterior surface of the lens to
      the equator. Afterwards several types of anterior capsulotomy were performed for
      ECCE and PC-IOL implantation. And then the lens of the pseudophakic eye was
      vertically pressed with the plastic rod of the fine pressure transducer, and the
      strength of the lens suspensory apparatus was simultaneously measured. The
      strength of the lens suspensory apparatus of the pseudophakic eye decreased
      approximately 35% compared with that of the phakic eye. Moreover the integrity of
      the lens capsule of animals with circular capsulorhexis with tears or linear
      capsulotomy decreased approximately 43% compared with that of continuous circular
      capsulorhexis (CCC) and also zonular rupture and vitreous loss occurred as a
      result of the expansion of radial tears in the anterior capsule. The present
      study indicates that the strength of the lens suspensory apparatus decreases with
      cataract surgery, suggesting that much more attention to cataract surgery is
      needed if the anterior capsule had radial tears. It is also suggested that CCC is
      the best type of anterior capsulectomy procedure.

PMID- 1414700
TI  - [Pathology of IOLs placed in the capsular bag of white rabbit eyes].
AB  - The authors performed a histopathological study to observe the surface of IOLs
      placed inside the capsular bag of white rabbit eyes. While a cellular reaction to
      the haptics was indicated by lens epithelial cells and collagen fibers
      surrounding the haptics, a wound healing reaction at the anterior capsule-optic
      junctions was suggested by an extensive amount of spindle cells and collagen
      fibers. However, collagen fibers and degenerated cells on the optics could be
      seen only under electron microscopy. Regenerated lens fibers, lens epithelial
      cells, and proliferation of spindle cells were noted between the posterior side
      of the optics and the posterior capsules.

PMID- 1414701
TI  - [Retinal damage induced by visible blue and near-infrared light of an operating
      microscope].
AB  - The authors evaluated possible hazards to the retina caused by the longer
      wavelength component in the illumination system of the surgical microscope.
      Thirty six pigmented and eleven albino rabbit eyes were exposed to blue or near
      infrared light for 60 minutes. Ophthalmoscopically visible light damage to the
      retina developed in 4 of 5 pigmented rabbit eyes after illumination at a power
      setting of 8 mW/cm2 for blue and 50 mW/cm2 for near-infrared light. These power
      settings were equivalent to those used in clinical tests. The light damage
      developed immediately after illumination with near-infrared light and a few days
      after illumination with blue light. No light damage developed in albino rabbits
      with near-infrared light at current power setting. The findings suggest the
      possibility that clinical retinal damage may develop in human eyes when exposed
      to near-infrared light from surgical microscopes.

PMID- 1414702
TI  - [The existence of vasomotor nerve in the retina of the rabbit and monkey].
AB  - In the first stage of this study, peri- or intravascular unmyelinated nerve axon
      which was clearly different from that of the optic nerve was confirmed in the
      rabbit retina transmission electron microscopically. In the second stage, the
      correlation of these unmyelinated nerves and autonomic nerve was studied in
      rabbits and monkeys. For the purpose, wheat germ agglutinin horseradish
      peroxidase (WGA-HRP) was injected into the superior cervical ganglion. Electron
      microscopic observation of the retina 48 hrs after the injection of WGA-HRP
      showed deposit of its reaction product in the axon of the unmyelinated nerve
      located around the vascular wall and in the adventitia and smooth muscle cell in
      both rabbits and monkeys. This result clearly reveals the existence of an
      autonomic vasomotor in the retinal vessels at least in rabbits and monkeys.

PMID- 1414703
TI  - [Experimental study on earlier thrombogenic process in thrombin induced retinal
      venous obstruction in rabbit eye].
AB  - The purpose of this study was to morphologically investigate the thrombogenic
      process in the early stage of retinal venous obstruction development. Venous
      obstruction was induced by transadventitial instillation of thrombin (5 units)
      given to the rabbit retinal vessels via a sclerovitreous route. The changes were
      studied by ophthalmoscopy, fluorescence microscopy combined with an intravenously
      injected gelatin fluorescein preparation technique as well as light and electron
      microscopy. No ophthalmoscopic change was seen within 1 hr after thrombin
      instillation. Three hour after thrombin instillation, focal narrowing of retinal
      arterioles was found with intraluminal platelet aggregation and rouleaux
      formation of erythrocytes. On electron microscopy, a large number of monocytes
      was observed in the lumina and subendothelial space of a pericytic venule having
      a partial endothelial defect as well as monocyte adhesion to its luminal surface.
      At more than 6 hrs, subendothelial thrombi were observed in the venules without
      any endothelial lesion while no change was observed in the arterioles,
      capillaries and pericytic venules. These findings suggested the possibility of
      participation of the arteriolar lesion in the occurrence of retinal venous
      obstruction and the role of endothelial lesions caused by blood stasis in
      subendothelial thrombogenesis.

PMID- 1414704
TI  - [Gene rearrangement analysis of conjunctival malignant lymphomas].
AB  - Specific DNA probes for genes encoding immunoglobulins (Ig) and the T cell
      receptor (TCR) are useful diagnostic tools in lymphoproliferative disorders. Gene
      rearrangement analysis was carried out in 2 cases of conjunctival lymphoid
      lesions. A 36-year-old man (case 1) had a 1-year history of left conjunctival
      tumor. A biopsy was performed and histopathological findings showed diffuse
      proliferation of small lymphocytes, but monoclonality was not revealed by
      immunophenotypic analysis. A right conjunctival lesion developed and five months
      later a biopsy of the left conjunctiva was performed again. A frozen sample was
      analyzed and immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement was found. A 53-year
      old woman (case 2) had a 6-month history of bilateral conjunctival tumor. The
      first biopsy did not reveal monoclonality immunophenotypically. A second biopsy
      with a frozen specimen was analyzed and immunoglobulin heavy chain gene
      rearrangement was found. We diagnosed these two cases as B-cell lymphoma. We
      discuss the clinical value of gene rearrangement analysis as a diagnostic method
      for lymphoproliferative disorders.

PMID- 1414705
TI  - [Seasonal variation of intraocular pressure after trabeculotomy].
AB  - The author reviewed the seasonal variation of intraocular pressure (IOP) in
      primary open angle glaucoma or late type developmental glaucoma to investigate
      possible relationships among seasonal variation of IOP, progression of visual
      field defects and the follow-up period between 53 eyes of 39 subjects with
      successful trabeculotomy (trabeculotomy group) and 45 eyes of 31 subjects with
      only medication (no operation group). IOPs in both groups were inclined to be low
      in summer and high in winter. Maximum seasonal variation of IOP and standard
      deviation of IOP during all follow-up periods which showed the degree of seasonal
      variation of IOP had no significant difference between the trabeculotomy group
      and the no operation group. These results showed that seasonal variation of IOP
      was not reduced even by successful trabeculotomy. The maximum seasonal variation
      of IOP and standard deviation of IOP had a tendency to be bigger in cases with
      progression of visual field defects than in cases with no progression of visual
      field defects, in both groups. Therefore, seasonal variation of IOP may be an
      important factor influencing the progression of visual field defects.

PMID- 1414707
TI  - [Reticular degeneration of retinal pigment epithelium].
AB  - Reticular degeneration of the retinal pigment epithelium (RDRPE) was found in 33
      out of 3114 files (1.06%) of fluorescein angiography. The age distribution of the
      cases with RDRPE showed a peak in the 8th decade, and the average age was 73
      years. No statistically significant sexual tendency was observed. Eighty five
      percent of cases had bilateral RDRPE. The linear, incomplete polygon type was
      found on the nasal quadrants in patients aged 50-70 years old. The complete
      polygon type was found in both nasal and temporal quadrants in patients over 70
      years old. RDRPE and pigment epithelium degeneration at the posterior pole were
      found to be concomitant manifestations. It was concluded that RDRPE initially
      appears on nasal quadrants as a lineal, incomplete polygon pattern and in
      advanced cases complete polygon pattern appears on all quadrants of the
      peripheral retina.

PMID- 1414706
TI  - [Statistical analysis of relationship between microalbuminuria and diabetic
      retinopathy].
AB  - The relationship between microalbuminuria indicated by the logarithm of the
      albumin index and the stage of diabetic retinopathy was investigated using 175
      diabetic subjects. The relationship and its dependence on the duration and the
      age of onset of diabetes were analyzed statistically with logistic regression. In
      younger-onset subjects, microalbuminuria was strongly related to the stage of
      retinopathy, but in older-onset subjects, the relationship showed to lack. For
      each subject, the frequency of retinopathy was predicted by the estimated
      probability calculated with the regression model. When the critical probability
      was 50%, the sensitivity and specificity were 53.1% and 76.2%, respectively.
      These results indicated that the regression model using the albumin index might
      be a useful method to predict the frequency of diabetic retinopathy even without
      ophthalmoscopic examination.

PMID- 1414709
TI  - [A caruncular oxyphilic adenoma with an appearance of apocrine type secretion].
AB  - The histopathological and cytological findings of a caruncular oxyphilic adenoma
      (oncocytoma) in a 85 year-old male is described. The columnar or polygonal tumor
      cells contained numerous eosinophilic fine granules (mitochondria). They showed
      papillary proliferation and cyst formation. Electron microscopically, some tumor
      cells contained amorphous cytoplasm and small numbers of mitochondria in their
      apical snout, and secreted the contents in the extracellular spaces. It seemed
      that the tumor cells originated from the ductal epithelia in the caruncle and
      microscopically some cells simulated apocrine type secretion.

PMID- 1414708
TI  - [A case of chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia with Oguchi's disease].
AB  - A 52-year-old case of chronic external ophthalmoplegia accompanied by Oguchi's
      disease was reported. The patient noticed night blindness and deafness since
      childhood. Later he developed ocular movement limitation to all directions by the
      age of 40. He had 20/20 corrected visual acuity and normal anterior segment, as
      well as normal color vision. Goldmann's perimetry showed generalized constriction
      of the peripheral field. Golden tapetal reflex without dark adaptation
      disappeared after 4 hours of dark adaptation, i.e. Mizuo-Nakamura's phenomenon
      was recognized. Recovery of diminished a and b wave electroretinogram to the
      subnormal range was also observed after 4 hours of dark adaptation. Rod-cone
      interaction test revealed a monophasic adaptation, and no suppression to the
      cones from the rods was observed. This finding was also compatible with Oguchi's
      disease. ECG revealed incomplete atrio-ventricular as well as right bundle branch
      blocks. Neurological examination findings were entirely normal other than slight
      enhancement of deep tendon reflexes in the lower extremities and mixed typed
      difficulty of hearing. Muscle biopsy of the right medial rectus muscle revealed
      ragged-red fiber, suggesting mitochondrial abnormalities. Never the less the
      quadriceps femoris muscle biopsy specimen showed normal histological findings.
      This is the first case report of progressive external ophthalmoplegia associated
      with Oguchi's disease. Mitochondrial abnormality was confirmed only in the
      external ocular muscle. This case may be a variant of Kearns-Sayre syndrome.

PMID- 1414710
TI  - Urethroplasty of recurrent urethrocele: study of 41 cases.
AB  - Recurrent urethrocele is not often successfully treated surgically because, as is
      well known, pre-operative sterilization of the urethrocele is difficult,
      especially when it is very large. Furthermore the incomplete excision of the
      corpus callosum, because of the loss of urethral tissue this involves, often
      leads to post-operative fistulas and stenoses. This is why, very often, there are
      relapses no matter what technique is adopted. In 1978 both Juraschek and
      ourselves published a technique, derived from Monseur, in which the urethrocele
      and the corpus callosum were completely excised. The resulting loss of urethral
      tissue was remedied with the albuginea from the ventral surfaces of the corpora
      cavernosa after a 180 degrees rotation of the urethra. The results of this
      treatment in 41 cases of recurrent urethrocele are given in this paper. The
      follow-up period for the patients was from 15 to 2 years. Results have been
      excellent with very few complications (2 post-operative fistulas and 2 urethra
      stenoses). There have been no relapses.

PMID- 1414711
TI  - Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis in pelvic ectopic kidney.
AB  - Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis occurred in a pelvic ectopic kidney in a 70
      year-old man. Pre-operative diagnosis was possible due to the typical appearance
      at CT scan of central lithiasis and multiple rounded areas of low density with
      enhancing rims (bear paw sign).

PMID- 1414712
TI  - Non functioning adrenocortical carcinoma. A rare case.
AB  - Adrenocortical carcinoma is a rare tumor and experience in its diagnosis and
      treatment is limited. We present a case of non functioning adrenocortical
      carcinoma in which the pre-operative diagnosis of a kidney tumor had been made
      and a radical nephrectomy was performed.

PMID- 1414713
TI  - A case of epidermoid cyst of the testis role of conservative surgery.
AB  - We report one case of an epidermoid cyst of the testis in a 15 year-old boy. Pre
      operative testicular ultrasound may help to establish the diagnosis without
      resorting to orchiectomy. In such a selected case local excision alone should be
      considered adequate without violating accepted surgical principles.

PMID- 1414714
TI  - Renal localisation of eustroggylous Visceralis parasite.

PMID- 1414715
TI  - The use of extracorporeal lithotripsy to remove calcified ureteral stents.

PMID- 1414716
TI  - Corporeal reconstruction and prosthetic implantation for impotence associated
      with non-dilatable corporeal cavernosal fibrosis.
AB  - Thirty patients with severe cavernosal body fibrosis, secondary to various
      etiologies, underwent penile prosthetic implantation with cavernosal
      reconstruction using Gortex grafting material. The overall success rate was 70%
      (21 of 30 patients). Infection was the most significant postoperative
      complication and required device removal in 9 patients. This operative procedure
      was the only option these patients had in hope of restoration of erectile
      function for satisfactory sexual intercourse. We continue to recommend this
      procedure to the highly motivated, carefully selected patient.

PMID- 1414717
TI  - Emergency percutaneous nephrostomy in the septic kidney.
AB  - From 250 upper tract obstructive uropathy cases we have studied 64 patients
      hospitalized with toxico-septic shock. The constant symptom was arterial
      hypotension. Other 3 patients with long-standing urinary infection due to
      lithiasis developed this dreaded complication after PNL (staghorn stones-2,
      pyelic stone-1). In complicated obstructive uropathy cases associated with toxico
      septic shock, percutaneous nephrostomy for high urinary derivation in emergency
      is usually made under local anaesthesia. Its aim is rapid and efficient clearance
      of kidney obstruction, with minimal damage for the patient; then it is followed
      by strong antibiotherapy associated with other reanimation and intensive care
      measures. There were 11 deaths. The stone generating obstructive uropathy was
      removed subsequently, after the improvement of biological constants and general
      state of the patient, under the protection of percutaneous nephrostomy.

PMID- 1414718
TI  - Anuria due to lithiasis associated with septic shock.
AB  - During 18 months 38 patients with anuria due to lithiasis were admitted in our
      department, 8 of them developed septic shock. Twenty eight patients were cured
      using different procedures and were released from the hospital with normal
      urinary output. Ten patients died, 6 of them from septic shock, which has a high
      mortality rate. Emergency restoration of urinary flow, correction of fluid and
      electrolyte imbalance, massive antibiotherapy may improve results.

PMID- 1414719
TI  - Urosepsis. Clinical aspects--therapy--results.
AB  - Nine cases of urosepsis registered between 1986 and 1990 are analyzed. Authors
      intended to find out practical conclusions which can improve the prognosis of
      urosepsis. Risk factors are considered advanced age, preoperative disorders
      (diabetes, malnutrition), preexistent end organ failure (kidney, liver, lung) and
      urinary infection. Early diagnosis, emergency restoration of urinary flow,
      suppression of primary focus of infection, intravenous antibiotherapy and
      energetic intensive care measures are necessary for the outcome of patients.

PMID- 1414720
TI  - Clinical comments on management of urosepsis in a general urological department.
AB  - Over a period of 6 years 192 cases of urosepsis have been recorded and managed in
      our urological department. In almost all cases (97%) the primary focus of
      infection was the urinary tract and the responsible microorganisms were Gram
      negative rods, in order Enterobacter, B. Proteus, E. Coli, Klebsiella and others.
      Clinical features were dominated by symptoms related to failure or insufficiency
      of end organs (fever, hypotension, oliguria, mental disorders, respiratory
      distress etc.). Bacteremia was diagnosed with an incidence of 66%, septic shock
      12% and MSOF 20%. Negative bacteriological tests do not rule out the diagnosis of
      systemic infection. Risk factors are considered advanced age, uremia, diabetes,
      malnutrition and extensive surgery.

PMID- 1414721
TI  - Urodynamic findings in patients below 12 years old with different clinical types
      of enuresis.
AB  - We examined 50 children younger than 12 years old with different clinical types
      of enuresis. Urodynamic disorders were found in many patients. Our results
      indicate that the more clinical symptoms are present, the more frequently
      urodynamic dysfunctions are found.

PMID- 1414722
TI  - Sensory disorders of the lower urinary tract: urodynamic evaluation.
AB  - Sensory disorders of the lower urinary tract (urethral syndrome, prostatodynia,
      painful pelvic-perineal syndromes, trigonitis) are clinically frequent, however
      this diagnosis is possible only by excluding other pathologies after clinical and
      instrumental evaluation. The Authors report their experience in urodynamic
      evaluation of sensory disorders of the lower urinary tract and they discuss about
      the absence of a typical urodynamic pattern of sensorial pathology.

PMID- 1414724
TI  - A pseudotumoral edema of the urinary bladder secondary to an intramural impacted
      ureteral lithiasis.
AB  - A case of pseudotumor of the urinary bladder secondary to intramural lithiasis is
      reported. Computer tomography, cystoscopy of the mass and cytology suggested a
      malignant tumor. A transurethral biopsy from the tumor was therefore performed,
      but it showed tissue covered with normal transitional cell epithelium but no
      signs of malignancy. Pseudotumoral edema of the bladder is easily mistaken for a
      malignant neoplasm (1, 2, 3).

PMID- 1414723
TI  - Surgical extraction of a bladder stone due to a foreign body.

PMID- 1414726
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging of a penile fracture.
AB  - A case of a penile fracture is reported. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging clearly
      demonstrated the tear of the tunica albuginea. MR imaging helps us to decide the
      site of the skin incision.

PMID- 1414725
TI  - The vacuum erection device. A noninvasive treatment for impotence.
AB  - In 30 men we have tested the vacuum device after determining the cause of their
      impotence. 90% achieved penile rigidity sufficient for vaginal penetration. 10%
      didn't want to use it. Of the 30 men 20 (66%) reported that they used the device
      regularly after at least 6 months. In 4 patients the development of ecchymoses
      and petechiae was the reason to stop using the device. The vacuum device appears
      to be a safe, noninvasive and effective treatment for all causes of impotence.

PMID- 1414727
TI  - Leiomyosarcoma of the spermatic cord: report of a case.

PMID- 1414728
TI  - [Obstructive urinary tract diseases and prenatal diagnosis. Timing of surgical
      correction].
AB  - The Authors are reviewing their experience of Obstructive Uropathies diagnosed
      and treated surgically in neonates, the last 8 years in their Institution. 67
      cases were reviewed, in which 37 presented with ureteropelvic junction
      obstruction (UPJ). 13 with posterior urethral valves, 11 with primary megaureter
      and 6 with ureterocele. Prenatal ultrasonography allowed the diagnosis to be made
      in two third of the patients. UPJ is the most common obstructive uropathy
      observed. Posterior urethral valves the most severe because of high pulmonary and
      renal (dysplasia) complication rate. Surgery, when indicated, has no more
      complications to be expected than in general population, if oriented prophylactic
      measures are taken in the early peri- and postoperative period.

PMID- 1414729
TI  - [Aneurysm of the renal artery and its infarct complications (clinical case and
      literature review)].
AB  - The authors are reporting the case of a 74 year old man, presenting a renal
      artery aneurysm. Regarding clinical aspects, medical treatment was elected. The
      most frequent cause of renal infarct is embolisation arising from the heart,
      followed by large vessels emboli that are more exceptional. Embolisation arising
      from the renal artery aneurysms is not very common. Unless contra-indications,
      surgical cure of the aneurysm is necessary, except those that are non
      complicated, with a diameter of less than 1.5 cm.

PMID- 1414730
TI  - A mysterious cyst on the corpora in a patient with ulcerative colitis.
AB  - A case of a man with a cystic tumor destroying the corpus cavernosum at the
      penile basis is described. A surgical excision was performed. The real nature and
      the origin of the cyst is not elucidated.

PMID- 1414731
TI  - Ectopic colonic epithelium of the bladder complicated by development of an
      adenocarcinoma.
AB  - A case of a female patient with an adenocarcinoma of the bladder emerging from
      ectopic colonic epithelium is reported. Although urothelial metaplasia in itself
      is not a premalignant lesion, patients with metaplasia of the bladder epithelium
      should be followed up very strictly since malignant degeneration has been proved
      to occur.

PMID- 1414732
TI  - Endoscopic treatment of colovesical fistula. An endoscopical approach.
AB  - The authors report one case of a colovesical fistula in a 70-year-old man. The
      treatment was transurethral resection. There has been no evidence of recurrence
      in more than a two-year follow-up. This procedure could be useful when surgical
      treatment cannot be performed.

PMID- 1414733
TI  - [Preliminary study of the hormonal effect on various parameters of the pelvic
      floor in genitally active women without hormone therapy and in menopausal women].
AB  - This study proves the benefit of estrogens on the laxity, tonicity and
      contractility of the pelvic floor, as measured with a tonimetric instrument. The
      statistical hypothesis, that these three parameters are improved in genitally
      active women during estrogenic phase as compared to the progestative phase, as
      well as in menopausal women under substitutive treatment as compared to the
      menopausal women without hormonal treatment, is confirmed with a high degree of
      significance.

PMID- 1414734
TI  - [Treatment of prolapse using the abdominal approach].
AB  - Genital prolapses are regularly constituted by multiple disorders such as primary
      stress incontinence anterior and posterior colpocele enterocele. All of these
      must be taken into account during the treatment by abdominal approach. The
      principles of treatment consist into a fixation of prolapse with mersilene mesh
      to the promontory. It could be laid on the anterior wall of the vagina and
      sometimes on posterior, if it's necessary. Uterus could be preserved but subtotal
      or total hysterectomy might be done; in this case, aseptic conditions are
      absolutely imperative. Vaginal section with stapling instrument and absorbable
      staples is useful. A colpopexy is always made.

PMID- 1414735
TI  - [S. Raz' method of bladder suspension and treatment of cystocele in urinary
      stress incontinence (short-term results)].
AB  - We performed the transvaginal approach described by S. Raz for stress urinary
      incontinence and cystocele. 13 patients with cystocele and stress urinary
      incontinence underwent the four corner Bladder neck suspension 12 patients with
      stress urinary incontinence alone underwent simple bladder neck suspension. After
      a median follow-up of 4,1 months 92% were cured of incontinence. Cystoceles grade
      II and III were completely reduced. These results are comparable with abdominal
      approach for less morbidity and shorter hospital stay.

PMID- 1414736
TI  - HIV infection and rape.
AB  - We report the case of a woman who was found to be HIV positive after a sexual
      assault, in the absence of other risk factors for HIV infection. This observation
      and the report of one similar case support the view that HIV may be transmitted
      to a victim of a single sexual assault. We believe that all victims of rape
      should be offered a test for HIV and offered counselling. In addition to the
      current recommendations, the semen obtained should be tested for HIV antibodies
      by Western blot analysis. In the absence of clear data on safety and efficacy, we
      should recommend neither routine application of virucidal agents nor systematic
      Zidovudine (AZT) prophylaxis.

PMID- 1414737
TI  - [Oral purine loading test for latent metabolic disorders of uric acid in patients
      with calcium containing upper urinary calculi].
AB  - For the detection of metabolic disorders of uric acid in upper urolithiasis, an
      oral purine loading test was performed in 78 patients with calcium-containing
      calculi, 5 patients with uric acid calculi, and 34 stone free subjects. From the
      results of the normal subject group, the criteria of hyperuricemia, latent
      hyperuricemia, hyperuricosuria and latent hyperuricosuria were proposed. In
      calcium-containing stone formers, 6 male patients showed hyperuricosuria, 18 male
      patients and 4 female patients showed latent hyperuricemia or latent
      hyperuricosuria. In uric acid urinary stone formers, all cases showed latent
      hyperuricemia or latent hyperuricosuria. These findings indicated that the
      metabolic disorders of uric acid might be one of the risk factors for the
      formation of calcium containing urinary stones, as well as uric acid urinary
      stones.

PMID- 1414738
TI  - [Evaluation of kidney graft function with dynamic MRI--preliminary report].
AB  - The value of dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the examination of the
      function of transplanted kidneys was examined. Dynamic MRI was performed on 14
      renal transplant patients. After the injection of Gd-DTPA (dimeglumine
      gadopentetate), we used small tip angle gradient echo (STAGE) technique with a
      flip angle of 20 degrees. The cortex was higher in signal intensity of well
      functioning grafts than the medulla before the injection in Gd-DTPA. Signal
      intensity of the cortex decreased after 30 seconds. After 1 minute the signal
      intensity of the cortex recovered and low intensity band meaning passage of Gd
      DTPA at corticomedullary differentiation was displayed. Signal intensity of the
      medulla decreased after 3 minutes. Signal intensity of the parenchyma of
      transplanted kidney after 5 minutes was much the same as that before injection.
      Image of poor functioning grafts displayed unclear figures. Time-intensity values
      of both cortex and medulla in well functioning grafts decreased rapidly after
      about 2 minutes, and rose thereafter. Time-intensity curves of both cortex and
      medulla were almost flat on and after 5 minutes. Time-intensity curves of both
      cortex and medulla in poor functioning grafts were almost flat through out the
      examination. We concluded that effective parameters of the graft function for the
      time-intensity curve were delta I1 and delta I2. Dynamic MRI was suggested to be
      useful in the evaluation of kidney graft function.

PMID- 1414739
TI  - [Treatment of endocrine-resistant stage D carcinoma of the prostate with a
      cisplatin derivative (DWA2114R): a pilot study].
AB  - DWA2114R (DWA) is a new derivative of platin compounds. Eleven patients with
      rapidly progressive, endocrine-resistant stage D carcinoma of the prostate were
      treated with infusion of DWA (800-1,000 mg/m2) every 3 to 4 weeks. A partial
      objective response was observed in 3 of 11 patients (27%). This response lasted
      from 5 to 11 months with an average of 7.7 months. Six patients (55%) had a
      significant decrease or disappearance of bone pain and five became ambulatory and
      asymptomatic. Four patients (36%) showed no change, and four patients (36%) did
      not respond to the treatment and showed progression of their disease. There were
      no patients with severe leukopenia (less than 1,000/mm3). No significant renal
      toxicity was observed in any of the patients and gastrointestinal toxicity was
      tolerable. DWA appears to be an effective drug available for the treatment of
      endocrine-resistant advanced carcinoma of the prostate.

PMID- 1414740
TI  - [Clinical study of the epidermal growth factor contents in urine, plasma and
      tissue from the patients with urological diseases].
AB  - Contents of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in urine, plasma and tissues in
      urological diseases were estimated by enzyme immunoassay using beads bound to the
      anti-EGF antibody, and the clinical significance of the presence of EGF in the
      disease state was examined. There was no difference in EGF level between healthy
      male and female subjects (n = 22), and the level showed a tendency to decrease
      with age (p less than 0.05). The subjects were 19 cases of prostatic cancer, 7 of
      renal cancer, and 12 of urinary bladder cancer. The difference in EGF level
      between the healthy subjects and patients was not significant, and the levels
      were shown to be lower in 8 cases of renal insufficiency (including patients on
      hemodialysis:HD)(p less than 0.01). Plasma EGF levels in the 30 healthy subjects
      revealed no significant differences related to sex or age. Plasma EGF levels were
      lower in 42 cases of renal insufficiency (before and after HD), and in 7 cases of
      renal cancer (p less than 0.01); they ware significantly lower in 15 cases of
      prostatic cancer (p less than 0.05). In tissues including tumor sites, EGF levels
      were higher particularly in the prostatic gland tissue (hypertrophy and cancer
      regions). Thus, urinary and plasma EGF levels in urological diseases may be
      useful parameters of renal function, but its relationship with malignant diseases
      is still unknown. The EGF level should be explored in relation with the EGF
      receptor.

PMID- 1414741
TI  - [A case of retroperitoneal teratoma showing high level of CA19-9].
AB  - We report a case retroperitoneal mature teratoma showing an abnormally high CA19
      9 (carbohydrate antigen 19-9) serum level in a 30-year-old woman. She was
      hospitalized for an episode of left upper abdominal pain. High CA19-9 tissue
      level and immunohistochemical findings were found in removed tissue. This case is
      the third report of a CA19-9-producing teratoma and literature was reviewed and
      discussed.

PMID- 1414742
TI  - [Bilateral adrenal metastasis from renal cell carcinoma].
AB  - A case of renal cell carcinoma with synchronous bilateral adrenal metastasis
      occurring in a 76-year-old woman is reported. In our case, preoperative computed
      tomographic evaluation revealed the presence of bilateral adrenal metastasis, and
      simultaneous right radical nephrectomy and contralateral adrenalectomy were
      performed. Pathological examination revealed renal cell carcinoma of right kidney
      metastasizing to both adrenal glands. Bilateral adrenal metastasis from renal
      cell carcinoma is rare. Our case seems to be the fourth case in the Japanese
      literature.

PMID- 1414743
TI  - [Renal cell carcinoma with malignant peritoneal mesothelioma: report of a case].
AB  - We report a case of left renal cell carcinoma extending into vena cava with
      malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. A 41-year-old man presented to our outpatient
      clinic with macroscopic hematuria. Upon laparotomy, numerous white nodules were
      identified on diaphragm and serosa of liver, stomach, small intestine and
      mesentery. Biopsied specimen showed malignant mesothelioma of peritoneum and
      renal cell carcinoma of left kidney. He was treated with intraperitoneal
      cisplatinum and intravenous pirarubicin for mesothelioma, and chemoembolization
      for renal tumor. After two courses of therapy, he suffered from disseminated
      intravascular coagulation and died of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Autopsy revealed
      that intraperitoneal nodules were markedly decreased in number and renal tumor
      had changed into hemorrhagic necrosis, but tumor thrombus in vena cava had little
      necrotic change.

PMID- 1414744
TI  - [Transitional cell carcinoma of the ureter with inverted proliferation: a case
      report].
AB  - A case of transitional cell carcinoma of the ureter with inverted proliferation
      is presented. A 74-year-old man with the chief complaint of asymptomatic
      macrohematuria was referred for a suspicion of a ureteral tumor. Excretory
      urography demonstrated a filling defect with a round smooth contour in the right
      lower ureter. Urine cytology was negative for malignant cells. No bladder tumor
      was noted by cystoscopic examination. Under the clinical diagnosis of a right
      ureteral tumor, right total nephroureterectomy was performed. The gross specimen
      contained a 2.0 x 1.0 cm, polypoid, pedunculated and smooth-surfaced tumor. The
      pathological diagnosis was transitional cell carcinoma with inverted
      proliferation G2 much greater than G1. Malignant tumor with inverted
      proliferation in the ureter is very rare. In Japan, 8 cases of transitional cell
      carcinoma with inverted proliferation in the ureter, including our case, are
      reviewed.

PMID- 1414745
TI  - [Ectopic ureter opening to vestibule without urinary incontinence: a case
      report].
AB  - A case of a 2-year-old female with right ectopic ureter opening in vestibule
      vaginae and without urinary incontinence is reported. Excretory urogram showed
      mild dilatation of the upper right segment with bilateral complete duplication.
      Right ectopic ureter some functioning upper segment of the kidney was reimplanted
      into the bladder to avoid surgical intervention for heminephrectomy. According to
      the retrograde ureterogram of ectopic ureter the running courses and shapes of
      the dilated distal portions of ureters were compared between two groups, ectopic
      ureter with incontinence and that without incontinence. We suppose the continence
      mechanism of ectopic ureter is kept when the running course of the ureter through
      some portion of the urethral sphincter musculature.

PMID- 1414746
TI  - [Male bladder leiomyoma: a case report].
AB  - A case of leiomyoma of the urinary bladder in a 40-year-old man is reported.
      Enucleation of the tumor was performed, because transurethral resection-biopsy
      revealed a bladder leiomyoma. Ninety nine cases of a bladder leiomyoma have been
      reported in Japan, but male cases are rare.

PMID- 1414747
TI  - [Posterior urethral polyp: a recurrent case].
AB  - A 38-year-old man was admitted to our hospital complaining of difficult, frequent
      urination to our hospital. Transrectal echography and digital examination showed
      chronic prostatitis. He was treated with medication for chronic prostatitis but
      his condition did not improve. Retrograde urethrography revealed an obstructive
      change in the prostatic urethra and urethroscopic findings showed a urethral
      tumor in the posterior urethra. Transurethral resection of the tumor was
      performed. Pathological diagnosis of the urethral tumor indicated a urethral
      caruncle. After one year, the patient was readmitted to our hospital with the
      same complaints as before. Urethroscopic findings revealed the recurrence of a
      urethral polyp in the posterior urethra. Transurethral resection of the polyp was
      performed. Pathological findings revealed that the inner structure of the polyp
      showed a prostatic glandular pattern that after staining with anti-prostatic acid
      phosphatase antibody. The final diagnosis was that the polyp had a prostatic-type
      epithelium in the prostatic urethra.

PMID- 1414748
TI  - [Clinical study of terodiline hydrochloride for the treatment of urinary
      frequency and urinary incontinence, and its cardiovascular adverse effects].
AB  - We evaluated the effectiveness and side effects of terodiline hydrochloride in
      109 patients with urinary frequency and urinary incontinence. The drug was
      administered at a dose of 24 mg once a day or 12 mg twice a day for 4 weeks.
      Symptoms such as urinary frequency and urinary incontinence were alleviated in
      101 out of 109 patients (92.7%). Mild side effects such as thirst, dysuria, sense
      of residual urine, orthostatic hypotension and arrhythmia were observed in 9 out
      of 109 patients (8.2%). Side effects such as orthostatic hypotension and
      arrhythmia were observed on the 28th day or the 20th day of the administration,
      but these symptoms disappeared with discontinued use of this medicine. The
      results obtained from this study suggest that terodiline hydrochloride may be
      greatly useful for the patients with urinary frequency and urinary incontinence.
      But we must take account of the side effects such as orthostatic hypotension and
      arrhythmia.

PMID- 1414750
TI  - [The relationship between pathological spreading factors and tumor size in 45
      patients with renal cell carcinoma].
AB  - The relationship between pathological spreading factors (T3,4 V+, N+, M+) and
      tumor size was studied in 45 patients with renal cell carcinoma during the past
      10 years from 1982. The incidence of having one or more factors was 0% for the 17
      tumors smaller than 5 cm, but 75% for the 28 tumors over 5 cm. The mean diameter
      of the tumors having a T, V, N or M factor was significantly larger than that of
      tumors having no factor (T1,2V0N0M0). These findings suggest that they have a
      higher tendency of having spreading factors once the tumors have exceeded a
      certain size.

PMID- 1414749
TI  - [The phase IV studies with Estracyt in prostatic cancer--supplementary report:
      results of long-term therapy].
AB  - Two hundred patients with prostatic cancer were enrolled in our previous study
      between 1984 and 1987. In this study, 96 patients of them were observed for 1
      year or more after oral administration of Estracyt (estramustine sodium
      phosphate). Of these 96 cases, 33 patients were treated with Estracyt as primary
      treatment and 63 patient had been treated with other treatments before Estracyt
      treatment. Twelve patients were treated only with Estracyt and 84 patients also
      received other treatments. Thirty-eight patients were on primary therapy, 37
      patients were on maintenance therapy, and 11 patients were on primary therapy, 37
      patients were on maintenance therapy, and 11 patients were on the re-activated
      stage therapy and 10 patients were others. In conclusion, among the 67 cases in
      which the due judgement of the effect was possible, Estracyt was markedly
      effective in 10 cases (14.9%), effective in 16 cases (23.9%), slightly effective
      in 15 cases (22.4%) and ineffective in 26 cases (38.8%). The survival rate was
      92.6% at the first year, 66.0% at the third year and 46.3% at the fifth year in
      the follow-up study. Adverse reactions were observed in 22 cases (22.9%), among
      which the administration was discontinued in 3 cases.

PMID- 1414752
TI  - [Transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract following total
      cystectomy for bladder cancer].
AB  - From 1975 to 1990, we treated 118 patients with urinary epithelial cancer,
      including 100 with primary bladder cancer, 13 with primary upper urinary tract
      cancer, and 5 with both diseases. Thirty-five patients with primary bladder
      cancer underwent total cystectomy. Upper urinary tract urothelial cancer
      developed in 4 patients (4.0%) and was detected only after cystectomy. Three
      patients had multiple bladder tumors before cystectomy and recurrent tumors under
      long-term bladder-preserving treatment. The other patient had had cystectomy for
      the primary bladder lesion. Our present policy is to perform urinary cytology
      once a month and intravenous urography once a year in patients with bladder
      cancer for early detection of secondary upper urinary tract cancer.

PMID- 1414751
TI  - [A clinical investigation on renal pelvic and ureteral tumors].
AB  - Sixty-six patients with renal pelvic and ureteral tumors were treated in our
      hospital between June 1974 and June 1991. These cases consisted of 27 renal
      pelvic tumors, 31 ureteral tumors and 8 renal pelvic and ureteral tumors. Their
      ages ranged from 43 to 86 years old (average: 65). There were 46 males and 20
      females. The surgical method involved total nephroureterectomy with a cuff for 44
      patients, nephroureterectomy for 3, nephrectomy for 9, total nephroureterectomy
      with total cystectomy for 5 and partial ureterectomy for 2. Histologically, there
      were 60 transitional cell carcinomas (TCC), 2 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and
      4 TCC with SCC. As for the pathological stage, 13 were pTa, 16 pT1, 12 pT2, 11
      pT3, 13 pT4 and 1 pTX. Subsequent bladder tumors were found in 13 patients
      (19.7%). The overall survival rate at 1, 3 and 5 years were 80%, 68% and 52%,
      respectively according to the Kaplan-Meier's method. In this series, the
      pathological staging was the most important prognostic factor.

PMID- 1414753
TI  - [Application of video endoscope system (EVIS200) in endourology].
AB  - We began clinical studies in April, 1989 for the purpose of utilizing the video
      endoscope system in the field of urology, termed the Urological Video Information
      System (UVIS). The UVIS is made up of an image assembling and recording system
      and an image filling system. Since we started using the first generation video
      endoscope system (EVIS-1, Olympus Optical Co.) as an image assembling system, we
      have encountered several major obstacles such as 1) the absolute insufficiency
      for the amount of light, and 2) the unclearness of frozen images. As we have been
      able to use as second generation video endoscope system (EVIS200, Olympus Optical
      Co.) since September 1990, the major components of the UVIS have been modified.
      In this report, we describe our clinical experience with the re-designed UVIS;
      EVIS200, which we have used, is composed of a video-processor (CL-200, Olympus
      Co.), a video converter and rigid urological scopes. The EVIS200 has been
      evaluated not only for the endoscopic examination but also for transurethral
      surgery. No problems were noticed in manipulating the EVIS200. Marked
      improvements were achieved in image quality. Images both on the television
      monitor and hard copies from the color video printer had optical quality in good
      agreement with the gross findings. The UVIS was a great contribution to both the
      authors and the patients; the findings both of the examination and the surgery
      could be explained to the patient and family during and/or immediately after the
      procedure. We believe that the UVIS may replace conventional urologic endoscopy
      and become an excellent date-base for endourology.

PMID- 1414754
TI  - [A case of a child with extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma associated with
      renovascular hypertension].
AB  - A 7-year-old female was discovered to be severely hypertensive. Urinary
      noradrenaline excretion and plasma noradrenaline level were elevated. Plasma
      renin activity was markedly elevated. She was found to have a mass in the hilus
      of the left kidney and left renal artery stenosis. Magnetic resonance imaging
      (MRI) of the mass revealed an extremely bright lesion on T2 weighted image. DMSA
      renal scintigraphy revealed a low uptake rate (4.7%) in the left kidney. A
      diagnosis of extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma associated with left sided renal
      artery stenosis was made. The mass and left kidney were removed.
      Electronmicroscopic examination of the mass revealed characteristic
      neurosecretory granules. There was only slight fibrosis in the wall of the
      removed left renal artery.

PMID- 1414755
TI  - [A case of retroperitoneal venous aneurysm].
AB  - A case of retroperitoneal venous aneurysm is reported. A 73-year-old woman was
      referred to us with the chief complaint of left abdominal mass. A giant abdominal
      mass was palpable and diagnostic imaging examination including ultrasound
      tomography, excretory pyelography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance
      imaging and angiography revealed a giant cystic mass encircled by calcification
      in the left retroperitoneal space. Operation for this cystic mass was performed
      under the preoperative diagnosis of a giant left renal cyst. During operation the
      mass was located between the left kidney and the left adrenal gland. Because it
      was difficult to separate the mass from the left kidney the mass was removed with
      the left kidney. The extirpated tumor measured 15.5 x 15.0 x 9.5 cm and contained
      old blood clots and red-yellow colored fluid. A histological examination revealed
      that the tumor wall was composed of smooth muscle and elastic fibers. Therefore,
      pathological diagnosis was retroperitoneal venous aneurysm. Retroperitoneal
      venous aneurysm is very rare. To our knowledge, this is the 8th case of
      retroperitoneal venous aneurysm reported in Japan.

PMID- 1414756
TI  - [A case of retroperitoneal Castleman's disease associated with bladder tumor and
      a review of 59 cases in Japan].
AB  - We present a case of retroperitoneal Castleman's disease associated with bladder
      tumor. The patient was a 62-year-old man, who underwent partial cystectomy under
      a diagnosis of bladder tumor in 1989. Subsequently, recurrent bladder tumor was
      detected and he consulted the outpatient clinic at our University Hospital in
      November, 1990, at which time computerized tomography (CT) revealed a
      retroperitoneal tumor. From February, 1991 four courses of combined chemotherapy
      (methotrexate, vinblastine, pirarubicin, cisplatin) were administered for the
      tumor. The tumor reduction rate after the chemotherapy was 60% on CT, and
      retroperitoneal lymph node dissection and left nephroureterectomy were performed
      in July, 1991. Histological examination revealed Castleman's disease, hyaline
      vascular type. Fifty-nine reported cases of retroperitoneal Castleman's disease
      in Japan are reviewed.

PMID- 1414757
TI  - [A report of two cases of multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma: review of 51
      cases reported and the results of a prognostic survey].
AB  - We report 2 cases of multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma. One was in a 33
      year-old male, presenting with ultrasonic abnormality of the left kidney at an
      annual employee health care examination. Computerized tomography (CT)
      demonstrated a 5 cm of multilocular cystic mass adjacent to the lower pole of the
      left kidney. Another was in a 44-year-old male, presenting with microscopic
      hematuria at an annual employee health care examination. CT of the abdomen
      revealed a 6.5 cm of multilocular cystic mass on the upper pole of the right
      kidney. Both were diagnosed as renal cell carcinoma by the angiography and
      underwent radical nephrectomy. Gross specimens showed typical multilocular cystic
      appearance and histopathology showed clear cell carcinoma infiltrating septa and
      replacing epithelium of the cyst walls. Both patients are alive without evidence
      of disease at, 21 months and 14 months after operation, respectively. Including
      our cases, 51 multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma and multilocular cystic
      nephroma associated with renal cell carcinoma have been reported. From the review
      of the literatures and the answer of the questionnaires inquiring about the
      outcome of the patient to Japanese reporters, the outcome of 38 patients was
      ascertained. The 10-year survival rates and non-recurrence rate after operation
      calculated by the Kaphan-Meier formula were 97.3% and 90.3%, respectively.
      Because of the good prognosis of reported cases, we concluded that we should
      choose kidney-sparing surgery for the operation of multilocular cystic renal cell
      carcinoma.

PMID- 1414758
TI  - [Dilated cardiomyopathy following alpha interferon therapy of renal tumor with
      pulmonary metastases: a case report].
AB  - We report a case of renal cell carcinoma with pulmonary metastases treated with
      recombinant alpha interferon and subsequently presenting as congestive heart
      failure due to a dilated cardiomyopathy. A 66-year-old man presented himself to
      the department of internal medicine at our hospital with a complaint of
      persistent cough with sputum on August 27, 1988. Ultrasonogram, computed
      tomography and angiography showed a right renal cell carcinoma and chest x-ray
      films disclosed bilateral multiple nodular shadows, probably representing
      metastases of the renal tumor. After being transferred to our department, the
      patient underwent the ligation of the right renal artery and vein and the
      postoperative treatment with recombinant alpha interferon, achieving a complete
      response for pulmonary metastases and a partial response for the primary region.
      On February 14, 1990 the patient was admitted to our hospital with a complaint of
      dyspnea to be diagnosed as congestive heart failure due to dilated
      cardiomyopathy. The interferon therapy was suspected to have caused the heart
      disease, and four months after discontinuation of interferon therapy the heart
      failure symptoms had improved, but hypokinesis of the cardiac wall still
      persisted. To our knowledge, this may be the first case of alpha interferon
      related cardiomyopathy in Japan.

PMID- 1414759
TI  - [A case of renal cell carcinoma in childhood].
AB  - We report a case of renal cell carcinoma in a 6-year-old girl. The child had the
      chief complaints of gross hematuria and abdominal pain. An examination using
      ultrasound, computerized tomography scans and angiography showed a left renal
      tumor. Left side radical nephrectomy with lymphadenectomy was performed.
      Histopathological examination revealed renal cell carcinoma of clear cell type
      with metastasis to the hilar lymph node. She received postoperative therapy with
      interferon. Now, 3 years since the operation, she is living without evident
      recurrence. We reviewed 89 Japanese cases of renal cell carcinoma in children
      including this case and have discussed symptoms, differential diagnosis and
      treatments.

PMID- 1414760
TI  - [A case of renal squamous cell carcinoma associated with giant hydronephrosis and
      ureteral stone: efficacy of imaging modality].
AB  - A rare case of squamous cell carcinoma of the right kidney associated with giant
      hydronephrosis and right ureteral stone was reported. A 60-year-old woman was
      referred to our department with a complaint of ileocecal dull pain. A plain
      computerized tomogram (CT) revealed giant hydronephrosis, and a kidney-ureter
      bladder X-ray revealed a right lower ureteral stone. A right percutaneous
      nephrostomy was done and antegrade pyelography revealed giant hydronephrosis and
      a ureteral stone, but showed no intrapelvic filling defect. Under the diagnosis
      of right ureteral stone with hydronephrosis, right ureterolithotomy was done.
      However, since the inflammation did not subside after ureterolithotomy, right
      nephrectomy was done. The surgically removed right kidney did not show any
      evident tumor mass, a histological study revealed squamous cell carcinoma
      involving renal parenchyma. The patient received no adjuvant therapy and died 3
      months after nephrectomy with sudden appearance of bone, liver and pulmonary
      metastases. The preoperative efficacy of imaging modalities for renal squamous
      cell carcinoma was discussed herein.

PMID- 1414761
TI  - [Multiorgan failure following intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin
      administration: a case report].
AB  - We describe a case of multiorgan failure after intravesical bacillus Carmette
      Guern (BCG) immunotherapy for bladder cancer. A 58-year-old man with superficial
      transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder was initially treated by transurethral
      resection and intravenous chemotherapy, and then administered 11 sessions of BCG
      intravesically. He was administered BCG intravesically after cystoscopic
      examination. The next day he complained of nausea and malaise. He became
      hypotensive. The symptom progressed with multiorgan failure, disseminated
      intravascular coagulation and respiratory failure. The patient gradually improved
      with administration of antibiotics and corticosteroid, and hemodialysis, without
      antituberculous antibiotics. Intravesical instillation of BCG should not be
      carried out immediately after cystoscopic examination.

PMID- 1414762
TI  - [Pure leiomyoma of prostate presenting with rectal symptoms: a case report].
AB  - Pure leiomyoma of the prostate is a rare lesion. We report a case in a 68-year
      old man who presented with rectal symptoms. Rectal examination showed a stony
      hard nodule with irregular surface near the apex of the prostate. Transrectal
      sonography showed a homogeneous well defined nodule measuring 3.5 cm in diameter
      in the left prostatic lobe protruding into the bladder. Magnetic resonance
      imaging (MRI) revealed an irregular shaped mass in the prostate with an isosignal
      to muscle in the T1 weighted images. Needle biopsy revealed pure leiomyoma
      histologically. Transurethral resection was performed and a nodule of white
      almost avascular tissue was resected in the apex proximal to vermontanum. After
      operation, the rectal symptoms improved.

PMID- 1414763
TI  - [Traumatic dislocation of the testis].
AB  - Dislocation of the testis is a rare injury, with only 73 cases having been
      reported in Japan. We herein add 6 cases. Lately, accidents involving teenage
      patients, primarily involving motorcycles, have been increasing. Closed reduction
      is recommended, but it was successful only 5 of 73 cases. The results of
      testicular biopsies suggest that early surgical management is required when
      closed reduction is unsuccessful.

PMID- 1414764
TI  - [Clinical statistics on inpatients admitted to the Department of Urology, Hyogo
      Prefectural Hospital Nishinomiya during 20 years from 1972 to 1991].
AB  - A statistic analysis was carried out on the 4,956 inpatients admitted to our
      Department of Urology from April 1972 to December 1991. The patients included
      3,399 males and 1,557 females. A total of 4,105 operations including 255 renal
      allotransplantations were performed on 3,590 patients. Open surgery for upper
      urinary tract stones has been replaced by extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy
      (ESWL) in the last three years.

PMID- 1414765
TI  - [Experimental urinary tract infection caused by Escherichia coli in diabetic
      mouse--uroepithelial colonization and polymorphonuclear leukocyte function].
AB  - Relationship between polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) function and
      susceptibility to infections in diabetic mice was studied. In the experimental
      urinary tract infections, 6 strains of Escherichia coli with different fimbrial
      expression and hemolysin production were used. In contrast with non-fimbriated
      strains, fimbriated strains were more susceptible to phagocytosis by PMN. MS+.MR+
      strains, however, showed resistance to intracellular killing by PMN. OEC-709, OEC
      716 (MS+.MR+ strains), and OEC-734 (MS+.MR- strains), also showed resistance to
      the bactericidal activity of the serum. The killing activities of PMN derived
      from diabetic mice against these 3 strains were significantly lower than those of
      PMN from normal mice. In normal mice, MS+.MR+ strains showed the strongest
      colonization ability to the bladder and kidney, whereas MS-.MR- strains showed
      the weakest ability among the strains. In diabetic mice, the number of bacteria
      colonizing to the bladder and kidney was higher than that in normal mice, except
      for one MS-.MR- strain. Significant differences were observed in the strains (OEC
      709, 716, 734), in which PMN was concerned strongly in the bacterial killing.
      Finally, these findings suggest that deterioration of the bactericidal activity
      of PMN in a diabetic state is involved in increased susceptibility of diabetic
      mice.

PMID- 1414766
TI  - [Influences of bacteria within stones on ESWL treatment].
AB  - On 26 patients with upper urinary stones treated by extracorporeal shock wave
      lithotripsy (ESWL), the influences of the bacteria within the stones on the
      inflammatory complications, especially on urinary tract infection, after the ESWL
      treatment, were studied. The constituents of the stones obtained from these 26
      patients consisted of the mixed stone of calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate
      (10 patients), calcium oxalate alone (2 patients), calcium phosphate alone (1
      patient) and uric acid (1 patient). Of these 26 stones including no infection
      stones such as struvite and carbonate apatite, 5 stones (19.2%) had bacteria
      within the stone. Although no patients had severe inflammatory complications
      after ESWL treatments, the fact that the patient group having bacteria within the
      stones had a significantly elevated body temperature at one day after ESWL
      treatment compared to that on the preoperative day (P < 0.01) suggests that we
      should take into consideration the bacteria within non-infection stones as one of
      the risk factors of inflammatory complications after ESWL treatment.

PMID- 1414768
TI  - Transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis associated with cyclophosphamide
      therapy.

PMID- 1414767
TI  - Retroperitoneal neurilemoma: CT and MR findings.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to characterize the CT and MR imaging findings of
      retroperitoneal neurilemomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the CT and MR
      imaging findings in six women with retroperitoneal neurilemomas. RESULTS:
      Retroperitoneal neurilemomas were round, 5-13 cm in diameter, and located in the
      presacral pelvic retroperitoneum in four patients and adjacent to the kidney in
      two patients. CT findings of the tumors were well-demarcated round masses showing
      prominent cystic changes and oriented in a somewhat radial fashion. Medium and
      heavily T2-weighted MR images showed high-intensity necrotic areas and
      nonnecrotic areas of various signal intensity. CONCLUSION: CT findings of a round
      mass with prominent cystic degeneration, along with certain MR imaging
      characteristics, may be helpful in the preoperative diagnosis of retroperitoneal
      neurilemomas.

PMID- 1414769
TI  - Sonographic appearance of the torsion knot in spermatic cord torsion.

PMID- 1414770
TI  - MR imaging of the quadriceps tendon: normal layered configuration and its
      importance in cases of tendon rupture.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The quadriceps tendon is a multilayered structure with separate layers
      arising from different muscle groups. We examined this layered configuration on
      MR images to determine if it is relevant in the evaluation of the traumatized
      quadriceps tendon. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sagittal and axial T1-weighted MR
      images of 52 knees with normal tendons were reviewed to determine the number and
      the muscle origins of these layers. Five knees with traumatized quadriceps
      tendons were imaged with T1 and T2 weighting to determine the relationship
      between the layered configuration and the injury. RESULTS: All the normal
      quadriceps tendons had a laminated appearance with either four (6%), three (56%),
      or two (30%) layers. In 8%, the laminations were barely perceptible. The site of
      origin of each layer was consistent, and each favored a given muscle. The
      superficial layer originated from the posterior fascia of the rectus femoris
      muscle, and the deep layer originated from the anterior fascia of the midline
      vastus intermedius muscle. The middle layer(s) arose from the deep fascia
      separating the vastus medialis and the vastus lateralis muscles from the vastus
      intermedius muscle. When only two layers were present, the middle layer merged
      with the superficial and deep layers. In the injured tendon, complete rupture
      produced transection of all the layers. Incomplete ruptures were seen as focal
      discontinuities of individual layers; other layers remained intact. CONCLUSION:
      The existence of a layered configuration of the quadriceps tendon is significant
      in the MR examination of partial ruptures. It can help not only in detecting and
      localizing injuries but also in determining appropriate treatment based on the
      number or thickness of injured layers.

PMID- 1414771
TI  - Mucormycosis osteomyelitis causing avascular necrosis of the cuboid bone: MR
      imaging findings.

PMID- 1414772
TI  - Rapid growth of femoral herniation pit.

PMID- 1414773
TI  - Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: sequential enhanced MR imaging vs
      clinical findings in determining disease activity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Sequential MR imaging frequently shows disease activity (clinically
      silent new brain lesions) in subgroups of patients with multiple sclerosis and
      therefore is valuable in monitoring the effects of treatment. Monitoring of
      disease activity in patients being treated for relapsing-remitting multiple
      sclerosis will increase in importance as new and safe therapies are developed. We
      studied sequential enhanced MR images of patients with early relapsing-remitting
      multiple sclerosis to define the MR features that indicate disease activity in
      this subgroup of patients and to compare MR imaging and clinical findings for
      this purpose. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Seven patients with relapsing-remitting
      definite multiple sclerosis were examined monthly for 4-12 months. For each
      image, a standard repositioning protocol consisting of three images was used to
      ensure reproducibility of axial (double oblique) image planes, planned according
      to internal landmarks. A total of 58 unenhanced T2-weighted and enhanced T1
      weighted MR images were obtained. RESULTS: MR images showed new enhancing lesions
      in six of the seven patients. On 25 (43%) of the 58 enhanced T1-weighted MR
      images, a total of 50 new enhancing lesions were observed, and on one image a
      reenhancing lesion was seen. The unenhanced T2-weighted images showed
      corresponding abnormalities for 92% of the new enhancing lesions. At follow-up,
      most lesions (86%) were enhanced on only one occasion: 4% were enhanced on more
      than two consecutive monthly MR examinations. Forty-nine percent of the lesions
      seen on T2-weighted images "disappeared" (beyond the resolution of the imaging
      system) after a mean follow-up of 3.5 months, especially lesions that were
      initially smaller than 5 mm. During the study, only five clinical relapses
      occurred in three patients (all at times when MR images showed contrast-enhancing
      lesions), and fixed disability did not increase. On 21 additional occasions, MR
      images showed new enhancing or reenhancing lesions in patients who were
      clinically stable at the time (4.2 times more clinically silent disease
      activity). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that contrast-enhanced MR imaging is
      more sensitive than clinical monitoring for detecting new disease activity in
      patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and that MR imaging might be
      useful in the evaluation of therapeutic regimens.

PMID- 1414774
TI  - Evaluation of complex cystic masses of the brain: value of steady-state free
      precession MR imaging.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effectiveness of steady-state free-precession
      (SSFP) MR imaging of complex cystic masses of the brain compared with that of
      conventional T1- and T2-weighted spin-echo imaging. Our hypothesis is that SSFP
      MR images provide better characterization of these masses and facilitate more
      appropriate preoperative diagnoses and planning. SUBJECT AND METHODS: Axial T1
      weighted and SSFP MR images and specimens for pathologic examination were
      obtained in seven consecutive patients, 9-81 years old, with cystic mass lesions
      of the brain and neurologic symptoms and signs directly related to the masses.
      Axial contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images were obtained in six patients,
      surgical exploration was done in five patients, and stereotaxic biopsy was done
      in two. After examination of the routine spin-echo and SSFP images, the
      usefulness of SSFP images was determined by how well they facilitated correct
      preoperative diagnosis. RESULTS: On SSFP MR images, the solid or inhomogeneous
      components of a cystic mass had extremely low signals in contrast to the high
      signal of surrounding fluid. On routine spin-echo images, however, the signals of
      these components were masked by the signal of the surrounding fluid. SSFP MR
      images helped markedly in diagnosis of hemorrhagic, epidermoid, and arachnoid
      cysts. In cases of enhancing brain tumors, SSFP MR images provided the same
      information that contrast-enhanced images did. Overall, when SSFP MR imaging was
      used, more information about the texture and constituents of the cystic mass was
      obtained, and a more useful diagnosis was made. CONCLUSION: Initial results show
      that SSFP MR imaging is a more useful technique than conventional spin-echo
      imaging for characterizing complex cystic masses of the brain. SSFP MR imaging
      (1) allows distinction of edema from tumor, (2) helps establish where biopsy has
      the best chance of providing tissue that will show pathologic changes, and (3)
      helps distinguish simple cysts from tumors, tumor-cyst, or multicompartmental
      cyst and may be particularly helpful in detecting the contents of hemorrhagic
      cysts.

PMID- 1414775
TI  - The value of cerebral angiography in predicting cerebral ischemia during carotid
      endarterectomy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Temporary occlusion of the carotid artery during endarterectomy can
      result in ipsilateral cerebral ischemia if collateral blood flow is insufficient.
      This requires placement of a shunt across the carotid bifurcation, which is
      associated with increased operative risk. We retrospectively analyzed
      preoperative cerebral angiograms and intraoperative electroencephalographic
      recordings to determine if ischemia during carotid endarterectomy could be
      predicted from angiographic data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cerebral angiograms
      of 30 patients were examined. Collateral blood flow to the hemisphere on the side
      of surgery was determined to be present if both proximal segments of the anterior
      cerebral artery and the anterior communicating artery were visualized, or if
      filling and washout of the ipsilateral posterior cerebral artery could be seen.
      Collateral flow was determined to be inadequate if the anterior collateral system
      was incomplete, and if either the ipsilateral posterior communicating artery was
      absent or the posterior cerebral artery filled without washout. This information
      was compared with intraoperative electroencephalographic and shunting data.
      RESULTS: Of 15 patients who had demonstrable collateral blood flow, 14 had stable
      electroencephalograms and did not require a shunt during surgery. In all 15
      patients in whom no collateral flow to the ipsilateral hemisphere could be shown,
      electroencephalographic changes prompted placement of an intraluminal shunt.
      CONCLUSION: We found that the angiographic determination of inadequate collateral
      cerebral circulation correlated strongly with the development of intraoperative
      ischemia. This implies that routine preoperative cerebral angiograms can be used
      to alert the surgeon to the potential need for shunt placement during carotid
      endarterectomy.

PMID- 1414776
TI  - MR imaging and HMPAO scintigraphy in conjunction with balloon test occlusion:
      value in predicting sequelae after permanent carotid occlusion.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Permanent occlusion of the internal carotid artery may be required for
      en bloc resection of a neck tumor or to treat certain aneurysms. The risk of
      ischemic infarct is usually assessed with carotid balloon test occlusion and
      concurrent distal arterial pressure measurement. However, up to 20% of patients
      who tolerate the test occlusion have delayed neurologic sequelae. We propose
      enhanced MR imaging and hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) scintigraphy to
      detect subclinical signs of ischemia and hypoperfusion as adjuncts to the balloon
      test occlusion to identify patients at risk for delayed sequelae. SUBJECTS AND
      METHODS: We prospectively examined 12 patients referred for balloon test
      occlusion of the carotid artery. Serial measurements of distal occluded internal
      carotid pressure were recorded. 99mTc-HMPAO was injected IV after 2 min of
      asymptomatic test occlusion, and single-photon emission computed tomographic
      (SPECT) data acquisition was done 1-6 hr later. Contrast-enhanced MR imaging was
      performed 1-8 hr after completion of the 30-min test occlusion. Signs of
      decreased perfusion or ischemia on these tests were compared with the mean distal
      arterial pressure and neurologic status of the patient during test occlusion.
      RESULTS: Seven (58%) of 12 patients had abnormal findings on HMPAO scintigraphy
      or contrast-enhanced MR imaging. Only one patient had neurologic deficits that
      corresponded to abnormal MR enhancement. The other 11 patients (92%) remained
      asymptomatic during the 30-min test occlusion. Of these 11 asymptomatic patients,
      five (45%) had areas of decreased perfusion on scintigraphy and three (27%) had
      abnormal MR contrast enhancement suggesting residual focal ischemia as a result
      of the test occlusion. Mean arterial pressures in the distal occluded artery did
      not correlate well with the imaging results. CONCLUSION: HMPAO scintigraphy can
      show clinically silent areas of decreased perfusion, while enhanced MR shows
      signs of acute ischemia (i.e., significant hypoperfusion) associated with
      asymptomatic balloon test occlusion. Theoretically, such patients would be at
      increased risk for permanent sequelae after permanent carotid occlusion.

PMID- 1414777
TI  - MR imaging of clival and paraclival lesions.
AB  - A wide spectrum of diseases involve the clivus and paraclival structures. Primary
      neoplasms, metastatic tumors, and inflammatory, vascular, and hematopoietic
      disorders are the most common abnormalities to arise from or directly involve the
      clivus. MR imaging exquisitely shows and helps characterize the diseases that
      affect this area. Sagittal and coronal MR imaging allows precise localization and
      evaluation of the signal characteristics of a mass, enabling a more specific
      diagnosis. The multiplanar capabilities of MR imaging provide superb
      visualization of the adjacent cranial nerves and vascular structures, aiding in
      surgical planning and radiation therapy. In this pictorial essay, the MR imaging,
      CT, and conventional radiographic findings of various clival and paraclival
      lesions are illustrated.

PMID- 1414778
TI  - Miliary tuberculosis involving the brain: MR findings.

PMID- 1414779
TI  - Femoral artery pseudoaneurysms: value of color Doppler sonography in predicting
      which ones will thrombose without treatment.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Doppler imaging
      characteristics of femoral artery pseudoaneurysms occurring after cardiac
      catheterization to determine if color Doppler sonography can be used to predict
      which pseudoaneurysms would ultimately thrombose spontaneously. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Over a 30-month-period, 24 pseudoaneurysms were studied with serial
      color Doppler sonography. The color flow, B-mode, and Doppler spectral images and
      clinical records of patients whose pseudoaneurysms demonstrated spontaneous
      thrombosis were compared with those of patients who required surgical repair of
      the pseudoaneurysm. RESULTS: We found no statistically significant differences
      between the patients whose pseudoaneurysms demonstrated spontaneous thrombosis
      and those treated surgically in regard to clinical parameters or the volume of
      the pseudoaneurysm, percentage of flow within the pseudoaneurysm, ratio of
      forward to reversed flow velocity in the pseudoaneurysm neck, duration of
      diastolic flow in the pseudoaneurysm neck, or length of pseudoaneurysm neck.
      However, on color Doppler images, the volume of flow in the lumens of
      pseudoaneurysms that thrombosed spontaneously (1.8 +/- 3.3 ml) was significantly
      smaller than the volume of flow in the lumens of those treated surgically (4.4 +/
      3.2, ml, p = .02). CONCLUSION: We conclude that pseudoaneurysms with small
      volumes of flow in the lumen are more likely to thrombose than are those with
      large volumes of flow in the lumen. However, color Doppler sonographic
      characteristics cannot be used to predict subsequent thrombosis.

PMID- 1414780
TI  - Closure of the ductus venosus in neonates: findings on real-time gray-scale,
      color-flow Doppler, and duplex Doppler sonography.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to document the anatomy, flow pattern, and time of
      closure of the ductus venosus in healthy full-term neonates. SUBJECTS AND
      METHODS: We examined the ductus venosus in 73 neonates by using gray-scale
      sonography, color flow imaging, and duplex Doppler sonography. Each neonate was
      examined 1-2 days after birth, 6-7 days after birth, and then every 3-4 days
      until closure was confirmed or the neonate was 18 days old. The length, width,
      and color flow and duplex Doppler characteristics of the ductus were noted.
      Closure of the ductus at 6-7 days after birth was examined with respect to birth
      weight, hemoglobin level, and gestational age. RESULTS: The ductus venosus,
      extending from the left portal vein to the inferior vena cava, was identified
      with all three techniques. The ductus was patent in all 73 neonates 1-2 days
      after birth. It was still patent in 41 (68%) of 60 neonates reexamined 6-7 days
      after birth and in two of three neonates (11% [7/60]) reexamined 17-18 days after
      birth. Blood flow within the ductus was cephalic, in a constant venous waveform.
      Initial flow velocity ranged from 0.15 to 0.70 m/sec and decreased consistently
      in subsequent examinations. There was no significant difference in birth weight,
      hemoglobin level, or gestational age between the group whose ductus was closed
      and the group whose ductus was open at 6-7 days after birth. CONCLUSION: The
      ductus venosus in neonates is consistently detectable on sonography. It is patent
      in a greater percentage of neonates, and for a longer time, than was previously
      shown with conventional radiographic studies with angiography.

PMID- 1414781
TI  - Giant fistula between the right coronary artery and the left ventricle:
      diagnostic significance of right posterior oblique chest radiograph.
AB  - Congenital coronary artery fistulas are uncommon. The prevalence of coronary
      artery fistulas in adults has been estimated as 0.13% [1]. Most of these fistulas
      communicate with the right atrium or ventricle or with the pulmonary artery;
      those emptying into the left atrium or ventricle are quite rare [2, 3]. Usually,
      patients with coronary artery fistula do not have clinical symptoms, and their
      chest radiographs do not show the corresponding shadow because the fistula is
      hemodynamically insignificant. When the fistula is large, however, chest
      radiographs show the secondary hemodynamic changes, such as cardiac enlargement
      or increased pulmonary vasculature, depending on the emptying site. Moreover, the
      silhouette of the dilated tortuous vessel itself can be seen on the chest
      radiograph. We have examined four patients, each of whom had a giant fistula in
      the right coronary artery emptying into the left ventricle, proved by coronary
      angiography. In this essay, we illustrate the chest radiographs of these patients
      and describe the radiologic features that permit a specific diagnosis or suggest
      a coronary artery fistula.

PMID- 1414782
TI  - Needle-tip localization during CT-guided abdominal biopsy: comparison of
      conventional and spiral CT.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to determine whether the time required for
      needle-tip localization during biopsy of the abdomen would be reduced if
      continuous-volume data acquisition, also known as spiral CT, were used for
      guidance instead of conventional CT. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Forty patients had
      biopsies of an abdominal mass; half underwent needle-tip localizations with
      conventional CT and half with spiral CT. The times required to localize the
      needle for 104 needle passes were calculated; scanning and reconstruction times
      were included, and the radiologist's technique and procedural difficulties were
      deliberately excluded. The mean needle localization times with conventional and
      spiral CT were compared for the upper abdominal and pelvic regions by using the
      two-tailed unpaired Student's t-test. RESULTS: The mean time (+/- SE) for spiral
      CT was 35 +/- 2 sec compared with 105 +/- 18 sec for conventional CT (p < .001).
      When analyzed by region, times with spiral CT were shorter in both the upper
      abdomen (means, 37 sec for spiral CT vs 150 sec for conventional CT, p < .001)
      and pelvis (means, 25 sec for spiral CT vs 74 sec for conventional CT, p = .038);
      the magnitude of the improvement was greater in the upper abdomen. CONCLUSION:
      The time required to find the needle tip during guided biopsy of an abdominal
      mass is reduced with spiral CT compared with conventional CT. This improvement is
      partly a result of the ability to eliminate respiratory misregistration with
      spiral CT, which is not possible with conventional multisectional CT; hence the
      greater advantage in upper abdominal biopsy.

PMID- 1414783
TI  - Iodide mumps due to low-osmolality contrast material.

PMID- 1414784
TI  - Digital archive center: implementation for a radiology department.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In this article, we describe the implementation of a digital archive
      center for a radiology department in a 700-bed teaching hospital. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: The archive center consists of two identical archive systems, each
      comprising five components: an archive server, a data-base server, an optical
      disk library, a stand-alone optical disk drive, and a communication network. An
      image management system controls the image traffic from acquisition devices to
      display stations. A fault-tolerant mechanism was built into the archive center to
      achieve a 100% uptime. RESULTS: The center has been in operation for over 6
      months. We have not experienced a single total system failure during this period.
      It currently archives all digital images from three MR units and four CT scanners
      and selected images from three computed radiographic systems and two laser film
      digitizers. The center archives between 1.5 and 2.0 gigabytes of images per
      workday. CONCLUSION: With its built-in fault-tolerant mechanism, we believe that
      the implemented archive center is very reliable and is suitable for a radiology
      department to archive its digital images.

PMID- 1414785
TI  - Capital planning in radiology.

PMID- 1414786
TI  - Subspecialization and certification in radiology.

PMID- 1414787
TI  - Handgun control: a public health issue.

PMID- 1414788
TI  - A system for full-motion real-time telesonography.

PMID- 1414789
TI  - An unusual cause of hemoptysis in an i.v. drug abuser.

PMID- 1414790
TI  - Glass foreign body in the breast simulating a hyperdense nodule on mammography.

PMID- 1414791
TI  - Unfavorable outcome of recent breast cancer screening trials: why?

PMID- 1414792
TI  - "Ductogram" associated with extravasation of silicone from a breast implant.

PMID- 1414793
TI  - Jejunogastric intussusception: diagnosis based on sonographic findings.

PMID- 1414794
TI  - Persistent pseudotumor of the bowel on sonography caused by stool in the colon.

PMID- 1414795
TI  - Osteoclast-type giant-cell tumor of the pancreas.

PMID- 1414796
TI  - Tiny echogenic foci in the liver.

PMID- 1414797
TI  - Testicular microlithiasis.

PMID- 1414798
TI  - Abdominal aortic aneurysm.

PMID- 1414799
TI  - Primary neuroblastoma of a vertebra: an unusual location for a variant of
      primitive neuroectodermal tumor of bone.

PMID- 1414800
TI  - Recurrent adult-type pharyngeal rhabdomyoma: MR appearance.

PMID- 1414801
TI  - Evaluation of congenital heart disease with MR imaging: current and coming
      attractions.
AB  - Nearly 10 years of experience in the use of MR imaging for the diagnosis of
      congenital heart disease has accumulated. Although MR imaging is superior to
      other techniques in showing certain structures and abnormalities such as small
      central pulmonary arteries in tetralogy of Fallot, aortic coarctations, and
      venous connections in heterotaxia syndromes, it remains an ancillary tool to
      echocardiography and cardiac catheterization. In this review, we examine present
      limitations and advantages of conventional MR in the evaluation of congenital
      anomalies of the heart and great vessels and explore future developments that
      might bring MR imaging into the diagnostic mainstream. Key improvements now in
      development are ultrafast MR systems for acquisition of multiple real-time MR
      images (in 30 msec or less) and on-line three-dimensional computer reconstruction
      of the heart and great vessels. Improved display and understanding of complex
      anatomy, as well as more extensive functional analysis of hearts before and after
      surgery, should be the benefits of such developments.

PMID- 1414802
TI  - Dr. DeWees.

PMID- 1414803
TI  - CT of the extraperitoneal space: normal anatomy and fluid collections.
AB  - Knowledge of the appearance and location of the normal fascial structures
      surrounding the kidneys and the bladder is the key to proper CT analysis of
      extraperitoneal fluid collections. Recent studies have shown that the renal
      fascia and the perirenal space are more complex than previously recognized. An
      extracapsular renal hematoma, confined against the kidney by the posterior
      renorenal septum within the perirenal space, can entirely simulate a subcapsular
      hematoma. Pancreatitis fluid can dissect between the discrete layers that
      constitute the posterior renal fascia, allowing fluid in the anterior pararenal
      space to extend posterior to the kidney without directly involving the posterior
      pararenal space. The umbilicovesical fascia separates the small perivesical space
      from the potential large reservoir of the prevesical space in the extraperitoneal
      portion of the pelvis. Fluid in the prevesical space can communicate directly
      with the retroperitoneal spaces surrounding the kidney. In addition to
      compartmental localization, CT features of the fluid itself or the presence of
      ancillary findings such as aortic aneurysm, enlarged pancreas, renal mass, or
      hydronephrosis will frequently indicate the cause and the extent of most
      extraperitoneal fluid collections.

PMID- 1414804
TI  - Color Doppler imaging of the hepatic vasculature.
AB  - Duplex sonography added a new dimension to real-time sonographic imaging and can
      be used to characterize flow dynamics. Unfortunately, duplex sonography also has
      significant drawbacks, most of which are the result of the limited sampling
      ability of pulse-gated technology and the inability to provide a global display
      of Doppler information. Sonographic imaging of intraabdominal vessels has
      improved markedly with the advent of color Doppler techniques. This article
      reviews the use of color Doppler sonography in the evaluation of hepatic vessels.
      The complementary role of Doppler spectral analysis is also considered.

PMID- 1414805
TI  - MR imaging of the lungs: value of short TE spin-echo pulse sequences.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: An experimental short echo delay (TE = 7 msec) T1-weighted spin-echo
      sequence was compared with a conventional (TE = 20 msec) T1-weighted spin-echo
      sequence in the assessment of normal and abnormal lung parenchyma. Comparison was
      also made with high-resolution CT of abnormal lung parenchyma. SUBJECTS AND
      METHOD: At 1.5 T, an experimental short echo delay T1-weighted multislice spin
      echo sequence (TR = RR interval, TE = 7 msec) was compared with an optimal
      conventional T1-weighted spin-echo sequence (TR = RR interval, TE = 20 msec,
      spatial presaturation). Ten healthy volunteers were examined with both sequences.
      The mean signal intensity and signal-to-noise ratios were calculated in lung
      parenchyma for both sequences. Two radiologists compared the visualization of
      normal lung parenchymal structures with the two techniques. In 24 patients with
      diffuse lung disease, results with both MR sequences and with high-resolution CT
      were compared. RESULTS: The signal intensity was significantly greater (p < .001)
      with the TE of 7 msec than with the TE of 20 msec, resulting in a 3.5-fold
      improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio. The 7-msec TE improved visualization of
      lung parenchymal structures, including peripheral vessels, interlobular septa or
      veins, and centrilobular arteries. In the patients with diffuse lung disease,
      pulmonary parenchymal abnormalities were better visualized on the images with TEs
      of 7 msec than on images with TEs of 20 msec. When compared with high-resolution
      CT, the sequence with a TE of 7 msec provided comparable assessment of air-space
      opacification and dense consolidation, but it was inferior to high-resolution CT
      in the anatomic assessment of lung parenchyma. CONCLUSION: This experimental spin
      echo sequence with a TE of 7 msec significantly improves the signal-to-noise
      ratio, allowing improved visualization of normal and abnormal pulmonary
      parenchyma when compared with conventional spin-echo images with a TE of 20 msec.
      Although anatomic detail remains inferior to that seen with high-resolution CT,
      the improved image quality with a TE of 7 msec suggests that assessment and
      follow-up of parenchymal lung disease might be possible with MR, thereby avoiding
      ionizing radiation.

PMID- 1414806
TI  - Chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis: use of CT in diagnosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In its subacute or chronic form, hypersensitivity pneumonitis is often
      difficult to distinguish clinically and physiologically from other idiopathic
      diffuse lung diseases. The aim of this study was to identify high-resolution CT
      features that allow distinction of chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis from
      other chronic diffuse parenchymal lung diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six
      patients with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis were examined with pulmonary
      function testing, bronchoalveolar lavage, lung biopsy, chest radiography, and
      high-resolution CT. The chest radiographs and high-resolution CT scans were
      reviewed independently by three observers without knowledge of the patients'
      clinical status. Discrepancies between the observers were resolved by consensus.
      RESULTS: The chest radiographs revealed normal lung volumes with a combination of
      abnormalities: a mixed alveolar/interstitial pattern in five cases,
      peribronchiolar thickening in three, a diffuse granular pattern in one, and a
      linear fibrotic pattern in one. In general, the high-resolution CT scans showed
      more abnormalities than were apparent on the plain chest radiographs. High
      resolution CT revealed centrilobular, peribronchiolar, indistinct nodular
      opacities, of various numbers, in all cases. Four cases had areas of ground-glass
      density, three cases had lobular areas of hyperlucency, and one case had areas of
      pulmonary fibrosis and honeycombing. CONCLUSION: We confirm that high-resolution
      CT can most clearly show the type and distribution of parenchymal abnormalities
      in patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Importantly, although not
      pathognomonic, the high-resolution CT finding of centrilobular, peribronchiolar,
      indistinct nodules should suggest the diagnosis of chronic hypersensitivity
      pneumonitis.

PMID- 1414807
TI  - Malignant pleural mesothelioma: value of CT and MR imaging in predicting
      resectability.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine if CT or MR imaging findings could be
      used to accurately predict resectability in patients with biopsy-proved malignant
      pleural mesotheliomas. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: CT and MR findings in 41 consecutive
      patients with malignant mesotheliomas who were referred to the thoracic surgery
      clinic for extrapleural pneumonectomy were studied by thoracic radiologists
      before surgery. Review of radiologic studies focused on local invasion of three
      separate regions: the diaphragm, chest wall, and mediastinum. Results of all
      imaging examinations were carefully correlated with intraoperative, gross, and
      microscopic pathologic findings. RESULTS: After radiologic and clinical
      evaluation, 34 patients (83%) had thoracotomy; 24 of these had tumors that were
      resectable. The sensitivity was high (> 90%) for both CT and MR in each region.
      Specificity, however, was low, probably because of the small number of patients
      with unresectable tumors. CONCLUSION: CT and MR provided similar information on
      resectability in most cases. Sensitivity was high for both procedures. Because CT
      is more widely available and used, we suggest it as the initial study when
      determining resectability. In difficult cases, important complementary anatomic
      information can be derived from MR images obtained before surgical intervention.

PMID- 1414808
TI  - Radiographic appearance of bullet tracks in the lung.
AB  - Penetrating missile or bullet wounds to the lung result in a number of
      abnormalities visible on chest radiographs. One finding that is unique to
      pulmonary parenchyma is the bullet track, which occurs along the course of a
      bullet as it traverses the lung. A bullet track may occur in the lung because of
      this organ's low specific gravity and high elasticity. In other tissues, such as
      liver and brain, that have higher specific gravities and lower elastic content,
      bullet tracks are rarely, if ever, noted because widespread destruction usually
      occurs. Bullet tracks may have a delayed appearance on chest radiographs, and
      thus may cause confusion in interpretation if a history of injury is not
      elicited. With the increase in violet confrontations in the United States, it is
      more and more likely that radiologists will be asked to interpret chest
      radiographs of patients who have had penetrating bullet injuries to the thorax.
      In this pictorial essay, we illustrate the appearance of bullet tracks in lung on
      chest radiographs.

PMID- 1414809
TI  - Bronchial stenosis due to endobronchial tuberculosis: successful treatment with
      self-expanding metallic stent.
AB  - Endobronchial tuberculosis is present in 10-40% of patients with active pulmonary
      tuberculosis, and more than 90% of the patients with endobronchial tuberculosis
      have some degree of bronchial stenosis. The primary treatment for tuberculous
      bronchial stenosis is antituberculous chemotherapy combined with steroids, but
      some patients do not respond well, and more aggressive treatment is needed to
      restore the patency of the involved bronchus. Balloon dilatation of tuberculous
      bronchial stenosis has been reported to be successful. However, in our
      experience, balloon dilatation of the stenotic segment has not significantly
      improved patients' clinical symptoms except in those with very short segmental
      stenosis. We describe a case of tuberculous bronchial stenosis that was
      successfully treated with Gianturco self-expanding metallic stents.

PMID- 1414810
TI  - Screening mammography in 350 women with breast implants: prevalence and findings
      of implant complications.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A series of screening mammograms in asymptomatic women with breast
      implants was reviewed to determine the prevalence of clinically silent sequelae
      of breast augmentation and to analyze the mammographic findings. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: The screening mammograms of 350 consecutive women with implants were
      reviewed retrospectively by experienced mammographers. Any women who reported
      problems had a diagnostic examination and therefore were not included in our
      sample. Mammographic features of sequelae specific to implantation such as
      development of a fibrous capsule, periprosthetic calcification, implant
      herniation, and silicone leaks were tabulated. Additionally, modified compression
      (push-back) views, when obtained, were evaluated for their usefulness. RESULTS:
      Fibrous encapsulation of breast implants was seen in 257 (73%) of 350 women.
      Periprosthetic calcification was seen in 90 (26%), and 60 women (17%) had implant
      herniations. Sixteen women (5%) had implant failure as evidenced by silicone
      leak. Two of these women had bilateral implant failures. Surgical confirmation
      was attainable in only five of 16 women. Analysis of modified compression views
      demonstrated an overall improvement in visualization of breast tissue with this
      technique. Although the sample size is small, there was a significant increase in
      the amount of breast tissue seen with push-back views in women with submuscular
      implants. CONCLUSION: Our analysis revealed a wide range of mammographic findings
      in this group of asymptomatic women with breast augmentation. Especially
      worrisome is the 5% prevalence of unsuspected silicone extravasation.
      Additionally, we have demonstrated the usefulness of push-back views in this
      screening group, especially in women with submuscular implants.

PMID- 1414811
TI  - Meckel's diverticulum.

PMID- 1414812
TI  - Percutaneous obliteration of the cystic duct with a holmium:yttrium-aluminum
      garnet laser: results of in vitro and animal experiments.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using
      a holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser to permanently occlude the cystic duct in
      order to isolate the gallbladder from the biliary-enteric circulation and prevent
      gallstone formation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To determine the optimal laser
      parameters (power and pulsing rate) for cystic duct thermocoagulation, 20 freshly
      excised porcine gallbladders with intact cystic ducts underwent low-energy (0.075
      0.085 J/pulse) or high-energy (0.20-0.25 J/pulse) thermocoagulation.
      Histopathologic examination was done to determine the extent of cystic duct
      injury. After in vitro experiments, percutaneous transcholecystic laser
      thermocoagulation of the cystic duct was performed on 23 anesthetized domestic
      pigs (four controls). Cholangiograms immediately after laser thermocoagulation
      were obtained to assess cystic duct occlusion. Animals were sacrificed for
      histopathologic correlation immediately after laser thermocoagulation (n = 4), 72
      hr later (n = 4), and 6 weeks later (n = 15). RESULTS: In the in vitro studies,
      all 10 cystic ducts in the high-energy group were occluded, while only four in
      the low-energy group were occluded. At histology, all cases in both groups showed
      circumferential injury to the cystic duct wall without injury to the cystic
      artery or vein. In the in vitro experiments, the cystic duct was successfully
      cannulated in 21 (91%) of 23 animals. Cholangiography after thermocoagulation
      showed occlusion of the cystic duct in 16 (84%) of 19 cases. Immediately after
      laser thermocoagulation, the cystic duct mucosa was circumferentially destroyed,
      whereas after 72 hr necrosis of the cystic duct wall and periductal tissues had
      occurred. By 6 weeks, all pigs had complete cystic duct fibrosis without injury
      to the common bile duct. CONCLUSION: Holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser
      thermocoagulation of the cystic duct can be performed easily, results in
      immediate cystic duct occlusion, and leads to permanent fibrous ductal
      obliteration by 6 weeks.

PMID- 1414813
TI  - Cathode rays and controversy.

PMID- 1414814
TI  - Percutaneous chemical gallbladder sclerosis after laser-induced cystic duct
      obliteration: results in an experimental model.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Chemical gallbladder sclerosis has been attempted as a way to
      defunctionalize the gallbladder in patients who have undergone nonsurgical
      removal of gallstones and who are unable to undergo surgical/laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy. The purpose of this investigation was threefold: to study an
      animal model for chemical sclerosis of the gallbladder with 95% ethanol and 3%
      sodium tetradecyl sulfate, to attempt chemical sclerosis immediately after
      percutaneous cystic duct obliteration by laser thermocoagulation, and to assess
      histopathologic changes in the gallbladder after sclerosis. MATERIALS AND
      METHODS: Percutaneous cholecystostomy and laser thermocoagulation of the cystic
      duct was performed in 13 pigs. Eight pigs underwent immediate gallbladder
      sclerosis with 95% ethanol and 3% sodium tetradecyl sulfate while two pigs
      received 95% ethanol only. The remaining three pigs served as controls. The
      cholecystostomy catheter was removed immediately after the procedure. All animals
      were sacrificed 6 weeks after laser thermocoagulation. Multiple sections through
      the gallbladder, which included the adjacent liver, the cystic duct, and the
      common bile duct, were obtained for histologic examination. RESULTS: At autopsy,
      the gallbladder in all 10 animals who underwent gallbladder sclerosis was reduced
      in size compared with controls. In all treated animals, the gallbladder mucosa
      was denuded; however, in nine of 10 cases reepithelialization had occurred.
      Complete sclerosis without reepithelialization was achieved in one pig who
      received both ethanol and sodium tetradecyl sulfate. In the two animals who
      received ethanol only, the depth of wall necrosis around the gallbladder lumen
      was less than in those pigs who received both ethanol and sodium tetradecyl
      sulfate. No pigs showed signs of hepatic necrosis or injury to the common bile
      duct. CONCLUSION: Cystic duct laser thermocoagulation allows immediate
      gallbladder sclerotherapy without injury to the common bile duct. Sclerosis with
      ethanol and sodium tetradecyl sulfate results in denudation of the gallbladder
      mucosa. However, a single therapeutic session with immediate removal of the
      cholecystostomy catheter was inadequate for gallbladder ablation in this model
      because of reepithelialization.

PMID- 1414815
TI  - Use of T1-weighted MR imaging to differentiate between primary polydipsia and
      central diabetes insipidus.
AB  - PURPOSE: To investigate the value of MR in differentiating patients with primary
      polydipsia, who have an intact neurohypophyseal system, from those with central
      diabetes insipidus, who have impaired synthesis and/or release of vasopressin.
      METHODS: Eighteen patients with clinically significant hypotonic polyuria were
      diagnosed endocrinologically as having primary polydipsia or diabetes insipidus
      (central or nephrogenic). These patients, and 92 patients without sellar disease,
      were then imaged with 1.5-T, T1-weighted, thin sagittal sections without
      gadolinium contrast. RESULTS: Normal hyperintense signal of the neurohypophysis
      was present in 90 of 92 patients without sellar disease. The signal was also
      present in all six patients with primary polydipsia. In contrast, the
      hyperintense signal was absent in all eight patients with central diabetes
      insipidus. Three of the four patients with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus also
      had an absent hyperintense signal. CONCLUSION: T1-weighted MR may prove important
      in differentiating patients with central diabetes insipidus from those with
      primary polydipsia.

PMID- 1414817
TI  - MR of the pituitary gland: functional imaging?

PMID- 1414816
TI  - Macroprolactinomas: serial MR imaging in long-term bromocriptine therapy.
AB  - PURPOSE: To study the changes in macroprolactinomas during long-term
      bromocriptine therapy by means of serial MR imaging, and to correlate the
      findings to the serum prolactin (S-PRL) levels. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirteen
      patients with macroprolactinomas were studied before and during bromocriptine
      therapy; six to 11 MR examinations were performed with a duration of follow-up of
      22 to 74 months. Tumor size, extension, relationship to adjacent structures, and
      signal intensity patterns were evaluated. Signal intensity ratios and T2 values
      were calculated in areas of apparently solid tumor tissue. RESULTS: Bromocriptine
      effectively reduced the size of all tumors; the size reduction was already
      significant at 1 week, but often continued for several years. Reenlargement
      during therapy was seen in three cases. The development of chiasmal herniation
      parallel to increasing cisternal invagination into the sella was a common
      finding, but was not correlated to visual symptoms. Signal intensity patterns
      corresponding to hemorrhage, cysts or necrosis were frequently observed, and
      transitions from one pattern to another were common. Hemorrhage occurred mainly
      in tumors corresponding to high initial serum prolactin levels. After 1 year of
      therapy, there was a significant increase in T2 values, indicating an increased
      water content in residual solid tumor tissue. CONCLUSIONS: MR is valuable for
      follow-up in bromocriptine therapy of macroprolactinomas, and provides new
      information on the tumor size changes, the inner structure of the tumors, and the
      optic chiasm.

PMID- 1414818
TI  - MR assessment of pituitary gland morphology in healthy volunteers: age- and
      gender-related differences.
AB  - PURPOSE AND METHODS: High-field MR images at 1.5 T were used to characterize the
      effects of age and gender on pituitary size and shape in a sample of 71 adult
      volunteers (40 females), aged 21 to 82 years. FINDINGS: For all subjects, age was
      inversely correlated with pituitary height (r = -.43, P less than .0002) and
      cross-sectional area (r = -.35, P less than .0028). Age-specific gender
      differences were also present in pituitary height and area. A convex upper
      pituitary margin was more common in females (P = .002) and younger subjects (P =
      .009). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms that aging is accompanied by gender
      specific changes in pituitary size and shape, and provides normative data that
      may facilitate evaluation of the pituitary gland in neuroendocrine disorders.

PMID- 1414819
TI  - Magnetic susceptibility artifact in spin-echo MR imaging of the pituitary gland.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the magnetic susceptibility effect on spin-echo MR images of
      the pituitary gland. METHODS: Air-in-water phantom experiments and studies in
      normal volunteers were performed using various sampling bandwidth (8.3-33.3 kHz)
      spin-echo sequences with the polarity of the readout gradient normal or reversed.
      RESULTS: Attachment of a sphenoid septum to the sellar floor was the major factor
      in the appearance of the inferior surface of the pituitary gland. Patterns of
      distortion and/or artifactual signal intensities, related to the presence or
      absence of the attachment, were accentuated on the images with narrower
      bandwidth. A "spearhead shape" deformity of the sphenoid sinus was observed both
      in the air-in-water phantom experiment, and when no sphenoid septum was present.
      When a sphenoid septum was present, two spearhead shapes side by side were
      present. High-intensity artifacts were seen where the sellar floor was misplaced
      into the pituitary gland. CONCLUSION: Knowledge of the patterns of distortion and
      high-intensity artifact is important in the diagnosis of pituitary lesions.

PMID- 1414821
TI  - Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors: MR appearance.
AB  - PURPOSE: Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT) is a newly described,
      pathologically benign tumor arising within the supratentorial cortex and having a
      100% association with partial complex seizures. We reviewed the MR appearance of
      the brains of six patients with DNT, without and with administration of
      gadolinium-DTPA, emphasizing the clinical and radiologic features. METHODS: The
      MR images in six patients (five male, one female) with pathologically proved DNT
      were reviewed. Five had partial complex seizures and one had partial simple
      seizures. Age at onset of partial seizures ranged from 2 to 19 years. Scans were
      obtained with conventional T1 and T2 weighting without and with the
      administration of gadolinium-DTPA. All patients had craniotomies for medically
      refractory seizures and pathologic examination of all specimens was available for
      review. RESULTS: MR demonstrated a focal cortical mass in all patients. Five were
      located in the temporal lobe and one was located within the occipital lobe. Two
      showed enhancement with gadolinium-DTPA. Calcification occurred in one lesion.
      Common features included very low signal intensity on T1-weighted images and high
      signal on T2-weighted images, similar to cerebrospinal fluid. Proton density
      images demonstrated slightly higher signal intensity in the lesion than
      cerebrospinal fluid. The margin of the tumor is well-circumscribed and may
      remodel the adjacent calvarium. CONCLUSIONS: DNT, a newly described pathologic
      entity resulting in chronic, often medically, intractable seizures, has
      characteristic features on MR that allow it to be suggested in the differential
      diagnosis. These lesions may simulate benign cysts; however, increased signal
      intensity on proton density images should prompt further investigation in the
      proper clinical setting. Differentiation from low-grade astrocytomas and
      ganglioglioma is not possible by MR.

PMID- 1414822
TI  - Intracranial fetus-in-fetu: CT diagnosis.
AB  - The authors present a case of fetus-in-fetu in which the CT findings are
      compatible with an earlier description by Nocera et al., i.e., a "round or
      tubular collection of very low density fat surrounding a central bony structure
      (probably one of the legs)." Additionally, sonography showed a heterogeneous mass
      with limb-like structures in the left lateral ventricle. Plain films can confirm
      the presence of a vertebral column and identify specific bony structures, but CT
      is a valuable aid in cases where plain films were not obtained or are
      inconclusive.

PMID- 1414820
TI  - Can nonenhancing white matter lesions in cancer patients be disregarded?
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess the risks and implications of assuming that white matter
      lesions in cancer patients that do not enhance with gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd
      DTPA) can be considered to be benign. METHODS: Gd-DTPA was administered
      prospectively to 131 consecutive patients with biopsy-proved extracranial
      malignancies referred for cranial MR imaging to exclude cerebral metastases over
      a 21/2-year period. From this initial group, 50 patients were identified who had
      focal nonenhancing lesions of the white matter on T2-weighted images, but no
      other findings to suggest metastatic disease. This cohort of 50 patients was then
      followed for at least 1 year to determine the risk and clinical implications of
      assuming these nonenhancing white matter lesions were benign. RESULTS: Thirty
      patients (60%) were alive and clinically free of cranial metastatic disease at
      least 1 year following their initial MR study (median follow-up time, 17 months).
      Twenty of the 50 patients (40%) died within 1 year of their study (median
      survival, 4.1 months). Review of clinic notes and hospital charts revealed no
      evidence for deterioration of neurologic status in any of these patients before
      death, and the cause of death in each case was ascribed to extracranial
      complications of their systemic malignancies. Eight of these 20 patients who
      expired had at least one follow-up cranial CT or MR scan before death showing no
      new cerebral metastases or change in the nonenhancing white matter lesions
      previously identified. In a single patient, however, follow-up MR scan revealed
      conversion of one of her several white matter lesions from nonenhancing to
      enhancing without appreciable change in its size on T2-weighted images.
      Unfortunately, this patient died 4 months later from surgical complications
      without interval change in her neurologic status nor pathologic proof of the
      nature of this lesion. CONCLUSIONS: White matter lesions in cancer patients that
      do not enhance with Gd-DTPA at the time of the initial MR study have a low
      probability of representing metastatic disease. Clinical management or final
      outcome will not likely be altered by assuming such lesions are benign.

PMID- 1414823
TI  - Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma.
AB  - We report two cases of pleomorphic astrocytoma, a rare primary brain tumor with
      an unusually good prognosis. These lesions typically are peripherally located,
      partially cystic, temporal lobe masses. Dural attachment is frequent,
      calcifications are not. Angiography usually shows a hypovascular mass, although
      blood supply from the external carotid artery may be seen.

PMID- 1414824
TI  - Totally cystic schwannoma of the tenth cranial nerve mimicking an epidermoid.

PMID- 1414825
TI  - Subdural hygroma versus atrophy on MR brain scans: "the cortical vein sign".
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine if the position of the superficial cerebral cortical veins
      can be used to distinguish subdural hygroma from atrophy on MR brain scans.
      METHODS: Retrospective review of MR scans obtained in cases of extracerebral
      fluid collections, separating these into two groups, ie, subdural hygroma or
      atrophy. FINDINGS: All cases of atrophy in this study showed cortical veins and
      their branches traversing widened cerebrospinal fluid spaces over the cerebral
      convexities. None of the subdural hygroma patients showed this finding. Cortical
      veins in hygroma patients were seen only at the margin of the displaced cortex,
      and did not traverse the fluid collections over the cerebral convexities.
      CONCLUSIONS: The authors call the visualization of cortical veins and their
      branches within fluid collections at the cerebral convexities "the cortical vein
      sign." They believe this sign to be prima facie evidence of atrophy; its presence
      rules out the diagnosis of subdural hygroma in the region of interest.

PMID- 1414826
TI  - Systemic lupus erythematosus associated with marked intracranial calcification.
AB  - The authors describe a case of systemic lupus erythematosus associated with
      marked intracerebral calcification. The distribution of high signal on T1
      weighted MR images was almost identical to the distribution of calcification on
      CT; however, the bodies of caudate nuclei with little calcification on CT also
      showed high intensities on T1-weighted images.

PMID- 1414827
TI  - Radiologic-pathologic correlation: hemangioblastoma.

PMID- 1414828
TI  - Primary meningeal tumors in children: correlation of clinical and CT findings
      with histologic type and prognosis.
AB  - PURPOSE: To identify the radiologic features that might help in preoperative
      differentiation of the meningiomas from the remaining primary meningeal tumors,
      in particular the malignant tumors. METHODS: The clinical and computed
      tomographic features of 21 children with histologically proved primary meningeal
      tumors were analyzed. FINDINGS: Benign tumors (meningiomas) are more likely to
      occur in older children, to have longer symptom duration, and to have CT
      appearances similar to the "typical" adult meningioma. Atypical CT features
      suggest a malignant meningeal tumor, such as meningeal sarcoma, melanoma, or
      meningeal primitive neuroectodermal tumor. The recent identification of a new
      subtype of meningioma (a "sclerosing" group) is discussed. This is common in
      children and the CT and clinical features are similar to those seen in other
      meningiomas. It is frequently mistaken histologically for an intraaxial tumor, or
      for an atypical or malignant meningioma. These sclerosing meningiomas may also
      show brain invasion but despite this, in the short term, the prognosis is no
      different from other meningiomas. CONCLUSION: The bad reputation previously
      ascribed to childhood primary meningeal tumors should be confined to that small
      group that are malignant. Meningiomas have a more favorable outlook.

PMID- 1414830
TI  - Delayed neurologic deterioration in the patient with spinal trauma: role of MR
      imaging.
AB  - PURPOSE: To 1) correlate spinal MR features and modes of clinical presentation
      associated with symptomatic neurologic deterioration following longstanding
      spinal trauma; 2) correlate degree of neurologic deficit with spinal MR
      appearance in these patients; and 3) determine the relationship between new
      symptoms and ongoing cord compression. METHODS: Retrospective examination of MR
      images, and correlation with clinical data, in 94 consecutive patients. RESULTS:
      Sixty-seven patients presented with either an increase in degree of myelopathy or
      ascending neurologic level. Spinal cord atrophy (43%), syrinx (41%), and cord
      compression (24%) were found most frequently. Whereas in patients with complete
      motor and sensory deficit cord atrophy was the most frequent finding (52%), 75%
      of patients with useful motor function had normal spinal cords. There was a
      significant association (P less than .05) between cord compression and the MR
      findings of cord atrophy and myelomalacia, whereas a normal cord was over twice
      as frequent in patients without spinal cord compression. MR imaging led to an
      active change in management in 15% of patients, with improvement following
      surgery in all operated cases. CONCLUSION: Although syrinx is a frequent, and
      treatable cause of delayed neurologic deterioration, MR will frequently show
      other abnormalities such as ongoing cord compression. MR imaging should be
      performed urgently in all patients with new symptoms to enable early treatment to
      prevent irreversible loss of function.

PMID- 1414829
TI  - MR of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis in Langerhans cell histiocytosis.
AB  - PURPOSE: To describe the MR findings in the hypothalamic pituitary area in
      children with Langerhans cell histiocytosis and to define those MR alterations
      especially associated with the risk of developing diabetes insipidus. METHODS:
      The hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal axis was studied by sagittal and coronal 1.5 T1
      weighted MR imaging in 14 children with Langerhans cell histiocytosis (five with
      diabetes insipidus) and in 28 low-stature controls, ages 6-14 years. RESULTS: The
      pituitary stalk was thicker in seven/14 patients (three with diabetes insipidus)
      than in controls (P less than .05). Bright posterior pituitary signal was
      undetectable in children with diabetes insipidus and in one/9 without diabetes
      insipidus. CONCLUSIONS: Thickening of the hypothalamus and/or the pituitary stalk
      in the absence of the posterior pituitary bright signal is seen in children with
      Langerhans cell histiocytosis with overt diabetes insipidus. Those Langerhans
      cell histiocytosis patients without diabetes insipidus but showing thickened
      stalk with or without posterior pituitary bright signal could be at high risk to
      develop diabetes insipidus.

PMID- 1414831
TI  - Fast spin-echo imaging in the evaluation of intradural disease of the spine.
AB  - PURPOSE: Fast spin echo (FSE) images were compared with conventional images in 46
      patients with intradural spinal disease to determine their accuracy in the
      detection and delineation of lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The images were
      interpreted by two neuroradiologists, who read individually. A total of 720
      blinded readings formed the basis for this evaluation. A gold standard for each
      patient was selected, based on the blinded readings of the conventional studies.
      RESULTS: In the sagittal plane, the FSE sequences were found to have an accuracy
      of 93% and 93% for the first reader and 93% and 85% for the second reader. For
      the axial plane, the corresponding figures were 86% and 82% for the first reader
      and 64% and 77% for the second reader. These figures compared favorably with
      conventional sequences. Similar delineation of lesions was noted in 78% of cases.
      In the remaining cases, there were no significant trends. CONCLUSION: Because of
      these findings, FSE sequences appear as accurate as conventional sequences. In
      this study, they were capable of supplanting conventional sequences in the
      evaluation of intradural pathology of the spine in the sagittal plane, although
      conventional sequences were still preferred in the axial plane.

PMID- 1414832
TI  - MR of slow CSF flow in the spine.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate a slow-flow MR sequence in normal CSF flow and in CSF flow
      disturbance in cases of spinal stenosis. METHOD: The method was tested for flow
      sensitivity and applied to 67 sites of spinal canal compromise. RESULTS: Phantom
      studies show that flow can be depicted at a velocity of 0.5-1 mm/sec. On clinical
      images, stagnant CSF is black, flowing CSF is bright. Typically, in high-grade
      (90%-100%) stenosis, CSF above and below the site of spinal canal compromise
      (SCC) is black. With intermediate stenosis (50%-89%), CSF above the SCC remains
      white but becomes black distal to the SCC. Low-grade stenosis shows only
      localized flow disturbances. CONCLUSION: This easy-to-use sequence can solidify
      the MR diagnosis of high-grade stenosis when a distinct flow pattern is
      recognized. Flow patterns for intermediate and low-grade stenosis are less
      reliable.

PMID- 1414833
TI  - Herpes zoster myelitis: MR appearance.
AB  - The author describes a 71-year-old woman in whom cutaneous cervical herpes zoster
      was complicated by the development of cervical myelitis. T2-weighted MR showed
      two focal areas of hyperintensity in the cervical cord and suggested a slight
      enlargement at C2-C3 and C7.

PMID- 1414834
TI  - MR of extramedullary hematopoiesis causing cord compression in beta-thalassemia.

PMID- 1414835
TI  - Artifacts associated with MR neuroangiography.
AB  - Neurovascular MR angiography (MRA) is rapidly gaining greater clinical
      acceptance. To provide functional information, novel techniques of acquisition,
      information processing, and display are used, generating a new set of artifacts.
      The purpose of this paper is to outline the causes, provide examples, and note
      clinical problems associated with MRA artifacts by grouping them into six common
      types: 1) poor visualization of small vessels, 2) overestimation of stenosis, 3)
      view-to-view variations, 4) false positives, 5) false negatives, and 6) vessel
      overlap. This in turn will lead to four generalized solutions: 1) optimize
      acquisition parameters, 2) edit volume boundaries before performing maximum
      intensity projection reconstructions, 3) refer to the individual source images,
      and 4) use alternative image processing. By organizing and simplifying both
      clinical problems and solutions into major categories, a greater understanding of
      the current clinical indications and the overall goals of MRA can be achieved.

PMID- 1414836
TI  - MR angiography of the extracranial carotid arteries using a two-slab oblique 3-D
      acquisition.
AB  - PURPOSE: To describe an oblique, two-slab 3-D acquisition technique for MR
      angiography of the extracranial carotid arteries, an approach chosen to minimize
      saturation effects when the body coil is used as transmitter, as is often the
      situation when a dedicated neck coil is used as receiver. SUBJECTS: Five healthy
      subjects and 17 patients in whom carotid artery disease was suspected underwent
      MR angiography using the above technique. RESULTS: Flow contrast was much better
      than in direct sagittal acquisition. Comparisons between multislab transverse 3-D
      acquisition and the oblique approach showed that a greater length of the carotid
      arteries was depicted and scan time was less for oblique acquisitions.
      CONCLUSIONS: Use of oblique imaging is a simple and effective solution to the
      problem of coil-related saturation effects.

PMID- 1414837
TI  - Fat suppression in combination with multiple overlapping thin-slab 3-D
      acquisition MR angiography: proposed technique for improved vessel visualization.
AB  - PURPOSE: To study the parameters of the 1331 fat saturation pulse (saturation
      pulse flip angle (SPFA) and interpulse delay (tau)) in order to identify values
      that provide optimal vessel visibility. METHODS: Carotid bifurcations of three
      healthy subjects were studied. RESULTS: The optimal values for the SPFA and tau
      were 60 degrees (7.5 degrees, -22.5 degrees, 22.5 degrees, -7.5 degrees) and 2.0
      3.0 msec, respectively. At these values there was a 1.56-fold increase (SD = +/-
      .12, P less than .01) in the contrast-to-noise ratio between the left internal
      carotid artery and fat compared to the study without fat saturation. A 3.0-fold
      increase was noted for the smaller left occipital artery. Additionally, there was
      no statistically significant reduction in the vessel-muscle contrast-to-noise
      ratio nor in the absolute vessel signal-to-noise ratio at these values.
      CONCLUSION: Implementation of fat saturation into carotid MR angiography markedly
      improves visualization of vascular anatomy without increasing imaging time.

PMID- 1414838
TI  - Determination of blood flow direction using velocity-phase image display with 3-D
      phase-contrast MR angiography.
AB  - The authors describe their use of phase-contrast MRA to depict vascular anatomy
      and to define the direction of blood flow. Documentation of flow reversal can
      provide information regarding prognosis and can facilitate surgical planning. The
      technique requires no additional scan-time.

PMID- 1414839
TI  - Non-heme mechanisms for T1 shortening: pathologic, CT, and MR elucidation.
AB  - PURPOSE: To further elucidate the nonparamagnetic effects of T1-relaxation
      mechanisms in MR imaging. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 12 patients with lesions
      having hyperintense signal on T1-weighted spin-echo MR, findings were correlated
      with autopsy/surgical biopsy in seven cases and/or noncontrast CT scans in 10
      cases. RESULTS: Eight of the 10 CT scans demonstrated hyperattenuation in the
      lesions, indicating mineralization, which correlated with the areas of
      hyperintense signal on MR. Histologic characterization of the mineralization was
      accomplished in three cases using four stains; hematoxylineosin, alizarin red S,
      von Kassa stains for calcium and Perls' iron. The areas of mineralization were
      homogeneously strongly positive with the calcium stains and only focally weakly
      positive with the Perls' iron stain. The mineralization was further characterized
      in all three cases as containing calcium and phosphorus using energy-dispersive x
      ray analysis. Four of the 12 cases had either no correlating CT scans (two cases)
      or the CT showed no hyperattenuating properties to the lesions (two cases). In
      all four of these cases, microscopic examination showed that the gyriform
      configuration of the cortical hyperintense signal on T1-weighted images
      correlated with linear zones of nonhemorrhagic laminar necrosis (cerebral
      infarction). No mineralization, except for an occasional ferruginated neuron,
      could be demonstrated with the four histologic stains. Specimen MR imaging of
      formalin-fixed brain sections in one case demonstrated in vitro the gyriform
      hyperintense signal seen in vivo. CONCLUSION: Our studies describe and
      pathologically characterize two associations with T1 shortening in neuroimaging
      unrelated to the presence of heme: 1) calcification and 2) laminar necrosis in
      cerebral infarction.

PMID- 1414840
TI  - Angiographic findings in two cases of aneurysmal malformation of vein of Galen
      prior to spontaneous thrombosis: therapeutic implications.
AB  - Two cases of aneurysmal malformations of the vein of Galen with later spontaneous
      thrombosis are reported. Angiograms before thrombosis in both cases showed mural
      type aneurysmal malformations of the vein of Galen with slow arteriovenous shunts
      and associated stagnation of contrast in the venous sac secondary to severe
      outflow restriction. Based on these angiographic findings, the patients were
      managed conservatively and the arteriovenous malformations of the vein of Galen
      thrombosed with good clinical outcomes. Twenty cases of spontaneous thrombosis
      previously reported in the literature are reviewed.

PMID- 1414841
TI  - Detachable leak balloon with IBCA/NBCA for treatment of aneurysm.

PMID- 1414842
TI  - MR angiography of cervical fibromuscular dysplasia.
AB  - The authors present examples of cephalic fibromuscular dysplasia (involving five
      vessels in two patients) using 2-D time-of-flight MR angiography and conventional
      angiography. Artifacts that can mimic the MR appearance of fibromuscular
      dysplasia will tend to decrease the sensitivity and specificity of MRA in its
      detection.

PMID- 1414843
TI  - Gd-DTPA enhancement of the cisternal portion of the oculomotor nerve on MR
      imaging.
AB  - PURPOSE: To describe a radiographic finding--enhancement of the cisternal portion
      of the third cranial nerve on postcontrast MR--and to correlate it with patients'
      clinical symptoms and ultimate diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen
      consecutive patients with enhancement of the cisternal portion of the third
      cranial nerve on postcontrast MR were retrospectively identified; 50 control
      patients referred for pituitary microadenomas were also retrospectively reviewed.
      FINDINGS: The enhancement was bilateral in six patients and unilateral in seven
      patients. Four of the six patients with bilateral enhancement had unilateral
      oculomotor nerve palsies; none had bilateral third cranial nerve palsy. Five of
      the seven patients with unilateral enhancement had ipsilateral third nerve
      palsies. Of the nine patients with third nerve palsies, the pupil was involved in
      four patients. Follow-up studies were available in six patients, four of whom had
      third nerve palsy. Resolution of the enhancement correlated with resolution of
      the symptoms in two patients. The patients' underlying diagnoses were lymphoma
      (four), leukemia (one), viral meningitis (one), neurofibromatosis (two),
      inflammatory polyneuropathy-HIV related (one), ophthalmoplegic migraine (one),
      Tolosa-Hunt syndrome (one), coccidioidomycosis (one), and diabetes (one). No
      enhancement was seen in any of the controls. CONCLUSION: Enhancement of the
      cisternal segment of the third cranial nerve is always abnormal, revealing an
      underlying inflammatory or neoplastic process. However, it is not always
      associated with clinically apparent oculomotor nerve dysfunction.

PMID- 1414844
TI  - Proboscis lateralis with associated orbital cyst: detailed MR and CT imaging and
      correlative embryopathy.
AB  - Proboscis lateralis is a rare craniofacial malformation. We present a case in a 1
      week-old male infant, describe the clinical and imaging findings, and discuss the
      pertinent embryology. MR and CT proved to be complementary: CT provided anatomic
      detail in bone, defined the nasal cavity, and aided in determining the
      relationship of the proboscis and orbit; MR clarified the relationship of the
      proboscis to the orbit and skull base, and the relationships of normal brain to
      the dysplastic ethmoid centers.

PMID- 1414845
TI  - AIDS-related CNS cryptococcosis: radiologic-pathologic correlation.
AB  - PURPOSE: This study evaluates the effectiveness of cranial CT and MR in detecting
      autopsy findings of AIDS-related CNS cryptococcosis. METHODS: Final imaging
      studies compared with pathology were CT in eight patients (five with contrast)
      and MR in five patients (all with Gd-DTPA). RESULTS: Neither modality effectively
      identified cryptococcal meningitis. Punctate hyperintensities were seen in all
      patients with MR and corresponded pathologically to both perivascular spaces
      dilated by cryptococcal infection and cryptococcomas. Pathologically,
      cryptococcomas were more common than dilated perivascular spaces. MR detected
      more cryptococcomas than did CT, but both modalities underestimated the number of
      lesions seen at autopsy. Contrast enhancement of cryptococcomas and cryptococcal
      meningitis was uncommon. CONCLUSIONS: CNS cryptococcosis was more effectively
      demonstrated by MR than by CT, but both modalities underestimated the pathologic
      extent of the disease. Cryptococcal lesion contrast enhancement was unusual
      possibly because of the immunocompromised state of our patients and the unique
      characteristics of the organism itself.

PMID- 1414846
TI  - Clostridium septicum meningoencephalitis: an unusual presentation of occult
      rectal carcinoma.

PMID- 1414847
TI  - Cerebral aspergillosis: MR imaging and histopathologic correlation.
AB  - The authors report a case of intracranial aspergillosis secondary to
      immunosuppression. Signal intensity changes in the lesion on brain MR are
      compared with gross and histopathologic findings at autopsy. A peripheral ring of
      low signal intensity relates to a dense population of Aspergillus hyphal elements
      and small areas of hemorrhage. CT findings are included for comparison.

PMID- 1414848
TI  - Prefrontal sonic treatment: MR findings.
AB  - The authors describe the use of MR in a patient who underwent prefrontal sonic
      treatment for relief of intractable headaches. MR demonstrated well-demarcated
      regions of encephalomalacia within the white matter of the frontal lobe (with
      relative sparing of cortex) in a characteristic conical volume that corresponded
      to the insonified regions.

PMID- 1414849
TI  - Curricula non medica.

PMID- 1414850
TI  - MR appearance of hypertrophic olivary degeneration: temporal relationships.

PMID- 1414851
TI  - Retroclival arachnoid cyst.

PMID- 1414852
TI  - Handgun control: a public health imperative.

PMID- 1414853
TI  - Biopsy of vertebral and paravertebral structures with a new coaxial system.

PMID- 1414854
TI  - Severe unilateral white matter involvement on MR: hypothetical association with
      dental pain and infection.

PMID- 1414855
TI  - MR imaging of various oxidation states.

PMID- 1414857
TI  - Comparison of in-house reference extracts of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and
      Phleum pratense with the WHO International Standards.
AB  - Two of the WHO First International Standards (IS) of allergenic extracts, the
      corresponding to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (House dust mite) and phleum
      pratense (Thymothy grass), have been used to assess the quality of our in-house
      reference preparations (IHR) and to calibrate their relative potency. The
      qualitative comparison was achieved by SDS-PAGE, Agarose-IEF and their respective
      enzime immunoblottings (Western blot and immunoprinting). The band patterns
      obtained were fairly similar for both Phleum pratense extracts. With the
      exception of two basic IgE binding proteins not detected in the IEF-blotting of
      the International Standard. However, several differences were noted between IS
      and IHR Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus extracts, indicating so the higher raw
      material heterogeneity. The difference was specially remarkable at the level of
      SDS-PAGE Immunoblotting since while our IHR extract showed similar ratio of Der p
      I to Der p II major allergens, the IS exhibited a large preponderance of Der p I,
      with Der p II allergen scarcely detected by our chromogenic method. Calibration
      of potency was done by means of RAST inhibition, therefore allowing the
      expression of our extract concentrations in International Units. The higher
      degree of homogeneity between Phleum pratense extracts was corroborated by the
      comparison of slopes from the RAST-inhibition plots.

PMID- 1414856
TI  - Cross-sectional area of nasal airways during the nasal provocation tests.
AB  - Eighteen patients with allergic rhinitis were studied using nasal challenge tests
      to allergens. The Rivron algorithm was used to evaluate results. We calculated
      the dose-area correlation and changes in the cross-sectional area of the nasal
      airway during the test.

PMID- 1414858
TI  - IgG4-anti-IgE antibodies in Chinese allergic children.
AB  - IgG4-anti-IgE antibodies have been identified in normal nonatopic subjects, as
      well as in allergic patients. Their potential role remains controversial. We
      studied 44 Chinese children with allergic symptoms, and measured their IgG4-anti
      IgE serum levels using a modified IgG4 FAST assay. The levels of IgG4-anti-IgE
      antibodies did not correlate with clinical status. The usefulness and relevance
      of these measurements remain questionable in allergic patients.

PMID- 1414859
TI  - Topical flunisolide treatment of perennial rhinitis: clinical and immunological
      effects.
AB  - We studied the clinical and immunological effects of three months' treatment with
      intranasal flunisolide (100 micrograms daily) in 18 allergic patients with
      perennial rhinitis. 17 were hypersensitive to house dust mite and one to
      Parietaria pollen only. We found no significant changes in white blood cell
      count, serum levels of IgE and nasal IgA. However the treatment induced a marked
      improvement of clinical symptoms in all cases, and we observed a significant
      reduction of total IgE in nasal secretion. Flunisolide seems to exert this effect
      through its antiinflammatory action on the nasal mucosa.

PMID- 1414861
TI  - Primary causes of medical instability of Medicare patients at discharge 1990
      1991.
AB  - BACKGROUND: HCFA-sponsored Peer Review Organizations nationwide have been
      criticized by organized medicine, Medicare beneficiaries and interested
      Congressional parties for being punitive without exploiting educational
      opportunities garnered through their massive data collection capabilities. Until
      now this data has been poorly analyzed and has not been adequately utilized as a
      positive motivational tool. METHODS: HCFA has developed, with the cooperation of
      the medical community, six generic screens for Peer Review Organizations to
      utilize when evaluating quality care provided Medicare beneficiaries in an acute
      care setting. Through the sheer volume of cases seen, significant inpatient
      information can be obtained that cannot be duplicated in any other
      epidemiological endeavor. Line item discrepancies can be further studied through
      small-area-analysis to determine "who" as well as "what" may be the problem.
      RESULTS: By compiling and reviewing data in a systematic manner over two years
      (1990-1991), the Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation (AQAF) has singled out
      problems with patient medical stability at discharge as the predominant concern
      for care providers and reviewers alike. CONCLUSIONS: Having determined the
      primary problem in rendering quality care in a Prospective Payment System to
      Medicare beneficiaries lies in premature discharges, subsequent small-area
      analysis further narrows the focus of concerned individuals. Hopefully,
      practitioners and providers alike will act on their own initiative in correcting
      this problem. Follow-up review will be utilized to assure this self-corrective
      action.

PMID- 1414860
TI  - Interleukin 2 proliferative response by cord blood mononuclear cells of term and
      preterm neonates.
AB  - The results of previous studies on the proliferative response of resting cord
      blood mononuclear cells (CBMC) of term neonates to human recombinant interleukin
      2 (hrIL-2) are contrasting. Some authors have reported a good and others a poor
      response. In our study we have obtained a significant reactivity, compared with
      the response of resting peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of adult
      subjects, of resting CBMC to varying quantities of hrIL-2 in the absence of any
      known mitogenic or antigenic stimuli. Most responding cells was CD3 positive.
      Both CD4-positive and CD8-positive cells responded. However, we observed a more
      marked increase of the percentage of the CD4-positive T cells and a clear
      reduction of the percentage of the CD21-positive cells (B-lymphocytes) testing
      CBMC rather than PBMC of the adult subjects. The percentage of the NK cells was
      reduced in both the categories of subjects. Moreover, we have examined the
      reactivity to hrIL-2 of CBMC of preterm neonates. The results showed that this
      response is low. The peculiar level and kinetic of CBMC proliferative response to
      hrIL-2 are discussed.

PMID- 1414862
TI  - How PRN assists the physician, the patient and the board of medical examiners.

PMID- 1414863
TI  - Complacency, apathy, hostility.

PMID- 1414864
TI  - Minority, poor, and deaf.

PMID- 1414865
TI  - Improvements in the signing skills of hearing parents of deaf children.
AB  - Most deaf children are born to hearing parents. Yet, many hearing parents are
      unable to communicate clearly and unambiguously with their deaf offspring. This
      study looked at changes in the number of parents of deaf offspring who learn sign
      language, and the signing skills of those parents. It found that over the years
      the signing skills of these parents have been improving. Of the younger deaf
      offspring in this study, 73% reported that their parents knew some sign language.
      Younger offspring rated their parents' signing skills higher than did older
      offspring. These results may indicate that more parents are now learning sign
      language.

PMID- 1414866
TI  - How successful deaf teenagers experience and cope with isolation.
AB  - This study examined isolation among a group of deaf high school students who were
      nominated as "outstandingly successful" by their schools in a stratified random
      sampling from across the United States. From the data contained in 23 case
      studies, we determined that most of the students, whether from mainstream or
      residential programs, experienced some degree of isolation from peers or family
      or both. Nevertheless, most of the students had developed, or had at their
      disposal, positive strategies for coping with their isolation. These strategies
      are discussed and implications are drawn for teachers and parents.

PMID- 1414867
TI  - Recall performance on a central-incidental memory task by profoundly deaf
      children.
AB  - Bebko (1984) reported that deaf children tend not to use spontaneously active
      memory strategies such as rehearsal in tasks requiring recall of ordered,
      temporal information. The present study investigated whether this tendency is
      task specific or generalized to other experimental paradigms. A central
      incidental paradigm was used with profoundly deaf children and hearing children 6
      to 13 years of age. The results for the hearing students replicated previous
      studies: central recall increased with age, but incidental recall changed little.
      For the deaf children, the results initially appeared very similar to those of
      the hearing children. However, on closer examination, the rehearsal strategies of
      the deaf students seemed less effective in mediating their recall. They
      apparently compensated for these difficulties by capitalizing on unique spatial
      features of the task, leading to recall levels comparable to those of the hearing
      students. Therefore, similar performance may not have been the result of equal
      strategy use but, rather, of the use of additional strategies by the deaf
      students. This study reinforced the need to provide additional training for deaf
      students in the use of memory strategies such as rehearsal when information is to
      be remembered in a sequential manner.

PMID- 1414868
TI  - Some concerns about using whole language approaches with deaf children.
AB  - The whole language philosophy is having an impact not only in general education
      but in the education of deaf children as well. Many of the practices derived from
      this philosophy are beneficial for all children. Yet, because most deaf children
      have tremendous difficulty in acquiring English literacy, a more direct approach
      to teaching them may be warranted in many cases. The field of deaf education
      would be better served if, rather than moving from one trend in general education
      to another, we first took into account the special needs of deaf learners and
      then worked systematically and deliberately to build a knowledge base of the most
      effective practices for promoting literacy.

PMID- 1414869
TI  - The Garden Cafe. An experiment in vocational education in the Philippines.
AB  - The author visited Bohol, a picturesque island in the Philippines 350 miles south
      of Manila, in 1986 and 1990 to observe and record the emerging deaf culture.
      Before the Peace Corps started a school program on the island some eight years
      ago, deaf children grew up functionally illiterate. Those who have not been found
      and are not enrolled in the fledgling school program still do, as they are
      completely isolated from the deaf community. This article describes heroic
      efforts to teach vocational skills to the deaf in Bohol. The project not only
      succeeded but led to the island's best restaurant, The Garden Cafe.

PMID- 1414870
TI  - Cumulative trauma disorders among educational interpreters. Contributing factors
      and intervention.
AB  - Upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders became a potentially significant
      occupational hazard among sign language interpreters at the National Technical
      Institute for the Deaf in the 1988-89 academic year. The following case control
      study was conducted to identify factors that might play a role in developing,
      exacerbating, and maintaining upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders among
      interpreters. Investigations were conducted to determine whether medical status,
      physical capacities, interpreting styles, pain, fatigue, and job stress differed
      among NTID's sign language interpreters. This report provides a general summary
      of selected findings as well as a conceptual framework that should help clarify
      the factors associated with upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders in sign
      language interpreters. The results indicated that the upper extremity cumulative
      trauma disorder diagnosed most often is tendinitis rather than a nerve entrapment
      syndrome (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome). Analysis of the frequency of potential
      biomechanical risk factors indicated that those reporting pain demonstrated
      higher frequency of hand and wrist deviations from the neutral position, higher
      frequency of the upper extremities leaving a predefined work space, fewer rest
      breaks during interpreting sessions, and higher evaluator ratings of pace of
      finger and hand movements. Specific features of interpreting styles were
      associated with increased pain and fatigue.

PMID- 1414871
TI  - Deaf adolescents who drop out of local public schools.
AB  - This paper looks at correlates of school attrition in local public school
      programs. A preliminary survey of attrition and background data on a national
      sample of 451 deaf adolescents concluded that many of the same factors, including
      individual ability, local educational values, and certain demographic traits,
      that predict attrition in general education also apply to deaf education. The
      movement of students out of their original programs for whatever reason was
      primarily a regional phenomenon. Programs in the Southeast and the Southwest lost
      more of their original groups of students than did programs in the Northeast,
      Midwest, or Far West. The regional variations noted in our data suggest that
      local values about schooling will influence school attrition in local public
      school programs for the deaf.

PMID- 1414872
TI  - Attitudes toward deafness. A collegiate perspective.
AB  - The Rochester Institute of Technology is a unique environment; a large number of
      hearing-impaired students are enrolled on a predominately hearing campus. The
      authors of this article explored the integration of deaf and hearing students on
      the campus and the attitudes surrounding deaf-hearing relationships. The major
      factors that hearing students identified as contributors to positive interaction
      between the two groups included awareness of cultural diversity, communication
      sensitivity and development of effective communication skills, structured
      opportunities for interaction, and mutual accommodation and respect.

PMID- 1414873
TI  - Spontaneous remission of acute sarcoid myositis.

PMID- 1414874
TI  - Cysticercosis.

PMID- 1414875
TI  - STFM family practice recruitment.

PMID- 1414876
TI  - The primary physician: keeping no gates.

PMID- 1414877
TI  - Simple technique for removing foreign objects from the nose.

PMID- 1414878
TI  - The ABCs of DRGs.

PMID- 1414879
TI  - Urban family medicine: lost horizon or last frontier?

PMID- 1414880
TI  - Diary of a week in practice.

PMID- 1414881
TI  - No-scalpel vasectomy: a technique for family physicians.
AB  - Family physicians frequently perform outpatient vasectomies. A new approach to
      exposing the vas deferens, called the no-scalpel vasectomy, results in fewer
      complications and, the authors believe, improved patient acceptance. This
      technique, which calls for two specialized instruments, is described, along with
      patient selection and education issues, vasal occlusion techniques and post
      vasectomy follow-up.

PMID- 1414882
TI  - Erythema multiforme.
AB  - Erythema multiforme is a cutaneous reaction pattern manifested by well-demarcated
      plaques on the trunk and extremities. Target, or "iris," lesions, with central
      clearing, are characteristic of this disorder. Erythema multiforme may be a mild
      condition (erythema multiforme minor), or it may be a severe, possibly life
      threatening condition (erythema multiforme major or Stevens-Johnson syndrome).
      Toxic epidermal necrolysis, manifested by widespread epidermal desquamation, is
      the most severe form of this disorder. The three most common triggers for
      erythema multiforme are herpes simplex infection, mycoplasma infection and drug
      reactions. Drugs that can precipitate erythema multiforme include sulfonamides,
      penicillins, phenylbutazone and phenytoin. The appearance of the characteristic
      lesion is usually diagnostic. However, conditions such as tinea corporis, lupus
      erythematosus, herpetic gingivostomatitis, Behcet's disease and erosive lichen
      planus, among others, may mimic erythema multiforme. For mild cases, treatment is
      supportive, with antibiotics used for secondary skin infections. For severe
      causes, many physicians use systemic corticosteroids, although this treatment is
      not universally endorsed.

PMID- 1414883
TI  - Growth plate injuries: Salter-Harris classification.
AB  - Fracture of the growth plate is an injury unique to childhood. Most such
      fractures heal without permanent deformity. A small percentage, however, are
      complicated by growth arrest and subsequent deformity. The Salter-Harris
      classification of growth plate injuries aids in estimating both the prognosis and
      the potential for growth disturbance. The Salter-Harris system classifies growth
      plate fractures into five groups: type I, fracture through the growth plate; type
      II, fracture through the growth plate and metaphysis; type III, fracture through
      the growth plate and epiphysis; type IV, fracture through the growth plate,
      epiphysis and metaphysis, and type V, crush or compression injury of the growth
      plate.

PMID- 1414884
TI  - Cleft lip and cleft palate.
AB  - The birth of a child with a cleft lip or a cleft palate, or both, can be
      traumatic to the family. Although referral to a multidisciplinary team
      experienced in craniofacial abnormalities is essential, the family physician can
      reduce the impact on the family by providing antenatal diagnosis and continued
      care of the entire family after diagnosis, during initial feeding and bonding
      difficulties and throughout the many years of surgical and speech therapy.

PMID- 1414885
TI  - New drug offers alternative treatment for PCP.

PMID- 1414886
TI  - FDA approves clinical studies of silicone breast implants.

PMID- 1414887
TI  - HIV seroprevalence in cardiac arrest patients.

PMID- 1414888
TI  - Effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors on tissue renin-angiotensin
      systems.
AB  - The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a major role in the control of blood
      pressure and cardiovascular homeostasis and is involved in the pathogenesis of a
      number of cardiovascular disorders. The efficacy of angiotensin-converting enzyme
      (ACE) inhibitors in the treatment of hypertension and congestive heart failure
      has led to the widespread clinical use of ACE inhibitors in primary or secondary
      prevention of heart disease. The demonstration of the expression of the
      components of the RAS in several extrarenal tissues, as well as local generation
      of angiotensin II, has confirmed the existence of a tissue RAS that may serve
      organ-specific functions and act independently from the plasma RAS. The concept
      of paracrine/autocrine functions of the local RAS has changed our understanding
      of the functions of the RAS and suggests that tissue ACE inhibition may be of
      greater importance than inhibition of circulating ACE in the treatment of
      congestive heart failure and other cardiovascular disorders. Whereas the
      circulating endocrine RAS appears to be responsible for mediation of acute
      effects, the tissue RAS seems to be involved in more chronic situations, such as
      secondary structural changes of the cardiovascular system, and therefore could
      contribute to the pathogenesis of hypertension as well as other cardiovascular
      disorders, such as cardiac hypertrophy, coronary artery disease, and
      atherosclerosis. Several experimental and clinical findings suggest that reversal
      of cardiovascular structural changes secondary to cardiovascular disease and
      enhancement of renal sodium excretion by ACE inhibitors are important long-term
      antihypertensive actions possibly mediated by inhibition of the tissue RAS.

PMID- 1414889
TI  - Heart failure in 2001: a prophecy.
AB  - Understanding of heart failure has developed through 3 paradigms involving organ,
      cell, and gene. The first views heart failure as an abnormality of organ (pump)
      function leading to salt and water retention and vasoconstriction. Therapy to
      correct these circulatory abnormalities is well accepted and effective. The
      second considers heart failure as a disordered cellular function, mainly impaired
      contraction and relaxation. Efforts to correct the biochemical and biophysical
      abnormalities responsible for these disorders of myocardial performance have,
      however, been less successful. Recent emphasis on efforts to improve prognosis as
      well as symptoms in patients with chronic heart failure demonstrates that it is a
      lethal disease with problems of survival similar to those in malignancies. The
      third paradigm of abnormal gene expression, which in the failing heart represents
      a cardiomyopathy of overload, appears to be a major cause of poor prognosis in
      these patients. Evidence that the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors have
      important effects on cell growth, as well as on vascular tone, suggests that
      their ability to prolong survival in patients with heart failure may be due
      largely to the inhibition of detrimental effects of angiotensin II on cardiac
      gene expression. Thus, it seems likely that work focused on the third paradigm
      will uncover specific abnormalities of gene expression that are responsible for
      poor survival of patients with heart failure. By 2001, I predict that heart
      failure will be viewed as an abnormality of cell growth and this will lead to the
      development of therapies to retard, if not reverse, the clinical
      deterioration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414890
TI  - Results of the treatment trial of the studies of left ventricular dysfunction
      (SOLVD). The SOLVD Investigators.

PMID- 1414891
TI  - Ventricular remodeling following myocardial infarction.
AB  - Ventricular remodeling denotes structural changes that occur in ventricular
      chamber size, wall thickness, and composition following myocardial damage.
      Following acute coronary occlusion, there are various factors to consider at
      different times that may contribute to subsequent ventricular dilation. Early
      infarct expansion and later healing may be accompanied by compensatory
      hypertrophy in the noninfarcted region and progressive global dilation, that may
      progress long term, the major stimulus being increased wall stress. The 2 major
      factors influencing ventricular remodeling following myocardial infarction are
      infarct artery patency and the ventricular loading conditions. Thrombolytic
      therapy may produce coronary reperfusion and limit infarct size. Patency of the
      infarct-related artery may also provide later benefits for ventricular
      remodeling. Following infarct evolution, pharmacologic intervention provides the
      potential to minimize the sequelae of infarct expansion and ventricular dilation.
      Clinical studies indicate that treatment of symptomless left ventricular
      dysfunction with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition at greater than or
      equal to 1 week following myocardial infarction may prevent further ventricular
      dilation and reduce the probability of progression to heart failure. Earlier
      intervention, at 24-48 hours following Q-wave myocardial infarction, is also
      practicable and effective. Even earlier intervention, in combination with or
      immediately following thrombolysis, is being assessed in other studies. The
      timing of treatment is of considerable importance because blockade of
      compensatory mechanisms activated at the time of infarction may not be desirable
      immediately, even though these mechanisms may be deleterious later. The results
      of large-scale mortality studies are awaited to indicate the benefit of this type
      of treatment in terms of heart failure prevention and survival long term.

PMID- 1414892
TI  - Prospects for cardioreparation.
AB  - The structure of the myocardium has 2 principal components, a myocytic
      compartment and a non-myocytic compartment that consists primarily of
      interstitial tissue. It appears that increased collagen production is mainly
      responsible for the functional consequences of structural remodelling. The
      concept of cardioreparation implies both a restoration of structural
      abnormalities and a return of cardiac function to or toward normal. In
      spontaneously hypertensive rats with left ventricular hypertrophy and adverse
      structural remodeling of the cardiac interstitium, angiotensin-converting enzyme
      inhibition has resulted in restoration of myocardial integrity and stiffness
      toward normal. Further research needs to be undertaken to identify the molecular
      mechanisms involved in the development of interstitial myocardial fibrosis, and
      reliable methods for assessing the interstitium and the changes that occur within
      it in clinical practice need to be developed.

PMID- 1414893
TI  - Ventricular arrhythmias in heart failure.
AB  - Heart failure is an increasingly common disorder leading to reduced quality and
      expectancy of life. Asymptomatic and symptomatic ventricular arrhythmias are a
      frequent complication and have been found to be independent prognostic predictors
      for sudden cardiac death in patients with heart failure. Unfortunately, the
      positive predictive failure for this finding is low, but in patients with
      sustained ventricular arrhythmias, variables indicating impaired pump function
      are the most important predictors of sudden and of nonsudden cardiac death.
      Arrhythmias in heart failure may have many different underlying mechanisms.
      Indications for, and mode of treatment of, arrhythmias in heart failure depend on
      the symptoms and prognostic significance of the arrhythmia. Primarily, pump
      function should be optimized and antiarrhythmic drug therapy instituted only when
      the arrhythmia persists. In poorly tolerated and life-threatening arrhythmias,
      implantable devices allowing pacing and defibrillation must be considered. No
      data are presently available indicating a protective role of antiarrhythmic drugs
      in the prevention of sudden cardiac death in heart failure. Future directions
      should concentrate on the development of better stratification of risk for sudden
      death, better delineation of mechanisms of arrhythmias in heart failure (allowing
      the development of mechanism-specific antiarrhythmic drugs), and research into
      new nonpharmacologic techniques such as cardiomyoplasty and molecular biologic
      techniques to rebuild the failing heart muscles.

PMID- 1414894
TI  - Electrolyte balance in heart failure and the role for magnesium ions.
AB  - It is well established that clinically significant changes in a number of
      electrolytes occur in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Magnesium
      ions are an essential requirement for many enzyme systems, and evidence is
      rapidly emerging that magnesium deficiency is a major risk factor for survival of
      CHF patients. In animal experiments, magnesium has been shown to be involved in
      several steps of the atherosclerotic process and, although in humans the
      situation is somewhat more complex, magnesium ions play an extremely important
      role in CHF and various cardiac arrhythmias. A number of drugs commonly used to
      treat CHF can significantly affect not only cellular magnesium ion homeostasis,
      but potassium as well. These include mercurial, thiazide, and loop diuretics. It
      has also been reported that hypomagnesemia is common in digitalis intoxication.
      In contrast, a number of agents have been shown to have either a magnesium
      conserving effect (potassium-sparing diuretics) or not to affect magnesium ion
      balance (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors). The clinical consequences of
      magnesium deficiency include the development of various cardiac arrhythmias, all
      of which respond well to magnesium treatment. Thus, it is more than apparent that
      magnesium ion homeostasis is of major importance in CHF. Future studies should
      address the complex role of magnesium ions in electrolyte imbalance, particularly
      in relation to heart failure.

PMID- 1414895
TI  - Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors on the peripheral circulation
      in heart failure.
AB  - In patients with chronic heart failure, the increase in blood flow to working
      muscle is attenuated and oxygen consumption is lower for any given workload of
      exercise, compared with normal subjects. This impaired metabolic vasodilation
      during exercise cannot be restored with short-term administration of angiotensin
      converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. However, long-term ACE inhibition increases
      blood flow to skeletal muscle, and this increase is closely correlated with
      improvement in systemic oxygen consumption. The delayed effect of ACE inhibitors
      may be related to an interference with the vascular tissue renin-angiotensin
      system and remodeling of the vascular wall. In addition, endothelial-dependent
      dilation in response to acetylcholine is blunted in the forearm of patients with
      chronic heart failure, indicating an impaired endothelial function in this
      setting. There is experimental evidence that long-term ACE inhibition improves
      endothelial dysfunction; thus, one might speculate that the beneficial long-term
      effect of ACE inhibitors on peripheral flow may be, in part, related to its
      ability to restore normal endothelial function. Vasodilators such as hydralazine
      that improve blood flow to working muscle after acute administration do not
      increase skeletal muscle oxygen consumption, indicating that oxygen utilization
      is not improved. Ultrastructural analysis of skeletal muscle revealed that
      intrinsic alterations of skeletal muscle exist in patients with chronic heart
      failure; that is, the oxidative capacity of skeletal muscle is impaired in severe
      heart failure and contributes to the reduced exercise capacity.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414896
TI  - Comparison of coronary responses to intracoronary and intraaortic ergonovine and
      isosorbide dinitrate in patients with atypical chest pain.
AB  - Fifty patients with atypical chest pain were studied to compare coronary
      responses to intracoronary and intraaortic ergonovine. The diameters of the
      proximal, middle (1) and (2) (proximal segments of segments 2 and 3 [AHA
      classification], respectively), and distal segments of the right coronary artery
      were measured before and after intracoronary ergonovine (4 micrograms/minute over
      4 minutes) and isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) (2 mg) in 24 patients, and before and
      after intraaortic ergonovine (0.2 mg) and ISDN (5 mg) in 26. Mean
      vasoconstriction by intracoronary and intraaortic ergonovine were 13 +/- 1.5% and
      9 +/- 0.8%, respectively (p < 0.02). Irrespective of the methods of
      administration, the responses to ergonovine were similar in the 4 segments. Mean
      vasodilation by intracoronary and intraaortic ISDN, which were used to quantify
      the degree of basal coronary tone, were 25 +/- 2.2% and 27 +/- 1.5%, respectively
      (p = not significant [NS]). There were significant negative linear correlations
      between the responses to ergonovine and ISDN in the middle (2) (r = -0.51; p <
      0.05) and distal (r = -0.53; p < 0.01) segments in patients with intracoronary
      injection, and the proximal (r = -0.41; p < 0.05), middle (1) (r = -0.66; p <
      0.01) and middle (2) (r = -0.69; p < 0.01) segments in patients with intraaortic
      injection. These observations indicate that low-dose administration of
      intracoronary ergonovine produces sufficient coronary vasoconstriction, similar
      to or slightly greater than that of intraaortic ergonovine in patients with
      atypical chest pain, but basal coronary tone may influence the vasoreactivity to
      ergonovine.

PMID- 1414897
TI  - Treatment of refractory familial hypercholesterolemia by low-density lipoprotein
      apheresis using an automated dextran sulfate cellulose adsorption system. The
      Liposorber Study Group.
AB  - A subgroup of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) respond
      inadequately to standard diet and drug therapy, and are therefore at high risk
      for the premature development or progression of coronary artery disease. This
      study evaluated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and lipoprotein (a)
      removal in a multicenter, controlled trial with a new LDL apheresis procedure
      (Liposorber LA-15 System). The study comprised patients with FH who had not
      responded adequately to diet and maximal drug therapy. There were 54 patients
      with heterozygous FH (45 randomized to treatment and 9 control subjects) and 10
      with homozygous FH (all of whom received LDL apheresis). The study included three
      6-week treatment phases and a 4-week rebound phase. Treatments were administered
      at 7- to 14-day intervals. Mean acute reductions in LDL cholesterol were 76% in
      heterozygous FH patients and 81% in homozygous ones. Time-averaged levels of LDL
      cholesterol were reduced 41% (243 to 143 mg/dl) in heterozygous FH patients and
      53% (447 to 210 mg/dl) in homozygous ones. The substantial acute reduction of
      lipoprotein (a) (means: 65%, heterozygous FH; 68%, homozygous FH) has not been
      reported with other therapies. The Liposorber LA-15 System represents an
      important therapeutic option in FH patients who respond inadequately to diet and
      drug therapy.

PMID- 1414898
TI  - Measurement of ventricular electrogram amplitude during intraoperative induction
      of ventricular tachyarrhythmias.
AB  - Adequate sensing of ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation
      (VF) is necessary for proper functioning of an implantable cardioverter
      defibrillator (ICD). Several ICDs currently undergoing investigation have
      programmable fixed gain sensitivity for tachycardia detection. If intracardiac
      electrogram amplitude decreases below the programmed sensitivity during VT or VF,
      detection of a ventricular arrhythmia may be delayed or missed. The mean
      amplitude of intracardiac electrograms (ICEGM) recorded with bipolar epicardial
      or transvenous sensing leads was measured in 63 patients during induced VT and VF
      recorded in the operating room at the time of ICD implantation. The mean
      amplitude of the ICEGM during 41 episodes of VF in 15 patients decreased from
      14.9 +/- 0.9 mV during sinus rhythm to 8.8 +/- 0.7 mV at 1 second, 9.7 +/- 0.7 mV
      at 5 seconds, and 9.4 +/- 0.7 mV at 10 seconds (p < 0.0001 vs sinus rhythm ICEGM)
      with endocardial leads. The mean amplitude of the ICEGM recorded during 173
      episodes of VF in 43 patients with epicardial leads decreased from 10.4 +/- 0.3
      mV in sinus rhythm to 7.8 +/- 0.3 mV at 1 second, 8.3 +/- 0.3 mV at 5 seconds and
      8 mV at 10 seconds (p <0.0001 vs sinus rhythm ICEGM). The mean amplitude of
      epicardial and transvenous ICEGMs recorded during 34 episodes of monomorphic VT
      decreased from 18.5 +/- 1.8 mV (epicardial) and 14.4 +/- 2.0 mV (transvenous)
      during sinus rhythm (p = 0.15, epicardial vs transvenous) to 16.0 +/- 1.7 mV
      (epicardial) and 13.7 +/- 1.9 mV (transvenous) at 10 seconds (< 10% of baseline
      amplitude).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414899
TI  - Effects of chronic amiodarone therapy on defibrillation threshold.
AB  - In a prospective and parallel, randomized study, the long-term stability of
      epicardial defibrillation threshold was evaluated in 22 patients, using a patch
      patch lead configuration at the time of implantation and generator replacement.
      The concomitant antiarrhythmic drug treatment consisted of either mexiletine (720
      mg/day) or amiodarone (400 mg/day) and was administered to patients in a
      randomized and parallel manner. During a mean follow-up of 24 +/- 6 months, the
      defibrillation threshold increased significantly from 14.3 +/- 2.8 to 17.9 +/-
      5.3 J (p < 0.05) for the entire patient group. The increase in the chronic
      defibrillation threshold was due to a marked increase in defibrillation energy
      needs in the subgroup of patients receiving amiodarone. Whereas no significant
      change in the defibrillation threshold was documented in the subgroup of patients
      receiving mexiletine, the mean defibrillation threshold increased from 14.1 +/-
      3.0 to 20.9 +/- 5.4 J (p < 0.001) in those receiving amiodarone. In all patients
      with increased defibrillation thresholds, reevaluation showed a reduction in the
      defibrillation threshold after discontinuation of antiarrhythmic drug therapy.
      The only variable associated with an increase in the chronic defibrillation
      threshold was amiodarone treatment. These findings suggest that the
      defibrillation threshold should be measured at each generator replacement and in
      case of a change in antiarrhythmic drug treatment. In particular, if amiodarone
      treatment is initiated, it is recommended that the defibrillation threshold
      should be reevaluated to ensure an adequate margin of safety.

PMID- 1414900
TI  - Stress response pattern in obesity and systemic hypertension.
AB  - Under resting conditions obese hypertensive patients have been described as
      having a greater cardiac output and lower total peripheral resistance than lean
      hypertensive patients. To evaluate the hemodynamic patterns under stress
      conditions, we determined the hemodynamic response to mental stress (first study)
      and during isometric exercise (second study) in hypertensive patients with a body
      mass index > 27 kg/m2 (obese) and < 27 kg/m2 (lean). The cohort exposed to mental
      stress comprised 54 white male patients (30 were lean, 24 were obese) with
      untreated stage I or II essential hypertension according to the World Health
      Organization. Obese subjects responded with a higher increase in total peripheral
      resistance (p < 0.02) and lower increases in heart rate (p < 0.01), cardiac
      output (p < 0.01) and stroke volume (p < 0.02) when compared with their lean
      counterparts. This was independent of any differences in chemical or baseline
      hemodynamic characteristics at rest. The cohort exposed to isometric stress
      consisted of 57 patients (30 were lean, 27 were obese) with World Health
      Organization stage I or II essential hypertension. Obese subjects responded with
      exaggerated increases in systolic (p < 0.04) and diastolic (p < 0.01) pressures,
      and heart rate (p < 0.04) when compared with lean patients. Body mass index
      emerged as an independent determinant of the increase in systolic (r = 0.03) and
      diastolic (r = 0.01) pressure as well as of heart rate (r = 0.03). These results
      indicate that obese hypertensive patients respond to (1) mental stress with
      vasoconstriction instead of the expected vasodilation, and to (2) isometric
      stress with an exaggerated increase in arterial pressure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414901
TI  - Transesophageal echocardiographic monitoring of percutaneous mitral balloon
      valvulotomy.
AB  - This study was designed to evaluate the usefulness of performing transesophageal
      echocardiography (TEE) during percutaneous mitral balloon valvulotomy (PMBV). TEE
      was performed in 35 consecutive patients with symptomatic severe mitral stenosis
      during PMBV (group A). Another group of 27 patients with mitral stenosis who
      underwent PMBV without TEE was used for comparison (group B). TEE was most
      helpful in guiding transseptal puncture, aiding in proper positioning of the
      balloon during the dilatation procedure and enabling early detection of
      complications. The results show that PMBV when aided by TEE has a tendency to
      decrease the frequency of significant mitral regurgitation without compromising
      the final mitral valve area. TEE decreased the x-ray exposure time and was well
      tolerated. Thus, TEE provides information that makes this interventional
      catheterization procedure safer and easier to perform.

PMID- 1414902
TI  - Quantitative dynamics of left ventricular emptying and filling as a function of
      heart size and stroke volume in pure aortic regurgitation and in normal subjects.
AB  - Quantitative understanding of the dynamics of left ventricular (LV) emptying and
      filling as the left ventricle dilates but maintains ejection fraction is limited.
      Cine computed tomography was used to quantify peak LV emptying and filling
      characteristics in 30 patients with normal ejection fraction but variable end
      diastolic and stroke volumes. Group I consisted of 15 normal male patients and
      group II of 15 male patients with chronic, well-compensated, isolated aortic
      regurgitation. For each patient global LV volumes, absolute peak emptying and
      peak early diastolic filling rates and the timing of these maximal slopes were
      quantified. Mean arterial pressure and heart rate were within the normal range
      and ejection fraction and ages similar between groups I and II. Between-group
      analyses showed significantly increased end-diastolic and stroke volumes in group
      II compared with group I but nearly identical end-systolic volumes. Likewise,
      absolute peak emptying and filling rates were significantly greater in group II
      than in group I patients. The ratio of peak emptying rate to peak filling rate
      remained constant between groups. Timing of peak emptying and filling were
      similar in both groups. Absolute LV peak emptying and filling rates were found to
      vary linearly with end-diastolic and stroke volumes in all subjects examined.
      However, referencing peak emptying or peak filling rates to end-diastolic or
      total stroke volumes eliminated intergroup differences. Thus, in the presence of
      preserved ejection fraction and normal arterial pressure, the dynamic rates of LV
      emptying and early diastolic filling increase in direct proportion to absolute
      end-diastolic and stroke volumes, but the ratio of peak emptying to peak filling
      rate remains constant.

PMID- 1414903
TI  - Effects on platelet aggregation and fibrinolytic activity during upright posture
      and exercise in healthy men.
AB  - The circadian variation of acute myocardial infarction suggests that daily
      activities such as assuming the upright posture and performing different daily
      activities may trigger the onset of coronary thrombosis. Such triggering may
      result from unfavorable alterations in the balance between the prothrombotic and
      antithrombotic properties of the blood. The present study compares the effects of
      2 common daily activities, assuming the upright posture and exercise, on platelet
      aggregation and fibrinolytic activity. In healthy male subjects, assuming the
      upright posture in the morning significantly increased platelet aggregation and
      produced only a moderate increase in fibrinolytic activity within 10 minutes.
      These changes were still present after 90 minutes in the upright posture. Supine
      posture for 45 minutes resulted in levels of fibrinolytic activity and platelet
      aggregation comparable to that observed before initially assuming the upright
      posture in the morning. Return to the supine posture for 45 minutes resulted in
      levels of fibrinolytic activity and platelet aggregation comparable to that
      observed before the initial assumption of upright posture. The changes recurred
      when upright posture was taken later in the day. Exercise did not increase
      platelet aggregation to levels beyond that produced by the upright posture, but
      was associated with a marked increase in fibrinolytic activity. Thus, exercise
      and upright posture produce distinctive alterations in the thrombogenic potential
      of the blood that may influence the timing of clinical vascular events.

PMID- 1414904
TI  - Transesophageal echocardiography to assess mitral valve function and flow during
      cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
AB  - This study further defines the mechanism of blood flow during closed-chest
      compression using transesophageal Doppler echocardiography. Although the
      echocardiographic demonstration of mitral valve closure during closed-chest
      compression has been used as evidence of direct cardiac compression, mitral valve
      closure has also been documented to occur during resuscitation by selectively
      increasing intrathoracic pressure. Transesophageal Doppler echocardiography was
      used to assess mitral valve position and flow in 17 adult patients undergoing
      cardiopulmonary resuscitation with a mechanical piston compression device. Left
      and right ventricular fractional shortening, mitral valve position with chest
      compression, timing and magnitude of transmitral flow, and anteroposterior chest
      diameter were recorded. In 12 patients (group I), the mitral valve closed during
      the down-stroke of chest compression; in the remaining 5 (group II), it opened
      further. Peak transmitral flow occurred during the release phase and was
      significantly higher (p < 0.05) in group I (39.5 +/- 9.3 cm/s) than the peak flow
      in group II (21.3 +/- 5.9 cm/s), which occurred during the downstroke of chest
      compression. Left ventricular fractional shortening inversely correlated (r = 
      0.68; p = 0.02) with the anteroposterior chest diameter, but did not correlate
      with peak transmitral flow (r = 0.34; p = not significant). It is concluded that
      the mitral valve closes during the downstroke of chest compression in most adult
      patients during resuscitation. The absence of a relation between mitral valve
      flow and left ventricular fractional shortening supports the hypothesis that
      other factors such as nonuniform increases in intrathoracic pressure cause the
      mitral valve to open or close during chest compression.

PMID- 1414905
TI  - A new technique for simultaneous monitoring of electrocardiogram and walking
      cadence.
AB  - A new technique for simultaneously recording continuous electrocardiographic
      (ECG) data and walking step rate (cadence) is described. The ECG and gait signals
      are recorded on 2 channels of an ambulatory Holter monitor. Footfall is detected
      using ultrathin, force-sensitive foot switches and is frequency modulated. The
      footfall signal provides an indication of the subject's activity (walking or
      standing), as well as the instantaneous walking rate. Twenty-three young and
      elderly subjects were studied to demonstrate the use of this ECG and gait
      recorder. High-quality gait signals were obtained in all subjects, and the
      effects of walking on the electrocardiogram were assessed. Initial investigation
      revealed the following findings: (1) Although walking rates were similar in young
      and elderly subjects, the elderly had both decreased heart rate (HR) variability
      (p < 0.005) and increased cadence variability (p < 0.0001). (2) Overall, there
      was an inverse relation between HR and cadence variability (r = -0.73). Three
      elderly subjects with no known cardiac disease had HR and cadence variability
      similar to those of the young, whereas elderly subjects with history of
      congestive heart failure were among those with the lowest HR variability and the
      highest cadence variability. (3) Low-frequency (approximately equal to 0.1 Hz) HR
      oscillations (frequently observed during standing) persisted during walking in
      all young subjects. (4) In some subjects, both step rate and HR oscillated at the
      same low frequency (approximately equal to 0.1 Hz) previously identified with
      autonomic control of the baroreflex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414906
TI  - Impact of food on the pharmacokinetics and electrocardiographic effects of
      sustained release verapamil in normal subjects.
AB  - To evaluate the impact of food on the pharmacokinetics and electrocardiographic
      effects of sustained release (SR) verapamil tablets, 9 healthy men each received
      3 single doses of verapamil in a randomized, crossover manner: 10 mg of
      intravenous verapamil, 240 mg SR verapamil on an empty stomach, and 240 mg SR
      verapamil with a standardized meal. PR intervals and racemic verapamil serum
      concentrations were measured serially over 30 hours after administration. The
      time to peak concentration was longer (7.5 +/- 3.0 vs 4.4 +/- 2.3 hours),
      resulting in a lower peak verapamil serum concentration (118 +/- 43 vs 175 +/- 50
      ng/ml) when SR verapamil was administered with food (p < 0.05). Food tended to
      decrease the bioavailability of SR verapamil (34 +/- 12 vs 49 +/- 14%), although
      this difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.065). Precipitous
      or exaggerated release of verapamil from the SR tablet was not observed in any
      subject during the fasting state. Prolongation of the PR interval paralleled
      these alterations in serum concentration. The maximal change in the PR interval
      was greater (21 +/- 8 vs 14 +/- 5%; p < 0.05) when SR verapamil was given in the
      fasting state. Although an exaggerated verapamil release or effect was not
      observed, food significantly altered the absorption and electrocardiographic
      effects of a single dose of SR verapamil. Manipulation of the administration
      condition may be helpful in achieving desired outcomes.

PMID- 1414907
TI  - Differences in men and women in coronary artery disease, systemic hypertension
      and their treatment.
AB  - Various studies have shown that women with coronary artery diseases are treated
      quite differently from men, although the reasons for these differences are not
      easily discernible and may be based on misconceptions. Furthermore, although the
      attributable risk percentage for cardiovascular complications of hypertension is
      higher in women than in men, little information on treating hypertension in women
      is available. There is cause for concern owing to some findings that white women
      may be harmed by antihypertensive treatment unless that treatment differs from
      that of men. Consensus on the importance of this finding has not been reached.

PMID- 1414908
TI  - Left ventricular shape abnormalities in inferior wall myocardial infarction.

PMID- 1414909
TI  - Coronary angiography with four French catheters.

PMID- 1414910
TI  - Usefulness of total 12-lead QRS voltage in diagnosing left ventricular
      hypertrophy in clinically isolated, pure, chronic, severe mitral regurgitation.

PMID- 1414911
TI  - Postpartum cardiomyopathy associated with maternal cocaine abuse.

PMID- 1414912
TI  - Left ventricular Doppler inflow signals in children with isolated ventricular
      septal defect.

PMID- 1414913
TI  - Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic features of left atrial size after
      orthotopic cardiac transplantation.

PMID- 1414914
TI  - Echocardiographic determinants of clinical outcome in subjects with coronary
      artery disease (the Framingham Heart Study).
AB  - Echocardiographic predictors of clinical outcome were examined in subjects from
      the Framingham Heart Study with overt coronary artery disease. The study
      population consisted of 185 men and 147 women with coronary artery disease who
      underwent M-mode echocardiography and were followed for a mean of 3.90 years. At
      baseline, 37 men (18.4%) and 16 women (10.9%) had reduced fractional shortening,
      43 men (23.2%) and 28 women (19%) had left ventricular (LV) dilatation, and 76
      men (41%) and 76 women (51.7%) had LV hypertrophy. During the follow-up period
      new cardiovascular disease events (coronary disease, stroke, transient ischemic
      attack, claudication, heart failure and deaths from cardiovascular disease)
      occurred in 60 men (32%) and 58 women (39%). With use of age-adjusted
      proportional hazards analyses, LV mass/height in men (relative risk [RR] =
      1.25/50 g/m increment, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01 to 1.55) and LV end
      diastolic diameter in women (RR = 1.36/5 mm increment, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.76) were
      predictors of new cardiovascular disease events. Cardiovascular risk was also
      associated with LV end-systolic diameter in both sexes (in men RR = 1.28/1 SD
      increment, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.63; in women RR = 1.40/1 standard deviation
      increment, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.82). Reduced fractional shortening alone (RR = 1.91,
      95% CI 1.11 to 3.31) and in combination with LV dilatation (RR = 2.13, 95% CI
      1.13 to 4.02) was associated with the incidence of new cardiovascular disease
      outcomes in men.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414915
TI  - Risk factor correlates of coronary calcium as evaluated by ultrafast computed
      tomography.
AB  - Coronary artery calcium is invariably associated with atherosclerosis and has
      been linked to an increased risk of coronary events. Ultrafast computed
      tomography (CT) was recently used to document the presence and relative quantity
      of coronary calcium. The use of the self-reported coronary risk factors to
      identify persons with coronary calcium as documented by ultrafast CT screening
      was examined in 458 men and 139 women aged 26 to 81 years (88% asymptomatic). All
      subjects underwent ultrafast CT scanning, and received a questionnaire and
      underwent an interview regarding medical and risk factor history. Total calcium
      score was calculated as the sum of lesion-specific scores, each calculated as the
      product of density > or = 130 Hounsfield units and area > or = 0.51 mm2. The
      prevalence of coronary calcium increased significantly (p < 0.01) by age group,
      and the greater the number of risk factors present, the greater the likelihood of
      calcium. From multiple logistic regression, age (p < 0.01), male sex (relative
      risk [RR] 3.03; p < 0.01), and history of smoking (RR 1.85; p < 0.01) and
      hypertension (RR 1.65; p < 0.05) were independently associated with the
      probability of detectable calcium. Among asymptomatic subjects, an association
      with hypercholesterolemia was also seen (RR 1.56; p < 0.05). The results
      demonstrate that cardiovascular risk factors can help in identifying the
      likelihood of coronary calcium.

PMID- 1414916
TI  - Circulating aggregated platelets, number of platelets per aggregate, and platelet
      size during acute myocardial infarction.
AB  - Circulating aggregated platelets (total, reversibly and irreversibly aggregated),
      the number of platelets per aggregate and "big" platelets were measured by a
      modification of the Wu and Hoak method in 42 patients on the first, second and
      fifth day of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Among them, 30 had an
      uncomplicated course and 12 patients had complications that occurred between the
      5th and 10th day of hospitalization (7 patients had reinfarction and 5 died). In
      all patients the measured parameters were elevated compared with those of control
      subjects. There was a significant increase, especially after the first
      observation day, in the values of total aggregated platelets (37 +/- 11% vs 26 +/
      12%, p < 0.001), reversibly aggregated platelets (27 +/- 9% vs 17 +/- 8%, p <
      0.001) and the average platelets per aggregate (8.6 +/- 0.3 vs. 2.3 +/- 0.4) in
      patients with versus without complications. In considering the role of platelets
      in the development of AMI, these findings may add information to the role of
      platelets in determining the course of AMI.

PMID- 1414917
TI  - Effects of simulated left bundle branch block on QRST time-integral values of 12
      lead electrocardiograms in patients with and without prior anterior wall
      myocardial infarction.
AB  - The effects of right ventricular pacing, which simulated left bundle branch block
      (BBB), on QRST time-integral values of 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) were
      examined, and the clinical usefulness of QRST values for estimating the severity
      of left ventricular wall motion abnormalities due to a prior anterior wall
      myocardial infarction (MI) in the setting of left BBB were evaluated. Digitized
      ECGs were recorded during normal sinus rhythm and simulated left BBB in 38
      patients (24 with and 14 without prior anterior wall MI). QRST values were
      calculated in each lead point of 12-lead ECGs. Data from 608 normal subjects were
      used as control values; the mean +/- 2 SD of these values was regarded as the
      normal range. The parameter sigma DE was defined as the sum of the differences
      between the normal mean QRST value and the QRST values of a given patient in
      leads where the QRST value was less than the normal range. The correlation
      coefficient of sigma DE for the 2 activation sequences was highly significant.
      Although small but significant changes were seen in QRST values in leads I, II,
      III, aVR, aVF and V1 during simulated left BBB, left precordial leads showed no
      significant changes in QRST values. A criterion of sigma DE > 40 mV.ms for
      detecting an anterior wall MI showed a sensitivity of 88%, a specificity of 93%,
      and a diagnostic accuracy of 89%. The sigma DE was significantly (p < 0.001)
      correlated with the asynergy index calculated from left ventriculograms.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414918
TI  - Acute hemodynamic and electrophysiologic effects and safety of high-dose
      intravenous diltiazem in patients receiving metoprolol.
AB  - The anti-ischemic efficacy of diltiazem may improve with increments in dosage and
      with additional beta-blocking therapy. However, the combined administration could
      lead to adverse effects through amplification of negative inotropic and
      chronotropic properties. To evaluate hemodynamic tolerability and safety of high
      dose intravenous diltiazem in patients with coronary artery disease receiving
      long-term metoprolol treatment, 9 such patients were studied for 30 minutes after
      onset of intravenous diltiazem administration (0.5 mg/kg for 5 minutes, followed
      by 15 mg/hour). Diltiazem plasma levels peaked at 5 minutes (641 +/- 74
      micrograms/liter), decreasing to 177 micrograms/liter at 30 minutes. Average
      metoprolol levels (43 +/- 12 micrograms/liter) did not change. Diltiazem
      immediately decreased systemic vascular resistance, left ventricular systolic and
      mean aortic pressures (29, 21 and 20%, respectively, at 5 minutes), and they
      remained significantly reduced at 30 minutes. Heart rate initially increased by
      11% during the bolus infusion (p < 0.05). Concomitantly, contractility indexes
      Vmax and Vce40, measured at fixed heart rates, also increased significantly by
      11%. Both heart rate and contractility indexes returned to baseline levels
      thereafter. Cardiac output increased by 10% (p = not significant), stroke index
      remained unchanged, but stroke work decreased significantly by 20%. Also, the
      tension-time index was significantly reduced (23%). Diltiazem induced moderate
      negative lusitropic effects, the first derivative of negative left ventricular
      pressure decline decreased by 12% and Tau 2 lengthened by 13%. Concomitantly,
      left ventricular filling pressure increased from 19 +/- 2 to 23 +/- 3 mm Hg, but
      only at 5 and 15 minutes. PQ, QRS and QTc intervals were not affected.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414919
TI  - A symposium: systemic hypertension: contribution of trandolapril, a new
      angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, toward patient protection. Introduction.

PMID- 1414920
TI  - Can the genetic factors influence the treatment of systemic hypertension? The
      case of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.
AB  - The hereditary nature of familial hypertension has been clearly established by a
      number of clinical studies. About 30% of the blood pressure variance can be
      attributed to genetic factors. As a consequence, the relative risk for developing
      coronary artery disease or cardiovascular death is increased in patients with a
      family history of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Patients with such
      familial history should be considered at the same risk as those who have
      independent epidemiologic risk factors. The development of molecular genetics
      allows establishment of a link between high blood pressure, intermediate
      phenotypes, and the genes involved in blood pressure regulation. Gene markers
      should be available in the near future that will help to identify patients
      predisposed to hypertension. The genes of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone
      system are good examples of candidate genes whose products are known to
      participate in blood pressure regulation. The possible involvement of these genes
      in essential hypertension is critically analyzed.

PMID- 1414921
TI  - Prevention of myocardial infarction.
AB  - Despite substantial progress in cardiovascular disease prevention, stroke and
      myocardial infarction remain the leading causes of death throughout the
      industrialized world. Treatment of high blood pressure, while contributing
      importantly to this progress, remains inefficient and less than optimally
      effective, particularly in regard to coronary artery disease events. Therapeutic
      intervention in the renin-angiotensin system offers promise of progress on both
      these fronts. Renin-sodium profiles have been shown to permit prognostic
      stratification of otherwise indistinguishable hypertensive patients. Indeed, low
      renin subjects, without other cardiovascular risk factors, have a particularly
      favorable prognosis. Now, the pharmacologic ability to mute the pathologic
      effects of angiotensin II also offers the genuine possibility that the
      cardioprotective value of antihypertensive therapy may be significantly improved.

PMID- 1414922
TI  - Trandolapril in hypertension: overview of a new angiotensin-converting enzyme
      inhibitor.
AB  - Trandolapril is a new angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor that has been
      extensively investigated in vitro, in animals, in normal volunteers, and in
      hypertensive patients. It has been shown to exert all the effects typical for the
      class of ACE inhibitors, and has a marked impact on the reversal of structural
      hypertrophy of the myocardium and the arterial wall. Trandolapril is a prodrug
      that must be hydrolyzed to its active metabolite, trandolaprilat. This latter
      compound exhibits a particularly high affinity for converting enzyme, which
      results in a slow dissociation and one of the longest durations of action of any
      converting enzyme inhibitor known so far. Trandolapril reduces blood pressure
      consistently throughout the 24-hour period following intake. Accordingly,
      trandolapril, more than any other drug of its class, can be considered a true,
      once-a-day antihypertensive drug.

PMID- 1414923
TI  - Effects of trandolapril on vascular morphology and function during the
      established phase of systemic hypertension in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine the morphologic and functional vascular
      changes occurring following 4 weeks of treatment with the angiotensin-converting
      enzyme inhibitor trandolapril in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) in the
      established phase of hypertension. At the dosage used, 0.4 mg/kg orally,
      trandolapril decreased blood pressure of the SHR by 15-18% compared with that of
      the control animals. Immediately before the end of treatment, the following
      changes from control values were observed: (1) 9, 11, and 12% reductions for
      myocardial hypertrophy and the media thickness of the thoracic aorta and femoral
      arteries, respectively; and (2) an increase in the compliance of the resistance
      arteries, demonstrated by a shift to the right of the in vitro tension-diameter
      curves and a significant 22% increase in their normalized internal diameter,
      while their maximum contractile ability was significantly decreased. Following
      discontinuation of treatment, blood pressure levels remained significantly lower
      in the treated versus the control groups for up to 4 weeks after the last
      administration. At that time measurement of the studied parameters showed: (1) a
      rapid reversion to control values of the compliance of the resistance vessels;
      and (2) a slower progression, but in the same direction, in the parameters of
      cardiac and vascular hypertrophy. Thus, trandolapril, administered for a short
      period in the adult SHR, was able to reverse the cardiac and vascular morphologic
      changes present in this model of hypertension. Like the effect on blood pressure,
      these effects were slowly reversible at the end of treatment, whereas the
      functional consequences at the resistance artery level seemed to display a more
      rapid reversibility.

PMID- 1414924
TI  - Clinical value of blood pressure measurements: focus on ambulatory blood
      pressures.
AB  - Because clinic blood pressure values are compromised by 2 major limitations--the
      alerting reaction to clinic measurements and the spontaneous blood pressure
      variability--they have only a limited correlation with average 24-hour blood
      pressure values. Whether the latter should be employed routinely in substitution
      for, or in addition to, traditional blood pressure measurements has not yet been
      determined, however. To date, average 24-hour blood pressure values have been
      shown to correlate more closely than clinic blood pressure values with the organ
      damage of hypertension. A correlation with organ damage has been shown also for a
      number of blood pressure values within the 24 hours. Nevertheless, the clinical
      importance of 24-hour blood pressure and blood pressure variability has never
      been confirmed by prospective controlled studies. This information needs to be
      obtained before this approach is routinely employed in the clinical practice.

PMID- 1414925
TI  - Beneficial effects of trandolapril on experimentally induced congestive heart
      failure in rats.
AB  - Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have been shown to prolong life
      expectancy in patients with congestive heart failure. In order to determine the
      relative contributions of the different factors involved in this beneficial
      effect, we investigated in an experimental model of postinfarction cardiac
      insufficiency in the rat over a 9-12-month period (1) the kinetics of the
      development of the hemodynamic, biologic, and morphologic alterations that
      accompany heart failure, and (2) the kinetics of the effects of a new, long
      acting ACE inhibitor, trandolapril. Following induction of infarction, systolic
      blood pressure, left ventricular dP/dt, and end-diastolic pressure were
      immediately decreased, decreased, and increased, respectively, and these
      modifications persisted throughout the study. Cardiac index, on the other hand,
      was only initially and transiently decreased. Cardiac remodeling (left
      ventricular dilation, myocardial hypertrophy, and fibrosis) occurred as early as
      7 days after infarction and worsened throughout the study. Plasma atrial
      natriuretic factor (ANF) and urinary cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) were
      also increased. In this model, a 1-year oral treatment with trandolapril resulted
      in early hemodynamic and biologic beneficial effects (reductions in pre- and
      afterload, increase in cardiac index, and decrease in plasma ANF), and in a
      delayed reversal of the infarction-induced cardiac morphologic alterations.
      Hence, the trandolapril-induced increase in survival rate is due initially to the
      drug's hemodynamic effects and over the long-term to both its hemodynamic and
      cardiac morphologic (limitation of remodeling) effects.

PMID- 1414926
TI  - Reversal of cardiac and large artery structural abnormalities induced by long
      term antihypertensive treatment with trandolapril.
AB  - In 15 patients with untreated mild to moderate essential hypertension and left
      ventricular hypertrophy, we assessed blood pressure, echocardiographic left
      ventricular mass index, brachial artery compliance (pulsed doppler flowmetry),
      and calculated forearm vascular resistance (strain gauge plethysmography) before,
      during (6 and 12 months) and after (1 month washout period) 1 year of
      satisfactory (blood pressure < or = 140/90 mm Hg) antihypertensive therapy with
      the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor trandolapril (2.0 mg orally once
      daily). During the antihypertensive effective treatment, we observed a
      significant reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressures, left ventricular
      mass index, and forearm vascular resistance at both 6 and 12 months. In addition,
      brachial artery compliance was significantly increased. After washout, systolic
      (156 +/- 3 mm Hg) and diastolic (102 +/- 1 mm Hg) blood pressures returned to
      levels comparable to baseline. However, left ventricular mass index (132 +/- 4; p
      < 0.01) and brachial artery compliance (1.53 +/- 0.01; p < 0.01) were still
      different from baseline. These results demonstrate that chronic antihypertensive
      treatment with trandolapril is associated with a stable regression of cardiac and
      vascular abnormalities, which is partially unrelated to the blood pressure
      lowering effect.

PMID- 1414927
TI  - Evaluation of the antihypertensive effect of once-a-day trandolapril by 24-hour
      ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. The Italian Trandolapril Study Group.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of trandolapril on 24-hour
      blood pressure in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension. After a
      washout period of 4 weeks, 42 patients were randomized to receive 2 mg of
      trandolapril once daily and 20 to receive placebo in a double-blind fashion for 6
      weeks. This was followed by a second washout period of 4 weeks. At the end of
      each period, clinic blood pressure was assessed at 24 hours after the last dose
      and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure was measured noninvasively, taking blood
      pressure readings every 15 minutes during the day and every 20 minutes during the
      night. Two patients were dropped out before any blood pressure evaluation under
      treatment. Analysis of ambulatory blood pressure was performed in 48 patients who
      met the criteria for the minimal number of ambulatory blood pressure data (2
      values per hour during the day and 1 value per hour in the night). In the
      trandolapril-treated group (n = 41) clinic systolic/diastolic blood pressures
      were 159.8 +/- 2.0/102.4 +/- 0.8, 146.8 +/- 2.3/94.8 +/- 1.1, and 155.7 +/-
      2.0/99.2 +/- 0.7 mm Hg in the pretreatment, treatment, and post-treatment
      periods, respectively. The corresponding values for 24-hour mean blood pressure
      (n = 31) were 139.5 +/- 1.9/91.2 +/- 1.5, 131.0 +/- 2.0/84.3 +/- 1.2, and 139.7
      +/- 1.8/90.9 +/- 1.1 mmHg. The differences between the lower treatment, versus
      the higher pre- and post-treatment, values were all statistically significant (p
      < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414928
TI  - After the diagnosis of systemic hypertension, is risk factor management
      important?
AB  - In the hypertensive patient, the presence of other cardiovascular risk factors,
      particularly smoking, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, and diabetes, greatly
      influences the prognosis. In many patients, these other risk factors are linked,
      perhaps by adverse effects of pressure on endothelial function. The newer
      antihypertensive agents may have better effects on prognosis by ameliorating
      these other risk factors, as well as lowering pressure. We await trials to see if
      this promise is fulfilled.

PMID- 1414929
TI  - Influence of vessel selection on the observed restenosis rate after endoluminal
      stenting or directional atherectomy.
AB  - In comparing the restenosis rates among different interventions, 1 potential
      confounder might be the differences in the vessels treated, as dictated by the
      technical limitations of particular devices. The purpose of this study was to use
      current "acute gain-late loss" analysis to examine what influence vessel
      selection has on the restenosis rates seen after coronary stenting or directional
      atherectomy. The minimal luminal diameter of native coronary lesions was measured
      before and immediately after intervention in 102 single Palmaz-Schatz stents and
      347 atherectomies, 367 (82%) of which had repeat angiographic measurement 6
      months after intervention. Atherectomy-treated lesions had a higher proportion of
      left anterior descending to right coronary arteries (68 vs 24%) compared with
      stents (31 vs 54%), p < 0.001. Although subsequent restenosis rates were similar
      for stenting (25%) and atherectomy (30%, p = 0.42), left anterior descending
      versus right coronary lesions had a significantly higher restenosis rate for the
      overall group (35 vs 18%, p = 0.009), for stents (44 vs 13%, p = 0.008) and for
      atherectomy (35 vs 22%, p = 0.10), respectively. Multivariable analysis
      demonstrated that postprocedure luminal diameter (p = 0.03, p = 0.009) and
      coronary location (the proportion of left anterior descending vessels treated, p
      = 0.002, p < 0.001), but not device type (stent vs atherectomy), were strong
      independent determinants of restenosis according to both binary (> 50% diameter
      stenosis) and continuous (late percent stenosis) definitions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414930
TI  - Detection of silent coronary artery disease in adolescents and young adults with
      familial hypercholesterolemia by single-photon emission computed tomography
      thallium-201 scanning.
AB  - Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), a genetic disease characterized by increased
      levels of total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the blood, results in
      a markedly increased incidence of atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease in
      homozygotes and to a lesser extent in heterozygotes. The purpose of this study
      was to detect the presence of myocardial ischemia, particularly in heterozygotes,
      with stress single-photon emission computed tomography thallium-201 scanning and
      to determine if there were any differentiating variables between heterozygotes
      with normal and abnormal thallium-201 scans. Fifty-four patients (mean age 16
      years; range 8 to 24) with FH were analyzed (4 homozygotes and 50 heterozygotes).
      Eleven heterozygotes and 3 homozygotes had abnormal thallium-201 scans. Family
      history, lipid profile, age and sex of heterozygotes with FH did not predict the
      presence of myocardial ischemia. The mean total cholesterol level in
      heterozygotes with normal thallium-201 scans was 7.68 +/- 2.29 mmol/liter (297
      mg/dl), which was not significantly different from that in heterozygotes with
      abnormal scans (7.63 +/- 1.07 mmol/liter [295 mg/dl]; p = 0.91). The coronary
      angiography of 1 homozygote who had an abnormal thallium-201 scan demonstrated a
      50% stenosis of the left anterior descending artery. Aggressive, repetitive
      plasma exchange was then instituted. The 11 heterozygotes with abnormal thallium
      201 scans underwent more rigorous dietary and drug therapy. It is concluded that
      myocardial ischemia with stress in heterozygotes with FH can occur at a young age
      and that thallium-201 scanning should be performed early as a screening test and
      to guide patient management.

PMID- 1414931
TI  - Changing circadian variation of transient myocardial ischemia during the first
      year after a first acute myocardial infarction.
AB  - In a consecutive series of 123 men (aged 55 +/- 8 years) with a recent first
      acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 24-hour ambulatory ST-segment monitoring was
      performed early after discharge (day 11 +/- 5), 6 months (day 185 +/- 6) and 1
      year (day 368 +/- 8) after AMI. No difference in the prevalence of transient
      myocardial ischemia was found between the 3 recordings (17, 17 and 20%), and most
      ischemic episodes were silent (98, 100 and 97%). In the early postinfarction
      period, a peak of ischemic activity was demonstrated between 6 P.M. and midnight
      (40 of 93 episodes [43%]). Over time, the maximal occurrence of ischemia
      gradually advanced toward the morning hours with a peak activity between 6 A.M.
      and noon at 1-year follow-up (32 of 73 episodes [44%]). Significantly more
      patients (16 of 21 [76%]) had ischemia from 6 P.M. to midnight at discharge
      compared with the findings 1 year later (9 of 23 patients [39%]) (p < 0.03). An
      opposite trend was found regarding patients who exhibited ischemic episodes in
      the hours from 6 A.M. to noon: 10 of 21 patients (48%) early after discharge
      versus 17 of 23 patients (74%) at 1-year follow-up (p = not significant). Results
      from the 6-month recording displayed characteristics between the findings from
      discharge and 1-year ambulatory monitoring. The pathophysiologic processes
      underlying the observations from this study are unknown. The change in circadian
      periodicity could not be explained from differences in heart rate variation
      patterns or medical antianginal treatment among the 3 recordings.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414932
TI  - Usefulness of heavy isometric exercise echocardiography for assessing left
      ventricular wall motion patterns late (> or = 6 months) after acute myocardial
      infarction.
AB  - The aim of this prospective study was to determine the effects of heavy isometric
      exercise on left ventricular (LV) wall motion patterns in patients who have had
      myocardial infarction, and to compare heavy isometric exercise with dynamic
      exercise for competence in eliciting LV wall motion abnormalities at equivalent
      rate-pressure products. Echocardiography was performed in 42 patients during
      supine bicycle ergometry and during heavy dynamometer stretching at 50% of
      maximal voluntary contraction. Systemic vascular resistance increased from 1,484
      to 1,649 dynes s cm-5 (p < 0.05) during isometric exercise, and decreased
      significantly during dynamic exercise. Wall motion abnormalities or new asynergy
      were induced by isometric exercise in 120 segments, 107 of which (89%) showed
      significant stenosis of the perfusing coronary artery. Hypokinesia was the
      dominant pattern in the range of 76 to 90% narrowing; akinesia was dominant at 91
      to 100% narrowing. Wall motion abnormalities were also documented in 13 segments
      (11%) assumed to be supplied by vessels with nonsignificant stenosis. Dyskinesia,
      seen in 7% of the segments, was equally distributed between both groups with
      significant stenosis. Sensitivity and positive predictive value in identifying
      specific coronary vessel disease was similar for both isometric and dynamic
      exercise. In conclusion, heavy isometric exercise in patients who have had
      myocardial infarction induces wall motion abnormalities of a severity
      proportional to the degree of coronary narrowing. This exercise method is similar
      to dynamic exercise for ability in identifying obstructions in a specific vessel.
      Furthermore, when compared at near-equal rate-pressure products, heavy isometric
      exercise is far superior in sensitivity to dynamic exercise.

PMID- 1414933
TI  - Patterns of myoglobin and MM creatine kinase isoforms release early after
      intravenous thrombolysis or direct percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty
      for acute myocardial infarction, and implications for the early noninvasive
      diagnosis of reperfusion.
AB  - Early noninvasive detection of reperfusion after thrombolysis for acute
      myocardial infarction may enable detection of unsuccessful thrombolysis in time
      for rescue percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). It has been
      suggested that repeated measurement of myoglobin or of MM creatine kinase (CK)
      isoforms enables early detection of reperfusion. Twenty consecutive patients with
      acute myocardial infarction treated by intravenous thrombolysis underwent serial
      determination of myoglobin, MM3 and MM1 CK isoforms every 30 minutes after the
      beginning of thrombolysis. At 90 minutes, coronary angiography was performed,
      enabling classification of patients as with (group A) and without (group B)
      reperfusion. A third group of 7 patients (group C) underwent direct PTCA without
      antecedent thrombolysis. In all groups, there were increases in myoglobin,
      percentage of MM3 isoform, and ratio of MM3/MM1. These increases appeared on the
      average steeper and faster in group B, but the large dispersion of values in this
      group resulted in a wide overlap with group A. Retrospective analysis suggests
      that an increase in the MM3/MM1 ratio > 0.35 after 60 minutes is very specific
      for reperfusion (sensitivity 60% and specificity 100%). In group C, PTCA always
      led to a sharp increase in all biochemical parameters measured within 30 minutes.
      Thus, macromolecular markers can be used for very early, noninvasive detection of
      reperfusion with a high specificity. This could help reduce the need for
      emergency angiography to select candidates for rescue PTCA. Furthermore, the
      patterns of biochemical markers of reperfusion differ when reperfusion is
      initiated by either thrombolysis or PTCA.

PMID- 1414934
TI  - Relation of body fat distribution in men and degree of coronary narrowings in
      coronary artery disease.
AB  - This study evaluates the relation between body fat distribution and severity of
      coronary artery disease (CAD). The study sample comprised 33 patients with
      angiographically demonstrated CAD and 10 angiographically normal control
      subjects. Body fat distribution was estimated by computed tomography and degree
      of coronary narrowings by angiographic score. Body weight, body mass index and
      total and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue areas showed no statistical
      differences in the 2 groups; visceral abdominal adipose tissue area and the
      visceral to subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue area ratio were significantly
      higher in patients with CAD (p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation
      between visceral fat and triglycerides, apoprotein B and sum of glucose and
      insulin during glucose oral tolerance test. Sum of insulin during glucose oral
      tolerance test, visceral abdominal adipose tissue area and visceral/subcutaneous
      abdominal adipose tissue area ratio correlated significantly with severity of
      CAD, as evaluated by coronary score in all subjects and in CAD patients alone.
      Stepwise multiple regression analysis using the coronary score as the dependent
      variable and anthropometric and metabolic parameters as independent variables
      shows that in all subjects and in CAD patients alone, visceral/subcutaneous
      abdominal adipose-tissue area ratio entered the regression first and the sum of
      insulin during glucose oral tolerance test second. The results suggest that
      visceral abdominal adipose tissue area and visceral to subcutaneous abdominal
      adipose tissue area ratio may be cardiovascular risk factors.

PMID- 1414935
TI  - Beat-to-beat morphologic variability of the electrocardiogram for the evaluation
      of chest pain in the emergency room.
AB  - The value of electrocardiographic, morphologic variability in the early diagnosis
      of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and myocardial ischemia was evaluated in 49
      nonselected patients presenting to the emergency room with chest pain. High
      resolution electrocardiography was used to determine the morphologic variability
      of consecutive electrocardiographic complexes, and the ratio of the variance of
      the QRS onset to that of the entire electrocardiogram was calculated. A final
      diagnosis of AMI was confirmed in 8 patients, acute coronary insufficiency in 8,
      angina pectoris in 19, and a noncardiac origin for chest pain in 14. Patients
      with AMI had a significantly higher beat-to-beat electrocardiographic morphologic
      variability of the QRS onset (1.4 +/- 0.2) than did those with acute coronary
      insufficiency (1.1 +/- 0.2), angina pectoris (0.9 +/- 0.1) or noncardiac chest
      pain (0.8 +/- 0.1) (p < 0.05). The sensitivity of the clinical presentation,
      typical electrocardiographic changes and creatine phosphokinase levels for the
      diagnosis of an acute ischemic event on admission to the emergency room was 62,
      25 and 37.5%, respectively. Relative variance of the QRS onset of > 0.86 had a
      sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 61% for diagnosing an acute ischemic
      event. Logistic regression of these variables showed that the QRS onset relative
      variability is an independent predictor for an acute ischemic event. It is
      concluded that an increased beat-to-beat electrocardiographic variability in
      patients with AMI is present on admission to the emergency room and may assist in
      establishing the diagnosis in this setting.

PMID- 1414936
TI  - Degrees of coronary arterial narrowing at necropsy in men with large fusiform
      abdominal aortic aneurysm.
AB  - In 27 patients (mean age at death 72 +/- 9 years) with abdominal aortic aneurysm
      (AAA) > or = 5.0 cm in its widest transverse diameter, the amounts of narrowing
      at necropsy in the 4 major (left main, left anterior descending, left circumflex,
      and right) epicardial coronary arteries were determined. During life, 12 of the
      27 patients (44%) had symptoms of myocardial ischemia: angina pectoris alone in
      2, acute myocardial infarction alone in 3, angina pectoris and acute myocardial
      infarction in 5, and sudden coronary death in 2. Ten of the 27 patients (37%)
      died from consequences of myocardial ischemia. Six (22%) died from rupture of the
      AAA. Grossly visible left ventricular necrosis or fibrosis, or both, was present
      in 15 patients (56%). Of the 27 patients, 23 (85%) had narrowing 76 to 100% in
      cross-sectional area of 1 or more major coronary arteries by atherosclerotic
      plaque. The mean number of coronary arteries per patient severely (> 75%)
      narrowed was 2.0 +/- 1.3/4.0. Of the 108 major coronary arteries in the 27
      patients, 55 (51%) were narrowed > 75% in cross-sectional area by plaque. The 4
      major coronary arteries in the 27 patients were divided into 5-mm segments and a
      histologic section, stained by the Movat method, was prepared from each segment.
      The mean percentages of the resulting 1,475 five-mm segments narrowed in cross
      sectional area 0 to 25%, 26 to 50%, 51 to 75%, 76 to 95% and 96 to 100% were 17,
      37, 28, 15 and 3%, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414937
TI  - Amounts of coronary arterial narrowing by atherosclerotic plaque at necropsy in
      patients with lower extremity amputation.
AB  - In 26 patients (mean age at death 68 +/- 9 years) who had undergone amputation
      (at mean age 63 +/- 12 years) of 1 or both lower extremities due to severe
      peripheral arterial atherosclerosis, the amounts of narrowing at necropsy in the
      4 major (left main, left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right)
      epicardial coronary arteries were determined. During life, 15 of the 26 patients
      (58%) had symptoms of myocardial ischemia: angina pectoris alone in 1, acute
      myocardial infarction alone in 5, and angina and/or infarction plus congestive
      heart failure or sudden coronary death in 9. Twelve of the 26 patients (42%) died
      from consequences of myocardial ischemia: acute myocardial infarction in 5,
      sudden coronary death in 3, chronic congestive heart failure in 3, and shortly
      after coronary bypass surgery in 1. Grossly visible left ventricular necrosis or
      fibrosis, or both, was present in 21 patients (81%). Of the 26 patients, 24 (92%)
      had narrowing 76 to 100% in cross-sectional area of 1 or more major coronary
      arteries by atherosclerotic plaque. The mean number of coronary arteries per
      patient severely (> 75%) narrowed was 2.3 +/- 1.0/4.0. Of the 104 major coronary
      arteries in the 26 patients, 60 (58%) were narrowed > 75% in cross-sectional area
      by plaque. The 4 major coronary arteries in the 26 patients were divided into 5
      mm segments and a histologic section, stained by the Movat method, was prepared
      from each segment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1414938
TI  - Morphologic characterization and quantitative assessment of mitral regurgitation
      with ruptured chordae tendineae by transesophageal echocardiography.
AB  - To compare the accuracy of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) with that of
      transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in the detection of morphologic
      characteristics and in the quantitative assessment of the severity of mitral
      regurgitation with ruptured chordae tendineae, 40 patients with ruptured chordae
      tendineae (group 1) and 20 patients with moderate or severe mitral regurgitation
      due to other causes (group 2) were studied. All echocardiograms were recorded
      before cardiac surgery. Cardiac catheterization was performed in 55 patients
      (92%). TEE showed greater sensitivity and negative predictive value than TTE (100
      vs 65%, and 100 vs 56%, respectively; p < 0.005) in the diagnosis of ruptured
      chordae tendineae. Visualization of the ruptured chordae (termed snake-tongue
      sign) was highly sensitive and specific (93 and 95%, respectively) for
      establishing the diagnosis of ruptured chordae tendineae. The severity of mitral
      regurgitation in group 1 patients evaluated by TTE color flow mapping was
      underestimated by 2 grades in 1 patient and by 1 grade in 6 patients, and
      overestimated by 1 grade in 1 patient, compared with left ventriculography. In
      contrast, by TEE color flow mapping it was underestimated by 1 grade in 1 and
      overestimated by 1 grade in 1 patient. TEE color flow mapping showed better
      correlation with angiography than did TTE color flow mapping (r = 0.82 vs r =
      0.49).

PMID- 1414939
TI  - Long-term echocardiographic Doppler monitoring of Hancock bioprostheses in the
      mitral valve position.
AB  - Echocardiographic and Doppler studies were performed in 134 patients with a
      Hancock bioprosthesis in the mitral valve position during a follow-up period of 1
      to 216 months. Among the xenografts, 57% were clinically normal and 43% had
      severe dysfunction. Among the normal bioprostheses, 35% had echocardiographically
      thickened mitral cusps (> or = 3 mm) with normal hemodynamic function; by setting
      the lower 95% confidence limit of valve area at 1.7 cm2 these patients had a
      significantly (p < 0.01) smaller valve area than that of normal control subjects.
      Evaluation of all thickened normal mitral valves showed the highest incidence of
      thickening at 9 years after implantation. Valve replacement surgery was
      subsequently performed in 33 patients with dysfunctioning bioprosthetic and
      echocardiographic diagnosis was confirmed in 91% of explanted valves
      (bioprosthetic stenosis 21%, incompetence 46%, and combined stenosis and
      regurgitation 33%). In 2 valves that were found to be stenotic on
      echocardiographic examination, a calcium-related commissural tear was also
      observed at reoperation, and in another, a paravalvular leak was found.
      Dystrophic calcification, isolated (64%) or occasionally associated with fibrous
      tissue overgrowth (21%), was the main cause of failure. Pannus was present in
      prostheses with longer satisfactory function (168 +/- 31 vs 124 +/- 21 months; p
      < 0.001). Long-term performance was evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier method for up
      to 18 years of follow-up. Freedom from structural valvular disfunction after
      mitral replacement was 89% at 6 years, 77% at 8 years, 56% at 10 years, 31% at 12
      years, 16% at 15 years, and 15% at 18 years.

PMID- 1414940
TI  - A new, noninvasive method to monitor the aging of bioprosthetic valves in the
      mitral position.
AB  - Bioprosthetic valves undergo a tissue degeneration of unpredictable onset and
      amount. This process alters the structure and function of the valve and
      consequently shortens its lifespan. The echocardiographic technique usually used
      in the follow-up of these patients does not provide accurate information
      concerning the amount of prosthesis tissue degeneration. A new technique has been
      developed based on the spectral analysis of the first heart sound, which enables
      the evaluation of prosthetic leaflet stiffness. The Young's modulus (E) and
      stress (s) of the valve leaflets were derived as functions of the inner diameter
      of the heterograft and its primary vibration frequency, which can be obtained
      from the frequency spectrum of the first heart sound. Thirty-six patients with a
      mitral bioprosthetic valve were studied. Fifteen had thickening or calcification,
      or both, of the valvular leaflets at echocardiographic examination. In patients
      with a normal valve, E and s showed a good correlation with the duration of
      implantation (r = 0.909, p < 0.001; and r = 0.828, p < 0.001; respectively).
      Patients with abnormal leaflets had values of E and s that were greater than the
      theoretical values expected for their duration of implantation. The procedure is
      sensitive, accurate and easy to perform, and enables monitoring of the aging of
      the prosthetic valve and early identification of valve tissue degeneration.
      Together with echocardiography, this procedure yields a more complete evaluation
      of prosthetic valves for the follow-up of patients.

PMID- 1414941
TI  - Predictors, mechanisms and outcome of severe mitral regurgitation complicating
      percutaneous mitral valvotomy with the Inoue balloon.
AB  - During 241 consecutive percutaneous mitral valvotomy (PMV) procedures performed
      with the Inoue balloon, 16 patients (6.6%) developed severe mitral regurgitation
      (MR). Baseline clinical, echocardiographic (Doppler mitral valve area and
      Wilkins' score) and hemodynamic data were not different from those of patients
      without this complication. Severe MR occurred during the first inflation in 7
      patients and after several stepwise inflations in 9. Although maximal balloon
      size was similar in both groups, unusual indentations and subvalvular inflations
      were more frequently observed in patients who developed severe MR. Early mitral
      valve replacement was required in 6 patients. All of them had a leaflet rupture
      either along the midportion (2 patients), along a commissure (4 patients), or
      both. Commissural calcium was present in 5 valves and 5 also had severe
      subvalvular involvement that had been underestimated by echocardiography. Of the
      10 nonsurgically treated patients, 4 had chordal rupture by echocardiographic
      criteria, whereas in the remaining 6 the precise mechanism of MR could not be
      determined. During follow-up (11.4 +/- 4 months, range 1 to 30), 1 patient
      required surgery for symptoms and the remaining 9 were symptomatically improved
      and free of left ventricular dilatation. In conclusion, severe MR complicated
      6.6% of PMV procedures with the Inoue balloon, and its mechanism was leaflet or
      chordal rupture. Although one third of the patients required early mitral
      surgery, most of the remaining obtained midterm symptomatic benefit.

PMID- 1414942
TI  - Effects of dobutamine on Gorlin and continuity equation valve areas and valve
      resistance in valvular aortic stenosis.
AB  - Previous studies demonstrated changes in aortic valve area calculated by the
      Gorlin equation under conditions of varying transvalvular flow in patients with
      valvular aortic stenosis (AS). To distinguish between flow-dependence of the
      Gorlin formula and changes in actual orifice area, the Gorlin valve area and 2
      other measures of severity of AS, continuity equation valve area and valve
      resistance, were calculated under 2 flow conditions in 12 patients with AS.
      Transvalvular flow rate was varied by administration of dobutamine. During
      dobutamine infusion, right atrial and left ventricular end-diastolic pressures
      decreased, left ventricular peak systolic pressure and stroke volume increased,
      and systolic arterial pressure did not change. Heart rate increased by 19%,
      cardiac output by 38% and mean aortic valve gradient by 25%. The Gorlin valve
      area increased in all 12 patients by 0.03 to 0.30 cm2. The average Gorlin valve
      area increased from 0.67 +/- 0.05 to 0.79 +/- 0.06 cm2 (p < 0.001). In contrast,
      the continuity equation valve area (calculated in a subset of 6 patients) and
      valve resistance did not change with dobutamine. The data support the conclusion
      that flow-dependence of the Gorlin aortic valve area, rather than an increase in
      actual orifice area, is responsible for the finding that greater valve areas are
      calculated at greater transvalvular flow rates. Valve resistance is a less flow
      dependent means of assessing severity of AS.

PMID- 1414943
TI  - Prognostic implications of subclinical left ventricular dilatation and systolic
      dysfunction in men free of overt cardiovascular disease (the Framingham Heart
      Study).
AB  - To determine the prognostic significance of asymptomatic left ventricular (LV)
      dilatation and LV systolic dysfunction, 1,493 men who were free of symptomatic
      cardiovascular disease underwent M-mode echocardiography and were then followed
      for a mean of 4.15 years. At baseline examination, 170 men (11.4%) had an
      abnormally high end-diastolic LV internal dimension (> or = 56 mm) and 76 (5.1%)
      had an abnormally low fractional shortening (< or = 30%). During the follow-up
      period, 68 men experienced 92 cardiovascular disease events. After adjusting for
      age and traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors in proportional-hazards
      analyses, fractional shortening was a significant independent predictor of
      cardiovascular risk (relative risk [RR] = 1.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12
      to 1.81, for decrease of fractional shortening by 4%). Increased risk was also
      associated with combinations of low fractional shortening and high end-diastolic
      internal dimension (RR = 3.77, 95% CI 1.59 to 8.93) and with low percent
      fractional shortening with LV hypertrophy (RR = 5.93, 95% CI 1.97 to 17.85). In
      conclusion, subclinical LV dilatation and LV systolic dysfunction, although
      uncommon in men free of overt cardiovascular disease, are associated with
      increased risk for new cardiovascular disease events.

PMID- 1414944
TI  - Left ventricular filling abnormalities in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
      and improvement by a short-term glycemic control.
AB  - To determine whether left ventricular (LV) filling abnormalities in diabetes are
      associated with diabetic microangiopathy, and to evaluate the effect of a short
      term glycemic control on the filling abnormalities, diastolic filling dynamics
      were assessed by pulsed Doppler echocardiography in 246 patients with non-insulin
      dependent diabetics. Isovolumic relaxation time and the ratio of peak flow
      velocity of atrial filling wave to peak flow velocity of early filling wave (A/E)
      were significantly greater in diabetic patients than in age- and sex-matched
      control subjects. Diabetic patients with retinopathy had significantly greater
      isovolumic relaxation time and A/E values than those without retinopathy. A/E was
      significantly decreased 1 month after insulin treatment in those without, but not
      with retinopathy. It is concluded that LV diastolic filling is impaired in mildly
      hyperglycemic patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus without
      severe complications, the abnormality being more intense in patients with
      retinopathy. A short-term glycemic control results in a marked decrease in
      abnormalities in patients without, but not with retinopathy.

PMID- 1414945
TI  - Age-related increase in systolic fraction of pulmonary vein flow velocity-time
      integral from transesophageal Doppler echocardiography in subjects without
      cardiac disease.
AB  - The pulmonary vein flow velocity-time profile would be equivalent to the
      pulmonary vein flow volume-time profile, provided that the cross-sectional area
      of the pulmonary vein remains unchanged during 1 cardiac cycle. The systolic
      fraction of the pulmonary vein flow velocity-time integral, a ratio of velocity
      time integral of the S wave to the sum of velocity-time integrals of the S and D
      waves, represents the ratio of left atrial storage volume to left ventricular
      stroke volume. This systolic fraction may help early filling of the left
      ventricle through an appropriate storage of blood and generation of driving
      pressure in the left atrium. Because early filling of the left ventricle is
      progressively impaired with age, it was hypothesized that this systolic fraction
      is increased with age. Forty-four noncardiac surgical patients (age range 17 to
      70 years) who underwent transesophageal Doppler echocardiography under general
      anesthesia were studied, and left upper pulmonary vein flow and mitral inflow
      velocities were recorded. The ratio of peak velocity of the E wave to that of the
      A wave of mitral inflow velocity-time profile (y) decreased with age (y = -0.0245
      x age + 2.41; r = -0.672, p < 0.01). Systolic fraction (y) increased with age (y
      = 0.00373 x age + 0.514; r = 0.656, p < 0.01). The age-related increase in the
      systolic fraction of pulmonary vein flow velocity-time integral may account for
      the compensation for impaired early filling of the left ventricle in elderly
      patients.

PMID- 1414946
TI  - Frequency of long-term lower limb ischemia associated with intraaortic balloon
      pump use.
AB  - Lower limb ischemia is a frequent complication of intraaortic balloon pump (IABP)
      use. The incidence and risk factors for acute ischemia have been well-defined,
      but little is known about long-term ischemic complications. This prospective
      study evaluated the incidence, nature, progression and predisposing factors for
      long-term lower limb ischemia in 151 patients who were previously treated with
      the IABP. These persons were interviewed and their lower extremities examined 12
      to 20 months after undergoing IABP counterpulsation. Limb ischemia, characterized
      primarily by ipsilateral discomfort and diminished pulses, occurred in 18% of
      those evaluated. Evidence of ischemia worsened over time in 14%. Logistic
      regression analysis, which was based on variables found to be significant in
      bivariate analysis, revealed that the occurrence of limb ischemia acutely,
      cardiogenic shock as an indication for IABP insertion, and smoking (at the time
      of hospitalization or having quit < 10 years previously) were risk factors for
      long-term lower limb ischemia. The adjusted odds ratio for acute limb ischemia
      was 8.89 (95% confidence interval 2.80 to 28.21), for cardiogenic shock 3.59 (95%
      confidence interval 1.01 to 12.75), and for smoking 2.87 (95% confidence interval
      1.10 to 7.46). Increasing numbers of patients are undergoing IABP
      counterpulsation and a greater proportion of these are surviving their acute
      event and resuming active lives. It is essential to recognize that detrimental
      consequences of this device can persist long after hospitalization.

PMID- 1414947
TI  - Automated, on-line quantification of left ventricular dimensions and function by
      echocardiography with backscatter imaging and lateral gain compensation.
AB  - To provide on-line quantification of left ventricular cavity dimensions and
      function by echocardiography 60 control subjects and 10 patients with cardiac
      dysfunction were studied. A novel, ultrasound imaging system was used which was
      developed to detect and track, in real time, ventricular endocardial blood
      boundaries based on quantitative assessment of acoustic properties of tissue. In
      addition, lateral gain compensation, a robust and novel image enhancement
      procedure, was used to provide instantaneous measurement and display of cavity
      areas and functional indexes on a beat-by-beat basis within regions of interest
      drawn around the blood pool cavity. In control subjects, short-axis end-diastolic
      area averaged 13.1 +/- 3.7 cm2 (SD), end-systolic area 5.9 +/- 2.7 cm2, and
      fractional area change 55.6 +/- 11.2%. Apical views yielded corresponding values
      of 23.8 +/- 4.5 cm2, 15.5 +/- 3.4 cm2 and 34.7 +/- 7.8%. Instantaneous peak rate
      of cavity area change approximated 50 cm2/s in systole and 60 cm2/s in diastole
      in each view. Serial measurements of area and functional index were reproducible
      over intervals of 2 to 3 weeks. Patients with dilated ventricles exhibited
      average apical view area values of 49.1 +/- 6.1 cm2 and 43.1 +/- 4.9 cm2 in
      diastole and systole with a fractional area change of 12.2 +/- 3.0%. Thus,
      results with on-line echocardiographic backscatter imaging-assisted automated
      edge detection are reproducible and capable of delineating cardiac dysfunction
      conveniently, promptly and serially at the bedside.

PMID- 1414948
TI  - Effects of quinidine and amiodarone on blood pressure during rapid ventricular
      pacing in coronary artery disease.

PMID- 1414949
TI  - Prevalence of atherothrombotic brain infarction, coronary artery disease and
      peripheral arterial disease in elderly blacks, Hispanics and whites.

PMID- 1414950
TI  - Age at onset and gender of patients with different types of supraventricular
      tachycardias.

PMID- 1414951
TI  - Effect of mitral valve repair for mitral valve prolapse on regression of left
      ventricular mass.

PMID- 1414952
TI  - Activation of the coagulation system in women with mitral stenosis and sinus
      rhythm.

PMID- 1414953
TI  - Prevalence of bilateral patent ductus arteriosus in patients with pulmonic valve
      atresia and asplenia syndrome.

PMID- 1414954
TI  - Localized left ventricular aneurysms with normal global function caused by
      myocarditis.

PMID- 1414955
TI  - ST-alternans alternans.

PMID- 1414956
TI  - Tricyclic overdose causing sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia.

PMID- 1414957
TI  - Myocardial respiratory chain enzyme activities in anomalous origin of the left
      main coronary artery from the pulmonary trunk (Bland-White-Garland syndrome) and
      comparison with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease.

PMID- 1414958
TI  - Creatinine arm index as alternative for creatinine height index.
AB  - Nutritional assessment of elderly people is limited due to a lack of age
      corrected standards. The objective of this study was to develop a new, more age
      independent index for nutritional assessment by correcting the creatinine height
      index (CHI) for the age-induced changes in its variables. This might improve the
      differentiation between physiological reduction in muscle mass in elderly people
      and the changes induced by malnutrition. Seventy-four elderly and 100 young
      healthy volunteers were compared by anthropometric and biochemical-assessment
      variables. From the high correlation between total arm length and body length (r
      = 0.86; P less than 0.001) and the use of an alternative formula to calculate
      ideal body weight (IBW) from height and wrist circumference, a relatively age
      independent estimate of IBW was determined. Creatinine arm index, as an adapted
      index of CHI, is proposed based on this age-independent IBW estimation and a
      specific creatinine coefficient for different age groups.

PMID- 1414959
TI  - Dietary fat and body fat: a multivariate study of 205 adult females.
AB  - This study examined the association between diet composition, particularly
      dietary fat intake, and body-fat percentage in 205 adult females. Subjects
      completed a written questionnaire regarding lifestyle factors, such as exercise
      participation and smoking, demographic data, and the diet section of the National
      Cancer Institute's Health Habits and History Questionnaire by Block. Skinfold
      thickness measures were used to ascertain the body-fat percentage of each
      subject. Results showed that intake of dietary fat was related significantly with
      adiposity, without (F = 13.65, R2 = 0.063, P = 0.0003) and with (F = 8.74, R2 =
      0.033, P = 0.0035) control for multiple potential confounding factors: age, total
      energy intake, total exercise time per week, years of regular physical activity,
      consumption of other macronutrients, and smoking. Unlike dietary fat intake,
      protein consumption and carbohydrate intake were not significant individual
      predictors of body-fat percentage when the potential confounding variables were
      controlled. The findings suggest that dietary fat intake may play a role in
      obesity beyond dietary energy content.

PMID- 1414960
TI  - Basal metabolic rate of Colombian children 2-16 y of age: ethnicity and
      nutritional status.
AB  - Measurements of basal metabolic rate (BMR) were made in 528 children 2-16 y of
      age living in underprivileged areas of the city of Cali, Colombia (153 control
      and 186 undernourished boys, 93 control and 96 undernourished girls). The data
      are related to BMR calculated from the equations of Schofield and to estimates of
      the lean body mass (LBM). The ethnic composition of the subjects was 80% mestizo
      (mixed European and South Amerindian ancestry), 15% black, and 5% white. The data
      do not show any variations due to race in these subjects. The Schofield equations
      overestimate the BMR of boys by approximately 6% whereas the estimation of BMR in
      girls is not significantly different from measured values. More than 65% of the
      variation in BMR of both nutritionally normal and undernourished boys and girls
      is explained by variation in body size as estimated by the LBM.

PMID- 1414961
TI  - Body composition, energy utilization, and nitrogen metabolism with a 4.25-MJ/d
      low-energy diet supplemented with pyruvate.
AB  - We measured body composition, energy deficit, and nitrogen metabolism in 14 obese
      women housed in a metabolic ward, who consumed a 4.25-MJ/d liquid diet (68%
      carbohydrate, 22% protein) for 21 d with or without pyruvate (PY; n = 7)
      partially, isoenergetically substituted for glucose (placebo; n = 7). Body
      composition and leucine oxidation and turnover were determined before and after
      weight loss. Energy deficit was calculated from resting metabolic rates. Subjects
      fed pyruvate showed a greater weight loss (PY = 5.9 +/- 0.7 kg, placebo = 4.3 +/-
      0.3 kg, P less than 0.05), fat loss (PY = 4.0 +/- 0.5 kg, placebo = 2.7 +/- 0.2
      kg, P less than 0.05), kg wt loss/4.25-MJ deficit (PY = 0.22 +/- 0.01 kg, placebo
      = 0.17 +/- 0.01 kg, P less than 0.05, and kg fat loss/4.25-MJ deficit (PY = 0.15
      +/- 0.01 kg, placebo = 0.11 +/- 0.01 kg, P less than 0.05). Nitrogen balance
      (urine and stool) and leucine oxidation and turnover were similar in both groups.
      We conclude that the dietary modification whereby the three-carbon compound
      pyruvate is isoenergetically substituted for the six-carbon compound glucose in a
      4.25-MJ/d, low-energy diet will increase fat and weight loss.

PMID- 1414962
TI  - Body composition, nitrogen metabolism, and energy utilization with feeding of
      mildly restricted (4.2 MJ/d) and severely restricted (2.1 MJ/d) isonitrogenous
      diets.
AB  - To determine the effects on weight loss of feeding isonitrogenous diets in mildly
      restricted (4.2 MJ/d) and severely restricted (2.1 MJ/d) amounts, we measured
      body composition, weight loss-energy deficit ratio, and nitrogen metabolism in 14
      obese women housed in a metabolic ward consuming hypoenergetic diets for 21 d.
      Subjects consumed either a 4.2-MJ/d diet (50 g protein, 175 g carbohydrate) or a
      2.1-MJ/d diet (50 g protein, 75 g carbohydrate). Body composition and leucine
      oxidation and turnover were determined before and after weight loss. Energy
      deficit was calculated from resting metabolic rates. Subjects fed the 2.1-MJ/d
      diet showed a greater weight loss (6.1 +/- 0.5 vs 4.5 +/- 0.5 kg; mean +/- SE, P
      less than 0.05) and fat loss (3.9 +/- 0.3 vs 3.0 +/- 0.3 kg, P less than 0.05).
      Weight loss-energy deficit ratio was the same with both diets. Nitrogen balance
      and leucine oxidation and turnover were similar in both groups. We conclude that
      with feeding of isonitrogenous hypoenergetic diets, severe restriction of energy
      content (2.1 MJ/d, 75 g carbohydrate) will enhance weight and fat loss without
      increasing nitrogen loss compared with mild restriction of energy (4.2 MJ/d).

PMID- 1414963
TI  - Metabolic response to experimental overfeeding in lean and overweight healthy
      volunteers.
AB  - Possible adaptive mechanisms that may defend against weight gain during periods
      of excessive energy intake were investigated by overfeeding six lean and three
      overweight young men by 50% above baseline requirements with a mixed diet for 42
      d [6.2 +/- 1.9 MJ/d (mean +/- SD), or a total of 265 +/- 45 MJ]. Mean weight gain
      was 7.6 +/- 1.6 kg (58 +/- 18% fat). The energy cost of tissue deposition (28.7
      +/- 4.4 MJ/kg) matched the theoretical cost (26.0 MJ/kg). Basal metabolic rate
      (BMR) increased by 0.9 +/- 0.4 MJ/d and daily energy expenditure assessed by
      whole-body calorimetry (CAL EE) increased by 1.8 +/- 0.5 MJ/d. Total free-living
      energy expenditure (TEE) measured by doubly labeled water increased by 1.4 +/-
      2.0 MJ/d. Activity and thermogenesis (computed as CAL EE--BMR and TEE--BMR)
      increased by only 0.9 +/- 0.4 and 0.9 +/- 2.1 MJ/d, respectively. All outcomes
      were consistent with theoretical changes due to the increased fat-free mass, body
      weight, and energy intake. There was no evidence of any active energy-dissipating
      mechanisms.

PMID- 1414964
TI  - Gastric capacity, gastric emptying, and test-meal intake in normal and bulimic
      women.
AB  - The role of the stomach in regulating appetite in bulimia nervosa was examined.
      Subjects were nine normal and nine bulimic women of similar age, height, and
      weight. Gastric capacity was estimated by filling a balloon in the stomach. The
      mean stomach capacity of bulimic subjects was significantly larger than that of
      normal subjects, as revealed by the larger balloon volume tolerated (P less than
      0.01) and by the larger volume needed to produce a 5 cm H2O increase in
      intragastric pressure (P = 0.07). The intake of a liquid meal was also
      significantly larger for the bulimic subjects. Gastric-emptying rate of a liquid
      meal was significantly delayed in the bulimic subjects during the initial 5-15
      min. In all subjects, test-meal intake correlated significantly with gastric
      capacity (r = 0.53). In the bulimic subjects, self-reported binge intake (J) also
      correlated significantly with gastric capacity (r = 0.75). Binge eating in
      bulimic subjects may enlarge gastric capacity, which could then promote even
      larger binges through positive feedback.

PMID- 1414965
TI  - A 24-h energy expenditure study on reduced-obese and nonobese women: effect of
      beta-blockade.
AB  - Twenty-four-hour energy expenditure (EE) and substrate oxidation rates were
      studied in a respiration chamber in 15 reduced-obese (BMI = 24.7) and 8 nonobese
      (BMI = 20.1) women. Two experiments were performed, one in which beta-blockade
      was introduced by propranolol and one with placebo. When adjusted for differences
      in fat-free mass, no difference in 24-h EE was found between the reduced-obese
      and nonobese groups in placebo experiments. Propranolol reduced 24-h EE by 2.7%
      in the reduced-obese group whereas no reduction was seen in the nonobese group. A
      positive correlation was found between fasting glycerol concentration and lipid
      oxidation. During daytime, lipid oxidation was reduced and carbohydrate oxidation
      increased by propranolol only in the nonobese subjects. Propranolol reduced
      fasting glycerol and free fatty acid concentrations in both groups. Beta-blockade
      seems to have little effect on sedentary 24-h EE but may have a suppressing
      effect on lipid combustion.

PMID- 1414966
TI  - Comparison of the effects on lipoproteins and apolipoproteins of a diet high in
      monounsaturated fatty acids, enriched with avocado, and a high-carbohydrate diet.
AB  - A randomized trial was conducted to compare effects of a diet high in
      monounsaturated fatty acids, enriched with avocado (AE), and a high-complex
      carbohydrate diet (AHA-III) on blood lipid concentrations. Fifteen females
      between 37 and 58 y of age were allocated either to AE followed by AHA-III, or
      vice versa. Each dietary phase lasted 3 wk. Both diets were found to lower total
      cholesterol compared with baseline values. AE was more effective, with an 8.2%
      decrease (P less than 0.05) whereas AHA-III was associated with a 4.9% decrease
      (NS). Low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B decreased
      significantly on AE but not on AHA-III (P less than 0.05). The high-density
      lipoprotein (HDL) concentration did not change on AE but decreased 13.9% on AHA
      III (P less than 0.01). It is concluded that AE is more effective than is AHA-III
      in decreasing total cholesterol, and, unlike AHA-III, it does not decrease HDL
      concentrations.

PMID- 1414967
TI  - Comparative effects of a recommended lipid-lowering diet vs a diet rich in
      monounsaturated fatty acids on serum lipid profiles in healthy young adults.
AB  - This crossover study investigated the effects of two fat-reduced diets, one rich
      in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), the other rich in polyunsaturated fatty
      acids (PUFAs), on serum lipid profiles in 38 healthy young adults initially on a
      typical western diet. After being randomly assigned to two groups, the subjects
      received the MUFA or PUFA diet for 3-wk and then the other diet for 3 wk. Both
      test diets led to significant reductions in serum cholesterol, LDL cholesterol,
      and HDL cholesterol (P less than 0.001). Both reduced apolipoprotein B (P less
      than 0.001) and apolipoprotein A-I concentrations (P less than 0.01 for the MUFA,
      P less than 0.001 for the PUFA diet). Apolipoprotein A-I was significantly higher
      on the MUFA than on the PUFA diet. The ratio of apolipoprotein A-I to B
      significantly increased on both diets. Thus, a low-fat, MUFA-rich diet is as
      effective as a low-fat, PUFA-rich diet in lowering total and LDL cholesterol, but
      both also lowered HDL cholesterol concentrations. The MUFA-rich diet may be more
      advantageous than the PUFA-rich one because it does not lower apolipoprotein A-I
      concentrations as much as the PUFA-rich diet.

PMID- 1414968
TI  - Effect of beta-carotene supplementation on photosuppression of delayed-type
      hypersensitivity in normal young men.
AB  - The aim of this study was to examine whether beta-carotene protects against the
      immunosuppression seen with long-wave ultraviolet-light (UV-A) exposure. Free
      living, healthy men, aged 19-39 y received 30 mg beta-carotene/d or a placebo
      while on a single-menu, low-carotenoid diet. After 28 d all subjects received 12
      exposures to a UV-A/B light source over a 16-d period. The total UV-A dose
      received ranged from 15.9 to 19.3 J/cm2. The total shorter-wave ultraviolet-light
      (UV-B) dose varied from 1.59 to 1.96 J/cm2. Follow-up continued for 21 d.
      Carotenoid assays and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) tests were performed at
      baseline, pre-UV, post-UV, and after follow-up. The DTH-test responses were
      significantly suppressed in the placebo group after UV treatments. The
      suppression was inversely related to plasma beta-carotene concentrations in this
      group. There was no significant suppression of DTH test responses in the beta
      carotene group. It is concluded that beta-carotene protects against
      photosuppression of immune function.

PMID- 1414969
TI  - Prediction of iron absorption based on iron status of female blood donors.
AB  - Iron stores were assessed in 27 postmenopausal healthy women who donated five
      units of blood (approximately 485 mL/unit) over approximately 1 y. The mean (+/-
      SD) age was 67.7 +/- 4.0 y and the average time between successive blood
      donations was approximately 10 wk (range 8-30 wk). Steady-state iron stores at
      entrance were 10.59 +/- 3.88 mg/kg body wt (mean +/- SD) and declined to 1.03 +/-
      3.20 mg/kg by the fifth donation. Determination of iron stores was based on
      biochemical measures of iron status at each donation. Iron intakes were 23.3 +/-
      10.1 mg/d. From these data we developed equations that can be used to predict the
      frequency at which healthy postmenopausal women can donate blood without becoming
      iron deficient. The ability of elderly women to become successful blood donors
      depends primarily on initial iron stores, iron intake, and frequency of donation.
      Women with low steady-state iron stores may be able to donate only two times per
      year without becoming iron deficient.

PMID- 1414970
TI  - Axial and peripheral bone density and nutrient intakes of postmenopausal
      vegetarian and omnivorous women.
AB  - The study investigated whether differences exist between postmenopausal Caucasian
      vegetarian and omnivorous women regarding trabecular and cortical bone density
      measured with single- and dual-photon absorptiometry. Anthropometric
      measurements, blood and urine samples, and food intakes of the twenty-eight
      matched pairs were also compared. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated no
      significant differences in bone measurements between vegetarians and omnivores at
      any sites except the skull. The vegetarians' serum globulin and total protein
      measured higher. Urine calcium and creatinine were similar between the groups.
      The vegetarians consumed greater quantities of carbohydrate, fiber, magnesium,
      ascorbic acid, copper, and energy as percent carbohydrate, and lower quantities
      of protein, niacin, alcohol, vitamin B-12, cholesterol, and energy as percent
      protein. Despite several differences in dietary intakes, the results indicate
      that neither cortical nor trabecular bone density in these postmenopausal women
      was affected by a lactoovovegetarian diet.

PMID- 1414971
TI  - Dietary patterns, eating behaviors, and bone mineral density in women runners.
AB  - Although reduced gonadal steroid hormone concentrations appear to play a major
      role in lower trabecular bone mineral density (BMD) in women with athletic
      amenorrhea, dietary deficiencies and eating behaviors may also affect BMD in
      women runners. To investigate this possibility, dietary patterns (7-d records),
      eating-disorders inventory (EDI), and BMD were examined in nine nonrunning
      eumenorrheic control (Contl) and 32 women runners classified as eumenorrheic (n =
      19, Eumen) and oligo/amenorrheic (a group in which some were oligomenorrheic and
      some were amenorrheic; Ol/Am, n = 13). Runner groups had similar
      cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, and training characteristics. Lumbar
      spine BMD was lower in the Ol/Am runners (-12%, P less than 0.05) but proximal
      femur BMD did not differ. Dietary intake and EDI subscale scores were similar
      among the groups. However, there was an inverse trend between EDI subscale scores
      for bulimia and ineffectiveness and femoral BMD in the Ol/Am runners (r = -0.62
      to -0.71, P less than 0.05). These results suggest that self-reported dietary
      intake and/or eating behaviors do not predict reproductive-function alterations
      in women runners, but eating behaviors may be associated with lower BMD in Ol/Am
      runners.

PMID- 1414972
TI  - Blood glucose and insulin responses to different meals in non-insulin-dependent
      diabetic subjects of both sexes.
AB  - The influence of sex on glucose and insulin responses in patients with non
      insulin-dependent diabetes was studied in 12 men and 11 matched women. Two meals
      of either 100 g white bread or 60 g (raw weight) white rice were given. Blood
      glucose response areas to white bread (517 vs 509 mmol/L) and to rice (306 vs 353
      mmol/L) over a 300-min observation period were similar in females and males,
      respectively. Insulin responses showed an identical pattern to that of glucose in
      females and males--35784 vs 28230 pmol/L after white bread and 28044 vs 19464
      pmol/L min after rice (NS) over a 300-min observation period, respectively.
      Within the two study groups, blood glucose-response areas to white bread were
      significantly higher than those to rice (P less than 0.05), whereas there were no
      differences in insulin-response areas within or between the two groups. The
      glycemic index of rice for females (62 +/- 9; mean +/- SE) and males (66 +/- 5)
      was similar.

PMID- 1414973
TI  - Value of Food and Agriculture Organization data on food-balance sheets as a data
      source for dietary fat intake in epidemiologic studies.
AB  - The relationships between the per person supply (expressed as percent of total
      energy supply) of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids
      (MUFAs), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) obtained from 1979-1981 Food and
      Agriculture Organization (FAO) data, and the per person intake obtained from 52
      individual dietary surveys performed in 19 countries, were examined. In
      particular, the ratio of PUFAs to SFAs (P:S) and the ratio of unsaturated fatty
      acids (MUFAs and PUFAs) to SFAs (U:S) obtained from both data sources were
      examined. Significant correlations (P less than 0.001) were found between the two
      data sources for the P:S, U:S, SFAs, and MUFAs and PUFAs (P less than 0.02) in 19
      countries. It is concluded that the data on fat intake from the FAO are valid for
      use in epidemiologic studies. In view of the variability of the data, it is
      recommended to use them either expressed as percentage of energy or as ratios of
      the different components.

PMID- 1414974
TI  - Herman Award Lecture, 1992: lipid nutrition--a personal perspective.
AB  - In the 1950s excess dietary fat was thought to be a risk factor for development
      of atherosclerosis. Over the ensuing years we have examined and given advice
      concerning first, saturation and unsaturation, and later, specific fatty acids
      such as oleic and stearic acids. Current work is further refining the delineation
      of fatty acids that might be harmful. Eventually, we will probably again cite
      excess fat as the problem.

PMID- 1414975
TI  - McCollum Award Lecture, 1992: vitamin A absorption, transport, cellular uptake,
      and storage.
AB  - We discuss vitamin A with emphasis on its absorption, transport, cellular uptake,
      storage, and intracellular metabolism. Dietary retinyl esters are hydrolyzed to
      retinol in the intestinal lumen before absorption by enterocytes. Carotenoids are
      absorbed and then partially converted to retinol in the enterocytes. In
      enterocytes retinol is esterified before incorporation into chylomicrons together
      with triacylglycerols. Chylomicrons reach the general circulation by way of the
      intestinal lymph, and chylomicron remnants are formed in the blood capillaries.
      The remnants, which contain almost all the absorbed retinol, are cleared by the
      liver parenchymal cells, and to some extent also by cells in blood, bone marrow,
      adipose tissue, and spleen. The uptake is most probably mediated via surface
      receptors for low-density lipoproteins or a low-density lipoprotein-receptor
      related protein. In the liver parenchymal cells the retinyl esters are rapidly
      hydrolyzed to retinol, which binds to retinol-binding protein. Normally, most of
      the absorbed retinol coming into the liver parenchymal cell is transferred on
      retinol-binding protein to stellate cells, which store retinol as retinyl esters
      in lipid droplets.

PMID- 1414976
TI  - National Dairy Council Award for Excellence in Medical/Dental Nutrition Education
      Lecture, 1992: perspectives on nutrition in medical education.

PMID- 1414977
TI  - Weight cycling and cardiovascular risk in obese men and women.

PMID- 1414978
TI  - Why is the Food and Drug Administration interested in dietary fatty acids and
      thrombosis?

PMID- 1414980
TI  - Does a prethrombotic state exist? If so, what is it?

PMID- 1414979
TI  - What is the historical background of research on the role of fatty acids in
      thrombosis?

PMID- 1414981
TI  - Why is platelet activation useful for assessing thrombotic risk? What are the
      advantages and limitations of using flow cytometry to measure platelet
      activation?

PMID- 1414982
TI  - Why is lipoprotein(a) relevant to thrombosis?

PMID- 1414983
TI  - What are current approaches to studying lipoprotein metabolism as it relates to
      thrombosis?

PMID- 1414984
TI  - Can changes in dietary fatty acid intake lead to changes in physiologic responses
      related to thrombosis?

PMID- 1414985
TI  - What is the metabolic fate of dietary long-chain fatty acids (especially stearic
      acid) in normal physiological states, and how might this relate to thrombosis?

PMID- 1414986
TI  - Do dietary fatty acids affect the biophysics of platelet-membrane function in
      thrombosis?

PMID- 1414987
TI  - What are the effects of dietary fatty acid modification on platelet eicosanoid
      metabolism, platelet-activating factor, and platelet function? How might these
      metabolic alterations influence thrombosis?

PMID- 1414988
TI  - Do dietary fatty acids cause endothelial activation? How might endothelial
      activation contribute to thrombogenesis?

PMID- 1414989
TI  - Do dietary fatty acids affect endothelial cell production of growth factors? How
      might these factors relate to thrombogenesis?

PMID- 1414990
TI  - Do dietary fatty acids affect intra- and intercellular signalling? How might
      these processes affect thrombosis?

PMID- 1414991
TI  - Do dietary fatty acids affect the interactions among macrophages, endothelial
      lesions, and thrombosis?

PMID- 1414992
TI  - What are the abnormal responses in the arterial wall of individuals with
      atherosclerosis? Does evidence exist linking dietary fatty acids to these
      responses?

PMID- 1414993
TI  - What are the abnormal thrombotic responses in the clotting system of individuals
      with atherosclerosis? Are these responses genetically determined or adaptations
      to the disease state?

PMID- 1414994
TI  - Which surrogate endpoints are valid for assessing thrombotic tendency?

PMID- 1414995
TI  - Do dietary fatty acids affect platelet aggregation and arterial thrombosis
      tendency in a rat model?

PMID- 1414996
TI  - What are the effects of dietary n-3 fatty acids on vascular thrombus and lesion
      formation in nonhuman primates?

PMID- 1414997
TI  - Do dietary fatty acids affect the composition of the fatty acids of platelets and
      platelet function?

PMID- 1414998
TI  - What is the clinical evidence for a thrombogenic potential of dietary long-chain
      fatty acids?

PMID- 1414999
TI  - What is the epidemiologic evidence for the thrombogenic potential of dietary long
      chain fatty acids?

PMID- 1415000
TI  - Relationship of catecholamine excretion to body size, obesity, and nutrient
      intake in middle-aged and elderly men.
AB  - Catecholamine release from sympathetic nerves and the adrenal medulla is
      influenced by diet under controlled research conditions. To test whether diet
      affects catecholamine excretion in free-living men, the urinary content of
      dopamine (DA), epinephrine (Epi), or norepinephrine (NE) was measured in 24-h
      collections provided by 572 participants of the Normative Aging Study of the
      Veterans Administration. Average daily intakes of energy and macronutrients were
      assessed by means of a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire and sodium
      intake by quantitation of sodium excretion. Catecholamine excretion was also
      examined in relation to anthropometric variables. Because DA and Epi excretion
      were inversely related to age, all subsequent analyses included adjustments for
      age. Although DA and NE were positively related to measures of body size and
      fatness, Epi was negatively related to body fatness. Excretion rates of all three
      catecholamines were directly related to total energy intake and inversely related
      to energy-adjusted CHO consumption.

PMID- 1415001
TI  - Is the impedance index (ht2/R) significant in predicting total body water?
AB  - We investigated the general utility of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and
      the implications of BIA theory in populations of various ages from infancy to
      adulthood by developing a single impedance equation. Four subject data sets
      representing 62 adults, 37 prepubertal children, 44 preschool children, and 32
      premature low-birth-weight neonates were combined. Subjects were randomly divided
      into a development group (n = 116) and a cross-validation group (n = 59). The
      single best predictor of total body water (TBW) was height2/resistance (ht2/R),
      which explained 99% of the variation in TBW (SEE = 1.67 kg). The addition of
      weight reduced the SEE to 1.41 kg. A significant bias was only seen in the
      preschool children. These results were confirmed in the cross-validation group
      and the best prediction formula was TBW = 0.59 ht2/R + 0.065 wt + 0.04. We
      conclude that the impedance index (ht2/R) is a significant predictor of TBW and
      that there is some improvement in prediction of TBW by inclusion of a weight
      term.

PMID- 1415002
TI  - Lean-body-mass composition and resting energy expenditure before and after long
      term overfeeding.
AB  - This report deals with the association between the constituents of lean body mass
      (LBM) and resting metabolic rate (RMR) before and after a 100-d overfeeding
      period. Computed-tomography (CT) scan of 22 young adult males at nine different
      body levels were used to estimate adipose tissue mass (ATMCT), LBMCT, skeletal
      muscle mass (SMMCT), and non-muscular LBMCT (NM-LBMCT). Before overfeeding, all
      body constituents, except ATMCT, were significantly correlated with RMR. Only
      body mass changes were significantly correlated with RMR changes. Comparison of
      these results with those of several studies in the literature reveals that the
      relationship between RMR and fat-free mass is highly influenced by the size of
      the SD for the latter variable. In stepwise-multiple-regression analysis, only
      SMMCT could be used to predict RMR. It was concluded that SMMCT and ATMCT, but
      not NM-LBMCT, increased during overfeeding and that the best correlates of RMR
      remain LBMCT, SMMCT, and body mass.

PMID- 1415003
TI  - Prediction of resting energy expenditure from fat-free mass and fat mass.
AB  - On the basis of literature values, the relationship between fat-free mass (FFM),
      fat mass (FM), and resting energy expenditure [REE (kJ/24 h)] was determined for
      213 adults (86 males, 127 females). The objectives were to develop a mathematical
      model to predict REE based on body composition and to evaluate the contribution
      of FFM and FM to REE. The following regression equations were derived: 1) REE =
      1265 + (93.3 x FFM) (r2 = 0.727, P < 0.001); 2) REE = 1114 + (90.4 x FFM) + (13.2
      x FM) (R2 = 0.743, P < 0.001); and 3) REE = (108 x FFM) + (16.9 x FM) (R2 =
      0.986, P < 0.001). FM explained only a small part of the variation remaining
      after FFM was accounted for. The models that include both FFM and FM are useful
      in examination of the changes in REE that occur with a change in both the FFM and
      FM. To account for more of the variability in REE, FFM will have to be divided
      into organ mass and skeletal muscle mass in future analyses.

PMID- 1415004
TI  - Overfeeding and energy expenditure in humans.
AB  - The effect of overfeeding on energy expenditure was investigated in 23 young men
      subjected to a 353-MJ energy intake surplus over 100 d. The major part of this
      excess (222 MJ) was stored as body energy. The increase in energy cost of weight
      maintenance amounted to 52 MJ and was proportional to body weight gain. When it
      was added to the obligatory cost of fat and fat-free mass gains, the overall
      increase in energy expenditure amounted to a mean of 100 MJ. Four months after
      overfeeding, subjects had lost 82%, 74%, and 100% of the overfeeding gain in body
      weight, fat mass, and fat-free mass, respectively. We conclude that 1) in
      response to overfeeding, two-thirds of the excess energy intake is stored as body
      energy; 2) overfeeding induces an increase in energy cost of weight maintenance
      proportional to body weight gain, and 3) preoverfeeding energy balance tends to
      be restored when nonobese individuals return to their normal daily-life habits.

PMID- 1415005
TI  - Weight gain in adolescents during pregnancy: rate related to birth-weight
      outcome.
AB  - This study of 459 subjects from prenatal clinics for teenagers at three
      universities across the United States, addresses questions about gestational
      weight gain in adolescents raised by the 1990 Institute of Medicine Report. Rate
      and pattern of gain, independent of pregravid weight, are based on serial
      measures of mothers with favorable and unfavorable outcomes. Rate of gain
      (determined by using regression statistics) from weeks 15 to 40 was 0.588, 0.510,
      and 0.488 kg/wk for mothers of term infants weighing 3000-4000 g, term infants
      weighing < 3000 g, and preterm infants, respectively. The significantly lower
      percentage of infants weighing 3000-4000 g vs < 3000 g needing intensive care at
      birth (6% vs 15%, respectively, P < 0.05) further indicates the superior outcome
      among mothers with higher rates of gain. Rate of gain of mothers of infants
      weighing 3000-4000 g (favorable outcome) equaled the highest amount provisionally
      recommended, suggesting that restricting natural gain of adolescents to
      recommended rates may result in smaller than optimal infants.

PMID- 1415006
TI  - Energy intake, energy expenditure, and body composition of poor rural Philippine
      women throughout the first 6 mo of lactation.
AB  - Between 6 and 30 wk postpartum, body weight and body-fat mass of 40 healthy,
      rural, lactating Filipino women decreased by 1.5 (P < 0.05) and 0.7 kg (P <
      0.05), respectively. Energy intake decreased slightly (NS) from 8.84 +/- 2.05
      MJ/d (2113 +/- 489 kcal/d; mean +/- SD) at 6 wk to 8.67 +/- 2.37 MJ/d (2073 +/-
      566 kcal/d) at 30 wk. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) remained unchanged throughout
      lactation, and physical-activity level increased significantly (P < 0.05) from
      1.61 +/- 0.17 x BMR at 6 wk to 1.97 +/- 0.18 x BMR at 30 wk. Energy intakes at 6
      and 30 wk of lactation were 1.02 and 0.77 MJ/d (244 and 185 kcal/d) higher (P <
      0.05), respectively, than in early pregnancy. At ages 1-6 mo, mean weights and
      lengths of mainly breast-fed infants had Z scores between 0 and -1. By using the
      growth patterns of the breast-fed infants as proxy indicators for adequacy of
      lactational performance, this study suggests that present recommended energy
      intakes for lactation are too high for healthy Filipino women who show adequate
      lactational performance.

PMID- 1415007
TI  - Plasma lipids and lipoproteins during 6 d of maintenance feeding with long-chain,
      medium-chain, and mixed-chain triglycerides.
AB  - This study assessed fasting plasma lipids and lipoproteins and postprandial
      plasma lipids in healthy male subjects fed liquid-formula diets containing 40% of
      total energy as long-chain (LCT, primarily C18:1 and C18:2), medium-chain (MCT,
      C8:0-C10:0), or mixed-chain (structured lipid, STL, mostly C8:0, C10:0, and
      C22:0) triglycerides for 6 d. None of the diets altered plasma cholesterol
      concentrations. HDL cholesterol was decreased 14% by the STL diet (P < 0.044) and
      15% by the MCT diet (P < 0.004) but was unchanged by the LCT diet. Plasma
      triglycerides were elevated 42% by the MCT diet (P < 0.006), but were unaltered
      by either the STL or LCT diets. Neither the STL nor the MCT diets produced
      changes in fasting lipoprotein lipid composition; however, during the LCT diet,
      VLDLs became enriched in triglyceride and LDLs became enriched in cholesterol.
      Postprandial triglyceridemia was significantly greater after subjects consumed
      the LCT diet than it was after they consumed either the STL or MCT diets, which
      were similar. Short-term feeding of MCT and STL diets produces significant
      changes in lipid metabolism. An understanding of the long-term effects of these
      diets awaits further study.

PMID- 1415009
TI  - Leucine kinetics after a brief fast and in response to feeding in premature
      infants.
AB  - To examine how feeding affects changes in leucine and protein metabolism, leucine
      kinetics were determined in nine preterm infants (32 +/- 2 wk gestation; mean +/-
      SD) after a brief fast and again during hourly feedings. Rates of leucine
      oxidation were similar during the fasting and feeding periods (31 +/- 4 vs 37 +/-
      6 mumol.kg-1.h-1; mean +/- SE). The nonoxidative disposal rates of leucine (a
      reflection of protein synthesis) were also similar during both periods (228 +/-
      20 vs 205 +/- 10 mumol.kg-1.h-1; mean +/- SE). In contrast, the rates of leucine
      release from endogenous protein (an indication of protein breakdown) were
      significantly reduced by feeding (259 +/- 23 vs 185 +/- 11 mumol.kg-1.h-1; mean
      +/- SE, P = 0.02). A significant positive correlation was demonstrated between
      the fasting rate of leucine release from endogenous protein and the degree of
      suppression produced by feeding (r2 = 0.796, P = 0.001). Conversely, a
      significant inverse correlation was shown between the nonoxidative disposal rate
      of leucine during fasting and the increase in response to feeding (r2 = 0.848, P
      < 0.001). These data suggest that premature infants respond to feeding after a
      brief fast by suppressing protein breakdown, rather than by increasing protein
      synthesis, and changes in protein metabolism produced by feeding in premature
      newborns may be influenced by the prevailing rates of protein breakdown and
      synthesis during fasting.

PMID- 1415008
TI  - Comparison of effects of lauric acid and palmitic acid on plasma lipids and
      lipoproteins.
AB  - The effects of lauric acid (C12:0) on plasma lipids and lipoproteins were
      compared with the effects of palmitic acid (C16:0) and oleic acid (C18:1) in a
      metabolic-diet study of 14 men by using liquid-formula diets fed for 3 wk each in
      random order. Lauric acid was supplied in a synthetic high-lauric oil, palmitic
      acid was provided by palm oil and oleic acid in oleic-rich sunflower seed oil.
      The high-lauric oil resulted in higher concentrations of plasma total cholesterol
      (4.94 +/- 0.75 mmol/L [mean +/- SE]) and LDL cholesterol (3.70 +/- 0.57 mmol/L)
      when compared with high-oleic sunflower oil (4.44 +/- 0.54 and 3.31 +/- 0.44
      mmol/L, respectively), but did not raise total and LDL cholesterol concentrations
      as much as did palm oil (5.17 +/- 0.65 and 3.93 +/- 0.51 mmol/L, respectively).
      No differences were noted in plasma triglycerides or HDL cholesterol. Lauric acid
      raises total and LDL cholesterol concentrations compared with oleic acid, but is
      not as potent for increasing cholesterol concentrations as is palmitic acid.

PMID- 1415010
TI  - Vitamin B-6 depletion followed by repletion with animal- or plant-source diets
      and calcium and magnesium metabolism in young women.
AB  - An 84-98-d study was conducted in young women to determine the effect of vitamin
      B-6-deficient diets on calcium and magnesium metabolism. A vitamin B-6-deficient
      formula diet fed initially was followed by either animal- or plant-source protein
      food diets containing four increasing amounts of vitamin B-6. Calcium balance was
      negative during vitamin B-6 depletion. Serum calcium was higher and calcium
      balance negative with the plant protein diets. Magnesium balance was negative
      during vitamin B-6 depletion due to increased urinary magnesium excretion.
      Urinary calcium decreased during vitamin B-6 depletion and increased as dietary
      vitamin B-6 increased. Urinary oxalate was significantly higher at the end than
      at the beginning of vitamin B-6 depletion and was higher with plant than animal
      protein diets. The results suggest that vitamin B-6 depletion may alter calcium
      and magnesium metabolism and that dietary components associated with the protein
      source may influence calcium retention.

PMID- 1415011
TI  - Sex differences in postabsorptive plasma vitamin A transport.
AB  - This study examined postabsorptive plasma vitamin A after doses of retinyl
      palmitate in healthy men (n = 28) and women (n = 31). On consecutive days one
      physiologic [3000 retinol equivalents (RE)] and one pharmacologic dose (105,000
      RE) were administered and blood samples collected. Plasma retinol and retinyl
      esters were measured by HPLC. Tolerance curves were constructed by plotting
      plasma retinyl ester concentration vs time. Postprandial retinyl ester response
      was measured as peak rise in retinyl ester concentration and area under the curve
      (AUC). Peak plasma retinyl ester concentration occurred earlier for females but
      the earlier peak was significant only for younger subjects (< or = 50 y, P <
      0.02) given the low dose and older subjects (> 50 y, P < 0.02) given the high
      dose. Peak rise and AUC were lower in females than in males, but this difference
      was significant for the high dose only (P < 0.05). In the high-dose experiment,
      when each age group was evaluated for sex differences the peak rise was
      significantly greater in males than in females in the older subjects (P < 0.05).
      Postabsorptive plasma retinol did not change from fasting concentrations. A lower
      plasma response in retinyl esters in women could be due to a more efficient
      chylomicron-remnant clearance.

PMID- 1415012
TI  - Interactions among dietary manganese, heme iron, and nonheme iron in women.
AB  - The relationship among dietary intake of heme iron, nonheme iron, and manganese
      on indexes of hematological and nutritional status in regard to manganese of 47
      women consuming their typical diets was investigated. Increasing dietary iron
      intake, by consuming more nonheme iron in the diet, had questionable effects on
      hematological status (hematocrit values and ferritin and transferrin
      concentrations) and negative effects on nutritional status in regard to manganese
      (serum manganese, urine manganese, and lymphocyte manganese-dependent superoxide
      dismutase activity). In contrast, heme-iron intake was positively correlated with
      hematological status and had no consistent effect on nutritional status in regard
      to manganese. Differences in dietary manganese intake had no consistent effect on
      indices of manganese or iron status, possibly because foods that contain
      significant amounts of manganese (green vegetables, breads, and cereals) often
      contain significant amounts of nonheme iron. Thus, increasing dietary manganese
      intake by consuming these foods is apt to have limited impact on manganese status
      because of the interaction between nonheme iron and manganese.

PMID- 1415013
TI  - Selenium status in patients with Crohn's disease.
AB  - Twenty-seven of 66 patients with Crohn's disease had reduced concentrations of
      selenium and glutathione peroxidase in plasma and erythrocytes. When the patients
      were subgrouped according to the length of resected small bowel, a significant
      reduction of selenium and glutathione peroxidase in both plasma and erythrocytes
      was only found in patients with a resection > 200 cm. A highly significant
      correlation between selenium and glutathione peroxidase was found in plasma (r =
      0.81) as well as in erythrocytes (r = 0.62), but no correlation was observed in
      the control group. A statistically significant correlation was also found between
      plasma selenium and the Harvey-Bradshaw score (r = -0.44), body mass index
      (wt/ht2) (r = 0.47), and plasma albumin (r = 0.29). Patients with a small-bowel
      resection > 200 cm appear to be at risk of developing severe selenium deficiency.
      These patients should have their selenium status monitored and probably receive
      selenium supplementation.

PMID- 1415014
TI  - Diet, prolactin, and breast cancer.
AB  - Relationships between dietary nutrients and plasma prolactin concentration were
      studied in 249 women with a history of nonskin cancers among first-degree female
      relatives. For each quintile of nutrient density, the odds ratio (OR), relative
      to the lowest quintile, of having an elevated (above the median) prolactin
      concentration was estimated by logistic regression, taking into account parity,
      menopausal status, and current tobacco-smoking habits. For nutrient densities
      estimated from 24-h recall data there was a significant positive association
      between plasma prolactin concentration and increasing saturated fatty acid
      intake; the OR of elevated prolactin in the top quintile was 3.1 [95% confidence
      interval (CI) 1.2-8.1] and there was a negative association with vitamin C [OR in
      the top quintile 0.28, (95% CI 0.10-0.78)]. For usual nutrient densities
      (estimated by quantitative food frequency questionnaire) there was a
      statistically significant trend (P = 0.04) toward lower prolactin concentrations
      with increasing sodium density, and a marginally significant positive trend (P =
      0.07) with increasing dietary density of refined sugars.

PMID- 1415015
TI  - Nutritional status of infants with cystic fibrosis.

PMID- 1415016
TI  - Iodine and selenium deficiency in northern Zaire.

PMID- 1415017
TI  - Glutamine and nitrogen balance.

PMID- 1415018
TI  - Nutrition training in graduate medical education.

PMID- 1415019
TI  - Composite B-cell and T-cell lymphoma. Coincidental occurrence or related
      neoplasms?

PMID- 1415020
TI  - Anti-phospholipid antibodies.

PMID- 1415021
TI  - Histologic changes in liver biopsy specimens produced by recombinant interferon
      alpha-2b therapy for chronic non-A,non-B viral hepatitis. A randomized controlled
      trial.
AB  - The effects of interferon therapy on liver histologic findings were assessed in a
      randomized controlled trial consisting of 80 patients with chronic non-A,non-B
      hepatitis. Twenty-eight patients received 1 million units of recombinant
      interferon alpha-2b; 25 patients received 3 million units, subcutaneously, three
      times a week for 24 weeks; and 21 patients were observed as untreated controls;
      all of them underwent liver biopsy within 6 months from the beginning of the
      study and on the last day of therapy. Six patients were withdrawn from the study
      because of inadequate liver biopsy specimens. Alanine aminotransferase levels
      were determined before, during, and after therapy. For each biopsy, a
      semiquantitative score of histologic features, the histologic activity index, and
      the overall histologic assessment were performed. Ninety-five percent of patients
      tested positive for hepatitis C virus antibody. Portal inflammation, piecemeal
      and spotty necrosis, and bile duct proliferation were significantly decreased in
      patients with normalized alanine aminotransferase. The effectiveness of therapy
      was dose dependent: piecemeal and spotty necrosis and the histologic activity
      index showed a significant decrease only in 3-million-unit-treated patients.
      Hepatocellular degeneration and fibrosis did not change significantly after
      treatment.

PMID- 1415022
TI  - Histologic changes in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection
      after interferon-alpha therapy.
AB  - To evaluate the histologic effects of interferon-alpha (IFN alpha) therapy on
      chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, a semiquantitative study using a
      modified Knodell's numeric histologic scoring system was performed on paired pre-
      and post-treatment liver biopsy specimens from 127 adult Chinese patients from
      two trials of IFN alpha therapy (IFN alpha, n = 86; control, n = 41). The effects
      of IFN alpha therapy on the hepatic expression of HBV antigens were also
      determined using immunohistochemical analysis. Serologic response with clearance
      of HBV e antigen (n = 18) was associated with reduction in lobular activity,
      periportal piecemeal necrosis, portal inflammation, and total histologic scores.
      Loss of HBV e antigen also was associated with a reduction in the amount of HBV
      core antigen in the hepatocytes. In contrast, there was an increase in hepatic
      expression of HBV surface antigen after IFN alpha therapy. Patients who lost HBV
      e antigen with IFN alpha therapy were characterized by more severe initial
      periportal piecemeal necrosis before treatment. These data indicate that (1)
      serologic response is associated with a reduction in hepatic HBV replication and
      an improvement in hepatic histology, and (2) patients with severe periportal
      piecemeal necrosis respond more favorably to IFN alpha therapy.

PMID- 1415024
TI  - Clinical significance of immunoglobulin A versus immunoglobulins G and M anti
      cardiolipin antibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Correlation
      with thrombosis, thrombocytopenia, and recurrent abortion.
AB  - Serum levels of immunoglobulins (Ig) A, G, and M anti-cardiolipin (aCL)
      antibodies were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in a group of
      selected systemic lupus erythematosus female patients. Patients were divided into
      three groups based on their clinical history of thrombosis with or without
      thrombocytopenia (group I), thrombocytopenia alone (group II), and neither of
      these (group III). After the aCL antibody levels were determined, the patients'
      obstetric histories of pregnancies and abortions were reviewed. A high incidence
      of one or more abortions was seen only in group I patients. A high prevalence of
      elevated levels of IgA and IgG (but not IgM) aCL antibodies was observed in group
      I patients. However, among the patients in group II, only the levels of IgA aCL
      antibodies were increased. In both groups, the addition of the IgA aCL
      determination--to the classical IgG and IgM aCL assays--increased the prevalence
      of positive reactors in 31.6%. These results indicate that high levels of IgA aCL
      antibodies correlated better with thrombocytopenia than either IgG or IgM. Also,
      the importance of including the determination of IgA aCL antibodies to assess
      properly the risk of thrombosis, thrombocytopenia, and recurrent abortions in
      systemic lupus erythematosus patients is demonstrated.

PMID- 1415023
TI  - The use of monoclonal antibodies against primary myeloid granules in normal and
      leukemic cells.
AB  - Three monoclonal antibodies, K101, D46, and H36/71 (CD15), reactive with membrane
      components of primary granules of human promyelocytes, were studied to assess
      their binding to normal and leukemic cells. Using the alkaline phosphatase
      antialkaline phosphatase technique, these antibodies were applied to sections of
      normal organs and to peripheral blood and bone marrow films from hematologically
      normal individuals and patients with hematologic malignancies. In control
      experiments, antibodies showed reactivity with cytoplasmic constituents of
      granulocytes from the promyelocytic to the neutrophilic stage. In acute myeloid
      leukemia, antibody K101 was positive (more than 20% of blasts) in 13 of 21 (62%)
      cases, while antibody D46 was positive in 11 of 17 (65%) cases. Antibody H36/71
      was positive in only 4 of 24 (17%) cases of acute myeloid leukemia. At least one
      marker was present in 6 of 8 (75%) cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia with
      myeloid antigen-positive blasts and was negative in 20 cases of acute
      lymphoblastic leukemia with myeloid antigen-negative blasts. These results
      support the view that abnormal granules (with defective expression of the D46,
      K101, and H36/71 antigens) form in blastic and leukemic cells of patients with
      acute myeloid leukemia. Data also suggest that membrane components of myeloid
      granules are made in the cytoplasm of cells from some acute lymphoblastic
      leukemia patients with myeloid antigen-positive blasts.

PMID- 1415025
TI  - Platelet membrane glycoproteins. Functional characterization and clinical
      applications.

PMID- 1415026
TI  - Duodenal biopsy specimens in HIV-infected patients.

PMID- 1415027
TI  - Duodenal biopsy specimens in HIV-infected patients.

PMID- 1415028
TI  - Duodenal biopsy specimens in HIV-infected patients.

PMID- 1415029
TI  - Risk factors for drug use in urban adolescents: identification and cross
      validation.
AB  - Examined the relationship between 26 dichotomous risk factors and drug use in
      derivation (N = 1,352) and cross-validation (N = 1,309) samples of seventh
      graders in the public school system of a large southeastern city. The majority of
      students was African American, many came from low-income, single parent families.
      A total of 20 risk factors representing a variety of variables was significantly
      related to at least one category of drug use in both samples. Regression analyses
      identified a subset of 11 risk factors with minimum overlap. The simple sum of
      these 11 risk factors was significantly associated with prevalence of use for
      cigarettes, beer and wine, hard liquor, marijuana, and other drugs. The total
      number of risk factors also showed a curvilinear relationship with the frequency
      of 30-day use for each category of drug. Theoretical and practical implications
      of these findings are discussed.

PMID- 1415030
TI  - An advocacy intervention program for women with abusive partners: initial
      evaluation.
AB  - Experimentally tested the hypotheses that (1) battered women are in need of
      numerous community resources upon exit from a domestic violence shelter, (2)
      working with advocates increases women's effectiveness in obtaining needed
      resources and social support, and (3) success in obtaining resources and social
      support increases women's levels of life satisfaction and decreases their risk of
      further abuse. The initial findings of a short-term intervention project designed
      to provide postshelter advocacy services to women with abusive partners are
      presented. One-hundred forty-one battered women were interviewed immediately upon
      their exit from a domestic violence shelter as well as 10 weeks thereafter. Half
      the sample was randomly assigned to receive the services of trained advocates who
      assisted them in accessing needed community resources. Women who worked with
      advocates reported being more effective in accessing resources and had higher
      levels of social support and overall quality of life postintervention. Although
      all women reported some decrease in postshelter abuse, there were no differences
      between those with and those without advocates, and abuse continued to be a
      problem for many women.

PMID- 1415031
TI  - The relation of peer social support and psychological symptomatology during the
      transition to junior high school: a two-year longitudinal analysis.
AB  - Studied the longitudinal relation of peer social support and psychological
      symptomatology among a sample of 143 early adolescents during a two-year period
      spanning the transition from elementary school to junior high school.
      Correlational analyses indicated strong inverse relations between peer support
      and symptoms, both cross sectionally and across time. Prospective analyses
      investigated the degree to which prior levels of peer support were related to
      subsequent symptoms after controlling for initial levels of symptoms and,
      conversely, the degree to which prior symptoms were related to future levels of
      peer support after controlling for initial levels of support. A significant
      prospective effect for peer support was found only for the specific period
      encompassing the school change. Prospective effects for symptoms were more
      numerous and of longer duration. The discussion emphasizes how the relation among
      support, stress, and mental health may differ over the course of a major life
      transition. Implications are also considered for the timing of preventive
      interventions.

PMID- 1415032
TI  - The role of life events, family support, and competence in adolescent substance
      use: a test of vulnerability and protective factors.
AB  - Tested propositions from a model of vulnerability and protective factors with a
      multiethnic sample of 1,289 urban adolescents, aged 11-13 years. The criterion
      variable was a composite score for cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use.
      Multiple regression analyses indicated that vulnerability factors (negative life
      events, negative affect) were related to a higher level of substance use, and
      protective factors (parent emotional and instrumental support, academic and adult
      competence, positive affect) were related to a lower level of substance use; peer
      competence was positively related to substance use in a multivariate model. There
      was a significant overall interaction of Vulnerability x Protective Factors,
      consistent with a stress-buffering effect. Individual interactions for Life
      Events x Family Support, Life Events x Competence, and Negative x Positive Affect
      also were consistent with buffering effects. Implications for theories of
      substance use and primary prevention are discussed.

PMID- 1415033
TI  - Social support in chumships and adjustment in children of divorce.
AB  - Examined the relations between support from intimate friends or "chums" and
      stress, age, and gender in predicting psychological adjustment using a sample of
      117 8- to 15-year old children who had experienced parental divorce. Both parents
      and children provided information on children's adjustment. In predicting
      children's reports of their adjustment, the direct effect of chum support was
      found to be moderated by children's age. In predicting parental reports of
      children's adjustment, no significant main effects or interaction effects
      occurred. The findings are discussed with attention to the divergent perspectives
      of different reporters.

PMID- 1415034
TI  - Coaches: a missing link in the health care system.

PMID- 1415035
TI  - Water intoxication: a problem of bottle-feeding.

PMID- 1415036
TI  - Low vitamin A during measles.

PMID- 1415037
TI  - Oxygen saturation in newborns at altitude.

PMID- 1415038
TI  - 'Hey, nice sundamage!'.

PMID- 1415039
TI  - Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of Takeda acellular pertussis-component
      diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine in 2- and 3-month-old children in Japan.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the reactogenicity and immune response to the Takeda
      acellular pertussis-component diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (APDT) vaccine in
      children when immunization commenced at 2 months (group A) vs 3 months (group B)
      of age. DESIGN: Longitudinal, nonblinded, comparative study. SETTING: Pediatric
      well-child clinics. PARTICIPANTS: Healthy 50- to 98-day-old infants. RESULTS:
      Good antibody responses to lymphocytosis-promoting factor, filamentous
      hemagglutinin, agglutinogens, and pertactin occurred in both age groups after
      both the third and fourth vaccine doses. Both young age and transplacentally
      acquired maternal antibody independently and together have a suppressive effect
      on the response to the four antigens in this APDT vaccine. However, these effects
      appear to be minor. Vaccine reactions were mild; group A children had slightly
      but not significantly higher rates than group B children. CONCLUSION: The present
      US diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine immunization schedule
      should also be satisfactory with this acellular pertussis component vaccine.

PMID- 1415040
TI  - The agglutinin response to whole-cell and acellular pertussis vaccines is
      Bordetella pertussis--strain dependent.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the significance of the Bordetella pertussis strain used
      as the antigen in the agglutinin assay for the evaluation of pertussis vaccines.
      DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind study. SETTING: Health maintenance organization
      clinics, primary care clinic at a referral hospital, and private practices in Los
      Angeles County, California. PARTICIPANTS: Forty healthy infants. SELECTION
      PROCEDURES: Convenience sample. INTERVENTIONS: Twenty infants received whole-cell
      pertussis-component diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine (DTP), and 70 infants
      received acellular pertussis-component diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine
      (APDT) at ages 2, 4, and 6 months. MEASUREMENTS: The agglutinin assay was
      performed using three separate B pertussis strain preparations: (1) strains 130
      and 138 in equal quantities, the constituents of the DTP vaccine, (2) strain 460,
      and (3) strain Tohama, the constituent of the APDT vaccine. RESULTS: The
      agglutinin titers were highly strain dependent; in both groups of vaccinees at
      both ages the Tohama values were highest, followed by strain 460 and then strains
      130/138. The vaccine groups had comparable titers at age 2 months regardless of
      the assay antigen used. However, at age 7 months, after three immunizations, the
      DTP group geometric mean titer was more than 10 times greater than that of the
      ADPT group using strains 130/138, but only 2.6 times higher using strain 460 and
      almost equivalent using Tohama strain. CONCLUSION: Vaccine group agglutinin value
      comparisons strongly depend on assay antigens used.

PMID- 1415041
TI  - Confirmation. Practice behavior for treatment of new morbidity disorders reflects
      residency experience.
AB  - The purpose of the present study was to evaluate congruence between practice and
      residency training in the treatment of children with five "new morbidity"
      disorders. Data were obtained through mailed questionnaires. Counseling and
      behavior modification, without medications, were used for all five disorders by
      respondents most recently completing pediatric residency. Medications were used
      more frequently by pediatricians who had completed their residency training
      longer ago, particularly for nocturnal enuresis and chronic abdominal pain. The
      most recent graduates tended to treat a larger number of children with temper
      tantrums and separation anxiety. This is believed to result from more recent
      graduates being more comfortable and confident in recognizing and treating these
      conditions. In contrast, no association was noted between year in which residency
      was completed and number of children treated for nocturnal enuresis and chronic
      abdominal pain. This results from parents volunteering these symptomatic
      conditions since they perceive them to be medical problems.

PMID- 1415042
TI  - Uses and technique of pediatric lumbar puncture.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To review diagnostic and therapeutic indications, contraindications,
      complications, and technique of pediatric lumbar puncture with emphasis on
      diagnosis of bacterial meningitis in bacteremia, cellulitis, and fever with
      seizures and to discuss cerebrospinal fluid findings in partially treated
      infection and traumatic blood-contaminated spinal tap. RESEARCH DESIGN:
      Literature review. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend lumbar puncture for children younger
      than 1 year with bacteremia, children with Haemophilus influenzae type B
      cellulitis, and children with fever and seizures not classified as simple.
      Pretreatment with antibiotics rarely changes cerebrospinal fluid characteristics
      such that a diagnosis of bacterial meningitis would be obscured. In a traumatic
      spinal tap, the equation to predict cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis based on the
      peripheral blood cell count is invalid. When used together, cerebrospinal fluid
      glucose level, Gram's staining, and observed-to-expected ratio of white blood
      cells are highly reliable in diagnosing bacterial meningitis.

PMID- 1415043
TI  - Pediatric tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus infection in Palm Beach
      County, Florida.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the factors underlying an increasing incidence of
      tuberculosis in children. DESIGN: Descriptive case review. SETTING: Palm Beach
      County, Fla. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-four children with suspected and confirmed
      pediatric tuberculosis from 1985 through 1989. INTERVENTIONS: None.
      MEASUREMENTS/MAIN RESULTS: From 1988 through 1989, tuberculosis was confirmed in
      15 children and suspected in another 16 compared with data from 1985 through 1987
      in which the disease was confirmed in nine children and suspected in four.
      Pediatric tuberculosis occurred primarily in blacks younger than 5 years; the
      increase in the number of cases reported in 1988 and 1989 occurred only in
      blacks. One child in whom tuberculosis was confirmed during the recent period was
      infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); however, among children
      with suspected tuberculosis, four of the nine children tested were seropositive
      for HIV. There was no evidence of increased transmission of tuberculosis to
      children by HIV-seropositive adults compared with transmission by HIV
      seronegative adults with TB. New adult tuberculosis cases in the county increased
      annually, from 92 cases in 1986 to 169 in 1989, of whom at least 36% were
      infected with HIV. CONCLUSIONS: The largest effect of the HIV epidemic on
      tuberculosis in children appeared to be indirect, through an increase in the
      number of adults with active tuberculosis serving as potential sources of
      tuberculosis infection for children. A direct effect of HIV infection in the
      progression of tuberculous disease in children is likely, but was not detected in
      this investigation. Case-finding for tuberculosis among children will need to
      increase, particularly in areas heavily affected by acquired immunodeficiency
      syndrome, but may be complicated by the difficulty of diagnosing tuberculosis in
      HIV-infected children.

PMID- 1415044
TI  - IgM antibody to Treponema pallidum in cerebrospinal fluid of infants with
      congenital syphilis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To characterize the neonatal IgG and IgM response to specific
      Treponema pallidum antigens in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of infants with
      congenital syphilis. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Newborn nursery and
      neonatal intensive care unit of a county hospital in Dallas, Tex. PARTICIPANTS:
      Twenty-one infants born to mothers with reactive serologic tests for syphilis
      were enrolled. Group 1 consisted of six infants with clinical and laboratory
      evidence of congenital syphilis; group 2, six asymptomatic infants born to
      mothers with untreated syphilis; and group 3, nine asymptomatic infants whose
      mothers were treated for syphilis before delivery. SELECTION PROCEDURES: Random
      sample. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Immunoblotting was used to examine the IgM and
      IgG reactivities of neonatal serum and CSF against T pallidum antigens. Among
      serum samples of all group 1 infants, a specific IgM response to T pallidum
      antigens with apparent molecular masses of 47, 45, and 17 kd was observed.
      Cerebrospinal fluid IgM reactivity to a 47-kd antigen of T pallidum was seen in
      four group 1 infants. Serum samples from two group 2 and three group 3 infants
      demonstrated IgM reactivity against the 47-kd antigen and, in some cases, against
      the 45-kd antigen of T pallidum. None of 15 group 2 and 3 infants had a positive
      CSF IgM immunoblot result. The IgG reactivity in CSF was similar in the three
      groups and was directed against T pallidum antigens with apparent molecular
      masses of 72, 59, 47, 45, 42, 37, 34, 17, and 15 kd. CONCLUSIONS: A specific IgM
      response to T pallidum antigens, particularly the 47-kd antigen, was detected in
      the CSF of some infants with clinical and laboratory evidence of congenital
      syphilis. The potential usefulness of this test for the diagnosis of congenital
      neurosyphilis merits further study.

PMID- 1415045
TI  - The natural history of direct hyperbilirubinemia associated with extracorporeal
      membrane oxygenation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and natural history of direct
      hyperbilirubinemia in neonates treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
      DESIGN: A prospective series of patients. SETTING: A level 3 neonatal intensive
      care unit and center for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in Ohio.
      PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-seven consecutive patients treated with extracorporeal
      membrane oxygenation in 33 months. INTERVENTION: None. MEASUREMENTS/RESULTS:
      Twenty-six (39%) developed direct hyperbilirubinemia. In 14 (54%), bilirubin
      levels were mildly elevated and occurred only during extracorporeal membrane
      oxygenation therapy. Levels were more severely elevated in the remaining 12
      patients (46 +/- 10 mumol/L [2.7 +/- 0.6 mg/dL] vs 159 +/- 101 mumol/L [9.3 +/-
      5.9 mg/dL], P less than .0001). Duration and severity of hyperbilirubinemia were
      correlated. Hyperbilirubinemia resolved in all patients by 9 weeks after
      extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy. No structural abnormalities or
      infectious agents were identified as causes. Aluminum levels were evaluated for
      40 patients, were not in the toxic range, and did not correlate with
      hyperbilirubinemia. Multiple linear regression analysis suggested that
      hyperbilirubinemia in these cases resulted from interaction of injuries, with the
      primary contributor being hemolysis during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
      CONCLUSIONS: Direct hyperbilirubinemia occurs frequently in patients treated with
      extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and may be severe. However, direct
      hyperbilirubinemia typically resolves without short-term sequelae. Hemolysis may
      be an important contributing factor.

PMID- 1415046
TI  - The accuracy of antenatal ultrasonography in identifying renal abnormalities.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy of measuring antenatal renal pelvic diameter
      for prediction of renal abnormalities. RESEARCH DESIGN: Prospective evaluation of
      all pregnant women undergoing ultrasonography. SETTING: A teaching hospital
      providing primary and referral maternity care. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-six pregnant
      women with suspected fetal hydronephrosis or cystic lesions identified from 7500
      ultrasonograms over 3 years. METHODS: Antenatal renal pelvic diameter was
      measured in the anteroposterior dimension. Neonates underwent postnatal
      ultrasonography after day 3 of life; if the results were abnormal, a cystogram
      and renal diuretic scan were obtained. RESULTS: None of 50 kidneys 15 mm or
      smaller in anteroposterior pelvic diameter had obstruction; 11 (79%) of 14
      kidneys larger than 15 mm were obstructed or demonstrated vesicoureteral reflux.
      Of 12 kidneys believed to be multicystic before birth, five (42%) proved to have
      hydronephrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Since the majority of fetuses with suspected
      hydronephrosis proved to be normal, parents should not be unduly alarmed by the
      physician. Renal pelvic diameter of more than 15 mm is strongly predictive of
      hydronephrosis. Since severe hydronephrosis is treatable and can be mistaken for
      a multicystic kidney antenatally, full radiologic evaluation is needed soon after
      birth.

PMID- 1415047
TI  - Sexual abuse of human immunodeficiency virus-positive children. Outcomes for
      perpetrators and evaluation of other household children.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To obtain the following data that pertain to programs for the
      prevention of sexual abuse and sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency
      virus (HIV) to children: (1) to determine the prevalence of sexual abuse among
      siblings and other children cohabiting with sexually abused HIV-positive
      children, and (2) to determine if programs designed to restrain identified
      perpetrators from further acts of child sexual abuse were instituted. DESIGN:
      Case series. SETTING: Households of previously described sexually abused HIV
      infected children. PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-two siblings or other
      children who lived in the homes of 14 previously described HIV-infected sexually
      abused children. Eight perpetrators of the abuse were identified. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: Sexual abuse of cohabiting children was confirmed with disclosure
      interviews, witness by other persons, diagnosis of another sexually transmitted
      disease, or an abnormal physical examination result that was highly suggestive of
      sexual abuse. Telephone contact with the Department of Social Services, county
      sheriff or police, and district attorney provided data regarding reports,
      criminal indictments, trials, convictions, and plea-bargain arrangements for the
      identified perpetrators. RESULTS: Eleven (50%) of the 22 cohabiting children were
      confirmed to have been sexually abused and four (18%) were suspected of having
      been sexually abused. Seven (32%) of the cohabiting children could not be
      examined and it was not known if they had been sexually abused. No assailant was
      tried for a criminal offense, required to participate in offender therapy, or
      prohibited from unsupervised visitation of children. CONCLUSION: Programs for the
      prevention of sexual abuse and sexual transmission of HIV to children require
      means of ensuring the safety of children exposed to perpetrators and require
      adequate supervision of perpetrators and their adherence to therapy.

PMID- 1415048
TI  - The clinical spectrum of chronic appendiceal abscess in cystic fibrosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the varied characteristics seen in patients with cystic
      fibrosis who develop chronic abscess formation secondary to unrecognized
      appendicitis. DESIGN: Patient series. SETTING: Cystic Fibrosis Care Centers in
      Columbus, Ohio, and Tucson, Ariz. PARTICIPANTS: Five patients with cystic
      fibrosis who developed chronic abdominal abscesses secondary to occult
      appendicitis are described. Two patients developed fistula formation with
      purulent fluid drainage before diagnosis. One patient developed an extensive
      psoas abscess. Another presented with prolonged fever of unknown origin. These
      patients were identified by retrospective review of the past 20-year experience
      at two Cystic Fibrosis Care Centers. CONCLUSIONS: Development of chronic
      abdominal abscess related to unrecognized appendicitis is a rare but important
      complication in patients with cystic fibrosis. Prompt diagnosis depends on
      physician familiarity with the varied presentations of this entity. Diagnostic
      abdominal computed tomography and/or ultrasonography should particularly be
      considered when patients with cystic fibrosis present with pain, mass, or
      drainage from the right flank; prolonged fever; a limp; or failure of suspected
      meconium ileus equivalent syndrome to respond promptly to cathartic measures.

PMID- 1415049
TI  - Trends in anthropometric measurements among Mescalero Apache Indian preschool
      children. 1968 through 1988.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine if there were trends in underweight, short stature, and
      obesity among 1- through 5-year-old Mescalero (NM) Apache Indian children from
      1968 through 1988. DESIGN: Cross-sectional review of hospital clinic charts for
      five cohorts. SETTING: General pediatric outpatient clinic at the Mescalero
      Indian Health Service Hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-nine patients aged 1 through
      5 years in 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, or 1988 for whom weight and height were
      recorded during a well-child visit that occurred in the respective year.
      SELECTION PROCEDURES: Approximately half the charts were screened for eligibility
      through systematic sampling for all years except 1988; for 1988 all available
      charts were screened for eligibility for the study. INTERVENTIONS: None.
      MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: We found trends of decreasing prevalence of both
      underweight (defined as weight-for-height below the fifth percentile) and short
      stature (defined as height-for-age below the fifth percentile) based on the
      Centers for Disease Control/World Health Organization growth reference. We found
      no secular trends in obesity (weight-for-height above the 95th percentile),
      although the prevalences throughout the 21-year period were as much as two to
      four times higher than expected when compared with the Centers for Disease
      Control/World Health Organization reference. There has been an upward shift in
      both weight-for-height and height-for-age distributions since 1968, indicating
      that Mescalero children today are, on average, heavier and taller. CONCLUSIONS:
      Underweight and short stature decreased among Mescalero preschool children from
      1968 through 1988, suggesting nutritional improvements. However, given the
      current high prevalence of obesity, it is recommended that surveillance of
      nutritional status be continued and appropriate interventions be developed to
      treat and prevent obesity in this population.

PMID- 1415050
TI  - Radiological cases of the month. Osteogenic sarcoma as a second malignant
      neoplasm in a child with retinoblastoma.

PMID- 1415051
TI  - Picture of the month. Neonatal herpes simplex infections.

PMID- 1415052
TI  - Pathological case of the month. Rabies.

PMID- 1415053
TI  - Musculoskeletal aspects of prune-belly syndrome. Description and pathogenesis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the types and prevalence of musculoskeletal involvement
      in children with prune-belly syndrome, and to analyze the pathogenesis of the
      syndrome in relationship to the musculoskeletal deformities. DESIGN: A
      retrospective review of charts and roentgenograms along with a comprehensive
      review of 188 cases from the literature. SETTING: Tertiary care children's
      hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Twelve boys treated between 1975 and 1990.
      MEASUREMENTS/MAIN RESULTS: The prevalence of musculoskeletal involvement in
      patients was 45%. The involvement can be congenital (eg, clubfeet, limb
      deficiencies, teratologic hip dysplasia, and vertebral malformations) or
      developmental (eg, renal osteodystrophy, scoliosis, and pectus excavatum and/or
      pectus carinatum). The embryologic characteristics of congenital musculoskeletal
      problems correlate better with the embryologic theory of the prune-belly syndrome
      (an aberration of mesenchymal development around 6 weeks of gestation) than with
      the distal urinary tract obstructive theory. CONCLUSION: Since children with
      prune-belly syndrome are now living into adulthood, these musculoskeletal aspects
      will become important regarding potential morbidity.

PMID- 1415054
TI  - Usefulness of serum apolipoprotein B levels for screening children with primary
      dyslipoproteinemias.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the use of serum apolipoprotein B levels for screening
      children with primary dyslipoproteinemia (those with elevated levels of low
      density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C]) and to know the types of
      dyslipoproteinemias we can identify. DESIGN: Criterion standard. SETTING:
      Referral center. PARTICIPANTS: We have studied 267 children. Of these, 31 had
      parents with dyslipoproteinemia, 38 had parents with ischemic heart disease, and
      43 had hypercholesterolemia detected by routine analyses. One hundred fifty-five
      were considered healthy children and comprised the control group. INTERVENTIONS:
      None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Sensitivity was 87% for total serum
      cholesterol levels and 73% for serum apolipoprotein B levels. Of the children
      studied, 31 had elevated levels of serum LDL-C. The types of dyslipoproteinemia
      in children with both elevated levels of serum LDL-C and apolipoprotein B
      consisted of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, found in 12 (50%) of 24
      patients; familial combined hyperlipidemia, found in 11 (46%) of 24 patients; and
      polygenic hypercholesterolemia, found in one (4%) of 24 patients. CONCLUSIONS:
      Serum apolipoprotein B level appears to be a good tool for screening children
      with elevated levels of LDL-C and is equivalent to using total serum cholesterol
      levels. In children with elevated serum LDL-C and apolipoprotein B levels, we can
      identify not only patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia but
      also those with familial combined hyperlipidemia or polygenic
      hypercholesterolemia.

PMID- 1415055
TI  - Serum creatinine level and renal function in children.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of serum creatinine and height/serum
      creatinine glomerular filtration rate (Cr-GFR) formula as screening tests for
      abnormal renal function defined by plasma diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid
      (DTPA) clearance. DESIGN: Patient series. SETTING: The Children's Hospital of
      Buffalo (NY). PATIENTS: Eighty-seven consecutive patients ranging in age from 2
      to 20 years. MEASUREMENTS: The Cr-GFR was calculated by means of the formula GFR
      (milliliters per minute per 1.73 m2) = kL/serum creatinine (milligrams per
      deciliter), where L is body length in centimeters and k is a constant dependent
      on age and sex. Plasma clearance of technetium Tc 99m-labeled DTPA was our
      reference method for determination of GFR (DTPA-GFR). RESULTS: The Cr-GFR formula
      identified children with impaired renal function (DTPA clearance, less than 80
      mL/min per 1.73 m2) with a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 93%. In
      contrast, the sensitivity and specificity of elevated serum creatinine level for
      this purpose were 80% and 96%, respectively. Of the children with renal
      insufficiency (DTPA clearance, 40 to 79 mL/min per 1.73 m2), 91% were correctly
      identified by the Cr-GFR formula. However, only 65% of these children had
      elevated serum creatinine levels. Although all children with renal failure (DTPA
      clearance, less than 40 mL/min per 1.73 m2) had abnormally high serum creatinine
      levels, the specificity of this test was significantly lower than that of the Cr
      GFR formula (75% vs 100%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The Cr-GFR formula is
      superior to serum creatinine level for estimating GFR. This formula provides a
      simple, reasonably accurate screening test for the presence and severity of
      impaired renal function.

PMID- 1415056
TI  - Benign neonatal sleep myoclonus. A differential diagnosis of neonatal seizures.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe 10 infants with benign neonatal sleep myoclonus. DESIGN:
      Patient series, representing the experience of one pediatric neurologist.
      SETTING: Referral-based Pediatric Neurology Service at a Children's Hospital.
      PATIENTS: Sequential sample of 10 neonates referred for assessment of seizures
      and found to have benign neonatal sleep myoclonus. Neonates who did not have the
      events of concern during electroencephalography or in whom electroencephalography
      was not done were excluded even if the clinical features suggested the entity.
      RESULTS: Our patients met the criteria for the diagnosis. The myoclonus often
      increased with gentle restraint. The amplitude and duration of events mimicked
      convulsive status epilepticus and serial seizures in four neonates. In two of
      them the myoclonus worsened in spite of anticonvulsant therapy, decreasing
      substantially when such treatment was stopped. CONCLUSION: Benign neonatal sleep
      myoclonus, an entity characterized by (1) neonatal onset, (2) myoclonic jerks
      only during sleep, (3) abrupt and consistent cessation with arousal, (4) absence
      of concomitant electrographic changes suggestive of seizures, and (5) good
      outcome must be included in the differential diagnosis of neonatal seizures.

PMID- 1415057
TI  - Lead encephalopathy in Saudi Arabian children.

PMID- 1415058
TI  - Lead poisoning in young children in Washington, DC: a crisis that remains to be
      addressed.

PMID- 1415059
TI  - Another look at pediatrician promotion of breast-feeding.

PMID- 1415060
TI  - Cognition and tyrosine supplementation among school-aged children with
      phenylketonuria.

PMID- 1415061
TI  - Health effects of lead at low exposure levels. Expert consensus and rationale for
      lowering the definition of childhood lead poisoning.

PMID- 1415062
TI  - Meconium aspiration.

PMID- 1415063
TI  - Management of a piglet model of the meconium aspiration syndrome with high
      frequency or conventional ventilation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the usefulness of three methods of high-frequency
      ventilation in the early management of a piglet model of the meconium aspiration
      syndrome. DESIGN: Randomized, block design. SETTING: Animal research facility.
      SUBJECTS: Fifty-six mixed-breed newborn piglets aged 1 to 4 days and weighing 1.8
      to 2.7 kg. INTERVENTIONS: After instillation of a 2.2-mL/kg solution of 25%
      meconium, 56 piglets were randomized to receive treatment with (1) a conventional
      positive-pressure infant ventilator, (2) the Bunnell Life Pulse high-frequency
      jet ventilator, (3) the Bird model VDR high-frequency flow interruptor, or (4)
      the Infant Star high-frequency flow interruptor. We adjusted ventilator settings
      to maintain partial pressures of arterial oxygen (PaO2) of 80 to 120 cm H2O and
      partial pressures of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) of 30 to 50 cm H2O during
      the 6 hours of ventilation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We compared pulmonary
      histologic alterations and four physiologic parameters: (1) mean airway pressure,
      (2) PaCO2, (3) ratio of PaO2 to partial alveolar oxygen pressure (PAO2), and (4)
      oxygenation index ([(fraction of inspired oxygen)(mean airway
      pressure)(100)]/PaO2). The two measures of oxygenation were similar for all four
      devices except at 4 hours, when the PaO2/PAO2 ratio on positive-pressure
      ventilation was significantly higher than that on high-frequency jet ventilation
      (P = .008). The histologic changes on positive-pressure ventilation (atelectasis,
      inflammation, presence of meconium, and exudative debris) were significantly
      worse than those on high-frequency jet ventilation or flow interruption (P <
      .0001). CONCLUSIONS: The finding of less severe pathologic alterations with
      various types of high-frequency ventilators justifies further investigations into
      the management of the meconium aspiration syndrome with these devices.

PMID- 1415064
TI  - Retinal hemorrhages in newborn piglets following cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation causes
      retinal hemorrhages in piglets. DESIGN: Nonrandomized observations. SETTING:
      Animal physiology laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Six 3.5- to 4.5-kg piglets.
      INTERVENTIONS: Fifty minutes of conventional, closed chest cardiopulmonary
      resuscitation. MEASUREMENTS/MAIN RESULTS: Intrathoracic venous pressure (right
      atrium) and intracranial venous pressure (sagittal sinus) were directly measured.
      At 5 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the mean (+/- SEM) sagittal sinus
      pressure was 41 +/- 8 mm Hg and the mean right atrial pressure was 58 +/- 9 mm
      Hg. The pressures were sustained throughout the 50 minutes of cardiopulmonary
      resuscitation. At autopsy, there was no gross or microscopic evidence of retinal
      hemorrhages. CONCLUSION: These results support the conclusion that
      cardiopulmonary resuscitation does not cause retinal hemorrhages.

PMID- 1415065
TI  - Late-onset meningitis in sick, very-low-birth-weight infants. Clinical and
      sonographic observations.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the clinical and sonographic features of late-onset
      meningitis (after 7 days of life) in sick, very-low-birth-weight infants. DESIGN:
      Retrospective study of a patient series. SETTING: Neonatal intensive care nursery
      at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Tex. PARTICIPANTS: Ten preterm infants
      with birth weights of more than 1750 g who developed late-onset meningitis during
      a 42-month study period. INTERVENTIONS: None. RESULTS: Ten preterm infants
      developed meningitis at a mean (+/- SD) postnatal age of 20 +/- 14 days. Eight of
      the infants survived. Initial clinical signs were nonspecific, eg, apnea and
      bradycardia (eight infants), abdominal distention (five infants), hyponatremia
      (serum sodium level, < 130 mmol/L), and a decrease in urine output with an
      increase in weight (three infants). Specific neurologic signs occurred in three
      infants (seizures [n = 2] and third-nerve palsy [n = 1]). Sonographic
      abnormalities noted in seven (70%) of the 10 infants included progressive
      ventriculomegaly (n = 6), thalamic echodensities (n = 3), ventriculitis (n = 4),
      and cystic leukomalacia (n = 1). The progressive ventriculomegaly developed from
      1 to 2 weeks after diagnosis; permanent shunting was required in all six infants.
      The thalamic echodensities were linear or punctate and developed from 1 to 2
      weeks after diagnosis in two infants. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate the need for
      a high index of suspicion of meningitis in very-low-birth-weight infants
      suspected of having sepsis because of the nonspecific clinical presentation of
      meningitis. Because both progressive ventriculomegaly and thalamic echodensities
      are late and frequent findings, serial sonograms are essential for careful
      monitoring of sequelae of disease.

PMID- 1415066
TI  - Bone mineral metabolism in full-term infants fed human milk, cow milk-based, and
      soy-based formulas.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the hypothesis that ingestion of a modified soy-based formula
      with an improved mineral suspension system may result in bone mineral content
      similar to that observed in infants fed human milk or cow milk-based formulas.
      DESIGN: Prospective, self-selected group of infants fed human milk randomized
      between the two formula-fed groups. SETTING: University-based hospital nursery
      and follow-up. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-six normal, healthy, full-term infants, free
      of major malformations or disorders, including 17 infants fed human milk, 19
      infants fed a cow milk-based formula, and 20 infants fed a soy protein formula
      were followed up to 6 months' postnatal age. The soy-based formula studied was
      modified to improve the suspendability of the minerals. INTERVENTIONS: Infants
      were fed human milk or the study formula for the first 4 months, at which time
      beikost was permitted. Infants fed human milk received vitamin supplementation to
      provide 400 IU of vitamin D per day. MEASUREMENTS: Anthropometric variables,
      serum calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, and parathyroid
      hormone levels were measured at enrollment, and at 8, 16, and 24 to 26 weeks'
      postnatal age. Bone mineral content at the distal third radius site was measured
      with single photon absorptiometry at these times. Growth in the infants did not
      differ significantly among the groups. There was no significant difference in
      serum calcium, magnesium, alkaline phosphatase, or parathyroid hormone
      concentrations among the infants during the study. Serum phosphorus was
      significantly lower at 8 weeks in the group fed human milk than in that fed the
      cow milk-based formula. Bone mineral content at 16 and 24 to 26 weeks was higher
      in the group fed the soy-based formula than in that fed human milk, and bone
      width was also higher at 16 weeks in the infants fed the soy-based formula.
      CONCLUSIONS: Improving the suspendability of the mineral system in the soy
      formula results in bone mineralization in infants fed the soy-based formula
      similar to that measured in infants fed human milk and cow milk-based formula. We
      suggest that the suspendability of the minerals used is an important variable in
      the interpretation of the effect of feedings on the bone mineral status of
      infants.

PMID- 1415067
TI  - Radiological case of the month. Autosomal recessive osteopetrosis.

PMID- 1415068
TI  - Radiological case of the month. Sagittal and lambdoidal craniosynostosis.

PMID- 1415069
TI  - Picture of the month. Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome: congenital
      agenesis of the vagina.

PMID- 1415070
TI  - Pathological case of the month. Myocardial infarction and coronary Kawasaki-like
      arteriopathy.

PMID- 1415071
TI  - Effect of concurrent viral infection on systemic and local antibody responses to
      live attenuated and enhanced-potency inactivated poliovirus vaccines.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of an asymptomatic nonpolioviral infection on
      the immune response to poliovirus vaccines. DESIGN: Open comparative trial.
      SETTING: Well-child clinic at The Children's Hospital of Buffalo, NY.
      PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-seven healthy infants infected with nonpolioviruses and 27
      healthy controls matched for age and vaccine group. INTERVENTIONS: Trivalent oral
      attenuated poliovirus vaccine or enhanced potency inactivated vaccine
      administered at ages 4 and 12 months. MEASUREMENTS/MAIN RESULTS: Neutralizing
      antibody to poliovirus serotypes 1, 2, and 3 were determined in the serum and
      nasopharyngeal secretion samples obtained at ages 4, 5, 12, and 13 months. The
      IgA antibody titers for polioviruses 1, 2, and 3 were measured in nasopharyngeal
      secretion samples during the same periods. Antibody responses to poliovirus
      vaccines were similar in coinfected subjects and healthy controls at ages 5 and
      13 months, except for serum neutralizing antibody that was significantly elevated
      in the controls compared with coinfected subjects (geometric mean [+/- SD]
      antibody titers, 12.7 +/- 1.6 vs 11.5 +/- 1.7). Concurrent viral infections
      affected the immune response in recipients of the oral poliovirus vaccine and the
      enhanced-potency inactivated poliovirus vaccine similarly. The immune response to
      polioviruses 1 and 3 were more adversely affected by coinfection than was the
      immune response to poliovirus 2. CONCLUSION: Concurrent asymptomatic viral
      infections minimally impaired the immune response to poliovirus vaccines. The
      adverse effects of coinfection were considered clinically insignificant.

PMID- 1415072
TI  - Cephalexin and penicillin in the treatment of group A beta-hemolytic
      streptococcal throat infections.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether cephalexin or penicillin is more effective in the
      treatment of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis in
      children. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, crossover study conducted from 1981
      to 1984. SETTING: Seven pediatric practices in the United States, including
      private offices and pediatric clinics. PARTICIPANTS: Of the 654 patients, 525
      children and adolescents with clinical evidence of tonsillitis or pharyngitis and
      throat cultures positive for group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection were
      evaluable. Eighty percent of patients completed the study; none were withdrawn
      because of adverse reaction. SELECTION CRITERIA: Children and adolescents who had
      acute illness suggestive of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection were
      enrolled in the study. Treatment was continued if the throat culture was positive
      for group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection. INTERVENTIONS: Four doses of
      cephalexin and penicillin (27 mg/kg per day) were prescribed to be taken on an
      empty stomach for 10 days. MEASUREMENTS/MAIN RESULTS: Symptomatic clinical
      failure occurred in 8% of penicillin-treated patients and in 3% of cephalexin
      treated patients. Bacteriologic failure rates were 11% in the penicillin
      treatment group and 7% in the cephalexin treatment group. The combined treatment
      failure rate of clinical relapse plus asymptomatic bacteriologic failure was 19%
      in the penicillin treatment group and 10% in the cephalexin treatment group.
      Paired antistreptolysin-O titer increased significantly in 62.3% of penicillin
      treated patients and in 64.2% of cephalexin-treated patients. Similarly, anti
      DNase B titers rose 52.2% in penicillin-treated patients and 52.4% in cephalexin
      treated patients. CONCLUSION: Cephalexin is a more effective drug than penicillin
      in the treatment of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal throat infection in
      children.

PMID- 1415073
TI  - Transient aplastic crisis in patients with sickle cell disease. B19 parvovirus
      studies during a 7-year period.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine (1) the proportion of cases of transient aplastic crisis
      (TAC) in patients with sickle cell disease due to B19 parvovirus infection in
      several years, (2) longitudinally, the immune response to B19 parvovirus
      infection, and (3) whether patients with sickle cell disease experience recurrent
      or chronic B19 parvovirus infection. DESIGN: Prospective evaluation of patients
      with sickle cell disease and TAC to find evidence of B19 parvovirus infection
      and, if present, to document the pattern of serologic response with time.
      SETTING: Large urban teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Patients younger than 18 years
      with sickle cell disease who were admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of
      TAC or who developed TAC while in the hospital for other reasons. Follow-up
      serologic studies of B19 parvovirus infection were done in eight patients.
      MEASUREMENTS/MAIN RESULTS: Serum was tested for B19 parvovirus DNA/viral
      particles and specific anti-B19 parvovirus IgM and IgG antibodies. B19 parvovirus
      DNA/viral particles were detected in 11 (21%) of 53 patients with TAC. Specific
      anti-B19 parvovirus IgM antibodies were detected in 34 (64%) of the 53 patients.
      Overall, 36 (68%) of 53 patients with TAC had evidence of acute B19 parvovirus
      infection as shown by the detection of B19 DNA parvovirus and/or specific anti
      B19 parvovirus IgM antibodies in acute-phase serum. Follow-up serologic studies
      in eight patients with acute infection revealed disappearance of B19 parvovirus
      DNA/viral particles and anti-B19 parvovirus IgM antibodies and persistence of
      anti-B19 parvovirus IgG antibodies for up to 3 1/2 years after the diagnosis of
      acute B19 parvovirus infection. No patient had evidence of recurrent or chronic
      B19 parvovirus infection. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 70% of cases of TAC in
      patients with sickle cell disease identified in a 7-year period were caused by
      acute B19 parvovirus infection. Once detected, anti-B19 parvovirus IgG antibodies
      remain detectable for several years. There was no evidence of chronic or
      recurrent B19 parvovirus infection in patients with sickle cell disease.

PMID- 1415074
TI  - Adenovirus infection and childhood intussusception.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible relationship between enteric adenovirus
      types 40 and 41 and intestinal intussusception in children. DESIGN: Prospective,
      case-control patient study. PATIENTS: Sixty-three consecutive children suspected
      clinically of having intestinal intussusception were enrolled in this study. Of
      these, 25 children (mean age, 1.4 years; range, 3 months to 5 years) had barium
      enema examination-proved intussusception. Age-matched normal controls (24) and
      controls with diarrhea (21) were obtained within 1 month of the index case.
      MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Stools were tested for the presence of nonenteric
      adenovirus and enteric adenovirus using a monoclonal antibody-based enzyme
      immunoassay. Five (20%) of 25 children with intussusception had nonenteric
      adenovirus in their stools compared with one (4%) of 24 normal controls, none
      (0%) of 21 of the controls with diarrhea, and none (0%) of 37 patients suspected
      of having intussusception who had negative results on barium enema examination.
      However, no stool samples were positive for enteric adenovirus. CONCLUSIONS:
      Nonenteric adenovirus infection and intestinal intussusception may be associated.
      However, because enteric adenovirus was not found in any of the groups studied,
      no conclusions can be made regarding their possible influence on the risk for
      developing intussusception.

PMID- 1415075
TI  - Are we educating a medical professional who cares?
AB  - We examined four domains in which physicians must demonstrate their capacity for
      caring. These include the knowledge base that forms the foundation for the
      practice of medicine, the personal characteristics and attributes that a
      physician brings to the profession, the individual patients for whom the
      physician accepts responsibility, and the society in which the physician lives.
      We conclude that the system of medical education does produce caring physicians.
      The profession's history of self-evaluation and criticism should not obscure
      medicine's real success in meeting its responsibility to care as well as to cure.

PMID- 1415076
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging of the pituitary area in children treated for acute
      lymphoblastic leukemia with low-dose (18-Gy) cranial irradiation. Relationships
      to growth and growth hormone secretion.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of 18-Gy cranial irradiation on growth,
      growth hormone (GH) secretion, and pituitary magnetic resonance imaging in
      children who underwent previous irradiation for treatment of acute lymphoblastic
      leukemia. DESIGN: Clinical survey. SETTING: Department of Pediatrics of the
      University of Bologna (Italy). PATIENTS: Ten boys and 18 girls who were treated
      for acute lymphoblastic leukemia; median age at diagnosis was 3.1 years and at
      the end of follow-up was 11.5 years. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Height was
      periodically measured from diagnosis until the end of follow-up, when GH
      secretion study and magnetic resonance imaging were performed. The mean height SD
      score was significantly lower than at diagnosis only at the end of treatment.
      Nocturnal mean GH concentration and GH response to pharmacological tests
      (arginine and levodopa [L-dopa]) were pathological in 22 cases (81.5%) and 18
      cases (64.3%), respectively. Sixteen cases (59.2%) had a blunted GH release to
      the three tests. Mean pituitary anterior lobe height was reduced and seven
      subjects (25%) showed an empty sella. CONCLUSIONS: Cranial irradiation with 18 Gy
      does not seem to influence the growth pattern of most children who are treated
      for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, despite severe impairment of GH secretion and
      morphological abnormalities of the sellar area. However, a follow-up until final
      height is necessary.

PMID- 1415077
TI  - Effect of educational program on compliance with glove use in a pediatric
      emergency department.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of an educational program on compliance with
      glove use in a pediatric emergency department. DESIGN: Without their knowledge,
      participants were observed for routine use of gloves during vascular access
      procedures before and after an educational program. Participants with up to 3
      years' vascular access experience were defined as less experienced and those with
      4 or more years' experience were defined as more experienced. Their success rates
      performing vascular access procedures with and without wearing gloves were also
      monitored. SETTING: Inner-city pediatric hospital emergency department.
      PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-three emergency department registered nurses. INTERVENTIONS:
      A 30-minute lecture with slides, written materials, and posters addressing the
      reasons and need for universal precautions, and recommended methods of barrier
      precautions to prevent skin and mucous membrane exposure when handling sharp
      instruments. MEASUREMENTS/MAIN RESULTS: For the less experienced registered
      nurses, the compliance rate before the educational program was 70% and remained
      at about 93% afterward. For the more experienced registered nurses, the
      compliance rate before the program was only 15%. After the program, this
      compliance rate rose to 93%, but declined to only 50% by the fifth month. The
      registered nurses' success rate on the first attempt at vascular access while
      wearing gloves was 75% compared with 70% without gloves. CONCLUSION: Educational
      programs can result in a clinically significant increase in glove use by
      pediatric emergency department registered nurses. Long-term improvement was less
      pronounced for the group of more experienced registered nurses. We also observed
      that glove use does not appear to interfere with the proficient performance of
      vascular access procedures.

PMID- 1415078
TI  - Adolescent pregnancy. Gestational weight gain and maternal and infant outcomes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To clarify the advantages and disadvantages of large gestational
      weight gain among pregnant adolescents. DESIGN: Prospective, longitudinal survey.
      SETTING: Adolescent-oriented maternity program in Rochester, NY. PARTICIPANTS:
      One hundred forty-one poor, black, pregnant 12- through 19-year-olds grouped
      according to rate of gestational weight gain. Slow weight gain was defined as
      weight gain of less than 0.23 kg per week; average, 0.23 to 0.4 kg per week; and
      rapid, more than 0.4 kg per week. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS/MAIN RESULTS:
      Infants of rapid weight-gainers were significantly larger than infants of slower
      weight-gainers but did not experience fewer perinatal complications than other
      infants. Infants of slow weight-gainers were significantly smaller than infants
      of average and rapid weight-gainers and experienced more perinatal complications
      than other infants. Adolescents who gained weight rapidly retained more weight
      and, therefore, were more often obese after pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: The
      advantages of large weight gains for pregnant adolescents and their infants are
      well-documented; this study demonstrates the importance of balancing the long
      term potential morbidity of maternal obesity against the benefits of enhanced
      fetal growth in formulating weight-gain recommendations for pregnant adolescents.

PMID- 1415079
TI  - Sexual assault examinations in children. The role of a statewide network of
      health care providers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the formation of a statewide network of health care
      providers to care for child victims of sexual assault and to describe the
      patients seen by network providers. DESIGN: Clinical description, patient series.
      SETTING: Private practices, hospital clinics, and emergency departments.
      PARTICIPANTS: One thousand five hundred fifty-five child victims of suspected
      sexual assault. SELECTION: Children were referred to the Sexual Assault Findings
      Examination Network by the state's child protection agency, law enforcement
      agency, or the child's parent or guardian. No sampling system was used; the
      children compose the entire population of network patients. INTERVENTIONS: None.
      MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Detailed physical examinations were performed on all
      patients, along with extensive collection of pertinent behavioral and historical
      information. Substantiation of child abuse-neglect by the state's child
      protection agency was higher in incidents in which SAFE Network providers
      evaluated the child as compared with all other providers, even where there was no
      physical evidence. CONCLUSIONS: The network concept, including mandatory
      training, standard data form and protocol utilization, uniform reimbursement, and
      continuing education, provides a more reliable level of care for child victims of
      sexual assault than is available with a variety of providers working
      independently.

PMID- 1415080
TI  - How will children and pregnant women fare under current national health insurance
      proposals?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the following five major national health insurance
      proposals and their implications for children and pregnant women: the MAtsui
      "play or pay" bill (HR 3393); the Russo Canadian-type bill (HR 1300); the
      Rockefeller "play or pay" bill (S 1177); the Stark Medicare-type bill (HR 650);
      and the president's market reform proposal. RESEARCH DESIGN: Using an analytic
      framework developed by the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, we
      examine the differences among the five proposals in basic approach, eligibility
      and enrollment, benefits, cost-sharing requirements, provider reimbursement, and
      cost-control measures. RESULTS: All of the plans, except for President Bush's,
      would provide coverage for virtually all children and pregnant women, using a
      combination of private and public approaches. President Bush's market approach
      provides financial incentives to purchase health insurance benefit plans that
      states can design within actuarial limits. The remaining four plans strive for
      uniformity in benefits, covering physician and hospital services in a manner
      similar to most plans today. Preventive care benefits extend beyond what has been
      offered in the past. The four plans differ sharply in their coverage of extended
      care services, with the Matsui and Russo bills covering the most generous package
      of benefits. The Rockefeller and Stark plans, on the other hand, require less
      cost-sharing for their basically preventive and primary care plans. CONCLUSIONS:
      Most of the health insurance proposals are aimed at extending preventive and
      primary care health insurance plans to more uninsured Americans. Only the Matsui
      bill devotes significant attention to developing a comprehensive benefit plan for
      children and pregnant women. Additional attention should be directed at extended
      care services for those with special health care needs, the future role of
      Medicaid, and the public health system infrastructure.

PMID- 1415081
TI  - Parental behavior in relation to physical activity and fitness in 9-year-old
      children.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between parental behaviors and physical
      activity and fitness in elementary school-aged children. DESIGN: Cross-sectional
      survey of students and parents. SETTING: Seven public elementary schools in a
      suburban southern California city. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred forty-eight fourth
      grade girls and 149 fourth-grade boys and their parents. Eighty-four percent were
      white. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS/MAIN RESULTS: Children's physical
      activity was indicated by self-report, data obtained from a monitor
      (accelerometer), and results of the mile run/walk. Multiple regression analysis,
      controlling for ethnicity and body mass index, was conducted separately for girls
      and boys to explain variation in child activity and fitness. Parents' reported
      physical activity was not associated with child activity or fitness. However,
      availability of transportation by parents to sport and fitness activities was
      significant (or nearly so) in two regressions for boys and in one regression for
      girls. Parents who played with their children had more active boys, based on self
      report, but verbal encouragement to be active was not significant in any model.
      CONCLUSION: The parental role as gatekeeper of access to activity and sport
      facilities deserves further study.

PMID- 1415082
TI  - Crack cocaine use and sexual behavior among psychiatric inpatients.
AB  - Rises in both crack cocaine use and incidence of sexually transmitted diseases
      have been recently reported. In this study, we investigated the relationship
      between crack cocaine abuse and sexual behavior in 50 psychiatric inpatients. The
      relationship between crack use and sexual behavior is a very complicated one,
      influenced by many variables such as the dose of crack used, the user's
      preexisting sexuality, gender, and psychiatric illness. Results indicated that
      while most of the subjects developed sexual disinterest and dysfunction with
      prolonged crack cocaine use, some of them became more sexually promiscuous and
      consequently contracted more sexually transmitted diseases. The implications of
      these findings regarding transmission of HIV among crack cocaine users are
      discussed.

PMID- 1415083
TI  - Perinatal substance abuse.
AB  - This article reviews medical, obstetrical, and neonatal complications of
      perinatal substance abuse. The psychological and social issues commonly
      encountered in drug-abusing pregnant women are also discussed. Treatment
      considerations that take into account the complex biopsychosocial parameters are
      presented.

PMID- 1415084
TI  - Age at first injection and HIV risk among intravenous drug users.
AB  - The relationship of age at first injection and HIV risk was explored in a
      nonblinded HIV seroprevalence study of intravenous drug users (IVDUs) admitted to
      methadone treatment in seven United States cities between February 1987 and June
      1989. Comparisons were made of IVDUs who began injecting as adolescents, young
      adults, and adults in terms of drug use and sexual HIV risk behaviors and HIV
      serostatus. Early injectors consistently reported higher levels of drug-using
      risk behaviors (e.g., frequency of injection, frequency of needle sharing, and
      use of shooting galleries), and were more likely to be HIV seropositive. Among
      females, early injectors were also more likely to report sexual risk behaviors
      (e.g., multiple sex partners, prostitution). The relationship of age at first
      injection with selected risk behaviors and HIV serostatus was independent of
      subjects' age at interview, gender, and race/ethnicity. This study suggests that
      adolescent injectors are an important target group for HIV prevention efforts.

PMID- 1415085
TI  - Suicidal behavior and history of substance abuse.
AB  - Substance abuse is frequently associated with suicidal behavior. However, it is
      unclear to what degree substance abuse in a family member is related to suicide.
      In the present study, personal and family histories of substance abuse were
      examined in 716 psychiatric emergency room patients. Suicide attempters, suicide
      ideators, and nonsuicidal controls were compared across demographic, clinical,
      and substance abuse variables. Results showed that suicidal patients differed
      from nonsuicidal controls on many of the dependent variables. Suicidal patients
      were more likely to be depressed and report a history of previous suicidal
      tendencies. Also, alcohol and drug abuse occurred more frequently in suicidal
      patients. Furthermore, a family history of alcohol abuse was reported more often
      by suicidal than nonsuicidal patients. These patterns of substance abuse in
      suicidal patients were especially prominent among older subjects. Results are
      discussed in terms of the implications for identifying psychiatric emergency room
      patients at risk for suicide.

PMID- 1415086
TI  - Drug abuse history and treatment needs of jail inmates.
AB  - The current study evaluates the extent of prior drug use and psychosocial
      dysfunction related to drug use among 499 jail inmates referred to the
      Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Substance Abuse Treatment Program. Results
      indicate that inmates were involved with drugs for an average of more than 7
      years, and with cocaine for almost 5 years. The majority of inmates reported
      extremely heavy use of drugs in the month prior to the last arrest, including 83%
      that had used cocaine. Many drug-dependent inmates reported a shift over time
      from intranasal to freebase cocaine use. Half of all referrals indicated a
      pattern of regular use within a year of involvement with drugs. The need for
      lengthy, heavily structured, and intensive treatment approaches for drug
      dependent jail inmates is underscored by a history of chronic cocaine and
      polydrug abuse, a compulsive pattern of drug use, few successful periods of
      voluntary abstinence, and severe disruption in vocational, social, and
      psychological functioning. Their history of infrequent and unsuccessful
      involvement in rehabilitation programs reflects a significant need for compulsory
      treatment following release from jail, community supervision to ensure compliance
      with treatment, and development of linkages between jail drug treatment programs,
      courts, and community treatment providers.

PMID- 1415087
TI  - Parental leave.

PMID- 1415088
TI  - Helicobacter pylori and recurrence of duodenal ulcers.

PMID- 1415089
TI  - Parental leave for trainees in gastroenterology. The Ad Hoc Committee for Women
      in Gastroenterology, The American College of Gastroenterology.

PMID- 1415090
TI  - The effect of acupuncture on gastrointestinal function and disorders.
AB  - Acupuncture has been used empirically in clinical practice in China for several
      millenia and has recently drawn interest as a mode of anesthesia. Despite
      extensive investigation, the exact mechanisms of its analgesic action are
      unknown, but are thought to involve endogenous opioid peptides. Only recently
      have studies attempted to evaluate the effect of acupuncture on gastrointestinal
      function and disease. A review of studies from both the Chinese and Western
      literature supports the efficacy of acupuncture in the regulation of
      gastrointestinal motor activity and secretion through opioid and other neural
      pathways. However, no firm conclusion can be drawn about the effectiveness of
      acupuncture in the treatment of specific gastrointestinal disorders because of
      the lack of properly randomized controlled trials.

PMID- 1415091
TI  - Heatstroke: its clinical and pathological presentation, with particular attention
      to the liver.
AB  - Heatstroke is a potentially fatal disorder caused by an extreme elevation of body
      temperature. It is the most severe of the illnesses produced as a result of a
      high ambient temperature; however, it also may occur sporadically among
      individuals working or exercising in more favorable weather conditions,
      particularly early in their training before acclimatization occurs. The liver is
      a common site of tissue injury in cases of heatstroke and can be the site of
      fatal tissue injury in cases that survive the initial neurologic injury. Prompt
      early recognition of heatstroke as the entity responsible for a given patient's
      problems and effective early cooling with attention to expected complications can
      result in complete recovery in most cases. In a minority (< 10%) in whom
      neurologic injury has not resulted in an early death occurring within the first 2
      3 days, the hepatic injury due to heatstroke can result in death that occurs a
      week or more after the onset of the heat stress, unless the liver is replaced.
      Recently, two such cases have been referred to the University of Pittsburgh for
      transplantation. On the basis of these two referrals and a review of the
      literature, we believe that this problem occurs more often than is currently
      appreciated, principally because of a lack of knowledge about the problem. In an
      attempt to correct this information deficit, this review was prepared.

PMID- 1415092
TI  - Smoking does not contribute to duodenal ulcer relapse after Helicobacter pylori
      eradication.
AB  - Cigarette smoking is believed to be one of the major factors influencing duodenal
      ulcer (DU) recurrence. However, the influence of cigarette smoking on DU
      recurrence after the eradication of Helicobacter pylori has not been separately
      addressed. The aim of this study was to investigate DU relapse rate in smokers
      and nonsmokers, both with confirmed eradication of H. pylori. Patients with H.
      pylori eradication, demonstrated at endoscopy 4 wk post-treatment, were included
      in the study. Smoking history was obtained with a standard questionnaire, and
      patients were followed endoscopically, both yearly and at symptomatic recurrence,
      to detect anatomical DU recurrence. Of the 197 (121M:76F) patients enrolled in
      the study and followed for 1-6 yr, 80 (41%) were smokers, smoking 5-40
      cigarettes/day. The 117 (59%) nonsmokers included 31 (26%) patients who had
      ceased smoking 4-20 yr ago. Another seven (9%) smokers ceased smoking during the
      follow-up period. In the 197 patients with eradicated H. pylori and cured DU,
      there has been no recurrence of ulcer, regardless of smoking status. We conclude
      that in patients with DU in whom H. pylori infection is eradicated, ulcer disease
      does not recur, as observed for up to 6 yr. Furthermore, cigarette smoking is not
      a risk factor for DU recurrence, provided H. pylori is eradicated.

PMID- 1415093
TI  - Serum gastrin is not higher in subjects with colonic neoplasia.
AB  - Two previous studies have shown higher circulating gastrin levels in subjects
      with colonic neoplasia than in colonoscopy-negative controls. In this much larger
      study, sera were collected from fasting subjects undergoing colonoscopy.
      Colonoscopy with biopsy classified participants as having colonic adenomas (N =
      139), colon carcinoma (N = 29), or controls without colonic neoplasia (N = 150).
      Frozen, stored sera were later analyzed for gastrin by radioimmunoassay. Serum
      gastrin values were no higher in subjects with colonic adenomas or carcinoma than
      in colonoscopy-negative controls. We conclude that elevated serum gastrin levels
      play little, if any, role in the initiation of colonic neoplasia.

PMID- 1415094
TI  - Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug-associated gastric ulcers do not require
      Helicobacter pylori for their development.
AB  - Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been linked with a high
      incidence of ulcer complications. Histologic gastritis is present in most
      patients with standard peptic ulcers, and this gastritis is generally related to
      Helicobacter pylori (HP). We questioned whether gastric ulcers associated with
      nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) develop via a novel mechanism,
      distinct from the usual HP-gastritis-ulcer diathesis. Two groups of patients with
      newly discovered gastric ulcers were assessed: 1) daily NSAID use > 1 month (n =
      19), 2) no NSAID use (n = 36). Biopsy specimens from the rim of the ulcer and
      adjacent normal mucosa were coded, randomized, and evaluated for histologic
      features and HP. HP prevalence was significantly lower in the NSAID group (10/19
      (53%) vs. 30/36 (83%), p = 0.01). In biopsies from the ulcer rim, inflammatory
      cell density and epithelial abnormalities were significantly less in the NSAID
      group than in the no-NSAID group. Biopsies from adjacent mucosa exhibited the
      same trends, but the differences did not reach statistical significance
      (inflammation, p = 0.06; epithelium, p = 0.05). HP-positive patients had similar
      inflammation and epithelium scores, whether or not they took NSAIDs. However, HP
      negative NSAID patients had significantly lower scores than HP-positive NSAID
      users (inflammation, 0.6 +/- 0.2 vs. 2.4 +/- 0.4; epithelium, 1.1 +/- 0.6 vs. 3.5
      +/- 0.7). Patients with NSAID-associated gastric ulcers have a lower prevalence
      of HP and less histologic gastritis than patients with non-NSAID gastric ulcers.
      The gastritis is related to the underlying HP and not to NSAID ingestion. NSAID
      associated gastric ulcers may represent a major subset of peptic ulcers that do
      not require HP for their development.

PMID- 1415095
TI  - Helicobacter pylori-negative gastric ulcer.
AB  - Causes of Helicobacter pylori (HP)-negative gastric ulcers (GUs) have not
      previously been systematically studied. In this study we examined possible causes
      of HP-negative GUs. Among 115 consecutive patients with endoscopic diagnoses of
      GU, 71 (62%) had HP infection, and 44 (38%) were found to be HP-negative. Of the
      71 HP-positive patients, 47 (66%) had no other detectable causal factors, 21
      (30%) were regularly taking nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and
      three (4%) had malignant GU. Of the 44 HP-negative patients, 29 (66%) were taking
      NSAIDs, two (5%) had a malignant GU, whereas 13/44 (30%) (11% of total 115)
      patients had no identifiable cause. These patients were classified as having
      "idiopathic GU." Some 38/115 (33%) GUs occurred on the lesser curve, and these
      were more often (p = 0.012) HP-positive (76%) than prepyloric GUs (60/115 (52%)).
      We conclude that although most patients have an identifiable cause of GU, around
      11% will have no apparent contributing factor. HP-positive GUs are more
      frequently located on the lesser curve. It is now important to identify the cause
      of GU, because this may dictate choice of management.

PMID- 1415096
TI  - Is rectal biopsy necessary in irritable bowel syndrome?
AB  - Many physicians obtain a rectal biopsy from patients with irritable bowel
      syndrome (IBS) in order to exclude melanosis coli and collagenous or microscopic
      colitis. To determine the value of routine rectal biopsy in IBS, 89 patients and
      59 controls were administered a bowel questionnaire, and a rectal biopsy was
      obtained at sigmoidoscopy. IBS patients were 82% female and averaged 44 yr.
      Eighty-nine percent fulfilled three or more Manning criteria, and 84% fulfilled
      the Rome criteria for IBS. The 59 control subjects were 37% female, and averaged
      57 yr. Only 15% fulfilled three or more Manning criteria, and 5% the Rome
      criteria. The 148 rectal biopsies were examined histologically by a pathologist
      whose methods were validated by a second pathologist. Although minor changes
      previously reported with phosphate enemas were observed, not a single subject had
      melanosis coli or fulfilled criteria for microscopic or collagenous colitis.
      Thus, patients with an endoscopically normal colon and a diagnosis of IBS made by
      established criteria are unlikely to have histologic abnormalities in the rectum.
      Rectal biopsies are costly and unnecessary in the investigation of IBS.

PMID- 1415097
TI  - Preoperative testing for fecal occult blood: a questionable practice.
AB  - The benefit of fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) in patients without
      gastrointestinal symptoms who are hospitalized for an elective surgical procedure
      is uncertain. To resolve this issue, we analyzed the costs and benefits of
      preoperative FOBT by the model of a decision tree. In 2- and 3-way sensitivity
      analyses, the costs of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and the
      probabilities of their various outcomes are varied simultaneously so that we
      might study their joint influence on the outcome of the decision analysis. The
      decision analysis shows that preoperative FOBT is associated with a smaller
      benefit than would be its omission. The higher cost and lower net benefit of
      preoperative FOBT reflect the impact of false-positive tests for occult blood.
      False-positive FOBT leads to expenditures for negative gastrointestinal work-ups,
      increased procedural costs, and a diminished rate of success for the elective
      surgical procedure, by delaying it. This outcome of the analysis is insensitive
      to large variations in the costs and probabilities built into the model. We
      conclude that screening for fecal occult blood provides no benefit if done
      routinely in patients who are hospitalized for any major surgical procedure.

PMID- 1415098
TI  - Metastatic tumors to the upper gastrointestinal tract: endoscopic experience.
AB  - Metastatic tumors to the upper gastrointestinal tract were identified by
      esophagogastroduodenoscopy in 14 patients. Malignant melanoma, breast cancer, and
      lung cancer were the most common primary cancers in four, three, and three
      patients, respectively. Osteogenic sarcoma, renal cell carcinoma, Meckel cell
      carcinoma of the skin, and germ-cell tumor were the primary cancer in the
      remaining four. The esophagus was involved in three patients, the stomach in 13,
      duodenum in four, and papilla of Vater in one. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding
      and anemia were the most common presenting features. There was correlation
      between symptoms and endoscopic findings in all patients. Involvement of
      gastrointestinal tract at endoscopy was the initial and only evidence of
      metastases in all patients without evidence of metastases elsewhere, as evidenced
      by other diagnostic tests in any of these patients. Endoscopic biopsies and/or
      brush cytology provided histologic diagnosis in all 14 patients. The endoscopic
      and nonendoscopic literature regarding metastases to the upper gastrointestinal
      tract is reviewed.

PMID- 1415099
TI  - Increased gallbladder residual volume in nonresponders to extracorporeal shock
      wave lithotripsy of gallbladder stones.
AB  - In a prospective study of 63 patients, we purposed to determine whether
      gallbladder contractility or gallbladder volume before biliary lithotripsy are
      predictors of fragment disappearance. Percentage gallbladder contraction was
      calculated from the fractional difference in the sonographically measured
      gallbladder volume after a standard fatty meal. Statistical analysis showed no
      significant differences in gallbladder contractility between the fragment-free
      group and the residual-fragment group before (77.2 +/- 12.7% vs. 71.9 +/- 19.3%;
      p = 0.1044) biliary lithotripsy and after the termination of adjuvant
      cholelitholysis therapy (76.4 +/- 12.9% vs. 72.2 +/- 17.1%; p = 0.1341). Before
      treatment, there was no significant difference in fasting gallbladder volume in
      either group (29.9 +/- 15.4 ml vs. 36.6 +/- 18.8; p = 0.0682), but postprandial
      gallbladder volume was greater in nonresponders (10.4 +/- 9.4 ml vs. 6.5 +/- 3.8;
      p = 0.0164). After termination of the therapy, both the fasting gallbladder
      volume (41.2 +/- 24.2 ml vs. 29.8 +/- 10.3 ml; p = 0.0093) and the postprandial
      gallbladder volume (11.9 +/- 11.7 ml vs. 7.3 +/- 5.3 ml; p = 0.0267) were greater
      in the residual-fragment group. The increase of the fasting gallbladder volume in
      the residual-fragment group was statistically not significant. Our results
      indicate that the increased residual volume is a significant cause of therapeutic
      failure in nonresponders.

PMID- 1415100
TI  - Portal and systemic hemodynamics and humoral factors in cirrhosis with and
      without ascites.
AB  - The pathogenesis of salt and water retention in cirrhosis remains unclear.
      Systemic and portal hemodynamic parameters, including cardiac output, portal
      pressure gradient and systemic vascular resistance, were measured in six patients
      with untreated ascites and in six patients with hepatic cirrhosis with no history
      of ascites. Renal blood flow, urinary volume, and humoral factors, including
      plasma renin, aldosterone, angiotensin II, and urine kallikrein, were measured.
      Significant differences were seen between the two groups in urine volume, urine
      sodium and fractional sodium excretion, plasma angiotensin II, and the ratio
      between plasma renin activity and urinary kallikrein excretion (PRA:UKallV). A
      strong correlation existed between urinary sodium excretion and the PRA:UKallV
      ratio. No significant differences were detected between the groups in portal,
      renal, and systemic hemodynamics. The present results suggest that humoral
      changes occur early in ascites. Altered relationships between intrarenal hormone
      systems, such as the renin-angiotensin and kallikrein-kinin systems, may be
      important in salt and water retention.

PMID- 1415101
TI  - A prospective, randomized, blinded trial of cytological yield with disposable
      cytology brushes in upper gastrointestinal tract lesions.
AB  - Brush cytology is an important technique in the diagnosis of upper
      gastrointestinal tract lesions. Optimum cytological yields depend on cellularity
      (a measure of the amount of epithelial cellular material) and preservation (a
      measure of artifact induced by desiccation). We sought to determine the
      cytological yield of four disposable cytology brushes. Seventy-eight patients
      were studied, with a total of 80 disposable cytology brushes from four different
      manufacturers (Wilson-Cook, Microvasive, Mill-Rose, and Hobbs). Cellularity and
      preservation were assessed in a blinded fashion by experienced cytotechnologists.
      There was no significant difference in cellularity between the different non
      disposable brushes. However, the Wilson Cook disposable cytology brush was
      significantly superior to the other disposable cytology brushes (P < 0.05) with
      regard to preservation. Its unique design features (longer head and more acutely
      angled bristles) may account for the better results.

PMID- 1415102
TI  - Prospective evaluation of a peritoneal dialysis catheter system for large volume
      paracentesis.
AB  - Large volume paracentesis is becoming a popular form of therapy for patients with
      massive ascites and cirrhosis. Although the physiologic effects of the removal of
      large amounts of ascitic fluid have been well described, the techniques utilized
      to perform the procedure are either not well documented or not currently
      available. Over a 13-month period, 52 patients with moderate to severe ascites
      have undergone 73 large volume paracenteses with a peritoneal dialysis catheter
      system. The mean volume of ascitic fluid removed was 7.6 L, with a mean time of
      removal of 129 min. Total paracentesis was accomplished within 1 h in 38% of
      procedures. The most common site for paracentesis was the left lower quadrant.
      Complications related to the procedure were few, the most common being a self
      limited ascitic fluid leak at the sight of paracentesis. No patient experienced
      intestinal perforation, peritonitis, or a significant change in serum creatinine
      after the procedure. The widely available peritoneal dialysis catheter system
      represents a safe and rapid technique for the removal of large quantities of
      ascitic fluid.

PMID- 1415103
TI  - A technique for segmental rectal and colonic perfusion in humans.
AB  - To enable a better characterization of pathophysiologic processes in colon and
      rectum, we have developed a perfusion technique for collection of soluble
      substances and cells from standardized intestinal segments. A tube with balloons
      attached to its outer wall was endoscopically introduced into the rectum and
      sigmoid colon, and its position ascertained fluoroscopically. The balloons
      delimited two segments, one in the sigmoid colon and one in the rectum. The
      segments were simultaneously perfused by a buffer at 37 degrees C. After a 30-min
      rinsing period, perfusate and cells were collected at 20-min intervals. Of 51
      attempted perfusions, 45 were successfully completed. Recovered volumes equaled
      those infused. Leakage from the proximal intestine to the segments was
      negligible. In 18 healthy volunteers, the mean perfusate concentration from the
      rectal segment was 57.5 (27.5-120.2) mg/L for albumin, 1.3 (1.0-1.7) micrograms/L
      for eosinophil cationic protein, 5.1 (2.8-9.5) ng/L for prostaglandin E2, and
      61.7 (41.7-89.1) micrograms/L for hyaluronan, and all values were lower in the
      sigmoid segment. Steady state conditions were achieved from the second perfusion
      period. The perfusate contained 4-80 x 10(4) cells, more than 95% of which were
      epithelial cells. The technique is safe, has a good subject compliance, and seems
      to be a valuable tool in investigations on quantitative release of soluble
      substances and cells in, e.g., colorectal inflammation.

PMID- 1415104
TI  - Tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase activity is increased in human gastric mucosa of
      alcoholics.
AB  - Sulfation plays a major role in the processing of secretory proteins. We report
      here on tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase activity in human gastric mucosa of
      normal and alcoholics. The tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase was identified in the
      Golgi-enriched fraction. In alcoholics, the activity of sulfotransferase was 2-
      to 3-fold higher than in normals. However, no change in the activity of UDP
      glucose-ceramide glucosyltransferase, a marker for Golgi, between alcoholics and
      normals was observed. The tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase enzyme required Triton
      X-100, MnCl2 and 5'-AMP, and obtained optimum activity at pH 6.8 in the presence
      of 0.5% Triton X-100, 20 mM MnCl2, 50 mM NaF, and 2 mM 5'-AMP. The apparent Km
      for poly-Glu6, Ala3, Tyr1 (EAY; 47,000) was 1.9 x 10(-6) M and for 3'
      phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS), 1.4 x 10(-6) M. The results suggest
      that alcohol abuse causes enhancement in the expression of gastric mucosal
      tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase activity.

PMID- 1415105
TI  - Upper gastrointestinal bleeding from Merkel cell carcinoma.
AB  - Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare small cell carcinoma of the dermis with
      aggressive clinical features and frequent local recurrence. Intra-abdominal
      spread of the cancer has previously been noted primarily in the liver and
      retroperitoneal nodes. We report a patient with previously diagnosed Merkel cell
      carcinoma of the right buttock with metastases to the stomach and duodenum
      presenting with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

PMID- 1415106
TI  - Bleeding from a Meckel's diverticulum after the use of ibuprofen.
AB  - A Meckel's diverticulum is an unusual site of gastrointestinal bleeding in
      adults. Bleeding often results from ulceration of ileal mucosa that lies adjacent
      to ectopic gastric mucosa. We report on a 27-yr-old man who bled from a Meckel's
      diverticulum after receiving oral ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory
      drug. Examination of the resected diverticulum revealed fundal-type gastric
      mucosa with inflammation, submucosal hemorrhages, erosions and ulceration in the
      absence of Helicobacter pylori. The ileal mucosa was spared in this patient.
      These features suggest that oral ibuprofen caused damage to the ectopic gastric
      mucosa, precipitating significant hemorrhage. This is the first report in the
      English literature of such an occurrence.

PMID- 1415107
TI  - Severe hemorrhage caused by gastrointestinal Kaposi's syndrome in patients with
      the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: treatment with endoscopic injection
      sclerotherapy.
AB  - Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is the most common tumor among HIV-infected individuals,
      but its involvement in the gastrointestinal tract was reported long before the
      AIDS epidemic. Although most cases of gastrointestinal KS are asymptomatic,
      advanced lesions may occasionally result in a severe and life-threatening
      hemorrhage that requires immediate treatment. At the NYU Medical Center, we have
      seen three AIDS patients present with severe upper tract bleeding (> 8 U/48 h)
      from KS lesions of the antrum, fundus, and duodenum. The last patient was also
      bleeding from an ulcerated rectal KS lesion. Because all three patients had a
      coexisting thrombocytopenia (platelets < 50,000/mm3) and were poor operative
      risks, injection sclerotherapy was performed. All four KS lesions stopped
      bleeding, and three out of the four lesions decreased in size. To our knowledge,
      this is the first report of successfully using sclerotherapy to treat severe
      hemorrhage due to gastrointestinal KS.

PMID- 1415108
TI  - Intestinal herpes simplex infection presenting with intestinal perforation.
AB  - A 77-yr-old man who had received systemic steroids for more than 6 yr presented
      with an acute abdomen. Laparotomy revealed an ulcerative jejunitis with purulent
      peritonitis. The patient underwent resection of involved bowel followed by a 10
      day course of aciclovir, with excellent results. Pathologic examination showed a
      necrotizing enteritis with intranuclear inclusions typical of Herpesvirus that
      reacted immunocytochemically with antibodies to herpes simplex virus types I and
      II. A rising herpes simplex virus serum antibody titer confirmed the diagnosis.
      Intestinal herpes infection with perforation should be added to the list of
      complications from herpes simplex in the immunocompromised patient.

PMID- 1415109
TI  - Iron malabsorption in a patient with large cell lymphoma involving the duodenum.
AB  - Iron malabsorption compounded the anemia in a patient with diffuse large cell
      lymphoma involving the small intestine. Both upper gastrointestinal series with
      small bowel follow-through and computerized tomographic scan demonstrated
      lymphomatous involvement of the duodenum and proximal jejunum by a
      retroperitoneal mass. An oral iron-loading absorption test was consistent with
      malabsorption of iron. After two cycles of systemic chemotherapy, the
      retroperitoneal mass resolved and the iron loading test normalized.

PMID- 1415110
TI  - Arcuate ligament syndrome mimicking celiac occlusion.
AB  - In a patient with weight loss and a systolic epigastric murmur, aortography
      demonstrated positional celiac axis occlusion. Color Doppler imaging of the
      celiac axis showed occlusion in the supine position, but patency was documented
      during deep inspiration and with the patient in the upright position. This report
      documents a rare example of extreme celiac axis compression with position
      dependent celiac patency.

PMID- 1415111
TI  - Anal tuberculosis: report of two cases and literature review.
AB  - Tuberculous involvement of the anus is an extreme rarity. We report two cases of
      anal tuberculosis and discuss the clinical features, the difficulty in
      differentiating from Crohn's disease, and the diagnostic aspects in the context
      of the pertinent medical literature.

PMID- 1415112
TI  - Unexpected anomalies of the common bile and pancreatic ducts.

PMID- 1415114
TI  - Partial regression of childhood Barrett's esophagus after fundoplication.
AB  - A 12-yr-old boy presented with Barrett's esophagus, the nature and extent of
      which were thoroughly documented with multiple endoscopic biopsies. He had an
      excellent symptomatic response to antireflux surgery. Radiologic studies,
      esophageal manometry, and intraesophageal pH studies were performed before
      surgery and at intervals thereafter, and documented the success of antireflux
      surgery. Within 2 yr of surgery, there was endoscopic and histologic evidence of
      squamous regression of columnar mucosa, and this process of regression to
      squamous epithelium continued over a further 3 yr. This case suggests that
      partial squamous regression of Barrett's esophagus may occur in children. Studies
      dealing with regression are reviewed and proposals are made for a standardized
      approach to its documentation.

PMID- 1415113
TI  - Mesenteric fibromatosis presenting as fever of unknown origin.
AB  - We report a case of fibromatosis, soft tissue tumors that are benign
      histologically, but exhibit behavior intermediate between benign and malignant
      diseases. Mesenteric fibromatosis grows vigorously without a general inflammatory
      reaction, and its symptoms are the result of obstruction and/or compression of
      the intestine. However, in our case, the general inflammatory reactions of fever
      and C-reactive protein (CRP) elevation was present at an early stage. Because
      this inflammatory reaction disappeared after surgical resection, it may have been
      induced by some inflammatory factors produced in the tumor, such as those
      produced in inflammatory fibrous histiocytoma. We found that computed tomography
      was useful in the detection of the cause of fever of unknown origin, and suggest
      that it should be recommended in cases of long-lasting unexplainable fever.

PMID- 1415115
TI  - Is the chronic cougher a refluxer?

PMID- 1415116
TI  - Gender and pancreatitis: do the ducts make the difference?

PMID- 1415117
TI  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for gallbladder cancer!!?

PMID- 1415118
TI  - Ulcerative esophagitis during primary HIV infection.

PMID- 1415119
TI  - Esophageal perforation in association with Herpesvirus infection: report of an
      autopsy case.

PMID- 1415120
TI  - Source of Helicobacter pylori infection: studies in abattoir workers and pigs.

PMID- 1415121
TI  - Tamponade of biopsy-induced hemorrhage via submucosal hematoma formation.

PMID- 1415122
TI  - Antirheumatoid second-line drugs and mucosal injury by NSAIDs.

PMID- 1415123
TI  - Liver involvement in secondary syphilis.

PMID- 1415124
TI  - Dumping syndrome and the regulation of peptide YY with verapamil.

PMID- 1415125
TI  - Report of Eales' disease and ulcerative colitis in the same patient.

PMID- 1415126
TI  - Monitoring chemical exposure using breast milk: a methodological review.
AB  - Retrospective exposure assessments are often a major weakness in environmental
      epidemiologic studies. Many environmentally important chemicals are persistent
      lipophilic compounds which partition into fat and breast milk. The analysis of
      these chemicals in breast milk provides a noninvasive means of collecting large
      volumes of a biologic fluid that correlates well with body burden. This may
      provide an integrated measure of cumulative absorption over several years which
      can be used to assess exposure in several different epidemiologic study designs.
      However, consideration of toxicokinetic principles in the study design is
      important in order to allow for maternal and other factors unrelated to exposure
      which may influence breast milk concentrations. These factors include maternal
      age, parity, maternal body weight, time of sampling during the lactation period,
      and fat content of the breast milk. Failure to use standardized entrance criteria
      and to allow for the above factors in the analysis and interpretation of the
      study results may lead to invalid conclusions regarding past exposures. Allowance
      must also be made for the restrictions on the sampling frame available in any
      epidemiologic study using breast milk analysis. Published studies to date often
      have had several methodological deficiencies. With the introduction of biologic
      specimen banks, breast milk collection and analysis should play an important role
      in future epidemiologic studies, especially those investigating health outcomes
      in infants.

PMID- 1415127
TI  - Air-conditioning and mortality in hot weather.
AB  - A cohort of 72,740 persons for whom information on household air-conditioning was
      available was monitored for mortality via the National Death Index from April
      1980 through December 1985. A total of 2,275 deaths occurred among the members of
      this cohort. The basic question addressed was whether persons in households with
      air-conditioning experienced lower death rates during hot weather than persons in
      households without air-conditioning. This question was examined for both central
      and room air-conditioning. The analysis was based on a state-by-state approach,
      that cross-tabulated deaths by air-conditioning status (yes or no) and average
      temperature during the month of death (less than 21.2 degrees C (less than 70
      degrees F) or greater than or equal to 21.2 degrees C (greater than or equal to
      70 degrees F)). The Mantel-Haenszel and sign tests were used to summarize the
      data. For central air-conditioning versus no air-conditioning, statistically
      significant benefits (p less than 0.05, Mantel-Haenszel test) were observed for
      the overall total, for females, for persons not in the labor force, and for
      persons living in fewer than six rooms. These groups had more exposure to air
      conditioning. The relative risk for the total group was 0.58, implying that in
      hot weather, the death rate for persons who had central air-conditioning was 42
      percent lower than the rate for persons who did not have air-conditioning, after
      confounding variables had been controlled for. For room air-conditioning versus
      no air-conditioning, the odds ratio for the total group was 0.96, which was not
      significantly different from 1.0, suggesting that no real benefit was derived
      from room air-conditioning. Some reasons for the lack of a demonstrable benefit
      for room air-conditioning are given.

PMID- 1415128
TI  - The relation between serum insulin levels and 8-year changes in lipid,
      lipoprotein, and blood pressure levels.
AB  - Hyperinsulinemia is associated with an adverse pattern of cardiovascular risk
      factors, including obesity, elevated triglyceride levels, low levels of high
      density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and elevated blood pressure. Whether
      hyperinsulinemia precedes (and perhaps causes) this deterioration in the risk
      factors or merely accompanies the deterioration is controversial. We therefore
      examined the 8-year changes in lipids, lipoproteins, and blood pressure as a
      function of baseline levels of fasting insulin in 1,383 nondiabetic Mexican
      American and non-Hispanic white subjects enrolled between October 1979 and
      November 1982 in the San Antonio Heart Study, a population-based longitudinal
      study of cardiovascular risk factors and diabetes in San Antonio, Texas. After
      age and concomitant changes in body mass index were adjusted for, fasting insulin
      at baseline was found to be correlated positively with 8-year changes in
      triglyceride levels and negatively with 8-year changes in HDL cholesterol levels
      (p less than 0.05). Among the non-Hispanic whites, insulin was more strongly
      correlated with a decline in HDL cholesterol levels in women than in men (p less
      than 0.001). Fasting insulin was also positively correlated with changes in both
      systolic and diastolic blood pressure in non-Hispanic whites, but not in Mexican
      Americans, although these correlations were slightly diminished and no longer
      achieved statistical significance after subjects receiving antihypertensive
      medications were excluded. These results support the hypothesis that in
      nondiabetic subjects, insulin has a direct regulatory effect on triglyceride and
      HDL cholesterol levels. These data provide evidence for a possible role for
      insulin in blood pressure regulation, at least in non-Hispanic whites, although
      further analysis of this issue is warranted.

PMID- 1415129
TI  - Aging and total cholesterol levels: cohort, period, and survivorship effects.
AB  - This analysis describes the association of age with the serum total cholesterol
      level in 5,010 participants in a geriatric health screening program. Cholesterol
      levels were measured annually in participants monitored for up to 12 years. The
      association of age with cholesterol level is described via three approaches:
      cross-sectional analysis, descriptive longitudinal analysis, and longitudinal
      analysis using statistical modeling. The results were compared to examine the
      influence of cohort, period, and survivorship effects on the association between
      age and cholesterol. In cross-sectional analysis, the cholesterol level was
      fairly constant for the ages of 65 to 75 years, but decreased by 21% over the age
      range from 75 to 95 years. Descriptive longitudinal analysis suggested that both
      cohort and period effects were influencing the cross-sectional findings. In
      longitudinal analysis adjusting for both cohort and period effects, the findings
      were similar to those from cross-sectional analysis for the ages of 65 to 75
      years, but from the ages of 75 to 95 years, cholesterol decreased by only 9%-
      half as great a decline as that estimated from cross-sectional analysis. When
      longitudinal data were limited to those with complete follow-up, the predicted
      decline for the age range from 75 to 95 years was only 6%. Although this
      flattening of the age trend was suggestive, there was no conclusive evidence that
      it reflected an association between baseline cholesterol and loss to follow-up.

PMID- 1415130
TI  - Fatal stroke and use of oral contraceptives: findings from a case-control study.
AB  - A case-control study of women less than 40 years of age in England and Wales was
      performed to evaluate the risk of fatal stroke associated with the use of the
      newer, low-dose oral contraceptives. Included were 296 cases with subarachnoid
      hemorrhage, 105 cases with other hemorrhagic stroke, and 21 cases with occlusive
      stroke, all of which occurred during 1986-1988. Two living controls per case,
      matched for age and marital status, were chosen from the general practice lists.
      The power of the study was such that the minimum significant increased relative
      risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage associated with ever having used oral
      contraceptives that could have been detected with 90% certainty was 1.6; the
      equivalent value for occlusive stroke was 28.4. Relative risk was estimated by
      conditional logistic regression allowing for matching. The adjusted relative risk
      of subarachnoid hemorrhage associated with oral contraceptives was estimated to
      be 1.1 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.6-1.9) for current use and 1.3 (95% CI 0.9
      1.8) for ever use, while the equivalent relative risk of an occlusive stroke
      associated with ever use was 4.4 (95% CI 0.8-24.4). Oral contraceptive use may be
      associated with a small increase in the risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage. These
      data are consistent with a substantial increase in the risk of occlusive stroke
      associated with oral contraceptive use.

PMID- 1415131
TI  - The risk of epithelial ovarian cancer in short-term users of oral contraceptives.
AB  - Short-term use (less than 1 year) or oral contraceptives has been associated with
      increased to slightly decreased risks of epithelial ovarian cancer in several
      studies. To determine what might account for a statistically significant 40%
      reduction in risk associated with as little as 3 to 6 months of use, a finding
      previously reported from the Cancer and Steroid Hormone Study, and to consider
      the implications for mechanisms of pathogenesis, the authors compared numerous
      characteristics of short-term users of oral contraceptives (41 cases, 412
      controls) with those of never users (242 cases, 1,517 controls). The reduced risk
      among short-term users was consistently restricted to women who stopped using
      oral contraceptives for medical reasons, which were essentially side effects;
      there was little evidence of a protective effect among women who stopped for
      nonmedical reasons. Factors such as age, parity, family history of ovarian
      cancer, estrogen dose, history of sterilization, and latency (interval from first
      use) could not account for the finding. These analyses suggest that short-term
      use of oral contraceptives has little to no effect per se on reducing the risk of
      epithelial ovarian cancer and that side effects resulting in cessation of oral
      contraceptive use shortly after it was begun may be indicative of factors that
      are protective against the disease.

PMID- 1415132
TI  - Leukocyte count and risk of major coronary heart disease events.
AB  - The association between leukocyte count and subsequent risk of major coronary
      heart disease events was examined using data from three prospective cohort
      studies--two from the United States and one from Great Britain. A total of 28,181
      middle-aged men were followed for 6-12 years. A total of 1,768 men had a nonfatal
      myocardial infarction or died of coronary heart disease. In all three cohorts,
      there was a positive, statistically significant relation between baseline
      leukocyte count and risk of subsequent major coronary heart disease events after
      adjustment for age, serum total cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure, and number
      of cigarettes smoked per day (relative odds = 1.32 (p less than 0.0001), 1.15 (p
      = 0.0001), and 1.14 (p = 0.003), corresponding to a 2,000/mm3 difference in
      leukocyte count). The associations persisted when all nonsmokers (former smokers
      plus never smokers) and never smokers alone were considered and when those with
      evidence of preexisting coronary heart disease at baseline were excluded.
      Leukocyte count appears to be an indicator of a person's future risk of major
      coronary heart disease events.

PMID- 1415133
TI  - Incidence of cancer in Norwegian workers potentially exposed to electromagnetic
      fields.
AB  - The risk of cancer was investigated in a cohort of 37,945 male Norwegian
      electrical workers for whom information on job description was collected from
      1960 census data and linked to the 1970 census data. The standardized incidence
      ratio was calculated for all cancer sites in the overall cohort by comparison
      with national incidence rates for economically active men at the 1960 census. The
      standardized incidence ratios for cancers of the breast, pleura (mesothelioma),
      larynx, and bladder and for soft tissue sarcoma were elevated, while those for
      non-Hodgkins and Hodgkins lymphoma were lower. The standardized incidence ratio
      for leukemia for electrical workers with 10 or more economically active years was
      1.41. The standardized incidence ratio for brain tumors in this subgroup of
      electrical workers was 1.14. These results from a large, national, population
      based study at the Cancer Registry of Norway give support to previous findings of
      a possible association between electrical work and the risk of leukemia.

PMID- 1415134
TI  - Occupation and bladder cancer risk.
AB  - This study examines the estimated risk of bladder cancer associated with various
      occupations among 1,465 cases identified in Orange County, California, during
      1984-1988. The annual age-adjusted incidence rate per 100,000 population in
      Orange County was similar to that of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End
      Results Program of the National Cancer Institute: 25.7 in males and 6.2 in
      females. Cases were compared with a sample of Orange County residents relative to
      broad category of current occupation, adjusted for age and cigarette smoking. The
      estimated relative risks were significant for males in machine trades (relative
      risk (RR) = 2.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24-5.82) and processing
      occupations (RR = 5.77, 95% CI 1.43-23.27) and for females in machine trades (RR
      = 8.34, 95% CI 1.14-61.17) and homemakers (RR = 5.37, 95% CI 2.40-11.99) as
      compared with individuals of the same sex in professional, technical, and
      managerial occupations.

PMID- 1415135
TI  - Relations over time between psychiatric and somatic disorders: the Stirling
      County Study.
AB  - A longitudinal study of a general population in Atlantic Canada provided
      information on associations between two broad categories of illness: somatic
      disorders and disorders involving depression and/or anxiety. Prevalence was
      investigated in a sample of 1,003 adults selected in 1952 and another sample of
      1,094 adults selected in 1970. Using a cohort of 618 survivors from the 1952
      sample who were followed up in 1968, the authors studied prevalence at the
      beginning and end of the 16-year period. Incidence was also investigated so that
      the strength of associations between prior illness of one type and subsequent
      illness of the other type could be assessed. Data were obtained by interviewing
      subjects with the same structured schedule at each time of investigation. In
      prevalence enumerations, psychiatric disorders were found to be significantly
      associated with somatic disorders. Prior somatic disorder was significantly
      associated with subsequent incidence of depression and/or anxiety and vice versa.
      The results did not, however, show one direction of influence ("psyche-to-soma"
      or "soma-to-psyche") to be markedly stronger than the other. The results mainly
      support the concept of "generalized vulnerability" and draw attention to the
      importance of recognizing comorbidity in diagnosis and clinical practice.

PMID- 1415136
TI  - Confounding in studies of adverse reactions to vaccines.
AB  - Several social and medical attributes are associated with both avoidance or delay
      of vaccination and an increased risk of adverse events such as sudden infant
      death syndrome or childhood encephalopathy. Studies that fail to control
      adequately for such confounding factors are likely to underestimate the risks of
      adverse events attributable to vaccination. This paper reviews the literature on
      studies of severe adverse events after the administration of pertussis antigen
      containing vaccines, with particular attention to the measures taken by different
      investigators to avoid this problem. Most published studies have reported a
      deficit of sudden infant death syndrome among vaccinees, which may reflect
      confounding in their study designs. An expression is derived to explore the
      extent of underestimation that may be introduced in such studies, under different
      sets of conditions. Confounding of this sort is a general problem for studies of
      adverse reactions to prophylactic interventions, as they may be withheld from
      some individuals precisely because they are already at high risk of the adverse
      event.

PMID- 1415137
TI  - Hostility and health behaviors in young adults: the CARDIA Study. Coronary Artery
      Risk Development in Young Adults Study.
AB  - Hostility has been associated with coronary heart disease mortality. To assess
      possible mechanisms linking hostility to coronary heart disease risk, the authors
      conducted analyses in a cross-sectional study from data collected in 1985 and
      1986 on 5,115 young adults, aged 18-30 years, black and white, male and female,
      in four large urban areas of the United States. The results show that higher
      levels of hostility as determined by the Cook-Medley Hostility Scale were
      strongly associated with tobacco and marijuana smoking, increased alcohol
      consumption, and greater caloric intake in both blacks and whites and in both men
      and women. The increased caloric consumption was evident in the higher waist/hip
      ratios, particularly in men (p less than 0.05). The associations were
      particularly strong (p less than 0.001) for tobacco cigarette smoking and
      marijuana smoking, with roughly a 1.5 times higher prevalence in the top
      hostility quartile compared with the bottom quartile after adjusting for age and
      education. Hostility levels were not related to the percentage of calories from
      fat or from sucrose intake, to plasma cholesterol levels, or to physical fitness
      (except for a weak association in the latter in white women). The results
      describe relations between hostility and health behaviors that may be detrimental
      to health. The findings provide a possible explanation for the association
      between hostility and coronary heart disease mortality.

PMID- 1415138
TI  - Hostility during late adolescence predicts coronary risk factors at mid-life.
AB  - Hostility, as measured by the Cook-Medley Hostility Scale of the Minnesota
      Multiphasic Personality Inventory, has been found to predict higher rates of both
      coronary heart disease and all-cause mortality. To evaluate one mechanism whereby
      hostility might contribute to health problems, the authors used regression models
      to determine whether hostility measured in college (1964-1966) predicted coronary
      risk factors assessed 21-23 years later (1987-1990) in 4,710 men and women. Of
      this group, 828 had lipids measured (1988-1991). Persons with higher hostility
      scores in college were significantly more likely at follow-up to consume more
      caffeine (r = 0.043), to have a larger body mass index (r = 0.055), to have
      higher lipid ratios (r = 0.092), and to be current smokers (r = 0.069) than those
      with lower hostility scores during college. Cross-sectional analyses found
      significant associations of contemporaneous hostility scores with the same four
      risk factors, as well as with alcohol consumption and hypertension (rs ranging
      from 0.043 to 0.117). These associations are large enough to have possible public
      health significance. We conclude that hostility may contribute to health problems
      through its influences on several coronary risk factors across the adult life
      span.

PMID- 1415139
TI  - Onset and disappearance of gastrointestinal symptoms and functional
      gastrointestinal disorders.
AB  - Functional gastrointestinal disorders, including the irritable bowel syndrome,
      account for up to 40% of referrals to gastroenterologists, but accurate data on
      the natural history of these disorders in the general population are lacking.
      Using a reliable and valid questionnaire, the authors estimated the onset and
      disappearance of symptoms consistent with functional gastrointestinal disorders.
      An age- and sex-stratified random sample of 1,021 eligible residents of Olmsted
      County, Minnesota, aged 30-64 years were initially mailed the questionnaire; 82%
      responded (n = 835). In a remailing to responders 12-20 months later, 83%
      responded again (n = 690). The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence rates per 100 for
      irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation, chronic diarrhea, and frequent
      dyspepsia were 18.1 (95% confidence interval (CI) 15.1-21.1), 14.7 (95% CI 11.9
      17.4), 7.3 (95% CI 5.3-9.3), and 14.1 (95% CI 11.5-16.8), respectively, on the
      second mailing. Symptoms were not significantly associated with nonresponse to
      the second mailing; moreover, the estimated prevalence rates were not
      significantly different from the first mailing. Among the 582 subjects free of
      the irritable bowel syndrome on the first survey, 9% developed symptoms during
      795 person-years of follow-up, while 38% of the 108 who initially had the
      irritable bowel syndrome did not meet the criteria after 146 person-years of
      follow-up. Similar onset and disappearance rates were observed for the other main
      symptom categories. While functional gastrointestinal symptoms are common in
      middle-aged persons and overall prevalence appears relatively stable over 12-20
      months, substantial turnover is implied by the observed onset and disappearance
      rates; several potential sources of bias do not seem to account for this
      variation.

PMID- 1415140
TI  - Diet and other risk factors for laryngeal cancer in Shanghai, China.
AB  - A population-based, case-control study of laryngeal cancer was conducted in
      Shanghai, China, during 1988-1990, in which 201 incident cases (177 males, 24
      females) and 414 controls (269 males, 145 females) were interviewed. Cigarette
      smoking was the major risk factor, accounting for 86% of the male and 54% of the
      female cases. After adjusting for smoking, there was little increase in risk
      associated with drinking alcoholic beverages. Among men, cases more often
      reported occupational exposures to asbestos and coal dust. A protective effect
      was associated with the intake of fruits (particularly oranges and tangerines),
      certain dark green/yellow vegetables, and garlic, but there was an increased risk
      with the intake of salt-preserved meat and fish. The findings suggest that risk
      factors for laryngeal cancer in Shanghai resemble those in Western countries, and
      they provide further evidence that dietary factors play an important etiologic
      role.

PMID- 1415141
TI  - Dietary assessment of older Iowa women with a food frequency questionnaire:
      nutrient intake, reproducibility, and comparison with 24-hour dietary recall
      interviews.
AB  - The authors report the results of a dietary survey of 38,121 Iowa women, 55-69
      years of age in 1986, based on a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire
      previously tested among Boston-area women aged 34-59 years. The Iowa women,
      compared with the younger Boston-area women, consumed a similar amount of
      calories (1,767 vs. 1,844 kcal) and a similar amount of total calories from fat
      (35 vs. 37%) but had markedly greater intake of the following micronutrients
      after including supplement use: iron (+18%), calcium (+33%), vitamin A (+43%),
      riboflavin (+46%), thiamine (+50%), and pyridoxine (+122%). The reproducibility
      of the questionnaire was examined in two more administrations to 44 of the Iowa
      women in January and June of 1988. Reproducibility was highest for alcohol
      (Pearson's r = 0.99), caffeine (r = 0.95), and vitamin E (r = 0.90) and lowest
      for sucrose (r = 0.53), polyunsaturated fat (r = 0.56), and iron (r = 0.59).
      Micronutrient intakes were generally more reproducible than macronutrient
      intakes. The agreement between the June 1988 questionnaire and the average of
      five 24-hour dietary recalls was also assessed in the 44 subjects. The median
      correlations of energy-adjusted intake were as follows: for macronutrients, r =
      0.45; for micronutrients without supplements, r = 0.33; and for micronutrients
      with supplements, r = 0.64. This food frequency questionnaire appears to be
      reasonably reproducible and accurate, so that its use may be extended to
      epidemiologic studies of older women with a broad range of socioeconomic
      backgrounds.

PMID- 1415142
TI  - Childhood weight and growth rate as predictors of adult mortality.
AB  - The effect of rate of growth and relative weight in childhood on adult mortality
      was studied among 13,146 persons whose weights and heights were measured between
      the ages of 5 and 18 years in Hagerstown, Maryland, during the period 1933-1945.
      Relative weight was defined internally, age- and sex-specific Z-scores for height
      and weight were calculated using national standards, and height and weight
      velocities were measured as annual increments. Associations between growth
      parameters (pre- and postpubertal) and mortality through 1985 were investigated
      in subjects who matched the 1963 and 1975 private health censuses of Washington
      County, Maryland, using a nested case-control design. Odds ratios of mortality
      increased linearly with prepubertal relative weight (p less than 0.05 for both
      sexes combined) and with postpubertal relative weight in females (p less than
      0.01). The associations between growth velocities or attained height with
      mortality tended to be inverse, although not statistically significant. These
      results are compatible with the existence of positive associations of overweight
      in school-age children with long-term mortality and seem to allay fears that harm
      could come from increased growth rates in childhood. Without jeopardizing growth,
      the avoidance of overweight in childhood might reduce mortality in middle age.

PMID- 1415143
TI  - The predisposing and protective factors against dengue virus transmission by
      mosquito vector.
AB  - An outbreak of dengue fever occurred in Taiwan between 1987 and 1988. The highest
      attack rate among adults was estimated at 5.6% in the city of Kao-hsiung. A case
      control study was carried out to determine the risks of contracting dengue
      infection and to identify protective factors against the infection. One hundred
      dengue patients of the authors' hospital who were diagnosed by virologic or
      serologic tests constituted the case group. Each dengue patient was matched to a
      control patient of the same age and sex who had been diagnosed as suffering from
      a non-vector-borne disease on the same day as the dengue patient. Of the
      household protective measures against dengue infection prior to the occurrence of
      illness, the adjusted odds ratio, estimated by stratified analysis, was lower for
      people who lived in screened houses (odds ratio = 0.58, 95% confidence interval
      0.36-0.92) as compared with inhabitants of unscreened houses. The odds ratio was
      as low as 0.18 (95% confidence interval 0.06-0.56) for people whose homes were
      fully screened with door screens opening outwardly. Patients who lived near
      markets and/or open sewers or ditches were running a risk of dengue infection 1.8
      (95% confidence interval 1.3-2.4) times higher than those who lived elsewhere. To
      control dengue outbreaks, the authors recommend that special attention should be
      devoted to the reduction of outdoor vector sources. Full screening, especially
      outwardly opening screen doors, seems to be an individual's best protection
      against dengue fever.

PMID- 1415144
TI  - Risk factors for invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b in Los Angeles County
      children 18-60 months of age.
AB  - Potential factors that confer risk or protection for invasive Haemophilus
      influenzae type b disease were evaluated in Los Angeles County children 18-60
      months of age by case-control methods. In this age group, 79 H. influenzae type b
      cases were identified by overlapping surveillance methods, and 221 random
      controls were selected by random digit dialing. Cases and controls were similar
      in sex, prior health, proportion attending day care, parental educational level,
      history of breast feeding, and proportion vaccinated with measles/mumps/rubella
      vaccine. The effect of H. influenzae type b vaccination was controlled in all
      analyses, and results of vaccine efficacy have been reported elsewhere. Cases
      were more likely to have a significant underlying medical condition, reside in
      home with more than six residents, have a lower yearly household income, have two
      or more smokers in the home, and to be black. Using conditional logistic
      regression models, the following were significant independent risk factors after
      adjusting for age, month of diagnosis, H. influenzae type b vaccine status, and
      the other factors: 1) more than two smokers in the house (odds ratio (OR) = 6.00;
      95% confidence interval (CI) 1.49-24.06); 2) household size of more than six
      persons (OR for more than six vs. less than three persons = 3.71; 95% CI 1.10
      12.60); and 3) black maternal race (OR for black vs. Hispanic = 3.47; 95% CI 1.41
      8.53). We conclude that exposure to smoking in the home, living in households
      with more than six members, and the black race are each independently associated
      with an increased risk for H. influenzae type b disease in Los Angeles County
      children and, when combined, constitute a major reason for H. influenzae type b
      disease occurrence.

PMID- 1415145
TI  - The harm reduction approach and risk factors for human immunodeficiency virus
      (HIV) seroconversion in injecting drug users, Amsterdam.
AB  - To assess risk factors for seroconversion to human immunodeficiency virus, the
      authors studied a cohort of human immunodeficiency virus-seronegative injecting
      drug users in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, between December 1985 and November
      1991. The behaviors of 31 seroconverters were compared with those of 202
      seronegative injecting drug users (controls). Three independent risk factors for
      seroconversion were found in logistic regression: 1) living greater than 10 years
      in Amsterdam (odds ratio (OR) = 2.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-5.53); 2)
      first injection less than or equal to 2 years ago (OR = 3.43, 95% CI 1.20-9.81);
      and 3) injecting mainly at home (OR = 0.39, 95% CI 0.18-0.88). No evidence was
      found that receiving daily methadone treatments at methadone posts and obtaining
      new needles/syringes via the exchange program were protective. However, the data
      suggest that exchanging needles may have been protective at the start of this
      program. Influencing injecting drug users to modify behavior to prevent new
      infections appears to be very difficult, and it may, therefore, be important to
      increase preventive efforts targeted at the sexual partners of injecting drug
      users.

PMID- 1415146
TI  - Issues in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening programs.
AB  - Unlike test sensitivity and specificity, the false positive and negative
      predictive values (probabilities of mislabeling an individual being tested)
      depend heavily on the prevalence of the infection of the human immunodeficiency
      virus (HIV) as well as the quality of the kit. A consequence of this dependence
      is that the false positive predictive value can reach a high magnitude such as
      0.9; that is, 90% of the positive tests are false. This raises many important
      issues pertaining to the current practice of HIV screening such as to how to
      control these misclassification errors, how to interpret test results, and how to
      estimate prevalence using test results. These issues are examined in detail here
      by considering the factors that dictate the quality of a screening program. Some
      real data examples are used to illustrate the importance of this consideration in
      designing programs to achieve the desired goals. The rationale behind the common
      two-step sequential protocol in HIV screening is examined to point out its
      limitations under practical situations. Finally, the use of entropy in evaluating
      the informativeness of a screening program is discussed.

PMID- 1415147
TI  - Joint influence of fat and lean body composition compartments on femoral bone
      mineral density in premenopausal women.
AB  - Body composition (fat and lean compartments) and bone mineral density were
      measured in 246 healthy premenopausal women, aged 20-40 years, residing in
      Tecumseh, Michigan. Body composition was measured using four-point bioelectrical
      impedance and values for fat and lean compartments categorized into tertiles.
      Additionally, each woman was classified into one of nine different cells based on
      her location within a 3 x 3 table which reflects the joint distribution of both
      fat and lean compartments. Bone mineral density of the proximal femur, including
      the femoral neck and trochanter, was measured using dual photon densitometry. The
      mean femoral neck bone mineral density values increased significantly and
      linearly for each tertile of muscle mass (0.90, 0.95, and 1.02 g/cm2, p less than
      0.0002). Femoral bone mineral density increased significantly but not linearly as
      the fat compartment progressed from the lowest to the highest tertile (0.95,
      0.93, and 0.99 g/cm2). Bone mineral density of the proximal femur was similar and
      significantly greater in the high muscle/low fat and high muscle/high fat body
      composition subgroups compared with bone mineral density in the seven other
      groups. However, women in the high muscle/low fat subgroup had substantially
      lower mean weight (67 vs. 91 kg, p less than 0.0001) and mean Quetelet index
      (22.1 vs. 33.7 kg/m2, p less than 0.0001) than women in the high muscle/high fat
      subgroup. Bone mineral density values were similar and significantly lower in the
      following body composition cells: low muscle/low fat, low muscle/medium fat, and
      low muscle/high fat. Similar findings were observed at the trochanteric site. Low
      muscle is a risk factor for low bone mineral density in young adult women while
      higher fat is protective only when associated with substantial muscle.

PMID- 1415148
TI  - Preterm delivery and low birth weight among first-born infants of black and white
      college graduates.
AB  - Reproductive outcomes were investigated in black and white female college
      graduates, presumed to be of similar socioeconomic status and similar risk
      profile with respect to environmental factors. Data were gathered by mail survey
      from graduates (1973-1985) of four Atlanta, Georgia, colleges between February
      and June 1988. Of 6,867 alumnae to whom questionnaires were mailed, 3,084
      responded. A follow-up study of black nonrespondents yielded responses from 14%
      (335) of those who did not respond to the mail survey. For all graduates with a
      first live born at the time of survey (n = 1,089), the rates of preterm delivery,
      low birth weight, and infant mortality were 80.8, 82.6, and 14.6 per thousand
      births (primigravida), respectively. Compared with white graduates, black
      graduates had 1.67 times the risk of preterm delivery and 2.48 times the risk of
      low birth weight. Measures of social and economic status differed significantly
      by race. However, adjustment for these variables did not reduce the estimated
      risk for black graduates compared with whites. Analysis of the nonresponder
      survey suggested that respondent data alone overestimates the incidence of
      adverse outcomes in blacks; using nonresponder data, relative risks of 1.28
      (preterm delivery) and 1.75 (low birth weight) were calculated as lower limits of
      the increased risk for blacks.

PMID- 1415149
TI  - Infant resuscitation is associated with an increased risk of left-handedness.
AB  - The etiology of left lateral preference is not well understood, but some studies
      have suggested that it can be caused by complications at birth. The authors used
      data from the Child Health and Development Study, a large prospective study of
      pregnancy and child development conducted 1959-1966 in the San Francisco Bay Area
      of California, to examine the association between specific birth stressors and
      hand and foot preference. The study population consisted of 6,968 5-year-olds
      with no severe congenital abnormalities, and the authors controlled for potential
      demographic confounders and familial left-handedness. Infants who required
      resuscitation after delivery or who were twins or triplets were about twice as
      likely to demonstrate left hand preference at age 5 years (odds ratio (OR) = 1.8,
      95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-2.5, and OR = 2.2, 95% CI 1.2-4.0,
      respectively). Left-footedness was also significantly associated with the same
      stressors. No other individual stresses were significantly associated with left
      lateral preference, and a composite measure indicated only a weak association.
      Although males, blacks, and those with left-handed siblings are more likely to
      show left lateral preference, these variables do not confound the association
      between birth stress and left lateral preference. These results indicate that
      specific types of birth stress are strongly associated with left hand and foot
      preference; however, much of the left laterality in non-clinical populations
      remains unexplained.

PMID- 1415150
TI  - Allergy and cancer: organ site-specific results from the Adventist Health Study.
AB  - The relation between allergy and risk of cancer was evaluated in a cohort study
      of 34,198 Seventh-day Adventists in California. Information on prevalence of
      asthma, hay fever, and reactions to chemicals, medications, bee stings, and
      poison oak (or ivy) was obtained by questionnaire in 1976. The reported allergies
      must have been serious enough to require treatment by a physician. The cohort was
      then followed for 6 years (1977-1982). Both stratified analysis and Cox
      proportional hazards regression analyses were utilized to evaluate the relation
      of allergy to cancer after taking into account several potentially confounding
      variables. For all cancer sites combined in males, there was a 33% increased risk
      associated with reaction to medications. In contrast, among females, reaction to
      medications was associated with a 21% decrease in risk. Both results were
      statistically significant. Prostate and breast cancer risk were elevated in
      persons who reported any type of allergic history, as was risk of lymphatic or
      hematopoietic cancers and sarcoma. For each of these types of cancer, risk
      increased with increasing numbers of allergies. However, ovarian cancer risk was
      decreased in persons with any allergic history and increasing numbers of
      allergies was associated with decreasing risk of this form of cancer. These
      results suggest that the association between allergy and cancer is complex and
      depends on the specific allergy and the specific organ site under consideration.

PMID- 1415152
TI  - Interpretation and estimation of vaccine efficacy under heterogeneity.
AB  - Interpretation and estimation of vaccine efficacy is complicated when the vaccine
      effect is heterogeneous across vaccinated strata. If a person has a certain
      susceptibility, or probability of becoming infected conditional on a specified
      exposure to infection, then one effect of a vaccine would be to reduce that
      susceptibility, possibly to zero. Vaccine efficacy is a function of the relative
      susceptibilities in the vaccinated and unvaccinated persons. Under heterogeneity
      of vaccine effect, a general expression for a summary vaccine efficacy parameter
      is a function of the vaccine efficacy in the different vaccinated strata weighted
      by the fraction of the vaccinated subpopulations in each stratum. Interpretation
      and estimability of the summary vaccine efficacy parameter depends on whether the
      strata are identifiable, and whether the heterogeneity is host- or vaccine
      related. Bounds are derived for the summary vaccine efficacy when the strata are
      not identifiable for the case of an outbreak of an acute infectious disease. The
      upper bound assumes that everyone is equally affected by the vaccine, and the
      lower bound assumes that some are completely protected while others have no
      protection. The biologic interpretation of the two bounds is different.

PMID- 1415151
TI  - Influenza vaccine effectiveness in preventing hospitalization for pneumonia in
      the elderly.
AB  - During the winter of 1989-1990, influenza type A(H3N2) circulated widely, causing
      excess morbidity and mortality nationwide. From November through April, 1989
      1990, hospitalized cases of pneumonia and influenza occurring among
      noninstitutionalized individuals 65 or more years of age were identified by 20
      acute care hospitals in southern lower Michigan. These cases were group matched
      on age, sex, race, and zip code to randomly sampled, community-based controls
      from a comprehensive listing of Medicare beneficiaries residing in the study
      area. Self-reported data were collected from cases and controls on influenza
      vaccine status for the 1989-1990 season and on a number of other factors which
      could have influenced vaccination status or outcome. Questionnaires were
      completed by 1,907 individuals, 449 of whom were cases, resulting in an overall
      response rate of 76%. A community-based influenza surveillance system was
      implemented to determine the timing and intensity of viral activity and influenza
      like illness. Vaccine effectiveness in preventing overall pneumonia and influenza
      hospitalizations was estimated by logistic regression. During the 3-month period
      of surveillance-confirmed peak influenza type A(H3N2) circulation, vaccine
      effectiveness was 45% (95% confidence interval 14-64, p = 0.009). However, during
      the 3-month period of low or absent virus activity, identical methodology and
      model specification resulted in an effectiveness estimate of 21% that was not
      statistically different from zero (p = 0.36). The effectiveness determined during
      the peak period of virus circulation is felt to be a conservative estimate, since
      agents other than influenza are responsible for pneumonia and influenza
      hospitalizations, even during times of peak influenza activity.

PMID- 1415153
TI  - Variation and covariates of the number of benign nevi in adolescents.
AB  - Melanocytic nevi of diameter greater than or equal to 2 mm were counted on most
      of the skin surface of 349 adolescents aged 14-15 years of European race or
      ethnicity in Dunedin, New Zealand. Total counts are described by means of a form
      of Poisson-error log-linear modeling suitable for data showing unexplained
      variation (NE Breslow, Appl Statist 1984;33:38-44). There were marked
      interpersonal variation in the number of nevi; only some was attributable to
      observed factors. The mean and median counts were 23.8 and 18 nevi, respectively.
      The estimated ratio of the number of nevi for females compared with males was 0.7
      (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.6-0.8). Greater amounts of sunbathing were
      associated with greater numbers of nevi. Hair and eye color, socioeconomic
      status, and sunburn history did not show statistically significant effects. Time
      since menarche and shaving status also showed no effects. Lack of suntan was
      associated with lower counts. Freckling was positively correlated with higher
      counts; the severe freckling group had an estimated ratio of 1.9 (95% CI 1.3-2.8)
      compared with those with no or very few freckles. The results are consistent with
      the hypothesis that ultraviolet radiation exposure from recreational sun exposure
      positively influences the total burden of nevi in normal subjects. Comparison
      with other epidemiologic studies suggests that the typical ultraviolet radiation
      dose-nevus yield curve might be steeper in males than females. Unexplained
      variation of nevus count may reflect heterogeneity of constitutional factors not
      yet measured in epidemiologic studies.

PMID- 1415154
TI  - Effect of nondifferential misclassification on estimates of odds ratios with
      multiple levels of exposure.
AB  - Nondifferential misclassification of exposure status with a dichotomous exposure
      will produce biased estimates of odds ratios such that the misclassified odds
      ratio is always biased toward the null value. However, when an exposure
      classification has more than two levels, empirical data indicate that the
      direction of bias is less predictable. Analysis of an algebraic model of multi
      level exposure misclassification reveals that all odds ratios based on the
      misclassified data are constrained between the nonmisclassified odds ratio for
      the most extreme category and the inverse of this value. This implies that the
      misclassified odds ratio for the most extreme exposure level will be biased
      toward the null but that odds ratios for intermediate levels of exposure could be
      biased away from the null value. Further, the amount of bias depends not only on
      the misclassification rates but also on the distribution of subjects across
      exposure levels. If it is assumed that misclassification is likely to occur only
      between adjacent categories, the range of possible misclassified odds ratios is
      reduced but is still sufficient to permit serious distortion of an exposure
      response relation. In general, biases away from the null occur only for
      intermediate levels of exposure. Reversal of an exposure-response relation is
      more likely to occur when misclassification rates are high (especially between
      nonadjacent levels) and when the number of exposure levels is low.

PMID- 1415155
TI  - Re: "Polycystic ovaries and the risk of breast cancer".

PMID- 1415156
TI  - Re: "Guillain-Barre syndrome and influenza vaccination in the US Army, 1980
      1988".

PMID- 1415157
TI  - Birth defects in Norway by levels of external and food-based exposure to
      radiation from Chernobyl.
AB  - In Norway, external doses of radiation resulting from fallout from the Chernobyl
      nuclear accident were estimated from detailed measurements, including soil
      deposition patterns. Internal doses were estimated from measurements of
      radioactive cesium in meat and milk supplies. The doses were calculated as
      average monthly doses for each of 454 municipalities during 36 consecutive months
      after the accident in spring 1986. Prospectively collected data on all newborns
      listed in the Medical Birth Registry of Norway who were conceived in the period
      May 1983-April 1989 were used to assess possible dose-response relations between
      estimated external and food-based exposures and congenital malformations and some
      other conditions. A positive association was observed between total radiation
      dose (external plus food-based) and hydrocephaly, while a negative association
      was observed for Down's syndrome. However, an important conclusion of the study
      was that no associations were found for conditions previously reported to be
      associated with radiation, i.e., small head circumference, congenital cataracts,
      anencephaly, spina bifida, and low birth weight. Potential sources of bias,
      including exposure misclassification and incomplete ascertainment of cases, are
      discussed.

PMID- 1415158
TI  - Mortality among workers exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls.
AB  - On the basis of evidence from animal studies, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
      are considered potentially carcinogenic to humans. However, the results of
      studies in human populations exposed to PCBs have been inconsistent. The authors
      conducted a retrospective cohort analysis (1957-1986) comparing the mortality of
      3,588 electrical capacitor manufacturing workers with known exposure to PCBs with
      age-, sex-, and calendar time-specific mortality rates for all whites in the
      United States. Proportional hazards modeling was also performed to examine the
      association between cumulative PCB exposure and site-specific cancer mortality.
      All-cause mortality (192 deaths observed, 283.3 expected) and total cancer
      mortality (54 deaths observed, 63.7 expected) were lower than expected. More
      deaths were observed than expected for malignant melanoma (8 observed, less than
      2.0 expected) and cancer of the brain and nervous system (5 observed, 2.8
      expected). The average estimated cumulative dose for the cases of brain cancer
      (22.9 units) was greater than for other workers (12.9 units), but the 95%
      confidence intervals around this difference were broad. The risk of malignant
      melanoma was not related to cumulative PCB exposure. These results provide some
      evidence of an association between employment at this plant and malignant
      melanoma and cancer of the brain. The possibility that the results are due to
      chance, bias, or confounding cannot be excluded.

PMID- 1415159
TI  - Influence of paternal characteristics on the risk of low birth weight.
AB  - The combined effects of maternal and paternal factors on the risk of delivering
      low birth weight (less than 2,500 g) and very low birth weight (less than 1,500
      g) infants were examined among married parents. Using 1984-1988 natality data
      compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics, the authors found paternal
      education and race to have independent effects on the risks of low birth weight
      and very low birth weight after adjustment for maternal characteristics. The odds
      of low and very low birth weight decreased with increasing paternal education.
      Adjustment for paternal education decreased the effect of maternal education on
      the risks of low and very low birth weight. Additionally, the examination of
      paternal race led to the identification of a subgroup of married black women with
      lower risks of low and very low birth weight than married black mothers overall.
      These data suggest that paternal characteristics should be used, in addition to
      maternal characteristics, to describe the risks of low and very low birth weight.

PMID- 1415160
TI  - Reproductive factors and risk of myocardial infarction.
AB  - The relation of reproductive factors to risk of myocardial infarction in women
      aged 45-69 years was examined in a case-control interview study carried out in
      Massachusetts from 1986 to 1990. Each of 858 cases of first myocardial infarction
      was age-matched with a control from the same precinct of residence. Conditional
      logistic regression was used to control the matching factors and the major known
      and suspected risk factors for coronary heart disease. For parous women compared
      with nulliparous women, the estimated relative risk of myocardial infarction was
      1.8 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-3.3). Among parous women, the relative risk
      estimate for five or more births relative to fewer births was 1.4 (95% CI 1.0
      2.0); the estimate for a first birth before age 20 relative to a later age at
      first birth was 1.7 (95% CI 1.1-2.6). The greatest increase in risk was observed
      for women who had both an early age at first birth and five or more children.
      However, confounding by factors related to socioeconomic status may have
      contributed to the results. Compared with women who had a natural menopause at
      age 50 or older, women who reached the menopause before age 45 were at increased
      risk regardless of type of menopause: The estimated relative risks were 2.1 (95%
      CI 1.3-3.2), 1.7 (95% CI 1.0-2.7), and 1.7 (95% CI 1.0-2.8) for early natural
      menopause, bilateral oophorectomy, and hysterectomy with retention of one or both
      ovaries, respectively. These results suggest that early cessation of ovulatory
      function, whether due to natural causes or to surgery, increases the risk of
      myocardial infarction. Age at menarche was not related to myocardial infarction
      risk.

PMID- 1415161
TI  - Ingested arsenic, keratoses, and bladder cancer.
AB  - A cohort of 478 patients treated with Fowler's solution (potassium arsenite) in
      Lancashire, England, during the period 1945-1969 and previously followed until
      January 1, 1980, was followed for an additional 11 years. A significant excess of
      bladder cancer mortality occurred (observed/expected ratio = 5/1.6; p = 0.05). No
      excess was found for other causes of death. In a subcohort of 142 patients
      examined for signs of arsenicism around 1970, all 11 subsequent cancer deaths
      occurred in those with signs of arsenicism (p = 0.0009).

PMID- 1415162
TI  - Reduced cancer morbidity and mortality in a prospective cohort of women with
      distal forearm fractures.
AB  - At the Department of Orthopedics of University Hospital, Lund, Sweden, cancer
      incidence and overall and cause-specific mortality were studied in a prospective
      cohort of 677 women who had experienced a fracture of the distal forearm in 1974
      or 1975. The women were followed through population-based population, cancer, and
      death registries in southern Sweden. There was a significant reduction in overall
      cancer incidence (66 cases observed vs. 90.21 expected), breast cancer incidence
      (11 cases observed vs. 20.31 cases expected), and incidence of tumors of the
      female genital tract (5 cases observed vs. 11.84 expected). Overall mortality was
      also reduced (146 cases observed vs. 191.69 cases expected), and rates of death
      from circulatory disease (79 cases observed vs. 111.49 expected) and malignant
      tumors (30 cases observed vs. 40.41 expected) were both lower than expected.

PMID- 1415163
TI  - Blood pressure and twenty-year mortality in the city of Bergen, Norway.
AB  - A blood pressure survey was carried out in 1963 in the city of Bergen, Norway.
      The relation between 20-year mortality and blood pressure in 52,064 participants
      aged 30-89 years at examination was analyzed. Increased blood pressure was
      related to increased mortality from coronary heart disease, stroke, and all
      causes in all age groups except the oldest, where a more irregular pattern was
      present. The relative risks decreased with age at screening, while the absolute
      increase in mortality with increasing blood pressure was greatest in persons aged
      60-69 or 70-79 years at screening. A log-linear relation between systolic blood
      pressure and coronary heart disease and stroke mortality was seen in both men and
      women. An upturn in total mortality at low systolic blood pressures was suggested
      in the groups aged 60 years or more at screening. An upturn, or leveling off, was
      also seen at low diastolic blood pressures for total deaths and stroke deaths in
      both men and women.

PMID- 1415164
TI  - The increase in blood pressure with age and body mass index is overestimated by
      conventional sphygmomanometry.
AB  - This cross-sectional study investigated whether the technique of blood pressure
      measurement used (conventional sphygmomanometry vs. ambulatory monitoring)
      affects the relation between blood pressure and both age and body mass index. Two
      independent data sets were analyzed. The first comprised 328 subjects (48% men)
      drawn from the population of a small Belgian town, and the second comprised 776
      Irish bank employees (51% men). Age ranged from 17 years to 81 years, and body
      mass index (weight (kg)/height (m)2) ranged from 16.6 to 40.2. Twenty-four-hour
      ambulatory blood pressure was lower than blood pressure measured by a nurse in
      both the Belgian population sample (118/71 mmHg vs. 122/73 mmHg) and the Irish
      employees (118/72 mmHg vs. 119/76 mmHg). When blood pressure was measured by an
      observer, the well-established relations between systolic and diastolic blood
      pressure and both age and body mass index were evident. When the analyses were
      repeated using 24-hour measurements, the increment (cross-sectionally assessed)
      in blood pressure with age was weaker, especially in young and middle-aged
      subjects (20-60 years), while the increase in blood pressure with body mass index
      was also reduced. The within-subject differences between the conventional and
      ambulatory blood pressure measurements increased with older age and greater body
      mass index. Several other relations with blood pressure as the response variable
      may require revision in light of the present findings.

PMID- 1415165
TI  - The risk approach to intervention in severe malnutrition in rural Bangladesh.
AB  - To determine whether clinical marasmus occurs in small groups of children from
      easily recognizable high-risk households, the authors conducted a case-control
      study to identify risk indicators that may be used in targeted interventions.
      Cases were children whose mid-upper arm circumference measured less than 110 mm,
      and controls were children matched for age and sex with arm circumferences
      greater than 120 mm. Between June 1988 and June 1989, 164 such pairs of children
      aged 1-4 years were studied in Matlab, Bangladesh. Conditional logistic
      regression analysis showed an increased risk of marasmus among children from
      families with other children under 5 years of age (odds ratio = 2.80, 95%
      confidence interval 1.56-5.02) and children who consumed formula foods (odds
      ratio = 18.81, 95% confidence interval 4.15-85). Higher maternal education was
      associated with reduced risk of marasmus. Further examination of these risk
      indicators suggests that the resources saved through targeting fewer households
      will be negated by missing many children with marasmus. The authors conclude that
      the application of targeted interventions against marasmus, using the risk
      approach, is unlikely to be efficient.

PMID- 1415166
TI  - Efficiency loss from categorizing quantitative exposures into qualitative
      exposures in case-control studies.
AB  - In the analysis of data from case-control studies, quantitative exposure
      variables are frequently categorized into qualitative exposure variables, such as
      quarters. The qualitative exposure variables may be scalar variables that take
      the median values of each quantile interval, or they may be vectors of indicator
      variables that represent each quantile interval. In a qualitative analysis, the
      scalar variables may be used to test the dose-response relation, while the
      indicator variables may be used to estimate odds ratios for each higher quantile
      interval versus the lowest. Qualitative analysis, implicitly and explicitly
      documented by many epidemiologists and biostatisticians, has several desirable
      advantages (including simple interpretation and robustness in the presence of a
      misspecified model or outlier values). In a quantitative analysis, the
      quantitative exposure variables may be directly regressed to test the dose
      response relation, as well as to estimate odds ratios of interest. As this paper
      demonstrates, quantitative analysis is generally more efficient than qualitative
      analysis. Through a Monte Carlo simulation study, the authors estimated the loss
      of efficiency that results from categorizing a quantitative exposure variable by
      quartiles in case-control studies with a total of 200 cases and 200 controls. In
      the analysis of the dose-response relation, this loss is about 30% or more; the
      percentage may reach about 50% when the odds ratio for the fourth quartile
      interval versus the lowest is around 4. In estimating odds ratios, the loss of
      efficiency for the second, third, and fourth quartile intervals versus the lowest
      is around 90%, 75%, and 40%, respectively. The authors consider the pros and cons
      of each analytic approach, and they recommend that 1) qualitative analysis be
      used initially to estimate the odds ratios for each higher quantile interval
      versus the lowest to examine the dose-response relation and determine the
      appropriateness of the assumed underlying model; and 2) quantitative analysis be
      used to test the dose-response relation under a plausible log odds ratio model.

PMID- 1415167
TI  - A multistate outbreak of sporotrichosis associated with sphagnum moss.
AB  - In the spring of 1988, the largest documented US outbreak of cutaneous
      sporotrichosis to date occurred, with 84 cases among persons from 15 states who
      were exposed to Wisconsin-grown sphagnum moss used in packing evergreen tree
      seedlings. In New York State, 13 cases occurred among 109 forestry workers. All
      13 cases occurred among 76 workers who had handled evergreen seedlings and moss
      (attack rate = 17%). For those exposed to evergreens and moss, the risk of
      infection increased as worktime exposure to moss increased (attack rates: less
      than 10 hours, 8%; 10-19 hours, 12%; greater than 19 hours, 33%). While
      environmental samples of moss from the Wisconsin supplier were negative,
      Sporothrix schenckii was cultured from multiple samples of the sphagnum moss
      obtained from one of six Pennsylvania tree nurseries, representing the nursery
      that was identified as the source for 79 (94%) of the moss-associated cases.
      Differences in tree-handling procedures at this nursery--including the use of 1-
      to 3-year-old moss to pack seedlings, use of a pond water source to wet the moss,
      use of an organic polymer gel on the seedling root system, and underground
      storage and longer storage of moss-packed seedlings before shipping--suggested
      possible explanations for the association. Efforts to prevent sporotrichosis
      among persons handling evergreen seedlings should include the use of alternate
      types of packing material (e.g., cedar wood chips or shredded paper) and
      protective clothing such as gloves and long-sleeved shirts.

PMID- 1415168
TI  - Interspecies transmission and reassortment of influenza A viruses in pigs and
      turkeys in the United States.
AB  - Genetic reassortment between influenza A viruses in humans and in animals and
      birds has been implicated in the appearance of new pandemics of human influenza.
      To determine whether such reassortment has occurred in the United States, the
      authors compared the genetic origins of gene segments of 73 swine influenza virus
      isolates (1976-1990), representing 11 states, and 11 turkey virus isolates (1980
      1989), representing eight states. The host origin of gene segments encoding the
      internal proteins of H1N1 swine and turkey influenza viruses was identified by
      developing a dot-blot assay. All gene segments of swine influenza viruses were
      characteristic of influenza virus genes from that species, indicating that pigs
      may not be frequent participants in interspecies genetic exchange and
      reassortment of influenza viruses in the United States. In contrast, 73% of the
      turkey influenza virus isolates contained genes of swine origin. One turkey
      isolate was a reassortant having three genes characteristic of avian influenza
      virus and three of swine origin. These findings document a high degree of genetic
      exchange and reassortment of influenza A viruses in domestic turkeys in the
      United States. The molecular biologic techniques used by the authors should aid
      future epidemiologic studies of influenza pandemics.

PMID- 1415169
TI  - Re: "Completeness of the discharge diagnoses as a measure of birth defects
      recorded in the hospital birth record".

PMID- 1415170
TI  - Re: "Decline in incidence of epidemic glucose intolerance in Nauruans:
      implications for the 'thrifty genotype'".

PMID- 1415171
TI  - Re: "Race, family income, and low birth weight".

PMID- 1415172
TI  - Laboratory and clinical aspects of inherited thrombotic disorders.
AB  - The laboratory evaluation of patients with recurrent thrombosis is frequently
      frustrating, with a low diagnostic yield obtained despite extensive testing. The
      likelihood of reaching a diagnosis in these patients can be increased by
      considering diagnostic possibilities usually overlooked and by using assays
      optimal for their detection. This review summarizes clinical and laboratory
      issues important in inherited thrombotic disease and discusses practical aspects
      and a strategy for laboratory testing. New information is provided on the
      fibrinolytic disorders that may be a common cause of recurrent thrombosis.

PMID- 1415173
TI  - Inefficacy of extracorporeal photochemotherapy in the treatment of B-cell chronic
      lymphocytic leukemia: preliminary results.
AB  - Because extracorporeal photopheresis has been shown to be clinically effective in
      Sezary syndrome, a disease characterized by a circulating malignant clone, we
      initiated a pilot study of its use in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL)
      to see if it could be similarly effective. We treated three patients with Rai
      stage III and IV B-CLL with photopheresis (3 consecutive days a week every 3
      weeks) and followed serial clinical and immunologic parameters. While we noted no
      major toxicity, there was neither clinical response to treatment nor marked
      improvement in white counts or mitogen assays. We conclude that photopheresis was
      not effective in inducing remission in this pilot study of advanced stage B-CLL
      patients.

PMID- 1415174
TI  - Effectiveness of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin in a case of acquired von
      Willebrand syndrome with chronic melena not responsive to desmopressin and factor
      VIII concentrate.
AB  - A patient with benign monoclonal IgG lambda paraproteinemia, acquired von
      Willebrand syndrome (AVWS), and chronic melena successfully responding to high
      dose intravenous immunoglobulin (lvlg) is reported. Coagulation parameters at
      admission were APTT (ratio) 1.68; VIII:C 11 IU/dL; vWF:Ag 7 IU/dL:Ricof less than
      3 IU/dl. RIPA was greater than 1.8 mg/ml, and bleeding time (BT) was prolonged
      (18 min). No evidence for an in vitro inhibitor against the VIII/vWF complex was
      observed. VIII/vWF measurements showed a short-lived increase after both DDAVP
      and Hemate P, and BT was transiently normalized. After intravenous Ig (1 g/kg for
      2 days), VIII/vWF measurements, hemostatic parameters and multimeric pattern were
      completely corrected (VIII/C 106 IU/dl, vWF:Ag 168 IU/dl, RiCof 147 IU/dl, APTT
      ratio 0.89, BT 5'), with a return to pre-infusion values after 15 days. Hemoccult
      test became negative and packed red cell transfusions, of which 130 units were
      administered during the last year, were no longer required. After 18 months the
      patient is on maintenance treatment with repeated courses of Ig, at 3 to 4-week
      intervals based on VIII/vWF and BT monitoring.

PMID- 1415176
TI  - Hand surgery in Glanzmann's thrombasthenia.

PMID- 1415175
TI  - A new case of acute lymphoblastic leukemia B-cell type with chromosomal
      rearrangements involving the T-cell receptor breakpoint at band 14q11.
AB  - A patient with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and a translocation
      t(8;14) (q24;q11) is described. Translocation t(8;14)(q24;q32) is commonly
      associated with B-cell leukemia; nevertheless, translocations affecting
      chromosome 14 at band q11 are associated with T-cell malignancies, since the
      locus 14q11 contains genes that encode for the alpha and delta chains of the T
      cell receptor (TCR). This finding points to the idea that the association between
      14q11 rearrangements and T-cell neoplasia is less than complete.

PMID- 1415177
TI  - 35-year-old patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia developing systemic lupus
      erythematosus after alpha-interferon therapy.

PMID- 1415178
TI  - Intravenous gammaglobulin treatment for thrombocytopenia associated with
      infectious diseases.

PMID- 1415179
TI  - Effects of zinc supplementation on somatomedin-C level, in beta thalassemia.

PMID- 1415180
TI  - Acquired von Willebrand's disease, IgE polyclonal gammopathy and griseofulvin
      therapy.

PMID- 1415181
TI  - Cytarabine and cardiac failure.

PMID- 1415182
TI  - Late febrile reaction to interferon.

PMID- 1415183
TI  - Changes in the lymphocyte count and lymphocyte subsets after splenectomy in human
      immunodeficiency virus infection.

PMID- 1415184
TI  - Renal toxicity in long-term alpha-interferon treatment in a patient with myeloma.

PMID- 1415185
TI  - Role of endothelin in disseminated intravascular coagulation.
AB  - We examined the changes in plasma levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1), a potent
      vasoconstrictor peptide, in 47 cases of disseminated intravascular coagulation
      (DIC) to investigate the role of ET-1 in DIC and its relation to multiple organ
      failure (MOF). A significant elevation of plasma levels of ET-1 was observed in
      some cases of DIC, especially in patients with sepsis, blastic crisis of chronic
      myelogenous leukemia, and cancer. However, no such significant elevation was
      observed in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), acute leukemias
      except for APL, or non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Plasma levels of ET-1 were higher in
      patients with DIC with MOF than in those without MOF. Although the levels of ET-1
      were decreased or remained low with clinical improvement in most DIC patients,
      the levels were further increased or remained high in patients who showed no
      improvement in DIC. It is suggested that ET-1 must play an important role in
      further progression of MOF with the vasoconstriction and microcirculatory
      disorders.

PMID- 1415186
TI  - 5-Aminolevulinate synthase in sideroblastic anemias: mRNA and enzyme activity
      levels in bone marrow cells.
AB  - To examine the role of 5-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS) in the pathogenesis of
      sideroblastic anemias, levels of mRNAs for erythroid and housekeeping ALAS
      isozymes were examined, and total ALAS activity was assessed in bone marrow
      cells. In two patients with X-linked sideroblastic anemia the levels of mRNA for
      erythroid ALAS as well as for alpha and beta globin appear to be decreased while
      levels of mRNA for glycophorin A in both patients were the same as in normal
      individuals. However, amounts of housekeeping ALAS mRNA were increased two- to
      threefold in these patients. Total ALAS activity was also increased two- or
      threefold, perhaps reflecting increased transcription of the housekeeping gene in
      response to diminished cellular heme in erythroid cells and/or enhanced
      translation of the erythroid isoform in response to iron accumulation. In a third
      patient with X-linked sideroblastic anemia ALAS activity was low but increased to
      twice the normal value after pyridoxine administration, suggesting a structural
      defect of the enzyme. In a fourth patient, with isolated congenital, pyridoxine
      responsive sideroblastic anemia, the erythroid ALAS mRNA was normal and a low
      enzyme activity was strikingly enhanced by pyridoxal-phosphate albeit to
      subnormal levels. In idiopathic acquired sideroblastic anemia, ALAS mRNA for both
      isozymes was normal and enzyme activity was slightly elevated. These observations
      thus reflect heterogeneous aberrations of erythroid heme synthesis in the various
      types of sideroblastic anemia and suggest that defects involving erythroid ALAS
      underlie at least some of them.

PMID- 1415187
TI  - Procoagulant activity of endotoxin or tumor necrosis factor activated monocytes
      is enhanced by IgG from patients with lupus anticoagulant.
AB  - The effect of lupus anticoagulant (LA) positive plasma on the expression of human
      monocyte procoagulant activity (PCA) was studied. LA positive plasma were able to
      enhance the endotoxin or TNF alpha induced monocyte associated PCA. The monocyte
      PCA had the characteristic of tissue factor activity (factor VII, factor X
      dependence). The enhancement of monocyte PCA could be confirmed using purified LA
      positive IgG. The stimulating effect was supported by the F(ab')2 fragments.

PMID- 1415188
TI  - Dyserythropoiesis in iron-deficiency anemia: ultrastructural reassessment.
AB  - Iron deficiency is usually included among the causes of acquired
      dyserythropoiesis. This concept was derived mainly from light microscopic
      studies. To reassess such a notion at ultrastructural level, a transmission
      electron microscopic evaluation of bone marrow was performed in seven patients
      with iron-deficiency anemia. In contrast to the widely accepted concept, derived
      from light microscopic studies, only a small proportion (2-4%, not different from
      controls) of erythroblasts displayed some of the features of nuclear
      dyserythropoiesis. On the contrary, when examining the cytoplasm, we found a
      significantly increased number of void ropheocytotic vesicles in the majority of
      late erythroblasts as compared to controls (P less than 0.001). This feature may
      be considered as an ultrastructural marker of iron deficiency and is consistent
      with the present knowledge on transferrin-mediated delivery of iron to the cell.

PMID- 1415189
TI  - Pseudoxanthoma elasticum-like skin lesions and angioid streaks in beta
      thalassemia.
AB  - One hundred patients with homozygous or doubly heterozygous beta-thalassemia (62
      with the major form and 38 with beta-thalassemia intermedia) were examined for
      signs of Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE). Diagnostic skin lesions were found in 16
      patients with either form of the basic disease. Twenty percent of all patients
      had angioid streaks (AS); both PXE skin lesions and AS were found in 10% of the
      patients; in all, 26% had either one or both of these manifestations. A positive
      correlation was found between the presence of one or both types of lesion and age
      of the patients (P = 0.032); there were no differences as regards ferritin and
      hematocrit levels, number of transfused units, chelation therapy, and splenic
      status between patients with PXE/AS findings and those without. The pathogenesis
      of these connective tissue manifestations at such a high frequency in beta
      thalassemia is not clear; the possibilities of it's being acquired or inherited
      are discussed, the former being considered to be the more economical
      interpretation.

PMID- 1415190
TI  - Inefficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin in patients with low-risk thrombotic
      thrombocytopenic purpura/hemolytic-uremic syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), in
      comparison with plasma exchange (PE), in the treatment of patients with
      thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura/hemolytic-uremic syndrome (TTP/HUS). DESIGN:
      Prospective, nonrandomized comparative study. SETTING: Hematology department in a
      general hospital. PATIENTS: 17 consecutive adult patients, six of them pregnant,
      with diagnosis of TTP/HUS. Three had a severity score at diagnosis less than or
      equal to 4 and were treated with IVIG and 14 had a severity score of greater than
      or equal to 5 and/or were pregnant and received PE. The response was evaluated
      after 5 days of therapy. RESULTS: Complete remission was obtained in 0/3 cases
      treated with IVIG and 10/14 (71%) with PE (Fisher's exact test P = 0.05). Three
      patients died for widespread TTP-HUS, and four had persistent disease. In three
      of the four resistant patients, complete remission was obtained by further PE but
      not by further IVIG. The overall remission rate was 76% (13/17). CONCLUSIONS: Our
      study does not confirm the utility of IVIG in the management of TTP-HUS, as
      suggested by earlier single case reports.

PMID- 1415191
TI  - Influence of calcium permeabilization and membrane-attached hemoglobin on
      erythrocyte deformability.
AB  - The present study was designed to evaluate the influence of intracellular calcium
      [Ca]i regulated membrane attached hemoglobin (Hbm) on the deformability of human
      RBC and ghosts. [Ca]i of RBC was elevated via the ionophore A23187 (10 microM);
      the deformability of RBC and resealed ghosts was determined via measuring RBC and
      ghost transit times through 5 microns diameter pores with the Cell Transit
      Analyzer (CTA). Salient results included: (1) significantly increased RBC levels
      of Hbm following ionophore treatment; (2) elevated Hbm with increasing lysing
      medium calcium concentration (0-5 mM); (3) decreased deformability of both intact
      RBC and ghosts with increasing Hbm and significant (P less than 0.02 or better)
      linear relationships between Hbm and RBC or ghost transit times; and (4) an
      increased sensitivity to ionophore treatment/membrane attached hemoglobin for the
      higher percentiles of the CTA transit time distribution (i.e., for more rigid
      subpopulations). Our results thus indicate that calcium-induced interaction of
      hemoglobin with the RBC membrane produces cellular rheological changes; in
      addition, they demonstrate the usefulness of the CTA system in measuring both
      average RBC rheologic behavior and the distribution of cellular rheologic
      properties within an erythrocyte population.

PMID- 1415192
TI  - Treatment of acute myeloid leukemia in the elderly with low-dose cytarabine,
      hydroxyurea, and calcitriol.
AB  - Twenty-nine patients aged 62-82 years with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were
      treated with a 21-day course of continuous infusion cytarabine, oral hydroxyurea,
      and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (calcitriol). Ten patients had an antecedent
      myelodysplastic syndrome. Calcitriol was continued as the only postremission
      therapy. Thirteen patients (45%) obtained a complete remission, and 10 patients
      (34%) had a partial response for an overall 79% response rate. There were three
      early deaths. The median remission duration was 9.8 months. Overall median
      survival was 12 months for all patients and 14 months for responding patients.
      All responding patients had marked bone marrow hypoplasia. Twenty patients
      received part or all of their chemotherapy as outpatients. This regimen has
      acceptable toxicity and can result in prolonged remissions in elderly, high-risk
      patients with AML. The favorable results may be related to the synergistic effect
      of hydroxyurea, cytarabine, and calcitriol.

PMID- 1415193
TI  - Accessory spleen in recurrent chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura.
AB  - From 1969 to 1985 we discovered accessory spleens in 8 patients with chronic
      immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) who relapsed or failed after splenectomy.
      Imaging of accessory spleen used a liver spleen scintigraphy with heat-treated
      RBC labeled with Tc-99m. Platelet kinetic studies with 51Cr or 111In, including
      sequestration index, were performed. Five patients had accessory splenectomy.
      Disappearance of bleeding symptoms was achieved in the 5 splenectomized patients
      but with only partial response of platelet counts. These results are discussed in
      the context of diagnosis and therapeutic management of accessory spleens in
      patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura who relapsed or failed
      after splenectomy.

PMID- 1415194
TI  - Molecular basis of beta thalassemia in the south of Thailand.
AB  - A total of 103 beta thalassemia genes from 78 children (45 with Hb E/beta
      thalassemia, 8 with beta thalassemia heterozygotes, and 25 with homozygous beta
      thalassemia) were analyzed using dot-blot hybridization of the polymerase chain
      reaction-amplified DNA and direct DNA sequencing. Nine mutations were
      characterized in 98/103 (95%) of beta thalassemia alleles, of which six (a 4 bp
      deletion in codons 41-42, a G-C transition at position 5 of IVS-1, A-G transition
      at codon 19, an A-T transition at codon 17, an A-G transition at position -28
      upstream of the beta globin gene, a G-T transition at position 1 of IVS-1),
      accounted for 92%. The spectrum of beta thalassemia mutations in Chinese Thai is
      similar to that reported among the Chinese from other parts of the world. The
      distribution of beta thalassemia mutations in Muslim Thai is similar to that
      reported among Malaysians. The most common beta thalassemia mutation in Thai and
      Chinese Thai patients is the frameshift mutation at codons 41-42, in comparison
      with the Muslim Thai in whom the G-C transition at position 5 of the IVS-1
      mutation predominates. The heterogeneity of molecular defects causing beta
      thalassemia should aid in the planning of a prenatal diagnosis program for beta
      thalassemia in the South of Thailand.

PMID- 1415195
TI  - Leukemic manifestation in a case of alpha-chain disease with multiple polypoid
      intestinal lymphocytic lymphoma.
AB  - We describe a female aborigine from Taiwan with alpha-chain disease associated
      with multiple polypoid intestinal lymphocytic lymphoma and leukemic
      manifestation. Initially, the patient experienced intermittent diarrhea,
      abdominal pain, and leukemic manifestation. No evidence of bone marrow
      involvement was found. Alpha-chain protein was demonstrated in the serum.
      Gastroendoscopy and a series of radiographs of the small intestine revealed
      multiple polypoid tumors involving the entire length of the small intestine.
      Duodenal biopsy showed diffuse lymphocytic lymphoma. Immunohistochemical staining
      of tumor samples revealed features typical of alpha-chain disease. Cytogenetic
      analysis showed the same abnormal karyotypes of neoplastic clones in intestinal
      tumor cells and in circulating leukemic cells. The data suggest that alpha-chain
      disease can present initially with intestinal multiple polypoid lymphocytic
      lymphoma and leukemic manifestation without evidence of bone marrow involvement.
      The data also support the homing theory of lymphomas from mucosa-associated
      lymphoid tissue.

PMID- 1415196
TI  - Acute myelogenous leukemia: proliferation stop or cell lysis during the first
      hours of treatment?

PMID- 1415198
TI  - Influence of clinical and histological features on actuarial renal survival in
      adult patients with idiopathic IgA nephropathy, membranous nephropathy, and
      membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis: survey of the recent literature.
AB  - The most recent studies, using the actuarial life-table technique, of the problem
      of long-term renal outcome and the factors that influence it in adult patients
      with one of the three most common types of chronic idiopathic immune complexes
      mediated glomerulonephritis (IgA nephropathy [IgAN], membranous nephropathy [MN],
      and type I membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis [MPGN]) are reviewed. In the
      last decade, renal survival 10 years after onset has become similar to adult
      patients with idiopathic IgAN (80% to 87%) and idiopathic MN (75% to 83%),
      because of improvement of the renal survival of patients with MN. Renal survival
      at 10 years is worse for adult patients with idiopathic type I MPGN (60% to 64%).
      There is no substantial difference in the average renal survival times between
      different geographical regions, with the exception of a better prognosis for
      idiopathic MN in Japan. The presenting clinical factors that most strongly
      predict subsequent poor outcome are similar for the three types of
      glomerulonephritis and are rather nonspecific: (1) severe proteinuria, (2)
      impairment of renal function, and (3) arterial hypertension. As for the
      histological features, the most powerful predictor of subsequent progression in
      all three types of glomerulonephritis is tubulointerstitial damage, suggesting
      that a cell-mediated immune process believed to occur there may independently
      influence outcome in glomerular diseases.

PMID- 1415197
TI  - EDTA-dependent pseudothrombocytopenia.

PMID- 1415199
TI  - The uremic dyslipidemia: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study.
AB  - Patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal
      dialysis (CAPD) exhibit numerous disturbances of serum lipids and apoproteins
      that may contribute to their high cardiovascular mortality. Cross-sectional
      studies have found that lipid levels are inversely related to time on dialysis.
      However, it is not known whether this association is the result of the attrition
      of hyperlipidemic patients or a decrease in lipid levels over time in all
      patients. Additionally, few studies have investigated the effect of dialysis
      modality on the lipoprotein disturbances of uremia adjusting for the confounding
      influences of demographics, or nutritional and endocrine status. To address these
      issues, we undertook a cross-sectional and longitudinal study of lipids,
      apoproteins, and atherogenic risk ratios in patients maintained on HD and CAPD.
      Patients were enrolled in annual cohorts from 1987 to 1990 and monitored until
      1991. A total of 196 HD and 77 CAPD patients were studied. Total cholesterol
      (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), apoprotein (apo) A-I, and apo
      B were measured on enrollment and remeasured annually in survivors through 1990.
      Using multivariate methods, we examined the relationship of the lipids,
      apoproteins, their respective ratios, and their changes over time, to a broad
      range of clinical factors and to mortality. Compared with HD patients, CAPD
      patients had significantly higher TC, apo A-I, and apo B, and a significantly
      lower apo A-I/apo B ratio. Serum albumin correlated directly with TC and apo B
      and inversely with apo A-I/apo B. For patients with normal serum albumin (> or =
      3.5 g/dL [35 g/L]), CAPD patients had a significantly higher TC/HDL-C than HD
      patients; otherwise the ratios were similar for CAPD and HD. Independent
      influences on lipoprotein levels in HD and CAPD patients were also demonstrated
      for race, gender, and diabetes, but not for parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. For
      both dialysis modalities, patients who died had significantly lower TC and apo B,
      and significantly higher apo A-I/apo B throughout their entire courses compared
      with survivors. In the subset of patients followed longitudinally for 2 or more
      years, apo B tended to decrease with time, but TC, HDL-C, and apo A-I were
      stable. The longitudinal changes in lipoproteins did not correlate with outcome
      or other factors. In conclusion, CAPD patients have more atherogenic lipoprotein
      profiles than HD patients. Improved visceral protein nutritional status, as
      defined by serum albumin level, is associated with hyperlipidemia and, especially
      vor CAPD, worsened atherogenic risk ratios.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1415201
TI  - Renal hemodynamics in recent-onset type II diabetes.
AB  - Glomerular hyperfiltration is thought to play an important role in the genesis of
      diabetic nephropathy. While hyperfiltration is well documented in early type I
      diabetes, the evidence for hyperfiltration in type II diabetes is conflicting. We
      investigated 16 nonproteinuric patients with recently diagnosed type II diabetes.
      Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) were
      measured as inulin clearance (CIN) and p-aminohippuric acid clearance (CPAH)
      using a constant infusion technique. Lean body mass was measured by densitometry
      (weighing under water). Renal hemodynamics were also measured in 31 healthy
      volunteers and six obese nondiabetic individuals. Median GFR in diabetics (133
      mL/min/1.73 m2; range, 95 to 165) was significantly (P < 0.01) higher than in
      obese nondiabetic controls (median, 118; range, 95 to 139). Elevated GFR (ie, >
      95th percentile of nonobese healthy controls) was found in 44% of patients. When
      GFR was factored for lean body mass, it was elevated in 50%. GFR did not
      correlate with fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), insulin-like growth
      factors, IGF-1 and IGF-2, or somatomedin-binding protein (SMBP). The findings
      document that hyperfiltration is common in recent-onset type II diabetics.

PMID- 1415200
TI  - A trial of the prostaglandin E1 analogue, enisoprost, to reverse chronic
      cyclosporine-associated renal dysfunction.
AB  - Cyclosporine (CYA) reduces the renal synthesis of prostaglandins of the E series
      (PGE). Analogue of PGE1 have been shown to mitigate the vasoconstriction and
      abnormal renal function of experimental acute CYA nephrotoxicity. We examined the
      hypothesis that the orally bioavailable PGE analogue enisoprost (EP) would
      improve renal function in renal transplant recipients chronically exposed to CYA.
      In a randomized double-blind study, 40 patients at two centers who were being
      monitored for 3 to 30 months after renal transplantation, were allocated to
      receive either EP 100 micrograms orally four times daily or placebo (P) for 2
      weeks. CYA dosing was fixed at existing levels. There could be no evidence of
      concurrent acute renal injury, including that of acute rejection. Glomerular
      filtration rate (GFR) was measured by the clearance of radiolabeled DTPA, while
      effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) was measured as the clearance of p
      aminohippuric acid (PAH). The acute effects of EP were examined twice, by
      comparing immediate postdose to predose values for GFR and ERPF on day 1 and
      again on day 14. Chronic effects were examined by comparing baseline (predose)
      values only for GFR and ERPF between days 1 and 14 and by an examination of
      creatinine clearances (CCR) on days 0, 14, and 21. At enrollment, patients were
      well matched for renal function (CCR:EP 47 +/- 5 v P 49 +/- 4 mL/min/1.73 m2; P =
      NS). Baseline demographics were similar, although patients treated with EP were
      older (46 +/- 2 v 36 +/- 3 years, mean +/- SEM, P = 0.003). CYA doses and blood
      levels did not change significantly.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415202
TI  - Evidence for activation of tubuloglomerular feedback following nephrectomy in
      human subjects.
AB  - The intrarenal regulation of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) following a
      reduction in renal mass was evaluated in six normal subjects, studied before and
      4 to 6 weeks after undergoing unilateral nephrectomy, performed for the purpose
      of living-related transplantation. The role of the tubuloglomerular feedback
      (TGF) system in regulating the final GFR on both occasions was assessed by
      determining the increase in GFR over baseline levels following blockade of TGF by
      a single dose of bumetanide, care being taken to replace sodium and water losses.
      Before donor nephrectomy, baseline GFR was 115 +/- 7 mL/min, which increased by
      9.5% +/- 2.5% to 126 +/- 9 mL/min following the removal of TGF. Four to six weeks
      following donor nephrectomy, the baseline GFR was 83 +/- 8 mL/min, confirming
      significant hyperfiltration in the remaining kidney. After administration of
      bumetanide, the GFR increased by 15.6% +/- 3.1% to 96 +/- 9 mL/min. This greater
      fractional increase (P < 0.025) indicates an increase in tonic TGF activity in
      the uninephrectomized state compared with that demonstrated before nephrectomy.
      The results suggest that the hyperfiltration response following unilateral
      nephrectomy is limited by an appropriately activated TGF system. This phenomenon
      may be of importance in the maintenance of Na and water homeostasis, as well as
      limiting the pathological consequences that may result from, or be exacerbated
      by, an excessively high filtration rate in the remaining nephrons. Thus, dietary
      or therapeutic maneuvers that impair the TGF response may be best avoided
      following a reduction in renal mass.

PMID- 1415203
TI  - Vancomycin elimination during high-flux hemodialysis: kinetic model and
      comparison of four membranes.
AB  - Vancomycin clearance was measured in five patients during dialysis with
      cuprophane (CU), polysulfone (PS), cellulose triacetate (CT), and
      polyacrylonitrile (PAN) dialyzers. Vancomycin was significantly cleared during
      routine high-flux (HF) hemodialysis (HD) with the latter three membranes, but not
      by CU. Postdialytic rebound of serum vancomycin concentrations was noted
      following HF dialysis, necessitating use of a two-compartment pharmacokinetic
      model. Measurement of serum vancomycin concentration immediately postdialysis
      significantly overestimates intradialytic removal, possibly resulting in
      inappropriate dose adjustment. Vancomycin infusion during HF HD results in
      significant drug removal during its administration to the patient, complicating
      the calculation of an adequate dose.

PMID- 1415204
TI  - Improved lipid profiles in patients undergoing high-flux hemodialysis.
AB  - Hyperlipidemia is one of many atherogenic risk factors encountered by patients
      undergoing chronic hemodialysis (HD). We have studied lipid profiles in these
      patients and have found less hypertriglyceridemia in those undergoing high-flux
      HD than those receiving traditional HD. Mean +/- SEM triglyceride level was 1.62
      +/- 0.15 mmol/L (143.3 +/- 13.6 mg/dL) in high-flux dialysis patients, 2.39 +/-
      0.27 mmol/L (211.6 +/- 24.1 mg/dL) in conventional dialysis patients, and 1.55 +/
      0.13 mmol/L (137.1 +/- 11.5 mg/dL) in normal age- and sex-matched controls. In
      addition, we found that in patients undergoing high-flux HD, females had higher
      high-density lipoprotein2 (HDL2) levels (0.62 +/- 0.03 mmol/L [23.8 +/- 1.3
      mg/dL]) than males (0.33 +/- 0.04 mmol/L [12.9 +/- 1.7 mg/dL]) (P < 0.01). The
      mechanism(s) responsible for divergent lipid profiles in subsets of HD patients
      deserves further investigation. Whether reductions of hypertriglyceridemia and/or
      increases of HDL2 will diminish the incidence of cardiovascular disease in
      dialysis patients is unknown.

PMID- 1415205
TI  - Calcium mass transfer with dialysate containing 1.25 and 1.75 mmol/L calcium in
      peritoneal dialysis patients.
AB  - Studies with 1.75 mmol/L calcium dialysate have shown that patients gain calcium
      from dialysate. Thus, hypercalcemia, especially when calcium compounds are used
      for phosphate control, is a commonly seen complication. Dialysate with 1.25
      mmol/L calcium has been available since 1989. Little is known about calcium mass
      transfer (CMT) with dialysate of this calcium concentration. CMT was measured in
      20 stable adult peritoneal dialysis patients. Each CMT study consisted of a 2-L
      continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) exchange with a dwell time of 4
      hours. CMT studies were performed using 1.25 and 1.75 mmol/L calcium dialysate
      with 1.5, 2.5, and 4.25 g/dL dextrose concentrations. CMT with 1.25 mmol/L
      calcium dialysate was compared to that with 1.75 mmol/L for each dextrose
      concentration. With a dextrose concentration of 1.5 g/dL, the mean CMT for 1.25
      mmol/L calcium dialysate was -0.1 +/- 0.3 mmol versus 0.6 +/- 0.3 mmol for 1.75
      mmol/L calcium dialysate (P < 0.0001). A dextrose concentration of 2.5 g/dL
      resulted in a mean CMT of -0.4 +/- 0.2 mmol for 1.25 mmol/L calcium versus 0.45
      +/- 0.25 mmol for 1.75 mmol/L calcium (P < 0.0001). Using a dextrose
      concentration of 4.25 g/dL, the mean CMT was -0.7 +/- 0.25 mmol for 1.25 mmol/L
      calcium versus -0.05 +/- 0.35 mmol for 1.75 mmol/L calcium (P < 0.0001). Mean
      serum ionized calcium (SiCa) was between 1.15 and 1.20 mmol/L for all study
      groups. CMT inversely correlated with SiCa for each type of dialysate used. CMT
      was dependent on the concentrations of calcium and dextrose in the dialysate and
      the SiCa level at the time of the exchange.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415206
TI  - Specific opsonic activity for staphylococci in peritoneal dialysis effluent
      during continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.
AB  - In a prospective study of intraperitoneal opsonins in 30 patients undergoing
      continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), the IgG concentration, the
      fibronectin concentration, the specific antistaphylococcal antibody level, and
      the opsonic activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis were measured in
      peritoneal dialysis effluent from the initiation of CAPD and monthly for 6
      months. Significant correlation was found between the four assays, but the
      interindividual and intraindividual variations were considerable. No
      statistically significant correlation was observed between susceptibility of the
      patients to CAPD-related infectious peritonitis and any of the above-mentioned
      parameters of humoral defense. We conclude that at the present time it is not
      feasible to use these assays for the establishment of prognosis with regard to
      peritonitis in CAPD.

PMID- 1415208
TI  - Looking upon the water. Sojourns along the Costa da Morte.

PMID- 1415207
TI  - Survival differences among older dialysis patients in the southeast.
AB  - Older end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients treated by chronic dialysis have
      higher mortality in the United States than in many other countries. While
      increasing age, white race, male sex, and/or diabetes are considered risk factors
      for survival, few studies of older dialysis patients have simultaneously
      considered multiple predictor variables and their interactions. Using information
      contained in the 1982 to 1986 ESRD Network 20 database for Georgia and South
      Carolina, we studied hospitalizations and survival of 1,354 blacks and 965 whites
      who were age 60 years or older when they began dialysis therapy. Survival time
      was modeled using the Cox life-table regression method. Older blacks' median age
      at dialysis initiation was 67.4, compared with 68.7 for older whites (P = 0.001).
      Blacks were more likely than whites (P < 0.001) to have hypertension-related or
      diabetes-related ESRD. White patients experienced approximately 25% more
      hospitalization when adjustment was made for patient-days at risk. Separate
      multivariate survival models were required for patients with diabetes-related
      versus non-diabetes-related ESRD. Among diabetics, mortality was higher among
      whites and among patients who were older when they began dialysis. Among patients
      with non-diabetes-related ESRD, mortality was higher among patients who were
      older when they began dialysis, but the age effect was much stronger for white
      males. Our hospitalization and mortality data support the view that unmeasured
      severity (or frailty) differences characterize white as compared with black
      dialysis patients. Among non-diabetes-related ESRD patients, the age effect on
      survival was more severe in white males than in blacks or in white females. The
      high mortality we observed among older dialysis patients in Georgia and South
      Carolina warrants further study; the data may in part reflect patients' lower
      socioeconomic status compared with age, race, and sex-matched controls.

PMID- 1415209
TI  - Acute tubular necrosis associated with Lowe's syndrome: possible role of
      rhabdomyolysis.
AB  - The oculo-cerebral-renal syndrome of Lowe is an X-linked recessive disorder
      characterized by severe mental retardation, congenital cataracts, renal tubular
      dysfunction, growth retardation, hypotonia, glaucoma, and rickets. Recently, it
      has been found that serum concentrations of the muscle enzymes are elevated,
      providing evidence that there is primary muscle involvement in this disorder. The
      renal functional abnormalities that occur have also been further delineated.
      Renal tubular dysfunction presents within the first year of life, followed by a
      serum creatinine level that increases with age. Renal failure generally occurs in
      the fourth decade of life. We report two patients with Lowe's syndrome who
      presented with new onset of acute renal failure (ARF). Workup of their ARF
      established the diagnosis of acute tubular necrosis with evidence of
      rhabdomyolysis in one case. These patients were treated aggressively with
      dialysis and had subsequent recovery of renal function to their baseline state.
      We suggest that patients with Lowe's syndrome who present with an acute change in
      their renal function should be treated early with vigorous hydration therapy. If
      dialysis is indicated, it should be initiated. Furthermore, these patients should
      be promptly evaluated for evidence of rhabdomyolysis with alkalinization of the
      urine if possible.

PMID- 1415210
TI  - Henoch-Schonlein vasculitis as a manifestation of IgA-associated disease in
      cirrhosis.
AB  - Cirrhosis has been associated with a variety of glomerular lesions that generally
      include deposits of IgA in the mesangium. However, loss of renal function
      secondary to IgA deposition in cirrhotics is infrequent. An unusual patient who
      developed rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis followed by leukocytoclastic
      vasculitis with IgA deposition on skin biopsy is presented. We postulate that
      this is an example of Henoch-Schonlein purpura occurring secondary to altered IgA
      processing in cirrhosis.

PMID- 1415211
TI  - Pregnancy in patients on chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.
AB  - Both conception and successful completion of pregnancy are rare occurrences in
      female patients on chronic renal replacement therapy. Only a handful of
      successful pregnancies and deliveries have been reported in patients receiving
      hemodialysis (HD). Even less common are reports of successful pregnancy and
      delivery in patients receiving chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).
      Among the more common causes of fetal loss are abruptio placentae and other
      causes of spontaneous miscarriage. We report here three cases of pregnancy in
      patients on CAPD; two of these pregnancies progressed successfully to spontaneous
      delivery, while the third terminated during an episode of acute peritonitis.
      Furthermore, we have reviewed the literature concerning the outcome of pregnancy
      in the dialysis population on CAPD.

PMID- 1415212
TI  - A case of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis associated with bucillamine
      treated rheumatoid arthritis.

PMID- 1415213
TI  - The pathogenesis of hyperacute xenograft rejection.
AB  - A critical shortage of donor organs has driven many in the transplantation
      community to consider the use of animals as organ donors for humans, that is,
      xenotransplantation. While successful xenotransplantation of primate kidneys was
      achieved 25 years ago, most now advocate use of nonprimates as donors because of
      the risk of disease transmission and ethical concerns attendant to the use of
      primates. The major hurdle to xenotransplantation of organs between
      phylogenetically disparate species is the hyperacute rejection reaction that
      invariably destroys organ xenografts placed in unmodified recipients. Here we
      review recent insights concerning the pathogenesis of hyperacute rejection
      reactions. We focus particular attention on the endothelial cell, which serves
      not only as the target of xenoreactive antibodies and complement, but also, as a
      consequence of endothelial cell activation, as an instrument of tissue injury. We
      discuss a phenomenon called "accommodation" in which an organ graft acquires
      resistance to humoral-mediated injury.

PMID- 1415214
TI  - Should patients with hepatitis C virus antibodies in chronic hemodialysis be
      isolated?

PMID- 1415215
TI  - Genotype-phenotype relationships in human red/green color-vision defects:
      molecular and psychophysical studies.
AB  - The relationship between the molecular structure of the X-linked red and green
      visual pigment genes and color-vision phenotype as ascertained by anomaloscopy
      was studied in 64 color-defective males. The great majority of red-green defects
      were associated with either the deletion of the green-pigment gene or the
      formation of 5' red-green hybrid genes or 5' green-red hybrid genes. A rapid PCR
      based method allowed detection of hybrid genes, including those undetectable by
      Southern blot analysis, as well as more precise localization of the fusion points
      in hybrid genes. Protan color-vision defects appeared always associated with 5'
      red-green hybrid genes. Carriers of single red-green hybrid genes with fusion in
      introns 1-4 were protanopes. However, carriers of hybrid genes with red-green
      fusions in introns 2, 3, or 4 in the presence of additional normal green genes
      manifested as either protanopes or protanomalous trichromats, with the majority
      being protanomalous. Deutan defects were associated with green-pigment gene
      deletions, with 5' green-red hybrid genes, or, rarely, with 5' green-red-green
      hybrid genes. Complete green-pigment gene deletions or green-red fusions in
      intron 1 were usually associated with deuteranopia, although we unexpectedly
      found three carriers of a single red-pigment gene without any green-pigment genes
      to be deuteranomalous trichromats. All but one of the other deuteranomalous
      subjects had green-red hybrid genes with intron 1, 2, 3, or 4 fusions, as well as
      several normal green-pigment genes. The one exception had a grossly normal gene
      array, presumably with a more subtle mutation. Amino acid differences in exon 5
      largely determine whether a hybrid gene will be more redlike or more greenlike in
      phenotype. Various discrepancies as to severity (dichromacy or trichromacy)
      remain unexplained but may arise because of variability of expression,
      postreceptoral variation, or both. When phenotypic color-vision defects exist,
      the kind of defect (protan or deutan) can be predicted by molecular analysis. Red
      green hybrid genes are probably always associated with protan color-vision
      defects, while the presence of green-red hybrid genes may not always manifest
      phenotypically with color-vision defects. Four subjects who were found to have 5'
      green-red hybrid genes in addition to normal red- and green-pigment genes had
      normal color vision as determined by anomaloscopy. These were discovered among a
      group of 129 Caucasian males who had been recruited as volunteers for a vision
      study.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1415216
TI  - Evidence for genetic heterogeneity in tuberous sclerosis: one locus on chromosome
      9 and at least one locus elsewhere.
AB  - Linkage of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), an autosomal dominant disorder, to
      markers on chromosome 9 was reported first in 1987. This assignment was confirmed
      by an international collaborative study that suggested more than one locus may be
      responsible for the phenotype. We studied 14 multigenerational TSC families (13
      previously unreported) with markers for nine loci in the linked region of
      chromosome 9q32-q34. Our results confirm the previous reports that the genetic
      locus in one-third to one-half of families maps to chromosome 9. Comparison of
      clinical findings in the chromosome 9-linked families with those in the
      chromosome 9-unlinked families reveals only a higher incidence of ungual
      fibromata in the chromosome 9-linked families.

PMID- 1415217
TI  - Fluorescent multiplex linkage analysis and carrier detection for Duchenne/Becker
      muscular dystrophy.
AB  - We have developed a fast and accurate PCR-based linkage and carrier detection
      protocol for families of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)/Becker muscular
      dystrophy (BMD) patients with or without detectable deletions of the dystrophin
      gene, using fluorescent PCR products analyzed on an automated sequencer. When a
      deletion is found in the affected male DMD/BMD patient by standard multiplex PCR,
      fluorescently labeled primers specific for the deleted and nondeleted exon(s) are
      used to amplify the DNA of at-risk female relatives by using multiplex PCR at low
      cycle number (20 cycles). The products are then quantitatively analyzed on an
      automatic sequencer to determine whether they are heterozygous for the deletion
      and thus are carriers. As a confirmation of the deletion data, and in cases in
      which a deletion is not found in the proband, fluorescent multiplex PCR linkage
      is done by using four previously described polymorphic dinucleotide sequences.
      The four (CA)n repeats are located throughout the dystrophin gene, making the
      analysis highly informative and accurate. We present the successful application
      of this protocol in families who proved refractory to more traditional analyses.

PMID- 1415218
TI  - Significant linkage disequilibrium between the Huntington disease gene and the
      loci D4S10 and D4S95 in the Dutch population.
AB  - Significant linkage disequilibrium has been found between the Huntington disease
      (HD) gene and DNA markers located around D4S95 and D4S98. The linkage
      disequilibrium studies favor the proximal location of the HD gene, in contrast to
      the conflicting results of recombination analyses. We have analyzed 45 Dutch HD
      families with 19 DNA markers and have calculated the strength of linkage
      disequilibrium. Highly significant linkage disequilibrium has been detected with
      D4S95, consistent with the studies in other populations. In contrast with most
      other studies, however, the area of linkage disequilibrium extends from D4S10
      proximally to D4S95, covering 1,100 kb. These results confirm that the HD gene
      most likely maps near D4S95.

PMID- 1415219
TI  - Evidence against an X-linked locus close to DXS7 determining visual loss
      susceptibility in British and Italian families with Leber hereditary optic
      neuropathy.
AB  - Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is associated with mutations of mtDNA,
      but two features of LHON pedigrees are not explicable solely on the basis of
      mitochondrial inheritance. There is a large excess of affected males, and not all
      males at risk develop the disease. These observations could be explained by the
      existence of an X-linked visual loss susceptibility gene. This hypothesis was
      supported by linkage studies in Finland, placing the susceptibility locus at
      DXS7, with a maximum lod score of 2.48 at a recombination fraction of 0. Linkage
      studies in 1 Italian and 12 British families with LHON, analyzed either together
      or separately depending on the associated mtDNA mutation, have excluded the
      presence of such a locus from an interval of about 30 cM around DXS7 in these
      kindreds, with a total lod score of -26.51 at a recombination fraction of 0.

PMID- 1415220
TI  - The autosomal dominant familial exudative vitreoretinopathy locus maps on 11q and
      is closely linked to D11S533.
AB  - Autosomal dominant familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (adFEVR) is a hereditary
      disorder characterized by the incomplete vascularization of the peripheral
      retina. The primary biochemical defect in adFEVR is unknown. The adFEVR locus has
      tentatively been assigned to 11q by linkage studies. We report the results of an
      extended multipoint linkage analysis of two families with adFEVR by using five
      markers (INT2, D11S533, D11S527, D11S35, and CD3D) from 11q13-q23. Pairwise
      linkage data obtained in the two families were rather similar and hence have not
      provided evidence for genetic heterogeneity. The highest complied two-point lod
      score (3.67, at a recombination fraction of .07) was obtained for the disease
      locus versus D11S533. Multipoint analyses showed that the adFEVR locus maps most
      likely, with a maximum location score of over 20, between D11S533/D11S527 and
      D11S35, at recombination rates of .147 and .104, respectively. Close linkage
      without recombination (maximum lod score 11.26) has been found between D11S533
      and D11S527.

PMID- 1415221
TI  - Power of sib-pair and sib-trio linkage analysis with assortative mating and
      multiple disease loci.
AB  - Sib-pair linkage analysis has been proposed for identifying genes that predispose
      to common diseases. We have shown that the presence of assortative mating and
      multiple disease-susceptibility loci (genetic heterogeneity) can increase the
      required sample size for affected-affected sib pairs several fold over the sample
      size required under random mating. We propose a new test statistic based on sib
      trios composed of either one unaffected and two affected siblings or one affected
      and two unaffected siblings. The sample-size requirements under assortative
      mating and multiple disease loci for these sib-trio statistics are much smaller,
      under most conditions, than the corresponding sample sizes for sib pairs. Study
      designs based on data from sib trios with one or two affected members are
      recommended whenever assortative mating and genetic heterogeneity are suspected.

PMID- 1415222
TI  - A double mutation in exon 6 of the beta-hexosaminidase alpha subunit in a patient
      with the B1 variant of Tay-Sachs disease.
AB  - The B1 variant form of Tay-Sachs disease is enzymologically unique in that the
      causative mutation(s) appear to affect the active site in the alpha subunit of
      beta-hexosaminidase A without altering its ability to associate with the beta
      subunit. Most previously reported B1 variant mutations were found in exon 5
      within codon 178. The coding sequence of the alpha subunit gene of a patient with
      the B1 variant form was examined with a combination of reverse transcription of
      mRNA to cDNA, PCR, and dideoxy sequencing. A double mutation in exon 6 has been
      identified: a G574----C transversion causing a val192----leu change and a G598---
      A transition resulting in a val200----met alteration. The amplified cDNAs were
      otherwise normal throughout their sequence. The 574 and 598 alterations have been
      confirmed by amplification directly from genomic DNA from the patient and her
      mother. Transient-expression studies of the two exon 6 mutations (singly or
      together) in COS-1 cells show that the G574----C change is sufficient to cause
      the loss of enzyme activity. The biochemical phenotype of the 574 alteration in
      transfection studies is consistent with that expected for a B1 variant mutation.
      As such, this mutation differs from previously reported B1 variant mutations, all
      of which occur in exon 5.

PMID- 1415223
TI  - Gaucher disease: A G+1----A+1 IVS2 splice donor site mutation causing exon 2
      skipping in the acid beta-glucosidase mRNA.
AB  - Gaucher disease is the most frequent lysosomal storage disease and the most
      prevalent Jewish genetic disease. About 30 identified missense mutations are
      causal to the defective activity of acid beta-glucosidase in this disease. cDNAs
      were characterized from a moderately affected 9-year-old Ashkenazi Jewish Gaucher
      disease type 1 patient whose 80-year-old, enzyme-deficient, 1226G (Asn370----Ser
      [N370S]) homozygous grandfather was nearly asymptomatic. Sequence analyses
      revealed four populations of cDNAs with either the 1226G mutation, an exact exon
      2 (delta EX2) deletion, a deletion of exon 2 and the first 115 bp of exon 3
      (delta EX2-3), or a completely normal sequence. About 50% of the cDNAs were the
      delta EX2, the delta EX2-3, and the normal cDNAs, in a ratio of 6:3:1. Specific
      amplification and characterization of exon 2 and 5' and 3' intronic flanking
      sequences from the structural gene demonstrated clones with either the normal
      sequence or with a G+1----A+1 transition at the exon 2/intron 2 boundary. This
      mutation destroyed the splice donor consensus site (U1 binding site) for mRNA
      processing. This transition also was present at the corresponding exon/intron
      boundary of the highly homologous pseudogene. This new mutation, termed "IVS2 G+1
      ---A+1," is the first splicing mutation described in Gaucher disease and
      accounted for about 3.4% of the Gaucher disease alleles in the Ashkenazi Jewish
      population. The occurrence of this "pseudogene"-type mutation in the structural
      gene indicates the role of acid beta-glucosidase pseudogene and structural gene
      rearrangements in the pathogenesis of this disease.

PMID- 1415224
TI  - Identification of two different point mutations associated with the fluoride
      resistant phenotype for human butyrylcholinesterase.
AB  - The fluoride variant of human butyrylcholinesterase owes its name to the
      observation that it is resistant to inhibition by 0.050 mM sodium fluoride in the
      in vitro assay. Individuals who are heterozygous for the fluoride and atypical
      alleles experience about 30 min of apnea, rather than the usual 3-5 min, after
      receiving succinyldicholine. Earlier we reported that the atypical variant has a
      nucleotide substitution which changes Asp 70 to Gly. In the present work we have
      identified two different point mutations associated with the fluoride-resistant
      phenotype. Fluoride-1 has a nucleotide substitution which changes Thr 243 to Met
      (ACG to ATG). Fluoride-2 has a substitution which changes Gly 390 to Val (GGT to
      GTT). These results were obtained by DNA sequence analysis of the
      butyrylcholinesterase gene after amplification by PCR. The subjects for these
      analyses were 4 patients and 21 family members.

PMID- 1415225
TI  - Lipoprotein(a) in women twins: heritability and relationship to apolipoprotein(a)
      phenotypes.
AB  - Lp(a) is a unique lipoprotein consisting of an LDL-like particle and a
      characteristic protein, apo(a). Increased levels of Lp(a) constitute a risk
      factor for coronary heart disease. Variation in the size of the apo(a) protein is
      a phenotype controlled by the apo(a) gene on chromosome 6 and is related to Lp(a)
      plasma levels. Based on 169 MZ and 125 DZ adult female twin pairs, this study's
      purpose was to estimate the proportion of the variation in Lp(a) levels that is
      due to genetic influences and to determine the extent to which the apo(a) locus
      explains this heritability. Lp(a) levels were significantly more similar in MZ
      twins than in DZ twins: mean co-twin differences were 3.9 +/- 5.7 mg/dl and 16.0
      +/- 19.9 mg/dl (P less than .001), respectively. Intraclass correlations were .94
      in MZ twins and .32 in DZ twins, resulting in a heritability estimate of .94 (P
      less than .001). Heritability was then calculated using only co-twins with the
      same apo(a) phenotype: the heritability estimate decreased to .45 but was still
      highly significant (P less than .001). Therefore, on the basis of heritability
      analysis of women twins, Lp(a) levels are almost entirely genetically controlled.
      Variation at the apo(a) locus contributes to this heritability, although other
      genetic factors could be involved.

PMID- 1415226
TI  - Nonsense mutations of the von Willebrand factor gene in patients with von
      Willebrand disease type III and type I.
AB  - von Willebrand disease (vWD) is the most common inherited bleeding disorder in
      humans. The disease is caused by qualitative and quantitative abnormalities of
      the von Willebrand factor (vWF). Genomic DNA from 25 patients with vWD type III,
      the most severe form of the disease, was studied using PCR followed by
      restriction-enzyme analysis and direct sequencing of the products. Nonsense
      mutations (CGA----TGA) were detected in exons 28, 32, and 45 by screening of all
      the 11 CGA arginine codons of the vWF gene. Two patients were found to be
      homozygous and five heterozygous for the mutation. Both parents and some of the
      relatives of the homozygous patients carry the mutation. These are the first
      reported examples of homozygous point mutations associated with the severe form
      of vWD. In the three heterozygous probands, one of the parents carried the
      mutation and had vWD type I. Family studies including parents and family members
      with or without vWD type I indicated that these three heterozygous patients are
      likely to be compound heterozygous. Twenty-one individuals from these seven
      families with vWD type I were found to be heterozygous for the mutation.

PMID- 1415227
TI  - Inter- and intrafamilial heterogeneity: effective sampling strategies and
      comparison of analysis methods.
AB  - Heterogeneity, both inter- and intrafamilial, represents a serious problem in
      linkage studies of common complex diseases. In this study we simulated different
      scenarios with families who phenotypically have identical diseases but who
      genotypically have two different forms of the disease (both forms genetic). We
      examined the proportion of families displaying intrafamilial heterogeneity, as a
      function of mode of inheritance, gene frequency, penetrance, and sampling
      strategies. Furthermore, we compared two different ways of analyzing linkage in
      these data sets: a two-locus (2L) analysis versus a one-locus (SL) analysis
      combined with an admixture test. Data were simulated with tight linkage between
      one disease locus and a marker locus; the other disease locus was not linked to a
      marker. Our findings are as follows: (1) In contrast to what has been proposed
      elsewhere to minimize heterogeneity, sampling only "high-density" pedigrees will
      increase the proportion of families with intrafamilial heterogeneity, especially
      when the two forms are relatively close in frequency. (2) When one form is
      dominant and one is recessive, this sampling strategy will greatly decrease the
      proportions of families with a recessive form and may therefore make it more
      difficult to detect linkage to the recessive form. (3) An SL analysis combined
      with an admixture test achieves about the same lod scores and estimate of the
      recombination fraction as does a 2L analysis. Also, a 2L analysis of a sample of
      families with intrafamilial heterogeneity does not perform significantly better
      than an SL analysis. (4) Bilineal pedigrees have little effect on the mean
      maximum lod score and mean maximum recombination fraction, and therefore there is
      little danger that including these families will lead to a false exclusion of
      linkage.

PMID- 1415228
TI  - The tyrosinase-positive oculocutaneous albinism locus maps to chromosome 15q11.2
      q12.
AB  - Tyrosinase-positive oculocutaneous albinism (ty-pos OCA), an autosomal recessive
      disorder of the melanin biosynthetic pathway, is the most common type of albinism
      occurring worldwide. In southern African Bantu-speaking negroids it has an
      overall prevalence of about 1/3,900. Since the basic biochemical defect is
      unknown, a linkage study with candidate loci, candidate chromosomal regions, and
      random loci was undertaken. The ty-pos OCA locus was found to be linked to two
      arbitrary loci, D15S10 and D15S13, in the Prader-Willi/Angelman chromosomal
      region on chromosome 15q11.2-q12. The pink-eyed dilute locus, p, on mouse
      chromosome 7, maps close to a region of homology on human chromosome 15q, and we
      postulate that the ty-pos OCA and p loci are homologous.

PMID- 1415230
TI  - On the relationship between academic and private genetic services.

PMID- 1415229
TI  - J.B.S. Haldane (1892-1964): centennial appreciation of a polymath.

PMID- 1415231
TI  - Survival of academic-based genetic laboratory services.

PMID- 1415232
TI  - Descent into demonology and protectionism.

PMID- 1415233
TI  - Genetic discrimination and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

PMID- 1415234
TI  - Genetic distinctions are not necessarily examples of genetic discrimination.

PMID- 1415235
TI  - Muddling genetic discrimination.

PMID- 1415237
TI  - Perils of gene mapping with microsatellite markers.

PMID- 1415236
TI  - Genetic discrimination and insurance underwriting.

PMID- 1415238
TI  - Abuse of genetics in Nazi Germany.

PMID- 1415239
TI  - Minimum qualifications for directors: DNA-based genetic-testing laboratories. DNA
      Testing Subcommittee, Quality Assurance Committee, Council of Regional Networks
      for Genetic Services.

PMID- 1415240
TI  - Geneticists' responsibility to other health care professionals and to the lay
      public.

PMID- 1415242
TI  - A problem-based learning approach to teaching medical genetics.
AB  - A newly developed problem-based medical genetics course that was integrated into
      the fourth-year medical school curriculum of the University of Texas Health
      Science Center at San Antonio is described. To provide a basic genetic background
      for the clinical rotations, a supplemental computer tutorial is required during
      the second year. These two formats prepare the medical students to recognize
      genetic diseases, to provide basic genetic counseling in their daily practice,
      and to appropriately refer patients to genetic specialists.

PMID- 1415241
TI  - Genethics: project accountability via evaluation of teacher and student growth.
AB  - Accountability through demonstrated learning is increasingly being demanded by
      agencies funding science education projects. For example, the National Science
      Foundation requires evidence of the educational impact of programs designed to
      increase the scientific understanding and competencies of teachers and their
      students. The purpose of this paper is to share our human genetics educational
      experiences and accountability model with colleagues interested in serving the
      genetics educational needs of in-service secondary school science teachers and
      their students. Our accountability model is facilitated through (1) identifying
      the educational needs of the population of teachers to be served, (2)
      articulating goals and measurable objectives to meet these needs, and (3) then
      designing and implementing pretest/posttest questions to measure whether the
      objectives have been achieved. Comparison of entry and exit levels of performance
      on a 50-item test showed that teacher-participants learned a statistically
      significant amount of genetics content in our NSF-funded workshops. Teachers, in
      turn, administered a 25-item pretest/posttest to their secondary school students,
      and collective data from 121 classrooms across the United States revealed
      statistically significant increases in student knowledge of genetics content.
      Methods describing our attempts to evaluate teachers' use of pedagogical
      techniques and bioethical decision-making skills are briefly addressed.

PMID- 1415243
TI  - Twice-told tales: stories about genetic disorders.

PMID- 1415244
TI  - A candid look at Down syndrome.

PMID- 1415245
TI  - Dinucleotide repeat polymorphisms at the SCN4A locus suggest allelic
      heterogeneity of hyperkalemic periodic paralysis and paramyotonia congenita.

PMID- 1415246
TI  - The American Society of Human Genetics 42nd annual meeting. San Francisco,
      California, November 9-13, 1993. Abstracts.

PMID- 1415247
TI  - American Board of Medical Genetics restructuring: make an informed decision.

PMID- 1415248
TI  - DNA polymorphism analysis in families with recurrence of free trisomy 21.
AB  - We used DNA polymorphic markers on the long arm of human chromosome 21 in order
      to determine the parental and meiotic origin of the extra chromosome 21 in
      families with recurrent free trisomy 21. A total of 22 families were studied, 13
      in which the individuals with trisomy 21 were siblings (category 1), four
      families in which the individuals with trisomy 21 were second-degree relatives
      (category 2), and five families in which the individuals with trisomy 21 were
      third-degree relatives, that is, their parents were siblings (category 3). In
      five category 1 families, parental mosaicism was detected, while in the remaining
      eight families, the origin of nondisjunction was maternal. In two of the four
      families of category 2 the nondisjunctions originated in individuals who were
      related. In only one of five category 3 families, the nondisjunctions originated
      in related individuals. These results suggest that parental mosaicism is an
      important etiologic factor in recurrent free trisomy 21 (5 of 22 families) and
      that chance alone can explain the recurrent trisomy 21 in many of the remaining
      families (14 of 22 families). However, in a small number of families (3 of 22), a
      familial predisposing factor or undetected mosaicism cannot be excluded.

PMID- 1415249
TI  - Localization of the photoreceptor gene ROM1 to human chromosome 11 and mouse
      chromosome 19: sublocalization to human 11q13 between PGA and PYGM.
AB  - Rom-1 is a retinal integral membrane protein that, together with the product of
      the human retinal degeneration slow gene (RDS), defines a photoreceptor-specific
      protein family. The gene for rom-1 (HGM symbol: ROM1) has been assigned to human
      chromosome 11 and mouse chromosome 19 by Southern blot analysis of somatic cell
      hybrid DNAs. ROM1 was regionally sublocalized to human 11p13-11q13 by using three
      mouse-human somatic cell hybrids; in situ hybridization refined the
      sublocalization to human 11q13. Analysis of somatic cell hybrids suggested that
      the most likely localization of ROM1 is in the approximately 2-cM interval
      between human PGA (human pepsinogen A) and PYGM (muscle glycogen phosphorylase).
      ROM1 appears to be a new member of a conserved syntenic group whose members
      include such genes as CD5, CD20, and OSBP (oxysterol-binding protein), on human
      chromosome 11 and mouse chromosome 19. Localization of the ROM1 gene will permit
      the examination of its linkage to hereditary retinopathies in man and mouse.

PMID- 1415250
TI  - Genetic determination of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and apolipoprotein
      A-1 plasma levels in a family study of cardiac catheterization patients.
AB  - Plasma levels of two lipoprotein risk factors, high-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol (HDL-C) and apolipoprotein A-1 (apo A-1), have been shown to be
      negatively associated with the risk of developing coronary artery disease, and
      several reports have examined familial factors in HDL-C and apo A-1 levels. A
      number of studies suggest that shared genes influence familial resemblance of
      these lipoprotein levels far more than do shared environments. Possible
      mechanisms for the inheritance of these two risk factors (HDL-C and apo A-1
      plasma levels) are explored using data from 390 individuals in 69 families
      ascertained through probands undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterization.
      Segregation analysis was used to test a series of specific models of inheritance.
      Evidence for single-locus control of apo A-1 levels, with Mendelian transmission
      of a dominant allele leading to elevated apo A-1 levels, was seen in these
      families, although there was additional correlation among sibs present. This
      locus accounted for 48.6% and 37.2% of the total variation in apo A-1 levels in
      males and females, respectively. Similar evidence of segregation at a single
      locus controlling HDL-C levels was not seen in these families.

PMID- 1415251
TI  - Structure and chromosomal localization of the human antidiuretic hormone receptor
      gene.
AB  - Applying a genomic DNA-expression approach, we cloned the gene and cDNA coding
      for the human anti-diuretic hormone receptor, also called "vasopressin V2
      receptor" (V2R). The nucleotide sequence of both cloned DNAs provided the
      information to elucidate the structure of the isolated transcriptional unit. The
      structure of this gene is unusual in that it is the first G protein-coupled
      receptor gene that contains two very small intervening sequences, the second of
      which separates the region encoding the seventh transmembrane region from the
      rest of the open reading frame. The sequence information was used to synthesize
      appropriate oligonucleotides to be used as primers in the PCR. The V2R gene was
      localized by PCR using DNA from hybrid cells as template. The gene was found to
      reside in the q28-qter portion of the human X chromosome, a region identified as
      the locus for congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

PMID- 1415252
TI  - Testing Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium on allelic data from VNTR loci.
AB  - Several methods for testing independence of pairs of alleles in a population that
      are obtained from a VNTR locus are presented. We assume an exchangeable quasi
      continuous distribution of the fragment lengths used to measure the allelic
      pairs. Bivariate-estimated quantiles computed from the quantiles of the entire
      data set are then utilized for testing independence. These methods have the
      advantage of being minimally susceptible to the criticism of (a) the inability of
      a technology to measure a few small-sized or rather large-sized fragments and (b)
      inadequate estimation of the homozygotic proportion.

PMID- 1415253
TI  - A Monte Carlo method for combined segregation and linkage analysis.
AB  - We introduce a Monte Carlo approach to combined segregation and linkage analysis
      of a quantitative trait observed in an extended pedigree. In conjunction with the
      Monte Carlo method of likelihood-ratio evaluation proposed by Thompson and Guo,
      the method provides for estimation and hypothesis testing. The greatest
      attraction of this approach is its ability to handle complex genetic models and
      large pedigrees. Two examples illustrate the practicality of the method. One is
      of simulated data on a large pedigree; the other is a reanalysis of published
      data previously analyzed by other methods.

PMID- 1415254
TI  - Cytochrome b558-negative, autosomal recessive chronic granulomatous disease: two
      new mutations in the cytochrome b558 light chain of the NADPH oxidase (p22-phox).
AB  - Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is characterized by the failure of activated
      phagocytes to generate superoxide. Defects in at least four different genes lead
      to CGD. Patients with the X-linked form of CGD have mutations in the gene for the
      beta-subunit of cytochrome b558 (gp91-phox). Patients with a rare autosomal
      recessive form of CGD have mutations in the gene for the alpha-subunit of this
      cytochrome (p22-phox). Usually, this leads to the absence of cytochrome b558 in
      the phagocytes (A22(0) CGD). We studied the molecular defect in five European
      patients from three unrelated families with this type of CGD. P22-phox mRNA was
      reverse-transcribed, and the coding region was amplified by PCR in one fragment
      and sequenced. Three patients from one family, with parents that were first
      cousins, were homozygous for a single base substitution (G-297-->A) resulting in
      a nonconservative amino acid change (Arg-90-->Gln). This mutation was previously
      found in a compound heterozygote A22(0) CGD patient. Another patient, also from
      first-cousin parents, was homozygous for an A-309-->G mutation in the open
      reading frame that predicts a nonconservative amino acid replacement (His-94-
      >Arg). The fifth patient was also born from a first-cousin marriage and was shown
      to be homozygous for the absence of exon 4 from the cDNA. In this patient, a G-
      >A substitution was found at position 1 of intron 4 in the genomic DNA.
      Therefore, the absence of exon 4 in the cDNA of this patient is due to a splicing
      error.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415255
TI  - X-linked alpha-thalassemia/mental retardation (ATR-X) syndrome: localization to
      Xq12-q21.31 by X inactivation and linkage analysis.
AB  - We have examined seven pedigrees that include individuals with a recently
      described X-linked form of severe mental retardation associated with alpha
      thalassemia (ATR-X syndrome). Using hematologic and molecular approaches, we have
      shown that intellectually normal female carriers of this syndrome may be
      identified by the presence of rare cells containing HbH inclusions in their
      peripheral blood and by an extremely skewed pattern of X inactivation seen in
      cells from a variety of tissues. Linkage analysis has localized the ATR-X locus
      to an interval of approximately 11 cM between the loci DXS106 and DXYS1X (Xq12
      q21.31), with a peak LOD score of 5.4 (recombination fraction of 0) at DXS72.
      These findings provide the basis for genetic counseling, assessment of carrier
      risk, and prenatal diagnosis of the ATR-X syndrome. Furthermore, they represent
      an important step in developing strategies to understand how the mutant ATR-X
      allele causes mental handicap, dysmorphism, and down-regulation of the alpha
      globin genes.

PMID- 1415257
TI  - A cooperative binomial ascertainment model.
AB  - It has been shown that the classical binomial form of ascertainment, assuming a
      constant probability pi that any affected individual may become a proband for his
      pedigree, cannot describe a rather wide range of ascertainment procedures that
      might arise in practice. Some more general heuristic ascertainment formulas might
      then be preferred, and in this paper we consider the probabilistic basis for
      these formulas. We retain the binomial assumption of the classical scheme but
      allow the ascertainment probability to depend on the number of potential probands
      per pedigree. This probability can be expressed by an increasing or a decreasing
      function of that number. Various illustrations are given and situations where the
      "cooperative" binomial scheme should be valuable are discussed.

PMID- 1415256
TI  - Different mosaicism frequencies for proximal and distal Duchenne muscular
      dystrophy (DMD) mutations indicate difference in etiology and recurrence risk.
AB  - In about 65% of the cases of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) a partial gene
      deletion or duplication in the dystrophin gene can be detected. These mutations
      are clustered at two hot spots: 30% at the hot spot in the proximal part of the
      gene and about 70% at a more distal hot spot. Unexpectedly we observed a higher
      frequency of proximal gene rearrangements among proved "germ line" mosaic cases.
      Of the 24 mosaic cases we are aware of, 19 (79%) have a proximal mutation, while
      only 5 (21%) have a distal mutation. This finding indicates that the mutations at
      the two hot spots in the dystrophin gene differ in origin. Independent support
      for the different mosaicism frequency was found by comparing the mutation spectra
      observed in isolated cases of DMD and familial cases of DMD. In a large two
      center study of 473 patients from Brazil and the Netherlands, we detected a
      significant difference in the deletion distribution of isolated (proximal:distal
      ratio 1:3) and familial cases (ratio 1:1). We conclude from these data that
      proximal deletions most likely occur early in embryonic development, causing them
      to have a higher chance of becoming familial, while distal deletions occur later
      and have a higher chance of causing only isolated cases. Finally, our findings
      have important consequences for the calculation of recurrence-risk estimates
      according to the site of the deletion: a "proximal" new mutant has an increased
      recurrence risk of approximately 30%, and a "distal" new mutant has a decreased
      recurrence risk of approximately 4%.

PMID- 1415258
TI  - National Institutes of Health Workshop Statement. Reproductive genetic testing:
      impact on women.

PMID- 1415259
TI  - The forensic DNA brouhaha: science or debate?

PMID- 1415260
TI  - The ceiling principle is not always conservative in assigning genotype
      frequencies for forensic DNA testing.

PMID- 1415261
TI  - Conflicts, ethics, and the genome.

PMID- 1415263
TI  - The need for care in the use of linkage analysis for genetic diagnosis in small
      families, with particular reference to uniparental disomy.

PMID- 1415262
TI  - DNA banking.

PMID- 1415264
TI  - A prospective cytogenetic study of 36 cases of DiGeorge syndrome.
AB  - Cytogenetic analysis was carried out in a prospective series of 36 children with
      DiGeorge syndrome. High-resolution banding (> 850 bands/haploid set) was achieved
      in 30 cases. Monosomy 22q11.21-->q11.23 was found in 9 of these 30 cases. In each
      of these cases monosomy 22q11.21-->q11.23 resulted from an interstitial deletion
      and not from a translocation. No other chromosome abnormalities were seen.

PMID- 1415265
TI  - Molecular genetic study of the frequency of monosomy 22q11 in DiGeorge syndrome.
AB  - It is well established that DiGeorge syndrome (DGS) may be associated with
      monosomy of 22q11-pter. More recently, DNA probes have been used to detect
      hemizygosity for this region in patients with no visible karyotypic abnormality.
      However, DGS has also been described in cases where the cytogenetic abnormality
      does not involve 22q11; for instance, four cases of 10p- have been reported. In
      this study we have prospectively analyzed patients, by using DNA markers from
      22q11, to assess the frequency of 22q11 rearrangements in DGS. Twenty-one of 22
      cases had demonstrable hemizygosity for 22q11. Cytogenetic analysis had
      identified interstitial deletion in 6 of 16 cases tested; in 6 other cases no
      karyotype was available. When these results are combined with those from our
      previous studies, 33 of 35 DGS patients had chromosome 22q11 deletions detectable
      by DNA probes.

PMID- 1415266
TI  - Evidence for increased prevalence of SRY mutations in XY females with complete
      rather than partial gonadal dysgenesis.
AB  - The Y chromosome gene SRY (sex-determining region, Y gene) has been equated with
      the mammalian testis-determining factor. The SRY gene of five subjects with 46,XY
      complete gonadal dysgenesis (46,XY karyotype, completely female external
      genitalia, normal Mullerian ducts, and streak gonads) was evaluated for possible
      mutations in the coding region by using both single-strand conformation
      polymorphism (SSCP) assay and DNA sequencing. Mutations were identified in three
      subjects, of which two gave altered SSCP patterns. Two of them were point
      mutations causing amino acid substitutions, and the third was a single-base
      deletion causing a frameshift. All three mutations caused alterations in the
      putative DNA-binding region of the SRY protein. Genomic DNA was obtained from the
      fathers of two of the three mutant patients: one mutation was demonstrated to be
      de novo, and the other was inherited. The presence of SRY mutations in three of
      five patients suggests that the frequency of SRY mutations in XY females is
      higher than current estimates.

PMID- 1415267
TI  - A new source of polymorphic DNA markers for sperm typing: analysis of
      microsatellite repeats in single cells.
AB  - We show that dinucleotide and tetranucleotide repeat polymorphisms can be
      analyzed in single cells without using radioactivity or denaturing gels. This
      provides a rich new source of DNA polymorphisms for genetic mapping by sperm
      typing. The recombination fraction between two CA repeat polymorphisms was
      determined after whole genome amplification of single sperm, followed by typing
      of two different aliquots, one aliquot for each polymorphic locus. Single-cell
      analysis of microsatellites may also be valuable both for preimplantation genetic
      disease diagnosis based on single-blastomere or polar-body analysis and for the
      typing of forensic or ancient DNA samples containing very small amounts of
      nucleic acid.

PMID- 1415268
TI  - Independence of VNTR alleles defined as floating bins.
AB  - Data bases of VNTR fragments determined for Caucasians and blacks by Cellmark
      Diagnostics and Lifecodes Corporation are analyzed for independence of variants
      within and between loci. Floating bins are constructed around specific fragment
      lengths and are used to define discrete genotypes. Simple chi 2 test statistics
      for independence of bins within and between loci are described and applied to
      large sets of randomly generated four-locus profiles. The proportions of
      significant test statistics were about as expected under the hypotheses of
      independence, suggesting the absence of both Hardy-Weinberg and linkage
      disequilibrium. In any particular forensic application, however, these tests need
      to be performed on the fragments in question.

PMID- 1415270
TI  - Primary neoplasms of the pleura. A report of five cases.

PMID- 1415269
TI  - Linkage and mutational analysis of familial Alzheimer disease kindreds for the
      APP gene region.
AB  - A large number of familial Alzheimer disease (FAD) kindreds were examined to
      determine whether mutations in the amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene could be
      responsible for the disease. Previous studies have identified three mutations at
      APP codon 717 which are pathogenic for Alzheimer disease (AD). Samples from
      affected subjects were examined for mutations in exons 16 and 17 of the APP gene.
      A combination of direct sequencing and single-strand conformational polymorphism
      analysis was used. Sporadic AD and normal controls were also examined by the same
      methods. Five sequence variants were identified. One variant at APP codon 693
      resulted in a Glu-->Gly change. This is the same codon as the hereditary cerebral
      hemorrhage with amyloidosis-Dutch type Glu-->Gln mutation. Another single-base
      change at APP codon 708 did not alter the amino acid encoded at this site. Two
      point mutations and a 6-bp deletion were identified in the intronic sequences
      surrounding exon 17. None of the variants could be unambiguously determined to be
      responsible for FAD. The larger families were also analyzed by testing for
      linkage of FAD to a highly polymorphic short tandem repeat marker (D21S210) that
      is tightly linked to APP. Highly negative LOD scores were obtained for the family
      groups tested, and linkage was formally excluded beyond theta = .10 for the Volga
      German kindreds, theta = .20 for early-onset non-Volga Germans, and theta = .10
      for late-onset families. LOD scores for linkage of FAD to markers centromeric to
      APP (D21S1/S11, D21S13, and D21S215) were also negative in the three family
      groups. These studies show that APP mutations account for AD in only a small
      fraction of FAD kindreds.

PMID- 1415271
TI  - Organic solvent encephalopathy: an old hazard revisited.
AB  - This report describes neurologic and respiratory symptoms among 26 engineers and
      contract laborers who used organic solvents and detergents to remove
      polychlorinated biphenyl contamination from a poorly ventilated factory basement.
      Neurologic symptoms included persistent central nervous system deficits; these
      developed in one worker after only 3 days. Respiratory symptoms included cough
      that persisted for more than 2 years. Laborers were more likely to report
      symptoms than were engineers. Appropriate ventilation or respirator use might
      have prevented the workers' morbidity. This incident serves as a reminder that
      organic solvent-related occupational illness continues to occur despite worker
      health regulations and knowledge of preventive measures.

PMID- 1415272
TI  - Further scientific issues in determining an occupational standard for cadmium.
AB  - This contribution responds to the recent paper of Thun et al. (American Journal
      of Industrial Medicine 20:629-642, 1991) on an occupational standard for cadmium.
      The contribution of non-invasive in situ measurements of cadmium in liver and in
      kidney to the study of cadmium industrial toxicology is particularly reviewed. It
      is contended that clear scientific grounds do not exist for recommending cadmium
      in air occupational standard below 10 micrograms m-3, and that other arguments
      would need to be adduced to support a recommendation for a lower level. Last, a
      number of unanswered questions are identified and the need for further work is
      highlighted.

PMID- 1415273
TI  - Health physics: its development, successes, failures, and eccentricities.
AB  - Health Physics began at the University of Chicago as a science and profession
      during the early World War II years. It was initiated by Drs. A.H. Compton and
      R.S. Stone, director and associate director, respectively, of the early Plutonium
      Project cryptically called the Metallurgical Laboratory. It was to be a science
      and a profession to protect radiation workers and members of the public from
      exposure to ionizing radiation. It succeeded to some extent in this objective but
      during the past decade in the United States, it has reverted into an organization
      primarily to protect the nuclear industry from liability resulting from radiation
      exposure.

PMID- 1415274
TI  - Social class and mortality in occupational cohorts.

PMID- 1415275
TI  - Re: "Social class and mortality in occupational cohorts".

PMID- 1415276
TI  - Social class and mortality in occupational cohorts.

PMID- 1415277
TI  - Query on non-back occupational injuries.

PMID- 1415278
TI  - Disease clusters in occupational medicine: a protocol for their investigation in
      the workplace.
AB  - Disease clusters have been an important source of epidemiologic and medical
      information in the history of occupational medicine. Many accepted disease
      exposure linkages were first observed and investigated as disease clusters in the
      workplace setting. Recent interest in disease cluster methodology has focused on
      traditional environmental settings. There has been very little work on a similar
      methodology for the investigation of disease clusters in the workplace, despite
      the many advantages of workplace cluster investigations for recognizing new
      etiologic associations. In this paper, a protocol is proposed and discussed which
      can be implemented in both acute and chronic disease cluster outbreaks in the
      workplace, where no obvious previously recognized cause is identified. A
      standardized approach to occupational disease cluster investigation will lead to
      increased efficiency, decreased social-political tensions, and a greater yield of
      scientific information.

PMID- 1415279
TI  - Lung function and exposure to asbestos among vehicle mechanics.
AB  - Vehicle mechanics (n = 99) exposed to asbestos (annual median value 0.08 f/ml),
      and local controls (n = 83) not occupationally exposed to asbestos were studied
      with regard to symptoms and pulmonary function. The inclusion criteria to
      participate in this study was an age of at least 40 years with no known exposure
      to lung irritating agents, and for the exposed subjects, more than 15 years
      occupational exposure to asbestos with at least 20 years from the first exposure.
      The subjects were studied during identical conditions by means of dynamic and
      static spirometry, single breath wash-out with nitrogen (N2) and carbon monoxide
      (CO). The median for cumulative exposure of asbestos during the entire work life
      among the studied mechanics was 2.3 f*y/ml. The mechanics had reduced transfer
      factor (TLCO), after adjustment for age, height, and smoking category. A
      significant dose-response relationship was noted between the cumulative exposure
      of asbestos and CV%. The findings suggest a slight influence of small airways and
      alveoli. The evaluation of the prognostic significance of this requires a
      longitudinal study.

PMID- 1415280
TI  - General mortality and respiratory cancer among a cohort of male chemical workers
      in California.
AB  - Cohort mortality and nested case-control studies were conducted involving 2,901
      men employed 1 year or more between 1940 and 1986 at any of four California
      facilities of a major chemical company. Employees experienced fewer deaths from
      each of the major causes than were expected based on U.S., California, and local
      county mortality rates. Respiratory cancer was significantly elevated in one
      socioeconomic category comprised of operators (SMR = 157, 95% CI = 109-220). The
      34 cases who died from respiratory cancer and 136 matched controls, all of whom
      were operators, were included in a nested case-control study. Departments in
      which subjects had worked were grouped into 13 work assignment or product
      categories by an industrial hygienist without knowledge of case-control status.
      Smoking habits and other occupational exposures were ascertained by telephone
      interview from subjects or surrogate-responders. As expected, current cigarette
      smoking was strongly related to respiratory cancer. After adjustment for smoking,
      cases were significantly more likely than controls to have ever worked in one of
      the 13 work areas (supervision, services, and business support). However, no dose
      response relationship was evident with duration of employment in this work area
      and the departments involved were associated with plant security and not chemical
      production. Results were similar when a 15-year latency period was assumed. These
      findings suggest that the excess of respiratory cancer mortality among operators
      was most likely due to differences in cigarette smoking or other factors not
      ascertained, rather than to a specific occupational exposure.

PMID- 1415281
TI  - Assessment of exposure to carbon disulfide in viscose production workers from
      urinary 2-thiothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid determinations.
AB  - The follow-up of environmental carbon disulfide (CS2) exposure and urinary
      excretion of 2-thiothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (TTCA) among 20 operatives over
      a 4-day working week in two viscose producing factories confirmed earlier
      observations that TTCA is a sensitive and reliable indicator of exposure to CS2.
      Exposure to as low as 0.5-1.0 ppm (1.6-3.2 mg/m3) of CS2 (8-hour time-weighted
      average [TWA]) was associated with detectable amounts of TTCA in end-of-shift
      urine. Moreover, the excretion of TTCA, relative to estimated CS2 uptake,
      appeared surprisingly constant in the studied work force. Approximately 3% (range
      2-6.5%) of absorbed CS2 was detected in urine as TTCA. The proportional TTCA
      excretion did not show dose dependency in the estimated CS2 dose range which
      varied by about 20-fold. TTCA elimination exhibited both a fast (T 1/2 6 hour)
      and a slow (T 1/2 68 hour) phase. The slow elimination is compatible with a high
      lipid solubility and reversible protein binding of CS2. Consequently, urinary
      excretion of TTCA, relative to CS2 exposure, increased by about a third during
      the workweek. Urinary TTCA concentration of 4.5 mmol/mol creatinine in a
      postshift sample corresponded to a TWA exposure to 10 ppm CS2 towards the end of
      the working week.

PMID- 1415282
TI  - Hormone status in occupational toluene exposure.
AB  - Twenty toluene-exposed rotogravure printers, without signs of solvent-induced
      toxic encephalopathy, had lower median plasma levels of follicle stimulating
      hormone (FSH) (3.2 vs. 4.9 IU/L; p = .02) and luteinizing hormone (LH) (6.4 vs.
      7.2 IU/L; p = .05) and also lower serum levels of free testosterone (7.8 vs. 86.8
      pmol/L; p = .05), respectively, than 44 unexposed referents. The individual time
      weighted toluene levels in air were 36 (median; range 8-111) ppm. The printers'
      median toluene levels in blood were 1.7 (1.0-6.6) mumol/l, and in subcutaneous
      adipose tissue 5.7 (2.5-21) mg/kg fat. There was a negative association between
      blood toluene and plasma levels of prolactin. In eight printers, the levels of
      FSH and LH increased during a 4 week vacation, while the levels of thyroid
      stimulating hormone, free triiodothyronine, and free thyroxine decreased during
      the same period. The results indicate a slight, reversible effect of toluene on
      the cortical level or on the hypothalamic-pituitary axis at exposures well below
      the permissible levels, possibly mediated through an effect on catecholamine
      neurotransmission.

PMID- 1415283
TI  - Reevaluation of silicosis and lung cancer in North Carolina dusty trades workers.
AB  - We previously reported on the lung cancer mortality through 1983 of 760 males who
      were diagnosed with silicosis during 1930-1983 by the State of North Carolina's
      medical examination program for dusty trades workers. The lung cancer SMR (95%
      confidence interval) was 2.6 (1.8-3.6) among 655 white members of this group. In
      this paper, we report the results of a reanalysis of mortality among a subgroup
      for whom chest radiographs were currently available for rereading. Technically
      acceptable radiographs were available for 306 white males and were independently
      reclassified for pneumoconiosis by 3 "B" readers using the 1980 ILO
      Classification. Lung cancer SMRs were 1.7 (0.8-3.1) for the entire group of 306
      white males, 2.5 (1.1-4.9) for 143 subjects reclassified as simple silicosis, and
      1.0 (0.1-3.5) for 96 subjects whose radiographs were reclassified as ILO category
      0. There were no lung cancer deaths among 67 subjects whose radiographs were
      reclassified as progressive massive fibrosis. Corresponding lung cancer SMRs for
      subjects who had never been employed in a job with exposure to known occupational
      carcinogens were 1.2 (0.2-4.4) for those reclassified as category 0, and 2.4 (1.0
      5.0) for those reclassified as having simple silicosis. The age-adjusted lung
      cancer rate ratio among subjects with simple silicosis compared to those with
      category 0 was 1.5 (0.4-5.8). Our findings from this reanalysis, which
      effectively controls for misclassification of silicosis due to errors in
      radiograph interpretation by North Carolina program readers, offer additional
      evidence consistent with the hypothesis of an association between silicosis and
      lung cancer in this study group.

PMID- 1415284
TI  - Respiratory disorders and atopy in cotton, wool, and other textile mill workers
      in Denmark.
AB  - A cross-sectional study of respiratory disorders and atopy in Danish textile
      industry workers was conducted to survey respiratory symptoms throughout the
      textile industry, to estimate the association of these disorders with atopy, and
      to study dose-response relationships within the cotton industry. Workers at
      cotton mills, a wool mill, and a man-made fiber (MMF) mill were examined. Four
      hundred nine (90%) of the 445 workers participated in this survey, i.e., 253, 62,
      and 94 workers at the cotton mills, the wool mill, and the MMF mill,
      respectively. An interview designed to assess the prevalence of common
      respiratory and allergic symptoms was given to all workers willing to
      participate, and blood samples were drawn. Lung function measurements determined
      a baseline FEV1, FVC and the change in FEV1 and FVC during work hours on a
      Monday. The working environment was examined for dust, bacteria, endotoxins, and
      molds, and the exposure was estimated for each participant. The mean personal
      samples of airborne respirable dust and respirable endotoxin were highest in the
      cotton industry, i.e., 0.17-0.50 mg/m3 and 9.0-126 ng/m3 respectively, whereas
      mold spores were found in the highest concentrations in the wool mill: 280-791
      colony-forming units (cfu)/m3. Only small concentrations of microorganisms were
      found in the MMF mill. The mean change in FEV1% and FVC% was greatest among
      atopic individuals in both cotton and wool industry and other textile industries
      although the differences were not significant. FEV1% and FVC% in the cotton
      workers were significantly associated with the cumulative exposure to respirable
      endotoxin. Byssinosis was diagnosed only in the cotton industry. We found a dose
      response relationship between endotoxin exposure and byssinosis, and a
      significant association between A-1-A serum concentrations less than or equal to
      35 mumol/liter and byssinosis, a finding we are further evaluating in subsequent
      studies.

PMID- 1415285
TI  - Localized pleural plaques and lung cancer.
AB  - In a mass chest radiography survey conducted in 1971 for 7,986 residents of three
      Finnish communities, 604 subjects (7.6%) with pleural plaques but not other
      asbestos-related radiographic signs were identified. The same number of
      referents, each individually matched to each plaque carrier on sex, birth year,
      and community, was selected from among persons in the same source population with
      no pleural plaques. The two groups were followed for investigation of incidence
      of lung cancer during 1972-1989. Twenty-eight of those with plaques and 25
      referents contracted lung cancer (crude conditional RR = 1.1; CL95 = 0.7, 1.9).
      The application of the proportional hazards model, with adjustment for sex, age,
      and residence, resulted in a hazard ratio of 1.1 (CL = 0.6, 1.8). The risk ratio
      estimate may be biased; hence, the result is inconclusive in regard to the
      predictive assessment of lung cancer risk among carriers of pleural plaques.

PMID- 1415286
TI  - Asbestos fiber analysis in 27 malignant mesothelioma cases.
AB  - The asbestos body counts per 5 gm wet lung tissue in 27 (23 pleural and 4
      peritoneal) malignant mesothelioma cases derived from 19 autopsy and 8 surgical
      cases were, according to our own criteria, low level exposure in 13 cases
      (48.2%), moderate level exposure in 2 cases (7.4%), and high level exposure in 12
      cases (44.4%). In our previous study on 235 consecutive autopsy cases, the low
      level exposure was considered to be environmental, the moderate level was
      secondary or blue collar, and the high level was occupational. In the present
      study, about half of the cases examined (44.4%, high level exposure) are closely
      related to some occupational asbestos exposure and the other half (48.2%) to
      environmental exposure. The type and size of asbestos fibers from the 12 cases of
      high level exposure were analyzed and the characteristics were compared with
      those of cases of low level exposure without lung cancer or mesothelioma. Most
      fibers analyzed (98%) were longer than 5 microns and thicker than 0.10 micron by
      our counting rules. In the control group, predominant fibers were tremolite or
      actinolite. In all the 11 pleural mesothelioma cases, the content of amosite
      fibers was significantly higher than in the controls. In one case of peritoneal
      mesothelioma, incipient asbestosis was found and the predominant fibers were
      crocidolite. It is suggested that the presence of amosite and crocidolite is
      linked to mesothelioma. The mean lengths of amosite and crocidolite, as detected
      by our resolution capabilities, were 36.0 and 20.9 microns, and the mean
      diameters were 0.51 and 0.27 micron, respectively. Both amosite and crocidolite
      fibers had high aspect ratios (94.2 and 115.4).

PMID- 1415287
TI  - A retrospective mortality study within operating segments of a petroleum company.
AB  - This retrospective mortality study was conducted among 34,597 oil industry
      workers in diverse operating segments. Employees were traced through Statistics
      Canada, and overall mortality (SMR = 0.85) was lower than general population
      rates and similar to other petrochemical cohorts. The most notable finding was a
      significant excess of malignant melanoma [observed deaths (N) = 16, SMR = 1.87,
      95% CI = 1.07, 3.04], which concentrated among upstream workers (N = 6, SMR =
      6.00, 95% CI = 2.19, 13.06), and was directly related to employment duration and
      latency. Specific substances or hydrocarbon (HC) streams could not be implicated,
      although possible explanations include dermal HC exposure, ultraviolet light
      exposure, or a synergistic effect between these two factors.
      Marketing/transportation workers showed a non-significant excess of multiple
      myeloma (SMR = 1.81), which was also related to employment duration, latency, and
      commencement of employment before 1950. Lymphatic cancer, skin cancer, and kidney
      cancer mortality was not elevated in refinery workers, a finding at odds with
      some previous refinery worker studies. Although the malignant melanoma and
      possibly the multiple myeloma mortality patterns are consistent with an
      occupational link, further studies are needed to investigate the relationship of
      these diseases with particular exposures.

PMID- 1415288
TI  - An automated method for the determination of acetyl and pseudo cholinesterase in
      hemolyzed whole blood.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to develop a method which allows determination
      of pseudo (PsChE) and acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) activities in single hemolyzed
      blood samples of workers exposed to cholinesterase-inhibiting compounds, avoiding
      the time-consuming and laborious separation of plasma and erythrocytes. Two
      methods based on Ellman's colorimetric determination of cholinesterase activity
      were compared, and three different substrates were tested. The best results were
      obtained with the substrates butyrylthiocholine and acetyl(beta
      methyl)thiocholine, both showing a substrate specificity of more than 97% with
      respect to PsChE and AChE, respectively. The method showed sensitivity to detect
      low levels of inhibition of AChE and PsChE in blood. The between-day precision
      was less than 4% for both cholinesterase activities. It was demonstrated with
      this method that hemolyzed blood can be stored at -20 degrees C at least 18
      months without loss of cholinesterase activity. The method has been used for 18
      months in a monitoring program for laboratory employees working with various
      cholinesterase-inhibiting compounds. The average co-efficients of intraindividual
      variation amounted to 6.8% (range 2.2-9.6%; 90 percentile, 8%) and 6.6% (range
      2.9-9.9%; 90 percentile, 7.9%) for PsChE and AChE, respectively. In a group of
      non-exposed workers the average intraindividual variations were 4.0% (range 1.5
      7.7%; 90 percentile, 7.6%) and 3.6% (range 0.6-6.6%; 90 percentile, 5.3%),
      respectively. Using the value of 4.0%, it appears possible to detect an
      individual decrease in cholinesterase activity of more than 8% below a baseline
      based on three determinations. The method can thus be used to detect relatively
      low levels of cholinesterase inhibition.

PMID- 1415289
TI  - Biological monitoring of three 60Co radiation incident victims.
AB  - Radiation-induced structural chromosomal aberrations were the only adverse
      effects found in three workers overexposed to 60Co gamma-radiation. Chromosomal
      analyses were performed on the 5th and 75th days after exposure. Hematologic
      follow-up was carried out on the 5th, 12th, 16th, and 75th days after exposure.
      Hematologic findings did not differ over time in any of the three exposed
      workers. In two workers, we found dicentric chromosomes, which are conventional
      indicators for exposure to ionizing radiation.

PMID- 1415290
TI  - Medical management of three workers following a radiation exposure incident.
AB  - The medical management of three individuals involved in an exposure incident to
      whole-body radiation at a nuclear generating plant of a Canadian electrical
      utility is described. The exposure incident resulted in the two highest whole
      body radiation doses ever received in a single event by workers in a Canadian
      nuclear power plant. The individual whole-body doses (127.4 mSv, 92.0 mSv, 22.4
      mSv) were below the threshold for acute radiation sickness but the exposures
      still presented medical management problems related to assessment and counseling.
      Serial blood counting and lymphocyte cytogenetic analysis to corroborate the
      physical dosimetry were performed. All three employees experienced somatic
      symptoms due to stress and one employee developed post-traumatic stress disorder.
      This incident indicates that there is a need in such radiation exposure accidents
      for early and continued counseling of exposed employees to minimize the risk of
      development of stress-related symptoms.

PMID- 1415291
TI  - Fifty-year experience in diagnosing asbestos-related cancers in Finland: progress
      and detours.

PMID- 1415292
TI  - Re: "Attitudes and opinions: asbestos and cancer".

PMID- 1415293
TI  - Re: "Attitudes and opinions regarding asbestos and cancer 1934-1965".

PMID- 1415294
TI  - Re: "Changing attitudes and opinions regarding asbestos and cancer 1934-1965".

PMID- 1415295
TI  - Re: "Attitudes and opinions regarding asbestos and cancer 1934-1965".

PMID- 1415296
TI  - Re: "Changing attitudes and opinions regarding asbestos and cancer 1934-1965".

PMID- 1415297
TI  - Comments on "Evidence of biased recording of radiation doses of Hanford workers".

PMID- 1415298
TI  - Thyroid cancer in thyroid nodules: finding a needle in the haystack.

PMID- 1415299
TI  - Cancer risk in patients with cold thyroid nodules: relevance of iodine intake,
      sex, age, and multinodularity.
AB  - PURPOSE: We evaluated the frequency of thyroid cancer in patients with cold
      thyroid nodules in relation to iodine intake, sex, age, and multinodularity in a
      consecutive series of patients with nodular thyroid diseases. PATIENTS: In the
      period from 1980 to 1990, 5,637 patients were studied: 4,176 patients were from
      an iodine-sufficient area (ISA) and 1,461 from an adjacent iodine-deficient area
      (IDA). Surgery was performed in 792 patients on the basis of a suspicious or
      malignant finding at fine-needle aspiration biopsy. RESULTS: The overall thyroid
      cancer frequency was 4.6% (259 patients had cancer). Iodine intake affected the
      cancer rate in patients with cold nodules. The frequency of cancer in patients
      with cold thyroid nodules was 5.3% in the ISA and 2.7% in the IDA. This
      difference, however, was significant only in females. Sex had a major influence
      on the malignant rate of cold nodules; although female patients were more
      frequently observed (n = 5,028) than male patients (n = 609), the frequency of
      cancer was significantly lower in female patients with cold nodules (4.2%) than
      in males (8.2%). Age was an important factor in both sexes. The proportion of
      nodules that were malignant was smallest in patients of the 4th decade and was
      greatest in patients younger than 30 years or older than 60 years. Multivariate
      analysis showed that sex and age interact in determining the cancer risk in
      patients with thyroid nodules. Finally, the frequency of thyroid cancer in
      patients with a solitary nodule was not different from the frequency in patients
      with multiple nodules. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that thyroid cancer risk
      in a patient with a nodular goiter varies markedly according to iodine intake,
      sex, and age but not in relation to multinodularity, as assessed by clinical
      examination. The knowledge of these epidemiologic aspects of thyroid cancer may
      increase the accuracy of the preoperative selection of patients with cold nodules
      of the thyroid.

PMID- 1415300
TI  - Human immunodeficiency virus infection in intravenous drug users: a model for
      primary care.
AB  - PURPOSE: Intravenous drug users (IVDUs) often encounter barriers to primary care.
      To improve access, we developed a primary care clinic--Central Medical Unit (CMU)
      -for substance abusers in drug treatment. We report outcomes for services offered
      to IVDUs with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. PATIENTS AND METHODS:
      During 1990, 24% (120 of 509) of IVDUs eligible for CMU were HIV positive.
      Diagnostic therapeutic and preventive goals for IVDUs with HIV infection were
      evaluated for acceptance and compliance by chart review for these 120 patients.
      RESULTS: On admission, 65% (78 of 120) of patients reported having no source of
      primary care, 64% (77 of 120) were male, and 77% (92 of 120) were in methadone
      maintenance. All were screened for tuberculosis, syphilis, and hepatitis; 94% (15
      of 16) of eligible patients accepted tuberculosis prophylaxis and 83% (5 of 6)
      accepted syphilis treatment, but only 36% (5 of 14) accepted hepatitis B vaccine.
      Of those who accepted therapy, 87% (13 of 15) were compliant with tuberculosis
      prophylaxis, and 100% (5 of 5) were compliant with syphilis treatment. Influenza
      vaccine was accepted by 49% (59 of 120) and pneumococcal vaccine by 81% (97 of
      120). Ninety-eight percent (118 of 120) accepted T-cell testing: 61% had T-helper
      counts less than 500/mm3 and 25% were less than 200/mm3. Of those eligible, 89%
      (70 of 79) accepted antiretroviral therapy, and 100% (35 of 35) accepted
      Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia prophylaxis. Six-month compliance rates for these
      therapies were 84% (59 of 70) and 77% (27 of 35), respectively. CONCLUSION: By
      offering primary care services with drug treatment, the CMU model may be an
      effective way of providing access to primary care for HIV-infected IVDUs and for
      facilitating compliance.

PMID- 1415301
TI  - Causes of death in persons with human immunodeficiency virus infection.
AB  - PURPOSE: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) was reported to be the predominant
      cause of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related deaths prior to 1988, the
      year that effective prophylaxis against PCP entered routine use. Our study was
      performed to study the causes of HIV-related death since January 1988 in a region
      where patient tracking is virtually complete. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We surveyed
      physicians associated with the Brown University Acquired Immunodeficiency
      Syndrome (AIDS) Program who cared for greater than 95% of known HIV-positive
      patients in Rhode Island. These physicians identified all those HIV-infected
      persons who had died under their care between January 1988 and July 1990, and
      determined these patients' causes of death by chart review. For comparison, death
      certificates of identified persons were also reviewed at the Rhode Island
      Department of Vital Statistics. RESULTS: Among 126 deaths since January 1988,
      bacterial infections were the most common cause of death (30%), whereas PCP was
      responsible for only 16% of deaths. Persons not receiving any form of PCP
      prophylaxis were more likely to die from PCP than were those who received
      prophylaxis (26% versus 11% [p = 0.04]). Cause of death as recorded on actual
      death certificates was imprecise, although bacterial infections were again the
      most common cause indicated. Only one death occurred in a patient with a CD4
      count greater than 200/mL, and this was not HIV-related. CONCLUSION: PCP has not
      been the leading cause of death in our region since January 1988. Bacterial
      infections contribute substantially to mortality, and this may influence future
      prophylactic regimens. HIV-related deaths in patients with CD4 counts greater
      than 200/mL are unusual.

PMID- 1415302
TI  - Idiopathic intracranial hypertension: report of seven cases.
AB  - We describe seven patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), a
      disorder, mostly in young women, characterized by papilledema, elevated
      cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure, normal CSF composition, and normal
      neuroradiologic studies. Obesity, the most consistent etiologic association, was
      present in two of our patients. Hypothalamic compression in IIH may induce
      increased appetite and result in weight gain. Use of
      trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole has been reported to be associated with IIH and was
      seen in one of our patients. IIH is an important diagnostic consideration in the
      differential diagnosis for a patient with headache, visual disturbances, and
      papilledema.

PMID- 1415303
TI  - Interaction of cyclosporine A and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on renal
      function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - PURPOSE: To determine the additive renal effects of nonsteroidal anti
      inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and cyclosporine A (CYA) in patients with rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA) and to determine the effects of CYA on active RA. PATIENTS AND
      METHODS: Eleven patients with RA refractory to other agents were treated
      separately for 2-week periods with an NSAID (sulindac or naproxen), CYA (5
      mg/kg/d), and NSAID plus CYA in combination (NSAID/CYA). The NSAID/CYA
      combination was continued for an additional 20 weeks. Clinical parameters of RA,
      electrolytes, renal function, and the renin-aldosterone system were evaluated at
      each interval to determine the potential interaction of these two agents.
      RESULTS: Combined therapy was effective in suppressing many measures of active RA
      in 9 of the 11 patients. Adverse drug reactions were common, but withdrawals were
      limited to hirsutism (one) and peripheral neuropathy (one). In about half of the
      patients, CYA or NSAID resulted in a decrease in the glomerular filtration rate
      (GFR) and effective renal plasma flow (ERPF), with a mild reduction in the
      filtration fraction. With NSAID or CYA, early morning renin-aldosterone system
      values were mildly suppressed, and their response to ambulation/intravenous (IV)
      furosemide was not blunted. When combined, NSAID/CYA caused more marked
      reductions of GFR and ERPF at 2 weeks, and this persisted at 20 weeks. The
      morning renin-aldosterone system values during administration of NSAID/CYA were
      suppressed, with an added blunted response to ambulation/IV furosemide.
      CONCLUSION: As previously suspected, the impairment of renal function when CYA
      and NSAID are combined is greater than that obtained with either agent alone.
      This hemodynamic effect was reversible and appeared to be, at least in part, due
      to renal vasoconstriction.

PMID- 1415304
TI  - Prevention of anticardiolipin antibody-related pregnancy losses with prednisone
      and aspirin.
AB  - PURPOSE: Prevention and treatment of pregnancy loss associated with the
      antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) are controversial. Successful pregnancies have
      been reported with prednisone and low-dose aspirin in patients with lupus
      anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL), but failure has also been
      reported. The purpose of this prospective study was to define the efficacy of
      such combination therapy in the prevention of pregnancy loss related to aCL.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: Consecutive pregnant patients with a minimum of one
      pregnancy loss and at least two positive aCL determinations more than 3 months
      apart, and in whom other causes of pregnancy loss were ruled out, were included
      in the study. aCL concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay before and during therapy. Patients received prednisone, at a dosage of 40
      mg/d, for 4 weeks. The dose was then tapered down 10 mg every 4 weeks, and then
      to a maintenance dose of 5 mg/d. They also received aspirin, 81 mg/d, throughout
      the pregnancy. Babies were evaluated during the pregnancy by measurement of fetal
      heart rate and ultrasonography, and after the delivery by measurement of weight
      and Apgar scores, and, in some cases, by arterial gasometry. RESULTS: Eleven
      patients with a mean (+/- SD) age of 33.2 +/- 5.01 years were included. Prior to
      therapy, the rate of live-born babies was 15.6% (32 previous fetal losses and 5
      live-born babies), and, after therapy, it was 100% (12 pregnancies and 12 live
      born babies). There were no significant adverse effects to either mothers or
      babies. All the patients had positive aCL determinations. Nine patients had
      positive IgG aCL. The levels of the antibodies decreased during treatment in
      these nine patients. IgM aCL determinations were positive in nine patients. The
      levels of this isotype decreased in eight patients (90%) during treatment.
      CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with prednisone and aspirin appears to be efficacious,
      safe, and economic in the prevention of pregnancy loss and fetal growth
      retardation in patients with aCL.

PMID- 1415305
TI  - Implementation of capillary blood glucose monitoring in a teaching hospital and
      determination of program requirements to maintain quality testing.
AB  - PURPOSE: To study the implementation of bedside capillary glucose monitoring
      using a hospital-wide quality control (QC) program. METHODS: A prospective study
      of QC performance in 7 outpatient and 39 inpatient treatment units was performed
      in a large teaching hospital over a 2-year period. Approximately 800 nurses were
      trained to perform bedside capillary glucose monitoring (Accu-Chek II, Boehringer
      Mannheim, Indianapolis, IN). An eight-point QC program was instituted including
      proficiency testing, instrument maintenance, performance of daily controls,
      storage of reagent strips and supplies, instrument calibration, and documentation
      procedures. RESULTS: Comparison of laboratory and bedside test results (split
      sample proficiency testing) revealed Y = 1.004X + 7.26, r = 0.95, with a mean
      percent difference of -4.2% (p < 0.001). Less than 7% of results fell outside +/-
      20% of the laboratory results. QC scores (0 = worst to 4 = best), based on
      adherence to the QC program, improved from 0 on the first inspection to 3.7 +/-
      0.17 by the 11th inspection. The most common QC deficiencies were failure to
      perform split-sample testing (41.4%) and failure to perform instrument
      maintenance (30.2%). Significant differences were noted in the QC performance of
      different types of medical services. During the 2-year study period, the total
      number of glucose assays performed in the clinical laboratories decreased by
      22.2% concurrent with initiation of bedside testing. The number of instruments in
      the hospital increased from 10 to 46. CONCLUSIONS: Bedside capillary glucose
      assays can be widely implemented in large hospitals with an acceptable degree of
      accuracy. QC programs with frequent inspections are necessary to identify units
      that function inadequately, and a formal disciplinary policy is required to
      ensure compliance with the program.

PMID- 1415306
TI  - Epidemiologic features and clinical presentation of acute Q fever in hospitalized
      patients: 323 French cases.
AB  - PURPOSE: To contribute to the knowledge of epidemiologic and clinical features of
      patients hospitalized with Q fever in France. METHODS: We conducted a
      retrospective analysis of 22,496 sera submitted between 1982 and 1990 to the
      French National Reference Center for Rickettsial Diseases (NRC). The diagnosis of
      acute Q fever was based on an IgG titer greater than or equal to 1:200 and an IgM
      titer greater than or equal to 1:25 against phase II Coxiella burnetii antigen on
      an indirect immunofluorescence test (IFA). Fifteen cases prior to 1985 were
      diagnosed on the basis of a complement fixation titer greater than or equal to
      1:8. A serosurvey of blood donors from Marseille was also conducted in 1988 on
      924 sera, using IFA with a cutoff titer of 1:25. RESULTS: The serosurvey
      conducted in 1988 showed a seroprevalence of 4.03%, without age or sex
      prediction. The incidence rate of acute Q fever detection at the NRC was 0.58 per
      100,000 inhabitants over the 9-year period. Three hundred twenty-three clinical
      cases were diagnosed, rising from 1 in 1982 to 107 in 1990. In patients
      hospitalized for acute Q fever, there was a significantly higher sex ratio of
      males to females (2.3), which, coupled with the age distribution, indicated that
      elder males, who are overrepresented due to our recruitment bias, are more
      susceptible to C. burnetii infections. The mean age of the patients was 45.5
      years, while the risk was increased in the 30 to 39 age group as well as in the
      60 to 69 age group. Usual epidemiologic risk factors were found in 20.1% of the
      cases. Hepatitis (61.9%) was a more common clinical presentation in our patients
      with Q fever than pneumonia (45.8%). This might reflect differences in strains of
      C. burnetii or the biology of the host. However, French farmers and stock
      breeders commonly drink unpasteurized raw milk from their cattle, which might
      indicate a relationship between hepatitis and infection via the digestive tract.
      CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that many cases of acute Q fever are
      undiagnosed. A greater awareness of the disease and more extensive serologic
      testing of patients with symptoms compatible with Q fever may improve the
      situation.

PMID- 1415307
TI  - Splenectomy in advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a single institution
      experience with 50 patients.
AB  - PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of splenectomy in the treatment of refractory
      cytopenias associated with advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). PATIENTS
      AND METHODS: The histories of 57 patients with CLL who underwent splenectomy at
      the Mayo Clinic between 1975 and 1991 were retrospectively reviewed. Of the 57
      patients, 50 underwent splenectomy for reasons directly related to their disease
      process such as cytopenias or symptomatic splenomegaly. The histories from these
      50 patients were studied to assess the response to splenectomy and the operative
      morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: Ninety-four percent of patients were in Rai
      stage III or IV with extensive marrow infiltration, massive splenomegaly, and
      cytopenias refractory to chemotherapy. A positive response to splenectomy was
      defined at 3 months of follow-up as: (1) a hemoglobin level of 11 g/dL or greater
      in a patient with a preoperative value less than 11 g/dL; or (2) a platelet count
      of 100 x 10(3)/mm3 or greater in a patient with a preoperative value less than
      100 x 10(3)/mm3. A positive response was achieved in 77% of patients with anemia,
      70% of patients with thrombocytopenia, and 64% of patients with both anemia and
      thrombocytopenia. The response was sustained at 1 year of follow-up in 86%, 84%,
      and 85% of the patients, respectively. Postoperative transfusion requirements
      decreased correspondingly. The operative morbidity was 26%, and the operative
      mortality was 4%. The mean duration of hospitalization was 9.8 days (median: 9
      days; range: 5 to 24 days). The actuarial median survival after splenectomy was
      41 months in responders and 14 months in nonresponders. We found no preoperative
      parameters that were clearly predictive of a poor hematologic response. In
      particular, outcome was not affected by preoperative spleen size or the degree of
      marrow infiltration by CLL. All patients with symptomatic splenomegaly had an
      improved sense of well-being. CONCLUSION: In this, the largest single institution
      study to date, we found splenectomy to be efficacious in providing durable
      remissions of refractory cytopenias and in relieving symptomatic splenomegaly in
      the majority of patients with CLL. The procedure is associated with a low
      perioperative mortality. Although the impact on survival is uncertain, the
      improved peripheral blood counts may allow the administration of adequate doses
      of myelosuppressive chemotherapy.

PMID- 1415308
TI  - Lessons from my father.

PMID- 1415309
TI  - Multiple myeloma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia: parallels and contrasts.
AB  - Multiple myeloma (MM) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are closely related
      B-cell cancers. Parallel and divergent features of these diseases are reviewed.
      In MM, expression of multiple hemopoietic lineage-associated antigens on the
      malignant cells and the substantial likelihood of progression to acute
      myelogenous leukemia suggest transformation of a pluripotent stem cell. In CLL,
      transformation more likely involves a committed B-cell progenitor. Another
      difference is that clonal evolution with associated cytogenetic progression is
      common in MM but not CLL. Other data, including studies of proto-oncogenes and
      tumor suppressor genes, suggest that MM results both from increased proliferation
      and accumulation of tumor cells, whereas tumor cell accumulation is the
      predominant feature of CLL. These differences may be reflected in the seemingly
      greater role of cytokine abnormalities in MM progression. For example, osteoclast
      activating properties of some cytokines account for bone involvement in MM but
      not in CLL. MM and CLL share common features such as stage-dependent anemia and
      immune deficiency. Both diseases respond to alkylating agents but vary markedly
      in their sensitivity to fludarabine (CLL greater than MM) and glucocorticoids (MM
      greater than CLL). Differences between these diseases in progression-free
      interval and survival may reflect different definitions of premalignant and
      malignant phases rather than biologic differences. Detailed comparisons between
      MM and CLL may provide additional insights into these and related B-cell cancers.

PMID- 1415310
TI  - T-cell receptor alpha/beta chain-CD3 protein complex defect in systemic lupus
      erythematosus: T-cell function.
AB  - We describe the first case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in which
      peripheral blood T cells were deficient in cell surface expression of T-cell
      receptor alpha/beta chain (TcR alpha beta) and the CD3 protein. Because of the
      uncommon phenotype and because of the notion that coexpression of TcR alpha beta
      and CD3 is essential for antigen-specific T-cell function, in vitro functional
      assays were performed, showing a highly decreased proliferative response to anti
      CD3 antibody and other T-cell mitogens, deficient interleukin-2 (IL-2) secretion,
      and impaired function to respond in autologous and allogeneic mixed lymphocyte
      reactions. However, the helper-inducer function of T cells was unaffected by
      deficient expression of the TcR alpha beta/CD3 protein complex. The relative
      increase of CD4+ CDw29+ helper-inducer subsets in T cells accounted for elevated
      secretion of two terminal B-cell stimulating factors, B-cell growth factor (BCGF)
      and B-cell differentiation factor (BCDF). Hence, our results suggest that the
      regulation of secretion of lymphokines, IL-2, and BCGF and BCDF is independently
      controlled in T cells, and this case illustrates the pathologic sequelae of a
      unique defect in T cells characteristic of SLE.

PMID- 1415311
TI  - Skin necrosis and protein C deficiency associated with vitamin K depletion in a
      patient with renal failure.
AB  - Skin necrosis similar to that induced by warfarin was seen in a patient who had
      never received the drug but who was vitamin K-deficient due to malnutrition and
      prolonged treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics. He also had end-stage renal
      failure and was receiving prophylactic subcutaneous heparin therapy because of
      immobilization. His plasma protein C antigen level and, disproportionately, his
      plasma protein C functional activity were decreased. Both protein C values
      improved after vitamin K therapy, discontinuation of heparin, and initiation of
      hemodialysis. We surmise that skin necrosis occurred as a result of protein C
      deficiency caused by vitamin K depletion. Production of abnormal (descarboxy)
      protein C/protein S due to vitamin K deficiency and increased protein C
      inhibitory activity associated with renal failure and/or heparin administration
      may have contributed to the clinical picture. This rare but serious complication
      of a relatively common disorder, viz., vitamin K deficiency, reinforces the
      importance of vitamin K supplementation in malnourished patients who receive long
      term antibiotic maintenance therapy.

PMID- 1415312
TI  - Asymmetric clubbing as a manifestation of sarcoid bone disease.

PMID- 1415313
TI  - Disseminated Mycobacterium fortuitum disease in an AIDS patient.

PMID- 1415314
TI  - Use of antimalarial drugs for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis.

PMID- 1415315
TI  - Efficacy of barium enemas in the elderly.

PMID- 1415316
TI  - Low-dose interferon-alpha for mixed cryoglobulinemia associated with hepatitis C
      virus.

PMID- 1415317
TI  - Relationship between insulin sensitivity and degree of obesity in mild
      hypertension.
AB  - Eighteen patients with mild hypertension (diastolic blood pressure > or = 90 and
      < 104 mm Hg) and 15 normotensive control subjects were studied. Insulin tolerance
      tests (ITT) and fasting plasma insulin (FPI) level measurements were performed to
      evaluate insulin sensitivity. Insulin sensitivity, as measured with the ITT,
      showed a strong correlation with body mass index (BMI) in the hypertensive and
      control groups (r = -0.68, p < 0.01 and r = -0.61, p < 0.01, respectively). The
      fasting insulin levels also correlated significantly with BMI in both groups (r =
      0.55, p < 0.05 in the hypertensive and r = 0.76, p < 0.01 in the control group).
      Insulin sensitivity in the hypertensive subjects whose BMI was < or = 27.0 kg/m2
      (nonobese), as measured with the ITT and FPI, was not different from the nonobese
      normal controls (K(itt), 5.36 +/- 1.74% min-1 versus 5.61 +/- 1.66% min-1,
      respectively, p > 0.2; FPI, 5.8 +/- 3.4 microU/ml versus 7.1 +/- 2.5 microU/ml,
      respectively, p > 0.2). Also, insulin sensitivity, as measured with the ITT, was
      not statistically significantly different between hypertensive and normotensive
      obese subjects (K(itt), 2.82 +/- 1.55% versus 3.90 +/- 0.67% min-1, respectively,
      p > 0.1). When fasting plasma insulin levels were compared, a higher level was
      observed in the obese normotensive subjects than in the obese hypertensive group
      (FPI, 19.8 +/- 10.0 microU/ml and 11.5 +/- 4.9 microU/ml, p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415319
TI  - Comparison of four methods for assessing airway bacteriology in intubated,
      mechanically ventilated patients.
AB  - A prospective evaluation of lower airway bacteriology from intubated,
      mechanically ventilated patients was performed by comparing the qualitative and
      quantitative recovery of bacteria using four different techniques. Twelve
      intubated, mechanically ventilated patients who satisfied accepted clinical
      criteria for the suspicion of ventilator-associated pneumonia were studied.
      Airway secretions were obtained from each patient by: (1) blind endotracheal
      aspiration (ET); (2) Accu-cath pulmonary culture catheter (Accu); (3)
      bronchoscopic protected specimen brush (BPSB); and (4) bronchoalveolar lavage
      (BAL). ET specimens were cultured semi-quantitatively (1+ to 4+) aerobically, and
      all other specimens were cultured quantitatively both aerobically and
      anaerobically. The BPSB recovered 9 organisms in > or = 10(3) colony forming
      units/ml, a standard number often used to indicate significant growth. Of these 9
      organisms, 7 were recovered at > or = 10(3) cfu/ml by Accu, and 6 were recovered
      at > or = 10(4) cfu/ml by BAL. All 8 aerobic isolates recovered in > or = 10(3)
      cfu/ml by BPSB also were recovered by ET aspirate. Five of these were recovered
      in > or = 3+ semi-quantitative growth by ET aspirate. Of 30 organisms recovered
      in < 3+ semi-quantitative growth by ET aspirate, 28 were recovered in < 10(3)
      cfu/ml by BPSB, indicating a negative predictive value of 93%. Thus, it appears
      that these four methods provide reasonably similar qualitative and quantitative
      recovery of bacteria from the lower airways of intubated, mechanically ventilated
      patients. In addition, routine Gram's stain and semi-quantitative aerobic culture
      of endotracheal aspirate may provide useful information in patients with
      suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia.

PMID- 1415318
TI  - Cloning and expression of a human endothelin receptor: subtype A.
AB  - The polymerase chain reaction, employing degenerate primers specific for the
      intramembrane domains III and VI of G-coupled receptors, was used to generate
      partial clones encoding those receptors carried by cultured rat aorta smooth
      muscle cells. One clone, spanning the intramembrane domains IV-VI of a receptor
      specific for endothelin-1 (ET-R[A]), was used as a probe to screen a human
      placental cDNA library. The clone pL4-3, encoding a selective type of human
      endothelin receptor (ET-R[A]), has an open reading frame encoding a protein 427
      amino acids in length, with a relative molecular weight of 48,625 daltons. The
      sequence analysis suggests the presence of a signal peptide, two potential sites
      for glycosylation in the N terminal extracellular domain, the seven transmembrane
      domains typical of G-protein receptors, and several potential sites for
      phosphorylation in the C terminal cytoplasmic domain. At the amino acid level,
      the human ET-R(A) shows 91% and 94% identity with the rat and bovine ET-R(A)s,
      respectively, and 59% similarity with the human ET-R(B). Xenopus laevis oocytes
      injected with the cloned cDNA express binding sites specific for endothelin-1.
      Expression of the message in COS 7 cells gave a membrane-bound product to which
      binding of the [125I]-ET-1 was inhibited by peptide analogues specific for ET
      R(A).

PMID- 1415320
TI  - Surfactant protein-A inhibits lavage-induced surfactant secretion in newborn
      rabbits.
AB  - In vitro experiments with granular pneumocytes suggest that surfactant protein-A
      (SP-A) inhibits secretion of pulmonary surfactant. We examined whether SP-A
      inhibits surfactant secretion induced by lung distention during lung lavage.
      Human SP-A was obtained by lung lavage in a patient with pulmonary alveolar
      proteinosis. After centrifugation of the lavagate, the pellet was repeatedly
      washed with saline and then extracted with chloroform:methanol. The
      methanol:saline phase was separated and lyophilized to yield the SP-A product.
      SDS-PAGE and immunoblot analysis indicated that our preparation of SP-A had only
      minor contamination with human plasma proteins. To examine secretion, we used
      freshly killed newborn rabbit pups of 29.5 days gestation and lavaged the lungs
      by 10 sequential, fresh saline washes. Littermate neighbor pairs were lavaged
      with SP-A or human plasma protein at concentrations of 1, 6, 10, and 50
      micrograms/ml, and disaturated phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) was analyzed as a
      marker for surfactant. The inhibition of surfactant secretion was maximal at a
      concentration of 10 micrograms/ml; the average yield by the last two pairs of
      washes, an index of surfactant secretion, was 286 +/- 41 micrograms/g dry lung
      weight for SP-A, compared to 405 +/- 37 micrograms/g dry lung weight for
      controls, an inhibition of 30% (p < 0.005). There were no changes in the volumes
      of returned lavage or in the concentrations of lactate dehydrogenase or DNA. To
      test whether SP-A increased cellular uptake of DSPC in the lungs, we prepared
      radioactive exogenous surfactant, lavaged it into the lungs, and monitored
      recovery of radioactivity by continued lavage. Recovery was the same in treated
      and control lungs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415321
TI  - Case report: lymphadenopathy, perinodal granulomatosis, and immunologic
      aberrations.
AB  - The authors report on a patient with an undescribed constellation of lymph nodal
      plasmacytosis, perinodal epithelioid cell granulomas and fibrosis as well as anti
      Sm and anti-phospholipid antibodies. The illness does not meet the criteria of
      well-known nosologic entities, but it is thought to represent an unrecognized
      nosological entity within the group of undifferentiated immune disorders.

PMID- 1415322
TI  - Case report: stimulation of severe hypertension as a means of malingering.
AB  - Severe hypertension frequently requires hospitalization. Although hospital
      admission is undesirable for most patients, others are motivated to achieve
      hospitalization status for secondary gain. The authors present a case of a prison
      inmate who simulated severe hypertension with a combination of Valsalva's
      maneuver and arm flexion, on the background of preexisting essential hypertension
      and mitral valve prolapse. His secondary intent--to avoid his prison duties-
      classifies him as a malingerer. The differences between this malingering and the
      psychiatric diagnosis of Munchausen syndrome are discussed. The contributions of
      essential hypertension and mitral valve prolapse to the self-induced blood
      pressure elevations also are considered.

PMID- 1415323
TI  - Loxoscelism.
AB  - Loxoscelism, or envenomation by the brown recluse spider, may result in necrotic
      lesions and systemic reactions, including hemolytic anemia. Histologically, it
      resembles a cutaneous Arthus reaction. The reaction mechanism involves
      interactions between complement, neutrophils, and the clotting system. It is best
      treated with analgesics, avoidance of early surgical debridement, and oral
      dapsone.

PMID- 1415324
TI  - The impact of World War II on U.S. medicine.

PMID- 1415325
TI  - Five years experience of predictive testing for myotonic dystrophy using linked
      DNA markers.
AB  - We report on a 5 year experience in providing presymptomatic and prenatal
      molecular diagnostic services for myotonic dystrophy, using closely linked
      markers, representing 235 completed results in 161 families. Only 10 analyses
      (4.3%) proved uninformative, but a further 5 requests (1.9%) could not be
      reported because of uncertainty in clinical status. Seven of 81 (8.6%) patients
      considered to be at low risk on clinical grounds were found to be at high risk of
      carrying the gene. The importance of interpreting molecular results in
      conjunction with clinical findings is emphasised by the illustrative examples
      provided. Careful clinical examination and appropriate investigation remain a
      cornerstone of diagnosis in myotonic dystrophy and are crucial if errors in
      assigning genotype status by molecular means are to be minimised.

PMID- 1415327
TI  - Can maternal risk factors influence the presence of major birth defects in
      infants with Down syndrome?
AB  - Although the manifestations of Down syndrome (DS) are well known, certain major
      birth defects such as duodenal atresia and endocardial cushion defects are
      present in some infants but not others, suggesting the possible role of other
      genetic or environmental factors interacting with the trisomy genotype. To
      explore the possible role of maternal factors in the presence of major defects
      among DS infants, we examined data from an epidemiologic study of DS conducted in
      metropolitan Atlanta. Of 219 DS infants born between 1968 and 1980, 50 had
      recorded cardiac defects, 9 had selected gastrointestinal atresias and 4 had oral
      clefts. We evaluated the association of these defects with several maternal
      factors including age, race, first trimester cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and
      fever. We found that different maternal factors were associated with several
      defects: (1) mother's race with cardiac defects (40% in blacks vs. 17% in whites,
      P less than 0.01), (2) mother's age with oral clefts (6% for less than 25 years,
      1% for 25-34, and 0% for greater than 34, P less than 0.05), and (3) maternal
      first trimester fever with gastrointestinal defects (15% in infants with history
      of fever and 3% in infants without a history of fever, P less than 0.01). We also
      observed an inverse relationship between maternal alcohol use and the presence of
      ventricular septal defect. These findings suggest that maternal risk factors may
      influence the clinical manifestations of DS. In addition to searching for a
      genetic basis for the DS phenotype, we suggest that the role of environmental
      factors and maternal exposures be specifically explored in clarifying the genesis
      of various birth defects in Down syndrome.

PMID- 1415326
TI  - X inactivation and dystrophin studies in a t(X;12) female: evidence for
      biochemical normalization in Duchenne muscular dystrophy carriers.
AB  - A 4-year-old girl was identified with high creatine kinase (CK) values, and mild
      muscle weakness in a limb-girdle distribution. Results of dystrophin analysis of
      the muscle biopsy were consistent with a manifesting heterozygote for Duchenne
      muscular dystrophy. In peripheral lymphocytes she had a t(X;12) (p21.2;q24.33).
      Late DNA replication studies demonstrated inactivation of the normal X chromosome
      in 99.4% of cells. Dystrophin immunofluorescence showed 64% dystrophin-negative
      muscle fibers. Dystrophin content of muscle by immunoblot was approximately 5% of
      normal. The discordance between the percent of normal X inactivation and percent
      of dystrophin-negative cells may be explained by compensatory protection of
      dystrophin by rare nuclei with the normal X active in multi-nucleated muscle
      fibers with shared cytoplasm.

PMID- 1415328
TI  - Detection of the heteromorphic spectrum of heterochromatin in the human genome by
      in situ digestion using restriction endonuclease AluI.
AB  - A battery of selective banding techniques has been utilized to identify the
      heteromorphic markers in the human genome. The recent addition of the AluI/Giemsa
      (G)-technique has helped not only in identifying the variable sites, but in
      characterizing their heteromorphic spectra. In the present investigation, we
      classified the pericentromeric heterochromatin by the AluI/G-technique by its
      size and position using 50 normal individuals and suggested the potential uses of
      this banding technique over earlier methods.

PMID- 1415329
TI  - Microcephaly, lymphedema, and chorioretinal dysplasia: a distinct syndrome?
AB  - We report on 2 unrelated patients with microcephaly, lymphedema, and
      chorioretinal changes. They are compared with previously reported patients with
      microcephaly and lymphedema and microcephaly with chorioretinal changes. The
      question is raised whether all of these patients represent one entity or are
      separate syndromes. Until more data are available we propose that our patients
      represent a single entity.

PMID- 1415330
TI  - VACTERL with hydrocephalus: one end of the Fanconi anemia spectrum of anomalies?
AB  - Two cases of Fanconi anemia presenting as hydrocephalus are discussed. Both
      infants had initially been considered to have features of VACTERL. Chromosomal
      breakage studies should be performed in all cases of VACTERL with hydrocephalus
      so that Fanconi anemia may be excluded.

PMID- 1415331
TI  - VACTERL or MURCS association in a girl with neurenteric cyst and identical
      thoracic malformations in the father: a case of gonosomal mosaicism?
AB  - We report on a female infant with lethal congenital malformations including
      extreme hydrocephalus due to aqueductal stenosis, vertebral segmentation
      anomalies, fused costae, anal atresia, renal dysplasia, and bicornuate uterus
      with a double blind vagina. The VACTERL and the MURCS associations are possible
      diagnoses. Her father had a neurenteric cyst in infancy. He has identical
      vertebral and costal malformations as his daughter but is otherwise healthy. The
      possibility of dominant inheritance with gonosomal mosaicism in the father is
      discussed.

PMID- 1415332
TI  - Ring chromosome 7, hyperpigmented skin lesions and malignant melanoma.

PMID- 1415333
TI  - Metacarpophalangeal pattern profiles: Q-score for ages 3 years to adult with
      epiphyses: an update.

PMID- 1415334
TI  - Spinal muscular atrophy and probable Duchenne muscular dystrophy occurring
      separately in closely related Melanesian families in Papua, New Guinea.

PMID- 1415335
TI  - Fetal hypokinesia sequence caused by maternal autoimmune disorder?

PMID- 1415336
TI  - Applications of the concept of attributable fraction in medical genetics.

PMID- 1415337
TI  - Tightly linked polymorphic markers for fragile X syndrome and prenatal
      cytogenetic diagnostic experience.
AB  - Linkage analysis using the polymorphic loci DXS369, DXS296, DXS297 and DXS306 was
      carried out on a cohort of 17 families segregating for fragile X syndrome. The
      observed recombination fractions at: DXS369 (Zmax = 3.02; theta = 0.06), DXS297
      (Zmax = 2.92; theta = 0.0), DXS296 (Zmax = 3.82; theta = 0.0), DXA306 (Zmax =
      4.55; theta = 0.05) confirm that these loci are tightly linked to FRAXA. Our
      experience in the cytogenetic analysis of 58 at risk pregnancies by chorionic
      villus or fetal blood sample examination documents a false negative rate in
      obligate carrier male pregnancies for CVS of 11% and for FBS of 3%.

PMID- 1415338
TI  - Delayed replication of Xq27 in individuals with the fragile X syndrome.
AB  - The timing of late replicating bands on the X chromosome has been studied in
      individuals with the fragile X [fra(X)] syndrome. Compared to controls both
      affected individuals and symptomless carriers of the syndrome show delayed
      replication of the Xq27 region as shown by 2 different methods. The implications
      of this finding are discussed in relation to the proposal [Laird et al., 1987]
      that the fraX syndrome is associated with a failure to reactivate the Xq27 band
      correctly after it has been inactivated in a female.

PMID- 1415340
TI  - CNS midline anomalies in the Opitz G/BBB syndrome: report on 12 Brazilian
      patients.
AB  - We report on 12 Brazilian boys with the Optiz G/BBB syndrome associated with CNS
      midline anomalies, namely, Dandy-Walker anomaly (two patients), enlarged cisterna
      magna (four patients), enlarged 4th ventricle (four patients), and callosal
      a/hypoplasia (two patients). These signs clearly show the involvement of the CNS
      midline in the Opitz G/BBB syndrome.

PMID- 1415339
TI  - Oculoauriculovertebral anomaly: segregation analysis.
AB  - Seventy-four families of probands with oculoauriculovertebral anomaly were
      evaluated, including 116 parents and 195 offspring. Relatives were examined to
      identify ear malformations, mandibular anomalies, and other craniofacial
      abnormalities. For segregation analysis using POINTER, selection of the sample
      was consistent with single ascertainment. Different population liabilities were
      used for probands and relatives, because affection was narrowly defined for
      probands and broadly defined for relatives. The hypothesis of no genetic
      transmission was rejected. The evidence favored autosomal dominant inheritance;
      recessive and polygenic models were not distinguishable.

PMID- 1415341
TI  - Callosal agenesis, iris coloboma, and megacolon in a Brazilian boy with
      Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome.
AB  - We report on a Brazilian boy with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RTS) with callosal
      agenesis, iris coloboma, and megacolon. To our knowledge, callosal agenesis, iris
      coloboma, and megacolon are unusual signs within the clinical spectrum of RTS,
      and the present association is apparently underscribed.

PMID- 1415342
TI  - Lacrimo-auriculo-dento-digital syndrome: evidence for lower limb involvement and
      severe congenital renal anomalies.
AB  - We describe a 3-generation family with lacrimo-auriculo-dento-digital syndrome
      (LADD). In addition to the well described abnormalities of ears, teeth, lacrimal
      apparatus and digits, the patients exhibit several previously undescribed
      anomalies, including minor facial anomalies (broad forehead, telecanthus, bulbous
      nasal tip, full jaw, ptosis and flared nostrils), involvement of the first and
      second toes, and congenital renal disease causing death in the neonatal period in
      2 cases.

PMID- 1415343
TI  - Acrocallosal syndrome: report of a Brazilian girl.
AB  - We report on a Brazilian girl born to nonconsanguineous parents and presenting
      with frontonasal dysostosis, callosal agenesis, abnormal upper lids, cleft
      lip/palate, redundant skin in the neck, grooved chin, and bifid thumbs. Major
      diagnostic criteria present in this patient are related to the acrocallosal
      syndrome. The clinical and major nosologic aspects of this condition are
      discussed.

PMID- 1415344
TI  - Ophthalmological, skeletal, and cardiac abnormalities in sibs born to
      consanguineous parents: a new syndrome?
AB  - We report on a sibship from a consanguineous couple consisting of one boy with
      anophthalmia, one boy with buphthalmos and multiple congenital skeletal, muscle,
      and cardiac abnormalities, and a stillborn girl with anophthalmia and cardiac and
      skeletal abnormalities. A possible new syndrome of autosomal recessive
      inheritance and variable expressivity is discussed, comparing this report with
      others.

PMID- 1415345
TI  - Overlap between Majewski and hydrolethalus syndromes: a report of two cases.
AB  - We present 2 unrelated fetuses with manifestations of both the hydrolethalus
      syndrome and the short rib-polydactyly syndrome, type Majewski. It is proposed
      that cases of hydrolethalus syndrome with short limbs constitute a separate type
      of lethal osteochondrodysplasia mimicking short rib-polydactyly syndromes.

PMID- 1415346
TI  - King syndrome: a genetically heterogenous phenotype due to congenital myopathies.
AB  - We report on a patient with myopathy, kyphoscoliosis, joint contractures, and a
      facial appearance consistent with King syndrome. Unlike other reported cases, our
      patient had hyperextensible joints, normal stature, and pectus excavatum. The
      cardiac ventricles, aorta, and pulmonary artery were dilated. Malignant
      hyperthermia did not occur under anaesthesia although there was a transient
      increase in CK levels. Muscle bulk and tone were significantly decreased but
      collagen and elastin fibres were normal. The variable clinical presentation of
      King syndrome suggests that the manifestations are caused by different congenital
      myopathies and in all cases there is probably an increased risk of malignant
      hyperthermia.

PMID- 1415347
TI  - Clinical variability and genetic heterogeneity within the Acadian Usher
      population.
AB  - A number of Usher syndrome (USH) families are found among the French-Acadians
      living in southwestern Louisiana. These families are descended from a few common
      ancestors, suggesting that USH may be homogeneous within this ethnic group.
      However, we report distinct phenotypic variability. Based on differences in
      psychomotor development and tests of auditory and vestibular function, Acadian
      individuals with both USH Type 1 and Type 2 can be identified. One additional
      family, with unusual findings, represents a third clinical phenotype. Linkage
      data strongly support these clinical observations.

PMID- 1415348
TI  - Branchio-oto-renal syndrome: further delineation of an underdiagnosed syndrome.
AB  - We report on a woman who was diagnosed with branchio-oto-renal (BOR) syndrome
      after 2 pregnancies complicated by oligohydramnios due to renal hypoplasia and
      agenesis. Both babies died neonatally of pulmonary hypoplasia. Histopathology of
      the temporal bones of the second child showed marked immaturity of the middle ear
      cleft, ossicles, facial nerve and canal, and cochlear nerve. Maternal renal
      ultrasound study was normal although intravenous pyelography indicated renal
      hypoplasia. The frequency of BOR syndrome among cases of recurrent fetal renal
      hypoplasia/dysplasia or agenesis is unknown, and parental renal ultrasonography
      may not identify a heritable renal defect. Investigations should include a family
      history, and examination of relatives to look for preauricular pits, lacrimal
      duct stenosis, and branchial fistulae and/or cysts. Hearing studies and IVP may
      be indicated.

PMID- 1415349
TI  - New autosomal recessive syndrome of sparse hair, osteopenia, and mental
      retardation in Mennonite sisters.
AB  - We report on 2 Mennonite sisters with a syndrome of sparse hair, osteopenia,
      mental retardation, minor facial abnormalities, joint laxity, and hypotonia.
      Their asymptomatic consanguineous parents (inbreeding coefficient F = 1/64) have
      6 other offspring, 3 of whom died in infancy of type II osteogenesis imperfecta
      (OI), and 3 of whom are normal. We analyzed collagens synthesized by cultured
      fibroblasts from these 2 sisters and their parents and detected no major
      abnormalities. Results of chromosomal and metabolic evaluations including amino
      acid analysis of plasma, urine, and hair were unremarkable. A literature search
      and survey of a computerized syndrome identification database did not disclose an
      identical phenotype. The sisters bear superficial resemblance to several known
      syndromes which we excluded on clinical and/or biochemical grounds. We conclude
      that they represent a new autosomal recessive syndrome, distinct from type II OI
      and perhaps unique to the Mennonite population or to this particular family.

PMID- 1415350
TI  - Weissenbacher-Zweymuller syndrome: a distinct autosomal recessive skeletal
      dysplasia.
AB  - The Weissenbacher-Zweymuller syndrome (WZS) is defined as congenital neonatal
      rhizomelic dwarfism with metaphyseal widening of the long bones and vertebral
      coronal clefts. Catch-up growth after 2-3 years is one of the striking
      manifestations. It is generally thought that WZS is a neonatal expression of the
      Stickler syndrome, even though in the latter, myopia, retinal detachment and a
      progressive metaphyseal dysplasia are characteristics that are not found in WZS.
      A critical analysis of all published patients with WZS in addition to 5 patients
      in 3 new families, shows that the WZS is a distinct syndrome of delayed skeletal
      maturation, different from the Stickler syndrome, and inherited as an autosomal
      recessive trait. The recognition of its unique characteristics has important
      implications in genetic counseling.

PMID- 1415351
TI  - Ullrich-Turner syndrome with a small ring X chromosome and presence of mental
      retardation.
AB  - Since some patients with Ullrich-Turner syndrome (UTS) have mental retardation,
      we reviewed our experience to look for a high-risk subgroup. Among 190 UTS and
      gonadal dysgenesis patients with X chromosome abnormalities, 12 had mental
      retardation. All of the six (100%) with a small ring X were educable (EMI) or
      trainable mentally impaired (TMI) with more severe delay than expected in UTS.
      Among the 184 with other X abnormalities, only 6 had similar delays (2 from
      postnatal catastrophes), for a frequency of 3.3% mental retardation among those
      without a small ring X; only 2.2% of these had unexplained mental retardation.
      Polymerase chain reaction studies showed no Y-derived material in the 2 patients
      who were evaluated, and in situ hybridization confirmed X origin of the ring in
      the 6 subjects who were evaluated. We describe the phenotype of the 6 individuals
      with a small ring X, and an additional 2 patients with a small ring X who were
      identified outside the survey. The subjects with a small ring X comprised a
      clinically distinct subgroup which had EMI/TMI and shorter stature than expected
      in UTS. Seizures and a head circumference less than 10th centile were observed in
      half of the patients with a small ring X, and strabismus, epicanthus, and single
      palmar creases were present in more than half. A "triangular" face in childhood,
      pigmentary dysplasia, sacral dimple, and heart defects were also common. Neck
      webbing appeared to be less frequent than in 45,X. We hypothesize that the high
      risk of mental retardation in this form of the UTS results from lack of
      lyonization of the ring X due to loss of the X inactivation center. Excluding
      those with a small ring X, mental retardation is not significantly increased in
      patients with UTS.

PMID- 1415352
TI  - Unrecognized pseudohyperkalemia as a cause of elevated potassium in patients with
      renal disease.
AB  - Pseudohyperkalemia, defined as serum to plasma potassium difference of more than
      0.4 mmol/l, occurs when platelets, leukocytes or erythrocytes release
      intracellular potassium in vitro, leading to falsely elevated serum values.
      Pseudohyperkalemia has been observed in myeloproliferative disorders [1],
      including leukemia [2] and infectious mononucleosis [3] as well as in rheumatoid
      arthritis [4]. We present 2 patients with renal disease and thrombocytosis in
      whom pseudohyperkalemia was recognized only after common therapeutic measures
      and/or dialysis failed to effect a decrease in serum potassium. In patients with
      renal disease and thrombocytosis, plasma as well as serum potassium should be
      routinely measured prior to instituting aggressive therapy or altering dialysis
      prescription in order to avoid potentially dangerous overtreatment with resulting
      hypokalemia.

PMID- 1415353
TI  - Development of systemic lupus erythematosus in a patient on hemodialysis.
AB  - A case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that developed 2 years after
      beginning hemodialysis is reported. The patient had not been given any drug
      implicated in the production of SLE. She had been treated with deferoxamine, an
      in vitro inhibitory of DNA synthesis. The difficulty of the diagnosis is
      emphasized. Clinical improvement after prednisone treatment was impressive. SLE
      may appear even in patients receiving hemodialysis, despite immunological
      depression derived from chronic uremia.

PMID- 1415354
TI  - Compression of the left brachiocephalic vein by the innominate artery resulting
      in massive arm edema in a hemodialysis patient.
AB  - We report case of extrinsic compression of the left brachiocephalic vein by the
      innominate resulting in massive edema of the arm in a patient with hemodialysis
      Gore-Tex graft. To our knowledge, such phenomenon has not been previously
      reported.

PMID- 1415355
TI  - Successful resection of pheochromocytoma in a hemodialysis patient.
AB  - A 45-year-old woman with a pheochromocytoma who had been on regular hemodialysis
      for 4 years and underwent successful surgery is described. Careful preoperative
      management, including the use of prazosin and weight control, was carried out to
      prevent severe intraoperative and postoperative cardiovascular complications.
      Prazosin was given at an initial dose of 0.5 mg/day, and the dosage was increased
      to 20 mg/day prior to surgery. The increase in intravascular volume led to a gain
      of 3 kg in body weight. No deterioration of the cardiovascular or respiratory
      function was caused by these maneuvers, and surgery was performed without
      significant complications except for a rapid rise of blood pressure during tumor
      resection. To our knowledge, only one similar case report could be found in the
      English literature.

PMID- 1415356
TI  - Comparison between acetate and bicarbonate dialysis for the treatment of lithium
      intoxication.
AB  - Lithium is used to treat manic-depressive disorders, but toxic side effects
      commonly occur. The preferred treatment of severe lithium intoxication is
      hemodialysis. No data, however, exist comparing the effectiveness of acetate to
      bicarbonate dialysis for the removal of lithium. We present a case of lithium
      intoxication treated with both. During acetate dialysis, lithium removal occurred
      exclusively from the extracellular fluid space, while during bicarbonate
      dialysis, lithium removal occurred equally from both the extracellular and
      intracellular fluid spaces. We hypothesize that acetate but not bicarbonate
      activates the sodium-hydrogen antiporter on cell membranes, and that lithium,
      substituting for sodium, is driven into cells. This may explain the rebound in
      lithium levels commonly noted after conventional dialysis. We recommend
      bicarbonate hemodialysis as the therapy of choice for severe lithium
      intoxication.

PMID- 1415357
TI  - Immunoglobulin A nephropathy in a renal allograft of a black transplant
      recipient.
AB  - Although IgA nephropathy (IgA N) is reportedly the most common form of primary
      glomerulonephritis worldwide, there is a very low incidence of IgA N in Black
      Americans, and IgA N in Black patients with renal allografts has not been
      reported. In this report, we present the case of a Black patient with endstage
      renal disease presumed secondary to hypertensive nephrosclerosis who developed
      nephrotic range proteinuria due to IgA N in a cadaveric renal allograft 2 years
      following transplantation. Biopsy of the allograft in the immediate post
      transplantation period had revealed no evidence of IgA N. Chronic active
      hepatitis related to hepatitis C preceded the development of proteinuria by
      approximately 1 year, raising the possibility that IgA N in the renal allograft
      was secondary to the liver disease. The clinical and histological features of
      primary IgA N and IgA N secondary to liver diseases are discussed.

PMID- 1415358
TI  - Unilateral renal vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism complicating membranous
      nephropathy.

PMID- 1415359
TI  - Whole blood serotonin levels are markedly elevated in patients on dialytic
      therapy.
AB  - The normal range for whole blood serotonin levels in chronic renal failure
      patients has not been defined. As serotonin may be implicated in platelet
      abnormalities, hypo- and hypertension and itch in dialysis patients, serotonin
      whole blood levels were measured in a group of patients with chronic renal
      failure and/or who were dialysis dependent. The levels were elevated in 12
      patients with moderate (mean serum creatinine 335 +/- 54 mumol/l) chronic renal
      failure (270 +/- 46 micrograms/l) compared to 11 normals (163 +/- 17
      micrograms/l, p less than 0.05; quoted normal range less than 300 micrograms/l)
      but did not correlate with serum creatinine levels. There was a marked elevation
      in serotonin levels in dialyzed patients, including those on hemodialysis
      (polysulfone, n = 6, 747 +/- 234 micrograms/l; cuprophane membranes, n = 6, 708
      +/- 198 micrograms/l), hemodiafiltration (n = 12, 695 +/- 130 micrograms/l) and
      especially peritoneal dialysis (n = 6, 1,148 +/- 162 micrograms/l). All results
      were significant (p less than 0.01) compared to normals and compared to the
      nondialyzed group (p less than 0.05). The level of serotonin decreased during
      hemodialysis regardless of the membrane used. There was no positive correlation
      of serotonin levels with pruritus or hypertension, although there was a negative
      correlation with systolic blood pressure. The reference range for serotonin whole
      blood levels needs to be broadened when considering dialyzed patients.

PMID- 1415360
TI  - Early diagnosis of gram-negative peritonitis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal
      dialysis patients with the Lymulus amebocyte lysate assay.
AB  - The treatment of peritonitis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis
      patients is empiric until the bacteriological results are available. The Lymulus
      amebocyte lysate assay (LAL) is a very sensitive method for the detection of
      endotoxin, a structural component of gram-negative bacteria. We performed the LAL
      assay in a prospective study in 36 consecutive episodes of peritonitis. The LAL
      assay was positive in all 10 episodes of gram-negative peritonitis (100%
      specificity). Treatment directed specifically against gram-negative or -positive
      infection was started based on the LAL assay result. In 26 episodes with LAL
      negative test, a gram-positive bacterium was cultured in 23 episodes, in 1 there
      was fungal infection and 2 were sterile. In summary: the LAL assay is a rapid (1
      h) and sensitive method for the differentiation of gram-positive or -negative
      peritonitis and enables starting an immediate and more appropriate antibiotic
      therapy.

PMID- 1415361
TI  - Comparative study of IgA nephropathy with acute and insidious onset. Clinical,
      laboratory and pathological findings.
AB  - In order to clarify the difference of clinical and pathological features between
      the IgA nephropathy patients with acute and insidious onset, 427 patients were
      examined in this study. Seventy-eight patients with acute onset (group 1) were
      often associated with mucosal system infections at the abrupt onset. This group
      revealed macroscopic hematuria, more severe microscopic hematuria (more than
      20/hpf), higher glomerular filtration rate (p less than 0.01) and lower serum
      levels of C3 (p less than 0.01). It had also a significantly higher incidence of
      exudative lesions (p less than 0.001). On the other hand, the onset of 349
      patients (group 2) was noticed to be insidious without preceding infections. This
      group showed a more severe increase in mesangial cells (p less than 0.01) and a
      significantly higher incidence of adhesion, arterial sclerosis and
      tubulointerstitial changes. Deposition of Clq, C4 and IgM and detachment of
      visceral epithelium from the basement membrane were more frequently seen in group
      2. Twenty-seven of 345 patients followed for at least 1 year after the biopsy
      were on maintenance hemodialysis: 1 patient was in group 1 and 26 were in group
      2. These results clarified that there was a difference in clinical, laboratory
      and histopathological findings between the patients with IgA nephropathy with
      acute and insidious onset.

PMID- 1415362
TI  - Effect of dialyzer reprocessing with Renalin on serum beta-2-microglobulin and
      complement activation in hemodialysis patients.
AB  - The peracetic acid-based sterilant Renalin is increasingly being used for
      reprocessing hemodialyzers. In order to evaluate the effects of reprocessing on
      beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2M) kinetics and complement activation in chronic
      hemodialysis patients, we compared 4 dialyzer membranes on 1st, 2nd and 4th use
      of the membrane. Dialysis with new cuprammonium rayon dialyzers (0.8 m2) for 4 h
      resulted in a nonsignificant increase in serum beta 2M concentrations of 10.7%
      (corrected for changes in extracellular volume) and significant generation of the
      complement component C3a des Arg. On reuse, minimal changes in serum beta 2M
      levels were noted and complement activation was absent. Dialysis with new
      cellulose acetate (CA, 1.5 m2), polyacrylonitrile (AN69 HF, 1.6 m2) or
      polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA, 1.6 m2) membranes resulted in significant decreases
      in serum beta 2M levels (19.5, 31.7 and 50.8%, respectively). Reprocessing had
      negligible effects on the removal of beta 2M by CA and AN69, but by the 4th use
      halved the effectiveness of PMMA. Reprocessing reduced the significant generation
      of C3a des Arg observed with new CA and PMMA membranes. We conclude that, except
      for PMMA, Renalin reprocessing has minor effects on the ability of the membranes
      to remove beta 2M and improves the biocompatibility of all membranes studied.

PMID- 1415363
TI  - Effect of erythrocyte deformability on renal hemodynamics and plasma renin
      activity.
AB  - Increased blood viscosity has been previously noted in a subgroup of patients
      with essential hypertension with concomitant high plasma renin activity (PRA). It
      has been suggested that the cause of hyperviscosity in hypertensives is the
      presence of circulating red blood cells (RBCs) that were rendered less deformable
      by significant alterations in their cationic milieu, namely an increase in
      intracellular concentration of calcium and sodium. The relation between RBC
      deformability and PRA however is not clear. Our study was conducted to examine
      this issue. RBC deformability was reduced experimentally, and its effects on
      renal blood flow, renal artery resistance, glomerular filtration rate and PRA
      were investigated in experimental (n = 8) and control (n = 4) groups of dogs.
      Blood was collected from the animals before the experiments and incubated with
      0.025% glutaraldehyde. These hardened RBCs were administered to the animals
      through exchange transfusions. Following the exchange transfusion with the
      hardened RBCs, there were no changes in renal blood flow, renal artery
      resistance, and the creatinine clearance. The only change observed was an
      increase in PRA. In the control group, all parameters that were determined
      remained unchanged. The data are consistent with the notion that the presence of
      circulating hardened RBCs may by itself increase PRA, and this effect can be
      important in some types of hypertension and some other disorders in which
      impaired deformability of RBCs have been reported.

PMID- 1415364
TI  - Volumetric analysis of urinary erythrocytes: a standardized methodology to
      localize the source of haematuria.
AB  - Volumetric analysis of urinary red blood cells (RBCs) was performed in two groups
      of patients: (a) 91 with glomerulonephritis (GN), 158 with non-glomerular
      diseases (non-GN) and 53 controls without haematuria; (b) 97 with GN and 41 with
      non-GN diagnoses and greater than or equal to 2+ haematuria, analysed after
      modified sample preparation (isotonic dilution and haemolysis to eliminate non
      RBC debris). In group A, diagnostic ranges were established for modal, mean and
      differential (urinary-peripheral blood modal) RBC volumes to differentiate GN
      from non-GN sources of blood loss according to RBC size. 54% (135/249) of modal
      volumes and 68% (124/183) with greater than or equal to 2+ haematuria were within
      a diagnostic range of values, i.e. 40-180 fl (sensitivity), and the source of
      haematuria was correctly identified in 85% (115/135) and 87% (108/124) of these,
      respectively (specificity). Of the remainder, with modal volumes less than 40 or
      greater than 180 fl, 45% (51/114) were from GN and 55% (63/114) from non-GN
      specimens, along with 94% (48/53) controls without haematuria (non-diagnostic
      analyses). In contrast, whilst 90% (74/82) of mean volumes greater than or equal
      to 110 fl and 94% (62/66) of differential volumes greater than or equal to 0 fl
      were from non-GN specimens, values below these were common to both diagnostic
      groups so that diagnostic sensitivities were reduced to 38% (82/219) and 34%
      (66/193), respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415365
TI  - Fractional excretion of urea as a guide to renal dysfunction.
AB  - The use of fractional excretion of sodium as a guide to renal perfusion is
      hampered by the prior use of natriuretic agents. The fractional excretion of urea
      (FEUr) has been shown to be affected by volume status. We, therefore, determined
      the value of the FEUr as a guide to renal perfusion. In 6 patients evaluated
      prospectively and in 87 patients evaluated retrospectively, a low FEUr (less than
      or equal to 35%) was found to be a sensitive index to renal perfusion, despite
      the prior administration of furosemide.

PMID- 1415366
TI  - Once weekly versus twice weekly subcutaneous administration of recombinant human
      erythropoietin in haemodialysis patients.
AB  - Optimal route and frequency of administration of recombinant human erythropoietin
      (rHuEPO) have not yet been determined. There is some evidence to suggest that
      subcutaneous administration of rHuEPO may be more effective than the intravenous
      route in reversing renal anemia. It is also unclear whether rHuEPO is more
      effective when given by a large intermittent dose or by more frequent multiple
      divided doses. We have compared the effect of twice weekly versus once weekly
      subcutaneous administration of rHuEPO in two groups of haemodialysis patients. At
      the end of 12 weeks of treatment with rHuEPO, the mean haemoglobin levels had
      risen from 6.9 +/- (SD) 0.7 to 8.9 +/- 1.3 g/dl in the once weekly group and from
      7.2 +/- 1.0 to 9.3 +/- 1.6 g/dl in the twice weekly group. The average doses of
      rHuEPO used during the study were 127 +/- 6 and 115 +/- 18 U/kg body weight/week
      for the once weekly and twice weekly groups, respectively. Subcutaneous
      administration of low-dose rHuEPO is effective in reversing renal anaemia.
      Similar responses were obtained with once weekly and twice weekly regimens.

PMID- 1415367
TI  - Effect of amino acid based dialysis solution on peritoneal permeability and
      prostanoid generation in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal
      dialysis.
AB  - The acute effect of amino acid based dialysis solution on peritoneal kinetics of
      amino acids and plasma proteins in comparison to conventional glucose-based
      dialysate was studied in 9 patients with end-stage renal failure on continuous
      ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Instillation of 2.6% amino acid solution resulted
      in raised plasma concentrations of all essential amino acids included in the
      dialysis fluid (p less than 0.005). The amino acid solution induced an augmented
      leakage of plasma proteins into the dialysate at all dwell times investigated (1
      8 h). After a dwell time at 8 h, the dialysate total protein increased from 2.62
      +/- 0.45 g with glucose dialysate to 3.85 +/- 0.42 g with amino acid solution (p
      less than 0.05). Corresponding results were obtained for beta 2-microglobulin,
      albumin, transferrin, IgG, and for the non-essential amino acids alanine,
      citrulline, and glutamine (p less than 0.025) not included in the initial amino
      acid composition of the dialysis fluid. During the use of amino acid based
      dialysis fluid, the effluent prostaglandin E2 concentration increased by more
      than 80% in comparison to glucose dialysate (p less than 0.025). The augmented
      loss of proteins induced by the amino acid solution was positively correlated
      with increased dialysate prostaglandin E2 (r = 0.8894; p less than 0.001).
      Peritoneal ultrafiltration was not affected by the use of amino acid based
      dialysate fluid. The present results indicate that amino acid based dialysis
      fluid enhances the peritoneal permeability for plasma proteins and amino acids,
      probably mediated by locally generated prostanoids.

PMID- 1415368
TI  - Pain at the injection site of subcutaneously administered erythropoietin in
      maintenance hemodialysis patients: a comparison of two brands of erythropoietin.
AB  - Local pain due to subcutaneous erythropoietin (EPO) injection into the thigh was
      studied using a verbal score ranging from 0 to 4. Equivoluminous doses of epoetin
      alpha (Cilag) and epoetin-beta (Boehringer) were compared in 2 controlled single
      blind experiments: 10 dialysis patients were treated at random for 4 weeks at
      consecutive sessions with both brands of EPO, and 40 patients were treated in 1
      session only with the 2 brands simultaneously. Pain scores were 1.12 +/- 0.28
      versus 0.15 +/- 0.06 (p less than 0.05) and 1.75 +/- 0.19 versus 0.08 +/- 0.04
      for epoetin-alpha and epoetin-beta, respectively (p less than 0.001). Treatment
      acceptance was 48% for epoetin-alpha versus 83% for epoetin-beta (p less than
      0.05).

PMID- 1415369
TI  - Abnormalities of thirst regulation in patients with chronic renal failure on
      hemodialysis.
AB  - To determine whether thirst mechanisms are altered in nondiabetic patients with
      chronic renal failure on hemodialysis, 4 patients with an average weight gain
      between dialysis sessions of more than 5% of dry body weight (group I), 5
      patients with less than 3% weight gain (group II), and a group of 6 healthy
      subjects (group III) were submitted to infusion of hypertonic saline. After
      infusion the subjects had free access to water. Thirst was evaluated by visual
      analogue rating scales. Despite similar increments of effective plasma osmolality
      during saline infusion, patients of group I were thirstier than groups II and III
      (p less than 0.005 and p less than 0.01, respectively). Changes in thirst ratings
      were similar in groups II and III. Osmotic thresholds for thirst onset were
      similar in groups II and III (288.9 +/- 8.5 and 289.8 +/- 3.4 mosm/kg,
      respectively), but lower in group I (277.6 +/- 7.6 mosm/kg). Nevertheless, great
      variations were observed in the latter group. Thus, 2 patients showed thresholds
      for thirst within the normal range, whereas the others had low osmolar thresholds
      for thirst and baseline plasma osmolalities and high basal thirst scores. During
      the drinking period, the patients of group I drank more (14.2 +/- 2.8 ml/kg) than
      those of groups II (5.3 +/- 1.6 ml/kg; p less than 0.02) and III (10.2 +/- 1.6
      ml/kg; n.s.) The plasma levels of angiotensin II in uremic patients were higher
      than in healthy subjects, although there were no differences between groups I and
      II and no correlation between basal angiotensin II levels and the interdialytic
      weight gain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415370
TI  - Inhibition of cytokine synthesis by peritoneal dialysate persists throughout the
      CAPD cycle.
AB  - The current study focused on the effect of continuous ambulatory peritoneal
      dialysis (CAPD) dialysate obtained following different intraperitoneal dwell
      periods on the release of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha
      (TNF alpha) from mononuclear leukocytes (PBMC). Aliquots of 5 x 10(6)/ml healthy
      peripheral PBMC were exposed to fresh or spent CAPD dialysate (10-240 min of
      intra-peritoneal dwell) and stimulated with Escherichia coli endotoxin (10
      micrograms/ml, 2h). IL-6 and TNF alpha in cell supernatants were determined by
      specific enzyme immunoassays. Control PBMC in physiological buffer released 361
      +/- 70 pg/ml IL-6 and 717 +/- 147 pg/ml TNF alpha (mean +/- SEM, n = 8), whereas
      exposure to fresh dialysis fluids severely suppressed cytokine release from PBMC
      (less than 30 pg/ml IL-6 and less than 15 pg/ml TNF alpha). A significant
      inhibition of IL-6 and TNF alpha release was also observed in PBMC exposed to
      spent dialysate. The inhibitory capacity of the spent fluids was pronounced with
      increasing intra-peritoneal dwell time (10 min: 183 +/- 45 pg/ml IL-6 and 538 +/-
      109 pg/ml TNF alpha; 240 min: 26 +/- 5 pg/ml IL-6 and 105 +/- 30 pg/ml TNF alpha;
      mean +/- SEM, n = 16). These data indicate that the impairment of cell
      responsiveness following exposure of PBMC to peritoneal dialysate is not
      restricted to the unused fluids, but is also observed following intra-peritoneal
      equilibration. Moreover, our findings suggest the presence of cytokine inhibitory
      factors in the peritoneal dialysate of CAPD patients which appear to accumulate
      in the peritoneal effluent during the CAPD cycle.

PMID- 1415371
TI  - Effect of hypercalcemia on renal sympathetic nervous system activity.
AB  - Since calcium plays a modulatory role in the activity of the sympathetic nervous
      system (SNS), in these studies, we have tested the hypothesis that hypercalcemia
      may alter renal SNS activity, and, consequently, renal function. Acute
      hypercalcemia was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by infusion of calcium 30
      mg/kg/2 h in 0.45% saline. A control group of rats received only 0.45% saline.
      Two more groups of rats received either calcium or 0.45% saline 7-10 days after
      total renal denervation. Calcium infusion increased serum calcium by 1.8 +/- 0.23
      mg/dl in rats with intact renal nerves and by 2.7 +/- 0.48 mg/dl in renal
      denervated rats. Mean arterial pressure and inulin clearance did not change
      during calcium or 0.45% saline in rats with intact renal nerves. Renal
      sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) decreased by 44% in rats infused with calcium,
      but it did not change in control animals. Calcium caused a significantly greater
      rise in urine volume, sodium excretion and fractional excretion of sodium than
      the infusion of 0.45% saline. Rats with renal denervation manifested greater
      baseline urine volume, sodium excretion and fractional excretion of sodium than
      rats with intact renal nerves. Infusion of calcium, however, caused no further
      rise in urine sodium excretion in these animals. alpha-Methyltyrosine, an
      inhibitor of norepinephrine (NE) synthesis, also increased natriuresis in rats.
      Calcium reduced by 27% the NE content in the kidney but not in the heart.
      Methyltyrosine, on the other hand, reduced NE content in both the heart and the
      kidney.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415372
TI  - Uremic inhibitors of erythropoiesis: a study during treatment with recombinant
      human erythropoietin.
AB  - The effects of increasing amounts of uremic sera (US) on the growth of erythroid
      progenitor cells [burst-forming unit erythroid (BFU-E)] collected from peripheral
      blood of normal subjects were evaluated to assess the potential role of uremic
      inhibitors of erythropoiesis during a treatment with recombinant human
      erythropoietin (r-HuEpo). US were collected from 8 patients on regular dialysis
      with marked anemia (Hb 6 +/- 0.5 g%) before and after a treatment with high doses
      of r-HuEpo (from 300 to 525 U/kg/week). Standard cultures for BFU-E were
      performed in alpha-metylcellulose with fetal calf serum (FCS) and 4 U/ml of r
      HuEpo (Cilag, Ortho). In successive cultures, US were added at increasing amounts
      to the standard culture in order to assess a possible inhibitory effect on BFU-E
      growth. Finally, in order to assess a possible lack of stimulatory factors, we
      partially substituted FCS with US. The addition of US collected either before or
      after therapy with r-HuEpo to the standard culture had no effect on the growth of
      BFU-E. Vice versa, the number of cultured BFU-E decreased when FCS was partially
      substituted with US collected before r-HuEpo. This effect was not evident when
      FCS was partially substituted with US collected after r-HuEpo. No significant
      differences were recorded in the tested sera collected before and after therapy
      considering erythropoietin levels and amino acid levels. We hypothesized that
      some other factors with erythropoietic stimulatory activity (burst-promoting
      activity?) may be deficient in uremic patients with marked anemia and can be
      induced during therapy with r-HuEpo.

PMID- 1415373
TI  - Origins of nephrology: the 17th century. I. The fallacies deriving from
      examination of the urine according to James Primrose.

PMID- 1415374
TI  - Long-term immunogenicity and efficacy of hepatitis B vaccine in hemodialysis
      patients.
AB  - Although the efficacy of hepatitis B vaccines in patients under chronic
      hemodialysis treatment has been well documented, the persistence of immunity in
      this population remains largely unknown. In this study we have followed 60
      hemodialysis patients up to 3 years after primary hepatitis B vaccination (four
      doses of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine; Engerix B, 20 mg/dose) to evaluate the
      persistence of immunity (as indicated by serum levels of antibody to hepatitis B
      surface antigen-anti-HBs-higher than or equal to 10 mIU/ml). Fourty-four (73%)
      patients developed anti-HBs levels above 10 mIU/ml after vaccination; the
      remaining 16 (27%) vaccinees were considered nonresponders and were given a
      booster dose that again failed to elicit an immunoresponse. After 3 years of
      follow-up, 18 out of 44 (41%) responders had no detectable anti-HBs levels in the
      serum (antibody loss occurring within 8 and 12 months in 3 cases, within 1 and 2
      years in 13, and within 2 and 3 years in 2 other cases). When compared with the
      responders that lost their antibodies during the follow-up period, those who
      remained immunoreactive 3 years after vaccination was initiated were younger and
      had higher anti-HBs levels at 8 months of follow-up. Two hepatitis B virus
      infections were detected among nonresponders during the follow-up period. Based
      on these data, we conclude that patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis therapy
      not only have lower response rates to hepatitis B vaccination than healthy
      adults, but also that these are frequently transient.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1415375
TI  - Triiodothyronine stimulates growth of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in serum
      free cultures in uremic patients.
AB  - The effect of triiodothyronine (T3) on the responses to mitogens and on the
      production of prostaglandin E2 and interleukin 2 were studied in serum-free
      cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in 20 patients undergoing
      hemodialysis and in 30 control subjects. T3 increased the growth of PMBC induced
      by phytohemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen in both groups. PBMC reached growth
      maximum at 0.5 nM T3 when stimulated by phytohemagglutinin in both groups. At
      higher concentrations of T3 the effect declined in the control group, but the
      response of uremic PBMC was constant. The response to T3 of pokeweed mitogen
      stimulated PBMC was lower in the uremic patients. The production of prostaglandin
      E2 by PBMC was higher in the uremic patients than in the controls. T3 had no
      effect on prostaglandin E2 production. Indomethacin alone and in combination with
      T3 had a stimulatory effect on cell growth in the patient group. T3 had no effect
      on the release of interleukin 2 by PBMC. An additive effect of interleukin 2 and
      T3 was observed in cultures stimulated by suboptimal concentrations of the
      mitogens. In conclusion, the impaired growth of PBMC in serum-free cultures from
      uremic patients was enhanced, however, not normalized, by external addition of
      T3, inhibition of prostaglandin E2 synthesis, and addition of interleukin 2.

PMID- 1415376
TI  - Crescentic glomerulonephritis in children: a review of 43 cases.
AB  - Forty-three children with crescentic glomerulonephritis (GN), having large
      crescents in more than 50% of the glomeruli, were observed during a period of 22
      years. There were 17 boys and 26 girls between the ages of 3.5 and 14 years (mean
      8.7 +/- 2.6). Thirty-one patients (72%) presented with acute nephritic features
      and increasing renal insufficiency (rapidly progressive GN) whereas 12 had an
      insidious onset with nephrotic syndrome, or rarely with nonspecific symptoms.
      Eleven patients had evidence of poststreptococcal GN and 6 an underlying systemic
      disorder. Renal biopsy showed large crescents in greater than 80% of the
      glomeruli in 38 cases (100% in 28) which were predominantly fibrocellular or
      fibrous in 80% of the patients. Nineteen patients (44%) were treated with
      prednisolone, cyclophosphamide and dipyridamole; in addition, 8 were also given
      anticoagulants. Six patients received pulse doses of corticosteroids. In 23
      patients, there was inexorable progression of renal failure, 14 showed partial
      improvement but subsequently had varying degrees of renal insufficiency and in 6,
      there was recovery of renal function with normal levels of serum creatinine. Of
      the latter, 4 had received immunosuppressive anticoagulant therapy and 2 only
      supportive care. Of 11 patients with poststreptococcal crescentic GN, 7
      progressed to end-stage renal disease and 2 developed chronic renal
      insufficiency. Our findings confirm the poor outcome of crescentic GN in
      children, irrespective of the underlying etiology. In a small proportion of
      cases, the disorder may have an insidious onset and a slowly progressive course,
      but an equally grave prognosis.

PMID- 1415377
TI  - Subjective quality of life assessment in hemodialysis patients at different
      levels of hemoglobin following use of recombinant human erythropoietin.
AB  - The quality of life of 12 hemodialysis (HD) patients was assessed in a
      prospective, blinded, cross-over fashion before treatment with recombinant human
      erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) and at two different levels of hemoglobin (Hb, 9 and 12
      g/dl) by means of an interviewer-based questionnaire, the sickness impact profile
      (SIP). Patients were matched into two groups with no significant difference for
      age, weight, Hb (6.3 +/- 0.5, mean +/- SEM, group A, vs. 6.4 +/- 0.9 group B),
      length of hemodialysis or number of years of prior transplantation. SIP was
      assessed prior to treatment, after reaching the first target Hb (Hb 9 g/dl group
      A, 12 g/dl group B), after 4 months at that target Hb and after 4 months at the
      alternative target Hb for each group. For all patients, there was a highly
      significant improvement in quality of life as assessed by lower SIP scores
      between the initial and second assessments. This was evident for the physical
      (8.9 +/- 1.4 vs. 2.8 +/- 1.0; p less than 0.001) and psychosocial (14.9 +/- 3.9
      vs. 4.4 +/- 1.1; p less than 0.01) dimensions. Total scores (16.3 +/- 2.4 vs. 5.7
      +/- 0.9; p less than 0.001) showed similar changes, reflecting significant
      improvement in 10 of 12 possible categories between the first two assessments (p
      less than 0.05 to p less than 0.001). Improved scores were maintained but did not
      change appreciably after the 2nd assessment. There was no significant difference
      in any score (category, dimensional or total) obtained after 4 months at Hb 9
      g/dl compared to those after the same period at Hb 12 g/dl.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415378
TI  - Effect of exercise training on glomerular filtration rate of mice with various
      degrees of renal mass reduction.
AB  - We studied the effect of repeated heavy physical activity on glomerular
      filtration rate (GFR) in healthy, uninephrectomized and experimentally uremic
      mice. Exercise consisted of running uphill in the inner surface of a rotating
      cylinder in ideal environmental temperature. In the control groups, no extra
      physical activity was imposed. In sham-operated and nephrectomized mice, GFR rose
      significantly following training. By contrast, GFR did not change significantly
      in the exercised mice with experimental renal failure 24 h following the last
      exercise session. During the same period, no significant change was observed in
      GFR of any of the control groups. Following training in each experimental group,
      mean aortic blood pressure as well as fractional kidney weight (kidney
      weight/body weight) were not different from the respective controls. Our results
      indicate that the capacity to augment GFR by physical training is dependent upon
      the amount of remaining functional renal tissue.

PMID- 1415379
TI  - Erythropoietin resistance due to vitamin B12 deficiency. Case report and
      retrospective analysis of B12 levels after erythropoietin treatment.
AB  - We describe the first reported case of resistance to human recombinant
      erythropoietin (rhEPO) treatment caused by vitamin B12 deficiency in a chronic
      hemodialysis patient. Despite a normal B12 level before rhEPO treatment,
      resistant anemia together with a low B12 level and a megaloblastic bone marrow
      developed after only 8 months of rhEPO. There was a rapid reticulocyte response
      to B12 supplements, and transfusion requirements dropped from 2 units monthly to
      nothing. Atrophic gastritis was diagnosed through endoscopy and biopsy. Because
      of the fall in B12 level after 8 months of rhEPO treatment, we analyzed the
      results of routinely measured B12 levels in 30 hemodialysis patients treated with
      rhEPO, and found the mean B12 levels to be unchanged before and after rhEPO
      treatment. Although we found screening for B12 deficiency of little benefit, any
      patient with rhEPO resistance should have B12 levels tested, given the
      potentially serious extra-hematological effects of B12 deficiency.

PMID- 1415380
TI  - Hemolytic-uremic syndrome associated with ingestion of quinine.
AB  - Hemolytic-uremic syndrome following quinine ingestion is a newly described
      phenomenon, with just two previous descriptions of 4 cases in the literature. We
      describe a 5th case. The reaction may be mediated by the presence of antibodies
      reactive against platelets in the presence of quinine. Treatment has included use
      of plasma exchange, prednisone, aspirin, and dipyridamole. The patients have all
      regained some degree of renal function. However, it is unclear whether
      pharmacological treatment or spontaneous resolution is responsible for the
      improvement. Quinine-associated hemolytic-uremic syndrome probably occurs more
      often than is recognized. It is important to recognize this reaction when it
      occurs and to avoid further quinine exposure, since the reaction seems to be
      recurrent.

PMID- 1415381
TI  - Christian Friedrich Schonbein (1799-1868): from the perilous explosive guncotton
      to the salutary dialysis membranes.

PMID- 1415382
TI  - Delayed infectious complications of peritoneal dialysis catheters.

PMID- 1415383
TI  - Screening for congenital heart disease with the four-chamber view of the fetal
      heart.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine the efficacy of the four-chamber view
      of the fetal heart in routine ultrasonographic examination as a screening tool
      for congenital heart defects. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective cohort study compared
      the detection rate of congenital heart defects among 5336 pregnant women screened
      with the ultrasonographic four-chamber view of the fetal heart from 1987 through
      1989 with that among 3680 patients examined ultrasonographically without the four
      chamber view during the 2 preceding years (1985 through 1986). All patients were
      followed until delivery or termination of pregnancy, and clinical or autopsy
      confirmation of prenatal findings were obtained on all cases. RESULTS: The
      overall incidence of congenital heart diseases was 5.2 per 1000 (47/9016). During
      the years 1985 through 1986 15 neonates with congenital heart diseases were
      identified, seven of which were prenatally diagnosed (sensitivity 43%). During
      the period 1987 through 1989 a four-chamber view of the fetal heart was obtained
      in 95% of cases; 32 cases of congenital heart disease occurred, 26 of which were
      diagnosed antenatally (sensitivity 81%; p = 0.01). Two false-positive diagnoses
      were made during the second time period, giving a specificity of 99.9%.
      CONCLUSION: The four-chamber view of the fetal heart is easily obtained, does not
      significantly increase the duration of a routine ultrasonographic examination,
      and has an excellent sensitivity for the identification of congenital heart
      diseases.

PMID- 1415384
TI  - Transverse cerebellar diameter in twin gestations.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the significance of
      transverse cerebellar diameter measurements in twin pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN: A
      prospective, cross-sectional ultrasonographic study was done on 329 normal
      singleton fetuses and 47 normal twin pairs. Fetal biometric measurements
      including biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, femur
      length, and transverse cerebellar diameter were compared between concordant (n =
      13) and discordant (n = 11) twins. RESULTS: (1) There was no significant
      difference in transverse cerebellar diameter measurements between normal
      singleton and twin gestations. (2) There was no significant difference in
      transverse cerebellar diameter measurements in each twin pair. (3) Transverse
      cerebellar diameter was unaffected by the chorionicity or discordancy. (4)
      Predicted gestational age by transverse cerebellar diameter nomogram for
      singletons provided satisfactory correlation for twins. CONCLUSION: Transverse
      cerebellar diameter may be a useful predictor of gestational age and may be
      independent of discordant growth in twins.

PMID- 1415385
TI  - Fetuses with Down syndrome have disproportionately shortened frontal lobe
      dimensions on ultrasonographic examination.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to determine whether the frontal lobe is
      significantly smaller than normal in the Down syndrome fetus in midtrimester.
      STUDY DESIGN: Frontothalamic distance, measured from the inner table of the
      frontal bone to the posterior thalamus, and frontothalamic distance/biparietal
      diameter ratio were compared in 125 normal and 19 Down syndrome fetuses between
      16 and 21 weeks' gestation. RESULTS: In the Down syndrome group 52% had
      frontothalamic distance < 10th percentile. When the frontothalamic distance and
      the frontothalamic distance/biparietal diameter ratio were expressed as multiples
      of the normal median to eliminate variation caused by gestational age, the mean
      value of multiples of the median in Down syndrome fetuses was compared with the
      mean value of multiples of the median in normal fetuses and was found to be
      significantly smaller (p < 0.0019 and p < 0.0177, respectively). When an observed
      to-expected frontothalamic distance ratio of < or = 0.84 is used as a cutoff to
      screen for Down syndrome, sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive
      values of 21.2%, 95.2%, and 1.2%, respectively, are achieved in a population with
      a 1:270 risk. CONCLUSION: Frontal lobe dimension is significantly shortened in
      Down syndrome fetuses.

PMID- 1415386
TI  - The effect of improvement of umbilical artery absent end-diastolic velocity on
      perinatal outcome.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to analyze cases in which antenatal
      improvement of absent fetal umbilical artery end-diastolic velocity was detected
      and to correlate improvement with perinatal outcome. STUDY DESIGN: Forty cases of
      umbilical artery absent end-diastolic velocity in singleton pregnancies were
      retrospectively reviewed. Maternal characteristics and perinatal outcomes were
      compared in cases where improvement of end-diastolic velocity was diagnosed and
      those in which no improvement was detected. RESULTS: Eleven cases of absent end
      diastolic velocity showed antenatal improvement and were associated with more
      advanced gestational age at delivery, longer diagnosis-to-delivery interval,
      larger birth weights, and a lower incidence of neonatal death than those fetuses
      without antenatal improvement. CONCLUSION: Improvement of umbilical artery absent
      end-diastolic velocity can occur and is associated with improved pregnancy
      outcome when compared with patients without antenatal improvement of diastolic
      velocity.

PMID- 1415387
TI  - The influence of the post-Chernobyl fallout on birth defects and abortion rates
      in Austria.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We analyzed the influence of the radioactive fallout after the
      Chernobyl disaster on the rate and regional distribution of birth defects and
      abortion rates in southern Austria. STUDY DESIGN: During 1985 to 1989 a total of
      66,743 births was monitored. Twelve sources provided data on 1695 cases of birth
      defects, 1579 of which were suitable for analysis. All cases were analyzed in
      terms of their calculated conception date and divided into three main groups
      according to their vulnerable phase of embryogenesis, spermatogenesis, and
      oogenesis. To study possible regional changes, the findings were plotted in 17
      political subdistricts. The overall abortion rate and the counseling frequency at
      termination clinics was determined. RESULTS: No significant changes in the
      incidence of birth defects, abortion rate, or counseling rate at pregnancy
      termination clinics were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Assessing the teratologic
      potential of low-dose radiation is difficult and requires adequate grouping of
      birth defects, sufficient baseline data, and highly reliable registries.

PMID- 1415388
TI  - Outcome of antenatally diagnosed cystic adenomatoid malformations.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Twenty-two cases of antenatally diagnosed congenital cystic
      adenomatoid malformations are reported. STUDY DESIGN: Case management is
      reviewed. RESULTS: Eighteen women continued pregnancy after diagnosis. In nine
      cases nonimmune hydrops fetalis did not develop and all infants survived.
      Nonimmune hydrops fetalis developed in the other nine; fetal intervention was
      performed in eight cases. In the single case of nonimmune hydrops fetalis without
      intervention, the neonate died. In four cases aspiration of macrocystic lesions
      was performed. In two cases cystoamniotic shunts were placed. Neither aspiration
      or shunting provided long-term benefit. In six cases fetal lobectomy was
      ultimately performed and four survived. Two fetuses did not undergo in utero
      surgery; one was delivered prematurely after cyst aspiration and lived, and the
      other previable fetus was delivered soon after shunting. CONCLUSIONS: Fetal
      survival is best related to development of nonimmune hydrops fetalis. Aspiration
      of cystic lesions and cystoamniotic shunts generally provide short-term benefit.
      Early experience with fetal surgery for congenital cystic adenomatoid
      malformations has been encouraging.

PMID- 1415389
TI  - The natural interleukin-1 receptor antagonist prevents interleukin-1-induced
      preterm delivery in mice.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Interleukin-1 has been implicated in the mechanisms responsible for
      preterm parturition in the setting of intrauterine infection. This cytokine is
      produced by human decidua, stimulates prostaglandin production by intrauterine
      tissues, and induces preterm parturition in mice. The purpose of this study was
      to determine whether pretreatment with the natural interleukin-1 receptor
      antagonist can block interleukin-1-induced preterm parturition in mice. STUDY
      DESIGN: Balb/CJ female mice impregnated by B6D2 F-1 male mice were randomly
      allocated to one of the following treatment groups: (1) saline solution (n = 15),
      (2) human recombinant interleukin-1 alpha or human recombinant interleukin-1 beta
      (n = 12), (3) human recombinant interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (n = 13), and
      (4) human recombinant interleukin-1 receptor antagonist plus human recombinant
      interleukin-1 (n = 24). RESULTS: An interleukin-1 dose of 10 micrograms per mouse
      induced preterm parturition in all cases. Pretreatment with interleukin-1
      receptor antagonist (dose 1 mg per animal) prevented interleukin-1-induced
      preterm parturition. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist administration was not
      associated with demonstrable side effects including behavioral changes, vaginal
      bleeding, duration of pregnancy, and pregnancy outcome. CONCLUSION: Our results
      suggest that interleukin-1-induced preterm delivery in mice is mediated by the
      interleukin-1 receptor.

PMID- 1415390
TI  - Study of thromboxane and prostacyclin metabolism in an in vitro model of first
      trimester human trophoblast.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of our study was to establish an in vitro tissue culture
      system to study eicosanoid metabolism in first-trimester trophoblastic tissue.
      Thromboxane A2, a potent vasoconstrictor, and prostacyclin, a potent vasodilator,
      were analyzed to evaluate their production in early pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN:
      Trophoblastic tissue was obtained via transabdominal chorionic villous sampling
      from 33 pregnancies at 9 to 12 weeks' gestation for cytogenetic diagnosis.
      Initially, tissue obtained from the cytogenetics lab was morphologically
      consistent with villous core cells. Through altering cell density and passage,
      the cells became morphologically consistent with cytotrophoblasts. The cell lines
      were exposed to arachidonic acid (50 mumol/L) and aspirin (1 to 100 mumol/L) for
      24 hours. Thromboxane B2 and 6-keto prostaglandin F2 alpha were measured by
      radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Villous core cells and cytotrophoblasts increased
      production of thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin in the presence of arachidonic acid
      (p < 0.002). The villous core cells produced more thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin
      than cytotrophoblasts (p < 0.02). A significant inhibition of both thromboxane A2
      and prostacyclin production was seen in the presence of 100 mumol/L aspirin in
      both cell types (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This model may be useful for studying
      placental function in the first trimester because individual placental
      compartments can be evaluated in tissue culture. At the cellular level we were
      not able to detect a preferential decrease in thromboxane A2 production in the
      presence of aspirin (1 to 100 mumol/L).

PMID- 1415391
TI  - Endothelium-derived relaxing factor inhibition augments vascular angiotensin II
      reactivity in the pregnant rat hind limb.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to determine whether endothelium-derived
      relaxing factor plays a role in the blunting of maternal vascular reactivity in
      pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: We measured the concentration-pressor responses to
      norepinephrine (10(-8) to 10(-4) mol/L and angiotensin II (10(-10) to 10(-6)
      mol/L) in isolated, perfused hind limbs of nonpregnant and pregnant (postmating
      day 20 to 21) normotensive Wistar-Kyoto and spontaneously hypertensive rats. The
      hind limbs were perfused at 4 ml/min with Krebs-Ringer solution containing
      indomethacin (10(-5) mol/L to inhibit prostaglandin production and were either
      infused with N omega-monomethyl-L-arginine (10(-4) mol/L), a specific inhibitor
      of endothelium-derived relaxing factor synthesis, or 0.9% saline solution
      (untreated). RESULTS: Baseline perfusion pressure was similar in the nonpregnant
      and pregnant hind limbs of both strains, and N omega-monomethyl-L-arginine had no
      effect on perfusion pressure. Norepinephrine induced similar pressor responses in
      the nonpregnant and pregnant hind limbs of both strains, and N omega-monomethyl-L
      arginine did not alter these responses. Angiotensin II pressor responses were
      significantly attenuated in the pregnant rat hind limbs compared with the
      nonpregnant rat hind limbs. N omega-monomethyl-L-arginine enhanced the
      angiotensin II responses in the pregnant, but not in the nonpregnant, rat hind
      limbs. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that rat pregnancy is not associated with
      generalized refractoriness to all vasoconstrictors and that endothelium-derived
      relaxing factor plays a role in attenuating vascular reactivity to angiotensin
      II.

PMID- 1415392
TI  - The effect of tocolytic agents (indomethacin and terbutaline) on fetal breathing
      and body movements: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
      clinical trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The null hypothesis of this study is that maternal administration of
      indomethacin or terbutaline will not affect fetal breathing and body movements.
      STUDY DESIGN: Thirty patients with a low-risk pregnancy, gestational age 26 to 32
      weeks, and no signs of preterm labor were randomly assigned to receive either
      terbutaline (5 mg), indomethacin (50 mg), or a placebo. Ultrasonographic
      evaluation of fetal breathing and body movements was performed for 1 hour before
      and 1 hour after treatment. The total amount of time of fetal breathing and body
      movements in each group was subject to statistical analysis that included
      analysis of variance and covariance and a multiple comparison procedure. RESULTS:
      Indomethacin increased fetal breathing from 20.8 +/- 13.1 minutes to 42.2 +/-
      14.8 minutes (p < 0.01), whereas terbutaline increased fetal breathing movements
      from 19.8 +/- 9.0 minutes to 35.2 +/- 12.4 minutes (p < 0.01). No significant
      treatment effect was detected on fetal body movements. CONCLUSION: Between 26 and
      32 weeks' gestation, a single dosage of indomethacin or terbutaline increases
      fetal breathing movements by 103% and 78%, respectively.

PMID- 1415393
TI  - The effect of maternal intravenous glucose administration on fetal activity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The study was designed to objectively evaluate the effect of maternal
      intravenous glucose infusion on fetal activity. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-one
      volunteers at 30.7 +/- 3.0 weeks' gestation were objectively evaluated for fetal
      activity with a Doppler monitor before and during an intravenous glucose test.
      Baseline fetal activity monitoring began 10 minutes before a fasting blood
      glucose level was obtained. A standard 1-hour intravenous glucose tolerance test
      was then performed, and fetal activity monitoring was continued for the duration
      of the test. Twenty-one women at 29.8 +/- 3.0 weeks' gestation volunteered to
      serve as controls and were continuously monitored for fetal activity. The control
      patients did not receive intravenous glucose. RESULTS: Linear regression analysis
      revealed an increase in fetal activity in both groups; however, the increase in
      the glucose infusion group was significantly greater than in the control group.
      CONCLUSIONS: Maternal glucose infusion causes short-term stimulation of fetal
      activity; however, some other factor in the monitoring process also stimulates
      fetal activity.

PMID- 1415394
TI  - Fetal blood sampling in human immunodeficiency virus--seropositive women before
      elective midtrimester termination of pregnancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To explore the diagnostic potential of fetal blood sampling in the
      prenatal diagnosis of intrauterine human immunodeficiency virus infection and to
      investigate the transplacental transfer of human immunodeficiency virus antibody
      and p24 antigen in the second trimester of pregnancy, we studied serum and
      amniotic fluid obtained from 13 seropositive women and their fetuses before
      elective termination of pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay, Western blot antibody analyses, and p24 antigen assays were performed on
      all samples. RESULTS: Human immunodeficiency virus antibody was detected by
      enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis in aliquots of
      maternal serum, amniotic fluid, and fetal serum from all 13 pregnancies. Each
      mother-fetus pair had identical antibody banding patterns. In contrast, p24
      antigen was found in the maternal serum and amniotic fluid samples from five of
      13 women (38%) and in serum from only three of 13 fetuses (23%). CONCLUSIONS: We
      conclude that fetal blood sampling, if combined with sophisticated serologic
      analysis, may have the potential to provide the diagnosis of congenital infection
      with human immunodeficiency virus. The correlation of immunologic, virologic, and
      molecular biologic methods with subsequent infant outcome and risk of iatrogenic
      infection of the fetus remains to be determined.

PMID- 1415395
TI  - Prevalence and prognostic significance of anticardiolipin antibodies in
      pregnancies complicated by human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Anticardiolipin antibodies are estimated to occur in 2.2% of all
      pregnancies and are associated with adverse outcomes including thrombotic events,
      fetal wastage, intrauterine growth retardation, and preterm delivery. We studied
      32 human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive gravidas (1) to determine the
      prevalence of anticardiolipin antibodies in pregnant women infected with human
      immunodeficiency virus-1 and (2) to investigate the association between the
      presence of anticardiolipin antibodies and pregnancy outcome, disease status, and
      perinatal transmission of human immunodeficiency virus-1. STUDY DESIGN: Serum
      samples obtained at the first prenatal visit were analyzed for anticardiolipin
      immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
      Relevant antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum data, including maternal CD4+
      lymphocyte subsets, human immunodeficiency virus p24 antigen determinations,
      Venereal Disease Research Laboratory test, hematocrit, platelet counts, and
      placental pathologic tissue of the anticardiolipin antibody-positive and
      anticardiolipin antibody-negative groups were compared. RESULTS: Test results for
      17 (53%) of patients were positive for anticardiolipin antibody: 4 had only
      immunoglobulin M, 1 had only immunoglobulin G, and the remaining 12 had both
      antibodies. The patients in the anticardiolipin antibody-positive group were
      delivered of infants with a mean gestational age of 39 weeks and mean birth
      weight of 2983 gm. In the anticardiolipin antibody-negative group 15 deliveries
      had a mean gestational age of 36.3 weeks and a mean birth weight of 2330 gm.
      CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that there is a high prevalence of anticardiolipin
      antibodies in patients who have human immunodeficiency virus, which is not
      associated with adverse maternal or neonatal outcome, maternal human
      immunodeficiency virus status, or perinatal transmission of human
      immunodeficiency virus-1.

PMID- 1415396
TI  - Infection and labor. VIII. Microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity in patients
      with suspected cervical incompetence: prevalence and clinical significance.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and clinical
      significance of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity in patients presenting
      with cervical dilatation in the midtrimester of pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN:
      Amniocentesis for microbial studies was performed in women admitted with cervical
      dilatation > or = 2 cm, intact membranes, and without active labor between 14 and
      24 weeks of gestation. Amniotic fluid was cultured for aerobic and anaerobic
      bacteria, as well as for mycoplasmas. Gram stain was performed on all samples.
      RESULTS: The prevalence of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity was 51.5%
      (17/33). The most common microbial isolates were Ureaplasma urealyticum,
      Gardnerella vaginalis, Candida albicans, and Fusobacterium sp. All patients with
      microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity had complications. Patients who
      underwent cervical cerclage in the presence of a positive amniotic fluid culture
      had rupture of membranes, clinical chorioamnionitis, or pregnancy loss. On the
      other hand, the prognosis of patients with a negative amniotic fluid culture was
      better than that of patients with a positive culture. Of 16 patients with a
      negative amniotic culture, nine were delivered at > 34 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: (1)
      Microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity occurs frequently in women presenting
      with cervical dilatation in the midtrimester; (2) the microbiologic state of the
      amniotic cavity is an important prognostic factor for pregnancy outcome; (3)
      amniocentesis to determine the microbiologic characteristics of the amniotic
      cavity should be considered before a cerclage is placed in women presenting with
      cervical dilatation in the midtrimester.

PMID- 1415398
TI  - Obstetric parameters affecting success in a trial of labor: designation of a
      scoring system.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We sought to characterize risk factors in patients undergoing trial
      of labor after previous cesarean section and to determine whether a subset of
      patients at high risk of having an unsuccessful trial of labor consequently
      suffer greater morbidity. STUDY DESIGN: A 13-month chart review analyzed 264
      labors with documented transverse lower uterine segment scars. Historic and
      physical examination variables were recorded, and a scoring system was
      constructed to evaluate successful vaginal delivery after cesarean. RESULTS:
      Successful vaginal delivery occurred in 192 patients, resulting in a rate of
      vaginal birth after cesarean of 72.7%. Four variables significantly lower the
      rate of vaginal birth after cesarean. Of patients scoring 0 (no variables
      present), 91.5% were successfully delivered vaginally. Scores of 1, 2, and 3 to 4
      were associated with the success of vaginal birth after cesarean in 73.9%, 66.7%,
      and 46.1% of patients, respectively. A score of 3 to 4 did not increase maternal
      or fetal morbidity in trial-of-labor patients. CONCLUSION: We constructed a
      scoring system to evaluate the success of vaginal birth after cesarean. Trial of
      labor in the subset of patients with the lowest success rate does not increase
      morbidity.

PMID- 1415397
TI  - Human immunodeficiency virus infection among inner-city adolescent parturients
      undergoing routine voluntary screening, July 1987 to March 1991.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to describe the human immunodeficiency
      virus epidemic among pregnant adolescents undergoing follow-up in a large inner
      city hospital. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a case-control study comparing
      demographic and risk behaviors of seropositive and seronegative adolescents (aged
      13 to 20) identified from a population undergoing routine voluntary antibody
      screening at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, between July 1987 and
      March 1991. RESULTS: Of 10,794 pregnant adolescents screened, 51 (4.7/1000) were
      infected with human immunodeficiency virus. More than one fourth of case patients
      were < or = 17 years old. Significantly more case patients than controls reported
      a history of crack cocaine use (10 [19.6%] vs 23 [8.2%] p < 0.05). A majority
      (58.8%) of case patients reported no risk factors for infection, and the
      remainder (41.2%) were presumably infected by heterosexual contact. Thirty-nine
      controls (13.8%) had self-identified risk factors for infection. CONCLUSIONS:
      Pregnant adolescents in our center are at risk for human immunodeficiency virus
      infection and should be targeted for human immunodeficiency virus education and
      risk reduction counseling.

PMID- 1415399
TI  - Early repair of episiotomy dehiscence associated with infection.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to examine early repair of episiotomy
      dehiscences in a large urban hospital setting serving a predominantly indigent
      population. STUDY DESIGN: Since September 1, 1989, we have proceeded with early
      repair in the immediate postpartum period. The medical records of 34 of 35
      patients who underwent early repair were reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 34 patients,
      21 (62%) had midline and 13 (38%) had mediolateral episiotomies. Dehiscence was
      associated with episiotomy infection in 27 (79%) of the 34 patients: 18 (86%) in
      the midline group and 9 (69%) in the mediolateral group. Repair was accomplished
      from 3 to 13 days (mean = 6.4) after dehiscence. Successful repairs were
      accomplished in 32 (94%) of 34 patients. Two (6%) patients with initial third
      degree episiotomies had a subsequent breakdown of their repairs and were allowed
      to heal by secondary intention. CONCLUSIONS: Although most dehiscences in our
      population were associated with infection, early repair in this population is
      associated with a satisfactory outcome in the vast majority.

PMID- 1415400
TI  - Transverse uterine incision closure: one versus two layers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Closure of a low transverse cesarean incision with one layer of suture
      results in less operating time, better hemostasis, and less infectious morbidity
      than a two-layer closure. STUDY DESIGN: At our institution 906 women were
      randomized to closure of a low transverse cesarean incision with either one
      continuous layer of a locking No. 1 chromic suture and a CTX needle (n = 457) or
      two continuous layers of No. 1 chromic suture with the first layer locked (n =
      449). The Student t test, chi 2 test of proportion, and Wilcoxon rank sum test
      were used to compare groups of patients. RESULTS: A one-layer closure required
      less operative time, 43.8 versus 47.5 minutes (p = 0.0003). Fewer additional
      uterine hemostatic sutures were required in 369 women in whom either the one- (n
      = 179) or the two-layer (n = 190) closure did not achieve hemostasis (p = 0.046).
      Endometritis was similar in both groups, 83 (22%) in the one-layer group versus
      65 (18%) in the two-layer group (p = 0.17). In no outcome assessment was the two
      layer closure superior to the one-layer closure. CONCLUSION: We recommend a one
      layer closure when its use is anatomically feasible.

PMID- 1415401
TI  - Antepartum management of triplet gestations.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We evaluated an alternative approach to the management of triplet
      gestations that did not include home uterine monitoring, prophylactic tocolysis,
      or routine antepartum hospitalization. STUDY DESIGN: Fifteen patients were
      managed over a 42-month period by an antepartum protocol that emphasized patient
      education regarding signs and symptoms of preterm labor, weekly prenatal visits
      after 24 weeks' gestation with cervical examination, and increased rest in an
      outpatient setting. Tocolytic therapy was only used for regular uterine
      contractions when cervical change was documented. RESULTS: Nine of 15 (60%)
      patients with management in this uniform manner were delivered at > or = 35
      weeks' gestation, and six patients (40%) completed 37 weeks of pregnancy. Only
      five patients (33%) received tocolytic therapy. The mean birth weight was 1957 +/
      488 gm, and only 19 of 45 neonates (42%) were admitted to the intensive care
      nursery. CONCLUSION: This management scheme was effective in reducing preterm
      delivery and thereby optimizing perinatal outcome.

PMID- 1415402
TI  - The development and testing of new instruments for operative vaginal delivery.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Little innovation has occurred in recent years in the instruments
      available for operative vaginal delivery. The purpose of this study is to develop
      a technique to test the utility of an investigational device, the obstetric
      bonnet, and measure the forces it places on the fetal head. STUDY DESIGN: We
      constructed a model of the fetal head capable of measuring both compression and
      vacuum created by an applied device. A total of 18 devices were tested to a
      maximum traction of 60 pounds. RESULTS: A significant linear relationship exists
      between the traction applied and the compression (R2 = 0.42, p = 0.0004) and
      vacuum (R2 = 0.85, p = 0.0001) created. Compression and vacuum recorded at
      maximum recommended traction were 1.1 lb/sq in and 31 cm Hg, respectively.
      CONCLUSION: These findings explain the mechanics of this interesting device, and
      demonstrate forces that compare favorably with those known to occur with forceps
      or vacuum extraction.

PMID- 1415403
TI  - Effect of angular traction on the performance of modern vacuum extractors.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to describe the effect of off-axis traction on the
      performance of modern vacuum extractors. STUDY DESIGN: Eight vacuum extractors
      were examined in the laboratory with a force indicator and fetal cephalic model.
      Devices evaluated included the 6 cm Malmstrom, Mity-Vac, M-Type, O'Neil,
      Posterior, Silc, Tender-Touch, and silicone elastomer. Maximal tractive force
      (pop-off) was measured for each device at 10-degrees increments from the
      vertical. RESULTS: Multivariate regression analysis described the best model as
      follows: Maximal tractive force = Constant + Angle + Vacuum (p < 0.05). The
      partial regression coefficients for angle were negative in all devices except the
      Posterior cup. At increasing angles of off-axis traction, maximal tractive force
      decreased in the following order: Silc, silicone elastomer, Tender-Touch, M-Type,
      Mity-Vac, O'Neill, Malmstrom, and Posterior. CONCLUSIONS: Application of oblique
      traction resulted in a linear decline in maximal tractive force. An understanding
      of in vitro performance may allow tailoring of cup selection to the clinical
      situation.

PMID- 1415404
TI  - How frequently should the amniotic fluid index be repeated?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine the most appropriate interval for
      assessing amniotic fluid volume with amniotic fluid index. STUDY DESIGN: In a
      retrospective analysis amniotic fluid indexes performed every 3 to 4 days in
      antepartum testing patients were compared with their follow-up values. Of 10,742
      amniotic fluid indexes there were 7393 with follow-up values within 4 days. The
      results were stratified by current amniotic fluid index, gestational age, and
      concurrent nonstress test results. The groups were compared with chi 2 analysis.
      RESULTS: Patients with normal amniotic fluid index (> or = 8 cm) had a 0.54%
      chance of oligohydramnios developing in the next 4 days. Those patients with low
      normal amniotic fluid indexes (5 to 8 cm) had a 5% chance of oligohydramnios
      developing within the next 4 days, and patients with low amniotic fluid indexes
      (< or = 5 cm) had a 59% chance of persistent oligohydramnios 4 days after the
      index examination. Subdividing by gestational age demonstrated that patients > or
      = 41 weeks' gestation had a 2.6% chance of oligohydramnios developing within 4
      days if current amniotic fluid index was between 8 and 15 cm. Results of
      concurrent fetal heart rate findings did not appear to change the risk for
      development of oligohydramnios. CONCLUSION: In patients < 41 weeks' gestation
      with normal amniotic fluid indexes, a repeat amniotic fluid index is not
      necessary for 7 days.

PMID- 1415405
TI  - Amnioinfusion does not affect the length of labor.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine whether amnioinfusion prolongs or
      shortens the length of labor in patients who have an accepted indication for
      amnioinfusion. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective post hoc analysis of
      the length of labor of 437 patients who were enrolled in three prospective,
      randomized, controlled studies of amnioinfusion. RESULTS: The length of labor was
      not significantly different for patients who received amnioinfusion compared with
      those who did not receive amnioinfusion (control group). Among the subgroup with
      vaginal delivery, the duration of labor after amnioinfusion did not differ from
      the duration of labor among the controls. The length of labor (mean +/- SD, in
      hours) for the amnioinfusion group was 9.3 +/- 6.3 versus 10.6 +/- 6.9 for the
      control groups (p not significant). Among the subgroup that required cesarean
      delivery, the duration of labor after amnioinfusion did not differ from the
      duration of labor among the controls. The length of labor (mean +/- SD, in hours)
      in patients requiring cesarean delivery in the amnioinfusion group was 11.1 +/-
      6.3 versus 13.0 +/- 7.5 for the control group (p not significant). CONCLUSION:
      Amnioinfusion does not prolong or shorten the length of labor among patients who
      have an accepted indication for the treatment.

PMID- 1415406
TI  - Position of the vibroacoustic stimulator does not affect fetal response.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to compare the fetal response to the
      vibroacoustic stimulation test when applied alternately over the fetal vertex or
      breech. STUDY DESIGN: Two hundred five patients with a nonreactive nonstress test
      after 10 minutes were prospectively randomized to receive the vibroacoustic
      stimulation test over the fetal vertex (n = 115) or the fetal breech (n = 90).
      Fetal heart rate reactivity was evaluated. Two patient subsets were evaluated for
      fetal movement (n = 37) and the fetal startle response (n = 20) after the
      vibroacoustic stimulation test. RESULTS: Virtually identical fetal heart rate
      responses and increases in fetal movement were observed after vibroacoustic
      stimulation over the fetal vertex or breech. The fetal startle response was
      uniformly observed in both groups. CONCLUSION: Vibroacoustic stimulation over the
      fetal breech elicits an identical short-term fetal response compared with
      stimulation over the fetal vertex, potentially reducing the intensity of sound
      exposure at the fetal ear.

PMID- 1415407
TI  - Fetal heart rate accelerations, fetal movement, and fetal behavior patterns in
      twin gestations.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have shown that twins, when monitored simultaneously,
      show a remarkably high incidence of coincident fetal heart rate accelerations
      (about 58%). The current study examines synchrony of behavior patterns in twins.
      STUDY DESIGN: We examined 37 fetal monitor strips from 15 sets of twins with
      simultaneous fetal heart rate and fetal movement recorded by means of Doppler
      techniques (Toitu MT-430 fetal actocardiograph). The strips were analyzed for
      coincidence of fetal heart rate accelerations and fetal movement episodes and
      then conceptually for synchrony of fetal behavior patterns on the basis of
      descriptions of behavioral states by Prechtl. RESULTS: Thirty-six percent of
      fetal heart rate accelerations were found to be simultaneous. Forty-three percent
      of movement epochs were considered simultaneous. We found that twins exhibited
      synchronous behavior patterns (basically sleep or awake state) 94.7% of the time.
      CONCLUSION: Twin-twin interactions are more consistently related than suspected
      when observation is limited to heart rate alone, and the synchrony and role of
      fetal behavior states must be considered when twin interactions and behavior are
      studied.

PMID- 1415408
TI  - Birth weight threshold for postponing preterm birth.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The study was designed to determine the birth weight threshold at
      which obstetric efforts intended to delay delivery might potentially improve
      rates of neonatal morbidity and mortality among pregnancies delivered after
      spontaneous preterm labor or rupture of the membranes. STUDY DESIGN: We studied
      1147 singleton infants with birth weights between 1000 and 2499 gm and whose only
      complication was spontaneous preterm labor or preterm rupture of the membranes.
      The Mantel-Haenszel chi 2 statistic was used to evaluate trends for neonatal
      mortality and several indexes of morbidity. RESULTS: The birth weight threshold
      for neonatal mortality was 1600 gm (p < 0.001). For neonatal morbidity the
      threshold was between 1600 and 1900 gm (p < 0.008). CONCLUSION: Aggressive
      obstetric attempts to prevent preterm birth for infants whose weights exceed 1900
      gm offers few apparent potential benefits.

PMID- 1415409
TI  - Laparoscopic electrosurgical oophorectomy: risk of using "blanching" as the end
      point.

PMID- 1415410
TI  - Subchorionic hematoma and autoantibodies: is there a relation?

PMID- 1415411
TI  - Is the glucose challenge test really unnecessary?

PMID- 1415412
TI  - Composite assessment of gestational age.

PMID- 1415413
TI  - Anticardiolipin tests in healthy pregnant women.

PMID- 1415414
TI  - Oral magnesium chloride for the prevention of recurrent preterm labor.

PMID- 1415415
TI  - The dosing of subcutaneous terbutaline pump tocolytic therapy is critical.

PMID- 1415416
TI  - Milrinone use in the pregnant ewe.

PMID- 1415417
TI  - The natural interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in term and preterm parturition.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Interleukin-1 has been implicated in the mechanisms responsible for
      preterm labor in the setting of infection. The interleukin-1 receptor antagonist
      is a new member of the interleukin-1 gene family that inhibits the biologic
      effects of interleukin-1 by blocking its receptors. Reduction of interleukin-1
      induced prostaglandin production by intrauterine tissues may have potential value
      in the treatment of preterm labor associated with infection. The purpose of these
      studies was (1) to determine interleukin-1 receptor antagonist levels in the
      amniotic fluid of women with term and preterm labor (with and without infection)
      and (2) to study the effects of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist on interleukin
      1-induced prostaglandin biosynthesis by human amnion and chorion. STUDY DESIGN:
      Amniotic fluid was obtained from women in the midtrimester of pregnancy (n = 20),
      at term pregnancy (with and without labor, n = 69), and in preterm labor (n =
      47). Fluid was cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and Mycoplasmas.
      Interleukin-1 alpha, interleukin-1 beta, and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist
      concentrations were measured by immunoassays previously validated for human
      amniotic fluid. The effect of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist on interleukin-1
      induced prostaglandin production by amnion and chorion was studied with primary
      cultures. Cells were incubated with interleukin-1 receptor antagonist and
      interleukin-1 alpha or interleukin-1 beta for 16 hours. Prostaglandin E2 released
      into the media was assayed by immunoassay. RESULTS: (1) Interleukin-1 receptor
      antagonist was present in all amniotic fluid samples; (2) amniotic fluid contains
      the highest interleukin-1 receptor antagonist concentrations detected in any
      biologic fluid to date; (3) amniotic fluid interleukin-1 receptor antagonist
      concentrations were not increased in women with preterm labor and intraamniotic
      infection in spite of dramatically elevated concentrations of interleukin-1 alpha
      and interleukin-1 beta in the same fluid (median 22 ng/ml and range 0.16 to 70
      for preterm labor with negative amniotic fluid culture vs median 30 ng/ml and
      range 6 to 70 for preterm labor with positive amniotic fluid culture; p > 0.05);
      (4) interleukin-1 receptor antagonist reduced interleukin-1 beta-induced
      prostaglandin E2 production by amnion and chorion in a dose-dependent manner; (5)
      interleukin-1 receptor antagonist by itself did not stimulate prostaglandin E2
      release by amnion and chorion when used in concentrations ranging from 0.1 to
      1000 ng/ml. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist is a physiologic
      component of amniotic fluid; (2) the release of interleukin-1 alpha and
      interleukin-1 beta into the amniotic fluid in women with preterm labor is not
      associated with an increase in interleukin-1 receptor antagonist levels in
      amniotic fluid; (3) interleukin-1 receptor antagonist reduces interleukin-1
      induced prostaglandin production by amnion and chorion; (4) exogenous
      anticytokine agents may be of value in the treatment of preterm labor.

PMID- 1415418
TI  - Neonatal periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage after maternal beta
      sympathomimetic tocolysis. The March of Dimes Multicenter Study Group.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine if the rate of periventricular
      intraventricular hemorrhage is increased in the offspring of women who received a
      beta-sympathomimetic agent as part of the management of preterm labor. STUDY
      DESIGN: This retrospective study consists of 2827 women who were delivered of a
      singleton, live infant free of congenital neurologic anomalies between 25 and 36
      completed weeks of gestation during a multicenter preterm birth prevention trial.
      The data were analyzed, adjusting for type of tocolytic agent, race, infant sex,
      gestational age, birth weight, health care center, route of delivery, indication
      for delivery, intrapartum fetal distress, respiratory distress syndrome, and
      neonatal sepsis. RESULTS: The overall incidence of periventricular
      intraventricular hemorrhage in this population was 5.6%. In a univariate analysis
      in which no adjustment was made for potentially confounding variables, beta
      sympathomimetic tocolysis was found to be associated with nearly a fourfold
      increase in the incidence of periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage when
      compared with the use of either magnesium sulfate or no tocolytic agent. The
      results of a multivariate regression analysis revealed that beta-sympathomimetic
      agents were associated with a statistically significant increase in the overall
      incidence of periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (odds ratio 2.47, 95%
      confidence interval 1.34 to 4.56, p = 0.004) and a similar, but not significant,
      increase in the incidence of grades 3 and 4 periventricular-intraventricular
      hemorrhage (odds ratio 2.50, 95% confidence interval 0.96 to 6.48, p = 0.06).
      CONCLUSION: beta-Sympathomimetic tocolytic therapy may be associated with a more
      than twofold increase in the incidence of neonatal periventricular
      intraventricular hemorrhage.

PMID- 1415419
TI  - A randomized prospective comparison of nifedipine and bed rest versus bed rest
      alone in the management of preeclampsia remote from term.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to test the hypothesis that treatment
      with nifedipine for mild preeclampsia remote from term reduces the number of days
      of maternal hospitalization and improves pregnancy outcome. STUDY DESIGN: A total
      of 200 patients at 26 to 36 weeks' gestation were randomly allocated to treatment
      with either bed rest alone (n = 100) or bed rest in combination with nifedipine
      (n = 100). RESULTS: Patients receiving nifedipine had significantly lower
      systolic (p < 0.0001) and diastolic (p < 0.0001) blood pressures during therapy.
      Severe hypertension as an indication for delivery was significantly (p < 0.05)
      more frequent in the bed-rest-alone group. The two study groups had similar
      average days of maternal hospitalization (12.6 +/- 7.9 vs 12.3 +/- 10.3) and
      pregnancy prolongation (22.3 +/- 13.5 vs 22.5 +/- 15.7). There were no
      differences between groups with respect to birth weight, incidences of small-for
      gestational-age infants and preterm birth, number of days spent in special care
      unit, or cord blood gas measurement. CONCLUSION: Nifedipine therapy for
      preeclampsia reduces maternal blood pressure but does not reduce number of days
      of maternal hospitalization or improve perinatal outcome.

PMID- 1415420
TI  - Magnesium pyrrolidone carboxylate infusion reduces angiotensin II pressor
      response in pregnant women at risk for hypertension.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to investigate the possible restoring action of
      magnesium on vascular sensitivity to angiotensin II in pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN:
      We studied intraplatelet free calcium and the pressor response to angiotensin II
      in 10 primigravid women (28 to 32 weeks' gestation) at risk for pregnancy induced
      hypertension on the basis of altered uteroplacental blood velocity waveforms at
      20 weeks' gestation, before and after the infusion of 1 gm of magnesium
      pyrrolidone carboxylate. After the effective pressor dose was achieved or a
      maximum of 32 ng/kg per minute was reached, we infused 1 gm magnesium pyrrolidone
      carboxylate and repeated the test. Intraplatelet free calcium was measured by
      means of fluorescent probes at the beginning and the end of both tests. RESULTS:
      Six women were classified as refractory to angiotensin II and four as sensitive
      (effective pressor dose < 10 ng/kg per minute). After magnesium pyrrolidone
      carboxylate infusion, the four sensitive women became refractory and the
      effective pressor dose was significantly enhanced to 32 in all six refractory
      women. Intracellular free calcium increased significantly during the first
      angiotensin II infusion, whereas after magnesium pyrrolidone carboxylate
      administration it did not change significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Magnesium
      pyrrolidone carboxylate enhances the vascular refractoriness and intracellular
      free calcium mediates the pressor response to angiotensin II in pregnancy.

PMID- 1415421
TI  - Second-trimester echogenic bowel and chromosomal abnormalities.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to examine the outcomes of pregnancies in which
      echogenic bowel was detected in the second trimester. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-two
      cases with a prospective diagnosis of echogenic bowel were reviewed. Karyotypic
      studies were performed in 19 cases, and 17 families had deoxyribonucleic acid
      based risk assessment for cystic fibrosis. The echogenicity of the bowel was
      retrospectively reviewed and graded as mild or bright. RESULTS: Five cases of
      trisomy 21 and one case of trisomy 18 were detected; four of these had other
      ultrasonographic abnormalities. Twenty-seven percent of fetuses with echogenic
      bowel were aneuploid. Risk was greatest for cases with brightly echogenic bowel.
      No cystic fibrosis mutations were detected. The diagnosis of echogenic bowel was
      reproducible. CONCLUSION: Brightly echogenic bowel in the second trimester was
      found to be associated with a significant risk of fetal aneuploidy.

PMID- 1415422
TI  - Circulating lymphocyte subsets in second- and third-trimester fetuses: comparison
      with newborns and adults.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to compare the relative sizes of circulating
      lymphocyte subsets in fetuses, newborns, and adults. STUDY DESIGN: Two-color flow
      cytometric analysis of lymphocyte cell surface markers was performed on blood
      from 64 fetuses, 22 newborns, and 67 normal adults. RESULTS: All three groups had
      similar percentages of CD3+ total T cells, CD4+ helper T cells, CD8+
      cytotoxic/suppressor T cells, and CD20+ B cells. Compared with adults, fetuses
      and newborns had markedly reduced percentages of CD57+ natural killer T cells and
      consistently increased percentages of CD5+CD20+ B cells. Most fetal and cord T
      and B lymphocytes expressed the activation marker CD38. CONCLUSIONS: Similarities
      and age-dependent differences exist among fetal, newborn, and adult circulating
      lymphocyte subsets. Lymphocyte marker analysis may prove useful in the detection
      of fetal infection and other complications of gestation.

PMID- 1415423
TI  - The effect of presentation and mode of delivery on neonatal outcome in the second
      twin.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine if cesarean delivery of the
      nonvertex second twin improved neonatal outcome. STUDY DESIGN: We examined the
      maternal and neonatal records from 457 sets of twins delivered from 1985 to 1990.
      We compared 1- and 5-minute Apgar scores, umbilical artery and vein blood pH
      values, duration of neonatal hospitalization, the incidence and length of
      ventilation, intraventricular hemorrhage, birth trauma, and mortality rate
      between vertex and nonvertex second twins delivered either vaginally or by
      cesarean section. RESULTS: The presentation and mode of delivery of the second
      twin was not associated with a significant difference in any of the outcome
      variables except for the 1-minute Apgar score, which was lower in the nonvertex
      group delivered vaginally. CONCLUSION: Our data do not support routine cesarean
      delivery for twins of any birth weight when the second twin is nonvertex.

PMID- 1415424
TI  - Do abnormal Starling forces cause fetal hydrops in red blood cell
      alloimmunization?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the current investigation was to ascertain whether
      derangements in umbilical venous pressure and plasma colloid osmotic pressure are
      involved in the pathophysiologic condition of immune hydrops fetalis. STUDY
      DESIGN: Umbilical venous pressure (corrected for ambient amniotic fluid pressure)
      and colloid osmotic pressure were measured during intravascular transfusion.
      Fetal hydrops was defined as the presence of ascites by ultrasonography. The Mann
      Whitney test was used for comparison of groups; a value of p < 0.05 was
      considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Fifteen hydropic fetuses were
      matched for gestational age with 15 nonhydropic fetuses also undergoing
      intrauterine transfusion for anemia. On comparison with their nonhydropic
      counterparts, hydropic fetuses had a statistically lower colloid osmotic
      pressure. Umbilical venous pressure was higher and the colloid osmotic pressure-
      umbilical venous pressure gradient was lower in association with fetal hydrops
      although these differences did not achieve statistical significance. CONCLUSION:
      Mild abnormalities of intravascular Starling forces may play a role in the
      formation of hydrops in anemic fetuses.

PMID- 1415425
TI  - Longitudinal changes in basal hepatic glucose production and suppression during
      insulin infusion in normal pregnant women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate basal endogenous glucose
      production and suppression during insulin infusion in normal pregnant women.
      STUDY DESIGN: This prospective, longitudinal study was conducted at the Medical
      Center Hospital of Vermont. Six healthy women were evaluated before conception
      and at 12 to 14 and 34 to 36 weeks' gestation. Body composition was estimated by
      hydrodensitometry. Basal endogenous glucose production was estimated with a
      primed constant infusion of 6-6 2H2 glucose, and suppression of endogenous
      glucose production was estimated with insulin infusion during a hyperinsulinemic
      euglycemic clamp. RESULTS: There was a significant (p = 0.02) 65% increase in
      fasting insulin concentration by late gestation. Moreover, there was a
      significant 30% (p = 0.0005) increase in basal endogenous glucose production
      (mg/min) with advancing gestation, which remained significant (p = 0.05) when
      corrected for fat-free mass. During insulin infusion endogenous glucose
      production was almost completely suppressed (i.e., > 90%) throughout gestation.
      CONCLUSIONS: There is a significant increase in basal endogenous glucose
      production at 34 to 36 weeks' gestation in spite of a significant increase in
      fasting insulin concentration. However, endogenous glucose production remains
      sensitive to insulin infusion throughout gestation.

PMID- 1415426
TI  - Tumor necrosis factor-alpha in midtrimester amniotic fluid is associated with
      impaired intrauterine fetal growth.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether abnormal immune system activation is involved
      in the pathogenesis of some instances of impaired fetal growth, we compared tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha levels in midtrimester amniotic fluid samples obtained from
      appropriate-for-gestational-age and small-for-gestational-age pregnancies. STUDY
      DESIGN: In a case-control study with the sensitive and specific WEHI cell assay,
      bioactive tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels in amniotic fluid samples from 24
      gestations resulting in small-for-gestational-age infants were compared with
      levels in 35 samples obtained from gestations resulting in the birth of a term,
      appropriate-for-gestational-age infant. The two groups were not significantly
      different with regard to indication for amniocentesis, maternal age, race,
      smoking history, parity, or other factors. RESULTS: Elevated amniotic fluid tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha activity was associated with small-for-gestational-age
      birth, p = 0.028. With a threshold of 10 pg/ml, elevated amniotic fluid tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha had a sensitivity of 48% for the detection of small-for
      gestational-age birth, with a specificity of 83%. CONCLUSION: Elevated tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha in midtrimester amniotic fluid is associated with impaired
      intrauterine fetal growth. Abnormal immune system activation, as manifested by
      increased amniotic fluid tumor necrosis factor-alpha activity, may mediate
      impaired fetal growth in some cases.

PMID- 1415427
TI  - Low-dose aspirin inhibits lipid peroxides and thromboxane but not prostacyclin in
      pregnant women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Preeclampsia is associated with an imbalance of increased thromboxane
      and decreased prostacyclin and an abnormal increase of lipid peroxides. Lipid
      peroxides are toxic compounds that damage cells and inhibit prostacyclin
      synthesis. Low-dose aspirin therapy reduces the incidence of preeclampsia,
      presumably by selective inhibition of thromboxane to restore a balance between
      thromboxane and prostacyclin. However, the effectiveness of low-dose aspirin
      might also relate to inhibition of lipid peroxides. STUDY DESIGN: To test this
      hypothesis, 10 women at risk of preeclampsia were placed on low-dose aspirin
      therapy (81 mg/day) between 9 and 34 weeks of gestation. Plasma samples were
      collected before and after 3 to 4 days and 3 to 4 weeks of aspirin therapy.
      Samples were analyzed for thromboxane and prostacyclin by radioimmunoassay of
      their stable metabolites, thromboxane B2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha, and
      for lipid peroxides by hydrogen peroxide equivalents. RESULTS: Low-dose aspirin
      significantly decreased (p < 0.05) both lipid peroxides (130 +/- 18 vs 92 +/- 11
      and 68 +/- 9 nmol/ml, mean +/- SE) and thromboxane (502 +/- 67 vs 138 +/- 67 and
      8 +/- 5 pg/ml), but it did not affect prostacyclin (55 +/- 10 vs 41 +/- 8 and 40
      +/- 11 pg/ml, p > 0.1). CONCLUSION: Low-dose aspirin selectively inhibits both
      lipid peroxides and thromboxane without affecting prostacyclin. Inhibition of
      both lipid peroxides and thromboxane by low-dose aspirin reveals a new mechanism
      of action and may account for its effectiveness in the prevention of
      preeclampsia.

PMID- 1415428
TI  - Cerebral imaging in eclampsia: magnetic resonance imaging versus computed
      tomography.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Our objectives were to study the cerebral pathophysiology of
      eclampsia with the noninvasive technique of magnetic resonance imaging to compare
      the ability of magnetic resonance imaging to detect cerebral abnormalities in
      eclampsia with that of computed tomography. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-four patients
      with eclampsia received both magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomographic
      scanning. RESULTS: Forty-six percent of the magnetic resonance imaging was
      abnormal and 33% of the computed tomography was abnormal. This higher incidence
      of abnormal magnetic resonance imaging scans was present in spite of the fact
      that they were obtained significantly longer after the patient's seizure
      activity. The most common abnormalities were cortisol, subcortical, and white
      matter edema. CONCLUSION: Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomographic
      scan abnormalities in eclampsia are usually similar. Cerebral imaging is not
      necessary in patients with uncomplicated eclampsia.

PMID- 1415429
TI  - Nifedipine treatment in preeclampsia reverts the increased erythrocyte
      aggregation to normal.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Our objectives were to assess erythrocyte aggregation in hypertensive
      pregnancy and to evaluate the effect of the antihypertensive treatment on it.
      STUDY DESIGN: The mean entity of erythrocyte aggregation was determined by an
      automatic aggregometer in 57 pregnant women: 20 normotensive, seven chronically
      hypertensive, 10 chronically hypertensive with superimposed preeclampsia, and 20
      with preeclampsia. Ten of the latter were subsequently treated by 40 mg/day oral
      nifedipine; the other 10 by 400 mg/day oral labetalol, to keep diastolic blood
      pressure < 90 mm Hg. Also, patients with superimposed preeclampsia were treated
      with 40 mg/day oral nifedipine. RESULTS: Erythrocyte aggregation was increased in
      all the hypertensive pregnant patients compared with the normotensive pregnant
      controls, regardless of both the onset (chronic or pregnancy-induced) of
      hypertension and the status of plasma macromolecules. Antihypertensive treatment
      with labetalol significantly reduced the aggregability of erythrocytes, whereas
      treatment with nifedipine reverted it to normal. CONCLUSIONS: Increased
      erythrocyte aggregation may be due to either conformational changes of the
      membrane occurring during hypertension or a redistribution of the ionic charges
      on the two surfaces of the membrane. The effect of nifedipine by restoring the
      ionic charges may be due to this latter event.

PMID- 1415430
TI  - Placental lipid peroxides and thromboxane are increased and prostacyclin is
      decreased in women with preeclampsia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: There is an imbalance of increased thromboxane and decreased
      prostacyclin in placentas of women with preeclampsia, but this may not be the
      only imbalance. There is also an abnormal increase in serum lipid peroxides in
      preeclamptic women. Lipid peroxides are toxic compounds that damage cells and
      inhibit prostacyclin synthesis. The following study examined lipid peroxides to
      determine if they were also increased in placentas of preeclamptic women. STUDY
      DESIGN: Placental tissue for nine normal and eight preeclamptic women were frozen
      in liquid nitrogen immediately after delivery. Frozen tissue samples (1 gm) were
      homogenized and analyzed for lipid peroxides by malondialdehyde and hydrogen
      peroxide equivalents and for thromboxane and prostacyclin by radioimmunoassay of
      their stable metabolites, thromboxane B2 and 6-keto prostaglandin F1 alpha.
      RESULTS: Lipid peroxides were significantly higher in preeclamptic placentas than
      in normal placentas by both analytic methods (49 +/- 5 vs 31 +/- 1 nmol/gm for
      malondialdehyde and 5.3 +/- 0.3 vs. 3.2 +/- 0.3 mumol/gm for hydrogen peroxide
      equivalent; mean +/- SE; p < 0.01, respectively). Thromboxane was significantly
      higher and prostacyclin significantly lower in preeclamptic placentas than in
      normal placentas (213 +/- 23 vs 158 +/- 14 ng/gm for thromboxane and 24 +/- 3 vs
      53 +/- 7 ng/gm for prostacyclin, p < 0.05). The thromboxane/prostacyclin and
      lipid peroxides/prostacyclin ratios were threefold higher in preeclamptic
      placentas than in normal placentas. CONCLUSION: Placental levels of both lipid
      peroxides and thromboxane are increased and prostacyclin decreased in
      preeclampsia. We speculate that abnormally increased levels of lipid peroxides in
      preeclamptic placentas may be a cause of decreased prostacyclin.

PMID- 1415431
TI  - Adult respiratory distress syndrome in pregnancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine the causes of adult respiratory
      distress syndrome in pregnancy, the treatment required, and maternal and
      perinatal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: We examined a case series of 16 patients with
      adult respiratory distress syndrome initially treated in an obstetric intensive
      care unit. Criteria for the diagnosis were respiratory distress requiring
      mechanical ventilation and a lung injury score > 2.5. RESULTS: The incidence of
      adult respiratory distress syndrome in pregnancy was 1 per 2893 deliveries,
      occurring primarily in the third trimester. The causes were infection (n = 8),
      preeclampsia/eclampsia (n = 4), hemorrhage (n = 2), thrombotic thrombocytopenic
      purpura (n = 1), and smoke inhalation (n = 1). Most patients (69%) were delivered
      before or soon after admission to our hospital. Multiple organ failure developed
      in 12 patients (75%). Complications of mechanical ventilation occurred in 81% of
      cases. Other complications of intensive care unit support were endocarditis,
      superior vena cava thrombosis, line sepsis, and bacteremia. Maternal mortality
      was 44%; perinatal mortality was 20%. CONCLUSIONS: Adult respiratory distress
      syndrome in pregnancy is associated with a maternal mortality similar to that of
      studies in the nonpregnant patient. The main causes in pregnancy are hemorrhage,
      infection, and toxemia. All maternal deaths occurred in patients with multiorgan
      failure.

PMID- 1415432
TI  - Perinatal outcome in pregnancy complicated by massive obesity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine the impact of massive obesity during
      pregnancy, defined as maternal weight > 300 pounds, on perinatal outcome. STUDY
      DESIGN: A case-controlled study was conducted. Between Jan. 1, 1986, and Dec. 31,
      1990, 111 pregnant women weighing > 300 pounds who were delivered at Long Beach
      Memorial Women's Hospital were identified with a perinatal data base search. A
      control group matched for maternal age and parity was selected, and perinatal
      variables were compared between groups. To control for potential confounding
      medical complications, massively obese patients with diabetes and/or chronic
      hypertension antedating the index pregnancy were excluded from the obese group,
      and the data were reanalyzed. The Student t test chi 2, and Fisher's exact
      statistical analysis were used where appropriate. RESULTS: Massively obese
      pregnant women are significantly more likely to have a multitude of adverse
      perinatal outcomes, including primary cesarean section (32.4% vs 14.3%, p =
      0.002), macrosomia (30.2% vs 11.6%, p = 0.0001), intrauterine growth retardation
      (8.1% vs 0.9%, p = 0.03), and neonatal admission to the intensive care unit
      (15.6% vs 4.5%, p = 0.01). They also are significantly more likely to have
      chronic hypertension (27.0% vs 0.9%, p < 0.0001) and insulin-dependent diabetes
      mellitus (19.8% vs 2.7%, p = 0.0001). However, when those massively obese
      pregnant women with diabetes and/or hypertension antedating pregnancy are
      excluded from analysis, no statistically significant differences in perinatal
      outcome persisted. CONCLUSION: Massively obese pregnant women are at high risk
      for adverse perinatal outcome; however, this risk appears to be related to
      medical complications of obesity.

PMID- 1415433
TI  - Severity of asthma and perinatal outcome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine the impact of asthma and its severity,
      as determined by medication requirements, on perinatal outcome. STUDY DESIGN: A
      case-controlled study was conducted. Among 30,940 live births at Long Beach
      Memorial Medical Center Women's Hospital, 183 deliveries occurred between Jan. 1,
      1985, and Dec. 31, 1990, that were coded for the diagnosis of asthma. Eighty-one
      that required the chronic use of medications to control their disease were
      identified. Thirty-one patients were steroid dependent and 50 were non-steroid
      medication dependent. A control group was randomly selected (excluding maternal
      transports), and selected perinatal variables were compared between groups.
      RESULTS: When compared with controls, steroid-dependent asthmatics were at
      significantly increased risk for gestational (1.5% vs 12.9%) and insulin
      requiring diabetes (0% vs 9.7%). Preterm delivery and preterm premature ruptured
      membranes occurred significantly more often in both asthmatic groups. Overall
      cesarean section rate was significantly increased in the non-steroid-medication
      dependent asthmatic group when compared with controls (56.0% vs 30.0%). Delivery
      by primary cesarean section was significantly more common in the steroid
      dependent group (38.7% vs 19.2%), and a strong trend was noted among the non
      steroid-medication-dependent patients (34.0% vs 19.2%). Cesarean delivery for
      fetal distress was also more common in these two asthmatic groups. Neonates born
      to both groups of asthmatic pregnant women were significantly more likely to be
      of birth weight < 2500 gm but did not have an increased frequency of intrauterine
      growth restriction. No significant differences in low 5-minute Apgar scores were
      found; however, neonates born to both steroid-dependent and non-steroid
      medication-dependent asthmatics were significantly more likely to be admitted to
      the neonatal intensive care unit (39.0% and 22.0% vs 7.7%). Preterm delivery and
      low birth weight were complications observed significantly more often in the
      steroid-dependent asthma group when compared with the non-steroid-medication
      dependent group (54.8% vs 14.0% and 45.2% vs 14.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Perinatal
      outcome is compromised in the pregnancy complicated by chronic medication
      dependent asthma. The extent is variable and is associated with disease severity,
      as measured by medication requirements.

PMID- 1415434
TI  - Pregnancy loss and thrombosis with protein C deficiency.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Protein C inhibits coagulation and promotes fibrinolysis. This study
      investigates the association between protein C deficiency and pregnancy loss,
      thrombosis in pregnancy, and thrombosis with oral contraception. STUDY DESIGN:
      Fifteen protein C--deficient patients and 37 controls from a single kindred were
      studied. An obstetric history was obtained by telephone. Data were analyzed by
      logistic regression, Fisher's exact test, and Student t test. RESULTS: Protein C-
      deficient women experienced a 33% pregnancy loss versus 19% in the controls (not
      significant). Thromboembolism during pregnancy in protein C--deficient women was
      33% (45% in those not receiving prophylactic anticoagulation) versus 5% in
      controls (odds ratio 7.37, p = 0.026). Five of 12 protein C--deficient women
      using oral contraception developed thrombosis versus 0 of 33 controls. The risk
      of thrombosis for protein C--deficient women using oral contraception is
      increased (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Perinatal outcome is not statistically
      different with protein C deficiency. Protein C deficiency increases the risk of
      thrombosis during pregnancy and with oral contraception. Prophylactic heparin is
      suggested during pregnancy for protein C--deficient women with personal or family
      histories of thrombosis. Oral contraception is not advised.

PMID- 1415435
TI  - The prevalence of sexual assault: a survey of 2404 puerperal women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was to determine the prevalence of
      sexual assault, to characterize pregnancy complications, and to report pregnancy
      outcomes of assault victims. STUDY DESIGN: Puerperal women (n = 2404) were
      interviewed regarding a history of forced sexual contact. Obstetric, medical, and
      forensic records were reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed by Student t
      test, chi 2 test, or Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: The lifetime prevalence of
      sexual assault in this obstetric population was 5% (n = 120). Rape victims had a
      higher incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (9% vs 4%, p < 0.01), urinary
      tract infections or vaginitis (32% vs 21%, p = 0.02), drug use (9% vs 2%, p <
      0.001), and multiple hospitalizations during the index pregnancy (15% vs 8%, p <
      0.01). There was no difference between victims and nonvictims in neonatal outcome
      as reflected by umbilical artery blood pH, gestational age, or birth weight.
      CONCLUSIONS: A history of sexual assault is common in an urban indigent obstetric
      population. These women have more frequent pregnancy complications but achieve
      normal pregnancy outcomes.

PMID- 1415436
TI  - Maternal characteristics, neonatal outcome, and the time of diagnosis of
      gestational diabetes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A study was undertaken to evaluate the yield of early, routine
      screening for gestational diabetes and to determine whether maternal
      characteristics and neonatal outcome differ according to the time of diagnosis.
      STUDY DESIGN: A total of 2776 women were screened before 24 weeks of gestation,
      and each was delivered of a singleton infant on the clinic service of Mount Sinai
      Hospital in New York City between January 1986 and January 1991. RESULTS: An
      abnormal glucose tolerance test was diagnosed in 102 women < 24 weeks and in 252
      patients at > or = 24 weeks of gestation. Logistic regression analysis showed
      that the group diagnosed early was significantly older and more likely to have
      hypertensive disorders and low maternal weight gain and to require insulin
      treatment, compared with the group diagnosed late. No significant differences
      were evident in neonatal outcome. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that a sizable
      proportion of patients with gestational diabetes can be diagnosed early in
      pregnancy. The differences in maternal characteristics and insulin requirements
      between the early- and late-diagnosis groups also suggest heterogeneity of
      gestational diabetes or the possibility of preexisting impaired glucose
      intolerance in the early-diagnosis group.

PMID- 1415437
TI  - Transverse cerebellar diameter measurements in twin pregnancies and the effect of
      intrauterine growth retardation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Transverse cerebellar diameter measurements have been established for
      singleton but not twin pregnancies. In singleton pregnancies controversy exists
      on whether cerebellar growth is affected by intrauterine growth retardation. We
      undertook this retrospective study in twin pregnancies to establish a nomogram
      for the transverse cerebellar diameter in twins and to assess the effect of
      growth retardation on this measurement. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review was
      performed on 171 patients with twin pregnancies with reliable dating from 15 to
      36 weeks' gestation who had been referred to our antenatal evaluation unit for
      routine ultrasonographic examination. Of the 342 fetuses, 322 were available for
      analysis and establishment of a nomogram for the transverse cerebellar diameter.
      Twenty-four twin, growth-retarded fetuses were analyzed separately. RESULTS: The
      transverse cerebellar diameter increased linearly with gestational age (r = 0.94,
      p < 0.001). Fifteen (63%) of the growth-retarded fetuses had a transverse
      cerebellar diameter of < or = 5th percentile for gestational age. CONCLUSION: We
      suggest that intrauterine growth retardation may affect cerebellar growth in
      twins.

PMID- 1415438
TI  - Amniotic fluid volume assessment: comparison of ultrasonographic estimates versus
      direct measurements with a dye-dilution technique in human pregnancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to compare the accuracy of clinical
      ultrasonographic techniques of amniotic fluid volume assessment with a dye
      dilution technique. STUDY DESIGN: We compared amniotic fluid volume as measured
      by ultrasonographic techniques with a dye-dilution method in 50 women undergoing
      amniocentesis during the third trimester. Thirteen separate ultrasonographic
      techniques, including the amniotic fluid index, were evaluated with regression
      analysis. RESULTS: Amniotic fluid volumes as determined by dye-dilution ranged
      between 129 and 4444 ml. The amniotic fluid index overestimated the actual volume
      by as much as 88.7% at lower volumes and underestimated the actual volume by as
      much as 53.9% at higher volumes. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in measurement error
      between the other ultrasonographic methods and the amniotic fluid index did not
      appear to be sufficient to warrant changes in current clinical practice. A major
      source of error in ultrasonographic amniotic fluid volume assessment is that one
      dimensional measurements are used to estimate the volume of a complex, three
      dimensional object.

PMID- 1415439
TI  - Do semiquantitative amniotic fluid indexes reflect actual volume?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine how well semiquantitative
      ultrasonographic measures of amniotic fluid, i.e., maximal amniotic fluid
      vertical pocket and amniotic fluid index, reflect actual amniotic fluid volumes
      in 50 near-term patients whose amniotic fluid volume estimates were normal by
      visual inspection. STUDY DESIGN: Before amniocentesis for fetal lung maturity,
      each patient had visual amniotic fluid volume estimates, maximal amniotic fluid
      vertical pocket, and amniotic fluid index performed by the same examiner, and
      then each received intraamniotic injection of a 10% paraaminohippurate solution.
      Amniotic fluid volume was quantitated by spectrophotometric assay of
      paraaminohippurate concentration. Oligohydramnios and polyhydramnios were defined
      as < 300 and > 2000 ml, respectively. RESULTS: Quantitative amniotic fluid volume
      was positively related to both amniotic fluid index and maximal amniotic fluid
      vertical pocket (r = 0.75 and 0.60, respectively). True-positive rates for
      oligohydramnios (amniotic fluid index < 5 cm or maximal amniotic fluid vertical
      pocket < 2 cm) were 100% and 0%, respectively; false-positive rates with either
      method were 0%. True-positive rates for polyhydramnios (amniotic fluid index > 20
      cm and maximal amniotic fluid vertical pocket > 8 cm) were 0%; false-positive
      rates were 16% and 24%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Amniotic fluid index appears
      to be slightly better than maximal amniotic fluid vertical pocket for reflecting
      actual amniotic fluid volume. Both indirect methods tend to overestimate actual
      amniotic fluid volume at the upper end of its extremes.

PMID- 1415440
TI  - Contraceptive use projections: 1990 to 2010.
AB  - Factors that will affect both contraceptive use and choice of method during the
      next 20 years are reviewed. Two factors are predictable: the changing age
      distribution of women and the revised upper-age limits for oral contraceptive
      use, with the effect of the latter as yet unknown. Less predictable factors
      include the number of women in each age group at risk for pregnancy, the effects
      of delayed childbearing and sterilization, and the impact of new contraceptive
      methods. Unpredictable factors include adverse publicity about oral
      contraceptives and breast cancer, concern about sexually transmitted diseases and
      acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and changes in the availability of legal
      abortion. Numbers of women using oral contraception, other reversible methods,
      sterilization, and no method are projected from 1990 to 2010 under the assumption
      that use patterns in each age group resemble those observed in 1988. We conclude
      that discrepancies between projections of contraceptive use and fact are likely
      to occur because of the unpredictable nature of these few important variables.

PMID- 1415441
TI  - Epidemiology of the noncontraceptive effects of oral contraceptives.
AB  - Epidemiologic studies have made major contributions to our understanding of oral
      contraceptive safety. The findings of major studies of the risk of cardiovascular
      disease and neoplasia associated with oral contraceptive use are reviewed, with
      discussion of the many factors to be considered in the interpretation of
      conflicting results. Mortality data that were based on earlier oral contraceptive
      formulations, dosage, and usage patterns may not be relevant to current
      practices. Recent studies suggest that reduced doses of estrogens and progestins
      in current oral contraceptive formulations and better screening of patients have
      reduced the risks of cardiovascular disease associated with oral contraceptive
      use, with the most important exception being an increased risk among older women
      who smoke. While most epidemiologic studies demonstrate no overall association
      between oral contraceptives and breast cancer, unanswered questions remain
      concerning this relationship.

PMID- 1415442
TI  - Oral contraceptives and gynecologic cancer: an update for the 1990s.
AB  - The most recent statistical evidence confirms a protective effect of oral
      contraceptive use against ovarian and endometrial cancers. Studies of the
      association between oral contraceptive use and cervical cancer continue to be
      hampered by confounding factors; however, results suggest that the overall risk
      of invasive cervical neoplasia is not increased. Although the association between
      oral contraceptive use and breast cancer remains controversial, existing data
      strongly suggest that overall risk of breast cancer is not increased by the use
      of oral contraceptives. In most candidates for oral contraceptive use, the
      benefits greatly outweigh the risks.

PMID- 1415443
TI  - The metabolic impact of oral contraceptives.
AB  - The hormonal components of oral contraceptives exert major effects on plasma
      lipoprotein metabolism. Estrogens may increase production of plasma
      triglycerides, leading to increased levels of very low-density lipoproteins, but
      they may also reduce levels of cholesterol-enriched and potentially atherogenic
      intermediate- and low-density lipoproteins. Furthermore, estrogens increase
      levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), particularly the HDL2 subspecies, an
      effect linked to reduced mortality rates from cardiovascular disease in
      postmenopausal women receiving hormone replacement therapy. All combination oral
      contraceptives in use in the United States tend to raise levels of plasma
      triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, and HDL3 to varying degrees. In contrast,
      changes in HDL and HDL2 reflect the combined effects of estrogen dose and
      relative androgenicity of the progestin component. Although in general, the
      lipoprotein changes are greater in magnitude with higher dose oral contraceptive
      preparations, they can be significant in lower dose preparations as well. Oral
      contraceptives also affect carbohydrate metabolism, primarily through the
      activity of progestin. Studies have demonstrated insulin resistance, rises in
      plasma insulin, and relative glucose intolerance by means of curve analysis of
      glucose tolerance tests. These effects are far less pronounced with lower dose
      preparations and with formulations using the newer progestins.

PMID- 1415444
TI  - Recent advances in understanding clotting and evaluating patients with recurrent
      thrombosis.
AB  - Significant advances have been made in defining the regulatory mechanisms that
      control blood clotting. These are reviewed, with special attention to the
      functions of the natural inhibitors antithrombin III, protein C, and protein S.
      Congenital deficiencies of these inhibitors as well as acquired abnormalities,
      such as defective fibrinolysis, and their role in promoting thrombosis are also
      discussed, as are thrombotic complications of pregnancy. Pregnancy decreases
      levels of protein S to 40% to 50% of normal levels. The decrease occurs early in
      pregnancy and persists into the postpartum period; it appears to be a hormonal
      rather than a dilutional effect. It is not known whether the thrombotic risk
      associated with pregnancy is increased in women who are congenitally deficient in
      protein S. Oral contraceptives decrease levels of protein S by about 20%. Women
      with a personal or family history of thrombosis should be evaluated for
      predisposing conditions before they start an oral contraceptive, as should women
      taking oral contraceptives who develop deep venous thrombosis.

PMID- 1415445
TI  - Preclinical evaluation of norgestimate, a progestin with minimal androgenic
      activity.
AB  - Norgestimate is a novel progestin with highly selective progestational activity
      and minimal androgenicity. In rabbits, norgestimate binds to uterine progestin
      receptors, stimulates the endometrium, and inhibits ovulation. Norgestimate acts
      directly on target organs, stimulating rabbit endometrium when injected into the
      uterine cavity and inhibiting luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone-stimulated
      luteinizing hormone release in dispersed rat pituitary cells in culture.
      Norgestimate has no estrogenic activity, and like other progestins, it suppresses
      the action of estrogen. Unlike some other progestins, it is relatively free of
      androgenic activity. Norgestimate and its 17-deacetylated metabolite demonstrate
      very poor affinity for androgen receptors compared with levonorgestrel and
      gestodene and do not exhibit androgenic activity when measured as the stimulation
      of prostatic growth in immature rats. Norgestimate's lack of affinity for human
      sex hormone-binding globulin is further evidence of its minimal androgenicity.

PMID- 1415446
TI  - A norgestimate-containing oral contraceptive: review of clinical studies.
AB  - Despite the well-documented efficacy and safety of low-dose oral contraceptives,
      the development of newer formulations containing highly selective progestins with
      minimal or no androgenic activity has been a goal of pharmaceutical research. The
      efficacy and safety of norgestimate, a progestin with inherently low
      androgenicity, in combination with ethinyl estradiol, has been examined in
      several phase II and phase III clinical studies, and these are reviewed.
      Norgestimate/ethinyl estradiol has proved to be a low-dose oral contraceptive
      with high selectivity that provides the cycle control of older oral contraceptive
      formulations with comparable efficacy. Results of comparison studies between
      norgestimate/ethinyl estradiol and formulations containing norgestrel, a
      progestin with relatively greater androgenic activity, in combination with
      ethinyl estradiol, are reported for effects on lipid and lipoprotein levels and
      carbohydrate metabolism. Norgestimate/ethinyl estradiol consistently produced
      statistically significant increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and
      improvement in the ratio of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density
      lipoprotein. In contrast, norgestrel/ethinyl estradiol produced statistically
      significant decreases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and potentially
      adverse changes in the low-density/high-density lipoprotein ratio. Phase II
      studies have confirmed that norgestimate/ethinyl estradiol has low androgenic
      activity and causes minimal effect on coagulation factors and carbohydrate
      metabolism.

PMID- 1415448
TI  - Intraocular lens power calculations for multifocal intraocular lenses.
AB  - We performed calculations for anterior and posterior chamber intraocular lenses,
      determining the necessary power for emmetropia and 3 diopters of myopia for
      various axial lengths and corneal powers. Our results demonstrate that to achieve
      an effective add of 3.00 diopters at the spectacle plane (reading distance of 33
      cm), the fabricated add (labeled add) on an intraocular lens must vary from 3.3
      diopters for an anterior chamber lens in a patient with a flat cornea, to 5.1
      diopters for a posterior chamber lens in a patient with a steep cornea. For most
      patients, targeting for an effective add of 3 diopters is appropriate, but
      factors such as availability of fabricated adds from the manufacturer and unusual
      patient requirements for near vision, may alter this target. We reviewed
      alternatives with monofocal lenses, such as monovision and compound myopic
      astigmatism.

PMID- 1415447
TI  - Glove perforations in ophthalmic surgery.
AB  - To determine the potential rate of intraoperative parenteral exposure of
      physicians and patients caused by glove perforation during ophthalmic surgery,
      gloves were analyzed after 125 procedures. Gloves were collected from all
      surgical team members (surgeon, assistants, scrub nurse, and circulating nurse).
      The rate of glove perforation was significantly lower for the surgeon, 0.3% (one
      of 303 gloves) than for the assistants, 5% (ten of 202 gloves [P = .001]), scrub
      nurses, 16% (52 of 326 gloves [P = .0001]), and circulating nurses, 15% (43 of
      293 gloves [P = .0001]); similarly, assistants had a significantly lower rate
      than did scrub nurses (P = .0001) and circulating nurses (P = .001). There was no
      statistically significant difference in number of perforations on the basis of
      surgery duration or type of ophthalmic procedure. These findings suggest that the
      risk of parenteral exposure during ophthalmic surgery is low for the surgeon, and
      higher for other surgical personnel. We also analyzed additional safety
      precautions. Further study is warranted to determine the effectiveness of
      precautions and to guide policy formulation.

PMID- 1415449
TI  - Results of late surgery for presumed congenital cataracts.
AB  - We reviewed the results of cataract extraction and visual rehabilitation in 76
      eyes of 47 infants and children with presumed congenital cataracts who were first
      seen after they were 10 months old. Eighteen patients underwent surgery for
      unilateral cataracts, including five patients with persistent hyperplastic
      vitreous, five with posterior lenticonus, one with a nuclear cataract, six with
      posterior subcapsular cataracts, and one with a lamellar cataract. Of these 18
      patients, seven (39%) attained a visual acuity of 20/60 or better, one (6%) had a
      visual acuity of 20/100, and ten (60%) had a visual acuity of 20/200 or worse.
      Twenty-nine patients (62 eyes) underwent bilateral cataract extraction. The
      visual acuity could be measured in 22 patients (44 eyes). Visual acuity improved
      to 20/60 or better in 32 eyes (73%), was between 20/70 and 20/150 in 11 eyes
      (25%), and became worse than 20/200 in one eye (2%). Results were good in
      patients with persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous, posterior lenticonus, and
      bilateral cataracts.

PMID- 1415450
TI  - The Tokyo Metropolitan Home Vision Screening Program for amblyopia in 3-year-old
      children.
AB  - In August 1989, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government officially began a vision
      screening program for children aged 3 years 1 month. A 1988 pilot study of 1,303
      children this age disclosed five cases (0.38%) of amblyopia. The home vision
      test, which uses picture cards of familiar figures, proved to be an efficient and
      inexpensive method of screening when incorporated into the existing health-check
      program for 3-year-old children. In the initial eight months of the program,
      21,906 children were screened. Of these, 419 children (1.9%) were referred to an
      ophthalmologist for follow-up, and amblyopia was detected in 41 children (0.19%).

PMID- 1415451
TI  - Ocular hydrofluoric acid burns.
AB  - A 30-year-old man sustained exposure of his eyes, face, and neck involving 4% of
      body surface area to hydrofluoric acid. He was treated with immediate lavage and
      topical calcium gluconate. Because free fluoride ions from ocular and facial
      exposures can form complexes with body stores of calcium and magnesium, the
      patient was transferred to a burn unit for cardiac and electrolyte monitoring. He
      was also treated with calcium gluconate skin injections, pulmonary nebulizer
      therapy, and topical antibiotics and corticosteroids. In another case, a 25-year
      old man with less severe exposure to hydrofluoric acid was treated as an
      outpatient with topical antibiotics, corticosteroids, and cycloplegia. If an
      ophthalmologist is the first to treat a patient with chemical exposure, the
      history of hydrofluoric acid exposure must be obtained, and the burn team and
      other medical specialists must be quickly consulted to avoid potentially fatal
      complications.

PMID- 1415452
TI  - Stray light in radial keratotomy and the influence of pupil size and straylight
      angle.
AB  - Glare is a major sequela of the radial keratotomy procedure. We used the
      straylight meter to measure intraocular light scatter, which is the cause of
      glare, in eyes after radial keratotomy. This apparatus uses a direct compensation
      method to assess the amount of intraocular light scatter. Nineteen patients were
      tested. Nine individuals served as controls. The mean postsurgery time was 60
      months. The influence of the number of radial incisions, the pupil size, and the
      angle of light entering the eye were evaluated with the straylight meter. The
      results showed straylight values for normal pupil size (mean, 4 mm) to be
      statistically significantly higher (P = .0044) only for the smallest angle of
      light deflection studied (3.5 degrees). For dilated pupils (mean, 8 mm),
      straylight values were statistically significantly higher (P = .00005) for all
      three angles of light deflection studied. The number of incisions showed no
      statistically significant relationship to straylight values. Average stray light
      values were increased by a factor of 1.4 for 4-mm sized pupils and 2.0 for 8-mm
      sized pupils. There was an overlap in straylight values between the patient
      population and the control population.

PMID- 1415453
TI  - Photorefractive keratectomy for severe postkeratoplasty astigmatism.
AB  - We performed cylindric corneal ablations with the excimer laser on 12 patients to
      correct severe, disabling astigmatism after keratoplasty. In some patients, an
      additional ablation was performed to correct myopia. Patients were followed up
      for an average of eight months (range, six to 14 months). Uncorrected visual
      acuity improved in nine patients, and nine of the 12 patients had a decrease in
      refractive cylinder at last follow-up. The mean preoperative refractive cylinder
      was 7.0 +/- 3.6 diopters, which decreased to a mean of 3.1 +/- 2.6 diopters at
      one month (P = .0003) and 4.3 +/- 2.9 diopters at last follow-up (P = .03).
      Keratometric astigmatism decreased from 7.5 +/- 3.9 diopters preoperatively to
      5.2 +/- 3.9 diopters at the last follow-up (P = .001). Mean spherical equivalent
      was reduced from -7.4 +/- 4.2 diopters preoperatively to -3.3 +/- 4.4 diopters
      postoperatively (P = .003). Postoperative corneal haze, when present, did not
      reduce visual acuity. Excimer laser superficial keratectomy thus appears to be
      safe when used for postkeratoplasty ametropia, although substantial regression
      may limit its effectiveness in some patients.

PMID- 1415454
TI  - Fungal keratitis from nylon line lawn trimmers.
AB  - Ocular trauma from nylon line lawn trimmers is becoming more prevalent. Previous
      case reports have described penetrating trauma caused by these tools. We managed
      three cases of fungal keratitis caused by injuries from nylon line trimmers.
      Fungal keratitis should be strongly considered as the cause of any corneal ulcer
      related to trauma from a nylon line lawn trimmer.

PMID- 1415455
TI  - Topical fibronectin in the treatment of keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Chiron
      Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca Study Group.
AB  - Topical fibronectin was evaluated for the treatment of keratoconjunctivitis sicca
      in a multicenter, double-masked, controlled study in which 272 patients were
      randomly assigned to treatment. Patients with documented clinical evidence of
      keratoconjunctivitis sicca received either fibronectin, a vehicle alone, or a
      commercially available artificial tear. Evaluation at baseline, 21, 42, and 63
      days consisted of patient self-evaluation of symptoms, rose bengal and
      fluorescein staining, tear breakup time, Schirmer's testing, and conjunctival
      impression cytology. Although all groups showed improvements in most study
      variables during the course of the study, there were no statistically significant
      differences found between any of the groups. Topical fibronectin does not appear
      to be more effective than artificial tears in the treatment of
      keratoconjunctivitis sicca.

PMID- 1415456
TI  - Progression of nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy and visual outcome after
      extracapsular cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation.
AB  - Twenty-one patients with symmetric nonproliferative retinopathy who underwent
      extracapsular cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation were followed
      up postoperatively for an average (+/- standard deviation) of 18 +/- 7 months to
      determine the incidence of progression of diabetic retinopathy, the final visual
      acuity, and factors predictive of progression of retinopathy and final visual
      acuity. Progression of retinopathy, defined as the development of clinically
      significant macular edema, an increase in intraretinal hemorrhages or hard
      exudate, or the development of proliferative diabetic retinopathy, was assessed
      in both eyes of 19 patients; in two remaining patients, dense preoperative
      cataract in the fellow eye precluded comparison of retinopathy progression in the
      operated-on eye to progression in the fellow eye. Overall, retinopathy progressed
      in 14 of 19 operated-on eyes (74%). Cataract extraction was highly associated
      with asymmetric progression of nonproliferative retinopathy; it progressed only
      in the operated-on eye in seven of 19 patients (37%), but in no patients did
      progression occur in the fellow eye alone (P = .0078). Women had a significantly
      increased risk of progression of retinopathy in the operated-on eye compared to
      men (P = .005). Visual acuity improved in 19 of 21 operated-on eyes (86%);
      however, only 11 eyes (52%) achieved a visual acuity of 20/50 or better and only
      six eyes (14%) achieved a visual acuity of 20/25 or better. In only five eyes was
      the final visual acuity in the operated-on eye more than two lines better than
      the final visual acuity in the fellow eye.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415457
TI  - Efficacy of fluid-air exchange for postvitrectomy diabetic vitreous hemorrhage.
AB  - We reviewed the records of 33 fluid-air exchanges to assess the efficacy of fluid
      air exchange in the management of recurrent vitreous cavity hemorrhage after
      vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Fluid-air exchange alone was
      successful in clearing the vitreous cavity in ten of 20 eyes after a mean of 1.5
      exchanges per eye. Repeat vitrectomy was required in the remaining ten eyes and
      anterior hyaloidal fibrovascular proliferation was frequently found. Hemorrhages
      that occurred in the late postoperative period (more than nine months) appeared
      more likely to be successfully treated with fluid-air exchange alone. Failure of
      the initial fluid-air exchange to induce clearing immediately after the procedure
      appeared to be associated with subsequent exchange failures and need for surgical
      intervention. Complications from the exchange procedure were infrequent with the
      development of peripheral retinal detachment in one eye. Our current
      recommendation for nonclearing recurrent postvitrectomy diabetic vitreous
      hemorrhage is to perform a fluid-air exchange, provided no other high-risk
      characteristics are present. If clearing occurs in the immediate postexchange
      period but rebleeding occurs at a later period, we recommend a second fluid-air
      exchange. If clearing does not occur in the immediate postexchange period, we
      recommend proceeding directly to revision of vitrectomy.

PMID- 1415458
TI  - Immunohistochemical and histochemical properties of surgically excised subretinal
      neovascular membranes in age-related macular degeneration.
AB  - The immunohistochemical and histochemical properties of 16 surgically excised
      subretinal neovascular membranes from 16 patients with age-related macular
      degeneration were studied. Primary antisera to c-retinaldehyde-binding protein;
      leukocyte common antigen; factor VIII-related antigen; S-100 protein; glial
      fibrillary acid protein; muscle-specific actin; neuron-specific enolase; collagen
      types I, II, III, IV, and V; laminin; and fibronectin were used for
      immunohistochemical characterization of the membranes. Histochemical staining for
      lipid and mucopolysaccharide was performed. The results of the staining in
      conjunction with histologic examination showed the cellular components of the
      membranes to be composed of retinal pigment epithelium, inflammatory cells,
      vascular endothelium, glial cells, myofibroblasts, photoreceptor cells, and
      fibrocytes. The extracellular matrix of the membranes contained collagen types I,
      III, IV, and V; fibronectin; laminin; mucopolysaccharide; and lipid. These
      findings are consistent with the concept that subretinal neovascular membranes in
      age-related macular degeneration are composed of localized intra-Bruch's membrane
      granulation tissue proliferation associated with diffuse drusen.

PMID- 1415459
TI  - Aqueous dynamics in exfoliation syndrome.
AB  - Eighteen untreated patients with unilateral exfoliation syndrome without glaucoma
      were studied with regard to differences in aqueous dynamics between the affected
      and unaffected fellow eyes. Additionally, both eyes of the patients with
      exfoliation were compared to the eyes of 18 age-matched and gender-matched
      control subjects. Intraocular pressure was significantly higher (13.9 +/- 3.0 mm
      Hg [mean +/- standard deviation]) in the affected compared with the unaffected
      eyes (12.2 +/- 2.5 mm Hg), but no difference in aqueous humor flow was detected
      when eyes in the three groups were compared (affected eyes, 2.40 +/- 0.60
      microliter/min; unaffected eyes, 2.40 +/- 0.65 microliter/min; control eyes, 2.61
      +/- 0.60 microliter/min). Anterior chamber volumes were significantly smaller in
      affected (122 +/- 37 microliters) and unaffected eyes (121 +/- 37 microliters) of
      the patients with exfoliation compared with the eyes of the control subjects (145
      +/- 30 microliters). Apparent resistance was higher in the eyes with exfoliation
      (6.5 +/- 1.9 min mm Hg/microliters) compared with both unaffected (5.4 +/- 1.2
      min mm Hg/microliters) and control groups (5.2 +/- 1.8 min mm Hg/microliters),
      although these differences were not statistically significant.

PMID- 1415460
TI  - Intraocular pressure decrease in household contacts of patients with Hansen's
      disease and endemic control subjects.
AB  - We compared the intraocular pressure in 150 urban household contacts of patients
      with Hansen's disease and 132 endemic control subjects from an urban population
      in Karachi, Pakistan, who were matched in regard to race, age, gender, and
      socioeconomic status. The mean intraocular pressure in the upright position was
      12.6 mm Hg in the right eye and 12.9 mm Hg in the left eye in household contacts
      of patients with Hansen's disease and 15.3 mm Hg in the right eye and 15.4 mm Hg
      in the left eye in the endemic control population (P < .0005). The postural
      change in intraocular pressure from the upright to supine position was 1.7 mm Hg
      in the right eye and 2.1 mm Hg in the left eye in the household contacts group
      and 1.3 mm Hg in the right eye and 1.5 mm Hg in the left eye in the endemic
      control group (P < .0006). Our findings, especially in view of past observations
      in intraocular pressure changes in patients with Hansen's disease, raise serious
      questions about possible early ocular susceptibility to Mycobacterium leprae
      infection and about public health issues, including possible early indication of
      disease.

PMID- 1415461
TI  - Asymmetric pigmentary glaucoma resulting from cataract formation.
AB  - Pigment dispersion syndrome usually manifests bilaterally, and asymmetric
      involvement is unusual. When asymmetry is present, the eye with greater
      involvement may have an additional exacerbating condition or the eye with less
      involvement may be protected. Analysis of such cases should further elucidate the
      mechanism of the disorder and its development and regression. We examined four
      patients in whom unilateral cataract formation or extraction was associated with
      reduced clinical signs of pigment dispersion syndrome in the affected eye.
      Cataract formation, by inducing relative pupillary block, appears to decrease or
      prevent the manifestation of pigment liberation.

PMID- 1415462
TI  - The edrophonium-Hess screen test in the diagnosis of ocular myasthenia gravis.
AB  - The interpretation of the edrophonium (Tensilon) test in the diagnosis of
      acquired strabismus caused by myasthenia gravis has been problematic because of
      poorly defined endpoints and unknown sensitivity and specificity. We evaluated
      the endpoint criteria, dynamics, sensitivity, and specificity of binocular
      alignment in response to edrophonium by using the Hess screen test in ten normal
      control subjects, 12 nonmyasthenic patients with acquired strabismus, and in ten
      patients with acquired strabismus caused by ocular myasthenia gravis. A positive
      response to the edrophonium-Hess screen test was defined as a 50% or greater
      reduction in the strabismic deviation at the fixation point associated with
      maximum deviation within one minute of edrophonium infusion. All myasthenic
      patients had a 50% or greater reduction in the initial deviation within one
      minute of edrophonium infusion. Myasthenic patients had a statistically
      significant reduction in the average deviation up to 150 seconds after
      edrophonium infusion (P < .05 for all time periods). In contrast, with or without
      edrophonium infusion, control subjects had a purely horizontal fluctuation in
      binocular alignment of less than or equal to 2 degrees for the entire four-minute
      period after edrophonium infusion. None of the 12 nonmyasthenic patients tested
      positive to the edrophonium-Hess screen test. According to the criterion of
      positive response as was defined in this study, the test had a high sensitivity
      and specificity in this sample. These results suggest that clearly defined
      endpoint criteria make the edrophonium-Hess screen test a sensitive and specific
      quantitative study for the diagnosis of acquired strabismus caused by myasthenia
      gravis.

PMID- 1415463
TI  - Neuro-ophthalmic associations and complications of diabetes mellitus.

PMID- 1415464
TI  - Use of the potential acuity meter in suspected functional visual loss.

PMID- 1415465
TI  - Corneoscleral, ciliary body, and vitreoretinal toxicity after excessive
      instillation of mitomycin C.

PMID- 1415466
TI  - Pure ocular blast injury.

PMID- 1415467
TI  - Mild frosted branch periphlebitis.

PMID- 1415468
TI  - Retinal neovascularization and cystoid macular edema in punctata albescens
      retinopathy.

PMID- 1415469
TI  - Subretinal diathermy probe.

PMID- 1415470
TI  - Idiopathic alternating anisocoria.

PMID- 1415471
TI  - Inflammatory orbital tumor as an ocular sign of a battered child.

PMID- 1415472
TI  - Periosteal flap for lower eyelid reconstruction.

PMID- 1415473
TI  - Ultrasound biomicroscopy of anterior segment structures in normal and
      glaucomatous eyes.

PMID- 1415474
TI  - Amyloidosis in aging and Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1415475
TI  - A stem cell niche theory of intestinal crypt maintenance based on a study of
      somatic mutation in colonic mucosa.
AB  - In both large and small intestine, mutagen administration leads to the occurrence
      of isolated crypts that are completely populated by a mutated phenotype;
      therefore, it has been proposed that crypts are maintained by a single stem cell.
      We show in mice that a single dose of mutagen leads to an early transient
      increase in frequency of colonic crypts that show a partial mutated phenotype and
      a later increase in frequency of crypts that show a complete mutated phenotype.
      This increase reaches a plateau at about the same time as the disappearance of
      partially mutated crypts. The same is true in the small intestine, but the time
      course is much slower. We propose an explanation based on multiple crypt stem
      cells that occupy a "stem cell niche," with random cell loss after stem cell
      division. A small difference in the number of crypt stem cells that occupy the
      niche provides a simple explanation for the surprisingly large difference in the
      time course of phenotypic changes in the large and small intestines after
      administration of a single dose of mutagen.

PMID- 1415476
TI  - A (CA)n dinucleotide repeat assay for evaluating loss of allelic heterozygosity
      in small and archival human brain tumor specimens.
AB  - Southern blotting is a widely used method of determining loss of chromosomal
      alleles in tumors, but cannot be used to analyze small biopsies and most fixed,
      embedded tissues. These problems preclude analysis of many surgical
      neuropathology specimens. We have employed a polymerase chain reaction assay for
      loss of heterozygosity (LOH) based on the (CA)n dinucleotide repeat polymorphisms
      found in abundance throughout the human genome. We compared this method to
      conventional Southern blotting in detecting LOH on chromosome 10 in gliomas. From
      tissue sections of 14 paraffin-embedded, formalin-fixed gliomas, we amplified the
      (CA)n repeat D10S89 locus and compared (CA)n repeat patterns between tumor DNA
      and constitutional DNA. Loss of one chromosome 10 (CA)n repeat allele was seen in
      informative glioblastomas that showed allelic loss by Southern blotting, but not
      in gliomas that had maintained both alleles. The (CA)n repeat method can be
      applied to small and fixed, embedded specimens, is rapid and simple to perform,
      and uses highly polymorphic probes. We suggest that (CA)n repeats are a less
      exclusive and more rapid means of studying LOH in brain tumors than Southern
      blotting, and will provide further mapping data for the identification of tumor
      suppressor genes integral to glial tumorigenesis.

PMID- 1415477
TI  - Immunohistochemical identification of thrombospondin in normal human brain and in
      Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - Thrombospondin is part of a family of adhesive glycoproteins and is involved in a
      number of physiologic processes such as angiogenesis and neurite outgrowth.
      Immunohistochemical localization of thrombospondin in normal human brains was
      investigated in the hippocampus and inferior temporal cortex. Two antibodies (one
      polyclonal and one monoclonal) against thrombospondin-labeled microvessels, glial
      cells, and a subpopulation of pyramidal neurons. The distribution of
      thrombospondin staining in patients with Alzheimer's disease was found to be
      comparable to control subjects. However, in patients with Alzheimer's disease a
      subset of pyramidal neurons that may be vulnerable in Alzheimer's disease
      exhibited decreased staining. This decrease in the intensity of labeling might
      constitute a marker for a neuronal population prone to early degeneration. In
      addition, thrombospondin staining was demonstrated in senile plaques in
      Alzheimer's disease. These results suggest that thrombospondin may be involved in
      the process of neuronal degeneration and senile plaque formation.

PMID- 1415478
TI  - The altered glomerular filtration slits seen in puromycin aminonucleoside
      nephrosis and protamine sulfate-treated rats contain the tight junction protein
      ZO-1.
AB  - Nephrosis induced in rats by puromycin aminonucleoside treatment (PAN) results in
      the apical displacement of the glomerular filtration slit membrane by newly
      formed, intercellular occluding-type junctions. Similar changes can also be
      induced by acute kidney perfusion with protamine sulfate (PS). We have
      investigated the molecular nature of these altered junctions using an antibody to
      ZO-1, a protein found exclusively in tight junctions. Immunoblotting demonstrates
      ZO-1, a 225-kd band, in glomerular extracts of normal, PAN-, and PS-treated rats.
      By immunofluorescence, ZO-1 was localized at the base of podocytes outlining the
      capillary loops of glomeruli from all three experimental groups. At the electron
      microscope level, using immunoperoxidase or immunogold labeling, ZO-1 was
      concentrated along the cytoplasmic surfaces of the slit diaphragms of normal
      rats. In PAN or PS rats, it was concentrated along both the newly formed
      occluding-type junctions and the remaining slit diaphragms. When podocalyxin (the
      major membrane sialoprotein of the podocyte) was similarly localized, it was
      found exclusively apical to the displaced slit membrane. Based on morphology and
      the presence of ZO-1, the altered junctions seen in PAN and PS rats appear to
      represent bona fide tight junctions. Their rapid (15-minute) induction in PS
      treated rats suggests that on neutralization of the cell surface charge by
      polycation perfusion, discontinuous tight junctions form from a preexisting pool
      of junctional proteins. These findings raise the possibility that glomerular
      hydraulic conductivity may be regulated in part by regulating the relative
      patency and width of the filtration slits through focal tight junction assembly.

PMID- 1415479
TI  - Association of murine CD31 with transmigrating lymphocytes following antigenic
      stimulation.
AB  - Human CD31 is a recently characterized molecule present on leukocytes, platelets,
      and endothelium. Its function is not known. Because it is a member of the
      immunoglobulin superfamily and structurally homologous to carcinoembryonic
      antigen, a putative intercellular adhesion molecule, it is believed that CD31 may
      function also as an adhesion molecule. In this report, we characterize the
      cellular reactivity of a monoclonal antibody to a murine protein that is
      homologous to CD31. To delineate the cellular reactivity of the murine CD31
      homologue recognized by our monoclonal antibody, we used immunoperoxidase and
      immunoelectron microscopic techniques. The most striking finding was that the
      putative murine homolog of CD31 is expressed in particularly high amounts on
      endothelium-adherent lymphocytes transmigrating across sinusoidal or venular
      vascular boundaries. Such a distribution was apparent in draining murine lymph
      nodes during the peak of an immune response after immunization with a protein
      antigen in adjuvant, a situation in which there are many transmigrating
      lymphocytes. Immunoelectron microscopic analysis also shows that CD31 is
      predominantly distributed on portions of transmigrating lymphocytes that are in
      contact with or adjacent to areas of contact with endothelial cells. These
      findings suggest a previously undescribed role for CD31 in lymphocyte recruitment
      and transmigration.

PMID- 1415481
TI  - The expression of the Hu (paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis/sensory neuronopathy)
      antigen in human normal and tumor tissues.
AB  - Using immunohistochemistry or Western blot analysis, the authors have studied the
      expression of the Hu antigen (a neuronal protein identified by the serum of
      patients with small cell lung cancer and paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis/sensory
      neuronopathy) in normal human tissues and 115 tumors of different histologic
      types. In normal tissue, the Hu antigen is highly restricted to the nervous
      system. In lung tumors, the Hu antigen is restricted in its expression to all
      small cell carcinomas. A few other neuroendocrine-related tumors, especially
      neuroblastomas (50%), also express the antigen.

PMID- 1415480
TI  - Immunoelectrophoretic and immunohistochemical characterizations of fibrinogen
      derivatives in atherosclerotic aortic intimas and vascular prosthesis pseudo
      intimas.
AB  - Cadaveric aortic intimas with uncomplicated atherosclerosis were examined to
      determine the distribution and polypeptide chain composition of fibrinogen
      related protein. Immunohistochemical staining showed deposits rich in
      fibrinopeptides A and B. The deposits were usually disseminated throughout
      intimas of moderate thickness < 0.7 mm, but were distributed focally in elongate
      patches bounded both lumenally and medially by deposit-free tissue in thick
      atheromas. Saline extracts generally showed undegraded monomers and dimers by
      electrophoresis. The residual protein contained A alpha and gamma-chains that
      were cross-linked predominantly (>80%) into unresolved high M(r) (>200 kd)
      derivatives, whereas B beta-chains were left non-cross-linked, as occurs in late
      stages of cross-linking by transglutaminases. The resolved components had
      electrophoretic mobilities corresponding to characteristic products of both
      factor XIIIa and tissue-transglutaminase. A greater incorporation of alpha-
      rather than gamma-chains into cross-linked products implicated tissue
      transglutaminase as contributing heavily. By contrast, vascular graft pseudo
      intimas and a cadaveric clot were rich in degraded fibrin devoid of
      fibrinopeptide A, and cross-linked in patterns typical of XIIIa with gamma 2
      dimers constituting the principal product. The findings indicate that the
      fibrinogen in the aortic intima is comparatively well protected from thrombin and
      plasmin, and that much of it is deposited through direct cross-linking by tissue
      transglutaminase without being converted to fibrin.

PMID- 1415482
TI  - Glomerular macrophages and the mesangial proliferative response in the
      experimental nephrotic syndrome.
AB  - Mesangial cell proliferation, which is a harbinger of glomerulosclerosis, occurs
      in both immune and nonimmune glomerulopathies. The proximity of infiltrating
      glomerular macrophages to the contractile mesangial cells during acute puromycin
      aminonucleoside (PA) nephrosis suggests the possibility of a paracrine effect on
      mesangial cell growth. To test this, three maneuvers to either raise or lower the
      glomerular macrophage number during acute PA nephrosis (2 weeks after PA) were
      employed: 1) an essential fatty acid-deficient (EFAD) diet; 2) a cholesterol
      supplemented diet (CSD); and 3) a single dose (600 rad) whole-body X-irradiation
      (XI) given to CSD-fed PA rats. Both the glomerular macrophage number and
      proliferation within the mesangium were evaluated immunohistochemically with ED
      1, a mouse monoclonal anti-rat macrophage label, and 19A2, a mouse monoclonal
      anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)/cyclin antibody, respectively.
      Immunohistochemical detection of 5'-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation
      confirmed that proliferation was occurring within the mesangial zones. The EFAD
      diet significantly reduced both the glomerular macrophage and PCNA/cyclin
      positive cell number at 2 weeks after PA with a positive correlation (r = 0.89, P
      < 0.05). The CSD maneuver significantly increased both the glomerular macrophage
      and PCNA/cyclin cell number with a strong degree of correlation (r = 0.95, P <
      0.01). X-irradiation administered to CSD-fed PA rats significantly lowered both
      the glomerular macrophage and PCNA/cyclin-positive cell number at 2 weeks. In all
      groups, the glomerular tufts did not express muscle actin using HHF 35, a
      specific immunolabel, suggesting that the proliferation in this model is not
      related to direct mesangial cell injury. This study shows that maneuvers that
      modulate the glomerular macrophage number are also associated with corresponding
      changes in the number of proliferating cells within the mesangium, suggesting a
      paracrine growth stimulation by the infiltrating macrophage during acute PA
      nephrosis. The infiltrating glomerular macrophage may be an effector mechanism
      for the propagation of initial glomerular injury to glomerulosclerosis by
      augmenting mesangial cell proliferation early in the course of this nonimmune
      progressive glomerulopathy.

PMID- 1415483
TI  - Morphologic effects of hGRH gene expression on the pituitary, liver, and pancreas
      of MT-hGRH transgenic mice. An in situ hybridization analysis.
AB  - Morphologic changes in the pituitary, liver, and pancreas of mice with the
      metallothionein-human growth hormone--releasing hormone (MT-hGRH) transgene were
      analyzed by in situ hybridization histochemistry (ISH). There was progression
      from somatotroph hyperplasia to neoplasia in pituitaries of transgenic mice.
      Pituitary neoplasms were present between 9 to 12 months of age in some mice.
      Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) readily identified enlarged pituitaries in MT
      hGRH transgenic mice. Serum mouse GH and hGRH levels were marked elevated in MT
      hGRH transgenic mice. In situ hybridization histochemistry showed mRNA for hGRH
      in liver, pituitary, pancreas, spleen, and in most other tissues examined.
      Combined ISH and immunohistochemistry in the pituitary gland showed that some of
      the GH cells also produced hGRH, and ultrastructural immunohistochemical analysis
      of pituitaries showed that GH and hGRH were localized in the same cell and within
      the same secretory granules. Liver cells of MT-hGRH transgenic mice showed
      evidence of hypertrophy, and the pancreatic islets were hyperplastic with
      significant increases in the islet cell areas. The morphologic changes in the
      liver were distinctive enough to separate control littermates from MT-hGRH
      transgenic mice in all cases. The enlarged pancreatic islets had increased
      numbers of insulin-producing cells. Immunoreactive hGRH and hGRH mRNA were both
      localized in islet cells, and an intense hybridization signal of hGRH mRNA, but
      only weak staining for hGRH protein, were detected in the liver of transgenic
      mice. These results indicate that excessive hGRH production leads to distinct
      morphologic changes in various organs in MT-hGRH transgenic mice and that there
      is temporal progression from hyperplasia to adenomatous somatotrophs in
      pituitaries with chronic stimulation by hGRH that involves paracrine, endocrine,
      and autocrine mechanisms.

PMID- 1415484
TI  - Functional heterogeneity and pathogenic significance of interleukin-6 in B-cell
      lymphomas.
AB  - A possible autocrine effect of interleukin-6 (IL-6) on the growth and
      differentiation of the tumor cells of 55 B-cell lymphomas was examined.
      Interleukin-6 was detected in a few types of B-cell lymphomas, including
      polymorphic immunocytoma (PI), small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), and
      immunoblastic lymphoma (IBL) with or without plasmacytoid differentiation. In PI
      and in IBL with plasmacytoid differentiation (IBL-P), IL-6 was detected only in
      immunoglobulin-containing plasmacytoid cells, and it was absent from most
      proliferating (Ki-67/PCNA-positive) lymphoma cells. In SLL, IL-6 was not observed
      in lymphoplasmacytoid cells; instead, IL-6 was observed in transformed (Ki
      67/PCNA-positive) tumor cells in proliferation centers. The lymphoplasmacytoid
      cells in SLL exhibited a phenotype (IL-6/glutathione-S-transferase-pi [GST-pi]
      negative), different from that of normal plasma cells (IL-6-negative/GST-pi
      positive) and from the plasmacytoid cells (IL-6/GST-pi-positive) in PI and IBL-P.
      In IBL without obvious plasmacytoid differentiation, IL-6 was detected in most
      tumor cells that were highly proliferative (Ki-67/PCNA-positive). In this study,
      IL-6 was undetectable in most lymphomas related to follicular centers, in
      lymphoblastic lymphoma, in small noncleaved cell lymphomas of the Burkitt and non
      Burkitt types, and in diffuse large cell lymphoma. This finding is compatible
      with a previous finding that IL-6 mRNA was absent from follicular center cells in
      reactive lymphoid tissues. The functions of IL-6 in these lymphomas may be quite
      diverse. It appears that IL-6, as an autocrine factor, is responsible for the
      plasmacytoid differentiation of lymphoma cells in IP and some IBL (IBL-P). The
      differentiation of lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma cells in SLL, however, may not be
      mediated by an autocrine IL-6 mechanism. Interleukin-6 may provide a growth
      signal, rather than acting as a differentiation factor, for some IBL cells and
      for some transformed tumor cells in proliferation centers in SLL.

PMID- 1415485
TI  - Early extracellular and cellular lipid deposits in aorta of cholesterol-fed
      rabbits.
AB  - Subendothelial accumulation of extracellular liposomes rich in unesterified
      cholesterol has been described as an early feature of atherosclerosis induced by
      cholesterol feeding in rabbits. Beta-very-low-density lipoproteins, however, the
      presumed source of atherogenic lipid in this animal model, contain mostly
      esterified cholesterol. The purpose of this study was to test for the presence of
      extracellular neutral lipid deposits consistent with esterified cholesterol, by
      employing new electron microscopic techniques. Rabbits were fed 0.5% cholesterol,
      5% butter for 0, 1, 2, and 4 weeks. The lipid-preserving ultrastructural
      techniques showed, in control and atherosclerotic rabbit arteries, neutral lipid
      droplets adherent to the endothelial luminal surface. After 1 to 2 weeks,
      subendothelial extracellular deposits of mostly membranous lipid appeared; these
      deposits contained variable amounts of neutral lipid. At the same time,
      cytoplasmic neutral lipid droplets appeared in smooth muscle cells and in a small
      number of subendothelial macrophagelike cells. After 4 weeks, monocytic
      infiltration and macrophage foam cell development were prominent, but abundant
      extracellular lipid deposits also were found. Therefore, in arteries of
      cholesterol-fed rabbits, deposition of membranous and neutral lipid in the
      extracellular space and neutral lipid accumulation in resident arterial cells are
      early and probably independent events, both occurring before monocytic
      infiltration of the arterial intima.

PMID- 1415486
TI  - Proto-oncogene analysis in multiple myeloma.
AB  - The genetic basis for the development of multiple myeloma (MM) remains poorly
      understood, in part because MM has thus far been relatively refractory to
      cytogenetic analysis. The few cases karyotyped have pointed to involvement of
      11q13, site of the BCL1 proto-oncogene, or of 8q24, site of the MYC proto
      oncogene. A recent molecular study detected rearrangements distal to the MYC gene
      in 16% of MM, using the MLVI-4 probe. The immunocytochemical demonstration of
      BCL2 protein overexpression in at least some cases of MM has suggested the
      possibility of translocation-mediated deregulation of the BCL2 proto-oncogene.
      The configuration of the BCL2 gene in MM, however, has not yet been defined using
      all available breakpoint probes. To address these issues, we studied 17 patients
      with plasma cell dyscrasias (16 MM, 1 plasmacytoma) by Southern blotting using
      the major breakpoint region (MBR), minor cluster region (MCR), and 5' cDNA (pB16)
      BCL2 breakpoint probes; with the BCL1 major translocation cluster (MTC)
      breakpoint probe; and with a probe to the MYC-associated MLVI-4 region (PA1.3SB).
      In all 17 cases, rearrangement of one or both alleles of the immunoglobulin heavy
      chain gene had been demonstrated, thereby confirming the presence of tumor DNA in
      the samples studied. None of the cases tested showed a rearrangement with the MBR
      BCL2 (0/16), MCR BCL2 (0/17), 5' cDNA BCL2 (0/16), BCL1 MTC (0/15), or MLVI-4
      (0/15) probes. These results suggest that if BCL2 deregulation does indeed occur
      in MM, a mechanism other than translocation must be involved in most cases.
      Furthermore, rearrangements distal to the MYC gene, in the region of the MLVI-4
      probe, may be less common than previously thought. Finally, a significant
      proportion of translocation breakpoints in band 11q13 may not be detected by the
      BCL1 MTC probe in MM, as is true in lymphomas.

PMID- 1415487
TI  - Vimentin metaplasia in renal cortical tubules of preneoplastic, neoplastic,
      aging, and regenerative lesions of rats and humans.
AB  - Vimentin expression was studied immunohistochemically in renal cortical tubules
      of untreated male rats of various ages, rats exposed to toxins (barbital sodium,
      folic acid) and carcinogens (streptozotocin, N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine,
      barbital sodium, and in humans of various ages with or without renal epithelial
      tumors. Fetal, neonatal, and young adult rats did not express vimentin in renal
      cortical tubules. Regenerative renal tubular lesions from rats with aging
      nephropathy and from rats with toxic nephropathy both expressed vimentin.
      Mitogenic lesions induced by folic acid at 24 hours, however, were not
      immunoreactive for vimentin. Carcinogen-induced preneoplastic renal cortical
      tubular lesions in rats were most often focally immunoreactive whereas strong
      vimentin expression was found in almost all induced renal tumors. In kidneys of
      three children (younger than 2 years of age), vimentin was not found in renal
      cortical tubular cells except in rare individual cells in one case. Vimentin was
      abundant in basophilic regenerative tubules in kidneys of aged individuals,
      however. Most (7/10) human renal carcinomas and latent preneoplastic or
      neoplastic renal tubular lesions found incidentally at autopsy (2/4) showed
      vimentin expression. The authors suggest that the switching to vimentin
      expression in phenotypically normal renal cortical tubular cells in rats and
      humans, which do not usually express the intermediate filament protein vimentin,
      should be considered vimentin metaplasia. Vimentin expression is dissociated from
      increased cell proliferation in hyperplastic and neoplastic lesions, however.
      Instead the degree of dedifferentiation of the tubule cells and changes in
      phenotype were associated with vimentin expression.

PMID- 1415488
TI  - Expression of macrophage inflammatory protein-2 and KC mRNA in pulmonary
      inflammation.
AB  - This study sought to test the hypothesis that expression of mRNA for two
      cytokines, macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) and the KC gene product, is
      induced in rat lung cells during inflammatory responses in vitro and in vivo.
      Macrophage inflammatory protein-2 and KC are members of the platelet-factor 4 (PF
      4) cytokine superfamily that cause marked neutrophil chemotaxis and activation in
      vitro. To investigate expression of the genes for MIP-2 and KC in rat models of
      lung injury, cDNA probes for these cytokines in the rat were made from polymerase
      chain reaction (PCR) products generated using mouse sequence-derived primers.
      Sequence analysis of these cDNAs showed marked homology to known murine sequences
      (89% and 92% MIP-2 and KC, respectively). These cDNAs were first used to study
      the expression of these two genes in rat alveolar macrophages (AMs) in vitro by
      Northern blot hybridization. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment of rat AMs in
      vitro caused marked increases in mRNA for both KC and MIP-2 within 30 minutes,
      which persisted through the 6 hours measured. To study expression during
      inflammation in vivo, rats were treated with LPS by intratracheal instillation.
      Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells and whole trachea homogenates were analyzed.
      There was a marked and rapid increase in MIP-2 and KC mRNA levels within both BAL
      cells and trachea homogenates after LPS instillation. The results support the
      hypothesis that MIP-2 and KC cytokines contribute to neutrophil chemotaxis and
      activation in this rat model of acute pulmonary inflammation.

PMID- 1415489
TI  - Neuronal injury after photoactivation of photofrin II.
AB  - Photodynamic therapy has been used in the management of patients with malignant
      brain tumors even though the effects of this form of treatment on the adjacent
      normal brain are incompletely characterized. The authors examined, in sequential
      experiments, morphologic alterations affecting the cerebral cortex in rats
      injected with Photophrin II and exposed to light. Initially, minimal cell
      alterations, including cisternal swelling of both endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi
      apparatus, involved only neurons located in the superficial layers of the
      cerebral cortex exposed to light. These changes spread, over a period of several
      hours, from the surface to the bottom of the cortex and eventually involved the
      entire cortical segment exposed to light. The earliest structural signs of lethal
      injury to neurons developed over a period of 18 hours after porphyrins had been
      photoactivated and astrocytes had been severely damaged. Signs of lethal injury
      to neurons included an increase in the number of mitochondrial cristae and
      appearance of amorphous electron-dense deposits within swollen mitochondria. The
      appearance of these alterations was followed by segregation of intracytoplasmic
      organelles and fragmentation of nuclear and cytoplasmic membranes. The tissue
      changes, including those involving neurons, eventually progressed to coagulation
      necrosis at 48 hours. These observations suggest that prophyrins injected to rats
      (48 hours before photoactivation) cause swelling and necrosis of astrocytes. This
      is followed by neuronal necrosis, which appears at two time intervals; the
      initial neuronal necrosis occurs after the astrocytic disintegration. A second
      type of neuronal alteration appears after microvessels become thrombosed and
      ischemia is likely to develop.

PMID- 1415490
TI  - Hyaluronan synthesis by in vitro cultured endolymphatic sac cells.
AB  - The endolymphatic sac (ELS) has been the subject of investigation for many years
      and yet its overall function remains unclear. It is believed mainly to be
      involved in the regulation of endolymph through fluid resorption and secretion of
      osmotically active substances. The present study was performed using in vitro
      cultured, fetal ELSs of 18 to 19 day gestational mice, to assess whether the ELS
      cells can synthesize the osmotically active polysaccharide, hyaluronan (HA). The
      ELS and portions of the membranous labyrinth were dissected from whole otocyst
      specimens and placed in 14C glucose-enhanced tissue culture media. A light
      microscopic (LM), autoradiographic study was performed to assess whether 14C
      glucose could be incorporated by the tissue into HA. Both the ELS cells and the
      adjacent cartilage demonstrated radiolabel incorporation within 4 hours of
      incubation in tissue culture medium, with increased radiolabel density in ELS
      cells after 24 hours of incubation. HA-specific hyaluronidase (HAase) resulted in
      removal of HAase-sensitive compounds in the ELS in both 4-hour and 24-hour
      cultured specimens when compared to adjacent cartilage cells (p = 0.001).
      Approximately 43 percent of the radiolabel was incorporated into HA in ELS
      specimens, as compared to a 22 percent HA synthesis in the adjacent cartilage
      tissue, suggesting preferential synthesis by ELS cells. The dissected murine
      otocysts demonstrate viability in vitro as measured by their ability to
      incorporate 14C glucose from tissue culture medium. Under these conditions the
      cultured ELS demonstrates an ability to synthesize HA. A theory of ELS function
      is proposed.

PMID- 1415492
TI  - Neural presbycusis: a diagnostic dilemma.
AB  - The combined term, sensorineural, is useful because clinical distinction between
      sensory and neural lesions is often difficult, and because sensory lesions may
      lead to secondary neural degeneration or, though rarely, a neural lesion may lead
      to secondary sensory degeneration. The threat of lawsuits for failure to identify
      treatable neurologic conditions has led to overuse of tests, while fiscal
      constraints exert pressure to limit expensive diagnostic testing. The purpose of
      this review of the relation between sensory and neural hearing loss is to provide
      a practical method to screen for neural lesions using pure-tone thresholds and a
      single speech discrimination score. The difference between the articulation index
      and the word recognition score of a patient provides a statistically reliable
      index of suspicion that may reduce the diagnostic dilemma of neural presbycusis.

PMID- 1415491
TI  - Sensory aids in conjunction with cochlear implants.
AB  - The use of cochlear implants in profoundly hearing-impaired individuals can
      restore varying degrees of auditory capabilities. Although very little auditory
      information is transmitted to these patients through amplification systems, we
      hypothesized that some of the cues obtained from sensory aids might be helpful
      when used in conjunction with the cochlear implant postoperatively. Eight
      patients implanted at NYU Medical Center, Bellevue Hospital Center, have used
      some sensory aid in addition to the Nucleus multichannel cochlear prosthesis. All
      subjects were evaluated using standard auditory tests including pure-tone and
      speech audiometry, portions of the Minimal Auditory Capabilities (MAC), Speech
      Pattern Contrast Perception (SPAC), Iowa test batteries; and the Early Speech
      Perception (ESP), Word Intelligibility by Picture Identification (WIPI), and
      Glendonald Auditory Screening Procedure (GASP), where appropriate. Subjects were
      evaluated under three conditions: implant alone, implant plus sensory aid, and
      sensory aid alone. Results indicate that the interaction between a multichannel
      cochlear implant and a sensory aid can provide some improved performance for
      adult implanted patients (i.e., they do better under the dual condition than in
      the implant-alone condition). Variables such as thresholds in the nonimplanted
      ear and usage time can affect the outcome.

PMID- 1415493
TI  - Unilateral acoustic neuromas in childhood without evidence of neurofibromatosis:
      case report and review of the literature.
AB  - A six-year-old female with a unilateral benign acoustic neuroma and no evidence
      of neurofibromatosis is presented. Review of the literature revealed only 16
      cases of unilateral acoustic neuromas in children less than 15 years old.
      Children often do not appreciate hearing loss when compared with adults. As a
      result, they often present with larger tumors, thus adversely affecting outcome.
      The need for early diagnostic tests and a hearing-conservation surgical approach
      is emphasized. Routine follow-up imaging studies are crucial to rule out the
      development of a contralateral acoustic neuroma in neurofibromatosis-2 (NF-2).

PMID- 1415494
TI  - A new medication to control patulous eustachian tube disorders.
AB  - The disorder of hyperpatent eustachian tube is often unrecognized or misdiagnosed
      because of the ambiguous symptom of a "plugged ear." But when the patient also
      complains of autophony and/or hearing amphoric sounds, a patulous tube should be
      suspected. Persistent symptoms are distressing to most patients. This preliminary
      report evaluates a new nasal medication that produces closure of the tube and
      controls or eliminates these symptoms. It is demonstrated to be safe,
      predictable, and effective with little or no side effects.

PMID- 1415495
TI  - Retrolabyrinthine vestibular nerve section: evaluation of technical modification
      in 143 cases.
AB  - Selective vestibular nerve section is effective in relieving intractable vertigo
      while preserving hearing. Histologic study demonstrated overlap of the cochlear
      and vestibular fibers at the cochleovestibular cleavage plane within the
      posterior fossa. In the hopes of improving surgical results by sectioning these
      overlapping vestibular fibers, the technique of sectioning the vestibular
      division of the eighth nerve was modified to include a small portion of the
      cochlear division. We have evaluated 143 cases of retrolabyrinthine vestibular
      nerve section in which this technical modification was employed. A patient
      questionnaire was used to examine control of vertigo as well as changes in
      tinnitus, unsteadiness, and disability. Hearing preservation and incidence of
      complications were also reviewed. Resolution or improvement of vertigo occurred
      in 93 percent of Meniere's cases and 74 percent of non-Meniere's cases as
      compared to 97 percent and 68 percent, respectively, in the pre-1986 series.

PMID- 1415496
TI  - Traumatic perilymphatic fistula: how long can symptoms persist? A follow-up
      report.
AB  - In the past 18 years 68 ears (average 3.8 per year) were explored for
      perilymphatic fistula (PLF). A total of nine (13%) ears had a fistula identified
      at operation. Patients with a previous history of otologic surgery were excluded
      from this review. The most common etiology for PLF was head trauma (4 of 9). Most
      patients had persistent symptoms lasting months (average 6.7). Eighty-three
      percent of all patients had sudden or fluctuating hearing loss, 77 percent had
      vertigo or dysequilibrium, and 61 percent had tinnitus. Vertigo was the most
      commonly improved symptom postoperatively, and only 25 percent of patients had
      improved hearing. There were no major complications. The authors discuss
      indications for operation, criteria for diagnosis of PLF, and audiometric and
      electronystagmographic findings. This report agrees with other recent data
      indicating that exploration for fistula is an uncommon procedure performed by
      otologists.

PMID- 1415497
TI  - Relevance of the Tullio phenomenon in assessing perilymphatic leak in vertiginous
      patients.
AB  - The Tullio phenomenon was studied in 57 control subjects, in 7 patients with
      confirmed PLF and in 149 patients with different types of inner ear pathology.
      The subjects were exposed to low-frequency sound (LFS) with sound pressure levels
      ranging from 130 to 132 dB and at frequencies of 25, 50, and 63 Hz. The duration
      of each stimulation was 30 seconds. The postural responses were measured using a
      force platform and analyzed with a computer. In control subjects the LFS
      stimulation somewhat improved the postural stability. All patients with PLF
      showed significantly altered postural stability during LFS exposure. Also about
      20 percent of patients with labyrinthine vertigo, patients with Meniere's
      disease, patients with chronic middle ear disease (with vertigo) had pathologic
      response to LFS. None of the patients with pure sensorineural hearing loss
      without vertigo responded to LFS. Post-urography with LFS loading is a new,
      promising tool in detection of PLF, but the specificity of the test is still
      unsatisfactory.

PMID- 1415498
TI  - Changes in hyaluronan synthesis by in vitro cultured endolymphatic sac cells.
AB  - The endolymphatic sac (ELS) has been implicated in the maintenance of endolymph
      volume and pressure in the membranous labyrinth through fluid resorption and
      secretion of osmotically active substances, known as glycosaminoglycans (GAGs).
      To assess whether the ELS cells synthesize the GAG, hyaluronan (HA), and to
      further elucidate the secretory function of the ELS, a series of experiments were
      carried out on in vitro tissue-cultured, fetal murine ELSs. In phase 1 of the
      investigation, the ELSs that were attached to a small portion of the posterior
      labyrinth, were resected from whole otocyst specimens and studied in tissue
      culture. This model was chosen to determine whether a change in endolymph
      homeostasis affects ELS activity. Radiolabeled 14C glucose incorporation was used
      to evaluate HA synthesis by ELS cells when cultured in vitro. Approximately 43
      percent of the incorporated 14C glucose radiolabel was digested by Streptomyces
      hyaluronidase (an HA-specific hyaluronidase), suggesting HA synthesis by sac
      cells. In phase 2 of our experiments, the ELSs were not resected from the
      otocysts. Instead, they were left attached to intact membranous labyrinths, and
      whole otocysts were cultured. Studies analogous to those of phase 1, assessing
      the ability of the ELS cells to incorporate 14C glucose into HA, were performed
      on these specimens. Streptomyces hyaluronidase treatment of these ELS specimens
      resulted in a reduction in the removal of radiolabel. Therefore, the ELS cells of
      intact otocysts incorporated less 14C glucose into HA when compared to the ELS
      cells of the resected specimens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415499
TI  - Evaluation of cochlear function in a patient with "far-advanced" otosclerosis.
AB  - A patient with "far-advanced" otosclerosis with a profound bilateral hearing loss
      was evaluated for cochlear reserve using transtympanic electrocochleography
      (ECoG) and promontory stimulation. Results indicated that both ECoG and
      promontory responses were present, indicating that cochlear function was present
      bilaterally. A stapedectomy resulted in closure of the air-bone gap.
      Postoperative hearing yielded excellent aided responses compared to no measurable
      preoperative hearing aid benefit. This case serves to demonstrate the value of
      evaluating cochlear function using these electrophysiologic techniques.

PMID- 1415500
TI  - Facial nerve repair techniques in cerebellopontine angle tumor surgery.
AB  - This study reviewed the technique and outcome of facial nerve repair in cases of
      cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumor that resulted in transection of the facial
      nerve. Between January 1982 and December 1989, the facial nerve was preserved in
      over 97.7 percent of 1110 cases of CPA tumor resection. Facial nerve repair was
      performed in 23 patients. The nerve repair was accomplished with either suture
      anastomosis or support with microfibrillar collagen. In the cases repaired with
      sutures, reanastomosis to a proximal facial nerve stump at the brain stem was
      performed with a single suture, while stabilizing the nerve with a fenestrated
      suction. Direct facial nerve neurorrhaphy or anastomosis with a greater auricular
      nerve interposition graft was successful in restoring tone and some degree of
      voluntary motion in 18 of the 21 patients with follow-up available (86%) and
      acceptable function (grade IV/VI or better) in 12 of 21 (57%). The degree of
      recovery of facial function was significantly better in patients without
      preoperative facial nerve symptoms and patients in whom the tumor did not arise
      from the facial nerve itself. We conclude that in cases of facial nerve
      transection in the CPA, good results are obtained by immediately reestablishing
      anatomic continuity of the nerve with direct reanastomosis or with a greater
      auricular nerve graft.

PMID- 1415501
TI  - Extended middle fossa and retrolabyrinthine approaches in acoustic neuroma
      surgery: case reports.
AB  - Hearing conservation surgery for small acoustic neuromas is well accepted. At
      present, two approaches are primarily used: the suboccipital and the middle
      fossa. The middle fossa approach to the internal auditory canal has the advantage
      of using bony landmarks to identify and protect the facial nerve. Because of
      anatomic constraints presented by the superior semicircular canal however, its
      uses are limited to intracanalicular tumors or tumors protruding only slightly
      into the cerebellopontine angle. By extending the approach through the superior
      semicircular canal, a wide access to the cerebellopontine angle can be safely
      obtained. In this study three procedures, two through the superior semicircular
      canal and one through the posterior semicircular canal, were utilized for hearing
      conservation surgery. By immediately sealing off the canal ends, hearing
      preservation was accomplished in two out of three of these cases. The dictum that
      labyrinthine opening invariably leads to anacusis should be reconsidered. By
      utilizing approaches through the semicircular canal, it is possible that
      morbidity from this surgery may be reduced.

PMID- 1415502
TI  - Transmission of change in the atmospheric pressure of the external ear to the
      perilymph.
AB  - In experiments using guinea pigs, the middle ear and perilymphatic pressures were
      simultaneously registered in response to pressure change in the external ear
      canal. In the first experiment, pressure was slowly loaded in the ear canal in
      the range of 200 mm H2O to -200 mm H2O. Pressure transmission to the perilymph
      was smaller when the bulla was open to the outside than when it was closed. It
      was significantly impaired by disruption of the ossicular chain and especially by
      closure of the round window. The data indicate that air volume in the middle ear
      cavity plays an important role in transmission of slowly changing atmospheric
      pressures. In the second experiment, the eustachian tube was closed and the
      pressure was changed in the range of 1000 mm H2O to -1000 mm H2O. The middle ear
      and perilymphatic pressures increased or decreased corresponding to the loading
      pressure in the range of 400 mm H2O and -200 mm H2O. Beyond these levels,
      response rate of the middle ear pressure decreased and perilymphatic pressure
      declined in spite of further increase in loading pressure. The increase in
      pressure difference between the middle ear and the inner ear might cause
      disruption of the round and/or oval windows.

PMID- 1415503
TI  - Meningeal carcinomatosis producing bilateral sudden hearing loss: a case report.
AB  - Meningeal carcinomatosis is characterized by diffuse infiltration of the
      leptomeninges by metastatic cancer in patients usually with a previous history of
      malignancy. Primary tumors are usually adenocarcinomas of the breast or lung, or
      malignant melanoma. Meningeal carcinomatosis can present with headache and/or a
      variety of cranial neuropathies. We report a case of meningeal carcinomatosis
      presenting as a complete, bilateral, sudden hearing loss without other cranial
      nerve findings--a previously unreported presentation. Our patient also exhibited
      an unusual primary tumor site (esophagus) and histopathology for meningeal
      carcinomatosis. The case was impressive for the subsequent abrupt onset of a
      series of cranial neuropathies and the rapid deterioration in the patient's
      condition.

PMID- 1415504
TI  - Facial nerve paralysis secondary to chronic otitis media without cholesteatoma.
AB  - Numerous papers have been written on facial nerve paralysis caused by chronic
      suppurative otitis media. However the authors found none documenting the results
      of therapy in a series of patients in whom facial nerve dysfunction was caused by
      chronic otitis media without cholesteatoma. Thus, there is little factual
      information available to help select a specific therapeutic plan for such cases.
      Over the past decade, the senior author has managed five cases (6 ears) of
      chronic suppurative otitis media without cholesteatoma in which facial paresis (4
      ears) or paralysis (2 ears) developed 10 days or less before surgery. The chronic
      otitis media involved the mastoid and middle ear in five cases; and the mastoid,
      middle ear, and petrous apex in one case. Modified radical mastoidectomy was
      performed in four ears, tympanomastoidectomy with facial recess exposure in one
      ear, and complete mastoidectomy with middle cranial fossa petrous apicectomy in
      one ear. Five patients had complete recovery of facial nerve function (House
      grade I), and one patient had 90 percent recovery (House grade II). The results
      provide support for semi-emergent surgery in the management of chronic
      suppurative otitis media when facial nerve paralysis supervenes.

PMID- 1415505
TI  - Facial paralysis of pregnancy attributable to an arteriovenous steal syndrome.

PMID- 1415506
TI  - Vogue surgery.

PMID- 1415507
TI  - Prediction of auditory nerve survival in humans using the electrical auditory
      brainstem response.

PMID- 1415508
TI  - Comparison of apical and basal surfaces of confluent endothelial cells: patch
      clamp and viral studies.
AB  - The distribution of inwardly rectifying (Ki) and calcium-activated (KCa)
      potassium channels on the apical and basal surfaces of bovine aortic endothelial
      cells (BAECs) was examined by inverting BAEC monolayers onto polylysine-coated
      cover slips. To monitor cellular polarity, we examined human red blood cell
      adherence (hemadsorption) to the influenza virus protein, hemagglutinin (HA), and
      virus budding on the surface of infected BAECs. Hemadsorption and virus budding
      occurred on the apical surface but were not apparent on the basal surface of
      monolayers 1 and 5 h after inversion, although cellular HA antigen localization
      confirmed that all monolayers were infected. In contrast, by 9.5 and 24 h after
      inversion, hemadsorption was evident on the "new" apical surface. Single-channel
      patch-clamp analysis revealed the presence of both Ki and KCa channels on the
      apical surface and basal surface of BAEC monolayers 2-5 h after inversion. K
      channel conductance and kinetics were similar regardless of the surface
      monitored. This nonenzymatic mechanical technique of exposing the basal surface
      of endothelium provides a useful tool to study the distribution of ion channels
      in endothelium and in other polarized cell types grown in tissue culture.

PMID- 1415509
TI  - Volume-sensitive Ca influx and release from intracellular pools in gastric
      parietal cells.
AB  - The effects of osmotically induced changes in cell volume on cytoplasmic free Ca
      (Cai) were studied in parietal cells from intact rabbit gastric glands using
      digital image processing of fura-2 fluorescence. In resting unstimulated cells,
      Cai was unaffected by either cell swelling or shrinking when osmolarity was
      varied between 200 and 400 mosM (isotonicity 290 mosM). However, when cells were
      swelled in a 165 mosM solution (55% tonicity), a biphasic Ca increased was
      observed. On average, Cai increased transiently from 80 to 218 nM before
      stabilizing at approximately 140 nM. The peak was due to release from
      intracellular pools because it was present in Ca-free solutions while the
      sustained elevation was dependent on external Ca. In carbachol-stimulated cells,
      Ca influx was most sensitive to cell shrinkage. For example, addition of 25 mM
      sucrose (108% tonicity) caused a 30% decrease in the sustained carbachol
      stimulated Cai increase (plateau). In contrast, carbachol-stimulated cells were
      relatively insensitive to cell swelling, with a 30% decrease in tonicity causing
      only a 15% increase in the plateau. However, as in the unstimulated cells,
      extreme (55% tonicity) swelling caused additional increases in Cai levels. The
      carbachol-dependent effects of changes in cell volume on Cai could be mimicked by
      treating cells with thapsigargin, an inhibitor of Ca pumps of intracellular
      membranes that also has been shown to stimulate Ca entry. Thus, although extreme
      swelling conditions (55% tonicity) could elicit Cai increases in either the
      presence or absence of agonist, agonist was required to observe Cai decreases due
      to cell shrinkage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415511
TI  - Evidence for the involvement of a K+ channel in isosmotic cell shrinking in
      vestibular dark cells.
AB  - Cell volume changes were measured in dark cells. Isosmotic addition of 21.4 mM
      K+, Rb+, Cs+, or NH4+ to a control solution containing 3.6 mM K+ caused
      piretanide-sensitive cell swelling (initial rate for K+, 0.100 +/- 0.005
      microns/s; n = 119), suggesting dependence on the Na(+)-Cl(-)-K+ cotransporter.
      Subsequent isosmotic removal of 21.4 mM K+ caused piretanide-insensitive cell
      shrinking (initial rate, -0.104 +/- 0.005 microns/s; n = 119), which was
      inhibited by barium, lidocaine, quinidine, quinine, verapamil, and 4
      aminopyridine but not tetraethylammonium (TEA) or glibenclamide, suggesting the
      involvement of K+ channel(s). Barium, lidocaine, quinine, quinidine, and 4
      aminopyridine caused cell swelling in control solution (initial rate for barium,
      0.011 +/- 0.004 microns/s; n = 6), suggesting that the K+ channel is also
      involved in efflux under control conditions. Cell shrinking was slowed by 21.4 mM
      extracellular K+, Rb+, or Cs+ but unaffected by Na+, Li+, TEA+, or NH4+ (all in
      the presence of piretanide and compared with N-methyl-D-glucamine), supporting
      the notion that the efflux mechanism is permeable to and/or inhibited by K+, Rb+,
      and Cs+. Cell shrinking was slowed by the presumed replacement of intracellular
      K+ by Cs+ but not by Rb+. Circumstantial evidence suggests that this putative K+
      channel is present in the basolateral membrane. The physiological relevance of
      such a K+ channel might encompass regulatory volume decrease during K+ secretion.

PMID- 1415510
TI  - Regulation of oxygen consumption in fast- and slow-twitch muscle.
AB  - Phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance spectra and steady-state O2 consumption
      rates were obtained from ex vivo arterially perfused cat biceps brachii (fast
      twitch) and soleus (slow twitch) muscles during and after periods of isometric
      twitch stimulation at 30 degrees C. In the biceps muscles, steady-state O2
      consumption increased and phosphocreatine (PCr) concentration decreased
      progressively with stimulation. PCr recovery after these stimulation periods
      followed first-order kinetics with a half time of 10 min. The results in the
      biceps could be explained by a feedback control of cellular respiration by ADP
      concentration. In the soleus, steady-state O2 consumption also increased and PCr
      concentration decreased as stimulation rates increased. The half time for PCr
      recovery in the soleus was approximately 5 min, but, in contrast to the pattern
      in the biceps, the kinetics was not first order. There was an overshoot during
      the recovery period in the PCr content of soleus and a corresponding undershoot
      of Pi compared with resting values. Mitochondrial regulation by ADP is not
      sufficient to account for respiratory control in slow-twitch soleus. The
      respiration rate in neither muscle was dependent on the Pi content. Thus we
      conclude that the mechanism of control of cellular respiration is both
      quantitatively and qualitatively different in fast- and slow-twitch skeletal
      muscle.

PMID- 1415512
TI  - Ca2+ influx via Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange in immortalized aortic myocytes. I.
      Dependence on [Na+]i and inhibition by external Na+.
AB  - We have found that immortalized aortic myocytes have high Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange
      activity that is similar in amount to that of low-passage myocyte cultures.
      Replacing all external Na+ with K+ slightly increased 45Ca2+ uptake in cells with
      basal Na+ and greatly increased 45Ca2+ uptake in cells with increased
      intracellular Na+. External Na+ competitively inhibited 45Ca2+ uptake (inhibition
      constant approximately 10 mM). The dependence of exchange activity on
      intracellular Na+ was sigmoidal. The 50% maximum concentration (K0.5) for Na+ was
      33 +/- 1 mmol/l cell water space. The Hill coefficient was 2.9 +/- 0.2, which is
      consistent with a stoichiometry of 3 Na+/1 Ca2+. Cytosolic free Na+ was estimated
      from the ratio of sodium-binding benzofuran isophthalate (SBFI) fluorescence and
      an in vivo calibration curve. Sulfinpyrazone, an inhibitor of anion transport,
      markedly increased the SBFI content of the cells without affecting cell Na+.
      Cytosolic free Na+ was 9 mM under basal conditions. Because free Na+ did not
      differ significantly from total Na+, little or no Na+ is bound or
      compartmentalized in these cells. The complete replacement of extracellular Na+
      with K+ fails to evoke appreciable Ca2+ influx, at least in part, because of the
      low cell Na+ concentration relative to the K0.5 of the exchanger and its sigmoid
      dependence on Na+.

PMID- 1415513
TI  - Ca2+ influx via Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange in immortalized aortic myocytes. II. Feedback
      inhibition by [Ca2+]i.
AB  - Depolarization with 50 mM K+ evoked a spike in cytosolic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) and
      increased 45Ca2+ uptake in immortalized aortic myocytes. The following evidence
      indicates that the electrogenic Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger caused the Ca2+ influx that
      was evoked by K+ depolarization. First, K+ depolarization had no effect on
      [Ca2+]i and 45Ca2+ uptake in cells with basal Na+ but strikingly increased both
      in Na(+)-loaded cells. Second, the [Ca2+]i increases produced by K+
      depolarization depended hyperbolically on external Ca2+ (50% maximum
      concentration = 1.5 mM). Third, the increases in [Ca2+]i and 45Ca2+ uptake were
      greater when external Na+ was replaced with K+ rather than with N-methyl-D
      glucamine or choline. A series of K+ depolarizations elicited a sequence of
      [Ca2+]i spikes, provided there was a short incubation at 5 mM K+ between the
      depolarizations. A prior K+ depolarization almost abolished the 45Ca2+ uptake
      response to K+ depolarization. The inhibition of exchange activity by a prior K+
      depolarization required external Ca2+ and was completely reversible. A prior
      incubation with angiotensin II, platelet-derived growth factor, or ionomycin also
      inhibited exchange activity. Moderate [Ca2+]i increases probably feedback inhibit
      Ca2+ influx via the exchanger by a kinetic mechanism. Inactivation of the
      exchanger, together with Ca2+ extrusion or sequestration, causes the rapid
      decrease in [Ca2+]i from the peak evoked by depolarization.

PMID- 1415514
TI  - Contractile arrest accelerates myosin heavy chain degradation in neonatal rat
      heart cells.
AB  - Mechanical forces influence the growth and metabolism of a variety of cells,
      including cultured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. To determine whether
      mechanical activity affected the synthesis and turnover of myosin heavy chain
      (MHC) in these striated muscle cells, MHC fractional degradative rates were
      measured in spontaneously beating cells and in arrested myocytes in which
      contractile activity was prevented by L-channel blockade (with verapamil,
      nifedipine, nisoldipine, and diltiazem) or K+ depolarization. MHC degradative
      rates were measured as the difference between rates of MHC synthesis and
      accumulation and in pulse-chase biosynthetic labeling experiments. Both methods
      indicated that contractile arrest markedly increased MHC degradation. Contractile
      arrest produced by L-channel blockade accelerated MHC degradation to a greater
      extent than K+ depolarization. The signal transduction pathway linking
      contractile activity to alterations in MHC degradation did not involve protein
      kinase C (PKC), because MHC degradation was unaffected by activating PKC in
      arrested cells or inhibiting PKC in spontaneously beating cells. Chloroquine and
      E-64 did not suppress the accelerated MHC degradation, suggesting that the rate
      limiting step in MHC turnover occurred before degradative processing by cellular
      proteinases. Using a computer simulation, we hypothesize that the rate-limiting
      step in MHC turnover preceded (or was coincident with) MHC release from thick
      filaments. Thus mechanical forces may influence MHC half-life by regulating the
      rate of myosin disassembly.

PMID- 1415515
TI  - Effects of fat availability on acetyl-CoA and acetylcarnitine metabolism in rat
      skeletal muscle.
AB  - This study was designed to examine the effects of stimulation and fat
      availability on the contents of acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA), free CoA (CoASH),
      acetylcarnitine, and free carnitine in the oxidative fiber types of rat skeletal
      muscle. Hindlimb muscles were perfused with no exogenous free fatty acids (FFA)
      or high FFA (0.93 +/- 0.03 mM) for 10 min at rest and during isometric, tetanic
      stimulation. Soleus (SOL) and red gastrocnemius (RG) muscles were sampled prior
      to perfusion and following rest perfusion and 1 and 5 min of stimulation. The SOL
      muscle contains predominantly slow oxidative (SO) fibers and the RG contains 56%
      fast oxidative-glycolytic (FOG) and 35% SO fibers. O2 uptake and tetanic tension
      production were similar in the fat-free and high FFA treatments. Rest perfusion
      with high FFA increased acetyl-CoA from 14.6 +/- 1.0 to 20.1 +/- 2.5 nmol/g dry
      muscle (dm) and acetylcarnitine from 0.12 +/- 0.01 to 0.78 +/- 0.18 mumol/g dm in
      the RG, while fat-free perfusion had no effect. The SOL results were similar as
      high FFA increased acetyl-CoA from 7.7 +/- 1.0 to 14.2 +/- 3.1 nmol/g dm and
      acetylcarnitine from 0.14 +/- 0.02 to 0.49 +/- 0.09 mumol/g dm. Stimulation
      increased acetyl-CoA and acetylcarnitine to values above rest in SOL and RG in
      both treatments and removed all fat-free and high-fat differences. The decreases
      in CoASH and free carnitine were reciprocal to the increases in acetyl-CoA and
      acetylcarnitine at all time points in both muscles such that total CoA and
      carnitine were constant.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415516
TI  - Volume-sensitive basolateral K+ channels in HT-29/B6 cells: block by lidocaine,
      quinidine, NPPB, and Ba2+.
AB  - Volume-sensitive basolateral K+ channels were studied in apically amphotericin B
      permeabilized HT-29/B6 monolayers in Ussing chambers with current fluctuation
      analysis. The basolateral K+ conductance and Lorentzian K+ channel noise were
      osmotically activated in presence of Cl- concentrations greater than or equal to
      74 mM. Under isotonic conditions with 148 mM Cl-, a large transepithelial K+
      current of 500 +/- 16.8 microA/cm2 and a spontaneous Lorentzian K+ channel noise
      with a corner frequency of 29.8 +/- 1.6 Hz (n = 31) were observed. Increasing
      extracellular osmolalities by addition of sucrose sensitively decreased the K+
      current across the basolateral membrane. Half-maximal sucrose concentration was
      20 +/- 6 mM for this shrinkage maneuver. The osmotically sensitive K+ pathway was
      similarly activated with the halide Br- and selective for K+ over Rb+ (4:1). The
      established K+ channel blockers lidocaine [50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) =
      49.0 +/- 3.7 microM], quinidine (IC50 = 10.1 +/- 1.3 microM), and also the
      chloride channel blocker 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid (IC50 = 114
      +/- 2.1 microM) completely inhibited basolateral K+ currents, whereas 46% of K+
      current was blocked by barium (IC50 = 95.3 +/- 23.2 microM). Osmotic sensitivity
      of this K+ conductance made a correction for hypertonic effects of added blockers
      necessary, and considerable osmotic effects of blockers at commonly used doses
      were shown. All blockers induced dose dependently additional Lorentzian noise,
      indicating a direct inhibitory action on basolateral K+ channels. In this human
      Cl- secretory cell line, volume-sensitive K+ channels are localized only in the
      basolateral membrane and may modulate osmotic regulation when HT-29 cells swell.

PMID- 1415517
TI  - Phospholipid metabolism and intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis in cultured rat
      hepatocytes intoxicated with cyanide.
AB  - The killing of cultured hepatocytes by 1 mM sodium cyanide was reduced by 100
      microM chlorpromazine or cytochalasin B (25 micrograms/ml) or by lowering the pH
      of the culture medium to 6.0. In each case, ATP was depleted despite the
      decreased number of dead cells. The cell killing by cyanide was accompanied by an
      accelerated release of 3H-labeled arachidonate from phospholipids. Depletion of
      ATP by oligomycin did not accelerate phospholipid degradation or kill the
      hepatocytes. Chlorpromazine, cytochalasin B, and extracellular acidosis reduced
      the rate of phospholipid degradation in control cells as well as the increase
      that occurred with cyanide. The calcium ionophore A23187 increased phospholipid
      degradation and killed the hepatocytes. Chlorpromazine and extracellular
      acidosis, but not cytochalasin B, protected the cells and prevented the increased
      lipid degradation in response to A23187. After addition of cyanide, cytosolic
      free calcium ([Ca2+]i) did not change for 71 +/- 8 min, at which time it rose to
      a plateau of 683 +/- 210 nM within 10 min. A second and larger rise occurred
      after 84 +/- 8 min and before the death of the cells at 89 +/- 8 min. Treatment
      with 3.5 mM ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic
      acid, as well as removal of extracellular calcium, prevented these late increases
      in [Ca2+]i without affecting the loss of viability. It is concluded that cyanide
      kills cultured hepatocytes by a mechanisms that is likely related to an
      accelerated degradation of phospholipids. This change in lipid metabolism is not
      mediated by a rise in [Ca2+]i but rather may relate to an alteration in the
      interaction between the cytoskeleton and the plasma membrane.

PMID- 1415518
TI  - Ionic basis for spontaneous depolarizations in isolated smooth muscle cells of
      canine colon.
AB  - The type of cell that serves as the pacemaker in the colon is presently unknown.
      This study evaluated the ionic basis of spontaneous depolarizations in circular
      smooth muscle cells isolated from canine colon using whole cell voltage and
      current clamp techniques. Increasing temperature increased the probability of
      observing spontaneous depolarizations, depolarized the resting membrane potential
      (RMP), and increased Ca2+ and K+ currents. Spontaneous depolarizations occurred
      as rhythmic events, in bursts, or as isolated events. Varying the holding
      potential from -100 to -40 mV inhibited a component of inward current thought to
      be necessary for spontaneous depolarizations. The Ca2+ channel blockers, nickel
      and nisoldipine, inhibited spontaneous depolarizations. Nickel caused a
      hyperpolarization, whereas nisoldipine did not affect RMP. Ouabain depolarized
      the RMP and inhibited spontaneous depolarizations. The K+ channel blocker,
      tetraethylammonium, depolarized the RMP and lengthened the duration of
      spontaneous depolarizations. The key finding is that single colon circular smooth
      muscle cells are capable of generating spontaneous depolarizations similar to
      those described for slow waves in intact tissues and that a temperature- and
      nickel-sensitive inward current is essential for spontaneous activity.

PMID- 1415519
TI  - A novel remote-sensing isometric force transducer for micromechanics studies.
AB  - We have developed an innovative transducer for measuring force with femtonewton
      to-micronewton resolution in biological systems. A magnetic microsphere is
      attached to the specimen being studied and is positioned between two
      electromagnets. Video microscopy and edge detection are used to monitor small
      movements of the microsphere that occur when the specimen generates force. An
      automatic control system adjusts the current through the electromagnets to keep
      the microsphere stationary. Measured force is a linear function of this current.
      This transducer is unique in its combination of sensitivity and isometric
      properties and its ability to measure force without direct connections to the
      specimen. That is, the transducer is "remote sensing" and can measure force
      through intervening membrane or tissue. The transducer is isometric at steady
      state to the limit at which displacement of the microsphere can be resolved,
      which can be as low as 19 nm. The completed system is being used to study the
      mechanics of interstitial connective tissue but may also be used to study
      molecular generation of force.

PMID- 1415521
TI  - Effects of thyroid hormones on urinary and renal kallikreins.
AB  - The effects of thyroid hormones on the urinary excretion of kallikrein and on
      renal kallikrein were studied in rats. Total and active urinary kallikrein was
      decreased after thyroidectomy, but renal kallikrein content remained unchanged.
      Diuresis increased, and kidney weight and plasma aldosterone concentration
      decreased. Treatment with 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine restored the urinary
      kallikrein in thyroidectomized rats to normal and increased it in intact rats. It
      also produced increases in kidney weight and plasma aldosterone and a decrease in
      diuresis. The effect of thyroid hormones on the urinary kallikrein response to
      mineralocorticoids was also tested. Deoxycorticosterone acetate increased urinary
      kallikrein more in normal than in thyroidectomized rats. These results suggest
      that thyroidectomy decreases renal kallikrein synthesis and lowers the turnover
      rate of the enzyme, changes not detectable by a single measurement of the renal
      kallikrein content but reflected by an alteration in the urinary excretion of the
      enzyme. Thyroid hormones participate in the control of urinary kallikrein. This
      effect, however, is probably indirect and may be mediated by mineralocorticoids
      since thyroid function affects both the plasma level of aldosterone, which is
      known to influence renal kallikrein, and the kallikrein response to exogenous
      mineralocorticoids.

PMID- 1415520
TI  - Ca(2+)-independent isoforms of protein kinase C differentially translocate in
      smooth muscle.
AB  - It is generally assumed that smooth muscle contraction is dependent on changes in
      intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i); however, we have previously reported
      that alpha-agonist-induced contraction of aorta smooth muscle cells can occur in
      the absence of changes in [Ca2+]i [Collins, E. M., M. P. Walsh, and K. G. Morgan.
      Am. J. Physiol. 262 (Heart Circ. Physiol. 31): H754-H762, 1992]. The mechanism of
      this [Ca2+]i-independent contraction is controversial. We have now identified the
      Ca(2+)-independent protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms epsilon and zeta in ferret
      aorta and have used digital imaging microscopy to determine their subcellular
      distribution. At rest, epsilon-PKC is diffusely distributed in the cytosol,
      whereas zeta-PKC is concentrated in the perinuclear region; both isoforms are
      excluded from the nuclear space. Agonist stimulation causes a [Ca2+]i-independent
      translocation of epsilon-PKC to the surface membrane and of zeta-PKC to the
      intranuclear compartment. In comparison, ferret portal vein cells, which display
      a totally Ca(2+)-dependent agonist contraction, are lacking in epsilon-PKC but
      display perinuclear zeta-PKC, which translocates intranuclearly on activation.
      Thus the Ca(2+)-independent vascular contraction appears to be associated with
      plasmalemmal translocation of epsilon-PKC; in contrast, the intranuclear
      translocation of zeta-PKC may function in control of gene expression.

PMID- 1415522
TI  - Plasma GSH/GSSG affects glucose homeostasis in healthy subjects and non-insulin
      dependent diabetics.
AB  - In healthy subjects (n = 10) and non-insulin-dependent (type II) diabetics (n =
      10) matched for age [43.1 +/- 2.2 vs. 41 +/- 4.4 yr, P = not significant (NS)],
      body mass index (25.1 +/- 1.1 vs. 26 +/- 0.8 kg/m2, P = NS), gender ratio [5
      males (M)/5 females (F) vs. 5M/5F], and mean arterial blood pressure (105 +/- 7
      vs. 106 +/- 9 mmHg, P = NS), we determined the changes in insulin secretion and
      action after glutathione infusion (15 mg/min) and the relative increase in the
      plasma reduced (GSH)/oxidized (GSSG) glutathione ratio. The rise in the plasma
      GSH/GSSG ratio significantly improved total body glucose disposal in healthy
      subjects and in diabetic patients. In this latter group, GSH infusion potentiated
      the beta-cell response to glucose slightly. In controls and diabetics, insulin
      infusion with a simultaneous increase in the plasma GSH/GSSG ratio significantly
      enhanced nonoxidative glucose disposal without affecting oxidative glucose
      metabolism. After glutathione infusion, all metabolic and hormonal changes
      correlated with a significant decline in plasma membrane microviscosity. In
      conclusion, the plasma GSH/GSSG ratio seems to play a major role in the
      modulation of glucose homeostasis mainly in diabetics.

PMID- 1415523
TI  - Thermogenesis after surgery: effect of perioperative heat conservation and
      epidural anesthesia.
AB  - Body temperature, respiratory gas exchange, and plasma catecholamines were
      determined before and after surgery in three groups [control (C), warmed (W), and
      epidural (E) who received local anesthetic at T4-S5 dermatomes during and for 24
      h after surgery] of patients undergoing colonic surgery under general anesthesia.
      At the end of surgery, group W were nursed in an ambient temperature of 28-30
      degrees C, whereas the others were at 20-23 degrees C for a period of 24 h. Core
      (Tc) and dorsal hand temperature decreased during surgery in both C and E (P less
      than 0.05) but not in W. After surgery, Tc increased similarly in C and E and by
      a smaller amount in W. Plasma catecholamine concentrations increased
      significantly in C and W but not in E (P less than 0.001), with the greatest
      response occurring in C. Postoperative oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide
      production exceeded preoperative values (P less than 0.01) in C but not in W or
      E. After surgery, plasma albumin fell and C-reactive protein increased similarly
      in all three groups. Thus body heat conservation or epidural blockade attenuates
      or abolishes the rise in plasma catecholamines and oxygen consumption
      postoperatively but does not prevent the increase in Tc or the acute phase
      protein response.

PMID- 1415524
TI  - Energy metabolism and aging: a lifelong study of Fischer 344 rats.
AB  - Metabolic rate is widely regarded as an important component of aging processes,
      but variation of metabolic rate with age has not been well characterized. The
      purpose of the present study was to measure daily metabolic rate under usual
      living conditions over the lifespan of barrier-maintained Fischer 344 rats. In
      addition, effects of life-prolonging food restriction were assessed. Metabolic
      rate was measured indirectly by analysis of gas entering and leaving standard
      rodent cages over a 24-h period. Group A rats were fed ad libitum. Group B rats
      were fed 60% of ad libitum intake from 6 wk of age. Both group A and group B rats
      exhibited variation of metabolic rate per unit lean mass over the lifespan, with
      metabolic rate decreasing from 6 to 18 mo and then increasing from 18 to 24 mo of
      age. Results show estimates of lifetime energy expenditure in rats should take
      account of variability of metabolic rate and confirm the life-prolonging action
      of food restriction is not a consequence of reduced metabolic rate per unit
      metabolic mass. Rather, restricted rats are able to sustain appropriate fluxes of
      nutrients and appropriate metabolic rate under conditions of fuel utilization
      which promote maintenance of cellular homeostasis.

PMID- 1415525
TI  - Stimulation of protein synthesis in pig skeletal muscle by infusion of amino
      acids during constant insulin availability.
AB  - Incorporation of L-[1-13C]leucine into muscle protein and leg exchange of L
      [15N]phenylalanine were used to assess the effects over 240 min of amino acid
      supply on leg protein turnover in anesthetized, overnight-fasted (Landrace x
      Great White) female pigs. In all pigs, plasma insulin and glucagon stability was
      ensured by infusion of somatostatin (8 micrograms.kg-1.h-1), insulin (6 mU.kg-1.h
      1), and glucagon (72 ng.kg-1.h-1). Mixed amino acid infusion (260 mg.kg-1.h-1)
      caused a 2- to 2.5-fold elevation of arterial plasma phenylalanine and leucine;
      in a control group (no amino acid infusion), an increase in phenylalanine and
      leucine concentration was observed as a result of the hormone clamp. Plasma
      insulin and glucagon concentrations were steady and not significantly different
      between control and amino acid-infused groups during the final 240 min, but
      plasma glucose fell (P less than 0.05) in both groups (4.57 +/- 0.17 to 3.15 +/-
      0.73 mM). Muscle protein synthetic rate (estimated from the change in L-[1
      13C]leucine incorporation compared with labeling of [13C]leucyl-tRNA) was greater
      in amino acid-infused (0.076%/h) than in control (0.053%/h) pigs. In the control
      group, leg amino acid balance was negative (Phe alone, -10.2 +/- 9.4 nmol Phe.100
      g-1.min-1; total amino acids, -0.27 +/- 1.04 micrograms amino N.100 g-1.min-1),
      but during amino acid infusion, balance was positive (Phe alone, +33.6 +/- 8.8
      nmol Phe.100 g-1.min-1; total amino acids, +58.2 +/- 4.9 micrograms amino N.100 g
      1.min-1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415526
TI  - Effect of long-term rhGH administration in GH-deficient adults on fat cell
      epinephrine response.
AB  - Besides exerting its own lipolytic effect, growth hormone (GH) has been reported
      to potentiate the lipolytic response of adipose tissue to epinephrine. It was
      thought interesting to find out whether long-term recombinant human growth
      hormone (rhGH) administration modifies epinephrine-induced lipolysis in isolated
      adipocytes of GH-deficient adults. In a double-blind protocol, GH-deficient
      subjects received either 6 mo placebo (controls, n = 5) or 6 mo rhGH (treated, n
      = 5). Biopsies of fat were obtained from the periumbilical region before and
      after placebo or rhGH administration. The response of the collagenase-isolated
      fat cells to various concentrations of epinephrine was assessed by glycerol
      release, measured by bioluminescence. Epinephrine-induced lipolysis was not
      altered by 6 mo placebo, while it was significantly increased by 6 mo rhGH. A
      similar response was obtained with isoproterenol, but no significant differences
      occurred in either group with UK 14304, an alpha 2-adrenoreceptor agonist. Thus,
      in GH-deficient adults, long-term rhGH administration improves the lipolytic
      response of isolated adipocytes to epinephrine, essentially by increasing the
      efficiency of the beta-adrenergic pathway.

PMID- 1415527
TI  - Uptake of glucose carbon in muscle glycogen and adipose tissue triglycerides in
      vivo in humans.
AB  - Glucose disposal into muscle glycogen has previously been directly studied after
      intravenous, but not after physiological, oral administration. In this study 100
      g glucose, containing 50 microCi [U-14C]glucose, were taken orally by
      premenopausal women in the overnight fasting state or after a carbohydrate-rich
      meal. After 4 h, biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis muscle and
      abdominal and femoral subcutaneous adipose tissue for determinations of label in
      isolated glycogen and triglycerides, respectively. Uptake of administered glucose
      carbon in muscle glycogen was estimated to be approximately 20 g in the fasting
      and approximately 9 g in the carbohydrate-fed groups, respectively. Total uptake
      in adipose tissue triglycerides was approximately 2 g. Glucose carbon uptake in
      muscle glycogen correlated positively with glucose infusion rates during
      euglycemic hyperinsulinemic glucose clamps, glycogen synthase activity in vitro,
      and type I muscle fiber distribution and fiber area. Negative correlations were
      found between glucose uptake in adipose tissue triglycerides, type II fiber
      distribution and fiber area, as well as the waist-to-hip circumference ratio and
      degree of obesity. It was concluded that muscle glycogen is probably not a major
      pathway for disposal of oral glucose carbon in the sedentary condition.

PMID- 1415528
TI  - Dexamethasone acts locally to inhibit longitudinal bone growth in rabbits.
AB  - Excess glucocorticoid is a potent inhibitor of epiphysial growth. Several
      mechanisms have been suggested to explain this growth inhibition, including both
      direct local effects of glucocorticoid on the epiphysial growth plate and
      indirect systemic effects. Previous studies do not distinguish which of these
      proposed mechanisms is actually responsible for the growth suppression in vivo.
      To resolve this controversy, we developed a method for delivering glucocorticoid
      directly into the rabbit epiphysial growth plate and for accurately measuring the
      resulting epiphysial growth rate. Five-week-old male rabbits received a local
      infusion of dexamethasone phosphate (80 ng/microliters, 1 microliters/h) into one
      proximal tibial growth plate and an infusion of vehicle into the contralateral
      growth plate. Growth rate was determined by inserting metal pins into the bone
      immediately adjacent to the growth plate and measuring the change in distance
      between pins on serial radiographs. This method permitted growth rates to be
      measured over intervals as short as 3 days, with an error of approximately 5%.
      Local dexamethasone administration decreased proximal tibial growth rate by 77%
      compared with the contralateral vehicle-treated tibia (P less than 0.0001). We
      conclude that excess glucocorticoid causes a rapid potent inhibition of growth by
      a direct local action on the growth plate.

PMID- 1415529
TI  - On the mechanism of stimulation of ureagenesis by gluconeogenic substrates: role
      of pyruvate carboxylase.
AB  - Gluconeogenic substrates, lactate or pyruvate, or ornithine produced 100%
      increase of urea synthesis from NH4Cl. The combined administration of ornithine
      and lactate (or pyruvate) produced more than additive effects, indicating that
      they acted at different steps in a potentiating manner. The uptake of ornithine
      was enhanced by gluconeogenic substrates. This finding may explain, at least in
      part, the stimulating effect of these substrates on ureagenesis from NH4Cl and
      ornithine. The gluconeogenic substrate-induced stimulation of ureagenesis from
      NH4Cl was still observed under conditions of reduced flux through pyruvate
      carboxylase, ruling out that their action was exclusively mediated by the
      anaplerotic effect of this enzyme. Pyruvate was a more potent stimulator of
      ureagenesis than lactate and its effect less sensitive to pyruvate carboxylase
      inhibition. These observations indicate that a correlation exists between
      stimulation of ureagenesis by gluconeogenic substrates and flux through pyruvate
      dehydrogenase. It is concluded that gluconeogenic substrates may stimulate
      ureagenesis from NH4Cl by 1) increasing intracellular ornithine availability
      and/or 2) enhancing flux through pyruvate dehydrogenase and consequently the
      tricarboxylic acid cycle activity.

PMID- 1415530
TI  - Regulation of expression of the lipoprotein lipase gene in brown adipose tissue.
AB  - The regulation of lipoprotein lipase gene expression in brown adipose tissue was
      studied. Rats were preacclimated to 21 degrees C. Exposure to cold (4 degrees C)
      resulted in a rapid increase in the level of lipoprotein lipase mRNA in the
      tissue. The level peaked (expressed per microgram total RNA) after approximately
      8 h and then slowly declined. The increased lipoprotein lipase mRNA level was not
      due to an increased stability of the mRNA, but, in a transition event from a high
      to a low expression of the lipoprotein lipase gene, a transcription-dependent
      process was recruited that accelerated the breakdown of lipoprotein lipase mRNA.
      Norepinephrine injections increased lipoprotein lipase mRNA levels in the tissue;
      this effect was mediated via a beta-adrenergic receptor. The effect of cold could
      be mimicked by norepinephrine injections, and these two effects were not
      additive, indicating that the cold effect was mediated by norepinephrine. The
      lipoprotein lipase mRNA level was also increased by insulin injections (into
      fasted animals); thus an increase in lipoprotein lipase gene expression in brown
      adipose tissue may be induced via two different stimuli, which, intracellularly,
      would be mediated via different signaling systems. In all investigated
      conditions, the changes in lipoprotein lipase mRNA levels observed here were
      parallelled by alterations in lipoprotein lipase activity reported earlier from
      this laboratory. It was therefore concluded that, under the conditions studied,
      lipoprotein lipase activity in brown adipose tissue was primarily regulated at
      the transcriptional level.

PMID- 1415531
TI  - Evidence for the modulation of cell calcium by epinephrine in fish hepatocytes.
AB  - The effect of epinephrine (10(-7) M) on cytosolic free-Ca2+ concentration
      ([Ca2+]i) and its dependency on external Ca2+ were studied in fura-2-loaded
      hepatocytes isolated from three teleost fish species: American eel, brown
      bullhead, and rainbow trout. Basal [Ca2+]i was similar in eel and trout
      hepatocytes (79.6 +/- 14.6 and 75.7 +/- 17.4 nM, respectively) but was
      significantly higher in bullhead cells (184 +/- 23 nM). Epinephrine-induced
      [Ca2+]i oscillations were observed only in eel hepatocytes. These oscillations,
      which presented variable patterns among individual cells, also developed in the
      absence of external Ca2+, although their amplitude progressively declined to
      eventually vanish under such conditions. In bullhead hepatocytes, epinephrine
      induced a biphasic [Ca2+]i response, with an initial transient rise followed by a
      sustained component; this response was virtually abolished in the absence of
      extracellular Ca2+. The peak [Ca2+]i achieved (433.5 +/- 135.6 nM) was more than
      two times that of eel cells (184.3 +/- 30 nM) but represented a similar percent
      increase above control [Ca2+]i for both species. Rainbow trout hepatocytes,
      contrary to eel and bullhead cells, demonstrated little epinephrine sensitivity,
      with less than 20% of the cells responding. These data clearly point to
      significant species differences both in terms of epinephrine-induced changes in
      [Ca2+]i and in the dependence of these transients on external Ca2+. Thus the eel
      response relies primarily on intracellular stores, whereas the bullhead response
      principally involves enhanced influx of Ca2+ from the extracellular milieu.
      Furthermore, the similarity of these responses with those reported for mammalian
      hepatocytes strongly suggests that an alpha-adrenoceptor/Ca2+ transduction system
      is involved in at least eel and bullhead hepatocytes.

PMID- 1415532
TI  - Vasoconstrictor-induced secretion of ANP in fetal sheep.
AB  - Fetal secretion of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) increases during volume
      expansion and hypoxia. It is unknown whether this is associated with alterations
      in right atrial pressure (RAP) or distension and whether increases in ANP
      secretion reflect effects of specific vasopressors. To address this we studied
      fetal sheep (n = 13) at 125-140 days gestation, infusing either angiotensin II
      (ANG II; 0.023-5.73 micrograms/min) or the alpha-agonist phenylephrine (Phen;
      0.031-7.64 micrograms/min) while monitoring mean arterial pressure (MAP), RAP,
      heart rate, and amniotic sac pressure. Arterial blood was obtained before and at
      5 min of infusion to measure ANP, blood gases, and pH; umbilical venous blood was
      collected to determine placental clearance of ANP. ANG II caused dose-dependent
      increases in MAP and plasma ANP (P less than 0.05), whereas Phen caused dose
      dependent increases in MAP, but ANP rose only with the highest dose (40 +/- 12%).
      delta MAP and delta RAP were highly correlated for Phen (r = 0.74, P = 0.002) and
      ANG II (r = 0.90, P less than 0.001), but for both agents the increase in delta
      RAP was proportionately greater than delta MAP, and increases in plasma ANP were
      greater per millimeter mercury rise in RAP than that observed with MAP. Increases
      in ANP were associated with a dose-dependent rise in hematocrit, suggesting
      decreases in intravascular volume. There was no fetal placental clearance of ANP.
      As in adults, ANG II- and alpha-agonist-induced fetal ANP secretion appears to
      primarily reflect increases in RAP and thus right atrial distension.

PMID- 1415533
TI  - Thyroid hormone effects on cardiac gene expression independent of cardiac growth
      and protein synthesis.
AB  - Prior studies have demonstrated the importance of hemodynamic loading in
      mediating thyroxine (T4)-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Direct cellular effects of
      thyroid hormone have been implicated in modulating the expression of the myosin
      heavy chain (MHC) genes and the slow sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium adenosine
      triphosphatase (SR Ca(2+)-ATPase) gene. In the present report, administration of
      T4 for 72 h did not stimulate growth of the hemodynamically unloaded heterotopic
      isograft. The synthetic rates of total cardiac proteins and MHC in the isograft
      remained significantly lower at 64 and 53% of the respective rates measured
      simultaneously in the in situ working heart. Although total left ventricle RNA
      content in the isograft was unchanged by T4, alpha-MHC and SR Ca(2+)-ATPase mRNA
      concentrations were increased 181 and 208%, respectively, and the previously
      observed beta-MHC expression was completely prevented. These data indicate that,
      although T4 requires an increased hemodynamic load to stimulate cardiac protein
      synthesis, it is capable of directly altering the expression of at least two
      myocyte-specific genes. Therefore some of the phenotypic alterations observed
      with thyroid hormone treatment are the result of direct effects of the hormones
      on specific cardiac genes and independent of changes in cardiac growth.

PMID- 1415534
TI  - Importance of basal glucagon in maintaining hepatic glucose production during a
      prolonged fast in conscious dogs.
AB  - We undertook studies in conscious dogs to assess the role of basal glucagon in
      stimulating glucose production after a 7-day fast. Two protocols consisting of a
      40-min basal period (-40 to 0 min), and a 180-min test period (0-180 min) were
      used. During the test period of the first protocol (hormone replacement; n = 4),
      somatostatin was infused (0.8 micrograms.kg-1.min-1) along with basal intraportal
      replacement amounts of insulin and glucagon, whereas in the second protocol
      (glucagon deficiency; n = 5), somatostatin plus insulin alone were infused.
      Glucose production and gluconeogenesis were measured using tracer and
      arteriovenous difference techniques. Plasma insulin levels were similar during
      the test period in both protocols (6 +/- 1 microU/ml). The plasma immunoreactive
      glucagon level in the control protocol averaged 50 +/- 8 pg/ml, whereas in the
      glucagon-deficiency protocol the level fell from 50 +/- 8 to 29 +/- 8 pg/ml (P
      less than 0.05). The plasma glucose level and the rate of glucose production were
      unchanged during bihormonal replacement. During glucagon deficiency the plasma
      glucose level was held constant at 100 +/- 4 mg/dl by glucose infusion. Tracer
      determined endogenous glucose production fell from 1.8 +/- 0.1 to 1.0 +/- 0.1
      mg.kg-1.min-1 by 30 min (P less than 0.05). After 3 h of glucagon deficiency,
      gluconeogenic conversion of alanine to glucagon was reduced 40% and the hepatic
      fractional extraction of alanine was reduced by 45%. The efficiency of the
      gluconeogenic process within the liver was not altered by glucagon
      deficiency.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415535
TI  - Interactions between insulin and glucocorticoids in the maintenance of genetic
      obesity.
AB  - Glucoregulation and body composition were examined in 3-mo-old C57BL/6 ob/ob mice
      6 wk after streptozotocin (STZ) or STZ plus adrenalectomy. STZ depressed somatic
      growth in ob/ob mice but did not cause hyperglycemia until immunoreactive insulin
      (IRI) was 40% (100 microU/ml) that of intact ob/ob mice. When IRI approached that
      of lean mice (40 microU/ml), ob/ob mice displayed severe hyperglycemia (800+
      mg/dl) and other sequelae of type I diabetes but still maintained the same 50%
      body fat as untreated obese mice. In contrast, STZ diabetes in lean mice caused
      disproportionate reductions in body fat. Adrenalectomy before STZ led to the same
      insulinopenia, depressed growth, and hyperglycemia as STZ alone, but, after
      combined treatment, percent body fat declined in proportion to IRI. Thus a
      subgroup of severely diabetic adrenalectomized STZ obese mice with very low IRI
      (20 microU/ml) had body fat contents and fat-free masses equal to those of weight
      matched lean mice. The data suggest that hypercorticoidism rather than
      hyperinsulinemia is largely responsible for obesity in ob/ob mice. However, in
      the absence of adrenal glucocorticoids, or perhaps with just their normalization,
      hyperinsulinemia appears necessary for maintaining excessive body energy stores.

PMID- 1415536
TI  - Fasting and lactate unmask insulin responsiveness in the isolated working rat
      heart.
AB  - We have previously reported that the nutritional state in vivo results in
      differential insulin responses by the perfused heart in vitro. To further assess
      the effects of insulin on glucose uptake at physiological work loads, hearts from
      fed and fasted (16-20 h) rats were perfused with buffer containing 2-[18F]fluoro
      2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-FDG) and glucose (10 mM) alone or plus lactate (10 mM) as a
      competing substrate, with insulin (10 mU/ml) added after a control period. When
      glucose was the only substrate, the addition of insulin decreased the fractional
      rate of 2-FDG uptake in hearts from either fed or fasted rats. The effect of
      insulin on increasing myocardial 2-FDG uptake was immediate and sustained only in
      hearts from fasted rats in the presence of lactate, despite no change in cardiac
      work. At the same time, the increase in 2-FDG uptake and phosphorylation was
      associated with an increase in the tissue content of glycogen in hearts from
      fasted rats. We conclude that lactate unmasks insulin sensitivity in heart muscle
      at physiological work loads but that this unmasking of insulin-mediated glucose
      uptake is dependent on the nutritional state of the animal. The glucose up as a
      result of insulin stimulation is preferentially utilized for glycogen repletion
      and does not enter the glycolytic pathway. This observation also suggests that
      myocardial glycogen synthesis in vitro is affected by the nutritional state in
      vivo and that lactate provides a substrate for oxidative phosphorylation while
      glucose is preferentially utilized for glycogen synthesis.

PMID- 1415538
TI  - Plasma carnitine in fasting neonatal and adult northern elephant seals.
AB  - Maintenance of adequate body carnitine stores is a requisite for fasting mammals,
      whose energy is derived mainly from free fatty acid oxidation. The impact of
      longterm fasting on carnitine status is unclear, and there have been no reports
      of carnitine during naturally occurring fasts. Total (TC), free (FC), and
      acylated (AC) plasma carnitine levels were determined in 10 weaned and 11 adult
      northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) during natural fasts lasting
      from 1 to 3 mo. In pups, TC declined little and AC increased only slightly [P
      greater than 0.05, analysis of variance (ANOVA)] through 11 wk of fasting. Plasma
      FC dropped by 53 and 26% from week 1 values at 10 and 11 wk fasting, respectively
      (P = 0.014, ANOVA). The AC/FC ratio did not approach 1.0 until 7 wk of fasting.
      TC was 38.6 +/- 1.4 microM and 47.6 +/- 4.1 microM in adult females and males,
      respectively. Adult AC/FC ratios were 0.71 +/- 0.10 (females) and 0.08 +/- 0.04
      (males). Plasma TC status is not negatively affected by extended fasting in adult
      and weaned northern elephant seals. These data support the hypothesis that
      fasting northern elephant seals defend plasma TC and maintain an attenuated AC/FC
      ratio well into their prolonged natural fast.

PMID- 1415537
TI  - Pretranslational regulation of two cardiac glucose transporters in rats exposed
      to hypobaric hypoxia.
AB  - To investigate the mechanism by which cardiac glucose utilization increases
      during hypoxia and increased work load, we studied the effect of 2 and 14 days of
      hypobaric hypoxia on the expression of two subtypes of the facilitative D-glucose
      transporter, the GLUT-4 or "insulin-regulatable" isoform and the GLUT-1 isoform
      thought to mediate basal transport. Rats lose weight when exposed to hypobaric
      hypoxia, so fasting controls were used in the 2-day studies and pair-fed controls
      in the 14-day experiments. Hypobaric hypoxia (PO2 69 mmHg) resulted in right
      ventricular (RV), but not left ventricular (LV), hypertrophy. RV and LV GLUT-1
      mRNA levels increased 2- to 3-fold after 2 days and 1.5- to 2-fold after 14 days
      of hypobaric hypoxia compared with both fasted rats and normal controls. RV GLUT
      1 protein increased approximately 3-fold and LV GLUT-1 protein increased 1.5-fold
      after 14 days of hypobaric hypoxia vs. both pair-fed and normal controls. RV GLUT
      4 mRNA decreased to 26% and RV GLUT-4 protein decreased to 54% of normal control
      levels as a result of 2 days of hypobaric hypoxia. RV GLUT-4 mRNA decreased to
      64% of normal control levels with no change in RV GLUT-4 protein as a result of 2
      days of fasting. We conclude that hypobaric hypoxia increases cardiac GLUT-1
      expression at the pretranslational level in both ventricles. The greater increase
      in GLUT-1 protein on the right suggests an additive effect of pressure overload.
      GLUT-4 expression is reduced early in the development of RV hypertrophy.

PMID- 1415539
TI  - Single umbilical artery ligation-induced fetal growth retardation: effect on
      postnatal adaptation.
AB  - To assess whether prolonged intrauterine stress and resultant fetal growth
      retardation result in depletion of adrenal catecholamines and alter the
      adrenergic signal transduction system, we studied newborn sheep after single
      umbilical artery ligation (SUAL)-induced growth retardation. The animals were
      delivered at term, and postnatal cardiovascular, pulmonary, endocrine, and
      metabolic responses were measured. We also evaluated the status of myocardial and
      pulmonary beta-adrenergic receptor number and function. SUAL caused significant
      growth retardation but relative preservation of brain and adrenal gland weight
      and adrenal catecholamine content. Blood pressure, plasma free fatty acid, and
      glucose responses at birth were blunted in SUAL animals. The plasma epinephrine
      (Epi) and norepinephrine levels were comparable in both groups for the first 2 h
      of age. By 4 h, both plasma concentration and plasma appearance rate of Epi were
      reduced to 40% of control in SUAL animals (P less than 0.05). Neither beta
      receptor density, affinity, nor adenylate cyclase activity were altered by SUAL
      in either cardiac or pulmonary membranes. These results suggest that, rather than
      overt depletion, there is relative sparing of initial adrenal medullary function
      that later waned. This response and preservation of the beta-adrenergic signal
      transduction system may represent partial compensation for the physiological
      stress induced by SUAL.

PMID- 1415540
TI  - Stable isotope tracer analysis by GC-MS, including quantification of isotopomer
      effects.
AB  - In metabolic tracer studies it is frequently useful to infuse tracers that are
      differently labeled variants of the same molecule. These tracers are known as
      isotopomers. Analysis of the enrichment of each isotopic analogue can be
      accomplished by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). However, the raw GC
      MS data must be corrected to give the information required. This paper addresses
      how to transform the raw GC-MS data, consisting of relative abundance ratios at
      specific ion masses, into relative molar ratios of tracer and tracee molecules.
      Several correction factors are necessary. First, the background must be measured
      and corrected for, since it is always present in the sample. Second, the
      abundances in the spectrum of the labeled molecule are different from those in
      the unlabeled molecule, and this proportionality "skew" is corrected. A third
      correction factor accounts for the overlapping spectra of two or more isotopomers
      that cannot be measured independently. The final correction removes the "double
      vision" effect that may appear in some spectra due to the presence of (M - H)+
      species.

PMID- 1415542
TI  - Regional differences in gut blood flow and mucosal damage in response to ischemia
      and reperfusion.
AB  - Ischemia and reperfusion of the small intestine and colon in rats were produced
      by reversible occlusion (for 30 min and 1 or 3 h) of the superior mesenteric
      artery and the aorta above the inferior mesenteric artery. Despite a greater
      reduction of mucosal perfusion in the colon than in the small intestine with 30
      min of ischemia, the depth of mucosal damage was significantly smaller in the
      former than in the latter. Thirty minutes of ischemia followed by 1 h of
      reperfusion induced an increase in polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration in
      both locations. Exacerbation of mucosal injury occurred only in the small
      intestine, suggesting that reperfusion injury is independent of polymorphonuclear
      leukocyte infiltration. Reperfusion after 1 or 3 h of ischemia did not exacerbate
      mucosal damage in either location. Allopurinol significantly diminished the
      exacerbation of injury after reperfusion in the small intestine. The protective
      effect of allopurinol, however, was neither associated with an improvement in
      perfusion nor a reduction in polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration. These data
      indicate that there is a window (30 min) of reperfusion injury in the small
      intestine, but there is no evidence of reperfusion injury in the colon.

PMID- 1415541
TI  - Hypoxic liver injury and the ameliorating effects of fructose: the "glucose
      paradox" revisited.
AB  - It has been independently postulated that nutritional status is a modulator of
      the hepatic injury response to hypoxia and that glucose may be a poor substrate
      for hepatocellular metabolism. This study provides data linking these two
      concepts within the framework of metabolic zonation of the liver. With the use of
      a hypoxically perfused isolated rat liver model, cellular injury, as reflected by
      aspartate aminotransferase (AST) release, was significantly greater in the liver
      of fasted (mean AST 489 U/g liver at 3 h) than fed (40 U/g) animals. The extent
      of injury during hypoxia was decreased to a comparable degree in fasted livers
      perfused with Wisconsin solution (27 U/g) or 20 mM fructose (51 U/g). Perfusion
      with (11.5 mM) glucose plus insulin provided no hepatoprotection (791 U/g);
      however, supraphysiological amounts of glucose (100 mM) with (310 U/g) or without
      (321 U/g) insulin (10 U) or dihydroxyacetone (220 U/g) provided a modest
      reduction in AST release. Cellular injury measured by trypan blue uptake showed a
      marked zonal pattern, with upstream regions incurring greater parenchymal and
      nonparenchymal injury than downstream areas. These data that indicate that
      exogenous glucose is poorly utilized as an energy substrate by the liver during
      hypoxia are consistent with data from the fasted-refed rat model, suggesting a
      "glucose paradox" in the liver. The findings also suggest that low levels of
      oxygen are an important factor mediating "hypoxic" liver injury.

PMID- 1415543
TI  - Subacinar distribution of hepatocyte membrane potential response to stimulation
      of gluconeogenesis.
AB  - Isolated rat livers were perfused and the membrane potentials of matched
      periportal and pericentral hepatocytes were determined using glass
      microelectrodes. O2 uptake and gluconeogenesis were increased by both
      phenylephrine and glucagon and the extent of the increase was not affected by the
      direction of perfusion. With no exogenous substrate, hepatocyte membrane
      potentials were approximately -27 mV. No gradients were found. Substrate produced
      hyperpolarization in all hepatocytes, with a small but significant gradient
      produced. Phenylephrine-induced hyperpolarization was higher in periportal than
      in pericentral hepatocytes during anterograde perfusion, but reversed during
      retrograde perfusion. Similar effects on membrane potential were produced by
      phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Glucagon hyperpolarized homogeneously during
      both anterograde and retrograde perfusion with no gradients across the acinus.
      Octanol addition during glucagon stimulation, however, resulted in heterogeneity
      similar to phenylephrine or PMA. Thus when hepatocytes are stimulated by
      substrate or hormones, the degree of hepatocyte membrane potential heterogeneity
      across the acinus is highly dependent on the nature of the stimulus. We propose
      that the differential hormone effects on hepatocyte membrane potential may be
      mediated at least in part by differential modulation of cell to cell
      communication via gap junctions.

PMID- 1415544
TI  - CCK, bombesin, and carbachol stimulate c-fos, c-jun, and c-myc oncogene
      expression in rat pancreatic acini.
AB  - To identify possible nuclear signals mediating long-term regulation of the
      pancreas by gastrointestinal hormones, the expression of c-fos, c-jun, and c-myc
      was investigated in rat pancreatic acini. Stimulation of the acini with
      cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8, 100 pM), bombesin (10 nM), or carbachol (10
      microM), but not gastrin (100 nM), secretin (100 nM), or vasoactive intestinal
      peptide (10 nM) induced an increase in oncogene mRNA expression. The percent
      increases of c-fos, c-jun, and c-myc mRNA were 207 +/- 40, 171 +/- 26, and 46 +/-
      19 (n = 5) for CCK-8; 223 +/- 71, 159 +/- 31, and 43 +/- 21 (n = 5) for bombesin;
      and 125 +/- 51, 123 +/- 58, and 67 +/- 19 (n = 5) for carbachol, respectively.
      CCK-induced increases in oncogene mRNA were rapid and transient. c-fos and c-jun
      mRNA levels were increased after 30 min stimulation, peaked at 1 h, and returned
      to basal level in 2 h. Activation of c-myc was more prolonged with levels
      remaining elevated for at least 3 h. The effects of CCK-8 were concentration
      dependent. Detectable stimulation was seen at 10 pM; maximal stimulation occurred
      at 10 nM and was not affected by further increase in the concentration of CCK-8.
      JMV-180, a high-affinity site CCK receptor agonist and low-affinity site
      antagonist, alone did not stimulate c-fos mRNA expression but inhibited c-fos
      mRNA expression induced by CCK-8. These results suggest that the interaction
      between CCK and the low-affinity state of the CCK receptor is responsible for
      oncogene activation.

PMID- 1415545
TI  - Lytic effects of mixed micelles of fatty acids and bile acids.
AB  - It has been hypothesized that bile acids and fatty acids promote colon cancer. A
      proposed mechanism is a lytic effect of these surfactants on colonic epithelium,
      resulting in a compensatory proliferation of colonic cells. To investigate the
      first step of this hypothesis, we studied the lytic activity of fatty acids and
      physiological mixtures of fatty acids and bile acids. Experiments were performed
      in both erythrocytes and cultured Caco-2 cells, a model system for intestinal
      epithelium. Fatty acids with a chain length of 10 C atoms or more were lytic, and
      the hemolytic activity increased in the order C10:0 less than C18:0 less than
      C16:0 less than C12:0 less than C14:0 much less than C18:1 approximately C18:2
      but was not dependent on their critical micellar concentration. Addition of a
      sublytic, submicellar concentration of cholate resulted in the formation of
      highly lytic mixed micelles. Lytic activity of these mixed micelles was closely
      associated with their micellar aggregation as determined in parallel incubations
      using a fluorescent micellar probe. With use of identical concentrations of fatty
      acids and mixed micelles, lysis of erythrocytes was highly correlated (r greater
      than 0.95) with lysis of Caco-2 cells measured by either release of the apical
      membrane-marker alkaline phosphatase or the cytosolic marker lactate
      dehydrogenase. This indicates that the cytolytic activity of these surfactants is
      not cell-type dependent. Addition of bile acids in concentrations corresponding
      with the total bile acid concentration in human fecal water resulted in an
      increased lytic activity of fatty acids.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415547
TI  - cDNA cloning and localization of a band 3-related protein from ileum.
AB  - A Cl(-)-HCO3- exchanger in the brush-border membrane mediates active Cl-
      absorption and regulates intracellular pH in rabbit ileum. The molecular identity
      of the ileal Cl(-)-HCO3- exchanger has not been established. The best
      characterized plasma membrane Cl(-)-HCO3- exchanger is erythroid band 3.
      Structurally related proteins in nonerythroid tissues comprise an anion exchanger
      (AE) family. We used the polymerase chain reaction to amplify and clone a cDNA
      encoding an ileal band 3-related protein (B3RP) from rabbit ileal enterocytes.
      The composite sequence is 3,909 bp and is predicted to encode a protein of 136
      kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence is 95% identical to murine renal AE2,
      indicating that ileal B3RP is rabbit AE2. Antisera generated against a
      cytoplasmic fragment of ileal B3RP recognized a 160- to 170-kDa polypeptide in
      the brush-border membrane, but not the basolateral membrane, of ileal crypt and
      villus enterocytes. This correlates with previous studies indicating that a Cl(-)
      HCO3- exchange is present in brush-border but not basolateral membrane vesicles
      from rabbit ileal enterocytes. We conclude that ileal B3RP is a product of the AE
      gene family, and is present in the brush-border of ileal enterocytes, where it
      may mediate Cl(-)-HCO3- exchange.

PMID- 1415546
TI  - Carrier-mediated transport of tetrabromosulfonephthalein by rat liver plasma
      membrane vesicles.
AB  - To investigate the molecular requirements and mechanisms for the hepatic uptake
      of phthaleins, the transport of tetrabromosulfonephthalein (TBS) was investigated
      in basolateral rat liver plasma membrane vesicles. TBS uptake was electrogenic as
      greatly accelerated by the creation of a positive-inside membrane potential by
      the addition of valinomycin in the presence of an inwardly directed potassium
      gradient. No effect was observed when the ionophore was added in the presence of
      a sodium gradient. The transport occurred into an osmotic-sensitive space and was
      saturable with an apparent Michaelis constant of 5.32 +/- 0.56 microM and a
      maximal velocity of 9.23 +/- 0.25 nmol.s-1.mg protein-1 (mean +/- SD, n = 3
      experiments). TBS uptake was directly related to the extra-vesicular pH,
      indicating the deprotonated quinoid negative-charged form of the dye as the
      transported species. In contrast, TBS uptake was inversely related to the
      intravesicular pH, suggesting that protonation inside the vesicles may act as an
      efficient trap in transport process. Addition of polyclonal monospecific anti
      bilitranslocase antibody to liver vesicles specifically inhibited TBS uptake rate
      (3.27 +/- 0.17 vs. 5.82 +/- 0.61 nmol.s-1.mg protein-1, n = 3, P less than
      0.001). These data indicate that TBS is electrogenically transported across the
      liver cell plasma membrane by bilitranslocase. They also indicate that the
      presence of a negative charged group on the benzenic ring of the ligand is
      important in accounting for the transport.

PMID- 1415548
TI  - Effects of nerve stimulation and zymosan on glycogenolysis in perfused livers
      from cold-exposed rats.
AB  - The effects of sympathetic nerve stimulation and zymosan (cell wall particles
      from yeast) on glycogenolysis were studied in perfused livers from rats kept for
      5 and 20 days at 4 degrees C. The rate of glycogenolysis induced by nerve
      stimulation decreased significantly without any decrease in norepinephrine
      outflow during cold exposure, and the rate induced by norepinephrine did not
      change. By contrast, the rate of zymosan-induced glycogenolysis increased
      markedly during cold exposure. The rats with denervated hepatic nerves did not
      show the increased response to zymosan. In cold-exposed rats, both mepacrine and
      ibuprofen inhibited the effects of zymosan and of nerve stimulation without any
      inhibition of the outflow of norepinephrine. Neither inhibitor had any effect on
      the effects of norepinephrine. The metabolic effects of nerve stimulation and
      zymosan were not additive in cold-exposed rats. These results suggest that cold
      exposure may modulate the metabolism of arachidonic acid in Kupffer cells via
      hepatic nerve and decrease the eicosanoid-dependent glycogenolysis by nerve
      stimulation.

PMID- 1415549
TI  - Development of Ca2+ homeostasis in epithelial cells from embryonic and neonatal
      intestine.
AB  - The fluorescent probe fura-2 was used to assay Ca2+ levels in epithelial cell
      suspensions from embryonic and neonatal chick duodenum. Cell preparations
      maintained high viability, completely hydrolyzed fura-2/AM to fura-2, retained
      92% of cellular fura-2 within the cytoplasmic compartment, and gave low
      autofluorescence values during assay. Fura-2 leakage from loaded cells occurred
      at all ages, but could be corrected for in subsequent calculations of cellular
      Ca2+. Cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration was 76-80 nM in cells from 14- to 16-day
      embryonic intestine, rose significantly to 92-98 nM at 17-20 days, and reached
      209 nM at 1-day post-hatch when assayed in buffers containing 1.3 mM Ca2+. The
      developmental rise in cytoplasmic Ca2+ was accompanied by an enhanced ability of
      cells to maintain a constant Ca2+ concentration at increased levels of
      extracellular Ca2+ and by a highly correlated rise in alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
      activity. Epithelial Ca2+ subsequently decreased to the "adult" value of 133-142
      nM and was constant along the crypt-villus axis of neonatal intestine. These
      results verify that fura-2 can be used to compare baseline cytoplasmic Ca2+
      values of epithelial cells from developing intestine, reveal that significant
      changes in Ca2+ homeostasis occur during ontogeny, and suggest that epithelial
      Ca2+ may modulate ALP activity during the differentiation of embryonic
      enterocytes.

PMID- 1415550
TI  - Sex differences in hepatic fatty acid uptake reflect a greater affinity of the
      transport system in females.
AB  - In this study, we examined the hypothesis that the reported sex difference in
      hepatic free fatty acid (FFA) uptake involves the putative FFA transport system,
      the plasma membrane fatty acid binding protein (FABPpm). In hepatocytes isolated
      from both male and female rats, initial [3H]oleate uptake velocity reflected
      transmembrane influx and not subsequent metabolism and was a saturable function
      of the unbound oleate concentration. Although Vmax values were similar (61 +/- 2
      vs. 65 +/- 5 pmol.min-1.5 x 10(4) cells-1 for females and males, respectively),
      the apparent Km was significantly smaller in females (40 +/- 4 vs. 90 +/- 11 nM;
      P less than 0.05), reflecting faster influx velocities in female cells over a
      range of unbound oleate concentrations. The oleate efflux rate constant was also
      greater in females (0.280 +/- 0.014 vs. 0.198 +/- 0.020 min-1; P less than 0.05)
      despite their greater hepatic content of cytosolic FABP. Finally, despite the
      greater rates of transmembrane FFA flux in female hepatocytes, the surface
      expression of FABPpm was virtually identical in the two sexes (2.5 +/- 0.5 vs.
      2.4 +/- 0.4 microgram/10(6) cells). Collectively, these data indicate that at FFA
      to-albumin ratios occurring in vivo the plasma membrane of female hepatocytes
      transports oleate bidirectionally at a greater rate than that of male
      hepatocytes. A sex-related difference in the functional affinity of FABPpm for
      FFA appears the most likely explanation for the greater oleate uptake in females.

PMID- 1415551
TI  - Bile salt hydrophobicity controls vesicle secretion rates and transformations in
      native bile.
AB  - After drainage of the bile salt pool, we infused unanesthetized bile fistula
      prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) intravenously with taurine-conjugated
      chenodeoxycholate (TCDC), cholate (TC), ursodeoxycholate (TUDC), and ursocholate
      (TUC) in concentrations that attained greater than 94% enrichment of biliary bile
      salts. With decreases in bile salt hydrophobicity, maximum steady state lecithin
      and to a lesser extent cholesterol secretion rates decreased in the rank order,
      TCDC greater than TC greater than TUDC greater than TUC. By phase analysis, TCDC
      rich and TC-rich biles plotted inside their respective micellar zones, whereas
      TUDC-rich and TUC-rich biles plotted outside and were so-called "supersaturated"
      with cholesterol. Quasi-elastic light scattering and electron microscopy, when
      performed within 30 min of collection, revealed unilamellar vesicles in all
      biles. By 24 h, vesicles in TCDC-rich and TC-rich biles had dissolved into mixed
      micelles, whereas vesicles in TUDC-rich biles formed mixed micelles plus
      multilamellar liquid crystals, and vesicles in TUC-rich biles formed
      multilamellar liquid crystals exclusively. Because cholesterol/phospholipid molar
      ratios of multilamellar liquid crystals were less than or equal to 1, cholesterol
      monohydrate crystals did not form in these biles. We conclude that, despite
      drastic alterations in bile salt detergency, unilamellar vesicles are the final
      common pathway for lecithin and cholesterol secretion into bile. During
      equilibration of bile, the fate of unilamellar vesicles may be micellar, micellar
      plus liquid crystalline, or liquid crystalline only depending on the detergency
      (i.e., hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance) of the secreted bile salt.

PMID- 1415552
TI  - Effects of agonists on p21ras and ras-related proteins in rat pancreatic acinar
      cells.
AB  - This study shows the presence of seven different low-molecular-weight GTP binding
      proteins (smg proteins) with molecular masses between 18 and 27 kDa in
      subfractions of rat pancreatic acinar cells. After stimulation of isolated intact
      and permeabilized pancreatic acinar cells with cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK
      OP), the diacylglycerol (DG) analogue 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA),
      vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP),
      or guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S), [alpha-32P]GTP binding to
      21- to 22-kDa smg protein(s) in microsomal membranes (MM) was reduced, whereas
      the [alpha-32P]GTP binding to 23-kDa protein(s) was enhanced. In addition,
      prestimulation of permeabilized cells with GTP gamma S caused enhancement of
      [alpha-32P]GTP binding to a 19-kDa protein in MM [immunologically identified as
      the ADP-ribosylation factor (arf)]. In the presence of cytosol, direct addition
      of GTP gamma S to isolated MM resulted in an apparent translocation of the 19-kDa
      protein (arf) from the cytosol to membranes. This indicates increased association
      of arf with the membrane in its GTP-bound state. In CCK-OP-prestimulated acinar
      cells, [alpha-32P]GTP binding to plasma membrane-located 21- to 22-kDa proteins
      (immunologically identified as p21ras proteins) was enhanced, suggesting that
      there is an interrelationship between p21ras proteins and CCK receptors. Our
      results give evidence for a role of 19-kDa, 21- to 22-kDa, and 23-kDa smg
      proteins in cAMP-protein kinase A- and DG-protein kinase C-mediated stimulation
      of intracellular pathways in pancreatic acinar cells.

PMID- 1415553
TI  - Interleukin-1 beta acts at hypothalamic sites to inhibit gastric acid secretion
      in rats.
AB  - It has been established that interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) injected into the
      cerebrospinal fluid inhibits gastric acid secretion in rats. Brain sites of
      action of IL-1 beta were investigated in conscious rats implanted unilaterally
      with chronic hypothalamic cannula. Gastric acid secretion was monitored 2 h after
      pylorus ligation. Human recombinant IL-1 beta (10 ng) microinjected into the
      medial preoptic area, anterior hypothalamus, and paraventricular nucleus
      inhibited gastric acid secretion by 76-83%. IL-1 beta microinjected into the
      ventromedial hypothalamus and other hypothalamic sites outside of responsive
      sites had no effect. IL-1 beta inhibitory action in the medial preoptic area was
      dose related (0.1-10 ng), prevented by indomethacin (5 mg/kg ip), and mimicked by
      prostaglandin E2. These results show that IL-1 beta acts in the medial preoptic
      area/anterior hypothalamus and paraventricular nucleus to inhibit acid secretion
      in pylorus-ligated rats and that IL-1 beta action is likely to involve
      prostaglandin E2.

PMID- 1415554
TI  - Migration of IEC-6 cells: a model for mucosal healing.
AB  - Cell migration is the principal force behind the early restitution of erosions of
      the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract. Despite the importance of cell
      migration to healing, no attempts to study the process in culture have been
      reported. We have attempted to standardize conditions for migration and test the
      migration responses of the small intestinal epithelial crypt cell line IEC-6 in
      some experimental situations already well known in vivo. We found good
      correspondence between in culture and in vivo on the following points: 1)
      migration was independent of DNA synthesis; 2) DNA synthesis was not concentrated
      at the wound edge; and 3) inhibition of actin polymerization stopped migration
      altogether. In addition, the presence of an extracellular matrix maximized
      migration. Protein inhibitors with different modes of action inhibited cell
      migration to different degrees, not always commensurate with their inhibition of
      protein synthesis. Cell surface proteoglycans were important; hyaluronic acid had
      an effect, but the secretion of a migration-stimulating substance by wounded
      cells was equivocal. Significantly, alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), which
      inhibits ornithine decarboxylase and polyamine synthesis, almost totally
      prevented cell migration. Because DFMO also prevents healing of mucosal erosions
      in vivo, we believe that this model can be used, keeping in mind its spatial
      limitations, to study the process of cell migration involved in the early
      restitution of mucosal erosions.

PMID- 1415555
TI  - CFU-rAM, the origin of lung macrophages, and the macrophage lineage.
AB  - Macrophage precursors and their progeny have been identified in early rat embryos
      with the use of a peroxidase-coupled marker, isolectin B4 of Griffonia
      simplicifolia (GSA I-B4). The macrophage lineage can be traced back to actively
      dividing GSA-positive angular cells present in the mesenchyme of late neurulas.
      These increase in number and establish residence successively in rudiments of the
      central nervous system, liver, and lungs. In organ-cultured fetal lungs they
      transform directly into a self-replicating population of macrophages responsive
      to colony-stimulating factors. The angular cell therefore can be seen as the
      source of lung macrophages during prenatal life. The extent to which this manner
      of production continues in postnatal life is unclear, but it appears that central
      hematopoietic tissues (bone marrow, spleen) may generate macrophages by a direct
      pathway from early-committed progenitors as well as indirectly through a series
      of intermediate stem cells. Considering the wealth of new information available
      from diverse studies in specialized culture environments and to a lesser extent
      from studies in vivo, it is time to integrate these findings into a more
      comprehensive theory of macrophage origin and fate than we have at present.

PMID- 1415556
TI  - A novel system for the culture of human lung: lung development and the response
      to injury.
AB  - Existing methods of fetal lung organ culture are complicated and require special
      skills. With the use of a polyester-based plastic sheet, we have developed a
      simpler human fetal lung organ culture that is viable for 6 wk. This novel method
      permits the study of growth and differentiation, pulmonary surfactant secretion,
      and the response of human lung tissue to injury in vitro. Lung tissues, obtained
      from human fetuses ranging in gestational age from 14 to 18 wk, were cultured on
      the polyester sheet in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium supplemented with 15%
      fetal calf serum and gentamicin. Microscopic study of the fetal lung before
      culturing revealed round epithelial tubules, lined by glycogen-rich columnar
      cells and a thick cellular interstitium. After 1 wk in culture, morphological
      examination showed the development and expansion of alveolar saccules and
      thinning of the interstitium; type I and II pneumocytes as well as fibroblasts
      and myofibroblasts were present. Lipid analysis of the tissues, 2 wk after the
      initiation of the culture, demonstrated a high percentage of dipalmitoyl
      phosphatidylcholine characteristic of pulmonary surfactant. Treatment of the
      organ culture with asbestos fibers induced type II cell hyperplasia, increased
      numbers of collagen fiber bundles within the interstitium, and the accumulation
      of multi-lamellated surfactant material within the alveolar lumens. We conclude
      that this organ culture system is suitable for studying lung growth, development,
      and injury in human tissue.

PMID- 1415558
TI  - Binding and uptake of surfactant protein B by alveolar type II cells.
AB  - Surfactant protein B (SP-B, mol wt 9,000, reduced) is a low-molecular-weight
      hydrophobic protein found in organic extracts of lung surfactant. The interaction
      of iodinated bovine SP-B (125I-SP-B) and isolated rat alveolar type II cells was
      examined. The association of SP-B with the lung cells was time and temperature
      dependent; type II cells exhibited time-dependent binding (at 4 degrees C) and
      uptake (at 37 degrees C) of SP-B. Binding of phospholipid-poor 125I-SP-B was
      linearly related to the external SP-B concentration from 0.25 to 60 microgram/ml
      and was not inhibited by a 60-fold excess of unlabeled SP-B. However, the binding
      of 125I-SP-B reconstituted with bovine surfactant or with phospholipid-containing
      liposomes occurred through a high-affinity, saturable process and could be
      inhibited with unlabeled SP-B. By Scatchard analysis, half-maximum binding in the
      presence of surfactant occurred at 3.1 +/- 0.7 micrograms SP-B/ml. Saturable
      binding of SP-B reconstituted with surfactant also occurred with other cell
      types. The results indicate that SP-B was bound and internalized by type II
      cells. The apparent lack of specificity in the absence of phospholipid may have
      been due to the self-association of SP-B. The reconstitution of SP-B with
      phospholipid altered the binding of phospholipid-poor SP-B from a nonspecific
      process to a high-affinity process consistent with a cell surface binding site.

PMID- 1415557
TI  - Role of endothelin-1 in regulating proliferation of cultured rabbit airway smooth
      muscle cells.
AB  - Increased expression of the potent vasoconstrictor and bronchoactive peptide,
      endothelin-1 (ET-1), has recently been demonstrated in airway epithelial and
      endothelial cells of asthmatic patients. To identify its potential role in
      contributing to airway smooth muscle (ASM) hyperplasia, a characteristic feature
      of asthmatic airways, the mitogenic action of ET-1 was investigated in cultured
      rabbit ASM cells. ET-1 elicited significant dose-dependent (10(-12)-10(-6) M)
      increases in ASM cell number, with a mean potency (i.e., -log mean effective
      dose) of action of 9.82-log M. ET-1 also acutely stimulated intracellular
      inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate accumulation. The latter response was blocked by
      phospholipase C inhibition with neomycin; however, neomycin had no effect on the
      promitogenic action of ET-1. By contrast, the ASM cell proliferative response to
      ET-1 was independently inhibited by pertussis toxin, inhibitors of phospholipase
      A2, cyclooxygenase, and thromboxane A2 (TxA2) synthesis, as well as blockade of
      the TxA2 receptor. Moreover, in complementary studies, we found that
      administration of the stable TxA2 mimetics, carbocyclic TxA2 (CTA2) and U-46619,
      induced ASM cell proliferation and that ET-1 evoked the release of endogenous
      TxA2 from the ASM cells. Collectively, these observations provide new evidence
      that 1) ET-1 is a potent mitogen of ASM cells, 2) the promitogenic effect of ET-1
      is associated with activation of a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein coupled to
      stimulation of phospholipase A2, and 3) the latter mediates ASM cell
      proliferation via the release and autocrine mitogenic action of TxA2. The
      findings support a potential role for ET-1 in mediating the characteristic
      hyperplasia of ASM in asthma.

PMID- 1415559
TI  - Kinetics of pulmonary superoxide dismutase in interleukin-1-induced oxygen
      tolerant rats.
AB  - We have previously demonstrated that tracheal insufflation of interleukin-1 alpha
      (IL-1) enhances pulmonary Mn superoxide dismutase (Mn SOD) activity and protects
      rats against O2 toxicity (M. F. Tsan, C. Y. Lee, and J. E. White. J. Appl.
      Physiol. 71: 688-697, 1991). In this study, we investigated the kinetics of mRNA,
      specific (immunoreactive) proteins, and enzyme activities of pulmonary Mn SOD and
      Cu,Zn SOD in IL-1-induced O2-tolerant rats. At 1 day after IL-1 (5 micrograms)
      insufflation and O2 exposure, levels of Mn SOD mRNA and specific protein, but not
      enzyme activity, were markedly elevated. At 2.3 and 7 days after O2 exposure,
      levels of Mn SOD mRNA, specific protein, and enzyme activity were all increased
      in IL-1-treated animals. In contrast, in control rats at 2.3 days after O2
      exposure, level of Mn SOD mRNA was markedly elevated, whereas levels of specific
      protein and enzyme activity were decreased. Levels of pulmonary Cu,Zn SOD mRNA,
      specific protein, and enzyme activity were unchanged in control and IL-1-treated
      rats, except that in IL-1-induced long-term O2-tolerant rats (7 days after O2
      exposure), they were all increased. Since at 7 days after IL-1 insufflation,
      normoxia-exposed rats did not show increased levels of pulmonary Mn SOD or Cu,Zn
      SOD mRNA, the increased levels of pulmonary SOD seen in IL-1-induced long-term O2
      tolerant rats are, at least in part, due to the effect of O2 exposure.

PMID- 1415560
TI  - Alveolar type II cells synthesize hydrophobic cell-associated proteoglycans with
      multiple core proteins.
AB  - Type II alveolar epithelial cells interact with the extracellular matrix via cell
      surface receptors for matrix ligands. Cell surface proteoglycans, which are
      hydrophobic due to their membrane insertion domains, are one of several classes
      of molecules that may be receptors for matrix ligands. To analyze the hydrophobic
      proteoglycans synthesized by adult alveolar type II cells, we labeled these cells
      with 35SO4 and [3H]leucine in short-term primary cultures. Cell-associated
      hydrophobic proteoglycans and culture medium-derived proteoglycans were purified
      and characterized. Both the hydrophobic proteoglycans and medium-derived
      proteoglycans, which were not hydrophobic, had mainly heparan sulfate
      glycosaminoglycans. Analysis of core proteins of the hydrophobic proteoglycans
      showed three proteins, 47, 65, and 90 kDa. The 47- and 65-kDa core proteins were
      substituted only with heparan sulfate chains. The 90-kDa core protein was seen
      only after digestion with both heparitinase and chondroitin ABC lyase, suggesting
      it was a hybrid having both heparan sulfate and chondroitin-dermatan sulfate
      chains. These findings were confirmed by iodination of the core proteins. The
      hydrophobic cell-associated proteoglycans inserted into artificial liposomes,
      whereas the medium-derived molecules did not. These data document heterogeneity
      in core protein and glycosaminoglycan chains among hydrophobic proteoglycans
      synthesized in vitro by adult alveolar type II cells. These molecules may have
      diverse functions in regulating type II cell interaction with the extracellular
      matrix.

PMID- 1415561
TI  - Effect of food restriction on hyperoxia-induced lung injury in preterm guinea
      pig.
AB  - Undernutrition may exacerbate hyperoxia-induced lung injury, a finding that may
      be of significance in the early clinical management of the premature human
      infant. Addressing this specific problem, we found that 72 h of food restriction
      in guinea pig pups delivered 3 days preterm increased mortality rates among pups
      exposed to 95% oxygen (8/18) and yet had no effect on 21% oxygen (air)-exposed
      pups (0/10). Reduced tolerance of hyperoxic conditions was not, however,
      associated with increased lung injury, assessed as pulmonary microvascular
      leakage. Pulmonary antioxidant enzyme activities [Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase
      (SOD), Mn SOD, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase] were unaltered by starvation
      or hyperoxia. Lung glutathione concentration was slightly decreased after food
      restriction, whereas hyperoxic exposure did not change either lung or
      bronchoalveolar lavage fluid glutathione concentrations or lung antioxidant
      enzyme activities. Increased susceptibility to the lethal effects of oxygen in
      the starved preterm guinea pig pup could not be attributed to a deficiency of
      pulmonary antioxidant defenses.

PMID- 1415562
TI  - Stimulation of fetal rat lung cell proliferation in vitro by mechanical stretch.
AB  - On the basis of in vivo animal studies and on experiments of nature, it has been
      suggested that fetal breathing movements are essential for normal lung growth in
      utero. To study this hypothesis in vitro, we examined the effect of mechanical
      stretch on proliferation of fetal rat lung cells maintained in organotypic
      culture to provide a three-dimensional matrix. Initial studies demonstrated that
      stretch-mediated effects on cell division and DNA synthesis in such cultures were
      influenced by cell inoculation density, fetal calf serum concentration, and by
      the amplitude, frequency, periodicity, and duration of the applied stretch. After
      a 48-h exposure to an intermittent stretch pattern (5% elongation, 60
      stretches/min for 15 min of each hour), cell number increased 10% (P less than
      0.05), cell doubling time was reduced from 71 to 55 h (P less than 0.05),
      [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA increased 61% (P less than 0.01), and the
      [3H]thymidine-labeling index increased 2.8-fold (P less than 0.001) compared with
      nonstretched controls. This effect did not appear to be mediated by
      prostaglandins or leukotrienes because the prostaglandin synthase inhibitors
      ibuprofen (2.5-50 microM) or BW 755C (5 microM), leukotriene biosynthesis
      inhibitors BW 755C (5 microM) or MK-886 (0.3 microM), and leukotriene D4 receptor
      antagonist MK-571 (0.3 microM) did not block stretch-mediated effects. We
      conclude that mechanical forces act directly to stimulate fetal rat lung cell
      growth and that these results are compatible with a significant role for fetal
      breathing in normal fetal lung growth.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415563
TI  - Effects of hypoxia and other vasoactive agents on pulmonary and cerebral artery
      smooth muscle cells.
AB  - Smooth muscle cells (SMC) were isolated from cat cerebral arteries and three
      sizes of pulmonary artery (less than 200-, 200- to 600-, and greater than 800
      microns diameter) and used within 72-96 h. Change in cell length in response to
      hypoxia and other vasoactive agents was measured in a specially constructed cell
      chamber on an inverted microscope. Pulmonary artery SMC responded to hypoxia
      differently according to artery size. SMC from less than 200- and 200- to 600
      microns-diameter pulmonary arteries shortened 18.6 +/- 4.85 and 24.2 +/- 2.70%,
      respectively. However, SMC from greater than 800-microns-diameter pulmonary
      arteries shortened 0.81 +/- 0.44%. Cerebral artery SMC plated on a flexible
      polydimethyl siloxane membrane showed loss of tension during exposure to hypoxia.
      The shortening of SMC from the 200- to 600-microns pulmonary arteries was
      accompanied by myosin phosphorylation. SMC from greater than 800-microns-diameter
      pulmonary arteries and cerebral arteries contained myosin that did not
      phosphorylate during hypoxia. The SMC from both artery types responded to
      norepinephrine, serotonin, prostaglandin F2 alpha and indomethacin and exhibited
      alpha-adrenergic receptor population patterns similar to those of intact
      arteries. The pattern of hypoxic responses exhibited by these nondedifferentiated
      pulmonary and cerebral artery SMC supports the idea that, at least in the cat,
      the hypoxic sensor is located within the SMC.

PMID- 1415564
TI  - Cell volume regulation in rat thin ascending limb of Henle's loop.
AB  - Thin ascending limb cells of Henle's loop from Wistar rats were studied with in
      vitro microperfusion and video-optical techniques to investigate their ability in
      regulating cell volume during osmotic shock and to identify mechanisms of ion
      transport involved in the process. These cells showed a clear volume regulatory
      decrease (VRD) response in hyposmotic medium, but no volume regulatory increase
      in hyperosmotic medium. The presence of barium in the bath abolished VRD. Removal
      of K+ from bath and perfusate also inhibited the VRD response. Reintroduction of
      K+ in hyposmotic conditions reestablished cell volume regulation. Introduction of
      anthracene-9-COOH to the basolateral medium blocked cell volume regulatory
      response. Cl- removal from perfusate and bath solutions also inhibited VRD,
      probably because of a significant intracellular Cl- depletion. Exposure of cells
      to ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N'N'-tetraacetic acid in
      perfusate and bath solutions reduced significantly Ca2+ concentration and
      impaired VRD. Reintroduction of Ca2+ in hyposmotic conditions restored volume
      regulation. The presence of ouabain in basolateral medium also inhibited VRD.
      These data suggest that the following mechanisms in the basolateral membrane are
      involved in VRD response: K+ and Cl- conductive pathways, which might be Ca2+
      dependent for activation, and an Na(+)-K(+)-adenosinetriphosphatase.

PMID- 1415565
TI  - Colocalization and release of angiotensin and renin in renal cortical cells.
AB  - Angiotensin is generated within the kidney, but the precise loci for the
      formation of angiotensin I (ANG I) and angiotensin II (ANG II) have not been
      demonstrated. We performed electron microscopy immunocytochemistry in kidney
      sections of 10-day-old (newborn) and adult Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats using specific
      antibodies to renin, ANG I, ANG II, and angiotensinogen (AO). Renin, ANG I, ANG
      II, and AO were present in juxtaglomerular (JG) cells. Renin was largely confined
      to cytoplasmic granules; ANG I and ANG II were colocalized to these granules but
      also were present in the cytoplasm; AO was distributed throughout the cytoplasm.
      AO also was present in a renal cortical distribution in proximal tubular cells.
      Northern blot analysis demonstrated AO mRNA in total kidney and liver but not in
      renal microvessels. Using the reverse hemolytic plaque assay, we demonstrated
      release of ANG I and renin from individual renocortical cells of adult WKY rats.
      Under control conditions, the number of releasing cells was 11 +/- 1 for ANG I
      and 10 +/- 1 for renin. Addition of rat renin inhibitor (RI) (1 x 10(-5) M),
      which inhibited renin activity in the medium from 37 to 9 pg ANG I.ml-1.h-1, did
      not alter ANG I plaque number. Addition of rat AO increased ANG I plaque number
      to 17 +/- 2 (P less than 0.05). Incubation with both RI and AO prevented the
      increase in ANG I plaque number obtained with AO alone. Enalapril treatment (7
      days; n = 5) increased the number of plaque-forming cells to 22 +/- 2 for ANG I
      (P less than 0.0005) and to 39 +/- 7 for renin (P less than 0.001). The results
      suggest an intracellular location for AO and angiotensin and release of renin and
      ANG I by renal cortical cells and suggest that released angiotensin is produced
      intracellularly and that secretion of ANG I is augmented by converting enzyme
      inhibition.

PMID- 1415566
TI  - Extracellular ATP stimulates proliferation of cultured mesangial cells via P2
      purinergic receptors.
AB  - We examined the role of the platelet product ATP in regulating replication and
      secretory activity of cultured rat mesangial cells (MCs). Extracellular ATP (25
      100 microM) significantly increased [3H]thymidine uptake of growth-arrested MCs
      2.1-fold; cell counts increased by 35.1%. Addition of ATP to MCs in combination
      with other platelet products, such as platelet-derived growth factor, isoform BB
      (100 ng/ml), and serotonin (1 microM), resulted in strong synergistic
      mitogenicity (up to 45.6-fold over control). As immediate signaling events
      following stimulation with ATP, we found increased production of inositol
      phosphates (3.2-fold increase for inositol bisphosphate and 1.6-fold increase for
      inositol trisphosphate by 30 s) and release of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2, 9.2-fold
      increase by 5 min). When we studied the rank order of potency of various ATP
      analogues for the production of inositol phosphates and PGE2, ATP, UTP, and
      adenosine 5'-O-(3-thio)triphosphate (ATP gamma S) were the most potent agonists.
      Although ATP and ATP gamma S were also strong mitogens, UTP was not. Additional
      inhibitor studies indicated that protein kinase C or cyclooxygenase products were
      not involved in the mitogenic effects of ATP. In summary, the major platelet
      product ATP is a potent comitogen for cultured MCs and strongly synergizes with
      other growth factors. The experiments with ATP analogues point to different
      receptors mediating mitogenesis, generation of inositol phosphates, and PGE2
      production. The precise mechanism of the mitogenic action of ATP on MCs remains
      to be characterized.

PMID- 1415567
TI  - PAH/alpha-KG countertransport stimulates PAH uptake and net secretion in isolated
      rabbit renal tubules.
AB  - Possible stimulation of both basolateral uptake and net transepithelial secretion
      of p-aminohippurate (PAH) by PAH/alpha-ketoglutarate (alpha-KG) countertransport
      was examined in intact perfused and nonperfused rabbit proximal S2 renal tubules.
      Preloading tubules with alpha-KG (100 microM) for 30 min increased [14C]-PAH rate
      of uptake by nonperfused tubules and rate of net secretion by perfused tubules
      approximately three- to sixfold. During stimulation of net secretion,
      intracellular [14C]PAH concentration increased to about the same extent as net
      secretion. Presence of Li+ (2 mM) or absence of Na+ (inhibitors of Na(+)
      dicarboxylate cotransport) in bathing medium during alpha-KG preloading
      eliminated stimulation of PAH transport. Addition of unlabeled alpha-KG (1 mM) to
      bathing medium stimulated efflux of [14C]PAH across the basolateral membrane of
      tubules with oil-filled lumina, further supporting the concept of PAH/alpha-KG
      countertransport. Preloading with succinate (100 microM) also stimulated rates of
      [14C]PAH uptake by nonperfused tubules and net secretion by perfused tubules, but
      stimulation was only approximately 1.5-fold. Moreover, preloading with methyl
      succinate, a slowly metabolized derivative of succinate, did not stimulate
      [14C]PAH uptake by nonperfused tubules or net secretion by perfused tubules. Thus
      it seems most likely that succinate preloading stimulates PAH transport via
      metabolism, possibly by conversion to alpha-KG, not by direct countertransport
      for PAH. This study indicates for the first time in intact mammalian proximal S2
      renal tubules that PAH/alpha-KG countertransport can stimulate net PAH secretion
      by generating an increased intracellular PAH concentration.

PMID- 1415568
TI  - Basolateral Na(+)-independent Cl(-)-HCO3- exchange in primary cultures of rat
      IMCD cells.
AB  - The role of anion exchange in the regulation of intracellular pH (pHi) under base
      load and steady-state conditions was investigated in confluent monolayers of rat
      inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) cells in primary culture using the pH
      sensitive fluoroprobe 2,7-bis(carboxyethyl)-5(6')-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF).
      Recovery of pHi after imposition of a base load induced either by replacement of
      HCO3-/CO2 by N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) at the
      same extracellular pH (pHo) or deletion of Cl- from a HCO3-/CO2-buffered solution
      had an absolute requirement for Cl-, was Na+ independent, and was inhibited
      approximately 90% by 50 microM 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid
      (DIDS). When pHo was decreased by lowering HCO3- concentration in the constant
      presence of 5% CO2, the rate of decrement in pHi was significantly blunted in the
      absence of Cl-. Imposition of a positive or negative diffusion potential of equal
      but opposite magnitude did not modify the anion exchange rate, confirming the
      electroneutrality of the process. Under steady-state conditions, pHi of cells
      bathed in a HCO3-/CO2-buffered solution was 7.33 +/- 0.06, significantly lower
      than that of cells bathed in a nominally HCO3-/CO2-free buffer (7.50 +/- 0.04),
      indicating that under physiological conditions the pathway functions as a base
      extruder. In studies performed on cells grown on permeable supports, the anion
      exchange pathway was found to be confined exclusively to the basolateral
      equivalent cell surface. In summary, confluent monolayers of rat IMCD cells in
      primary culture possess a Na(+)-independent, DIDS-inhibitable electroneutral Cl(
      )-HCO3- exchange pathway that is confined to the basolateral cell surface. The
      transporter is an important determinant of steady-state pHi and is the
      predominant mechanism whereby the cell recovers from imposed elevations in pHi.

PMID- 1415569
TI  - Angiotensin II receptor subtypes in cultured rat renal mesangial cells.
AB  - The selective angiotensin (ANG II) antagonists losartan (DuP 753) and PD 123319
      have been shown to bind selectively to AT1 and AT2 subtypes, respectively. To
      characterize ANG II receptor subtypes in mesangial cells, washed membranes were
      incubated with 0.1 to 0.5 nM 125I-ANG II and increasing concentrations of
      competitors. The inhibition of 125I-ANG II binding by losartan and PD 123319 was
      biphasic, and LIGAND curve-fitting analysis revealed two populations of specific
      binding sites. One subpopulation comprised 86% of the total and showed high
      affinity for ANG II and losartan, but low affinity for the AT2 antagonists PD
      123319 and CGP42112A, and thus appear identical to the recently cloned AT1
      subtype. The remaining 14% of the sites showed nearly 100-fold lower affinity for
      losartan and 10,000-fold higher affinity for PD 123319 relative to AT1 sites.
      However, another AT2-selective antagonist, CGP42112A, showed little affinity for
      these sites. Both classes of binding sites were inhibited by guanosine 5'-O-(3
      thiophosphate) and pertussis toxin treatment. We propose that there are two
      distinct G protein-coupled ANG II receptor subtypes (AT1A and AT1B) present in
      renal mesangial cells.

PMID- 1415570
TI  - In vitro perfusion of chinchilla thin limb segments: segmentation and osmotic
      water permeability.
AB  - The thin limb segments of the long loop of Henle are thought to play important
      roles in the urinary concentrating mechanism. In this study, we present new
      approaches to the identification, dissection, and in vitro perfusion of
      individual thin limb segments from all levels of the chinchilla renal medulla,
      including the deepest portions of the papilla. We have applied these techniques
      to the investigation of the osmotic water permeability along the chinchilla long
      loop of Henle. The results demonstrate that the osmotic water permeability of the
      thin descending limb is not uniformly high along its length, as previously
      thought, but that the distal 20% of the long-loop descending limb has a very low
      water permeability (approximately 50 microns/s). The transition to the low water
      permeability region of the thin descending limb is accompanied by a relatively
      abrupt change in morphology (increased cellularity and decreased diameter) that
      is readily perceptible in the perfused segments and even in the dissection dish.
      In contrast, the upper part of the chinchilla long-loop thin descending limb had
      an extremely high osmotic water permeability (greater than 2,000 microns/s) as
      observed in other species. Thin ascending limbs from deep in the inner medulla
      had water permeabilities that were indistinguishable from zero, as previously
      found in thin ascending limbs from near the inner-outer medullary junction. The
      presence of a low-water-permeability portion of the long-loop thin descending
      limb in chinchilla may have important implications with regard to the inner
      medullary concentrating process. A relatively low osmotic water permeability (397
      microns/s) was also found in the deep inner medullary portion of the thin
      descending limb from the rat.

PMID- 1415571
TI  - Dietary protein modulates intrarenal distribution of renin and its mRNA during
      development.
AB  - To determine whether high protein feeding throughout development affects renal
      growth, renal hemodynamics, and the intrarenal distribution of renin and its mRNA
      in the adult animal, male Wistar rats were fed diets containing either 20%
      protein [normal (NP), n = 12] or 40% protein [high (HP), n = 12] from weaning
      until studied at 6 or 12 wk of age. Kidney weight, kidney weight-to-body weight
      ratio, cortical DNA content, and cortical protein-to-DNA ratio were higher in HP-
      than in NP-fed rats at 6 and 12 wk of age. Somatic and kidney growth response to
      HP was blunted by angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist Dup 753. Glomerular
      filtration rate and renal plasma flow were higher in HP- than in NP-fed rats at 6
      and 12 wk of age. The intrarenal distribution of renin and renin mRNA, assessed
      by immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization, respectively, were markedly
      different between the two groups. In NP-fed rats, renin and renin mRNA were
      confined to a juxtaglomerular location. In HP-fed rats, renin and its mRNA
      extended proximally along the afferent arterioles. The percentage of visible
      afferent arteriolar length containing renin or renin mRNA was higher in HP-fed
      rats (60 +/- 3.2 and 61 +/- 3.9%, respectively) than in NP-fed rats (39 +/- 2.5
      and 33 +/- 0.6%; P less than 0.05). Also, the percentage of juxtaglomerular
      apparatuses (JGAs) containing renin or renin mRNA was higher in HP-fed rats (80
      +/- 1.6 and 72 +/- 2%, respectively), than in NP-fed rats (46 +/- 2.2 and 40 +/-
      4%; P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415572
TI  - Renal hemodynamic actions of lipoxins in rats: a comparative physiological study.
AB  - Interactions between either the arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) and 15-LO or 5
      LO and 12-LO can lead to the formation of lipoxins. Although the functional
      significance of lipoxygenase products of arachidonic acid has been recognized
      increasingly in glomerular inflammation, less is known regarding the specific
      effects of lipoxins on renal hemodynamics. Here, we examine the renal actions of
      lipoxin (LX) A4, LXB4, and, the recently identified 7-cis-11-trans-LXA4, which
      were administered into the renal artery of the euvolemic male Munich-Wistar rat.
      LXA4 caused increases in renal plasma flow (RPF) and glomerular filtration rate
      (GFR) in a dose-dependent manner. These effects were reversed during
      cyclooxygenase inhibition. LXB4 decreased both RPF and GFR, and its mode of
      action was independent of cyclooxygenase activity. 7-cis-11-trans-LXA4 decreased
      RPF and GFR, which effects were abolished during systemic infusion of the
      leukotriene D4 receptor antagonist SKF 104353. Results indicate that each of
      these lipoxins displays distinct hemodynamic effects via a specific mode of
      action on the renal vasculature of rats. Moreover, they suggest mechanisms
      whereby lipoxins may participate in the changes of renal hemodynamics that occur
      during glomerular inflammatory processes.

PMID- 1415574
TI  - Cloning of a human kidney cDNA with similarity to the sodium-glucose
      cotransporter.
AB  - We have used low-stringency screening with the human intestinal Na(+)-glucose
      cotransporter SGLT1 to isolate a 2,271-nucleotide cDNA (Hu14) from human kidney.
      This clone, which encodes a 672-residue protein, is 59% identical at the amino
      acid level to SGLT1 and has a similar number and arrangement of predicted
      membrane-spanning regions. It also shares significant sequence identity with
      other Na(+)-coupled transporters. Northern blot analysis suggests strong
      expression of Hu14 in kidney, but, unlike SGLT1, no significant expression in
      intestine. We have been unable to demonstrate definitive transport of any of a
      number of substrates (including amino acids, sugars, nucleosides, and vitamins)
      into Hu14 cRNA-injected Xenopus oocytes, although sequence conservation makes it
      likely that Hu14 represents another member of the Na+ cotransporter family,
      possibly a second Na(+)-glucose cotransporter.

PMID- 1415573
TI  - Potassium conductance regulation by pH during volume regulation in rabbit
      proximal convoluted tubules.
AB  - When rabbit proximal convoluted tubules were microperfused in the presence of
      bicarbonate, a 90 mosmol hypotonic shock hyperpolarized the basolateral membrane
      by 5.5 +/- 1.4 mV, increased basolateral potassium selectivity (tK) from 0.30 +/-
      0.02 to 0.45 +/- 0.02, and reduced the basolateral membrane resistance from 4,887
      +/- 821 to 2,836 +/- 602 omega.cm. These data show that the hypotonic shock
      increased absolute basolateral potassium conductance. The same hypotonic shock
      elevated intracellular pH from 7.18 +/- 0.04 to 7.31 +/- 0.04. When bath pH was
      increased by 0.2 pH units (by reduction of CO2), intracellular pH rose by 0.13 +/
      0.01. In separate experiments this maneuver hyperpolarized the basolateral
      membrane by 5.0 +/- 0.8 mV and augmented basolateral tK from 0.58 +/- 0.06 to
      0.68 +/- 0.04, suggesting that the basolateral potassium conductance is sensitive
      to pH changes of a magnitude similar to that evoked by a hypotonic shock. In the
      nominal absence of bicarbonate or presence of 0.5 mM 4-acetamido-4'
      isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (SITS) in the bath, the hypotonic shock
      caused a transient intracellular acidification, suggesting involvement of
      basolateral bicarbonate transport in the hypotonic shock-induced alkalinization.
      In the absence of bicarbonate, the hypotonic shock did not increase basolateral
      tK or induce hyperpolarization of the basolateral membrane. We conclude that the
      increase in potassium conductance observed during hypotonic shock is at least
      partly mediated by a bicarbonate-dependent, SITS-sensitive intracellular
      alkalinization.

PMID- 1415575
TI  - Effects of reactive oxygen species on cultured rat mesangial cells and isolated
      rat glomeruli.
AB  - The effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on cultured rat mesangial cells were
      studied by measuring planar cell surface area (PCSA) after incubation with
      xanthine plus xanthine oxidase (XXO), in the presence of superoxide dismutase
      (SOD; 5 micrograms/ml) or catalase (CAT; 20 micrograms/ml), or after incubation
      with H2O2. Myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation was assessed in cells
      prelabeled with o-[32P]phosphoric acid and incubated with H2O2, after protein
      separation with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A
      possible intermediate role for platelet-activating factor (PAF) was analyzed by
      preincubation of the cells with a PAF antagonist BN 52021 (BN, 5 x 10(-5) M) and
      by measuring PAF-specific [3H]acetate incorporation and immunoassayable PAF. XXO
      significantly decreased PCSA (14%), an effect abolished by CAT but not by SOD.
      H2O2 induced a similar effect, in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. MLC
      phosphorylation increased by 81 +/- 15% after H2O2 incubation, and this effect
      was blocked by BN. BN also completely blocked the effect of H2O2 on PCSA. PAF
      specific [3H]acetate incorporation increased in the presence of H2O2 (from 6,886
      +/- 2,030 to 58,703 +/- 16,063 counts.min-1.mg-1) as well as the immunoassayable
      PAF production by cells (from 0.90 +/- 0.19 to 6.71 +/- 2.27 ng/mg). These
      results suggest that ROS, particularly H2O2, could modulate the surface area of
      mesangial cells, modifying the ultrafiltration coefficient, thus explaining the
      decrease in glomerular filtration rate in those pathological situations
      characterized by an increased ROS synthesis. PAF could be involved in the genesis
      of these effects.

PMID- 1415576
TI  - Feedback modulation of renal and hepatic erythropoietin mRNA in response to
      graded anemia and hypoxia.
AB  - Erythropoietin (EPO) mRNA levels were measured by ribonuclease (RNase) protection
      in organs from unstimulated rats and from animals after normobaric hypoxia or
      hemorrhagic anemia. Both liver and kidney responded to stimulation with large
      increases in EPO mRNA, but the response characteristic to graded stimulation was
      different. The liver responded poorly to mild normobaric hypoxia, accounting for
      only 2 +/- 1% of total EPO mRNA at 11% O2, but hepatic EPO mRNA levels increased
      steeply with more severe hypoxia so that at 7.5% O2 the liver contributed to 33
      +/- 7% of the total. After hemorrhagic anemia, the liver also responded more
      strongly to more severe stimulation, but at all points it accounted for a
      significant proportion of total EPO mRNA, contributing 18 +/- 6% after removal of
      2.5 ml (hematocrit 37.2 +/- 1.3%), increasing to 37 +/- 14% after venesection of
      10.5 ml (hematocrit 15.8 +/- 0.8%). Studies of EPO mRNA in other organs confirmed
      that EPO production outside the liver and kidney were quantitatively
      insignificant in stimulated animals. However, the hypoxia-induced increases in
      EPO mRNA in brain, testis, and spleen suggest the existence of an oxygen-sensing
      mechanism at other sites.

PMID- 1415577
TI  - Effects of adenosine on ion transport in rat medullary thick ascending limb.
AB  - Previously, we demonstrated that adenosine (Ado) was released by the medullary
      thick ascending limb (MTAL) during hypoxia. The present experiments were designed
      to examine the effects of Ado and adenosine analogues on net chloride (JCl) and
      bicarbonate (JHCO3) absorption by the isolated, perfused MTAL of the rat. Ado, 10
      nM, in the presence or absence of arginine vasopressin (AVP, 10(-10) M) reduced
      JCl by 50%. The inhibition of Ado was reproduced with the selective A1 agonist, N
      6-phenylisopropyladenine (2 nM), and was reversed by 8-cyclopentyl-1,3
      dipropylxanthine, an A1-receptor antagonist. Thus the inhibition of JCl is likely
      mediated through A1 receptors. In contrast, Ado had no effect on (JHCO3) either
      in the presence or absence of AVP. Ado also had no influence on the effect of AVP
      to inhibit JHCO3. The lack of effect on JHCO3 suggests that the inhibition of JCl
      by Ado is unlikely to be mediated through changes in cellular adenosine 3',5'
      cyclic monophosphate. These results support the hypothesis that Ado released into
      the renal medulla during hypoxia may protect the MTAL from ischemic injury by
      directly inhibiting NaCl absorption and reducing transport-related oxygen
      consumption.

PMID- 1415578
TI  - Renal injury in obese Zucker rats: glomerular hemodynamic alterations and effects
      of enalapril.
AB  - Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors may ameliorate experimental glomerular
      injury by either hemodynamic or nonhemodynamic mechanisms. In a long-term study,
      we examined the effects of 30 wk of enalapril treatment on the development of
      glomerular disease in obese Zucker rats (OZR). Enalapril significantly (P less
      than 0.05) lowered blood pressure, fasting serum cholesterol, and urine albumin
      excretion in OZR throughout the experimental period. At 38 wk of age, enalapril
      treated OZR had a sixfold reduction in the percent glomeruli exhibiting focal
      glomerulosclerosis and a 20-30% reduction in kidney weight and glomerular area. A
      separate micropuncture study in 22- to 26-wk-old rats revealed that untreated OZR
      with albuminuria and increased blood pressure had elevated glomerular capillary
      pressure (Pgc). Enalapril-treated OZR had less albuminuria and lower blood
      pressure, but Pgc was not reduced. The value of the transcapillary hydraulic
      pressure difference (delta P) in enalapril-treated OZR was intermediate between
      values in untreated OZR and lean Zucker rats. Thus enalapril markedly attenuated
      the development of glomerular injury in OZR. The salutary effects of enalapril
      may have involved a reduction in delta P coupled to a nonhemodynamic action,
      possibly restriction of glomerular growth or lowering of serum cholesterol.

PMID- 1415579
TI  - Critical role of bicarbonate in calcium release from bone.
AB  - Calcium release from cultured bone is pH dependent; net calcium flux (JCa) from
      bone increases with decreasing pH. At a similar decrement in pH there is greater
      JCa when acidosis is produced by a low medium bicarbonate concentration ([HCO3
      ]), a model of metabolic acidosis (Met), compared with an increased medium PCO2,
      a model of respiratory acidosis (Resp). To separate the role of [HCO3-] from that
      of pH in inducing JCa we cultured calvariae for 3 h under three different neutral
      (pH approximately 7.4) isohydric environments [control (Ctl), fully compensated
      Met (C-Met), or fully compensated Resp (C-Resp)] and two different acid (pH
      approximately 7.1) isohydric environments (Met or Resp). During neutral pH (Ctl,
      C-Met, and C-Resp) there was JCa from bone during C-Met (decreased [HCO3-]), no
      net flux during Ctl (normal [HCO3-]), and JCa into bone during C-Resp (increased
      [HCO3-]); and JCa was correlated inversely with [HCO3-] (r = -0.824, n = 36, P
      less than 0.001). During acid pH there was greater JCa from bone during Met
      (decreased [HCO3-]) than during Resp (normal [HCO3-]); and JCa was again
      correlated inversely with [HCO3-] (r = -0.848, n = 22, P less than 0.001). JCa
      from bone during Met and Resp was greater than C-Met and C-Resp, respectively.
      The addition of the osteoclastic inhibitor salmon calcitonin did not alter the
      relative JCa results. Thus at a constant pH the magnitude of JCa from cultured
      neonatal mouse calvariae appears dependent on the [HCO3-]; the lower the [HCO3-],
      the greater the calcium efflux.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415580
TI  - Induction of water diuresis by endothelin in rats.
AB  - Experiments were performed in anesthetized rats to examine the possibility that
      endothelin (ET) modifies renal epithelial function in addition to its well
      established hemodynamic actions. Infusion of ET-3 at rates between 34 and 178
      ng.kg-1.min-1 was in many cases followed by a rise in urine flow and a persistent
      decrease in urine osmolality, whereas glomerular filtration rate (GFR) did not
      significantly change. The extent of ET-induced diuresis was dependent on the
      response of GFR: in rats in which ET-3 infusion caused a marked reduction of GFR
      (greater than 70%) ET-induced diuresis was not seen, even though urine osmolality
      still fell significantly. From animal to animal, ET-induced changes of urine flow
      or GFR did not correlate significantly with the rate of ET-3 infusion. ET-1,
      another ET isopeptide, also produced water diuresis when administered in GFR
      neutral doses. Urinary excretion of total solutes and of sodium was not
      significantly altered by ET-3. Infusion of vasopressin blunted the diuretic
      effect of ET-3, whereas ET-3-induced water diuresis was not measurably altered by
      chronic or acute treatment with a converting enzyme inhibitor or by acute
      inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis. Induction of water diuresis was not
      secondary to an inhibition of vasopressin secretion since it could be
      demonstrated in homozygous Brattleboro rats in which antidiuresis was produced by
      the infusion of vasopressin at a rate of 200 microU.kg-1.min-1. These data
      suggest that ET may be an inhibitory modulator of the hydrosmotic action of
      vasopressin at the level of the renal collecting duct.

PMID- 1415581
TI  - Enhanced intrarenal angiotensin II generation in response to obstruction of the
      pig ureter.
AB  - The effect of acute unilateral complete ureteral obstruction (UUO) on renal
      hemodynamics has been examined in a pig model. Pigs were operated on under
      general anesthesia, electromagnetic flow probes were inserted around renal
      arteries, and catheters were implanted in renal veins and aorta for blood
      sampling. The influence of 15 h of obstruction on the physiological variation in
      immunoreactive angiotensin II (ANG II) was measured together with detailed
      analysis of the renal handling of ANG II in anesthetized animals. Pelvic pressure
      rose significantly within 2 h to a maximum of 59.9 +/- 2.9 cmH2O (n = 10). The
      ipsilateral renal blood flow (RBF) was reduced by 30% from 319 +/- 35 to 241 +/-
      42 ml/min (P = 0.001), whereas contralateral RBF did not change. A temporary
      significant increase in mean aortic blood pressure was seen during the first 2 h
      after UUO. Renal vascular resistance increased by 44% in the obstructed kidney
      from 37 +/- 3 to 55 +/- 9 mmHg.ml-1.min.g during the course of obstruction.
      Concomitantly, the plasma concentration of immunoreactive ANG II increased from
      all three sample sites by 8-15 times. This increase was highly significant
      compared with the sham-operated group. The results show that the pig kidney
      responds to UUO by a net secretion of ANG II from the ipsilateral kidney. Our
      observations on the ANG II renal secretion rate suggest that part of the
      immunoreactive ANG II in the renal venous effluent originated de novo from
      intrarenal generation.

PMID- 1415582
TI  - Effect of cyclooxygenase inhibition on renal blood flow autoregulation in SHR.
AB  - The effect of acute and chronic indomethacin treatment on renal blood flow (RBF)
      autoregulation was studied in 10- and 40-wk-old spontaneously hypertensive rats
      (SHR). RBF autoregulation was substantially reduced in 40-wk-old SHR both during
      acute and chronic indomethacin treatment, whereas no effect was seen in the young
      SHR. The pressure range of autoregulation was 169 +/- 9 to 130 +/- 5 mmHg in the
      untreated 40-wk-old SHR, and 154 +/- 14 to 146 +/- 6 mmHg in indomethacin-treated
      40-wk-old SHR (P less than 0.001). Indomethacin treatment had no effect on
      control RBF, mean arterial pressure, or renal vascular resistance in the 40-wk
      old SHR. After removal of the renal nerves, RBF autoregulation during
      indomethacin treatment was restored in 40-wk-old SHR. The pressure range of RBF
      autoregulation was 158 +/- 7 to 142 +/- 7 mmHg in sham-operated animals,
      significantly different from the denervated 40-wk-old SHR, where RBF was
      autoregulated from 150 +/- 5 to 118 +/- 6 mmHg (P less than 0.01) during
      indomethacin treatment. The afferent arteriolar diameter (DAA) was studied by the
      microsphere method in 10-wk-old SHR and in untreated and indomethacin-treated 40
      wk-old SHR. DAA was significantly greater in 40-wk-old compared with 10-wk-old
      SHR (22.1 +/- 0.4 vs. 17.9 +/- 0.5 microns) (P less than 0.01), whereas
      indomethacin treatment in 40-wk-old SHR did not influence the DAA significantly
      (21.5 +/- 0.3 microns, P greater than 0.10).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415583
TI  - Beta 2-microglobulin induces calcium efflux from cultured neonatal mouse
      calvariae.
AB  - beta 2-Microglobulin (beta 2M) polymerizes to form amyloid fibrils that deposit
      and cause destructive bone lesions in patients on chronic dialytic therapy. beta
      2 M is mitogenic to osteoblasts; however, its effect on bone mineralization is
      unknown. To determine whether beta 2M causes bone demineralization, neonatal
      mouse calvariae were incubated with and without beta 2M, and net calcium flux was
      calculated. Following a 48-h but not 3- or 24-h incubation, beta 2M (10(-8)-10(
      6) M) induced a net calcium efflux. The efflux was similar to that observed with
      10(-10) M parathyroid hormone (PTH) but less than that observed with 10(-8 M PTH.
      Devitalizing the calvariae resulted in a net calcium influx that was unaffected
      by the addition of beta 2M, indicating a cell-mediated phenomenon. The release of
      beta-glucuronidase, an osteoclast enzyme, increased after a 48-h but not a 24-h
      incubation with beta 2M. Calcitonin, an osteoclast inhibitor, blocked the beta 2M
      induced calcium efflux and beta-glucuronidase release, suggesting osteoclast
      involvement. Thus beta 2M induces a dose- and time-dependent, cell-mediated
      calcium efflux from neonatal mouse calvariae that involves osteoclast
      stimulation.

PMID- 1415584
TI  - Clearance receptor and neutral endopeptidase-mediated metabolism of atrial
      natriuretic factor.
AB  - A novel small linear C-atrial natriuretic factor receptor ligand [C-ANF-(11-15)]
      and phosphoramidon (PHO) were used to determine the effects of C-ANF receptor
      blockade alone, or in combination with inhibition of neutral endopeptidase (NEP),
      on the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of ANF in the rat. C-ANF-(11-15) infusion
      decreased apparent volume of distribution (Vss) and metabolic clearance rate
      (MCR) of administered 125I-ANF-(1-28) to one-third of their control values,
      whereas PHO alone was without effect on these parameters. In combination with C
      ANF-(11-15), however, PHO further decreased MCR of 125I-ANF-(1-28) and increased
      plasma half time by more than threefold. High-performance liquid chromatography
      analysis revealed that C-ANF-(11-15) inhibited the delayed appearance of free
      125I and [125I]monoiodotyrosine but had no effect on the small proportion of NEP
      metabolites in plasma. The combination of C-ANF-(11-15) and PHO further delayed
      the appearance of small metabolites, abolished the appearance of NEP metabolites,
      and markedly prolonged the permanence of intact 125I-ANF-(1-28) in plasma. The
      results demonstrate that C-ANF receptor blockade by C-ANF-(11-15) impairs
      clearance and metabolism of ANF, an effect which is synergistically potentiated
      by concomitant inhibition of NEP. C-ANF-(11-15) alone or in combination with NEP
      inhibitors may be a potentially useful therapeutic tool in the treatment of
      cardiovascular and renal diseases.

PMID- 1415585
TI  - Calorie restriction decreases microalbuminuria associated with aging in barrier
      raised Fischer 344 rats.
AB  - Renal function as a sensitive biomarker of aging has been studied in specific
      pathogen-free (SPF) Fischer 344 rats (n = 211), and results are presented
      according to animal age (5, 8, 12, 18, 24 mo), sex, and diet (ad libitum vs. 40%
      calorie restriction). Plasma creatinine concentration, endogenous creatinine
      clearance, total protein excretion, and albumin excretion were measured. Kidney
      histology was evaluated by light microscopy. In both calorie-restricted and ad
      libitum-fed animals, kidney weight (KW) and body weight (BW) showed parallel
      changes with age. The KW-to-BW ratio was unaffected by age in all groups. There
      was no alteration in plasma creatinine concentration as a function of age or
      diet. In these SPF animals there was also no change in glomerular filtration rate
      with age. In animals fed ad libitum, albumin and protein excretion increased with
      age (females: 0.39 +/- 0.05 at 5 mo vs. 7.4 +/- 2.6 mg protein.24 h-1.g KW-1 at
      24 mo; males: 4.1 +/- 0.6 at 5 mo vs. 15 +/- 3 mg protein.24 h-1.g KW-1 at 24
      mo). The higher protein excretion rate in all males at 5 mo reflected the
      excretion of sex-dependent low-molecular-weight proteins that commenced with
      sexual maturation. Calorie restriction prevented the age-dependent increase in
      total protein excretion. Kidney histopathology was positively correlated with
      total protein and albumin excretion. Microalbuminuria preceded the development of
      lesions detectable by light microscopy. These observations support the concept
      that microalbuminuria in this model is a sensitive and early biomarker of
      nephropathy that can be monitored easily and noninvasively.

PMID- 1415586
TI  - Three-dimensional reconstructed glomerular capillary network: blood flow
      distribution and local filtration.
AB  - We developed a mathematical model to simulate blood flow and filtration in
      individual capillary segments of a glomerular network reconstructed from a normal
      Munich-Wistar (MW) rat. Three-dimensional geometric reconstruction was obtained
      by semithin serial sections (1 micron) of one glomerulus after perfusion fixation
      of kidney. Photomicrographs of each section were digitized and processed, using a
      computer-based image-analysis system, to derive the topological organization of
      the capillary network and mean diameter and length of individual capillary
      segments. Blood flow rate in capillary segments was calculated using a
      theoretical model that considers apparent viscosity of blood in small capillaries
      as a function of local rheological parameters, partition of cells at
      bifurcations, and local filtration dependent on transmembrane hydraulic and
      oncotic pressure gradients along the network. In accord with previous
      observations, the topological organization of the capillary network disclosed a
      three-lobular structure. The ultrafiltration coefficient (Kf) calculated for the
      euvolemic MW rat with the present network approach was compared with that derived
      from a theoretical model that assumes identical capillaries in parallel. The
      latter model is shown to underestimate Kf, particularly under conditions in which
      filtration pressure equilibrium is approached. Calculation of local blood flow
      and filtration along the network indicates a heterogeneous distribution of these
      parameters and that some parts of the capillary network operate at filtration
      pressure equilibrium even if the overall network operates at filtration
      disequilibrium.

PMID- 1415587
TI  - Cellular mechanisms involved in the vascular myogenic response.
AB  - By definition, the myogenic response is the contraction of a blood vessel that
      occurs when intravascular pressure is elevated and, conversely, the vasodilation
      that follows a reduction in pressure. Over the last several decades numerous
      investigators have demonstrated the importance of the myogenic response in the
      local regulations of blood flow, capillary pressure, and in the generation of
      basal vascular tone. Despite the considerable information obtained from these
      investigations, information about the cellular mechanisms that underlie this
      response has been slow to accumulate. Because of the physiological significance
      of the myogenic response, its mechanistic basis represents an important subject
      for research. Currently, there are several broad hypotheses concerning the
      sequence of events that couple changes in intravascular pressure or stretch with
      alterations in vascular smooth muscle activation. These hypotheses include 1)
      altered membrane properties leading to activation of ion channels; 2) modulation
      of biochemical cell-signaling pathways within vascular smooth muscle; 3) length
      dependent changes in contractile protein function; and 4) endothelial-dependent
      modulation of vascular smooth muscle tone. This review summarizes current work
      relative to each of these hypotheses and describes a possible sequence of events
      to account for myogenic activation of vascular smooth muscle.

PMID- 1415588
TI  - Effects of a novel prostaglandin, 8-epi-PGF2 alpha, in rabbit lung in situ.
AB  - We determined the effects of 8-epiprostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha, a
      noncyclooxygenase free radical-catalyzed product of arachidonic acid, on
      pulmonary vascular tone, its potency, and its mechanism of action. 8-Epi-PGF2
      alpha (0.5-20 micrograms) was injected into the pulmonary artery (PA) catheter of
      10 rabbits whose lungs were perfused in situ with Krebs-Henseleit buffer solution
      with 3% bovine serum albumin. PA pressure increased from a baseline of 13.5 +/-
      0.6 to 25.6 +/- 2.0 cmH2O with 20 micrograms 8-epi-PGF2 alpha. 8-Epi-PGF2 alpha
      caused a rapid rise in PA pressure followed by a gradual decline over 40-60 min
      to baseline levels. Double vascular occlusion revealed a twofold increase in
      arterial resistance at peak rise in PA pressure. The rise in PA pressure with 20
      micrograms 8-epi-PGF2 alpha was fivefold greater than with 20 micrograms of the
      cyclooxygenase-derived prostaglandin PGF2 alpha. The PA pressure response to 8
      epi-PGF2 alpha was not altered by either cyclooxygenase block-ade with 150 microM
      meclofenamate or alpha-receptor blockade with 70 microM phentolamine, but was
      fully prevented by 40 microM SQ 29548, a thromboxane receptor antagonist. We
      conclude that in rabbits 8-epi-PGF2 alpha is a potent vasoconstrictor of the
      pulmonary vasculature, which appears to be due to the activation of SQ 29548
      responsive thromboxane receptors.

PMID- 1415589
TI  - Salt intake and angiotensin II alter microvessel density in the cremaster muscle
      of normal rats.
AB  - This study investigated the effect of salt intake and angiotensin II (ANG II)
      levels on microvessel density (MVD). Rats with indwelling arterial and venous
      catheters were placed on either a high-salt (HS; 4%) or a low-salt diet (LS;
      0.4%) for 2 or 4 wk, and blood pressure, heart rate, and plasma renin activity
      were measured. Plasma ANG II was fixed at normal levels in half of the rats on HS
      by continuous intravenous infusion of ANG II (5 ng.kg-1.min-1). Samples of
      cremaster muscle were examined histologically to determine MVD. No difference in
      MVD was observed between HS and LS groups after 2 wk. After 4 wk on HS, MVD was
      reduced (22.4%, P less than 0.05) compared with the LS group. In rats fed HS, ANG
      II infusion induced a significant dose-dependent increase in MVD from 85.11 +/-
      3.34 to 98.94 +/- 4.62 (ANG II, 5 ng.kg-1.min-1) and to 107.60 +/- 7.00 (ANG II,
      10 ng.kg-1.min-1) (P less than 0.05), with no change in blood pressure.
      Maintenance of ANG II levels for 4 wk blocked the rarefaction due to salt. These
      results suggest that the decrease in MVD due to salt could be the result of a
      dietary-induced fall in plasma ANG II levels.

PMID- 1415590
TI  - Tumor necrosis factor challenges in canines: patterns of cardiovascular
      dysfunction.
AB  - Three groups of conscious canines were given different intravenous doses of human
      recombinant tumor necrosis factor (TNF) over 1 h, and the resulting
      cardiovascular abnormalities were examined for 10 days. As TNF dose increased [0
      (controls), 30, 60, and 120 micrograms/kg body wt], the number of deaths
      increased (P less than 0.025; 0 of 6, 1 of 8, 4 of 8, number of deaths in each
      group, respectively). In all three groups receiving TNF, the mean left
      ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at 2 h after infusion decreased (P less than
      0.003) compared with controls. The group receiving the highest dose of TNF (120
      micrograms/kg body wt) had the greatest decrease (P less than 0.05) in LVEF from
      0 to 2 h. At 8 h, all three groups receiving TNF had similar LVEF. In these three
      groups, other multiple measures of LV function at 8 h showed significant and
      similar decreases in cardiac contractility compared with controls. From 24 to 240
      h, however, the time required for cardiac performance (LVEF) to return to normal
      was dose dependent (30 less than 60 less than 120 micrograms/kg body wt; P less
      than 0.05). Canines receiving the lowest dose of TNF had near normal cardiac
      function (LVEF) at 24 h, whereas canines receiving the highest dose had
      persistent cardiac abnormalities at 240 h. Thus, at 8 h, the severity of cardiac
      dysfunction is independent of TNF dose, but the rate of onset and the duration of
      cardiac abnormality are markedly dependent of dose.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1415591
TI  - Bioassay of endothelium-derived relaxing factor in diabetic rat aorta.
AB  - The bioassay technique was utilized to quantitate endothelium-derived relaxing
      factor (EDRF) released from perfused donor segments of control and diabetic rat
      aorta. In the presence of indomethacin, perfusates of donor segments with
      endothelium were allowed to superfuse recipient detector rings of normal rat
      aorta without endothelium. Under basal conditions, relaxations of the bioassay
      rings to perfusates of control and diabetic donor segments were similar.
      Perfusion of donor segments with acetylcholine produced relaxation of bioassay
      rings, which was decreased from endothelial perfusion of diabetic donor segments.
      These relaxations were inhibited by addition of methylene blue to the detector
      ring or by perfusion of donor segments with nitro-L-arginine. Infusion of
      superoxide dismutase (SOD) at a site proximal to the donor segment normalized
      relaxations induced by acetylcholine addition to diabetic donors. In contrast,
      infusion of SOD distal to the donor had no effect on acetylcholine-stimulated
      relaxations of detector rings from control donors while attenuating,
      paradoxically, the relaxations of detector rings from diabetic donors. These
      results suggest that diabetic rat aortas release similar levels of EDRF in
      response to acetylcholine, but the action of EDRF arising from diabetic donors is
      attenuated by enhanced release of oxygen-derived free radicals, which limits EDRF
      mediated relaxation of vascular smooth muscle.

PMID- 1415593
TI  - Recovery of arterial pressure control after partial baroreceptor denervation in
      awake rabbits.
AB  - We examined recovery of control of heart rate (HR) and total peripheral
      resistance (TPR) by arterial baroreceptors after bilateral carotid sinus and
      aortic denervation or unilateral carotid sinus and aortic denervation in
      conscious rabbits. In one group of animals, HR responses to changes in mean
      arterial pressure (MAP) after injection of nitroglycerin or phenylephrine were
      measured in control studies and at 2, 5, 10, and 15 days after partial
      baroreceptor denervation. All denervation procedures increased MAP and HR at 2
      and 5 days after denervation. Reflex sensitivity decreased to 57-67% of control
      on day 2 after denervation. HR responses recovered by day 10 after bilateral
      aortic or carotid sinus denervation; however, recovery following unilateral
      denervation was less complete. In a second group of animals, studied after
      implantation of aortic flowmeters, TPR changes following reduction in cardiac
      output by inferior vena caval occlusion were 49% of control responses on day 2
      after denervation and returned close to control level on day 5. Controls of HR
      and TPR recovered substantially and were not significantly different from control
      10 days after partial denervation. Recovery apparently occurred through the
      remaining arterial baroreceptors, possibly due to central reorganization of
      reflex pathways.

PMID- 1415592
TI  - Increased oxyhemoglobin affinity by carbamylation: coronary autoregulation and O2
      transport.
AB  - Hemoglobin carbamylation with sodium cyanate was used to study myocardial O2
      delivery during increased oxyhemoglobin affinity. A group of control dogs was
      compared with a group of dogs, in which their hemoglobin had been carbamylated by
      daily ingestion of sodium cyanate over a period of 6-8 wk. The O2 tension at 50%
      saturation of hemoglobin (P50) averaged 23 mmHg in the carbamylated group
      compared with an average P50 of 31 mmHg in the control group. The left main
      coronary artery was cannulated and perfused via an extracorporeal, pressure
      controlled reservoir. Coronary pressure, coronary flow, and blood gas
      measurements were made at coronary perfusion pressures spanning the
      autoregulatory range. The increased oxyhemoglobin affinity produced no
      significant difference in convective O2 transport to the coronary capillaries,
      although the carbamylated group had a significantly higher arterial O2 content
      and significantly lower coronary flow. The autoregulatory process was not
      significantly altered by carbamylation-induced shifts in the O2 dissociation
      curve. Despite a significantly lower coronary sinus PO2 in the carbamylated
      group, the increase in oxyhemoglobin affinity was associated with significantly
      lower O2 extractions in the carbamylated group. Significant extraction reserve
      was present in both the control and carbamylated groups as demonstrated by the
      fact that O2 extraction could still increase well above control levels when
      perfusion pressure was lowered. We conclude that there is no significant
      vasodilatory compensation for moderate increases in oxyhemoglobin affinity,
      despite the continued presence of autoregulatory vasodilatory reserve.

PMID- 1415594
TI  - Coronary microvascular response to endothelin is dependent on vessel diameter and
      route of administration.
AB  - Endothelin is a 21-amino acid peptide originally isolated from vascular
      endothelial cells. In the present study, we examined the effect of topical and
      intracoronary administration of endothelin-1 on the coronary microcirculation and
      the effect of inhibition of cyclooxygenase on the microvascular response to
      intracoronary endothelin. In anesthetized dogs (n = 39), the coronary
      microcirculation was visualized using stroboscopic epi-illumination synchronized
      to the cardiac cycle. Topical application of endothelin [(5 x 10(-9) to 10(-8) M]
      constricted all arteries and arterioles with the degree of constriction inversely
      related to vessel size. Coronary veins and venules did not constrict to
      endothelin. Topical application of EDTA (10 mg/ml) reversed the constriction to
      endothelin in arterioles of all sizes. In contrast, intracoronary administration
      of endothelin (10(-8) to 10(-7) M) produced dilation of small arterioles (less
      than 130 microns) and no response of large arterioles (greater than 130 microns).
      The response of small arterioles to intracoronary endothelin was not altered by
      inhibition of cyclooxygenase with indomethacin (5 mg/kg); however, large
      arterioles constricted. Thus the coronary microvascular response to endothelin is
      dependent on the route of administration. Constriction of arteries and arterioles
      of all sizes to endothelin is dependent on extracellular calcium. Vasodilator
      prostaglandins may be released in response to intracoronary administration of
      endothelin predominantly in larger vessels. Thus the differential response to
      endothelin with topical and intracoronary administration may reflect a
      diffusional barrier of the endothelium or release of endothelium-derived relaxing
      factor and prostaglandins in response to endothelin.

PMID- 1415595
TI  - Norepinephrine increases the economy of pressure development in isolated canine
      hearts.
AB  - To test for oxygen wasting by norepinephrine (NE) without relying on
      normalization by measures of performance such as the pressure-volume area,
      myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) was determined for isovolumic beats at five
      different left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volumes (EDV) in nine isolated
      cross-perfused canine hearts in each of three states: a basal anesthetic state
      (B); after depression with halothane (H); and after adding NE to increase
      contractility back to the B state (H+NE). The end-diastolic and peak systolic
      pressure-volume lines were identical for B and H+NE. The R2 for a linear
      regression of MVO2 per beat for B vs. H+NE for beats originating at the same EDV
      and developing similar (within 10%) peak isovolumic pressures for all hearts was
      0.85. The slope and intercept were 0.83 and 0.01, which are significantly less
      than one (P less than 0.001) and greater than zero (P less than 0.001),
      respectively. These data suggest that NE increases both the economy of pressure
      development as well as activation energy of an isovolumically contracting LV.

PMID- 1415596
TI  - Dexamethasone-induced differentiation of atrial myocytes in culture.
AB  - Atrial and ventricular myocytes from fetal and newborn rats were cultured in
      medium supplemented with fetal or newborn calf serum with and without
      glucocorticoid. Myocyte morphology was examined by light and electron microscopy,
      and the amount of stored and secreted atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was
      measured. Without dexamethasone, neonatal atrial myocytes cultured for 7 days
      contained myofibrils organized into sarcomeres and numerous endocrine granules
      containing immunostainable ANP. Secretion of immunoreactive ANP reached a peak
      between days 7 and 9 of culture. Myocytes from fetal rats secreted ANP but
      contained few endocrine granules, and myofilaments were poorly organized. By
      contrast, the addition of dexamethasone (1 nM-1 microM) to the culture medium of
      newborn myocytes promoted development of numerous endocrine storage granules,
      mitochondria, and myofibrils with prominent Z-bands. Dexamethasone also increased
      the cellular content of ANP and ANP-specific mRNA in both atrial and ventricular
      myocytes. In the presence of dexamethasone myocytes maintained their structural
      integrity for periods of at least 45 days.

PMID- 1415597
TI  - Fluorochemical emulsion APE-LM substantially improves cardiac preservation.
AB  - We determined the efficacy of a novel fluorochemical emulsion for long-term
      hypothermic preservation of hearts. Rat hearts were preserved for 12 h at 12
      degrees C with use of continuous low-pressure coronary perfusion with one of
      three oxygenated media (n = 6 hearts/groups): an "extracellular" crystalloid
      solution; APE-LM, a novel fluorochemical emulsion of
      perfluoroperhydrophenanthrene in egg yolk phospholipid; and FC-43, the Fluosol-43
      (Oxypherol) fluorochemical emulsion of perfluorotributylamine in Pluronic F68.
      The emulsion media contained the same components as the crystalloid medium. All
      three media contained 0.5% albumin. An isolated working heart perfusion system
      was used to quantify the function of preserved hearts and controls (fresh hearts,
      n = 6). The APE-LM-preserved hearts were not significantly different from control
      hearts in contractile function, output, and energetics during a 4-h 37 degrees C
      reperfusion period. The control and APE-LM-preserved hearts had significantly
      better performance than crystalloid- and FC-43-preserved hearts. All preserved
      hearts gained fluid during preservation. The edema of APE-LM-preserved hearts,
      but not that of the other two preserved groups, was reversed during 37 degrees C
      reperfusion. These data provide the first evidence that a unique fluorochemical
      emulsion improves long-term preservation of cardiac tissue and produces
      significantly better recovery of cardiac function after preservation. This
      salutary effect was specifically associated with APE-LM emulsion and may result
      from its high O2 capacity, its biologically compatible emulsifier, and its
      superior physical properties, which include very small emulsion particle size
      (0.1-0.15 micron), low viscosity, and minimal toxicity.

PMID- 1415599
TI  - EDRF plays central role in collateral flow after arterial occlusion in rabbit
      ear.
AB  - An in vitro model has been developed in which the acute development of collateral
      perfusion of a segment of rabbit central ear artery, isolated between ligatures,
      is assessed by X-ray microangiography. Collateral perfusion was quantified by
      normalizing the volume of the segment filled with respect to its preocclusion
      control. The influence of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) activity on
      perfusion was examined by using 100 microM NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L
      NAME), a potent inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis. Filling of the isolated
      segment after occlusion was time dependent, being 21.6 +/- 4.2% after 2 min and
      46.6 +/- 5.3% after 90 min. This acute development of collateral flow was
      reversed by addition of L-NAME 60 min after ligation, after which filling was
      reduced to 17.8 +/- 3.8%. When L-NAME was added before ligation, filling of the
      segment was 15.6 +/- 5.9% at 2 min and 14.8 +/- 7.4% at 90 min, so that the time
      dependent component of collateral flow development was abolished. The inhibitory
      effects of L-NAME on collateral perfusion were reversed by an excess of L
      arginine. These findings indicate that EDRF plays a central role in the
      development and maintenance of collateral flow.

PMID- 1415598
TI  - Topical arachidonic acid restores pial arteriolar dilation to hypercapnia of
      postischemic newborn pig brain.
AB  - In the newborn pig, cerebral vasodilator responses to hypercapnia are lost after
      cerebral ischemia. We examined the effect of topical application of arachidonic
      acid (30 micrograms/ml, 20 min) to the postischemic piglet brain on subsequent
      pial arteriolar dilated in response to hypercapnia (10% CO2 ventilation) and
      topical isoproterenol (10(-6), 10(-7) M). After 20 min cerebral ischemia, pial
      arterioles did not dilate to hypercapnia but responded to isoproterenol in a
      fashion similar to before ischemia. Treatment with arachidonic acid after
      ischemia restored pial arteriolar dilation to hypercapnia. Hypercapnia caused an
      increase in cortical periarachnoid concentration of 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha
      (6-keto-PGF1 alpha) before but not after ischemia. After postischemic treatment
      with arachidonic acid, the increase in cortical periarachnoid fluid 6-keto-PGF1
      alpha during hypercapnia was restored. Therefore, topical application of
      arachidonic acid to cerebral vessels restores cerebral prostanoid synthesis and
      pial arteriolar dilation in response to hypercapnia that has been abolished by
      ischemia.

PMID- 1415600
TI  - Differential effects of WEB 2086 and SRI 63-441 on TNF-alpha-induced alterations
      in cardiopulmonary function.
AB  - We hypothesized that platelet-activating factor (PAF) and cyclooxygenase products
      might be important mediators of the cardiopulmonary effects induced by tumor
      necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) in anesthetized pigs. A 6-h infusion of human
      recombinant TNF-alpha caused hypoxemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, decreased
      cardiac index (CI), increased pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and increased
      mean pulmonary arterial (Ppa) and intratracheal (Pt) pressures. Administration of
      the PAF receptor antagonist SRI 63-441 or indomethacin blocked the early (0.25
      0.5 h) and attenuated the later increases in PVR and Ppa; indomethacin also
      attenuated the increase in Pt and hypoxemia associated with TNF-alpha infusion.
      WEB 2086 did not attenuate the TNF-alpha-induced alterations in CI, PVR, Pt, or
      PaO2. The in vivo specificity of SRI 63-441 and WEB 2086 was tested by infusing
      exogenous PAF, prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha, U-46619 [thromboxane (Tx)A2 receptor
      mimetic], or arachidonic acid (AA) before and during administration of SRI 63-441
      or WEB 2086. Both antagonists blocked the cardiopulmonary effects induced by
      exogenous PAF. SRI 63-441, but not WEB 2086, significantly attenuated the
      increased PVR caused by PGF2 alpha, U-46619, and AA. We conclude that SRI 63-441
      is a less specific PAF receptor antagonist in vivo compared with WEB 2086 and
      that cyclooxygenase products, but not PAF, contribute significantly to the
      cardiopulmonary responses induced by exogenously infused TNF-alpha in pigs.

PMID- 1415601
TI  - Beneficial effects of SPM-5185, a cysteine-containing NO donor in myocardial
      ischemia-reperfusion.
AB  - Intravenous administration of SPM-5185 [N-nitratopivaloyl-S-(N'-acetylalanyl)
      cysteine ethyl ester], a cysteine-containing nitric oxide (NO) donor, or SPM-5267
      [pivaloyl-S-(N'-acetylalanyl)-cysteine ethyl ester], an analogue of SPM-5185 that
      lacks the NO moiety, was studied in a feline myocardial ischemia-reperfusion
      model. Administration of SPM-5185 (1 mg/kg), followed by a 2-mg.kg-1.h-1 infusion
      starting 10 min before reperfusion, resulted in significant protection 4.5 h
      postreperfusion. In the myocardial ischemia (MI)+SPM-5267 group, 38 +/- 4% of the
      area at risk was necrotic, whereas the necrotic area/area at risk was only 7 +/-
      2% in the MI+SPM-5185 group (P less than 0.01). Moreover, SPM-5185 treatment
      markedly attenuated the endothelial dysfunction observed in the left anterior
      descending coronary artery after reperfusion by 50%. These beneficial effects
      occurred despite the absence of a significant change in myocardial oxygen demand,
      as measured by the pressure-rate index. In vitro experiments demonstrated that
      SMP-5185, but not SPM-5267, decreased adherence of neutrophils to the coronary
      vascular endothelium and decreased production of superoxide radicals. Therefore,
      a likely mechanism of the observed cardioprotection by SPM-5185 involves
      attenuation of polymorphonuclear leukocyte-induced endothelial dysfunction.

PMID- 1415602
TI  - Aging- and training-induced alterations in collagen characteristics of rat left
      ventricle and papillary muscle.
AB  - We evaluated the single and interactive effects of aging and exercise training on
      selected parameters of myocardial interstitium in both the left ventricle (LV)
      and LV papillary muscle of female Fischer 344 specific pathogen-free rats. Ten
      weeks of treadmill running resulted in significant LV hypertrophy as well as
      elevated plantaris muscle citrate synthase activity in both young adult (5-mo
      old) and senescent (23-mo-old) trained animals (YT, young trained; OT, old
      trained) compared with age-matched sedentary controls (YC, young control; OC, old
      control). Proline and hydroxyproline pools were significantly higher (both P less
      than 0.05) in 23-mo-old vs. 5-mo-old papillary muscles. Degree of maturation
      (nonreducible cross-linking) of LV collagen was evaluated by measurement of
      hydroxylysylpyridinoline concentration ([HP]). In a comparison of YC with OC
      rats, ventricular [HP] increased approximately fivefold from 0.059 +/- 0.007 to
      0.285 +/- 0.018 (SE) mol HP/mol collagen (P less than 0.001). Whereas training
      had no effect on ventricular [HP] in young adult rats, it significantly reduced
      LV collagen cross-linking in OT rats (0.131 +/- 0.027) so that HP values in this
      group were less than one-half of those observed in OC rats. Because both collagen
      concentration and degree of cross-linking are thought to affect muscle stiffness
      characteristics, we conclude that the observed changes should be considered in
      any explanation for aging- and training-induced alterations in LV and papillary
      muscle contractile indexes.

PMID- 1415604
TI  - Saline diuresis and natriuresis in unanesthetized dogs: a missing atrial factor?
AB  - Recent studies in our laboratory indicated that a blunted (40-50%) renal
      excretory response to isotonic intravenous saline loads occurred in conscious,
      renal-denervated dogs after 70% of the atrial mass was removed. The blunted
      responses could not be explained by differences in the responses of arterial
      pressure, renal nerve activity, or by measured changes of plasma immunoreactive
      atrial natriuretic peptide (iANP), arginine vasopressin (AVP), plasma renin
      activity (PRA), or aldosterone (Aldo). The present study was designed to
      determine whether the central nervous system (CNS) was the source of an
      unidentified substance, which could account for the blunting of the urine
      excretory response seen in the atrial-resected dogs. Renal denervation was
      performed in all dogs to eliminate alterations in efferent renal sympathetic
      nerve activity derived from reflexes activated during volume expansion. Cardiac
      denervation (CDX) was used to eliminate sensory cardiac afferent nerve activity
      to the CNS. A group of five renal-denervated dogs was given an isotonic volume
      load (400 ml/30 min) before and after complete CDX. Plasma AVP was fixed at
      normal plasma levels of 3 pg/ml by continuous intravenous infusion. Na and H2O
      excretion were not different in renal-denervated dogs compared with combined
      renal and cardiac denervation during the 5 h after the saline load. Plasma AVP
      and Aldo were unchanged with the volume loads, although PRA rose gradually over
      the 5 h after the saline loads. Plasma iANP increased transiently in the combined
      renal and cardiac-denervated state rising from a control of 65-120 pg/ml at the
      end of the load period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415603
TI  - Factors involved in left ventricular dysfunction after massive sympathetic
      activation.
AB  - We sought to determine whether catecholamines are responsible for the depressed
      left ventricular (LV) function that follows massive sympathetic nervous system
      (SNS) activation and whether the additional myocardial energy demands of SNS
      induced hypertension contribute to this disorder. An intracisternal injection of
      veratrine was used to intensely activate the SNS of anesthetized rabbits, and 150
      min later, LV function was evaluated in vitro using established techniques. To
      assess catecholamine involvement, rabbits were pretreated with phentolamine,
      propranolol, or saline prior to SNS activation. Control animals received
      veratrine intravenously. In separate experiments, angiotensin II (ANG II) was
      administered to rabbits to produce hemodynamic and plasma catecholamine profiles
      comparable to that produced by intense SNS activity. LV function of hearts after
      either massive SNS activation or ANG II administration was significantly
      diminished compared with control (P less than 0.01) and could be prevented by
      pretreatment with the catecholamine antagonists. LV function was also not
      diminished in another group of animals in which arterial pressure was maintained
      near baseline throughout the SNS discharge, thus suggesting that the increased
      myocardial energy demand associated with the development of arterial hypertension
      contributes to the LV dysfunction. We conclude that toxic concentrations of
      catecholamines are responsible for SNS-induced LV dysfunction and that
      hypertension, most likely because of its ability to increase myocardial energy
      demand, is one of the important events that leads to depressed cardiac function.

PMID- 1415605
TI  - Effects of aging on baroreflex regulation of sympathetic activity in humans.
AB  - Arterial baroreflexes contribute importantly to blood pressure regulation through
      their influence on parasympathetic outflow to the sinus node and sympathetic
      outflow to the peripheral circulation. Baroreflex control of heart rate is known
      to be diminished in older individuals. Whether advancing age is associated with a
      parallel attenuation in baroreflex control of sympathetic outflow to the
      peripheral circulation has not been studied in humans. To provide such
      information, we made direct measurements of muscle sympathetic nerve activity
      (MSNA) in healthy males who ranged in age from 18 to 71 yr. The subjects were
      arbitrarily divided into three groups: younger (18-34 yr; n = 35), middle aged
      (35-50 yr; n = 15), and older (51-71 yr; n = 16). Although basal levels of MSNA
      were higher in older subjects than in younger and middle-aged subjects, the gains
      of baroreflex control of MSNA were the same in the older, middle-aged, and
      younger subjects (-4.6 +/- 0.6, -4.8 +/- 0.9, -5.1 +/- 0.5 U/mmHg, P greater than
      0.10). In contrast, the gains of baroreflex control of cardiac intervals were
      attenuated in the older and middle-aged subjects compared with the younger
      subjects (9.8 +/- 1.2, 13.6 +/- 1.4, 21.7 +/- 1.3 ms/mmHg, P less than 0.05). Our
      data indicate that although the parasympathetic component of the arterial
      baroreflex becomes impaired with advancing age, the sympathetic component can be
      well maintained in healthy individuals even into the seventh decade.

PMID- 1415606
TI  - Exercise training improves cardiac function after ischemia in the isolated,
      working rat heart.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine whether exercise training produces a
      myocardium intrinsically more tolerant to ischemic-reperfusion injury. Male
      Fischer 344 rats were treadmill trained for 11-16 wk at one of the following
      intensities: LOW (20 m/min, 0% grade, 60 min/day), moderate (MOD; 30 m/min, 5%
      grade, 60 min/day) or intensive (INT; 10 bouts of alternating 2-min runs at 16
      and 60 m/min, 5% grade). Cardiac function was evaluated both before and after 25
      min of global, zero-flow ischemia in the isolated, working heart model. Compared
      to hearts from sedentary (SED) rats, postischemic cardiac output (CO) and work
      were significantly higher in all trained groups. Percent recovery of CO (relative
      to preischemia) was 36.0 +/- 7.1 in SED and 61.2 +/- 6.5, 68.1 +/- 9.3, and 73.2
      +/- 5.0 in LOW, MOD, and INT, respectively. Postischemic increases in stroke
      volume with increased preload and cardiac work at high work load were
      significantly higher in INT compared with SED. Coronary flow during initial
      retrograde reperfusion was significantly enhanced with training and correlated
      with subsequent recovery of CO (R2 = 0.613). Furthermore, trained hearts had
      higher phosphocreatine (P less than 0.05) and ATP (P less than 0.01) contents
      after 45 min reperfusion. It is concluded that exercise training results in an
      intrinsic myocardial adaptation, allowing greater recovery of cardiac pump
      function after global ischemia in the isolated rat heart.

PMID- 1415607
TI  - Leukocyte adhesion in local versus hemorrhage-induced ischemia.
AB  - The objective of this study was to compare the leukocyte-endothelial cell
      adhesive interactions elicited in postcapillary venules by either local ischemia
      reperfusion or hemorrhage-reperfusion. Leukocyte rolling, adherence, and
      emigration were monitored in cat mesenteric venules exposed to an 85% reduction
      in blood flow (induced by either hemorrhage or local restriction of arterial
      inflow) for 1 h, followed by 1 h reperfusion. Leukocyte-endothelial cell
      interactions, venular diameter, and red blood cell velocity were measured during
      baseline, ischemia, and reperfusion periods. Both local and hemorrhage-induced
      ischemia reperfusion caused a reduction in leukocyte rolling velocity and
      increases in leukocyte adherence and emigration. Quantitatively, the adherence
      and emigration responses in both ischemia models were nearly identical. However,
      the two models differed in their response to immunoneutralization of the
      leukocyte adhesion glycoprotein CD11/CD18 with monoclonal antibody (MAb) IB4. The
      MAb had a more profound effect in attenuating leukocyte adherence and emigration
      in the local ischemia model. These results indicate that different factors may
      contribute to leukocyte-endothelial cell adhesive interactions observed in local
      vs. systemic models of ischemia-reperfusion.

PMID- 1415608
TI  - Effect of abrupt changes in ventricular loading on repolarization induced by
      transient aortic occlusion in humans.
AB  - We have investigated the influence of ventricular loading on repolarization from
      beat to beat in the human heart. Sixteen patients undergoing routine coronary
      artery surgery were studied. Left ventricular epicardial monophasic action
      potentials and local electrograms were recorded during acute changes in
      ventricular loading induced by transient aortic occlusion. Monophasic action
      potential duration shortened (P less than 0.0001) and returned to control values
      within one or two beats after release (P less than 0.0001). Values at 90%
      repolarization were 325 +/- 31 ms preocclusion, 311 +/- 29 ms during occlusion,
      326 +/- 32 ms postocclusion. The Q-T interval of the local epicardial electrogram
      shortened during occlusion (P less than 0.001) and returned to control values
      after release (P greater than 0.0001): 396 +/- 44 ms preocclusion, 379 +/- 41 ms
      during occlusion, and, 399 +/- 42 ms postocclusion. A significant correlation was
      obtained between changes in peak systolic pressure and changes in monophasic
      action potential duration (R = 0.96; P less than 0.0001 at 90% repolarization). A
      significant correlation was also observed between changes in peak systolic
      pressure and the Q-T interval of the local electrogram (R = 0.91; P less than
      0.0001). This study shows that abrupt changes in ventricular loading from one
      beat to the next induce significant changes in the timing of ventricular
      repolarization. These results may well be relevant to the initiation of
      arrhythmia by a single ventricular ectopic beat, particularly under pathological
      conditions.

PMID- 1415609
TI  - Thoracic aortic pressure-flow relationships and vascular impedance in fetal
      sheep.
AB  - Upper descending thoracic aortic pressures recorded from near-term fetal sheep
      resembled those recorded in mature animals, but diastolic thoracic aortic flows
      were much greater than those reported for adults. Furthermore, the pressure wave
      was not amplified during transmission along the aorta, as it is in adults.
      Descending thoracic impedance fell with increasing frequency to approximately 25%
      of resistance to steady flow and then showed oscillations typical of systems in
      which pulse wave reflections are important. Angiotensin II and norepinephrine
      infusions enhanced impedance oscillations and caused changes in apparent phase
      velocity in the aorta that were consistent with increased wave reflections.
      Angiotensin also increased aortic characteristic impedance from 0.0152 +/- 0.0013
      to 0.0230 +/- 0.0024 mmHg.min.ml-1. The effects of nitroprusside infusions
      indicated reduced wave reflection effects. Embolization of the placenta and
      hindlimbs with 50-microns microspheres was used to elevate vascular resistance in
      these beds. Embolization caused aortic flow to fall to zero by late diastole, and
      changes in impedance and apparent phase velocity suggested increased wave
      reflections from the periphery. Characteristic impedance was increased to 0.0209
      +/- 0.0031 mmHg.min.ml-1.

PMID- 1415610
TI  - Chronic captopril and losartan (DuP 753) administration in rats with high-output
      heart failure.
AB  - We investigated the role of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and the renin
      angiotensin system as well as the effects of losartan in rats with aortocaval
      (AC) shunts. Right atrial and left ventricular end-diastolic pressures (LVEDP)
      were higher and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) was lower in AC shunt animals
      than in their controls. AC shunt rats presented marked cardiac hypertrophy,
      decreased right atrial ANF concentration, and increased ventricular ANF content
      and concentration. Plasma ANF levels were elevated, and hematocrit was lower in
      AC shunt animals than in controls. Captopril or losartan treatment decreased MAP
      and returned LVEDP to sham-operated control values. A clear regression of cardiac
      hypertrophy was evident in both treated AC shunt groups, with plasma ANF levels
      tending to follow those in sham-operated rats. Plasma COOH-terminal ANF levels
      were decreased and urinary volume and hematocrit were increased in losartan
      treated AC shunt animals. We conclude that chronic angiotensin converting enzyme
      inhibition and angiotension II receptor antagonism improved hemodynamic
      conditions, diminished water retention, reversed cardiac hypertrophy, and
      restored plasma and tissue ANF to more "normal" levels in rats with moderate high
      output heart failure.

PMID- 1415611
TI  - Mechanical performance of spared myocytes after myocardial infarction in rats:
      effects of captopril treatment.
AB  - To determine the effects of myocardial infarction-induced left ventricular
      failure on the mechanical characteristics of the remaining viable myocytes,
      coronary arterial occlusion was performed in rats, and cell function was examined
      1 wk later. Moreover, to establish the mechanisms by which treatment with
      angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors ameliorates cardiac dynamics, captopril
      was administered immediately after surgery, and the contractile behavior of the
      unaffected cells was similarly analyzed 7 days later. The severe impairment in
      left-side pump function was found to be associated with a decrease in the
      velocities of myocyte shortening and relengthening and peak shortening despite a
      prolongation of contraction duration. In addition, a uniform property was
      recognized in myocytes from infarcted and noninfarcted hearts. Longer cells
      manifested greater velocity of shortening, whereas wider cells of identical
      length exhibited depressed shortening velocity. After infarction, the depression
      in cell contractility coupled with lateral expansion of myocytes exceeded the
      influence on cell mechanical behavior linked to myocyte lengthening leading to an
      overall decrease in contractility of the hypertrophied cells. Captopril therapy
      preserved, in part, the ability of myocytes to shorten and relengthen, which was
      accompanied by a decrease in the lateral and longitudinal expansions of these
      cells.

PMID- 1415612
TI  - Cardiac venous endothelial dysfunction after myocardial ischemia and reperfusion
      in dogs.
AB  - Endothelial dysfunction is a prominent occurrence in coronary arteries after
      myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. However, this has not been studied in
      coronary veins. Endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation was studied in cardiac
      venous rings obtained from dogs subjected to 60 min of coronary artery occlusion
      followed by 270 min of reperfusion, as well as from dogs subjected to sham
      ischemia-reperfusion. Myocardial ischemia resulted in a 96 +/- 2% decrease in
      coronary flow to the ischemic area 60 min after occlusion of the left anterior
      descending (LAD) coronary artery, which led to a significant degree of cardiac
      necrosis (i.e., 32.9 +/- 3.9% of area at risk). Cardiac venous rings isolated
      from sham ischemia-reperfusion dogs relaxed 68 +/- 3% to 200 microM ADP, 65 +/-
      3% to 2 microM A23187, and 76 +/- 4% to 200 microM sodium nitrite (NaNO2).
      Corresponding values for cardiac venous rings isolated from ischemic-reperfused
      dogs were 32 +/- 3% for 200 microM ADP (P less than 0.01 vs. sham), 31 +/- 3% for
      2 microM A23187 (P less than 0.01 vs. sham), and 74 +/- 3% for 200 microM NaNO2
      (NS from sham). In rings from control dogs, vasorelaxation to ADP and A23187 was
      markedly inhibited by 4 mM NG-methyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) and 10 methylene blue
      and restored after NG-nitro-L-arginine by 3 mM L-arginine. These results
      demonstrate that a significant degree of endothelial dysfunction occurred in
      cardiac venous rings after ischemia and reperfusion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1415613
TI  - Na+ efflux mechanisms in ventricular myocytes: measurement of [Na+]i with Na(+)
      binding benzofuran isophthalate.
AB  - We characterized the Na(+)-sensitive dye benzofuran isophthalate (SBFI) with
      fluorescence microscopy in isolated, adult rat ventricular myocytes. When cells
      were loaded with SBFI by incubation with 10 microM of the acetoxymethyl ester,
      fluorescence excitation spectra were markedly attenuated below 340 nm and the
      isoemissive point was blue shifted by approximately 25 nm when compared with
      spectra from SBFI acid in buffered solutions. Fluorescence intensity (49 +/- 3%)
      was partially released by permeabilization of the sarcolemma with digitonin,
      suggesting that one-half of the dye molecules are sequestered subcellularly in a
      compartment shown most likely to be mitochondrial. Intracellular Na+
      concentration ([Na+]i) was determined by in situ calibration using cation
      selective ionophores and was found to be 14 +/- 2 mM in cells studied at 37
      degrees C. The relative importance of Na+ efflux mechanisms in myocytes was
      investigated. Substitution of Ca2+ and Mg2+ with EGTA in the superfusing medium
      resulted in a reversible rise of [Na+]i from 13 +/- 2 to 31 +/- 5 mM, which was
      blocked by 1 microM verapamil. Cellular efflux of Na+ after loading in this
      manner was found to be insensitive to blockade of Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange but was
      abolished when Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase was inhibited with zero extracellular K+
      concentration. We conclude that SBFI can be used to measure [Na+]i in ventricular
      cells nondestructively and without impalement. Na+ efflux after loading by Ca2+
      and Mg2+ withdrawal is mediated by the Na+ pump with no measurable contribution
      from Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange.

PMID- 1415614
TI  - Hemodynamic effects of exogenous nitric oxide in ovine transitional pulmonary
      circulation.
AB  - To determine the hemodynamic effects of exogenous nitric oxide (NO) on the
      immature pulmonary circulation, we studied the response to NO inhalation in 19
      mechanically ventilated late-gestation ovine fetuses in three separate protocols.
      In protocol 1, we examined the relative effects of 1) mechanical ventilation
      while maintaining fetal arterial O2 tension (PaO2) constant [fractional inspired
      O2 concentration (FIO2) less than 0.10)], 2) NO inhalation [5-20 parts per
      million (ppm)] at fetal PaO2, and 3) high FIO2 (1.00) (n = 7). NO increased left
      pulmonary artery blood flow (Qlpa) in a dose-dependent fashion, from 254 +/- 62
      (baseline) to 398 +/- 49 ml/min with 20 ppm NO (P less than 0.001). The response
      of Qlpa to a FIO2 equal to 1.00 was not different from NO alone. Systemic
      arterial pressure was not affected by NO. In protocol 2 we studied the effects of
      prolonged NO inhalation (2 h, 20 ppm) during mechanical ventilation with low FIO2
      (n = 4). NO increased Qlpa from 267 +/- 92 to 468 +/- 75 ml/min at 10 min of NO
      inhalation (P less than 0.001). The increase in Qlpa was sustained during the
      entire 2-h study period. In protocol 3 we measured left ventricular output (LVO),
      systemic vascular resistance (SVR), and ductus arteriosus shunting using
      radiolabeled microspheres (n = 8) during baseline mechanical ventilation and 20
      ppm NO inhalation. LVO and SVR were not significantly different in the two study
      periods; however, the percentage of LVO that reached the lungs (predominantly
      left-to-right shunting across the ductus arteriosus) increased from 18 +/- 5 to
      43 +/- 4% during NO inhalation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415615
TI  - Pulmonary and systemic vascular smooth muscle mechanical characteristics in
      newborn sheep.
AB  - To investigate the hypothesis that the higher pulmonary vascular resistance in
      newborn sheep is the result of developmental differences in the vascular muscle
      mechanical properties, we evaluated pulmonary arteries from newborn and adult
      sheep and compared them with their respective systemic counterparts (common
      carotid arteries). The newborn pulmonary artery mechanical stress (13.0 +/- 1.4
      mN/mm2) and shortening capacity (11.4 +/- 1.1% of optimal length) were lower (P
      less than 0.01) than in the adult (20.4 +/- 2.5 and 15.6 +/- 1.3, respectively).
      The adult carotid artery muscle developed a greater stress (97.6 +/- 18.5 mN/mm2)
      than the newborn (40.7 +/- 5.0; P less than 0.01), whereas no age differences in
      shortening capacity were observed (newborn = 19.4 +/- 1.7; adult = 18.4 +/- 1.5%
      of optimal length). The contraction half-time was similar for the pulmonary and
      carotid arteries and was not affected by age, whereas the relaxation half-times
      of the newborn pulmonary (30.7 +/- 2.9 s) and carotid artery (23.3 +/- 1.5) were
      greater than in the adult (24.9 +/- 2.9 and 14.6 +/- 1.4, respectively; P less
      than 0.01). The myosin contents of the pulmonary and carotid arteries, as an
      indicator of the tissue muscle mass, were similar and did not change with age. In
      conclusion, while the lower stress and shortening capacity of the newborn
      pulmonary arteries limit their maximum capacity to vasoconstrict, the
      significantly greater relaxation time of their vascular muscle, a new
      observation, may account for the higher resistance to blood flow after birth.

PMID- 1415616
TI  - Ischemic preconditioning attenuates acidosis and postischemic dysfunction in
      isolated rat heart.
AB  - The hypothesis that brief ischemia (preconditioning) protects the isolated heart
      from prolonged global ischemia was tested. Isovolumic rat hearts were
      preconditioned with either 5 min of ischemia followed by 5 min of perfusion (P1)
      or two 5-min episodes of ischemia separated by 5 min of perfusion (P2). Control
      hearts received no preconditioning. All hearts received 40 min of sustained
      ischemia and 30 min of reperfusion. Preconditioning (P1 or P2) significantly (P
      less than 0.0005) improved recovery of the rate-pressure product; percentage
      recoveries were 17.8 +/- 3.2 (n = 14), 59.9 +/- 5.5 (n = 6), and 46.4 +/- 4.7 (n
      = 8) for control, P1, and P2, respectively. Improved functional recovery of
      preconditioned hearts was associated with reduced end-diastolic pressure and
      improved myocardial perfusion. During the 40-min ischemic period, myocardial pH
      decreased from approximately 7.4 to 6.3 +/- 0.1 (n = 7) in the control hearts and
      to 6.7 +/- 0.1 (n = 7) in the preconditioned hearts (P less than 0.01). Also
      during the 40-min ischemic period, myocardial lactate (expressed as nmol/mg
      protein) increased to 146 +/- 11 (n = 7) and 101 +/- 12 (n = 8) in control and
      preconditioned hearts, respectively (P less than 0.02). The results demonstrate
      that a brief episode of ischemia can protect the isolated rat heart from a
      prolonged period of ischemia. This protection is associated with decreased tissue
      acidosis and anaerobic glycolysis during the sustained ischemic period.

PMID- 1415617
TI  - Comparison of protein lymph flux and extravascular uptake in skin during
      increased venous pressure.
AB  - The hypothesis that the albumin reflection coefficient is underestimated from
      measurements of lymph protein flux because of a prolonged interstitial washout
      was tested in the hindleg of anesthetized rabbits. In heel skin, the initial
      extravascular uptake for labeled albumin and immunoglobulin G (IgG) was compared
      with prenodal lymph flux for native albumin and IgG. Venous pressure was
      increased in one leg for 4 h, while the contralateral leg was the control. The
      extravascular uptake for labeled albumin was 67% greater than control during the
      fourth hour of increased venous pressure. Lymph albumin flux was 2.3 times
      control, indicating a small but significant washout of interstitial albumin. The
      magnitude of the interstitial washout for IgG was less than that for albumin.
      Using the relationship between the change in extravascular uptake and the change
      in lymph flow, the reflection coefficients for albumin and IgG were both 0.91.
      The reflection coefficient for albumin using lymph protein flux was lower because
      of a continued interstitial washout.

PMID- 1415618
TI  - 31P-NMR of high-energy phosphates in perfused rat heart during metabolic
      acidosis.
AB  - Intracellular pH (pHi), intracellular free magnesium concentration ([Mg2+]i), and
      high-energy phosphates in Langendorff perfused rat hearts were evaluated by 31P
      nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) during metabolic acidosis. During acidosis,
      cardiac pHi approached that of the perfusing solution (pH approximately 6.7) and
      [Mg2+]i increased. In hearts perfused with glucose as the sole carbon source, the
      ratio of [phosphocreatine] to [ATP] decreased during acidosis. In contrast, in
      hearts supplemented with pyruvate (either 2.8 or 10 mM) this ratio increased
      during acidosis. Oxygen consumption decreased in hearts perfused with glucose
      only and with pyruvate-glucose. Using the creatine kinase equilibrium constant,
      we find that [MgADP] is significantly decreased in pyruvate-perfused hearts but
      is not significantly altered in glucose-perfused hearts during metabolic
      acidosis. These data indicate that [MgADP] may be the regulator of cardiac
      oxidative phosphorylation in the presence of excess pyruvate; however, during
      metabolic acidosis in hearts perfused with glucose only, ATP synthesis appears
      limited by the availability of pyruvate via glycolysis.

PMID- 1415619
TI  - Fetal cardiac bypass alters regional blood flows, arterial blood gases, and
      hemodynamics in sheep.
AB  - Successful fetal cardiac bypass might allow prenatal correction of some
      congenital heart defects. However, previous studies have shown that fetal cardiac
      bypass may result in impaired fetal gas exchange after bypass. To investigate the
      etiology of this impairment, we determined whether fetal cardiac bypass causes a
      redistribution of fetal regional blood flows and, if so, whether a vasodilator
      (sodium nitroprusside) can prevent this redistribution. We also determined the
      effects of fetal cardiac bypass with and without nitroprusside on fetal arterial
      blood gases and hemodynamics. Eighteen fetal sheep were studied in utero under
      general anesthesia. Seven fetuses underwent bypass without nitroprusside, six
      underwent bypass with nitroprusside, and five were no-bypass controls. Blood
      flows were determined using radionuclide-labeled microspheres. After bypass
      without nitroprusside, placental blood flow decreased by 25-60%, whereas cardiac
      output increased by 15-25%. Flow to all other fetal organs increased or remained
      unchanged. Decreased placental blood flow after bypass was accompanied by a fall
      in PO2 and a rise in PCO2. Nitroprusside improved placental blood flow, cardiac
      output, and arterial blood gases after bypass. Thus fetal cardiac bypass causes a
      redistribution of regional blood flow away from the placenta and toward the other
      fetal organs. Nitroprusside partially prevents this redistribution. Methods of
      improving placental blood flow in the postbypass period may prove critical to the
      success of fetal cardiac bypass.

PMID- 1415620
TI  - Low-dose endothelin-1 potentiates volume-induced secretion of atrial natriuretic
      factor.
AB  - To evaluate the role of calcium in volume-induced secretion of atrial natriuretic
      factor (ANF), effects of verapamil and endothelin-1 (ET-1), both known to
      influence free intracellular calcium, were studied during saline infusion in
      seven conscious instrumented dogs. Fifteen minutes after intravenous injection of
      placebo or verapamil (0.25 mg/kg) or during continuous ET-1 infusion (at 5 ng.kg
      1.min-1), saline (10% body wt) was infused during 40 min. Saline produced a rise
      (P less than 0.001) of plasma ANF from 28.1 +/- 6.3 to 50.4 +/- 12.9 pM after
      placebo, from 30.2 +/- 6.1 to 51.1 +/- 8.5 pM after verapamil, and from 31.2 +/-
      6.1 to 81.0 +/- 12.9 pM with ET-1. This increase was comparable after placebo and
      verapamil, but was 80% greater with ET-1 (P less than 0.02). Plasma ET-1,
      unchanged after placebo, rose (P less than 0.001) from 1.7 +/- 0.5 to 38.3 +/-
      9.2 pM with ET-1. In the three experiments, heart rate and left atrial pressure
      (LAP) increased (P less than 0.001) similarly. The linear relation between ANF
      and LAP was steeper with ET-1 than with saline or verapamil (both P less than
      0.05), indicating that the enhanced ANF secretion with ET-1 was occurring at all
      levels of LAP. Thus volume-induced secretion of ANF is not suppressed by
      verapamil, but is directly enhanced by low-dose ET-1, known to activate the
      phosphoinositide pathway.

PMID- 1415621
TI  - Concurrent increases in regional hematocrit and blood flow in diabetic rats:
      prevention by sorbinil.
AB  - These studies were undertaken to investigate the relationship between regional
      hemodynamic and hemorheological changes in the microvasculature of diabetic rats.
      Diabetes was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by injection of streptozotocin
      (55 mg/kg body wt). Control rats were injected with vehicle (sodium citrate
      buffer). A subgroup of diabetic rats was treated with an aldose reductase
      inhibitor (sorbinil) added to the diet in an amount to provide a daily dose of
      approximately 0.2 mmol.kg-1.day-1. Three weeks later all animals were
      anesthetized with thiobutabarbital sodium (Inactin, 100 mg/kg injected
      intraperitoneally) for assessment of blood flow (by injection of 15 microns
      microspheres) and regional hematocrit (determined by isotope-dilution techniques
      using 51Cr-labeled red blood cells and 125I-labeled bovine serum albumin) in
      selected tissues. The hematocrit in arterial blood samples was identical
      (approximately 46%) in controls and in diabetics. Regional hematocrits were much
      lower than arterial hematocrits in control rats and ranged from approximately 20%
      in ocular tissues, sciatic nerve, diaphragm, and skin to approximately 30% in
      brain, skeletal muscle, heart, and fat. Hematocrits of diabetic rats were
      markedly increased in ocular tissues, sciatic nerve, and skin but not in brain,
      heart, or skeletal muscle. These increases in regional hematocrit were associated
      with increases in blood flow and were largely prevented by sorbinil. Diabetes
      induced significant decreases in the mean transit times for whole blood and
      erythrocytes in all tissues examined except brain, retina, and skin.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415622
TI  - Endothelin in thoracic inferior vena caval constriction model of heart failure.
AB  - Recent studies have found endothelin-1 (ET), a potent vasoconstrictor of
      endothelial cell origin, is increased in congestive heart failure (CHF) in plasma
      and correlates with increased atrial pressures. Additionally, it has been shown
      that, despite increased circulating ET concentrations in CHF, a decreased
      responsiveness to exogenous ET infusion exists in an experimental model of CHF
      induced by rapid pacing. The present study was designed to determine whether
      plasma ET would be increased in a model of low cardiac output congestive failure
      without elevated atrial pressures produced by thoracic inferior vena caval
      constriction (TIVCC). In addition, we sought to determine whether this model of
      low cardiac output would show a full vasoconstrictive response to exogenous ET
      infusion and whether atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) infused acutely to achieve
      pathophysiological concentrations would modulate the systemic and renal
      hemodynamic responses to exogenous ET. Dogs were studied in the anesthetized
      state at 8-9 days after the TIVCC or sham operation. Baseline ET levels were
      significantly increased in the TIVCC dogs (n = 14) compared with sham operated
      dogs (n = 6; 41.4 +/- 7.1 vs. 17.9 +/- 1.5 pg/ml, respectively; P less than
      0.05). With exogenous ET infusion (5 ng.kg-1.min-1), an intact systemic and renal
      vasoconstrictor response in the TIVCC dogs was observed. ANF prevented the
      systemic vascular and arterial pressure responses to ET. However, the potent
      renal vasoconstricting action of ET was not prevented by ANF. These studies
      suggest that ET may play an important role in maintaining blood pressure in the
      setting of low cardiac output.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415623
TI  - Hypoxia induces endothelial cells to increase their adherence for neutrophils:
      role of PAF.
AB  - We investigated the interactions of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and
      endothelial cells in myocardial ischemia using a hypoxia model. We exposed
      porcine aortic (PAEC) and porcine coronary microvessel (PCMEC) endothelial cells
      to 2% O2 for 2 h (PO2 = 53 mmHg) and measured the adherence of unstimulated
      neutrophils (PMN) to both control and hypoxia-conditioned endothelial cell
      monolayers. Hypoxia conditioning increased PMN adherence to PAEC and PCMEC by 51
      and 101%, respectively, above control levels. The increase in PMN adhesion to
      PAEC was associated with a threefold increase in endothelial cell-associated
      platelet-activating factor (PAF) compared with control PAEC. The conditioned
      media from PAEC exposed to hypoxia also contained sixfold more PAF than control
      conditioned media, and it activated PMN to become adherent to untreated PAEC. The
      hypoxia-induced PAEC adhesion response was inhibited by preincubating PMN with
      the specific PAF receptor antagonist, L-659,989. We conclude that PAF is produced
      by cultured endothelial cells in response to hypoxia and that PAF generation is
      chiefly responsible for the increased adherence properties of hypoxia-conditioned
      endothelial cells. This response may play a major role in regulating PMN
      margination during myocardial ischemia.

PMID- 1415624
TI  - Dynamic intramyocardial blood volume: evaluation with a radiological opaque
      marker method.
AB  - In this study the change of intramyocardial blood volume within one cardiac cycle
      was deduced from the time sequence of the volume delineated by radiopaque markers
      attached to the left ventricular wall. These data were compared with the change
      in the volume of the same region of myocardium estimated from the change in
      angiographic opacification of the heart wall. Five dogs were anesthetized, and
      four pairs of 2-mm-diameter lead beads were attached to the epicardial and
      endocardial regions. Two scans using the dynamic spatial reconstructor (a high
      speed computed tomographic scanner) were performed during aortograms, one under
      control conditions and the other during adenosine infusion. The results have
      shown that the increases of myocardial volume defined by the beads (delta Vbead,
      % of volume at control) were comparable to the increase of intramyocardial blood
      volumes estimated by the increase in wall opacity (delta Vblood, % of muscle);
      delta Vblood = 0.93 delta Vbead + 1.54%; r = 0.987.

PMID- 1415625
TI  - Measurement of biventricular septal-to-free wall diameters using
      sonomicrocrystals.
AB  - An ultrasonic system for the measurement of biventricular septal-to-free wall
      internal diameters in the dog was described. The ventricular endocardial
      ultrasonic microcrystals were implanted via the left and right atrial appendages
      and arranged in a straight line, with minimal invasion of the myocardium and
      pericardium. Reliable signals were obtained during right ventricular pressure
      overload and septal myocardial ischemia.

PMID- 1415626
TI  - Suppression of motion artifacts in fluorescence spectroscopy of perfused hearts.
AB  - Fluorescence spectroscopy of beating hearts has been used previously to measure
      intracellular regulators of function. Unfortunately, heart motion could introduce
      a spurious motion artifact (MA), influencing the measured fluorescence intensity
      ("signal"). To suppress MA, a ratio (or difference) has been calculated
      previously between the signal and an intensity reference detected at a different
      wavelength ("reference"). However, no studies have attempted to evaluate or
      optimize the efficiency of MA suppression. MA suppression was evaluated using
      reflected excitation light or fluorescence as reference. In addition, the MA
      contribution to the intensity ratio from a fluorescent dye, indo-1, was
      quantified. A reflected light reference resulted in poor suppression of MA. The
      use of a fluorescence reference resulted in suppression that was inversely
      related to the detection wavelength difference (delta) between the reference and
      signal. Therefore optimal MA suppression was obtained using a fluorescence
      reference at a wavelength close to the signal. For delta = 60 nm, MA was
      suppressed from approximately 10 to less than 2%. Finally, suppressed MA (delta =
      60 nm) accounted for less than 10% of the indo-1 ratio fluctuations.

PMID- 1415627
TI  - Use and limitations of thiobarbituric acid reaction to detect lipid peroxidation.

PMID- 1415628
TI  - Vertebrate intestine apical membrane mechanisms of organic nutrient transport.
AB  - This paper presents the current understanding of comparative vertebrate intestine
      basic mechanisms of brush-border membrane transport. Animals control the uptake
      of monosaccharides and amino acids at three levels: 1) mucosal hyperplasia
      increases uptake nonselectively, 2) individual enterocytes increase the transport
      capacity of specific transporter systems, and 3) the transporters themselves are
      modulated by solute and ion electrochemical gradients. In light of the current
      literature, This paper summarizes the kinetics, thermodynamics, and the physical
      arrangement of one mode of transport, the prototype Na(+)-solute cotransporter.
      The model presented is experimentally consistent with "preferred random"
      kinetics, with Na+ binding preferentially before solute at the extracellular
      face. In the case of glucose, the cotransporter system may be physically arranged
      in the membrane as a tetramer comprising 73,000 Da subunits. All vertebrates may
      have evolved with a similar mechanism, with particular variations reflecting
      selected arrangements from a pool of polypeptide sequence blocks. The same
      fundamental transport mechanisms may be observed in the intestines of animals
      ranging from lower vertebrates through humans.

PMID- 1415630
TI  - Invertebrate gut diverticula are nutrient absorptive organs.
AB  - Physiological mechanisms of gastrointestinal absorption and secretion of organic
      and inorganic solutes among invertebrates remain severely underinvestigated. In
      this review we briefly discuss some of the physical and biological forces
      affecting solute transfer across epithelial cells and membranes of vertebrate and
      invertebrate guts. Next, we present some features of the described processes for
      sugar and amino acid transport in the tubular portion of gastrointestinal tracts
      of three major invertebrate groups: echinoderms, molluscs, and arthropods. A
      detailed discussion follows of recent nutrient transport studies using purified
      epithelial brush-border membrane vesicles of two invertebrate gut diverticula,
      the crustacean hepatopancreas and the starfish pyloric cecum. Lastly,
      transepithelial nutrient and ion transport studies of crustacean hepatopancreatic
      epithelial cell monolayers, grown in primary culture and mounted in flux
      chambers, are used to demonstrate the nature of absorption and secretion of
      solutes by this organ and to show the general applicability of these methods to
      structurally complex invertebrate organs.

PMID- 1415631
TI  - Role of intestinal basolateral membrane in absorption of nutrients.
AB  - Organic solutes leave the intestinal epithelium and enter the circulation via
      specific facilitated carriers located in the basolateral membrane. In the case of
      glucose it is a low-affinity, high-capacity transport system that can adapt to
      the carbohydrate content of the diet. Chronic diabetes also promotes the exit of
      glucose, and in both cases the effect results from an increased density of
      carriers in the basolateral membrane. In contrast, a rapid upregulation of this
      system that can be induced within 30 min by hyperglycemia does not involve large
      changes in the amount of transporter protein. Similarly, the absorptive capacity
      of the small intestine from some amino acids can be influenced by events
      occurring at the basolateral membrane. In the case of dibasic amino acid
      absorption, exit from the epithelium is the rate-limiting step. The activity of
      the basolateral carrier can be increased almost 10-fold within 60 s by the
      addition of micromolar concentrations of the neutral amino acid leucine to either
      the lumen or the plasma. This response does not involve the second messenger
      adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate and may represent an allosteric modulation
      of the carrier. These observations are discussed in relation to the role of the
      basolateral membrane as a locus for controlling intestinal absorption of organic
      nutrients.

PMID- 1415629
TI  - Comparative aspects of lipid digestion and absorption: physiological correlates
      of wax ester digestion.
AB  - Our understanding of lipid digestion and absorption is largely derived from
      studies with glyceride-based dietary lipids. Yet for a great majority of marine
      species, wax esters (long-chain fatty alcohols esterified to long-chain fatty
      acids) are the dominant dietary neutral lipid. Many birds, especially seabirds (9
      species) and some passerines (2 species), have a unique capacity for assimilating
      wax esters with higher efficiencies (greater than 90%) than that attainable by
      mammals (less than 50%). This unique capacity is correlated with several factors.
      One factor is an elevated intestinal bile salt concentration approaching 50 mM
      and a gallbladder concentration exceeding 600 mM. A second factor involves
      regular retrograde movement of duodenal contents to the gizzard. Thus not only is
      gastric emptying closely tied to the receptiveness of the duodenum for further
      handling of digesta as in mammals, but in birds the reflux returns the digesta
      (both gastric and duodenal) for further processing to the gizzard. A third key
      factor in wax ester utilization is a nearly equivalent hydrolysis of wax esters
      and triglycerides. Although similarities in fat digestion exist between birds and
      mammals, there do exist differences that make nonpolar lipid assimilation (i.e.,
      wax esters) more efficient in birds, especially for seabirds.

PMID- 1415632
TI  - Molecular biology approaches to comparative study of Na(+)-glucose cotransport.
AB  - The rabbit intestinal Na(+)-glucose cotransporter has been cloned and sequenced.
      The cDNA encoding the cotransporter has been used in two general lines of
      research related to comparative aspects of Na(+)-glucose cotransport that are
      reviewed here. First, defined regions of the predicted amino acid sequence were
      used to raise antibodies, and the species distribution of epitopes recognized by
      those antibodies was investigated. Intestinal brush-border membranes from
      mammals, birds, an amphibian, and a reptile were all found to contain protein
      that were recognized by the antibodies in Western analysis. The cDNA encoding the
      rabbit intestinal Na(+)-glucose cotransporter was also used directly to examine
      the species distribution of related mRNA in Northern studies and to isolate new
      cDNAs encoding other Na(+)-glucose cotransporters. Northern blots revealed the
      presence of related mRNAs in intestines of mammals and a fish, as well as rabbit
      kidney and gills of marine mussels. The cDNAs encoding mammalian Na(+)-glucose
      cotransporters and bacterial Na(+)-dependent cotransporters for proline and
      pantothenate share sequence homology. There has been evolutionary conservation of
      the structure and function of the Na(+)-glucose cotransporter, and there appears
      to be a gene family that codes for the Na(+)-coupled cotransporters.

PMID- 1415633
TI  - Tests of the adaptive modulation hypothesis for dietary control of intestinal
      nutrient transport.
AB  - According to the adaptive modulation hypothesis, an intestinal transporter should
      be repressed when its biosynthetic and other costs (of maintenance) exceed the
      benefits it provides. This leads to two contrasting predictions: transport of a
      sugar or amino acid worth calories should tend to be increased by its substrate,
      and transport of a vitamin should be modulated downwards by its substrate and
      upmodulated in deficiency. In a test of the first prediction, omnivorous desert
      iguanas eating alfalfa pellets (a high-carbohydrate diet) were compared with
      desert iguanas eating mealworms (a low-carbohydrate, higher-protein diet). In
      accord with the prediction, intact intestinal sleeves from the former group had
      higher rates of carrier-mediated D-glucose uptake/centimeter across the brush
      border than sleeves from the latter group. But in contrast to the first
      prediction, mealworm eaters had lower (not higher) proline uptake rates, and the
      ratio of glucose/proline uptake in the two groups did not differ. I review
      similar tests in 12 other species and show that overall the hypothesis has been
      quite robust with regard to the first prediction. Cases in which the hypothesis
      is rejected may reflect complications associated with changes in other dietary
      factors or phylogenetic constraints. In a test of the second prediction, uptake
      of the water-soluble vitamin choline was not increased in choline-deficient
      chicks, nor was it decreased in adults that have no dietary requirement for
      choline. I review similar tests for four other vitamins and five essential
      minerals. Dietary control of transport of the minerals and two of the vitamins
      seems to be in accord with the hypothesis. But transport rate for three vitamins
      (choline, pantothenic acid, ascorbic acid) seems not to be increased in
      deficiency. The best explanation seems to be that vitamin transport is modulated
      only if it is primarily by a carrier-mediated pathway.

PMID- 1415634
TI  - Intestinal nutrient transport during ontogeny of vertebrates.
AB  - Patterns of transporter development are known for 12 species of vertebrates (2
      fish, 1 amphibian, 1 bird, and 8 mammals), ranging from early gestation to
      adulthood. Although transporters for some nutrients (amino acids and some sugars)
      appear before the onset of external feeding, species differ in when and which
      transporters appear. Postnatal changes in the activities of different
      transporters are twofold: corresponding with shifts in the composition of a
      species' evolutionary diet, and the need to absorb ever-increasing quantities of
      food for growth and metabolism. The mechanisms responsible for the age-related
      shifts in rates of transport include changes in the densities, distribution, and
      types of transporters for specific nutrients and changes in the physiochemical
      characteristics of the intestinal brush-border membrane. The signals that trigger
      the age-related changes originate from internal preprogrammed sources and
      external sources, with both acting in concert to mediate intestinal development.
      Although much more is known for the brush-border hydrolases, recent studies with
      the pig suggest the ontogenetic development of hydrolases and transporters are
      regulated independently during early development.

PMID- 1415635
TI  - Role of endothelium-derived nitric oxide in the renal hemodynamic response to
      amino acid infusion.
AB  - The present study was performed in anesthetized rats to compare the renal
      hemodynamic responses to mixed amino acids (M-AA) with those to L-arginine (L
      Arg) and to examine the effect of endothelium-derived nitric oxide (EDNO)
      synthesis blockade on the M-AA-induced rise in renal plasma flow (RPF) and
      glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Intravenous infusion of both M-AA (Ser, Gly,
      Ala, and Pro, 0.71 mmol.100 g-1.min-1) and L-Arg (0.71 mmol.100 g-1.min-1)
      increased RPF and GFR. Peak increases in RPF for M-AA and L-Arg were 39.7% (P
      less than 0.05) and 63.4% (P less than 0.01), whereas GFR increases were 33.6% (P
      less than 0.05) and 46.7% (P less than 0.01, respectively). Outer cortical blood
      flow (OCBF) was increased with both treatments. Sodium excretion and urine flow
      were increased more with L-Arg than M-AA (both P less than 0.01). Infusion of the
      nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor, nitro-L-arginine (N-L-Arg, 20 micrograms.100 g
      1.min-1) increased mean arterial pressure but decreased RPF 48.4% (P less than
      0.001), OCBF 39.5% (P less than 0.001), GFR 37.8% (P less than 0.01), urine flow
      29.8% (P less than 0.01), and sodium excretion 40.9% (P less than 0.01). When M
      AA was administered after N-L-Arg, significant increases in OCBF, RPF, and GFR
      were observed (P less than 0.01); there was also an enhancement of sodium
      excretion and urine flow (both P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1415636
TI  - Maintenance of intestinal nutrient transport during hibernation.
AB  - We studied nutrient absorption across the brush-border membrane in jejunal
      tissues from active 13-lined ground squirrels and in hibernating squirrels that
      had not eaten for at least 6 wk. Body weights and jejunal wet weights per
      centimeter were significantly reduced in the hibernators. Rates of total and
      carrier-mediated uptake of 3-O-methylglucose (3-OMG) per centimeter intestinal
      length were greater in the active squirrels, but 3-OMG uptakes per milligram
      intestinal weight were greater in the hibernators, due to a significantly greater
      maximum rate of uptake (Jmax) per milligram with no differences in apparent
      Michaelis constant (Km). Passive permeabilities to L-glucose were similar in both
      groups. Total uptake of L-proline per centimeter was greater in active squirrels,
      but total proline uptake per milligram was greater in the hibernators due to a
      significantly greater Jmax per milligram with no difference in apparent Km. Na(+)
      independent proline uptake accounted for a greater proportion of total proline
      uptake in active compared with hibernating squirrels. As a consequence, Na(+)
      dependent proline uptake was greater in the hibernators when uptake was
      normalized either to intestinal length or intestinal weight. Thus hibernation is
      associated with an increase in the Jmax per milligram for 3-OMG and proline
      transport, as well as a shift in the Na+ dependency of proline uptake. We
      conclude that nutrient absorption is selectively retained in mammalian
      hibernators to maintain transport function after the extended winter fast.

PMID- 1415637
TI  - Arterial baroreflex dynamics in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats.
AB  - To investigate dynamic or frequency-dependent characteristics of arterial
      baroreflex control of efferent sympathetic nerve activity in spontaneously
      hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY), we assessed the transfer
      function from aortic pressure (AP) to renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA)
      using a "white-noise technique." In pentobarbital sodium-anesthetized rats, we
      recorded RSNA as the output, while AP was randomly perturbed to impose input
      pressure changes with broad frequencies. We calculated the transfer function from
      AP to RSNA over the frequency range of 0.01-5 Hz through the spectral analysis of
      the input and output. The results indicated that the gain, phase shift, and
      coherence of the transfer function for SHR and for WKY were similar and
      statistically indistinguishable. The gain was relatively constant below 0.05 Hz
      but increased steadily by fivefold as frequency increased in the frequency range
      of 0.05-0.8 Hz. The phase was out of phase where coherence was high. The
      coherence was high (greater than 0.5) in the frequency range of 0.04-0.8 and 1.00
      1.03 Hz but was low in other frequencies. These results suggest that dynamic or
      frequency-dependent characteristics of arterial baroreflex control of RSNA were
      not altered in SHR as compared with WKY.

PMID- 1415638
TI  - Physiological concentrations of ANP exert a dual regulatory influence on renin
      release in conscious dogs.
AB  - The influence of physiological increments in circulating atrial natriuretic
      peptide (ANP) on renin release was determined in conscious dogs. Renin stimulus
      response curves (RSRCs) were obtained by controlled reductions of renal perfusion
      pressure (RPP) under control conditions and during intrarenal or intravenous ANP
      infusions. Under all experimental conditions, the RSRCs were characterized by a
      plateau, a threshold pressure (Pth), and a steep slope below Pth. Intrarenal ANP
      infusion (0.9 ng.kg-1.min-1), which induced a calculated threefold elevation of
      renal arterial ANP concentration (but did not change systemic arterial ANP
      levels), increased the slope of the RSRC by 81% (P less than 0.05) with no effect
      on Pth. A quantitatively similar effect on the slope of the RSRC (+90%; P less
      than 0.05) was observed when systemic ANP levels were raised (from 37 +/- 2 to 71
      +/- 9 pg/ml; P less than 0.05) by intravenous infusions (3.6 ng.kg-1.min-1). In
      addition, however, intravenously infused ANP reduced Pth from 91 to 85 mmHg (P
      less than 0.05), which caused a complete suppression of the renin response to a
      reduction of RPP down to 85 mmHg. These findings indicate that ANP can inhibit
      renin release at physiological plasma concentrations by shifting the RSRC to a
      lower pressure level; this shift is mediated by a modulation of extrarenal renin
      control mechanisms. The direct effect of ANP on renin release is one of
      stimulation.

PMID- 1415639
TI  - Interactions of physiological and pharmacological concentrations of ANP and
      angiotensin II in conscious dogs.
AB  - This study in conscious, chronically instrumented dogs investigated the effects
      of human atrial natriuretic peptide [hANP-(99-126)] at physiological (5 ng.kg
      1.min-1) and pharmacological (5-900 ng.kg-1.min-1) doses on angiotensin II (ANG
      II)-mediated effects on hemodynamics, renal excretion, and aldosterone release.
      Five female beagle dogs kept chronically on a dietary sodium intake of 2.5 mmol
      Na.kg body wt-1.day-1 received an intravenous infusion of 1, 4, 10, 20, and 50
      ng.kg-1.min-1 ANG II (20-min periods) without (protocol 1) or with (protocol 2)
      simultaneous intravenous infusion of 5 ng.kg-1.min-1 hANP-(99-126). In protocol
      1, glomerular filtration rate (means +/- SD) decreased from 4.0 +/- 0.6 to 2.8 +/
      0.5 ml.kg-1.min-1, renal sodium excretion (UNaV) decreased from 2.8 +/- 1.6 to
      0.4 +/- 0.2 mumol.kg-1.min-1, and urine volume (V) decreased from 45 +/- 23 to 6
      +/- 8 microliters.kg-1.min-1. There were no differences in the values between
      protocol 1 and protocol 2. Mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) increased
      similarly from 118 +/- 16 to 166 +/- 9 mmHg in protocol 1 and from 109 +/- 11 to
      162 +/- 7 mmHg in protocol 2. Maximal aldosterone secretion was stimulated less
      in protocol 2 (481 +/- 92 vs. 362 +/- 158 pg/ml; P less than 0.05). In ANG II
      pretreated (20 ng.kg-1.min-1) dogs (n = 4; protocol 3), intravenous hANP-(99-126)
      doses of 300-900 ng.kg-1.min-1 decreased MABP and central venous
      pressure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415640
TI  - Hypothalamic and cortical sympathetic responses relay in the medulla of the rat.
AB  - Previously, investigations have indicated that the efferent pathway for
      sympathetic responses originating in the insular cortex (IC) must initially
      synapse in the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA). The LHA projects to both the
      ventrolateral medulla (VLM) and directly to the thoracic spinal cord. To
      determine the role of the VLM in mediating sympathetic responses from the IC and
      the LHA, in alpha-chloralose-anesthetized rats, renal nerve responses were
      recorded following electrical stimulation of these two forebrain sites before and
      after bilateral injection (300 nl) of cobalt (a synaptic blocking agent) into the
      VLM. The results demonstrated that a complete block of the increase in
      sympathetic nerve activity following stimulation of the IC or the LHA could be
      obtained with cobalt injections into the VLM. The most effective injection sites
      were located in the rostral ventrolateral medulla at the rostrocaudal middle and
      posterior regions of the C1 group of neurons. Chemical stimulation with DL
      homocysteic acid, in the LHA, to activate cell bodies only evoked a decrease in
      arterial blood pressure and sympathetic nerve activity. These responses were also
      blocked by cobalt injection into the VLM. Injections of cobalt into the nucleus
      of the solitary tract did not block sympathetic responses elicited from the LHA.
      These results indicate that the efferent pathway for sympathetic responses from
      the IC through the LHA goes to the preganglionic region of the spinal cord via a
      mandatory synapse in the VLM.

PMID- 1415641
TI  - Ca(2+)-related hepatocellular alterations during intra-abdominal sepsis.
AB  - Intra-abdominal sepsis was induced in rats by implanting into their abdominal
      cavities fecal-agar pellets impregnated with Escherichia coli and Bacteroides
      fragilis. Sham-operated rats received sterile pellets. A group of sterile- and
      septic-implanted rats was treated intraperitoneally with diltiazem (1.2 mg/kg) 8
      h after implantations. Septic- and sterile-implanted rat hepatocytes were loaded
      with 1) the fluorescent dye indo-1 to quantify hepatocyte basal and vasopressin
      (100 nM)-elevated cytosolic Ca2+ concentration and 2) 45Ca to quantify Ca2+ flux
      and cellular content of exchangeable Ca2+. Lipid peroxidation was determined by
      measuring conjugated dienes (CD) and thiobarbiturate-reactive substances (TBA-RS)
      in liver homogenates. In septic-implanted rats, the basal cytosolic [Ca2+],
      cellular exchangeable Ca2+, Ca2+ flux, CD, and TBA-RS were significantly higher
      than in sterile-implanted rats. Although vasopressin caused a significant
      elevation in cytosolic [Ca2+] in septic rat hepatocytes, the magnitude of this
      elevation was significantly smaller than that found in the sterile group.
      Diltiazem treatment of septic rats significantly decreased basal cytosolic
      [Ca2+], cellular exchangeable Ca2+ content, Ca2+ flux, CD, and TBA-RS. Also,
      vasopressin-induced increase in hepatocyte cytosolic [Ca2+] in diltiazem-treated
      septic rats was significantly greater than that observed in untreated septic
      rats. Both Ca2+ and membrane lipid alterations were attenuated with diltiazem
      treatment of septic rats. These results suggest that prevention or attenuation of
      Ca2+ channel-mediated Ca2+ influx restores both Ca2+ homeostasis and membrane
      lipid alteration.

PMID- 1415642
TI  - Forced oscillations in sympathetic nerve discharge.
AB  - Periodic electrical stimulation of the medullary raphe or lateral tegmental field
      in baroreceptor-denervated cats was used to force the central systems responsible
      for the 10-Hz and 2- to 6-Hz rhythms in post-ganglionic sympathetic nerve
      discharge (SND). The 10-Hz rhythm in SND could be entrained either to the
      frequency of medullary stimulation or to harmonics of the stimulus frequency. The
      harmonic of the stimulus frequency to which the 10-Hz rhythm was entrained in one
      postganglionic nerve could be different from that in another nerve. On this
      basis, we propose that the circuits responsible for the 10-Hz rhythms in SND may
      be modeled as a system of coupled nonlinear oscillators, each of which either
      influences one postganglionic nerve or nonuniformly affects different
      postganglionic nerves. The relatively wide band 2- to 6-Hz component in SND could
      be forced into a stable oscillatory state by medullary stimulation at frequencies
      between 3 and 5 Hz. This observation is consistent with the view that the 2- to 6
      Hz component reflects the complex behavior of a nonlinear oscillator rather than
      the output of a physiological noise generator.

PMID- 1415643
TI  - Low-dose near-celiac arterial cholecystokinin suppresses food intake in rats.
AB  - Exogenous cholecystokinin (CCK) suppresses food intake by acting on vagal sensory
      neurons. However, CCK doses used in behavioral experiments are generally much
      larger than those necessary to produce electrophysiological changes in vagal
      afferents. We made automated measurements of liquid food intake before, during,
      and after infusion of low doses of CCK octapeptide (CCK-8) through a chronic
      aortic catheter with its tip seated just above the celiac juncture. In parallel
      experiments, we made similar infusions while collecting blood from the hepatic
      portal and jugular veins for CCK assay. Injection of 10, 30, 50, and 70 pmol of
      CCK-8 suppressed feeding in a dose-dependent manner beginning 1 min postinfusion.
      The lowest dose to produce statistically significant suppression of preinfusion
      intake was 30 pmol. Infusion of the same CCK-8 doses into the jugular vein did
      not suppress feeding. Near-celiac injection of 30 pmol of CCK-8 produced systemic
      plasma CCK concentrations averaging 6.5 +/- 1 pM compared with less than 1 pM
      after saline injection. These findings show that exogenous CCK, by acting on
      tissues perfused by the celiac artery, can suppress feeding at doses that 1) are
      similar to those producing effects on the firing of vagal neurons and 2) do not
      increase plasma CCK concentrations above postprandial levels.

PMID- 1415644
TI  - Placental glucose transport in heat-induced fetal growth retardation.
AB  - In six ewes heat stressed from 39 to 125 days gestation and studied in a
      normothermic environment at 135 days, fetal and placental masses were less than
      in control sheep (1,645 vs. 3,112 and 149 vs. 356 g, respectively, P less than
      0.01). Umbilical glucose uptakes (Rf,UP) were measured keeping maternal arterial
      plasma glucose at 70 mg/dl at spontaneously occurring fetal plasma glucose values
      (state A) and at two additional fetal glucose levels, to determine the
      transplacental glucose difference (delta) vs. Rf,UP relation. At normal delta of
      49.2 mg/dl, Rf,UP was less in the experimental group (3.2 vs. 5.6 mg.min-1.kg
      fetus-1, P less than 0.05). Differences in placental perfusion and glucose
      consumption could not account for this result, thus indicating a reduced
      placental glucose transport capacity. In state A, fetal hypoglycemia enlarged
      significantly (P less than 0.01) the delta to 56.7 mg/dl and increased Rf,UP
      approximately 50% over the Rf,UP at a normal delta. In heat-induced fetal growth
      retardation, fetal hypoglycemia increases the flux of maternal glucose across a
      placenta with reduced glucose transport capacity.

PMID- 1415645
TI  - Muscle, joint, and tendon contributions to the torque profile of frog hip joint.
AB  - The relative contributions of muscle force, moment arm, and tendon compliance
      were determined as a function of joint angle in the frog semitendinosus-hip joint
      system. Muscle, joint, and tendon properties were individually measured and then
      combined to predict the torque generated at the hip joint as a function of joint
      angle (i.e., the hip torque profile). Predicted torques were then compared to
      experimentally measured torques using a stepwise regression model to quantify the
      relative importance of muscle, joint, and tendon contributions to the hip torque
      profile. Variation in moment arm accounted for 74% of the variability observed in
      the hip torque profile, while addition of the muscle's intrinsic sarcomere length
      tension property accounted for an additional 19% of the torque profile
      variability. Tendon compliance, which permitted a small amount of sarcomere
      shortening, accounted for only about 4% of the torque profile variability. We
      conclude that in this muscle-joint system, the relative fiber length-to-moment
      arm ratio is the major determinant of the shape of the isometric joint profile.
      The fiber length-to-moment arm ratio in other mammalian systems is also
      discussed.

PMID- 1415646
TI  - Both CCK-A and CCK-B/gastrin receptors are present on rabbit vagus nerve.
AB  - Cholecystokinin (CCK) receptors on vagal afferents have been implicated in many
      of the actions of the brain-gut peptide CCK, including satiety. Autoradiographic
      studies in rats have demonstrated the presence of CCK-A-type receptors on vagus
      nerves. However, direct and detailed characterization of this important CCK
      receptor site has never been reported with membrane-binding techniques. Using
      125I-Bolt-on-Hunter-CCK octapeptide (125I-BH-CCK-8) and the recently discovered
      selective agonists and antagonists of CCK receptors, we have delineated the
      properties of CCK receptors on rabbit vagus nerve. 125I-BH-CCK-8 binding sites
      appeared to be homogeneous by the Scatchard analysis, with a dissociation
      constant of 0.14 nM and a maximum binding of 72 fmol/mg protein. However,
      competition studies using selective CCK ligands showed that the vagal CCK
      receptors are heterogeneous. A71378, a selective CCK-A agonist, showed biphasic
      displacement curves, with the high-affinity portion (less than 10 nM) accounting
      for approximately 60% and the low-affinity portion for approximately 40%.
      Competitive binding studies using A63387, a selective CCK-B/gastrin receptor
      agonist, also showed biphasic displacement curves, with the high-affinity portion
      (less than 30 nM) at approximately 40% and the low-affinity portion at
      approximately 60%. Under conditions which selectively examined vagal CCK-A or CCK
      B/gastrin receptors, we demonstrated that a number of CCK subtype selective
      agonists and antagonists possessed similar affinities for the vagal CCK-A and 
      B/gastrin receptors as those found on the guinea pig pancreas (CCK-A) and
      cerebral cortex (CCK-B), respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415647
TI  - Effective loci and roles of acetylcholine in temperature regulation of goldfish.
AB  - Microinjections of acetylcholine (ACh) and carbachol were made into discrete
      forebrain loci in goldfish (Carassius auratus) to evaluate the importance of
      cholinergic mechanisms for behavioral thermoregulation. Injections of 5, 10, 25,
      and 50 micrograms ACh into the far anterior nucleus preopticus periventricularis
      (NPP) (R. Peter and V. Gill. J. Comp. Neurol. 159: 69-102, 1975) and immediately
      adjacent ventral telencephalon led to consistent dose-dependent decrease in
      selected temperature. No effect was observed following injections of 2 micrograms
      ACh or 0.7% NaCl. Injections of ACh into a different portion of the ventral
      telencephalon led to increases in the selected temperature. Lower doses of
      carbachol (0.5 and 1.0 micrograms) injected into the NPP produced decreases in
      selected temperature similar to the highest doses of ACh. Injections of ACh into
      loci other than those mentioned above either had no thermoregulatory effect or
      had lesser thermoregulatory effects which, in comparison with injections into the
      most effective sites, were inconsistent and required larger doses to obtain. The
      site where cholinergic stimulation led to decreases in the selected temperature
      exactly overlapped the effective site of ethanol hypothermia in the goldfish.

PMID- 1415648
TI  - Development of blood pressure and cardiac reflexes in the frog Pseudis
      paradoxsus.
AB  - Systemic arterial blood pressure and heart rate (fH) were measured in
      unanesthetized, unrestrained larvae and adults of the paradoxical frog, Pseudis
      paradoxus from Sao Paulo State in Brazil. Four developmental groups were used,
      representing the complete transition from aquatic larvae to primarily air
      breathing adults. fH (49-66 beats/min) was not significantly affected by
      development, whereas mean arterial blood pressure was strongly affected, being
      lowest in the stage 37-39 larvae (10 mmHg), intermediate in the stage 44-45
      larvae (18 mmHg), and highest in the juveniles and adults (31 and 30 mmHg,
      respectively). Blood pressure was not significantly correlated with body mass,
      which was greatest in the youngest larvae and smallest in the juveniles. In the
      youngest larvae studied (stages 37-39), lung ventilation was infrequent, causing
      a slight decrease in arterial blood pressure but no change in heart rate. Lung
      ventilation was more frequent in stages 44-45 larvae and nearly continuous in
      juveniles and adults floating at the surface. Bradycardia during both forced and
      voluntary diving was observed in almost every advanced larva, juvenile, and adult
      but in only one of four young larvae. Developmentally related changes in blood
      pressure were not complete until metamorphosis, whereas diving bradycardia was
      present at an earlier stage.

PMID- 1415649
TI  - Unique electrophysiological effects of dinitrophenol in Malpighian tubules.
AB  - In the course of electrophysiological studies of Malpighian tubules of the
      mosquito Aedes aegypti, we have found unusual effects of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP)
      that offer new insights into the electrogenic and conductive properties of the
      tubule. DNP (10(-4)M) depolarized the basolateral membrane voltage from -58.0 to 
      3.3 mV, and it depolarized the apical membrane voltage from 110.6 to 8.9 mV. In
      parallel the transepithelial electrical resistance increased from 11.4 to 16.8 k
      omega.cm, and the fractional resistance of the apical membrane increased from
      0.32 to 0.57. On the assumption that measures of transepithelial resistance in
      the presence of DNP approach the shunt resistance, the experimental results
      indicate the following characteristics for the equivalent circuit of the tubule:
      1) a shunt resistance that is approximately one-half the transcellular
      resistance, 2) low and high electromotive forces, respectively, at the
      basolateral and apical membranes of principal cells, 3) an electrogenic pump at
      the apical membrane, and 4) a basolateral membrane voltage that is due mostly to
      the voltage developed by current flow across the basolateral membrane resistance.

PMID- 1415650
TI  - Ontogeny of fetal hepatic and placental growth and metabolism in sheep.
AB  - Ontogeny of fetal hepatic and placental growth and in vitro oxygen consumption
      (VO2) was investigated in fetal lambs at 75, 100, and 136 days postconception.
      Fetal hepatic relative weight and placental absolute and relative weights
      declined during this period. Oxygen consumption per gram dry weight of fetal
      liver and maternal placenta declined between mid and late gestation while fetal
      placental VO2 was unchanged. Estimated VO2 of the whole placenta did not change
      while the estimated total hepatic VO2 increased more than threefold between 75
      and 136 days. Total hepatic VO2 was highly correlated with total placental VO2 at
      136 days (r = 0.84). The results suggest that the placenta reaches its maximum
      growth and metabolic capacity before 100 days and possibly at or before
      midgestation. Changes in hepatic weight-specific total VO2, in addition to the
      declining relative size of the fetal liver, must contribute to the progressive
      decline in metabolic rate of the whole fetus during the second half of pregnancy.
      Correlations between placental and fetal liver weights and metabolic rates
      suggest the possibility of placental regulation of fetal hepatic growth and
      metabolism.

PMID- 1415651
TI  - Coordination of respiration and swallowing: effect of bolus volume in normal
      adults.
AB  - The coordination of swallowing and respiration, as measured by nasal airflow, and
      the effect of changes in the volume of the swallow bolus (0-20 ml) were
      investigated in 12 normal subjects. Both nonbolus and bolus swallows were usually
      preceded and followed by expiratory airflow. Swallows followed by inspiratory
      airflow accounted for 20% of nonbolus swallows but decreased further in frequency
      in the presence of a bolus. Swallowing was associated with an apneic period
      lasting 1.90 +/- 0.26 s for nonbolus swallows. Based on the apneic period
      response to bolus volume, the subjects were divided into two groups. The apneic
      period decreased by 60% in seven of the subjects regardless of bolus volume. The
      remaining five subjects gradually increased swallow apnea as bolus volume was
      increased. At larger bolus volumes, the latter group also exhibited an earlier
      onset of the swallow apnea and an increase in the number of swallows preceded by
      inspiration. The duration of the swallow-associated respiratory cycle was
      similarly prolonged by an increase in bolus volume in both groups. The results
      indicate that the respiratory pattern associated with swallowing is modulated by
      the volume of the swallow bolus. Within the normal population, at least two
      different patterns of response to bolus volume are identified.

PMID- 1415652
TI  - Arterial pressure lability and renal sympathetic nerve activity are dissociated
      in SAD rats.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine whether the sympathetic nervous system
      drives the high variability of arterial pressure (AP) observed after sinoaortic
      denervation (SAD) in rats. One or fourteen days after SAD, rats were instrumented
      chronically to record mean AP (MAP), heart rate (HR), and renal sympathetic nerve
      activity (RSNA) in the conscious unrestrained state. Acute SAD increased MAP, HR,
      RSNA, and variability of MAP and decreased variability of both HR and RSNA. In
      rats with chronic SAD, variability of MAP remained high, whereas MAP, HR, RSNA,
      and variability of HR and RSNA returned to normal levels. Correlation analysis
      showed that, in sham-operated rats, AP and RSNA were negatively correlated in 90%
      of cases. In contrast, rats with both acute and chronic SAD exhibited only 30%
      negative and 25% positive correlations. These results indicate that 1) low AP
      variability in intact rats results from baroreflex-mediated inversely related
      fluctuations in RSNA and HR and 2) high variability of AP after acute and chronic
      SAD is correlated infrequently with RSNA. Because lability is reduced by
      interventions that block the sympathetic nervous system, we conclude that
      lability of AP associated with SAD appears to be mediated largely by a permissive
      role of sympathetic activity.

PMID- 1415653
TI  - Effect of physical exercise in hypobaric conditions on atrial natriuretic peptide
      secretion.
AB  - To evaluate the role of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in exercise-related
      cardiovascular and hormonal adjustments in hypobaric conditions, 14 young
      athletes performed a maximal ergometer test in a hypobaric chamber adjusted to
      simulate the altitudes of sea level and 3,000 m. Plasma immunoreactive ANP levels
      rose from 5.89 to 35.1 pmol/l at sea level and rose significantly less (P less
      than 0.05), from 5.36 to 22.3 pmol/l, at simulated 3,000 m. Plasma immunoreactive
      amino-terminal peptide of proANP (NT-proANP) levels increased to the same extent
      at sea level and at simulated 3,000 m (from 240 to 481 pmol/l and from 257 to 539
      pmol/l, respectively). Plasma immunoreactive aldosterone increased significantly
      less at simulated 3,000 m (P less than 0.05), but the changes in plasma renin
      were similar in both conditions. Plasma immunoreactive endothelin-1 and serum
      erythropoietin levels remained unchanged. In conclusion, we found a blunted ANP
      response to maximal exercise of ANP in acute hypobaric exposure compared with
      that in normobaric conditions, but no significant difference in the NT-proANP
      responses between the two conditions. The divergence may be due to stimulation of
      the elimination mechanism of ANP.

PMID- 1415654
TI  - Human IL-1 receptor antagonist partially suppresses LPS fever but not plasma
      levels of IL-6 in Fischer rats.
AB  - A human recombinant interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) recognizes the two
      known IL-1 receptors and blocks the binding and many biological effects of both
      IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta. The effectiveness of IL-1ra in modifying the fever and
      plasma IL-6 responses elicited by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vivo was tested in
      Fischer 344 rats. Animals that received IL-1ra 0.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally
      followed 10 min later by 10 micrograms/kg of LPS displayed significantly lower
      mean fever responses 2-4 h after injection than rats that received vehicle and
      LPS (0.48 +/- 0.13 vs. 0.95 +/- 0.16 degrees C, P = 0.016). Plasma levels of IL-6
      at 4 h after injection were not different in IL-1ra-treated rats compared with
      controls (407,725 vs. 729,169 U/ml). Based on our previous finding that
      preadministration of antiserum to IL-1 beta markedly suppressed plasma IL-6 after
      LPS, and recent evidence that molar excesses of IL-1ra blocked IL-1-induced
      circulating IL-6 levels, the possibility that IL-1 is responsible for the
      induction of bioactive IL-6 during inflammation cannot be ruled out. Similarly,
      the inability of the IL-1ra to completely suppress the febrile responses of rats
      to LPS in the present study may be dose related. Alternatively, the induction of
      bioactive IL-6 by IL-1 in the rat may be mediated primarily through some receptor
      other than the type I (e.g., the type II receptor).

PMID- 1415656
TI  - Hypoxia attenuates the renin response to hemorrhage.
AB  - We studied hypoxia and hypotensive hemorrhage in conscious female goats. After
      control, goats continued an experimental period in normoxia or hypoxia
      [fractional inspired oxygen concentration (FIO2) = 0.10] for 120 min. After 60
      min in the experimental period, a hemorrhage (0.5 ml.kg-1.min-1 for 30 min) was
      initiated (normoxic hemorrhage, NH; hypoxic hemorrhage, HH). Heart rate (HR)
      increased 51 +/- 18 beats/min with NH after 30 min of hemorrhage. HR increased 40
      +/- 10 beats/min after hypoxic gas introduction, with no further increase during
      HH. Mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) was reduced 23 +/- 7 mmHg 30 min after
      completion of blood loss with normoxia but was reduced 23 +/- 7 mmHg at 20 min of
      HH. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) was increased to 2.60 +/- 2.08 and 160.40 +/-
      49.74 microU/ml after 10 and 20 min of HH, respectively, and was only increased
      after 30 min (87.33 +/- 67.18 microU/ml) of NH. Unexpectedly, plasma renin
      activity (PRA) increased in parallel in both groups and was doubled at 30 min of
      hemorrhage. Atrial natriuretic factor was reduced to 8.8 +/- 1.6 pg/ml by 10 min
      of NH and to 11.4 +/- 3.3 pg/ml at 30 min of HH. Thus hypoxia leads to an earlier
      development of hypotension and increase in AVP with blood loss but may attenuate
      the PRA response to blood pressure reduction.

PMID- 1415655
TI  - Behavioral and tissue responses to severe phosphorus depletion in cattle.
AB  - Two-year-old Aberdeen Angus heifers were depleted of phosphorus (P) by loss of
      phosphate in saliva from a parotid gland fistula combined with a low-P diet. The
      inorganic phosphate concentrations (Pi) of plasma, parotid saliva, ruminal fluid,
      and feces were reduced, but cerebrospinal fluid Pi was unaltered. Plasma Pi fell
      to less than 1.0 mM in 12 wk, and the cows displayed an avid appetite for old
      bones. P-deficient cows preferred old weathered bones to fresh bones until the
      latter had aged for approximately 1.5 yr. They did not eat blood, peritoneal fat,
      or meat, fresh or aged for 2-3 yr. They did not eat Na or Ca phosphate salts or
      bone heated to greater than 250 degrees C. P-replete cows did not take or eat
      bones. The behavioral effects of P deficiency were associated with failure to
      gain body weight and maintain condition, significant bone changes indicated by
      reduced bone weight and specific gravity, osteopenia indicated by radiology,
      evidence of reduced bone formation indicated by plasma osteocalcin levels and
      histology, and abnormal estrous cycles. Prolonged P deficiency was associated
      with increased plasma concentrations of total Ca and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and
      reduced plasma concentrations of parathyroid hormone.

PMID- 1415657
TI  - Regional interactions between thermosensitive neurons in diencephalic slices.
AB  - Rat brain slices were used to investigate regional interactions between
      thermosensitive neurons in different diencephalic regions. Horizontal tissue
      slices rested over three thermodes. This permitted independent thermal
      stimulation of rostral, middle, and caudal regions. Thermocouples measured tissue
      temperatures in these three locations, and extracellular recordings measured
      neuronal responses to temperature changes both locally (at the site of the
      recorded neuron) and in remote regions of the slice. Many of the neurons that
      were sensitive to remote temperatures were located near the lateral border of the
      diencephalic nuclei, especially in the perifornical area. All neurons displaying
      remote thermosensitivity also displayed local thermosensitivity. These neurons
      usually showed opposite responses to remote and local temperatures; i.e., most of
      these neurons were locally warm sensitive but showed cold sensitivity to remote
      temperatures. These findings indicate that thermosensitive synaptic networks
      extend throughout the diencephalon and may explain the effect of temperature on a
      variety of homeostatic systems.

PMID- 1415658
TI  - Delayed firing rate responses to temperature in diencephalic slices.
AB  - Thermoregulatory responses may be delayed in onset and offset by several minutes
      after changes in hypothalamic temperature. Our preceding study found neurons that
      displayed delayed firing rate responses during clamped thermal stimulation in
      remote regions of rat diencephalic tissue slices. The present study looked for
      similar delayed firing rate responses during clamped (1.5-10 min) changes in each
      neuron's local temperature. Of 26 neurons tested with clamped thermal
      stimulation, six (i.e., 23%) showed delayed responses, with on-latencies of 1.0
      7.8 min. These neurons rarely showed off-latencies, and the delayed response was
      not eliminated by synaptic blockade. The on-latencies and ranges of local
      thermosensitivity were similar to delayed neuronal responses to remote
      temperature; however, remote-sensitive neurons displayed off-latencies, higher
      firing rates at 37 degrees C, and greater sensitivity to thermal stimulation. Our
      findings suggest that delayed thermosensitivity is an intrinsic property of
      certain neurons and may initiate more elaborate or prolonged delayed responses in
      synaptically connected diencephalic networks. These networks could explain the
      delayed thermoregulatory responses observed during hypothalamic thermal
      stimulation.

PMID- 1415660
TI  - Baroreflex control of arterial blood pressure during involuntary diving in ducks
      (Anas platyrhynchos var.).
AB  - The dynamic role of arterial baroreceptors in control of mean arterial blood
      pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO), hindlimb vascular (HLVR)
      and total peripheral (TPR) resistance responses to forced dives was investigated
      in acutely and chronically barodenervated ducks. To activate the baroreflex, the
      proximal end of one aortic nerve was stimulated electrically with bipolar
      electrodes that had been implanted under pentobarbital sodium anesthesia. Predive
      nerve stimulation caused CO to fall (by reducing HR; stroke volume remained
      constant), producing a decrease in MAP to half the prestimulation level. During
      diving (for 2.5-min periods) nerve stimulation did not affect HR and MAP after
      the first minute of submersion. Neither HLVR nor TPR contributed to the fall in
      MAP during aortic nerve stimulation before or during diving. The effects of nerve
      stimulation on HR and MAP were maintained to the end of dives in animals given
      100% O2 to breathe before diving. In separate experiments, increasing arterial
      chemoreceptor input by perfusing one vascularly isolated carotid body with venous
      blood caused a reduction in the effects of aortic nerve stimulation on MAP.
      Arterial baroreceptors may thus act on HR to alter MAP early in the dive, but as
      the dive progresses the baroreflex is attenuated by an increase in peripheral
      chemoreceptor drive.

PMID- 1415659
TI  - Determining energy expenditure in preterm infants: comparison of 2H(2)18O method
      and indirect calorimetry.
AB  - The doubly labeled water (2H(2)18O) method used to estimate total energy
      expenditure (EETotal) is particularly sensitive to analytic error in preterm
      infants, because of their high percentage of body water and the high ratio of
      water flux to CO2 production. To evaluate further use of this method, the EE of
      12 preterm infants was measured by indirect calorimetry and 2H(2)18O
      simultaneously and continuously for 5 days. Initial infant weight, age, and
      postconceptional age were (means +/- SD) 1,674 +/- 173 g, 4.4 +/- 2.6 wk, and
      34.6 +/- 1.6 wk, respectively. The indirect calorimeter system included an air
      temperature-controlled chamber and heart rate monitor. EE was measured by
      indirect calorimetry for 85.6 +/- 4.7% of study time and estimated from the
      linear regression of heart rate on EE for 14.4 +/- 4.7% of study time. The
      2H(2)18O method entailed an initial dose of 100 mg 2H2O and 250 mg 18O/kg and a
      final dose of 75 mg 18O/kg; urine was collected twice daily. 2H and 18O
      enrichments were measured by gas-isotope-ratio mass spectrometry. EE was
      calculated from measured 2H and 18O dilution spaces (NH, NO), turnover rates (kH,
      kO), and measured respiratory quotient. The ratio of 2H to 18O dilution spaces
      was 1.01 +/- 0.01 and the ratio of kO to kH was 1.16 +/- 0.04. Estimation of EE
      from 2H(2)18O and indirect calorimetry agreed within 1%, although individual
      variability in methods was large.

PMID- 1415661
TI  - Tumor necrosis factor-beta induces sleep, fever, and anorexia.
AB  - The enhanced sleep, fever, and anorexia experienced during general infections are
      attributed to the increased production of cytokines. Cytokines such as
      interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) have characteristic
      somnogenic, pyrogenic, and anorectic effects. TNF-beta is closely related to TNF
      alpha, and they share common receptors. The effects of TNF-beta on sleep-wake
      activity, brain temperature (Tbr), and food intake were, however, heretofore
      unknown. We injected 0.5-200 ng TNF-beta into rabbits intracerebroventricularly
      (icv) in the light period, and the electroencephalogram, movement, and Tbr were
      recorded for 6 h from rabbits. The highest dose, 200 ng TNF-beta, induced
      increases in non-rapid-eye-movement sleep and decreases in rapid-eye-movement
      sleep accompanied with biphasic febrile responses. Icv injection of 100 ng TNF
      beta at dark onset suppressed 12-h and 24-h food intake in rats. These data
      suggest to us that TNF-beta may belong to the group of endogenous pyrogens/sleep
      factors.

PMID- 1415662
TI  - Selective activation of norepinephrine- and epinephrine-secreting chromaffin
      cells in rat adrenal medulla.
AB  - The differential effects of insulin-induced hypoglycemia and cold exposure on
      adrenal medullary epinephrine (Epi) and norepinephrine (NE) cells were
      investigated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. In rats fasted overnight, insulin
      produced a marked hypoglycemia that resulted in a 70% decrease in adrenal
      medullary Epi content 3 h after the insulin was administered. No change in NE
      content was observed. Plasma Epi concentration was increased markedly after
      insulin, with a smaller increment in NE. In contrast, exposure to a 4 degrees C
      environment selectively reduced adrenal NE content, with the effect reaching
      statistical significance at 18 h. Cold exposure also led to a significant rise in
      plasma NE but not Epi. Both insulin-induced hypoglycemia and cold exposure
      significantly elevated adrenal dopamine, indicating that catecholamine synthesis
      was stimulated. Further evidence of enhanced catecholamine formation was the
      observation that inhibition of synthesis with alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (AMT)
      greatly augmented the ability of insulin-induced hypoglycemia to selectively
      reduce adrenal medullary Epi content. Similarly, in cold-exposed animals, AMT
      pretreatment accelerated the NE depletion so that a significant decline was
      observed at 3 h. These results support the conclusion that the two major
      populations of adrenal catecholamine-secreting cells may be preferentially
      stimulated by different stressors. Moreover, augmented synthetic activity
      functions to maintain catecholamine stores in both Epi- and NE-secreting cells.

PMID- 1415664
TI  - Microsphere and dilution techniques for the determination of blood flows and
      volumes in conscious mice.
AB  - Although the mouse is the most commonly used transgenic species, little is known
      regarding cardiovascular and fluid homeostasis in this animal. Therefore, the
      reference microsphere and dilution techniques were adapted for the measurement of
      cardiac output (CO), regional blood flows, and intravascular fluid volumes in the
      conscious mouse. Previously acclimatized C3H mice were studied 4-5 h after
      surgery and recovery from anesthesia. Approximately 40,000 85Sr-labeled
      microspheres were injected into the left ventricle while a reference sample was
      withdrawn at one of two rates from the femoral artery. 51Cr and 125I were used
      for the determination of blood volume (BV), plasma volume (PV), and Fcells ratio
      (whole body hematocrit/large vessel hematocrit). CO and BV in the conscious mouse
      were 16 +/- 1.4 ml/min and 2.3 +/- 0.1 ml, respectively. Anesthesia lowered heart
      rate, blood pressure, PV, and altered the distribution of CO. Two successive
      injections of 15,000-20,000 microspheres were tolerated in the mouse without an
      increase in total peripheral resistance. The results indicate that the
      microsphere and indicator dilution techniques can be applied to study
      cardiovascular and fluid homeostasis in the mouse.

PMID- 1415663
TI  - Habituation of lactate release responding to stressful stimuli in rat prefrontal
      cortex in vivo.
AB  - The extracellular level of lactate is mainly dependent on functional glucose
      metabolism in most brain cells regulated in part by neuronal activity. We
      investigated the effect of environmental stimuli on lactate release in rat medial
      prefrontal cortex (MPFC) by in vivo brain microdialysis. Lactate release was
      clearly demonstrated to increase immediately and transiently from its steady
      state levels after various stimuli (tail pinch for 1 min, 100-dB white noise for
      5 min, and immobilization for 5 min). These stimuli-induced increments were
      depressed after a second trial 1 h later in a manner consistent with
      dishabituation to a novel stimulus and "below-zero" habituation by several
      repetition. Likewise the local perfusion of dopamine or norepinephrine
      transiently increased and then diminished the second perfusion-induced increase
      in MPFC lactate release consistent with desensitization. These results suggest
      the possibility that stressful stimuli produce one-trial habituation of lactate
      release in MPFC via a mechanism involving the regulation of the catecholaminergic
      system.

PMID- 1415665
TI  - Alterations in oxytocin prohormone processing during early development in the
      fetal sheep.
AB  - Oxytocin (OT) prohormone processing was studied in fetal sheep. Using specific
      antisera that recognize the amidated and the COOH-terminal extended forms of OT,
      we measured arterial and venous levels of the OT peptides in fetal sheep plasma
      at 94 and 138 days of gestation. Plasma levels of the COOH-terminal extended
      forms, OT-X, were highest early in development, 35.7 +/- 9.8 vs. 14.3 +/- 5.7
      pg/ml (94 vs. 138 days). The ratio of the plasma peptides, OT-X to OT, was higher
      in the young fetus (35 +/- 11.6 vs. 3.1 +/- 1.3, 94 vs. 138 days). There were
      also developmental changes in the umbilical artery-umbilical vein differences,
      with positive values noted in late gestation. These results demonstrate that the
      changes in the processing of the OT precursor that occur during fetal development
      are reflected by alterations in the relative amounts of prohormone and amidated
      hormone found in fetal plasma.

PMID- 1415666
TI  - Regulation of apical Cl- conductance and basolateral K+ conductances by phorbol
      esters in HT-29cl.19A cells.
AB  - The effect of phorbol esters [4 beta-phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDB) and phorbol
      12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)] on potential differences and resistances was
      studied with the conventional microelectrode technique applied to confluent
      filter-grown monolayers of the human colon carcinoma cell line HT-29cl.19A.
      Phorbol esters (PDB or PMA from 10(-7) to 10(-6) M) evoked 1) a transient
      increase in the transepithelial potential difference (peak value 3.5 +/- 0.5 mV),
      2) a depolarization of the cell potential by 23 +/- 2 mV at the peak of the
      transepithelial potential change and a continued decrease during the decline of
      the transepithelial potential, and 3) a decrease of the fractional resistance of
      the apical membrane consisting of two phases, a relative rapid one (time constant
      1.2 +/- 0.2 min) and a much slower further decrease during the second phase (time
      constant 34 +/- 1 min). Ion replacements and electrical circuit analyses indicate
      that PDB activates an apical Cl- conductance and slowly inhibits the basal K+
      conductance of the basolateral membrane. PDB reduced the transepithelial response
      to forskolin due to inhibition of the basal K+ conductance. The Ca2+ ionophore
      ionomycin accelerated that effect of PDB. Staurosporine inhibited the effects of
      PDB, suggesting that the PDB effects are mediated via activation of a protein
      kinase C.

PMID- 1415667
TI  - Novel bumetanide-sensitive K+ transport in preimplantation mouse conceptuses.
AB  - Ouabain-resistant K+ transport activity was characterized primarily by measuring
      Rb+ uptake because 86Rb+ has a more convenient half-life than 42K+. Ouabain
      resistant 86Rb+ uptake by mouse two-cell conceptuses and blastocysts was slowed
      by the K(+)-Na(+)-2Cl- cotransporter inhibitors bumetanide [inhibitory constant
      (Ki) = 400 nM] and furosemide (Ki approximately 10 microM), but it was
      insensitive to a variety of K+ channel blockers. This component of 86Rb+
      transport was also inhibited by K+ and nonradioactive Rb+ and it was stimulated
      by Cl-. Nevertheless, neither 36Cl- nor 22Na+ uptake was inhibited by bumetanide,
      whereas 42K+ uptake was inhibited by both bumetanide and furosemide. Bumetanide
      sensitive Rb+ transport in blastocysts had a Hill coefficient of 1.0 and a
      Michaelis constant value of 3.0 mM. By these criteria, preimplantation
      conceptuses contain a novel, bumetanide-sensitive K+ transport system that does
      not cotransport Cl- or Na+. Moreover, bumetanide-sensitive Rb+ uptake was 10
      times faster in blastocysts when they were collapsed to expose the basal membrane
      of the trophectoderm to 86Rb+ in the medium. Therefore, the novel system may be
      located predominantly in the basal rather than in the apical membrane of the
      trophectoderm.

PMID- 1415668
TI  - Carbachol induces K+, Cl-, and nonselective cation conductances in T84 cells: a
      perforated patch-clamp study.
AB  - We used the perforated patch-clamp technique to examine cell membrane ionic
      conductances in isolated cells of the human colonic secretory cell line, T84,
      during exposure to the muscarinic agonist carbachol. Carbachol (100 microM)
      induced both outward and inward currents when the patch pipette contained a
      normal intracellular-like solution, the bath contained a normal extracellular
      like solution, and the cells were intermittently voltage clamped between K+ and
      Cl- equilibrium potentials. The outward current was identified as a K+ current
      that averaged 483 +/- 95 pA, while the inward current averaged 152 +/- 29 pA (n =
      15). The outward and inward currents oscillated with a synchronous frequency of
      0.036 +/- 0.006 Hz; however, the onset of the K+ current occurred an average of
      457 +/- 72 ms before the onset of the inward current. When the pipette contained
      a high-NaCl solution, the bath contained a Na(+)-gluconate solution, and the
      cells were intermittently voltage clamped between Cl- and Na+ equilibrium
      potentials, carbachol induced both Cl- and nonselective cation currents. The Cl-
      current averaged 455 +/- 73 pA, while the nonselective cation current, averaged
      336 +/- 54 pA (n = 14). No difference was observed in the onset of these two
      currents. These results indicate that carbachol induces three separate ionic
      conductances in T84 cells. We used the whole cell patch-clamp technique in a
      previous study of these cells [D. C. Devor, S. M. Simasko, and M. E. Duffey. Am.
      J. Physiol. 258 (Cell Physiol. 27): C318-C326, 1990] and found that carbachol
      induced only an oscillating membrane K+ conductance. Thus some unidentified
      component of the carbachol-sensitive signal transduction pathway is diffusible
      and may be lost during whole cell patch clamping.

PMID- 1415669
TI  - Muscle fatigue in the frog semitendinosus: role of the high-energy phosphates and
      Pi.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine the concentration of ATP,
      phosphocreatine (PC), Pi, lactate, and glycogen in single frog skeletal muscle
      fibers and assess their role in the etiology of muscle fatigue. The frog
      semitendinosus (ST) muscle was fatigued, quick frozen at selected time points of
      recovery, and freeze-dried, and single fibers were dissected, weighed, and
      assayed for ATP, PC, lactate, Pi, and glycogen. The fatigue protocol reduced peak
      tetanic force (Po) to 8.5% of initial, while ATP and PC decreased from 45.18 to
      33.16 and 128.90 to 28.76 mmol/kg dry wt, respectively. Lactate and Pi increased
      from 29.36 to 100.84 and 33.04 to 142.50 mmol/kg dry wt, respectively. It is
      doubtful that the small decline in ATP limited cross-bridge force production.
      Although a significant correlation between the recovery of PC and Po was
      demonstrated (r = 0.994), the time period showing the fastest rate of force
      recovery coincided with little change in PC. A significant correlation was
      demonstrated between the recovery of both total and the H2PO4- form of Pi and Po.
      In conclusion, the results of this study are incompatible with the hypothesis
      that the high-energy phosphates (ATP and PC) mediate muscle fatigue. The large
      increase in Pi with stimulation and the high correlation between the recovery of
      both total and the H2PO4- form of Pi and Po support a role for Pi in the
      production of skeletal muscle fatigue.

PMID- 1415670
TI  - Intracardiac detection of angiotensinogen and renin: a localized renin
      angiotensin system in neonatal rat heart.
AB  - There is increasing evidence that the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) modulates
      cardiovascular function through both blood-borne and tissue-derived components.
      The existence of a local RAS has been proposed in the heart based on biochemical
      and molecular biological studies that identify angiotensinogen and renin. We
      conducted the present study to determine the chamber localization of
      angiotensinogen and renin mRNA in neonatal rat heart and whether these components
      could be identified in cultured cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts obtained from
      neonatal rat heart. Experiments using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) indicated
      that whole hearts obtained from neonatal rats contained both angiotensinogen and
      renin mRNA. With the use of radiolabeled cDNA probes and in situ hybridization,
      angiotensinogen and renin transcripts were localized both in the atria and
      ventricles of neonatal rat hearts. Relative signal strengths for angiotensinogen
      were highest in the left and right ventricles. In contrast, renin signal strength
      was overall much lower and preferentially localized in the left ventricle. To
      investigate the cellular source of angiotensinogen and renin, cultured neonatal
      heart cardiomyocytes and ventricular fibroblasts were screened for
      angiotensinogen and renin messenger RNA and protein using PCR and indirect
      immunofluorescent staining, respectively. These experiments demonstrated that
      both cell types produce transcripts and the respective translation products for
      angiotensinogen and renin. These data suggest that the site of angiotensin II
      synthesis can occur at the level of the individual cardiomyocyte and fibroblast,
      where it may serve to directly and/or indirectly regulate cardiac rate, force,
      growth, and development in the neonate.

PMID- 1415671
TI  - Differential megakaryocytic desensitization to platelet agonists.
AB  - Platelets are released into the peripheral circulation from the bone marrow where
      they arise as fragments of megakaryocyte cytoplasm. To characterize the effects
      of platelet agonists on megakaryocytes, we examined calcium signaling and
      desensitization to thrombin, the thromboxane A2 (TxA2) mimetic (15S)-hydroxy-11
      alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5Z,13E-dienoic acid (U46619), and platelet
      activating factor (PAF) in cultured CHRF-288-11 megakaryocytic cells. Initially,
      we compared agonist-stimulated calcium transients in fura-2-loaded CHRF-288-11
      cells and human platelets. The 50% effective concentration values for the
      agonists to increase free cytosolic calcium were as follows: thrombin (0.11 +/-
      0.02 U/ml in CHRF, 0.19 +/- 0.03 U/ml in platelets), U46619 (147 +/- 33 nM in
      CHRF, 157 +/- 5 nM in platelets), and PAF [15 +/- 2 nM in CHRF, 16 +/- 2 nM in
      platelets (n = 4 each)]. CHRF-288-11 thrombin, TxA2, and PAF receptors were
      demonstrated to be coupled to phospholipase C because each of the agonists
      stimulated phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis in myo-[3H]inositol-loaded CHRF-288-11
      cells and pharmacological inhibition of phospholipase C-blunted agonist
      stimulated calcium signaling. CHRF-288-11 cells exposed to the three agonists for
      1 h showed different patterns and extent of homologous and heterologous
      desensitization. Protein kinase C activation appeared to be necessary but not
      sufficient for desensitization because 1) activation of protein kinase C with
      phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate inhibited the calcium responses to all three
      agonists, 2) inhibition of protein kinase C with staurosporine attenuated
      subsequent desensitization to each agonist, and 3) each agonist increased protein
      kinase C activity in CHRF-288-11 cell homogenates.

PMID- 1415672
TI  - Cellular mechanisms of vasopressin and endothelin to mobilize [Mg2+]i in vascular
      smooth muscle cells.
AB  - The present study was undertaken to examine the effects of arginine vasopressin
      (AVP) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) on cytosolic free Mg2+ ([Mg2+]i) in cultured rat
      vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). [Mg2+]i was measured using the fluorescence
      indicator dye mag-fura-2. AVP and ET-1 at a concentration of 1 x 10(-9) M or
      higher induced the mobilization of [Mg2+]i and cytosolic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in a
      dose-dependent manner in rat VSMC. Atrial natriuretic peptide and sodium
      nitroprusside producing cellular guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate did not
      affect [Mg2+]i and [Ca2+]i. A diterpene activator of adenylate cyclase,
      forskolin, also did not alter [Mg2+]i and [Ca2+]i. The removal of extracellular
      Mg2+ enhanced the AVP-mobilized [Ca2+]i and did not change the AVP-mobilized
      [Mg2+]i. The Ca(2+)-free and nominally Mg2+/Ca(2+)-free states decreased the AVP
      mobilized [Mg2+]i and [Ca2+]i. The Na(+)-free state enhanced the sustained, but
      not peak, level of the AVP-mobilized [Mg2+]i. These results indicate that AVP and
      ET-1 mobilize [Mg2+]i mediated through their intracellular second messenger
      [Ca2+]i and independent of extracellular Mg2+. Also, an increase in [Mg2+]i is
      indicated to stimulate the Na(+)-Mg2+ exchange to increase cellular Mg2+ efflux.

PMID- 1415673
TI  - Immunolocalization of chloride-transporting membrane vesicles in tracheal
      epithelial cells.
AB  - A membrane fraction eluted from a phenyl Sepharose column (MPS) was isolated from
      renal cortex and bovine tracheal epithelia that is enriched in a single type of
      Cl- channel [C. L. Preston, M. A. Calenzo, and W. P. Dubinsky. Am. J. Physiol.
      263 (Cell Physiol. 32): C879-C887, 1992]. A 200-kDa membrane protein that
      copurifies with and appears to be specific to this fraction was purified and used
      to raise antisera for immunological characterization of these membranes. The
      antisera reacted in immunoblots with a 200-kDa protein in homogenates of bovine
      trachea, kidney, pancreas, lung, and intestine. There was also cross-reactivity
      with a 200-kDa protein in immunoblots in rat stomach, pancreas, and lung. There
      was no cross-reaction with rat skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, or aorta. Thus
      this protein appears to be preferentially enriched in epithelial tissues.
      Examination of each major fraction during the purification of MPS membranes from
      trachea shows no enrichment of the 200-kDa protein in plasma, mitochondrial, or
      nuclear membrane fractions. The only significant enrichment was observed in MPS
      that is purified by hydrophobic chromatography. In frozen sections, antisera and
      monospecific immunoaffinity-purified antibodies localize the protein primarily to
      the apical domain of tracheal columnar epithelial cells with small punctate
      structures throughout the cytoplasmic compartment.

PMID- 1415674
TI  - Lysophosphatidic acid induces a pertussis toxin-sensitive Ca(2+)-activated Cl-
      current in Xenopus laevis oocytes.
AB  - Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) induces a Ca(2+)-activated Cl- current in
      defolliculated Xenopus laevis oocytes. The response appears mediated by a
      specific membrane receptor, because no current is induced when related compounds
      [phosphatidic acid (PA), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), and
      lysophosphatidylserine (LPS)] are applied extracellularly or when LPA is injected
      intracellularly. Incubation in pertussis toxin prevents the response. The
      response is mediated by a Ca(2+)-activated Cl- current because 1) it is abolished
      by intracellular ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic
      acid (EGTA; 5 mM) but not affected by changes in extracellular Ca2+ concentration
      and 2) the reversal potential becomes more positive at lower Cl- concentrations.
      Suramin (2 mM) blocks the LPA-induced current, but PA, LPS, LPC, and the platelet
      activating factor antagonist WEB-2086 do not. The response is dose dependent for
      LPA concentrations from 10(-8) to 10(-3) M. Incubation of oocytes in LPA does not
      induce germinal vesicle breakdown. These findings suggest that this novel oocyte
      response to LPA is mediated by a specific membrane receptor linked to a pertussis
      toxin-sensitive G protein.

PMID- 1415675
TI  - Organic osmolytes increase cytoplasmic viscosity in kidney cells.
AB  - The hypothesis was tested that accumulation of osmolytes by kidney cells grown in
      hyperosmolar media decreases the rotational and translational mobilities of small
      polar solutes in the cytosolic compartment. Rotational mobility was measured by
      the picosecond rotational correlation times (tau c) of 2',7'-bis(2-carboxyethyl)
      5(6)carboxylfluorescein (BCECF) by multiharmonic microfluorimetry. In isolated
      segments of rabbit proximal tubule, thick ascending limb, and cortical collecting
      duct that were perfused and bathed in 300 mosM media, tau c were in the range 180
      250 ps, corresponding to apparent rotational viscosities (eta r) of 1.1-1.5 cP.
      In cortical collecting tubule, eta r was not influenced by serosal vasopressin.
      In Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells grown in 300-1,200 mosM media, eta r
      increased progressively by up to a factor of 1.38 +/- 0.03; measurements of tau c
      and macroscopic viscosity in artificial solutions containing osmolytes supported
      the hypothesis that the increased eta r was due to accumulation of organic
      osmolytes. BCECF translational mobility was measured by fluorescence
      photobleaching recovery using a focused 1.2-microns diameter Ar laser beam at 488
      nm. Recovery half-times were 36 +/- 3 (SE) ms (n = 10) in MDCK cells grown in 300
      mosM media and 62 +/- 3 ms (n = 10) when grown in 1,200 mosM media. The results
      suggest that accumulation of osmolytes by renal cells is associated with
      significantly increased cytosolic viscosity. The increased viscosity would slow
      enzymatic and transport processes in the cytosolic compartment.

PMID- 1415676
TI  - Vasopressin decreases immunogold labeling of apical actin in the toad bladder
      granular cell.
AB  - Studies with the confocal microscope have shown that arginine vasopressin (AVP)
      depolymerizes F-actin in the apical region of the toad bladder granular cell.
      However, the resolution of the fluorescence microscope is not great enough to
      reveal the exact pattern of depolymerization or the relative extent to which
      microvillar and subapical membrane actin pools contribute to overall
      depolymerization. We have developed an electron microscopic immunogold method
      that shows a significant decrease in immunogold labeling of actin in the region
      just below the apical membrane, with the decrease most pronounced in regions
      adjacent to the microvilli. There was no significant change of immunogold
      labeling within the microvilli themselves. Our studies show a reorganization of
      the actin cytoskeleton in the region of the granular cell, where water channel
      carrying vesicles are positioned and fuse in response to AVP.

PMID- 1415677
TI  - A plasma membrane proton ATPase in specialized cells of rat epididymis.
AB  - Acidification of the luminal fluid in the epididymis is believed to play an
      important role in sperm maturation. Previous studies have shown that specialized
      cells in the epithelium lining the epididymis contain high levels of carbonic
      anhydrase and that these cells have rod-shaped intramembraneous particles when
      examined by freeze fracture. Both of these features are characteristic of proton
      transporting intercalated cells in the kidney collecting duct. We now show that
      apical cells in the head of the epididymis and clear cells in the body and tail
      of the epididymis express high levels of a vacuolar proton-pumping
      adenosinetriphosphatase on their apical plasma membranes and on intracellular
      vesicles. By analogy with kidney intercalated cells, these cell types may be
      specialized for acid secretion in the epididymis.

PMID- 1415678
TI  - V-A and A-V modes in whole body and regional kinetics: domain of validity from a
      physiological model.
AB  - In turnover studies, both at whole body and regional level, sources of tracer and
      tracee are in general nonidentical thus resulting in nonuniformity of specific
      activity (SA). Guidelines are available in literature to deal with the
      heterogeneous SA problem, and either the V-A or A-V modes, based on the arterial
      and mixed venous blood SA, respectively, have been recommended for different
      substrates. In particular, the A-V mode is considered the method of choice for
      studying lactate, amino acids, free fatty acid, etc. Guidelines are based on
      specific models chosen to describe kinetic and circulatory events of the
      substance under study but are often conflicting. A unitary physiological
      framework to understand assumptions of various models is also lacking. In this
      paper, we first review these models to assess their domain of validity. In
      particular, we point out major drawbacks that relate to the tissue compartment
      being treated as a lumped well-mixed pool with a single SA value. We then attempt
      to handle the nonuniform tissue SA by employing a more physiological model. The
      tissue system is thought to be made up of elementary units connected in parallel
      and categorized according to their functional ability to affect incoming SA.
      Potential changes of SA within individual units are examined. Thus each tissue
      unit may provide a different contribution to the overall change in SA, as
      measured in mixed venous blood. A spatial profile of SA is also identified both
      along the direction of blood flow and transversely toward the inner cellular
      space. This distributed model allows assessment of the domain of validity of V-A
      and A-V modes. We show that, in general, the V-A mode underestimates the
      production rate both at whole body and regional level, whereas the A-V mode can
      either under- or overestimate it.

PMID- 1415679
TI  - Functional changes in salivary glands of autoimmune disease-prone NOD mice.
AB  - Lymphocytic infiltration of the salivary glands in autoimmune diseases results in
      the human condition known as xerostomia. To date, an animal model for the
      autoimmune development of salivary gland dysfunction has yet to be described.
      With the autoimmune diabetes-prone nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse strain, salivary
      flow rates and total saliva protein concentration in both male and female mice
      showed a progressive decline in the nondiabetic and diabetic states.
      Submandibular gland weight decreased from control mice with the progression to
      onset of diabetes in both sexes, whereas the weight of the parotid gland remained
      unchanged. The level of saliva amylase activity, when measured relative to unit
      volume, decreased in nondiabetic males but increased upon onset of diabetes to
      control values. When expressed relative to protein concentration in saliva,
      amylase activity was depressed for both sets of NOD mice but was higher upon
      diabetes onset than in the nondiabetic animals. In females a similar pattern was
      observed except that amylase activity expressed relative to unit volume was not
      significantly depressed in either set of NOD mice. The same observations were
      made for glandular amylase activity. The level of epidermal growth factor (a
      product of the ductal cells of the submandibular gland) was reduced over 500- and
      18-fold for male and female diabetic mice, respectively. Sodium dodecyl sulfate
      polyacrylamide gels of total saliva showed changes in mobility as well as
      concentration of several proteins in the NOD mice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1415680
TI  - Effect of a high-fat diet on the incorporation of stored triacylglycerol into
      hepatic VLDL.
AB  - Triacylglycerol (TG) stored in cytoplasmic lipid droplets of hepatocytes was
      labeled by in vivo [1-(14)C]oleic acid injection to study the effect of a high
      fat diet on its incorporation into very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL). Compared
      with the control diet, hepatocytes of fat-fed rats 1) contained 7.6 times more
      cytoplasmic (floating fat) TG and 1.9 times more endoplasmic reticulum
      (microsomal) TG; 2) had 8 and 6 times lower TG specific activities in cytoplasm
      and endoplasmic reticulum, respectively; 3) incorporated 22% less 14C label into
      hepatocyte esterified lipids (TG, cholesterol, phospholipid); 4) secreted 48 and
      33% less radioactive and total VLDL-TG, respectively; 5) oxidized more
      cytoplasmic TG-fatty acid (FA); and 6) showed a 50% decreased total utilization
      of stored TG-FA. With both diets, the lysosomal inhibitor chloroquine
      concomitantly decreased productions of labeled VLDL-TG, CO2, and acid-soluble
      oxidation products. The decreased incorporation of stored TG into VLDL-TG
      appreciably contributes to the overall inhibition of hepatic VLDL secretion by
      fat feeding. It appears to be related to the decreased mobilization rate of
      stored TG and its increased channelling toward oxidation.

PMID- 1415681
TI  - Whole body protein metabolism and resting energy expenditure in pregnant Gambian
      women.
AB  - Whole body protein metabolism and resting energy expenditure (REE) were measured
      at 11, 23, and 33 wk of pregnancy in nine pregnant (not malnourished) Gambian
      women and in eight matched nonpregnant nonlactating (NPNL) matched controls.
      Rates of whole body nitrogen flux, protein synthesis, and protein breakdown were
      determined in the fed state from the level of isotope enrichment of urinary urea
      and ammonia during a period of 9 h after a single oral dose of [15N]glycine. At
      regular intervals, REE was measured by indirect calorimetry (hood system). Based
      on the arithmetic end-product average of values obtained with urea and ammonia, a
      significant increase in whole body protein synthesis was observed during the
      second trimester (5.8 +/- 0.4 g.kg-1.day-1) relative to values obtained both for
      the NPNL controls (4.5 +/- 0.3 g.kg-1.day-1) and those during the first trimester
      (4.7 +/- 0.3 g.kg-1.day-1). There was a significant rise in REE during the third
      trimester both in the preprandial and postprandial states. No correlation was
      found between REE after meal ingestion and the rate of whole body protein
      synthesis.

PMID- 1415682
TI  - Inhibition of central actions of cytokines on fever and thermogenesis by
      lipocortin-1 involves CRF.
AB  - In the present studies, the mechanisms underlying the inhibitory actions of
      lipocortin-1 on the pyrogenic and thermogenic properties of cytokines were
      investigated. Central (icv) injection of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF, 4.7
      micrograms) or the recombinant cytokines interleukin (IL)-1 alpha (50 ng), IL-1
      beta (5 ng), IL-6 (20 ng), IL-8 (20 ng), or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF
      alpha, 1 microgram) in conscious rats produced significant increases in resting
      oxygen consumption (VO2, 13-26%) and colonic temperature (0.7-1.6 degrees C)
      within 2 h postinjection. Administration (icv) of a recombinant fragment (NH2
      terminus, 1-188 amino acids) of human lipocortin-1 (1.2 micrograms) produced
      small increases in VO2 (< 5%) and body temperature (< 0.3 degrees C).
      Pretreatment (-5 min) with lipocortin-1 significantly attenuated the thermogenic
      and pyrogenic effects of centrally injected IL-1 beta (80% inhibition), IL-6
      (60%), IL-8 (80%), or CRF (60%). However, pretreatment with lipocortin-1 failed
      to modify the actions of IL-1 alpha or TNF-alpha. We have previously demonstrated
      that the pyrogenic and thermogenic effects of IL-1 beta, IL-6, and IL-8 are
      dependent on the central actions of CRF, whereas IL-1 alpha and TNF-alpha act
      independently of CRF. Fever and thermogenesis induced by all of these cytokines
      (with the exception of IL-8) can also be prevented by administration of a
      cyclooxygenase inhibitor. The data presented here suggest that the potent
      antipyretic effects of lipocortin-1 may result from inhibition of the release or
      actions of CRF rather than modulation of eicosanoid synthesis.

PMID- 1415683
TI  - Influence of somatotropin on lipid metabolism and IGF gene expression in porcine
      adipose tissue.
AB  - The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of porcine somatotropin
      (pST) treatment (2 mg/day) and dietary fat (10%) separately and in combination on
      the metabolic activity of subcutaneous adipose tissue, serum adipogenic activity,
      and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) gene expression within adipose tissue from
      growing 5- to 6-mo-old barrows. This study attempted to determine how these
      factors might contribute to the reported changes in adiposity of treated swine.
      Biopsies of adipose tissue were collected after 28 days of treatment following
      anesthesia with thiopental sodium (15 mg/kg iv). Somatotropin inhibited in vitro
      glucose oxidation and lipogenesis in adipose tissue but did not affect fatty acid
      esterification. Adipogenic activity of serum was not altered by pST treatment.
      Subcutaneous adipose tissue contained mRNA for IGF-I and -II, and pST
      administration increased the abundance of IGF-I mRNA. Dietary fat had no effect
      on these variables. Thus somatotropin reduces glucose metabolism in porcine
      subcutaneous adipose tissue. Preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation are
      not affected by somatotropin through its actions on systemic factors. Dietary fat
      provides no additional benefit in combination with pST administration to affect
      accretion of adipose tissue in growing swine.

PMID- 1415684
TI  - Role of FFA-glucose cycle in glucoregulation during exercise in total absence of
      insulin.
AB  - Muscle contraction in vitro increases glucose uptake (GU), independent of
      insulin, but in vivo, the exercise-induced increase in GU is impaired in insulin
      deficient diabetic dogs. We wished to determine whether, in vivo, suppression of
      the free fatty acid (FFA)-glucose cycle with methylpalmoxirate (MP, inhibitor of
      FFA oxidation) alone or combined with propranolol (PRO, beta-blocker) could
      improve GU during exercise in the absence of insulin. We performed four groups of
      exercise experiments (6 km/h, 10% slope) in depancreatized insulin-deprived dogs:
      1) control (n = 6); 2) MP treated (5 oral doses of 10 mg/kg, twice daily, n = 6);
      3) treated with MP+octanoate (OCT; oxidation unaffected by MP, 27 mumol.kg-1.min
      1 iv during exercise; n = 5); and 4) MP+PRO treated (5 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 iv
      during exercise, n = 6). MP abolished ketosis (inhibition of hepatic FFA
      oxidation), decreased basal glucose production (GP), and increased metabolic
      clearance of glucose (MCR). During exercise, MP attenuated the increment in GP (P
      < 0.01), which was reversed by OCT. MP did not affect the exercise-induced
      increase in GU and MCR. With MP+PRO, FFAs decreased and lactate did not rise
      during exercise. GP was not further suppressed, but GU and MCR were increased (P
      < 0.01) to 89 and 31% of normal, respectively. In insulin-deprived depancreatized
      dogs, glucose cycling was increased to a greater extent than GP, as in type II
      diabetes. By the end of exercise, glucose cycling increased (P < 0.05), but to a
      similar extent as GP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415685
TI  - Isotopomer spectral analysis of triglyceride fatty acid synthesis in 3T3-L1
      cells.
AB  - A new analysis of stable isotope data for biosynthesis reaction, isotopomer
      spectral analysis (ISA), is demonstrated. ISA is theoretically applicable for
      polymerization biosynthesis where data are collected using selected ion
      monitoring gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. ISA utilizes the discrete
      spectrum of isotopomer abundances and the multinomial distribution to estimate
      two key parameters related to the biosynthesis. These parameters are 1) the
      dilution of the precursor immediately before biosynthesis and 2) the dilution of
      the newly synthesized product in the sampled compartment. Differentiated 3T3-L1
      cells incorporated 2 mM [1,2-13C]acetate into triglyceride palmitate, yielding a
      spectrum of mass isotopomers of palmitate. The set of equations for the first
      nine isotopomers were solved for the two parameters using nonlinear regression.
      We found that precursor dilutions for acetate and glucose were constant over
      time, whereas the product dilution parameter increased with time, as expected for
      cells accumulating triglyceride palmitate. Mathematical procedures are presented
      for calculating 1) the predicted isotopomer fractional abundance values and 2)
      the correction for atoms other than the tracer atom in the mass ion.

PMID- 1415686
TI  - Measurement of bicarbonate turnover in humans: applicability to estimation of
      energy expenditure.
AB  - Bicarbonate turnover and energy expenditure were assessed in six healthy male
      volunteers, by the use of a constant infusion of radiolabeled bicarbonate
      (NaH14CO3) administered over 36 h, while the volunteers were confined to a whole
      body indirect calorimeter. Recovery and dilution of isotope were assessed from
      measurements made on continuous collections of CO2, entering and leaving the
      calorimeter, urine, and intermittent spot breath and saliva samples. Mean
      recovery of infused label in gaseous CO2 was 95.6 +/- 1.1% (SD) between 12 and 36
      h. Applying a 95% mean recovery of label to each subject individually enabled the
      use of integrated mean specific activity of CO2 in spot breath and urine samples
      to predict measured net CO2 production and energy expenditure to within about +/-
      6%. Estimates based on urinary measurements were compromised slightly by the
      exchange of label through the bladder wall (this was dependent on pH and volume
      of urine). It is concluded that this constant-infusion labeled bicarbonate method
      offers a potentially useful means of assessing net CO2 production and total
      energy expenditure over the short term (e.g., 1-3 days).

PMID- 1415687
TI  - Effects of differing insulin levels on response to equivalent hypoglycemia in
      conscious dogs.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine if differing concentrations of insulin can
      modify the counterregulatory response to equivalent hypoglycemia. Insulin was
      infused intraportally into normal 18-h-fasted conscious dogs at 2 (low, n = 6) or
      8 mU.kg-1.min-1 (high, n = 7) on separate occasions. This resulted in steady
      state arterial insulin levels of 80 +/- 8 and 610 +/- 55 microU/ml, respectively.
      Glucose was infused during the high dose to maintain plasma glucose similar to
      low (50 +/- 1 mg/dl). Despite similar plasma glucose levels, epinephrine (2,589
      +/- 260, 806 +/- 180 pg/ml), norepinephrine (535 +/- 60, 303 +/- 55 pg/ml),
      cortisol (12.1 +/- 1.5, 5.8 +/- 1.2 micrograms/dl), and pancreatic polypeptide
      (1,198 +/- 150, 598 +/- 250 pg/ml) were all increased in the presence of high
      dose insulin (P < 0.05). Glucagon levels were similar during both insulin
      infusions. Hepatic glucose production, measured with [3-3H]-glucose, rose from
      2.6 +/- 0.2 to 4.7 +/- 0.3 mg.kg-1.min-1 in response to high insulin (P < 0.01)
      but remained unchanged, 3.0 +/- 0.5 mg.kg-1.min-1, during low-dose infusions. Six
      hyperinsulinemic euglycemic control experiments (2 or 8 mU.kg-1.min-1, n = 3 in
      each) provided baseline data. By the final hour of the high-dose euglycemic
      clamps, cortisol (2.4 +/- 0.4 to 4.8 +/- 0.8 micrograms/dl) and norepinephrine
      (125 +/- 34 to 278 +/- 60 pg/ml) had increased (P < 0.05) compared with baseline.
      Plasma epinephrine levels remained unchanged during both series of euglycemic
      studies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415688
TI  - Effect of hyperinsulinemia on ovine fetal leucine kinetics during prolonged
      maternal fasting.
AB  - The primary effect of insulin on whole body protein metabolism in postnatal life
      is to reduce proteolysis. To assess the role of insulin in the regulation of
      protein metabolism in prenatal life, leucine kinetics were determined in the
      ovine fetus at baseline and in response to hyperinsulinemia. These measurements
      were made in each fetus in two different maternal states: ad libitum maternal
      feeding and after a 5-day maternal fast. Maternal fasting resulted in significant
      increases in baseline fetal leucine rate of appearance (Ra; 51.9 +/- 16.7 vs.
      37.3 +/- 3.6 mumol/min, P < 0.05) and leucine oxidation (30.1 +/- 8.9 vs. 8.8 +/-
      2.2 mumol/min, P < 0.05). Hyperinsulinemia, which was associated with significant
      increases in fetal glucose utilization, did not affect total fetal leucine R(a)
      or leucine release from fetal proteolysis in either maternal state. Under well
      fed maternal conditions, hyperinsulinemia produced no changes in the fetal
      oxidative or nonoxidative disposal of leucine. In contrast, during maternal
      fasting, hyperinsulinemia reduced fetal leucine oxidation (11.0 +/- 3.7 vs. 31.1
      +/- 8.9 mumol/min, P < 0.05) and increased the nonoxidative disposal of leucine
      (35.4 +/- 4.0 vs. 19.0 +/- 6.1 mumol/min, P < 0.05). This resulted in a change in
      the fetal leucine accretion rate from negative to positive (-20.9 +/- 7.5 vs. 7.5
      +/- 6.7 mumol/min, P < 0.05). These results suggest that, under conditions of
      restricted maternal substrate intake, fetal hyperinsulinemia and the attendant
      increase in fetal glucose utilization are associated with increased protein
      synthesis rather than decreased protein breakdown, thereby improving fetal
      leucine carcass accretion.

PMID- 1415689
TI  - Endocrine effects of new bombesin/gastrin-releasing peptide antagonists in rats.
AB  - Four new and specific pseudononapeptide bombesin/gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP)
      receptor antagonists, containing the D-forms of Trp or Trp analogue (Tpi) at
      position 6, were studied for their effects on the endocrine pancreas and GRP-(14
      27)-induced gastrin release in pentobarbital-anesthetized rats. One of the
      analogues, D-Tpi6,Leu13-psi (CH2NH)Leu14-bombesin-(6-14) (RC-3095), was injected
      into the lateral brain ventricle just preceding intracerebroventricular
      administration of GRP-(14-27) to evaluate its antagonistic effect on GRP-induced
      serum growth hormone (GH) suppression. Analogues RC-3095, D-Trp6,Leu13-psi
      (CH2NH)Leu14-bombesin-(6-14) (RC-3125), and D-Trp6,Leu13-psi (CH2NH)Phe14
      bombesin-(6-14) (RC-3420), but not D-Tpi6,Leu13-psi (CH2NH)Phe14-bombesin-(6-14)
      (RC-3105), significantly (P < 0.01) inhibited GRP-(14-27)-stimulated serum
      gastrin secretion. Analogues RC-3095, RC-3420, and RC-3105, but not RC-3125,
      demonstrated significant (P < 0.05) antagonistic activities on GRP-(14-27)
      stimulated plasma glucagon secretion. Intracerebroventricular injection of RC
      3095 (10 micrograms) immediately before GRP-(14-27) (1 microgram) completely
      prevented the GRP-(14-27)-induced serum GH suppression. These results indicate
      that 1) marked differences exist in the ability of these analogues to antagonize
      GRP-(14-27)-induced gastrin or glucagon release, suggesting the existence of
      different bombesin/GRP receptor subtypes, and 2) the central effect of
      bombesin/GRP on GH release from the pituitary is probably mediated through
      specific bombesin/GRP receptors.

PMID- 1415690
TI  - Cyclooxygenase inhibitors blunt thromboxane action in human placental arteries by
      blocking thromboxane receptors.
AB  - The effects of cyclooxygenase inhibitors on thromboxane-mediated vasoconstriction
      in human placental arteries were studied in the isolated perfused fetoplacental
      cotyledon. The stable thromboxane agonist U-46619 caused a dose-related increase
      in perfusion pressure in the fetal side of the cotyledon. Meclofenamate (3.3 x
      10(-5) M) significantly blunted the pressor response to U-46619, but not to
      angiotensin II, and inhibited thromboxane B2 formation in placental slices (IC50,
      4.80 x 10(-8) M). The mechanism by which meclofenamate prevented thromboxane
      induced vasoconstriction was studied using ligand-binding techniques in a
      membrane fraction prepared from placental cotyledons. Meclofenamate caused a dose
      related inhibition of binding of the thromboxane receptor antagonist [3H]SQ 29548
      with an IC50 of 2.61 x 10(-5) M. Scatchard analysis of equilibrium binding
      demonstrated that meclofenamate reduced the number of binding sites without
      altering the affinity of the receptor, suggesting a noncompetitive mechanism.
      Indomethacin also caused a dose-related inhibition of thromboxane binding (IC50,
      3.27 x 10(-4) M). However, aspirin at a dose of 2.0 x 10(-3) M did not inhibit
      [3H]SQ 29548 binding. The data indicate that some cyclooxygenase inhibitors blunt
      thromboxane actions by interfering with binding at thromboxane receptor sites.
      These studies identify a new mechanism by which cyclooxygenase inhibition by some
      nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can prevent thromboxane action in
      fetoplacental blood vessels in vitro independent of reductions in thromboxane
      formation.

PMID- 1415691
TI  - Tissue-specific expression of bone proteins in femora of growing rats.
AB  - Total cellular RNA was extracted from bone cells of three different femoral
      compartments of 2-mo-old rats. The intact femora were first incubated with
      collagenase to obtain periosteal cells. The bisected periosteum-free diaphyses
      and metaphyses were then incubated with collagenase to obtain enriched
      populations of endosteal and cancellous bone cells, respectively. The total
      cellular RNA from these three tissues was separated by size using agarose gel
      electrophoresis, transferred to nylon filters, hybridized to 32P-labeled cDNA
      probes for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAP), pre-pro-alpha (I) type
      I collagen (collagen), osteocalcin (BGP), and alkaline phosphatase (AP), and the
      cDNA/mRNA hybrids were visualized by radioautography. Bone matrix deposition was
      measured in each tissue compartment by tetracycline-based dynamic bone
      histomorphometry. The bone formation and apposition rates were greatest in the
      periosteum and least in metaphysis. Mean mRNA levels for collagen and BGP were
      positively correlated with mean bone formation and mineral apposition rates.
      Interestingly, mean AP mRNA levels were not correlated with indexes of bone
      formation. These results demonstrate that the steady-state mRNA levels for bone
      matrix proteins in femora show pronounced site specificity and correlate with the
      rates of bone matrix deposition.

PMID- 1415692
TI  - Concomitant interindividual variation in body temperature and metabolic rate.
AB  - There is significant variation in metabolic rate in humans, independent of
      differences in body size, body composition, age, and gender. Although it has been
      generally held that the normal human "set-point" body temperature is 37 degrees
      C, these interindividual variations in metabolic rate also suggest possible
      variations in body temperature. To examine the possibility of correlations
      between metabolic rate and body temperature, triplicate measurements of oral
      temperatures were made before and after measurement of 24-h energy expenditure in
      a respiratory chamber in 23 Pima Indian men. Fasting oral temperatures varied
      more between individuals than can be attributed to methodological errors or
      intraindividual variation. Oral temperatures correlated with sleeping (r = 0.80,
      P < 0.0001), and 24-h (r = 0.48, P < 0.02) metabolic rates adjusted for
      differences in body size, body composition, and age. Similarly, in the 32
      Caucasian men of the Minnesota Semi-Starvation Study, oral temperature correlated
      with adjusted metabolic rate, and the interindividual differences in body
      temperature were maintained throughout semistarvation and refeeding. These
      results suggest that a low body temperature and a low metabolic rate might be two
      signs of an obesity-prone syndrome in humans.

PMID- 1415693
TI  - Ammonium chloride-induced acidosis increases protein breakdown and amino acid
      oxidation in humans.
AB  - The effect of acidosis on whole body protein turnover was determined from the
      kinetics of infused L-[1-13C]leucine. Seven healthy subjects were studied before
      (basal) and after (acid) the induction of acidosis with 5 days oral ammonium
      chloride (basal pH 7.42 +/- 0.01, acid pH 7.35 +/- 0.03). Bicarbonate recovery,
      measured from the kinetics of infused NaH13CO3, was increased in the acidotic
      state (basal 72.9 +/- 1.2 vs. acid 77.6 +/- 1.6%; P = 0.06). Leucine appearance
      from body protein (PD), leucine disappearance into body protein (PS), and leucine
      oxidation (O) increased significantly (PD: basal 120.5 +/- 5.6 vs. acid 153.9 +/-
      6.2, P < 0.01; PS: basal 98.8 +/- 5.6 vs. acid 127.0 +/- 4.7, P < 0.01; O: basal
      21.6 +/- 1.1 vs. acid 26.9 +/- 2.3 mumol.kg-1.h-1, P < 0.01). Plasma levels of
      the amino acids threonine, serine, asparagine, citrulline, valine, leucine,
      ornithine, lysine, histidine, arginine, and hydroxyproline increased
      significantly with the induction of acidosis. These results confirm that acidosis
      in humans is a catabolic factor stimulating protein degradation and amino acid
      oxidation.

PMID- 1415694
TI  - Effects of peptide YY on the human cardiovascular system: reversal of responses
      to vasoactive intestinal peptide.
AB  - Peptide YY (PYY) reverses the increased intestinal secretion stimulated by
      vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in humans. VIP also dilates blood vessels, so
      we investigated the effect of PYY on the cardiovascular system. Six volunteers
      received PYY, 0.4 and 1.2 pmol.kg-1 x min-1 i.v. for 2 h, reproducing plasma
      levels seen postprandially and during a diarrheal illness, respectively. Cardiac
      function was assessed by echocardiography. PYY infused at 0.4 pmol.kg-1 x min-1
      had no effect on cardiovascular parameters. PYY infused at 1.2 pmol.kg-1 x min-1
      caused a fall in both stroke volume from 128 +/- 8 to 110 +/- 8 ml/beat (mean +/-
      95 confidence interval, P < 0.01) and cardiac output from 7.2 +/- 0.4 to 6.1 +/-
      0.4 l/min (P < 0.01). Effects of infusion of PYY into the brachial artery at
      doses of 0-16 pmol/min were assessed using venous occlusion plethysmography in
      six subjects. PYY infusion caused a dose-dependent fall in forearm blood flow.
      Six subjects received VIP, 5 pmol.kg-1 x min-1 i.v., causing a rise in heart rate
      from 55 +/- 3 to 70 +/- 3 beats/min and increased cardiac output from 7.3 +/- 1.1
      to 13.1 +/- 1.1 l/min. The addition of PYY, 0.4 pmol.kg-1 x min-1 i.v., did not
      affect the heart rate significantly but decreased the cardiac output to 10.4 +/-
      1.1 l/min (P < 0.01). Infusions of PYY into the brachial artery at 5 pmol/min
      decreased local vasodilation induced by VIP infused at 2 pmol/min at the same
      site by 40% (P < 0.01), even though this dose of PYY had no significant effect on
      local blood flow when given alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415695
TI  - Differences in GH secretion from individual somatotropes in rats genetically
      selected for fast and slow growth.
AB  - A reverse hemolytic plaque assay was used to examine effects of selection for
      fast (F) and slow (S) growth on growth hormone (GH) secretion by individual
      somatotropes. Anterior pituitaries (AP) from 32 male Charles River CD strain rats
      selected for F and S growth for 20 generations were used. Four rats per line were
      used at 4, 6, 8, or 10 wk of age. Body weight (P < 0.0001) of F rats was greater
      compared with S rats. AP (P < 0.05) were heavier at 8 and 10 wk of age in F
      compared with S line rats. Percentages of GH-secreting cells were unaffected by
      age (range = 32.7-35.5%) and line [F = 33.1 +/- 1.2% (SE) vs. S = 34.5 +/- 1.2%]
      or by human GH-releasing factor (hGRF). At 8 and 10 wk, mean plaque-forming area
      was greater (P < 0.0001) in F compared with S rats under both nonstimulated
      (2,704 +/- 202 vs. 1,648 +/- 202 microns2) and hGRF-stimulated secretion (4,503
      +/- 202 vs. 2,682 +/- 202 microns2). Results indicate that differences in growth
      observed in the two lines may be due to a greater secretory capacity of
      individual somatotropes rather than to a greater percentage of somatotropes or
      sensitivity of somatotropes to secretagogue.

PMID- 1415696
TI  - K+ channels in adrenal zona glomerulosa cells. I. Characterization of distinct
      channel types.
AB  - Four distinct types of K+ channels were identified in rat and bovine adrenal zona
      glomerulosa (ZG) cells and characterized using single-channel recording
      techniques. Inward rectifier channels were the most frequently observed K+
      channel types in the membrane patches of both rat and bovine ZG cells. The slope
      conductance of the inward current was 42 pS with an extracellular K+
      concentration of 150 mM. The probability of the open state of these channels
      increased with depolarization. With the use of inside-out membrane patches with
      symmetric 150 mM K+ solutions, the rectifying behavior was found to require Mg2+
      on the intracellular side of the membrane. Delayed rectifier K+ channels with
      conductances of 27 and 48 pS were found with rat ZG cells. These channels
      persisted with prolonged positive voltage steps and showed long mean open times
      with increasing depolarization. Transient outward currents with a conductance of
      28 pS were observed only in bovine ZG cells. These channels showed substantial
      inactivation during positive voltage steps of 250 ms duration. Ca(2+)-activated
      K+ channels with a large conductance (228 pS) were identified in rat and bovine
      ZG cells. These different classes of K+ channels may be important for the control
      of resting membrane potential and the generation of action potentials, thus
      participating in the regulation of Ca2+ influx and aldosterone secretion in ZG
      cells.

PMID- 1415697
TI  - Single K+ channels in adrenal zona glomerulosa cells. II. Inhibition by
      angiotensin II.
AB  - The effects of angiotensin II (ANG II) on single K+ channels were studied in rat
      and bovine adrenal zona glomerulosa (ZG) cells, using the patch-clamp technique.
      ANG II (0.1-10 nM) induced substantial inhibition of inward rectifier and delayed
      rectifier K+ channel activities in rat and bovine ZG cells. Analysis of single
      channel activities showed that the ANG II-induced channel-blocking effect
      involved reductions in the probability of the open state (Po) and the mean open
      time. The changes in these channel parameters occurred at all test voltages,
      indicating that the effect of ANG II was voltage independent. ANG II could not
      interact directly with the extracellular sides of the membranes in these
      experiments using cell-attached patches. Therefore, the effect of ANG II on K+
      channels must occur through an indirect cytosolic transduction pathway. The ANG
      II-induced block of K+ channels will result in membrane depolarization, which may
      activate voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, thereby increasing cytosolic free Ca2+
      and stimulating aldosterone secretion. These channel-modulating actions of ANG II
      may be an important step in the initial sequence of events underlying its
      transduction mechanism.

PMID- 1415698
TI  - Metabolism of pregnant-lactating rats is adapted to pregnancy rather than to
      lactation.
AB  - In pregnant-lactating rats implantation was induced on day 4 of lactation so
      that, as an exception, lactation coincided with the period of high fetal growth.
      The already present suckling litters of these animals lagged behind in growth,
      but the "second" litters were at birth normal in size and weight. Such pregnant
      lactating rats were tested in vivo with intravenous glucose loads and compared
      with cyclic and lactating rats. Glucose tolerance was unaffected by the
      reproductive state. Pregnant-lactating rats showed, just as during their first
      pregnancy, low basal glucose levels. Their basal insulin levels and insulin
      responses, however, were decreased in comparison with the first pregnancy and
      resembled those of lactating rats. This may be due to an increased insulin
      turnover, because in vitro insulin responsiveness and insulin content of both
      "pregnant-lactating" and "pregnant" islets were increased in comparison with
      "cyclic" and "lactating" islets. It was concluded that the metabolism of pregnant
      lactating rats is adapted to the pregnant rather than to the lactational state.

PMID- 1415699
TI  - Posthepatic rate of appearance of insulin: measurement and validation in the
      nonsteady state.
AB  - To assess the accuracy with which insulin appearance rates in the peripheral
      circulation can be measured out of steady state, seven conscious dogs were
      simultaneously infused with somatostatin and insulin at known variable rates.
      Tritiated insulin was infused concurrently at a constant rate. Insulin rates of
      appearance were estimated continuously on the basis of a two-compartment model
      for systemic insulin kinetics. The calculations were performed assuming that
      insulin kinetics were linear (tracer data not used) and nonlinear or time varying
      (tracer data used to assess the variation). The average error in areas under the
      curve was -3.5 +/- 2.5 and 27.0 +/- 14.2% when nonlinear or linear kinetics were
      assumed. The maximal errors when linearity was assumed was 39.9 +/- 11.3% and
      decreased to 16.3 +/- 2.6% when the tracer data was used to account for changes
      in the fractional removal rate of insulin. The accuracy of the linear estimates
      improved as the fractional removal rate remained closer to constant. These data
      suggest that a priori assumptions should not be made on the linearity of the
      insulin system in a given experimental situation.

PMID- 1415700
TI  - Effect of gender on insulin resistance associated with aging.
AB  - To examine whether age-related changes in energy metabolism are influenced by
      gender, 20 females and 20 males varying in age from 21 to 80 yr were studied with
      euglycemic insulin clamp in combination with indirect calorimetry and infusion of
      [3-3H]glucose. Lean body mass (LBM) was measured with the tritiated water
      technique. Fat percentage correlated with age in males (r = 0.60; P < 0.05) but
      not in females. Although the rates of insulin-stimulated total glucose disposal
      and nonoxidative glucose metabolism were similar in females and males,
      nonoxidative glucose metabolism expressed per kilogram body weight (r = -0.64; P
      < 0.01) or per kilogram LBM (r = -0.46; P < 0.05) was inversely correlated with
      age only in males. Basal metabolic rate expressed per kilogram body weight
      decreased with age in both sexes, but no correlation with age was observed when
      data were expressed per kilogram LBM. The data clearly demonstrate different
      effects of age on energy metabolism in males and females.

PMID- 1415703
TI  - Regulation of prostacyclin production by [Ca2+]i and protein kinase C in aortic
      smooth muscle cells.
AB  - The respective roles of protein kinase C (PKC) and of cytosolic free Ca2+
      concentration ([Ca2+]i) in prostacyclin synthesis were investigated in aortic
      smooth muscle cells by using A23187 and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) to
      bypass the hormonal receptor. Exposure of the cells to A23187 markedly increased
      prostacyclin production, which was not affected by the PKC inhibitor
      staurosporine or by PKC depletion after prolonged incubation (48 h) of cells with
      PMA. The increase in [Ca2+]i induced by A23187 did not affect membranous or
      cytosolic PKC activity in control and PMA-stimulated cells. Activation of PKC by
      PMA, a weak stimulant of prostacyclin production by itself, strongly potentiated
      A23187-induced prostacyclin production, as well as that induced by the calcium
      mobilizing hormone arginine vasopressin (AVP). The potentiating effect persisted
      for 30 min after the removal of PMA. However, this "memory" effect was not due to
      sustained levels of membranous PKC activity but probably to the prolonged
      influence of PKC-induced phosphorylation(s). Taken together, our results suggest
      that, although an increase in [Ca2+]i is sufficient for inducing prostacyclin
      production in rat aortic smooth muscle cells, activation of PKC is necessary for
      AVP-induced prostacyclin production in this same tissue.

PMID- 1415702
TI  - Meal stimulation of albumin synthesis: a significant contributor to whole body
      protein synthesis in humans.
AB  - The present studies were performed to test the hypothesis that the liver, by
      increasing the synthesis of specific plasma proteins during the absorption of an
      amino acid meal, may play an important role in the temporary "storage" of
      ingested essential amino acids and to explore the effects of glucocorticosteroids
      and recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) on these processes. The fractional
      synthetic rates of albumin and fibrinogen were determined using simultaneous
      infusions of intravenous [1-14C]leucine and intraduodenal [4,5-3H]leucine after
      22 h fasting and during absorption of glucose and amino acids in four groups of
      normal subjects treated for 1 wk with placebo, prednisone (0.8 mg.kg-1.day-1),
      rhGH (0.1 mg.kg-1.day-1), or combined treatment. When compared with the fasted
      state and independent of the route of tracer delivery and hormonal treatment,
      albumin, but not fibrinogen, synthesis increased (P < 0.0001) during absorption
      of a mixed glucose amino acid meal in all groups. This increase in albumin
      synthesis accounted for 28% of the increase in whole body protein synthesis
      associated with feeding and for 24, 22, and 14% in the prednisone, rhGH, and
      combined treatment groups, respectively. These data suggest that the stimulation
      of albumin synthesis observed during feeding prevents irreversible oxidative
      losses of a significant fraction of ingested essential amino acids and may serve
      as a vehicle to capture excess dietary amino acids and transport them to
      peripheral tissues to sustain local protein synthesis.

PMID- 1415701
TI  - Fetal serine fluxes across fetal liver, hindlimb, and placenta in late gestation.
AB  - Eleven studies of fetal serine fluxes were performed in chronically catheterized
      fetal lambs by continuous infusion of [1-13C]- and [U-14C]serine into a fetal
      brachial vein. At tracer serine steady state, samples were collected from the
      fetal abdominal aorta, umbilical vein, fetal hepatic vein, and fetal femoral vein
      and from the maternal femoral artery and uterine vein. Analyses were performed
      for plasma serine and glycine concentration, for serine and glycine 13C mole
      percent enrichment, and for whole blood 14CO2 and O2 concentrations. Uterine and
      umbilical blood flows were also measured. The placenta had a significant net
      uptake of fetal serine (2.1 +/- 0.5 mumol.min-1.kg-1, P < 0.01). Fetal plasma
      serine disposal rate (DR) was 42.5 +/- 3.9 mumol.min-1.kg-1.CO2 production from
      decarboxylation of fetal plasma serine represented 7.9 +/- 0.5% of DR, or 10.1 +/
      1.2 mumol CO2.min-1.kg-1. Fetal plasma glycine enrichment was 59.7 +/- 4.9% of
      fetal plasma serine enrichment. There was a significant loss of tracer serine
      from the fetal circulation into the placenta accounting for approximately 45% of
      infused tracer. Fifteen percent of this was converted to glycine and released
      into the umbilical circulation. There was a significant uptake of tracer serine
      by both fetal liver and fetal hindlimb with a significant CO2 production by both
      sites with serine oxidation predominantly in the carcass. These results indicate
      a high fetal serine disposal rate in the lamb, with rapid fetoplacental serine
      exchange, resulting in a net uptake of fetal serine by the placenta.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415704
TI  - Rebound elevation of fibronectin after tissue injury and ischemia: role of
      fibronectin synthesis.
AB  - Plasma fibronectin (pFn) stimulates macrophage phagocytosis of tissue debris; pFn
      deposition in tissues may influence vascular integrity. Although the acute
      depletion of pFn after surgery and/or injury has been described, less attention
      has been given to the rebound hyperfibronectinemia presumably "triggered" by the
      early pFn depletion. Using a model that compartmentalized the site of tissue
      injury and thus attenuated the initial pFn depletion, we studied this rebound
      elevation of pFn in anesthetized rats (250-350 g) after the surgical trauma of
      groin dissection alone (sham group) or surgery coupled with 4 h of hindlimb
      ischemia (experimental group). Nonoperated control rats were also anesthetized.
      Shams had baseline (preoperative) 6-, 8-, and 22-h postoperative pFn levels of
      573 +/- 61, 598 +/- 62, 695 +/- 57, and 929 +/- 87 micrograms/ml, respectively.
      In the surgery-ischemia group, pFn also elevated to 1,117 +/- 40 micrograms/ml at
      22 h postsurgery. Nonoperated control rats (only anesthetized) had no elevation
      of pFn. Intravenous infusion of gelatin-coated lipid particles (50 mg/100 g)
      depleted pFn by 89.3% but was unable to prevent the rebound elevation of pFn. The
      blood clearance of 125I-labeled pFn was very similar in control, sham, and
      experimental rats. In contrast, pFn synthesis over the 22-h period was
      dramatically altered and equal to 2.12 +/- 0.16, 3.40 +/- 0.56, and 4.49 +/- 0.17
      mg pFn synthesized/100 g body wt, in control, sham, and experimental rats
      respectively. Thus a rapid increase in pFn synthesis contributes to the rebound
      hyperfibronectinemia after sublethal surgical injury.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1415705
TI  - Role of prostaglandins in regulation of gastric mucosal blood flow and acid
      secretion.
AB  - The role of prostaglandins in the rat gastric mucosal vascular response to acid
      stimulation was studied. Blood flow was measured with laser-Doppler flowmetry
      (LDF) and with red blood cell velocity measurements in the superficial mucosa;
      acid secretion was determined by titration. Baseline acid output was calculated
      to be 0.026 +/- 0.011 mueq/min. Pentagastrin (20 and 40 micrograms.kg-1.h-1 iv)
      significantly increased acid output to 0.387 +/- 0.104 and 0.546 +/- 0.220
      mueq/min and LDF to 119 +/- 10 and 132 +/- 13% of control, respectively. LDF was
      significantly reduced by 15% after indomethacin (3 mg/kg iv) and was not changed
      by pentagastrin, whereas acid secretion increased to similar levels as without
      indomethacin pretreatment. The H2-agonist impromidine (100 and 500 micrograms.kg
      1.h-1 iv) induced a dose-dependent increase in acid secretion (0.178 +/- 0.068
      and 0.330 +/- 0.072 mueq/min, respectively) while blood flow was unchanged.
      Despite a substantial blood flow reduction (-38%) by indomethacin, impromidine
      did not alter blood flow, and acid secretion was dose dependently increased to
      similar values as without indomethacin pretreatment. These results provide
      further evidence that there is not necessarily any correlation between blood flow
      and acid secretion and that the pentagastrin-induced blood flow increase depends
      on prostaglandin release.

PMID- 1415706
TI  - Intestinal myoelectrical activity and transit time in chronic portal
      hypertension.
AB  - This study was designed to determine the effects of portal hypertension on
      intestinal myoelectrical activity and propulsion. In a single surgery, adult rats
      were implanted with a serosal electrode at each quarter of the small intestine,
      and portal hypertension was produced by calibrated constriction of the portal
      vein. To determine intestinal transit, portal vein-stenosed (PVS) and sham
      operated animals were chronically implanted with a catheter in the proximal small
      intestine. Transit time was determined by measuring the progression of
      radioactive chromium along the bowel. Studies were conducted 6, 9, and 14 days
      after surgical preparation. Portal hypertension was associated with both
      transient and persistent changes in intestinal myoelectrical activity during the
      experimental period. Slow wave frequency was significantly reduced in the
      proximal small intestine on all test days and in the distal small intestine on
      day 14. Occurrence of the migrating myoelectric complex was reduced on days 6 and
      9. Phase III amplitude was significantly reduced in the distal small intestine on
      all test days. Changes in intestinal myoelectrical activity in PVS animals were
      not associated with measurable changes in intestinal propulsion. The results
      suggest that both transient and persistent changes in intestinal myoelectrical
      activity occur during the 2-wk period after portal vein stenosis. The functional
      significance of the changes is unknown.

PMID- 1415707
TI  - Intestinal uptake and lymphatic absorption of beta-carotene in ferrets: a model
      for human beta-carotene metabolism.
AB  - To determine the appropriateness of the ferret as a model for human beta-carotene
      (beta-C) metabolism, we have perfused both 15,15'-beta-[14C]C and unlabeled beta
      C through the upper 30-cm portion of the small intestine of ferrets in vivo. The
      effluents of a mesenteric lymph duct cannulation and a common bile duct
      cannulation, as well as portal vein blood periodically sampled via an indwelling
      catheter, were collected. Ten percent (9.5 +/- 0.06%) of the total administered
      beta-C was taken up by the intestine after a 4-h perfusion. Of the radioactivity
      taken up, 68.6 +/- 6.5% remained in the intestinal mucosa, 3.2 +/- 0.2% was
      recovered in the lymph, and 28.2 +/- 6.5% (calculated) was absorbed via the
      portal system. The total uptake/absorption of beta-C was 12.9 +/- 6.8 nmol.h-1.30
      cm intestine-1. Large amounts of unchanged beta-C and relatively small amounts of
      both beta-apo-12'-carotenal and beta-apo-10'-carotenal were isolated in the
      intestinal mucosa after a 4-h perfusion with beta-C. Considerable amounts of
      metabolites more polar than retinol were formed and comprised 35% of the total
      radioactivity recovered in the intestinal mucosa. Polar metabolites were absorbed
      mostly into the portal venous system, whereas retinol and retinyl esters were
      absorbed mainly into the mesenteric lymph. Of the total absorbed radioactivity in
      lymph, 10 +/- 1.0% appeared as unchanged beta-C, with peak absorption occurring
      at 3 h after beginning the perfusion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415708
TI  - Role of adenosine in postprandial and reactive hyperemia in canine jejunum.
AB  - The role of adenosine in postprandial jejunal hyperemia was investigated by
      determining the effect of placement of predigested food into the jejunal lumen on
      blood flow and oxygen consumption before and during intra-arterial infusion of
      dipyridamole (1.5 microM arterial concn) or adenosine deaminase (9 U/ml arterial
      concn) in anesthetized dogs. Neither drug significantly altered resting jejunal
      blood flow and oxygen consumption. Before dipyridamole or deaminase, food
      placement increased blood flow by 30-36%, 26-42%, and 21-46%, and oxygen
      consumption by 13-22%, 21-22%, and 26-29%, during 0- to 3-, 4- to 7-, and 8- to
      11-min placement periods, respectively. Adenosine deaminase abolished the entire
      11-min hyperemia, whereas dipyridamole significantly enhanced the initial 7-min
      hyperemia (45-49%). Both drugs abolished the initial 7-min food-induced increase
      in oxygen consumption. Dipyridamole attenuated (14%), whereas deaminase did not
      alter (28%), the increased oxygen consumption that occurred at 8-11 min.
      Adenosine deaminase also prevented the food-induced increase in venoarterial
      adenosine concentration difference. In separate series of experiments, luminal
      placement of food significantly increased jejunal lymphatic adenosine
      concentration and release. Also, reactive hyperemia was accompanied by an
      increase in venous adenosine concentration and release. This study provides
      further evidence to support the thesis that adenosine plays a role in
      postprandial and reactive hyperemia in the canine jejunum.

PMID- 1415709
TI  - Effect of putrescine on S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase in a small intestinal
      crypt cell line.
AB  - Two key enzymes in polyamine biosynthesis are ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and S
      adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC). SAMDC decarboxylates S
      adenosylmethionine, which then donates aminopropyl groups for spermidine and
      spermine synthesis. The purpose of our study was to determine whether putrescine,
      taken up from medium or synthesized endogenously by ODC, alters SAMDC activity.
      Studies were conducted in the IEC-6 cell line derived from rat small intestinal
      crypt cells. Cells were grown in Dulbecco's minimal essential medium containing
      5% dialyzed fetal bovine serum (dFBS). They were deprived of serum for 24 h
      before experiments. Basal SAMDC activity was increased significantly by > or =
      10(-4) M of putrescine. Lower doses had no significant effect. The same doses of
      putrescine decreased ODC activity to near zero. Asparagine at 10 mM or 5% dFBS
      not only stimulated ODC activity and the intracellular putrescine levels but also
      increased significantly SAMDC activity as well. ODC activity peaked at 3 h, and
      the maximum level of SAMDC occurred 3-4 h after exposure to asparagine or serum.
      Treatment with DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), a specific ODC inhibitor,
      prevented the increases in both cellular putrescine levels and SAMDC activity in
      asparagine- and serum-treated cells. In the presence of DFMO, exogenous
      putrescine returned SAMDC activity toward control levels but had no effect on
      ODC. A very slight increase of SAMDC half-life in IEC-6 cells grown in the
      presence of putrescine was not statistically significant.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415710
TI  - Effects of fractionated doses of ionizing radiation on colonic motor activity.
AB  - The colonic motor effects of fractionated irradiation were studied in five
      conscious dogs. Seven colonic and two ileal strain gauge transducers were
      implanted. After control recordings, an abdominal dose of 250 cGy was
      administered three times a week on alternate days for three successive weeks
      (total dose 2,250 cGy). Recordings were then continued for 3 wk after the
      completion of radiation. Colonic giant migrating contractions (GMCs) occurred at
      a frequency of 0.15 +/- 0.05 contractions/h in the control state. Only one of
      these contractions (8.3%) originated in the small bowel and propagated into the
      colon. Abdominal field irradiation significantly increased the incidence of
      colonic GMCs to 0.51 +/- 0.11 contractions/h (P < 0.05). Fifty-four percent of
      GMCs originated in the small intestine. GMCs during the radiation schedule were
      associated with explosive diarrhea on seven occasions. Irradiation did not alter
      the frequency of colonic migrating motor complexes, but the mean duration of
      contractile states decreased in the middle and distal colon. Diarrhea occurred as
      early as the second dose of radiation. Pathological changes in the colon were
      correlated with motor activity. Both small intestinal and colonic GMCs reverted
      to control frequencies after cessation of radiation exposure. Abdominal
      irradiation significantly altered the contractile activity of the colon. These
      changes are associated with abdominal cramping and diarrhea.

PMID- 1415711
TI  - Response of migrating motor complex to variation of fasting intraluminal content.
AB  - The characteristics of the phases of the migrating motor complex (MMC) were
      studied in the antrum, duodenum, and jejunum after alteration of intraluminal gas
      and acaloric fluid in 17 healthy volunteers. Aspiration of gas and fluid from the
      upper gastrointestinal tract reduced motor activity. In the antrum and duodenum,
      phase II contraction amplitude decreased, while in the duodenum and jejunum, the
      duration of phase II decreased and phase I increased. Phase III contraction
      frequency decreased in the duodenum only. Intragastric instillation of gas caused
      an increase of phase II duration and contraction amplitude in all regions.
      Similar effects were observed after intragastric instillation of fluid. Fasting
      periodic motor activity is responsive to volume changes of intraluminal gas and
      acaloric liquid content.

PMID- 1415712
TI  - Ontogeny of intestinal lactase: posttranslational regulation by thyroxine.
AB  - To assess the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of lactase ontogeny
      by thyroxine (T4), we performed an in vivo study of lactase catalytic activity,
      synthesis, subunit structure, degradation, and enterocyte migration rates in
      propylthiouracil-induced hypothyroid rat pups, hypothyroid pups injected with T4,
      and normally weaned rats. Although lactase catalytic activity remained elevated
      in the hypothyroid rats and declined normally in the other two groups, lactase
      synthesis was constant among the groups. Lactase subunit structure was identical
      in normally weaned and T4-injected animals, but the 100-kDa moiety,
      characteristic of weaned rats, was absent in the hypothyroid pups. The turnover
      of lactase enzyme was more rapid in euthyroid and T4-injected rats than in
      hypothyroid animals (t1/2 = 17, 20, and 30 h, respectively). In addition,
      enterocyte migration was accelerated in the T4-injected rats and reduced in the
      hypothyroid group compared with controls. However, transit rate was not directly
      related to lactase activity. Our results suggest that T4 regulates lactase
      ontogeny by posttranslational mechanisms that include altered processing and
      increased degradation of the lactase enzyme.

PMID- 1415713
TI  - Pharmacology of portal-systemic collaterals in portal hypertensive rats: role of
      endothelium.
AB  - The portal-systemic collateral circulation of portal hypertensive rats was
      studied. The collaterals were perfused through the mesenteric vein with Krebs
      solution, which was allowed to escape through the jugular veins. The portal
      collateral resistance can be quantitated from slopes of the pressure-flow
      relationships. In collaterals perfused at constant flow, both norepinephrine (NE)
      and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) increased the perfusion pressure. Phentolamine
      caused surmountable antagonism of the constrictor effects of NE, suggesting an
      involvement of alpha-adrenoceptors. The effects of 5-HT were competitively
      blocked by the 5-HT2 receptor-selective antagonist ICI 169,369. Isoproterenol
      dilated NE-preconstricted collaterals. The effect of isoproterenol was blocked by
      propranolol, demonstrating that the effect was mediated by beta-adrenoceptors.
      Acetylcholine (ACh) dilated NE-preconstricted collaterals. The dilatation effect
      of ACh was absent in collaterals in which the endothelium was removed. The
      competitive inhibitor of the nitric oxide synthase, N omega-nitro-L-arginine (L
      NNA), increased collateral resistance and prevented the ACh-induced dilatation of
      the collaterals. The constrictor response to L-NNA and the blockade of the ACh
      induced relaxation by both L-NNA and removal of endothelium are consistent with
      an involvement of nitric oxide. This experimental model can thus be used to
      explore the pathophysiological and the pharmacological properties of the
      collateral venous bed in portal hypertensive states.

PMID- 1415714
TI  - Diaphragmatic contribution to gastroesophageal competence and reflux in dogs.
AB  - Events associated with gastroesophageal reflux have been determined by concurrent
      diaphragmatic and esophageal body electromyography, video radiography, and
      manometry in four conscious dogs. Three characteristic phenomena occurred in
      parallel immediately before and during gastroesophageal reflux: 1) transient
      lower esophageal sphincter relaxation, 2) profound (99.5%) and selective
      inhibition of crural diaphragmatic activity, and 3) a previously unrecognized
      dorsal movement of the gastroesophageal junction (mean 1.3 cm) demonstrated by
      implanted radiological markers. The patterns associated with spontaneous acid and
      gas reflux were indistinguishable from those induced by gastric distension.
      Costolumbar diaphragmatic activity was stable up until the instant of sphincter
      opening, when there was a single costolumbar contraction of short duration and
      high amplitude. Esophageal shortening did not occur before reflux. Reflux that
      occurred after atropine-induced inhibition of lower esophageal sphincter tone to
      < 2 mmHg was intermittent and coincided with selective crural inhibition. These
      studies demonstrated that selective crural inhibition is a prerequisite for
      gastroesophageal reflux and suggest that the crural diaphragm is an important
      factor for the maintenance of gastroesophageal competence.

PMID- 1415715
TI  - Effects of NH4Cl and dimethylamine on Cl- fluxes in resting and stimulated rat
      submandibular acinar cells.
AB  - Transmembrane movements of K+ and Cl- in salivary acinar cells are important in
      the formation of saliva, and may be affected by changes in intracellular pH
      (pHi). Exposure to NH4Cl increases pHi transiently, but NH4+ may have effects
      independent of pHi. To investigate how Cl- transport may be altered under these
      conditions, rat submandibular acini were exposed to NH4Cl, and transmembrane Cl-
      transport was studied with 36Cl-. NH4Cl increased intracellular Cl- in these
      cells. The initial phase of this increase was partially HCO(3-)-dependent and was
      inhibited by 1 mM 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS), while
      the sustained phase was inhibited by 0.1 mM bumetanide. NH4Cl also inhibited
      acetylcholine-induced Cl- efflux from tracer preloaded cells. Changes in pH did
      not always correlate in time or extent with those of Cl- transport. We conclude
      that 1) exposure to NH4Cl increases Cl-uptake primarily by a bumetanide-sensitive
      transport system that did not reach steady state during the experiment, 2)
      exposure to NH4Cl also stimulates Cl- uptake by a DIDS-sensitive mechanism, and
      3) only the latter is pHi sensitive.

PMID- 1415716
TI  - Mouse hepatocyte membrane potential and chloride activity during osmotic stress.
AB  - Hepatocyte transmembrane potential (Vm) during osmotic stress responds as an
      osmometer, in part because of changes in membrane K+ conductance. This may
      contribute to the electromotive force that drives transmembrane Cl- fluxes. To
      test this, double-barreled ion-sensitive microelectrodes were used to measure
      changes in steady-state intracellular Cl- activity (aiCl) during osmotic stress
      applied to mouse liver slices. Hyperosmotic and hyposmotic conditions were
      created by rapidly switching to a solution in which sucrose concentrations were
      increased or reduced, respectively. Hyperosmotic stress [1.4 x control osmolality
      (280 mosmol/kgH2O)] decreased hepatocyte Vm 46% from -39 +/- 1 to -21 +/- 1 mV
      (SE; n = 16 animals). Corresponding aiCl increased twofold from 19 +/- 2 to 38 +/
      3 mM. This shifted the Cl- equilibrium potential (ECl) 19 mV, from -38 +/- 0.3
      to -19 +/- 2 mV. Hyposmotic stress [0.71 x control osmolality (290 mosmol/kgH2O)]
      increased hepatocyte Vm 64% from -28 +/- 1 to -46 +/- 1 mV (SE; n = 13 animals).
      Corresponding aiCl decreased 0.53-fold from 17 +/- 1 to 8 +/- 1 mM. This shifted
      the ECl 20 mV from -26 +/- 2 to -46 +/- 3 mV. Thus hepatocyte aiCl is in
      electrochemical equilibrium with Vm. The paired measurements above were repeated
      after addition of K(+)-channel blockers quinine or Ba2+. Ba2+ (2 mM) had no
      effect on either Vm or aiCl during hyperosmotic stress; however, Ba2+
      significantly inhibited changes in Vm and aiCl during hyposmotic stress. Effects
      of quinine (0.5 mM) on Vm and aiCl during both hyperosmotic stress and hyposmotic
      stress were similar to those of Ba2+.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415717
TI  - Vulnerability of intestinal interstitial fluid to oxidant stress.
AB  - The objective of this study was to quantify free radical-mediated lipid, protein,
      and sulfhydryl oxidation in intestinal interstitial fluid (lymph) and plasma of
      fasted rats. Free radicals and oxidants were generated either by thermal
      decomposition of 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane)hydrochloride (AAPH), which yields
      peroxyl radicals, or by activated polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs).
      Incubation of intestinal lymph with AAPH resulted in a time-dependent increase in
      the formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS; lipid
      peroxidation) and carbonyl content (protein oxidation). TBARS formation was
      completely inhibited by removal of the apo B-containing lipoproteins in lymph
      suggesting that very low-density lipoprotein is the major substrate for lipid
      peroxidation in fasted interstitial fluid. The sulfhydryl content of lymph was
      reduced significantly on exposure to the peroxyl radical generator. Incubation
      with activated PMNs revealed qualitatively similar changes in protein and
      sulfhydryl oxidation; however, there was no detectable TBARS formation. Exposure
      of plasma to AAPH produced similar increases in protein and sulfhydryl oxidation
      when plasma protein concentration was adjusted to that of lymph; however, TBARS
      formation was significantly lower compared with lymph. Incubation of dialyzed
      plasma with AAPH produced significantly greater amounts of TBARS. Taken together,
      our data suggest that plasma is more resistant to AAPH-induced lipid peroxidation
      than interstitial fluid and the substrate for TBARS formation in intestinal
      interstitial fluid is different from that of plasma.

PMID- 1415718
TI  - Antibodies to tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibit liver regeneration after
      partial hepatectomy.
AB  - Certain cytokines that are produced in liver may act as growth factors to
      facilitate wound healing and, hence, may influence liver regeneration. However,
      this hypothesis has not been directly tested. To determine whether the cytokine
      response evoked by partial hepatectomy (PH) modulates the process of liver
      regeneration, adult male rats were injected intraperitoneally with either goat
      polyclonal antibodies to rat tumor necrosis factor (TNF; 15 micrograms/g body wt)
      or an equal amount of goat anti-rat immunoglobulin G 1 h before PH. Animals were
      killed at 12, 24, 48, or 72 h post-PH, 1 h after injection with [3H]thymidine.
      Serum TNF levels were measured with the L929 cytotoxicity assay, titers of
      antibody to TNF were determined by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay, and
      interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations were measured by B9 cell bioassay. Liver
      regeneration was assessed by [3H]thymidine incorporation into hepatic DNA and by
      immunohistochemical evidence of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)
      expression. Antibodies to TNF were detected in treated rats but not in controls.
      Titers were highest at 12 h and progressively fell. Although TNF was never
      detected in serum, treatment with anti-TNF pre-PH significantly inhibited
      increases in serum IL-6 concentration post-PH. Anti-TNF pretreatment also
      inhibited [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA, as well as expression of PCNA by
      both hepatocytes and liver nonparenchymal cells. These data indicate that TNF
      positively modulates liver regeneration after PH.

PMID- 1415719
TI  - Mucins: structure, function, and role in pulmonary diseases.
AB  - Mucins, major components of the extracellular mucus blanket that protect and
      lubricate mammalian epithelia, are high-molecular-mass glycoconjugates (154 to >
      or = 7,000 kDa) with hundreds of oligosaccharide chains in O-glycosidic linkages
      to a protein backbone. The apparent expression of more than one type of
      oligosaccharide core structure in mucins isolated from pathological material may
      reflect either inherent limitations in analysis, disease-related alterations in
      parameters affecting glycosylation and post-translational modifications (e.g.,
      nucleotide-sugar concentrations, expression of specific glycosyltransferases,
      rates of transport through the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi) or the activation
      of mucin protein genes that are more highly expressed in disease states with
      different glycosylation patterns. Recent studies have revealed the existence of a
      family of at least four human mucin proteins; MUC1, MUC2, MUC3, MUC4, each of
      which contains a variable number of tandem repeats that differ in sequence and
      size. Full-length sequences of cDNA clones encoding human mucin proteins are
      currently available only for MUC1 which, in contrast to most airway and
      intestinal mucins, is membrane associated and not secreted. Current information
      on mucin oligosaccharides and proteins is reviewed herein. More detailed
      knowledge of the protein and oligosaccharide structures of mucins will be
      important in identifying specific role(s) in health and disease, i.e., in the
      physiological functions of mucus.

PMID- 1415720
TI  - H2O2 injury causes Ca(2+)-dependent and -independent hydrolysis of
      phosphatidylcholine in alveolar epithelial cells.
AB  - Oxidants may play a central role in the pathogenesis of adult respiratory
      distress syndrome, and phospholipase activation is a potential mechanism of
      oxidant-induced injury of alveolar epithelial cells. Studies were performed in
      rat alveolar type II epithelial cells (RAEC) after 3 days in culture. As measured
      by 51Cr and lactate dehydrogenase release, H2O2 caused time- and dose-dependent
      cytotoxicity to RAEC. RAEC phospholipids labeled with [14C]-stearic acid
      ([14C]SA) and [3H]arachidonic acid ([3H]AA) released free fatty acids in response
      to H2O2 in a manner that closely paralleled the cytotoxicity indexes. Analysis of
      phospholipid subclasses indicated that phosphatidylcholine was preferentially
      affected. Analysis for putative products of phospholipase activity revealed
      significant increases in diacylglycerol and phosphorylcholine, expected products
      of phospholipase C, as well as significant increases in L-alpha
      lysophosphatidylcholine and L-alpha-glycerophosphocholine, expected products of
      phospholipase A2. Increases in phospholipase D activity were not detected. To
      determine whether H2O2-stimulated phospholipase activity might be Ca2+
      stimulated, RAEC were loaded with fura-2/AM, and changes in intracellular Ca2+
      concentrations ([Ca2+]i) were monitored by epifluorescent microscopy. Exposure to
      H2O2 caused elevations in [Ca2+]i, and the time and dose relationships were
      consistent with the hypothesis that the release of [14C]SA and [3H]AA is related
      to changes in cellular Ca2+ concentrations. Additionally, pretreatment with
      MAPTAM, an intracellular chelator of calcium, partially blocked H2O2-mediated
      [3H]AA liberation. However, experiments in saponin-permeabilized RAEC, in which
      [Ca2+]i was strongly buffered by ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)
      N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid, indicate that H2O2-induced phospholipase activity
      also has a Ca(2+)-independent component.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415721
TI  - Respiratory activity of lung mitochondria isolated from oxygen-exposed rats.
AB  - The effects of in vivo oxygen exposure on mitochondrial energy metabolism were
      assessed by measurements of ADP-stimulated rates of oxygen utilization in lung
      homogenates and mitochondria isolated from rats after 24 h of exposure to 100%
      oxygen. Oxygen utilizations supported by FAD-linked metabolism of succinate and
      alpha-glycerophosphate were unaffected by oxygen exposure. On the other hand,
      mitochondrial respiratory activities supported by the NAD-linked substrates,
      isocitrate and alpha-ketoglutarate, were significantly reduced by 32 and 25%,
      respectively. These results could not be explained by changes in mitochondrial
      pyridine nucleotide or calcium contents. The activity of mitochondrial isocitrate
      dehydrogenase, measured in the absence of respiratory chain activity, was shown
      to be unaltered by oxygen exposure, suggesting that a potential site of oxygen
      induced impairment is located within the respiratory chain rather than at the
      enzyme site of reducing equivalent transfer from NAD to components of the
      respiratory chain. Because lung mitochondrial alpha-glycerophosphate
      dehydrogenase activity was unaffected by oxygen exposure, it may maintain the
      oxidation of cytosolic reducing equivalents and subsequent energy generation
      under conditions when NAD-linked proton-shuttle mechanisms are impaired.

PMID- 1415722
TI  - Intact lung cytochrome P-450 is not required for hypoxic pulmonary
      vasoconstriction.
AB  - Lung cytochrome P-450 has been suggested to play a role in hypoxic pulmonary
      vasoconstriction. We reexamined this hypothesis using specific suicide substrate
      inhibitors of cytochrome P-450, 1-aminobenzotriazole (1-ABT), and
      chloramphenicol. In isolated, blood-perfused rat lungs, 1-ABT (0.5 mg/ml) and
      chloramphenicol (1 mg/ml) inhibited lung microsomal cytochrome P-450
      (ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase) activity to 24 and 44% of control, respectively,
      and blunted hypoxia and angiotensin II-induced vasoconstriction. The depression
      of vascular contraction by 1-ABT was not due to an effect on calcium channels,
      since similar concentrations of 1-ABT had no inhibitory activity on electrical
      field-stimulated contractile response in rabbit papillary muscle strips. However,
      when 1-ABT was washed out of the lung after preincubation, the vascular
      reactivity to hypoxia and angiotensin II was restored despite persistent
      depression of lung cytochrome P-450 activity to 26% of control values. In
      isolated rat aortic and pulmonary arterial rings, addition of 1-ABT or metyrapone
      to the organ bath acutely reversed norepinephrine-induced contraction but
      preincubation with 1-ABT, metyrapone, or chloramphenicol had no effect on
      subsequent norepinephrine contractions. We conclude that 1-ABT inhibited lung
      vascular reactivity by a mechanism independent of cytochrome P-450 inhibition or
      calcium channel blockade and that an intact lung cytochrome P-450 system is not
      required for hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in rat lungs.

PMID- 1415723
TI  - Influence of growth oxygen level on eicosanoid release from lung endothelial
      cells during hypoxia.
AB  - Eicosanoid products of arachidonic acid are suspected modulators of hypoxic
      vasoconstriction in the pulmonary vasculature. Vascular endothelial cells (EC)
      release several eicosanoids, but there is disagreement regarding the effect of
      hypoxia on EC eicosanoid release. We postulated that the oxygen level of growth
      in culture might influence the release of eicosanoids during acute hypoxia. We
      studied EC cultured from the main pulmonary arteries of pigs and grown at either
      5% or near 20% oxygen, representing the normal limits of oxygen exposure to
      endothelium in normal lungs. Although cultures grown in 5% oxygen grew slightly
      faster by 4 days, the confluent cell number, protein content, and baseline
      eicosanoid release were no different compared with paired cultures grown in 20%
      oxygen. However, with an acute decrease in oxygen level, cultures grown in 5%
      oxygen released less prostaglandin E2, F2 alpha, and 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha
      compared with amounts released at the growth oxygen level. In contrast, cultures
      grown in 20% oxygen released increased amounts of these eicosanoids compared with
      release at the growth oxygen level. Release of thromboxane B2 was not
      significantly different during hypoxia between cultures grown at 5% vs. 20%
      oxygen. In other experiments, cyclooxygenase activity, stimulated arachidonic
      acid release by calcium ionophore A23187, and uptake of arachidonic acid were no
      different in cultures grown at 5% vs. 20% oxygen. However, arachidonic acid
      release during hypoxia was reduced in 5% cultures and increased in 20%
      cultures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415724
TI  - Rat lung antioxidant enzymes: differences in perinatal gene expression and
      regulation.
AB  - The lung activity of the antioxidant enzymes (AOEs) copper, zinc superoxide
      dismutase (Cu,Zn SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GP), but not
      manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn SOD), increases in rats during late gestation;
      the concentrations of Cu,Zn SOD mRNA and CAT mRNA also rise. During early
      postnatal exposure to > 95% O2, the lung activity of Cu,Zn SOD, CAT, and GP
      increases. We now show 1) the lung concentration of Mn SOD mRNA and GP mRNA does
      not increase in late gestation; 2) Mn SOD activity and the concentration of its
      mRNA and of GP mRNA increase during exposure of neonatal rats to > 95% O2; and 3)
      as previously shown for CAT mRNA, the increase in lung concentration of the mRNAs
      for Cu,Zn SOD, Mn SOD, and GP during early postnatal hyperoxia occurs with a 70
      80% prolongation of the half-life of these mRNAs. We conclude that 1) in late
      gestation the level at which lung AOE gene expression is regulated differs among
      the enzymes, 2) the level at which lung AOE gene expression is regulated shortly
      after birth in response to > 95% O2 is uniform among the enzymes, and 3) the
      lung's AOE response to neonatal hyperoxia is not merely a step-up of its prenatal
      regulation but involves different regulatory mechanisms based on increased
      stability of AOE mRNAs.

PMID- 1415725
TI  - Cigarette smoking decreases bioactive interleukin-6 secretion by alveolar
      macrophages.
AB  - Studies suggest smokers have decreased alveolar macrophage (AM) accessory cell
      (AC) function and a reduced incidence of immune-mediated lung diseases such as
      sarcoidosis. Impaired AM secretion of cytokines important in T-cell immune
      responses could explain this observation. We investigated production and
      secretion of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in smokers and
      nonsmokers. Lipopolysaccharide-induced AM IL-1 secretion in smokers was
      significantly reduced compared with nonsmoker AM. However, intracellular IL-1 in
      smoker AM was higher than in nonsmokers, suggesting that reduced IL-1 secretion
      was due to impaired release rather than reduced production. Smoker AM secreted
      significantly less bioactive IL-6 measured in a bioassay compared with nonsmoker
      AM. Intracellular IL-6 was virtually undetectable in both groups. In some smokers
      IL-6 production determined by immunoprecipitation was reduced. However, as a
      group antigenic IL-6 secretion determined by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay
      was similar in smokers and nonsmokers, suggesting that smoker AM may cosecrete an
      inhibitor of IL-6 bioactivity. Indeed, AM supernatants from smokers inhibited B9
      proliferation in response to maximal recombinant IL-6 stimulation, whereas
      supernatants from nonsmokers did not. We conclude that AM from smokers secrete
      less cytokines important in T-cell proliferation than AM from nonsmokers and
      suggest that for IL-6 this impairment is related to both decreased production of
      antigenic protein as well as cosecretion of an IL-6 inhibitor.

PMID- 1415726
TI  - Intracellular processing of pulmonary surfactant protein B in an
      endosomal/lysosomal compartment.
AB  - The hydrophobic surfactant protein B (SP-B) is synthesized in alveolar type II
      cells as a 40-kDa precursor protein that is processed via 39- and 23-kDa
      intermediates to the mature 8-kDa size. To determine the site of SP-B processing,
      the subcellular distribution of the precursor and mature forms of SP-B was
      investigated on ultrathin cryosections of human lung using two polyclonal
      antibodies that discriminate between precursor forms and the mature form of SP-B.
      An antibody against the human lysosomal membrane glycoprotein CD63 was used to
      identify organelles in the endosomal/lysosomal pathway. Precursor SP-B was
      present in the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi complex, and multivesicular
      bodies but was absent from lamellar bodies and plasma membrane. Mature SP-B was
      present in multivesicular bodies and lamellar bodies but almost completely absent
      in the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi complex. Semiquantitative evaluation
      of the immunogold labeling by counting the gold particles representing precursor
      or mature SP-B in the different compartments showed that the mature-to-precursor
      ratio was low in the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi complex (0.13 and 0.11,
      respectively), increased in the multivesicular bodies to 3.4, and was very high
      (65) in lamellar bodies. Multivesicular bodies and lamellar bodies contain the
      lysosomal membrane marker CD63 and are therefore part of the lysosomal pathway.
      These data strongly suggest that precursor SP-B is proteolytically processed to
      its mature 8-kDa form intracellularly in an endosomal/lysosomal compartment, most
      probably in multivesicular bodies.

PMID- 1415728
TI  - Differential effect of platelet-derived growth factor on glycosaminoglycan
      synthesis by fetal rat lung cells.
AB  - Lung morphogenesis is in part regulated by extracellular matrix (ECM), and
      cytokines may indirectly control lung development via modulation of ECM. In the
      present study, we investigated the effect of different platelet-derived growth
      factor (PDGF) isoforms AA, AB, and BB on the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans
      (GAG) by fetal rat lung cells. Independent of gestational age, PDGF-BB, but not
      PDGF-AA or -AB, stimulated GAG synthesis of fetal lung fibroblasts. In contrast,
      GAG synthesis by epithelial cells was not affected by any of the PDGF molecules.
      The stimulatory effect of PDGF-BB on fibroblast GAG biosynthesis was dose (> 10
      ng/ml) and time (> 8 h) dependent. The relative proportion of the individual GAG
      molecules was not altered by PDGF-BB exposure. Blockage of tyrosine kinase
      activity with staurosporine did abolish the effect of PDGF-BB on fibroblast GAG
      formation. Actinomycin D and cycloheximide did not abrogate the PDGF-BB effect,
      suggesting that no new RNA or protein synthesis is required. The proteoglycan
      synthesis blocker, beta-D-xyloside, also did not inhibit the PDGF-BB action on
      fibroblast GAG synthesis. These data suggest that the effect of PDGF on GAG
      synthesis is cell type and isoform specific and is most likely a direct effect on
      the GAG chain elongation enzymes.

PMID- 1415727
TI  - Mechanisms of fibrin formation and lysis by human lung fibroblasts: influence of
      TGF-beta and TNF-alpha.
AB  - Fibrin gels form within the alveolar and interstitial compartments of the injured
      lung, and fibroblasts invade and facilitate organization of these transitional
      gels. We studied the effects of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and
      tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on fibrinolytic and procoagulant
      activities of human lung fibroblasts (HLF) to determine their capacity to
      regulate pulmonary fibrin deposition. Fibrinolytic activity of cell lysates and
      media (n = 6 HLF cultures) were uniformly depressed by TGF-beta or TNF-alpha. In
      dose and time-course studies, HLF plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) was
      increased by TGF-beta, whereas TNF-alpha induced release of PAI-1 into the media.
      HLF and media urokinase concentrations were depressed by TGF-beta, whereas
      urokinase was unchanged or increased by TNF-alpha. Tissue plasminogen activator
      was mainly cell associated and unchanged by TGF-beta or TNF-alpha. HLF
      antiplasmin activity was not detected. Plasma recalcification times of HLF media
      were decreased by TNF-alpha but unchanged by TGF-beta. These studies suggest that
      TGF-beta and TNF-alpha impair the ability of HLF to degrade fibrin by disturbing
      the balance of HLF plasminogen activators and PAI and that these cytokines
      concurrently leave unchanged or increase the capacity of HLF to initiate fibrin
      formation. Cytokines likely to occur in the injured lung induce abnormalities of
      fibrinolysis in HLF from adults; such abnormalities favor extravascular fibrin
      deposition, a characteristic feature of alveolitis.

PMID- 1415729
TI  - ANF inhibits norepinephrine-stimulated fluid absorption in rat proximal straight
      tubules.
AB  - We have previously shown that atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) only inhibits fluid
      absorption in the proximal straight tubule after the tissue has been exposed to
      angiotensin (ANG) II. In this paper, the interaction between ANF and
      norepinephrine (NE) in the proximal straight tubule was investigated. ANF alone
      (10(-9) M) added to the bath had no significant effect on fluid absorption. In
      contrast, when tubules were first treated with 10(-7) M NE, 10(-9) M ANF reduced
      fluid absorption from 0.63 +/- 0.09 to 0.41 +/- 0.04 nl.mm-1.min-1. NE alone
      stimulated fluid absorption by 33%. Dibutyryl-guanosine 3',5'-cyclic
      monophosphate (cGMP; 50 microM) mimicked the effects of ANF, reducing fluid
      absorption from 0.73 +/- 0.06 to 0.35 +/- 0.07 nl.mm-1.min-1 in NE-treated
      tubules. However, it had no effect on fluid absorption in the absence of NE.
      These studies suggest that 1) ANF can regulate fluid absorption in the proximal
      nephron; 2) this inhibition occurs only after transport has been stimulated by
      agents such as NE (or ANG II); 3) cGMP is part of the second messenger system of
      ANF in the rat proximal straight tubule; and 4) the primary interaction between
      ANF and NE (or ANG II) occurs in the second messenger cascades subsequent to
      steps that affect levels of cGMP.

PMID- 1415730
TI  - Effect of cold exposure and nutrient intake on sympathetic nervous system
      activity in rat kidney.
AB  - Renal sympathetic nervous system (SNS) responses to environmental temperature and
      diet were evaluated using [3H]norepinephrine ([3H]NE) turnover as the index of
      sympathetic activity. Pharmacological studies first demonstrated that renal NE
      was localized principally within storage granules of renal sympathetic nerves and
      regulated by central sympathetic outflow. Acute exposure to cold (4 degrees C),
      which increased cardiac SNS activity (P < 0.00005), had no effect on renal SNS. A
      48-h fast suppressed renal [3H]NE turnover by 37% (P = 0.00024) and cardiac
      [3H]NE turnover by 48% (P = 0.00608). Dietary supplementation with sucrose did
      not affect [3H]NE turnover in kidney in either of two separate experiments,
      although it increased cardiac NE turnover in both. On the other hand, lard
      feeding significantly increased [3H]NE turnover in both kidney and heart, whereas
      dietary protein supplementation exerted no effect on either renal or cardiac
      [3H]NE turnover. These studies demonstrate a unique pattern of sympathetic
      regulation in kidney, one which is highly responsive to fasting and dietary fat,
      but not to cold exposure or dietary sucrose.

PMID- 1415731
TI  - Effects of dietary protein and salt on rat renal osmolytes: covariation in urea
      and GPC contents.
AB  - Renal medullary cells contain high levels of (glycine) betaine,
      glycerophosphorylcholine (GPC), myo-inositol, and sorbitol. Two functions of
      these have been proposed: 1) that they are compatible osmolytes which regulate
      cell volume (against high external NaCl) without inhibiting proteins and 2) that
      methylamines (GPC and betaine) are counteracting osmolytes which stabilize
      proteins against perturbation from high renal urea. As a test of the latter,
      osmolyte contents in kidney medullas were measured in rats subjected to three
      types of dietary manipulation: 1) diets with protein and NaCl contents varied
      oppositely, 2) diets with a constant low NaCl and varied protein content, and 3)
      a low-calorie diet. With low-protein and low-calorie diets, only renal contents
      of urea, GPC, and inositol decreased; betaine and sorbitol contents increased
      such that contents of total nonurea organic osmolytes remained constant. With
      high-protein diets, only renal contents of sodium, urea, and GPC increased, with
      the latter giving total organic osmolytes a consistent correlation to sodium.
      Across all diets, the only consistent (linear) correlations were 1) between urea
      and GPC contents, supporting previous suggestions that GPC is the major
      counteractant to urea, and 2) between total organic osmolytes and sodium (but not
      urea) contents, as predicted by the compatible osmolytes hypothesis.

PMID- 1415732
TI  - Intrarenal handling of proteins in rats using fractional micropuncture technique.
AB  - Previous micropuncture studies on protein handling along the nephron could not
      exclude the possibility of contamination by extratubular proteins. Thus we
      developed a fractional micropuncture method. Renal tubules were punctured with an
      outer puncture pipette, into which an inner collection pipette was inserted
      repeatedly to collect tubular fluid, usually up to four fractions. The albumin
      concentration of tubular fluid was highest in the first fraction and gradually
      decreased to a constant level, indicating physiological albumin concentrations.
      On the other hand, low-molecular-weight protein (LMWP) concentrations showed no
      significant difference among the four fractions. By plotting the protein delivery
      in the fourth fraction along the nephron, glomerular filtrated protein
      concentrations were estimated by extrapolating the tubular fluid-to-plasma inulin
      concentration ratio into one. The glomerular filtrated albumin was 22.9
      micrograms/ml (0.00062 in filtration coefficient), and that of LMWP was 72.1
      (0.988). Albumin was almost evenly reabsorbed in early (37%) and late (34%)
      proximal convoluted tubules and the straight tubules (23%). On the other hand,
      LMWP was more strongly reabsorbed in the early proximal convoluted tubules (54%)
      than in the late ones (28%) or the straight portion (5%). The fractional
      micropuncture procedure provides direct evidence of protein handling along the
      nephron without extratubular protein contamination.

PMID- 1415733
TI  - Endothelin-1 is an autocrine factor in rat inner medullary collecting ducts.
AB  - Endothelin-1 (ET-1) may be an important factor in the regulation of inner
      medullary collecting duct (IMCD) physiology. This segment of the nephron
      synthesizes ET-1, expresses endothelin receptors, and responds to exogenous ET-1
      by reducing Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity and water transport. Taken together, these
      findings suggest an autocrine role for ET-1 in the regulation of IMCD function;
      however, because of the polarized nature of the IMCD, it is not known if ET-1
      secretion, receptors, and receptor activation occur on the same side of the cell.
      To examine this question, rat IMCD cells were grown to confluence on
      semipermeable membranes. These cells exhibited polar morphology with high
      transepithelial electrical resistances. Immunoreactive ET-1 was secreted
      primarily into the basolateral side. Furthermore, 125I-ET-1 bound predominantly
      to the basolateral surface. Finally, ET-1 (10(-8) M) stimulated prostaglandin E2
      production only when added to the basolateral side. These data indicate,
      therefore, that ET-1 is capable of autocrine regulation of IMCD cells and that
      this effect occurs predominantly on the basolateral side.

PMID- 1415734
TI  - Effect of vasoactive agents on induction of Egr-1 in rat mesangial cells:
      correlation with mitogenicity.
AB  - The early growth response gene 1 (Egr-1) is a member of the family of immediate
      early response genes. Egr-1 encodes a nuclear phosphoprotein that binds a
      specific nonameric DNA sequence through three zinc-finger domains and functions
      as a transcriptional activator. We tested whether the vasoactive agents platelet
      derived growth factor (PDGF), arginine vasopressin (AVP), serotonin (5-HT), and
      angiotensin II (ANG II) induced Egr-1 mRNA in cultured rat mesangial cells (MCs)
      and investigated the role of protein kinase C (PKC) in mediating the induction
      process. PDGF, AVP, and 5-HT induced Egr-1 mRNA within 15 min, reaching peak
      levels at 45-60 min. After PDGF and 5-HT stimulation, Egr-1 mRNA levels returned
      to baseline within 4 h, whereas AVP induced a sustained increase for up to 8 h.
      There was a very close correlation between doses required for Egr-1 induction and
      induction of MC proliferation. ANG II was a very weak MC mitogen and induced only
      a small increase in Egr-1 mRNA. Comparison of control cells with cells depleted
      of PKC by 48 h of PMA treatment revealed that induction of Egr-1 by PDGF and 5-HT
      is independent of PKC. In contrast, however, the Egr-1 response to AVP was
      diminished in PKC-depleted cells. AVP induced Egr-1 mRNA 10.9-fold in control
      cells, compared with 7.8-fold in PKC-depleted cells. Egr-1 mRNA after AVP
      stimulation remained elevated in control cells for up to 8 h but returned to
      baseline after 120 min in PKC-depleted cells. Similar results were obtained using
      the PKC-inhibitor H-7. Using immunocytochemistry, PDGF and AVP were found to
      induce Egr-1 protein within 30 min localized to the nucleus. We conclude that
      there is a strong correlation between induction of Egr-1 after stimulation with
      PDGF, AVP, 5-HT, and ANG II and the proliferative response elicited by these
      agents in MCs. AVP induces Egr-1 by both PKC-dependent and PKC-independent
      pathways, whereas the effects of PDGF and 5-HT are independent of PKC.

PMID- 1415735
TI  - Reversal of Na+ retention in chronic caval dogs by verapamil: contribution of
      medullary circulation.
AB  - The effects of verapamil on papillary plasma flow (PPF) and Na+ excretion were
      studied in anesthetized chronic caval dogs with low cardiac output and Na+
      retention. Infusion of verapamil into the left renal artery (5 and 10
      micrograms.kg-1.min-1) caused a dose-dependent ipsilateral increase in renal
      blood flow and Na+ excretion (from 10 +/- 2 to 171 +/- 32 and 225 +/- 35 mu
      eq/min, respectively). PPF in the left kidney was 26.6 +/- 4.4 and was
      significantly greater than that measured in the contralateral kidney (13.3 +/-
      2.4 ml.min-1.100 g-1) (P < 0.01). The natriuresis occurred independent of changes
      in cardiac output and peripheral vascular resistance. In a separate group of
      caval dogs in which stimulation of the renin-angiotensin and adrenergic systems
      was intensified with a tighter caval constriction, verapamil failed to induce
      renal vasodilation or natriuresis and PPF was not altered. Despite the disparate
      hemodynamic responses, verapamil stimulated renal production of both renin and
      prostaglandin E2 in both groups of caval dogs. We conclude that the ability of
      verapamil to induce papillary vasodilation may contribute to the natriuresis seen
      in the caval dog, in which the site of Na+ retention includes the loop of Henle.

PMID- 1415736
TI  - Diabetic rat glomerular mesangial cells display normal inositol trisphosphate and
      calcium release.
AB  - Since diabetes may cause cellular myo-inositol depletion, we investigated whether
      the observed in vitro hypocontractile response of streptozotocin (STZ)-treated
      rat glomeruli to angiotensin II (ANG II) is associated with an alteration in
      inositol trisphosphate (IP3) mobilization of intracellular Ca2+. Contraction of
      diabetic isolated glomeruli induced by ANG II (5 microM), measured in vitro by
      changes in the planar area, was reduced by 60%, compared with normal up to 60 min
      (P < 0.05). In cells of isolated glomeruli, preloaded with myo-[3H]inositol,
      production of [3H]inositol phosphates ([3H]IPs) and [3H]inositol trisphosphate
      ([3H]IP3) was analyzed by Dowex chromatography. ANG II (1 microM) evoked an
      immediate peak (5-10 s) in total [3H]IPs of 60.5 +/- 18.8% (mean +/- SE) above
      basal (nonstimulated state) in normal glomeruli, and 88.4 +/- 19.4% in diabetic
      condition [not significant (NS), n = 8]. At 60 s, the normal and diabetic total
      [3H]IPs responses were not significantly different from each other. The immediate
      (10 s) [3H]IP3 response from normal glomeruli, 8.1 +/- 7.9% above basal, was not
      significantly different from that of diabetic glomeruli, 15.7 +/- 7.4%. ANG II
      receptor-mediated rise in cytosolic Ca2+ in the cells of normal and diabetic
      isolated glomeruli was compared by measuring the efflux of 45Ca2+. Isolated
      glomeruli were preloaded with 45Ca2+. Following ANG II stimulation, peak 45Ca2+
      efflux values at 1 min were 141.7 +/- 15.9% (normal) vs. 143.7 +/- 7.8%
      (diabetic) of baseline (100%), respectively (NS, n = 4). Thapsigargin, 2 microM,
      specifically prevented ANG II-stimulated and IP3-mediated 45Ca2+ efflux (73%
      inhibition, P < 0.001) from cells of whole glomeruli.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1415737
TI  - Involvement and source of calcium in volume regulatory decrease of collapsed
      proximal convoluted tubule.
AB  - We examined the role of Ca2+ in the volume regulatory decrease (VRD) of rabbit
      collapsed proximal tubules. Reduction of bath osmolality by 125 mosmol/kgH2O led
      to an initial cell swelling of 62.3 +/- 7.5% followed by a partial regulatory
      phase bringing cell volume to a value of 13.3 +/- 2.9% above control (n = 5).
      This swelling was accompanied by a transient intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i)
      increase from 174 +/- 33 to 306 +/- 67 nM (P < 0.05, n = 8). In the same
      condition, but in absence of extracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]e) [1 mM ethylene glycol
      bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA)], VRD following
      hypotonic shock was identical to that observed in presence of [Ca2+]e (n = 5),
      and [Ca2+]i increased transiently from 136 +/- 29 to 161 +/- 31 nM (P < 0.05, n =
      5). Addition of 100 microM 8-(N,N-dimethylamino)octyl 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate
      hydrochloride (TMB-8), an agent known to inhibit Ca2+ release from intracellular
      stores, did not affect the initial cell swelling (63.4 +/- 4.2%), and VRD
      occurred to the same extent (25.0 +/- 7.1%, n = 4), although at a lower rate. In
      these conditions, [Ca2+]i, which was 113 +/- 30 nM in the isotonic solution,
      decreased progressively to 81 +/- 20 nM over the 5-min hypotonic period (n = 5).
      Mere preincubation with 100 microM TMB-8 before hypotonic shock led to a VRD
      identical to that observed in presence of Ca2+ and absence of TMB-8 while still
      blocking the Ca2+ release, with cell Ca2+ decreasing progressively from 179 +/-
      32 to 87 +/- 21 nM (n = 7).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415738
TI  - Inhibition of renin secretion from rat renal cortical slices by (R)-12-HETE.
AB  - The arachidonic acid metabolite 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE)
      inhibits renin secretion both in vivo and in vitro, but the enzymatic origin of
      the 12-HETE responsible for renin inhibition is unknown. These studies examined
      the effect of the 12-HETE stereoisomers (R)-12-HETE (a product of the cytochrome
      P-450 monooxygenase enzyme system) and (S)-12-HETE (a product of the lipoxygenase
      enzyme system) on basal and stimulated renin secretion from superficial cortical
      slices in the rat. First, rat cortex was shown to produce 12-HETE; chiral-phase
      high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that cortex produced 81% (S)-12
      HETE and 19% (R)-12-HETE. (R)-12-HETE reduced basal renin release by 28 +/- 4% to
      49 +/- 5% at concentrations of 10(-9) to 10(-7) M (P < 0.05 to 0.01). (S)-12-HETE
      did not significantly affect renin release. (R)-12-HETE also blunted
      isoproterenol-stimulated renin secretion (P < 0.05) at a concentration of 10(-6)
      M. 20-HETE, another cytochrome P-450 product, did not exert a significant effect
      on renin release. In summary, both (R)-12-HETE and (S)-12-HETE are synthesized by
      renal cortical tissue. Only (R)-12-HETE directly inhibits in vitro renin release.
      These findings suggest that the renal cytochrome P-450 enzyme system is capable
      of directly influencing local renin secretion.

PMID- 1415739
TI  - Fetal-maternal fluid and electrolyte relations during chronic fetal urine loss in
      sheep.
AB  - Our aim was to determine the effects of prolonged removal of fetal urine during
      late gestation on fetal-maternal fluid and electrolyte relationships. We measured
      the volume and composition of fetal urine and amniotic and allantoic fluids and
      the composition of fetal and maternal plasma in sheep before and during
      continuous urine drainage, which began at 130 days of gestation and continued
      until the onset of labor; a control group was also studied. The response to fetal
      urine drainage occurred in two phases. In the "acute" phase (1-3 days), amniotic
      and allantoic fluid volumes decreased significantly, presumably due to their
      reabsorption into the fetal chorionic circulation or swallowing of amniotic fluid
      by the fetus. During the "chronic" phase, starting 3-5 days after urine drainage,
      a significant reversal in the transplacental osmotic gradient occurred due to a
      decrease in maternal plasma osmolality. During the entire drainage period (14.1
      +/- 1.1 days, mean +/- SE, n = 5) at least 542 ml/day of water and 24 mmol/day of
      electrolytes passed from the mother into the fetal circulation and fetal plasma
      osmolality was unchanged. We conclude that, despite the loss of substantial water
      and electrolytes, the fetus is able to maintain its growth and fluid and
      electrolyte homeostasis by obtaining water and electrolytes initially from the
      amniotic and allantoic fluids and subsequently from its mother. The movement of
      water and electrolytes to the fetus would have been facilitated by the reversed
      transplacental osmotic gradient.

PMID- 1415740
TI  - Identification and localization of renal Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger by polymerase chain
      reaction.
AB  - The molecular identity of the renal Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger was determined by a
      homology-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cloning strategy. Rat kidney RNA
      was amplified by PCR, using oligonucleotide primers based on regions of low
      degeneracy in the published canine cardiac Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger cDNA sequence,
      and the products were subcloned and sequenced. A 452-bp clone (NCX1) was
      identified, which shares 89% nucleotide and 98% amino acid sequence identity with
      the canine cardiac exchanger, suggesting that they are products of the same gene.
      NCX1 was shown, by Northern analysis, to hybridize to an abundant major
      transcript of 7 kb and a minor one of approximately 14 kb both localized
      predominantly to kidney cortex. Microdissected tubule PCR analysis revealed that
      NCX1 was enriched in distal convoluted tubule compared with other cortical
      nephron segments. Such a location is consistent with a Na(+)-Ca2+ exchanger
      corresponding to NCX1 playing a major role in active Ca2+ reabsorption at this
      site.

PMID- 1415741
TI  - Altered synthesis of proteoglycans by cyst-derived cells from autosomal-dominant
      polycystic kidneys.
AB  - Normal human renal epithelial cells (NK) and cells from cysts of autosomal
      dominant polycystic kidneys (ADPKD) were radiolabeled with [35S]sulfate. A two-
      to three-fold decrease in the radioactivity incorporated into the proteoglycan
      (PG) fraction, as ascertained by tissue autoradiography and biochemical
      techniques, was observed in the ADPKD group. In subconfluent NK cells, PGs eluted
      as two peaks with different proportions of chondroitin sulfate (CS) and heparan
      sulfate (HS) in the cellular and media fractions. In the confluent stage, only a
      single major peak in the media and matrix fractions was seen and had variable
      proportions of CS and HS. In subconfluent ADPKD monolayers, cellular PGs eluted
      as two peaks, with the major peak of higher molecular weight compared with NK
      cells. In confluent stage, there was a single PG peak of a relatively higher
      molecular weight, with a variable increase in the proportions of CS vs. HS and
      lower charge-density characteristics. These findings indicate that size and
      species of PGs vary during subconfluent and confluent stages of culture and
      elucidate a defect in the biosynthesis of PGs in human ADPKD cells.

PMID- 1415742
TI  - Adriamycin nephropathy: a model to study effects of pregnancy on renal disease in
      rats.
AB  - The influence of pregnancy on the evolution of primary renal disease is still a
      matter of controversy. Hypertension and derangement of renal function may occur.
      The pathophysiology of these complications is poorly understood. In the present
      study, we assessed the influence of pregnancy on the evolution of adriamycin
      (Adr) nephropathy. Four groups of animals were studied: 1) control virgin rats
      (C), 2) normal pregnant rats (NP), 3) virgin rats with nephropathy (Adr), and 4)
      pregnant rats with nephropathy (Adr-P). Inulin clearance measured at the end of
      pregnancy in awake rats was similar in NP (1.68 +/- 0.20 ml/min) and C (1.39 +/-
      0.03 ml/min). In Adr-P rats, it tended to decrease (1.22 +/- 0.7 vs. 1.93 +/-
      0.44 ml/min in Adr rats). Mean arterial pressure was increased in Adr-P rats (137
      +/- 2.5 vs. 95 +/- 3.2 mmHg in NP; P < 0.001). Urinary protein excretion was 216
      +/- 61 mg/day in Adr-P compared with 28.7 +/- 18 mg/day in Adr (P < 0.001). A
      significant increase in the glomerular thromboxane B2-to-prostaglandin E2 ratio
      was found in Adr-P rats (1.15 +/- 0.26 vs. 0.52 +/- 0.12 in Adr rats; P < 0.03).
      In NP rats, no change was observed. Kidneys and placentas were normal on light
      and electron microscopy. Thus pregnant rats with adriamycin nephropathy developed
      a clinical picture with several features of preeclampsia. Changes in glomerular
      prostanoid synthesis might play a role in the development of this complication.

PMID- 1415743
TI  - Effect of changes in extracellular potassium on intracellular pH in principal
      cells of frog skin.
AB  - Intracellular pH (pHi), apical membrane potential (Va), and fractional apical
      membrane resistance (FRa) were measured in principal cells of isolated frog skin
      (Rana pipiens) with double-barreled microelectrodes under short-circuit and open
      circuit conditions. Basolateral exposure to high K+ concentration or Ba2+
      depolarized V(a), decreased short-circuit current, and increased FRa and pHi.
      However, an increase in K+ subsequent to Ba2+ application did not induce
      additional changes in these parameters. High basolateral K+, previously shown to
      increase apical K+ secretion (N. S. Bricker, T. Biber, and H. H. Ussing. J. Clin.
      Invest. 41: 88-99, 1963), also increased apical Na+ conductance. The
      depolarization and intracellular alkalinization induced by high K+ were also
      observed in absence of Na+, Cl-, and HCO3- and in presence of 4,4'
      diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid. Under all these conditions pHi moved
      toward electrochemical equilibrium. Reduced basolateral K+ hyperpolarized V(a)
      and decreased pHi. The data suggest that depolarization and hyperpolarization of
      the apical and/or basolateral membrane are associated with an increase and
      decrease, respectively, in pHi without involvement of Na(+)-H+, Cl(-)-HCO3-, or
      K(+)-H+ exchange and are apparently also independent of an active H+ secretion
      pathway. This indicates the presence of a potential-dependent H+ and/or OH-
      conductance in the apical and/or basolateral cell membrane that may play an
      important role in pHi regulation and signal transduction.

PMID- 1415744
TI  - Distribution and content of renin and renin mRNA in remnant kidney of adult rat.
AB  - To determine whether kidney hypertrophy secondary to reduction of renal mass
      affects the intrarenal distribution and concentration of renin mRNA and its
      protein, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were studied 4 wk after sham operation
      (Sham, n = 10), uninephrectomy (UNX, n = 14), or five-sixths nephrectomy (5/6 NX,
      n = 12). Left kidney weight-to-body weight ratio (x10(3)) was higher in 5/6 NX
      (6.6 +/- 0.2) than in UNX (4.5 +/- 0.2) or Sham (3.8 +/- 0.1) groups (P < 0.001).
      The percentage of juxtaglomerular apparatuses (%JGA) containing renin was lower
      in 5/6 NX (32 +/- 5) than in UNX (56 +/- 2, P < 0.001) or Sham (50 +/- 1, P <
      0.05) groups. Renal renin mRNA concentrations (pg renin mRNA/microgram total RNA)
      detected by radiodensitometric renin mRNA dot-blot assay were lower in 5/6 NX
      (1.8 +/- 0.3) than in UNX (13.2 +/- 1) or Sham (14.2 +/- 1.1, P < 0.001). In situ
      hybridization histochemistry demonstrated that in all groups of rats renin mRNA
      was confined to the JGA. However, the hybridization signals (grains/JGA) were
      less intense in 5/6 NX (211 +/- 24) than in UNX (486 +/- 35) or Sham (541 +/- 40)
      groups (P < 0.001). Renal renin concentration (ng angiotensin I.mg protein-1.h-1)
      tended to be lower in 5/6 NX (20 +/- 15) than in UNX (44 +/- 7.8) or Sham (60.8
      +/- 10) groups. In addition, plasma renin activity (ng.ml-1.h-1) was lower in 5/6
      NX (3.8 +/- 0.6) than in UNX (8.8 +/- 1.8, P < 0.05) or Sham (14.3 +/- 2, P <
      0.001) groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415745
TI  - Adaptation of rabbit cortical collecting duct to in vitro acid incubation.
AB  - Cortical collecting ducts (CCDs) isolated from acid-loaded rabbits and perfused
      in vitro absorb HCO3-, whereas CCDs from normal animals secrete HCO3-. We have
      previously shown that CCDs incubated in vitro for 3 h at pH 6.9 show a reduction
      in net (baseline and stimulated) HCO3- secretion. In this study we ascertained
      the minimum duration of an acidic stimulus necessary to induce adaptive changes
      in stimulated HCO3- secretion (determined in the absence of basolateral Cl-) and
      the roles of protein synthesis and cytoskeletal function in this process. CCDs
      incubated in acid (pH 6.8, HCO3- 6 mM) for 1 h followed by incubation at pH 7.4
      (HCO3- 25 mM) for 2 h showed a 41% reduction in stimulated HCO3- secretion (P <
      0.001), similar to that observed after 3 h of incubation at pH 6.8. However, this
      incubation protocol failed to enhance stimulated HCO3- absorption (determined in
      the absence of luminal Cl-). Addition of 10 microM anisomycin, a reversible
      inhibitor of protein synthesis, throughout the entire period of incubation (1 h
      at pH 6.8 plus 2 h at pH 7.4) blocked adaptive reduction in HCO3- secretion, as
      did exposure to anisomycin only during the initial 1 h of acid incubation. In
      contrast, anisomycin application during the 2-h incubation at pH 7.4 failed to
      block this adaptation of HCO3- secretion. Application of 4 microM actinomycin D,
      an inhibitor of DNA transcription, during the acid incubation also prevented the
      adaptive response, as did application during the total or during the 2-h pH 7.4
      incubation period of 0.2 microM cytochalasin D, an inhibitor of actin filament
      function.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415746
TI  - Calculation of oxygen diffusion across the surface of isolated perfused hearts.
AB  - Although exact mathematical descriptions of oxygen diffusion into unperfused
      isolated organs are known, no analytic solution is available for perfused organs.
      Here, we derive an equation for oxygen diffusion across the epicardial surface of
      perfused hearts. Our oxygen transport model incorporates oxygen delivery from the
      capillary perfusate, oxygen consumption, diffusion among adjacent capillary
      exchange regions, and diffusion across the epicardial surface. The wall of the
      heart is modeled by a slab of tissue. The derived equation fits experimental data
      on the diffusive oxygen flux across the surface of isolated saline-perfused
      guinea pig hearts, obtained by measuring oxygen uptake from the perfusate at
      various oxygen tensions in the surroundings of the isolated heart. The model
      predicts that in isolated arrested guinea pig hearts suspended in air, 25% of the
      oxygen taken up from the saline perfusate (PO2 approximately 680 mmHg) diffuses
      out of the heart across the surface. In beating isolated guinea pig hearts, 5% of
      the oxygen taken up from the perfusate diffuses across the surface.

PMID- 1415747
TI  - Limited left ventricular inotropic response to exercise in early phase of
      pressure overload in dogs.
AB  - To study the mechanisms of myocardial adaptation to increased stress in the early
      phase of left ventricular (LV) pressure overload, 12 dogs were instrumented with
      LV micromanometer, LV dimensional ultrasonic crystals, aortic catheter, and
      aortic occluder cuff. After recovery, animals performed graded exercise with
      acute aortic stenosis (AS) or sustained (24 h) aortic stenosis (SS). At baseline,
      LV functional parameters with SS were not different from those obtained with AS.
      LV peak pressure increased similarly during exercise with AS or SS, but LV peak
      dP/dt was lower with SS than with AS (peak values, 6,292 +/- 525 vs. 7,570 +/-
      432 mmHg/s; P < 0.05). LV end-diastolic pressure increased from 9.7 +/- 1.7 to
      21.4 +/- 3.3 mmHg (P < 0.05) during exercise with SS, but was unchanged with AS.
      The decrease of the time constant of isovolumic pressure fall during exercise was
      significantly smaller after SS than during AS (P < 0.05). In addition, the
      percentage of subendocardial wall thickening did not increase during exercise
      with SS (30.3 +/- 3.6%), while it increased significantly with AS (from 29.3 +/-
      3.3 to 39.4 +/- 4.5%; P < 0.01). Plasma catecholamine levels were similar at
      baseline and increased to similar levels during exercise with AS and SS. In the
      early phase of pressure overload, we conclude that exercise capacity is
      maintained but that the LV inotropic response to exercise is modified with an
      altered relaxation process and a lesser utilization of subendocardial inotropic
      reserve.

PMID- 1415748
TI  - Altered pressure-volume relation of right atrium and venoatrial junction in
      diabetic rats.
AB  - Previous studies have indicated a blunted volume reflex in diabetic rats. This
      alteration of the volume reflex may be due to differences in distensibility of
      the right atrium and venoatrial junction, which contain a large number of volume
      receptors. This study was designed to determine whether the distensibility of the
      right atrium and venoatrial junction is altered in the diabetic rat. The
      distensibility was assessed by measuring the stiffness constants [slope of
      pressure-volume (P-V) curve] of the right atrium and venoatrial junction in 2-wk
      streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The P-V data of the right atrium and
      venoatrial junction were measured in control and diabetic rats over a range of 0
      10 mmHg by infusion of isotonic saline in KCl-arrested, in situ hearts. Similar P
      V data also were determined in an additional group of diabetic rats under daily
      insulin treatment, which normalized plasma glucose. The mean slope of the P-V
      curve of the right atrium and venoatrial junction in the diabetic rats was
      significantly greater than the mean slope of the control and insulin-treated
      diabetic rats. The results indicate that diabetic rats have stiffer right atria
      and venoatrial junctions, which may reduce stimulation of the volume receptors to
      acute volume loading. In addition, the increased stiffness in the diabetic rats
      was prevented by chronic insulin treatment. An altered afferent limb of the
      volume reflex in diabetic rats contributing to blunted diuretic and natriuretic
      responses to volume loading may be due to these documented changes in the
      distensibility of the right atrium and venoatrial junction.

PMID- 1415749
TI  - Long-term calorie restriction enhances baroreflex responsiveness in Fischer 344
      rats.
AB  - Diet influences many aspects of cardiovascular function. Restriction of caloric
      intake represents a major nonpharmacological means of reducing blood pressure.
      The aim of the present work was to determine the effects of long-term calorie
      restriction on mean arterial pressure (MAP) and baroreflex responsiveness of the
      conscious, normotensive, nonobese Fischer 344 male rat. From 6 wk of age rats ate
      either ad libitum or 60% of the amount consumed by those eating ad libitum.
      Calorie restriction had no effect on MAP of rats 12-14 mo of age; the MAP for the
      ad libitum fed and calorie-restricted groups were 114.6 +/- 1.6 and 111.6 +/- 0.8
      mmHg, respectively. Basal heart rate (HR), however, was reduced from 396 +/- 6
      beats/min in the libitum-fed group to 333 +/- 5 beats/min in the calorie
      restricted group. Administration of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) (both as bolus and
      constant infusion) and phenylephrine (PE) (bolus alone) elicited tachycardia and
      bradycardia in both groups. The calorie-restricted group exhibited greater
      baroreflex responsiveness to hypotensive stress than did the ad libitum-fed
      group. For constant infusion of SNP, the baroreflex gain of the calorie
      restricted group (-5.43 +/- 0.56 beats.min-1.mmHg-1) was significantly greater
      than that of the ad libitum-fed group (-2.14 +/- 0.19 beats.min-1.mmHg-1). Bolus
      injections of SNP elicited similar results. Calorie restriction only minimally
      altered the baroreflex responsiveness to hypertensive stress elicited by bolus
      injections of PE, although the relationship between HR and MAP was shifted to the
      left in the calorie-restricted group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415750
TI  - Spinal stimulation to locate preganglionic neurons controlling the kidney,
      spleen, or intestine.
AB  - The organization of sympathetic preganglionic neurons may be a substrate for
      selective control of sympathetic outflow to different vascular beds. This study
      was done to determine the spinal segments containing preganglionic neurons
      controlling discharge of renal, splenic, and mesenteric postganglionic nerves. In
      urethan-anesthetized rats, preganglionic neurons were stimulated by
      microinjecting D,L-homocysteic acid (3 nl, 0.17 M) into the lateral gray matter
      of the third thoracic (T3) to the fourth lumbar (L4) spinal segments. Responses
      from all three nerves could be elicited from segments T4-T13. The greatest
      increases in renal nerve discharge were evoked from segments T8-T12, the largest
      increase of 59 +/- 9% elicited from T10. Increases in splenic and mesenteric
      nerve discharge were smaller and were evoked more uniformly from T4-L3. The
      largest increases in discharge of splenic and mesenteric nerves were 19 +/- 5%
      (from T5) and 26 +/- 4% (from T10), respectively. The widely overlapping spinal
      cord segments controlling these three organs suggest that location of the
      preganglionic neurons in different spinal segments is not part of the mechanism
      for selective sympathetic control. However, the larger renal nerve responses
      demonstrate that sympathetic output to these organs can be differentiated at the
      level of the spinal cord.

PMID- 1415751
TI  - Neuropeptide Y and coronary vasoconstriction: role of thromboxane A2.
AB  - We previously reported that coronary constriction following neuropeptide Y (NPY)
      was alleviated by cyclooxygenase blockade. To determine the role of thromboxane
      A2 (TxA2), anesthetized dogs received two paired doses of NPY given 2 h apart.
      Nine control dogs received NPY alone. Nine test dogs received one of three TxA2
      receptor antagonists given between the doses of NPY. Also, five dogs received NPY
      during which prostaglandins were measured. In controls, NPY decreased coronary
      blood flow and increased aortic pressure; coronary resistance was increased
      significantly. Heart rate fell, and myocardial oxygen consumption was unchanged.
      Thromboxane receptor blockers significantly relieved the coronary constrictor
      effect of NPY. The reduction in coronary blood flow was blunted, while heart
      rate, first derivative of left ventricular pressure, and myocardial oxygen
      consumption were unchanged. Alleviation by TxA2 receptor blockade paralleled that
      reported for cyclooxygenase inhibitors. Also, significant increases in coronary
      venous TxA2 were seen at the time of maximal increases in coronary resistance,
      while prostacyclin was unchanged. In summary, TxA2 appears to mediate part of the
      coronary constrictor effect of NPY.

PMID- 1415752
TI  - Cardiac adaptation of sarcomere dynamics to arterial load: a model of
      hypertrophy.
AB  - In the past, the dynamics of the left ventricle were studied by its response to
      altered venous and arterial load for a given heart. This led researchers to
      propose the concept of an arterioventricular match or optimal point of function.
      The model of this paper reverses that idea by fixing preload and afterload while
      computing cardiac function due to altered left ventricular size or shape,
      resulting from modification of the number of parallel and series sarcounits. A
      mathematical model of physiological hypertrophy is introduced. Series and
      parallel arrangements of sarcounits constitute a cylindrical model of the left
      ventricle. Filling occurs from a venous reservoir with constant pressure through
      a valve, while ejection takes place into a three-element model of the systemic
      arterial system through another valve. It is found that the dynamics of the
      myofibrils can be matched to those of the left ventricle by choosing a
      ventricular shape that results in a minimum in myocardial O2 consumption (MVO2)
      for any constant ventricular load. A unique solution for the size of the
      ventricle results if the rate of MVO2 is specified. The model is able to predict
      correctly hypertrophy due to hypoxia and due to pressure (concentric) and volume
      (eccentric) overloads.

PMID- 1415753
TI  - Transvascular albumin and IgG flux in skin after a continuous 3-h bradykinin
      infusion.
AB  - Bradykinin (1 microgram/min) was infused into the femoral artery of one hindleg
      of anesthetized rabbits for 3 h. Measurements of the initial extravascular uptake
      for labeled albumin and immunoglobulin (Ig) G were compared with measurements of
      the lymph protein flux for endogenous albumin and IgG. With bradykinin, the
      initial extravascular uptake for both albumin and IgG, calculated as the 1-h
      extravascular distribution space at plasma concentration divided by time and
      expressed as a plasma clearance, was 12 times the control values. For both
      proteins, the lymph fluxes were not significantly greater than the values for
      extravascular uptake, indicating that the sustained increase in lymph protein
      flux was not due to washout of interstitial protein. The extravascular uptake for
      IgG was approximately 80% of that for albumin in both control and bradykinin
      animals, suggesting that the sustained response did not change the selectivity
      between the two proteins. Changes in the extravascular masses of endogenous
      albumin and IgG suggest that the initial response to bradykinin was a transient
      formation of endothelial gaps that did not restrict transvascular IgG transport
      more than albumin.

PMID- 1415754
TI  - Endothelium-dependent ANF secretion in vitro.
AB  - Coculture of endothelial cells with atrial cells (R. A. Lew and A. J. Baertschi.
      Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 163: 701-709, 1989) increased atrial natriuretic
      factor (ANF) release to 205 +/- 15% (n = 33 experiments) of basal secretion (2.02
      +/- 0.33 ng/ml). Stimulation of ANF release by endothelial cells was
      significantly reduced (P < 0.05) by addition of the calcium channel antagonist
      nicardipine (Nic, 100 nM; by 69 +/- 4%), the guanylate cyclase activator sodium
      nitroprusside (SNP, 1 microM; by 97 +/- 27%), or acetylcholine (ACh, 10 microM;
      by 55 +/- 13%). Endothelial cell-conditioned medium elicited a 62 +/- 10% (n =
      10) increase in ANF release. Rat and porcine endothelin (0.1-100 nM) each
      elicited a dose-dependent increase in ANF release [up to 84 +/- 14% (n = 18) over
      baseline]. The activity of conditioned medium was not affected by heat or trypsin
      treatment, but was significantly reduced by addition of Nic or SNP and was
      attenuated by ACh. Stimulation of ANF by 1 nM synthetic rat or porcine endothelin
      was also unaffected by heat or trypsin but was significantly reduced by Nic, SNP,
      and ACh. Addition of endothelin-specific antiserum abolished the ANF stimulatory
      activity of endothelial cell-conditioned medium. Neither inhibition of superoxide
      anion by superoxide dismutase nor inhibition of endothelium-derived nitric oxide
      production by NG-monomethyl-L-arginine affected the ANF release from coculture.
      Thus endothelial cells release a heat-stable, diffusible ANF stimulatory factor,
      which is not endothelium-derived relaxing factor or superoxide anion but is
      biologically and immunologically similar to endothelin.

PMID- 1415755
TI  - Sympathetic modulation of blood flow and O2 uptake in rhythmically contracting
      human forearm muscles.
AB  - This study tested the effects of sympathetically mediated changes in blood flow
      to active muscles on muscle O2 uptake (VO2) in humans. Four minutes of graded (15
      80% of maximum voluntary contraction, MVC) rhythmic handgrip exercise were
      performed. Forearm blood flow (FBF) (plethysmography) and deep vein O2 saturation
      were measured each minute. Forearm O2 uptake was calculated using the Fick
      principle. In protocol 1, exercise was performed while supine and again while
      upright to augment sympathetic outflow to the active muscles. Standing reduced
      FBF at rest from 3.6 to 2.2 ml.100 ml-1.min-1 (P < 0.05). During light exercise
      (15-40% MVC) FBF was unaffected by body position. Standing reduced FBF (P < 0.05)
      from 36.0 to 25.2 ml.100 ml-1.min-1 and forearm VO2 from 38.2 to 28.1 ml.kg-1.min
      1 during the final work load. In protocol 2, exercise was performed while supine
      before and after local anesthetic block of the sympathetic nerves to the forearm.
      Sympathetic block increased FBF at rest from 3.1 to 8.9 ml.100 ml-1.min-1 (P <
      0.05), and FBF was higher during all work loads At 70-80% of MVC sympathetic
      block increased FBF from 35.4 to 50.7 ml.100 ml-1.min-1 (P < 0.05), and forearm
      VO2 from 45.5 to 54.2 ml.kg-1.min-1 (P < 0.05). These results suggest that in
      humans sympathetic nerves modulate blood flow to active muscles during light and
      heavy rhythmic exercise and that this restraint of flow can limit O2 uptake in
      muscles performing heavy rhythmic exercise.

PMID- 1415756
TI  - Baro- and ventricular reflexes in conscious dogs subjected to chronic
      tachycardia.
AB  - It has been well documented that the arterial baroreflex is depressed in chronic
      congestive heart failure. Furthermore, cardiopulmonary reflexes have also been
      shown to be depressed in heart failure. Because cardiac reflexes can be mediated
      by both mechanical and chemical stimuli, we undertook the current study to
      determine whether chemically activated cardiac reflexes (Bezold-Jarisch) are
      abnormally depressed in dogs with chronic heart failure at a point in time when
      arterial baroreflexes were clearly depressed. We studied heart rate and arterial
      pressure responses in 13 conscious instrumented dogs before and after chronic
      ventricular pacing at 250 beats/min for 4-5 wk. At the time the study was done
      each dog showed both hemodynamic and clinical signs of congestive heart failure.
      The arterial baroreflex was evaluated by analyzing the heart rate response to
      acute injections of phenylephrine and nitroglycerin. The Bezold-Jarisch reflex
      was assessed in nine dogs by determining the heart rate and blood pressure
      responses to intracoronary injections of various doses of veratridine. Arterial
      baroreflex responses were uniformly depressed following ventricular pacing. The
      phenylephrine slope was reduced by 55.8 +/- 6.9% (P < 0.001), and the
      nitroglycerin slope was reduced by 67.9 +/- 5.0% (P < 0.0001) in the heart
      failure state. Significant bradycardia and hypotension were seen at each dose of
      veratridine given (0.01, 0.1, and 0.4 microgram/kg). When compared with the
      prepaced control state, the magnitude of the hypotension was no different in the
      heart failure state in response to any dose of veratridine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415757
TI  - Heterogeneous distribution of endothelium-dependent relaxations resistant to NG
      nitro-L-arginine in rats.
AB  - Endothelium-dependent relaxations that are resistant to inhibitors of nitric
      oxide synthase probably are mediated by endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization
      of the vascular smooth muscle. Experiments were performed to examine the
      distribution of this type of relaxation along the arterial tree of the rat by
      measuring changes in isometric force. Acetylcholine induced concentration- and
      endothelium-dependent relaxations in aortas and in pulmonary, common iliac,
      femoral, mesenteric, and renal arteries contracted with phenylephrine. In the
      presence of NG-nitro-L-arginine, the cumulative administration of acetylcholine
      induced relaxations only in the femoral, mesenteric, and renal arteries. The
      calcium ionophore A23187 relaxed mesenteric arteries contracted with
      phenylephrine in a concentration- and endothelium-dependent manner. The
      concentration-relaxation curve to A23187 was shifted to the right in the presence
      of NG-nitro-L-arginine. The maximal relaxations induced by lemakalim, a K+
      channel opener, were smaller in those arteries that did not exhibit NG-nitro-L
      arginine-resistant relaxations. These results suggest that NG-nitro-L-arginine
      resistant relaxations are more frequently observed in smaller arteries. The
      arteries that exhibit NG-nitro-L-arginine-resistant relaxations may be more
      sensitive to an endothelium-derived substance that causes hyperpolarization of
      vascular smooth muscle cells.

PMID- 1415758
TI  - Correlation of structure and viscoelastic properties in the pericardia of four
      mammalian species.
AB  - Although the pericardium is recognized as having important contributions to
      ventricular function, the relationship between its functional role and structural
      composition remains poorly understood. Conflicting evidence from low strain rate
      experiments has shown that differences exist between the mechanical properties of
      canine, human, and bovine pericardium but with no structural explanation for
      these differences. This paper examines the pericardia of calves, dogs, pigs, and
      sheep using a structural/mechanical approach with techniques novel to the
      pericardial literature. High strain rate mechanical testing for stress-strain
      response, stress relaxation, and forced vibration response has shown the
      pericardium to be much more viscoelastic than previously believed under large
      deformations, but to be quite elastic in small vibrations. The thinner canine and
      porcine pericardia were found to be significantly stiffer than the thicker bovine
      and ovine tissues, but equivalently viscoelastic. Biochemical analysis shows
      these thinner tissues to have significantly higher levels of type III collagen
      combined with a higher degree of cross-linking. This is the first structural
      explanation for differences in mechanical properties between the pericardia of
      different species.

PMID- 1415759
TI  - Ischemic preconditioning protects against infarction in rat heart.
AB  - We examined the anti-infarct effect of ischemic preconditioning in the rat heart.
      All hearts were subjected to 30 min of regional coronary ischemia and 2 h of
      reperfusion. Infarct size was determined by tetrazolium. The control group had an
      average infarct size of 31% of the risk zone. Three 5-min cycles of
      preconditioning ischemia limited the infarct size to 3.7%. Neither the adenosine
      receptor blocker PD 115,199 nor the ATP-sensitive potassium channel blocker,
      glibenclamide, could block this protection. Intracoronary adenosine A1-receptor
      agonist 2-chloro-N6-cyclopentyladenosine offered a significant anti-infarct
      protection to the isolated rat heart, however. Although one 5-min cycle of
      preconditioning did not protect the rat heart from infarction (31% infarction in
      risk zone), it did attenuate arrhythmias. We conclude that 1) the rat heart can
      be preconditioned, which argues against mitochondrial adenosinetriphosphatase
      being the mechanism of preconditioning; 2) the threshold for preconditioning is
      higher in rat than rabbit or dog; 3) a role for adenosine in preconditioning was
      only partially supported; and 4) a role for ATP-sensitive potassium channels was
      not supported.

PMID- 1415760
TI  - Role of adenosine for reactive hyperemia in normal and stunned porcine
      myocardium.
AB  - The role of adenosine for reactive hyperemia in normal and stunned myocardium was
      examined in 16 open-chest barbiturate-anesthetized pigs. Interstitial adenosine
      concentration was reduced or enhanced by intracoronary infusion of adenosine
      deaminase or the nucleoside transport inhibitor R 75231, respectively. In normal
      myocardium, adenosine deaminase reduced volume of hyperemia (Doppler flowmetry)
      after a 30-s left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion by 20% (6
      34%; P < 0.05), whereas R 75231 increased volume of hyperemia by 15% (2-24%; P <
      0.05). Adenosine deaminase reduced volume of hyperemia after a 2-min LAD
      occlusion by 27% (13-37%; P < 0.001), whereas R 75231 increased volume of
      hyperemia by 66% (53-159%; P < 0.001). Adenosine deaminase and R 75231 did not
      affect maximal hyperemia. Volume of hyperemia after a 2-min LAD occlusion was
      reduced in stunned myocardium (%systolic segment length shortening reduced by
      approximately 45%, ultrasonic technique) but not further altered by either
      adenosine deaminase or R 75231. These findings show that adenosine contributes to
      reactive hyperemia after 30-120 s of ischemia in normal myocardium and indicate
      that the reduced reactive hyperemia in stunned myocardium is due to reduced
      accumulation of adenosine during ischemia.

PMID- 1415761
TI  - Electroporation and recovery of cardiac cell membrane with rectangular voltage
      pulses.
AB  - Electroporation of the cardiac cell membrane may result from intense electric
      fields applied to cardiac muscle, associated for example with defibrillation and
      cardioversion. We analyzed the distribution of voltage levels sufficient to cause
      electroporation in enzymatically isolated frog cardiac cells, using the cell
      attached patch-clamp technique with rectangular pulses similar to those used in
      experimental studies of cardiac defibrillation. Five-millisecond monophasic or
      ten-millisecond biphasic symmetric (1/1) and asymmetric (1/0.5) rectangular
      pulses of either polarity were applied to the cell membrane in 100-mV steps from
      0.2 to 0.8 V. The membrane conductance was continuously monitored by a low
      voltage pulse train. In a total of 77 cells, we observed a step increase in
      conductance, occurring in 21% of cells at a transmembrane potential of 0.3 V, 52%
      at 0.4 V, 14% at 0.5 V, and 13% at 0.6-0.8 V. Electroporation occurred with this
      voltage distribution regardless of pulse shape, polarity, or the presence of all
      of the following ionic channel blockers: tetrodotoxin, barium,
      tetraethylammonium, 4-aminopyridine, cadmium, nickel, and gadolinium. The time
      course of membrane recovery was highly variable. The maintenance of a high
      membrane conductance after the shock pulse was associated with irreversible cell
      contracture provided that Ca2+ was included in the patch-pipette solution.
      However, with biphasic asymmetric pulses, the conductance recovered very quickly
      (< or = 37 ms).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415762
TI  - Left ventricular hypertrophy due to volume overload versus pressure overload.
AB  - Left ventricular hemodynamic overload produces an increase in stroke work (SW),
      which is compensated by the development of left ventricular hypertrophy. However,
      recent reports question the adequacy of this compensation in mitral regurgitation
      (MR). Accordingly, we examined the adequacy of compensatory hypertrophy in
      chronic experimental MR. Six dogs with chronic severe MR were matched according
      to SW with six dogs that had severe chronic aortic stenosis (ASSW). SW in the two
      groups was increased identically (40%) compared with normals. However, the
      hypertrophic response was much greater in the AS group [left ventricular wt (g)
      to body wt (kg) ratio (LVBW) 4.0 +/- 0.2 normals, 5.0 +/- 0.2 MR, and 7.5 +/- 0.2
      ASSW; P < 0.05 MR vs. ASSW]. This differing hypertrophic response increased
      normalized SW, the area within the stress-volume loop, in MR (90 +/- 5 g) vs. 63
      +/- 5 g in ASSW (P < 0.05). Thus in MR, each unit of myocardium had to perform
      more work than in AS. In a separate comparison, four different dogs with AS
      (ASHy), which had a similar amount of hypertrophy to the MR dogs (LVBW) (5.0 +/-
      0.2 MR, 5.2 +/- 0.2 ASHy) were studied. SW was greater in the MR group,
      suggesting more SW overload was required to produce similar amounts of
      hypertrophy in MR vs. AS. Contractile function was depressed in the MR group but
      not in the AS. These findings indicate that the hypertrophic response to a
      similar SW demand is less in MR than AS, a response associated with contractile
      dysfunction in the MR group.

PMID- 1415763
TI  - Distribution of coronary collateral blood flow at different levels of collateral
      growth in conscious ponies.
AB  - Coronary collateral growth was stimulated in chronically instrumented conscious
      ponies by a previously validated intermittent coronary occlusion method. Changes
      in regional myocardial function (sonomicrometry) and reactive hyperemia (Doppler
      method) were used to monitor collateral growth and to program measurements of
      regional myocardial blood flow (microsphere method). A serial analysis of the
      transmural and lateral distributions of collateral blood flow was performed at
      the native and three superimposed levels of collateral growth. Results in nine
      animals undergoing an average of 553 +/- 188 brief coronary occlusions over 68 +/
      18 days demonstrated that as collateral conductance increased, the perfusion
      field within the ischemic region increased from the epicardium to the endocardium
      but not from the lateral edges to the center of the ischemic region. The findings
      are consistent with an analog model consisting of interarterial collaterals whose
      collective resistance is in series with arteriolar resistance of the recipient
      artery. No special protection of deeper myocardial layers by a subendocardial
      plexus or intramural collaterals was noted. Instead, the findings suggest that
      coronary extravascular compressive forces play a more important role than the
      transmural location of collaterals in determining the volume and spatial
      distribution of collateral blood flow during collateral growth in the pony.

PMID- 1415764
TI  - Sodium modulates inotropic response to hyperosmolarity in isolated working rat
      heart.
AB  - The present study was designed to examine the effects of acute changes in
      perfusate Na+ concentrations and osmolarities on left ventricular (LV) mechanics
      in the isolated working rat heart model. Specifically, we separated the effect of
      isosmotic perfusates with different Na+ concentrations on LV mechanics. After a
      control period during which the hearts were perfused in a working mode with a
      control solution of Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer (Na+ of 136 meq/l, Ca2+ of
      2.6 mM, and osmolarity of 300 mosM), the hearts were subjected to different
      perfusates (Na+ of 96-156 meq/l and osmolarity of 240-380 mosM, using different
      mannitol concentrations) in a semirandom order. Peak LV pressure (PLVP), maximal
      time derivative of LV pressure (dP/dtmax), and cardiac output (CO) were recorded.
      Increasing Na+ concentrations from 96 to 156 meq/l, using isosmotic perfusates,
      decreased PLVP, dP/dtmax, and CO in a dose-dependent manner. The dose-dependent
      behavior was evident for tonicities of 240, 280, 320, and 360 but not for 380
      mosM. Increasing Na+ concentration from 96 to 136 meq/l at constant perfusate
      tonicity (320 mosM) decreased dP/dtmax from 6,753 +/- 133 to 5,602 +/- 418 mmHg/s
      (P < 0.001). Rearranging the same results to examine the effect of perfusate
      tonicity with iso-Na+ concentration demonstrated that increasing perfusate
      osmolarity had a dose-dependent effect on PLVP, dP/dtmax, and CO. At a constant
      Na+ concentration of 116 meq/l, increasing perfusate osmolarity from 240 to 320
      mosM increased dP/dtmax from 6,116 +/- 132 to 7,274 +/- 594 mmHg/s (P < 0.01).
      Further increase in perfusate tonicity to 380 mosM decreased dP/dtmax to 2,338 +/
      398 mmHg/s (P < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415765
TI  - Sodium-calcium exchange-mediated contractions in feline ventricular myocytes.
AB  - The hypothesis that Ca entry by the sarcolemmal Na-Ca exchange mechanism induces
      sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca release, loads the SR with Ca, and/or directly
      induces contractions by elevating cytosolic free Ca was tested in voltage-clamped
      feline ventricular myocytes. Intracellular Na concentration was increased by
      cellular dialysis to enhance Ca influx via "reverse-mode" Na-Ca exchange at
      positive membrane potentials, at which the "L-type" Ca current (ICa) should be
      small. Contractions were induced in the presence of Ca channel antagonists by
      depolarization to these potentials, suggesting that Ca influx via reverse-mode Na
      Ca exchange was involved. These contractions had both phasic (SR related) and
      tonic components of shortening. They were smaller and began with more delay after
      depolarization than contractions which involved ICa. The magnitude of shortening
      was graded by the amount and duration of depolarization, suggesting that Ca
      influx via reverse-mode Na-Ca exchange has the capacity to induce and grade SR Ca
      release. Small slow contractions could be evoked in the presence of ryanodine (to
      impair SR function) and verapamil (to block ICa), supporting the idea that Ca
      influx via Na-Ca exchange is sufficient to directly activate the contractile
      proteins. Contractions induced by voltage steps to +10 mV, which were usually
      small when ICa was blocked, were potentiated if preceded by a voltage step to
      strongly positive potentials. This potentiation was inhibited by ryanodine,
      suggesting that Ca entry that occurs by Na-Ca exchange may be important for
      normal SR Ca loading.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415766
TI  - Tissue uptake of insulin and inulin in red and white skeletal muscle in vivo.
AB  - By employing a tissue uptake technique, the kinetics of the plasma-interstitial
      equilibration of radiolabeled insulin, inulin, and albumin were followed in four
      muscles of differing capillarity in anesthetized rats. The soleus muscle (SOL),
      and the red portion of the gastrocnemius muscle (RG), as well as the extensor
      digitorum longus muscle (EDL) and the white portion of the gastrocnemius muscle
      (WG) were investigated. After constant intravenous tracer infusions and repeated
      plasma sampling under euglycemic clamp conditions, animals were killed at varying
      time intervals and the muscles mentioned above were dissected out. The
      radioactivity of tracer per gram of tissue in each muscle divided by the plasma
      activity of tracer per milliliter of plasma, i.e., "the plasma equivalent space"
      of tracer, thus could be followed as a function of time. From this function the
      permeability-surface area (PS) of inulin as well as the distribution volumes at
      time 0 (V0) of inulin and insulin and their equilibrium distribution volumes (VE)
      were assessed. The PS for inulin (in ml.min-1.100 g muscle-1) was 0.52 +/- 0.10
      (mean +/- SE) in WG, increasing with more red fibers to 1.37 +/- 0.18 in SOL.
      Also the inulin interstitial distribution volume (at blood-tissue tracer
      equilibrium; VE) increased in this order (in ml/100 g) from 7.30 +/- 0.91 in WG
      to 12.93 +/- 0.89 in SOL. The V0 for insulin was found to be approximately
      fivefold larger than the plasma volume in each muscle sample, indicating a high
      degree of binding of insulin to structures within the vascular compartment,
      conceivably to the vascular endothelium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415767
TI  - Role of myogenic response in enhancing autoregulation of flow during sympathetic
      nerve stimulation.
AB  - The effect of sustained sympathetic nerve stimulation on autoregulation of blood
      flow was examined in the exteriorized cat sartorius muscle using intravital
      microscopy. Without sympathetic nerve stimulation (SNS), second-order arterioles
      showed insignificant dilation (3%) during arterial pressure reduction from 110 to
      60 mmHg; volume flow fell coincident with pressure reduction. During SNS, these
      arterioles constricted significantly (25%), and their dilation during pressure
      reduction (20%) was significant and was significantly greater than that without
      SNS. Volume flow increased significantly (20-60%) during pressure reduction, a
      phenomenon termed superregulation of flow. Elevation of ambient oxygen in the
      suffusate from 0 to 20% caused arteriolar constriction but did not abolish
      arteriolar dilation during pressure reduction under sustained SNS. Arteriolar
      response to venous pressure elevation was also affected significantly by
      sustained SNS. Without SNS, third-order arterioles showed slight dilation (4%)
      when femoral venous pressure was elevated by 10 mmHg. During SNS, these
      arterioles constricted significantly and constricted further (20%) when venous
      pressure was elevated. Using a local anesthetic (lidocaine), we determined that a
      local venous-arteriolar reflex was not involved in the arteriolar constriction.
      Our data suggest that superregulation of flow during sustained sympathetic nerve
      stimulation is not due to metabolic factors but rather to an enhanced myogenic
      response.

PMID- 1415768
TI  - Dobutamine improves afterload-induced deterioration of mechanical efficiency
      toward maximal.
AB  - We studied the effect of increased afterload on the ratios of O2 consumption
      (VO2) to external work (EW), VO2 to the systolic pressure-volume area (PVA), and
      PVA to EW at control state and with dobutamine in the left ventricles of open
      chest dogs. Left ventricular volume was measured with a volumetric conductance
      catheter and coronary flow with an electromagnetic flowmeter. Hexamethonium
      bromide and atropine sulfate were administered before changes in end-systolic
      pressure (Pes) with an infusion of nitroprusside or angiotensin II. Dobutamine
      enhanced ventricular end-systolic elastance by 100%. In the control, with
      increases in Pes, EW/VO2 remained unchanged, PVA/VO2 increased by 48%, and EW/PVA
      decreased by 26%. Dobutamine increased both EW/VO2 and EW/PVA at any given Pes
      but decreased PVA/VO2. During dobutamine, EW/VO2 increased significantly with
      increases in Pes. The ratio of measured EW/VO2 to the theoretically predicted
      maximal EW/VO2 value for a given end-diastolic volume and contractility was 0.83
      at a Pes of 70 mmHg, and this ratio decreased by 33% with increases in Pes in the
      control. During dobutamine, measured EW/VO2 values were almost equal to each
      corresponding theoretical maximal value, and the average decrease in the ratio
      with increases in Pes was 7%. Thus the enhanced inotropic state by dobutamine can
      restore the afterload-induced deterioration of EW/VO2 toward the normal maximal
      level.

PMID- 1415769
TI  - Muscarinic cholinergic receptors in canine adrenal gland.
AB  - Muscarinic cholinergic receptor stimulation has been reported to modulate adrenal
      catecholamine and steroid secretion and influence medullary vascular tone. The
      present study was undertaken to localize and characterize muscarinic cholinergic
      receptor binding sites in canine adrenal medulla and cortex. Binding studies
      using semipurified membranes demonstrated specific, saturable binding of L
      [benzilic-4,4'-3H(N)]-quinuclidinyl benzilate ([3H]QNB) in medulla, with a
      dissociation constant (KD) equal to 152 pM and estimated maximal binding sites
      (Bmax) equal to 179 fmol/mg protein. Displacement of [3H]QNB by cholinergic
      agents in order of decreasing potency was atropine, pirenzepine, oxotremorine,
      pilocarpine, and carbamylcholine, suggesting the receptor was M1 subtype, similar
      to sympathetic ganglion muscarinic receptors. Autoradiographic imaging studies
      demonstrated highly specific, homogeneous binding throughout the medulla. No
      specific binding was found in adrenal cortex. These results suggest that
      muscarinic effects on blood flow may be neurally mediated, rather than the result
      of stimulation of vascular muscarinic receptors. In medulla, muscarinic receptors
      are evenly distributed and modulate catecholamine secretion in all cells rather
      than subpopulations of cells as in other species. Absence of [3H]QNB binding in
      cortex argues against muscarinic receptor modulation of cortical steroid
      secretion.

PMID- 1415770
TI  - Endotoxin enhances arachidonic acid metabolism by cultured rabbit microvascular
      endothelial cells.
AB  - This study demonstrates that bacterial lipopolysaccharide and lipid A exert a
      significant effect on eicosanoid formation by primary cultures of microvascular
      endothelial cells (MECs). Qualitative studies using [14C]-arachidonic acid
      demonstrated that prostaglandin E2 was the primary eicosanoid formed by MECs
      after 20 h of treatment with either vehicle or lipopolysaccharide. Significant,
      dose-dependent productions of PGE2 and prostacyclin, beginning at an endotoxin
      dose of 0.01 ng/ml, were quantified by radioimmunoassay in supernatants of cells
      treated for 20 h with lipopolysaccharide or lipid A. This eicosanoid production
      was inhibited by meclofenamate and cycloheximide and occurred without cellular
      injury. The time course and kinetics of eicosanoid production in response to
      endotoxin demonstrate a significant, time-related enhancement. Endotoxin-treated
      MECs responded to exogenous substrate with augmented PGE2 production, suggesting
      enhanced prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase activity. These results demonstrate
      a significant interaction of endotoxin with endothelial cells of microvascular
      origin that results in an enhanced potential for eicosanoid metabolism. This
      effect may be mediated in part through induction of prostaglandin endoperoxide
      synthase.

PMID- 1415771
TI  - Interstitial exclusion of albumin in rat tissues measured by a continuous
      infusion method.
AB  - Steady-state 125I-labeled rat serum albumin (125I-labeled RSA) concentration in
      plasma was maintained by intravenous infusion of tracer for 72-168 h with an
      implanted osmotic pump. At the end of the infusion period, the rat was
      anesthetized and nephrectomized, and extracellular fluid was equilibrated with
      intravenous 51Cr-labeled EDTA for 4 h. Five minutes before final plasma and
      tissue sampling, 131I-labeled bovine serum albumin (131I-labeled BSA) was
      injected intravenously as a plasma volume marker. Samples of skin, muscle,
      tendon, and intestine were assayed for all three tracers. Apparent distribution
      volumes were calculated as tissue tracer content/plasma tracer concentration.
      Interstitial fluid volume (Vi) was calculated as V51Cr-EDTA-V131I-BSA. Steady
      state extravascular distribution of 125I-labeled RSA as plasma equivalent volume
      (Va,p) was calculated as V125I-RSA-V131I-BSA. Steady-state interstitial fluid
      concentrations of 125I-labeled RSA in skin, muscles, and tendon were measured
      with nylon wicks implanted postmortem, and steady-state interstitial albumin
      distribution volumes were recalculated as wick-fluid equivalent volumes (Va,w).
      Relative albumin exclusion fraction (Ve/Vi) was calculated as 1-Va,w/Vi. For skin
      and muscle, steady-state 125I-labeled RSA tissue concentrations were reached at
      72 h. Ve/Vi for albumin averaged 26% in hindlimb muscle, 41% in hindlimb skin,
      30% in back skin, 39% in tail skin, and 54% in tail tendon. For muscle, Ve/Vi
      corresponds to expectation if all tissue collagen and hyaluronan is dispersed in
      the interstitium. However, for skin and tendon, albumin exclusion is considerably
      lower than expected on this basis, suggesting that much of their collagen is
      organized into dense bundles of fibers containing no fluid accessible to 51Cr
      labeled EDTA or 125I-labeled RSA.

PMID- 1415772
TI  - PEG-SOD improves postischemic functional recovery and antioxidant status in blood
      perfused rabbit hearts.
AB  - The isolated blood-perfused rabbit heart, subjected to 60 min of cardioplegic
      arrest and 60 min of reperfusion, was used to assess the effects of polyethylene
      glycol-conjugated superoxide dismutase (PEG-SOD) on postischemic recovery of left
      ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), the tissue activity of SOD, and tissue
      redox state. The five groups studied were the following: PEG-SOD-free control
      (group A), PEG-SOD as a pretreatment and as an additive during cardioplegia and
      reperfusion (group B), PEG-SOD as a pretreatment and a cardioplegic additive
      (group C), PEG-SOD in cardioplegia alone (group D), and PEG-SOD in reperfusion
      alone (group E). The results show that pretreatment with PEG-SOD improves
      postischemic recovery of LVDP (72 +/- 2% and 66 +/- 7 vs. 47 +/- 4% in groups B,
      C, and A, respectively). This protection was associated with an improved tissue
      redox state. Thus the ischemia-induced rise in oxidized glutathione was reduced
      from 313 +/- 26% (group A) to 162 +/- 15 and 138 +/- 14% (groups B and C,
      respectively), and the fall in reduced glutathione was attenuated from 51 +/- 5%
      to 35 +/- 6 and 13 +/- 5%, respectively. Tissue Mn-SOD activity was also
      conserved from 36 +/- 4% (group A) to 71 +/- 6 and 94 +/- 4% (groups B and C,
      respectively). No significant effect was seen when PEG-SOD was applied in
      cardioplegia or during reperfusion alone.

PMID- 1415773
TI  - Different responses of extent and velocity of contraction to dobutamine in
      conscious sheep.
AB  - The shortening- and shortening rate-preload-afterload relations, based on the
      concept of the myocardial end-systolic stress-strain relation (ESSSR), are a
      newly developed load- and size-independent assessment of myocardial
      contractility. The purpose of this study was to apply this assessment to compare
      extent and velocity of myocardial contraction during graded infusions of
      dobutamine. Seven chronically instrumented unsedated sheep were studied at rest
      and during graded infusions of dobutamine (2.5-20 micrograms.kg-1.min-1). The
      ESSSR were linear over a wide range of load alterations, whereas the end-systolic
      pressure-diameter relations (ESPDR) were generally nonlinear. Midwall shortening
      rate (SRm) at common preload and afterload representing contraction extent
      increased with each dose of dobutamine through 20 micrograms.kg-1.min-1. In
      contrast, midwall shortening (Sm) increased through dobutamine 5 micrograms.kg
      1.min-1 but not at higher dobutamine infusion rates. Conventional endocardial
      shortening and the slope of the ESPDR, fitted to a linear model, exhibited
      responses similar to Sm. The velocity of circumferential endocardial fiber
      shortening (Vcf,c), Vcf,c-afterload relation, and maximum first derivative of
      left ventricular pressure exhibited responses similar to SRm. Thus both the
      extent and velocity of contraction increased at low doses of dobutamine, whereas
      only the velocity increased at high doses. Potential mechanisms for the saturated
      response of the extent of contraction include 1) shorter systolic time for
      contraction due to earlier onset of relaxation and 2) the utilization of
      myocardial contractile energy for left ventricular wall deformation at small
      cavity volumes at high doses of dobutamine.

PMID- 1415774
TI  - Biphasic blood volume changes with lower body suction in humans.
AB  - We recorded blood and plasma mass density and hematocrit of antecubital venous
      blood in 12 subjects in the supine position before, during, and after 20-40 min
      of lower body subatmospheric pressure (LBNP) of -35 mmHg. Mass density values
      decreased during the first minutes of LBNP, indicating a transient 2.8% blood
      volume gain before they rose as expected. After LBNP, a pronounced further
      density increase, indicating a further 1.5% hemoconcentration, preceded the
      return toward control. This pattern suggests reflex-driven transient filtration
      effects. Computed mass density of fluid exchanged between blood and extravascular
      space was 1,007.2 +/- 4.4 milligrams (37.0 degrees C); mass density of
      erythrocytes remained unaltered. We conclude that sudden unloading of central
      pressure receptors with LBNP causes microvascular fluid gain preceding fluid loss
      (hemoconcentration) during LBNP, and receptor loading after LBNP additionally
      causes fluid loss preceding inward filtration (hemodilution) during recovery.
      These effects can be quantified with high-precision blood and plasma mass
      densitometry performed by the mechanical oscillator technique.

PMID- 1415775
TI  - Regional cerebrovascular responses to progressive hypotension after traumatic
      brain injury in cats.
AB  - We investigated the effects of hypotension on cerebral blood flow (CBF) after
      traumatic brain injury (TBI) in cats. Isoflurane-anesthetized cats were prepared
      for TBI and for microsphere measurements of total (T) and regional (r) CBF. Four
      groups were studied: sham injury (group I, n = 6); TBI (group II, n = 6);
      isoflurane anesthesia, no TBI or hypotension (group III, n = 4); and isoflurane
      and TBI, no hypotension (group IV, n = 8). After TBI or sham trauma, mean
      arterial pressure (MAP) was reduced to 80, 60, and 40 mmHg by hemorrhage. Group I
      TCBF did not change significantly from baseline until MAP reached 40 mmHg, but
      rCBF was more dependent on MAP in anterior hemispheric than in brain stem
      regions. Group II TCBF was significantly lower than baseline, and group I TCBF at
      all levels of hypotension and autoregulation was impaired at higher MAP levels in
      anterior than in posterior brain regions. Groups III and IV indicated that
      decreases in TCBF were not due to duration of the preparation or to TBI in the
      absence of hemorrhagic hypotension. We conclude that global and regional
      autoregulation are absent in response to hemorrhagic hypotension after TBI.

PMID- 1415776
TI  - Effect of anesthetic on sympathetic responses evoked from cerebellar uvula in
      decerebrate cats.
AB  - The sympathetic mechanisms involved in the conversion of the tachycardia-pressor
      response evoked by electrical stimulation of the uvula (lobule IX of the
      posterior cerebellar cortex) in the unanesthetized decerebrate cat to a
      bradycardia-depressor response in the same, but anesthetized preparation, were
      investigated. Sympathoexcitation was produced in the inferior cardiac and renal
      sympathetic nerves in response to short train stimulation (2-5 pulses, 100-500
      Hz) of the uvula in the unanesthetized decerebrate cat, and when paired stimuli
      (conditioning and test) were applied, the test-evoked potential in both nerves
      was similar to the response elicited by the conditioning stimulus. Anesthetic
      administered to these same animals caused the test response in both sympathetic
      nerves to be greatly decreased, yet the conditioning response was unchanged. The
      attenuation of the test response by the conditioning stimulus diminished during
      recovery from anesthesia. The recovery of the test response paralleled the time
      course of the return of the tachycardia-pressor effect evoked by long train
      stimulation of the uvula. It appears that anesthesia does not block the
      sympathoexcitatory response but acts to augment sympathoinhibitory processes
      associated with uvula stimulation; some possible mechanisms are discussed.

PMID- 1415777
TI  - Beneficial influence of vasoactive intestinal peptide on ventriculovascular
      coupling in closed-chest dogs.
AB  - The effect of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) on ventriculovascular coupling
      in the intact cardiovascular system has not been defined. We studied seven dogs
      chronically instrumented with left ventricular (LV) pressure manometers and three
      sets of diameter gauges before and after infusions of 0.02, 0.05, and 0.10
      microgram.kg-1.min-1 VIP. The dogs were studied after autonomic blockade,
      anesthesia, and intubation, with a fixed heart rate of 160 beats/min.
      Contractility was assessed using LV elastance at end systole (Ees) and the slope
      of the stroke work-end-diastolic volume relation. The vascular influence of VIP
      was quantified by determining effective arterial elastance (Ea) under steady
      state conditions. The overall effect on ventriculovascular coupling was assessed
      using the transfer of mechanical energy from LV to the arterial system (TransPVA)
      quantified as the percentage of pressure-volume area (PVA) expressed as stroke
      work. LV relaxation was measured using the time constant of LV pressure decay.
      The results showed that VIP increased contractility (Ees increased to 129, 156,
      and 181% of control; P < 0.01 for all vs. control) and decreased effective
      arterial elastance (Ea fell to 84, 68, and 64% of control; P < 0.0155 vs. control
      for the two higher doses). VIP had no consistent effects on LV relaxation. Thus,
      in addition to its positive ventricular effects (increased contractility), VIP
      has beneficial vascular effects (reduced Ea). These properties combine to improve
      ventriculovascular coupling, such that VIP enhances delivery of mechanical energy
      from the LV to the circulatory bed.

PMID- 1415779
TI  - A new approach to analysis of synchronized sympathetic nerve activity.
AB  - Renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) recorded from the multifiber preparation
      is a continuously fluctuating variable in terms of period and amplitude,
      reflecting a coordinated tonic level of output from the vasomotor center. Yet
      current methods of analysis cannot simultaneously measure both of these
      parameters. A new accurate technique for assessing changes in global sympathetic
      activity is required. We made a novel application of a computerized peak
      detection algorithm (Cluster program) to recordings of synchronized sympathetic
      nerve discharges. The procedure was applied to this new area to retrieve
      information about the characteristics of synchronized RSNA. Peaks in synchronized
      RSNA activity were detected from short-term (20 ms) integrated recordings in
      which voltage changes had been digitized at 200 Hz and stored on computer. The
      program scanned the data series for significant increases followed by significant
      decreases in a small cluster of voltage values. The program permits the input of
      the cluster sample sizes for the test peaks and pre- and postpeak nadirs and also
      the minimum height to be defined as a peak. Once each synchronized RSNA peak had
      been detected, its corresponding amplitude, width, and peak-to-peak interval were
      calculated. The program successfully characterized RSNA in a group of eight cats
      and yielded results comparable to other analysis techniques. The peak-to-peak
      interval period showed two modes of synchronized discharge, one related to the
      cardiac cycle and a faster 8- to 14-Hz frequency. The synchronized peak amplitude
      and width showed unimodal frequency distributions. The relationship between each
      of the three variables was examined; only the peak height and width were
      significantly related to each other.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415778
TI  - Effect of acute ventricular dilatation on fibrillation thresholds in the isolated
      rabbit heart.
AB  - We examined the effects of ventricular dilatation on epicardial refractoriness
      and ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT) in the isolated, retrograde-perfused
      rabbit heart. Ventricular size was modified by acutely changing the volume of a
      fluid-filled balloon secured within either the left or right ventricle. Left
      ventricular dilatation (to an end-diastolic pressure of 30-38 mmHg) significantly
      decreased left ventricular effective refractory period (ERP) and myocardial
      wavelength (calculated as ERP x conduction velocity). Left VFT (determined by
      scanning the vulnerable period with a train of pulses) decreased from 6.4 +/- 0.9
      to 4.4 +/- 0.5 mA; P < 0.01) with left but not right ventricular dilatation.
      Right ventricular dilatation was associated with a decrease in the right
      ventricular ERP and myocardial wavelength, and right VFT decreased from 13.6 +/-
      1.8 to 4.1 +/- 0.3 mA (P < 0.01). Changes in VFT correlated with the decrease in
      local refractoriness and shortening of local excitation wavelength.

PMID- 1415780
TI  - Effect of adenosine deaminase on cardiac interstitial adenosine.
AB  - Adenosine deaminase was infused into isolated perfused guinea pig hearts to
      determine its effect on myocardial adenosine levels. The enzyme was administered
      during constant coronary flow perfusion at 6.11 +/- 0.36 ml.min-1.g-1. Venous
      adenosine was measured in samples of pulmonary artery effluent; epicardial and
      endocardial adenosine were measured with the porous nylon disk technique.
      Infusion of adenosine deaminase at 2.4 and 4.8 U/ml produced adenosine deaminase
      activity of 0.92 +/- 0.09 and 2.33 +/- 0.15 U/ml, respectively, in epicardial
      fluid and 1.93 +/- 0.28 and 4.84 +/- 0.47 U/ml, respectively, in endocardial
      fluid. Aortic pressure was unchanged by infusion of adenosine deaminase at both
      infusion rates. Adenosine deaminase (data from both infusion rates pooled)
      reduced epicardial adenosine from 0.327 +/- 0.028 to 0.139 +/- 0.022 microM,
      endocardial adenosine from 4.61 +/- 0.42 to 1.64 +/- 0.20 microM, and venous
      adenosine from 0.017 +/- 0.02 to 0.003 +/- 0.001 microM. The data indicate that
      infused adenosine deaminase reaches the epicardial and endocardial interstitial
      fluid (ISF) compartments. The absence of any effect on coronary pressure suggests
      that adenosine may not be involved in resting basal coronary tone. The presence
      of significant residual adenosine despite adenosine deaminase infusion indicates
      that adenosine production in the unstressed isolated guinea pig heart exceeds the
      degradative capacity of infused adenosine deaminase. Previous studies in which it
      was assumed that almost all of the endogenous adenosine is inactivated by the
      infusion of adenosine deaminase should be reevaluated in light of these
      observations.

PMID- 1415781
TI  - Maximal myocardial blood flow is enhanced by chronic hypoxemia in late gestation
      fetal sheep.
AB  - The measurement of maximal myocardial blood flow gives information about the
      total cross-sectional area of the coronary resistance vessels. During a
      continuous left atrial infusion of adenosine (60 micrograms.kg-1.min-1), maximal
      myocardial blood flow was measured in 4 fetuses hypoxemic for a minimum of 5-8
      days (pH = 7.33 +/- 0.01, arterial PCO2 = 49.8 +/- 4.2 Torr, arterial PO2 = 16.1
      +/- 1.3 Torr, and arterial concentration of O2 = 5.3 +/- 1.2 ml/dl). These data
      were compared with an identically instrumented group of normoxemic fetuses (n =
      7) following the same study protocol (pH = 7.38 +/- 0.02, arterial PCO2 = 43.1 +/
      3.8 Torr, arterial PO2 = 19.8 +/- 2.0 Torr, and arterial concentration of O2 =
      7.9 +/- 1.0 ml/dl) (P < 0.05). At comparable arterial pressures, the maximal
      myocardial flow (ml.min-1.100 g tissue-1) for hypoxemic vs. normoxemic fetuses
      was 974 +/- 273 and 630 +/- 181 for the total myocardium, 986 +/- 367 and 602 +/-
      192 for the left ventricular free wall, 1,025 +/- 346 and 614 +/- 178 for the
      septum, and 1,231 +/- 274 and 757 +/- 269 for the right ventricular free wall,
      respectively (P < 0.01). These data suggest that hypoxemia in the fetus can
      significantly alter the coronary vascular bed, which, if confirmed, would
      represent an important adaptation in the developing fetus.

PMID- 1415782
TI  - The endocardial endothelium.
AB  - The heart wall with its complex trabecular structures is covered with a very thin
      layer of endocardial endothelial (EE) cells. EE cells appear early during cardiac
      development; they are involved in myocardial trabeculation and the formation of
      primitive nutrient vessels. This process precedes the development of coronary
      vessels, Purkinje fibers, and nerve fibers. EE has a different cell shape and
      cytoskeletal organization than vascular endothelium. The differences in
      permeability between EE and the coronary vascular endothelium in the
      subendocardial myocardium might assign characteristic electrochemical properties
      to the endocardium. Modulation of EE function by substances in the blood
      constitutes an important intracavitary autoregulation of muscle-pump performance
      of the heart, i.e., by altering the duration of contraction without significantly
      altering early contraction dynamics. Such an autoregulation resets the timing of
      ventricular relaxation and rapid filling with little effect on early systolic
      contraction and ejection. Both the release by the EE of various substances with
      inotropic properties and a trans-EE physicochemical control are postulated as
      possible underlying mechanisms.

PMID- 1415783
TI  - Digital image analysis of shark gills: modeling of oxygen transfer in the domain
      of time.
AB  - Digital radiographic imaging of blood circulation through leopard shark gills
      establishes a secondary lamellar transit time of 6.5 s. This duration, combined
      with estimates of cardiac output and hemoglobin-oxygen affinity, permits novel
      modeling of gill oxygen transfer in the time domain. The temporal model allows
      assessment of factors contributing to previously noted discrepancies between
      physiological and morphometric branchial oxygen conductance estimates. Lamellar
      transit time for shark blood is 20 times greater than human alveolar transit
      time, and thus correlates with a slower rate of hemoglobin-oxygen binding and a
      greater diffusion distance.

PMID- 1415784
TI  - Atrial natriuretic factor binding sites in rat area postrema: autoradiographic
      study.
AB  - The area postrema (AP) is a brain stem circumventricular organ implicated, among
      other functions, in central cardiovascular (CV) regulation. Competition binding
      analysis performed by quantitative in vitro autoradiography demonstrated
      specific, high-affinity (Kd, 0.32 +/- 0.11 nM), low-capacity (Bmax, 57.5 +/- 10.9
      fmol/mg protein) atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) binding sites in the AP. C-ANF
      [des-(Gln116-Gly120)ANF-(Arg102-Cys121)-NH2] and ANF-(Phe106-Ile113)-NH2 (two
      ligands endowed with selectivity for the ANF-C receptor), as well as C-type
      natriuretic peptide (CNP), did not compete noticeably at pathophysiological
      concentrations for 125I-ANF binding. 125I-[Tyr0]CNP bound to the AP to a much
      lower extent than 125I-ANF. Electron microscopic autoradiography in vivo
      disclosed that 125I-ANF was preferentially bound to axon, dendrite, and astrocyte
      plasmalemma. These studies demonstrate that the AP contains natriuretic peptide
      binding sites with pharmacological characteristics of the ANF-A and ANF-B but not
      of the ANF-C receptor subtype. In the AP, ANF interacts with those sites
      resembling ANF-A receptors. Cellular localization of these binding sites may
      relate to their possible involvement in the centrally mediated salt and water
      regulation and/or CV effects of circulating ANF.

PMID- 1415785
TI  - Vasopressin and angiotensin II in reflex regulation of heart rate: effect of
      water deprivation.
AB  - This study tested the hypothesis that endogenous angiotensin II (ANG II) and
      vasopressin enhance baroreflex-mediated increases in heart rate in water-replete
      dogs and in dogs water deprived to chronically elevate plasma ANG II and
      vasopressin concentrations. The baroreflex was assessed by examining the heart
      rate response to infusion of increasing doses of nitroprusside (0.3, 0.6, 1.5,
      and 3.0 micrograms.kg-1.min-1). The effect on the baroreflex of pretreating the
      dogs with the competitive ANG II antagonist saralasin, a V1-vasopressin
      antagonist, or a combined V1/V2-vasopressin antagonist, alone or in combination,
      was determined. Nitroprusside infusion produced dose-dependent increases in heart
      rate, and the heart rate response was greater in water-deprived dogs in
      association with higher plasma levels of ANG II and vasopressin than in water
      replete dogs. ANG II blockade alone depressed reflex increases in heart rate in
      water-deprived but not water-replete dogs. In both water-replete and water
      deprived dogs, blockade of V1-vasopressin receptors reduced the heart rate
      response to hypotension, but this effect could be produced only when ANG II
      receptors were also blocked. In addition, administration of saralasin and the
      V1/V2-vasopressin antagonist led to a further reduction of the reflex
      tachycardia. These data suggest that endogenous vasopressin, acting at both V1-
      and V2-receptors, can amplify the increase in heart rate produced by hypotension.
      In addition, the results further support a physiological role for chronic
      elevations in endogenous ANG II in the maintenance of normal baroreflex function.

PMID- 1415786
TI  - Roles of catecholamines and corticosterone during anoxia and recovery at 5
      degrees C in turtles.
AB  - The roles of the catecholamines and corticosterone in glucose regulation during
      28 days of submergence anoxia and air-breathing recovery at 5 degrees C in the
      turtle Chrysemys picta were examined. Anoxia resulted in an increase in mean
      plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine levels (from 42 and 49 to 966 and 3,826
      pg/ml, respectively) and a decrease in hepatic glycogen levels. Despite the
      increase in plasma catecholamine levels, plasma glucose levels did not change,
      and the percent of the alpha form of hepatic glycogen phosphorylase was decreased
      compared with normoxic controls. Plasma levels of lactate increased from 1.5 to
      95 mM, and corticosterone decreased during anoxia. During recovery in air,
      corticosterone returned to control levels within 1 day, and plasma lactate levels
      slowly decreased. In contrast to a previous study on anoxic turtles at 22 degrees
      C, at 5 degrees C the catecholamines do not stimulate hepatic glycogenolysis by
      increasing the level of glycogen phosphorylase alpha. The results do not support
      the hypothesis that corticosterone enhances lactate clearance from turtle plasma
      during recovery from anoxia.

PMID- 1415787
TI  - Stress in birds due to routine handling and a technique to avoid it.
AB  - The stress that might result in animals from the routine handling that most
      experimental studies involve, e.g., weighing, injecting, and blood sampling, is
      usually assumed to be minimal when the animals look quiet. However, the intensity
      of this stress remains largely ignored. We have developed a system that allows
      blood samples to be taken from freely behaving geese without entering the animal
      room. In these entirely undisturbed geese, the humoral indexes of stress, i.e.,
      blood levels of catecholamines, corticosterone, and lactate, were as low or even
      lower than the lowest values previously reported for birds. Remarkably, the mean
      basal values for epinephrine and norepinephrine were 90-fold and 5-fold,
      respectively, below the lowest values in the literature. Stress-induced
      variations in pH that would have concealed detection of nutrition-induced changes
      in pH were eliminated. In contrast, even though the birds looked quiet during a
      short 5-min routine handling procedure, to which they had been accustomed for
      weeks, there was a dramatic increase in the level of humoral indexes of stress.
      These increased severalfold within only 2 min, and the return to initial values
      could take up to 1 h. Acid-base balance was also disrupted. Thus, in studies on
      animals, the absence of stress cannot be deduced from only behavioral
      observations. Only a system for taking blood without human interference may
      enable stress-free investigations.

PMID- 1415788
TI  - Early insulin response after food intake in geese.
AB  - Plasma glucose and insulin levels were measured in chronically catheterized,
      freely moving, undisturbed geese, which were offered a free standard meal after
      an overnight fast. The insulin level markedly rose within the first minute after
      the start of food ingestion, whereas plasma glucose did not increase. This early
      insulin response was not correlated with the size of the meal. In contrast, both
      postabsorptive insulin response and plasma glucose changes were dependent on meal
      size. When a small amount of food (2-6 g) was eaten, insulin returned to basal
      level within 30 min, whereas plasma glucose remained unchanged. Larger meals (15
      20 g) maintained plasma insulin at a higher level and induced a sustained rise of
      plasma glucose. These results indicate that there is a cephalic phase of insulin
      secretion at the beginning of the meal in birds as previously described in
      mammals.

PMID- 1415789
TI  - Whole body insulin sensitivity in Osborne-Mendel and S 5B/Pl rats eating a low-
      or high-fat diet.
AB  - To determine whether whole body insulin sensitivity differs between a rat strain
      that does not (S 5B/Pl) and a strain that does [Osborne-Mendel (OM)] become obese
      when eating a high-fat diet, we performed euglycemic clamp studies in animals
      from each strain during low- and high-fat feeding. Clamps were performed after 2
      days ("initial clamp") and 9 days ("final clamp") on each diet. Plasma glucose
      and insulin levels during the final 60 min of initial and final clamps were
      similar in S 5B/Pl and OM rats regardless of diet. Insulin sensitivity, measured
      as the glucose clearance rate during the final 60 min of the clamp, averaged 35
      +/- 3 ml.kg-1.min-1 in S 5B/Pl rats after 2 days on a low-fat diet. This did not
      change significantly during an additional 7 days on the low-fat diet. The high
      fat diet was associated with a 13% reduction in insulin sensitivity after 2 days
      and a 30% reduction after 9 days in S 5B/Pl rats. OM rats exhibited similar
      patterns of insulin sensitivity during low- and high-fat diets, albeit at lower
      insulin sensitivity overall (P < 0.0005 vs. S 5B/Pl). Mean glucose clearance
      after 2 days on the low-fat diet was 27 +/- 2 mg.kg-1.min-1 and did not change
      significantly during seven more days of low-fat feeding. The high-fat diet was
      associated with a 19% reduction in glucose clearance after 2 days and a 38%
      reduction after 9 days in OM rats. The magnitude of reduction in insulin
      sensitivity during high-fat diets did not differ significantly between
      strains.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415790
TI  - Reversal of high-fat diet-induced obesity in female rats.
AB  - The purpose of the present study was to test whether the degree of obesity or the
      duration of the obese state affects the reversibility of diet-induced obesity.
      This was accomplished by initially feeding adult female Wistar rats either a low
      fat diet (Chow) or one of two high-fat diets (HFDs; 30 and 60% of total calories
      as dietary fat; 30% HFD and 60% HFD, respectively). Fifty-four days, reversal 1
      (R1), or ninety-seven days, reversal 2 (R2), later the HFDs were substituted with
      the low-fat control diet in subgroups of rats. Animals from all groups were
      sampled at three intervals: the start of R1 (R1 start), and the completion of R1
      (R1 end) and R2 (R2 end). At the end of each interval the 60% HFD-fed group had
      increased body weight, carcass lipid content, and retroperitoneal and parametrial
      white adipose tissue (RWAT and PWAT) pad weight, fat cell diameter, and fat cell
      volume, but not fat cell number (FCN), compared with the other groups. The 60%
      HFD-fed rats also exhibited a marked and persistent hyperphagia that continued
      even as most of the indexes of obesity approached their maximal values (R1 end).
      The 60% HFD group had a transient increase in RWAT and PWAT lipoprotein lipase
      activity that followed the development of most obesity indicators. A clear
      intermediate level of obesity did not develop in the 30% HFD-fed group. Instead,
      these animals had nonsignificant increases in these measures of adiposity, making
      it impossible to test whether the severity of the obesity affected its
      reversibility in age-matched groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415791
TI  - Metabolic state of the in situ perfused trout heart during severe hypoxia.
AB  - An in situ perfused heart preparation was used to study the effects of severe
      hypoxia in the rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Hypoxic trout hearts were
      capable of generating similar power outputs and ATP turnovers to normoxic
      counterparts at subphysiological work regimes. However, lactate efflux was 35
      fold higher and glycolytic rate was calculated to be > 10-fold higher in hypoxic
      than in normoxic hearts. The surprising ability of trout hearts to withstand
      severe hypoxia appears to be related to the rapid removal of lactate and
      associated protons from the heart. An increase in power demand to normal in vivo
      levels caused rapid failure in hypoxic hearts. Failure was caused by a decline in
      stroke volume (contractility) and was not a consequence of heart rate
      deterioration. Hypoxia caused marked declines in the concentration of creatine
      phosphate but not ATP, and we suggest that an increase in intracellular phosphate
      was the primary cause of failure.

PMID- 1415792
TI  - Injection of cobalt protoporphyrin into the medial nuclei of the hypothalamus
      elicits weight loss.
AB  - Intracerebroventricular administration of small amounts (0.1 mumol/kg body wt) of
      cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP), a synthetic analogue of heme, results in transient
      hypophagia and prolonged reduction in body weight of rats. Statistically
      significant hypophagia is detectable within 3 h of CoPP infusion. These changes
      are accompanied by prompt and sustained reductions in running wheel revolutions,
      a measure of spontaneous locomotor activity. Bilateral intrahypothalamic
      injections of CoPP at far lower doses (4 nmol/rat) resulted in similar findings
      following infusion into the paraventricular, dorsomedial, and ventromedial
      nuclei, but the compound had no such effect when injected into the thalamus or
      the lateral hypothalamic area. These effects were also observed following
      microinjection of the natural metalloporphyrin, heme, into the medial
      hypothalamic nuclei. Inorganic cobalt, iron, protoporphyrin, and magnesium
      protoporphyrin injected similarly were without such effect. These findings
      provide further evidence that the site of the previously described actions of
      CoPP in reducing food intake and body weight in rats resides, at least in part,
      in the medial hypothalamus. Furthermore, this study expands the spectrum of
      metalloporphyrins that act in the central nervous system to elicit these changes
      from synthetic compounds such as CoPP to heme, the natural, physiological
      metalloporphyrin.

PMID- 1415794
TI  - Effect of reproductive function on cold tolerance in deer mice.
AB  - Thermoregulatory responses were evaluated in male deer mice (Peromyscus
      maniculatus nebrascensis) after exposure to short photoperiod and either warm or
      cold ambient temperature (T(a)). Deer mice were chosen for this study because
      males exhibit differential reproductive responses to short day length (SD); this
      difference has a genetic basis, and both phenotypes are found within natural
      breeding populations. Deer mice undergoing SD-induced gonadal regression
      significantly improved their cold limit to -32.9 degrees C after exposure to
      SD/warm T(a) and to -47.4 degrees C after SD/cold T(a) exposure, relative to long
      day length/warm T(a) controls (-17.4 degrees C). In contrast, deer mice
      maintaining reproductive function despite SD exposure significantly improved cold
      limit to -27.2 degrees C only after exposure to SD/cold T(a), relative to
      controls (-16.3 degrees C). Maximum norepinephrine-induced nonshivering
      thermogenesis (NST) did not vary with reproductive state, indicating differences
      in cold tolerance were not due to capacity to produce heat by NST. Comparison
      between phenotypes of heat production during cold tolerance tests indicated that
      greater cold tolerance among mice exhibiting SD-induced gonadal regression can be
      accounted for by 1) lower rates of heat loss and 2) greater improvement of heat
      production. These findings suggest a functional relationship between reproductive
      function and seasonal thermoregulatory adjustments and indicate a significant
      cost to breeding during the winter months.

PMID- 1415793
TI  - Dynamics of gastric emptying during and after stomach fill.
AB  - Gastric contents were sampled at various points during and after intragastric
      infusions of glucose solution (6.25, 12.5, 25%) delivered at rates typical of
      normal ingestion in the rat. The postinfusion results were consistent with those
      reported in the literature in that glucose solute emptied at a relatively stable
      rate over time and across stimulus concentrations. During fill (1.0 ml/min;
      experiment 1), by contrast, solute (caloric) emptying rate increased about
      threefold as stimulus concentration was raised. For each concentration, emptying
      rate was uniformly higher during than after fill (approximately 4 times higher at
      the lowest concentration). In experiment 2, gastric emptying rate during 12-min
      intragastric infusions of 12.5% glucose varied directly with the volumetric rate
      (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 ml/min) at which they were delivered. These results show that
      different rules govern gastric emptying during and after stomach fill. The
      results also suggest that a large proportion of a liquid meal may empty before
      feeding is terminated and that variations in the rate of ingestion could affect
      the gastric/postgastric distribution of ingesta and, in turn, the satiation
      process.

PMID- 1415795
TI  - Calcium channel blockers inhibit amiloride-stimulated short-circuit current in
      frog tadpole skin.
AB  - The larval frog skin has a very high electrical resistance and a corresponding
      low rate of transepithelial ion transport. Amiloride, a blocker of sodium
      transport in adult skin, transiently stimulates rather than inhibits short
      circuit current (Isc) across larval skin. The time course and concentration
      response to amiloride and the effects of calcium channel blockers on Isc were
      studied with larval frog skin mounted in modified Ussing chambers. The amiloride
      (1 mM) transient was markedly blunted if the skin was previously exposed to low
      amiloride (0.01-0.1 mM) concentrations. The calcium channel blockers verapamil,
      nitrendipine, diltiazem, W-7, and lanthanum all blocked the amiloride transient.
      Diltiazem itself caused a rapid transient in Isc, indicating that it may be a
      partial agonist. These data suggest that the amiloride-stimulated cation channels
      rapidly desensitize in a manner similar to the acetylcholine receptor. The
      decline in Isc after amiloride stimulation could be caused by amiloride block of
      the open channel. Blockade of amiloride stimulation by well-known calcium channel
      blockers suggests that these larval cation channels may have some characteristics
      in common with calcium channels.

PMID- 1415796
TI  - Cerebrovascular and coronary effects of endothelin-1 in the goat.
AB  - In vivo and in vitro effects of endothelin-1 (ET-1) on cerebral and coronary
      vasculature of goats were examined and compared. In six anesthetized goats
      intravenous injections of ET-1 (0.1-0.8 nmol) increased arterial pressure, did
      not change the middle cerebral (MCA) and left anterior descending or left
      circumflex coronary (LCC) arterial blood flows (electromagnetically measured),
      and increased cerebral and coronary vascular resistances. In four other
      anesthetized goats intra-arterial injections of ET-1 (0.01-0.3 nmol) decreased
      the MCA flow less than the LCC flow (maximal reduction was 20 and 80%,
      respectively) and only the highest dose increased arterial pressure. In isolated
      segments from large arteries ET-1 (10(-11) to 10(-7) M) caused concentration
      dependent isometric contractions, the concentration causing 50% of the maximal
      effect and the maximal contraction being lower in cerebral arteries than in
      coronary arteries. The in vitro reactivity of both arteries was unaffected by
      endothelium removal or by indomethacin (10(-5) M). Therefore ET-1 produces
      cerebral and coronary vasoconstriction in vivo and in vitro, probably by acting
      directly on vascular musculature. Although the sensitivity is higher in isolated
      cerebral arteries than in coronary arteries, the reactivity in vivo could be
      lower in the cerebral circulation than in the coronary circulation to this
      endothelium-derived peptide.

PMID- 1415797
TI  - Hemodynamic effects of central angiotensin I, II, and III in conscious rabbits.
AB  - We have examined the hemodynamic effects of intraventricular angiotensins in
      conscious rabbits. Fourth ventricular injections of angiotensin II (ANG II, 8
      fmol to 25 pmol) produced dose-dependent pressor responses at doses 400 times
      less than equipressor intravenous doses. Lateral ventricle administration of
      doses up to 1,000 pmol had little effect on mean arterial pressure (maximum +7 +/
      3 mmHg, P < 0.05, n = 9). Comparison of dose-response curves to ANG I, II, and
      III showed that all three had similar maximum pressor effects (27 +/- 3 mmHg),
      with ANG I being four times less potent than ANG II, and ANG III as potent as ANG
      II. Central pretreatment with the ANG-converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril
      abolished the pressor response to ANG I, suggesting that it was mediated entirely
      through ANG II. Examination of the hemodynamic changes after ANG I, II, and III
      in rabbits instrumented with aortic, mesenteric, or hindquarter flow probes
      showed that the rise in blood pressure to all three agents was due entirely to a
      decrease in total peripheral conductance, since cardiac output and heart rate
      fell. Peripheral conductance changes were not uniform, with the mesenteric bed
      showing an average 20 +/- 3% fall in conductance, while the hindquarter
      conductance increased (+12 +/- 3%). In sinoaortic-denervated rabbits, however,
      central angiotensins reduced conductance equally in the hindlimb and mesenteric
      beds, suggesting that the hindlimb dilatation in the baroreceptor intact rabbit
      was due to baroreflex buffering of the pressor effect. In conclusion, these
      studies suggest that the main sites for ANG effects on the cardiovascular system
      are located in the brain stem.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415798
TI  - Does reducing the rate or efficiency of digestion reduce food intake?
AB  - Two strains of rats (Charles River CD and Lewis) were fed high-moisture (71%
      water) diets containing 50-300 mg acarbose/kg dry diet for 1-3 wk. Acarbose
      impaired carbohydrate digestion in both strains, as evidenced by increased fecal
      excretion and increased intestinal contents. For both strains the highest dose of
      acarbose tended to stimulate food intake, whereas an intermediate dose (100
      mg/kg) inhibited food intake. The lowest dose (50 mg/kg) had no significant
      effect. In general the food intake-promoting effect of acarbose was more
      pronounced in CD rats, whereas the food intake-inhibiting effect of acarbose was
      more pronounced in Lewis rats. To determine whether increased intestinal bulk,
      due to undigested food, was responsible for the reduced food intake, another
      experiment was conducted in which Lewis rats were fed diets containing 5-25%
      cellulose. Although this level of cellulose should have increased fecal bulk to
      the same degree as acarbose, cellulose increased rather than decreased food
      intake. It is proposed that the presence of incompletely digested food in the
      digestive tract can inhibit food intake for several days. Because manipulating
      diet moisture altered energy intake without altering percentage of food excreted
      as feces, it is proposed that acarbose and diet moisture alter food intake by
      different mechanisms.

PMID- 1415799
TI  - Intraventricular CCK-8 reduces single meal size in the baboon by interaction with
      type-A CCK receptors.
AB  - Intraventricular cholecystokinin COOH-terminal octapeptide (CCK-8) decreases meal
      size in the meal-trained baboon. In the present study, we tested whether this
      action is mediated by CCK-A receptors, CCK-B receptors, or both. Intraventricular
      administration of the selective CCK-A receptor agonist A71623 at 1 and 10 nmol/kg
      suppressed 30-min meal size 69 +/- 22% and 75 +/- 7%, respectively. Additionally,
      intraventricular A71623 was equipotent to CCK-8 at 1 nmol/kg (% suppression of
      meal by CCK = 59 +/- 17). However, intraventricular administration of the CCK-B
      receptor agonist A63387 at 10 nmol/kg had no effect on 30-min meal size (%
      suppression = 18 +/- 29). Intravenous administration of 10 nmol/kg A71623 did not
      result in an alteration of meal size, but prandial plasma insulin and glucose
      responses were delayed and blunted. Basal plasma insulin levels doubled after
      intravenous administration of A71623. Both behavioral and metabolic responses to
      A71623 in the baboon are virtually identical to those we have previously observed
      after CCK-8 treatment. Thus we conclude that the predominant receptor population
      with which intraventricular CCK-8 interacts are type-A CCK receptors that are
      accessible to the ventricular system of the baboon.

PMID- 1415800
TI  - Effects of CGRP on baroreflex control of heart rate and renal sympathetic nerve
      activity in rabbits.
AB  - We examined the effects of intravenous infusion of calcitonin gene-related
      peptide (CGRP) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on baroreceptor afferent nerve
      activity, renal sympathetic efferent nerve activity (RSNA), and heart rate in
      alpha-chloralose-anesthetized rabbits. Baroreceptor afferent nerve activity was
      measured from aortic nerves during CGRP- and SNP-induced hypotension. Decreases
      in aortic nerve activity in response to decreases in mean arterial pressure were
      not different during CGRP and SNP infusion. Progressive infusion of CGRP (12-120
      pmol.kg-1.min-1) increased RNSA by 83 +/- 14 (mean +/- SE), 175 +/- 26, 246 +/-
      36, and 343 +/- 41%, and heart rate by 8 +/- 2, 24 +/- 3, 37 +/- 4, and 47 +/- 6
      beats/min during falls of blood pressure of 5, 10, 15, and 20 mmHg, respectively.
      These increases in RSNA and heart rate produced by CGRP were significantly
      greater than those produced by SNP. The alterations in heart rate and RSNA with
      CGRP were reversed by restoring blood pressure with phenylephrine HCl. In rabbits
      with sinoaortic and vagal deafferentation, the responses of heart rate and RSNA
      to a fall of blood pressure were abolished during both CGRP and SNP infusion.
      Therefore, it is suggested that the facilitated responses of heart rate and RSNA
      during CGRP infusion occurred by way of the arterial baroreflex arc.

PMID- 1415801
TI  - Effect of age and blood pressure on the heart rate, vasopressin, and renin
      response to hypoxia in fetal sheep.
AB  - The purpose of these studies was to determine whether attenuating the increase in
      arterial and central venous pressure (CVP) during acute hypoxia can augment the
      renin and arginine vasopressin (AVP) responses to isocapnic hypoxia in
      chronically instrumented sheep fetuses. Young (122 +/- 2 days; n = 7) and old
      (133 +/- 1 days, n = 7) fetuses were exposed to hypoxemia (arterial PO2 =
      approximately 12-13 Torr) without and with attenuation of the increase in mean
      arterial pressure (MAP) and CVP with the simultaneous infusion of sodium
      nitroprusside (NP). NP did not attenuate the bradycardia induced by hypoxia.
      Plasma renin activity did not increase with hypoxia even when the potentially
      inhibitory effect of increased MAP and CVP was attenuated with NP. The AVP
      response to hypoxia was greater in the old fetuses. Furthermore, NP did augment
      the AVP response to hypoxia in the young but not old fetuses. We conclude that
      increases in MAP and CVP (i.e., baroreceptor input) do not influence the decrease
      in heart rate and lack of renin responses to acute hypoxia in the sheep fetus and
      that increased MAP and CVP seems to restrain the AVP response to hypoxia in
      younger sheep fetuses.

PMID- 1415802
TI  - Clonidine in the prepyriform cortex blocked anorectic response to amino acid
      imbalance.
AB  - Ingestion of imbalanced amino acid diets (IMB) has been associated with a
      decrease in norepinephrine (NE) concentration in the prepyriform cortex (PPC), an
      area essential for the anorectic response to IMB. Decreased NE could result from
      activity-induced release (and subsequent metabolism) of the transmitter. If
      activity of the NE system is important in the rat's anorectic response to IMB,
      reduced NE activity should result in increased IMB intake. Therefore, the feeding
      response to IMB was measured after injecting clonidine (Clon) into the PPC to
      inhibit NE release. At 3 and 6 h after Clon (1.0 and 1.5 micrograms/rat)
      injections, IMB intake was increased from 69 (the usual response to IMB in
      untreated animals) to > 100% of control intake. Effective injection sites did not
      include the gustatory neocortex, an area important for conditioned taste
      aversions. Thus activation of the NE system in the PPC may be associated with the
      initial reduced intake of IMB, suggesting that NE activity in the PPC has a role
      in the neural mechanisms that subserve recognition of amino acid deficiency.

PMID- 1415803
TI  - Elevated muscle acidity and energy production during exhaustive exercise in
      humans.
AB  - This study examined the effect of previous intense exercise on energy production
      during exhaustive exercise. Subjects (n = 6) performed dynamic knee extensor
      exercise to exhaustion twice (Ex1 and Ex2) separated by 16 min of recovery
      consisting of 10 min of rest, 3.5 min of very high-intensity intermittent
      exercise, and a further 2.5 min of rest. This resulted in an elevated muscle
      lactate concentration of 13.1 mmol/kg wet wt before Ex2. Muscle lactate
      concentration was the same at end of Ex1 and Ex2, but the accumulation of lactate
      and net lactate release during Ex2 was reduced (P < 0.05) by 67 and 38%,
      respectively. The time to exhaustion was 3.73 and 2.98 min, respectively, and the
      mean rate of net lactate production for Ex2 was lower (P < 0.05) than for Ex1
      (4.6 +/- 1.2 and 9.6 +/- 1.7 mmol.min-1.kg wet wt-1, respectively). Leg O2 uptake
      was the same for Ex1 and Ex2. Muscle pH (6.85) was lowered (P < 0.05) before Ex2,
      but at the end of Ex2 (6.77) it tended (P < 0.1) to be higher compared with that
      at the end of Ex1 (6.73). In summary, the net lactate production rate is reduced
      but the aerobic energy production is not significantly altered when intense
      exercise is repeated. Fatigue and the lowered glycolysis do not appear to be
      caused by the elevated acidity per se before exercise.

PMID- 1415804
TI  - Developmental changes in hindlimb muscles and diaphragm of sheep.
AB  - In this study, plasma thyroxine, contractile and histochemical
      (adenosinetriphosphatase and NADH) characteristics of soleus (SOL), medial
      gastrocnemius (MG), and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) were examined in 140-day
      gestation fetal sheep and in 2-, 5-, and 30-day-old lambs and adult ewes.
      Electrophoretic separation of myosin heavy chains was also done on all muscles
      and the diaphragm. There were no differences in the twitch contraction and
      relaxation times of MG and EDL at the different ages; in contrast SOL contraction
      times were significantly shorter in the fetus and newborn than in the adult. Fast
      glycolytic fibers first appeared in EDL, MG, and diaphragm at 5, 30, and 5 days
      after birth, respectively. The proportion of slow oxidative fibers decreased
      after birth and with postnatal development in EDL, whereas they increased in MG
      and diaphragm. Plasma thyroxine concentrations were higher in the fetus and day
      old lambs than in 2-, 5-, and 30-day-old lambs or adult sheep. It is suggested
      that contractile specialization of the fast-twitch diaphragm, MG, and EDL is
      largely achieved in utero and is probably mediated by thyroid hormone. In
      contrast, SOL changed postnatally, probably influenced by the altered neural
      drive.

PMID- 1415805
TI  - Platelet-activating factor antagonists limit glycine changes and behavioral
      deficits after brain trauma.
AB  - Tissue damage after traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in part from delayed
      biochemical changes initiated by the insult. Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is
      an alkylphospholipid that has been implicated in tissue damage after cerebral
      ischemia. PAF is toxic to certain neuronal cell lines in culture, reduces
      cerebral blood flow, alters the blood-brain barrier, and can enhance phospholipid
      hydrolysis. The recent development of receptor antagonists to PAF permits
      examination of its possible role in delayed tissue injury after neurotrauma.
      Treatment with the PAF receptor antagonists BN 52021 and WEB 2170 before injury
      significantly enhanced neurological recovery after fluid percussion-induced TBI
      in rats. Pretreatment with WEB 2170 also significantly limited alterations in
      tissue water content and tissue glycine levels after trauma, and reduced
      posttraumatic levels of extracellular glycine in ipsilateral hippocampus. These
      findings implicate PAF in the pathophysiology of TBI, through actions at PAF
      receptors. A possible role for glycine in this process is suggested.

PMID- 1415806
TI  - Iron uptake in relation to transferrin degradation in brain and other tissues of
      rats.
AB  - The possibility that iron uptake by the brain involves transcytosis of the iron
      transferrin complex across the brain capillaries, followed by degradation of the
      transferrin (Tf) within the brain, was investigated using diferric 125I-[59Fe]Tf
      and [59Fe]Tf coupled to 125I-tyramine cellobiose (TC). The radiolabeled catabolic
      products of proteins labeled with 125I-TC remain in the cells where degradation
      occurs. The TCTf complex behaved normally with respect to its ability to donate
      iron to rat reticulocytes in vitro or to the brain, liver, kidneys, and femurs in
      vivo. In the brain there was little difference in the uptake of 125I derived from
      Tf and TCTf, and the amounts were equivalent to only a small fraction of the 59Fe
      uptake. Hence, the rate of Tf catabolism in the brain was insufficient to account
      for the rate of accumulation of iron from plasma Tf. It was concluded that Tf
      recycles to the plasma after delivering its iron to the brain. The uptake of 125I
      from TCTf by the liver and kidneys accounted for 40-50% of the total rate of Tf
      catabolism. This indicated that they were important but not the only sites of
      degradation of this protein.

PMID- 1415807
TI  - Gestational changes in Ca2+ transport across rat placenta and mRNA for
      calbindin9K and Ca(2+)-ATPase.
AB  - The unidirectional maternofetal clearance (Kmf) of 45Ca was measured across the
      rat placenta over the last one-third of gestation. Kmf for 45Ca normalized to its
      diffusion coefficient in water (Kmf/Dw) increased 72-fold between days 15 and 22
      of gestation from 3.5 +/- 0.3 to 253.1 +/- 22.0 cm/g placenta, respectively. At
      15 and 18 days of gestation, Kmf/Dw for 45Ca was similar to Kmf/Dw for the
      paracellular marker [14C]mannitol, but at 21 and 22 days of gestation, Kmf/Dw for
      45Ca was significantly higher than Kmf/Dw for [14C]mannitol, indicating that an
      additional route of transfer, other than diffusion, becomes available to calcium
      during this period. Northern hybridization analysis demonstrated that rat
      placental calbindin9K-to-beta-actin mRNA ratio increased 135-fold between 15 and
      22 days of gestation and was temporally associated with the gestational increase
      in Kmf/Dw for 45Ca. In contrast, rat placental Ca(2+)-ATPase-to-beta-actin mRNA
      ratio increased only two- to threefold over the same gestational period and did
      not mirror the gestational changes in calcium clearance. These trends suggest
      that the expression of placental calbindin9K, but not Ca(2+)-ATPase, may be rate
      limiting to placental calcium transport in the rat.

PMID- 1415808
TI  - Tissue-specific effects of physiological ANP infusion on blood-tissue albumin
      transport.
AB  - Blood-tissue transport of 131I-labeled bovine serum albumin (BSA) during
      intravenous infusion of synthetic atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was examined
      in anesthetized male Wistar rats. Plasma volumes were maintained at pre-ANP
      levels by infusion of 2% BSA in lactated Ringer solution (LR) to minimize
      compensatory responses to ANP-induced hypovolemia. 131I-BSA clearance was
      measured over 30 min, and 125I-BSA was injected terminally to correct for
      intravascular volume. Thirty-minute infusion of 20 ng.kg-1.min-1 ANP resulted in
      a tissue-selective increase in 131I-BSA clearance in jejunum and colon compared
      with controls given LR only. Smaller but significant increases in tracer
      clearance also were observed in fat, kidney, left ventricle, and skeletal muscle
      exposed to 400 ng.kg-1.min-1 ANP. The observed elevation in tracer albumin
      extravasation was not associated with any measurable increase in tissue
      extravascular water content. Furthermore, it was shown that coupling of 131I-BSA
      transport to filtration induced by hindlimb venous congestion was similar in
      control and ANP-treated rats. In a second series of experiments, plasma ANP
      levels were determined after 30-min ANP infusions from 0 to 180 ng.kg-1.min-1.
      Significant linear associations between physiological ANP levels (62-578 pg/ml)
      and 131I-BSA clearance were demonstrable for small intestine, colon, fat, kidney,
      and skeletal muscle but not for skin, heart, diaphragm, and lung. We conclude
      that raising plasma ANP by infusion of the synthetic peptide results in a
      filtration-independent, tissue-selective increase in albumin transport. Tissue
      uptake of albumin is a potential mechanism for extrarenal fluid shift during
      circulatory volume overload.

PMID- 1415809
TI  - Indomethacin attenuates exercise-induced proteinuria in hypertensive miniature
      swine.
AB  - Exercise-induced proteinuria may be increased in hypertensives. The mechanisms
      underlying the increased proteinuria are not known, and it has not been
      determined whether animal models of hypertension exhibit a similar response. We
      investigated whether indomethacin (Indo) altered exercise-induced proteinuria in
      normal and hypertensive deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) Yucatan miniature
      swine (YMS). Five normal and four DOCA YMS underwent 30 min of treadmill exercise
      at 80% of maximal heart rate. Cumulative (exercise + recovery) albumin excretion
      in the DOCA YMS was 25-fold (P < 0.01) greater than observed in the normal YMS.
      Indo had no effect on resting or exercise-induced proteinuria in the normal YMS.
      However, Indo decreased the slightly elevated proteinuria at rest, and normalized
      the exaggerated exercise-induced proteinuria in the DOCA YMS. The antiproteinuric
      effect of Indo in the DOCA YMS was not associated with altered exercise, recovery
      blood pressure, or glomerular filtration rate. Thus hypertensive DOCA YMS exhibit
      an exaggerated exercise-induced proteinuria. It is suggested that eicosanoids are
      involved in this abnormal renal proteinuric response to exercise.

PMID- 1415810
TI  - A network model of respiratory rhythmogenesis.
AB  - A mathematical model of the three-phase respiratory network proposed by Richter
      et al. (News Physiol. Sci. 1: 109-112, 1986) is developed and its properties are
      examined. The model reproduces the experimentally determined trajectories of
      membrane potential for the five physiologically distinct types of neurons
      included. Stepwise parameter changes can produce a respiratory rhythm with only
      two separate electrophysiological phases, result in apnea, or produce more
      complex patterns of firing. The phase-resetting behavior of the model was
      obtained with perturbing stimuli and is comparable to experimentally determined
      phase-resetting data. There is reasonable agreement between model predictions and
      experimental results. In the model, the properties of the phase singularity make
      termination of the respiratory rhythm by an appropriately timed perturbation
      virtually impossible, which is in agreement with experimental observations. The
      rhythm can be stopped by alterations that simulate the effect of input from the
      superior laryngeal nerve; the rhythm is locked in the postinspiratory phase. We
      conclude that our results are consistent with the concept of a network oscillator
      as the source of the respiratory rhythm.

PMID- 1415811
TI  - Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of colostral IgG transported into lymph and
      plasma in neonatal pigs.
AB  - Amounts of colostral proteins in lymph and plasma were estimated by an enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) after infusion of bovine colostrum into the
      duodenal lumen in nonsuckling neonatal pigs. The rate of immunoglobulin (Ig) G
      transport in lymph of the thoracic duct reached the maximal level (4.7 +/- 1.3
      mg.15 min-1.kg body wt-1) within 3 h after the duodenal infusion. The rate of
      small protein (SP) transport more slowly increased than that of IgG. On the
      contrary, casein remained in the much lower level in lymph. IgG concentration in
      plasma increased gradually and reached a plateau level (2.5 +/- 0.9 g/l) 5 h
      after the infusion, but the levels of SP and casein were slowly and slightly
      increased in plasma. The IgG-to-casein and SP-to-casein ratios in lymph and
      plasma were 161:15:1 and 128:12:1 4 h after the infusion, respectively, and much
      higher than the value in the colostrum (IgG/SP/casein = 15:4:1). These results
      indicate 1) that IgG transported via lymph flow after absorption through the
      small intestine is faster than that via blood flow, 2) that the concentration of
      absorbed IgG is higher than that of absorbed SP and much higher than the
      concentration of absorbed casein both in the lymph and plasma, and 3) that total
      amount of colostral protein transported via blood flow is larger than that
      transported via lymph flow.

PMID- 1415812
TI  - Aging alters feedback effects of the activity-rest cycle on the circadian clock.
AB  - Two different stimuli (i.e., benzodiazepines and dark pulses) inducing phase
      shifts in the circadian clock of young hamsters through changes in the level of
      activity do not induce phase shifts in old hamsters, despite the fact that these
      stimuli induce a similar acute change in locomotor activity in young and old
      animals. In contrast, old hamsters remain sensitive to the phase-shifting effects
      of stimuli clearly not associated with any change in locomotor activity (i.e.,
      protein synthesis inhibitors or light). Thus the circadian system of old animals
      becomes selectively unresponsive to synchronizing signals mediated by the
      activity-rest state of the animals. Previous age-related changes in circadian
      rhythmicity that have been observed in mammals, including humans, may be related
      to a weakened coupling between the activity-rest cycle and the circadian clock.

PMID- 1415813
TI  - Psychosocial rehabilitation and psychiatry in the care of long-term patients.
AB  - The relationship between psychosocial rehabilitation and psychiatry in the care
      of long-term mental patients is one that may often be characterized, at best, as
      an uneasy alliance. The author summarizes the basic concepts that define the
      discipline of psychosocial rehabilitation and discusses how those concepts have
      at times been distorted in actual practice. The article concludes with an
      analysis of the two disciplines' common ground in caring for long-term patients
      and a commentary on the benefits that each may offer the other. Together
      psychiatry and psychosocial rehabilitation hold the key to improved circumstances
      for realizing the promise of deinstitutionalization, which seems largely to have
      eluded us for the past several decades.

PMID- 1415814
TI  - The psychoanalytic conceptualization of perinatal loss: a multidimensional model.
AB  - Much has been learned about perinatal loss over the past 20 years through
      clinical investigations and quantitative research. However, a review of studies
      over the past decade reveals that perinatal loss is increasingly being seen in
      the same way as a death of any other member of the family, rather than as a
      unique bereavement. A comprehensive understanding of perinatal loss anchored in a
      theoretical framework of pregnancy is lacking. This article offers a
      multidimensional model for examining this loss by applying four psychoanalytic
      interpretations of pregnancy. 1) From the perspective of pregnancy ushering in
      the new developmental phase of parenthood, perinatal loss becomes a developmental
      interference, disrupting a significant milestone as well as causing isolation
      from peers. 2) In light of the usual recapitulation of earlier conflicts during
      pregnancy as noted by drive theory, perinatal loss may lead to an intensification
      of intrapsychic conflicts. 3) Understanding pregnancy as the creation of a
      specific person in an object relations model highlights the importance of
      mourning after perinatal death, as well as the need to tend to associated
      unresolved grief from earlier losses. 4) Finally, a model of narcissism describes
      how pregnancy reorganizes self-esteem, thereby delineating the intense
      narcissistic injury and rage that often follow perinatal loss. These multiple
      frameworks help to explain the many repercussions of this loss as well as to
      account for individual differences. Research findings are selectively reviewed to
      support the validity of this model. Conversely, this model may productively guide
      future avenues for research.

PMID- 1415815
TI  - Contested boundaries of bipolar disorder and the limits of categorical diagnosis
      in psychiatry.
AB  - The authors' primary objective is to outline the phenomenology, importance, and
      available data on issues concerning the boundaries between bipolar disorder and
      diagnoses such as schizophrenia, unipolar depression, and personality disorders.
      In addition, by illuminating the many difficulties with the boundaries of one of
      psychiatry's more robust diagnoses, they hope to awaken in the reader a healthy
      skepticism about current psychiatric nosology. For a topic of this scope, a
      literature review must be selective. For each boundary area, a mixture of classic
      and recent papers covering a range of validating criteria is included whenever
      possible. Good summary data are cited when available, as are a selection of
      relevant theoretical papers. The review indicates that current diagnostic
      criteria for bipolar disorder are generally reasonable, but there are many
      problem areas, most of which cannot be solved by changes in criteria. Notable
      among these are 1) the possibility of future manic episodes in unipolar disorder,
      2) schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, and 3) borderline personality disorder
      with prominent mood swings. The disputes concerning the boundaries of bipolar
      disorder illustrate the limitations of categorical diagnosis which result from
      the implementation of diagnostic criteria, the criteria themselves, the
      fundamental nosologic process, and the phenomena themselves. If these limitations
      are to be extended, it may be necessary to explore alternative ways of defining
      psychiatric diagnoses for different settings in research and clinical practice.

PMID- 1415816
TI  - Psychiatric outpatient practice: patterns and policies.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper is to explore possible consequences of
      recent changes in the Medicare payment schedule for office-based psychiatric
      services. METHOD: Psychiatric office visits from the 1985 National Ambulatory
      Medical Care Survey were categorized in a manner that approximates commonly used
      codes of the Physicians' Current Procedural Terminology. An analysis was
      conducted of the frequency and clinical characteristics of various types of
      services, focusing particularly on visits of under 20 minutes in length that
      included a medication prescription (medication visits) and other visits of 35
      minutes or less in duration (brief visits). RESULTS: Medication visits and brief
      visits together accounted for more than one-quarter (27.3%) of all U.S.
      psychiatric office visits. The relative risk of receiving these short visits was
      greater for patients who paid with public resources, were over 65 years of age,
      were nonwhite in race (brief visits only), received a prescription for an
      antipsychotic medication, or were diagnosed as having a psychotic disorder.
      CONCLUSIONS: Short office visits are provided to a particularly vulnerable
      patient population. The reduction in Medicare copayments for medication
      management services should increase the patient demand for these short visits.
      However, where the new Medicare schedule has lowered physician fees for these
      services, the financial incentive to provide short visits will decrease and
      patient access may become limited.

PMID- 1415817
TI  - Regional cerebral glucose metabolism in bulimia nervosa.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The authors' purpose in this study was to further delineate the
      character of cerebral metabolism in bulimia nervosa and to determine if
      functional links could be made between regional cerebral metabolism and the
      symptoms of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and bulimia nervosa.
      METHOD: Regional cerebral glucose metabolism was measured by using positron
      emission tomography in 11 inpatients with bulimia nervosa and 18 normal
      comparison subjects matched in sex (all were women), age, and educational level.
      The bulimic patients were also tested for symptoms of major depression and
      obsessive-compulsive disorder. RESULTS: The patients with bulimia showed a
      correlation between lower left anterolateral prefrontal regional cerebral glucose
      metabolism and greater depressive symptoms. However, the orbitofrontal regional
      cerebral glucose metabolism of patients with bulimia was not greater than that of
      comparison subjects, nor was higher orbitofrontal metabolism correlated with
      greater obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: These findings lead
      to the conclusion that left anterior lateral prefrontal cortex hypometabolism
      varies with the depressive symptoms observed in bulimia but that temporal lobe
      hypermetabolism and asymmetries appear to be independent of the mood state.

PMID- 1415818
TI  - Coping with the threat of AIDS: the role of social support.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: There has been relatively little clinical research on how asymptomatic
      HIV-positive men cope with the threat of AIDS. The present study was intended to
      1) describe the coping strategies used by asymptomatic HIV-positive homosexual
      men, 2) examine the relationship of coping to dysphoria and self-esteem, and 3)
      explore how race and social support correlate with coping. METHOD: The study
      group was composed of 52 asymptomatic HIV-positive homosexual men. A group of 53
      HIV-negative homosexual men was used for descriptive comparison. Data on coping,
      social support, dysphoria, and self-esteem came from self-report measures;
      depression was also determined by interviews with the Hamilton Rating Scale for
      Depression. RESULTS: The authors found that 1) subjects primarily coped with the
      threat of AIDS by adopting a fighting spirit, reframing stress to maximize
      personal growth, planning a course of action, and seeking social support; 2) more
      helpless coping, less fighting spirit, and less personal growth were related to
      dysphoria and poor self-esteem, whereas denial was related to more depression,
      anger, and helpless coping; 3) satisfaction with one's social support networks
      and participation in the AIDS community were related to more healthy coping
      strategies (e.g., fighting spirit, personal growth); and 4) black subjects
      expressed more denial, more helplessness, and less social support. CONCLUSIONS:
      These results suggest that health professionals should encourage more adaptive
      coping strategies, help patients use existing sources of positive social support,
      and assist patients, particularly black patients, in finding community support
      networks.

PMID- 1415819
TI  - Psychopathology, hypnotizability, and dissociation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to replicate and extend previous findings
      regarding the hypnotizability of different clinical groups. METHOD: The authors
      compared the differential hypnotizability of four psychiatric groups--patients
      with dissociative disorders (N = 17), schizophrenia (N = 13), mood disorders (N =
      13), and anxiety disorders (N = 14)--and one normal group of college students (N
      = 63). Hypnotizability was assessed by four different measures: the eye roll sign
      and the induction score of the Hypnotic Induction Profile, the Stanford Hypnotic
      Susceptibility Scale, Form C, and two self-ratings of hypnotizability. RESULTS:
      As predicted, dissociative disorder patients had significantly higher
      hypnotizability scores on all measures than all other groups. Schizophrenic
      patients, on the other hand, had significantly lower scores than normal subjects
      on the eye roll sign and induction score but not on the other measures of
      hypnotizability. Some other unpredicted between-group differences were also
      found. Nevertheless, despite the between-group differences, the intercorrelations
      between the various hypnotizability measures within the normal group were very
      similar to those observed in the combined patient groups. CONCLUSIONS: The
      findings suggest that routine hypnotizability assessment may be useful in the
      differential diagnosis of patients with dissociative disorders.

PMID- 1415820
TI  - A historical perspective on the role of state hospitals viewed from the era of
      the "revolving door".
AB  - OBJECTIVE: By focusing on the functioning of a state hospital throughout its
      existence, the author provides a historical perspective on the nature and causes
      of "revolving door" admissions. METHOD: Northampton State Hospital was chosen as
      a prototype, and data on characteristics of patients and patterns of hospital
      utilization were analyzed from three 10-year periods: 1880-1889, 1930-1939, and
      1980-1989. The data for the first two time periods came from the hospital's
      admission and discharge logbooks and its annual reports; the material for the
      most recent decade was obtained from unpublished yearly reports generated by the
      hospital's medical records department. RESULTS: The hospital operated very
      differently in each of the decades analyzed, but only in the 1980s was recidivism
      a major finding. This was not, as has often been thought, due to problems or
      populations unique to the state hospital in the 1980s nor to the fact that in
      earlier eras the state hospital rarely discharged patients. The once-large asylum
      has been replaced by a facility rapidly admitting and discharging patients, many
      of whom have accumulated more than 10 lifetime admissions, in a pattern of care
      not previously noted. CONCLUSIONS: State hospitals have functioned in different
      yet questionable ways throughout their history. Their current role of providing a
      revolving-door pattern of care to a considerable population is rooted in a
      contemporary shift in ideology. This role for state hospitals appears to make no
      more sense than did their earlier role as neglected and neglectful asylums, and
      it should be reevaluated.

PMID- 1415821
TI  - Meta-analysis of subjective sensitivity to alcohol in sons of alcoholics.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Meta-analysis was used to review the research literature on self
      reported sensitivity to alcohol among sons of alcoholic and among normal control
      subjects. METHOD: Computerized and manual searches identified 17 eligible
      independent articles; nine contained the information necessary to compute effect
      sizes, and additional data on two other studies were provided by authors in
      response to written and telephone requests. RESULTS: Findings from 10 studies
      indicated that sons of alcoholics report significantly less sensitivity to
      alcohol than normal control subjects overall and during the ascending (i.e., 0-35
      minutes after alcohol) and descending (i.e., 40-240 minutes after alcohol) limbs
      of the blood alcohol curve. Response to placebo did not significantly distinguish
      these groups in the five studies that included such assessment. CONCLUSIONS: It
      may be appropriate to appraise the biological sons of male alcoholics that they
      may experience less subjective sensitivity to alcohol than other individuals, but
      it is not possible to predict whether any particular individual will experience
      such lower sensitivity. In addition, self-report data can be influenced by many
      factors, and further research that assesses multiple psychological and
      physiological measures and uses longitudinal designs is needed to determine the
      relationship between specific factors and the development of alcoholism.

PMID- 1415822
TI  - Cross-cultural differences in rating hyperactive-disruptive behaviors in
      children.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the extent to which the reported variations across
      countries in the prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are due
      to cultural differences among raters, the authors examined the degree to which
      mental health professionals in four countries differed in their ratings of
      hyperactive-disruptive behaviors in children. METHOD: Mental health professionals
      from China (N = 8), Indonesia (N = 12), Japan (N = 9), and the United States (N =
      8) rated the presence and degree of hyperactive-disruptive behaviors in
      standardized videotape vignettes of four 8-year-old boys participating in
      individual and group activities. RESULTS: Chinese and Indonesian clinicians gave
      significantly higher scores for hyperactive-disruptive behaviors than did their
      Japanese and American colleagues. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that
      perceptions of hyperactivity vary significantly across countries even if uniform
      rating criteria are applied. Without correction for these perceptual differences,
      cross-cultural prevalence rates of hyperactivity may not be comparable.

PMID- 1415823
TI  - Deterioration in premorbid functioning in schizophrenia: a developmental model of
      negative symptoms in drug-free patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The authors examined the relationship between negative symptoms and
      premorbid variables in drug-free schizophrenic patients. METHOD: The authors
      studied 63 clinically stable male schizophrenic inpatients who were not receiving
      any psychoactive medication. The patients were classified as having negative,
      positive, or mixed symptoms, and their premorbid functioning during childhood,
      early adolescence, and late adolescence was assessed by using the Premorbid
      Adjustment Scale. Correlational analyses were applied to the classification and
      developmental models. RESULTS: Patients with negative symptoms had significantly
      lower levels of premorbid functioning during late adolescence and significantly
      greater premorbid deterioration between childhood and early adolescence.
      Correlational analysis revealed significant positive relationships between
      premorbid variables and negative symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that a
      deterioration in social and intellectual functioning between childhood and
      adolescence is associated with the development of a negative symptom syndrome in
      schizophrenia. The premorbid deterioration appears to be an early prodrome of the
      disorder. Whether this residual negative symptom syndrome is in some way related
      to the deficit syndrome of schizophrenia awaits a prospective study.

PMID- 1415824
TI  - Alprazolam plasma concentrations and treatment response in panic disorder and
      agoraphobia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The authors' goal was to evaluate the relationship between plasma
      concentrations of alprazolam and both treatment response and side effects in
      patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia. METHOD: Ninety-six patients with
      panic disorder and agoraphobia were treated at three sites in a 6-week, fixed
      dose, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-response study of 2 mg/day or 6
      mg/day of alprazolam. Assessments were made of panic attacks, avoidance behavior,
      generalized anxiety, and global response. Blood samples were collected throughout
      the study and analyzed for alprazolam and other benzodiazepines. RESULTS: Patient
      compliance with the protocol was judged to be good on the basis of plasma
      concentrations. According to logistic regression analysis, the relationships
      between plasma alprazolam concentration and response, as reflected by number of
      panic attacks reported, phobia ratings, physicians' and patients' ratings of
      global improvement, and the emergence of side effects, were significant. However,
      there was no significant relationship between plasma alprazolam concentration and
      the degree of generalized anxiety symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The authors conclude
      that plasma concentration of alprazolam is related to treatment response,
      particularly in panic attacks. The alprazolam concentration associated with
      treatment response or with emergence of a given side effect varied widely among
      individuals, highlighting the necessity for individualized dose adjustment to
      obtain optimal treatment response while minimizing side effects.

PMID- 1415825
TI  - Panic disorder history in the families of patients with angiographically normal
      coronary arteries.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The authors evaluated the diagnostic validity of an interview-based
      panic disorder diagnosis in cardiology chest pain patients with angiographically
      normal coronary arteries. METHOD: Patient probands with normal coronary arteries
      (N = 65) were first contracted immediately after their normal angiogram and were
      given a structured diagnostic interview. On the basis of the results of the
      interview, probands were grouped as having panic disorder (N = 19), panic attacks
      that did not meet frequency criteria for panic disorder (N = 17), or no panic (N
      = 29). At a later time, patient probands were recontacted and given a structured
      family history interview that inquired about psychopathology in their first
      degree biological relatives (N = 544). RESULTS: As predicted, panic disorder was
      significantly more prevalent among the first-degree relatives of probands with
      normal coronary arteries diagnosed with panic disorder or panic attacks than
      among the family members of probands with normal coronary arteries without panic
      (17.4% versus 15.7% versus 4.0%). Family members of probands with panic attacks
      were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with major depression than were
      the family members of probands with no panic; however, differences did not reach
      significance for family members of the panic disorder proband group. Groups did
      not differ significantly in familial alcoholism. CONCLUSIONS: These data support
      the construct validity of an interview-based panic disorder diagnosis among
      patients with chest pain and normal coronary arteries and suggest that these
      patients could benefit from treatment for panic disorder.

PMID- 1415826
TI  - Phenomenology and course of psychiatric disorders associated with combat-related
      posttraumatic stress disorder.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Studies indicate that chronic combat-related posttraumatic stress
      disorder (PTSD) is frequently associated with other psychiatric disorders.
      Questions regarding the nature and interrelationships of these conditions require
      clarification. The purpose of this study was to address primary and secondary
      illness relationships by focusing on the specific phenomenology and course of
      illness onset of PTSD comorbidity. METHOD: In order to minimize confounding
      factors, only outpatients without recent substance use disorders were included.
      Sixty subjects who had been exposed to severe combat stress including veterans of
      Vietnam and veterans of World War II or Korea, 15 of whom were former prisoners
      of war, received structured assessments over serial evaluations. RESULTS: PTSD
      was the most prevalent lifetime disorder followed by major depression, panic
      disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and phobic disorder or symptoms.
      Endogenous-appearing features overlapping other clinical populations were common;
      however, some specific symptom patterns also were suggestive of traumatic
      influence. Unlike generalized anxiety disorder and past substance use, the mean
      onset of phobias, major depression, and panic disorder, respectively, occurred
      later than PTSD. CONCLUSIONS: These observations suggest that persistent
      conditions related to PTSD progress toward symptoms that are increasingly
      autonomous in their pattern of occurrence.

PMID- 1415827
TI  - Recovery and relapse from major depressive disorder in the elderly.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Results from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
      Collaborative Study of the Psychobiology of Depression raised serious concerns
      about the longer-term prognosis for major depressive disorder in younger persons.
      However, little research has examined the prognosis for major depressive disorder
      in the elderly despite suggestions that they have poorer clinical outcomes than
      younger adults. The objective of this study was to 1) document rates of recovery
      and relapse from major depressive disorder in a large group of inpatient elderly
      and 2) compare recovery and relapse rates from major depressive disorder in the
      elderly with those in a mixed-age patient group from the NIMH collaborative
      study. METHOD: The psychiatric status of 127 elderly inpatients diagnosed with
      major depressive disorder by Research Diagnostic Criteria was evaluated for 1
      year. The same diagnostic and follow-up method to assess psychiatric symptoms
      employed in the NIMH study were used. RESULTS: One year after study admission,
      72% of elderly patients had recovered. Nineteen percent of recovered patients,
      however, had a subsequent episode of major depressive disorder. Recovery and
      relapse rates in the elderly did not significantly differ from those reported for
      the mixed-age group in the NIMH study. CONCLUSIONS: It is erroneous to single out
      the elderly as being more likely to have poorer longitudinal treatment outcomes
      than others. Study findings indicate the need for continued refinement of somatic
      and nonsomatic treatments for the elderly to improve rates of sustained recovery
      from depression.

PMID- 1415828
TI  - Prediction of outcome in mania by mood-congruent or mood-incongruent psychotic
      features.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the significance of mood
      congruence of psychotic features in mania as a predictor of outcome. METHOD:
      Fifty-four patients with bipolar disorder were followed prospectively for 4 years
      after recovery from an episode of mania with psychotic features. Assessments of
      residential and occupational status, interepisode symptoms, and episode
      recurrences were made at 6 and 48 months after recovery. Categorical outcomes
      were evaluated by logistic regression and recurrence risk with survival analysis.
      RESULTS: Mood-incongruent psychotic features during the index manic episode
      predicted a shorter time in remission at 4 years (hazard ratio = 2.6), and
      Schneiderian first-rank symptoms predicted poor residential status at 4 years
      (odds ratio = 20.1). CONCLUSIONS: Differentiation of mood congruence of psychotic
      features in mania evidently has prognostic validity and, therefore, has utility
      as a nosological characteristic.

PMID- 1415829
TI  - Psychotic symptoms and suicidal behavior in hospitalized children.
AB  - Association of psychotic symptoms with suicidal behavior was studied in 90
      hospitalized prepubertal children. Children with psychotic symptoms were more
      likely to have threatened or attempted suicide. The association of visual
      hallucinations with suicidal behavior was stronger than that of auditory
      hallucinations or psychotic ideation. The authors speculate that psychosis in
      general and visual hallucinations especially may be indicators of suicide risk
      among children.

PMID- 1415830
TI  - Amelioration of mitral valve prolapse after treatment for panic disorder.
AB  - Twenty panic disorder patients with mitral valve prolapse showed amelioration of
      prolapse on repeat echocardiogram after treatment for panic disorder. This effect
      was significant when compared to repeat echocardiograms in eight psychiatrically
      normal control subjects with mitral valve prolapse.

PMID- 1415831
TI  - Hyperventilation-induced cerebral ischemia in panic disorder and effect of
      nimodipine.
AB  - Basilar artery blood flow was measured by transcranial Doppler ultrasonography
      before and during hyperventilation in nine patients with panic disorder and nine
      normal comparison subjects. The hyperventilation-induced decrease in basilar
      artery blood flow was significantly greater in patients with panic attacks than
      in comparison subjects. Two patients with decreases in basilar flow greater than
      80% were successfully treated with nimodipine, a centrally active calcium channel
      blocker.

PMID- 1415832
TI  - Accumulation of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine in human brain during therapeutic
      administration.
AB  - In vivo 19fluorine nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to measure
      the brain concentration of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine in five patients with
      obsessive-compulsive disorder and three with major depression. The mean
      brain:plasma ratio of the parent drug plus the metabolite was significantly
      elevated to 2.6 (SD = 1.0) (95% confidence interval = 1.9-3.3). This accumulation
      may have implications for understanding both the therapeutic and the toxic
      effects of fluoxetine.

PMID- 1415833
TI  - Severity of cocaine dependence as a predictor of relapse to cocaine use.
AB  - The severity of cocaine dependence of 39 hospitalized patients was assessed by
      administering the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R. No significant
      relationship was found between severity of cocaine dependence and cocaine use at
      3-month follow-up. These findings suggest that severity of cocaine dependence may
      be a poor predictor of relapse to cocaine use.

PMID- 1415834
TI  - Recovery from protracted depression in old age.

PMID- 1415835
TI  - Use of cocaine to prevent opiate withdrawal.

PMID- 1415836
TI  - Retinopathy and bright light therapy.

PMID- 1415837
TI  - Comorbidity of personality disorders.

PMID- 1415838
TI  - Obesity and multiple personality disorder.

PMID- 1415839
TI  - Obesity and multiple personality disorder.

PMID- 1415840
TI  - Automobile driving by psychiatric patients.

PMID- 1415841
TI  - Steroid use and aggression.

PMID- 1415842
TI  - Organic mental disorders.

PMID- 1415843
TI  - Organic mental disorders.

PMID- 1415844
TI  - Organic mental disorders.

PMID- 1415845
TI  - Organic mental disorders.

PMID- 1415846
TI  - Organic mental disorders.

PMID- 1415847
TI  - Dopamine in schizophrenia.

PMID- 1415848
TI  - Recall of mental sleep experience with or without prior verbalization.
AB  - We investigated whether verbalization of contents of mental sleep experience
      (MSE), just after awakening provoked during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep,
      facilitates subsequent recall in the morning. Twelve subjects were awakened four
      times in each of two experimental nights and alternately asked to recall, with or
      without concurrent verbalization, MSE contents preceding the awakening. In the
      morning, the subjects were asked to report MSEs both verbalized and nonverbalized
      during the night. If subjects were unable to provide a spontaneous morning
      report, they were prompted using a probe, which was the title given by the
      subjects to each MSE at the end of its verbalization or covert recall at night.
      Frequencies of spontaneous reports were high, regardless of whether MSEs had been
      previously verbalized or not. The proportions of spontaneous and probed reports
      were similar for verbalized and nonverbalized MSEs, but spontaneous morning
      reports were longer than probed ones, regardless of their previous verbalization.
      Spontaneous and probed morning reports corresponding to night reports shared
      similar linguistic structures (i.e., length of sentences and proportions of
      waking-related utterances, which are indicative of difficulty of retrieval for
      MSE contents) and had similar percentages of contents common to night and morning
      reports. These findings support the hypothesis that verbalization does not
      directly influence the further accessibility of MSE contents.

PMID- 1415849
TI  - Pavlov's conceptualization of learning.
AB  - Introductory texts in psychology create the misleading impression that I. P.
      Pavlov was concerned solely with conditioned reflexes. In fact, influenced by
      Woodworth's Contemporary Schools of Psychology (1931), Pavlov also became
      interested in learning. Pavlov proposed a two-factor learning theory according to
      which all learning was based on association, but conditioning and trial and error
      learning had specific functions. According to Pavlov, conditioned reflexes were
      temporary and unstable and therefore more flexible in the interaction of higher
      organisms with the changing environment. Trial and error learning provided
      knowledge and was relatively more stable. Scientific discovery was based on facts
      obtained by trial and error; valid relations were reinforced by experimental
      results, whereas incorrect relationships were extinguished. Some suggestions are
      made that would allow authors of introductory texts to describe more
      informatively the contributions of Pavlov to modern psychology.

PMID- 1415850
TI  - Joseph McVicker Hunt: 1906-1991.

PMID- 1415851
TI  - Induced abortion and health as a value.

PMID- 1415852
TI  - RU 486.

PMID- 1415853
TI  - Global microbial traffic and the interchange of disease.

PMID- 1415854
TI  - Commentary: the public health consequences of restricted induced abortion-
      lessons from Romania.
AB  - The question of whether abortion should be legal is currently being decided in
      many countries. Although much of the discussion has focused on ethical issues,
      the public health consequences should not be overlooked and should be addressed
      realistically and responsibly. Nowhere are the public health manifestations of
      restricted abortion more apparent than in Romania. The pronatalist policies of
      the Ceaucescu regime resulted in the highest maternal mortality rate in Europe
      (approximately 150 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births) and in thousands of
      unwanted children in institutions.

PMID- 1415855
TI  - Determinants of depressive symptoms in the early weeks after miscarriage.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We tested whether and under what conditions miscarriage increases
      depressive symptoms in the early weeks following loss. METHODS: We interviewed
      232 women within 4 weeks of miscarriage and 283 pregnant women and 318 community
      women who had not recently been pregnant. Depressive symptoms were measured with
      the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale. RESULTS: Among
      women who had miscarried, the proportion who were highly symptomatic on the CES-D
      was 3.4 times that of pregnant women and 4.3 times that of community women. Among
      childless women, the proportion of women who had miscarried who were highly
      symptomatic was 5.7 times that of pregnant women and 11.0 times that of community
      women. Women who had miscarried were equally depressed regardless of length of
      gestation; among pregnant women, depressive symptoms declined with length of
      gestation. Among women who had miscarried, symptom levels did not vary with
      attitude toward the pregnancy; among pregnant women, depressive symptoms were
      elevated in those with unwanted pregnancies. Prior reproductive loss and advanced
      maternal age (35+ years) were not associated with symptom levels in any cohort.
      CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms are markedly increased in the early weeks
      following miscarriage. This effect is substantially modified by number of living
      children, length of gestation at loss, and attitude toward pregnancy.

PMID- 1415856
TI  - Trends in obstetric operative procedures, 1980 to 1987.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Increasing rates of cesarean deliveries have received widespread
      attention in recent years, as concern in the United States about unnecessary
      surgical procedures has increased. However, little information has been published
      on the national trends of other operative obstetric procedures occurring during
      deliveries. METHODS: We analyzed data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey
      to examine trends in the use of forceps, vacuum extraction, and cesarean section
      from 1980 through 1987. RESULTS: The rate of cesarean sections increased by 48%,
      while the rate of forceps procedures declined by 43%. Although the risk of
      cesarean section was significantly increased for older women, the risk of forceps
      and vacuum extraction procedures did not vary by age. Women with private
      insurance were significantly more likely to receive a cesarean section (rate
      ratio [RR] = 1.2), forceps procedure (RR = 1.7), and vacuum extraction procedure
      (RR = 1.8) than were women without private insurance. CONCLUSIONS: As pressure
      mounts to decrease the national cesarean section rate from 24% to 15% by the year
      2000, attention should also be given to surveillance of other operative delivery
      procedures.

PMID- 1415857
TI  - Changes in mammography use: economic, need, and service factors.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to document changes in mammography use
      between 1987 and 1990 and assess the relationship of use to selected economic,
      need, and health system factors. METHODS: Independent random-digit-dialed
      telephone surveys of women between 52 and 75 years of age were conducted.
      RESULTS: Between 1987 and 1990, the proportion of women who had had a mammogram
      in the past year increased from 31% to 51%. Though income was significantly
      related to overall patterns of use, it was not associated with recent mammogram
      use in 1990. Women with a family history of breast cancer reported greater use at
      both times, as did women who reported having a regular physician (particularly a
      gynecologist or internist). When all other variables were controlled for, women
      were over nine times more likely to have had multiple and recent mammograms in
      1990 than in 1987. CONCLUSIONS: Mammography use dramatically increased between
      1987 and 1990. There were strong relationships between the type of regular
      physician and mammography screening and between economic and personal history and
      repeated and recent mammography use.

PMID- 1415858
TI  - Current cigarette smoking and risk of acute pelvic inflammatory disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Further information is needed on modifiable factors associated with
      the occurrence of acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Cigarette smoking has
      been implicated as a risk factor for PID sequelae, but the association between
      smoking and PID has yet to be fully examined. METHODS: We conducted a population
      based case-control study to evaluate smoking as a risk factor for acute PID. The
      case patients (n = 131) were women health maintenance organization (HMO)
      enrollees between the ages of 18 and 40 years who were treated for a first
      episode of PID. The control patients (n = 294) were randomly selected from the
      HMO enrollment files. RESULTS: Relative to never smokers, current smokers were at
      increased risk of PID. Women who smoked 10 or more cigarettes per day had a
      higher risk than did those who smoked less. Available data indicate that smoking
      status is not serving as a marker for uncontrolled confounding by lifestyle
      factors. CONCLUSIONS: Our study results suggest that smoking represents a
      modifiable risk factor for acute PID.

PMID- 1415859
TI  - Lead exposure and child behavior.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Unlike cognitive impairments associated with lead exposure, lead
      associated child behavior problems have been difficult to specify, particularly
      in young children. METHODS: The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Center
      for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale were used as the outcome and
      confounding variables, respectively, of major interest. These measures were
      examined with respect to blood lead levels of 201 African-American children aged
      2 through 5 years. RESULTS: In comparison with the low exposed group, the high
      exposed group (two consecutive blood lead levels greater than or equal to 15
      micrograms/dL) had a significantly higher mean CBCL Total Behavior Problem Score
      (TBPS) and Internalizing and Externalizing scores; when other factors, including
      maternal depressive symptomatology, were controlled for, regression procedures
      indicated a .18-point TBPS increase for each unit increase in lead and a 5.1
      point higher TBPS in the high exposed group; children in this group were 2.7
      times more likely to have a TBPS in the clinical range. CONCLUSIONS: Through its
      use of a standardized parent-report measure of behavior and its consideration of
      maternal morale in multiple linear and logistic regression procedures, this study
      provides further evidence of lead's detrimental effect on child behavior at
      levels typical of present-day exposure.

PMID- 1415860
TI  - Pregnancy among the Hmong: birthweight, age, and parity.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The influx of Southeast Asians into the United States allows for the
      study of this special population and contributes to a broader understanding of
      reproductive health. METHODS: We used information on birth certificates to
      identify 1937 Hmong children born 1985 through 1988 in California, and we
      compared birthweight and reproductive factors as related to these children with
      the same factors as related to 3776 White, non-Hispanic children born in the same
      period. RESULTS: Mean birthweight among Hmong children (3311 g) was significantly
      lower (P less than .05) than among White children (3452 g), but the proportion of
      births under 1500 g was higher for Whites. Hmong women were of much higher parity
      and were more likely to deliver at both a young (less than 18 years) and an old
      (greater than 40 years) maternal age. At every age and every parity, however,
      Hmong women had cesarean sections at one-half to one-tenth the rate of White
      women. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a high proportion of births at high parity and
      advanced maternal age, Hmong women gave birth to very low-birthweight babies at
      essentially the same rates as White women. Their lower cesarean section rates,
      however, deserve further attention.

PMID- 1415861
TI  - Neonatal tetanus in rural Bangladesh: risk factors and toxoid efficacy.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Tetanus continues to be a leading cause of neonatal death in
      Bangladesh as in other developing countries, yet little is known about risk
      factors or the efficacy of tetanus toxoid in this setting. METHODS: In May 1990,
      mothers of 6148 infants born alive between March 15, 1989, and March 14, 1990, in
      30 rural unions of Rajshahi Division in Bangladesh were interviewed. Three
      surviving controls for each neonatal tetanus death were matched for sex,
      residence, and date of birth. RESULTS: Of 330 neonatal deaths, 112 met the case
      definition for tetanus. Risk was increased with a history of neonatal tetanus in
      a previous child, application of coconut oil to the vagina, and use of multiple
      ties on the umbilical cord. Risk was reduced by the birth attendant washing hands
      and using a cleaned cord-cutting tool. Risk was not reduced by a maternal history
      of two doses of tetanus toxoid (TT2), although estimated efficacy of TT2 was 45%
      (95% confidence interval = 16% to 64%). Subsequent to the survey, a reference
      laboratory reported to potency in three consecutive lots of tetanus vaccine from
      the production laboratory in Bangladesh. CONCLUSIONS: These findings identify
      high-risk mothers, stress the importance of washing hands and cleaning the cord
      cutting tool, and demand improved quality control of tetanus vaccine production.

PMID- 1415862
TI  - Improving estimates of HIV-1 seroprevalence among childbearing women: use of
      smaller blood spots.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Nationwide, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)
      seroprevalence surveys using dried neonatal blood specimens are critical to
      estimating HIV-1 seroprevalence among childbearing women. However, the
      noninclusion of blood specimens deemed "quantity not sufficient" (QNS) for HIV-1
      antibody testing potentially introduces bias. In Wisconsin beginning in 1990, we
      modified the survey protocol to reduce QNS rates and assess bias introduced by
      QNS specimens. METHODS: The HIV-1 antibody assay was modified to use four 1/8-in
      blood spots when a single 1/4-in blood spot could not be obtained. Both methods
      obtain identical blood volumes for testing. RESULTS: During a 27-month period,
      7396 (4.8%) of 154,683 specimens were deemed QNS using 1/4-in blood spots. Of
      these, 6590 (89%) were of sufficient quantity to be tested using four 1/8-in
      blood spots; 6 (0.09%) specimens tested with 1/8-in blood spots were HIV-1
      Western blot assay positive compared with 44 (0.03%) of 147,287 1/4-in specimens
      (odds ratio = 3.0; 95% confidence interval = 1.2, 7.4). CONCLUSIONS: Because
      noninclusion of QNS specimens potentially introduces bias, incorporating the
      results of HIV-1 antibody testing of QNS specimens using four 1/8-in blood spots
      can improve the accuracy of HIV-1 seroprevalence estimates in these serologic
      surveys.

PMID- 1415863
TI  - The disclosure of celebrity HIV infection: its effects on public attitudes.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Despite the magnitude of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
      (AIDS) epidemic, studies have shown low levels of public concern about human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS. We investigated the effects of celebrity
      disclosure of HIV infection on the AIDS-related perceptions of urban men.
      METHODS: Measures of AIDS-related perceptions were collected from 361 men waiting
      for mass transportation in downtown Chicago; 252 were assessed at three time
      points prior to and 109 were assessed at two time points after professional
      basketball star Earvin "Magic" Johnson's disclosure of his HIV infection.
      RESULTS: Significant increases in concern about AIDS, interest in AIDS
      information, and talking with friends about AIDS occurred after celebrity
      disclosure of HIV infection. CONCLUSIONS: Celebrity disclosure of HIV
      seropositivity demonstrated a marked change in AIDS-related perceptions among the
      men surveyed. Changes in awareness due to celebrity disclosure may lead to
      increased readiness to reduce risk and could be viewed as a window of opportunity
      for HIV prevention efforts.

PMID- 1415864
TI  - Legal blindness among 10-year-old children in Metropolitan Atlanta: prevalence,
      1985 to 1987.
AB  - The prevalence of legal blindness in 10-year-olds in metropolitan Atlanta was 6.8
      per 10,000 during 1985 to 1987. The prevalence was 8.8 per 10,000 in Black boys,
      8.6 per 10,000 in White boys, 6.7 per 10,000 in White girls, and 1.8 per 10,000
      in Black girls. Retinopathy of prematurity was the most common known cause (1.0
      per 10,000). Of the 61 cases, 40 had other disabilities, including 14 with mental
      retardation, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy. The low prevalence among Black girls
      and the frequent occurrence of blindness with other disabilities are noteworthy.

PMID- 1415865
TI  - Sudden infant death syndrome and maternal smoking.
AB  - Data from Missouri for the period 1980 to 1985 suggest a dose-response
      relationship between smoking during pregnancy and the incidence of sudden infant
      death syndrome (SIDS). However, data from the National Institute of Child Health
      and Human Development SIDS Cooperative Epidemiological Study did not support a
      dose-response relationship. Neither the Missouri data nor the Cooperative Study
      data support a relationship between the age of occurrence of SIDS and smoking
      during pregnancy.

PMID- 1415866
TI  - Stage at diagnosis in breast cancer: race and socioeconomic factors.
AB  - Cancer incidence data from three US metropolitan areas were coupled with census
      tract indicators of education and income. The data suggest that both Black and
      White cancer patients living in census tracts with lower median education/income
      values are diagnosed in later disease stages than are patients in tracts with
      higher median education/income values. Within education and income strata, Black
      women had a less favorable stage of disease at diagnosis than Whites. The
      exception was in upper education/income levels, where the disadvantage for Blacks
      disappeared. These data provide additional evidence that women of low
      socioeconomic status could benefit from targeted screening.

PMID- 1415867
TI  - Measuring the use of mammography: two methods compared.
AB  - Population studies often estimate mammography use using women's self-reports. In
      one North Carolina county, we compared self-report surveys with a second method-
      counting mammograms per population--for 1987 and 1989. Estimates from self
      reports (35% in 1987, 55% in 1989) were considerably higher than those from
      mammogram counts (20% in 1987, 36% in 1989). We then confirmed 66% of self
      reports in the past year. Self-reported use is more accurate regarding whether a
      woman has had a mammogram than when she had it, but self-reports accurately
      measure change over time.

PMID- 1415868
TI  - Women with multiple sexual partners: united states, 1988.
AB  - Women who have multiple sexual partners in a short time period are appropriate
      targets for sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention. We analyzed survey
      data collected in 1988 from a nationally representative sample of 8450 American
      women aged 15 to 44 to identify markers of such behavior. Among sexually active
      persons, 0.4% of married women and 8.4% of unmarried women had two or more sexual
      partners in the 3 months preceding the interview; unmarried marital status, early
      age at first sexual intercourse, lack of religious affiliation, and young age
      were associated with this behavior. All except young age were predictive after
      multivariate analysis. Such factors may help define women at elevated STD risk
      and allow better targeting of STD prevention.

PMID- 1415869
TI  - The medical origins of homelessness.
AB  - In 1989 through 1990, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of 1437 homeless
      adults in northern California (98% response rate). Prevalences of alcohol abuse,
      illegal drug use, and psychiatric hospitalization when adults first became
      homeless were 15% to 33% lower than prevalences following homelessness. The
      largest differences between the homeless and a comparison group of 3122
      nonhomeless adults were for psychiatric hospitalization (odds ratios [ORs] of 4.6
      for men and 5.9 for women) and alcohol abuse (ORs of 2.3 for men and 4.0 for
      women). However, when prehomeless prevalences of addictive and psychiatric
      disorders were compared with prevalences among the nonhomeless, absolute
      differences were no greater than 12%.

PMID- 1415871
TI  - Controlling cardiovascular disease: the role of the local health department.

PMID- 1415870
TI  - The search for meaning: RU 486 and the law of abortion.
AB  - The advent of RU 486 (mifepristone), a steroid analogue capable of inducing
      menses within 8 to 10 weeks of a missed menstrual period, has provoked a
      firestorm of concern and controversy. When used in conjunction with prostaglandin
      (RU 486/PG), it is at least 95% effective. Used in France principally to
      terminate confirmed pregnancies very early in the process of gestation, RU 486
      raises many interesting legal questions. This article focuses on whether and how
      RU 486/PG can be accommodated within the framework of the world's current
      abortion laws. Four avenues are explored and conclusions drawn. First, it is
      clear that RU 486/PG can be used readily, if approved, within the regimens
      established by liberal abortion laws, as has been the experience in France, the
      United Kingdom, and even China. Second, although unlikely, the introduction of
      this new technology may inspire a reexamination of restrictive abortion statutes
      themselves. Third, some of the presently restrictive laws may be interpreted to
      permit RU 486/PG use as a legal procedure, for a very narrow range of reasons.
      Finally, in some settings the early use of RU 486/PG (before pregnancy can be
      confirmed) may fall outside the reach of abortion legislation and hence be
      acceptable from a legal point of view.

PMID- 1415872
TI  - Implementing the Veterans Administration's no-smoking policy.

PMID- 1415874
TI  - The accuracy of pharmacists' HIV and condom counseling.

PMID- 1415873
TI  - Screening behaviors among relatives of breast cancer patients.

PMID- 1415875
TI  - Site assessment of youth access to cigarette vending machines.

PMID- 1415876
TI  - An additional focus for the future.

PMID- 1415877
TI  - Diagnostic value of ultrasonography in partial ruptures of the Achilles tendon.
AB  - We evaluated 37 patients with surgically treated Achilles tendon disorders,
      comparing findings of preoperative ultrasonography with findings at surgery, to
      investigate the reliability of ultrasonography in diagnosing partial ruptures of
      the Achilles tendon. Discontinuity of tendon fibers, focal sonolucencies, and
      localized tendon swelling were positive findings suggestive of partial ruptures.
      We found the use of ultrasonography to be safe and reliable, with a sensitivity
      of 0.94, a specificity of 1.00, and an overall accuracy of 0.95.

PMID- 1415878
TI  - Osseous injury associated with acute tears of the anterior cruciate ligament.
AB  - Multiplanar spin-echo magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 54 patients
      with acute complete anterior cruciate ligament tears. Imaging was done within 45
      days of index anterior cruciate ligament injury. Spin-echo T1- and T2-weighted
      images were used to determine the lesion morphology and location. Only the T2
      weighted sagittal images were used for the incidence assessment; T2-weighted spin
      echo imaging reflects free water shifts and best indicates the acute edema and
      inflammatory changes from injury. Eighty-three percent (45 of 54) of the knees
      had an osseous contusion directly over the lateral femoral condyle terminal
      sulcus. The lesion was highly variable in size and imaging intensity; however,
      the most intense signal was always contiguous with the subchondral plate.
      Posterolateral joint injury was seen in 96% (43 of 45) of the knees that had a
      terminal sulcus osseous lesion determined by magnetic resonance imaging. This
      posterolateral lesion involves a spectrum of injury, including both soft tissue
      (popliteus-arcuate capsuloligamentous complex) and hard tissue (posterolateral
      tibial plateau) injuries. The consistent location of the osseous and soft tissue
      injuries underscores a necessary similar mechanism of injury associated with
      these acute anterior cruciate ligament tears. Based on these characteristic
      findings, several proposed mechanisms of injury are discussed.

PMID- 1415879
TI  - Partial rupture of the patellar ligament.
AB  - Eighty-one patients with 91 partial ruptures of the patellar ligament verified by
      ultrasonography were treated conservatively with a standardized training program
      based on the principles of eccentric loading. The partial ruptures were
      quantified by measuring the length of the hypoechoic lesion using ultrasonography
      in longitudinal projection. The partial ruptures were then divided into three
      groups: Grade I (less than 10 mm), Grade II (10 to 20 mm), and Grade III (greater
      than 20 mm). The results after the training program were significantly better in
      Grade I ruptures than in Grades II and III. The overall need for surgery was
      29.6%: highest in Grade III ruptures (38.5%) and lowest in Grade I ruptures
      (6.6%). The outcome of conservative management, as well as the need for surgery
      of partial ruptures of the patellar ligament, may to some extent be predicted by
      the use of ultrasonography.

PMID- 1415880
TI  - Posterior shoulder instability. Surgical versus conservative results with
      evaluation of glenoid version.
AB  - We conducted a retrospective study on 50 patients with recurrent posterior
      shoulder instability. Twenty-five patients were treated conservatively with a
      specific rehabilitation program strengthening the rotator cuff. The other 25
      patients, who did not improve with rehabilitation, underwent surgical
      reconstruction, the majority of these being soft tissue repairs. Recurrence in
      the surgically treated group averaged 72% while that in the conservatively
      treated group was 96%. However, 50% of those patients treated surgically and 68%
      of those treated conservatively felt their symptoms were improved. In view of the
      high recurrence rate with soft tissue reconstruction, computed tomography scans
      were obtained to evaluate glenoid version. Those patients with posterior shoulder
      instability were found to have increased glenoid retroversion when compared to an
      uninjured population (P less than 0.05). Our conclusions based on this study were
      that 1) specific therapy in the form of rotator cuff strengthening should be the
      initial form of treatment in patients with posterior shoulder instability, 2)
      soft tissue surgery has a high rate of recurrence, 3) the return to sports is
      variable, 4) there appears to be an increased incidence of glenoid retroversion
      in this patient population, and 5) the incidence of posttraumatic arthritis is
      low.

PMID- 1415881
TI  - The effect of in situ freezing on rabbit patellar tendon. A histologic,
      biochemical, and biomechanical analysis.
AB  - Cell necrosis has been well documented as one of the many changes that occur in
      autogenous tendon when it is used to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament.
      The purpose of this experiment was to isolate cell necrosis as a variable and
      study its effect on the patellar tendon. To accomplish this, both knees of 25 New
      Zealand White rabbits were operated on. In one knee, a 5-mm wide band of patellar
      tendon was subjected to two rapid freeze-thaw cycles, while the other knee
      underwent sham surgery. Histologic evaluation showed a zone of necrosis at 2 and
      4 weeks with cellular repopulation complete at 8 weeks. patellar tendon cross
      sectional area was 0.118 cm2 at 8 weeks for the frozen specimens compared to
      0.102 cm2 for the sham-operated controls. This difference was significant at the
      P = 0.025 level. Mechanical testing at 4 and 8 weeks revealed no significant
      changes in tendon length, maximum load, or stiffness. The collagen content was
      also unchanged at both 4 and 8 weeks.

PMID- 1415882
TI  - An injection technique to create a bloodless field in arthroscopically assisted
      anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
AB  - We did a retrospective study of 67 patients who had arthroscopically assisted
      anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the middle one-third of the
      patellar tendon to evaluate a technique for creating a bloodless field using a
      local anesthetic with epinephrine injection (the injection technique). For 37
      patients, the bloodless field was created using the injection technique. In 30
      others, hemostasis was achieved in the usual fashion with the pneumatic
      tourniquet. All patients underwent general anesthesia. Mean operative time and
      length of hospital stay was similar for each group. Mean postoperative pain
      medication consumption was significantly decreased for patients treated with the
      injection technique. No clinically recognizable complications could be attributed
      to either technique. We conclude that subcutaneous and intraarticular injection
      of local anesthesia with epinephrine is a satisfactory method of establishing a
      bloodless field in arthroscopically assisted anterior cruciate ligament
      reconstruction operations.

PMID- 1415883
TI  - Exercise performance of collegiate rodeo athletes.
AB  - In this study we examined the physical, hematologic, and exercise response of 20
      male and 10 female athletes of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association,
      Central Rocky Mountain Region. Male subjects were grouped by roughstock, steer
      wrestling, and roping events. Female athletes were grouped separately. Maximal
      aerobic capacity, pulmonary ventilation, respiratory exchange ratio, energy
      expenditure, maximal heart rate, blood pressure, treadmill time, pre- and
      postexercise lactate, percent body fat, lean body mass, blood chemistry, serum
      lipids, and reaction/movement time were analyzed by event. No significant
      differences (P greater than 0.05) were found in any of these categories between
      male events. Mean resting blood chemistry parameters of rodeo athletes were
      within normal ranges. Steer wrestling athletes possessed greater body size and
      lean body mass than other groups. When analyzing body composition, blood
      pressure, and total cholesterol:high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
      ratios, results indicate average to low risk for coronary heart disease. When
      compared to other intermittent-activity sport athletes, college rodeo athletes
      appear to have similar aerobic capacities, but possess lower lean body mass and
      greater percent body fat.

PMID- 1415885
TI  - Arthroscopic meniscectomy in patients over the age of 40.
AB  - One hundred eighteen patients, aged 40 or older, underwent partial meniscectomy
      and limited debridement of coexisting grade III or grade IV degenerative
      articular cartilage lesions. No curettage, abrasion arthroplasty, or subchondral
      drilling was performed. The average age of the patients was 57 years (range, 40
      to 78). The mean followup was 3.3 years (range, 1 to 7). Sixty-three similar
      patients who also underwent partial meniscectomy but did not have the finding of
      significant coexisting articular surface erosion were studied for comparison. Of
      the 118 patients in the group with articular lesions (78 men and 40 women), 71
      (60%) rated their improvement as significant, 22 (19%) as moderate, and 15 (13%)
      as mild; 10 (8%) noted no improvement. Although 98 (83%) were generally satisfied
      with their result, only 57 (48%) reported satisfaction for sports. However, 89
      (75%) had resumed and continued recreational athletic activities. Results tended
      to be worse in women, in patients older than 60, in those with moderate or severe
      tibiofemoral radiographic changes, those who had a grade IV articular lesion, and
      those with longer followup time. Although results were poorer in patients with
      coexisting grade III or grade IV degenerative arthritis, arthroscopic partial
      meniscectomy and limited debridement was an acceptably effective procedure in
      patients over the age of 40.

PMID- 1415886
TI  - Occurrence of free nerve endings in the soft tissue of the knee joint. A
      histologic investigation.
AB  - We present a comprehensive histologic study of neurologic structures in 18 static
      and dynamic knee structures of 8 cadaveric knees. Qualitative and quantitative
      measurements of the incidence of free nerve endings in the structures were
      recorded. The highest amounts of afferent nerve fibers type IVa were found in the
      retinacula, the patellar ligament, the pes anserinus, and in the ligaments of
      Wrisberg and Humphry; the lowest amount was found in the anterior cruciate
      ligament. There is a positive correlation between the number of mechanoreceptors
      per standardized area unit and the clinical presentation of certain knee
      disorders.

PMID- 1415884
TI  - A biomechanical evaluation of taping and bracing in reducing knee joint
      translation and rotation.
AB  - We used five randomly selected cadaver specimens to evaluate the Anderson Knee
      Stabler and the Lenox Hill Knee Brace, individually and in combination with an
      anterior cruciate ligament protective tape method. Reduction of total laxity, as
      well as a defined pathologic anterior-posterior translation and internal-external
      rotation, was tested after the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments
      of the specimens had been sectioned. Displacements were produced pneumatically;
      loads were applied to the tibia with the knee in 50 degrees of flexion. The tape
      and Lenox Hill Brace combination showed the greatest reduction in both anterior
      posterior translation and internal-external rotation. The Lenox Hill Brace and
      the tape method used individually both restricted anterior-posterior translation
      and internal-external rotation better than the Stabler Brace alone. This study
      provides objective evidence of the restraining capabilities of these protective
      systems that may prove to be beneficial in the clinical setting.

PMID- 1415887
TI  - The effect of exercise on patellar tracking in lateral patellar compression
      syndrome.
AB  - The influence of a physical therapy program on pain and patellar tracking was
      investigated clinically and radiologically with tangential views in 51 knees with
      lateral patellar compression syndrome. A pretest-posttest design was used to
      evaluate physical measurements of patellar alignment in subjects who had had
      patellofemoral pain for a minimum of 6 weeks. Eighty-four percent of the subjects
      were pain-free after an average of 8 weeks of rehabilitation or 11 physical
      therapy visits, with a mean quadriceps strength to total body weight ratio of 61%
      in women and 86% in men. The pretest-posttest difference in Merchant's congruence
      angle was significant at a probability of 0.0066 in the patients who were pain
      free after exercise, demonstrating less lateral patellar tracking. The pretest
      posttest difference in iliotibial band flexibility was significant at a
      probability of 0.0017, with the patients who were pain-free after exercise
      becoming more flexible. No significant differences were observed from before to
      after exercise in the patellofemoral index, Q angle, hamstring flexibility, thigh
      measurement, sclerotic subchondral bone, or sulcus angle. We were unable to
      predict which subjects would become pain-free with exercise by patellar position
      because the group that improved began more laterally tilted. The results of this
      study indicate that patellar tracking is improved with vastus medialis oblique
      strengthening, iliotibial band stretching, and joint mobility exercise in the
      majority of subjects with lateral patellar compression syndrome.

PMID- 1415888
TI  - Handball injuries. An epidemiologic and socioeconomic study.
AB  - A total of 570 injuries in handball players were prospectively registered in a
      well-defined geographic area of 124,321 inhabitants. The incidence of handball
      injuries was 46 per 10,000 inhabitants per year. The incidence in women (61 per
      10,000 per year) was double that of men (31 per 10,000 per year). Sixty-two
      percent of the injuries were ligament sprains and tears and 12% were fractures. A
      total of 7% of the patients were hospitalized and the total loss of income
      because of sick leave was $3870. Sixty-eight percent of the injured handball
      players were absent from handball more than 1 week. Surprisingly, 8% of the minor
      injuries resulted in a sick leave of more than 6 days.

PMID- 1415890
TI  - Shoulder strength, power, and endurance in college tennis players.
AB  - Twenty-four college tennis players were tested for bilateral shoulder
      internal/external rotation strength on a Cybex 340 isokinetic dynamometer; they
      were positioned supine with the glenohumeral joint abducted to 90 degrees.
      Subjects produced significantly (P less than 0.01) more torque in internal
      rotation at 60 and 300 deg/sec in the dominant arm compared to the nondominant
      arm. Subjects also produced significantly more power in internal rotation at 60
      deg/sec in the dominant arm. No significant differences between the dominant and
      nondominant arms were seen in internal rotation power at 300 deg/sec or in the
      internal rotation endurance ratio. No significant differences were seen in
      external rotation on any measurement. By significantly increasing the strength of
      the dominant shoulder in internal rotation without subsequent strengthening of
      the external rotators, muscle imbalances may be created in the dominant arm that
      could possibly affect the tennis player's predisposition to injuries caused by
      overloading of the shoulder joint. This study suggests that external rotation
      strengthening exercises should be implemented in tennis conditioning programs to
      maintain muscle strength balance, and possibly reduce the chance of overload
      injury.

PMID- 1415889
TI  - KT-1000 arthrometer: conscious and unconscious test results using 15, 20, and 30
      pounds of force.
AB  - A recent published report indicated that the reliability and validity of anterior
      laxity measurements obtained by using the KT-1000 arthrometer were questionable.
      The purpose of our study was to examine the diagnostic validity of anterior
      laxity measurements testing patients in conscious and unconscious states using
      the KT-1000 arthrometer at 15, 20, and 30 pounds of force. The sample included 68
      patients with confirmed anterior cruciate ligament disruption. They were given
      anterior-posterior drawer tests at 20 degrees in both unconscious and conscious
      states; measurements were recorded at 15, 20, and 30 pounds of force. The results
      indicated that the measurements in the unconscious state were significantly
      higher (P less than 0.01) than the values obtained in the conscious state. The
      anterior cruciate ligament-disrupted knees produced significantly higher (P less
      than 0.01) anterior laxity. The difference between anterior cruciate ligament
      disrupted knees and normal knees grew significantly larger (P less than 0.01) as
      force increased. More patients demonstrated a difference greater than 2 mm
      between anterior cruciate ligament-disrupted knees and normal knees at 30 pounds
      (81% to 83%) than at 20 pounds (64% to 72%) of force. Seventy-nine percent of the
      patients demonstrated a compliance index difference greater than 1 mm using 15
      and 30 pounds between the normal and anterior cruciate ligament-disrupted knee.
      These data provide statistical validity for the compliance index and support for
      the use of anterior laxity measurements at 30 pounds of force. However,
      approximately 20% of these patients did not demonstrate an anterior cruciate
      ligament-disrupted-normal knee difference greater than 2 mm or a compliance index
      difference of greater than 1 mm.

PMID- 1415891
TI  - Functional postoperative treatment of Achilles tendon repair.
AB  - Twenty-one patients with surgically repaired Achilles tendon tears that were
      treated postoperatively with a functional orthosis rather than routine cast
      immobilization were evaluated. The orthosis allowed unrestricted plantar flexion
      and limited dorsiflexion to neutral. Toe-touch weightbearing crutch ambulation
      was allowed immediately and was gradually increased over the 6 to 8 weeks of
      treatment. Of the 21 patients, 14 were men and 7 were women; the average age at
      injury was 35.6 years (range, 19 to 65). The minimum followup was 2 years, with
      an average of 31 months. The repairs were acute in 18 of the patients and chronic
      in 3. Subjectively, 16 patients felt they returned to their preinjury level of
      activity and only 1 was not satisfied with his result. Objectively, there were no
      significant alterations in ankle range of motion when compared to the
      contralateral limb, with plantar flexion unchanged and dorsiflexion increased an
      average of only 2 degrees. The average plantar flexion and dorsiflexion strength,
      power, and endurance of the ankles as measured by isokinetic testing revealed no
      significant differences when comparing the operated leg to the nonoperated side:
      strength, 99% and 93%, respectively; power, 98% and 96%, respectively; and
      endurance, 93% and 91%, respectively. The angles at which the peak torques
      occurred were similarly not statistically different. Two patients had superficial
      wound infections, and 1 had scar adherence of the skin to the tendon. No one had
      rerupture of the tendon. In conclusion, while the many benefits of postoperative
      early motion are well proven, there has been hesitation to implement this after
      Achilles tendon surgery due to the concern of compromising the repair. As shown
      by this study, early controlled motion can safely and effectively be used
      following Achilles tendon repair in the motivated, reliable patient.

PMID- 1415892
TI  - Nontraumatic clavicular osteolysis in weight lifters.
AB  - In a previous study, we found an overrepresentation of weight lifters in patients
      who had a resection of the lateral end of the clavicle. To further investigate a
      possible association between competitive weight lifting and the development of
      nontraumatic osteolysis of the lateral end of the clavicle, we studied a group of
      25 Danish weight lifters. This group was compared to an age-matched control group
      of 25 men who had never engaged in weight training procedures. None of the
      subjects had any history of trauma to the shoulder girdle. All 50 subjects
      underwent radiographic examination of both shoulder joints. In the weight lifter
      group, seven cases (28%) demonstrated classical radiographic findings of
      clavicular osteolysis, with loss of subchondral bone detail, translucency, and
      cystic changes, while four subjects (16%) had subjective symptoms but no
      radiographic changes. None of the individuals from the control group revealed
      similar symptoms or radiographic signs. Thus, based on this limited material, the
      prevalence of the disorder is about 27%.

PMID- 1415893
TI  - Spontaneous fractures of the humerus during pitching. A series of 12 cases.
AB  - We report the recent occurrence of spontaneous humeral shaft fractures in 12
      pitchers. The subjects were interviewed over the telephone using a standard
      questionnaire. Radiographs and medical records were solicited from their
      physicians. Their average age was 36 years and they had pitched an average of
      11.4 years with an average layoff of 14 years (range, 7 to 24). Mean time between
      games pitched was 21 days (range, 3 to 56). The average number of pitches before
      the fracture occurred was 38 (range, 10 to 100). Pain was experienced at some
      point before the fracture in 75% of the pitchers and 75% of the fractures were
      spiral. These fractures were most probably spontaneous fractures brought on by
      accumulated fatigue damage. The period of buildup after a prolonged period of
      layoff was probably insufficient time for proper bone remodeling to occur in
      these men. While a large percentage of these men had pain before their injury,
      suggesting a predisposing stress fracture, there is no doubt that their fractures
      could still be caused by a sudden torsional load without the presence of a stress
      fracture.

PMID- 1415894
TI  - Quantitative evaluation of knee instability and muscle strength after anterior
      cruciate ligament reconstruction using patellar and quadriceps tendon.
AB  - Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using an autologous graft harvested
      from the central one-third of the patellar and quadriceps tendon was performed in
      65 knees of 65 patients who were followed from 3 to 7 years. Mean anterior laxity
      of both knees was measured before and after surgery in each patient using the
      Styker Knee Laxity Tester. At 30 degrees of knee flexion, 58 patients (89%) had
      differences of less than 2.5 mm between the operated and unoperated knees.
      Quadriceps strength was measured with the Cybex II and was less than 50% of the
      uninjured knee at 3 months after surgery. In men, quadriceps strength returned to
      78% of normal at 1 year and 85% at final followup. These values were equal to the
      preoperative level. In women, the quadriceps strength at final followup was 70%,
      significantly lower than preoperative strength. Hamstring strength recovered to
      equal the normal strength. Although anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
      using one-third of the patellar and quadriceps tendon achieves stability,
      postoperative quadriceps weakness is a disadvantage. This weakness may be caused
      by impairment of the knee extensor mechanism resulting from harvesting the graft.
      We do not currently recommend this technique for anterior cruciate ligament
      reconstruction.

PMID- 1415895
TI  - Acute compartment syndrome of the thigh in sports-related injuries not associated
      with femoral fractures.

PMID- 1415896
TI  - Tension pneumarthrosis complicating arthroscopy of the knee.

PMID- 1415897
TI  - Proximal fibular stress fracture in an aerobic dancer. A case report.

PMID- 1415898
TI  - Os acromiale in a professional tennis player.

PMID- 1415899
TI  - A displaced subtrochanteric stress fracture in a young amenorrheic athlete.

PMID- 1415900
TI  - Association of anabolic steroids and avascular necrosis of femoral heads.

PMID- 1415901
TI  - Follow-up.

PMID- 1415902
TI  - Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. A clinicopathologic review with emphasis on
      fibrosarcomatous areas.
AB  - We reviewed 75 cases of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) from the
      University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. All accessions were examined for
      areas of giant cell fibroblastoma (GCF), but none was found. The 30 cases having
      a minimum of 5 years follow-up were studied in more detail. The histologic
      findings were typical of DFSP in 24 cases, whereas in six cases discrete areas
      with a fascicular or "herringbone" growth pattern, considered to represent
      fibrosarcomatous change (DFSP-FS), were evident. The mitotic rate was usually but
      not always higher in fibrosarcomatous areas, and occasional examples of typical
      DFSP demonstrated relatively numerous mitotic figures (up to 35 per 10 high-power
      fields). Other histologic findings of interest were the presence of melanin in
      two cases of DFSP and the focal presence of a distinctive type of multinucleated
      giant cell similar to those seen in GCF in six cases. Patients with DFSP-FS
      differed from those with DFSP in that they had a higher median age (56 years vs.
      37 years). Tumor location was similar in both groups, with the trunk being the
      most common site. No significant difference in either the rate of local
      recurrence or the interval until recurrence between DFSP and DFSP-FS was evident;
      the only factor strongly related to local recurrence was adequacy of surgical
      margins. However, the only two patients who died of tumor, including the sole
      patient with distant metastasis, had DFSP-FS. We conclude that DFSP-FS deserves
      recognition as a variant of DFSP.

PMID- 1415903
TI  - Muscle differentiation and clinicopathologic features of gastrointestinal stromal
      tumors.
AB  - We analyzed 46 gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) using a panel of
      antibodies to determine the frequency of smooth muscle differentiation and the
      relationship of immunophenotype to histopathologic features and clinical
      behavior. Thirty-six GISTs were classified as benign or malignant based
      exclusively on clinical behavior; a 2-year minimum follow-up was required for
      benign lesions. GISTs were immunopositive in the following categories: vimentin
      45 of 46, desmin nine of 45, muscle-specific actin (MSA) 36 of 46, alpha-smooth
      muscle actin (SMA) 34 of 46, chicken gizzard actin-7 zero of 38, cytokeratin two
      of 46, S100 protein six of 46, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) zero of 46,
      synaptophysin zero of 46, and chromogranin one of 46. At least one muscle marker
      was positive in 39 of 46 tumors. Five GISTs were MSA positive/SMA negative, and
      three were MSA negative/SMA positive. All desmin-positive cases reacted with MSA
      or SMA. Eight GISTs were positive for vimentin, MSA, SMA, and desmin, whereas
      seven were vimentin positive only. Compared with the latter, the former tended to
      be smaller, less often necrotic, and clinically benign (p less than 0.05 for
      each). All vimentin-positive only GISTs were malignant. Immunohistochemical
      features did not correlate with tumor site, cellularity, nuclear pleomorphism, or
      mitotic rate. Benign GISTs were less cellular than were malignant GISTs (p less
      than 0.05), but they did not differ statistically in degree of nuclear
      pleomorphism, necrosis, mitotic rate, or size. We conclude that (a) 85% of GISTs
      react with at least one muscle antibody; (b) immunohistochemical features are
      unrelated to anatomic site; (c) SMA is, in effect, as sensitive as MSA, whereas
      desmin is less sensitive; and (d) simultaneous vimentin, MSA, SMA, and desmin
      positivity correlates with a benign outcome.

PMID- 1415904
TI  - Suppurative granulomatous lymphadenitis. Immunohistochemical evidence for a B
      cell-associated granuloma.
AB  - The cellular composition of suppurative granulomas was investigated by the
      application of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to paraffin sections and
      compared with nonsuppurative, hypersensitivity-type granulomas. Macrophages, T
      cells, and dendritic cells showed a similar distribution in both types of
      granulomas. In addition to the presence of granulocytes, a major difference
      between suppurative granulomas and hypersensitive-type granulomas concerned their
      relationship with B lymphocytes. Hypersensitive-type granulomas were surrounded
      by small mantle B cells, but they did not contain any B lymphocytes. In contrast,
      variable numbers of B cells were found either at the periphery or in the center
      of suppurative granulomas. In view of their morphology (medium size, pale
      cytoplasm, irregular nuclear shape) and phenotype (L26 +/LN1 -/MB2 +/MT2 +) these
      B lymphocytes closely resembled monocytoid B cells. The monocytoid B cells might
      have a role in the recruitment of polymorphonuclear granulocytes and in the
      development of the necrosis, which occur within suppurative granulomas.

PMID- 1415905
TI  - Incidental lymphocytic prostatitis. Selective involvement with nonmalignant
      glands.
AB  - We documented the presence of lymphocytic prostatitis in all prostate specimens
      received over a 4-month period. Lymphocytic prostatitis was present in 44% of
      biopsy specimens (n = 77), 95% of transurethral prostatic resection specimens (n
      = 20), and 100% of total prostatectomy specimens (n = 9). The patchiness of the
      prostatitis within the prostate in part explains the lower prevalence in the
      biopsy specimens, which sample a much smaller portion of the gland compared with
      the other procedures. Lymphocytic prostatitis was seen in prostates both with and
      without adenocarcinoma. However, in specimens containing carcinoma, the
      lymphocytic aggregates rarely involved malignant glands. Instead, the aggregates
      were either stromal or involved nonmalignant glands either adjacent to or away
      from the tumor, including glands with hyperplasia, atrophy, and prostatic
      intraepithelial neoplasia. Even when malignant and nonmalignant glands were in
      close proximity, there was a sharp demarcation with respect to lymphocytic
      inflammation. Immunohistochemical staining with B-cell and T-cell markers
      disclosed that the vast majority are T lymphocytes. The localization of lymphoid
      aggregates to nonmalignant (including prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia) glands
      but not frankly neoplastic glands, suggests a selective escape of immune
      detection by neoplastic glands.

PMID- 1415906
TI  - Interstitial and airspace granulation tissue reactions in lung transplant
      recipients.
AB  - Twenty-three transbronchial and open-lung biopsies from patients who had received
      a lung allograft displayed fibromyxoid plugs of granulation tissue within
      airways, airspaces, and the interstitium in a patchy distribution. This
      granulation tissue-like reaction was identified in three clinicopathologic
      settings. First, 11 cases occurred with acute lung rejection, of which four cases
      had been partially treated with steroids for a previous rejection episode.
      Second, in seven cases the fibromyxoid tissue represented the healing phase of
      previously diagnosed diffuse alveolar damage resulting from preservation
      (harvest) injury to the allograft. Third, five cases were related to infection:
      herpes, Pseudomonas, Serratia, Staphylococcus, and Pneumocystis pneumonias.
      Although organizing pneumonia-like responses usually suggest an infectious
      episode, this reaction may be seen as a manifestation of acute lung rejection or
      ischemic lung injury.

PMID- 1415907
TI  - Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas arising in patients successfully treated for Hodgkin's
      disease. A clinical, histologic, and immunophenotypic study of 14 cases.
AB  - We report on 14 patients who developed Hodgkin's disease (HD), were successfully
      treated, and subsequently developed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The median
      interval between the diagnosis of HD and the diagnosis of NHL was 136 months
      (range 11-336). The clinical features of the patients with HD were similar to
      other patients with HD. Results of biopsies showed 12 nodular sclerosis and one
      mixed cellularity; one was not further classified. Immunophenotypic studies in
      nine cases showed that the Reed-Sternberg (RS) and Hodgkin's (H) cells were
      LeuM1+ LCA-. The patients were treated for HD in a nonuniform manner: two
      received radiation therapy, four received chemotherapy, and eight received both
      modalities. The NHLs were usually extranodal (79%) with frequent presentation as
      an abdominal mass. According to the Working Formulation, six lymphomas were small
      noncleaved cell (four non-Burkitt's, two Burkitt's), three were diffuse large
      cell, and two were follicular and diffuse large cell. Three neoplasms were not
      classified: two lymphomas with plasmacytoid differentiation were placed in the
      intermediate and low-grade categories, respectively, and one neoplasm was a
      plasmacytoma. All 14 neoplasms had an immunophenotype typical of NHL of B-cell
      lineage and were LeuM1-. Seven of the 12 patients treated with combination
      chemotherapy experienced a complete remission of their NHL. We conclude that the
      clinical, histologic, and immunophenotypic findings of the NHLs in these patients
      are analogous to those of NHLs that occur in immunosuppressed patients,
      suggesting that immunodeficiency plays a role in the pathogenesis of NHLs arising
      after HD.

PMID- 1415908
TI  - Inflammatory pseudotumors of the major salivary glands. Clinicopathologic and
      immunohistochemical analysis of six cases.
AB  - Inflammatory pseudotumor is a pathologic term used to describe reactive,
      pseudoneoplastic phenomena, which reportedly occur in many parts of the body.
      Clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical findings in six cases of inflammatory
      pseudotumor of the major salivary glands are described. All six lesions involved
      the parotid gland. There were three men and three women affected, with a median
      age of 72.5 years. All patients presented with a swelling of several months'
      duration in the parotid region. Five patients were alive and free of tumor at an
      average of 3.2 years after surgical removal, and one patient was lost to follow
      up. The lesions were firm, discrete nodules, grossly described as homogenous
      yellow-gray tissue. Histologically, all lesions contained a diversified admixture
      of four histological elements: (a) myofibroblasts, (b) histiocytes, (c) plasma
      cells, and (d) lymphocytes. Results of immunohistochemical studies showed a
      biphasic spindle cell population of myofibroblasts and histiocytes with variable
      staining characteristics for KP-1(CD-3), smooth muscle actin, muscle-specific
      actin, and vimentin. These findings are in agreement with the concept that
      inflammatory pseudotumor is a fibroinflammatory lesion with an abundant component
      of myofibroblastic/fibrohistiocytic elements.

PMID- 1415909
TI  - Low-grade mucinous cystadenocarcinoma in the spleen.
AB  - A 69-year-old man with an enlarged spleen, found by computed tomography scan to
      be multicystic, underwent a splenectomy. Pathological examination revealed a Low
      grade mucinous cystadenocarcinoma that was histologically analogous to a mucinous
      tumor of the ovary. The serum level of tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen
      (CEA)and CA19-9 were elevated preoperatively and returned to normal after the
      operation. In the absence of a primary tumor elsewhere, we considered this tumor
      to be primary in the spleen, and it was presumed that the tumor arose either from
      invaginated capsular mesothelium of the spleen or from heterotopic pancreatic or
      enteric tissue within the spleen.

PMID- 1415910
TI  - The Bethesda System for reporting cervical/vaginal cytologic diagnoses. Report of
      the 1991 Bethesda Workshop.

PMID- 1415911
TI  - Atypical duct hyperplasia in young females.

PMID- 1415912
TI  - Program and abstracts of the 41st annual meeting of the American Society of
      Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Seattle, Washington, November 15-19, 1992.

PMID- 1415913
TI  - The vascular laboratory: the past and the future.

PMID- 1415914
TI  - New evidence and new hope concerning endothelial seeding of vascular grafts.
AB  - Endothelial cell (EC) seeding of prosthetic bypass grafts has been promoted as a
      method of improving graft patency. However, an efficient and reliable method of
      seeding vascular prostheses with ECs is lacking due to inefficient harvesting of
      ECs and poor attachment and proliferation of cells on the prosthetic surfaces. To
      investigate the effect of a commonly used prosthetic surface on EC attachment and
      proliferation, we measured the attachment and proliferation of ECs on
      polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts uncoated or coated with gelatin, laminin,
      fibronectin, collagen type I and/or III, or RGD (arginine-glycine-aspartate)
      containing peptide. EC attachment and proliferation were both significantly
      decreased on the untreated PTFE graft surface. Conversely, coating of PTFE with
      fibronectin, RGD, laminin, or gelatin significantly (p less than 0.05) improved
      the attachment of ECs, with the most striking increases occurring with laminin
      and gelatin. Similarly, all matrix components in this study improved EC
      proliferation compared with untreated PTFE, with RGD and gelatin producing the
      most significant improvement. PTFE adversely effects EC attachment and
      proliferation. These properties can be improved by treating PTFE graft surfaces
      with extracellular matrix components in relatively low concentrations. Future
      investigations are needed to determine whether there are combinations and
      concentrations of matrix components that will optimize these cellular functions
      on vascular prostheses.

PMID- 1415915
TI  - Influence of arterial access sites and interventional procedures on vascular
      complications after cardiac catheterizations.
AB  - The purpose of this study is to define the incidence of complications at the
      arterial access site after cardiac catheterization. The influence of the arterial
      access site on these complications was identified, as were the clinical
      characteristics of these problems. A total of 8,797 cardiac catheterizations were
      performed over the 3-year period of this study. Diagnostic catheterizations and
      percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasties (PTCAs) were included, and the
      arterial access site was identified. Diagnostic catheterizations were performed
      via the brachial artery (group I, n = 3,137) or the femoral artery (group II, n =
      4,055). PTCAs were also performed via the brachial artery (group III, n = 32) or
      the femoral route (group IV, n = 1,573). Ninety-five major vascular complications
      occurred during the course of this study. The frequency of complications was
      higher with brachial artery catheterization when compared with the femoral route.
      PTCA was associated with a higher complication rate than diagnostic studies.
      Brachial artery complications were primarily arterial thromboses, which were
      easily diagnosed and treated. Femoral artery complications were more complicated,
      difficult to identify, and associated with significant morbidity.

PMID- 1415916
TI  - Risk of spinal cord dysfunction in patients undergoing thoracoabdominal aortic
      replacement.
AB  - The records of 150 consecutive patients undergoing thoracoabdominal aortic
      replacement from 1980 to 1991 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 89 men
      and 61 women; mean age was 67.8 years (range: 33 to 88 years). Since June 1989, a
      multimodality prospective perioperative protocol was used to reduce the risk of
      spinal cord dysfunction. Ischemia is minimized by complete intercostal
      reimplantation whenever possible, cerebrospinal fluid drainage, and maintenance
      of proximal hypertension during cross-clamping. Spinal cord metabolism is reduced
      by moderate hypothermia, high-dose barbiturates, and avoidance of hyperglycemia.
      Reperfusion injury is minimized by the use of mannitol, steroids, and calcium
      channel blockers. Ninety-seven percent of patients survived long enough for
      evaluation of their neurologic function. Spinal cord dysfunction was reduced from
      6 of 108 (6%) in the preprotocol group to 0 of 42 in the protocol group (0%) (p
      less than 0.01). The overall 30-day operative mortality was not significantly
      different between the groups (9% versus 12%, p = NS). A multimodality protocol
      appears to be effective in reducing the risk of spinal cord injury during
      thoracoabdominal aortic replacement.

PMID- 1415917
TI  - Nonoperative management of visceral aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms.
AB  - During the period from 1975 to 1991, 41 patients with 60 visceral artery
      aneurysms were treated at the Affiliated Hospitals of Emory University. The total
      included 13 patients in whom 16 aneurysms were treated primarily by transarterial
      embolization. There were seven hepatic artery aneurysms, three splenic artery
      aneurysms, three gastroduodenal artery aneurysms, two left gastric artery
      aneurysms, and one right gastroepiploic artery aneurysm. Average age of these
      patients was 50 years; there were eight males and five females. Seven patients
      presented with gastrointestinal bleeding, and two patients presented with
      abdominal pain. In four patients, the aneurysm was an incidental finding.
      Etiology of the true or false aneurysms consisted of pancreatitis in two
      patients, trauma in three patients, connective tissue disease in one, and was
      unknown in the remainder. Embolization was performed in seven cases with
      Gianturco coils and Gelfoam, with coils alone in four, with Gelfoam alone in
      four, and with detachable balloons in one instance. Complete occlusion was
      achieved initially in 13 cases. Recanalization occurred in two patients over a
      mean follow-up period of 8.6 months, requiring re-embolization in one patient,
      whereas the other patient was managed expectantly. In three cases, embolization
      was unsuccessful: two cases required surgical correction, and one case was
      managed expectantly. Only one complication was related to the embolization
      procedure, which was a common hepatic arterial dissection that proceeded to the
      formation of a false aneurysm. Embolization as the primary treatment modality for
      visceral artery aneurysms should be considered in patients with the following
      diagnoses: pseudoaneurysms associated with pancreatitis, intrahepatic aneurysms,
      most splenic artery aneurysms, and gastric, gastroduodenal, and gastroepiploic
      aneurysms. The procedure has a low risk and may obviate a difficult surgical
      procedure, but it does not preclude surgical intervention should the need arise.

PMID- 1415918
TI  - Influence of complete revascularization on chronic mesenteric ischemia.
AB  - Complete revascularization for chronic intestinal ischemia is controversial.
      Fifty-eight patients (119 arteries) underwent mesenteric revascularization
      between 1981 and 1988. There were 46 women and 12 men (mean age: 63 years). Sixty
      percent of patients had three-vessel disease. Twenty-one patients underwent
      concomitant aortic reconstruction. Operative mortality was 10%. Four of the six
      deaths occurred in patients undergoing aortic surgery. Late graft failure
      occurred in five patients (10%). Five-year survival for patients with three
      vessel involvement who underwent three-vessel repair was 73%, compared with 57%
      for two-vessel repair and 0% for one-vessel repair (p = NS). Similarly, graft
      patency in patients with three-vessel disease was highest in those patients who
      had complete revascularization (90%, 54%, and 0%, respectively) (p = NS). We
      conclude that increased graft patency and survival in patients with three-vessel
      disease was most frequent with complete revascularization. Diseased inferior
      mesenteric arteries should be repaired if feasible. Concomitant aortic operations
      should be avoided if possible.

PMID- 1415919
TI  - Long-term follow-up of poor-risk patients undergoing small-diameter portacaval
      shunts.
AB  - The small-diameter portacaval H-graft has been shown to be a reliable method of
      controlling variceal hemorrhage. However, little has been written about the long
      term follow-up of poor-risk patients treated by this method. Over the last 11
      years, we have performed 38 portacaval H-grafts; 79% of the patients were Child's
      B or C, and 79% were alcoholic. The mean age was 52 years, and the mean period of
      follow-up was 44 months. Over 37% of the grafts were performed in patients who
      were bleeding at the time of operation. Our 30-day operative mortality was 13%.
      Postoperatively, the small-diameter H-graft was associated with mild to moderate
      encephalopathy in 33% of the patients and ascites in 42%. Both these conditions
      were easily controlled with diet and medication. Early recurrent variceal
      bleeding was seen in 13% of patients. However, on late follow-up, recurrent
      hemorrhage and encephalopathy have been seen in only 12% and 14% of patients,
      respectively. We conclude that the portacaval H-graft is a reliable and lasting
      method for controlling variceal bleeding with an acceptable postoperative
      morbidity and mortality.

PMID- 1415921
TI  - Safety of arteriography by direct puncture of a vascular prosthesis.
AB  - A total of 122 catheterizations were performed in 105 patients with femoral
      grafts. Ninety-five femoral grafts were punctured. The mean follow-up time was 21
      months. Sixty-one patients had follow-up duplex ultrasounds of the graft puncture
      site at 6 months. The complication rates for patients with direct graft puncture
      were comparable to those of patients without grafts undergoing femoral catheter
      arteriography. Twenty-seven cases with femoral grafts had arteriography using the
      transaxillary technique. The overall complication rate for the 95 cases with
      graft puncture was 12% (8% were minor complications) in contrast to 30% (22% were
      major complications) for the 27 cases with the transaxillary approach. The local,
      nervous system, and major complication rates were all significantly less in
      patients with graft puncture than in patients with the transaxillary approach.
      There was no evidence of early or late pseudoaneurysm formation, disruption of
      the suture line, or late graft infection in patients with graft puncture. Direct
      graft puncture arteriography is safe and preferable to the transaxillary
      approach.

PMID- 1415920
TI  - Major complications of angioaccess surgery.
AB  - Angioaccess procedures at one institution over a 4-year period were
      retrospectively reviewed to ascertain the frequency of major limb- or life
      threatening complications. A total of 435 angioaccess procedures were performed,
      including 81 Cimino-Brescia fistulas, 166 polytetrafluoroethylene grafts, and 111
      thrombectomy/revisions. There were 77 operations for major complications in 53
      patients. In addition, five patients required major vascular repair or emergency
      thoracotomy for complications of central hemodialysis line placement. A
      significant portion (18% of this series) of the total angioaccess caseload of a
      vascular surgeon will be utilized in the repair of major complications. The in
      hospital (6 patients, or 11%) and long-term (12 patients, or 23%) mortality rates
      are significant. Although most complications can be repaired without limb loss
      and with shunt salvage, a small percentage (in our study three patients, or 4%)
      will have debilitating long-term symptoms.

PMID- 1415922
TI  - Arterial and ischemic aspects of total knee arthroplasty.
AB  - Prospective and retrospective analyses of 1,182 consecutive patients undergoing
      primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) were performed to determine (1) the
      incidence of chronic lower extremity ischemia (CLEI); (2) the effect of
      tourniquet occlusion; and (3) guidelines that will allow TKA to be performed
      safely. Despite the appropriately advanced age of our patients, the incidence of
      CLEI was only 2%. All ischemic complications occurred in six patients with CLEI
      (25%), but none resulted in death or amputation. The ischemic complications
      consisted of pressure-induced necrosis of toes, heel, or foot, atheroembolism,
      femoral-popliteal graft occlusion, and asymptomatic popliteal occlusion.
      Tourniquet compression in the 1,158 patients without CLEI produced no untoward
      effects. Patients with mild CLEI can have a TKA performed safely with a
      tourniquet if there is no femoropopliteal calcification. When the ischemia is
      severe or there is a femoropopliteal aneurysm, arterial reconstruction should
      precede the TKA. In patients with patent femoral-popliteal bypasses or
      calcification without ischemia, TKA should be performed without a tourniquet.
      Ischemic pressure necrosis is an additional mechanism of injury.

PMID- 1415923
TI  - Thrombolytic therapy of synthetic graft occlusions before vascular reconstructive
      procedures.
AB  - The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of thrombolysis of
      synthetic grafts before urgent vascular reconstruction. In 29 patients, 41
      thrombosed synthetic grafts that underwent intraarterial thrombolysis were
      studied. The cases were divided into three groups: group I--complete thrombolysis
      followed by reconstruction; group II--complete thrombolysis alone; and group III-
      incomplete lysis requiring reconstruction or sympathectomy. Follow-up ranged from
      1 to 556 days (mean: 149 days). Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to determine
      patency and limb salvage rates. One-year patency and limb salvage rates were 53%
      and 95%, 34% and 67%, and 38% and 48%, respectively, for groups I, II, and III.
      Eighteen complications occurred in 16 of the 41 (39%) episodes. One patient died
      of intracranial hemorrhage. The best results were achieved when complete lysis
      was followed by appropriate reconstruction. Patency was equally poor in complete
      thrombolysis alone and reconstructions required by incomplete thrombolysis. Limb
      salvage was better after complete thrombolysis, regardless of the appropriate
      reconstruction.

PMID- 1415924
TI  - Liver and spleen phagocytic depression after peripheral ischemia and reperfusion.
AB  - Liver and spleen phagocytic clearance of blood-borne microparticulate tissue
      debris and products of intravascular coagulation after trauma and surgical injury
      is an important mechanism to limit the deposition of debris in the pulmonary
      vascular bed. Plasma fibronectin (pFn) modulates this clearance process. We
      evaluated the effect of a localized peripheral ischemia and reperfusion injury on
      liver and spleen phagocytic function. Male rats (250 to 350 g) underwent 4 hours
      of tourniquet-induced bilateral hindlimb ischemia, followed by 18 hours of
      reperfusion after release of the tourniquet. Rats subjected to ether anesthesia
      alone or anesthesia followed by groin incision without ischemia were the control
      and sham groups, respectively. Reticuloendothelial (RE) phagocytic function was
      assessed at 15 minutes and 18 hours after the start of reperfusion by the in vivo
      liver and spleen removal of blood-borne iodine 125 (125I)-test microparticles,
      which were coated with gelatin (denatured collagen) to enhance their interaction
      with pFn. Liver and spleen particle uptake in control and sham rats was similar.
      In contrast, after 4 hours of ischemic injury with 15 minutes of reperfusion, we
      observed a 30% to 40% decrease (p less than 0.05) in liver and spleen particle
      uptake as compared with sham controls with partial restoration of this removal
      mechanism by 18 hours. This depression in liver and spleen phagocytic function
      was associated with a significant (p less than 0.05) increase in the deposition
      of the 125I-test particles in the lung. RE depression was not due to a deficiency
      of pFn; indeed, a marked elevation (588 +/- 12 micrograms/mL versus 1,083 +/- 40
      micrograms/mL) of pFn was observed by immunoassay over the 18-hour reperfusion
      interval. Comparative bioassay of humoral (opsonic) versus cellular (Kupffer's
      cell) activity revealed that Kupffer's cells in livers from controls or ischemia
      reperfusion rats exhibited normal phagocytic function when incubated in plasma
      harvested from either control or 4-hour ischemic rats. The opsonic activity of
      plasma harvested after ischemia and reperfusion was also more than adequate,
      consistent with the immunoassay analysis. Thus, the impaired liver and spleen
      clearance mechanism after peripheral ischemia and reperfusion injury did not
      appear to be due to either a macrophage cellular deficit or a lack of pFn. This
      clearance depression may be mediated by splanchnic malperfusion, which is known
      to develop after peripheral ischemia and reperfusion and associated soft tissue
      injury.

PMID- 1415926
TI  - Physiologic similarities between extremities with varicose veins and with chronic
      venous insufficiency utilizing air plethysmography.
AB  - Air plethysmography (APG) was used to measure maximal venous outflow rate (MVO),
      a test for proximal venous obstruction; venous volume; venous filling index, an
      estimate of valvular incompetence; ejection fraction (EF), a test of calf-muscle
      pump efficiency; and residual volume fraction (RVF), an estimate of ambulatory
      venous pressure. MVO was lower in patients with chronic venous insufficiency
      (CVI) than in those with varicose veins (VV), but the difference was small (p =
      0.06). RVF was significantly greater in extremities with CVI when compared with
      those with VV (p less than 0.01). However, the degree of abnormality in venous
      volume, venous filling index, and EF was similar in CVI and VV extremities. In
      summary, although RVF tends to be higher in extremities with CVI when compared
      with those with VV, there is tremendous overlap between VV and CVI for each of
      the hemodynamic variables measured by APG. Therefore, the pathophysiology of CVI
      is likely to involve not only hemodynamic abnormalities but also other factors
      that have not yet been clearly identified.

PMID- 1415925
TI  - Prospective comparison of duplex scanning and descending venography in the
      assessment of venous insufficiency.
AB  - A prospective study comparing duplex scanning and descending venography was
      applied to 143 venous segments in 25 extremities with moderate to severe
      manifestations of chronic venous insufficiency (class 2 or 3). Duplex scanning
      was performed with the patient in the 15 degree reverse Trendelenburg position,
      and descending venography with the patient in the 60 degrees semi-erect position;
      the Valsalva maneuver was used to elicit reflux in both tests. The duplex
      parameter of reflux duration greater than 0.5 second correlated with venographic
      reflux in 94 of 105 segments (sensitivity of 90%). Conversely, reflux time less
      than or equal to 0.5 second correlated with venographic competence in 32 of 38
      segments (specificity of 84%). A total of 17 discrepancies were identified among
      the 143 total segments studied, for an accuracy of 88%. The largest proportion of
      discrepancies was identified in the group with venographic competence and reflux
      duration greater than 0.5 second and less than or equal to 2.0 seconds; this was
      designated a gray zone. Mean peak velocities were significantly higher in the
      reflux group when compared with the competence group in the profunda femoris vein
      (p = 0.047), greater saphenous vein (p less than 0.001), popliteal vein (p less
      than 0.001), and tibial vein (p = 0.005). We conclude that venographic reflux
      correlates best with duplex scan findings of reflux duration greater than 0.5
      second. Duration of reflux greater than 0.5 second and less than or equal to 2.0
      seconds, however, represents a gray zone and should be interpreted with caution
      since this could lead to over-reading of reflux disease, in which case
      verification of incompetence by descending venography may be indicated.

PMID- 1415927
TI  - Why does prophylaxis with external pneumatic compression for deep vein thrombosis
      fail?
AB  - External pneumatic compression (EPC) devices are increasing in popularity for
      deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis. Patients who have these devices applied
      postoperatively are assumed to have effective prophylaxis, although a number of
      extensive postoperative DVT complications have been observed. This study
      evaluates the proper application of EPC devices in patients in intensive care
      units and regular nursing floor units and assesses whether dedicated in-service
      instruction can improve proper use. In a prospective study of 138 patients with 2
      or more risk factors for postoperative DVT, it was found that patients on routine
      nursing units had properly functioning EPC devices during 48% (306 of 636) of the
      visits compared with 78% (312 of 398) of the visits in the intensive care unit
      (ICU) (p less than 0.0001). Follow-up of patients transferred from an ICU to a
      regular nursing unit showed that functional application decreased from 82% (129
      of 157) to 33% (40 of 122) (p less than 0.005). The compression sleeves were not
      applied in 84% of the nonfunctional devices and were properly in place but the
      pump nonfunctional in 16%. Unfortunately, dedicated in-service instruction did
      not improve the proper use of EPC. Although proper application of EPC is better
      in the ICU compared with regular nursing units, improper use is frequent and
      failure of DVT prophylaxis with EPC devices may be due to improper use, rather
      than failure of the method itself.

PMID- 1415928
TI  - Operative management of greater saphenous thrombophlebitis involving the
      saphenofemoral junction.
AB  - Forty-three consecutive patients with greater saphenous vein (GSV) thrombosis
      extending to the saphenofemoral junction (SFJ) were treated. Twenty-three
      patients had extension of thrombus into the common femoral vein (CFV). Twenty
      patients had thrombus extending to but not within the CFV. Symptoms, risk
      factors, and physical examination were not predictive of CFV thrombus extension.
      When compared with the operative record, duplex scans accurately located the
      extent of the thrombosis 100% of the time. Forty-one surgical procedures were
      performed. No patients had pulmonary emboli during the procedures. Thirty-seven
      patients were treated as outpatients or were discharged within 3 days of their
      surgical procedures. The two patients who did not undergo operative procedures in
      this series had complete occlusion of the CFV with extension into the external
      iliac vein. Thrombus within 3 cm of the SFJ is an indication for surgical
      intervention. Disconnection of the GSV from the CFV prevents extension of the
      thrombus, and a limited CFV thrombectomy can be performed when necessary. This is
      considerably more cost-effective than treatment with anticoagulation.

PMID- 1415929
TI  - Are there angiographic predictors of success for vein bypass to the peroneal
      artery?
AB  - In order to evaluate the effect of angiographic run-off upon peroneal artery
      autogenous vein bypass patency and subsequent limb salvage, 53 autogenous vein
      peroneal artery bypasses performed for ischemic tissue loss were reviewed. All
      preoperative angiograms were evaluated according to three separate angiographic
      scoring systems that previously had been designed to quantify the severity of
      runoff resistance. None of the three scoring systems predicted either early
      bypass occlusion and/or major amputation. The cumulative 18-month primary patency
      and 24-month secondary patency rates were 71% and 90%, respectively. The 24-month
      limb salvage rate was 81%. Initial and intermediate-term salvage of limbs with
      ischemic tissue loss can be achieved by peroneal artery bypass. Angiographic
      scoring systems were poor predictors of bypass failure or major amputation.

PMID- 1415930
TI  - Clinical and hemodynamic results of bypass to isolated tibial artery segments for
      ischemic ulceration of the foot.
AB  - Patients with ischemic ulceration of the foot and no continuous tibial or
      inframalleolar vessels acceptable for bypass are often treated with primary
      amputation. We have performed autogenous vein bypass to isolated tibial artery
      segments (ITAS) in nine patients with ischemic foot ulcers and no other outflow
      options. We reviewed the clinical and hemodynamic results of these bypasses to
      assess the efficacy of this approach. Hemodynamic comparisons of these ITAS
      bypasses were made to a concurrent series of 26 bypasses to intact tibial
      arteries and 24 inframalleolar artery bypasses assessed during routine follow-up.
      Eight of the bypasses originated from the above-knee popliteal artery and one
      from the profunda femoris artery. Recipient vessels were the anterior tibial
      (seven), peroneal (one), and posterior tibial (one) arteries. Although mean ankle
      brachial indices (ABI) increased significantly from 0.26 +/- 0.06 preoperatively
      to 0.75 +/- 0.04 postoperatively (p = 0.0015), ITAS bypass patients had lower
      mean postoperative ABIs than patients with bypasses to intact tibial (ABI = 0.98
      +/- 0.03, p = 0.0001) or pedal arteries (ABI = 1.02 +/- 0.04, p = 0.0005).
      Similarly, duplex scan-derived peak systolic flow velocities of the ITAS bypasses
      (mean: 52.9 +/- 5.8 cm/sec) were lower than those of intact tibial artery
      bypasses (mean: 80.1 +/- 6.1 cm/sec, p = 0.02) but did not differ from those of
      pedal bypasses (mean: 59.5 +/- 3.5 cm/sec, p = 0.34). No ITAS bypass grafts have
      failed during a mean follow-up of 12.3 +/- 2.7 months. Although wound healing was
      prolonged (mean: 3.1 +/- 0.6 months), the wounds of eight of nine patients
      eventually healed, with three patients requiring minor amputations (one digital
      amputation and two transmetatarsal amputations). Although the hemodynamic results
      of ITAS bypass are inferior to those of more conventional bypasses, the early
      patency rates and successful healing of ischemic wounds confirm that it is a
      valid alternative in the threatened limb with no other outflow options.

PMID- 1415931
TI  - Clinical results of decompressive dermotomy-fasciotomy.
AB  - Seventy-three dermotomy-fasciotomies (DFs) were performed in 68 patients from
      1986 to 1991. A database record was compiled on each patient. Variables included
      age, mode of injury, method of initial wound closure, and associated injuries. A
      multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to determine
      which variables were associated with wound complications. Thirty-eight percent of
      patients who underwent DF developed wound complications. One hundred percent of
      those patients with postoperative arterial or graft thrombosis developed wound
      complications (p less than 0.01) as did 78% of those with thromboembolic disease
      (p less than 0.05). Conversely, only 5% of those who underwent closure of their
      DF wounds utilizing skin grafts developed wound complications (p less than 0.01)
      as compared with 51% of those who underwent secondary or primary closure only.
      Subsequent analysis of the remaining patients, excluding those with severe soft
      tissue injury, showed an association between location of DF (upper versus lower
      extremity) and the development of wound complications that approached statistical
      significance (p less than 0.06). DF is frequently necessary in the treatment of
      patients with compartment syndrome but is associated with significant morbidity.
      This study suggests that closure of DF wounds utilizing skin graft allows for
      continued osteofascial decompression while concomitantly minimizing invasive
      sepsis.

PMID- 1415932
TI  - Management of infected lower extremity autologous vein grafts by selective graft
      preservation.
AB  - Between 1975 and 1991, we treated 16 patients with infected lower extremity
      autologous vein grafts performed for limb salvage by complete graft preservation.
      Traditional treatment of these infections includes immediate graft excision and
      complex revascularization procedures to prevent limb loss. The infection involved
      an intact anastomosis in 12 patients or the body of a patent graft in 4 patients.
      None of the patients was systemically septic. All patients were treated with
      appropriate intravenous antibiotics. Six patients were treated by placement of
      autologous tissue on the exposed graft (4 rotational muscle flaps, 2 skin
      grafts), and 10 were treated with antibiotic-soaked dressing changes and repeated
      operative debridements to achieve delayed secondary wound healing. This treatment
      resulted in a 19% (3 of 16) mortality rate and an 8% (1 of 13) amputation rate in
      survivors. Of the six patients managed by autologous tissue placement onto the
      infected graft, five patients had wounds that healed without complications, and
      one died of a myocardial infarction. Of the 10 patients treated by delayed
      secondary wound healing, 2 developed anastomotic hemorrhage, which resulted in
      death in 1 patient and above-knee amputation in the other, 1 died of a myocardial
      infarction, 1 developed graft thrombosis, and 6 had wounds that healed. Placement
      of autologous tissue to cover an exposed, infected patent vein graft with intact
      anastomoses may prevent graft dessication, disruption, and thrombosis, which
      renders graft preservation an easier, safer method of treatment compared with
      routine graft excision.

PMID- 1415933
TI  - Donor iliac angioplasty and crossover femorofemoral bypass.
AB  - We reviewed our experience with 99 patients who had 111 femorofemoral bypass
      grafts placed over a 10-year period. Mean follow-up was 36 +/- 28 months (range:
      1 to 120 months). Bypass alone was performed in 89 cases (group 1). Preoperative
      donor iliac angioplasty was utilized in 22 cases (group 2). Overall graft failure
      was 21 of 89 in group 1 and 2 of 22 in group 2 (difference was not significant by
      chi 2: p greater than 0.05). Clinical success as calculated by life-table
      analysis was 95%, 83%, 75%, and 67% at 1, 3, 5, and 7 years, respectively, for
      group 1. Clinical success was 100% and 91% at 1 and 3 years, respectively, and
      91% at 42 months for group 2. The success rates were not different for the two
      groups when analyzed by the log-rank test at 42 months (p greater than 0.30). We
      conclude that donor iliac angioplasty and femorofemoral bypass is an excellent
      option for patients with severe occlusive disease of one iliac artery and
      contralateral disease amenable to angioplasty.

PMID- 1415934
TI  - Diagnostic and prognostic molecular markers in cancer.

PMID- 1415935
TI  - Summary of Pancreas Club meeting. May 9, 1992 San Francisco, California.

PMID- 1415936
TI  - Management of small artery vascular trauma.
AB  - This 11-year retrospective study reviewed 99 arterial injuries distal to the
      brachial bifurcation or popliteal trifurcation in 89 extremities in 88 patients.
      Associated injuries occurred in 78 of 88 (89%) patients, including 10 fractures
      or dislocations, 66 nerve injuries, and 59 single or multiple tendon injuries.
      Fasciotomy was performed in 9 upper extremities and 11 lower extremities (23% of
      patients). The selection of operative treatment by arterial repair or ligation
      was by surgeon choice (52% repair and 48% ligation). Postoperative patency was
      found in 45 of 47 (96%) repaired arteries. In cases of isolated single arterial
      injuries (10), there were excellent results, and there was no difference in the
      results between repair and ligation. In cases of nonisolated single arterial
      injuries (69), there were 46% and 36% nonvascular complications in the repaired
      and ligated groups, respectively. In 10 patients with nonisolated multiple
      arterial injuries in the same extremity, the results of repair of one artery with
      ligation of the other artery versus repair of both arteries were identical, and
      there were no vascular complications. Operative exploration was the key to
      complete evaluation of vascular and neuro/musculoskeletal injuries. The data
      suggest that one functional artery distal to the elbow or knee is sufficient for
      limb viability and vascular function (follow-up range: 0 to 110 months; mean: 12
      months). Nerve injury was the single most important factor of extremity injury in
      terms of the degree of functional loss.

PMID- 1415937
TI  - Lower-extremity amputation with immediate postoperative prosthetic placement.
AB  - To study the efficacy of an immediate postoperative prosthesis (IPOP) program, a
      retrospective review of 167 major lower-extremity amputations was performed.
      Patient enrollment in the IPOP program was based on the individual's potential
      for rehabilitation and participation in an aggressive postoperative physical
      therapy regimen, as determined by the surgeon, prosthetist, physical therapist,
      and social worker. Indications for amputation were intractable infection and/or
      severe unreconstructable arterial insufficiency. Sixty-five patients underwent 69
      amputations with IPOP (59 below knee; 10 above knee). Successful program
      completion was defined as independent ambulation and occurred in 86% of those
      patients enrolled. The average interval from amputation to ambulation was 15.2
      days for the below-knee amputees and 9.3 days for the above-knee amputees.
      Failure to complete the program occurred in 14% of patients and was due to
      noncompliance, stump infection, stump trauma, and death. The results of this
      review support the use of IPOP after major lower-extremity amputation.

PMID- 1415938
TI  - Gastric antroplasty for the treatment of delayed gastric emptying and
      gastroesophageal reflux in children.
AB  - Operative correction of symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux (GER) was undertaken
      in 530 children during a 21-year period. Gastroesophageal fundoplication (GEF)
      alone was performed in 415 children; 83 had simultaneous GEF and pyloroplasty; 13
      had pyloroplasty alone; and 19 had GEF with later pyloroplasty. Of the last 355
      children with reflux, 110 (31%) had pyloroplasty. Pyloroplasty was performed for
      persistent symptoms despite medical therapy when more than 60% of the isotope
      meal was retained in the stomach at 90 minutes. Children with central nervous
      system disorders and GER often had delayed gastric emptying (DGE). A modified
      Heineke-Mikulicz pyloroplasty was used for the first 59 children; the last 56
      patients had a more simplified antroplasty with a 2.5- to 3.5-cm vertical
      incision through the antral muscularis down to the duodenum without mucosal
      incision; the muscularis was reapproximated in a transverse direction with
      sutures. With a mean follow-up of 5.8 years, only three patients experienced mild
      transient dumping. None had pyloroplasty leak or clinical evidence of alkaline
      reflux. Antroplasty is a helpful, simple adjunct to GEF with low morbidity in
      children with GER and DGE.

PMID- 1415939
TI  - Nissen fundoplication in the treatment of children with familial dysautonomia.
AB  - Thirty-four children with familial dysautonomia (FD) underwent Nissen
      fundoplication and gastrostomy. The indications for operation were persistent
      cyclic vomiting that resulted in repeated aspiration pneumonia (94% of the
      patients), chronic dehydration (82%), failure to thrive (97%), and frequent
      hospitalizations (76%). There was no operative or early postoperative mortality.
      Long-term follow-up for up to 12 years was available. Eight patients died during
      this period from 7 months to 7.5 years postoperatively. In 5 patients (15% of the
      operated patients), the fundoplication ceased to function 16 months to 5 years
      postoperatively, which was attributed mainly to repeated severe dysautonomic
      crises with vigorous retching. Vomiting ceased in 85% of the symptomatic
      patients; pulmonary deterioration was halted, and the frequency of aspiration
      pneumonia was reduced in 68%; nutritional improvement was seen in 44%; the
      hydration status improved in 88%; and the frequency of hospital admissions
      decreased in 74%. These long-term findings resulted in a significant improvement
      in the quality of life for the majority of the patients. The absence of operative
      mortality and the low postoperative morbidity, together with the long-term
      beneficial results of this surgical procedure, should encourage early surgical
      intervention in selected FD patients.

PMID- 1415940
TI  - Further evidence against the routine use of parathyroid ultrasonography prior to
      initial neck exploration for hyperparathyroidism.
AB  - The role of preoperative localization tests in patients undergoing initial neck
      exploration for hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is controversial. The use of
      parathyroid ultrasonography (US) in 46 patients (7 men, 39 women; mean age: 60
      years) who underwent initial neck exploration for hypercalcemia and who had the
      diagnosis of HPT confirmed at surgery is reported. At surgery, a single adenoma
      was found in 40 patients and multiple hyperplastic glands in 6 patients. Of the
      40 adenomas, only 22 (58%) were localized to the correct side by the preoperative
      US, and only 5 of 18 hyperplastic glands (28%) were correctly localized. The
      rates of false-positive and false-negative results were 10% and 46%,
      respectively. The sensitivity of parathyroid US was 54%, the specificity 90%, and
      the accuracy 70%. The low sensitivity and accuracy and the high rate of false
      negative test results that were observed suggest that there is no role for the
      routine use of parathyroid US in patients undergoing initial neck exploration for
      HPT.

PMID- 1415941
TI  - Lipocortin-present perforating and lipocortin-absent nonperforating Crohn's
      disease.
AB  - To investigate whether Crohn's disease has two different clinical forms, a
      relatively aggressive perforating type and a more indolent nonperforating type,
      we compared the concentrations of lipocortin and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the
      inflamed mucosa of 12 patients with strictly controlled Crohn's disease with
      those found in histologically normal mucosa of control subjects. The inflamed
      mucosa obtained from eight patients with nonperforating Crohn's disease did not
      react with antilipocortin antibody on immune blot analysis. In contrast, the
      inflamed mucosa from four patients with perforating Crohn's disease, as well as
      that obtained from histologically normal controls, contained lipocortins. In
      addition, higher concentrations of intramucosal ileal and colonic PGE2 were found
      in patients with nonperforating Crohn's disease (902 +/- 454 pg/wet weight [WW]
      mg and 1,268 +/- 567 pg/WW mg, respectively) compared with normal controls (90.2
      +/- 43.1 pg/WW mg and 173 +/- 76.5 pg/WW mg, respectively) (p less than 0.01).
      The difference in intramucosal ileal and colonic PGE2 levels between patients
      with perforating Crohn's disease (109.6 +/- 16.7 pg/WW mg and 252 +/- 34.4 pg/WW
      mg, respectively) and normal controls was not significant. These findings
      indicate that there may be two distinct patterns of Crohn's disease that differ
      in the amount of lipocortin present in the intestinal mucosa.

PMID- 1415942
TI  - Long-term follow-up of partial splenectomy in Gaucher's disease.
AB  - Seven children with Gaucher's disease who underwent partial splenectomy were
      followed for 7 to 8 years. None of the children had systemic sepsis or symptoms
      related to liver enlargement. Bone crisis occurred in only two children who had
      experienced bone crisis prior to partial splenectomy. This contrasts with the
      development of bone crises in five of six children who underwent total
      splenectomy at a similar age and who had previously been free of bone symptoms.
      Partial splenectomy should be regarded as a temporary solution in the treatment
      of hypersplenism and the mechanical compression related to the huge spleen. In
      71% of the patients, massive enlargement and a severe to moderate degree of
      pancytopenia occurred again after 3 to 8 years; total splenectomy was required in
      three patients.

PMID- 1415943
TI  - Collagen synthetic capacity throughout the uninjured and anastomosed intestinal
      wall.
AB  - The capacity to synthesize collagen was measured throughout the intestinal tract
      of the rat, using an in vitro technique. In addition, the effect of anastomotic
      construction in either the ileum or the colon on collagen synthetic capacity at
      specific distant locations both 1 and 4 days after operation was investigated.
      Collagen synthetic capacity is relatively uniform throughout the large bowel.
      However, in the small bowel in which synthesis is lower than in the large bowel,
      synthesis is significantly higher in the most proximal and distal segments than
      in the intermediate tissue. Anastomotic construction in either part of the bowel
      strongly increases collagen synthetic capacity at the immediate wound site. The
      synthetic response is not restricted to the anastomotic site but appears to be
      more generalized and is, in the small bowel, to some extent specific for collagen
      since the collagen synthetic capacity is increased far more than the capacity to
      produce noncollagenous protein. Anastomotic construction in the colon has only
      minor, although sometimes significant, effects on collagen synthetic capacity in
      the ileum, and vice versa.

PMID- 1415944
TI  - Samuel Preston Moore: Surgeon-General of the Confederacy.
AB  - Samuel Preston Moore was trained as a military surgeon in the US Army but
      resigned his commission and was appointed Surgeon-General of the Confederate
      States Army Medical Department at the beginning of the American Civil War. He
      reformed the mediocre medical corps by raising recruiting standards and improving
      treatment protocols and by placing the most capable surgeons in positions of
      authority. He improved the ambulance corps and directed the construction of many
      new hospitals for Confederate casualties. He was directly responsible for the
      barracks hospital design, which is still used today. He established the
      Confederate States Medical and Surgical Journal and directed a successful effort
      to develop substitutes for scarce pharmaceuticals from the indigenous flora of
      the South. He founded the Association of Army and Navy Surgeons of the
      Confederate States of America. With skill and dedication, Dr. Moore transformed
      the medical corps into one of the most effective departments of the Confederate
      military and was responsible for saving thousands of lives on the battlefield.

PMID- 1415945
TI  - Abdominoinguinal incision in resection of pelvic tumors with lateral fixation.
AB  - Large tumors in the area of the iliac fossa, external iliac vessels, wall of the
      lesser pelvis, and pubic bone are often considered unresectable through
      conventional abdominal incisions due to the lack of exposure, or they are managed
      with hindquarter amputation. The abdominoinguinal incision provides the necessary
      exposure for en-bloc resection of many of these tumors. It involves a lower
      midline incision that is extended transversely to the mid-inguinal point on the
      side of involvement and then vertically, over the course of the femoral vessels,
      which are exposed. The rectus abdominis is divided off the pubic crest and the
      inguinal ligament off the pubic tubercle, and the inferior epigastric vessels are
      ligated and divided at their origin. This allows in-continuity exposure of the
      lower abdomen, pelvis, and the groin in one field and dramatically improves the
      exposure.

PMID- 1415946
TI  - Utility of an oral examination in a surgical clerkship.
AB  - To evaluate the utility of the oral examination in a surgical clerkship, we
      designed a prospective and randomized study to relate the subjective impressions
      of experienced examiners with an objective measure of cognitive knowledge. The
      examiners were asked to score the student's performance as honors, high
      satisfactory, satisfactory, or unsatisfactory, according to their subjective
      impression of the student's ability. Student performance was grouped according to
      oral examination performance. The cognitive performance in the honors group was
      significantly better than that of the other groups (Student's t-test, p = 0.05).
      There was a significant difference in cognitive performance for oral examination
      groups throughout the rotations (analysis of variance, p = 0.000; Kruskal Wallis,
      p = 0.05). The oral examination is useful to identify a high level of cognitive
      achievement but cannot discriminate between groups of median to low competence.
      It should be used for educational feedback, career counseling, residency
      recommendations, and professional development.

PMID- 1415947
TI  - Composite resident work week.
AB  - During a 4-week period, all residents in the Wright State University School of
      Medicine Department of Surgery residency program were required to keep a log of
      their daily activities. Times were collected for the following resident
      activities: patient rounds, work-ups, laboratory data review, consults, meetings
      with attending physicians or patient families, phone calls, teaching conferences,
      medical student teaching, library time, clinics, attendance at codes, emergency
      department visits, on-call time, medical records committee meetings, and time
      scrubbed. The composite average weekly hours by resident year were 83.4 hours
      [postgraduate year (PGY)-1], 78.4 hours (PGY-2), 60.2 hours (PGY-3), 79.6 hours
      (PGY-4), and 80.9 hours (PGY-5). More than 50% of the resident work week cards
      were for less than 80 hours. Three activities (patient rounds, time scrubbed, and
      on-call) accounted for the majority of the residents' hours, but the average
      week, deleting educational and administrative hours, was less than 80 hours for
      all residents.

PMID- 1415948
TI  - Complications and diagnosis of Meckel's diverticulum in 776 patients.

PMID- 1415949
TI  - Intestinal obstruction complicating pregnancy.
AB  - Intestinal obstruction is a rare but serious complication of pregnancy with
      significant maternal and fetal mortality. The reported incidence of intestinal
      obstruction complicating pregnancy varies widely, from 1 in 66,431 to 1 in 1,500
      deliveries. A retrospective review of 66 cases of intestinal obstruction
      complicating pregnancy and the puerperium, including 2 cases from our
      institution, revealed that the most common causes of mechanical obstruction were
      adhesions (58%), volvulus (24%), and intussusception (5%). Seventy-seven percent
      of the patients with obstruction due to adhesions had undergone previous
      abdominal or pelvic surgery. Presenting symptoms and signs were similar to those
      of the nonpregnant patient; abdominal pain was present in 98% of patients,
      vomiting in 82%, and tenderness to palpation in 71%. In 82% of patients,
      obstruction was evident on radiographic evaluation. Prompt management of
      obstruction is essential; the median length of time from admission to laparotomy
      in the 66 patients was 48 hours. Bowel strangulation requiring resection was
      present in 23% of patients. Thirty-eight percent of patients completed term
      pregnancies after operative resolution of obstruction; total maternal mortality
      was 6%, and total fetal mortality 26%. Thus, both mother and fetus are at risk
      when intestinal obstruction complicates pregnancy. Clinical suspicion of the
      presence of obstruction and aggressive intervention are required to decrease the
      morbidity and mortality of this rare complication of pregnancy.

PMID- 1415950
TI  - Molecular mechanisms of tumor formation.
AB  - DNA is the fundamental guide for the cell's processes. The alterations in DNA
      that can lead to abnormal or absent proteins and the role of chromosomal
      alterations in changing the function of the DNA are reviewed. The role of viruses
      in derailing a cell's normal functions, the major mechanisms of oncogene action,
      and tumor suppressor genes are also discussed.

PMID- 1415951
TI  - Indications for operative cholangiography.

PMID- 1415952
TI  - The future of general surgeons.

PMID- 1415953
TI  - Heparin in the treatment of deep venous thrombosis.

PMID- 1415954
TI  - General surgery training.

PMID- 1415955
TI  - Dysplasia. Rest in peace?

PMID- 1415956
TI  - The distribution of Merkel cells in human fetal and adult skin.
AB  - Merkel cells (MCs) have been a subject of investigation in human and animal
      studies for over a century, but their origin, function(s), and exact distribution
      in human skin remain largely unknown. The objectives of the present study were to
      quantify these cutaneous neuroendocrine cells in fetal and adult human skin,
      using an immunohistochemical marker (neuron-specific enolase) and morphometric
      methods. Our results indicate that, in postnatal life, MC are sparsely
      distributed along the undersurface of epidermal and occasionally adnexal
      epithelium in an approximate range of 0.1-1.0 MCs per centimeter of basal zone.
      They are most numerous on volar skin and least on genital skin, and on the face
      they have a primarily perifollicular orientation. Fetal samples have shown that
      MCs appear between the 15th and 18th week of gestation and are most abundant on
      volar skin. They appear to arise within the epidermis, and are initially numerous
      and later diminish with increasing gestational age. Their predominance in
      intrauterine life suggests a functional role in growth and development.

PMID- 1415957
TI  - Dermatofibroma with osteoclast-like giant cells.
AB  - Dermatofibroma (DF), or cutaneous fibrous histiocytoma, is a common cutaneous
      tumor with many variants that may arise from alterations in the morphology and
      composition of its various components. One type that has not received much
      attention is DF with osteoclast-like giant cells. Two cases of this rare tumor
      are described. The importance of this tumor lies in the possible histologic
      confusion with a variety of benign and malignant neoplasms, including giant cell
      tumor of tendon sheath, giant cell tumor of bone, and giant cell reparative
      granuloma.

PMID- 1415958
TI  - Evolution of B-cell lymphoma from pseudolymphoma. A multidisciplinary approach
      using histology, immunohistochemistry, and Southern blot analysis.
AB  - Cutaneous B-cell lymphomas are rare neoplasms that can present as lesions
      involving solely the skin or develop in association with a systemic lymphoma.
      Histologically they are often difficult to differentiate from pseudolymphomas,
      and the use of immunohistochemistry may be necessary to correctly classify them.
      We report a study of multiple skin lesions in a patient who initially presented
      with multiple pseudolymphomas, apparently associated with an immune response to
      the dye of his tattoos. Over a period of 4 years his skin lesions evolved from
      histologically benign and immunologically polyclonal pseudolymphomas to a
      histologically malignant and immunologically monoclonal B-cell large cell
      lymphoma. Genotypic analysis with a probe for the heavy-chain immunoglobulin gene
      demonstrated the presence of clonal B-cell populations in all of the
      pseudolymphoma biopsy samples as well as in the subsequent lymphoma tissue
      samples, with a pattern of clonal bands suggestive of evolution of the B-cell
      clones. These findings suggest that the development of B-cell lymphoma in this
      patient was related to a persistent abnormal immune response to the chronic
      antigenic stimulus of the dye of the tattoo. The presence of clonal B-cell
      populations in pseudolymphoma by Southern blot analysis may be useful in
      predicting those patients who will subsequently develop overt lymphoma.

PMID- 1415959
TI  - Intravascular spread of keratoacanthoma. An alarming but benign phenomenon.
AB  - We report a patient with a keratoacanthoma of the scalp in which there was
      invasion of several medium-sized vessels by the tumour at a distance from the
      main lesion. A marked inflammatory response within the invaded vessels as well as
      a benign clinical course do not suggest that this phenomenon represents malignant
      transformation.

PMID- 1415960
TI  - Multicentric reticulohistiocytosis. Immunohistological and ultrastructural study:
      a pathology of dendritic cell lineage.
AB  - A case of multicentric reticulohistiocytosis is presented with extensive
      immunohistochemical study of the infiltrate in both paraffin and cryostat
      sections. Factor XIIIa dermal dendrocyte marker was demonstrated in the cytoplasm
      of histiocytes, which has not been reported previously in this disease. In
      addition, the S100 protein stained positive. This immunophenotyping study
      suggests a dermal dendrocyte lineage with an unusual expression of S100 protein.

PMID- 1415961
TI  - Auricular granuloma annulare. A consequence of trauma?
AB  - Localized granuloma annulare (GA) is a cutaneous disorder characterized by the
      formation of palisading necrobiotic granulomas. Although trauma and vasculitis
      have been considered, the etiology of most cases remains obscure and the disease
      is generally considered to be idiopathic. The condition may occur at any age and
      at any site, but usually involves the hands or feet of children or young adults,
      predominantly affecting females. We present two cases occurring as nodules
      involving the external ears of males. One of these showed a bilateral
      distribution and was clearly related to trauma.

PMID- 1415962
TI  - A critical analysis of textbooks of dermatopathology in historical perspective.
      Part 3.

PMID- 1415963
TI  - Who was Sophie Spitz? The woman behind the eponym.

PMID- 1415964
TI  - Naming acquired melanocytic nevi. Common and dysplastic, normal and atypical, or
      Unna, Miescher, Spitz, and Clark?
AB  - Acquired melanocytic nevi are among the commonest neoplasms in man, yet
      classification of them has proven elusive and elucidation unsatisfactory. From
      "active junctional nevus" to "dysplastic nevus," the brains of clinicians and
      histopathologists have been boggled and the psyches and skin of patients have
      been served badly. This essay advocates eponymic designations for acquired
      melanocytic nevi, all of which are common, as the surest route to comprehensive
      classification of them.

PMID- 1415965
TI  - Dysplasia. An abused and confusing terminology.

PMID- 1415966
TI  - Do you use the term "dysplasia"? If so, what do you mean by it, and if not, why
      not?

PMID- 1415967
TI  - Nomenclature for flat lesions of melanoma: a response.

PMID- 1415968
TI  - Regurgitation and oesophageal rupture with cricoid pressure: a cadaver study.
AB  - The efficacy of cricoid pressure was studied in 10 adult cadavers. The
      oesophageal pressure that would result in regurgitation during measured values of
      cricoid pressure was determined. Oesophageal pressure, recorded by a 2 mm
      diameter oesophageal tube, was increased by oesophageal distension with saline,
      and incremental levels of cricoid force, 20, 30 and 40 Newtons, were applied with
      a cricoid yoke. With each 10 Newton increment of cricoid force there was a
      significant rise in the oesophageal pressure required to provoke regurgitation (p
      < 0.01). Thirty Newtons of cricoid force prevented regurgitation of saline in all
      cadavers with oesophageal pressures of up to 40 mmHg. Rupture of the oesophagus
      occurred in three cadavers: one at 30 and two at 40 Newtons of cricoid force, but
      there was no rupture at 20 Newtons of cricoid force. In the other seven cadavers
      oesophageal pressures were also studied with a 4.6 mm diameter (14 FG)
      oesophageal tube, which did not reduce the efficacy of cricoid pressure in
      preventing regurgitation.

PMID- 1415969
TI  - Thoracic electrical bioimpedance measurement of cardiac output and cardiovascular
      responses to the induction of anaesthesia and to laryngoscopy and intubation.
AB  - Noninvasive methods of determining cardiac output (by thoracic electrical
      bioimpedance) and arterial pressure (by intermittent oscillometry) were used to
      record minute-by-minute changes in heart rate, mean arterial pressure, stroke
      volume, cardiac output and systemic vascular resistance following induction of
      general anaesthesia and laryngoscopy and intubation in 60 healthy female patients
      who were either unpremedicated, or premedicated with temazepam or papaveretum
      hyoscine. Anaesthesia was induced with a sleep dose (3-5 mg.kg-1) of thiopentone
      and maintained with 70% nitrous oxide in oxygen with 0.5-1% enflurane. Tracheal
      intubation was facilitated by administration of vecuronium 0.1 mg.kg-1. Mean
      arterial pressure and cardiac output decreased maximally 5 min after induction in
      all premedication groups by mean estimates of 21-25% and 14-22% respectively.
      Heart rate increased initially one minute after induction, but decreased to less
      than the baseline value 5 min after induction. Systemic vascular resistance was
      unchanged. The stimulus of laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation was accompanied
      by a significant pressor response and tachycardia one minute after intubation
      (with mean increases in mean arterial pressure and heart rate of 29-34% and 22
      33% respectively). The increase in mean arterial pressure was secondary to an
      increase in systemic vascular resistance (36-57%), and was accompanied by a
      decrease in stroke volume (-25 to -31%). These changes were significant in all
      three groups. Cardiac output decreased only in unpremedicated patients. There
      were wide variations in the different haemodynamic indices.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1415970
TI  - Implicit memory tested in children during inhalation anaesthesia.
AB  - Memory for stimuli presented during inhalation anaesthesia was tested in 80
      children undergoing eye surgery. Two groups were exposed, in a random double
      blind study, to repeated neutral phrases including either the colour orange or
      green. A postoperative colouring task was used as a test of implicit memory to
      detect any preference for the colour named under anaesthesia. No colour
      preference attributable to implicit memory could be demonstrated. One patient had
      a distinct preference for the named colour. No patient remembered any intra
      operative events.

PMID- 1415971
TI  - Catecholamine response to laryngoscopy and intubation. The influence of three
      different drug combinations commonly used for induction of anaesthesia.
AB  - The haemodynamic response and changes in plasma catecholamine concentrations
      associated with laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation were compared during
      anaesthesia employing three strictly standardised techniques with commonly used
      drug combinations. Thirty-six patients were investigated consecutively resulting
      in 12 patients in each of three study groups. Anaesthesia was induced with
      thiopentone 5 mg.kg-1 (group 1), fentanyl 6 micrograms.kg-1 with thiopentone 5
      mg.kg-1 (group 2), or midazolam 0.2 mg.kg-1 with fentanyl 6 micrograms.kg-1
      (group 3). Undesirable changes in haemodynamic effects and an elevation of plasma
      catecholamine concentrations during laryngoscopy and intubation occurred in group
      1. Heart rate and mean arterial pressure increased significantly (34% and 23%
      respectively). Noradrenaline concentration increased by a maximum of 147%. The
      addition of fentanyl (groups 2 and 3) attenuated the adverse haemodynamic
      response and elevation of plasma catecholamine concentrations; heart rate and
      mean arterial pressure did not differ from pre-intubation values and plasma
      catecholamine concentrations decreased steadily. Substitution of thiopentone by
      midazolam in combination with fentanyl abolished the adverse haemodynamic
      response and modified the increase in plasma catecholamine concentrations. 'High
      dose' opioid anaesthesia is not necessary to produce optimal conditions during
      laryngoscopy and intubation.

PMID- 1415972
TI  - Opioid sensitivity of chronic pain: a patient-controlled analgesia method.
AB  - Twenty-two patients with chronic pain of malignant or nonmalignant origin were
      given intravenous morphine by patient-controlled analgesia. A prestudy judgment
      was made from the characteristics of the pain as to whether it was nociceptive or
      neuropathic. Analgesic efficacy was assessed by a nurse-observer; adverse events
      were noted and plasma morphine and metabolitie concentrations measured. Three
      categories of opioid response were distinguished. Good responders obtained > 70
      mm relief on the visual analogue scale, with minimal or manageable adverse
      events. Moderate responders obtained < 70 but > 30 mm relief with more
      problematic adverse events, and poor responders had < 30 mm relief with
      troublesome adverse events. This method for the study of opioid sensitivity
      allowed a wide dosage range to be studied. The simultaneous analgesic and adverse
      event measurements showed that the spectrum of observed response was wide, and
      response category could be judged for the majority by 4 h. In those with poor or
      moderate response, adverse event severity limited further dose increment. The
      relationship between pain characteristics and response showed that some pains
      judged to be neuropathic had a good response to opioid (5/13), and some pains
      judged to be nociceptive did not (5/14). The study suggests that the pattern of
      response is not as black and white as the prediction of good response from
      nociceptive pain and poor from neuropathic pain would suggest, although
      nociceptive pain was more likely than neuropathic pain to show a good response.
      For the moderate responders opioid titration may, in the absence of other
      effective treatments, be useful, but the analgesic endpoint may not be totally
      satisfactory. The method provides an operational definition of opioid
      sensitivity.

PMID- 1415973
TI  - Isoflurane and propofol for long-term sedation in the intensive care unit. A
      crossover study.
AB  - Propofol and isoflurane have been reported recently to offer better sedation than
      alternative agents in patients who require long-term ventilation in the Intensive
      Care Unit. This is the first report of a direct comparison between propofol and
      isoflurane. Twenty-four patients predicted to require artificial ventilation for
      at least 48 h were entered into a randomised crossover study to monitor sedation
      quality and time to recovery from sedation. There were no significant differences
      between the two agents in either end-point, with over 95% optimal sedation
      achieved by the use of each drug. Few adverse events were noted. Technological
      advances in the administration of volatile agents as long-term sedatives in the
      Intensive Care Unit may facilitate their more widespread use.

PMID- 1415974
TI  - The Riyadh Intensive Care Program applied to a mortality analysis of a teaching
      hospital intensive care unit.
AB  - A computerised system of prediction of death using the Riyadh Intensive Care
      Program was applied retrospectively over a 17-month period to data collected
      prospectively on 1155 patients admitted to our intensive care unit. Variables
      which enable organ failure scores to be generated were recorded daily to make
      these predictions. Consultant medical opinion predicted that outcome was hopeless
      in 55% (115/209) of the patients who died. The predictive power of the computer
      demonstrated a sensitivity of 14.8% and a specificity of 99.8%. It is possible
      that the occurrence of three false predictions of death in the latter part of the
      series may have been related to a change in our antibiotic policy. We would be
      unhappy to recommend the general use of a computerised program for prediction of
      death without careful explanation of its significance and dangers.

PMID- 1415975
TI  - Acute isoniazid poisoning.
AB  - We present two cases of acute isoniazid poisoning in patients who ingested 7.5 g
      and 5.0 g of isoniazid respectively, with the intention of committing suicide.
      Both were admitted unconscious, with ventilatory insufficiency and convulsions.
      Hepatic dysfunction and peripheral neuropathy were notable complications.

PMID- 1415977
TI  - Managing the airway in cervical spine injury. A review of the Advanced Trauma
      Life Support protocol.
AB  - The American College of Surgeons' Advanced Trauma Life Support protocol for
      managing the airway in patients with a cervical spine injury is reviewed. The
      relative risks and benefits of oral and nasotracheal intubation are discussed and
      the potential hazards of alternative methods of airway control are considered
      with particular respect to British practice.

PMID- 1415976
TI  - Does hypothermia protect against the development of hepatitis in paracetamol
      overdose?
AB  - A 24-year-old female presented in hospital following self-poisoning with a dose
      of greater than 30 g of paracetamol (acetaminophen), taken both as co-proxamol
      (dextropropoxyphene and paracetamol) and paracetamol. She arrived in hospital
      more than 18 h after ingestion of the drug. On admission, she was profoundly
      hypothermic, with a rectal temperature of 19 degrees C. Her paracetamol level was
      943 mumol.l-1 which, when related to the time of ingestion, implied a very high
      risk of hepatocellular damage as well as fulminant liver failure, even if she was
      treated with the antioxidant n-acetylcysteine. The patient's condition was
      stabilised by initial resuscitation with fluids, vasoactive drugs, and active
      rewarming. N-acetylcysteine therapy was begun promptly. This patient's liver
      function tests remained entirely normal in spite of the delay in presentation and
      she made a rapid and complete recovery. This remarkable clinical course indicates
      a possible role for therapeutically induced hypothermia in the management of
      severe paracetamol overdose, particularly in the group of patients who seek
      medical attention some hours after ingestion of the drug and who therefore remain
      at high risk, despite treatment with n-acetylcysteine.

PMID- 1415978
TI  - The pre-operative anaesthetic visit. Its value to the patient and the
      anaesthetist.
AB  - One hundred and thirty-two patients staying in hospital more than 24 h were
      visited pre- and postoperatively. Patients were asked a standard set of
      questions, and 39% could not remember accurately what they were asked. This has
      important medicolegal implications. In 15% of patients, information that
      significantly altered subsequent anaesthetic management was discovered, but in
      less than 3% would ignorance of the patient's condition have required
      postponement of the surgery. We conclude that the major reason for a pre
      operative visit by an anaesthetist is that patients appreciate it, rather than it
      being medically necessary.

PMID- 1415980
TI  - Oxygen dynamics: more science at the bedside.

PMID- 1415979
TI  - Chronic pain management training for senior registrars in anaesthesia.
AB  - In 1985 and 1990 postal questionnaires were sent to anaesthetic senior registrars
      in training in the United Kingdom to determine the extent of higher specialist
      training in chronic pain management. There were wide variations in training and
      experience amongst senior registrars. Overall there was little change between
      1985 and 1990. In particular the number of anaesthetic senior registrars who felt
      equipped to undertake a consultant post with an interest in chronic pain
      management had not increased.

PMID- 1415981
TI  - Problems of thermodilution cardiac output measurements in small patients.

PMID- 1415982
TI  - Pneumothorax and insertion of interpleural catheters.

PMID- 1415983
TI  - Neurological sequelae in children after prolonged propofol infusion.

PMID- 1415984
TI  - Propofol sedation of children.

PMID- 1415985
TI  - Fibreoptic intubation under general anaesthesia need not be associated with
      hypoxia and hypotension.

PMID- 1415986
TI  - Combined epidural/spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section--single-space double
      barrel technique.

PMID- 1415987
TI  - Delayed vascular puncture following axillary brachial plexus sheath cannulation.

PMID- 1415988
TI  - A knotty problem with two central venous catheters.

PMID- 1415989
TI  - Nitrous oxide and laryngeal mask cuff pressure.

PMID- 1415990
TI  - Guided intubation via the laryngeal mask.

PMID- 1415991
TI  - Removal of laryngeal mask airway during light anaesthesia.

PMID- 1415992
TI  - Gas embolism during attempted laparoscopic vagotomy.

PMID- 1415993
TI  - Leaking Datex sampling set for the end-tidal CO2 monitor.

PMID- 1415994
TI  - Allegation of sexual assault following midazolam sedation in a man.

PMID- 1415995
TI  - False-positive aspiration tests in CVP line placement.

PMID- 1415996
TI  - A further persistent leak.

PMID- 1415997
TI  - Atracurium block prolonged by low dose tubocurarine.

PMID- 1415998
TI  - Intrathecal pethidine in a patient with heart block.

PMID- 1415999
TI  - Misuse of helium.

PMID- 1416000
TI  - 'Duck speech'.

PMID- 1416001
TI  - Transdermal hyoscine.

PMID- 1416003
TI  - Nasal intubation and pharyngoplasty--a word of warning.

PMID- 1416002
TI  - A simple solution.

PMID- 1416004
TI  - Publications on anaesthesia in 1847.

PMID- 1416005
TI  - [Perioperative diagnosis of acute myocardial ischemia].
AB  - The prevalence of coronary artery disease substantially affects both cardiac and
      noncardiac surgery. Assuming that biometric data reported from North America are
      representative for Germany, the following incidences can be estimated: around 1
      million out of 8 million patients operated upon each year will suffer from
      coronary artery disease, and 15,000 of these patients will have a perioperative
      myocardial infarction. Since a close relationship has been shown between pre-,
      intra-, and postoperative myocardial ischaemia and postoperative cardiac
      morbidity and mortality, early diagnosis and therapy of acute perioperative
      myocardial ischaemia is warranted. The purpose of this review is to weigh
      critically the various methods for diagnosis of myocardial ischaemia in view of
      their practicability and cost/benefit relationship in the perioperative setting.
      The symptoms of angina pectoris are unreliable in the perioperative period, since
      patients are premedicated preoperatively, without symptoms during anaesthesia,
      and usually receive analgesics postoperatively. Intraoperative detection of
      myocardial ischaemia focuses on standard electrocardiography (ECG) with on-line
      registration of the ST-segment in two leads (usually leads II and V5) and
      automatic analysis of ST-segment deviation, achieving a sensitivity of 80% in the
      detection of myocardial ischaemia. Measurement of regional wall motion
      abnormalities with trans-esophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a more sensitive
      method of myocardial ischaemia detection compared to ECG. However, several
      reasons preclude the broader application of this method in the perioperative
      phase: (1) it lacks validation by an accepted and independent gold standard; (2)
      there is a wide spectrum of false-positive findings (considerable interindividual
      variations in left ventricular contraction, bundle branch blocks, hypertension,
      hypervolemia); (3) changes in the inferior and apical segments of the left
      ventricle cannot be detected by single-plane TOE. Detection in these segments
      might be achieved with biplane echocardiography, but few data on this improved
      technique are presently available; (4) the method is semi-invasive and might be
      not applicable during periods with a high incidence of myocardial ischaemia,
      e.g., intubation, the end of anaesthesia, and extubation; (5) anaesthetists
      seldom fulfil standard guidelines in echocardiography training; and (6) the
      method is expensive, which also limits its broader application. Cardiokymography,
      a noninvasive technique, allows analog representation of anterior wall
      motion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1416006
TI  - [Ventilatory changes during laparoscopic cholecystectomy].
AB  - During the past 2 years in Europe and the USA laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC)
      has become a widely practiced procedure. Nevertheless, the effects of long
      lasting laparoscopic procedures on carbon dioxide elimination have not yet been
      systematically investigated. METHODS. Approval from the institutional research
      review board was obtained, as was written informed consent from the patients.
      Eleven patients undergoing LC were studied. Patient age ranged from 31 to 67
      years. All patients received total intravenous anaesthesia (fentanyl, propofol,
      vecuronium, DHB). Controlled ventilation with a tidal volume of 12-14 ml/kg was
      administered. Before introduction of anaesthesia a cannula was inserted into the
      left radial artery. Blood gas analysis was undertaken just before introduction,
      just before insufflation of carbon dioxide, and thereafter at two intervals,
      after reaching an intra-abdominal pressure of 12 mm Hg, 15 min apart. Oxygen
      consumption and carbon dioxide output were measured using a calorimeter
      (Deltatrac TM, Datex). Intra-abdominal pressure was maintained at 12 mm Hg during
      the operation. RESULTS. After onset of the pneumoperitoneum inspiratory peak and
      plateau pressure showed an increase by more than 40%. During the operation
      respiratory minute volume had to be increased by about 30-40% to maintain
      normocapnia. Oxygen consumption remained nearly unchanged during the procedure
      while carbon dioxide output increased up to 38% 60 min after onset of the
      pneumoperitoneum. D(a-A) CO2 showed no significant change, indicating no increase
      in dead space. Beginning with the insufflation there was a significant increase
      in mean arterial pressure that lasted until the end of the procedure. CONCLUSION.
      The described effects of carbon dioxide insufflation, especially the extent of
      carbon dioxide resorption, define the need for careful monitoring of respiratory
      function during LC, especially in patients with preexisting cardiopulmonary
      disease.

PMID- 1416007
TI  - [Pharmacodynamic effects of S-(+)-ketamine on EEG, evoked potentials and
      respiration. A study in the awake dog].
AB  - Until recently, only the racemic mixture of ketamine has been used in
      anaesthesia. Little is known of the central nervous effects of the
      pharmacologically more potent S(+)-isomer. Information in regard to the putative
      receptor site involved in the mediation of its anaesthetic/analgesic effect is
      particularly sparse. METHODS. In order to evaluate the anaesthetic and
      antinociceptive properties of S(+)-ketamine, a dose-response relationship of the
      compound on the EEG, somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEP), and respiration was
      established. Increasing doses (2, 5, 10, 20 mg/kg) were given to trained and
      awake dogs (n = 10) at 10-min intervals. In order to detect a possible opioid
      receptor-related interaction, an antagonist of the methoxymorphinane series
      (cyprodime 80 g/kg i.v.) with higher selectivity than naloxone for the mu
      receptor was given at the end. RESULTS. Compared to controls, S(+)-ketamine
      induced a dose-related increase in output in the theta-(3-8 Hz) band and an
      increase in output in the alpha-domain (8-13 Hz) following 20 mg/kg. Both effects
      were reversed completely by the opioid antagonist. At low doses (2-5 mg/kg) there
      was an increase in output (P less than 0.05) in the beta-(13-30 Hz) and a
      concomitant decrease in output (P less than 0.05) in the delta-(0.5-3 Hz) band.
      These effects were reversed with increasing doses (5-10 mg/kg). After 20 mg/kg,
      however, output in the delta-domain increased while power in the beta band
      decreased significantly (P less than 0.005) when compared to controls. Both
      effects were reversed by the opioid antagonist. Compared to controls, the
      reversal resulted in a 12% increase in output in the beta- and a 49% decrease in
      output in the delta-domain. In SEP, S(+)-ketamine induced a dose-related increase
      in peak latency and depression of amplitude of more than 50% when compared to
      controls. While latency changes were completely reversed, amplitude height was
      only partly restored by the antagonist. Respiration was depressed in a dose
      related fashion (PaO2 decreased, PaCO2 increased). Hypoxaemia was fully reversed
      by the antagonist; hypercapnia was only partly reversed. CONCLUSION. The results
      support the presumption that the S(+)-isomer of ketamine induces opioid mu
      receptor-mediated central effects. Hypersynchronisation of the EEG suggests a
      deep plane of anaesthesia after S(+)-ketamine. The pronounced blockade of
      impulses in the sensory nervous pathways suggests an efficient analgesic effect
      that is partly mediated by the opioid-receptor. The respiratory depression may be
      of importance when S(+)-ketamine is used in high dosages in man.

PMID- 1416008
TI  - [Humidification and heating of anesthetic gases during pediatric anesthesia using
      the Cicero Anesthesia Workstation].
AB  - A series of 52 infants underwent general or urological surgery; all were
      ventilated with the CICERO. Two different flows of fresh gas were used. In group
      I (n = 21) the fresh gas flow was set exactly at the level of the minute volume,
      representing a half-open, non-rebreathing system. In group II (n = 31) the fresh
      gas flow was adjusted to 10% of the required minute volume. Temperature and
      relative humidity of the inspired gas were measured continuously close to the
      tracheal tube. Anaesthesia was accomplished with 2 vol% isoflurane, 21-30 vol%
      oxygen in nitrous oxide. The results were compared with those achieved with our
      time-tested paediatric equipment, a SERVO 900D ventilator with a Fisher-Paykel
      humidifier (Group III, n = 35). Using a high fresh gas flow, no increase in
      relative humidity in the inspired gas could be detected. The values varied
      between 12% and 25% (group I). Reducing the flow of fresh gas as indicated above
      resulted in an increase in the relative humidity (group II). Over the evaluated
      period of 2 h, humidity increased slowly from an initial mean value of 20% to a
      maximum of something over 70%. Using the SERVO 900D ventilator combined with the
      Fisher-Paykel humidifier, humidity reached a value of greater 90% within 10 min
      after activation of the heated cascade. Humidity in the inspired gas should
      exceed 70% to avoid damage to infant airways. This will not be attained until
      after more than 2 h with unaided breathing systems, by when most operations
      performed on paediatric patients will already be over. Condensed water may
      aspirated by small infants. This potentially dangerous situation was only
      encountered in the CICERO circuit, and not in the system protected by the Fisher
      Paykel cascade. Dry gases can result in thickened mucous and in obstruction of a
      small tracheal tube, which requires emergency reintubation. With artificial
      airways dry gases damage the ciliated epithelia of the trachea and cause loss of
      water and body heat. The temperature of the "cold" gases varied within a range of
      21-33 degrees C and could not be adjusted by the anaesthetist. In the CICERO
      system, heating the gases at the valve only prevents mechanical failure caused by
      water condensation. In pediatric anaesthesia, variable heating and non-condensing
      humidity are essential. The dry and heated gases of the CICERO are not acceptable
      in the daily practice of paediatric anaesthesia.

PMID- 1416009
TI  - [Postspinal headache. A comparison of the 24G Sprotte syringe and a 29G Quincke
      needle].
AB  - PATIENTS AND METHODS: A randomised study was performed to compare the frequency
      of postdural puncture headache in 56 patients who underwent spinal anaesthesia
      for extra-corporeal shockwave lithotripsy using either a Sprotte 24 G (n = 28) or
      Vygon 29 G or Quincke type needle (n = 28). Frequency of headache was recorded in
      a similar group of 28 patients who received general anaesthesia. RESULTS: Dural
      puncture was easier with the Sprotte 24 G cannula than with the less stable
      Quincke needle, as documented by a significantly shortened time for insertion of
      the cannula (4.6 +/- 2.6 vs 8.6 +/- 6.3 min, P less than 0.005). The total
      frequency of post-operative headache was 57% in the Vygon 29 G group and 25% in
      the Sprotte 24 G group; 21% of patients in the general anaesthesia group
      complained of headache. Frequency of postdural puncture headache, classified as
      being posture-related, was 25% in the 29 G Vygon group, compared with 11% in the
      24 G Sprotte group (P = 0.148). When only moderate and severe postdural puncture
      headache was considered, there was a significant difference (25% vs. 4%; P =
      0.026) in favour of the Sprotte cannula. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Thus, the 24
      G Sprotte needle was at least as effective as the 29 G Vygon needle, and there is
      a suggestion that the former is more effective in minimising the incidence of
      moderate or severe postdural puncture headache.

PMID- 1416010
TI  - [Spinal endoscopy in the detection of problems caused by continuous spinal
      anesthesia].
AB  - Continuous spinal anaesthesia has a number of advantages, but there are a number
      of drawbacks as well: difficulties in threading the catheter, distribution of the
      local anaesthetics and the development of cauda equina syndrome. Spinaloscopy was
      done to visualize the fate of catheters during and after their insertion, as well
      as the distribution of local anaesthetics injected through these fine-bore
      catheters. METHOD. The studies were conducted in preserved and fresh cadavers
      donated to the Anatomic Institute for Medical Studies. The spinal column from T12
      to S1, together with the back musculature (in order to preserve the normal
      curvature of the spine) were removed from the cadaver. Spinaloscopy was done with
      a 4 mm endoscope with a 0 degree optic (Storz, Tutlingen, FRG). All observations
      were made from the lumbosacral region of the dissected preparation. In this
      fashion, it was possible to observe the insertion of the spinal needle used to
      introduce the catheter into the subdural space. The distribution of local
      anaesthetics injected through a 22-gauge spinal needle or a 28-gauge catheter was
      shown by injecting 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine colored with a small amount of 1%
      methylene blue. Pictures were taken 15, 30 and 45 s after beginning the
      injection. RESULTS. Difficulty in threading the catheter: our observations
      indicate that the difficulty in inserting microbore catheters is most likely due
      to inserting the needle too far. It is impossible for the catheter to bend and be
      inserted into the subarachnoid space. In many cases the catheter encountered the
      anterior wall of the spinal canal and would slide along various structures.
      Distribution of the drug: the injection is better dispersed with a 22-gauge
      needle and it completely fills the subarachnoid space. The local anaesthetics
      injected through the 28-gauge nylon catheter (Kendall Healthcare, Mansfield,
      Mass.) are distributed in the dependent portions of the spinal canal. If high
      doses and a high concentration are injected, the distribution pattern may result
      in an overconcentration in some parts of the subarachnoid space. Possibility of
      trauma: the catheter stretches around the roots, the potential for trauma is that
      untoward stress may be applied to the root, either during full insertion of the
      catheter or during its withdrawal. CONCLUSION. Spinaloscopy was done in a non
      fixated anatomic spinal column preparation with a 4 mm 0 degree endoscope (Storz,
      Tuttlingen, FRG). Based on our observations, we conclude: The catheter should
      only be inserted 2 cm into the subarachnoid space. This may decrease the risk of
      malpositioning. After the tip of the catheter has reached the subarachnoid space,
      the stylet should be with drawn 2 or 3 cm to minimize the risk of nerve injury
      and/or bleeding.

PMID- 1416011
TI  - [The effect of adding clonidine to mepivacaine. Axillary brachial plexus
      blockade].
AB  - Clonidine (Cl) added to local anaesthetics (LA) prolongs the duration of both
      anaesthesia and analgesia after peripheral nerve blocks. In this study, we
      investigated the dose-dependent effect of Cl added to mepivacaine (M) on clinical
      efficacy, onset, and regression time of brachial plexus block. METHODS. Ninety
      patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups. Every patient received 46
      ml of a mixture containing 400 mg M (pH adjusted with NaHCO3 to 7.25) and either
      0.9% NaCl (group A), 0.12 mg Cl (group B), or 0.24 mg Cl (group C). The axillary
      block was performed using the catheter technique. In a double-blind fashion, the
      onset of sensory and motor blockade was tested every 5 min for 30 min. Duration
      of anaesthesia, analgesia, and motor blockade (time between injection and return
      of sensation, onset of pain, or ability to move, respectively) was assessed using
      a questionnaire. M plasma levels were measured by HPLC in 10 patients from each
      group for up to 120 min. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and respiratory
      rate (RR) were measured for up to 120 min. Sedation was assessed using a verbal
      rating scale. RESULTS. There was no difference in the onset of blockade. There
      was dose-dependent prolongation of the duration of anaesthesia, analgesia, and
      motor blockade with significant differences between groups C and A regarding all
      three parameters, between groups C and B regarding duration of anaesthesia, and
      between groups B and A regarding duration of analgesia. There was no significant
      difference in M plasma levels. Although there was only a slight but significant
      decrease in mean BP values in groups B+C and no difference in HR and RR, 2
      patients (1 group B, 1 group C) had marked decreases in BP and HR (less than 70
      mmHg systolic resp. less than 50/min) after 120 and 210 min. Sedation occurred in
      most patients receiving Cl. CONCLUSIONS. Addition of Cl to LA produces a dose
      dependent prolongation of anaesthesia, analgesia, and motor blockade. Neither the
      onset time nor the number of patients with adequate surgical anaesthesia was
      influenced by Cl. Considering the M plasma levels, it is unlikely that the
      prolongation of the block is caused by local vasoconstriction, which is proposed
      to be the mechanism of action of epinephrine. The mean differences in
      haemodynamic parameters were not of clinical relevance, but the two dramatic
      drops in BP and HR, probably caused by Cl, were significant.

PMID- 1416012
TI  - [Surfactant administration in acute respiratory failure].
AB  - We report the case of a 21-year-old man who developed adult respiratory distress
      syndrome (ARDS) after severe lung contusion due to a car accident. At the scene
      of the accident the patient was awake and oriented, but there were signs of
      hypoxaemia (SaO2 by pulse oximetry: 86%). The trachea was intubated in the
      emergency room and, after diagnosis of multiple rib fractures on the right side
      (the patient nos. 4-11) and emergency treatment, was extubated 16 h later. During
      spontaneous breathing there was no improvement of pulmonary function, and the
      patient was transferred to the intensive care unit 5 days later and reintubated
      because of acute respiratory failure. He then developed the signs of severe ARDS.
      No improvement occurred during conventional ventilatory treatment including
      inversed-ratio ventilation, high-frequency ventilation, and ventilation via a
      double-lumen tube. On day 15 a bovine surfactant preparation (38 mg/kg body wt.)
      was instilled into both lungs. Initially there was deterioration of the pulmonary
      function, probably due to crusts in the bronchial mucous membrane. After
      aspiration of the crusts at bronchoscopy, there was progressive respiratory
      improvement. The inspired oxygen concentration and PEEP level could be reduced,
      and the ventilatory ratio normalised within 14 days. This therapeutic
      intervention improved pulmonary function and probably led to the successful
      outcome after 36 days of ventilatory support.

PMID- 1416013
TI  - [Comments on the paper by M. Fischer et al. Total intravenous anesthesia using
      propofol and alfentanil].

PMID- 1416014
TI  - [Final comments on the letter by J. Van Aken on our paper. Nonsurgical removal of
      a knotted Swan Ganz catheter].

PMID- 1416015
TI  - [Verification of the endotracheal tube placement].
AB  - Verification of the correct position of the endotracheal tube is a daily routine
      task of every anaesthesiologist. Accidental intubation of the oesophagus is a
      very rare complication in absolute terms but still the most frequent preventable
      anaesthetic mishap with fatal outcome. Even the most experienced anaesthetist is
      not immune to this complication. Only vigilance on the part of the anaesthetist
      protects the patient. There is no absolutely reliable gold standard to diagnose
      the correct position of the tracheal tube. Visualization of the endotracheal tube
      between the vocal cords and a typical CO2 excretion waveform are two of the best
      practical signs. After every change of position of the patient, especially after
      flexion or extension of the head, the position of the tube must be checked again.
      The old aphorism is still valid: When in doubt, take it out.

PMID- 1416016
TI  - [Pain therapy with Toratex. Official satellite symposium of the Xth World
      Congress of Anesthesiology. The Haague, 15 June 1992].

PMID- 1416017
TI  - The consequences of the isotope effect on proline dehydrogenation rates estimated
      by the tritium loss method.
AB  - Loss of tritium from a substrate is often used to estimate the rate of
      dehydrogenation. However, loss of 3H may be much slower than loss of H because of
      the tritium isotope effect. In order to assess the impact of the tritium isotope
      effect, loss of 3H from the C-5 position of proline during dehydrogenation by rat
      liver mitochondria and bacteroids from soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merrill) nodules
      was compared with appearance of 14C in products of [14C]proline dehydrogenation.
      Incubations were carried out in the presence of o-aminobenzaldehyde (added to
      trap the initial product, delta 1-pyroline-5-carboxylate). The fraction of total
      14C products trapped by o-aminobenzaldehyde varied from 0.07 to 0.75 depending
      upon experimental conditions. With rat liver mitochondria, dehydrogenation of
      [14C]proline was between 3.27 and 9.25 times faster than dehydrogenation of 3H
      proline, depending upon assay conditions. Soybean nodule bacteriods
      dehydrogenated [14C]proline about 5 times faster than [3H]proline. We conclude
      the following: (i) the rate of proline dehydrogenation may be greatly
      underestimated by the tritium assay because of the tritium isotope effect, and
      (ii) the 14C assay may underestimate the rate of proline dehydrogenation if it is
      assumed that o-aminobenzaldehyde quantitatively traps delta 1-pyrroline-5
      carboxylate under all conditions. The simplicity of the tritium assay makes it
      attractive for routine use. However, its use requires determination of the
      tritium isotope effect, under the specific conditions of the assay, in order to
      correct the results. The considerations discussed here have broad applicability
      to any dehydrogenase assay employing tritium loss.

PMID- 1416018
TI  - Lectin affinity electrophoresis for the separation of fluorescently labeled sugar
      derivatives.
AB  - Lectin affinity electrophoresis was applied to the separation of charged,
      fluorescent conjugates of disaccharides. Four fluorescent conjugates were
      prepared by reductive amination of alpha-D-Man-(1----3)-D-Man, alpha-D-Gal-(1---
      4)-D-Glc, alpha-D-Gal-(1----6)-D-Glc, and beta-D-Gal-(1----4)-D-Glc in the
      presence of 7-amino-1,3-naphthalenedisulfonic acid. These charged fluorescent
      disaccharide conjugates all have identical molecular weight and in the absence of
      conconavalin A lectin failed to separate either by agarose or by polyacrylamide
      gel electrophoresis. In the presence of either free or immobilized concanavalin
      A, agarose gel electrophoresis and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis could
      separate the fluorescent conjugate of alpha-D-Man-(1----3)-D-Man from that of
      alpha-D-Gal-(1----4)-D-Gal, alpha-D-Gal-(1----6)-D-Glc, and beta-D-Gal-(1----4)-D
      Glc.

PMID- 1416020
TI  - Alkyl- and aryl-substituted salicyl phosphates as detection reagents in enzyme
      amplified fluorescence DNA hybridization assays on solid support.
AB  - Nine salicyl phosphate esters with hydrophobic substituents (5-phenyl, 5-(2,4
      difluorophenyl), 5-tert-octyl, 5-cumyl, 5-(4-tert-butylphenyl, 5-(1-adamantyl), 5
      (n-dodecyl), 5-(1,1-diphenylethyl, and 5-trityl) were synthesized and found to be
      good substrates for calf intestinal alkaline phosphatase. The enzymatic
      hydrolysis produced the corresponding salicylates, which were strongly
      fluorescent when excited by ultraviolet light around 300 nm with maximum emission
      at 420-435 nm. The salicylates were less soluble and/or more adhesive than the
      nonfluorescent salicyl phosphate substrates, resulting in localization of
      fluorescence signal, which is a requirement for membrane-based assays. The
      salicyl phosphates bearing 8-14 carbon substitutents were found to be suitable
      detection reagents for dot-blot DNA hybridization assays on nylon membrane using
      a biotinylated probe, allowing the detection of 125 pg of target pBR322 plasmid
      DNA using a simple apparatus consisting of a transilluminator, a camera. and a
      455-nm cutoff optical filter.

PMID- 1416019
TI  - Biosynthesis of lipid-linked oligosaccharides. I. Preparation of lipid-linked
      oligosaccharide substrates.
AB  - In order to purify the glycosyltransferases involved in the assembly of lipid
      linked oligosaccharides and to be able to study the acceptor substrate
      specificity of these enzymes, methods were developed to prepare and purify a
      variety of lipid-linked oligosaccharides, differing in the structure of the
      oligosaccharide moiety. Thus, Man9 (GlcNAc)2-pyrophosphoryl-dolichol was prepared
      by isolation and enzymatic synthesis using porcine pancreatic microsomes, while
      Glc3Man9(GlcNAc)2-PP-dolichol was isolated from Madin-Darby canine kidney cells.
      Treatment of these oligosaccharide lipids with a series of selected glycosidases
      led to the preparation of Man alpha 1,2Man alpha 1,2Man alpha 1,3[Man alpha
      1,6(Man alpha 1,3)Man alpha 1,6]Man beta 1,4GlcNAc beta 1,4GlcNAc-PP-dolichol;
      Man alpha 1,2Man alpha 1,2Man alpha 1,3[Man alpha 1,6]Man beta 1,4GlcNAc beta 1,
      4GlcNac-PP-dolichol; and Man alpha 1,6(Man alpha 1,3)Man alpha 1, 6[Man alpha
      1,3]Man beta 1,4GlcNAc-beta 1,4GlcNAc-PP-dolichol. The preparation, isolation,
      and characterization of each of these lipid-linked oligosaccharide substrates are
      described.

PMID- 1416021
TI  - The development of high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of allyl and
      allyloxycarbonyl side-chain-protected phenylthiohydantoin amino acids.
AB  - Ten phenylthiohydantoin (PTH) amino acids possessing allyl (Al) or
      allyloxycarbonyl (Aloc) side-chain-protecting groups have been characterized by
      high-performance liquid chromatography for use in Edman degradation sequence
      analysis. Optimized separation of side-chain-protected and -unprotected PTH amino
      acids was achieved on a C-18 reversed-phase column with a two-step gradient
      spanning 32 min. Five of the side-chain-protected amino acids [Cys(Al),
      Cys(Aloc), Lys(Aloc), Thr(Aloc), Tyr(Al)] were completely stable to the
      conditions of PTH derivatization, four [Asp(OAl), Arg(Aloc)2, Glu(OAl),
      Ser(Aloc)] were partially deprotected during PTH derivatization, and one
      [His(Aloc)] was completely deprotected during PTH derivatization. All allyl-based
      derivatives were well resolved from their side-chain-unprotected counterparts.
      Studies on the stability to piperidine treatment showed Asp(OAl), Cys(Al),
      Glu(OAl), Lys(Aloc), Thr(Aloc), and Tyr(Al), and possibly Arg(Aloc)2 and
      Ser(Aloc), to be suitable for peptide synthesis by 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl
      (Fmoc)-based chemistry. Edman degradation of Al and Aloc side-chain-protected
      Conus geographus Lys9-alpha-conotoxin GI synthesized on 4-methylbenzhydrylamine
      copoly(styrene-1%-DVB)-resin demonstrated the usefulness of these derivatives for
      solid-phase preview sequence analysis.

PMID- 1416022
TI  - Two-dimensional differential scanning calorimetry: simultaneous resolution of
      intrinsic protein structural energetics and ligand binding interactions by global
      linkage analysis.
AB  - A general theoretical development for the design and analysis of two-dimensional
      thermal stability surfaces of proteins is presented. The surfaces are generated
      from multiple excess heat capacity profiles (<delta Cp> vs T) obtained at varying
      concentrations of an interacting ligand. The energetics of both the intrinsic
      protein stability and the protein-ligand interaction are simultaneously resolved
      by employing statistical thermodynamic models in global linkage analysis. This
      formalism allows resolution of the intrinsic protein folding-unfolding parameters
      (enthalpy, entropy, and heat capacity changes) as well as the ligand interaction
      parameters (binding stoichiometry, enthalpy, entropy, and heat capacity changes).
      The theory has been applied to the case of ribonuclease A and its interaction
      with cytidine-2'-monophosphate. The accuracy of the thermodynamic parameters
      obtained by this approach compares within error with those parameters that can be
      obtained by direct measurements.

PMID- 1416023
TI  - A solid-phase screen for protein kinase substrate selectivity.
AB  - Cassette mutagenesis was used to synthesize an Escherichia coli expression
      library of unique phosphorylation sites. The cassette encodes a central serine
      residue surrounded by every combination of Ala, Arg, Gln, Glu, Gly, and Pro
      residues over a 7-residue segment (a total of 6(7) approximately 2.8 x 10(5)
      sequences). The cassette was inserted into the gene of a suitable carrier protein
      and expressed in E. coli with the T7 expression system, and the resultant library
      was subjected to solid-phase protein phosphorylation assays on nitrocellulose
      filters. When the library was screened with TPK1 delta, the modified catalytic
      subunit of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cAMP-dependent protein kinase, individual
      colonies that expressed substrates for this kinase were identified. By DNA
      sequencing through the cassette region of positive clones, the consensus
      recognition sequence for TPK1 delta was deduced and found to conform with the
      well-established substrate selectivity of its mammalian homolog (Arg-Arg-Xaa
      Ser). Because a large number of clones can be sequenced rapidly, and the
      positions of invariant residues composing a recognition site identified, this
      approach may be useful as a general screen of protein kinase substrate
      selectivity.

PMID- 1416024
TI  - A strategy for the mapping of N-glycans by high-pH anion-exchange chromatography
      with pulsed amperometric detection.
AB  - We have evaluated the high-pH anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed
      amperometric detection (HPAE-PAD) with respect to its suitability to establish a
      carbohydrate mapping database that would enable carbohydrate structural analysis
      by mere comparison of retention times. The suitability of HPAE-PAD for
      carbohydrate structural analysis was ascertained by validation experiments. The
      retention times of distinct N-glycans, prepared and measured on different days,
      were shown to be highly reproducible, with a coefficient of variation (CV) of
      less than 0.5%, requiring less than 100 pmol of N-glycan per injection for
      reliable measurements. Including appropriate internal chromatographic standards,
      such as (Neu5Ac)1, (Neu5Ac)2, (Neu5Ac)3, and Neu5Gc, the HPAE-PAD method fulfills
      the analytical requirements with respect to accuracy, precision, reproducibility,
      and sensitivity. The N-glycan mapping database was established, using two
      optimized linear gradients "S" and "A" for sialylated and asialo N-glycans,
      respectively. Approximately 100 different N-glycans of known structure, which
      have thus far been measured and characterized, have entered our Lotus 1-2-3
      mapping database. The efficiency of the database for structural determinations
      was tested, using the N-linked carbohydrates isolated from rhuEPO, expressed in
      BHK cells. Nine different sialylated N-glycans of rhuEPO (BHK) could be assigned
      with a deviation of less than +/- 0.5%, using gradient S, and six of the eight
      asialo N-glycans of rhuEPO (BHK) detected with gradient A could be assigned with
      an accuracy of less than +/- 1%, three of them even with an accuracy of less than
      0.1%, providing the reliability of the established HPAE-PAD mapping database.

PMID- 1416025
TI  - Boundary analysis in sedimentation transport experiments: a procedure for
      obtaining sedimentation coefficient distributions using the time derivative of
      the concentration profile.
AB  - A procedure is described for computing sedimentation coefficient distributions
      from the time derivative of the sedimentation velocity concentration profile. Use
      of the time derivative, (delta c/delta t)r, instead of the radial derivative,
      (delta c/delta r)t, is desirable because it is independent of time-invariant
      contributions to the optical baseline. Slowly varying baseline changes also are
      significantly reduced. An apparent sedimentation coefficient distribution (i.e.,
      uncorrected for the effects of diffusion), g*(s), can be calculated from (delta
      c/delta t)r as [formula: see text] where s is the sedimentation coefficient,
      omega is the angular velocity of the rotor, c0 is the initial concentration, r is
      the radius, rm is the radius of the meniscus, and t is time. An iterative
      procedure is presented for computing g*(s)t by taking into account the
      contribution to (delta c/delta t)r from the plateau region to give (delta c/delta
      t)corr. Values of g*(s)t obtained this way are identical to those of g*(s)
      calculated from the radial derivative to within the roundoff error of the
      computations. Use of (delta c/delta t)r, instead of (delta c/delta r)t, results
      in a significant increase (greater than 10-fold) in the signal-to-noise ratio of
      data obtained from both the uv photoelectric scanner and Rayleigh optical systems
      of the analytical ultracentrifuge. The use of (delta c/delta t)r to compute
      apparent sedimentation coefficient distributions for purposes of boundary
      analysis is exemplified with an antigen-antibody system.

PMID- 1416026
TI  - Determining the effect of inducible protein phosphorylation on the DNA-binding
      activity of transcription factors.
AB  - Inducible phosphorylation or dephosphorylation of transcription factors is an
      important mechanism of signal-dependent gene regulation in eukaryotic cells. This
      paper describes a combination of techniques that can be used to study the effect
      of this covalent protein modification on the DNA-binding activity of
      transcription factors. The protein of interest is genetically tagged with
      oligohistidine to allow rapid purification on nickel-chelate columns after being
      transiently overexpressed in eukaryotic tissue culture cells. Phosphorylation
      dependent DNA-binding activity is determined in a blotting assay including an in
      situ dephosphorylation step. Studies on the protooncogene-encoded transcription
      factor c-Jun employing this assay revealed a TPA-inducible protein
      dephosphorylation event that strongly increases the DNA-binding potential of the
      protein. Our data confirm the results published recently by others and provide a
      rapid, efficient, sensitive, and well-controlled experimental system to analyze
      the phosphorylation-regulated modulations in the DNA-binding activity of
      transcription factors.

PMID- 1416027
TI  - Development of a radiometric spot-wash assay for squalene synthase.
AB  - The principle of selective elution from a solid phase has been exploited to
      develop an assay for the determination of squalene biosynthesis in rat liver
      homogenates. Using either [1-14C]isopentenyl diphosphate as a precursor for
      squalene or [2-14C]farnesyl diphosphate as a direct substrate of squalene
      synthase, the production of radiolabeled squalene is determined after adsorption
      of assay mixtures onto silica gel thin-layer chromatography sheets and selective
      elution of the diphosphate precursors into a solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate
      at alkaline pH. The use of [2-14C]farnesyl diphosphate, and of an endogenous
      oxygen consumption system (ascorbate/ascorbate oxidase) to prevent further
      metabolism of squalene, allows the method to be applied as a dedicated assay for
      squalene synthase activity. The assay has been developed in microtiter plate
      format and may be deployed either in a quantitative, low-throughout mode or in a
      qualitative, high-through-put mode. The latter is suitable for screening to aid
      in the discovery of new inhibitors of squalene synthase.

PMID- 1416029
TI  - Immunochemical detection of proteins and nucleic acids on filters using small
      luminescent inorganic crystals as markers.
AB  - A new luminescent marker for the immunochemical detection of proteins and nucleic
      acids on filters is reported. The label consists of inorganic crystals, generally
      called phosphors, with a particle size of 0.1-0.3 microns, stabilized in
      suspension with polycarboxylic acids and subsequently conjugated to
      immunoreactive macromolecules. Immunophosphor conjugates exhibit slowly decaying
      fluorescence that is strong and practically nonfading and not sensitive to
      quenching by water molecules. They are therefore suited for conventional
      fluorescence detection as well as for time-resolved detection. The lifetime of
      the phosphors was in the micro/milliseconds range upon excitation with
      ultraviolet light. Proteins or nucleic acids immobilized on nitrocellulose
      filters were detected immunochemically or by hybridization, using haptenized
      nucleic acid probes followed by immunochemical detection, respectively. The
      ultimate detection limit of proteins, using phosphor-labeled macromolecules
      including an immunochemical amplification step, was found to be 10 fg. The
      detection limit of nucleic acids was 300 fg for demonstration of hapten-labeled
      probes and 10 pg in hybridization formats with hapten-labeled probes. The
      sensitivity of methods using phosphor-labeled macromolecules was in all cases as
      good as or better than that of methods using alkaline phosphatase developed to
      NBT/BCIP. The use of immunophosphors for detection of proteins and nucleic acids
      on Western and Southern blots is demonstrated. Finally, the use of multiple
      phosphors with different kinetic and spectral characteristics for multiparameter
      studies is indicated.

PMID- 1416028
TI  - Preparation of iron-deficient tissue culture medium by deferoxamine-sepharose
      treatment and application to the differential actions of apotransferrin and
      diferric transferrin.
AB  - We have shown that triiodothyronine-dependent GH1 rat pituitary cell growth in
      serum-free defined culture required apotransferrin (apoTf) (D. A. Sirbasku, et
      al., Biochemistry 30, 295-304, 7466-7477, 1991). These studies were done in "low
      Fe" medium without Fe(III)/Fe(II) salts. Nonetheless, significant concentrations
      of iron may have been contributed by other components, making this medium
      unsuitable for study of the differential effects of apoTf and diferric
      transferrin (2Fe.Tf). Measuring residual iron in culture medium has been
      troublesome because the most sensitive method (i.e., atomic absorption) detected
      levels only in excess of 10 ng/ml and did not distinguish between the forms of
      iron present. To estimate the Fe(III) available to bind to apoTf, we developed a
      more sensitive and specific method. Urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
      (PAGE) separates apoTf, the two monoferric transferrins, and 2Fe.Tf. [125I]apoTf
      was incubated with medium, or components, and the formation of [125I]-2Fe.Tf was
      monitored by urea-PAGE/autoradiography. By this method, the concentration of
      Fe(III) in low-Fe medium was estimated at 8.4 to 20 ng/ml and the sources were
      identified. We next sought to remove the Fe(III). Standard chelators were
      ineffective or cytotoxic. In contrast, an affinity method with deferoxamine
      Sepharose depleted greater than or equal to 90% of the Fe(III). In this medium,
      apoTf and 2Fe.Tf showed differential effects with GH1 cells and with MCF-7,
      MTW9/PL2, an MDCK cells. With the methods described here, the effects of apoTf
      and 2Fe.Tf on growth can be studied separately.

PMID- 1416030
TI  - An ultraviolet-spectrophotometric method with 2-cyanoacetamide for the
      determination of the enzymatic degradation of reducing polysaccharides.
AB  - A rapid, facile, and sensitive uv-spectrophotometric assay has been developed for
      the determination of the enzymatic degradation of polysaccharides that generates
      reducing sugars. The assay was carried out with 2-cyanoacetamide in a single test
      tube. The solution was left at pH 9 by the addition of borate buffer within 5
      min. Measurement of the reaction mixture at 274 nm allows a simple determination
      up to 600 mumol/liter of reducing sugars. The coefficient of variation was less
      than 2% on all measurements. The assay was developed with pectin and
      polygalacturonic acid from apples and has been compared with the Somogyi-Nelson
      method. The new assay was then exemplarily used for the determination of the
      enzymatic hydrolysis products of pectin from cotton.

PMID- 1416031
TI  - In vitro transcription by RNA polymerase II in extracts of Xenopus oocytes, eggs,
      and somatic cells.
AB  - We describe procedures for preparing extracts of Xenopus oocytes, eggs, and
      somatic cells that will accurately transcribe class II genes. A variety of viral
      and Xenopus promoters direct the accurate initiation of transcription by RNA
      polymerase II in these extracts. Optimal ionic conditions (100-200 mM KCl, 12 mM
      MgCl2), template concentration (20-40 micrograms/ml), incubation time (30-60
      min), and temperature (25 degrees C) for class II gene transcription are
      described.

PMID- 1416032
TI  - Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry assays for the determination of debrisoquine
      and sparteine metabolites in microsomal fractions of rat liver.
AB  - Debrisoquine and sparteine are prototype substrates of a genetic deficiency in
      cytochrome P450-dependent drug metabolism. Sensitive assays of in vitro oxidation
      of sparteine and debrisoquine are required for evaluation of this polymorphism.
      The activities were measured by quantitative analysis of 2-dehydrosparteine and 4
      hydroxydebrisoquine production, respectively, using capillary column gas
      chromatography coupled with mass selective ion detection. With a single
      extraction, separation of parent drug, metabolite, and a suitable internal
      standard was readily achievable. Time-dependent production of both metabolites
      could be detected from as little as 40 micrograms of microsomal protein. Both
      activities showed a maximal activity with a 240-min incubation period. The
      ability to simultaneously quantify the parent drug and its metabolite suggests it
      would also be useful for evaluation of in vivo metabolism.

PMID- 1416033
TI  - Ring test for low levels of N-(2-hydroxyethyl)valine in human hemoglobin.
AB  - Hemoglobin adducts are useful for the identification and quantification of
      electrophilic agents in vivo. A modified Edman degradation method has been
      extensively used for monitoring exposure to ethylene oxide through gas
      chromatographic-mass spectrometric measurements of hydroxyethyl adducts to the N
      terminal valines in hemoglobin. In a ring test, four laboratories using different
      versions of the method analyzed eight human globin samples with low adduct levels
      from ethylene oxide. Measurements of the same adduct by a radioimmunoassay were
      also included. Strong correlation between the measurements by the different
      laboratories shows that the method in principle works well. However, there were
      some systematic quantitative differences.

PMID- 1416034
TI  - Bioluminescence detection system of mutagen using firefly luciferase genes
      introduced in Escherichia coli lysogenic strain.
AB  - A rapid and convenient microbial sensing system for mutagens was developed based
      upon the induction of prophage from Escherichia coli lysogenic strain and
      bioluminescence. The system consisted of lysogenic E. coli encoding firefly
      luciferase genes and a photodetection system. Measurement of mutagen mitomycin C
      was achieved by measuring the luminescence intensity emitted from E. coli
      lysogenic strain for the recombinant phage in the presence of luminescence
      substrates. Approximately 1 h after addition of mitomycin C, the luminescence
      began to be observed, and 3 h after, it attained a level of 2 times greater than
      that of 1 h. Irradiation with ultraviolet light also produced light based on
      induction of phage from the E. coli lysogenic strain for the recombinant phage.
      On the other hand, when nonmutagenic toxic compounds like sodium azide were added
      to the reaction medium, luminescence was not observed. Mitomycin C could be
      detected within 1 h with this sensing system, at concentrations down to 10(2)
      ng/assay.

PMID- 1416035
TI  - Reversible potentiometric oxygen sensors based on polymeric and metallic film
      electrodes.
AB  - Various materials and sensor configurations that exhibit reversible
      potentiometric responses to the partial pressure of oxygen at room temperature in
      neutral pH solution are examined. In one arrangement, platinum electrodes are
      coated with plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) films doped with a cobalt(II)
      tetraethylene pentamine complex. For such sensors, potentiometric oxygen response
      is attributed to a mixed potential originating from the underlying platinum
      electrode surface as well as a change in redox potential of the Co(II)-tetren
      doped film as the complex binds oxygen reversibly. The response due to the
      platinum surface is prolonged by the presence of the Co(II)-tetren/PVC film.
      Alternately, thin films of metallic copper, electrochemically deposited on
      platinum and/or sputtered or vapor deposited on a single crystal silicon
      substrate, may be used for reversible oxygen sensing. The long-term reversibility
      and potentiometric stability of such copper film-based sensors is enhanced (up to
      1 month) by preventing the formation of cuprous oxide on the surfaces via the
      application of an external nonpolarizing cathodic current through the working
      electrode or by specifically using sputtered copper films that have [100]
      preferred crystal structures as determined by X-ray diffraction. The implications
      of these findings in relation to fabricating analytically useful potentiometric
      oxygen sensors are discussed.

PMID- 1416036
TI  - Enzyme packed bed system for the on-line measurement of glucose, glutamate, and
      lactate in brain microdialysate.
AB  - Rapid measurement of glucose, glutamate, and lactate is important in
      understanding the dynamics of the energy balance of the brain. Glutamate is also
      the main excitatory neurotransmitter. A general immobilized enzyme-based flow
      injection assay system is described which uses oxidase and peroxidase enzymes to
      convert the analyte into an oxidized ferrocene species which is detected
      electrochemically by reduction. The enzymes glucose oxidase, glutamate oxidase,
      lactate oxidase, and horseradish peroxidase are immobilized with near 100%
      efficiency onto 10-microns tresyl-activated silica beads (1000- and 500-A pore
      size). The beads are slurry-packed into 2- x 20-mm columns to give beds for
      glucose, glutamate, or lactate which are stable for greater than 40 days. The
      flow injection assays described have detection limits from 1.8 to less than 20
      pmol and have been configured to have linear calibration responses over the range
      of basal and stimulated levels of the three compounds found in 5-microL
      microdialysate samples from the rat striatum. The assays are used for automated
      on-line measurement of glucose, glutamate, and lactate in striatal microdialysate
      at 2.5-min intervals.

PMID- 1416037
TI  - Comparison of BaTiO3 optical novelty filter and photothermal lensing
      configurations in photothermal experiments.
AB  - Photorefractive BaTIO3 is used as an optical novelty filter to highlight the high
      spatial frequency components of the photothermal signal. A real-time phase
      grating recorded in BaTIO3 acts as a matched rejection spatial filter for the
      probe laser. This reduces the stationary background from the optical signals
      thereby increasing signal contrast ratios. Rejection of the monotonous stationary
      signal provides a powerful means of improving the photothermal signal. This paper
      describes the construction of this novel apparatus and the experiments performed
      in order to compare its performance with photothermal lensing results. A theory
      that explains photothermal signal filtering with BaTIO3 as an adaptive spatial
      frequency filter is presented. Results comparing the optical signals obtained in
      a photothermal lensing experiments and those obtained in the BaTIO3 optical
      novelty filter experiments are presented. The optical novelty filter signals
      demonstrate a remarkable improvement in the signal contrasts for moderate
      photothermal-induced phase shifts.

PMID- 1416038
TI  - Effect of aging the hollow cathode by sputtering on the analytical precision of
      the hollow cathode discharge emission source.
AB  - Sputtering changes the analytical performance of the hollow cathode as an
      emission source. Proper conditioning (aging) of the hollow with sputtering
      greatly improves precision. Conditioning decreases the blank emission signal and
      changes the shape of the hollow. Micrographs which show the evolution of the
      bottom of the hollow into a stable bulb shape are presented. The blank emission
      signal decreases with aging of the hollow and approaches a constant value when
      the hollow is properly conditioned. A short-term stability (n = 5) of
      approximately 1.8% RSD has been observed frequently. An average long-term
      stability over several days (n = 45) of 4.5% for Li and 3.5% for Na in the
      emission signal from microsamples (less than 50 nL) deposited in the hollow
      cathode discharge source is reported here. Instrumentation, operation, and sample
      preparation procedures are described.

PMID- 1416039
TI  - Capillary electrophoresis-electrospray mass spectrometry for the analysis of
      recombinant bovine and porcine somatotropins.
AB  - A Beckman P/ACE 2050 high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) instrument
      has been interfaced with a Vestec electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometer
      for the analysis of recombinant proteins. Peak resolution is not compromised by
      coupling HPCE to an ESI mass spectrometer. Recombinant bovine and porcine
      somatotropins (rbSt and rpSt) were used as model proteins. The standard curve of
      the capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method with UV detection for the
      determination of rpSt is linear in the range of 7-300 fmol with theoretical
      plates of approximately 410,000 m-1. The relative standard deviation for the rpSt
      peak migration time is less than 1%. The multiply-charged ion clusters obtained
      in the CZE-ESI mass spectrum for a sample of rpSt ranged from mlz 1363.2 (the
      cluster with 16 charges) to 1982.5 (the cluster with 11 charges). The average
      molecular weights of 21,812.6 and 21,798.3 for a sample of rbSt and rpSt
      determined in this study were nearly identical to the theoretical values of
      21,812.0 and 21,797.9, respectively. Detection limit of the CZE-ESI mass
      spectrometer is approximately 100 fmol. The CZE method separated mono- and
      dideamidated species and monoacetylated compounds while the ESI mass spectrometer
      detected an analogue and a truncated homologue of rpSt comigrating with the major
      peak. The presence of mono- and dioxidized homologues was also detected in the
      major peak of some rbSt and rpSt samples. These data clearly indicated that,
      individually, both CZE and ESI mass spectrometric methods could not detect all
      impurities. Coupling of the HPCE Instrument and the ESI mass spectrometer
      enhances analytical capabilities of both tools for rapid characterization of
      recombinant proteins.

PMID- 1416040
TI  - Organic ion imaging using tandem mass spectrometry.
AB  - A triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer has been interfaced with a wide-angle
      secondary ion microprobe. The combination permits acquisition of data necessary
      to determine the distribution of targeted organic analytes even in the presence
      of overwhelming isobaric interference. Micrographs generated from secondary ion
      intensity alone are compared to those generated using secondary ionization with
      tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), both for image reference and to show the
      improvement in image quality that can be attained when MS/MS is employed.
      Inhomogeneous mixtures of glycerol, KCl, and asparagine on 1-cm-diameter aluminum
      targets were used to demonstrate the instrument's selectivity. Secondary ions
      generated from samples of this system include isobaric 133Cs+ implanted from the
      primary ion beam, the 41K(+)-glycerol adduct, and protonated asparagine.

PMID- 1416041
TI  - Controlling solvent strength and selectivity in micellar liquid chromatography:
      role of organic modifiers and micelles.
AB  - Simultaneous enhancement in elution strength and selectivity which has been
      previously observed in micellar liquid chromatography (MLC) for a variety of
      compounds is further investigated. The reasons behind the occurrence of this
      unique phenomenon are studied, and the influence of micelles and organic solvents
      on elution strength and selectivity is discussed. A model is developed which
      explains the dependence of the solvation ability of organic solvents in MLC
      (represented by the solvent strength parameter, S, of solutes) and the degree of
      solute interactions with micelles. Whenever the difference in solvent strength
      parameter values of two solutes in micellar eluents, dS, is positive, maximum
      selectivity is observed at the weakest eluent strength. When dS less than 0,
      there exists an inverse relationship between retention and solvent strength
      parameter so that selectivity monotonically increases with volume fraction of
      organic solvent in micellar eluents. It is shown that usually there is no direct
      relationship between the solvent strength parameter in MLC and retention. As a
      result, selectivity enhancement due to an increase in the concentration of
      organic modifier (i.e. solvent strength) occurs frequently in MLC. Interestingly,
      for cases where selectivity decreases with an increase in organic modifier,
      simultaneous enhancement of selectivity and solvent strength can be observed by
      increasing micelle concentration. In a sense, the concentrations of organic
      modifier and micelles complement one another in improving selectivity at higher
      elution strengths. As a result of this unique phenomenon better separations in
      shorter analysis times can be observed. The mutual effects of micelles and
      organic modifier on one another would also require a simultaneous optimization of
      these two parameters.

PMID- 1416042
TI  - Chromatographic characteristics of surfactant-mediated separations: micellar
      liquid chromatography vs ion pair chromatography.
AB  - The effects of concentrations of organic solvent and surfactant on elution
      strength and selectivity in MLC and IPC are studied. It is observed that
      selectivity between most pairs of solutes used in this study increases in MLC and
      either decreases or passes through a minimum in IPC, with the volume fraction of
      organic modifier. In both MLC and IPC, selectivity varies with surfactant
      concentration; however, the overall variation in selectivity and elution order
      are more pronounced in MLC. The solvent strength decreases in IPC and increases
      in MLC as a result of an increase in surfactant concentration. An iterative
      regression design is used to predict the optimum mobile-phase compositions in
      terms of solvent strength and selectivity. The correlation between the predicted
      and measured chromatograms is excellent in MLC and poor in IPC. This is due to a
      more regular and reproducible retention behavior in MLC which greatly facilitates
      the development of robust methodologies. For a mixture of amino acids and
      peptides, a large retention gap between the first and the last eluting solutes is
      observed in IPC, which makes the use of organic solvent gradient inevitable.
      However, a better separation for the same mixture of solutes can be achieved in
      MLC isocratically. Apparently, the general elution problem can be alleviated in
      MLC by using an optimum eluent composition. It is observed that the efficiencies
      of MLC and IPC are comparable. The above observations indicate that MLC can be a
      powerful alternative to IPC in order to achieve optimized separations in shorter
      analysis time.

PMID- 1416043
TI  - Specific base recognition of oligodeoxynucleotides by capillary affinity gel
      electrophoresis using polyacrylamide-poly(9-vinyladenine) conjugated gel.
AB  - Poly(9-vinyladenine) was synthesized and utilized as an affinity macroligand
      entrapped within the gel matrix. Base-specific separation of
      oligodeoxynucleotides was achieved with high resolution and high speed by
      electrophoresis, using capillaries filled with conjugated polyacrylamide-poly(9
      vinyladenine) gel. Oligothymidylic acids were selectively separated from the
      mixture of oligothymidylic and oligodeoxyadenylic acids by utilizing a specific
      hydrogen bonding between poly(9-vinyladenine) and oligothymidylic acids.
      Migration time and resolution of oligodeoxynucleotides were influenced by several
      parameters, such as the size of poly(9-vinyladenine), capillary temperature, and
      concentrations of poly(9-vinyladenine) and urea. Some guidelines are presented,
      based on the theoretical formulation of the effect of these parameters, in order
      to find optimum electrophoretic conditions. Analytical capillary affinity gel
      electrophoresis was developed for the selective and sensitive base recognition of
      oligodeoxynucleotides with efficiencies as high as several 10(6) plates/m by
      using a urea-gel capillary with poly(9-vinyladenine) and temperature-programming.

PMID- 1416044
TI  - Noninvasive imaging of nanogram quantities of DNA in agarose electrophoresis
      gels.
AB  - Image processing techniques which separate the DNA Kerr effect and induced
      electrokinetic distortion contributions to electric birefringence images of
      agarose nucleic acid electrophoresis gels are described. Under standard
      electrophoresis conditions, detection limits of 10 ng of DNA per well are
      obtained in hydroxyethylated agarose without signal averaging or 7.5 ng with
      averaging of four measurements. Maintaining constant gel temperature is shown to
      improve the quality of the images. Monochromatic light (589 nm) is shown to give
      a small increase in sensitivity compared to polychromatic (650 +/- 20 nm) light.

PMID- 1416045
TI  - Kinetic chromatographic sequential addition immunoassays using protein A affinity
      chromatography.
AB  - A new type of chromatographic immunoassay based on sequential addition is
      described. On a protein A column, the antibody, the sample containing the
      antigen, and then a known amount of antigen are sequentially injected. This assay
      is designed to shorten analysis times and reduce complexity of dual-column
      chromatographic immunoassays, circumvent desorption buffer interferences common
      to affinity chromatography, and eliminate the need for tagged molecules. This new
      technique is named kinetic immunochromatography sequential addition (KICQA).
      Because of its kinetic nature, flow rate will have a large effect on KICQA, and
      the impact of changing flow rate is studied extensively. By use of various
      amounts of antibody, the dynamic range of KICQA is shown to be selectable over
      2.5 orders of magnitude. Finally, KICQA was used to determine transferrin and
      albumin in human serum. Both analytes show good agreement with their respective
      reference methods, and an albumin assay was performed in under 1 min.

PMID- 1416046
TI  - Real-time monitoring of DNA polymerase reactions by a micro ISFET pH sensor.

PMID- 1416047
TI  - Time-of-flight mass spectrometry with an electrospray ion beam.
AB  - An electrospray ionization source has been coupled to a reflection time-of-flight
      mass spectrometer. By orienting the ion source perpendicular to the field-free
      drift region, the longitudinal energy spread of the ion packet has been
      substantially reduced, allowing a mass resolving power of over 1000 to be
      achieved for both low-mass and high-mass ions of biological interest. In
      addition, instrument sensitivity allows the routine detection of low-picomole and
      subpicomole quantities of large multiply charged species such as cytochrome c (MW
      = 12,360.9). The potential utility of this instrument for conducting rapid
      screening of chromatographic effluents is discussed in light of its simplicity,
      rapid scanning speed, and high sensitivity.

PMID- 1416048
TI  - Separation and identification of carotenoids and their oxidation products in the
      extracts of human plasma.
AB  - Eighteen carotenoids as well as vitamin A and two forms of vitamin E (gamma- and
      alpha-tocopherol) have been separated from extracts of human plasma by high
      performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on reversed-phase and sillca-based
      nitrile-bonded columns. In the order of chromatographic elution on a C18 reversed
      phase column, the carotenoids were identified as (3R,3'R,6'R)-beta, epsilon
      carotene-3,3'-diol [(3R,3'R,6'R)-lutein], (3R,3'R)-beta, beta-carotene-3,3'-diol
      [(3R,3'R)-zeaxanthin], 5,6-dihydroxy-5,6-dihydro-psi,psi-carotene, 3-hydroxy
      2',3'-didehydro-beta,epsilon-caroten-3-ol, 3-hydroxy-beta-carotene,psi,psi
      carotene, 7,8-dihydro-psi,psi-carotene, beta,psi-carotene, 7,8,7',8'-tetrahydro
      psi,psi-carotene, beta,epsilon-carotene, beta,beta-carotene, 7,8,11,12,7',8'
      hexahydro-psi,psi-carotene, and 7,8,11,12,7',8'-11',12'-octahydro-psi,psi
      carotene. The polar carotenoids, which eluted in the vicinity of lutein and were
      unresolved on the C18 column, have been separated on a nitrile-bonded column
      employing isocratic HPLC conditions. In the order of elution, the carotenoids
      were epsilon,epsilon-carotene-3,3'-dione, 3'-hydroxy-epsilon,epsilon-caroten-3
      one, 5,6-dihydroxy-5,6-dihydro-psi,psi-carotene, 3-hydroxy-beta,epsilon-caroten
      3'-one, (all-E,3R,3'R,6'R)-lutein, (all-E,3R,3'R)-zeaxanthin, and (all
      E,3R,3'S,6'R)-beta,epsilon-carotene-3,3'-diol (3'-epilutein) followed by several
      geometrical isomers of lutein and zeaxanthin.

PMID- 1416049
TI  - DNA sequencing using capillary array electrophoresis.
AB  - A DNA sequencing method is presented that utilizes capillary array
      electrophoresis, two-color fluorescence detection, and a two-dye labeling
      protocol. Sanger DNA sequencing fragments are separated on an array of
      capillaries and detected on-column using a two-color, laser-excited, confocal
      fluorescence scanner. The four sets of DNA sequencing fragments are separated in
      a single capillary and then distinguished by using a binary coding scheme where
      each fragment set is labeled with a characteristic ratio of two dye-labeled
      primers. Since only two dye-labeled primers are required, it is possible to
      select dyes that have identical mobility shifts. It is also shown that the ratio
      of the signal in the two detection channels provides a reliable identification of
      the sequencing fragment. DNA sequencing results on a 25-capillary array are
      presented.

PMID- 1416051
TI  - Ross receives Wiley Award.

PMID- 1416050
TI  - Drug of abuse confirmation in human urine using stepwise solid-phase extraction
      and micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography.
AB  - This paper demonstrates that most common drugs of abuse can be absorbed
      simultaneously onto a mixed-mode bonded-phase matrix and eluted sequentially in
      two to three steps for subsequent analysis by micellar electrokinetic capillary
      chromatography (MECC). Having on-column multiwavelength UV absorption detection,
      this is shown to be an attractive approach for confirmation testing of
      barbiturates, hypnotics, amphetamines, opioids, benzodiazepines, and metabolites
      of cocaine in a single aliquot of human urine. For these compounds, no hydroysis
      of the urine specimen or sample derivatization is required. Under the examined
      conditions using 5 mL of urine, excellent recoveries (80-90% level) and detection
      limits (about 100 ng/mL) are obtained. For patient urines which tested positively
      for different classes of drugs using immunological screening methods, a two-step
      extraction scheme is shown to provide extracts suitable for rapid MECC
      confirmation of the drugs of abuse.

PMID- 1416052
TI  - [In memoriam: Prof. Dr. med. Otto Bucher (1913-1991)].

PMID- 1416053
TI  - Immunohistochemistry for intermediate filaments in the enteric nervous system of
      the porcine small intestine.
AB  - Antibodies against the cytoskeletal neurofilament protein 200 and gliafilament
      acidic protein were used for an immunohistochemical staining of nerve and glia
      cells in porcine small intestine. In sections as well as in whole mount
      preparations, the morphological and topographical features of the enteric nerve
      plexus could be demonstrated. The enteric glia cells are characterized by an
      abundance of immunoreactive GFAP, which allows a subsequent staining of the
      plexus. NFP 200 is immunohistochemically recognized only in a part of the
      neurons. This immunoreactive neuronal population can be identified
      morphologically as Typ II-neurons, which are defined as adendritic and
      pseudouniaxonal to multiaxonal. The immunostaining of intermediate filaments is
      an easy and reproducible means for studying the enteric nervous system and
      invaluable for the histopathological diagnosis of its morphological
      abnormalities.

PMID- 1416054
TI  - Lectin binding pattern in human retinal pigment epithelium.
AB  - A comparative lectin histochemical study of human retinal pigment epithelium
      (RPE) was performed to investigate the lectin binding pattern of normal, reactive
      and proliferating RPE. Normal RPE with attached sensory retina was found to bind
      the lectins Con A, WGA, PNA and RCA I. Reactive and proliferating RPE in retinal
      detachment and in photocoagulation scars revealed the same lectin binding pattern
      although its cellular topography changed. RPE-macrophages showed an additional
      reaction with SBA. In periretinal membranes of human PVR the typical lectin
      binding pattern of Con A, WGA, PNA and RCA I was found in pigmented and in a
      subpopulation of non-pigmented cells, suggesting that these lectin-positive
      elements were of RPE-origin. Additionally, single pigmented cells positive for
      SBA were found indicating macrophage differentiation. Thus lectin histochemistry
      provides a tool for cytochemical identification of RPE and its morphologic
      variants by revealing a specific combination of sugar-binding sites.

PMID- 1416055
TI  - Morphological variants of the suprapatellar bursa.
AB  - Two hundred and ten specimens were examined anatomically to study the different
      shapes of the suprapatellar bursa. It is possible to classify the morphologic
      variants of the suprapatellar bursa into three types. A bursa not subdivided was
      found in 83% and named Type A. A bursa subdivided by a vertical septum at the
      lateral side of the suprapatellar bursa was seen in 17% of the knee joints. The
      vertical septum was complete in 9% (Type B), incomplete in 8% (Type C) of the
      cases. It separated the bursa into a main medial part and a small lateral
      saccular space. There was no corresponding subdivision at the medial side. A
      space proximal to the suprapatellar bursa was found in two cases.

PMID- 1416056
TI  - Fine structure of the dorsal lingual epithelium of the domestic, newborn kitten,
      Felis catus.
AB  - The tip and the body of the tongue of the domestic kitten, Felis catus, were
      examined by light and transmission electron microscopy. On the tip of the tongue,
      no filiform papillae were observed, but the connective tissue papillae of the
      lamina propria were recognized. On the lingual body, there were filiform papillae
      composed of an anterior, a posterior and interpapillar epithelium. Under the
      transmission electron microscope, the epithelium on the tip of the kitten tongue
      was found to be of the stratified squamous type. The epithelium contained no
      cells filled with keratin fibers. In the lingual body, the interpapillar
      epithelium contained very few keratohyalin granules, and no cells with keratin
      fibers. In the epithelium on the anterior side of the filiform papillae, numerous
      keratohyalin granules appeared in the intermediate layer. In the surface layer, a
      thin layer of typical keratinized cells was visible. In the epithelium on the
      posterior side of the filiform papillae, a thick layer of keratinized cells was
      located on the surface layer.

PMID- 1416057
TI  - Prenatal influence of alcohol following a single exposure in two inbred strains
      of mice.
AB  - The effect of a single dose of ethanol on embryonic development was investigated
      in two inbred strains of mice. Ethanol (25% v/v solution, 0.02 ml/g body weight)
      was administered intraperitoneally on either gestational day 6, 9 or 12 to
      C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice. All fetuses recovered near term were alive and appeared
      normal. The incidence of fetal death was not affected. Fetal weight was
      significantly reduced in the C57BL/6J strain of mice. Maternal exposure to a
      single and moderate dose of ethanol did not have any profound effect on the
      conceptus. For the development of laboratory models to mimic fetal alcohol
      effects in humans, the selection of appropriate genotype is important.

PMID- 1416058
TI  - Embryonic development in the chick following exposure to ethanol, acetaldehyde
      and cyanamide.
AB  - The influence of cyanamide, an inhibitor of aldehyde dehydrogenase, on the
      embryopathic effects of ethanol and acetaldehyde, was investigated in the chick
      embryo. Both ethanol and cyanamide significantly increased embryonic mortality,
      but did not affect embryonic growth, compared to treatment with either ethanol or
      cyanamide. Acetaldehyde combined with cyanamide increased embryonic mortality and
      retarded embryonic growth. Cyanamide influence on embryonic development was
      minimal. The extent of acetaldehyde involvement in ethanol teratogenicity remains
      unclear from the present findings.

PMID- 1416059
TI  - Anomalous course of the median nerve medial to the trochlea and anterior to the
      medial epicondyle of the humerus.
AB  - It is generally assumed that in the cubital region the median nerve is directly
      medial to the brachial artery and that it lies anterior to the trochlea of the
      humerus, from which it is separated by the brachialis muscle. Three instances are
      noted where the median nerve passed medial to the trochlea and anterior to the
      medial epicondyle, deep to the pronator teres, unilateral in one subject and
      bilateral in another. Its possible significance in elbow trauma is commented
      upon.

PMID- 1416060
TI  - Human doubled renal and testicular arteries.
AB  - Doubled renal and testicular arteries were found in a well-developed 69-year-old
      caucasian male. The right kidney had two renal arteries, one at its usual
      midorgan (hilar) position and one inferior polar. One testicular artery arose
      from the mid-point of the usual renal artery, passed under the renal vein at its
      junction with the inferior vena cava, and then crossed over the inferior polar
      renal artery. The second testicular artery arose from the inferior polar renal
      artery near its origin from the abdominal aorta. The two testicular arteries
      remained doubled throughout their course and both entered the right testis at
      separate sites on the organ. The inferior vena cava passed under the inferior
      polar and over the superior testicular artery and the superior renal artery.

PMID- 1416061
TI  - [A rare variation in the zone of the carotid artery].
AB  - An extremely rare variation in the angioarchitecture of the carotid arteries
      consists in the complete missing of the right common carotid artery. The
      brachiocephalic trunc (innominate artery), forming a bulbus-like extension,
      branches out into three major stems: internal carotid artery, external carotid
      artery and the right subclavian artery. The variation is embryologically
      explainable: The aortic arches III and IV arise together (without ventral aortic
      root between them) from the persisting initial segment of the right ventral
      aorta.

PMID- 1416062
TI  - Bending strength of upper canine tooth in domestic dogs.
AB  - The bending strength of the upper canine tooth is analyzed on 51 domestic dogs of
      various breeds. Data show that canine tooth length is greater among small
      domestic dogs when compared to small wild dogs, and large wild dogs when compared
      among large domestic dogs. Tooth strength is also greater among small domestic
      dogs and large wild dogs. The greater tooth strength of the small domestic dogs
      may be attributed to the idea that small domestic dogs are closer in ancestry to
      the grey wolf (Canis lupus) than are small wild canids. Skull foreshortening and
      tooth strength appear to be correlated in the canidae.

PMID- 1416064
TI  - Stability of neuron number in the lateral part of the nucleus of the solitary
      tract in the ageing mouse brain.
AB  - Neuron number was estimated in the lateral part of the nucleus of the solitary
      tract of the mouse brain at 6, 15, 22, 25, 28 and 31 months of age. There was no
      significant variation in neuron number with age with an overall mean of 8500.

PMID- 1416063
TI  - [Fine structure of the raphe nuclei of sheep and goats].
AB  - The medullary raphe system of sheep and goat can be divided in the solitary
      nuclei raphe magnus and pallidus besides the impaired Nucleus raphe paramedianus.
      The nucleus raphe magnus begins in the caudal end of the medulla oblongata
      running far to the pons. On the other hand you can follow the nucleus raphe
      pallidus and paramedianus only in distinct area near the obex. Different types of
      neurons are isolated and described in light- and electronmicroscopical
      investigations. All three nuclei are poor of synapses.

PMID- 1416065
TI  - Stability of neuron number in the ageing mouse paraventricular nucleus.
AB  - The number of neurons in the paraventricular nucleus was estimated in brains from
      male mice aged 6, 25, 28 and 31 months. There was no significant variation with
      age in neuron number (mean 2715). At all ages most neurons were parvocellular
      neurons and the neurosecretory magnocellular neurons made up only 10% of the
      total. There was no significant variation in neuronal nuclear diameter (mean 9.4
      microns) with age. The nuclear diameter of both parvocellular and magnocellular
      neurons was identical. The difference in size between the two types of neurons
      was due to the difference in volume of their perikarya.

PMID- 1416066
TI  - Immunohistochemical localization of relaxin in the reproductive system of the
      female opossum (Didelphis virginiana).
AB  - Relaxin-immunoreactivity was demonstrated in the cytoplasm in the luteal cells
      from pregnant and lactating opossums. Immunoreactivity for relaxin was not
      demonstrated elsewhere in the ovary, in the reproductive tract or in the
      placenta. The corpus luteum is thought to be the primary source of relaxin in
      Didelphis and in this regard is similar to several eutherian mammals including
      man.

PMID- 1416067
TI  - Ultrastructure of the exocrine pancreas in the snake Waglerophis merremii
      (Wagler).
AB  - Three types of serozymogenic cells were found in the secretory compartment of the
      snake exocrine pancreas. Type I cell was the most common and presented a well
      developed granular endoplasmic reticulum arranged in cisternal and vesicular
      forms. The cisternal form was located predominantly in the basal regions of the
      cell and the vesicular form was found in the supranuclear regions of the cell
      next to a prominent Golgi complex. Mature secretory granules were seen at the
      cell apex. The cytoplasmic matrix of the Type II cells was electron dense but had
      only poorly-developed organelles. Secretory granules were rare. The cytoplasmic
      matrix of the Type III cells was electron lucent and the granular endoplasmic
      reticulum in the cisternal form was located predominantly in the supranuclear
      region, whereas the vesicular form was randomly distributed throughout the
      cytoplasm. The nucleus appeared pale due to the fine dispersion of the chromatin;
      the nucleolus was prominent. Centroacinar and intermediate cells were also
      examined.

PMID- 1416068
TI  - An HRP study of the location of the motoneurons supplying the tensor veli
      palatini muscle of the rabbit.
AB  - Location of the motoneurons supplying the tensor veli palatini muscle of the
      rabbit was examined with the retrograde labeling technique following
      intramuscular injection of HRP. Labeled motoneurons were ipsilaterally located in
      the ventral or ventromedial portion of the rostral two-thirds of the motor
      trigeminal nucleus at the level of about 6.0 to 8.5 mm rostral to the obex. The
      location of the labeled motoneurons was ventromedial to the region supplying the
      masseter, the temporalis, and the medial pterygoid muscles and ventral to the
      region supplying the anterior digastric and the mylohyoid muscles, the location
      which coincided with the lateral pterygoid region. The labeled motoneurons were
      scattered around or in this region.

PMID- 1416069
TI  - Differentiation of oxytalan fibres from elastic fibres with reagents for
      detection of magnesium.
AB  - Elastic fibres in various human and animal tissues revealed positive results with
      reagents for the detection of magnesium. By contrast, no Mg could be detected in
      oxytalan fibres or in zonular fibres of the ciliary body, which are composed of
      microfibrils not containing elastin. Mg is therefore concluded to be associated
      with the elastin core of elastic fibres. Its antagonism to calcium is speculated
      to play a protective role in maintaining the extensibility of elastin.

PMID- 1416070
TI  - [History of classification systems of conjoined twins by specific consideration
      of the classification systems of Louis Bolk (1866-1930)].
AB  - Classification systems concerning conjoined twins have been developed in the
      nineteenth century by many authors, a.o. J. F. Meckel (1816), I. Geoffroy Saint
      Hilaire (1832), E. F. Gurlt (1831), Fr. Ahlfeld (1880), C. Taruffi (1881), and in
      the beginning of the twentieth century, a.o. J. W. Ballantyne (1902) and E.
      Schwalbe (1907). However, these classification systems were very complex and
      mainly based on the external morphology of the conjoined twins. In contrast to
      many other classification systems the professor in Anatomy at the University of
      Amsterdam Louis Bolk divided conjoined twins in only three main groups: 1 greater
      than diplopagi simplex caudad; 2 greater than diplopagi simplex craniad; 3
      greater than diplopagi simplex mesad. The last group was divided into ventrad and
      laterad conjuncti. For the study of conjoined twins the Vrolik Collection and
      many other specimens of the Museum of the Department of Anatomy and Embryology of
      the University of Amsterdam were very important for Bolk. Three factors were the
      main reason that the concept of the classification of double monsters of Bolk has
      not been cited often in the international literature: 1 greater than the
      publications of the classification in a national journal in Dutch; 2 greater than
      the coincidence of the publication of E. Schwalbes famous handbook "Die
      Morphologie der Missbildungen des Menschen und der Tiere II. Die Doppelbildungen"
      in the same period and 3 greater than the problem that the verification of the
      classification, mainly based upon morphogenesis, has not been possible because of
      technical problems in performing these experiments in mammals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416071
TI  - Distribution of type I collagen, type II collagen and PNA binding glycoconjugates
      during chondrogenesis of three distinct embryonic cartilages.
AB  - Previous studies of chondrogenesis have been focused on limb bud cartilage,
      whereas little is known about chondrogenic processes of other cartilages with
      different developmental fates. We hypothesize that cartilages with various
      developmental fates might show identical characteristics of chondrogenesis. The
      chondrogenic processes in the nasal septum, the mandible, and the limb bud of the
      mouse were examined by means of PNA-binding glycoconjugate, and types I and II
      collagen expression. Swiss-Webster mouse embryos of 11 days (E11) to 14 days
      (E14) gestation were fixed and processed for immuno- and lectin histochemistry.
      The blastema of mesenchymal cell aggregates stained positively with anti-type I
      collagen, but very weakly with anti-type II collagen in all three models at E12,
      whereas PNA bound to the blastema in the limb bud but not in nasal septum or
      mandible. Types I and II collagens coexisted in cartilages at E13. Type II
      collagen was predominant in E14; type I collagen was confined to the peripheral
      region. The synchronized transitional expression of the collagen phenotypes in
      all three embryonic cartilages may be systemically regulated. The presence or
      absence of the PNA-binding glycoconjugates may be involved in characterizing the
      nature of the cartilages.

PMID- 1416072
TI  - Cholinergic and non-cholinergic neurons in the rat pedunculopontine tegmental
      nucleus.
AB  - Choline acetyltransferase immunhistochemistry was employed at light and electron
      microscopic levels in order to determine the distribution of cholinergic neurons
      in two subdivisions of the rat pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus that were
      previously defined on cytoarchitectonic grounds, and to compare the synaptic
      inputs to cholinergic and non-cholinergic somata in the subnucleus dissipatus,
      which receives major input from the substantia nigra. Large cholinergic neurons
      were found in both the pars compacta and the pars dissipata of the
      pedunculopontine nucleus. However, they were intermingled with non-cholinergic
      neurons and did not respect the cytoarchitectural boundaries of the nucleus.
      Ultrastructural study showed that all cholinergic neurons in the subnucleus
      dissipatus exhibited similar features. The majority had large somata (largest
      diameter greater than or equal to 20 microns) containing abundant cytoplasmic
      organelles and nuclei displaying a few shallow invaginations. Synaptic terminals
      on the cholinergic cell bodies were scarce and unlabeled boutons containing
      spherical synaptic vesicles and establishing asymmetric synaptic junctions were
      the dominant type. In contrast, the non-cholinergic neurons presented prominent
      differences in the size of their somata as well as in the distribution of
      axosomatic synapses. Two almost equally represented classes of non-cholinergic
      neurons which are referred to as large (largest diameter greater than or equal to
      20 microns) and small (largest diameter less than 20 microns) were recognized.
      Large non-cholinergic cell bodies were ultrastructurally similar to the
      cholinergic ones, but they received rich synaptic input by unlabeled nerve
      terminals which contained pleomorphic vesicles and were engaged in symmetric
      synaptic junctions. Small non-cholinergic cell bodies were characterized by
      deeply invaginated nuclei surrounded by a narrow rim of cytoplasm, and were often
      found near or in direct apposition to the cholinergic somata. Their major input
      consisted of axosomatic boutons containing round synaptic vesicles. These results
      demonstrate that cells in the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus are
      differentiated with regard to their axosomatic synaptic inputs which may
      influence their firing properties. Furthermore, they support previous suggestions
      that nigral afferents may be preferentially distributed to a subpopulation of the
      pedunculopontine neurons.

PMID- 1416073
TI  - Mast cell populations in the chick embryo lung and their response to compound
      48/80 and dexamethasone.
AB  - Two mast cell populations, connective tissue mast cells (CTMCs) and mucosal mast
      cells, (MMCs) containing different proteoglycans in their granules, can be
      distinguished in several animal species by means of histochemical methods. In
      this study we documented the presence of these two types of mast cell in the
      chick embryo lung, from the 15th incubation day for the MMCs, and from the 18th
      incubation day for the CTMCs. Lungs of embryos treated with compound 48/80, which
      produces degranulation of the CTMCs, showed a decrease in the number of this type
      of mast cell and an unchanged number of MMCs. In the lungs of embryos treated
      with dexamethasone, which degranulates MMCs, a reduction in the number of these
      cells and an unchanged number of the CTMs were found.

PMID- 1416074
TI  - Laminar distribution and morphology of NADPH-diaphorase containing neurons in the
      superior colliculus and underlying periaqueductal gray of the rat.
AB  - We have studied the laminar distribution of reduced nicotinamide dinucleotide
      phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d) activity and the morphology of positive neurons in
      the superior colliculus (SC) and the underlying periaqueductal gray (PAG) of the
      rat. The morphology of NADPH-d-positive neurons has been compared to that of
      Golgi-impregnated cells. The highest activity occurs in the stratum zonale and
      stratum griseum superficiale, contrasting with the pale neuropil in the stratum
      opticum, where only a few positive neurons are found. In the stratum griseum
      intermedium positive neurons are grouped in patches separated by narrow, NADPH-d
      negative bands. In the deeper layers, the neuropil is NADPH-d-negative, and few
      neurons show enzymatic activity. In contrast, numerous neurons in the
      dorsolateral part of the PAG are intensely positive. They are continuous with the
      positive neurons in the stratum album profundum, with no clear border between the
      two centers. In both SC and PAG, only small and medium sized neurons are NADPH-d
      positive. In comparison with Golgi material, all types of small neurons in the
      superficial layers show NADPH-d activity; NADPH-d histochemistry, however, does
      not visualize the characteristic dendritic appendages of these neurons. The large
      neurons of the SC and PAG, probably representing the long-projecting neurons of
      these centers, do not contain the enzyme.

PMID- 1416075
TI  - Late postnatal development and differentiation of the ductus epididymidis in a
      dasyurid marsupial (Antechinus stuartii).
AB  - The general histology and ultrastructural features of the developing ductus
      epididymidis were examined in the brown marsupial mouse, Antechinus stuartii,
      from April, when males were sexually immature, until August, when the adult males
      were involved in mating activities, just prior to the annual male die-off.
      Samples were also examined 3 and 6 months after the August die-off period in
      males kept in isolation from conspecifics during the prebreeding and breeding
      periods. In April, tubule diameter and epithelial height were largest in the
      caput and least in caudal segments but the reverse was observed thereafter.
      Epithelial height increased in caput segments in August and remained high in the
      post die-off samples. However, caput epithelial height and tubule diameters were
      low compared with the remainder of the duct from July until February. Luminal
      shape in caudal segments (10, 11 and 12) changed in June from circular to a
      narrow slit, and the epithelium became variable in height. The epididymal
      epithelium was undifferentiated with few cytoplasmic organelles in April.
      Differentiation occurred mostly from May to June in association with an increased
      abundance of cytoplasmic organelles, increasing prostatic weight and rising
      plasma androgen levels. Differentiated principal and basal cells were found in
      caput and corpus regions in May and in caudal segments in June in association
      with the de novo development of a brush border of microvilli. Few clear cells
      were seen in caput and corpus regions of the duct in May but they, and
      mitochondria-rich cells, were common throughout the duct from June. Development
      of the unusual structural features of the cauda epididymidis preceded the arrival
      of spermatozoa in June. The presence of degenerating spermatozoa and cytoplasmic
      droplets in the cauda at this time suggested that it was not yet capable of
      supporting sperm viability. There was no evidence to suggest that the presence of
      spermatozoa has a stimulatory effect on the epididymis. Intact sperm were
      observed throughout the duct from July. Free cytoplasmic droplets, which showed
      some evidence of degeneration, collected in large masses in the distal
      corpus/proximal cauda epididymidis of adult males between aggregates of
      spermatozoa. Epididymal differentiation appeared complete by mid-July; few
      ultrastructural changes occurred after this time. Recruitment of spermatozoa into
      the epididymis ceased by August and was associated with a rapid decline in sperm
      content in the proximal caput segments. In the November and February samples,
      spermatozoa were present only in distal corpus and proximal cauda
      segments.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1416076
TI  - Fetal antigen 2 (FA2) in human fetal osteoblasts, cultured osteoblasts and
      osteogenic osteosarcoma cells.
AB  - Immunohistochemical staining techniques used on an 11-week-old fetus showed that
      fetal antigen 2 (FA2) was present intracellularly in endochondral and
      perichondral osteoblasts, and the immunoreaction was extended into the adjacent
      bone matrix. Osteoclasts and chondroblasts were found to be FA2 negative. A
      granular perinuclear intracytoplasmic FA2 immunoreaction was found in cultured
      osteoblasts and osteogenic osteosarcoma cells, and immunoelectron-microscopical
      examination revealed a granular immunoreaction product in the rough endoplasmic
      reticulum. These findings indicate that FA2 is synthesized by osteoblasts and
      osteogenic osteosarcoma cells. A reaction of immunological identity was found
      between FA2 purified from second trimester amniotic fluid and serum-free
      supernatants of cultured osteogenic osteosarcoma cells. This shows that an
      antigen recognized by the anti FA2 antibody is secreted by these malignant cells.
      Thus, FA2 may represent a marker for altered bone metabolism, and have a
      potential in the classification of osteogenic osteosarcoma/chondrosarcoma.

PMID- 1416077
TI  - Histochemical distribution of zinc in the brain of the rainbow trout,
      Oncorhynchos myciss. II. The diencephalon.
AB  - The distribution of zinc in the diencephalon of the rainbow trout, Oncorhynchos
      myciss, is described in the present paper, which is the second in a series of
      three reporting for the first time the distribution of a heavy metal in the fish
      brain. The Neo-Timm method was used for the histochemical demonstration of zinc.
      The staining was essentially confined to the neuropil, in all probability
      representing stained axon terminals, but stained nerve cell bodies were observed
      in the nucleus lateralis geniculatus and the nucleus cerebellosus hypothalami.
      Stained fibers were never seen. The staining gave rise to a consistent, specific
      distribution pattern, which accorded well with the diencephalic nuclei defined on
      the basis of cytoarchitectural criteria. The diencephalon was in general stained
      with much higher intensity than the telencephalon, in surprising contrast to the
      state of affairs in the mammalian, reptilian, and avian brain. In species of
      these classes, high staining intensities are observed almost exclusively in the
      telencephalon. The Neo-Timm staining was predominantly distributed in the nuclei
      of the periventricular zone, but some internal (migrated) nuclei did show a
      positive staining reaction, namely the nucleus lateralis geniculatus, the
      anterior thalamic nucleus, the nucleus diffusus tori lateralis, and the nucleus
      cerebellosus hypothalami. The zinc distribution pattern has been compared with
      the terminal fields of afferent projections, known from experimental studies, and
      with the distribution of substance P. The possible function of zinc in synaptic
      vesicles is considered.

PMID- 1416078
TI  - The relationship between the number of nuclei of an osteoclast and its resorptive
      capability in vitro.
AB  - This study examined the relationship between the number of nuclei in an
      osteoclast and its resorptive efficiency, as demonstrated by the size of the pit
      it can make in a mineralized tissue in 24 h in vitro. Osteoclasts released
      mechanically from prehatch chick long bones were cultured on dentine slices or on
      plastic dishes for periods of 6 or 24 h. The frequency distribution of the
      multinucleate tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive cells with
      different numbers of nuclei was determined: the mean number of nuclei per cell
      was 6.92, with a mode of 4.47% had 5 or fewer nuclei and only 11% more than 10
      nuclei. The pits associated with 292 osteoclasts with known numbers of nuclei
      were measured using a confocal laser light microscope (Lasertec) and dedicated
      image analysis system, and depths, plan areas and volumes determined. There was a
      positive correlation between the number of nuclei per osteoclast and the volume
      of the pit made, but a trend for the volume resorbed per nucleus to decrease with
      increase in the number of nuclei per osteoclast.

PMID- 1416079
TI  - Superfluousness of motor innervation for the formation of muscle spindles in
      neonatal rats.
AB  - Muscle spindles form de novo in reinnervated muscles of neonatal rats treated
      with nerve growth factor. Whether the spindles can also form in muscle
      reinnervated only by afferents was investigated by removing the lumbosacral
      segment of the spinal cord immediately after crushing the nerve to the medial
      gastrocnemius muscle at birth, and administering nerve growth factor for 10 days
      afterwards. As predicted, the medial gastrocnemius muscles were reinnervated by
      afferents, but not efferents. No motor endplates were visible on any muscle
      fibers, and extrafusal fibers were atrophied. The reinnervated muscles contained
      spindle-like encapsulations of one to four fibers at 5, 7, 9 and 30 days after
      the nerve crush. The number of spindles as well as encapsulated fibers exceeded
      that of normal medial gastrocnemius muscles. The encapsulated fibers resembled
      typical intrafusal fibers. They had normal sensory-muscle contacts, but no motor
      endings. The fibers displayed equatorial clusters of myonuclei and expressed the
      spindle-specific slow-tonic myosin heavy chain isoform at postnatal day 30. Thus,
      efferents are not essential for the formation and differentiation of muscle
      spindles in reinnervated muscles of neonatal rats.

PMID- 1416081
TI  - A scanning electron microscopic study on the distribution of peritubular dentine
      in cheek teeth of Cervidae and Suidae (Mammalia, Artiodactyla).
AB  - Distribution of peritubular dentine was studied in cheek teeth of fallow deer
      (Dama dama), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa). In the
      two cervid species, especially intense peritubular dentine formation was found in
      the outer regions of mid and cuspal coronal dentine. In these areas a marked
      asymmetry occurred, peritubular dentine being predominantly secreted onto the
      side of the dentinal tubule walls nearest to the dentinoenamel junction.
      Intensity and asymmetry of peritubular dentine formation decreased cervically. In
      root dentine, the walls of the dentinal tubules were covered with only a thin
      peritubular dentine layer of even thickness. Here, in contrast to peripheral
      coronal dentine, the volume of intertubular dentine far exceeded that of
      peritubular dentine. In porcine coronal dentine, PTD asymmetry, being of lesser
      extent than in cervids, was observed only in peripheral areas of cuspal and flank
      regions of the cheek teeth. Because peritubular is more highly mineralized than
      intertubular dentine, the relative volume of dentine made up from the two
      components has an important influence on dentinal wear resistance. The
      significance of variations in volume and distribution of peritubular dentine
      between different dentinal regions for achieving and maintaining a functional
      occlusal surface is shown for cervid cheek teeth. Our results suggest that
      dentinal structure (in addition to enamel structure) should be taken more into
      consideration when discussing occlusal surface morphology in herbi- and omnivores
      from a functional point of view.

PMID- 1416080
TI  - Schwann cells are not required for guidance of motor nerves in the hindlimb in
      Splotch mutant mouse embryos.
AB  - The topogenesis of the hindlimb nerves of Splotch homozygous mutant mouse embryos
      was studied using light and electron microscopy. Homozygous mutants show multiple
      defects of neural crest-derived tissues. The defects increase along a rostro
      caudal gradient. The cervical and upper thoracic segments have small spinal
      ganglia, and Schwann cells are associated with the spinal nerves. In the lumbo
      sacral region neurulation is not complete, and the derivatives of the neural
      crest are missing. The lumbo-sacral nerve trunks are formed by ventral roots
      only. They are occasionally associated with presumptive glial cells that have
      migrated from the spinal cord for a short distance. Beyond the vertebral
      primordia, the spinal nerves are not accompanied by Schwann cells. No
      compartmentalization of the axons within the lumbo-sacral nerves was visible,
      whereas Schwann cells did segment the nerve into the fascicles in brachial
      nerves. The lumbo-sacral plexus develops, and its branches grow into the hindlimb
      despite the absence of Schwann cells. On day 13.5 of gestation, the lumbo-sacral
      nerve trunks extend well into the distal calf. They are topographically correctly
      positioned. Their branches enter the muscle primordia and form contacts with
      their mesenchymal cells though the cutaneous branches are missing. Generally, the
      outgrowth of lumbo-sacral nerves is slower than in phenotypically normal
      littermates, whose nerves reach the foot plate at corresponding stages of
      development. These results demonstrate that the lumbo-sacral plexus and the
      topographically correct position of lumbo-sacral nerve trunks develop despite the
      absence of Schwann cells. Therefore Schwann cells are not necessary for the
      outgrowth and guidance of axons within the limb.

PMID- 1416082
TI  - Ultrastructural study of postnatal development of the tonsillar crypt epithelium
      of the musk shrew, Suncus murinus.
AB  - An ultrastructural study was made of the postnatal development of the tonsillar
      crypt epithelium in the musk shrew, Suncus murinus. On day 3 after birth, a
      particular kind of large lymphoid cell was first seen to move through the
      basement membrane into the epithelium. The next migration was that of
      lymphocytes, which passed through holes in the basement membrane. On days 5 to 7,
      the lymphocytes formed clusters, and pale epithelial cells of low electron
      density appeared. The cell clusters and pale epithelial cells fused on day 10. By
      day 14, these epithelial cells extended cytoplasmic projections to the surface of
      the epithelium, which had many heterophagic vacuoles and some microvilli-like
      structures. These findings suggest that the lymphoepithelial relationship is
      important for the organization of the immunological microenvironment in tonsillar
      crypt epithelium of the neonatal musk shrew.

PMID- 1416083
TI  - Fiber differentiation of the human laryngeal muscles using the inhibition
      reactivation myofibrillar ATPase technique.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to further subdivide the type II fibers of the
      human thyroarytenoid and posterior cricoarytenoid muscles by means of a modified
      myosin ATPase reaction. In order to understand the functioning of these highly
      strained muscles better, it is important to know the respective percentage of
      fatigue-resistant type IIA fibers and fatigable type IIB fibers. The material
      comprised the larynges of seven laryngectomized males aged between 45 and 70
      years and four laryngectomized females aged between 39 and 72 years. After having
      been frozen in nitrogen, 10-microns-thick sections were cut from the laryngeal
      muscles in a cryostat. The pH-lability of the enzyme that can be utilized in a
      classical myosin ATPase reaction permits a differentiation between fiber types I,
      IIA and IIB. Evidently, this is not possible with every human muscle. The fiber
      types IIA and IIB of the thyroarytenoid and the posterior cricoarytenoid muscles
      could be clearly distinguished by means of the inhibition reactivation
      myofibrillar ATPase technique. Using this method, the myosin ATPase enzyme was
      initially inhibited by hydroxymercuribenzoate and subsequently reactivated by
      cysteine. Regarding the incidence of type I and IIA fibers, there was a
      statistically significant difference between the thyroarytenoid and the posterior
      cricoarytenoid muscles. The type IIA fiber content was statistically
      significantly higher in the arytenoid muscle than in the posterior cricoarytenoid
      muscle. The percentage of type IIB fibers was low, not only in the thyroarytenoid
      muscle and the posterior cricoarytenoid muscle but also in the other laryngeal
      muscles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416084
TI  - Ultrastructural morphometric characterization of alveolar type II cells of
      perinatal sheep: a comparison with adults.
AB  - The quantitative morphologic changes in alveolar type II cells during the
      perinatal period were characterized morphometrically in the lungs of fetal lambs
      at 132, 138, and 147 days gestational age (DGA) and in newborns at 2 days
      postnatal age (2 DPN). Ultrastructural features were compared with those of type
      II cells of ewes 365 days old. Lamellar body profile number per type II cell
      profile was highest at term (147 DGA) and 2 DPN. In adults, the number of
      lamellar body profiles and volume density of lamellar bodies were equal to those
      of the 132 DGA fetus. Multivesicular bodies were most common at 138 DGA and in
      adults. The volume density of cytoplasmic glycogen fell dramatically during the
      latter part of gestation. The volume density of many cellular organelles
      increased to the level observed in adults by term (147 DGA). Subcellular
      composition of type II cells of adult sheep differs from that reported for adult
      rats chiefly by the volume density of lamellar material within the cytoplasm.
      Plate-like or globe-like inclusions were present only in the type II cells of
      adults. Cytoplasmic extensions of the type II cell crossing the basal lamina were
      most abundant in the 132 and 138 DGA fetal sheep. Cytoplasmic extensions were
      rare in adults. We conclude that morphologic changes of the alveolar type II cell
      associated with gestational age follow a species-specific time course. In the
      sheep, this occurs during the later part of gestation and extends into the
      neonatal period. Morphologic and morphometric changes appear to correspond with
      cellular interactions between alveolar type II cells and mesenchymal cells of the
      interstitium.

PMID- 1416086
TI  - Retinal pigment epithelial fine structure in the velvet cichlid (Astronotus
      ocellatus).
AB  - The morphology of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), choriocapillaris and
      Bruch's membrane (complexus basalis) have been studied by light and electron
      microscopy in the velvet cichlid (Astronotus ocellatus). The RPE is composed of a
      single layer of large columnar cells. The basal (scleral) border of these cells
      is minimally infolded, whereas the apical (vitreal) surface displays numerous
      pigment-laden processes which in light-adaptation surround both rod and cone
      outer segments. Laterally the RPE cells are joined by a series of basally located
      tight junctions. Wandering phagocytes are a constant feature within this
      epithelial membrane. The RPE cells display a large, vesicular nucleus, numerous
      mitochondria, much smooth endoplasmic reticulum, polysomes, myeloid bodies,
      phagosomes and melanosomes. Rough endoplasmic reticulum is relatively scarce
      within these cells. Although only light-adapted specimens were examined, it is
      thought that the melanosomes are capable of extensive retinomotor movement. The
      endothelium of the choriocapillaris facing Bruch's membrane is typically very
      thin but shows few fenestrations. Bruch's membrane is typical of other teleost
      species in that it is composed of only three layers.

PMID- 1416085
TI  - Retinal photoreceptor fine structure in the velvet cichlid (Astronotus
      ocellatus).
AB  - The structure and arrangement of the retinal photoreceptors of the velvet cichlid
      fish (Astronotus ocellatus) have been studied by light and electron microscopy.
      Rods, single cones and double (twin) cones are present. In the light-adapted
      state, rods are very tall cells that reach deep into the retinal epithelial (RPE)
      layer. The long outer segment is composed of discs of uniform diameter displaying
      one or two incisures. The rod inner segment shows a distal ellipsoid of
      mitochondria, and then narrows dramatically in the myoid region. Rod nuclei are
      electron dense and located deep in the outer nuclear layer. Rod synaptic
      spherules are small and show two to three invaginated synaptic sites as well as
      superficial synapses. Single cones are similar to the individual members of a
      double cone and all display a short tapering outer segment, a large ellipsoid of
      mitochondria and a myoid rich in rough endoplasmic reticulum, polysomes, Golgi
      zones and autophagic vacuoles. Double cones have extensive subsurface cisternae
      along their entire contiguous surfaces. Cone nuclei are large and vesicular and
      located close to or through the external limiting membrane. The synaptic pedicles
      of cones are larger, more electron lucent, and display more invaginated (ribbon)
      synapses as well as conventional (superficial) synaptic sites than do the rod
      spherules. Rod photoreceptors certainly undergo retinomotor movements and it is
      probable that cones do as well. In the light-adapted state the cone
      photoreceptors are arranged in a repeating square mosaic pattern with one single
      cone surrounded by four double (twin) cones.

PMID- 1416087
TI  - The development of pericardial villi in the chick embryo.
AB  - The development of pericardial villi and their relation to the development of the
      cardiac surface was studied in chick embryos from the 3rd to 10th day of
      incubation by scanning electron microscopy. During the 3rd day of incubation
      (stage 14-17 HH) the coelomic epithelium covering the ventral wall of the sinus
      venosus forms villous protrusions. By the end of the 3rd day (stage 17 HH) these
      protrusions contact the dorsal wall of the heart, so that a secondary dorsal
      mesocardium is formed. This bridges the pericardial cavity between the ventral
      wall of the sinus venosus and the dorsal base of the ventricles. This sinu
      ventricular mesocardium exists only temporarily, as on the 8th day of incubation
      it becomes a part of the cardiac wall due to fusion with the epicardium of the
      coronary sulcus. During the 4th and 5th day of incubation (stage 17-25 HH), the
      formation of the epicardium proceeds from the point of attachment of the sinu
      ventricular mesocardium. Although these findings suggest that the epithelium of
      the villous protrusions spreads over the surface of the embryonic heart, one
      cannot exclude other hypotheses on epicardial origin. The impression of a
      spreading epicardium could also be created if epicardial cells were to delaminate
      from a local epithelium in a temporally and spatially organized pattern.

PMID- 1416088
TI  - Cellular distribution of the new growth factor pleiotrophin (HB-GAM) mRNA in
      developing and adult rat tissues.
AB  - Pleiotrophin (PTN), also known as HB-GAM, belongs to an emerging cytokine family
      unrelated to other growth factors. We report here the first comprehensive study
      using in situ hybridization on the cellular distribution of this new heparin
      binding growth factor mRNA in rat tissues. PTN mRNA was developmentally expressed
      in many--but not all--neuroectodermal and mesodermal lineages, whilst no PTN mRNA
      was detected in endoderm, ectoderm and trophoblast. PTN mRNA was found in the
      nervous system throughout development, with a post-natal peak of expression. In
      the adult nervous system, significant expression persisted in hippocampal CA1
      pyramidal neurons and in cortical neurons, but also in different non-neuronal
      cells types in various locations (olfactory nerve, cerebellar astrocytes,
      pituicytes, Schwann cells surrounding the neurons in sensory ganglia). PTN mRNA
      was also found during development in the mesenchyme of lung, gut, kidney and
      reproductive tract, in bone and cartilage progenitors, in dental pulp, in
      myoblasts, and in several other sites. Expression was differently regulated in
      each location, but usually faded around birth. In the adult, PTN mRNA was still
      present in the meninges, the iris, the Leydig cells of the testis and in the
      uterus. PTN mRNA was also strongly expressed in the basal layers of the tongue
      epithelium, which is the only epithelium and ectodermal derivative to express PTN
      mRNA, and this only after birth. PTN is known to be a growth factor for perinatal
      brain neurons and a mitogen for fibroblasts in vitro. Recently, trophic effects
      on epithelial cells and a role as a tumour growth factor have been reported. The
      mechanisms of regulation and the functions of PTN are however still uncertain.
      Its expression pattern during development suggests important roles in growth and
      differentiation. Moreover, the presence of PTN mRNA in several adult tissues and
      the up-regulation of PTN mRNA expression in the gravid uterus indicate that PTN
      also has physiological functions during adulthood.

PMID- 1416089
TI  - Bone and cartilage resorption in relation to tooth development in the anterior
      part of the mandible in cichlid fish: a light and TEM study.
AB  - This paper presents ultrastructural features of the contact region between
      particular tooth germs and Meckel's cartilage prior to, during, and after initial
      resorption of the perichondral bone and of the cartilage in the cichlids
      Hemichromis bimaculatus and Astatotilapia burtoni. Imminent resorption opposite
      such teeth is announced by the presence, in this region, of a particular cell
      type, considered to be a stage in the cytodifferentiation of osteoclasts.
      Slightly later, an osteoclast with typical ruffled border is seen to open a
      fenestra in the perichondral bone which surrounds Meckel's cartilage. Although
      the action of the osteoclast is directed primarily towards the bone, it may also
      affect, to a much lesser extent, the underlying uncalcified cartilage. Typically,
      fibroblast-like cells invade the resorption cavity along with the osteoclast; the
      tooth germ soon follows. Capillaries are seen to invade the cartilage only at a
      later stage when a large cavity has been established. It is proposed that the
      fibroblast-like cells may have a dual function: degradation of cartilage and
      deposition of new bone. Although these processes are normally limited to the area
      surrounding tooth germs at specific loci, tooth germs in other positions may
      sometimes be seen invade the cartilage. They do so either passively, because of
      the existence of such a cavity, or as a result of their own resorption-inducing
      activity. Whatever the mechanism, attachment bone is being deposited within the
      erosion cavity and on the surface of the exposed perichondral bone. The stimuli
      possibly eliciting resorption of Meckel's cartilage are discussed. It is
      hypothesized that pressure exerted by the growing tooth germ may stimulate the
      osteoblasts covering the bone surface and, in this way, provoke osteoclastic bone
      resorption.

PMID- 1416090
TI  - Fine structural characteristics of the zone of contact between the lower
      infundibular stem and the pituitary pars distalis in the little brown bat, Myotis
      lucifugus.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to examine the morphological characteristics of the
      pituitary gland in the little brown bat that might influence mechanisms of
      hypothalamic releasing hormone transport. Paraffin sections were prepared from
      whole crania to examine in situ the orientations of the three parts of the
      adenohypophysis (pars distalis, pars intermedia, and pars tuberalis) relative to
      the components of the neurohypophysis (pars nervosa and infundibular stem) and
      the basal hypothalamus. Of particular interest was the observation that the axis
      of the infundibular stem is directed posteriorly from the median eminence and
      occupies a depression in the dorsal surface of the pars distalis as it approaches
      the pars nervosa. Previous studies have revealed that neuronal projections
      containing releasing hormones extend into the infundibular stem in this species.
      Therefore, we conducted a fine structural study to determine whether the zone of
      contact between the infundibular stem and the pars distalis could represent a
      site of specialized interaction between hypophysiotropic hormones and their
      target cells. The results show that the sparse connective tissue along this
      boundary contains abundant fenestrated capillaries that are exposed on one side
      to neurosecretory axons and on the other to cells of the pars distalis.
      Furthermore, secretory cells nearest these capillaries exhibit ultrastructural
      evidence of heightened secretory activity. We conclude that the fine structural
      characteristics of this zone are consistent with localized mechanisms of
      releasing hormone transport.

PMID- 1416091
TI  - Quantitative morphology of the embryonic heart: an approach to development of the
      atrioventricular valves.
AB  - In 32 human embryos ranging from 4.0 to 42 mm CR-length, the volumes of the
      atrioventricular endocardial cushions and of the ventricular myocardium were
      estimated by the point counting method. The surface densities of the left and
      right ventricular apical trabeculations were estimated by the point and
      intersection counting method. It is concluded that the cushions do not grow after
      the 25 mm stage, by that time having reached the maximal value of 0.074 mm3. This
      supports the concept that the cushions do not materially contribute to the
      definitive atrioventricular valves. In young embryos, the left ventricular
      trabeculations are thicker (as concluded from their higher surface density) than
      the right ventricular trabeculations. Only around the 25 mm stage, the ratio
      becomes 1. After this stage, right ventricles have thicker trabeculations than
      left ventricles have. This supports the concept that the trabecular pattern is
      changed during the period of valve formation, which process is characterized by
      delamination of the inner myocardial layers.

PMID- 1416092
TI  - Development of the vestibular and auditory system of the northern native cat,
      Dasyurus hallucatus.
AB  - The developing vestibular and auditory system of the native cat Dasyurus
      hallucatus was examined from birth to day 55 postpartum to determine when the six
      sensory regions had an adult structure. The utricle, a sensory epithelium with an
      overlying discrete population of otoliths, was present in the newborn native cat.
      The saccule, which has a similar structure to the utricle, and the three crista
      ampullaris of the semicircular canals, were present by day 21 postpartum. The
      organ of Corti was formed by day 50 and the external ear duct was patent by day
      55 postpartum. Hair is first seen on the native cat by day 45 when the young
      first leave the pouch. They are left in the nest and travel on the back of the
      lactating mother until about day 80. The eyes open on approximately day 75. Thus,
      the native cat has fully functional visual, auditory, and vestibular systems when
      the juvenile leaves the nest.

PMID- 1416093
TI  - Anatomy and developmental chronology of the rat inferior alveolar nerve.
AB  - This report describes the anatomy of the inferior alveolar neurovascular bundle
      in the adult rat and provides a quantitative analysis of the developing inferior
      alveolar nerve (IAN). Soon after its entrance in the mandibular canal, the IAN
      splits into a mental nerve (MN) and an inferior dental nerve (IDN), which course
      in separate bony compartments. The MN passes unbranched through the mandibular
      canal. The IDN sends branches to the incisor, the first molar, and the second
      molar. The third molar (M3) is supplied by a separate IAN branch. The adult rat
      IAN contains 8,000-10,000 axons, 70% of which are myelinated. The MN accounts for
      70% of all IAN axons, the IDN 26%, and 4% form the M3 branch. The proportion of
      large myelinated axons is lower in the MN than in the IDN. Following chemical
      sympathectomy, the IAN axon number does not change in a statistically significant
      way. The total number of IAN axons, which is high prenatally and neonatally, has
      decreased to the adult level about 1 week after birth. De novo myelination
      commences at birth and is complete 3-4 weeks later. The size spectrum of the
      myelinated fibres is narrow and unimodal during the first postnatal weeks. By 1
      month, the largest fibres reach diameters of approximately 6 microns, and a
      bimodal pattern is emerging. From 3 months and on, the size range reaches up to
      10-12 microns, and the distribution is bimodal. These data provide a basis for
      further studies on developmental tooth-nerve interactions.

PMID- 1416094
TI  - Nuclear membrane modifications in polytene nuclei of Drosophila melanogaster:
      serial reconstruction and cytochemistry.
AB  - The nuclear envelope of polytene nuclei of salivary glands of Drosophila
      melanogaster displays modifications consisting of nuclear envelope invaginations
      (NEI) and evaginations (NEE). Ultrastructural analyses combined with three
      dimensional reconstruction and cytochemistry show that NEI are bounded by a
      single membrane and that they may arise as invaginations of the inner nuclear
      membrane. NEI extend deeply into the nucleus. The lumens of NEI may collapse
      resulting in membranous sheets which may combine with those arising from adjacent
      NEI to form intranuclear structures resembling annulate lamellae. All NEI are
      associated with NEE. In contrast to NEI, NEE are enclosed in a double membrane
      morphologically identical to the nuclear envelope. While NEI and NEE share wheat
      germ agglutinin binding properties with the nuclear envelope, they differ in
      their ability to localize lanthanum. Pore annuli of NEI display complete lack of
      lanthanum binding, while those of NEE exhibit minor deposition of this cation. In
      contrast, pore annuli of the nuclear envelope are specifically and significantly
      decorated by lanthanum. A conceptual model based on the results obtained suggests
      that NEI are formed by invaginations of the inner nuclear membrane, together with
      accompanying modifications of pore complexes.

PMID- 1416095
TI  - Lymphatic vessels of the human dental pulp in different conditions.
AB  - The characteristics of the lymphatic vessel endothelial wall have been
      investigated in human normal and inflamed dental pulps. In normal pulps the
      endothelial wall is characterized by the presence of micropinocytotic vesicles
      and intraparietal channels. In the inflamed pulpal tissue, where an increase in
      interstitial fluid pressure occurs, the distended endothelial wall presents open
      junctions between endothelial cells and the openings of the intraparietal
      channels. Moreover the micropinocytotic vesicles disappear. The cytoplasm of the
      endothelial cells is characterized by the presence of numerous Weibel-Palade
      bodies, which increase in number in the dilated vessels. In the fibrillar
      apparatus surrounding the lymphatic vessel wall collagen fibrils are the
      prevalent component, while elastic fibers are not present. The different
      morphological properties of the lymphatic vessels are compared and discussed with
      regard to the variation of the functional conditions of the tissue.

PMID- 1416096
TI  - Capillaries measured in canine diaphragm by two methods.
AB  - We have measured capillary distribution in costal and crural canine diaphragm
      using two methods: histochemical processing and perfusion fixation. Each of 18
      dogs was deeply anesthetized, the abdomen opened, and the left inferior phrenic
      artery cannulated. The animal was heparinized and overdosed with pentobarbital.
      The right hemidiaphragm was frozen, either postexcision (Protocol 1) or intact
      with no preload (Protocol 2), for histochemical processing. The left
      hemidiaphragm was fixed by perfusion in situ using 2% glutaraldehyde, either with
      preload (Protocol 1) or without (Protocol 2). Costal and crural regions of each
      hemidiaphragm were sampled for analysis. Frozen samples were sectioned and
      processed for acid-stable (pH 4.0) ATPase activity; perfusion-fixed samples were
      postfixed, stained, embedded in Epon, and sectioned. Measurements were made using
      a digital imaging system. We found that muscle fibers had smaller cross-sectional
      areas in costal than in crural diaphragm; capillary-to-fiber ratio (C:F) did not
      differ by region and regional differences in capillary density could be
      attributed to differences in fiber size. Results depended critically on
      methodology. In perfusion-fixed muscle, fiber area was less, C:F was greater, and
      capillary density was greater than in histochemically-processed tissue. We
      conclude that capillary distribution is similar in costal vs. crural diaphragm
      and that perfusion fixation identifies capillaries more effectively than
      histochemistry.

PMID- 1416097
TI  - Immobilization-induced muscle atrophy is not reversed by lengthening the muscle.
AB  - In clinical practice, repaired tendocalcaneus (Achilles tendon) ruptures are
      often protected in immobilization casts for 4 weeks in the fully plantar flexed
      position and for up to another 4 weeks after returning the ankle to joint
      neutral. Moderate to severe muscle atrophy occurs within 4 weeks of
      immobilization in plantar flexion, but it is not known if this atrophy is
      minimized or reversed following restoration of joint neutral position. We tested
      the hypothesis that the extent of atrophy could be reduced by returning the ankle
      to joint neutral after 4 weeks of immobilization. Eighteen rabbits were
      anesthetized, and their right hind-limbs were casted with the knee flexed 90
      degrees and the ankle fully plantar flexed. Three animals each were studied after
      3, 4, 6, or 8 weeks of immobilization. After 4 weeks of immobilization, the
      immobilization casts of the remaining six rabbits were modified to return the
      ankle to joint neutral for another 2 or 4 weeks. For muscle studies, the animals
      were anesthetized, and the soleus (SOL), plantaris (PLN), and gastrocnemius (GST)
      muscles were removed and weighed; the SOL and PLN were quick frozen and processed
      for histochemical fiber typing and fiber cross-sectional area measurement. All
      three muscles showed significantly reduced muscle weight to body weight ratios
      after 3 weeks of immobilization. SOL was the most affected, and GST was least
      affected. There was no significant further atrophy through 8 weeks of
      immobilization. The atrophy correlated with a significant reduction of mean fiber
      area (MFA) for Types I, IIo, and IIc fibers in SOL and PLN. In PLN, Type IIg
      fiber area was not significantly reduced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416098
TI  - Effect of cyproterone acetate on structure and function of rhesus monkey
      reproductive organs.
AB  - A low dose of Cyproterone acetate (CPA; 1 mg/kg body weight/day for 70 days) was
      administered to adult male rhesus monkeys to assess its effects on testicular and
      epididymal structure and function in a nonhuman primate species. CPA caused
      extensive degenerative changes in morphology of seminiferous, efferent duct, and
      epididymal epithelia, including decrease in diameter of seminiferous and
      epididymal tubules and their lumen, height of epididymal epithelium, and an
      increase in intertubular connective tissue. The protein profile of spermatozoa
      showed alterations during their epididymal transit in control and CPA-treated
      monkeys. In CPA-treated animals, 19 polypeptides were acquired and nine were
      eliminated during epididymal transit in contrast to acquisition of 12 and loss of
      14 polypeptides in control animals. Treatment with CPA also resulted in the
      appearance of 14 new polypeptides in epididymal cytosol and luminal fluid,
      probably of lysosomal origin. The protein pattern of caput and cauda epididymal
      tubule cytosol, maintained in organ culture and exposed to 100 microM CPA for 3
      days, showed absence of eight polypeptides. These results indicate that even at
      the low dose used in this study, CPA has caused spermatogenic arrest,
      degenerative changes in the epididymal structure, and alterations in epididymal
      and sperm protein profile. Suppression of serum testosterone levels indicates the
      need for androgen supplementation if CPA is to be used for male contraception.

PMID- 1416099
TI  - Reproduction in a South American mouse, Abrothrix longipilis.
AB  - Approximately 700 Abrothrix longipilis were trapped in Argentina, and their
      reproductive organs were studied. Some were kept briefly in captivity. Males have
      the same body length as females but are 8% heavier. Sexually immature males are
      shorter and lighter than breeding males of the same age. Few individuals in the
      wild live as long as two years. All overwintering males come into breeding
      condition in the spring and become infertile in the autumn. All overwintering
      females have open vaginas in the spring, and most undergo several infertile
      ovulatory cycles, probably without copulating, before they become pregnant.
      Corpora lutea of the sterile cycles accumulate; there may be as many as 28 in a
      pair of ovaries. The average number of ova shed per cycle is 4.66; average litter
      size is 3.85. Ovulation is spontaneous. There is postpartum ovulation and
      fertilization without intervening sterile cycles but with maintenance of old
      corpora lutea. Unusual architecture of the penis and vagina may result from
      unusual timing of hormone production during development, and the disjunction of
      ovulation and fertilization may similarly result from hormonal heterochrony at
      the beginning of the breeding season. The apparently nonadaptive wastage of ova
      in sterile cycles may be a novel example of kin selection.

PMID- 1416100
TI  - Macrostructure differences of polar fox and dog lungs.
AB  - The lungs of the polar fox and dog have the typical form and lobular structure
      characteristic of beasts of prey. Both display secondary fusion of the cranial
      and middle lobes in the left lung, but this is more extensive in the fox. A
      consistent relationship between the beast body mass and the mass and volume of
      the lungs is present. The relative weight of dog lungs independent of body size
      (weight index) is 1.7 times that of the polar fox. In the latter the parenchyma
      is much more subdivided than in the dog. There are 23 segments per lung pair in
      the polar fox, compared to 19 in the dog. Although these are of unequal size
      throughout the lungs of both species, corresponding segments in the fox are about
      half as large as those in the dog. The greater segmentation of polar fox lungs
      may be of assistance in restricting the spread of inflammatory processes.

PMID- 1416102
TI  - Fibroblast-mediated collagen gel contraction does not require fibronectin-alpha 5
      beta 1 integrin interaction.
AB  - Fibroblasts cultured within free-floating collagen gels can bind to and
      reorganize the surrounding collagen fibrils into a more dense and compact
      arrangement. Collagen gel contraction provides an in vitro model for studying
      fibroblast-collagen interactions important in wound healing, fibrosis, scar
      contraction, and connective tissue morphogenesis. We have assessed the role of
      fibronectin and its interaction with the alpha 5 beta 1 "high affinity"
      fibronectin-specific integrin receptor in collagen gel contraction. A variety of
      agents, which specifically inhibit fibronectin-alpha 5 beta 1 interactions, were
      tested for their abilities to inhibit fibroblast-mediated collagen gel
      contraction. These included anti-alpha 5 beta 1 monoclonal antibodies, the
      synthetic peptide GRGDSP, the cell adhesive fragment of fibronectin, and an
      antibody against the cell adhesive region of fibronectin. None of these agents
      inhibited collagen gel contraction. Therefore, it is concluded that fibronectin
      alpha 5 beta 1 interactions are not necessary for collagen gel contraction.
      However, collagen gel contraction is dependent on a member or members of the beta
      1 subfamily of integrin matrix receptors. A polyclonal antiserum and a monoclonal
      antibody, both directed against the beta 1 subunit of integrin matrix receptors,
      inhibited the spreading of fibroblasts in the collagen gel and inhibited collagen
      gel contraction. This study demonstrates that fibroblast-mediated collagen gel
      contraction is independent of fibronectin-alpha 5 beta 1 interactions but
      dependent on an interaction of beta 1 integrin matrix receptors with collagen
      fibers.

PMID- 1416101
TI  - Morphogenetic and functional activity of type II cells in early fetal rhesus
      monkey lungs. A comparison between primates and rodents.
AB  - To evaluate further the role of type II alveolar epithelial cells in primate lung
      development, lungs of fetal (46 to 155 days gestational age [DGA]), postnatal,
      and adult rhesus monkeys were investigated with antibodies against surfactant
      protein A (SP-A), Alcian blue (AB) staining, and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)
      staining with/without alpha-amylase pre-treatment. In adult and postnatal lungs,
      type II cells (cuboid shape; large, roundish nucleus) displayed a unique
      cytoplasmic staining for SP-A. In prenatal lungs, a low-columnar to cuboid type
      of cell with a large, roundish nucleus was first detectable by 62 DGA. It was the
      only cell type to line the distalmost tubules or buds of the prospective
      respiratory tract. It exhibited (initially partial) cytoplasmic staining for SP
      A. AB and PAS stainings showed the presence of acid glycoconjugates and large
      apical and/or basal glycogen fields. After 95 DGA, the lining of the distal
      respiratory tract additionally displayed flatter cells with immunoreactivity for
      SP-A and non-reactive zones. Columnar epithelium (pseudostratified or simple)
      never stained for SP-A. We conclude that morphologically identifiable type II
      cells first appear in fetal rhesus monkey lungs by 62 DGA (pseudoglandular
      period). The cells may already synthesize surfactant and extracellular matrix
      components. They generate type I cells, and thus the entire pulmonary acinus
      lining. These conclusions for the rhesus monkey fully agree with our earlier
      conclusions for another primate, the human, and for rodents. However, as
      presently shown, primates differ greatly from rodents with respect to the timing
      of type II cell differentiation (at 29-38% versus 73-75% of gestation or at 22
      25% versus 48-49% of prenatal lung development).

PMID- 1416103
TI  - Blood cells of the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.): light and electron
      microscopic studies.
AB  - The peripheral blood cells of the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) were
      studied by light and transmission and scanning electron microscopic methods.
      Acidophilic erythroblasts and mature erythrocytes, round, oval, and fusiform
      thrombocytes, neutrophils, acidophils and basophils, lymphocytes, plasma cells,
      and monocyte-macrophages were characterized. A comparison of our light and
      electron microscopic results was carried out. The results were discussed with
      those for other fish species and the main modifications from the common
      vertebrate haematological pattern observed being considered.

PMID- 1416104
TI  - Effects of daily administration of prostaglandin E2 and its withdrawal on the
      lumbar vertebral bodies in male rats.
AB  - The effects of daily prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) treatment (on) and PGE2 treatment
      followed by withdrawal (on-off) on cancellous bone in lumbar vertebral bodies
      were studied in 7-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats. The first groups of rats
      were given daily subcutaneous injections of 0, 1, 3, and 6 mg PGE2/kg/d for 60,
      120, and 180 days, and the second group of rats were given PGE2 for 60 days
      followed by withdrawal for 60 and 120 days. Histomorphometric analyses were
      performed on double-fluorescent labeled undecalcified sections of fourth lumbar
      vertebral bodies. Systemic PGE2 treatment elevated cancellous bone mass of lumbar
      vertebral bodies 26-60% above control levels within 60 days and continued
      treatment maintained it for another 120 days, but the excess bone was lost after
      the treatment was withdrawn. PGE2 treatment for 60 days increased trabecular bone
      area, trabecular width, and bone formation parameters, and shortened remodeling
      periods in a dose-response manner. These changes were sustained at the levels
      achieved by 60-day treatment in the rats treated for 120 and 180 days. The eroded
      perimeter increased at day 60 and further at day 120 and then plateaued. In the
      on-off treated rats, the cancellous bone area, bone formation, and resorption
      parameters returned to near age-related controls by 60 days after withdrawal and
      were maintained there after 120 days of withdrawal. Therefore we conclude that
      the continuous treatment is needed in order to maintain the PGE2-induced bone
      gain. When these findings were compared to those previously reported for the
      proximal tibial metaphyses, we found that the proximal tibial spongiosa was much
      more responsive to PGE2 treatment than the fourth lumbar vertebral body.

PMID- 1416105
TI  - Differences in fiber number and fiber type proportion within fascicles. A
      quantitative morphological study of whole vastus lateralis muscle from childhood
      to old age.
AB  - Data are presented on the number of fibers and the proportion of different fiber
      types within fascicles of whole vastus lateralis muscles from 5 male children, 5
      to 15 years of age, and compared with results from 25 male adults, middle aged
      and old individuals. The results verify a difference in the proportion of fibers
      with different properties within a fascicle. The proportion of type 2 (fast
      twitch) fibers on the border of fascicles is larger than the proportion
      internally: the children have (P less than 0.01) greater difference than the
      adults and the middle aged, whereas the old have (P less than 0.001) less
      difference than the other age groups. The mean number of fibers per fascicle
      increases (P less than 0.05) from childhood to adult age, and thereafter reduces
      (P less than 0.01). The results imply that fascicles continuously rearrange
      during the normal growth and development and the normal aging process. It is
      argued that the causes of the difference in fiber type proportions within
      fascicles are local factors in the muscle, secondary to the overall age related
      functional demands put on the fiber population.

PMID- 1416106
TI  - Morphology of the bile ducts of the brook lamprey, Lampetra lamottenii (Le Sueur)
      before and during infection with the nematode, Truttaedacnitis stelmioides
      (Vessichelli, 1910) (Nematoda: Cucullanidae).
AB  - Routine light microscopy and transmission and scanning electron microscopy were
      used to describe and compare the biliary tree of larval Lampetra lamottenii
      before and during infestation of the bile ducts with the nematode,
      Truttaedacnitis stelmioides. The most prominent changes to the biliary tree
      following infection by the parasite are the dilation of the bile ducts,
      alterations to their epithelial cells, and an increase in periductal fibrous
      tissue. In recently infected animals, the simple epithelium of dilated bile ducts
      often contains many mitotic figures. In long-term infestations, the epithelium is
      stratified or pseudostratified. Changes to the fine structure of the biliary
      epithelial cells include increase and/or dilation of the RER and SER, and
      increases in microfilaments, intermediate filaments, and microtubules. The
      abundance of dense bodies may reflect enhance reabsorption of biliary
      constituents, and their accumulation may ultimately result in cytolysis. There
      are increased mucous granules in the apical cytoplasm of biliary epithelial cells
      and an abundance of mucinous material within the bile duct lumen, and the basal
      lamina appears thickened. The changes to the liver of L. lamottenii following
      infection are discussed and compared to those reported in small mammals following
      bile duct ligation, in patients with extrahepatic biliary obstruction, and in
      parasitic infection of the biliary tree.

PMID- 1416107
TI  - Immunocytochemical localization of rat intestinal 15 kDa protein, a member of
      cytoplasmic fatty acid-binding proteins.
AB  - Rat intestinal 15 kDa protein (I-15P) is a member of the family of cytoplasmic
      fatty acid-binding proteins. Using a specific antiserum against I-15P, we studied
      the tissue distribution and subcellular localization of this protein in the
      entire rat body. By immunoblot analysis of cytosolic proteins, I-15P was detected
      not only in the distal portion of small intestine but also in the ovary and
      adrenal gland. Immunohistochemically, I-15P was localized to the absorptive
      epithelial cells as well as a subpopulation of enterochromaffin cells in the
      intestine, the lutein cells in the ovary, and subpopulations of cortical cells in
      the adrenal gland. Furthermore, I-15P-like immunoreactivity was also demonstrated
      in the surface mucous cells of stomach and the granular convoluted tubule cells
      of submandibular gland. Immuno-electron microscopy showed that the
      immunoreactivity was confined to the cytoplasmic matrix region, except in the
      enterochromaffin cells and granular convoluted tubule cells, where it was
      localized in the secretory granules. The present findings suggest that I-15P
      plays a role in the cellular metabolism of steroids.

PMID- 1416108
TI  - In vivo monastral blue-induced lamellar-bodies in lysosomes of pulmonary
      intravascular macrophages (PIMs) of bovine lung: implications of the surface
      coat.
AB  - We previously reported that the pulmonary intravascular macrophages (PIMs) of
      sheep, goat, and calf lung contained a heparin and a lipolytic lipase sensitive
      surface coat by using tannic acid as a component of paraformaldehyde
      glutaraldehyde-based fixative. The implication of this sensitivity was that the
      surface coat was predominantly comprised of lipoprotein-like substance. In this
      study we report that monastral blue (MB) used as a vascular tracer interacted
      with the coat globules and lost its original particulate appearance. Its precise
      localization in the PIMs was in combination with altered macromolecules of the
      surface coat in the form of lipid droplets, which conformed to the conventional
      view of neutral lipids. In contrast, pigment particles examined in their native
      state resembled metallic particles as electron-dense elliptical rods. The lipid
      droplets were subsequently internalized through endocytic route and found their
      access into the lysosomal compartments of PIMs at the electron microscopic level.
      Lamellar bodies (LLBs) arose from the lysosomal matrix after the entry of lipid
      droplets in the secondary lysosomes. Acid phosphatase activity was located in
      secondary lysosomes as well as in endosomes. These observations suggest that coat
      granules of the PIMs acted as a carrier of exogenous MB particles to deliver the
      complex to the lysosomal compartment where partial digestion lead to the
      formation of lamellar bodies. The implications of MB (cationic dye) as a vascular
      tracer for studying phagocytic index of PIMs in the light of their coat and the
      rapid development of LLBs are discussed. It is proposed that MB by initially
      combining with the surface coat provokes mobilization of intracellular lipid
      pools. In this way metabolism of vasoactive lipid in the PIMs is stimulated to
      influence the dynamics of pulmonary circulation in the calves.

PMID- 1416109
TI  - Anatomical study of the bronchial system and major blood vessels of the chicken
      lung (Gallus gallus) by means of a three-dimensional scale model.
AB  - The bronchial and vascular patterns of the chicken lung, from specimens age 8-10
      days, have been studied by serial, paraffin sections of the whole organ.
      According to the histological structure, the bronchial system consists of three
      airway types: primary bronchus or mesobronchus, secondary bronchi, and tertiary
      bronchi or parabronchi. The mesobronchus gives rise to three sets of secondary
      bronchi: four dorsomedial, four dorsal, and three lateral ones. The total number
      of secondary bronchi is 11, which is less than the number reported in adult birds
      by other authors until now. Nevertheless, the number and distribution of the
      major vessels, arteries and veins are in basic agreement with previous
      descriptions.

PMID- 1416110
TI  - SEM of capillary pericytes prepared by ultrasonic microdissection: evidence for
      the existence of a pericapillary syncytium.
AB  - Retia mirabile of the eel swimbladder were exsanguinated, perfusion-fixed and
      subjected to prolonged osmication. They were then microdissected by
      ultrasonication which delaminated the capillary bed along planes which revealed
      the surfaces of arterial and venous capillaries. This procedure resulted in
      cleaned capillary surfaces largely free of connective tissue elements and
      basement membrane material. The arterial capillary segments were heavily invested
      with pericytes characterized by plump cell bodies containing nuclei and an
      extensive system of processes encircling the capillary wall. These processes
      exhibited a hierarchical organization consisting of primary, secondary, and
      tertiary elements arising roughly at right angles to each other. Primary and
      secondary processes exhibited frequent anastomoses and resulted in cytoplasmic
      continuity between adjacent cell bodies. Processes were also observed to form
      connections between pericytes on adjacent capillaries. These observations are
      evidence for the existence of a pericapillary syncytium in which cell bodies may
      be connected in series and in parallel throughout the arterial capillary bed.
      This syncytial organization would provide for a coordinated and global
      contractile response of pericytes to vasoactive hormones and other effectors. It
      may also provide for synchrony of nuclear division during developmental spread of
      pericytes along capillary surfaces.

PMID- 1416111
TI  - Structure and dynamics of adrenal mitochondria following stimulation with
      corticotropin releasing hormone.
AB  - The mitochondria of rat adrenals were investigated qualitatively and
      quantitatively in different functional states of the adrenal cortex. Following
      stimulation of the animals with corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH), the
      corticosterone serum levels reached a maximum 1 hour after stimulation with CRH.
      The amount of inner mitochondrial membrane within the zona fasciculata increased
      showing a biphasic time course, with a first maximum 2 hours and a second maximum
      8 hours after stimulation. In contrast, a significant rise of mitochondrial
      volume occurred only 24 hours after CRH stimulation. Therefore, the dense
      vesicularization of mitochondrial cristae may constitute an early process to
      enhance the steroidogenic capacity of these cells. Within cells of the transition
      zone between zona glomerulosa and zona fasciculata, we could depict a special
      type of mitochondria with characteristic crescent-like cristae only seen after
      stimulation with CRH. This type of mitochondria may represent an intermediate
      form between mitochondria of zona glomerulosa and zona fasciculata underlining
      the impressive transformational capacity of adrenocortical mitochondria. After
      hypophysectomy, zona fasciculata cells contained mitochondria with tubular inner
      membranes, representing a hypofunctional state. In contrast, the hypofunctional
      state after hypophysectomy and the hyperfunctional state after stimulation of the
      adrenal cortex via CRH injection did not appear to correlate with the morphology
      of mitochondria from the zona reticularis and adrenal medulla.

PMID- 1416112
TI  - Transplantation of fetal mouse colon under the kidney capsule of an adult mouse:
      a model for the study of colonic development.
AB  - Fourteen-day fetal mouse colon was transplanted under the kidney capsule of an
      adult mouse to determine whether this system could be used as a model of
      embryonic colonic development. The 14-day fetal colon was transplanted and left
      for a period of 7 days. Comparisons of the normal one day postnatal colon and the
      transplanted colon were made morphologically and morphometrically. It was found
      that the transplanted fetal colon resembled its postnatal counterpart with
      respect to morphology; the cell types seen in the transplanted colon were similar
      to those observed in the in situ colon of the same age. However, morphometric
      analysis showed that the transplanted colon was significantly smaller than its
      postnatal counterpart, suggesting that conditions in the host were not optimal to
      support the full growth of the colon. In spite of this, it appears that the fetal
      colon can differentiate normally under the kidney capsule and this model can be
      used to study both epithelial-mesenchymal interactions and the role of hormones
      in fetal colonic development.

PMID- 1416113
TI  - Coronary artery development in the chick: origin and deployment of smooth muscle
      cells, and the effects of neural crest ablation.
AB  - Previous studies of coronary artery ontogeny have stressed early development and
      therefore have dwelt mainly upon the origin of the endothelium of the nascent
      coronary artery stem. This study has analyzed the ontogeny of the vascular smooth
      muscle cells (VSMC) in the coronary arteries of the domestic chicken, by
      establishing the timing and deployment of smooth muscle alpha-actin (SMAA). Anti
      SMAA was applied to sections of normal embryos, and to sections of experimental
      embryos that had undergone surgical ablation of the neural crest over somites 1
      3. The results show an orderly symmetrical deployment of SMAA in control coronary
      arteries. SMAA was expressed significantly earlier in the coronary artery VSMC
      compared with those of the cardiac outflow vessels; this early expression may
      indicate a unique responsiveness to induction of the smooth muscle phenotype. The
      normal orderly development of coronary artery VSMC was dependent upon the
      presence of the neural crest, and therefore was disrupted in the experimental
      embryos whose neural crest was ablated.

PMID- 1416114
TI  - Anemia, hemodilution, and oxygen delivery.

PMID- 1416115
TI  - Effect of preoperative normovolemic hemodilution on left ventricular segmental
      wall motion during abdominal aortic surgery.
AB  - Preoperative normovolemic hemodilution (PNH) has been proposed for patients
      scheduled to undergo aortic surgery. Coronary artery disease is frequent in these
      patients. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of PNH on hemodynamics
      and segmental wall motion (SWM) evaluated by transesophageal echocardiography in
      such patients. Twenty patients with coronary artery disease were allocated
      randomly to either PNH or no PNH; PNH was performed after anesthetic induction
      using dextran 60,000. Patients were operated on under general anesthesia and
      monitored intraoperatively with electrocardiographic lead CM5, radial and
      pulmonary artery catheters, and transesophageal echocardiography positioned to
      obtain a short-axis view. Hemodynamic and transesophageal echocardiographic data
      were collected after anesthetic induction and after PNH, before and 5 min after
      aortic clamping, after unclamping, and at the end of surgery. Aortic clamping
      induced a significant increase in systemic vascular resistance and arteriovenous
      difference in oxygen and a decrease in cardiac index (P < 0.05), but the effect
      of aortic clamping was inversely related to hemodilution. The SWM score (graded
      from 1 = normal to 5 = dyskinesia) was significantly increased after aortic
      clamping, mainly in the anterior segment (P < 0.05). Four patients in the control
      (no PNH) group and one in the PNH group developed new SWM abnormalities
      indicative of myocardial ischemia during surgery (P = NS). This study suggests
      that PNH may improve hemodynamic tolerance to aortic clamping in patients with
      coronary artery disease. The observed changes in SWM indicate that PNH may not
      worsen myocardial ischemia in patients scheduled to undergo aortic surgery.

PMID- 1416116
TI  - Splanchnic hemodynamics and oxygen supply during acute normovolemic hemodilution
      alone and with isoflurane-induced hypotension in the anesthetized pig.
AB  - Safety of combined hemodilution and isoflurane-induced hypotension was assessed
      by studying their effects on splanchnic hemodynamics and oxygenation in nine
      anesthetized (ketamine/flunitrazepam) pigs. Acute normovolemic hemodilution
      (decrease in hematocrit from 29% to 15%) with 6% hydroxyethyl starch decreased (P
      < 0.05) O2 delivery despite increases in cardiac output and all splanchnic flows,
      as measured by electromagnetic flow probes. Superimposed isoflurane (1.45% end
      tidal concentrations) caused marked decreases in arterial blood pressure, cardiac
      output, and splanchnic flows. Oxygen uptake of the liver became O2 supply
      dependent. A liver surface PO2 histogram (Clark-type electrode) showed 38% of PO2
      values between 0 and 5 mm Hg. Hepatic lactate uptake decreased by 75%. These data
      suggest that depression of cardiovascular function during reduced O2-carrying
      capacity adversely affects hepatic perfusion, oxygenation, and function. Combined
      hemodilution and isoflurane-induced hypotension may not be appropriate in
      patients.

PMID- 1416117
TI  - Greater neuromuscular blocking potency of atracurium during hypothermic than
      during normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass.
AB  - Previous studies drew attention to the greater neuromuscular blocking potency of
      atracurium during, than before or after, hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB)
      while disregarding the periods of normothermic perfusion. We recorded the evoked
      twitch tension in 15 patients during nitrous oxide/narcotic anesthesia who were
      undergoing open heart surgery. Atracurium was injected as an initial bolus dose
      of 460 micrograms/kg. Waning neuromuscular blockade was enhanced by repeat
      injections of 138 micrograms/kg whenever the twitch tension attained 25% of
      control. During hypothermic (< 32 degrees C) and normothermic (> 34 degrees C)
      CPB, the times of onset of the maintenance doses were 57% and 18% longer,
      respectively, than before CPB (P < 0.05). Maintenance doses of atracurium were
      required every 24 +/- 4 min (mean +/- SD) before CPB, every 45 +/- 8 min (P <
      0.05) during hypothermia, every 22 +/- 3 min during normothermic perfusion, and
      every 23 +/- 3 min after CPB. In conclusion, the patients' changing demand of
      atracurium paralleled the changes of temperature rather than the institution and
      cessation of CPB.

PMID- 1416118
TI  - Effects of surgical stress and volatile anesthetics on left ventricular global
      and regional function in patients with coronary artery disease. Evaluation by
      computer-assisted two-dimensional quantitative transesophageal echocardiography.
AB  - We investigated the effects of halothane, enflurane, and isoflurane on central
      hemodynamics and left ventricular global and regional function when used to
      control intraoperative hypertension in 39 patients with coronary artery disease.
      Left ventricular short-axis, midpapillary images were obtained by transesophageal
      echocardiography. Using a centerline algorithm, we analyzed left ventricular
      images for global area ejection fraction (GAEF) and segmental area ejection
      fraction (SAEF). The SAEF/GAEF ratio was calculated for each of eight segments.
      Measurements were performed after induction of anesthesia but before skin
      incision; 1 min after sternotomy; and during administration of the inhaled
      anesthetic. The increase in arterial blood pressure during sternotomy was due to
      an increase in vascular resistance accompanied by increases in heart rate and
      filling pressures while GAEF decreased. No changes in the SAEF/GAEF ratio
      appeared during sternotomy. The inhaled anesthetics restored arterial blood
      pressure by a similar decrease in vascular resistance. Isoflurane caused an
      increase in cardiac index that was not seen with halothane or enflurane
      (halothane vs isoflurane, P < 0.05). The GAEF was decreased by halothane but
      unaffected by isoflurane and enflurane (halothane vs enflurane; P < 0.05).
      Isoflurane induced a decrease in the SAEF/GAEF ratios of two segments
      corresponding to the inferolateral wall of the left ventricle that was, in one of
      these segments, significantly more pronounced compared with both halothane and
      enflurane. Halothane or enflurane did not cause any change in regional wall
      motion. We conclude that isoflurane is more likely to cause regional wall motion
      changes than halothane or enflurane in patients with coronary artery disease.

PMID- 1416119
TI  - Effects of halothane and quinidine on intracardiac conduction and QTc interval in
      pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs.
AB  - To confirm in vitro data that halothane and quinidine depressed cardiac
      conduction and prolonged action potential (AP) duration, the electrocardiogram
      and His bundle electrogram were recorded in dogs during basal pentobarbital
      anesthesia, after 1% halothane or quinidine (2.38 +/- 0.22 micrograms/mL serum
      concentration [mean +/- SEM]), or both. Purkinje fibers from a second dog were
      superfused with blood from the intact (support) dog, and APs were recorded. In
      the intact dogs, 1% halothane caused no changes in the electrocardiogram or His
      bundle electrogram. Quinidine prolonged QRS duration, QT interval, and rate
      corrected QT (P < 0.05). Ventricular conduction (HS interval) slowed, and atrial
      effective refractory period increased (P < 0.05). Quinidine combined with
      halothane widened QRS, QT, and rate-corrected QT, prolonged the HS interval, and
      increased the vulnerability of the atrioventricular node to conduction block.
      Three of 20 dogs developed torsades de pointes-type ventricular tachycardia
      during simultaneous quinidine and halothane administration. In cross-superfused
      Purkinje fibers, the AP duration to 50% repolarization was shortened, and
      conduction time was prolonged by 1% halothane (both P < 0.05). Quinidine
      decreased AP amplitude, prolonged AP duration to 90% repolarization, and slowed
      conduction (P < 0.05). Quinidine combined with halothane decreased AP amplitude,
      and prolonged both AP duration to 90% repolarization and conduction (P < 0.05).
      When 1% halothane and therapeutic concentrations of quinidine are administered in
      dogs, depressed conduction and an acquired long QT syndrome with malignant
      ventricular arrhythmias may develop.

PMID- 1416120
TI  - Differences in pH management and pulsatile/nonpulsatile perfusion during
      cardiopulmonary bypass do not influence renal function.
AB  - The renal effects of pulsatile (pulse pressure 18.0 +/- 1.5 mm Hg [mean +/- SEM])
      or nonpulsatile perfusion (mean pulse pressure 1.9 +/- 0.4 mm Hg) during either
      alpha-stat (mean PaCO2 41.2 +/- 0.9 mm Hg measured at 37 degrees C) or pH-stat
      (mean PaCO2 60.6 +/- 1.7 mm Hg measured at 37 degrees C) pH management of
      hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were studied in 100 patients undergoing
      elective coronary artery bypass surgery. Mean urine output, fractional excretion
      of sodium and potassium, and renal failure index all increased during the study
      period; however, there was no difference among the four different CPB management
      groups. Mean postoperative creatinine and blood urea nitrogen values decreased
      compared with preoperative values, again without differences among treatment
      groups. Three patients developed acute renal insufficiency; of these, two had
      received nonpulsatile perfusion and pH-stat management, and the other had been
      managed with pulsatile perfusion and pH-stat management. These three patients all
      had undergone prolonged CPB and required at least two vasoactive drugs and the
      use of an intraaortic balloon pump to be weaned from CPB. In patients with normal
      preoperative renal function undergoing hypothermic CPB, neither the mode of
      perfusion, pulsatile or nonpulsatile, nor the method of pH management, pH-stat or
      alpha-stat, influences perioperative renal function.

PMID- 1416121
TI  - Effects of sodium L-lactate and sodium racemic lactate on intraoperative acid
      base status.
AB  - Lactated Ringer's solution is frequently used to avoid metabolic acidosis during
      fluid resuscitation. The standard lactated Ringer's solution contains racemic
      lactate, an equal mixture of the D- and L-stereoisomers. We investigated whether
      sodium L-lactate or sodium racemic lactate (DL-lactate) is more effective for
      increasing buffering capacity in body fluids. For the purpose of this comparison,
      Ringer's solutions containing no lactate, sodium L-lactate, or racemic lactate at
      a concentration of 84 mEq/L (three times more than the ordinary level) were
      infused in patients under general anesthesia during tympanoplasty. Although
      differences occurred among the three groups in blood concentrations of L-lactate,
      D-lactate, and the L-lactate/pyruvate ratio, no differences occurred between the
      two lactate groups in either bicarbonate ion concentration or base excess. The
      amount of buffering capacity increased significantly in both lactate groups,
      compared with preinfusion levels, and was more than the values in the nonlactated
      Ringer's solution group. We conclude that sodium racemic lactate is metabolized
      at nearly the same rate as that of sodium L-lactate.

PMID- 1416122
TI  - A comparison of the effects of propofol and nitrous oxide on the
      electroencephalogram in epileptic patients during conscious sedation for dental
      procedures.
AB  - The influence of sedative doses of propofol or nitrous oxide on the
      electroencephalogram was studied in 11 mentally handicapped patients with treated
      epilepsy undergoing dental procedures. At one session, propofol was titrated to
      achieve conscious sedation. The mean (+/- SD) dose requirements were 5.5 +/- 1.1
      mg.kg-1.h-1. In six patients, the electroencephalogram was unchanged during
      propofol administration. In three patients, there was a decrease in epileptic
      activity, and in two patients, paroxysmal discharges disappeared. At another
      session, nitrous oxide was administered by nasal mask. The mean (+/- SD)
      concentration of nitrous oxide needed was 43.6% +/- 4.8%. The
      electroencephalogram did not change in nine patients, whereas in two patients
      epileptic activity decreased. There were no clinical epileptoid or other adverse
      manifestations during any treatment or up to 48 h thereafter. The results of the
      present study suggest that propofol or nitrous oxide can be administered in
      subanesthetic doses for conscious sedation in mentally handicapped patients with
      treated epilepsy.

PMID- 1416123
TI  - Venous air embolism in prone dogs positioned with the abdomen hanging freely:
      percentage of gas retrieved and success rate of resuscitation.
AB  - Based on reports of fatal venous air embolism (VAE) occurring during lumbar
      laminectomy and spinal fusion in prone patients positioned with the abdomen
      hanging freely, it has been recommended that monitoring for VAE should be used
      for such cases and that a multiorificed central venous catheter should be
      inserted for aspiration of VAE. The present study was designed to examine
      aspiration of VAE when prone dogs positioned with the abdomen hanging freely were
      given a fatal VAE via a femoral vein. Twenty-one dogs were anesthetized with
      halothane and nitrous oxide in oxygen and positioned with the abdomen ventral and
      hanging freely, the head fixed in a stereotaxic frame, the upper extremities
      resting on a surface approximately 10 cm below the level of the stereotaxic
      frame, and the lower extremities on a surface below the level of the upper
      extremities (to ensure that VAE entering the inferior vena cava would ascend
      toward the heart). In the control group (n = 7), a central catheter was placed
      but was not used to aspirate VAE. In a second group (n = 7), a Cook Bunegin-Albin
      multiorificed catheter was inserted; and in a third group (n = 7), an American
      Edwards 7F Swan-Ganz catheter was inserted. Dogs were then given a predetermined
      lethal dose of air (5 mL/kg) over 30 s via the femoral vein. In groups 2 and 3,
      attempts to aspirate VAE were begun with the first decrease in expired CO2. The
      amounts of gas retrieved (expressed as a percent of the injected air) and the
      incidence of successful resuscitation were compared.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1416124
TI  - Effect of halothane, fentanyl, and ketamine on the threshold for transpulmonary
      passage of venous air emboli in dogs.
AB  - We assumed that the capacity of the lungs to filter gas bubbles would vary as a
      function of anesthetic management. The effects of halothane (1% inspired
      concentration [group 1, n = 8]), fentanyl (100 micrograms/kg IV, followed by 1
      micrograms.kg-1.min-1 [group 2, n = 7]), and ketamine (10 mg/kg IV, followed by
      0.2 mg.kg-1.min-1 [group 3, n = 6]) on the passage of bolus injections of air
      across the pulmonary circulation were studied in dogs by using transesophageal
      echocardiography to detect air in the left atrium or the aorta, or both. The
      thresholds for bolus air detection during halothane, fentanyl, and ketamine
      administration were 0.05 mL/kg (range 0.01-0.1), 0.5 mL/kg (range 0.2-1.0), and
      0.35 mL/kg (range 0.1-0.5), respectively. We conclude that the threshold during
      fentanyl- or ketamine-induced anesthesia was significantly higher than during
      halothane-induced anesthesia. Therefore, halothane interferes with the capacity
      of the lungs to filter air from the pulmonary circulation.

PMID- 1416125
TI  - Isoflurane and nitrous oxide: comparative impact on cerebrospinal fluid pressure
      in patients with brain tumors.
AB  - The relative effects on cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP) of equipotent
      concentrations of isoflurane and N2O were compared in 20 patients with brain
      tumors who had lumbar subarachnoid catheters in place. Patients were randomly
      assigned to receive one of two anesthetic sequences: group 1, 0.7% end-tidal
      isoflurane in O2, which was changed to 70% N2O in O2; or group 2, 70% N2O in O2,
      which was changed to 0.7% end-tidal isoflurane in O2. End-tidal PCO2 and percent
      end-tidal N2O and isoflurane were monitored by mass spectrometry from just before
      changing anesthetics (time = 0 min) until the end of a 20-min observation period
      (time = 20 min). Ventilation was held constant at PaCO2 = 36 +/- 1 mm Hg (mean +/
      SE). The patients in group 1 sustained an increase in CSFP that reached a
      maximum of 33% above the value at 0 min, despite a 3-mm Hg decrease in PaCO2 (P <
      0.05). By contrast, CSFP remained unchanged in group 2. Although the absolute
      increase in CSFP after replacement of isoflurane/O2 by N2O/O2 anesthesia was
      relatively small (9 +/- 1 to 12 +/- 2 mm Hg; P < 0.05), the absence of a similar
      effect in patients where N2O was replaced by isoflurane suggests that replacement
      of isoflurane by an equipotent concentration of N2O is more likely to lead to an
      increase in CSFP in patients with altered intracranial dynamics than is
      replacement of N2O by isoflurane.

PMID- 1416126
TI  - Effect of partial neuromuscular blockade on intraoperative electromyography in
      patients undergoing resection of acoustic neuromas.
AB  - Intraoperative electromyographic monitoring of the facial nerve during acoustic
      neuroma excision provides early detection of nerve injury and improved outcome.
      To determine whether a useful level of peripheral neuromuscular blockade could be
      achieved without compromise of facial electromyographic monitoring, we studied 10
      patients undergoing resection of acoustic neuroma. Facial nerve monitoring was
      accomplished by placement of wire electrodes in the orbicularis oris, orbicularis
      occuli, and mentalis muscles. Peripheral neuromuscular blockade was assessed by
      recording unprocessed hypothenar compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs). After
      induction of anesthesia, an infusion of atracurium (1.0 micrograms.kg-1.min-1)
      accompanied by a bolus dose of 50 micrograms/kg was administered. The infusion
      was then increased in increments of 0.5 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 until a 50%
      reduction in hypothenar single-twitch CMAP was obtained. Facial nerve function
      was continuously monitored by comparison of facial CMAPs produced by stimulation
      of the nerve proximal and distal to the tumor bed. The mean (+/- SD) infusion
      rate of atracurium was 2.55 +/- 0.75 micrograms.kg-1.min-1. Decrements in facial
      nerve CMAPs were detected in 6 of 10 patients, and all demonstrated moderate to
      severe facial nerve dysfunction. In no patient was an unexpected deficit present
      postoperatively. Moderate degrees of peripheral neuromuscular blockade can be
      achieved without compromising facial nerve electromyographic monitoring.

PMID- 1416127
TI  - Comparison among intrathecal fentanyl, meperidine, and sufentanil for labor
      analgesia.
AB  - This study compared the analgesic efficacy of intermittent injections of
      intrathecal fentanyl (10 micrograms), meperidine (10 mg), or sufentanil (5
      micrograms) administered to 65 parturients during the first stage of labor. The
      groups did not differ in onset or duration of effective analgesia. The meperidine
      group, however, had significantly lower pain scores once cervical dilation
      progressed beyond 6 cm. Side effects included mild pruritus and nausea. After
      intrathecal drug injection, variable decelerations of the fetal heart rate
      increased in the fentanyl and meperidine groups. All neonates had a 5-min Apgar
      score of 7 or more. We conclude that intermittent intrathecal injections of
      fentanyl, meperidine, or sufentanil can provide adequate first-stage labor
      analgesia. Meperidine appears to provide more reliable analgesia as the first
      stage of labor progresses.

PMID- 1416128
TI  - Nalbuphine is better than naloxone for treatment of side effects after epidural
      morphine.
AB  - This study compared naloxone and nalbuphine when administered for treatment of
      side effects after epidural morphine, 5 mg, given for postcesarean analgesia.
      Patients requesting treatment for pruritus or nausea randomly received, in a
      double-blind fashion, up to three intravenous doses of either naloxone 0.2 mg
      (group 1; n = 20) or nalbuphine 5 mg (group 2; n = 20). The incidence of
      vomiting, the severity of nausea and pruritus, and the degree of sedation and
      pain were assessed before and 30 min after each dose. The first dose of
      nalbuphine decreased the incidence of vomiting (P < 0.005) and the severity of
      nausea and pruritus (P < 0.01), whereas naloxone caused no significant changes.
      Sedation scores increased after nalbuphine (P < 0.05) and remained unchanged
      after naloxone, whereas pain scores increased after naloxone (P < 0.01) and were
      unchanged after nalbuphine. Eighteen patients in group 1 and 12 in group 2
      received a second dose, and 8 and 4 patients, respectively, a third dose. Other
      than decreased pruritus after the second dose with both drugs, no further changes
      occurred. We conclude that nalbuphine is superior to naloxone for the treatment
      of side effects after epidural morphine. However, persistent symptoms may require
      supplemental therapy, as repeated doses proved less effective than the initial
      dose.

PMID- 1416129
TI  - Adverse effects of epidural 0.03% bupivacaine during analgesia after cesarean
      section.
AB  - To develop a regimen that would provide good analgesia after cesarean section
      with minimal side effects in the setting of prolonged (> 24 h) epidural infusion,
      buprenorphine or fentanyl was combined with 0.03% bupivacaine in a double-blind
      study of 23 parturients. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: group I
      (n = 12), patient-controlled analgesia by epidural infusion of buprenorphine (3
      micrograms/mL) with 0.03% bupivacaine; group II (n = 11), patient-controlled
      analgesia by epidural infusion of fentanyl (2 micrograms/mL) with 0.03%
      bupivacaine. Plasma for determination of opioid concentrations was obtained at
      intermittent intervals. Pain relief was similar and satisfactory in both groups.
      The median overall satisfaction score was higher (10.0 vs 7.5; P < 0.03) for
      group II. Pruritus was mild in most patients. Nausea and vomiting, which were
      most disturbing to the patients, were seen only with buprenorphine. No patient
      had a respiratory rate of < 12 breaths/min. Mean plasma opioid concentrations did
      not exceed 1 ng/mL during the study. However, four patients (33%) in group I and
      six patients (55%) in group II experienced sensory loss in the lower extremities,
      which made ambulation difficult. One patient in each group developed extensive
      pressure blisters on both heels. These complications led us to terminate the
      study. We conclude that 0.03% bupivacaine used in combination with an opioid in
      prolonged epidural infusions produces a high incidence of sensory loss in the
      lower extremities and is unsuitable for situations in which early ambulation is
      desired.

PMID- 1416130
TI  - Preoxygenation of pregnant and nonpregnant women in the head-up versus supine
      position.
AB  - The influence of preoxygenation in the supine (n = 10) versus the 45 degrees head
      up (n = 10) position on the duration of apnea leading to a decrease in arterial
      oxygen saturation to 95%, as monitored by pulse oximetry, was investigated in 20
      women undergoing elective cesarean section at term of pregnancy. The results were
      compared with those obtained in a control group of 20 nonpregnant women. In the
      supine position, the average time to desaturation to 95% was significantly
      shorter in the pregnant group (173 +/- 4.8 s [mean +/- SD]) than in the control
      group of nonpregnant women (243 +/- 7.4 s). Using the head-up position resulted
      in an increase in the desaturation time in the nonpregnant group (331 +/- 7.2 s)
      but had no significant effect in the pregnant group (156 +/- 2.8 s). We conclude
      that pregnant women desaturate their arterial blood of oxygen more rapidly than
      do nonpregnant women. Furthermore, the head-up position extends the duration of
      apnea that can take place before desaturation occurs in nonpregnant patients.

PMID- 1416131
TI  - Metoclopramide-enhanced analgesia for prostaglandin-induced termination of
      pregnancy.
AB  - We previously determined that a single dose of metoclopramide could significantly
      reduce the patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) morphine requirements of women
      undergoing prostaglandin-induced termination of pregnancy. In the present study,
      we evaluated whether repeated doses of metoclopramide would further reduce pain
      and accelerate expulsion of the fetus. After intraamnionic injection of
      prostaglandin, patients were randomly allocated to receive either 10 mg of
      intravenous metoclopramide (n = 17) or saline (n = 15), concurrent with the
      initiation of PCA. A second, identical dose was administered 4 h later. Data
      included visual analogue scale scores for pain 45 min after each administration
      of metoclopramide or saline and visual analogue scale and sedation scores every 2
      h for the first 10 h, amount of morphine delivered by PCA pump, time of fetal and
      placental passage, and hospital discharge. Metoclopramide-treated patients
      experienced significantly earlier fetal and placental passage (P < 0.05). This
      was associated with a 66% reduction in PCA morphine received by the time of fetal
      delivery (P < 0.05). In addition, patients in the metoclopramide group were
      discharged from the hospital significantly sooner (P < 0.05). This difference
      included fewer second-day hospital stays (P < 0.05). Visual analogue scale scores
      measured 45 min after each infusion of the study agent were reduced from baseline
      in the metoclopramide group only (P < 0.05). No significant intergroup
      differences were noted with respect to pain or interval morphine usage. We
      conclude that repeated doses of metoclopramide significantly reduce the duration
      of induced labor and therefore the total PCA morphine requirements.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416132
TI  - A comparison of methods for the detection of myocardial ischemia during
      noncardiac surgery: automated ST-segment analysis systems, electrocardiography,
      and transesophageal echocardiography.
AB  - Clinicians often fail to detect intraoperative ischemic electrocardiographic
      (ECG) changes when viewing oscilloscopes. Automated ST-segment monitors promise
      to increase the detection of such ECG changes. We investigated the capacity of
      two commercially available ST-segment monitors to detect intraoperative
      myocardial ischemia in patients at high risk for developing intraoperative
      myocardial ischemia during vascular and other noncardiac procedures. The ST
      segment monitors were compared with two reference monitors: (a) printed eight
      lead ECGs, as interpreted by a cardiologist, and (b) the presence of segmental
      wall motion abnormalities and thickening abnormalities detected by
      transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). We also examined the capacity of the
      printed ECG to diagnose myocardial ischemia when compared with TEE. We studied 44
      patients who underwent TEE, printed multilead ECG, oscilloscope monitoring of
      leads V5 and II, and measurement of ST-segment deviation from the baseline using
      an automated Hewlett Packard ST-segment device. The sensitivities for the Hewlett
      Packard system were 40% for TEE-diagnosed myocardial ischemia and 75% for ECG
      diagnosed ischemia. Comparison of the printed ECG with TEE revealed that ST
      segment changes in the printed ECG, as analyzed by a cardiologist, were 25%
      sensitive and 62% specific for the detection of TEE-diagnosed myocardial
      ischemia. When T-wave inversions were added to ST-segment depression as a
      criterion for the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia by the printed ECG, the
      sensitivity of ECG for the detection of intraoperative myocardial ischemia, as
      determined by TEE, was 40% and specificity was 58%. Twenty-three of the 44
      patients were simultaneously monitored in leads I, II, and V5 with an automated
      Marquette ST-segment monitor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416133
TI  - Lung traction causes an increase in plasma prostacyclin concentration and
      decrease in mean arterial blood pressure.
AB  - The effects of lung traction on arterial blood pressure and plasma prostacyclin
      concentrations were studied in five patients undergoing partial pneumonectomy or
      lobectomy. After manual traction of a lung segment, mean arterial blood pressure
      decreased from 77 +/- 5 mm Hg (mean +/- SEM, before lung traction) to 59 +/- 5 mm
      Hg. The concentrations of 6-keto prostaglandin F1 alpha (a stable breakdown
      product of prostacyclin) increased significantly from 46 +/- 6 pg/mL (mean +/-
      SEM, before thoracotomy) to 593 +/- 91 pg/mL. Four of five patients showed facial
      flushing and palmar erythema. Arterial blood pressure returned to pretraction
      value, and both the facial flushing and palmar erythema disappeared within 30 min
      after lung traction. These results suggest that traction of the lung stimulates
      release and/or production of prostacyclin, which results in facial flushing,
      palmar erythema, and decrease in arterial blood pressure.

PMID- 1416134
TI  - Comparison of two techniques to inflate the bronchial cuff of the Univent tube.
AB  - The Univent tube is an endotracheal tube with a movable bronchial blocker. The
      blocker cuff reportedly exhibits high-pressure characteristics when inflated to
      seal any adult bronchus. This study was aimed at measuring the cuff volume that
      would seal the bronchus when two different techniques of cuff inflation were
      used. One technique is based on creating negative pressure and the other is based
      on creating positive pressure within the breathing system. In addition, we
      directly measured the compliance characteristics of the cuff. The study was
      performed in eight adult patients undergoing thoracotomy. The negative pressure
      technique of cuff inflation (NPT) was tested by applying -150 mm Hg of pressure
      to the blocker lumen, causing loss of volume in the breathing system as evidenced
      by deflation of the reservoir bag. The blocker cuff was then inflated until the
      bag ceased to deflate. In the positive pressure technique of cuff inflation
      (PPT), the blocker lumen was connected to a beaker of water while maintaining
      pressure of +30 mm Hg within the breathing system. The bronchial cuff was then
      inflated until air bubbles ceased to appear in the beaker. Direct measurement of
      compliance of the blocker cuff confirmed its high-pressure characteristics.
      Bronchial sealing volume ranged from 3 to 5 mL when measured with the NPT and
      from 4 to 6 mL when measured with the PPT.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416135
TI  - Tracheal intubation without the use of muscle relaxants: a technique using
      propofol and varying doses of alfentanil.
AB  - We have noted that tracheal intubation can be accomplished in many patients after
      induction of anesthesia with propofol and alfentanil without the simultaneous use
      of muscle relaxants. This study was designed to evaluate airway and intubating
      conditions after administration of propofol and alfentanil in 75 ASA physical
      status I or II outpatients with Mallampati class I airways undergoing various
      surgical procedures. The patients were randomly assigned to one of five groups
      for induction of anesthesia. All patients received midazolam 1 mg IV before
      induction of anesthesia. Group I patients (n = 15) received d-tubocurarine 3 mg,
      thiamylal 4 mg/kg, and succinylcholine 1 mg/kg IV. Groups II-V patients (n = 15
      each) received alfentanil 30, 40, 50, or 60 micrograms/kg followed by propofol 2
      mg/kg IV. No muscle relaxants were given to patients in groups II-V. Airway
      management was performed by one of the authors who was blinded as to the dose of
      alfentanil administered. After loss of consciousness, patients' lungs were
      ventilated via face mask, and the ease of ventilation was recorded. Jaw mobility
      was also assessed. Ninety seconds after administration of the propofol or
      thiamylal, laryngoscopy was performed and exposure of the glottis and position of
      the vocal cords were noted. Intubation of the trachea was performed and patient
      response was noted. Heart rate and arterial blood pressure were also recorded
      before induction of anesthesia, after induction, and then again after intubation
      of the trachea. The lungs of all patients were easily ventilated via mask, and
      the jaw was judged to be relaxed in all patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1416136
TI  - Comparison of the anesthetic requirement for tolerance of laryngeal mask airway
      and endotracheal tube.
AB  - We tested the hypothesis that the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) is tolerated at
      lighter levels of anesthesia than an endotracheal tube (ET). We studied 20
      unpremedicated, nonsmoking ASA physical status I or II patients aged 18-40 yr
      whose surgery lasted > 1 h. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either an
      ET or LMA. Anesthesia was induced with intravenous propofol and the LMA or ET was
      inserted. The ET-group patients received 1.5 mg/kg of succinylcholine, preceded
      by vecuronium (0.015 mg/kg IV). Maintenance of anesthesia was with only
      isoflurane and approximately 66% N2O in O2 by spontaneous ventilation. All gas
      concentrations were measured by a Raman spectrometer sampling from the breathing
      circuit end of the LMA or ET. Toward the end of the procedure, the end-tidal N2O
      and isoflurane concentrations were allowed to decrease to < 3 vol% and 0.8 +/-
      0.05 vol%, respectively. The end-tidal isoflurane concentration was then
      decreased in 0.1% +/- 0.05% decrements, each stable value being held for 5 min.
      The patient was observed for signs of reaction to the presence of the LMA or ET.
      The mean (range) end-tidal isoflurane concentrations for reaction to ET and LMA
      were 0.55% (0.4-0.7) and 0.35% (0.2-0.51), respectively (P < 0.001). These data
      confirm the original hypothesis of the study.

PMID- 1416137
TI  - Profound hemodilution: what is the critical level of hemodilution at which oxygen
      delivery-dependent oxygen consumption starts in an anesthetized human?

PMID- 1416138
TI  - Insertion of the laryngeal mask airway in awake infants with the Robin sequence.

PMID- 1416139
TI  - Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for perioperative support during congenital
      tracheal stenosis repair.

PMID- 1416140
TI  - Management of a difficult airway in a patient with Hurler-Scheie syndrome during
      cardiac surgery.

PMID- 1416141
TI  - Perioperative management of neonatal ectopia cordis: report of three cases.

PMID- 1416142
TI  - Intraoperative hypoxemia complicating laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a patient
      with sickle hemoglobinopathy.

PMID- 1416143
TI  - An unusual presentation of spinal cord tumor after epidural anesthesia.

PMID- 1416144
TI  - Transesophageal echocardiographic detection of a right atrial thrombus around a
      pulmonary artery catheter.

PMID- 1416145
TI  - Intraoperative exacerbation of Parkinson's disease.

PMID- 1416146
TI  - Intraoperative hypertension during surgical excision of neuroblastoma. Case
      report and review of 20 years' experience.

PMID- 1416147
TI  - Propofol in cardiac catheterization.

PMID- 1416148
TI  - Propofol for radiation therapy in small children.

PMID- 1416149
TI  - Myelopathy and back pain--take heed.

PMID- 1416150
TI  - Epidural hematoma: was catheter removed during complete anticoagulation?

PMID- 1416151
TI  - Long-distance anesthesia.

PMID- 1416152
TI  - An atraumatic oral and nasotracheal intubation guide probe.

PMID- 1416153
TI  - More on epidural fentanyl analgesia.

PMID- 1416155
TI  - Cannulation of vessels using a spring-loaded device.

PMID- 1416154
TI  - Malignant hyperthermia during sevoflurane anesthesia.

PMID- 1416156
TI  - Use of transesophageal echocardiogram for intracardiac thrombus related to
      postoperative atrial fibrillation.

PMID- 1416157
TI  - Substance abuse. Now, and for some time to come.

PMID- 1416158
TI  - ASA Award: John P. Kampine.

PMID- 1416159
TI  - A randomized, double-blind comparison of lumbar epidural and intravenous fentanyl
      infusions for postthoracotomy pain relief. Analgesic, pharmacokinetic, and
      respiratory effects.
AB  - Although epidural opioids frequently are used to provide postoperative analgesia,
      several articles have suggested that the analgesia after epidural fentanyl is
      similar to that after an equal dose of fentanyl given intravenously. To address
      this issue further, 29 postthoracotomy patients were studied in a randomized,
      double-blinded trial comparing a lumbar epidural fentanyl infusion with an
      intravenous fentanyl infusion for analgesia, plasma fentanyl pharmacokinetics,
      and respiratory effects for 20 h postoperatively. In all patients in both groups,
      good analgesia was achieved (pain score less than 3, maximum 10) over a similar
      time course, although the patients receiving epidural infusion required a
      significantly larger fentanyl infusion dose than did the patients receiving
      intravenous infusion (group receiving epidural fentanyl infusion: 1.95 +/- 0.45
      micrograms.kg-1.h-1; group receiving intravenous fentanyl infusion: 1.56 +/- 0.36
      micrograms.kg-1.h-1; P = 0.0002). The time course for the plasma fentanyl
      concentrations was similar in the two groups, and plasma fentanyl concentrations
      were not significantly different at any sampling period (T7-T20; group receiving
      epidural fentanyl infusion: 1.8 +/- 0.5 ng/ml; group receiving intravenous
      fentanyl infusion: 1.6 +/- 0.6 ng/ml; P = 0.06). Similarly, calculated clearance
      values for the two groups were not significantly different (group receiving
      epidural fentanyl infusion: 0.95 +/- 0.26 l.kg-1.h-1; group receiving intravenous
      fentanyl infusion: 0.87 +/- 0.25 l.kg-1.h-1; P = 0.3). Both groups demonstrated a
      similar degree of mild to moderate respiratory depression postoperatively, which
      was assessed with continuous respiratory inductance plethysmography and
      sequential arterial blood gas analysis. Side effects (nausea, vomiting, pruritus)
      were mild and did not differ between groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416160
TI  - ST segment depression during labor and delivery.
AB  - ECG changes suggestive of myocardial ischemia are common during cesarean delivery
      under regional anesthesia. To determine the time course, duration, and
      significance of these ECG changes, we monitored 111 parturients with continuous
      ambulatory ECG (Holter) during and after cesarean delivery. Twenty-two
      parturients undergoing vaginal delivery were similarly monitored. ST segment
      depression was present in 25% of patients undergoing cesarean delivery but was
      not found in those patients delivering vaginally. ST segment elevation was not
      detected in either group. The incidence of ST segment depression during cesarean
      delivery was similar with epidural (29%), spinal (17%), and general (18%)
      anesthesia, occurring most commonly in the 30 min following delivery (P less than
      0.001). Transthoracic echocardiographic imaging was performed in 23 patients
      undergoing cesarean section. Five of the 23 patients had seven episodes of
      intraoperative ST segment depression. Regional wall motion abnormalities were not
      present in any patient. A decrease in ejection fraction area greater than 15%
      from baseline or from previous interval ejection fraction area was present during
      four episodes of ST change. Three episodes of ST depression were not associated
      with significant decreases in ejection fraction area. Precordial Doppler
      monitoring for detection of venous air embolism in 25 patients revealed no
      association between the occurrence of venous air embolism and ST segment
      depression. We conclude that although significant myocardial impairment during
      cesarean delivery does not occur, episodes of ST depression may not all be merely
      an artifact of parturition.

PMID- 1416161
TI  - Elderly, conscious patients have an accentuated hypotensive response to
      nitroglycerin.
AB  - There is no adequate explanation for the highly variable response of systemic
      blood pressure to nitroglycerin (glyceryl trinitrate [GTN]). Aging produces
      cardiovascular changes that should alter the effects of GTN, but elderly patients
      usually have been excluded from studies of GTN. Accordingly, the authors compared
      the effects of GTN on systemic blood pressure in elderly and younger patients.
      Fifty-three patients, aged 49-87 (with 30 patients older than 70), were studied.
      Before elective vascular surgery, 14 patients received an infusion of placebo;
      26, a constant infusion of GTN; and 13, a stepwise increasing infusion of GTN.
      After a standardized anesthetic induction and the start of surgery, the identical
      infusion protocols were repeated in each group. Data on GTN infusion rate,
      arterial blood pressure, and GTN concentrations versus time, age, and other
      potentially influencing variables were pooled for analysis. Before anesthesia and
      surgery, GTN more commonly caused excessive hypotension in patients older than 70
      yr than in younger patients, but none of the patients had complications. A
      repeated-measures model analysis indicated that age significantly influenced the
      effects of GTN on blood pressure. That is, patients who are in their 70s who
      receive 0.5 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 of GTN are predicted to experience a twofold
      greater decrease in systolic arterial pressure (approximately 33 mmHg) than
      patients in their 50s. However, no apparent effect of age on intraoperative GTN
      responsiveness was discernible nor was a predictable relationship found between
      the preoperative and intraoperative responsiveness or between arterial
      concentrations of GTN and blood pressure or age. Therefore, the authors conclude
      that, in the absence of the effects of anesthesia and surgery, elderly patients
      have a more pronounced blood pressure response to GTN than younger patients.
      Furthermore, the authors conclude that preoperative blood pressure responsiveness
      to GTN is not a reliable predictor of intraoperative responsiveness.

PMID- 1416162
TI  - Kinetics of cerebral deoxygenation during deep hypothermic circulatory arrest in
      neonates.
AB  - Brain injury associated with neonatal congenital heart operations performed
      during deep hypothermia and/or total circulatory arrest is often attributed to
      cerebral hypoxia. We studied the kinetic changes in cerebrovascular hemoglobin O2
      saturation (HbO2%) and total hemoglobin concentration (Hbtotal) in 17 neonates
      undergoing cardiac surgery as they were cooled to 15 degrees C, underwent total
      circulatory arrest, and were rewarmed. HbO2% and Hbtotal in brain vasculature
      were monitored noninvasively by near-infrared spectroscopy. Neonates were cooled
      over 12 min and rewarmed over 15 min while being perfused using cardiopulmonary
      bypass (CPB). Total circulatory arrest lasted from 20 to 70 min. We found that
      HbO2% in brain vasculature increased during the initial 8 min of CPB as
      nasopharyngeal temperature decreased, and then remained constant until
      circulatory arrest. After the onset of circulatory arrest, cerebrovascular HbO2%
      decreased curvilinearly for 40 min; no further hemoglobin desaturation was
      observed from 40 to 70 min of arrest. The changes in cerebrovascular Hbtotal were
      quite different from those in HbO2%, as Hbtotal decreased during the initial
      minute of CPB and circulatory arrest and then remained constant until
      recirculation. Brain intravascular HbO2% and Hbtotal increased within 3 min after
      the onset of recirculation to prearrest levels, and during rewarming, HbO2%
      decreased to normothermic baseline values. The results demonstrate that cerebral
      oxygenation increased during CPB cooling; O2 was consumed by the neonatal brain
      during the initial 40 min of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest; and cerebral
      oxygenation was restored on recirculation. These observations may be important in
      identifying the etiologies of brain injury during neonatal congenital heart
      surgery.

PMID- 1416163
TI  - Spectral analysis of heart rate variability during isoflurane anesthesia.
AB  - The autonomic nervous system is an important neural control system for
      maintaining cardiovascular stability in humans. Analysis of heart rate variations
      may provide important clinical information on the influence of anesthesia on the
      autonomic nervous system and the central nervous system. Therefore, the effects
      of 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 minimum alveolar concentrations of isoflurane anesthesia on
      beat-to-beat heart rate variations were studied in ten patients (ASA Physical
      Status 1). Spectral analysis was used to determine the intensity of the
      variations. For each power spectrum, the frequency components were identified as
      follows: 1) the parasympathetically mediated respiratory component (0.15-0.4 Hz)
      and 2) both parasympathetically and sympathetically mediated components (0.04
      0.15 Hz). The latter was subdivided into the low-frequency component (0.04-0.09
      Hz) of vasomotor origin and the mid-frequency component (0.09-0.15 Hz) of
      baroreceptor origin. Marked reductions in the power of heart rate variations, at
      all frequencies, were found during isoflurane anesthesia, indicating isoflurane
      decreased total autonomic nervous system activity. Isoflurane decreased the high
      frequency and mid-frequency components in a concentration-dependent manner. The
      low-frequency component increased transiently at 1.5 minimum alveolar
      concentrations concomitant with the burst suppression in the
      electroencephalogram. The ratio of mid-frequency to high-frequency components did
      not change significantly during isoflurane anesthesia compared with the awake
      period. These frequency characteristics of heart rate variations during
      isoflurane anesthesia suggest there are dose-related decreases in autonomic
      nervous system activity in both the vagus and the cardiac sympathetic nerves.

PMID- 1416165
TI  - Monitoring of brainstem function during vertebral basilar aneurysm surgery. The
      use of spontaneous ventilation.
AB  - Monitoring of cardiovascular, respiratory, and evoked potential parameters has
      been advocated during posterior fossa surgery to detect brainstem ischemia that
      may result from surgical manipulations. We report here our retrospective and
      smaller prospective experience of spontaneous ventilation as a monitor in
      patients undergoing vascular surgical procedures in the posterior fossa. Forty
      patients' charts were reviewed retrospectively, and 10 patients were studied
      prospectively. Respiratory changes in the retrospectively studied group occurred
      in 9 patients. Four patients developed apnea during temporary occlusion of the
      vertebral artery. These respiratory changes were associated with simultaneous
      cardiovascular changes in only 2 patients, and of the 13 patients monitored with
      evoked potentials, only 2 had simultaneous evoked potential changes. In the
      prospectively studied group, respiratory changes occurred in 4 patients. Three
      patients (2 with apnea during temporary occlusion) had a simultaneous change in
      evoked potentials but no cardiovascular changes. One patient had a change in all
      three parameters. Allowing our patients to breathe spontaneously provided an
      early and rapid indication of brainstem ischemia, especially during the temporary
      occlusion of the vertebral basilar artery system.

PMID- 1416164
TI  - Comparison of postoperative respiratory function after laparoscopy or open
      laparotomy for cholecystectomy.
AB  - Cholecystectomy performed via laparotomy is associated with reduction of lung
      volumes including functional residual capacity that may lead to postoperative
      hypoxia and atelectasis. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is associated with faster
      recovery compared to open laparotomy and cholecystectomy. To determine whether
      laparoscopic cholecystectomy was associated with less pulmonary dysfunction, 20
      patients (ASA Physical Status I) undergoing elective cholecystectomy were
      randomly assigned to surgical teams performing either laparoscopy or open
      laparotomy for cholecystectomy. Patients in whom one or the other surgical
      technique had to be performed for medical or psychologic indications were
      excluded from the study. A standardized anesthetic technique and postoperative
      analgesic regimen were used. Forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume
      in 1 s; functional residual capacity determined by a closed-circuit, constant
      volume helium dilution technique; and arterial O2 and CO2 tensions were measured
      preoperatively and at 6, 24, and 72 h postcholecystectomy. Forced vital capacity
      and forced expiratory volume in 1 s were significantly greater (P less than 0.05)
      in the laparoscopy compared to the laparotomy group at 6, 24, and 72 h
      postoperatively. Forced vital capacity relative to preoperative values was
      significantly (P less than 0.05) greater in patients with laparoscopy (24 h, 70
      +/- 14%; 72 h, 91 +/- 6%) compared to open laparotomy (24 h, 57 +/- 23%; 72 h, 77
      +/- 14%). Similarly, forced expiratory volumes in 1 s relative to preoperative
      values were significantly (P less than 0.05) greater in patients with laparoscopy
      (24 h, 85 +/- 13%; 72 h, 92 +/- 9%) compared to open laparotomy (24 h, 54 +/-
      22%; 72 h, 77 +/- 11%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416166
TI  - Pancuronium increases the duration of electroencephalogram burst suppression in
      dogs anesthetized with isoflurane.
AB  - Earlier studies have demonstrated both a decrease as well as no effect on
      halothane MAC after administration of nondepolarizing neuromuscular relaxants. To
      clarify further the relationship between neuromuscular blocking agents and
      anesthetic potency, the authors studied the effect of pancuronium on steady-state
      electroencephalogram (EEG) burst suppression produced by isoflurane in dogs.
      Anesthesia was induced using isoflurane and oxygen via mask without the
      administration of other drugs. The trachea was intubated, and isoflurane was
      administered at a concentration sufficient to produce EEG burst suppression.
      Thereafter, end-tidal isoflurane concentration, temperature, and end-tidal PCO2
      were meticulously maintained at constant values. Dogs in group 1 (n = 6) received
      pancuronium 0.1 mg.kg-1. The percent of the EEG that was isoelectric increased
      from 21 +/- 9% (mean +/- SD) to 35 +/- 11% (P less than 0.01). After the return
      of single-twitch response to train-of-four stimulation, neostigmine 0.05 mg.kg-1
      and glycopyrrolate 0.01 mg.kg-1 were administered. This resulted in a reduction
      in EEG isoelectricity to 19 +/- 8% (P less than 0.01), similar to the value
      before pancuronium administration. In group 2 dogs (n = 6), the percent
      isoelectricity of the EEG prior to pancuronium was 25 +/- 10%. After
      administration of pancuronium 0.02, 0.04, and 0.2 mg.kg-1 sequentially, the
      percent isoelectricity of the EEG was 29 +/- 11, 37 +/- 15, and 43 +/- 9%,
      respectively. This represents a dose-related increase in isoelectricity for the
      0.04- and 0.2-mg.kg-1 doses (P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416167
TI  - Positive end-expiratory pressure reduces renal excretion without hormonal
      activation after volume expansion in dogs.
AB  - Controlled mechanical ventilation (CMV) with positive end-expiratory airway
      pressure decreases urine output and renal sodium excretion. This study
      investigates--independent of surgical stress, general anesthesia, and sedation-
      the influences of antidiuretic hormone, atrial natriuretic peptide, plasma renin
      activity, and aldosterone on decreased urine output and renal sodium excretion
      during CMV with positive end-expiratory airway pressure. Hemodynamic, renal, and
      hormonal parameters were measured over a 4-h period in six trained,
      nonanesthetized, chronically tracheotomized dogs under two conditions: 1)
      control: hours 1-4, spontaneous breathing at continuous positive airway pressure
      of 4 cmH2O; and 2) CMV 20: hour 1, continuous positive airway pressure of 4
      cmH2O; hours 2 and 3, CMV with a mean airway pressure of 20 cmH2O; and hour 4,
      continuous positive airway pressure of 4 cmH2O. Throughout the experiments, 0.5
      ml.kg body weight-1.min-1 balanced electrolyte solution was administered
      intravenously. During the 2nd and 3rd h of CMV 20, urine volume decreased by 43%
      and sodium excretion decreased by 44% when compared with control values (P less
      than 0.05). The glomerular filtration rate decreased from 4.4 +/- 0.1 to 3.9 +/-
      0.1 ml.kg-1.min-1 (P less than 0.05) during the 2nd h and from 4.4 +/- 0.1 to 4.1
      +/- 0.1 ml.kg-1.min-1 (P less than 0.05) during the 3rd h of CMV 20. Fractional
      sodium excretion decreased from 4.7 +/- 0.3% to 2.9 +/- 0.2% (P less than 0.05)
      during the 2nd h and from 7.5 +/- 0.3% to 4.6 +/- 0.2% (P less than 0.05) during
      the 3rd h of CMV 20, compared with values during the control period.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416168
TI  - The inhibitory effect of halothane on mesenteric venoconstriction and related
      reflex responses during acute graded hypoxia in rabbits.
AB  - Systemic hypoxia is a common abnormality encountered frequently in the clinical
      setting that produces compensatory cardiopulmonary changes affecting heart rate,
      blood pressure, peripheral vascular resistance, and respiratory drive. These
      changes are known to be inhibited or reversed by inhaled anesthetics. More
      recently, chemoreflex-mediated constriction of capacitance veins has been
      identified as a mechanism that contributes significantly to the hemodynamic
      adjustments during hypoxia. However, the effects of anesthetics on this response
      have not been clarified. The current study was designed to quantify
      sympathetically mediated mesenteric venoconstriction as well as heart rate and
      blood pressure responses to acute graded hypoxia; to identify the inhibitory
      effects of inhaled halothane on these responses; and to estimate the contribution
      of the peripheral chemoreceptors in mediating these changes. Changes in
      mesenteric vein diameter were measured in alpha-chloralose anesthetized rabbits
      in situ with simultaneous changes in heart rate and blood pressure during 40-s
      periods of 10%, 5%, 2.5%, and 0% inspired O2 administered sequentially before,
      during, and after 1% or 1.25% inhaled halothane. Sympathetic efferent nerve
      activity also was measured, and, in a separate group of animals, measurements
      were preceded by carotid chemoreceptor denervation. Hypoxia-mediated
      venoconstriction, bradycardia, and hypertension were attenuated almost equally by
      both 1% and 1.25% inhaled halothane (the higher dose produced only slightly
      greater inhibition). These responses were inhibited significantly in
      chemoreceptor-denervated animals, and the subsequent 1% inhaled halothane added
      only minimal additional attenuation. Increases in chemoreflex-mediated
      sympathetic efferent nerve activity also were reduced significantly by (1.25%)
      inhaled halothane. These results indicate that halothane impairs capacitance vein
      responses and other hemodynamic adjustments during hypoxia. Inhibition of these
      compensatory changes appears to be mediated, at least in part, via attenuation of
      peripheral chemoreflex responses and suppression of the resultant reflex
      increases in sympathetic efferent nerve activity.

PMID- 1416169
TI  - Glutathione depletion enhances subanesthetic halothane hepatotoxicity in guinea
      pigs.
AB  - Reduced glutathione has a potential role in protecting the liver against the
      reactive acyl acid chloride intermediate generated during the oxidative
      biotransformation of halothane. Glutathione is also important in maintaining the
      integrity of an injured cell. Thus, the effect of decreased hepatic glutathione
      concentrations on covalent binding of halothane metabolic intermediates to
      hepatic protein and lipid and the resultant hepatic injury were investigated in
      male, outbred Hartley guinea pigs. The animals were injected with either 1.6 g.kg
      1 dl-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine to deplete hepatic glutathione or vehicle-control
      solution 24 h before exposure to 0.1% (subanesthetic) halothane for 4 h
      (fractional inspired oxygen tension = 0.40). Buthionine sulfoximine pretreatment
      depleted liver glutathione concentrations by 85% at the time of halothane
      exposure, without affecting the degree of halothane biotransformation or causing
      hepatic injury. Glutathione depletion caused a significant increase in the level
      of organic fluorine covalently bound to hepatic protein but not lipid after
      halothane exposure. Glutathione-depleted animals also exhibited a significant
      enhancement of hepatotoxicity after halothane exposure; plasma isocitrate
      dehydrogenase activity was 25-fold greater than the increase observed 48 h after
      exposure in animals treated with vehicle plus halothane, and the incidence and
      severity of hepatic injury were significantly greater, as observed by light
      microscopic examination of tissue 96 h after exposure. These findings are in
      agreement with a previously proposed mechanism of halothane-associated
      hepatotoxicity in guinea pigs and indicate that hepatic glutathione status may
      play an important role in the susceptibility of patients to halothane-induced
      liver injury.

PMID- 1416170
TI  - Cerebral extracellular glucose and lactate concentrations during and after
      moderate hypoxia in glucose- and saline-infused rats.
AB  - To assess the effect of a glucose infusion on brain extracellular fluid (ECF)
      during systemic hypoxia, changes in glucose and lactate concentrations in
      cerebral ECF during and after moderate hypoxic hypoxia were measured in adult,
      conscious, unrestrained rats, with a microdialysis probe in the posterior
      hippocampus. The rats were given either saline (n = 6) or 50% glucose solution (n
      = 6) for 3 h, starting 60 min before the onset of hypoxia. Hypoxia was produced
      by circulating 7% O2 gas in a plastic chamber for 90 min. In saline-infused
      animals, brain ECF glucose concentrations decreased slightly during hypoxia,
      although blood glucose concentrations did not change. Blood lactate
      concentrations increased to 6.28 +/- 0.91 mM, at 60 min after the onset of
      hypoxia (P less than 0.05). Brain ECF lactate concentrations increased to 3.53 +/
      0.20 mM and remained constant during 60 min of steady-state hypoxia (P less than
      0.05) and decreased to the basal level within 60 min after the end of hypoxia.
      When sodium lactate solution was infused intravenously for 90 min (n = 4), blood
      lactate concentrations increased to a level as high as those found during
      hypoxia. However, the brain ECF lactate concentration increased only to 1.86 +/-
      0.09 mM. In glucose-infused animals, the blood glucose concentration reached
      339.1 +/- 32.3 mg/dl at the end of the glucose infusion, and the brain ECF
      glucose concentration increased to 54.7 +/- 7.3 mg/dl.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1416171
TI  - Effect of progesterone on the cardiac electrophysiologic alterations produced by
      ropivacaine and bupivacaine.
AB  - Bupivacaine-induced cardiotoxicity is enhanced in pregnant laboratory animals and
      in progesterone-pretreated isolated cardiac tissues. Ropivacaine is a new local
      anesthetic chemically related to bupivacaine. Although clinically equipotent with
      bupivacaine, ropivacaine is less cardiodepressant. Progesterone levels are
      elevated during pregnancy, and exogenously increasing progesterone levels in
      rabbits has increased bupivacaine's depressive effects on excitability. In neural
      tissues, bupivacaine's increased onset of block and depression of compound action
      potentials in tissues from progesterone-treated animals was similar to its effect
      in nerves from pregnant animals. This study determined whether exogenously
      increased progesterone levels can increase myocardial sensitivity to ropivacaine.
      Female ovariectomized rabbits were pretreated with progesterone for 4 days. After
      killing, the hearts were removed and Purkinje fibers (PFs) and ventricular muscle
      (VM) action potential parameters recorded. Tissues from animals receiving either
      progesterone or placebo were exposed to either ropivacaine or bupivacaine at
      concentrations ranging from 3.5 to 18.7 microM. Preparations were routinely paced
      at 2 Hz except where rate-dependent effects on the maximal rate of depolarization
      of phase zero (Vmax) were determined. Progesterone increased depression of
      myocardial Vmax only to bupivacaine (P less than 0.05). Ropivacaine was generally
      3-5 times less potent in depressing cardiac electrophysiologic parameters.
      Bupivacaine demonstrated rate-dependent depression of Vmax that at higher
      frequencies was greater than ropivacaine's effects (P less than 0.05).
      Ropivacaine is less cardiodepressant than bupivacaine in this isolated PF-VM
      preparation. Exogenously increasing progesterone levels in vivo does not increase
      ropivacaine's depression of myocardial Vmax in isolated PF-VM tissues as it does
      to bupivacaine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416172
TI  - Effects of glucose infusion on cerebral cortical glucose and lactate
      concentrations during endotoxemia in rats.
AB  - Hypoglycemia has been observed in several species before death from endotoxemia.
      Although several studies have emphasized the importance of maintaining brain
      glucose at normal concentration during endotoxemia, the effect of glucose
      infusion on cerebral glucose metabolism has not been studied. Accordingly, the
      effects of glucose infusion on interstitial glucose and lactate concentrations in
      the cerebral cortex during endotoxemia were studied in 22 Wistar rats. Cerebral
      glucose and lactate were measured at 30-min intervals for 4 h using
      microdialysis. Animals were divided into four groups: 1) saline-infused control
      (n = 5); 2) saline-infused endotoxemia (n = 7); 3) glucose-infused control (n =
      5); and 4) glucose-infused endotoxemia (n = 5). In groups 2 and 4, endotoxemia
      was induced by intravenous injection with E. coli lipopolysaccharide B (5 mg.100
      g-1). One hour after endotoxin administration, saline or 50% glucose was infused
      at a flow rate of 0.5 ml.100 g-1.h-1 for 3 h. Endotoxin induced a significant
      increase (P less than 0.05) in blood glucose in the saline-infused rats, which
      survived for 4 h (n = 5), from 91.6 +/- 15.4 mg.100 ml-1 at baseline to 136.3 +/-
      23.3 mg.100 ml-1 (149%) at 1 h, followed by a gradual decrease (to 63% of the
      basal concentration at 4 h). Similar changes were observed in brain glucose (14.9
      +/- 1.9 mg.100 ml-1 baseline, 175% of baseline at 2 h, and 57% of baseline at 4
      h).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416173
TI  - Physical and chemical properties of drug molecules governing their diffusion
      through the spinal meninges.
AB  - Drugs administered into the epidural space for selective spinal analgesia must
      diffuse through the spinal meninges to gain access to their sites of action in
      the spinal cord. Therefore, knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of
      drug molecules that govern their diffusion through the meninges is important for
      understanding the pharmacokinetics of epidural analgesia. To determine the
      physicochemical properties of drug molecules that govern the rate at which drugs
      diffuse through the spinal meninges, the authors measured the permeability
      coefficient of eight different drug molecules through the spinal meninges of the
      monkey using a previously established in vitro model. We previously reported
      permeability measurements for four of the molecules used in this study; the other
      four molecules' permeability measurements are new. The measured permeability
      coefficient was then correlated with the drugs' molecular weight, molecular
      surface area, molecular volume, length of the major molecular axis, and
      octanol:buffer distribution coefficient. We found no relationship between the
      drugs' permeability coefficients and any measure of drug mass, molecular shape,
      or molecular size. There was, however, a biphasic relationship between the
      octanol: buffer distribution coefficient and the drugs' measured permeability
      coefficients. Drugs that were either very hydrophilic or very hydrophobic had
      permeability coefficients that were significantly less than drugs of intermediate
      hydrophobicity. These data suggest that it should be possible to design novel
      analgesics for which meningeal permeability is maximal.

PMID- 1416174
TI  - Comparison of the antinociceptive effects of pre- and posttreatment with
      intrathecal morphine and MK801, an NMDA antagonist, on the formalin test in the
      rat.
AB  - Current thinking emphasizes that protracted small afferent input can evoke
      mechanisms that mediate a significant potentiation of spinal nociceptive
      processing and that this facilitory component has a unique pharmacology. To
      investigate the behavioral parallels of this spinal facilitation, we evaluated
      the effects of pre- and post-treatment of intrathecal morphine (mu agonist) and
      MK801 (N-methyl-D-aspartate [NMDA] antagonist) on the formalin test. Intraplantar
      formalin resulted in a biphasic appearance of flinching behavior (phase 1 = 0-5
      min; phase 2 = 10-60 min). Morphine and MK801 were administered intrathecally 15
      min before formalin injection in the pretreatment study and 9 min after formalin
      injection in the posttreatment study. Pretreatment with intrathecal morphine
      produced comparable dose-dependent suppressions of the phase 1 and phase 2
      behaviors (ED50 = 0.5 micrograms [95% CI = 0.3-0.9] and 0.3 micrograms [95% CI =
      0.1-0.7], respectively). Posttreatment with morphine also resulted in comparable
      suppression of the phase 2 response (ED50 = 0.2 micrograms [95% CI = 0.1-0.3]).
      At the highest dose of intrathecal morphine (10 micrograms), an almost complete
      suppression of formalin-evoked behavior was observed. Pretreatment with MK801
      inhibited the second-phase response more strongly than the first-phase response
      (ED50 = 1.6 micrograms [95% CI = 0.5-5.7] vs. 0.1 microgram [95% CI = 0.3 - 0.4],
      respectively). In contrast, posttreatment with the highest dose of MK801 had no
      effect on the phase 2 response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416175
TI  - The role of neutrophils, oxidants, and proteases in the pathogenesis of acid
      pulmonary injury.
AB  - We recently reported a biphasic injury pattern of nonlethal acid aspiration
      pneumonitis in rats. The first phase consisted of the immediate effects of the
      direct tissue injury, and the second phase was associated with a neutrophilic
      inflammatory response. Using this model, the present report examines the possible
      role of neutrophils, oxidants, and proteases in the pathogenesis of the second
      phase of this lung injury. Acid aspiration injury was induced by instillation of
      saline/HCl, pH = 1.25, into the trachea of rats. Lung injury was assessed by
      measuring the degree of alveolar capillary permeability to 125I-labeled albumin
      (permeability index [PI]). Rats made neutropenic with polyclonal antineutrophil
      antibody had a lower PI (0.44 +/- 0.07, P less than 0.05) 6 h after acid
      aspiration than similarly injured animals with normal whole blood neutrophil
      counts (PI = 0.85 +/- 0.03). Even though neutrophils appeared necessary for the
      full development of the lung injury in this model, the administration of
      different intravenous and/or intratracheal concentrations of either deferoxamine
      or catalase offered no protection against injury. This suggests that neutrophil
      oxidants were minimally involved in the injury. Large increases in leukocyte-free
      serine protease activity (1,477 +/- 438 u/ml, P less than 0.05) were detected in
      the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from the saline/HCl, pH = 1.25, injured rats at
      6 h postinjury, as compared to saline/HCl, pH = 5.3, treated control animals (2.7
      +/- 0.2 u/ml). This study supports the hypothesis that neutrophils are necessary
      for the full expression of acid-induced lung injury and that the generation of
      leukocyte-derived oxidants does not appear to be the primary mechanism involved
      in this injury.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416176
TI  - Reversal of neuromuscular blockade.

PMID- 1416177
TI  - Controlled substance dispensing and accountability in United States
      anesthesiology residency programs.
AB  - Controlled substance dependence (CSD) among anesthesiology personnel,
      particularly residents, has become a matter of increasing concern. Opinions vary
      as to the effectiveness of controlled substances (CS) accountability in
      deterring, identifying, or confirming CSD. A survey of program directors of
      American anesthesiology training programs was conducted in the summer of 1990 to
      determine the level of CS dispensing and accountability within their programs.
      The survey demonstrated that CS dispensing and accountability varied considerably
      among programs, among hospitals associated with individual programs, and within
      geographically distinct anesthesia delivery areas within the separate hospitals.
      Nevertheless, most institutions were moving toward improved methods of CS
      dispensing and providing more and better CS accountability. The presence of
      significant CSD, particularly among anesthesiology residents, was reconfirmed. We
      were unable to correlate the level of accountability of CS with the incidence of
      CSD. It remains to be seen to what extent CS accountability will continue to
      develop and whether CSD prevalence will then be changed.

PMID- 1416178
TI  - Michael Faraday and his contribution to anesthesia.
AB  - Michael Faraday (1791-1867) was a protege of Humphry Davy. He became one of
      Davy's successors as Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Institution of Great
      Britain. Of Faraday's many brilliant discoveries in chemistry and physics,
      probably the best remembered today is his work on electromagnetic induction.
      Faraday's contribution to introduction of anesthesia was his published
      announcement in 1818 that inhalation of the vapor of ether produced the same
      effects on mentation and consciousness as the breathing of nitrous oxide. He most
      likely became familiar with the central nervous system effects of nitrous oxide
      through his association with Davy, an avid user of the gas. Sulfuric ether was a
      common, convenient, cheap, and easily available substance, in contrast to nitrous
      oxide, which required expensive, cumbersome, and probably not widely available
      apparatus for its production and administration. The capability for inhaling
      intoxicating vapors eventually became commonly available with the use of ether
      instead of the gas. The first surgical anesthetics were a consequence of the
      resulting student "ether frolics." The 1818 announcement on breathing ether vapor
      was published anonymously; however, notations in Faraday's handwriting in some of
      his personal books clearly establish Michael Faraday as the author of this brief
      communication.

PMID- 1416179
TI  - Anesthesiologist addicted to propofol.

PMID- 1416180
TI  - Fentanyl dependence associated with oral ingestion.

PMID- 1416181
TI  - Isolated masseter muscle spasm and increased creatine kinase without malignant
      hyperthermia susceptibility or other myopathies.

PMID- 1416182
TI  - Tight mask fit could have prevented "airway" obstruction.

PMID- 1416183
TI  - Orotracheal intubation of an infant with hemifacial microsomia using a modified
      lighted stylet.

PMID- 1416184
TI  - Propofol tolerance in a pediatric patient.

PMID- 1416185
TI  - Shakespeare speaks to anesthesiologists.

PMID- 1416186
TI  - Contamination of propofol.

PMID- 1416187
TI  - Mechanisms for effective dissemination of critical information.

PMID- 1416188
TI  - A potentially serious complication that resulted from improper use of the Univent
      tube.

PMID- 1416189
TI  - Lower extremity neuropathy after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

PMID- 1416190
TI  - Use of the capnograph to detect leaks in the anesthesia circuit.

PMID- 1416191
TI  - Electroencephalographic effects of sedative hypnotics.

PMID- 1416193
TI  - [Characteristics of the metabolic disorders during prolonged craniofacial
      surgery].
AB  - Brain and liver metabolism has been studied by selective probing of vessels
      collecting blood from the brain and liver, in 95 patients with various surgical
      craniofacial pathology. Prolonged general anesthesia in craniofacial traumas has
      a negative effect on brain metabolism. Changes in indispensible amino acid
      formulas and hypoxia may cause the loss of brain circulation autoregulation and
      damages in central mechanisms regulating metabolic processes. A complex scheme of
      metabolism correction during prolonged anesthesia in craniofacial surgery is
      suggested.

PMID- 1416192
TI  - [The effect of indomethacin and leukinferon on the level of blood plasma
      thromboxane B2, platelet aggregation and the immune system of patients with
      endometrial cancer in the perioperative period].
AB  - The perioperative influence of leukinferon, indomethacin and their combination on
      the blood plasma level of thromboxane B2 (TxB2), platelet aggregation ability and
      humoral and cellular immunity has been assessed in 40 endometrial cancer
      patients. It has been found that the perioperative use of indomethacin diminishes
      the blood plasma level of TxB2 and platelet aggregation ability. Leukinferon did
      not affect substantially the parameters. However, the combination of leukinferon
      with indomethacin causes a more stable reduction in platelet aggregation and TxB2
      level than the use of indomethacin alone. The use of these drugs and their
      combination prevented postoperative immune suppression in the endometrial cancer
      patients. However, leukinferon alone or its combination with indomethacin were
      more effective than the use of indomethacin alone. Possible mechanisms of
      indomethacin and leukinferon effect on tumor cell metabolism of arachidonic acid
      and possible role of eicosanoids in the pathogenetic mechanisms of tumor growth
      and metastasis dissemination are discussed.

PMID- 1416194
TI  - [The effect of droperidol on heart function].
AB  - The effect of droperidol (3.3 x 10(-6) M) on the functional capacities of the
      isolated heart has been studied. The drug inhibited myocardial contractility. The
      effect manifested directly after the introduction of droperidol into perfusate
      (prompt phase). Afterwards the progress of the drug inhibitory effect was slow
      (slow phase). It is assumed that the difficulties in the use of droperidol in the
      critical cardiosurgical patients are associated with the attenuation in the
      realization of the regulatory effects of the central nervous system.

PMID- 1416195
TI  - [Clinical aspects of the use of nubain, tramal and moradol in patients in the
      early postoperative period].
AB  - Opioid analgesics were used in 282 patients on the first-third day after heart,
      lung and abdominal surgery. The main indication for their use was pain syndrome.
      Adequate analgesia with tramal, nubain and moradol was noted in 73, 76 and 81% of
      cases. In marked pain syndrome after thoracotomy the most effective agents were
      moradol and morphine. Computer monitoring of the respiratory function in tramal
      analgesia has shown a decrease in lung ventilation, esophageal pressure,
      inhalation volume, O2 production. Tramal, nubain and moradol in analgesic doses
      did not inhibit respiration. In adequate analgesia there was a decrease in lung
      ventilation which was not accompanied by shifts in acid-base balance of the
      arterial blood. The above analgesics had no considerable effect on systemic
      hemodynamics, though the use of tramal decreased systemic blood pressure and the
      use of moradol decreased systemic blood pressure and total peripheral vascular
      resistance. Tramal was most effective for synchronization of spontaneous
      respiration with a lung ventilation device in prolonged ventilation, as well as
      for the arrest of muscular tremor in the postoperative period. Tramal was
      effective in 95% of patients in the early post-anesthesia and postoperative
      period.

PMID- 1416196
TI  - [The effect of tramal and acupuncture analgesia on labor pain and the
      psychoemotional status of the parturient].
AB  - The intensity and structure of pain during delivery as well as changes in
      psychoemotional status have been studied in 65 women with reference to the use of
      concomitant correcting therapy during various types of analgesia. 44 women
      comprised a control group. It has been found that acupunctural analgesia was
      optimal during delivery without any correcting therapy, while tramal (at a dose
      of 1.43 +/- 0.06 mg/kg) was optimal during "programmed" delivery.

PMID- 1416197
TI  - [Morphologic changes in the tracheal mucous membrane following aspiration of the
      gastric contents].

PMID- 1416198
TI  - [Changes in the concentration of beta-endorphin in the cerebrospinal fluid due to
      morphine analgesia in incurable oncologic patients].
AB  - Thirty cancer patients, clinical group IV, have been examined. It has been
      established that a persistent pain syndrome leads to lowering in beta-endorphin
      liquor level. Morphine analgesia is followed by beta-endorphin level elevation
      which directly depends on pain intensity and analgesia efficacy. Determination of
      changes in beta-endorphin liquor level may serve as a criterion of analgesia
      efficacy.

PMID- 1416199
TI  - [The effect of infusion therapy on the ventilation-gas exchange function of the
      lung during acute destructive pneumonia in young children].
AB  - It has been established that respiratory failure in young children with
      destructive acute pneumonia was enhanced upon intravenous correction of
      homeostasis disturbances with daily physiological volume repletion. Combined
      enteral-parenteral correction of homeostasis disturbances was an alternative
      technique.

PMID- 1416200
TI  - [Immunologic indices in patients with sepsis and their changes in response to
      complex intensive therapy].
AB  - Immune status has been studied in the course of intensive care in 48 patients. It
      has been established that hemosorption may enhance already existing changes in
      immune homeostasis in patients with sepsis. Therefore, immunostimulating therapy
      with tactivin and group B vitamins (B1, B6, B12) or ultraviolet (UV) blood
      irradiation in combination with group B vitamins administration have been
      included into therapy. Simultaneous use of tactivin, group B vitamins and UV
      blood irradiation was not advisable due to reduction of immunostimulating effect.
      Consecutive use of the immunity-stimulating methods seems expedient.

PMID- 1416201
TI  - [The immunoprotective effect of ceruloplasmin in the acute period of patients in
      critical conditions of different origin].
AB  - Cellular immunity and opsono-phagocytic system have been studied in acute period
      in 23 critically ill patient. The immunoprotective effect of an antioxidant
      ceruloplasmin (800-1000 mg/day) has been assessed. It has been found that along
      with correction of antioxidant potential, ceruloplasmin promoted the retention of
      opsono-phagocytic system activity. Direct immunoprotective effect of
      ceruloplasmin was confirmed in vitro.

PMID- 1416202
TI  - [The functional status of the sinoatrial node and the atrioventricular
      conductivity in patients with acute klofelin poisoning].
AB  - Using diagnostic transesophageal electrical cardiostimulation, sinus node
      function, sinoatrial and atrioventricular conductivity have been studied in 30
      patients with acute clophelin poisoning. The results of pharmacological tests
      with atropine and alupent are presented. Control examinations have been performed
      on discharge. The results of pharmacological tests have shown that clophelin
      effect could be realized via imbalance of autonomous heart innervation. The
      technique of diagnostic transesophageal electrical cardiostimulation is
      recommended for wider use in clinical toxicology.

PMID- 1416203
TI  - [The use of klofelin in general anesthesia].

PMID- 1416204
TI  - [The contractility of the lower portion of the esophagus as a criterion of the
      adequacy of anesthesia].
AB  - It has been found that narcotic analgesics (morphine, fentanyl and dipidolor),
      inhalation anesthetics (phthorothan and frilen) and an intravenous anesthetic
      calypsol suppress lower esophageal contractility. Comparison of lower esophageal
      contractility with hemodynamic parameters and ACTH and cortisol blood plasma
      content have revealed a direct correlation. It is concluded that the method of
      dynamic control over lower esophageal contractility may be an objective test
      controlling the adequacy of anesthesia during various surgical interventions.

PMID- 1416205
TI  - [Anesthesia in emergency surgery on the organs of the hepato-pancreato-duodenal
      area in elderly and aged patients].
AB  - One hundred and two male and female patients, aged 65-85 years, have been
      examined. All of them had been subjected to urgent surgery for acute surgical
      pathology of the organs of hepatopancreatoduodenal area. Surgery was performed
      under one of the following anesthesia techniques: neuroleptanalgesia, epidural
      anesthesia (EA), combination of EA and endotracheal anesthesia. Changes in
      central hemodynamics, acid-base balance and oxygen balance parameters have been
      studied in the preoperative, intraoperative and early postoperative period. The
      advantages of a combined technique which ensures optimal conditions for the
      maintenance of circulatory and oxygen homeostasis have been proved.

PMID- 1416206
TI  - [Infusion-transfusion tactics in tubercular surgical patients in relation to the
      volume of surgical blood loss].
AB  - Infusion-transfusion tactics were studied in 71 patients with pulmonary
      tuberculosis during surgery and after it. Hemostasis parameters have been
      determined at different periods after surgery. Blood transfusion was not
      performed in patients with surgical blood loss below 500 g. When surgical blood
      loss was 500 to 1000 g hemotransfusion volume was 40-50% of blood loss. When
      surgical blood loss was 1000 g the volume of blood substituting solutions
      exceeded blood loss 2.4-4 times; in massive blood loss it was 1.5 times more. For
      the first 24 hours after surgery the volume of infusion-transfusion therapy was
      maintained at the same level, with its decrease 48 and 72 hours later. Such
      tactics promoted a favourable clinical course of the postoperative period and
      stabilization of basic homeostasis parameters.

PMID- 1416207
TI  - [Non-inhalation anesthesia with preservation of spontaneous breathing in
      emergency surgery in children].
AB  - A total of 320 patients with acute abdominal surgical pathology were examined
      after general anesthesia with combined intravenous injection of sodium
      hydroxybutyrate and calypsol, with spontaneous respiration preserved. The
      examinations were performed under clinical control and impedance plethysmography.
      The combination of the above anesthetics has a lot of advantages over calypsol
      mono-anesthesia and ensures adequate blockade of visceral innervation. A slight
      circulatory hyperdynamia has been observed. This type of analgesia is one of the
      optimal methods of general anesthesia in children.

PMID- 1416208
TI  - [Successful use of a bronchofibroscope in jet lung ventilation of tracheal
      stenosis].

PMID- 1416209
TI  - [The volume of circulating blood during surgery of the aorta performed under
      epidural anesthesia].
AB  - Various methods of circulating blood volume (CBV) determination have been
      compared. The calculation method based on anthropometric to hemodynamic parameter
      ratio was shown to be optimal during surgery on the aorta and major vessels.
      Epidural anesthesia in 15% CBV deficit in the preoperative period and anesthetic
      administration into the epidural space intraoperatively in 10% CBV deficit were
      contraindicated. Epidural anesthesia caused CBV reduction, with its maximum
      changes observed upon blood flow recovery in the vascular bed. 10-15 ml/kg, 15-20
      ml/kg and 20-30 ml/kg blood loss was 2.5,3 and 3.5 times overcompensated,
      respectively.

PMID- 1416210
TI  - [The pulmonary distress syndrome during acute arterial occlusion of the lower
      extremities].
AB  - After surgery for acute arterial occlusion in the lower extremities 59 patients
      have developed tachypnea, respiratory alkalosis and arterial hypoxemia. These
      symptoms persisted over the whole postoperative period. In 66% of dead patients
      pulmonary changes have been observed and only in 34% of patients who died
      suddenly the lungs were unaffected. Morphological changes in the lungs are most
      marked in long-standing ischemia and have the signs of the "shock lung" (adult
      respiratory distress syndrome). Pronounced changes in the respiratory function,
      acid-base balance, blood gas composition can account for a more severe course of
      the disease, deteriorate the prognosis, predetermine multiorgan failure in the
      early postoperative period.

PMID- 1416211
TI  - [Awake tracheal intubation--a method of choice in patients at risk of aspiration
      of gastric contents].
AB  - The experience gained with awake tracheal intubation in 39 urgent surgical
      patients at risk of gastric contents aspiration is presented. After standard
      premedication fentanyl (4.5 micrograms/kg) was injected, local anesthesia of the
      root of the tongue, epiglottis and vocal cords was performed with 10% lidocaine
      spray, rohipnol (0.032 mg/kg) and muscular relaxants were administered and
      controlled lung ventilation was started. Four patients had vomiting, in 5
      patients fentanyl caused muscular restraint. No failures have been observed.
      Indications for awake tracheal intubation and drawbacks of fentanyl injections
      are discussed. Awake tracheal intubation prevented effectively aspiration due to
      retention of coughing and guttural reflexes.

PMID- 1416212
TI  - [Electroacupuncture stimulation in the treatment of postoperative disorders of
      the motor-evacuatory function of the stomach and intestines].
AB  - One hundred and eight patients with gastric ulcer subjected to planned and urgent
      surgery have been treated for postoperative gastric atonia and intestinal paresis
      using electroacupuncture stimulation (EAPS). The treatment was effective in 85%
      of cases, with the efficacy confirmed by clinical results and gastroenterologic
      findings. EAPS promoted a decrease in the initially high blood levels of
      cortisol, aldosterone and histamine, an increase in serotonin and a reduction in
      gastric juice histamine levels, which were indicative of the analgetic and
      antihistamine EAPS effect and attenuation of parasympathetic activity. EAPS
      introduction into a complex of postoperative rehabilitation procedures led to
      reduction of drug doses or total drug replacement, early activation of surgical
      patients and prompt recovery of normal gastrointestinal evacuation.

PMID- 1416213
TI  - [The interaction of moradol (butorphanol tartrate) and flormidal (midazolam) in
      the patient's body].
AB  - Twenty five female patients (3 groups) operated on for cholelithiasis without
      premedication have been examined. In patients of group F an effective flormidal
      dose (EFD) causing an unconscious state upon intravenous injection by a measuring
      device has been determined. Due to an insufficient sedative effect of moradol it
      was impossible to determine an effective moradol dose (EMD). In group M+F right
      after intravenous administration of a standard moradol dose (SMD) flormidal
      infusion was begun, as in patients of group F. EFD after moradol injection (EFMD)
      was determined. Making proportions with known EFD, EFMD and SMD values, EMD was
      calculated. Upon intravenous administration of the calculated EMD by a measuring
      device the sedative effect was superficial in all the patients of group M and it
      was impossible to achieve an unconscious state. The interaction of moradol
      (butorphanol tartrate) and flormidal (midazolam) in the patients' body is of
      synergic nature.

PMID- 1416215
TI  - [Blood viscosity disorders and their pathogenetic significance in
      anesthesiology].

PMID- 1416214
TI  - [A case of successful treatment of a severe form of suppurative meningitis].
AB  - A patient with severe meningoencephalitis has been treated using a combination of
      generalized and local mechanisms of antibacterial drug delivery to the
      inflammation focus, detoxication and brain circulation improvement. The
      management results have been analysed. Positive neurological dynamics,
      homeostasis recovery and shorter period of the patient's stay in an intensive
      care unit proved the efficacy of management. It is assumed that the improvement
      of brain perfusion is an important pathophysiological mechanism.

PMID- 1416216
TI  - [Hyperbaric oxygenation and antianginal preparations: the effect of a single
      combined use on the functional indices of the state of the heart in patients with
      angina pectoris].
AB  - Using electrocardiographic technique, the effect of a single hyperbaric
      oxygenation session (O2 pressure 1.5 atm, duration 40 min) in combination with
      antianginal drugs (nifedipine--20 mg, propranolol--40 mg, nitrong--6.5 mg,
      orally) on central hemodynamics and myocardial contractility has been studied in
      35 patients with ischemic heart disease and angina pectoris of effort, NYHA
      functional class II-III. It has been shown that hyperbaric oxygenation reduced
      the degree of indirect hemodynamic effect of nifedipine, potentiated negative
      chronotropic and inotropic effects of propranolol and had no impact on the degree
      of hemodynamic effect of depot-glycerol trinitrate.

PMID- 1416218
TI  - Musculo-skeletal pain (MSP) in onchocerciasis: a potential in the rapid low cost
      epidemiological survey and in the assessment of impact of ivermectin treatment on
      a community.
AB  - The diagnostic potential of musculo-skeletal pain (MSP) in the rapid assessment
      of onchocerciasis of morbidity and of the impact of ivermectin treatment in a
      community is brought to picture. The clinical impression is that MSP is a common,
      early, chronic important symptom of onchocerciasis. With a significant
      association with onchocerciasis, MSP has the potential of being an important
      operational diagnostic clue in the detection of onchocerciasis. It has the
      advantage of being easily recognizable, and therefore can be applied by primary
      health care workers. MPS is proved to cause the greatest morbidity, particularly
      among working farmers in areas where the forest strain of O. volvulus is
      predominant. Thus, onchocerciasis is contributing more than was perhaps realized
      to the reduced output of work from farmers. However, MPS, a parasitic rheumatism,
      is proved to be eminently susceptible to treatment by DEC.

PMID- 1416217
TI  - Filariasis in Gongola State Nigeria. I: Clinical and parasitological studies in
      Mutum-Biyu District.
AB  - A total of 2,552 persons living in 9 villages along the Benue river valley, Mutum
      Biyu district of Gongola State, Nigeria were examined between October and
      December 1989 for filariasis. It is the first time a filariasis survey will be
      carried out in this state. 276 (10.8%) had Wuchereria bancrofti, 50 (2.0%) had
      Loa loa, 281 (11.0%) were positive for Mansonella perstans while 12 (0.5%) were
      positive for Onchocerca volvulus. Villages located near the Benue river had
      higher prevalence rates than those further away. Dermatitis and hydrocoele were
      common and clinical manifestations were associated with parasite types. Clinical
      symptoms without microfilaremia and microfilaremia without clinical symptoms were
      also observed.

PMID- 1416219
TI  - Experimental Wuchereria bancrofti infection of Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes
      aegypti.
AB  - Laboratory-derived females of Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti were
      experimentally infected with Wuchereria bancrofti by allowing the insects to feed
      on infected volunteers of known microfilariae density between 24.00 and 2.00
      hours. Of the 240 mosquitoes used for the experiments only 67 (55.8%) of C.
      quinquefasciatus and 83 (69.2%) of the Ae.aegypti actually fed on the volunteers'
      blood. After 16 days post-infection period, 50 (74.62%) of the engorged C.
      quinquefasciatus harboured infective L3 larval stages of W. bancrofti, while 16
      (23.9%) and 1 (1.49%) harboured L2 and L1 pre-infective larval stages,
      respectively. On the other hand, no development to the L3 infective stage was
      observed in the engorged Ae.aegypti though 34 (40.96%) harboured L1 pre-infective
      stages of the parasite. Our results suggest that C.quinquefasciatus could be
      actively involved in the transmission of urban bancroftian filariasis in Nigeria.

PMID- 1416220
TI  - [Extent and course of excretion of larva in the milk of female dogs after
      infections of different severity with Ancylostoma caninum (Ancylostomatidae)].
AB  - It was investigated whether there is a linear correlation between the number of
      applied infective larvae of Ancylostoma caninum and the number of larvae excreted
      by bitches with the milk. The investigations were carried out with nine bitches
      that were infected percutaneously each with 5,000, 10,000 or 20,000 third stage
      larvae of Ancylostoma caninum at the day of conception. A clear linear
      correlation between the number of applied infective larvae of Ancylostoma caninum
      and the number of larvae excreted with the milk could be demonstrated only for
      the first week of lactation. Regarding the total investigated period of 28 days
      only a tendency towards such a correlation between infective dosage and excretion
      of larvae with the milk could be found.

PMID- 1416221
TI  - [Determination of parasite-specific antibodies during human schistosomiasis-
      diagnostic relevance].
AB  - Sera from patients with schistosomiasis (Schistosoma mansoni or S. haematobium)
      were examined for the presence of parasite specific antibodies (total
      antibodies), specific IgE and IgG4 antibodies by means fo ELISA technique using
      antigens prepared from adult worms of S. mansoni. Individuals from tropical
      countries who had no schistosomiasis and blood donors from Germany were studied
      for comparison. Significantly higher levels of specific antibodies were given by
      sera from patients with schistosomiasis than by controls in the tests for total
      antibodies, IgE and IgG4. The use of these results in diagnosis is compared and
      assessed with microscopic-parasitological methods.

PMID- 1416222
TI  - [The improvement of polyxenic cultivation of Entamoeba histolytica type HK 9].
AB  - The serological diagnosis of extraintestinal infections with E. histolytica by
      indirect immunofluorescence (IFAT) requires a corpuscular antigen. This is
      produced in our laboratory via polyxenic cultivation of E. histolytica strain HK
      9 in a nutrient medium containing a simple salt mixture (Resembling the Ringer
      mixture), calf serum and rice starch. It was the aim of the experiments described
      in this paper to search for a useful medium in which the amebae grow in high
      density but without substances disturbing the antigen production like debris or
      rice starch granules. It was shown that the cell culture media of EAGLE MEM and
      PARKER were easy to handle (contrary to the worldwide used DIAMOND medium TYI-S
      33) and brought good results. After a period of 10 subcultures both media were
      suitable for the cultivation of E. histolytica for making an antigen reasonable
      for IFAT. As a side effect it was noticed that there was an adaptation phase
      during which the amebae grew slowly when the medium was changed to another which
      was completely different (from a cell culture medium to a Ringer-like solution).

PMID- 1416223
TI  - [Short term cultivation of Plasmodium for the determination of chloroquine
      resistance].
AB  - The in-vivo-test of Plasmodium drug resistance is one of the essential basic
      controls, assisting therapeutic measures in tropical malaria. An initial in-vitro
      check up of drugs provided for antimalarial therapy is another useful help to the
      clinician. Even when manufactured WHO test kits are not available, the analysis
      of drug resistance can be performed under simple working conditions. Its
      application is demonstrated in a patients history.

PMID- 1416224
TI  - [Inflammation of the dura mater following tick bites in Sweden: protective
      vaccination recommended for travel to Sweden].

PMID- 1416225
TI  - [The tick fauna of eastern Germany].
AB  - The occurrence of several tick species in selected areas of Eastern Germany is
      described. From May 1987 till December 1989 8,472 ticks from 430 places were
      examined. Ixodidae of the genus Ixodes, Dermacentor and Haemaphysalis as well as
      Argasidae of the genus Argas were identified. The most common species was Ixodes
      ricinus. Furthermore, an endemic area of Dermacentor reticulatus was detected in
      the Duben-Dahlen and Annaburg health. Two other species of ticks, which were
      found frequently and sometimes with a high intensity on the host were Ixodes
      hexagonus and Ixodes canisuga. On the other side the species Haemaphysalis
      concinna and Argas vespertilionis were present at only one respectively two
      places and with a low population density.

PMID- 1416226
TI  - [Calf carotids in experimental vascular surgery].
AB  - Use of calf [correction of sheep] carotids maintained on 98% glycerol is
      described as a material of substitution of aorta and femoral arteries in the dog,
      in experimental surgery. Taking, maintenance and application technics of such
      heterografts are described. Also, histology after 24 months following the
      surgical procedure was studied in 10 cases of dog aortic grafts and its results
      are presented.

PMID- 1416227
TI  - [The treatment of vasospastic disease by chronic spinal cord stimulation. A case
      report].
AB  - In 1976, by first time, Cook used the chronic medullar stimulation (CMS) for the
      treatment of chronic arteriopathies at the limbs in patients with distal ischemic
      ulcerations. Up to now, some studies about this procedure have been published.
      Results, poor at first, have presented an important improvement with the time and
      the better choosing of patients. In 1981, Neglio used by first time CMS as a
      treatment of vasospastic disease, with excellent results. With this procedure,
      pain and vasospastic crisis disappeared and re-epithelialization of ischemic
      ulcerations is found. In this article, we presented a case interesting because it
      show the different possibilities of this method as a symptomatic treatment of
      such kind of disease. Patient, with a Raynaud syndrome secondary to an
      sclerodermia treated previously by medical and surgical procedures, was treated,
      in different times, with CMS because of digital ischemic ulcerations in both
      hands. Results were positives and ulcerations healed.

PMID- 1416228
TI  - [The arterial complications of closed injuries to the shoulder girdle].
AB  - After a period of time of 5 years, we made a review of all the patients
      registered at our Center. Eight cases of closed traumatism at the scapulohumeral
      belt, with vascular injury associated (0.2% of all closed traumatisms at this
      level registered in our center during this time) were reported. Six patients
      presented also an osteoarticular injury associated. Three different vascular
      injuries were showed: three cases of complete arterial section, two arterial
      contusions and a partial arterial section. From the two cases without
      osteoarticular injuries, one of them showed a complete section and the other
      presented an arterial contusion. Polytraumatic patients showed multiple
      osteoarticular injuries. We registered one fracture-luxation at the shoulder, 3
      diafisaric humeral fractures, one humeral neck fracture, one clavicle fracture,
      one fracture-luxation at the cervical column and one simple luxation of the
      shoulder.

PMID- 1416229
TI  - [The use of the Gott shunt in the surgical repair of a dissecting aneurysm of the
      descending thoracic aorta].
AB  - A 49-years-old man was operated on of a descending thoracic dissecting aneurysm
      by means of a heparin-less external Gott shunt. A review of spinal irrigation,
      neurological deficits postclamping of the descending thoracic aorta and methods
      of spinal preservation in aortic surgery are presented.

PMID- 1416230
TI  - [An oxygen study of patients with chronic ischemia of the lower extremities].

PMID- 1416231
TI  - [The past, present and future of lumbar sympathectomy].
AB  - The ischemic extremities treatment in a precarious phase has been standardized in
      the two last decades with a significance extremities savement. But the ischemia
      of the interdigital vessels and at the microcirculation is still a defiance. We
      expose the hiperemiant surgery past. We describe the experience of four years in
      Centre Hospitalari-Unitat Coronaria, Manresa, with 21 lumbar sympathetic ablation
      in patients without distal pulse, ankle/arm index by Doppler effect between 0 and
      0.6 and angiographies without distal bed images, with 13 successes, 2 exitus by
      M.A.I., 3 amputations and a lung edema. We finish with a futuristic vision that
      suggest alternatives for the usage of the lumbar sympathectomy according to the
      medical advances in the coming time for available the ischemic extremities.

PMID- 1416233
TI  - The quality driven practice.

PMID- 1416232
TI  - [Reinterventions for the late failures of femoral-distal grafts].
AB  - In this retrospective study of 195 patients treated for late failure of a
      previous femoral-distal reconstruction, there were 178 men and 17 women ranging
      in age from 42 to 79 years. The graft material utilised for initial operation was
      an autogenous vein reversed saphenous vein (75), in situ (1), and arm veins (4)
      in 80, polytetrafluoroethylene in 51, Dacron in 46, Biografts in 12 and composite
      grafts in 6 patients. The previous site for distal anastomosis was above the knee
      in 79, and tibial or peroneal arteries in 18 cases. The most common cause of
      graft failure was late thrombosis (95), progression of the underlying disease
      (64), deterioration of the graft (15), pseudoaneurysms (8), and rarely perigraft
      reactions, hemodynamic insufficiency, late infection, etc. The aim of the
      reoperation was: graft extension for distal disease (68) desobstruction and patch
      angioplasty (21), thrombectomy (9) exchange of the graft (17), local repair of
      the graft (3). Seventeen patients required inflow procedures. Other
      reinterventions (sympathectomy, catheterisation and prostaglandin perfusion) were
      used in patients with no chance for reconstructive arterial surgery. Secondary
      reoperations were performed in 12, tertiary operations in 7 patients. Major
      amputations rate, operation mortality, wound morbidity and hemodynamic success
      rates with limb salvage in reoperated patients support usefulness of repeated
      revascularisation when femoro-distal bypass failure occurs.

PMID- 1416234
TI  - Support for "pathology rationale" for orthodontic treatment.

PMID- 1416235
TI  - Estimated and true hinge axis: a comparison of condylar displacements.
AB  - The purposes of the investigation were: i) to compare the condylar displacements
      from centric slides for 74 sets of casts mounted with an estimated versus a true
      hinge axis; ii) to determine the error in hinge axes location on the recording of
      condylar displacements from centric slides; and iii) to define the
      reproducibility of the Mandibular Position Indicator (MPI), a method of measuring
      condylar (in vitro) displacements from centric relation position. The findings
      revealed that routine use of the true hinge axis to obtain MPI readings for
      analysis of diagnostic casts is not warranted. The mean standard error of MPI
      double readings attributed to both hinge axes location was 0.4 mm for each
      component in the sagittal plane. Of the 0.4 mm of mean standard error, 0.2 mm was
      contributed by the lack of reproducibility of the MPI. The centric relation bite
      registration technique outlined in this study always captured a superior
      articulator position of the condylar mechanism. The condylar distractions and
      deflections from centric relation to maximum intercuspation were primarily in an
      inferior direction with a smaller posterior component.

PMID- 1416236
TI  - Assessment of buccal separators in the relief of bruxist activity associated with
      myofascial pain-dysfunction.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of heavy (S2) Alastik
      separators in relieving bruxist activity as monitored through masseter muscle
      area EMG activity, muscle palpation, and self-reporting in 21 Caucasian subjects.
      The subjects, all of whom suffered from both bruxism and myofascial pain
      dysfunction, were randomly assigned to one of three groups: experimental
      (separator group); placebo (separator placed and removed); and control groups (no
      separator). The findings from this study indicate that there were no observable
      differences in either subjective or objective responses to the pretreatment
      versus posttreatment questionnaire and clinical examination for tooth clenching
      or grinding, facial pain, and fatigue of the jaws. In addition, no statistical
      differences were found between pre and posttreatment data. The EMG data did not
      show any statistical differences between pretreatment and posttreatment
      evaluations or among the 3 groups.

PMID- 1416237
TI  - Facial growth during adolescence in early, average and late maturers.
AB  - The relative stage of maturity of a child may be determined by comparing the
      child's hand-wrist radiograph to known standards of skeletal development. Hand
      wrist radiographs of 70 adolescents were used to categorize the individuals by
      skeletal maturation into early, average and late maturation groups using the
      Fishman SMA method of assessment. The rates of mandibular and maxillary growth
      relative to the last stages of the pubertal growth spurt were measured.
      Statistical evaluation of the data was performed using an analysis of variance.
      The magnitude of change in growth increments of the mandible was greater in the
      late maturers than in the early or average maturers. Incremental differences in
      growth between the maxilla and mandible during the last stages of puberty were
      noted, with the mandible growing significantly more than the maxilla.

PMID- 1416238
TI  - Force generation by orthodontic samarium-cobalt magnets.
AB  - The use of samarium-cobalt (Sm-Co) magnets for light force application is a
      relatively new concept in orthodontic tooth movement. This study reports on the
      forces generated by these magnets. Magnets were attached to aluminum rods mounted
      in a universal testing machine. The magnets were initially separated by 10 mm
      were moved toward each other at 2.5mm/min in repulsion or attraction, depending
      upon the magnetic pole orientation. The magnets were also positioned initially in
      contact and then moved apart at a rate of 2.5mm/min, again producing repulsion or
      attraction, depending upon the pole orientation. The Sm-Co magnets exhibit very
      large forces when in close approximation but forces decrease markedly at
      separations greater than 2mm. The force, P, generated between magnets is
      determined by their separation, d, and follows the relationship P = dn. At magnet
      separations of 0 to 2mm, the exponent n is equal to -0.4; at separations of 2mm
      to 7mm, exponent n equals -2.1 for both attraction and repulsion. Thus the
      classic Coulomb law of magnetic force was followed only at magnet separations of
      greater than 2mm. Force-separation behavior and the high cost of these magnets
      may not justify their routine clinical use.

PMID- 1416239
TI  - Force magnitude effects upon osteoprogenitor cells during premaxillary expansion
      in rats.
AB  - To study the effects of force magnitude on osteoprogenitor cell activity during
      premaxillary expansion, stainless steel helical springs were attached to the
      maxillary central incisors of 45 3-month-old male rats. The animals were randomly
      divided into force levels (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 gm) and were injected
      intraperitoneally with tritiated thymidine (1.0 uc/g wt.) 1 hour prior to
      sacrifice which occurred at 27, 40, and 60 hours. In order to examine cell
      activity within different regions of the suture, each premaxilla was divided into
      three geographic areas. Quantitative results were obtained by comparing the
      percent of labeled cells observed at different force levels, geographic areas,
      and observation times. The greatest number of labeled cells at each force level
      was found at 27 hours. Increased forces were correlated with increased numbers of
      labeled cells up to 100 gm, with decreased cell numbers at higher forces. The
      numbers of labeled cells at 200 gm were not significantly different from the
      controls. Histological observations of early bone formation at 60 hours supported
      the quantitative labeling results at 27 hours. The results also demonstrate a
      significant correlation between the geographic location of the labeled cells and
      force magnitude, with maximal cell stimulation occurring more superiorly in the
      suture as forces increased. The results suggest that early bone formation within
      the expanded suture can be maximized by varying force magnitude and distance from
      the point of force application.

PMID- 1416240
TI  - Childhood and pubertal growth changes of the human symphysis.
AB  - Longitudinal growth changes of the human symphysis were evaluated for 75 children
      (37 males and 38 females) between 6 and 15 years old. Childhood growth was
      described by mean yearly rates of change between 6 and 10 years for females and
      between 7 and 11 years for males; pubertal changes pertain to growth between 10
      and 14 for females and between 11 and 15 for males. Cephalometric tracings of the
      mandible were superimposed using stable reference structures. Vertical growth
      changes, particularly for landmarks located in the upper 20% of the symphysis,
      were most pronounced. Annual rates of vertical growth ranged between 0.9 mm/yr
      for the lingual incisor contact point to -0.2 mm/yr for gnathion. Males showed
      significantly greater rates of vertical growth than females, especially for the
      upper half of the symphysis. Vertical growth rates were also greater during
      puberty than during childhood. The horizontal growth changes indicated lingual
      movement of most symphyseal landmarks. Annual rates of growth were greatest for
      landmarks located in the upper half of the symphysis. B-point showed the greatest
      lingual drift. During puberty, the mandibular incisors in females moved lingually
      as the upper anterior half of the symphysis remodeled; in males, the incisors
      maintained their horizontal position as the labial sulcus developed.

PMID- 1416241
TI  - Long-term orthodontic tooth movement response to short-term force in the rat.
AB  - Both the amount of force applied and the duration of the application affect tooth
      movement. To study the effect of duration, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were
      fitted with orthodontic appliances delivering a 40-gm initial mesial tipping
      force to the maxillary molars. The animals were divided into two longitudinal
      groups (I: 1 hour and II: 24 hours; N = 15). Sham-treated control (III) and 14
      day (IV) continuous cross-sectional force tooth movement data were also included
      for comparison (72 rats per group). Extraoral cephalometric radiographs were
      obtained at appliance placement and at 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, & 14 days. Tooth movement
      was determined with respect to palatal implants. ANOVA indicated significant
      differences existed over time in each group (p = 0.0001). Continuous force
      applied for 14 days generated a classic three-part tooth movement curve. Short
      term forces were characterized by initial mesial movement, a distal relapse
      period (d3-d5), and a late mesial movement period (d7-d14). The results suggest
      short-term forces of 1 and 24 hours initiate remodeling events, which result in
      tooth movement 7 to 14 days later and that the minimum effective duration of a 40
      gm activation is less than 1 hour in this animal model.

PMID- 1416242
TI  - Comparison of mandibular growth with other variables during puberty.
AB  - The purpose of this investigation was to compare growth characteristics of the
      mandible during puberty with growth characteristics of the hyoid bone, cervical
      vertebrae, hand bones and standing height. Data were compiled from serial lateral
      cephalometric roentgenograms, hand-wrist roentgenograms and body height records
      of 33 Japanese girls between 9 and 14 years old. Records were updated annually.
      The mandibular growth rate differed from the other growth rates. The timing of
      maximum growth velocity of the mandible varied more widely than the timing of
      maximum growth velocity of the other parameters measured, and the total amount of
      mandibular growth did not correlate to any other measurement. The timing and
      magnitude of circumpubertal growth acceleration of various components of the body
      vary within a certain range of difference. However, the amount and timing of
      mandibular growth seems to be more variable than the other areas studied.

PMID- 1416244
TI  - Computer assisted orthognathic surgical treatment planning: a case report.

PMID- 1416243
TI  - A functional rationale for routine maxillary bonded retention.
AB  - A technique is presented for the lingual bonded retention of anterior teeth.
      Functional concepts to guide the goals of orthodontic treatment during finishing
      are reviewed. The importance of proper anterior guidance is emphasized as the
      protector of posterior teeth in eccentric jaw position. Clinical procedures for
      attaining optimum function are suggested, including the elimination of removable
      retainers.

PMID- 1416245
TI  - Orthodontics with a tender touch.

PMID- 1416246
TI  - Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of a chicken ornithine decarboxylase
      cDNA.
AB  - A chicken embryo cDNA library was screened with a mouse probe for ornithine
      decarboxylase (ODC) and 14 positively hybridizing clones isolated. The longest of
      these (1.7 kb) was sub-cloned and sequenced. It is estimated that the clone
      comprises approximately 98% of the coding region for chicken ODC. The DNA
      sequence shows 78% identity with the human ODC cDNA sequence and the deduced
      amino acid sequence is almost 90% homologous to mouse and human. Both the peptide
      and cDNA sequences show interesting potential regulatory features which are
      discussed here.

PMID- 1416247
TI  - Genetic linkage analysis between protein polymorphisms and the FecB major gene in
      sheep.
AB  - A genetically linked marker locus is sought for the Booroola gene (FecB), a major
      gene which confers increased prolificacy in sheep. We examined 18 polymorphic
      proteins in sheep and found 10 to be informative in half-sib families where the
      Booroola gene was segregating. Recombination was observed between each of the
      protein loci and the Booroola gene. The loci and exclusion distance for each
      (calculated as the recombination fraction where the lod score was equal to -2.0)
      are as follows: NADH diaphorase, DIA1 (9.2 cM); arylesterase, EsA (11.9 cM);
      haemoglobin beta chain, HBB (17.5 cM); leucine amino peptidase, LAP (19.7 cM);
      malic enzyme, ME1 (14.8 cM); ovine plasminogen antigen, OPA (12.6 cM); alpha-1
      protease inhibitor, PI2 (5.7 cM), erythrocyte 'X' protein, Prot-X (25.3 cM); post
      transferrin, PTF (2.2 cM); transferrin, TF (33.8 cM).

PMID- 1416248
TI  - Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis: detection of a single base substitution
      in the cattle beta-lactoglobulin gene.
AB  - An A in equilibrium with G transition in exon III is known to differentiate
      alleles A and B of the cattle beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) gene. A BLG exon III
      fragment containing the transition site was amplified by the polymerase chain
      reaction. Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) was then used to detect
      this transition and hence to genotype cattle: the AT base-pair in allele A was
      readily distinguished from the GC base-pair of allele B. TGGE can be used to
      detect any single base-pair substitution, and thus is a powerful method of
      detecting genetic variability.

PMID- 1416249
TI  - Characterization of a porcine variable number tandem repeat sequence specific for
      the glucosephosphate isomerase locus.
AB  - A variable number of tandem repeat from a porcine glucosephosphate isomerase
      intron has been isolated and sequenced. The repeat has a unit size of 39 bp, is
      highly conserved and is present in at least 14 copies. Flanking sequences show a
      sequence periodicity of 53-54 bp and some sequence homology to the 39 bp repeat.
      A considerable part of the genomic DNA has been lost during subcloning and is
      considered to be deletion prone or refractory to propagation in E. coli. The
      tandem repeat is locus specific and detects at least six alleles in BamHI
      digested porcine DNA. No homology to other tandem repeat sequences has been
      found.

PMID- 1416250
TI  - Characterization of swine short interspersed repetitive sequences.
AB  - Swine genomic DNA segments containing repetitive sequences were isolated from a
      porcine genomic library using genomic DNA as a probe. Three fragments containing
      the repetitive sequences from two of the primary phage clones were subcloned for
      sequence analysis, which revealed six new PRE-1 repetitive families other than
      those reported earlier by Singer et al. (Nucleic Acids Research 15, 2780, 1987).
      The frequency of the repetitive sequences in the swine genome was estimated at 2
      x 10(6) per diploid genome. Sequence analysis revealed similarities between these
      repetitive sequences and that of arginine-tRNA gene.

PMID- 1416251
TI  - Genetic polymorphism of erythrocyte diaphorase in red deer, Cervus elaphus L.
AB  - NADH diaphorase polymorphism was identified in red deer erythrocyte lysates using
      starch gel electrophoresis and activity staining. The inheritance of the
      polymorphism was consistent with predictions of autosomal codominant inheritance
      of two alleles DIA1F and DIAS. In New Zealand's four main feral red deer
      populations (n = 188) the DIA1F allele frequency ranged from 0.491 to 0.985. A
      sample of North American wapiti (n = 42) was monomorphic for the DIA1F allele.

PMID- 1416252
TI  - A new transferrin allele in Australian goats.
AB  - Subdivision of TF B into two variants, B1 (faster) and B2 (slower) in Australian
      goat breeds was accomplished by high voltage, thin layer polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis at pH 7.9. The genes controlling the caprine transferrins were
      shown to be autosomal codominant alleles, TFA, TFB1, TFB2 and TFC and in the
      various breeds of goats, the alleles were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. TFA was
      the most common allele in the Australian and Texan Angora, Cashmere and Dairy
      breeds with gene frequencies ranging from 0.652 to 0.977. TFB1 and TFB2 occurred
      in all four breeds while TFC was only observed in very low frequencies in
      Australian Angora and Cashmere breeds.

PMID- 1416253
TI  - Genetic polymorphism of plasma vitamin D-binding protein (GC) in Australian
      goats.
AB  - Polymorphism at the GC locus in goats was detected using isoelectric focusing (pH
      4.5-5.4) and immunoblotting with antiserum to human GC. Three variants,
      designated A, B and C in order of decreasing mobility to the anode, were detected
      and were shown to be controlled by three codominant alleles, GCA, GCB and GCC.
      GCA and GCB occurred in all four breeds (Australian and Texan Angora, Cashmere
      and Dairy) with GCA being the most common and having gene frequencies ranging
      from 0.851 to 0.993. GCC was found only in Australian Angora and Cashmere
      animals. The products of the three GC alleles had isoelectric points in the range
      pH 4.63-4.95 and M(r) of approximately 54,375. The major isoforms of the three
      alleles were shown to contain sialic acid. Linkage between the GC and albumin
      loci was unable to be demonstrated due to the low frequency of ALBA (0.02) in the
      Cashmere breed.

PMID- 1416254
TI  - Bovine and ovine DNA microsatellites from the EMBL and GENBANK databases.
AB  - Bovine and ovine microsatellite sequences were extracted from the EMBL and
      GENBANK databases. When analysed for number of alleles and degree of
      heterozygosity in the CSIRO cattle reference families, allele numbers range from
      1 to 14 with heterozygosities, in the polymorphic systems ranging from 15.8% to
      100%. Six (46%) of the 13 bovine systems tested gave specific and polymorphic
      products in sheep. Similarly 2 of the 4 ovine systems gave specific and
      polymorphic products in cattle. These data define 11 bovine and 8 ovine
      microsatellite systems which are associated with known genes and are thus useful
      for comparative mapping studies.

PMID- 1416256
TI  - Polymorphism in exon 2 of the bovine lymphocyte antigen (BoLA)-DYA gene.

PMID- 1416255
TI  - Mouse monoclonal antibodies to swine blood group antigens.
AB  - Eight mouse hybridomas with haemagglutination capacity to swine blood group
      antigens were obtained, three of them producing antibodies capable of being used
      as blood group reagents. Two detected the Ba factor and another the Fa factor.
      The others gave non-specific and weak reactions or cross-reaction with antigens
      present in more than one system. We conclude that mouse monoclonal antibodies are
      also suitable for use in swine as a complement of polyclonal reagents.

PMID- 1416257
TI  - Mononucleotide repeat polymorphism at the MYHE locus in chicken.

PMID- 1416258
TI  - Dinucleotide polymorphism at the bovine beta-globin locus (HBB).

PMID- 1416259
TI  - Cat allergy.

PMID- 1416260
TI  - Antihistamines--is there anything safe to prescribe?

PMID- 1416261
TI  - The value of the Joint Council of Allergy and Immunology.

PMID- 1416262
TI  - Psychiatric complications of pediatric asthma.
AB  - Asthma is the most common chronic illness of childhood. An increased prevalence
      of psychopathology has been shown repeatedly to occur in severely asthmatic
      children, but little evidence exists to suggest that this is true for children
      with mild asthma. A major problem in interpreting the psychological literature
      addressing asthma has been the absence of studies of children with specified
      subtypes of the disease and the analysis of heterogeneous samples including
      children with a wide range of ages and poorly defined disease characteristics.
      Depression and anxiety disorders occur at a greater prevalence in severely
      asthmatic children and may be exacerbated by antiasthmatic medications. Vocal
      cord dysfunction may be misdiagnosed as asthma and is suggested to be associated
      with an increased risk of psychiatric disturbance. The presence of depressive
      illness in very severe asthmatic patients is associated with greater asthma
      mortality and requires intervention. Treatment considerations include the need
      for a high level of suspicion for noncompliance in patients who are nonresponsive
      to antiasthmatic medications, judicious use of antidepressant medication,
      referral of children with co-occurring psychiatric symptoms for psychiatric
      assessment and management, and consideration of early intervention strategies to
      minimize the initial expression of asthmatic symptoms.

PMID- 1416263
TI  - Recurrent acute urticaria in an adolescent.

PMID- 1416264
TI  - Asthma as a child. Symptom-free as an adult?
AB  - Of 123 individuals hospitalized as children (aged 5-15 years) because of asthma
      over a 10-year period (1953-1962), four are dead of whom three died of asthma at
      follow-up 23-31 years later. Using a survey questionnaire, 64 (53%) of the 117
      responders (response rate 98%) claimed to be completely symptom-free. The rest
      were still suffering from their disease. Of the 31 symptom-free individuals still
      living in the community, two had decreased lung volumes and seven had positive
      methacholine provocation tests at re-examination, thus indicating
      hyperreactivity. Twenty-five individuals showed both positive skin prick tests
      and Phadiatop allergy tests. Nineteen individuals were suffering from allergic
      rhinoconjunctivitis. So, of symptom-free adults hospitalized for asthma in
      childhood, nearly a quarter (23%) had hyperreactive airways. The occurrence of
      positive skin prick test/Phadiotop and rhinoconjunctivitis was, however, even
      higher (80% and 61% respectively), thereby indicating that the disappearance of
      allergy may not be a prerequisite for restoration to health in asthma.

PMID- 1416265
TI  - Bronchial inflammation in mite-sensitive asthmatic subjects after 5 years of
      specific immunotherapy.
AB  - We examined the pattern and degree of the inflammatory process in bronchial
      biopsy specimens taken by fiberoptic bronchoscopy in eight asthmatic subjects
      (two women aged 19-38 years) after 5 years of specific immunotherapy (SIT) to
      mite extracts (SIT group). At the time of study, they received a maintenance dose
      of mite-extracts (last subcutaneous administration 3 weeks before bronchoscopy).
      Results were compared with those found in eight matched mite-sensitive subjects
      with stable asthma (two women aged 19-36 years; non-SIT group) and in eight
      healthy individuals (four women aged 22-29 years; control group). Bronchial
      biopsy specimens were fixed in periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde, embedded in
      glycol methacrylate, and stained with hematoxylin-eosin and 2% toluidine blue.
      Number of eosinophils, mast cells, and total nucleated cells were counted
      separately in the epithelium and lamina propria by light microscopy and expressed
      as cells/high power field. Within the epithelium, eosinophil and mast cell counts
      in SIT and non-SIT groups were significantly higher compared to controls, whereas
      total cell counts were not statistically different. Within the lamina propria,
      total cell count in SIT and non-SIT groups was significantly higher compared with
      the control group, whereas mast cells were similar. The number of eosinophils in
      both SIT and non-SIT groups was higher compared with controls; however this
      reached statistical significance only in SIT-groups. Comparison between the two
      groups of asthmatics did not show any significant difference for any cell
      counts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416266
TI  - Budesonide in grass pollen rhinitis.
AB  - To determine the relative efficacy, to compare the incidence of adverse
      experiences, and to assess the systemic glucocorticoid effect of nasal
      preparations of budesonide, 200 micrograms bid, and placebo, 50 adult patients
      with seasonal allergic rhinitis due to grass pollen were studied in a stratified,
      double-blind parallel group design. After a 2-week baseline period, budesonide
      nasal spray, 100 microgram per nostril twice a day, was compared with placebo
      nasal spray over a 4-week treatment period. Supplementary treatment with
      chlorpheniramine, 4-mg tablets, was permitted when necessary to control symptoms.
      Daily symptom and medication diaries were kept by the patients. Investigator
      assessments of symptoms and side effects were made at clinic visits at 2-week
      intervals. At baseline and again towards the end of the study, blood samples were
      drawn for the determination of plasma cortisol levels and 24-hour urine samples
      collected for the measurement of 17-hydroxycorticosteroid output. Of the 24 men
      and 26 women entering, 49 completed the study. Symptom scores for sneezing,
      stuffy nose, and nasal secretion all decreased dramatically from baseline when
      budesonide treatment was started. The decrease in symptoms was greater for
      budesonide than for placebo (P < .001). There was no difference between
      budesonide and placebo with regard to eye itch and rescue medication used.
      Morning nasal washes were taken during the grass season before treatment was
      started and 16 to 17 days after. They showed a significant decrease in TAME
      esterase levels in secretions in the budesonide treated patients (P = .03) but
      not in the placebo-treated patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416267
TI  - Mustard allergy. Two anaphylactic reactions to ingestion of mustard sauce.
AB  - Two cases of anaphylactic reactions set off by the ingestion of a small amount of
      mustard sauce are described. Mediation by specific IgE to mustard was determined
      by skin prick tests and radioimmunoassay, which suggested a type I
      hypersensitivity mechanism. Despite the antigenic potency of mustard, a spice
      that is consumed frequently, very few cases of hypersensitivity from ingestion
      have been described.

PMID- 1416268
TI  - Fel d I allergen: skin and or saliva?
AB  - To determine the relative importance of saliva and sebaceous glands as sources of
      Fel d I allergen, we compared Fel d I levels at the base and tip of the hair in
      areas presenting more or less sebaceous glands and areas licked more or less
      frequently. The amount of Fel d I was significantly higher at the base than the
      tip of the hair. Further, it was strongly correlated with the density of
      sebaceous glands. This study demonstrated that the most abundant source of Fel d
      I allergen is cat skin.

PMID- 1416269
TI  - Diagnosis and "desensitization" in tetanus vaccine hypersensitivity.
AB  - A 5-year-old boy was evaluated for a history of an anaphylactic reaction to a DPT
      immunization at 18 months of age. Cutaneous tests and RAST disclosed high titers
      of IgE antibody to tetanus toxoid vaccine. Variable sensitivity to different
      vaccine commercial preparations was demonstrated. Immunization was achieved using
      a 9-step graded dosing schedule with the tetanus toxoid vaccine to which the
      patient was least sensitive.

PMID- 1416270
TI  - The progress of allergy and immunology, 1942-1992.

PMID- 1416271
TI  - [Comparative study of conventional spinal anesthesia and combined spinal-epidural
      anesthesia in gynecological surgery].
AB  - A prospective study was carried out to compare the qualities of spinal block with
      those of combined spinal-epidural anaesthesia (CSEA). It included 63 patients,
      ranked ASA 1 or 2, aged between 35 and 75 years, scheduled for gynaecological
      surgery due to last more than 2 hours, and randomly allocated to two groups. In
      the first group (n = 34), spinal anaesthesia was carried out with the patients
      sitting, in the L3-4 interspace, using 15 mg of hyperbaric bupivacaine with 0.4
      mg of adrenaline. In the second group (n = 29), a catheter was inserted in the
      epidural space through the L2-3 interspace, and spinal anaesthesia carried out as
      in the first group, using bupivacaine without adrenaline. Once the highest level
      of analgesia had been reached, aliquots of 0.5% plain bupivacaine were injected
      through the epidural catheter, until anaesthesia of T5 was obtained. In the
      spinal group, general anaesthesia was required in 3 cases, as anaesthesia only
      reached the T12 level in 2 cases, and as surgery lasted longer than the spinal in
      the third one. In the CSEA group, excellent analgesia was obtained in all
      patients. Sensory blockade lasted 308 +/- 48 min at the T12 level, versus 162 +/-
      51 min in the spinal group (p < 0.025), and 361 +/- 51 min at the L2 level,
      versus 210 < 44 min in the other group (p < 0.025). "Topping up" was possible
      with the epidural catheter only, thus raising the level of sensory blockade,
      making it deeper, and increasing its duration. It avoids the use of general
      anaesthesia in case of failed spinal blockade.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416272
TI  - [Etomidate modifies hemodynamic response to fentanyl in patients with impaired
      left ventricular function].
AB  - The haemodynamic effects and the side-effects of anaesthesia using high doses of
      fentanyl were compared in two groups of 12 patients each. All the patients had
      poor left ventricular function and were scheduled for elective coronary artery
      bypass graft surgery or valvular replacement. Patients were randomly assigned to
      either group. In group EF, patients were given 5 micrograms.kg-1 of fentanyl,
      followed by 0.3 mg.kg-1 of etomidate. Once they had lost consciousness, they were
      given 15 mg of pancuronium and 25 micrograms.kg-1 of fentanyl over a 5 min
      period. Patients in group F received the full 30 micrograms.kg-1 dose of fentanyl
      over a 5 min period, followed by 15 mg of pancuronium. The patients were
      intubated 2 min after the end of the fentanyl infusion. They were mechanically
      ventilated with 100% oxygen. Anaesthesia was maintained with a continuous
      infusion of fentanyl (total dose 100 micrograms.kg-1). The usual haemodynamic
      parameters were monitored and calculated, as well as pain during injection of the
      drugs, myoclonia, chest wall rigidity and the time to loss of consciousness. The
      two groups were comparable with respect to age, weight, height and surgery. One
      third of the patients in group EF complained of pain during etomidate injection.
      The time required to loose consciousness was shorter in group EF (55 +/- 16 sec)
      than in group F (177 +/- 56 sec) (p < 0.001). The cardiac index decrease in group
      EF (2.0 +/- 0.4 l.min-1.m-2 vs. 1.9 +/- 0.4 l.min-1.m-2) (p < 0.05), respectively
      between the time just before tracheal intubation (T1), and 10 min after tracheal
      intubation (T3).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416273
TI  - [Hemodynamic effects of bathing in severe burnt patients].
AB  - Repeated water immersion is currently used in France in the treatment of severe
      burn injury. A prospective study was carried out to assess the haemodynamic
      effects of immersing such patients in a half sitting position in water, the
      temperature of which was kept at 35 degrees C. The burn exceeded 50% of body
      surface area (BSA), with at least 30% being third degree burns. The study was
      carried out during the first bath, three days after the injury. The patients were
      immersed up to the clavicles. They were sedated with 2 mg.h-1 of both
      flunitrazepam and phenoperidine, and were mechanically ventilated. The following
      haemodynamic parameters were monitored: heart rate, arterial blood pressure (the
      transducer being level with the arterial catheter), right atrial and pulmonary
      arterial pressures (the transducer being level with the right atrium, level which
      had been marked on the chest before immersion and placed two intercostal spaces
      higher after immersion because of the change in position of the heart). The
      cardiac output was measured using the thermodilution method. The patient's
      temperature was monitored with the thermistance of the Swan-Ganz catheter. Values
      were obtained before immersion, after 15 and 30 minutes of immersion, and 5
      minutes after the end of the bath. Nine patients were included, 2 women and 7
      men, aged between 24 and 45 years, weighing 73.7 kg on average. Burn size was 78%
      of BSA (range 64 to 95%). Water immersion was maintained for 34 +/- 3 min. The
      right atrial, mean pulmonary arterial, and wedge pressures, and the cardiac and
      systolic indices increased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416274
TI  - [Value of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography in patients with suspected brain
      death].
AB  - Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) is a non invasive technique which
      assesses blood flow velocitics in basal cerebral arteries. Specific patterns have
      been observed in brain death. In a continuous series of 72 patients, the TCD
      recordings from the intracranial internal carotid and middle cerebral arteries
      were compared with the results from the usual investigations for brain death,
      such as electroencephalogramme (EEG), and arteriography. All the patients were
      clinically brain dead: Glasgow score of 3, apnoea, bilateral mydriasis, loss of
      cortical function and cerebral reflexes. This clinical diagnosis was confirmed by
      and isoelectric EEG with or without angiographic circulatory arrest. Two
      characteristic patterns were identified: an oscillating to and fro signal, with a
      positive sharp systolic peak and a negative diastolic reflux; and a systolic peak
      without any diastolic component. The absence of signal on both sides did not
      allow any conclusion, except when this pattern occurred during follow-up. The
      oscillating pattern was seen on both sides in 60 patients (83%), and, in 3 other
      patients, only on one side, always combined with a contralateral systolic peak
      pattern, in 3 other patients. A bilateral systolic peak pattern was identified in
      7 patients (10%). The TCD results were compared with angiography in 37 cases. TCD
      circulatory arrest preceded angiographic arrest by six hours in three cases.
      Hypotension was the main limitation to this technique. n the other hand, TCD may
      be used in patients treated with sedative drugs. The non invasive character of
      TCD, its low cost, the possibility of repeating it at the patient's bedside make
      TCD a very interesting diagnostic tool.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416275
TI  - [Monitoring of intracranial pressure with intraparenchymal fiberoptic transducer.
      Technical aspects and clinical reliability].
AB  - A fiberoptic intracranial pressure transducer (Camino) was assessed prospectively
      in 100 patients. In all, 122 sensors were inserted intraparenchymally at the
      bedside, without the help of a neurosurgeon. Before the procedure, patients were
      given 2 to 4 mg of phenoperidine. The scalp was opened over a few millimeters in
      the frontal paramedian area. A burr holc was made with a 2 mm bit. The dura mater
      was opened and a hollow screw inserted in the diploe. When the zero of the
      transducer had been obtained, a 5 cm length was inserted within the screw. The
      transducer was then about 5 mm deep within cerebral parenchyma. The procedure
      took an average of about 15 min. An intracerebral haematoma around the transducer
      occurred five times. One had to be drained surgically. There were no infectious
      complications. The daily baseline drift was about 0.3 mmHg. The system seemed to
      be reliable: there was close agreement between the intracranial pressure (ICP),
      neurological status and CT scan findings. In trauma cases, there was also good
      correlation between mean ICP and the basal cistern obliteration score, finally,
      ICP became equivalent to mean arterial blood pressure in all brain dead patients.
      It is concluded that this system may be used in all cases where ICP requires to
      be monitored, even when the lateral ventricles are no longer visible, or when
      craniotomy has been performed. This will most probably result in a more extended
      use of ICP monitoring in neurosurgical intensive care.

PMID- 1416276
TI  - [Influence of sampling techniques on blood sodium, potassium and hemoglobin
      concentration measured by a blood gas analyser].
AB  - A study was carried out to assess the influence of sampling technique on sodium,
      potassium and haemoglobin blood concentrations measured simultaneously with a
      bedside blood gas analyser (Ciba Corning 288) and in the central laboratory.
      Blood samples from forty intensive care unit patients were used to test cight
      techniques: capillary tubes (Radiometer & Corning), preheparinized syringes
      (Terumo 2.5 ml, Sherwood 1 and 3 ml, Corning 1 ml) and Radiometer 2 ml) and a
      conventional syringe (Plastimed) which was rinsed with heparin just before use.
      Each result was compared with that obtained by the laboratory. For haemoglobin
      concentrations, the results were underestimated by the bedside analyser with
      Terumo, Corning, Radiometer and Plastimed syringes. The differences between
      results varied with the haemoglobin concentration, and precision was low: 38 to
      55% of results showed a difference of more than 1 g.dl-1, and 13 to 25% a
      difference of more than 2 g.dl-1. The results obtained with the capillary tubes
      and the preheparinized syringes (Sherwood) showed differences independent of the
      value, as well as higher precision: 13 to 20% of values differed more than 1 g.dl
      1, and 0 to 3% more than 2 g.dl-1. The capillary tubes moderately overestimated
      the haemoglobin concentration (+0.02 to +0.65 g.dl-1) while Sherwood's syringes
      underestimated it (-0.48 to -0.94 g.dl-1). For the sodium and potassium
      concentrations, the eight methods gave results similar to those obtained by the
      laboratory. It is concluded that these modules for bedside biological analysis,
      when used in optimal conditions, rapidly provide reliable results for some
      parameters.

PMID- 1416278
TI  - [Electromagnetic location of central venous catheters].
AB  - A new technique, the Cath Finder (Pharmacia Deltec) system, for locating central
      venous catheters is described. It was initially designed to facilitate the
      insertion of the PAS Port (Pharmacia Deltec), a long central venous catheter with
      an implantable chamber. It is based on a low intensity high frequency
      electromagnetic field generated by a locator wand. A preconnected sensor guide
      wire is introduced into the catheter so as to make the catheter tip detectable by
      the electromagnetic field. The wand is placed over an appropriate landmark on the
      anterior chest wall (third right rib, parasternally). When the centre of the
      field has been passed over by the sensor tip in the catheter-sensor assembly, a
      light signal is set off. This technique is simple and easily mastered. It is far
      less cumbersome than the usual techniques, like fluoroscopy and chest X-rays. The
      Cath Finder provides reliable continuous information on the position of the
      catheter tip during its insertion. It seems to provide an acceptable alternative
      to peroperative fluoroscopy. The accuracy of this system was assessed in ten
      patients. All had malignancies and required long term central venous access. In 6
      cases, catheterisation and locating of the catheter were uneventful. In 2 cases,
      the catheter entered a wrong vein. The diagnosis having been made with the Cath
      Finder system, the false route was amended and the catheter placed accurately. In
      one case, the sensor in the catheter broke.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416277
TI  - [Continuous venovenous hemofiltration after cardiac surgery. A retrospective
      study in 16 patients with multiple organ failure].
AB  - As intermittent haemodialysis in critically ill patients is often associated with
      circulatory instability and hypotension, pumped continuous veno-venous
      haemofiltration (CVVH) has been proposed as an alternative. This technique was
      used postoperatively in 16 cardiac surgery patients with cardiogenic shock
      (cardiac index < 2.2 l.min-1.m-2), anuria and multiple organ failure. A mean
      haemofiltration rate of 0.5 to 1 l.h-1 was used. Average length of treatment was
      57 +/- 38 h. Two patients were improved and weaned from CVVH after 96 and 144 h
      respectively. The other fourteen died. A mean 200 +/- 50 ml of liquid were
      removed every hour. The technique was well tolerated by the cardiovascular
      system. The systolic arterial pressure, heart rate and cardiac index remained
      unchanged. Body weight had decreased by 3 +/- 1 kg after 48 h of use. Similarly,
      serum creatinine concentration was lowered from 337 +/- 32 mmol.l-1 to 252 +/- 27
      mmol.l-1 (p < 0.001). At that time, urea and creatinine clearances were 18 +/- 2
      ml.min-1, and 15 +/- 1 ml.min-1 respectively. After 24 h of CVVH, both serum
      sodium and potassium concentrations had been decreased, from 148 +/- 3 mmol.l-1
      to 142 +/- 2 mmol.l-1 (p < 0.001), and from 5.7 +/- 0.3 to 4.2 +/- 0.15 mmol.l-1
      (p < 0.001) respectively. In addition, pH increased significantly from 7.13 +/-
      0.1 to 7.30 +/- 0.04 (p < 0.001). These results were comparable with these of
      other authors regarding safety and efficiency of CVVH. The low patient survival
      rate (12.5%) was due to the severity of cardiac impairment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416279
TI  - [Anesthetic consequences of hemodynamic effects of angiotensin converting enzyme
      inhibitors].
AB  - Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) are used increasingly to treat
      cardiovascular diseases, and so, therefore, the number of patients scheduled for
      surgery and treated preoperatively with these drugs. Haemodynamic instability has
      sometimes been observed during anaesthesia in these patients, leading some
      authors to discontinue ACEI administration before anaesthesia. However, recent
      physiological data concerning the renin angiotensin system (RAS) and ACEI
      pharmacological data may increase our understanding of the mechanisms of
      cardiovascular interaction between ACEI and anaesthesia. The RAS is involved in
      blood pressure regulation when extracellular fluid volume is decreased and in
      case of hypovolaemia, by inducing vasoconstriction and longterm volume
      regulation. Arterial vasoconstriction is the target for ACEI. However,
      venoconstriction may maintain venous return and cardiac output in spite of
      reduced blood volume. On the other hand, ACEI treatment impedes cardiac
      adaptation to acute changes in extracellular fluid volume. This effect may be
      increased by underlying pathology (especially in hypertension) as well as by
      anaesthesia. A combination of an increased sensitivity to acute changes in
      ventricular load due to treatment with ACEI and anaesthesia in hypertensive
      patients or in patients with cardiac failure may carry a high risk of
      hypotension. Specific studies on haemodynamic tolerance of anaesthesia in
      patients chronically treated with ACEI are required to assess the prevalence of
      this risk and how to manage it.

PMID- 1416280
TI  - [The role of the bacteriological laboratory in the criteria for choosing and
      monitoring antibiotic treatment].
AB  - The constant development of clinical bacteriology and the consequence this has on
      the way an infected patient is approached and treated require that be examined a
      bacteriology laboratory's contribution in choosing and monitoring an antibiotic
      treatment. In the economic context of hospitals, one of the aims is to
      rationalize the prescription of biological investigations, as well as that of
      antibiotic treatments. The patient's history, his clinical state as well as the
      place where he has been admitted must be taken into account to establish,
      together with microbiologists, a hierarchy of the biological investigations
      required and to adapt the antibiotic treatment. In the laboratory, both the
      bacteriostatic and bactericidal sensitivity to antibiotics may be assessed in
      vitro. The best therapeutic antibiotic concentrations may be obtained by
      monitoring the pharmacokinetics of antibiotics.

PMID- 1416281
TI  - [Embolism in the brain stem as a consequence of cervical spine dislocation
      complicated by thrombosis of the vertebral artery].
AB  - A case is reported of a 52-year-old man who sustained a cervical spine
      dislocation in a road traffic accident, which was complicated by an initially
      asymptomatic vertebral arterial thrombosis. Embolism from this thrombosis into
      the vertebrobasilar territory during the surgical manoeuvers to reduce the
      dislocation was the cause of a fatal postanaesthetic coma. Such unexpected but
      life-threatening neurological consequences may be found with trauma of the
      cervical spine of various intensities. The diagnosis may be made by angiography.
      However, the usefulness of atraumatic investigations, such as the cervical
      doppler, and the indications for angiography need to be assessed.

PMID- 1416282
TI  - [Postoperative re-expansion causing unilateral pulmonary edema].
AB  - A case of re-expansion pulmonary oedema is reported. A 7-year-old girl, after
      having been operated on for a lung tumour, had a postoperative haemothorax
      combined with atelectasis of the left upper lobe. After she had recovered from
      the first dose of chemotherapy, the thoracotomy wound was reopened to remove the
      partially organised and lysed haemothorax, as well as the very thickened pleura.
      The patient developed clinical signs of pulmonary oedema very shortly after the
      end of the anaesthetic (tachypnoea, cyanosis, a decrease in oxygen saturation
      when FIO2 < 1, pink frothy secretions in the endotracheal tube). End-inspiratory
      crepitations became audible in the left lung field only. The chest film showed
      left-sided diffuse nodular alveolar opacities. The girl was again ventilated,
      with + 5 cmH2O positive end-expiratory pressure. She was extubated 36 h later,
      and discharged a few days later without any sequela. This case was the first to
      be described in a child after pleural surgery. The death rate, estimated from a
      literature survey, is about 20%.

PMID- 1416283
TI  - [Persistent leakage of cerebrospinal fluid after removal of a device implanted
      for subarachnoid analgesia].
AB  - A case is reported of a persisting leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) occurring
      after removal of a subarachnoid analgesia kit. The kit had been inserted in a 79
      year-old man who had severe perineal cancer pain. Fifteen months later, after a
      second episode of meningitis, the kit was removed. The leakage was noticed a few
      hours after removal of the kit. Biological parameters confirmed the fluid was
      most certainly CSF. Despite making the patient lie prone, water restriction and a
      compressive dressing, the leakage was still present three days later. A blood
      patch, and the epidural injection of biological glue, were of no avail. The
      leakage was only stopped by tying off the fistula with a ligature. The actiology
      and treatment of skin CSF fistulae after puncture of the dura mater are
      discussed.

PMID- 1416284
TI  - [Hypomagnesemia associated with hypocalcemia after undetected parathyroidectomy].
AB  - A case is reported of hypomagnesaemia and hypocalcaemia occurring postoperatively
      in a 59-year-old man operated on for hypopharyngeal carcinoma which had extended
      to the upper extremity of the oesophagus. Surgery consisted in total
      pharyngolaryngectomy, ganglion curage, jejunal transplant, thyroidectomy and
      tracheostomy. Total parathyroidectomy was not mentioned in the surgical report.
      Hypocalcaemia was first noticed on the day following the procedure. On the tenth
      postoperative day, the patient became agitated and had myoclonia and muscle
      fasciculations. Nystagmus and orthostatic hypotension also occurred. There were
      no cardiac signs. Treatment with calcium alone was insufficient. These symptoms
      only disappeared once magnesium sulphate had been added.

PMID- 1416285
TI  - [The good use of Diprivan (propofol)].

PMID- 1416286
TI  - [Postoperative death of a patient with a giant meningioma].

PMID- 1416287
TI  - An application of computational fluid mechanics to the air flow in an infant
      incubator.
AB  - An application of the computational fluid mechanical method to the air flow in a
      two-dimensional model of an infant incubator was described. The air flow in a
      numerical model was simulated and the Navier-Stokes equations were directly
      solved using a finite-volume method incorporating a body-fitted coordinate system
      on a mini-supercomputer. The model was based on a real infant incubator, slightly
      simplified for the sake of computing speed, and included a model of a baby. The
      number of computation grids was 101 x 61 = 6161. The calculation was carried out
      under the condition of unsteady, starting airflow and the results were examined
      by the means of color graphics animation. There were several very large scale
      eddies in the incubator free space, and their global structure did not show
      strong changes once they were established. Although the global structure did not
      change, small scale eddies were shown to be produced around the air inlet and
      convected down through the free space of the incubator. From these results, we
      believe that assuming steady and uniform flow in the incubator may not always be
      relevant when considering heat loss of a baby in an incubator. The steady and
      uniform flow has been previously assumed either implicitly or explicitly by most
      of the authors.

PMID- 1416288
TI  - Influence of low dissolved oxygen concentration in body fluid on corrosion
      fatigue behaviors of implant metals.
AB  - In their previous study, the authors carried out a fatigue test for AISI 316,
      316L stainless steels and COP1 alloy in a living animal body and observed a
      remarkable deterioration in the fatigue durability of these metals. In that
      study, it was concluded that the reason the corrosion resistance of the metals
      was reduced in the living body was that the low concentration of dissolved oxygen
      gas in the body fluid (the partial pressure pO2; 28-78 mmHg) was insufficient to
      form the chromium oxide passivation film on the metal surface, and the base metal
      (iron) was released into the environmental fluid in ionic form. In this paper,
      with the concentration of dissolved oxygen gas in a physiological normal saline
      solution being set equivalent to that of living body fluid, fatigue tests on AISI
      316 were made to simulate the stress corrosion behavior of the metal in the
      living body. As a result, remarkable deterioration of fatigue strength was
      observed in the low O2 concentrated normal saline solution, which was the same as
      that in the living animal body.

PMID- 1416290
TI  - A microcomputer oxygen control system for ventilatory therapy.
AB  - A computer-based feedback system has been developed to adjust the concentration
      of oxygen in the inspired gas of a patient under artificial respiration. The
      system uses a proportional plus integral controller and feedback of arterial
      oxygen saturation to adjust the inspired oxygen fraction. The effectiveness of
      the controller has been tested using a dynamic, mathematical model of the human
      respiratory system. This relatively sophisticated model has been developed and
      examined in the past, and it has been shown that it can realistically describe
      the human respiratory system for a wide variety of test conditions. The
      performance of the oxygen control system has been evaluated using the simulation
      model. The response of the controller to different disturbances is always stable,
      with arterial pressure of oxygen returning to normal in less than 12 minutes.
      Some of the simulation results are presented to illustrate the dynamic behavior
      and robustness of the controller.

PMID- 1416289
TI  - Hoffmann half-frame external fixation rigidity and its relationship to universal
      joint slippage.
AB  - Hoffmann half-frame external fixation device configurations often fail under
      minimal loads secondary to joint slippage. In these experiments improved
      universal joints that were developed in an earlier study were tested on Hoffmann
      half-frame assemblies. The rigidity of selected half-frame configurations was
      tested in four modes (axial compression, torsion, medial-lateral and anterior
      posterior four-point bending). These results were compared to those of an
      earlier, similar study looking at the standard Hoffmann half-frame. No changes in
      overall rigidity were noted, but significant increases in yield loads and loads
      to frame failure were achieved. Such improvements will increase the reliability
      and usefulness of the Hoffmann device to the orthopaedic community.

PMID- 1416291
TI  - Descriptive ventilatory mechanics from noninvasive analog display of ribcage and
      abdominal flow.
AB  - A rapidly responding analog display of ventilatory flow at the mouth, ribcage and
      abdomen allows interpretation of the relative activity of the diaphragm,
      accessory inspiratory muscles and abdominal expiratory muscles. These relative
      movements are exaggerated by having volunteers perform the ventilatory maneuvers
      of sniff, rapid exhalation and cough. Activity and regional lung flow can change
      in time periods in the tens of milliseconds. These rapid (within an inspiratory
      or expiratory time) relational changes in respiratory muscle activity and
      regional lung flow have not previously been demonstrated with a simple
      noninvasive measurement.

PMID- 1416292
TI  - A population-based, multivariate analysis of the association between 911 access
      and per-capita county trauma death rates.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: Decreased response times for injury should decrease the
      morbidity and mortality of trauma. The 911 telephone access is designed to
      improve the response time for emergencies. The purpose of this study was to
      analyze the association between county 911 access and per-capita county trauma
      death rates. METHODS: Data on all trauma deaths from 1986 through 1988 were
      obtained from the North Carolina Medical Examiner's data base. Counties were
      divided into those that had 911 access during the entire study period (15), those
      that never had 911 access (62), and those that installed 911 during 1987 (ten).
      Counties obtaining 911 access in 1986 or 1988 were excluded (13). RESULTS: The
      per-capita trauma death rate in counties that had 911 access throughout the study
      was 4.3 +/- 0.8 versus 5.0 +/- 1.1 per 10,000 population in counties that never
      had 911 access (P less than .01). Compared with counties with 911 access,
      counties without 911 were more rural, were less likely to have a trauma center,
      and were less likely to have advanced life support certification (P less than .03
      for all). Controlling for these other factors, multivariate analysis demonstrated
      that 911 access had no significant independent association with per-capita county
      trauma death rates. In the ten counties that implemented 911 access in 1987, no
      significant change occurred in per-capita county trauma death rates after
      implementation of 911. CONCLUSION: Although counties with 911 access had lower
      trauma death rates by t-test, multivariate analysis showed no significant
      independent association of 911 access with per-capita county trauma death rates.
      In the ten counties that implemented 911 access in 1987, no significant changes
      in trauma death rates occurred after implementation. Although other factors may
      explain these findings, this study showed no significant independent impact of
      911 access on per-capita county trauma death rates.

PMID- 1416293
TI  - Survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in elderly patients. Belgian
      Cerebral Resuscitation Study Group.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVES: To study whether age of the cardiac arrest patient is related
      to prognostic factors and survival. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of a
      prospective registration of cardiac arrest events in the mobile ICUs of seven
      participating hospitals. STUDY POPULATION: Two thousand seven hundred seventy-six
      out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in which advanced life support was initiated.
      Cardiac arrests with a precipitating event requiring specific therapeutic
      consequences and with specific prognosis were not included in the analysis (eg,
      trauma, exsanguination, drowning, sudden infant death syndrome). RESULTS: Neither
      resuscitation rate (23%) nor mortality caused by a neurologic reason (9%) was
      significantly different between age groups. Mortality after CPR of non-neurologic
      etiology was significantly higher in the elderly patient (younger than 40 years,
      16%; 40 to 69 years, 19%; 70 to 79 years, 30%; 80 years or older, 34%; P less
      than .005) and had a negative effect on survival in resuscitated elderly patients
      (P less than .05). Elderly patients more frequently had a dependent lifestyle
      before the arrest (P less than .025), an arrest of cardiac origin (P less than
      .001), electromechanical dissociation as the type of cardiac arrest (P less than
      .025), and a shorter duration of advanced life support in unsuccessful
      resuscitation attempts (r = -.178, P less than .0001). CONCLUSION: Because
      survival two weeks after CPR was not significantly different between age groups,
      we suggest that decision making in CPR should not be based on age but on factors
      with better predictive power for outcome and quality of survival.

PMID- 1416295
TI  - Comparison of two new immobilization collars.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the limitation of movement of four cervical collars,
      with emphasis on two new extrication collars. DESIGN: Ranges of motion permitted
      by four extrication collars, measured by two goniometric techniques, were
      compared. Times required to apply each collar were noted and compared. SETTING:
      In a laboratory setting, volunteers were asked to flex, extend, laterally bend,
      and rotate their necks, first without restriction and then with each of the
      collars applied. TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS: Participants were healthy volunteers who
      worked either in the Department of Physical Therapy or in the Emergency
      Department of Tulane Medical Center Hospital. INTERVENTIONS: The collars used
      were the Nec-Loc Extrication Collar, Philadelphia Collar, Philadelphia Red EM
      Collar with Immobilizer, and Vacuum Splint Cervical Collar. MEASUREMENTS:
      Measurements were performed first using the head goniometer and then the hand
      held goniometer. Time required for application was measured in seconds.
      Statistical evaluation was performed using repeated measure analysis of variance
      and then Newman-Keuls multiple comparison procedure. MAIN RESULTS: The Vacuum
      Splint Cervical Collar restricted range of motion of the cervical spine most
      effectively. CONCLUSION: A cervical collar with design characteristics similar to
      the Vacuum Splint Cervical Collar (ie, a rigid collar that incorporates part of
      the thorax) will restrict movement of the neck more effectively than shorter,
      less rigid collars.

PMID- 1416294
TI  - Emergency cervical-spine immobilization.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of a cervical-spine
      immobilization using a rigid cervical extrication collar and an Ammerman halo
      orthosis with and without spine boards. DESIGN: A mixed model multivariate design
      with one within factor (device type) and one between factor (spine board
      application). SETTING: Radiology suite. TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS: Twenty normal men
      with a mean age of 29.6. INTERVENTIONS: Unrestrained cervical motion was compared
      with motion in a cervical extrication collar and an Ammerman halo orthosis with
      and without a spine board. MEASUREMENTS: Photographic measurement of head and
      neck motion during maximal flexion-extension, lateral bending, and rotation.
      Radiologic measurement of maximal intervertebral flexion-extension. MAIN RESULTS:
      Both cervical extrication collar and Ammerman halo orthosis significantly reduced
      motion in all planes (P less than .001) with the Ammerman halo orthosis reducing
      these motions significantly more (P less than .001). With the use of a spine
      board these motions were restricted even more (P less than .001). The Ammerman
      halo orthosis with a spine board provided the greatest immobilization, equivalent
      to that provided by an halo-vest. CONCLUSION: A rigid cervical collar and a spine
      board provide significantly better immobilization than the collar alone. Further
      immobilization is provided by an Ammerman halo orthosis.

PMID- 1416296
TI  - Circadian variation in the time of request for helicopter transport of cardiac
      patients.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVES: The literature has demonstrated circadian rhythms in the
      occurrence of nonfatal myocardial infarction, ischemia, and sudden death. We
      hypothesized that requests for helicopter transport of acutely ill cardiac
      patients followed a similar circadian pattern and differed significantly from
      requests for helicopter transport of other categories of patients. DESIGN:
      Prospective study of requests for helicopter transport of 1,128 consecutive air
      medically transported patients over a 24-month period. SETTING: One tertiary-care
      teaching hospital. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The periodic structure of the
      time distribution of cardiac requests for helicopter transport was examined with
      a two-harmonic regression analysis using a 24-hour period of oscillation. Seven
      hundred eighty-seven cardiac and 315 noncardiac patients could be evaluated. The
      times of requests for helicopter transport were tabulated into hourly intervals.
      Cardiac-related requests for helicopter transport were significantly different
      from noncardiac-related requests for helicopter transports (P less than .009 by
      Wilcoxon rank sum test, P less than .032 by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test). The
      regression model for cardiac requests for helicopter transport was also
      significant (P less than .0001, R2 = .81) with increasing requests for helicopter
      transport from 6:00 AM until 12:00 noon. CONCLUSION: The time distribution of
      requests for helicopter transport for cardiac patients demonstrates a striking
      circadian variation not observed in noncardiac patients. This observation
      strengthens mechanistic inferences from studies of circadian variation and
      suggests a "morning-loaded" staffing pattern for air medical services
      predominantly transporting cardiac patients.

PMID- 1416297
TI  - Using regression analysis to predict emergency patient volume at the Indianapolis
      500 mile race.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Emergency physicians often plan and provide on-site medical care for
      mass gatherings. Most of the mass gathering literature is descriptive. Only a few
      studies have looked at factors such as crowd size, event characteristics, or
      weather in predicting numbers and types of patients at mass gatherings. PURPOSE:
      We used regression analysis to relate patient volume on Race Day at the
      Indianapolis Motor Speedway to weather conditions and race characteristics.
      METHODS: Race Day weather data for the years 1983 to 1989 were obtained from the
      National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Data regarding patients treated
      on 1983 to 1989 Race Days were obtained from the facility hospital (Hannah
      Emergency Medical Center) data base. Regression analysis was performed using
      weather factors and race characteristics as independent variables and number of
      patients seen as the dependent variable. Data from 1990 were used to test the
      validity of the model. RESULTS: There was a significant relationship between dew
      point (which is calculated from temperature and humidity) and patient load (P
      less than .01). Dew point, however, failed to predict patient load during the
      1990 race. No relationships could be established between humidity, sunshine,
      wind, or race characteristics and number of patients. CONCLUSION: Although higher
      dew point was associated with higher patient load during the 1983 to 1989 races,
      dew point was a poor predictor of patient load during the 1990 race. Regression
      analysis may be useful in identifying relationships between event characteristics
      and patient load but is probably inadequate to explain the complexities of crowd
      behavior and too simplified to use as a prediction tool.

PMID- 1416298
TI  - Demographics of emergency medical care at the Indianapolis 500 mile race (1983
      1990).
AB  - BACKGROUND: The Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, the largest single-day, single-venue
      sporting event in the world, is attended by an estimated 400,000 people. Major
      illness and injury are treated at the Hanna Emergency Medical Center, the track
      hospital. Minor illness is treated at ten outlying aid stations. PURPOSE: We
      describe the demographics of emergency medical care at the Hanna Emergency
      Medical Center. DESIGN: Descriptive. METHODS: Patient care data for patients
      treated at the medical center are first recorded on paper charts and then coded
      and transferred to computer. Data regarding patients treated at the medical
      center during eight consecutive races (1983-1990) were analyzed. Frequency of
      treatment and medical cardiac arrest rates were calculated. Aid station data and
      medical center records from nonrace days were not analyzed. RESULTS: The average
      number of patients treated per year at the track hospital was 139. The total
      number treated over the eight-year period was 1,113, yielding a frequency of
      treatment of 0.35 per 1,000. Analysis showed 16.2% of the proprietary treatment
      codes involved intoxication; 15.4%, lacerations (other than feet); 11.0%, pre
      existing conditions; and 8.5%, heat illness. During the eight years, there were
      four medical cardiac arrests (incidence of 0.0125 per 10,000 spectators), all
      resulting in death. A fifth spectator died after being struck by a wheel from a
      race car. There were no driver deaths on race day. CONCLUSION: Descriptive data
      regarding medical care of crowds may be useful to emergency specialists who must
      staff, order supplies, and plan treatment facilities for similar mass gatherings.
      It is evident from this and other mass-gathering studies that there is a need for
      consistency in nomenclature and data collection. This will allow more accurate
      comparisons of emergency medical care between venues.

PMID- 1416299
TI  - Level of uncompensated care delivered by emergency physicians in Florida.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine selected characteristics of patients who present
      for care in emergency departments in Florida, the proportion who appear to be
      uninsured or underinsured, and the magnitude of uncompensated care provided by
      the emergency physicians in selected EDs in Florida. DESIGN: Retrospective
      analysis of billing data. SETTING: Twenty-five EDs in Florida. MAIN RESULTS:
      Uninsured patients comprised 20.6% of the sample. Emergency and urgent patients
      were 39.9% of the sample. The overall collection ratio was 59.2%. CONCLUSION:
      Emergency physicians provide substantial amounts of uncompensated care.

PMID- 1416300
TI  - Hospital delays and problems with thrombolytic administration in patients
      receiving thrombolytic therapy: a multicenter prospective assessment. Virginia
      Thrombolytic Study Group.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVES: To assess the timing of key decisions and clinical events in
      the treatment of acute myocardial infarction with thrombolytic therapy. DESIGN:
      Prospective study of emergency department patients. SETTING: EDs in 11 urban and
      two rural hospitals. TYPES OF PARTICIPANTS: Patients with presumed acute
      myocardial infarction for whom a decision was made in the ED to administer
      thrombolytic therapy. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Statistical analyses
      included determination of frequency of response, cross tabulation analysis, and
      Wilcoxon rank sum tests. In 210 thrombolytic-treated patients (mean age, 57 +/-
      14.1 years), a median time of 155 minutes elapsed between pain onset and therapy;
      67% of the delay was pre-ED arrival. The median time between ED arrival and the
      initial ECG was six minutes. The median time required for physicians to make a
      treatment decision was 20 minutes, followed by another median time of 20 minutes
      for staff to begin drug infusion. The median total hospital (door-to-needle) time
      was 50 minutes. Significantly shorter delays occurred in urban, teaching, and
      high-volume hospitals; when thrombolytics were stocked and/or started in the ED;
      and when emergency physicians treated without involving private attending
      physicians. Although 95% of patients received tissue plasminogen activator, six
      patients treated with anisoylated plasminogen-streptokinase activator complex
      experienced a significantly faster door-to-needle time (P less than .05).
      CONCLUSION: Thrombolytics should be stocked and started in the ED. Emergency
      physicians should generally make the decision to administer thrombolytic therapy
      with reference to accepted protocols without awaiting an ED consultation from
      either private attendings or cardiologists.

PMID- 1416301
TI  - Spontaneous pneumomediastinum: clinical and natural history.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical characteristics and natural history of
      patients presenting with spontaneous pneumomediastinum. DESIGN: A retrospective
      case series was conducted to identify patients diagnosed with spontaneous
      pneumomediastinum. ICD-9 discharge codes were used for 1984 to 1990 at two
      institutions, and emergency department records of a third hospital were reviewed
      for 1981 to 1986. Clinical features, interventions, complications, setting,
      etiology, symptoms, and length of hospital stay were recorded. SETTING: Three
      university tertiary care hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: All ED patients more than 12
      years old with a diagnosis of spontaneous pneumomediastinum. INTERVENTIONS: None.
      RESULTS: Seventeen cases were identified. Age range was 15 to 41 years (mean, 25
      years). Presenting symptoms were chest pain in eight (47%), dyspnea in three
      (18%), both symptoms in three (18%), and neither in three (18%). Three patients
      complained only of throat discomfort. Nine (52%) had a Hamman's crunch, 11 (65%)
      had subcutaneous emphysema, and two (11%) had a small pneumothorax. Five (29%)
      were smokers, and five (29%) had normal esophograms. Thirteen of 17 (76%) cases
      were associated with illicit inhalation drug use. Twelve cases (70%) had history
      of a "Valsalva-type" maneuver. All but three were admitted to a hospital, with a
      mean stay of 2.5 days (range, one to six). No patient suffered complications or
      required interventions for spontaneous pneumomediastinum. Specifically, no
      patient developed a subsequent pneumothorax or airway compromise. The three
      patients not admitted were followed up by telephone contact. All did well with
      rapid resolution of their symptoms. CONCLUSION: Most spontaneous
      pneumomediastinum cases occur in the setting of inhalational drug use. One
      hundred percent of patients will have a symptom directly related to the
      spontaneous pneumomediastinum, with 82% presenting with either dyspnea or chest
      pain. Most (88%) will present with either subcutaneous emphysema or a Hamman's
      crunch on examination. Simple spontaneous pneumomediastinum has a very benign
      course and does not require hospitalization. Serial radiographs, likewise, did
      not change the medical management of spontaneous pneumomediastinum.

PMID- 1416302
TI  - The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake: impact on hospital patient care.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview of the Loma Prieta earthquake regarding
      patient care in affected hospitals. DESIGN: A retrospective review of medical
      records using International Classification of Disease, ninth revision (ICD-9)
      codes and a personal interview questionnaire. SETTING: Fifty-one hospitals in the
      six-county area most affected by the earthquake. TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS: Patients
      seeking care in emergency departments of study hospitals and supervising
      emergency physicians and ED nurses at the time of the earthquake. MEASUREMENTS:
      ED census data, complaint and diagnosis, disposition, and operative procedures
      for patients seen during the study period. MAIN RESULTS: Affected hospitals
      experienced a 15% increase in ED census during the study period. Minor trauma was
      the most common patient complaint. Open wound (870-897), contusion (920-924), and
      fracture (800-829) were the most common ICD-9 diagnostic categories. The
      percentage of patients presenting to EDs during the study period who were
      hospitalized increased slightly compared with baseline. Seventy-five percent of
      operative procedures were earthquake related; 63.7% of these were for fracture
      reduction. Physicians and nurses had somewhat conflicting opinions on adequacy of
      ED staffing. A small number of emergency physicians had difficulty in obtaining
      diagnostic tests on the night of the earthquake. Physicians noted no differences
      in diagnosis or treatment resulting from the earthquake. CONCLUSION: The Loma
      Prieta earthquake resulted in minimal negative impact on patient care in
      hospitals in the study area. The use of the ICD-9 classification deserves further
      consideration and study to improve the predictive value of disaster illness and
      injury reporting. The event has provided the stimulus for Bay Area hospitals to
      further improve plans for patient care during a disaster.

PMID- 1416303
TI  - Injuries and deaths from gang violence: they are preventable.

PMID- 1416304
TI  - Day-night differences are not always due to circadian control.

PMID- 1416305
TI  - Universal access: its potential impact on emergency medicine.
AB  - The nation's current economic conditions, the first time in 60 years that a
      recession has adversely affected the middle class, might well be the actual
      trigger mechanism in the passage of a US universal access plan. When enacted, it
      would provide emergency medicine and other basic physician and hospital benefits
      to the currently uninsured patients now seen in hospital EDs, in doctors'
      offices, and as inpatients. It will, thereby, enhance current physician-patient
      relationships and enable many of the working poor and their dependents to receive
      medical care. Conventional widsom suggests that such a social insurance plan
      could significantly reduce the number of routine visits to hospital EDs, assuming
      that additional, accessible, and high-quality alternative primary-care services
      are developed. In any case, a universal access plan should improve the percentage
      of billed charges collected by emergency physicians. The nation's 1,500 third
      party payers, with their managed care strategy, will have difficulty (for the
      reasons outlined) in micromanaging such external pressures as ensuring high
      quality patient care, more benefits (including tertiary services), and less cost
      to the private and public sectors. As there is more micromanaging by third-party
      payers to reduce expenditures, it will be increasingly difficult for emergency
      physicians to find specialists willing to accept previously uninsured patients,
      except at public or teaching environments where the delivery of services to
      uncompensated patients has been the pattern for several decades.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416306
TI  - Public policy and the emergency department.

PMID- 1416307
TI  - The effectiveness of 911.

PMID- 1416308
TI  - The avoidable delay.

PMID- 1416309
TI  - The Canadian health care system.
AB  - Canadians have enjoyed a close and harmonious relationship with Americans for
      more than a century. We have learned and benefited greatly from our close
      association. We are pleased to share our experiences with the United States in
      the same spirit of mutual respect and support that has characterized our close
      relationship and opened our borders.

PMID- 1416310
TI  - A rational approach to shift work in emergency medicine.
AB  - As the only medical specialists who routinely provide continuous 24-hour daily
      coverage, emergency physicians are all too familiar with the demands of shift
      work. Although shift work has a pervasive effect on the practice of emergency
      medicine and is regarded as a major stressor, it has received little attention
      per se in our literature and in our residency training programs. We review the
      principles of circadian rhythms and their effects on sleep and alertness, and
      recommend ways by which emergency physicians can better schedule themselves to
      mitigate the negative consequences of working shifts.

PMID- 1416311
TI  - Ethical conflicts in the prehospital setting.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the range of ethical conflicts that confront
      prehospital care providers. DESIGN: Convenience sample, from October 1989 to
      January 1990. SETTING: An urban advanced life support emergency medical service
      that transports approximately 3,000 patients per month. METHODS: Six hundred
      seven paramedic responses were analyzed by a single observer. An ethical conflict
      was identified when the paramedic faced a dilemma about what "ought to be done"
      and the paramedic's values conflicted or potentially conflicted with the
      patient's. Cases with potential ethical consequence were brought to experts in
      medical ethics and epidemiology for further analysis and classification. RESULTS:
      Ethical conflicts arose in 14.4% of paramedic responses (88 of 607 cases). Twenty
      seven percent of the conflicts involved issues of informed consent, such as
      refusal of treatment or transport, conflicts of hospital destination, treatment
      of minors, and consent for research. Difficulties regarding the duty of the
      paramedics, usually under threatening circumstances, accounted for 19% of the
      dilemmas encountered. Requests for limitation of resuscitation accounted for 14%.
      Other circumstances that presented ethical conflicts involved questions of
      patient competence (17%), resource allocation (10%), confidentiality (8%), truth
      telling (3%), and training (1%). CONCLUSION: The data demonstrate a range of
      ethical conflicts in the prehospital setting and point to areas in which policy
      needs to be developed. The data also can be used in a prehospital ethics
      curriculum for paramedics and physicians. Because case sampling was not strictly
      random, absolute conclusions should not be drawn regarding the frequency of the
      dilemmas.

PMID- 1416313
TI  - Ethical aspects of resuscitation.

PMID- 1416312
TI  - Pressure on the emergency department: the expanding right to medical care.
AB  - Lack of a comprehensive health care system in the United States has resulted in a
      series of legal cases that have expanded the common-law right to care in the
      hospital emergency department, thereby bringing increased pressure on hospitals
      to provide care under an ever-widening variety of nonemergency conditions. Health
      care legislation at the state and federal level during the 1980s expanded the
      concept of physician duty to include women in labor as well as any condition that
      could reasonably be expected to lead to serious impairment to bodily functions or
      serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part. Presently, any patient
      presenting to a hospital ED must be examined to determine whether an emergency
      exists. The expanding definition of an emergency and mandated patient examination
      requirements have hit urban hospitals particularly hard, as the uninsured and
      disenfranchised increasingly find the ED their only source of medical care. The
      United States needs a national health care solution that does not rely on the ED
      as the locus of care for general medical practice. Failure to act will jeopardize
      the ability of hospital EDs to provide the highly specialized care that only they
      can provide and will put more hospitals at financial risk as they struggle to
      comply with state and federal law while serving a growing population of uninsured
      and underinsured patients.

PMID- 1416314
TI  - Ethical issues of resuscitation. American College of Emergency Physicians.

PMID- 1416315
TI  - Inappropriate electrical countershocks by an automated external defibrillator.
AB  - A 79-year-old man who was in normal sinus rhythm with a palpable pulse was
      inappropriately shocked twice by a fully automated external defibrillator. The
      second shock resulted in ventricular tachycardia. The device then countershocked
      a third time, restoring normal sinus rhythm. The problem occurred primarily
      because the rescuers did not follow the device's instructions warning against
      applying the device in analysis mode to a patient with a palpable pulse, and they
      attempted to analyze the rhythm in a moving vehicle. Motion artifact and T waves
      that were relatively tall compared with the QRS amplitude were misinterpreted as
      ventricular fibrillation by the device. This example of inappropriate
      countershocks delivered by rescuers using a fully automated device illustrates
      the importance of proper training and continuing education.

PMID- 1416316
TI  - Out-of-hospital pleomorphic ventricular tachycardia and resuscitation:
      association with acute myocardial ischemia and infarction.
AB  - Pleomorphic ventricular tachycardia is characterized by QRS complexes with
      repeated variation in polarity, amplitude, and regularity. When associated with
      prolongation of the QT interval, the term torsades de pointes is used to describe
      the arrhythmia. It usually is seen clinically in association with class IA
      antiarrhythmic drugs such as quinidine and procainamide, bradycardia,
      hypokalemia, and, much less often, other drugs and electrolyte disorders as well
      as a result of congenital and neurogenic causes. It also may accompany acute
      myocardial infarction or ischemia. We describe four patients in whom pleomorphic
      ventricular tachycardia was observed as the presenting rhythm or during the
      course of resuscitation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. In all four patients,
      acute myocardial ischemia appeared to be the provocative mechanism. Therapeutic
      implications include an awareness of the unusual behavior of this arrhythmia,
      especially its propensity to terminate spontaneously. Such awareness may prevent
      the delivery of unnecessary defibrillatory shocks.

PMID- 1416317
TI  - Is the cervical spine clear? Undetected cervical fractures diagnosed only at
      autopsy.
AB  - Undetected cervical-spine injuries are a nemesis to both trauma surgeons and
      emergency physicians. Radiographic protocols have been developed to avoid missing
      cervical-spine fractures but are not fail-safe. Three case reports of occult
      cervical fractures documented at autopsy in the face of normal cervical-spine
      radiographs and computerized tomography scans are presented.

PMID- 1416318
TI  - Minimizing gang violence in the emergency department.
AB  - Street gang members are frequently injured, and the violence of their subculture
      may follow them from the streets into the emergency department. We present four
      cases in which in-hospital gang violence occurred or was prevented. To decrease
      the risk of injury from gang-related violence within the hospital, we offer
      guidelines for patient care and health care provider safety. Emphasis is on
      education, awareness, and early hospital security involvement.

PMID- 1416319
TI  - Open and closed peritoneal lavage.

PMID- 1416320
TI  - Use of methohexital in the ED.

PMID- 1416321
TI  - Tympanic thermometer accuracy.

PMID- 1416322
TI  - Effects of isopropyl alcohol, ethanol, and polyethylene glycol/industrial
      methylated spirits in the treatment of acute phenol burns.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of water rinse with those of isopropyl
      alcohol, polyethylene glycol with industrial methylated spirits, or ethanol on
      cutaneous phenol burns. DESIGN: Controlled trial with all animals receiving all
      treatments applied to different cutaneous phenol burn sites. TYPE OF
      PARTICIPANTS: Swine weighing 9 to 18 kg. INTERVENTIONS: In phase 1, each burn
      site was treated with water rinse for zero, one, or five minutes combined with
      either isopropyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol with industrial methylated spirits,
      ethanol, or no other treatment. Biopsies of treatment sites were done at 30
      minutes and at 48 hours. In phase 2, a pilot study, the effect of isopropyl
      alcohol, polyethylene glycol with industrial methylated spirits, or water
      treatment on serum phenol levels was noted in animals with 5%, 10%, and 15% body
      surface area burns. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In phase 1, on histological
      examination of biopsy specimens, significant differences in tissue damage
      occurred among the groups (P < .05). Isopropyl alcohol and polyethylene glycol
      with industrial methylated spirits were the most efficacious treatments; the
      duration of water rinse had no significant effect. In phase 2, the systemic
      absorption of phenol may be greater with water treatment than with isopropyl
      alcohol treatment. CONCLUSION: Isopropyl alcohol and polyethylene glycol with
      industrial methylated spirits are equally effective in the amelioration of phenol
      burns of less than 5% total surface area. The wider availability of isopropyl
      alcohol makes it potentially the most useful treatment for these small burns.
      Further studies of its risks are needed.

PMID- 1416323
TI  - Lithium absorption prevented by sodium polystyrene sulfonate in volunteers.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine if sodium polystyrene sulfonate prevents absorption
      of lithium in human beings. DESIGN: Prospective, crossover study. TYPE OF
      PARTICIPANTS: Healthy volunteers age 22 to 34 years (three women and three men).
      INTERVENTIONS: After an eight-hour fast, subjects ingested 0.5 mEq/kg (18.5
      mg/kg) lithium carbonate. One hour later, they ingested either 857 mg/kg sodium
      polystyrene sulfonate in 4 mL water/g sodium polystyrene sulfonate (experimental)
      or an equal volume of water without sodium polystyrene sulfonate (control).
      MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Serum lithium levels were drawn zero, one, two,
      three, four, six, eight, ten, 12, and 24 hours after lithium ingestion. The
      sodium polystyrene sulfonate group had a smaller mean area under the serum
      concentration curve (11.6 +/- 1.0 mEq/L.hr versus 13.6 +/- 1.5 mEq/L.hr, P <
      .001) and lower mean highest measured lithium level (0.85 +/- 0.11 mEq/L versus
      1.05 +/- 0.10 mEq/L, P < .05) compared with the control group. There was no
      significant difference in 24-hour urine lithium excretion or in serum sodium and
      potassium levels. CONCLUSION: Sodium polystyrene sulfonate administration
      decreased absorption of lithium after a lithium carbonate overdose. Sodium
      polystyrene sulfonate may be useful clinically for gastric decontamination after
      lithium overdoses.

PMID- 1416324
TI  - Effect of sodium polystyrene sulfonate on lithium bioavailability.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of a single dose of sodium polystyrene
      sulfonate and sorbitol on lithium absorption. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized,
      crossover. SETTING: University teaching hospital. TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS: Healthy
      volunteers. INTERVENTIONS: Subjects ingested 600 mg lithium carbonate on two
      occasions, with and without 30 g concomitant sodium polystyrene sulfonate. Blood
      samples were drawn up to 24 hours after ingestion and assayed for serum lithium
      concentration. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Compared with control, sodium
      polystyrene sulfonate and sorbitol reduced the area under the lithium serum
      concentration-time curve by 11.33%, reduced the mean observed peak serum lithium
      concentration 0.07 +/- 0.08 mmol/L, and delayed the time to the mean observed
      peak serum lithium concentration by 2.04 +/- 2.40 hours. CONCLUSION: Sodium
      polystyrene sulfonate and sorbitol may be used in patients immediately or shortly
      after ingestion of a significant acute overdose of lithium in situations in which
      hemodialysis cannot be instituted promptly.

PMID- 1416325
TI  - Whole-bowel irrigation as adjunctive treatment for sustained-release theophylline
      overdose.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine a therapeutic benefit for whole-bowel irrigation
      (with polyethylene glycol-electrolyte lavage solution) as adjunctive treatment to
      multiple doses of activated charcoal following an overdose of sustained-release
      theophylline. DESIGN: Randomized crossover study. Three treatment arms were
      separated by one-week intervals. SETTING: Animal care facility housing. TYPE OF
      PARTICIPANTS: Eight female mongrel dogs. INTERVENTIONS: Unanesthetized dogs were
      given approximately 75 mg/kg of sustained-release theophylline. In treatment arm
      1, 1 g/kg activated charcoal was administered by nasogastric tube at two hours
      after ingestion followed by 0.5-g/kg doses at five and eight hours. During
      treatment arm 2, beginning two hours after theophylline ingestion, 25 mL/kg whole
      bowel irrigation solution was administered every 45 minutes for four doses
      followed by activated charcoal. In treatment arm 3, the first dose of activated
      charcoal was given ten minutes before beginning the whole-bowel irrigation
      protocol. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Serum theophylline levels were measured
      at zero, two, four, five, eight, 12, 16, and 24 hours after ingestion. Mean serum
      theophylline levels, area under the curve (P = .13), and terminal half-lives (P =
      .69) for each treatment group were not statistically different. This negative
      study had an 81% power to detect a 50% reduction in the area under the curve by
      whole-bowel irrigation treatment. CONCLUSION: In this model, whole-bowel
      irrigation did not add to the therapeutic benefits of activated charcoal.

PMID- 1416326
TI  - Cocaine liberation from body packets in an in vitro model.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To quantitatively assess cocaine liberation from various body
      packet materials. DESIGN: 100-milligram cocaine packets (plastic bags with
      various wrapping techniques, paper, and condoms) were placed in a simulated
      gastric medium. Samples were also tested in an alkalinized gastric medium, with
      determination of both cocaine and benzoylecogonine concentrations using high
      performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. RESULTS: Cocaine
      liberation was greatest in acid medium, with increasing liberation from condom
      packets to cellophane bags (three wrapping techniques used) to paper packets. The
      same trend was noted in alkaline medium but with a far lower maximum cocaine
      concentration accompanied by rapid hydrolysis to its inactive metabolite,
      benzoylecgonine. CONCLUSION: Cocaine liberation of a known quantity of drug is
      dependent on the wrapping method and material used; thus, a good history from the
      "body-stuffer" is essential to predict potential cocaine liberation and toxicity.
      Rapid hydrolysis of cocaine to its inactive metabolite in an alkaline medium
      implies a role for gastric alkalinization in the acute management of these
      patients.

PMID- 1416327
TI  - Is admission after intravenous heroin overdose necessary?
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVES: To investigate the time of onset and incidence of complications
      in patients presenting to the emergency department with an IV heroin overdose and
      the need for routine admission of such patients. METHODS: A retrospective chart
      review of hospital and emergency medical service records of 124 patient visits
      involving IV heroin overdose over a five-month period. We also reviewed the death
      certificates of 115 persons having succumbed to a narcotic overdose over a 44
      month period and compared these with our hospital records. SETTING: Urban county
      hospital. TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS: Patients presenting to the ED with an IV heroin
      overdose. RESULTS: There were five deaths in the ED, 12 hospital admissions, and
      107 patients who were discharged home. Neither delayed onset of pulmonary edema
      nor recurrence of respiratory depression was observed. Of the 115 persons having
      succumbed to a narcotic overdose, eight had been seen previously at our hospital
      for a heroin overdose. There is no evidence that any of these eight deaths would
      have been prevented by a 24-hour hospital observation period. CONCLUSION:
      Complications arising from an IV overdose of heroin are usually evident on
      arrival in the ED or shortly thereafter. On retrospective review we have found no
      evidence that admission to the hospital and 24 hours of observation are of
      benefit to patients who are awake, alert, and lacking evidence of pulmonary
      complications after an IV heroin overdose.

PMID- 1416328
TI  - Prospective evaluation of adverse drug interactions in the emergency department.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and risk factors of clinically
      relevant adverse drug interactions occurring in emergency department patients.
      DESIGN: This report describes the drug interactions identified in an emergency
      population. Patients' drug regimens were evaluated prospectively at the time of
      the emergency evaluation. SETTING: University hospital ED. TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS:
      Convenience sample of 341 patients. INTERVENTIONS: Patients' medications on
      arrival at the ED (current medications) and medications initiated in the ED were
      entered into Hansten's computer-based drug interaction program to identify
      potential drug interactions. All potential drug interactions were brought to the
      attention of the attending emergency physician, whose subsequent actions were
      noted. Clinically relevant interactions were determined by a physician panel
      based on the ED attendings' actions, set criteria, and a review of hospital
      charts and four-week telephone follow-up of patients with potential drug
      interactions. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Three hundred forty patients were
      enrolled. One hundred thirty-five potential drug interactions were identified in
      61 patients. Among these 135 potential drug interactions and 61 patients, we
      identified 20 clinically relevant interactions in 15 patients. The incidence of
      clinically relevant interactions was significantly higher (chi 2 = 3.95, P =
      .047) among current medication (9.7%) than medication added in the ED (3.1%).
      Clinically relevant interaction from both current and ED-initiated medication was
      associated with taking three or more medications on ED arrival (P = .016 and
      .045, respectively). Multiple regression showed age of 60 years or older to be
      the sole predictor of clinically relevant interaction among current medication (P
      = .05). CONCLUSION: Clinically relevant adverse drug interaction was
      significantly less from medication administered or prescribed in the ED than from
      current medication.

PMID- 1416329
TI  - Frequently nebulized beta-agonists for asthma: effects on serum electrolytes.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the magnitude of the changes in serum potassium,
      magnesium, and phosphate during the treatment of acute bronchospasm with repeated
      doses of beta-adrenergic agonists. DESIGN: Prospective study of a convenience
      sample of asthmatic patients. SETTING: University teaching hospital emergency
      department. TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-three patients met the inclusion
      criteria of age of more than 16 years; a history of asthma or chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease; and an acute exacerbation. INTERVENTIONS: Baseline peak
      expiratory flow rate and serum potassium, magnesium, and phosphate levels were
      measured. Nebulized albuterol (2.5 mg) was administered every 30 minutes until
      the patient was discharged from the ED. Before each albuterol treatment, repeat
      serum levels of potassium, magnesium, and phosphate were determined. MEASUREMENTS
      AND MAIN RESULTS: Baseline peak expiratory flow rate averaged 188 +/- 119 L/min.
      Serum potassium levels decreased significantly (P = .0001 by repeated-measures
      analysis of variance) from 4.10 +/- 0.468 (baseline) to 3.55 +/- 0.580 mmol/L (90
      minutes) and 3.45 +/- 0.683 mmol/L (180 minutes). Potassium decreased to less
      than 3.0 mmol/L in 22% of patients at some point during the study. Magnesium
      decreased from 1.64 +/- 0.133 mmol/L (baseline) to 1.48 +/- 0.184 mmol/L (90
      minutes) and 1.40 +/- 0.219 mmol/L (180 minutes) (P = .0001). Phosphate levels
      also decreased, from 3.74 +/- 1.029 (baseline) to 2.84 +/- 0.957 mmol/L (90
      minutes) and 2.55 +/- 0.715 mmol/L (180 minutes) (P = .0001). CONCLUSION:
      Aggressive administration of nebulized albuterol during the emergency treatment
      of acute bronchospasm is associated with statistically significant decreases in
      serum potassium, magnesium, and phosphate. The mechanism and clinical
      significance of these findings are unknown and warrant further study.

PMID- 1416331
TI  - Prospective evaluation of the scapular manipulation technique in reducing
      anterior shoulder dislocations.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the speed, efficacy, and safety of the scapular
      manipulation technique in reducing acute anterior shoulder dislocations. DESIGN:
      Prospective study. SETTING: Urban emergency department with an annual census of
      65,000 patients. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-eight adult patients with acute anterior
      shoulder dislocation. INTERVENTIONS: Patients had an initial neurovascular and
      radiographic evaluation performed. They were sedated with IV fentanyl and
      midazolam. The shoulder was reduced using the scapular manipulation technique.
      The patient was re-evaluated for any evidence of complication. The total dose of
      analgesic required and time to reduction were recorded. RESULTS: The scapular
      manipulation technique was successful in 46 of 48 (96%) cases. The average time
      to reduction was 6.05 minutes, and no complications were detected. Average doses
      of 1.83 mg midazolam and 204 micrograms fentanyl were required for reduction.
      CONCLUSION: The scapular manipulation technique is a very fast, effective, safe
      method of reducing anterior shoulder dislocations in the ED. [Kothari RU, Dronen
      SC: Prospective evaluation of the scapular manipulation technique in reducing
      anterior shoulder dislocations.

PMID- 1416330
TI  - Generation of an osmolality gap-ethanol nomogram from routine laboratory data.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVES: To develop a practical procedure for producing a nomogram
      describing the relationship between the osmolality gap and serum ethanol
      concentrations that is appropriate for the formulas and analytical methodologies
      in use at any laboratory. DESIGN: Retrospective review of serum sodium, glucose,
      urea nitrogen, ethanol, and osmolality values and the use of spreadsheet software
      in the generation of a nomogram. SETTING: Emergency department in a university
      affiliated county hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred three adult patients
      presenting with signs of alcohol intoxication. MAIN RESULTS: When either a common
      criterion (gap [mosmol/kg H2O] = ethanol [mmol/L]; range, -10 to +10) or a
      published nomogram was used for determination of consistency of the osmolality
      gap with the ethanol level, large percentiles of data were classified as
      inconsistent. Regression analysis and the method of truncated normal
      distributions were used to prepare a nomogram that better represented the data
      collected with our formulas and analytical methodologies. CONCLUSION:
      Interlaboratory analytical bias and the choice of the formula used for calculated
      osmolality limit the utility of published formulas or nomograms for the
      assessment of excess osmolality gap. Any laboratory can produce their own
      nomogram from routine patient data using the described spreadsheet procedure,
      without the need for measurement of volatiles other than ethanol.

PMID- 1416332
TI  - Foreign body retention in glass-caused wounds.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To describe patient and wound characteristics that are
      clinically useful in identifying wounds that were caused by glass and retained a
      foreign body. DESIGN: Retrospective consecutive case review. SETTING: Urban,
      university-affiliated teaching hospital. TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred
      thirty consecutive patients with a total of 578 evaluable wounds caused by glass
      during a 12-month period. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Medical records were reviewed
      to determine patient demographics, primary wound data (eg, location, type,
      description), mechanism of injury, type of glass involved, and presence of
      foreign body sensation. Glass was found by examination in 7% of wounds. Eight
      percent of 137 radiographs were positive. Wounds with the highest prevalence of
      retained glass were puncture wounds (P < .0005), those caused by stepping on
      glass or by a motor vehicle accident (P < .005), and those of the head or foot (P
      < .003). CONCLUSION: Characteristics of wounds most likely to retain glass were
      identified in this retrospective study. The presence of these factors should
      increase the clinician's suspicion of a retained glass foreign body. The
      indications for radiography for the detection of retained glass in wounds should
      be clarified with prospective studies.

PMID- 1416333
TI  - Comparison of a new pressurized saline canister versus syringe irrigation for
      laceration cleansing in the emergency department.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: Studies have documented the efficacy of normal saline irrigation
      in decreasing wound infection rates. Wounds traditionally are irrigated using a
      syringe and needle with manual injection of fluid, a time- and labor-intensive
      method. We compared irrigation times and infection rates for wounds cleansed with
      syringe irrigation versus a new, single-use canister of pressurized (8 psi)
      sterile normal saline. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, controlled. SETTING: Two
      Level I emergency departments in tertiary care hospitals, both with emergency
      medicine residency programs. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with lacerations requiring
      closure were eligible. Exclusion criteria were wounds above the clavicle more
      than ten hours old, wounds below the clavicle more than six hours old, insulin
      dependent diabetes mellitus, or antibiotic or steroid therapy. Patients (550)
      were entered between August 1, 1990, and January 31, 1991. Characteristics of the
      two treatment groups were similar for patient age, age of the wound, size and
      depth of the laceration, and number of sutures. INTERVENTIONS: Lacerations were
      irrigated with 250 mL saline in a syringe or 220 mL saline in a pressurized
      canister for each 5 cm of laceration. At follow-up or suture removal, patients
      were evaluated for signs of wound complications (cellulitis, ascending
      lymphangitis, purulent discharge, or dehiscence). MAIN RESULTS: The mean
      irrigation time for the pressurized canister group (281) was 3.9 minutes versus
      7.3 minutes in the syringe irrigation group (254) (P < .0001). The complication
      rate for the pressurized canister group was 5.0% compared with 3.6% for the
      syringe irrigation group (not significant, P = .50). Only three of the 20 total
      complications required antibiotics (two in the pressurized canister group, one in
      the syringe irrigation group). CONCLUSION: Syringe irrigation times were nearly
      twice as long as the pressurized canister irrigation times. Use of the
      pressurized canister facilitates ease of irrigation and markedly decreases the
      time involved in this traditionally labor-intensive activity. In addition,
      delivery of the saline is no longer operator dependent, ensuring generation of
      pressures appropriate for wound cleansing. The pressurized canisters may be
      useful in standardizing irrigation in wound management research.

PMID- 1416334
TI  - Studies involving commercial products: caveat investigator.

PMID- 1416335
TI  - Two crack cocaine body stuffers.

PMID- 1416336
TI  - An ethical foundation for health care: an emergency medicine perspective. Ethics
      Committee, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.
AB  - 1. What is health and health care? Health is a state of physical and mental well
      being that facilitates the achievement of individual and societal goals. Good
      health over a lifetime is the comparative absence of pain and suffering, illness
      and disease, each of which could prevent people from pursuing their goals. Health
      care includes those services that provide adequate nutrition and shelter;
      sanitary, safe, unpolluted living and working conditions; personal medical
      services; and nonmedical personal and support services. The medical community can
      best address the area of personal medical services, which includes interventions
      to prevent disease, minimize morbidity from existing diseases, diagnose and cure
      illness, relieve pain and suffering, and provide education for the continued
      promotion of health. Society must also provide health care services such as
      adequate nutrition, shelter, and education about health care issues, including
      prevention that could result in reduced expenditures for curative services. 2. Is
      health care an ethical or legal right? At this time, there is no legal right to
      universal health care in the United States, although there is a patchwork of
      limited legislated rights to health care benefits for some citizens. Ethically,
      there is a right to health care; however, it is a limited right best expressed as
      a societal obligation to provide care rather than an open-ended individual right
      to receive any and all health care resources on demand. In restructuring our
      health care system, our society must identify the values that will serve as the
      foundation for our health care system. A health care system that stresses
      societal rather than individual priorities is essential.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416337
TI  - Failure of gastric emptying and charcoal administration in fatal sustained
      release theophylline overdose: pharmacobezoar formation.
AB  - We report the case of a fatal theophylline overdose from a sustained-release
      preparation in a 54-year-old woman. Initial serum theophylline concentration was
      31.3 mg/L. Manifestations of mild toxicity cleared in the emergency department
      after treatment with gastric lavage, charcoal, and a cathartic. A life
      threatening overdose was not suspected, and the patient arrested eight hours
      after discharge from the ED. At autopsy, her serum theophylline concentration was
      190.1 mg/L. A white, waxy mass weighing 318.8 g and containing 29 g theophylline,
      representing the residue of many sustained-release tablets, was found in her
      stomach. This case reinforces the importance of obtaining repeat serum
      theophylline levels in patients with sustained-release theophylline overdose.
      Gastric pharmacobezoar formation should be considered in cases of sustained
      release theophylline overdose with rising theophylline levels and patient
      deterioration, despite adequate gut decontamination.

PMID- 1416338
TI  - Portal vein gas embolism from hydrogen peroxide ingestion.
AB  - A 40-year-old woman who ingested a 35% hydrogen peroxide solution presented to
      the emergency department with abdominal pain. Acute abdominal series showed gas
      in the portal vein system. The patient was admitted and treated conservatively.
      She was released after five days in the hospital with no major sequelae.

PMID- 1416339
TI  - Intravenous injection of household bleach.
AB  - The widespread use of household bleach (5.25% sodium hypochlorite) as a
      disinfectant by IV drug users may cause an increase in the number of IV
      injections of this substance. We report the case of a 31-year-old man who
      injected less than 1 mL of bleach and then experienced transient left-sided chest
      pain and vomiting. The patient did not have any serious complications. This
      report is similar to the only other reported case in the medical literature of an
      IV injection of a small amount of bleach. Based on these two reports, household
      bleach appears to be safe when used as a disinfectant by IV drug users, but more
      studies are needed.

PMID- 1416340
TI  - Survival following hydrofluoric acid ingestion.
AB  - Systemic toxicity after significant dermal exposure to hydrofluoric acid includes
      rapid development of hypocalcemia and hyperkalemia, leading to ventricular
      fibrillation. Similar dysrhythmias have occurred in patients after ingestion of
      sodium fluoride-containing compounds. Ingestion of hydrofluoric acid could induce
      similar cardiac toxicity; however, reported cases of hydrofluoric acid ingestion
      rarely have been described, and the rapid death of these patients has not allowed
      verification of this hypothesis. On two separate occasions, a 70-year-old woman
      ingested up to 2 oz of a 8% hydrofluoric acid-containing solution. Recurrent
      ventricular fibrillation with concurrent hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia
      complicated her first episode, whereas a more aggressive administration of
      calcium and magnesium may have prevented dysrhythmias in the second episode.
      Survival from ventricular fibrillation after hydrofluoric acid ingestion has not
      been reported previously and suggests a role for aggressive empiric calcium and
      magnesium replacement.

PMID- 1416341
TI  - Alkaline chemical keratitis: eye injury from airbags.
AB  - Inflation of an automobile airbag is accomplished by converting sodium azide to
      nitrogen gas. The bags are vented so that nitrogen and residual byproducts of
      combustion, such as alkaline gas, are released into the passenger compartment. We
      report the case of a patient who incurred a chemical keratitis after the driver's
      side airbag deployed. The importance of recognition and management is discussed.

PMID- 1416342
TI  - Torsade de pointes after inhaled pentamidine.
AB  - The case of a 40-year-old HIV-positive man who had multiple episodes of torsade
      de pointes is presented. The patient's history was pertinent for the use of
      inhaled pentamidine the day before admission. His episodes of torsade de pointes
      were refractory to the usual therapy. His presentation, laboratory work,
      echocardiography, computed tomography scan, and treatment are reviewed.
      Physicians should be aware of the association of pentamidine with torsade de
      pointes.

PMID- 1416343
TI  - Base deficit as a diagnostic test for abdominal injury.

PMID- 1416344
TI  - IV adenosine in the management of PSVT.

PMID- 1416345
TI  - Traumatic uvulitis.

PMID- 1416346
TI  - Invasion of enterocytes in cultured porcine small intestinal mucosal explants by
      Salmonella choleraesuis.
AB  - Porcine small intestinal explants maintained in vitro were inoculated with
      Salmonella choleraesuis to study the characteristics of its invasion of
      enterocytes. The explants were fixed at selected intervals for up to 12 hours
      after inoculation and examined by conventional light microscopy, immunoperoxidase
      staining, and transmission electron microscopy. Although there was diffuse loss
      of villous enterocytes during the first hour of incubation, the villi were
      reepithelialized by the end of 2 hours of culture, and the mucosal epithelium
      remained intact and appeared to be viable through 12 hours of culture.
      Intraepithelial S choleraesuis were not detected before 6 hours after
      inoculation, but after 12 hours of incubation, bacteria were numerous within
      enterocytes. Ultrastructurally, penetration of the brush border by S choleraesuis
      resulted in focal loss of microvilli. Bacteria were endocytosed into membrane
      bound vacuoles where most remained, but a few were free within the cytoplasm of
      enterocytes. Invasion of the explants closely resembled that described for live
      animal and cell culture models of Salmonella spp invasion.

PMID- 1416347
TI  - Experimentally induced infection of cats with Borrelia burgdorferi.
AB  - To determine whether cats could be infected experimentally with Borrelia
      burgdorferi, 15 cats were inoculated with approximately 1,000 B burgdorferi.
      Seven cats were inoculated by the IV route, 2 by the oral route, 2 by the ocular
      route, and 4 by the oral-ocular route. Six control cats were inoculated with
      phosphate-buffered saline solution by the IV, oral, and ocular routes. Prior to
      the start of the study, all 21 cats were seronegative for B burgdorferi on the
      basis of results of the indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test, and their blood
      was B burgdorferi culture negative. All of the IV, orally, and ocularly
      inoculated cats developed IgG antibodies to B burgdorferi as detected by IFA
      testing. Of 4 oral-ocularly inoculated cats, 2 developed IFA-detectable
      antibodies and the remaining 2 cats developed low-titer response (1:128) on
      postinoculation (PI) day 10 only. All control cats remained seronegative. The
      organism was detected in blood smears from 2 of the IV inoculated cats on PI days
      10 and 24 and from 2 oral-ocularly infected cats, 1 on PI days 17 and 24 and 1 on
      PI day 10. Spirochetes were not detected in the blood after PI day 24. The
      organism was isolated from tissues of only 1 cat (the lung of an ocularly
      inoculated cat necropsied at 7 months after inoculation). Spirochetes were not
      isolated from control cats. Neither clinical signs of infection nor gross or
      histologic abnormalities were found in any of the inoculated or control cats.
      Results indicate that cats are susceptible to infection with B burgdorferi, but
      clinically apparent disease may not be common.

PMID- 1416348
TI  - Antibody response to and maternal immunity from an experimental psittacine beak
      and feather disease vaccine.
AB  - Adult umbrella cockatoos, Moluccan cockatoos, African grey parrots, and a yellow
      headed Amazon parrot were inoculated IM or SC with beta-propiolactone-treated
      psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) virus. Thirty- to 45-day-old African
      grey parrot, umbrella cockatoo, and sulphur-crested cockatoo chicks also were
      vaccinated with the same inoculum. The hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and agar
      gel diffusion tests were used to assay for post-vaccination development of anti
      PBFD virus antibodies. All adult vaccinates seroconverted and had increases in HI
      and precipitating antibodies. The vaccinated chicks had increased concentrations
      of HI antibodies, but precipitating antibodies could not be detected. To
      demonstrate that chicks from vaccinated hens are protected from PBFD virus
      challenge, 3 African grey parrot chicks and 2 umbrella cockatoo chicks from
      vaccinated hens and 1 African grey parrot chick and 1 umbrella cockatoo chick
      from nonvaccinated hens were exposed to purified PBFD virus. Chicks from the
      vaccinated hens remained clinically normal during the 50-day test period. Chicks
      from the nonvaccinated hens developed clinical and histologic lesions of PBFD.
      Infected tissues from these birds were confirmed to contain viral antigen, using
      immunohistochemical staining techniques. The PBFD virus was recovered from the
      affected birds. These findings indicate that adult and 30- to 45-day-old
      psittacine birds will seroconvert following vaccination with beta-propiolactone
      treated PBFD virus. Also, hens inoculated with beta-propiolactone-treated PBFD
      virus produce chicks that are, at least temporarily, resistant to virus
      challenge.

PMID- 1416349
TI  - Function of neutrophils and chemoattractant properties of fetal placental tissue
      during the last month of pregnancy in cows.
AB  - Neutrophils were isolated from the blood of pregnant cows on days 255, 265, and
      275 of pregnancy, and on the day of parturition (n = 5/group), and in addition,
      simultaneously from 4 ovariectomized healthy cows (control animals). Neutrophils
      were subjected to neutrophil function assays (chemotaxis against zymosan
      activated serum, random migration, ingestion of 125I-iododeoxyuridine [IdUR]
      labeled Staphylococcus aureus, iodination of proteins, cytochrome C reduction,
      antibody-independent and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity). Results
      were expressed as percentage of control animals. Fetal placental tissue
      (cotyledon), uterine wall tissue, and skeletal muscle were obtained from the
      principal animals on the aforementioned days via laparotomy, and tissue
      suspensions were prepared. Chemotaxis of neutrophils was tested against tissue
      supernatants. Compared with day 255, there was an increase in ingestion of 125I
      IdUR-S aureus at parturition, whereas iodination of proteins and cytochrome C
      reduction were reduced on the day of calving. The other neutrophil functions
      tested did not change over time of gestation. Fetal placental and uterine wall
      tissue attracted neutrophils with uterine wall tissue having a tendency to be
      more potent than cotyledonary tissue. Skeletal muscle tissue did not attract
      neutrophils. There was no change in chemotaxis response of neutrophils evoked by
      intrauterine and uterine tissues over time of gestation. It was concluded that at
      parturition, neutrophil function is impaired with respect to their bactericidal
      effects, which may render the animal more susceptible to bacterial infections,
      and that the chemoattractant properties of fetal placental and uterine wall
      tissues are tissue-specific, at least when compared with skeletal
      muscle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416350
TI  - Influence of conditioned media from bovine cotyledon tissue cultures on function
      of bovine neutrophils.
AB  - Bovine fetal placental (cotyledon) tissue obtained from pregnant cows on days
      255, 265, and 275 of gestation, as well as immediately after parturition (n = 5)
      was incubated in media for 48 hours, and the incubation media were collected.
      Neutrophils from 4 ovariectomized nonpregnant cows were incubated for 2 hours
      with conditioned media from placental tissue cultures or medium (control).
      Immediately after incubation, the neutrophils were subjected to the following
      leukocyte function assays: chemotaxis against zymosan-activated serum, chemotaxis
      against undiluted conditioned media (only neutrophils that were incubated in
      medium only), random migration, ingestion of 125I-iododeoxyuridine Staphylococcus
      aureus (125I-IdUR-S aureus), iodination of proteins, cytochrome C reduction, and
      antibody-independent and -dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Conditioned media
      from cultured cotyledon tissue was chemoattractant for bovine neutrophils, and
      increased chemotactic response of neutrophils against zymosan-activated serum by
      13%. The following neutrophil functions were decreased: random migration by 25%,
      iodination of proteins by 44%, cytochrome C reduction by 13%, and antibody
      dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity by 5%. Ingestion of 125I-IdUR-S aureus and
      antibody-independent cell-mediated cytotoxicity were not influenced by
      coincubation of neutrophils and conditioned media. Time of gestation did not
      alter the effects of conditioned media on neutrophil function. It was concluded
      that chemotactic properties of cotyledon tissue extracts, as has been reported
      earlier, may be attributable to substances released by fetal placental tissue.
      Those substances might also locally or systemically influence the oxygen
      dependent antimicrobial system of neutrophils, thereby causing an increased
      susceptibility to bacterial infections in the peripartum period.

PMID- 1416351
TI  - Echocardiographic evaluation of cardiac morphologic and functional variables in
      double-muscled calves.
AB  - We studied, by means of echocardiography in vivo, the cardiac consequences of the
      double-muscled character selection in beef cattle. Morphologic and functional
      echocardiographic variables were regularly estimated in 17 Friesian and 8 Belgian
      White and Blue calves during their growth. A total of 50 and 44 sets of data were
      collected in each group, respectively. Recordings were obtained, using 2
      dimensional and M-mode echocardiography, and included measurements in long- and
      short-axis views of the heart. Most of the diastolic measurements of the left
      ventricle were not significantly different between breeds when normalized for
      body weight. To the contrary, systolic measurements of left ventricular wall
      thickness and dimensions were significantly (P less than or equal to 0.001) lower
      and greater, respectively, in Belgian White and Blue calves than in Friesian
      calves. This was interpreted as a result of significantly (P less than or equal
      to 0.001) lower left ventricular systolic functional indices in Belgian White and
      Blue than in Friesian calves. Echocardiographic evidence that the double-muscled
      selection in cattle induces alteration in morphologic variables of left ventricle
      was not found. However, results indicate that indices of left ventricular
      systolic function are lower in double-muscled calves than in calves with standard
      conformation.

PMID- 1416352
TI  - Computer-based collection and analysis of myoelectric activity of the intestine
      in horses.
AB  - Extracellular myoelectric activity from the terminal ileum, cecum, and colonic
      pelvic flexure was assessed in 4 adult horses. The collection and analysis of
      myoelectric data involved the development and use of a computer-based system.
      After collection, the myoelectric signal was digitally filtered to enhance the
      activity of interest. The smoothed signal was then processed by use of computer
      programs designed to identify and count spike-burst activity and estimate burst
      duration. The intense phases of myoelectric complexes also were identified. The
      propagation of myoelectric spike-burst activity was assessed over 3 electrode
      sites to identify the propagative patterns of intestinal motility. There was high
      correlation between the results of computer-based analysis and those of visual
      analysis. We concluded that the computer provides a fast, accurate, and reliable
      means of assessing myoelectric activity.

PMID- 1416353
TI  - Effects of general anesthesia on myoelectric activity of the intestine in horses.
AB  - Myoelectric activity was monitored from the terminal ileum, cecum, and colonic
      pelvic flexure by use of AgpAgCl bipolar electrodes in 4 adult horses before,
      during, and after general anesthesia. Horses were anesthetized by way of 3
      commonly used regimens, including xylazine (1.1 mg/kg of body weight) and
      ketamine hydrochloride (2.2 mg/kg); thiopental sodium (7.7 mg/kg), followed by
      halothane vaporized in oxygen; and thiopental sodium (2.5 g) in guaifenesin (100
      mg/ml) solution given to effect, followed by halothane in oxygen. All 3
      anesthetic regimens decreased intestinal spike-burst activity in the areas
      monitored. The slowest return to preanesthetic myoelectric activity was observed
      after xylazine and ketamine administration. After both of the
      barbiturate/halothane anesthetic regimens, there was a rebound increase in spike
      burst frequency, without alteration in the proportion of propagative myoelectric
      events. All 3 anesthetic regimens appeared to reset the timing of the small and
      large intestinal migrating myoelectric complexes. By 9 hours after recovery from
      anesthesia, the effects of anesthesia, irrespective of regimen, had disappeared.
      Although anesthesia significantly (P less than 0.05) altered intestinal
      myoelectric activity, no particular anesthetic regimen had a prolonged effect.
      Results of our study indicate that the particular chosen regimen of general
      anesthesia is unimportant in development of motility disturbances in horses after
      anesthesia.

PMID- 1416354
TI  - Effect of xylazine on cerebrospinal fluid pressure in conscious horses.
AB  - Lumbosacral CSF pressure was measured in 6 horses via a catheter inserted through
      the lumbosacral space. Heart rate, facial artery pressure, central venous
      pressure, and CSF pressure were measured before IV injection of a saline solution
      control, for 15 minutes after saline solution injection, and for 60 minutes after
      the IV injection of 1.1 mg of xylazine/kg of body weight. Arterial pH and blood
      gases were analyzed before saline solution injection, 15 minutes after saline
      solution injection, and at 15, 30, and 60 minutes after xylazine injection.
      Constant craniocervical posture was maintained during sedation. Lumbosacral CSF
      pressure was significantly decreased for 15 minutes after xylazine injection.
      Diastolic arterial pressure was significantly increased 4 minutes after xylazine
      administration and diastolic and mean arterial pressure were increased at 6 and 8
      minutes after xylazine administration. Small increases in systolic arterial blood
      pressure and central venous pressure, and a small decrease in heart rate were
      observed. There were no significant differences in the arterial blood gas values.
      It was concluded that IV injection of xylazine causes a decrease in intracranial
      pressure in healthy conscious horses. The effects may be different in horses with
      neurologic disease or cerebral trauma.

PMID- 1416355
TI  - Influence of cyclooxygenase inhibitors on furosemide-induced hemodynamic effects
      during exercise in horses.
AB  - Furosemide, which commonly is used as a prophylactic treatment for exercise
      induced pulmonary hemorrhage in horses, may mediate hemodynamic changes during
      exercise by altering prostaglandin metabolism. To determine if furosemide's
      hemodynamic effects during exercise in horses could be reversed, cyclooxygenase
      inhibitors were administered with furosemide. Four treatments were administered 4
      hours prior to treadmill exercise at 9 and 13 m/s. They included a control
      treatment (10 ml of 0.9% NaCl solution, IV), furosemide (1 mg/kg of body weight,
      IV) administered alone, and furosemide in combination with phenylbutazone (4
      mg/kg, IV, q 12 h for 2 days) or with flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg, IV, on the
      day of experiment). Five horses were randomly assigned to complete all
      treatments. Physiologic variables at rest prior to exercise were not influenced
      by treatments. Furosemide, administered alone, reduced mean right atrial pressure
      and mean pulmonary artery pressure during exercise. The combinations of
      furosemide and flunixin meglumine or furosemide and phenylbutazone, at both
      levels of exercise intensity, returned mean right atrial pressure and mean
      pulmonary artery pressure to the value of the control treatment. During rest and
      exercise, plasma lactate concentration, PCV, heart rate, mean carotid artery
      pressure, oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide elimination, and cardiac output were
      not altered by any of the treatments. At 5 minutes after exercise, the
      administration of furosemide, alone or with phenylbutazone, reduced mean right
      atrial pressure. Other measured variables were not significantly influenced by
      treatments during recovery from exercise. These results suggested that
      cyclooxygenase inhibition partially reverses the decrease in mean right atrial
      pressure or pulmonary artery pressure induced by furosemide during
      exercise.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416356
TI  - Kinetics of healing of grafted and nongrafted wounds on the distal portion of the
      forelimbs of horses.
AB  - Full-thickness, circular, cutaneous wounds (5 cm in diameter) were created on the
      distal portion of the forelimbs of 6 horses. One wound on each horse was treated
      with 6 full-thickness punch grafts that were obtained from the horse's neck with
      a 6-mm skin biopsy punch and inserted in the graft sites on day 14 after
      wounding. The wound on the contralateral limb was not grafted. A combination of
      ticarcillin disodium and clavulanate potassium was applied to the wounds when
      bandages were changed to control bacterial infection. Areas of each wound were
      measured on days 1, 7, 9, 11, 13 through 15, 17 through 22, 24, 26, 29, and 32
      after wounding. Three distinguishable phases of healing were observed (expansion,
      contraction, and epithelialization), and the time course of each phase was
      evaluated, using formulas of first-order processes. Rate constants of each phase
      were not significantly (P less than 0.05) affected by punch grafts.

PMID- 1416357
TI  - Effects of split-thickness and full-thickness skin grafts on secondary graft
      contraction in horses.
AB  - Full-thickness, circular (4-cm diameter) cutaneous wounds were created on the
      metacarpi and metatarsi of 6 horses. Immediately after wounding, 1 wound on each
      horse received a meshed, split-thickness skin graft (0.64 mm) obtained from the
      ventrolateral aspect of the horse's thorax by use of a pneumatic dermatome,
      whereas a second wound received a meshed, full-thickness skin graft obtained from
      the pectoral area. In addition, sections of split-thickness and full-thickness
      grafts were refrigerated in a solution of McCoy's 5A medium, to which equine
      serum (10%) and gentamicin sulfate solution (16 mg/dl) were added. Ten days after
      wounding, 1 granulating wound on each horse was grafted with a stored, meshed,
      split-thickness graft, and 1 granulating wound on each horse was grafted with a
      stored, meshed, full-thickness graft. Areas of wounds were calculated from
      photographs taken of wounds on days 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 after wounding.
      Time course of contraction was determined by use of a first-order mathematic
      model of changes in area through time. Rate constants of contraction for fresh or
      granulating wounds receiving full-thickness grafts did not differ significantly
      from those for fresh or granulating wounds receiving split-thickness grafts. Rate
      constants of contraction for grafted fresh wounds, however, were significantly
      less than those of grafted granulating wounds, regardless of whether a split
      thickness or full-thickness graft was applied.

PMID- 1416358
TI  - Influence of wound shape on wound contraction in horses.
AB  - Three sets of paired circular and square full-thickness skin wounds were made on
      the dorsum of the metacarpus (n = 48) of 8 horses. Each wound was 6.25 cm2 in
      area. The wounds were treated topically with an ointment, nonadherent dressing,
      and bandaged with a snug elastic wrap. Wounds were photographed every other day
      until healing was complete. Wound areas were measured and exponential and linear
      wound healing models were applied to the wound healing data generated. Wound
      healing variables measured for each wound were: number of days to healing,
      maximal size attained, rate of wound contraction (calculated by use of first
      order and linear models), final wound size, and percentage of wound that healed
      by contraction. The exponential model fit the data significantly better than the
      linear model. The maximal size attained by circular wounds was significantly
      smaller than the maximal size attained by square wounds. Wound shape did not
      influence the rate of wound healing. On the basis of our findings, conversion of
      circular defects to square defects would not speed wound healing.

PMID- 1416359
TI  - Fate and effect of autogenous osteochondral fragments implanted in the middle
      carpal joint of horses.
AB  - Four autogenous osteochondral fragments removed from the lateral trochlear ridge
      of the talus were arthroscopically placed as loose bodies in a randomly selected
      middle carpal joint in each of 10 horses. The contralateral middle carpal joint,
      subjected to a sham procedure, served as control. Postoperative treatment was
      consistent with that for clinical arthroscopic patients. Lameness evaluation,
      radiographic examination, carpal circumference measurement, and synovial fluid
      analysis were performed before and at scheduled intervals after surgery. After a
      2-month confinement, horses were subjected to an increasing level of exercise.
      Horses were euthanatized at intervals through 6 months. Gross and microscopic
      evaluations were performed on remaining fragments, articular cartilage, and
      synovial membrane of each middle carpal joint. Increased joint circumference,
      effusion, lameness, and degenerative joint disease distinguished implanted from
      control joints over the 6-month period. Implanted joints were characterized by
      grooved, excoriated cartilage surfaces, and synovium that was thick,
      erythematous, and irregular. At 4 weeks, implants were found to have adhered to
      synovium at their subchondral bone surface. The bone within fragments was
      undergoing necrosis, while cartilage was preserved. At 8 weeks, fragments were
      radiographically inapparent, grossly evident as pale plaques on the synovial
      surface, and composed of dense fibrous connective tissue. Synovial membrane
      specimens from implanted joints had inflammatory change characterized by
      mononuclear cell infiltration 2 months after implantation. Physical damage was
      apparent within articular cartilage of implanted joints at 2 months, and was
      significant (P less than 0.05) at 6 months after surgery. Chondrocyte
      degenerative change was significant (P less than 0.05) at 6 months after surgery.
      Focal reduction in safranin-O uptake was observed in cartilage layers adjacent to
      physical defects. Osteochondral loose bodies of the size implanted in the middle
      carpal joint of horses in this study were resorbed by the synovium within 2
      months. Synovitis and significant articular cartilage damage were associated with
      the implanted fragments. Regardless of origin, free osteochondral fragments
      within the middle carpal joint should be removed, and methods to prevent residual
      postoperative debris should be implemented to reduce potential for articular
      pathologic change.

PMID- 1416360
TI  - Long-term cannulation of the ovarian vein in mares.
AB  - A cannulation technique was developed to collect blood samples from the ovarian
      vein of mares over an extended period. Ovarian venous cannulae placed in 4 mares
      remained patent for a mean (+/- SEM) duration of 36.8 (+/- 6.2) days. During mid
      diestrus, concentrations of progesterone in the ovarian vein ipsilateral to the
      corpus luteum (1,663.8 +/- 238.8 ng/ml) were significantly (P less than 0.001)
      higher than concentrations measured in paired samples from the jugular vein (6.1
      +/- 0.3 ng/ml). Concentration of estradiol in the ovarian vein ranged from a mean
      of 1,053.2 +/- 303.1 pg/ml during diestrus to 3,353.8 +/- 1,052.8 pg/ml during
      estrus, whereas values for 74% of samples collected concurrently from the jugular
      vein were near or below the sensitivity of the assay (10 pg/ml). Results of the
      study indicate that patent long-term ovarian vein cannulation can be achieved in
      mares. The cannulation technique provides access to important fundamental
      information on equine reproductive endocrinology, which to our knowledge, has not
      been available.

PMID- 1416361
TI  - Treatment of reperfusion injury in dogs with experimentally induced gastric
      dilatation-volvulus.
AB  - In dogs, gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) is characterized by cardiogenic shock,
      with resulting hypoperfusion. Treatment goals include reperfusion of transiently
      ischemic tissues, which indicates that reperfusion injury may be a factor in the
      physiopathogenesis of GDV. Recently, we obtained data that indicate that
      reperfusion injury may be involved in experimentally induced GDV. Using this GDV
      model, we evaluated mortality in 24 dogs of 4 equal groups, treated with
      deferoxamine (an iron chelator), dimethylsulfoxide (a free radical scavenger), a
      combination of the 2 drugs, or isotonic saline solution. All 6 dogs that were
      given deferoxamine survived; however, 3 dogs of the dimethylsulfoxide-treated
      group, 2 dogs of the combination-treated group, and 4 dogs of the saline-treated
      group died. Results of the study indicate that mortality associated with
      experimentally induced GDV is reduced by appropriate and timely pharmacologic
      intervention to prevent or attenuate reperfusion injury, and that deferoxamine
      may be more effective than dimethylsulfoxide.

PMID- 1416362
TI  - Evaluation of the proximal portion of the femur as an autogenous cancellous bone
      donor site in dogs.
AB  - The proximal portion of the femur was evaluated as a source of autogenous
      cancellous bone in dogs. Bilateral oval cortical defects were created in the
      lateral subtrochanteric area of the femur in 16 dogs. Cancellous bone was removed
      and the weight recorded. Cancellous bone was similarly harvested from the
      proximal portion of the humerus in 7 of these dogs. Subtrochanteric femoral
      defects in 11 dogs were randomly assigned to receive cancellous bone graft
      obtained from the femur (n = 4) or the humerus (n = 7). Subtrochanteric defects
      in 5 dogs were not grafted. Radiographic assessment of subtrochanteric defects
      was performed at 4-week intervals, and histologic assessment at 4, 8, 16, and 24
      weeks after surgery. Nongrafted donor sites healed by ingrowth of trabecular bone
      during the first 12 weeks after surgery. By week 24, the lateral cortical wall
      had reformed, but remodeling was incomplete. Donor sites grafted with cancellous
      bone healed similarly, but with more rapid healing and more complete remodeling
      evident by week 24. Although the mean weight of cancellous bone harvested from
      the proximal portion of the femur (0.82 +/- 0.22 g) was significantly (P less
      than 0.05) less than that harvested from the proximal portion of the humerus
      (1.38 +/- 0.29 g), there was no qualitative histologic or radiographic difference
      in bony healing of grafted defects. We determined that the proximal portion of
      the femur can be safely used to provide moderate amounts of cancellous bone, and
      that a second bone graft can be collected from the same subtrochanteric donor
      site after 12 weeks.

PMID- 1416363
TI  - Radiographic/morphologic investigation of a radiolucent crescent within the
      flexor central eminence of the navicular bone in thoroughbreds.
AB  - The source of a previously described radiolucent crescent in the flexor cortex of
      the distal sesamoid (navicular) bone on the palmaro45 degrees proximal
      palmarodistal oblique (Pa45 degrees Pr-PaDio) clinical radiographic projection
      was investigated in 48 forelimb navicular bones from 24 Thoroughbreds by use of
      high-detail radiography and x-ray computed tomography (CT). Twenty-five of these
      bones also were evaluated, using microradiography and histologic examinations. Of
      these 25 bones, 5 had been labeled in vivo with fluorochrome markers. Tetrachrome
      stained 100-microns-thick nondecalcified sections of these 5 bones were examined,
      using epifluorescence microscopy. A reinforcement line of compacted cancellous
      bone, parallel and several millimeters deep to the flexor cortex in the region of
      the flexor central eminence, was visualized by CT in 42 of 48 navicular bones and
      by microradiography in 23 of 25 navicular bones investigated. Variable degrees of
      compaction were observed in the cancellous bone between the flexor cortex and the
      reinforcement line. High-detail skyline radiographic projections and
      reconstructed CT images indicated a crescent-shaped lucency within the flexor
      central eminence of the flexor cortex in the bones in which the reinforcement
      line was identified, but the cancellous bone between the reinforcement line and
      the flexor cortex had not been compacted. The radiolucent crescent seen in the
      flexor central eminence of the navicular bone on the Pa45 degrees Pr-PaDiO
      projection was not caused by the concave defect or synovial fossa of the flexor
      central eminence overlying the flexor cortex, as was described.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416364
TI  - Comparison of standard and radionuclide methods for measurement of glomerular
      filtration rate and effective renal blood flow in female horses.
AB  - Comparison of standard and radionuclide methods for measuring glomerular
      filtration rate (GFR) and effective renal blood flow (ERBF) was performed in 8
      healthy female horses. Inulin and p-aminohippurate solutions were administered IV
      as a bolus, followed by sustained administration. Urine and plasma inulin and p
      aminohippurate concentrations and urine volume were measured. Glomerular
      filtration rate and ERBF were calculated on the basis of these measurements.
      Glomerular filtration rate and ERBF were measured on the basis of plasma
      clearance of the radiopharmaceuticals, 99mTc-labeled diethylene
      triaminepentaacetic acid (99mTc-DTPA) and [131I]-o-iodohippuric acid (131I-OIH),
      respectively. Mean +/- SEM GFR, using inulin, was 1.83 +/- 0.21 ml/min/kg of body
      weight. Mean GFR, using 99mTc-DTPA was 1.79 +/- 0.18 ml/min/kg. Mean ERBF, using
      p-aminohippurate, was 15.13 +/- 1.28 ml/min/kg. Mean ERBF, using 131I-OIH, was
      18.42 +/- 1.57 ml/min/kg. Analysis of variance indicated no significant
      difference between mean values for GFR and ERBF. Radionuclide measurement of GFR
      and ERBF compared well with standard methods and is an alternative technique to
      the cumbersome standard methods for determination of GFR and ERBF in horses.

PMID- 1416365
TI  - Use of end-tidal CO2 tension to predict arterial CO2 values in isoflurane
      anesthetized equine neonates.
AB  - End-tidal carbon dioxide tension (PetCO2) and arterial carbon dioxide tension
      (PaCO2) were determined and compared in isoflurane-anesthetized spontaneously
      breathing equine neonates. End-tidal carbon dioxide and PaCO2 values increased
      with respect to time. Difference between values of PetCO2 and PaCO2 increased
      over time. End-tidal carbon dioxide tension was useful to predict changes in and
      was more closely correlated with PaCO2 early in the anesthetic period (T less
      than or equal to 60 minutes). The dead space volume to tidal volume (Vd/Vt) ratio
      increased with respect to time, indicating increase in physiologic dead space in
      isoflurane-anesthetized foals. The data indicate that the increased difference
      between widening of the PetCO2 and PaCO2 values over time may have been
      attributable to hypoventilation and decreased pulmonary capillary perfusion of
      alveoli.

PMID- 1416366
TI  - Comparison of the nonionic contrast agents, iopromide and iotrolan, for positive
      contrast arthrography of the scapulohumeral joint in dogs.
AB  - Arthrographic quality and synovial inflammatory response were examined to compare
      the use of iopromide with that of iotrolan for arthrography of the scapulohumeral
      joint in 6 dogs. Radiographs obtained 1 and 3 minutes after injection of either
      nonionic compound were of similar quality, but radiographs obtained 5 minutes
      after injection of iotrolan were significantly (P less than 0.05) better than
      those obtained after injection of iopromide. Results of analysis of synovial
      fluid samples obtained at 1, 3, 7, and 14 days after injection of contrast media
      were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Histologic examination of
      synovium and articular cartilage 2 weeks after injection of iopromide or iotrolan
      revealed minimal inflammatory response for both contrast agents. Injection of
      iopromide and iotrolan into the scapulohumeral joints of dogs had less effect on
      synovial fluid than that reported after injection of ionic compounds.

PMID- 1416367
TI  - Cortical somatosensory evoked potentials in cows.
AB  - A method was developed to record cortical somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP)
      from thoracic and pelvic limb stimulation in cows. Recordings were similar in
      latency and amplitude to those reported for horses. Correction for conduction
      pathway length did not alter the average latency values because the cows of the
      study were uniform in size; however, the data provided will enable use of this
      normative data with smaller or larger individual animals. Although latency
      variability for the SEP peaks was low, variability of the amplitude measurements
      was high. This observed variability was similar to that seen in other species.
      Validity of the recorded responses was indicated by lack of a tibial nerve SEP in
      1 cow that had been given a tibial nerve conduction block, using lidocaine, and
      by repeatability of the response in 2 recordings taken 1 year apart in the same
      cow.

PMID- 1416368
TI  - Effects of low-dose aspirin and specific thromboxane synthetase inhibition on
      whole blood platelet aggregation and adenosine triphosphate secretion in healthy
      dogs.
AB  - Platelet aggregation and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) secretion in response to
      arachidonic acid (10 microM) or collagen (5 micrograms/ml) were compared in
      healthy, adult female Beagles treated with low-dosage aspirin (3.5 mg/kg of body
      weight, PO, q 12 h for 7 treatments) or with CGS 12970, a specific thromboxane
      synthetase inhibitor (10 mg/kg, PO, q 8 h for 10 treatments). Platelet
      aggregation was assessed in whole blood by use of an electrical impedance method.
      Baseline values obtained prior to treatment served as controls. Addition of
      arachidonic acid to blood from nontreated dogs resulted in significantly (P less
      than 0.001) increased impedance, but had no effect in blood from dogs treated
      with either aspirin or CGS 12970. Treatment with CGS 12970 or aspirin
      significantly (P less than 0.001) decreased platelet ATP secretion in response to
      arachidonic acid, compared with baseline values; however ATP secretion in aspirin
      treated dogs was significantly (P less than 0.01) less than ATP secretion in CGS
      12970-treated dogs. Differences in platelet aggregation were not observed between
      control dogs and aspirin- or CGS 12970-treated dogs in response to collagen as an
      aggregant, however, collagen-induced platelet ATP secretion was significantly (P
      less than 0.001) decreased in dogs treated with aspirin, compared with control
      values and values from dogs treated with CGS 12970. In dogs treated orally with
      0.1, 0.2, 1.0, or 10 mg of CGS 12970/kg, dose-dependent inhibition of arachidonic
      acid-induced platelet aggregation was observed, with impedance changes not
      observed at the 10-mg/kg dosage and normal platelet aggregation associated with
      the 0.1-mg/kg dosage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416369
TI  - Serum free and total iodothyronine concentrations in dogs with
      hyperadrenocorticism.
AB  - Serum concentrations of total and free thyroxine (T4 and FT4, respectively),
      3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine (reverse T3) were measured
      in 42 dogs with hyperadrenocorticism, and were compared with values determined in
      clinically normal dogs. Mean total T4 concentration in dogs with
      hyperadrenocorticism (14.3 nmol/L) was significantly (P less than 0.001) lower
      than the normal value (25.7 nmol/L), with 38% of the dogs having low serum T4
      concentration. Although 16 (38%) of the 42 dogs with hyperadrenocorticism had a
      high FT4 fraction, indicative of diminished serum T4 binding, normal FT4
      concentration was found in only 6 of the 16 dogs (38%) with low total T4 values.
      Mean serum T3 concentration in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism (0.79 nmol/L) was
      also significantly (P less than 0.001) lower than the normal value (1.16 nmol/L),
      with 39% of the dogs having T3 values below the normal range. Individual T3-to-T4
      and T3-to-FT4 ratios, indices of T3 production and/or clearance, were above the
      normal range in 29 and 24% of dogs with hyperadrenocorticism, respectively. Mean
      reverse T3 concentration in dogs with hyperadrenocorticism (0.17 nmol/L) was also
      significantly (P less than 0.001) lower than the normal mean value (0.39 nmol/L),
      with 48% of the dogs having reverse T3 values below the normal range. Of the 21
      dogs in which all iodothyronines were measured, 6 (29%) had undetectable values
      for all hormones.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416370
TI  - Measurement of total volume and protein concentration of intrauterine secretion
      after intrauterine inoculation of bacteria in mares that were either resistant or
      susceptible to chronic uterine infection.
AB  - Undiluted uterine secretion was used to determine the concentration of total
      protein and the accumulated volume of uterine secretion after a bacterial
      inoculation in mares susceptible and resistant to chronic uterine infection
      (CUI). The uterus of 6 susceptible and 5 resistant mares was inoculated with 5 x
      10(6) Streptococcus zooepidemicus on the third day of estrus. Using a tampon
      inserted in the uterus, secretions were sampled at 5, 12, 24, and 36 hours after
      inoculation, followed by intrauterine lavage with phosphate buffered saline
      solution. The concentration of protein was determined in the undiluted secretion
      as well as in the uterine washing and the total amount of accumulated uterine
      secretion was calculated. Protein concentrations in plasma were compared before
      and after absorption by the tampon. Protein concentration of plasma before and
      after absorption by the tampon did not differ. Mares susceptible to CUI
      accumulated significantly (P less than 0.001) more fluid in the uterus than mares
      resistant to CUI, and uterine washings from the resistant mares were
      significantly (P less than 0.05) more dilute than those from the susceptible
      mares. Significant differences in protein concentrations between susceptible and
      resistant mares were not found. It was concluded from this study that the
      described method to sample undiluted uterine secretion was practical and reliable
      for the analysis of protein concentration. Various concentrations of uterine
      secretions in washings from susceptible and resistant mares emphasizes the
      importance in using undiluted uterine secretions or dilution markers in washings
      when intrauterine products are analyzed.

PMID- 1416371
TI  - Effect of head and neck position on respiratory mechanics in horses sedated with
      xylazine.
AB  - We studied the temporal changes in respiratory mechanics associated with xylazine
      administration (1.1 mg/kg of body weight, IV) in standing horses (experiment 1),
      and determined the effects of head and neck position (experiment 2) and atropine
      administration (experiment 3) on the observed changes. Thoroughbred geldings, 3
      to 5 years old (5 in experiment 1, 4 in experiments 2 and 3) were used. Flow
      rates were obtained from a pneumotachograph and a differential transducer
      attached to a tight-fitting mask. Electronic integration of the flow signal gave
      tidal volume. Total pulmonary pressure (PL) was defined as the difference between
      esophageal pressure, measured with a balloon sealed to the end of a polyethylene
      catheter, and mask pressure. In experiment 3, a blunt cannula positioned in the
      dorsal third of the eighth or tenth intercostal space was used to estimate
      transpulmonary pressure. Lateral tracheal pressure was measured, using a
      polypropylene catheter inserted percutaneously in the midextrathoracic tracheal
      lumen. Upper and lower airway pressures were defined as the difference between
      mask pressure or transpulmonary pressure and lateral tracheal pressure,
      respectively. Five observations were made: (1) There was a significant (P less
      than 0.05) increase in PL from 10 to 40 minutes after administration of xylazine.
      (2) Although an overall agreement between head and neck position and PL was
      detected, the maximal PL value was not always obtained with lowest head and neck
      position. (3) Lower and upper airway resistance increased with low head carriage,
      with a greater increase in upper airway resistance resulting in a decrease in
      lower to total airway resistance ratio.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416372
TI  - Pharmacokinetics and local tolerance of a long-acting oxytetracycline formulation
      in camels.
AB  - Disposition and local tolerance of a new oxytetracycline (OTC) long-acting
      formulation were evaluated in camels by measuring the dynamics of creatine
      kinase. Six camels (Camelus dromedarius) were administered OTC by IV and IM
      routes according to a 2-period cross-over, study design. Serum OTC concentration
      was measured, using a microbiological assay procedure. After IV administration (5
      mg/kg of body weight), mean residence time was 7.7 +/- 2.8 hours, steady-state
      volume distribution was 706.1 +/- 168.6 ml.kg-1 and serum clearance was 75.3 +/-
      23.2 ml.kg-1.h-1. After IM administration of the long-acting OTC formulation (10
      mg/kg), maximal OTC concentration (3.49 +/- 0.44 micrograms.ml-1) was observed
      after 7.3 +/- 3.5 hours; the mean systemic availability was near 100%, and serum
      concentration greater than 0.5 micrograms.ml-1 was maintained for about 72 hours.
      After IM administration, mean control serum activity of creatine kinase was
      multiplied by a factor of 3.36 +/- 1.55; at 72 hours after OTC administration,
      the serum creatine kinase activity returned to control values. It was concluded
      that OTC is an antibiotic of potential interest in camels and that a dosage
      regimen of 10 mg.kg-1 deserves attention when using a long-acting formulation
      that has good local tolerance and near total systemic availability.

PMID- 1416373
TI  - Effect of repeated doses of albendazole on enantiomerism of its sulfoxide
      metabolite in goats.
AB  - Five adult Saanen goats were dosed orally 3 times with albendazole (2.5 mg/kg of
      body weight) at 24-hour intervals, and blood samples were taken by jugular
      venapuncture at standardized intervals. Plasma was analyzed to determine
      concentrations of S-oxidation metabolites, and a chiral column was used for
      enantiomeric discrimination of the sulfoxide metabolite of albendazole. Marked
      changes were evident between the first and subsequent plasma profiles concerning,
      on one hand, the proportions of sulfoxide and sulfone metabolites concentrations
      and, on the other hand, the enantiomeric balance of sulfoxide metabolite. These
      correlated phenomena may be explained by the following arguments: the enzyme
      responsible for sulfoxidation is mainly a flavine-containing monooxygenase,
      whereas the enzyme responsible for sulfonation is a cytochrome-dependent
      monooxygenase; the latter, but not the former, is induced by albendazole; the
      enantioselectivities of both enzymic systems are opposite, the flavine produces
      the (+) sulfoxide, whereas the cytochromes can use as a substrate, specifically,
      the (-) sulfoxide.

PMID- 1416375
TI  - Effects of allergen challenge on plasma concentrations of prostaglandins,
      thromboxane B2, and histamine in calves infected with bovine respiratory
      syncytial virus.
AB  - To examine the influence of allergen-induced type-1 hypersensitivity on the
      pathogenesis of bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) infection, we
      sensitized calves by aerosol to Micropolyspora faeni (MF) and challenge exposed
      them during infection with BRSV. The development of MF-specific IgE serum
      concentrations was confirmed by ELISA. The dynamics of arachidonic acid
      metabolism and histamine release during a type-1 hypersensitivity reaction in the
      bovine lung were studied by quantitating the concentrations of prostaglandin
      (PG)E2, PGF2 alpha, PGI2 as 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, thromboxane (TX) A2 as TXB2, and
      histamine in plasma of BRSV-infected and/or MF-sensitized/challenge-exposed
      calves. Four treatment groups were established: (1) BRSV infection only, (2)
      aerosol sensitization to MF followed by BRSV infection and aerosol challenge
      exposure to MF, (3) MF aerosol sensitization and challenge exposure without BRSV
      infection, and (4) aerosol sensitization to MF followed by BRSV infection without
      MF challenge exposure. Significantly increased concentrations of PGI2 were
      associated with MF aerosol exposure, particularly when combined with BRSV
      infection in group 2. After MF challenge exposure, TXB2 concentrations were
      significantly greater in the virus and MF challenge-exposed group 2. Individual
      calf data for the change in MF-specific IgE concentration between the first and
      second MF challenge exposures and the change in PGE2 concentration 30 minutes
      after the second MF challenge exposure had a highly significant direct
      correlation. Histamine concentrations were significantly greater in calves
      infected with BRSV than in uninfected controls regardless of MF exposure. These
      data further substantiate the thesis that implicates type-1 hypersensitivity as a
      pathogenic mechanism in BRSV-related disease.

PMID- 1416374
TI  - Evaluation of a one-hour saline diuresis protocol for administration of cisplatin
      to dogs.
AB  - A study was undertaken to determine the toxic effects of cisplatin, an
      antineoplastic agent, when administered immediately after a 1-hour saline
      diuresis. Four treatments with cisplatin (70 mg/m2 of body surface, q 3 wk) were
      administered IV to 6 healthy dogs over a 20-minute period after 0.9% NaCl
      (saline) solution was administered IV for 1 hour at a volume of 132 ml (kg)0.75.
      Each dog vomited at least once within 8 hours after each treatment was
      administered. Clinical status, body weight, and food consumption were normal
      throughout the 12-week study for 5 of the 6 dogs. The sixth dog developed acute
      renal failure and became acutely blind and deaf within 3 days after the fourth
      treatment with cisplatin. Serum electrolyte, creatinine, and urea nitrogen values
      remained within established normal limits in all dogs immediately prior to each
      treatment, and in 5 of 6 dogs evaluated 3 weeks after the final treatment. The
      serum creatinine value (3.3 mg/dl) obtained from the Beagle euthanatized 2 weeks
      after the fourth treatment was above established normal values. Despite normalcy
      for all but 1 of the creatinine values, serum creatinine concentration obtained 3
      weeks after the final treatment with cisplatin was significantly (P = 0.0001)
      higher than pretreatment values. When compared with data from all other
      evaluation periods, significant decreases in glomerular filtration rate, as
      determined by exogenous (P less than or equal to 0.0001) and endogenous (P less
      than or equal to 0.0001) creatinine clearance testing, were identified 3 weeks
      after the fourth treatment with cisplatin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416376
TI  - Protein kinase-C activity in phorbol myristate acetate-stimulated neutrophils
      from newborn and adult cattle.
AB  - Neutrophils from newborn calves have been shown to be deficient in ability to
      generate superoxide anion (O2-) after stimulation of the respiratory burst enzyme
      with the phorbol ester, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). This compound
      activates the O(2-)-generating enzyme of bovine neutrophils through a pathway
      involving protein kinase C (PKC). To investigate the biochemical basis underlying
      this functional difference between neutrophils from newborn and adult cattle, we
      measured and compared the activity of the enzyme PKC in nonstimulated and PMA
      stimulated bovine neutrophils. Neutrophils from newborn calves (n = 5) and adult
      cows (n = 5) were stimulated with various concentrations of PMA (0, 10, 100, and
      500 ng/ml) for 3 minutes, and PKC activity was assayed in the cytosolic and the
      membrane fractions. In nonstimulated cells, most PKC activity was detected in the
      cytosolic fraction of neutrophils from newborn and adult cattle. Activity of PKC
      in the cytosol was dependent on the presence of added calcium and phospholipids,
      whereas membrane-associated PKC in nonstimulated cells did not have such
      dependence. Significant differences in PKC activity were not observed between
      newborn and adult cattle in either the cytosolic or the membrane fractions from
      nonstimulated cells. Stimulation with PMA caused redistribution of PKC activity
      in the cell (translocation) in newborns and adults, consisting of decrease in
      cytosolic PKC activity and increase in membrane-associated PKC activity. Similar
      to that in nonstimulated cells, PKC activity in cytosolic fractions from PMA
      stimulated neutrophils was dependent on the presence of cofactors (calcium and
      phospholipids), whereas PKC activity in the membrane did not have such
      requirement.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416377
TI  - Immunolocalization of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and EGF receptors in the
      porcine upper gastrointestinal tract.
AB  - The factors controlling growth and maturation in the porcine gastrointestinal
      tract are not well understood. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a polypeptide
      that has been implicated in the control of gastrointestinal tract growth,
      maturation, and protection in other species. Immunoreactive EGF (IR-EGF) and EGF
      receptors (EGF-R) were histochemically identified in formalin-fixed tissues of
      the upper digestive tract of 1-, 3-, 7-, 14-, 21-, and 28-day-old pigs. The
      ductal epithelium consistently contained IR-EGF in the parotid salivary gland of
      pigs of all ages and in the mandibular salivary gland in pigs greater than or
      equal to 7 days old. Immunoreactive EGF was detected in the mucosal epithelium of
      the esophagus and nonglandular portion of the stomach, and in the pancreas and
      liver in all pigs. Gastric gland IR-EGF was inconsistently detected in pigs less
      than 14 days old and was consistently observed in all older pigs. Enterocyte EGF
      immunoreactivity was usually weak and was variably detected in the duodenum of
      pigs less than or equal to 7 days old and in the jejunum of pigs less than or
      equal to 14 days old, but was consistently observed in older pigs. Ileal
      immunoreactivity was erratic. Immunoreactive EGF-R were identified in the
      esophageal epithelium of all pigs, and in the nonglandular gastric and glandular
      gastric mucosa of all pigs, except for two 7-day-old pigs and one 7-day-old pig,
      respectively. Immunoreactive EGF-R were detected in the duodenal, jejunal, and
      ileal enterocytes of pigs of all ages examined.

PMID- 1416378
TI  - Cytogenetic characterization of the Madin-Darby bovine kidney cell line.
AB  - The permanent bovine cell line, Madin-Darby bovine kidney, was cytogenetically
      analyzed. Chromosomal staining indicated 52 metaphase chromosomes with variations
      from 49 to 54. The isochromosomes 5, 12, and 13, and centric fusions between
      chromosomes 1 and 26, 9 and 11, 9 and 24, 17 and 25, 18 and 23, 20 and 24, and 24
      and 27 were considered marker chromosomes.

PMID- 1416379
TI  - Lymphocyte reactivity to antigens of Haemonchus contortus in antigen-inoculated
      and H contortus-naive lambs.
AB  - Lambs were inoculated during either fetal or early neonatal life with antigens of
      Haemonchus contortus (HcAg) third-stage larvae, or ovalbumin (OVA), or were left
      untreated. By the time lambs were 4 weeks old, blood lymphocytes from all of them
      responded to HcAg. This was evident in all lambs, regardless of the previous
      inoculation regimen, although higher response was seen in HcAg-inoculated lambs,
      compared with naive lambs. Only lambs inoculated with OVA had OVA-specific
      lymphocyte activity. In HcAg-naive lambs, the maximal HcAg lymphocyte response
      was observed between the ages of 5 and 25 weeks, with gradual decrease
      thereafter. In vitro detection of HcAg-reactive lymphocytes was affected by
      antigen concentration and presence of plasma. Plasma inhibited HcAg-reactive
      lymphocytes from all lambs at high in vitro antigen concentration and completely
      abrogated the response in H contortus antigen-naive lambs.

PMID- 1416380
TI  - Histochemical and morphologic changes of porcine airway epithelial cells in
      response to infection with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae.
AB  - Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae causes pneumonia in pigs. The effect of infection by
      this organism on histochemical characteristics of airway mucin within epithelial
      cells was studied. Seven- to 10-week-old pigs were inoculated intratracheally
      with M hyopneumoniae or culture broth, and lung tissues were collected from
      inoculated and control pigs at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after inoculation. Tissue
      sections were stained with periodic acid-Schiff/Alcian blue, pH 2.5 or high iron
      diamine/Alcian blue. Histologic features of randomly selected bronchi,
      bronchioles, and submucosal glands were compared in sections stained with
      periodic acid-Schiff/Alcian blue. Bronchial goblet cell sulfomucin and sialomucin
      were quantitated by image analysis of sections stained with high iron
      diamine/Alcian blue. Bronchi and bronchioles of infected pigs contained
      proportionately fewer goblet cells with mucin at all stages of infection than age
      matched control pigs. Goblet cells in bronchi of infected pigs contained
      significantly less total mucin and sialomucin, and significantly more sulfomucin
      than goblet cells of control pigs. Increased sulfated mucin in bronchial goblet
      cells may reflect altered glycoprotein production or secretion in response to
      infection with M hyopneumoniae.

PMID- 1416381
TI  - Identification of halothane gene carriers by use of in vivo 31P nuclear magnetic
      resonance spectroscopy in pigs.
AB  - In vivo muscle 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was performed on 12
      homozygous halothane-nonsensitive female pigs and 13 female pigs heterozygous
      with respect to the halothane gene. Fifteen female pigs of a third line,
      consisting of heterozygotes and halothane-nonsensitive homozygotes, were also
      available. Body weight ranged from 12 to 18 kg. Mean decrease in phosphocreatine
      concentration in the biceps femoris of anesthetized pigs was significantly lower
      for heterozygous vs homozygous pigs (3.46% vs 5.94%, P less than 0.01) after 40
      minutes of halothane exposure (3%; oxygen flow, 3 L/min). Also, a statistically
      significant difference, with respect to the initial (7.21 vs 7.11, P less than
      0.008) and end muscle pH values (7.18 vs 7.06, P less than 0.0002), was observed
      for homozygous vs heterozygous pigs. By means of canonical discriminant analysis,
      it was possible to distinguish nonsensitive homozygotes from heterozygotes (P
      less than 0.0001). When applying this classification method to pigs of the same
      strain, 2 populations (nonsensitive homozygotes, heterozygotes) emerged, with a
      proportion of pigs corresponding to the expected value on the basis of breeding
      records. In contrast to the phenotypic expression of muscular rigidity related to
      the malignant hyperthermia syndrome, the expression of metabolic variables
      (phosphocreatine, pH) was shown to be dominant.

PMID- 1416382
TI  - Managerial risk factors of intramammary infection with Streptococcus agalactiae
      in dairy herds in Ohio.
AB  - Dairy herds in Ohio were selected by stratified random sampling for participation
      in a disease-monitoring study to relate Streptococcus agalactiae intramammary
      prevalence to herd management and environmental conditions. Of 48 herds studied,
      27 herds had at least 1 cow infected with this pathogen. Management and
      environmental conditions were assessed by direct observation as well as by an
      interview with the dairy producers. One-way ANOVA or chi 2 analysis, with
      presence or absence of Streptococcus agalactiae as the dependent variable, was
      used to test each of 70 independent variables. Variables found significant at P
      less than 0.20 were further evaluated by use of logistic regression. Our sample
      size permitted only 4 independent variables to be simultaneously evaluated by
      logistic regression. The most predictive risk factors were identified as poor
      teat and udder hygiene, poor environmental sanitation, large herd population, and
      use of a shared washcloth for premilking cleaning of teats and udders.

PMID- 1416383
TI  - U.S. mental health policy. Doomed to fail.
AB  - Changes in the de facto system of mental health care in the last decade reflect
      organizational and entrepreneurial responsiveness to changes in health policy,
      not mental health policy. Various other actions described here reduced statutory
      or institutional leadership roles in mental health and increased the pace at
      which mental health policy was becoming dependent on health policy. In turn, U.S.
      health policy in the 20th century has been inherently flawed. The short-term
      general hospital--the "doctors' workshop"--emphasizing acute care and surgery,
      has been the cornerstone of U.S. health policy throughout the 20th century. The
      mimicry of health services by mental health leads to demonstrably more expensive
      and less effective mental health care and dooms mental health policy to failure.

PMID- 1416384
TI  - The debt of neuropsychology to the epilepsies.
AB  - Both neuropsychology and psychology in general have been enhanced markedly by
      brain-behavior models derived from the study of the epilepsies. A significant
      body of neuropsychological concepts originated or were confirmed through epilepsy
      based treatment and research. These concepts include the peri-Rolandic
      homunculus, the role of the hippocampal-temporal lobe complex in cognitive
      memory, hemisphere plasticity for speech in childhood, the intracarotid amytal
      procedure for determining hemisphere memory patency, and hemisphere-based models
      of cognition confirmed through human commissurotomy. Personality and social
      emotional research in epilepsy are additional areas in which new conceptual
      models grounded in psychological science can both repay our debt to the
      epilepsies and provide much needed psychological research and treatment.

PMID- 1416385
TI  - Childhood epilepsy and the role of psychology.
AB  - The relatively long history of psychology's involvement in the field of epilepsy
      is discussed. The view of epilepsy is that of a chronic disorder with onset in
      childhood, at a time when normal development is at risk for interference from the
      direct and secondary aspects of repetitive seizures, the neurological
      abnormalities from which they arise, and the clinical interventions that attempt
      to control them. The objective and scientifically based methods of psychology are
      viewed as particularly well suited to these topics. Past efforts by psychologists
      have increased understanding of the syndrome that is epilepsy, and have paved the
      way for opportunities to further contribute to the theoretically and practically
      important problems associated with epilepsy.

PMID- 1416386
TI  - Psychopathology in epilepsy. The role of psychology in altering paradigms of
      research, treatment, and prevention.
AB  - This article offers a brief review of the literature examining epilepsy and
      abnormal behavior. The generally accepted concept of epilepsy as a high
      psychiatric risk disorder is reexamined in light of research that has
      investigated the influence of selection bias. A conceptual model that organizes
      the known or postulated risk variables (neurological, psychosocial, and
      medication) is presented, with emphasis on psychology's potential contribution.

PMID- 1416387
TI  - The role of neuropsychology in the assessment and treatment of persons with
      epilepsy.
AB  - Several areas of current interest in the neuropsychology of epilepsy are briefly
      reviewed in this article. These include variables pertaining to seizures, seizure
      history, antiepileptic drugs, and methods of neuropsychological evaluation. It is
      apparent that epilepsy is a multifaceted area: Psychologists not only can be of
      great assistance to patients with this condition, but may also learn a great deal
      from this complex disorder.

PMID- 1416388
TI  - Inhaled platelet-activating factor causes pulmonary neutrophil sequestration in
      normal humans.
AB  - Inhaled platelet-activating factor (PAF) causes bronchoconstriction and transient
      peripheral neutropenia in humans. We studied eight normal subjects to investigate
      whether inhaled PAF caused pulmonary neutrophil sequestration. All subjects
      received autologous 99mTc-red cells as a blood pool marker, seven received 111In
      neutrophils, and one received 111In-platelets. Six subjects inhaled 48 micrograms
      of PAF. There was immediate pulmonary sequestration of 111In-neutrophils, maximal
      (218% baseline) at 6 min (p less than 0.001), returning to normal by 3 h. There
      was no change in circulating platelet count or pulmonary 111In-platelet transit.
      Methacholine inhalation caused equivalent bronchoconstriction to PAF, but it had
      no effect on neutrophil count or pulmonary 111In-neutrophil activity. We have
      demonstrated pulmonary neutrophil, but not platelet, sequestration after PAF.
      This supports a role for PAF as an inflammatory mediator in humans. This may be a
      useful model for exploring pulmonary neutrophil kinetics and preinflammatory
      processes.

PMID- 1416389
TI  - Tachykinins increase respiratory clearance of 99mTc-DTPA. Mechanisms of action.
AB  - We investigated the effects of tachykinins on the respiratory clearance of 99mTc
      DTPA (RC-DTPA) in anesthetized and ventilated guinea pigs. We measured the change
      in RC-DTPA and in maximal pulmonary insufflation pressure (PIPmax) induced by
      substance P, neurokinin A, and capsaicin. Substance P, neurokinin A, and
      capsaicin increased both PIPmax and RC-DTPA in a concentration-dependent fashion.
      Substance-P- and capsaicin-induced increases in RC-DTPA were unaffected by
      pretreatment with atropine. Bilateral vagotomy attenuated substance-P-induced
      change in both RC-DTPA and PIPmax by approximately 70 and 50%, respectively.
      Capsaicin-induced change in RC-DTPA and PIPmax were slightly but not
      significantly reduced by bilateral vagotomy. The bronchodilator, salbutamol,
      dramatically reduced increase in RC-DTPA and in PIPmax induced by substance P,
      neurokinin A, and capsaicin, but it had no effect on increases in RC-DTPA and
      PIPmax generated by application of a positive end-expiratory pressure. We
      conclude that (1) tachykinins increase respiratory clearance to the solute, and
      (2) tachykinin-induced increase in RC-DTPA is not mediated by cholinergic
      neurotransmission but rather by the bronchoconstrictor effect of neuropeptides.

PMID- 1416390
TI  - 31P-NMR study of skeletal muscle metabolism in patients with chronic respiratory
      impairment.
AB  - To evaluate the energy metabolism of peripheral skeletal muscle during exercise
      in patients with chronic respiratory impairment, the 31P-nuclear magnetic
      resonance (NMR) spectra of forearm muscle were investigated in nine patients and
      nine age-matched control subjects. We calculated the phosphocreatine (PCr) to PCr
      + inorganic phosphate (PI) ratio, the time constant of PCr recovery and the
      intracellular pH. The exercise consisted of repetitive hand grips against a 2-kg
      load every 3 s for 6 min (0.33 W). The patients showed a marked decrease in the
      PCr/(PCr + PI) ratio and pH in the muscle during exercise in contrast to the
      control subjects whose PCr/(PCr + PI) showed a minor decrease without any change
      in pH. The relationship between PCr utilization and pH demonstrated that
      anaerobic glycolysis switched on earlier in patients with chronic respiratory
      impairment. A split PI peak was observed in five of nine patients during
      exercise. The PCr/(PCr + PI) ratio during the last minute of exercise correlated
      significantly with the vital capacity (% predicted), with the FEV1/FVC, with the
      body weight, with the maximum strength of hand grip, and with the muscle mass.
      The results indicate impaired oxidative phosphorylation and the early activation
      of anaerobic glycolysis in the muscles of patients with chronic respiratory
      impairment. Several factors related to chronic respiratory impairment, such as
      disuse, malnutrition and dysoxia, would contribute to the metabolic changes
      observed in the muscles examined.

PMID- 1416391
TI  - Respiratory muscle strength in hyperthyroidism before and after treatment.
AB  - We undertook this study to investigate respiratory muscle strength in relation to
      thyroid function in 20 thyrotoxic patients and in a group of 20 normal subjects
      matched for age and sex. Global respiratory muscle strength was assessed by
      measuring mouth pressure during maximal static inspiratory (PImax) and expiratory
      (PEmax) efforts. We also measured VC, FVC, and FEV1 as well as thyroid-related
      hormones (T3, T4, TSH). Measurements were made once in normal subjects and twice
      in thyrotoxic patients, before and 3 months after medical treatment. Our results
      showed that both maximal pressures were significantly reduced (p less than
      0.0001) before treatment in thyrotoxic patients in relation to the mean values of
      the normal subjects (p less than 0.0001), and they increased significantly (p
      less than 0.0003) after treatment. Lung volumes were significantly reduced (p
      less than 0.0001) before and increased significantly (p less than 0.008) after
      treatment. The ratio FEV1/FVC did not change. A statistically significant linear
      relationship was found when PImax of patients with thyrotoxicosis before
      treatment and of normal subjects were plotted against thyroid hormones (T3, T4)
      (r = -0.746 and r = -0.745, respectively, p less than 0.001). Similarly, a
      statistically significant linear relationship was found between PEmax and T3 and
      T4 (r = -0.837 and r = -0.838, respectively, p less than 0.001). No relationship
      was found between maximal pressures and TSH. Finally, a significant linear
      relationship was found between PImax and PEmax (r = 0.872, p less than 0.001).
      Our results confirm that in thyrotoxicosis respiratory muscle weakness occurs
      that affects both inspiratory and expiratory muscles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1416392
TI  - The effects of transcutaneous electrical stimulation during wakefulness and sleep
      in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
AB  - Upper airway (UA) collapse in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is considered in part
      to result from the decrease in UA dilator muscle tone that occurs during sleep.
      We hypothesized that augmentation of UA muscle function by transcutaneous
      electrical stimulation (TES) might function to enlarge UA size during wakefulness
      and/or prevent UA collapse during sleep in patients with OSA. Eight male patients
      with OSA were studied both awake and asleep, with TES administered to the
      submental region in two patients and to both the submental and subhyoid regions
      in six patients. Fast-CT scans obtained at FRC and end-inspiration (VTei)
      demonstrated increased UA size with tidal breathing, p less than or equal to
      0.05. The active generation of -10 cm H2O pressure at FRC substantially decreased
      UA size, p less than or equal to 0.001. However, no changes in UA size were
      detected at either FRC or VTei with TES applied at 50 and 100% of the maximal
      tolerated intensity. The collapsibility of the UA in response to the generation
      of -10 cm H2O pressure was also unchanged by TES. In contrast to the lack of
      effect of TES on UA size, voluntary protrusion of the tongue increased cross
      sectional area (CSA) of the orohypopharyngeal (OHP) segment of the UA, p less
      than 0.05, and to a lesser extent the CSA of the distal velopharyngeal segment, p
      = 0.06. When applied during sleep, TES failed to prevent or improve either sleep
      disordered breathing or sleep architecture.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416393
TI  - Morphometric changes during the early airway response to allergen challenge in
      the rat.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine the relative contributions of airway
      wall edema and smooth muscle contraction to the early response (ER) of allergic
      bronchoconstriction. Brown Norway rats, 6 to 7 wk old, were sensitized with
      ovalbumin (OA). Anesthetized rats were challenged with either OA or saline 2 wk
      later. Pulmonary resistance (RL) was measured every minute until either it
      increased to 150% of the baseline, defined as a significant ER, or until 15 min
      elapsed. Eight OA-challenged test rats with a significant ER and eight saline
      challenged control rats were used for morphometric studies. The lungs were quick
      frozen with liquid nitrogen, processed with freeze substitution, and sagittal
      sections (5 microns) were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The airway lumen
      subtended by the epithelial basement membrane (LuB) and cross sectional airway
      wall area (AW) of all airways were measured by camera lucida and digitization.
      The LuB and AW of each airway was standardized for size by dividing by the ideal
      airway lumen (LuBideal), which was calculated from the length of basement
      membrane, assuming a perfect circle in the unconstricted state. The cumulative
      frequency distribution of the LuB/LuBideal for the airways from test rats was
      shifted to the left compared with the control rats (p less than 0.01), indicating
      airway narrowing after challenge. Airway narrowing increased as a function of
      airway size. Cumulative frequency distributions of AW/LuBideal showed that there
      was a significant increase in the wall thickness of only the small airways of
      test animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416394
TI  - Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Quantitative assessment of lung pathology.
      Comparison of a semiquantitative and a morphometric histopathologic scoring
      system.
AB  - The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of a semiquantitative
      method of assessing the relative degree of cellularity and fibrosis compared with
      a morphometric analysis of specific histopathologic features in idiopathic
      pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Morphometric analysis was performed on biopsy tissue
      from 20 patients. Morphometry showed that approximately 70% of parenchymal tissue
      was abnormal: 35% cellular consolidation and fibrosis, 20% honeycomb changes, 10%
      thick alveolar septa, and 5% small airways within abnormal parenchymal tissue.
      The prominent components of the abnormal parenchymal tissue were extracellular
      fibers, an abundance of interstitial cells, and epithelial cell hyperplasia.
      Correlation between four groupings of pathologic features, identified by a
      semiquantitative analysis, and each of the components of the parenchymal lesions
      showed significant correlations between (1) the fibrotic or reparative factor
      (alveolar wall metaplasia, fibrosis, honeycombing, and smooth muscle and vascular
      changes) and components of honeycomb lesions (extracellular fibers, interstitial
      cells, and epithelial injury and repair), and (2) the inflammatory and exudative
      factor and extracellular fibers in the lesions. These results support that the
      scoring system used by the pathology panel provides an accurate assessment of
      pathologic features useful in the assessment of the extent and severity of the
      histopathologic lesions of IPF.

PMID- 1416395
TI  - Reperfusion after a two-hour period of pulmonary artery occlusion causes
      pulmonary necrosis.
AB  - The role of reperfusion injury in the progression to necrosis in pulmonary
      embolism was evaluated. To simulate this condition, we used a technique that
      enables occlusion and reopening of the pulmonary arterial branch supplying the
      right upper lobe in conscious rats. The rats were divided into five groups: the
      occlusion group (n = 12), in which the pulmonary artery (PA) branch was occluded
      without reperfusion; the reperfusion group (n = 12), in which the PA branch was
      reopened after a 2-h period of occlusion; and the reperfusion-SOD (n = 9),
      reperfusion-IM (n = 8), or reperfusion-IA-SOD (n = 6) groups, in which superoxide
      dismutase (SOD), indomethacin (IM), or inactivated SOD (IA-SOD), respectively,
      was administered during reperfusion. The lungs were removed 24 h after the PA
      occlusion, and histologic examination was performed. In the occlusion group, the
      alveolar structure of the right upper lobe was well preserved, and there was no
      erythrocyte or leukocyte accumulation. The only significant changes compared with
      the control lobe was the appearance of wavy internal elastic lamina of the PA and
      slight neutrophil adherence to the endothelial cells. In contrast, the right
      upper lobe of the reperfusion group disclosed numerous foci of hemorrhagic
      necrosis, with disrupted alveoli and leukocyte accumulation in all cases. With
      SOD treatment, the changes compatible with hemorrhagic necrosis were attenuated
      to the level of the control lobes. However, neither IM nor IA-SOD decreased these
      changes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416396
TI  - Effect of cirrhosis on the production and efficacy of pneumococcal capsular
      antibody in a rat model.
AB  - We sought to study the immunogenicity of Type 3 pneumococcal capsular
      polysaccharide (PCP) antigen and the protective efficacy of Type 3 PCP antibodies
      in a rat model of cirrhosis. Cirrhosis with ascites was induced in male Sprague
      Dawley rats by weekly gavage with CCl4. Cirrhotic and age-matched control rats
      were vaccinated with 25 micrograms of Type 3 PCP. Serum antibodies against Type 3
      PCP were determined before vaccination and on postvaccination Days 5, 7, 10, 14,
      21, 28, and 42 by radioimmunoassay. Maximum concentrations occurred at 7 days in
      cirrhotic rats and 10 to 14 days in control rats. Geometric mean Type 3 PCP
      antibody levels (ng AbN/ml) were higher in cirrhotic versus control rats before
      vaccination (75.9 versus 33.8; p = 0.011) and on post-vaccination Day 5 (626
      versus 158; p = 0.008) and Day 7 (1,755 versus 493; p = 0.002). Postvaccination
      antibody from immunized control and cirrhotic animals provided passive immunity
      to Type 3 Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in mouse protection studies. Sham
      immunized and PCP-immunized control and cirrhotic rats were challenged with 10(7)
      cfu Type 3 S. pneumoniae. Immunization was associated with a greater reduction in
      postchallenge mortality in control rats (91% reduced to 36%; p = 0.02) compared
      with cirrhotic rats (100% reduced to 83%; p = 1.0). Thus, the increased serum
      concentrations of functional, type-specific anticapsular antibody in vaccinated
      cirrhotic rats does not reverse their impaired resistance to Type 3 pneumococcal
      pneumonia.

PMID- 1416397
TI  - Nosocomial bronchopneumonia in the critically ill. Histologic and bacteriologic
      aspects.
AB  - To provide a comprehensive description of the histologic and bacteriologic
      characteristics of human nosocomial bronchopneumonia (BPN), the lungs of 83
      critically ill patients decreased after a period of mechanical ventilation were
      examined in the immediate postmortem period. In addition, the accuracy of the
      protected minibronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) technique in the diagnosis of
      nosocomial BPN was evaluated. In each patient, a surgical pneumonectomy was
      performed at the bedside within 30 min following death. Each pulmonary lobe was
      sampled and bacteriologically analyzed using semiquantitative cultures in 50
      patients and quantitative cultures in 33 patients. The entire lung was
      histologically analyzed using 5 to 10 slices per lung segment. In 69 patients,
      the bacteriologic result of a protected mini-BAL performed within 48 h preceding
      death was compared with histologic and bacteriologic results of study of the lung
      tissue itself. Histologic lesions of BPN were found in 43 of the 83 lungs
      examined. These lesions were (1) severe in the majority of patients (confluent
      BPN, n = 23; lung abscess, n = 6), (2) preferentially found in dependent lung
      segments, (3) often associated with nonspecific alveolar damage, (4) associated
      with positive lung cultures in 65% of patients (53% with gram-negative bacteria),
      (5) polymicrobial in 28% of patients, (6) characterized by a lobar bacterial
      burden greater than 10(3) cfu/g in 32% of cases. Using semiquantitative
      bacteriologic analysis, the sensitivity and the specificity of the protected mini
      BAL in the diagnosis of nosocomial BPN were found to be 70 and 69%, respectively.
      Protected mini-BAL identified 77% of causative microorganisms of BPN.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416398
TI  - Bacterial infection in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PMID- 1416399
TI  - Chest radiography and high resolution computed tomography of the lungs in asthma.
AB  - CT scans have been studied only in asthmatics who were smokers, and no such study
      has been performed in patients with chronic uncomplicated asthma where a
      permanent bronchial destruction is likely to occur after a long course of the
      disease. The object of the study was to characterize CT-scan abnormalities and
      determine whether bronchial destructive lesions may be observed. Fifty-seven
      adults with chronic asthma of variable severity and etiology and 10 normal
      subjects were studied. None of the subjects smoked. Chest radiographs and HR-CT
      scans were performed in all patients. To discriminate between reversible and
      irreversible CT-scan abnormalities, two examinations were made in 10 patients
      with acute asthma both before and 2 wk after parenteral high dose corticosteroid
      treatment. The chest radiographs showed the expected abnormalities of asthma in
      37.8% of the asthmatics. CT scans were abnormal in 71.9% of the asthmatics.
      Reversible abnormalities included mucoid impactions, acinar pattern, and lobar
      collapse. Irreversible abnormalities included bronchiectasis, bronchial wall
      thickening, sequellar line shadows, and emphysema. Most of these abnormalities
      are likely to be related to bronchial destruction.

PMID- 1416400
TI  - Physiologic studies of tracheobronchial stents in airway obstruction.
AB  - When airway obstruction is due to extraluminal compression and/or dynamic
      collapse, metal and silicone rubber prosthetic stents may stabilize the affected
      airway. Through a rigid bronchoscope, we inserted three metal stents in two
      patients and 18 silicone stents in 15 adult patients with symptomatic
      tracheobronchial compression and dynamic airway collapse. The underlying cause
      was malignancy in three patients; benign tracheobronchial malacia in three
      patients, two of whom refused surgical resection; and tracheobronchial stenosis
      that developed at the anastomotic site following lung transplantation in 11
      patients. Clinical status and lung function studies were analyzed before and
      after stent insertion. Following stent insertion, airway diameter at least
      doubled and near normal patency of the affected tracheobronchial tree was
      achieved in every patient using stents of axial length 4 to 5 cm. The stents were
      well tolerated clinically, and all patients noted immediate relief of dyspnea.
      Following stent insertion, the forced vital capacity (FVC) increased from 64 +/-
      21% predicted (mean +/- 1 SD) to 73 +/- 19% predicted, p less than 0.1; the
      forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) from 49 +/- 25% predicted to 72 +/- 26%
      predicted, p less than 0.02; the ratio of the FEV1/FVC from 59 +/- 16% to 78 +/-
      15%, p less than 0.01; and the maximum flow at 50% expired FVC from 38 +/- 26%
      predicted to 72 +/- 31% predicted, p less than 0.01.

PMID- 1416401
TI  - Training programs in adult respiratory disease and training programs in pediatric
      respiratory disease, 1992 editions. American Thoracic Society/American Lung
      Association.

PMID- 1416402
TI  - Isoniazid preventive therapy of tuberculosis: decision analysis considering
      ethnicity and gender.

PMID- 1416403
TI  - World lung health: a concept that should become a reality. The ATS Committee on
      World Lung Health.

PMID- 1416404
TI  - The increasing problem of asthma in the United States.

PMID- 1416405
TI  - Interleukin-8 is a major neutrophil chemotactic factor in pleural liquid of
      patients with empyema.
AB  - Interleukin-8 (IL-8), a potent neutrophil chemotactic peptide, has been found in
      association with human disease, but its contribution to chemotactic activity in
      humans is not yet known. We asked whether IL-8 is present in inflammatory human
      pleural effusions, and to what extent it contributes to pleural liquid neutrophil
      chemotactic activity. Because tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is a strong
      inducer of IL-8, we also asked whether TNF-alpha was present. For this
      prospective study, we collected pleural liquid from 51 patients (empyema, 14;
      parapneumonic, four; tuberculous, eight; malignant, nine; miscellaneous
      exudative, seven; and transudative, nine), counted pleural neutrophils, and
      measured IL-8 and TNF-alpha concentrations in the supernatant. To determine the
      contribution of IL-8 to chemotactic activity in empyema, we measured the
      neutrophil migration induced by empyemic liquids before and after addition of
      anti-IL-8 F(ab')2 antibody fragments or control anti-IL-6 F(ab')2. We found that
      IL-8 concentrations were higher in empyema (61.3 +/- 21.0 ng/ml [SEM]) than in
      all other effusions (1.1 +/- 0.5 ng/ml) (p = 0.0001). All empyema liquids had IL
      8 concentrations above 2.5 ng/ml, which was true for only three of the other 37
      effusions (two parapneumonic, one tuberculous). IL-8 levels correlated with the
      pleural neutrophil count (r = 0.46; p = 0.007) and the neutrophil chemotactic
      activity of pleural liquid (r = 0.43; p = 0.008). Anti-IL-8 antibodies decreased
      chemotactic activity in empyema liquids by 65 +/- 5%, whereas the control
      antibody had no effect (0 +/- 5% decrease) (p = 0.0005).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416406
TI  - Heterogeneity of phagocytosis for inhaled versus instilled material.
AB  - Animal experiments involving lung exposure to particles and toxins often use
      intratracheal instillation, although inhalation is more physiologically relevant
      to human respiratory tract exposures. Using nontoxic magnetic particles, we
      examined the particle content distribution within the macrophage population
      lavaged from the lungs of Syrian golden hamsters exposed either by inhalation or
      by intratracheal instillation. One to 3 days after iron oxide particle delivery
      to the lungs, lung macrophages were harvested from animals in pairs, one exposed
      by inhalation and one exposed by instillation. The macrophages were then
      magnetically fractionated according to magnetic iron oxide content by flowing the
      cell suspension through tubing placed within the magnetic field gradient of an
      electromagnet. Macrophages that had ingested the largest quantity of magnetic
      iron oxide preferentially collected adjacent to the tubing wall when the
      electromagnet was at its lowest current; those with fewer particulates collected
      at correspondingly higher amperages; those cells that were never pulled out of
      the flowing stream had little or no magnetic iron oxide content. Our results
      showed that 80% of the lavaged cell population from animals exposed by inhalation
      had measurable particle content, whereas by instillation, many cells (70%)
      received no dose at all. Exposure by inhalation produced a more even distribution
      of dose among lung macrophages. Macrophage intracellular motions showed a
      decrease when cell content exceeded 7 to 8% of cell volume. We conclude that the
      method of particle delivery to lungs can influence the dose distribution among
      lung macrophages.

PMID- 1416407
TI  - Diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia by multiple lobe, site-directed
      bronchoalveolar lavage with immunofluorescent monoclonal antibody staining in
      human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients receiving aerosolized pentamidine
      chemoprophylaxis.
AB  - The yields of both induced sputum examination and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)
      have been reported to be decreased for breakthrough episodes of Pneumocystis
      carinii pneumonia in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients receiving
      aerosolized pentamidine chemoprophylaxis. This study assessed whether the yield
      of a single middle or lower lobe BAL could be increased by the utilization of two
      techniques: (1) indirect immunofluorescent staining with a combination of two
      murine monoclonal anti-Pneumocystis antibodies in addition to routine toluidine
      blue O and cytopathologic staining, and (2) the performance of multiple lobe,
      site-directed BAL (i.e., both upper lobe and middle or lower lobe lavage,
      including the lobe with the greatest radiographic abnormality). Results of 252
      fiberoptic bronchoscopies performed at the National Institutes of Health and the
      Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center were
      analyzed. P. carinii pneumonia was documented in 21 episodes in patients who did
      not receive prior anti-Pneumocystis chemoprophylaxis and in 41 episodes in
      patients who received aerosolized pentamidine. Monoclonal antibody staining and
      multiple lobe, site-directed BAL resulted in similar diagnostic yields for P.
      carinii in the nonprophylaxis (100%) and aerosolized pentamidine (98%) groups. If
      BAL had been performed without monoclonal antibody staining and multiple lobe,
      site-directed lavage, then the yield would have decreased to 95% in the
      nonprophylaxis group and to 80% in the aerosolized pentamidine group.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416408
TI  - Effect of aerosolized pentamidine prophylaxis on the clinical severity and
      diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.
AB  - To determine if the use of aerosolized pentamidine prophylaxis decreases the
      clinical severity or the sensitivity of diagnostic tests for Pneumocystis carinii
      pneumonia (PCP), we conducted a retrospective matched cohort comparison study of
      patients admitted to San Francisco General Hospital with PCP from August 1, 1989,
      to June 30, 1990. Patients who had received pentamidine prophylaxis during at
      least the 2 months prior to the diagnosis of PCP were matched with patients who
      had not received the drug. Matching was based on the number of prior episodes of
      PCP, sex, age, and risk factors for human immunodeficiency virus infection. As
      markers of clinical severity, we chose alveolar-arterial oxygen difference, serum
      lactate dehydrogenase levels, outpatient versus inpatient treatment, length of
      hospitalization, length of intravenous anti-pneumocystis treatment, development
      of respiratory failure, in-hospital mortality, and chest radiographic appearance.
      Although, of the 27 matched pairs identified, significantly fewer of the
      pentamidine cohort were treated as inpatients, and significantly more of this
      cohort had upper lobe dominant disease on chest radiograph, we found no other
      significant differences between markers of clinical severity for the two cohorts.
      In addition, we found no significant differences in the rate of sputum or
      bronchoalveolar lavage positivity for P. carinii between the two cohorts. We
      conclude that, although hospitalization is less common in patients with a history
      of prophylactic pentamidine use, aerosolized pentamidine prophylaxis does not
      decrease the clinical severity or the sensitivities of sputum induction or
      bronchoalveolar lavage as diagnostic tests for PCP.

PMID- 1416410
TI  - Longitudinal lung function decline in subjects with respiratory symptoms.
AB  - The relation of respiratory symptoms and lung function has not been extensively
      investigated. To determine better the rate of FEV1 decline in subjects reporting
      persistent wheeze, chronic cough, chronic phlegm, and/or dyspnea, longitudinal
      data from an adult population sample of 3,948 subjects (1,757 men; 2,191 women)
      followed for 12 yr were analyzed. At the initial and subsequent follow-up visits,
      subjects completed a standardized respiratory questionnaire and performed
      spirometry using the same methods and spirometers. Subjects were categorized
      based on the presence or absence of self-reported respiratory symptoms
      (persistent wheeze, chronic cough, chronic phlegm, or shortness of breath) at the
      initial visit. Six-specific linear regression models were fitted to determine the
      effect of these respiratory symptoms on lung function. In both men and women,
      reporting of any respiratory symptoms was associated with both a reduction in
      initial lung function and more rapid decline in height-adjusted FEV1.
      Furthermore, after adjustment for height, age, and cigarette smoking, men with
      cough or phlegm and women with cough alone showed accelerated loss in FEV1.
      Clinicians should be aware of the predictive value of these respiratory symptoms,
      because therapeutic intervention may modify the associated decline in lung
      function.

PMID- 1416409
TI  - Cohort study of human immunodeficiency virus infection in patients with
      tuberculosis in Nairobi, Kenya. Analysis of early (6-month) mortality.
AB  - Retrospective studies suggest that the mortality rate from HIV-1-associated
      tuberculosis is greater than that from tuberculosis alone, but it is not clear if
      this is due to failure of antituberculosis treatment or to the complications of
      HIV-1 infection. We have carried out a prospective cohort study of patients with
      tuberculosis in Nairobi, Kenya, to compare mortality rates, risk factors, and
      causes of death in HIV-1 positive and HIV-1 negative patients. One hundred seven
      HIV-1 positive and 174 HIV-1 negative patients with tuberculosis attending two
      tuberculosis treatment centers in Nairobi were enrolled and followed monthly.
      Mortality was significantly higher in HIV-1 positive than in HIV-1 negative
      patients within 6 months of the start of antituberculosis treatment after
      adjustment for age, sex, and education (rate ratio = 3.8; 95% confidence
      interval, 1.7 to 8.1; p less than 0.001). Most of the excess mortality occurred
      after the first month of treatment and was due to nontuberculous infections.
      Predictors for mortality differed greatly between HIV-1 positive and HIV-1
      negative patients. Mortality was greater in HIV-1 positive patients treated with
      a "standard" regimen for tuberculosis than in HIV-1 positive patients receiving a
      "short-course" regimen (p = 0.08 when adjusted for all independent risk factors).
      Tuberculosis control programs in developing countries need to implement "short
      course" regimens and train health workers to recognize and treat nontuberculous
      infections to maintain their effectiveness in the face of the HIV epidemic.

PMID- 1416411
TI  - Relation of dose-response slope to respiratory symptoms and lung function in a
      population study of adults living in Busselton, Western Australia.
AB  - For describing bronchial responsiveness, it has been suggested that the dose
      response slope (DRS), which is the linear slope of the dose-response curve, is a
      more useful measure of severity than the provoking dose that causes a 20% fall in
      FEV1 (PD20FEV1). To determine the distribution of DRS measurements and their
      relation to respiratory illness in adults, we have reanalyzed data collected in
      1981 from a random sample of the population of Busselton, Western Australia. We
      measured bronchial responsiveness to histamine by the rapid method and atopy by
      skin prick tests to 15 common allergens. Satisfactory bronchial challenge data
      were recorded for 858 subjects. Subjects were classified as having asthma
      symptoms by self-reported history or as having chronic airflow limitation by
      abnormality of lung function. In normal subjects, DRS values were symmetrically
      distributed on a logarithmic scale so that a value that represented abnormal
      responsiveness could be calculated. The dose-response slope had a significant
      independent association with past and current asthma symptoms, smoking history,
      sex, atopy, and FEV1/FVC ratio but not with chronic airflow limitation. In
      subjects in whom a PD20FEV1 could not be measured, the DRS had a significant
      relation to asthma symptoms, smoking history, and FEV1/FVC. Thus, DRS values,
      which could be obtained for most subjects, contributed additional information to
      PD20FEV1 values and discriminated more accurately between groups classified
      according to respiratory history. These data confirm that DRS values should be
      used in preference to PD20FEV1 values for describing the severity of bronchial
      responsiveness in populations.

PMID- 1416412
TI  - The predictive relationship between serum IgE levels at birth and subsequent
      incidences of lower respiratory illnesses and eczema in infants.
AB  - Cord serum IgE levels are predictive of subsequent atopic diseases early in life.
      Lower respiratory illnesses (LRI) have often been included with atopic diseases
      in infancy but have not been examined as a separate entity for a relation to cord
      IgE levels. Among 767 healthy newborns in Tucson, Arizona studied longitudinally,
      cord serum IgE levels were directly related to the subsequent incidence of
      eczema. In contrast, the incidence of LRI not only failed to show a direct
      relationship to IgE levels but actually decreased with increasing cord IgE levels
      from 34.8% in the lowest cord IgE group to 22.2% in the highest IgE group
      (greater than 1.0 IU/ml IgE; p for trend chi-square less than 0.03). Limiting LRI
      to those with wheeze did not alter the inverse relationship with IgE levels. The
      inverse LRI-IgE relationship was strong for non-RSV LRI, whereas RSV LRI had
      neither a direct nor an inverse relationship. These inverse LRI-IgE relationships
      were significant for LRI occurring in infants before but not after 6 months of
      age. Maternal (but not paternal) allergic history was associated with higher cord
      IgE levels and with an increased incidence of LRI, the latter effect being
      independent of IgE. This study suggests that most LRI in the first year of life
      are not early manifestations of an allergic predisposition.

PMID- 1416413
TI  - Methacholine responsiveness, smoking, and atopy as risk factors for accelerated
      FEV1 decline in male working populations.
AB  - Longitudinal lung function data from four occupational health surveys was used to
      explore the relationship between nonspecific bronchial responsiveness (NSBR) and
      the rate of decline of FEV1 (RDFEV) and to address other factors that may predict
      or influence RDFEV. Of the 1,203 subjects with baseline methacholine and lung
      function data, follow-up data were available for 733 individuals (61%). The data
      available and data-unavailable groups were well matched with respect to baseline
      lung function, atopy, and smoking status. Compared with the unavailable group,
      those available for follow-up were younger (42.5 versus 37.7 yr; p less than
      0.0001) and slightly less responsive to methacholine (p less than 0.01). Somewhat
      unexpectedly, RDFEV was lower in the 30 asthmatic subjects than in the
      nonasthmatics. Among the nonasthmatic subgroup (96% of those available for follow
      up), age, occupational group, and baseline FEV1 (% predicted) were independent
      predictive factors for RDFEV. When these factors were included in the model,
      RDFEV was found to be increased among current smokers compared with never-smokers
      or ex-smokers. In the final regression model, a relationship was found between
      methacholine sensitivity (calculated as a dose-response slope) and RDFEV in
      nonasthmatics (p less than 0.05). Stratification by smoking status revealed that
      the relationship between RDFEV and bronchial responsiveness was confined to
      current smokers and that atopy was an additional risk factor in this subgroup
      only. This relationship was valid among current smokers in each of the three
      occupational groups studies. However, reinclusion of the 30 asthmatic subjects in
      the study population obscured the relationship between NSBR and RDFEV.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416414
TI  - Association of asthma with use of pesticides. Results of a cross-sectional survey
      of farmers.
AB  - We investigated the association of self-reported asthma and pesticide use in
      1,939 male farmers. Regardless of age, smoking pack-years, and nasal allergic
      reactions, the prevalence of asthma was significantly associated with the use of
      carbamate insecticides (prevalence odds ratio = 1.8, 95% confidence interval: 1.1
      to 3.1, p = 0.02). Self-reported asthmatics, in comparison with nonasthmatics,
      had significantly lower mean values for lung function test variables after
      adjusting for age and height and a higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms.
      These findings raise the possibility that exposure to agriculture chemicals could
      be related to lung dysfunction in exposed farmers.

PMID- 1416415
TI  - A community-based study of the epidemiology of asthma. Incidence rates, 1964
      1983.
AB  - To determine whether the incidence of asthma had increased in Rochester,
      Minnesota, from January 1, 1964 through December 31, 1983, we used a population
      based computer-linked medical diagnosis system to identify individual medical
      records with diagnosis of asthma or other conditions mimicking asthma. All
      records were reviewed using explicit predetermined diagnostic criteria; we
      identified 3,622 incident cases of asthma, including definite asthma (n = 1,547),
      probable asthma (n = 952), and single wheezing episodes (n = 1,123). The annual
      age- and sex-adjusted incidence of definite + probable asthma rose from 183 per
      100,000 in 1964 to 284 per 100,000 in 1983. This rise was entirely accounted for
      by increased incidence rates in children and adolescents (age range, 1 to 14 yr);
      incidence rates for infants younger than 1 yr of age and for adults remained
      constant. For definite + probable asthma cases, the incidence rates for males
      were higher than for females from infancy through 9 yr of age and for persons
      older than 50; incidence rates for females were higher than for males from 15
      through 49 yr of age. The median age at onset was 3 yr for males and 8 yr for
      females. We conclude that asthma begins in early childhood, with a higher
      incidence and earlier onset in males, and that the increase in incidence rates
      seen from 1964 to 1983 occurred only in children and in adolescents.

PMID- 1416416
TI  - Maximal airway narrowing in a general population.
AB  - To characterize airway responses in a population sample, respiratory symptoms,
      smoking habits, and changes in FEV1 (delta FEV1) to inhaled methacholine (maximal
      cumulative dose of 196 mumol or maximal decrease in FEV1 of 50%) were recorded in
      201 subjects. From each dose-response curve the plateau (delta FEV1 less than or
      equal to 5% over two or more dose steps) response, the maximal response (average
      of responses on the plateau or maximal delta FEV1 when no plateau was present),
      slope, and PD20 (dose required to cause delta FEV1 greater than 20%) were
      derived. The pattern of dose-response curves was a continuous change from being
      flat (maximal delta FEV1 less than or equal to 5%), becoming steeper with a
      plateau that occurred at a greater change in FEV1 as the curves were shifted more
      to the left, to being the steepest without a plateau response. Maximal delta FEV1
      was significantly related to the PD20 (r = -0.64, p less than 0.001) and the
      slope (r = 0.63, p less than 0.001). A history of doctor-diagnosed asthma or
      wheeze in the last 12 months was related to the level of the maximal delta FEV1
      and to PD20. Likelihood ratios [LR = sensitivity/(1-specificity)] for asthma or
      wheeze were higher for a maximal delta FEV1 of 50% plus a PD20 of 4 mumol (LR =
      6.5) or 1 mumol (LR = 7) than for either alone. Subjects without reported asthma
      or wheeze more often had a plateau on the dose-response curve (76%) than those
      with a positive history (49%, p less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1416417
TI  - Alveolar macrophage accessory cell function in bronchial asthma.
AB  - The capacity of peripheral blood monocytes and alveolar macrophages (AM) obtained
      by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) to present recall antigens, namely, tuberculin
      purified protein derivative (PPD) or streptokinase-streptodornase (SKSD), to
      highly purified autologous T-cells has been studied in 11 asthmatic and 11
      healthy, nonatopic normal subjects. In the asthmatic group, AM accessory cell
      function was variable, and most subjects were unable to present either recall
      antigen as effectively as blood monocytes, although one asthmatic subject
      demonstrated larger proliferative responses than blood monocytes for both
      antigens. AM accessory cell activity was not antigen-specific, and there was a
      correlation between accessory cell efficacy for the two antigens (r = 0.92;
      confidence interval, 0.53 to 0.98). Furthermore, a correlation existed between
      the percentage lymphocyte count in the BAL fluid and the ratio of macrophage to
      monocyte antigen-presenting capability for both PPD (r = 0.92; 95% confidence
      interval, 0.83 to 0.99) and SKSD (r = 0.90; 95% confidence interval, 0.45 to
      0.98). In the normal subjects, AM were also unable to act effectively as
      accessory cells for the presentation of PPD and SKSD in the majority of subjects.
      No correlation existed between the percentage lymphocytes in BAL fluid and the
      ratio of AM to monocyte accessory cell function. These results suggest an
      association between AM accessory function and the presence of BAL lymphocytes in
      bronchial asthma.

PMID- 1416418
TI  - Effect of atrial natriuretic peptide given by intravenous infusion on
      bronchoconstriction induced by ultrasonically nebulized distilled water (fog).
AB  - Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is secreted by cardiac atria and lung tissue; it
      has a bronchodilator action in normal subjects and patients with asthma and has
      been shown to protect against histamine-induced bronchoconstriction in patients
      with asthma. Bronchoconstriction caused by inhalation of ultrasonically nebulized
      distilled water (fog), in contrast to histamine-induced bronchoconstriction, has
      features in common with exercise-induced asthma but can be given more easily in a
      dose-response fashion. The present study aimed to determine the effect of
      elevated plasma ANP concentrations on the bronchoconstrictor response to
      inhalation of fog. Eight patients with atopic asthma were studied, mean baseline
      FEV1 3.00 1, equivalent to 89% (range 76-103%) predicted. The provocation dose of
      fog producing a 25% fall in FEV1 (PD25) was determined for each subject. On 4
      study days, subjects received an intravenous infusion of placebo or ANP at a rate
      of 1.25, 3.0, or 10.0 pmol/kg/min in randomized, double-blind manner for 30 min
      to allow steady-state plasma concentrations to be achieved; the PD25 fog was then
      administered and FEV1 recorded over 30 min. Mean (SEM) baseline plasma ANP
      concentration was 19.3 (4.1) pg/ml and increased to 39.4 (6.6), 106.4 (11.1), and
      445.9 (105.4) with the three rates of ANP infusion. The highest rate of infusion
      increased prechallenge FEV1 by 8.7 (2.4)% (p less than 0.01), but the lower rates
      of infusion had no effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416419
TI  - The effect of platelet activating factor antagonist on ozone-induced airway
      inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in guinea pigs.
AB  - We investigated the role of platelet-activating factor (PAF) in ozone-induced
      airway responses by examining the effects of L659,989, a potent PAF antagonist,
      on bronchial hyperresponsiveness and airway inflammation. Twenty-four male guinea
      pigs were studied in four equal groups. Total lung resistance (RL) in intubated
      and spontaneously breathing animals was measured in a constant-volume body
      plethysmograph. Dose-response curves to methacholine were determined in all
      animals at the start of the experiment. These were repeated on a separate day
      after the following types of treatments: air exposure in Group 1,
      intraperitoneally administered alcohol and air exposure in Group 2;
      intraperitoneally administered alcohol and ozone exposure in Group 3, and
      intraperitoneally administered L659,989 (a specific PAF antagonist), 5 mg/kg
      dissolved in alcohol, and ozone exposure in Group 4. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)
      was performed after the second methacholine challenge, and the bronchial mucosa
      was also examined for inflammatory cells. Exposure to 3 ppm ozone for 2 h
      resulted in a three-doubling concentration increase in bronchial responsiveness,
      which was not significantly inhibited by prior treatment with L659,989. Ozone
      induced a 1.8-fold increase in BAL total cell count, increased eosinophilic
      influx into the airways, and increased eosinophilic infiltration in the bronchial
      mucosa, which were all not inhibited by L659,989 pretreatment. The results
      suggest that PAF may not have an essential role in ozone-induced airway
      hyperresponsiveness and nonallergic airway inflammation.

PMID- 1416420
TI  - A novel leukotriene antagonist, ONO-1078, inhibits and reverses human bronchial
      contraction induced by leukotrienes C4 and D4 and antigen in vitro.
AB  - ONO-1078, 4-oxo-8(-)[p-(4-phenylbutyloxy)benzoylamino]-2-(tetrazol-5-y l)-4H-1
      benzopyran hemihydrate, is a novel compound that has been shown to be a
      leukotrienes C4 and D4 (LTC4, LTD4) antagonist in the guinea pig airways. We
      studied the ability of ONO-1078 to inhibit and reverse the contraction of
      isolated human bronchus induced by LTC4, LTD4, and antigen. The human bronchial
      tissues were prepared from patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer, and they
      were placed in organ baths. ONO-1078 (10(-8) to 10(-6) M) produced a
      concentration-dependent inhibition of LTC4 and LTD4 concentration-response
      curves. In the presence of l-serine borate complex, which inhibits the conversion
      of LTC4 to LTD4 by gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, ONO-1078 significantly
      inhibited the LTC4-induced contraction, suggesting that ONO-1078 is an antagonist
      of both LTC4 and LTD4. ONO-1078 (10(-6) M) also significantly reversed an ongoing
      contraction induced by LTC4 (10(-7) M). The inhibitory effect of ONO-1078 on LTC4
      induced contraction was at least 100 times more potent than that of FPL 55712,
      the first discovered LTC4 and LTD4 antagonist. To study the effect of ONO-1078 on
      the contraction induced by antigen challenge, bronchial tissues were incubated
      for 2 h with serum of high specific IgE against house dust from an asthmatic
      patient. House dust antigen was added to the sensitized bronchial tissues after
      incubation with ONO-1078 (10(-6) M) or histamine H1 antagonist pyrilamine (10(-6)
      M), either alone or in combination.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416422
TI  - Oxygen may improve dyspnea and endurance in patients with chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease and only mild hypoxemia.
AB  - Oxygen (O2) has been reported to improve exercise tolerance in some patients with
      chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) despite only mild resting hypoxemia
      (PaO2 greater than 60 mm Hg). To confirm these prior studies and evaluate
      potential mechanisms of benefit, we measured dyspnea scores by numeric rating
      scale during cycle ergometry endurance testing and correlated the severity of
      dyspnea with right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) measured by Doppler
      echocardiography during a separate supine incremental exercise test. Both sets of
      exercise were performed according to a randomized double-blind crossover protocol
      in which patients breathed compressed air or 40% O2. We studied 12 patients with
      severe COPD (FEV1 0.89 +/- 0.09 L [mean +/- SEM], FEV1/FVC 37 +/- 2%, DLCO 9.8 +/
      1.5 ml/min/mm Hg[47% of predicted], PaO2 71 +/- 2.6 mm Hg). With endurance
      testing on compressed air, PaO2 did not change significantly in the group as
      whole (postexercise PaO2 63 +/- 5.1 mm Hg, p = NS), but did fall to less than 55
      mm Hg in four patients from this group. Duration of exercise increased on 40% O2
      from 10.3 +/- 1.6 to 14.2 +/- 1.5 min (p = 0.005), and the rise in dyspnea scores
      was delayed. Oxygen delayed the rise in RVSP with incremental exercise in all
      patients and lowered the mean RVSP at maximum exercise from 71 +/- 8 to 64 +/- 7
      mm Hg (p less than 0.03). Improvement in duration of exercise correlated with
      decrease in dyspnea (r2 = 0.66, p = 0.001) but not with decreases in heart rate,
      minute ventilation, or RVSP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416421
TI  - Exercise capacity and ventilatory, circulatory, and symptom limitation in
      patients with chronic airflow limitation.
AB  - Dyspnea, leg effort (Borg 0 to 10 scale), ventilation, and heart rate
      (VEmax/VEcap; HRmax/HRcap expressed as a percentage of capacity) were measured at
      maximal exercise (cycle ergometer) in 97 patients with chronic airflow limitation
      (CAL) (FEV, 46.6 +/- 14.23% of predicted) and compared with 320 matched control
      subjects. Patients with CAL achieved a maximum power output of 86 +/- 39.5 W (60
      +/- 23.2% of predicted) compared with 140 +/- 37.5 W (98 +/- 14.5% of predicted)
      in controls (p less than 0.0001), VEmax/VEcap was 72 +/- 19.3% compared with 53
      +/- 18.6% (p less than 0.0001), and HRmax/HRcap was 76 +/- 13.5% compared with 82
      +/- 13% (p less than 0.001). These findings were expected. The median intensity
      of dyspnea was 6 (severe to very severe) and leg effort was 7 (very severe) in
      both groups, and these findings were unexpected. The patients with CAL were
      handicapped by an increase in both dyspnea and peripheral muscular effort
      relative to the actual power output. The rating of dyspnea exceeded leg effort in
      25 (26%) of CAL versus 69 (22%) control subjects: the rating of leg effort
      exceeded dyspnea in 42 (43%) CAL and 117 (36%) control subjects; both were rated
      equally in 30 (31%) CAL and 134 (42%) control subjects, respectively (NS).
      VEmax/VEcap and HRmax/HRcap were not significantly different in those limited by
      dyspnea, leg fatigue, or a combination of both. All values are expressed +/- SD.

PMID- 1416423
TI  - Real-time gas analysis improves the measurement of single-breath diffusing
      capacity.
AB  - The measurement of single-breath diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon
      monoxide (DLCOsb) has traditionally used slow-responding analyzers that require
      large sample volumes for gas analysis. In addition, these measurement systems
      must use only assumed values of washout volume (Vwash) since gases are not
      measured continuously. More recently, a rapid analyzer was developed to
      continuously measure CO and methane (CH4, an inert tracer gas), which offers
      advantages, including accurate determination of Vwash and utilization of small
      sample volume (Vsamp) for gas analysis. We used this analyzer on 135 consecutive
      measurements of DLCOsb obtained from 70 patients and compared two analysis
      methods. (1) American Thoracic Society (ATS) guideline method: a standard Vwash
      (ATS-Vwash) of 0.75 L and a Vsamp of 0.75 L (for vital capacities [VC] less than
      2.0 L, ATS-Vwash of 0.5 L and a Vsamp of 0.5 L); (2) VIS method: a Vwash visually
      just adequate to clear phases I and II of the CH4 washout curve (VIS-Vwash) and a
      Vsamp of 0.75 L (0.5 L for VC less than 2.0 L). We found that in four patients
      with VC less than 1.2 L, DLCOsb was attainable despite the small Vsamp (less than
      500 ml). Of the other 66 patients whose tests were analyzed by both methods, 33
      (50.0%) had Vis-Vwash less than or equal to ATS-Vwash such that phases I and II
      were actually cleared using ATS criteria. The other 33 patients (50.0%) had VIS
      Vwash greater than ATS-Vwash such that phases I and II could not be cleared using
      ATS criteria.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416425
TI  - Effect of smoking cessation on pulmonary carbon monoxide diffusing capacity and
      capillary blood volume.
AB  - We studied 16 smokers, with a mean age of 41 yr (SD, 12 yr) and a mean DLCO of
      81% predicted (SD, 19%), before and after smoking cessation. Two subjects were
      able to stop smoking for only 24 h, whereas 14 subjects abstained for 1 wk, 11
      for 1 month, and five for 3 months. The initial mean DLCO in ml/min/mm Hg was
      18.9 (SD, 4.6) after correction for COHb back pressure and the reduction in
      hemoglobin because of COHb. A week after smoking cessation there was a
      significant increase in DLCO, to 20.8 (SD, 5.4), p = 0.001. There was no further
      increase in DLCO at 1 month or at 3 months. In four subjects tested while they
      were still smoking and 24 h after smoking cessation, there was a significant
      increase in DLCO after correction for COHb, from 17.4 (SD, 1.5) to 19.8 (SD,
      1.3), p = 0.02. These results indicate that after smoking cessation there is a
      rapid improvement in DLCO, suggesting that smoking had previously decreased DLCO.
      However, there may also be an irreversible component to the reduction of DLCO in
      some of the subjects in whom the DLCO remained abnormal even after continued
      smoking cessation for 1 month.

PMID- 1416424
TI  - Acute effect of cigarette smoking on the carbon monoxide diffusing capacity of
      the lung.
AB  - To determine the acute effect of smoking on DLCO, we studied 12 smokers (mean
      age, 36 yr; range, 19 to 52 yr, six men and six women) before and after they had
      smoked as many cigarettes as they could (mean, 6.0; SD, 1.9) over a period of 1
      h. Blood COHb was estimated using a rebreathing-breathholding technique after a
      vital capacity inhalation of O2. Capillary blood volume (VC) was determined from
      DLCO performed at inspired O2 concentrations of 25 and 90%. DLCO (in ml/min/mm
      Hg) corrected for COHb back pressure decreased from 22.5 (SD, 6.6) before smoking
      to 21.0 (SD, 6.6) after smoking (p = 0.003). After correction for the "anemia
      effect" of COHb, DLCO still significantly decreased, from 22.8 (SD, 6.3) before
      smoking to 21.8 (SD, 6.4) after smoking p = 0.01). VC (corrected for the
      reduction in hemoglobin by COHb) was 52.0 (SD, 20.1) ml before smoking and 46.4
      (SD, 22.7) ml after smoking; this difference did not achieve statistical
      significance (p = 0.056). There was no significant change in DLCO or VC in six
      control subjects tested before and after 1 h of sham smoking of an unlit
      cigarette. In 12 control subjects studied before and after inhalation of 0.1% CO
      to result in mean COHb levels of 10.6% (SD, 1.4%), there was a slight but
      significant decrease in VC (mean change, 21%) and in DLCO (mean change, 4%) after
      correction for COHb back pressure and reduction in available hemoglobin,
      suggesting that CO inhalation may have a direct effect on DLCO by reducing
      VC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416426
TI  - Lung mechanics and gas exchange during pressure-control ventilation in dogs.
      Augmentation of CO2 elimination by an intratracheal catheter.
AB  - Increased awareness of pressure-related injury to the alveolar-capillary
      interface has renewed interest in modes of ventilation that limit alveolar
      distention such as pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV). We examined respiratory
      system mechanics and gas exchange during PCV in six dogs. Our data conformed to
      the predictions of our single-compartment mathematical model of respiratory
      dynamics during PCV (J Appl Physiol 1989; 67:1081-92). For a fixed pressure
      (Pset) and inspiratory time fraction (Tl/Ttot) (15 cm H2O and 0.3, respectively),
      minute ventilation (VE) reached a well-defined plateau as frequency (f) increased
      from 10 to 50 breaths/min and tidal volume (VT) fell progressively.
      Concomitantly, the physiologic dead-space fraction (VD/VT) increased from 0.50 +/
      0.04 to 0.85 +/- 0.04, and arterial PCO2 (PaCO2) rose from 39 +/- 4 to 76 +/- 12
      mm Hg. At a fixed combination of frequency, applied pressure, and Tl/Ttot (40
      breaths/min, 15 cm H2O, and 0.3), VE did not change when we introduced fresh gas
      continuously from an intratracheal catheter. However, PaCO2 and VD/VT fell
      progressively as catheter flow increased from zero to 14 L/min (60 +/- 12 to 40
      +/- 12 mm Hg and 0.83 +/- 0.03 to 0.25 +/- 0.14 mm Hg, respectively). We conclude
      that during PCV at a fixed Pset and Tl/Ttot increasing frequency caused VT to
      fall and VE to reach a plateau. Declining VT was associated with a rise in PaCO2
      because of a subsequent fall in alveolar ventilation. Insufflating fresh gas by
      an intratracheal catheter increased alveolar ventilation and improved CO2
      elimination by washing out the anatomic dead space.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1416427
TI  - Use of the Blasius resistance formula to estimate the effective diameter of
      endotracheal tubes.
AB  - To early detect mucus deposition in endotracheal tubes (ETT), we propose using a
      geometric, flow-independent parameter, i.e., diameter of the ETT, based on a
      precise knowledge of ETT flow regime, instead of using the classic flow-dependent
      ETT resistance based on the empirical, nonlinear Rohrer equation. From the
      estimated slope of -0.24 derived from Moody diagrams characterizing the pressure
      flow relationship in ETT of various inner diameters (D), we first assessed that
      the Blasius resistance formula slope of -0.25 could be applied to adult-size ETT,
      meaning that flow remains fully developed, turbulent, and hydraulically smooth
      (0.5 L/s less than or equal to V less than or equal to 1.4 L/s). Insertion into
      the ETT of a pressure catheter (external diameter: d) to stimulate in vivo
      measurements did not modify these results, provided the hydraulic diameter, D* =
      D - d, was substituted for D in the Blasius formula. The Blasius formula was then
      used to determine, from in vitro pressure and flow measurements in ETT before
      intubation and in ETT lined with dry mucus secretions, the effective diameter,
      shown here to be highly correlated to the actual diameter measured by volumetric
      water displacement. The effective ETT diameter was measured in eight patients at
      different stages after oral or nasal intubation. Compared with the actual ETT
      diameter measured before insertion, the effective diameter was slightly reduced
      (2.6 +/- 2.5%) during the first week of intubation and was strongly reduced (12.2
      +/- 2.8%) during the second week.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416428
TI  - Respiratory responses to chest compression in human subjects.
AB  - To test the hypothesis that respiratory compensation for chest compression in the
      conscious state is different from that in the unconscious state, a range of chest
      compression was applied to eight conscious and eight anesthetized subjects. Chest
      compression was carried out by inflating a pneumatic cuff inserted under a chest
      corset and placed over the anterior chest wall for 5 min. Cuff inflation
      pressures were 25, 50, and 100 mm Hg: light, moderate, and heavy chest
      compression, respectively. In both conscious and anesthetized subjects, chest
      compression immediately caused a decrease in tidal volume (VT) and a concomitant
      increase in respiratory frequency (f). These changes stabilized within 2 min and
      remained nearly steady for the rest of the sustained chest compression. The
      decrease in VT was more prominent the greater the loads, and the change in f was
      in reverse proportion to the change in VT. In conscious subjects the increase in
      f was due to shortening of both inspiratory time (T1) and expiratory time (TE),
      whereas in anesthetized subjects the increase in f was due solely to shortening
      of TE. In conscious subjects, the values of minute ventilation (VI) and end-tidal
      PCO2 (PETCO2) during light and moderate chest compression were not different from
      the control values, whereas VI increased and PETCO2 decreased during heavy chest
      compression. In anesthetized subjects, the values of VI and PETCO2 were not
      different from the control values at any different magnitudes of chest
      compression.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416430
TI  - Subpopulation of hyperresponsive polymorphonuclear neutrophils in patients with
      adult respiratory distress syndrome. Role of cytokine production.
AB  - To gain further insight into the pathogenesis of the adult respiratory distress
      syndrome (ARDS), we studied possible relationships among the activation status of
      circulating polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN), cytokine levels, and the
      severity of lung injury in 31 patients: 15 with ARDS, nine with severe pneumonia
      uncomplicated by ARDS, and seven mechanically ventilated with neither ARDS nor
      pneumonia. Nine healthy subjects served as controls. Using flow cytometry, we
      identified a subpopulation of PMN with an increased capacity to generate hydrogen
      peroxide after stimulation ex vivo in all three patient groups; significantly
      higher values were found in those with ARDS. The PMN stimulation index, a
      reflection of the degree of hyperresponsiveness, correlated with elevated levels
      of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) in plasma, and both spontaneous and
      lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF alpha production by cultured monocytes. These
      biologic expressions of PMN activation and cytokine generation both correlated
      with indices of the severity of lung injury, but not with the overall clinical
      severity. In contrast, IL-6 and IL-1 beta showed little or no relationship with
      either the degree of lung injury or PMN hyperresponsiveness. We conclude that TNF
      alpha-primed PMN may play a major role in the pathogenesis of ARDS-associated
      lung injury.

PMID- 1416429
TI  - Increased serum catalase activity in septic patients with the adult respiratory
      distress syndrome.
AB  - Excessive hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation appears to contribute to the
      development of the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but H2O2
      combatting antioxidant defenses have not been evaluated. We found that serum from
      septic patients with ARDS scavenged more (p less than 0.05) H2O2 in vitro (82.7
      +/- 3.8%) than did serum from septic patients without ARDS (56.9 +/- 3.1%) or
      control subjects (20.2 +/- 2.4%). Serum from septic patients with ARDS also had
      more (p less than 0.05) catalase activity (54.9 +/- 10.9 U/ml) than did serum
      from septic patients without ARDS (28.6 +/- 3.4 U/ml) or control subjects (7.3 +/
      0.8 U/ml). In contrast, serum from septic patients with or without ARDS and
      control subjects had the same glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity. Serum H2O2
      scavenging activity correlated with serum catalase (r = 0.77) but not GPX (r =
      0.33) activity and was inhibitable (greater than 90%) by sodium azide, a catalase
      inhibitor. Increases in serum catalase activity did not appear to be derived from
      erythrocytes (RBC) because septic patients with or without ARDS and control
      subjects had similar RBC hemolysis in response to osmotic stress in vitro and
      serum haptoglobin concentrations. Serum from septic patients with ARDS also
      protected endothelial cells against H2O2-mediated damage (34.5 +/- 2.2% 51Cr
      release) better (p less than 0.05) than serum from septic patients without ARDS
      (47.3 +/- 7.4%) or control subjects (82.1 +/- 10.2%), but killing of bacteria by
      neutrophils in vitro was the same in serum from patients and control subjects.
      Our findings indicate that patients with sepsis and/or ARDS have increased serum
      catalase activity, which may alter H2O2-dependent processes.

PMID- 1416432
TI  - The clinical spectrum of lymphangiomas and lymphangiomatosis of the spleen.
AB  - Lymphangiomas of the spleen are infrequent neoplasms of the spleen with clinical
      manifestations ranging from insignificant incidental findings to large,
      symptomatic cystic masses requiring surgical intervention. An associated syndrome
      may be lymphangiomatosis, in which the lymphangiomatous process involves other
      sites or organs, such as the liver, spleen, axilla, and mediastinum.
      Vasoformative neoplasms (hemangioma, lymphangioma) are relatively uncommon tumors
      or hamartomas of the spleen. Although well reported in the literature, their
      surgical significance is not well recognized. These lesions present a broad
      spectrum of pathologic findings of varied surgical importance. As incidental
      findings, they may be mistakenly considered as a valid indication for
      splenectomy. On the contrary, more extensive involvement of the spleen may cause
      symptomatic splenomegaly, which is a valid indication for splenectomy. When the
      spleen is diffusely involved (lymphangiomatosis), it may be part of a syndrome of
      generalized lymphangiomatosis involving structures and organs other than the
      spleen. This syndrome should be considered in obscure cases of splenomegaly in
      which the usual hematologic causes have been ruled out.

PMID- 1416431
TI  - Effect of sulfidopeptide leukotriene receptor antagonists on endotoxin-induced
      pulmonary dysfunction in awake sheep.
AB  - We studied the effects of two structurally unrelated sulfidopeptide leukotriene
      receptor antagonists on endotoxin-induced pulmonary dysfunction in chronically
      instrumented unanesthetized sheep. The agents employed were L-660,711 (MK-571)
      (Merck-Frosst, Canada) and SK&F 104,353 (Smith Kline and French, King of Prussia,
      PA). The efficacy and specificity of the agents were verified in sheep by
      administering boluses of exogenous leukotrienes (LTB4, LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4) in
      doses as great as 100 micrograms while monitoring lung mechanics and vascular
      pressures. The antagonists blocked the changes in lung mechanics and pulmonary
      hemodynamics induced by the sulfidopeptide leukotrienes (LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4)
      while having no effect on the animals' responses to LTB4. The endotoxin studies
      were performed by administering endotoxin alone (Escherichia coli endotoxin 0.75
      microgram/kg) or endotoxin after pretreatment with one of the sulfidopeptide
      leukotriene receptor antagonists. In control studies, each animal received a
      continuous infusion of one of the receptor antagonists for a duration identical
      to that of the endotoxin studies. Neither L-660,711 nor SK&F 104,353
      significantly altered the endotoxin-induced changes in pulmonary hemodynamics,
      lung mechanics, lung fluid and solute exchange, oxygenation, or leukopenia. Peak
      lung lymph thromboxane B2 levels were significantly lower in sheep pretreated
      with L-660,711. When the antagonists were given alone, no effects were seen. We
      conclude that (1) sulfidopeptide leukotrienes do not measurably contribute to
      endotoxin-induced pulmonary dysfunction in chronically instrumented sheep; (2)
      sulfidopeptide leukotrienes may contribute to thromboxane release after
      endotoxin.

PMID- 1416433
TI  - Colonic diverticular disease in patients 40 years old or younger.
AB  - Diverticular disease in patients 40 years of age or younger has been described as
      rare but virulent. Previous studies, based on age, on diverticular disease are
      often confusing because of inexact definitions of the disease status. With these
      criticisms in mind, the authors studied 322 clinical records on patients admitted
      with a diagnosis of colonic diverticulosis or diverticulitis to the University of
      New Mexico Hospital and the Lovelace Medical Center. Of these patients, 285 had
      documented evidence of colonic diverticula with only 6 per cent of these being 40
      years of age or younger. The criteria for acute diverticulitis were met by 86
      patients, 17 of whom were 40 years of age or younger. The younger group had
      disproportionately more men, particularly Hispanics. The authors conclude that
      acute diverticulitis is more common in the young than suggested by previous
      reports, but the behavior of the disease is not distinctive.

PMID- 1416434
TI  - Massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage in pancreatitis secondary to visceral artery
      aneurysms.
AB  - Thirty-six pancreatic patients with massive gastrointestinal bleeding have now
      been identified as having pancreaticoduodenal and gastroduodenal artery aneurysms
      as causative. In the past decade, seven of the patients have been encountered at
      the authors' institution and seven presented in the literature. Of these 14,
      there was a predilection for men (85%) with an average age of 48.1 years, who had
      complications of pancreatitis (75%), that is, abscess or pseudocyst. Eleven of
      these patients underwent surgery with an 81 per cent survival rate. Previous
      reports had shown a 47 per cent survival rate in 19 similar patients.
      Embolization of the aneurysm was attempted in four patients with two successes.
      The authors believe that early diagnosis by arteriography and early operative
      intervention were responsible for the improved survival. A high index of
      suspicion in this patient population is crucial for early diagnosis and
      improvement in survival.

PMID- 1416435
TI  - Abdominal vascular trauma: a review of 106 injuries.
AB  - A retrospective analysis of acute abdominal vascular injuries was performed to
      review outcome variables and treatment principles. The authors review their most
      recent 5-year experience with 106 major abdominal vascular injuries in 64
      patients treated at a combined Army and Air Force urban medical center. The
      majority of the patients were young men who sustained penetrating injuries. There
      were 41 (64%) gunshot wounds, 17 (27%) stab wounds, and 6 (9%) sustained blunt
      trauma. Forty-five patients (71%) came to the hospital in shock. The inferior
      vena cava in 26 patients (41%) and the aorta in 11 patients (17%) were injured
      most frequently. Suture repair was possible in 53 (50%) injuries. Ligation was
      performed in 41 (39%). Overall mortality for the series was 39 per cent.
      Hemorrhagic shock was the cause of death in 23 patients (92%) with only two late
      deaths. Transfusion requirement, presence of shock, and number of vessels injured
      all affected outcome. Immediate stabilization in the emergency department
      includes appropriate crystalloid and blood product resuscitation with minimal
      delay for diagnostic studies. Prompt abdominal exploration to control hemorrhage
      and particular attention to factors associated with coagulopathy remain the key
      elements in saving the lives of these severely injured patients.

PMID- 1416436
TI  - The role of laparoscopy in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.
AB  - Patients with acute appendicitis who present with an atypical clinical picture
      are frequently subjected to a series of laboratory and x ray tests and sometimes
      to prolonged observation before surgery. There is a significant number of normal
      appendixes found at laparotomy, particularly in some subgroups of patients such
      as the immunocompromised, the elderly, and the young woman. Laparoscopy was done
      in 38 patients with right lower quadrant pain of undetermined cause after
      extensive diagnostic efforts. This group of patients included men and women with
      an even distribution of ages between 20 and 78 years. Laparoscopy was done under
      local anesthesia to better establish the site of pain if no obvious pathology
      could be visualized. Acute appendicitis was confirmed in only 26.3 per cent of
      the cases, and a wide variety of nonappendiceal diseases were identified, the
      majority of them requiring no surgery. Diagnostic laparoscopy performed under
      local anesthesia should be considered in patients suspected to have acute
      appendicitis, regardless of age and sex, who present with an atypical picture and
      who still offer diagnostic doubts after other available conventional tests.

PMID- 1416437
TI  - Primary lymphoma of the rectum.
AB  - Primary lymphoma of the rectum is rare. Its usual grouping with primary lymphoma
      of the gastrointestinal tract leaves little in the literature that deals
      specifically with a primary rectal lymphoma. Various treatments have been
      reported ranging from abdominoperineal resection with adjuvant chemotherapy and
      radiation therapy to chemotherapy or radiation therapy alone. A case of primary
      rectal lymphoma is presented and the literature is reviewed. In the few cases
      reported in the literature, patients treated surgically had a better prognosis
      than those treated nonsurgically with an overall 5-year survival of 50 per cent.
      Recommended treatment includes varying forms of surgical therapy ranging from
      local resection to abdominoperineal resection. Adjuvant chemotherapy, radiation
      therapy, or both should be considered.

PMID- 1416438
TI  - Ileocolonic anastomosis: a comparison of the patency of stapled versus hand-sewn
      techniques.
AB  - This study compared strength of hand-sewn sutures to that of staples for end-to
      end anastomoses of ileocolostomies in 20 mongrel dogs. In ten dogs, the authors
      used four applications of staples for the anastomoses. In the other ten, they
      performed single-layer anastomoses using 4-0 polypropylene sutures. Half the dogs
      were sacrificed on the third postoperative day; half were sacrificed on the fifth
      postoperative day. Bursting strengths were obtained by infusing air through a
      catheter inserted into the colon. Results showed the single-layer hand-sewn
      anastomosis was significantly stronger than the stapled anastomosis. In addition,
      a histologic comparison of the two closures showed no difference in inflammatory
      responses.

PMID- 1416440
TI  - Resident education in surgical endoscopy.
AB  - Under the auspices of the Resident Education Committee of the Society of American
      Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons, 158 of 298 (53%) of surgical training
      program directors responded to a survey on the current status of endoscopy in
      residency programs. Although 100 per cent claim that gastrointestinal endoscopy
      is provided by their program, only 76 per cent have formal endoscopy training,
      usually centered around the PGY 3 level, with only 23 per cent having didactic
      lectures in endoscopy. Directors claim to have trained nearly all of their
      residents by the completion of residency, averaging 44 esophagogastroscopies, 37
      colonoscopies, and 46 flexible sigmoidoscopies per resident. However, they feel
      only 71 per cent of trainees are able to perform esophagogastroscopies and 67 per
      cent to perform colonoscopies in clinical practice. Ninety-seven per cent of
      directors feel endoscopy is important to surgical residency training, and 87 per
      cent have full-time faculty doing endoscopy. Only 44 per cent have a director of
      endoscopy; endoscopy is supervised by surgeons exclusively in only 48 per cent.
      Only 35 per cent have ongoing endoscopy research. When surgeons are not
      performing endoscopy, 66 per cent feel that the gastrointestinal (GI) service
      provides adequate service or training. Gastroenterology has a monopoly in
      endoscopy at 28 per cent of institutions, and 67 per cent of program directors
      feel there would be resistance to the formation of a separate surgical endoscopy
      service. Surgeons work in their own surgical endoscopy suite in only 15 per cent
      of institutions; in a GI suite in 13 per cent; and in a combined suite in the
      remainder.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416439
TI  - An unusual complication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
AB  - An unusual series of complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy is presented.
      The complications occurred after use of laparoscopic technique in the treatment
      of acute cholecystitis. The authors feel that this is a problem that points up
      the need for experience and caution in the use of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in
      the setting of acute cholecystitis.

PMID- 1416441
TI  - The effect of proximal gastric vagotomy plus duodenoplasty on duodenogastric
      reflux.
AB  - Alkaline reflux gastritis is a clinical syndrome that results from a mucosal
      injury by duodenal contents. In this study, the amount of duodenogastric reflux
      was assessed in patients who previously underwent proximal gastric vagotomy (PGV
      group; n = 11) and PGV plus duodenoplasty (PGV+D group; n = 10) as a treatment
      for duodenal ulcer. The control group (A) consisted of 11 healthy volunteers
      without endoscopic abnormalities. A quantitative index of duodenogastric reflux
      was obtained in each case by determining the percentage of the injected dose of
      99mTechnetium-DISIDA that was recovered by continuous aspiration of gastric juice
      in fasting subjects. In the PGV group, the percentage of administered
      99mTechnetium-DISIDA recovered from the stomach (median: 0.69%; range: 0.09%
      3.61%) did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) from that of the PGV+D group
      (median: 0.49%; range: 0.09%-3.91%) and from that of the A group (median: 1.47%;
      range: 0.22%-3.01%). The results show that proximal gastric vagotomy plus
      duodenoplasty did not increase duodenogastric reflux.

PMID- 1416442
TI  - Orthotopic liver transplantation with abdominal situs inversus and dextrocardia.
AB  - Anatomic anomalies may present technical difficulties during orthotopic liver
      transplantation. Abdominal situs inversus was considered a contraindication to
      liver transplantation. A successful liver transplant in a patient with both situs
      inversus and dextrocardia is described, along with a technical review.

PMID- 1416443
TI  - Cost containment in the operating room: use of reusable versus disposable
      clothing.
AB  - The need for fiscal austerity has prompted the re-evaluation of many aspects of
      medical care. Recent events in the northeastern United States have caused an
      increased awareness of the need for environmental responsibility as well. With
      these considerations in mind, the costs incurred by the operating suites of two
      comparable teaching hospitals in New Jersey, one of which uses disposable
      operating room attire, were examined; the other employs reusable scrub suits and
      gowns. The reusable scrub suits and gowns resulted in a savings in excess of
      $100,000 compared to the center using disposables. The authors conclude that
      hospitals should re-evaluate their use of disposable operating room attire to
      reduce operating costs and the amount of medical waste generated.

PMID- 1416444
TI  - Endoscopic papillotomy while the gallbladder is in situ.
AB  - The authors report on their experience with 25 patients who underwent an
      endoscopic papillotomy with gallbladder in situ and review the current literature
      on this topic. Twenty-four out of 25 patients in this study had their common bile
      duct cleared of stones. Five patients (24%) required cholecystectomy on follow-up
      at an average of 14.4 months. There was no mortality associated with the
      procedure. The authors' experience and review of the literature suggest that
      endoscopic papillotomy plays an important role in the removal of common bile duct
      stones in persons who have their gallbladder in situ, especially in those
      patients who are at high risk for surgery, either because of advanced age or
      other medical problems. However, the use of endoscopic papillotomy alone in
      young, healthy persons is more problematic because of the relatively high rate of
      cholecystitis or recurrent biliary colic necessitating a cholecystectomy at a
      later date. The authors suggest that, in the future, the ideal treatment regimen
      for common bile duct stones in patients with their gallbladder in situ may be
      urgent endoscopic papillotomy with a scheduled elective laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy.

PMID- 1416445
TI  - [Nutrition and sports in adolescence].

PMID- 1416446
TI  - [Sociocultural determinants of feeding behavior in adolescents].

PMID- 1416447
TI  - [Background of pediatric education and current situation].

PMID- 1416448
TI  - [Perspectives of pediatric education].

PMID- 1416449
TI  - [Teaching pediatrics at the undergraduate level].

PMID- 1416450
TI  - [Teaching general pediatrics].

PMID- 1416451
TI  - [Pediatrics education].

PMID- 1416452
TI  - [Prenatal diagnosis and treatment of congenital adrenal gland hyperplasia].

PMID- 1416453
TI  - [Indications and surgical techniques in intersexual states].

PMID- 1416454
TI  - [The test of exhaled H2].

PMID- 1416455
TI  - [Intestinal permeability].

PMID- 1416456
TI  - [Diagnostic imaging in gastroenterology].

PMID- 1416457
TI  - [Therapeutic advances in infantile asthma. Introduction].

PMID- 1416458
TI  - [Hepatic transplantation in children. Postoperative management and early
      complications. Experience at the Vall d'Hebron Children's Clinic of Barcelona.
      1992].

PMID- 1416459
TI  - [Inhalation++ steroids in the treatment of infantile asthma].

PMID- 1416460
TI  - [Generalized bacterial infection in the newborn. Introduction].

PMID- 1416461
TI  - [Generalized bacterial infection in the newborn. Diagnosis: early markers of
      infection].

PMID- 1416463
TI  - [Adjuvant therapy in neonatal sepsis].

PMID- 1416462
TI  - [Antibiotic therapy in the neonatal period].

PMID- 1416464
TI  - [Generalized bacterial infection in the newborn. Prognosis and sequelae].

PMID- 1416465
TI  - [The most frequent complications in the postoperative period of hepatic
      transplantation at the pediatric intensive care unit].

PMID- 1416466
TI  - [Cognitive and affective changes in the epileptic child. Introduction].

PMID- 1416467
TI  - [Inter-crisis cognitive-behavioral disorders in epilepsy in children].

PMID- 1416468
TI  - [Affective problems in the epileptic child and his environment].

PMID- 1416469
TI  - [School and work performance in the epileptic child].

PMID- 1416470
TI  - [Antiepileptic drugs and cognitive function].

PMID- 1416471
TI  - [Brain tumors in childhood. Introduction].

PMID- 1416472
TI  - [Early diagnosis of brain tumors in childhood].

PMID- 1416473
TI  - [Brain tumors in childhood. Diagnosis with the new imaging methods].

PMID- 1416474
TI  - [The new surgery].

PMID- 1416475
TI  - [Chemotherapy in infantile brain tumors].

PMID- 1416476
TI  - [Acute otitis media. Etiopathogenesis].

PMID- 1416477
TI  - [Infective complications in children with bone marrow transplantation].

PMID- 1416478
TI  - [Clinical course and diagnosis of the exudative forms].

PMID- 1416479
TI  - [Acute otitis media in 1992].

PMID- 1416480
TI  - [Otitis media. Surgical treatment].

PMID- 1416481
TI  - [Child abuse: current approaches in investigation and intervention.
      Introduction].

PMID- 1416482
TI  - [Update on investigation on child abuse in Spain].

PMID- 1416483
TI  - [Renal transplant in children: postoperative management].

PMID- 1416484
TI  - [Detection as part of intervention].

PMID- 1416485
TI  - [Intervention on the abusing family itself].

PMID- 1416486
TI  - [The development of professional associations in cases of child abuse].

PMID- 1416487
TI  - [Prophylaxis and prevention of infection in children with a transplant].

PMID- 1416488
TI  - [Up-date on intervention radiology in pediatrics. Introduction].

PMID- 1416489
TI  - [Shockwave lithotripsy in children].

PMID- 1416490
TI  - [Immunotherapy: concept and indications].

PMID- 1416491
TI  - [Immunologic mechanisms of immunotherapy].

PMID- 1416492
TI  - [Forms of immunotherapy. Various routes of administration].

PMID- 1416493
TI  - [Immunotherapy in infantile allergy. Follow-up and control. Results. Criteria for
      discontinuation].

PMID- 1416494
TI  - [Anxiety disorders in childhood and adolescence. Conceptual and psychopathologic
      introduction].

PMID- 1416495
TI  - [Anxiety and depression].

PMID- 1416496
TI  - [Nutritional needs in adolescence. Risk factors].

PMID- 1416497
TI  - [Nutrition in pregnancy in adolescence].

PMID- 1416498
TI  - [Iron deficiency during adolescence].

PMID- 1416499
TI  - [Nutrition in anorexia nervosa].

PMID- 1416500
TI  - [Treatment of Turner syndrome].

PMID- 1416501
TI  - [Growth retardation of intrauterine origin].

PMID- 1416502
TI  - [Growth retardation of skeletal origin: with special reference to
      osteochondrodysplasias].

PMID- 1416503
TI  - [Therapeutic implications of growth hormone in infancy and childhood].

PMID- 1416504
TI  - [Surgical possibilities for treatment of short stature].

PMID- 1416505
TI  - [Growth deficiency: concept and classification].

PMID- 1416506
TI  - [Growth deficiency: dignostic methodology].

PMID- 1416507
TI  - [Advances in growth].

PMID- 1416508
TI  - [Genetic disorders and growth hormone].

PMID- 1416509
TI  - [Growth, growth hormone and puberty].

PMID- 1416510
TI  - [Human placental growth hormone].

PMID- 1416511
TI  - [Growth and chronic diseases].

PMID- 1416512
TI  - [The pattern of human growth. Factors conditioning and regulating growth].

PMID- 1416513
TI  - [Hormonal regulation of growth during pubertal development: effect of sex
      hormones].

PMID- 1416514
TI  - [Progressive myoclonic epilepsy in childhood and adolescence].

PMID- 1416515
TI  - [Differentiated thyroid carcinoma in childhood].
AB  - We report the cases of 6 patients, all younger than 14 years of age, with
      differentiated thyroid carcinoma. None of the patients had a previous history of
      radiation exposure. All patients presented with an enlarged thyroid gland as a
      solitary nodule, with or without cervical nodes. The fine-needle aspiration
      cytological examination was found to be the most sensitive and specific,
      evidencing 5 pure papillary adenocarcinoma and 1 follicular. Our standard
      preoperative evaluation included thyroid scintiscan and ultrasound examination,
      laboratory studies of thyroid function and serum calcitonin, chest x-ray, fine
      needle aspiration and vocal cord examination. The treatment was total
      thyroidectomy and bilateral modified neck dissection. A whole body scan (WBS)
      with 131I was performed 6 weeks after surgery, followed by radioiodine therapy
      for ablation of thyroid remnants and treatment of metastases when present.
      Patients then began thyroid replacement treatment. The follow-up of the patients
      consisted of thyroglobulin and WBS. The microscopic carcinoma was found in the
      contralateral lobe in 100%. Lung metastases were detected in 2 patients. All of
      the patients have survived during a follow-up period ranging from 6 to 108
      months.

PMID- 1416516
TI  - [Marfan syndrome in childhood: cardiovascular manifestations. Echocardiographic
      changes].
AB  - We report the cases of eight children with Marfan syndrome. Seven (87.5%) were
      diagnosed with cardiopathy, everyone with auscultatory findings.
      Electrocardiographic patterns were nonspecific. Enlargement of the aortic root
      was present in two of the cases as seen by thorax x-rays. Echocardiography
      detected the presence of mitral valve prolapse in 87.5% of the patients (7 cases)
      and aortic enlargement in 75% of the patients (6 cases). Echocardiography also
      detected the presence of aortic dysplasia, tricuspid valve prolapse and right and
      left ventricular hypertrophy. During the follow-up period, no case had cardiac
      failure. There was no mortality. The aortic enlargement was progressive and was
      not modified by propranolol treatment. Surgical treatment was not needed. Family
      history related to this condition was present in a very small percentage (37.5%).
      We comment on one infantile form of Marfan syndrome with its own phenotype
      different from that of classical Marfan syndrome.

PMID- 1416517
TI  - [Evaluation of the western blot test in the follow up of children born to HIV
      seropositive mothers].
AB  - We have made a follow-up study of 65 children born to HIV seropositive mothers.
      These children were studied during the first quarter of life and subsequently
      every three months thereafter to measure the usefulness of the Western Blot
      technique in the detection of the gradual development of seroreversion, as well
      as in HIV infection. The study of 25 mother-child pairs allowed us to anticipate
      seroreversion up to three months, showing an earlier and quicker finding than by
      indirect immunofluorescence. In the HIV diagnosis during the first 15 months of
      life, the sequential study of serum by Western Blot is able to detect the
      reappearance of new bands, indicating the endogenous production of antibodies in
      the child. The circunstance is observed in 7 out of 10 infected children, showing
      the reappearance of bands corresponding to antibodies against p-31 and/or p-55
      proteins between the second and fourth quarter of life.

PMID- 1416519
TI  - [Attempted suicide in childhood and adolescence: epidemiologic characteristics].
AB  - Suicide attempts among children and adolescents are occurring more frequently in
      the last years. In fact, in some countries suicide is the third leading cause of
      death for adolescents between 15 and 19 years of age, in spite of the fact that
      it is probably significantly underreported. The present study aimed at examining
      the factors related to suicide attempts in thirty children and adolescents
      between 6 and 16 years old. These patients were compared to a randomly selected
      control group. A systematic review of the patients' charts was performed. We
      found that suicide attempts increased with age, 83% of those patients attempting
      suicide were female, the medical lethality of the means used in the attempt did
      not correlate with the patient's perception of the risk of dying, and recent
      stressful life events could often be identified as precipitators for attempting
      suicide.

PMID- 1416518
TI  - [Anemia and depletion of iron reserves in healthy 12-month-old infants].
AB  - A prospective study was made which included 287 infants, 12 months of age and
      patients of two Vizcaya Health Centers, in order to determine the prevalence of
      anemia and/or depletion of iron stores. The study design included somatometry and
      a review of the clinical records, dietary habits and the socio-economic status of
      the family. Laboratory tests included: hematocrit, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular
      volume, number of erythrocytes, serum iron, transferrin, iron saturation
      percentage and serum ferritin. Anemia was present in 9.3% of these children and
      6.9% had iron-deficiency anemia. Depletion of iron stores was found in 12.4%.
      Prematurity, socio-economic status, infants fed low-iron milk, early introduction
      of cow's milk and the weight at 12 months were all variables that correlated
      significantly with the anemic or iron deficient states. However, the number of
      infections during the first year of life did not show a significant correlation.
      A question about the necessity of routine screening is raised and recommendation
      is made for iron supplementation in the infants in the high risk group.

PMID- 1416520
TI  - [Neurologic alert signals in one-year-old infants: relation to signs of
      intrapartum hypoxia].
AB  - As a method to evaluate the neurologic evolution and to establish if there exists
      any differences in the relation with the signs of intrapartum hypoxia, we have
      explored the neurologic "alert signs" at a certain age (12 months of life) in 80
      full-term newborn infants with normal weight and without criteria of neurologic
      risk. We did not find statistically significant differences in the presence of
      alert signs in regards to sex, gestational risk, type of amniotic fluid, way of
      delivery, one-minute and five-minute Apgar scores or acid-base state in the
      umbilical artery at birth. We did find a significant increase in the number of
      alert signs in patients with cardiotocographic patterns that were suspicious or
      not tranquil in relation to those whose cardiotocographic patterns were tranquil.

PMID- 1416522
TI  - [Fibro-bronchoscopy without general anesthesia in pediatric patients].
AB  - Flexible bronchofiberoscopy is at present an indispensable technique in pediatric
      pulmonology departments. The fact that it can be used outside of the operating
      theater without general anesthesia or additional oxygen has greatly increased its
      field of pediatric applications. Thirty-three fibrobronchioscopies were performed
      during a period of one year on a group of children under 14 years of age. The
      most common indications for the procedure were atelectasis (27.3%), recurrent
      pneumonia (15.1%) and a possible foreign body (15.1%). The most usual sedation
      (82%) was the combination of Diazepan with Ketamine. Sixteen patients did not
      require oxygen and only one suffered a serious complication. The benefit of this
      technique was shown since the treatment of 22 children (67%) was changed
      following this procedure.

PMID- 1416521
TI  - [Type 1 diabetes mellitus and nephropathy. Predicting factors in pediatric age].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To find the existence of early relationships between alterations in
      the glucidic metabolism and the glomerular and tubular basal function in diabetic
      insulin-dependent children without clinical evidence of diabetic nephropathy
      (DN). METHODS: We determined blood pressure, basal plasma concentrations of
      glucose, glycosilated hemoglobin and total proteins, glomerular filtration rate
      (GFR), and the glucose, proteins, calcium, phosphorus, uric acid, sodium,
      potassium and chloride excretions in diurnal, nocturnal and 24-hour urine samples
      in 43 diabetic children and 13 healthy controls. RESULTS: The microproteinuria
      mean value in all urine samples (always less than 15 micrograms/min/1.73 m.2),
      the GFR and blood pressure were similar in both groups. In the diabetic children,
      we found an inverse correlation between age and 24-hour urine microproteinuria (r
      0.33; p less than 0.05) and between age and nocturnal urine microproteinuria (r
      0.35; p less than 0.05). There was also a highly significant correlation between
      microproteinuria and the albumin/creatinine ratio in urine samples (r = 0.94, p
      less than 0.0001). Diabetic children showed a greater nocturnal excretion of
      calcium (p less than 0.05) and phosphorus (p less than 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our
      results suggest that microproteinuria, GFR and blood pressure have not served as
      predictors of DN in pediatric patients.

PMID- 1416524
TI  - [Hyperapo-beta-emia in children. Study of 17 families].
AB  - Apolipoprotein (apo)-beta is an atherosclerotic risk factor in adults and
      children. In families with Familial Combined Hyperlipidemia (FCH) it has been
      described as a lipoprotein phenotype called Hyperapobetalipoproteinemia (Hyperapo
      beta) and characterized by increased numbers of small, dense and apo-beta
      enriched low density lipoproteins. In our Lipids Clinic, we have studied 267
      children, but for the purpose of this paper we have only taken into account the
      19 of these children who showed increased plasma total apo-beta levels (Hyperapo
      beta-emina). To investigate the type of dyslipoproteinemia of these children, we
      divided them into two groups: 1) Group 1: 10 children with apo-beta levels
      greater than mean + 2 standard deviations (SD); 2) Group 2: 9 children with apo
      beta levels greater than mean + 3 SD. We have also studied the fathers, mothers,
      brothers and sisters of all the children. Only one child (Group 1) had type IIb
      hyperlipoproteinemia. The other children had type IIa hyperlipoproteinemia. In
      each group, 4 families had FCH and the others had either Familial
      Hypercholesterolemia or Polygenic Hypercholesterolemia. Families with FCH could
      also have hyperapo-beta. It is possible that in the future some children of FCH
      families and those with type IIa hyperlipoproteinemia will have increased plasma
      triglyceride levels. This could be prevented by a proper diet.

PMID- 1416523
TI  - [Recurrent familial amyotrophic neuralgia of the brachial plexus. Report of a
      family and review of the literature].
AB  - A family with hereditary neuralgic amyotrophy of the brachial plexus throughout
      three generations is described. Outstanding features are early onset occurring
      during childhood or adolescence, unlike the idiopatic sporadic form of the
      disease, and the association with a peculiar physiognomy that reminds one of the
      facial expression found in Modigliani's paintings. Clinical evolution is not
      always favorable since relapses and long-lasting sequelae are common. The disease
      is inherited through an autosomal dominant gene with high penetrance and the
      neuropathy is always associated with the phenotypic features. The possible
      relationship with other pathological entities of very different clinical
      expression, such as tomacular neuropathy, is discussed, as well as the
      distinguishing peculiarities between the inherited and the sporadic forms of
      brachial plexus neuropathy.

PMID- 1416525
TI  - [Association of neurofibromatosis type 1 and medulloblastoma].

PMID- 1416526
TI  - [Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis. Presentation of a case].

PMID- 1416527
TI  - [Intracardiac mycetoma induced by central catheterization].
AB  - We report a case of an infective endocarditis presented as a right atrial mass
      which pathological study showed a big vegetation of candida albicans (mycetoma).
      We think its presence was related to a great central vein catheterization during
      the neonatal period. The clinical feature was completed with pulmonary fungal
      embolism and later tricuspid valve afectation. With this work we wish to remark
      the necessary careful management of patients with central vein catheters to avoid
      this severe complication. We review the pharmacological and surgical treatment of
      this uncommon entity.

PMID- 1416528
TI  - [Lymphoid polyp of cecal localization].

PMID- 1416529
TI  - [Apropos of milk formulas].

PMID- 1416530
TI  - [Cardiac rhabdomyoma in neonates and infants].

PMID- 1416531
TI  - [Aneurysmal dilatation of the portal system. Apropos of a case diagnosed in a
      newborn infant].

PMID- 1416532
TI  - [HIV infection in infants under 15 months of age. Value of the p-24 antigen as a
      prognostic marker].
AB  - We have studied 65 children, born to HIV seropositive mothers, during the first
      quarter of life and afterwards every three-months. During this time, ten of the
      children (13%) became infected with the virus. The study of p24 antigen during
      the first 15 months of life showed an inverse relationship between the permanent
      presence of P24 antigen in the serum and the absence of anti-p24 antibodies.
      Since both markers were related to a bad prognosis, it is useful to carry-out the
      routine study of p24 antigen and its level in serum. Of the infections detected,
      3 cases were early onset and the other 7 cases later onset. The three children
      from the first group died between 4 and 8 months of life, while the second group
      had a much more stable clinical situation. The children with early onset
      infections had T4 lymphocytes lower than 500 cell/mm3, detectable p24 antigen,
      and a fatal progression of the disease.

PMID- 1416533
TI  - [Evaluation of the bone mass by dual-photon absorptiometry in children under
      prolonged anticonvulsant therapy].
AB  - We have evaluated, in a prospective study, the total and per unit area mass,
      measured in lumbar spine by Dual Photo-absorptiometry, in a group of 62 children
      on long-term anticonvulsant treatment. A second group of 58 normal children was
      used as a control. The total and per unit area bone mass increased with age,
      weight, height and bone maturity in all of the children studied. There were no
      significant differences found between the two groups. Children on multi-therapy
      and that were over six years of age showed statistically significantly less bone
      mass per area when compared th the control group (p less than 0.01).
      Phenobarbital, Carbamazepine and Valproic acid in monotherapy did not
      statistically diminish bone mass. Of these anticonvulsants, Phenobarbital was
      responsible for the most statistically significant decline in bone mass per area
      (p = 0.027). After six year of treatment, whether on mono-therapy or on poly
      therapy, bone mass was lower with respect to the control series, although this
      was not statistically significant.

PMID- 1416534
TI  - [The limit of pediatric age in primary health care. A problem to be solved].
AB  - The true definition of the term Pediatrics, implies comprehensive care up to the
      end of adolescence; in practice, however, treatment is usually only available up
      to the age of seven. In this study, the medical records of children born between
      1976 and 1983 were examined with respect to the four areas of General Practice
      covered by a pediatrician. The characteristics of this conurbation and the nature
      of medical advice sought were also studied. A survey of the situation in the
      remainder of the country was also carried out by means of telephone conversations
      with pediatricians nationwide. Of the 519 children considered, 150 did not
      consult their doctor during 1990. Those that did seek medical attention did so on
      802 occasions, which represents 3.6% of all consultations by general
      practitioners. However, it would have amounted to 25.3% of the visits to
      pediatricians. Raising the age limit of pediatric patients, as an isolated
      measure, would therefore overload pediatric offices and thus lead to a lower
      standard of medical care. Such a measure should not be implemented hastily.

PMID- 1416535
TI  - [Pancreatic echography in infantile diabetes].
AB  - Our objective was to investigate the pancreatic ultrasonographic size in diabetic
      children in order to compare in with a healthy population of children and to
      relate it to the characteristics of their disease. Fifty-four children (age 8.59
      +/- 3.38 years) with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus of short evolution and
      23 healthy children of similar ages and sex were investigated. Anteroposterior
      measurement of pancreatic head, body and tail with real time ultrasonography were
      performed searching for a relationship of these factors with the acinar and
      residual insular function. The pancreatic measurements in the diabetic patients
      were sizeable smaller than in the healthy children with no relationship to age,
      height, weight or body surface. There were no differences in the pancreatic
      measurements in relationship to the evolution time or residual insular function
      in the diabetics.

PMID- 1416536
TI  - [Results of a study of the presence of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions in the
      newborn].
AB  - An otoacoustic emission is that part of sound that can be detected in the ear
      canal and is produced by the physiological cochlear activity involved in the
      auditive process. Some people have spontaneous oto-emissions (SOAE), which are
      emissions that can be registered without any stimulus. These are normal
      functional sounds of some cochleae. he aim of this study was to assess the
      presence of SOAE in newborns, as well as to study its incidence and relationship
      with the auditive process. The number of tested neonated was 364, 209 of whom had
      at least one ear with SOAE+ (57.4%). It was possible to do a bilateral test in
      only 324 newborns, 114 of whom had SOAE+ in both ears (35.18%). The total number
      of ears tested was 961 and in 453 of these a SOAE+ was detected (47.1%). This
      high incidence of SOAE corresponds to a very good cochlear condition compared to
      that of older people.

PMID- 1416537
TI  - [Acute otitis media in childhood. Clinical and microbiological study of 50
      cases].
AB  - Fifty cases of acute otitis media effusion (AOME) in children less than 14 years
      of age are reported. The largest age group consisted of children less than 22
      months of age (22 cases). Otolgia or irritability (80%) and fever (66%) were the
      most common symptoms. Tympanocentesis of the middle-ear effusion was performed in
      all of the cases. Haemophilus influenzae was recovered in 13 patients (26%), S.
      pneumoniae in 12 (24%), S. pyogenes in 4 (8%), P. aeruginosa in 2 (4%), anaerobic
      bacteria in 2 (4%) and mixed cultures in 4 children; 2 cases of H. influenzae and
      S. pneumoniae, 1 case of S. pneumoniae and E. coli, and 1 case of E. coli and P.
      aeruginosa. There were no cases of M. catarrhalis or S. aureus. We conclude that
      H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae are the most frequent pathogens (60% of all
      patients and 81% of the positive cultures).

PMID- 1416538
TI  - [Neurologic changes or vertebral malformations in children with anorectal
      malformations].
AB  - We present a prospective study of 40 patients with anorectal malformations. We
      have studied the correlation between neurological impairment and vertebral
      anomalies. We did not find a statistical correlation.

PMID- 1416539
TI  - [Congenital syphilis and syphilitic mothers. Survey of the past 10 years].
AB  - Two hundred and sixty-two newborn infants, born to mothers with a positive
      syphilis serology, have been studied. Twenty-six newborn infants had congenital
      syphilis and two hundred and thirty-six were considered as newborn infants from
      syphilitic mothers. This study has demonstrated that the newborn infants with
      congenital syphilis have been born to mothers with greatest risk factors. Newborn
      infants with congenital syphilis born to mothers on treatment during the
      pregnancy had a milder case of congenital syphilis than newborn infants born to
      mothers without treatment during the pregnancy. A diagnostic test for the
      treatment in these newborns has been proposed; if the test score is less than 5,
      we are dealing with a child of a syphilitic mother that does not need treatment
      and if the test results are higher than 5 we can confirm the diagnosis of
      congenital syphilis and immediate treatment must be started.

PMID- 1416540
TI  - [Five cases of Goldenhar-Gorlin syndrome].
AB  - Five patients with Goldenhar-Gorlin's syndrome (facio-auriculo-vertebral
      dysplasia) are presented in this study. Their clinical characteristics are
      commented on along with an illustrative iconography. The literature on this
      subject has been reviewed and we make some comments on the possible
      ethiopathogeny of this disease.

PMID- 1416541
TI  - [Idiopathic 2nd degree type I atrioventricular block in an infant].

PMID- 1416542
TI  - [Neonatal lupus erythematosus: dermatitis, A-V block and SSA/Ro antibodies].

PMID- 1416543
TI  - [MULIBREY (MUscle, LIver, BRain, EYe) nanism. Report of a new case].

PMID- 1416544
TI  - [Spontaneous resolution of cholelithiasis associated with cholestasis in an
      infant].

PMID- 1416545
TI  - [Membranous laryngo-tracheo-bronchitis associated with infectious mononucleosis].

PMID- 1416546
TI  - [Portal atresia. Clinico-pathological study of a case].

PMID- 1416547
TI  - [Campomelic dysplasia: apropos of a case].

PMID- 1416548
TI  - [Mesenteric cysts].

PMID- 1416549
TI  - [Neonatal cystic neuroblastoma].

PMID- 1416550
TI  - [Congenital generalized lipodystrophy].

PMID- 1416551
TI  - [Ambliopia in pediatric age].

PMID- 1416552
TI  - [Wolff-Parkinson-White disease in childhood: follow up of 36 cases].
AB  - We have studied 36 patients (19 females and 17 males), controlled between 1973
      and 1989, who suffered Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) pattern in their
      electrocardiogram. Epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, therapeutic and
      evolutional data were reviewed. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 4 years
      and 3 months, with 48% younger than six months of age. The average time for the
      follow-up period was 4 years and 2 months. There was not familiar occurrence. Six
      (16%) of the patients had associated heart disease. Seventeen (47%) had type A of
      WPW, 12 (33%) type B and 7 (20%) were not defined. An echocardiographic study was
      done in 20 patients (61%). Twenty-seven patients (75%) showed supraventricular
      tachycardia (SVT), which in 22 of these cases was the reason for seeking
      consultation. Children without SVT, 9 (25%), did not need any form of treatment.
      Twenty-four (889) of the patients with SVT required treatment to prevent
      recurrence. In the 27 studied episodes of SVT, Verapamil IV (55%) and vagal
      manoeuvres were the most efficient treatments. Seventeen (47%) of the patients
      presented a persistent WPW pattern and 11 (31%) experienced a normalization of
      their electrocardiogram with a mean time of 2 years-2 months.

PMID- 1416553
TI  - The influence of HLA-DRB1 genes on disease severity in rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the role of HLA-DRB1 genes in determining disease severity
      in rheumatoid arthritis. DESIGN: Case series of patients with seropositive
      rheumatoid arthritis. SETTING: The outpatient clinic of the Division of
      Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic. PATIENTS: One hundred and two patients with
      seropositive, erosive rheumatoid arthritis and a minimum disease duration of 3
      years. MEASUREMENTS: Patients were genotyped for both HLA-DRB1 alleles and were
      categorized according to the expression of one or two disease-linked HLA-DRB1
      alleles. Identification of HLA-DRB1 alleles was done by the polymerase chain
      reaction and subsequent oligonucleotide hybridization. Homozygosity for allelic
      variants was confirmed by sequence analysis. Immunogenetically defined patient
      subgroups were retrospectively evaluated for joint destruction and patterns of
      disease manifestation, including rheumatoid organ disease. RESULTS: Of 102
      patients, 98 (96%) expressed the disease-linked sequence polymorphism. Forty
      seven patients (46%) carried a double dose of the relevant sequence stretch:
      Twenty-eight patients expressed HLA-DRB1*04 variants on both alleles, and 19
      combined an HLA-DRB*04 variant with HLA-DRB1*0101 or DRB1*1402. Nodular disease
      was present in 100% of patients typed as HLA-DRB1*04/04 and in 59% of patients
      typed as HLA-DRB1*04 and who had inherited only a single dose of the disease
      linked sequence polymorphism (P < 0.0001). Major organ systems were involved in
      61% and 11% of these two patient groups, respectively (P < 0.0001); and joint
      surgery was required in 61% and 25% (P < 0.002), respectively. Patients typed as
      HLA-DR*04/01 had intermediate clinical courses. CONCLUSION: Genotyping patients
      with rheumatoid arthritis for both HLA-DRB1 alleles identifies clinical subsets
      with distinct profiles of disease manifestations.

PMID- 1416554
TI  - Lower endogenous androgen levels and dyslipidemia in men with non-insulin
      dependent diabetes mellitus.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare plasma androgen levels in diabetic and nondiabetic men and
      to determine their relation to diabetic dyslipidemia. DESIGN: A population-based,
      case-control study. SETTING: Community. PARTICIPANTS: Men 53 to 88 years of age
      from the Rancho Bernardo, California, cohort who were screened for diabetes using
      an oral glucose tolerance test. MEASUREMENTS: Plasma androgen levels were
      compared in 44 men with untreated non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and 88
      age-matched men who had a normal glucose tolerance test. The relation of lipid
      and lipoprotein levels to androgen level and diabetic status was assessed before
      and after adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: Men with diabetes had significantly
      lower plasma levels of free (4.96 nmol/L compared with 5.58 nmol/L) and total
      testosterone (14.7 nmol/L compared with 17.4 nmol/L), dihydrotestosterone (428
      pg/mL compared with 533 pg/mL), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) (1.92
      mumol/L compared with 2.42 mumol/L) than nondiabetic men. They also had
      significantly lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and significantly
      higher triglyceride levels. Differences were not explained by obesity, alcohol
      use, or cigarette habit. Overall, the total testosterone level, but not the free
      testosterone level, was positively correlated with the HDL cholesterol level (P =
      0.009) and negatively correlated with the triglyceride level (P = 0.0001).
      Similar associations were seen in analyses restricted to the men without
      diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Lower levels of endogenous androgens are seen in older
      diabetic men, and low androgen levels are associated with diabetic dyslipidemia.

PMID- 1416555
TI  - A waterborne outbreak in Missouri of Escherichia coli O157:H7 associated with
      bloody diarrhea and death.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe and determine the source of a large outbreak of
      Escherichia coli O157:H7 (ECO157) infections in Missouri. DESIGN: A case-control
      study and a household survey. SETTING: A small city in a rural Missouri township
      that had an unchlorinated water supply. PATIENTS: Case patients were residents of
      or visitors to Burdine Township with bloody diarrhea or diarrhea and abdominal
      cramps occurring between 15 December 1989 and 20 January 1990. MEASUREMENTS:
      Escherichia coli O157 was isolated from 21 stool specimens. All isolates were
      resistant to sulfisoxazole, tetracycline, and streptomycin; produced Shiga-like
      toxins I and II; and had one 60-megadalton plasmid. RESULTS: Among the 243 case
      patients, 86 had bloody stools, 32 were hospitalized, 4 died, and 2 had the
      hemolytic uremic syndrome. In the case-control study, no food was associated with
      illness, but ill persons had drunk more municipal water than had controls (P =
      0.04). The survey showed that, during the peak of the outbreak, bloody diarrhea
      was 18.2 times more likely to occur in persons living inside the city and using
      municipal water than in persons living outside the city and using private well
      water (P = 0.001). Shortly before the peak of the outbreak, 45 water meters were
      replaced, and two water mains ruptured. The number of new cases declined rapidly
      after residents were ordered to boil water and after chlorination of the water
      supply. CONCLUSIONS: This was the largest outbreak of ECO157 infections, the
      first due to a multiply resistant organism, and the first shown to be transmitted
      by water. System-wide chlorination as well as hyperchlorination during repairs
      might have prevented this outbreak. Both bloody and nonbloody diarrhea may be
      common manifestations of this infection, which is probably underdiagnosed because
      of the failure of routine stool cultures to identify the organism. Cities with
      deteriorating water systems using untreated water risk widespread illness from
      contaminated drinking water.

PMID- 1416556
TI  - Improvements in hostility and depression in relation to dietary change and
      cholesterol lowering. The Family Heart Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe changes in negative emotions among participants of a
      cholesterol-lowering study. DESIGN: Cohort study. Quantitative evaluation of
      changes in negative emotions in relation to diet and plasma cholesterol levels
      before and after a 5-year dietary intervention program aimed at reducing plasma
      cholesterol levels. SETTING: Community-dwelling families of the Family Heart
      Study, Portland, Oregon. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred forty-nine men and 156 women
      from 233 families (mean age, 37.7 years). MEASUREMENTS: Changes in negative
      emotions including depression and aggressive hostility as measured by the Hopkins
      Symptom Checklist (SCL-90). RESULTS: Improvement in overall emotional state was
      noted for the entire sample. Those who consumed a low-fat, high complex
      carbohydrate diet at the end of the study showed significantly greater
      improvements in depression (P = 0.044; difference in improvement, 2.9 points) and
      aggressive hostility (P = 0.035; difference in improvement, 3.3 points) as well
      as a reduction in their plasma cholesterol levels (P = 0.024; difference in
      improvement, 2.7%) compared with those who ate a high-fat "American diet."
      CONCLUSIONS: Participation in a cholesterol-lowering program may not be
      associated with a worsening in emotional state. To the contrary, improvements in
      diet appear to be associated with reductions in depression and aggressive
      hostility as well as with lowered plasma cholesterol levels.

PMID- 1416557
TI  - The contribution of gastroesophageal reflux to chest pain in patients with
      coronary artery disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the effectiveness of investigating and treating the cause
      of refractory chest pain in patients with coronary artery disease who are
      receiving optimal antianginal therapy. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary
      referral center. PATIENTS: Between January 1988 and December 1989, 34 patients
      were identified as having angiographically proven coronary artery disease and
      atypical chest pain symptoms despite their having received aggressive medical or
      surgical antianginal therapy, or both. INTERVENTION: Patients with confirmed acid
      related symptoms were treated with high-dose histamine-2 (H2) blockers or
      omeprazole for 8 weeks in an open-label study. MEASUREMENTS: Esophageal manometry
      and simultaneous 24-hour pH and Holter studies; global improvement in or
      disappearance of chest pain. RESULTS: Of the 34 patients, 30 (88%) experienced
      their identical chest pain symptoms during the study. A total of 164 pain
      episodes was recorded: 38 (23.2%) correlated with acid reflux; 6 (3.7%) were
      related to cardiac ischemia; and the remaining 120 (73.2%) had no identifiable
      cause. Of these 30 patients, 20 (67%) had some of their episodes of chest pain
      (range, 14% to 100%) secondary to acid reflux. After 8 weeks of vigorous acid
      suppression, 13 of these 20 patients had marked improvement or resolution of
      chest pain. Four other patients had ischemia-related episodes of chest pain that
      responded to more aggressive antianginal therapy. No episodes of acid reflux were
      clearly followed by ischemic chest pain. One patient had both acid- and ischemic
      related episodes of chest pain that were indistinguishable. Overall, 24 of 34
      (71%) patients had a definite cause of chest pain identified by combined pH and
      Holter monitoring. CONCLUSIONS: Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a common,
      treatable cause of chest pain in patients with coronary artery disease who have
      atypical symptoms and remain symptomatic despite aggressive antianginal therapy.
      Combined Holter and 24-hour esophageal pH studies are complementary
      investigations for elucidating the cause of chest pain in these patients.

PMID- 1416558
TI  - The prognostic role of left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with or without
      coronary artery disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between echocardiographically determined
      left ventricular hypertrophy and mortality in patients with and without coronary
      artery disease. DESIGN: Cohort study with a mean follow-up period of 4 years.
      SETTING: An inner-city public hospital in Chicago. PATIENTS: A cohort of 785
      patients, most of whom were black and had hypertension. INTERVENTIONS: Coronary
      arteriography for presumed coronary artery disease and echocardiography. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURE: All-cause and cardiac mortality. RESULTS: Left ventricular
      hypertrophy, based on left ventricular mass corrected for body surface area, was
      present in 194 of 381 patients (51%) with coronary artery disease and in 162 of
      404 patients (40%) without coronary artery disease. Patients with left
      ventricular hypertrophy had worse survival than those without hypertrophy in both
      the group with coronary artery disease and the group without coronary artery
      disease. After adjustment was made for age at baseline, sex, and hypertension,
      the relative risk for death from any cause in patients with hypertrophy compared
      with patients without hypertrophy was 2.14 (95% CI, 1.24 to 3.68) among those
      with coronary artery disease and 4.14 (CI, 1.77 to 9.71) among those without
      coronary artery disease. CONCLUSIONS: Echocardiographically determined left
      ventricular hypertrophy is an important prognostic marker in patients with or
      without coronary artery disease. The effect of reversing ventricular hypertrophy
      in patients with and without coronary disease deserves further study.

PMID- 1416559
TI  - Hepatitis B in patients with HIV infection: relationship to AIDS and patient
      survival.

PMID- 1416560
TI  - The downsizing of internal medicine residency programs.
AB  - A variety of forces are converging to reduce the number of internal medicine
      residency positions offered in this country. This reduction, referred to as
      downsizing, has been proposed as the solution to several of the problems facing
      internal medicine. We examine the forces that underlie the current enthusiasm for
      downsizing; we consider the alternative strategies by which downsizing might be
      implemented; and we consider the implications of these alternatives on different
      groups of stakeholders. Although downsizing may represent a legitimate approach
      to real problems, any mechanism to reduce the number of training positions in
      internal medicine will have broad implications for medical education and patient
      care well into the next century. Special efforts must be taken to ensure that
      downsizing will not exacerbate the existing problem of overspecialization and
      limited access to care.

PMID- 1416561
TI  - Detection of renovascular hypertension. State of the art: 1992.
AB  - PURPOSE: To review recent advances in detecting renovascular hypertension. DATA
      SOURCES: Original English-language reports obtained through a MEDLINE search for
      the years 1987 to 1991. Also, a manual search through Index Medicus as well as
      bibliographies of original reports and selected review articles. STUDY SELECTION
      AND DATA EXTRACTION: Cited studies were critically reviewed with emphasis on
      study size, patient sample, methods, diagnostic criteria, and reproducibility of
      results. Where applicable, reviews that combined the results of smaller studies
      are cited. RESULTS: A sensitivity of 74% and a specificity of 89% have been
      reported for the captopril test and of 93% and 95%, respectively, for captopril
      scintigraphy with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA). The sensitivity and
      specificity of renal vein renin determination are 80% and 62%, respectively and
      may increase with the use of stricter technical criteria and maneuvers to
      stimulate renin secretion. These tests differentiate renovascular hypertension
      from essential hypertension more reliably than from asymmetric renal parenchymal
      disease; however, they do not reliably distinguish unilateral from bilateral
      stenosis. Other tests are less widely used. Intravenous pyelography (sensitivity,
      74.5%; specificity, 86.2%) has the disadvantages of radiation and dye load
      exposure. Intravenous angiography is expensive and invasive and does not always
      enable visualization of the origin of the renal artery. The roles of duplex
      ultrasound and magnetic resonance angiography remain to be clarified.
      CONCLUSIONS: Noninvasive tests are cost effective and have a high predictive
      value in patients with clinical clues suggestive of renovascular hypertension.
      These tests are not recommended for use in patients with a low likelihood of
      disease.

PMID- 1416562
TI  - The stress response and the regulation of inflammatory disease.
AB  - The molecular and biochemical bases for interactions between the immune and
      central nervous systems are described. Immune cytokines not only activate immune
      function but also recruit central stress-responsive neurotransmitter systems in
      the modulation of the immune response and in the activation of behaviors that may
      be adaptive during injury or inflammation. Peripherally generated cytokines, such
      as interleukin-1, signal hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)
      neurons to activate pituitary-adrenal counter-regulation of inflammation through
      the potent antiinflammatory effects of glucocorticoids. Corticotropin-releasing
      hormone not only activates the pituitary-adrenal axis but also sets in motion a
      coordinated series of behavioral and physiologic responses, suggesting that the
      central nervous system may coordinate both behavioral and immunologic adaptation
      during stressful situations. The pathophysiologic perturbation of this feedback
      loop, through various mechanisms, results in the development of inflammatory
      syndromes, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and behavioral syndromes, such as
      depression. Thus, diseases characterized by both inflammatory and emotional
      disturbances may derive from common alterations in specific central nervous
      system pathways (for example, the CRH system). In addition, disruptions of this
      communication by genetic, infectious, toxic, or pharmacologic means can influence
      the susceptibility to disorders associated with both behavioral and inflammatory
      components and potentially alter their natural history. These concepts suggest
      that neuropharmacologic agents that stimulate hypothalamic CRH might potentially
      be adjunctive therapy for illnesses traditionally viewed as inflammatory or
      autoimmune.

PMID- 1416563
TI  - Life care at Golden Acres.

PMID- 1416564
TI  - Genetic determination of susceptibility and severity in rheumatoid arthritis.

PMID- 1416565
TI  - Androgens, lipids, and cardiovascular risk.

PMID- 1416566
TI  - MRFIT, "MS FIT," and alcohol use.

PMID- 1416568
TI  - SI units and the Friedewald formula.

PMID- 1416567
TI  - Thrombosis in antithrombin-III deficiency.

PMID- 1416569
TI  - Watchful waiting and craniopharyngioma.

PMID- 1416570
TI  - Pancytopenia from using trimethoprim and methotrexate.

PMID- 1416571
TI  - Clinical evaluation for sinusitis. Making the diagnosis by history and physical
      examination.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To identify the most useful clinical examination findings for the
      diagnosis of acute and subacute sinusitis. DESIGN: Prospective comparison of
      clinical findings with radiographs. SETTING: General medicine clinics at a
      university-affiliated Veterans Affairs Medical Center. PATIENTS: Two hundred
      forty-seven consecutive adult men with rhinorrhea (51%), facial pain (22%) , or
      self-suspected sinusitis (27%) (median age, 50 years; median duration of
      symptoms, 11.5 days). MEASUREMENTS: Patients were examined by a principal
      investigator (86%) or by a staff general internist, internal medicine resident
      (postgraduate year 2 or 3), or physician assistant, all blinded to radiographic
      results. All examiners recorded the presence or absence of 16 historical items, 5
      physical examination items, and the clinical impression for sinusitis (high,
      intermediate, or low probability). The criterion standard was paranasal sinus
      radiographs (4 views), which were interpreted by radiologists blinded to clinical
      findings. RESULTS: Thirty-eight percent of patients meeting entrance criteria had
      sinusitis. Sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios were measured for
      clinical items. Logistic regression analysis showed five independent predictors
      of sinusitis: maxillary toothache (odds ratio, 2.9), transillumination (odds
      ratio, 2.7), poor response to nasal decongestants or antihistamines (odds ratio,
      2.4), colored nasal discharge reported by the patient (odds ratio, 2.2), or
      mucopurulence seen during examination (odds ratio, 2.9). THe overall clinical
      impression was more accurate than any single finding: high probability
      (likelihood ratio, 4.7, intermediate (likelihood ratio, 1.4), low probability
      (likelihood ratio, 0.4). CONCLUSIONS: General internists, focusing on five
      clinical findings and their overall clinical impression, can effectively stratify
      male patients with sinus symptoms as having a high, intermediate, or low
      probability of sinusitis.

PMID- 1416572
TI  - Octreotide treatment of acromegaly. A randomized, multicenter study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of the somatostatin analog, octreotide
      acetate, in patients with acromegaly. DESIGN: Double-blind, randomized trial.
      SETTING: Fourteen university-affiliated medical centers. PATIENTS: One hundred
      fifteen acromegalic patients, 70% of whom had persistent disease after pituitary
      surgery or radiotherapy. INTERVENTION: Subcutaneous octreotide, 100 micrograms,
      or placebo every 8 hours for 4 weeks. Four weeks after the end of treatment,
      patients were randomized to receive 100 or 250 micrograms octreotide
      subcutaneously every 8 hours for 6 months. RESULTS: After 2 weeks of treatment, a
      single 100-micrograms injection reduced mean serum growth hormone (GH) to 30% of
      the pretreatment concentration within 2 hours. The integrated mean GH level was
      reduced over 8 hours from 39 +/- 11 micrograms/L to 9 +/- 2 micrograms/L (P less
      than 0.001). Mean plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was reduced from
      5100 +/- 400 U/L to 2400 +/- 400 U/L (P less than 0.001). After 6 months, the
      mean GH was reduced from 39 +/- 13 to 15 +/- 4 micrograms/L by 300 micrograms of
      octreotide and from 29 +/- 5 micrograms/L to 9 +/- 2 micrograms/L by 750
      micrograms of octreotide daily. The mean IGF-1 concentration was suppressed to
      2100 +/- 300 and 2500 +/- 400 U/L after 300 and 750 micrograms octreotide,
      respectively. Integrated mean GH levels were reduced to < 5 micrograms/L in 53%
      (95% CI, 39% to 67%) and 49% (CI, 35% to 63%), and IGF-1 levels were normal in
      68% (CI, 54% to 82%) and 55% (CI, 40% to 70%) of patients receiving low- and high
      dose octreotide, respectively. A substantial decrease in headache, amount of
      perspiration, joint pain, and finger circumference occurred in two thirds of the
      patients. The pituitary size was reduced in 19% (CI, 5% to 33%) and 37% (CI, 22%
      to 52%) of patients receiving 6 months of low- and high-dose octreotide,
      respectively. Ten percent and 13% of patients in each treatment group developed
      transient diarrhea; 10% and 14%, biliary sludge; and 6% and 18%, cholelithiasis,
      respectively. CONCLUSION: Octreotide effectively decreased GH and IGF-1
      concentrations in 53% and 68% of patients, respectively. The higher dose resulted
      in increased frequency of tumor shrinkage but added no biochemical or clinical
      benefit.

PMID- 1416573
TI  - Rapid reduction of left ventricular hypertrophy in acromegaly after suppression
      of growth hormone hypersecretion.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the possible role of growth hormone as a pathogenetic
      factor in the development of myocardial hypertrophy in acromegaly. DESIGN: An
      uncontrolled clinical trial. SETTING: Tertiary-care medical center. PATIENTS:
      Sixteen patients with acromegaly were stratified into two groups: Group I (n =
      10) had left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), and group II (n = 6) did not have
      LVH. INTERVENTION: Therapy with octreotide acetate (SMS 201-995), a long-acting
      somatostatin analog (mean dose, 538 micrograms/d), was administered for 2 months.
      MEASUREMENTS: Plasma growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I)
      concentrations, hand volume, and echocardiographic left ventricular dimensions
      and mass were measured at baseline and at 1 week and 2 months after the start of
      therapy. RESULTS: Before octreotide therapy, both groups had similar hand volumes
      and similar growth hormone and IGF-I hypersecretion. Both groups showed a
      reduction in growth hormone at 2 months (mean reduction, 13.7 micrograms/L in
      patients with LVH [P < 0.01] and 14.1 micrograms/L in patients without LVH [P <
      0.05]). Plasma IGF-I was also decreased (mean reduction, 305 micrograms/L in
      patients with LVH [P < 0.01] and 304 micrograms/L in patients without LVH [P <
      0.05]). Reduction of growth hormone and IGF-I hypersecretion in patients with LVH
      was associated with a rapid decrease in left ventricular mass (339 g to 299 g, P
      < 0.01) within 1 week, which was sustained at 2 months (274 g, P < 0.04).
      Patients without LVH showed no statistical change in left ventricular mass. In
      patients with LVH, the decrease in left ventricular mass correlated with the
      octreotide-induced decrease in growth hormone (r = 0.79, P less than 0.05) but
      not with blood pressure. Blood pressure, left ventricular dimensions, and percent
      of fractional shortening were not altered by therapy in either group. Hand volume
      decreased in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Normalization of growth hormone secretion
      is associated with reduction of left ventricular mass in acromegalic patients
      with LVH within 1 week of initiating therapy with octreotide.

PMID- 1416574
TI  - Treatment of shigellosis: III. Comparison of one- or two-dose ciprofloxacin with
      standard 5-day therapy. A randomized, blinded trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a single dose, or 2 doses, of ciprofloxacin are
      as effective as 5-day, 10-dose therapy for the treatment of shigellosis in adult
      men who are moderately to severely ill. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind clinical
      trial. SETTING: A diarrhea treatment center in the capital city of a developing
      country, Bangladesh. PATIENTS: A total of 128 adult men with dysentery of less
      than 96 hours duration. All had Shigella organisms isolated from a culture of
      stool. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomly assigned to receive either a single
      1-gram dose of ciprofloxacin at admission to the study (single-dose group; n =
      40), a 1-gram dose of ciprofloxacin at admission and 24 hours later (2-dose
      group; n = 43), or 500 mg of ciprofloxacin every 12 hours for 5 days (10 dose
      group; n = 35). All patients were hospitalized for 6 days. MEASUREMENTS: Stools
      were collected individually; their character and consistency were recorded and
      cultured daily. A physical examination and recording of symptoms were done daily,
      and the temperature was measured every 4 hours. Therapy was considered to have
      failed in patients who did not have improvement in the signs and symptoms of
      dysentery after 72 hours of therapy or in patients who on study day 5 had more
      than nine stools, or more than two watery stools, or were febrile. RESULTS: There
      were no treatment failures in the 78 patients infected with species of Shigella
      other than Shigella dysenteriae type 1. Among the 40 patients infected with S.
      dysenteriae type 1, treatment failed in 4 of the 10 patients who received single
      dose therapy, 2 of the 15 patients who received 2-dose therapy, and none of the
      15 patients who received 10-dose therapy (P = 0.017, single-dose therapy group
      compared with 10-dose group; P = 0.15 for the single-dose group compared with the
      2-dose group; P > 0.2 for the 2-dose group compared with the 10-dose group).
      CONCLUSIONS: A single 1-gram dose of ciprofloxacin is effective therapy for
      patients infected with species of Shigella other than S. dysenteriae type 1.
      Single-dose therapy is inferior to 10-dose therapy for treating patients infected
      with S. dysenteriae type 1.

PMID- 1416575
TI  - Low accuracy of color Doppler ultrasound in the detection of proximal leg vein
      thrombosis in asymptomatic high-risk patients. The RD Heparin Arthroplasty Group.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the ability of color Doppler ultrasound to detect proximal
      deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in asymptomatic high-risk patients who subsequently
      underwent contrast venography. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study using blinded
      observers, with contrast venography as the comparison standard. SETTING: Seven
      medical centers (university and community hospitals) participating in a clinical
      trial of low-molecular-weight heparin for prevention of DVT. PATIENTS: A total of
      385 consecutive patients undergoing elective unilateral hip or knee replacement.
      MEASUREMENTS: Ten days after surgery or before hospital discharge (whichever
      occurred first), patients had bilateral color Doppler ultrasound examinations of
      the proximal veins of the lower extremities. Subsequently, a contrast venogram of
      the operated leg was obtained. RESULTS: Color Doppler ultrasound studies and
      venograms were both evaluable in 319 of the 385 patients. Deep venous thrombosis
      was identified by contrast venography in 80 patients (prevalence, 25%; 95% CI,
      20% to 30%) and involved the proximal veins in 21 patients (prevalence, 7%; CI,
      4% to 10%). For proximal DVT, color Doppler ultrasound showed poor sensitivity
      (38%; CI, 18% to 62%), moderately good specificity (92%; CI, 89% to 95%), and a
      poor positive predictive value for this population (26%). CONCLUSION: Color
      Doppler ultrasound examinations are insensitive to proximal DVT in asymptomatic
      high-risk patients and should not be substituted for venography for identifying
      proximal DVT in such patients.

PMID- 1416576
TI  - Recombinant human erythropoietin in the treatment of anemia associated with human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and zidovudine therapy. Overview of four
      clinical trials.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) on
      anemia in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) who are
      receiving zidovudine therapy. DESIGN: Combined analysis of four 12-week,
      randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trials. SETTING: Multiple centers
      in the United States. PATIENTS: Two hundred and ninety-seven anemic (hematocrit <
      30%) patients with AIDS who were receiving zidovudine therapy. Of the 297
      patients, 255 were evaluable for efficacy, but all patients were included in
      analysis of safety. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomly assigned to receive
      either r-HuEPO (100 to 200 U/kg body weight) or placebo, intravenously or
      subcutaneously, three times per week for up to 12 weeks. MEASUREMENTS: Changes in
      mean hematocrit, transfusion requirement, and quality of life. RESULTS: Sixty
      nine percent of patients had endogenous serum erythropoietin levels less than or
      equal to 500 IU/L, and 31% had erythropoietin levels greater than 500 IU/L. In
      patients with low erythropoietin levels (< or equal to 500 IU/l), r-HuEPO therapy
      decreased the mean number of units of blood transfused per patient when compared
      with placebo (3.2 units and 5.3 units, respectively; P = 0.003) and increased the
      mean hematocrit from the baseline level (4.6 percentage points and 0.5 percentage
      points, respectively; P <0.001). Overall quality of life improved in patients on
      r-HuEPO therapy (P = 0.13). Patients with erythropoietin levels greater than 500
      IU/L showed no benefit from r-HuEPO in any outcome variable. Placebo and r-HuEPO
      recipients did not differ in the incidence of adverse effects or opportunistic
      infections. CONCLUSION: Therapy with r-HuEPO can increase the mean hematocrit and
      decrease the mean transfusion requirement in anemic patients with AIDS who are
      receiving zidovudine and have endogenous low erythropoietin levels (< or equal to
      500 IU/L). Such therapy is of no apparent benefit in patients whose endogenous
      erythropoietin levels are higher than 500 IU/L.

PMID- 1416577
TI  - Shoulder girdle lipomatosis.

PMID- 1416578
TI  - Assessing housestaff diagnostic skills using a cardiology patient simulator.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the cardiovascular physical examination skills of internal
      medicine housestaff. DESIGN: Cross-sectional assessment of housestaff performance
      on three valvular abnormality simulations conducted on the cardiology patient
      simulator, "Harvey." Evaluations were done at the beginning (session I) and end
      (session II) of the academic year. SETTING: Duke University Medical Center
      internal medicine training program. SUBJECTS: Sixty-three (59%) of 107 eligible
      internal medicine housestaff (postgraduate years 1 through 3) agreed to
      participate and completed session I; 60 (95%) completed session II. MEASUREMENTS:
      All volunteers were tested on three preprogrammed simulations (mitral
      regurgitation, mitral stenosis, and aortic regurgitation). RESULTS: The overall
      correct response rates for all housestaff were 52% for mitral regurgitation, 37%
      for mitral stenosis, and 54% for aortic regurgitation. No difference was noted in
      correct response rates between sessions I and II. For mitral regurgitation,
      correct assessment of the contour of the holosystolic murmur predicted a correct
      diagnosis (P = 0.002). For mitral stenosis, identification of an opening snap and
      proper characterization of the mitral area diastolic murmur predicted a correct
      diagnosis (P < 0.0001). No individual observations were noted for the aortic
      regurgitation simulation, whose identification by the housestaff was associated
      with a correct diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Housestaff had difficulty establishing a
      correct diagnosis for simulations of three common valvular heart diseases.
      Accurate recognition of a few "key" observations was associated with a correct
      diagnosis in two of the three diseases. Teaching housestaff to elicit and
      interpret a few critical signs accurately may improve their physical diagnosis
      abilities.

PMID- 1416579
TI  - Carcinoma of the male breast.
AB  - The natural history and current management of carcinoma of the breast in men is
      reviewed. Articles published from 1942 to 1992 on the natural history, clinical
      manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of carcinoma of the breast in men were
      identified using CANCERLINE and MEDLINE. Carcinoma of the breast affects
      approximately 1000 men per year in the United States; 300 men per year will die
      of metastatic disease. The mean age at diagnosis is 59 years. The causes of
      breast cancer in men are unknown. The most common clinical manifestation of
      breast cancer in men is a painless, firm subareolar mass or a mass in the upper
      outer quadrant of the breast. Diagnosis can be confirmed by fine-needle
      aspiration or surgical biopsy. Infiltrating ductal carcinoma is the predominant
      histologic type. Treatment is similar to that of women with breast cancer. Men
      with axillary nodal metastasis should receive adjuvant systemic combination
      chemotherapy or tamoxifen, or both, after primary surgical treatment. Because
      most men with carcinoma of the breast have estrogen- and progesterone-receptor
      positive tumors, distant metastatic disease should be treated initially with
      hormonal therapies. The epidemiology, prognostic factors, survival by stage,
      pattern of metastasis, and response to treatment in men are similar to those in
      women with breast carcinoma. The data suggest, however, that breast cancers in
      men are more likely to respond to hormonal manipulation.

PMID- 1416580
TI  - General internal medicine and general internists: recognizing a national need.
      Federated Council for Internal Medicine.
AB  - The Federated Council for Internal Medicine (FCIM) comprises the American Board
      of Internal Medicine, American College of Physicians, American Society of
      Internal Medicine, Association of Professors of Medicine, Association of Program
      Directors in Internal Medicine, and the Society of General Internal Medicine. The
      Council was established in 1975 to speak with a collective voice for the
      specialty of internal medicine. In 1992, the Council developed the following
      statement in conjunction with its endorsement of a target of 50% of internal
      medicine residency graduates entering the practice of general internal medicine.

PMID- 1416581
TI  - Intuition of a clinical sort.

PMID- 1416582
TI  - Has medicine outgrown physical diagnosis?

PMID- 1416583
TI  - Medical malpractice: folklore, facts, and the future.

PMID- 1416584
TI  - HIV transmission in a dental practice.

PMID- 1416585
TI  - HIV transmission in a dental practice.

PMID- 1416586
TI  - HIV transmission in a dental practice.

PMID- 1416587
TI  - HIV transmission in a dental practice.

PMID- 1416588
TI  - Intracerebral bacillary angiomatosis in HIV.

PMID- 1416589
TI  - Posey palsy.

PMID- 1416590
TI  - Colchicine and secondary amyloidosis.

PMID- 1416591
TI  - Genetics and tuberculosis resistance.

PMID- 1416592
TI  - Genetics and tuberculosis resistance.

PMID- 1416593
TI  - Coping with HIV infection: why people delay care.

PMID- 1416594
TI  - The hassle factor.

PMID- 1416595
TI  - Comportment and health care reform.

PMID- 1416596
TI  - Beneficial effects of reduced oxygen tension and perfusion in long-term
      hematopoietic cultures.
AB  - Growth of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells found in the MNC fraction of
      human cord blood was evaluated under atmospheres containing reduced (5%) and
      normal (20%) oxygen tension. Reduced oxygen tension increased total cell numbers
      by as much as 5-fold in cord blood suspension cultures, but this effect was less
      pronounced in cultures containing an irradiated bone marrow stromal cell layer.
      However, reduced oxygen tension resulted in a substantial increase in both the
      number and frequency of colony-forming cells observed in both types of LTHC
      studied. Under low oxygen, CFU-C progenitor cell numbers were as much as 10-fold
      higher. Finally, reduced oxygen tension slowed the rate of irradiated stromal
      layer degeneration, as judged by cell counts and microscopic examination. These
      results indicate that low oxygen, which better approximates the in vivo
      environment, enhances the growth and maintenance of human stromal and progenitor
      cells in vitro. These low oxygen findings were then applied to a murine model
      LTHC perfusion system. In this system, irradiated 3T3 stromal layer integrity was
      improved under low oxygen and was substantially further improved with continuous
      medium perfusion. Cell counts and flow cytometry analysis indicated that the
      total cell production and the production of immature cells from murine bone
      marrow MNC on irradiated 3T3 cells were significantly enhanced under low oxygen
      with perfusion. After three weeks of culture, a 24-fold higher number of Thy1.2lo
      F4/80- MAC1- cells (indicative of murine stem and progenitor cells) was observed
      in the perfusion system as compared with static culture under ambient oxygen.

PMID- 1416597
TI  - Modulation of glutathione level in CHO cells. Effects of oxygen concentration and
      prior exposure to hypoxia.
AB  - A microtiter-plate assay has been developed for total intracellular glutathione
      that facilitates multiple-sample analysis and reduces the amount of time and
      chemicals required. Sonication time, pH, and storage conditions were identified
      as key parameters that affect the accuracy of the assay. Using this assay, it was
      found that CHO cells increase their glutathione level under higher oxygen
      tension. This adaptive response suggests that a rise in glutathione may be used
      as an indicator of oxidative stress. Based on this criterion, it was found that
      hypoxic and anoxic cells are sensitized to reoxygenation. This sensitization
      could not be attributed to a drop in glutathione during low oxygen exposure
      because the glutathione content reached a basal level at a PO2 of about 40 torr.

PMID- 1416598
TI  - Optimization of a roller bottle process for the production of recombinant
      erythropoietin.

PMID- 1416599
TI  - Polystyrene macroporous bead support for mammalian cell culture.

PMID- 1416600
TI  - Monoclonal antibody production using the porous glass bead immobilization
      technique. Serum-free perfusion.

PMID- 1416601
TI  - A single-cell model for CHO cells.

PMID- 1416602
TI  - Analysis of rate-limiting reactions in cephalosporin biosynthesis.

PMID- 1416603
TI  - Approaches to understanding and manipulating the biosynthetic potential of plant
      roots.

PMID- 1416604
TI  - Cell-bubble interactions. Mechanisms of suspended cell damage.

PMID- 1416605
TI  - Carbohydrate metabolism in insect cell cultures during cell growth and
      recombinant protein production.

PMID- 1416606
TI  - Hepatic tissue engineering. Development of critical technologies.

PMID- 1416607
TI  - Surface-grafted cell-binding peptides in tissue engineering of the vascular
      graft.

PMID- 1416608
TI  - Three-dimensional cell cultures mimic tissues.
AB  - Three-dimensional cell culture using gels of type I collagen is a flexible method
      for studying cell behavior in a tissuelike environment. With only small changes
      in the basic protocol, we were able to encapsulate neutrophils, hepatocytes, and
      PC12 cells. As demonstrated by cell-specific assays for migration, protein
      secretion, and growth factor induction, the encapsulated cells were viable and
      functional. In future studies, we will focus on using these cell cultures to
      study cell movement, cell growth, and cell function in carefully controlled
      tissuelike environments.

PMID- 1416609
TI  - Dynamic metabolic control theory. A methodology for investigating metabolic
      regulation using transient metabolic data.
AB  - The purposes of the dynamic metabolic control theory are to provide a theoretical
      basis for estimating the control coefficients using the transient metabolic
      responses and to gain insights into the metabolic regulation in the transient
      states. The numerical application of this theory is relatively straightforward:
      it involves a standard linear regression and a matrix multiplication. Although
      the equations are exact only for linear kinetics, they yield relatively good
      estimates of the control coefficients for nonlinear systems.

PMID- 1416610
TI  - A continuous perfusion bioreactor for long-term bone marrow culture.

PMID- 1416611
TI  - Use of magnetic resonance imaging to analyze the performance of hollow-fiber
      bioreactors.
AB  - Preliminary experiments were described that demonstrate that MRI is an effective
      tool for the noninvasive study of hollow-fiber bioreactors. Flow-compensated
      velocity-encoding pulse sequences were successively applied to analyze the
      velocity patterns in a module operated without cells, with an artificially
      induced flow field perturbation. Diffusion damping pulse sequences were also used
      to spatially resolve regions of cell growth in a bioreactor. These experiments
      provide the necessary basis from which future flow and spectroscopic studies can
      be conducted.

PMID- 1416612
TI  - Degradation of secreted proteins in Escherichia coli.

PMID- 1416613
TI  - Adaptive control strategy for maintaining dissolved oxygen concentration in high
      density growth of recombinant E. coli.

PMID- 1416614
TI  - An FDA perspective of manufacturing changes for products in human use.

PMID- 1416615
TI  - Alternative strategies to the scaleup of animal cells.
AB  - The use of porous microcarriers has given manufacturers the option of having a
      high cell density/medium volume (10-100 L)/high specific productivity/long-term
      process. The advantages of the system are listed in Table 7 and many of the
      criteria listed in Table 1 are met. The question of being able to license
      products from continuous processes has been addressed and guidelines are being
      prepared. Methods are available to compare the master and end-of-process
      (extended) cell banks to ensure that no change has occurred to the cell or
      product. Rigid attention to process definition and validation, as well as to the
      definition of production lots, overcomes many of the other reservations. In
      conclusion, the method has been demonstrated as technically feasible,
      economically advantageous, and licensable and the many advantages of a high
      density perfusion process (listed in Table 8) make porous microcarrier technology
      an ideal scaleup process because it is a simple, reliable, and scalable system.

PMID- 1416616
TI  - The importance of cell physiology to the performance of animal cell bioreactors.
AB  - This report has pointed out the following: (1) the new animal cell products that
      will be produced commercially will have large dollar markets and will, together
      with cost containment and competitive pressures, place a greater emphasis on the
      reduction of the cost of production through the selection of appropriate culture
      technology; (2) the benefits to be gained by working with basic biological
      processes in animal cell culture that will increase cell density, cell
      productivity, and product quality; (3) the need to work with reactor technologies
      that can affect the basic biology of the cell in these positive ways; (4) it
      appears worthwhile to explore immobilized, high cell density culture technologies
      as a possible means to achieve the objectives by affecting the basic regulation
      of the cell through fundamental cell/cell environment biological processes.

PMID- 1416617
TI  - Vector construction, transformation, and gene amplification in Clostridium
      acetobutylicum ATCC 824.
AB  - In order to alter the primary metabolism of C. acetobutylicum, we have
      constructed E. coli- or B. subtilis-C. acetobutylicum shuttle vectors that could
      be used to deliver homologous fermentative genes into C. acetobutylicum ATCC 824.
      The plasmid copy number and plasmid stability in C. acetobutylicum for several of
      these plasmids were determined. We have also developed a protocol for the
      electrotransformation of C. acetobutylicum ATCC 824. Difficulty in the
      transformation of C. acetobutylicum ATCC 824 with vectors containing DNA from E.
      coli plasmids was found to be due to the existence of a restriction system in
      this strain. This type II restriction endonuclease, named Cac824I, recognizes the
      sequence 5'-GCNGC-3' and cuts ColE1 plasmids frequently. One of the vectors,
      pFNK1, possessing a variety of unique cloning sites was used in the amplification
      of one acid (PTB) and one solvent (AADC) formation gene. The corresponding enzyme
      activities were amplified in C. acetobutylicum as shown by enzyme assays and SDS
      PAGE gels of cell extracts.

PMID- 1416618
TI  - Production of biologically active human protein C in the milk of transgenic mice.

PMID- 1416619
TI  - Bioremediation. A challenging application of biochemical engineering principles.

PMID- 1416620
TI  - Kinetics of the cell cycle of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PMID- 1416621
TI  - Perfusion cultures of hybridoma cells for monoclonal antibody production.

PMID- 1416622
TI  - Development and scaleup of controlled secretion processes for improved product
      recovery in animal cell culture.

PMID- 1416623
TI  - Regulation of genetic expression in shear stress-stimulated endothelial cells.
AB  - There is increasing evidence that endothelial cells respond to the initiation of
      mechanical stress by the generation of certain second messengers and the
      activation of specific metabolic pathways. These rapid alterations in cellular
      function are accompanied by alterations in protein synthesis that are detectable
      several hours after initiation of the mechanical stress. The molecular mechanisms
      by which changes in the cytosol are converted to altered genetic expression in
      the nucleus are not known. Because agonist-induced modulations in the rate of
      synthesis of tPA and ET have been associated with the Fos and Jun protein
      families, it seems reasonable to propose that genetic expression in shear stress-
      or mechanical strain-stimulated endothelial cells is also regulated by selective
      induction of fos and jun gene products. Testing of this hypothesis is actively
      under way in our laboratory.

PMID- 1416624
TI  - Complete but transient visual loss after yttrium aluminum garnet laser
      transscleral cyclocoagulation.
AB  - We report the case of a patient who had no light perception after
      neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser transscleral cyclocoagulation.
      To the best of our knowledge, no similar cases have been reported previously. A
      56-year-old man with intractable open-angle glaucoma had intraocular pressures of
      42 mmHg OD and 35mmHg OS. The patient rejected a recommended filtering operation,
      although argon laser trabeculoplasty and maximal medication had been ineffective
      OU. We used the free-running mode of an Nd:YAG laser to treat this patient. After
      the tenth application, the patient suddenly noticed acute visual loss OD. He was
      admitted to the hospital immediately. His retinal vessels and papilla OD could
      not be seen during fluorescein angiography. We administered pulsed
      corticosteroids and a stellate ganglion block. Gradually, his symptoms improved.
      The indications for using Nd:YAG laser cyclocoagulation have been expanded.
      However, as a result of our experience in this patient, we concluded that such
      therapy should be limited to cases not amenable to other forms of medical and
      surgical treatment.

PMID- 1416625
TI  - Silicone oil-induced corneal hydrops?
AB  - A 27-year-old man with a personality disorder, who did not have keratoconus
      previously, recently presented with a clinical picture resembling acute corneal
      hydrops OS three years after silicone oil injection for a complicated retinal
      detachment. Although self-induced trauma could not be excluded completely, this
      case might represent a newly described late corneal complication of intracameral
      silicone oil.

PMID- 1416626
TI  - Retinoblastoma, microphthalmia, coloboma, and neuroepithelioma of the pineal
      body.
AB  - A one-month-old infant boy was examined early in life because his mother had
      bilateral retinoblastoma and his father had bilateral microphthalmia. The
      ophthalmologist found his right eye was normal size with a coloboma of the iris,
      choroid, and retina. The left eye was microphthalmic with a coloboma of the uveal
      tract and retina. A vascularized fluffy white mass in the posterior pole was
      diagnosed clinically as a retinoblastoma. The tumor regressed with radiation.
      When the patient was four years of age, a large tumor was found in the region of
      the pineal recess, causing hydrocephalus and seizures. A biopsy showed an
      undifferentiated malignant neuroepithelial neoplasm. The patient died within
      three months of diffuse central nervous system tumor. The unusual findings of a
      retinoblastoma in a microphthalmic eye with bilateral colobomas and a
      neuroepithelial neoplasm of the pineal gland are discussed.

PMID- 1416627
TI  - Leukemic infiltrate versus anterior uveitis.
AB  - Anterior segment leukemic infiltrate (ASLI) is rare; it is found in 0.5% to 2.5%
      of all leukemic relapses. Its clinical manifestations, at times, are similar to
      those of anterior uveitis (AU). We report the cases of three patients, all of
      whom had ASLI as their primary manifestation of relapse. We observed some major
      clinical differences between ASLI and AU that may help differentiate these two
      conditions without using anterior chamber paracentesis and/or iris biopsy. The
      development of resistance to leukemic therapy is the major factor in treatment
      failure.

PMID- 1416628
TI  - Radial keratotomy: improved predictability.

PMID- 1416629
TI  - New high-index visolett magnifier.
AB  - The high-index Visolett magnifier (index, 1.806) is an optically designed glass
      paperweight magnifier. It magnifies 2.49x, is 32mm in diameter, nonfocusable, and
      rests on paper. All Visoletts commercially available are made of crown glass
      (index, 1.523). The 32mm high-index Visolett has become commercially available
      recently. The use of high-index material increases the image size by 39%.

PMID- 1416630
TI  - Toxicity of methyl methacrylate monomer in orbital and cranial surgery.
AB  - Methyl methacrylate (plastic bone cement) can be prepared by mixing a vial of
      liquid monomer with a powder. The monomer can release a toxic vapor. We measured
      the exposure of operating room personnel to this toxic substance. We believe that
      an awareness of the potential toxicity of the monomer is important and that
      devices to limit its exposure to personnel should be used in operating rooms.

PMID- 1416631
TI  - X-linked pathologic myopia.
AB  - We examined a patient with decreased visual acuity and macular changes
      attributable to pathologic myopia. Thirteen additional family members were
      examined, and historic information was obtained on their relatives. A pedigree
      spanning six generations was constructed that demonstrated an X-linked mode of
      inheritance. This finding has important genetic and therapeutic implications for
      similarly affected patients.

PMID- 1416632
TI  - Orbital cellulitis and cavernous sinus thrombosis after cataract extraction and
      lens implantation.
AB  - Orbital cellulitis as a complication of ophthalmic surgery is uncommon. We
      treated a patient who had orbital cellulitis and cavernous sinus thrombosis three
      weeks after uncomplicated cataract extraction and lens implantation. Sinus x-rays
      showed sphenoid sinus opacification. Computed tomographic scan confirmed the
      sphenoid sinus disease, and no abscess was found. The patient recovered
      completely after treatment with intravenous antibiotics. Most orbital cellulitis
      is secondary to sinus disease. The trauma of surgery and the retrobulbar block
      must be considered possible causative factors in this patient, but sinus disease
      is still the most likely cause. Intraocular inflammation did not increase during
      the illness although the intraocular pressure rose from 14 to 23mmHg.

PMID- 1416633
TI  - Intraoperative laryngeal electromyographic assessment of patients with immobile
      vocal fold.
AB  - The differential diagnosis of laryngeal ankylosis versus paralysis is
      occasionally difficult in patients with immobile vocal folds. Eight patients with
      acute and chronic evidence of vocal fold immobility were investigated by
      intraoperative electromyography (IEMG) during planned microlaryngoscopy. Bipolar
      hook wire electrodes were inserted into the thyroarytenoid muscle, of which the
      electrical activity was monitored during neuromotor blockade and emergence from
      anesthesia. The normal side and the side with ankylosis or stenosis showed normal
      IEMG activity. There was progressive recruitment of larger motor units during
      recovery from muscle relaxation. Patients with laryngeal paralysis failed to show
      such recruitment patterns. Thus, IEMG can be used as a diagnostic tool during
      operative laryngoscopy to differentiate neuromotor injury from anatomic causes of
      vocal fold immobility. The advantages of IEMG are its ease of application and
      certainty of electrode position. It can also be used to monitor recurrent nerve
      integrity and detect early laryngospasm. Further IEMG clinical study is
      warranted.

PMID- 1416634
TI  - Experimental tracheal replacement using a revascularized jejunal autograft with
      an implantable Dacron mesh tube.
AB  - Defects comprising more than 50% of the trachea cannot be reliably reconstructed
      by any current technique or prosthesis. A composite tracheal replacement implant
      consisting of a Dacron-urethane mesh tube and revascularized jejunal autograft
      was applied to this problem. This composite implant was used to replace 7 to 10
      cm of trachea in eight dogs. The implant was sewn to the outside (serosal
      surface) of the jejunum to provide permanent structural support to the autograft,
      and an intraluminal silicone tube was placed inside the jejunal segment and left
      for 4 weeks following reconstruction. Six of eight animals survived the
      predetermined time periods and were killed painlessly in groups of two animals at
      1, 2, and 6 months after removal of the intraluminal silicone tube. Postoperative
      intubation, ventilation, or tracheostomy was not necessary. Excessive secretions
      were not seen in any of the animals, and a fair to good performance status was
      maintained until death in all but one animal. Histologic examination revealed
      slight thinning of the jejunal mucosa, with no change in the jejunal muscularis.
      These data suggest that with further refinement this composite implant may be a
      viable reconstructive option in humans.

PMID- 1416635
TI  - Subglottic ulceration and healing following endotracheal intubation in the
      neonate: a morphometric study.
AB  - In neonates, acquired subglottic stenosis is the most serious long-term
      complication of endotracheal intubation and is due primarily to posttraumatic
      fibrosis of the infant larynx. We have examined 78 larynges, 75 of which were
      intubated, from infants ranging in gestation from 22 to 40 weeks, and who
      survived from a few hours to up to 300 days. Each larynx was morphometrically
      assessed for the extent of acute injury, indicated by the percentage of
      epithelial loss, and healing, indicated by the percentage of a subglottic ulcer
      covered by metaplastic squamous epithelium. Results show that acute injury is
      almost invariable, and up to 100% of the subglottic epithelium may be lost within
      a few hours of intubation, but that progression of injury is relatively short
      lived. Ulcer healing starts after a few days, rapidly progresses from day 10, and
      in the majority of cases is complete after 30 days. This study suggests that long
      standing acute injury in the subglottis is the exception rather than the rule,
      even with the endotracheal tube remaining in place.

PMID- 1416636
TI  - Causes of facial nerve paresis after translabyrinthine surgery for acoustic
      neuroma.
AB  - Forty-six consecutive video-recorded translabyrinthine operations at Gentofte
      Hospital, for tumors of 5 to 25 mm, were investigated for possible damage to the
      facial nerve from cauterization, suction, stretching, pushing, and other
      instrumental trauma at the following regions: fundus, internal meatus, porus,
      cerebellopontine angle, and brain stem. House-Brackmann grading of the
      postoperative facial nerve function was determined from the patient records for
      the 1st, 3rd, and 10th days and 3 months and 6 months postoperatively, as well as
      the final status. Suction on the nerve seems to be the most important factor for
      perioperative facial nerve damage. The most common site of damage was the porus
      region. This investigation shows thermic drilling lesions to be very relevant.
      There was no correlation between the degree and character of damage and the
      postoperative facial nerve function. In eight patients we cannot explain the
      postoperative facial palsy.

PMID- 1416637
TI  - Recovery from repeated sudden hearing loss with corticosteroid use in the
      presence of an acoustic neuroma.
AB  - Sensorineural hearing loss of sudden onset may be the presenting symptom in up to
      14% of patients with acoustic neuroma. We present the first reported case of
      sudden hearing loss in an only hearing ear with recovery to normal levels after
      steroid therapy on four separate occasions. Evaluation revealed a 1.5-cm acoustic
      neuroma. After middle cranial fossa decompression, a fifth episode with recovery
      after steroid use was documented. A review of the recent literature is presented,
      emphasizing the possible causation of sudden sensorineural hearing loss with
      recovery to normal in patients with acoustic neuroma. Modalities of therapy for
      the dilemma of the acoustic neuroma in an only hearing ear are discussed,
      including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. An aggressive approach to the
      evaluation of the cause of sudden hearing loss is suggested.

PMID- 1416638
TI  - Single motor unit activity of human intrinsic laryngeal muscles during
      respiration.
AB  - Individual motor units in the thyroarytenoid (TA) and cricothyroid (CT) muscles
      were studied in 10 normal human volunteers during quiet respiration. Both tonic
      and phasic firing patterns were found in both TA and CT units. The rate of firing
      was higher during inhalation than during exhalation in phasic TA units and in
      tonic CT units. Tonically active units had a higher firing frequency than
      phasically active units in both TA and CT muscles. Phasically active units
      corresponded with the respiratory cycle, with firing associated with inhalation
      in both the TA and CT muscles. A variety of firing patterns were found between
      units in both the TA and CT muscles, and in one subject, units recorded from the
      same muscle had very different firing patterns. The results suggest that although
      laryngeal motoneurons are modulated by the respiratory cycle, they do not respond
      uniformly to respiration.

PMID- 1416639
TI  - Histopathology of tubotympanum of children with otitis media treated with
      ventilation tubes.
AB  - We studied histopathologically the middle ear (ME) and eustachian tube (ET) in 12
      temporal bones from eight children who had had otitis media with effusion that
      had been treated with ventilation tubes (VTs) for 3 weeks to 11 months. In the
      ME, 1) only a minimal amount of effusion was seen in most of the ears treated for
      3 months or longer, 2) the severity of submucosal inflammation almost paralleled
      the amount of effusion, 3) the amount of granulation tissue on the tympanic
      membrane at the site of VT insertion also seemed to parallel the degree of ME
      inflammation, and 4) epidermal ingrowth was seen in both of the two ears treated
      with VTs for 10 and 11 months. Pathologic findings in the ET were generally more
      severe than those in the ME, but tended to decrease with longer VT therapy. In
      two ears with VTs obstructed by inflammatory granulomatous tissue, the entire ME
      cavity was filled with effusion, and dense effusion plugged the bony portion of
      the ET. The results of this study indicate that 3 to 11 months of treatment with
      a VT is effective for reversing the ME effusion and for reducing inflammation in
      the ME. Some inflammation may be left in the ET, however, even with 11 months of
      VT therapy, and epithelial ingrowth should be watched for when VT therapy lasts
      10 months or longer. Despite the fact that most of our temporal bones were from
      infants and children who had a variety of systemic diseases or disorders and in
      whom their terminal event might have contributed to our findings, we consider
      these temporal bones to be informative.

PMID- 1416640
TI  - Immunologic response of adenoidal lymphocytes to respiratory syncytial virus.
AB  - Adenoidal lymphocytes obtained from 43 subjects with serum antibodies to
      respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were established in culture in vitro and
      analyzed for immunoglobulin (Ig) and RSV-specific antibody synthesis. Spontaneous
      synthesis of Ig was consistently observed in culture supernatants. The ratios of
      IgA to IgG and IgM to IgG in adenoidal lymphocyte culture supernatant were higher
      than in serum. In cell cultures stimulated with RSV or pokeweed mitogen, RSV
      antibody activity was detected in 25 of 43 (58.1%) for IgG, 5 of 43 (11.6%) for
      IgA, and 4 of 43 (9.3%) for IgM. Also, RSV-specific IgG was detected in some
      supernatants from unstimulated cultures. In seven cases the cultures of
      autologous tonsillar lymphocytes were also investigated. Autologous organs
      exhibited similar polyclonal Ig production and RSV-specific antibody synthesis.
      These observations demonstrate that both adenoids and palatine tonsils are
      continuously engaged in synthesis of local antibodies to viral pathogens
      available to the nasopharynx and respiratory mucosa.

PMID- 1416641
TI  - Radiographic analysis of deep cervical abscesses.
AB  - Correlation of the radiographic examination and the clinical evaluation of deep
      cervical abscesses contributes to the surgical program for exposure and drainage.
      The deep cervical spaces are analyzed with reference to local anatomy, sources of
      infection, potential for lateral and vertical extension, and identification of
      regional expansion by standard and computed tomography. Guidelines and
      recommendations are proposed for clinical application and supported by
      illustrative cases.

PMID- 1416643
TI  - Aerobic bacteriology of chronic suppurative otitis media without cholesteatoma in
      children.
AB  - Medical management of chronic suppurative otitis media without cholesteatoma in
      children was shown recently to be efficacious. We undertook a prospective study
      in order to determine 1) the organisms associated with the disease and their
      sensitivity to various antibiotics and 2) their association with clinical
      variables. Pseudomonas was isolated from 84% of the patients, enteric gram
      negative bacilli from 32%, Staphylococcus aureus from 20%, streptococci from 14%,
      and Hemophilus influenzae from 15%. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the sole isolate
      in 48 of the 128 patients (38%). The sensitivity of P aeruginosa (78 isolates)
      was 100% (of isolates) to mezlocillin and ciprofloxacin, 99% to tobramycin and
      ceftazidime, 97% to piperacillin, 94% to gentamicin, and 78% to ceftriaxone. The
      isolated organisms and their sensitivity to antibiotics were not associated with
      age, sex, duration of otorrhea, or the presence of granulation tissue or polyps.
      We believe that our data may contribute to the appropriate choice of antibiotics
      when nonsurgical management of chronic suppurative otitis media without
      cholesteatoma is considered.

PMID- 1416642
TI  - Junctional epidermolysis bullosa of the larynx. Report of a case and literature
      review.
AB  - Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of rare inherited disorders in which minor
      trauma causes blister formation in the skin and mucosa, including the esophagus.
      Morbidity varies with the type of disease and ranges from occasional trivial skin
      blisters to death in infancy. Laryngeal involvement presenting as hoarseness and
      respiratory distress has been reported in nine patients, five of whom had
      junctional EB. We present the sixth case of junctional EB with laryngeal
      involvement, and offer guidelines for otolaryngologists and anesthesiologists
      caring for these fragile patients.

PMID- 1416645
TI  - Rhinoscleroma and rhinosporidiosis.
AB  - For North American otolaryngologists, rhinoscleroma and rhinosporidiosis are
      moving more into the differential diagnosis of chronic inflammatory diseases of
      the upper airway, particularly the nasal cavity. This change is occasioned by the
      influx of immigrants from parts of the world to which the diseases are endemic.
      Diagnosis is established by identification of the causal organisms, the readily
      seen Rhinosporidium seeberi for rhinosporidiosis and the more elusive Klebsiella
      rhinoscleromatis for rhinoscleroma.

PMID- 1416644
TI  - Double aortic arch.
AB  - In conclusion, the diagnosis of DAA should be suspected in an infant with either
      biphasic stridor or feeding-related respiratory distress. Radiographic studies
      combined with appropriate thorough endoscopic evaluation should confirm clinical
      suspicion. Thoracotomy with surgical division of the DAA has given excellent long
      term results.

PMID- 1416646
TI  - Inhibition of nasopharyngeal colonization of Hemophilus influenzae by oral
      immunization.
AB  - Nontypeable Hemophilus influenzae organisms were inoculated into the nasopharynx
      of BALB/c mice immunized by oral administration of formalin-killed bacteria.
      Salivary antibodies and the colonization of H influenzae in the nasopharynx were
      investigated in order to clarify the effect of oral immunization. Salivary
      immunoglobulin A antibody titers against H influenzae were significantly
      increased by oral immunization, but salivary immunoglobulin G antibody titers
      were not. The bacteria inoculated into the nasopharynx were more rapidly
      eliminated in immunized mice than in control mice. The results suggest that oral
      immunization might be useful in preventing otitis media with effusion by
      inhibiting the colonization of the nasopharynx by pathogenic bacteria.

PMID- 1416647
TI  - Erythromycin inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated tumor necrosis factor
      alpha production by human monocytes in vitro.
AB  - The mechanism of clinical effectiveness of low-dose and long-term erythromycin
      (EM) treatment for diffuse panbronchiolitis, sinobronchial syndrome, and
      associated otitis media with effusion was investigated by studying the effects of
      EM on tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) production by cultured human
      monocytes stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. At concentrations of 0.1
      microgram/mL or more, EM inhibited TNF-alpha release from human monocytes
      stimulated by lipopolysaccharide in a dose-dependent manner. Of the other
      macrolides tested, roxithromycin, an EM derivative, also showed significant
      inhibition of TNF-alpha production, whereas josamycin failed to inhibit TNF-alpha
      release from monocytes. Nonmacrolidic drugs such as minocycline hydrochloride,
      ofloxacin, or penicillin G had no significant effect on TNF-alpha production.
      These results suggest that the clinical improvement of chronic respiratory
      diseases by EM may depend on the suppression of production of inflammatory
      cytokines such as TNF-alpha.

PMID- 1416648
TI  - Immunologic characteristics of cytokines in otitis media with effusion.
AB  - Levels of cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor
      (TNF), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were
      investigated in samples of the middle ear effusions (MEEs) from 144 ears with
      otitis media with effusion (OME) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, followed
      by cytologic analysis. Middle ear effusions of the acute purulent type contained
      a significantly higher concentration of cytokines compared with normal control
      sera (p < .001). Cytokines were observed at lower levels in MEE in adults than in
      children. Tests of children at the chronic stage of MEE showed higher levels of
      TNF than IL-1 and GM-CSF. Meanwhile, IL-1 beta showed significantly higher
      concentrations in acute purulent types than in serous and mucoid types (p < .01).
      In cytologic analysis, the mean level of IL-1 beta was significantly higher in
      the neutrophil-rich group than in other groups (p < .05). Cytokines possess
      several biologic properties, some of which are associated not only with acute
      otitis media but also with chronic otitis media. This study showed that
      cytokines, especially IL-1 beta, contribute to infiltration into the middle ear
      by inflammatory cells. This implies that the persistent presence of cytokines in
      MEE could be a factor in prolonged OME.

PMID- 1416649
TI  - Neutrophil elastase and its complex with alpha 1-antitrypsin in the pathogenesis
      of chronic suppurative otitis media.
AB  - Neutrophil elastase (NE) and its complex with alpha 1-antitrypsin were quantified
      in ear discharges from 15 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM),
      and their levels were compared to those in middle ear effusions from 10 pediatric
      patients with chronic otitis media with effusion (OME). The localization of
      immunoreactive NE was also examined by immunocytologic study. The mean value of
      total NE was 161.8 +/- 29.5 micrograms/mL in CSOM, which was significantly higher
      than that in OME (16.5 +/- 6.7 micrograms/mL). The mean value of NE-alpha 1
      antitrypsin complex was 13.7 +/- 8.8 micrograms/mL in CSOM and 7.8 +/- 4.0
      micrograms/mL in OME. There was no significant difference between culture
      positive and culture-negative samples in CSOM. Immunoreactive NE could be
      observed in the neutrophils of ear discharges, and extracellular release of NE
      was also observed. Ear discharges in CSOM contain a considerable amount of
      uncomplexed NE, of which the level does not depend on active bacterial
      infections. Uncomplexed NE seems to play a role in the chronicity of CSOM.

PMID- 1416650
TI  - Interleukin-1 of cholesteatomatous keratinocytes.
AB  - Interleukin-1 (IL-1) has been thought to be one of the essential cytokines mainly
      produced by macrophages. It has recently been reported that epidermal
      keratinocytes produce IL-1, and attention is being paid to local immune reactions
      mediated with this cytokine. Interleukin-1 not only activates lymphocytes, but
      also acts as an osteoclast-activating factor. In this study, we used
      immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting on cholesteatomatous epithelium with anti
      IL-1 alpha antibody and anti-IL-1 beta antibody. Next, the relationship of
      cholesteatomatous debris to the production of IL-1 by keratinocytes was
      evaluated. Highly concentrated IL-1 alpha was found in the cholesteatomatous
      epithelium, especially in the basal cell layer. The intensity of IL-1 beta
      staining was weaker than that of IL-1 alpha staining. In the immunoblotting
      study, the 31 kd band, an intracellular immature precursor molecule, was
      identified. The production of IL-1 alpha from keratinocytes was augmented to a
      greater degree by cholesteatomatous debris than by lipopolysaccharide or keratin.
      The keratinocytes did not produce IL-1 beta. These findings suggest that IL-1
      alpha is derived from cholesteatomatous keratinocytes. Interleukin-1, mainly IL-1
      alpha, from the stimulated cholesteatomatous keratinocytes may be an important
      factor in the markedly increased bone resorption observed in cholesteatoma.

PMID- 1416651
TI  - Distribution of immunocompetent cells in the endolymphatic sac.
AB  - To better understand the role of immunocompetent cells in the defense mechanism
      of the inner ear, the distribution patterns of those cells were investigated in
      the endolymphatic sac (ES) of mice maintained in three different conditions: germ
      free (GF), specific pathogen-free (SPF), and conventional (CV). In another
      experiment, the recruitment of lymphocyte subsets was examined in the ES of SPF
      rats undergoing a perilymphatic antigen challenge after systemic
      presensitization. In the ES of GF mice, no immunocompetent cells were found. In
      the ES of SPF and CV mice, cells positive for IgG, IgA, IgM, and Lyt-1 were
      present in much smaller numbers than in the nasal mucosa. Cells positive for Lyt
      2 were not seen in the ES of any mice. In the ES of rats that underwent a
      perilymphatic antigenic stimulation after a systemic presensitization, B
      lymphocyte subsets (positive for IgG, IgA, IgM) were mobilized in increased
      numbers, and T cell subsets (helper/inducer and suppressor) were also found 1
      week after perilymphatic antigen challenge. These results taken together suggest
      that the ES is not originally equipped to possess immunocompetent cells and mount
      an immune response, but that once it has been activated with the inner ear
      antigenic stimuli, the ES can be the active site of a local immune response of
      the inner ear.

PMID- 1416652
TI  - Pathogenesis of experimental otitis media with effusion caused by a combination
      of eustachian tube dysfunction and immunosuppression.
AB  - Inflammatory factors appear to play an important role in the development of
      otitis media with effusion (OME). However, otitis media experimentally induced by
      endotoxin injection or secondary immunoresponse was not persistent. In order to
      produce refractory OME, two pathologic conditions were necessarily combined:
      tubal ventilatory dysfunction and suppression of the immunologic defense
      mechanism by immunosuppressive drugs. In the presence of these two pathologic
      conditions, all cases that evidenced negative middle ear pressure due to tubal
      dysfunction developed OME. In the control group with either tubal dysfunction or
      immunosuppression alone, only 1 of 20 ears developed OME. Transtubal infection
      due to negative middle ear pressure caused by tubal ventilatory dysfunction may
      be one of the most important etiologic factors in OME.

PMID- 1416653
TI  - Endolymphatic hydrops induced by immune response of the endolymphatic sac:
      relation to perilymph antibody levels.
AB  - This study investigated the effect of a secondary immune response in the
      endolymphatic sac on the development of endolymphatic hydrops in guinea pigs.
      Following secondary keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) challenge directly to the sac
      in systemically presensitized animals, hydrops rapidly developed within 1 week,
      then gradually reduced by 4 weeks. After 5 weeks, hydrops gradually recurred and
      developed again. Mean perilymph anti-KLH antibody levels rose from day 1 to 4
      weeks and then decreased. The elevation of perilymph anti-KLH antibody levels on
      day 2 was due to an increased vascular permeability and there was a local
      regeneration by the challenge of the sac after day 7. The development of hydrops
      correlated well with mean perilymph anti-KLH antibody levels in the period from
      day 1 to day 7. After 2 weeks, there was no correlation between them. These
      results suggest that an immune response of the sac may induce an excess secretion
      of endolymph in the initial stage and may further lead to irreversible
      dysfunction of the sac at a later stage.

PMID- 1416654
TI  - Vestibular disorders following immune response of the endolymphatic sac in the
      guinea pig.
AB  - The effect of a direct antigen challenge to the endolymphatic sac on vestibular
      function was investigated in guinea pigs. Following keyhole limpet hemocyanin
      (KLH) challenge to the sac in systemically presensitized guinea pigs, caloric
      responses were examined in 18 animals on days 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28. Caloric
      responses were significantly suppressed in 13 animals by day 7; of these, 5
      animals had recovered by day 14 and 8 animals had not yet recovered by day 28.
      The behavior of spontaneous nystagmus was examined every hour in 10 animals at
      intervals of 3 to 56 hours after sac challenge. Irritative spontaneous nystagmus
      preceding paralytic nystagmus appeared in 5 animals, for which the mean onset was
      14.6 +/- 3.1 hours and the mean duration was 4.4 +/- 6.5 hours. Paralytic
      spontaneous nystagmus appeared in all animals, for which the mean onset time was
      23.3 +/- 12.3 hours. Neither direct KLH primary challenge of the sac nor
      phosphate-buffered saline injection to the sac caused significant changes in the
      vestibular function. These results suggest that an immune response of the sac
      induces a vestibular disorder and may produce an attack of vertigo similar to
      that of Meniere's disease.

PMID- 1416655
TI  - Localization of type IV collagen and laminin in the guinea pig inner ear.
AB  - The distribution of type IV collagen (C-IV) and laminin, which are important
      components of the basement membrane (BM), was studied immunohistochemically in
      the inner ear of healthy Hartley guinea pigs. Antibodies against C-IV and laminin
      were used in this study. The distribution of C-IV in the inner ear was almost the
      same as that of laminin, but the extent of staining for laminin was less than
      that for C-IV in some sites. The sites of the inner ear in which these components
      were most densely localized were the areas surrounding the spiral ganglion cells
      and nerve fibers, the capillary vessels in the stria vascularis and the spiral
      prominence, and an area directly beneath the epithelium of the endolymphatic sac.
      Type IV collagen and laminin were also localized around the other vascular BM and
      the epithelial BM in the inner ear, but the tectorial membrane, the cupula of the
      crista ampulla, and the sensory epithelium did not take up stain. These results
      suggest that the vascular BM of the stria vascularis and spiral prominence, as
      well as the epithelial BM of the endolymphatic sac, may play an important role in
      fluid transport, and that the perineural BM of the inner ear might play an
      important role in the functional maintenance of the optimal environment of the
      inner ear nervous system.

PMID- 1416656
TI  - Alterations of charge barrier in the inner ear following immune reactions.
AB  - We investigated electron microscopically the changes of anionic sites of a charge
      barrier in the capillary basement membrane of the stria vascularis and
      endolymphatic sac following inner ear immune reactions. Hartley guinea pigs were
      immunized with bovine type II collagen, keyhole limpet hemocyanin, or horseradish
      peroxidase, with boosted and challenged antigens through the stylomastoid
      foramen. Animals were killed painlessly from several days up to 56 days after the
      antigen challenge. Polyethylenimine was used as a cationic tracer in order to
      observe the localization of anionic sites of the charge. In the animals immunized
      with bovine type II collagen or horseradish peroxidase, a significant decrease of
      anionic charge in the stria and the sac was found in the early stage of
      immunization. However, the keyhold limpet hemocyanin immunization group did not
      show any remarkable changes in the charge because of its lesser transfer into the
      inner ear due to of its high molecular weight and negative surface charge. A
      decrease of the charge under immunologic conditions may induce a
      hyperpermeability of vessels and a malabsorption of endolymph, and thus may cause
      endolymphatic hydrops.

PMID- 1416657
TI  - Detection of genomic sequences of respiratory syncytial virus in otitis media
      with effusion in children.
AB  - The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and the nested polymerase
      chain reaction were used for detection of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
      sequences in middle ear effusions collected from children with otitis media.
      Sequences of RSV were detected in 21 of 34 samples tested. These samples were
      collected during and/or after natural outbreaks of RSV infection in the
      community. In those patients from whose nasopharynges RSV was isolated, the viral
      sequences were highly detectable (75%) in the effusions. These observations
      suggest RSV as an important factor in the pathogenesis of otitis media with
      effusion.

PMID- 1416658
TI  - Mechanism of immune complex-mediated inner ear diseases.
AB  - Tissues of the stria vascularis of normal rabbits were collected as cochlear
      antigen and injected into the foot pad of guinea pigs. The mechanism of
      development of endolymphatic hydrops was studied by the tracer method. Damage to
      the capillary endothelium and an increase in vascular permeability were found in
      the stria vascularis. Therefore, we studied patients with a raised level of
      immunoglobulin (Ig) G-class circulating immune complexes (CICs). Hearing loss was
      found in 3 of 22 patients with significantly elevated IgG CIC levels (13.6%). The
      relationship between inner ear disease and the presence of CIC was considered to
      be very significant. The possible mechanism of CIC-mediated inner ear diseases is
      discussed.

PMID- 1416659
TI  - MRL/MP-lpr/lpr mouse as a model of immune-induced sensorineural hearing loss.
AB  - Hearing acuity and inner ear disorders of MRL/lpr mice, bred for the study of
      autoimmune disease, were examined in comparison to those of BALB/c mice. The
      auditory brain stem response threshold of 20-week-old MRL/lpr mice was
      significantly higher than that of BALB/c mice of the same age (p < .01). The
      pathologic changes of 20-week-old MRL/lpr mice were characterized by the
      degeneration of intermediate cells, widened intercellular spaces, and
      immunoglobulin G deposition on the basement membrane of strial blood vessels as
      well as in the basal infolding of strial marginal cells, which were absent in
      BALB/c mice. That there were no other evident pathologic findings in the cochlea
      or middle ear suggests that these changes in the stria vascularis seemed to be
      responsible for the sensorineural hearing loss of this mouse. The MRL/lpr mouse
      was thought to be a good experimental model to study the spontaneous
      sensorineural hearing loss caused by an immune reaction.

PMID- 1416660
TI  - Cochlear and renal pathology in the autoimmune strain mouse.
AB  - This study was designed to investigate the role of immunologic mechanisms in
      sensorineural hearing disorders and the relationship between inner ear and renal
      disorders. Autoimmune strain (NZB/kl) mice, in which autoimmune disease can be
      spontaneously induced, were used in this study. The mice were tested for acoustic
      brain stem responses, cochlear and renal disorders, and circulating immune
      complex serology by means of enzyme immunoassay. Pathologic studies consisted of
      observation of tissue changes following hematoxylin and eosin staining and
      indirect immunofluorescence staining under light microscopy. Compared to
      controls, the hearing was impaired in NZB/kl mice. Indirect fluorescence staining
      showed immunoglobulin G deposits in the stria vascularis. There was a correlation
      between the degree of hearing impairment and the severity of stria vascularis
      lesions. The NZB/kl mouse can provide a model for sensorineural hearing disorders
      secondary to immunologic disorders.

PMID- 1416661
TI  - [Pustular dermatoses in the neonatal period].
AB  - The diagnosis of pustular dermatosis occurring during the first months of life is
      usually based on clinical findings. However, some cases may require a few simple
      investigations including cytological studies, cultures, and skin biopsies. The
      most common causes of infectious pustular skin lesions include bacterial
      infections, which may be septicemic (with Listeria as the leading causative
      agent) or initially localized (staphylococcus); viral infections (varicella,
      herpes); fungal infections, i.e., candidiasis (congenital or neonatal) or the
      very recently described form of pustulosis due to Malassezia furfur; or parasitic
      (scabies). The main benign transient neonatal forms of pustulosis include
      infantile acropustulosis (for which the relationship with scabies is discussed),
      toxi-allergic erythema, transient pustular melanosis, and neonatal acne. Lastly,
      rare causes of neonatal pustulosis are reviewed. The need for investigating every
      neonate with skin pustules for an infectious disease, especially due to a
      bacterium, is emphasized.

PMID- 1416662
TI  - [Oculocutaneous albinism].
AB  - Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is an inherited condition characterized by
      hypopigmentation of the skin, hair, and eyes. Ocular involvement is often severe
      with photophobia, decreased visual acuity due to foveal hypoplasia, nystagmus,
      and strabism secondary to defective routing of optic axons in the chiasma.
      Cutaneous hypopigmentation is responsible for diminished photoprotection that
      places patients at increased risk for skin cancers. OCA also occurs in a number
      of life-threatening conditions, including Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, Chediak
      Higashi syndrome, and Griscelli-Prunieras syndrome. Most cases of OCA are
      inherited on an autosomal recessive basis. Several mutations have recently been
      identified in type I OCA or "tyrosinase-negative" OCA. Identification of other
      genetic abnormalities will probably occur in the future and will lead to more
      accurate classification of OCA syndromes.

PMID- 1416663
TI  - [Panniculitis in children].
AB  - Panniculitis is an inflammation of subcutaneous fat responsible for fairly
      uniform clinical features including nodules, plaques or swelling located in the
      subcutaneous tissue, occasionally progressing to atrophy of subcutaneous fat.
      Some forms of panniculitis specific of childhood are responsible for readily
      recognizable clinical patterns. Examples include acute neonatal fat necrosis,
      sclerema neonatorum, cryopanniculitis, steroid-induced panniculitis, and
      toxoplasmosis-related multinodular fat necrosis of Royer syndrome. With the
      exception of erythema nodosum, the cause of panniculitis is identified upon
      histologic examination of a deep skin biopsy which ensures the differentiation of
      infectious nodules, vasculitis nodules, and apparently primary forms of nodular
      panniculitis fitting the description of Weber-Christian syndrome, Rothmann-Makai
      syndrome, histiocytic cytophagic panniculitis or lupus panniculitis.

PMID- 1416664
TI  - [Allergic vasculitis in children].
AB  - Allergic vasculitis is characterized clinically by vascular purpura and
      histologically by leukocytoclastic angiitis of the small vessels in the middle
      and superficial dermis. Extra-cutaneous lesions may occur. Among them, the most
      common are joint manifestations. Renal involvement governs the prognosis.
      Circulating immune complexes probably contribute to the development of lesions,
      although this role has not been firmly established. Cellular immunity is probably
      also involved. A large number of factors may trigger the development of allergic
      vasculitis. Clinical patterns vary widely across patients. In 50% of patients no
      cause is identified. In children, Henoch-Schonlein purpura and infections (viral
      or bacterial) are the most common "causes". The ideal treatment would be
      elimination of the causative allergen. However this is often impossible to
      achieve and a variety of symptomatic treatments (rest, dapsone, colchicine,
      corticosteroids, immunosuppressants...) may be discussed according to the
      severity of clinical manifestations. Effectiveness of these treatments is
      variable.

PMID- 1416665
TI  - [Kasabach-Merritt syndrome in children].
AB  - Kasabach-Merritt syndrome is a combination of thrombocytopenia, intravascular
      coagulation, and a rapid increase in the size of an angioma. Anemia and
      disseminated intravascular coagulation may develop. This infrequent syndrome is
      severe and may be life-threatening. Pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying the
      condition are incompletely understood and, consequently, many different
      treatments are used, including systemic corticosteroids, compression,
      embolization, antifibrinolytic agents, platelet aggregation inhibitors,
      irradiation, and others. From findings in eight personal cases, the authors
      review clinical and biological features, pathophysiologic hypotheses and
      therapeutic strategies.

PMID- 1416666
TI  - [Gangrenous ecthyma of the diaper area in infants].
AB  - Ecthyma gangrenosum due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a skin infection in which
      necrotic ulcerations surrounded by a red areola develop. The diaper area is the
      region most often involved in infants. Typically, ecthyma gangrenosum occurs in
      patients with septicemia and risk factors (chemotherapy, neutropenia). However,
      transient bacteremia or an infection confined to the skin may be the cause in
      some patients, with maceration in the diaper area and previous antibiotic therapy
      as risk factors.

PMID- 1416667
TI  - [Cutaneous lesions in the orofaciodigital syndrome].
AB  - The term OFD syndrome designates a group of heterogeneous clinical patterns of
      which seven different types have been described. Type I, or Papillon Leage
      syndrome, is the most common pattern and the only type in which skin lesions
      occur. Type I OFD is a sex-linked dominant disorder. Two cases of OFD Type I with
      cystic lesions of the face are reported herein. The second patient also had
      polycystic kidneys. This combination has already been reported previously and all
      children with OFD should be investigated for polycystic kidney disease.

PMID- 1416668
TI  - [Menkes syndrome. An unusual pigmentation anomaly in a mother and three sisters].
AB  - Menkes syndrome is a sex-linked recessive disease. The authors previously
      reported a case in a boy whose neurologic condition deteriorated gradually until
      death occurred at the age of seven and a half months. Diagnosis was confirmed by
      the finding of very low plasma levels of copper and ceruloplasmin. Evaluation of
      family members disclosed hypopigmentation of one half of the abdomen in three
      sisters and in the carrier mother. This hypopigmentation may be ascribed to
      decreased melanocyte copper-dependant tyrosinase activity. Among cells in the
      body, this anomaly may be present or absent according to whether or not the
      abnormal X chromosome is inactivated.

PMID- 1416669
TI  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

PMID- 1416670
TI  - On camera--not in camera.

PMID- 1416671
TI  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: the first 155 patients.
AB  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been attempted in 155 patients. Eight patients
      required conversion to open cholecystectomy (5%): three owing to lack of clear
      anatomical detail, two procedures were abandoned because of instrument failure,
      two had a dilated common bile duct on cholangiography, and one owing to a very
      adherent mucocele of the gallbladder. Cholangiography was performed selectively;
      successfully completed in 45 (22% of all patients). Common bile duct stones were
      found in two patients. All patients were drained, with two bile leaks, one
      requiring a laparotomy. There was one ductal injury. Most patients (85%) were
      discharged within 48 h. This initial experience suggests laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy is the procedure of choice for most patients with symptomatic
      cholelithiasis.

PMID- 1416672
TI  - Laparoscopic laser cholecystectomy: results of the technique in 210 patients.
AB  - The results of laparoscopic laser cholecystectomy (LLC) in a consecutive series
      of 210 patients, operated on between May 1990 and August 1991, were assessed to
      analyse the advantages of the technique and to detail the causes of any technical
      problems, failures, or complications. The operations were performed by JMcKW and
      ADNS. A success rate of 98% (206/210) was achieved with a minor complication rate
      of 13% (26/210) and major complication rate of 3% (7/206), including three
      patients (3/206; 1.5%) who had a reactionary haemorrhage postoperatively, two
      requiring laparotomy. The length of hospital stay was 48 h or less in over 80%
      (148/184) of the patients. The period of absence from work was 2 weeks or less in
      over 90% (118/130) of the patients. Cholecystectomy can safely be performed
      laparoscopically and this procedure has significant advantages over open
      cholecystectomy.

PMID- 1416673
TI  - Laparoscopic laser cholecystectomy: our first 200 patients.
AB  - A series of 200 consecutive patients were considered for laparoscopic laser
      cholecystectomy. Laparoscopic laser cholecystectomy was attempted in 195 cases
      and was performed in 192 cases. Laparoscopy was performed in five patients, but
      laparoscopic cholecystectomy was not attempted owing to dense adhesions (3),
      cholangiocarcinoma (1) and an absent gallbladder (1). The indications for
      operation were symptomatic gallstones which included biliary colic (142), acute
      cholecystitis (49) and gallstone pancreatitis (9). The median duration of
      operation was 75 min. Operative cholangiography was attempted in 151 (77%) of
      cases, and was successful in 85% of attempts. Laparoscopic common bile duct
      visualisation was performed three times with successful stone extraction twice.
      The other common bile duct was normal. The median duration of postoperative
      hospital stay was 2 days, for return to normal activity 6 days, and for return to
      work 10 days. Mean analgesic and antiemetic requirements were approximately one
      third of those for open cholecystectomy. Of the patients, 94% reported good or
      excellent overall satisfaction and 96% reported excellent cosmetic results. Seven
      complications occurred (4%). Three patients had immediate conversion to
      laparotomy owing to haemorrhage (2) and gallbladder rupture (1). Four patients
      required laparotomy for postoperative complications (common bile duct damage,
      slipped clips from cystic duct, perforated duodenum and leaking accessory hepatic
      duct). No complications occurred in the last 140 cases. These data suggest that
      laparoscopic laser cholecystectomy reduces the discomfort of laparotomy and
      allows a shorter postoperative recovery. The operation has a learning curve, but
      will ultimately be applicable to the majority of patients with symptomatic
      gallstones.

PMID- 1416674
TI  - Can cholangiography be safely abandoned in laparoscopic cholecystectomy?
AB  - The introduction of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, improvements in ultrasound
      technology and the success of endoscopic sphincterotomy have raised new questions
      regarding the role of intraoperative cholangiography. Our aim was to analyse the
      ability of preoperative clinical and ultrasound assessments to detect common duct
      stones in 86 patients with symptomatic cholecystolithiasis who then underwent
      cholangiography after percutaneous cholecystolithotomy. Six patients gave a
      history suggestive of common duct stones (either jaundice, cholangitis or
      pancreatitis). Ultrasound showed a dilated common duct in four patients (normal <
      6 mm), and one of these had a stone demonstrated in the duct. The latter patient
      and one other with a dilated common duct had stones on cholangiography (which
      were extracted at ERCP), no stones were demonstrated in the other two. Ultrasound
      correctly identified common duct stones in two and excluded common duct stones in
      four others with a history suggesting the presence of stones. For patients
      undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy we would advocate the use of preoperative
      ultrasound instead of intraoperative cholangiography, and that endoscopic
      retrograde cholangiopancreatography is performed in the small number of patients
      shown to have a dilated duct or common duct stone.

PMID- 1416675
TI  - Laparoscopic operative cholangiography: a simple, successful, cost-effective
      method.

PMID- 1416676
TI  - An unusual complication of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

PMID- 1416677
TI  - A cheap laparoscopic surgery trainer.

PMID- 1416678
TI  - Laparoscopic tube gastrostomy.
AB  - A laparoscopic approach to fashioning a permanent mucosal gastrostomy is
      described for the first time. It has a place in patients in whom endoscopic or
      radiological placement is impractical.

PMID- 1416679
TI  - Use of the hepatic arterial circulation for renal revascularisation.
AB  - Renal artery stenosis is increasingly being diagnosed as a cause of hypertension
      and renal impairment. Surgical intervention can restore function and improve
      hypertension in selected cases. Over a 42 month period, 12 patients with
      atherosclerotic renovascular disease underwent surgical revascularisation using
      the hepatic arterial circulation. All had disease of both renal arteries and 11
      had some degree of renal impairment, with five requiring dialysis before
      operation. There were two deaths within 30 days of operation, eight patients had
      improved renal function after operation and three of the patients previously on
      dialysis became dialysis free. The hepatorenal method of renal revascularisation
      is described and its advantages discussed.

PMID- 1416680
TI  - Consequences of immediate failure of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.
AB  - Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) is often used for patients who would
      not previously have been treated, due for example, to their poor general
      condition or their symptoms being relatively mild. The approximate overall
      initial success and complication rates are 80% and 10%, respectively. Iliac
      angioplasties fare rather better than superficial femoral dilatations. There is
      little information on the outcome of those patients in whom the procedure cannot
      be completed satisfactorily or who have complications. From 1985 to December
      1990, 318 PTAs have been attempted on our unit, the majority within the last 3
      years. In 53 (17%) the dilatation was not carried out, due to inability to
      position the guidewire (31) or balloon (16) satisfactorily, to disease
      progression (3) or systemic problems (3). None of these patients was made worse
      and 10 subsequently had a successful angioplasty. Complications occurred in 28
      (9%). These included distal embolisation (10), bleeding (9), dissection (1),
      thrombotic occlusion (4) and vessel rupture (4). Complications were more common
      after superficial femoral, compared with iliac angioplasty (P < 0.02, chi 2
      test). Eight patients with occlusion or embolus were treated with thrombolysis,
      five successfully. Three of these patients, and seven others, had surgical
      intervention (three within 6 h of angioplasty). Ten patients were treated
      conservatively, one died. Of the 28 patients who sustained complications, 27 were
      improved compared with their status before angioplasty, once their complication
      had been dealt with. PTA is a generally safe procedure and when complications
      occur most can be dealt with effectively.

PMID- 1416681
TI  - Quality of life of octogenarians after aneurysm surgery.
AB  - Abdominal aneurysm repair in octogenarians is controversial. To justify surgery,
      survival with a reasonable quality of life is required. Between 1980 and 1988, 34
      octogenarians underwent aortic aneurysm surgery (14 elective, 20 emergency). Of
      the 21 survivors, 20 were interviewed to determine their quality of life. At the
      time of interview the patients had a median survival of 19 months (range 4-67
      months). Twenty age/sex matched normal patients, from the same GP population,
      were interviewed for comparison. A structured questionnaire was used to assess:
      physical mobility, activities of daily living, sleep and emotional problems. A
      symptom survey was also performed. The survival trend of elective patients was
      similar to that of a demographically similar 'normal' population. The survival
      trend of emergency patients returned to 'normal' after the first postoperative
      month. Quality of life of the 20 patients was comparable to the lifestyle enjoyed
      by normal subjects. Of the 20 patients interviewed, 18 had returned home after
      surgery. Elective and emergency aortic aneurysm surgery can be performed with
      reasonable survival and a good quality of life, and therefore cannot be denied to
      octogenarians on the basis of age alone.

PMID- 1416682
TI  - Is antibiotic penetration compromised in the ischaemic tissues of patients
      undergoing amputation?
AB  - Antibiotic prophylaxis is indicated for patients undergoing amputation for severe
      ischaemia or gangrene. However, the adequacy of tissue levels of antibiotics in
      ischaemic tissue is not known. In this study the serum and tissue antibiotic
      levels were measured after intravenous administration of metronidazole (15 mg/kg
      body weight) and cephradine (20 mg/kg body weight). In 11 patients, venous
      samples were taken at time 0 (induction of anaesthesia) 10, 30 and 60 min.
      Samples of 2 g each of fat and muscle were collected from the amputation site and
      three distal sites. Metronidazole and cephradine levels were measured and the
      degree of limb ischaemia estimated preoperatively by an isotope limb blood flow
      method. Our results indicate that both metronidazole and cephradine penetrate
      ischaemic tissues to levels equivalent of a Mean Inhibitory Concentration (MIC)
      50 for most organisms encountered in vascular surgery, and that the degree of
      ischaemia does not alter this.

PMID- 1416683
TI  - The diagnosis of soft tissue tumours.
AB  - We prospectively analysed methods of diagnosis in 118 patients referred for
      definitive treatment with documented or presumed soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Of 65
      patients with primary STS, 54 were biopsied before referral. Of these, 5 (9%)
      were biopsied by Tru-cut biopsy, 17 (32%) by incisional biopsy and 32 (59%) by
      excisional biopsy. The remaining 11 patients with primary STS, referred without
      biopsy, were all diagnosed by Tru-cut biopsy. An additional eight patients
      suspected of having STS were referred without biopsy and were found to have
      malignant tumours other than STS involving soft tissue by Tru-cut biopsy.
      Nineteen patients were proved to have benign soft tissue tumours; in 13 presumed
      to have STS, the diagnosis was unknown at referral. In four of these, biopsy was
      inappropriate. Of nine submitted to Tru-cut biopsy, an unequivocal diagnosis was
      made in 5 (56%) and incisional biopsy was required in the other four. Therefore,
      paradoxically, benign soft tissue tumours may be more difficult to diagnose with
      Tru-cut biopsy than malignant tumours. This study confirms the high degree of
      accuracy of Tru-cut biopsy in diagnosing malignant soft tissue tumours and
      highlights the disadvantages of open biopsy techniques.

PMID- 1416684
TI  - A simple scoring system to reduce the negative appendicectomy rate.
AB  - In a controlled, prospective study the following five criteria were used for the
      diagnosis and management of acute appendicitis: abdominal pain; vomiting; right
      lower quadrant tenderness; low grade fever (< or = 38.8 degrees C); and
      polymorphonuclear leucocytosis (TC > or = 10,000 with polymorphs > or = 75%). The
      aim of the study was to reduce the negative appendicectomy rate. If four out of
      five or five out of five criteria were present on admission, appendicectomy was
      carried out. On the other hand, if three out of five criteria were present on
      admission, the patient was subjected to active inpatient observation until either
      the development of the fourth criterion, when appendicectomy was performed, or
      until the patient recovered and the condition did not progress beyond the third
      criterion. Generalised peritonitis due to a perforated appendix was excluded from
      the study. Over a 1-year period, 58 patients (M:F = 45:13) were entered into the
      study. Appendicectomy was carried out in 46 (80%) of patients; of these, 32
      patients (70%) were operated on soon after admission. The remaining 14 (30%) were
      operated on after a period of inpatient observation decided the development of
      the fourth criterion. A total of 12 patients (12/58 = 20%) did not undergo
      operation. The control group consisted of 59 patients upon whom appendicectomy
      was carried out by another surgical unit over the same 1-year period. The
      negative appendicectomy rate in the trial group was 6.5% (3/46), whereas in the
      control group it was 17% (10/59) (P < 0.05). We conclude that the use of a simple
      scoring system can significantly reduce the negative appendicectomy rate.

PMID- 1416685
TI  - Measuring outcome of total knee replacement using quality of life indices.
AB  - A series of 26 patients was studied before and after total knee replacement to
      determine the change in their quality of life, expressed as a gain in Quality
      Adjusted Life Years (QALYs). Global health status was assessed using the
      Nottingham Health Profile, disability by the Harris scale, pain by the McGill
      Pain Questionnaire, and anxiety and depression by the Hospital Anxiety and
      Depression Scale. Substantial reductions were found in pain, anxiety and
      depression, and a significant improvement was found in mobility. These data were
      used to generate a 'QALY' (Quality Adjusted Life Year) comparable to the measure
      used by Williams (1) in his comparative evaluation of medical and surgical
      treatments. A gain of only 0.42 QALY was found for knee replacement, which is
      about one-tenth the figure given by Williams for hip replacement. The difference
      appears to be attributable not to differences in the success of the operations,
      but rather to the scope that QALY calculations give for allocating comparable
      patients to different quality of life states. Tighter criteria are needed if
      QALYs are to be used to guide resource allocation.

PMID- 1416686
TI  - Changing patterns of colorectal cancer in a regional teaching hospital.
AB  - A study was performed of all patients who underwent either surgery or endoscopic
      polypectomy for colorectal cancer in Oxford between 1979 and 1983 to ascertain
      whether any changes had occurred in presentation, diagnosis, treatment or outcome
      since a previous study from the same centre undertaken between 1966 and 1971. The
      average number of patients treated annually had increased from 52.8 to 103.4. The
      growth of the population of the health district was 6.7%. A similar proportion
      (25%) continued to present as emergencies. There was an improvement in the
      proportion of cases presenting with Dukes' A and B lesions (54% vs 41%) (P <
      0.001), and a decrease in the number of patients with extranodal disease (from
      30.4% to 13.3%) (P < 0.001). Only 13.9% of patients underwent colonoscopy before
      surgery and 14 patients were treated by endoscopic removal alone. In a health
      district with a slowly growing population, the number of patients presenting with
      colorectal cancer had increased dramatically over a decade. Colonoscopy has so
      far made little impact on making an earlier diagnosis. The increase in colorectal
      cancer has important implications for resource allocation.

PMID- 1416687
TI  - Injuries related to wind speed.
AB  - This is a retrospective study of the injuries caused by high wind speeds during
      the storms of early 1990. Injured patients seen on windy days were compared with
      those seen on a group of control days. It was found that high wind speeds were
      associated with an increased risk of injury, especially when wind gusts exceeded
      60 knots. This apparent wind speed threshold, above which injury is more likely,
      corresponds to the curve used by the Meteorological Office to predict wind
      related structural damage. It is postulated that this finding may be of use in
      assisting the Government in formulating its guidelines on when to warn the public
      that it is unsafe to venture out.

PMID- 1416688
TI  - Combined surgical audit by microcomputer involving units in four health regions.

PMID- 1416689
TI  - Urological complications of renal transplantation: the impact of double J
      ureteric stents.

PMID- 1416690
TI  - Bupivacaine instillation after herniorrhaphy.

PMID- 1416691
TI  - Anatomical repair of large incisional hernias.

PMID- 1416692
TI  - Intra-arterial thrombolysis should be the initial treatment of the acutely
      ischaemic lower limb.

PMID- 1416693
TI  - Cutaneous perianal recurrence of cancer after anterior resection using the EEA
      stapling device.

PMID- 1416694
TI  - Angiomyolipoma of the kidney: a clinical enigma in diagnosis and management.

PMID- 1416695
TI  - Vascular surgical training in the UK and Ireland.
AB  - Fifty-six vascular surgical trainees and 31 recently appointed consultants with
      an interest in vascular surgery replied to a postal questionnaire about their
      training. The majority fulfilled the guidelines recommended by the Vascular
      Advisory Committee of the Vascular Surgical Society of Great Britain and Ireland,
      which are--a minimum two years of higher surgical training in units with an
      interest in vascular surgery and a substantial and comprehensive experience of
      (operative) vascular surgery. However, the operative experience during training
      was very variable, ranging between 10 and 574 operations reported by new
      consultants. Minimum standards of operative experience may need to be defined.
      The survey also identified that training in carotid endarterectomy is sometimes
      deficient and noted that as much as one-third of operative experience may be
      gained 'out of hours' on emergency cases. To obtain this experience trainees have
      to work very long hours, two-thirds of senior registrars have vascular on call
      rotas of 1:2 or less. Imminent changes in the structure of higher surgical
      training and the reduction in hours worked by junior doctors may seriously affect
      vascular surgical training.

PMID- 1416697
TI  - Glove punctures and wet gowns: no room for complacency.

PMID- 1416696
TI  - Appropriateness of cholecystectomy: the public and private sectors compared.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the appropriateness of cholecystectomies undertaken in
      the public and private health sectors. DESIGN: Retrospective case note review
      using the findings of two consensus panels. SETTING: 35 consultant surgeons
      working for North West Thames Regional Health Authority and in the private
      sector. PATIENTS: 269 patients undergoing cholecystectomy during the study
      period, of whom 17 were excluded because there was insufficient information
      available. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Appropriateness ratings as assessed by two
      consensus panels, one composed of surgeons and one mixed, containing doctors from
      different specialties. RESULTS: The mixed panel would have rated 41 per cent of
      cases appropriate, less than 1 per cent equivocal and 30 per cent inappropriate.
      The remaining 29 per cent had indications about which the panel did not reach
      agreement. The surgical panel would have rated 52 per cent appropriate, 3 per
      cent equivocal and 2 per cent inappropriate. The remaining 44 per cent had
      indications about which the panel did not reach agreement. Most of the patients
      who would have been rated inappropriate had vague symptoms only. There were no
      significant differences between the NHS and private patients as regards their
      appropriateness. NHS patients were more likely to have more than one ultrasound
      and to be operated on as an emergency. CONCLUSIONS: An appreciable proportion of
      patients undergo cholecystectomy for indications which were deemed inappropriate
      by a mixed panel, but not a surgical panel. Variation in clinical judgement is an
      important factor in the decision to operate--44 per cent of cases had
      indications, the appropriateness of which the surgical panel were undecided
      about. There were no significant differences between NHS and private patients as
      regards the appropriateness of their indications. These findings need to be
      confirmed by further studies comparing the public and private sectors.

PMID- 1416698
TI  - Glove perforation during surgery: what are the risks?
AB  - Surgical gloves are important in protecting medical staff from exposure to
      pathogens during surgery, especially viruses such as hepatitis B and the human
      immunodeficiency virus. We have studied the incidence and circumstances of
      surgical glove perforation using a sensitive electronic device. The glove
      perforation rate during elective general surgery was compared with that seen
      during an anastomosis workshop, where surgical trainees operated in a laboratory
      setting. A total of 220 gloves were tested for perforations pre- and
      postoperatively during general elective surgical procedures. During the surgical
      training workshop 72 gloves were tested. Fifty-two gloves (24%) were perforated
      during surgical procedures. Among surgeons, consultants had a significantly lower
      perforation rate than trainees (26% vs 46%, P < 0.05, chi 2), that for assistants
      was much lower (9%). The perforation rate for scrub nurses was surprisingly high
      at 22%. Glove perforation among trainees was significantly lower during workshop
      procedures than at elective surgery (17% vs 46%, P < 0.05, chi 2), probably
      because glove perforation occurs commonly at wound closure. Glove perforation
      remains very common, particularly among surgical trainees. Glove perforation
      should be reduced by teaching better techniques, especially 'no-touch',
      particularly for wound closure.

PMID- 1416699
TI  - Hazards to surgeons in trauma and elective orthopaedic surgery: use of an
      electronic device to warn of intraoperative glove perforations.
AB  - An electronic device intended to detect glove punctures as they occur
      peroperatively has been described previously. This study reports the experience
      of its use in 80 orthopaedic cases. The device detected all punctures, except
      one, where fluid could have contacted the surgeon's hand (n = 16). Wet gowns and
      drapes are potential routes for transmission of pathogens, and were responsible
      for the alarm sounding on 30 occasions. This device can minimise the exposure to
      potentially hazardous body fluids when glove punctures are not clinically
      apparent.

PMID- 1416700
TI  - Alcohol-related hand injuries: an unnecessary social and economic cost.
AB  - Severe hand injuries constitute the largest number of acute referrals to this
      plastic surgery unit, the admission of these patients often displacing routine
      admissions due to bed shortages, thus increasing waiting list time. This study
      showed that a high percentage of these injuries were alcohol-related and were
      therefore preventable. The economic cost to the unit is discussed.

PMID- 1416701
TI  - Non-tumour morbidity and mortality after modified radical mastectomy.
AB  - From 1985 to 1987 148 patients underwent mastectomy for breast cancer, of whom 91
      underwent modified radical mastectomy. Of these patients (median age 60 years
      (range 31-86 years)), 89 have been assessed for early (< 30 days) and late (> 30
      days) non-tumour morbidity and mortality. A total of 41 patients had nodal
      metastases. Adjunctive therapy used was tamoxifen in 70 patients and radiotherapy
      in 20. Overall, 47 patients (53%) developed a total of 75 complications, and
      there was one 30-day mortality. Of the patients, 26 developed one complication,
      14 had two complications and 7 three complications. Early complications were
      lymphocoele/seroma (n = 22), wound infection (n = 9) and cardiopulmonary problems
      (five deep vein thrombosis, two pulmonary embolus (1 death), one myocardial
      infarct). Late complications were lymphoedema (n = 10), pectoralis major wasting
      (n = 6), frozen shoulder (n = 7), intercostobrachial neuralgia (n = 4), and a
      small number of self-limiting wound problems (n = 9). There were two late deaths
      (myocardial infarcts). Early complications were not related to nodal status, and
      late complications were related to neither nodal status nor radiotherapy.
      Significant morbidity is attached to radical surgery for breast cancer. Most
      complications are minor and self-limiting, but there are a small number of late
      complications which may affect quality of life.

PMID- 1416702
TI  - A study of the effect of Picolax on body weight, cardiovascular variables and
      haemoglobin concentration.
AB  - This study compared the effect of Picolax when administered for large bowel
      preparation in combination with preoperative fasting on body weight, haemoglobin
      concentration, haematocrit, and cardiovascular variables with matched subjects
      who were fasted before surgery. Picolax resulted in significantly greater weight
      loss, increases in haemoglobin concentration combined with cardiovascular changes
      suggesting hypovolaemia in the Picolax group. Intravenous fluid replacement is
      recommended in patients receiving Picolax.

PMID- 1416703
TI  - Limb exsanguination. I. The arm: effect of angle of elevation and arterial
      compression.
AB  - Limb exsanguination before tourniquet inflation is usually accomplished using
      mechanical devices although, where their use is contraindicated, exsanguination
      by elevation alone may be employed. Advice regarding duration of elevation within
      the literature is a little confusing with recommendations ranging from 20 s to 5
      min. Volume changes, during elevation at 45 degrees and 90 degrees, were measured
      using strain gauge plethysmography in seven male volunteers. In addition, the
      superimposed effect of brachial arterial compression on elevation at 90 degrees
      was investigated. To achieve maximal exsanguination it is recommended that the
      arm should be elevated for 5 min at 90 degrees before tourniquet inflation.
      Supplementary brachial arterial compression is not recommended as this tends to
      attenuate changes in volume.

PMID- 1416704
TI  - Limb exsanguination. II. The leg: effect of angle of elevation.
AB  - Although limb exsanguination prior to tourniquet inflation is usually
      accomplished using mechanical devices, elevation alone may still be employed
      under circumstances where mechanical means are contraindicated. The rather
      confusing advice within the literature as to duration of elevation, stimulated a
      study in the arm which revealed the optimal duration of elevation to be 5 min, a
      period somewhat longer than generally advised. Because the pattern of venous
      drainage within the leg is slightly different to that of the arm, we undertook a
      similar study to ascertain if our findings for the arm also held true for the
      leg. Volume changes in the calves of seven male volunteers during elevation at 45
      degrees and 90 degrees were assessed using strain gauge plethysmography. To
      achieve maximal exsanguination it is recommended that the leg should be elevated
      at an angle of 45 degrees for 5 min. Higher angles of elevation produce slower
      and less complete exsanguination.

PMID- 1416705
TI  - Ionising radiation: are orthopaedic surgeons at risk?
AB  - Modern orthopaedic trauma practice involves increased exposure of the surgeon to
      ionising radiation. However, there have been no studies to investigate whether
      the doses received are within limits for non-classified workers. In this study,
      whole body, eye and extremity, namely hand, doses were measured in six
      orthopaedic surgeons during trauma cases requiring the use of X-rays in theatre.
      None of the subjects approached the recommended maximum dose levels for either
      the whole body, eyes or hands. This finding is reassuring. In orthopaedics, the
      limiting dose is that to the hands. This differs from previously studied groups,
      such as radiologists and cardiologists, in whom the limiting factor is the dose
      to the lens of the eye. Although current precautions appear to be adequate, safe
      practice in the future will depend on continuing vigilance and repetition of
      studies similar to this one as techniques and workloads change.

PMID- 1416706
TI  - Phytobezoar: an uncommon cause of small bowel obstruction.
AB  - Phytobezoars are an unusual cause of small bowel obstruction. We report 13
      patients presenting with 16 episodes of small bowel obstruction from
      phytobezoars. Eleven patients had previously undergone surgery for peptic
      ulceration (eight truncal vagotomy and pyloroplasty). A history of ingestion of
      persimmon fruit was common and the majority of cases presented in the autumn when
      this fruit is in season. One phytobezoar causing obstruction at the third part of
      the duodenum was removed by endoscopic fragmentation, while an episode of jejunal
      obstruction was precipitated by endoscopic fragmentation of a gastric bezoar.
      Twelve patients underwent surgery for obstruction on 15 occasions, with milking
      of the phytobezoar to the caecum performed in ten, enterotomy and removal in four
      and resection in one patient. Associated gastric phytobezoars were found in two
      cases and multiple small bowel bezoars in two other cases. These were removed to
      prevent recurrent obstruction. Phytobezoar should be considered preoperatively as
      a cause of obstruction in patients with previous ulcer surgery. Wherever possible
      milking of a phytobezoar to the caecum should be performed. Careful assessment
      for other phytobezoars should be made. Prevention of phytobezoars is dependent
      upon dietary counselling of patients by surgeons after gastric resection or
      vagotomy and drainage for peptic ulcer.

PMID- 1416707
TI  - Delayed intracerebral haematomas in moderate to severe head injuries in young
      adults.
AB  - The incidence of delayed intracerebral haematoma formation in moderate to
      severely head-injured young adults who do not have signs of cerebral contusions
      on the initial post-trauma head CT scan has been studied. Thirty patients were
      reviewed and in 6 (20%) a delayed haematoma was diagnosed on a later CT scan,
      when signs of cerebral contusions were absent initially. Recurrence of
      intracranial hypertension within 3 to 4 h proved to be a significant indication
      for the development of these haematomas, despite the initial but inconsistent
      good response to osmotic diuretics. The average Glasgow outcome score was 3,
      including two mortalities. Cerebral perfusion pressure directly correlated with
      the outcome.

PMID- 1416708
TI  - A departmental audit of patients with bladder cancer.
AB  - In keeping with the recent demands of the Department of Health for medical audit
      in clinical practice, an audit was undertaken of the management of bladder cancer
      patients in a large department of urology having three consultants with varied
      approaches of management. This study revealed interesting controversial areas for
      further scrutiny. For example, the poor prognosis of grade 3 T1 tumours with and
      without associated carcinoma-in-situ (CIS) and the speed of progression to
      invasive disease have indicated that a change to a more aggressive approach to
      the management of these tumours is necessary. High recurrence rates at the site
      of the original tumour (60%) and the presence of CIS also indicate the need for
      expert and thorough initial tumour assessment. The delays in diagnosis and
      treatment lend further support to the need for a 'haematuria clinic' to minimise
      such delays, which may influence prognosis. To reduce the occurrence of
      systematic errors in the recording, follow-up and surveillance of patients with
      bladder cancer, a protocol is suggested for a structured approach to optimise
      results, particularly in the poor prognostic categories.

PMID- 1416709
TI  - Intestinal ischaemia in the unconscious intensive care unit patient.
AB  - This paper highlights the difficulties of diagnosing intestinal ischaemia in
      unconscious patients on an intensive care unit. We have analysed the clinical
      details and investigations of eight such patients in whom a preoperative
      diagnosis of intestinal ischaemia was made on clinical grounds. Intestinal
      ischaemia was confirmed at laparotomy in only four cases (50%). These patients
      showed no significant differences in any of the commonly accepted parameters of
      intestinal ischaemia from the four patients who had a negative laparotomy. In
      particular, all patients exhibited a metabolic acidosis with fever and a
      leucocytosis. There was a mean delay of 13.6 h between surgical opinion and
      laparotomy in the four patients with ischaemia, only one of whom was salvaged.
      There was no morbidity associated with the laparotomy in this small series. It is
      suggested that, in the intensive care setting, early laparotomy should be
      performed immediately the clinical suspicion of intestinal ischaemia arises.

PMID- 1416710
TI  - Blood loss and transfusion requirements in total joint arthroplasty.
AB  - We report a prospective trial of 100 consecutive patients undergoing primary
      total hip or knee arthroplasty in order to assess their blood transfusion
      requirements amid recent fears of the transmission of viruses, particularly
      hepatitis C, from donor to recipient. Of the patients, 84% were transfused one or
      more units of blood in the perioperative period and the mean percentage blood
      loss per replacement represented 30% or less of their estimated circulating blood
      volume. We suggest that with preoperative blood volume calculations and
      haemoglobin concentrations, a more cautious approach to blood transfusion should
      be employed when other blood volume expanders would suffice. We believe, firstly,
      that where blood losses of 30% or less of the blood volume occur, blood
      transfusion is not always required in patients with high haemoglobin
      concentrations and large blood volumes. Secondly, cross-matching should be
      undertaken according to the individual patient's estimated needs, rather than to
      a group as a whole.

PMID- 1416711
TI  - Acute colonic pseudo-obstruction: a pharmacological approach.
AB  - Acute colonic pseudo-obstruction is a functional disorder that closely mimics
      mechanical large bowel obstruction, and in which inadvertent laparotomy carries a
      high mortality. Eleven such patients were treated by pharmacological manipulation
      of the autonomic innervation to the colon with guanethidine and neostigmine.
      Eight responded to treatment with passage of flatus and/or stool within 10 min
      with complete resolution of symptoms. In three patients the treatment failed.
      Postural hypotension occurred in only one patient and no other serious side
      effect was apparent. This pharmacological approach to the management of acute
      colonic pseudo-obstruction is suggested as an alternative to the other treatment
      options of colonoscopic decompression or surgery, when conservative management
      has failed.

PMID- 1416712
TI  - Emergency treatment of tracheal tear during pharyngolaryngectomy.
AB  - Longitudinal tracheal tear (of the trachealis muscle), an unusual but
      acknowledged complication of pharyngolaryngectomy, was encountered during a total
      pharyngo-oesophagolaryngectomy with gastric replacement. Due to serious
      ventilatory difficulties a rapid repair was required to obtain an airtight seal
      to allow continued mechanical ventilation. A reinforced polytetrafluoroethylene
      (PTFE) vascular graft was used as an intratracheal stent to seal the air leak.
      This technique proved effective and the tracheal defect had healed by the time
      the stent was removed 10 days later.

PMID- 1416713
TI  - Smoke evacuation during surgery.

PMID- 1416714
TI  - Unsuccessful outpatient counselling to help patients with peripheral vascular
      disease to stop smoking.

PMID- 1416715
TI  - Radical axillary dissection in the staging and treatment of breast cancer.

PMID- 1416716
TI  - Amputations in diabetics.

PMID- 1416717
TI  - The prognostic value of nucleolar organiser regions in colorectal cancer: a 5
      year follow-up study.

PMID- 1416718
TI  - Non-specific abdominal pain: the resource implications.

PMID- 1416719
TI  - Carcinoma of the major salivary glands.

PMID- 1416720
TI  - Care of road traffic accident victims in a district general hospital.

PMID- 1416721
TI  - Providing the ideal surgical service.

PMID- 1416722
TI  - The Royal London Hospital Helicopter Emergency Medical Service: first phase 1990.
AB  - A Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) has been introduced to improve
      trauma care in the Southeast of England. The majority of the workload comes from
      the area bounded by the M25 ring road. In 1989 a Dauphin 365N helicopter equipped
      for pre-hospital primary rescue and emergency inter-hospital secondary transfer
      was certified by the Civil Aviation Authority. The helicopter commenced carrying
      patients with a paramedic and a doctor on board early in 1990. In September 1990
      this service was further improved by the opening of a helipad at the Royal London
      Hospital and a designated HEMS desk at London Ambulance Service central control.
      Eighty-four patients were transported in primary rescue missions and 107 as
      emergency transfers in 1990.

PMID- 1416723
TI  - Surgical training in developing countries.

PMID- 1416724
TI  - Pulmonary intravascular macrophages: a review of immune properties and functions.
AB  - Pulmonary intravascular macrophages (PIMs) are mononuclear cells found apposed to
      the lung capillary endothelium in a number of mammalian species. Although first
      described in the 1970s, it was not until the 1980s that they were more completely
      described. In several species of veterinary interest (bovine, porcine, ovine, and
      feline), PIMs are very important in blood clearance, which is not the case in
      mice and rats. Only recently have the immunological activities of PIMs been
      verified. In this review, we present an overview of PIM research with particular
      emphasis on the immune functions of this highly reactive macrophage population.

PMID- 1416725
TI  - Slow release bolus for small ruminants: in vitro release of tetracycline compared
      with serum concentrations of the antibiotic in sheep.
AB  - Two formulations of slow release boluses for small ruminants containing
      tetracycline hydrochloride in a compressed form were investigated in vitro and in
      vivo in adult sheep. An in vitro dissolution test was used for the preliminary
      selection of the 2 boluses. It was shown that the non-cumulative kinetics of
      tetracycline release in vitro were predictive of the tetracycline serum levels in
      sheep treated orally with the 2 boluses. The maximum concentrations revealed by
      the in vitro and in vivo curves were obtained at almost the same Tmax and, in
      vivo, the therapeutic serum levels were maintained for about 5 days. It is
      concluded that an in vitro approach is of value in predicting the kinetic
      profiles of a long-acting tetracycline bolus in sheep.

PMID- 1416726
TI  - Susceptibility of the rabbit to an enteropathogenic strain of Escherichia coli
      0103: effect of animals' age.
AB  - Experimental infections with an enteropathogenic strain of Escherichia coli 0103
      were studied in SPF rabbits of different ages. Whatever the age, the weight gains
      in all animals were reduced more or less significantly. However, mortality
      differed considerably according to the age. Four to 5-week-old rabbits were most
      susceptible to the infection, with 80-100% mortality associated with diarrhoea,
      generally of the hemorrhagic type. Peak mortality was observed between 5-10 days
      post-inoculation. In general, 21-day-old rabbits died from the second week post
      inoculation onwards. After the 6th week of age, mortality was rare. Study of the
      microflora showed that the colonization of the gut by E coli 0103 occurred
      whatever the age as 10(6)-10(9) bacteria per g of feces of the inoculated strain
      were recovered. The role of specific receptors has been discussed.

PMID- 1416727
TI  - Assessment of liver copper status in cattle from plasma copper and plasma copper
      enzymes.
AB  - Copper status determined by liver biopsy was also assessed by 3 plasma
      parameters: total plasma copper (Cu) as well as ceruloplasmin (Cp) and amine
      oxidase E.C.1.4.3.6. (AO) activities. While 14 out of the 98 cattle, all kept in
      field conditions, had liver copper levels of less than 20 mg/kg only 5 of these
      could be distinguished by low plasma Cu and 3 by low Cp activity. In addition,
      some animals with apparently adequate liver copper had relatively low plasma Cu
      values, ca 0.5-0.6 mg/l. None of the cattle had decreased AO activity. When all 3
      plasma parameters were combined in the form [AO] divided by ([Cp] x [Cu]),
      detection of the low liver copper was improved in that 9 out of 14 could be
      distinguished, whereas animals with more than 20 mg/kg DM liver Cu could not. It
      is suggested that this relationship, tentatively called an index, would merit
      examination in other situations, since it might provide a better guide to copper
      status and indicate whether copper repletion therapy was worthwhile.

PMID- 1416728
TI  - In vitro colonization of porcine trachea by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae.
AB  - Porcine tracheae maintained in culture were used in order to study the
      colonization by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Rings excised from tracheae of newborn
      piglets were infected with M hyopneumoniae strain BQ 14 and, after different
      incubation times, were examined by light and electron microscopy. Non-infected
      tracheal mucosae maintained a normal appearance for several days. Infected
      tracheal rings showed progressive colonization with concomitant progressive
      damage to the mucosal surface. Early on during the infection, few mycoplasmas
      occurred over a ciliated epithelium. As the infection progressed, there was
      gradual loss of cilia; mycoplasmas tended to form microcolonies and to accumulate
      over the remaining ciliated cells. Mycoplasmas, first seen at the apex of the
      cilia, were then seen deeper in the inter-ciliary space; some were even seen in
      contact with microvilli. In histological investigation, the final stage of the
      infection was characterized by a marked destruction of the epithelium with
      exfoliation of the epithelial cells. Infected mucosae showed typical damage
      caused by M hyopneumoniae, namely reduction of ciliary activity after 5 days,
      loss of cilia, and sloughing of ciliated cells. Our data indicate that porcine
      tracheal organ culture can be advantageously used to study colonization by M
      hyopneumoniae.

PMID- 1416729
TI  - [The major histocompatibility complex of humans].

PMID- 1416730
TI  - [Physical mapping of the major histocompatibility complex of cattle].

PMID- 1416731
TI  - [The T-lymphocyte receptor].

PMID- 1416732
TI  - Structure and diversity of ruminant T-cell receptors.

PMID- 1416733
TI  - [Regulation of the immune response by HLA molecules].

PMID- 1416734
TI  - [Assembly and intracellular transport of HLA molecule antigen presenters].

PMID- 1416735
TI  - [Monoclonal antibodies defining the differentiation cluster of the human
      leukocyte membrane: use of the characterization of leukocyte subsets].

PMID- 1416736
TI  - [General aspects of the early stages of T-lymphocyte activation].

PMID- 1416737
TI  - [T-lymphocyte activation: transcriptional and post-transcriptional events].

PMID- 1416738
TI  - [Role of the thymic epithelium in the induction of tolerance in birds].

PMID- 1416739
TI  - Local and systemic cellular immunity following oral infection of mice with
      Toxoplasma gondii cysts.

PMID- 1416740
TI  - [Allorecognition of BoLA class II molecules presented in vitro in liposome
      membranes].

PMID- 1416741
TI  - [The function of cytotoxic T cells].

PMID- 1416742
TI  - [Mucous compartments of T-lymphocytes: functions and migration].

PMID- 1416743
TI  - The cytotoxic T cell: MHC restriction, strain specificity and role in immunity to
      Theileria parva infection.

PMID- 1416744
TI  - [Virus-lymphocyte interactions for the production of alpha-interferon].

PMID- 1416745
TI  - [Blood-brain barrier and immunity].

PMID- 1416746
TI  - [Human endothelial cells activated by interferon gamma, by interleukin-1 and TNF
      inhibit the replication of Toxoplasma gondii].

PMID- 1416747
TI  - [Suppressor effect of TGF-beta 1 on the immune response in the chicken].

PMID- 1416748
TI  - [Has interleukin 2 modified the outcome of metastatic renal cancer?].

PMID- 1416750
TI  - [Hepatic resections for metastases].
AB  - Between January 1981 and December 1990, 79 liver resections were performed for
      hepatic metastases in 73 patients. Eight of these patients had a repeat resection
      (2 patients had their first resection performed before 1981). This figure
      represented 35% of 228 liver resections performed during this period. Mean age
      was 56.5 years (23 to 81 years). There were 38 men and 35 women. Fifty-four
      resections were performed for colorectal metastases and 25 resections for
      secondaries of other origins. There were 45 major hepatectomies (57%), defined by
      the resection of at least 3 Couinaud segments, and 34 minor resections (less than
      three segments). In 12 patients, liver resection was associated with excision of
      the primary tumor. Complications were observed in 25 patients (32%), pulmonary
      complications being the most frequent. Five re-explorations were necessary: 3 for
      postoperative bleeding, one for an abdominal abscess and one for intestinal
      obstruction. Mean postoperative stay was 18 days. There was no mortality for the
      first liver resections in 71 patients. One death was encountered among the second
      resections in 8 patients, with a global mortality of 1.3%. Follow-up was obtained
      for all patients but one (lost to follow-up at 5 years). Actuarial survival for
      the 50 patients operated on for colorectal secondaries was 98% at 6 months, 83%
      at 1 year, 46% at 2 years, 24% at 3 years and 15% at 5 years. In non-colorectal
      secondaries, the survival depended on the nature of the primary tumor but was
      very different from one patient to another.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416749
TI  - [Perioperative transfusion strategy].
AB  - Tactics in blood transfusion have evolved considerably during the last ten years.
      Awareness of infectious risks and economic considerations have lead legislators
      to draw the guidelines for a safer transfusion. Their aim is to promote a better
      transfusion in smaller quantities at a lower risk. The goal of perioperative
      blood replacement is to maintain hemoglobin, blood volume and coagulation factors
      at an adequate level. This can be carried out by either homologous or autologous
      transfusion. Fresh frozen plasma transfusion is only required in severe bleeding
      where coagulation factors are depleted. The plasma substitutes must be used
      according to their intrinsic properties and their cost. The choice of an
      autologous technique depends on the type of surgical procedure, the expected
      blood loss and the economic resources available. Autologous blood transfusion may
      be optimized by the association of various techniques. This transfusion strategy
      must be elaborated by all the medical protagonists implicated in transfusion
      procedures.

PMID- 1416752
TI  - [Endoscopy of the small intestine in 1991: is it the end of the tunnel?].
AB  - Small bowel enteroscopy in 1991 is now feasible in two clinical situations: in
      the case of malabsorption or diffuse intestinal disease, it is easier to
      visualise the small bowel with the "push enteroscopy methods". The most proximal
      and distal ends of the small intestine can be viewed through standard instruments
      or better with videocoloscope beyond the ligament of Treitz. The ileocecal valve
      can be intubated after total colonoscopy for the evaluation of Crohn's disease,
      tuberculosis and small bowel lymphoma. In the case of occult gastrointestinal
      hemorrhage small bowel enteroscopy now permits visualization of large amounts of
      small intestinal. When the gastrointestinal bleeding is severe, we recommend
      intraoperative enteroscopy. When the bleeding is not severe and chronic, it is
      possible to perform a non surgical total small bowel enteroscopy with an
      enteroscope or videoenteroscopoe. Prototypes are under development. The procedure
      is safe an can be performed on an outpatient basis. The limitations of the
      procedure are the impossibility of intervention and inability to inspect the
      total mucosal surface. It is not a "first line" or "second line" investigation in
      these situations. It should be considered after previous investigations have been
      negative. Push enteroscopy should be performed by general endoscopists, non
      surgical and total enteroscopy should be reserved, for instance for skills and
      motivated team endoscopists.

PMID- 1416751
TI  - [Results of portacaval shunt after failure of sclerotherapy in patients with
      cirrhosis].
AB  - Therapy of variceal bleeding is currently based on endoscopic sclerotherapy.
      However, the treatment of bleeding recurrences after sclerotherapy has not yet
      been established, but consists of the choice between continuation of
      sclerotherapy or a surgical procedure. We report herein the results of portocaval
      shunt performed in 26 cirrhotic patients among the 175 cirrhotic patients (15%)
      admitted between 1985 and 1990 to our Intensive Care Unit for variceal bleeding.
      These 26 patients were operated because of failure of sclerotherapy as defined by
      haemostasis failure (n = 1), the persistence of unchanged oesophageal varices
      after six sessions of sclerotherapy (n = 1), and the occurrence of at least one
      severe episode of rebleeding (n = 24). Emergency and elective portocaval shunts
      were performed in 12 and 14 cases respectively. The time delay between admission
      and surgical procedure was equal to 21 +/- 8 hours and 12 +/- 4 days in the two
      groups respectively. The operative mortality (30 days) was equal to 23% and was
      observed in emergency shunts only. Actuarial survival rates were significantly
      different between the two groups (p < 0.01). Predictive factors of mortality as
      assessed by univariate analysis were the emergency nature of the procedure, serum
      aminotransferases and urea levels at the time of the index bleeding, and the
      number of bleeding episodes related to portal hypertension before the index
      bleeding. The prognosis at one year was not influenced by the number of bleeding
      recurrences between the index bleeding and the bleeding episode justifying the
      shunt.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416753
TI  - [Cholecystectomy by celioscopy. Experience in two Upper Normandy hospital units.
      Apropos of 178 procedures].
AB  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) emerges as an effective alternative to
      classical cholecystectomy, but its safety, benefits and indications still need to
      be clarified. From September 1989 to March 1991, 178 LC were performed by 8
      surgeons in 2 hospitals, on 142 women and 36 men with a mean age of 48.2 years.
      The gall bladder wall was thin in 160 cases and thick in 18 cases (with 6 cases
      acute cholecystitis). We observed no deaths, 147 simple procedures with a
      hospital stay and drug requirement lower than with the usual cholecystectomy via
      laparotomy. But in 21 cases, the procedure needed a laparotomy, and in 10 cases
      complications occurred, requiring laparotomy in 6 cases. Our results suggest: a)
      LC is an improvement in the treatment of uncomplicated gallstones; b) a trained
      surgeon and extreme caution are required in complicated cholelithiasis; c)
      classical cholecystectomy is still useful in many circumstances.

PMID- 1416754
TI  - [Appendectomies by celioscopy. Results in 78 patients].
AB  - The recent development of laparoscopic surgery has included the treatment of
      acute appendicitis. We report our results after three years' experience of this
      type of surgery. We have operated on 78 patients (54 men, 44 women) mean age 28.9
      years, suspected of varying degrees of acute appendicitis. The operation was
      completely carried out by laparoscopy on 71 occasions, including treatment of an
      abscess in 4 cases and peritonitis in 4 cases (3 of which were sub-mesocolic and
      one was generalised). The laparoscopy was transformed into laparotomy in 7 cases,
      4 of which were due to difficulties of appendix dissection. Mortality was zero.
      Four complications occurred: 2 minute infections of the trocar hole, one more
      severe parietal infection which was a cause of readmission and antibiotic
      treatment, one "syndrome of the fifth day". In conclusion, laparoscopic
      appendicectomy appears to be quite feasible in the majority of cases,
      particularly when the appendix is ectopic, with marked abdominal thickening and
      peritoneal reaction. The postoperative course is uneventful. The laparoscopic
      technique is very comfortable for the patient during the postoperative period.
      This technique is becoming increasingly feasible with the operator's experience,
      and this appears to us to constitute good training for any form of laparoscopic
      surgery.

PMID- 1416755
TI  - [Gastric metastases. Apropos of 17 cases].
AB  - Seventeen cases of gastric metastases are reported; some of them appeared after a
      long latency period. Two cancers prevail from an aetiological standpoint:
      melanoma (7 cases) and breast cancer (4 cases). Endoscopic appearance is often
      typical in melanoma, but suggests a primary carcinoma or radiation-induced
      lesions in breast cancer. Surgery is reserved to located lesions, but seems to
      have no incidence on prognosis. Overall mean survival is 11 months with a range
      of 3 months to 5 years.

PMID- 1416756
TI  - [Leiomyosarcomas of the rectum. Amputation of the rectum or local resection?].
AB  - Two cases of high grade leiomyosarcoma of the rectum treated by local excision
      are reported. The first patient presented a local recurrence associated with
      liver and pulmonary metastases and eventually died, respectively 11 and 22 months
      after resection. The second patient's tumor recurred 3 months after excision and
      was treated with pelvic exenteration and CYVADIC regimen as chemotherapy and died
      3 years later from local recurrence. A review of the literature indicates that
      local surgical excision in comparison to a more radical surgical approach, such
      as abdominoperineal resection, is as effective in improving survival. Lesions
      less than 2.5 cm in diameter, confined to the bowel can be treated by local
      surgical excision. To date no adjuvant therapy is effective in terms of survival
      or local control.

PMID- 1416757
TI  - [Implantable insulin pump: surgical implantation under local anesthesia.
      (Technical note apropos of 35 cases)].
AB  - The authors report 35 cases of implantation of a programmable implantable insulin
      pump, under local anesthesia. This technique allows creation of an subcutaneous
      pocket and introduction of an intraperitoneal catheter for insulin delivery. The
      morbidity is mainly due to the catheter which becomes thrombosed by a fibrotic
      pannus at its tip. We observed only one case of mechanical dysfunction of the
      pump. Subcutaneous migration is secondary to reoperation without new fixation.
      With a mean follow-up of 7 months, 75% of the patients are doing well.

PMID- 1416758
TI  - ["Cholethorax" revealing injury to the common bile duct after celioscopic
      cholecystectomy].
AB  - The case-report describes the unusual formation of a bilious pleural effusion or
      "cholethorax" revealing a common bile duct injury secondary to laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy. Pleural drainage led to a diagnostic ERCP. Subsequently a Roux
      en Y hepatico-jejunostomy allowed a satisfactory outcome.

PMID- 1416759
TI  - [Surgical treatment of toxic megacolon complicating pseudomembranous colitis.
      Apropos of a case, review of the literature].
AB  - Toxic megacolon complicating pseudomembranous colitis has been rarely observed.
      Only 36 cases have been previously reported. We present herein a new case report
      in which pseudomembranous colitis was secondary to prophylactic antibiotherapy
      with pefloxacin for hip prosthesis. Despite specific oral treatment (against
      Clostridium difficile) by vancomycin, toxic megacolon required urgent subtotal
      colectomy with ileostomy and sigmoidostomy. Postoperative course was uneventful.
      Analysis of the reported cases demonstrates the high overall mortality of the
      series (32%); the procedure of choice seems to be subtotal colectomy, which
      removes the septic focus, with a 12% operative mortality rate.

PMID- 1416760
TI  - [Training of surgeons in the Netherlands].

PMID- 1416761
TI  - [Anterior seromyotomy and posterior vagotomy in the treatment of perforated
      duodenal ulcer].

PMID- 1416762
TI  - [Regulation of arteriolar tonus and EDRF].
AB  - The physiological significance of the release of NO by endothelial cells was
      discussed according to the effects of inhibitors of NO formation and to the
      observations of Mellander et al. on the reactivity of resistance vessels in cat
      skeletal muscle. Whole results indicate that NO continually takes patent arteries
      and decreases systemic resistances. However, NO has minimal effects on the
      arteriolar side of the vascular tree.

PMID- 1416763
TI  - Indication for surgery of asymptomatic carotid lesions.
AB  - The incidence of cerebrovascular diseases with transient or persistent neurologic
      dysfunction has increased significantly. Although patients with symptomatic
      carotid artery stenosis clearly benefit from operative therapy, the indication to
      prophylactic surgery of asymptomatic carotid lesions however is still
      controversial. Based on data from a recently completed prospective randomized
      study and on analysis of the literature the indication and results of surgical
      treatment of asymptomatic stenoses of the carotid arteries are discussed. From
      1970 to 1990 a total of 744 uni-or bilateral reconstructions of the internal
      carotid artery were performed in 631 patients. The perioperative morbidity
      (permanent neurologic deficiency) and mortality was 1.1% (n = 8) resp. 0.8% (n =
      6). During the follow up period up to 18 years another 9 patients suffered from
      stroke (1.2%). The annual stroke incidence amounted to 0.2%. An important
      prerequisite for surgery is the so called critical internal carotid artery
      stenosis, implying reduced cerebral vasomotor reactivity or high embolic risk of
      an ulcerative plaque. Proper selection of patients (exclusion of multiple
      concomitant diseases) and an experienced team of vascular surgeons with operative
      morbidity and mortality below 1-2% validates surgical treatment of asymptomatic
      carotid artery stenoses.

PMID- 1416764
TI  - [Measurement of cardiac output by invasive methods: methods and variability].
AB  - Invasive techniques for the measurement of cardiac output include the Fick
      method, the marker dilution method and radiological ventriculography. The
      principles, methods and accuracy of these techniques are described. The reference
      method remains that of Fick, despite its being less widely used now because of
      its complicated nature and its technical limitations (need for strict baseline
      conditions, precision of sampling). The thermodilution method is often performed.
      It is easy and provides reliable results, except in conditions of low cardiac
      output or when there is severe tricuspid insufficiency. Radiological
      ventriculography is used less for the measurement of cardiac output, since it is
      heavily dependent upon heart rate and theoretical geometrical models. It remains
      valuable for the quantification of mitral and aortic regurgitation.

PMID- 1416765
TI  - [Evaluation of cardiac output by Doppler echocardiography. Basic principles and
      practice].
AB  - The measurement of cardiac output by the Doppler-echocardiography method is of
      considerable interest since, in contrast to other available techniques, it offers
      the possibility of the measurement of output at each valve orifice, thus
      providing a quantitative approach to valve regurgitation. The 4 basic data items
      required are: the surface area of the valve orifice, trans-valvular Doppler
      velocity spectrum, duration of ejection and of filling, and heart rate. A large
      number of studies have analysed the various investigation techniques and have
      shown their excellent correlation with reference invasive methods. In the light
      of experience acquired in our Echocardiography Laboratory, we recommend, in
      accordance with data from the literature, the exclusive use of pulsed Doppler and
      measurement of valve orifices by two-dimensional imaging at the point of
      insertion of the aortic and sigmoid cusps as well as at the mitral ring. A
      simplified method for the measurement of mitral surface area on the basis of TM
      records is suggested.

PMID- 1416766
TI  - [Evaluation of cardiac output by Doppler echocardiography. Correlation of aortic,
      pulmonary and mitral ring flow rates. Study of 103 subjects free of valve leak].
AB  - Measurement by Doppler-echocardiography of blood flow rates has the advantage
      over techniques for the measurement of cardiac output of determining the latter
      for each valve orifice, and of opening up an approach to the quantification of
      aortic and mitral regurgitation. This prospective study involving 103 subjects
      free of any valve leak showed the absence of an significant difference between
      aortic, pulmonary and mitral ring flow rates in a given individual. Correlations
      between results obtained at the three measurement sites were: r = 0.92 between
      aorta and pulmonary artery, r = 0.90 between aorta and mitral ring and r = 0.90
      between pulmonary artery and mitral ring. These results support the validation of
      this technique and would justify its use in the evaluation, quantification and
      monitoring of mitral and aortic valve leaks.

PMID- 1416767
TI  - [Measurement of mitral flow at the extremity of the valves. Validation of a
      simplified method based on 101 cases].
AB  - The measurement of cardiac output at the extremity of the mitral cusps, by
      Doppler-echocardiography, is of fundamental value, in particular for the
      evaluation of valve regurgitation. However, it comes up against a theoretical
      difficulty resulting from constant variation in the surface area of this orifice
      during diastole. After reviewing the main measurement methods available in the
      literature, a simplified method based upon the diameter of the ring and
      calculation of a mean diastolic intercusp distance by TM is suggested. Evaluation
      of this technique in 101 patients free of valve of leak showed its feasibility to
      be close to 100% and the correlation with aortic (r = 0.90), pulmonary (r = 0.91)
      and mitral ring (r = 0.88) outputs was entirely satisfactory. Our method would
      thus seem to be a good compromise between digitalised integration methods for the
      measurement of mitral surface area--optimal but complex--and the aim of
      simplification compatible with routine clinical use.

PMID- 1416768
TI  - [Measurement of cardiac output by Doppler echocardiography at the 4 cardiac
      valves].
AB  - Many observers remain sceptical with regards to the utilization of Doppler
      echocardiographic measurements of intracardiac outputs for the quantification of
      shunts and regurgitations. In this context, we evaluated the feasibility and
      validity of measuring output at the level of the four cardiac valves in a
      population of 35 normal subjects (24 M, 12 F) aged from 23 to 37 years (mean +/-
      SD = 28 +/- 4). Measurement of stroke volume and output using predetermined
      criteria was possible in the aortic position in 35 (100%) subjects, in the mitral
      position in 34 (97%), in the pulmonary position in 20 (57%) and in the tricuspid
      position in 10 (29%). In 14 subjects (40%), measurement was possible at 2 sites,
      in 14 (40%) at 3 sites and in 7 (20%) at 4 sites. Inability to measure output was
      most often due to poor visualization of valvular annulus. There are excellent
      correlations between aortic stroke volume on the one hand and the mitral (r =
      0.97, SEE = 3.41 cc), pulmonary (r = 0.97, SEE = 3.69 cc) and tricuspid (r =
      0.96, SEE = 2.77 cc) stroke volumes respectively on the other. These results
      suggest that reliable measurements of output are feasible in a majority of cases
      in the aortic and mitral positions but to a much more limited extent in the
      pulmonary and tricuspid positions; given the small SEE's, they should be useful
      to quantitate shunts and regurgitations, when feasible.

PMID- 1416769
TI  - [Determination of aortic and pulmonary flow by Doppler ultrasonography].
AB  - Numerous studies have demonstrated the reliability of ultrasound Doppler in
      measuring aortic flow. It is generally agreed that aortic surface area and flow
      rate should be measured at the arch. In contrast, determination of the pulmonary
      flow by ultrasound Doppler, validated in children and infants, is difficult in
      adults due to problems encountered in measuring the diameter of the pulmonary
      arch.

PMID- 1416770
TI  - [Quantification by transthoracic Doppler of tricuspid valve insufficiencies].
AB  - Various methods are available today for the quantification of regurgitation by
      transthoracic Doppler. The present review deals with their respective usefulness
      in tricuspid insufficiency (TI). Despite their contribution in the domain of
      mitral and aortic insufficiency, precise quantification methods remain of very
      limited value regarding the tricuspid orifice, and this because of practical
      difficulties of application. Evaluations of the severity of TI is based,
      essentially, on a semiquantitative approach. Cartography of the regurgitation
      stream, by colour Doppler, is the chief method, despite its limitations which are
      clearly emphasised by the effects of the contrast test. The discovery, by pulsed
      Doppler, of laminar systolic flow is a sign of capital importance. It is
      indicative of massive TI and of particular anatomical and hemodynamic conditions,
      but it is uncommon. Systolic reversal of flow in the inferior vena cava is a good
      sign of severity but lacks specificity. In contrast, measurement of maximum
      velocities of TI, while essential for the evaluation of pulmonary pressures, is
      of no value in terms of the quantification of regurgitation. Transthoracic
      Doppler data must be taken together with those of transthoracic echocardiography,
      the esophageal approach offering nothing special, being essentially useful in
      lesion evaluation. The quantification of TI, by transthoracic Doppler, has
      derived only very little benefit from the current orientation of Doppler methods.

PMID- 1416771
TI  - [Measurement by Doppler echocardiography of the ratio of pulmonary/systemic flow
      rates in atrial septal defects. Apropos of 15 cases].
AB  - Fifteen patients with an ostium secundum type atrial septal defect, aged between
      5 and 68 (mean = 31) underwent Doppler-echocardiographic evaluation of the ratio
      of pulmonary and systemic flow rates. Systemic flow was evaluated at the aortic
      orifice, as well as at the mitral ring and at the extremities of the mitral
      cusps, based upon the measurement of valve diameters by 2D or TM
      echocardiography, pulsed Doppler velocity curve and hear rate. Pulmonary flow was
      measured by the same technique at the site of insertion of the pulmonary cusps.
      The values obtained were compared with cardiac catheterisation findings, the
      reference method being an oxymetric measurement of the shunt ratio. Feasibility
      of the Doppler investigation was 100 per cent. Correlation between the two
      techniques was r = 0.85 when the Doppler measurement was at the aorta, r = 0.81
      for the mitral ring and r = 0.71 at the extremity of the mitral cusps. Doppler
      echocardiography thus appears to be a reliable and reproducible method for the
      evaluation of left-right shunts, confirming data from the literature.

PMID- 1416773
TI  - [Transesophageal echocardiography in infectious endocarditis].
AB  - During the past 20 years, TTE has acquired a role of choice in the positive
      diagnosis as well as in the prognostic evaluation of endocarditis. However, it is
      a non-histobacteriological technique and is also operator-dependent. If often
      enables the detection of high risk patients: large vegetations, severe valve
      damage with major leaks, threatened complications: abscess, fistula, sometimes
      leading to referral of the patient for emergency surgery when required by
      hemodynamic conditions (often without recourse to catheterisation) or when
      infection is uncontrolled despite proper medical treatment. Embolism is the chief
      cause of morbidity and mortality in IE. In this context, the size of vegetations
      appears to be a risk factor. TEE enables refinement, precision and completion of
      TTE findings. It should be requested in the following circumstances: 1) strong
      clinical suspicion of IE but TTE negative, 2) monitoring of severe forms due to
      virulent organisms, 3) whenever there is suspicion of IE affecting a valve
      replacement.

PMID- 1416772
TI  - [Doppler echocardiography and double chamber pacing].
AB  - Doppler-echocardiography is playing an increasing role in cardiac pacing: 1)
      Before implantation, to determine any cardiac disease possibly accompanying the
      conduction disturbance, and the quality of atrial function in order to identify
      the appropriate indications for the type of pacing which will restore normal AV
      synchronism. Alongside morphometric data (size of atria, etc.), this analysis is
      based above all on the evaluation of LV filling flows and ejection, if necessary
      during provisional pacing in DRV mode. It is important to be aware of and prevent
      certain problems: 1st degree AV block with very long PR, high degree interatrial
      conduction disturbances, etc. 2) To evaluate the possible benefits of pacing in
      certain new indications, e.g. obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
      (measurement of intra-LV gradient in sinus rhythm and with DRV pacing with total
      ventricular capture). 3) After implantation, to optimise the programming of
      double-chamber pacemakers and in particular AV intervals (base-line AV interval
      with paced atrial cycle, AV interval with detected atrial cycle, hysteresis of AV
      interval corresponding to the difference between the two previous values, slope
      of automatic variation in AV interval during exercise, etc.). Individual
      programming of these parameters based upon analysis of transmitral and ejection
      flow rates, at rest and, if necessary, during exercise, enables the optimisation
      of cardiac function (which is above all useful in the presence of concomitant
      organic heart disease) while at the same time improving the electrophysiological
      behaviour of the pacemaker at high frequencies.

PMID- 1416774
TI  - Annals editorial review process--improving the quality of publication.

PMID- 1416775
TI  - An epidemiological survey of respiratory morbidity among granite quarry workers
      in Singapore: radiological abnormalities.
AB  - This report presents baseline findings from the first of a series of
      epidemiological studies to evaluate inter alia the effects of control measures
      introduced in 1972-79 to reduce dust exposure in all quarries in Singapore. The
      prevalence of radiological abnormalities among 219 currently employed quarry
      workers were estimated according to a number of parameters of dust exposure.
      Large-sized chest x-ray films were read, independently and in random order, by a
      panel of three experienced readers, who were "blinded" to the personal
      particulars and exposure of the subjects, using standard chest x-ray films to
      record opacities according to the International Standard Classification of
      Radiographs of Pneumoconioses. Silicosis as defined by radiological small
      opacities (both rounded and irregular) of profusion 1/1 or greater as read by at
      least two readers were noted in 11 subjects. The prevalence of silicosis was
      12.5% in highly exposed drilling and crushing workers, and 0.8% in maintenance
      and transportation workers with low level exposure to granite dust. Among those
      who were first exposed to granite dust after 1979, no cases of silicosis were
      noted in any quarry worker. It is concluded that reduction in dust exposure since
      1979 has so far been successful in producing nil or negligible risks of silicosis
      among active quarry workers over ten years, but further follow-up studies are
      needed.

PMID- 1416776
TI  - An epidemiological survey of respiratory morbidity among granite quarry workers
      in Singapore: chronic bronchitis and lung function impairment.
AB  - Respiratory symptoms of chronic bronchitis and measurements of lung function were
      studied in an epidemiological survey of the total population of workers currently
      employed in granite quarries in Singapore. There were 85 rock drilling and
      crushing workers with current exposure in high levels of silica dust. Their
      respiratory parameters were studied with reference to an internal comparison
      group of 154 quarry maintenance and transport workers with low dust exposure, and
      an external comparison group of 148 Telecoms postal delivery workers with no
      granite dust exposure. The highly exposed workers showed greater prevalences of
      chronic cough and phlegm, a mean reduction of 5% in forced expiratory volume in
      one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC). The increased respiratory
      morbidity were independent of other factors such as age and smoking. Similar
      results were also noted after excluding those with silicosis (defined
      radiologically as profusion greater than 1/1 as read by at least two of three
      readers). This study strongly indicates a demonstrable risk of "occupational"
      bronchitis (mucus hypersecretion) and obstructive and restrictive lung function
      impairment, apart from the "classical" risk of silicosis. Measures taken to
      protect the health of workers exposed to silica dust should also be based on
      considerations taken to protect against the risk of these respiratory disorders
      as well.

PMID- 1416777
TI  - Xq28: epidemiology and sex-linkage between red-green colour blindness and G6PD
      deficiency.
AB  - Xq28 is the genetic locus of two closely associated conditions of red-green
      colour blindness and G6PD deficiency. Epidemiologically, both rank among the more
      frequent sex-linked clinical problems that affect military servicemen in
      Singapore. This retrospective study is based on the findings of 35714 subjects
      screened at the Medical Classification Centre--Central Manpower Base (MCC--CMPB)
      over an eighteen-month period using pseudoisochromatic and fluorescent techniques
      as well as anomaloscopic and spectrometric methods. The overall prevalence rates
      of red-green colour blindness, G6PD deficiency and association were determined to
      be 4.8%, 2.2% and 0.1% respectively. Malays showed the highest prevalence rates
      among the major races. Statistically significant difference was found with
      regards to the prevalence rates of G6PD deficiency and its association with red
      green colour blindness. Review of literature yielded comparable results with a
      few local studies of good sample size done over the past twenty years. Sex
      linkage analysis was hindered by the lack of pedigree studies.

PMID- 1416778
TI  - A prevalence study of dysmenorrhoea in female residents aged 15-54 years in
      Clementi Town, Singapore.
AB  - A community-based questionnaire survey to study the prevalence of dysmenorrhoea,
      its associated risk factors and impact on daily living was carried out on a
      random sample of 415 female persons aged 15 to 54 residing in Housing Development
      Board flats in Clementi Town. The overall prevalence of dysmenorrhoea, defined as
      one or more episodes of menstrual cramp or pain in the previous year, not due to
      a diagnosed gynaecological disease, was 51.3%. The condition was less prevalent
      and less severe in older women and in women with later menarche. It was also less
      prevalent in women who were parous, with the greatest number of parous women
      reporting improvement in severity after the first child. Among those with
      dysmenorrhoea, about 52% of students, 42% of working women, and 30% of housewives
      reported that their ability to perform work was affected. About 6% of all women
      consulted a doctor for their problem, and 10% of all employed women reported
      having been sick-absent because of dysmenorrhoea.

PMID- 1416779
TI  - Cervical cancer: trends in incidence and mortality in Singapore 1968 to 1987.
AB  - Analysis of data collected by the population-based Singapore Cancer Registry
      reveals that the age-standardised incidence of cervical cancer has decreased from
      18.2 per 100,000 females in 1968-72 to 16.2 per 100,000 in 1983-87, and its
      ranking among the most common female cancers has fallen from second to fourth
      place behind cancers of the breast, colon/rectum and lung. Mortality from the
      disease has also shown a corresponding fall from 7.3 per 100,000 to 5.5 per
      100,000 women over the same period. Cervical cancer incidence rates are in
      general highest among Indian women, intermediate in Chinese and lowest in Malays.
      Age-specific incidence curves over time show a marked fall in rates in women over
      50 years of age, whereas younger women (35-44 years old) show a small increase. A
      similar increase in rates has been observed in various other countries.
      Internationally, Singapore's incidence rate falls between the highs of South
      America and parts of Asia, and the lower rates of North America and Europe. The
      decrease in rates is comparable with the overall global trend, but falls short of
      that achieved by countries with systematic cytological screening programmes.

PMID- 1416780
TI  - Prevalence of protein calorie malnutrition in general surgical patients.
AB  - The prevalence of protein calorie malnutrition (PCM) based on ten nutritional
      parameters was studied in 307 patients undergoing major elective surgical
      operations. These parameters included anthropometric measurements (weight/height,
      triceps skin fold thickness, arm muscle circumference) and biochemical (serum
      total proteins, albumin, transferrin, prealbumin, retinol binding protein) and
      immunological tests (total lymphocyte count and delayed hypersensitivity test).
      Using these criteria, the prevalence of PCM was high. Eighty-six percent of
      patients had at least one abnormal parameter. The prevalence of PCM as judged by
      weight/height and arm muscle circumference was 49% and 62% respectively. The
      incidence was higher in cancer than non cancer patients (63% vs 43%). Although
      serum albumin and total protein levels were normal in 93.5% of patients, acute
      serum protein markers such as transferrin, prealbumin and retinol binding protein
      were low in 20-30%. Lymphopenia of 1500 cells/cu mm or less was found in 18% and
      abnormal delayed hypersensitivity test in 60%. We found that only weight/height,
      serum protein, transferrin and lymphopenia had predictive values in postoperative
      morbidity and mortality. By identifying PCM patients early, adequate nutritional
      support can be given in order to reduce the risk of major surgical complications.

PMID- 1416781
TI  - Treatment of spontaneous uncomplicated pneumothorax with aspiration.
AB  - Between December 1989 and December 1990, nine patients with significant,
      uncomplicated, spontaneous pneumothoraces were treated by simple aspiration in
      the Medical Department, Alexandra Hospital. Only one had a residual 30%
      pneumothorax that required further aspiration with good results. The majority of
      the patients stayed three days in hospital. These nine patients were reviewed at
      various periods between four weeks to twelve months with no recurrence of
      pneumothoraces. The discomfort and inconvenience of an intercostal tube insertion
      was avoided. Risk of damage to the lung was minimal. No scar was left behind.
      Total cost of the procedure and hospitalisation was much less compared with
      intercostal intubation.

PMID- 1416782
TI  - Acute deep vein thrombosis in hospital practice.
AB  - A recent cross sectional study on symptomatic acute deep vein thrombosis at the
      National University Hospital (NUH) in Singapore found a frequency rate of 0.79
      per 1000 patient admissions. A total of 39 patients were accrued over 18 months,
      36 with deep vein thrombosis alone and three complicated by pulmonary embolism.
      No sex or ethnic predilection was observed in this cohort of hospitalised
      patients. Twenty-eight (71.8%) patients were 40 years or older. Majority (89.7%)
      of patients had at least two predisposing factors. While prolonged bedrest and
      operative procedures featured equally frequently in patients above and below 40
      years, neoplasms were predominantly associated with the former and protein C or S
      deficiency primarily with the latter. The exhaustive laboratory confirmation of
      an inherent thrombotic tendency is recommended only for patients below 40 years
      of age.

PMID- 1416783
TI  - Clinical study of magnetic stimulation of peripheral nerves.
AB  - Magnetic stimulation of the peripheral nerves is a recently developed technique
      and has exciting prospects in clinical neurophysiology. An experiment was
      performed comparing the conventional electric stimulation with magnetic
      stimulation of the median nerve of a normal population. Magnetic stimulation
      produced comparable results as far as latency, amplitudes and configuration of
      action potentials in most patients. The technique of magnetic stimulation is
      discussed. Its shortcomings are in locating the magnetic coil's point of
      stimulation on the nerve and difficulty in achieving supramaximal stimulation.
      Its great advantage is that it is painless and that deep nerves can be reached.

PMID- 1416784
TI  - Infection in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD): aetiology,
      complications and risk factors.
AB  - Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) was started in the Singapore
      General Hospital in 1980. Peritonitis and exit site infections have been the
      major cause of morbidity and catheter loss in CAPD. In 1990, 130 patients were on
      CAPD and the peritonitis rate was one episode in 20.4 patient months. Gram
      positive organisms accounted for 54% of the infections of which Staphylococcus
      epidermidis was the commonest (24%). Catheter removal was required in 14% of the
      cases and 9% of the patients discontinued CAPD as a result of peritonitis. The
      exit site infection rate was one episode in 27.5 patient months and the commonest
      organism was Staphylococcus aureus (54%). Twenty-three (47%) of the cases of exit
      site infection required catheter removal and 83% of the cases were the result of
      S. aureus infections. Patients with preexisting exit site infections experienced
      more episodes of peritonitis. Patients above the age of 50 years experienced more
      episodes of peritonitis and exit site infection. Sex, diabetes and the duration
      on CAPD did not influence the frequency of infections. Patients using the UV
      Germicidal Exchange Device had fewer episodes of peritonitis than those using the
      conventional spike system.

PMID- 1416785
TI  - Community acquired urinary tract infections in Singapore: a microbiological
      study.
AB  - We studied 214 patients with culture proven community acquired infections. A
      total of 219 organisms were isolated, of which 68.2% were Escherichia coli, 10.1%
      Klebsiella sp and 5.5% Proteus mirabilis. Gram positive cocci accounted for 10.5%
      of organisms isolated. The majority of organisms isolated were sensitive to
      nalidixic acid (81.1%), nitrofurantoin (80.7%), cephalexin (74.7%) and
      trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (65.0%). Resistance to ampicillin was common
      (49.8%), as such the use of ampicillin in community acquired urinary tract
      infections will result in a high failure rate.

PMID- 1416786
TI  - The impact of HLA match transfusions and presensitization on renal
      transplantation in the cyclosporine era.
AB  - The successful engraftment of a renal transplant is dependent on multiple
      factors, immunological factors being of major importance. Specifically,
      histocompatibility, lymphocytotoxic antibodies and pretransplant blood
      transfusions have been shown to play a major role in determining graft outcome in
      renal transplant recipients receiving Azathioprine-Prednisolone
      immunosuppression. The impact of the immunosuppressive drug, Cyclosporine on
      graft outcome in relation to established risk factors were examined among 116
      cadaveric and 34 living related renal allograft recipients from our center.
      Histoincompatibility and pretransplant blood transfusions did not significantly
      affect graft survival among cadaveric transplant recipients. Similarly, graft
      survival was not significantly different between two haplotype-matched and less
      well-matched living-related graft recipients (75% versus 96.5% respectively). On
      the other hand, lymphocytotoxic antibodies remained a major risk factor for
      immunologically mediated graft loss among cadaveric graft recipients (48.0%
      versus 92.2% four year graft survival among those with and without antibodies
      respectively). These results suggest that Cyclosporine has abrogated some
      immunological risk factors in renal transplantation.

PMID- 1416787
TI  - Management of severe chronic radiation cystitis.
AB  - Chronic radiation cystitis complicating pelvic irradiation can occasionally
      result in massive bleeding difficult to control with conventional means. Between
      1986 and 1989, we managed 42 cases of chronic radiation cystitis of which nine
      (21%) were of this severe type based on the necessity for repeated
      cystodiathermy, massive transfusions and open surgical intervention. We found
      early cystodiathermy and alum bladder irrigation beneficial in early cases, but
      six (67%) patients required emergency bilateral percutaneous nephrostomies for
      proximal urinary diversions to help stop the bleeding. Despite aggressive
      treatment, two patients (22%) died during their admissions and two others (22%)
      died shortly after discharge. Three patients eventually required elective ileal
      conduit diversion for their contracted defunctioned bladder. Thus this group of
      patients suffered relatively high morbidity and mortality for an essentially
      benign condition. Increased physician awareness and timely percutaneous
      nephrostomies may improve results.

PMID- 1416788
TI  - Exercise training in patients after heart transplantation.
AB  - The post-cardiac transplantation patient is frequently debilitated as a result of
      "end-stage" heart disease and typically demonstrates muscle wasting, with a
      reduced work capacity, maximum heart rate and peak oxygen uptake. At submaximal
      effort, perceived exertion and ventilation are higher, and the absolute
      ventilatory threshold lower, than in normals. A number of published studies have
      now shown that an exercise rehabilitation programme can induce a good training
      effect, although possibly not complete restoration of physiological function. The
      prescription of exercise must take into account the denervated heart's peculiar
      response to effort, and rely more on perceived exertion and metabolic
      measurements for defining intensity of training rather than target training heart
      rates. Changes in mood and personality have also been noted in these patients,
      and while these may improve spontaneously with the passage of time, there is some
      evidence that a rehabilitation programme can help in this regard.

PMID- 1416789
TI  - Calcifying epithelioma of Malherbe--a case report of a large preauricular tumour.
AB  - Calcifying epithelioma of Malherbe (pilomatrixoma) is a relatively uncommon
      benign skin tumour of hair follicle origin. It usually presents in the face and
      upper extremities of young adults as an asymptomatic subcutaneous or dermal
      tumour. Treatment is surgical excision. This paper presents a case of a large
      tumour in the preauricular region with difficulty in diagnosis preoperatively and
      required a superficial parotidectomy to clear the tumour from the facial nerve.

PMID- 1416790
TI  - Migrating foreign bodies in the upper digestive tract.
AB  - Migrating foreign bodies in the aerodigestive tract are not so uncommon. Two
      cases of penetrating and migrating extraluminal foreign bodies in the upper
      aerodigestive tract are presented. Both patients had ingested fish bones. Fish
      bones are the commonest of bones to be ingested. Sharp and pointed fish bones are
      more likely to penetrate extraluminally. A high index of suspicion is necessary
      to institute early treatment. A CAT scan is invaluable in locating the foreign
      body especially with regards to surgical landmarks at exploration. Early surgical
      intervention avoids life-threatening complications.

PMID- 1416791
TI  - Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy: a case report and a review of literature.
AB  - Most muscular dystrophies manifest as peripheral muscular weakness commencing at
      various age, however, oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) is a rare
      hereditary disorder presenting in middle age with progressive dysphagia and
      bilateral blepharoptosis rather than peripheral muscular weakness. In the medical
      literature, OPMD has been well described in Canadians of French descent. So far,
      there is no publication of OPMD in the Malaysia-Singapore medical literature.
      This article documents this condition in a Chinese patient. A review of the
      literature is presented and the management of OPMD is discussed.

PMID- 1416792
TI  - Severe myelodysplasia with monosomies 5 and 7 presenting with rapidly fatal
      Sweet's syndrome.
AB  - A 57 year-old Chinese man with anaemia and thrombocytopenia due to monosomies 5
      and 7-associated myelodysplasia developed progressive Sweet's syndrome. Recurrent
      episodes of cutaneous manifestations responded dramatically to corticosteroid
      therapy. However, progressive pulmonary infiltrates unresponsive to antimicrobial
      therapy resulted in respiratory failure and death.

PMID- 1416793
TI  - Fixed drug eruptions due to co-trimoxazole.
AB  - Co-trimoxazole is a less common cause of fixed drug eruption (FDE). The offending
      drug is usually sulfamethoxazole but reactions to trimethoprim have been
      reported. Fixed drug eruption is uncommon in children compared to adults as the
      drugs most commonly responsible are seldom or never used in children. We report
      four patients with FDE to co-trimoxazole, three of whom were children. All were
      given the offending drug for upper respiratory tract infections. Each of the
      patients had several episodes of FDE before the diagnosis was suspected. The
      patients, as well as the general practitioners, initially thought that the skin
      lesions were related to the infections rather than the drugs. One of the patients
      had FDE to trimethoprim and the intensity of his reaction appeared to be dose
      related. As co-trimoxazole is being used more commonly, we would expect to see
      more FDE, even among the paediatric age group.

PMID- 1416794
TI  - Challenges facing the medical profession in the 1990s.

PMID- 1416795
TI  - Spasticity--implications in rehabilitation.
AB  - Several features characterise spasticity which may be present in patients with
      lesions of the upper motor neurones of the brain and spinal cord. Spasticity
      gives rise to disability depending on the site and extent of the lesion. The
      manifestations of spasticity and its direct consequences on the locomotor system
      are discussed in this paper together with the factors affecting it. Management
      strategies in the rehabilitation of patients with spasticity are outlined, with
      emphasis on preserving maximum possible function in mobility and activities of
      daily living.

PMID- 1416796
TI  - Social and cultural aspects of organ donation in Asia.
AB  - In Asian countries, it is more difficult to obtain cadaver kidneys for renal
      transplantation because of certain socio-cultural beliefs and customs. The issues
      affecting living related kidney donation are more social than cultural. This is
      due to the web of family pressures and personal conflicts for both donor and
      recipient surrounding the donation. Important misconceptions and fears are: fear
      of death, the belief that removal of organ violates sanctity of decreased,
      concern about being cut up after death, desire to be buried whole, dislike of
      idea of kidneys inside another person, wrong concept of brain death, and the idea
      of donation being against religious conviction. In Singapore, with the
      introduction of the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA) in 1988, the number of
      cadaveric transplants have increased, including those from the Medical Therapy
      Act (MTA). HOTA and education have played pivotal roles in bringing about an
      increased yield of cadaveric kidneys. With the availability of living unrelated
      donor (LUD) transplants in India, our living related donor (LRD) transplant
      programme has suffered, because patients would rather buy a kidney from overseas
      than get a relative to donate one. Patients are also going to China for overseas
      cadaveric transplants where the kidneys come from executed convicts. People in
      countries like Hong Kong, Japan and the Philippines share the same Asian
      tradition of not parting with their organs after death. Muslim countries like
      Malaysia require the deceased to have earlier pledged his kidneys for donation
      prior to death before they can be harvested for transplantation at death.

PMID- 1416797
TI  - Can therapeutic interventions prevent chronic renal failure?
AB  - One way to prevent chronic renal failure (CRF) is to institute preventive
      measures against renal diseases in the general population. Patients with
      hereditary kidney diseases should have genetic counselling. Certain infections
      affecting or causing kidney diseases can be eradicated. People should be cautious
      in the use of analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents. Exposure to
      hydrocarbons, heavy metals and toxic gases should be avoided. Proper management
      of diabetes mellitus, gout, renal stones and hypertension can prevent renal
      damage. In patients with established renal disease, the following factors if
      treated or modified can prevent or ameliorate renal injury: glomerular
      hypertension, cell mediated proliferation, lipid induced proliferation,
      coagulation and thrombosis. Pregnancy in patients with renal disease should be
      well managed and termination advised if necessary. Reversible causes of renal
      failure as well as acute reversible elements can be removed or treated. Acute
      renal failure due to toxins can be avoided, although prevention requires
      awareness of association with renal failure. Prevention too depends on early
      detection of nephrotoxic injury like: greater awareness of hazards of
      environmental toxins, careful monitoring of dosage of nephrotoxic drugs and when
      possible, total avoidance of nephrotoxins should be the rule. Finally, in
      patients with glomerular disease, prevention or amelioration of glomerular damage
      with pharmacological agents have been achieved in some instances.

PMID- 1416798
TI  - Medical aspects of drowning in children.
AB  - Accidental, homicidal and suicidal drowning comprise a special challenge to the
      clinician and preventive medicine advocate, alike. In South-east Asia and
      Australasia, accidental immersion accidents rank highly among the causes of
      preventable child trauma. Bath-tub and bucket drownings affect infants and
      toddlers under the age of 12 months, and some 10 percent of fatal bucket-tub
      immersions affecting infants are the result of child abuse. Immersion accidents
      in the sea have special characteristics, not specifically as a result of
      differences in water osmolarity, but related to hypothermia, secondary lung
      complications, and immersion times. Swimming pool drownings are the major cause
      of preventable death affecting pre-school children in some regions of
      Australasia. Resuscitation of the near-drowned child is topical because, (a) of
      controversies about the optimality of mouth-to-nose expired air resuscitation
      (EAR) in infants under six months of age; (b) of controversies about the degree
      of brain damage among child survivors following intensive care salvage; and (c)
      the difficulties of having "every parent a first-aider". A major study of
      childhood immersions (The Brisbane Drowning Study has shown that of all
      survivors, some 70 percent will be completely normal, 30 percent will suffer some
      selective deficit (with wide disparities on sub-scale scores on formal IQ
      testing), and 3 percent will live in a permanent vegetative state. Vigorous
      preventative campaigns using the triad of (a) public media education and
      campaigns, (b) better safety standards and safety devices, and (c) safety
      legislation, can reduce both the population risk and the individual clinical
      severity of immersion accidents.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1416799
TI  - Objective assessment of research performance.
AB  - Research output in academic institutions need critical and objective assessment.
      Publications are an important avenue by which research by an academic can be
      evaluated. Journals in which such publications appear may be ranked and weight
      age given to publications in highly ranked journals. The number of citations of
      an academic's work by peers is another assessment of quality of research output.
      Firstly subjective peer assessment although flawed by interpersonal bias has its
      merits especially when evaluation is by an outsider of the institution.

PMID- 1416800
TI  - The second Seah Cheng Siang Memorial Lecture. Clinical skills in an age of
      technology.

PMID- 1416801
TI  - Rapidly progressive autosomal dominant parkinsonism and dementia with pallido
      ponto-nigral degeneration.
AB  - We describe a family with nearly 300 members over 8 generations with 32 affected
      individuals who have an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease
      characterized by progressive parkinsonism with dystonia unrelated to medications,
      dementia, ocular motility abnormalities, pyramidal tract dysfunction, frontal
      lobe release signs, perseverative vocalizations, and urinary incontinence. The
      course is exceptionally aggressive; symptom onset and death consistently occur in
      the fifth decade. Positron emission tomographic studies with [18F]6-fluoro-L-dopa
      (6FD) were performed in 4 patients and 7 individuals at risk for development of
      the disease. All affected subjects had markedly reduced striatal uptake of 6FD (p
      less than 0.001). All individuals at risk had normal striatal uptake, but high
      6FD uptake rate constants were noted in 3 of the 7 studied. Autopsy findings
      revealed severe neuronal loss with gliosis in substantia nigra, pontine
      tegmentum, and globus pallidus, with less involvement of the caudate and the
      putamen. There were no plaques, tangles, Lewy bodies, or amyloid bodies. This
      kindred appears to represent a neurodegenerative disease not heretofore
      described. We propose the following name for this new genetic disease: autosomal
      dominant parkinsonism and dementia with pallido-ponto-nigral degeneration.

PMID- 1416802
TI  - Spectrum of human immunodeficiency virus-associated neocortical damage.
AB  - A spectrum of neurocognitive defects, termed human immunodeficiency virus type 1
      (HIV-1)-associated cognitive/motor complex, has been described in patients with
      acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). AIDS dementia complex (ADC) is a
      severe form of this disease seen in 20 to 30% of terminally ill patients. The
      etiology of this complex is distinct from commonly observed opportunistic
      infections seen in brains of patients with AIDS and has been attributed to HIV
      infection within the brain. At autopsy, the brains of patients with ADC contain
      numerous HIV-infected macrophages/microglia with prominent subcortical damage,
      together termed HIV encephalitis. We retrospectively analyzed all 107 brains from
      a three-year period (1988-1990) of AIDS autopsies using immunocytochemistry to
      detect HIV. Rather than breaking into distinct groups of HIV encephalitis versus
      non-HIV encephalitis, the specimens revealed a spectrum of severity of HIV
      infection. Although only 16% of the brains showed the histological hallmarks of
      HIV encephalitis, more than 50% of the autopsies showed moderate to severe HIV
      infection. In a subset of 23 AIDS autopsies during which short postmortem times
      and absence of significant opportunistic infection permitted quantitative
      analysis of dendritic and synaptic complexities, we identified a strong
      correlation between neocortical dendritic and presynaptic damage and abundance of
      HIV envelope protein in the neocortical gray and deep white matter. This
      correlation suggests that the presence of HIV-1 in the neocortex may be
      responsible by direct or indirect mechanisms for dendritic and synaptic damage.

PMID- 1416803
TI  - Angiotensin II receptor binding associated with nigrostriatal dopaminergic
      neurons in human basal ganglia.
AB  - In the human brain, receptor binding sites for angiotensin are found in the
      striatum and in the substantia nigra pars compacta overlying dopamine-containing
      cell bodies. In contrast, angiotensin-converting enzyme occurs in the substantia
      nigra pars reticulata and is enriched in the striosomes of the striatum. In this
      study, using quantitative in vitro autoradiography, we demonstrate decreased
      angiotensin receptor binding in the substantia nigra and striatum of postmortem
      brains from patients with Parkinson's disease. In the same brains the density of
      binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme shows no consistent change. We propose,
      from these results, that angiotensin receptors in the striatum are located
      presynaptically on dopaminergic terminals projecting from the substantia nigra.
      In contrast, the results support previous studies in rats demonstrating that
      angiotensin-converting enzyme is associated with striatal neurons projecting to
      the substantia nigra pars reticulata. These findings raise the possibility that
      newly emerging drugs that interact with the angiotensin system, particularly
      converting enzyme inhibitors and new nonpeptide angiotensin receptor blockers,
      may modulate the brain dopamine system.

PMID- 1416804
TI  - Motor inhibition and excitation are independent effects of magnetic cortical
      stimulation.
AB  - We administered magnetic cortical stimulation (MCS) during voluntary contraction
      of intrinsic hand muscles to 8 patients with motor neuron disease (MND), 5
      patients with pure lower motor neuron syndromes (LMN), a patient with severe
      subacute sensory neuropathy (SSN), and 10 healthy volunteers. Patients with MND
      had clinical evidence of upper MND and elevated thresholds for (3 patients) or
      absence of (5 patients) motor evoked potentials (MEPs). MCS during sustained
      contraction inhibited electromyographic activity in 6 of 8 patients with MND,
      without preceding MEPs. MCS had no effect on the electromyogram (EMG) of the
      other 2 patients with MND. In normal subjects and patients with LMN, inhibition
      of EMG was never seen without a preceding MEP, regardless of stimulus intensity.
      In the patient with SSN, MCS elicited normal MEPs and inhibited the EMG in a
      pattern similar to normal subjects, whereas supramaximal electrical stimulation
      of median and ulnar nerves failed to inhibit the EMG despite normal M and F
      responses. Our findings indicate that the inhibitory effects of MCS on EMG are
      not dependent solely on changes in afferent feedback caused by the muscle twitch
      produced by the MEP, or on Renshaw cell inhibition. We suggest that some of the
      inhibitory and excitatory effects of MCS on the motor system are mediated by
      distinct cortical elements, which may have different susceptibilities to
      pathophysiological processes in MND.

PMID- 1416805
TI  - Facilitation of responses to motor cortex stimulation: effects of isometric
      voluntary contraction.
AB  - In 7 normal subjects we compared the facilitatory effect of isometric contraction
      of the tibialis anterior on the size of electromyographic responses evoked in
      this muscle by electric stimuli applied over the cervical column and by electric
      and magnetic percutaneous stimulation of the motor cortex. No significant
      difference was found between the degrees of facilitation of the responses to any
      of the stimuli. Using collision techniques, we also showed that the pyramidal
      fibers activated by spinal and cortical stimuli are the same. Facilitation
      induced by isometric contraction (20% maximum) was of similar or greater
      magnitude than that found with constant vibration of the tendon of the target
      muscle. In cases where vibration and contraction had equal facilitatory effects,
      there was no further facilitation of the responses when both conditions were
      applied together. These findings indicate that the facilitatory effect of
      isometric contraction of the target muscle essentially originates at a spinal
      level rather than in the motor cortex.

PMID- 1416806
TI  - Inverse relationship between education and parietotemporal perfusion deficit in
      Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - A higher prevalence of dementia in individuals with fewer years of education has
      suggested that education may protect against Alzheimer's disease (AD). We tested
      whether individuals with more years of education have a more advanced AD before
      it is clinically evident. As a measure of pathophysiological severity, we
      quantified regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), by the 133Xenon inhalation
      technique; a specific pattern of flow reduction in the parietotemporal cortex
      corresponds to AD pathology. In 3 groups of patients with probable AD, matched
      for clinical measures of dementia severity but with varying levels of education,
      whole-cortex mean flows were comparable. However, the parietotemporal perfusion
      deficit was significantly greater in the group with the highest level of
      education, indicating that AD was more advanced in this group. We conclude that
      education or its covariates or both may provide a reserve that compensates for
      the neuropathological changes of AD and delays the onset of its clinical
      manifestations.

PMID- 1416807
TI  - Subclinical histopathological changes in the oculomotor nerve in diabetes
      mellitus.
AB  - To provide reference values for the oculomotor nerve, for example, fascicular
      area and myelinated fiber (MF) number and size distribution, in pathological
      states, and to determine whether oculomotor nerves from diabetic patients without
      a history of oculomotor palsy have subclinical structural alterations, the
      morphometric features of 15 control subjects and eight diabetic patients were
      evaluated at a proximal and a distal level. On average the control nerves had a
      fascicular area of 2.7 mm2, 22,311 MF, and a bimodal diameter distribution with
      peaks at approximately 5 to 6 and 10 to 11 microns and a range of 2 to 20
      microns. In proximal nerve, glial bundles were found in one-half of the subjects
      and patients, with a peak of MF sizes that differed from fibers in nonglial
      areas. The nerves from diabetic patients departed from the nerves from control
      subjects in the following two respects: changed size distribution, suggesting
      atrophy of fibers, and microfasciculation of edge fibers in parts of the
      fascicles in one-half of the patients. We conclude that glial bundles are
      probably a normal variant. Microfasciculation occurred much more frequently in
      nerves from diabetic patients and may represent subclinical injury of unknown
      cause. The alteration in size distribution may reflect the diabetic state and is
      not necessarily a precursor to diabetic ophthalmoplegia.

PMID- 1416808
TI  - Felbamate monotherapy: controlled trial in patients with partial onset seizures.
AB  - Felbamate (FBM) monotherapy was evaluated in 44 patients with uncontrolled
      partial onset seizures in a unique, single-center, randomized, double-blind,
      parallel-group trial. During the 56-day baseline period, patients were required
      to have at least 8 seizures and to be receiving only one standard antiepileptic
      drug (AED) at a therapeutic level; a second AED was allowed if at a
      subtherapeutic level. Patients were randomized to valproate (VPA), 15 mg/kg, or
      to FBM, 3,600 mg/day. In the treatment phase, previous AEDs were discontinued by
      study day 28 (by one-third decrements on study days 1, 14, and 28). Study end
      points were completion of 112 study days or the fulfilling of escape criteria.
      Criteria for escape relative to baseline were: two-fold increase in monthly
      seizure frequency, two-fold increase in highest 2-day seizure frequency, single
      generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTC) if none occurred during baseline, or
      significant prolongation of GTCs. The predetermined primary efficacy variable was
      the number of patients escaping in each treatment group. Nineteen patients on VPA
      and 3 on FBM met escape criteria (p less than 0.001, chi-square test). When
      overall seizure frequency among study completers was compared with baseline, the
      FBM group had a 50 to 65% reduction in seizure frequency. FBM adverse experiences
      were all mild or moderate in severity, and the incidence of adverse experiences
      was lower in monotherapy. FBM monotherapy was effective in the treatment of
      partial onset seizures with or without generalization and demonstrated a
      favorable safety profile.

PMID- 1416809
TI  - Clinical trial design for antiepileptic drugs.

PMID- 1416810
TI  - New anatomical and functional imaging methods.
AB  - Powerful new methods for imaging both brain anatomy and brain function are
      appearing at an increasing rate. The modern era of minimally invasive, highly
      informative, neurological diagnostic imaging methods began with the introduction
      of x-ray computed tomography in the 1970s. More recently, positron emission
      tomography and single-photon emission computed tomography have been used
      extensively in research on normal and pathological brain function, and they are
      finding specific medical applications. Nuclear magnetic resonance methods are in
      widespread use for neurological diagnosis only a decade after they became
      available. Rapid development of new techniques based on the same principles, and
      implementable on clinical instruments with relatively minor modifications, will
      expand the range of nuclear magnetic resonance measurement capabilities
      considerably in the near future. These technological innovations and others yet
      to come have major implications for the practice of neurology. The most important
      one is an increase in relative value among clinical diagnostic skills of history
      taking and mental status examination, which will remain largely beyond the reach
      of technology.

PMID- 1416811
TI  - Absence of measles, mumps, and rubella viral genomic sequences from multiple
      sclerosis brain tissue by polymerase chain reaction.
AB  - We tested for measles, mumps, and rubella viruses in multiple sclerosis by
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Using RNA extracted from 19 multiple sclerosis
      and 8 control brain specimens, nested PCR was performed after reverse
      transcription (RT) of the RNA to cDNA using primer pairs directed against two
      regions in the genomes of measles and mumps viruses and one region in the rubella
      virus genome. Despite enhanced sensitivity of nested RT PCR, measles, mumps, and
      rubella viral genomic sequences were not found in any brain specimen.

PMID- 1416812
TI  - Werdnig-Hoffmann disease and chronic distal spinal muscular atrophy with apparent
      autosomal dominant inheritance.
AB  - We report on a family in which both Werdnig-Hoffmann disease (severe infantile
      onset spinal muscular atrophy) and chronic distal spinal muscular atrophy
      occurred, with apparent autosomal dominant inheritance. The female proband
      clinically had Werdnig-Hoffmann disease and died at 10 months. In their second
      decade of life, the proband's father and his 2 brothers developed bilateral
      progressive atrophy and weakness of the hands and mild weakness in the distal
      parts of the legs. Their mother had no symptoms or signs of motor neuron disease
      but electromyography revealed distal denervation of the limbs. While the family
      studies suggest autosomal dominant inheritance, it is possible that the proband's
      condition was influenced by a maternally derived allelic or modifying trait.

PMID- 1416813
TI  - Recurrent transverse myelitis, myasthenia gravis, and autoantibodies.
AB  - A 45-year-old man with a longstanding diagnosis of myasthenia gravis presented
      with four episodes of transverse myelitis in 5 years. Each episode improved after
      treatment with steroids. Laboratory studies revealed no evidence of multiple
      sclerosis or a structural spinal lesion. He had antinuclear and anti-DNA
      antibodies and the HLA-A1, B8, DR3 haplotype known to be associated with certain
      autoimmune diseases. We propose an autoimmune cause for the recurrent episodes of
      myelitis.

PMID- 1416814
TI  - Heat shock proteins as targets for gamma-delta T cells in multiple sclerosis.

PMID- 1416815
TI  - Modification of muscle activity after BOTOX injections in spasmodic torticollis.

PMID- 1416816
TI  - Pulmonary disposition of antimicrobial agents: methodological considerations.

PMID- 1416817
TI  - Pulmonary disposition of antimicrobial agents: in vivo observations and clinical
      relevance.

PMID- 1416818
TI  - Effects of age and gender on pharmacokinetics of cefepime.
AB  - The effects of age and gender on the pharmacokinetics of cefepime were examined
      in 48 volunteers following administration of a single 1,000-mg intravenous dose.
      Male and female subjects were divided into four groups, each consisting of 12
      subjects, according to their age and gender. The young subjects were between 20
      and 40 years of age and elderly subjects were between 65 and 81 years of age.
      Serial blood and urine samples were collected from each subject and were analyzed
      for cefepime by validated high-pressure liquid chromatographic assays with UV
      detection. Key pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by noncompartmental
      methods. There were no gender-related differences in elimination half-life (t1/2)
      and weight-normalized total body clearance (CLT), renal clearance (CLR), and
      steady-state volume of distribution (Vss). Statistically significant age-related
      effects were found for t1/2, CLT, CLR, and Vss parameters. In different study
      groups, Vss ranged from 0.21 to 0.24 liter/kg. The values for Vss were
      significant greater for elderly subjects than they were for young subjects. The
      cefepime t1/2 was significantly longer in elderly subjects (about 3 h) than that
      observed in young subjects (about 2.2 h). The mean values for CLT and CLR in the
      four study groups ranged from 1.11 to 1.56 and 0.99 to 1.44 ml/min/kg,
      respectively. In elderly subjects, the estimates for CLT and CLR were
      significantly lower than those observed in young subjects. Linear regression
      revealed good correlations between clearance values of cefepime and creatinine.
      The magnitude of age-related changes in the pharmacokinetics of cefepime is not
      significant enough to recommend dosage adjustment in elderly patients with kidney
      functions normal for their age.

PMID- 1416819
TI  - Efficacy of erythromycin lactobionate for treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa
      bacteremia in mice.
AB  - We induced endogenous Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia by administering
      cyclophosphamide and ampicillin to specific pathogen-free mice fed P. aeruginosa.
      Using this model, we evaluated the efficacy of erythromycin lactobionate (EML) in
      treating P. aeruginosa bacteremia. Treatment with EML at 50 and 100 mg/kg of body
      weight per day twice a day for 14 days significantly increased the survival rate.
      The most effective dose was 100 mg/kg/day, with a survival rate of 80% compared
      with a 20% survival rate in the control. However, the administration of EML at
      500 mg/kg/day rather decreased the survival rate. In a model of intravenous
      infection, treatment with EML at 100 mg/kg/day twice a day for 7 days before the
      bacterial challenge also enhanced the survival rate. EML levels in serum, liver,
      and stool were apparently lower than the MIC (512 micrograms/ml). These
      observations suggest that EML is effective against P. aeruginosa bacteremia
      despite a lack of specific activity for this pathogen. Although the protective
      mechanism is still unclear, it is possible that a subinhibitory level of EML may
      affect the virulence of P. aeruginosa and enhance the host defense system.

PMID- 1416820
TI  - Dynamic interactions of biofilms of mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa with tobramycin
      and piperacillin.
AB  - The dynamic interaction of planktonic and biofilm cells of mucoid Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa with tobramycin and piperacillin was investigated in a chemostat
      system. The results indicated that planktonic and young biofilm cells of the 2
      day-old chemostat culture of P. aeruginosa were susceptible to killing by
      chemostat-controlled doses of either 250 micrograms of piperacillin per ml plus 5
      micrograms of tobramycin per ml or 500 micrograms of piperacillin per ml plus 5
      micrograms of tobramycin per ml. Complete eradication of the planktonic and young
      biofilm cells was observed after exposure of the cells to six chemostat
      controlled doses of these antibiotic at 8-h intervals for 7 days. Regrowth of the
      organism was not observed after the termination of antibiotic therapy on day 7. A
      different picture was observed when antibiotic treatment was initiated on day 10
      after inoculation. Viable old biofilm cells were reduced to approximately 20%
      after exposure to the chemostat-controlled doses of 500 micrograms of
      piperacillin per ml plus 5 micrograms of tobramycin per ml. Complete eradication
      of old biofilm cells could not be achieved, and regrowth of the organism occurred
      after the termination of antibiotic therapy. These data suggest that young
      biofilm cells of mucoid P. aeruginosa can be effectively eradicated with the
      combination of piperacillin and tobramycin, while old biofilm cells are very
      resistant to these antibiotics and eradication of old biofilm cells is not
      achievable with the chemostat-controlled doses of piperacillin and tobramycin
      used in this study.

PMID- 1416821
TI  - Combined effect of fluconazole and recombinant human interleukin-1 on systemic
      candidiasis in neutropenic mice.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of treatment with a
      combination of fluconazole and human recombinant interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha)
      in normal or neutropenic mice with systemic Candida albicans infection. Six hours
      after intravenous injection of 5 x 10(4) CFU of C. albicans organisms, oral
      treatment twice daily with 2.5 or 10 mg of fluconazole per kg of body weight, a
      single intraperitoneal injection of 80 ng of IL-1, or a combination of the two
      was started. IL-1 had no influence on the antifungal activity of fluconazole in
      vitro or on the pharmacokinetics of fluconazole. For both normal and neutropenic
      mice, the number of C. albicans organisms cultured from the kidneys after 36 h of
      treatment was significantly lower in mice treated with IL-1 alone than in
      untreated animals. Treatment with fluconazole alone also significantly lowered
      the number of C. albicans organisms in the kidneys compared with that in
      untreated controls. In normal mice, the combination of fluconazole and IL-1 was
      not better than fluconazole alone. In neutropenic mice, combined treatment with
      IL-1 and 10 mg of fluconazole per kg led to significantly lower numbers of C.
      albicans organisms in the kidneys and the spleen than treatment with either agent
      alone. Although the precise mechanism by which IL-1 enhances resistance to
      infection is not clear, the additive effect of IL-1 and fluconazole in vivo
      indicates that combined therapy with immunomodulators and antifungal drugs is
      beneficial in immunocompromised mice with systemic fungal infections.

PMID- 1416822
TI  - Practical computer-assisted dosing for aminoglycoside antibiotics.
AB  - In principle, computer-assisted individualization of antibiotic dosing offers the
      prospect of better patient outcomes through improved dosing precision. In
      practice, however, the expertise in pharmacokinetics required to operate these
      programs has precluded their use by most physicians and pharmacists. We developed
      a computer program for individualization of dosing of aminoglycoside antibiotics
      under conditions in which access to experts in pharmacokinetics is impractical.
      The program is accurate, yet it requires less effort for data collection than
      previous drug dosing programs did. The program generates advice on a broad
      spectrum of topics, including dose adjustment, interpretation of measured drug
      concentrations in blood, and recommendations for monitoring drug concentrations.
      We tested its performance by prospectively comparing it with a clinical
      pharmacokinetic consultation service in a series of 78 consecutive patients.
      There were no differences in accuracy or bias in the prediction of drug
      concentrations. The rate of agreement between the program's dosing
      recommendations and those of the consultation service was 67 percent. This rate
      of agreement is typical of interexpert variation. In a stratified set of 24 of
      the 41 instances with significant disagreement regarding the recommended dose,
      experts ranked the program's recommendations as highly as those of the
      consultation service (95% confidence interval for difference in rank, -0.30 less
      than chi less than 0.47). The results suggest that expert systems can be coupled
      with pharmacokinetic dosing programs to deliver high-quality clinical
      recommendations for administration of antimicrobial agents.

PMID- 1416823
TI  - Therapy of Rhodococcus equi disseminated infections in nude mice.
AB  - Rhodococcus equi is a facultative, intracellular, gram-positive coccobacillus
      increasingly reported as an opportunistic pathogen in human immunodeficiency
      virus-positive patients. However, the optimal drug regimen for treating R. equi
      pulmonary or systemic infections is not yet known. Therefore, a model of
      intravenously infected nude mice with disseminated infection was created to study
      the efficacy of antibiotics alone or in combination as determined by the
      reduction of bacterial CFU per gram in the lungs and spleen after 4 and 11 days
      of treatment. The studied antibiotics possessing low MICs against R. equi strains
      were amikacin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, imipenem, minocycline, rifampin, and
      vancomycin. Vancomycin, imipenem, and rifampin were the most effective agents in
      monotherapy. On the other hand, amikacin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and
      minocycline alone were not active in this model. The most active drug
      combinations were those including vancomycin. No antibiotic-resistant mutants
      were selected in vivo with treatment involving any drugs used alone or in
      combination. Although the treatment recommended until now for R. equi infections
      is rifampin plus erythromycin, this study suggests that antibiotic combinations
      which include vancomycin may be the most effective in vivo.

PMID- 1416824
TI  - Teicoplanin versus vancomycin for prophylaxis of experimental Enterococcus
      faecalis endocarditis in rats.
AB  - Teicoplanin was compared with vancomycin for the prophylaxis of experimental
      Enterococcus faecalis endocarditis in rats. Single intravenous doses of
      teicoplanin (7 mg/kg of body weight) or vancomycin (15 mg/kg) were given 30 min
      before bacterial challenge. Two strains of E. faecalis (309 and 1209) isolated
      from patients with endocarditis were tested. Bacterial inocula ranged from 10(4)
      (i.e., the inoculum infecting 90% of the control rats [ID90]) to 10(7) CFU/ml.
      The MICs and MBCs of teicoplanin and vancomycin were, respectively, 0.25 to
      greater than 128 mg/liter and 2 to greater than 128 mg/liter for strain 309 and
      0.5 to greater than 128 mg/liter and 0.5 to greater than 128 mg/liter for strain
      1209. Vancomycin prevented endocarditis only in 60% (strain 309) and in 87%
      (strain 1209) of rats challenged with the smallest bacterial-inoculum size
      (ID90), whereas teicoplanin prevented endocarditis in 100% of rats challenged
      with the same inoculum (strain 309; P = 0.05), in 87% of rats challenged with 10
      times the ID90 (strain 309; P = 0.02), and in 95% of rats challenged with 100
      times the ID90 (strain 1209; P = 0.0003). The combination of teicoplanin plus
      gentamicin (4 mg/kg) extended the protection to inocula 100 times the ID90
      (strain 309; 96% of sterile animals) and 1,000 times the ID90 (strain 1209; 100%
      of sterile animals). Prevention of endocarditis was likely to be due to a
      prolonged inhibition of bacterial growth by sustained levels of teicoplanin in
      serum and not to bacterial killing. Indeed, teicoplanin did not exhibit any
      bactericidal activity either in vitro (time-kill curves) or in vivo (serum
      bactericidal activity). Teicoplanin proved to be superior to vancomycin in the
      prophylaxis of experimental E. faecalis endocarditis in rats.

PMID- 1416825
TI  - Effects of magainins on ameba and cyst stages of Acanthamoeba polyphaga.
AB  - Amebic keratitis produced by Acanthamoeba spp. is an increasingly important
      ocular infection in extended-use contact lens wearers. Problems associated with
      the infection are compounded by the lack of effective and well-tolerated
      chemotherapeutic agents. The magainins, a group of naturally occurring and
      synthetic membrane-active peptide compounds, have been shown to be active in
      vitro against a clinical isolate of Acanthamoeba polyphaga. Two magainins tested
      extensively had minimal inhibitory and minimal amebicidal values of 20 and 25
      micrograms/ml for magainin MSI-103 and 25 and 40 micrograms/ml for magainin MSI
      94, respectively. Both amebastatic and amebicidal activities are enhanced by
      combining the magainins with silver nitrate (200 micrograms/ml) and/or other
      marginally effective antimicrobial agents. These combinations have activity
      against both trophic and cystic stages in the Acanthamoeba life cycle and have
      promise as antimicrobial agents in the treatment of amebic keratitis.

PMID- 1416826
TI  - Continuous intravenous versus intermittent ampicillin therapy of experimental
      endocarditis caused by aminoglycoside-resistant enterococci.
AB  - We studied the efficacy of continuous intravenous infusion of ampicillin compared
      with that of intermittent administration of ampicillin alone or in combination
      with gentamicin for the therapy of highly aminoglycoside-resistant enterococcal
      experimental endocarditis. Rabbits were infected with a gentamicin-susceptible
      (MIC, 256 micrograms/ml) strain of Enterococcus faecalis or a strain of E.
      faecalis which was highly resistant to gentamicin in vitro (MIC, greater than
      2,000 micrograms/ml). Administration of ampicillin by continuous intravenous
      infusion did not significantly enhance the killing of enterococci in vivo
      compared with that by intermittent administration of ampicillin for either the
      aminoglycoside-susceptible or the aminoglycoside-resistant strain. In combination
      with gentamicin, there were no significant differences in efficacies obtained
      with intermittent versus continuous intravenous infusion of ampicillin therapy
      for experimental endocarditis caused by either strain of E. faecalis.

PMID- 1416827
TI  - High-performance liquid chromatographic method for potency determination of
      amoxicillin in commercial preparations and for stability studies.
AB  - A reversed-phase column liquid chromatographic method was developed for the assay
      of amoxicillin and its preparations. The linear calibration range was 0.2 to 2.0
      mg/ml (r = 0.9998), and recoveries were generally greater than 99%. The high
      performance liquid chromatographic assay results were compared with those
      obtained from a microbiological assay of bulk drug substance and capsule,
      injection, and granule formulations containing amoxicillin and degraded
      amoxicillin. At the 99% confidence level, no significant intermethod differences
      were noted for the paired results. Commercial formulations were also analyzed,
      and the results obtained by the proposed method closely agreed with those found
      by the microbiological method. The results indicated that the proposed method is
      a suitable substitute for the microbiological method for assays and stability
      studies of amoxicillin preparations.

PMID- 1416828
TI  - Impact of bioavailability on determination of the maximal tolerated dose of 2',3'
      dideoxyinosine in phase I trials.
AB  - The objective of this study was to determine the population pharmacokinetic
      parameters and the extent of absorption of 2',3'-dideoxyinosine, a nucleoside
      analog with activity against human immunodeficiency virus in vitro and in vivo,
      after oral and intravenous administration through the use of NON-linear Mixed
      Effects Modeling. The data were drawn from the pharmacokinetics section of an
      open-label, multicenter phase I study. One center administered ddI on a once
      daily schedule. The other centers administered the drug once every 12 h. Drug was
      administered intravenously, and the plasma concentration-time profile was
      determined. Patients were then given the drug orally at twice the dose used in
      the intravenous portion of the study, and the pharmacokinetic profile was again
      determined. A 40-fold range of doses was examined. Forty-six human
      immunodeficiency virus-infected patients were studied. Concentrations in plasma
      were determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Clearance of the drug
      from plasma was 47.7 liters/h/70 kg of body weight. The terminal half-life was
      1.4 h. The volume of distribution in the central compartment was 18.8 liters/70
      kg. Absorption was rapid, with an absorption half-life of 0.52 h. Bioavailability
      with once-daily administration was 27%. For twice-daily administration,
      bioavailability rose to 36%. This difference was significant (P much less than
      0.01). For doses of less than or equal to 5.1 mg/kg given every 12 h (10.2
      mg/kg/day), bioavailability was 41%. We conclude that once-daily administration
      results in lower mean bioavailability, probably because of a saturation of the
      absorption process similar to that seen with acyclovir. This difference in
      bioavailability on the basis of the administration schedule explains the
      different short-term maximal tolerated doses identified in phase I trials of this
      agent.

PMID- 1416829
TI  - Positive interaction of nikkomycins and azoles against Candida albicans in vitro
      and in vivo.
AB  - Nikkomycins X and Z (NZ), competitive inhibitors of fungal chitin synthetase,
      were combined with azoles in a series of in vitro checkerboard assays to test for
      synergism against Candida spp. All combinations of nikkomycins and azoles tested
      resulted in marked synergistic activity against an isolate of Candida albicans,
      with fractional inhibitory concentration indices ranging from 0.016 to 0.28. No
      synergistic effect was demonstrable with isolates of C. tropicalis, C.
      parapsilosis, or C. krusei, though results for the latter two were suggestive of
      an additive effect. In survival models of mice infected intravenously with C.
      albicans, NZ administered singly in doses ranging from 5 to 50 mg/kg of body
      weight twice a day was able to delay the onset of mortality but showed no dose
      response effect. The combination of NZ and the azole R 3783 administered orally
      in a ratio of 8:1 to 40:1 or greater (wt/wt) enhanced survival better than did
      the drugs given individually, but this effect was less evident for combinations
      involving fluconazole. In short-term organ load assays with outbred mice infected
      intravenously with C. albicans, high ratios of NZ to R 3783 reduced the CFU per
      gram in kidneys more significantly than did the drugs individually. Statistically
      significant reductions were not seen for short-term fungal burden assays using
      combinations of NZ and fluconazole in outbred mice or in inbred mice more
      susceptible to candidiasis. In a model of rat vaginal candidiasis, the
      combination of NZ and R 3783 administered either orally or vaginally was more
      effective than the drugs used singly. Thus, under certain conditions, combination
      therapy with nikkomycin and select azoles may offer promise for an increased
      therapeutic effect in candidiasis.

PMID- 1416830
TI  - Effects of a human antiflagellar monoclonal antibody in combination with
      antibiotics on Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.
AB  - The in vivo activity of human immunoglobulin M monoclonal antibody IN-2A8, which
      is specific for flagellum type b of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was evaluated in
      comparison to anti-O antigen (serotype B) MAb KO-2F2 and in combination with
      antibiotics. IN-2A8 showed stronger activity than KO-2F2 against subcutaneous
      infection in burned mice, while it was much less active against intraperitoneal
      infection in normal mice. In a burn infection model, IN-2A8 inhibited the
      increase of bacteria in skin lesions weakly and that in blood significantly,
      suggesting that it strongly suppressed bacterial spread to blood. The activity of
      IN-2A8 in combination with 10 antipseudomonal antibiotics against intraperitoneal
      infection was examined. Clear additive effect was observed with a combination of
      either carbapenem or aminoglycoside antibiotics in terms of mouse survival. The
      administration of an antibiotic, imipenem-cilastatin, simultaneously with or
      before that of IN-2A8 gave a combined effect, but the reverse order did not. The
      combination of IN-2A8 with imipenem-cilastatin decreased numbers of viable
      bacteria in the peritoneal cavity and blood and kept them low for a longer time
      than did either treatment alone. These results suggest that an antiflagellar
      monoclonal antibody would be effective against systemic infection in combination
      with some kinds of antibiotics.

PMID- 1416831
TI  - Mycolic acid synthesis: a target for ethionamide in mycobacteria?
AB  - Striking structural analogies exist between the two specific antimycobacterial
      drugs ethionamide (ETH) and isoniazid (INH), and they share several inhibitory
      properties in susceptible species of mycobacteria. The effect of ETH on mycolic
      acid synthesis was studied in whole cells and in cell extracts of various
      species, since this synthesis is one direct target for INH, as we recently
      demonstrated in cell extracts of Mycobacterium aurum. It was shown in the present
      study that there is not a direct relationship between ETH susceptibility and
      mycolic acid inhibition. This observation could explain the lack of cross
      resistance between the two drugs. The presence of ETH disturbed mycolic acid
      synthesis in both resistant and susceptible mycobacteria. Synthesis of oxygenated
      species of mycolic acid was inhibited, while that of diunsaturated acids was
      either slightly altered or even increased. In contrast, INH inhibited the
      synthesis of all kinds of mycolic acids in the same way in all susceptible
      strains and had no effect on mycolic acid synthesis in resistant strains. In the
      presence of ETH, the unsaturated mycolic acid molecules presented a methyl end
      different from the usual one. These data strongly suggest that the normal
      unsaturated mycolic acid species are not the precursors of the oxygenated types.
      Moreover, they show that ETH probably acts early in the pathway leading to
      oxygenated mycolic acid.

PMID- 1416832
TI  - Antimycoplasmal activities of new quinolones, tetracyclines, and macrolides
      against Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
AB  - Fifty strains of Mycoplasma pneumoniae were tested for susceptibility to new
      quinolones, tetracyclines, and macrolides. Temafloxacin, ofloxacin, and
      ciprofloxacin possessed the most mycoplasmacidal activity against these
      organisms. The MBC for 50% of the strains (MBC50)-to-MIC50 ratio for each of
      these drugs was 4. The MBC50-to-MIC50 ratios for the tetracyclines and macrolides
      were markedly higher, within a range of 32 to 2,000. On the basis of these
      results, temafloxacin and ofloxacin might be promising antimicrobial agents for
      the treatment of mycoplasmal infection.

PMID- 1416833
TI  - Antimicrobial susceptibilities of a Corynebacterium CDC group I1 strain isolated
      from a patient with endocarditis.
AB  - We encountered a case of native valve endocarditis due to Corynebacterium CDC
      group I1 which was successfully controlled with antimicrobial agents alone. This
      organism and three other isolates of this group were susceptible to penicillin,
      vancomycin, and gentamicin. The combination of penicillin with subinhibitory
      concentrations of gentamicin resulted in a 1,000-fold decrease in CFU per
      milliliter at 24 h compared with penicillin alone. Augmentation of killing was
      noted also with vancomycin plus gentamicin but to a degree that did not meet
      strict criteria for bactericidal synergism.

PMID- 1416835
TI  - In vitro activity and susceptibility to hydrolysis of S-1006.
AB  - The in vitro activity of S-1006, the active component of a new orally absorbed
      cephalosporin, S-1108, inhibited 90% of Staphylococcus aureus isolates at less
      than or equal to 2 micrograms/ml, 90% of group A, B, C, F, and G streptococci and
      Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates at less than or equal to 0.12 microgram/ml, and
      all Haemophilus influenzae isolates at less than or equal to 0.06 microgram/ml.
      Although 50% of the members of the family Enterobacteriaceae were inhibited by
      less than or equal to 2 micrograms of S-1006 per ml, Enterobacter spp. and
      Citrobacter freundii resistant to ceftriaxone were resistant to S-1006. The MICs
      of S-1006 for approximately 20% of Providencia, Proteus vulgaris, and Serratia
      isolates were 4 micrograms/ml. S-1006 was hydrolyzed by the plasmid TEM-3, TEM-5,
      PSE-1, and PSE-4 beta-lactamases and by the chromosomal beta-lactamase of
      Enterobacter and Morganella spp. and P. vulgaris.

PMID- 1416834
TI  - Effects of antibiotics and other drugs on toxin production in Clostridium
      difficile in vitro and in vivo.
AB  - In an attempt to understand more completely why patients treated with
      phenothiazines (chlorpromazine and cyamemazine), methotrexate, and certain
      antibiotics such as clindamycin have an increased risk of developing
      pseudomembranous colitis, the production of toxins A and B by Clostridium
      difficile in the presence of these drugs was measured in vitro as well as in vivo
      by using axenic mice. None of the drugs tested increased the production of toxins
      either in vitro or in vivo.

PMID- 1416836
TI  - Deleterious effect of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in Mediterranean spotted
      fever.

PMID- 1416837
TI  - Failure to adopt new interpretive criteria for ticarcillin-clavulanic acid could
      prove fatal.

PMID- 1416839
TI  - Increased resistance to amikacin in a neonatal unit following intensive amikacin
      usage.
AB  - Gram-negative isolates from blood and cerebrospinal fluid were monitored for 1
      year before and for 1 year after the first-line aminoglycoside in a busy
      pediatric department was changed from gentamicin to amikacin. In the general
      pediatric wards, the switch to amikacin resulted in no change in resistance of
      nosocomial gram-negative infections to either amikacin (0% before and after) or
      gentamicin (23.9% [before] versus 26.5% [after]). In the neonatal unit, the
      switch to amikacin was followed by an outbreak of Serratia spp. that were
      commonly resistant to amikacin but susceptible to gentamicin. This outbreak
      abated spontaneously. In the year after the change in aminoglycoside usage, the
      resistance to amikacin of nosocomially acquired gram-negative infections
      increased from 7.6 to 27.7% (P less than 0.001), and the resistance to gentamicin
      decreased from 71.2 to 60.2% (P = 0.07). The increase in amikacin resistance of
      gram-negative bacilli other than Serratia spp. has persisted for more than a year
      after the introduction of amikacin as the sole aminoglycoside. The different
      effects observed in the two sections of the pediatric department may be related
      to the more intensive usage of aminoglycosides in the neonatal unit.

PMID- 1416838
TI  - Resistance of herpesviruses to antiviral drugs.

PMID- 1416840
TI  - Quinolone accumulation in Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and
      Staphylococcus aureus.
AB  - The accumulation of quinolones by Escherichia coli JF568, Pseudomonas aeruginosa
      PAO1, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 was measured by a modified
      fluorometric assay (J. S. Chapman and N. H. Georgopapadakou, Antimicrob. Agents
      Chemother. 33:27-29, 1989). The quinolones examined were fleroxacin, pefloxacin,
      norfloxacin, difloxacin, A56620, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and Ro 09-1168. In all
      three organisms, uptake was complete in less than 5 min and was proportional to
      extracellular quinolone concentrations between 2 and 50 micrograms/ml, which is
      consistent with simple diffusion. Washing cells with quinolone-free buffer
      decreased accumulation by up to 70% in E. coli and P. aeruginosa but not in S.
      aureus. Similarly, incubation with the uncouplers 2,4-dinitrophenol and carbonyl
      cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone increased accumulation up to fourfold in E. coli
      and P. aeruginosa, though not in S. aureus, suggesting endogenous, energy
      dependent efflux. High quinolone hydrophobicity was generally associated with
      decreased accumulation in E. coli and P. aeruginosa (except in the case of
      pefloxacin) but was associated with increased accumulation in S. aureus (except
      in the case of difloxacin). Ciprofloxacin had the highest accumulation in E. coli
      and P. aeruginosa, while pefloxacin had the highest accumulation in S. aureus.

PMID- 1416841
TI  - Liquid chromatographic determination of ampicillin in bovine and dog plasma by
      using a tandem solid-phase extraction method.
AB  - The determination of ampicillin in plasma and serum by reversed-phase high
      performance liquid chromatography with UV detection suffers from poor selectivity
      and sensitivity. Currently, the most common approach to overcoming these problems
      consists of improving the compound's detectability via pre- or postcolumn
      derivatization. In the method that we describe, however, enhanced selectivity is
      afforded by sample purification by a tandem solid-phase extraction method (ion
      exchange and reversed-phase). This approach permits detection at wavelengths of
      as low as 210 nm, which results in enhanced sensitivity (detection limit, 0.01
      microgram/ml). A second factor that affects selectivity is the addition to the
      chromatographic eluent of a crown ether to optimize the separation between
      ampicillin and polar endogenous plasma constituents. This combination of improved
      sample pretreatment and a more selective chromatographic system in conjunction
      with internal standardization forms the basis of a new assay for the quantitation
      of ampicillin in plasma. The overall recovery of ampicillin was 76.4% +/- 4.9% (n
      = 24), and the within-run and between-run coefficients of variation ranged from
      1.6 to 7.2%. The method was applied to pharmacokinetic studies in cows and dogs
      after intramuscular or oral administration of the drug.

PMID- 1416842
TI  - Evaluation of cefuroxime axetil and cefadroxil suspensions for treatment of
      pediatric skin infections.
AB  - A randomized, single-blind, multicenter study was conducted to evaluate the
      safety and efficacy of cefuroxime axetil and cefadroxil suspensions for the
      treatment of skin or skin structure infections in 287 children. Each drug was
      given at a dosage of 30 mg/kg of body weight per day in two divided doses.
      Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes, or a combination of the two,
      were the primary pathogens isolated from infected skin lesions. A satisfactory
      bacteriological response (cure or presumed cure) was obtained in 97.1 and 94.3%
      of children in the cefuroxime axetil and cefadroxil groups, respectively (P
      greater than 0.05). Satisfactory clinical responses (cure or improvement) were
      more likely to occur in cefuroxime axetil recipients than in cefadroxil
      recipients (97.8 versus 90.3%; P less than 0.05). Both regimens were equally well
      tolerated, with adverse events occurring in 7.9 and 6.1% of cefuroxime axetil and
      cefadroxil recipients, respectively. There were more patients who refused to take
      cefuroxime axetil (7 of 189) than there were who refused to take cefadroxil (0 of
      98), but the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.1). In this
      study, cefuroxime axetil was at least as effective as cefadroxil in resolving
      skin and skin structure infections in children.

PMID- 1416843
TI  - Innovative endpoint determination system for antifungal susceptibility testing of
      yeasts.
AB  - Fungal infections and antifungal resistance are increasingly recognized.
      Antifungal susceptibility testing remains unstandardized, and a particularly
      important problem is endpoint determination. In this paper we propose the yeast
      metabolic reduction of the tetrazolium salt 2,3-bis(2- methoxy-4-nitro-5
      sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino)carbonyl]-2H-tetraz olium hydroxide (XTT) as a
      colorimetric endpoint which is quantitative and objective. Amphotericin B,
      fluorocytosine, and fluconazole dose-response curves were obtained, and a
      metabolic MIC could be determined by using precise criteria.

PMID- 1416844
TI  - Susceptibility testing of clinical isolates of Methylobacterium species.
AB  - Methylobacterium species represent a relatively new genus which is being
      increasingly isolated from cases of opportunistic infections. This study reports
      on 3 reference strains and 15 clinical isolates of Methylobacterium species.
      Susceptibility tests were performed by the agar dilution and commercial broth
      microdilution methods at both 30 and 35 degrees C. Readings were made at 24, 48,
      and 72 h. Incubation conditions of 48 h and 30 degrees C were found to be
      optimum. Both the agar dilution and broth microdilution methods gave equivalent
      results. Drugs tested and their MICs for 90% of isolates (in micrograms per
      milliliter) were as follows: amikacin, less than or equal to 1; gentamicin, 1;
      ciprofloxacin, 1; trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, 2/38; ceftriaxone, 16; and
      ceftizoxime, 16. The majority of our isolates were resistant to six other beta
      lactam drugs tested. Nine of the 15 Methylobacterium isolates were beta-lactamase
      positive.

PMID- 1416845
TI  - Correlation between in vitro antimicrobial susceptibilities and beta-lactamase
      plasmid contents of isolates of Haemophilus ducreyi from the United States.
AB  - We determined the susceptibilities of 94 strains of Haemophilus ducreyi isolated
      in various municipalities in the United States between 1982 and 1989 to the
      following antimicrobial agents: amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ceftriaxone,
      erythromycin, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, trimethoprim, and
      spectinomycin. Ceftriaxone (MIC, less than or equal to 0.008 micrograms/ml),
      azithromycin (MIC, less than or equal to 0.125 micrograms/ml), erythromycin (MIC,
      less than or equal to 0.125 micrograms/ml), ciprofloxacin (MIC, less than or
      equal to 0.25 micrograms/ml), and ofloxacin (MIC, less than or equal to 0.25
      micrograms/ml) were highly active against all isolates. Amoxicillin-clavulanic
      acid (MICs, 0.25 to 8.0 micrograms/ml), trimethoprim (MICs, 0.06 to 16.0
      micrograms/ml), and spectinomycin (MICs, 2.0 to greater than or equal to 32.0
      micrograms/ml) were less active against these isolates. Isolates possessing the
      5.7-MDa beta-lactamase plasmid were less susceptible to erythromycin,
      trimethoprim, and spectinomycin than were isolates possessing the 3.2-MDa beta
      lactamase plasmid. The susceptibilities of plasmidless isolates to erythromycin,
      trimethoprim, and spectinomycin were distributed bimodally; the median MIC for
      the more susceptible plasmidless isolates corresponded to that for isolates with
      the 3.2-MDa plasmid, and the median MIC for the less susceptible plasmidless
      isolates corresponded to that for isolates with the 5.7-MDa plasmid. Thus,
      plasmid profiles may be valuable markers for geographical variations in
      antimicrobial susceptibilities of H. ducreyi strains that may indicate the
      relative efficacy of regimens for the treatment of chancroid. Of the regimens
      recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service for the treatment of chancroid, our
      results support the use of erythromycin, ceftriaxone, and ciprofloxacin, and
      perhaps ofloxacin, but suggest that amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and
      sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim should be used with caution.

PMID- 1416846
TI  - In vitro study of anticancer acridines as potential antitrypanosomal and
      antimalarial agents.
AB  - The requirement for rational drug design in the search for new agents that are
      active against parasitic protozoa prompted our in vitro studies with a group of 9
      anilinoacridines. In vitro growth assays with Trypanosoma lewisi identified a
      series of C-1' alkylaminoacridines which possess previously unreported potent
      growth-inhibitory activities against T. lewisi at a concentration range of 0.1 to
      1 microM. In contrast, several 9-anilinoacridines that possess acridine ring NH2
      substituents at C-3 and C-6 were inactive against T. lewisi, but they possessed
      strong activity against Plasmodium falciparum at a concentration range of 0.1 to
      2.8 microM. In mammalian cells, amsacrine [4'-(9-acridinylamino)methanesulfon-m
      anisidide] inhibits DNA topoisomerase II; however, amsacrine was only weakly
      active against T. lewisi. Such differences in the patterns of susceptibility of
      mammalian cells, T. lewisi, and P. falciparum to these 9-anilinoacridines may
      reflect enzyme differences between different parasites and mammalian cells that
      can be exploited by further improvements in drug design.

PMID- 1416847
TI  - In vitro antifungal activities and in vivo efficacies of 1,3-beta-D-glucan
      synthesis inhibitors L-671,329, L-646,991, tetrahydroechinocandin B, and L
      687,781, a papulacandin.
AB  - The in vivo anti-Candida activities of 1,3-beta-D-glucan synthesis inhibitors L
      671,329, L-646,991 (cilofungin), L-687,901 (tetrahydroechinocandin B), and L
      687,781 (a papulacandin analog) were evaluated by utilizing a murine model of
      disseminated candidiasis that has enhanced susceptibility to Candida albicans but
      increased sensitivity for discriminating antifungal efficacy. DBA/2 mice were
      challenged intravenously with 1 x 10(4) to 5 x 10(4) CFU of C. albicans MY1055
      per mouse. Compounds were administered intraperitoneally at concentrations
      ranging from 1.25 to 10 mg/kg of body weight twice daily for 4 days. At 6 h and
      1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 9 days after challenge, five mice per group were sacrificed
      and their kidneys were homogenized and plated for enumeration of Candida
      organisms (CFU per gram). Progressiveness of response trends and no-statistical
      significance-of-trend doses were derived to rank compound efficacy. 1,3-beta-D
      Glucan synthesis 50% inhibitory concentrations were determined by using a C.
      albicans (MY1208) membrane glucan assay. Candida and Cryptococcus neoformans MICs
      and minimal fungicidal concentrations were determined by broth microdilution. L
      671,329, L-646,991, L-687,901, and L-687,781 showed similar 1,3-beta-D-glucan
      activities, with 50% inhibitory concentrations of 0.64, 1.30, 0.85, and 0.16
      micrograms/ml, respectively. Data from in vitro antifungal susceptibility studies
      showed that L-671,329, L-646,991, and L-687,901 had similar MICs ranging from 0.5
      to 1.0 micrograms/ml, while L-687,781 showed slightly higher MICs of 1.0 to 2.0
      micrograms/ml for C. albicans MY1055. Lipopeptide compounds were ineffective
      against C. neoformans strains. Results from in vivo experiments comparing
      significant trend and progressiveness in response analyses indicated that L
      671,329 and L-646,991 were equipotent but slightly less active than L-687-901,
      while L-687,781 was ineffective at 10 mg/kg. Fungicidal activities of L-671,329,
      L-646,991, and L-687,901 were observed in vivo, with significant reduction in
      Candida CFU per gram of kidneys compared with those in sham-treated mice at doses
      of > or = 2.5 mg/kg evident as early as 1 day after challenge.

PMID- 1416848
TI  - Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Bilophila wadsworthia by using
      triphenyltetrazolium chloride to facilitate endpoint determination.
AB  - Initial susceptibility studies of Bilophila wadsworthia indicated significant
      resistance to several beta-lactam antibiotics, including imipenem and cefoxitin.
      NO beta-lactamase production was detected. However, some B. wadsworthia strains
      may grow as a heavy "haze" at up to the highest concentration of an antibiotic on
      standard antimicrobial agent-containing plates, and it is often difficult to
      determine the point at which conventional growth stops and haze growth begins. We
      investigated the nature of the haze growth of B. wadsworthia by using
      triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) as an indicator of viability during
      antimicrobial susceptibility testing, by determining viability counts on
      antimicrobial agent-containing plates at various times, and by microscopically
      inspecting stained preparations of the growth on the control plate and the haze
      area. TTC MICs were determined by applying a TTC solution over the growth on
      plates inside the anaerobic chamber or within 5 min after exposure to air
      (aerobic TTC MICs). The haze growth reduced TTC in the chamber but not under
      aerobic conditions, whereas TTC was reduced by the conventional growth in both
      atmospheres. The aerobic TTC MICs correlated with the viability counts. Separated
      proteins resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing
      showed TTC-reactive bands only when stained under anaerobic conditions, further
      demonstrating the sensitivity of TTC reduction to aerobic conditions. Microscopic
      examination of the haze growth indicated spheroplast formation. A new antibiogram
      for B. wadsworthia has been established by use of aerobic TTC endpoints; we
      believe that the lower MICs obtained with the TTC method are likely the ones that
      are clinically relevant and should be used in tests of B. wadsworthia. Also, we
      found that when the organisms were grown on pyruvate-containing medium, 87% of 56
      strains tested were Beta-lactamase positive.

PMID- 1416849
TI  - Platelet microbicidal protein enhances antibiotic-induced killing of and
      postantibiotic effect in Staphylococcus aureus.
AB  - The interaction of bacteria with platelets at the cardiac valve surface
      represents a critical event in the induction of infective endocarditis. Platelets
      are thought to modulate induction or propagation of endocarditis via secretion of
      alpha-granule-derived platelet microbicidal protein (PMP) (a low-molecular-mass,
      cationic, heat-stable protein distinct from lysozyme). We studied representative
      PMP-susceptible and PMP-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates to determine
      their in vitro bacteriostatic and bactericidal susceptibilities to combinations
      of PMP plus antistaphylococcal antibiotics. PMP plus oxacillin exerted a
      synergistic bactericidal effect, in contrast to either agent alone, regardless of
      the intrinsic PMP susceptibility of the isolate tested. Exposure of S. aureus to
      PMP alone resulted in residual postexposure growth-inhibitory effects lasting
      from 0.9 to 1.8 h. Sequential exposure of S. aureus isolates to PMP for 30 min
      followed by exposure to either oxacillin or vancomycin (each at 10x the MIC for
      120 min) resulted in a significant extension of the postantibiotic-effect
      duration compared with antibiotic exposure alone (P less than or equal to 0.05).
      Collectively, these findings indicate that PMP both enhances antibiotic-induced
      killing of S. aureus and increases the postantibiotic-effect duration in S.
      aureus.

PMID- 1416850
TI  - Resistance to cefotaxime and seven other beta-lactams in members of the family
      Enterobacteriaceae: a 3-year survey in France.
AB  - During the second quarter each of 1988, 1989, and 1990, a French collaborative
      study group, including 12 university hospital laboratories, surveyed the
      resistance to beta-lactams of clinical isolates from hospitalized patients:
      consecutively, 10,641, 10,692, and 9,382 isolates were tested. The distribution
      of bacterial species over time was similar in each laboratory. The
      susceptibilities of microorganisms to amoxicillin, ticarcillin, cephalothin,
      cefoxitin, cefotaxime (CTX), ceftazidime (CAZ), aztreonam (ATM), and imipenem
      (IPM) were measured by the disk diffusion method in accordance with the
      recommendations of the Antibiogram Committee of the French Society for
      Microbiology. Five reference strains were included for quality control. Extended
      spectrum beta-lactamases were detected by the synergistic effect of the
      combination of clavulanic acid-amoxicillin with CTX, CAZ, and ATM in the double
      diffusion test. A synergistic effect with CTX, CAZ, and ATM was detected for 1.5%
      of all strains, mainly those of Klebsiella pneumoniae (13.3%). For this species,
      the synergy test enabled the detection of roughly 50% of the resistant strains
      misclassified as susceptible on the basis of interpretative standards. Extended
      spectrum beta-lactamases disseminated in 1990 in most enterobacterial species but
      at a low frequency. Important variations in the percentages of resistant strains
      were observed in terms of bacterial species, hospitals, and wards. However, when
      the total number of strains was considered, the percentages of resistance to
      newer beta-lactams remained low.

PMID- 1416851
TI  - Antibiotic susceptibility survey of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Thailand.
AB  - The antibiotic susceptibilities of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates obtained from
      patients attending sexually transmitted disease clinics in Cholburi and Bangkok,
      Thailand, were determined by agar dilution. Some 28.2% of isolates produced beta
      lactamase. A total of 97.9% of beta-lactamase-positive and 51% of beta-lactamase
      negative isolates tested were resistant to penicillin (MICs, greater than or
      equal to 2 micrograms/ml), 70% of isolates tested were resistant to tetracycline
      (MICs, greater than or equal to 2 micrograms/ml), and 91% of isolates tested were
      susceptible to spectinomycin (MICs, less than or equal to 64 micrograms/ml). The
      MICs for 90% of isolates for the other drugs tested were 2 micrograms/ml for
      erythromycin, 2 micrograms/ml for cefoxitin, 1 micrograms/ml for cefuroxime,
      0.125 micrograms/ml for cefpodoxime, 0.06 micrograms/ml for cefotaxime, 0.25
      micrograms/ml for ceftazidime, 0.03 micrograms/ml for ceftizoxime, 0.03
      micrograms/ml for ceftriaxone, 0.03 micrograms/ml for cefixime, 0.06
      micrograms/ml for aztreonam, 0.008 micrograms/ml for ciprofloxacin, 0.125
      micrograms/ml for norfloxacin, and 0.075 micrograms/ml for ofloxacin. Fewer than
      1.5% of isolates were resistant to the extended-spectrum cephalosporins tested.
      Some 0.3% or fewer isolates were resistant to broad-spectrum cephalosporins,
      fluoroquinolones, or the monobactam aztreonam. Antibiotic resistance among N.
      gonorrhoeae isolates from Cholburi and Bangkok in May 1990 appeared to be
      primarily limited to penicillin and tetracycline, which are no longer used to
      control gonorrhea. Spectinomycin, which has been in general use against gonorrhea
      in Thailand since 1983, has dwindling utility, with resistance at a level of
      8.9%.

PMID- 1416852
TI  - Bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities of gentamicin alone and in combination
      with clarithromycin against Mycobacterium avium.
AB  - The inhibitory activity of gentamicin against Mycobacterium avium depended on the
      pH of the medium, and the broth-determined MICs for 90% of strains were 5.0
      micrograms/ml at pH 7.4, 9.5 micrograms/ml at pH 6.8, and greater than 16.0
      micrograms/ml at pH 5.0. The MBCs were two- to eightfold higher than the MICs.
      The combined effect of gentamicin and clarithromycin was additive, and the MICs
      and MBCs of each drug were either the same as those in the single-drug tests or
      reduced twofold.

PMID- 1416853
TI  - In vitro activity of MC-352, a new 16-membered macrolide.
AB  - The in vitro activity of MC-352, 3,4'-dideoxy-5-O-mycaminosyltylonolide, was
      compared with those of erythromycin, clarithromycin, and rokitamycin. The MC-352
      MIC90 (MIC for 90% of isolates) for erythromycin-susceptible Staphylococcus
      aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis was less than or equal to 1 microgram/ml,
      similar to those of the other agents. The MC-352 MIC50 for erythromycin-resistant
      S. aureus was 2 micrograms/ml, similar to that of rokitamycin. The MC-352 MIC90
      (0.12 micrograms/ml) for Streptococcus pyogenes was similar to those of
      erythromycin and clarithromycin and superior to that of rokitamycin, and the MC
      352 MIC90 for group B, C, and G streptococci was 0.25 microgram/ml. MC-352 and
      clarithromycin had an MIC90 of 0.12 microgram/ml for Streptococcus pneumoniae.
      Erythromycin-susceptible Enterococcus faecalis was inhibited by MC-352 at 1
      microgram/ml, but the MIC for constitutively erythromycin-resistant isolates was
      greater than 16 micrograms/ml. Legionella pneumophila was inhibited by less than
      or equal to 0.25 microgram/ml. MC-352 was the most active agent against
      Bacteroides fragilis, with an MIC90 of 8 micrograms/ml, and was more active than
      the other agents against Haemophilus influenzae, with an MIC90 of 4
      micrograms/ml. Moraxella spp. were inhibited by MC-352 at less than or equal to
      0.25 microgram/ml. The MIC90 for Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and
      Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia, Enterobacter, Citrobacter, and Serratia spp. was
      greater than or equal to 32 micrograms/ml. MC-352 was bactericidal for S.
      pyogenes and S. pneumoniae, and its activity was not altered by human serum.

PMID- 1416854
TI  - Increased rate of isolation of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in a
      children's hospital and in vitro susceptibilities to antibiotics of potential
      therapeutic use.
AB  - The isolation of Streptococcus pneumoniae with both high and intermediate
      resistance to penicillin has increased in our institution since 1989 to an
      average of 12.1% of all isolates. We determined the susceptibilities of 95
      isolates (34 susceptible to penicillin, 42 intermediate in resistance to
      penicillin, and 19 resistant to penicillin) to 16 antimicrobial agents of
      potential use in the treatment of disease caused by S. pneumoniae. Susceptibility
      to penicillin was determined by broth macrodilution with Mueller-Hinton broth
      supplemented with 5% lysed horse blood. Isolates were classified as highly
      resistant when the MIC was greater than or equal to 2.0 micrograms/ml,
      intermediate in resistance when the MIC was between 0.1 and 1.0 microgram/ml, and
      susceptible when the MIC was less than 0.1 microgram/ml. Fifteen of 19 isolates
      found to be highly resistant to penicillin were recovered from the middle ear of
      children. None of the isolates recovered from cerebrospinal fluid was highly
      resistant to penicillin. Fifteen of these isolates highly resistant to penicillin
      were found to be serogroup 6. Susceptibilities to other antibiotics were
      determined by the agar dilution method with Mueller-Hinton agar containing 5%
      lysed horse blood and an inoculum of 10(4) CFU per spot delivered by a replicator
      device. The MIC for 90% of isolates increased with increasing penicillin
      resistance for all antibiotics tested, except chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin,
      rifampin, and vancomycin. Regardless of the classification of penicillin
      resistance, all isolates were classified as susceptible to cefotaxime, cefpirome,
      cefpodoxime, clarithromycin, imipenem, rifampin, and vancomycin on the basis of
      National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards interpretive guidelines.
      Interpretation of susceptibilities on the basis of currently available guidelines
      is difficult in that susceptibility guidelines applicable specifically to S.
      pneumoniae are not available.

PMID- 1416855
TI  - Identification by DNA sequence analysis of a new plasmid-encoded trimethoprim
      resistance gene in fecal Escherichia coli isolates from children in day-care
      centers.
AB  - In our ongoing studies of trimethoprim resistance (Tmpr) in day-care centers
      (DCC), we have shown a high rate of fecal colonization with Tmpr Escherichia coli
      and, using total plasmid content analysis, have shown that this is due to a
      diversity of strains. In the present study, we analyzed 367 highly Tmpr (MIC,
      greater than or equal to 2,000 micrograms/ml) isolates of E. coli from 72
      children over a 5-month period and found at least 83 distinct plasmid patterns,
      indicating that at least 83 strains were involved. Several strains were
      particularly common in a given DCC, including one found in 61% of children with
      Tmpr E. coli; these common strains usually persisted within a DCC for several
      months. Colony lysates were hybridized with gene probes for dihydrofolate
      reductases (DHFR) types I, II, III, V, and VII; 21% hybridized under stringent
      conditions, and all of these were with type I (17%) or type V (4%) probes. Tmpr
      was cloned from a probe-negative Tmpr transconjugant, and an intragenic probe was
      prepared from this clone. Approximately 21% of the Tmpr E. coli strains (76
      isolates) in the DCC were found to have this new gene, 74 of which were in one
      DCC. The DNA sequence of this gene was determined, and the predicted amino acid
      sequence was shown to have between 32% and 39% identity with the amino acid
      sequences for types I, III, V, VI, and VII and the partial sequence of type IV
      and approximately 26% identity with types IX and X DHFR. This confirms the
      uniqueness of this gene, which has tentatively been named dhfrxii, and its
      translation product, DHFR type XII.

PMID- 1416856
TI  - Antifungal susceptibility testing of Candida spp. by relative growth measurement
      at single concentrations of antifungal agents.
AB  - The relative growth (percentage of growth relative to control growth) of 496
      isolates representing six Candida species was assessed as a means of determining
      in vitro susceptibilities of the isolates in microdilution plate wells containing
      single concentrations of each of seven antifungal agents. The relative growth
      data were highly reproducible. With flucytosine and amorolfine they correlated
      well with MICs, but for an azole antifungal agent, terconazole, they did not
      correlate with MICs. Distributions of relative growth percentages for different
      Candida spp. showed significant differences in species susceptibility to
      individual agents. For example, C. albicans was less susceptible than the other
      species to amorolfine; C. parapsilosis isolates were particularly susceptible to
      terbinafine; and C. glabrata, C. guilliermondii, and C. krusei isolates were less
      susceptible than C. albicans to fluconazole and ketoconazole but equally
      susceptible as or more susceptible than C. albicans to itraconazole. Differential
      patterns of susceptibility to individual azole antifungal agents were noted for
      some individual strains as well as for Candida spp.

PMID- 1416857
TI  - Temperature-dependent in vitro antimicrobial activity of four 4-quinolones and
      oxytetracycline against bacteria pathogenic to fish.
AB  - The in vitro antimicrobial activities of oxolinic acid, flumequine, sarafloxacin,
      enrofloxacin, and oxytetracycline against strains of bacteria pathogenic to fish
      (Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida, atypical A. salmonicida, Vibrio
      salmonicida, Vibrio anguillarum, and Yersinia ruckeri) were determined at two
      different incubation temperatures, 4 and 15 degrees C, by a drug microdilution
      method. The main objective of the study was to examine the effect of incubation
      temperature on the in vitro activities of 4-quinolones and oxytetracycline
      against these bacteria. When tested against A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida,
      all of the quinolones examined had MICs two- to threefold higher at 4 degrees C
      than at 15 degrees C. Similarly, 1.5- to 2-fold higher MICs were recorded for all
      of the quinolones except sarafloxacin at 4 degrees C than at 15 degrees C when
      the drugs were tested against V. salmonicida. In contrast to those of the
      quinolones, the MICs of oxytetracycline were two- to eightfold lower at 4 degrees
      C than at 15 degrees C against all of the bacterial species tested. Of the
      antimicrobial agents tested against the bacterial species included in the study,
      enrofloxacin was the most active and oxytetracycline was the least active.
      Sarafloxacin was slightly more active than flumequine and oxolinic acid,
      especially against oxolinic acid-resistant A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida
      strains.

PMID- 1416858
TI  - Teicoplanin metabolism in humans.
AB  - Teicoplanin, a lipoglycopeptide antibiotic, consists of five major components (A2
      1 through A2-5), one hydrolysis component (A3-1), and four minor components (RS-1
      through RS-4). All the major components contain an N-acyl-beta-D-glucosamine, but
      they differ in the lengths and branchings of their acyl-aliphatic chains.
      Previous studies with radiolabeled teicoplanin in rats and humans have shown that
      the drug is eliminated by the renal route and that metabolic transformation is
      very minor, about 5%. A possible metabolic transformation of teicoplanin into A3
      1 was also suggested. In the present study in humans, two metabolites
      (metabolites 1 and 2; 2 to 3% of total teicoplanin) were isolated after
      intravenous administration of radiolabeled teicoplanin. After purification, their
      structures were determined by fast atom bombardment mass spectroscopy and 1H
      nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy on the basis of the well-known
      correlations established in this field, and they were found to be new
      teicoplaninlike molecules, bearing 8-hydroxydecanoic and 9-hydroxydecanoic acyl
      moieties. This metabolic transformation is likely due to hydroxylation in the
      omega-2 and omega-1 positions for metabolites 1 and 2, respectively, of the C-10
      linear side chain of component A2-3. This might explain the low extent of
      metabolism of teicoplanin if we consider that only component A2-3 has a linear
      chain that is susceptible to such oxidation.

PMID- 1416860
TI  - Antibacterial activity of RU44790, a new N-tetrazolyl monocyclic beta-lactam.
AB  - RU44790 belongs to a new class of synthetic monocyclic beta-lactam antibiotics
      which feature a bioisosteric tetrazole moiety instead of the more classical
      acidic functions at the N-1 position of the beta-lactam ring. Its antibacterial
      activity was evaluated against some 900 strains and was compared with those of
      other recent beta-lactam derivatives, especially aztreonam. RU44790 is endowed
      with potent activity against gram-negative bacteria. At less than or equal to 0.6
      micrograms/ml, RU44790 inhibited 90% of all strains of the family
      Enterobacteriaceae with the exception of Citrobacter spp. (MIC for 90% of strains
      tested, 1.2 micrograms/ml). The activity was similar to that of aztreonam against
      strains that are normally susceptible to expanded-spectrum cephalosporins. On the
      other hand, the new compound was 10 to 100 times more potent than aztreonam and
      most of the other antibiotics tested against enterobacteria that produce
      chromosome-encoded or plasmid-mediated extended-spectrum beta-lactamases.
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were equally susceptible to both monobactams.
      RU44790 was inactive against staphylococci and had only marginal activity against
      streptococci (MIC for 50% of strains tested, 2.5 micrograms/ml). RU44790 was
      highly resistant to hydrolysis by various beta-lactamases, particularly
      cephalosporinases such as P99. The latter enzyme was also inhibited by the
      compound. RU44790 showed a high affinity for penicillin-binding protein 3 of
      Escherichia coli. The results suggest that RU44790 has good potential in the
      treatment of infections caused by gram-negative microorganisms.

PMID- 1416859
TI  - Inhibition of rabies virus transcription in rat cortical neurons with the
      dissociative anesthetic ketamine.
AB  - In a previous study (B. P. Lockhart, H. Tsiang, P. E. Ceccaldi, and S. Guillemer,
      Antiviral Chem. Chemother. 2:9-15, 1991), we demonstrated an antiviral effect of
      the general anesthetic ketamine for rabies virus in neuronal cultures and in rat
      brain. This report describes an attempt to determine at what level ketamine acts
      on the rabies virus cycle in rat cortical neuron cultures. Immunofluorescence and
      [35S]methionine labelling of infected neurons showed that ketamine (1 to 1.5 mM)
      inhibited viral nucleoprotein and glycoprotein syntheses. Northern (RNA) blots of
      total RNA from drug-treated neurons, hybridized with 32P-labelled oligonucleotide
      probes for rabies virus nucleoprotein, matrix protein, and glycoprotein genes,
      showed a marked reduction (5- to 11-fold) in the levels of rabies virus mRNAs,
      relative to those in untreated neurons. No significant change in the levels of
      cellular beta-actin mRNA were detected in ketamine-treated cells. A similar
      antiviral effect was observed with MK-801; however, no inhibition of rabies virus
      synthesis was observed with the general anesthetic chloral hydrate. The antiviral
      effect was not complete; a time-dependent recovery of viral transcription and
      rabies virus protein synthesis was observed, but no infectious virus was released
      into the culture supernatant. The lack of any modification of cellular protein or
      mRNA synthesis by ketamine suggests an antiviral mechanism acting at the level of
      rabies virus genome transcription.

PMID- 1416861
TI  - Orally administered cefpodoxime proxetil for treatment of uncomplicated
      gonococcal urethritis in males: a dose-response study.
AB  - An open-label, dose-response study of cefpodoxime proxetil (CPD), an expanded
      spectrum cephalosporin, was conducted with 58 males with uncomplicated Neisseria
      gonorrhoeae infections with single doses of 600, 400, 200, 100, or 50 mg of CPD
      administered orally by tablet. CPD eradicated N. gonorrhoeae in all 50 evaluable
      patients (10 per group) at all doses studied. Eight of the isolates eradicated
      were beta-lactamase-producing organisms. Two patients reported three side
      effects, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which were mild and resolved without
      intervention or sequelae. There were no clinically remarkable drug-related
      changes in vital signs or clinical laboratory assays. Results show that single
      oral doses of CPD are an effective and well-tolerated treatment for uncomplicated
      N. gonorrhoeae infection in males at doses as low as 50 mg.

PMID- 1416862
TI  - Analysis of vancomycin time-kill studies with Staphylococcus species by using a
      curve stripping program to describe the relationship between concentration and
      pharmacodynamic response.
AB  - Mono- and biexponential killing curves for vancomycin over a 2- to 50
      micrograms/ml concentration range were generated for 11 Staphylococcus aureus
      isolates and 12 coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species in the logarithmic
      phase of growth. Nonlinear least-squares regression of the initial growth rate
      and disappearance were not significantly different for lower or higher
      concentrations of vancomycin in broth.

PMID- 1416863
TI  - Long-term tolerance and efficacy of 3'-azidothymidine and 3'-fluorothymidine
      treatment of asymptomatic monkeys infected with simian immunodeficiency virus.
AB  - Macaques chronically infected with simian immunodeficiency virus were treated
      with zidovudine (20 mg/kg of body weight per day for 9 weeks) or 3'
      fluorothymidine (5 mg/kg of body weight per day for 9 weeks or three doses of 2
      mg/kg per day for 24 days). Hematological changes in the treated animals included
      macrocytic anemia and leukopenia. Determination of antiviral effects in this
      model requires improved assay methods.

PMID- 1416864
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of concomitantly administered foscarnet and zidovudine for
      treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection (AIDS Clinical Trials Group
      protocol 053).
AB  - Foscarnet and zidovudine (ZDV) pharmacokinetic parameters were not altered in
      five patients receiving 14 days of concomitant therapy. Foscarnet clearance in
      plasma averaged (+/- standard deviation) 0.16 +/- 0.03 and 0.13 +/- 0.05
      liter/h/kg of body weight in the absence and presence of ZDV. ZDV parameters were
      also not significantly altered, with a mean (+/- standard deviation) oral
      clearance of 2.7 +/- 1.0 and 2.6 +/- 0.8 liter/h/kg for the 2 study days,
      respectively.

PMID- 1416866
TI  - Increased susceptibility of transfected prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells to
      antibiotic selection.
AB  - At 39 to 40 degrees C, selection of antibiotic-resistant transfected mammalian
      cell lines or Escherichia coli required lower aminoglycoside antibiotic
      concentrations than at 37 degrees C. The thermosensitivity of antibiotic
      susceptibility was much more manifest during genetic selection experiments than
      in conventional growth inhibition assays.

PMID- 1416865
TI  - Effects of squalene epoxidase inhibitors on Candida albicans.
AB  - The relationship between sterol biosynthesis inhibition, membrane integrity, and
      cell growth inhibition in Candida albicans was examined for five squalene
      epoxidase inhibitors. The compounds were the thiocarbamates tolnaftate and
      tolciclate and the allylamines naftifine, terbinafine, and SDZ 87-469. All
      compounds inhibited sterol biosynthesis, with the concentrations that caused a
      50% decrease in the total sterol-to-squalene ratio ranging from less than or
      equal to 0.01 microM for terbinafine and SDZ 87-469 to 500 microM for tolnaftate.
      At 100 microM, the compounds also caused up to a 30% release of intracellular
      [14C]aminoisobutyric acid. With terbinafine and SD2 87-469, aminoisobutyric acid
      release further increased in cells grown at concentrations that inhibited
      ergosterol biosynthesis. It is suggested that inhibition of ergosterol synthesis
      may render the C. albicans membrane susceptible to further damage, including
      direct damage from squalene epoxidase inhibitors.

PMID- 1416867
TI  - In vitro activities of streptomycin and 11 oral antimicrobial agents against
      clinical isolates of Klebsiella rhinoscleromatis.
AB  - We tested in vitro the activities of streptomycin and tetracycline--antibiotics
      that have long been used to treat rhinoscleroma--as well as several newer oral
      agents by using 23 isolates of the causative organism Klebsiella
      rhinoscleromatis. All isolates were inhibited by clinically achievable
      concentrations of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, amoxicillin-clavulanate,
      chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, cephalexin, cefuroxime, and cefpodoxime.

PMID- 1416868
TI  - In vitro susceptibilities of Borrelia burgdorferi to five oral cephalosporins and
      ceftriaxone.
AB  - We determined the in vitro susceptibilities of eight Borrelia burgdorferi
      isolates to five oral cephalosporins. MICs for B. burgdorferi 297 were 23
      micrograms/ml (cephalexin), 45 micrograms/ml (cefadroxil), 91 micrograms/ml
      (cefaclor), 0.13 microgram/ml (cefuroxime), 0.8 microgram/ml (cefixime), and 0.02
      microgram/ml (ceftriaxone). When B. burgdorferi isolates were exposed to
      concentrations twice the MIC of cefuroxime, cefixime, or ceftriaxone, at least 72
      h of incubation was required to kill 99% of the organisms.

PMID- 1416869
TI  - Susceptibilities of ampicillin-resistant strains of Salmonella other than S.
      typhi to 10 antimicrobial agents.
AB  - Ampicillin-resistant strains of Salmonella other than S. typhi constitute a
      health problem. We tested the antimicrobial susceptibilities to 10 antibiotics of
      57 of these strains isolated in a 30-month period. The rates of resistance were
      as follows: chloramphenicol, 40.3%; tetracycline, 33.3%; gentamicin, 5.3%; co
      trimoxazole, 5.3%; nalidixic acid, 1.8%; and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid,
      cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, aztreonam, and ciprofloxacin, 0%. In our experience,
      there are alternative antibiotics with excellent in vitro activities.

PMID- 1416870
TI  - In vitro models for studying toxicity of antifungal agents.

PMID- 1416871
TI  - Standardized susceptibility testing of fluconazole: an international
      collaborative study.
AB  - An international collaborative study of broth dilution (MIC) and disk diffusion
      susceptibility testing of fluconazole was conducted by using a chemically defined
      medium (High-Resolution Antifungal Assay Medium; Oxoid Ltd., Basingstoke, United
      Kingdom) and standard test methods performed in eight reference laboratories. Ten
      yeast isolates were tested by each test method in duplicate on each of 3 separate
      days. The intralaboratory reproducibility of the MIC test was excellent; 95.7% of
      the replicate tests (n = 220) were within 2 doubling dilutions of the other
      values in the set for the eight laboratories. The intralaboratory reproducibility
      of the disk test was also good, with 91% of the replicate tests (n = 234)
      agreeing with each other within an arbitrarily chosen value of 4 mm.
      Interlaboratory agreement of MIC test results was acceptable, with 84% of the
      MICs agreeing within 2 doubling dilutions. In contrast, the interlaboratory
      agreement of the disk test was not good, with only 59% of test results agreeing
      within 4 mm. Comparison of the rank order of MICs obtained in each laboratory
      with the reference rank order gave an agreement of 70 to 80% (median, 80%) with
      the MIC test and 70 to 90% (median, 80%) with the disk test. These preliminary
      results are encouraging for the development of standardized testing methods for
      testing fluconazole.

PMID- 1416872
TI  - Prediction of human pharmacokinetics of panipenem-betamipron, a new carbapenem,
      from animal data.
AB  - The pharmacokinetic behavior of panipenem (PAPM)-betamipron (BP), a new
      carbapenem, in humans was successfully predicted from data collected from six
      animal species. PAPM and BP were biphasically eliminated from plasma after
      intravenous (i.v.) administration of PAPM-BP to mice, guinea pigs, rats, rabbits,
      monkeys, and dogs. Elimination rates of PAPM and BP were correlated with animal
      size: the larger the animal was, the slower the elimination was. As for PAPM and
      BP, log-log plots of total plasma clearance (CLtot) versus body weight and log
      log plots of distribution volume at steady state (VSS) versus body weight for six
      animal species were linear, with high correlation coefficients. These allometric
      equations were extrapolated to predict CLtot and VSS for PAPM and BP in humans.
      In addition, concentration in plasma-time profiles for humans were predicted by
      using two-exponent equations fitted to the complex Dedrick plot of animal data.
      Predicted values for CLtot and VSS for PAPM and BP in humans agreed well with
      observed values in humans given 750/750 mg of PAPM-BP as an i.v. drip infusion
      for 30 min. Predicted concentration in plasma-time profiles for humans
      approximated observed profiles. Thus, the pharmacokinetics of PAPM-BP
      extrapolated well from animal species to humans when allometric equations and the
      complex Dedrick plot were used.

PMID- 1416873
TI  - Nucleotide sequences of CAZ-2, CAZ-6, and CAZ-7 beta-lactamase genes.
AB  - CAZ-2, CAZ-6, and CAZ-7 are plasmid-mediated beta-lactamases that are markedly
      active against ceftazidime. The corresponding structural genes were amplified by
      the polymerase chain reaction. Nucleotide sequences were determined by direct
      sequencing of the amplified products. Analysis of the nucleotide and the deduced
      amino acid sequences showed that CAZ-2, CAZ-6, and CAZ-7 are derived from TEM-2
      by three, four, and two amino acid substitutions, respectively. All these
      substitutions are located at positions 102, 162, 235, 236, and 237 (Sutcliffe
      numbering), which are known to extend the substrate range of beta-lactamases.
      These substitutions are Lys-102, Ser-162, and Ser-236 in CAZ-2; Lys-102, Ser-162,
      Thr-235, and Lys-237 in CAZ-6; and Lys-102 and His-162 in CAZ-7. These results
      indicate that the nucleotide sequence of CAZ-2 is identical to that of TEM-8. The
      nucleotide sequence of CAZ-7 possesses the two mutations described in TEM-16 by
      the oligotyping method. In contrast, the combination of mutations encountered in
      CAZ-6 has not yet been described, and this enzyme was designated TEM-24.

PMID- 1416874
TI  - Primary and secondary metabolism of pentamidine by rats.
AB  - The antiprotozoal drug pentamidine [1,5-bis(4'-amidinophenoxy)pentane] has been
      previously shown to be metabolized by rat liver microsomes, and five of the seven
      putative primary metabolites have been identified. With the synthesis and
      identification of 5-(4'-amidinophenoxy)pentanoic acid and 5-(4'-amidinophenoxy)-1
      pentanol as the remaining two metabolites, the primary metabolism of pentamidine
      in rats appears fully characterized. Use of [14C]pentamidine with rat liver
      microsomes confirms this conclusion, since no unidentified radioactive peaks were
      detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Isolated, perfused rat
      livers were used with [14C]pentamidine to identify secondary metabolites. Only
      two novel radioactive peaks were detected by HPLC analysis of perfused liver
      samples. The treatment of liver samples with sulfatase or beta-glucuronidase
      resulted in the reduction or elimination of these peaks and gave rise to peaks
      identified as para-hydroxybenzamidine and 5-(4'-amidinophenoxy)pentanoic acid. It
      was concluded from these results that only these two primary metabolites were
      conjugated with sulfate or glucuronic acid. After 4 h of incubation in the
      perfused liver system, approximately 15% of the recovered radiolabel was
      pentamidine. These results suggest that pentamidine metabolism can be rapid and
      extensive in rats.

PMID- 1416875
TI  - Effect of concomitant administration of piperacillin on the dispositions of
      isepamicin and gentamicin in patients with end-stage renal disease.
AB  - Piperacillin inactivation of the aminoglycosides isepamicin and gentamicin in 12
      chronic hemodialysis patients was assessed. Six subjects each received isepamicin
      (7.5 mg/kg of body weight) or gentamicin (2 mg/kg) alone and in combination with
      piperacillin (4 g every 12 h for four doses). Isepamicin and gentamicin
      concentrations in plasma and urine were monitored over 48 h after each dose and
      analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence polarization
      immunoassay, respectively. The pharmacokinetics of isepamicin were not
      significantly altered during combination treatment with piperacillin. The total
      body clearance (3.79 +/- 0.71 versus 3.94 +/- 1.05 ml/min), the steady-state
      volume of distribution (0.19 +/- 0.04 versus 0.18 +/- 0.03 liter/kg), and the
      terminal elimination half-life (47.91 +/- 7.20 versus 45.08 +/- 10.34 h) were not
      significantly altered in the presence of piperacillin. In contrast, the terminal
      elimination half-life (47.68 +/- 20.58 versus 35.67 +/- 11.18 h) of gentamicin
      was significantly reduced when gentamicin was given with piperacillin. The total
      body clearance (4.26 +/- 3.07 versus 4.89 +/- 1.94 ml/min) and the steady-state
      volume of distribution (0.19 +/- 0.04 versus 0.20 +/- 0.04 liter/kg) of
      gentamicin were not significantly altered during combination therapy; however,
      the nonrenal clearance of gentamicin administered in combination with
      piperacillin (3.56 +/- 0.38 ml/min) increased significantly compared with that of
      gentamicin (2.03 +/- 0.50 ml/min) given alone. The results of this study suggest
      that no additional dosage adjustment of isepamicin during concomitant therapy
      with piperacillin in hemodialysis patients is necessary. However, this does not
      preclude the need for appropriately ex vivo-handled specimens for monitoring
      isepamicin concentrations in plasma to ensure therapeutic efficacy and prevent
      toxicity. Furthermore, additional dosage adjustments may be necessary when
      gentamicin is used concomitantly with piperacillin, on the basis of the
      significant in vivo inactivation that takes place in end-stage renal disease
      patients.

PMID- 1416876
TI  - Cross-resistance to meropenem, cephems, and quinolones in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
AB  - Multiple-drug-resistant mutants were isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 on
      agar plates containing ofloxacin and cefsulodin. These mutants were four to eight
      times more resistant to meropenem, cephems, carbenicillin, quinolones,
      tetracycline, and chloramphenicol than the parent strain was. In contrast, these
      mutants showed no significant changes in their susceptibilities to all
      carbapenems except meropenem. In these mutants, the amounts of an outer membrane
      protein with an apparent molecular weight of 49,000 (designated OprM) were
      increased compared with the amount in PAO1. Multiple-drug-resistant mutants of
      this type were also isolated from PAO1 on agar plates containing meropenem.
      Approximately 5% of clinical isolates showed cross-resistance to meropenem,
      cephems, and quinolones, concomitant with overproduction of OprM. Moreover, these
      two phenotypes, i.e., multiple-drug resistance and overproduction of OprM, were
      cotransferable by transduction. These data suggest that overproduction of OprM is
      associated with cross-resistance to meropenem, cephems, and quinolones in P.
      aeruginosa. The ofloxacin-cefsulodin-resistant mutant required higher
      concentrations of meropenem to induce beta-lactamase than PAO1 did, indicating
      the possibility that this mutation involves decreased outer membrane permeability
      to meropenem.

PMID- 1416877
TI  - Liquid chromatographic determination of amoxicillin concentrations in bovine
      plasma by using a tandem solid-phase extraction method.
AB  - We report a means of determining amoxicillin in bovine plasma by liquid
      chromatography with UV detection at 235 nm. Purification and concentration of
      extracts were accomplished by a tandem solid-phase extraction procedure with two
      reversed-phase columns. Separation of amoxicillin from interferences was improved
      by the incorporation of a crown ether in the solvent systems used both for the
      solid-phase extraction and the final high-pressure liquid chromatography.
      Cefadroxil was added as an internal standard. The average recovery of amoxicillin
      from plasma (n = 23) was 78.2 +/- 3.0%, and the within-run and between-run
      coefficients of variation ranged from 1.8 to 7.0%. The detection limit was
      estimated at 0.1 microgram/ml. This method was used to determine amoxicillin in
      bovine plasma after intramuscular administration of the drug.

PMID- 1416878
TI  - Detection of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases in members of the family
      Enterobacteriaceae: comparison of the double-disk and three-dimensional tests.
AB  - The three-dimensional and clavulanate double-disk potentiation tests were
      compared as procedures for the detection of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase
      production in 32 strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, 31 of
      which produced TEM-1, TEM-2, TEM-3, TEM-4, TEM-5, TEM-7, TEM-8, TEM-9, TEM-10,
      TEM-12, TEM-101, SHV-1, SHV-2, SHV-3, SHV-4, SHV-5, CAZ-2, MIR-1, or an
      unidentified extended-spectrum beta-lactamase with a pI of 5.95, with some
      strains producing multiple beta-lactamases. The three-dimensional test, which was
      performed in conjunction with a routine disk diffusion test, detected extended
      spectrum beta-lactamase production in 26 of 28 (93%) of the strains that produced
      extended-spectrum beta-lactamases. The clavulanate double-disk potentiation test
      detected extended-spectrum beta-lactamases in only 22 of the 28 strains (79%)
      when it was performed as currently recommended. The three-dimensional test, when
      performed in conjunction with the disk diffusion test, offered the advantages of
      providing simultaneous information about both antibiotic susceptibility and
      extended-spectrum beta-lactamase production, coupled with a greater sensitivity
      and earlier detection of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases.

PMID- 1416879
TI  - In vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of E1077, a novel parenteral
      cephalosporin with a broad antibacterial spectrum.
AB  - E1077 is a new injectable cephalosporin with a broad spectrum of antibacterial
      activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, including
      staphylococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The in vitro activities of E1077
      against clinical isolates of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MIC
      of E1077 for 90% of the strains tested [MIC90], 0.78 microgram/ml) and
      methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MIC90, 50 micrograms/ml) were similar to those
      of cefpirome and flomoxef. Against Enterococcus faecalis (MIC90, 6.25
      micrograms/ml), E1077 was the most active of the drugs tested and four times more
      active than cefpirome. The MIC90S of E1077 for streptococci, Haemophilus
      influenzae, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae ranged from 0.05 to 0.78 microgram/ml;
      E1077 was similar in activity to cefpirome. E1077 inhibited 90% of most species
      of the family Enterobacteriaceae at concentrations of less than or equal to 1.56
      micrograms/ml, with the exception of Serratia marcescens and Proteus vulgaris
      (12.5 micrograms/ml). The activity of E1077 against P. aeruginosa (MIC90, 6.25
      micrograms/ml) was comparable to that of ceftazidime. In vivo activity was
      evaluated with systemic infections in mice. E1077 showed a protective effect
      against systemic infections by gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria, as
      reflected by its in vitro activity. The protective effects of E1077 were higher
      than those of cefpirome against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa infections and
      similar to those of cefpirome against other bacterial infections. Morphological
      studies using differential interference and phase-contrast microscopy showed that
      low concentrations of E1077 caused swelling of S. aureus and spheroplast and
      bulge formation in P. aeruginosa. In general, the antibacterial profile of E1077
      is similar to that of cefpirome.

PMID- 1416880
TI  - Diffusion of meropenem and imipenem through the outer membrane of Escherichia
      coli K-12 and correlation with their antibacterial activities.
AB  - The outer membrane permeability to meropenem and imipenem in Escherichia coli K
      12 was investigated, and its porin-deficient mutants were transformed with a
      constructed vector carrying the carbapenem-hydrolyzing CphA metallo-beta
      lactamase gene. By using the method of Zimmermann and Rosselet, meropenem was
      shown to penetrate through the outer membrane of E. coli K-12 five times faster
      than cephaloridine but twice as slowly as imipenem. Lack of one or both porins
      significantly reduced the penetration of both carbapenems. No evidence of
      specific porin pathways of the type described in Pseudomonas aeruginosa was
      found. Despite its slower penetration, meropenem was two to eight times more
      active than imipenem against both parent and porin-defective mutants, whether
      harbouring CphA beta-lactamase or not. Meropenem was also more active than
      imipenem against E. coli DC2, a strain with a breakdown in the outer membrane
      permeability which made periplasmic concentrations of beta-lactams similar to the
      external concentrations. In this strain, meropenem caused a more than 50%
      reduction in cell number increase at a concentration very close to the 50%
      inhibitory concentration for penicillin-binding protein type 2 (PBP 2), whereas
      imipenem, at the same concentration, did not significantly inhibit cell growth.
      This result was explained by the higher affinity of meropenem for PBP 3 compared
      with imipenem and supports the conclusion that synergistic inhibition of both
      PBPs was the main mechanism in the better antibacterial activity of meropenem.

PMID- 1416881
TI  - Chitin biosynthesis in Candida albicans grown in vitro and in vivo and its
      inhibition by nikkomycin Z.
AB  - An N-acetyl-D-[14C]glucosamine radiolabel incorporation assay has been used to
      monitor chitin biosynthesis in whole cells of Candida albicans both in vitro and
      in vivo in two different mouse infection models, one using the peritoneal cavity
      as a chamber in which to add and retrieve cells and the other using infected
      kidneys. Specific labeling of chitin in alkali-insoluble material was confirmed
      by chitinase digestion, analysis of acid hydrolysates, and the use of nikkomycin
      Z as a probe. Nikkomycin Z was shown to strongly inhibit chitin biosynthesis in
      C. albicans grown in vitro and in vivo in both models. This demonstrates that
      nikkomycin Z-susceptible chitin synthase activity is present in C. albicans when
      the fungus is in its pathogenic state in vivo. The limited use of nikkomycin as a
      therapeutic agent is discussed.

PMID- 1416882
TI  - Potential effects of erythromycin on host defense systems and virulence of
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
AB  - We evaluated several potential effects of erythromycin (EM) on host defense
      systems and the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Peritoneal macrophages
      obtained from mice given 250 mg of EM per kg of body weight for 7 days by the
      intraperitoneal, intravenous, subcutaneous, or oral route produced significantly
      greater amounts of thymocyte-activating factors. These data suggest that EM
      enhances the in vivo production of cytokines, such as interleukins 1 and 6.
      Treatment of P. aeruginosa D4 with subinhibitory concentrations of EM enhanced
      the association of bacteria with murine Kupffer cells in vitro and increased
      bacterial clearance from the blood in mice. EM suppressed the in vitro production
      of exotoxin A, total protease, elastase, and phospholipase C by P. aeruginosa D4;
      exotoxin A production by P. aeruginosa PA-103; and total protease production by
      P. aeruginosa B16 and PAO1 in a generally dose-dependent manner. These data
      demonstrate that EM produces various effects in addition to its direct
      antimicrobial activity, suggesting that it has potential as an immunomodulator or
      bacterial virulence-suppressing agent against P. aeruginosa and other infections.

PMID- 1416883
TI  - In vitro activity of L-627, a new carbapenem.
AB  - The in vitro activity of L-627, a new parenterally administered carbapenem, was
      compared with those of imipenem, meropenem, FCE 22101 (a penem), ceftazidime, and
      ceftriaxone. L-627 was active against members of the family Enterobacteriaceae
      (MIC for 90% of strains tested [MIC90] ranging from 0.03 to 4 micrograms/ml). L
      627 displayed activity equal to that of meropenem against Pseudomonas aeruginosa
      (MIC90, 2 micrograms/ml), although, as with other carbapenems, the
      antipseudomonal activity was reduced against D2-deficient strains. Staphylococci
      and streptococci were susceptible (MIC90 of 1.0 micrograms/ml for Staphylococcus
      aureus and 0.015 micrograms/ml for group A streptococci). L-627 also had activity
      against anaerobic bacteria (MIC90, 2.0 micrograms/ml for Bacteroides fragilis).
      Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis were highly susceptible (MIC90,
      0.06 micrograms/ml), and against the common respiratory pathogens (Haemophilus
      influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Moraxella catarrhalis), the MIC90s were
      less than or equal to 2.0 micrograms/ml. The protein binding of L-627 ranged from
      13.8 to 22%, depending on the concentration. The presence of human serum had
      little effect on the MIC or MBC of L-627. These results suggest that L-627 merits
      further study in the treatment of infections caused by a wide range of pathogens.

PMID- 1416884
TI  - Activities of antifolate, antiviral, and other drugs in an immunosuppressed rat
      model of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.
AB  - The efficacy of antifolate, antiviral, and other drugs was compared in an
      experimental model of pneumocystosis. Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) administered alone
      in doses of greater than or equal to 60 mg/kg/day was highly effective in
      treatment and prophylaxis. Low (less than or equal to 15 mg/kg/day) doses of SMX
      showed limited, dose-related anti-Pneumocystis carinii activity in therapy but
      were more effective in prophylaxis. The dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) inhibitors
      trimethoprim (TMP), pyrimethamine, and trimetrexate exhibited little anti-P.
      carinii activity when administered alone and did not enhance the efficacy of SMX;
      the effects of the DHFR inhibitors could not be related to the dose or the
      concentration in serum. These data suggested that the rat model is an excellent
      system for studying the anti-P. carinii activity of sulfonamides but is of
      limited value in studying DHFR inhibitors. The antiviral drugs azidothymidine,
      dideoxyinosine, inosine pranobex (Isoprinosine), amantadine, and acyclovir
      displayed little or no activity against P. carinii; however, azidothymidine did
      not impair the efficacy of SMX or TMP-SMX. These results supported the clinical
      practice of giving antiviral agents together with antifolate drugs to patients
      infected with human immunodeficiency virus and suggested that the beneficial
      effects of antiviral agents on the occurrence of pneumocystosis are due mainly to
      their effects on the virus or the host immune response. In contrast to the
      antiviral drugs, 9-deazainosine, a nucleoside analog with antiprotozoal
      properties, demonstrated marked activity against P. carinii which was related to
      dose and route of administration. These data raised the possibility that anti-P.
      carinii activity is a general property of purine nucleosides and suggested that
      further exploration of this class of compounds might lead to clinically useful
      agents.

PMID- 1416886
TI  - Adaptive resistance following single doses of gentamicin in a dynamic in vitro
      model.
AB  - Adaptive resistance is a phenomenon recently described for Pseudomonas aeruginosa
      and other gram-negative bacilli following exposure to aminoglycoside antibiotics.
      It is a reversible form of resistance which develops within 1 to 2 h of initial
      exposure to an aminoglycoside and disappears several hours after removal of the
      antibiotic. We investigated adaptive resistance in P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853
      following single doses of gentamicin by using a dynamic in vitro model which
      mimics in vivo pharmacokinetics. The initial peak gentamicin concentrations were
      2.5, 8, and 25 mg/liter, and these were followed by an exponential decay in the
      concentration, with a half-life of 2.5 h. The degree of adaptive resistance was
      greater and the duration was longer with higher initial gentamicin
      concentrations. Maximal adaptive resistance occurred between 2 and 10 h following
      8 mg/liter and between 2 and 16 h following 25 mg/liter. Full recovery of
      susceptibility occurred at approximately 36, 39, and 43 h following 2.5, 8, and
      25 mg/liter, respectively, at which times the gentamicin concentrations were
      extremely low. Longer dosing intervals for aminoglycosides may improve efficacy
      by allowing time for adaptive resistance to resolve.

PMID- 1416885
TI  - Treatment of experimental pneumocystosis: review of 7 years of experience and
      development of a new system for classifying antimicrobial drugs.
AB  - Over a 7-year period, we analyzed 261 dose regimens of antimicrobial drugs in the
      treatment and prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in an immunosuppressed
      rat model. These compounds ranged from drugs in clinical use to newly synthesized
      agents. Drug efficacy was expressed as the magnitude of the reduction in median
      P. carinii cyst or nucleus counts on a scale ranging from inactive (less than 5
      fold) to very markedly active (greater than or equal to 1,000-fold). The
      classification system was reproducible and allowed drugs studied at different
      times to be compared with each other. The system demonstrated a hierarchy of anti
      P. carinii activity not only among classes of compounds but also among individual
      members of a drug class. Sulfonamides, sulfones, and diamidines were the most
      active agents; some purine nucleosides and nitrofurans also showed promising
      activity; and most antiparasitic, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral drugs
      were inactive. We conclude that this classification system represents a simple,
      quantitative method of comparing the activities of antimicrobial drugs against P.
      carinii. Information gained from this system should be helpful in developing new
      anti-P. carinii compounds and establishing standard procedures for their
      evaluation.

PMID- 1416887
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of [14C]FCE 22891, a penem antibiotic, following oral
      administration to healthy volunteers.
AB  - FCE 22891 is a prodrug of the penem antibiotic FCE 22101 and is suitable for oral
      administration. The pharmacokinetics of FCE 22891 were investigated in four
      healthy male volunteers following the oral administration of 500 mg of [14C]FCE
      22891. Levels of radioactivity in plasma were always higher and persisted for
      longer than those of FCE 22101. The time to the maximum concentration of
      radioactivity in plasma generally coincided with that of FCE 22101. The
      respective values for the maximum concentrations of radioactivity in plasma were,
      on average, 8.57 +/- 2.95 micrograms equivalent/ml and 2.97 +/- 2.05
      micrograms/ml. Over a 5-day period, mean urinary and fecal recovery of
      radioactivity accounted for 53.2 and 41.0% of the dose, respectively. The average
      amount of FCE 22101 excreted in urine and feces corresponded to 9.0 and 1.6% of
      the dose, respectively. The urinary recovery of the open-ring metabolite P1 and
      of its 5-S epimer P2 accounted for about 6.5 and 1.2% of the dose, respectively.
      Other chromatographic peaks corresponding to nonidentified compounds accounted
      for about 14.0% (polar metabolite fraction; peak P), 3.7% (less polar fraction;
      peak X), and 15.4% (least polar fraction) of the dose. Elimination of
      radioactivity and FCE 22101 in urine was rapid. Intersubject variability in the
      kinetics of total radioactivity in plasma was far less than that observed for FCE
      22101. The results of the present study support suggestions that presystemic
      metabolism of FCE 22101 and/or transformation of the prodrug to compounds other
      than FCE 22101 are the main cause of intersubject variability in the kinetics of
      FCE 22101 produced in plasma following oral administration of its prodrug.

PMID- 1416888
TI  - Antipneumocystis activity of water-soluble lipopeptide L-693,989 in rats.
AB  - Water-soluble lipopeptide L-693,989 was evaluated for its antipneumocystis
      activity in rats. Rats from colonies with latent Pneumocystis carinii infections
      were immunosuppressed with dexamethasone for 6 weeks to facilitate the
      development of acute P. carinii pneumonia (PCP). After 6 weeks, the rats were
      maintained on dexamethasone and were treated twice daily for 4 days with various
      concentrations of L-693,989. At a dose of 0.15 mg/kg of body weight, the compound
      effectively eliminated 90% of the cysts in 4 days. Trophozoite forms of P.
      carinii were still present in these animals, as determined by using a P. carinii
      specific DNA probe. A 3-week therapy study showed that the trophozoite load did
      not expand during treatment and that the trophozoites already present at the
      initiation of therapy appeared to persist. This may be a consequence of the stage
      specificity of the compound for cyst development and the severe immunosuppressive
      effects of dexamethasone on rats. When evaluated as a daily parenteral
      prophylactic agent, L-693,989 was effective in preventing the development of both
      P. carinii cysts and trophozoites, demonstrating its potential for use in
      prophylaxis and implying that the cyst stage of P. carinii is an obligatory step
      in trophozoite multiplication. The foamy exudate commonly associated with P.
      carinii infections was absent in the lungs of rats on prophylaxis. The compound
      was also evaluated via oral administration and was found to have a 90% effective
      dose of 32 mg/kg for therapy of acute infections and 5 mg/kg for daily
      prophylaxis.

PMID- 1416890
TI  - Activity of amphotericin B cholesterol dispersion (Amphocil) in experimental
      visceral leishmaniasis.
AB  - Standard therapy of human visceral leishmaniasis with parenteral pentavalent
      antimonial agents is generally curative but has the disadvantages of a 28-day
      treatment course, occasional treatment failures, and toxicity. The antifungal and
      antileishmanial agent amphotericin B has been complexed with lipids to develop a
      less toxic formulation of amphotericin B. Because lipid particles are
      phagocytized by the reticuloendothelial system, lipid-associated amphotericin B
      should be concentrated in infected macrophages and be very effective against
      visceral leishmaniasis. One formulation, amphotericin B cholesterol dispersion
      (ABCD) (Amphocil), was tested for antileishmanial activity in Leishmania donovani
      infected hamsters. In the first experiment, hamsters were infected, administered
      with the drug 3 days later, and then sacrificed after a further 4 days. ABCD
      (dose needed to suppress 99% of hepatic parasites compared with controls [SD
      (99)], 0.4 mg/kg of body weight) was 15 times as effective as conventional
      amphotericin B [SD (99), 6.0 mg/kg]. Pentavalent antimony in the form of
      meglumine antimonate had an SD (84) of 416 mg/kg. In a second experiment in which
      animals were allowed to become more heavily infected, the drug was administered
      10 days after infection and the animals were sacrificed after a further 2, 7, or
      11 days. ABCD was approximately four times as active as conventional amphotericin
      B. These experiments suggest that ABCD is at least four times as active as
      conventional amphotericin B against visceral leishmaniasis and that clinical
      trials are warranted.

PMID- 1416889
TI  - Studies of the effect of a platelet-activating factor antagonist, CL 184,005, in
      animal models of gram-negative bacterial sepsis.
AB  - The effect of CL 184,005, a potent and specific platelet-activating factor
      antagonist, has been examined in a variety of animal models relevant to gram
      negative bacterial sepsis. Pretreatment of mice with CL 184,005 protected them
      from the lethal effects of platelet-activating factor. When rats or primates
      rendered hypotensive with endotoxin were treated with CL 184,005, blood pressure
      was normalized. Pretreatment of rats with CL 184,005 protected them from the
      gastrointestinal lesions induced by endotoxin. Pretreatment of rats and mice with
      CL 184,005 protected them from the lethal effects of endotoxin. Plasma tumor
      necrosis factor levels in endotoxin-treated mice were lower when the mice were
      pretreated with CL 184,005. These observations suggest that CL 184,005 may be
      potentially useful in the treatment of gram-negative bacterial sepsis, and the
      agent is undergoing clinical evaluation.

PMID- 1416891
TI  - Activities of clarithromycin against eight slowly growing species of
      nontuberculous mycobacteria, determined by using a broth microdilution MIC
      system.
AB  - MICs of clarithromycin against 324 clinical isolates belonging to eight species
      of slowly growing nontuberculous mycobacteria were determined by using a broth
      microdilution system. Isolates were inoculated into twofold drug dilutions in
      Middlebrook 7H9 broth (pH corrected to 7.4) and then incubated at 30 degrees C
      for 7 days for Mycobacterium marinum and for 14 days for all other species. The
      MIC for 90% of the strains (MIC90) was less than or equal to 0.5 micrograms/ml
      for isolates of Mycobacterium gordonae (6 strains), Mycobacterium scrofulaceum (5
      strains), Mycobacterium szulgai (6 strains), and Mycobacterium kansasii (35
      strains). MICs for M. marinum (25 strains) and Mycobacterium avium complex (237
      strains) were higher, but 100% and 89% of the strains, respectively, were
      susceptible to less than or equal to 4 micrograms/ml. In contrast, MICs for five
      of six M. simiae strains were greater than 8 micrograms/ml, and the range of MICs
      for Mycobacterium nonchromogenicum varied from less than or equal to 0.125 to 8
      micrograms/ml. For the 237 isolates of M. avium complex, the MIC50 was 2
      micrograms/ml and the MIC90 was 8 micrograms/ml. MICs for most isolates (77%)
      were in the 1- to 4-micrograms/ml range. For the 80 isolates in this group known
      to be from AIDS patients, the MIC50 was 4 micrograms/ml and the MIC90 was 8
      micrograms/ml. These MIC studies combined with preliminary clinical trials
      suggest that clarithromycin may be useful for drug therapy of most species of the
      slowly growing nontuberculous mycobacteria except M. simiae.

PMID- 1416892
TI  - Outbreak of ceftazidime resistance due to a novel extended-spectrum beta
      lactamase in isolates from cancer patients.
AB  - Ceftazidime is widely used in the therapy of infectious complications in
      neutropenic patients. We studied an outbreak of ceftazidime-resistant gram
      negative bacillary infections in pediatric cancer patients receiving empirical
      ceftazidime therapy for neutropenic fever. Fourteen isolates (12 Klebsiella
      pneumoniae and 2 Escherichia coli) from 13 patients were studied. Specimens were
      obtained from multiple clinical sites including blood, urine, throat, and lung.
      The organisms were resistant to ceftazidime, aztreonam, and penicillins but
      remained susceptible to cephamycins and imipenem. All resistant isolates produced
      a novel beta-lactamase (TEM-26) with a pI of approximately 5.58, which was
      transferred by transformation to E. coli on a 7.9-kb nonconjugative plasmid which
      cotransferred resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. This enzyme readily
      hydrolyzed ceftazidime, aztreonam, and penicillins in a spectrophotometric assay.
      DNA sequencing data suggest that TEM-26 is derived from TEM-1.

PMID- 1416893
TI  - Vancomycin resistance gene vanC is specific to Enterococcus gallinarum.
AB  - Nearly all strains of Enterococcus gallinarum are resistant to low levels of
      vancomycin. The glycopeptide resistance gene vanC from E. gallinarum BM4174 has
      recently been cloned and sequenced. A probe specific for vanC hybridized with a
      2.7-kb EcoRI and a 4.5-kb HindIII fragment of total DNA from the 42 strains of E.
      gallinarum studied. No homology was detected with DNA of strains belonging to
      other species intrinsically resistant to vancomycin, including Enterococcus
      casseliflavus, a species that expresses a vancomycin resistance phenotype similar
      to that of E. gallinarum. No hybridization with DNA of enterococcal strains with
      acquired resistance to high or low levels of vancomycin was observed. The
      specificity of the vanC probe allowed us to distinguish E. gallinarum from 12
      other species of enterococci, indicating that this probe is a useful tool for
      species identification within the genus Enterococcus.

PMID- 1416894
TI  - Presence of Clostridium difficile and antibiotic and beta-lactamase activities in
      feces of volunteers treated with oral cefixime, oral cefpodoxime proxetil, or
      placebo.
AB  - Three groups of six healthy adult volunteers were randomly assigned to a
      treatment with 400 mg of oral cefpodoxime proxetil, oral cefixime, or placebo per
      day for 10 days. Informed consent was obtained from all volunteers. Clostridium
      difficile was not detected in the feces of any subject before treatment or at any
      time in the subjects in the placebo group. C. difficile was, however, detected in
      all subjects treated with cefpodoxime proxetil and in five of six treated with
      cefixime. Genomic DNA restriction patterns showed that the strains of C.
      difficile differed from one volunteer to another. Two subjects both shed
      different strains at different times during the 25-day surveillance period. All
      isolates were resistant to cefixime and cefpodoxime (MIC for 90% of strains, 256
      and 512 mg/liter, respectively). Antibiotic activity was found in the feces of
      one volunteer treated with cefpodoxime proxetil and of four volunteers treated
      with cefixime. It was inversely correlated with the presence of fecal beta
      lactamase activity. Intestinal side effects were limited to modifications of
      stool consistency, which occurred in only 3 of the 12 treated volunteers and did
      not lead to cessation of treatment. These modifications were significantly
      associated with the presence of fecal antibiotic activity (P less than 0.05) but
      not with the shedding of toxigenic or nontoxigenic strains of C. difficile or
      with the presence of toxin A in feces, which was detected only in one perfectly
      healthy treated volunteer.

PMID- 1416895
TI  - Antimicrobial prophylaxis for major head and neck surgery in cancer patients:
      sulbactam-ampicillin versus clindamycin-amikacin.
AB  - A total of 99 patients with head and neck cancer who were to undergo surgery were
      randomized in a prospective comparative study of sulbactam-ampicillin (1:2 ratio;
      four doses of 3 g of ampicillin and 1.5 g of sulbactam intravenously [i.v.] every
      6 h) versus clindamycin (four doses of 600 mg i.v. every 6 h)-amikacin (two doses
      of 500 mg i.v. every 12 h) as prophylaxis starting at the induction of
      anesthesia. The two groups of evaluable patients (43 in the clindamycin-amikacin
      treatment group and 42 in the sulbactam-ampicillin treatment group) were
      comparable as far as age (mean, 57 years; range, 21 to 84 years), sex ratio (71
      males, 28 females), weight (mean, 66 kg; range, 40 to 69 kg), indication for
      surgery (first surgery, 48 patients; recurrence, 37 patients), previous
      anticancer treatment (surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy), type of surgery,
      and stage of cancer. The overall infection rate (wound, bacteremia, and
      bronchopneumonia) within 20 days after surgery was 20 patients in each group.
      Wound infections occurred in 14 (33%) sulbactam-ampicillin-treated patients and 9
      (21%) clindamycin-amikacin-treated patients (P = 0.19; not significant). The
      rates of bacteremia were 2 and 4%, respectively. The rates of bronchopneumonia
      were 14.3 and 23.2%, respectively (P was not significant). Most infections were
      polymicrobial, but strict anaerobes were recovered only from patients who
      received sulbactam-ampicillin. Antimicrobial treatment was required within 20
      days after surgery for 42% of the sulbactam-ampicillin-treated patients and 44%
      of the clindamycin-amikacin-treated patients. By comparison with previous
      studies, we observed a decreased efficacy of antimicrobial prophylaxis in
      patients with head and neck cancer undergoing surgery because of the increased
      proportion of patients who were at very high risk for infection (extensive
      excision and plastic reconstruction in patients with recurrent stage III and IV
      cancers) and because of the longer duration of surgery.

PMID- 1416897
TI  - In vitro susceptibility of Mycobacterium kansasii to clarithromycin.
AB  - The MICs of the macrolide clarithromycin for 31 clinical isolates of
      Mycobacterium kansasii were determined by three different methods. The methods
      employed were the proportion resistance method on 7H10 agar, the radiometric
      (BACTEC) method, and the T100 method of datum analysis. All methods gave similar
      results. The MICs were in a narrow range from 0.16 to 0.50 microgram/ml, with the
      MICs for 90% of isolates tested of 0.50 microgram/ml for the agar dilution and
      radiometric methods and 0.37 microgram/ml for the T100 method. The MBCs were
      determined for nine representative isolates by the radiometric broth method. The
      MBCs were equal to the MICs for four isolates, and the MBCs were twofold higher
      than the MICs for five isolates. Killing of 99.9% of the bacterial population was
      achieved at a clarithromycin concentration of 2.0 micrograms/ml for all nine
      isolates tested.

PMID- 1416896
TI  - Greatly enhanced inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication in
      CEM and HT4-6C cells by 3'-deoxythymidine diphosphate dimyristoylglycerol, a
      lipid prodrug of 3'-deoxythymidine.
AB  - 3'-Deoxythymidine (3dT) is a weakly active dideoxynucleoside in human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected cells because of its slow phosphorylation
      by cellular thymidine kinase. 3dT diphosphate dimyristoylglycerol (3dTDP-DMG), a
      phospholipid prodrug, was synthesized and found in vitro to be 18- to 50-fold
      more effective than 3dT in CEM and HT4-6C cells. In CEM cells, the selectivity
      index of 3dTDP-DMG was 270 versus 48 for 3dT, an increase of 5.6-fold. In
      thymidine kinase-deficient mutant CEM cells infected with HIV, 3dT and zidovudine
      (AZT) were virtually inactive but 3dTDP-DMG retained substantial activity,
      suggesting that its greatly increased antiviral activity is due in part to bypass
      of thymidine kinase. 3dTDP-DMG was 14- to 37-fold more active than 3dT in AZT
      sensitive and AZT-resistant clinical isolates of HIV; no cross-resistance with
      AZT was noted. The results suggest that lipid prodrugs may be utilized in some
      cases to confer unique metabolic advantages over the corresponding free
      nucleoside; in the case of 3dTDP-DMG, an 18- to 50-fold increase in
      antiretroviral activity was observed in LAV-infected cells. The strategy would
      seem to be especially useful for antiviral nucleosides which are poorly
      phosphorylated.

PMID- 1416898
TI  - Inhibition of intrahepatic hepatitis B virus replication by antiviral drugs in a
      novel transgenic mouse model.
AB  - Transgenic mice which carry the integrated human hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome
      and produce HBV particles in the liver were treated with antiviral compounds, and
      the amount of viral DNA in the liver and serum was monitored by Southern
      analyses. Mouse alpha interferon (200,000 U per injection, twice daily for 3
      days) and a novel nucleoside, oxetanocin G (15 mg/kg of body weight per
      injection, twice daily for 7 days), inhibited viral DNA synthesis in the liver
      almost completely. This animal model should prove useful in evaluating anti-HBV
      agents.

PMID- 1416899
TI  - Susceptibilities of members of the Bacteroides fragilis group to 11 antimicrobial
      agents.
AB  - The susceptibilities of 200 clinical isolates of the Bacteroides fragilis group
      to 11 antimicrobial agents were determined by the broth microdilution method of
      the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. All isolates were
      susceptible to imipenem and ticarcillin-clavulanic acid. The rates of resistance
      to cefoxitin and clindamycin were low (4 and 6%, respectively), while those to
      ceftizoxime and cefotetan were higher (10.5 and 24%, respectively).

PMID- 1416900
TI  - Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm as a diffusion barrier to piperacillin.
AB  - Pseudomonas aeruginosa 579 biofilms formed on dialysis membranes retarded
      piperacillin diffusion. Treatment of biofilms with 5.0 mM CaCl2.2H2O prevented
      diffusion. Biofilms permitted equilibration of [14C]glucose. Thin-layer
      chromatography of fluids distal to untreated (viable and nonviable) and viable
      Ca(2+)-treated P. aeruginosa 579 biofilms and fluids distal to a viable P.
      aeruginosa mutant noninducible for the expression of beta-lactamase did not
      detect piperacillinoic acid.

PMID- 1416902
TI  - Bioavailability of rifampin in experimental murine tuberculosis.

PMID- 1416901
TI  - Effect of biliary obstruction on the hepatic excretion of imipenem-cilastatin.
AB  - The biliary excretion of imipenem-cilastatin studied by endoscopic cannulation of
      the common bile duct in patients with complete obstruction and in a group without
      obstruction showed that despite a 24-h prophylaxis, the bile obtained from
      patients with obstruction immediately after cannulation contained neither
      imipenem nor cilastatin, while there were 2 and 5% of peak concentrations in
      serum for imipenem and cilastatin, respectively, in the bile from patients
      without obstruction. Biliary excretion of both compounds increased rapidly after
      decompression, reaching a maximum of 15% of peak levels in serum within 2 h.
      Twenty-four hours after drainage, the biliary excretion of the drugs further
      improved. We conclude that since biliary obstruction impairs excretion of
      antibiotics, drainage is necessary for the control of sepsis in obstructed
      cholangitis.

PMID- 1416903
TI  - Immunotoxic potential of antiviral drugs: effects of ganciclovir and (S)-1-(3
      hydroxy-2-phosphonylmethoxy propyl) cytosine on lymphocyte transformation and
      delayed-type hypersensitivity responses.
AB  - In the present studies, we examined the in vitro and in vivo effects of
      ganciclovir (DHPG) and a relatively new nucleoside analogue, (S)-1-(3-hydroxy-2
      phosphonylmethoxy propyl) cytosine (HPMPC), on lymphocyte responses to T cell
      mitogens and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses to
      dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB). Initially, responses of mouse splenic mononuclear
      cells and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells to PHA and con A were
      evaluated in vitro in the presence of each drug. Both drugs inhibited the
      responses to each mitogens; however, DHPG had a greater inhibitory effect on con
      A responses of human and mouse lymphocytes than did HPMPC. Also, spleen cells
      from mice treated for 7 days with DHPG responded less well to PHA stimulation
      than cells from untreated or HPMPC-treated mice. No effect of either drug was
      observed on con A responses. Treatment of mice with either drug decreased the
      development of DTH responses, with HPMPC having a greater inhibitory effect than
      DHPG. The results from the present studies suggest that both DHPG and HPMPC may
      have inhibitory effects on the development of certain immune functions at high
      dosages, but at drug concentrations that were therapeutic in animal model
      studies, little inhibitory effects were observed.

PMID- 1416904
TI  - Inhibition of human immunodeficiency viral replication by tannins and related
      compounds.
AB  - Among 87 chemically defined tannins and related compounds, several hydrolyzable
      tannins, but not condensed tannins or other lower molecular weight polyphenols,
      significantly inhibited both the cytopathic effect of human immunodeficiency
      virus (HIV) and the expression of HIV antigen in human lymphotropic virus type I
      (HTLV-1)-positive MT-4 cells. The 50% effective concentrations (2.0-4.8
      micrograms/ml) of the active compounds were 13- to 15-fold lower than their 50%
      cytotoxic concentrations. Their anti-HIV activity was demonstrated to be
      mediated, at least in part, by inhibition of HIV adsorption to the cells.

PMID- 1416906
TI  - Drug targeting systems for antiviral agents: options and limitations.

PMID- 1416905
TI  - Effects of Phyllanthus plant extracts on duck hepatitis B virus in vitro and in
      vivo.
AB  - The effects of extracts of five Australian Phyllanthus species (P. hirtellus, P.
      gunnii, P. gasstroemii, P. similis and P. tenellus), other plant extracts and the
      antiviral drug foscarnet on duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) endogenous DNA
      polymerase (DNAp) activity were compared. All 5 Phyllanthus species caused 50%
      inhibition at concentrations of dry weight between 350-800 micrograms/ml, which
      is comparable with the effect described for P. amarus on the DNAp of human and
      woodchuck hepatitis B viruses. Incubation of P. hirtellus with 100 ID50 DHBV
      neutralized infection. However, neither P. gasstroemi extract, given by
      intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) at a dose of 20 mg/kg 3 times per week to
      ducklings early in the incubation period, or P. hirtellus extract, given to
      established DHBV carrier ducklings, prevented or eliminated infection.

PMID- 1416907
TI  - Topical delivery of liposomally encapsulated gamma-interferon.
AB  - The extent of uptake of gamma interferon (gamma-IFN) in various strata of
      hairless mouse, human and hamster skin upon application of a liposomal
      formulation and an aqueous solution were determined by in vitro diffusion cell
      experiments. For each of the animal species studied, 70-80% of the liposomally
      entrapped IFN was deposited onto or penetrated into the skin as determined 24 h
      after in vitro application. However, a significant fraction of this total amount
      (approximately 0.25-0.30) is either adsorbed to or associated with the stratum
      corneum. The drug content found in the deeper skin strata, where the receptor
      sites reside, suggests that drug deposition is strongly influenced by the skin
      species tested. The percent of applied drug found in this strata 24 h after
      application followed the order: hamster (6.1) much greater than human (0.9)
      greater than hairless mouse (0.3), although the amounts of drug in the total skin
      of each species tested were approximately the same. This indicates that the
      deposition of drug into the living epidermis and/or dermis cannot be predicted by
      determination of the amount of drug in the total skin. The amounts in the deeper
      skin strata were also in the order of increasing number of follicles/hair in the
      skin species, suggesting that the transfollicular route is an important pathway
      for liposomal topical therapeutics.

PMID- 1416908
TI  - An ELISA system for evaluating antiretroviral activity against Rauscher murine
      leukemia virus.
AB  - A system for evaluating the activity of antiviral agents against Rauscher murine
      leukemia virus (R-MuLV) has been developed using an enzyme linked immunosorbent
      assay technique. The activity of various antiviral compounds demonstrated in this
      assay system has been compared to their activity in the UV-XC plaque reduction
      assay, which has been used historically for evaluating anti-R-MuLV compounds. The
      assay is based upon detection of R-MuLV encoded p30 protein production in virus
      infected murine cells. The assay reagents are readily available and the assay
      system is amenable to automated data collection systems. Cytotoxicity evaluations
      are conducted in parallel to the Rauscher MuLV ELISA assay in order to assess
      drug-induced reductions in cell viability. Cytotoxicity evaluations are important
      to interpretation of the ELISA results since reductions in cell viability reduce
      viral protein production which would indicate an antiviral drug effect. This
      system is less sensitive than the classical UV-XC plaque reduction assay;
      however, it does offer an alternative to the time-consuming and labor-intensive
      plaque assay.

PMID- 1416909
TI  - A new and potent 2-5A analogue which does not require a 5'-polyphosphate to
      activate mouse L-cell RNase L.
AB  - In order to explore the possibility of supplanting the requirement of a 5'
      triphosphate moiety for the activation of the 2-5A-dependent endonuclease (RNase
      L) of mouse L-cells, two new tetrameric analogues of 2-5A were synthesized. The
      first tetramer, obtained by both a modified prebiotic synthetic approach as well
      as a phosphite triester solid phase oligonucleotide synthesis method, was
      p5'A2'p5'A2'p5'(br8A)2'p5'(br8A). The second oligonucleotide was derived from the
      former by a sequence involving periodate oxidation, reaction with n-hexylamine,
      and cyanoborohydride reduction, resulting in conversion of the 2'-terminal
      adenosine residue to 9-(3'-aza-4'-hexyl-1',2',3',4'-tetradeoxyhexopyranos-1(1)
      yl)-8-++ +bromoadenine. Both of these oligomers, bearing only 5'-monophosphate
      groups, were found to be as potent as 2-5A itself as activators of the RNase L of
      mouse L-cells.

PMID- 1416910
TI  - Baculovirus expressed herpes simplex virus type 1 glycoprotein C protects mice
      from lethal HSV-1 infection.
AB  - A recombinant baculovirus (vAc-gC1) was constructed that expresses the
      glycoprotein C (gC) gene of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). When Sf9 cells
      were infected with this recombinant, a protein that was smaller in size than
      authentic HSV-1 gC was detected by Western blotting using anti-gC polyclonal
      antibody. The recombinant gC was susceptible to tunicamycin, partially resistant
      to Endo-H, and was found on the membrane of Sf9 cells. Antibodies raised in mice
      to recombinant gC reacted with gC from HSV-1 infected cells and neutralized the
      infectivity of HSV-1 in vitro. Immunized mice were protected from lethal
      challenge with HSV-1.

PMID- 1416911
TI  - Virucidal effect of murine duodenal extracts: studies with lactate dehydrogenase
      elevating virus.
AB  - Mucosal resistance to infection with lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV)
      has been previously demonstrated, and the LDV system presents an important murine
      model for the study of mucosal barriers to viral infection. In the present study,
      duodenal molecules were isolated from normal mice which had potent virucidal
      activity, when tested against LDV as well as canine herpes, canine hepatitis,
      Semliki forest, and visna viruses. The virucidal activity was demonstrated to be
      non-immune in nature, and was present in apparently non-enzymatic protein
      molecules, having a molecular mass of between 10-100 kDa by membrane filtration
      and 10-17 kDa by gel filtration. The anti-LDV activity of these molecules was
      suppressed by anti-duodenum antibodies in vitro, and in vivo studies suggested a
      possible protective role for the anti-viral molecules. We conclude that the
      normal mouse duodenum contains potent virucidal molecules, which are of interest
      to the study of biological and molecular mechanisms of viral resistance.

PMID- 1416912
TI  - Purification and characterization of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase from the
      facultative chemolithotroph Thiobacillus novellus (ATCC 8093).
AB  - Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (EC4.1.1.31), which catalyzes the carboxylation
      of phosphoenolpyruvate to produce oxaloacetate was purified 465-fold from
      extracts of organotrophically grown Thiobacillus novellus. Nondenaturing
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) of the purified enzyme revealed the
      presence of two bands after staining with Buffalo Black. Gels stained with Fast
      Violet B after incubation with PEP, HCO3-, Mg2+ and acetyl CoA also showed two
      bands of activity with the faster moving the more active of the two. Sodium
      dodecylsulfate (SDS)-PAGE of the enzyme heated at 100 degrees C for 5 min
      revealed the presence of three intensely stained bands of M(r) 95 K, 51 K, and 28
      K. However, electrophoresis of the enzyme heated for 2 min showed a single band
      of about 100 K, indicating that the preparation was likely homogeneous. The 51 K
      and 28 K subunits are thus products of the 95 K subunit. Gel filtration studies
      of the native enzyme yielded a M(r) of 360 K. Therefore, the enzyme is a
      tetramer. The optimum pH in Tris buffer was 8.0, with Km for PEP 0.64 mM, HCO3-
      0.11 mM, and acetyl CoA a potent activator, 1.3 microM. A divalent cation best
      served by Mg2+ gave sigmoidal initial velocity plots. Hill plots of the data gave
      coefficients (nH) of 2.6. None of the metabolites tested, nucleotide
      triophosphates excepted, significantly affected enzyme activity. Binding studies
      with 14C-labelled PEP revealed the binding of about 20 moles PEP per mole
      (360,000 g) of PEPC. Initial velocity studies suggest that the reaction is
      catalyzed by a random Bi Bi mechanism. Despite the lack of inhibition by certain
      metabolites, the enzyme's function is probably anaplerotic.

PMID- 1416913
TI  - Isolation of auxotrophic mutants of the methylotrophic yeast Candida boidinii and
      determination of its ploidy.
AB  - Auxotrophic mutations in the methylotrophic yeast strain Candida boidinii 11Bh
      were induced by different mutagens and their combinations (nitrosoguanidine, UV
      light, HNO2+UV). Majority of the mutants obtained carried defects in histidine,
      arginine, proline and/or adenine biosynthetic pathways. His- mutants were
      distributed into four complementation groups using the protoplasts fusion
      technique. Ploidy determination of Candida boidinii 11Bh was performed by
      measuring its DNA content and by following its survival after chemical mutagens
      treatment. The DNA content of this strain was found to be similar to that of a
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae diploid strain. Also the kinetics of survival of Candida
      boidinii cells indicate that Candida boidinii 11Bh is a diploid.

PMID- 1416914
TI  - Degradation of some phenols and hydroxybenzoates by the imperfect ascomycetous
      yeasts Candida parapsilosis and Arxula adeninivorans: evidence for an operative
      gentisate pathway.
AB  - The imperfect ascomycetous yeasts Candida parapsilosis and Arxula adeninivorans
      degraded 3-hydroxybenzoic acid via gentisate which was the cleavage substrate. 4
      Hydroxybenzoic acid was metabolized via protocatechuate. No cleavage enzyme for
      the latter was detected. In stead of this NADH- and NADPH-dependent
      monooxygenases were present. In cells grown at the expense of hydroquinone and 4
      hydroxybenzoic acid, enzymes of the hydroxyhydroquinone variant of the 3
      oxoadipate pathway were demonstrated, which also took part in the degradation of
      2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid by C. parapsilosis.

PMID- 1416915
TI  - Formation of antigenic extracellular polysaccharides by selected strains of Mucor
      spp., Rhizopus spp., Rhizomucor spp., Absidia corymbifera and Syncephalastrum
      racemosum.
AB  - In this study, polyclonal IgG antibodies raised against extracellular
      polysaccharides (EPS) of Mucor racemosus were characterised as almost specific
      for moulds belonging to the order of Mucorales. Cross-reactivity in the ELISA
      could be observed only towards the yeast Pichia membranaefaciens. EPS were
      isolated from various cultures of M. hiemalis growing on six different carbon
      sources and two nitrogen sources, with ratios varying from 0.13 to 0.44 relative
      to the amount of biomass. Other strains including Mucor spp., Rhizopus spp.,
      Rhizomucor spp., Absidia corymbifera and Syncephalastrum racemosum also excreted
      EPS, with ratios varying from 0.05 to 0.23. In all cases, the excreted EPS had
      similar antigenic properties as determined by ELISA. No enzymatic degradation of
      the antigenic parts of the polysaccharides could be observed upon prolonged
      incubation. Considering that all tested strains formed similar amounts of
      antigenic EPS there might be scope for the specific detection of biomass of
      Mucoralean moulds using ELISA techniques for example in food.

PMID- 1416916
TI  - Purification and characterization of an NAD(+)-linked formaldehyde dehydrogenase
      from the facultative RuMP cycle methylotroph Arthrobacter P1.
AB  - When Arthrobacter P1 is grown on choline, betaine, dimethylglycine or sarcosine,
      an NAD(+)-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase is induced. This formaldehyde
      dehydrogenase has been purified using ammonium sulphate fractionation, anion
      exchange- and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The molecular mass of the
      native enzyme was 115 kDa +/- 10 kDa. Gel electrophoresis in the presence of
      sodium dodecyl sulphate indicated that the molecular mass of the subunit was 56
      kDa +/- 3 kDa, which is consistent with a dimeric enzyme structure. After
      ammonium sulphate fractionation the partially purified enzyme required the
      addition of a reducing reagent in the assay mixture for maximum activity. The
      enzyme was highly specific for its substrates and the Km values were 0.10 and
      0.80 mM for formaldehyde and NAD+, respectively. The enzyme was heat-stable at 50
      degrees C for at least 10 min and showed a broad pH optimum of 8.1 to 8.5. The
      addition of some metal-binding compounds and thiol reagents inhibited the enzyme
      activity.

PMID- 1416917
TI  - Systematic placement of the basidiomycetous yeast Cystofilobasidium lari-marini
      comb. nov. as predicted by rRNA nucleotide sequence analysis.
AB  - Based on similarities in basidial morphology and nucleotide sequences of the V3
      variable region in the large sub-unit ribosomal RNA, the yeast Leucosporidium
      lari-marini is considered phylogenetically related to the genus
      Cystofilobasidium. Therefore the new combination Cystofilobasidium lari-marini is
      proposed.

PMID- 1416918
TI  - Hyalohyphomycosis caused by Paecilomyces variotii: a case report, animal
      pathogenicity and 'in vitro' sensitivity.
AB  - A case of cutaneous infection in a 25-year-old male caused by Paecilomyces
      variotii is described. Animal pathogenicity studies with normal and cortisone
      treated mice revealed the predeliction of P. variotii for skin and liver in both
      normal and cortisone-treated mice and for lungs and heart only in
      immunosuppressed mice. 5-fluorocytosine gave the best MIC value for P. variotii
      in vitro. This report documents for the first time that P. variotii causes
      cutaneous infection.

PMID- 1416919
TI  - Heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification in Alcaligenes faecalis
      strain TUD.
AB  - Heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic and anaerobic denitrification by
      Alcaligenes faecalis strain TUD were studied in continuous cultures under various
      environmental conditions. Both nitrification and denitrification activities
      increased with the dilution rate. At dissolved oxygen concentrations above 46%
      air saturation, hydroxylamine, nitrite and nitrate accumulated, indicating that
      both the nitrification and denitrification were less efficient. The overall
      nitrification activity was, however, essentially unaffected by the oxygen
      concentration. The nitrification rate increased with increasing ammonia
      concentration, but was lower in the presence of nitrate or nitrite. When present,
      hydroxylamine, was nitrified preferentially. Relatively low concentrations of
      acetate caused substrate inhibition (KI = 109 microM acetate). Denitrifying or
      assimilatory nitrate reductase were not detected, and the copper nitrite
      reductase, rather than cytochrome cd, was present. Thiosulphate (a potential
      inhibitor of heterotrophic nitrification) was oxidized by A. faecalis strain TUD,
      with a maximum oxygen uptake rate of 140-170 nmol O2.min-1.mg prot-1. Comparison
      of the behaviour of A. faecalis TUD with that of other bacteria capable of
      heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification established that the
      response of these organisms to environmental parameters is not uniform.
      Similarities were found in their responses to dissolved oxygen concentrations,
      growth rate and ammonia concentration. However, they differed in their responses
      to externally supplied nitrite and nitrate.

PMID- 1416920
TI  - Kluyveromyces piceae sp. nov., a new yeast species isolated from the rhizosphere
      of Picea abies (L.) Karst.
AB  - Two strains of an undescribed species of the genus Kluyveromyces were recovered
      from the rhizosphere of spruce. A description of the new species, Kluyveromyces
      piceae, is given and its classification on basis of ascospore shape, substrate
      utilization, G+C-content, DNA-DNA-reassociation data and habitat specificity is
      discussed.

PMID- 1416921
TI  - Strike-through, gown safety.

PMID- 1416922
TI  - Project Team identifies practice model criteria.

PMID- 1416923
TI  - Pulmonary autograft. An aortic valve replacement alternative.
AB  - In selected patients, the pulmonary autograft procedure utilizing cryopreserved
      homografts for reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract is becoming
      an increasingly popular aortic valve replacement alternative. Longitudinal
      statistical reports show that patients need reoperation less often with this
      procedure. Because the valve is autogenous tissue, all indications to date show
      that the valve continues to function for extended periods of time in all patients
      and can accommodate growth in children. At the same time, transfer of the
      pulmonary valve to the aortic position provides a natural valvular flow pattern
      and freedom from the degenerative changes associated with bioprosthetic valves or
      the need for anticoagulation associated with mechanical valves.

PMID- 1416924
TI  - Kock pouch. An internal ileal reservoir for continent urinary diversion.

PMID- 1416925
TI  - Disaster planning. Realistic ideas for the operating room.

PMID- 1416926
TI  - Reconceptualizing, redefining perioperative nursing. Project Team Report.

PMID- 1416927
TI  - Recommended practices. Disinfection. Association of Operating Room Nurses.

PMID- 1416928
TI  - Recommended practices. Steam and ethylene oxide (EO) sterilization. Association
      of Operating Room Nurses.

PMID- 1416929
TI  - Social aspects of urinary incontinence in the elderly.

PMID- 1416930
TI  - Standards of practice, recent changes; preparing job descriptions that reflect
      these standards; how these standards relate to practice.

PMID- 1416931
TI  - Technician starting lines; counts when a patient dies; count documentation; lay
      terms on permit; drug abuse rehabilitation.

PMID- 1416932
TI  - States tackle health care reform.

PMID- 1416933
TI  - Development of tolerance to endogenous opiates activated by 24-h food
      deprivation.
AB  - Four experiments assessed the effects of exposure to 24-h food deprivation on the
      tail-flick latency of rats exposed to a temperature stimulus. Confirming previous
      studies, Experiment 1 showed that food deprivation gave rise to analgesia, as
      indicated by increased tail-flick latencies, that was antagonized by naloxone.
      Experiment 2 found that analgesia was greatly reduced after five exposures to
      periods of 24-h food deprivation (alternating with 24-h free access to food),
      indicating the development of tolerance. Experiments 3 and 3a examined the
      development of tolerance to the analgesic effects of morphine following repeated
      morphine injections, saline injections, and exposure to 24-h food deprivation
      plus saline injections. The combined results of both experiments provided
      evidence that repeated exposures to either morphine or food deprivation, produced
      greater tolerance to morphine than did exposures to saline. That food deprivation
      was cross-tolerant with morphine indicated that tolerance to food deprivation
      induced analgesia involved opioid mechanisms. The relevance of opioid tolerance
      to psychobiological models of feeding and to the development of an animal model
      of anorexia nervosa was discussed.

PMID- 1416934
TI  - Factors influencing sensory-specific satiety.
AB  - In the first part of this study, subjects tasted small portions of a set of foods
      (rating set) and rated their liking of these foods before and after eating a
      serving of one of the foods (test meal). These foods were chosen to vary in both
      macronutrient composition and sensory qualities. Measurements of hunger were
      taken before and after the test meal. The amount of sensory-specific satiety
      produced by a test meal differed depending on the food eaten. There was a trend
      for high-protein foods, which were also the least-liked foods, to decrease more
      in liking than low-protein foods. Buttered rolls and Coke, when eaten as test
      meals, dropped the least in liking. Initial liking and the variety of sensory
      qualities within a food were investigated as potential factors which could
      influence sensory-specific satiety. Subjects tasted and rated their liking of the
      test meals, which varied in the level of initial liking and the level of variety
      of sensory qualities within a food, before and after eating. There was a non
      significant trend for the less-liked test meals to drop more in liking than the
      well-liked test meals. There was also a slight trend for the low-variety test
      meals to drop slightly more in liking than the intermediate and high-variety test
      meals.

PMID- 1416935
TI  - Predictors of adult humans' self-control and impulsiveness for food reinforcers.
AB  - Humans vary in the degree to which they demonstrate self-control--choice of
      larger, more delayed over smaller, less delayed reinforcers. When reinforcers
      consist of food, individual human subjects' choice behavior varies from virtually
      exclusive self-control to exclusive impulsiveness. The present experiment, using
      26 men and 26 women subjects, explored some possible sources of this individual
      variation through assessing the correlation of behaviors exhibited in the self
      control paradigm with various subject characteristics. The results suggest that
      self-control is negatively related to individuals' reported susceptibility to
      hunger (Factor 3 of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire) and positively related
      to overall rating of juice desirability, but not to gender or to various measures
      of caloric deprivation or personality. Relatively high self-perceived levels of
      food deprivation may decrease self-control, whereas assigning a relatively high
      value to the reinforcer may increase self-control. Both tendencies would have
      been adaptive for evolving humans.

PMID- 1416936
TI  - Methodology and theory in human eating research.
AB  - Current research in human eating is assessed from the perspective of current
      research methods which stress laboratory research, the use of artificial foods
      rather than real meals, shorter term studies, animal models, and abnormal eating
      models and an emphasis on sensory and physiological factors rather than social,
      cultural and contextual factors. The proposal is made to refocus more human
      eating research on real people eating real foods in real eating situations.

PMID- 1416937
TI  - Towards scientific realism in eating research.

PMID- 1416938
TI  - Where should human eating be studied and what should be measured?
AB  - Meiselman's (1992) proposal for redirection of research on human eating behavior
      towards eating in real settings is misdirected, because it does not take into
      consideration the questions being addressed by laboratory studies. In fact many
      of the studies for which he has called have in fact been done and will be cited.
      There is no compelling scientific or strategic reason that investigators who are
      making good progress on the problem of what controls the amount eaten should be
      exhorted to examine what controls the place or time of eating or what is selected
      for eating. They are different problems which require different methodology. The
      field is large enough for both kinds of studies and there is no reason to berate
      investigators as Meiselman does for not investigating the problem he happens to
      be studying.

PMID- 1416939
TI  - Real people, real foods, real eating situations: real problems and real
      advantages.

PMID- 1416940
TI  - Let's not throw out the barley with the dishwater.

PMID- 1416941
TI  - Both naturalistic and laboratory-based studies contribute to the understanding of
      human eating behavior.

PMID- 1416942
TI  - Real eating and the measurement of real physiological and behavioral variables.

PMID- 1416943
TI  - When is eating "real"?

PMID- 1416944
TI  - Kinetics and activity distribution of urease coencapsulated with hemoglobin
      within polyamide membranes.
AB  - A 91.5% mass yield of urease and hemoglobin (Hb), co-encapsulated within
      polyamide membranes, was determined spectrophotometrically. The specific activity
      yield of microencapsulation was 84%, twofold higher than values previously
      reported, as a result of optimization of encapsulation conditions. The kinetic
      parameters and pH activity profiles of intracapsular urease were determined to be
      similar to those corresponding to the free enzyme. Similar activities were also
      observed for intact and microcapsule homogenate, indicating minimal mass transfer
      and diffusional limitation. The active configuration of the enzyme appears to
      remain intact upon microencapsulation. The application of a kinetic model for
      encapsulated urease further indicated that the kinetics were reaction-controlled
      with minimal mass transfer restrictions.

PMID- 1416945
TI  - Rapid determination of immobilized ConA lectin activity.
AB  - ConA was immobilized on an epoxy-activated copolymer of 2-hydroxyethyl
      methacrylate and ethylene-dimethacrylate and commercially available high-pressure
      liquid chromatography (HPLC) sorbents Separon HEMA 1000 EL, Separon HEMA 1000 E,
      and Separon HEMA 1000 EH (Tessek, Prague, CSFR Denmark). Specific, sensitive, and
      rapid method for determination of immobilized ConA lectin activity was developed.
      beta-Galactosidase from Aspergilus oryzae oligomannosyl residues was used as
      specific affinant. After separation of bound and unbound beta-galactosidase,
      enzyme activity was measured in supernatant and thus immobilized ConA lectin
      activity was calculated easily. The use of the method for evaluating the
      properties of immobilized ConA, efficiency of immobilization, specific activity,
      and thermostability is shown. The method developed could be generalized by using
      artificially glycosylated enzyme for any lectin.

PMID- 1416946
TI  - Biological deodorization of dimethyl sulfide using different fabrics as the
      carriers of microorganisms.
AB  - Biological deodorization of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) was studied using nine unwoven
      fabrics as the carriers of microorganisms in a laboratory-scale deodorizing
      system. The activated carbon fabric FN-200CF-15 was the best packing material
      compared with other packing materials used, on the basis of removal rate. The
      maximum removal rate (Vm), evaluated by using Michaelis-Menten equation, was 2.28
      g-S.kg-dry fab.-1.day-1 in this fabric biofilter. The critical load of DMS in
      this fabric biofilter was dependent on space velocity (SV), determined as 0.78
      and 0.66 g-S.kg-dry fab.-1 at SV 100 and 150 h-1, respectively. Strain IM1
      isolated from the carbon fabric FN-200CF-15 biofilter in modified Waksman (MW)
      medium successfully degraded DMS as well as hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methanethiol
      (MT), and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) in batch test. The DMS removal rates (g
      S.cell-1.h-1) by this strain measured in batch culture and calculated in FN-200CF
      15 biofilter by the cell numbers appeared in MW medium were found almost equal,
      indicating that strain IM1 may be the dominant microorganism in this biofilter.

PMID- 1416947
TI  - Activation and detection of (pro)mutagenic chemicals using recombinant strains of
      Streptomyces griseus.
AB  - Two recombinant strains of Streptomyces griseus have been developed to report on
      the activation of promutagenic chemicals. This activation is monitored by
      reversion of the bacterial test strains to a kanamycin-resistant phenotype.
      Strain H69 detects point mutations and was reverted at an increased frequency by
      acetonitrile, 2-aminoanthracene, 1,2-benzanthracene, benzidine, benzo(a)pyrene,
      9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene, and glycine. The second strain, FS2, detects
      frame shift mutations and was reverted at an increased frequency by 1,2
      benzanthracene, benzidine, and glycine. Compounds such as butylated
      hydroxytoluene, catechol, chlorobenzene, hydroquinone, potassium chloride,
      phenol, cis-stilbene, trans-stilbene, and toluene did not elicit positive
      responses in either strain. In addition, these strains are capable of detecting
      direct-acting mutagens such as N-methyl-N'-nitrosoguanidine and ICR-191,
      providing further evidence of their promise for detecting a wider range of
      mutagens. To our knowledge, this is the first report of bacterial strains capable
      of activating promutagenic compounds and detecting their mutagenic metabolites
      without the benefit of an exogenous activation system such as the rodent liver
      homogenate (S9).

PMID- 1416948
TI  - Actinomycetes in submerged culture.
AB  - The range of morphological forms of actinomycetes in shaken flask culture and
      fermenters is reviewed. Some of the factors that influence pellet formation and
      its prevention are discussed. The relationship between morphology and production
      of antibiotics and other metabolites is also examined.

PMID- 1416950
TI  - Ascorbic acid biosensor using ascorbate oxidase immobilized on alkylamine glass
      beads.
AB  - A biosensor for ascorbic acid based on enzyme kinetics of ascorbate oxidase
      (E.C.1.10.3.3) was developed. The enzyme was extracted from Cucurbita maxima, or
      jerimun and immobilized by covalent bounding, using glutaradehyde as a
      bifunctional agent, on alkylamine glass beads, with and without enzyme active
      site protection. A low-cost, home-made oxygen electrode was applied as a
      transducer. The system has sensitivity from 62.5 up to 500 microM of ascorbic
      acid with satisfactory operation for more than 2 mo.

PMID- 1416949
TI  - Glucoamylase immobilization on a magnetic microparticle for the continuous
      hydrolysis of maltodextrin in a fluidized bed reactor.
AB  - Glucoamylase (GA) has been successfully immobilized through its carbohydrates
      previously oxidized with periodate onto a low-cost magnetic microparticle made of
      polyethyleneimine-coated magnetite crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (M-GAD) and
      derivatized with adipic dihydrazide (ADH). A stabilization posttreatment
      consisting of crosslinking its carbohydrates with ADH, increased the remaining
      activity from 54 to 71%, calculated on the Vm values and measured at 50 degrees C
      and pH 4.5 with maltodextrin (DE 11-14) as substrate. This treatment also
      improved the enzyme stability and lowered the deactivation rate constant kd to a
      third of its value. A 30% maltodextrin solution has been continuously hydrolyzed
      at 50 degrees C and pH 4.5 in a recycled, fluidized bed reactor (FBR) containing
      GA immobilized on these magnetic microparticles. They easily settled in this
      highly viscous medium because of their high density (5 g/mL), and washout of
      ultrafines was prevented by surrounding the top of the bed with an electromagnet.
      The small particle size (20 microns) allowed a high enzyme loading in the reactor
      and also a high bed voidage, which is recommended to avoid extensive pressure
      drop and consequent channeling problems. The kinetic of hydrolysis fitted with
      the plug-flow model; this is explained by the insignificant backmixing effects
      observed. After 2 wk of hydrolysis under process conditions leading to a
      conversion of 70%, which corresponds to a high-conversion syrup, the immobilized
      GA only lost 4% of its initial activity.

PMID- 1416951
TI  - Immobilization of glucose isomerase onto granular chicken bone.
AB  - Glucose isomerase was immobilized onto granular chicken bone (BIOBONE) by
      adsorption. The amount of activity bound relative to an equal amount of free
      enzyme was 32 +/- 1%, with the estimated specific activity decreasing from 11.1
      +/- 0.7 to 3.9 +/- 0.5 U/mg protein with immobilization. Compared with the free
      enzyme, immobilized glucose isomerase showed a threefold increase in the Km for
      fructose and a fivefold decrease in Vmax. High operating temperatures were
      possible (greater than 55 degrees C), but continuous use and long-term storage
      studies showed gradual losses of activity. Both the binding and the activity of
      the bone-immobilized enzyme were highly resistant to treatments with detergent,
      ethanol, and KCl. Studies to determine mass transfer limitation effects on
      immobilized glucose isomerase showed that these were insignificant for this
      system.

PMID- 1416952
TI  - Immobilization of amyloglucosidase onto granular chicken bone.
AB  - Amyloglucosidase was immobilized onto granular chicken bone (BIOBONE) by
      noncovalent interactions. The amount of activity bound relative to an equal
      amount of free enzyme was 13.6 +/- 0.4%. The estimated specific activity for
      amyloglucosidase decreased from 75.3 +/- 0.8 to 43.5 +/- 9.6 U/mg protein upon
      immobilization. The Km value of the bone-immobilized enzyme using glycogen as
      substrate increased from 3.04 +/- 0.38 mg/mL (free) to 9.04 +/- 1.51 mg/mL
      (immobilized), but Km showed no change upon immobilization when starches were
      used as substrates. A decrease in Vmax values occurred upon enzyme immobilization
      for all substrates, but this largely reflected the percentage of enzyme initially
      bound to the bone. Immobilization also improved enzyme stability in the presence
      of various additives (e.g., detergent, KCl, and ethanol) or under low or high pH
      reaction conditions. Bound amyloglucosidase maintained high activity (greater
      than 90%) following five cycles of continuous use at moderate (23 degrees C) and
      high (55 degrees C) temperatures. Data derived from Lineweaver-Burk and Arrhenius
      plots indicated that substrate and product diffusion limitation were minimal.

PMID- 1416953
TI  - Enzymatic synthesis of (R) and (S) 1-deuterohexanol.
AB  - This paper describes practical enzymatic procedures for the synthesis of (R) and
      (S) 1-deuterohexanol, a useful building block for chiral poly isocyanated liquid
      crystals. Alcohol dehydrogenases from horse liver and Pseudomonas catalyzed the
      reduction of hexanal with deuterated NAD (NADD) resulting in 50% and 89% yields
      of (R) and (S) 1-deuterohexanol, respectively. The deuterated cofactor was
      regenerated in situ by alcohol dehydrogenase catalyzed oxidation of ethanol-d6 or
      2-propanol-d8. The (S) alcohol was also synthesized by the horse liver alcohol
      dehydrogenase reduction of 1-deuterohexanal, which was prepared chemically from
      hexanal. The yields of the reaction were greatly increased by the use of a
      biphasic system or with the immobilized enzyme in anhydrous organic solvents.
      Horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase was stabilized by immobilization on PAN or
      noncovalent entrapment on XAD resin.

PMID- 1416955
TI  - Weaving the web of community relationships.

PMID- 1416954
TI  - The study of the cultivation of Chinese hamster ovary and Bowes cell lines with
      poly(organophosphazene) membranes.
AB  - Sixteen poly(organophosphazenes) were prepared by reaction between
      polydichlorophosphazene (NPCl2)n and nucleophilic reagents such as phenoxides and
      amino compounds. Adhesive and colony formation percent were investigated using V
      79 Chinese hamster cells on poly(organophosphazene) films. It was found that
      [NP(OC6H5)2-x(NHBu-n)x]n (x = 0.2, 1.8) gave the best percent adhesiveness. This
      value was similar to that of Falcon. On the other hand, [NP(OC6H5)-(NHBu-n)]n
      film showed best colony percent formation. This was of a higher value than that
      of Falcon. The [NP(OC6H5)2]n properties were poor for cultivation of useful Bowes
      and chinese hamster ovary cell lines in comparison with Cytodex III.

PMID- 1416956
TI  - Psychosocial responses among individuals with human immunodeficiency virus
      infection.
AB  - The purpose of this research was to identify and describe psychosocial responses
      to being infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Ten adults infected
      with HIV were interviewed and audiotaped as they described their feelings and
      experiences as HIV-infected people. The interviews were analyzed using a grounded
      theory methodology. The core category that emerged from the data was Fighting to
      Survive with HIV Infection. Supporting concepts were Taking Care and
      Restructuring One's Life. The concept of Taking Care included processes of
      everyday work and illness work. The processes involved in Restructuring One's
      Life were living with uncertainty, accepting homosexuality, experiencing changing
      feelings, protecting confidentiality, dealing with the medical profession,
      handling multiple losses, and living with a terminal illness.

PMID- 1416957
TI  - Home health nurses' assessments of cognition.
AB  - Assessments of mental status in elderly persons admitted to home health agencies
      are the basis for decision-making related to resources provided. A home health
      nurse's perceptions of an elderly client's capacity for self-care determines
      whether community services will be prescribed. In institutional settings,
      evaluation of cognition by professional nurses is often incomplete or inaccurate.
      It was the purpose of this study to compare the judgements of cognition made by
      nine home health nurses who were admitting elderly clients to a visiting nurse
      association with scores from an objective measure of mental status. Findings
      suggest that these nurses relied primarily on orientation as an indicator of
      cognitive abilities.

PMID- 1416958
TI  - Preoperative self-efficacy and postoperative behaviors.
AB  - Preoperative instruction has been found to decrease postoperative complications;
      however, the mechanisms through which preoperative instruction exerts its effects
      remain unknown. In this study, the relationship between preoperative self
      efficacy and postoperative behaviors was investigated. Subjects were 68
      cholecystectomy patients. Subjects' scores on the efficacy expectations subscale
      were related significantly to postoperative deep breathing, ambulation, and
      recall of expected events; scores on the outcome expectations subscale were
      related significantly to postoperative requests for pain medication. Self
      efficacy theory provided a link between self perceptions and behavior and may be
      the mechanism through which preoperative instruction exerts its effects.

PMID- 1416959
TI  - Determining risk status in a primary care setting.
AB  - Nurses working in primary health care settings often care for large numbers of
      clients in brief periods of time. Both clients and nurses express frustration
      toward the care provided in these circumstances. Development of a screening tool
      to identify high-risk clients could assist nurses in targeting interventions to
      these individuals; in turn, this has the potential for increasing nurse and
      client satisfaction. A general procedure for identifying persons at risk in
      primary health care settings is described. The procedure is illustrated with a
      specific population of clients--incarcerated women. Factors found important in
      assessing risk were social characteristics such as education, situational factors
      such as sentence length, and indicators of psychological distress such as
      depression. These broad categories may serve as a basis for the development of
      screening tools for a variety of populations.

PMID- 1416960
TI  - Cognitive changes associated with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

PMID- 1416961
TI  - Navigating the institutional labyrinth: clinical research strategies.

PMID- 1416962
TI  - Experiences of acute care nurses who seek out a nurse researcher as a preceptor.

PMID- 1416963
TI  - Thapsigargin, a high affinity and global inhibitor of intracellular Ca2+
      transport ATPases.

PMID- 1416964
TI  - Expression of mouse cathepsin L cDNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: evidence that
      cathepsin L is sorted for targeting to yeast vacuole.
AB  - To investigate the intracellular transport mechanism of lysosomal cathepsin L in
      yeast cells, we attempted to produce mouse cathepsin L in Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae by placing the coding region under the control of the promoter of the
      yeast glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene. Immunoblotting
      analysis by the use of an antibody specific for rat cathepsin L revealed that the
      yeast cells carrying the cathepsin L coding sequence produced 39- and 30-kDa
      products, which correspond to the rat procathepsin L and the single-chain form of
      mature cathepsin L, respectively. The precursor polypeptide showed sensitivity
      toward endoglycosidase H treatment. Cell fractionation experiments demonstrated
      that the processed form of 30-kDa cathepsin L was found to be colocalized to the
      yeast vacuole with the marker enzyme carboxypeptidase Y in a Ficoll step
      gradient. In the prepared vacuolar fraction, a considerable amount of cathepsin L
      was revealed to be cofractionated with the vacuolar membranes. Furthermore, the
      phase separation experiments with Triton X-114 provide the first evidence showing
      that the mature form of cathepsin L polypeptide is strongly associated with the
      vacuolar membranes. Therefore, the present results suggest that the mouse
      cathepsin L precursor polypeptide is initially synthesized as the proenzyme in
      the yeast cells and then correctly delivered to the vacuole. During the
      intracellular sorting pathway, the procathepsin L would undergo the post
      translational proteolytic processing step to generate the mature enzyme. Based on
      these lines of evidence, we propose that cathepsin L is recognized by mechanisms
      similar to those for the intracellular sorting and processing of vacuolar
      proteins in the yeast cells.

PMID- 1416965
TI  - Slow-onset inhibition of ribosomal peptidyltransferase by lincomycin.
AB  - In a system derived from Escherichia coli, we carried out a detailed kinetic
      analysis of the inhibition of the puromycin reaction by lincomycin. N
      Acetylphenylalanyl-tRNA (Ac-Phe-tRNA; the donor) reacts with excess puromycin (S)
      according to reaction [1], C+S Ks <--> CS k3 --> C'+P, where C is the Ac-Phe-tRNA
      poly(U)-ribosome ternary complex (complex C). The entire course of reaction [1]
      appears as a straight line when the reaction is analyzed as pseudo-first-order
      and the data are plotted in a logarithmic form (logarithmic time plot). The slope
      of this straight line gives the apparent ksobs = k3[S]/(Ks + [S]). In the
      presence of lincomycin the logarithmic time plot is not a straight line, but
      becomes biphasic, giving an early slope (ke = k3[S]/(Ks(1 + [I]/Ki) + [S])) and a
      late slope (k1 = k3[S]/(Ks(1 + [I]/K'i + [S])). Kinetic analysis of the early
      slopes at various concentrations of S and I shows competitive inhibition with Ki
      = 10.0 microM. The late slopes also give competitive inhibition with a distinct
      inhibition constant K'i = 2.0 microM. Excluding alternative models, the two
      phases of inhibition are compatible with a model in which reaction [1] is coupled
      with reaction [2], C+I k4 <--> k5 CI k6 <--> k7 C*I, where the isomerization step
      CI <--> CI* is slower than the first step C+I <--> CI, Ki = k5/k4 and K'i = Ki
      [k7/(k6 + k7)]. Corroborative evidence for this model comes from the examination
      of reaction [2] alone in the absence of S. This reaction is analyzed as pseudo
      first-order going toward equilibrium with kIeq = k7 + (k6 [I]/(Ki + [I])). The
      plot of kIeq versus [I] is not linear. This plot supports the two-step mechanism
      of reaction [2] in which k6 = 5.2 min-1 and k7 = 1.3 min-1. This is the first
      example of slow-onset inhibition of ribosomal peptidyltransferase which follows a
      simple model leading to the determination of the isomerization constants k6 and
      k7. We suggest that lincomycin inhibits protein synthesis by binding initially to
      the ribosome in competition with aminoacyl-tRNA. Subsequently, as a result of a
      conformational change, an isomerization occurs (CI <--> C*I), after which
      lincomycin continues to interfere with the binding of aminoacyl-tRNA to the
      isomerized complex.

PMID- 1416966
TI  - Phosphorylation of chicken oviduct progesterone receptor by cAMP-dependent
      protein kinase.
AB  - Phosphorylation of immunopurified chicken oviduct progesterone receptor (PR) was
      studied in intact cells and under cell-free conditions. Cytosol PR was isolated
      by incubation with anti-PR monoclonal antibody alpha PR22 adsorbed to protein A
      Sepharose and suspended in a reaction mixture containing 10 mM Mg2+, 0.1 mM
      [gamma-32P]ATP, and the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (cAMP
      PK) from bovine heart. All three major proteins of avian PR (PR-A, 79 kDa; PR-B,
      110 kDa; 90 kDa) incorporated 32P-radioactivity on serine residues. The
      phosphorylation reaction was inhibited by synthetic inhibitors of protein
      kinases, H-8 and 20-residue peptide IP20. A 40 degrees C preexposure of PR
      oligomer increased phosphorylation of the 90-kDa protein, known to be a heat
      shock protein (hsp-90). The extent of the phosphorylation reaction was
      temperature-dependent as the 32P-incorporation into PR-A and PR-B increased
      gradually, showing a maximum at 37 degrees C. Multiple phosphopeptides (4-7) were
      resolved by two-dimensional electrophoresis chromatography following cleavage of
      32P-labeled peptides with trypsin. Both A and B forms of receptor showed similar
      phosphorylation patterns with B receptor digestion exhibiting two to three
      additional peptides. Under physiological conditions, preincubation of oviduct
      mince with forskolin, a regulator of intracellular cAMP levels, caused a greater
      extent of phosphorylation of PR-A and PR-B proteins. The results of this study
      demonstrate that chicken oviduct PR is an excellent substrate for the action of
      cAMP-PK in vitro and that this enzyme may be a physiological regulator of
      progesterone action in the oviduct.

PMID- 1416967
TI  - Analysis of catalytic properties of hen egg white lysozyme during renaturation
      from denatured and reduced material.
AB  - Catalytic properties of hen egg white lysozyme were analyzed during the
      renaturation of the enzyme from completely reduced and denatured material. The
      formation of intermediate folding products and the generation of native lysozyme
      was monitored by acetic acid/urea electrophoresis. The results showed that during
      the beginning of renaturation almost all reduced and denatured lysozyme is
      converted to forms possessing lower compactness than native lysozyme, probably as
      a result of formation of only one or two disulfide bonds. Kinetic analysis of
      lysozyme during renaturation showed that the generation of lysozyme with four
      disulfide bonds was not necessarily equivalent to the formation lysozyme with
      native-like catalytic properties. It appeared that the formation rate of the
      structures of the structures of the substrate binding site and of the catalytic
      site were limited by the generation of four disulfide bonds containing lysozyme.
      The catalytic properties of intermediate folding products made it evident that
      the final structures of the substrate binding site and of the catalytic site were
      formed after the generation of all disulfide bonds.

PMID- 1416968
TI  - Cleavage of xyloglucan by nasturtium seed xyloglucanase and transglycosylation to
      xyloglucan subunit oligosaccharides.
AB  - Oligosaccharide subunits were prepared from xyloglucan (XG) by partial hydrolysis
      with cellulase and added back at micro- to millimolar concentrations to XG in the
      presence of nasturtium seed xyloglucanase (XG-ase). The oligosaccharides (0.2 mM)
      stimulated the capacity of this XG-ase to reduce the viscosity of XG solutions by
      10- to 20-fold. Purification and fractionation of seed XG-ase activity by gel
      permeation fast protein liquid chromatography produced a single peak that was
      much more active in the presence than absence of added XG oligosaccharide.
      [14C]Fucose-labeled XG nonasaccharide was synthesized by pea fucosyltransferase
      and shown to be incorporated into polymeric XG in the presence of seed XG-ase
      without the net production of new reducing chain ends, even while the loss of XG
      viscosity and XG depolymerization were enhanced. It is concluded that in vitro
      seed XG-ase can transfer cleavage products of XG to XG oligosaccharides via
      endotransglycosylation reactions, thereby reducing XG M(r) without hydrolysis.
      Since this is the only XG-cleaving enzyme that develops in nasturtium seeds
      during germination, it may be that its transglycosylase and hydrolase capacities
      are both necessary to account for the rapid and complete depolymerization of XG
      that takes place.

PMID- 1416969
TI  - Effects of MgCl2 on the release and recycling of heparan sulfate proteoglycans in
      a rat parathyroid cell line.
AB  - Divalent cations, such as Mg2+, Ba2+, and Co2+, are known to mimic the effects of
      Ca2+ in parathyroid cells, but it is not clear whether the mechanism of their
      action is the same as that of Ca2+. We have shown that extracellular Ca2+
      concentration ([Ca2+]e) regulates the distribution and recycling of cell-surface
      heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycans in a rat parathyroid cell line; at normal to
      high [Ca2+]e (e.g., 2 mM) HS proteoglycans are primarily localized
      intracellularly, while at low [Ca2+]e (0.05 mM) they are translocated to the cell
      surface and rapidly recycle (Takeuchi, Y., Sakaguchi, K., Yanagishita, M.,
      Aurbach, G. D., and Hascall, V. C., 1990, J. Biol. Chem. 265, 13661-13668). We
      now show that a high concentration of Mg2+ (8 mM) reduces the amount of recycling
      HS proteoglycans in low [Ca2+]e. However, the primary effects of high Ca2+ and
      high Mg2+ on the recycling HS proteoglycans are different. High [Ca2+]e causes
      translocation of HS proteoglycans to intracellular compartments, while high Mg2+
      stimulates cleavage of their core proteins and subsequent shedding of HS
      proteoglycans into the medium, thereby depleting the recycling molecules.
      However, high Mg2+ does not induce shedding of HS proteoglycans in high [Ca2+]e.
      The effects of Ba2+ and Co2+ were similar to those of Mg2+, but Sr2+ showed no
      significant effects on HS proteoglycan translocation. Otherwise, 8 mM Mg2+ did
      not alter biosynthesis or intracellular catabolism of HS proteoglycans. These
      observations suggest that the recycling of HS proteoglycans in parathyroid cells
      is sensitive only to [Ca2+]e, whereas several other divalent cations can deplete
      the recycling HS proteoglycans by a distinctly different mechanism. Thus, the
      mechanism by which Ca2+ regulates the amounts of the recycling HS proteoglycans
      may be more physiological and play a functional role in parathyroid cells.

PMID- 1416970
TI  - Comparative study of monomeric reconstituted and membrane microsomal
      monooxygenase systems of the rabbit liver. I. Properties of NADPH-cytochrome P450
      reductase and cytochrome P450 LM2 (2B4) monomers.
AB  - Oligomers and monomers of NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and cytochrome P450 LM2
      (2B4) isolated from the liver microsomes of phenobarbital-treated rabbits were
      examined for physicochemical properties and catalytic activities. As measured
      using laser correlation spectroscopy the particle sizes of NADPH-cytochrome P450
      reductase and cytochrome P450 LM2 oligomers were 14.8 +/- 1.7 and 19.2 +/- 1.4
      nm, respectively. Twenty-four-hour incubation with Emulgen 913 at 4 degrees C at
      a molar ratio of 1:100 led to the monomerization of NADPH-cytochrome P450
      reductase and cytochrome P450 LM2 oligomers, the particle sizes diminishing to
      6.1 +/- 1.3 and 5.2 +/- 0.4 nm, respectively. The thermal stability of NADPH
      cytochrome P450 reductase monomers was the same as that of oligomers, whereas
      cytochrome P450 LM2 monomers were less thermostable than oligomers and cytochrome
      P450 in microsomes. Similar to cytochrome P450 LM2 oligomers and the microsomal
      hemoprotein, cytochrome P450 LM2 monomers formed complexes with type I and II
      substrates, but with Kd values higher than those of microsomes and cytochrome
      P450 LM2 oligomers. Kinetic parameters (Vmax and Km) of H2O2- and cumene
      hydroperoxide-dependent oxidation of benzphetamine and aniline in the presence of
      cytochrome P450 LM2 oligomers, monomers, and microsomes were determined.
      Peroxidase activities of the oligomers and monomers were the same, but were lower
      than those of microsomes. Thus the substitution of protein-protein interactions
      in cytochrome P450 LM2 oligomers with protein-detergent interactions in the
      monomers did not influence the catalytic properties of the hemoprotein.

PMID- 1416971
TI  - Comparative study of monomeric reconstituted and membrane microsomal
      monooxygenase systems of the rabbit liver. II. Kinetic parameters of reductase
      and monooxygenase reactions.
AB  - The kinetic parameters of NADPH-dependent cytochrome P450 LM2 (2B4) reduction and
      substrate oxidation in the monomeric reconstituted system, consisting of purified
      NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and cytochrome P450 LM2 monomers, and in
      phenobarbital-induced rabbit liver microsomes were compared. In the absence of
      benzphetamine, NADPH-dependent reduction of cytochrome P450 LM2 was monophasic in
      the monomeric reconstituted system and biphasic in the microsomes. The presence
      of the substrate in the monomeric reconstituted system caused the appearance of
      the fast phase. In this system substrate-free cytochrome P450 LM2 was entirely
      low-spin, and the addition of benzphetamine shifted the spin equilibrium to a
      high state very weakly. No correlation between high-spin content and the
      proportion of the fast phase of NADPH-dependent LM2 reduction was found in the
      system. Vmax values for the oxidation of type I substrates (benzphetamine,
      dimethylaniline, aminopyrine) in the monomeric reconstituted system were higher
      or the same as in the microsomes, whereas Km values for the substrates and NADPH
      were lower in the microsomes. Maximal activity of the monomeric reconstituted
      system was observed at a 1:1 NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase/cytochrome P450 LM2
      ratio. Measurements of benzphetamine oxidation as a function of NADPH-cytochrome
      P450 reductase/cytochrome P450 LM2 ratio at a constant total protein
      concentration allowed the Kd of the NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase/cytochrome
      P450 LM2 complex to be estimated as 6.4 +/- 0.5 microM. Complex formation between
      the NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase and cytochrome P450 LM2 monomers was not
      detected by recording the difference binding spectra of the reductase monomers
      with LM2 monomers or by treatment the mixture of the monomers of the proteins
      with the crosslinking reagent, water-soluble carbodiimide.

PMID- 1416972
TI  - Thermal denaturation of plastocyanin: the effect of oxidation state, reductants,
      and anaerobicity.
AB  - The thermal stability of plastocyanin (PC) was determined as a function of
      oxidation state of the copper center and the presence of oxidants, reductants,
      oxygen, and EDTA. It was found that the copper center and its ligands play a
      crucial role in maintaining the stability of PC. Thermal denaturation was
      monitored by using far-uv circular dichroism (CD) spectra to monitor changes in
      secondary structure, the near-uv CD ellipticity at 280 nm to monitor changes in
      tertiary structure, and the absorbance at 597 nm and the 255-nm CD transition to
      monitor changes in the copper center. Reduced PC (Tm = 71 degrees C) was found to
      be more stable than the oxidized form (Tm = 61 degrees C). The Tm was increased
      by addition of reductants, removal of oxygen, or addition of EDTA. Two distinct
      denatured forms (designated D1 and D2) were separated by anion exchange fast
      protein liquid chromatography. Neither form contained a native copper center.
      Form D2 retained the characteristic 280-nm CD band but showed an altered far-uv
      CD spectrum. Its formation was inhibited by the addition of reductants or the
      removal of oxygen. It could be refolded to form native, Cu-PC upon incubation
      with copper plus a reductant such as dithionite. These results suggest that its
      formation involves the reversible oxidation of a group on the PC molecule,
      possibly a ligand to the copper such as Cys 84 or Met 92. Form D1 occurred in the
      presence of ferricyanide or at high temperatures in the presence of oxygen. EDTA
      inhibited its formation. Form D1 lost the 280-nm CD transition and its far-uv CD
      spectrum was altered. No renaturation was observed suggesting that Form D1 is the
      product of an irreversible oxidation step possibly involving a histidine ligand
      to the copper. Forms D1 and D2 are not interconvertible and represent the
      endpoints of two different denaturation pathways.

PMID- 1416973
TI  - Characterization of the 4 S polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-binding protein in
      human liver and cells.
AB  - The 4 S polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-binding protein (PBP) is a soluble
      protein that binds PAHs with high affinity in mouse, rat, and rabbit. Until now,
      this protein had not been detected in human placenta or human cells in culture by
      cytosol labeling and gradient centrifugation assay. Thanks to a preliminary
      fractionation of cytosol by sedimentation on sucrose gradient or/and gel
      permeation chromatography, we found that PBP was present in liver, MCF-7 cell
      line, and hepatocytes of human. To accurately quantitate PBP binding and
      determine specific binding parameters, a reduction in the amount of charcoal used
      to adsorb nonspecifically bound benzo[a]pyrene was required. By saturation
      analysis, the concentration of specific binding sites for [3H]BP in PBP fraction
      from human liver was 4.6 pmol/mg of protein compared with 14.7 +/- 1.4 pmol/mg in
      the same fraction from DBA/2J mouse liver. Kinetic studies analyzed by Scatchard
      and Woolf plots indicate that human liver and MCF-7 cells contain a low-affinity
      PBP form: the Kd derived from Woolf plot analysis were 14.2 +/- 1.4 and 26.2 +/-
      1.8 nM, respectively. DBA/2J mouse possesses a higher-affinity PBP form, the same
      analysis indicating a Kd of 6.1 +/- 0.3 nM. These data demonstrate that, by
      comparison to the mouse liver, a lower-affinity form of PBP is present in reduced
      concentration in human liver, explaining the impossibility of detecting this
      protein by sedimentation of human cytosol in sucrose gradient.

PMID- 1416974
TI  - Peroxynitrite-mediated tyrosine nitration catalyzed by superoxide dismutase.
AB  - Peroxynitrite (ONOO-), the reaction product of superoxide (O2-) and nitric oxide
      (NO), may be a major cytotoxic agent produced during inflammation, sepsis, and
      ischemia/reperfusion. Bovine Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase reacted with
      peroxynitrite to form a stable yellow protein-bound adduct identified as
      nitrotyrosine. The uv-visible spectrum of the peroxynitrite-modified superoxide
      dismutase was highly pH dependent, exhibiting a peak at 438 nm at alkaline pH
      that shifts to 356 nm at acidic pH. An equivalent uv-visible spectrum was
      obtained by Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase treated with tetranitromethane. The Raman
      spectrum of authentic nitrotyrosine was contained in the spectrum of
      peroxynitrite-modified Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase. The reaction was specific for
      peroxynitrite because no significant amounts of nitrotyrosine were formed with
      nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitrite (NO2-), or nitrate (NO3-).
      Removal of the copper from the Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase prevented formation of
      nitrotyrosine by peroxynitrite. The mechanism appears to involve peroxynitrite
      initially reacting with the active site copper to form an intermediate with the
      reactivity of nitronium ion (NO2+), which then nitrates tyrosine on a second
      molecule of superoxide dismutase. In the absence of exogenous phenolics, the rate
      of nitration of tyrosine followed second-order kinetics with respect to Cu,Zn
      superoxide dismutase concentration, proceeding at a rate of 1.0 +/- 0.1 M-1.s-1.
      Peroxynitrite-mediated nitration of tyrosine was also observed with the Mn and Fe
      superoxide dismutases as well as other copper-containing proteins.

PMID- 1416975
TI  - Kinetics of superoxide dismutase- and iron-catalyzed nitration of phenolics by
      peroxynitrite.
AB  - Superoxide dismutase and Fe3+EDTA catalyzed the nitration by peroxynitrite (ONOO
      ) of a wide range of phenolics including tyrosine in proteins. Nitration was not
      mediated by a free radical mechanism because hydroxyl radical scavengers did not
      reduce either superoxide dismutase or Fe3+EDTA-catalyzed nitration and nitrogen
      dioxide was not a significant product from either catalyst. Rather, metal ions
      appear to catalyze the heterolytic cleavage of peroxynitrite to form a nitronium
      like species (NO2+). The calculated energy for separating peroxynitrous acid into
      hydroxide ion and nitronium ion is 13 kcal.mol-1 at pH 7.0. Fe3+EDTA catalyzed
      nitration with an activation energy of 12 kcal.mol-1 at a rate of 5700 M-1.s-1 at
      37 degrees C and pH 7.5. The reaction rate of peroxynitrite with bovine Cu,Zn
      superoxide dismutase was 10(5) M-1.s-1 at low superoxide dismutase
      concentrations, but the rate of nitration became independent of superoxide
      dismutase concentration above 10 microM with only 9% of added peroxynitrite
      yielding nitrophenol. We propose that peroxynitrite anion is more stable in the
      cis conformation, whereas only a higher energy species in the trans conformation
      can fit in the active site of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase. At high superoxide
      dismutase concentrations, phenolic nitration may be limited by the rate of
      isomerization from the cis to trans conformations of peroxynitrite as well as by
      competing pathways for peroxynitrite decomposition. In contrast, Fe3+EDTA appears
      to react directly with the cis anion, resulting in greater nitration yields.

PMID- 1416976
TI  - Bactericidal activity of peroxynitrite.
AB  - Peroxynitrite is a strong oxidant formed by macrophages and potentially by other
      cells that produce nitric oxide and superoxide. Peroxynitrite was highly
      bactericidal, killing Escherichia coli in direct proportion to its concentration
      with an LD50 of 250 microM at 37 degrees C in potassium phosphate, pH 7.4. The
      apparent bactericidal activity of a given concentration peroxynitrite at acidic
      pH was less than that at neutral and alkaline pH. However, after taking the rapid
      pH-dependent decomposition of peroxynitrite into account, the rate of the killing
      was not significantly different at pH 5 compared to pH 7.4. Metal chelators did
      not decrease peroxynitrite-mediated killing, indicating that exogenous transition
      metals were not required for toxicity. The hydroxyl radical scavengers mannitol,
      ethanol, and benzoate did not significantly affect toxicity while dimethyl
      sulfoxide enhanced peroxynitrite-mediated killing. Dimethyl sulfoxide is a more
      efficient hydroxyl radical scavenger than the other three scavengers and
      increased the formation of nitrogen dioxide from peroxynitrite. In the presence
      of 100 mM dimethyl sulfoxide, 60.0 +/- 0.3 microM nitrogen dioxide was formed
      from 250 microM peroxynitrite as compared to 2.0 +/- 0.1 microM in buffer alone.
      Thus, formation of nitrogen dioxide may have enhanced the toxicity of
      peroxynitrite decomposing in the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide.

PMID- 1416977
TI  - Inhibition of organic anion transport in endothelial cells by hydrogen peroxide.
AB  - ATP loss is a prominent feature of cellular injury induced by oxidants or
      ischemia. How reduction of cellular ATP levels contributes to lethal injury is
      still poorly understood. In this study we examined the ability of H2O2 to inhibit
      in a dose-dependent manner the extrusion of fluorescent organic anions from
      bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells. Extrusion of fluorescent organic
      anions was inhibited by probenecid, suggesting an organic anion transporter was
      involved. In experiments in which ATP levels in endothelial cells were varied by
      treatment with different degrees of metabolic inhibition, it was determined that
      organic anion transport was ATP-dependent. H2O2-induced inhibition of organic
      anion transport correlated well with the oxidant's effect on cellular ATP levels.
      Thus H2O2-mediated inhibition of organic anion transport appears to be via
      depletion of ATP, a required substrate for the transport reaction. Inhibition of
      organic anion transport directly by probenecid or indirectly by metabolic
      inhibition with reduction of cellular ATP levels was correlated with similar
      reductions of short term viability. This supports the hypothesis that inhibition
      of organic anion transport after oxidant exposure or during ischemia results from
      depletion of ATP and may significantly contribute to cytotoxicity.

PMID- 1416978
TI  - Regulation of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-inducible expression of
      aldehyde dehydrogenase in hepatoma cells.
AB  - The environmental contaminant, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) induces
      the expression of a number of genes. The biochemical process of the induction of
      aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH-3) was investigated in rat H4IIE hepatoma cells in
      culture. The kinetics of ALDH-3-induction exhibited parallel increases in the
      rate of transcription, mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity, all reaching a plateau
      at 36-48 h after addition of TCDD. Half maximal and maximal inductions occurred
      at 0.1 and 1 nM of TCDD, respectively. No significant changes in the half-life of
      ALDH-3 mRNA (14 h) were observed in the cells exposed to three different
      concentrations of TCDD. Other inducers of xenobiotic metabolism, such as 3
      methylcholanthrene and beta-naphthoflavone, also induced ALDH-3 mRNA to a similar
      level as TCDD, whereas antioxidants or electrophiles, such as tert
      butylhydroquinone and dimethyl fumarate, did not show any induction of ALDH-3
      mRNA. To examine the involvement of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ah receptor)
      in the induction of ALDH-3, mouse variant cell lines defective in cytochrome
      P450IA1-induction and a parental wild type cell line (Hepa1c1c7) were studied.
      ALDH-3 mRNA and the transcription of its gene were detected in TCDD-treated wild
      type cells, but not in the treated and untreated variant cells. These results
      demonstrate that TCDD induces transcription of the ALDH-3 gene via its binding to
      the Ah receptor.

PMID- 1416979
TI  - A reactive nucleophile proximal to vicinal thiols is an evolutionarily conserved
      feature in the mechanism of Arg aminoacyl-tRNA protein transferase.
AB  - Aminoacyl-tRNA protein transferases post-translationally aminoacylate protein N
      termini. At least in part, these enzymes function to allow a subset of cellular
      proteins to be targeted for protein degradation. A eukaryotic enzyme of this
      class, Arg aminoacyl-tRNA protein transferase, arginylates N-terminal Glu or Asp
      residues of proteins, allowing such proteins to be recognized by a specific
      ubiquitin-protein ligase. We showed previously that inorganic arsenite, a reagent
      expected to bind specifically to protein vicinal thiol groups, inhibited Arg
      aminoacyl-tRNA transferase activity in rabbit reticulocyte lysate (N. S.
      Klemperer and C. M. Pickart, 1989, J. Biol. Chem. 264, 19245-19252). We now
      report that a bifunctional arsenoxide reagent, p-[(bromoacetyl)
      amino]phenylarsenoxide, is a potent and irreversible inactivator of the same
      enzyme (K0.5 = 11.5 microM). Bromoacetyl aniline, which lacks the arsenoxide
      moiety, has no effect. These results show that the transferase has a reactive
      nucleophile proximal to the site which binds arsenoxides. The related
      monofunctional arsenoxide reagent, p-aminophenylarsenoxide, is a reversible
      inhibitor whose potency (K0.5 = 7.7 microM) is 20-fold greater than that of
      inorganic arsenite. As expected for a mechanism in which p-aminophenylarsenoxide
      binds to vicinal thiol groups: (i) pretreatment of reticulocyte lysate with a
      thiol-blocking reagent prevents binding of the transferase to a phenylarsenoxide
      Sepharose column; and (ii) inhibition by p-aminophenylarsenoxide is reversed by a
      competing chemical dithiol, but not by a monothiol reagent. Like the rabbit
      enzyme, Arg aminoacyl-tRNA protein transferase from the yeast Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae (expressed in Escherichia coli) is reversibly inhibited by the
      monofunctional phenylarsenoxide and irreversibly inactivated by the bifunctional
      phenylarsenoxide (but not by bromoacetylaniline). Thus, a reactive nucleophile
      proximal to vicinal thiol groups is a conserved feature of the activity of the
      transferase. We speculate that these groups are catalytic elements in the
      transferase active site.

PMID- 1416980
TI  - Expression of the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii chloroplast tRNA(Glu) gene in a
      homologous in vitro transcription system is independent of upstream promoter
      elements.
AB  - Chloroplast tRNA(Glu) is a bifunctional molecule involved in both the early steps
      of chlorophyll synthesis and chloroplast protein biosynthesis. Recently the
      enzymes involved in these processes have been characterized from the green alga
      Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. In order to investigate whether transcription of the
      gene for the tRNA(Glu) cofactor would be a possible point of regulation for the
      biosynthesis of chlorophyll, a homologous in vitro transcription system for C.
      reinhardtii chloroplast RNA polymerase was developed. The enzymatic activity was
      partially purified by ion-exchange chromatography to separate it from nuclear RNA
      polymerases. The highest rate of synthesis was found at pH 7.9, 40 mM KCl, 9 mM
      MgCl2 and with 25 micrograms plasmid DNA containing the chloroplast tRNA gene per
      milliliter. The activity was not sensitive to high amounts of alpha-amanitin (500
      micrograms/ml) and rifampicin, but was clearly inhibited by heparin. This system
      was used to undertake a promoter analysis of one of the two identical tRNA(Glu)
      gene copies found in the C. reinhardtii chloroplast genome (trnE1). The analyzed
      tRNA gene behaved like a single transcription unit driven by its own promoter.
      The transcript terminated in a run of four consecutive T residues downstream of
      the gene. The nucleotide sequence in the 5' region of the gene revealed several
      potential promoter elements with homology to known chloroplast promoters of the "
      10 and -35 region" and the "Euglena promoter" types. Surprisingly, deletion of
      the complete 5' region did not affect in vitro transcription, while partial
      deletions of the 5' and 3' coding region totally abolished transcription. This
      indicates the presence of an internal control region previously found for genes
      transcribed by nuclear RNA polymerase III. Protein binding studies with the
      coding region of trnE1 using gel retardation assays demonstrated the formation of
      two differently sized complexes. In vitro transcription of the tRNA(Glu) gene in
      extracts prepared from light and dark grown algae failed to demonstrate any
      significant influence of light on the transcription reaction.

PMID- 1416981
TI  - Inhibition of enoyl-CoA hydratase by long-chain L-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA and its
      possible effect on fatty acid oxidation.
AB  - The kinetics of bovine liver enoyl-CoA hydratase (EC 4.2.1.17) or crotonase with
      2-trans-hexadecenoyl-CoA as a substrate were studied because different rates were
      obtained with two assay methods based on measurements of substrate utilization
      and product formation, respectively. L-3-Hydroxyhexadecanoyl-CoA, the product of
      the crotonase-catalyzed hydration of 2-trans-hexadecenoyl-CoA, was found to be a
      strong competitive inhibitor of the enzyme with a Ki of 0.35 microM. In contrast
      the short-chain product, L-3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA, is a weak competitive inhibitor
      with a Ki of 37 microM. L-3-Hydroxyhexadecanoyl-CoA is a much stronger inhibitor
      of crotonase than are other short-chain and long-chain intermediates of beta
      oxidation and crotonase is more severely inhibited by this compound than are all
      beta-oxidation enzymes tested so far. Determination of true kinetic parameters
      for the crotonase-catalyzed hydration of long-chain substrates requires the
      removal of product in a coupled assay. When this was done, the Km for 2-trans
      hexadecenoyl-CoA with bovine liver crotonase was found to be only 9 microM. It is
      suggested that under conditions of restricted beta-oxidation, when 3-hydroxyacyl
      CoAs accumulate in mitochondria, the inhibition of crotonase by long-chain 3
      hydroxyacyl-CoAs may limit the further degradation of medium-chain and short
      chain intermediates of beta-oxidation.

PMID- 1416982
TI  - Import of mutant forms of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase into isolated
      mitochondria.
AB  - To gain some insight into the role played by certain protein domains in the
      import of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase in isolated mitochondria,
      three protein mutants were constructed by using the plasmid pOTS-mAspAT, which
      contains the nucleotide sequence encoding for the mature form of this enzyme. Two
      mutant proteins in which Cys-166 was substituted with either serine or alanine
      and another protein lacking the nine N-terminal amino acids were all synthesized
      in a cell-free transcription/translation system. Comparison was made among the
      newly synthesized mutant proteins and the newly synthesized wild type aspartate
      aminotransferase with respect to their capability to enter mitochondria. All the
      mutant proteins proved to be able to enter mitochondria even though with a lower
      efficiency than the wild type enzyme. Interestingly the thiol reagent mersalyl
      proved to inhibit import of both wild type enzyme and serine mutant, whereas
      import of alanine mutant was found to be insensitive to mersalyl, thus showing
      that Cys-166 is the unique -SH group involved in import. Import of mitochondrial
      aspartate aminotransferase by mitochondria is shown to involve certain protein
      domains present in the mature protein, two of them being the Cys-166 and the N
      terminal regions.

PMID- 1416983
TI  - Purification of a tumor-specific PNA-binding glycoprotein, gp200, from a human
      embryonal carcinoma cell line.
AB  - A 200-kDa peanut agglutinin (PNA)-binding glycoprotein, gp200, has been purified
      and partially characterized from the human embryonal carcinoma cell line, HT-E
      (833k). Tissue distribution analysis of this molecule by lectin blotting with PNA
      of detergent-extracted proteins from human cell lines and tissues demonstrated
      expression limited to nonseminomatous germ cell tumors. The 200-kDa protein was
      purified with lectin affinity and gel filtration chromatography. Purification to
      apparent homogeneity was demonstrated by one- and two-dimensional gel
      electrophoresis. Characterization of gp200 revealed it to be a surface integral
      membrane glycoprotein; however, gp200 could also be purified from the culture
      media of EC cells, suggesting gp200 has an extracellular role. The carbohydrate
      groups of gp200 are N-linked and partially sialylated and contain terminal
      galactose residues. These initial studies suggest that the PNA-defined
      glycoprotein, gp200, is a candidate for a nonseminomatous germ cell tumor marker.

PMID- 1416984
TI  - Cloning and expression of the bovine cardiac sodium-calcium exchanger.
AB  - Two clones (p17 and p13), each containing the complete coding sequence for the
      bovine cardiac Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, were obtained from a lambda gt10 cDNA library
      by screening with cDNA probes from the canine exchanger. The coding sequence of
      clone p17 was 92 and 98% identical to the canine cDNA at the nucleotide and amino
      acid levels, respectively. Nine of the 21 amino acid differences between the two
      exchangers were found within the 32-amino acid signal sequence. The sequenced
      portions of the 3' untranslated regions of the cow and dog clones were 88%
      identical. Na+/Ca2+ exchange activity was expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes
      injected with cRNA from clone p17, and in COS cells transfected with expression
      vectors containing p17. Immunoprecipitation of 35S-labeled proteins from
      transfected cells with an antibody against the N-terminal portion of the bovine
      exchanger showed the presence of a 120-kDa protein corresponding to the intact
      cardiac exchanger. The second bovine clone (p13) did not express exchange
      activity in either of the above expression systems, presumably because it
      contained a 300-bp insert with multiple stop codons which interrupted the coding
      sequence. Comparison of the 5' untranslated regions of p13 and p17 revealed a 156
      bp segment in p17 that was apparently spliced out of p13. This segment contained
      a short open reading frame. A chimera encoding the 5' untranslated region of p13
      and the coding sequence of p17 exhibited only a modest (74%) increase in
      expressed exchange activity in transfected cells compared to p17, suggesting that
      the presence of the upstream open reading frame in p17 did not greatly reduce
      translation efficiency. The results suggest that alternate splicing mechanisms
      may be involved in processing mRNA for the bovine cardiac exchanger.

PMID- 1416985
TI  - Activation and inhibition of protein kinase C isozymes alpha and beta by Gd3+.
AB  - Gd3+ was evaluated as a probe for Ca2+ sites on protein kinase C (PKC) by
      studying its ability to replace Ca2+ in activation of PKC isozymes II (beta) and
      III (alpha) in the lipid systems phosphatidylserine/1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycerol
      (PS/DO) and diheptanoylphosphatidylcholine (PC7)/DO. PKC beta was stimulated by
      Ca2+ or Gd3+ in PS/DO whereas activity in PC7/DO was independent of these metals.
      Thus, it is suggested that Gd3+ replaces Ca2+ at a site involving metal-lipid
      interactions. High concentrations of Ca2+ or Gd3+ inhibited activity in both
      lipid systems. Analysis of the Gd3+ inhibition in the PC7/DO system suggests that
      it is due to formation of GdATP, which competes at the MgATP site. Activity of
      PKC alpha was dependent on low concentrations of Ca2+ in both lipid systems. The
      ability of Gd3+ to substitute for Ca2+ could not be evaluated in the PS system
      due to the inability to completely remove contaminating Ca2+ without chelating
      buffers. Successful reduction of contaminating Ca2+ was achieved in the PC7
      system but Gd3+ failed to substitute for Ca2+ in activating PKC alpha and only
      caused inhibition. This is consistent with binding of Gd3+ to a Ca2+ site at or
      near the active site of the enzyme rather than to a site on the lipid. These
      results indicate that interactions between PKC and Gd3+ are complex, involving
      occupation of more than one class of sites. Conditions for separately evaluating
      the individual sites can be manipulated by selection of isozyme and lipid system.

PMID- 1416986
TI  - Purification and characterization of cyanide hydratase from the phytopathogenic
      fungus Gloeocercospora sorghi.
AB  - Previous studies have demonstrated that fungal pathogens of cyanogenic plants
      produce cyanide hydratase (CHT, EC 4.2.1.66), which converts HCN to formamide.
      Production of CHT in these fungi is thought to be a means of circumventing
      cyanide toxicity, and CHT is thus believed to be an important pathogenicity
      trait. In the present study, 13 species of fungi were assayed for CHT production,
      and all 7 species that were pathogens of sorghum, a cyanogenic plant, produced
      this enzyme. CHT was purified to apparent homogeneity from one of these sorghum
      pathogens, Gloeocercospora sorghi. The enzyme had a Km of 12 mM for KCN.
      Enzymatically functional CHT was obtained only as a large molecular entity of
      greater than 300 kDa. However, a polypeptide of approximately 45 kDa was
      identified as the only component of purified CHT detectable by sodium dodecyl
      sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The 45-kDa polypeptide band could be
      resolved into three isozymes of pI 6.1, 6.3, and 6.5. Antibodies raised against
      the 45-kDa polypeptide inhibited the G. sorghi CHT activity and showed high
      specificity in Western blots to a polypeptide of approximately the same size. The
      evidence suggests that functional G. sorghi CHT is an aggregated protein that
      consists of 45-kDa polypeptides. A CHT with similar properties was also found in
      the fungus Colletotrichum graminicola, another pathogen of sorghum.

PMID- 1416987
TI  - Cytoplasmic accumulation of a normally mitochondrial malonyl-CoA decarboxylase by
      the use of an alternate transcription start site.
AB  - Malonyl-CoA decarboxylase, a normally mitochondrial enzyme, accumulates in the
      cytoplasm of specialized glands to cause production of multiple methyl-branched
      fatty acids. Evidence was presented that a single copy of the decarboxylase gene
      present in the goose genome codes for both the mitochondrial form found in
      extremely low amounts in the liver and the cytosolic form found in large amounts
      in uropygial glands. To elucidate how a single gene encodes both forms, the
      malonyl-CoA decarboxylase gene and the cDNAs for both the mitochondrial (liver)
      and the cytoplasmic (gland) species were cloned and sequenced. The decarboxylase
      gene, found in a 21-kb segment of cloned genomic DNA, is composed of five exons
      of 0.521, 0.118, 0.156, 0.145, and 1.93 kb interrupted by 6.9, 1.5, 0.45, and 9.3
      kb introns. Exon 1 revealed two ATGs in frame 150 bp apart. cDNA for the
      cytoplasmic form and mitochondrial form showed identical nucleotide sequence,
      except that the latter was longer than the former. The longest cDNA for the
      cytoplasmic form of the enzyme extended only 44 bp 5' to the second ATG and the
      position corresponded to the transcription initiation site of the cytoplasmic
      form revealed by primer extension and RNase protection. The cDNA for the
      mitochondrial form isolated from the library extended 19 bp further upstream.
      Primer extension and RNase protection indicated that transcripts for the
      mitochondrial form initiated upstream from the first ATG. The N-terminal segment
      of the open reading frame initiated at the first ATG showed an amphipathic signal
      sequence appropriate for mitochondrial import. A putative full length mRNA for
      the mitochondrial form of the enzyme when translated in vitro yielded a 55-kDa
      primary translation product which was processed by removal of about 5 kDa during
      uptake into goose liver mitochondria. These results strongly suggest that in most
      tissues transcription initiates 5'- to the first ATG, generating a transcript
      that would generate a protein with an N-terminal leader for transport into
      mitochondria. In the uropygial gland the use of an alternate promoter generates
      transcripts initiated between the two ATGs and the translation product
      accumulates in the cytoplasm since it lacks a mitochondrial targeting sequence.

PMID- 1416989
TI  - Partial purification and characterization of mannitol: mannose 1-oxidoreductase
      from celeriac (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum) roots.
AB  - A mannitol:mannose 1-oxidoreductase was isolated from celeriac (Apium graveolens
      var. rapaceum) root tips by fractionation with (NH4)2SO4, followed by
      chromatography on a Fractogel DEAE column and then concentration with (NH4)2SO4.
      This newly discovered mannitol dehydrogenase catalyzes the NAD-dependent
      oxidation of mannitol to mannose, not mannitol to fructose. The sugar product of
      the enzyme reaction was identified by three independent HPLC systems and by an
      enzymatically linked system as being mannose and not fructose or glucose. Normal
      Michaelis--Menten kinetics were exhibited for both mannitol and NAD with Km
      values of 72 and 0.26 mM, respectively, at pH 9.0. The Vmax was 40.14 mumol/h/mg
      protein for mannitol synthesis and 0.8 mumol/h/mg protein for mannose synthesis
      at pH 9.0. In the polyol oxidizing reaction, the enzyme was very specific for
      mannitol with a low rate of oxidation of sorbitol. In the reverse reaction, the
      enzyme was specific for mannose. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by NADH and
      sensitive to alterations of NAD/NADH ratio. The enzyme is of physiological
      importance in that it is mainly localized in root tips (sink tissue) where it
      functions to convert mannitol into hexoses which are utilized to support root
      growth. Product determination and kinetic characterization were carried out on an
      enzyme preparation with a specific activity (SA) of 30.44 mumol/h/mg protein.
      Subsequently, the enzyme was further purified to a SA of 201 mumol/h/mg protein
      using an NAD affinity column. This paper apparently represents the first evidence
      of the existence of a mannitol:mannose 1-oxidoreductase and also the first
      evidence of the presence of a mannitol dehydrogenase in vascular plants.

PMID- 1416988
TI  - Characterization of the proto-oncogene pim-1: kinase activity and substrate
      recognition sequence.
AB  - The human pim-1 proto-oncogene was expressed in Escherichia coli as a glutathione
      S-transferase (GST)-fusion protein and the enzymatic properties of its kinase
      activity were characterized. Likewise, a Pim-1 mutant lacking intrinsic kinase
      activity was constructed by site-directed mutagenesis (Lys67 to Met) and
      expressed in E. coli. In vitro assays with the mutant Pim-1 kinase showed no
      contaminating kinase activity. The wild-type Pim-1 kinase-GST fusion protein
      showed a pH optimum of 7 to 7.5 and optimal activity was observed at either 10 mM
      MgCl2 or 5 mM MnCl2. Higher cation concentrations were inhibitory, as was the
      addition of NaCl to the assays. Previous work by this laboratory assaying several
      proteins and peptides showed histone H1 and the peptide Kemptide to be
      efficiently phosphorylated by recombinant Pim-1 kinase. Here we examine the
      substrate sequence specificity of Pim-1 kinase in detail. Comparison of different
      synthetic peptide substrates showed Pim-1 to have a strong substrate preference
      for the peptide Lys-Arg-Arg-Ala-Ser*-Gly-Pro with an almost sixfold higher
      specificity constant kcat/Km over that of the substrate Kemptide (Leu-Arg-Arg-Ala
      Ser*-Leu-Gly). The presence of basic amino acid residues on the amino terminal
      side of the target Ser/Thr was shown to be essential for peptide substrate
      recognition. Furthermore, phosphopeptide analysis of calf thymus histone H1
      phosphorylated in vitro by Pim-1 kinase resulted in fragments containing
      sequences similar to that of the preferred synthetic substrate peptide shown
      above. Therefore, under optimized in vitro conditions, the substrate recognition
      sequence for Pim-1 kinase is (Arg/Lys)3-X-Ser/Thr*-X', where X' is likely neither
      a basic nor a large hydrophobic residue.

PMID- 1416990
TI  - Sarcolipin, the "proteolipid" of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum, is a
      unique, amphipathic, 31-residue peptide.
AB  - The sarcoplasmic reticulum of rabbit skeletal muscle contains a small
      "proteolipid," i.e., a protein which is soluble in acidic CHCl3/CH3OH. We propose
      the name sarcolipin for this small protein, to signify its lipid-like solubility
      and association with the sarcoplasmic reticulum. We have determined the following
      amino acid sequence for sarcolipin, using protein chemistry methods: M E R S T R
      E L C L N F T V V L I T V I L I W L L V R S Y Q Y. This 31-residue sequence
      includes a 19-residue hydrophobic segment which probably spans the sarcoplasmic
      reticulum membrane. The molecular weight calculated from the sequence, 3733,
      agrees with that measured by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry, showing
      that sarcolipin contains no attached fatty acyl or other prosthetic groups.

PMID- 1416991
TI  - Salt-induced refolding of myoglobin at acidic pH: molecular properties of a
      partly folded intermediate.
AB  - The molecular properties of the salt-induced partly folded acidic state of
      apomyoglobin as well as myoglobin were investigated by fluorescence and circular
      dichroism of the extrinsic fluorophore 1,8-anilinonaphthalenesulfonate. The
      occurrence of a fluctuating tertiary structure ("molten globule") at acidic pH in
      the presence of salt was suggested by the disappearance of the dichroic activity
      of the fluorophore bound to the partly folded protein. Moreover, the structure of
      the intermediate is not influenced by the presence of heme, thus suggesting that
      heme is not crucial in the early stage of myoglobin folding.

PMID- 1416992
TI  - Characterization of a high affinity octamer transcription factor binding site in
      the human lipoprotein lipase promoter.
AB  - A high affinity octamer transcription factor (OTF-1) binding site has been
      identified and characterized at position--46 base pairs (bp) in the proximal
      human lipoprotein lipase (LPL) promoter. The affinity of the LPL OTF-1 binding
      site was approximately 15-fold greater than a consensus octamer sequence,
      ATTTGCAT, present at position--66 bp in the mouse Vk T1 promoter, and
      approximately 5-fold greater than the OTF-1 site present at position--49 bp in
      the human histone H2B promoter. Diethylpyrocarbonate interference assays have
      identified both 5' and 3' adenine nucleotides, which flank the core LPL ATTTGCAT
      sequence and interfere with OTF-1 binding when chemically modified. Introduction
      of mutations in either 5' or 3' flanking AT-rich sequences lowered the affinity
      of OTF-1 binding below the level observed with the wild-type LPL octamer
      oligomer. A double mutation in both flanking AT regions, however, greatly reduced
      the affinity of this site to levels similar to that observed with the mouse Vk T1
      OTF site. An additional nuclear transcription factor, NF-Y, has been shown to
      bind to a functional CCAAT box motif located at -65 bp in the LPL promoter using
      specific alpha-NF-Y antisera. The observation of high affinity OTF-1 and NF-Y
      binding sites in a region of the proximal LPL promoter which is necessary for
      high levels of LPL transcription suggests that these sites with their associated
      proteins play important functional roles in the transcriptional activation of the
      LPL promoter during adipocyte differentiation.

PMID- 1416993
TI  - Lipid peroxidation in Plasmodium falciparum-parasitized human erythrocytes.
AB  - cis-Parinaric acid (PnA) was used as a fluorescent probe to study lipid
      peroxidation in nonparasitized and Plasmodium falciparum-parasitized
      erythrocytes, upon challenge by cumene hydroperoxide and tert-butyl
      hydroperoxide. Parasitized erythrocytes were less susceptible toward lipid
      peroxidation than nonparasitized erythrocytes with which they had been cultured.
      Furthermore, nonparasitized erythrocytes cultured together with parasitized
      cells, and thereafter isolated on a Percoll gradient, were less susceptible
      toward lipid peroxidation than erythrocytes kept under the same experimental
      conditions but in the absence of parasitized cells. We concluded, therefore, that
      the intracellular development of the parasite leads to an increase in the
      resistance against oxidative stress, not only of the host cell membrane of the
      parasitized erythrocyte, but also in the plasma membrane of the neighboring
      cells. The erythrocyte cytosol of parasitized cells and/or the intraerythrocytic
      parasite was required for the increased protection of the host cell membrane,
      since ghosts prepared from parasitized erythrocytes were more susceptible to
      lipid peroxidation than those prepared from nonparasitized ones. Vitamin E
      content of parasitized erythrocytes was lower than that of nonparasitized cells.
      However, parasitized erythrocytes promoted extracellular reduction of
      ferricyanide at higher rates, which might be indicative of a larger cytosolic
      reductive capacity. It is suggested that the improved response of intact
      erythrocytes is due to an increased reduction potential of the host-erythrocyte
      cytosol. The role of vitamin C as a mediator of this process is discussed.

PMID- 1416994
TI  - Analysis of the nucleoside moiety of cobalamin and cobalamin analogues using gas
      chromatography-mass spectrometry.
AB  - Existing techniques for identification of cobalamin and cobalamin analogues
      generally use the intact molecule during characterization with somewhat ambiguous
      results. In this study a method is described for the identification of the
      nucleoside in the lower axial ligand of cobalamin and a variety of naturally
      occurring cobalamin analogues that differ from cobalamin in the base that is
      present in the nucleoside. Cobalamin and cobalamin analogues were isolated from
      biological samples by affinity chromatography using R-protein-Sepharose columns.
      The nucleosides of the lower axial ligand were then hydrolyzed and isolated by
      column chromatography using a mixed bed column. Nucleosides were oxidized with
      periodate and reduced with borohydride. After reisolation, the t
      butyldimethylsilyl derivatives were prepared and analyzed using gas
      chromatography/mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring. A stable isotope
      internal standard of cobalamin was biosynthetically produced and used to
      quantitate cobalamin in rabbit kidney. Cobalamin analogues were also shown to be
      present in rabbit kidney, but they contain the 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole
      nucleoside (alpha-ribazole) in the lower axial ligand, indicating that these
      analogues differ from cobalamin in the corrin ring region of the molecule.

PMID- 1416995
TI  - Identification of Tyr115 labeled by S-(4-bromo-2,3-dioxobutyl)glutathione in the
      hydrophobic substrate binding site of glutathione S-transferase, isoenzyme 3-3.
AB  - Incubation of S-(4-bromo-2,3-dioxobutyl)glutathione (S-BDB-G), a reactive
      analogue of glutathione, with the 3-3 isoenzyme of rat liver glutathione S
      transferase at pH 6.5 and 25 degrees C results in a time-dependent inactivation
      of the enzyme. The kobs exhibits a nonlinear dependence on S-BDB-G concentration
      from 50 to 900 microM, with a kmax of 0.073 min-1 and KI = 120 microM. The
      addition of 5 mM S-hexylglutathione, a competitive inhibitor with respect to
      glutathione, completely protects against inactivation by S-BDB-G. About 2.0 mol
      of [3H]S-BDB-G/mol of enzyme subunit is incorporated concomitant with 100%
      inactivation, whereas only 0.96 mol of reagent/mol subunit is incorporated in the
      presence of S-hexylglutathione when activity is fully retained. Modified enzyme,
      prepared by incubating glutathione S-transferase with [3H]S-BDB-G in the absence
      or in the presence of S-hexylglutathione, was reduced with NaBH4, reacted with N
      ethylmaleimide, and digested with trypsin. Analysis of the tryptic digests,
      fractionated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, revealed
      Tyr115 as the amino acid whose reaction with S-BDB-G correlates with
      inactivation. Examination of the stability of S-(4-bromo-2,3
      dioxobutyl)glutathione and modified enzyme in the absence and presence of
      dithiothreitol and under acidic conditions suggests that for stable linkage to
      peptides, the carbonyl moieties of the reagent should be reduced immediately
      after modification of a protein. Comparison of results from the 4-4 and 3-3
      isoenzymes of rat liver glutathione S-transferase (both of the mu gene class)
      indicates: the 4-4 isoenzyme exhibits a greater affinity for S-BDB-G; Cys86 is
      labeled by [3H]S-BDB-G in both isoenzymes but is nonessential for activity; in
      the 3-3 isoenzyme, Cys86 is more accessible to S-BDB-G; and Tyr115 is an
      important residue in the hydrophobic binding site of both enzymes.

PMID- 1416996
TI  - Vibrational circular dichroism studies of epidermal growth factor and basic
      fibroblast growth factor.
AB  - Vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) studies are reported for two unrelated
      recombinant growth factor proteins: epidermal growth factor and basic fibroblast
      growth factor (bFGF). NMR, electronic CD, and bFGF X-ray studies indicate that
      these two proteins are primarily composed of beta-sheet and loop secondary
      structure elements with no detectable alpha-helices. Two reports on solution
      conformation of these proteins using FTIR absorption spectroscopy with subsequent
      resolution enhancement confirmed the presence of a large fraction of a beta-sheet
      conformation but in addition indicated the presence of large absorption bands in
      the 1650-1656 cm-1 region, which are typically assigned to alpha-helices. The VCD
      spectra of both proteins have band shapes that strongly resemble those of other
      high beta-sheet fraction proteins, such as the trypsin family of proteins.
      Quantitative analysis of the VCD spectra also indicates that these proteins are
      predominantly in beta-sheet and extended ("other") conformations with very little
      alpha-helix fraction. These results agree with the CD interpretation and affirm
      that the FTIR peaks in the region 1650-1656 cm-1 can be assigned to loops. This
      study provides an example of the limitations of using FTIR frequencies alone for
      examination of protein secondary structure.

PMID- 1416997
TI  - Subunit interactions of Rubisco activase: polyethylene glycol promotes self
      association, stimulates ATPase and activation activities, and enhances
      interactions with Rubisco.
AB  - The effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the enzymatic and physical properties
      of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) activase was
      examined. In the presence of PEG, Rubisco activase exhibited higher ATPase and
      Rubisco activating activities, concomitant with increased apparent affinity for
      ATP and Rubisco. Specific ATPase activity, which was dependent on Rubisco
      activase concentration, was also higher in the presence of Ficoll,
      polyvinylpyrrolidone, and bovine serum albumin. The ability of Rubisco activase
      to facilitate dissociation of the tight-binding inhibitor 2-carboxyarabinitol 1
      phosphate from carbamylated Rubisco was also enhanced in the presence of PEG.
      Mixing experiments with Rubisco activase from two different sources showed that
      tobacco Rubisco activase, which exhibited little activation of spinach Rubisco by
      itself, was inhibitory when included with spinach Rubisco activase. Polyethylene
      glycol improved the ability of tobacco and a mixture of tobacco plus spinach
      Rubisco activase to activate spinach Rubisco. Estimates based on rate zonal
      sedimentation and gel-filtration chromatography indicated that the apparent
      molecular mass of Rubisco activase was two- to fourfold higher in the presence of
      PEG. The increase in apparent molecular mass was consistent with the propensity
      of solvent-excluding reagents like PEG to promote self-association of proteins.
      Likewise, the change in enzymatic properties of Rubisco activase in the presence
      of PEG and the dependence of specific activity on protein concentration resembled
      changes that often accompany self-association. For Rubisco activase, high
      concentrations of protein in the chloroplast stroma would provide an environment
      conducive to self-association and cause expression of properties that would
      enhance its ability to function efficiently in vivo.

PMID- 1416998
TI  - Cytochrome P450cam-catalyzed oxidation of a hypersensitive radical probe.
AB  - trans-1-Phenyl-2-vinylcyclopropane, a hypersensitive radical probe, is oxidized
      by cytochrome P450cam (CYP101) to a diastereomeric mixture of the corresponding
      epoxide (81%), (trans-2-phenylcyclopropyl)acetaldehyde (6%), and trans-5-phenyl-2
      penten-1,5-diol (13%). trans-5-Phenyl-2-penten-1-ol and (trans-2
      phenylcyclopropyl)ethane-1,2-diol are not detectably formed. Authentic standards
      of all the products have been synthesized and used to establish the identities
      (or the absence) of the metabolites. Studies with [18O]H2O demonstrate that the
      oxygens at positions 1 and 5 in the rearranged diol derive from molecular oxygen
      and water, respectively. Catalytic turnover of the enzyme is required for product
      formation from the olefin, but incubation of the epoxide metabolite with the
      enzyme, or with buffer alone, yields both the aldehyde and the rearranged diol
      products. The absence of trans-5-phenyl-2-penten-1-ol implies that the lifetime
      of the putative radical intermediate is so short that its existence as a discrete
      entity is questionable. A cationic intermediate is unlikely but cannot be
      excluded because the same metabolites are formed in a secondary reaction, even at
      pH 8.0, from the epoxide. The results provide no evidence for the involvement of
      radicals or cations in the epoxidation reaction, in agreement with results on the
      oxidation of olefins in organic solvents by metalloporphyrin catalysts.

PMID- 1416999
TI  - Conformation inversion of bilirubin formed by reduction of the biliverdin-human
      serum albumin complex: evidence from circular dichroism.
AB  - As shown by circular dichroism spectroscopy, biliverdin preferentially adopts an
      M-helicity conformation on human serum albumin in aqueous buffer, pH 7.5, whereas
      biliverdin exhibits only a weak preference for the P-helicity conformation on
      bovine serum albumin at the same pH. Upon rapid reduction of the complexes with
      sodium borohydride, P-helicity bilirubin-IX alpha is obtained on the human
      albumin complex, and M-helicity bilirubin-IX alpha is obtained on the bovine
      serum albumin complex. Thus, biliverdin in effect undergoes an inversion of
      chirality upon reduction. Since the reduction did not afford a rubin with the
      same helicity as that of the verdin, the observations point to a hitherto
      undetected conformational mobility of albumin-bound bilirubin.

PMID- 1417000
TI  - Effect of dexamethasone and phenobarbital on run-on transcription rate and CYP3A
      mRNA concentration in rat liver: changes during development.
AB  - Modulation of CYP3A1 and CYP3A2 mRNA expression by dexamethasone and by
      phenobarbital has been studied in immature (21-day-old) and adult (90-day-old)
      rat liver. Positive modulation of these forms by both agents markedly declines
      with the age of the animals. However, CYP3A2 mRNA, although physiologically
      extinguished in the adult females, still responds to dexamethasone stimulation.
      The regulatory mechanisms underlying the differential behavior of CYP3A1 in the
      immature and adult animals have been further investigated by analyzing the early
      changes in the run-on transcription rates and the subsequent mRNA accumulation in
      the liver in response to the inducer agents. CYP3A genomic clones were
      constructed and characterized for this purpose. The use of a unique cosCYP/3A1
      intronic sequence, identified in this work, made possible the selective
      determination of the transcription rate of this gene by run-on assay, as a
      function of ontological development and inducer treatment. Parallel determination
      of the mRNA concentration in the liver by dot blot analysis demonstrated that
      dexamethasone induces CYP3A1 essentially through transcription regulation in
      immature animals, while in adults it is suggested to act mainly at a post
      transcriptional level.

PMID- 1417001
TI  - 15gag proteinase of myeloblastosis-associated virus: specificity studies with
      substrate-based inhibitors.
AB  - The specificity of the proteinase of myeloblastosis-associated virus (MAV) was
      studied with (a) 21 substrate-based inhibitors, (b) 9 inhibitors with
      pseudopalindrome sequences, (c) 8 chimeric inhibitors, and (d) 3 compounds
      designed as human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) proteinase inhibitors. The
      central inhibitory unit (transition state or cleaved bond analog) and the role of
      the inhibitor side chains from P4 to P4' were investigated. MAV proteinase
      prefers an aromatic side chain in P1 and a small aliphatic nonpolar chain in P2
      and P2'. Residues in P5 and P4 positions are outside of the short catalytic cleft
      of the enzyme, but still influence binding considerably. The data obtained
      provide evidence that the MAV proteinase has generally lower specificity and
      poorer binding than the HIV proteinase.

PMID- 1417002
TI  - High pressure gel-permeation assay for the proteolysis of human aggrecan by human
      stromelysin-1: kinetic constants for aggrecan hydrolysis.
AB  - The adaptation of an analytical procedure for aggrecan based upon gel-permeation
      chromatography to an FPLC-based protocol has significantly sped up the analysis.
      The faster assay has permitted determination of the kinetic constants for
      digestion of human aggrecan by human stromelysin-1. Monomeric aggrecan appeared
      to be hydrolyzed by stromelysin-1 to multiple forms with lower molecular weight.
      The disappearance of high-molecular-weight aggrecan was first-order, showing Km
      much larger than 2 microM and kc/Km = 4000 M-1 s-1 at pH 7.5. The disappearance
      of high-molecular-weight aggrecan upon hydrolysis by stromelysin-1 at pH 5.5 was
      also first-order, with kc/Km = 10,700 M-1 s-1. The disappearance of high
      molecular-weight aggrecan at pH 7.5 was first-order for digestion by human
      leukocyte elastase with kc/Km = 230,000 M-1 s-1, by human cathepsin G with kc/Km
      = 4200 M-1 S-1, and by human plasma plasmin with kc/Km = 2800 M-1 s-1, all with
      Km much larger than 2 microM.

PMID- 1417003
TI  - [Reappraisal of Zelen's method in randomized controlled trials].
AB  - This paper discusses Zelen's method (a study design with pre-randomization) in
      randomized controlled trials from the following aspects: 1) compliance of
      patients with a randomly assigned treatment; 2) infringement of patients' right
      to choose treatments; and 3) unfairness that only patients assigned to a new
      treatment are allowed a choice of treatments. The reason Zelen's method is rarely
      used in the United States or European countries seems to be the lower compliance
      of treatments in Zelen's method than in the conventional design of randomized
      controlled trials. Considering the present study practice in Japan, where study
      subjects are not completely informed by randomized assignment of treatments,
      Zelen's method is thought to be more practical, and not inferior to the
      conventional design in terms of compliance.

PMID- 1417004
TI  - [Screening for ovarian cancer].
AB  - In recent years, ovarian cancer has been increasing in Japan. However, a mass
      screening system for ovarian cancer is not yet established. For this reason,
      detection of early ovarian cancer is very difficult. 1. Due to the low frequency
      of ovarian cancer detection, a mass-screening system is not cost-effective. 2.
      There is no accurate method for the detection of ovarian cancer, as with cytology
      or colposcopy for the detection of uterine cancer. We describe some methods for
      the detection of ovarian cancer by mass screening, and point out some problems.
      Tumor marker is not always useful because of its low sensitivity for early
      ovarian cancer. It is most important to determine whether or not an ovarian tumor
      is present. We attempted to detect ovarian tumors at the time of uterine cancer
      mass screening by ultrasonography (transvaginal proof). Three early ovarian
      cancers were detected in 10,294 women.

PMID- 1417005
TI  - [Clinical usefulness of tumor markers for the diagnosis of ovarian cancer].
AB  - The most useful diagnostic methods for ovarian cancer at present are diagnostic
      imaging and measurement of tumor markers. Although many tumor markers have been
      measured to detect patients with ovarian cancer, the values of diagnostic
      efficiency are not so high when a single tumor marker is assessed. Therefore, the
      use of a combination of tumor markers might be expected to yield a higher value.
      In this study, tumor markers were measured to select an ovarian cancer group from
      a group in which ovarian tumor was palpable by the pelvic examination. We
      selected CA 602 from core-protein related markers, CA 54/61 from sugar chain core
      related markers, and galactosyltransferase associated with tumor (GAT) for their
      combined use from among eleven markers examined. As a result, the combined use of
      each two markers or of all three markers appeared to be beneficial to
      discriminate ovarian cancers from benign ovarian tumors. The combination of all
      three markers gave a somewhat higher positive rate and diagnostic efficiency
      value than that of the two markers. The role of tumor markers in the future
      screening of ovarian cancer was also discussed in this paper.

PMID- 1417006
TI  - [Radical surgery for ovarian cancer].
AB  - Mortality rate of ovarian cancer is increasing in Japan and the management of
      advanced cases is an important issue in order to improve long term survival.
      Radical surgery including systematic lymphadenectomy (LNX) from paraaortic nodes
      through pelvic nodes was, therefore, performed in our department with regular
      surgery (TAH, BSO, omentectomy) and lymph node metastasis (LNM) was analyses. LNM
      rate of patients whose LNX done in the primary surgery according to pTNM
      classification was as follows: pT1: 9.7%, pT2: 1.1%, pT3: 66.7% and that of those
      LNX done at SLO was as follows: pT1: 8.3%, pT2: 0%, pT3: 69.2%. Since radical
      surgery improved prognosis of advanced ovarian cancer significantly radical
      surgery including LNX are strongly recommended as a treatment of advanced ovarian
      cancer.

PMID- 1417007
TI  - [Experimental study of biochemical modulation of 5-fluorouracil with l-leucovorin
      against human esophageal cancer].
AB  - Potentiation of cytotoxic effects of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) were investigated by
      simultaneous or sequential combination of l-leucovorin (LV) against human
      esophageal cancer cell line (TE-1, TE-2) and 23 human clinical cancer samples in
      vitro. LV enhanced the cytotoxic effects of 5-FU on human esophageal cancer cell
      line as a dose dependent manner, and increased the cytotoxic effect of 5-FU about
      1.5-fold with 10 microM and about 2-fold with 100 microM. The incubation time did
      not affect the effects. The potentiation with LV was also demonstrated against
      human clinical cancer samples, and the cytotoxic effects of 5-FU increased 7.6%
      in esophageal cancer, 20.9% in gastric cancer and 25.5% in colorectal cancer. As
      a result, the potentiating effects of LV against 5-FU seemed to be limited on
      human esophageal cancer.

PMID- 1417008
TI  - [Phase I clinical study of combined cisplatin and carboplatin therapy in lung
      cancer].
AB  - A phase I clinical study (a dose escalation test) of combined cisplatin (CDDP) +
      carboplatin (CBDCA) therapy was carried out in patients with primary or secondary
      lung cancer (PS 0-2) who had given prior informed consent to the study. The dose
      level of CDDP was set at 80 mg/m2, while five dose levels (200, 250, 300, 350,
      400 mg/m2) of CBDCA were used. Three patients were allocated to each CBDCA dose
      group. Blood samples were taken immediately before and 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 24
      hours after injection, and were examined for total Pt and free Pt level. The
      maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was CDDP 80 mg/m2 + CBDCA 400 mg/m2.
      Thrombocytopenia and leukopenia served as dose limiting factors (DLF). Total Pt
      and free Pt levels in blood after this combined therapy were higher than those
      after treatment with CDDP alone. The results from this study suggest that CDDP 80
      mg/m2 + CBDCA 350 mg/m2 would be a suitable dose for phase II study of this
      combined chemotherapy. A multi-center pilot study based on these findings is now
      under way.

PMID- 1417009
TI  - [Aminoglutethimide and aminoglutethimide+tamoxifen treatment for advanced breast
      cancer].
AB  - Twenty-eight and 24 patients with advanced breast cancer were treated with
      Aminoglutethimide (AG) or AG + Tamoxifen (AG + TAM) from June 1984 to June 1989,
      respectively. Evaluated cases were 25 and 21 treated with AG or AG+TAM,
      respectively. Objective response was seen in 5/25 (20.0%) for AG treatment with
      9, 13, 16, 20 and 31 months remission and 4/21 (19.1%) for AG + TAM treatment
      with 6, 7, 12 and 26 months remission. Response rate according to dominant site
      of metastases were 1/10 in soft tissue, 2/7 in bone, 2/7 in lung and pleura
      treated with AG, 1/9 in soft tissue, and 3/5 in lung treated with AG + TAM
      treatment. Two of the 5 responding patients in AG treatment group had prior
      tamoxifen treatment and 3 out of 4 responding patients in AG + TAM treatment
      group had prior chemoendocrine therapy with tamoxifen and FAC chemotherapy. Main
      toxic side effects were lethargy and/or rash, and drug discontinuation was
      required in 3 cases of AG treatment group and 2 cases of AG + TAM treatment
      group. Serial determination of serum hormone levels during AG or AG + TAM
      treatment revealed a decrease in estrone and an increase in androstenedione in
      many cases of both treatment groups. This data suggested that AG treatment may be
      favorable for endocrine treatment for advanced breast cancer patients, but the
      response to AG was not augmented by adding TAM.

PMID- 1417011
TI  - [Endoscopic analysis of gastric mucosal lesions in patients with adult T-cell
      leukemia during chemotherapy].
AB  - Gastric mucosal lesions in 13 patients with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) were
      endoscopically studied at least at 2 occasions during chemotherapy for these
      patients. X-ray examinations by using barium meal showed deformities in 10
      patients and abnormal mucosal pattern in 11 out of 13 patients with ATL. The
      endoscopic examinations revealed gastric ulcers in 5 patients, erosion in 8,
      diffuse bleeding in 2, tumorous mucosal folds in one, and submucosal tumor in one
      patient. In 9 out of 12 ATL patients, pathological study revealed that ATL cells
      had invaded the mucosal area of the stomach. The ulcers and erosions were
      improved by chemotherapy in 3 out of 5 and 5 out of 8 patients, respectively,
      whereas the erosion was not reduced in 2 and even aggravated in one patient.
      Interestingly, the gastric lesions formed by ATL cell invasion were improved by
      the administration of anticancer agents in 5 out of 9 patients. However, these
      lesions reappeared together with systemic lesions of ATL.

PMID- 1417010
TI  - [Multicenter cooperative study of pre- and post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy
      in the treatment of colorectal cancer. North Kyushu Co-operative Study Group for
      Cancer Chemotherapy].
AB  - The usefulness of pre- and post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy in colorectal
      cancer patients was studied by the North Kyushu Co-operative Study Group for
      Cancer Chemotherapy (21 participating institutions). Comparisons were made among
      group I given a tegafur suppository preoperatively+tegafur oral preparation
      postoperatively, group II given a tegafur suppository preoperatively+UFT oral
      preparation postoperatively and group III given a tegafur oral preparation
      postoperatively. No differences were seen in the incidence of postoperative
      complications depending on whether or not tegafur suppositories were administered
      preoperatively. There were also no differences in the symptom or incidence of
      side effects due to postoperative administration of tegafur or UFT. In a study of
      5-FU concentration in the lymph nodes due to preoperative tegafur administration
      and recurrences, the concentration of 5-FU was significantly higher in the lymph
      nodes of cases without recurrences than in those with recurrences, and it was
      suggested that a relation exists between the concentration of agent and
      recurrences. The concentration of 5-FU in the lymph nodes of Dukes B patients was
      significantly higher in cases without recurrences than in those with recurrences.
      The non-recurrence rate (healthy rate) was better in the group given UFT
      postoperatively than in that administered tegafur postoperatively although the
      difference was not significant.

PMID- 1417012
TI  - [THP-adriamycin-based combination chemotherapy in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's
      lymphoma].
AB  - Thirty patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with THP-adriamycin
      based combination chemotherapy. Complete remission was obtained in eighteen (72%)
      of 25 evaluable patients. Nine of 18 patients are still alive in complete
      remission lasting 9 to 34 months (median 24 mo). Severe side effects such as bone
      marrow suppression, gastrointestinal symptoms and cardiotoxicity were rare. It
      was concluded that THP-adriamycin-based combination chemotherapy is relatively
      mild and safe, so this regimen is useful for elderly patients or patients with
      complications.

PMID- 1417013
TI  - [Anti-emetic effect and safety of single dose of ondansetron injection in double
      blind comparison study with placebo].
AB  - In order to make an objective evaluation of anti-emetic effect, safety and
      usefulness of ondansetron injection in nausea and vomiting associated with cancer
      chemotherapy, we carried out a double-blind placebo controlled comparative study
      in patients receiving high-single dose (50 mg/m2 or more) of cisplatin. Either 4
      mg of ondansetron or saline injection was given intravenously at 15 min. before
      administration of cisplatin. If anti-emetic effect of the test drug was
      insufficient, an additional dose of 4mg of ondansetron was given intravenously,
      as the rescue medication. Ondansetron was significantly superior to placebo in
      anti-emetic effect (p < 0.001). Efficacy rates were 66.7% (22/33 cases) in
      ondansetron and 20.0% (6/30 cases) in placebo groups. Seven and 21 cases required
      rescue medication with 4 mg single intravenous dose of ondansetron due to
      insufficiency of anti-emetic effect, in ondansetron group and placebo group,
      respectively. Thus the number of patients who required rescue medication was
      obviously greater in placebo group than that in ondansetron group. The rates of
      inhibitory effect of rescue medication on nausea and emesis were 14.3% (1/7
      cases) in ondansetron group and 61.9% (13/21 cases) in placebo group. Side
      effects were observed in 1 case (eruption) in ondansetron group and in 2 cases
      (headache, diarrhoea; 1 case each) in placebo group. Furthermore, fever developed
      in 1 case in placebo group after the rescue medication. Elevation of total
      bilirubin value was observed in 2 cases in ondansetron group and 1 case in
      placebo group, however, these changes were mild and did not pose noteworthy
      clinical problem. From these results, ondansetron was shown to possess an
      excellent anti-emetic effect on nausea and emesis induced by highly emetogenic
      anti-cancer drugs, such as cisplatin, and to have no problem in safety, and thus
      it was considered to be a useful anti-emetic agent.

PMID- 1417014
TI  - [Anti-emetic effect and safety of ondansetron tablet in double-blind comparison
      with placebo].
AB  - Ondansetron, a selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, has already been reported to
      have a marked effect to alleviate or prevent nausea and vomiting associated with
      cancer chemotherapy, after its intravenous administration. The present study was
      planned to examine the usefulness of its tablet form, which was prepared for the
      convenient use in outpatients receiving chemotherapy. In order to make an
      objective evaluation of anti-emetic effect and safety of ondansetron 4 mg tablet,
      this study was conducted in double-blind comparison versus placebo in patients
      receiving cisplatin at a single dose of 50mg/m2 or higher. Either 4 mg of
      ondansetron or placebo (lactose tablet) was administered orally once at 2 hrs
      prior to administration of cisplatin. If any satisfactory anti-emetic effects
      were not obtained, 4 mg of ondansetron injection was given once intravenously as
      a rescue medication. The inhibitory effect on nausea and vomiting was assessed in
      4 grades as "excellent", "good", "fair" and "poor" based on severity of nausea
      and number of vomiting that occurred during the first 24hrs after administration
      of cisplatin. When rescue medication was conducted, the case was assessed as
      "poor". Ondansetron was significantly superior to placebo in inhibition of nausea
      and vomiting, in which efficacy rates (excellent+good) of ondansetron and placebo
      groups were 58.1% (25/43 cases) and 16.7% (7/42 cases), respectively. Number of
      cases requiring rescue medication with ondansetron injection was obviously
      greater in placebo group (31 cases) than that in ondansetron group (12 cases). In
      those patients given ondansetron injection as the rescue medication, satisfactory
      effects were obtained in 5 cases in ondansetron group and in 18 cases in placebo
      group. Although side effects including chest itching (ondansetron group),
      headache and dull headache (placebo group) were observed after the rescue
      medication with ondansetron injection, these symptoms were not severe and
      disappeared after 1-2 days. As mentioned above, ondansetron tablet was shown to
      possess excellent anti-emetic effect on nausea and emesis induced by high dose of
      cisplatin and to have no problem in safety. Hence ondansetron was proven to be
      clinically very useful anti-emetic.

PMID- 1417015
TI  - [Evaluation of SN-307 (ondansetron), given intravenously in the treatment of
      nausea and vomiting caused by anticancer drugs including cisplatin--a placebo
      controlled, double-blind comparative study].
AB  - Clinical usefulness of ondansetron as an antiemetic for the treatment of nausea
      and vomiting induced by anticancer drugs including cisplatin (> or = 50 mg/m2)
      was evaluated by a multi-institutional, double-blind comparative study with
      placebo with inpatients with various malignancies. In this study, efficacy,
      safety and usefulness of single dose of ondansetron (4 mg) or placebo
      (physiological saline), given intravenously for initial nausea and vomiting were
      observed for 24 hours after treatment. Clinically, very effective or effective
      response was seen in 64% (16/25) of the group O (ondansetron) and 5.9% (1/17) of
      the group P (placebo). No clinically significant adverse effects or abnormal
      laboratory test values were reported in the group of O. Diarrhea (1 case) and the
      elevation of laboratory test values (GOT.GPT, T-bilirubin, LDH, in 3 cases) were
      reported in the group of P. General safety assessment was considered "safe" in
      100% of both group O and group P, and there was no statistical difference between
      two groups. Usefulness was considered as "useful" in 64% (16/25) of group O and
      6.3% (1/16) of group P, and O was significantly better than group P (p < 0.001)
      level. In conclusion, ondansetron provides a safe and effective antiemetic
      measure when employed therapeutically against nausea and vomiting induced by
      regimens including cisplatin.

PMID- 1417016
TI  - [Studies of clinical usefulness of new tumor markers of ovarian cancer, CA 54/61
      and CA 602--CA 602 assay reagent kit, performance its normal value and
      correlations with other tumor markers].
AB  - We made a preclinical study of a newly developed tumor maker, CA 602, and its
      clinical study using serum samples available from 58 institutions located
      throughout Japan. In the preclinical study, a CA 602 assay kit was investigated
      for the reproducibility and precision of assay results; and in the clinical
      study, the kit was investigated for the normal value of the marker, for
      variations in assay result with age, menstrual cycle and term of pregnancy, and
      for correlations of assay results with those of other tumor markers. The tests of
      the kit for simultaneous reproducibility and interval reproducibility of assay
      results, and the results of analytical recovery and dilution tests were all
      favorable; the kit proved to be reliable in both precision and reproducibility.
      For the study, 2 cutoff levels were set: mean + 2 SD of healthy subjects, i.e.,
      63 U/ml, and the level which permits the maximal efficiency of differential
      diagnosis of benign from malignant ovarian tumors, i.e., 90 U/ml. The assay
      results showed that CA 602 levels were low in women aged 50 and over; the levels
      were high in the first half of pregnancy, and also high in the menstrual period
      to the early follicular phase. The assay results of CA 602 also proved to be
      intimately correlated with those of CA 125, which suggested that the 2 markers
      might be analogous to each other. CA 602 proving to be of high reproducibility
      even in the range of concentrations below the cutoff value, the measurement with
      the marker appeared to be of high precision, capable of detecting even the
      slightest variations in the antigen. CA 602 therefore appears of great value in
      the early detection of recurrent ovarian cancers.

PMID- 1417017
TI  - [Sharp decline in plasma CEA and reduction of liver metastasis after UFT
      administration in a patient with recurrent gastric cancer].
AB  - Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in plasma is useful for the detection of recurrent
      colonic or gastric cancer and the monitoring of plasma in patients with recurrent
      cancer displaying therapeutic effect. We report a sharp decline of CEA in a
      patient with recurrent gastric cancer by 6 months oral administration of UFT. The
      patient was an 81-year-old male who had undergone gastrectomy for advanced
      gastric cancer. Eight months post-operatively, the plasma CEA began to rise
      logarithmically, and recurrent tumor in the remnant stomach and liver metastasis
      were detected by fibergastroscope (FGS) and abdominal CT. After administration of
      UFT at a dose of 300 mg per day, CEA abruptly declined logarithmically and
      normalized in 6 months. Presently marked reduction of recurrent foci and
      metastases were found by FGS and abdominal CT. Therefore sequential changes in
      plasma CEA in this patient can be considered to reflect the effect of therapy for
      recurrent gastric cancer by UFT.

PMID- 1417018
TI  - [Successful treatment of adenocarcinoma of the lung with bone metastases by
      combined chemotherapy with epirubicin, mitomycin C and carboplatin].
AB  - A 62-year-old male was admitted with lumbago and gait disturbance for 3 months.
      He had complained of a cough for 3 years. His admission chest radiography
      revealed tumor shadow in right lower lung field. The patient was diagnosed as
      adenocarcinoma of the lung by transbronchial biopsy. Bone scintigraphy revealed
      multiple bone metastases with rib, lumbar and pelvic bone. Clinical staging was
      IV and performance status was 3. The patient was treated by combined chemotherapy
      with epirubicin 20 mg/m2, mitomycin C 8 mg/m2 and carboplatin 350 mg/m2. After 2
      cycles he was able to walk by himself and the lung tumor regressed in 40% of
      pretreated size. This combined chemotherapy could be performed for outpatients
      because of the mild gastrointestinal side effects and little hydration.

PMID- 1417019
TI  - Perifolliculitis capitis abscedens et suffodiens. Resolution with combination
      therapy.

PMID- 1417020
TI  - Comparison of the carcinogenic potential of trioxsalen bath PUVA and oral
      methoxsalen PUVA. A preliminary report.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND DESIGN: There is an increasing concern about the long-term
      carcinogenic effect of oral psoralen with long-wave UV radiation in the A range
      (PUVA). Most follow-up investigations indicate a definite risk of squamous cell
      carcinoma of the skin with long-term PUVA treatment. In a recently published
      study of 4799 Swedish patients who had received PUVA, it was noted that 833
      patients who had received trioxsalen bath or oral trioxsalen did not show any
      increased risk of skin cancer in contrast to oral methoxsalen. This finding has
      been further investigated in this study. We compared four dermatologic university
      clinics in Sweden with regard to the carcinogenic potential of the PUVA regimen
      used. One clinic used trioxsalen bath PUVA exclusively and the other three used
      oral methoxsalen. Information on their PUVA-treated patients was collected and
      linked with information from the Swedish Cancer Registry to identify individuals
      with squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. RESULTS: A total of 18 squamous cell
      carcinomas of the skin were reported in 2975 PUVA-treated patients until 1987.
      The expected number was 3.1. The center using bath PUVA only had no increased
      risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin in contrast to the three centers
      using oral methoxsalen-PUVA. The increased risk for male subjects from those
      centers varied from six to 13 times that in the general population, but for
      female subjects a significant increased relative risk was found only at one
      center. CONCLUSION: In this preliminary report, PUVA treatment with trioxsalen
      bath seems to be less carcinogenic than the oral dosage. However, differences in
      the patient populations might also have affected the outcome of the study. More
      information on this field is needed.

PMID- 1417021
TI  - Sebaceous gland activity and serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels in boys
      and girls.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND DESIGN: Increases in sebaceous gland activity are often the
      earliest sign of the approach of puberty in children. These increases have been
      attributed to increases in the secretion of adrenal androgens, but the supporting
      data are sparse and are based on measurements of urinary, rather than serum,
      androgen concentrations. In this study, we examined sebum composition, serum
      levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and pubertal stage in 111 boys and
      girls, aged 2 to 15 years. Sebum composition was evaluated by measuring the ratio
      of wax esters/(cholesterol + cholesterol esters), a ratio known to increase with
      increasing sebaceous gland activity. RESULTS: Both wax esters/(cholesterol +
      cholesterol esters) ratios and serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels began
      to increase in children 7 to 10 years old. These changes occurred in many
      children before the appearance of any physical signs of puberty. Wax
      esters/(cholesterol + cholesterol esters) ratios were correlated with
      dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels in both boys and girls. In prepubertal
      children, the regression lines passed through the origin. In subjects who were in
      early or late puberty, the y intercepts of the regression lines had positive
      values. CONCLUSION: Adrenal androgens appear to be the major determinants of
      sebaceous gland activity during the prepubertal period and to be additive to
      another hormone or hormones during puberty.

PMID- 1417022
TI  - Loose anagen hair as a cause of hereditary hair loss in children.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND DESIGN: The loose anagen hair syndrome is a recently described
      disorder with enhanced hair loss in which anagen hairs can be painlessly pulled
      from the scalp. RESULTS: In three families, we have observed an autosomal
      dominant form of inheritance. We have confirmed that the extracted bulbs consist
      only of cortical cells and that the hair shafts have an abnormal shape. Using
      routine light and electron microscopy, we observed disadhesion between all layers
      of the follicle and within some layers and premature keratinization of the inner
      root sheath of the follicle. In addition, abnormal maturation of the various
      layers was observed at the electron microscopic level, including regions of the
      cortex that contained decreased numbers of filaments. The disorder appears to be
      cyclic, since relatively normal and markedly affected regions of the shaft can be
      observed within a single follicle. CONCLUSIONS: Possible mechanisms responsible
      for the disease include abnormal intercellular signaling and disturbances of
      desmosomal components and/or cadherins.

PMID- 1417023
TI  - A double-blind comparison of adhesive bandages with the use of uniform suction
      blister wounds.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND DESIGN: The assessment of cutaneous wound healing in humans has
      been hampered by the inability to evaluate multiple wounds with identical
      origins, treatment histories, and sizes. There have been no double-blind wound
      healing studies in humans that compared one wound dressing with another. The
      purpose of this study was to determine if identical suction blister wounds could
      serve as a model to evaluate and compare wound healing and overall cosmetic
      appearance of wounds treated with commercially available adhesive bandages. In a
      double-blind study, we compared superficial skin wounds of identical depth and
      diameter, created on the forearms of five human subjects by means of a suction
      blister device. The wounds were covered by two common, commercially available
      adhesive bandages or a copolymer of polyurethane membrane type of wound dressing.
      We compared the degree of reepithelialization, erythema, skin depression, and
      overall cosmetic appearance of wounds with respect to the specific adhesive
      bandages used. RESULTS: The wounds covered with the copolymer of polyurethane
      membrane were judged to have better overall appearance and advanced
      reepithelialization compared with identical wounds covered by the other wound
      dressings. With the use of x5 magnification for viewing the wounds on the final
      day of evaluation (between days 18 and 22), the wounds treated with the copolymer
      of polyurethane membrane were judged to be the least depressed wounds in fields
      of identical wounds in the three subjects studied. Concordance between the
      evaluators' "blinded" assessments was uniform, and no discrepancy between the
      evaluators' assessments occurred at any of the time points. CONCLUSION: Identical
      wounds created with a suction blistering device can be used reliably to detect
      differences between the performances of wound dressings in healing superficial
      wounds. Superficial cutaneous wounds covered with a copolymer of polyurethane
      dressing demonstrated a superior rate of reepithelialization, less depression,
      and a better overall cosmetic appearance than wounds covered with two
      commercially available adhesive bandages.

PMID- 1417024
TI  - Dermatitis as a presenting sign of cystic fibrosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Three percent to 13% of patients with cystic fibrosis present with
      protein-energy malnutrition that is characterized by hypoproteinemia, edema, and
      anemia and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Cutaneous
      manifestations of malnutrition are rare in patients with cystic fibrosis and have
      been attributed to deficiencies of protein, zinc, and essential fatty acids.
      OBSERVATIONS: We describe five patients who presented with failure to thrive,
      hypoproteinemia, edema, and a cutaneous eruption before the onset of pulmonary
      symptoms and before the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis was made. The rash had a
      predilection for the extremities (lower > upper), perineum, and periorificial
      surfaces. In most cases, erythematous, scaling papules developed by 4 months of
      age and progressed within 1 to 3 months to extensive, desquamating plaques.
      Alopecia was variable, and mucous membrane or nail involvement was not observed.
      The rash was associated with malnutrition and resolved in all survivors within 10
      days of providing pancreatic enzyme and nutritional supplementation. The
      pathogenesis of the rash is unclear, but it appears to stem from deficiencies of
      zinc, protein, and essential fatty acids and may be mediated by alterations in
      prostaglandin metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: Cystic fibrosis should be included in the
      differential diagnosis of the red, scaly infant, particularly when failure to
      thrive, hypoproteinemia, and edema are also present. Recognition of rash as a
      sign of cystic fibrosis complicated by protein-energy malnutrition will allow
      earlier diagnosis and treatment of these patients and may improve their outcome.

PMID- 1417025
TI  - Iontophoresis of vinblastine into normal skin and for treatment of Kaposi's
      sarcoma in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients. The Military Medical
      Consortium for Applied Retroviral Research.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients who test positive for human immunodeficiency virus type 1
      (HIV-1) and who have disfiguring and/or painful cutaneous lesions of Kaposi's
      sarcoma (KS) may not be candidates for systemic chemotherapy and/or
      immunotherapy. Intralesional vinblastine sulfate, as a single-agent
      chemotherapeutic drug, has been used with some success to treat KS in patients
      who are HIV-1 positive. However, some patients may not tolerate the pain
      associated with injection of vinblastine. Transcutaneous iontophoresis of
      vinblastine was evaluated for therapy of KS in HIV-1-infected patients. Prior to
      therapy of patients, we iontophoresed vinblastine into the normal skin of
      volunteers who were not infected with HIV-1 to document the clinical and
      histologic features that occurred. OBSERVATIONS: Iontophoresis produced a
      localized erythematous papular eruption in non-HIV-infected volunteers but not in
      HIV-1-infected patients. Histologic changes in the biopsy specimens taken from
      non-HIV-infected volunteers consisted primarily of scattered necrotic
      keratinocytes and a mild to moderate superficial lymphohistiocytic infiltrate.
      Thirty-one lesions of KS were treated with partial to complete clearing and
      symptomatic improvement. CONCLUSION: Clinical and histologic features of
      iontophoresed normal skin suggest an immunologic mechanism of action.
      Iontophoresis of vinblastine for KS is well tolerated and results in symptomatic
      improvement as well as varying degrees of clearing of the lesions.

PMID- 1417026
TI  - Hydantoin-induced cutaneous pseudolymphoma with clinical, pathologic, and
      immunologic aspects of Sezary syndrome.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The phenytoin-induced hypersensitivity syndrome is characterized by
      the development of fever, rash, lymphadenopathy, and hepatitis associated with
      leukocytosis and eosinophilia. This article describes the unusual occurrence of a
      pseudo-Sezary syndrome in the days following the introduction of phenytoin
      treatment. OBSERVATION: A phenytoin-induced erythroderma developed in a 60-year
      old woman the histologic, cytologic, and immunologic characteristics of an
      erythrodermal cutaneous T-cell lymphoma of the Sezary syndrome type with lymph
      node involvement. The dramatic improvement after withdrawal of drug therapy and
      the absence of recurrence 5 years after led us to consider it as a hydantoin
      induced pseudolymphoma. CONCLUSIONS: Although lymph node pseudolymphomas induced
      by phenytoin are well known, few cases of hydantoin-induced mycosis fungoides
      have been reported in the literature. We present herein the first case of a
      Sezary-like syndrome associated with phenytoin therapy. Such a patient must be
      monitored regularly because of the risk of a true malignant lymphoma developing
      even many years later.

PMID- 1417027
TI  - Papular umbilicated granuloma annulare. A report of four pediatric cases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Granuloma annulare is a common skin condition usually presenting as
      annular plaques composed of intradermal papules. Variants such as disseminated,
      subcutaneous, and perforating have been described. In this article, the clinical
      and histologic features of a distinct papular umbilicated form of granuloma
      annulare are described. OBSERVATIONS: Four boys aged 5 to 9 years presented with
      papular, umbilicated, flesh-colored papules limited to the dorsa of the hands and
      fingers. Histologically there were unusually distributed but typical features of
      granuloma annulare, including well-demarcated areas of necrobiosis of collagen,
      localized beneath areas of epidermal thinning and parakeratosis. There was no
      perforation. CONCLUSIONS: Papular umbilicated granuloma annulare appears to be a
      distinct variant that may be difficult to diagnose because of its unique clinical
      and histologic features.

PMID- 1417028
TI  - Cutaneous findings in craniofacial malformation syndromes.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A number of craniofacial malformation syndromes are characterized by
      prominent abnormalities of the skin, hair, nails, and mucous membranes. Many of
      these findings have been discussed little or not at all in the dermatologic
      literature. The goal of this review is to present some of the more prominent and
      distinctive syndromes to increase their recognition by dermatologists and to
      stimulate further investigation. OBSERVATIONS: The literature regarding syndromes
      in which major craniofacial anomalies, eg, craniosynostosis or clefting, were
      present was reviewed and those syndromes with prominent mucocutaneous findings
      were identified. Although some are well described in the literature, the findings
      in others are insufficiently detailed from a dermatologic point of view. Little
      has been written regarding therapeutic intervention. CONCLUSIONS: More accurate
      descriptions of many craniofacial malformation syndromes are needed by
      dermatologists. Alerting the dermatologic community to their existence should
      stimulate attempts at therapeutic intervention on behalf of affected persons.

PMID- 1417029
TI  - Flushing reactions in the cancer chemotherapy patient. The lists are longer but
      the strategies are the same.

PMID- 1417030
TI  - Dermatitis and nutritional deficiency. Diagnostic and therapeutic considerations.

PMID- 1417031
TI  - Erythematous, vesicular lesions in a newborn. Incontinentia pigmenti.

PMID- 1417032
TI  - Rubbery zosteriform nodules on the back. Nevus lipomatosus cutaneous
      superficialis (Hoffmann-Zurhelle).

PMID- 1417033
TI  - Multiple facial, neck, and upper trunk papules in a black child. Childhood
      granulomatous perioral dermatitis with involvement of the neck and upper trunk.

PMID- 1417034
TI  - A nodule on the side of the neck in a child. Branchial cleft cyst.

PMID- 1417035
TI  - The mismatched match.

PMID- 1417036
TI  - Immunofluorescence findings in lichen planopilaris: a contrasting experience.

PMID- 1417037
TI  - A photonumeric scale for the assessment of cutaneous photodamage.

PMID- 1417038
TI  - Molluscum contagiosum and human immunodeficiency virus.

PMID- 1417039
TI  - Doxorubicin-associated facial flushing.

PMID- 1417040
TI  - Primary systemic pustular vasculitis with severe intestinal involvement.

PMID- 1417041
TI  - Livedo vasculitis with protein C system deficiency.

PMID- 1417042
TI  - Combined acral and flexural reticulate pigmentary anomaly.

PMID- 1417043
TI  - Systemic interferon gamma as adjuvant therapy for refractory anogenital warts: a
      randomized clinical trial and meta-analysis of the available data.

PMID- 1417044
TI  - The radiological dating of injuries.

PMID- 1417045
TI  - Fungal skin infections.

PMID- 1417046
TI  - Paediatric outpatient utilisation in a district general hospital.
AB  - Paediatric outpatient utilisation in a district general hospital was studied for
      20 general practices that covered a population of 26,433 children. The actions
      taken by paediatric staff were analysed for 487 new referrals and 2784 review
      attendances (the latter in 1630 children) over an eight month period. New
      referral rates from different general practices varied between 3.7 per thousand
      children 0 to 15 years and 29.6 with a mean of 13.7, equivalent to 19 per
      thousand per year. (The national mean based on health district populations is
      21.2 per year.) A total of 63% of new referrals and 49% of review patients were
      aged under 5 years. Over the study period 2.2% of children under 5 years in the
      population were referred as a new patient, equivalent to 3.1% per year, and 1.3%
      of children aged 0 to 15 years were referred, equivalent to 1.8% per year. Review
      attendances on one or more occasion occurred in 6.5% of children under 5 years
      over the study period, equivalent to 9.2% per year, and for age 0 to 15 years,
      4.8% attended once or more times over the study period, equivalent to 6.7% per
      year. The review attendance rate per thousand child population per practice
      varied between 59 and 160 with a mean of 81.9. New patients formed 14.8% of the
      total attendances (the national mean is 18.3%). Review attendance rates were
      significantly lower when the general practice was large. Socioeconomic factors
      suggested by a high proportion of children in the general practice list were
      associated with a high review attendance rate. Altogether 27.0% of new referrals
      were seen once only and 32.8% had no tests done. The most common reason for
      attendance was asthma (11% of new and 19% of review patients). The second
      commonest was for fits (8.4% of new referrals and 4.7% of review patient
      attendances).

PMID- 1417047
TI  - Audit of screening for congenital hypothyroidism.
AB  - The effectiveness and efficiency of the screening programme for congenital
      hypothyroidism in the Mersey region from 1983 to 1989 was examined by an analysis
      of laboratory, manual and computerised district records, case notes, and Hospital
      Activity Analysis data. Births from 1 January 1983 to 31 December 1989 formed the
      study cohort and the proportion of live births screened, age when treatment was
      started, validity of the screening test, and the outcome of treatment were
      determined. In nine out of 10 districts coverage of the neonatal population by
      the screening programme was incomplete and there was failure to follow up infants
      who had not been screened. The sensitivity of the test was 97% and the
      specificity was 99.9%. In 10% of the positive cases treatment was delayed beyond
      21 days, the latest was 26 days. It is concluded that administrative deficiencies
      were predominantly responsible for the inefficiencies of the screening programme.
      The long term follow up of diagnosed cases should become part of the monitoring
      process.

PMID- 1417049
TI  - What do parents know about vitamins?
AB  - Parents of 120 children attending child health clinics answered a questionnaire
      on their understanding of vitamins. Fifty four children (45%) were taking
      vitamins; 12 (22%) were given the wrong dose. Only 19 parents (35%) knew when to
      stop supplements and 25 (46%) did not realise overdosage was potentially harmful.
      Only six children (11%) were receiving professional supervision. This indicates a
      need to improve parental understanding and professional supervision.

PMID- 1417048
TI  - How much nebulised budesonide reaches infants and toddlers?
AB  - The amount of budesonide suspension actually delivered to six subjects (aged 4-30
      months) by a jet nebuliser and spacer system (System 22) was determined. Two
      nebulisations were performed in each subject using a filter at the exhalation
      outlet of the inhalation chamber. An inhalation filter was additionally attached
      between the facemask and the spacer in the first test. The drug was inhaled
      during the second test. The nebuliser equipment was washed with ethanol and the
      amount of drug deposited was determined. The amount of budesonide deposited in
      the exhalation filter increased when the inhalation filter was omitted. Only 14%
      of the nominal dose (500 micrograms) of budesonide was found in the inhalation
      filter, increasing from nine to 19% with increasing age. Approximately 75% of the
      nominal dose was found in the nebuliser equipment. These findings must be
      considered when deciding the nominal dose of budesonide suspension to be given to
      infants and toddlers.

PMID- 1417050
TI  - Effect of taurine supplementation on fat and energy absorption in cystic
      fibrosis.
AB  - In 10 children with cystic fibrosis and persisting steatorrhoea, supplementation
      with taurine (30-40 mg/kg/day) was given for two months as an adjunct to the
      usual pancreatic enzyme treatment. A three day fat and energy balance was
      performed in patients with cystic fibrosis, before and after the supplementation,
      and in seven healthy controls who did not receive taurine. Faecal fat was
      measured by a gravimetric method and stool energy was determined using a bomb
      calorimeter. Patients with cystic fibrosis, before and after taurine, and healthy
      controls received the same fat and energy intake (calculated by a dietitian). In
      patients with cystic fibrosis taurine did not produce any improvement of
      steatorrhoea (mean (SD) faecal fat 8.7 (3.3) v 11.2 (7.0) g/day, respectively
      before and after the supplementation), of faecal energy loss (0.978 (0.468) v
      1.133 (0.539) MJ/day), of faecal fat expressed as percent of fat intake (13.4
      (5.6) v 15.1 (9.8)%), and of faecal energy expressed as percent of energy intake
      (9.9 (3.6) v 11.2 (5.7)%). Healthy controls had significant lower fat (3.5 (2.3)
      g/day) and energy 0.576 (0.355) MJ/day faecal losses. In conclusion, taurine
      failed to decrease significantly fat and energy losses. Our study does not
      support the use of taurine supplementation in the nutritional management of
      cystic fibrosis.

PMID- 1417051
TI  - The value of serum IgG titres against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the management of
      early pseudomonal infection in cystic fibrosis.
AB  - We report the results of a clinical trial. Patients enrolled had serum IgG titres
      against Pseudomonas aeruginosa above the control range. Assignment to the
      observation or treatment group was by minimisation. Significant signs or symptoms
      in any patient prompted antipseudomonal treatment. In addition, the treatment
      group received antipseudomonal treatment at intervals of four months until the
      serum IgG titre returned to the control range. P aeruginosa was isolated
      intermittently from patients in the main trial. Nineteen patients were enrolled
      (12 observation, seven treatment). After one year in the trial changes in
      parameters studied, including forced expiratory volume in one second, IgG titre,
      serum IgG concentrations, and frequency of P aeruginosa isolation had improved in
      the treated group and worsened in the observation group.

PMID- 1417052
TI  - Management of hypertensive emergencies.
AB  - Between 1975 and 1985, 454 patients with hypertension were admitted to the Renal
      Unit of the Hospital for Sick Children. A total of 110 (24%) patients presented
      with severely raised blood pressures deemed to require emergency management. At
      presentation 84/110 had symptoms and signs of long standing hypertension with
      neurological involvement. Between 1975 and 1980 bolus intravenous injections of
      diazoxide and/or hydralazine were used with the aim of reducing the blood
      pressure to within the normal range for age in the first 12-24 hours after
      admission. Of 57 patients treated in this way 13 developed hypotensive
      complications and four, whose blood pressures returned to normal within 24 hours
      of admission, suffered irreversible neurological damage. Subsequently, the
      management changed to the use of intravenous infusions of labetalol (1-3
      mg/kg/hour) and/or sodium nitroprusside (0.5-8 micrograms/kg/min) to enable a
      more gradual controlled reduction of blood pressure over the first 96 hours of
      admission. Between 1980 and 1985, 53 patients were treated using this regimen. In
      all cases blood pressure reduction was achieved in a more controlled manner
      without further neurological impairment or serious irreversible side effects.
      From our experience, the use of labetalol and sodium nitroprusside by incremental
      infusion in the critical early phase of management has resulted in improved
      control of accelerated hypertension without the sudden hypotensive episodes seen
      when bolus injections are used.

PMID- 1417053
TI  - Early thrombocytopenia in HIV infection.
AB  - Three children aged between 7 months and 2 years developed thrombocytopenia as an
      early feature of HIV infection. The prevalence of this condition, possible
      pathogenesis, and options for treatment are discussed. HIV testing should be
      considered in the investigation of a child with thrombocytopenia.

PMID- 1417054
TI  - Policies for control of communicable disease in day care centres.
AB  - A survey was carried out to identify the availability and quality of guidelines
      for the prevention and control of communicable disease and procedures in use in
      child day care centres within the South West Thames Regional Health Authority. A
      sample of 50 day care centres was investigated including those funded by social
      services and privately funded day care centres. Policies for the prevention and
      control of communicable disease for children and staff showed a wide variation
      between different centres. Exclusion criteria were unclear especially in relation
      to carriers of the hepatitis B virus and HIV positive children. Channels for
      reporting and seeking advice were inconsistent. It is recommended that clear and
      up to date written guidelines on the prevention and control of communicable
      diseases should be available in all day care centres with clear indications of
      good practice and channels for reporting and advice. It is desirable that
      guidelines are agreed by the different health and local authorities throughout
      the region.

PMID- 1417055
TI  - Endocrine deficit after fractionated total body irradiation.
AB  - Endocrine function was assessed in 31 children (17 boys) after fractionated total
      body irradiation used in the preparative regimen for bone marrow transplantation.
      Endocrine dysfunction was present in 25 children. Fifteen of 29 had growth
      hormone insufficiency 0.9-4.9 years after total body irradiation, yet only three
      of the 15 had received previous cranial irradiation. Five of 30 had thyroid
      dysfunction: two with a low thyroxine and raised thyroid stimulating hormone
      (TSH) concentration and three with a raised TSH and normal thyroxine
      concentration. Thus the incidence of thyroid dysfunction (16%) is much lower than
      that reported after single fraction total body irradiation (39-59%). In only two
      children were abnormalities of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
      demonstrated. The majority of pubertal children assessed (n = 15) showed evidence
      of gonadal damage. All the pubertal girls (n = 5) had ovarian failure, although
      there was evidence of recovery of ovarian function in one girl. All seven boys in
      late puberty showed evidence of damage to the germinal epithelium, and two of
      three in early puberty had raised follicle stimulating hormone concentrations.
      Despite the use of a fractionated total body irradiation regimen, endocrine
      morbidity is substantial and children undergoing such procedures will require
      long term endocrine review and management.

PMID- 1417056
TI  - Toxic shock-like syndrome caused by adenovirus infection.
AB  - Adenovirus infections commonly occur in childhood and produce a wide range of
      clinical disease. The most common sites of infection are the respiratory and
      gastrointestinal tracts but involvement of cardiovascular, neurological,
      cutaneous, ophthalmic, renal, and hepatic systems can also occur. A case of toxic
      shock-like syndrome with symptoms of multiorgan involvement resulting from
      adenovirus infection is reported.

PMID- 1417057
TI  - Avoiding chemotherapy related late effects in children with curable tumours.

PMID- 1417058
TI  - Inpatient psychiatry units.

PMID- 1417059
TI  - Liver transplantation.

PMID- 1417061
TI  - Desmopressin for bedwetting.

PMID- 1417060
TI  - Hearing impairment after bacterial meningitis: a review.

PMID- 1417062
TI  - Desmopressin for bedwetting.

PMID- 1417063
TI  - Comparison of BCG vaccination at birth and at third month of life.

PMID- 1417064
TI  - Immunohistochemical localization of basic fibroblast growth factor in wound
      healing sites of mouse skin.
AB  - The immunohistochemical localization of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was
      examined during wound healing in mouse skin. Frozen sections taken from the
      rounded skin defects were reacted with polyclonal anti-human recombinant bFGF IgG
      followed by incubation with FITC-conjugated IgG. The basal layer keratinocytes
      and hair bulbs at the wound edge were strongly stained with this antibody. In the
      reepithelized area, several layers of keratinocytes from the basal layer were
      positively stained regardless of the time after wounding. These findings suggest
      that germinative keratinocytes which express bFGF function as leading cells in
      the covering of the wound defect. However, dermal granulation tissue, including
      capillary endothelial cells, fibroblasts and macrophages unexpectedly did not
      demonstrate any immunoreactivity throughout the process of wound healing.
      Simultaneous histochemical investigation using cultivated mouse keratinocytes and
      bovine aortic endothelial cells showed primarily cytoplasmic fluorescence. The
      discrepancy in the staining patterns of endothelial cells in vivo and in vitro
      suggests that immunoreactive bFGF is either not expressed in vivo, or is
      processed or masked.

PMID- 1417065
TI  - Congenital ichthyosis with hypogonadism and growth retardation--a new syndrome
      with peculiar ultrastructural features.
AB  - A male patient presented with a congenital ichthyosis clinically characterized by
      generalized erythroderma, fine scaling on the trunk and palmoplantar
      hyperkeratoses with severely affected nails. The acanthotic epidermis was
      characterized by hyperproliferation with a large quantity of mitoses and
      extremely suppressed keratinization without a normal granular layer. The horny
      layer was parakeratotic and contained remnants of cell debris and lipid droplets.
      Ultrastructurally the prickle cell layer was characterized by binuclear cells,
      oedematization of the keratinocytes and isolated dyskeratotic cells. Some
      suprabasal cells showed unusual morphological features, containing nuclei with
      cytoplasmic pseudoinclusions, sometimes leading to a complete disintegration of
      the nuclear structure, and bowl- and lens-shaped accumulations of a filamentous
      material. Instead of normal tonofibrils, the aggregated material consisted of
      fine interlacing filaments. The latter are compared with the filamentous shells
      in ichthyosis hystrix Curth-Macklin and congenital reticular ichthyosiform
      erythroderma. The clinical symptomatology--congenital ichthyosis, growth
      retardation, secondary hypogonadism, hepatomegaly--and the ultrastructural
      characteristics of the keratinization disorder indicate that the present case
      cannot be considered as a subtype of the recessively inherited ichthyosis
      congenita group, but suggest a new syndrome as a separate nosologic entity.

PMID- 1417066
TI  - Human cutaneous leishmaniasis: in-vitro parasite--mononuclear cell interactions
      in immune and naive individuals.
AB  - The aim of this study was to compare the ability of Leishmania parasites to
      survive in mononuclear cells from immune individuals with their ability to
      survive in cells from naive individuals. For this purpose we established an in
      vitro system based on the co-culture in suspension of human peripheral blood
      leukocytes derived from immune and naive subjects and L. major promastigotes. The
      proportion of monocytes containing intracellular parasites and the number of
      amastigotes per 100 infected monocytes (parasite burden) were determined 24 and
      72 h after in-vitro infection. The proportion of infected cells from naive
      individuals did not change, and the number of amastigotes either did not change
      or increased by 1.2 to 1.7-fold between 24 and 72 h incubation. In contrast, in
      the immune subjects, the proportion of infected monocytes 24 h after infection
      was lower than in the naive individuals, and a 30-90% decrease in both the
      proportion of infected monocytes and the parasite burden was observed after 72 h
      incubation. Based on these results, three characteristics of leishmanicidal
      activity of mononuclear cells from immune individuals were determined: (a) the
      proportion of infected monocytes 24 h after infection was lower than 22%; (b)
      there was a decrease of more than 30% in the proportion of infected monocytes
      between 24 and 72 h after infection; and (c) there was a significant decrease in
      the number of amastigotes between 24 and 72 h after infection. The results of
      this study demonstrate an enhanced leishmanicidal activity of mononuclear cells
      from immune individuals.

PMID- 1417067
TI  - Cutaneous drug reactions. An attempt to quantitative estimation.
AB  - The drugs taken by patients with suspected cutaneous drug reactions (CDR) were
      recorded during a 4-year period at Sahlgren Hospital in Gotenburg in a
      prospective study. A total of 440 patients were included. By dividing the
      frequency of occurrence of the recorded drugs by the number of sold defined daily
      doses (SDDD) for the city during the same period of time, figures for the CDR
      risk for different drugs corrected for frequency of use were obtained. The risk
      of CDR seemed to be highest for gold compounds, trimethoprim with and without
      sulphonamides, cephalosporins and penicillins. The most common types of CDR were
      macular and mucalopapular eruptions, followed by urticaria and cutaneous
      vasculitis. The results correlate well with those of the Boston Collaborative
      Drug Surveillance Program.

PMID- 1417068
TI  - Influence of fish oil supplementation on the minimal erythema dose in humans.
AB  - A previous study using the hairless mouse model demonstrated that diets
      containing a fish-oil lipid source, which contained high levels of omega-3 fatty
      acids, markedly increased the minimum erythema dose (MED) when compared with
      diets containing other polyunsaturated fatty acids. To determine whether fish oil
      supplementation could produce a similar effect in humans, 20 subjects were
      randomized into two groups, a placebo group and a group receiving fish-oil
      supplements over a 4-week period. Results showed a small, but statistically
      significant, increase in MED in patients whose diet was supplemented with fish
      oil. Cholesterol and prostaglandin E2 levels were unchanged, while triglyceride
      levels were significantly decreased in the fish oil group. No significant changes
      in any of these parameters occurred in the placebo group.

PMID- 1417071
TI  - Measurement of S phase duration in human epidermis using cyclin immunostaining
      and 3H-thymidine pulse labelling.
AB  - Cyclin/PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) is a nuclear protein strongly
      associated with DNA replication sites. Under methanol fixation, cyclin
      immunostaining might serve as a specific marker for S-phase cells. Associated
      with single labelling with 3H-thymidine, this immunodetection represents an easy
      method for measuring S-phase duration. Its application to six samples of normal
      human epidermis allowed us to measure an S phase of 9.7 +/- 0.3 h, a result in
      fair agreement with a previous estimate of 10.2 h obtained from a classical
      double-labelling technique with two different concentrations of 3H-thymidine.

PMID- 1417069
TI  - Etretinate or cyclosporin-A treatment normalizes the enhanced respiratory burst
      of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in psoriasis.
AB  - During a therapeutic trial to treat psoriasis with either etretinate or
      cyclosporin A (CyA) we measured the respiratory burst activity of
      polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). Six patients received 0.5-0.75 mg/kg
      etretinate and 14 patients 2.5-5.0 mg/kg CyA over a period of 10 weeks. The
      extent of psoriasis was graded by the psoriasis area-and-severity index (PASI
      score). The respiratory burst of PMN isolated from the peripheral blood was
      measured employing luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence at weeks 0, 3 and 10 and
      compared with that of 26 healthy control individuals. PMN were stimulated with
      zymosan particles, aggregated immunoglobulin (aggIg) and concanavalin A (ConA).
      Both treatment regimens improved psoriasis; at 10 weeks there was an approximate
      40% PASI score reduction under etretinate and an 80% improvement under CyA.
      Before treatment the respiratory burst was abnormally high under stimulation with
      the three stimuli in patients (p = 0.021 to less than 0.0001). After 3 to 10
      weeks PMN activity normalized in all patients and even tended to drop below
      values correlating with an improvement in skin lesions. We conclude that the
      elevated respiratory burst of PMN in psoriasis normalizes under treatment with
      both etretinate and CyA.

PMID- 1417070
TI  - Induction and repair of UVB-induced cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and (6-4)
      photoproducts in organ-cultured normal human skin.
AB  - To examine the induction and repair of UV-induced DNA damage, indirect
      immunofluorescence was performed on UVB-irradiated organ-cultured normal human
      skin using monoclonal antibodies specific for either cyclobutane pyrimidine
      dimers or (6-4) photoproducts. Nuclear immunofluorescence of cyclobutane
      pyrimidine dimers and (6-4) photoproducts were observed in a dose-dependent
      manner after UVB irradiation. The intensity of nuclear immunofluorescence of the
      upper epidermal layers was stronger and clearer than that of the lower epidermal
      layers. DNA repair time-course studies showed that both types of DNA damage could
      be repaired within 24 h after UVB irradiation.

PMID- 1417072
TI  - Ultrastructural localization of actin in normal human skin.
AB  - Normal human skin was embedded in Lowicryl K4M. Actin microfilaments were
      localized by applying a postembedding immunogold technique using the monoclonal
      anti-actin antibody HHF35. Actin microfilaments are part of the cytoskeleton in
      muscle and nonmuscle cells. Together with myosin they produce contraction. The
      antibody labelled myofilaments in smooth muscle arrector pili cells,
      myoepithelial cells and pericytes. In sweat gland cells the microvilli system, a
      zone beneath the cytoplasma membrane corresponding to the adhesion belt region,
      and apocrine decapitation formations showed labelling.

PMID- 1417073
TI  - Identification of a cell layer containing alpha-smooth muscle actin in the
      connective tissue sheath of human anagen hair.
AB  - Immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopy studies revealed the presence
      of alpha-smooth muscle (alpha-SM) actin in fibroblasts located in the connective
      tissue sheath (CTS) of human anagen hair follicles. Immunostaining was positive
      from the base of the bulb to the upper part of the lower portion of the mature
      anagen hair follicles. The late catagen hair follicles did not stain.
      Ultrastructurally, alpha-SM actin was detected only in the fibroblasts located in
      the innermost layer of the transverse collagenous fibres. Since alpha-SM actin is
      located in cells with contractile potential, this newly identified layer may play
      an important role in the morphological changes of the lower portion of the hair
      follicle during the hair growth cycle.

PMID- 1417074
TI  - "Networking" and psychiatric nursing.

PMID- 1417075
TI  - A practicum in private practice for graduate students in psychiatric nursing.
AB  - Clinical placements in psychotherapy for graduate students in psychiatric nursing
      are getting difficult to find because of bureaucracy, liability issues,
      competition, and safety and convenience concerns in urban areas. One solution is
      to design a placement in private practice.

PMID- 1417076
TI  - Borderline omnipotence in pathological gambling.
AB  - Borderline omnipotence in pathological gambling is examined, including
      psychodynamics of omnipotence, a theory of the client's use of omnipotence in
      pathological gambling, and the effects of omnipotence on the treatment and
      recovery of the pathological gambler. Assessment, staff education, and the need
      for individualized treatment for the pathological gambler are discussed.

PMID- 1417077
TI  - Gender issues and borderline personality disorder: why do females dominate the
      diagnosis?
AB  - There are significantly more females with the diagnosis of borderline personality
      disorder than males. This article explores the developmental factors that place
      females at a greater risk to develop the disorder. Societal expectations that
      increase the emerging of borderline symptoms are also discussed. Gender
      differences of "normal" behavior that effect the assigning of the diagnosis are
      explained. The theory that borderline personality disorder has become the "virus"
      of psychiatry is presented.

PMID- 1417078
TI  - Masochism: implications for psychiatric nursing.
AB  - Psychiatric nurses often encounter patients who seem to be victims of negative
      circumstances and are unable to reverse these situations. This article explores
      the phenomenon of masochism as an outcome of the fear of separation or
      abandonment. A unified theory is presented, and a case is used to demonstrate the
      theory.

PMID- 1417079
TI  - Pathological infatuation or the Blue Angel syndrome.
AB  - The term masochism has undergone an evaluation since first being introduced
      solely in relation to sexual perversion by Kraft Ebing in 1906. Masochism can be
      defined as any behavior that is repetitively self destructive. Relationships in
      which partners sacrifice themselves and their own best interests can be
      considered masochistic. There is a difference between a normal pattern of falling
      in love and a masochistic pattern. The concept of pathological infatuation or
      what this author has termed the Blue Angel syndrome is presented. A case history
      with clinical examples is examined to further illustrate these concepts.

PMID- 1417080
TI  - Subspecialization within psychiatric consultation-liaison nursing.
AB  - Specialization within health care is evolving in response to the proliferation of
      knowledge about disease treatment and health management. The practice of
      psychiatric consultation-liaison nursing in the acute care hospital is
      diversifying through subspecialization as a result of this trend. This article
      examines the concept of subspecialization within psychiatric consultation-liaison
      nursing practice. Subspecialization is presented as a safeguard for professional
      viability and as a hallmark of quality consumer care. Specialization has
      advantages and potential disadvantages for nursing practice. Strategies are
      described that maximize the benefits and minimize the disadvantages of
      subspecialization.

PMID- 1417081
TI  - Psychic loss in adult survivors of father-daughter incest.
AB  - Studies show that adult survivors of childhood incest comprise a significant
      percentage of female psychiatric patients. The varied and multidetermined
      presenting symptomatology of these patients frequently leads to misdiagnosis and
      treatment interventions that fail to address core issues of the incest
      experience. One such issue is the child's experience of the psychic loss of a
      physically present parent that is part of the emotional trauma of incest. The
      goal of this paper is to discuss psychic loss as a core element of the incest
      experience, particularly in father-daughter incest, and to describe the
      conditions of childhood mourning that inhibit successful resolution of this loss.
      Attention is addressed to the psychoanalytic understanding of mourning as a basis
      for interventions in the treatment of adult survivors.

PMID- 1417082
TI  - Female sexual abuse survivors as patients: avoiding retraumatization.
AB  - The literature on adult female psychiatric patients who are survivors of
      childhood sexual abuse is reviewed. This literature shows both high rates of such
      abuse and a characteristic pattern of symptoms that distinguishes these survivors
      from other patients. A theoretical framework is discussed which explains how
      psychiatric symptoms may develop after childhood sexual abuse and how diagnosis
      and treatment may serve to maintain or intensify such symptoms. Viewing patients
      from a posttraumatic treatment perspective is advocated as a strategy for nursing
      to effectively help these patients with the healing process.

PMID- 1417083
TI  - Re: Review of Agnes Hatfield's Family education in mental illness, Archives of
      Psychiatric Nursing, February 1992.

PMID- 1417084
TI  - Clinical significance of mucin production in post-irradiated cervical carcinoma.
AB  - Histological sections from 50 patients with clinical stage Ib to stage IIb
      squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, initially treated by radiotherapy and
      followed by Wertheim hysterectomy, were reviewed and stained for mucin. The
      tissues from 17 (34%) of the patients contained no residual carcinoma. Mucin
      production was demonstrated in tumour tissue from 18 (55%) of the patients with
      residual tumour, none of who died of disease during the 5 to 10 years of follow
      up. Two patients who died of recurrent carcinoma had no mucin production in the
      post-irradiated tumour tissues. The presence of mucin in irradiated carcinoma of
      cervix seems to infer a better prognosis and this may prove useful in the follow
      up of irradiated carcinomas.

PMID- 1417085
TI  - Pregnancy with an intrauterine device in situ and preterm delivery.
AB  - We determined the prevalence of preterm delivery in a population of women who
      conceived with an IUD in situ and compared the results with those in a group of
      women without any contraceptive method. The study group consisted of 16 women who
      conceived with a copper IUD in situ. The control group comprised 48 women matched
      for age, gravidity and parity. The prevalence of preterm delivery was
      significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (18.7% (3/16)
      vs 2% (1/48)), respectively. (P = 0.045, Fisher's exact test.)

PMID- 1417086
TI  - Condition at birth of infants with previously absent or reverse umbilical artery
      end-diastolic flow velocities.
AB  - In a case control study we assessed 47 fetuses with absent or reverse end
      diastolic flow velocities (AREDFV) of the umbilical artery with respect to the
      mode of delivery, fetal acidosis, and abnormal neurological evaluations at the
      time of discharge from the department of pediatrics. We also studied a control
      group which was matched for gestational age and had normal umbilical artery flow
      velocity waveforms. Fetuses with AREDFV were delivered almost exclusively by
      cesarean section which was usually done for fetal distress. The number of fetuses
      with abnormal neurological signs was significantly increased compared to the
      control group. Fetuses with AREDFV showed an increased incidence of fetal
      acidosis. Forty per cent of these fetuses were delivered within one day of the
      first abnormal flow measurement; Sixty per cent were observed clinically for up
      to four weeks before delivery.

PMID- 1417087
TI  - Reproductive performance after local and systemic prostaglandin for ectopic
      pregnancy.
AB  - The injection of different substances into early, unruptured tubal pregnancies is
      increasingly advocated. In this study, fertility was evaluated after treatment of
      tubal pregnancy by means of prostaglandins. The overall tubal patency rate was
      86.4% and 14 of 20 patients (70%) could subsequently achieve pregnancy.

PMID- 1417088
TI  - Influence on erythropoietin levels of treatment with cisplatinum-endoxan.
AB  - Erythropoietin levels have been determined in 24 patients with different
      gynecologic malignancies, who were treated with cisplatinum and endoxan. A
      statistically highly significant decrease was demonstrated 2 h after starting
      treatment with a further significant decrease at 6 h. After 12 h the
      erythropoietin concentrations returned to values similar to those before
      treatment started.

PMID- 1417089
TI  - Culdocentesis is an obsolete diagnostic tool in suspected ectopic pregnancy.
AB  - We studied 332 patients with proven pregnancies. Prediction of hemoperitoneum by
      assessment of the Douglas pouch during bimanual examination had a false negative
      rate of 42.1%. The false negative rate for culdocentesis was 14.8%. It is
      therefore concluded that culdocentesis is not a useful tool in the diagnosis of
      suspected ectopic pregnancies.

PMID- 1417090
TI  - Congenital chylothorax in a trisomy 21 newborn.
AB  - We here report a case of trisomy 21 with congenital chylothorax. The patient was
      a male newborn who had been diagnosed as having trisomy 21 with congenital
      chylothorax. This is the fifth case of the both conditions in English literature.
      Congenital chylothorax is very rare in a trisomy 21 patient. There, however, may
      be causal relationship between the two conditions.

PMID- 1417091
TI  - [Substitution of inferior vena cava for Gore-Tex ring prosthesis: experimental
      study].
AB  - We conducted an experiment in 10 mini-pigs, using the Goretex prosthesis to
      replace the inferior vena cava. Venous flow was increased by a distal arterio
      venous fistula to reduce the risk of thrombosis. The survival rate at 3 months
      was 60%. The foregoing results indicate that this replacement procedure should be
      considered in inferior vena caval replacement which, although rarely, might be
      warranted in the clinical course of renal adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 1417092
TI  - [Surgical adrenal gland pathology. Urologist's pathology].
AB  - We reviewed 6 cases of unilateral adrenal tumor that had been treated during a 5
      year period. The Turner-Warwick modified lateral approach was performed in all 6
      cases. In our view, surgical treatment of unilateral adrenal tumors should be
      performed by the urologist. The high lumbar approach appears to be the most
      appropriate for unilateral adrenal tumor masses not larger than 6 cm. The
      surgical anatomy of the adrenal gland is briefly described.

PMID- 1417093
TI  - [Calcifications in renal adenocarcinoma. Image assessment in 17 cases].
AB  - Of 60 renal adenocarcinoma tumors that had been diagnosed at our hospital between
      1984 and 1990, 17 had presented intratumoral calcification. These 17 tumors with
      calcification were studied to assess the sensitivity of different techniques
      relative to detection, localization and morphologic characterization of the
      calcifications. We can conclude from the study that the use of CT and US not only
      raised detection rate (28%), but also permitted more precise evaluation of the
      calcified tumor mass. Furthermore, tumor spread beyond the calcified area was
      found to be a sign of malignancy.

PMID- 1417094
TI  - [Usefulness of catheter pyelography in ileal diversions and continent bladder
      replacement after radical cystectomy].
AB  - Transcatheter ascending pyelography is commonly performed in the post-operative
      evaluation of patients submitted to ileal diversion or continent bladder
      replacement after radical cystectomy. The present study investigated the
      usefulness of this procedure in the control of these patients. Of 51 patients
      that underwent cutaneous ileal diversion, the IVP revealed a leak of the contrast
      medium in only one case (1.9%). Of the 18 patients that received a continent
      neobladder, radiologic signs of changes were detected in 6 cases (33.3%). The
      complications of the IVP in our patients were fever in 26 patients (37.7%) and
      septicemia in one patient (1.45%). Considering the information obtained and the
      rate of morbility, we believe that ascending pyelography through catheters is not
      justified in the routine post-operative control of patients who have undergone
      radical cystectomy and ileal diversion. However, it appears to be a useful
      procedure in those cases that have undergone bladder replacement and/or continent
      diversion procedures.

PMID- 1417095
TI  - [Behavior of the contralateral ureter following surgery for unilateral antireflux
      surgery].
AB  - We present our experience of 44 cases with unilateral vesicorenal reflux that had
      been treated by ureteroneocystostomy using the Cohen technique. The reflux
      disappeared in 32 cases, it appeared in the contralateral ureter in 7 patients,
      it was ipsilateral in 2 and bilateral in 3. Of the 10 cases with contralateral
      reflux, 2 required surgery, while 8 were amenable to medical treatment. In our
      series, contralateral reflux appeared at random. Since the spontaneous cure rate
      was 80%, we believe that bilateral antireflux surgery for unilateral reflux is
      unwarranted. Urodynamic studies can be important in the indication for
      conservative treatment.

PMID- 1417097
TI  - [Integral urologic echography: retrograde sonourethrography].
AB  - Herein we describe a new technique for urethral exploration which replaces
      conventional radiological urethrography to a large extent. Retrograde
      sonourethrography is capable of providing data different from those of radiology,
      eliminates most of the inconveniences of the radiologic techniques and provides
      images of the entire trajectory of the urethra. Because this procedure can be
      repeated as often as necessary, it is the diagnostic procedure of choice in
      urethral stricture, a persistent and recurrent pathological condition. The
      results of a study conducted in 30 patients with different urethral pathologies
      are presented.

PMID- 1417096
TI  - [High flow priapism].
AB  - Four cases with high flow priapism are described herein. Patient evaluation
      included intracavernal blood-gasmetry, echo Doppler, selective arteriography of
      the pudendal artery. Three patients had a previous history of trauma and one
      patient was on psychotropics. The alpha-agonist drugs and the different shunt
      techniques did not achieve detumescence. Two embolization procedures of the
      internal pudendal artery were performed with good long-term results. The other
      two cases achieved spontaneous detumescence. No complications or secondary
      erectile dysfunction were observed.

PMID- 1417099
TI  - [Spontaneous extravasation of urine secondary to bladder carcinoma. Non-invasive
      therapy].
AB  - A case of spontaneous urinary extravasation secondary to bladder carcinoma is
      described. The patient received systemic polychemotherapy which reduced tumor
      size and resolved renal ectasia and urinary extravasation. Spontaneous urinary
      extravasation secondary to bladder carcinoma is rare. For this reason we
      considered it of interest to report this case.

PMID- 1417098
TI  - [Endoscopic resection of tumor of the renal pelvis].
AB  - We report on a patient who was submitted to percutaneous resection of a solitary,
      low grade urothelial transitional cell tumor of the renal pelvis. A review of the
      literature shoned endourologic treatment to be a valid in carefully selected
      cases. The measures to minimize the risk of tumor spread and the good results
      obtained are discussed. However, a longer follow up and larger series are
      necessary in order to draw definitive conclusions.

PMID- 1417100
TI  - [Fistula between ileal conduit and small intestine after cutaneous
      ureteroileostomy].
AB  - We report on a case of ileal conduit-enteric fistula which appeared early after
      ureteroileostomy using the Bricker technique. The appearance of gastrointestinal
      content through the stoma was the only sign. An ileogram permitted making the
      diagnosis. Conservative treatment was instituted and the fistula resolved
      spontaneously. The different diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of this uncommon
      complication after ureteroileostomy are discussed.

PMID- 1417101
TI  - [Urachal leiomyoma].
AB  - A case of leiomyoma of the urachus is reported herein. A review of the literature
      revealed only 6 cases have been reported. Its incidence is suspected to be
      higher, but this tumor type is only detected when it is large enough or when
      complications arise such as bleeding, infection, etc. There is no other data of
      interest except for its rarity.

PMID- 1417102
TI  - [Renal transplant and cutaneous ureteroileostomy. Report of 2 cases].
AB  - Congenital or acquired pathology of the lower urinary tract currently does not
      preclude renal transplantation in patients with end-stage nephropathy. We report
      two cases of renal transplantation with ureteroileal cutaneous diversion in
      patients with a nonfunctional lower urinary tract due to bladder fibrosis
      secondary to urinary tuberculosis. We discuss the possibilities of the urodynamic
      study in the preoperative evaluation of patients with similar conditions.

PMID- 1417103
TI  - [Multiple organ metastasis following nephrectomy for renal carcinoma].
AB  - We report a case of TNM stage II renal carcinoma with metastasis to lungs,
      contralateral adrenal gland and skin within 5 years following nephrectomy. The
      patient underwent lobectomy, adrenalectomy and cutaneous excision biopsy. The
      clinical course and management of metastases are discussed.

PMID- 1417104
TI  - [The sign of the prominent papilla].

PMID- 1417105
TI  - Recovery from pulmonary hypertension in an adolescent with mixed connective
      tissue disease.
AB  - This paper describes the case of an 11 year old girl who presented with mixed
      connective tissue disease which was complicated by the development of pulmonary
      hypertension. This case is unique with respect to the young age of onset, the
      serial non-invasive method used to follow the disease process, and the favourable
      response to treatment with vasodilator and anti-inflammatory drugs.

PMID- 1417106
TI  - Palmar rheumatoid nodulosis associated with local pressure.
AB  - Rheumatoid nodulosis is a term used to describe adult patients with rheumatoid
      arthritis with little or no clinical joint inflammation who have numerous
      subcutaneous nodules indistinguishable from those of patients with active
      rheumatoid arthritis. This paper reports the case of a woman with quiescent
      rheumatoid arthritis who developed palmar nodulosis three weeks after the
      strenuous activity of painting her apartment. This case illustrates the direct
      association between the appearance of nodulosis and physical pressure despite
      inactive disease.

PMID- 1417107
TI  - Long term treatment of chronic Lyme arthritis with benzathine penicillin.
AB  - The cases are reported of two patients with chronic Lyme arthritis resistant to
      the recommended antibiotic regimens who were cured by long term treatment with
      benzathine penicillin. It is suggested that the sustained therapeutic levels of
      penicillin were effective either by the inhibition of germ replication or by
      lysis of the spirochaetes when they were leaving their sanctuaries.

PMID- 1417108
TI  - Ulcerative colitis complicating seronegative HLA-A2-B27 rheumatoid arthritis with
      sacroiliitis.
AB  - The case is reported of a 50 year old man with longstanding seronegative
      rheumatoid arthritis who developed ulcerative colitis. The patient also had
      sacroiliitis and his tissue was typed as HLA-A2-B27 several years before the
      bowel disease began. A possible overlap between primary inflammatory bowel
      disease, complications to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with drugs, and
      gastrointestinal rheumatoid vasculitis is discussed.

PMID- 1417109
TI  - From The Netherlands.

PMID- 1417110
TI  - Pseudohaemarthrosis: a new manifestation of Osler-Rendu-Weber disease.

PMID- 1417111
TI  - Lupus anticoagulant activity and anticardiolipin antibody titre in patients with
      systemic lupus erythematosus.

PMID- 1417112
TI  - Failure of cold pressor testing to induce changes in plasma renin activity or
      renal duplex sonography in patients with systemic sclerosis.

PMID- 1417113
TI  - Inactive alpha 1 antitrypsin in rheumatoid synovial fluid: oxidation,
      proteolysis, or complex formation?

PMID- 1417114
TI  - HLA-D region genes and rheumatoid arthritis.

PMID- 1417115
TI  - HLA-B27 subtypes: implications for the spondyloarthropathies.

PMID- 1417116
TI  - A 12 year follow up study in the general population on prognostic factors of
      cartilage loss in osteoarthritis of the knee.
AB  - The natural history and prognostic factors of cartilage loss in osteoarthritis of
      the knee were studied in subjects from a general population survey on rheumatic
      diseases in 1975-8. Baseline data were collected by questionnaire, physical
      examination, and weightbearing anteroposterior knee radiographs. Follow up of the
      subjects aged 46-68 years with radiological osteoarthritis grade 2-4 (Kellgren)
      took place in 1988-9. Cartilage loss was assessed by two observers who scored the
      change in joint space width between two radiographs. Thirty four per cent had
      cartilage loss. Prognostic factors and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence
      intervals) were: body mass index OR = 11.1 (3.3 to 37.3) fourth v first quartile;
      body weight OR = 7.9 (2.6 to 24.0) third v first tertile; age OR = 3.8 (1.1 to
      13.4) > 60 v < or = 49 years; Heberden's nodes OR = 6.0 (1.5 to 23.1); clinical
      diagnosis of generalised osteoarthritis OR = 3.3 (1.3 to 8.3); and previous bow
      legs or knock knees OR = 5.1 (1.1 to 23.1). The relation of age with cartilage
      loss was also confounded by the presence of Heberden's nodes or a diagnosis of
      generalised osteoarthritis. There was no statistically significant relation for
      gender, meniscectomy, injury, uric acid concentration, chondrocalcinosis,
      smoking, and occupation related factors, except possibly standing.

PMID- 1417117
TI  - Scintigraphic assessment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint.
AB  - Clinical, radiographic, and scintigraphic abnormalities of the knee joint have
      been correlated in a cross sectional study of 100 patients with osteoarthritis.
      The group comprised 73 women and 27 men with a mean age of 65.7 years. One
      hundred and ninety one of the 200 knees had clinical (175) or radiographic (185)
      evidence of osteoarthritis, or both (161). Scintigraphic images of the knees were
      obtained 4-5 minutes (early phase) and 2.5-3.5 hours (late phase) after
      intravenous injection of 600 mBq of technetium-99m diphosphonate. Abnormal images
      were recorded in 162 knees (81%), and six different patterns were detected.
      Generalised isotope retention around the knee (early or late phase) was less
      common than focal areas of uptake around the joint margin (early or late phase)
      or in the patella or subchondral bone (late phase). Some knees with abnormal
      scans were normal on radiography (n = 7), or vice versa (n = 21). Different scan
      patterns correlated with different clinical and radiographic features: the
      generalised pattern correlated with pain (odds ratio (OR) = 45.1) and osteophytes
      (OR = 48.3); joint line retention correlated with subchondral bone sclerosis on
      radiography (OR = 62.1); and subchondral bone retention correlated with more
      severe radiographic changes. It is concluded that different patterns of
      scintigraphic abnormality reflect various aspects of the disease process of
      osteoarthritis.

PMID- 1417118
TI  - Effect of disease severity on rheumatoid arthritis concordance in same sexed
      siblings.
AB  - To assess the factors in a proband with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that might
      predict the occurrence of the disease in siblings, 240 same sexed sibships (190
      female, 50 male) in which the proband had classical or definite RA were
      clinically and immunologically documented. Sibship concordance rates were
      consistently higher for features of severe disease in the proband, reaching
      statistical significance for a clinical score of disease severity (the SS index).
      This trend for increasing disease severity to be associated with increasing
      sibship concordance rates could not be accounted for by age or disease duration
      of the proband. These results suggest that siblings of probands with severe RA
      are at greater risk of developing RA than those of probands with mild disease.

PMID- 1417119
TI  - Ankylosing spondylitis and monoclonal gammopathies.
AB  - From 1960 to 1990, 557 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (428 men, 129 women)
      were diagnosed and indexed in the department of rheumatology. Monoclonal
      gammopathies were found in seven (five men, two women) patients (1.3%). With one
      exception, ankylosing spondylitis preceded monoclonal gammopathies by many years.
      The distribution of the isotypes of the mIg found in these seven patients was
      striking when compared either with previous reports of an association between
      ankylosing spondylitis and monoclonal gammopathies or with local data on the
      epidemiology of monoclonal gammopathies: five patients with IgG, four of them of
      the lambda (lambda) type, and two IgM, both of the kappa (kappa) type were found;
      no patients with mIgA were recorded. Two patients were HLA-B27 positive and had
      slight and transient monoclonal gammopathies, whereas three subjects were HLA-B27
      negative and had important spikes, corresponding in two subjects to malignant
      diseases. This observation raises the question of whether the coexistence of HLA
      B27 and ankylosing spondylitis might provide a protective action. Epidemiological
      studies are required to clarify such points.

PMID- 1417120
TI  - Cellular immunity to cartilage proteoglycans: relevance to the pathogenesis of
      ankylosing spondylitis.
AB  - Cellular immunity to cartilage proteoglycans may be responsible for sustaining
      chronic inflammation in ankylosing spondylitis. This hypothesis was examined by
      measuring peripheral blood and synovial fluid mononuclear cell proliferation in
      five preparations of human cartilage proteoglycan monomer in vitro. Peripheral
      blood mononuclear cells from 25 patients and synovial fluid mononuclear cells
      from five patients were compared with those from normal and disease control
      subjects matched for age. No significant differences were found between the three
      groups. This suggests that autoimmune responses to cartilage proteoglycans are
      unlikely to play a significant part in the pathogenesis of ankylosing
      spondylitis.

PMID- 1417121
TI  - Plasminogen activators in synovial fluid and plasma from patients with arthritis.
AB  - The activity of plasminogen activators and inhibitors in the synovial fluid and
      plasma of patients with various forms of chronic arthritis was characterised.
      Tissue-type plasminogen activator antigen (t-PA:Ag), urokinase-type plasminogen
      activator antigen (u-PA:Ag), the proenzyme single chain u-PA (scu-PA), and
      plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) were measured in the synovial fluid and
      plasma of 22 patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 13 with
      seronegative RA, and 23 patients with various forms of arthritis. In all patient
      groups the levels of t-PA:Ag in synovial fluid were lower and the levels of u
      PA:Ag and PAI higher than plasma levels. Synovial fluid u-PA was more activated
      than plasma u-PA. Comparison of the patient groups showed that the largest
      differences between fibrinolytic parameters in synovial fluid and plasma were
      present in patients with seropositive RA followed by patients with seronegative
      RA and patients with various forms of arthritis. This order paralleled the
      functional and radiological scores of joint destruction in the patient groups
      studied. The results of this study indicate that suppression of t-PA production
      and enhancement of u-PA synthesis and activation in arthritic joints are
      associated with the clinical severity of arthritis.

PMID- 1417122
TI  - Action of sodium aurothiomalate on erythrocyte membrane.
AB  - The number of sulphydryl groups on the erythrocyte membrane has been assessed as
      a function of nutritional status for two groups of patients, one receiving non
      steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and the other receiving sodium
      aurothiomalate (Myocrisin). The patients receiving NSAIDs had a significantly
      higher number of sulphydryl groups in both the glucose depleted and glucose
      activated states than the patients receiving sodium aurothiomalate. The study
      focuses on the hexose transport protein where there is a specific binding site
      for gold using the two sulphydryl residues on helices 11 and 12 of the protein.
      The data suggest that the strong binding of gold to the erythrocyte membrane
      occurs via thiol pairs rather than by isolated sulphydryl groups and that there
      are possibly two further binding sites for gold on the membrane, the identities
      of which are still unclear.

PMID- 1417123
TI  - Night pain in arthritis: patients at risk from prescribed night sedation.
AB  - To assess the problem of night pain and the use of hypnotic drugs in patients
      with rheumatic diseases 165 consecutive patients (mean age 58.5 years) were
      assessed and questioned about night pain and the use of drugs including night
      sedation. Most of the patients (106 (64%)) were women. A total of 32 (19%)
      patients were receiving night sedation for a mean duration of 43.9 months.
      Fourteen patients (13 women) were using these drugs to treat insomnia related to
      pain. The mean visual analogue pain score for night pain showed a significant
      difference between those receiving night sedation (5.2) and those who were not
      (3.7). Of the 70 patients who answered the Stanford Health Assessment
      Questionnaire (HAQ), those receiving night sedation also had a significantly
      higher mean score (1.91) than those who were not (1.2), suggesting that patients
      receiving night sedation were more clinically disabled. Codeine was used by more
      (34%) patients receiving night sedation than those who were not (18%) suggesting
      that those receiving night sedation had more pain. These results highlight the
      need for better pain management in patients with rheumatic diseases to minimise
      the risk of prescribing addictive drugs such as hypnotic drugs and codeine.

PMID- 1417124
TI  - Repetitive strain disorder: towards diagnostic criteria.
AB  - Thirteen women (mean age 48.2 years; range 25-60 years) all of whom had developed
      musculoskeletal symptoms during employment in an industrial job with repetitive
      tasks were referred by their trade unions for adjudication on the cause of
      symptoms. One had rheumatoid arthritis. A study of the other 12 women provided an
      opportunity to document the natural history of repetitive strain disorder. Early
      symptoms of weakness were diffuse but were always relieved by rest. Several
      months later localisation of symptoms at a tendon, nerve, or enthesis could be
      predicted from the analysis of the action required in the particular repetitive
      task. Six of the 12 women required an operation several years later, thus
      providing histological confirmation of the presence of a lesion. Early loss of
      grip strength measured by a sphygmomanometer cuff compared with an unaffected
      control subject and improved by rest may be the most valuable sign in excluding
      compensation neurosis. The estimated prevalence of repetitive strain disorder
      defined by these strict criteria was at least 2% in conveyor belt workers.

PMID- 1417125
TI  - Detection of cytokine activated chondrocytes in arthritic joints from pigs
      infected with Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae.
AB  - Chronic polyarthritis was induced in pigs by injection of Erysipelothrix
      rhusiopathiae and the in vivo activation of chondrocytes by cytokines was then
      investigated in the affected joints by immunocytochemistry. A polyclonal
      antiserum which recognises surface markers on in vitro interleukin 1 activated
      porcine chondrocytes was used to detect activated chondrocytes in all zones of
      the cartilage from diseased joints. In contrast, cartilage removed from an
      unaffected joint in the same animal showed no chondrocyte activation.
      Inflammatory synovial tissue removed from diseased joints and cocultured with
      cartilage from the unaffected joint induced activation of adjacent chondrocytes.
      The presence of interleukin 1 in the inflammatory cells of the synovium was
      confirmed and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigens were
      detected as a marker of synovial activation. Chondrocytes were found not to
      express class II antigens in cartilage from either the diseased or the unaffected
      joint. These observations show that the porcine erysipelas model of arthritis
      will be useful in facilitating a novel approach to monitoring the behaviour of
      individual chondrocytes under pathophysiological conditions.

PMID- 1417126
TI  - Dependence of proteoglycan induced arthritis in BALB/c mice on the development of
      autoantibodies to high density proteoglycans.
AB  - BALB/c mice were immunised with high or low density native human cartilage
      proteoglycans, or the respective core proteins obtained from chondroitin ABC
      lyase digestion. Mice injected with high density native proteoglycans developed
      arthritis whereas mice injected with low density proteoglycans or with core
      proteins did not. Analysis of the immune response by enzyme linked immunosorbent
      assay (ELISA) and western blot showed a stronger and more polyspecific response
      in animals injected with low density proteoglycans compared with mice with
      arthritis which had been injected with high density proteoglycans. Autoantibodies
      to mouse high density proteoglycans were only present in mice injected with
      native human high density proteoglycans, however. The data suggest that an
      arthritogenic epitope lies within the glycosaminoglycan rich region of the native
      proteoglycan molecule, which may induce an autoantibody response and subsequently
      arthritis in BALB/c mice.

PMID- 1417127
TI  - Uridine diphosphoglucose dehydrogenase activity in synovial lining cells in the
      experimental antigen induced model of rheumatoid arthritis: an indication of
      synovial lining cell function.
AB  - Uridine diphosphoglucose dehydrogenase (UDPGD) is the enzyme responsible for the
      production of uridine diphospho(UDP)-glucuronate, an essential monosaccharide in
      the biosynthesis of hyaluronan, which is found in high concentrations in normal
      synovial fluid. Synovial lining cells have been implicated in the synthesis of
      hyaluronan, but the degree to which they are adapted metabolically to this
      function in normal and inflamed synovium has not been established. Using a
      quantitative cytochemical method it was shown that synovial lining cells from
      chronically inflamed rabbit synovium had significantly lower UDPGD activity per
      cell than the lining cells of normal synovium. These findings suggest that the
      lining cells of normal non-inflamed synovium may be enzymatically adapted for the
      synthesis of hyaluronan and that this may be an indication of a specific role of
      synovial lining cells in the maintenance of normal joint function.

PMID- 1417128
TI  - Complications associated with labial salivary gland biopsy in the investigation
      of connective tissue disorders.

PMID- 1417129
TI  - Remission of scleroderma during chemotherapy for lymphoma.
AB  - Temporary remission of scleroderma during the successful treatment of an
      associated malignant lymphoma by chemotherapy is reported in a patient with
      systemic sclerosis and mixed connective tissue disease. There is a well
      established relation between malignant disease and polymyositis/dermatomyositis
      but no overall association with systemic sclerosis or mixed connective tissue
      disease. Reports of the coexistence of malignancy and systemic sclerosis,
      however, emphasise a close temporal relation in their occurrence. A review of
      published work has identified several postulated mechanisms for this relation
      which may explain the response to chemotherapy.

PMID- 1417130
TI  - Bone mineral density and osteoarthritis.

PMID- 1417131
TI  - Clinical significance of rheumatoid factors in early rheumatoid arthritis:
      results of a follow up study.
AB  - Serum rheumatoid factors (RF) were measured yearly in 135 women with rheumatoid
      arthritis by the Waaler-Rose and latex fixation tests and IgM, IgA, and IgG RF
      were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). The patients were
      followed up from an early phase of the disease for a mean duration of six years.
      Patients with a persistently positive RF test, irrespective of the type of test
      used, had more radiological abnormalities, more disease activity, worse
      functional ability, more extra-articular manifestations, and needed more
      treatment with second line drugs than patients with persistently negative or
      variably positive and negative test results during the follow up. Increased RF
      levels, especially a high level of IgA RF within three years of the onset of
      symptoms, was prognostic for a more severe disease outcome six years after the
      onset of symptoms.

PMID- 1417132
TI  - Decreased level of antibodies against Helicobacter pylori in patients with
      rheumatoid arthritis receiving intramuscular gold.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sodium aurothiomalate has been reported to have in vitro activity
      against Helicobacter pylori. Intramuscular gold, as given to patients with
      rheumatoid arthritis (RA), may therefore influence the colonisation of the
      gastric mucosa with H pylori. METHODS: Two groups were compared. One group of 42
      patients was treated with intramuscular gold; the other group of 58 patients was
      treated with antimalarial drugs. Antibodies to H pylori (IgA and IgG) were
      assessed by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and total IgA and IgG
      were measured by nephelometry. RESULTS: IgA and IgG antibody titres against H
      pylori and total IgA and IgG levels were lower in the patients treated with gold
      than in the group treated with antimalarial drugs. The ratio of IgA antibodies to
      H pylori to total IgA antibodies and the ratio of IgG antibodies to H pylori to
      total IgG antibodies were lower in the group treated with gold. The percentage of
      seropositivity to H pylori was significantly lower in the group treated with gold
      than in the group treated with antimalarial drugs for the two IgA antibodies (35
      and 55% respectively) and IgG antibodies to H pylori (40 and 65% respectively).
      CONCLUSIONS: Although this study cannot completely exclude the possibility that a
      suppressive effect of intramuscular gold on total immunoglobulin production plays
      a part in the decrease in the titres of IgA antibodies to H pylori and IgG
      antibodies to H pylori, the lower ratios of antibodies to H pylori to total
      immunoglobulin antibodies and the lower percentages of seropositivity to H pylori
      in the group treated with gold suggests that treatment with intramuscular gold
      decreases H pylori colonisation.

PMID- 1417133
TI  - Recombinant human interferon gamma in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis:
      double blind placebo controlled study.
AB  - Interferon gamma (IFN gamma) has been advocated in open studies as a beneficial
      remission inducing drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The work
      reported here was designed to assess the therapeutic potential of IFN gamma in
      the treatment of RA in a double blind placebo controlled study. It was found that
      patients treated with IFN gamma improved significantly with respect to morning
      stiffness, grip strength, swelling of an index joint, and erythrocyte
      sedimentation rate. Furthermore significantly more responders (according to
      predetermined response criteria) were found in the group treated with IFN gamma.
      Only minor adverse effects and no significant toxicity with respect to clinical
      or laboratory parameters were observed.

PMID- 1417134
TI  - Glutathione redox cycle enzymes and selenium in severe rheumatoid arthritis: lack
      of antioxidative response to selenium supplementation in polymorphonuclear
      leucocytes.
AB  - The antioxidant capacity of the glutathione redox cycle and the concentrations of
      selenium in serum, red blood cells or whole blood, and polymorphonuclear
      leucocytes was evaluated in nine patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
      and eight healthy controls receiving daily supplementation with 250 micrograms
      selenomethionine for six months. Serum and whole blood concentrations of selenium
      and the activity of the selenium dependent enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)
      were low in the serum, red blood cells, and polymorphonuclear leucocytes of
      patients with RA before selenium supplementation. During supplementation serum
      and whole blood concentrations of selenium and the activity of GSH-Px in serum
      and red blood cells of patients with RA and serum GSH-Px in controls increased.
      Selenium and GSH-Px in polymorphonuclear leucocytes were unaffected in patients
      with RA in contrast with the controls where both were augmented. Glutathione
      reductase activity in the red blood cells and polymorphonuclear leucocytes of
      patients with RA was low but increased during selenium supplementation. Whole
      blood concentrations of glutathione were slightly lower in patients with RA than
      controls and no difference in the content in polymorphonuclear leucocytes was
      found between the groups. The activity in red blood cells of glucose-6-phosphate
      dehydrogenase was high in patients with RA, indicating sufficient function of the
      hexose monophosphate pathway. The reduced antioxidant activity of the glutathione
      redox cycle in patients with severe RA was mainly due to the low availability of
      selenium. This was further supported by the response to selenium supplementation
      in serum and red blood cells. In the polymorphonuclear leucocytes, however, no
      biochemical effects of selenium supplementation were seen. This lack of
      antioxidative response could play a pathogenetic part in inflammation in patients
      with RA.

PMID- 1417136
TI  - Correlation of antibodies to ribosomal P protein with psychosis in patients with
      systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - Ninety one Japanese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were studied
      to determine the clinical significance of antibodies to ribosomal P protein (anti
      P). Anti-P was detected by western blotting in 38 of 91 patients (42%). Clinical
      symptoms of SLE were compared between patients with and without anti-P. The
      occurrence of lupus psychosis was significantly higher in patients with anti-P
      than in those without anti-P (9/38 v 1/53). No significant association was found
      between anti-P and other symptoms of SLE. These data strongly support the
      suggestion proposed by previous workers that anti-P is a marker autoantibody for
      the development of lupus psychosis.

PMID- 1417135
TI  - Systemic lupus erythematosus in men: clinical and immunological characteristics.
AB  - Although systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has traditionally been considered a
      disease of women, men may also be affected. Thirty of 261 patients (12%) with SLE
      seen in this hospital were men. Arthritis was less common as a first symptom in
      the men, although this group of patients had discoid lesions and serositis more
      often than the women. During the follow up a lower incidence of arthritis and
      malar rash and a higher incidence of other skin complications including discoid
      lesions and subcutaneous lupus erythematosus was found in the men. The incidence
      of nephropathy, neurological disease, thrombocytopenia, vasculitis, and
      serositis, was similar in the two groups. No significant immunological
      differences were found between men and women. These features indicate that
      several gender associated clinical differences may be present in patients with
      SLE.

PMID- 1417138
TI  - Fracture thresholds in osteoporosis: implications for hormone replacement
      treatment.
AB  - The bone mineral densities of the lumbar spine and femoral neck were determined
      by dual energy chi ray absorptiometry in 110 women aged 40-82 years (average 65
      years) with spinal osteoporosis who had had at least one atraumatic vertebral
      compression fracture and in 1026 normal women aged 40-79 years (average 52
      years). The women with osteoporosis showed a significant decrease in bone mineral
      density (BMD) at the lumbar spine and femoral neck compared with age matched
      normal women (sixth decade of life -26% spine, -23% femoral neck; seventh decade 
      26% spine, -16% femoral neck). The fracture threshold, defined as the 90th
      centile of spinal BMD for women with osteoporosis, was 0.81 g/cm2 at the lumbar
      spine and 0.656 g/cm2 at the femoral neck. Five per cent of normal women aged 40
      49 years, 20% aged 50-59 years, and 45% aged 60-69 years had a BMD below this
      threshold. To maintain the bones of women above the fracture threshold until the
      age of 70 years about 50% of postmenopausal women need hormone replacement
      therapy. However, if the BMD is to be kept above the fracture threshold for a
      women's lifetime, e.g. until the age of 80-90 years, then most women will need
      treatment, though for various lengths of time depending on their initial BMD.
      Measurements of BMD in postmenopausal women currently help in identifying the
      risk of osteoporotic fractures but in the lifetime assessment of risk in a single
      subject they may have a more important role in deciding the duration of hormone
      replacement therapy.

PMID- 1417137
TI  - Preliminary observations of chondral abrasion in a canine model.
AB  - Articular cartilage repair was followed for one year in skeletally mature dogs
      after destabilisation by anterior cruciate ligament transection of the stifle
      joint (CT), abrasion of the inferior medial condyle (ABR) to bleeding bone, or
      anterior cruciate transection followed by chondral abrasion (CT/ABR). ABR animals
      formed repair cartilage at the abrasion site (ABR and CT/ABR) at six months as
      determined by arthroscopy and at necropsy. CT and CT/ABR animals had an
      additional cartilage ulcer on the superior aspect of the medial condyle. The
      abraded site extended in CT/ABR condyles. Repair cartilage (ABR and CT/ABR)
      contained reduced amounts of proteoglycan as seen by histological loss of
      safranin O staining and reduced uronic acid content. Fibrocartilage was suggested
      by histological appearance, hypocellularity, and a higher hydroxyproline content.
      In contrast with ABR animals, the repair cartilage in the CT/ABR animals
      contained near normal amounts of hydroxyproline. Collagen profiles of abrasion
      site repair cartilage in ABR animals had more types I and V collagens, similar
      amounts of type VI collagen, and decreased amounts of types II, IX, and XI
      collagens than CT/ABR animals. The results of this study are consistent with
      abrasion chondroplasty leading to a repair cartilage. Despite extended ulcers,
      repair cartilage from the destabilised joint (CT/ABR) animals was more hyaline
      like in its hydroxyproline content and collagen composition than repair cartilage
      from the stable joint (ABR animals). In these models additional measures appear
      to be needed as the defects induced by abrasion chondroplasty did not form a
      functional hyaline cartilage.

PMID- 1417139
TI  - Differential involvement of the dorsal and lumbar spine in osteoporosis.
AB  - The presence of normal bone density values in the lumbar spine is often assumed
      to exclude osteoporosis. Eleven cases are reported in which normal lumbar spine
      bone density and radiology were associated with one or more dorsal spine
      fractures; the diagnosis was postmenopausal osteoporosis in eight patients and
      corticosteroid induced osteoporosis in three. These findings suggest that spinal
      osteoporosis may sometimes be a focal disorder and emphasise the need for dorsal
      spine radiology in addition to bone densitometry in patients with strong risk
      factors for osteoporosis or with clinical evidence of the dorsal spine being
      affected.

PMID- 1417140
TI  - False positive results for antibody to HIV in two men with systemic lupus
      erythematosus.
AB  - False positive results were obtained for HIV tests in two men with active
      systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who were suspected of being infected with HIV
      because of fever, weight loss, lymphadenopathy, and inflammatory myopathy. Enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for HIV were twice positive when tested
      three times over a period of six months. Western blot analysis showed reactivity
      against the gp41 band in patient 1. False positive results for HIV tests can
      occur in patients with SLE, potentially leading to an erroneous diagnosis of HIV
      infection.

PMID- 1417141
TI  - Primary idiopathic osteolysis: description of a family.
AB  - A clinical, analytical, and radiological study was carried out on three members
      of the same family with multicentric idiopathic osteolysis. Transmission appeared
      to be via the dominant autosome present in the mother and two daughters. In the
      daughters osteolysis was seen in the carpal and tarsal bones, whereas in the
      mother radiology showed it to be in the phalanges of the hands and feet.

PMID- 1417142
TI  - Mycotic aneurysm of the aortic arch masquerading as systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - The case is described of a patient with mycotic aneurysm of the aortic arch whose
      clinical and serological features were indistinguishable from those of systemic
      lupus erythematosus. Surgical resection and repair of the aneurysm resolved her
      clinical symptoms and the serological abnormalities.

PMID- 1417143
TI  - Temporal arteritis: a form of systemic panarteritis.
AB  - The case is reported of a patient with giant cell arteritis affecting several
      organs. The triggering cause of death was a brainstem infarction due to basilar
      artery thrombosis. The necropsy showed the systemic character of the disease
      affecting the coronary, bronchial, and ovarian arteries.

PMID- 1417144
TI  - Systemic lupus erythematosus induced by isoniazid.
AB  - The case is described of a 73 year old man who presented with a lupus-like
      syndrome related to treatment with isoniazid and had IgG antinuclear antibodies
      against the nucleo-histone complex (H2A-H2B)-DNA. After a short course of
      treatment with prednisone and discontinuation of isoniazid the patient's lupus
      symptoms resolved and a gradual decrease in antibodies to (H2A-H2B)-DNA occurred.
      This case suggests that isoniazid is capable of inducing an autoantibody
      specificity associated with drug related lupus.

PMID- 1417145
TI  - Misoprostol in the prevention of gastroduodenal damage in rheumatology.
AB  - Patients receiving non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are at an
      increased risk of gastroduodenal erosions, ulcers, and the associated
      complications of haemorrhage, perforation, and death. Many NSAID associated
      ulcers that bleed or perforate have been asymptomatic until the time of
      presentation and conversely many patients with dyspepsia do not have ulcers.
      Symptoms are a poor guide to the presence of an ulcer. During continued treatment
      with NSAIDs misoprostol is the best choice for NSAID induced gastroduodenal
      damage; it achieves higher rates of healing than other drugs in these
      circumstances. Misoprostol is superior to other drugs in the prevention of
      gastric damage but misoprostol and H2 antagonists are of similar benefit in the
      duodenum. Prophylactic studies have all used endoscopic damage as an endpoint,
      and much larger studies will be needed to show an effect of misoprostol on the
      incidence of ulcer complications. There are no clear guidelines as to which
      patients should receive prophylactic treatment with misoprostol but those
      particularly at risk of ulcer complications--that is, those with previous peptic
      ulceration, the elderly, medically unfit, patients receiving large doses of
      NSAIDs, and those patients receiving steroids in addition to NSAIDs--should be
      considered.

PMID- 1417147
TI  - Class II antigen induction in cartilage.

PMID- 1417146
TI  - Sex ratios, HLA markers, and rheumatic diseases.

PMID- 1417148
TI  - Reduced serum beta 2-glycoprotein I in SLE.

PMID- 1417149
TI  - Anticardiolipin antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis.

PMID- 1417150
TI  - Multiple leiomyomas of the skin in RA.

PMID- 1417151
TI  - Pachydermodactyly: confused with JCA.

PMID- 1417152
TI  - Mycobacterium Kansasii osteitis of the ischium.

PMID- 1417153
TI  - Age at presentation with ankylosing spondylitis.

PMID- 1417154
TI  - Pregnancy and antiphospholipid antibodies.

PMID- 1417155
TI  - Antireticulin antibodies in systemic sclerosis.

PMID- 1417156
TI  - Antiribosomal P antibodies and lupus psychosis.

PMID- 1417157
TI  - [Evaluation of the efficacy of fenitrothion (Sumithion PM40) on vector density
      and the prevalence of malaria in Pout (Thies, Senegal)].
AB  - House-spraying with fenitrothion for malaria control was evaluated in three
      villages of the Pout rural community (Senegal) between August 1988 and October
      1990. The baseline data were collected during the first year. The malaria vector
      was identified as Anopheles arabiensis and the highest malaria prevalence was
      observed in October 1988 (38%) in the child population (2-9 years old). A simple
      round of fenitrothion house-spraying at 1 g/m2 was carried out in the second part
      of July 1989. About 90% of the houses were treated. The malaria vector was
      reduced to negligible density and a rapid decrease of malaria prevalence was
      observed. In this area of short seasonal transmission, where the stability of
      malaria is low, one single round of spraying led to a marked reduction of malaria
      transmission and prevalence. The cost of the treatment was about 50 US cents per
      capita.

PMID- 1417158
TI  - [Serological evidence of the existence of a wild reservoir of Trypanosoma brucei
      gambiense in the Pendjari biosphere reservation in the Republic of Benin].
AB  - In the national park of Pendjari, situated in the North-West of Benin, 91 wild
      animals, belonging to seven species, were darted. Thick and thin blood smears
      were examined for trypanosomes and plasma for trypanolytic antibodies against 6
      antigenic variants of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense. Parasites were found in
      13.92% and trypanolytic antibodies in 20.88% of the samples. A total of 28.57% of
      animals were positive by at least one of the two test systems used.
      Morphologically Trypanosoma congolense, T. vivax and T. brucei were identified.
      Overall prevalence was 40% in Adenota kob (n: 50), 13.63% in Alcelaphus
      buselaphus (n: 22), 10% in Hippotragus equinus (n: 10), 33% in Kobus defassa (n:
      3), 0% in Phacochoerus aethiopicus (n: 3) and in Syncerus caffer (n: 2). The only
      lion (Panthera leo) examined was serologically positive. The results indicate
      that the wild animals are reservoirs of animal trypanosomes and suggest that
      among them Adenota kob and Panthera leo are carriers of T. brucei gambiense, one
      of the etiological aspects of human trypanosomiasis.

PMID- 1417159
TI  - [Ivermectin or diethylcarbamazine in spaced dosages in Bancroft's filariasis:
      which protocol?].
AB  - 58 apparently healthy Polynesian Wuchereria bancrofti carriers were randomly
      allocated to 5 treatment groups: 1) two annual doses of ivermectin 100 mcg/kg, 2)
      three semi-annual doses of ivermectin 100 mcg/kg, 3) two annual doses of
      diethylcarbamazine (DEC) 3 mg/kg, 4) semi-annual doses of DEC 3 mg/kg, 5) two
      annual doses of DEC 6 mg/kg. Results observed during the 12-month period which
      followed last treatment have confirmed that efficacy of ivermectin is higher than
      that of DEC in terms of immediate clearance or complete negativation of
      microfilaremia, but not in terms of sustained reduction and that efficacy of
      repeated single doses of either DEC 3 mg/kg or ivermectin 100 mcg/kg is much
      higher when given semi-annually than annually. They also have indicated that (i)
      6 months after last treatment: 3 semi-annual doses of 100 mcg/kg of ivermectin
      have resulted in high reduction of microfilaremia (85%) and, 2 annual doses of 6
      mg/kg and 3 semi-annual doses of 3 mg/kg of DEC have resulted in even greater
      reduction (96 and 98% respectively) and (ii): 12 months after last treatment, the
      greatest reductions of microfilaremia (95 and 92%) have been observed in carriers
      treated, respectively, with 3 semi-annual doses of 3 mg/kg or with 2 annual doses
      of 6 mg/kg of DEC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417160
TI  - HIV screening and confirmation: a simplified and less expensive testing
      algorithm.
AB  - In this study we investigated the performance of fourteen different assays
      capable of simultaneously detecting antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2, referred to as
      combined screening assays (CSAs), on a panel of 371 sera, with a prevalence of
      51.5% and 1.3% for HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies respectively. The geographic
      distribution of the sera was as follows; Europe (121), Africa (203) and Latin
      America (47). These sera were collected from different clinical groups of
      patients; Asymptomatic (36), AIDS-Related Complex/AIDS patients (18), infected
      individuals with generalised lymphadenopathy (12), blood donors (149), and
      subjects with unknown clinical status (156). The Dupont Western blot (WB) kit for
      detection of HTLV-III antibodies and the Pasteur new Lav-Blot II kit were used
      for the confirmation of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection respectively. Of the 14 tests
      studied, 9 were enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), and 5 were non-Elisa
      tests requiring visual reading. An alternative approach for HIV antibody testing
      was studied restrospectively, whereby sera positive in an initial CSA (A) were
      retested on a second CSA (B), that was different from the first. The use of WB
      was limited to sera that gave discrepant (A+B-) results in the two CSAs. A
      positive result in both CSAs was reported as anti-HIV positive. A negative result
      in the first CSA was reported anti-HIV negative. Sensitivity, specificity, cost,
      and the delta (delta) values (delta values of the ELISA assays) were taken into
      consideration when selecting suitable pairs of assays. All the ELISAs scored 100%
      sensitivity, but for the non-ELISAs, the sensitivity ranged from 96.0% to 100%.
      The specificity for the ELISAs and non-ELISAs varied from 87.4% to 100% and from
      51.4% to 100% respectively. Delta (delta) values for the ELISAs ranged from 3.82
      to 136.68 and from -1.15 to -3.08 for the anti-HIV positive and anti-HIV negative
      populations respectively. Of the 121 test combinations studied, 9 (7.4%) pairs
      yielded 100% sensitivity and specificity and 61 (50.4%) pairs of CSAs required
      further testing on WB. This implies 100% positive predictive value, at a cost
      that was on average 6 times less, and a testing time that was 5 times faster than
      the conventional algorithm. We conclude that there are several combinations of
      pairs of CSAs that can be used in the alternative algorithm that can provide
      accurate results at a much lower cost than the conventional algorithm requiring
      confirmation by WB of all initially reactive CSA results.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      400 WORDS)

PMID- 1417161
TI  - [Community health workers are capable of determining reliably the target
      population for health programs].
AB  - The target population is a key concept for the planning and evaluation of health
      services. However, in developing countries, health professionals in the field are
      often uneasy with the determination of the population denominator. In Zaire,
      where reliable demographic data are hardly available, we make use of two
      different methods aimed to the determination of the size of the target
      population: (1) an exhaustive population based survey performed by trained
      interviewers, and (2) a rapid census of the target population performed by
      community health workers. This paper presents both the results of a demographic
      survey organized in 1984, and two consecutive census performed by community
      health workers in 1986 an 1988, in the same area (Northern-Kivu, Zaire). Our
      results suggest that community health workers under close supervision are able to
      perform rapidly and at low cost a reliable collection of the demographic data
      needed for the implementation and monitoring of health programmes at the local
      level.

PMID- 1417162
TI  - [The severity of a snake bite. Apropos of 3 case reports in the Congo].
AB  - Three observations of sanke-bite that occurred in the Congo are reported: the
      bite of an aglyph colubridae (Philothamnus nitidus loveridgee) that was severe;
      the bite of an Atheris s.p. with moderate symptoms; the bite of a Naja
      melanoleuca remained totally asymptomatic.

PMID- 1417164
TI  - [Primary health care: birth spacing and priorities].

PMID- 1417163
TI  - Kashin-Beck disease.
AB  - The article describes the history, clinical picture and anatomopathological
      changes of Kashin-Beck disease with reference to the stages of the disease which
      are at present agreed upon. Specific reference is made to the occurrence of the
      disease in Tibet. An overview is given of the different proposed etiologies.

PMID- 1417165
TI  - Only the serum-resistant bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense
      express the serum resistance associated (SRA) protein.
AB  - The Trypanosoma brucei species consists of three subspecies. T. b. rhodesiense
      and T. b. gambiense are human infective forms, while T. b. brucei is lysed upon
      exposure to the cytotoxic factor in normal human serum. T. b. rhodesiense can
      however occur as a serum-resistant (R) and as a serum-sensitive form (S). In a
      study of the molecular basis of serum resistance in T. b. rhodesiense it was
      shown that in the cloned ETaR1-repertoire only the serum-resistant variants
      express specific transcripts, encoding a protein with VSG-characteristics. When a
      serial of freshly isolated T. b. rhodesiense isolates was tested, the presence of
      the R-transcripts in the serum-resistant populations was confirmed. The absence
      of the serum resistance associated (SRA) mRNAs in several isolates from T. b.
      brucei and especially T. b. gambiense (including an a-typical one), indicates
      that more than one mechanism might be involved in the phenomenon of serum
      resistance in the T. brucei group. Neither T. evansi, nor T. equiperdum expresses
      the SRA-transcripts. Interestingly, the transcription of the R-specific
      transcripts is not maintained during the life cycle of T. b. rhodesiense; in the
      procyclic forms the SRA-mRNAs are no longer present.

PMID- 1417166
TI  - Molecular aspects of Trypanosoma cruzi interaction with host cell and parasite
      differentiation mechanisms.

PMID- 1417167
TI  - Mechanisms underlying trypanosome-elicited immunosuppression.
AB  - T-cell proliferative responses of lymph node cells are profoundly suppressed
      during experimental infections of mice with Trypanosoma brucei. The active
      suppression of lymph node T-cell proliferative responses is attributed to the
      coexistence of at least two unlinked suppressive mechanisms that block different
      T-cell regulatory steps and operate through different effector mechanisms. The
      generation of prostaglandin-producing macrophages is entirely responsible for the
      suppression of IL-2 production whereas the induction of a prostaglandin
      independent suppressive mechanism accounts for the suppression of the expression
      of IL-2 receptors (IL-2R). Both mechanisms are mediated by the cells that co
      purify which macrophages. Despite an impairment at the level of T-cell
      proliferation, lymph node cells from T. brucei infected animals produce
      substantial amounts of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and this lymphokine
      participates in the down-regulation of IL-2R expression. T-brucei-pulsed
      macrophage cell lines acquire concomitantly the potential to suppress T-cell
      proliferative responses and to stimulate CD8+ T-cells to secrete IFN-gamma. The
      sensibilization of CD8+ T cells by T. brucei-pulsed macrophages might be mediated
      by TNF-alpha. Collectively, these results indicate that the uptake of T. brucei
      by macrophages, either in vivo or in vitro, results in the generation of
      suppressive cells that annihilate T-cell proliferative responses. Furthermore, at
      least two cytokines (i.e., TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma) are released during these
      interactions. Besides playing a role in the pathway of T-cell immunosuppression,
      TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma could also contribute to immunopathological features that
      occur during trypanosome infections.

PMID- 1417168
TI  - Advances in sleeping sickness therapy.
AB  - The efficacy and adverse effects of nifurtimox and DFMO in the treatment of
      sleeping sickness are reviewed. Both new substances constitute effective novel
      therapeutic agents for gambiense sleeping sickness, including melarsoprol
      refractory disease. DFMO is not very active in rhodesiense sleeping sickness and
      experience with nifurtimox in this form of trypanosomiasis is too limited to draw
      valid conclusions. The toxicity of nifurtimox and DFMO is not negligible. Optimum
      dosage and duration of therapy, modes of administration and potential for large
      scale use are discussed. Some recent results obtained with the classical
      trypanocide melarsoprol are presented to facilitate comparison. The current
      availability of several effective late-stage drugs (melarsoprol, nifurtimox and
      DFMO), that show synergistic activity in experimental models, should allow the
      establishment of optimum combination treatment regimens.

PMID- 1417169
TI  - Diagnosis of human African trypanosomiasis.

PMID- 1417170
TI  - Eradication of Triatoma infestans: a new regional programme for southern Latin
      America.

PMID- 1417171
TI  - [Geometry and passion. The campaign against sleeping sickness].

PMID- 1417172
TI  - To Ollie, Ray and Isidore, Mort and Sally. An homage to teachers.

PMID- 1417173
TI  - Effect of intraportal glucose infusion on hepatic glycogen content and
      degradation, and outcome of liver transplantation.
AB  - Recent animal studies suggest that nutritional repletion may improve function of
      liver allografts, and the authors have found that intraportal glucose infusion in
      pigs produces rapid and substantial hepatic glycogenation. A controlled
      prospective randomized study in 32 patients was done to determine glycogen
      content and degradation in human livers during transplantation, and the effect of
      intraportal glucose-insulin infusions during the donor operation on these
      variables and on outcome of transplantation. Peripheral blood glucose
      concentrations were "clamped" at 14 mmol/L during the glucose-insulin infusion.
      Liver biopsies were taken at various stages of the procedure. Liver glycogen
      decreased 2.0 +/- 1.2 g/100 g dry weight liver (mean +/- standard error of the
      mean) in controls, but increased 6.8 +/- 1.8 g/100 g dry weight in glucose
      infused donors. In both groups there was glycogen degradation during periods of
      cold preservation, anoxic rewarming, and after reperfusion with portal blood.
      Degradation rates were greater in the glucose-infused group than in controls in
      all three periods (p less than 0.05). Despite wide variation in postoperative
      aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels among recipients in both groups, the
      difference in peak postoperative AST levels approached significance (p = 0.06).
      In addition, peak AST levels were closely correlated to anoxic rewarming time in
      both groups, but the slope of the relationship was much lower (3834 versus 734, p
      less than 0.01) in the glucose-infused group. Thus at anoxic rewarming times over
      90 minutes, glycogenation was protective of liver function. Peak postoperative
      AST was significantly correlated to glycogen degradation in the cold preservation
      and rewarming periods in the glucose-infused group only. Intraoperative glucose
      infusions in humans can reglycogenate the liver, increase glycogen degradation,
      and improve certain outcome measures in liver transplantation.

PMID- 1417174
TI  - Selective shunt in the management of variceal bleeding in the era of liver
      transplantation.
AB  - This study reports the Emory experience with 147 distal splenorenal shunts (DSRS)
      and 110 orthotopic liver transplants (OLT) between January 1987 and December
      1991. The purpose was to clarify which patients with variceal bleeding should be
      treated by DSRS versus OLT. Distal splenorenal shunts were selected for patients
      with adequate or good liver function. Orthotopic liver transplant was offered to
      patients with end-stage liver disease who fulfilled other selection criteria. The
      DSRS group comprised 71 Child's A, 70 Child's B, and 6 Child's C patients. The
      mean galactose elimination capacity for all DSRS patients was 330 +/- 98
      mg/minute, which was significantly (p less than 0.01) above the galactose
      elimination capacity of 237 +/- 82 mg/minute in the OLT group. Survival analysis
      for the DSRS group showed 91% 1-year and 77% 3-year survival, which was better
      than the 74% 1-year and 60% 3-year survivals in the OLT group. Variceal bleeding
      as a major component of end-stage disease leading to OLT had significantly (p
      less than 0.05) poorer survival (50%) at 1 year compared with patients without
      variceal bleeding (80%). Hepatic function was maintained after DSRS, as measured
      by serum albumin and prothrombin time, but galactose elimination capacity
      decreased significantly (p less than 0.05) to 298 +/- 97 mg/minute. Quality of
      life, measured by a self-assessment questionnaire, was not significantly
      different in the DSRS and OLT groups. Hospital charges were significantly higher
      for OLT (median, $113,733) compared with DSRS ($32,674). These data support a
      role for selective shunt in the management of patients with variceal bleeding who
      require surgery and have good hepatic function. Transplantation should be
      reserved for patients with end-stage liver disease. A thorough evaluation,
      including tests of liver function, help in selection of the most appropriate
      therapeutic approach.

PMID- 1417175
TI  - Is portal-systemic shunt worthwhile in Child's class C cirrhosis? Long-term
      results of emergency shunt in 94 patients with bleeding varices.
AB  - A prospective evaluation was conducted of 94 unselected patients ("all comers")
      with biopsy-proven Child's class C cirrhosis (93% alcoholic) and endoscopically
      proven acutely bleeding esophageal varices who underwent emergency portacaval
      shunt (EPCS) (85% side-to-side, 15% end-to-side) within 8 hours of initial
      contact (mean, 6.1 hours) during the past 12 years. Follow-up has been 100% and
      includes all patients for at least 1 year, and 61 patients (65%) for 5 to 12
      years. Incidence of serious risk factors on initial contact was: ascites, 97%;
      jaundice, 86%; portal-systemic encephalopathy including past history, 71%; severe
      muscle wasting, 96%; alcohol ingestion within 7 days, 66%; delirium tremens, 16%;
      serum albumin, less than or equal to 2.5 g/dL 76%; indocyanine green dye
      retention greater than or equal to 50% in 45 minutes, 66%; serum glutamic
      oxaloacetic transaminase greater than or equal to 100 units/L, 60%; hyperdynamic
      cardiac output greater than or equal to 6 L/minute, 98%. Mean Child's point score
      was 13.7 out of a maximum of 15. EPCS reduced mean corrected free portal pressure
      from 286 to 23 mm saline, and permanently controlled variceal bleeding in every
      patient. Of the 94 patients, 74 (80%) left the hospital alive and 68 (72%)
      survived 1 year. Five-year actuarial survival rate is 64%. Hepatic failure was
      the main cause of death during initial hospitalization as well as during follow
      up, when it was related to continued alcoholism. Portal-systemic encephalopathy,
      which was present on initial contact in 55% of patients, occurred at some time
      during follow-up in 18.7%, but was recurrent and required dietary protein
      restriction in only 9%, all of whom had resumed alcoholism. The low incidence of
      portal-systemic encephalopathy was attributable to the lifelong program of follow
      up with regular dietary counseling and continued emphasis on both protein
      restriction to 60 g/day and abstinence from alcohol. Abstinence was sustained in
      69%, liver function improved in 82%, general health was judged excellent or good
      in 73%, and Child's risk class converted to class B in 73% and class A in 21%.
      Excluding retirees because of age, 42% were gainfully employed or engaged in full
      time housekeeping. Long-term shunt patency was documented in 100% of survivors by
      yearly angiography or Doppler ultrasonography. It is concluded that EPCS within 8
      hours of initial contact permanently controls variceal hemorrhage and results in
      prolonged survival and a life of acceptable quality in many alcoholic cirrhotic
      patients in Child's class C.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1417176
TI  - Results of surgery on 6589 gastric cancer patients and immunochemosurgery as the
      best treatment of advanced gastric cancer.
AB  - Results of 6589 gastric cancer operations at the Department of Surgery, Seoul
      National University Hospital, from 1970 to 1990 were reported. About two thirds
      (76.6%) were advanced gastric cancer (stages III and IV). The 5-year survival
      rate of operated stage III gastric cancer was only 30.6%, with frequent
      recurrence. Conversely, cell-mediated immunities of advanced gastric cancer
      patients were significantly decreased. Therefore, to improve the cure rate and to
      prevent or delay recurrence, curative surgery with confirmation of free resection
      margins and systematic lymph node dissection of perigastric vessels were
      performed and followed by early postoperative immunotherapy and chemotherapy
      (immunochemosurgery) in stage III patients. To evaluate the effect of
      immunochemosurgery, two randomized trials were studied in 1976 and 1981. In first
      trial, 5-fluorouracil, mitomycin C, and cytosine arabinoside for chemotherapy and
      OK 432 for immunotherapy were used. The 5-year survival rates for surgery alone
      (n = 64) and immunochemosurgery (n = 73) were 23.4% and 44.6%, respectively, a
      significant difference. In the second trial, there were three groups: group I,
      immunochemosurgery (n = 159); group II, surgery and chemotherapy (n = 77); and
      group III, surgery alone (n = 94). 5-Fluorouracil and mitomycin C for
      chemotherapy and OK-432 for immunotherapy were administered for 2 years. The 5
      year survival rate of group I was 45.3%, significantly higher than the 29.8% of
      group II and than the 24.4% of group III. The postoperative 1-chloro-2.4
      dinitrobenzene test, T-lymphocyte percentage, phytohemagglutinin- and con-A
      stimulated lymphoblastogenesis and the antibody-dependent cell-mediated
      cytotoxicity test showed more favorable values in the immunochemosurgery group.
      Therefore, immunochemosurgery is the best multimodality treatment for advanced
      gastric cancer.

PMID- 1417178
TI  - Thoracoscopic esophagomyotomy. Initial experience with a new approach for the
      treatment of achalasia.
AB  - The authors treated 17 patients with achalasia by a thoracoscopic (15 patients)
      or laparoscopic (2 patients) Heller myotomy. All patients had dysphagia and an
      upper gastrointestinal series demonstrating a dilated esophagus with a bird-beak
      deformity at the cardia. Manometry showed a mean lower esophageal sphincter (LES)
      pressure of 32 +/- 4 mmHg, incomplete sphincter relaxation on swallowing, and no
      primary esophageal peristalsis. After operation, mean LES pressure was 10 +/- 2
      mmHg. Fifteen patients were fed on the second postoperative day. The average
      hospital stay was 3 days, and there were no deaths or major complications. In
      three early patients, the myotomy was not carried far enough onto the stomach,
      and dysphagia persisted until a second myotomy was performed (laparoscopically in
      two patients). The authors found that having an endoscope in the esophagus during
      the operation facilitated exposure and was vital to determine the appropriate
      length of the myotomy. With regard to dysphagia, final results were excellent in
      12 patients (70%), good in two patients (12%), fair in two patients (12%), and
      poor in one patient (6%). Heller myotomy can be safely and reliably performed
      with minimally invasive techniques. Dysphagia is relieved, postoperative pain is
      minimal, hospital stay is short, and the patient can return quickly to normal
      activity.

PMID- 1417177
TI  - Growth hormone and insulin reverse net whole body and skeletal muscle protein
      catabolism in cancer patients.
AB  - The authors examined the effect of recombinant-human growth hormone (r-hGH) and
      insulin (INS) administration on protein kinetics in cancer patients. Twenty-eight
      cancer patients either received r-hGH for 3 days (GH group, n = 12, weight loss =
      6 +/- 2%) or were not treated (control [CTL] group, n = 16, weight loss = 11 +/-
      2%) before metabolic study. Recombinant-human growth hormone dose was 0.1
      mg/kg/day (n = 6) or 0.2 mg/kg/day (n = 6). Patients then underwent measurement
      of baseline protein kinetics (GH/B, CTL/B) followed by a 2-hour euglycemic
      insulin infusion (1 mU/kg/minute) and repeat kinetic measurements
      (GH/INS,CTL/INS). Whole-body protein net balance (mumol leucine/kg/minute) was
      higher (p less than 0.05) in GH/INS (0.20 +/- 0.06) than in CTL/INS (0.06 +/-
      0.03) or GH/B (-0.19 +/- 0.03). Skeletal muscle protein net balance (nmol
      phenylalanine/100 g/minute) in GH/INS (25 +/- 6) and CTL/INS (19 +/- 5) was
      higher than CTL/B (-18 +/- 3). Recombinant-human growth hormone and insulin
      reduce whole-body and skeletal muscle protein loss in cancer patients.
      Simultaneous use of these agents during nutritional therapy may benefit the
      cancer patient.

PMID- 1417180
TI  - Strategies in the surgical treatment of malignant ventricular arrhythmias. An 8
      year experience.
AB  - Introduction of the automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD) has
      dramatically affected the surgical treatment of malignant ventricular
      tachyarrhythmias. The authors continue to perform electrophysiologically directed
      subendocardial resection (SER) of left ventricular (LV) scars in selected
      patients, and we revascularize (CABG) those patients undergoing AICD implantation
      who have significant myocardial ischemia. In an attempt to define the optimal
      role of each procedure, this report analyzes our 8-year experience with 348
      consecutive patients treated surgically for these arrhythmias (SER since 1983 and
      AICD since 1986). All patients undergoing SER had organized ventricular
      tachycardia (VT) as a result of myocardial infarction, and most had LV aneurysms;
      of those undergoing AICD or AICD/CABG, 60% had VT, 15% had ventricular
      fibrillation, and 25% had both or were noninducible. The thirty-day mortality
      rate was 1.5% (3/197) for AICD, 5.4% (5/93) for AICD/CABG, and 8.6% (5/58) for
      SER; these mortality figures are not significant different. Late deaths in all
      groups were predominantly due to congestive heart failure, and actuarial survival
      as well as freedom from sudden death was similar between the groups at 4 years.
      Recurrent VT occurred in 167 of 282 (59%) of long-term survivors of AICD or
      AICD/CABG during follow-up and in nine of 53 (17%) of those with SER. Forty-eight
      per cent of survivors of AICD or AICD/CABG required antiarrhythmic medications,
      whereas only 11% of those with SER required antiarrhythmics. Long-term survival
      in each group is much higher than that reported for comparable patients with
      severe LV dysfunction treated medically. In those patients with organized VT and
      LV aneurysm who are judged able to survive the procedure, SER offers a high
      likelihood of cure rather than simple prevention of sudden death.

PMID- 1417179
TI  - Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta stimulates hepatic jun-B and fos-B proto
      oncogenes and decreases albumin mRNA.
AB  - Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) modulates some components of the acute
      phase response in hepatic cells. The mechanisms for these actions of TGF-beta are
      largely unknown. The authors recently found that the decrease in albumin mRNA
      after TGF-beta 1 treatment required de novo RNA and protein synthesis, suggesting
      that TGF-beta acts through induction of another gene. The purpose of the current
      study was to determine whether TGF-beta 1 could regulate the expression of both
      the jun and fos genes that encode transcriptional regulatory proteins that
      constitute the AP-1 complex, and to determine whether expression of these genes
      may be coordinated with the decrease in albumin mRNA. Northern blot hybridization
      was used to determine levels of specific mRNAs. Transforming growth factor-beta 1
      increased the levels of both jun-B and fos-B mRNA by 60 minutes after treatment
      of mouse hepatoma (BWTG3) cells. When TGF-beta 1 was removed from the media after
      4 hours, there was a sustained effect of increased jun-B and decreased albumin
      mRNA (greater than 48 hours), and the subsequent decrease in jun-B levels
      coincided with the increase in albumin mRNA. The tumor-promoting phorbol ester
      (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate [PMA]), known to induce jun and fos gene
      expression, caused increases in jun-B and fos-B that preceded the decrease in
      albumin mRNA levels at 24 hours. These observations are consistent with our
      hypothesis that jun-B and fos-B induction may participate in downregulation of
      albumin synthesis as well as other hepatic responses to TGF-beta.

PMID- 1417181
TI  - Surgical management of dysrhythmias in infants and small children.
AB  - Surgery for cardiac dysrhythmias is infrequently reported in infants and children
      as compared with adults. This report reviews 55 infants and small children (age,
      less than or equal to 5 years) operated on during the interval July 1, 1984 to
      December 31, 1991 for Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (41), atrioventricular node
      reentry (two), atrial automatic tachycardia (two), and ventricular tachycardia
      (nine). Ages ranged from 3 weeks to 71 (mean, 29) months. Associated congenital
      heart defects were present in five (10%). Indications for surgery included
      failure of medical therapy, life-threatening dysrhythmias, and more recently,
      failure of catheter ablation. There were no hospital or late deaths. One patient
      sustained perioperative central nervous system injury. Surgery was successful in
      52 of 55 (94.5%) (Wolff-Parkinson-White, 38/41 (93%); atrioventricular node
      reentry, 2/2 (100%); atrial automatic tachycardia, 3/3 (100%); ventricular
      tachycardia, 9/9 (100%). Ventricular function returned to normal in all 12
      patients in whom it was abnormal before operation. Thus, surgical ablation is
      highly successful in the management of various forms of refractory or life
      threatening dysrhythmias in infants and small children. Catheter ablation
      techniques require significant fluoroscopic time, are more difficult in infants,
      and as yet do not have adequate long-term follow-up. Accordingly, surgery may
      continue to play a role in this particular group of patients.

PMID- 1417182
TI  - Smooth muscle cell elastase, atherosclerosis, and abdominal aortic aneurysms.
AB  - Smooth muscle cells (SMC) were obtained by outgrowth of human aortic explants
      from abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients, aortic occlusive disease (AOD)
      patients, and transplant donors (controls). Specimens were incubated with medium
      alone or medium with either elastin-derived peptides (EDP, 5 micrograms/mL) or
      low-density lipoproteins (LDL, 5 micrograms/mL). Elastase activity (ng/mg total
      protein) was assayed from 4-week-old cultures. Control aortas obtained from
      patients significantly younger secrete an increased amount of elastase at
      baseline compared with AOD and AAA patients (p less than 0.05). Elastin-derived
      peptides caused a significant increase in elastase secretion in all groups. The
      increase in elastase secretion in response to EDP in AAA patients was
      significantly higher compared with AOD or control. Low-density lipoprotein had no
      effect on SMC elastase secretion. These data suggest that (1) aortic SMCs secrete
      elastase in response to EDP, (2) SMC elastase is age dependent, and (3) AAA SMC
      secrete an abnormally high amount of elastase compared with AOD and control
      aortas in response to EDP. Like the neutrophil, the SMC is highly responsive to
      the degradation products of elastin and in AAA patients secrete significantly
      increased amounts of elastase in response to the breakdown products of
      atherosclerosis.

PMID- 1417184
TI  - Biliary strictures complicating liver transplantation. Incidence, pathogenesis,
      management, and outcome.
AB  - Six hundred sixty-six patients received 792 liver transplants between February 1,
      1984 and September 30, 1991. Biliary reconstruction was by
      choledochocholedochostomy (CDCD) with T-tube (n = 509) or Roux-en-Y
      choledochojejunostomy (CDJ) (n = 283). Twenty-five patients (4%) developed
      biliary strictures. Anastomotic strictures were more common after CDJ (n = 10,
      3.5%) than for CDCD (n = 3, 0.6%). Intrahepatic strictures developed in 12
      patients. Six patients had occult hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT). The other six
      patients received grafts in which cold ischemia time exceeded 12 hours.
      Anastomotic strictures were successfully managed by percutaneous dilation (PD) in
      five patients (n = 10), operation in three (n = 6), with retransplantation
      required in two patients. Intrahepatic strictures were managed by PD in seven,
      retransplantation in one, and expectantly in four patients. Of 25 patients, 19
      (76%) are alive with good graft function. In three of six deaths, the biliary
      stricture was a significant factor to the development of sepsis and allograft
      failure. The authors conclude that (1) anastomotic strictures are rare after LT;
      (2) the development of biliary strictures may signify occult HAT; (3) PD is
      effective for most strictures; and (4) extended cold graft ischemia (less than 12
      hours) may be injurious to the biliary epithelium, resulting in intrahepatic
      stricture formation.

PMID- 1417183
TI  - Long-term surgical results in sudden death syndrome associated with cardiac
      dysfunction after myocardial infarction.
AB  - To evaluate the surgical results in patients with inducible ventricular
      tachyarrhythmias due to coronary disease and left ventricular dysfunction, the
      authors reviewed their experience in 170 patients who had survived one or more
      cardiac arrests after myocardial infarction and were unresponsive to drug therapy
      based on electrophysiologic studies (EPS). There were nine operative deaths (5%).
      Based on intraoperative EPS, surgical remodeling of left ventricular dysfunction
      (aneurysm resection, infarct debulking, and septal reinforcement) with map-guided
      cryoablation and coronary artery bypass graft was performed in 34 patients (group
      A), and left ventricular remodeling and coronary artery bypass graft without
      guided endocardial resection was performed in 25 patients (group B). Forty-three
      patients (group C) had coronary artery bypass graft with implantation of an
      automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD). Group D (68 patients)
      received AICD only. After operation, based on EPS results, four patients in group
      A (12%) and three patients in Group B (15%) required AICD implantation. Overall
      survival at 6 years was 65%, 48%, 85%, and 58% in patient groups A, B, C, and D,
      respectively (p = not significant). During follow-up in group A patients, none
      died suddenly and none needed AICD. In group B, two patients required AICD 3 and
      5 years later, and five patients died suddenly. The incidence of sudden death was
      2.3%/patient/year and 3.5%/patient/year after AICD implantation (groups C and D).
      At 6 years, cardiac-event-free survival was 80% and 70% for groups A and B and
      38% and 24% for groups C and D, respectively (p less than 0.001). Patients
      receiving map-guided ablative procedures had significantly improved cardiac-event
      free survival rates.

PMID- 1417185
TI  - Pulmonary autograft replacement in children. The ideal solution?
AB  - Fifty-one children, aged 1.8 to 21 years (mean, 11.4) with aortic valve
      replacement using a pulmonary autograft are reviewed. Twenty-nine were intra
      aortic implants and 22 were root replacements. There was one operative death, no
      late deaths, and two have required reoperation. Actuarial freedom from
      reoperation was 93% +/- 5.5 at 5.6 years. Freedom from progression of aortic
      insufficiency (AI) was 81% +/- 9 at 5.6 years in the intra-aortic implants and
      86% +/- 10 in the root replacement. Enlargement of the pulmonary autograft was
      seen echocardiographically in both groups. This enlargement was consistent with
      somatic growth and not associated with progression of AI. Ten of 19 patients with
      aortic stenosis had an LV mass index suggestive of LV hypertrophy before
      operation. At 1 year, 18 of 25 had a normal LV mass index. Thirteen of 16
      patients with AI had preoperative abnormal LV mass index. All but four returned
      to normal by 1 year. Low operative risk, excellent function, resolution of
      abnormal LV hemodynamics, and enlargement consistent with somatic growth suggest
      that the pulmonary autograft is the ideal replacement for the malfunctioning
      aortic valve.

PMID- 1417186
TI  - Adherent neutrophils mediate permeability after atelectasis.
AB  - Re-expansion of atelectatic lung is associated with increased permeability. This
      study tests whether neutrophils mediate this event. Right middle lobar
      atelectasis was induced in anesthesized rabbits (n = 18) by intraluminal
      obstruction of the bronchus after a 20-minute ventilation with 100% O2. After 1
      hour of bronchial obstruction and 20 minutes after lobar re-expansion, leukopenia
      was noted, 2870 +/- 210 white blood cells (WBC)/mm3, relative to control animals
      treated with a noninflated balloon catheter, 6500 +/- 410 WBC/mm3 (p less than
      0.05). Three hours after re-expansion, neutrophils were sequestered in the
      previously atelectatic region 78 +/- 7 polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN)/10 high
      power field (HPF), as well as in nonatelectatic areas, 40 +/- 3 PMN/10 HPF,
      higher than control values of 26 +/- 3 PMN/10 HPF (p less than 0.05). In the
      atelectatic region, neutrophil sequestration was associated with increased
      protein concentration in lobar bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of 1370 +/- 100
      micrograms/mL, higher than control values of 270 +/- 20 micrograms/mL (p less
      than 0.05). Reexpansion also induced increases in lung wet-to-dry weight ratio
      (W/d) of 6.2 +/- 0.2, higher than control values of 4.3 +/- 0.1 (p less than
      0.05). Rendering rabbits neutropenic (n = 18) (0 to 4 PMN/mm3) limited the
      atelectasis-induced protein accumulations in BAL (520 +/- 60 micrograms/mL) and
      increase in lung W/d (5.2 +/- 0.1) (both p less than 0.05). Intravenous (I.V.;
      treatment of another group (n = 18) with an anti-CD 18 monoclonal antibody (R
      15.7, 1 mg/kg) before balloon deflation prevented leukopenia (6550 +/- 560
      WBC/mm3), minimized neutrophil sequestration (36 +/- 2 PMN/10 HPF), and
      attenuated protein leak (710 +/- 95 micrograms/mL) and the increased lung W/d
      (5.6 +/- 0.1) (all p less than 0.05). A final atelectatic group (n = 9) was
      treated I.V. with the anti-intercellular adhesion molecule-1 monoclonal antibody
      (RR 1/1, 1 mg/kg), which also prevented leukopenia and showed similar protection
      of microvascular barrier function. These data indicate that adherent neutrophils
      in large part mediate lung permeability and edema after atelectasis and re
      expansion. Adhesion receptors of both neutrophils and endothelial cells regulate
      this event.

PMID- 1417187
TI  - Muscle protein breakdown during endotoxemia in rats and after treatment with
      interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra).
AB  - The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of endotoxemia on muscle
      protein degradation and to test the hypothesis that muscle proteolysis during
      endotoxemia is regulated by interleukin-1 (IL-1). Both total and myofibrillar
      protein breakdown rates in incubated extensor digitorum longus muscles were
      increased after the subcutaneous injection of 0.1 or 1.0 mg/kg endotoxin in rats.
      The endotoxin-induced increase in muscle protein breakdown was blunted by IL-1
      receptor antagonist, administered intraperitoneally at a total dose of 45 or 105
      mg/kg. Results suggest that endotoxemia in rats gives rise to sepsislike changes
      in muscle protein breakdown. Increased muscle protein breakdown during
      endotoxemia may be regulated, at least in part, by IL-1.

PMID- 1417188
TI  - Women in the POSCH trial. Effects of aggressive cholesterol modification in women
      with coronary heart disease. The POSCH Group. Program on the Surgical Control of
      the Hyperlipidemias.
AB  - The Program on the Surgical Control of the Hyperlipidemias (POSCH) provided the
      clearest and the most convincing evidence supporting the beneficial effects of
      cholesterol lowering in hypercholesterolemic survivors of a myocardial
      infarction. In POSCH, 78 of the 838 patients (9.3%) were women, with 32
      randomized to the diet-control group and 46 to the diet plus partial ileal bypass
      surgery-intervention group. At 5 years, the mean per cent change from baseline
      was -23.9% for total plasma cholesterol (p < 0.0001), -36.1% for low-density
      lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.0001), and +8.5% for high-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol (p = not significant). Because of the small number of women, no
      statistically significant changes in clinical event rates were observed between
      the control and the surgery groups. A comparison of 162 coronary arteriography
      film pairs in the POSCH women, between baseline and 3, 5, 7, and 10 years,
      consistently showed less disease progression in the surgery group (p = 0.013 for
      combined assessments of the baseline to the longest follow-up film). Because the
      lipid and coronary arteriography findings in the POSCH women paralleled these
      findings in the total POSCH population and in the POSCH men, and because the
      arteriography changes in POSCH have previously been demonstrated to be
      statistically significant surrogate end points for certain clinical events and
      predictors of overall and atherosclerotic coronary heart disease mortality rates,
      we conclude that the lipid modification achieved in the POSCH women by partial
      ileal bypass reduced their atherosclerosis progression. The POSCH findings in
      women support the aggressive treatment of hyperlipidemia in the general
      management of atherosclerosis in women.

PMID- 1417189
TI  - The safety and effect of topically applied recombinant basic fibroblast growth
      factor on the healing of chronic pressure sores.
AB  - The first randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled human trials of recombinant
      basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) for pressure sore treatment were performed.
      Three different concentrations of bFGF in five dosing schedules were tested for
      safety using hematology, serum chemistries, urinalysis, absorption, antibody
      formation, and signs of toxicity. Efficacy was evaluated by wound volumes,
      histology, and photography. No toxicity, significant serum absorption, or
      antibody formation occurred. In six of eight subgroups, there was a trend toward
      efficacy with bFGF treatment. When all subgroups were combined, comparison of the
      slopes of the regression curves of volume decrease over initial pressure sore
      volume demonstrated a greater healing effect for the bFGF-treated patients (p <
      0.05). Histologically, bFGF-treated wound sections demonstrated increased
      fibroblasts and capillaries. More patients treated with bFGF achieved > 70% wound
      closure (p < 0.05). Blinded observers were able to distinguish differences in
      visual wound improvement between bFGF and placebo groups. These data suggest that
      bFGF may be effective in the treatment of chronic wounds.

PMID- 1417190
TI  - Intrathymic injection of donor alloantigens induces donor-specific vascularized
      allograft tolerance without immunosuppression.
AB  - The induction of donor-specific tolerance could prevent the side effects of
      immunosuppression while improving allograft survival. Male adult Buffalo (RT1b)
      rats underwent an intrathymic (IT), portal venous (PV), intrasplenic (IS), or
      subcutaneous (SQ) injection of 25 x 10(6) major histocompatibility complex (MHC)
      mismatched Lewis (RT1(1)), UV-B-irradiated Lewis (RT1(1)), ACI (RT1a), or
      syngeneic Buffalo (RT1b) splenocytes. At the completion of the donor alloantigen
      injection, 1 mL rabbit anti-rat lymphocyte serum (ALS) was administered
      intraperitoneally to the Buffalo recipients, and 21 days later a heterotopic
      Lewis or ACI heart was transplanted. Intrathymic injection of donor alloantigen
      induced a donor-specific tolerance that allowed the cardiac allograft to survive
      indefinitely (mean survival time [MST] > 140.7 days) in 84% of the recipients
      without further immunosuppression, whereas groups receiving antigen injections at
      other sites (PV, IS, and SQ) plus ALS rejected cardiac allografts in normal
      fashion (MST approximately 8.0 days). Buffalo recipient rats with long-term
      surviving Lewis cardiac allografts after Lewis IT injection and ALS subsequently
      rejected a heterotopic third-party ACI cardiac allograft in normal fashion (MST
      approximately 7 days), whereas a second Lewis cardiac allograft was not rejected
      (MST > 116 days). Microchimerism is unlikely because Lewis allograft survival was
      also prolonged (MST > 38.7 days) in rats receiving UV-B-irradiated splenocytes
      IT, which cannot proliferate. Survival of Lewis renal allografts was also
      prolonged, but not indefinitely, in Buffalo recipients possessing a long-term
      surviving Lewis cardiac allograft (MST approximately 17.6 days versus 7 days for
      control). This model emphasizes the potential role of exposure of immature
      thymocytes to foreign donor alloantigens during maturation in the thymic
      environment for the development of unresponsiveness to an MHC-mismatched donor
      specific vascularized allograft.

PMID- 1417191
TI  - Intestinal radioprotection by two new agents applied topically.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to test two novel antioxidant drugs, each capable
      of inhibiting membrane peroxidation and of free radical scavenging, as topical
      radioprotectants for the intestine. A loop of rat midintestine was exteriorized
      and radiated while the remainder of the animal was protected in a lead box. The
      intestine was first compartmentalized and each segment filled with a test
      solution. Radiated segments of intestine were compared, drug filled with vehicle
      filled, and both with normal unradiated intestine. The animals were killed 5 days
      after 1100 cGy radiation to the exteriorized loop. Crypt numbers and mucosal
      height were used as the measures of injury protection. On the basis of crypt
      numbers, the 21-amino steroid (U-74500A) gave approximately 40% and the vitamin E
      like compound (U-78518F) gave 60% reduction in crypt loss. The authors conclude
      that lumenal antioxidant drugs can provide partial protection of the intestinal
      mucosa from acute radiation damage and that these two specific agents are
      effective and potentially useful.

PMID- 1417192
TI  - Surgical treatment of tumors of the distal rectum with sphincter preservation.
AB  - One hundred one patients with villous adenoma or invasive carcinoma of the distal
      rectum treated with local excision or coloanal anastomosis were studied. Twenty
      three (45%) of the 51 patients with villous adenomas had transanal excision,
      another 23 (45%) had a posterior proctotomy, and five (10%) had a coloanal
      anastomosis. Only two patients with a villous adenoma developed a recurrence
      requiring repeat local excision. Fifteen (30%) of the 50 patients with invasive
      cancer were treated by transanal excision. All had tumors confined to the
      submucosa or superficial muscularis. Eighteen (85%) of 21 patients having
      posterior proctotomy also had tumors with similar depth of invasion. Six (43%) of
      the 14 patients having coloanal anastomosis had Dukes' B tumors, six (43%) were
      Dukes' C, and another two (14%) underwent palliative resection. The overall
      actuarial 5-year survival was 77%. Only four patients treated by transanal
      excision or posterior proctotomy died of metastatic disease. In the coloanal
      group, two of 12 patients undergoing curative resection died of recurrent cancer,
      and another has a pelvic recurrence. Villous adenomas of the distal rectum and
      selected carcinomas may be treated with local excision and coloanal anastomosis
      with preservation of sphincter function with good results.

PMID- 1417194
TI  - High-level expression of recombinant human tPA in cultivated canine endothelial
      cells under varying conditions of retroviral gene transfer.
AB  - Successful genetic transduction of endothelial cells (EC) provides a theoretic
      means of increasing luminal secretion of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA)
      and lessening arterial and venous thrombotic processes. To identify the duration
      and number of retroviral exposures for an optimal tPA expression, enzymatically
      derived adult canine jugular venous EC were subjected to different exposure
      regimens using an amphotropic murine retroviral vector, MFG, containing the human
      tPA gene. Human tPA antigen secretion and its functional activity were determined
      at 2 days (subconfluent cells) and 14 days (confluent cells) after retroviral
      exposure. High-level secretion of human tPA was detected among transduced EC in
      all experimental groups. No secretion of human tPA occurred in control EC exposed
      to media alone. At 2 days after transduction, no significant differences in tPA
      secretion rates occurred among the different exposure regimens. At 14 days, the
      12-hour X two-exposure group exhibited higher tPA secretion rates than all other
      exposure regimens (analysis of variance, p < 0.05). All exposure groups at 14
      days exhibited significantly higher tPA secretion compared with those at 2 days
      (analysis of variance, p < 0.05). The presence of retroviral sequences in the
      genome of transduced EC was confirmed by Southern blot analysis. At 14 days,
      increased EC numbers were observed in vector-exposed wells compared with
      controls. Human tPA functional activity paralleled tPA antigen secretion.
      Genetically modified canine EC are capable of high levels of constitutive
      expression of human tPA after relatively short exposures to a retroviral vector
      containing the reporter gene. Increased cell number of tPA-transduced EC in
      culture suggests that tPA also may have other biologically important effects.
      These results support the efficacy of MFG-tPA gene transfer as a means of
      genetically modifying EC fibrinolytic activity and establishes the potential of
      this technology in vivo.

PMID- 1417193
TI  - The degree of bacterial translocation is a determinant factor for mortality after
      burn injury and is improved by prostaglandin analogs.
AB  - Bacterial translocation and related mortality rates were examined in previously
      transfused BALB/c mice that were gavaged with 14C radioisotope-labeled
      Escherichia coli before inflicting a 20% full-thickness flame burn. Radionuclide
      counts were measured in blood obtained by retro-orbital puncture 4 hours
      postburn, and survival was recorded for 10 days. Radionuclide counts in the blood
      correlated well with both radionuclide counts and numbers of viable bacterial in
      the tissues. Survivors had significantly less bacterial translocation as
      evidenced by blood radionuclide counts compared with nonsurvivors, and there was
      a significant inverse correlation between the degree of translocation and the
      length of survival. In the next experiment, the prostaglandin E (PGE) analogs
      misoprostol, enisoprost, or 16,16-dimethyl PGE2 were administered to transfused
      animals for 3 days before burn. Prostaglandin E analogs significantly reduced
      bacterial translocation as measured by blood radionuclide counts 4 hours postburn
      and improved survival. The data demonstrate that the intensity of bacterial
      translocation after burn injury is significantly associated with subsequent
      death. Improvement of survival by PGE analogs is associated with decreased
      bacterial translocation.

PMID- 1417195
TI  - Delayed surgical repair and ECMO improves survival in congenital diaphragmatic
      hernia.
AB  - One hundred ten infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) developed life
      threatening respiratory distress in the first 6 hours of life. Associated
      anomalies were present in 33%. Twenty-eight of 65 infants (43%) treated before
      1987 (pre-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation [ECMO] era) survived after
      immediate CDH repair, and mechanical ventilation with or without pharmacologic
      support. Only two of 16 (12.5%) infants requiring a prosthetic diaphragmatic
      patch survived. Since 1987, 31 of 46 (67.4%) infants with birth weight,
      gestational age, and severity of illness similar to the pre-1987 group survived.
      All patients were immediately intubated and ventilated. Seven (four with lethal
      chromosomal anomalies) infants died before treatment, and 30 stabilized (partial
      pressure of carbon dioxide [PCO2] < 50; partial pressure of oxygen [PO2] > 100;
      pH > 7.3) and underwent delayed CDH repair at 5 to 72 hours. Fifteen did well on
      conventional support and survived. Fifteen infants deteriorated after operation:
      11 were placed on ECMO with eight survivors, and four infants were not considered
      ECMO candidates. Nine babies failed to stabilize initially and were placed on
      ECMO before CDH repair (alveolar-arterial gradient > 600 and oxygenation index >
      40), and seven survived. The overall survival rate was 80% at 3 months in this
      ECMO-treated group. Early mortality was due to inability to wean from ECMO (one),
      intracranial hemorrhage (one), liver injury (one), and pulmonary hypoplasia
      (one). Nine of 11 babies requiring a prosthetic patch in the post-1987 ECMO group
      survived (81.8%). There were three late post-ECMO deaths (3 to 18 months) of
      right heart failure (two) and sepsis (one). Symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux
      occurred in nine cases, six requiring a fundoplication in the bypass babies.
      Recurrent diaphragmatic hernia occurred in nine cases (five ECMO). The overall
      survival rate was significantly improved in the delayed repair/ECMO group (67%
      versus 43%; p < 0.05) and was most noticeable in infants requiring a prosthetic
      diaphragm (81.2% versus 12.5%; p < 0.005). These data indicate that early
      stabilization, delayed repair, and ECMO improve survival in high-risk CDH. Early
      deaths are related to pulmonary hypertension and can be reversed by ECMO.

PMID- 1417196
TI  - Prolongation of survival in metastatic melanoma after active specific
      immunotherapy with a new polyvalent melanoma vaccine.
AB  - A new polyvalent melanoma cell vaccine (MCV) was administered to 136 stage IIIA
      and IV (American Joint Committee on Cancer) melanoma patients. Induction of cell
      mediated and humoral immune responses to common melanoma-associated antigens
      present on autologous melanoma cells was observed in patients receiving the new
      MCV. This was accompanied by increased activation of tumor-infiltrating
      lymphocytes. Survival correlated significantly with delayed cutaneous
      hypersensitivity (p = 0.0066) and antibody responses to MCV (p = 0.0117). Of 40
      patients with evaluable disease, nine (23%) had regressions (three complete).
      From our historical database of 126 stage IIIA and 1275 stage IV melanoma
      patients, there were no significant changes in the natural history of metastatic
      melanoma during the past 20 years. Univariate and multivariate analyses
      demonstrated prognostic significance for site of metastases (p = 0.0001) and
      immunotherapy with the new MCV (p = 0.0001). Overall our new MCV increased the
      median and 5-year survival of stage IIIA melanoma patients with regional soft
      tissue metastases twofold (p = 0.00024), and stage IV patients threefold (p =
      0.0001) compared with previous immunotherapy and other treatments.

PMID- 1417197
TI  - Long-term intraperitoneal insulin delivery.
AB  - Over the past 5 years, 21 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus have
      been managed at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions with variable rate,
      remotely controlled implanted insulin pumps. To date, nearly 70 patient-years of
      experience has been gained with intraperitoneal delivery of a new U-400 insulin
      with a surfactant. All 21 patients are alive after a mean of 39.3 months (range,
      10 to 65 months) after insulin pump implantation. Nineteen of the 21 patients
      remain on intraperitoneal insulin, for a 5-year actuarial system survival of 90%.
      Glucose control was improved, especially during the first 16 months after pump
      implantation, without an increased incidence of severe hypoglycemia. Catheter
      blockage has been a significant problem, occurring in nine of the 21 patients
      (43%). Catheter occlusion has been successfully managed, however, with
      laparoscopic repair in seven of 10 attempts or with catheter change in four of
      five patients. Nevertheless, quality of life and patient acceptance remain
      excellent. Moreover, pre-existing nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy have
      been surprisingly stable. With an aggressive policy of catheter change or
      laparoscopic clearance of catheter blockage, long-term intraperitoneal insulin
      delivery is now a safe and effective treatment for type I diabetics.

PMID- 1417198
TI  - Perioperative blood transfusion and determinants of survival after liver
      resection for metastatic colorectal carcinoma.
AB  - The authors reviewed their institutional experience with liver resection for
      metastatic colorectal carcinoma to (1) determine whether perioperative blood
      transfusion affects survival; (2) identify prognostic determinants; and (3)
      estimate the patient requirement for a prospective randomized trial designed to
      demonstrate efficacy of liver resection. Two hundred eighty consecutive patients
      treated by potentially curative liver resection between 1960 and 1987 were
      included. Data were obtained for all but 10 patients for at least 5 years after
      operation or through 1990. Actuarial survival curves related to potential
      prognostic determinants were analyzed with the log-rank test. Overall, survival
      was 47 +/- 3% at 3 years and 25 +/- 3% at 5 years, including 4% 60-day operative
      mortality rate. Eighty-one patients who did not receive blood 7 days before to 14
      days after operation had 60 +/- 6% 3-year and 32 +/- 6% 5-year survival compared
      with 40 +/- 4% and 21 +/- 3% survival rates for 183 patients who received at
      least one unit (p = 0.03, operative deaths excluded). Extrahepatic disease (p =
      0.015), extrahepatic lymph node involvement (p = 0.002), satellite configuration
      of multiple metastases (p = 0.0052), and initial detection by abnormal liver
      enzymes (p = 0.0005) were associated with poor survival rates. Synchronous
      presentation of metastatic and stage B primary disease was associated with a
      favorable prognosis (p = 0.003). The requirement for a prospective randomized
      trial estimated by an exponential survival model would be 36, 74, 168, or 428
      patients if 5-year survival without resection were 1, 5, 10, or 15%. We conclude
      that (1) perioperative blood transfusion may be adversely associated with
      survival; (2) extrahepatic disease, extrahepatic lymph node involvement,
      satellite configuration, and initial detection by clinical examination or a liver
      enzyme abnormality portend a poor prognosis; and (3) a prospective randomized
      trial of liver resection is impractical because of the large patient requirement,
      at least by a single institution.

PMID- 1417199
TI  - RS-61443 (mycophenolate mofetil). A multicenter study for refractory kidney
      transplant rejection.
AB  - RS-61443 (mycophenolate mofetil) inhibits a key enzyme of the de novo synthesis
      of purine nucleotides in T and B lymphocytes. The purpose of this study was to
      evaluate the efficacy of RS-61443 in patients with refractory renal allograft
      rejection. Patients eligible for the study had previously undergone anti
      rejection therapy with high-dose steroids or OKT3 monoclonal antibody. All
      rejection episodes were proven by renal biopsy. Successful rescue was achieved in
      52 (69%) patients. Rescue was more successful when patients were entered with a
      creatinine of 4 mg/dL or lower (79%), versus a 52% rescue rate in patients
      entered with a creatinine of 4 mg/dL or above. Major side effects were
      predominantly gastrointestinal, but there was no overt nephrotoxicity,
      hepatotoxicity, or bone marrow suppression. The overall infection rate was 40%,
      with the spectrum of infections characteristic for the highly immunocompromised
      patient. The conclude that this pilot study suggests that RS-61443 is effective
      in refractory kidney allograft rejection. Based on this study, prospectively
      randomized multi-center trails have been planned and are in progress.

PMID- 1417200
TI  - Plasmodium falciparum: effect of chloroquine, halofantrine and pyrimethamine on
      the infectivity of gametocytes for Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes.
AB  - The activity of chloroquine, halofantrine and pyrimethamine against the
      gametocytes and sporogonic stages of Plasmodium falciparum (strain NF54) was
      tested. Five-day-old gametocytes (stages I and II) from in vitro cultures were
      exposed to the drugs for 48 hours. The effect of the drugs on gametocyte
      development was assessed by counting gametocytes on days nine and 15 of culture
      and determining the infectivity of the drug-treated gametocytes to mosquitoes.
      Gametocytogenesis was partially inhibited by all three drugs; there were 71% of
      the number of gametocytes in drug-free control cultures in cultures with 3 x 10(
      8) M chloroquine, 51% with 5 x 10(-8) M chloroquine, 78% with 5-7 x 10(-9) M
      halofantrine, and 48% with 10(-7) M pyrimethamine. Halofantrine- and
      pyrimethamine-treated gametocytes were found to be more infective to Anopheles
      stephensi than untreated controls. The three drugs were also administered to the
      mosquitoes, either in the first bloodmeal, which contained gametocytes from in
      vitro cultures, or in the second, parasite-free bloodmeal, given four days after
      infection. The sporontocidal activity of the drugs was evaluated by counting the
      number of oocysts on the midgut seven or eight days after infection, or the
      number of sporozoites in the salivary glands 15 days after infection. A
      sporontocidal effect was observed only when pyrimethamine was administered with
      the infective bloodmeal. Neither chloroquine nor halofantrine had any marked
      effect on sporogony at the concentrations tested.

PMID- 1417201
TI  - Infectivity to the vector Triatoma infestans of dogs infected with Trypanosoma
      cruzi in north-west Argentina.
AB  - The influence of reinfections on the infectivity to Triatoma infestans of dogs
      seropositive to Trypanosoma cruzi was investigated in Amama, north-west
      Argentina, before (1984) and after (1986-1987) elimination of domestic bugs with
      residual insecticides in 1985. Infectivity was quantified by the percentage of
      infected bugs in each xenodiagnosis of a seropositive dog, i.e. the infective
      force (IF). Exposure to reinfection was represented by the domiciliary density of
      infected bugs and by an index of the potentially-infective contacts (IPIC)
      experienced by each dog (calculated as the product of the relative density of
      bugs per dog, the proportion of infected bugs, and the proportion of bugs taking
      blood meals from the dog). IF was unrelated to the dog's age or sex, or the level
      of specific antibodies to T. cruzi. Before vector elimination, the IF of
      seropositive dogs was significantly associated with both the density of infected
      bugs and the IPIC. After vector elimination, seropositive dogs resident at houses
      which had 10-70 infected bugs before spraying showed a higher median IF (67-75%)
      than those living in houses with zero to eight infected bugs before spraying (47
      55%). The age-specific IF of seropositive dogs aged one year or older, recorded
      before (45-64%) and after (52-56%) the elimination of domestic bugs, did not
      differ significantly. Our data suggest that the infectivity of seropositive dogs
      to bugs is modified by previous or current exposure to bug-mediated reinfections,
      and that this relationship might be irreversible in the short term.

PMID- 1417202
TI  - Western blot of Entamoeba histolytica antigenic fractions: reactivity analysis
      with sera from intestinal amoebiasis patients.
AB  - The reactivity of sera from acute-phase intestinal amoebiasis patients (two weeks
      evolution) was studied to determine which of the Entamoeba histolytica antigens
      are most frequently immunogenic. Sera were examined by means of
      immunoelectrotransferase assay using crude extract of HM1:IMSS E. histolytica
      trophozoites. Three populations of clinically healthy adults from Mexico, Canada
      and Germany, with no evidence of parasites in faeces, were used as controls. The
      frequency of antigen recognition was analysed. In ailing individuals, the bands
      of 23, 24, 26 and 51 kDa were recognized most frequently (65 and 60%) followed by
      the 62 kDa band (56%). The combination of some of these bands, namely 3.4, 4.1
      and 6.7, with molecular weights of 62, 51 and 24 kDa, increased the recognition
      frequency of patients to 91.4%. These results constitute a first but important
      step towards the design of more accurate methods for the successful
      immunodiagnosis and epidemiology of acute intestinal amoebiasis.

PMID- 1417203
TI  - Epidemiology of Blastocystis hominis infection in Papua New Guinea: age
      prevalence and associations with other parasites.
AB  - A community-based study of Blastocystis and other intestinal parasites in the
      Asaro Valley, Papua New Guinea showed an extraordinary high prevalence and
      variety of protozoan infections. Apart from infants, nearly everybody had at
      least one infection, and the mean number of infections per person was around 2.7.
      The graph of age-specific prevalence for Blastocystis is similar in shape to
      those for Entamoeba coli and Endolimax nana, indicating probable similarity in
      transmission patterns and host response. There was no evidence for pathogenicity
      of Blastocystis at the community level. Three methods are compared for the
      measurement of association between infections. Two show strong associations, but
      these are considered to be the result of parallel age-prevalence curves and
      environmental factors at the village level. When age- and village-matched pairs
      were considered, only a weak positive association with E. nana was detectable.

PMID- 1417204
TI  - A survey of taeniid cestodes in farm dogs in mid-Wales.
AB  - In 1983-1988, dogs on 315 farms in Powys, mid-Wales, were purged once with
      arecoline acetarsol and the faecal purges were examined for cestodes. A few dogs
      were examined by autopsy. Ninety-seven farms had at least one infected dog, and
      cestodes were found in 161 of the 882 dogs examined. The ovine strain of
      Echinococcus granulosus was found in 41 dogs on 25 farms. Taenia hydatigena, T.
      pisiformis, T. multiceps, T. serialis, T. ovis and Dipylidium caninum were
      recovered from 85, 35, 15, 3, 19 and 29 dogs respectively. The results are
      compared with those of previous surveys in Powys and in other regions of Wales.

PMID- 1417205
TI  - The cestodes of foxhounds and foxes in Powys, mid-Wales.
AB  - Cestodes were found in 129 of 875 foxhounds from 20 packs in Powys, mid-Wales,
      examined by purging in 1983-1988, in the following order of prevalence: Taenia
      hydatigena in 57 hounds (6.51%), Echinococcus granulosus in 27 (3.09%),
      Dipylidium caninum in 25 (2.86%), T. ovis in 14 (1.60%), T. pisiformis in 10
      (1.14%), T. serialis in five (0.57%) and T. multiceps in four (0.46%). Of 197
      foxes examined by autopsy, 22 harboured cestodes: two (1.02%) had E. granulosus,
      nine (4.57%) T. polyacantha, eight (4.06%) T. pisiformis, two (1.02%) T.
      serialis, one (0.51%) D. caninum and one (0.51%) Mesocestoides sp. This is the
      first definite report of T. polyacantha in British foxes. The results are
      compared with those of previous surveys in Powys and in other parts of Wales, and
      the reasons for changes in prevalence are discussed.

PMID- 1417207
TI  - Cultivation of the third-stage larvae of Necator americanus in vitro.
AB  - When filariform larvae of Necator americanus, enclosed within the second sheath,
      were cultured in various semi-defined media, the best larval development was
      achieved in Waymouth's MB 752/1 with 20% foetal calf serum (FCS). In this medium,
      most of the filariform larvae cast off the second sheath and developed into third
      stage larvae with provisional buccal capsules and some larvae developed further;
      26% were fourth stage after 49 days of culture. Of several supplements tested,
      only FCS supported such development and no further development occurred if the
      medium was further supplemented with human red blood cells, liver extract,
      intestinal extract or tryptose phosphate broth. Larval development stopped at or
      before early third stage in Eagle's Basal Medium, F-12, NCTC 135 and L-15, even
      when these media were supplemented with FCS.

PMID- 1417206
TI  - Polycystic hydatid disease (Echinococcus vogeli). Treatment with albendazole.
AB  - Six patients with polycystic hydatid disease (PHD) were treated with 10 mg kg-1
      day-1 albendazole. One patient was treated continuously for eight months and
      another for three months. In three other patients treatment was discontinuous,
      consisting of a series of at least three 30-day cycles separated by 15 days
      without treatment. The last patient was treated continuously with 12 mg kg-1 day
      1 albendazole for 51 days and then with three 30-day cycles of treatment with 10
      mg kg-1 day-1 separated by 15-day drug-free intervals. Follow-up ranged from 10
      30 months. Considerable clinical improvement and cyst reduction or disappearance
      occurred in four patients. Clinical improvement, but no changes in the hepatic
      alterations detected by computerized tomography, occurred in the other two
      patients, although a pulmonary cyst disappeared in one of them. Adverse effects
      were proteinuria, alopecia, leucopenia, itching and discrete elevation in
      aspartate transaminase, all of them reversed after the end of treatment. These
      results indicate that albendazole is effective for the treatment of PHD.

PMID- 1417208
TI  - Studies on environmentally-induced colour variation in Simulium sirbanum
      (Diptera: Simuliidae) using a portable rearing system.
AB  - Previous studies on the morphological identification of adult female Simulium
      damnosum s.l. have involved use of colour characters. To determine the degree to
      which these qualitative characters are influenced by the physical environment, a
      portable rearing system was constructed. Wild-caught female flies and flies
      emerging from pupae maintained at ambient temperatures or above showed entirely
      pale antennae, fore-coxae, wing-tufts and hairs on the scutellum and ninth
      abdominal tergite, as is normal for S. sirbanum. Adults reared from larvae at
      below ambient temperatures were also pale, except for the antennae which were
      dark in all specimens. Adult females emerging from pupae maintained at below
      ambient temperatures were entirely pale up to the fourth day of emergence and
      mostly with dark antennae. The biological significance and the implications to
      the morphological identification of the savannah species of the S. damnosum
      complex in West Africa are discussed.

PMID- 1417209
TI  - Phlebotomine sandfly species in Paraguay and their infection with Leishmania.
AB  - Nine species of sandflies, Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) whitmani (Antunes and
      Countinho), Lutzomyia (Nyssomyia) intermedia (Lutz and Neiva), Lutzomyia
      (Psathyromyia) shannoni (Dyar), Lutzomyia migonei (Franca), Lutzomyia (Pintomyia)
      fischeri (Pinto), Lutzomyia (Pintomyia) pessoai (Countinho and Barretto),
      Lutzomyia cortelezzii (Brethes), Lutzomyia walkeri (Newstead) and Lutzomyia
      (Trichopygomyia) longispinus (Mangabeira), were caught, by human bait and Shannon
      trap, in four areas of Paraguay hyper-endemic for human leishmaniasis. Lutzomyia
      whitmani and L. intermedia were the predominant species. All the species
      collected were found to be anthropophilic. Hindgut infections with leishmanial
      promastigotes were observed in only one (0.38%) of the 266 L. whitmani dissected.
      No L. intermedia were found infected, giving an overall infection rate of one
      (0.16%) of 615 flies dissected. The results indicate a very low rate of natural
      infection in endemic areas of Paraguay.

PMID- 1417210
TI  - A study of the sugar chemoreception niches of two bulinid snail hosts of
      schistosomiasis.
AB  - Components of the sugar chemoreception niches of two host snails of urinary
      schistosomiasis, namely Bulinus globosus (Morelet) and Bulinus rohlfsi (Clessin),
      were measured by using a buccal mass olfactometer. Among the polysaccharides
      tested, amylose was found to be the strongest phagostimulant for adults and
      juveniles of both snail species. Other phagostimulants identified were maltose
      and xylose for B. rohlfsi and maltotriose for B. globosus. The a(1-4)-glucosidic
      linkage and the presence of glucose residues were found to be key factors in the
      stimulus recognition system of the snails. The possible use of these findings in
      the design of controlled-release formulations for the selective removal of
      schistosome host snails is considered. The ecological implications of these
      studies are also examined.

PMID- 1417211
TI  - The absence of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes in the placental blood of a
      woman with a peripheral parasitaemia.

PMID- 1417212
TI  - The infective efficiency of intradermally inoculated Plasmodium coatneyi
      sporozoites.

PMID- 1417213
TI  - Sorbitol-induced aggregation of Plasmodium falciparum cultures.

PMID- 1417214
TI  - Does the snail Melanoides tuberculata have a role in biological control of
      Biomphalaria pfeifferi and other medically important African pulmonates?

PMID- 1417215
TI  - Placental Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia in East Sepik (Papua New Guinea)
      women of different parity: the apparent absence of acute effects on mother and
      foetus.
AB  - The effects of malaria were studied in a group of parturient women of East Sepik
      Province, Papua New Guinea. Further information was gathered from a search of
      hospital records and interviews with village aid post orderlies. Examination of
      placental blood revealed a Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia rate of 41% of the
      primiparae, 23% in parous 2, 25% in parous 3, and 3% in multiparae greater than
      3. Approximately one-half of those with placental parasitaemia had a concomitant
      detectable peripheral parasitaemia. Placental parasitaemias were of relatively
      low density, averaging 1.6%. There were no instances in the observed series of
      births, hospital records, or village studies of the occurrence of severe malaria
      in the mother or its acute effects on the foetus. Neither birthweight nor
      maternal or cord blood haematocrit was related to the presence or absence of
      placental parasitaemia. Neonatal birthweight and risk of delivering a low
      birthweight (less than 2.5 kg) baby was statistically associated only with
      maternal parity. The possible reasons for the relatively benign effect of malaria
      in the pregnant women of this population are discussed.

PMID- 1417216
TI  - Cerebral blood flow and metabolism in hypothermic circulatory arrest.
AB  - Although hypothermic circulatory arrest has been accepted for use in
      cardiovascular operations, the potential for cerebral injury exists. The
      mechanism of the cerebral injury remains unclear. To address these questions we
      studied cerebral blood flow and metabolism. Sixteen puppies were randomly
      assigned to undergo either 45 or 90 minutes of hypothermic circulatory arrest
      after perfusion/surface cooling to 13 degrees C. Cerebral blood flow, cerebral
      oxygen and glucose metabolism, and cerebral vascular resistance measurements were
      obtained at 37 degrees C, 13 degrees C, 10 minutes after reperfusion, 30 degrees
      C and 2 and 4 hours after hypothermic circulatory arrest. No neurologic or
      behavioral changes were observed in any of the long-term survivors (11/16).
      Metabolic and cerebral blood flow data did not differ between groups. Cerebral
      blood flow was significantly lower in the late postarrest measurements, whereas
      oxygen and glucose consumption had returned to baseline values. In the presence
      of low cerebral blood flow and high cerebral vascular resistance it is notable
      that control levels of oxygen consumption were attained by abnormally high oxygen
      extraction. These data strongly suggest a vulnerable interval after hypothermic
      circulatory arrest in which cerebral metabolism is limited by cerebral blood
      flow.

PMID- 1417217
TI  - Does a posterior aneurysm increase the risk of endocardial resection?
AB  - The bias has been that the ideal anatomic circumstance for endocardial resection
      is the anterior left ventricular location. Posterior left ventricular aneurysms
      have been thought to be problematic to map and more difficult to close, and
      possibly to have a different substrate for ventricular tachycardia. To address
      this problem, we retrospectively reviewed the cases of 110 consecutive patients
      who underwent sequential endocardial resection for ventricular tachycardia
      between 1983 and 1991. Ninety-six patients had an anterior aneurysm, and 14
      patients had a posterior aneurysm or infarct. Operative survival and 5-year
      survival were very similar between the two groups (p = not significant). A
      positive postoperative electrophysiological study was present in 11% of the
      anterior group versus 14% of the posterior group (p = not significant). There was
      a significantly greater incidence of mitral valve replacement in the posterior
      group, and we believe this was most likely due to frequent localization of the
      arrhythmia to the papillary muscle. Otherwise, patients with a posterior aneurysm
      or infarct had surgical results equivalent to those in patients with an anterior
      location. As long as there is a discrete aneurysm or infarct, endocardial
      resection is a safe and effective therapeutic procedure for ventricular
      tachycardia.

PMID- 1417218
TI  - Anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery: results of isolated
      aortic reimplantation.
AB  - Thirty-one consecutive children with anomalous left coronary artery underwent
      direct aortic reimplantation of the anomalous artery without an associated
      procedure. There were five deaths (16%; 70% confidence limits, 9% to 26%), three
      in the hospital and two early (within 3 months). The severity of preoperative
      left ventricular dysfunction was the only incremental risk factor for mortality:
      31% mortality rate among patients with left ventricular shortening fraction of
      less than 0.20 versus 0% among patients with a left ventricular shortening
      fraction of 0.20 or more (p = 0.03). There were no late deaths up to 6 years, a
      survival rate of 84% +/- 7%. Late results were studied in 23 survivors having a
      follow-up of longer than 12 months. Ninety-six percent were free of symptoms;
      left ventricular function recovered to normal in all patients; moderate to severe
      mitral regurgitation decreased to minimal or no regurgitation in most patients
      (5/7); and the reimplanted anomalous left coronary artery was patent in each
      patient. Based on this study, we reached five conclusions. (1) Direct aortic
      reimplantation is technically feasible in most patients with anomalous left
      coronary artery and yields a high rate of late patency. (2) Left ventricular
      resection is unnecessary. (3) The mitral valve should not be interfered with at
      the initial operation, but mitral regurgitation may persist in a few patients and
      necessitate later operation. (4) In patients with moderate left ventricular
      dysfunction, the operative risk is low and early operation indicated. (5) In
      patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction, the operative risk is high;
      heart transplantation may be suggested, but our current approach favors an
      immediate corrective procedure.

PMID- 1417219
TI  - Anterior mediastinal tracheostomy with and without cervical exenteration.
AB  - Anterior mediastinal tracheostomy (AMT) facilitates resection of stomal
      recurrences after laryngectomy for carcinoma and tumors involving the
      cervicothoracic trachea and esophagus. Erosion of the innominate artery has been
      reported as a frequent major complication of AMT, and routine prophylactic
      division of the innominate artery with AMT has even been advised. Forty-four
      patients underwent AMT, 10 as an isolated procedure (for stomal recurrence [5],
      laryngeal carcinoma [1], or benign stenosis after laryngectomy [4]) and 34 with
      concomitant cervical exenteration (laryngopharyngoesophagectomy) for laryngeal,
      thyroid, or cervicothoracic esophageal malignancies. Transposition of the
      remaining tracheal stump beneath and to the right of the innominate artery to
      eliminate tension on the vessel was carried out in 14 patients (32%).
      Postoperatively, anastomotic leaks complicated nine of 31 pharyngogastric
      anastomoses. Iatrogenic hypoparathyroidism occurred in 10 patients. All six
      hospital deaths (14%) occurred in patients undergoing AMT with cervical
      exenteration, not isolated AMT. There was only one instance of innominate artery
      erosion. Survival was related to the pathology for which AMT was performed.
      Anterior mediastinal tracheostomy is a valuable adjunct in the treatment of
      select patients with malignancies of the cervicothoracic trachea and esophagus,
      and with attention to operative detail, innominate artery erosion should rarely,
      if ever, complicate the operation. Prophylactic division of the innominate artery
      with AMT is unnecessary.

PMID- 1417220
TI  - Postpneumonectomy syndrome: diagnosis, management, and results.
AB  - Airway obstruction may be caused by extreme mediastinal shift and rotation after
      right pneumonectomy or after left pneumonectomy in the presence of a right aortic
      arch. Eleven adults (aged 18 to 58 years) with severe symptoms were treated
      surgically between 5 months to 17 years after pneumonectomy (7 right, 4 left). An
      initial patient with only one functional lobe was treated unsuccessfully by
      aortic division and bypass graft. Ten underwent mediastinal repositioning. After
      two recurrences prostheses were used to maintain mediastinal position. Five
      patients who underwent such repositioning are doing well from 5 months to more
      than 5 years later. One died 1 month after operation probably of pulmonary
      embolism. One who showed residual airway collapse after operation has some
      recurrent obstruction. Three other patients who showed severe malacic obstruction
      of the airway after mediastinal repositioning variously underwent aortic division
      with bypass graft and tracheal and bronchial resection. One is well almost 6
      years later. Two died postoperatively. Occurrence of the syndrome is
      unpredictable. Where malacic changes have not occurred, mediastinal repositioning
      may reasonably be expected to correct obstruction. Optimal treatment for
      concurrent severely malacic airways is unclear.

PMID- 1417221
TI  - Clinical and hemodynamic assessment of the Hancock II bioprosthesis.
AB  - The Hancock II bioprosthesis was used for heart valve replacement in 614 patients
      from 1982 to 1990. Aortic valve replacement (AVR) was performed in 376 patients,
      mitral valve replacement (MVR) in 195, and aortic and mitral valve replacement
      (DVR) in 43. The mean age was 62.7 years, and 78% of all patients were in New
      York Heart Association functional class III or IV before operation. Coronary
      artery bypass graft was necessary in 232 patients and replacement of ascending
      aorta in 55. There were 31 operative deaths (AVR, 4%; MVR, 6%; DVR, 9%). Follow
      up was complete in 98.5% of the patients and extended from 12 to 103 months, with
      a mean of 49 months. At the last follow-up, 85% of the patients were in New York
      Heart Association class I or II. The actuarial survival at 8 years was 79% +/- 3%
      for AVR, 68% +/- 4% for MVR, and 65% +/- 10% for DVR. The freedom from stroke at
      8 years was 93% +/- 2% for AVR, 83% +/- 5% for MVR, and 90% +/- 5% for DVR. At
      the end of 8 years 96% +/- 1% of all patients were free from endocarditis, 92% +/
      1% were free from primary tissue failure, and 89% +/- 3% were free from
      reoperation. The actuarial freedom from valve-related death at 8 years was 98% +/
      1% for AVR, 86% +/- 5% for MVR, and 91% +/- 6% for DVR. Hemodynamic assessment
      was obtained by Doppler echocardiography in all operative survivors and
      demonstrated satisfactorily effective valve orifices and transvalvular gradients.
      The clinical results obtained with the Hancock II bioprosthesis have been
      gratifying, particularly in the aortic position. This bioprosthesis is our
      biological valve of choice.

PMID- 1417223
TI  - Predictive criteria for the need of extracorporeal circulation in single-lung
      transplantation.
AB  - Use of extracorporeal circulation is mandatory in heart-lung and en bloc double
      lung transplantation. However, no criteria exist to predict the necessity of its
      application during single-lung transplantation for parenchymal lung diseases. We
      therefore reviewed our experience in 23 patients undergoing single-lung
      transplantation for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. All patients were evaluated by
      preoperative right heart catheterization. For intraoperative monitoring, a
      pulmonary artery thermodilution catheter was placed in the contralateral lung to
      repeatedly assess pulmonary artery pressure, cardiac output, and pulmonary
      vascular resistance. Extracorporeal circulation was necessary during graft
      implantation in 4 patients, whereas 19 patients underwent operation without it.
      Preoperative demographic patient data, time of ischemia, and hemodynamic values
      obtained preoperatively and before the clamping of the pulmonary artery showed no
      significant differences between groups. In contrast, after the clamping of the
      pulmonary artery, a significant drop in cardiac index of about 1.5 L.min-1.m-2 (p
      less than 0.01) and a concomitant rise in pulmonary vascular resistance (p less
      than 0.01) was observed in the group requiring extracorporeal circulation,
      whereas these variables showed no significant changes in the other 19 patients.
      Pulmonary artery pressure rose significantly in both groups (p less than 0.05),
      without significant differences between them. It is concluded that intraoperative
      assessment of cardiac index and pulmonary vascular resistance is essential for
      estimation of cardiac performance during single-lung transplantation. A decrease
      in cardiac index of more than 1.5 L.min-1.m-2 after the clamping of the pulmonary
      artery rather than the degree of pulmonary hypertension is indicative of the need
      of extracorporeal circulation.

PMID- 1417222
TI  - Use of epicardial electrocardiograms for detecting cardiac allograft rejection.
AB  - Since the advent of cyclosporin A surface electrocardiograms have been unreliable
      for diagnosing cardiac allograft rejection. Although several noninvasive methods
      have been proposed, none have been sufficiently accurate to be considered for
      clinical use. We have studied the use of the QRS complex amplitude, the unipolar
      peak-to-peak amplitude, recorded from intramyocardial electrodes for detecting
      rejection. Ten adult mongrel dogs underwent placement of intramyocardial
      electrodes on each ventricle. After stabilization of signals the hearts were
      transplanted heterotopically into unmatched recipients receiving cyclosporin A,
      azathioprine and methylprednisolone. Endomyocardial biopsies were performed after
      stabilization of unipolar peak-to-peak amplitude, twice weekly thereafter, and
      when unipolar peak-to-peak amplitude fell significantly. This detected 13 of 14
      episodes of rejection. There was one false-positive and one false-negative
      result. The false-negative study became positive the following day. Thus,
      analysis of unipolar peak-to-peak amplitude detected all episodes of rejection in
      a clinically relevant time frame and was able to detect mild forms of rejection
      and multiple episodes of rejection in the same heart even in the presence of
      therapeutic levels of cyclosporin A.

PMID- 1417224
TI  - Stentless porcine and pericardial valve in aortic position.
AB  - Fifty-seven patients underwent aortic valve replacement with a stentless
      glutaraldehyde-fixed bioprosthesis; 27 received a porcine aortic valve and 30 had
      a bovine pericardial valve. Two groups of 30 patients each who had aortic valve
      replacement with a tilting-disc mechanical valve or a stented porcine
      bioprosthesis served as controls. There were no differences in sex, body surface
      area, valve lesion, and valve size among the four groups. Results were assessed
      on a Doppler-based determination of maximum velocity across the valve, aortic
      valve area, and degree of valve regurgitation. Velocity across the valve was
      significantly less with stentless pericardial valves than with stentless porcine
      valves, stented bioprostheses, and mechanical valves. Stentless valves had a
      significantly larger aortic valve area when compared with stented valves. Mild
      central aortic insufficiency was detected more often with stentless pericardial
      than with stentless porcine bioprostheses (p = 0.04). Stentless valves showed a
      higher incidence of complete atrioventricular block when compared with stented
      valves (p = 0.04). Long-term studies are now warranted to assess the durability
      of both types of stentless valves.

PMID- 1417225
TI  - Transhiatal esophagectomy: a safe alternative for selected patients.
AB  - One hundred one consecutive patients underwent an esophagectomy with gastric
      interposition for benign and malignant processes from January 1982 through July
      1990. Seventy-seven underwent transhiatal esophagectomy and 24, transthoracic
      esophagectomy. Multivariate analysis was performed comparing the hospitalization
      experience of the two groups. There was no significant difference found between
      the mean intraoperative blood loss for transhiatal esophagectomy (770 +/- 105 mL)
      and that of transthoracic esophagectomy (700 +/- 175 mL). There was a significant
      difference between operative time, with transhiatal esophagectomy averaging 5.4
      hours and transthoracic esophagectomy averaging 7.3 hours. Postoperative stay was
      not significantly different although there was a wide range of values for the
      transthoracic esophagectomy group. An 8% operative mortality was experienced by
      both groups. There were a significant number of minor anastomotic leaks at the
      cervical anastomotic level for the transhiatal esophagectomy group, but all
      responded to nonoperative management. The highest morbidity and mortality were
      seen in the subgroup of transhiatal esophagectomies done for laryngocervical
      malignancies. The lowest morbidity and mortality were seen in the subgroup of 12
      patients who underwent transhiatal esophagectomy for nonmalignant esophageal
      conditions. Transhiatal esophagectomy appears to be a safe alternative for early
      intrathoracic esophageal malignancies at any level, for bulky distal esophageal
      lesions, and for benign conditions requiring total esophagectomy.

PMID- 1417226
TI  - The learning curve for intraoperative echocardiography during congenital heart
      surgery.
AB  - Our group has previously reported a large prospective experience with the use of
      intraoperative echocardiography with Doppler color-flow imaging (IE-DCFI) during
      the repair of congenital heart defects. We have now performed IE-DCFI in 621
      patients and have observed a major change in the impact of this technology, which
      has stabilized during our most recent experience (the last 207 patients). To
      evaluate the surgical learning curve with IE-DCFI, we divided patients into three
      groups: group 1, patients 1 through 207; group 2, patients 208 through 414; and
      group 3, patients 415 through 621. There were no major differences between groups
      with respect to age or disease entities. The average time needed to perform an IE
      DCFI examination decreased from 3.75 +/- 1.77 minutes in group 1 to 3.35 +/- 1.52
      minutes in group 2 and has remained stable. The number of patients requiring
      revisions in the operating room (based on IE-DCFI findings) decreased from 17
      (8%) in group 1 to 7 (3%) in group 2 to 5 (2%) in group 3. Furthermore, revisions
      were 100% successful in correcting the problem in groups 2 and 3, whereas 18% of
      group 1 patients left the operating room with persistent residual defects by IE
      DCFI. Surgeons can acquire the ability to interpret the results of IE-DCFI
      themselves and use it to enhance their operative repair of congenital heart
      defects, but this requires an experience of at least 200 cases.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417227
TI  - Emergent applications of cardiopulmonary support: a multiinstitutional
      experience.
AB  - The use of emergent portable bypass systems is increasing. Because of limited
      patient use in any one institution, a combined experience can better determine
      the applicability of these systems. A total of 187 patients from 17 centers were
      analyzed. Causes leading to bypass initiation were cardiac arrest (125 patients),
      cardiogenic shock (44), profound hypothermia (7), pulmonary insufficiency (9),
      and miscellaneous (2). Weaning from bypass was successful in 30.5% (57 patients).
      Sixty-four patients (34.2%) were transferred to standard bypass or other modes of
      circulatory assist. Of the total population, 40 patients (21.4%) were alive
      greater than 30 days. There were no survivors of unwitnessed arrests. Major
      diagnostic or therapeutic interventions were carried out on bypass in 74.9% of
      all patients. In survivors, 77.1% (37/48) had major therapeutic interventions as
      compared with 50.0% (67/135) of nonsurvivors. Emergency portable bypass systems
      can successfully resuscitate and support cardiac hemodynamics, although the
      underlying causes necessitating bypass remain difficult to correct. When
      corrective intervention can be performed, there is an increased chance of
      survival. Unwitnessed arrest, prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and lack
      of treatment options are relative contraindications. Appropriate patient
      selection and early application of these systems should lead to improved
      survival.

PMID- 1417228
TI  - Effect of light dose on the photodynamic destruction of endobronchial tumors.
AB  - The effects of various light power densities (milliwatts per centimeter of
      diffusing fiber [mW/cf]) and light doses (joules per centimeter of diffusing
      fiber [J/cf]) on the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy to endobronchial and
      tracheal tumors were evaluated at 46 different sites. All patients had squamous
      cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma. They received 2 mg/kg body weight
      dihematoporphyrin ether intravenously 2 days before treatment bronchoscopy. Only
      one light treatment was delivered to the site. Patients were treated with
      diffusing cylinder light tips and underwent toilet bronchoscopy 2 days after
      photodynamic therapy. The percentage of obstruction was estimated before and
      after treatment and before and after toilet bronchoscopy. There was no difference
      between the effects resulting from power densities of 400 and 500 mW/cf, nor were
      there differences in the reactions between squamous cell carcinoma and
      adenocarcinoma. The amount of tumor that could be removed at the end of the
      treatment bronchoscopy, the amount of reobstruction by secretions and exudate
      seen at toilet bronchoscopy, and the final percent decrease in obstruction at the
      end of toilet bronchoscopy were proportional to the light dose. Because the final
      percentage decrease in obstruction plateaued at light doses of 400 to 500 J/cf
      and there was no statistically significant difference between 400 and 500 J/cf,
      we recommend using a power density of 500 mW/cf and a light dose of 400 J/cf
      during photodynamic therapy.

PMID- 1417229
TI  - Nicardipine: myocardial protection in isolated working hearts.
AB  - The effectiveness of the calcium antagonist nicardipine in protecting the
      ischemic myocardium was evaluated using the hemodynamic recovery of isolated
      working rat hearts subjected to hyperkalemic cardiac arrest followed by ischemia
      at 37.5 degrees C and 10 degrees C. Rat hearts (n = 51) received 20 mL of
      cardioplegia and were subjected to 27 minutes of ischemia at 37.5 degrees C.
      Group A (control) did not receive nicardipine. Groups B through F received
      nicardipine in the cardioplegia with total doses ranging from 2 micrograms to 6
      micrograms. Group A had 46% survival of ischemia, whereas groups C (3 micrograms)
      and D (4 micrograms) had survival rates of 88% and 100%, respectively (p less
      than 0.05). The recovery of aortic flow after ischemia was 35% in group A,
      compared with 76% in group B (2 micrograms) and 81% in group D (p less than
      0.05). Group A had 49% postischemic recovery of cardiac output, whereas groups B
      and D had 82% and 85% recovery (p less than 0.05). The postischemic recovery of
      stroke volume was 48% in group A compared with 84% in group B, 87% in group D,
      and 73% in group E (5 micrograms) (p less than 0.05). Additional rats were
      exposed to 210 minutes of ischemia (n = 41) or 240 minutes of ischemia (n = 56)
      at 10 degrees C. Control groups did not receive nicardipine, whereas treatment
      groups received nicardipine in the cardioplegia with total doses ranging from 1.4
      micrograms to 6.4 micrograms. There were no significant differences in the
      survival of ischemia or the recovery of function after ischemia at 10 degrees
      C.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417230
TI  - Electrophysiologic study of dysrhythmias after atrial operations in dogs.
AB  - Experiments were conducted with 159 dogs to investigate the mechanism of
      persistent dysrhythmias clinically encountered after atrial-level operations.
      Those found after incisions to the internodal pathways (INPs) of the right atrium
      were analyzed using cardiac mapping in an anesthetized or extracorporeally
      perfused state. Longitudinal incisions of the posterior INP often allowed
      inducible sustained atrial flutter, with circus movement of excitation around the
      right atrium near the tricuspid orfice. Sustained atrial flutter thus produced
      was modified in cycle length by coexisting division of the middle INP but
      inhibited by that of the anterior INP. Its incidence increased at chronic stage,
      with marked cicatricial changes. The disrupted anterior INP markedly prolonged
      conduction time to the atrioventricular node and A-H interval compared with the
      other disruptions. Persistent atrioventricular junctional rhythm developed in
      about 50% of the animals after disruption of all three INPs or anterior and
      posterior INPs; division of the anterior INP was the common potent factor,
      although no single blocked INP produced persistent junctional rhythm. Our results
      support the "summation theory." The incidence of junctional rhythm and hypoxia of
      the sinoatrial node (flow rate of less than 10 mL.100 g-1.min-1) were markedly
      enhanced by coexisting blockade of atrial feeding arteries in addition to
      division of the anterior INP. In conclusion, massive posterior INP disruption is
      a potent anatomic substrate in producing sustained atrial flutter, middle INP
      division a modifier, and anterior INP division an inhibitor. Division of the
      anterior INP is a potent anatomic substrate in producing junctional rhythm, and
      hypoxia involving the sinoatrial node reacts as its synergic factor.

PMID- 1417231
TI  - Time for new concepts about measurement of complement activation by
      cardiopulmonary bypass?
AB  - Fifty-one patients admitted for routine coronary bypass operations were
      randomized to cardiopulmonary bypass with a membrane oxygenator (Capiox) or a
      bubbler (Polystan or William Harvey). Complement activation was measured using
      enzyme immunoassays for concentrations of C3 activation products and the terminal
      complement complex. From 5.8 to 8.1 arbitrary units (AU)/mL (medians), the plasma
      concentrations of C3 activation products increased by 119.9 AU/mL (Capiox), 124.6
      AU/mL (Polystan), and 79.5 AU/mL (William Harvey) to a peak at closure of the
      sternum (not significant when related to baseline concentrations). The increase
      in C3 activation products and baseline C3 activation were linearly correlated (R2
      = 0.30; p less than 0.0001). From 5.5 to 6.1 AU/mL, the plasma terminal
      complement complex concentrations increased by 45.2 AU/mL (Capiox), 15.4 AU/mL
      (Polystan), and 17.4 AU/mL (William Harvey) to a peak before termination of
      cardiopulmonary bypass. Maximal terminal (C5-C9) activation was significantly
      higher in the membrane oxygenator group (p less than 0.0001) and showed no
      relationship to C3 activation. Measurement of C3 activation only gives no
      information about C5-C9 activation. At present, terminal complement complex
      quantitation is probably the best index of C5-C9 activation during
      cardiopulmonary bypass.

PMID- 1417232
TI  - Congenital malformations of the coronary arteries: the Texas Heart Institute
      experience.
AB  - Coronary artery anomalies, some of which are considered clinically insignificant,
      can be associated with other congenital heart defects, myocardial ischemia, and
      reduced life expectancy. We conducted a retrospective study to determine the
      efficacy of surgical treatment in 191 patients who had a total of 202 coronary
      artery anomalies, which were classified as anomalies of origin (88 patients),
      termination (93), or distribution (10). Of the 88 patients with anomalies of
      origin, 60 had a coronary artery arising from the pulmonary artery, 18 had a
      right coronary artery arising from the left anterior descending artery, and 10
      had a coronary artery arising from the contralateral sinus of Valsalva. All
      patients with an anomaly of termination had a coronary arteriovenous fistula, and
      all patients with an anomaly of origin had a single coronary artery. The
      diagnostic and operative techniques for each of the defects are evaluated. Based
      on our experience, early diagnosis and surgical intervention can yield
      satisfactory results in patients with coronary artery anomalies, with most
      experiencing relief of symptoms. The operative procedures were associated with a
      low early and late mortality; in addition, few patients experienced
      complications.

PMID- 1417233
TI  - Endotoxin release and tumor necrosis factor formation during cardiopulmonary
      bypass.
AB  - Endotoxin, when released into the systemic circulation during cardiopulmonary
      bypass (CPB), might induce activation of plasmatic systems and blood cells during
      CPB, in addition to a material-dependent blood activation during CPB. However,
      the role of endotoxin in the development of this so-called whole-body
      inflammatory reaction in CPB is still unclear. We investigated the release of
      endotoxin into the systemic circulation in relation with the activation of the
      complement system and in particular the formation of tumor necrosis factor in 10
      patients undergoing CPB. Immediately after the start of CPB the endotoxin
      concentrations increased significantly (p less than 0.01), accompanied by
      increases in C3a concentration (p less than 0.05). After release of the aortic
      cross-clamp, there was a second increase in endotoxin followed by a continuous
      increase in tumor necrosis factor, reaching a peak concentration 1 hour after the
      end of CPB (p less than 0.01). These observations demonstrate a release of
      endotoxin into the systemic circulation associated with tumor necrosis factor
      formation, which contributes to the whole-body inflammatory reaction associated
      with CPB.

PMID- 1417234
TI  - Temperature monitoring during CPB in infants: does it predict efficient brain
      cooling?
AB  - We examined jugular venous oxygen saturation data in 17 pediatric patients less
      than 1 year of age undergoing hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Jugular
      venous oxygen saturations (JvO2SATS) were measured before bypass and during the
      active core cooling portion of CPB. The study intervals during CPB included 1
      minute after initiation of CPB, at a tympanic membrane temperature of 15 degrees
      C, and at a rectal temperature of 15 degrees C. During these measurement
      intervals, there were no significant changes in mean arterial pressure, pump flow
      rate, arterial oxygen saturation, mixed venous oxygen saturation, carbon dioxide
      tension, or hematocrit. Six of the 17 patients (29%) demonstrated a significantly
      lower JvO2SAT (87.1% +/- 6.3% versus 98.1% +/- 0.9%) at a tympanic membrane
      temperature of 15 degrees C. Patients demonstrating jugular venous desaturation
      could not be predicted from continuous monitoring of tympanic membrane and rectal
      temperatures or through on-line measurements of mixed venous oxygen saturation.
      Low JvO2SAT suggests higher levels of cerebral metabolism and cerebral uptake of
      oxygen. In the presence of deep hypothermic CPB and stable anesthetic levels, the
      most likely cause of a low JvO2SAT is inadequate cerebral cooling. We believe
      JvO2SAT monitoring may be an important adjunct to conventional temperature
      monitoring in the patient undergoing deep hypothermic CPB or total circulatory
      arrest.

PMID- 1417235
TI  - Surgical management of infective endocarditis in children.
AB  - Infective endocarditis occurs infrequently in the general pediatric population,
      occurring mostly in patients with congenital heart disease. This study reviews
      our surgical experience with infective endocarditis based on a policy of
      aggressive intervention, conservative operative debridement, and creative
      reconstruction options using pericardium and prosthetic heart valves. From 1982
      to 1989, 16 patients, 3 weeks to 16 years of age, underwent 19 intracardiac
      operations for infective endocarditis therapy at Kosair Children's Hospital.
      Eight (42%) were for resection of vegetations alone; an additional 11 operations
      (58%) involved more extensive debridements requiring either valve replacement or
      valvuloplasty using pericardium for exclusion of an abscess cavity, closure of a
      fistula, or for valve repair. Operative mortality was 25% (4 patients) and
      related to preoperative disease severity. There was one late death. Offending
      organisms included Staphylococcus species (31%), Haemophilus influenzae (13%),
      pneumococcus (5%), gram-negative organisms (13%), and Candida (13%); no organism
      grew on culture in 25%. We conclude that aggressive surgical exploration in
      patients with infective endocarditis is indicated and often requires resection of
      vegetations alone. More extensive procedures should preserve as much valvular
      tissue as possible. Pericardium is useful for reconstruction after debridement.

PMID- 1417236
TI  - Left ventricular diverticulum with hypertrophy of the left ventricular apex.
AB  - A surgical case of diverticulum in the left ventricular apex is presented. A two
      dimensional echocardiogram and magnetic resonance image showed a calcified tumor
      buried in the marked hypertrophied apex of the left ventricle. Enucleation of the
      oval and hard tumor (4 x 2.5 x 2.5 cm) was performed through the apex, and the
      defect was anastomosed by buttress sutures. Histologic examination demonstrated
      that the tumor cavity was filled with a thrombus encapsulated by thickened and
      calcified endocardium that extended to the left ventricular cavity. In this
      report, the etiology of the diverticulum with a hypertrophied myocardium is
      discussed.

PMID- 1417237
TI  - Chronic fibrosing mediastinitis and superior vena caval obstruction from
      blastomycosis.
AB  - Chronic fibrosing mediastinitis is most commonly a complication of granulomatous
      disease caused by histoplasmosis. We report a case of Blastomyces dermatitidis
      causing superior vena caval obstruction from fibrosing mediastinitis.

PMID- 1417238
TI  - Saphenous vein graft pseudoaneurysm formation after postoperative mediastinitis.
AB  - Pseudoaneurysm formation involving the body of an aortocoronary saphenous vein
      graft is a rare event. True aneurysmal dilatation of the graft and anastomotic
      pseudoaneurysm formation occur more commonly. We present the case of a 73-year
      old woman in whom a pseudoaneurysm communicating with the body of a posterior
      descending coronary artery saphenous vein graft developed, presumably after a
      postoperative sternal wound infection. The aneurysm was excised and the defect
      within the saphenous vein graft repaired using hypothermia and circulatory
      arrest.

PMID- 1417239
TI  - Unusual complication of temporary pacing wires in children.
AB  - There have been numerous complications described concerning temporary epicardial
      pacing wires including infection, bleeding, and coronary artery graft disruption.
      We report a case in which the heart was ensnared by the pacing wire, resulting in
      cardiac decompensation during attempted removal. This complication may be avoided
      by assuring that a smaller loop of pacing wire remains in the pericardium.

PMID- 1417240
TI  - Aneurysm of coronary arteriovenous fistula presenting as a calcified mediastinal
      mass.
AB  - A 61-year-old woman with a giant aneurysm of the coronary arterial fistula
      between the left anterior descending coronary artery and the main pulmonary
      artery underwent aneurysmal resection and closure of the fistula. This was a very
      unusual case with rare congenital malformation with secondary atherosclerotic
      change.

PMID- 1417241
TI  - Bilateral elastofibroma dorsi.
AB  - Elastofibroma dorsi was diagnosed in a 76-year-old woman with bilateral
      subscapular tumor masses and a 3-year history of recurrent, right-sided scapular
      pain. A bilateral tumor extirpation was performed and the patient left the
      hospital free of symptoms 10 days later. We suggest that both constant trauma
      with resulting excessive elastin production and collagen degeneration might play
      a major role in the pathogenesis of this rare proliferative lesion.

PMID- 1417242
TI  - Double-lung transplantation using donor lungs with a right tracheal bronchus.
AB  - A 58-year-old man underwent sequential bilateral lung transplantation. On the
      donor heart-lung block, it was discovered that the right apical segment was
      supplied by a tracheal bronchus. After the separate implantation of both lungs, a
      right apical segmentectomy was performed and the postoperative course was
      uneventful. The management of this problem is discussed.

PMID- 1417243
TI  - Surgical management of left coronary artery ostial atresia and supravalvar aortic
      stenosis.
AB  - Congenital atresia of the left main coronary artery ostium is a rare lesion,
      particularly when found in association with supravalvar aortic stenosis. This
      report describes the preoperative evaluation and surgical management of this
      lesion found in conjunction with a quadricuspid aortic valve in a 5-year-old
      child. Patch aortoplasty and left internal thoracic artery to left anterior
      descending coronary artery bypass were performed to correct this lesion.

PMID- 1417245
TI  - Pericardial repair of a tracheal laceration during transhiatal esophagectomy.
AB  - Transhiatal esophagectomy has recently been popularized for both benign and
      malignant esophageal disease. While we were performing a transhiatal
      esophagectomy for a squamous cell cancer of the upper third of the esophagus, a
      tear in the membranous trachea near the carina occurred. This was repaired
      through the cervical incision with a free pericardial patch. This solution to a
      potentially catastrophic complication of transhiatal esophagectomy gave a
      satisfactory result without early or late postoperative respiratory
      complications.

PMID- 1417244
TI  - Hyperbaric oxygen: value in management of nonhealing saphenectomy wounds.
AB  - The greater saphenous vein is commonly used as a conduit for arterial bypass in
      both cardiac and peripheral vascular operations. Although saphenectomy wound
      complications occur infrequently, such problems may be quite serious. We report a
      case in which hyperbaric oxygen therapy was extremely valuable in the management
      of a very difficult saphenectomy wound.

PMID- 1417246
TI  - Limited vertical skin incision for median sternotomy.
AB  - The cosmetic deformity of the vertical skin incision for median sternotomy was
      decreased by using a mechanical traction system to increase exposure at the
      superior margin of a shorter wound. The limited vertical skin incision did not
      impede technical surgical maneuvers and produced a scar that was more acceptable
      than submammary incision or right anterior thoracotomy. The limited skin incision
      is especially useful in young women with congenital heart disease.

PMID- 1417248
TI  - Bilateral anterior thoracotomy for automatic implantable cardioverter
      defibrillator placement in patients with previous sternotomy.
AB  - Bilateral anterior thoracotomy, extrapericardial patches, and endocardial sensing
      lead placement have been used in 40 patients with previous sternotomy. The mean
      defibrillation threshold was 15 J, and in all patients the defibrillation
      threshold was less than 20 J. The surgical procedure is simplified with less risk
      by avoiding dissection of previously operated regions. Serious pulmonary
      complications have been avoided by adequate pain control with epidural analgesia
      and early mobilization. This technique has successfully been used in patients
      with underlying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and amiodarone-induced
      pulmonary fibrosis. All patients have been extubated by the first postoperative
      day.

PMID- 1417247
TI  - Directed atraumatic coronary sinus cannulation for retrograde cardioplegia
      administration.
AB  - A simple method of coronary sinus cannulation for retrograde cardioplegia
      administration is described that reduces cardiac manipulation. Intraoperative
      transesophageal echocardiography is used to direct atraumatic coronary sinus
      cannulation, confirm the depth of insertion of the cannula tip in relation to the
      ostium, and reduce overall cannulation time.

PMID- 1417249
TI  - New side-holed sheath for intraaortic balloon pumping to maintain limb perfusion.
AB  - We developed a new side-holed shunt sheath for inserting intraaortic balloon
      pumps to maintain lower limb perfusion in patients with stenotic and tortuous
      aortoiliac arteries. This sheath has a large internal diameter and several side
      holes, which act as an internal shunt. It was useful and effective in 11 patients
      with severe aortoiliac occlusive lesions who required assistance by intraaortic
      balloon pumping.

PMID- 1417250
TI  - New surgical technique for type B aortic interruption.
AB  - Restoring continuity of the aortic arch in aortic interruption continues to be a
      problem in terms of both surgical technique and long-term results. We report here
      a surgical technique using the left subclavian artery along with an aberrant
      right subclavian artery to form a conduit in a patient with type B interruption,
      to reestablish aortic continuity.

PMID- 1417251
TI  - Video-assisted thoracic surgery: basic technical concepts and intercostal
      approach strategies.
AB  - Video-assisted thoracic surgery is emerging as a viable approach to a number of
      intrathoracic disorders. Technical difficulties related to improper instrument
      selection and suboptimal intercostal operative access can reduce the utility of,
      and the enthusiasm for, the video-assisted thoracic surgical approach. This
      report describes the intercostal access strategy and the instrument positioning
      that we now prescribe for many video-assisted thoracic surgical procedures. These
      approaches have become refined during the course of our experience with 467
      patients undergoing video-assisted thoracic operations over the last 18 months.

PMID- 1417252
TI  - Esophageal perforation.

PMID- 1417253
TI  - Ross' first homograft replacement of the aortic valve.

PMID- 1417254
TI  - Continuous normothermic blood cardioplegia: simplified delivery circuit.

PMID- 1417255
TI  - Thromboelastogram and postoperative hemorrhage.

PMID- 1417256
TI  - Thromboelastogram and postoperative hemorrhage.

PMID- 1417257
TI  - Thromboelastogram and postoperative hemorrhage.

PMID- 1417258
TI  - The blue man phenomenon.

PMID- 1417259
TI  - Minimal hemodilution and optimal potassium use during normothermic aerobic
      arrest.

PMID- 1417260
TI  - Rapid transfusion after aortic decannulation.

PMID- 1417261
TI  - Aortic valve repair.

PMID- 1417262
TI  - 1985: A method for predicting postoperative lung function and its relation to
      postoperative complications in patients with lung cancer. 1992 update.

PMID- 1417263
TI  - Thermo cardiosystems left ventricular assist device.

PMID- 1417264
TI  - Plateletpheresis and transfusion practice in heart operations.

PMID- 1417265
TI  - Preoperative morphologic and physiologic assessment of internal thoracic
      arteries.

PMID- 1417266
TI  - Manual versus stapled bronchial closure: still controversial.

PMID- 1417267
TI  - Hemodynamic effects of pericardial closure.

PMID- 1417268
TI  - Abrupt cardiac failure using a right VAD in the presence of a tricuspid valve
      prosthesis.

PMID- 1417269
TI  - Allogenic vein as a conduit for coronary artery bypass.

PMID- 1417270
TI  - Intrathecal perfusion of an oxygenated perfluorocarbon prevents paraplegia after
      aortic occlusion.
AB  - A canine model was used to evaluate the effects of continuous intrathecal
      perfusion of an oxygenated perfluorocarbon emulsion on systemic and cerebral
      hemodynamics and neurologic outcome after 70 minutes of normothermic aortic
      occlusion. Twelve mongrel dogs were instrumented to monitor proximal and distal
      arterial blood pressure, cerebrospinal fluid pressure, spinal cord perfusion
      pressure, and somatosensory evoked potentials. The intrathecal perfusion
      apparatus consisted of two perfusing catheters, placed in the intrathecal space
      through a laminectomy, and a draining catheter percutaneously inserted in the
      cisterna cerebellomedullaris. The aorta was cross-clamped just distal to the left
      subclavian artery for 70 minutes. Animals were randomized into two groups: group
      1 (n = 6) animals were treated with intrathecal perfusion of saline solution,
      whereas group 2 (n = 6) animals received oxygenated Fluosol-DA 20%. Data were
      acquired at baseline, during the cross-clamp period, and after reperfusion.
      Normothermic Fluosol or saline solution was infused at a rate of 15 mL/min
      beginning 15 minutes before cross-clamping and continued throughout the ischemic
      interval. There was no difference in proximal arterial blood pressure (97.2
      versus 95.4 mm Hg; p > 0.05) or distal arterial blood pressure (14.6 versus 15.0;
      p > 0.05) between the two groups throughout the cross-clamp interval.
      Cerebrospinal fluid pressure rose significantly in both groups with the onset of
      intrathecal perfusion of either saline solution or Fluosol (7 +/- 1 versus 24 +/-
      5 and 8 +/- 1 versus 40 +/- 4 mm Hg, respectively; p < 0.05). The rise in
      cerebrospinal fluid pressure was sustained throughout the perfusion interval in
      both groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417271
TI  - Cryopreserved allograft veins as alternative coronary artery bypass conduits:
      early phase results.
AB  - Traditional autologous conduits are sometimes unavailable or unsuitable to permit
      total revascularization during coronary artery bypass grafting. In these patients
      the results of using nonautologous alternative conduits has been disappointing.
      Encouraged by the excellent long-term results seen with cryopreserved allograft
      valves, a clinical protocol was developed to evaluate the use of a commercially
      cryopreserved allograft saphenous vein (CPV). Our protocol consisted of using CPV
      when left internal mammary arteries and autologous saphenous vein grafts were
      unavailable or unsuitable for complete revascularization. Blood group (ABO) typed
      CPVs were thawed and implanted as required using standard surgical techniques.
      From December 1989 through June 1991, 19 of 1,602 patients who underwent coronary
      revascularization had CPVs implanted (1.2%). There were no operative deaths. An
      attempt was made to evaluate the patency of all grafts with coronary
      arteriography or ultrafast computed tomographic scans. Fourteen patients were
      available for patency evaluation. Patency rate in the 14 patients studied at a
      mean of 7 +/- 2 months (range, 2 to 16 months) were: internal mammary artery, 93%
      (14/15); saphenous vein graft, 80% (4/5); and CPV, 41% (7/17). The patency of the
      CPV was significantly less than the patency rate for the saphenous vein and
      internal mammary artery (p = 0.004). We conclude that the short-term patency rate
      of CPVs is inferior to that of autologous vessels. Due to its poor patency, we
      recommend that CPV should only be used when no other autologous conduit is
      available.

PMID- 1417272
TI  - Late results of operation for ventricular tachycardia.
AB  - We have analyzed results in 54 consecutive patients with recurrent ventricular
      tachycardia and coronary artery disease in whom we used an aggressive surgical
      approach involving map-directed ventricular tachycardia ablation, scar excision
      and left ventricular remodeling, and coronary artery bypass grafting, as well as
      staged mitral valve replacement when necessary. We have previously shown age
      greater than 65 years to be an independent predictor of mortality and have
      excluded such patients from this series. Average age was 56 +/- 7 years. All
      patients had a previous myocardial infarction; 24% of the infarctions (13/54)
      were posterior in location. Symptoms included syncope or presyncope in 83% of the
      patients (45/54), angina in 54% (29/54), and congestive heart failure in 52%
      (28/54). Extensive coronary artery disease was found in 78% (42/54), and 89%
      (48/54) had serious compromise of left ventricular function (ejection fraction <
      0.40; average ejection fraction, 0.28 +/- 0.12). Only 63% (34/54) appeared to
      have a resectable left ventricular aneurysm on the preoperative angiogram.
      Ablation techniques included endocardial excision in 82% (44/54), with the
      addition of cryoablation in 60% (32/54), and balloon electric shock ablation in
      22% (12/54); coronary artery bypass grafting was performed in 85% (46/54). There
      were four hospital deaths (7%). The surgical cure rate (no inducible VT at
      postoperative electrophysiologic study was 72% (39/54). During follow-up (mean,
      50 +/- 31 months) there have been six late deaths (1 sudden death, 1 stroke, 4
      congestive heart failures with or without mitral regurgitation). Four patients
      with progressive congestive heart failure and serious mitral regurgitation have
      undergone repeat operation for mitral valve replacement.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417273
TI  - Cardiac retransplantation: a viable option? The Registry of the International
      Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation.
AB  - To evaluate cardiac retransplantation as an appropriate utilization of scarce
      donor organs we analyzed data from the registry of the International Society for
      Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) (n = 449) and the Utah Cardiac Transplant
      Program (n = 20). Actuarial survival among retransplants was lower than in
      patients who received only one transplant in both the ISHLT registry patients (1
      year survival, 48% versus 78%; p = 0.001) and the Utah series (1 year survival,
      74% versus 88%; p = 0.06). Uncontrolled rejection, short interval (< 6 months)
      between transplantations, and the need for mechanical circulatory support were
      identified as risk factors for retransplantation. The incidence of rejection and
      infection was similar in first and second transplant recipients. Second
      transplant recipients had a higher level of sensitization, a greater incidence of
      donor-specific positive crossmatches, and an increased early mortality.
      Repetition in the second donor of mismatched HLA antigens present in the first
      donor did not adversely affect survival. If patients who underwent
      retransplantation within 6 months of their initial transplantation, those
      receiving transplants for uncontrolled rejection, and those requiring mechanical
      assistance were eliminated from the study, the short-term and long-term survival
      after cardiac retransplantation does not differ from that in patients having a
      single transplant.

PMID- 1417274
TI  - Acute rejection of lung allografts with various immunosuppressive protocols.
AB  - Between February 1990 and December 1991, 69 patients who survived for a minimum
      of 5 days after single-lung (27), double-lung (32), or heart-lung transplantation
      (10) were studied to learn the incidence and severity of acute rejection and the
      possible effects of various immunosuppressive protocols on this rejection. Acute
      rejection was less common (2.1 versus 3.1 episodes/patient) after transplantation
      in those 30 candidates who received rabbit antithymocyte globulin for the first 5
      postoperative days versus the 28 who were maintained on cyclosporine,
      azathioprine, and prednisone alone (p < 0.05), but no patient escaped at least
      one episode. Patients given cyclosporine received more 3-day courses of
      methylprednisolone (p < 0.02) than those given rabbit antithymocyte globulin (2.5
      versus 1.7 courses). Although no disadvantage in terms of infectious morbidity
      was noted in the rabbit antithymocyte globulin group, no obvious intermediate
      advantage was noted in survival (85% at 12 months) or grade of rejection or
      airway flows. The most common histopathologic grades were mild (A2) and moderate
      (A3); the average grade was A2.3. FK 506 was tested in 11 patients, and early
      results are promising relative to low early and likely fewer late episodes of
      rejection. No differences were noted in the likelihood of rejection for any
      procedures.

PMID- 1417275
TI  - Improved myocardial ischemic tolerance by contractile inhibition with 2,3
      butanedione monoxime.
AB  - Contracture of the arrested myocardium during prolonged storage of the heart
      results in both systolic and diastolic dysfunction, and is a major limitation to
      extended preservation. We studied the effects of a reversible contractile
      inhibitor, 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM), on myocardial ischemic tolerance.
      Isolated rabbit hearts were flushed with University of Wisconsin (UW) solution
      with and without 30 mmol/L BDM and 1 mmol/L CaCl, stored at 4 degrees C for 24
      hours, and subsequently reperfused for 60 minutes. Left ventricular pressure
      volume relationships and adenine nucleotide content were determined before
      reperfusion. Left ventricular systolic pressure, diastolic volume, and adenine
      nucleotide content were measured after reperfusion. Hearts stored in UW solution
      underwent contracture and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion during storage,
      and exhibited systolic dysfunction, impaired diastolic relaxation, and poor ATP
      regeneration upon reperfusion. The addition of calcium worsened contracture and
      ATP depletion (p < 0.005) and slightly improved function and ATP regeneration (p
      = not significant). Hearts stored in the presence of BDM experience no
      contracture during storage; ATP was preserved (10.7 versus 15.7 nmol/mg; p <
      0.05), and left ventricular systolic pressure and ATP content recovered to 74%
      and 93% of control on reperfusion, respectively (p < 0.005). Left ventricular
      diastolic volume remained depressed, however, although less than with UW solution
      (0.87 versus 0.45 mL; p < 0.001). When both BDM and calcium were included in the
      UW solution, calcium-stimulated ATP hydrolysis and contracture were prevented,
      left ventricular systolic pressure returned to 87% of control, and left
      ventricular diastolic volume and ATP content returned to control levels.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417276
TI  - Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for cardiac failure after congenital heart
      operation.
AB  - Despite continuing improvement in myocardial protection and surgical technique,
      the repair of complex congenital heart lesions can result in cardiopulmonary
      compromise refractory to conventional therapy. In a 29-month period, 24 patients
      (aged 14 hours to 6 years) were treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
      (ECMO) 28 times for profound cardiopulmonary failure. Four patients required ECMO
      after each of two cardiopulmonary bypass procedures. Seventeen patients required
      ECMO to be initiated in the operating room: 12 (71%) were weaned successfully
      from ECMO, and 8 (47%) survived. Seven patients had ECMO initiated in the
      intensive care unit: 6 (86%) were weaned, and 5 (71%) survived. Serial
      echocardiograms demonstrated substantial recovery of cardiac function in 18 of 21
      instances (86%) of ventricular failure from myocardial dysfunction. Overall, 18
      of 24 patients (75%) were successfully weaned from ECMO including all 4 who
      underwent 2 ECMO treatments. We conclude that ECMO can successfully salvage
      children who have serious cardiopulmonary failure immediately after a congenital
      heart operation and that long-term survival is possible after two ECMO
      treatments.

PMID- 1417277
TI  - Coarctation of the aorta in infants: does the aortic arch grow after repair?
AB  - Infants with coarctation of the aorta frequently require a corrective operation
      during the first year of life. These patients frequently have a smaller than
      normal transverse aortic arch. Despite good repairs with different techniques,
      the proximal transverse aortic arch often remains smaller than normal. The
      hemodynamic molding theory predicts that growth of the aortic arch should occur
      when normal flow is established through the aortic arch. Preoperative and
      postoperative aortograms were reviewed in patients who underwent subclavian flap
      aortoplasty for the repair of coarctation. Patients were divided into two groups.
      Subclavian flap aortoplasty was performed at 1 month of age or earlier in group
      I, and at more than 1 month but less than 1 year of age in group II. Aortograms
      performed in patients without coarctation were used as age-matched controls
      (group III). The transverse aortic arch in groups I and II did grow and were
      compared with the control group. Group I patients achieved more growth than those
      in group II. No aortic arch gradients were present at postoperative follow-up.

PMID- 1417278
TI  - Postinfarct ventricular septal defect repair: effect of coronary artery bypass
      grafting.
AB  - Between June 1968 and April 1991, 75 patients who had undergone coronary
      angiography underwent repair of a postinfarction ventricular septal defect. Group
      1 (n = 33) includes patients who had two- or three-vessel serious (> 75%
      narrowing) proximal coronary artery disease and underwent complete
      revascularization in addition to repair of the ventricular septal defect. Group 2
      (n = 19) patients also had two- or three-vessel coronary artery disease but
      bypass grafting was not performed; only the ventricular defect was repaired.
      Group 3 (n = 23) patients had only single-vessel coronary artery disease that
      corresponded to the region of the infarct; they underwent ventricular septal
      defect repair only. Follow-up of hospital survivors was 96% complete at a mean of
      86.2 months (range, 1 to 288 months). Hospital mortality after ventricular septal
      defect repair was 21.2% in the cohort with bypassed coronary artery disease
      (group 1), 26.3% in those with unbypassed disease (group 2), and 26.1% in those
      with only single-vessel coronary artery disease (group 3) (p = 0.88). With follow
      up after 5 and 10 years, the actuarial survival was 72.2% +/- 8% and 47.8% +/-
      10%, respectively, in the bypassed group, 29.2% +/- 11% and 0%, respectively, in
      the unbypassed group, and 52.2% +/- 10% and 36.5% +/- 11%, respectively, in the
      cohort with single-vessel disease. Bypassing associated coronary artery disease
      significantly increased long-term survival when compared with patients with
      unbypassed coronary artery disease (p = 0.0015).

PMID- 1417279
TI  - Risk analysis of operative intervention for failed coronary angioplasty.
AB  - To assess the outcome of emergency coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) after
      failed percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), 91 patients
      undergoing emergency CABG after failed PTCA over a 30-month period ending July
      31, 1991, were studied. For reference, a cohort of patients (91) concurrently
      undergoing elective CABG equally matched for age, sex, number of grafts,
      ventricular function, and reoperative status was compared. Specific outcomes
      including death, hospital length of stay, use of blood products, and development
      of myocardial infarction were analyzed. More than half the patients undergoing
      emergency CABG for failed PTCA required three or more grafts. Operative mortality
      was 12.1% (11/99) for emergency CABG compared with 1% (1/91) for elective case
      matched CABG patients (p = 0.007). Emergency CABG patients required frequent use
      of postoperative inotropes (p = 0.02) and intraaortic balloon counterpulsation (p
      = 0.001). Length of hospital stay (p = 0.005), administration of blood products
      (p = 0.009), postoperative myocardial infarction (p = 0.0005), and ventricular
      arrhythmias (p = 0.0004) were increased after emergency compared with elective
      CABG. The presence of multivessel disease or use of a reperfusion catheter had no
      influence on clinical outcome. Despite accumulated experience and improved
      operative management, patients requiring emergency CABG for failed PTCA remain at
      increased risk for postoperative complications and death.

PMID- 1417280
TI  - Partial median sternotomy for repair of heart defects: a cosmetic approach.
AB  - A modified median sternotomy incision that results in a cosmetically appealing
      scar is described. It includes the use of a low-lying short skin incision and
      partial transection of the sternum. The outcome in 182 infants and children
      indicates that this approach is safe, provides adequate exposure, and has
      excellent cosmetic results.

PMID- 1417281
TI  - Surgical considerations in bypassing coronary arteries with 100% proximal
      occlusion.
AB  - Objective data on the ability of cineangiography to predict the size of
      reconstituted totally occluded coronary arteries, as well as the clinical outcome
      of such revascularization, are sparse. Accordingly, we reviewed 200 consecutive
      cases of coronary revascularization to determine the answers to these questions.
      Group I patients (n = 57, with 86 totally occluded coronary arteries) had at
      least one coronary artery with a 100% proximal occlusion that reconstituted
      distally. Group II patients (n = 143, with 205 subtotally occluded coronary
      arteries) had 50% to 99% proximal stenosis of at least one coronary artery.
      Cineangiograms were blindly reviewed to measure the size of the coronary
      arteries, which were compared with the actual vessel size at operation. In group
      I, the totally occluded coronary arteries had a cineangiographic size of 1.9 +/-
      0.7 mm and an actual size of 1.6 +/- 0.4 mm (p = 0.00004). In group II, the
      subtotally occluded coronary arteries had a cineangiographic size of 1.8 +/- 0.4
      mm compared with an actual size of 1.8 +/- 0.3 mm (p = not significant). The site
      of bypass grafting was significantly smaller in group I (1.6 +/- 0.4 mm versus
      1.8 +/- 0.3 mm; p = 0.00008). The two groups were similar with respect to
      preoperative and intraoperative parameters. Operative mortalities were similar
      (group I, 1.8%; group II, 3.5%; p = 0.68). Creatine kinase isoenzyme profiles and
      electrocardiographic changes were similar, except for a significant late rise of
      creatine kinase-MB in group I (56.1 +/- 14.7 versus 30.7 +/- 33.7 MIU/mL; p <
      0.001). In conclusion, cineangiography significantly overestimates the size of
      totally occluded coronary arteries.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417282
TI  - Role of open lung biopsy in diagnosing pulmonary complications of AIDS.
AB  - Over a 4-year period, 25 patients with pulmonary complications of acquired
      immunodeficiency syndrome underwent open lung biopsy for diagnosis. Results of
      the biopsy led to a change in therapy in 15, and of this group, 8 patients
      improved clinically and were discharged. We believe that a select group of
      acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients with pulmonary disease will benefit
      from open lung biopsy. Our indications for open lung biopsy are (1) a
      nondiagnostic bronchoscopy, (2) failed medical therapy after a diagnostic
      bronchoscopy, (3) failed empiric medical therapy after a nondiagnostic
      bronchoscopy or after a second nondiagnostic bronchoscopy, and (4) when any of
      the forementioned are accompanied with a worsening chest roentgenogram. Patients
      with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who have a deteriorating respiratory
      status or require mechanical ventilation should not undergo open lung biopsy.

PMID- 1417283
TI  - Tetralogy of Fallot: favorable outcome of nonneonatal transatrial, transpulmonary
      repair.
AB  - This report describes our experience with 366 patients who had a transatrial,
      transpulmonary repair of tetralogy of Fallot between December 1980 and December
      1991. Included in this group are patients with tetralogy of Fallot plus
      atrioventricular septal defect as well as patients displaying all degrees of
      aortic override (in the presence of subaortic ventricular septal defect and right
      ventricular outflow tract obstruction). Median age was 15.3 months and median
      weight, 12.3 kg. Of the 366 patients, 72% required a pericardial patch to
      reconstruct the main pulmonary artery or right ventricular outflow tract. Serious
      coronary anomalies were seen in 11 patients, without influencing surgical
      approach. There were two hospital deaths (0.5%; 70% confidence limits, 0.2% to
      1.2%). Actuarial survival was 97.5% at 42 months (95% confidence limits, 95% to
      99%) reflecting four late deaths over 1,129 patient-years of follow-up.
      Postoperative cardiac catheterization studies were performed in 61 patients at a
      mean follow-up interval of 23 months. Mean right ventricular/left ventricular
      systolic pressure ratio after repair was 0.46 (standard deviation, 0.28), and
      mean gradient across the right ventricular outflow tract was 15 mm Hg (standard
      deviation, 24 mm Hg). Actuarial freedom from reoperation for any reason has been
      95% (95% confidence limits, 92% to 97%) at 5-year and 10-year follow-up. These
      early and medium-term results encourage us to continue with transatrial,
      transpulmonary repair of tetralogy of Fallot. We believe that this approach has
      an operative risk similar to or lower than transventricular repair, and that it
      will result in better preservation of right ventricular function in the long
      term.

PMID- 1417284
TI  - Benefits of combined balloon pumping and percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass.
AB  - Sixteen patients (2 women, 14 men) aged 29 to 72 years with continued cardiogenic
      shock during intraaortic balloon pumping (IABP) had additional treatment with
      percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass (PBY). Cause of cardiogenic shock was
      myocardial infarction in 7 (3 survived), failed percutaneous transluminal
      coronary angioplasty requiring emergency coronary artery bypass grafting in 5,
      postoperative aortic valve replacement in 1, postoperative emergency coronary
      artery bypass grafting in 1, after cardiac transplantation in 1, and bridging to
      transplantation in 1. Mean blood pressure with PBY and IABP combined was 75 mm Hg
      versus 60 mm Hg with IABP off. Percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass flows ranged
      from 0.8 to 2.1 L/min with a mean flow of 1.3 L/min. Time on IABP ranged from 24
      hours to 1 week. Time on IABP to PBY ranged from 1 to 20 hours, and time on PBY
      ranged from 65 minutes to 20 hours. Ten of 16 (63%) were successfully weaned, and
      3 died after weaning. Seven of 16 (44%) survive. Combined IABP with PBY appears
      to be a better therapy than either one individually. Staging the therapy as the
      balloon first in and last out appears to be a good methodology.

PMID- 1417285
TI  - Coronary artery bypass using internal mammary artery branches.
AB  - The excellent long-term patency rates achieved with use of the internal mammary
      artery (IMA) to bypass the left anterior descending coronary artery have
      stimulated a variety of approaches to expand the use of this conduit in coronary
      bypass surgery. In this report we document our results using the two terminal
      branches of the IMA to bypass two arteries in a Y configuration. Sixty-seven
      patients received IMA Y grafts during a 6-month period in 1987. A total of 150
      IMA branch anastomoses were performed (8 patients received bilateral IMA Y
      grafts). Fourteen of 67 patients were revascularized using IMA grafts only.
      Operative mortality was 2 of 67 (3%), and follow-up mortality was 5 of 67 (7.5%).
      Fifty-eight patients could be evaluated 37 +/- 2.7 months later. Clinically 36%
      of patients reported some recurrence of angina and 12 of 47 (25%) had a positive
      electrocardiographic stress test. Four patients were reoperated on (2 redo
      coronary artery bypass grafting, 2 transplants). Sixty (40%) of the 150 branch
      anastomoses could be evaluated objectively and 30 (50%) were patent. Five (8.5%)
      were stenotic and 25 (41.5%) were occluded (overall patency rate, 58.5%). We
      conclude that although the use of IMA Y grafts is a technically feasible means to
      increase IMA usage, extended application of this technique cannot be recommended
      unless improved patency rates can be demonstrated.

PMID- 1417286
TI  - Isolated biventricular working rat heart preparation.
AB  - The isolated perfused heart from small animals has been used extensively for
      hemodynamic and metabolic studies. The left working heart preparation proved
      superior to the Langendorff model for functional evaluations but has not allowed
      study of right heart function. A simple and inexpensive biventricular working
      heart preparation has been developed by modifying the left working rat heart
      model. Under general anesthesia the heart was removed surgically leaving
      sufficient vessels attached to it. Cannulation of the aorta, left atrium, right
      atrium, and pulmonary artery was completed in 10 minutes. A pressurized
      compliance chamber allowed rapid and reliable regulation of aortic impedance. For
      the 7 hearts that were subjected to 3-hour biventricular perfusion (their end
      points expressed as percent of their initial values), the aortic output (95% +/-
      3%), pulmonary flow (88% +/- 9%), mean aortic pressure (109% +/- 5%), mean
      pulmonary pressure (100% +/- 2%), heart rate (106% +/- 8%), myocardial adenosine
      triphosphate level (85% +/- 8%), and creatine phosphate level (89% +/- 4%) were
      all maintained at physiologic levels. For the 11 hearts that were converted from
      left working heart preparation to biventricular working mode, significant
      improvement in stroke volume, aortic and cardiac output, and pressure development
      were observed. Experimental results indicate that the biventricular working model
      for isolated perfused rat hearts is superior to the left working preparation for
      studying the function of the total heart. Further study of the biventricular
      perfused working rat heart appears warranted.

PMID- 1417287
TI  - Effect of prostaglandin I2 and superoxide dismutase on reperfusion injury of warm
      ischemic lung.
AB  - A prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) analogue and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were
      administered to dogs with pulmonary denervation, and their effects on warm
      ischemic damage to the lung were studied. Twenty-seven adult mongrel dogs were
      divided into a control group (6 dogs), a PGI2 group (7 dogs), an SOD group (6
      dogs), and a heparin group (8 dogs). The left pulmonary hilum was dissected, with
      PGI2 (1 microgram/kg) being administered to the PGI2 group and heparin (100 U/kg)
      to the heparin group. Then the left lung was placed in a warm ischemic state for
      1 hour. The SOD group also received 20 mg/kg of SOD intravenously 1 minute before
      reperfusion. Before warm ischemia, immediately after reperfusion, and 1 hour and
      2 hours afterward, the blood gases, left pulmonary vascular resistance, and other
      data were measured under right pulmonary artery clamping. Arterial oxygen tension
      showed significantly better values in the SOD and PGI2 groups than in the control
      and heparin groups. The left pulmonary vascular resistance increased with time in
      the control group but did not increase in the PGI2 group. Pulmonary
      microangiography showed that dilatation of the pulmonary arterioles was prominent
      in the PGI2 group. The quantity of pulmonary extravascular fluid was
      significantly less in the PGI2 and SOD groups than in the control and heparin
      groups. Histological examination showed marked collapse of capillaries,
      intraalveolar hemorrhage, and edema in the control and heparin groups, whereas
      these changes were only slight in the PGI2 and SOD groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417288
TI  - Comparison of 180-degree and 360-degree skeletal muscle nerve cuff electrodes.
AB  - Use of skeletal muscle for cardiac augmentation is a promising technique for
      treatment of end-stage cardiac failure. An electrode woven through the latissimus
      dorsi that recruits nearby nerve fibers is commonly used to pace skeletal muscles
      both in clinical practice and in the laboratory. A proximally placed nerve cuff
      electrode offers potential advantages in improved recruitment of muscle fibers
      and low threshold for stimulation. We tested the effectiveness of a nerve cuff
      electrode passed directly about the proximal thoracodorsal nerve. Our report
      looks at the efficacy of nerve cuff electrode stimulation and compares electrical
      and histologic characteristics of a 180-degree wrap of the thoracodorsal nerve to
      a 360-degree wrap in dogs over 3 months. Threshold voltage at the commonly used
      pulse width of 200 microseconds was typically in the range of 400 to 600 mV for
      each electrode after 3 months. Statistical analysis revealed no significant
      difference (p < 0.05) in threshold voltage or current between the 180-degree and
      360-degree nerve cuff electrode either at acute evaluation or after 3 months.
      Even contraction of latissimus dorsi was achieved with all implants. Adenosine
      triphosphatase staining revealed 100% conversion of type II to type I fibers in
      all stimulated muscles. Histologic examination of the thoracodorsal nerve and
      latissimus dorsi muscle revealed no abnormalities grossly or by light microscopy.
      Thus, a carefully applied nerve cuff electrode is an atraumatic, effective method
      for skeletal muscle stimulation. The 180-degree and 360-degree nerve cuff
      configurations are equally effective.

PMID- 1417289
TI  - Technique of open distal anastomosis for repair of descending thoracic aortic
      aneurysms.
AB  - Ischemic injury to the spinal cord and kidneys continues to be the major
      complication after resection of aneurysms involving the descending and proximal
      abdominal aorta. Our recent surgical experience with use of only a proximal clamp
      on the aorta to perform an "open" distal anastomosis has proved this technique to
      be safe and expeditious. We therefore compared our results using the technique of
      open distal anastomosis for aneurysm repair with those of the conventional two
      clamp technique. Since January 1989, we have used the conventional two-clamp
      technique in 31 patients (group 1) and the technique of open distal anastomosis
      in 24 patients (group 2). No significant differences were noted between the two
      groups in terms of age, sex, cause of aneurysm, extent of aneurysm, or site of
      proximal cross-clamp. The average distal ischemic time was 31 minutes in group 1
      patients and 26 minutes in group 2 patients. Renal insufficiency occurred in 8 of
      31 patients in group 1 and in 0 of 24 patients in group 2 (p = 0.01). Neurologic
      complications occurred in 4 patients in group 1 and in 1 patient in group 2.
      Early mortality rates were similar for both groups (4 of 31 [13%], group 1; 4 of
      24 [17%], group 2). Deaths were attributed to multiorgan failure and sepsis in 6
      patients and coexisting coronary artery disease in 2 patients. Based on these
      results, we believe the technique of open distal anastomosis is safe and may
      improve the outcome in patients undergoing operation for descending thoracic
      aneurysms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417290
TI  - Extrapleural pneumonectomy in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma.
AB  - A technique for extrapleural pneumonectomy in diffuse, malignant, pleural
      mesothelioma is described. The technique used in a protocol at Brigham and
      Women's Hospital has resulted in improved operative mortality figures and length
      of hospital stay. The right-sided procedure is presented followed by differences
      in technique required by the left-sided approach.

PMID- 1417291
TI  - Considerations in the skeletonization technique of internal thoracic artery
      dissection.
AB  - Skeletonization of the internal thoracic artery during myocardial
      revascularization procedures may provide some degree of protection from sternal
      wound infection in diabetic, obese, or pulmonary compromised patients when both
      internal thoracic arteries are used as conduits. Prior descriptions of the
      technique fail to provide specific details and possible pitfalls of the
      dissection. A method of skeletonization that has been used at the California
      Center for Cardiothoracic Surgery in more than 1,000 patients is presented in
      detail. Potential advantages and disadvantages are discussed.

PMID- 1417292
TI  - The Meadox-Gabbay pericardial xenograft: failure of the unicusp principle.
AB  - Durability of a new bioprosthesis, the Meadox-Gabbay unileaflet pericardial
      xenograft, was evaluated by reviewing a series of 12 patients who received this
      device in the mitral position from 1983 to 1985. Bioprosthetic failure
      necessitated reoperation in 5 patients 21, 22, 53, 66, and 81 months after
      placement. Three patients died of cardiac failure after 31, 52, and 70 months; no
      postmortem examinations were done. In 2 of the 3 patients, an echocardiographic
      study had shown signs of valvular dysfunction. Pathological examination of five
      available explants revealed the presence of redundancy and stretching of the
      single pericardial leaflet in all of them; in one, this lesion alone caused
      severe prosthetic incompetence. Other pathological findings included cusp and
      commissural calcification and commissural tears with or without calcification.
      Histologic examination and electron microscopy showed intrinsic calcification
      involving both collagen bundles and cellular debris and various degrees of
      collagen disruption. In this limited series of patients, the Meadox-Gabbay
      pericardial xenograft demonstrated various modes of failure that markedly impair
      its durability and render it unsuitable as a cardiac valve substitute.

PMID- 1417293
TI  - Comparison of cardiac output measured by intrapulmonary artery Doppler,
      thermodilution, and electromagnetometry.
AB  - A Doppler pulmonary artery catheter system (Doppler cardiac output monitor or
      DOPCOM) that continuously measures instantaneous and mean cardiac output was
      recently introduced. Because thermodilution (TD) flow measurements may not
      represent an adequate standard, the present study was designed to compare TD and
      DOPCOM cardiac output measurements with aortic electromagnetic (EM) flow in
      cardiac surgical patients. Twenty-one patients scheduled for elective coronary
      artery bypass grafting were enrolled in the study. Simultaneous measurement of
      cardiac output by all three methods was performed before cardiopulmonary bypass,
      after cardiopulmonary bypass with the aorta cannulated and volume intermittently
      infused, and after decannulation. Analysis of all data demonstrated fair TD and
      EM correlation (r = 0.80), with minimal bias (0.03 +/- 1.21 L/min) and a median
      absolute error of 0.53 L/min; DOPCOM and EM data showed moderate correlation (r =
      0.64), a bias of -0.61 +/- 1.50 L/min, and a median absolute error the same as TD
      (0.51 L/min). However, distribution of DOPCOM values was heavily skewed by 3
      patients in whom flow measurements immediately after cardiopulmonary bypass were
      markedly different between the DOPCOM and electromagnetometry, probably because
      of malposition of the Doppler transducers secondary to partial catheter
      withdrawal during bypass. Consistent with this theory was the finding that before
      CPB, the DOPCOM was significantly better than TD in predicting EM flow (median
      absolute error: DOPCOM, 0.12 L/min, and TD, 0.48 L/min; p = 0.04). Our data
      suggest that, in general, the DOPCOM shows similar precision to TD for predicting
      EM flow measurements, although the DOPCOM may underestimate actual flow.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417294
TI  - Pulmonary artery sling.
AB  - Eighteen patients who underwent surgical treatment of pulmonary artery sling at
      this institution since 1969 were reviewed. Four of them had associated tracheal
      stenoses produced by complete cartilaginous rings (stovepipe trachea). All
      patients underwent operation. The median age at operation was 180 days (range, 27
      days to 54 months). In the 14 patients with isolated pulmonary sling, the
      operation consisted of division of left pulmonary artery and reimplantation into
      the main pulmonary artery anterior to the trachea. In the 4 patients with
      stovepipe trachea, the stenotic tracheal segment was resected on cardiopulmonary
      bypass and the left pulmonary artery was brought anterior to the trachea before
      the latter was reanastomosed to the main pulmonary artery. There were no early
      deaths. One patient died late. The pulmonary artery anastomosis was patent in all
      14 patients investigated postoperatively. Three patients have residual
      tracheobronchial problems. One patient is mentally retarded and is
      institutionalized. All other patients are symptom-free and growing normally and
      have normal chest radiographs.

PMID- 1417295
TI  - Pulmonary artery sling with tracheal stenosis: primary one-stage repair in
      infancy.
AB  - Pulmonary artery sling is often associated with tracheal stenosis. In many cases
      repair of the vascular anomaly alone does not relieve dyspnea. Primary one-stage
      repair with long segment tracheal resection (2.4 cm) and relocation of the left
      pulmonary artery using cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory
      arrest is described in a 6.5-month-old girl weighing 6.5 kg. This technique
      resulted in normal ventilation and pulmonary flow distribution.

PMID- 1417296
TI  - True aneurysm of the saphenous vein graft stump associated with CABG in a cardiac
      transplant patient.
AB  - Aneurysm of a saphenous vein graft after coronary artery bypass requires surgical
      resection because of its potential for rupture. This report describes a case of
      aneurysm formation in a 55-year-old man who underwent coronary artery bypass
      operation in 1977 and orthotopic heart transplantation 7 years later. A proximal
      vein graft remnant that had been ligated at the time of transplantation developed
      into a 5-cm aneurysm. In patients who have undergone previous coronary artery
      bypass operation, we recommend that the entire vein graft stump be excised and
      oversewn at the aortosaphenous anastomosis at the time of transplantation.

PMID- 1417297
TI  - Chronic, traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta.
AB  - Rupture of the ascending aorta is lethal in virtually all cases. In the recent
      literature, fewer than 9 cases of chronic, traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the
      ascending aorta have been documented. Reported herein is such a case, discovered
      incidentally and repaired successfully under cardiopulmonary bypass using a graft
      prosthesis. Aortogram remains the diagnostic method of choice in these patients.

PMID- 1417298
TI  - Aneurysm of the ascending aorta after cardiac transplantation.
AB  - We report the case of a 57-year-old female cardiac transplant patient in whom an
      aneurysm of the recipient side of the ascending aorta developed 1 year after
      transplantation. Although a mycotic origin was the likely cause, histologic
      examination diagnosed an atherosclerotic aneurysm.

PMID- 1417299
TI  - Simplified correction of outflow obstruction after mitral valve replacement.
AB  - Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction after mitral valve replacement may
      occur when a retained native anterior leaflet prolapses between prosthetic
      struts. Existing reports of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction by this
      mechanism lack emphasis on its surgical treatment. We obtained definitive relief
      of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction by transaortic exposure, division,
      and partial excision of the obstructing leaflet. This approach minimizes the
      complexity and potential morbidity of the correction.

PMID- 1417301
TI  - Total correction of transposition of great arteries with atrioventricular septal
      defect.
AB  - A successful anatomical correction of transposition of the great arteries with an
      atrioventricular septal defect is reported. This combination of anomalies is
      rare, and the anatomical correction is unusual in that the operation involves all
      four heart valves.

PMID- 1417300
TI  - Bronchoenteric fistula from an infected internal cardioverter defibrillator.

PMID- 1417302
TI  - New surgical technique for total-defect aortopulmonary window.
AB  - A new technique is described to repair aortopulmonary window with total defect in
      an 8-day-old baby. Because we expected the future growth of aorta, we used the
      anterior wall of the pulmonary artery as a large flap to reconstruct the
      posterolateral aortic wall. An equine pericardial patch was used to repair the
      defect in the pulmonary artery. This is a logically effective method for aortic
      reconstruction in a neonate with a large aortopulmonary septal defect.

PMID- 1417303
TI  - Newly developed holder for a right-angled metal venous cannula.
AB  - A newly developed holder for a right-angled metal venous cannula was developed to
      make direct insertion into each cava easier, especially insertion into the
      superior vena cava in pediatric open heart operations. We have been using this
      holder with ease and safety in all cases of small babies.

PMID- 1417304
TI  - Modified urinary collecting bags for prolonged underwater chest drainage.
AB  - We describe a method by which a modified urinary collecting bag is used as part
      of a chest drainage system. This system is especially suitable for patients who
      require prolonged periods of drainage.

PMID- 1417305
TI  - Clarence Crafoord and the first successful resection of a cardiac myxoma.
AB  - In 1954 Clarence Crafoord, the pioneer Swedish cardiovascular surgeon, removed an
      intraatrial myxoma for the first time. The patient was a 40-year-old woman with
      atypical symptoms of mitral stenosis. Follow-up 38 years later finds the patient
      alive and well. This case represents not only the first extirpation of a cardiac
      tumor on cardiopulmonary support but also the dawn of open cardiac surgery in
      Sweden. Others were soon to follow the lead of Crafoord and his team. However,
      their bold efforts prepared the way for the early diagnosis and facile
      extirpation of cardiac myxomas. Moreover, this group played an integral part in
      the development of safe, effective cardiopulmonary perfusion.

PMID- 1417306
TI  - [Consumption of amino acids by Escherichia coli--a producer of recombinant
      proteins].
AB  - The dynamics of amino acid consumption from the medium by Escherichia coli 1864,
      a strain producing recombinant protein was studied. It was shown that the strain
      actively used glutamate and aspartate from the medium, which was determined by
      the leading role of the amino acids in nitrogen metabolism. The strain also
      consumed threonine, glycine and alanine capable of effectively providing the
      culture with metabolic energy.

PMID- 1417307
TI  - [Isolation of protoplasts of Xanthomonas rubrilineans and their use in the study
      of localization of aminopeptidases].
AB  - The culture of Xanthomonas rubrilineans was able to synthesize a number of
      intracellular aminopeptidases. To study localization of the enzymes in the cells,
      a protoplasting procedure was developed providing the yield of 99.7 per cent. The
      following subcellular fractions were isolated: periplasmic, cytoplasmic and
      membranous. It was shown that alanine aminopeptidase was a cytoplasmic enzyme and
      glutamate peptidase was a membrane-bound enzyme.

PMID- 1417308
TI  - [Relation between the morphogenesis of Xanthomonas rubrilineans and biosynthesis
      of aminopeptidase in the process of growth and development of its producer].
AB  - The dynamics of growth and development of Xanthomonas rubrilineans, a culture
      producing intracellular aminopeptidase, was studied. A difference between the
      growth rate determined by intensity of the total biomass accumulation and the
      rate of the culture multiplication was found. The difference was due to the
      presence of two phases in the culture development during the exponential growth:
      the phase of increasing the linear sizes of the cells and the phase of the
      culture intensive multiplication. The most intensive synthesis of aminopeptidase
      was observed during the phase of increasing the linear sizes of the cells. The
      dynamics of consumption of the main sources of carbon and nitrogen by the culture
      was investigated.

PMID- 1417309
TI  - [Use of analogs of primary metabolites in the selection of the producer of
      polymyxin B].
AB  - A number of amino acids were found to have effects on the growth of the polymyxin
      B-producing culture and biosynthesis of the antibiotic by it. Of special
      importance was the stimulating effect by methionine. Four selection stages were
      carried out with using structural analogs of purines and amino acids as selective
      factors. There were no stable variants with increased antibiotic productivity
      among the mutants resistant to the analogs of purines and leucine. The levels of
      polymyxin B accumulation by the variants resistant to 4-fluorophenylalanine were
      30 to 50 per cent higher than those in the controls and the variants were
      characterized by low morphological and antibiotic production variation in the
      subcultures. The mechanisms of the methionine physiological effect and the
      prospects of using analogs of the primary metabolites in improvement of the
      culture producing polymyxin B are discussed.

PMID- 1417310
TI  - [Incorporation of an antineoplastic drug aclarubicin into liposomes in relation
      to the conditions of its encapsulation].
AB  - The results of liposome drug encapsulation of aclarubicin (aclacinomycin A), an
      antitumor antibiotic, are presented. The method of flow detergent dialysis was
      applied. Conditions providing maximum encapsulation of aclarubicin (the ratio of
      lipid components and the lipid/detergent ratio), as well as conditions providing
      stability of liposomal emulsion (the presence of antioxidants, stearic acid and
      cholesterol) were defined.

PMID- 1417311
TI  - [Amikacin resistance of clinical strains of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas].
AB  - Amikacin resistance was studied in 380 bacterial strains of Enterobacter,
      Klebsiella, Serratia, Pseudomonas and E. coli isolated in clinics of the Moscow
      Region. It was shown that 69 isolates were resistant to amikacin. Plasmid DNA was
      detected in 10 amikacin resistant isolates. Three of them belonging to Klebsiella
      and 3 belonging to E. coli contained plasmids controlling resistance to amikacin.
      The plasmids isolated from the strains of Klebsiella determined as well
      resistance to kanamycin and streptomycin but did not control resistance to
      sisomicin, tobramycin and gentamicin while the plasmids isolated from the strains
      of E. coli determined resistance to amikacin, kanamycin, gentamicin, tobramycin
      and sisomicin.

PMID- 1417312
TI  - [Pleiotropic nature of mutation of resistance to 2,3,5-triphenyl- tetrazolium
      chloride of Francisella tularensis].
AB  - Natural strains of F. tularensis were characterized by sensitivity to 2,3,5
      triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC). Development of TTC resistance in the cells
      of F. tularensis was accompanied by changes in the biological properties of the
      culture, i.e. the colony morphology, antigenic structure, virulence and
      immunogenicity for laboratory animals. Moreover, there was a direct correlation
      between the levels of TTC resistance and resistance to chloramphenicol,
      erythromycin, tetracycline, furazolidone and rifampicin. The antibiotic resistant
      mutants of F. tularensis were in turn more resistant to TTC than the initial
      strains. This could be useful in isolation of polymarked strains of F. tularensis
      for genetic studies and investigation of the nature of the phenomenon of
      virulence in F. tularensis.

PMID- 1417313
TI  - [Comparison of therapeutic effects of antibiotics of the tetracycline group in
      the treatment of anthrax caused by a strain inheriting tet-gene of plasmid
      pBC16].
AB  - In vivo and in vitro efficacy of tetracyclines was studied with respect to
      anthracic infection induced by a tetracycline-resistant resistant strain
      containing plasmid pBC16. The plasmid-containing strain was resistant to
      tetracycline, doxycycline and minocycline, the MICs exceeding those for the
      initial strain 500, 640 and 80 times, respectively. There was no therapeutic
      effect of tetracycline and doxycycline in the treatment and urgent prophylaxis of
      anthracic infection caused by the tetracycline-resistant strain of Bacillus
      anthracis. High therapeutic efficacy of minocycline in the average therapeutic
      concentrations was shown irrespective of the contaminating doses and strains.
      Minocycline was recommended for treatment and urgent prophylaxis of anthracic
      infection caused by tetracycline-resistant B. anthracis strains.

PMID- 1417314
TI  - [Clinical pharmacokinetics of kanamycin in endolymphatic therapy of peritonitis].
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of kanamycin in patients with peritonitis was studied after
      its intramuscular, endolymphatic and lymphotropic administration. Endolymphatic
      administration of kanamycin provided an increase in its activity in the inflamed
      tissues of the peritoneum and omentum and markedly prolonged its halflife as
      compared to those after the routine intramuscular administration of the drug.
      Lymphotropic administration of kanamycin failed to provide the same effect.
      Endolymphatic therapy of the patients during the postoperative period provided a
      decrease in the lethality, development of complications and the terms of the
      treatment in the hospital. The therapeutic effect of the endolymphatic
      administration of kanamycin to the patients with peritonitis proved to be high.
      The more efficient antibiotic therapy of the cases was likely due to favourable
      shifts in the pharmacokinetics of kanamycin after its endolymphatic
      administration.

PMID- 1417315
TI  - [Antibiotic therapy in acute diffuse peritonitis].
AB  - The pharmacokinetics and clinical efficacy of antibiotics administered by various
      routes in acute diffuse peritonitis were studied on 25 non-inbred dogs and
      potential of lymphotropic administration of the antibiotics through the mesentery
      of the small intestine in urgent surgical operations because of the diseases of
      the abdominal cavity was estimated. It was shown that the intra-mesenteric
      administration of the antibiotics was more efficient. In acute diffuse
      peritonitis it provided high therapeutic concentrations of gentamicin in the
      central lymph and lymph nodes of the abdominal cavity.

PMID- 1417316
TI  - [Immunologic correction with immunoglobulin of toxemia with exicosis in infants
      with acute intestinal infections].
AB  - The clinical course of acute intestinal infections complicated by toxicosis and
      exicosis was studied in 150 infants undergoing multimodality therapy, including
      natural human immunoglobulin for intravenous injections. The use of the new
      complex in the treatment of intestinal toxicoses was accompanied by increasing
      host immunological reactivity within short periods and decreasing of the
      treatment duration by 5.0 +/- 1.3 days; there were no persisting and chronic
      forms of the diseases and fatal outcomes. It was concluded that the use of the
      immunoglobulin for intravenous injections in the multimodality therapy of
      intestinal toxicoses in infants made it possible to prevent death in complicated
      intestinal infections and at the same time to accelerate their recovery.

PMID- 1417317
TI  - [Chloramphenicol (levomycetin) in the current therapy of bacterial infections].

PMID- 1417318
TI  - [Fundamental bases for producing new effective antibiotics].

PMID- 1417319
TI  - [A cassette micromethod of determining the sensitivity of anaerobic
      microorganisms to antimicrobial drugs].
AB  - A micromethod based on the use of plates with wells and microquantities of
      microbial suspensions is described. It provides determination of MICs of
      antibacterial drugs and sensitivity of clinical strains of anaerobes of 2 or 3
      species predominating in pathological materials as well as to preliminarily
      identify some anaerobic bacteria by their antibiotic sensitivity.

PMID- 1417320
TI  - [Elaboration of a rapid method of determining the sensitivity of Brucella to
      antibiotics].
AB  - Optimal conditions were developed for determination of antibiotic sensitivity in
      Brucella by using enzyme immunoassay directly in the primary cultures of the
      material tested. The Brucella concentration in the material tested should be not
      lower than 1.10(6) microbial cells/ml and the time of culture incubation be 24
      hours at 37 degrees C. The obligatory condition is to use a liquid medium, i.e.
      the Albimi broth with 1% glucose. To inhibit the foreign microflora it is
      recommended to use polymyxin B and amphoglucamine in a concentration of 3
      microgram/ml. The use of enzyme immunoassay was shown that it was possible to
      determine the antibiotic sensitivity of Brucella in practice.

PMID- 1417321
TI  - [Effect of doxycycline on leukocyte adhesion in a multifactorial experiment].
AB  - The multifactorial analysis was applied to study the effect of doxycycline on
      leukocyte adhesion to a plastic within wide ranges of the values of experimental
      factors such as doxycycline concentrations and magnesium and calcium ions. The
      data were computer-processed and second-order equations characterizing the
      influence of the factors on adhesion were derived. It was shown that the effect
      of the ions on adhesion was non-single-valued; accurate quantitative models
      describing the ion effect on adhesion were developed when the concentration of
      doxycycline was changed.

PMID- 1417322
TI  - [Biochemical indicators of anthracycline sensitivity of blast cells from patients
      with hemoblastoses].
AB  - It was shown that accumulation of adriamycin (ADR) and its impact on DNA
      synthesis in the blast cells of patients with hemoblastosis studied under
      conditions of short-term incubation correlated with the antileukemic activity of
      anthracyclines. The combination of the two biochemical and pharmacological
      indices, i.e. the high levels of ADR accumulation and inhibition of DNA
      synthesis, is may useful in solving the problem on inclusion of the antibiotics
      to the schemes of combined chemotherapy of patients with hemoblastosis.

PMID- 1417323
TI  - [Use of Hoechst fluorescent probe 33258 for quantitative analysis of
      intracellular binding of anthracycline antibiotics to DNA].
AB  - The paper deals with development of a procedure for quantitative determination of
      the share of anthracycline antibiotics bound in cells directly to DNA. A DNA
      specific Hoechst fluorescence dye 33258 was used for the purpose. The level of
      its quenching on DNA correlated with the quantity of the antibiotic bound to it.
      It was shown that the quenching of the Hoechst fluorescence dye bound to DNA was
      not due to the dye competition with the antibiotic for the site of bounding on
      DNA, as was suggested earlier. It was likely to be defined by reabsorption of the
      radiation by antibiotic molecules.

PMID- 1417324
TI  - [Effect of doxycycline on immune response in a multifactorial experiment].
AB  - Multifactorial analysis was applied to studies on the effect of doxycycline on
      the primary immune response to sheep erythrocytes. The experimental factors were
      the following: the antibiotic dose, the antigen dose and the time of the onset of
      the antibiotic therapy with respect to the antigen action. Polynomial statistic
      models describing the delayed hypersensitivity and antibody titers within wide
      ranges of factor values were designed by the experimental data. It was shown that
      the prophylactic use of doxycycline prior to the antigenic stimulus markedly
      lowered the high-dose tolerance induced by high doses of the antigen.

PMID- 1417325
TI  - [Antibiotics of the aminoglycoside group (gentamicin, sisomicin and amikacin) in
      the prevention and treatment of experimental plague].
AB  - Activity of aminoglycosides such as gentamicin, sisomicin and amikacin against
      plague microbe strains of natural origin was studied in vitro. It was also
      studied in prophylaxis and treatment of experimental plague infection in albino
      mice. The MAC of gentamicin and sisomicin for 50 strains of the plague microbe
      was 0.2-1.6 micrograms/ml. For the majority of the strains it was 0.4
      micrograms/ml. The amikacin MICs were 0.4-3.2 and 0.8 micrograms/ml,
      respectively. High efficacy of gentamicin, sisomicin and amikacin was shown in
      prophylaxis and treatment of experimental plague infection in albino mice. The
      optimal doses of the antibiotics were determined. Under definite conditions such
      as the use of short-term regimens and higher intervals, advantages of sisomicin
      over gentamicin and amikacin in prophylaxis of experimental plague infection were
      observed.

PMID- 1417326
TI  - [Late effects of damaging action of doxorubicin on the reproductive system and
      progeny of rats].
AB  - The effect of doxorubicin, an anthracycline antibiotic, on the reproductive
      system and progeny was studied in rats 1 month after a single administration of
      the drug in the MID of 6.85 mg/kg. It was shown that doxorubicin induced a
      decrease in the number of the mature oocytes in the rat ovary and an increase in
      the pre- and post-implantation death rate. The rats exposed to the antibiotic 1
      month before the mating with intact male rats had unchanged fertility and
      pregnancy. In the fetuses isolated from the female rats treated with the
      antibiotic, development of some parts of the skeleton appeared to be retarded.
      One fetus and one young rat had severe developmental anomalies in the skeletons:
      shorter right anterior and hind extremities and finger aplasia. The survival rate
      of the progeny from the female rats exposed to the antibiotic was markedly
      decreased. No retardation in the physical development of the progeny was
      observed.

PMID- 1417327
TI  - [Prevention of early inflammatory complications after transthoracic interventions
      and estimation of the degree of immunologic deficiency].
AB  - An analysis of the results of the examination and treatment of 379 patients
      undergoing transthoracic interventions showed that the use of the target-aimed
      selective immunomodulation, short-term antibacterial prophylaxis, inhibitors of
      arachidonic acid metabolites, active elimination of the circulating immune
      complexes and medium-weight molecular peptides and adequate local analgesia after
      the interventions providing normalization of the laryngeal reflex and early
      activation of the patients permitted the incidence of the pulmonary complications
      to be decreased by 2.5 times, pleural complications by 1.7 times, suppuration of
      the postoperative wound by 1.8 times and the total expenses by 25.6 per cent.

PMID- 1417328
TI  - [Lymphotropic antibiotic therapy of obstetrical suppurative-septic diseases].
AB  - The pharmacokinetics and efficacy of gentamicin after its direct and indirect
      endolymphatic administration were comparatively studied. It was shown that the
      time course of the blood pharmacokinetics of the antibiotic was almost the same
      as under the both conditions. Therefore, in many cases the less complicated and
      more available indirect endolymphatic therapy may replace the direct labor
      consuming and traumatic endolymphatic administration of drugs.

PMID- 1417329
TI  - [Ways of increasing the effectiveness of chemotherapy of urinary tract
      infection].
AB  - Efficacy of blood UV irradiation (BUVI) followed by its reinfusion to the patient
      in combination with antibacterial therapy was studied in patients with acute and
      chronic pyelonephritis and its purulent septic complications. The BUVI was used
      when the antibacterial drugs failed to be sufficiently efficient and the clinical
      process of the infection was severe. The kinetics of ferritin, transferrin, alpha
      2-macroglobulin, beta 2-microglobulin and haptoglobulin in the blood serum was
      investigated as a criterion of treatment efficacy. It was shown that the BUVI
      markedly increased the chemotherapy efficacy. The observed regularities of the
      changes in the serum antigenic spectrum can be used as a basis for the control of
      treatment efficacy.

PMID- 1417330
TI  - [Ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin in the treatment of sexually-transmitted diseases].
AB  - A complex clinico-laboratory++ examination and treatment were made of 76 women
      with inflammatory processes in the urogenital tract. Gonorrhea, trichomoniasis,
      chlamydiosis and Ureaplasma infection were detected in 60, 31.4, 41 and 14 per
      cent of the cases, respectively. There were affections of the rectum by
      gonococci, chlamydia, ureaplasmas and Trichomonas in 55, 32, 10.6 and 6.6 per
      cent of the cases, respectively. The frequency of chlamydia in the oropharynx
      amounted to 30 per cent whereas gonococci and ureaplasma were less frequent i.e.
      9 and 1.2 per cent, respectively. The combination of the above pathogens in the
      rectum were the following: gonococci and chlamydia (15 per cent of the cases),
      gonococci, chlamydia and Trichomonas (7.3 per cent), gonococci and ureaplasma
      (7.3 per cent), ureaplasma and chlamydia (7.8 per cent). In the throat the
      association of gonococci and chlamydia was detected in 3.7 per cent of the cases.
      It should be indicated that the signs of sex-transmitted diseases were few, which
      required careful clinico-laboratory examination of the extragenital foci in the
      patients with inflammatory urogenital diseases. Ofloxacin showed a high efficacy
      in the treatment of patients with gonorrhea and ureaplasmosis. Its use in
      treatment of chlamydiosis proved inexpedient while ciprofloxacin was effective in
      the treatment of the infection.

PMID- 1417331
TI  - [Use of vilozen and ketotifen combination for increasing the effectiveness and
      prevention of complications of antibiotic therapy of streptococcal infections].
AB  - The clinical efficacy of a vilozen and ketotifen (zaditen) combination in the
      treatment of streptococcal infections along with the routine therapy was studied.
      The use of the combination was shown advisable in the complex therapy and
      prevention of relapses in patients with streptococcal infections. The combined
      pharmacotherapy promoted better clinical indices, normalization of the immune
      status and a reduction in the incidence of allergic reactions to antibiotics and
      a decrease in sensitization to bacterial allergens.

PMID- 1417332
TI  - [Principles of antibiotic therapy in pulmonology].

PMID- 1417333
TI  - [Electrotransformation of bacteria].

PMID- 1417334
TI  - [Plasmid analysis of cadmium- and penicillin-resistant strains of staphylococci
      isolated in maternity hospitals].
AB  - The plasmid analysis of a collection of the staphylococci isolated was made in
      the obstetric hospitals of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas in 1986-1989. It revealed
      the presence of large complex plasmids with a molecular weight of 22 MD carrying
      the determinants of resistance to penicillins and cadmium and mercury ions in
      polyresistant strains. Conjugation transfer of the plasmid even between the
      staphylococci of different species was performed under experimental conditions.
      It was suggested that occurrence of the strains carrying the complex cadmium
      penicillinase plasmid was due to violation of the sanitary or ecological
      requirements.

PMID- 1417335
TI  - [Antibiotic resistance of Lactobacillus strains].
AB  - One hundred and thirty six Lactobacillus strains isolated from poultry and 23
      Lactobacillus strains isolated from long-living persons were tested for their
      antibiotic sensitivity. Occurrence of some type determinants of resistance to
      aminoglycoside antibiotics and tetracyclines in the Lactobacillus strains
      resistant to these antibiotics was studied. The majority of the strains from the
      both collections were resistant to aminoglycosides (73 and 79 per cent,
      respectively). The isolates from the poultry were characterized by multiple
      resistance. The isolates from the long-living persons were most frequently
      resistant to one of two antibiotics. All the tested Lactobacillus strains
      isolated from the long-living persons were sensitive to tetracyclines. The
      species composition of the isolates was different. The antibiotic-resistant
      strains were detected in all the species involved in the study. By hybridization
      of Lactobacillus colonies with the probes containing various genes of the
      resistance it was shown that in 14 per cent of the antibiotic-resistant strains
      belonging to Lactobacillus the antibiotic resistance was controlled by the genes
      homologous to resistance genes widely distributed in gramnegative organisms. This
      indicated a possible wide exchange and heterologous expression of the antibiotic
      resistance determinants between microorganisms of various taxonomic groups.

PMID- 1417336
TI  - [Immunomodulating action of heteropolysaccharides isolated from camomile
      flowers].
AB  - Administration of heteropolysaccharides from the camomile flower clusters to rats
      which failed to perform a physical load (swimming) resulted in stimulation of
      development of the immune response to SRBCs. However, it did not influence
      development of the immune response to a bacterial lipopolysaccharide in the rats.
      A short-term exposure of the swimming animals to high doses of the
      heteropolysaccharides increased development of the immune response induced by
      their lipopolysaccharide. A long-term exposure of the swimming rats to low doses
      of the heteropolysaccharides increased development of the immune response to
      SRBCs and the lipopolysaccharide. The high doses of the heteropolysaccharides
      induced excretion of the helper factors by the spleen cells not adhesive to glass
      while the low doses of the heteropolysaccharides decreased sensitivity of the
      cells of the immune system to the influence of the suppressing factor excreted by
      the glass-adherent spleen cells from swimming rats.

PMID- 1417337
TI  - [Characteristics of chemotherapy of infectious diseases associated with gunshot
      wounds and trauma].
AB  - The experience in treating infectious diseases in wounded and traumatized persons
      from the contingent of the Soviet Troops in ++Afghanistan is described. The
      syndrome of the joint effect of the injury and infection is characterized.
      Features of the chemotherapy of the injured patients with viral hepatitis,
      malaria, typhoid fever and enteric and ++extra-enteric amebiasis under the
      ecological and professional stress and with an account of the etiology of the
      wound infection are presented. The favourable effect of the developed methods for
      chemotherapy of the joint affections was shown.

PMID- 1417338
TI  - [Rational chemotherapy of suppurative cholangitis].
AB  - A complex bacteriological approach to the problem of purulent cholangitis was
      applied. Specimens of bile from 140 patients, gallbladder walls from 106
      patients, liver tissue from 93 patients and peritoneum tissue from 82 patients
      were examined. It was microbiologically shown that the infectious process in the
      patients with purulent cholangitis involved not only the bile and gallbladder
      walls but also the surrounding tissues of the liver and peritoneum. There was a
      correlation between the bile microflora and the microflora of the surrounding
      tissues. The microflora of the bile, gallbladder walls, liver and peritoneum
      tissues was characterized qualitatively and quantitatively. Sensitivity of 494
      clinical isolates to 16 antimicrobial drugs was assayed. To prevent the
      postoperative complications, schemes for the antibacterial therapy were developed
      with an account of the aerobic and anaerobic spectra of the microbes
      disseminating the bile, gallbladder walls, liver and peritoneum.

PMID- 1417339
TI  - [Effect of indirect endolymphatic antibiotic therapy on clinical and
      immunological indicators in patients with erysipelas of the lower extremities].
AB  - Two groups of patients with erysipelas of the lower extremities underwent
      indirect endolymphatic therapy with bicillin-3 (58 patients) and routine
      penicillin therapy (79 patients). Comparative clinicoimmunological examinations
      in the two groups revealed that lymphotropic administration of the antibiotic had
      a more favourable effect on the disease process, as evidenced by more rapid
      reverse time courses of erysipelas clinical signs, less frequent incidence of
      early relapses and normalization of the majority of immunological parameters by
      the end of the treatment. For estimation of the anti-recurrence efficacy of the
      antibiotic therapy in the patients with erysipelas, it was recommended to use a
      specific scale based on the principles of the Wald successive alternative
      analysis.

PMID- 1417340
TI  - [Clinico-bacteriological evaluation of the effectiveness of piperacillin in
      suppurative-inflammatory diseases of the lungs and pleura].

PMID- 1417341
TI  - [Age-related characteristics of ceftazidime pharmacokinetics in children].
AB  - To reveal possible age-dependent variations in the ceftazidime pharmacokinetics,
      the drug plasma concentrations were determined by HPLC in 10 children aged 2 to
      13 years with peritonitis. The blood specimens were collected 0.25, 0.5, 1, 3, 6
      and 8 hours after intravenous bolus administration of ceftazidime (Kefadym, Eli
      Lilly) in a single dose of 20 mg/kg. The mean values of the model-independent
      parameters were: total clearance (Cl), 3.3 +/- 0.8 ml/min.kg; steady-state
      distribution volume, 0.32 +/- 0.06 ml/kg; mean residence time, 1.7 +/- 0.4 hours.
      The C-coordinate of the gravity center was equal to 26 +/- 7 mg/l. A noticeable
      age-dependent decrease in Cl was detected by comparing the Cl estimates in our
      study for the children aged 7.0 +/- 3.0 years with earlier findings in children
      aged 12 years as well as in adults (18 and 26 years) and elderly patients (77
      years): 2.5, 2.2, 2.0 and 1.1 ml/min.kg, respectively. A similar trend was
      observed for the ceftazidime volume of distribution (Varea). Due to the described
      reduction in Cl and Varea the age-induced changes in the half-life of ceftazidime
      were negligible. The age-dependent differences in ceftazidime pharmacokinetics
      should be taken into account in designing rational dosage regimens for the drug
      administration.

PMID- 1417342
TI  - [Chemotherapy of Campylobacter infections].
AB  - A total of 600 patients with suspected alimentary food poisoning were
      hospitalized. The ++clinico-laboratory findings showed that 27 (4.5 per cent) of
      them had Campylobacter infection. The cultures of Campylobacter jejuni and
      Campylobacter coli were isolated from 24 and 3 patients, respectively. The
      patients underwent complex pathogenetic treatment with oral rehydration saline
      solutions, symptomatic agents, enzymatic preparations and diet (the basic
      therapy) supplemented with biological bacterial preparations in less severe cases
      (8 patients). Antibacterial drugs such as furazolidone (roxytromycin), gentamicin
      and levomycetin, as well as fluoroquinolones such as ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin
      were additionally used in the treatment of both the patients with the generalized
      infection and those with more severe processes of the disease, pronounced
      diarrhea with blood traces and persisting isolation of Campylobacter (12
      patients). The most favourable results in the treatment of more severe patients
      with Campylobacter infection were obtained with the fluoroquinolones used after
      inadequately efficient therapy with furazolidone or antibiotics especially in the
      cases with repeated isolation of campylobacteria.

PMID- 1417343
TI  - [Digestive tract as the main endogenous source of bacterial and fungal
      infections. The importance of maintaining colonization resistance].

PMID- 1417344
TI  - [Rifampicin in present-day chemotherapy of bacterial infections].

PMID- 1417345
TI  - [Physiological characteristics of the strains of Cryptococcus deffluens-
      producers of penicillin acylase].
AB  - A fermentation medium balanced by the main components was developed for
      Cryptococcus diffluens strains producing penicillin-V-acylases (PA). It was shown
      that the culture needed for production of the enzyme was inductor, which was
      phenoxyacetic acid (POAA). Additional introduction of ethanol to the medium
      provided an increase in production of PA by 36 per cent and the culture growth by
      25 per cent. Introduction of one of the following substances to the medium with
      POAA and ethanol i.e. (CN3COO)2Ca, FeSO4, proline or asparagine provided an
      additional increase in the production level of PA by 24 to 94 per cent. The use
      of the medium varieties will permit one to isolate highly productive cells of the
      culture.

PMID- 1417346
TI  - [Remembering Professor Chavez].

PMID- 1417347
TI  - [Our world in the last few years of the 20th century and the millennium. Medicine
      and the physician].

PMID- 1417348
TI  - [Echocardiographic study of heart remodelling in ischemic cardiopathy].

PMID- 1417349
TI  - [Effect of lead and cadmium on platelet aggregation].
AB  - Two heavy metals, lead and cadmium, are frequently found as pollutants in many
      systems. Their effect upon platelet aggregation was investigated, both in human
      and rat platelet rich plasma and washed platelets. ADP-induced aggregation of
      human platelets was inhibited by 50%, using concentrations of free lead between 2
      4 mM and free cadmium between 0.05 and 0.2 mM. Rat platelets were about ten times
      more sensitive to the effect of lead than human PRP. 50% inhibition of
      epinephrine-induced aggregation was attained at lower concentrations of metal,
      than the concentrations needed for ADP-induced aggregation. The effect was more
      apparent upon the first phase, which was lengthened, both with PRP and washed
      platelets. The aggregation of human and rat washed platelets by calcium was
      inhibited by concentrations of the metals within micromolar ranges. When A 23187
      was used as the aggregating agent, the inhibition by the metals was only partial.
      Cysteine, at approximately tenfold concentrations, reversed the effect of the
      metals. Cadmium appeared more effective than lead as an inhibitor of platelet
      aggregation in all systems. Since only high levels of metal inhibit aggregation,
      more sensitive organs or systems would show alterations, due to these metals at
      an earlier stage and at lower concentrations.

PMID- 1417350
TI  - [Analysis of rheumatic valvulopathy with scanning electron microscopy].
AB  - There is a high incidence of rheumatic endocarditis in our environment. Therefore
      it is important to know the structural characteristics of the valvular lesions in
      order to better understand the physiopathologic pathways of tissue injury. We
      have chosen a non-conventional method, the scanning electron microscopy. There
      were very few such reports in the current literature. We analyzed ten mitral
      valve with rheumatic scarring lesion and five normal, as a control group. We were
      able to establish three structural patterns. 1) Stone pavement like (endocardium
      with nuclear bulge cells and marginal folds at the cell boundaries, abundant
      number of microvillous projections and few areas of endothelial loosening). 2)
      Cerebroid (subendothelium with wrinkles caused by deformity of the valve with or
      without endothelial loosening) and 3) Smooth pattern (flattened endothelium with
      scanty microvillous projections and abundant areas of endothelial denundation and
      exposition of subendothelium). More damage was noted in the auricular surface of
      the rheumatic group, characterized by a predominance of the smooth pattern. We
      found Lambl's excrecences in two mitral leaflets, they were formed by collagen
      break fascicles of the subendothelium. This technique allowed us to analyze
      integrity of the endocardial selective barrier and the interactions between the
      damaged surface of the valve and elements of the peripheral blood and showed more
      endocardial injury in the rheumatic group. These alterations could play an
      important role in the pathogenesis of this disease.

PMID- 1417351
TI  - [Late results of mitral valve replacement in 155 subjects under 16 years of age.
      Comparative study with 4 prosthesis].
AB  - We followed 155 children aged 6 to 16 years who underwent mitral valve
      replacement for rheumatic heart disease. Group I included 74 patients with Starr
      Edwards prostheses and the mean follow-up period was 13 years. Group II was
      formed by 36 patients with Bjork-Shiley prostheses and a mean follow-up of 7.5
      years. Group III consisted of 31 children with dura mater bioprostheses and a
      mean follow-up of 5.1 years. Finally, group IV included 14 patients followed a
      mean period of 4.9 years with Hancock xenografts. The four groups of patients
      were comparable before surgery. The criteria of the New York Heart Association
      (NYHA) were used to evaluate all patients before and 12 months after surgery. All
      patients with mechanical prostheses received anticoagulant therapy with
      acenocumarol from the first postoperative day. The incidence of complications
      such as thromboembolism, infective endocarditis, prosthetic dysfunction and death
      were determined at the end of the follow-up. The Fisher's exact test was used for
      nonparametric analysis and the two-tailed Student's T test for parametric
      results. All but two patients improved their NYHA clinical status after surgery
      (p less than 0.0001). Forty eight patients with mechanical prostheses were
      catheterized 1 to 7 years after the operation. The mean pulmonary arterial
      systolic pressure was reduced from 58 mmHg to 30 mmHg (p less than 0.001) and the
      mean pulmonary arterial wedge pressure decreased from 22 mmHg to 11 mmHg (p less
      than 0.001). There were no significant differences between the groups with
      mechanical and tissue prostheses in the incidence of thromboembolism and
      infective endocarditis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417352
TI  - [Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in aortic coarctation in adolescents and
      adults. Mid-term results].
AB  - From October 1985 to February 1992 we performed 80 percutaneous transluminal
      angioplasty (PTA) in 76 patients with coarctation of the aorta (CoAo). Sixteen of
      them with ages ranging from 12 to 62 years (mean = 21.1). We describe the
      experience in these cases. Fifteen with native and one with post-surgical
      coarctation. The gradient decreased from 72 +/- 33 to 18 +/- 17 mmHg immediately
      after dilation, in the follow-up (1 to 69 months m = 25) was 23 +/- 20 mmHg. In
      one patient we performed simultaneously angioplasty of CoAo and mitral
      valvuloplasty with excellent results in both lesions. We redilated two cases for
      residual gradient successfully. We had one failure in a patient with long
      coarctation. He needed surgery. In the initial experience we had one severe
      complication (cerebral stroke). No deaths or aneurysms. In conclusion we believe
      that PTA is an adequate alternative in adolescents and adults with native or post
      surgical coarctation of the aorta with minimum incidence of complications.

PMID- 1417353
TI  - [Corrected transposition of the great arteries].
AB  - Sixty-nine patients with Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries were
      studied, with a mean age of 8.3 years. Forty-nine had atrial situs solitus (SS)
      and 20 atrial situs inversus (SI). The diagnosis was proved by echocardiography
      in 28 cases and in all by angiocardiography. In cases with SS, 29 presented
      ventricular septal defect (VSD), 20 had subvalvular pulmonary stenosis (SVPS), 13
      tricuspid regurgitation (TR), 13 atrio-ventricular block (AVB), and seven without
      associated defects. In cases with SI, 13 had VSD, 14 SVPS, five IT, three AVB,
      and two without associated defects. The long-term follow-up of the
      atrioventricular (AV) conduction in 53 cases, ranging between 2 and 37 years
      (mean 8.3) showed at the beginning of the evaluation 37 cases with normal AV
      conduction, 14 with first degree AVB, and two with complete AVB. At the end of
      the follow-up 24 cases had normal AV conduction, 13 first degree, two second
      degree, four intermittent and 10 complete AVB. The contingency table showed that
      the possibility of developing changes of the AV conduction was greater in those
      cases who had an abnormality at the beginning with a relative risk of 2.27 (p =
      0.03). Twenty-three cases had SVPS associated with VSD without significant
      symptoms. During a follow-up ranging from 1 to 20 years (mean 6.5 +/- 5.9), five
      of these patients were surgically corrected at ages from 6 to 11 years. The
      remaining cases have had a stable course. At the beginning of the study, 18 cases
      had TR, and it developed in five more patients during the same follow-up
      period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417354
TI  - [Myocardial hypertrophy in aortic insufficiency as a compensation mechanism.
      Implications for surgical indication].
AB  - We studied 24 patients with pure and severe aortic regurgitation. Using 2-D
      Echocardiography we obtained parasternal short axis view and calculate the
      thickness/radio (H/r) ratio and with apical four chambers and two chambers view
      the ejection fraction (E.F.) with biplanar Simpson technic. The patients were
      divided in three groups: I) those (12) with E.F. and H/r ratio within normal
      limits; II) those (6) with low H/r ratio and normal E.F. and the third group III)
      was formed with 6 patients whom had low H/r ratio and E.F. Three patients from
      group I had surgical treatment without mortality; all but one (bacterial
      endocarditis) are alive after two years; five patients from group II had surgical
      treatment and everyone is alive in functional class I in the same period. All
      patients of the third group III but one (that had surgical treatment) are death
      in spite of medical treatment. We conclude that the optimal moment for surgical
      procedure in severe aortic regurgitation can be determined when the hypertrophy
      does not compensate the hemodynamic overload (decreases H/r) but the cardiac
      performance (E.F.) is normal. In this moment the surgical mortality is low and
      the procedure can change the natural history of the disease.

PMID- 1417355
TI  - [Ruptured aneurysm of the aortic sinus of Valsalva: clinical course, diagnosis,
      and treatment].
AB  - The authors present the clinical cases of 5 patients, with rupture of the aortic
      Valsalva's sinus aneurysm open to the right chambers, diagnosed clinically,
      echocardiographically and hemodynamically in the past eight months. Among them,
      four were males, and one female. Three were treated surgically successfully, one
      patient refused surgery and another had a sudden death before surgery. The
      patients showed arteriovenous blood flow shunt, three from the aorta to the right
      ventricle, and two to the right atrium. One case was associated to an atrial
      septal defect, and tricuspid insufficiency in another. The authors added a sixth
      case: a woman, with rupture of the aortic Valsalva's sinus open to the right
      ventricle, aortic insufficiency and diaphragmatic subaortic stenosis. The authors
      discuss the embryologic origin of the formation and rupture of the Valsalva's
      sinus aneurysm as well as the factors that contribute to it's rupture, the
      natural history of the illness, it's classification, association with other heart
      disease as well as diagnosis and treatment.

PMID- 1417356
TI  - [Doppler echocardiography assessment of tricuspid valve prosthesis with normal
      function and with dysfunction due to obstruction].
AB  - In order to know the normal ranges of the maximum velocity and the pressure half
      time between normal functioning tricuspid prostheses and malfunctioning tricuspid
      prostheses due to obstruction, we studied 25 patients with tricuspid prostheses
      (11 mechanical and 14 biological); they were divided in 2 groups: group I: 14
      patients without clinical evidence of malfunction and; group II: 11 patients with
      malfunction due to obstruction confirmed by catheterization, surgery and/or
      necropsy. The peak gradient was estimated by the modified Bernoulli equation and
      the prosthetic valve area by the pressure halftime method. RESULTS: the mean peak
      velocity in group I was 147 +/- 18 cm/sec versus 165 +/- 16 cm/sec (p NS) in
      group II. The mean pressure half-time in group I was 124 +/- 20 msec versus 355
      +/- 48 msec (p less than 0.001) in group II. CONCLUSIONS: 1. A pressure half-time
      greater than 200 msec is very suggestive of malfunction due to obstruction (p
      less than 0.001). 2. There are normo-functioning tricuspid prostheses with
      prolonged pressure half-time, and the values that divides these groups from those
      with malfunction is small: 199 and 244 msec, that is why we suggest that every
      patient has to have his her own echocardiographic control in the immediate
      postoperative period.

PMID- 1417357
TI  - [Recessive autosomal inheritance in Marfan syndrome].
AB  - Three brothers 9, 12, and 14 years of age were studied. The three of them
      fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of Marfan Syndrome that was made based on
      physical and ophthalmologic examination, these criteria included musculoskeletal
      abnormalities, subluxation of lens, myopia and aortic aneurysm. The three
      siblings died due to complications of the aortic aneurysm, which had an early
      onset as well as the other clinical manifestations of the disease. They were 2
      brothers and one sister. There was neither mental or psychomotor retardation, nor
      metabolic disease in any of the patients. Family history did not show any
      clinical manifestation of the disease in parents or grandparents. We propose that
      the hereditary pattern is recessive autosomic instead of dominant autosomic given
      the features of these cases and their history.

PMID- 1417358
TI  - [The takeoff of cardiology at the meeting of 2 worlds].

PMID- 1417359
TI  - [Physiologic features of the endothelium].

PMID- 1417360
TI  - Influence of extracellular calcium on the actions of guanidine at the rat
      neuromuscular junction.
AB  - Guanidine has been shown to potentiate neurotransmission at the skeletal
      neuromuscular junction. The present study was undertaken to evaluate whether
      reductions in extracellular calcium affect the action of guanidine on the
      reversal of neuromuscular blockade induced by dibekacin and d-tubocurarine in the
      rat phrenic-hemidiaphragm preparation. Guanidine reversed the blocking effect of
      d-tubocurarine, the maximal effect occurring with 3 mM at 15 min. This reversal
      effect of guanidine was potentiated when the extracellular calcium concentration
      was reduced from 2.5 mM to 1 mM and 0.3 mM. Guanidine was also effective in
      reversing the neuromuscular depression caused by dibekacin. In this case, it was
      more potent than in the d-tubocurarine-treated preparations. The maximal effect
      was observed with 3 mM after 15 min of exposure. When the extracellular calcium
      concentration was reduced from 2.5 mM to 1 mM, a potentiation of guanidine
      effects was observed. In this situation, the maximal effect of guanidine was
      observed with only 0.7 mM. However, further reductions of extracellular calcium
      (0.3 mM) did not show further increases. The present results show that guanidine
      reverses the blockade induced by dibekacin and d-tubocurarine, being more potent
      against the former drug. This suggests that guanidine may be useful in relieving
      the blockade due to a restriction of calcium entry. Its effects were potentiated
      when the extracellular calcium concentration was lowered to 1 mM and, in d
      tubocurarine-treated muscles, to 0.3 mM. Thus, the effects of guanidine are
      calcium-dependent but only in a certain concentration range.

PMID- 1417361
TI  - Effects of bifemelane hydrochloride on loss of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor and
      muscarinic cholinergic receptor binding in the gerbil hippocampus after transient
      ischemia.
AB  - The effects of bifemelane hydrochloride on changes of N-methyl-D-aspartate
      receptors and muscarinic cholinergic receptors were examined in the gerbil
      hippocampus after transient ischemia with radioactive-specific ligands. There
      were marked reductions in both these receptors in the gerbil hippocampus 14 days
      after transient ischemia, without changes in the respective affinities. Post
      ischemia bifemelane treatment almost completely prevented the ischemia-induced
      decreases in the numbers of these receptors, and had no effect in sham-operated
      controls. The results of the present study suggest that this drug prevents
      postsynaptic dysfunction induced by transient ischemia, and may be useful in the
      therapy of both the chronic and the acute stage of cerebrovascular disease.

PMID- 1417362
TI  - Influence of long-term lithium treatment on 5-hydroxytryptamine-mediated
      stimulation of adenylate cyclase in guinea-pig hippocampus.
AB  - The effects of long-term lithium treatment on the 5-hydroxytryptamine-mediated
      stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity in guinea-pig hippocampal membranes
      were examined. The stimulatory effect of 5-hydroxytryptamine on adenylate cyclase
      activity was guanine nucleotide-dependent and additive to those of dopamine,
      isoproterenol, norepinephrine, epinephrine and histamine. In contrast, the
      adenylate cyclase activity stimulated by 10 microM of 5-hydroxytryptamine plus 10
      microM of 8-OH-DPAT was quite equal to that stimulated by 10 microM of 5
      hydroxytryptamine alone. Oral administration of lithium for 3 weeks reduced,
      slightly but significantly, the concentration-response curve to 5
      hydroxytryptamine but did not alter that to 8-OH-DPAT. Inhibition of the
      forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity by 5-hydroxytryptamine or 8-OH
      DPAT was shown to be unaltered after lithium treatment. The implications of these
      results are discussed with reference to previously reported data using
      hippocampal membranes prepared from rats.

PMID- 1417363
TI  - Reduction by carbachol of ventricular conduction impairments induced by various
      class I antiarrhythmic drugs in anesthetized dogs.
AB  - A common property of all Class I antiarrhythmic agents is the inhibition of the
      fast inward current INa. Consequently, ventricular conduction velocities are
      impaired and reentrant phenomena are counteracted. Unfortunately, these
      conductive pathway disturbances may also induce proarrhythmic effects and reduce
      cardiac contractility. Recent evidence indicates that a cholinergic agonist,
      carbachol, is able to correct in vitro both the duration of the action potential
      and the partial depolarization induced by lidocaine and quinidine in rabbit
      atria. In the present study, we demonstrated that i.v. carbachol is also a
      powerful agent in vivo for correcting conductive disturbances previously induced
      by four different Class I antiarrhythmic agents. The electrophysiological and
      hemodynamic parameters of ten groups of atropinized-anesthetized dogs, including
      six animals per group, were investigated. QRS duration, HV and V-St intervals
      were selected as in vivo indexes of ventricular conduction. Quinidine,
      procainamide, cibenzoline and flecainide were selected as representative agents
      of Class Ia and Ic antiarrhythmic drugs. In all treated groups, carbachol (1
      mg/kg) was able to correct the indexes of ventricular conduction previously
      impaired by the antiarrhythmic drug used.

PMID- 1417364
TI  - Effects of chronic administration of lisuride hydrogen maleate on aromatic amine
      and metabolite levels in the gerbil brain following bilateral common carotid
      ligation.
AB  - Cerebral monoaminergic neurotransmitters and their metabolites show various
      concentration changes in gerbils following bilateral carotid ligation. The
      present study evaluated the effect of chronic administrations of lisuride
      hydrogen maleate (lisuride) on these changes. Lisuride (0.01 mg/kg or 0.05 mg/kg)
      or vehicle was intraperitoneally administered to gerbils for 14 consecutive days
      before the induction of a 30 min ischemia by bilateral carotid ligation. Animals
      were sacrified immediately and the levels of dopamine, DOPAC, homovanillic acid,
      noradrenaline, serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid determined by HPLC in the
      striatum, cortex, hippocampus and diencephalon/midbrain. Lisuride itself had no
      effect on any compound determined in any region. In the carotid-ligated gerbil
      brain, however, lisuride corrected the reduction of dopamine in the striatum,
      normalized or reduced increases in the (DOPAC+homovanillic acid)/dopamine ratio
      in the striatum, hippocampus and diencephalon/midbrain, and increased the levels
      of serotonin in all four regions. The present study, together with previous
      reports, indicate that lisuride may interfere with ischemia-induced
      cerebrovascular disturbances and, in such a way, improve some pathological
      sequelae of cerebrovascular disease.

PMID- 1417365
TI  - Vasodilatory activity of etozoline in rat and guinea-pig isolated aorta: study of
      the mechanism of action.
AB  - In isolated rings of guinea-pig aorta not responding to acetylcholine, the
      diuretic etozoline did not influence basal vascular tone but inhibited
      noradrenaline- and histamine-induced contractions. The inhibition was evident at
      concentrations of the diuretic (10 microM-1 mM) suitable to inhibit, in a
      competitive manner, the contractions evoked by a K+ channel blocker,
      tetraethylammonium, in the same preparation (Dorigo et al., 1989, 1990). In
      isolated rings of guinea-pig aorta, etozoline, at very low concentrations (1 nM
      0.1 microM), inhibited also serotinin-induced contractions. The contractile
      effect of serotonin was abolished by nifedipine associated with 2-nitro-4
      carboxyphenyl N,N-diphenyl-carbamate (an inhibitor of phospholipase C) or with
      etozoline, thus suggesting that the diuretic, besides inhibiting extracellular
      Ca++ uptake, also prevents intracellular Ca++ mobilization mediated by inositol
      triphosphate. In isolated rings of rat aorta responding to acetylcholine,
      etozoline did not influence basal vascular tone either in the absence or in the
      presence of superoxide-dismutase. In the same preparation, the diuretic inhibited
      vascular contractions induced by the three spasmogenic agents used, i.e.
      noradrenaline, histamine and serotonin. This inhibition occurred at
      concentrations of etozoline ranging from 10 microM to 1 mM and was uninfluenced
      by indomethacin (10 microMs). In isolated rings of rat aorta, the contractile
      effect of noradrenaline was not influenced by the addition of either 100 microM
      pyrogallol, or 10 microM methylene blue or 100 U/ml superoxide-dismutase, while
      the contractile responses to histamine and to serotonin were potentiated by
      pyrogallol and by methylene blue and reduced by superoxide-dismutase. This
      indicates that, in rat aorta, noradrenaline evokes only a direct contractile
      response, whereas both serotonin and histamine have a double effect: direct
      contraction of vascular smooth muscle and release of a relaxing factor from the
      endothelium. The inhibitory activity of etozoline towards serotonin- and
      histamine-induced contractions was reduced by pyrogallol and by methylene blue,
      whereas it was potentiated by superoxide-dismutase. The ability of etozoline to
      reverse the noradrenaline-induced contraction was unaffected by pyrogallol,
      methylene blue or superoxide-dismutase. These results emphasize the spasmolytic
      activity of etozoline, which seems to involve only the muscular component of rat
      and guinea-pig aorta.

PMID- 1417366
TI  - St-93 hyperglycemia in Wistar rats.
AB  - The alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist St-93 was evaluated for its effect on blood
      glucose levels in Wistar rats. A dose-dependent increase in blood glucose was
      observed in rats after intraperitoneal administration of St-93. The hyperglycemic
      effect of St-93 was not altered by prazosin and propranolol, whereas idazoxan
      significantly inhibited this effect. Pretreatment with reserpine did not affect
      the hyperglycemic effect of St-93. There was no significant increase in the blood
      glucose values with St-93 in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. It may be concluded
      that the hyperglycemia induced by St-93 is mediated through alpha 2
      adrenoceptors, possibly located on pancreatic beta-cells.

PMID- 1417367
TI  - Activation of capsaicin-sensitive primary afferents in the rat urinary bladder by
      compound 48/80: a direct action on sensory nerves?
AB  - We have assessed the ability of compound 48/80, a mast cell degranulating agent,
      to activate the sensory and efferent function of capsaicin-sensitive primary
      afferents in the rat urinary bladder. Compound 48/80 produced a calcium-dependent
      release of calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivity from the
      superfused rat urinary bladder. This effect was prevented by in vitro capsaicin
      desensitization, but was not affected by indomethacin, methysergide, ondansetron,
      chlorpheniramine or cimetidine, nor by systemic pretreatment with compound 48/80
      at a dose regimen which prevented lethality produced by intravenous
      administration of it in anesthetized rats. Compound 48/80 also produced a
      contraction of the rat isolated bladder which was not reduced by methysergide,
      indomethacin or in vitro capsaicin desensitization. In vivo, topical application
      of compound 48/80 on the serosal surface of the rat urinary bladder activated a
      series of high amplitude rhythmic bladder contractions which were hexamethonium
      sensitive (micturition reflex). This effect was prevented by systemic capsaicin
      desensitization while it was unchanged by chlorpheniramine, methysergide,
      indomethacin or ondansetron. Administered intravenously, compound 48/80 produced
      a plasma protein extravasation (Evans blue leakage technique) in the rat urinary
      bladder which was abolished by systemic capsaicin pretreatment or
      chlorpheniramine while it was unaffected by methysergide or indomethacin. The
      present findings provide direct neurochemical evidence that compound 48/80
      activates the peripheral endings of capsaicin-sensitive primary afferent neurons,
      leading to a stimulation of their sensory and efferent functions in the rat
      urinary bladder. The possibility of a direct action of compound 48/80 in
      producing excitation of capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerves should be considered.

PMID- 1417368
TI  - The relative importance of focusing on elevations of systolic vs diastolic blood
      pressure. A definitive answer at last.

PMID- 1417369
TI  - Nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and intravenous catheter phlebitis and
      sepsis.

PMID- 1417370
TI  - Advance directives and surrogate laws. Ethical instruments or moral cop-out?

PMID- 1417371
TI  - Inferior vena cava filters. Indications, safety, effectiveness.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Preventing pulmonary embolization by interrupting vena caval flow has
      been attempted since 1893. Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters have been available
      for 20 years, and currently there are five filters commercially available in the
      United States (Greenfield filter, Titanium Greenfield filter, Simon-Nitinol
      filter, Bird's Nest filter, and LGM or Vena Tech filter) and two other filters
      under development (Amplatz filter and Gunther filter). Although these devices are
      widely used, their clinical utility and safety have not been completely
      evaluated. Controlled clinical trials to determine the clinical role for IVC
      filters have not been attempted, but numerous case series describing the outcomes
      of the seven current filters have been published. We have systematically reviewed
      these studies to clarify what is known about the indications, safety, and
      effectiveness of IVC filters. METHODS: Using the MEDLINE database, all English
      language publications since 1970 that included follow-up clinical information
      after filter insertion were reviewed and eight methodologic guidelines were
      employed to assess the scientific quality of the clinical information. RESULTS:
      Twenty-four case series were reviewed: 16 concerned the Greenfield filter (1632
      patients), and eight dealt with newer designs (925 patients). Commonly noted
      methodologic problems included failure to report the initial extent of
      thromboembolic disease, incomplete description of the patient assembly process,
      and incomplete and potentially biased outcome assessment. Recurrent clinical
      pulmonary embolism was rare after filter placement, and only eight deaths from
      pulmonary embolism were reported. Filter complications were common but rarely
      life threatening; four (0.16%) deaths from filter complications were noted among
      the reviewed studies. Thrombotic complications following filter placement
      included insertion-site deep vein thrombosis and IVC obstruction. These events
      were rare, but they occurred with all filter types. CONCLUSIONS: Inferior vena
      cava filters appear to be effective in preventing recurrent pulmonary embolism.
      Despite the large published experience with IVC filters, many questions remain
      about their indications, safety, and effectiveness. Anticoagulant therapy, if not
      contraindicated, should be used in conjunction with filters. While there is no
      ideal filter, some situations call for specific filters. Filter selection and
      insertion require experience, modern angiographic technique, and collaboration
      between clinicians caring for patients and the interventional radiologists or
      surgeons inserting the device.

PMID- 1417372
TI  - Cost-conscious prescribing of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for adults
      with arthritis. A review and suggestions.
AB  - Salicylates and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used for
      the treatment of painful disorders. This article reviews the efficacy, side
      effects, and costs of these agents and proposes a practical approach to using
      them in a cost-effective manner. Although there may be some differences in
      efficacy among available drugs, these do not appear sufficient to justify using
      the more expensive agents in most cases. Adverse effects, especially
      gastrointestinal (GI), add to the cost of using these drugs. Aspirin and all
      nonsalicylate NSAIDs share a risk of causing gastric ulcer, upper GI bleeding,
      and GI perforation. Prostaglandin inhibition by these agents may lead to reduced
      glomerular filtration rate and renal failure. There may be modest differences in
      GI and renal risks with the different agents, but these are minimal. Prophylaxis
      against gastric ulceration with anti-ulcer drugs has been recommended, and one
      agent, misoprostol, is approved for use in the United States for this purpose.
      Whether use of prophylaxis will increase or decrease the costs associated with
      NSAID therapy remains to be determined. Nonacetylated salicylates may cause less
      GI adverse effects and may be somewhat "renal sparing." Strategies that would
      reduce the cost of care for painful musculoskeletal disorders without
      compromising quality of care include using acetaminophen instead of an NSAID for
      noninflammatory disorders, trying nonacetylated salicylates as less expensive and
      safer alternatives to NSAIDs, using one agent at a time, allowing sufficient time
      to evaluate the therapeutic effect before changing agents, returning to the least
      expensive and/or safest drug if a trial of several in succession fails to find
      one that is clearly better, and reserving prophylactic use of antiulcer agents
      for patients who are at especially high risk and for whom anti-inflammatory
      effects are clearly needed.

PMID- 1417373
TI  - Pneumocystis prophylaxis and survival in patients with advanced human
      immunodeficiency virus infection treated with zidovudine. The Zidovudine
      Epidemiology Group.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is a major cause of morbidity
      and mortality in persons with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
      infection. We assessed the impact of prophylaxis for PCP on survival in patients
      with advanced HIV disease who were treated with zidovudine. METHODS: A cohort of
      1048 patients with prior PCP (N = 437), another acquired immunodeficiency
      syndrome-defining diagnosis (N = 168) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
      related complex (N = 443) and with less than 0.250 x 10(9)/L CD4 cells initiated
      zidovudine treatment between April 1987 and April 1988. They were then followed
      up for 24 months. Morbidity and mortality outcomes were assessed every 2 months.
      A time-dependent, Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify factors
      associated with new episodes of PCP and with survival. RESULTS: Three hundred
      thirty-six patients (32%) developed PCP after beginning treatment with
      zidovudine, with a 24-month actuarial rate of 41%. Patients with prior PCP were
      more likely to develop PCP during follow up (40%) than those without a history of
      PCP at entry (27% with PCP at follow-up). Other factors associated with
      developing PCP were baseline acquired immunodeficiency syndrome vs acquired
      immunodeficiency syndrome-related complex, and dose interruptions of zidovudine.
      Thirty-six (17%) of 210 patients who received trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole
      prophylaxis developed PCP vs 299 (36%) of 838 who never received trimethoprim
      sulfamethoxazole (odds ratio, 0.48). One hundred seven (22%) of 483 patients who
      ever received aerosol pentamidine prophylaxis developed PCP vs 228 (40%) of 565
      who did not receive aerosol pentamidine (odds ratio, 0.55). In a time-dependent
      Cox proportional hazards analysis, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (relative
      hazard, 0.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11 to 0.4) and aerosol pentamidine
      prophylaxis (relative hazard, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.16 to 0.39) were associated with
      decreased risk of PCP. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia during follow-up was
      strongly associated with death when controlling for other factors (odds ratio,
      1.8). For all patients, aerosol pentamidine prophylaxis was associated with a
      reduced risk of death during follow-up (relative hazard, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.44 to
      0.78), while trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole showed a weaker association (relative
      hazard, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.54 to 1.1). However, there was a significantly reduced
      risk of death overall for patients who consistently used trimethoprim
      sulfamethoxazole (relative hazard, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.88) or aerosol
      pentamidine (relative hazard, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.42 to 0.77) and this was most
      pronounced in patients with a baseline history of PCP. DISCUSSION AND
      CONCLUSIONS: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was common in advanced HIV infection
      treated with zidovudine. Prophylaxis with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and
      aerosol pentamidine both were associated with a decreased likelihood of PCP, and
      consistent use of each was associated with improved survival. Prophylaxis for PCP
      is associated with prolonged survival for patients with advanced HIV disease.

PMID- 1417374
TI  - Stroke complicating acute myocardial infarction. A meta-analysis of risk
      modification by anticoagulation and thrombolytic therapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The objective of this meta-analysis was to examine the impact of
      systemic anticoagulation and thrombolysis on the total incidence of stroke
      following myocardial infarction. Additionally, we sought to compare the relative
      risk of stroke with different thrombolytic agents. METHODS: A computerized and
      manual literature search for controlled clinical trials of anticoagulants and
      thrombolytic agents in myocardial infarction reporting on total strokes in
      treated and control patients was used. Pooling was performed by calculating the
      Mantel-Haenszel odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: The Mantel
      Haenszel pooled odds ratio for anticoagulation trials was 0.46 (95% CI, 0.30 to
      0.64), suggesting a benefit of anticoagulant therapy. However, a statistically
      significant degree of variability (heterogeneity) was present among study
      results. The odds ratios for all thrombolytic trials, tissue plasminogen
      activator, and streptokinase trials, respectively, were 1.08 (95% CI, 0.87 to
      1.35), 1.28 (95% CI, 0.76 to 2.17), and 1.02 (95% CI, 0.80 to 1.30), suggesting
      no overall excess of stroke with thrombolysis. The pooled odds ratio for three
      studies directly comparing streptokinase and tissue plasminogen activator was
      0.73 (95% CI, 0.61 to 0.86), suggesting an excess of stroke for patients treated
      with tissue plasminogen activator in comparison with streptokinase-treated
      patients. CONCLUSIONS: The available data may support a role for anticoagulants
      in reducing the incidence of stroke after myocardial infarction, but the
      heterogeneity among the trials makes interpretation of this effect difficult.
      Although the available data do not indicate an increase in stroke with
      thrombolysis, a direct comparison of tissue plasminogen activator and
      streptokinase reveals an excess of strokes with tissue plasminogen activator.

PMID- 1417375
TI  - A national survey of the home visiting practice and attitudes of family
      physicians and internists.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Over the past decade, while physician home visiting has continued to
      decline, the home care industry has been experiencing dramatic growth. In
      response, several major physician organizations have been encouraging increased
      physician education and involvement in home care and urging related health policy
      changes. This study provides the first in-depth, nationally representative
      descriptive data on the current home visiting practice and related attitudes of
      physicians. METHODS: Data were gathered through a structured 15-minute telephone
      survey, consisting of 141 items covering physician's general practice, personal
      home visiting practice, interaction with other home care providers, and attitudes
      regarding home care issues. Subjects were a nationally representative, randomly
      selected sample of 2200 family practice physicians (FPs) and internal medicine
      physicians (IMs) currently in active practice with at least 10 hours per week of
      professional time spent in ambulatory care. RESULTS: Sixty-five percent of
      eligible participants completed the survey. Of all physicians surveyed, 65% of
      FPs and 44% of IMs reported that they may make house calls (P less than .001).
      Mean number of visits per year was 21.2 (median, 10) for FPs, and it was 15.7
      (median, 6) for IMs. Physicians in rural practice were more likely to make home
      visits (P less than .001). Physician attitudes related to home care reflect a
      strong dissatisfaction with reimbursement, but positive opinions about the use of
      other home care professionals and the importance of home visits for selected
      patients. Logistic regression analysis comparing home-visiting physicians with
      non-visiting physicians allowed for prediction of the correct classification 73%
      of the time, and it revealed six variables that were significant predictors of
      home visiting. The strongest of these predictors were the physician's positive
      attitude regarding the importance of home visits for selected patients and his or
      her perception of having time available for home visits. Other significant
      variables predictive of home visiting were family practice specialty, rural
      location of practice, greater numbers of referrals to home care agencies, and,
      interestingly, dissatisfaction with reimbursement. CONCLUSIONS: Although the
      great majority (over 75%) of FPs and IMs still regard the physician home visit as
      important for the care of selected patients, only about half report making one or
      more home visits within a 12-month period. Family physicians generally report a
      greater involvement in home care than do IMs. Physician reimbursement for home
      visits is perceived to be inadequate, and almost half (45%) indicate that they
      would do more home visits if reimbursement were increased. Most physicians (over
      80%) have the opinion that home care agencies should be used more.

PMID- 1417376
TI  - Asthma management preceding an emergency department visit.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The burden of illness from asthma in North America has not decreased
      despite advancements in understanding disease pathogenesis and improved
      pharmacotherapeutics. This study examined the adequacy of preventive measures
      applied to asthma. METHODS: Using a standardized self-administered questionnaire,
      111 consecutive patients presenting to the emergency department because of asthma
      were surveyed about their "usual" level of disability from asthma, usual
      medications, self-management plans to deal with an asthma attack, and
      environmental control measures. RESULTS: Twenty-five percent of subjects suffered
      sleep disturbance more than 15 days per month, had work/school attendance
      affected more than 14 days per year, and previously visited an emergency
      department twice in the past year. Thirty-seven percent had no effective plans to
      deal with an attack and another 32% had plans that were never discussed with a
      physician. Although 78% reported that cigarette smoke aggravated their asthma,
      one third of these were exposed at home. CONCLUSIONS: For a significant
      proportion of adults requiring emergency health services for asthma, preexisting
      management was poor by current standards. We recommend that patients be screened
      by emergency physicians and those with identifiable inadequacies in usual care be
      referred to physicians with expertise in asthma management.

PMID- 1417377
TI  - Low survival rate after cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a county hospital.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The standard of practice in hospitals in the United States is to
      perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on all patients who suffer a cardiac arrest
      unless a specific order has been written to the contrary. In recent decades,
      however, data showing a low rate of survival to discharge under certain
      conditions have accumulated, leading some to question this policy. The objective
      of this study was to examine variables predictive of patient survival following
      cardiopulmonary resuscitation using standardized methods of measuring severity of
      illness. METHODS: All patients were identified who underwent cardiopulmonary
      resuscitation on the medicine service at Los Angeles County (California) Hospital
      from August 15, 1990, to February 15, 1991. Severity of illness was evaluated by
      examining diagnosis, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, and
      organ system failure. Cases were followed up prospectively until death or
      hospital discharge, and data concerning post-arrest mental status, utilization of
      resources, and disposition were gathered. RESULTS: Of the 131 patients
      identified, 22 patients (16.8%) survived for 24 hours but died before discharge;
      only four patients (3.1%) survived to discharge. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests
      that in some settings (eg, institutions that are for sick patients under
      conditions where monitoring is limited because of scarcity of resources),
      survival after full cardiopulmonary arrest may be even lower than previously
      documented.

PMID- 1417378
TI  - Travel and ciguatera fish poisoning.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ciguatera fish poisoning is a distinctive clinical syndrome
      associated with the consumption of contaminated marine fish. It is endemic in
      many popular travel destinations, including the Caribbean and Pacific Islands,
      where travelers are at risk. METHODS: Clinical review of 23 patients (60% were
      travelers) with ciguatera fish poisoning in whom consultation was provided
      between 1987 and 1990. RESULTS: Seven patients acquired ciguatera fish poisoning
      during international travel to the following destinations: Bahamas (n = 4),
      Dominican Republic (n = 1), British Virgin Islands (n = 1), and United States (n
      = 1). Suspected fish included grouper, red snapper, and amberjack. Two patients
      required emergency care, and four patients developed chronic symptoms. Severity
      was associated with chronicity, duration of peak symptoms, and worsening of
      symptoms with sexual activity. Chronicity was associated with severity, long
      latency period, and duration of peak symptoms. The three patients with complete
      resolution were scuba divers. Amitriptyline was the drug most often providing
      benefit for chronic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Ciguatera fish poisoning is a health
      risk to travelers to endemic regions, and their risk likely equals that of
      indigenous population groups. Barracuda should never be eaten, and travelers
      should exercise caution when considering other fish dishes, notably, grouper and
      red snapper.

PMID- 1417379
TI  - Hyperthyroidism as a cause of atrial fibrillation in long-term care.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We measured sensitive thyrotropin-stimulating hormone (sTSH) in 50
      consecutive nursing home patients (39 men) with atrial fibrillation to determine
      the frequency of hyperthyroidism. METHODS: Patients were identified in a long
      term care facility by an electrocardiogram demonstrating atrial fibrillation. The
      sensitive thyrotropin-stimulating hormone assay had a detection limit of less
      than or equal to 0.02 mU/L (normal range, 0.46 to 3.60 mU/L). RESULTS: No subject
      had a suppressed sensitive thyrotropin-stimulating hormone. CONCLUSIONS:
      Hyperthyroidism is not a common cause of atrial fibrillation in male nursing home
      residents.

PMID- 1417381
TI  - Iatrogenic complications in high-risk, elderly patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study explores the quality improvement potential of reviewing
      care for long-stay, elderly medicine service patients hospitalized for congestive
      heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, or pneumonia at a large Midwestern
      teaching hospital. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed for 120 patients aged
      65 years or older who were discharged between January 1987 and June 1989, with
      hospital stays of 15 days or longer. Patients' severity of illness on admission
      was rated using the Medicare Mortality Predictor System; process quality of care
      was rated using a structured implicit review form for judging several dimensions
      of clinical assessment and decision making. Serious complications were coded by
      etiology and type and judged as possibly or probably preventable. Logistic
      regression was used to identify risk factors for iatrogenic events; multiple
      regression was used to assess potential outcome bias in ratings of overall
      quality of care. RESULTS: Of 120 medical records reviewed, 70 (58.3%) suffered at
      least one iatrogenic complication. Forty-three patients (35.8%) suffered an
      iatrogenic complication rated as potentially preventable. Significant predictors
      of all iatrogenic complications were quality ratings of initial physician
      assessment, patients' inability to walk unassisted, and low Glasgow Coma Score.
      For potentially preventable complications, quality ratings for physician
      documentation of functional status were also significant. Ratings for overall
      quality of care were not significantly influenced by the mere presence of death
      or complications. CONCLUSIONS: Iatrogenic complications are likely to be an
      extremely common experience for elderly medicine service patients with long
      lengths of stay. A significant portion of these complications may be potentially
      preventable with closer attention to initial assessment and documentation of
      patients' functional status.

PMID- 1417380
TI  - Transdermal clonidine reduced some withdrawal symptoms but did not increase
      smoking cessation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clonidine may be useful in controlling tobacco withdrawal and in
      facilitating smoking cessation. This study was developed to test the efficacy of
      transdermal clonidine in promoting smoking cessation. METHODS: We conducted a
      five-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized controlled trial of
      transdermal clonidine in conjunction with a minimal behavioral intervention for
      smoking cessation. The intervention was based on the American Lung Association's
      Freedom From Smoking program. Self report of not smoking was validated with
      exhaled air carbon monoxide of less than 8 ppm and salivary cotinine of less than
      20 ng/mL. Transdermal clonidine therapy began 1 week before the target quit date:
      0.1 mg/24 h for the first 4 days increasing to 0.2 mg/24 h for the next 3 days,
      if the lower dose was tolerated. The highest tolerated dose was then continued
      for 6 weeks after target quit day. Withdrawal symptoms were measured daily for
      the first 7 days after target quit day. RESULTS: A total of 213 patients were
      enrolled (106 active drug and 107 placebo). During the study, 15.5% of patients
      had drug therapy discontinued due to adverse effects, 24.5% (26/106) taking
      active drug vs 8.4% (9/107) receiving placebo. There was a significant reduction
      in anxiety score from 3.0 to 2.4 (placebo vs active) and irritability score from
      2.2 to 1.7 (placebo vs active) during the first week after cessation. There was
      no reduction in other withdrawal symptoms. The overall 12-week abstinence rate
      was 33.0% (35/106) in the active drug group vs 34.5% (37/107) in the placebo
      group (not significant). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated some reduction in
      early withdrawal symptoms with the use of a clonidine transdermal patch, but no
      increase in cessation rate, 6 weeks after medication had been discontinued.

PMID- 1417382
TI  - Clinical prognostic factors in lupus nephritis. The importance of hypertension
      and smoking.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many previous studies of the influence of sociodemographic and
      clinical factors on the development of renal failure in patients with lupus
      nephritis have been based on selected subgroups of patients and have yielded
      conflicting results. We sought to determine the prognostic importance of patient
      demographic characteristics (age, gender, race, and socioeconomic status),
      smoking status, and hypertension in the development of end-stage renal disease
      (ESRD) among patients with lupus nephritis. METHODS: This retrospective cohort
      study followed an inception cohort of 160 adults with lupus nephritis. The
      outcome measure was the development of ESRD, defined as the institution of
      maintenance dialysis or measurement of a creatinine clearance of 10 mL/min or
      less. Life-table analysis was used to determine differences between patient
      subgroups in the time to development of ESRD. RESULTS: End-stage renal disease
      developed in 41 (26%) of 160 patients followed up for a median of 6.4 years.
      Hypertension and smoking status at the onset of nephritis were strongly
      associated with differences in the time to development of ESRD. The median time
      to ESRD among patients with moderate to severe hypertension (diastolic blood
      pressure, greater than or equal to 105 mm Hg) was 7 months, among patients with
      mild hypertension (diastolic blood pressure, 90 to 104 mm Hg) it was 146 months,
      and among normotensive patients it was greater than 273 months. The median time
      to ESRD among smokers was 145 months and among nonsmokers it was greater than 273
      months. These effects persisted in multivariable analyses adjusting for
      differences among patients in age, gender, socioeconomic status, renal histology,
      and immunosuppressive treatment. The independent effects of hypertension and
      smoking resulted in shorter times to renal failure among patients who were both
      hypertensive and smoking, compared with nonsmoking hypertensive patients. The
      development of ESRD did not differ among patient demographic subgroups.
      CONCLUSION: Patient demographic characteristics had no detectable impact on the
      rate of progression to ESRD in this cohort. Hypertension and smoking appear to be
      important, potentially modifiable, factors influencing the prognosis of patients
      with lupus nephritis.

PMID- 1417383
TI  - A comparison of two-dimensional echocardiography vs carotid duplex scanning in
      older patients with cerebral ischemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To determine the relative value of two-dimensional (2D)
      echocardiography vs carotid duplex scanning and to devise an optimal, cost
      effective diagnostic approach for older patients with cerebral ischemia, 68
      consecutive patients in sinus rhythm who suffered focal cerebral ischemia were
      studied. All patients underwent 2D echocardiography and carotid duplex scanning
      in addition to routine clinical evaluation. METHODS: Twenty-five of 68 patients
      had Q-wave myocardial infarction by electrocardiography; nine (36%) of these 25
      had left ventricular mural thrombi demonstrated by 2D echocardiography. In
      contrast, none of 43 patients without Q-wave myocardial infarction had clinically
      unsuspected findings diagnosed by 2D echocardiography. Duplex scanning, however,
      identified significant, abnormal findings in the carotid artery ipsilateral to
      the involved cerebral hemisphere in 23 patients (34%). CONCLUSIONS: Thus, in
      older patients in sinus rhythm who suffer a cerebral ischemic event, carotid
      duplex scanning has a higher diagnostic yield than 2D echocardiography and
      appears to be a more cost-effective initial test. Our data suggest that in
      patients with carotid distribution cerebral ischemic events and no obvious
      cardiac source for emboli by history and physical examination, 2D
      echocardiography should be limited to those with evidence of Q-wave myocardial
      infarction by electrocardiography; such management should optimize diagnostic
      yield and cost effectiveness.

PMID- 1417384
TI  - Severity of hepatic encephalopathy before liver transplantation is associated
      with quality of life after transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cirrhosis is associated with a chronic low-grade hepatic
      encephalopathy and disturbances in quality of life. This study investigated the
      extent to which severity of hepatic encephalopathy before orthotopic liver
      transplantation correlated with quality of life. METHODS: A battery of
      neuropsychological tests was administered to nonalcoholic patients to quantify
      severity of hepatic encephalopathy. The Sickness Impact Profile was administered
      before and after surgery to document quality of life across multiple health and
      psychosocial dimensions. RESULTS: There was substantial improvement from the
      pretransplant to the posttransplant periods across almost all dimensions of
      quality of life. Neuropsychological test scores explained up to 20% of the
      variance in magnitude of change from pre (before) to post (after) surgery.
      CONCLUSION: Severity of hepatic encephalopathy (particularly with respect to
      static ataxia and fine motor control) is associated with posttransplantation
      improvement in quality of life.

PMID- 1417385
TI  - A prospective study of Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization and intravenous
      therapy-related phlebitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intravenous (IV) therapy-associated phlebitis is common, but its
      causes are ill defined. Some cases may be related to bacterial colonization of
      the skin surrounding the IV catheter, especially by Staphylococcus aureus. This
      prospective study examined the association of phlebitis with anterior nares S
      aureus carriage, as well as with other potential risk factors. METHODS: Selected
      demographic and clinical data and a nares culture were collected from patients on
      designated wards by us and from the IV therapy team at the time of initial IV
      catheter placement. Patients were followed up for signs and symptoms of phlebitis
      for the duration of the initial catheter's use and for up to two additional IV
      placements. Potential risk factors were compared for patients who developed
      phlebitis and those who did not by the Cox multivariate proportional hazards
      model. RESULTS: During 10 weeks, 273 men with a total of 416 catheter placements
      had fully evaluable data. Phlebitis occurred during 13.7% of the catheter
      placements. Nasal cultures yielded S aureus from 14.3% of the patients, but none
      of the IV team nurses. Surprisingly, S aureus nasal colonization was related (at
      borderline statistical significance) to a reduction in phlebitis risk. Location
      of the patient on a surgical ward, the presence of infection at any site, and a
      larger-gauge catheter were each significant independent risk factors for
      phlebitis. The highest risk of phlebitis appeared to have been within 12 to 24
      hours of catheter placement. CONCLUSIONS: The primary finding of this study was
      that nasal colonization with S aureus did not increase the risk of developing IV
      catheter-associated phlebitis. Our rate of IV catheter-associated phlebitis was
      similar to that in other studies, but the factors predisposing to phlebitis
      differed somewhat from those in previous studies.

PMID- 1417387
TI  - Orthostatic hypotension in ciguatera fish poisoning.
AB  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the pathophysiology of
      persistent orthostatic hypotension in a patient with ciguatera fish poisoning.
      METHODS: A patient who became ill and who developed prolonged and symptomatic
      orthostatic hypotension with ciguatera fish poisoning after eating barracuda is
      described. Studies of autonomic function included measurements of plasma
      catecholamine levels in the supine and standing positions, and pressor responses
      to infusions of norepinephrine, atropine, and propranolol. RESULTS: Volume
      depletion was excluded as a cause for hypotension. Our patient showed low plasma
      catecholamine levels and marked pressor hypersensitivity to norepinephrine
      infusion. Hypotension and bradycardia were reversed by atropine infusion. The
      heart rate freed from autonomic influences, ie, after atropine plus propranolol
      infusion, was normal. CONCLUSIONS: In ciguatera fish poisoning, orthostatic
      hypotension appears to be a result of both parasympathetic excess and sympathetic
      failure.

PMID- 1417386
TI  - Relationship of general advance directive instructions to specific life
      sustaining treatment preferences in patients with serious illness.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether brief general instructions in a typical proxy
      instruction advance directive (California Durable Power of Attorney for Health
      Care [DPAHC]) provide interpretable information about patient requests to limit
      life-saving treatments, and to determine whether patient treatment preferences
      are stable over time. DESIGN: Prospective structured interviews. SETTING:
      University of California, San Diego Medical Center and Veterans Affairs Medical
      Center, La Jolla. PATIENTS: One hundred four patients (from a randomly chosen
      sample of 185) with a 5-year life expectancy of no better than 50% as judged by
      their physicians. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients completed the California DPAHC,
      a proxy-instruction advance directive, at entry and at 1 year. The patients also
      completed a questionnaire at entry, after 6 months, and after 1 year, indicating
      their preferences on a five-point Likert-format comparative rating scale for
      cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition, and
      hospitalization for pneumonia. RESULTS: Sixty-eight percent of the subjects
      executed the DPAHC. Most patients wished treatments to be limited or withheld
      under certain conditions of reduced quality of life. Although general
      instructions noted on the DPAHC and preferences regarding specific procedures
      were stable over the course of a year, the advance directive's general
      instructions were often inconsistent with, and poor predictors of, specific
      procedure preferences. CONCLUSIONS: The brief general instruction component of
      the California DPAHC is not helpful in communicating patient wishes regarding
      specific life-saving procedures.

PMID- 1417388
TI  - The antiproteinuric effect of antihypertensive agents in diabetic nephropathy.

PMID- 1417389
TI  - Empiric treatment of acute Toxoplasma encephalitis in patients with acquired
      immunodeficiency syndrome.

PMID- 1417390
TI  - Standardization of heparin therapy improves efficacy.

PMID- 1417392
TI  - Isolated angiopathy of the central nervous system.

PMID- 1417391
TI  - Serum thyrotropin levels and adrenotoxicosis.

PMID- 1417393
TI  - Report on other drug use among persons previously reported to have received
      intravenous cimetidine.

PMID- 1417394
TI  - [Defined contusion marks caused by the knife handle].
AB  - If in inflicting a stab wound the knife is vigorously pushed in up to the end of
      the blade, this does not only cause cutting of the tissue, but also a blunt
      traumatization. The resulting abrasions can correspond with the respective
      construction parts (handle, handguard, devices for fixing the open blade) as to
      position, shape and size, thus allowing conclusions as to the shape of the
      instrument used. Incomplete, one-sided marks of the handle suggest an oblique
      angled stab. The presence of a contusion mark shows that the blade penetrated
      completely, which makes it easier to draw conclusions as to the length of the
      blade from the depth of penetration. The reconstruction possibilities are
      demonstrated on the basis of three autopsies (homicide cases with different types
      of knives).

PMID- 1417395
TI  - [Uncovered bones on the Baltic Sea beach--human or animal?].
AB  - Report of an unusual finding of bones on the shore of the Baltic Sea. Although
      the morphological findings appeared similar to a human foot skeleton, a quick
      identification as sea dog bone was possible.

PMID- 1417396
TI  - [Contamination in illegal amphetamine. Contaminants resulting from the synthesis
      of 3,4-(methylenedioxy)amphetamine (MDA) via condensation between nitroethane and
      piperonal].
AB  - Some impurities of illegally synthesized 3.4-(methylenedioxy)amphetamine (MDA)
      are presented. These compounds were detected in laboratory glassware which had
      been used for the synthesis of MDA via phenyl nitropropene route.

PMID- 1417397
TI  - [Prostaglandin E in vaginal smears--a possibility for sperm detection in
      azoospermia].
AB  - The identification of seminal traces is exceptionally difficult, if the semen of
      the assailant is azoospermic. The evident value of prostatic acid phosphatase
      (PAP) activity must be evaluated in such cases with caution. In a murder
      investigation of a 13 year old girl a positive PAP reaction was found in vaginal
      swabs and in her underpants. Spermatozoa could not be found. Using the gas
      chromatographic method, described by Douse (1985) the presence of prostaglandin E
      could be demonstrated in the swabs as well as in the crotch of the underpants.
      The offender was found to be a man with azoospermia, who admitted intercourse but
      with the consent of the victim. The E prostaglandins are mainly synthesized in
      the vesiculae seminal and seen to be specific for semen. Swabs taken from mouth
      and rectum showed negative reactions for prostaglandins in this case.
      Prostaglandins could never be detected in vaginal swabs taken at least 7 days
      after intercourse. Conversely Douse could detect prostaglandins in swabs up to 58
      hours after intercourse. Apparently the prostaglandin detection by Douse provides
      a suitable alternative besides to the quantitative and immunological PAP
      detection or the immunological detection of the protein p 30.

PMID- 1417398
TI  - [Unusual cases of self-asphyxiation].
AB  - Based on the description of the findings of four cases of self-strangulation with
      multiple knotting of the strangling device examined by the authors general
      criminological and specific forensic criteria for differential diagnosis of
      suicide and commission of the offence by another person are discussed. Though
      multiple knotting of the strangling device, caught hair and parts of clothes and
      concomitant injuries may also be seen in cases of suicide, they primarily justify
      the suspicion that the death was caused by another person. If it is one of those
      rare cases of self-strangulation with multiple knotting, the presence of symptoms
      of congestion in the head area, which may occasionally be absent in other cases
      of strangulation, is necessary for pathophysiological reasons.

PMID- 1417399
TI  - [Coronary angioplasty of multivessel coronary diseases. Apropos of 1664
      procedures. Immediate results and results following 6 months].
AB  - Between 1980 and 1990, 1,664 coronary angioplasty procedures were performed in
      1,307 patients (86.6% male) with multivessel disease. The average age was 57 +/-
      3 years (range 29 to 83 years). There was a previous history of infarction in
      40.1% of patients and 22.4% of the procedures were performed for unstable angina.
      Catheter and 58.2%, 1,220 double vessel and 444 triple vessel diseases. A total
      of 2,509 lesions were dilated (1.5 stenoses/patient). The primary success rate
      was 81.9% with 3.2% of infarcts and 3.5% emergency bypass procedures and a global
      mortality of 2%. The factors responsible for death in the acute and hospital
      phases were unstable angina, age > 70 years, and ejection fraction < 35%.
      Complete revascularisation was achieved in 14.3% of cases: the only predictive
      factor for complete revascularisation on multivariate analysis was double vessel
      disease. A 6 months clinical and angiographic control was obtained for 83.8% of
      controllable procedures (965 dilatations). The restenosis rate was 47.9%.
      Univariate analysis of the factors of restenosis identified clinical parameters
      (age > 58 years, triple vessel disease, diabetes and unstable angina), parameters
      related to the lesion (length of stenosis > 1 cm, percentage stenosis > 80%) and
      to the procedure (residual stenosis > 20%): 68.4% of patients with restenosis
      underwent repeat angioplasty with a significantly superior primary success rate
      88.7% vs 81.9% of global successes (p < 0.001). With a 82% primary success rate
      with few major complications, coronary angioplasty is a safe and effective
      therapeutic alternative. The extent of the lesions and the presence of chronic
      occlusion are the main limitating factors of revascularisation.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417400
TI  - [Relative value of attenuation and negativation of systolic pulmonary venous flow
      in severe mitral insufficiency. Transesophageal echocardiographic study].
AB  - The aim of this study was to analyse the velocity profile of the systolic
      fraction of the pulmonary venous flow (PVF) in mitral regurgitation (MR). Three
      velocity profiles were identified in left superior pulmonary vein. Inversion of
      the systolic fraction of the PVF was specific for angiographic grade 4 MR
      (specificity 97%, sensitivity 100%). On the other hand, a decrease in this wave
      is much less specific for mild MR and depends on severe factors such as left
      atrial pressure, size and ejection fraction and the lack of atrial systole (as in
      atrial fibrillation or atrioventricular block). Therefore, inversion of PVF has a
      good positive predictive value for severe MR, but the interpretation of
      attenuation of this wave should take into consideration not only the MR but also
      left atrial pressure and compliance.

PMID- 1417401
TI  - [Value of signal-averaged electrocardiogram in ventricular arrhythmia without
      apparent heart disease].
AB  - Signal-averaged electrocardiography was performed in 132 subjects with various
      ventricular arrhythmias without clinically apparent heart disease and compared
      with the results obtained in a series of 45 normal subjects. The latter enabled
      definition of the following criteria of normality: QRS duration after averaging <
      113 ms; Simson vector of the last 40 ms (RMS40) > or = 17 microV; low amplitude
      signal duration over 40 microV < 38 ms for a high pass bidirectional filter of 40
      300 Hz. Complementary investigations (echo or angiography), performed in all
      cases, showed underlying abnormalities in 26 patients: 13 right ventricular
      dysplasias, 7 cardiomyopathies, 3 mitral valve prolapses and 3 minor congenital
      heart defects. These investigations were normal in the remaining 106 subjects. Of
      the 26 patients with cardiac disease, 15 had 3 criteria of positivity for late
      ventricular potentials, 6 had 2 criteria and the other 5 had no criteria of late
      ventricular potentials. Therefore, 81% of cases with cardiac disease had at least
      2 diagnostic criteria of late ventricular potentials whereas only 4% of those
      without cardiac disease, and in the control group, had criteria of positivity (p
      < 0.001). Using these criteria, the predictive value of signal-averaged
      electrocardiography for the detection of underlying cardiac disease was good when
      2 criteria are required for diagnosis of late ventricular potentials: sensitivity
      81%, specificity 96%; predictive value of a positive test 78%, predictive value
      of a negative test 97%. Signal-averaged electrocardiography is therefore a good
      non-invasive method of diagnosing underlying cardiac disease in patients with
      ventricular arrhythmias without clinically apparent heart disease.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417402
TI  - [Left intraventricular gradients measured by Doppler echocardiography at rest,
      during exercise and during isoproterenol test in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy].
AB  - Doppler echocardiography has been shown to be an accurate method of assessing
      left ventricular outflow obstruction in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). One of
      the characteristics of this pressure gradient is its variability and, therefore,
      we measured this parameter during dynamic exercise testing in 33 patients. The
      results were compared with those recorded during isoproterenol infusion, the
      reference stress test for patients with HCM. Submaximal exercise in the recumbent
      position is usually well tolerated and resulted in a 43% increase in heart rate
      and a 47% increase in pressure gradient. There was a significant correlation
      between resting and exercise outflow obstruction (r = 0.90; p = 0.001). Moreover,
      exercise echo revealed obstruction in 26% of patients without resting pressure
      gradients (latent obstruction). The interpretation of results obtained with
      isoproterenol infusion is more difficult: this test resulted in an important
      increase in the left ventricular pressure gradient (231%) and "revealed"
      obstruction in 84% of cases. Therefore, we believe that exercise is more
      physiological and better tolerated than isoproterenol stress infusion and should
      be adopted as the investigation of choice in HCM even without obstruction at
      rest. If it is not possible to perform the exercise or no outflow tract
      obstruction can be demonstrated, an isoproterenol infusion may be used but this
      is not always well tolerated and the results should be interpreted with caution.

PMID- 1417403
TI  - [Can solid state Holter monitoring replace endomyocardial biopsy in patients with
      heart transplantation?].
AB  - Acute cardiac graft rejection after transplantation, the diagnosis of which is
      based on the findings of endomyocardial biopsy, is associated with a reduction in
      coronary reserve due to abnormalities of the microcirculation. But this reduction
      in coronary reserve cause silent myocardial ischaemia (SMI)? In order to assess
      the frequency of SMI and ventricular arrhythmias during rejection, 53 consecutive
      Holter recordings were performed in 32 patients (28 men, 4 women, average age 47
      +/- 11 years) 11 months after transplantation and within 24 hours of
      endomyocardial biopsy. The recorder which was used (Monitor One TC) analysed the
      ST segment in 2 leads in real time: ST segment depression of more than 1 mm
      lasting over 40 ms, 0.08 s after the J point were considered to be diagnostic of
      myocardial ischaemia. Although the frequency of SMI is low and not specific for
      cardiac rejection, its duration was twice as long (80 mn vs 38 mn) in this
      condition. On the other hand, ventricular arrhythmias are common in cardiac
      rejection and correlated with its severity according to Billingham's
      classification (VES p = 0.045; doublets p = 0.035; non-sustained VT p = 0.006).

PMID- 1417404
TI  - [Percutaneous ablation of atrioventricular junction by radiofrequency current in
      resistant atrial arrhythmia. Results of a series of 24 patients].
AB  - Catheter ablation of the atrioventricular junction may be proposed for the
      treatment of certain atrial arrhythmias resistant to antiarrhythmic therapy. One
      of the methods currently being evaluated uses radio-frequency energy which has
      certain advantages compared with direct current ablation because of the
      progressive and limited lesions it produces. This technique was used in 24
      patients with atrial arrhythmias resistant to antiarrhythmic therapy. The radio
      frequency energy was delivered without general anaesthesia with HAT 100 and 200
      (OSYPKA) generators in the unipolar mode (average 17.4 watts) for an average
      period of 22.3 +/- 8 seconds. The catheter (8F USCI suction catheter in the first
      18 patients and a 7F Polaris Mansfield, deflectable catheter with a large distal
      electrode in the remainder) was positioned at the nodo-hisian junction at a point
      where the two distal electrodes recorded a large atrial deflection and the
      smallest possible hisian potential. The conduction defects induced during the
      acute phase generally remain stable in cases of complete atrioventricular block
      and tend to regress in cases of incomplete atrioventricular block despite initial
      control of atrioventricular conduction. During follow-up (21 +/- 16 months), 14
      patients (58%) remained in complete atrioventricular block, 4 patients (17%) had
      controlled atrioventricular conduction with an acceptable ventricular rate with
      associated previously ineffective antiarrhythmic therapy. Radio-frequency
      ablation was a failure in 6 patients (25%). There were no haemodynamic, rhythmic
      or ischaemic complications during the acute phase or during follow-up. These
      results suggest radio-frequency energy is a seductive alternative to direct
      current ablation for percutaneous modification of atrioventricular conduction in
      patients with refractory atrial arrhythmias. However, simple modulation of
      atrioventricular conduction gives aleatory results due to the tendency to
      regression during follow-up. On the other hand, complete atrioventricular blocks
      created by radio-frequency energy are generally definitive and are associated
      with a junctional escape rhythm which is usually stable.

PMID- 1417405
TI  - [Left ventricular filling and left bundle branch block: an echocardiographic and
      radionuclide study].
AB  - Left bundle branch block changes the activation and haemodynamics of the left
      ventricle. In order to evaluate its consequences on left ventricular filling, the
      duration of the isovolumic relaxation period, the velocities and the integrals of
      the rapid and slow filling waves were recorded by Doppler echocardiography and
      the ejection fraction, the peak filling rate and its time of apparition were
      measured by gamma angiocardiography in 18 patients aged 55 +/- 9 years and 18
      control subjects aged 53 +/- 9 years. Left bundle branch block was associated
      with a prolonged isovolumic relaxation period (104 +/- 14 vs 88 +/- 11 ms) a
      delayed and reduced peak filling rate and an increased atrial filling velocity at
      a heart rate comparable to that of control subjects (69 +/- 9 vs 72 +/- 8
      beats/mn). Despite these changes in left ventricular relaxation and filling and a
      reduced ejection fraction (55 +/- 7 vs 61 +/- 6%, p < 0.01) cardiac output was
      not significantly decreased in left bundle branch block (4.9 +/- 1 vs 5.2 +/- 0.9
      l/mn). Therefore, left bundle branch block interferes with left ventricular
      filling and ejection fraction without decreasing the resting enddiastolic volume.

PMID- 1417406
TI  - [Thrombi of the right heart. Value of thrombolytic therapy in mobile thrombi].
AB  - Seven patients with mobile right heart thrombi, 4 floating and 3 pediculated,
      were recensed between 1985 and 1990. Two patients were admitted for congestive
      cardiac failure (Group I) and 5 patients for pulmonary embolism (Group II). Both
      patients in Group I were treated with heparin without complications. In one case,
      the size of the thrombus decreased in 10 days whereas, in the second case, it
      disappeared within 8 days. In Group II, the first patient underwent successful
      thrombectomy. The other four patients were given thrombolytic therapy (UK = 2, rt
      PA = 2) associated with appropriate doses of heparin. In the two patients given
      UK (3M units the first day followed by 1.2 M units per day for 4 days) the
      thrombus disappeared in the first 48 hours of treatment. One patient had a
      recurrent pulmonary embolism after 2 hours' treatment; both patients had a fall
      in haemoglobin of 3 cg/ml at the second day. The second patient died at the 5th
      day. In the two patients treated by rt-PA (100 mg/7 hours) the thrombus
      disappeared within 4 hours of starting therapy. One patient had a probable
      recurrent pulmonary embolism. Both patients had a fall in haemoglobin of 3 cg/ml
      at the 2nd day of treatment. Right heart thrombi are rare (168 cases in the
      literature of which 111 were mobile). The prognosis seems to be related to
      echocardiographic appearances: mortality of mural thrombi is about 4% compared
      with 50% in mobile thrombi. Very mobile "worm-like" masses are therapeutic
      emergencies because of the risk of embolism (about 68%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417407
TI  - [Diastolic function of the left ventricle in aortic valve stenosis. Doppler
      echocardiography].
AB  - Doppler echocardiographic parameters of LV diastolic function (isovolumic
      relaxation time, E wave velocity, ratio of E/A wave velocities, mitral valve
      pressure half time) were compared to catheter data in 35 patients (average age 67
      years) with pure or dominant aortic stenosis (mean gradient: 65 +/- 30 mmHg). The
      isovolumic relaxation time was prolonged in most patients (m = 103 +/- 23 ms) and
      seemed uninfluenced by any haemodynamic parameter. There was a positive
      correlation between pressure half time and ejection fraction (r = 0.41, p = 0.02)
      and a negative correlation with pulmonary capillary pressure (r = -0.61, p <
      0.01). The E and E/A ratio were negatively correlated with the ejection fraction
      (r = -0.41 and -0.52) and positively correlated with pulmonary capillary pressure
      (r = 0.46 and 0.62). The Doppler parameters were independant of the patients'
      age, severity of stenosis and degree of left ventricular hypertrophy. Patients
      with normal pulmonary capillary pressure (< 15 mmHg, N = 19) had abnormal
      diastolic filling with low E wave velocities (71 +/- 28 cm/s) and E/A ratios (0.9
      +/- 0.6) and prolonged half pressure times (96 +/- 37 ms). Conversely, patients
      with high pulmonary capillary pressures (> 15 mmHg, N = 16) had normal or high E
      wave velocities (107 +/- 31 cm/s) and E/A ratios (1.5 +/- 0.6) and normal or
      shortened isovolumic relaxation times (62 +/- 22 ms).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1417408
TI  - [Proarrhythmic effects of antiarrhythmic drugs].
AB  - The proarrhythmic effects of antiarrhythmic drugs are complications which have
      been described over several decades but the mechanisms (reentry, increased
      automaticity, ectopic faci, induced repetitive activity, vagal or adrenergic
      triggers) and the predisposing factors (underlying cardiac disease, previous
      severe arrhythmia, metabolic disorders, ischaemia, etc...) have only recently
      been identified. The appreciation of their true frequency poses problems of
      methodology (mode of recruitment, therapeutic converse proof), of definitions and
      depends to a great extent on the methods of detection used. Their severity cannot
      be denied and has been demonstrated both in experience of isolated cases and in
      recent prospective studies, the conclusions of which must be interpreted
      critically. Proarrhythmic effects may be observed at atrial (vagal or sympathetic
      arrhythmias, 1/1 flutter, acceleration of atrial fibrillation in preexcitation
      syndromes), junctional (artificial unidirectional block created by the
      antiarrhythmic drug which may be very effective at higher dosages: biphasic
      effect) or ventricular (aggravation of ventricular extrasystoles, torsades de
      pointe, ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation) levels. It is curious that no
      antiarrhythmic drug seems to be statistically less exposed to this type of
      complication which may result from phenomena of toxicity or idiosyncrasy. Given
      the potential gravity measures must be taken to prevent this complication, by
      observing simple rules (respect of contraindication, use of progressive dosage
      regimens, avoidance of loading doses, elimination of predisposing factors and
      abstention from dangerous therapeutic associations) and by carefully following up
      high risk patients.

PMID- 1417409
TI  - [Potential value of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the prevention of
      atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases].
AB  - Several epidemiological studies have shown decreased cardiovascular mortality and
      a lower incidence of coronary artery disease in subjects with high dietary
      intakes of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. It has since been shown that
      Omega-3 fatty acids have a number of beneficial effects in the prevention of
      atherosclerosis in man: reduction of blood pressure, modifications of lipoprotein
      metabolism, modifications of haemostasis (increased bleeding time and reduced
      platelet aggregation), decreased plasma fibrinogen, modifications of the
      metabolism of arachidonic acid and its derivatives (decreased thromboxane and
      leukotriene synthesis, increased prostacyclin synthesis). Therefore, Omega-3
      polyunsaturated fatty acids have several beneficial effects on the presumed
      mechanisms of atherogenesis and/or its complications: they could represent an
      original and seductive solution to the problem of prevention of cardiovascular
      disease.

PMID- 1417410
TI  - [Peripheral calcific embolism after percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty].
AB  - The authors report a case of calcific embolization after percutaneous mitral
      valvuloplasty. The nature of the embolism was confirmed by anatomopathological
      examination after popliteal embolectomy. This complication would appear to be
      extremely rare but represents an additional risk in patients with calcific mitral
      stenosis.

PMID- 1417411
TI  - [Right intra-atrial extension of hydatid cyst mimicking cardiac thrombosis.
      Apropos of a case].
AB  - The authors describe an unusual case of hydatid cyst inserted in the inferior
      vena cava and extending into the right atrium. The transoesoesophageal
      echocardiographic appearances were similar to those of a thrombus: the tumour was
      very mobile, echogenic, polylobular with a cord-like pedicle in the inferior vena
      cava. The pathological examination revealed a ruptured hydatid cyst. The mass and
      its insertion were not visible on CT scan or cavography. Transoesophageal
      echocardiography would therefore seem to be a very useful diagnostic method for
      tumours arising in the inferior vena cava and extending into the right atrium.

PMID- 1417412
TI  - [Cardiovascular manifestations of Cogan syndrome. Apropos of a case].
AB  - The authors describe a case of Cogan's syndrome in a patient with ulcerative
      colitis complicated by several cardiovascular manifestations including bilateral
      coronary ostial stenosis, rapidly progressive aortic regurgitation and aneurysm
      of the thoracic aorta, thrombosis of the common iliac artery and pericardial
      symphysis. This rare form of inflammatory arteritis, the diagnosis of which is
      usually made on the finding of associated ocular and auditory involvement, is
      distinct from other types of angiitis by the predisposition to severe
      cardiovascular complications which influence the vital prognosis. The
      differential diagnosis with more common collagen diseases with cardiovascular
      complications is discussed.

PMID- 1417413
TI  - Nucleotide sequence of the rpoN (hno) gene region of Alcaligenes eutrophus:
      evidence for a conserved gene cluster.
AB  - The nucleotide sequence of the rpoN gene, formerly designated hno, and flanking
      DNA regions of the aerobic hydrogen bacterium Alcaligenes eutrophus has been
      determined; rpoN codes for the RNA polymerase sigma factor sigma 54 involved in
      nitrogen regulation and diverse physiological functions of gram-negative
      bacteria. In A. eutrophus hydrogen metabolism is under control of rpoN. The Tn5
      Mob insertion in a previously isolated pleiotropic mutant was mapped within the
      rpoN gene. The derived amino acid sequence of the A. eutrophus RpoN protein shows
      extensive homology to the RpoN proteins of other organisms. Sequencing revealed
      four other open reading frames: one upstream (ORF280) and three downstream
      (ORF130, ORF99 and ORF greater than 54) of the rpoN gene. A similar arrangement
      of homologous ORFs is found in the rpoN regions of other bacteria and is
      indicative of a conserved gene cluster.

PMID- 1417414
TI  - The influence of congo red on the cell wall and (1----3)-beta-D-glucan
      microfibril biogenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - Congo red was applied to growing yeast cells and regenerating protoplasts in
      order to study its effects on wall biogenesis and cell morphogenesis. In the
      presence of the dye, the whole yeast cells grew and divided to form chains of
      connected cells showing aberrant wall structures on both sides of the septum. The
      wall-less protoplasts in solid medium with the dye exhibited an abnormal increase
      in volume, regeneration of aberrant cell walls and inability to carry out
      cytokinesis or protoplast reversion to cells. In liquid medium, the protoplasts
      synthesized glucan nets composed mainly of thin fibrils orientated at random,
      whereas normally, in the absence of dye, the nets consist of rather thick
      fibrils, 10 to 20 nm in width, assembled into broad ribbons. These fibrils are
      known to consist of triple 6/1 helical strands of (1----3)-beta-D-glucan
      aggregated laterally in crystalline packing. The thin fibrils (c. 4 to 8 nm wide)
      can contain only a few triple helical strands (c. 1.6 nm wide) and are supposed
      to be prevented from further aggregation and crystallization by complexing with
      Congo red on their surfaces. Some loose triple 6/1 helical strands (native
      elementary fibrils) are also discernible. They represent the first native (1---
      3)-beta-D-glucan elementary fibrils depicted by electron microscopy. The effects
      of Congo red on growth and the wall structure in normal cells and regenerating
      protoplasts in solid medium can be explained by the presence of a complex which
      the dye forms with (helical) chain parts of the glucan network and which results
      in a loss of rigidity by a blocked lateral interaction between the helices.

PMID- 1417415
TI  - The role of tungstate and/or molybdate in the formation of aldehyde
      oxidoreductase in Clostridium thermoaceticum and other acetogens; immunological
      distances of such enzymes.
AB  - Besides Clostridium thermoaceticum and C. formicoaceticum other resting
      acetogenic clostridia such as C. aceticum and C. thermoautotrophicum and to a
      lesser extent non-clostridial acetogens such as Butyribacterium methylotrophicum
      and Eubacterium limosum were able to reduce propionate to propanol at the expense
      of carbon monoxide or formate. Methylviologen usually increased the reduction
      rate. Ten microM molybdate in the growth medium decreased this capability for C.
      thermoaceticum but increased it or had no effect for the other organisms. Ten
      microM tungstate in the growth medium increased the aldehyde oxidoreductase
      activity in all organisms. Crude extracts of C. thermoaceticum cells grown in the
      presence of 10 microM or 1 mM molybdate showed by ELISA the same or even a 4 fold
      concentration of aldehyde oxidoreductase in the latter case. However, the enzymic
      activity was very low in both cases. Omission of dithionite in the growth medium
      diminished the antigen by a factor of about 8. The immunological distance between
      the enzyme from C. thermoaceticum and C. thermoautotrophicum was rather low but
      very large to C. formicoaceticum and undeterminably large to the other organisms.

PMID- 1417417
TI  - Electron microscopic examination of sporulation-deficient mutants of the fission
      yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe.
AB  - A homothallic haploid strain of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe
      initiates sexual reproduction (mating, meiosis and sporulation) in nitrogen-free
      sporulation medium. Cellular fine structures of eleven sporulation-deficient
      mutants (spo2, spo3, spo4, spo5, spo6, spo13, spo14, spo15, spo18, spo19 and
      spo20) of S. pombe in sporulation medium were examined by serial section-electron
      microscopy. The striking features of these spo mutants were: 1) the disappearance
      of the spindle pole bodies (SPBs) after the second meiotic division, and 2) the
      accumulation of unorganized structures. Based on histochemical staining, these
      structures were presumably unorganized spore wall precursors. In some mutants
      (spo3, spo5, spo6, spo19 and spo20), diploid zygotes contained four spore-like
      bodies which had walls similar to complete spore walls but failed to enclose any
      nuclei. After completion of the second meiotic division the nuclei were
      abnormally distributed in zygotic diploid cells. In the spo5, spo13, spo14, spo15
      and spo19 mutants, the nuclei remained attached to each other. In spo5 and spo19,
      the inner membrane of the nuclear envelope was separated, but its outer membrane
      was shared by two sister nuclei. These observations suggest that the spo+ gene
      products play important roles in spatial and temporal organization of cellular
      structures during ascospore development.

PMID- 1417418
TI  - Transformation of synthetic pyrethroid insecticides by a thermophilic Bacillus
      sp.
AB  - Employing a mineral salts medium containing Tween 80 as the primary carbon
      source, a strain of Bacillus stearothermophilus was isolated which was able to
      hydrolyse selected second and third-generation pyrethroids to non-insecticidal
      products. Of a range of pyrethroid insecticides the trans-isomer of permethrin
      was the most readily transformed by this microbial isolate, whilst flumethrin was
      the least. 3-Phenoxybenzoic acid and the respective halovinyl or haloacid
      moieties were detected as the major hydrolytic products of the pyrethroids. It is
      believed that 3-phenoxybenzoic acid was formed from 3-phenoxybenzyl alcohol which
      was not however detected as an intermediate in these systems. 3-Phenoxybenzoic
      acid was further transformed to 4-hydroxy-3-phenoxybenzoic acid. A potential
      metabolic pathway has been described.

PMID- 1417416
TI  - Molecular interaction between bacteriophage and the gram-negative cell envelope.

PMID- 1417419
TI  - 2-Hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase from Fusobacterium nucleatum (subsp.
      nucleatum): an iron-sulfur flavoprotein.
AB  - Anaerobically prepared cell-free extracts from Fusobacterium nucleatum contain 2
      hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase with a specific activity of 20 nkat mg-1. The
      enzyme was purified 24-fold to a specific activity of 480 nkat mg-1 by anion
      exchange chromatography, gel filtration and chromatography on Blue-Sepharose. The
      activity of the purified enzyme was strictly dependent on the reductant
      Ti(III)citrate and stimulated 25-fold by 0.15 mM ATP and 5 mM MgCl2. ATP is
      hydrolysed to ADP during incubation with 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase in the
      presence or absence of the substrate. The enzyme is extremely sensitive towards
      oxygen and is inhibited by 10 microM chloramphenicol, 10 microM 2,4-dinitrophenol
      or 0.15 mM hydroxylamine. The pure enzyme consists of three subunits alpha (49
      kDa), beta (39 kDa) and gamma (24 kDa) in approximately equal amounts. In this
      respect the enzyme differs from the related 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase
      from Acidaminococcus fermentans and lactyl-CoA dehydratase from Clostridium
      propionicum both of which are composed of only two subunits with sizes comparable
      to those of alpha and beta but require an additional protein for activity. The
      relative molecular mass of the native enzyme of about 100 kDa suggests a trimeric
      alpha beta gamma-structure. The homogeneous enzyme contains riboflavin (0.5
      mol/112 kDa), iron and sulfur (3.5 mol/112 kDa each). Polyclonal antibodies
      directed against the 2-hydroxyglutaryl-CoA dehydratase from A. fermentans did not
      crossreact with cell free extracts or purified dehydratase from F. nucleatum. A
      comparison of the N-terminal amino acid sequences of the dehydratase subunits
      from A. fermentans and F. nucleatum, however, showed some similarities in the
      beta-subunits.

PMID- 1417420
TI  - Characterization of a carbofuran-degrading bacterium and investigation of the
      role of plasmids in catabolism of the insecticide carbofuran.
AB  - A bacterium capable of using the carbamate insecticide carbofuran as a sole
      source of carbon and energy, was isolated from soil. The ability to catabolise
      carbofuran phenol, produced by cleavage of the carbamate ester linkage of the
      insecticide, was lost at very high frequency when the bacterium was grown in the
      absence of carbofuran. Plasmid analyses together with curing and mating
      experiments indicated that the presence of a large plasmid (pIH3, greater than
      199 kb) was required for the degradation of carbofuran phenol.

PMID- 1417421
TI  - [Clinical and lesion-related bases of alcoholic brain damage].
AB  - Alcohol-induced brain damage is known since long, with classical descriptions of
      lesions. There is no constant correlation between them and any of the clinical
      presentations of chronic intoxication. New neuroimaging techniques,
      neuropsychology and basic investigation have supplied with new data. The so
      called alcoholic dementia and its possible reversibility are major issues of this
      problem. This paper reviews radiological, pathological, vascular and
      neuropsychological studies related to this point.

PMID- 1417422
TI  - [Visual constructive deficits and coma depth].
AB  - The present study has the purpose of relating the capacities of visual retention
      with the Benton Visual Retention Test and the level of coma depth, which is
      measured with the GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale). 31 subject suffering cranioencephalic
      damage admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) have been studied. GCS scores
      were obtained during their stay in the intensive care unit and the Benton Visual
      Retention Test was administered after hospital discharge. The procedure followed
      consists in comparing the performance of subjects with higher GCS scores to
      subjects with lower values when executing administration. A of form C of BVRT. We
      could conclude as follows: firstly that BVRT is a useful tool to detect the
      existence of brain damage; secondly, indexes of brain damage presence with BVRT
      are: a low figure in correct design, more errors, less errors in distortion and
      rotation; more errors in the left visual hemifield. Thirdly, the depth of coma is
      a good prognosis index on BVRT execution and in consequence of visuo-constructive
      abilities.

PMID- 1417423
TI  - [Experimental model of Parkinson disease: mechanisms and anatomo- pathological
      characteristics of MPTP neurotoxicity].
AB  - MPTP administration induces a fairly selective lesion of substantia nigra
      dopaminergic neurons both in animals and humans. This characteristic of MPTP has
      led to the best available model of Parkinson's disease and neuronal
      degenerations. MPTP toxicity is actually provoked by MPP+ which results after
      oxidation by MAO-B. Possible mechanism of action of MPP+ include: 1)
      Mitochondrial lesion. 2) Free radicals generation. 3) Trapping of MPP+ by highly
      melanized neurons. This article reviews the mechanisms of toxicity by MPTP and
      its neuropathological characteristics.

PMID- 1417424
TI  - [Nuclear syndrome of the oculomotor nerve caused by a mesencephalic infarction
      confirmed by MRI].
AB  - The nuclear syndrome of the third nerve was first described in 1981. It has the
      very characteristic disturbance of an ophthalmoplegia with complete ipsilateral
      third nerve palsy associated with paresis of elevation in contralateral eye. This
      particularly presentation is due to the innervation of the superior rectus which
      comes mainly from the contralateral oculomotor nucleus. As associated signs were
      described contralateral cerebellar and or pyramidal syndromes, uni or bilateral
      parasympathetic disfunction and sometimes gaze disorders. The etiology es usually
      a vascular damage (ischemic most frequently) located in mesencephalon. We report
      on a case of a 60 years old man who developed acute nuclear ophthalmoplegia of
      the third right nerve accompanied with cerebellar and pyramidal syndrome and
      focal asterixis in left extremities. MRI showed an ischemic lesion in right
      paramedial mesencephalic territory with extension to the ipsilateral thalamic
      region. Pyramidal and cerebellar syndromes and asterixis disappeared in a few
      weeks, while ophthalmoplegia remained unchanged. Semiologic characteristics and
      anatomic basis of the nuclear oculomotor syndrome which allow to make the
      differential diagnosis between this syndrome and intra-axial fascicular
      disturbances of the third nerve (Weber, Claude and Benedikt syndromes) are
      discuss.

PMID- 1417425
TI  - [Benign evolution of a spontaneous vermian hematoma using conservative
      treatment].
AB  - Spontaneous intracerebellar haematomas are a relatively unusual cause of
      haemorrhagic stroke. The uncommon variety of vermian haematomas (5%) represents a
      serious diagnostic and treatment challenge and its outcome is generally poor,
      being the result of rapid elevation of intracranial pressure and brainstem
      compression. A rare case of spontaneous vermian haematoma with benign course
      without surgery is reported, including the results of neuroimaging tests.

PMID- 1417426
TI  - [Post-concussion syndrome: how much is organic and how much psychogenic?].

PMID- 1417427
TI  - Treatments of depression and the functional capacity to work.
AB  - This study evaluated the effects of antidepressants and psychotherapy on work
      impairment in depressed patients. Original databases from 10 published treatment
      studies were compiled and analyzed (N = 827). Functional work impairment was
      common at baseline, manifested by unemployment (11%) or on-the-job performance
      problems (absenteeism, decreased productivity, interpersonal problems, 44%).
      Generally, work outcomes were good when treatment was symptomatically effective,
      but the trajectories of work restoration and symptom remission were different,
      with work recovery appearing to take considerably longer. Relapse was an
      important determinant of long-term occupational outcome, particularly for
      seriously ill patients for whom relapse meant rehospitalization or other profound
      social disruption. Affective impairment was distinguished from functional
      impairment, with the former characterizing milder depression and the latter
      characterizing moderate to severe depression. Some methodological recommendations
      are discussed.

PMID- 1417428
TI  - Five-year outcome for maintenance therapies in recurrent depression.
AB  - After conducting a randomized, 3-year maintenance trial in 128 patients with
      recurrent depression who had responded to combined short-term and continuation
      treatment with imipramine hydrochloride and interpersonal psychotherapy, we asked
      those individuals who survived the 3-year trial receiving active medication (with
      or without psychotherapy) to continue in a 2-year additional randomized trial of
      active medication vs placebo. The question was whether maintaining antidepressant
      medication at the dosage used to treat the acute episode beyond 3 years would
      continue to provide a significant prophylactic effect compared with medication
      discontinuation after the 3 years of effective maintenance treatment. Survival
      analysis demonstrated a highly significant continued prophylactic effect for
      active imipramine hydrochloride treatment maintained at an average dose of 200
      mg. We conclude that active imipramine treatment is an effective means of
      preventing recurrence beyond 3 years and that patients with previous episodes
      less than 2 1/2 years apart, therefore, merit continued prophylaxis for at least
      5 years.

PMID- 1417429
TI  - Cognitive therapy and pharmacotherapy for depression. Singly and in combination.
AB  - Cognitive therapy and imipramine hydrochloride tricyclic pharmacotherapy, each
      singly and in combination, were compared in the treatment of nonpsychotic,
      nonbipolar depressed outpatients. One hundred seven patients were randomly
      assigned to 12 weeks of active treatment; 64 patients completed the full course
      of treatment. Rates of attrition were high but not differential. Cognitive
      therapy and pharmacotherapy did not differ in terms of symptomatic response,
      either in the primary analyses or in secondary analyses restricted to more
      severely depressed outpatients. Initial severity did predict response within
      pharmacotherapy alone, but not within cognitive therapy. Combining cognitive
      therapy with pharmacotherapy did not markedly improve response over that observed
      for either modality alone, although such nonsignificant differences as were
      evident did favor the combined treatment. Two patients died as a consequence of
      suicide attempts, both of which involved study medication.

PMID- 1417431
TI  - The course of depression in adult outpatients. Results from the Medical Outcomes
      Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the course of depression during a 2-year period in adult
      outpatients (n = 626) with current major depression, dysthymia, and either both
      current disorders ("double depression") or depressive symptoms with no current
      depressive disorder. METHODS: Depressed patients visiting 523 clinicians (mental
      health specialists and general medical providers) were identified using a two
      stage screening procedure including the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. The course
      of depression was assessed in 2 follow-up years with a structured telephone
      interview based on the format of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. RESULTS:
      Baseline severity of depressive symptoms was greatest in patients with double
      depression, but initial functional status was poor in those with dysthymia with
      or without concurrent major depression. Patients with dysthymia had the worst
      outcomes, those with current major depression alone had intermediate outcomes,
      and those with subthreshold depressive symptoms had the best outcomes. Even the
      latter group, however, had a high incidence (25%) of major depressive episode
      over 2 years. Initial depression severity and level of functional status
      accounted for more explained variance in outcomes than did type of depressive
      disorder. CONCLUSIONS: The findings emphasize the poor prognosis associated with
      dysthymia even in the absence of major depression; the prognostic significance of
      subthreshold depressive symptoms; and the clinical significance of assessing
      level of severity of symptoms as well as functional status and well-being,
      regardless of type of depressive disorder.

PMID- 1417430
TI  - Course of depressive symptoms over follow-up. Findings from the National
      Institute of Mental Health Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research
      Program.
AB  - We studied the course of depressive symptoms during an 18-month naturalistic
      follow-up period for outpatients with Major Depressive Disorder treated in the
      National Institute of Mental Health Treatment of Depression Collaborative
      Research Program. The treatment phase consisted of 16 weeks of randomly assigned
      treatment with the following: cognitive behavior therapy, interpersonal therapy,
      imipramine hydrochloride plus clinical management (CM), or placebo plus CM.
      Follow-up assessments were conducted at 6, 12, and 18 months after treatment. Of
      all patients entering treatment and having follow-up data, the percent who
      recovered (8 weeks of minimal or no symptoms following the end of treatment) and
      remained well during follow-up (no Major Depressive Disorder relapse) did not
      differ significantly among the four treatments: 30% (14/46) for those in the
      cognitive behavior therapy group, 26% (14/53) for those in the interpersonal
      therapy group, 19% (9/48) for those in the imipramine plus CM group, and 20%
      (10/51) for those in the placebo plus CM group. Among patients who had recovered,
      rates of Major Depressive Disorder relapse were 36% (8/22) for those in the
      cognitive behavior therapy group, 33% (7/21) for those in the interpersonal
      therapy group, 50% (9/18) for those in the imipramine plus CM group, and 33%
      (5/15) for those in the placebo plus CM group. The major finding of this study is
      that 16 weeks of these specific forms of treatment is insufficient for most
      patients to achieve full recovery and lasting remission. Future research should
      be directed at improving success rates of initial and maintenance treatments for
      depression.

PMID- 1417432
TI  - The course of major depression in the offspring of depressed parents. Incidence,
      recurrence, and recovery.
AB  - The 2-year course, first onset (incidence), recurrence, and recovery of major
      depression in 174 offspring at high and low risk for major depression were
      studied. A variety of predictors of course were examined, including parental
      diagnosis, demographic and clinical characteristics of the family and offspring,
      comorbidity and social functioning in offspring, and family risk factors. The 2
      year incidence rate was 8.5%. All of the incident cases of major depression
      occurred in offspring of depressed parents. Additional predictors of incidence
      were a preceding diagnosis of conduct disorder and subclinical symptoms of
      depression. The recurrence rate results are tentative because of the small
      sample. The 2-year recurrence rate was 16.1%. Predictors of recurrence were a
      previous comorbid diagnosis of dysthymia or problems in social functioning. By
      the end of 2 years, the majority of offspring (87%) had recovered. The mean
      number of weeks to recovery was 54 in the offspring of depressed parents and 23
      in the offspring of nondepressed parents. Offspring with an onset of major
      depression at age 13 years or younger, who were exposed to divorce in the family
      or who had been exposed to more than one parental depressive episode, had
      significantly more protracted times to recovery. We conclude that there are
      different predictors of incidence of major depression, its recurrence, and time
      to recovery in offspring, and that parental depression has an impact on the
      course in offspring.

PMID- 1417433
TI  - Differential relapse following cognitive therapy and pharmacotherapy for
      depression.
AB  - Patients successfully treated during a 3-month period with either imipramine
      hydrochloride pharmacotherapy, cognitive therapy, or combined cognitive
      pharmacotherapy were monitored during a 2-year posttreatment follow-up period.
      Half of the patients treated with pharmacotherapy alone continued to receive
      study medications for the first year of the follow-up. All other patients
      discontinued treatment at the end of the acute treatment phase. Patients treated
      with cognitive therapy (either alone or in combination with medication) evidenced
      less than half the rate of relapse shown by patients in the medication--no
      continuation condition, and their rate did not differ from that of patients
      provided with continuation medication. It appears that providing cognitive
      therapy during acute treatment prevents relapse. Whether this preventive effect
      extends to recurrence remains to be determined.

PMID- 1417434
TI  - Time to recovery, chronicity, and levels of psychopathology in major depression.
      A 5-year prospective follow-up of 431 subjects.
AB  - The course of illness of 431 subjects with major depression participating in the
      National Institute of Mental Health Collaborative Depression Study was
      prospectively observed for 5 years. Twelve percent of the subjects still had not
      recovered by 5 years. There were decreasing rates of recovery over time. For
      example, 50% of the subjects recovered within the first 6 months, and then the
      rate of recovery declined markedly. Instantaneous probabilities of recovery
      reflect that the longer a patient was ill, the lower his or her chances were of
      recovering. For patients still depressed, the likelihood of recovery within the
      next month declined from 15% during the first 3 months of follow-up to 1% to 2%
      per month during years 3, 4, and 5 of this follow-up. The severity of current
      psychopathology predicted the probability of subsequent recovery. Subjects with
      moderately severe depressive symptoms, minor depression, or dysthymia had an 18
      fold greater likelihood of beginning recovery within the next week than did
      subjects who were at full criteria for major depressive disorder. Many subjects
      who did not recover continued in an episode that looked more like dysthymia than
      major depressive disorder.

PMID- 1417435
TI  - Depressive symptoms as relative and attributable risk factors for first-onset
      major depression.
AB  - Using longitudinal data from a community study of 9900 adults drawn from four
      sites in the United States and interviewed twice, 1 year apart, we investigated
      the predictors of first-onset major depression. Using odds ratios to estimate
      relative risk, we found that persons with depressive symptoms, compared with
      those without such symptoms, were 4.4 times more likely and persons with
      dysthymia were 5.5 times more likely to develop a first-onset major depression
      during a 1-year period. The lifetime prevalence rate for depressive symptoms was
      24%. The attributable risk is a compound epidemiologic measure that reflects both
      the relative risk associated with depressive symptoms (4.4) and the prevalence of
      exposure to that risk (24%). It is a useful measure to document the burden of a
      risk to the community, and it was determined to be greater than 50%. Thus, more
      than 50% of cases of first-onset major depression are associated with prior
      depressive symptoms. The high prevalence of depressive symptoms in the community
      and their strong association with first-onset major depression make them
      important from a public health perspective. Because depressive symptoms are often
      unrecognized and untreated in clinical practice, we conclude that their
      identification and the development of effective treatments could have
      implications for the prevention of major depression.

PMID- 1417437
TI  - The course, morbidity, and costs of depression.

PMID- 1417436
TI  - Stability of psychiatric diagnoses. An application to the affective disorders.
AB  - In the National Institute of Mental Health Collaborative Program on the
      Psychobiology of Depression study, data were collected on 2226 first-degree
      relatives of 612 probands. A second, "blind" reassessment of all relatives was
      attempted 6 years after the initial evaluation. We report on a final sample of
      1629 relatives assessed twice using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and
      Schizophrenia-Lifetime version. We summarize methods for using stability of
      diagnosis to model the relationship between clinical covariates and the
      probability of being a true case. Moreover, we define an index of caseness that
      can be used to narrow the criteria for who is a case. Of those positive for major
      depressive disorder at initial evaluation, 74% were positive (on a lifetime
      basis) at follow-up (ie, were stable). There is a gradient: 48% of those who had
      three symptoms and no treatment were stable, compared with 96% of those with
      eight symptoms and treatment. For major depressive disorder, we found the
      caseness index for those with lifetime mania more severe than that of nonbipolar
      patients, with those who had hypomania being intermediate. A hierarchical
      analysis indicated that bipolar I tends to be diagnosed as schizoaffective-manic
      across occasions, and vice versa. This is consistent with the prior familial
      analyses that suggest these two diagnoses be combined into a single bipolar
      phenotype. The analysis for major depressive disorder indicates that caseness
      appears to represent quantitative, rather than qualitative, differences, with no
      natural cutoff to identify distinct subgroups. Finally, we discuss implications
      including utility in genetic analyses, estimation of incidence or prevalence
      allowing for diagnostic error, and examination of cohort effects.

PMID- 1417438
TI  - The hybrid laboratory. The clinical laboratory of the 1990s is a synthesis of the
      old and the new.

PMID- 1417439
TI  - The impact of transplantation on the clinical laboratory. Experience at the
      University of Nebraska with bone marrow and liver transplantation.
AB  - The number of both bone marrow and solid organ transplantation programs has
      increased significantly during the past several years. The implementation of
      these programs and their growth have had a significant impact on the clinical
      laboratories that are involved in the support of these programs. Between 1983 and
      1985, two major organ transplantation programs were implemented at the University
      of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha. The clinical laboratories at the University of
      Nebraska Medical Center have seen a 217% increase in procedure volume and a 165%
      increase in full-time equivalents during an 8-year period from 1983 to 1991 as a
      result of these programs. The laboratory procedures that are performed on
      patients who are undergoing transplantation currently generate approximately $9
      million in charges per year. In the present article, I discuss the effect of bone
      marrow and liver transplantation programs on the entire laboratory and individual
      laboratory sections.

PMID- 1417440
TI  - An alternate origin for the placental isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase.
AB  - By means of an electrofocusing technique, the serum specimens of pregnant women
      routinely revealed three bands of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) that were released
      by placental syncytiotrophoblast, germ cell (ovary), and fetal intestine at pl of
      4.73, 4.65, and 4.55, respectively. When defining reference ranges for ostensibly
      healthy persons of all decades of age and investigating patients with elevated
      total ALP activity, we found the isoenzyme at pl 4.73 to be above the established
      reference range in some nonpregnant women and in men. Evidence suggests that T
      lymphocytes from whole blood or in vivo tissue were the origin of this pl 4.73
      ALP band; the isoenzyme being released during cell lysis, in cellular turmoil
      from any cause, or when active cell division occurs. A designation of lymphocyte
      ALP is proposed for this ALP band that is observed in a broad group of diseases
      associated with abnormal lymphocyte function.

PMID- 1417441
TI  - Naked megakaryocyte nuclei as an indicator of human immunodeficiency virus
      infection.
AB  - Compact, lobulated megakaryocyte nuclei, apparently denuded of cytoplasm (naked
      nuclei), have been reported to be markedly increased in the bone marrow of
      persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We have confirmed this
      observation and have developed a useful diagnostic index, the naked nucleus
      ratio, to characterize the bone marrow of individuals who are infected with HIV.
      The naked nucleus ratio, calculated as the average number of naked nuclei per
      high-power field divided by the average number of intact megakaryocytes per high
      power field, has a sensitivity of 97.9% and a specificity of 96.4% for patients
      with HIV infection. In our patients with a 62.6% prevalence of HIV infection, the
      predictive value of a positive test was 97.9% and the predictive value of a
      negative test was 96.4%. An increase in the naked nucleus ratio above 10%,
      without specific changes in the bone marrow, should raise or may confirm the
      suspicion of HIV infection.

PMID- 1417442
TI  - Comparison of hemoglobin and red blood cell distribution width in the
      differential diagnosis of microcytic anemia.
AB  - In a total group of 415 subjects (100 normal controls, 115 with iron deficiency
      anemia, 100 with the alpha-thalassemia trait, and 100 with the beta-thalassemia
      trait), the following indexes were analyzed: hemoglobin distribution width, red
      blood cell distribution width (RDW)-coefficient of variation, and RDW-SD. The
      hemoglobin distribution width and RDW-coefficient of variation were examined with
      a laser light scattering system (Technicon H1), whereas the RDW-SD was determined
      with an impedance autoanalyzer (Sysmex M-2000). All of these parameters helped,
      to some extent, in the differential diagnosis of microcytic anemia. However, our
      data suggested a low RDW-SD might provide significantly more value in
      differentiating thalassemia traits from iron deficiency anemia, as well as from
      normal controls, while the hemoglobin distribution width gave no help in the
      differential diagnosis between iron deficiency anemia and the beta-thalassemia
      trait.

PMID- 1417443
TI  - Distribution of tritiated cocaine in selected genital and nongenital organs
      following administration to male mice.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the distribution of cocaine administered to male
      mice in selected extragenital and genital organs and to investigate its possible
      binding to sperm. DESIGN: Twenty-seven sexually mature virus-free albino male
      mice were used in various experiments whereby following intravenous injection of
      tritiated cocaine hydrochloride, radioactivity was determined in several
      extragenital and genital organs, as well as sperm. RESULTS: Radioactivity was
      detected in all of the organs that were tested, and the highest concentrations
      per milligram of tissue were found in the kidney and epididymis. Removal of the
      sperm from the epididymis significantly reduced the radioactivity of the organ.
      The spermatozoa that were isolated on glass filters showed a linear correlation
      vs radioactivity (r = .93). CONCLUSIONS: Radioactivity is distributed to several
      organs, including the genital tract, and is found in association with sperm after
      in vivo administration of tritiated cocaine. These results may explain the
      mechanism underlying a male-mediated teratogenesis, which has been observed in
      animals that were exposed to cocaine, and they raise a possibility that the
      spermatozoa may carry cocaine into the oocyte during fertilization.

PMID- 1417444
TI  - Vascular proliferation of the thyroid. A complication of fine-needle aspiration.
AB  - Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the thyroid has a low morbidity rate, with
      hematoma formation being the most commonly encountered complication. We describe
      two cases of exuberant vascular proliferation within the thyroid gland, one
      resembling a cavernous hemangioma and the other with similar changes but with
      areas of papillary endothelial hyperplasia. Both lesions occurred in patients
      with a recent history of FNA prior to the thyroidectomy procedure. The vascular
      proliferation was interpreted as organizational changes in a hematoma secondary
      to the FNA. These cases, in conjunction with a recent case of Masson's vegetant
      intravascular hemangioendothelioma complicating thyroid FNA, expand the
      literature on vascular proliferations that may develop subsequent to thyroid FNA.

PMID- 1417445
TI  - Intrapulmonary neuroglial heterotopia.
AB  - Nonteratomatous intrapulmonary neuroglial heterotopia not associated with birth
      trauma or frank vascular embolization has been described rarely. This article
      briefly reviews the literature, and presents two additional cases of
      intrapulmonary neuroglial heterotopia. We found 14 cases in the literature.
      Twelve of these cases had central nervous system disruption, where neuroglial
      elements were in direct contact with amniotic fluid. Several hypotheses have been
      proposed, including fetal aspiration of detached neural fragments within amniotic
      fluid, neural crest migration defects, and vascular embolization with
      implantation. Of our two cases, one represents the first occurrence where central
      nervous system abnormalities were secondary to mechanical disruption, rather than
      to a primary neural tube defect. Our second case represents the youngest
      documented occurrence (17 weeks gestation) of intrapulmonary neuroglial
      heterotopia. Additionally, immunohistochemical studies were performed on these
      lesions, the results of which favor their neural origin. We present these
      findings and suggest they support the aspiration mechanism for neuroglial
      heterotopia in lung tissue.

PMID- 1417446
TI  - Postcapillary venule-like transformation of peritubular capillaries in acute
      renal allograft rejection. An ultrastructural study.
AB  - To describe ultrastructural changes in renal peritubular capillaries during acute
      allograft rejection, biopsy specimens from five allografts with acute rejection
      were studied electron microscopically and compared with control specimens. The
      thickness, cross-sectional area, and luminal circumference of capillary
      endothelium were estimated morphometrically. Thickening of endothelial cells,
      loss of fenestration, increase in endothelial cell organelles, increased
      adherence and passage of lymphocytes and monocytes, and defects in the
      endothelial lining were demonstrated. The luminal circumference representing the
      size of the capillary was not changed. A balloonlike fragmentation of endothelial
      cells was sometimes observed around lymphocytes, suggesting cytotoxic injury to
      capillaries. The observations indicate that during rejection-induced endothelial
      activation, peritubular capillaries exhibit postcapillary venule-like
      transformation that enhances the influx of inflammatory cells into the kidney
      allograft.

PMID- 1417447
TI  - Primary smooth-muscle tumors of the ovary. A clinicopathologic study of four
      leiomyomas and two mitotically active leiomyomas.
AB  - A series of six primary ovarian smooth-muscle tumors were studied. Four were
      ordinary leiomyomas and two were neoplasms with prominent mitotic activity, which
      we designated mitotically active leiomyomas. The patients' ages ranged from 42 to
      76 years (median, 50.5 years). In five of six patients, synchronous leiomyomas of
      the uterus were also present. In three patients, the ovarian tumor was an
      incidental finding. The maximum dimension of the ovarian tumors ranged from 0.3
      to 20.0 cm (median, 3.0 cm). Three of the tumors originated in the hilar region,
      one on the cortical surface, and in two the exact location within the ovary could
      not be determined. Follow-up was available on all six patients. None developed
      local recurrence or metastasis from their ovarian tumor, including the two
      patients with mitotically active leiomyoma whose postoperative follow-up
      intervals were 3.8 and 7.7 years.

PMID- 1417448
TI  - Hodgkin's disease presenting as spontaneous splenic rupture.
AB  - Hodgkin's disease presenting as spontaneous splenic rupture is rare. A 46-year
      old man with a 4-week history of fever, chills, and night sweats developed sudden
      abdominal pain and hypotension. At surgery, an enlarged, ruptured spleen with a
      nodular surface was found. Histologically, there was diffuse infiltration of the
      red pulp by mixed-cellularity Hodgkin's disease with patchy involvement of the
      white pulp. The histopathologic findings in the three previously reported cases
      are all dissimilar to this. These differences most likely represent rupture
      occurring at different stages of splenic infiltration by Hodgkin's disease.

PMID- 1417449
TI  - Granular cells in a cellular neurilemmoma.
AB  - In this article, we describe a case of a cellular neurilemmoma with focal
      granular cell elements. The Schwann cells showed S100 and Leu-7 immunoreactivity.
      The granular cells were periodic acid-Schiff-positive, diastase resistant with
      strong S100 immunoreactivity. Electron microscopy showed electron dense,
      heterogeneous granules in the granular cells and interdigitating processes and
      elongated nuclei of the Schwann cells. Although many granular cell tumors are
      believed to be derived from Schwann cells, neoplasms with both elements are
      rarely presented.

PMID- 1417450
TI  - Complications of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rhesus monkeys.

PMID- 1417451
TI  - The application of backpropagation neural networks to problems in pathology and
      laboratory medicine.
AB  - Neural networks are a group of computer-based pattern recognition technologies
      that have been applied to problems in clinical diagnosis. This review focuses on
      one member of the group of neural networks, the backpropagation network. The
      steps in creating a backpropagation network are (1) collecting adequate training
      facts, (2) choosing the specific network structure, (3) training the network, and
      (4) cross-validating the trained network. The first published applications of
      backpropagation networks to problems in pathology and laboratory medicine have
      appeared recently. These applications are in the areas of image analysis and
      interpretation of laboratory results, and they demonstrate the feasibility of the
      approach.

PMID- 1417452
TI  - [Aqueous chloramine T solutions as disinfectants: chemical composition,
      reactivity and toxicity].
AB  - In aqueous solutions of Chloramine T (CAT), caused by dissociation, hydrolysis
      and disproportionation processes, seven different kinds of molecules emerge
      (HOCl, OCl-, R-NCl-, R-NHCl, R-NCl2, R-NH2, and R-NH- [R = CH3-C6H4-SO2]). Their
      equilibrium concentrations have been calculated using an iteration process
      (polynom of 4th degree) as a function of cCAT (0.003-10%) and pH (0-14): The
      (absol.) concentration of "free chlorine" ([HOCl] + [OCl-]) is surprisingly low
      showing a maximum concentration of HOCl in the whole concentration and pH range
      of only 2 . 10(-7) moles/l (0.014 ppm). The relative equilibrium concentrations
      of the N-chlorinated toluene sulfonamide species R-NCl-, R-NHCl, and R-NCl2,
      virtually alone responsible for the oxidizing and by this also disinfecting
      properties, owing to the extremely low concentration of free chlorine, are
      influenced in the concentration range relevant for practice (greater than 0.1%)
      only by the pH-value: At pH greater than 7 the whole oxidation capacity is
      present as R-NCl- (pH 7: 99.6%; pH 8: 99.96%), while at pH less than 3 it is
      formed by R-NHCl and R-NCl2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417453
TI  - [Local anesthetics. 99. Synthesis and local anesthetic actions of
      alkoxyphenylcarbamates].
AB  - Within the framework of studying the influence of alterations of the connecting
      chain in the group of local anaesthetics a series of 24 compounds of 1
      propoxymethyl-2-(1-pyrrolidinyl), 2-(1-piperidino)-, and 2-(1-perhydroazepinyl)
      ethyl esters of o- and m-alkoxyphenylcarbamic acid were prepared. Studied
      compounds show a high index of relative local anaesthetic activity as compared to
      the standards cocaine and procaine, at a relatively low acute toxicity.

PMID- 1417454
TI  - Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of 3-(substituted-phenyl)-sydnones.
AB  - 3-(3 or 4-Acetylphenyl)-sydnones 7, 8 have been synthesized by formation of the
      glycines 3, 4, followed by nitrosation to 5, 6 and cyclization with acetic
      anhydride to sydnones. Sydnone derivatives carrying chalcone moieties 15, 16 were
      prepared by formation of the chalcone analogues 11, 12 through condensation of
      the glycines 3, 4 with the appropriate aldehydes, followed by the reactions
      applied for the preparation of 7, 8. The sydnone derivatives were screened for
      antimicrobial activities.

PMID- 1417455
TI  - Pyrrylphenylethanones related to cathinone and lefetamine: synthesis and
      pharmacological activities.
AB  - The synthesis of various pyrrylphenylethanones resembling cathinone and
      lefetamine is described starting from 2-chloro-1-(1-methyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)-2
      phenylethan-1-one. Some derivatives showed good antinociceptic activity,
      comparable to that of morphine. The neuropsychopharmacological profile of title
      compounds has been also studied to explore their action on C.N.S.

PMID- 1417456
TI  - New indole and triazino[5,4-b]indol-4-one derivatives: synthesis and studies as
      inotropics and inhibitors of blood platelet aggregation.
AB  - New triazino[5,4-b]indol-4-one derivatives carrying amino groups in position 3
      were synthetized and tested as inotropic agents and inhibitors of platelet
      aggregation. 2h, 2p, 5p, and 6g are the most active as inotropic agents.
      Compounds were tested as inhibitors of platelet aggregation induced by adenosine
      5'-diphosphate (ADP) and arachidonic acid (AA) (guinea pig whole blood). 2k, 2p,
      5o, 6d, 6m, and 6o are the most active as inhibitors of the platelet aggregation
      induced by AA. 6d, 6h, and 6o are most active compounds also in the aggregation
      induced by ADP. Radioimmunoassay studies, following AA induced aggregation,
      measuring thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were carried out on
      compounds 2b, 2d, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2k, 2m, 2o, 2p, 2r, 5i, 5j, 5k, 5r, and 5f,
      which inhibit platelet aggregation induced by AA. None of the compounds tested
      turned out to be selective inhibitors. Compounds 2h and 2p showed both inotropic
      and platelet aggregation inhibiting activity.

PMID- 1417457
TI  - [Actions of new iminium compounds on bacteria and fungi. 27. Synthesis of 1-n
      decyl-2-phenyl-3-(n-alkylthiomethyl)- and 1-n-decyl-2-phenyl-3-(n
      alkoxymethyl)imidazolium chlorides].
AB  - The imidazolium compounds 1-3 were prepared by quaternization of 1-decyl-2
      phenylimidazole with the pertinent chloromethyl-n-alkyl ethers. 1-3 were tested
      for their antibacterial and antimycotic efficacies.

PMID- 1417458
TI  - New cardiotonic agents related to amrinone: synthesis of 1,2-dihydro-5
      arylpyridin-2-ones.
AB  - For development of new cardiotonic agents a series of 5-aryl-3,4-dihydropyridin
      2(1H)-ones, related to amrinone have been prepared from methylquinolines, 2
      arylacetic acid or 3-arylethanones by direct aminomethylenation and subsequent
      condensation-cyclization with malonamide and cyanacetamide in classic basic media
      or phase-transfer catalysis, in good to excellent yields. Preliminary
      pharmacological assays have shown that these compounds, especially 5h and 5i,
      have a remarkable cardiotonic effect and present a selective inhibition of PDE
      III/PDE-I isolated from cat heart.

PMID- 1417459
TI  - Synthesis and antiprotozoal properties of 1,2,6-thiadiazine 1,1-dioxide
      derivatives.
AB  - The synthesis and spectroscopical data of 1,2,6-thiadiazine 1,1-dioxides,
      designed as antiprotozoal agents, are reported. The in vitro trichomonacidal and
      trypanocidal activities of new compounds and their precursors were evaluated
      against Trichomonas vaginalis and Trypanosoma cruzi. The chemoprophylactic
      activity on mice treated with blood infected with T. cruzi and their mortality
      percentage were tested. Compounds 2 and 8b show a higher chemoprophylactic
      activity and lower mortality percentage than Nifurtimox used as reference drug.

PMID- 1417460
TI  - Aminopeptidase inhibitory properties and analgesic activity of (2S,3R)-3,7
      diamino-2-hydroxy-heptanoic acid containing tripeptide analogues of the N
      terminal tripeptide of probestin.
AB  - (2S,3R)-3,7-Diamino-2-hydroxy-heptanoyl-Leu-Pro-OH [(2S,3R)-DAHHA-Leu-Pro-OH, 4],
      analogue of the N-terminal tripeptide of probestin, has been synthesized, and
      tested as inhibitor of AP-B, Leu-AP, AP-M, and enkephalin-degrading APs, and as
      analgesic. In order to establish structure-activity relationships the dipeptide
      (2S,3R)-DAHHA-Pro-OH (5) and the tripeptide (2S,3R)-DAHHA-Ala-Pro-OH (6) were
      also prepared. Compounds 4 and 6 were potent and selective inhibitors of
      enkephalin-degrading APs and showed a prolonged antinociceptive effect.

PMID- 1417461
TI  - Bioavailability study of two different verapamil formulations.
AB  - Relative bioavailability and bioequivalence of two oral verapamil preparations
      were investigated (dosage 80 mg, film-coated tablets as reference, dragees as
      test formulation). The clinical study was performed in a 2-period-cross-over
      design with 16 male healthy volunteers (mean age 28.8 +/- 3 years). The active
      metabolite norverapamil was included in the investigation. To assess
      bioequivalence several pharmacokinetic characteristics (i.e. AUC(o-oo), Cmax,
      tmax) were taken into account. Shortest 90% confidence intervals were calculated
      based on parametric (ANOVA, ANOVAlog) and non-parametric (Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney)
      statistical tests. A positive decision for bioequivalence was accepted if the
      confidence intervals did not exceed the limits of 80-120% for AUC and 70-130% for
      Cmax. A mean relative bioavailability of 127% for the test preparation was found.
      Thus, bioavailability of the dragees is marked higher than bioavailability of the
      film-coated tablets.

PMID- 1417462
TI  - Some N-Mannich bases of 2-benzoxazolinones and their analgesic activities.

PMID- 1417463
TI  - Applying psychometric criteria to functional assessment in medical
      rehabilitation: III. Construct validity and predicting level of care.
AB  - A discriminant analysis was performed using Rasch ability estimates derived from
      four Patient Evaluation and Conference System (PECS) subscales, to distinguish
      among the functional independence and impairment profiles exhibited by patients
      admitted into any of three levels of medical rehabilitation delineated by the
      National Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (NARF): (1) inpatient hospital,
      (2) atypical nursing home (intermediate), or (3) day program. Two discriminant
      functions accounted for 91% and 9% of the between-group variance, respectively.
      Cross-validated classification of patients into one of the three levels of care,
      based on discriminant function scores, produced 75% correct classification; a 66%
      improvement over the percentage of correct classification likely by chance alone.
      Results support the construct validity of the PECS subscales and indicate they
      may be useful in validating clinically-based admission decisions among three of
      the levels of care promulgated by NARF.

PMID- 1417464
TI  - Predictors of family functioning one year following traumatic brain injury in
      children.
AB  - This study examined changes in family functioning and predictors of family
      outcome during the year following traumatic brain injury (TBI). The families of
      94 children with TBI (mild = 50, moderate = 25, severe = 19), ages six to 15,
      were consecutively enrolled from two regional medical centers. Family interview
      ratings and standard measures of family and child functioning were completed
      three weeks after injury (measuring preinjury status), as well as three and 12
      months. Two-thirds of families had moderate to good preinjury global functioning
      and coping resources, but more than half exhibited high levels of stress and at
      risk family relationships. No significant preinjury differences by injury
      severity were seen on any measure. Whereas few changes in family functioning were
      observed over the year in the mild or moderate groups, greater deterioration
      occurred in the severe group. From one third to one half noted moderate to severe
      strain in 13 problem areas often seen in individuals with TBI. Preinjury family
      global functioning, however, was more strongly predictive of 12-month family
      functioning (R2 = .38 to .68) than was injury severity (R2 = .05 to .09). In four
      out of five outcome areas assessed at 12 months, preinjury status in each area
      was the strongest single predictor. Preinjury coping was the best predictor of
      stress. Families at risk can be identified and need ongoing support for optimal
      functioning.

PMID- 1417465
TI  - Predicting return to work in traumatic brain injury using assessment scales.
AB  - This study compared two frequently used brain injury assessment scales with a
      comprehensive functional scale in their capability to predict return to work in a
      traumatic brain injured population. Fifty-seven consecutive admissions to an
      inpatient brain injury program were rated at admission and discharge using the
      following scales: Patient Evaluation and Conference System (PECS), Disability
      Rating Scale, and Levels of Cognitive Functioning Scale. Their relative accuracy
      in predicting return to work or school up to 26 months after the injury was
      assessed using hierarchical logistic regression analysis. In each analysis,
      return to work/school was the dependent variable. The independent variables were
      initial status and discharge status on each rating scale. Overall these scales
      predicted return to work with 73.5% to 84.4% accuracy. Total PECS and PECS
      Cognition scores were the most accurate predictors. Analysis of incorrect
      predictions revealed the importance of additionally tracking the social factors
      of substance abuse, family/community support and financial need to return to
      work.

PMID- 1417467
TI  - Communicating with families of rehabilitation patients about "do not resuscitate"
      decisions.
AB  - Resuscitation discussions can elicit potent emotional reactions from both health
      care providers and consumers. In rehabilitation settings, decision making grows
      more difficult if decisions must be sought from family members or proxies of
      incompetent patients. There is ample room for emotions and lack of clarity to
      lead to dissatisfaction and heightened distress. This paper outlines legal,
      ethical, and psychological factors that must be managed if clear communication
      between health care providers and families is to occur. Issues are discussed that
      can clarify thinking at each stage of the communication process.

PMID- 1417466
TI  - The treatment of agitation during initial hospitalization after traumatic brain
      injury.
AB  - Agitation after traumatic brain injury is disruptive for patient care,
      distressing, and difficult to treat. The use of propranolol has been advocated to
      control agitation after brain injury. It reportedly lacks some of the deleterious
      cognitive and emotional effects of other medications and physical restraints.
      This study was designed to test if propranolol is effective in reducing agitated
      behavior. Subjects had traumatic closed-head injury treated at a combined Level I
      Trauma Center and Rehabilitation Center. Twenty-one subjects met the criteria of
      agitation and were treated with propranolol or placebo in a double-blind fashion.
      The intensity of agitation was significantly lower in the treatment group
      although the number of episodes were similar. The use of restraints was also
      significantly lower in the treatment group. The results support the effectiveness
      of propranolol in reducing the intensity of agitation during the initial
      hospitalization after closed-head injury.

PMID- 1417468
TI  - Rehabilitation status in multiple handicap.
AB  - The Edinburgh Rehabilitation Status Scale (ERSS) was applied to 129 attenders at
      a day center for physical disability. All of the attenders had significant
      neurological impairment dating from birth or from infancy. Fifty-nine of the
      subjects (46%) had been diagnosed on conventional grounds as having mental
      handicap as well as physical disability. ERSS scores were compared with Barthel
      Index scores in all subjects and with PULSES profile in 50 subjects (27 physical
      disability alone, 23 combined with mental handicap). The ERSS scores clearly
      demonstrated significant differences in the level of disablement between the two
      groups in all four subscales as well as in total scores; the Barthel scores
      showed differences in self-care and total scores, and, to a lesser extent, in
      mobility. PULSES failed to differentiate the groups except in one of its
      subscales. The ERSS is a sensitive index of overall function and is useful in
      highlighting the additive effect of mental handicap and physical disability, a
      difference which may not be apparent when other assessment scales are used.

PMID- 1417469
TI  - Coronary risk in spinal cord injury: assessment following a multivariate
      approach.
AB  - A group of 96 men with spinal cord injury was studied to find out if patients
      with spinal cord injury were at an increased risk of coronary heart disease. A
      multivariate approach based on data produced by the Framingham study was used to
      estimate the probability of developing coronary artery disease within six years.
      Data obtained from the 96 patients were compared with data obtained from 96
      nontrained, able-bodied men matched according to age. The results of this study
      suggest that patients with spinal cord injury show a risk of coronary artery
      disease similar to that estimated in non-trained, age-matched, able-bodied
      individuals. The risk increases with age, but it is of the same order as that
      found in the normal population and does not appear to be related to the duration
      of the disease. The results are inconclusive in regard to the level of the lesion
      as an independent factor of risk.

PMID- 1417470
TI  - Psychosocial adjustment of post-poliomyelitis ventilator assisted individuals.
AB  - The effect of severe disability, tracheostomy, and ventilator use on psychosocial
      functioning, gainful employment, life satisfaction, and perceived well-being were
      studied for a population of 395 ventilator assisted post-poliomyelitis
      individuals (PVAIs). Standard psychosocial survey instruments and other general
      questioning were used. Two-hundred-seventy-three physically intact health care
      professionals served as controls. They were surveyed about their own life
      satisfaction and perceived well-being and were asked to judge how severely
      disabled ventilator assisted individuals would respond to such questioning. The
      relative distress associated with ventilator use was also evaluated in a similar
      manner. Fifty six of 380 responding PVAIs (14.7%) expressed dissatisfaction with
      their lives in general. This compares with 8.5% of the controls and 7% of a
      previously studied general population. The controls significantly underestimated
      the patients' life satisfaction and well-being scores and significantly
      overestimated the relative hardship associated with ventilator use. The post
      polio individuals using noninvasive methods of assisted ventilation were also
      significantly more satisfied with their lives than were those ventilated via
      tracheostomy. Fifty-seven of 148 (39%) individuals married and 165 of 395 (42%)
      individuals were gainfully employed during long-term ventilator use. We conclude
      that many severely disabled post-poliomyelitis ventilator users lead productive
      lives. The vast majority have a positive affect and are satisfied with life.
      Noninvasive ventilatory support alternatives may lend to greater life
      satisfaction for these individuals than ventilation delivered via an indwelling
      tracheostomy. Health care professionals may significantly underestimate their
      patients' satisfaction with life and this may have a bearing on patient
      management.

PMID- 1417471
TI  - Attention and arousal: basic science aspects.
AB  - Disorders of attention are common after a variety of insults to the central
      nervous system. At present, treatment of these disorders is rarely based on a
      theoretical understanding of the neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, psychology, or
      psychopharmacology of attention. This article reviews the current state of
      knowledge of the mechanisms of attentional function and dysfunction, attempting
      to integrate findings across different types of research. In a subsequent
      article, the implications of these findings for clinical practice will be
      discussed.

PMID- 1417472
TI  - A patellar-tendon-bearing orthosis used in pediatric burn rehabilitation.
AB  - Burn rehabilitation in children presents a difficult challenge. Hypertrophic scar
      formation is accelerated in this population due primarily to the growth of normal
      surrounding tissue. Many patients who develop burn wound contractures of the foot
      and ankle are rendered nonambulatory. We describe a pediatric patients who
      developed fixed bilateral equinovarus deformities secondary to thermal injury. A
      patellar-tendon-bearing orthosis was fabricated for this patient to unload the
      foot-ankle complex with major weight bearing forces at the patellar tendon and
      tibial condyles. Through the incorporation of this orthosis with a full
      therapeutic rehabilitation program, the patient was able to ambulate
      independently using a rolling walker. We recommend the use of the patellar-tendon
      bearing orthosis for those pediatric burn victims who develop foot-ankle
      contractures to allow for ambulation until such time as additional, more
      aggressive treatment is tolerated, or on a more permanent basis, if necessary.

PMID- 1417473
TI  - Prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES): childhood play behavior and adult
      gender-role behavior in women.
AB  - Data from lower mammals suggest a masculinizing or defeminizing influence of pre-
      or perinatal diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure on various aspects of the sex
      dimorphic behavior (including juvenile rough-and-tumble play) of genetic females.
      However, three previous studies on childhood play and adult gender-role behavior
      in human females have led to ambiguous results. In a follow-up study of 60 women
      with prenatal exposure to DES and 26 controls, we used psychometrically well
      designed multi-item scales based on self-report inventories for the assessment of
      these aspects of behavior. No effects of DES could be demonstrated. We conclude
      that, at the doses studied, prenatal DES exposure in human females has not led to
      behavioral masculinization or defeminization of childhood play and adult gender
      role behavior.

PMID- 1417474
TI  - Partnership after induced abortion: a prospective controlled study.
AB  - To study the social and psychological consequences of induced abortion on the
      relationship between the pregnant woman and her partner, 92 patients seeking a
      socially indicated abortion, who had a stable partner at the time of abortion,
      were interviewed. Standardized psychological measures were used to assess their
      partnerships before abortion and on follow-up 1 year later. A control group of 92
      patients (matched for age, marital status, duration of partnership, number of
      children, and educational background), drawn from a larger sample of women using
      safe contraceptive methods, completed the same psychological measures. Prior to
      abortion, partnerships in the study group showed considerably more conflicts and
      were less harmonious than in the control group. One year after the abortion, the
      number of separations in the study group was not significantly higher than in the
      control group, nor were there any remaining qualitative differences in the
      partnerships of either group. When separations occurred, they had been more
      frequently initiated by women in the study group than in the control group.

PMID- 1417475
TI  - Sexual and aggressive motives in sexually aggressive college males.
AB  - The relative contributions to sexual aggression of general sexual and aggressive
      motives and their respective inhibitory factors were compared. One hundred forty
      three university males responded to self-report measures of sexual and aggressive
      drives, sex and hostility guilt, social desirability response bias, and history
      of coercive sexuality. With the effects of social desirability controlled, the
      only predictor of sexual aggression was Sex Guilt, which predicted level of force
      used but not intimacy of the sexual act obtained.

PMID- 1417476
TI  - Do sex-linked behaviors in children influence relationships with their parents?
AB  - When relationships are found between parents' and children's behaviors it is
      usually assumed the parents' behaviors produced those of the children. Forty-four
      young adult males and 36 young adult females reported the degree to which they
      showed various sex-linked behaviors and feelings of same versus opposite sex
      identity in childhood, and adolescence, and currently. These behaviors accounted
      for up to 57% of the variance of measures of the quality of relationships with
      parents. In men, opposite-sex-linked behaviors and identity correlated most
      strongly with current negative parental and particularly paternal relationships.
      They also correlated strongly with negative paternal relationships in childhood.
      Some sex-linked behaviors and sex identity items in men correlated positively
      with maternal overprotection in childhood and adolescence. Correlations between
      women's sex-linked behaviors and sexual identity items and their parental
      relationships were weaker but more consistently negative. As in men, opposite-sex
      linked behaviors and identity in women correlated most strongly with current
      negative paternal relationships. The pattern of the associations and the finding
      that many opposite-sex-linked behaviors in subjects' childhood correlated most
      strongly with negative parental relationships in early adult life suggest that
      the parents' feelings could be partly a response to, rather than totally causal
      of, the subjects' sex-linked behaviors.

PMID- 1417477
TI  - Sustaining passion: eroticism and safe-sex talk.
AB  - It is axiomatic that communicating effectively is important for good sexual
      relations. In light of the AIDS epidemic and the necessity for safe-sex
      practices, the topic of caution and prevention is an emerging and critical
      discourse for the sexual encounter. Yet if this discourse is not to defy passion
      but rather complement it, then the study of sexual linguistics must be grounded
      within the realm of erotic reality. Three themes of eroticism and their
      implications for sexual interaction are explored in this paper: identity,
      context, and danger. Linguistic and relational constraints for enacting such a
      discourse are identified, accompanied by a critique of the treatment of erotic
      discourse in educational programs and the media.

PMID- 1417478
TI  - Statement of purpose.

PMID- 1417479
TI  - Normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism. Biochemical and symptom profiles before and
      after surgery.
AB  - Patients with normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism represent a diagnostic and
      therapeutic challenge. It is unclear to what extent these patients benefit from
      surgery in terms of correction of their serum chemistry abnormalities and their
      symptoms. We studied 142 patients: 23 with normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism
      (serum calcium levels below 2.62 mmol/L), 35 with intermittent hypercalcemia, and
      84 with hypercalcemic hyperparathyroidism. Serum chemistry analyses and a
      standardized questionnaire of symptoms were completed before and after surgery.
      Overall, patients in the normocalcemic group reported a similar frequency of
      preoperative symptoms; had a similar reduction in postoperative symptoms; and had
      a similar normalization of serum calcium, parathormone, and phosphate levels as
      those in the two control groups. This study indicates that factors other than
      elevated serum calcium levels are in large part responsible for the symptoms of
      hyperparathyroidism and that these patients benefit from operation.

PMID- 1417480
TI  - Transhiatal esophagectomy for carcinoma of the esophagus and cardia. Experience
      with 160 cases.
AB  - We reviewed our experience from 1979 to 1990 with 160 cases of transhiatal
      esophagectomy for carcinoma of the lower esophagus and cardia to evaluate trends
      in patient selection, management, and outcome. Patients treated in the past 6
      years (n = 110) and those treated before 1985 (n = 50) were similar in terms of
      age and sex distribution, medical history, and weight loss. The majority of
      tumors seen were adenocarcinoma, with patients in the latter group having
      significantly lower stages. Significant decreases in anesthetic time, units of
      blood transfusions, chest tube insertions, length of postoperative ventilation,
      incidence of postoperative pneumonia, and length of hospital stay were seen
      during the past 6 years. Wound infections increased significantly during the same
      period. The decrease in the 30-day mortality rate from 6% to 0.9% was not
      significant. Survival rates did not differ between groups, with overall rates of
      62%, 40%, and 21% at 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively.

PMID- 1417481
TI  - An evaluation of two methods of limb salvage in extremity soft-tissue sarcomas.
AB  - Between 1983 and 1990, 38 sequential patients with stage II to III soft-tissue
      sarcoma of the extremities, as defined by the American Joint Committee on Cancer,
      were treated. Eighteen patients were treated with intra-arterial doxorubicin
      hydrochloride, limb salvage surgery, and radiation (group A). Twenty patients in
      group B were treated with cisplatin, isolated limb perfusion, limb salvage
      surgery, and radiation. The study was not randomized, but all patients were
      treated prospectively using one of the two protocols. The two groups were similar
      demographically and had similar lengths of survival without disease. There was
      only one local recurrence in the series, and this occurred in a group B patient
      who underwent perfusion with the lowest dose of cisplatin. Regional perfusion
      with either intra-arterial doxorubicin hydrochloride or cisplatin combined with
      limb salvage surgery and postoperative radiation are highly effective in
      preventing local recurrences and preserving functional extremities in patients
      with soft-tissue sarcoma. There was no difference in results between these two
      methods.

PMID- 1417482
TI  - Prospective trial of supranormal values as goals of resuscitation in severe
      trauma.
AB  - We prospectively tested the effect of the early postinjury attainment of
      supranormal values of cardiac index (> or = 4.52 L/min per square meter), oxygen
      delivery (> or = 670 mL/min per square meter), and oxygen consumption (> or = 166
      mL/min per square meter) on outcome in traumatized patients with an estimated
      blood loss of 2000 mL or more. The goals in control patients were to attain
      normal values for all hemodynamic measurements. During the 6-month period, 33
      protocol patients and 34 control patients with similar vital signs, estimated
      blood losses, and severity of injuries were enrolled in the study. Eight (24%)
      protocol patients died, while 15 (44%) control patients died. The protocol
      patients had fewer mean (+/- SEM) organ failures per patient (0.76 +/- 1.21 vs
      1.59 +/- 1.60), shorter stays in the intensive care unit (5 +/- 3 vs 12 +/- 12),
      and fewer mean days requiring ventilation (4 +/- 3 vs 11 +/- 10) than did the
      control patients (P < .05 for each). We conclude that attaining supranormal
      circulatory values improves survival and decreases morbidity in the severely
      traumatized patient.

PMID- 1417483
TI  - Long-term results of treatment of Budd-Chiari syndrome with portal decompression.
AB  - Thirty-three patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome were studied for 1 to 19 years
      following portal decompression. All had ascites, hepatomegaly, abnormal liver
      function, angiographic demonstration of inferior vena cava and/or hepatic vein
      occlusion, and biopsy specimens showing intense hepatic congestion and necrosis.
      When thrombosis was confined to hepatic veins (20 patients), side-to-side
      portacaval shunt resulted in 95% operative survival, 90% prolonged survival,
      permanent shunt patency, relief of ascites, reversal of liver dysfunction, and
      reversal or improvement of hepatic lesions. When thrombosis involved the inferior
      vena cava, mesoatrial shunt (eight patients) was unsatisfactory because of a 63%
      mortality rate from liver failure due to shunt thrombosis. In contrast, a new
      procedure consisting of combined portacaval and caval-atrial shunts (five
      patients) has been highly successful, with 100% survival, shunt patency, relief
      of ascites, and reversal of pathologic abnormalities.

PMID- 1417484
TI  - Aortoenteric fistulas.
AB  - During an 11-year period ending in December 1991, 36 patients with aortoenteric
      fistulas were assessed and treated. Twenty-five patients (69%) had previously
      undergone aortic reconstruction with Dacron grafts, and 11 (31%) had spontaneous
      aortoenteric fistulas. Of the 25 patients with secondary fistulas, 14 (56%) had
      undergone aortic aneurysmal rupture or multiple aortic vascular reconstructions.
      Preoperative diagnosis was established in only 13 (36%) of 36 patients. Remote
      bypass preceding removal of the infected arterial prosthesis had the least
      morbidity and mortality. Three primary fistulas were found in unusual locations:
      aortocolonic, aortobronchial, and aortoesophageal. The patient with the
      aortoesophageal fistulas was the fifth survivor described in the literature. The
      overall mortality was 56%. A positive preoperative blood culture predicted a poor
      outcome. There were four amputations, there due to infection of the extra
      anatomical bypass. Prompt directed assessment to ensure appropriately staged
      operative intervention should improve survival.

PMID- 1417485
TI  - The ultrasonic dissector facilitates laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
AB  - The ultrasonic dissector disrupts tissues in proportion to their fluid content by
      ultrasonically induced cavitational forces. Since sturdy tissues are spared, the
      instrument tends to follow tissue planes and to dissect fat and other soft
      tissues selectively. We performed a prospective, randomized, controlled trial in
      73 patients comparing the safety and efficacy of a prototype ultrasonic dissector
      with that of electrosurgery and laser during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
      Randomization was as follows: ultrasonic dissector, 37 patients; electrosurgery,
      21 patients; and laser, 15 patients. The results were not different with respect
      to patient characteristics, amount of blood loss, technical difficulties, length
      of hospital stay, or return to work. Subjectively, the ultrasonic dissector was
      thought to be of special value in isolating the hilar structures, particularly
      when they were edematous or embedded in fat. The ultrasonic dissector
      disintegrated the fat, which was rapidly cleared up the suction channel, allowing
      the cystic duct and artery to be bared with less risk of injury. We concluded
      that the ultrasonic dissector has unique attributes that contribute to the ease
      and safety of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

PMID- 1417486
TI  - Protective effect of anisodamine on cultured bovine pulmonary endothelial cell
      injury induced by oxygen-free radicals.
AB  - Anisodamine, a Chinese traditional medicine herb, has been used for treatment of
      adult respiratory distress syndrome effectively, but little is known about its
      mechanism. We attempted to investigate if anisodamine could protect bovine
      pulmonary endothelial cell injury induced by exogenous oxygen-free radicals that
      were generated by xanthine/xanthine oxidase or opsonized zymosan-stimulated
      polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Results showed that with the addition of
      xanthine/xanthine oxidase into cultured bovine pulmonary endothelial cells,
      production of malondialdehyde and release of lactate dehydrogenase in supernatant
      increased, and synthesis of prostacyclin decreased. Damaged cellular membranes
      were revealed by scanning electron microscopy. The same was true for the addition
      of opsonized zymosan-stimulated polymorphonuclear leukocytes. While treatment
      with anisodamine greatly attenuated all of the above-mentioned parameters,
      results showed that (1) cultured bovine pulmonary endothelial cells could be
      damaged by oxygen-free radicals, (2) anisodamine had a protective effect on this
      injury as effective as that of superoxide dismutase and catalase, and (3) the
      membrane-stable action might contribute to the mechanism of protective effect
      against this injury.

PMID- 1417487
TI  - Is preoperative parenteral nutrition necessary for patients with predominantly
      ileal Crohn's disease?
AB  - We reviewed 46 consecutive patients with Crohn's disease predominantly affecting
      the ileum who specifically underwent right-sided ileocolectomy with primary
      anastomosis. All had a primary ileocolic anastomosis done by suture in a single
      layer closed fashion. Of these 46 patients, 19.6% had overt intra-abdominal
      sepsis, 30.4% had prior surgery, and 95.7% were taking corticosteroid drugs just
      before their operation. The mean (+/- SE) age was 31.5 +/- 2.0 years. The serum
      albumin level was less than 35 g/L in 93.5% of patients; all had a hematocrit
      value less than 0.36, and 80.4% lost more than 15% of their normal body weight.
      No patient received parenteral nutrition either preoperatively or
      postoperatively. No change in the preoperative, intraoperative, or postoperative
      approach to treating patients with predominantly ileal Crohn's disease occurred
      during the 10-year period of review. There was a 2.2% incidence of perioperative
      complications (one superficial wound infection) and a 6.5% incidence of late
      (>1.49 months) complications (two suture sinuses and one wound abscess
      unassociated with a fistula). Our findings suggest that preoperative parenteral
      nutrition is unnecessary in the majority of patients with predominantly ileal
      Crohn's disease specifically undergoing right-sided ileocolectomy and primary
      ileocolic anastomosis.

PMID- 1417488
TI  - Intraoperative irradiation in resected carcinoma of the pancreas and portal vein.
AB  - We developed a new method that provides a wide retroperitoneal irradiation field
      for patients with cancer of the pancreas in whom a long invaded portal vein is
      resected during intraoperative radiotherapy. This method involves the use of a
      venous bypass with a heparinized catheter that does not require systemic
      anticoagulation or a pump. Anastomosis is completed after intraoperative
      radiotherapy. Mean (+/- SD) duration of the venous bypass was 3.0 +/- 1.5 hours
      (range, 2.0 to 6.6 hours), during which no abnormalities of systemic blood
      pressure, heart rate, and electrocardiographic activity and no signs of
      congestion of the intestines were observed. Eleven patients were treated with
      this method, and no complications ascribed to intraoperative radiotherapy or
      venous bypass were found. We recommend this method as safe and simple for
      expanding the irradiation field for intraoperative radiotherapy in patients with
      pancreatic cancer in whom the portal vein is resected.

PMID- 1417489
TI  - Significance of wall thickness in symptomatic gallbladder disease.
AB  - One hundred cases of patients who underwent urgent cholecystectomy after
      presenting with symptoms of acute or subacute gallbladder disease were
      retrospectively reviewed. Sixty patients had pathologically proved acute
      cholecystitis, and 40 had chronic cholecystitis alone. One patient had an
      incidental gallbladder carcinoma, and four had global gangrene of the
      gallbladder. Focal ischemia, transmural hemorrhage, or focal necrosis (indicating
      more severe disease) was present in 19 patients. Fifty-four percent of patients
      had thin-walled gallbladders. Among patients with more severe acute disease, 56%
      had thin walls. Conversely, 24% of thin-walled gallbladders and 22% of thick
      walled gallbladders had evidence of focal necrosis or gangrene. We conclude that
      gallbladder wall thickness, although demonstrable on preoperative ultrasound
      examination in all patients, does not correlate directly with severity of disease
      or pathologic findings.

PMID- 1417490
TI  - Complement activation and polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocyte elastase in
      sepsis. Correlation with severity of disease.
AB  - Complement activation is necessary for an adequate immune and inflammatory
      response to infections. Activation releases anaphylatoxins that cause
      vasodilation, increase vascular permeability, and trigger release of
      polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocyte (PMN) lysosomal enzyme and oxygen
      radicals. Under normal circumstances, an orderly progression of such events has a
      beneficial antimicrobial effect. The same mechanism, however, when uncontrolled,
      may damage host tissues. To provide information about the clinical importance of
      such events in sepsis, different complement parameters (C3, C4, and the
      desarginated forms of C3a [C3a(des)-Arg] and C5a [C5a(des)-Arg]), PMN elastase,
      and malondialdehyde (a by-product of membrane peroxidation by oxygen radicals)
      were measured daily in 26 septic patients and correlated with two objectively
      assessed and previously validated severity scores (acute physiology and chronic
      health evaluation [APACHE II] and Sepsis Severity Score [SSS]). Nonsurvivors (n =
      12) had significantly greater and longer lasting complement activation than that
      in survivors, as reflected by higher levels of catabolic peptides (C3a(des)-Arg)
      and lower levels of native proteins (C3 and C4). C3a(des)-Arg, C3, C4, and the
      C3a(des)-Arg-C3 ratio were correlated with Sepsis Severity Scores.
      Polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocyte elastase levels were higher in
      nonsurvivors and were correlated with C3a(des)-Arg and the C3a(des)-Arg-C3 ratio.
      Malondialdehyde levels were significantly higher in all patients than in
      controls, without, however, any relationship to severity of disease or clinical
      outcome. Since the higher and more persistent the complement activation and
      polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocyte stimulation, the worse the patient's
      prognosis, we conclude that these mechanisms may be important in the clinical
      development of sepsis.

PMID- 1417491
TI  - Pancreatic complications following cardiopulmonary bypass. Factors influencing
      mortality.
AB  - Pancreatic complications following cardiopulmonary bypass are infrequent but are
      associated with high mortality. All cases of pancreatic complications following
      cardiopulmonary bypass from 1972 to 1987 at a single institution were
      retrospectively reviewed. Of 5621 patients who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass,
      25 (0.44%) sustained pancreatic complications. There were 15 cases of acute
      pancreatitis and 10 cases of pancreatic necrosis, with 11 deaths in the group
      reviewed, a mortality rate of 44%. Factors that were correlated with mortality
      associated with pancreatic complications in this study include preoperative
      hypotension, preoperative use of inotropic agents, and renal failure
      (preoperative and postoperative). Factors that have been previously associated
      with mortality from pancreatic complications in other studies, such as fluid
      sequestration, respiratory failure, sepsis, tachycardia, hypocalcemia, age
      greater than 55 years, and abnormal laboratory findings, were not found to be
      significantly associated with mortality in this study. Of the five patients for
      whom complete data were available, not one patient received greater than 800 mg
      of calcium per square meter of body surface area in the perioperative period.
      While the exact mechanism of pancreatic injury remains unclear, based on
      experimental studies and clinical correlation, it is likely that pancreatic
      ischemia remains a significant contributing factor. We conclude that no factor
      specifically associated with cardiopulmonary bypass was correlated significantly
      with mortality.

PMID- 1417492
TI  - A randomized clinical trial comparing two methods of fascia closure following
      midline laparotomy.
AB  - Three hundred forty women undergoing midline laparotomy were randomized into an
      interrupted suture (polyglactin 910, size 1) or a continuous suture
      (polyglyconate, size 0) closure group. The two groups were well balanced with
      respect to various risk factors for postoperative wound complications. Early
      evaluation revealed no differences between the continuous and interrupted suture
      groups with respect to wound infection (3% vs 1%), superficial wound dehiscence
      (2% vs 4%), and deep wound dehiscence (0.6% vs 0%). Late evaluation showed no
      differences between the two groups either. Continuous polyglyconate and
      interrupted polyglactin 910 sutures had a similar incidence of suture fistula (0%
      vs 2%), wound pain (1% vs 2%), and incisional hernia (3% vs 4%). Continuous
      closure was done faster and resulted in less foreign-body suture material.
      Despite its smaller diameter, the polyglyconate suture also retains a higher
      tensile strength after surgery than does the quicker-degrading polyglactin 910
      suture. Results of this study lead to the conclusion that a running polyglyconate
      suture is the better choice for closure of the abdominal-wall fascia following
      midline laparotomy.

PMID- 1417493
TI  - Racial differences in the anatomical distribution of colon cancer.
AB  - The objective of this study was to determine whether racial differences exist
      with regard to the anatomical distribution of adenocarcinoma of the colon. We
      conducted a retrospective study of consecutive patients with primary colon cancer
      seen during a 12-year period (1976 to 1987) identified by the Rush Tumor
      Registry. The setting was a large, tertiary-care, private medical center, located
      in the inner city of Chicago, Ill. A chi 2 unpaired Student's t test of
      association was performed to detect any statistically significant difference in
      the anatomical sites of distribution between blacks and whites. A statistically
      significant percentage of black patients had proximally located primary colon
      lesions compared with white patients. This observation was independent of the
      actual anatomical definition of right-sided or proximal colon lesions. These
      findings suggest that a significant percentage of black and white patients are
      less likely to be diagnosed with colon cancer at a more curable stage, when
      abiding by the current screening guidelines of the American Cancer Society and
      the National Cancer Institute. The impact is greater on black patients with
      adenocarcinoma of the colon.

PMID- 1417494
TI  - Repair of parastomal hernias using polypropylene mesh.
AB  - Parastomal hernias are a common complication of ostomy construction. We have
      developed a method of repair that uses two strips of polypropylene prosthetic
      mesh through a midline incision. The medical records of 19 patients who underwent
      parastomal hernia repair were retrospectively reviewed. All nine patients
      operated on for this condition by the senior author (R.G.P.) (group 1) underwent
      repairs with this technique. All ten patients operated on by other surgeons in
      our center (group 2) underwent repairs in which the stoma was moved, the fascia
      was directly repaired through a parastomal incision, or the fascia was repaired
      via a midline incision. No patients in group 1 had recurrences while five
      patients in group 2 had recurrences. Neither group developed strictures or stomal
      prolapse. Our method of repair is technically easy and has excellent results. It
      is especially suitable in very large hernias in which incisional hernia is likely
      in the original stoma site if the stoma is moved.

PMID- 1417495
TI  - Ischemic stricture and perforation. An unusual complication after successful
      barium reduction of an intussusception.
AB  - Intussusception is a common cause of intestinal obstruction in infants. Use of a
      barium enema affords both diagnostic confirmation and a chance for nonsurgical
      reduction of the intussusception. While failed hydrostatic reduction is an
      indication for surgical intervention, delayed complications of hydrostatic
      reduction have not been described. We present a case of ischemic stricture and
      perforation developing after the successful reduction of an intussusception.

PMID- 1417497
TI  - Diagnostic laparoscopy: is it being overused?

PMID- 1417496
TI  - Tubular adenoma of the main pancreatic duct.
AB  - We report a case of tubular adenoma of the duct of Wirsung with focal villous
      changes. To our knowledge, this is the 13th reported case of this uncommon
      neoplasm and the first with a primarily tubular histologic pattern. The patient
      presented with abdominal pain and diarrhea and was found on endoscopic retrograde
      cholangiopancreaticography to have a mass in the head of the pancreas, which was
      confirmed by endoscopic ultrasound. Clinical and pathological features of the 12
      previously reported cases are reviewed. Intraoperative testing failed to rule out
      adenocarcinoma which, in addition to difficulties presented by local anatomic
      relationships of the tumor, supports wide surgical resection as the preferred
      surgical solution.

PMID- 1417498
TI  - [The 42nd General Meeting of the Japanese Society of Allergology. Sendai, Japan,
      October 28-30, 1992. Abstracts].

PMID- 1417499
TI  - [Interindividual differences in personality and behavior and subjective health
      problems in shift workers].
AB  - A total of 604 experienced shift workers were administered a battery of
      questionnaires in order to examine the relationships between the shift workers'
      features and subjective health complaints taken as signs of intolerance to shift
      work. The individual difference measures included: hard-driving and
      competitiveness, speed and impatience, relaxed, efficiency, flexibility of
      behaviour, evening, rigidity of sleeping habits, vigorous, languidness,
      inveterate, flexibility of habits, neuroticism, extraversion, lie-scale, age and
      work experience. The subjective health complaints included: generally poor
      health, musculo-skeletal, respiratory and psychosomatic-digestive complaints, and
      digestive problems. Correlation and multiple regression analyses showed that in
      workers some personality features and patterns of behaviour were related to the
      subjective health complaints. More health complaints were placed by workers who
      were emotionally unstable, less relaxed, inefficient, rigid (e.g. unable to
      control the behavioral arousal level), hard-driving and competitive, speedy and
      impatient (A-types), rigid in sleeping and other life habits, languid, older and
      with longer shift work experience.

PMID- 1417500
TI  - [Levels and profiles of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Zenica in relation to
      the seasons].
AB  - Twelve polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were measured in samples of airborne
      particles collected in the town of Zenica in the Republic of Bosnia and
      Herzegovina every third or fourth day throughout the year. The concentrations
      were especially high in winter when in addition to permanent industrial emissions
      those from individual heating systems were also present and when owing to
      climatic and orographical circumstances temperature inversions occurred more
      frequently. The profiles of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons i.e. their ratios to
      benzo-a-pyrene did not demonstrate great seasonal variations with the exception
      of fluoranthene and pyrene. The mean annual concentrations (winter to summer
      concentration ratios) were higher than in the areas where there was no permanent
      source of emissions.

PMID- 1417501
TI  - [Respiratory symptoms and pulmonary ventilating capacity in professional drivers
      and mechanics].
AB  - The prevalence of respiratory symptoms and ventilatory capacity were studied in
      116 drives and 119 mechanics. The drivers and mechanics demonstrated a
      significantly higher prevalence of most chronic respiratory symptoms than control
      workers. Among drivers smokers there was a significantly higher prevalence of
      most chronic respiratory symptoms than among non-smoking drivers. Drivers and
      mechanics with more than 10 years of service also showed a higher prevalence of
      respiratory symptoms than those employed for less than 10 years. A certain number
      of subjects complained of acute symptoms during work shift. All ventilatory
      capacity tests, particularly FEF25, demonstrated lower values in comparison to
      predicted normal values. Our data for drivers and mechanics indicate that long
      term employment, particularly in combination with smoking, may cause the
      development of respiratory symptoms and changes in lung function.

PMID- 1417502
TI  - [The position and role of occupational medicine and specific health care of
      workers].
AB  - Specific care for workers' health has been largely deficient during the past
      decade, despite the existing legislation. Consequently, the protection of
      workers' health has been seriously endangered, with the resultant long-term
      damage. The main reasons for this were the absence of clearly defined
      responsibilities regarding the financing and execution of the specific health
      care measures as well as lack of penalty for their non-implementation. As a
      result, there was indifference on the part of enterprises, indifference and
      inadequate organization of occupational health services as executors of the
      specific health care measures, and indulgence on the part of the court,
      inspecting services and other competent bodies. The situation could be helped
      only if a completely different approach, suited to the market economy, were
      adopted. The State should prescribe only the general rules, while the carrying
      out of specific health care should, with rare exceptions, be left to the
      interested parties, enterprises in the first place, and to the law of supply and
      demand. Naturally, such approach can be successful only in the legal State where
      the ownership of enterprises and professional services is strictly defined and
      the court and inspection services are free to act independently. Only then will
      the responsibility of the owners in respect to the breaking of rules, impairing
      workers' health and unprofessional work of health and other personnel be raised
      to an appropriately high level. In such an environment the place and role of
      occupational health activity as well as its name are bound to see a radical
      change.

PMID- 1417503
TI  - [Evaluation of the quality of life of disabled workers based on the most
      frequently used type of health care].
AB  - An investigation was conducted among the dock workers from the port of Rijeka,
      where disabled workers made 13.1% of the total number of the employed. The most
      common causes of disablement were musculo-skeletal and connective tissue diseases
      (27%), injuries (20%) and diseases of the nervous and circulatory systems (13%).
      Chronic diseases in these workers whose mean age was 43.8 years were twice as
      frequent as in other workers (mean age 39.7 years). The average working span of
      disabled workers was 12.2 years, compared to 8.9 years of the rest of the working
      population. Analysis showed that in the year after disability assessment, workers
      with reduced working capacity visited their physicians 2.1 and specialists 1.7
      times less often than the other workers. In general, the rate of absenteeism in
      the year following the assessment of disability was reduced 3.5 times. All the
      differences were very significant, (P < 0.01). Results lead to the conclusion
      that medical and social rehabilitation of disabled workers as well as their
      integration into the working environment were very successful, which undoubtedly
      had a positive impact on the quality of their life.

PMID- 1417504
TI  - [Recommendations in relation to shift work].
AB  - The purpose of the recommendations is to decrease as much as possible
      physiological, psychological and social problems connected with shift work. To
      achieve this goal working hours should be organized to take account of shift
      workers' tolerance to shift work. When recruiting new shift workers certain
      personal characteristics that make work in any shift work system inadvisable
      should be checked. As shift work can be considered to be an additional load,
      shift workers' health requires regular checking-up. If there are signs of health
      impairment, the workers should be removed from night shift work permanently or at
      least temporarily. The shift workers' free time should be arranged so as to
      facilitate recovery from shift work, especially after night shift. To decrease
      the workload during the night shift, if possible, workers should be given
      opportunity to take naps during work.

PMID- 1417505
TI  - [The effect of aluminum on human health].
AB  - The paper aims at reviewing recent knowledge of the pathophysiological mechanisms
      involved in aluminium poisoning which is often manifested as anaemia, osteopathy
      and encephalopathy. In order to clarify the mechanisms of aluminium toxicity its
      metabolism and ways of human exposure are also described. The immunosuppressive
      effect as well as certain anticarcinogenic effects of aluminium are still
      insufficiently well known. It is pointed out that different chemical elements can
      exert a protective action during aluminium poisoning.

PMID- 1417506
TI  - Myotonia fluctuans.

PMID- 1417507
TI  - Cognitive function in late Lyme borreliosis.

PMID- 1417508
TI  - Regional cerebral oxygen consumption, blood flow, and blood volume in healthy
      human aging.
AB  - Using high-resolution positron emission tomography and the oxygen 15 continuous
      inhalation method, we examined the changes in cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen,
      blood flow, blood volume, and oxygen extraction fraction as a function of age in
      25 optimally healthy, unmedicated volunteers who ranged in age from 20 to 68
      years. Subjects were strictly selected for absence of cerebrovascular risk
      factors, dementia, or mental disorders; they had neither biological nor clinical
      abnormalities, and no focal anomaly on computed tomographic scan. Regions of
      interest were determined according to the anatomical structures defined on
      corresponding computed tomographic scan cuts obtained using a stereotaxic head
      positioning method. This same method was also used for positron emission
      tomographic imaging. There was no significant effect of aging on PaCO2 values,
      hematocrit, arterial blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and
      blood glucose levels. In most cerebral cortex gyri, the cerebral metabolic rate
      of oxygen significantly decreased with age according to a linear pattern, with
      the same magnitude (about -6% per decade) in all four lobes and on both sides.
      This effect of age on cortical cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen persisted when
      the possible influence of cortical atrophy, gender, and head size were partialled
      out. In contrast, the white matter, deep gray nuclei, thalamus, and cerebellum
      were not significantly affected. The cerebral blood volume declined with a
      similar pattern to cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen, while changes in cerebral
      blood flow were less significant, presumably because of larger variance of data
      across subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1417509
TI  - Neurocognitive effects of aluminum.
AB  - The neurocognitive effects of aluminum (Al) were studied in 35 hemodialysis
      patients. Higher Al levels were associated with a decline in visual memory. As Al
      levels increased, patients with lower vocabulary scores (a measure of premorbid
      intelligence) showed a decline in attention/concentration, frontal lobe
      functions, and on several neurocognitive measures, while those with higher
      vocabulary scores revealed no Al-related decline. These results suggest that
      individuals with lower verbal intelligence may possess less well-developed
      compensatory strategies to overcome the neurocognitive effects associated with
      Al. These data also indicate that Al is neurotoxic and, therefore, potential
      sources of environmental Al should be identified and eliminated.

PMID- 1417510
TI  - Parietal pseudothalamic pain syndrome. Clinical features and anatomic correlates.
AB  - We studied six patients who developed spontaneous hemibody pain following lesions
      of the parietal lobe. The pain was characterized as burning or icelike, and was
      associated with impairment of pin and temperature appreciation. Computed
      tomographic scanning showed that the common area of involvement in all cases was
      the white matter deep to both the caudal insula and the opercular region of the
      posterior parietal cortex. We suggest that disruption of the interconnections
      between these cerebral cortical areas (including the second somatosensory
      representation, SII) and the thalamus, particularly the intralaminar and
      ventroposterior nuclei, may be responsible for producing a thalamocortical
      disconnection syndrome with spontaneous pain as its clinical manifestation.

PMID- 1417511
TI  - Neurologic signs in Alzheimer's disease. Results of a prospective clinical and
      neuropathologic study.
AB  - Neurologic signs and their neuropathologic correlates were examined in a sample
      of 56 patients with autopsy-proved Alzheimer's disease (13 men, 43 women; mean
      age at death, 83.1 years; range, 67 to 96 years) from a prospective longitudinal
      study. Full-range regular rigidity with cog-wheeling was found in 20 patients and
      was significantly associated with lower neuron counts in the substantia nigra and
      with the presence of Lewy bodies in the brain stem and neocortex. Twelve patients
      with myoclonus had a younger age at onset, a lower age at death (mean, 78.6
      years), and lower neuron counts in the serotoninergic dorsal raphe nucleus and in
      the noradrenergic locus coeruleus than did the patients without myoclonus.
      Generalized motor seizures were reported in six patients, and they had
      significantly lower counts of pyramidal cells in cortical layers III through IV
      of the parietal cortex (area 7) and slightly decreased pyramidal cell numbers in
      the parahippocampal gyrus (area 28). The 19 patients with a positive grasp reflex
      had an earlier onset of illness and a significantly inferior performance on the
      Mini-Mental State examination and Cambridge Cognitive Examination tests. They,
      and 25 patients with a positive snout reflex, had significantly lower counts of
      large pyramidal cells in layers III through V of the frontal cortex (area 32).
      These results indicate that different neurologic symptoms in Alzheimer's disease
      can be related to disproportionate neuronal degeneration in functionally
      different brain areas.

PMID- 1417512
TI  - Matching-to-sample deficits in patients with senile dementias of the Alzheimer
      and Lewy body types.
AB  - Using a computerized matching-to-sample task, nonverbal visual recognition memory
      was studied in two groups of patients suffering from senile dementia of the
      Alzheimer type or the recently described senile dementia of the Lewy body type.
      The patients' cognitive abilities had been shown to be similar according to a
      number of standard psychometric tests. The two groups did not differ with respect
      to simultaneous matching-to-sample performance, although both were impaired
      relative to control. The group with senile dementia of the Lewy body type was
      severely impaired, relative to the group with senile dementia of the Alzheimer
      type, when delays (delayed matching to sample) were introduced. The findings
      suggest that short-term mnemonic processes, mediated by temporal lobe structures,
      could be more severely affected in senile dementia of the Lewy body type.

PMID- 1417513
TI  - Contributions of the left intralaminar and medial thalamic nuclei to memory.
      Comparisons and report of a case.
AB  - A patient complained of memory disturbance after a small left thalamic
      infarction. Neuropsychological testing revealed her memory to be normal provided
      that she was allowed to rehearse or use semantic encoding strategies. When these
      strategies were prevented, her performance was impaired. Mapping of the lesion
      demonstrated involvement of the caudal intralaminar nuclei (centre median and
      parafascicular nuclei), and portions of the medial nuclei (medioventral
      [reuniens], centromedial, and the most inferior aspect of the mediodorsal
      nucleus). The majority of mediodorsal nucleus, the mammillary bodies, the
      mammillothalamic tract, and the anterior thalamic nuclei, were spared. A
      comparison among our patient's performances and those of alcoholic Korsakoff
      patients, patient NA, and amnestic patients with circumscribed diencephalic
      lesions suggests that there are two distinct behavioral and anatomic types of
      memory impairment associated with diencephalic lesions. The severe amnesia
      associated with damage to the mammillary bodies, midline nuclei, mammillothalamic
      tract, and/or dorsomedial nucleus of the thalamus (eg, Korsakoff and NA) is
      characterized by encoding deficits that never approximate normal performance. The
      memory disturbance associated with damage to the intralaminar and medial nuclei
      of the thalamus is milder and is characterized by severe distractibility.

PMID- 1417514
TI  - Gist recall in multiple sclerosis.
AB  - This study examined gist recall (memory for important story ideas) in patients
      with multiple sclerosis. Twelve patients with clinically probable or definite
      multiple sclerosis and 10 neurologically intact control subjects were read prose
      passages from the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised Logical Memory subtest. The idea
      units from these passages contained low, medium, and high information content to
      the stories. In comparison with the control subjects, the patients recalled fewer
      total elements over immediate and delayed conditions. However, similar to
      controls, they recalled more ideas that were of high rather than low or medium
      importance. These results suggest that semantic sensitivity to important ideas of
      narratives is a relatively preserved feature in multiple sclerosis.

PMID- 1417515
TI  - Humoral and cellular immunologic study of cerebrospinal fluid in a patient with
      Behcet encephalitis.
AB  - To study the immunopathogenesis of neuro-Behcet syndrome, we performed serial
      cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examinations in a patient with Behcet's syndrome and
      involvement of the central nervous system. Before and after immunosuppressive
      treatment, we measured the CSF indexes of immunoglobulins (Ig), and the third
      (C3) and the fourth (C4) component of complement, and quantified immune complexes
      and lymphocyte subsets in CSF and peripheral blood. During active encephalitis,
      humoral abnormalities were intrathecal production of IgM and, to a lesser degree,
      IgG and IgA, presence of immune complexes in CSF but not in peripheral blood,
      intrathecal C3 production, and elevated CSF C3 and C4 concentrations; lymphocyte
      subset analysis showed an increased CSF CD8+ T-cell percentage, in combination
      with slightly increased PB CD3+ and CD8+ T-cell subsets. After effective
      immunosuppressive treatment, humoral and cellular CSF values were normal. We
      conclude that intrathecally produced immunoglobulins, immune complexes, and C3 as
      well as CD8+ T cells are likely to participate in the development of Behcet
      encephalitis.

PMID- 1417516
TI  - Central nervous system involvement in the eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome.
AB  - A patient with eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome developed progressive central
      nervosa system involvement that did not improve despite discontinuation of L
      tryptophan therapy. Neurologic impairment was manifested initially by spastic
      monoparesis, which was improved by treatment with methyl-prednisolone and
      hydroxyurea. Recurrence of weakness was accompanied by gait ataxia, dysphagia,
      and complaints of a gradual decline in memory and concentration.
      Neuropsychological testing identified a broad pattern of cognitive deficits
      suggestive of a subcortical dementia, and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated
      multiple high-signal lesions in the white matter. Cognitive deficits appear to be
      underrecognized in patients with the eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome. The response
      of our patient's initial symptoms to corticosteroid therapy suggests a possible
      role for autoimmune mechanisms in the pathogenesis of central nervous system
      involvement in the eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome. Neuropsychological evaluation
      should be performed in patients with cognitive complaints to delineate the full
      spectrum of central nervous system impairment associated with the eosinophilia
      myalgia syndrome.

PMID- 1417517
TI  - Longitudinal neurophysiologic studies in a patient with metachromatic
      leukodystrophy following bone marrow transplantation.
AB  - We describe a girl with late infantile metachromatic leukodystrophy. The patient
      has been followed up with serial neurologic and neurophysiologic examinations for
      8 years following bone marrow transplantation, which she underwent when she was 4
      3/4 years old. Her older sister died from metachromatic leukodystrophy at the age
      of 8 years, whereas our patient has retained significant cognitive and motor
      skills. Serial neurophysiologic studies initially demonstrated continued
      deterioration after the bone marrow transplantation, but since then, most results
      have remained stable or improved. Although, to our knowledge, there have been no
      previous serial studies of metachromatic leukodystrophy, individual case studies
      suggest that these findings in our patient are very unusual. With the advent of
      possible treatment for this condition, there is a need for further serial
      neurophysiologic studies to characterize the natural progression and the possible
      detection of progression or reversal with treatment.

PMID- 1417518
TI  - The importance of visual feedback on the accuracy of jaw and finger positioning
      in man.
AB  - The anatomical position of the mandible means that direct visual feedback is not
      possible. To clarify the role of visual information, several jaw- and finger
      positioning tasks were designed, both in a 'free-movement' and an 'isolated' (arm
      or head fixed) state, with or without a visual feedback display of the target
      position. The subjects had to position the mandible or the index finger of the
      preferred hand on to a movable metal bar and to maintain a defined position
      coinciding with the target level provided on an oscilloscope screen. The position
      signal was tape recorded and computer analysed off-line. Digital filtering
      differentiated between the drift and the oscillations around the target (root
      mean square). The results demonstrated a lack of precision in the free-movement,
      finger-positioning task after withdrawal of visual feedback. For jaw opening and
      closing muscles, position control was less impaired when a visual feedback
      display was abolished. It was suggested that the efficiency of jaw positioning is
      not primarily determined by visual feedback.

PMID- 1417519
TI  - Mathematical definition of the curve of Spee in permanent healthy dentitions in
      man.
AB  - The intrinsic morphology of the mandibular curve of Spee (i.e. independent from
      reference planes) was studied in 50 men and 45 women with sound dentitions. Left
      and right curves were reconstructed by a second-order quadratic interpolation of
      buccal cusp tips. Gender differences were found in both sides, while side
      differences were found only in the male sample. Male and female curves had
      similar concavities, but the position of the interpolating second-order quadratic
      curve relative to the dental arch was significantly different. The right and left
      male sides showed different concavities, the right-hand side being flatter than
      the left. Male curves appeared larger than female ones, and the left-hand side
      was significantly larger than the right regardless of gender. The reported second
      order quadratic curves could be used as reference for prosthetic and orthodontic
      reconstructions.

PMID- 1417520
TI  - Changes in protein kinase C activity in rat calvarial bone cells cultured in a
      low-calcium environment.
AB  - This enzyme activity was examined in bone cells cultured for 8-10 days; the
      calcium concentration was 1.87 +/- 0.05 (n = 10) mM in the control medium and
      0.34 +/- 0.02 (n = 10) mM in the low-calcium medium. The activity was
      significantly lower in the low-calcium group than in the control (p less than
      0.01). The cytosolic fraction decreased more than the membranous fraction. After
      restoration to a regular calcium environment, the protein kinase C activity
      recovered rapidly to near the control value. The extent of recovery was greater
      in the membranous than in the cytosolic fraction. These results suggest that the
      enzyme was inhibited in bone cells placed in a low-calcium environment, while the
      sensitivity in the membrane was enhanced.

PMID- 1417521
TI  - Serum antibody responses in human periodontitis to cellular components of
      Capnocytophaga.
AB  - Serum levels of IgM, IgG and IgG-antibody subclasses directed against cell
      envelopes, lipopolysaccharides and cytoplasmic fractions from Capnocytophaga
      sputigena, C. gingivalis and C. ochracea were examined in age-, race- and sex
      matched periodontally healthy (n = 25) subjects and subjects with adult
      periodontitis (n = 25). The envelopes and cytoplasmic fractions were obtained by
      ballistic disintegration of the cells and ultracentrifugation. Cell envelopes
      were treated with DNase, RNase and lysozyme. Lipopolysaccharides were obtained by
      hot phenol-water extraction and treated with DNase and RNase. The relative levels
      of the antibodies in response to the cell fractions were measured by the
      streptavidinbiotin micro enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Both groups showed
      IgM and IgG antibodies to each fraction of the three Capnocytophaga species, but
      the frequency of positive IgG subclass responses varied. The IgG4 responses were
      lower than the other subclasses. There were no significant differences between
      the IgM antibody levels of the two groups. However, the adult periodontitis group
      had significantly lower IgG antibody titres to the cell envelopes and cytoplasmic
      fractions of C. gingivalis and C. ochracea, and lipopolysaccharide of C.
      gingivalis. These results were reflected in the depressed levels of IgG1 and/or
      IgG2 to these cellular fractions from the same bacterial species. The adult
      periodontitis group also showed a lower level of IgG1 to the cytoplasmic
      fractions of C. sputigena without any depression in the total IgG antibody level.
      There were no significant differences between the groups in IgG3 and IgG4
      antibody levels to any of the cellular fractions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1417522
TI  - The effect of dietary factors on intradentinal dye penetration in the rat.
AB  - Fluorescent dye injected systemically into rats penetrated the dentinal tubules
      of molar teeth in a dynamic fashion. The presence of dye was established using
      histological and fluorescence microscopy techniques. The rate of intradentinal
      dye penetration was dependent on dietary factors: it was high in rats chronically
      fed Purina rat chow and low in rats fed a cariogenic, high-sucrose diet. In
      addition, parotidectomized rats showed low levels of intradentinal dye
      penetration, even though they were maintained on Purina chow. One and 2 ml of
      plasma from Purina-fed rats were effective in stimulating the dye penetration in
      intact and parotidectomized rats, whereas 2 and 4 ml of plasma from rats fed a
      high-sucrose diet were ineffective when infused in either intact or
      parotidectomized animals. The results suggest that rats fed Purina chow have a
      significantly higher titre of a circulating, dye penetration stimulating factor
      than animals fed a high sucrose diet. This circulating factor could be the
      equivalent of the parotid hormone isolated from porcine tissue. It is suggested
      that dietary factors may affect secretion of a parotid hormone and thereby
      regulate the rate of dentinal fluid movement. There is therefore the prospect of
      a functional relationship between diet, the regulation of dentinal fluid flow by
      an endocrine system and dental health.

PMID- 1417523
TI  - Stimulation by interleukin-1 of interleukin-6 production by human periodontal
      ligament cells.
AB  - Interleukin-1(IL-1), a cytokine present in the gingiva and crevicular fluid of
      patients with periodontitis and in the periodontal ligament (PDL) of
      experimentally moved teeth, has multiple biological activities, including the
      ability to elicit bone resorption. Interleukin-6, also found in the gingiva of
      patients with periodontitis, may induce osteoclastic bone resorption through an
      effect on osteoclastogenesis. Here IL-6 production and its gene expression in
      response to recombinant IL-1 beta were examined in primary cultures of PDL cells.
      IL-1 beta stimulated IL-6 production by these cells in a dose- and time-dependent
      manner; this increase in IL-6 production was much higher than that in human
      gingival fibroblasts. In situ hybridization, using a synthetic oligonucleotide
      DNA probe of the IL-6 gene, revealed that most PDL cells expressed IL-6 mRNA in
      response to IL-1 beta treatment. The finding that IL-6 is produced by PDL cells
      and is regulated by IL-1 beta has revealed a potentially important mechanism for
      controlling alveolar bone resorption.

PMID- 1417524
TI  - Plasminogen activators in normal and malignant oral epithelium in vivo and in
      vitro.
AB  - Urokinase-type (uPA) and tissue-type (tPA) plasminogen activators were identified
      by fibrinolytic autography in the sulcus epithelium of human gingival mucosa but
      not in the orthokeratinized gingival epithelium. Fibrinolytic activity was
      present only over blood vessels in frozen sections of oral squamous cell
      carcinomas, the malignant epithelial cells showing no plasminogen activator
      activity. Plasminogen activators could not be demonstrated in either the sulcus
      or gingival epithelium by immunofluorescence, but both uPA and tPA were found in
      occasional squamous carcinoma cells. Fibrinolytic activity of culture fluids from
      epithelial explants grown in vitro from human gingival mucosa showed marked
      variation, but activity was much higher in the culture supernatants than in the
      cell lysates. Fibrinolytic activity of culture fluids from epithelial explants of
      squamous cell carcinomas was low both in supernatants and lysates. Zymogram
      overlays of sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide electrophoretic gels from
      culture supernatants showed that the low fibrinolytic activity of culture
      supernatants of oral squamous cell carcinomas was due to the associated presence
      of plasminogen activator inhibitors. The fibrinolytic activity in the zymogram
      was due predominantly to uPA but some lysis was due also to tPA.

PMID- 1417525
TI  - Changes in the lectin-binding of capillaries in rat salivary glands after
      streptozotocin-induced diabetes.
AB  - The lectin-horseradish peroxidase conjugate of GSA I-B4 (Griffonia simplicifolia
      isolectin) has some binding affinity with capillary walls in sections of the
      major salivary glands from normal rats. After inducing diabetes with
      streptozotocin a conspicuous increase in the staining intensity with GSA I-B4 was
      already evident in parotid capillaries at 3 weeks and this increase persisted at
      3 and 6 months. In submandibular capillaries, however, an increased uptake of GSA
      I-B4 was evident only at 6 months after inducing diabetes. The reasons for these
      different time scales in the two glands are not known but the increased uptake of
      GSA I-B4, which is due to an increase in carbohydrate-containing sites with
      available terminal alpha-D-galactose, is considered to reflect a pathological
      change.

PMID- 1417526
TI  - Optic neuritis or anterior ischemic optic neuropathy?

PMID- 1417527
TI  - Peribulbar injection and direct infiltration for vitreoretinal surgery.

PMID- 1417528
TI  - Solitary hypopigmented nevus of the retinal pigment epithelium in the macula.

PMID- 1417529
TI  - Conjunctival prolapse following craniofacial surgery.

PMID- 1417530
TI  - Treatment of a massive orbital-capillary hemangioma with interferon alfa-2b:
      short-term results.

PMID- 1417531
TI  - Spontaneous peeling of an idiopathic epiretinal membrane in a young patient.

PMID- 1417532
TI  - Brown's superior oblique tendon syndrome after Baerveldt glaucoma implant.

PMID- 1417533
TI  - Fat adherence simulating inferior oblique palsy following blepharoplasty.

PMID- 1417535
TI  - The importance of temporal artery biopsy in the diagnosis of giant cell
      arteritis.

PMID- 1417534
TI  - Physicians are using practice parameters.

PMID- 1417536
TI  - Making sense of keratospeak. IV. Classification of refractive surgery, 1992.

PMID- 1417537
TI  - The collaborative corneal transplantation studies (CCTS). Effectiveness of
      histocompatibility matching in high-risk corneal transplantation. The
      Collaborative Corneal Transplantation Studies Research Group.
AB  - The Collaborative Corneal Transplantation Studies (CCTS) were designed to
      evaluate the effect of donor-recipient histocompatibility matching and
      crossmatching on the survival of corneal transplants in high-risk patients.
      Corneas were allocated to the 419 patients in the double-masked Antigen Matching
      Study on the basis of serologically defined HLA-A, -B and HLA-DR antigen match.
      ABO blood group compatibility was determined but not used for recipient
      selection. The 37 patients in the Crossmatch Study were randomly assigned to
      receive a cornea from either a positively or negatively crossmatched donor. All
      patients received topical steroid therapy according to a standard protocol.
      Matching for HLA-A, -B and HLA-DR antigens had no effect on overall graft
      survival, the incidence of irreversible rejection, or the incidence of rejection
      episodes. At 3 years after surgery, the estimated proportion of eyes with graft
      failure was 41% for the ABO-incompatible group and 31% for the ABO-compatible
      group (relative risk, 1.43; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 2.06). The estimated
      proportion of eyes with failure from rejection by 3 years was 30% for the ABO
      incompatible group and 16% for the ABO-compatible group (relative risk, 1.98; 95%
      confidence interval, 1.25 to 3.13). The positive group in the Crossmatch Study
      had fewer graft failures, rejection failures, and rejection episodes than the
      negative group; however, these differences were not statistically significant.
      These studies demonstrate that, for high-risk patients who are immunosuppressed
      by topical steroid therapy and followed up according to the CCTS protocol: (1)
      neither HLA-A, -B nor HLA-DR antigen matching substantially reduces the
      likelihood of corneal graft failure; (2) a positive donor-recipient crossmatch
      does not dramatically increase the risk of corneal graft failure; and (3) ABO
      blood group matching, which can be achieved with relatively little effort and
      expense, may be effective in reducing the risk of graft failure.

PMID- 1417539
TI  - Changing trends in the indications for penetrating keratoplasty.
AB  - The indications for penetrating keratoplasty have changed over the past several
      years. Nine hundred ninety-nine penetrating keratoplasty specimens from 1981
      through 1990 were analyzed. Overall, keratoconus was the most common indication
      for penetrating keratoplasty (24.2%). This was followed by pseudophakic bullous
      keratopathy (23.0%), regraft (13.1%), scarring (8.2%), and Fuchs' endothelial
      dystrophy (5.8%). Pseudophakic bullous keratopathy was the most common indication
      for penetrating keratoplasty in each year from 1984 through 1989 with a peak in
      1987 (33%). Since 1987, the number of pseudophakic bullous keratopathy cases has
      decreased; and in 1990, keratoconus (33.1%) surpassed pseudophakic bullous
      keratopathy (24.1%) as the most common indication for penetrating keratoplasty.
      This decreasing incidence of pseudophakic bullous keratopathy may reflect the
      discontinued use of closed-looped anterior chamber and iris-plane intraocular
      lenses most commonly associated with this complication.

PMID- 1417538
TI  - A randomized, prospective, double-masked clinical trial of Optisol vs DexSol
      corneal storage media.
AB  - We compared Optisol and DexSol, two chondroitin-sulfate-based media for corneal
      storage at 4 degrees C, by transplanting 31 donor cornea pairs (one cornea stored
      in Optisol and its mate in DexSol for 20 to 134 hours) into 31 pairs of
      recipients (62 patients). All grafts were clear 1 year after transplantation
      except for one primary donor failure (Optisol group). Optisol-stored corneas were
      significantly thinner than DexSol-stored corneas after cardinal suture placement
      (0.64 mm vs 0.76 mm) and at the end of surgery (0.69 mm vs 0.78 mm); at all
      points afterward through 1 year the two groups did not differ. The activity of
      two lysosomal enzymes released into the media during storage, alpha-mannosidase
      and alpha-glucosidase, was lower in the Optisol group. Epithelial status and all
      endothelial morphometric parameters, except the figure coefficient at 1 year, did
      not differ between the two groups before surgery and 3, 6, and 12 months after
      surgery. Mean endothelial cell loss at 1 year was 15% for the Optisol group and
      21% for the DexSol group (P = .22). Thus, Optisol-stored corneas were thinner
      during surgery than DexSol-stored corneas and there was less lysosomal enzyme
      activity in the Optisol medium after tissue storage. There were no significant
      differences in postoperative clinical or endothelial morphometric parameters,
      however.

PMID- 1417540
TI  - Computer-assisted corneal topography in parents of patients with keratoconus.
AB  - Recently developed computer-assisted devices allow detection of early topographic
      abnormalities of the cornea, including mild or abortive forms of keratoconus. To
      address the possibility that keratoconus is an inherited condition, we examined
      both parents of 12 randomly selected patients with keratoconus whom we were
      following up. Of the 12 sets of parents, at least one parent in each of seven
      sets had abnormal corneal characteristics. Using previously determined
      quantitative criteria (eg, central corneal steepening, greater steepening
      inferiorly than superiorly, and asymmetry between the two eyes) to distinguish
      normal from keratoconic corneas we found evidence of keratoconus in at least one
      of the 14 parents. The remaining five patients had parents with normal corneal
      characteristics. These data support the hypothesis that keratoconus is sometimes
      an inherited condition, exhibiting, at least in some families, autosomal dominant
      inheritance with incomplete penetrance.

PMID- 1417541
TI  - Unexpected cyclotropia simulating disruption of fusion.
AB  - Fifteen patients with diplopia associated with prior scleral buckling, prior
      penetrating keratoplasty, severe corneal scarring, monocular aphakia, long
      standing strabismus, or prior vertical offsets of the horizontal recti were
      thought to have disruption of fusion because diplopia could not be eliminated
      with prisms. They were each found to have a substantial symptomatic cyclotropia
      unassociated with an obvious dysfunction of an oblique muscle. In 13 patients,
      diplopia resolved after the cyclotropia was corrected surgically.

PMID- 1417542
TI  - 'V' esotropia and excyclotropia after surgery for bilateral fourth nerve palsy.
AB  - Six patients had residual diplopia at near in the downgaze position after surgery
      for bilateral fourth nerve palsy. They all showed a large excyclotropia in the
      downgaze position that was associated with a "V"-pattern esotropia and could not
      fuse in the reading position because of the size of the excyclotropia. They were
      treated with bilateral recessions of the inferior recti, which resulted in an
      expansion of the single binocular field of vision in downgaze, with an
      elimination of diplopia in the reading position. None experienced a deterioration
      in their alignment in the primary position.

PMID- 1417543
TI  - Radiation therapy of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related Kaposi's sarcoma
      of the eyelids and conjunctiva.
AB  - We retrospectively studied 42 men with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related
      Kaposi's sarcoma of the conjunctiva or eyelids who were treated with radiation.
      Forty-nine sites were treated, 35 (71%) of which involved the eyelids, 12 (24%)
      the conjunctiva, and two (4%) both the eyelids and conjunctiva. Group 1 consisted
      of 31 sites treated with a single dose of 800 cGy and group 2 consisted of 18
      sites treated with a multiple-fraction regimen and total doses between 1500 and
      3600 cGy. The response and recurrence rates in the two groups were similar. One
      patient from group 2 died within 1 month of treatment and was not included in the
      analysis. The lesions improved in all cases. A complete response was obtained in
      10 (32%) of the 31 lesions in group 1, compared with four (22%) of 18 lesions in
      group 2. A partial response was obtained in 21 (68%) of 31 lesions in group 1,
      compared with 13 (72%) of 18 lesions in group 2. Expected minor reactions in the
      treatment field, primarily loss of cilia, were comparable in the two groups. No
      serious complications were noted. Recurrence occurred in seven (22%) of the 31
      sites in group 1 (six patients) and seven (39%) of the 18 sites in group 2 (six
      patients). The results suggest that a single treatment of 800 cGy is a safe and
      effective palliative therapy for ophthalmic acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
      related Kaposi's sarcoma.

PMID- 1417544
TI  - Ischemic macular edema. Recognition and favorable natural history in branch vein
      occlusion.
AB  - Eyes with macular edema caused by retinal branch vein occlusion underwent masked
      evaluation of fluorescein angiography to determine complete macular perfusion vs
      incomplete macular perfusion (capillary dropout, ischemia). Cases evaluated as
      incomplete macular perfusion showed a greater frequency of improvement (91%) in
      visual acuity than did perfused cases (29%) (P = .003) after a mean follow-up of
      39 months. Ischemic edema is often transient, and is associated with a good
      outcome in visual acuity (median final visual acuity was 20/30). Perfused macular
      edema has a poorer prognosis for visual acuity (median final visual acuity was
      20/80). Macular ischemia is usually associated with a broken foveal capillary
      ring. Previous animal research on ischemic brain edema has shown that following
      brain ischemia, an intracellular and an extracellular hypertonic environment lead
      to intracellular and extracellular edema (cytotoxic edema), which is often
      followed by vascular protein leakage (vasogenic edema). A similar occurrence in
      ischemic retina could explain the transient edema reported herein, with good
      outcome in visual acuity following the spontaneous resolution of edema.

PMID- 1417545
TI  - Endophthalmitis caused by gram-negative organisms.
AB  - The medical records of 52 patients (53 eyes) with culture-proven gram-negative
      endophthalmitis between January 1982 and December 1990 were reviewed. Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa (23% [12/53]) and Haemophilus influenzae (19% [10/53]) were the most
      frequent isolates in this series. Overall, 26 (49%) of 53 treated patients
      achieved 20/400 or better visual acuity. Fifty-two (98%) of the original 53 gram
      negative isolates were sensitive to the aminoglycoside antibiotics. To determine
      their sensitivity to recently developed antibiotics, 35 of the isolates were
      again grown on culture media and their sensitivities to ceftazidime,
      ciprofloxacin, and imipenem were obtained. Only ceftazidime demonstrated in vitro
      efficacy for all the organisms tested.

PMID- 1417546
TI  - Intraocular lymphoma. Immunopathologic analysis of vitreous biopsy specimens.
AB  - Immunologic analysis of cell surface markers (immunophenotyping) has become a
      standard procedure in the evaluation of systemic lymphomas. However, attempts to
      apply these techniques to intraocular lymphoma have not been uniformly
      successful. We successfully immunophenotyped five consecutive cases of
      intraocular lymphoma using immunoperoxidase surface marker analysis of
      cytocentrifuged specimens in two cases and flow cytometry in three. In all five
      cases, a monoclonal B-cell population was unequivocally present. Contrary to
      previous reports, we found surface marker analysis of vitreous biopsy specimens
      to be helpful in the diagnosis and treatment of intraocular lymphoma. Not only
      did it support the cytologic diagnosis but it allowed comparison of the
      immunophenotype of vitreous infiltrates with that of previous or subsequent
      lymphomatous lesions from nonocular sites.

PMID- 1417547
TI  - Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy. A risk factor for childhood
      strabismus.
AB  - Strabismus is a common ophthalmologic disorder in children that can result in
      permanent visual loss. A population-based case-control study was conducted to
      investigate the association between childhood strabismus and prenatal risk
      factors including maternal smoking. All incident cases of strabismus diagnosed
      during a 21-month period, from January 1, 1985, to September 30, 1986, in nine
      metropolitan area pediatric ophthalmology centers were selected for study (n =
      377). Controls were children born on the same day and in the same hospital as the
      cases (n = 377). Data collection included an interview with the biologic mother
      and abstraction of obstetric and neonatal birth records. Cigarette smoking was
      associated with esotropia and but not exotropia for those women who smoked
      throughout pregnancy (odds ratio, 1.8, 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 2.8, and
      odds ratio, 1.4, 95% confidence interval, 0.6 to 3.1, respectively). The relative
      risk for strabismus was not elevated for women who quit smoking before pregnancy
      or during pregnancy, nor was there evidence of a dose response. The effect of
      maternal smoking on risk of esotropia was modified by birth weight and
      gestational age. The association of maternal smoking throughout pregnancy and
      esotropia was strongest for children who weighed less than 2500 g (odds ratio,
      8.2, 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 62.7) and 3500 g or more at birth (odds
      ratio, 5.6, 95% confidence interval, 2.1 to 15.4). Exposure to secondary smoke
      during pregnancy increased the risk of strabismus only when the mother smoked.

PMID- 1417548
TI  - Interactions between light and vitreous fluid substitutes.
AB  - To determine the interactions between light and vitreous fluid substitutes, we
      studied the absorption and fluorescence properties of the following fluids that
      are commonly used in vitreoretinal surgery: Ringer's solution, balanced salt
      citrate-buffered solution, balanced salt bicarbonate-buffered solution,
      hydroxypropyl methylcellulose ophthalmic solution, hyaluronate sodium,
      perfluorocarbons, silicone oil, and fluorosilicone oil. The absorption spectra
      for all the fluids peaked in the UV-C (reference range <280 nm) and UV-B
      (reference range from 315 to 280 nm) regions of the spectrum, with little or no
      absorption in the visible region of the spectrum (from 400 to 700 nm). Emission
      of almost all of the fluids occurred mainly in the 300- to 360-nm region, with
      fairly low-quantum efficiency. The limited light absorption properties of the
      fluids calls for caution during transpupillary and intraocular laser
      photocoagulation to avoid excessive retinal damage, mainly when the laser power
      is increased during treatment. Transmission of incoherent light (environmental
      and ophthalmic artificial light) through highly transparent vitreous fluid
      substitutes may lead in time to dangerous light exposure, particularly in aphakic
      eyes. The emitted fluorescence in these fluids generates a minimal risk of long
      term damage.

PMID- 1417550
TI  - Hansen's disease.

PMID- 1417549
TI  - Biochemical abnormalities in vitreous of humans with proliferative diabetic
      retinopathy.
AB  - Vitreous changes in diabetes can exacerbate proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
      These changes may be due to the effects of diabetes on vitreous collagen.
      Vitreous samples from 19 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy and 23
      patients without diabetes were analyzed for collagen crosslinks, as well as for
      the early glycation products, glucitolyllysine and glucitolylhydroxylysine.
      Fluorometry was performed to measure advanced glycation end products. Vitreous
      collagen derived from diabetic patients was found to have significantly higher
      levels of the crosslink dihydroxylysinonorleucine (3.15 vs 1.24 mol/mol collagen,
      P<.01) than that of control subjects. Early glycation products were elevated in
      diabetic vitreous (1.65 vs 0.54 mol/mol collagen, P<.05). Levels of advanced
      glycation end products were 20 times higher in diabetic vitreous compared with
      the vitreous of controls. These diabetes-induced alterations of human vitreous
      may be of particular importance given the role of vitreous in proliferative
      diabetic retinopathy and vision loss.

PMID- 1417551
TI  - Endocanalicular laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy. An anatomic study.
AB  - In human cadaver specimens, a laser fiberoptic was advanced through the
      canalicular systems to create fistulas between the nasolacrimal sac and nose. A
      400- to 600-microns, blunt-tipped quartz fiberoptic was then advanced through the
      upper and/or lower canaliculus to the medial aspect of the nasolacrimal sac.
      After 10 to 15 laser pulses (10 W for 0.1 second), a 2.5 x 2.5-mm fistula was
      created between the lacrimal sac and the nose just anterior and inferior to the
      middle turbinate. Additional laser pulses can further enlarge the fistula.
      Endocanalicular laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy has potential advantages
      compared with endonasal laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy, including the
      following: laser energy is directed away from the eye; the technique resembles
      standard nasolacrimal probing; and nasal endoscopy and instrumentation may prove
      unnecessary.

PMID- 1417552
TI  - Ophthalmology in Laos.
AB  - Laos, a small, landlocked nation of 4 million persons, has only recently begun
      modernization of its medical services, now a national priority. Five
      ophthalmologists and 11 cataract surgeons are responsible for the entire country.
      Tertiary care is available only at two centers; the first eye hospital opened in
      1990. Several voluntary organizations have recently become involved in assisting
      with the development of services.

PMID- 1417553
TI  - Medication review.

PMID- 1417554
TI  - Facial trauma. Assessment and treatment.
AB  - Management of facial trauma requires immediate attention to patency of the airway
      and to circulation. This article outlines an assessment procedure for patients
      with facial injuries and presents treatment guidelines.

PMID- 1417555
TI  - The normal development of teeth.
AB  - Even though a dental assessment is not often a part of a child's regular medical
      check up, an understanding of the normal dental development and its variations is
      a valuable diagnostic tool. Dental health is a part of total health, and there is
      a need for increased communication between medical and dental practitioners to
      achieve this goal (Figure 32).

PMID- 1417556
TI  - A management approach for temporomandibular disorders.
AB  - Conservative, non invasive and reversible treatment is possible and highly
      successful for most temporomandibular disorder patients. Unfortunately, at this
      time it is not possible to provide preventive therapy or predict an 'at risk'
      group. Perpetuating and aggravating factors can sometimes be identified and
      eliminated in patients suffering from a TMD. TMD treatment can also be of benefit
      for chronic headache patients. A logical approach to the management of TMJ
      disorders has been outlined that emphasises the principle of 'escalation of
      therapy'. This has the advantage of avoiding overtreatment and maintaining
      patient confidence if initial attempts fail.

PMID- 1417557
TI  - Oral ulceration.
AB  - Oral ulceration is a common problem. The presentation is often very similar,
      irrespective of the underlying cause. This paper illustrates some of the more
      commonly encountered forms of oral ulceration.

PMID- 1417558
TI  - Lifestyle change and cardiovascular disease. Principles and practice.
AB  - Changes in patients' lifestyles can be approached in a practical fashion by
      working through the relevant 'stages of change'. Helping patients to change their
      lifestyles does not have to be a very time-consuming process for the clinician,
      but it does require planning, and attention to those factors that are important
      at each stage of the process. Although this paper has a focus on lifestyle change
      for the reduction of CVD risk factors, the same principles can apply to lifestyle
      change and disease prevention for other disorders.

PMID- 1417559
TI  - Aerosol devices in the treatment of asthma. Technical and clinical factors.
AB  - Inhaled medications are capable of producing the best bronchial effect with
      fewest systemic side effects. Proper inhalation technique is critical if these
      devices are to be effective. Specific aspects of both the system and the inhaler
      technique used are critical in achieving optimal performance. Observation of each
      patient's inhaler technique is advised--it is not enough to merely give
      instructions or to simply discuss the therapy. Both efficacy and side effects are
      dose dependent; high doses of topical bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory drugs
      are appropriate for some patients. Protection against side effects may be
      achieved by gargling mouth and throat after use, or by using a spacing (holding)
      chamber. Long-term compliance with medication will be best if the number of doses
      used, and the side effects, are minimised.

PMID- 1417560
TI  - Temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Guidelines for patients.

PMID- 1417561
TI  - P wave abnormalities.

PMID- 1417562
TI  - Certification of asthma death by general practitioners.
AB  - Although asthma may be a prominent feature in many cases of terminal illness, it
      is often incorrectly named as the cause of death. It is difficult to assess
      asthma death in the older age groups where psychosocial factors are prominent.
      This review looks at the certification by general practitioners of 50 consecutive
      cases of asthma death.

PMID- 1417563
TI  - Pain in the face.
AB  - The outstanding cause of pain in the face is dental disease, but various
      neuralgias and infections such as maxillary sinusitis require consideration. A
      careful history and examination is the basis of diagnosis.

PMID- 1417564
TI  - Learning about research.

PMID- 1417565
TI  - Hormone replacement therapy.

PMID- 1417566
TI  - Never-ending stories.

PMID- 1417567
TI  - Practice grants: alms for the poor.

PMID- 1417568
TI  - Patient education. Establishing breastfeeding.

PMID- 1417569
TI  - A case of human bite.

PMID- 1417571
TI  - Bicycle helmet survey.

PMID- 1417570
TI  - Pathologists put their point of view.

PMID- 1417572
TI  - Euthanasia opposed.

PMID- 1417573
TI  - The hearing of the patients treated with hemodialysis: a long term follow-up
      study.
AB  - Sensorineural hearing loss is frequently found in the patients under the
      treatment with hemodialysis, but the responsible etiological factor(s) still
      remains controversial. The purpose of the present study was to determine by a
      long term follow-up study whether hemodialysis per se or other factors induce
      sensorineural hearing loss. Thirty-seven patients with the observation periods of
      4 years or longer were selected for the analysis. Hearing tests were performed
      soon after the initiation of hemodialysis and every 3 to 12 months thereafter.
      Significant hearing loss was found in 16 cases (31 ears) at the first test.
      Although 3 cases (5 ears) of the initially normal group and one case (2 ears) of
      the group with already existing hearing loss exhibited significant hearing loss,
      the change in the hearing level was quite minimal in remaining 67 ears during the
      observation period. Although the cochlea in patients under the treatment with
      hemodialysis is susceptible to various insults, we conclude that hemodialysis per
      se does no harm to the cochlea and the hearing can be maintained at the pre
      hemodialysis level in the majority of the cases.

PMID- 1417574
TI  - Basic study on the effect of nasally administered salmon calcitonin preparation
      on the nasal ciliary epithelium.
AB  - Nasal administration of drugs is an administration method which is worthy of
      attention. In such therapy, local administration should not damage the nasal
      mucous membranes. In the present study, we conducted an investigation by the
      tissue culture test method of the functional and morphological effects of new
      nasal calcitonin preparation, which is being developed as a nasal spray agent for
      osteoporosis, on the nasal ciliary epithelium. The nasal septal mucous membranes
      of C3H-strain mice were used, and 5 types of nasal calcitonin preparations with a
      microcrystalline cellulose base and additives added were used. The various drugs
      were added to nasal mucous membrane slices in RPMI-1640 culture medium; ciliary
      activity before addition and 0.5, 2, and 4 hr after was electrophotometrically
      measured; and morphological observation was then carried out by SEM. In the
      various additive groups, virtually no effect on ciliary activity was observed,
      and the same results were obtained when 3 and 9 times the estimated clinical
      spray dosage was added. Moreover, in morphological observation by SEM, in the
      various additive groups, no morphological changes in samples of nasal ciliary
      specimens were observed after 4 hr of culturing at the maximum administered
      dosage (9 times the estimated clinical spray dosage). Based on these findings, it
      was concluded that the series of calcitonin preparations with various additives
      had no hazardous effect on the nasal ciliary epithelium.

PMID- 1417575
TI  - NaOH cell maceration/scanning electron microscopic studies on the architecture of
      the lamina propria of the mouse palate.
AB  - NaOH cell-maceration/SEM method was applied to the oral surface of the mouse
      palate to demonstrate the three-dimensional architecture of the lamina propria.
      In the caudal part of the hard palate, the lamina propria was characterized by
      the conspicuous parallel ridges which ran side by side in sagittal direction. In
      the boundary between the hard palate and the soft palate the parallel ridges
      interrupted abruptly, in the soft palate the ridges were extremely undeveloped to
      show the shrunken cloth-like appearance. Furthermore, the conical connective
      tissue papillae were lined up along the boundary. These findings suggest that the
      boundary between the hard plate and the soft palate is clear not only in the bony
      structure but in the lamina propria, and that the parallel ridges in the hard
      palate play an important role in ensuring from the excessive extending force
      during mastication.

PMID- 1417576
TI  - Adherence of Haemophilus influenzae to middle ear mucosa injured by killed H.
      influenzae.
AB  - Repetitive acute otitis media is due to recurrent bacterial infection of middle
      ear superimposed on chronic otitis media with effusion. Endotoxin, one of the
      constituents of Haemophilus influenzae, is present in some cases in the middle
      ear effusion of otitis media with effusion and has been demonstrated
      experimentally to damage the middle ear mucosa. The aim of this study was to
      determine the effect of killed H. influenzae on the adherence of H. influenzae
      and H. parainfluenzae to the middle ear epithelial cells. The numbers of adherent
      organisms per epithelial cell in ears inoculated previously with killed H.
      influenzae or with normal saline (0.9% NaCl) were compared. Prior middle ear
      inoculation of killed H. influenzae enhanced the adherence of H. influenzae to
      middle ear epithelial cells, but it had little effect on the adherence of H.
      parainfluenzae. H. influenzae adhered to middle ear epithelial cells in greater
      numbers than H. parainfluenzae. Results demonstrate that a middle ear pathogen
      adheres to middle ear epithelial cells presumably damaged by killed H.
      influenzae, whereas a non-pathogen does not. These findings might partly explain
      the increased susceptibility of an ear with chronic otitis media with effusion to
      recurrent infection with H. influenzae.

PMID- 1417577
TI  - Incidence of attic retraction after staged intact canal wall tympanoplasty for
      middle ear cholesteatoma.
AB  - Incidence of retraction pocket and recurrent cholesteatoma in the attic after
      surgery for middle ear cholesteatoma using the staged intact canal wall technique
      were investigated in 95 ears of 91 patients, all of which had various degrees of
      bone defect in the tympanic scutum. Surgical procedures employed in the second
      stage for prevention of attic retraction were classified into three types: Type
      I, no scutumplasty; Type II, scutumplasty; Type III, scutumplasty plus mastoid
      obliteration. In 83 ears followed up for more than 1 year after the second stage,
      such retraction troubles occurred in 2 of 13 ears (15%) in Type I, 8 of 20 ears
      (40%) in Type II, and 24 of 50 ears (48%) in Type III. Incidence of retraction
      troubles was higher in Types II and III, probably because these procedures were
      indicated in ears with large scutum defects. Dislocation and atrophy of the graft
      materials, together with bone resorption around the bone defect were the main
      reasons for failure in scutumplasty. Dysfunction of the eustachian tube and
      traction of the eardrum by the scar tissue behind it may have also contributed to
      attic retraction. Mastoid obliteration with small blocks of hydroxyapatite was
      more effective in prevention of retraction troubles than that with pedicled
      temporalis muscle flap.

PMID- 1417578
TI  - A visual suppression test using post-rotatory nystagmus.
AB  - The visual suppression test is one method for examining the function of visual
      fixation and visual influence on vestibular nystagmus. In this study the visual
      suppression test using post-rotatory nystagmus was investigated in 65 normal
      subjects and 142 clinical cases with cerebellar lesions. In 65 normal subjects
      the mean +/- standard deviation of visual suppression of the slow phase velocity
      on post-rotatory nystagmus was 69 +/- 11%. As to the stimulation for visual
      suppression test, the post-rotatory method using rotatory stimulation is milder
      than caloric stimulation. This method is far simpler to analyze than the visual
      suppression test using pendular rotatory nystagmus and other vestibulo-ocular
      reflex tests. In the 142 patients with cerebellar lesions, reduced or abolished
      visual suppression on post-rotatory nystagmus was seen in 89 patients with
      radiologically confirmed disturbances in the vestibulo-cerebellum. And this
      method could identify the lesion side in the cerebellum. These results showed a
      correlation between the visual suppression test using post-rotatory nystagmus and
      one using caloric nystagmus in 65 normal subjects and 142 clinical cases with
      cerebellar lesions.

PMID- 1417579
TI  - Endolymphatic hydrops induced by noise exposure.
AB  - In animal with cochlear deafness induced by firecracker explosion, fibrous
      degeneration of the endolymphatic sac was observed 4 months after the
      disappearance of Preyer's reflex. Endolymphatic hydrops induced by noise exposure
      may develop as the results of degeneration of the endolymphatic sac due to
      cochlear deafness by acoustic trauma after the lapse of a long period of time.

PMID- 1417580
TI  - Effects of increasing photoperiod length and anticoccidials on performance and
      health of roaster chickens.
AB  - Male broiler chickens were raised to 63 days of age under different lighting and
      anticoccidial treatments. A constant-light program was compared with two
      interrupted and increasing-light programs in which the photoperiod length was 6
      hours between 7 and 14 days of age and then increased gradually to continual
      light by 49 days of age in the first program and more gradually to 18 hours by 49
      days of age in the second program. By 63 days of age, the increasing-light
      programs significantly increased body-weight gain and decreased feed/grain ratio,
      but not significantly. The increasing-light programs reduced the incidence of
      skeletal disease from 7.56% to 2.88% in the first program and to 3.53% in the
      second program, reduced the incidence of acute death syndrome from 5.94% to 3.37%
      in the first program and to 4.65% in the second program, and reduced total
      mortality from 18.81% to 11.71% in the first program and to 11.38% in the second
      program. The lighting programs had no effect on the incidence of ascites and
      right heart failure, the ratio of right ventricular weight to total ventricular
      weight, the incidence of clinical and subclinical tibial dyschondroplasia, and
      the number of cartilaginous and osseous nodules in the lungs. The anticoccidials
      compared were monensin and amprolium/ethopabate, from 0 to 35 days of age. These
      treatments had no significant direct effects on any of the parameters measured.

PMID- 1417582
TI  - Virulence factors of Escherichia coli associated with colisepticemia in chickens
      and turkeys.
AB  - Four hundred twenty turkey and 80 chicken Escherichia coli isolates from
      colisepticemic birds were examined for the following properties: heat-labile
      toxin (LT), heat-stable enterotoxin, verotoxin, colicinogenicity, hemolysin, and
      hydroxamate/aerobactin production. Twenty-four (5.7%) of the 420 turkey isolates
      and six (7.5%) of the 80 chicken isolates produced an LT that was cytotoxic for
      both Vero and Y-1 cells. In contrast, 48 (11.4%) of the turkey isolates and 18
      (22.5%) of the chicken isolates produced a distinct LT that was cytotoxic only
      for Vero cells. In addition, 64 (80.0%) of the chicken isolates and 309 (74.0%)
      of the turkey isolates produced aerobactin. Colicinogenicity occurred in 51
      (64.0%) of the chicken isolates, with 41 (51.0%) producing colicin V. By
      contrast, 254 (61.0%) of the turkey isolates produced a colicin, of which 176
      (42.0%) produced colicin V. None of the chicken and turkey isolates produced
      hemolysin or heat-stable enterotoxin.

PMID- 1417581
TI  - The influence of diet on necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens.
AB  - Necrotic enteritis was reproduced in broiler chickens by mixing cultures of
      Clostridium perfringens in the feed. Mortality due to necrotic enteritis was
      higher among chickens fed rations based on wheat, rye, barley, and oat groats
      than among chickens fed corn-based rations. Addition of pentosanase to a wheat
      based diet did not affect the level of mortality due to necrotic enteritis.
      Addition of pectin and guar gum to different rations severely reduced growth rate
      and eliminated necrotic enteritis from test birds. Addition of glucose to a corn
      based diet caused a small increase in mortality due to necrotic enteritis.

PMID- 1417584
TI  - Use of a pilocarpine-based lavage procedure to study secretory immunoglobulin
      concentration in the alimentary tract of White Leghorn chickens.
AB  - A lavage procedure was used to study the kinetics of alimentary fluid IgA
      concentration in 15 specific-pathogen-free white leghorn chickens for 8 weeks
      post-hatch. Lavage solution was administered orally and collected from the distal
      alimentary tract following an intraperitoneal injection of pilocarpine.
      Concentrations of IgA, quantitated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, were
      more than 0.04 mg/ml by 3 weeks and were negligible before this age. This level
      gradually increased over the next 5 weeks, peaking at nearly 0.4 mg/ml at 8 weeks
      of age. Alimentary lavage was easy to perform, required no necropsy or surgical
      manipulation, and facilitated repeated collection of alimentary fluid from live
      birds. Repeated lavage did not alter concentrations of IgA and IgG in alimentary
      fluid, and concentrations of IgA and IgG in alimentary fluid were stable during
      incubation at 37 C for 24-48 hr.

PMID- 1417583
TI  - Relationship of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to indirect
      immunofluorescent antibody test for the detection of so-called chicken anemia
      agent antibodies in serum from broiler breeders.
AB  - Serum samples collected from breeder chickens ranging in age from 1 day to 55
      weeks were tested for CAA antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
      and indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) test. The relationship of ELISA to
      IFA test was determined. The sensitivity of the ELISA relative to the IFA test
      was 82.64%, and the specificity of the ELISA relative to the IFA test was 56.25%.
      Agreement between the ELISA and the IFA test was highly significant (Kappa =
      0.74, Z = 5.78). We concluded that the ELISA is as good as the IFA test for
      detecting CAA antibody in sera from chickens.

PMID- 1417585
TI  - Pathogenicity differences of multiple isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus in
      turkeys.
AB  - Sixteen Aspergillus fumigatus isolates of environmental, mammalian, and avian
      origin were used to assess: 1) intra-air-sac inoculation as a viable challenge
      alternative to aerosol exposure, and 2) isolate variability in pathogenicity.
      Development of lesions, antibody response in survivors, mortality, and weight
      gains were assessed. Turkey poults were challenged with equal numbers of viable
      conidia. Total number of conidia given per experimental group varied markedly and
      did not influence mortality. Antibody response as measured by the enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay and agar gel immunodiffusion test was erratic, although most
      poults with high antibody scores had marked lesions and low weight. Lesions were
      characterized by necrogranulomatous pneumonia and airsacculitis with marked
      visceral involvement. The source of the isolate was not a factor in mortality,
      although this was biased by the high numbers of isolates from birds with
      aspergillosis. The single environmental isolate produced no mortality.

PMID- 1417587
TI  - Genetic variation in resistance of turkeys to experimental infection with
      Newcastle disease virus.
AB  - Seven hundred eighty male and female turkeys representing four genetic lines were
      challenged in four experiments with the Texas GB strain of Newcastle disease
      virus (NDV). The lines of turkeys included two randombred control lines (RBC1 and
      RBC2), a subline (E) of RBC1 selected for increased egg production, and a subline
      (F) of RBC2 selected for increased 16-week body weight. Mortality in turkeys of
      subline F (32.5%) was significantly higher than that in turkeys of line RBC2
      (15.8%), subline E (17.5%), and line RBC1 (18.4%). At the end of each experiment,
      surviving birds were tested for antibody to NDV using the enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test. Turkeys of
      subline E and line RBC1 had significantly lower ELISA antibody titers than those
      of subline F and line RBC2. Subline F had the highest HI antibody titers,
      followed in decreasing order by lines RBC2 and RBC1 and subline E. No apparent
      correlation was found between antibody response and mortality after NDV
      challenge.

PMID- 1417586
TI  - Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to budgerigar fledgling
      disease virus major capsid protein VP.
AB  - Eleven hybridoma cell lines producing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against intact
      budgerigar fledgling disease (BFD) virions were produced and characterized. These
      antibodies were selected for their ability to react with BFD virions in an enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assay. Each of these antibodies was reactive in the
      immunofluorescent detection of BFD virus-infected cells. These antibodies
      immunoprecipitated intact virions and specifically recognized the major capsid
      protein, VP1, of the dissociated virion. The MAbs were found to preferentially
      recognize native BFD virus capsid protein when compared with denatured virus
      protein. These MAbs were capable of detecting BFD virus protein in chicken
      embryonated cell-culture lysates by dot-blot analysis.

PMID- 1417588
TI  - Economic effects of clinical chicken anemia agent infection on profitable broiler
      production.
AB  - An outbreak of anemia dermatitis syndrome caused by chicken anemia agent (CAA)
      occurred in 15 broiler flocks. An average of 29% of chickens in these flocks were
      derived from a common breeder flock. The breeder flock had no antibody to CAA at
      20 weeks of age but had seroconverted by 31 weeks. Diseased broiler flocks were
      derived from eggs laid by the breeder flock between 25 and 30 weeks of age. CAA
      infection in the breeder flock was subclinical, with no apparent effects on
      mortality or performance. A strategic program of therapeutic and/or prophylactic
      antibiotic therapy was begun in affected broiler flocks as soon as the disease
      was diagnosed. Nevertheless, when the cost of therapy was taken into account,
      affected broiler flocks had a net income 17.3% to 19.6% lower than normal flocks.
      Average bird weights were 3.3% to 3.5% lower in affected flocks than in
      unaffected flocks, and affected flocks had a significantly greater proportion of
      lighter birds. Average mortality in affected flocks was 2.0% to 2.3% higher than
      in normal flocks, with peak mortality occurring in the third week of life. There
      was no apparent effect on feed-conversion ratio.

PMID- 1417589
TI  - Cardiac muscle mass distribution in the domestic turkey and relationship to
      electrocardiogram.
AB  - Ventricular weights were measured in 20-week-old male and female heavy turkeys,
      and electrocardiograms (ECGs) were recorded in 10- and 20-week-old male and
      female heavy turkeys. Twenty-week-old males had heavier relative left ventricular
      and total ventricular weights than females of the same age. Left-to-right
      ventricular weight ratios were 4.4:1 in males and 4.5:1 in females. Heart rate
      was faster in young birds and in females, and that influenced the duration of the
      intervals of the ECG. Wave amplitudes were smaller in 10-week-old turkeys than in
      20-week-old turkeys. There was no correlation between electrocardiographic
      parameters and ventricular weights of male and female turkeys. Two-dimensional
      ECGs were therefore found to be of minimal value for detecting turkeys with
      heavier ventricles.

PMID- 1417590
TI  - Effects of corticosteroids on lymphocyte subpopulations and lymphokine secretion
      in chickens.
AB  - Various effects of glucocorticosteroids on the avian immune system were examined
      in chickens treated intramuscularly with 0.1 to 2.5 mg dexamethasone or
      prednisolone. Kinetic changes in body weight gain, percentages of lymphocyte
      subpopulations, and T-cell functions were examined following treatment with
      dexamethasone or prednisolone every other day. Chickens treated with
      dexamethasone or prednisolone showed a decrease in body-weight gain compared with
      age-matched, untreated chickens. In general, the total number of splenic
      lymphocytes of chickens treated with the two drugs was significantly lower than
      in controls in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analysis of splenic
      lymphocyte subpopulations revealed that the percentages of lymphocytes expressing
      CD8, gamma delta T-cell receptor, Ia, or IgM antigens and natural killer cells
      were lower in dexamethasone-treated chickens than in the controls, whereas the
      percentages of T lymphocytes bearing CD3, CD4, or alpha beta TCR antigens were
      higher. Furthermore, splenic T cells obtained from dexamethasone-treated chickens
      showed a significant depression in concanavalin A-induced lymphoproliferation and
      interleukin 2 and gamma-interferon production. The results characterize a variety
      of immunosuppressive effects of glucocorticoids on the avian immune system.

PMID- 1417591
TI  - Microbiological and histopathological effects of an induced-molt fasting
      procedure on a Salmonella enteritidis infection in chickens.
AB  - A study was undertaken to determine if a 2-week feed-removal protocol, as is used
      by industry to induce a molt in aging hens, would affect the course of a
      Salmonella enteritidis infection. White leghorn hens aged 69-84 weeks were
      deprived of feed to induce a molt, and on day 4 of the fast, the birds were
      orally infected with 5 x 10(6) S. enteritidis. S. enteritidis organisms were
      enumerated in the spleen on day 6 and from the alimentary tract on days 7, 14,
      21, 28, and 35. Little difference was detected in numbers of S. enteritidis from
      spleens of molted and unmolted hens. Significantly more molted hens shed
      detectable intestinal S. enteritidis than unmolted hens on day 14 (one of two
      trials) and day 21 (one of two trials). Intestinal levels of S. enteritidis were
      increased 100- to 1000-fold in the molted birds on day 7 (one of two trials) and
      day 14 (two of two trials), and many of the hens exhibited bloody alimentary
      secretions. Histological examination of the intestinal tract of S. enteritidis
      infected molted hens showed increased inflammation in the epithelium and lamina
      propria of colons and ceca, compared with unmolted infected hens.

PMID- 1417592
TI  - The role of mice in the epizootiology of Salmonella enteritidis infection on
      chicken layer farms.
AB  - A microbiological survey of 10 mice-infested poultry farms was conducted to
      determine the role of mice in the epizootiology of S. enteritidis infection. Five
      of the farms were rated as clean of S. enteritidis and five as contaminated based
      on culture results of environmental samples for S. enteritidis. Of 2103
      environmental samples and 715 mice and rats tested, 5.1% and 16.2%, respectively,
      were culture-positive for S. enteritidis. On contaminated farms, S. enteritidis
      was isolated from 24.0% of the mice and 7.5% of the environmental samples, which
      represented 75.3% of all Salmonella isolations from mice but only 18.0% of
      Salmonella isolations from environmental samples on these farms. S. enteritidis
      was not detected in mice on clean farms. Phage types 13a and 14b were the two
      most frequently isolated phage types from mice and environmental samples.
      Although only a single phage type was isolated from single free-standing poultry
      houses, multiple phage types were isolated from multi-house complexes. A
      bacterial count from the feces of one mouse yielded 2.3 x 10(5) S. enteritidis
      bacteria per fecal pellet. S. enteritidis persisted at least for 10 months in an
      infected mouse population.

PMID- 1417593
TI  - An evaluation of inactivated infectious coryza vaccines containing a double
      emulsion adjuvant system.
AB  - The efficacy of experimental inactivated infectious coryza vaccines produced by a
      commercial vaccine manufacturer was evaluated. The vaccines, containing as the
      adjuvant phase either a double-emulsion mineral oil system or aluminum-hydroxide
      gel, were administered to 6-week-old chickens as a single dose. Some vaccines
      were a monovalent product containing a Page serovar C Haemophilus paragallinarum
      strain, and others were a bivalent product containing both Page serovar A and
      serovar C strains. After 3 weeks, all chickens were challenged by infraorbital
      sinus inoculation of virulent H. paragallinarum, either Page serovar C (strain
      HP31) or Page serovar A (strain HP14). The monovalent serovar C double-emulsion
      based vaccines gave significant protection against a serovar C challenge, with
      the level of protection varying from 60% to 100%. The monovalent serovar C
      aluminum-hydroxide-gel vaccine also gave significant protection (94%) against a
      serovar C challenge. The bivalent double-emulsion vaccine gave significant
      protection against challenge from both serovars (100% for serovar C and 83% for
      serovar A). Although no major adverse reactions were detected, some chickens
      receiving both the double-emulsion vaccines and the aluminum-hydroxide vaccine
      developed relatively minor granulomatous reactions at the site of injection.

PMID- 1417594
TI  - Occurrence of Salmonella enteritidis in the U.S. commercial egg industry: report
      on a national spent hen survey.
AB  - In order to estimate the prevalence and distribution of Salmonella enteritidis in
      U.S. commercial egg-production flocks, a survey of spent laying hens was
      conducted over a 3-month period. Seven of the 10 largest spent-hen processing
      plants in the United States participated. Ceca were sampled twice weekly from
      birds presented for slaughter at these plants. Samples were cultured for
      Salmonella and S. enteritidis, and S. enteritidis isolates were phage-typed.
      Overall, 23,431 pooled cecal samples were collected from a total of 406 layer
      houses. Salmonella (any serotype) and S. enteritidis were recovered from 24% and
      3% of the pooled samples, respectively. The distribution of S. enteritidis phage
      types was consistent with data reported by others. Regionally, the estimated
      prevalence of S. enteritidis-positive houses (i.e., at least one positive sample
      found in a house) for the Northern, Southeastern, and Central/Western regions was
      45%, 3%, and 17%, respectively. Overall, the prevalence of Salmonella-positive
      houses was 86%.

PMID- 1417595
TI  - Correlation between the ability of Haemophilus paragallinarum to acquire
      ovotransferrin-bound iron and the expression of ovotransferrin-specific
      receptors.
AB  - To investigate the mechanisms of iron acquisition in avian haemophili, strains of
      Haemophilus paragallinarum and H. avium were tested for siderophore production
      and utilization of transferrin iron for growth. No evidence of siderophore
      production was detected in either of these species using a functional screening
      assay. H. paragallinarum, but not strains of H. avium, was able to acquire iron
      from 30% saturated chicken and turkey transferrins but not from human, porcine,
      or bovine transferrins. In response to iron limitation, H. paragallinarum
      expressed four iron-regulated outer-membrane proteins of 53, 62, 66, and 94
      kilodaltons (kDa). Only the 53- and 94-kDa proteins were detected in the H. avium
      strains. Using affinity methods, the 94- and 53-kDa proteins were isolated
      specifically by chicken or turkey transferrin, indicating that they may be
      equivalent to transferrin binding proteins (TBP1 and TBP2, respectively) isolated
      from other bacterial species. The isolation of the 62- and 66-kDa proteins in
      association with TBP1 and TBP2 under less stringent washing conditions only in H.
      paragallinarum implicates these proteins in the iron acquisition process.

PMID- 1417596
TI  - Correlation of water activity and other environmental conditions with repeated
      detection of Salmonella contamination on poultry farms.
AB  - Three flocks on 13 different broiler farms were monitored for Salmonella over
      three consecutive growout periods using the drag swab (DS) technique. One house
      was consistently negative for Salmonella contamination (7.7%); four houses were
      consistently positive (30.8%); and eight houses (61.5%) alternated between either
      a DS Salmonella-negative or -positive status. Simultaneously, numerous
      environmental parameters of the litter surface were measured, including water
      activity (Aw), ammonia, temperature, pH, moisture content (MC), ash content, and
      volatile solids. Analysis of these data as a corollary to either Salmonella
      negative or -positive DS results revealed significant correlation coefficients
      for some of the parameters, especially Aw. The results suggest that there should
      be further exploration of remedial intervention based on control of some of the
      physical features of litter (e.g., controlling litter Aw and possibly MC and pH
      levels) in poultry houses.

PMID- 1417597
TI  - Relationship of complement resistance and selected virulence factors in
      pathogenic avian Escherichia coli.
AB  - Complement resistance, antibiotic resistance profiles, and virulence profiles of
      80 Escherichia coli isolates from the intestines of normal chickens (40 isolates)
      and chickens diagnosed as having colisepticemia (40 isolates) were compared.
      Differences were observed between the two groups for antibiotic resistance,
      siderophore production, presence of type 1 pili, complement resistance, motility,
      and size of plasmids. The systemic isolates were more likely to have siderophores
      and type 1 pili, and to be complement-resistant and motile than were the
      intestinal isolates. No differences between the two groups were observed for
      colicin production. Further comparison of the 10 most complement-resistant
      isolates from the systemic group and 10 most complement-sensitive isolates from
      the intestinal group revealed a correlation between an isolate's resistance to
      complement and its ability to kill embryos, express type 1 pili, and be motile.
      Virulence of avian E. coli strains appears to be correlated with complement
      resistance and the interaction of this resistance with the ability to produce
      type 1 pili and be motile.

PMID- 1417598
TI  - Incidence of anemia and polycythemia in clinically ill Georgia broilers.
AB  - The incidence of anemia and polycythemia was established in clinically ill
      Georgia broilers that were tested for packed cell volume (PCV) during 1988 and
      1989. More than 66% (324/488 = 66.4%) of PCV-tested broiler chicks were anemic,
      and less than 2% (8/488 = 1.6%) of PCV-tested chicks were polycythemic. The
      incidence of anemia was significantly (P less than 0.001) higher than expected
      (2.5%) at age 7 days (56.9%), 14 days (83.9%), 21 days (74.7%), 28 days (58.7%),
      and 35 days (57.9%). The incidence of polycythemia was significantly (P less than
      0.001) higher than expected (2.5%) in 35-day-old broilers (21.1%) but was not
      significantly different from the expected rate in broilers at age 7 days (0%), 14
      days (1.8%), 21 days (0.3%), and 28 days (4.3%). The established rates for anemia
      were much higher than we would have hypothesized. This led us to believe that
      either 1) an etiology for anemia is present in epizootic proportions in Georgia
      broilers, or 2) the standard method for establishing reference intervals for
      anemia in animals does not apply to broiler chicks.

PMID- 1417599
TI  - Effects of ascorbic acid on stress and disease in chickens.
AB  - White leghorn chickens were given feed containing 100 mg of ascorbic acid
      (AA)/kg. One day later, treated chickens and a similar group of unmedicated
      control chickens were chilled for 1 hour at 6 C, exposed to an unusual sound,
      fasted, or subjected to rough handling. Heterophil:lymphocyte (H:L) ratios were
      determined one day later. The AA-treated birds had significantly lower H:L ratios
      than untreated controls. Chickens that received a diet containing AA had lower
      H:L ratios than controls (0.86 vs. 1.65) following administration of
      adrenocorticotropic hormone. Chickens fed a diet containing AA showed increased
      resistance to a combined Newcastle disease virus-Mycoplasma gallisepticum
      infection and to a secondary Escherichia coli infection, as well as to a primary
      E. coli challenge infection. The effects of AA and an antibacterial drug
      (furaltadone) were additive. In all experiments, the optimum dose of AA was 100
      mg/kg of feed. There was a negative correlation between AA level in the diet and
      feed efficiency.

PMID- 1417600
TI  - An atypical strain of Pasteurella gallinarum: pathogenic, phenotypic, and
      genotypic characteristics.
AB  - The pathogenicity of a strain of Pasteurella gallinarum isolated in Fresno
      County, Calif., was compared with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC)
      strain. Broiler chickens were inoculated intranasally with 10(7) colony-forming
      units (CFU) and intramuscularly with 10(5) CFU of each strain. The only notable
      lesions were in chickens inoculated intramuscularly with 10(5) CFU of the Fresno
      strain, which developed severe myositis at the inoculation site, pericarditis,
      perihepatitis, airsacculitis, and synovitis. P. gallinarum was reisolated from
      these lesions. Phenotypic characteristics of the two strains were identical
      except in reactions in ONPG broth and fermentation of xylose. Protein-banding
      patterns for the two strains were identical except for a single band difference
      in the 35-kilodalton region. Restriction endonuclease analysis confirmed that the
      Fresno strain was a distinct one. Plasmid analysis revealed that the ATCC strain
      had two plasmids and the Fresno strain had none.

PMID- 1417601
TI  - Adaptation of the Sensititre broth microdilution technique to antimicrobial
      susceptibility testing of Mycoplasma gallisepticum.
AB  - A technique is described for determining the antimicrobial susceptibility of
      Mycoplasma gallisepticum, using the Sensititre broth microdilution system.
      Fourteen M. gallisepticum field isolates and one reference isolate (R-strain)
      were tested in duplicate against seven antimicrobials. Isolates were susceptible
      to oxytetracycline, furaltadone, and lincomycin/spectinomycin, but not to
      amoxycillin and apramycin. Susceptibility to erythromycin and tylosin varied.
      These data are in agreement with those reported by other workers using more
      traditional methods, but this adaptation of the broth microdilution technique
      eliminates any variation attributable to the time-consuming preparation of
      antimicrobial dilutions associated with these methods.

PMID- 1417602
TI  - Effects of Eimeria mitis on egg production of single-comb White Leghorn hens.
AB  - Single-comb white leghorn hens infected with either B4 or C2 strain of Eimeria
      mitis produced watery droppings as early as day 5 PI. E. mitis infection did not
      affect egg weight. However, specific gravities of the eggs produced by the hens
      infected with E. mitis were lower than those produced by the controls. Egg
      production was significantly reduced temporarily, but most birds returned to
      production within 14 days. Many of the birds that ceased to lay went through a
      complete-body molt (56% of the C2-infected hens and 20% of the B4-infected hens).
      Hens that ceased to lay regained considerable amounts of pigment in their skin,
      beaks, and shanks.

PMID- 1417603
TI  - Dose-titration to confirm the level of fenbendazole for control of Raillietina
      cesticillus in broiler chickens.
AB  - A total of 452 broiler chickens, naturally infected with Raillietina cesticillus,
      were allotted into six treatment groups. One group was fed unmedicated broiler
      ration (Group 1), and the other five groups were fed broiler ration containing
      fenbendazole at 180 ppm for 3 days (38.5 mg/kg body weight [BW]), 240 ppm for 3
      days (50.9 mg/kg BW), 120 ppm for 6 days (52.2 mg/kg BW), 180 ppm for 6 days
      (79.9 mg/kg BW), or 240 ppm for 6 days (104.3 mg/kg BW). Fenbendazole was 100.0%
      efficacious against R. cesticillus when administered in the diet at 240 ppm for 6
      days; 99.9% at 240 ppm for 3 days and at 180 ppm for 6 days; 99.5% at 120 ppm for
      6 days; and 96.9% at 180 ppm for 3 days. Fenbendazole treatment had no adverse
      effect on weight gain or feed intake.

PMID- 1417604
TI  - Development and comparison of serologic methods for diagnosing chicken anemia
      virus infection.
AB  - This paper describes the development of an indirect immunoperoxidase assay (IIP)
      and an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting
      antibodies to chicken anemia virus (VAC). The IIP assay developed used CAV
      infected MDCC-MSB1 cells for detecting antibody to CAV, whereas the ELISA
      utilized gradient-purified immunoadsorbed CAV as the target antigen. The IIP and
      ELISA were compared with the standard indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA)
      assay, which is more conventionally used to screen chicken serum for antibodies
      against CAV. Comparative test results of 185 field samples of chicken serum by
      these three methods were in agreement 84% of the time. Both IFA and IIP assays
      yielded fewer positive tests than did the ELISA. IFA and IIP assays were in
      agreement 93% of the time, as compared with 91% agreement of IIP and ELISA
      results, or 84% agreement for comparative IFA and ELISA results.

PMID- 1417605
TI  - Blood oxygen concentration of fast-growing and slow-growing broiler chickens, and
      chickens with ascites from right ventricular failure.
AB  - Percent hemoglobin oxygen saturation was measured with a pulse oximeter in 6-week
      old slow-growing (light) and fast-growing (heavy) male broiler chickens and those
      with ascites from right ventricular failure (RVF). Pulse rate and percent oxygen
      saturation were read from the ulnar artery just proximal to the carpus. Percent
      oxygen saturation was significantly (P less than or equal to 0.0001) higher in
      light chickens (mean 91.6%) than in heavy chickens (mean 86.0%), and the percent
      oxygen saturation was significantly (P less than or equal to 0.0001) higher in
      both groups with normal hearts than in the group with RVF from valvular
      insufficiency (mean 62.1%). All RVF chickens and those with normal hearts were
      confirmed at necropsy. Light chickens were males with leg deformity or stunting
      and were 20-50% lighter than the heavy chickens.

PMID- 1417606
TI  - Pen oxygen concentration and pulmonary hypertension-induced right ventricular
      failure and ascites in meat-type chickens at low altitude.
AB  - Percentage O2 and CO2 were measured in the air in environmentally controlled
      commercial poultry pens (altitude approximately 300 m) containing broiler or
      roaster chickens 14 to 56 days of age. Outside air (mean of 10 samples) measured
      20.85% O2 and 0.041% CO2. Air in the pens had significantly lower O2 and higher
      CO2 than outside air; however, air in 25 pens with a high incidence of ascites
      (mean 20.50% O2, 0.264% CO2) was not different from the air in 25 pens with a low
      incidence of ascites (mean 20.49% O2, 0.319% CO2). The lowest pen O2 was 20.20%,
      which would not cause reduced hemoglobin saturation (percent oxygen) of the
      arterial blood of normal chickens.

PMID- 1417607
TI  - Suspected sodium toxicity in hand-reared great blue heron (Ardea herodias)
      chicks.
AB  - Sodium toxicity was suspected in hand-reared great blue heron (Ardea herodias)
      chicks fed herring frozen in brine (seawater). Affected chicks were lethargic
      with stiff legs that extended to the posterior, and breathing was labored. Chicks
      regurgitated food or refused to eat. All chicks that were fed herring exclusively
      and eight of the 10 chicks fed a mixed diet (herring and salmonids) died, whereas
      all chicks fed only salmonids survived. Renal lesions ranged from mild to marked
      generalized nephrosis, which was characterized by degeneration and necrosis of
      the proximal convoluted tubular epithelium and dilation of the distal convoluted
      tubules and collecting ducts. These observations suggest that fish frozen in
      brine is unsuitable food for hand-rearing of young herons.

PMID- 1417609
TI  - The effect of acetone on the viability of chicken anemia agent.
AB  - To study the effect of acetone on the viability of CAA, a sample of CAA with a
      known titer was treated with 90% acetone for 24 hours at room temperature. The
      remaining viable CAA was quantitated by titrating the treated preparation in MDCC
      MSB1 cell culture. Results indicated that CAA is very resistant to inactivation
      by acetone.

PMID- 1417610
TI  - A comparison of the gland of Harder response and head-associated lymphoid tissue
      (HALT) morphology in chickens and turkeys.
AB  - The immunofunctional response of the gland of Harder (GH) was compared in
      chickens and turkeys using an in vivo assay previously developed for use in
      chickens. The GH were surgically removed (GHx) from leghorn chicks at 1 day of
      age and from poults at 2 days of age. Intact birds of each species served as
      controls. During the fourth week of age, both GH-intact and GHx chicks were
      exposed to killed Brucella abortus antigen by the ocular or intraperitoneal
      route. One week later, serum and tears were collected and assayed for antibodies
      to B. abortus. In addition, all birds were killed at the end of the trial period,
      and the heads were fixed and processed for histologic examination. Various
      components of the head-associated lymphoid tissue (HALT) including the GH, nasal
      glands, lacrimal glands, lacrimal ducts, eyelid conjunctiva, and nasal cavity
      mucosa/submucosa, were evaluated microscopically using a scoring system to
      estimate quantity and degree of development of immune tissue in those sites.
      Results of all analyses indicate that functional response and morphology of the
      HALT are comparable in turkeys and chickens.

PMID- 1417608
TI  - Serological detection of Mycoplasma synoviae infection in turkeys.
AB  - The antibody response of turkeys experimentally infected with Mycoplasma synoviae
      was determined by the serum plate agglutination (SPA), hemagglutination
      inhibition (HI), and microagglutination (MA) tests and the enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay (ELISA). No antibody response was detected until 2 weeks
      postinfection (PI) with the MA test (17% positive), 3 weeks PI with the SPA test
      (11% positive), 4 weeks with the HI test (21% positive), and 5 weeks PI with the
      ELISA, and even then, only 16% of the birds were positive. Although at least 89%
      of the birds were positive by culture, only 58% of the turkeys developed a
      detectable antibody response.

PMID- 1417611
TI  - Recurrent transient paresis in a turkey flock.
AB  - Recurring episodes of extreme leg weakness and associated mortality were
      documented in a turkey flock at 8 to 15 weeks of age. Flock mortality attributed
      to posterior paresis was approximately 12%, or 4800 of 40,000 turkeys. Four of
      six open-confinement units were affected. Gross and histological examinations
      revealed no significant lesions. Immunology and virology were uninformative.
      There were no significant differences in serum chemistry between clinically
      affected and normal turkeys. Testing of feed, water, soil, and tissues revealed
      no common toxicants. Isolation and supportive care for affected turkeys, both in
      the laboratory and in the field, frequently resulted in full recovery. Injection
      of a test group of affected turkeys with Type C botulism antitoxin appeared to
      enhance recovery. However, repeated attempts to detect botulism toxin in serum,
      liver, or cecal contents using mouse bioassay procedures were unsuccessful.

PMID- 1417612
TI  - Salmonella enteritidis infection in two species of psittaciformes.
AB  - In 1990, Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4 was recovered from two young (less
      than 20-week-old) lilac-crowned Amazon parrots (Amazona finschi Schlater), one in
      Tennessee and one in Kansas. The parrot from Tennessee was treated for a plugged
      naris and anorexia before the S. enteritidis infection was discovered. The parrot
      from Kansas exhibited signs of septicemia and died within 24 hours of
      examination. An apparently healthy green-cheeked conure (Pyrrhura molinae) on the
      same premises as the parrot from Tennessee was positive for S. enteritidis phage
      type 4 on a cloacal swab. These are the first reported cases of avian infection
      with S. enteritidis phage type 4 in the United States. Because several infectious
      agents were present simultaneously in the Amazon parrots, it was difficult to
      determine the precise role of S. enteritidis phage type 4 in the clinical
      presentations.

PMID- 1417613
TI  - Epizootiological investigation of an outbreak of pullorum disease in an
      integrated broiler operation.
AB  - An integrated broiler company experienced a major outbreak of pullorum disease
      during 1990. The outbreak resulted in the distribution of Salmonella pullorum
      infected birds to more than 150 roaster flocks in five states. Twenty-two parent
      (multiplier) breeder flocks became infected. An epizootiological investigation
      uncovered a grandparent male line breeder flock as the index flock supplying
      males to the affected parent flocks. Transmission apparently occurred vertically
      through the egg and horizontally by contact in the hatcheries and by placement of
      chicks on contaminated litter.

PMID- 1417615
TI  - Breeder turkey hens seropositive and culture-negative for Mycoplasma synoviae.
AB  - Four flocks of clinically normal turkey breeder hens were shown to have suspect
      and positive Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) hemagglutination-inhibition (HI), enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assay, and, in some cases, serum plate agglutination
      serology in the absence of MS isolation. In all cases, HI serology for Mycoplasma
      gallisepticum (MG) and M. meleagridis was negative. Acholeplasma laidlawii was
      isolated from some hens in each of these MS-seropositive culture-negative flocks.
      Immunoblotting was used to help determine if this positive MS serology was a
      result of cross-reactive antibodies to A. laidlawii or to some other Mycoplasma
      species. When sera from two of the flocks were reacted with MS antigen in
      immunoblotting, a strong and characteristic MS immunoblot profile was seen.
      Immunoblotting gave no evidence of a strong antibody response to A. laidlawii, M.
      iowae, or MG. This suggests the presence (or earlier presence) of MS in these
      flocks that is difficult to isolate by routine methods. Furthermore, this work
      shows that immunoblotting can be an important tool in the diagnosis of poultry
      diseases.

PMID- 1417614
TI  - Association of cecal spirochetes with pasty vents and dirty eggshells in layers.
AB  - Feces-stained eggshells, diarrhea, and typhlitis were identified in two
      commercial laying flocks in Ohio. Hens with diarrhea had spirochetes in cecal
      lumina and crypts. On culture, the spirochetes were motile and non-hemolytic, did
      not produce indole, had 12 to 15 axial filaments, were 9.2 to 11.7 microns in
      length and 240 to 370 nm in diameter, and had a wavelength of 5.1 to 6.5 microns
      on transmission electron microscopy.

PMID- 1417616
TI  - Necrotic enteritis in turkeys.
AB  - Three flocks of turkey hens (16,000 each) between 7 and 12 weeks of age
      experienced outbreaks of necrotic enteritis. Necropsy revealed a dilated duodenum
      and jejunum with mucosal surfaces covered with a diphtheritic membrane.
      Intestinal scrapings showed very few oocysts of Eimeria sp. Histopathological
      findings were compatible with necrotic enteritis but with deeper, more severe
      lesions than in broiler chickens. Clostridium perfringens was isolated by
      anaerobic culture from the intestinal contents. Mortality returned to normal
      after ampicillin or tetracycline was added to the drinking water.

PMID- 1417617
TI  - Intestinal adenocarcinoma of the ileocecal junction in a chicken.
AB  - An 89-week-old male chicken was presented with signs of depression, emaciation,
      and weakness. At necropsy, a stricture was found at the ileocecal junction that
      resulted in blockage and dilation of the ileum proximal to the stricture.
      Histologically, neoplastic epithelial cells that contained mucin had invaded the
      intestinal wall and produced a fibrous connective tissue reaction. The lesion was
      diagnosed as scirrhous intestinal adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 1417618
TI  - Severe mortality in broiler chickens associated with Mycoplasma synoviae and
      Pasteurella gallinarum.
AB  - Severe economic loss due to high mortality and condemnation rates occurred on two
      commercial broiler facilities. Chickens had moderate-to-severe airsacculitis,
      pericarditis, perihepatitis, tracheitis, and synovitis. Pasteurella gallinarum
      was isolated from 16 of 18 pericardia, four of 14 livers, 11 of 16 air sacs, six
      of seven joints and one of 28 tracheas in pure culture. In addition, Mycoplasma
      synoviae was isolated from trachea and air sac. Lesions were suggestive of an
      Escherichia coli septicemia, but E. coli was isolated from only four of 28
      tracheas and one of 14 livers in pure culture. A coronavirus was isolated from
      trachea and lung. Whether this coronavirus represented a vaccine or field strain
      of infectious bronchitis was not determined. These findings suggested that the
      severe lesions were due to a concomitant infection with an atypical strain of P.
      gallinarum.

PMID- 1417619
TI  - Eastern equine encephalitis in a flock of emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae).
AB  - Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) was diagnosed in a flock of emus in
      southeastern Louisiana. The outbreak involved juvenile and adult breeders ranging
      in age from 20 to 36 months, with an attack rate of 76% and a case fatality rate
      of 87%. The diagnosis was confirmed by isolation and characterization of the
      viral agent, and by detection of EEE antibody in two recovered emus. High
      mortality was preceded by marked depression, hemorrhagic diarrhea, and emesis of
      blood-stained ingesta. On postmortem examination, hemorrhagic enteritis and
      multiple petechia of viscera were observed. Microscopic changes included severe
      necrosis of hepatocytes, intestinal mucosa, and necrotizing vasculitis of the
      spleen and lamina propria of the intestine. No nervous system lesions were
      observed. This outbreak occurred concurrently with EEE in horses and was
      attributed to unseasonably heavy rainfall with an abundance of arthropod vectors
      and proximity to free-living reservoir host species.

PMID- 1417620
TI  - Survey of clinical psittacine bird sera for Salmonella typhimurium agglutinins.
AB  - Of 2407 serum samples from various kinds of psittacine birds submitted for
      Chlamydia serology, 2343 (97.4%) were negative, 25 (1.0%) were equivocal, and 39
      (1.6%) were positive for Salmonella typhimurium agglutinins. In additional serum
      samples from two groups of African gray parrots, the prevalence of agglutinins
      was 0.0% (0/38) in the Timneh variety and 24.0% (6/25) in the Congo variety. In
      sera from one macaw, one cockatoo, and one Amazon parrot, which were negative for
      chlamydial antibody activity, there were strongly reactive agglutinins for S.
      typhimurium. Two Amazon parrots had antibody activity against Salmonella and
      Chlamydia antigens.

PMID- 1417621
TI  - Ectopic egg yolk in the abdominal cavity of a cockatiel.
AB  - A mature cockatiel was presented to the teaching hospital with acute, severe
      dyspnea and a markedly enlarged abdomen. The bird died 2 hours after admission
      and was necropsied. A 3-cm egg yolk was present in the abdominal cavity and
      caused cranial displacement of the abdominal viscera. Death occurred acutely and
      was probably due to severe respiratory distress.

PMID- 1417622
TI  - Sex and gender and the impaired therapist.
AB  - A brief review of the problem of impaired therapists is followed by a more
      comprehensive review of sexual relationships arising in and following
      psychotherapy. The prevalence of this latter problem is approximately 10%.
      Offenders are predominantly male, one half are said to be "ruthless" and
      "exploitative", whilst the remainder are often "lovesick". The author relates
      these phenomena to processes of repudiation of the relational/feminine self of
      the highly masculinised clinician. Characteristics of offenders and consequences
      for patients are presented and issues of detection, sanctions, legislation, and
      prevention are addressed. Studies suggest that the vast majority of patients are
      harmed by the experience and that neither improved training, licensing, personal
      therapy, nor supervision of therapists will guarantee against its occurrence.

PMID- 1417623
TI  - Empathy--a retrospective on its development in psychotherapy.
AB  - The paper situates the notion of empathy broadly within the historical context of
      its origins and subsequent conceptual development, particularly in psychotherapy.
      It shows how the term is related to its wider usage in popular culture and in
      studies outside of psychoanalytic psychotherapy. The paper surveys the
      contributions of several psychoanalytic writers, from Freud to Kohut. This is
      followed by a critique of more recent psychoanalytic inquiries into empathy. The
      discussion explores reasons for some of the difficulties resting with a
      psychoanalytic approach. It is suggested that these are due in large measure to
      inherent difficulties in defining the term, but that they are accentuated by the
      language and polemics of psychoanalysis. More specific contributions are
      considered with a view to understanding the notions of aetiology, description,
      function and epistemology in regard to empathy within the psychoanalytic
      framework.

PMID- 1417624
TI  - Clarification of values in counselling and psychotherapy.
AB  - When an individual acts contrary to personal values, then there is dissonance,
      with consequences of guilt, anxiety, despair, or alienation. If unresolved and of
      sufficient strength these feelings may manifest in mental illness. Thus,
      clarification of values and resolution of value conflict are relevant to
      counselling and psychotherapy. A framework for the systematic examination of
      values in therapy is described. Values are classified as personal, social,
      environmental and sensate. In therapy, goals may be matched for congruence
      between personal values and overt behaviour. Processes which erode values and
      ways to maintain integrity of personal value systems are considered.

PMID- 1417625
TI  - Adult attachments and sexuality: implications for understanding risk behaviours
      for HIV infection.
AB  - In response to the AIDS epidemic, there has been an intensification of interest
      in human sexuality research in general and "safe sex" practices in particular.
      Most research models have been somewhat mechanistic in focus, however, with
      little recognition of the significance of affectional needs in the formation and
      maintenance of sexual relationships. In this paper we propose that relationship
      issues are central to an understanding of the expression of sexuality, and that
      attachment theory provides a useful perspective on human sexual bonds. It is
      suggested that future research could usefully extend the conceptualisation of
      adult attachment styles by exploring the meaning of attachment relationships for
      gay and heterosexual couples, and the implications of attachment style for the
      behaviours associated with sexual relationships, including the negotiation of
      safe sex practices. Such research would have direct relevance for prevention
      programs relevant to HIV/AIDS.

PMID- 1417626
TI  - Attributions of symptomatology: an exploration of family factors associated with
      expressed emotion.
AB  - This study explored family factors associated with Expressed Emotion (EE) in
      families with a member diagnosed with schizophrenia. Drawing on an attributional
      model of expressed emotion it was predicted that high EE relatives would have
      less knowledge of the illness and would attribute negative symptoms to the
      personality, rather than the illness, of the sufferer. Thirty-one caregivers of
      schizophrenic patients were interviewed. Results indicated that EE status was
      related to knowledge, coping and causal attributions of negative symptoms. Low
      EEs, as compared with High EEs, tended to have more knowledge of the illness and
      to cope better with the patient, and were less likely to attribute the cause of
      negative symptoms to the sufferer's personality. Support was therefore obtained
      for the utility of an attributional model in attempting to understand the
      determinants of levels of EE.

PMID- 1417627
TI  - Long term secure care in Tasmania.
AB  - The aim was to determine the requirement in Tasmania for long term (greater than
      28 days) secure ward beds, and to characterise the patients who use them. There
      was complete enumeration over an 18 month period. The results included that 3.6
      long term secure beds were used per 100,000 general population. Compared to those
      who were discharged during the survey, those who were not discharged were older,
      had spent longer in psychiatric hospitals and were more likely to be male and to
      suffer from schizophrenia. All patients were white Australians. The conclusions
      included that for planning purposes a minimum of 4.6 long term secure beds was
      required per 100,000 general population. Also, Aboriginal people and people from
      non-English speaking backgrounds were not over represented in long term secure
      care in Tasmania. Finally, "good" and "poor" prognosis groups were identified and
      further work is required to determine how these can best be managed.

PMID- 1417628
TI  - Is tardive anorexia a discrete diagnostic entity?
AB  - A study is described in which patients in three diagnostic groups were compared
      in an effort to delineate features of tardive anorexia (late onset anorexia
      nervosa). There were 18 patients in each diagnostic group. Patients with
      "classical" anorexia nervosa of less than 5 years duration were compared with
      patients older than 25 who had been chronically ill for more than 5 years and
      with those in whom the symptoms had begun de novo after the age of 25.
      Statistically significant differences were found to distinguish the third group
      as a distinct diagnostic entity. The association of loss precipitants and
      depressive symptoms has practical implications in the management of true anorexia
      tardive.

PMID- 1417629
TI  - Attitudes of medical professionals towards patients with eating disorders.
AB  - A questionnaire examining attitudes to patients with eating disorders was
      completed by 352 medical and nursing staff in a general hospital. Patients with
      eating disorders were less liked than patients with schizophrenia and were seen
      as responsible for their illness almost to the same degree as recurrent overdose
      takers. Factor analysis showed a first factor in which patients with eating
      disorders were construed as vulnerable to external pressures (from others, the
      media) while also self-inducing their illness, and this was associated with
      treatment recommendations for education, urging the patient to take self-control
      and psychotherapy. The professions differed significantly in attitudes.

PMID- 1417630
TI  - Knowledge and compliance towards lithium therapy among Chinese psychiatric
      patients in Hong Kong.
AB  - Although patient education is believed to promote medication compliance, the
      exact relationship between the acquisition of drug knowledge and compliance
      during lithium treatment is unclear. A survey of 50 Chinese patients on
      maintenance lithium therapy revealed that their medical knowledge about lithium
      treatment, as measured by a "Lithium Questionnaire," was very limited.
      Nonetheless, 70% of these patients were found, by multiple criteria, to be good
      compliers, and lithium compliance was apparently not affected by the amount of
      drug knowledge that patients possessed. It is argued that in the process of
      conducting patient education to enhance lithium compliance, a sound therapeutic
      alliance is more important than sheer knowledge acquisition.

PMID- 1417631
TI  - The first lithium clinic in Hong Kong: a Chinese profile.
AB  - A study of 50 Chinese patients referred to the first lithium clinic in Hong Kong
      revealed a high prevalence of recurrent mania and rarely unipolar depression. A
      history of delusions and hallucinations, and re-diagnosis from schizophrenia to
      manic depressive psychosis, were common. Lithium was prescribed after 3.9
      episodes of illness, and at a dosage of 1,191 mg despite a moderate serum level
      of 0.63 mmol/l. Laboratory monitoring was haphazard, and polypharmacy was common.
      This might pose unnecessary risks to some patients.

PMID- 1417632
TI  - An Australian multicentre study of moclobemide versus amitriptyline in the
      treatment of depression.
AB  - This paper reports the results of a multicentre study of the new monoamine
      oxidase inhibitor, moclobemide, in the treatment of major depression. Moclobemide
      is a specific monoamine oxidase-A inhibitor which does not bind irreversibly to
      the enzyme, unlike the currently available MAOIs. Recent studies would suggest
      that in subjects taking moclobemide blood pressure elevation caused by tyramine
      is significantly less than that induced by the irreversible MAOIs, particularly
      when tyramine is administered in an oral form. Forty-eight patients with major
      depression were randomly allocated to treatment with either moclobemide or
      amitriptyline for 4 weeks in a double-blind comparison. There were no
      statistically significant differences between the two groups on measures of
      efficacy. Patients taking amitriptyline reported a greater number of side-effects
      and more patients in the amitriptyline group dropped out because of these. There
      were no reports of interactions with tyramine-containing foods.

PMID- 1417633
TI  - Psychiatric morbidity in a Chinese primary school in Hong Kong.
AB  - The psychiatric morbidity among 718 Chinese primary school children from a lower
      middle social class area in Hong Kong was studied, using a two-stage design. The
      screening procedures included two parts, a multi-component scale and a battery of
      probing questions. The screening procedures achieved an overall sensitivity of
      75% and a specificity of 97%. The findings on prevalence were: (i) a total
      prevalence of all definite psychiatric cases of 16.3%; (ii) prevalence according
      to diagnostic categories: emotional disorder, 8.8%; conduct disorder, 2.0%; mixed
      disturbance of emotion and conduct, 3.0%; hyperkinetic syndrome, 1.0%;
      hyperkinetic conduct disorder, 1.0%; and Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome, 0.4%;
      (iii) boys 2.7 times more affected than girls; (iv) emotional disorder much more
      common than conduct disorder, even in boys; and (v) the prevalence of borderline
      cases was 19.5%. The mean duration of morbidity for all definite cases was 41.7
      months. About half of all definite cases were seriously impaired in one or more
      areas of functioning and the other half moderately impaired. These results were
      compared with findings obtained from studies done in other countries.

PMID- 1417634
TI  - A study of referrals of black children to a general hospital psychiatric
      outpatient clinic.
AB  - Five hundred and seventy-seven children who attended a child psychiatric out
      patient clinic during 1987 were evaluated. Their clinical and demographic
      characteristics are described and management discussed. High on the list of
      presenting complaints were poor school performance and behavioural problems.
      Factors considered as influencing referrals are socio-economic, political, lack
      of school psychological services and facilities for the management of the
      intellectually handicapped. The most common diagnoses were mental retardation
      (39.5%) and epilepsy (16.2%).

PMID- 1417635
TI  - Serious suicide attempts among adolescents in custody.
AB  - The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody has focused attention on
      people who are held in custody in police cells, prisons, remand centres and
      detention centres. A series of research papers has been released by the Royal
      Commission which delineates some important aspects of the needs of these people.
      Nearly half of the deaths which occur in these custodial settings appear to be
      self-inflicted. Suicide seems to be particularly common among younger age groups
      of those in custody [1,2]. This pattern parallels suicide levels among young
      people in the Australian community generally, so that suicide is now a leading
      cause of death among young Australians [3,4].

PMID- 1417636
TI  - The psychological adjustment of offspring of adults with obsessive-compulsive
      disorder: a brief report.
AB  - This study describes the prevalence of emotional and behavioural problems in the
      offspring of parents who are members of the Obsessive-Compulsive Neurosis Support
      Group in South Australia. The results suggest that the offspring of adults with
      obsessive-compulsive disorder do not have more problems than other children and
      adolescents in the community. The study also highlights potential benefits of
      collaborative research conducted by research groups and self-help organisations.

PMID- 1417637
TI  - Social networks and psychiatric morbidity in New Zealand women.
AB  - A random community survey of urban and rural New Zealand women revealed higher
      rates of psychiatric morbidity in subjects who reported poorer social support.
      Substantial differences in social networks were found between demographic
      subgroups. Rural women described better than expected social relationships,
      giving some support to the pastoral ideal of well integrated rural communities.
      Women in part-time employment also described better social networks. Elderly, low
      socio-economic, and widowed, separated and divorced women had poorer social
      relationships. It is suggested that normative values for social network measures
      for each demographic subgroup will need to be established before the clinical
      significance of deviations from the norm can be meaningfully evaluated. Also, the
      mechanisms linking social networks to health may vary in different subgroups.

PMID- 1417638
TI  - Quantity frequency (consumption index) versus "CAGE" in the detection of
      alcoholism.
AB  - The aim of this study was to compare and validate two simple methods of detecting
      excessive alcohol drinkers in a Malaysian hospital population. All 621 patients
      in the Medical, Surgical and Orthopaedic units of the General Hospital Kuala
      Lumpur were screened with the "CAGE" Questionnaire (a four question screening
      test to discriminate excessive drinkers) and two questions on the frequency and
      quantity of drinking called the Consumption Index. All CAGE scores had poor
      agreement (K = 0.37 to K = 0.1) with a psychiatric diagnosis of alcohol abuse and
      dependence using DSM III diagnosis. Reasons why the Consumption Index is a better
      screening instrument than the CAGE are discussed.

PMID- 1417639
TI  - A community study of mental disorders in elderly Singaporean Chinese using the
      GMS-AGECAT package.
AB  - A random sample of 612 elderly Chinese aged 65 and over living in the community
      in Singapore was assessed with the community version of the Geriatric Mental
      State (GMS) and the data analysed by the AGECAT program to provide computerised
      diagnoses. The prevalence of organic disorder (dementia) was 2.3%, depression
      5.7%, neuroses 1.5% and paranoid disorder 0.5%. The results were generally lower
      compared to the study of elderly people in Liverpool using the GMS-AGECAT
      package. Concordance between AGECAT and the psychiatrist's diagnoses for organic
      disorder, depression, neuroses and paranoid disorder achieved kappa values of
      0.87, 0.88, 0.58 and 1.0 respectively.

PMID- 1417640
TI  - Diffuse Lewy body disease and progressive dementia in a young woman.
AB  - This report details the emergence of a progressive parkinsonian syndrome,
      dementia and behavioural disturbance in a 33 year-old woman which can be dated to
      the delivery of her first child. The findings of this case indicate that cortical
      Lewy body disease should be considered in any patient with temporoparietal
      dementia and idiopathic Parkinson's disease irrespective of the age of onset.

PMID- 1417641
TI  - Clinical psychologists and the college's view.

PMID- 1417642
TI  - Senior trainees and new consultants group.

PMID- 1417643
TI  - Language and complex phenomena.

PMID- 1417644
TI  - Consent and treatment.

PMID- 1417645
TI  - Definitions and defining responsibility.

PMID- 1417646
TI  - Effects of 2 mg and 4 mg atropine sulfate on the performance of U.S. Army
      helicopter pilots.
AB  - Atropine autoinjectors are issued to aviators for use in the event of
      organophosphate poisoning on the battlefield. This investigation assessed the
      effects of unchallenged 2 mg and 4 mg doses on flight performance, vision,
      tracking, cognitive performance, and electroencephalograms of 12 Army aviators.
      Effects were seen most often with the 4 mg dose in terms of aircraft control
      problems, vision disturbances, impaired tracking, reduced cortical activation,
      and decreased cognitive skill. These problems indicate helicopter tactical flight
      is dangerous after an unchallenged 4 mg dose. Other types of flight should also
      be avoided for at least 12 h after atropine.

PMID- 1417647
TI  - Subjective and behavioral effects associated with repeated exposure to narcosis.
AB  - Below 30 m, nitrogen narcosis can severely degrade the performance of air
      breathing divers. Within the diving community it is generally thought that this
      effect can be reduced by repeating deep air dives on successive days but
      laboratory studies have found no strong evidence to support the notion of
      adaptation to narcosis. One possible explanation for this discrepancy is that
      one's subjective impression or perception of narcosis may decrease during
      repeated exposure to hyperbaric air without parallel improvement on task
      performance. To examine this possibility, symptoms and performance were examined
      over the course of 5 days of repeated exposure to 30% nitrous oxide at 1 ATA.
      While the results revealed no clear cut changes in global perceptions of narcosis
      across days, several symptoms from an adjective checklist showed unequivocal
      signs of adaptation. With respect to performance effects, reaction time yielded
      no indications of improvement over days relative to the control. These findings
      suggest that subjective adaptation can occur without parallel performance
      improvement, an effect which could compromise safety and which may be of concern
      in other operational settings that involve repeated exposure to stimulus
      conditions which impact on performance and symptoms.

PMID- 1417648
TI  - Comparison of toxicity rankings of six aircraft cabin polymers by lethality and
      by incapacitation in rats.
AB  - Polymeric aircraft cabin materials have the potential to produce toxic gases in
      fires. Lethality (LC50) in animal models is a standard index to rank polymers on
      the basis of their combustion toxicity. However, the use of times-to
      incapacitation (ti) may be more realistic for predicting relative escape times
      from a fire. Therefore, LC50 and ti for polymers, polyamide (I), polystyrene
      (II), Nylon 6/6 (III), polysulfone (IV), polyethylene (V) and chlorinated
      polyethylene (VI), of different chemical classes were determined and compared.
      Male rats, 12/fuel loading, were exposed to the pyrolysis products from selected
      weights of each polymer for 30 min in a 265-L combustion/exposure system, and
      LC50 values were determined following a 14-d observation period. For each
      polymer, ti was measured at 16 g and at its respective LC50 using the inability
      of rats (n greater than or equal to 12) to walk in rotating cages as a criterion
      for incapacitation. LC50 (45.7-87.5 mg/L) of the polymers had the order of I less
      than II approximately III less than IV less than V less than VI, while their ti
      (6.6-21.1 min) at 16 g (60 mg/L) had the order of III approximately I less than V
      approximately II less than VI less than IV. Based on ti at LC50, polymers were
      grouped into III & V; I, II & VI; and IV. LC50 and ti did not exhibit the same
      relative toxic hazard rankings for these polymers; ti were also not equal at the
      LC50 concentrations. These findings demonstrate the possible involvement of
      different mechanisms of action for the combustion products of these polymers at
      the selected end points.

PMID- 1417649
TI  - Reduced voluntary non-visual suppression of the vestibulo-ocular reflex gain
      during nitrous oxide narcosis.
AB  - The effect of subanesthetic nitrous oxide (N2O) narcosis (21%) on the vestibulo
      ocular reflex (VOR) and on voluntary non-visual suppression of the VOR was
      studied in 12 subjects, using a velocity step rotational test. Gain and time
      constant of the VOR were calculated by computer. During tests, the subjects were
      required either to perform mental arithmetic or to attempt to follow an imaginary
      target rotating with them in the dark. Voluntary non-visual suppression of gain
      was significantly reduced during exposure to N2O, though there was no
      statistically significant effect of N2O on gain per se. The time constant was
      unaffected either by voluntary suppression or by N2O. The reducing effect of N2O
      on voluntary non-visual suppression of VOR gain is assumed to be due to reduced
      alertness. Reduced voluntary non-visual suppression of VOR may imply reduced
      visual-vestibular interaction, which might be one explanation of the complaints
      of dizziness associated with fatigue or with ingestion of certain sedatives.

PMID- 1417650
TI  - Heat strain during at-sea helicopter operations and the effect of passive
      microclimate cooling.
AB  - Twelve Navy H-3 helicopter aircrew members were monitored (heart rate, skin and
      rectal temperatures) in both microclimate cooling (ice) vest and non-vest
      conditions during at-sea operations in the high heat environment of the Persian
      Gulf. During all flights and flight phases, ambient dry bulb temperatures ranged
      from 31.0 degrees C (in-flight) to 48.6 degrees C (hover). Heart rate was
      greatest during hover and on-deck (range: 89.9 to 145.0 beats/min) without an ice
      vest, yet was significantly reduced with ice (range: 79.7 to 86.0 beats/min) (p
      less than 0.05). Rectal temperature was not found to be different between vest
      and non-vest conditions; however, change across flight phases in both conditions
      was significant (p less than 0.05). Analysis of variance demonstrated
      significantly lower mean weighted skin temperatures (p less than 0.05) when
      wearing the ice vest. These data suggest that wearing a protective cooling vest
      can reduce the heat strain associated with helicopter flight in high heat
      environments.

PMID- 1417651
TI  - Thermal convergence fails to predict heat tolerance limits.
AB  - Work under very hot, humid conditions may raise skin temperature (Tsk) to meet
      rectal temperature (Tre). This convergence has been said to produce imminent
      collapse and therefore to predict human tolerance limits for work in heat,
      especially for those wearing impermeable protective clothing. The purpose of this
      study was to examine the ability of subjects to continue work beyond the time
      when they experienced convergence. A total of 15 healthy adult volunteers
      participated in two protocols: A) Each of nine subjects performed four
      experiments wearing impermeable clothing and walking on an inclined treadmill at
      a metabolic rate averaging 450 W with dry bulb temperature (Tdb) 29 or 38 degrees
      C; B) Each of nine subjects performed eight experiments wearing heavy,
      semipermeable clothing under a range of conditions involving Tdb = 22-40 degrees
      C, relative humidity 15-88%, and work load = 200-500 W. Convergence occurred in
      42 cases; in the majority (60%) the subject continued walking until Tre rose to
      the criterion temperature 39 degrees C, working for 10-45 min after convergence.
      No subject approached collapse, nor did convergence have any special effect on
      the rate of rise of temperature or heart rate. Thus, while convergence marks
      severe, time-limited heat stress, it does not accurately predict tolerance limits
      in highly motivated subjects. Termination of work at convergence would
      unnecessarily truncate heat stress exposures, depriving investigators of valuable
      data and industrial users of a large portion of their safe work time.

PMID- 1417653
TI  - The influence of prior exercise at anaerobic threshold on decompression sickness.
AB  - This study was conducted to examine the effects of exercise prior to
      decompression on the incidence of altitude decompression sickness (DCS). In a
      balanced, two-period, crossover trial, 39 healthy individuals (29 males, 10
      females) of mean (S.D.) age 32.5 (7.7) years and body mass index 23.7 (3.4) were
      each exposed twice, without denitrogenation, to an altitude of 6,400 m (21,000
      ft) in a hypobaric chamber. Under the experimental condition, subjects exercised
      at their predetermined anaerobic threshold levels for 30 min each day for 3 d
      prior to altitude exposure; the other condition was a non-exercise control. Under
      both conditions, subjects performed exercise simulating space extravehicular
      activities at altitude for a period of 3 h, while breathing 100% oxygen. There
      were nine preferences (untied responses) for DCS, four under control and five
      under experimental conditions; all were Type I, pain-only bends. No carryover
      effect between exposures was detected, and the test for treatment differences
      showed p = 0.56 (95% confidence interval = 0.34-0.58) for symptoms. No
      significant difference in DCS preferences was found after subjects exercised up
      to their anaerobic threshold levels during the days prior to decompression.

PMID- 1417652
TI  - Effects of hypoxemia at sea level and high altitude on sodium excretion and
      hormonal levels.
AB  - Acute hypoxemia at sea level is associated with decreased aldosterone secretion.
      This inhibition is thought to be mediated through secretion of atrial natriuretic
      factor (ANF). The interaction of these two hormones should result in enhanced
      renal salt excretion during hypoxemic conditions. This hypothesis was tested by
      administration of a standardized salt load to seven normal subjects during
      normoxemia at sea level (SL), acute hypoxemia (AH) at sea level, and high
      altitude (HA) (3,000 m). Urine and venous blood samples were collected and
      analyzed. A natriuresis and diuresis was observed only under AH conditions. It
      was accompanied by a decrease in plasma aldosterone levels, but did not correlate
      with changes in plasma aldosterone levels, ANF, or other hormones. Increased
      plasma renin activity (PRA) and increased norepinephrine levels were encountered
      at HA, suggesting sympathetic nervous system activation. No change in anti
      diuretic hormone (ADH) levels with increased plasma osmolality was seen at HA. We
      conclude that excretion of a salt load during normobaric hypoxemia is enhanced by
      a decrease in plasma aldosterone levels, unrelated to changes in ANF or other
      hormones. The differences observed in norepinephrine, PRA, and ADH levels during
      HA versus AH conditions suggest that hypobaria or chronic hypoxemia may influence
      these hormonal responses.

PMID- 1417654
TI  - An assessment of Turkish Air Force pilots' anxiety and depression levels.
AB  - A popular conception of good morale is the perception of well-being, lack of
      distress, and absence of anxiety and depression. Therefore, the term "morale" is
      related to anxiety and depression. The purpose of this survey is to assess stress
      levels numerically by using anxiety and depression scores. We surveyed 345 active
      duty Turkish Air Force pilots and 70 non-flying Air Force officers (who served as
      control group) in 1988. Spielberger's State Trait Personality Inventory (STPI-A
      Trait) and Zung's Depression Scale (ZDS) were applied to both groups. The flier
      group reflected lower scores than the non-fliers. Different explanations are
      available, but we believe the most likely to be related to higher motivation and
      job satisfaction as well as ego strengths of fliers. These factors can increase
      the ability to cope with stressful conditions.

PMID- 1417655
TI  - Assessing for preflight predictors of airsickness.
AB  - A total of 57 randomly selected male and female student pilots from an
      Introduction to Aviation private pilot course in a large aviation program of a
      midwestern university completed this study. These pilots were assessed for health
      status and surveyed for airsickness and associated symptoms by use of an
      Airsickness Inventory Questionnaire developed by the authors and a modified Self
      Rating Anxiety Status Inventory Scale tool developed by W. K. Zung. Correlational
      analyses of scores from self-report inventories were used to evaluate strength of
      relationships between airsickness and anxiety. Multiple linear stepwise
      regressions were computed on variables of correlated symptoms for predictiveness
      of airsickness. Results of the study indicated 28.1% of pilots exhibited symptoms
      of airsickness. Significant correlations indicated moderate relationships between
      airsickness and the following preflight indicators: nausea and vomiting, tremors,
      face flushing, nightmares, urinary frequency, excessive nervousness, and anxiety
      index.

PMID- 1417656
TI  - Spatial disorientation and dysfunction of orientation/equilibrium reflexes:
      aeromedical evaluation and considerations.
AB  - Loss of spatial awareness has been implicated as a direct causal factor in 4-10%
      of serious aircraft mishaps and 10-20% of fatal aircraft mishaps (7). Spatial
      disorientation in flight usually results from misperception of visual,
      vestibular, or proprioceptive cues. Pathologic causes have rarely been
      implicated. A student naval aviator with recurrent loss of spatial awareness due
      to a defective vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), presumably from vestibular
      neuronitis in adolescence, is reported. His chief complaint, an inability to
      focus on the instrument panel during turbulent instrument meteorological
      conditions (IMC), resulted in spatial disorientation and adverse flight attitude.
      A simple test of visual-vestibular interaction, the dynamic visual acuity test,
      could identify a defective vestibulo-ocular reflex in aviation personnel. An
      absent or defective vestibulo-ocular reflex has potential for disorientation in
      instrument flight. A comprehensive vestibular function test battery is indicated
      in individuals with recurrent or overwhelming spatial disorientation who fail a
      screening dynamic visual acuity test. The aeromedical disposition of vertigo and
      dysequilibrium is discussed.

PMID- 1417657
TI  - Cortical localization of cognitive function by regression of performance on event
      related potentials.
AB  - This paper demonstrates a new method of mapping cortical localization of
      cognitive function, using electroencephalographic (EEG) data. Cross-subject
      regression analyses are used to identify cortical sites and post-stimulus
      latencies where there is a high correlation between subjects' performance and
      their cognitive event-related potential (ERP) amplitude. The procedure was tested
      using a mental arithmetic task and was found to identify essentially the same
      cortical regions that have been associated with such tasks on the basis of
      research with patients suffering localized cortical lesions. Thus, it appears to
      offer an inexpensive, noninvasive tool for exploring the dynamics of localization
      in neurologically normal subjects.

PMID- 1417658
TI  - Documentation of activity and rest of a U.S. National Guard attack helicopter
      battalion.
AB  - A. U.S. National Guard attack helicopter battalion was monitored in order to
      document the activity and rest obtained during the annual training exercises. A
      total of 39 soldiers wore wrist activity monitors during the 2-week training
      period. The data from these monitors discriminate activity from rest. Results
      indicated the following: 1) at some point during the exercises, everyone became
      sleep deprived; 2) the participants who received the most rest of the group were
      the enlisted headquarters personnel and the pilots; 3) the soldiers who received
      the least amount of sleep were the commander of the battalion and the maintenance
      personnel. Some recommendations are offered for future planning of National Guard
      training exercises.

PMID- 1417660
TI  - Aerospace Medical Association. Directory issue. 1992.

PMID- 1417659
TI  - Effect of the prelaunch position on the cardiovascular response to standing.

PMID- 1417661
TI  - Detection of early xerophthalmia by impression cytology and rose Bengal staining-
      a comparative study.
AB  - Twenty two cases were studied for early detection of Xerophthalmia by impression
      cytology and Rose Bengal staining. Patients were below 6 years of age and
      admitted in the paediatric ward of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Assessment
      were done by conjunctival impression cytology and staining with 1% Rose Bengal
      dye. Estimation of serum retinol level was done by HPLC to correlate conjunctival
      findings with biochemical status. The mean age of the subjects were 3.15 +/-
      1.75. Rose Bengal staining was positive in 40% cases and impression cytology was
      in 60% cases. The mean serum retinol level of the diseased children were 10.5 +/-
      3. ug/dl. The sensitivity of Rose Bengal staining was 53.3% and that of
      impression cytology was 80% in detecting vitamin A deficiency when compared with
      serum retinol level. The specificity of Rose Bengal staining was 40% and that of
      impression cytology was 100%. Sensitivity of impression cytology was 100% in
      patient with retinol level 10 ug/dl.

PMID- 1417662
TI  - Studies on virulence determinants of Plesiomonas shigelloides.
AB  - Virulence determinants of nineteen strains of Plesiomonas shigelloides isolated
      from stool samples of diarrhoeal children were studied. Heat-labile toxin was
      detected in seven strains using rat ileal loop model and in none of the strains
      using Chinese hamster ovary cell assay system and by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay. Rat ileal loop model was used for the first time to assay toxin in P.
      shigelloides and is suggested to be a cheap and effective method of detecting
      labile toxin in the organism. Heat stable toxin, cytotoxin, hemolysin and
      hemagglutinin were not detected in the strains tested. Invasiveness could not be
      established by using HEp-2 cell assay system. The results of this study provide
      some experimental support for an etiological role for P. shigelloides in the
      production of diarrhoea.

PMID- 1417664
TI  - Plasma ascorbate status in newly diagnosed diabetics exhibiting retinopathy--a
      finding that alarms.
AB  - Diabetics, who developed retinopathy within one year of detection of disease were
      found to have a significantly low plasma total ascorbate concentration compared
      to those who developed retinopathy 7-17 years after detection of DM. Traditional
      metabolic parameters did not show significant difference between the two groups.
      Thus a severe ascorbate deficiency may be an important determinant in the
      pathogenesis of retinopathy independent of metabolic status and duration of DM.
      It merits early supplementation of ascorbic acid to retard the progression of
      microvascular complication.

PMID- 1417663
TI  - Factors influencing development of bulbar deformity in duodenal ulcer disease.
AB  - Sixty subjects were carefully interrogated and repeatedly endoscoped with a view
      to studying the effect of sucralfate on healing and recurrence of duodenal ulcer
      disease. Degree of bulbar deformity was noted during each endoscopy. During the
      trial it appeared that deformity progressed more rapidly in late onset subjects
      (onset at or above 30 years of age). In eight subjects deformity became gross
      over a period of three years. Seven of them belonged to the late onset subgroup.
      Two subject had large ulcers and both belonged to the late onset subgroup, one
      had rapidly progressive disease. Out of six subjects with multiple ulcers four
      belonged to the late onset subgroup, two of the later had rapidly progressive
      disease.

PMID- 1417665
TI  - Disease profile in respect of health services of Upazila health complex.
AB  - This study was carried out to identify the disease profile in relation to medical
      services at upazila health complex. Thirty different types of diseases were
      identified. Diarrhoeal diseases were found to be highest (53%), the second
      highest was intestinal worms (44%). About ninety seven percent patient attended
      the OPD and only 2% were attended in the emergency Department. On average 172
      patients were admitted per month and the highest of admission was found in the
      months of September and October. The average length of stay in the hospital was
      11.6 days. Among the patients admitted 55% were male, and 45 were female. 5%
      pregnant mothers attended in U.H.C. for antenatal checkup and 2% mother were
      admitted into the hospital after delivery. Metronidazole was the drug of highest
      consumption followed by B-Complex and Penicillin.

PMID- 1417666
TI  - Role of vitamin A and E in spondylosis.
AB  - A biomedical study was undertaken at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science,
      University of Dhaka to observe the effect of the antioxidative roles of vitamins
      A and E on the degenerative process occurring in spondylosis in human. A single
      and a double blind study were done. Thirty two patients suffering from
      spondylosis were selected for the study on the basis of certain criteria. The
      serum vitamin E level in most of the patients were lower (5.8 +/- 2.7 umol/L)
      than normal (11-41 umol/L). Vitamin E administration at a dose of 100 mg daily
      for three weeks resulted in a significant increase in serum vitamin E level
      accompanied by complete relief of pain. The serum vitamin A level of the patients
      were already within the normal (0.53-2 umol/L) range and vitamin A administration
      was not effective in relieving the pain. The results therefore strongly indicate
      that vitamin E is effective in curing spondylosis and most probably due to its
      antioxidant activity.

PMID- 1417667
TI  - Scheduled running wheel activity indexes the specificity of pharmacological
      anorexia.
AB  - Nondeprived male Sprague-Dawley rats that were given scheduled access to running
      wheels for 60 min daily ran immediately and energetically. Intraperitoneal
      injections of 400 micrograms/kg pancreatic glucagon and 0.15 microgram/kg
      cholecystokinin octapeptide had no effect on scheduled running, but significantly
      inhibited feeding when the rats were offered condensed milk instead of access to
      the running wheels. This is consistent with the hypothesized function of these
      peptides as postprandial satiety signals. In contrast, 0.5 mg/kg amphetamine and
      75 microM/kg LiCl, which produced similar degrees of anorexia, inhibited running
      by about 50%. Amphetamine, but neither peptide, also inhibited water drinking and
      disrupted the behavioral sequence of postprandial satiety. The distance run
      during scheduled running tests was inversely related to body weight, but the
      patterns of the drugs' effects were not altered by baseline running differences.
      Scheduled wheel running is a robust consummatory behavior that appears to provide
      a relatively valid, simple, and sensitive test of the behavioral specificity of
      pharmacological anorexia.

PMID- 1417669
TI  - Preoperative operant circling training facilitates recovery following unilateral
      substantia nigra lesion in rats.
AB  - This study was undertaken to examine (1) whether pre- and/or postoperative
      training, using water reinforcement, to turn in circles (rotation) affects the
      behavioral symptoms induced by unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced DA
      denervation of the rat substantia nigra (SN); (2) whether there was any influence
      of this training on the temporal pattern of recovery; and (3) whether the
      rotational training influences turning induced by systemic injection of
      dopaminergic drugs. In the first experiment, rats were trained either ipsi- or
      contraversive (TI or TO) to the side to be damaged 11 days before and 23 days
      after lesion, and tested in an open field for rotational behavior following
      systemic administration of apomorphine and amphetamine. In the second experiment
      rats were trained only before the lesion was made and tested in the open field
      for spontaneous circling and thigmotactic behavior. The results of the first
      experiment indicated maintenance of the training performance after the lesion. At
      the 14th day after the lesion, the ipsiversive trained group showed a higher
      contraversive circling frequency after apomorphine injection in relation to the
      contralateral trained group. In the second experiment, rats trained only before
      the surgery, showed asymmetrical spontaneous circling in the trained direction
      before and 14 days after surgery, indicating, in a drug free condition, that
      training direction can be restored after unilateral SN lesions, even to the
      contralateral body side. Moreover, thigmotactic behavior indicated a lack of
      habituation in an open field in unilateral lesion rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1417668
TI  - Evidence for separate control of estrous and circadian periodicity in the golden
      hamster.
AB  - To study the relationship between estrous and circadian periodicity, we
      investigated the period of the estrous cycle in two types of female golden
      hamsters: normals (circadian period approximately 24 h) and tau mutants
      (circadian period approximately 20 h). Records of running wheel activity, general
      locomotor activity, body temperature, vaginal secretion, and sexual receptivity
      of hamsters kept under constant lighting conditions indicated an estrous period
      of approximately 96 h for both groups of animals. The fact that animals with
      different circadian periods have the same estrous period suggests the existence
      of separate mechanisms in the control of circadian and estrous periodicity.
      Circadian periodicity is determined by a pacemaker located in the suprachiasmatic
      nuclei, whereas estrous periodicity is determined by positive and negative
      feedback loops involving the hypothalamus, pituitary, and gonads. Coupling of the
      two mechanisms takes place under at least some conditions, but additional
      research is necessary to elucidate the mechanisms by which this is accomplished.

PMID- 1417670
TI  - The relationship between adrenal steroids and enrichment-induced brain growth.
AB  - The question of whether brain growth brought about by environmental enrichment is
      mediated by the adrenal cortex has not been answered. Accordingly, young male
      rats were either adrenalectomized (ADX) and infused with a constant maintenance
      dose of corticosterone (2 mg.kg-1.day-1) or sham-operated and implanted with a
      blank infusion device. Half of each surgical group was maintained in either
      impoverished (IC) or enriched conditions (EC). After 30 days, changes in
      forebrain growth and thickness of various cortical and subcortical regions were
      determined for each group. Enrichment and ADX independently increased forebrain
      weight and thickened cortical tissue at about the same anatomical sites. However,
      combined treatments were additive, not interactive. EC-induced brain growth is
      mimicked but not mediated by adrenalectomy.

PMID- 1417671
TI  - Microdialysis administration of vasopressin and vasopressin antagonists into the
      septum during pole-jumping behavior in rats.
AB  - Wistar rats (n = 95) were trained in a pole-jumping apparatus (10
      trials/session/day) to investigate the involvement of centrally and peripherally
      released endogenous AVP in their acquisition rate and to examine the feasibility
      of the microdialysis technique for the administration of peptides during a
      behavioral test. After session 1, a microdialysis probe was implanted into the
      septum; during sessions 2 and 3 the probe was perfused with artificial
      cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) alone or containing either AVP (delivered amount via
      the probe: 0.2 ng) or the V1 (d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)AVP, 5.0 ng) or the V2/V1 (d(CH2)5-D
      Tyr(Et)VAVP, 5.0 ng) antagonist. Administration of AVP via microdialysis into the
      septum failed to alter the acquisition rate of pole jumping. Also, ip application
      of both hypertonic saline and the AVP V1 antagonist (10 micrograms) in another
      experiment failed to show a significant effect upon behavior. Septal
      administration of the V1 or the V2/V1 antagonist via microdialysis, however,
      produced a significantly impaired performance. The results indicate that AVP
      release within the septum is involved in the acquisition of pole-jumping behavior
      probably mediated by the V1 receptor subtype. An additional involvement of the V2
      receptor subtype, however, cannot be entirely excluded. The microdialysis
      technique proved to be a potent tool to administer substances concomitantly with
      behavioral tests.

PMID- 1417672
TI  - Increases in dendritic length in occipital cortex after 4 days of differential
      housing in weanling rats.
AB  - To assess the capacity for experience to induce rapid alterations in the
      dendritic fields of cortical neurons, male Long-Evans hooded rats aged 30-31 days
      were housed in either a complex environment (EC) or an individual cage (IC) for 4
      days. The basilar dendrites of layer III pyramidal cells in area 17 of visual
      cortex were measured in Golgi-stained sections. EC rats exhibited significant
      increases in total dendritic length and total number of branches. This finding
      demonstrates that the structural modifications previously reported after 30 days
      in the complex environment are well underway after only 4 days.

PMID- 1417673
TI  - Impairment of spontaneous alternation performance by an NMDA antagonist:
      attenuation with non-NMDA treatments.
AB  - N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists disrupt learning on a variety of
      tasks. Previous findings indicate that glucose, naloxone, and physostigmine
      ameliorate learning deficits produced by several treatments. The present
      experiment examines whether these agents also reverse the amnestic effects of
      NMDA receptor blockade. Mice were tested for spontaneous alternation performance
      in a Y-maze. The animals received either saline or the NMDA antagonist, NPC 12626
      (35 mg/kg, IP), 50 min prior to testing and received an additional injection of
      saline, glucose, naloxone, or physostigmine 30 min prior to testing. NPC 12626
      significantly decreased alternation scores. Glucose (250 mg/kg), physostigmine
      (0.01 mg/kg), and naloxone (1 mg/kg) reversed the effects of NPC 12626. Thus,
      impairments of learning after NMDA receptor blockade share with other amnestic
      conditions the susceptibility to attenuation by glucose, naloxone, and
      physostigmine.

PMID- 1417674
TI  - Chronic sodium azide treatment impairs learning of the Morris water maze task.
AB  - A reduction in the activity of cytochrome oxidase, a respiratory chain enzyme,
      has been recently identified in mitochondria from blood platelets and postmortem
      brain tissue from Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. We have developed an animal
      model of this deficit in rats by chronic subcutaneous infusion of sodium azide, a
      selective inhibitor of cytochrome oxidase, delivered via Alzet 2ML4 osmotic
      minipumps. In previous work, azide-treated rats were impaired in an appetitively
      motivated spatial learning task, the radial arm maze. In the present
      investigation, we tested male Sprague-Dawley rats (350-400 g), which were
      tonically infused with azide or saline, on an aversively motivated spatial task,
      the Morris water maze. Azide-treated rats were impaired on both acquisition and
      retention of this task, without showing evidence of a motor impairment. Thus, the
      present results are consistent with previous findings showing that chronic azide
      treatment produces a learning and memory deficit. These findings strengthen the
      hypothesis that azide treatment in rats produces a useful animal model of some
      aspects of AD.

PMID- 1417676
TI  - Selective lesions in the temporal-hippocampal region of the rat: effects on
      acquisition and retention of a visual discrimination task.
AB  - The first purpose of this study was to investigate whether lesions in the
      temporal region may affect acquisition or retention of a discrimination task. In
      Experiment 1, rats with lesions of the temporal cortex (TC), the lateral
      entorhinal cortex (LEC), or their interconnections were tested postoperatively in
      simultaneous brightness discrimination. The results show that neither TC lesions
      nor LEC lesions affected acquisition of the task, and only LEC lesions impaired
      retention. TC/LEC transections impaired both acquisition and retention. The
      second purpose was to investigate effects of hippocampal lesions and perforant
      path transections on the discrimination task (Experiment 2). Both hippocampal and
      perforant path lesions impaired acquisition of the task, whereas retention was
      unaffected. It is suggested that TC and LEC are primarily involved in information
      storing and that hippocampal function is primarily involved in information
      processing.

PMID- 1417675
TI  - Amnesia by post-training infusion of glutamate receptor antagonists into the
      amygdala, hippocampus, and entorhinal cortex.
AB  - The blockers of glutamate receptors, aminophosphonovaleric acid (AP5) (5.0
      micrograms) and cyano-nitroquinoxaline-dione (CNQX) (0.5 microgram), were infused
      bilaterally into the amygdala, dorsal hippocampus, or entorhinal cortex of rats
      through indwelling cannulae 0, 90, 180, or 360 min after step-down inhibitory
      avoidance training. Animals were tested for retention 24 h after training. In the
      amygdala or hippocampus, AP5 was amnestic when given 0 min after training and
      CNQX was amnestic when given 0, 90, or 180 min after training. In the entorhinal
      cortex, AP5 was amnestic when given 90 or 180 min after training and CNQX had no
      effect. The results suggest that a phenomenon sensitive first to AP5 and then to
      CNQX in the amygdala and hippocampus, probably long-term potentiation (LTP), is
      crucial to post-training memory processing. LTP in these two structures could
      underlie their role in memory consolidation and could explain the late
      involvement of the entorhinal cortex in post-training memory processing.

PMID- 1417677
TI  - An adoption and a cross-fostering study of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality
      Inventory (MMPI) Psychopathic Deviate Scale.
AB  - The first of two complementary studies compared biological and adoptive parents
      of teenage adoptees with either higher (n = 21) or low (n = 51) MMPI Psychopathic
      Deviate (Pd) scale scores. In comparison to biological mothers of the low-Pd
      adoptees, biological mothers of the high-Pd adoptees obtained significantly
      higher MMPI scores on six of eight clinical scales. Fewer differences existed
      between the corresponding groups of adoptive mothers, but adoptive mothers of the
      high Pd's did obtain significantly higher scores on the Pd and Hypomania scales.
      Substantial genetic correspondences also existed for Harris-Lingoes content
      subscales, with fewer correspondences between adoptees and their adoptive
      mothers. There were indications that adoptive mothers of the high-Pd children had
      personality traits which may have made them less effective in attenuating early
      signs of antisocial behavior. The second study employed a cross-fostering design
      dividing all biological and adoptive mothers (n = 138 each) by their respective
      median Pd raw scores to examine effects on offspring. Results confirmed the
      effect of biological mother Pd score, but only a trend suggested an adoptive
      mother effect, with no hint of an interaction.

PMID- 1417678
TI  - Sex ratio and factors influencing family size in a human population from Spain.
AB  - Six hundred and eight students from the Faculty of Biological Sciences of
      Valencia (Spain) provided information about secondary sex ratio and family size
      of the parental, present, and projected generation. The average number of
      children was 3.59, 3.05, and 2.10 and the secondary sex ratio was 113.3, 101.2,
      and 98.6 for the parental, present, and projected generation respectively.
      Combination of sexes of the first two children had a significant effect in the
      parental and the present generations. There was no consistent association between
      sexes of successive and sexes of nonsuccessive children within families. The most
      preferred combination of sexes in the projected generation was one male-one
      female, and male-female was the most preferred permutation. Strong preferences
      for the firstborn to be male and for an alternation of sexes were also indicated.

PMID- 1417679
TI  - Developmental isolation and subsequent adult behavior of Drosophila paulistorum.
      I. Survey of the six semispecies.
AB  - We present results deriving from the inception of an investigation (involving
      4,000 scored matings) into the development of discriminatory behavior in
      Drosophila paulistorum. We examined two complementary situations for their
      effects on mating behavior: physical isolation (seclusion) beginning at each of
      six developmental stages and exposure to heterosemispecifics during all preadult
      stages (mixed culturing). Preadult seclusion at certain stages decreased sexual
      isolation between three of four semispecific pairs. Seclusion effect, or lack
      thereof, varied with semispecies and with the stage at which seclusion was
      imposed: the earlier the stage at which seclusion was initiated, the more drastic
      the effect. In contrast, mixed culturing increased sexual isolation between the
      one pair of semispecies that was tested.

PMID- 1417680
TI  - Sources of behavioral deviation modeled by early color preferences in quail. I.
      Behavioral synergism and systemic instability.
AB  - Differences between population-typical norms of individual variability were
      studied in five genetic lines of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica); two
      (BL and RL) were bidirectionally selected for early approach preference between
      blue and red stimuli, two (Hi and Lo) for high and low imprintabilities to the
      same stimuli, and the fifth (CL) was an unselected genetic control line.
      Selection resulted in reliably divergent extreme choice performances and
      imprintabilities and in progressively increasing choice variances in the BL x RL
      hybrids and the Hi imprintability line. Experimentation tested and rejected the
      hypotheses that correlated selection of synergistically acting but otherwise
      extraneous stimulus influences, social interaction effects, or phototactic and
      short-term learning effects may have been responsible for the observed large
      variance increases. An alternative interpretation is discussed, according to
      which directional selection relaxes the genetic buffering and the variance
      increases reflect the resulting developmental instability of the trait.

PMID- 1417682
TI  - Direct and correlated responses to bidirectional selection for dustbathing
      activity in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica).
AB  - Bidirectional selection was conducted for dustbathing activity in male Japanese
      quail over 17 generations. The response to selection was slightly asymmetrical,
      due mainly to scale effects and a threshold imposing discontinuity on the visible
      expression of dustbathing in the low line. Correlated responses to selection were
      found for latency to dustbathe, duration, intensity, and incidence of nonbathers.
      In general, changes followed linear patterns over time in both lines with the
      exception of quadratic change in nonbathers in the high line. Under artificial
      environment, only minor natural selection pressure is assumed to act on the
      expression of dustbathing behavior.

PMID- 1417683
TI  - Animal phobias versus claustrophobias: exteroceptive versus interoceptive cues.
AB  - The overall purpose of this investigation was to examine heterogeneity among
      specific phobias. In particular, the goals were to compare features of fear
      responding between individuals fearful of claustrophobic situations and
      individuals fearful of spiders/snakes, and to compare their response to
      hyperventilation challenges. By so doing, specific predictions were tested in
      relation to a conceptual model of exteroceptive and interoceptive fear cues.
      Using a nonclinical sample, 19 subjects with spider/snake phobias, 18 nonphobics,
      and 9 subjects with claustrophobias were exposed on two separate occasions to a
      live tarantula or python, a small closet, and a hyperventilation challenge.
      Dependent measures included subjective anxiety, panic attacks, physical symptoms,
      cognitive symptoms (or, fear of symptoms) and heart rate. In addition, subjects
      completed a standardized self-report scale that measures fear of bodily symptoms
      of arousal. It was found that subjects with claustrophobia reported more physical
      symptoms and cognitive symptoms than did subjects with snake/spider phobias, in
      response to their fear-relevant stimulus. In addition, claustrophobic subjects
      were more fearful of hyperventilation challenges and reported more fear of bodily
      symptoms, than did snake/spider phobic subjects. Finally, subjects with
      claustrophobia were as fearful of hyperventilation as they were of their fear
      relevant stimulus. Theoretical and empirical implications of these findings are
      discussed.

PMID- 1417681
TI  - Sources of behavioral deviation modeled by early color preferences in quail. II.
      Diathetic genes and the leftover variance "V(e)".
AB  - The sources of deviation from population-typical norms of variability were
      studied in relation to early approach preferences between colors in newly hatched
      Japanese quail chicks (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Subjects were drawn from an
      unselected genetic control line, two genetic lines that were artificially
      selected for extreme blue and red preferences, their hybrids, and a large set of
      backcross and assortatively derived generations. Large progressive increases were
      observed with selection in the leftover (V(e)) component of F1 variance and
      consistent additional variance increases in F2 hybrids. Backcross generations
      exhibited greater than expected expression of the blue and red preference genes.
      Discussion differentiates between diathetic and normative influences in
      preference deviations and relates the increased Ve to relaxed normative
      canalization of preference development by directional selection.

PMID- 1417684
TI  - Agoraphobic avoidance and panic frequency as predictors of laboratory induced
      panic reactions.
AB  - This study examined the importance of agoraphobic avoidance and frequency of
      panic as predictors of psychological and physiological responses of panic
      sufferers to a laboratory based provocation procedure. Psychophysiologic
      comparisons were made between 22 panic disorder patients and 15 controls, at
      baseline and across three periods of carbon dioxide gas inhalations (1, 3, 5%;
      balance oxygen). Subjective measures of anxiety, frightening cognitions and body
      sensations were obtained across the phases. Physiological measures of minute
      ventilation, breathing rate, tidal volume, end tidal CO2 and heart rate were also
      obtained. Between group comparisons revealed significant differences between the
      groups on the subjective measures with no significant differences occurring on
      the physiological measures. Within group analyses revealed that pre-session
      questionnaire measures of agoraphobia avoidance and panic frequency predicted the
      degree of anxiety, frightening sensations and cognitions during baseline and 5%
      CO2 inhalation. The results indicated that both self-reported agoraphobic
      avoidance and panic frequency are strong clinical predictors of psychological
      reactions of panic sufferers during laboratory provocation.

PMID- 1417685
TI  - Individual differences in the perception of bodily sensations: the role of trait
      anxiety and coping style.
AB  - Thirty young women participated in an experiment in which heart rate, blood
      pressure, respiration rate, skin conductance level and palmar sweat index were
      monitored at rest and during the administration of mental arithmetic, mirror
      drawing and cold pressor tasks. The accuracy of perception of somatic states was
      estimated by calculating within-subject correlations between four bodily
      sensations (racing heart, high blood pressure, shortness of breath and sweaty
      hands) and corresponding physiological parameters, assessed on eight occasions
      during the experiment. The accuracy of heart rate perception was highest, with a
      mean correlation between actual heart rate and ratings of racing heart of 0.76
      and 66% of participants showing significant within-subject effects. The mean
      accuracy was 0.55 for systolic blood pressure, 0.48 for respiration rate, 0.47
      for skin conductance level, and 0.64 for palmar sweat index. Accurate perception
      across physiological parameters did not cluster within individuals, and was not
      dependent on the range either of physiological changes or sensation ratings.
      Trait anxiety was not significantly associated with accuracy of somatic
      perception. Subjects with high trait anxiety reported larger increases in
      shortness of breath during tasks than did low anxious subjects, but this was not
      reflected in objective physiological measures. Information-seeking coping style,
      indexed by the monitoring scale of the Miller Behavioral Style Scale, was related
      to the accuracy of perception of skin conductance level and heart rate. The use
      of within-subject correlational strategies for assessing individual differences
      in perception of bodily states is discussed.

PMID- 1417686
TI  - Reaction time to threat stimuli in panic disorder and social phobia.
AB  - Two studies assessed response time among clinically anxious subjects and normal
      controls when presented with threat, positive and neutral stimuli under
      perceptual (lexical decision) and semantic (category decision) task conditions.
      In Study 1, panic disorder subjects' (n = 14) performance was compared to that of
      matched normal controls (n = 14) while in Study 2 social phobic subjects (n = 24)
      were compared to matched normal controls (n = 24). Relative to matched normal
      controls, panic disorder subjects but not social phobics tended to show greater
      slowing in performance on the more cognitively complex (category) task. A second
      finding, consistent across both studies was that, compared to the normal control
      groups, both panic and social phobic groups showed significantly slowed responses
      to threat words in both the perceptual and semantic tasks. Such findings are
      directly counter to the predictions of a mood congruence hypothesis. This
      apparent contradiction is resolved by a review of the literature which indicates
      that mood-related facilitation effects are obtained only in tasks which tap
      awareness of threat information rather than speed of response. It is suggested
      that while anxiety may produce enhanced awareness of threat, it may inhibit
      responsiveness to it. The results of these studies are seen as consistent with
      ethological theories of inhibited motoric responses under certain threat
      conditions. Furthermore, the findings suggest that caution is indicated in
      interpreting slowed reaction time to threat stimuli in tasks such as the Stroop
      color naming task as purely the result of attentional processes.

PMID- 1417687
TI  - Attention and memory for threat in panic disorder.
AB  - Recently, information processing paradigms have been utilized to explore the role
      of attentional and memory processes in the maintenance of clinical anxiety
      disorders. The present study extended these data using a dual-task paradigm to
      assess attentional vigilance and a cued recognition task to evaluate short-term
      memory effects in Panic Disorder (PD). Twenty PD patients and 20 normal controls
      completed a computerized task wherein they read aloud one of a pair of rapidly
      presented words (primary task) while simultaneously attempting to detect a small
      probe that appeared adjacent to one of the words (secondary task). Eighty
      stimulus words were chosen to represent four categories: physical panic-related
      threat, social threat, positive-emotional, and neutral. Reaction time and
      accuracy in detecting the probe were assessed, as well as psychophysiological
      responding (heart rate, skin conductance, EMG). Following task completion, a cued
      recognition task was administered to examine short-term memory of task stimuli.
      Results indicated that PD patients exhibited slower reaction times relative to
      normal controls during presentation of physical panic-related threat and positive
      emotional stimuli. A similar trend emerged for social threat stimuli, although
      the PD and control samples responded similarly to neutral stimuli. No group
      differences were found on the cued recognition measure or psychophysiological
      responding during task performance. The data are discussed in terms of possible
      implications for cognitive models of PD.

PMID- 1417688
TI  - Obsessions and compulsions: dimensional structure, reliability, convergent and
      divergent validity of the Padua Inventory.
AB  - This study presents data on dimensional structure, reliability, convergent and
      divergent validity of the Padua Inventory (PI). In a sample (n = 430) of normal
      Dutch subjects. The dimensional structure and the strength of the factors were
      comparable to those found in the Italian sample. The reliability of the PI was
      found to be satisfactory. As hypothesized substantial correlations were found
      between the PI and related scales of the Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory
      (MOCI) and between the PI and the subscales Sensitivity, Hostility and Depression
      of the revised version of the Symptom Checklist. Low correlations were found
      between the PI on the one side and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire revised
      Extraversion, Psychoticism and Social Desirability scale on the other side.
      Finally, the mean score of the PI differs across the Italian, American and Dutch
      samples. This is of theoretical interest and deserves further study.

PMID- 1417689
TI  - Suppression of emotional and neutral material.
AB  - Previous studies have indicated that suppression of a thought results in an
      immediate increase of the frequency of this thought and/or in a rebound effect,
      i.e. in a heightened frequency of this thought later on. The present study (n =
      53) examined the relationship between suppression and emotionality of the to-be
      suppressed material. More specifically, it was investigated whether suppression
      of an emotional story results in stronger immediate enhancement or thought
      rebounds than suppression of a neutral story. There was a clear initial
      enhancement effect in the group suppressing a neutral story: subjects who tried
      to suppress experienced more target thoughts than subjects who did not try to
      suppress. In the neutral-story conditions, no rebound effect occurred. In the
      groups exposed to an emotional story, there was neither evidence of initial
      enhancement nor of a rebound. As most obsessions are related to emotional themes,
      the present findings cast doubt on the claim that the rebound phenomenon
      represents a valid laboratory model for clinical obsessions.

PMID- 1417690
TI  - The role of hyperventilation in panic disorder: a response to Ley (1991)
AB  - Ley (Behaviour Research and Therapy, 29, 301-304, 1991) provided a
      reinterpretation of experimental findings on the efficacy of breathing retraining
      plus cognitive restructuring in reducing the symptomatology of patients with
      panic disorder with agoraphobia which were presented in a 1989 article in this
      journal. On the basis of his reinterpretation, they concluded that our findings
      supported the central role of hyperventilation in panic attacks. Ley's arguments
      are discussed and we conclude that his reinterpretation provides new arguments
      against a hyperventilation theory of panic. Furthermore, recent evidence from
      empirical studies does not support a central role for hyperventilation in panic
      attacks.

PMID- 1417692
TI  - The use of tannin from chestnut (Castanea vesca).
AB  - After mimosa and quebracho extracts, chestnut extract is the third most important
      vegetable tannin used for leather production. It is produced only in Europe on
      the northern side of the Mediterranean sea. The extract is prepared by hot water
      extraction of the bark and timber, followed by spray-drying of the solution.
      Analysis shows that there are insignificant variations in extract quality between
      batches, so the extract can be used with modern automated leather production
      systems. The extract contains approximately 75 percent active tanning substances.
      The primary component is castalagin, along with smaller amounts of vescalagin,
      castalin, and vescalin. A castalagin-based pharmaceutical product is currently in
      use for prevention and treatment of diarrhea in pigs and cattle that is caused by
      changes in diet. The beneficial effect is due to prevention of water losses
      through mucous membranes. The castalagin may also form chelates with iron, which
      influences the reabsorption of the metal in the animal digestive tract.

PMID- 1417691
TI  - Prediction of outcome from cognitive-behavioral treatment of irritable bowel
      syndrome.
AB  - The presence of a diagnosable Axis I psychiatric disorder predicted significantly
      (P less than 0.001) lower likelihood of significant improvement among 90
      irritable bowel syndrome patients given cognitive and behavioral treatments to
      help the disorder. Other psychological tests, including the MMPI, BDI, STAI, as
      well as demographic variables, failed to yield significant prediction.

PMID- 1417693
TI  - Study on the composition and structure of commercial chestnut tanning agent.
AB  - Current research has focused on the composition of commercially used chestnut
      tannin extracts so as to provide a quantitative basis for studies of reactions,
      structure-property relationships, and applications of chestnut tannin extract.
      Two chestnut tannins, vescalagin and castalagin, have been isolated using
      chromatography on Sephadex LH-20 and cellulose. The structures of these compounds
      have been established by means of nuclear magnetic resonance and fast atom
      bombardment mass spectroscopy. Some other components have been found and analyzed
      by chromatography and spectroscopy, but their structures have not as yet been
      completely defined. These structural features, together with quantitative results
      for each component, provide a better understanding of the mode of action of
      complex commercial chestnut tannin extracts.

PMID- 1417694
TI  - Pharmacologically active tannins isolated from medicinal plants.
AB  - Starting with the isolation of a crystalline tannin (geraniin) of mild property
      from a popular herb medicine (Geranii herba), various polyphenolic compounds
      including those belonging to new classes of tannins (oligomeric hydrolyzable
      tannins, complex tannins, and other metabolites and condensates) have been
      isolated from various medicinal plants. Noticeable biological and pharmacological
      activities (inhibition of carcinogenesis, host-mediated antitumor activity,
      antiviral activity, and inhibition of active oxygen, such as inhibition of lipid
      peroxidation and lipoxygenase, xanthine oxidase, and monoamine oxidase) have been
      found for several of these polyphenolic compounds.

PMID- 1417695
TI  - Antinutritional effects of condensed and hydrolyzable tannins.
AB  - Despite major structural differences, hydrolyzable and condensed tannins often
      produce similar antinutritional effects. The most common effects are diminished
      weight gains and lowered efficiency of nutrient utilization. The major
      biochemical basis for these effects appears not to be inhibition of dietary
      protein digestion but rather a systemic inhibition of the metabolism of digested
      and absorbed nutrients, particularly protein. In the case of condensed tannins,
      this inhibition is probably not due to polymeric tannin molecules, which are not
      absorbed from the digestive tract, but to associated lower MW polyphenols, which
      are readily absorbed.

PMID- 1417696
TI  - Prosopis cineraria leaf tannins: their inhibitory effect upon ruminal cellulase
      and the recovery of inhibition by polyethylene glycol-4000.
AB  - The condensed tannins from the Prosopis cineraria leaves were purified and
      fractionated in two groups (Kav 0.018 and 0.74) on a column of Sephadex LH-20
      (2.5 x 27 cm) using 70 percent aqueous acetone as the eluent. The Kav for
      catechin was 0.946. Upon acid hydrolysis, both the condensed tannin fractions
      yielded three pigments including cyanidin-chloride, which was separated by column
      chromatography using polyvinylpyrrolidone absorbent and was identified by paper
      chromatography (Rf Forestal 0.476) and absorption maxima (lambda max 535 nm) in 1
      percent HCl in methanol. The condensed tannin fraction Kav 0.74 at 0.01 percent
      and 0.02 percent in incubations with butanol-acetone powder of rumen liquor,
      inhibited cellulase activity by 65.9 +/- 2.1 and 78.99 +/- 4.5 percent,
      respectively. Inclusion of 0.5 percent of polyethylene glycol -4000 in the
      incubation mixture, reduced the inhibition to 41 and 46 percent, respectively.

PMID- 1417698
TI  - Widespread tannin intake via stimulants and masticatories, especially guarana,
      kola nut, betel vine, and accessories.
AB  - Tannins are increasingly recognized as dietary carcinogens and as antinutrients
      interfering with the system's full use of protein. Nevertheless, certain tannin
      rich beverages, masticatories, and folk remedies, long utilized in African,
      Asiatic, Pacific, and Latin American countries, are now appearing in North
      American sundry shops and grocery stores. These include guarana (Paullinia cupana
      HBK.) from Brazil, kola nut (Cola nitida Schott & Endl. and C. acuminata Schott &
      Endl.) from West Africa, and betel nut (Areca catechu L.) from Malaya. The betel
      nut, or arecanut, has long been associated with oral and esophageal cancer
      because of its tannin content and the tannin contributed by the highly astringent
      cutch from Acacia catechu L. and Uncaria gambir Roxb. and the aromatic,
      astringent 'pan' (leaves of Piper betel L.) chewed with it. In addition to the
      constant recreational/social ingestion of these plant materials, they are much
      consumed as aphrodisiacs and medications. Guarana and kola nut enjoy great
      popularity in their native lands because they are also rich in caffeine, which
      serves as a stimulant. Research and popular education on the deleterious effects
      of excessive tannin intake could do much to reduce the heavy burden of early
      mortality and health care, especially in developing countries.

PMID- 1417697
TI  - Polyphenols from Bulgarian medicinal plants with anti-infectious activity.
AB  - Three Bulgarian medicinal plants--Geranium macrorrhizum L. and G. sanguineum L.
      (Geraniaceae), and Epilobium hirsutum L. (Onagraceae) were analyzed
      phytochemically. Different polyphenols like flavonoids and tannis have been found
      to be principal constituents of the plants. A series of water or alcohol extracts
      was obtained, and their anti-infectious activity was tested. A significant
      inhibitory effect of water-alcohol extract and of four fractions from the
      polyphenolic mixture of E. hirsutum on the reproduction of influenza viruses in
      vitro, in ovo, and in vivo was established. Four extracts from G. macrorrhizum
      and three extracts from G. sanguineum were studied for in vitro inhibition of the
      growth of some Gram-negative bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris,
      Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa), Gram-positive bacterium
      (Staphylococcus aureus), and fungus (Candida albicans). Some geranium extracts
      caused a strong increase of the survival rate in an infection with K. pneumoniae
      in mice. Augmentation of the nonspecific host resistance in relation to the
      influence of the extracts on the classical complement activation pathway was also
      studied.

PMID- 1417699
TI  - Plants of the Olympic Coastal Forests: ancient knowledge of materials and
      medicines and future heritage.
AB  - The indigenous people of the west coast of Washington State's Olympic Peninsula
      have used a wide variety of forest plants for centuries to make materials and
      medicines. The late David Forlines shared at least eight generations of the
      knowledge of uses of these plants for materials and medicines with us in hopes
      that this information might be used 'to help science catch up with the old
      people.' Dyes, paints and adhesives were some of the materials made. The
      medicines were often administered as teas, but in some cases, fresh plant
      material was required. Some parallels were found to European and Chinese uses of
      similar species. Plants from the family Rosaceae had the greatest number of
      medicinal uses, but several other plant families known to contain polyphenols
      were also encountered. The role of polyphenols in the use of these plants is
      difficult to estimate because in many cases the plants have not been studied
      chemically. A preliminary screening indicated that many of the plants were rich
      in procyanidins and associated compounds.

PMID- 1417700
TI  - Antitumor-promoting activities of tannic acid, ellagic acid, and several gallic
      acid derivatives in mouse skin.
AB  - Naturally occurring plant phenols with antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic
      activities were tested for their abilities to inhibit the biochemical and
      biological effects of the potent tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13
      acetate (TPA) in mouse epidermis in vivo. When applied topically to mouse skin,
      tannic acid (TA), ellagic acid, and several gallic acid derivatives all inhibit
      TPA-induced ornithine decarboxylase activity, hydroperoxide production, and DNA
      synthesis, three biochemical markers of skin tumor promotion. Moreover, in the
      two-step initiation-promotion protocol, the same phenolic compounds also inhibit
      the incidence and yield of skin tumors promoted by TPA. TA is the most effective
      of these treatments. Since they are already known to inhibit tumor initiation,
      the plant phenols protecting against skin tumor promotion by TPA may be universal
      inhibitors of multistage carcinogenesis. TA and other polyphenols, therefore,
      might be valuable in cancer therapy and/or prevention.

PMID- 1417701
TI  - Cotton condensed tannin: a potent modulator of alveolar macrophage host-defense
      function.
AB  - Alveolar macrophages are the resident airway cells primarily responsible for the
      protection of the lungs against inhaled toxins and other biologically active
      material. A number of functional capabilities constitute their host-defense
      function. They can phagocytize and inactivate foreign material by production of
      reactive oxygen intermediates or the action of hydrolytic enzymes. In the absence
      of phagocytosis, macrophages can secrete reactive oxygen intermediates or enzymes
      that inactivate extracellular biologically active material. They also can secrete
      metabolites of arachidonic acid and other cytokines that contribute to the
      inflammatory response of the lungs. Macrophages also secrete a variety of peptide
      and lipid chemotactic factors that lead to the recruitment of other inflammatory
      cells into the airways. The condensed tannins, which constitute a significant
      percentage of the water soluble compounds present in respirable cotton mill dust,
      dramatically alter the host-defense function of alveolar macrophages in vitro.
      Tannin inhibits both phagocytosis and production of reactive oxidants in a dose
      dependent manner with EC50's of 16 micrograms/mL and 3 micrograms/mL,
      respectively. This inhibition dramatically decreases the ability of resident
      alveolar macrophages to clear and detoxify potentially harmful inhaled particles.
      However, at similar concentrations, tannin stimulates the dose-dependent
      secretion (EC50 = 15 micrograms/mL) of a low molecular weight lipid neutrophil
      chemotactic factor that could result in an inflammatory reaction with the
      recruitment of neutrophils into the lungs. At slightly higher concentrations,
      tannin promotes the dose-dependent release of arachidonic acid from the
      macrophage membranes (EC50 = 65 micrograms/mL), which could also contribute to
      the local inflammatory reaction. Finally, tannin also causes secretion of the
      cytokine, interleukin-1, from the monocyte precursors of macrophages with an EC50
      of 32 micrograms/mL. Interleukin-1 has been implicated as one of the causative
      agents in the development of fever.

PMID- 1417702
TI  - Condensed tannins in some forage legumes: their role in the prevention of
      ruminant pasture bloat.
AB  - For the past 20 years, the focus in our laboratory has been on finding the causes
      of ruminant pasture bloat and eventually breeding a bloat-safe alfalfa (Medicago
      sativa L.); i.e., with bloat potential reduced to the economic threshold. In the
      mid-seventies, the mechanisms of bloat were explored and found to be more
      physical than chemical. Characteristic of all bloating legumes after ingestion
      was a very rapid initial rate of ingestion by rumen microbes. Through the study
      of bloating and non-bloating legumes, factors were elucidated in the plant that
      would slow this process. One of these factors was the presence of condensed
      tannins in the herbage. Some of the non-bloating legumes contained these
      secondary metabolites, but no condensed tannins were found in any of the bloating
      legumes. Therefore, species containing an appreciable amount of condensed tannins
      in their leaves and stems are considered to be non-bloating. Conventional
      breeding methods have not been successful in producing an alfalfa with condensed
      tannins in its herbage. New approaches using tissue culture techniques are being
      attempted, but genetic engineering has the greatest potential for success.

PMID- 1417704
TI  - Decreased susceptibility to arrhythmias in hypertrophied hearts of physically
      trained rats.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate the propensity to develop cardiac
      arrhythmias during an acute period of ischemia between normal and hypertrophied
      (by means of a swimming training regimen) rat hearts. We used the coronary artery
      ligation in vivo technique which induced the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias in
      rats that was followed by the determination of the occluded zone size. This study
      was coupled to an in vitro study using a two-compartment tissue bath in which
      half of the ventricular preparation was exposed to normal conditions and the
      other to ischemic conditions (low pH, hypoxia, and hyperkalemia). We also
      measured the collagen content and the DNA/protein ratio of the hearts. Twenty
      eight male Wistar rats submitted to an eight-week swimming training (SWT) and
      twenty-eight cage-confined matched rats were used for the studies. SWT resulted
      in a 14% decrease in mean body weight and an 8% increase in absolute heart
      weight. We also observed a resting bradycardia in the trained animals and blood
      pressure remained unchanged between the two groups. Collagen content was
      unchanged and DNA/protein ratio was lower in the left ventricle of trained
      animals. During a 30-min period of coronary artery ligation, SWT rats
      demonstrated fewer ischemia-induced arrhythmias as compared to controls. The size
      of the zone affected by the vasal occlusion was lower in trained animals.
      Electrophysiological data recorded in the two-compartment bath showed a marked
      prolongation of action potential duration and refractory period in the SWT rat
      hearts. During the 15-min period of in vitro ischemia there was a global
      alteration of all electrophysiological parameters which did not differ between
      the two groups. Our data support the hypothesis that resting bradycardia and
      decrease in ischemic zone size may be involved in the arrhythmogenic protection
      observed in hypertrophied hearts of swimming rats after an acute ligation of the
      left coronary artery. Our results also indicate that cardiac hypertrophy, as
      defined by quantitative changes in cardiac mass or by the electrophysiological
      alterations that are related to its development, is not necessarily associated
      with an increased risk for the occurrence of arrhythmias.

PMID- 1417703
TI  - Effects of triiodothyronine in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Studies on
      cardiac metabolism, function, and heart weight.
AB  - We have studied the effects of triiodothyronine (T3) on heart function, on the
      myocardial oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, and on heart weight in
      spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats. Another aim was to examine whether these
      T3-effects may be reversible. T3 was administered daily (0.2 mg/kg s.c.) for 14
      days. Compared to the untreated SHR controls, T3 induced an increase in heart
      rate (beats/min) from 357 +/- 10 (n = 17) to 553 +/- 10 (n = 17), in the pressure
      rate-product (mm Hg/min) from 78 400 +/- 4500 (n = 15) to 113 700 +/- 4800 (n =
      15), and in the heart weight/body weight ratio (mg/g) from 4.2 +/- 0.2 (n = 20)
      to 5.8 +/- 0.2 (n = 19). The activity of myocardial glucose-6-phosphate
      dehydrogenase, the first and rate-limiting enzyme of the oxidative pentose
      phosphate pathway (units/g protein), was elevated from 4.2 +/- 0.2 (n = 9) to 7.0
      +/- 0.6 (n = 9) after 14 days of T3-treatment, while the activity of 6
      phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, one of the following enzymes in the pathway, was
      not altered appreciably. These changes returned to the respective control values
      when T3-treatment was discontinued for 14 days. Our results demonstrate that T3
      had a positive chronotropic effect and induced an additional heart enlargement in
      an animal model with already established cardiac hyperfunction and hypertrophy.
      The effects on heart function and weight, which were fully reversible, were not
      as pronounced as in normal Sprague-Dawley rats.

PMID- 1417705
TI  - The effect of magnesium added to secondary cardioplegia on postischemic
      myocardial metabolism and contractile function--a 31P NMR spectroscopy and
      functional study in the isolated pig heart.
AB  - This study investigated whether increasing the magnesium concentration during
      secondary cardioplegia improves postischemic myocardial recovery. Twenty-four
      isolated pig hearts were divided into four groups. All hearts were initially
      subjected to control perfusion with modified Krebs-Henseleit solution for 30 min,
      followed by a single infusion of St. Thomas' solution #2. The hearts were then
      maintained without perfusion at 12 degrees C for 4 h. Following this hypothermic
      preservation, the hearts in group I were reperfused with modified Krebs-Henseleit
      solution for 50 min, while hearts in group II and III were reperfused with a
      secondary cardioplegic solution containing 16 or 0 mmol/L magnesium,
      respectively, for 20 min followed by 30 min of perfusion with modified Krebs
      Henseleit solution. In group IV, the hearts were initially reperfused with Krebs
      Henseleit solution containing 16 mmol/L potassium for 20 min, followed by 30 min
      of reperfusion with modified Krebs-Henseleit solution. The changes in high-energy
      phosphates and intracellular pH were monitored throughout the experiments using
      31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Heart rate, left-ventricular
      systolic developed pressure, and rates of pressure increase and decrease were
      measured during control perfusion and reperfusion to calculate the percent
      contractile functional recovery. Needle biopsies for measurement of energy
      metabolites with high performance liquid chromatography were performed at the end
      of preservation and reperfusion to confirm the NMR measurements. All six hearts
      in group I showed significantly less recovery of contractile function during
      reperfusion when compared to the hearts in groups II, III, IV (p less than 0.05).
      There was no difference in either recovery of metabolism or mechanical function
      among the latter three groups of hearts. None of hearts in groups II, III, and IV
      showed ventricular fibrillation, which occurred in all six hearts of group I upon
      reperfusion. The results suggest that a short period of re-arrest perfusion
      following ischemia ("secondary cardioplegia") improves postischemic contractile
      functional recovery and prevents reperfusion-induced ventricular fibrillation.
      Increased magnesium concentration in the secondary cardioplegia did not provide
      additional benefit to the ischemic myocardium, possibly due to the low
      permeability of the sarcolemmal membrane to magnesium.

PMID- 1417706
TI  - Reperfusion-induced arrhythmias and myocardial ion shifts: a pharmacologic
      interaction between pinacidil and cicletanine in isolated rat hearts.
AB  - Pinacidil is a member of the new antihypertensive drug family possessing an
      action that involves an increased potassium efflux in vascular and cardiac
      muscle. We investigated the contribution of opening of ATP-sensitive potassium
      channel to the development of reperfusion-induced arrhythmias and myocardial ion
      shifts, particularly that of Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ in isolated rat hearts.
      After 30 min of normothermic global ischemia, pinacidil with 1 to 60 mumol/l
      failed to reduce the incidence of reperfusion-induced arrhythmias, even on the
      postischemic/reperfused myocardium in a subset of hearts unresponsive to
      reperfusion-induced arrhythmias (the duration of ischemia was reduced to 25 min),
      pinacidil treatment was associated with a greater incidence of reperfusion
      induced arrhythmias (100%) as compared to the control value (50%). These
      proarrhythmic effects of pinacidil were also reflected in a maldistribution of
      myocardial ion contents both in nonischemic and ischemic/reperfused hearts.
      Cicletanine, a furopyridine antihypertensive agent that has no effect on coronary
      resistance, reduced the incidence of reperfusion arrhythmias, and its
      antiarrhythmic effect was antagonized by pinacidil. The same observation was made
      in relation to myocardial ion content, e.g., pinacidil-induced K+ loss and Ca2+
      gain were antagonized by cicletanine, both in nonischemic and ischemic/reperfused
      hearts. It is hypothesized that the increased tendency to develop reperfusion
      induced ventricular fibrillation is associated with the pinacidil-induced K+
      efflux. The present study does not attempt to address the question of specific
      ionic currents; however, it has been suggested that proarrhythmic and
      antiarrhythmic effects of pinacidil and cicletanine, respectively, may relate to
      same receptor sites in which the latter may reflect a specific blockade of the
      outward K+ ion current via ATP-sensitive K+ channels. If this is so, the use of
      K+ channel openers as antihypertensive agents may be of particular concern in
      that population of postinfarction patients who are known to be at high risk of
      sudden coronary death.

PMID- 1417707
TI  - Ibuprofen abolishes the increase in leucocyte chemiluminescence observed during
      ischemic myocardial failure, but fails to improve hemodynamic function.
AB  - The aim of the study was to evaluate 1) whether the ability of leucocytes to
      produce oxygen radicals was increased by ischemia and 2) if ibuprofen
      pretreatment could influence leucocyte oxygen radical production, hemodynamic
      function, and myocardial oxygen consumption during acute ischemic myocardial
      failure. We studied two groups of anesthetized dogs (control and ibuprofen
      treated), both subjected to coronary embolization with polystyrene microspheres
      (diameter 50 microns). The embolization procedure was ended when left-ventricular
      end-diastolic pressure in both groups exceeded 20 mm Hg. Before and after
      induction of ischemia leucocytes were isolated and stimulated with opsonized
      zymosan, and oxygen radical production was measured using the luminol-dependent
      chemiluminescence technique. Significant increase occurred in oxygen radical
      production (from 10.9 +/- 2.2 to 16.3 +/- 2.3 x 10(5) counts x 10(6) cells-1 x 60
      min-1) 90 min after failure in the control group, whereas in ibuprofen-pretreated
      dogs oxygen radical production was unchanged. Hemodynamic registrations and
      myocardial oxygen consumption 90 min after failure were, however, not
      significantly different in control dogs and dogs pretreated with ibuprofen. Thus,
      in the present study, within the first 90 min of acute ischemic failure, a
      decrease in the ability of leucocytes to produce oxygen radicals was not related
      to significant changes in myocardial function.

PMID- 1417708
TI  - Exposure of rats to low concentration of cigarette smoke increases myocardial
      sensitivity to ischaemia/reperfusion.
AB  - It is suggested that passive smoking or smoke-exposure increase the risk of
      coronary heart disease. The same mechanisms as active smoking might play a role.
      The aim of this study was to determine whether exposure to smoke aggravated
      ischaemia/reperfusion injury. As a parameter of cellular function and integrity
      mitochondrial oxidative function was measured. Low molecular weight iron (LMWI)
      and alpha-tocopherol levels were determined to assess the possibility of toxic
      hydroxyl radical involvement in myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury of smoke
      exposed rats. Rats were exposed to a small concentration of cigarette smoke for 2
      months (the carboxyhemoglobin concentration did not increase), whereafter hearts
      were isolated and subjected to ischaemia and ischaemia followed by reperfusion.
      Mitochondrial oxidative function, low molecular weight iron and alpha-tocopherol
      were determined. The impairment in mitochondrial oxidative function, LMWI content
      elevation and the decrease in alpha-tocopherol concentration during
      ischaemia/reperfusion were significantly more severe in hearts of smoke-exposed
      rats than non-smokers. These results suggest that exposure to smoke increased the
      sensitivity of hearts to ischaemia/reperfusion injury, and that a free radical
      mechanism might participate.

PMID- 1417710
TI  - Measuring children's social skills using microcomputer-based videodisc
      assessment.
AB  - This article describes the development of a microcomputer-based videodisc
      assessment prototype for measuring children's social skills. The theoretical and
      empirical foundations for the content are described, and the contributions of
      interactive microcomputer-based video technology to assessment of children with
      handicaps are detailed. An application of Goldfried and D'Zurilla's "behavior
      analytic" approach to development of the content of assessments is presented, and
      the related video and computer technology development is detailed. The article
      describes the conceptual foundations of the psychometrics of the assessment
      prototype as well as the psychometric methodology that was employed throughout
      the development process. Finally, a discussion of the potential applications and
      implications of the social skills assessment prototype is included.

PMID- 1417709
TI  - Colored microspheres reveal interarterial microvascular anastomoses in canine
      myocardium.
AB  - While the presence of microvascular intercommunication within an individual
      myocardial arterial bed is well documented, there is a paucity of data to support
      the existence of anastomoses emanating from independent arterial beds.
      Simultaneous in-vivo infusion of two different colored microsphere suspensions
      into the left anterior descending (LAD) and left circumflex (LCx) coronary
      arteries identified a specific interface region of canine myocardium that was
      perfused by both arterial branches. Subsequent microscopic/morphometric analysis
      of 40 microns serial sections in eight hearts revealed clustering of microspheres
      in their respective perfusion territories (red microspheres in the LAD region
      away from the interface, blue microspheres in the LCx field away from the
      interface), along with a mutually perfused borderzone. In each tissue section,
      two regions within this zone were identified and their maximum widths measured.
      One region was defined as the Interface Transition Zone (ITZ) (mean width = 5251
      +/- 770 microns; mean +/- SD). This region was formed by an intermingling of
      microvessels supplied by the parent arteries of the adjacent perfusion
      territories; it separated tissue containing only one or the other colored
      microspheres. The second region was defined as the Boundary Watershed Zone (BWZ)
      (mean zone width = 3151 +/- 611 microns; mean +/- SD). This region was formed by
      capillaries containing sphere aggregates of both colors; it was located
      exclusively within the ITZ. In addition, the ITZ and BWZ were significantly wider
      in subepicardial than in subendocardial regions (p less than 0.001).

PMID- 1417711
TI  - A comparison of the verbal social behavior of adolescents with behavioral
      disorders and regular class peers.
AB  - Improved social functioning of adolescents with behavioral disorders (BD) is of
      critical importance for the successful integration of these students in school,
      domestic, vocational, and community settings. Three comparisons were addressed in
      the study; overall verbal responding of BD adolescents was compared to verbal
      responding of their regular class peers, verbal responding of the same BD
      adolescents was compared across their self-contained and mainstreamed settings,
      and responding of the BD adolescents when in mainstreamed settings was compared
      to responding of regular class peers. Portable microcomputers were used to
      collect data across 10 categories of verbal responding for 14 BD adolescents and
      14 regular class peers. Results supported several general conclusions: (a)
      Adolescents with behavioral disorders engaged in more negative verbal responding
      than their regular class peers; (b) BD adolescents exhibited less inappropriate
      verbal behavior when in the mainstream than when self-contained; and (c) when in
      the mainstream, the verbal behavior of BD students was similar to that of their
      regular class peers. Implications of the general and specific differences that
      emerged from the comparisons were presented and discussed.

PMID- 1417712
TI  - The overtures of preschool social skill intervention agents. Differential rates,
      forms, and functions.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to examine the differential topographies and
      functions of social behaviors directed by normally developing preschoolers to
      their playmates with autism. Social interaction data from intervention phases of
      a study by Kohler, Strain, Hoyson, DeCesare, Donina, and Rapp were analyzed in
      three different ways. First, the frequency of four behaviors commonly included in
      social interaction training or assessment procedures (i.e., play organizer
      suggestions, share offers or requests, assistance offers or requests, and general
      statements) was examined. Second, the effects of each peer behavior on the
      immediate response of 3 children with autism were examined. Finally, the impact
      of each behavior that led to a positive response on the duration of subsequent
      target child-peer social interactions was examined. The four social behaviors had
      differential topographical and functional properties. Shares and play organizers
      occurred most frequently and generated the highest proportion of positive
      responses from all 3 children with autism. Conversely, assistance offers or
      requests occurred less often and received a lower percentage of positive
      responses. However, assistance behaviors consistently led to the longest social
      interactions. Implications of these results for future social skills training and
      research are discussed.

PMID- 1417713
TI  - Recognition of facial expressions of emotion by persons with mental retardation.
      A matched comparison study.
AB  - Children and adults with mental retardation were tested on their ability to
      recognize facial expressions of emotion. The sample consisted of 80 children and
      adults with mental retardation and a control group of 80 nonhandicapped children
      matched on mental age and gender. Ekman and Friesen's normed photographs of the
      six basic emotions (anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise) were
      used in a recognition task of facial expressions. Subjects were individually read
      two-sentence stories identifying a specific emotion, presented with a randomized
      array of the six photographs of the basic facial expressions of emotion, and then
      asked to select the photograph that depicted the emotion identified in the story.
      This procedure was repeated with 24 different stories, with each of the six basic
      emotions being represented four times. Results showed that, as a group,
      individuals with mental retardation were not as proficient as their mental-age
      matched nonhandicapped control subjects at recognizing facial expressions of
      emotion. Although adults with mild mental retardation were more proficient at
      this task than those with moderate mental retardation, this finding was not true
      for children. There was a modest difference between the children with moderate
      mental retardation and their nonhandicapped matched controls in their ability to
      recognize facial expression of disgust.

PMID- 1417714
TI  - Enhancing the ability of adults with mental retardation to recognize facial
      expressions of emotion.
AB  - The ability to recognize accurately and respond appropriately to facial
      expressions of emotion is essential for interpersonal interaction. Individuals
      with mental retardation typically are deficient in these skills. The ability of 7
      adults, 1 with severe and 6 with moderate mental retardation, to recognize facial
      expressions of emotion correctly was assessed. Then, they were taught this skill
      using a combination of a discrimination training procedure for differentiating
      facial movements, directed rehearsal, and Ekman and Friesen's "flashing
      photograph" technique. Their average increase in accuracy over baseline was at
      least 30% during the course of the training and over 50% during the last 5 days
      of the training phase. Further, these individuals were able to generalize their
      skills from posed photographs to videotaped role plays and were able to maintain
      their enhanced skills during the 8 to 9 months following the termination of
      training. This is the first study to show that individuals with mental
      retardation can be taught skills that enhance their ability to recognize facial
      expressions of emotion.

PMID- 1417715
TI  - Pathways to maladaptive parenting with mothers and their conduct disordered
      children.
AB  - Maladaptive parenting with conduct disordered children appears to involve two
      social interaction traps called compliance and inconsistency. A mother's
      participation in these traps is thought to be influenced by her child, by the
      quality of the mother's life, and by her perceptions of child behavior. This
      study was an attempt to assess these influences and to examine their correlations
      with maternal trap participation. To do so, 33 clinic-referred conduct disordered
      children and their mothers were evaluated through direct observation, maternal
      self-reports, and maternal observations of home videotapes depicting mother and
      child. The data were then analyzed as correlational paths among trap measures and
      measures of the suspected influences. Results showed the two traps to be
      distinctly different processes, and inconsistency appeared to represent a more
      complex process than did compliance. Discussion of the findings centered on
      problems in maternal care of conduct disordered children and prospects for
      clinical interventions with these mother-child dyads.

PMID- 1417716
TI  - Generalization in social behavior research with children and youth who have
      emotional or behavioral disorders.
AB  - This article presents a critical analysis of social behavior research with
      students who have emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD). In particular, it
      focuses on issues of generalized responding and a technology of generalization
      promotion. From a review of selected studies the conclusion is drawn that (a)
      researchers too rarely examine generalization in social behavior research, (b)
      studies that provide analysis of generalization rely on the least analytic
      approaches, and (c) generalization is seldom presented as a dependent variable of
      central interest in social behavior research with EBD students. Guidelines for
      further research in the area of generalization promotion are offered.

PMID- 1417717
TI  - [Light and electron microscopic studies of calf kidneys after exposure to
      subtoxic lead levels].
AB  - Eight calves were fed from the fourth to the twentieth week of age a milk powder
      diet containing 40 mg lead acetate per kg dry substance. This is twice the lead
      concentration legally permitted. In average, each animal has daily taken up 0.834
      mg lead per kg body weight. Eight calves were used as controls. The animals
      gained the usual fattening weights and did not show clinical symptoms. Beginning
      with week 14, increased levels of blood urea were encountered in the animals
      which received lead in their diet. Morphologically, severe renal lesions were
      found in these calves. The kidneys were increased in weight, pale and of firm
      consistency. Histologically, fibrosis and periglomerular interstitial non
      purulent nephritis were found. Light- and electronmicroscopically, numerous
      intranuclear inclusion-bodies typical for lead poisoning were demonstrated in
      epithelial cells of proximal tubules. The results show, that daily uptake of less
      than 1 mg lead per kg body weight must be considered as a toxic dose for calves,
      and not 5-7 mg as stated in literature.

PMID- 1417718
TI  - [Morphometric studies of the proximal tubules of the rat kidney considering the
      effect of the method of killing].
AB  - 120 male rats belonging to two different strains (Han: WIST, Han: SPRD) and two
      different weight groups (group I: lighter body weight, group II heavier body
      weight) were killed on three different methods (decapitation, Nembutal -overdose
      greater than 250 mg/kg b.w. i.p. less than, exsanguination in Nembutal 
      anaesthesia greater than 100 mg/kg b.w. i.p.). Subsequently, changes in tubuli
      contorti I of the left kidneys were examined morphometrically. The mean total
      area, luminal area and epithelial area were evaluated as well as the mean
      diameter of the tubular nuclei. Concerning the areas of the proximal tubules only
      the luminal areas show differences between the Wistar and the Sprague-Dawley
      strain. The total, luminal and epithelial area in the rats belonging to the
      weight group II were significantly larger than in the rats belonging to weight
      group I. With one exception this could be noticed within both strains and all
      three modes of killing. In both strains and weight groups the rats were killed by
      Nembutal -overdose or exsanguination showed significantly smaller total, luminal
      and epithelial areas than the rats that were decapitated. Possible cause
      heretofore are discussed. Differences between the tubular areas of the rats that
      were killed by Nembutal -overdose and those that were killed by exsanguination
      after Nembutal -anaesthesia could not be established. The measurements of nuclei
      diameters in the proximal tubules did not lead to clearly different results
      between both strains, weight groups and the various modes of killing.

PMID- 1417719
TI  - [Old age--a disease?].
AB  - The process of aging is discussed in relation to the environment of an individual
      and the evolution. Aging occurs hierarchically at a molecular, cellular, and
      systemic level. These physiologic processes of aging are accompanied by diseases,
      age-dependent and age-related diseases can be differentiated.

PMID- 1417720
TI  - Peroxidase-antiperoxidase labelling of Leishmania amastigotes in formalin fixed
      and paraffin embedded tissue sections.
AB  - A modified PAP-Method (peroxidase-antiperoxidase) is established for laboratory
      use to demonstrate Leishmania spp. amastigotes in paraffin sections of
      experimentally and naturally infected dogs. The results demonstrate that the PAP
      technique is a valuable tool to detect Leishmania amastigotes in tissue sections
      with low parasite density.

PMID- 1417721
TI  - [Formal pathogenesis, average age and breed distribution in the comparison of 61
      Lysodren-treated and 36 untreated cases of canine hyperadrenocorticism which were
      dissected in the years 1975 to 1991 at the Institute for Veterinary Pathology of
      the Free University of Berlin].
AB  - 61 Lysodren -treated dogs with hyperadrenocorticism are compared with 36
      untreated dogs with the same disease. 75.14% of the treated dogs had pituitary
      dependent-hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) whereas this diagnosis was found in 63.89%
      of the untreated dogs. A functioning adrenocortical tumor (FAT) was found in
      13.11% of the treated dogs but was evident in 22.22% of the untreated dogs.
      Simultaneous pituitary and adrenal Cushing's syndrome (PDH/FAT) were found in
      11.48% of the treated and 8.33% of the untreated cases. Sex distribution was
      equal in both groups. Overall slightly more females than males were affected by
      the disease. Poodles (38.14%) and dachshunds (23.71%) were the mainly affected
      races. Race-distribution of diseased animals is compared to the overall race
      distribution in a ten years statistic (1981-1990) of all necropsied animals
      (Walter und Schwegler, 1992). The mean age of Lysodren -treated dogs with a PDH
      diagnosis (10.0 years) is lower as the mean age of untreated dogs with the same
      diagnosis (10.3 years). Reasons for this unexpected finding are discussed.

PMID- 1417722
TI  - [Globular periodontal cement dysplasia in a black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)].
AB  - A globular periodontal cementous dysplasia in a 18 years old black rhinoceros
      (Diceros bicornis) is diagnosed by gross pathology, X-ray, and by histological
      examinations. The findings are discussed.

PMID- 1417724
TI  - A mammalian epididymal protein with remarkable sequence similarity to snake venom
      haemorrhagic peptides.
AB  - Following spermatogenesis in the testis, mammalian spermatozoa pass into the
      epididymis, where they undergo changes which confer on them forward motility and
      the ability to recognize and penetrate the egg. Many of these maturation events
      involve androgen-regulated epididymal proteins which become associated with the
      sperm membrane, and/or effect changes to integral sperm membrane proteins. Here
      we report the sequence of an 89 kDa androgen-regulated protein from rat (Rattus
      norvegicus) and monkey (Macaca fascicularis) epididymis that is synthesized
      exclusively in the caput region and is localized on the apical surface of its
      principal epithelial cells. This protein shows remarkable similarity to a variety
      of proteases and disintegrins found in snake venoms and is similar to, but
      distinct from, the guinea-pig sperm surface PH-30 alpha/beta complex recently
      implicated in sperm-egg recognition and fusion.

PMID- 1417725
TI  - Production, processing and partial purification of functional G protein beta
      gamma subunits in baculovirus-infected insect cells.
AB  - As a result of the inability to resolve the heterogeneous mixture of G protein
      beta gamma subunits present in tissues, it has not been possible to compare
      different beta gamma subunits of the G proteins in terms of their proposed roles
      in receptor-effector coupling. This study was undertaken to establish the utility
      of the baculovirus expression system in producing homogeneous beta gamma subunits
      of defined composition for the comparative analysis of these subunits in
      reconstitution systems. In this study we report the expression, and appropriate
      post-translational processing, of recombinant beta 2, gamma 2 and gamma 3
      subunits. In addition, we show that the recombinant beta gamma subunits can be
      readily purified, and can functionally interact with the alpha subunits of the G
      proteins.

PMID- 1417726
TI  - Okadaic acid produces changes in phosphorylation and translocation of proteins
      and in intracellular calcium in human neutrophils. Relationship with the
      activation of the NADPH oxidase by different stimuli.
AB  - Okadaic acid, a potent inhibitor of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, profoundly
      influenced the activity of the NADPH oxidase of human neutrophils. It strongly
      inhibited stimulation of superoxide generation by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate
      (PMA) and impaired translocation of protein kinase activity and of the two
      cytosolic components p47-phox and p67-phox to the plasma membrane. The increase
      in the phosphorylation of the cytochrome b-245 subunits p22-phox and gp91-phox
      after stimulation was also blocked. Inhibition of activity was associated with a
      decrease in cytosolic free Ca2+ and was reversed by the Ca2+ ionophore A23187,
      which also restored protein translocation and phosphorylation of the cytochrome.
      This effect of A23187 was itself blocked by preincubation with cyclosporin A,
      suggesting that calcineurin might be involved in the re-activation process. In
      contrast with PMA, the response to the bacterial peptide fMet-Leu-Phe was greatly
      prolonged after an initial decrease in the rate of onset of NADPH oxidase
      activity.

PMID- 1417723
TI  - Import of proteins into peroxisomes and other microbodies.

PMID- 1417728
TI  - Evidence that adhesion of electrically permeabilized platelets to collagen is
      mediated by guanine nucleotide regulatory proteins.
AB  - Adhesion of electrically permeabilized platelets to collagen was found to be
      essentially independent of free Ca2+ concentration in the medium. Addition of
      stable GTP analogues increased the proportion of adhering cells about 5-fold.
      This effect was inhibited by guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate, cytochalasin D
      or monoclonal antibodies to glycoprotein Ia. In contrast, the protein kinase C
      inhibitor staurosporine had only a small effect on the GTP-analogue-enhanced
      adhesion of the permeabilized cells to collagen. These results suggest that a
      guanine nucleotide regulatory (G)-protein is directly linked to the collagen
      receptor and is involved in the actin-dependent recruitment of additional
      collagen receptors.

PMID- 1417727
TI  - Comparison of diglyceride production from choline-containing phosphoglycerides in
      human neutrophils stimulated with N-formylmethionyl-leucylphenylalanine,
      ionophore A23187 or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate.
AB  - The turnover of choline-containing phosphoglycerides (PC) in response to agonist
      stimulation is well documented in human neutrophils. We have now compared the
      enzymic pathways of N-formylmethionyl-leucylphenylalanine (fMLP)-, A23187- and
      phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced diglyceride (DG) and phosphatidic
      acid (PA) generation in these cells. In order to distinguish between
      phospholipase C- and D-mediated PC breakdown, human neutrophils were
      radiolabelled with 1-O-[3H]alkyl-2-acyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine and stimulated
      in the presence of ethanol or propranolol. The addition of 0.5% ethanol to the
      incubation mixture resulted in the production of phosphatidylethanol, indicative
      of phospholipase D activation, in response to all three stimuli. Concomitant with
      phosphatidylethanol formation was a partial block of PA production. The
      production of DG was also partially blocked by addition of ethanol. Propranolol
      (200 microM) was also used to assess the contributions of phospholipases C and D
      toward DG generation. Inhibition of PA phosphohydrolase by propranolol resulted
      in the complete abolition of DG generation when neutrophils were stimulated with
      fMLP. In contrast, propranolol only partially inhibited DG generation in response
      to A23187 and PMA. These results suggested that DG production in response to fMLP
      stimulation is mediated via the activation of phospholipase D, whereas A23187- or
      PMA-induced DG generation may involve more than one pathway. However, examination
      of the water-soluble choline metabolites produced indicated that phospholipase D
      was responsible for the production of PA and DG in response to all three stimuli.

PMID- 1417729
TI  - Immunoreactive folate-binding proteins from human saliva. Isolation and
      comparison of two distinct species.
AB  - Human saliva contains a single 72,000-M(r) species which specifically reacted
      with rabbit anti-[human placental folate receptor (PFR)] serum on SDS/PAGE and
      Western blots. Although a specific radioimmunoassay for human PFR and related
      folate-binding proteins (FBPs) identified 55 ng of cross-reacting material (CRM)
      per mg of crude salivary proteins, only a minor fraction (1.6 ng) specifically
      bound radiolabelled folate. The major fraction of CRM did not contain bound
      endogenous folate and did not bind radiolabelled folates. On the basis of folate
      binding, salivary CRM species to PFR were designated as either functional (f-FBP)
      or non-functional (nf-FBP) species respectively. nf-FBPs and f-FBPs were isolated
      by different purification schemes. Both purified f-FBPs and nf-FBPs migrated as a
      single apparent 72,000-M(r) species on SDS/PAGE, but on Sephacryl S-200 gel
      filtration and sucrose-density-gradient ultracentrifugation they were
      eluted/sedimented with 40,000-M(r) markers. Each microgram of purified f-FBP and
      nf-FBP was measured in the radioimmunoassay for PFR as being equivalent to 18 ng
      and 24 ng of CRM respectively, indicating low epitope-relatedness to PFR. The Kd
      of f-FBPs was 50 pM and 0.94 mol of folate was bound/mol of protein. f-FBPs
      exhibited an unusual dependence on Triton X-100 for optimal ligand binding,
      despite the fact that Triton X-100 micelle binding was not demonstrated. The
      relative order of affinity of f-FBPs for pteroylglutamate greater than
      methotrexate greater than 5-formyltetrahydrofolate greater than 5
      methyltetrahydrofolate was also distinct from that of purified PFR. Whereas amino
      acid and carbohydrate analysis revealed that nf-FBP (M(r) 51,400) and f-FBP (M(r)
      39,200) were distinct glycoproteins with 8 and 13% carbohydrate respectively,
      isoelectric focusing and immunological studies suggested some structural
      identity. The presence of f-FBP and nf-FBP in normal saliva raises new questions
      about their possible role in vivo.

PMID- 1417731
TI  - Binding energy and catalysis. Fluorinated and deoxygenated glycosides as
      mechanistic probes of Escherichia coli (lacZ) beta-galactosidase.
AB  - Kinetic parameters for the hydrolysis of a series of deoxy and deoxyfluoro
      analogues of 2',4'-dinitrophenyl beta-D-galactopyranoside by Escherichia coli
      (lacZ) beta-galactosidase have been determined and rates found to be two to nine
      orders of magnitude lower than that for the parent compound. These large rate
      reductions result primarily from the loss of transition-state binding
      interactions due to the replacement of sugar hydroxy groups, and such
      interactions are estimated to contribute at least 16.7 kJ (4 kcal).mol-1 to
      binding at the 3, 4 and 6 positions and more than 33.5 kJ (8 kcal).mol-1 at the 2
      position. The existence of a linear free-energy relationship between
      log(kcat./Km) for these compounds and the logarithm of the first-order rate
      constant for their spontaneous hydrolysis demonstrates that electronic effects
      are also important and provides direct evidence for oxocarbonium ion character in
      the enzymic transition state. A covalent intermediate which turns over only
      extremely slowly (t1/2 = 45 h) accumulates during hydrolysis of the 2
      deoxyfluorogalactoside, and kinetic parameters for its formation have been
      determined. This intermediate is nonetheless catalytically competent, since it re
      activates much more rapidly in the presence of the transglycosylation acceptors
      methanol or glucose, thereby providing support for the notion of a covalent
      intermediate during hydrolysis of the parent substrates.

PMID- 1417730
TI  - Inhibition by heparin of Fe(II)-catalysed free-radical peroxidation of linolenic
      acid.
AB  - Heparin, in a concentration-dependent manner, inhibited the generation of
      conjugated dienes and thiobarbituric acid-positive substances when incubated with
      Fe2+ and gamma-linolenic acid. In the conjugated diene assay, other
      glycosaminoglycans, on a molar basis calculated with respect to their respective
      hydrated disaccharide repeat units, were less effective than heparin. Heparin
      which had been re-N-sulphonated after removal of both N-sulphonates and O
      sulphates, and heparin in which iduronate residues had been reduced to idose
      residues, were largely unaffected in their activity. Removal of both N
      sulphonates and O-sulphates greatly reduced the effectiveness of the heparin.
      Analysis of the effects of heparin fragments generated by heparinase I treatment
      of heparin showed that depolymerization decreased the effectiveness of the
      heparin. It is possible that heparins and related strongly acidic polysaccharides
      may function as endogenous antioxidants, and that sequestration by them, or
      harmless oxidation by them, of ions such as Fe2+, contributes to their
      effectiveness.

PMID- 1417732
TI  - Binding characteristics of Mn2+, Co2+ and Mg2+ ions with several D-xylose
      isomerases.
AB  - D-Xylose isomerases are metal-ion (Mn2+, Co2+, Mg2+)-requiring tetrameric
      enzymes. Both the stoichiometry and the binding constants have been determined by
      titrating the metal-ion-free enzymes from five organisms (Actinomycetaceae and
      more divergent bacteria) with the respective metal ions using the enzyme activity
      as indicator of active complex-formation. The following characteristics have been
      observed for each specific isomerase: (i) two essential metal ion sites (one
      structural and one catalytic) exist per subunit; (ii) the metal ion binding at
      one site does not affect the binding at the other site; (iii) of the four
      possible configurations E, aE, Eb and aEb, only the double-occupied enzyme is
      active; (iv) the metal ion activation is a time-dependent process; (v) the
      dissociation constants for both the structural and catalytic sites may be
      identical or may differ by one or higher orders of magnitude; (vi) metal ion
      binding is stronger in the order Mn2+ greater than Co2+ much greater than Mg2+;
      (vii) pronounced increases in Km values concomitant with decreasing equivalents
      of metal ion added are only observed in the presence of Mg2+ ions.

PMID- 1417733
TI  - Expression of ileal glucagon and peptide tyrosine-tyrosine genes. Response to
      inhibition of polyamine synthesis in the presence of massive small-bowel
      resection.
AB  - Massive small-bowel resection results in a marked adaptive response in the
      residual terminal ileum. Increased polyamine synthesis is a necessary component
      of this response. The ileal L-cell-derived peptides enteroglucagon and peptide
      tyrosine tyrosine (PYY) have been implicated as humoral mediators of this
      response. We have previously reported a rapid and sustained increase in glucagon
      mRNA concentrations after massive small-bowel resection. In this study using an
      inhibitor of the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, ornithine
      decarboxylase, we have demonstrated that the response of the glucagon and PYY
      genes to massive small-bowel resection is dependent on polyamine biosynthesis. In
      addition, we have examined the response of both the ornithine decarboxylase and c
      jun genes in this model of intestinal adaptation.

PMID- 1417734
TI  - Hyaluronan-binding region of aggrecan from pig laryngeal cartilage. Amino acid
      sequence, analysis of N-linked oligosaccharides and location of the keratan
      sulphate.
AB  - The hyaluronan-binding region (HABR) was prepared from pig laryngeal cartilage
      aggrecan and the amino acid sequence was determined. The HABR had two N-termini:
      one N-terminal sequence was Val-Glu-Val-Ser-Glu-Pro (367 amino acids in total),
      and a second N-terminal sequence (Ala-Ile-Ser-Val-Glu-Val; 370 amino acids in
      total) was found to arise due to alternate cleavage by the signal peptidase. The
      N-linked oligosaccharides were analysed by examining their reactivity with a
      series of lectins. It was found that the N-linked oligosaccharide on loop A was
      of the mannose type, while that on loop B was of the complex type. No reactivity
      was detected between the N-linked oligosaccharide on loop B' and any of the
      lectins. The location of keratan sulphate (KS) in the HABR was determined by
      Edman degradation of the immobilized KS-containing peptide. The released amino
      acid derivatives were collected and tested for the presence of epitope to
      antibody 5-D-4. On the basis of 5-D-4 reactivity and sequencing yields, the KS
      chains are attached to threonine residues 352 and 357. There is no KS at
      threonine-355. This site is not in fact in G1, but about 16 amino acid residues
      into the interglobular domain. Comparison of the structure of the KS chain from
      the HABR and from the KS domain of pig laryngeal cartilage aggrecan was made by
      separation on polyacrylamide gels of the oligosaccharides arising from digestion
      with keratanase. Comparison of the oligosaccharide maps suggests that the KS
      chains from both parts of the aggrecan molecule have the same structure.

PMID- 1417735
TI  - Sphingomyelin content of intestinal cell membranes regulates cholesterol
      absorption. Evidence for pancreatic and intestinal cell sphingomyelinase
      activity.
AB  - Micellar cholesterol uptake and secretion were investigated in the human
      intestinal cell line CaCo-2 following depletion of apical membrane sphingomyelin.
      The addition of exogenous sphingomyelinase, which hydrolysed 60% of prelabelled
      sphingomyelin, resulted in a 50% decrease in the uptake of cholesterol from bile
      salt micelles. The flux of membrane cholesterol into the cell by the hydrolysis
      of membrane sphingomyelin decreased the rate of cholesterol synthesis by 43% and
      inhibited hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity by 54%. Moreover, the rate
      of cholesterol esterification was increased 4-fold. Total cellular cholesterol
      mass was unchanged by the addition of sphingomyelinase; however, cholesteryl
      esters increased by 50% and the amount of unesterified cholesterol decreased
      significantly. The basolateral secretion of cholesterol mass was also decreased
      following sphingomyelin hydrolysis. Human pancreatic juice was found to contain
      neutral sphingomyelinase activity which required taurocholate for full
      expression. The presence of neutral sphingomyelinase activity was also documented
      in membranes prepared from CaCo-2 cells and in whole homogenates from human
      duodenal biopsies. The data suggest that the amount of sphingomyelin present in
      the apical membrane of the intestinal absorptive cell regulates cholesterol
      uptake from bile salt micelles. Sphingomyelinase activity within intestinal cells
      and in pancreatic juice could alter the sphingomyelin content of brush-border
      membranes of small intestinal absorptive cells and thus regulate the amount of
      cholesterol absorbed by the gut.

PMID- 1417736
TI  - Isolation and characterization of the promoter for the gene coding for the 68 kDa
      carnitine palmitoyltransferase from the rat.
AB  - Carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) regulates the flux of long-chain fatty acids
      into the mitochondria for subsequent beta-oxidation. A 485 bp segment of the
      promoter for the gene encoding the 68 kDa CPT was isolated from a rat lambda DASH
      genomic library using the polymerase chain reaction. The promoter contained a
      consensus binding sequence for CREB (cyclic AMP response element binding protein)
      at -153 to -166, and for C/EBP alpha (CCAAT/enhancer binding protein) at -115 to 
      128. DNAase I footprinting using proteins isolated from rat liver nuclei
      indicated the presence of several regions of nuclear protein binding, most
      notably at -95 to -130, at -273 to -295, and at a wide region encompassing -395
      to -465. DNAase I footprinting studies with purified CREB and C/EBP alpha
      confirmed that protein binding to DNA occurred at the sites predicted by the
      consensus sequences. The segment containing 481 bp of 5' flanking sequence plus
      181 bp of untranslated mRNA was ligated to the structural gene for
      chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT). When this plasmid was transfected into
      Hep G2 cells, CAT activity was stimulated 7-fold by addition of 1 mM-8-bromo
      cyclic AMP (8-Br-cAMP) or co-transfection of the expression vector coding for the
      catalytic subunit of protein kinase A (PKA). The ability of several known second
      messengers and transcription factors to stimulate transcription of 68 kDa CPT
      promoter-CAT reporter was tested in co-transfection experiments. 68 kDa CPT
      promoter-CAT reporter transcription activity was stimulated 7-fold by addition of
      8-Br-cAMP, and this induction was depressed 50% by the addition of phorbol
      esters. When the 68 kDa CPT promoter-CAT reporter was co-transfected with an
      expression vector for CREB or C/EBP alpha, transcription was increased 3- and 10
      fold respectively. 8-Br-cAMP caused an additional 8-fold induction in the
      presence of each factor to yield 25- and 80-fold induction respectively. Co
      transfection of the expression vector for c-jun also increased the CAT activity
      driven by the 68 kDa CPT promoter, while co-transfection with the expression
      vector for c-fos had no effect. When expression vectors for both c-jun and c-fos
      were co-transfected with the 68 kDa CPT promoter, c-fos depressed the induction
      seen with c-jun alone.

PMID- 1417737
TI  - Quantification of the accumulation and degradation of beta-very-low-density
      lipoproteins in vivo using a 19F-containing residualizing label and n.m.r.
      spectroscopy.
AB  - beta-Very-low-density lipoproteins (beta-VLDL)O were conjugated to the 19F
      containing residualizing label, NN-dilactitol-3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzylamine
      (DLBA), to determine whether the metabolism of this lipoprotein fraction could be
      characterized in vivo with n.m.r. spectroscopy. Solution state 19F high
      resolution n.m.r. spectroscopy of DLBA-beta-VLDL, containing either intact
      apoproteins or selectively enzymically digested products, demonstrated that the
      extent of degradation could be distinguished by differences in spin-spin
      relaxation times (T2 times). DLBA-beta-VLDL was injected intravenously into
      rabbits, and accumulation of 19F in hepatic tissue was quantified non-invasively
      by n.m.r. spectroscopy 5 and 30 h after injection. In addition to quantifying the
      accumulation of DLBA-beta-VLDL in hepatic tissue, a marked decrease (approx. 100
      Hz) in the linewidth of 19F resonance from labelled lipoproteins was observed at
      30 h compared with the 5 h interval in continuously monitored animals. The change
      in linewidth was consistent with a decrease in molecular size that occurred
      during protein degradation, resulting in increased T2 times. To demonstrate that
      T2 times can be used as an index to quantify apoprotein degradation in vivo,
      relaxation measurements were performed on livers excised 20 h after injection of
      DLBA-beta-VLDL into rabbits. Two molecular motional fractions were revealed by
      relaxation profiles representing either an intact or an extensively degraded form
      of apoprotein. The amplitudes of each component were compared with results from
      trichloroacetic acid precipitation of liver homogenates acquired from rabbits 20
      h after injection of beta-VLDL labelled with the radioiodinated analogue of DLBA,
      dilactitol-125I-tyramine. The amount of degraded apoprotein determined by n.m.r.
      spectroscopy and acid precipitation was 68.6 +/- 7.0% and 58.7 +/- 7.5% (n = 4)
      respectively. The results of this study demonstrate that 19F n.m.r. spectroscopy
      can be used to define the temporal characteristics of the hepatic metabolism of
      lipoproteins in vivo by quantifying both the tissue-specific accumulation and
      extent of apoprotein degradation. The methodology developed offers promise for
      the non-invasive, sequential and longitudinal evaluation of lipoprotein
      metabolism in vivo.

PMID- 1417738
TI  - Decreased affinity of recombinant antithrombin for heparin due to increased
      glycosylation.
AB  - Recombinant antithrombin produced by baby hamster kidney (BHK) or Chinese hamster
      ovary (CHO) cells was separated into two fractions, containing comparable amounts
      of protein, by affinity chromatography on matrix-linked heparin. Fluorescence
      titrations showed that the more tightly binding fraction had a heparin affinity
      similar to that of plasma antithrombin (Kd approximately 20 nM), whereas the
      affinity of the more weakly binding fraction was nearly 10-fold lower (Kd
      approximately 175 nM). Analyses of the heparin-catalysed rate of inhibition of
      thrombin further showed that the fractions differed only in their affinity for
      heparin and not in the intrinsic rate constant of either the uncatalysed or the
      heparin-catalysed inactivation of thrombin. The recombinant antithrombin fraction
      with lower heparin affinity migrated more slowly than both the fraction with
      higher affinity and plasma antithrombin in SDS/PAGE under reducing conditions,
      consistent with a slightly higher apparent relative molecular mass. This apparent
      size difference was abolished by the enzymic removal of the carbohydrate side
      chains from the proteins. Such removal also increased the heparin affinity of the
      weakly binding fraction, so that it eluted from matrix-linked heparin at a
      similar position to the deglycosylated tightly binding fraction or plasma
      antithrombin. Analyses of N-linked carbohydrate side chains showed that the
      weakly binding fraction from CHO cells had a higher proportion of tetra-antennary
      and a lower proportion of biantennary oligosaccharides than the tightly binding
      fraction. We conclude that the recombinant antithrombin produced by the two cell
      lines is heterogeneously glycosylated and that the increased carbohydrate content
      of a large proportion of the molecules results in a substantial decrease in the
      affinity of these molecules for heparin. These findings are of particular
      relevance for studies aimed at characterizing the heparin-binding site of
      recombinant antithrombin by site-directed mutagenesis.

PMID- 1417739
TI  - Partial purification and characterization of the sodium-ion-coupled 5
      hydroxytryptamine transporter of rat cerebral cortex.
AB  - A procedure for the extensive purification of the Na(+)-coupled 5
      hydroxytryptamine transporter of rat cerebral cortex has been developed. The 5
      hydroxytryptamine transporter was solubilized with the non-ionic detergent
      digitonin, and the detergent extracts were subjected to sequential affinity
      chromatography on a citalopram-based agarose support and wheat-germ-agglutinin
      Sepharose. 5-Hydroxytryptamine transporters in the affinity-purified preparation
      were identified by using the selective 5-hydroxytryptamine-uptake inhibitor
      [3H]paroxetine, and were shown to display a similar pharmacological profile to
      those present in particulate preparations. An overall transporter purification of
      around 2000-fold was achieved with a 9% recovery. SDS/PAGE of affinity
      chromatographed material starting from detergent extracts incubated in the
      presence or absence of 1 mM-citalopram indicated that a polypeptide of M(r)
      73,000 corresponded to the 5-hydroxytryptamine-transporter protein.

PMID- 1417740
TI  - Interaction between protein kinase C and Exo1 (14-3-3 protein) and its relevance
      to exocytosis in permeabilized adrenal chromaffin cells.
AB  - The roles of protein kinase C (PKC) and Exo1 in exocytosis from digitonin
      permeabilized adrenal chromaffin cells were explored by using exogenous purified
      proteins in a run-down/reconstitution system. The stimulatory action of Exo1 on
      exocytosis from run-down cells was found to be completely dependent on the
      continuous presence of exogenous MgATP, suggesting that it acts on the slow phase
      of exocytosis [Holz, Bittner, Peppers, Senter & Eberhard (1989), J. Biol. Chem.
      264, 5412-5419]. Partially purified rat brain PKC was found to be able to
      stimulate Ca(2+)-dependent exocytosis from run-down cells in a dose-dependent
      manner. This effect was indeed due to PKC and not a contaminant in the PKC
      fraction, since the PKC activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), under
      conditions in which control secretion was not affected, potentiated the effect of
      the exogenous PKC in stimulating secretion. Furthermore, although either PKC or
      Exo1 alone could stimulate exocytosis from run-down cells, the effect of
      combining the fractions was synergistic, as had previously been observed using
      PMA treatment combined with Exo1 incubation [Morgan & Burgoyne (1992) Nature
      (London) 355, 833-836]. The observed synergy between PKC and Exo1 was not due to
      PKC-mediated phosphorylation of Exo1, and Exo1 was found not to affect PKC
      activity in enzyme assays. We conclude that PKC and Exo1 act synergistically in
      the slow phase of Ca(2+)-dependent exocytosis from adrenal chromaffin cells.
      Furthermore, PKC does not directly affect Exo1, but rather enhances the activity
      of Exo1 by a putative phosphorylation of another, unidentified, component of the
      exocytotic machinery which facilitates the action of Exo1 in exocytosis.

PMID- 1417741
TI  - Permeability of rat liver microsomal membrane to glucose 6-phosphate.
AB  - Light-scattering measurements of osmotically induced changes in the size of rat
      liver microsomal vesicles pre-equilibrated in a low-osmolality buffer revealed
      the following. (1) The increase in extravesicular osmolality by addition of
      glucose 6-phosphate or mannose 6-phosphate (25 mM each) caused a rapid shrinking
      of microsomal vesicles. After shrinkage, a rapid swelling phase (t1/2 approx. 22
      s) was present with glucose 6-phosphate but absent with mannose 6-phosphate,
      indicating that the former had entered microsomal vesicles, but the latter had
      not. (2) Almost identical results were obtained in the absence of any glucose 6
      phosphate hydrolysis, i.e. with microsomes pre-treated with 100 microM-vanadate.
      (3) The anion-channel blocker 4,4'-di-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid
      (DIDS) suppressed the glucose 6-phosphate-induced swelling phase. (4) The
      swelling phase was more prolonged as the glucose 6-phosphate concentration
      increased (t1/2 = 16 +/- 3, 22 +/- 3 and 35 +/- 4 s with 25 mM, 37.5 mM- and 50
      mM-glucose 6-phosphate respectively). The behaviour of glucose-6-phosphatase
      activity of intact and disrupted microsomes measured in the presence of high
      concentrations (less than 30 mM) of substrate also indicated the saturation of
      the glucose 6-phosphate permeation system by extravesicular concentrations of
      glucose 6-phosphate higher than 20-30 mM. Additional experiments showed that
      vanadate-treated microsomes pre-equilibrated with 0.1 mM- and 1.0 mM-glucose 6
      phosphate (and [1-14C]glucose 6-phosphate as a tracer) rapidly (t1/2 less than 20
      s) released [1-14C]glucose 6-phosphate when diluted in a glucose 6-phosphate-free
      medium. The efflux of [1-14C]glucose 6-phosphate was largely prevented by DIDS,
      allowing an evaluation of the intravesicular space of glucose 6-phosphate of
      approx. 1.0 microliter/mg of microsomal protein.

PMID- 1417743
TI  - Human interleukin-5 expressed in Escherichia coli has N-terminal modifications.
AB  - Recombinant human interleukin-5 exists as four major isoforms all possessing N
      terminal methionine. Peptide mapping and subsequent analysis by fast-atom
      bombardment mass spectrometry (f.a.b.-m.s.) have shown that N-terminal
      modifications are the cause of the charge heterogeneity. In order of decreasing
      abundance, these are unmodified methionine, retention of N-terminal formyl group,
      oxidation of N-terminal methionine to sulphoxide and carbamoylation of the N
      terminus. These results were confirmed by analysis of the reduced and alkylated
      intact protein by electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry. The implications of
      these findings for the production and characterization of recombinant proteins
      are briefly discussed.

PMID- 1417742
TI  - Partial characterization of natural and recombinant human soluble CD23.
AB  - The purification to homogeneity of an active soluble 25 kDa fragment of CD23,
      produced in insect cells using the baculovirus expression system, is described.
      Peptide mapping and analysis by Edman degradation and mass spectrometry permitted
      partial characterization of the protein. A total of 165 out of 172 residues,
      including N-terminal and C-terminal regions, were mapped. The positions of the
      two disulphide bonds in the IgE-binding region were also determined: residue 110
      is joined to residue 124, and residue 42 to residue 133. Natural CD23 25 kDa
      fragment was also analysed and found to possess the same disulphide bond
      arrangement. These results extend the previously noted sequence similarity with
      lectins to elements of secondary structure.

PMID- 1417744
TI  - The activity and subcellular distribution of the peroxisomal enzyme acyl-CoA
      oxidase in human blood platelets.
AB  - The peroxisomal enzyme acyl-CoA oxidase is localized in the 'dense-tubular-system
      enriched fraction', probably identical with the endoplasmic reticulum, in human
      blood platelets. This localization is strongly different from the localization of
      catalase which seems to be a cytosolic enzyme, in agreement with Marcus, Zucker
      Franklin, Safir & Ullman [(1966) J. Clin. Invest. 45, 14-28]. A localization of
      acyl-CoA oxidase in the endoplasmic reticulum seems to be in good accordance with
      the important role of peroxisomes in the metabolism of prostaglandins, as
      recently demonstrated by Diczfalusy, Kase, Alexson & Bjorkhem [(1991) J. Clin.
      Invest. 88, 978-984].

PMID- 1417745
TI  - Two distinct transcriptional activities of pea (Pisum sativum) chloroplasts share
      immunochemically related functional polypeptides.
AB  - An RNA polymerase activity has been purified from pea (Pisum sativum) chloroplast
      extracts with a distinct transcriptional specificity for a chloroplast messenger
      gene. This activity (ms-RNA pol) differs from the pea RNA polymerase preparation
      reported by Sun, Shapiro, Wu & Tewari [(1986) Plant Mol. Biol. 6, 429-439], which
      specifically transcribes only the rRNA gene (rb-RNA pol). The specificity of
      transcription has been assessed by the synthesis in vitro of discrete transcripts
      of predicted sizes using cloned promoter regions of the chloroplast psbA and 16 S
      rRNA genes. The ms-RNA pol preparation, with polypeptides ranging in apparent
      molecular mass from 22 to 180 kDa, correctly initiates transcription from
      recombinant plasmids containing the psbA promoter and does not support 16 S rRNA
      promoter-directed transcription. The two activities differ also in their response
      to Mn2+ ions. To investigate whether the two transcriptional activities share
      common functional polypeptides, monoclonal antibodies were developed against the
      rb-RNA pol preparation. Three clones were selected on the basis of their ability
      to inhibit transcription in vitro of the 16 S rRNA gene by rb-RNA pol. The
      antibodies from these clones independently recognized three polypeptides with
      molecular masses of 27, 90 and 95 kDa on immunoblots. Antibodies cross-reacting
      with the 90 kDa polypeptide completely eliminated the specific retardation of an
      end-labelled 16 S rRNA promoter fragment in a mobility-shift assay, whereas the
      antibodies against the 95 kDa polypeptide resulted in the formation of a ternary
      complex (enzyme-DNA-antibody). The antibodies cross-reacting with the 27 kDa
      polypeptide, however, did not alter the mobility of the retarded DNA-enzyme
      complex on the gel. These antibodies also inhibited transcription in vitro of the
      psbA gene by ms-RNA pol and recognized polypeptides of identical molecular masses
      in the ms-RNA pol. These results show that the three polypeptides are functional
      components of the chloroplast transcriptional complex and appear to be involved
      in the transcription of both rRNA and mRNA genes. Transcriptional specificity is
      probably conferred by ancillary transcription factor(s) which remain to be
      identified.

PMID- 1417746
TI  - A cortical phosphoprotein ('PP63') sensitive to exocytosis triggering in
      Paramecium cells. Immunolocalization and quenched-flow correlation of time course
      of dephosphorylation with membrane fusion.
AB  - We had previously shown that a phosphoprotein of 63 kDa ('PP63') is rapidly and
      selectively dephosphorylated during synchronous (less than or equal to 1 s)
      trichocyst exocytosis in Paramecium cells and then rephosphorylated within less
      than or equal to 1 min [Zieseniss & Plattner (1985) J. Cell Biol. 101, 2028
      2035]. Using a new quenched-flow device, we now find a strict correlation between
      PP63 dephosphorylation and the process of membrane fusion, both occurring within
      80 ms. Uptake of 32P over 90 min, followed by exocytosis and rephosphorylation
      for 1 min, results in a rather selective phosphorylation of the dephosphorylated
      form, P63, to PP63. Solubilization by repeated freezing and thawing allows
      isolations of P63 and PP63. On isoelectric focusing autoradiograms they have pI
      values of 6.05, 5.95 (major spots), 5.85 and 5.75. All spots are sensitive to
      alkaline, but not to acidic, hydrolysis (except for the pI-6.05 spot). On two
      dimensional-gel autoradiograms the most prominent spot, of pI 5.95, is most
      extensively de- and re-phosphorylated. This spot, from de- and re-phosphorylated
      samples, was used to produce monospecific antibodies. A cortical localization of
      PP63 was revealed by producing Western blots from isolated cell-surface fragments
      ('cortices') and by immunofluorescence labelling. We assume that both P63 and
      PP63 are attached to cortical structures, e.g. around trichocysts, though they
      are partly soluble. This localization and the strict correlation of PP63
      dephosphorylation with exocytotic membrane fusion suggests a role in fusion
      regulation.

PMID- 1417747
TI  - Effect of side-chain amide thionation on turnover of beta-lactam substrates by
      beta-lactamases. Further evidence on the question of side-chain hydrogen-bonding
      in catalysis.
AB  - Two side-chain-thionated beta-lactams, a penicillin and a cephalosporin, have
      been prepared and found to be not significantly poorer as substrates of typical
      serine (classes A and C) beta-lactamases than are their oxo analogues. This
      result is interpreted to mean that any hydrogen-bonding site on these enzymes for
      the beta-lactam side-chain amide carbonyl group must be flexible and is more
      likely to be a passive rather than active or essential feature of the active
      site. Previously, data from crystal structures and site-directed mutagenesis had
      suggested that the side chain of Asn-132 of class-A beta-lactamases, a component
      of the conserved SDN loop, forms a hydrogen bond with the side-chain carbonyl of
      the beta-lactam substrate and may provide significant transition-state
      stabilization during catalysis. The thionocephalosporin was also equally as good
      as its oxo analogue as a substrate of the class-B beta-lactamase II of Bacillus
      cereus and not significantly less effective as an inhibitor of the Streptomyces
      R61 DD-peptidase; a tight hydrogen-bond donor site for the beta-lactam side-chain
      amide is apparently not present in these enzymes either.

PMID- 1417748
TI  - The metabolism of tetradecylthiopropionic acid, a 4-thia stearic acid, in the
      rat. In vivo and in vitro studies.
AB  - The metabolism of [1-14C]tetradecylthiopropionic acid (TTP), a 4-thia stearic
      acid, and its sulphoxide, [1-14C]texadecylsulphoxypropionic acid (TTP-SO), has
      been studied in intact rats, in isolated rat hepatocytes, and in rat liver
      mitochondria. Two pathways of oxidation (beta-oxidation and omega-oxidation) have
      been demonstrated. TTP is incorporated, in vivo, into tissue triacylglycerol and
      phospholipids, it is oxidized to CO2, and it is excreted in urine, mainly as
      carboxypropylsulphoxypropionic acid and a little as
      carboxymethylsulphoxypropionic acid. TTP-SO is metabolized, in vivo, more rapidly
      to the same two omega-oxidation products. In hepatocytes TTP is incorporated into
      triacylglycerol and phospholipids even more rapidly than stearic acid. It is
      recovered mainly in the 1-position of phosphatidylcholine. Some is oxidized to
      CO2 and acid-soluble products. TTP-SO is mainly omega-oxidized to the same
      metabolites as are found in urine. A small fraction is incorporated into
      phospholipids or oxidized to CO2. In isolated mitochondria [1-14C]TTP is
      converted into 14CO2, radioactive malonic semialdehyde, and addition products of
      malonic semialdehyde. In the presence of phenylhydrazine, malonic semialdehyde
      phenylhydrazone is the dominating product. In soluble extracts of mitochondria [1
      14C]malonic semialdehyde is oxidized directly to 14CO2 in the presence of CoA and
      NAD+, probably by the (methyl)malonic acid semialdehyde dehydrogenase (EC
      1.2.1.27).

PMID- 1417749
TI  - A study of the stabilization of tetrahedral adducts by trypsin and delta
      chymotrypsin.
AB  - delta-Chymotrypsin has been alkylated by 1-13C- and 2-13C-enriched
      tosylphenylalanylchloromethane. In the intact inhibitor derivative, signals due
      to the 1-13C- and 2-13C-enriched carbon atoms have chemical shifts which titrate
      from 55.10 to 59.50 p.p.m. and from 99.10 to 103.66 p.p.m. respectively with
      similar pKa values of 8.99 and 8.85 respectively. These signals are assigned to a
      tetrahedral adduct formed between the hydroxy group of serine-195 and the
      inhibitor. An additional signal at 58.09 p.p.m. and at 204.85 p.p.m. in the 1-13C
      and 2-13C-enzyme-inhibitor derivatives respectively does not titrate when the pH
      is changed and it is assigned to alkylated methionine-192. On
      denaturation/autolysis of the 1-13C-enriched enzyme-inhibitor derivative these
      signals associated with the intact inhibitor derivative are no longer detected,
      and a new signal, which titrates from 56.28 to 54.84 p.p.m. with a pKa of 5.26,
      is detected. The titration shift of this signal is assigned to the deprotonation
      of the imidazolium cation of alkylated histidine-57 in the denatured/autolysed
      enzyme-inhibitor derivative. Model compounds which form stable hydrates and
      hemiketals in aqueous solutions have been synthesized. By comparing the 13C
      titration shifts of these model compounds with those of the 13C enriched trypsin-
      and delta-chymotrypsin-inhibitor derivatives, we deduce that, in both of the
      intact enzyme-inhibitor derivatives, the zwitterionic tetrahedral adduct
      containing the imidazolium cation of histidine-57 and the hemiketal oxyanion
      predominates at alkaline pH values. It is estimated that in both the trypsin and
      delta-chymotrypsin-inhibitor derivatives the concentration of this zwitterionic
      tetrahedral adduct is 10,000-fold greater than it would be in water. We conclude
      that the pKa of the oxyanion of the hemiketal in the presence of the imidazolium
      cation of histidine-57 is 7.9 and 8.9 in the trypsin and delta-chymotrypsin
      inhibitor derivatives respectively and that the pKa of the imidazolium cation of
      histidine-57 is greater than 7.9 and greater than 8.9 when the oxyanion is
      present as its conjugate acid, whereas, when the oxyanion is present, the pKa of
      the imidazolium cation is greater than 11 in both enzyme-inhibitor derivatives.
      We discuss how these enzymes preferentially stabilize zwitterionic tetrahedral
      adducts in the intact enzyme-inhibitor derivatives and how they could stabilize
      similar tetrahedral intermediates during catalysis. It is suggested that
      substrate binding could raise the pKa of the imidazolium cation of histidine-57
      before tetrahedral-intermediate formation which would explain the enhanced
      nucleophilicity of the hydroxy group of serine-195.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400
      WORDS)

PMID- 1417751
TI  - Turnover of glycogen phosphorylase in the pectoralis muscle of broiler and layer
      chickens.
AB  - Glycogen phosphorylase is a major sarcoplasmic protein in chicken pectoralis
      muscle, constituting approx. 4% of the total protein complement. In slow-growing
      layer chicks phosphorylase accumulated in parallel with muscle accretion, but in
      fast-growing broiler chicks the concentration of phosphorylase in the muscle
      increased (from 5 to 8 mg/g wet wt.) with time. In a 5-week period, the total
      amount of phosphorylase in the pectoralis muscles increased 18-fold in broiler
      chicks (from approx. 75 to 1400 mg total), but only 3-fold (from approx. 100 to
      270 mg total) in layers. Pyridoxal phosphate, the cofactor of the enzyme glycogen
      phosphorylase, was used as a specific label to measure the rate of degradation of
      the enzyme in the pectoralis muscle of growing broiler and layer chickens in
      vivo. In young animals, the fractional rate of phosphorylase synthesis was
      similar in broiler and layer chickens (approx. 15%/day), but the rate of
      degradation in layers (5%/day) was 5-fold higher than in broilers (1%/day). As
      the animals aged, the rate of synthesis decreased, but more so in layers than in
      broilers. The rate of degradation of phosphorylase also decreased in layers, but
      in broilers it remained at the low level seen in young animals. The dramatically
      higher rate of phosphorylase accretion in the pectoralis muscles of the broilers
      is therefore achieved by an initial lower rate of degradation combined with a
      sustained difference between rates of synthesis and degradation.

PMID- 1417750
TI  - Rat epididymal luminal fluid acid beta-D-galactosidase optimally hydrolyses
      glycoprotein substrate at neutral pH.
AB  - Several glycosidases, purified and characterized from mammalian tissues, have
      been shown to be optimally active under acidic conditions when p-nitrophenyl
      (PNP) or 4-methylumbelliferyl glycosides are used as substrates. Although high
      levels of the glycosidases are present in the epididymal lumen, their
      physiological role remains uncertain. To be functional, the glycosidases are
      expected to be enzymatically active at or near the physiological pH of luminal
      fluid. In this report, we demonstrate that the rat epididymal luminal fluid beta
      D-galactosidase, optimally active toward PNP beta-D-galactoside at pH 3.5, shows
      maximum activity towards a glycoprotein substrate ([Gal-3H]fetuin) at neutral pH.
      Several lines of evidence, including immunoprecipitation studies using antibody
      to the acid beta-D-galactosidase, and substrate competition studies, indicate
      that PNP galactosidase and [3H]Gal galactosidase activities are caused by a
      single enzyme, and that the two substrates are probably cleaved by the same
      catalytic site(s). Competition studies with various disaccharides indicate that
      this enzyme is capable of cleaving a variety of galactose linkages found in both
      O- and N-linked oligosaccharides. Molecular-sieve column chromatography of the
      beta-D-galactosidase of luminal fluid under several conditions of buffer and pH
      show that, whereas the enzyme eluted as a tetramer (apparent M(r) 320,000) under
      acidic conditions (pH 3.5-4.3), only dimers and monomers (apparent M(r) 180,000
      and 92,000 respectively) were observed in neutral conditions (pH 6.8). This
      aggregation/dissociation phenomenon is reversible. These studies indicate that
      beta-D-galactosidase is present in the luminal fluid in dissociated forms, and is
      therefore optimally active towards glycoprotein substrates at physiological pH.
      The potential role of the enzyme in modification of sperm surface glycoproteins
      is discussed.

PMID- 1417752
TI  - Characterization of a human class-Theta glutathione S-transferase with activity
      towards 1-menaphthyl sulphate.
AB  - A purification scheme is described for a glutathione S-transferase (GST) from
      human liver that catalyses the conjugation of 1-menaphthyl sulphate (MS) with
      GSH; the method devised results in an approx. 500-fold increase in specific
      activity towards MS. The human enzyme which metabolizes MS is a homodimer
      comprising subunits of M(r) 25,100, and immunochemical experiments have shown it
      to be a member of the class-Theta GSTs. Automated Edman degradation of this
      enzyme has confirmed that it is a Theta-class GST bu the amino acid sequence
      obtained differs from that of GST theta described previously [Meyer, Coles,
      Pemble, Gilmore, Fraser & Ketterer (1991) Biochem. J. 274, 409-414]. We have
      therefore designated the enzyme that catalyses the conjugation of MS with GSH GST
      T2-2* (in the absence of complete amino acid sequence data, the T1 and T2
      subunits are provisionally designated T1* and T2*); the evidence which indicates
      that GST theta (which should possibly now be called GST T1-1*) and GST T2-2*
      represent distinct isoenzymes is discussed.

PMID- 1417753
TI  - Clearance from plasma of lymph chylomicrons and chylomicron remnants labelled
      with 125I-tyramine-cellobiose.
AB  - The aims of the present study were to evaluate the metabolism of chylomicrons
      (CM) and of CM remnants after labelling with radioactive iodine and converting
      the iodinated CM into remnants in vitro. Lymph CM were radiolabelled with 125I or
      sham-labelled with 127I by either the ICl procedure or the tyramine-cellobiose
      (TC) procedure, then injected into rats. The clearance from plasma of the
      iodinated CM was compared with control non-iodinated lipid-labelled CM. After
      iodination with ICl, the plasma removal of endogenously labelled CM was
      significantly different from non-iodinated CM, with increased uptake of CM
      triacylglycerols by the liver. In contrast, the clearances from plasma and the
      uptake by organs of radiolabelled lipids of CM iodinated by the TC method (TC-CM)
      were similar to control CM. About 40% of the label from 125I-TC-CM was insoluble
      in 50% propan-2-ol, indicating association with CM apolipoprotein B48. Only about
      8% of label was lipid soluble, mostly in phosphatidylethanolamine. Radioactivity
      from 125I-TC-CM injected intravenously in rats was cleared rapidly and by 30 min
      only 20% remained in plasma, whereas 48% was recovered in the liver. After
      fractionation of the plasma by density-gradient ultracentrifugation, most label
      remained associated with d (relative density) less than 1.006 lipoproteins. In
      intact rats label was also found associated with the low-density and high-density
      lipoprotein fractions of plasma. When the liver was excluded from circulation,
      the recovery of label in low-density- and high-density-lipoprotein fractions was
      greatly decreased. CM remnants were prepared in vivo by injecting 125I-TC-CM into
      functionally hepatectomized donors and compared with remnants prepared in vitro
      by incubation with purified bovine milk lipoprotein lipase. Although remnants
      prepared in vitro cleared from plasma slower than remnants prepared in vivo, the
      size, lipid composition and apolipoprotein profile on gradient PAGE of the
      remnants were similar. We conclude that labelling of CM by the TC method avoided
      the 'artefactual' changes in metabolism seen after labelling by the ICl
      procedure. CM remnants when prepared in vitro using lipoprotein lipase were found
      to be similar to those prepared in vivo after injection into functionally
      hepatectomized rats.

PMID- 1417754
TI  - Thrombin promotes actin polymerization in U937 human monocyte-macrophage cells.
      Analysis of the signalling mechanisms mediating actin polymerization.
AB  - The U937 human monocyte-macrophage cell line was used to examine the effect of
      thrombin, an ill-defined chemoattractant, on the polymerization of actin, a
      process essential for cell motility. In differentiated macrophage-like U937
      cells, thrombin (0.5-50 units/ml) caused a rapid dose-dependent increase in the
      formation of filamentous (F-) actin, detected by the staining of F-actin with the
      fluorescent toxin, 7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole-phallacidin. In contrast with
      other chemoattractants such as N-formylmethionyl-leucylphenylalanine or C5a,
      actin polymerization in response to thrombin occurred via a pertussis-toxin
      insensitive G1-(inhibitory G-protein) independent signalling pathway. Further,
      this response was not affected by the Ca2+ chelator EGTA or by the specific
      protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor RO-31-8220. The response to thrombin was not
      mimicked by the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin or by the direct PKC activator phorbol
      12-myristate 13-acetate. The thrombin response was, however, inhibited by the non
      specific protein kinase inhibitor staurosporine. The present results suggest that
      in U937 cells thrombin stimulates the formation of F-actin via a signalling
      pathway independent of (i) the activation of PKC, (ii) the mobilization of
      intracellular Ca2+ and (iii) the activation of Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinases,
      but dependent on the activation of an undefined staurosporine-sensitive protein
      kinase.

PMID- 1417755
TI  - Kinetic and inhibition studies on catechol-O-methyltransferase affinity labelling
      by N-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)maleimide.
AB  - Initial velocity and product inhibition studies have been performed on soluble
      catechol-O-methyltransferase which has been partially purified from pig liver.
      The results are consistent with an ordered reaction mechanism, in which S
      adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) is the leading substrate. The enzyme is
      irreversibly inhibited by maleimide derivatives in a biphasic manner, which
      suggests a differential reaction with two thiol groups. N-(3,4
      Dihydroxyphenyl)maleimide, which has a reactive moiety (maleimide ring) and an
      affinity moiety (catechol ring), acts as an affinity labelling compound on the
      more reactive SH group; AdoMet and Mg2+ protect against this modification. Total
      protection of this SH group results in a pseudo-first-order inhibition of the
      enzyme, with the apparent rate constant being proportional to the inhibitor
      concentration. All the other maleimide derivatives studied inhibited the enzyme
      by reacting with one of the two SH groups in a non-specific manner. The reaction
      of the other, more reactive, SH group was either specific (active-site-directed)
      or non-specific, depending on the substituent present in the affinity moiety and
      also on the length of an intermediate chain of methylene groups present between
      this moiety and the reactive maleimide ring. In the presence of both AdoMet and
      Mg2+, 3,5-dinitrocatechol, a reversible inhibitor of the enzyme which is
      competitive with respect to the catechol substrate, protects the enzyme from
      inactivation by any of the maleimide derivatives. The adducts of these maleimide
      derivatives formed with dithiothreitol inhibit the enzyme reversibly, showing
      inhibition patterns that are consistent with the mechanism deduced from the
      initial velocity and product inhibition studies.

PMID- 1417756
TI  - A novel keratan sulphate proteoglycan from a human embryonal carcinoma cell line.
AB  - We describe here the purification and partial characterization of a 200 kDa
      keratan sulphate proteoglycan found in the pericellular matrix of human embryonal
      carcinoma cells. Previously we have shown that this molecule is recognized by a
      monoclonal antibody (GCTM-2). The antigen was isolated using ion-exchange
      chromatography and gel filtration, purification being monitored by e.l.i.s.a.
      using GCTM-2. Metabolic labelling of GCT 27 C-4 embryonal carcinoma cells with
      sodium [35S]sulphate resulted in the incorporation of [35S]sulphate into the
      purified molecule. Throughout the purification procedure, the peaks of 35S
      radioactivity were coincident with the peaks of immunoreactivity, and this label
      was released both by digestion with keratanase and chondroitinase, confirming the
      proteoglycan nature of the antigen. The intact molecule ran as a single broad
      band of 200 kDa, which has been identified by silver staining and immunoblotting
      following gel electrophoresis. Amino acid analysis of the purified antigen
      indicated a high content of serine, glycine and aspartic acid/asparagine
      residues. Visualization by rotary-shadowing electron microscopy suggests that the
      purified material forms large aggregates, even under denaturing conditions.
      Deglycosylation of this preparation with trifluoromethanesulphonic acid yielded a
      major band of 55 kDa and a minor band of 48 kDa. The biochemical nature of the
      molecule described here, along with tissue distribution studies using GCTM-2,
      indicates that the antigen is not related to previously described keratan
      sulphate proteoglycans.

PMID- 1417758
TI  - Metabolite channeling versus free diffusion: reinterpretation of aldolase
      catalysed inactivation of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase.

PMID- 1417759
TI  - Lysosomal handling of cystine residues: stoichiometry of cysteine involvement.

PMID- 1417757
TI  - Identification and characterization of aminopeptidases from Aplysia californica.
AB  - Aminopeptidase activities were identified in extracts of kidney, ovotestis, head
      ganglia, heart and haemolymph of Aplysia californica. These enzyme preparations
      hydrolysed [3H][Leu]enkephalin at the Try-1-Gly-2 bond as determined by h.p.l.c.
      analysis of cleavage products. In all these tissues, enkephalin-degrading
      aminopeptidase activities were present both in membrane-bound and cytosolic
      fractions. The bivalent-cation-chelating agent, 1,10-phenanthroline, inhibited
      kidney membrane aminopeptidase activity with an IC50 of 30 microM, suggesting
      that this enzyme is a metalloproteinase. The aminopeptidase inhibitor amastatin
      was the most potent inhibitor of [Leu]enkephalin degradation (IC50 25 nM) by
      membrane-bound aminopeptidase, and bacitracin, bestatin and puromycin were about
      100-1000 times less potent. In contrast with membrane-bound aminopeptidase, the
      cytosolic form is sensitive to puromycin. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor
      had no effect on [Leu]enkephalin degradation by kidney membranes, while the
      neutral endopeptidase inhibitors were poor inhibitors of the enzymes in this
      preparation. The Km values of the aminopeptidase in the kidney membranes and
      cytosolic fractions for the [Leu]enkephalin substrate were 2.4 and 7.4 microM
      respectively. The aminopeptidase present in the kidney membranes also hydrolysed
      endogenous Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-amide peptide at the Phe-1-Met-2 bond as well as
      synthetic alanine p-nitroanilide and leucine p-nitroanilide. When used in a
      competition assay, these substrates inhibited hydrolysis of [3H][Leu]enkephalin,
      suggesting that the same enzyme degraded all these substrates. Taken together,
      these results suggest that Aplysia tissues contain both a membrane-bound
      aminopeptidase related to the mammalian aminopeptidase N and a cytosolic
      puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase.

PMID- 1417760
TI  - Primary and predicted secondary structure of the Actinomadura R39 extracellular
      DD-peptidase, a penicillin-binding protein (PBP) related to the Escherichia coli
      PBP4.

PMID- 1417763
TI  - Respiratory control and substrate effects in the working rat heart.
AB  - 31P n.m.r. spectroscopy was used to measure the concentration of phosphates
      commonly proposed to control oxidative phosphorylation. The effect of loading
      conditions, beta-adrenergic stimulation and different substrates (acetate,
      pyruvate or glucose) was examined under steady-state conditions in the isolated
      working rat heart. Oxygen consumption and haemodynamic variables were monitored
      continuously. In response to a 2-fold increase in afterload, there were no
      significant changes in [ADP], [ATP]/[ADP], or [ATP]/[ADP][Pi]. In the presence of
      isoprenaline, these variables also tended not to change from afterload. However,
      isoprenaline, at identical perfusion pressures, consistently decreased the
      phosphorylation potential and [ATP]/[ADP], but had little effect on [ADP].
      Substrates altered the phosphate metabolites in a manner independent of oxygen
      consumption, and had only minor effects on the relationship between phosphates
      and work, in contrast with other studies. Thus, metabolites of ATP synthesis are
      not normally involved in respiratory control. The 31P n.m.r. spectrum can vary
      greatly, but does not predict oxygen consumption in this preparation. Substrates
      have no effect on the mechanism of respiratory control. Thus the normal control
      of respiration in the heart at steady state cannot occur at the level of its
      substrates. Rather, there must be concerted regulation of the numerous pathways,
      involving allostery and covalent modification. The attention of future research
      should be shifted away from the metabolites of ATP and towards identifying the
      effectors of such regulation.

PMID- 1417762
TI  - Conformational stability of bovine alpha-crystallin. Evidence for a destabilizing
      effect of ascorbate.
AB  - Short-term incubation of bovine alpha-crystallin with ascorbate alters the
      protein conformational stability. The denaturation curves with urea and
      guanidinium-chloride show different patterns, suggesting a deviation from a two
      state mechanism owing to the presence of one or more intermediates in the
      unfolding of ascorbate-modified alpha-crystallin. Furthermore, the latter protein
      profiles are shifted to lower denaturant concentrations indicating a
      destabilizing action of ascorbate, which is capable of facilitating protein
      dissociation into subunits as demonstrated by gel filtration with 1.5 M-urea. The
      decrease in conformational stability cannot be ascribed to any major structural
      alteration, but rather to localized changes in the protein molecule. In fact, no
      difference between native and ascorbate-treated alpha-crystallin can be detected
      by amino acid analysis but perturbation of the tryptophan and tyrosine
      environment is indicated by alterations in intrinsic fluorescence. Furthermore,
      turbidity and light-scattering measurements suggest an involvement of the lysine
      side chains, since aggregability patterns with acetylsalicylic acid are
      significantly altered. The ascorbate-destabilizing effect on the conformational
      stability of alpha-crystallin, probably exerted through oxidative modification of
      amino acid residues and/or the formation of covalent adducts, provokes
      unfavourable steric interactions between residues along the polypeptide chains,
      thus favouring aggregation and insolubilization of crystallins which can lead to
      cataract formation, as also demonstrated by proteolytic digestion patterns which
      show a lower rate of degradation of the ascorbate-modified alpha-crystallin.

PMID- 1417764
TI  - Substrate specificity of the purine-2'-deoxyribonucleosidase of Crithidia
      luciliae.
AB  - The purine-2'-deoxyribonucleosidase of Crithidia luciliae catalyses an efficient
      deoxyribosyl transfer between a variety of purine bases, benzimidazole and 5,6
      dimethylbenzimidazole. Since the deoxyriboside of a deoxyribosyl acceptor is
      necessarily also a substrate, the trans-N-deoxyribosylase activity of the enzyme
      allows a study of its specificity to be extended to a large number of purines and
      purine analogues. Amongst 27 different deoxyribosyl acceptors, only hypoxanthine
      gave rise to isomeric products. The introduction of methyl groups at appropriate
      positions in either purine or benzimidazole lowered the Michaelis constant, KB,
      for deoxyribosyl acceptors: by about 10-fold for 6-methylpurine (KB 351 +/- 87
      microM) compared with purine (KB 3.91 +/- 0.8 mM) and by about 10(3)-fold for 5,6
      dimethylbenzimidazole (KB 7.0 +/- 0.79 microM) compared with benzimidazole
      (Km,app. 7.8 +/- 2.4 mM). The maximal rates of deoxyribosyl transfer to different
      acceptors, on the other hand, varied by only 4.5-fold, and can be ascribed to
      decreases in the rate of release of the newly formed purine deoxyriboside from
      the enzyme.

PMID- 1417761
TI  - Nuclear protein phosphorylation and growth control.

PMID- 1417765
TI  - Release of cell surface proteoglycans from differentiating colon cells proceeds
      by cleavage of lipophilic anchor peptides.
AB  - Heparan sulphate proteoglycans are rapidly released from VACO 10MS colon cancer
      cells that are triggered with phorbol esters to undergo terminal differentiation.
      This lag-free temperature-sensitive process is correlated with a conversion of
      the lipophilic proteoglycans of the cell surface into non-lipophilic
      proteoglycans that accumulate in the culture medium. The released proteoglycans
      are very similar to their lipophilic precursors in size, buoyant density and
      glycosaminoglycan characteristics; however, they exhibit slightly smaller core
      proteins after chemical and enzymic deglycosylation. The lipophilicity of the
      larger-sized core proteins of the cell-associated proteoglycans is also
      correlated with the presence of an easily iodinatable domain; this domain is
      missing in the released proteoglycans. Exogenous proteases (i.e. chymotrypsin,
      V8, trypsin and proteinase K) readily cleave this segment from the larger
      protease-resistant region of the proteoglycan structure. It is also released
      intact by treatment of the isolated proteoglycans with methanolic HCl. This
      component appears to be peptide in character, in that proteases readily degrade
      it and release iodotyrosines when the precursor has been iodinated. No evidence
      for the presence of covalently attached fatty acids in the cell-associated
      proteoglycans was found. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that
      the altered proteoglycan metabolism that is associated with the phorbol-ester
      induced terminal differentiation of certain human colon cancer cells ensues upon
      the activation of a membrane-localized protease that cleaves a lipophilic anchor
      segment from the cell surface proteoglycans.

PMID- 1417766
TI  - Evidence for cytochrome b5 as an electron donor in ricinoleic acid biosynthesis
      in microsomal preparations from developing castor bean (Ricinus communis L.).
AB  - The major b-type cytochrome in microsomal membrane preparations from developing
      endosperm of castor bean (Ricinus communis) was cytochrome b5. Cytochrome P-450
      was also present. The microsomal membranes had delta 12-hydroxylase activity and
      catalysed the NAD(P)H-dependent hydroxylation of oleate to yield ricinoleic acid.
      CO had no effect on the hydroxylase activity. Rabbit polyclonal antibodies were
      raised against the hydrophilic cytochrome b5 fragment purified from cauliflower
      (Brassica oleracea) floret microsomes. The anti-(cytochrome b5) IgG inhibited
      delta 12-hydroxylase, delta 12-desaturase and cytochrome c reductase activity in
      the microsomes. The results indicate that electrons from NAD(P)H were transferred
      to the site of hydroxylation via cytochrome b5 and that cytochrome P-450 was not
      involved.

PMID- 1417767
TI  - Steady-state kinetic analysis of aldehyde dehydrogenase from human erythrocytes.
AB  - The steady-state kinetics of purified cytoplasmic aldehyde dehydrogenase (EC
      1.2.1.3) from human erythrocytes have been studied at 37 degrees C. Previous
      studies of the enzyme from several mammalian sources, which used a lower assay
      temperature, have been difficult to interpret because of the substrate activation
      by acetaldehyde which led to complex kinetic behaviour. At 37 degrees C the
      initial-rate data do not depart significantly from Michaelis-Menten kinetics.
      Studies of the variation of initial rates as a function of the concentrations of
      both substrates and studies of the inhibition by NADH were consistent with a
      sequential mechanism being followed. High-substrate inhibition by acetaldehyde
      was competitive with respect to NAD+. The enzyme was not inhibited by the product
      acetate and thus the results of these studies, although consistent with an
      ordered mechanism in which NAD+ was the first substrate to bind, were
      inconclusive. That such a mechanism was followed was confirmed by determination
      of the initial-rate behaviour in the presence of acetaldehyde and glycolaldehyde
      as alternative substrates. When the reciprocal of the initial rate of NADH
      formation was plotted against the acetaldehyde concentration at a series of fixed
      ratios between that substrate and glycolaldehyde, a linear 'mixed inhibition'
      pattern was obtained, confirming the mechanism to be ordered with NAD+ being the
      leading substrate and with kinetically significant ternary complex-formation.

PMID- 1417769
TI  - Prokaryotic triterpenoids: O-alpha-D-glucuronopyranosyl bacteriohopanetetrol, a
      novel hopanoid from the bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum.
AB  - A novel hopanoid bearing a glucuronopyranosyl residue linked via an alpha
      glycosidic bond to the hydroxyl group of C-35 in bacteriohopanetetrol was
      isolated, from the type strain of Rhodospirillum rubrum as well as from a mutant
      lacking blue carotenoid.

PMID- 1417768
TI  - ATPase-inhibitor proteins of brown-adipose-tissue mitochondria from warm- and
      cold-acclimated rats.
AB  - 1. A group of male Sprague-Dawley rats (5-6 weeks old) was cold-acclimated at 4
      degrees C for 4 weeks. Warm-acclimated controls remained at 24 degrees C. Total
      protein content of brown adipose tissue (BAT) increased more than 3-fold and
      total uncoupling protein (UCP) content increased more than 6-fold upon cold
      acclimation. The concentration of UCP in isolated BAT mitochondria almost
      doubled. 2. Specific ATPase activity of the non-thermogenic BAT mitochondria
      (from warm-acclimated controls) was low and increased about 6-fold on addition of
      1 microM-Ca2+, which raised free Ca2+ levels (measured by Fura-2) in the
      incubation media from 1.32 +/- 0.28 microM (mean +/- S.E.M.) to 2.29 +/- 0.39
      microM [at which the Ca(2+)-binding ATPase-inhibitor protein (CaBI) is
      inactivated]. Correspondingly, the specific ATP synthetase activity of the non
      thermogenic BAT mitochondria was high and was decreased by 74% by addition of 1
      microM-Ca2+. 3. In contrast, specific ATPase activity of thermogenic BAT
      mitochondria (from cold-acclimated rats) was 5 times that of the control group,
      and addition of Ca2+ had only a small stimulatory response. Correspondingly, the
      specific ATP synthetase activity of the thermogenic BAT mitochondria was low, and
      the decrease by Ca2+ was small, albeit significant. 4. Extracts of BAT
      mitochondria from both groups of animals contained significant amounts of the
      ATPase-inhibitor protein of Pullman and Monroy (PMI) as well as of CaBI, as shown
      by gel electrophoresis. Kinetic studies of inhibition of mitochondrial ATPase
      activity showed that PMI activity was unaltered in extracts from the thermogenic
      BAT mitochondria, whereas CaBI activity was slightly but significantly increased.
      5. The presence of active ATPase-inhibitor proteins in BAT mitochondria was shown
      for the first time. We conclude that uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation
      occurs in thermogenic BAT mitochondria, even in the presence of the ATPase
      inhibitor proteins.

PMID- 1417770
TI  - Gene expression of calpains and their specific endogenous inhibitor, calpastatin,
      in skeletal muscle of fed and fasted rabbits.
AB  - To investigate the role of calpains in myofibrillar protein degradation in
      skeletal muscle and the regulation of their activity in vivo, we studied the
      effects of fasting on gene expression of calpains and calpastatin in the skeletal
      muscle of rabbits. In response to fasting, myofibrillar protein degradation
      increased 2-fold and mRNA levels of calpain I, calpain II and calpastatin were
      also increased. However, calpain and calpastatin activities remained unchanged.
      To investigate this discrepancy, we analysed polysomal calpain mRNA. Results
      indicated that fasting caused a 2-fold increase in the loading of calpain I and
      II mRNAs on ribosomes. Thus transcription of genes encoding calpain may be
      increased during fasting to ensure adequate synthesis of the proteinases needed
      to mobilize muscle protein reserves. The effect of fasting on calpain and
      calpastatin mRNA expression is shared by cathepsin D and proteasome C2 but not by
      beta-actin, implying that fasting invokes control of several proteolytic systems
      in skeletal muscle and underscores the possibility that each proteolytic system
      plays a role in the adaptation of skeletal muscle to the fasted state.

PMID- 1417771
TI  - Small-angle X-ray-scattering studies of the C hordeins of barley (Hordeum
      vulgare).
AB  - Small angle X-ray scattering was used to study the solution conformation of the C
      hordeins of barley (Hordeum vulgare), a group of proteins whose primary structure
      consists predominantly of an octapeptide repeat motif. Measurements on the
      protein in 0.1 M-acetic acid at 25 degrees C are consistent with a model for the
      protein conformation of a stiff coil, the so-called 'worm-like' chain. The
      characteristic parameters (the Kuhn statistical segment length and the contour
      length) of the protein were calculated as 5.11 and 71.5 nm respectively.

PMID- 1417772
TI  - The predominant calcimedins from Trypanosoma brucei comprise a family of
      flagellar EF-hand calcium-binding proteins.
AB  - The cellular complement of calcimedins was identified in Trypanosoma brucei by
      Ca(2+)-dependent association with phenyl-Sepharose. Predominant calcimedins with
      molecular mass of 23-26 kDa and 44 kDa, along with minor calcimedins of 96, 120
      and 230 kDa, were obtained. The trypanosome calcimedins were unrelated to
      vertebrate annexins, based upon antibody cross-reactivity and an inability to
      associate in a Ca(2+)-dependent way with phospholipid vesicles comprised of
      phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine/phosphatidylcholine (1:1, w/w).
      Partial sequence analysis demonstrated that 44 kDa calcimedin (Tb-44) contained
      an EF-hand calcium-binding loop. Five CNBr/tryptic fragments exhibited a total of
      93% similarity with Tb-17, a 23 kDa EF-hand protein in T. brucei. The trypanosome
      calcimedins appeared to comprise a family of proteins, based on sequence
      similarities and antibody cross-reactivity of affinity-purified anti-Tb44 with
      the 23-26 kDa cluster. No evidence was found for Tb-44 in the related species T.
      cruzi, Leishmania taraentolae or Crithidia fasciculata. Antibodies against Tb-44
      were localized by immunofluorescence along the flagellum of T. brucei. Immunoblot
      analysis of flagella-enriched preparations demonstrated that Tb-44 and the 23-26
      kDa cluster were present in this structure. We conclude that annexin family
      members are not among the predominant trypanosome proteins that associate with
      phenyl-Sepharose in a Ca(2+)-dependent way. Instead, the major trypanosome
      calcimedins comprise a family of flagellar EF-hand calcium-binding proteins.

PMID- 1417773
TI  - Structurally and functionally conserved regions of cytochrome P-450 reductase as
      targets for DNA amplification by the polymerase chain reaction. Cloning and
      nucleotide sequence of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe cDNA.
AB  - 1. Alignments of the available cytochrome P-450 reductase amino acid sequences,
      and comparison with the crystal structure of ferredoxin-NADP reductase, indicate
      that two highly conserved regions are of functional importance. 2. Degenerate
      oligonucleotide primers, based on these sequences, were used in the polymerase
      chain reaction to amplify a 309 bp fragment of the cytochrome P-450 reductase
      gene from Schizosaccharomyces pombe for use as an homologous probe. 3. A 2.6 kb
      cDNA was cloned from a lambda library, and sequencing revealed an open-reading
      frame of 2034 bp encoding a protein of M(r) 76774. This protein shares 38-41%
      identity with other eukaryotic cytochrome P-450 reductases, and 30% identity with
      that of Bacillus megaterium. 4. Comparison of the N-terminal FMN-binding domain
      with flavodoxin, and the C-terminal FAD- and NADP-binding domain with ferredoxin
      NADP reductase, indicates the presence of several functionally conserved regions.
      5. The Sc. pombe cytochrome P-450 reductase gene was shown to contain no introns.

PMID- 1417774
TI  - Biosynthesis of heparin. The D-glucuronosyl- and N-acetyl-D
      glucosaminyltransferase reactions and their relation to polymer modification.
AB  - Oligosaccharides with the general structure [GlcA-GlcNAc]n-GlcA-aMan (aMan is 2,5
      anhydro-D-mannose), derived from the Escherichia coli K5 capsular polysaccharide,
      were found to serve as monosaccharide acceptors for a GlcNAc-transferase,
      solubilized from a mouse mastocytoma microsomal fraction and implicated in
      heparin biosynthesis. Digestion of these oligosaccharides with beta-D
      glucuronidase yielded acceptors for the GlcA-transferase that acts in concert
      with the GlcNAc-transferase. Assays based on the oligosaccharide acceptors showed
      broad pH optima for the two enzymes, centred around pH 6.5 for the GlcNAc
      transferase and around pH 7.0 for the GlcA-transferase. The GlcNAc-transferase
      showed an absolute requirement for Mn2+, whereas the GlcA-transferase was
      stimulated by Ca2+ and Mg2+ but not by Mn2+. The GlcNAc acceptor ability of the
      [GlcA-GlcNAc]n-GlcA-aMan oligosaccharides increased with increasing chain length,
      as reflected by the apparent Km, which was 60 microM for a hexasaccharide but 6
      microM for a hexadecasaccharide. By contrast, the Km for [GlcNAc-GlcA]n-aMan
      oligosaccharides in the GlcA-transferase reaction was higher, approximately 0.5
      mM, and unaffected by acceptor size. After chemical modification of the
      oligosaccharides to obtain mixed N-substituents (N-unsubstituted, N-acetylated or
      N-sulphated GlcN residues), GlcNAc transfer was found to be virtually independent
      of the N-substituent pattern of the acceptor sequence. The GlcA-transferase, on
      the other hand, showed marked preference for an acceptor with a non-reducing
      terminal GlcNAc-GlcA-GlcNSO3- sequence, which would thus have a lower Km for the
      enzyme than the corresponding fully N-acetylated structure. These results, along
      with our previous finding that chain elongation in a mastocytoma microsomal
      system is strongly promoted by concomitant N-sulphation of the nascent chain
      [Lidholt, Kjellen & Lindahl (1989) Biochem. J. 261, 999-1007], raise the
      possibility that the glycosyltransferases and the N-deacetylase/N
      sulphotransferase act in concert during chain elongation, assembled into an
      enzyme complex.

PMID- 1417775
TI  - Further characterization of the N-terminal copper(II)- and nickel(II)-binding
      motif of proteins. Studies of metal binding to chicken serum albumin and the
      native sequence peptide.
AB  - We have investigated the Cu(II)- and Ni(II)-binding properties of chicken serum
      albumin (CSA) and of the native sequence tripeptide derived from the N-terminus
      of this protein. Spectrophotometric and equilibrium dialysis experiments
      demonstrate that Cu(II) and Ni(II) bind non-specifically at the N-terminus of
      CSA. Proton displacement studies show that the histidine residue in the fourth
      position of the protein does not appear to participate in the binding of the two
      metals. Consistent results were obtained with the native sequence tripeptide L
      aspartyl-L-alanyl-L-glutamic acid N-methylamide. The results presented here
      demonstrate that neither the glutamic acid residue in the third position nor the
      histidine in the fourth position participate in the binding of Cu(II) and Ni(II)
      to CSA. It is known, however, that a number of other albumins with a histidine
      residue in the third position possess high-affinity Cu(II)- and Ni(II)-binding
      sites. Our results provide further evidence that the N-terminal Cu(II)/Ni(II)
      binding motif requires a histidine at the third position in order to bind Cu(II)
      and Ni(II) specifically.

PMID- 1417776
TI  - Isolation of cDNA clones for a 50 kDa glycoprotein of the human erythrocyte
      membrane associated with Rh (rhesus) blood-group antigen expression.
AB  - The Rh blood-group antigens are associated with human erythrocyte membrane
      proteins of approx. 30 kDa (the Rh30 polypeptides). Heterogeneously glycosylated
      membrane proteins of 50 and 45 kDa (the Rh50 glycoproteins) are coprecipitated
      with the Rh30 polypeptides on immunoprecipitation with anti-Rh-specific mono- and
      poly-clonal antibodies. We have isolated cDNA clones representing a member of the
      Rh50 glycoprotein family (the Rh50A glycoprotein). We used PCR with degenerate
      primers based on the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the Rh50 glycoproteins and
      human genomic DNA as a template and cloned and sequenced three types of PCR
      product of the expected size. Two of these products, Rh50A and Rh50B, gave the
      same translated amino acid sequence which corresponded to the expected Rh50
      glycoprotein sequence but had only 75% DNA sequence similarity. The third product
      (Rh50C) contained a single base deletion, and the translated amino acid sequence
      contained an in-frame stop codon. We have isolated cDNA clones containing the
      full coding sequence of the Rh50A glycoprotein. This sequence predicts that it is
      a 409-amino acid N-glycosylated membrane protein with up to 12 transmembrane
      domains. The Rh50A glycoprotein shows clear similarity to the Rh30A protein in
      both amino acid sequence and predicted topology. Our results are consistent with
      the Rh30 and Rh50 groups of proteins being different subunits of an oligomeric
      complex which is likely to have a transport or channel function in the
      erythrocyte membrane. We mapped the Rh50A gene to human chromosome 6p21-qter,
      showing that genetic differences in the Rh30 rather than the Rh50 genes specify
      the major polymorphic forms of the Rh antigens.

PMID- 1417777
TI  - Phospholipid molecular species composition of mouse liver nuclei. Influence of
      dietary n-3 fatty acid ethyl esters.
AB  - The effect of dietary eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
      ethyl esters on the individual molecular species composition of
      phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) was determined in
      mouse liver nuclei. After a 10 day feeding period, there was a depletion of the
      sn-2 position of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and substitution with n-3
      PUFA. EPA feeding significantly increased (P less than 0.05) diacyl PC and PE
      16:0-20:5, n-3, 16:0-22:6,n-3, 18:0-20:5,n-3 and 18:0-22:6,n-3 relative to
      control (safflower oil ethyl ester fed) animals. In comparison, DHA feeding
      significantly increased (P less than 0.05) 22:6 n-3-containing species,
      specifically 18:1-22:6,n-3, 16:0-22:6,n-3 and 18:0-22:6,n-3 in PC, and 18:1
      22:6,n-3, 16:0-22:6,n-3 and 18:0-22:6,n-3 in PE. In addition, the presence of
      18:0-20:5,n-3 PC in the nuclei of DHA-fed rats and of 18:2-20:5,n-3, 18:1-20:5,n
      3 and 18:0-20:5,n-3 in nuclear PE indicate that incorporation of DHA
      retroconversion (22:6,n-3-->20:5,n-3) products. These results indicate both EPA
      and DHA are extensively incorporated into nuclear phospholipids, and therefore
      could potentially influence gene function.

PMID- 1417778
TI  - Cloning, primary sequence and chromosomal localization of human FMO2, a new
      member of the flavin-containing mono-oxygenase family.
AB  - We have previously reported the cloning of cDNAs for a flavin-containing mono
      oxygenase (FMO) of man, designated FMO1 [Dolphin, Shephard, Povey, Palmer,
      Ziegler, Ayesh, Smith & Phillips (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 12379-12385], that is
      the orthologue of pig and rabbit hepatic FMOs. We now describe the isolation and
      characterization of cDNA clones for a second human FMO, which we have designated
      FMO2. The polypeptide encoded by the cDNAs is 558 amino acid residues long, has a
      calculated M(r) of 63337, and contains putative FAD- and NADP-binding sites that
      align exactly with those described in other mammalian FMOs. Human FMO2 has 51-53%
      primary sequence identity with human FMO1, rabbit pulmonary FMO and rabbit liver
      FMO form 2, and thus represents a fourth, distinct, member of the mammalian FMO
      family. The corresponding mRNA is present in low abundance in adult human liver.
      Southern blot hybridization with single-exon probes demonstrated that human FMO2
      and FMO1 are the products of single genes. The gene encoding FMO2 (designated
      FMO2) was mapped, by the polymerase chain reaction, to human chromosome 1, the
      same chromosome on which FMO1 is located.

PMID- 1417779
TI  - Carbachol stimulation of phospholipase A2 and insulin secretion in pancreatic
      islets.
AB  - Arachidonic acid has been implicated as a second messenger in insulin secretion
      by islets of Langerhans. D-Glucose, the major physiological stimulus, increases
      unesterified arachidonate accumulation in islets. We now show, for the first
      time, that the muscarinic agonist carbachol, at concentrations which stimulate
      insulin secretion, causes a rapid and nearly 3-fold increase in arachidonic acid
      accumulation in islets. The combination of glucose and carbachol has an additive
      effect on unesterified arachidonate release. There is a large component of
      secretagogue-induced arachidonate accumulation that is independent of
      extracellular Ca2+. Carbachol stimulation of arachidonic acid release is mediated
      by activation of phospholipase A2, as demonstrated by early increases in
      endogenous lysophosphatidylcholine. In addition to phospholipase A2 activation,
      carbachol-induced arachidonic acid accumulation also appears to involve
      diacylglycerol hydrolysis, since the diacylglycerol lipase inhibitor RG80267
      partly inhibited arachidonic acid accumulation. In contrast, glucose-induced
      arachidonic acid accumulation appears to reflect diacylglycerol hydrolysis
      entirely. Our observations indicate that phospholipase A2 has an important role
      in muscarinic-induced insulin secretion.

PMID- 1417780
TI  - Characterization of the human properdin gene.
AB  - A cosmid clone containing the complete coding sequence of the human properdin
      gene has been characterized. The gene is located at one end of the approximately
      40 kb cosmid insert and approximately 8.2 kb of the sequence data have been
      obtained from this region. Two discrepancies with the published cDNA sequence
      [Nolan, Schwaeble, Kaluz, Dierich & Reid (1991) Eur. J. Immunol. 21, 771-776]
      have been resolved. Properdin has previously been described as a modular protein,
      with the majority of its sequence composed of six tandem repeats of a sequence
      motif of approximately 60 amino acids which is related to the type-I repeat
      sequence (TSR), initially described in thrombospondin [Lawler & Hynes (1986) J.
      Cell Biol. 103, 1635-1648; Goundis & Reid (1988), Nature (London) 335, 82-85].
      Analysis of the genomic sequence data indicates that the human properdin gene is
      organized into ten exons which span approximately 6 kb of the genome. TSRs 2-5
      are coded for by discrete, symmetrical exons (phase 1-1), which supports the
      hypothesis that modular proteins evolved by a process involving exon shuffling.
      TSR1 is also coded for by a discrete exon, but the boundaries are asymmetrical
      (phase 2-1). The sequence coding for the sixth TSR is split across the final two
      exons of the gene with the first 38 amino acids of the repeat coded for by an
      asymmetric exon (phase 1-2). This split at the genomic level has been shown, by
      alignment analysis, to be reflected at the protein level with the division of
      repeat 6 into TSR-like and TSR-unlike sequences.

PMID- 1417781
TI  - cDNA cloning and sequence analysis of human pancreatic procarboxypeptidase A1.
AB  - Using polyclonal antibodies raised against human pancreatic procarboxypeptidases,
      a full-length cDNA coding for an A-type proenzyme was isolated from a lambda gt11
      human pancreatic library. This cDNA contains standard 3' and 5' flanking regions,
      a poly(A)+ tail and a central region of 1260 nucleotides coding for a protein of
      419 amino acids. On the basis of sequence comparisons, the human protein was
      classified as a procarboxypeptidase A1 which is very similar to the previously
      described A1 forms from rat and bovine pancreatic glands. The presence of the
      amino acid sequences assumed to be of importance for the zymogen inhibition by
      its activation segment, primarily on the basis of the recently reported crystal
      structure of the B form, further supports the proposed classification.

PMID- 1417782
TI  - Structure of the bovine ETB endothelin receptor gene.
AB  - The structure of the gene encoding the bovine type B endothelin receptor (ETB)
      has been established and compared with those of other heptahelical receptors. The
      gene is present as a single copy in the bovine genome, as demonstrated by
      Southern blot analysis, and spans at least 36 kb. The coding region is divided
      into 7 exons separated by 6 introns, one of which is more than 23 kb in length.
      The exons correspond well to the structural domains of the receptor: the first
      exon encodes the first and second transmembrane domains, and each of the
      following transmembrane domains is encoded by a separate exon. The portion of the
      ETB protein sequence encoded by exon 3 is quite different from the corresponding
      ETA sequence, suggesting that this region is responsible for the distinct ligand
      specificities of the two receptor subtypes. The second intron interrupts the
      canonical Asp-Arg-Tyr sequence, which is located at the end of the third
      transmembrane domain of the heptahelical receptors, as with the substance P,
      substance K, dopamine D2 and dopamine D3 receptor genes. To map the 5' region of
      the gene and determine the start of transcription, primer-extended cDNAs were
      cloned and sequenced: multiple start sites were deduced with no apparent TATA box
      in the expected upstream region. Similar results were obtained by ribonuclease
      protection analysis.

PMID- 1417783
TI  - Stimulation of phosphatidate synthesis in endothelial cells in response to P2
      receptor activation. Evidence for phospholipase C and phospholipase D
      involvement, phosphatidate and diacylglycerol interconversion and the role of
      protein kinase C.
AB  - To investigate the stimulation of phosphatidic acid formation in bovine aortic
      endothelial cells by P2-purinergic agonists, we labelled AG4762 cells with
      [32P]P1 and stimulated in the presence of butanol. Under these conditions
      phospholipase D generated [32P]phosphatidylbutanol, whereas the [32P]phosphatidic
      acid from phospholipase C and diacylglycerol kinase was unchanged. The action of
      various purinergic agonists on both [32P]phosphatidic acid and
      [32P]phosphatidylbutanol was consistent with the presence of a P2Y receptor. The
      stimulation of phospholipase D was dependent on extracellular Ca2+ and was mostly
      transient (completed within 3 min), whereas the initial stimulation of
      phospholipase C was independent of extracellular Ca2+, followed by a Ca(2+)
      dependent phase. The agonist stimulation of phospholipase D was dependent on
      protein kinase C, as judged by its sensitivity to the relatively selective
      protein kinase C inhibitor Ro 31-8220. These results show that purinergic
      receptor-mediated stimulation of phosphatidic acid has three phases: an initial
      Ca(2+)-independent stimulation of phospholipase C, an early but transient Ca(2+)-
      and protein kinase C-dependent stimulation of phospholipase D, and a sustained
      Ca(2+)-dependent stimulation of phospholipase C. Using propranolol to inhibit
      phosphatidate phosphohydrolase, we provide evidence that phosphatidic acid
      derived from purinergic-receptor-mediated stimulation of the phospholipase
      C/diacylglycerol kinase route can itself be converted back into diacylglycerol.

PMID- 1417784
TI  - Bovine colostrum CMP-NeuAc:Gal beta(1-->4)GlcNAc-R alpha(2-->6)-sialyltransferase
      is involved in the synthesis of the terminal NeuAc alpha(2-->6)GalNAc beta(1-
      >4)GlcNAc sequence occurring on N-linked glycans of bovine milk glycoproteins.
AB  - Bovine colostrum CMP-NeuAc:Gal beta(-->4)GlcNAc-R alpha(2-->6)-sialyltransferase
      (alpha 6-sialyltransferase) appears to be capable of catalysing alpha 6
      sialylation of the disaccharide GalNAc beta(1-->4)GlcNAc to yield the
      trisaccharide NeuAc alpha(2-->6)GalNAc beta(1-->4)GlcNAc. This provides an
      enzymic basis for the occurrence of this sialylated structure on the N-linked
      glycans of a number of bovine milk glycoproteins. Competition experiments using
      Gal beta(1-->4)GlcNAc and GalNAc beta(-->4)GlcNAc as acceptors indicate that both
      substrates are recognized by a single active site on the alpha 6
      sialyltransferase. Extrapolation of these results suggests that the NeuAc alpha(2
      ->6)GalNAc beta(1-->4)GlcNAc structural element occurring on the N-linked glycans
      of several human glycoproteins are similarly synthesized by the action of a Gal
      beta(1-->4)GlcNAc-R alpha(2-->6)-sialyltransferase.

PMID- 1417785
TI  - Analysis and elimination of protein perturbation in infrared difference spectra
      of acyl-chymotrypsin ester carbonyl groups by using 13C isotopic substitution.
AB  - I.r. spectroscopy has been applied to the study of hydrogen-bonding of the unique
      ester carbonyl group of acylchymotrypsins in the oxyanion hole of the enzyme.
      This catalytic device provides electrophilic stabilization of negative charge in
      the transition states and tetrahedral intermediates along the reaction pathway.
      The use of 13C isotope substitution of the ester carbonyl group reinforces the
      previous observation [White & Wharton (1990) Biochem. J. 270, 627-637] that the
      ester carbonyl group is significantly polarized in the ground state by hydrogen
      bonding in the oxyanion hole. I.r. difference spectra of [carbonyl-12C]-minus
      [carbonyl-13C]-cinnamoyl-chymotrypsin as well as each of these acylenzymes minus
      free enzyme are reported. These spectra show that the contribution of protein
      perturbation (i.e. spectral features that arise from the enzyme which is
      distorted on acylation) in [carbonyl-12C]cinnamoyl-chymotrypsin minus free enzyme
      spectra is significant. The contribution of the perturbation components of the
      spectra is pH-dependent and can represent up to 50% of the total absorbance in
      the spectral region from 1690 to 1740 cm-1. Use of the isotopic difference method
      has allowed problems associated with protein perturbation to be eliminated.
      Similar difference spectra are presented for dihydrocinnamoyl-chymotrypsin. In
      this case the effect of perturbation is very marked and leads to the cancellation
      of the band assigned to the non-bonded conformation of the acyl group which has
      previously only been observed at higher pH. The isotopic difference method again
      proves reliable and shows that the frequency difference previously used to
      calculate the ground-state electronic strain induced by the oxyanion-hole
      catalytic device is not affected by the perturbation, although the amplitudes of
      the spectral features are different. A study of the deacylation of cinnamoyl
      chymotrypsin in water and deuterium oxide using both u.v. and i.r. spectroscopies
      has confirmed that the use of deuterium oxide as solvent has no serious effect on
      the deacylation behaviour of the enzyme. I.r. bands assigned to nonproductive and
      productive conformers decline identically during deacylation, which shows that
      the conformers are in dynamic exchange on the reaction time-scale.

PMID- 1417786
TI  - Comments on the kinetic analysis of enzyme reactions involving an unstable
      irreversible modifier.

PMID- 1417787
TI  - Making sense of the kinetics of reactions of unstable modifiers with enzymes.

PMID- 1417789
TI  - Identification of a dopamine-binding protein on the membrane of the human
      platelet.
AB  - The binding of [3H]dopamine to platelet membranes has been examined in an attempt
      to identify the putative dopamine-uptake mechanism of the platelet. [3H]Dopamine
      has been shown to bind to a 42,000 Da glycoprotein in platelet membrane with high
      affinity (Kd = 22.6 nM) and binding of [3H]dopamine was competed for by dopamine,
      molecules with catechol moieties, 5-hydroxytryptamine, GSH and ascorbic acid.
      Differences in pharmacological profile and molecular mass suggest that
      [3H]dopamine does not bind to a known receptor, a neuronal-type dopamine
      transporter or the platelet 5-hydroxytryptamine-uptake site. It is proposed that
      this novel binding site for dopamine, which has been purified 1000-fold from
      particulate platelet membrane, is likely to be a component of the dopamine-uptake
      mechanism of the human platelet.

PMID- 1417788
TI  - Characterization and identification of an epidermal-growth-factor-activated
      phospholipase A2.
AB  - The production of arachidonic acid (AA), which is involved in mitogenic
      signalling by epidermal growth factor (EGF), is most directly accomplished by the
      action of phospholipase A2 (PLA2). We demonstrate that EGF treatment of intact
      NEF cells rapidly activates a cytosolic PLA2, as measured in cell-free extracts
      by the release of radiolabelled AA from exogenously added 1-stearoyl-2-[1
      14C]arachidonoyl phosphatidylcholine. Activation of PLA2 by EGF resulted in an
      enhanced Vmax. and no change in Km. The PLA2 activity was eluted in a single peak
      at 0.4 M-NaCl from a Mono Q anion-exchange column, and migrated with an
      approximate molecular mass of 70 kDa on a Superose 12 gel-filtration column. The
      EGF-activated PLA2 activity co-migrated with the basal PLA2 activity upon gel
      filtration, and persisted after partial purification, which indicates that the
      activation is due to a stable modification of the enzyme. The EGF-stimulated PLA2
      is Ca(2+)-dependent, with maximal activity at micromolar concentrations of Ca2+,
      has a pH optimum at 9, associates with the particulate cell fraction in a Ca(2+)
      dependent fashion, and is selective for arachidonoyl at the sn-2 position. These
      data demonstrate the EGF-induced activation of a PLA2, which is similar to a
      recently cloned high-molecular-mass AA-selective cytosolic PLA2, thus providing a
      link between EGF-receptor tyrosine kinase activation and AA metabolism.

PMID- 1417790
TI  - Epidermal-growth-factor-induced production of phosphatidylalcohols by HeLa cells
      and A431 cells through activation of phospholipase D.
AB  - In response to epidermal growth factor (EGF), HeLa cells and A431 cells rapidly
      accumulate substantial amounts of phosphatidic acid (up to 0.16 and 0.2
      micrograms/10(6) cells respectively), which represents approx. 0.17% of total
      phospholipid. Phosphatidic acid may be a potential product of diacylglycerol
      kinase and/or of phospholipase D. To evaluate the contribution of phospholipase
      D, the phosphatidyl-transfer reaction to a primary alcohol (mostly butan-1-ol;
      0.2%) was measured; this reaction is known to be mediated exclusively by
      phospholipase D in intact cells. In HeLa and in A431 cells prelabelled with [1
      14C]oleic acid, EGF (10 and 100 nM respectively) caused a 3-fold increase in
      radioactive phosphatidylbutanol within 5 min at the expense of labelled
      phosphatidic acid. Dose-response relationships showed 10 nM- and 100 nM-EGF to be
      maximally effective in HeLa cells and A431 cells respectively. Mass
      determinations showed that the phosphatidylbutanol formed within 5 min
      represented only part of the phosphatidic acid. Depletion of protein kinase C by
      pretreatment of A431 cells for 17 h with the phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate
      13-acetate (0.1 microM) did not impair EGF-induced formation of
      phosphatidylbutanol, thus indicating that the reaction was independent of this
      enzyme. Since phosphatidic acid is suggested to exert second-messenger functions
      as well as to induce biophysical changes in cellular membranes, its formation,
      including that via the phospholipase D pathway, may represent an important link
      between extracellular signals and intracellular targets.

PMID- 1417791
TI  - Intracellular pH and the stimulus-secretion coupling in insulin-producing RINm5F
      cells.
AB  - The regulation of intracellular pH (pHi) and its role in the insulin-secretory
      process were evaluated, by using the clonal insulin-secreting cell line RINm5F.
      Glyceraldehyde, lactate and dihydroxyacetone decreased pHi, but only the first
      two released insulin. In the presence of extracellular Na+ the cells counteracted
      the acidification. Blocking the Na+/H+ exchange in acidic cells resulted in a
      drastic further lowering of pHi, an effect not obtained under basal conditions.
      Whereas glyceraldehyde depolarized the cells, lactate was without effect.
      Dihydroxyacetone hyperpolarized the cells in the presence of extracellular Na+,
      but this effect disappeared when Na+ was excluded from the medium. Stimulation
      with glyceraldehyde resulted in increased free cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration
      ([Ca2+]i). Dihydroxyacetone and lactate had no effect on [Ca2+]i in the presence
      of Na+, but lactate induced a decrease in [Ca2+]i in Na(+)-deficient medium. In
      RINm5F cells the activity of the Na+/H+ antiport could not be augmented by
      activation of protein kinase C (PKC). Hence, in insulin-secreting cells a PKC
      insensitive Na+/H+ antiport is the major mechanism restoring a decrease in pHi.
      Acidification itself does not affect membrane potential, but may directly
      interact with the mechanisms regulating exocytosis.

PMID- 1417793
TI  - The dependence of lipid monolayer lipolysis on surface pressure.
AB  - Bronsted-Bjerrum theory [Bronsted (1922) Z. Phys. Chem. 102, 169-207; (1925) Z.
      Phys. Chem. 115, 337-364; Bjerrum (1924) Z. Phys. Chem. 108, 82-100] as applied
      to reactions at interfaces is used to interpret published data on the lipolysis
      of dinonanoyl phosphatidylcholine monolayers by pancreatic phospholipase A2.
      Reasonable quantitative agreement between theoretical and experimental results
      occurs when the reported effects of surface pressure on the amount of adsorbed
      enzyme are used together with the assumption that the Langmuir-Syskowski [Lange
      (1967) Nonionic Surfactants (Schick, M., ed.), chap. 4, Marcel Dekker, London and
      New York] isotherm describes the adsorption of lipid. The equations of Mass
      Action kinetics are less successful. Equivalent data on the lipolysis of
      didodecanoyl phosphatidylglycerol by pancreatic lipase can also be interpreted by
      arguing that the adsorbed enzyme forms significant amounts of enzyme substrate
      complex which reacts to give products in accordance with the well-known Briggs
      Haldane [Lehninger (1975) Biochemistry, 2nd edn., chap. 8, Worth, New York]
      mechanism. The positions of the observed maxima in rate versus surface pressure
      plots suggests that the adsorption of an enzyme molecule displaces less lipid
      than one expects from the pronounced differences in molecular sizes of the two
      adsorbed species.

PMID- 1417792
TI  - Human neutrophil phospholipase D activation by N-formylmethionyl
      leucylphenylalanine reveals a two-step process for the control of
      phosphatidylcholine breakdown and oxidative burst.
AB  - A comparative study of real-time kinetics of respiratory burst, monitored by H2O2
      dependent chemiluminescence, and phospholipase D (PLD)-mediated
      phosphatidylcholine breakdown has been undertaken on human neutrophils stimulated
      by N-formylmethionyl-leucylphenylalanine in the absence of cytochalasin B. The
      fungal metabolite 17-hydroxywortmannin (HWT), an inhibitor of NADPH oxidase
      activation, decreases phosphatidic acid (PA) production by 30% at a concentration
      of 1 nM. Higher concentrations (10 nM-1 microM) inhibit PA formation maximally by
      50% as compared with control. In all cases, the inhibition is delayed by 20-30 s
      after addition of the agonist. Thus the full PA generation is actually the result
      of an early (HWT-insensitive) and a late (HWT-sensitive) phosphatidylcholine
      breakdown. However, under all conditions, alkylacylglycerol remains at the basal
      level. PLD activity is dependent on Ca2+ influx, but is fully inhibited in cells
      depleted of Ca2+ with EGTA and Quin 2. The effect of HWT on the respiratory burst
      was investigated by measuring the kinetics of H2O2-induced chemiluminescence.
      This method allows to distinguish various phases of superoxide ion production: a
      lag, an increase in H2O2 formation (early phase), the duration of H2O2 production
      (late phase) and the termination of the oxidative burst. The lag remains constant
      for all HWT concentrations. A concentration of 10 nM-HWT, which fully inhibits
      the HWT-sensitive part of PA production, decreases superoxide ion production with
      a delay of about 20 s after addition of the agonist. Higher HWT concentrations,
      which have no additional effect on PLD inhibition, equally affect an early and a
      late phase of the burst. Thus high doses of HWT have a site of action which
      decreases the whole burst but does not affect the PLD any more. Therefore HWT and
      Ca2+ provide evidence for a two-step process for PLD activation. Only the delayed
      PA generation is functionally linked to a late phase of the oxidative burst.

PMID- 1417794
TI  - Different triggers for calcium oscillations in mouse eggs involve a ryanodine
      sensitive calcium store.
AB  - Relative intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) were monitored in
      mature unfertilized mouse eggs by measuring fluorescence of intracellular fluo3.
      A number of different agents were found to cause sustained repetitive transient
      [Ca2+]i oscillations. These were microinjection of a cytosolic sperm factor,
      sustained injection of Ins-(1,4,5)P1, or extracellular addition of the thiol
      reagent thimerosal. Stimulating G-protein activity by injection of guanosine 5'
      [gamma-thio]triphosphate plus application of carbachol also caused [Ca2+]i
      oscillations, but less reliably than other stimuli. A role for Ca(2+)-induced
      Ca2+ release and a ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ channel in mouse eggs was suggested
      by the finding that microinjection, or external addition, of ryanodine also
      caused [Ca2+]i increases. Furthermore, ryanodine, along with thimerosal,
      increased the sensitivity of eggs to Ca(2+)-induced [Ca2+]i oscillations. When
      ryanodine was added to eggs oscillating in response to the sperm factor, InsP3 or
      thimerosal, it caused a decrease in amplitude of oscillations and eventually a
      block of [Ca2+]i oscillations associated with a sustained elevation of [Ca2+]i.
      These data suggest that a ryanodine-sensitive Ca(2+)-release mechanism exists in
      mouse eggs and that a ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ store plays a role in generating
      intracellular [Ca2+]i oscillations.

PMID- 1417795
TI  - Immunological detection of phenylalanine hydroxylase protein in Drosophila
      melanogaster.
AB  - A monoclonal antibody raised against monkey liver phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH)
      has been used to detect this protein in Drosophila melanogaster. A cross-reacting
      material (CRM) band of apparent molecular mass 50-52 kDa, equivalent to that
      deduced for the Drosophila melanogaster PAH protein based on the pah gene cDNA
      sequence, has been detected. This CRM was analysed throughout development and
      showed an equivalent pattern to that reported for PAH activity in this insect,
      with maxima at pupariation and at pharate adult formation. Distribution of this
      CRM in larval tissues, the haemolymph and the adult body is mainly restricted to
      the larval fat body and the adult head. Demonstration of this CRM as the PAH
      protein comes from the correlation between the decreased PAH enzyme activities of
      two mutant strains and their decreased amounts of CRM by Western blotting.

PMID- 1417797
TI  - The human IGF-I gene contains two cell type-specifically regulated promoters.
AB  - The human insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) gene contains two alternative
      leader exons: exons 1 and 2. We have identified, by transient transfection
      experiments, the putative promoters P1 and P2 upstream of these leader exons. The
      promoter regions were cloned in front of the luciferase reporter gene and their
      promoter activities were measured in transfected SK-N-MC (human neuroepithelioma)
      and OVCAR-3 (human ovarian carcinoma) cells. Both of these cell lines express the
      IGF-I gene endogenously, resulting in normally sized IGF-I mRNAs of 7.6, 1.3 and
      1.1 kb. In SK-N-MC cells, in which P1 is the most active IGF-I promoter, P2
      displayed a three times lower promoter activity than P1. However, in OVCAR-3
      cells, P2 is four times more active than P1, resulting in an overall 12-fold
      difference in the relative promoter activities of the two IGF-I gene promoters in
      these two cell types. This indicates that the IGF-I promoters show a cell type
      specific expression pattern.

PMID- 1417798
TI  - Reverse transcription with nested polymerase chain reaction shows expression of
      basic fibroblast growth factor transcripts in human granulosa and cumulus cells
      from in vitro fertilisation patients.
AB  - Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is a potent angiogenic factor that has also
      been implicated in granulosa cell and oocyte maturation. We now report the
      expression of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) encoding bFGF in human granulosa
      and cumulus cells obtained at oocyte recovery in in vitro fertilisation patients.
      It was necessary to use the sensitive technique of a nested polymerase chain
      reaction (PCR) after reverse transcription (RT) to detect transcripts. This
      finding in conjunction with a recent report showing the presence of transcripts
      for transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) in the same type of cells by PCR
      indicates that mechanisms are in place for controlling extracellular proteolysis
      and cell differentiation.

PMID- 1417796
TI  - Evidence that beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrase purified from rat liver microsomes
      is of peroxisomal origin.
AB  - The present study provides strong evidence that the previously isolated hepatic
      microsomal beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrase (EC 4.2.1.17), believed to be a
      component of the fatty acid chain-elongation system, is derived, not from the
      endoplasmic reticulum, but rather from the peroxisomes. The isolated dehydrase
      was purified over 3000-fold and showed optimal enzymic activity toward beta
      hydroxyacyl-CoAs or trans-2-enoyl-CoAs with carbon chain lengths of 8-10. The
      purified preparation (VDH) displayed a pH optimum at 7.5 with beta
      hydroxydecanoyl-CoA, and at 6.0 with beta-hydroxystearoyl-CoA. Competitive
      inhibition studies suggested that VDH contained dehydrase isoforms, and SDS/PAGE
      showed three major bands at 47, 71 and 78 kDa, all of which reacted to antibody
      raised to the purified preparation. Immunocytochemical studies with anti-rabbit
      IgG to VDH unequivocally demonstrated gold particles randomly distributed
      throughout the peroxisomal matrix of liver sections from both untreated and di-(2
      ethylhexyl) phthalate-treated rats. No labelling was associated with endoplasmic
      reticulum or with the microsomal fraction. Substrate-specificity studies and the
      use of antibodies to VDH and to the peroxisomal trifunctional protein indicated
      that VDH and the latter are separate enzymes. On the other hand, the VDH
      possesses biochemical characteristics similar to those of the D-beta-hydroxyacyl
      CoA dehydrase recently isolated from rat liver peroxisomes [Li, Smeland & Schulz
      (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 13629-13634; Hiltunen, Palosaari & Kunau (1989) J.
      Biol. Chem. 264, 13536-13540]. Neither enzyme utilizes crotonoyl-CoA or cis-2
      enoyl-CoA as substrates, but both enzymes convert trans-2-enoyl substrates into
      the D-isomer only. In addition, the VDH also contained beta-oxoacyl-CoA reductase
      (beta-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase) activity, which co-purified with the
      dehydrase.

PMID- 1417799
TI  - Production of a low molecular weight growth inhibitory factor by adenovirus 12
      transformed cells.
AB  - Malignant rodent cells transformed by human adenovirus 12 produce a potent cell
      growth inhibitory factor. The cell growth inhibitory factor inhibits the growth
      of and DNA synthesis in normal fibroblasts in vitro. Extent of the production of
      the cell growth inhibitory factor appears to be proportional to that of the
      malignancy of the transformed cells. C57AT1-AB cells, an adenovirus 12
      transformant of C57BL/6 mouse origin, are highly tumorigenic in the syngeneic and
      allogeneic mice. The cell growth inhibitory factor produced by these cells was
      characterized for the physicochemical properties; the cell growth-inhibitory
      activity was quantitatively recovered in the filtrates of YM-2 membrane (M(r)
      less than 1,000), resistant to the heat treatments at 56 degrees C for 30 min and
      100 degrees C for 5 min, and extractable by ethyl acetate under acid-condition.
      These results suggest that the cell growth inhibitory factor may be lipid or
      oligopeptides.

PMID- 1417800
TI  - Truncation of N-terminal extracellular or C-terminal intracellular domains of
      human ETA receptor abrogated the binding activity to ET-1.
AB  - We have investigated the function of N-terminal and C-terminal domains of the
      human ETA receptor by expressing truncated mutants in COS-7 cells. Three kinds of
      ETA receptors truncated in the N-terminal extracellular or C-terminal
      intracellular domains were produced. Deletion of the entire extracellular N
      terminal or intracellular C-terminal domain completely inactivated the ET-1
      binding activity. However, the deletion of one half of the N-terminal
      extracellular domain of the ETA receptor, missing one of two N-linked
      glycosylation sites, maintained complete binding activity. Specific monoclonal
      antibodies detected all the truncated ETA receptors in the cell membrane fraction
      of transfected COS-7 cells. The size of the ETA receptor was heterogeneous due to
      differential glycosylation and distributed in 48K, 45K and 42K dalton bands in
      Western blot analysis. These results demonstrated that a part of the N-terminal
      domain in close proximity to the first transmembrane region is required for the
      ligand binding activity of the ETA receptor, and the C-terminal domain is perhaps
      necessary as an anchor for maintenance of the binding site.

PMID- 1417801
TI  - Protease inhibitors generate cytotoxic fragments from Alzheimer amyloid protein
      precursor in cDNA-transfected glioma cells.
AB  - A human glioma cell line (Bu-17) was stably transfected with full-length cDNA
      encoding beta/A4 amyloid protein precursor (APP). When the transfectants were
      treated with protease inhibitors (leupeptin, E-64, and antipain) and the
      lysosomotropic agent chloroquine, aberrantly processed fragments of APP having
      molecular sizes of 8-30 kDa were detected with an antibody against the carboxyl
      terminal sequence of APP. Immunocytochemistry revealed that these fragments were
      localized in the lysosome-like organelles. Treatment of the APP cDNA
      transfectants with chloroquine for 3 days caused cellular degeneration, and
      leupeptin and E-64 enhanced chloroquine-induced cytotoxicity. These results
      suggest that inhibition of lysosomal hydrolases impairs intracellular APP
      metabolism to generate aberrantly processed fragments that induce cytotoxicity.

PMID- 1417802
TI  - Inhibition of apoptosis by zinc: a reappraisal.
AB  - Apoptosis--or programmed cell death--is an active type of cell death, occurring
      in several pathophysiological conditions. One of the most important
      characteristics of apoptosis is that cell death is preceded by DNA fragmentation,
      consequent to the activation of nuclear calcium- and magnesium-dependent
      endonuclease(s). DNA fragmentation can be inhibited by zinc ions. By using
      several techniques, such as DNA agarose gel electrophoresis, cytofluorimetric
      analysis of DNA content and of cell cycle, 3H-thymidine incorporation and trypan
      blue dye exclusion test, we show that zinc, despite completely inhibiting DNA
      fragmentation and the consequent loss of nuclear DNA content, does not protect
      rat thymocytes from spontaneous or dexamethasone-induced death. Our data also
      suggest that DNA fragmentation, although characteristic, is not a critical event
      for thymocyte death of apoptotic type.

PMID- 1417803
TI  - Isolation and characterization of conglutinin as an influenza A virus inhibitor.
AB  - Normal horse and guinea pig sera contain alpha 2-macroglobulin which inhibits the
      infectivity and hemagglutinating activity of influenza A viruses of the H2 and H3
      subtypes. On the other hand, normal bovine serum contains a component termed beta
      inhibitor that inhibits the infectivity and hemagglutinating activity of
      influenza A viruses of the H1 and H3 subtypes. To investigate the nature of the
      beta inhibitor of influenza A virus, we purified the conglutinin and examined its
      characteristics. First, we found a high correlation between the hemagglutination
      inhibition(HI) titer and conglutinin titer in several bovine sera (r = 0.906, p
      less than 0.005). The HI of bovine serum was mainly dependent on conglutinin
      because the HI activity was abrogated by N-acetylglucosamine but not by D
      mannose. The conglutinin, purified from bovine serum, had neutralizing-activity
      as well as HI activity on influenza A viruses of the H1 and H3 subtypes. The HI
      activity of conglutinin was heat stable (56 degrees C, 30 min), Ca(++)-dependent,
      and resistant to both neuraminidase and periodate treatments. The HI activity of
      purified conglutinin was blocked by N-acetylglucosamine but not by D-mannose. The
      conglutinin was bound to hemagglutinin which had high mannose and complex sugar
      chains and its binding was inhibited by N-acetylglucosamine and dependent on
      divalent cations. These data indicate that the beta-like inhibitor activity of
      bovine serum is mainly dependent on conglutinin which inhibits hemagglutination
      and neutralizes the virus infectivity by its binding to a carbohydrate site at
      the HA.

PMID- 1417804
TI  - Peptide analogs of the pseudosubstrate domain of smooth muscle myosin light chain
      kinase inhibit actomyosin ATPase activity at concentrations that do not inhibit
      superprecipitation.
AB  - The inhibitory effect of calmodulin antagonists, synthetic peptide analogs of the
      pseudosubstrate domain of smooth muscle MLC kinase, and an inhibitor based on the
      sequence of MLC were examined using bovine aortic actomyosin and isolated chicken
      gizzard MLC. Much lower concentrations of the peptides were necessary to inhibit
      actomyosin ATPase activity than to inhibit superprecipitation. In contrast,
      calmodulin antagonists inhibited both ATPase activity and superprecipitation at
      similar concentrations. The peptide analogs were competitive with isolated MLC,
      but not calmodulin, for inhibition of MLC kinase. These results suggest that in
      addition to the calmodulin dependence of MLC phosphorylation, a second calmodulin
      like protein may be important in actin-myosin interactions. The data also suggest
      that the pseudosubstrate hypothesis may not completely account for regulation of
      MLC kinase activity.

PMID- 1417805
TI  - Secretory processing of the Alzheimer amyloid beta/A4 protein precursor is
      increased by protein phosphorylation.
AB  - The 39-43 residue polypeptide (amyloid beta protein, beta A4) deposited as
      amyloid in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is derived from a set of 695-770 residue
      precursors referred to as the amyloid beta A4 protein precursor (beta APP). In
      each of the 695, 751, and 770 residue precursors, the 43 residue beta A4 is an
      internal peptide that begins 99 residues from the COOH-terminus of the beta APP.
      Each holoform is normally cleaved within the beta A4 to produce a large secreted
      derivative as well as a small membrane associated fragment. Neither of these
      derivatives can produce amyloid because neither contains the entire beta A4
      peptide. In this study, we employ cells stably transfected with full length beta
      APP695, beta APP751, or beta APP770 expression constructs to show that phorbol
      ester activation of protein kinase C substantially increases the production of
      secreted forms from each isoform. By increasing processing of beta APP in the
      secretory pathway, PKC phosphorylation may help to prevent amyloid deposition.

PMID- 1417806
TI  - Multiple growth factor mRNAs are expressed in chicken adipocyte precursor cells.
AB  - We have examined the expression of growth factor genes in primary cultures of
      chicken adipocyte precursors. RNA was extracted from proliferating and
      differentiated cells, reversed transcribed and amplified by PCR using gene
      specific primers. The identity of the PCR products was confirmed by restriction
      mapping. We show, for the first time, constitutive expression of TGF-beta 2, TGF
      beta 3, TGF-beta 4 and bFGF genes in chicken adipocyte precursors. We also detect
      GH-independent, but differentiation-dependent IGF-I gene expression. The
      synthesis and action of these growth factors supports the hypothesis that they
      act as autocrine and/or paracrine regulators of adipocyte precursor cell
      proliferation and differentiation.

PMID- 1417808
TI  - The primary structure of TE-6: a novel neuropeptide from the nematode Ascaris
      suum.
AB  - Extensive immunoreactivity (IR) towards a hexapeptide (sequence KGQELE), which
      flanks the C-terminus of the pancreastatin sequence in rat chromogranin A (CGA),
      is found throughout the nervous system of the nematode parasite Ascaris suum. The
      peptide IR was purified from the gonoduct of the parasite and found to have the
      sequence TKQELE. This peptide, designated TE-6, has some C-terminal homology with
      several regions of the CGA molecule. However, TE-6 was the only peptide isolated
      suggesting that either the nematode does not possess CGA, or that the -ELE
      regions of parasite CGA-like peptides which would be larger than TE-6 are not
      accessible to the antiserum in RIA, or are not being successfully extracted from
      the parasite. The N-terminus of TE-6 has little homology with any of the
      sequences preceding -ELE regions in CGA. This, and the fact that the tissue from
      which TE-6 was isolated does not contain IR towards another, highly conserved,
      region of the CGA molecule (WE-14) suggests that TE-6 may belong to a new class
      of regulatory peptide unrelated to CGA.

PMID- 1417807
TI  - Essential role of collagens for terminal differentiation of preadipocytes.
AB  - In order to study the role of collagens in the differentiation of TA1 preadipose
      cells in vitro, ethyl-3,4-dihydroxybenzoate (EDHB) was used as a specific
      inhibitor of collagen synthesis. The secretion of collagenous proteins only was
      severely decreased after exposure to EDHB, and this was accompanied by a decrease
      of differentiation as indicated by low activity levels of glycerophosphate
      dehydrogenase. The effect of EDHB was dose-dependent and also dependent upon the
      stage of cell differentiation. Northern-blot analysis show that EDHB addition to
      undifferentiated cells did not prevent the induction of A2COL6 gene, a marker of
      the preadipose state, but prevented the induction of the gene encoding for the
      adipocyte lipid binding protein and the modulation of the expression of the
      lipoprotein lipase gene which are both indicators of the adipose state. These
      results demonstrate that differentiation of preadipose cells into adipose cells
      requires active synthesis of collagens during the preadipose state.

PMID- 1417809
TI  - Cleavage of farnesylated COOH-terminal heptapeptide of mouse N-ras by brain
      microsomal membranes: evidence for a carboxypeptidase which specifically removes
      the COOH-terminal methionine.
AB  - Brain microsomal membranes are capable of sequentially removing Met, Leu and Val
      from a chemically synthesized COOH-terminal heptapeptide (propionyl-Gly-Ser-Pro
      (farnesyl-Cys)-Val-Leu-Met) of mouse N-ras protein. The carboxypeptidase
      generating Met displays maximum activity at neutral pH and shows high affinity
      for the farnesylated substrate (Km = 73 microM) as compared to its non
      farnesylated precursor (Km = 600 microM). The results of inhibitor action suggest
      that the membrane carboxypeptidase is a novel, probably thiol-dependent, serine
      type peptidase.

PMID- 1417811
TI  - Chloroacetates of 2- and 3-demethylthiocolchicine: specific covalent interactions
      with tubulin with preferential labeling of the beta-subunit.
AB  - We synthesized two chemically reactive A ring modified analogs of colchicine, 2
      chloroacetyl-2-demethylthiocolchicine (2-CTC) and 3-chloroacetyl-3
      demethylthiocolchicine (3-CTC). Both are similar to colchicine as inhibitors of
      tubulin polymerization and act as competitive inhibitors of colchicine binding
      (apparent Ki values, 3 microM). [14C]-labeled 2-CTC and 3-CTC bound to tubulin at
      37 degrees C but not at 0 degree C, and bound drug formed covalent bond(s) with
      tubulin. The binding and covalent reactions were inhibited by podophyllotoxin.
      About 60% of the bound 3-CTC rapidly formed a covalent bond with tubulin. With 2
      CTC the covalent reaction was slower than the binding reaction, and only one
      third of the bound 2-CTC reacted covalently with tubulin. The ratio of radiolabel
      in beta-tubulin to that in alpha-tubulin was about 4:1 with both 2-CTC and 3-CTC.

PMID- 1417810
TI  - CDw 60 antibodies bind to acetylated forms of ganglioside GD3.
AB  - Four monoclonal antibodies, M-T21, M-T32, M-T41 and UM4D4, which belong to the
      new CDw 60 cluster of antibodies specific for a subpopulation of human T
      lymphocytes, were found to bind mainly to acetylated forms of ganglioside GD3.
      After O-deacetylation of the antigen, binding was reduced ("M-T"-antibodies) or
      abolished (UM4D4).

PMID- 1417812
TI  - N,O-diacylated-N-hydroxyarylsulfonamides: nitroxyl precursors with potent smooth
      muscle relaxant properties.
AB  - N,O-Diacylated-N-hydroxyarylsulfonamides are capable of slowly releasing nitroxyl
      (HNO) by simple, non-enzymatic hydrolysis in Krebs solution at 37 degrees C.
      Release of nitric oxide (NO) was not seen. These compounds were also found to
      elicit vasorelaxation in rabbit thoracic aorta in vitro, presumably as a result
      of their ability to release HNO. This effect was enhanced by the addition of
      superoxide dismutase (SOD). Thus, these results are consistent with previous work
      indicating that HNO is a potent vasorelaxant.

PMID- 1417813
TI  - Tissue-specific response of estrogen receptor gene expression to estrogen in
      chick.
AB  - We have developed a sensitive assay system by RT (reverse transcription)
      PCR(polymerase chain reaction) to detect the low level of chicken estrogen
      receptor (cER) transcript. Using this system, the differential expression of cER
      gene in chick tissues was observed. Moreover, we found that the oviduct cER
      transcript levels in chick was not affected, albeit the remarkable growth of this
      tissue, by exogenous estrogen. In contrast, estrogen enhanced the hepatic cER
      transcript level several folds. Thus, the present study clearly showed a novel
      tissue-specific response of cER gene expression to estrogen in chick.

PMID- 1417814
TI  - A recombinant rat vascular AT1 receptor confers growth properties to angiotensin
      II in Chinese hamster ovary cells.
AB  - A rat vascular AT1 receptor cDNA has been stably expressed into Chinese Hamster
      Ovary cells and the resulting recombinant AT1a receptor has been functionally
      characterized. This receptor binds 125I Sar1-angiotensin II with an affinity of
      0.9 nM and the displacement of this ligand by a series of peptidic and
      nonpeptidic analogs is shown. Binding of angiotensin II to this receptor causes a
      rapid increase in inositol phosphate production, whereas this effect is not
      observed in nontransfected cells. Des-aspartyl1 angiotensin II and at a lesser
      extent angiotensin I are also able to produce an increase in inositol phosphates.
      More importantly, the actions of angiotensin II on cell division were clearly
      demonstrated in this model, since angiotensin II is able to stimulate DNA
      synthesis by 400% and double the cell population of the transfected cells in 36
      hours in the absence of any other growth factor, whereas no effect is observed in
      nontransfected cells.

PMID- 1417815
TI  - A single-stranded DNA binding protein which interacts with sequences within the
      bovine preprotachykinin promoter: regulation by nerve growth factor.
AB  - The production of substance P (SP) and the mRNA encoding its precursor
      preprotachykinin (PPT) is regulated by nerve growth factor (NGF) in dorsal root
      ganglion neurons. We have shown previously that two regions of the bovine PPT
      promoter are capable of mediating the induction by NGF of the downstream
      structural gene in transfected PC12 cells. Both regions contained a sequence
      element, similar to a known transcription factor binding site, which is present
      in several other NGF-regulated genes. We show here that PC12 cells contain a
      single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSBP-PC12) which can interact specifically
      with this site. Binding activity was increased by NGF treatment of PC12 cells.

PMID- 1417816
TI  - Tissue- and cell-specific control of guinea pig cathepsin E gene expression.
AB  - Northern blotting of RNAs from normal guinea pig tissues revealed that the tissue
      distribution of cathepsin E mRNA was relatively limited and the highest level of
      the mRNA was observed in the stomach mucosa. Expression of the mRNA was also
      observed in the spleen, although the level was very low. These results were in
      good agreement with the distribution of the cathepsin E-producing cells as
      revealed by immunohistochemistry. In the separated fractions of dispersed mucosal
      cells prepared from the stomach by centrifugal elutriation, the extent of
      cathepsin E mRNA expression was closely correlated with the enrichment of the
      producing cells. In addition, both CCGG and GCGC sites within the gene region
      were hypomethylated to a greater extent in the producing tissues than elsewhere,
      reflecting specific hypomethylation in the producing cells. The observed tissue-
      and cell-specific transcriptional control of cathepsin E gene, which is
      correlated with a decreased level of methylation in the gene region, suggests
      that the enzyme is probably involved in specific functions of particular
      differentiated cells, especially those of the stomach mucosa.

PMID- 1417817
TI  - Quinobene, a new potent anti-HIV agent.
AB  - A simple synthesis of the sulfonated azo dye Quinobene (3) and its derivatives,
      as well as the results of their evaluation in anti-HIV screening have been
      described. Thus, reacting the diazonium salt of 4,4'-diaminostilbene-2,2'
      disulfonic acid with 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid yielded the readily
      isolable title compound. The lithium and tetramethylammonium salts of Quinobene
      and its complexes with Cu(II), Zn(II), Mg(II) were also prepared. In vitro tests
      showed considerable activity of these compounds against HIV-1.

PMID- 1417818
TI  - Identification of amino acid residues of rat angiotensin II receptor for ligand
      binding by site directed mutagenesis.
AB  - To determine the specific mechanism of ligand binding to angiotensin (Ang II)
      receptor AT1, mutagenized rat receptor cDNAs were expressed transiently in COS-7
      cells and the effect of the mutations on the binding to peptidic and non-peptidic
      ligands was analyzed by Scatchard plots. Mutation of Lys199 to Gln in the
      intramembrane domain strongly reduced the affinity to both [125I] Ang II and
      [125I]-1Sar, 8Ile-Ang II whereas mutation of two other Lys had little effect,
      indicating involvement of Lys199 in binding ligands. Replacement of each of four
      Cys in the extracellular domain markedly reduced binding affinity, indicating the
      importance of two putative disulfide bridges in the formation of active receptor
      conformation. Substitution of Asp for Asn in N-glycosylation had no effect on
      ligand binding or expression of the receptor. These studies indicate mutated
      receptors are expressed in the plasma membrane and are amenable for further
      detailed studies.

PMID- 1417819
TI  - Molecular characterization and expression of the cell-associated
      glucosyltransferase gene from Streptococcus mutans.
AB  - A gene encoding cell-associated glucosyltransferase (CA-GTase) was cloned from
      Streptococcus mutans MT8148 into Escherichia coli DH5 alpha by using a low-copy
      number plasmid, pMW119. After screening of a gene library with the
      oligonucleotide probe designed on the basis of a partial amino acid sequence of
      CA-GTase, a recombinant plasmid, pSK6, that had a 5.6 kb insert carrying the CA
      GTase gene was selected. The gene product (recombinant CA-GTase) of pSK6 was
      expressed by using a lac promoter in pMW119. Western blotting revealed that rCA
      GTase reacted with antibody to CA-GTase. rCA-GTase was found to synthesize water
      insoluble glucans. Southern blotting indicated that the MT8148 chromosome
      contained another gene which was homologous to pSK6. A plasmid harboring this
      gene (pSK16) was also isolated from the gene library, the gene product of pSK16
      exhibited GTase activity but ten times lower than that of pSK6.

PMID- 1417820
TI  - Oxidation-induced persistent activation of protein kinase C in hippocampal
      homogenates.
AB  - Incubation of purified protein kinase C with H2O2 results in the generation of a
      persistently activated form of the enzyme which is no longer dependent on Ca2+ or
      lipid cofactors. This oxidative activation of purified protein kinase C requires
      added Fe2+ in the incubation medium. Treatment of the soluble fraction of
      hippocampal homogenates with H2O2 also leads to persistent activation of protein
      kinase C; however, oxidative activation of protein kinase C under these
      conditions does not require the addition of Fe2+. The persistently activated form
      of protein kinase C appears as a novel peak of activity on DE52 anion exchange
      columns, suggesting a modification of the charge character of the enzyme. Thus,
      oxidative modification of protein kinase C can result in its persistent
      activation, and this mechanism may constitute a pathway for physiological
      activation of the enzyme in the hippocampus.

PMID- 1417821
TI  - A POU-domain gene of zebrafish, ZFPOU1, specifically expressed in the developing
      neural tissues.
AB  - We have isolated a POU domain-containing cDNA (ZFPOU1) from a cDNA library of
      zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio). The ZFPOU1 cDNA contained an open reading frame
      encoding a 425 amino acid peptide. The conserved POU domain was located near the
      carboxy terminus. The deduced amino acid sequence of the reading frame was most
      similar to that of the mouse class III POU-domain gene, Brain-1. Northern blot
      analysis revealed that the ZFPOU1 transcripts first appeared at the early neurula
      stage of embryogenesis and transiently increased thereafter. A significant level
      of expression, however, was not found in adult tissues except in the brain. In
      situ hybridization analysis demonstrated that the ZFPOU1 transcripts were
      localized in the neural tissues of embryos, but not in mesodermal, endodermal or
      ectodermal tissues. In adult zebrafish, the ZFPOU1 transcripts were detected in
      the restricted regions of the brain. Spatial and temporal expression patterns
      suggest that ZFPOU1 has distinct roles in the early neural development of
      zebrafish.

PMID- 1417822
TI  - Diacylglycerol formation from phosphatidylcholine in angiotensin II-stimulated
      vascular smooth muscle cells.
AB  - In cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), angiotensin II (Ang II) induces
      a biphasic diacylglycerol (DAG) formation peaking at 15 sec and 5 min. Although
      it has been well established that the first peak is produced by the hydrolysis of
      inositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2), the origin of the second DAG peak has never
      been examined in detail. In the present paper, we provide evidence that the
      second peak of DAG formation in Ang II-stimulated VSMC originates mainly from PC.

PMID- 1417823
TI  - Purification and characterization of a new 120 kDa alkaline proteinase of
      Trypanosoma cruzi.
AB  - A new alkaline proteinase activity was identified in cell-free extracts of
      Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes on the basis of its ability to hydrolyze the
      fluorogenic substrate N-Z-Gly-Gly-Arg-AMC. The optimal activity was at pH 8.0.
      After a three step-chromatography procedure using two anionic columns (DEAE
      Sepharose and Mono Q) and a chromatofocusing column (Mono P), the proteolytic
      activity was associated with a single 120 kDa protein and was called Tc 120
      proteinase. The molecular mass of the proteinase was confirmed by direct
      visualization of the proteolytic activity using a fluorometric assay on SDS-PAGE.
      The Tc 120 proteinase which also cleaves N-Z-Arg-AMC, N-Z-Phe-Arg-AMC and N
      glutaryl-Gly-Arg-AMC substrates, is a cysteine-type proteinase with an unusual
      low sensitivity to E-64.

PMID- 1417824
TI  - Identification of calcitonin gene related peptide in ovine hypothalamic extract.
AB  - Calcitonin gene-related polypeptide (CGRP) was purified from ovine hypothalamic
      extracts. Its amino acid sequence was determined as: Ser-(Cys)-Asn-Thr-Ala-Thr
      (Cys)-Val-Thr-His-Arg-Leu-Ala-Gly-Leu-Leu-Ser- Arg-Ser - Gly-Gly-Val-Val-Lys-Ser
      Asn-Phe-Val-Pro-Thr-Asn-Val-Gly-Ser-Gln-Ala-Phe- NH2. This sequence differs from
      rat CGRP by two amino acid substitutions (Ser for Asp25 and Gln for Glu35).
      Adenylate cyclase stimulating activity in rat pituitary cell cultures was
      monitored during the isolation. CGRP had adenylate cyclase stimulating activity
      comparable to corticotropin-releasing hormone, suggesting a hypophysiotropic role
      for CGRP. This is the first chemical characterization of CGRP in the brain
      (hypothalamus).

PMID- 1417825
TI  - Adenosine modulates cell growth in human epidermoid carcinoma (A431) cells.
AB  - Adenosine mediates many physiological functions via activation of extracellular
      receptors. The modulation of cell growth by adenosine was found to be receptor
      mediated. In A431 cells adenosine evoked a biphasic response in which a low
      concentration (approximately 10 microM) produced inhibition of colony formation
      but at higher concentrations (up to 100 microM) this inhibition was progressively
      reversed. Evidence for the involvement of A1 (inhibitory) and A2 (stimulatory)
      adenosine receptors in regulating cell growth of these tumor cells was obtained
      through plating efficiency studies based on the relative potency of adenosine
      agonists and antagonists. When both A1 and A2 receptors were blocked, colony
      formation or growth was not inhibited at low concentrations of adenosine but was
      inhibited at high adenosine concentrations.

PMID- 1417826
TI  - Structure of the human spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase gene (exon/intron
      gene organization and localization to Xp22.1).
AB  - The super induction of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT), has been
      implicated in the cytotoxic response of human solid tumors to the
      bis(ethyl)polyamines. The SSAT response is a phenotype specific response and is
      modulated at the level of increased steady-state mRNA levels and enzyme protein.
      The human genomic region (4,095 bases) containing the coding sequence of SSAT has
      been cloned and localized to the Xp22.1 region. Primer extension analysis
      indicates the transcription of SSAT starts 179 bases upstream from the
      translational start site and appears to be under the control of a "TATA-less"
      promoter. The availability of this human clone will facilitate the direct
      functional examination of the SSAT gene.

PMID- 1417827
TI  - Neointima formation after vascular injury is angiotensin II mediated.
AB  - Smooth muscle proliferation of injured blood vessels leads to pathologically
      significant stenosis in animals and humans. We report here the pharmacological
      confirmation of an involvement of angiotensin II in this process as a major,
      necessary mediator of neointima formation. In the rat carotid artery, an animal
      model of post-angioplastic restenosis, we have obtained by local intraluminal
      infusion of peptidic angiotensin II antagonist after balloon catheterization,
      suppression of neointima formation and preservation of the luminal integrity.
      Sham operated control animals treated without medication and operated control
      animals treated simultaneously with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and
      with agonistic angiotensin II, suffered major stenosis through the
      myoproliferative response of the injured vessel. These results prove that
      angiotensin II plays a key role as a mediator of vascular neointima formation.

PMID- 1417828
TI  - Activation of phospholipase C by the agonist U46619 is inhibited by cromakalim
      induced hyperpolarization in porcine coronary artery.
AB  - We measured inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) production, intracellular calcium
      concentration ([Ca2+]i) and force of contraction induced by a thromboxane A2
      analogue U46619 in porcine coronary artery to elucidate the relaxant effect of a
      K+ channel opener cromakalim. Cromakalim (10 microM) significantly inhibited the
      production of IP3, Ca2+ release from intracellular stores and contraction induced
      by 300 nM U46619. The inhibitory effect of cromakalim on IP3 was blocked by a K+
      channel blocker tetrabutylammonium (TBA, 3 mM) and counteracted by 20 mM KCl
      induced depolarization. These results suggest that the hyperpolarization of the
      plasma membrane by cromakalim inhibits the activation of phospholipase via the
      stimulation of the thromboxane A2 receptor to result in vasodilation.

PMID- 1417829
TI  - Synthesis of 6-substituted tetrazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidin-5(6H)ones: new modification
      of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine.
AB  - An efficient method for the preparation of 6-methyltetrazolo-[1,5-c]pyrimidin
      5(6H)ones using as the precursors 4-chloro-1,2-dihydro-1-methyl-2-oxopyrimidines
      is described. The method is also extended to the synthesis of novel tetrazole
      analogue of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT).

PMID- 1417830
TI  - An ND-6 mitochondrial DNA mutation associated with Leber hereditary optic
      neuropathy.
AB  - A mitochondrial DNA mutation at nucleotide position 14,484 was found in 14
      independent probands with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy and in 0/250
      controls. The 14,484 mutation, which changes methionine-64 to valine in a
      conserved domain of the ND-6 gene, occurred in association with a mitochondrial
      DNA haplotype that includes the 13,708 secondary mutation in 10/14 probands. An
      associated mutation at nucleotide position 3,394, which changes conserved
      tyrosine-30 to histidine in the ND-1 gene, was observed in 5/14 probands positive
      for the 14,484 mutation, all of whom harbored the same mitochondrial DNA
      haplotype. Multiple mitochondrial DNA mutations may interact in the pathogenesis
      of Leber hereditary optic neuropathy and the 13,708 secondary mutation appears to
      play a central role in this process.

PMID- 1417832
TI  - A novel fluorescent fatty acid, 5-methyl-BDY-3-dodecanoic acid, is a potential
      probe in lipid transport studies by incorporating selectively to lipid classes of
      BHK cells.
AB  - The 5-methyl-BDY-3-dodecanoic acid (B12FA) labelling of BHK cell lipids was
      analyzed by thin layer and reverse phase column chromatography. Incorporation to
      phospholipids was selective: over 90% of B12FA label was enriched in
      phosphatidylcholine. The major molecular species of PC was that containing
      palmitate as the unlabelled fatty acid. Small amounts of label was also found in
      other phosphoglycerides, but not in sphingomyelin. Triglycerides and diglycerides
      constituted the main B12FA-labelled neutral lipid classes; however, no label was
      found in cholesterol esters. B12FA was degraded to shorter homologues, which had
      significantly slower lipid incorporation rates. B12FA-labelled cells displayed in
      a microscope initially green reticular type fluorescence, but later red spherical
      structures, representing neutral lipid droplets, could also be seen. It is
      concluded that B12FA does not incorporate indiscriminately to all lipid classes
      of BHK cells, but is enriched to PC, diglycerides and triglycerides, which could
      be utilized in studies on lipid transport as well as metabolism.

PMID- 1417831
TI  - Identification of the KDR tyrosine kinase as a receptor for vascular endothelial
      cell growth factor.
AB  - Vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF), also known as vascular
      permeability factor, is an endothelial cell mitogen which stimulates
      angiogenesis. Here we report that a previously identified receptor tyrosine
      kinase gene, KDR, encodes a receptor for VEGF. Expression of KDR in CMT-3 (cells
      which do not contain receptors for VEGF) allows for saturable 125I-VEGF binding
      with high affinity (KD = 75 pM). Affinity cross-linking of 125I-VEGF to KDR
      transfected CMT-3 cells results in specific labeling of two proteins of M(r) =
      195 and 235 kDa. The KDR receptor tyrosine kinase shares structural similarities
      with a recently reported receptor for VEGF, flt, in a manner reminiscent of the
      similarities between the alpha and beta forms of the PDGF receptors.

PMID- 1417833
TI  - DNA strand cleavage at 8-hydroxyguanine residues by hot piperidine treatment.
AB  - The two findings indicate that 8-hydroxyguanine(8-OH-Gua) is a hot piperidine
      sensitive lesion in DNA. These are cleavages of DNA containing 8-OH-Gua at the
      site of this residue and decomposition of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine when the DNA
      and nucleoside were treated in 1 M piperidine for 30 min at 90 degrees C.
      However, no cleavage was observed in DNA containing 8-hydroxyadenine or O6
      methylguanine. 8-OH-Gua was found to be different from apurinic sites that are
      also alkali-labile lesions since the former was more resistant to alkali
      treatment. This property of 8-OH-Gua can be used as a check for the incorporation
      of this base into DNA after the synthesis of DNA containing 8-OH-Gua at a
      specific position or possibly can be one of the markers for the identification of
      8-OH-Gua formed in DNA exposed to reactive oxygen species.

PMID- 1417834
TI  - Mouse hepatic microsomal oxidation of aliphatic aldehydes (C8 to C11) to
      carboxylic acids.
AB  - Addition of saturated and alpha, beta-unsaturated aliphatic aldehydes (C8 to C11)
      significantly increased NADPH oxidation with mouse hepatic microsomes, and the
      aldehydes themselves were oxidized to the corresponding carboxylic acids. When
      these aldehyde substrates were incubated similarly under oxygen-18 gas and the
      carboxylic acids formed were analyzed by GC-MS after methylation, it was
      indicated that oxygen-18 was significantly incorporated into the carboxylic acids
      formed from alpha, beta-unsaturated aldehydes, but not significantly into the
      carboxylic acids formed from saturated aldehydes. These results indicate that
      enzyme and/or mechanism responsible for the oxidation of these two types of
      aldehydes is different from each other.

PMID- 1417835
TI  - Differential regulation of putrescine uptake in Trypanosoma cruzi and other
      trypanosomatids.
AB  - Putrescine uptake in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes is 10 to 50-fold higher than
      in Leishmania mexicana or Crithidia fasciculata. Polyamine transport in all these
      trypanosomatids is an energy-dependent process strongly inhibited by the presence
      of 2,4-dinitrophenol or KCN. Putrescine uptake in T. cruzi and L. mexicana was
      markedly decreased by the proton ionophore carbonylcyanide m
      chlorophenylhydrazone but it was not affected by ouabain, a Na(+)-K+ pump
      inhibitor. The depletion of intracellular polyamines by treatment of parasite
      cultures with alpha-difluoromethylornithine elicited a marked induction of
      putrescine uptake in L. mexicana and C. fasciculata by increasing considerably
      the Vmax of this process. Conversely, the uptake of putrescine in T. cruzi was
      essentially unchanged by the same treatment. The differential regulation of
      putrescine transport in T. cruzi might be related to some distinctive features of
      polyamine metabolism in this parasite.

PMID- 1417836
TI  - Identification of heptanal and nonanal in bronchoalveolar lavage from rats
      exposed to low levels of ozone.
AB  - Heptanal and nonanal are identified from in vitro studies as potential biomarkers
      of exposure to ozone, the former resulting from ozonation of palmitoleic acid and
      the latter from oleic acid. An analytical method is developed based on
      derivatization using O-pentafluorobenzylhydroxylamine HCl and gas chromatography.
      These molecules also are present in the lung lavage of Sprague-Dawley rats
      exposed to 1.3 ppm ozone for 10 hr. These results suggest aldehydes may be useful
      dosimeters for ozone and indicate that unsaturated fatty acids in the lung lining
      fluid layer undergo ozonation in vivo.

PMID- 1417838
TI  - Direct evidence for protein kinase C involvement in insulin-stimulated hexose
      uptake.
AB  - Insulin has been reported to translocate protein kinase C (PKC) in rat
      adipocytes, and activation of PKC by phorbol esters is known to increase hexose
      uptake in these cells (1.2). To test the hypothesis that PKC may participate in
      insulin-stimulated hexose uptake, adipocytes were partially depleted of protein
      kinase C by overnight phorbol ester treatment, thereby impairing insulin effects
      on hexose uptake. Purified PKC was then introduced into these PKC-depleted
      adipocytes by electropermeabilization, and this fully restored insulin-stimulated
      hexose uptake. These findings provide direct evidence that PKC is required for
      insulin-stimulated hexose uptake.

PMID- 1417837
TI  - Hormonal and nutritional stimuli modulate apolipoprotein B mRNA editing in mouse
      liver.
AB  - Human livers produce apoB-100, a major protein of VLDL, while intestines produce
      apoB-48, the major protein of chylomicrons. ApoB-48 is translated from apoB-100
      mRNAs that are post-transcriptionally edited at codon 2153, converting CAA
      (glutamine) to TAA, a stop codon. In contrast to humans, mouse and rat livers
      contain the apoB-100 mRNA editing mechanism. Because hormones and nutrients
      affect the metabolism of apoB containing lipoproteins, we studied the effects of
      sex hormones and diets on apoB mRNA editing. Groups of male and female C3H/HeJ
      mice were castrated and treated with 17 beta-estradiol at 0.16 (E2L) or at 5
      micrograms (E2H), or with testosterone propionate at 1 microgram/g body
      weight/day for 14 days. Plasma apoB levels and ratios of apoB-100/apoB-48 both
      increased 2-fold, but only in the E2H group. To determine if the increased apoB
      100/apoB-48 ratios were associated with altered levels of apoB-100 and apoB-48
      mRNA, both forms of apoB mRNA were quantified. We found that indeed ApoB-100 mRNA
      increased 1.8-fold (p < 0.025) compared to apoB-48 mRNA only in the E2H group.
      Next, we studied the individual effects of dietary fatty acids and dietary
      cholesterol on the relative abundance of apoB-100 and apoB-48 mRNA. Contrary to
      the estrogen effect, the high fat-combination diet increased apoB-48 mRNA
      relative to apoB-100 mRNA. Total plasma apoB as well as apoB-48 synthesis in
      liver also increased. Our studies demonstrate that estrogens and high fat diet
      both modulate apoB editing in mouse liver, but that estrogens and fat diet
      affected apoB mRNA editing in opposite directions.

PMID- 1417840
TI  - A new synthetic hypoglycaemic polysaccharide.
AB  - The synthetic (1-->6)-alpha-D-glucopyranan with branching and without branching
      were tested as a new hypoglycaemic drug. (1-->6)-alpha-D-glucopyranan having an
      alpha-D-glucopyranosyl branch at the C-3 position (1) showed a remarkable
      hypoglycaemic activity on i.p. injection to mice. The polysaccharide having both
      alpha- and beta-glucopyranosyl branches (2) also lowered the blood sugar
      (glucose) level in mice. On the other hand, the synthetic linear (1-->6)-alpha-D
      glucopyranan (3) and alpha-D-glucopyranosyl branched polysaccharide (4) did not
      have a hypoglycaemic function, indicating that the branching glucose units are
      essential for the biological activity.

PMID- 1417839
TI  - Distribution of GLUT3 glucose transporter protein in human tissues.
AB  - To investigate the tissue distribution of the GLUT3 glucose transporter isoform
      in human tissue we produced affinity purified antibodies to the COOH terminus of
      the human GLUT3. Both antibodies recognize a specific GLUT3 band in oocytes
      injected with GLUT3 mRNA but not in those injected with H2O or GLUT1, 2, 4, 5
      mRNA. This immunoreactive band in GLUT3 injected oocytes is photolabelled by
      cytochalasin-B in the presence of L- but not D-glucose indicating that it is a
      glucose transporter. A high cross reactivity between the human GLUT3 antibodies
      and a 43 kDa cytoskeletal actin band was identified in all oocyte lysates and
      many human tissues. However, the specific GLUT3 band could be distinguished from
      the actin band by carbonate treatment which preferentially solubilized the actin
      band. Using these antibodies we show that GLUT3 is present as a 45-48 kDa protein
      in human brain with lower levels detectable in heart, placenta, liver and a
      barely detectable level in kidney. No GLUT3 was detected in membranes from any of
      3 skeletal muscle groups investigated. We conclude that a major role of GLUT3 in
      humans is as the brain neuronal glucose transporter.

PMID- 1417841
TI  - Presence of nuclear factors bound to both cAMP-responsive element and AP1 factor
      binding site in the porcine anterior pituitary.
AB  - Factors binding to consensus sequences of the cAMP-responsive element (CRE) and
      the AP1 factor binding site (AP1) were investigated using porcine anterior
      pituitary nuclear extracts. Each element showed specific gel mobility shifts. By
      reciprocal competition for the AP1 and CRE binding, CRE prevented AP1 binding
      completely. On the other hand, AP1 decreased the CRE binding considerably to 20%,
      suggesting that approximately 80% of the total CRE binding is due to factors
      which bind to a common site shared by both CRE and AP1, whereas proteins binding
      to AP1 alone are absent. Relative binding affinities of AP1 against CRE estimated
      from the reciprocal competition data were 0.17 for CRE binding and 0.56 for AP1
      binding. UV cross-linking experiments showed that CRE and AP1 gave different
      patterns consisting of different molecular size. Inconsistency of the relative
      binding affinities and the multiple molecular size of binding factors, cannot be
      explained simply by the presence of two types of binding factor, common CRE/AP1
      binding and specific CRE-binding factors. A more likely explanation is that the
      CRE/AP1-binding factors alter the dimer form by changing each respective partner
      to bind CRE and/or AP1.

PMID- 1417842
TI  - The adenovirus E3 region 14.7 kDa protein, heat and sodium arsenite inhibit the
      TNF-induced release of arachidonic acid.
AB  - In this report we show that the adenovirus E3 region 14.7 kDa protein, heat and
      sodium arsenite, which have been defined previously as inhibitors of cytolysis,
      inhibit the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF)-induced release of 3H-arachidonic
      acid from cycloheximide-sensitized C3HA fibroblasts. Since the A23187-induced
      release of 3H-a.a. was unaffected, our results suggest that these inhibitors
      provide resistance to lysis by selectively interfering with the lytic response
      pathway. Our results also show that heat and sodium arsenite can themselves
      induce the release of 3H-arachidonic acid. These results raise the possibility
      that stressor-induced resistance to TNF results from the selective
      desensitization of phospholipase A2.

PMID- 1417843
TI  - High reactivity of aortic fibroblasts to vasoactive agents: endothelins,
      bradykinin and nucleotides.
AB  - Cultured aortic fibroblasts express high affinity Et-1 binding sites that poorly
      discriminate between Et-1 and Et-3. Both endothelins activate phospholipase C
      hence indicating the presence of ETB receptors. Fibroblasts respond to bradykinin
      by large activations of phospholipase C and increases in [Ca2+]i in a manner that
      was abolished by D-Arg, [Hyp3,Thi5,8,D-Phe7]-bradykinin, thus indicating the
      presence of B2 kinin receptors. Finally, ATP, UTP and ADP increases [Ca2+]i in
      aortic fibroblasts via a nucleotide receptor that has a higher affinity for ATP
      and UTP (3 microM) than for ADP (50 microM) and that is distinct from P2x and P2y
      purinoceptors.

PMID- 1417844
TI  - High pressure induced inactivation of ferrous cytochrome P-450 LM2 (IIB4) CO
      complex: evidence for the presence of two conformers in the oligomer.
AB  - The effect of high pressure on the spectral properties of cytochrome P-450
      LM2(Fe2+)-CO complex was studied. The application of high pressure was shown to
      induce the conversion of cytochrome P-450 to P-420. In the solution when P-450
      was oligomeric only about 65% of the total converted to P-420. The remaining
      portion of cytochrome P-450 was stable at pressures up to 6 kbar. When P-450 was
      incorporated into membranes or when it was succinylated, the proportion of the
      pressure sensitive fraction was slightly higher (about 75%). Dissociation of P
      450 oligomers into monomers was made by addition of 0.2% Triton N-101. Monomers
      were the most sensitive to pressure; they could be completely converted to P-420.
      These results have been interpreted as evidence for the existence of two
      different conformers of P-450 LM2, which differ in pressure stability. Splitting
      between these two states appears to be a result of the oligomeric organization of
      cytochrome P-450 in solution and in the membrane.

PMID- 1417846
TI  - Casein kinase-2 structure-function relationship: creation of a set of mutants of
      the beta subunit that variably surrogate the wildtype beta subunit function.
AB  - Nine mutants of human casein kinase-2 beta subunit have been created and assayed
      for their ability to assemble with the catalytic alpha subunit to give, at a 1:1
      molar ratio, a fully competent CK-2 holoenzyme as judged by the following
      criteria: 1) the generation of an active heterotetrameric form of CK-2 exhibiting
      the expected sedimentation coefficient and 2) the enhancement of catalytic
      activity of CK-2 alpha. Extended deletions of 71 and 44 residues from the C
      terminal end, but not a 7 residue deletion (including the cdc2 phosphorylation
      site) prevent both reconstitution of the holoenzyme and, consequently,
      stimulation of activity. This indicates that residue(s) located in the 171-209
      sequence is essential for reconstitution. Also a four residue's N-terminal
      deletion (removing the autophosphorylation site) and single to quintuple
      substitutions of alanine for the acidic residues clustered in the 55-70 sequence
      give rise to mutants that still assemble with the alpha subunit to give a
      tetrameric holoenzyme. However, in the case of the mutants A57,59, A63,64, A59
      61,63,64 in vitro assembly with the CK-2 alpha subunit was not complete. There
      were also intermediate complexes, free alpha-subunit and beta-mutants found to
      sediment at various positions in the sucrose density gradient. In comparison to
      CK-2 beta +, mutants A57,59, A59-61 and A59-61,63,64 show an increased
      stimulation of the catalytic activity supporting the view that these residues
      play a crucial role in determining the basal activity of reconstituted CK-2
      holoenzyme.

PMID- 1417845
TI  - Tyr-179 and Lys-183 are essential for enzymatic activity of 11 beta
      hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.
AB  - Tyr-179 and Lys-183 are likely to be functionally important residues in 11 beta
      hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, as these amino acids are absolutely conserved in
      all members of the "short chain dehydrogenase" family. We modified these residues
      by site-directed mutagenesis of rat cDNA and transfected these constructs into
      CHO cells. A highly but not absolutely conserved residue, Asp-110, was also
      studied. Mutation of Tyr-179 to Phe or Ser completely abolished enzymatic
      activity (interconversion of corticosterone and 11-dehydrocorticosterone), as did
      Lys-183-->Arg. Asp-110-->Asn affected activity only mildly. Tyr-179 and Lys-183
      may be directly involved in the catalytic function of this class of enzymes.

PMID- 1417847
TI  - Iodothyronine 5-deiodinase in rat posterior pituitary.
AB  - We first describe the presence of iodothyronine 5-deiodinase (5D) in the neural
      lobe of rat pituitary. 6-n-Propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU), a specific inhibitor of
      type-I deiodinase, had no effect, showing that 5D in neurohypophysis is of type
      III isozyme, which is specific for 5-deiodination and has been found only in the
      brain, placenta and skin. The presence of 5D (type-III) together with our
      previous report of 5'-deiodinase (type-I in euthyroidism and type-II in
      hypothyroidism) shows that the isozymes of deiodinases in the neurohypophysis are
      quite similar to those in the brain. These data suggest a previously unrecognized
      role of thyroid hormone in posterior pituitary physiology.

PMID- 1417848
TI  - Anchored anti-HLA class I monoclonal antibody fails to induce inhibition of PHA
      activated lymphocytes proliferation.
AB  - It is known that anti-HLA Class I antibodies inhibit the proliferative response
      of PHA-activated T-lymphocytes. We found that plastic- or sepharose-linked anti
      HLA Class I monoclonal antibody 01.65 does not inhibit either [3H]Thymidine
      incorporation or recruitment in the cell cycle, nor does it reduce the expression
      of c-myc mRNA and the membrane expression of Interleukin-2 Receptor and
      Transferrin Receptor. Furthermore, particulate Protein Kinase C is not affected
      by anchored anti-HLA Class I monoclonal antibody 01.65. We suggest that anti-HLA
      Class I monoclonal antibody may act through crosslinking or internalization of
      HLA Class I antigens.

PMID- 1417849
TI  - Endothelin-1 stimulates its own synthesis in human endothelial cells.
AB  - We studied whether endothelin-1 (ET-1) would affect its own synthesis. Human
      umbilical cord vein endothelial cells in methionine-poor culture medium
      containing [35S] methionine were treated with synthetic ET-1 or ET-3.
      Immunoprecipitation of 35 S-labeled ET-1 was performed with rabbit ET-1
      antiserum. ET-1 caused an 40 +/- 4% (mean +/- SEM) increase of immunoprecipitable
      35 S-labeled ET-1 as confirmed by its elution point in reversed phase high power
      liquid chromatography (HPLC). ET-3 caused a 23 +/- 2% increase in ET-1
      concentration. Amplification of cDNA by PCR showed both ET-1 and ETB receptor
      mRNAs in human cord vein endothelial cells. We conclude that ET-1 increases its
      own synthesis in endothelial cells. This suggests a positive autocrine feed-back
      action of ET-1 on its own synthesis, an effect which is probably mediated by non
      specific ETB receptors.

PMID- 1417850
TI  - Differential regulation of rat AT1a and AT1b receptor mRNA.
AB  - Rat type 1 angiotensin II receptor has two subtypes, namely type 1a and type 1b.
      The regulation of the expressions of these two subtype receptor mRNAs was studied
      by using a competitive polymerase chain reaction method. The expression of the
      type 1a mRNA in the liver was negatively and that of the type 1b mRNA in the
      adrenal was positively modulated by bilateral nephrectomy. In the ventricle of 16
      week old Spontaneously hypertensive rat, the expression level of the AT1b
      receptor mRNA was higher than that in the ventricle of the age-matched Wistar
      Kyoto rat, while the expression levels of the AT1a mRNA in the ventricle were
      almost similar between the two strains at this age. Although type 1a and type 1b
      have almost similar functional properties, the expressions of their mRNAs were
      differentially regulated.

PMID- 1417851
TI  - Tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-1 induce activin A gene expression in a
      human bone marrow stromal cell line.
AB  - Activin A, a homodimer of the beta A chain, regulates hematopoiesis. In a human
      bone marrow-derived stromal cell line, KM-102, phorbol myristate acetate, tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta induced great increases in beta A
      chain mRNA levels and production of activin A activities. The phorbol ester
      induced beta A chain gene expression was inhibited by cycloheximide and down
      regulation of protein kinase C, whereas the cytokine-induced expression was
      little affected by these treatments. These results indicate that the inflammatory
      cytokines directly stimulate beta A chain gene expression via protein kinase C
      independent pathways.

PMID- 1417852
TI  - A vasopressor factor partially purified from human parathyroid glands.
AB  - Recently, a parathyroid hypertensive factor was postulated to play a role in the
      pathogenesis of hypertension in genetically hypertensive rats. Therefore it was
      examined, whether in human parathyroid glands a vasopressor substance can be
      detected. For this purpose, homogenates of hyperplastic parathyroid glands from
      20 patients with tertiary hyperparathyroidism were deproteinized and fractionated
      by gel chromatography. The fractions obtained were tested for vasopressor
      activity in isolated perfused rat kidneys. A vasopressor fraction containing
      substances of 0.6-2.5 kDa was identified in the parathyroid glands. The
      responsible product was heat sensitive, peptidase-, trypsin- and carboxypeptidase
      y- sensitive and hydrophilic, as it did not bind to hydrophobic reversed-phase
      gel. These results suggest that parathyroid glands contain a hydrophilic peptide
      like vasopressor substance different from the parathyroid hormone.

PMID- 1417853
TI  - Insulin inhibits norepinephrine overflow from peripheral sympathetic nerve
      ending.
AB  - The effects of insulin on peripheral nervous system are unknown. We therefore
      studied the effects of insulin on sympathetic nerve activity in isolated
      mesenteric arteries of Sprague-Dawley rats. The overflow of norepinephrine (NE)
      by electrical stimulation was used as the index of sympathetic nervous system
      activity. Insulin (0.5 to 1U/l) decreased the NE release in a dose-dependent
      fashion. This inhibitory effect was, however, reversed by either 5 x 10(-5)M
      cocaine or 5 x 10(-4)M ouabain treatment. Thus, we postulate that insulin
      attenuates NE overflow from peripheral sympathetic nerve endings, probably due to
      enhanced NE reuptake.

PMID- 1417854
TI  - cDNA cloning of rat LRP, a receptor like protein tyrosine phosphatase, and
      evidence for its gene regulation in cultured rat mesangial cells.
AB  - Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) are a family of enzymes that play a
      crucial role in the regulation of signal transduction mediated by reversible
      protein tyrosine phosphorylation. To understand the significance of PTPases in
      physiological and pathophysiological processes in the kidney, we isolated three
      cDNA segments encoding PTPases (LAR, LRP and a novel PTPase) from rat kidney by
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Using PCR product as a probe, we isolated a full
      length cDNA of rat LRP. LRP cDNA encoded a single membrane spanning protein
      consisted of 796 amino acids, with two tandemly located intracellular PTPase
      domains. By Northern analysis, a ubiquitous pattern of LRP gene expression in rat
      tissues was demonstrated. In cultured rat mesangial cells, LRP mRNA was detected
      and the mRNA level was suppressed by either interleukin-1 or interleukin-6
      treatment.

PMID- 1417855
TI  - Effect of sphingoid bases on basal and insulin-stimulated 2-deoxyglucose
      transport in skeletal muscle.
AB  - Incubation of rat soleus muscles with 50 microM sphingosine or 50 microM
      sphinganine augmented basal 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) transport 32%, but reduced
      the response to 0.1 and 1.0 mU insulin/ml by 17 and 27%, respectively. When the
      muscles were incubated with 50 microM phytosphingosine, a 63-93% increase in
      basal 2DG transport was observed. However, this treatment had no effect on
      insulin-stimulated 2DG transport. The phytosphingosine-induced increase in basal
      2-DG transport was inhibited 93 and 98% with 35 and 70 microM cytochalasin B,
      respectively, suggesting that it is mediated by glucose transporters. Cellular
      accumulation of L-glucose, which is not mediated by glucose transporters, was not
      affected by phytosphingosine. It is concluded that (a) both sphingosine and
      sphinganine increase basal 2DG transport in muscle but diminish insulin
      stimulated transport, and (b) phytosphingosine stimulates basal 2DG transport in
      muscle by a mechanism involving glucose transporters.

PMID- 1417856
TI  - Organotin-flavone complexes: a new class of fluorescent probes for F1F0ATPase.
AB  - Fluorescent 5-coordinate organotin-flavone complexes of 3-hydroxy-flavone (Hof)
      and 3,5,7,2',4',-pentahydroxyflavone (morin) are good inhibitors of mitochondrial
      F1F0ATPase but do not inhibit F1-ATPase and they have been examined as possible
      fluorescent probes of F1F0ATPase. R2SnX (morin) complexes exhibit low
      fluorescence enhancement on binding to mitochondrial membranes with no
      displacement by equimolar tributyltin. In contrast R2SnX (of) complexes exhibit
      high fluorescence enhancement whose extent is variable and is displacable by
      equimolar tributyltin. Fluorescence enhancement by R2SnX (of) complexes
      correlates with the ATPase I50 values. Dialkyltin-3-hydroxy flavone, R2SnX(of),
      complexes act as a new class of fluorescent probes which titrate the F0 segment
      of F1F0ATPase.

PMID- 1417857
TI  - Deficiency of 8-hydroxyguanine DNA endonuclease activity and accumulation of the
      8-hydroxyguanine in mutator mutant (mutM) of Escherichia coli.
AB  - In this report, we have characterized mutM mutant with respect to its ability to
      repair 8-hydroxyguanine (oh8Gua) in DNA. The oh8Gua DNA endonuclease activity in
      mutM strain was minimal as compared with that in the wild-type cells. The
      presence of oh8Gua in DNA of mutM was 6-fold that of the wild-type strain
      corresponding to a characteristically higher frequency of G.C-->T.A transversions
      in this mutant strain. These results suggest that mutator phenotype of mutM is at
      least partially due to a spontaneous accumulation of oh8Gua resulting from a
      greatly reduced oh8Gua DNA endonuclease activity.

PMID- 1417858
TI  - Novel missense mutation in cardiac beta myosin heavy chain gene found in a
      Japanese patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
AB  - We have analyzed the exon 9, 13, 14, 15, and 16 of cardiac beta myosin heavy
      chain gene in 96 Japanese patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by using PCR
      DNA conformation polymorphism analysis. The analysis revealed a sequence
      variation of the exon 16 in one patient. The sequence variation of a G to C
      transversion with replacement of Asn by Lys at the codon 615 was confirmed by
      sequencing and by dot-blot hybridization with an allele-specific oligonucleotide
      probe. Because the missense mutation was found at the residue conserved through
      birds to humans, this mutation was suggested to be a cause of hypertrophic
      cardiomyopathy in the patient. This is the first report of a mutant cardiac beta
      myosin heavy chain gene in the Japanese population.

PMID- 1417859
TI  - The synthesis of cadystins, heavy metal chelating peptides, is induced in the
      fission yeast by wounds of the cell wall or by incubation with chitosan.
AB  - It has been shown that heavy metal administration induced the synthesis of
      cadystins, the small metal chelating peptide with the general structure of (gamma
      glu-cys)n-gly, in the fission yeast and in plants. Besides heavy metals, wounds
      to the cell surface or the incubation with chitosan induced the cadystin
      synthesis in the fission yeast. Under these induction conditions, the membrane
      permeability of the fission yeast significantly increased suggesting the
      structural alteration of the membrane. In these induction, the synthesized
      cadystins formed complexes with the cellular zinc ions together with or without
      glutathione.

PMID- 1417860
TI  - Cloning of a major heparan sulfate proteoglycan from brain and identification as
      the rat form of glypican.
AB  - We have obtained the complete coding sequence of a highly conserved heparan
      sulfate proteoglycan which we previously characterized biochemically after
      isolation from rat brain. An open reading frame of 558 amino acids encodes a
      protein with a molecular mass of 62 kDa containing three peptide sequences
      present in the isolated proteoglycan. The total sequence obtained is 3.5 kb long,
      including 1.6 kb of 3'-untranslated sequence and 0.2 kb of 5'-untranslated
      sequence. The deduced amino acid sequence and the 3'- and 5'-untranslated
      sequences have 89% and 66-80% identity, respectively, with those of a
      phosphatidylinositol-anchored human lung fibroblast heparan sulfate proteoglycan
      (glypican) for which mRNA is detectable in a large number of human cell lines.
      Our data therefore demonstrate that this major heparan sulfate proteoglycan of
      brain is the rat form of glypican.

PMID- 1417861
TI  - Mutations at the putative junction sites of the yeast VMA1 protein, the catalytic
      subunit of the vacuolar membrane H(+)-ATPase, inhibit its processing by protein
      splicing.
AB  - A single gene, VMA1, encodes the 69-kDa subunit of the vacuolar membrane H(+)
      ATPase in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have proposed that the subunit
      is synthesized as a precursor of 120 kDa (1,071 amino acids) and then converted
      to the 69-kDa form by an unusual processing reaction, which removes the internal
      domain of 454 amino acids (residues 284-737) and joins the N- and C-terminal
      domains. Cysteine to serine mutations at residues 284 and 738, the residues that
      bracket the internal domain, were introduced into the VMA1 gene by site-directed
      mutagenesis, and the mutant genes were expressed in a null vma1 mutant. Cells
      harboring either of the mutant vma1 genes accumulate nonfunctional fragments of
      the subunit. The mutation of Cys-284 inhibited the cleavage of the N-terminal
      junction site. Cys-738-->Ser mutation appeared to block the processing at both
      junction sites although the mutant gene yielded a small fraction of the
      functional 69-kDa subunit.

PMID- 1417862
TI  - Presence and turnover of adenosine diphosphate ribose in human erythrocytes.
AB  - ADP-ribose was detected in human red blood cells (RBC) at 0.45 +/- 0.1 microM
      concentrations. These levels could be estimated after purification of ADP-ribose
      by means of three sequential HPLC fractionations of RBC extracts. Extraction was
      performed by sonication of RBC either in trichloroacetic acid, followed by
      centrifugation, or in carbonate-bicarbonate buffer, pH 10.0, followed by rapid
      ultrafiltration. Neither procedure of extraction caused artefactual formation of
      ADP-ribose. Prolonged incubation of intact RBC in isotonic buffer containing
      labeled orthophosphate resulted in the slow incorporation of radioactivity into
      ADP-ribose. Identification of the labeled ADP-ribose was confirmed upon
      incubation of the purified metabolite with nucleotide pyrophosphatase, yielding
      radioactive 5'-AMP and ribose 5-phosphate, while its exposure to a nonspecific
      deaminase resulted in the quantitative formation of labeled inosine diphosphate
      ribose.

PMID- 1417863
TI  - Preliminary characterization of a nuclear factor interacting with the silencer
      element at the 3'-side of the chicken alpha-globin gene domain.
AB  - A silencer element has been identified previously on the 3'-side of the chicken
      alpha-globin genes placed next to the major enhancer in this domain (Recillas
      Targa et al., unpublished). Deletion fragments of this negative element show the
      requirement of the entire DNA segment for maximum silencing activity.
      Additionally, the sub-fragments including the previously defined SF1 (Silencer
      Factor 1) sequence seem to play an important role on the negative action of this
      silencer. Preliminary characterization of the nuclear factor interacting with the
      SF1 sequence was carried out. Methylation interference experiments show the
      contact points and, by electrophoretic retardation analysis with SF1 and SF1
      mutated oligonucleotides, the critical role of these contacts points on the
      formation of the DNA-protein complex could be demonstrated. These results provide
      a basis for further experiments on the characterization and understanding of the
      mechanisms of action of the coupled positive and negative regulatory elements.

PMID- 1417864
TI  - Characterization of cysteine residues of glutathione S-transferase P: evidence
      for steric hindrance of substrate binding by a bulky adduct to cysteine 47.
AB  - Glutathione S-transferase P (GST-P) lost the enzymatic activity by 7-fluoro-4
      sulfamoyl-2, 1, 3-benzodiazole (ABD-F), a thiol-group chemical modifier, but did
      not by methylmethanethiol-sulfonate. Both ABD-F and methylmethanethiolsulfonate
      reacted with Cys47 and Cys101. These two cysteine residues were site-directedly
      mutated with serine residues. Only the Cys101Ser lost the enzymatic activity by
      the treatment of ABD-F. On carbon 13 NMR experiments, a NMR signal of S-[13C]CH3
      adduct to Cys47 did not show any change by the addition of S-hexylglutathione.
      These facts revealed that Cys47 did not locate at the active site, and a bulky
      adduct to Cys47 hindered the binding of substrates to the active site.

PMID- 1417865
TI  - An S1 nuclease-sensitive homopurine/homopyrimidine domain in the PDGF A-chain
      promoter contains a novel binding site for the growth factor-inducible protein
      EGR-1.
AB  - Transcription of the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) A-chain gene is
      activated in cells exposed to growth factors. We now have identified a
      homopurine/homopyrimidine domain in the promoter region of the PDGF A-chain gene
      that exhibits S1 nuclease sensitivity in vitro and that contains a novel binding
      site (5'-TCCTCCTCCTCCTC-3') for the growth factor inducible transcription factor
      EGR-1 as demonstrated in gel mobility shift assays. Sequences similar to this
      novel EGR-1 binding site were observed also in five growth-related genes and
      shown to bind to EGR-1 in competition assays, suggesting that EGR-1 may influence
      the transcriptional regulation of these growth-related genes.

PMID- 1417866
TI  - Localization of an adipocyte-specific retinoic acid response domain controlling
      S14 gene transcription.
AB  - S14 gene transcription is induced by retinoic acid (RA) in cultured adipocytes,
      but not preadipocytes. Transfection of 3T3-L1 cells with S14-CAT fusion genes
      showed that adipocyte-specific RA responsive cis-acting elements are located
      between -1588 and -1381 bp upstream from the 5' end of the S14 gene. This region
      has enhancer-like properties. In contrast, an artificial RA response element
      conferred RA control to a CAT gene in both preadipocyte and adipocyte phenotypes
      indicating that the RA regulatory network is functional in both phenotypes. These
      studies show that RA receptors interact with adipocyte-specific transcription
      factors to control S14 gene expression.

PMID- 1417867
TI  - The interplay between basicity, conformation, and enzymatic reduction in
      biliverdins.
AB  - Biliverdins with extended conformations are reduced by biliverdin reductase (BvR)
      at higher rates than biliverdins with helical conformations. To find out the
      molecular basis for this important feature of BvR mechanism, helical and extended
      biliverdins were titrated for their acid-base equilibria in a protic solvent
      (methanol). It was found that the basicity of biliverdins increases with the
      stretching of the conformation. Biliverdin IX gamma (all-syn) has a pKa = 3.6;
      5,10,15-syn,syn,anti-biliverdin has a pKa = 3.7; 5,10,15-syn,anti,syn-biliverdin
      has a pKa = 6.1; 5,10,15-syn,anti,anti-biliverdin has a pKa = 6.4; and 5,10,15
      all-anti-biliverdin has a pKa = 7.9. The increase in basicity with progressive
      stretching of conformations closely parallels the increase in the reduction rates
      by BvR. A biliverdin constrained by a four carbon chain to a helical conformation
      and which is a very weak base (pKa = 0.4) is not reduced by BvR. Nucleophilic
      additions of 2-mercaptoethanol at the C10 in biliverdins closely parallel their
      basicities, as can be expected if the formation of a positive mesomeric species
      at C10 is linked to the basicity (i.e., the ease of protonation) of the N23 on
      the pyrrolenine ring.

PMID- 1417868
TI  - Structure and chromosomal location of the human granulin gene.
AB  - Granulins are a family of cysteine rich polypeptides some of which have growth
      modulatory activity. We showed previously that the granulins are encoded within
      the same precursor consisting of seven granulin domains arranged in tandem. Here
      we report the chromosomal location and structural organization of the protein
      coding region of the granulin gene. The granulin gene was assigned to chromosome
      17 using DNA from human-hamster somatic cell hybrids. The protein-coding region
      of the granulin gene was shown to comprise 12 exons covering about 3700 bp. Each
      tandem granulin repeat is encoded by two non-equivalent exons, a configuration
      unique to the granulins that would permit the formation of hybrid granulin-like
      proteins by alternate splicing.

PMID- 1417869
TI  - Further evidence of the SA gene as a candidate gene contributing to the
      hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rat.
AB  - We have recently reported that the allele of the SA gene of the Spontaneously
      hypertensive rat (SHR) has a capacity to influence blood pressure in a F2 rat
      population prepared from SHR and Wistar-Kyoto rat. In the present study, we have
      undertaken a similar genetic co-segregation analysis of the F2 rat population
      prepared from SHR and Lewis rat. The result indicated that, although overall
      effects of the SA gene genotypes on blood pressure were not significant, a
      correlation of the genotypes of the SA gene with blood pressure was significantly
      observed in the female rats of this population. The present results further
      strengthen our hypothesis that the SA gene, or a gene closely linked to this
      gene, has a capacity to influence blood pressure.

PMID- 1417870
TI  - Effect of a mechanical tension on the hydration of DNA in fibres.
AB  - Fiber X-ray diffraction and measurement of fibre dimensions yield information
      about the effects of a mechanical tension on hydration of DNA in fibres. At a
      given relative humidity, the mechanical tension changes the DNA conformation but
      does not modify the number of water molecules associated to a nucleotide. The
      number of water molecules per nucleotide necessary to maintain B form decreases
      for increasing tensions applied to the DNA fibre. Form transitions can be opposed
      by mechanical tensions; an energy of 1 Kcal per mole of nucleotide pairs is
      sufficient to prevent the B to A transition.

PMID- 1417871
TI  - Expression and possible function of glucose transporter protein GLUT1 during
      preimplantation mouse development from oocytes to blastocysts.
AB  - A micro-Western analysis method both sensitive and quantitative enough to analyze
      oocytes and embryos is developed. GLUT1 protein is present in mouse oocytes and
      preimplantation embryos and levels are increased by fertilization and with time
      in ensuing embryonic development; the levels were 20-fold greater in blastocysts
      than in unfertilized oocytes. Similar increases were observed in glucose uptake
      by oocytes and embryos, suggesting that they may depend on GLUT1 expression.
      These results suggest that GLUT1 expression may explain a switch in substrate
      preference of the embryo from pyruvate to glucose during preimplantation
      development.

PMID- 1417872
TI  - Binding of myosin subfragment-1 to F-actin.
AB  - During a part of the hydrolytic cycle, myosin head (S1) carries no nucleotide and
      binds strongly to an actin filament forming a rigor bond. At saturating
      concentration of S1 in rigor, S1 is well known to form 1:1 complex with actin.
      However, we have provided evidence that under certain conditions S1 could also
      form a complex with 2 actin monomers in a filament (Andreev, O.A. & Borejdo, J.
      (1991) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 177, 350-356). This view was recently
      challenged by Carlier & Didry (Carlier, M-F. & Didry, D. (1992) Biochem. Biophys.
      Res. Comm. 183, 970-974) who interpreted our data by suggesting that F-actin
      underwent a simple depolymerization and implied that, when only actin in the F
      form was scored, the real stoichiometry in our experiments was 1:1. We show here
      that under conditions of our experiments less than 8% of actin was depolymerized.
      Moreover, we have repeated the experiments in the presence of phalloidin and show
      that under these conditions too, when S1 was added slowly to a fixed
      concentration of F-actin, it formed a different complex with F-actin than when it
      was added quickly. This confirms our original conclusion that S1 can bind actin
      in two different ways and shows that depolymerization of F-actin is not
      responsible for this finding.

PMID- 1417873
TI  - Fibronectin stimulates protein synthesis in cultured fibroblastic cells.
AB  - Protein synthesis in mouse embryo fibroblastic (NIH-L1) cells was stimulated by
      addition of fibronectin (FN) to the culture medium as a soluble factor. This
      stimulatory activity of FN appeared only when the cells were cultured over their
      saturated density. A hexapeptide (GRGDSP) containing the RGDS cell attachment
      site of FN could not prevent the stimulation of protein synthesis. Moreover,
      activity of the stimulatory FN was not affected by inclusion of cytochalasin B,
      which is known to release FN from cell surface by disorganizing actin
      cytoarchitecture. These results suggest that the signaling of change in protein
      synthesis rate by FN may be distinct from signaling involving cell attachment and
      spreading.

PMID- 1417874
TI  - Monomer-dimer equilibrium of nitroso-aromatic spin trap 3,5-dibromo-4
      nitrosobenzenesulfonic acid, sodium salt (DBNBS), in aqueous solution.
AB  - 3,5-Dibromo-4-nitrosobenzenesulfonic acid, sodium salt (DBNBS), which is widely
      used as a spin trap in biological systems, was allowed to form the monomer-dimer
      equilibrium in aqueous solution, and its equilibrium constant (Kc) was determined
      by NMR measurement and visible spectrum analysis. The Kc values obtained from the
      two different methods were virtually identical and evaluated as 1.3 x 10(-3) mol
      dm-3 at 25 degrees C. Further, the molar extinction coefficient of DBNBS monomer
      (epsilon 760) was determined to be 34 dm3mol-1cm-1. The present results indicate
      that only a minor portion (ca. 20%) of dissolved DBNBS (10 mmol dm-3) is
      practically capable of spin trapping under the conditions most widely used in
      biological studies.

PMID- 1417875
TI  - Fatty acid binding protein inhibits glycolithocholate sulfation.
AB  - Sulfation of hepatotoxic monohydroxy bile salts is viewed as an important
      detoxification mechanism. Bile salts are bound by fatty acid binding protein
      (FABP) with decreasing affinity as the extent of their hydroxylation increases.
      This binding has the potential to interfere with sulfation of monohydroxy bile
      salts and to augment their toxicity. FABP inhibits monohydroxy bile salt
      sulfation via bile salt sulfotransferases BST 1 and 2. With BST 1, the main BST,
      we obtained a maximal reduction of sulfation by 42.8 +/- 8.1%, using 10 microM
      glycolithocholate as substrate. FABP had no effect on sulfation of either 10
      microM glycodeoxycholate or glycochenodeoxycholate. FABP may therefore
      specifically alter hepatotoxicity of lithocholate and its metabolites.

PMID- 1417876
TI  - Isolation and characterization of riboflavin carrier protein from human amniotic
      fluid.
AB  - A specific protein exhibiting immunological cross-reactivity with chicken
      riboflavin carrier protein has been purified to homogeneity from human amniotic
      fluid by use of ion-exchange and affinity chromatography. The protein is similar
      to its avian counterpart in terms of molecular size, distribution of 125I
      labelled tryptic peptides during finger printing, and preferential binding to
      riboflavin. Immunologically, they are homologous since most of the monoclonal
      antibodies raised against the avian protein cross-react with the purified human
      vitamin carrier.

PMID- 1417877
TI  - Superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in rat pineal gland.
AB  - Activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (E.C.1.15.1.1) and
      glutathione peroxidase (E.C.1.11.1.9) were measured in the pineal gland of adult
      rats. For comparative purpose superoxide dismutase was also measured in the
      anterior hypothalamic area (suprachiasmatic region) and the liver and glutathione
      peroxidase in the liver. The mean activities obtained for superoxide dismutase
      were: pineal (103.13 +/- 4.70 N.U.), anterior hypothalamus (132.88 +/- 4.73
      N.U.), liver (253.91 +/- 0.10 N.U.) and, for glutathione peroxidase were: pineal
      (0.027 +/- 0.005 I.U.) and liver (0.103 +/- 0.031 I.U.). It was shown for the
      first time that superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase are present in
      pineal gland being part of its antioxidant defense system.

PMID- 1417878
TI  - Fusion of phospholipid vesicles induced by phospholipase D in the presence of
      calcium ion.
AB  - Fusion of phospholipid vesicles composed of various combination of
      phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidic acid was induced
      by Ca2+ in the presence or absence of phospholipase D from Streptomyces
      chromofuscus. For the vesicles composed of 20:50:30 molar ratio of
      phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine/phosphatidic acid, the initial
      fusion rate was much faster than the expected value when only the conversion of
      phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine into phosphatidic acid by
      phospholipase D is taken into account. These observations are discussed in terms
      of the involvement of outer monolayer of the vesicles and the enzyme activity
      itself in the fusion process.

PMID- 1417879
TI  - Interaction of Artocarpus lectins with human IgA does not involve asparagine
      linked oligosaccharide of the immunoglobulin.
AB  - In view of the controversy with respect to the interaction of jacalin with human
      IgA2, a study was undertaken to assess the reactivity of the Artocarpus
      heterophyllus lectin, as well as the lectin from Artocarpus integer (lectin C),
      with subclasses of human immunoglobulin A by ELISA. Our data is consistent with
      the view that Artocarpus lectins have no affinity for the IgA2 immunoglobulins.
      In further support of the findings, we have established that N-linked
      oligosaccharide moieties of IgA have no significant bearing in the lectin
      immunoglobulin binding. Interaction was also not affected in the presence of 1%
      (w/v) BSA.

PMID- 1417880
TI  - Oxalate production from glyoxylate by lactate dehydrogenase in vitro: inhibition
      by reduced glutathione, cysteine, cysteamine.
AB  - Lactate dehydrogenase is known to act as a dismutase converting glyoxylate to
      oxalate and glycolate. LDH (sources: human erythrocytes, human plasma; rabbit
      muscle; rat liver) activity was assayed at 340 nm using glyoxylate (5.0 mmol/l)
      and NADH. The LDH activity (approx. % of control) in all the cases decreased
      respectively in the presence of 5.0 and 10.0 mmol/l of cysteine (45 and 20),
      cysteamine (45 and 20), and GSH (55 and 30). This decrease in LDH activity
      resulted in decreased oxalate production from glyoxylate (0.5 mmol/l). A 50%
      inhibition in oxalate production was observed in presence of 0.3 mmol/l cysteine,
      0.35 mmol/l cysteamine, and 2.0 mmol/l GSH. The results suggest that the net LDH
      activity towards oxalate production may be regulated by the free SH-groups in the
      cell. This possibility needs evaluation as a tool to lower endogenous oxalate
      production and the associated risk of stone formation.

PMID- 1417881
TI  - Chemical modification of arginine residues of protein kinase C.
AB  - Modification of basic residues of protein kinase C by phenylglyoxal results in a
      reversible, dose-dependent inhibition of autophosphorylation and substrate
      phosphorylation. The inhibition is not due to specific modification of the Ca2+
      or ATP binding sites. Modified PKC bound more [3H] phorbol ester than unmodified
      providing further evidence that the binding of lipids and the catalytic
      phosphotransferase activity have different regulatory sequences. Additionally,
      the effects of these modifying reagents were different on enzyme stimulated by
      phorbol esters or by the endogenous activator, 1,2-diacylglycerol. These studies
      suggest that there is at least 1 arginine residue that is unique in the binding
      site of these different activators.

PMID- 1417882
TI  - Destruction of vitamin K1 of cultured carrot cells by ultraviolet radiation and
      its effect on plasma membrane electron transport reactions.
AB  - The effect of ultraviolet radiation on plasma membrane electron transport
      reactions was studied in cultured carrot cells. It was found that a 90 min
      treatment inhibited transmembrane hexacyanoferrate reduction greater than 50%.
      Extraction of lipophilic quinones from irradiated cells showed that vitamin K1
      and coenzyme Q were totally destroyed, while control unirradiated cells showed
      the presence of 0.4 mumole vitamin K1 g dry wt.-1. The addition of exogenous
      vitamin K1 in concentrations of 1-10 microM partially restored plasma membrane
      electron transport with impermeable hexacyanoferrate as the electron acceptor.
      Total restoration of activity was given by growing irradiated cells in vitamin K1
      supplemented growth media for 6 days. This shows that vitamin K1 may function as
      a member of the transplasma membrane electron transport chain in cultured carrot
      cells.

PMID- 1417883
TI  - Detection of human satellite II DNA-binding polypeptides in HeLa cellular and
      nuclear extracts.
AB  - Highly-repetitive satellite DNA's are generally located in centromeric
      heterochromatin, yet little is known about how they are maintained and condensed.
      In an effort to address this question, we have searched for specific satellite
      DNA-binding proteins in cell-free extracts (both total cellular and nuclear),
      prepared from HeLa cells, using southwestern blotting. Four polypeptides were
      detected that specifically bound to a human 1797 bp EcoRI satellite II DNA, which
      consists in large part of tandemly repeated pentamer (5' TTCCA 3') units, but not
      to a control probe from plasmid pBR322. These proteins have apparent molecular
      weights of 100, 93, 77 and 34 kDa and were termed satellite binding protein (Sbp)
      -1, -2, -3, and -4, respectively.

PMID- 1417884
TI  - Putrescine uptake by rabbit intestinal brush-border membrane vesicles.
AB  - The transport of putrescine in rabbit intestinal brush-border membrane vesicles
      is a time-dependent, Na+ and H+ gradient-independent slow process, reaching a
      high equilibrium level from 1 hr onwards. An approximately 12-fold concentration
      gradient of 5.4 microM putrescine was generated in the vesicles after 3 h of
      incubation at 25 degrees C, suggesting a substantial binding of the polyamine to
      membrane components. Putrescine uptake did not appear to occur via a polyamine-H+
      exchange pathway, but the activity of transport was strongly reduced when the
      medium pH was lowered from 7.5 to 6.0. Although it was inhibited in the presence
      of SCN-, putrescine uptake was found neither to involve a preferred anion nor to
      be sensitive to changes in the membrane potential. Putrescine accumulation was
      substantially stimulated in the presence of a 10 mM concentration of the divalent
      cations Ca2+, Mg2+ or Ba2+, unlike the monovalent cations K+, Na+ or Li+. Despite
      the presence of a Ca(2+)-dependent transglutaminase activity, vesicular
      accumulation does not appear to result from covalent binding of putrescine to
      membrane peptides. Inhibition of the uptake by polyamines, unlike choline and
      dibasic amino acids, shows that putrescine may bind noncovalently to other
      specific anionic sites.

PMID- 1417885
TI  - Evaluation of protein assay methods for pollen and fungal spore extracts.
AB  - The usual procedures available for protein estimation of biological extracts
      often give variable results due to presence of many peptides and coloured
      materials. To identify a suitable method for allergenic extracts, protein was
      estimated from common pollen and fungal antigens by modified Lowry's (ML),
      Bradford (B), micro-Kjeldahl (MK), Bicinchoninic acid (BCA) and modified BCA
      (MBCA) assays. Bradford assay resulted in low protein values, whereas BCA method
      gave very high values in general. Statistical analysis of the results revealed
      similarity between protein values quantitated by MK, ML and MBCA methods for most
      of the extracts. Graded volumes of the extracts on subjecting to protein
      estimation by these three methods showed linear response, while recovery of a
      protein (bovine serum albumin) added to the extracts was greater than 90%.

PMID- 1417886
TI  - Validation of the MTT dye assay for enumeration of cells in proliferative and
      antiproliferative assays.
AB  - Increasing use is being made of colorimetric assays to quantitate viable cells,
      e.g., the cellular reduction of the tetrazolium salt, MTT, to formazan by
      mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase. We validated this assay for cell
      proliferation in mixed lymphocyte cultures as compared with 3H-thymidine uptake,
      and for inhibition of cell proliferation induced by interferon with results
      compared by direct cell counting. We also found that cells do not, as previously
      assumed, require functional mitochondria: there were no differences in formazan
      production by normal cells or respiratory defective cells in which mitochondria
      had been poisoned by the nucleic acid toxin, ethidium bromide. The high
      reproducibility of MTT metabolism by lymphoblasts and various cultured cell lines
      establishes the reliability and versatility of this method for quantitating cell
      numbers.

PMID- 1417887
TI  - Stimulation of the protein synthesis by fibronectin is specific for untransformed
      fibroblastic cells.
AB  - In the preceding paper, we showed that fibronectin (FN) in solution has the
      ability to stimulate protein synthesis in NIH-L1 fibroblastic cells. We show here
      that FN stimulated protein synthesis also in other normal fibroblast cell lines,
      WI-38 and BALB/3T3, but did so only slightly in their transformed cell lines, L1
      4NQOH10, WI-38 VA-13 and KN(7)8; and in rat hepatocytes in primary culture and
      rat liver epidermoid cells (GR-1) it hardly affected the synthesis. Augmentation
      of the protein synthesis rate was not attributable to stimulation of collagen
      synthesis. This stimulatory activity of FN was enhanced remarkably by proteolytic
      digestion of FN with trypsin.

PMID- 1417888
TI  - Active site mapping studies of malate dehydrogenase : identification of essential
      amino acid residues by o-phthalaldehyde.
AB  - Mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase (MDH) was found to be rapidly inactivated by o
      phthalaldehyde. MDH-o-phthalaldehyde adduct gives a characteristic absorption
      maximum at 337 nm. Moreover, this derivative shows fluorescence emission maxima
      at 405 nm when excited at 337 nm and 280 nm. These results were consistent with
      isoindole ring formation in which the -SH group of cysteine and epsilon-NH2 group
      of lysine participate in the reaction. The enzyme was found to be protected
      against o-phthalaldehyde inactivation by NADH, indicating that the essential
      residues are present at or near the coenzyme binding site. Stoichiometric results
      indicate that 4 isoindole derivatives are formed per enzyme molecule upon
      complete inactivation. However, 90% of the activity loss was accompanied by the
      formation of 2 moles of isoindole per mole of the enzyme. These approaches give
      consistent evidence that two cysteines along with two lysines in close proximity
      are essential for the enzymatic activity.

PMID- 1417890
TI  - Comparative study of the effect of ethanol on the fluidity of subcellular hepatic
      membranes.
AB  - The aim of this study has been to compare the effects of chronic ethanol
      administration on the lipid composition and fluidity of chick-liver microsomes
      and mitochondria. Cholesterol levels were increased only in microsomal membranes
      whilst the fatty-acid profiles were considerably altered in the major
      phospholipids in both membranes. By using fluorescence polarization we found that
      ethanol produces a disorganisation of acyl chains in the core of microsomes and
      mitochondria and consequently causes higher fluidity. In addition, opposite
      changes were induced by ethanol in the polar region of the microsomes, inducing a
      more rigid area in the membrane.

PMID- 1417889
TI  - Synthesis and characterization of some collagen sequence analogs.
AB  - Some analogs of natural collagen sequences (773-779) were synthesized. The
      peptides were hydrolyzed at the Gly-Ile bond not only by crude collagenase
      isolated from normal rat liver, but also by the bacterial Clostridium
      histolyticum collagenase. The reason for this unusual cleavage site in the latter
      case may lie in the unordered secondary structure of the substrates measured by
      CD spectroscopy.

PMID- 1417891
TI  - A novel fluorescent pH indicator for the acidic range.
AB  - Reaction of a commercial preparation of lissamine-rhodamine B sulfonyl chloride
      with primary amines gives rise to two sulfonamide derivatives, of which one
      behaves as a pH indicator with maximal fluorescence emission in the acidic range
      and a pKa of about 4.6. The structure of this derivative and the mechanism of
      fluorescence dependence on pH, elucidated by means of NMR, is presented.

PMID- 1417892
TI  - A study of the carboxyl groups of sheep brain tubulin.
AB  - Tubulin was isolated from whole sheep brain by ammonium sulphate fractionation
      followed by ion exchange chromatography using DEAE-Sephadex in 10 mM sodium
      phosphate buffer pH 7.0. It was essentially free from contaminating proteins as
      shown by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and was active by the criterion of colchicine
      binding. Hydrogen ion titration of the sheep brain tubulin was performed under
      native conditions. In the present study, only that pH range has been selected for
      analysis where carboxyl groups (most of which are located in the C-terminal
      regions of both the alpha- and beta- subunits) deprotonate. The results indicated
      the presence of 75 carboxyl groups per dimer upto pH 5.5. Of these, 46 titrated
      with a pK of 3.7 and the remaining 29 with a pK of 3.5.

PMID- 1417893
TI  - Biochemical, cytogenetic, and morphological characteristics of human primary and
      metastatic prostate cancer cell lines.
AB  - Metastatic properties of human prostatic cancer cell lines (ND-1 and DU-145) were
      examined using various biochemical techniques. DU-145 cells had a higher
      metastatic potential than ND-1 cells. Cytogenetic analysis by G-banding
      demonstrated an aneuploid karyotype with considerable structural rearrangement.
      ND-1 cells had a modal chromosome number range lower than DU-145 cells (45-66,
      compared to 54-62). Ploidy analysis revealed that DU-145 cells showed
      hyperdiploidy with a greater amount of proliferation than the majority of ND-1
      cells. Electron microscopic studies revealed little change in the cell morphology
      of either line. DU-145 cells had lower phosphatidyl choline levels and higher
      sphingomyelin levels than ND-1. DU-145 cells had much lower arachidonic acid
      levels than ND-1 cells. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed protein
      differences between the two cell lines. This study demonstrates for the first
      time that lipids, proteins and cytogenetic parameters differ in human primary and
      secondary prostate cancer cell lines.

PMID- 1417894
TI  - Immunospecificity and affinity studies on anti-luteinizing hormone releasing
      hormone antibodies developed by azo-LHRH-TT and azo-LHRH-BSA conjugates.
AB  - Monoclonal and conventional antibodies against the 'self' decapeptide LHRH
      produced by azo-LHRH-TT and azo-LHRH-BSA conjugates were studied for
      immunoreactivity with native LHRH, azo-LHRH, LHRH (OH) and its fragments of
      sequence 1-10, 7-10, 4-10 and 4-6. The CoAb reacted 8-20% to azo-LHRH, 2-6% to
      LHRH-Lys, 1-3% LHRH-LYS-MDP and 0.5-1.68% to LHRH-Ala-Ala-Tuftsin but failed to
      react to LHRH free acid and its fragments. On the other hand MoAb reacted 4-6% to
      azo-LHRH and 10-18% to LHRH-Lys, 3-5% to LHRH-Ala-Ala-Tuftsin. These results
      indicate that the azotization drastically inhibited immunoreactivity but that the
      azo-LHRH-carrier conjugate preserved the immunogenic epitope responsible for the
      induction of an effective anti-LHRH antibody response.

PMID- 1417895
TI  - OmpT proteolysis of E. coli initiation factor IF2. Elimination of a cleavage site
      by site-directed mutagenesis.
AB  - A serious problem during purification of the E. coli initiation factor IF2 is a
      significant loss of native IF2 due to partial degradation. We have previously
      shown that the major fragment, IF2 gamma (65 kDa), is the result of cleavage of
      IF2 alpha at the peptide bond between lysine 289 and arginine 290. In this paper
      we demonstrate that the cleavage is a result of proteolysis by outer membrane
      protease OmpT occurring immediately after cell lysis and in the S30 supernatant.
      By protein engineering we have constructed an IF2 mutant Lys289-greater than Met
      and shown that the IF2 gamma cleavage site in this mutant protein is insensitive
      to cleavage by OmpT. However the mutant protein is cleaved by OmpT between
      arginine 279 and alanine 280, which is a novel sequence specificity for this
      protease.

PMID- 1417896
TI  - Changes in proteolytic activity during the growth of Trypanosoma cruzi
      epimastigotes.
AB  - The proteolytic pattern of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes was studied using
      electrophoresis in gelatin containing SDS polyacrylamide gels. Under conditions
      that represent a nutritional stress such as the depletion of glucose in an axenic
      medium the results obtained showed a significant increase in the activity of two
      proteases of M(r) = 50,000 and M(r) = 60,000 as well as the appearance of higher
      molecular weight bands during the transition from log to stationary phase
      parasites. The use of different protease inhibitors strongly suggests that all
      these proteases are of the cysteine type, and their acid pH optimal would be in
      agreement with the possible localization in the parasite lysosomes. The
      reincubation of stationary phase parasites in fresh LIT medium or the addition of
      0.4% glucose partially reverted the proteolytic pattern to that observed in log
      phase parasites. The regulation in the activity of these enzymes could be related
      to the well established use of amino acids for catabolic purpose after depletion
      of the medium glucose.

PMID- 1417897
TI  - Evaluation of sialic acid in lipoprotein fractions in fibrosarcoma bearing rats
      by 14C-glucose chase.
AB  - The changes in sialoglycoconjugates synthesis after administration of 14C-glucose
      to fibrosarcoma bearing rats were studied. After 1 hr treatment 14C-glucose tumor
      bearing rat synthesized hexosamine which contained more radioactivity when
      compared to sialic acid. On fractionation of lipoproteins, low density
      lipoproteins (LDL) contained more sialic acid. This was further confirmed by
      separating the lipoproteins, as more radioactivity incorporation was observed in
      the LDL fraction. It is noteworthy that inspite of the tumor, high density
      lipoproteins (HDL) did not show any change.

PMID- 1417898
TI  - Comparison of 2,5,5-trimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (M3PO) and 3,3,5,5-tetramethyl
      1-pyrroline-N-oxide (M4PO) with 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) as spin
      traps.
AB  - 2,5,5-Trimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (M3PO) and 3,3,5,5-tetramethyl-1-pyrroline-N
      oxide (M4PO) were examined for their potential as spin traps used in biological
      samples, and the results obtained for M3PO and M4PO were compared with those of
      5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) reported previously. The rate constants
      for the reactions of M3PO and M4PO with hydroxyl radicals were in the same order
      of that constant of DMPO. The hyperfine splitting constants of M4PO spin adducts
      were as informative as those of DMPO adducts. In the presence of ferric ions,
      M3PO and M4PO formed 2-hydroxy-2,5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrrolidinyloxy (M3PO-OH) and 2
      hydroxy-3,3,5,5-tetramethyl-1-pyrrolidinyloxyl (M4PO-OH), respectively, by the
      nucleophilic addition of a water molecule, as we have already reported for DMPO.
      M4PO-OH was subjected to oxidation by ferric ions with a rate much slower than
      that for DMPO-OH, while M3PO-OH was not. The results indicate that M4PO is a spin
      trap suitable for biological applications and that nitrones having a methyl group
      at C2 represent improved spin traps.

PMID- 1417899
TI  - Changes in cholinesterase system in different brain areas during the development
      of behavioral tolerance to monocrotophos toxicity in male albino rats.
AB  - During the development of behavioral tolerance to the organophosphate
      monocrotophos, the activities of AChE and BuChE and the content of ACh were
      affected in different brain areas of male albino rats. The inhibition of AChE and
      BuChE activities and the elevation of ACh content were progressive till 7 days
      and were followed by a recovery trend towards normalcy. The changes correlated
      with the appearance and disappearance of signs and symptoms of toxicity, which
      were mainly cholinergic. The results suggest the possibility of de novo synthesis
      of cholinesterases resulting in the development of behavioral tolerance, as was
      evident by the recovery trend. The shift of toxicity from greater AChE inhibition
      during initial periods to greater BuChE inhibition during later periods indicates
      the possible involvement of pseudocholinesterases in the development of tolerance
      and in the reduction of toxicity. The brain areas were differentially affected.
      Cerebral cortex was more affected initially but it was the striatum that was
      affected more during later dosings. The results show that behavioral tolerance to
      monocrotophos toxicity develops despite changes in AChE and BuChE activities and
      ACh content.

PMID- 1417900
TI  - Identification of the number of genes encoding rat liver glutathione S
      transferase Yc, and their close location on the genome.
AB  - We have tried to determine the number of genes for the rat liver glutathione S
      transferase Yc, using specific probes prepared by polymerase chain reaction. DNA
      blot hybridization with specific probes and analysis in isolated genomic clones
      indicated that two copies of the Yc gene exist on the rat genome. Furthermore,
      DNA blot hybridization after clamped homogenous electric field gel
      electrophoresis indicated that the two copies of Yc gene family are closely
      located on the genome.

PMID- 1417901
TI  - New trypsin inhibitors are present in the coelomic fluid of the earthworm
      Lumbricus terrestris.
AB  - Proteinase-inhibiting components of the coelomic fluid of the earthworm Lumbricus
      terrestris were examined. Inhibition of proteinases of serine, aspartate and
      thiol families was tested. Very strong inhibition was observed only in the case
      of trypsin. Additional data suggest that the inhibition is related to proteins of
      molar mass of 42 kDa and 20 kDa, respectively. These two proteins are present in
      the coelomic fluid in several forms which differ in their isoelectric points.

PMID- 1417902
TI  - Effect of Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide on the synthesis of sulfated
      gastric mucin.
AB  - The effect of H. pylori lipopolysaccharide on the synthesis and secretion of
      sulfated mucus glycoprotein in gastric mucosa was investigated. The
      lipopolysaccharide, while showing no discernible effect on the apomucin
      synthesis, exerted a profound inhibitory effect on the process of mucus
      glycoprotein glycosylation and sulfation, and evoked a rapid (within 15 min)
      inhibition (65%) in both mucin glycosylation and sulfation at its optimal
      concentration of 100 micrograms/ml. The data on mucin secretory responses
      indicated that the added lipopolysaccharide caused a 57% stimulation in sulfated
      mucin secretion within 15 min followed thereafter by inhibition, which reached a
      maximum of 32% by 45 min. The high molecular weight mucin form predominated in
      the initial secretion, while prolonged exposure to the lipopolysaccharide caused
      a significant increase in the low molecular weight mucin form. The results
      suggest that H. pylori lipopolysaccharide exerts detrimental effect on mucus
      glycoprotein sulfation and assembly.

PMID- 1417903
TI  - Actin binding to cross-linked 10 S smooth muscle myosin and 9 S heavy meromyosin.
AB  - Unphosphorylated gizzard myosin and heavy meromyosin were cross linked in the 10
      S and 9 S states, respectively, by the cleavable cross linker, 3,3'-dithiobis
      (sulfosuccinimidyl-propionate) (DTSSP). The 10 S to 6 S transition for cross
      linked 10 S myosin appeared to cease; myosin appeared to remain in the 10 S state
      from measurements of viscosity and Mg(2+)-ATPase activity. The loss of the
      transition for cross-linked 9 S heavy meromyosin (HMM) was also indicated by
      Mg(2+)-ATPase activity. The cross links were cleaved by incubation with 50 mM
      dithiothreitol. From direct binding measurements, the estimated Kd's of actin to
      cross-linked and control heavy meromyosin were 167 and 16 microM, respectively.
      The binding affinity of cross-linked HMM to actin was restored to the control
      level by dithiothreitol.

PMID- 1417904
TI  - Adenosine metabolism in small coronary arteries of pig.
AB  - Adenosine preferentially relaxes small coronary arteries over large ones, and
      small bovine coronary arteries are also known to have a higher density of
      adenosine receptors. Here we report a possible role of adenosine metabolism in
      this process. Subcellular fractions, from right coronary artery (lumen diameter
      of 2-3 mm) of pig designated as large coronary artery and its subsequent branches
      (lumen diameter of 0.5-1 mm) as small coronary arteries, were prepared and
      characterized. In comparison to the various large artery subcellular fractions,
      the corresponding small artery fractions were richer in 5'-nucleotidase but
      poorer in adenosine deaminase. Thus a cascade of events may promote adenosine
      relaxation in small coronary arteries: higher activity of 5'-nucleotidase leads
      to production of more adenosine, larger number of receptors allows greater
      reactivity to adenosine, and lower adenosine deaminase level promotes prolonged
      action of adenosine.

PMID- 1417905
TI  - Ponceau S as a dye for quantitative protein assay. Its use in the presence of
      Triton X-100.
AB  - A Ponceau S reagent with high stability and slight response to pH changes,
      presence of organic solvents and detergents was prepared. Under these conditions,
      the reagent was tested to be suitable to quantify, in one-step procedure,
      different standard proteins. Moreover, this method offers the possibility to
      measure the protein content in the presence of the detergent Triton X-100.

PMID- 1417906
TI  - Crosslinking analysis of an endothelin receptor protein from human placenta.
AB  - Crosslinking of [125I]ET-1 to human placental membrane preparations in the
      absence of divalent cations revealed a [125I]ET-1.ET-1-receptor complex of 49 kDa
      and of 205 kDa on SDS-PAGE. In the presence of 20 mM MnCl2, however, only a
      complex of 205 kDa was observed. About 64% of the radioactively labeled
      receptor.ligand complex could be solubilised by digitonin and CHAPS. Size
      exclusion chromatography of the solubilised placental membranes, prelabeled with
      [125I]ET-1 in the presence of MnCl2, revealed two binding proteins of 200 and 33
      kDa. In the absence of MnCl2, however, only a binding protein of 50 kDa was
      observed. Binding of [125I]ET-1 to the 200 kDa and 50 kDa but not to the 33 kDa
      protein was suppressed by unlabeled ET-1. Moreover the ET-1-receptor density in
      placental membranes (Bmax) increased significantly in the presence of MnCl2,
      whereas the dissociation constant (Kd) decreased. Thus, divalent cations exhibit
      marked and possibly physiologically important effects on molecular mass, Bmax and
      Kd of the [125I]ET-1.ET-1-receptor complex. The potential mechanism of action of
      Mn2+ ions on the ET-1-receptor is discussed.

PMID- 1417907
TI  - Effect of E. coli ribosomal protein S1 on the fidelity of the translational
      elongation step: reading and misreading of poly(U) and poly(dT).
AB  - Ribosomal protein S1 was selectively removed from E. coli ribosomes by affinity
      chromatography and the effect of added S1 on the translation of poly(dT) [which
      is read as poly(U) in the presence of neomycin] and on the misreading of poly(U)
      and poly(dT) were examined. S1 enhances the translation of poly(dT) at low
      template concentration, which is similar to the effect of S1 on poly(U)
      translation. The misreading of poly(dT) by E. coli ribosomes is at a lower level
      than is the case with poly(U). This low misreading is the same for "S1-dependent"
      and "S1-independent" modes of translation. On the other hand, the misreading of
      poly(U) is significantly reduced when S1 is present. These results thus indicate
      that S1 not only facilitates the binding of mRNA to the ribosome as already
      known, but also plays a role in the correct codon-dependent selection of
      aminoacyl-tRNA.

PMID- 1417909
TI  - Evaluation of the predicted secondary structure of bacteriorhodopsin. Prediction
      of the bovine rhodopsin secondary structure and its sequence similarity with
      bacteriorhodopsin.
AB  - The secondary structure of bacteriorhodopsin (bacR) is predicted using the Chou
      and Fasman method in conjunction with the hydropathic index of Kyte and
      Doolittle. The predicted bacR structure was compared with the structure
      determined by Henderson et al. (1990) using electron diffraction and was found to
      correlate extremely well. The secondary structure of bovine rhodopsin (bovR) was
      then predicted using the same techniques. The proposed transmembrane regions of
      bovR were then examined and found to have sequence similarity with those
      transmembrane regions of bacR.

PMID- 1417908
TI  - Concentrations and ratios of immunoreactive big-endothelin-1 and endothelin-1 in
      human, rat and rabbit plasma.
AB  - We have developed a radioimmunoassay for big-endothelin-1, based on a new
      antiserum recognizing human big-endothelin(1-38). On a molar base the antibody
      showed virtually no cross-reactivity with endothelin-1, -2, -3 (less than
      0.001%), 14% cross-reactivity with the C-terminal big-endothelin(22-38) and only
      0.85% cross-reactivity with porcine big-endothelin(1-39). However, immunoreactive
      big-endothelin-1 could be detected in human, rat and rabbit plasma. Thus, big
      endothelin-1 in rats and rabbits seem to be structurally similar to human big
      endothelin-1. Immunoreactive endothelin-1 was measured using a commercially
      available anti-endothelin-1 antibody. The measured concentrations of
      immunoreactive endothelin-1 and big-endothelin-1 and their molar ratios differed
      significantly in the three species.

PMID- 1417910
TI  - Lifetime determination of low sample concentrations: a new cuvette for highly
      accurate and sensitive fluorescence measurements.
AB  - A new cuvette was developed for spectrofluorometric measurements which increases
      the efficiency of recorded fluorescence emission by at least two-fold,
      decreasing, at the same time, the noise component of the record. It is suited for
      both steady-state and dynamic fluorescence measurements. Comparative data for
      both the classical and the novel cuvettes are presented here.

PMID- 1417912
TI  - Calcium ionophore A-23187 inhibits the secretion of beta-hexosaminidase from the
      GG2EE mouse macrophage cell line.
AB  - Secretion of the lysosomal enzyme beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase is inhibited by
      calcium ionophore A-23187 in the GG2EE macrophage cell line. Such inhibition is
      time and dose dependent. Calcium ionophore A-23187 treatment causes a change in
      the pattern of hexosaminidase isoenzymes detectable in the cell extract, as
      assessed by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. In particular, control cells show two
      hexosaminidase isoenzymes corresponding to hexosaminidase A and B, whereas cells
      treated with calcium ionophore A-23187 express a third isoenzyme form with
      properties similar to hexosaminidase S.

PMID- 1417911
TI  - Effects of insulin and a tumour promoter, TPA, on glucose transport and
      metabolism in retinal pigmented epithelium in vitro.
AB  - We have studied the effects of insulin, adenosine and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol
      13-acetate (TPA) on glucose metabolism of the retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE)
      cells in vitro. Insulin stimulates glucose transport, glucose oxidation and
      lipogenesis in RPE cells. TPA at low concentrations of insulin increases the
      rates of glucose transport and glucose oxidation. Depletion of adenosine in RPE
      cells by adenosine deaminase increases the rate of both glucose transport and
      14CO2 formation and improves insulin-sensitivity of both processes. The effects
      of TPA on RPE cells cannot be explained by the activation of protein kinase C. An
      alternative possibility is that the effects of TPA on insulin-stimulated glucose
      disposal in RPE cells is mediated by a change in adenosine concentration and/or
      the affinity/number of its receptors.

PMID- 1417913
TI  - Effect of insulin and thyroxine on catalase, glutathione-s-transferase, GSH and
      GSSG in alloxan diabetic rat red cells.
AB  - The levels of catalase (CAT), glutathione-s-transferase (GST), reduced
      glutathione (GSH) and oxidised glutathione (GSSG) were measured in red blood
      cells from control (C) and diabetic rats (D). Diabetes was induced by alloxan
      administration and diabetic rats were treated with insulin (D+I) and thyroxine
      (D+T4). On the third day of insulin withdrawal the CAT activity increased
      significantly. The GST activity showed an increase in D and D+I for one week,
      thyroxine treatment to D rats resulted in maintaining the GST activity at control
      levels. The levels of GSH and GSSG increased in D red cells after one week of
      insulin withdrawal but later, the GSH level was below the control level while the
      GSSG was at its control level. Insulin treatment to D rats did not reverse GSH
      level to control initially but controlled it at a later stage. Thyroxine, though,
      reversed GSH levels but enhanced GSSG in D rat red cells.

PMID- 1417914
TI  - Effect of lead on lipid peroxidation of the hepatic subcellular organelles of
      developing chick embryos.
AB  - The effect of lead on hepatic mitochondria and microsomes of chick embryo was
      studied with special attention to the role of lipid peroxidation in the
      manifestation of lead toxicity. Mitochondrial enzymes such as succinate
      dehydrogenase, cytochrome C oxidase and ATPase were found to decrease in a dose
      dependent manner upon lead administration. Further, mitochondrial cytochromes,
      microsomal cytochrome P-450 and heme levels were reduced considerably with
      concomitant increase of mitochondrial and microsomal lipid peroxides. In the
      present investigation an attempt has been made to correlate the lead induced
      lipid peroxidation, the loss of mitochondrial and microsomal hemoproteins and the
      inhibition of mitochondrial enzymes in chick embryo.

PMID- 1417915
TI  - Catecholamines are required for testosterone induction of ornithine decarboxylase
      in the mouse kidney.
AB  - This report presents a study on the influence of the adrenergic system on
      androgen-regulated ornithine decarboxylase activity (ODC) in the mouse kidney. We
      have found that the existing levels of renal ODC in male mice and the increase
      induced by testosterone in male, female, castrated male and hypophysectomized
      mice were dramatically impaired by catecholamine depletion produced by treatment
      with either alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine or reserpine. Blockade of beta-receptors by
      treatment of the animals with the antagonists propranolol or bisoprolol was
      unable to prevent the effect of testosterone on the renal enzyme. However, alpha
      i-blockade obtained by treatment with prazosin or phenoxybenzamine was partially
      effective to produce the decrease of basal ODC in control male or to diminish ODC
      induction produced by androgens. All these findings demonstrate that
      catecholamines and alpha 1-adrenergic receptors are implicated in androgen
      regulated ODC activity in the mouse kidney and suggest a plausible role of
      sympathetic renal innervation in enzyme induction by steroid hormones in this
      organ.

PMID- 1417916
TI  - D-xylose fermentation and catabolism in Fusarium oxysporum.
AB  - Fusarium oxysporum exhibits different fermentative capacities when grown under
      different aeration conditions. Highest ethanol and acetic acid yield coefficients
      were obtained under semi-aerobic culture conditions. Effect of aerobiosis on the
      levels of key enzymes and intracellular intermediary metabolites of pentose
      phosphate pathway, tricarboxylic acid cycle and glycolysis exhibited striking
      correlation with the fermentative character of metabolism. The results are
      discussed in relation to the energy levels in the cell, the redox balance and
      mitochondrial function.

PMID- 1417917
TI  - Androgenic status in cyclic and postmenopausal women: a comparison between
      smokers and nonsmokers.
AB  - Serum total testosterone (T), free testosterone (fT) sex hormone binding globulin
      (SHBG), androstenedione (A) and 3 alpha androstanediol glucuronide (3 alpha-diol
      G) levels as well as serum free androgen index (FAI), fT/T and 3 alpha-diol G/T
      ratios were measured in premenopausal and cyclic women, grouped according to
      sexual status and smoking status. Our results showed that serum T, fT, SHBG, A
      and 3 alpha-diol G levels were lower in cyclic women in the follicular than in
      the luteal phase of the ovarian cycle, although the differences between these
      values were not significant. Postmenopausal women had significantly lower values
      of T, fT, A 3 alpha-diol G, FAI and 3 alpha diolG/T but not SHBG and fT/T than
      cyclic women. When we compared women smokers and nonsmokers, women smokers had
      serum levels of T, fT, SHBG, 3 alpha-diol G, and values of FAI, fT/T and 3 alpha
      diol G/T, similar to those in nonsmokers. Serum A levels were higher in women
      smokers than in nonsmokers, although the difference was significant only in
      postmenopausal women.

PMID- 1417918
TI  - The transfer of phosphatidylserine from rat brain microsomes to mitochondria is
      regulated by microsomal lipid pattern.
AB  - We label the phosphatidylserine of rat brain microsomes through the base-exchange
      reaction and study the export of this lipid to mitochondria in a reconstituted
      system. We fuse microsomes to liposomes to vary the lipid composition of donor
      membranes and investigate the effect of membrane lipid pattern on
      phosphatidylserine movement. The specific radioactivity of the phosphatidylserine
      transferred to mitochondria is higher than that of microsomal phosphatidylserine.
      This finding supports the hypothesis that the lipid is compartmented in
      microsomes and that the radioactive, newly synthesized phosphatidylserine is much
      better exported than the bulk of microsomal phospholipid. The transfer of
      phosphatidylserine from microsomes, where it forms through the base-exchange
      reaction, to mitochondria, where it decarboxylates to phosphatidylethanolamine,
      is enhanced by phosphatidylserine itself, and by other lipid classes. This is
      proposed as a part of a possible mechanism for regulating phosphatidylserine
      metabolism in the brain.

PMID- 1417919
TI  - Chemical modification of the monkey brain cytosolic aminopeptidase that cleaves
      enkephalin to its constituent amino acids. Evidence for essential tyrosine
      residue (residues).
AB  - A cytosolic monkey brain aminopeptidase is known to cleave amino acids
      sequentially from the amino termini of peptides like enkephalins, angiotensins,
      and tuftsin. This enzyme is stimulated by ATP-Mg2+ and inactivated by cyclic AMP
      dependent phosphorylation. Chemical modification of this aminopeptidase by
      several amino acid-modifying agents indicated essential lysine, histidine,
      arginine, cysteine, and tyrosine residues. The involvement of tyrosine residues
      in the catalytic activity was confirmed by modification by N-acetylimidazole and
      acetic anhydride, hydroxylamine treatment, and absorbance studies. Moreover,
      acetic-1-14C anhydride could label the enzyme that was inhibited by ATP or by
      bestatin, a competitive inhibitor of the enzyme.

PMID- 1417920
TI  - Acidic tripeptidyl aminopeptidase in rat liver tritosomes: partial purification
      and determination of its primary substrate specificity.
AB  - We have found the enrichment in rat liver tritosomes of an enzyme which
      hydrolyzed the synthetic substrate, Ala-Ala-Phe-pNA, under acidic conditions. The
      enzyme cleaved the substrate in an exopeptidolytic manner, releasing Ala-Ala-Phe.
      The enzyme was solubilized from tritosomes and partially purified. Beside Ala-Ala
      Phe-pNA, the obtained enzyme was shown to cleave angiotensin III (Arg-Val-Tyr-Ile
      His-Pro-Phe) and des-1Tyr-dynorphin A 1-8 (Gly-Gly-Phe-Leu-Arg-Arg-Ile) with
      tripeptide units. The results obtained suggested that the enzyme preferred an
      aromatic amino acid at the third position of a substrate peptide.

PMID- 1417921
TI  - Oxidative modification of lactate dehydrogenase by a non-enzymatic metal ion
      catalyzed oxidation system.
AB  - Exposure of lactate dehydrogenase from rabbit muscle to the
      Fe(III)/EDTA/ascorbate oxidation system leads to a time-dependent enzymatic
      inactivation (rate of inactivation of 7.35 x 10(-3) min-1), as well as to a
      spontaneous fragmentation of the protein. Fe(III) is the most important compound
      in this system, having the highest inactivating effects at concentrations above
      10 microM. The substrate pyruvate and the products of the enzymatic reaction,
      when added at high concentration to the full mixture of the system, have a
      partial protective effect on the catalytic activity.

PMID- 1417922
TI  - Different interactions of spermine with a "curved" and a "normal" DNA duplex:
      (CA4T4G)n and (CT4A4G)n. Gel electrophoresis and circular dichroism studies.
AB  - Two nucleotide sequences, (CA4T4G)n and (CT4A4G)n, are generally considered as
      prototypes of a "curved" and a "normal" DNA duplex on the basis of their
      different behaviour with respect to physico-chemical and/or biochemical
      properties. We have studied their gel electrophoretic mobilities in the presence
      of the biologically significant tetracation spermine and have found that spermine
      causes a decrease of the gel electrophoretic mobility of "curved" DNA, but does
      not influence that of "normal" DNA. Circular dichroism spectra of the complexes
      between spermine and the two examined DNAs show dramatically different features.
      These findings suggest that different DNA superstructures are relevant in
      interactions not only with proteins, but also with polycations, such as spermine.

PMID- 1417923
TI  - Effects of low-iron status and deficiency of essential fatty acids on some
      biochemical constituents of rat brain.
AB  - The effects of iron and essential fatty acids (EFA) on the development of the
      brain were studied in young rats. Male weanling rats were maintained on diets
      deficient in EFA, low in iron (9 ppm) or deficient in both EFA and iron. The low
      iron status aggravated signs of EFA deficiency indicating decreases in both
      growth and brain weight. While the protein content of the brain was considerably
      reduced, the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity increased in all dietary
      regimes. The lipids and fatty acid components of the brain were affected both
      qualitatively and quantitatively by the diets. Myelin lipids and docosahexaenoic
      acid (DHA, 22:6) were reduced by the iron deficient diets and the effect was
      found to be greater in the deficiency of both EFA and iron. It appears that
      dietary iron has a significant role to play in the biosynthesis of prostaglandins
      and in the proper configurational development and functioning of the brain.

PMID- 1417924
TI  - Stimulation of prostaglandin production in rat thymic epithelial cells by protein
      kinase C mediated activation of phospholipase A2.
AB  - Tumor promoter (phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate:PMA) stimulates the production of
      prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in a dose- and time-dependent manner in cloned rat thymic
      epithelial cells, TEA3A1. This stimulation of PGE2 production by PMA was blocked
      by pretreatment of cells with protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor staurosporin and
      was abolished in PKC down modulated cells. PMA treatment significantly stimulated
      the release of arachidonic acid from the cells, but had no effect on arachidonic
      acid incorporation and on cyclooxygenase enzymatic activity of the cells. These
      results indicate that PMA stimulates PGE2 production through PKC mediated
      activation of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in thymic epithelial cells.

PMID- 1417925
TI  - The sea bream liver contains receptors for growth hormone and prolactin.
AB  - Different tissues of the black sea bream Mylio macrocephalus including the liver,
      gills, intestine, muscle, gonad, swim bladder, spleen, heart and kidney were
      examined for the presence of prolactin and growth hormone receptors. Membranes
      were prepared from the tissues and 125I-labeled ovine prolactin and bovine growth
      hormone were used as ligands. It was found that the liver contained the highest
      level of specific 125I-labeled ovine prolactin and bovine growth hormone binding,
      suggesting the existence of hepatic prolactin and growth hormone receptors. The
      protein nature of the hepatic growth hormone receptor was revealed by the
      reduction of specific 125I-labeled growth hormone binding after treatment of
      hepatic membranes with trypsin and chymotrypsin.

PMID- 1417926
TI  - Anti-oxidant status in an in vitro model for hyperglycaemic lens cataract
      formation: competition for available nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate
      between glutathione reduction and the polyol pathway.
AB  - The level of NADPH, total glutathione and sorbitol have been measured in a normal
      (5mM) and hyperglycaemic (35mM glucose) in vitro rat lens model. In
      hyperglycaemic conditions, these intermediates are 50%, 84% and 3628% of the
      normal level. When oxidatively stressed with H2O2 (0.1mM-1.0mM) a gradation in
      the NADPH and total glutathione decrease is seen, at both glucose levels. This
      effect is most pronounced in lenses incubated in 35mM glucose, with levels
      already decreased, the NADPH falls to 15% of the normal lens. Sorbitol levels are
      correspondingly lower when the lens is oxidatively stressed. The inclusion of the
      ethyl ester of glutathione alleviates the disruption in anti-oxidant status
      caused by H2O2 but is unable to restore the NADPH level depleted by
      hyperglycaemia. These results are discussed in relation to the competitive
      requirements for NADPH between anti-oxidant preservation and sorbitol formation,
      as a mechanism for lens opacification in diabetes.

PMID- 1417927
TI  - Zidovudine-induced blockade of the expression and function of the erythropoietin
      receptor.
AB  - Treatment of bone marrow progenitor cells (BMPC) with zidovudine (AZT) at various
      concentrations (0.5 to 20 microM) in vitro for 24 hr caused a concentration
      dependent decrease in erythropoietin (Epo) receptor expression. The decrease in
      Epo receptors correlated with a decline in mRNA levels of the receptor. These
      results suggest that AZT-induced down-regulation of Epo receptor expression
      followed by loss of Epo-receptor mediated signal transduction is a significant
      contributory factor to AZT-induced erythroid toxicity.

PMID- 1417928
TI  - The pharmacokinetics of 125I-atrial natriuretic factor in anaesthetized rats.
      Effects of neutral endopeptidase inhibition with candoxatrilat and of ANF-C
      receptor blockade.
AB  - The effects of candoxatrilat (cis-4-([2-carboxy-3-(2-methoxyethoxy)propyl]-1
      cyclopentanecarbonyla mino)- 1-cyclohexane carboxylic acid) and the ring-deleted
      atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) analogue C-ANF4-23 (des[Gln18, Ser19, Gly20,
      Leu21, Gly22]ANF4-23-NH2) on the clearance of (3-[125I]iodotyrosyl28)ANF (125I
      ANF) were studied in both intact and nephrectomized anaesthetized rats. HPLC
      analysis was used to verify that the 125I-labelled material isolated by solid
      phase extraction of rat plasma was intact ANF. In intact animals, clearance of
      125I-ANF was biphasic with a T1/2 alpha of 17 sec and T1/2 beta of 95 sec. Volume
      of distribution (Vd) was 564 mL/kg and plasma clearance (Clp) 248 mL/min/kg.
      Candoxatrilat, over the dose range 0.01-10 mg/kg i.v., increased T1/2 beta (by a
      maximum of 56%) and decreased Clp (by up to 52%) with no effect on T1/2 alpha or
      Vd. C-ANF4-23 (10 micrograms/kg+1 microgram/kg/min i.v.) reduced Vd (by 57%) and
      Clp (by 54%) with no effect on T1/2 beta, whilst abolishing the T1/2 alpha phase
      in over 50% of animals. Increasing the dose of C-ANF4-23 did not increase the
      effect on any of these parameters, apart from a small increase in T1/2 beta.
      Combining the two agents resulted in a substantial decrease in Clp (76%) whilst
      the reduction in Vd and increase in T1/2 beta were comparable to those seen with
      C-ANF4-23 and candoxatrilat alone, respectively. In nephrectomized rats, the
      pharmacokinetics of 125I-ANF and the changes induced by candoxatrilat were
      similar to those observed in intact animals, whilst the effects of C-ANF4-23
      alone were greater than in intact animals. The combination of C-ANF4-23 and
      candoxatrilat again produced a substantial increase in T1/2 beta (153%) and
      decreases in Vd (55%) and Clp (78%) in nephrectomized animals, although these
      changes could not be distinguished from those seen in intact animals treated with
      the same combination. Our studies indicate that neutral endopeptidase and ANF-C
      receptors are both major, and approximately equal, clearance mechanisms for 125I
      ANF, together accounting for at least 75% of the total clearance of this peptide
      in the rat.

PMID- 1417929
TI  - Studies of in vivo iron mobilization by chelators in the ferrocene-loaded rat.
AB  - The oral efficacy of the oral iron chelators 1,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one
      (CP20), 1,2-diethyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one (CP94) and desferrioxamine B (DFO) has
      been compared with intraperitoneal DFO in an experimental model of iron overload
      with similar biochemical and biophysical characteristics to those observed for
      human genetic haemochromatosis. The hepatic iron stores in the ferrocene-loaded
      rat were relatively stable and did not decrease at the end of the loading period.
      In contrast, the iron dextran rat model showed a rapid depletion of its iron
      stores 2 weeks after cessation of intraperitoneal injection. When CP20 and CP94
      were administered to the ferrocene-loaded rat model in combination with an iron
      free diet there were significant decreases in (i) total homogenate iron and (ii)
      hepatic ferritin iron when compared to the iron-loaded rat receiving the iron
      free diet alone. Desferrioxamine, when administered by gavage, only showed
      chelation of ferritin iron, while intraperitoneal injection of desferrioxamine
      showed significant depletion of iron both in the total homogenate and ferritin.
      Subcellular fractionation of the hepatic organelle clearly showed that where
      there was depletion of homogenate iron there was a net decrease in the lysosomal
      fraction, while changes in ferritin iron were reflected by decreases in the
      cytosolic iron content. Although no assessment of net iron excretion was made, we
      suggest that the use of this animal model should ascertain the site of chelation
      by iron chelators.

PMID- 1417930
TI  - Competition between paraquat and putrescine for uptake by suspensions of rat
      alveolar type II cells.
AB  - Paraquat and the structurally similar polyamines, such as putrescine and
      spermidine, are accumulated actively and selectively by the alveolar type II
      cells via the polyamine uptake system. We report the uptake kinetics of paraquat
      and putrescine and their mutual inhibition in freshly isolated rat type II cell
      suspensions. The uptake of paraquat by type II cells exhibited saturation
      kinetics and could be inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by
      putrescine. By applying enzyme kinetic analysis to our experimental data it was
      demonstrated that the uptake of paraquat or putrescine is inhibited in a
      partially competitive manner by the respective inhibitor. Thus, we postulate that
      the polyamine uptake pathway in type II cells for paraquat and putrescine has two
      separate sites, one for each substrate, and that binding of one leads to a
      conformational change in the other.

PMID- 1417931
TI  - Cytotoxic effects of phenyl-hydroquinone and some hydroquinones on isolated rat
      hepatocytes.
AB  - The cytotoxic effects of phenyl-hydroquinone (PHQ) and some other hydroquinones
      on freshly isolated rat hepatocytes were investigated. Addition of PHQ (0.5 or
      0.75 mM) to the hepatocytes elicited dose-dependent cell death accompanied by
      losses of intracellular glutathione (GSH), protein thiols and ATP. These effects
      were related to both PHQ loss and phenyl-benzoquinone (PBQ) formation in the cell
      suspension. The cytotoxicity of PHQ was prevented by sulphydryl compounds such as
      cysteine and GSH. In Krebs-Henseleit buffer without cells, loss of PHQ (0.5 mM;
      initial concentration) and formation of PBQ, monitored by spectral measurements,
      were inhibited by addition of 50 microM GSH. Further, the oxygen consumption
      owing to autoxidation of PHQ (0.5 mM) in Krebs-Henseleit buffer without cells was
      depressed by addition of 50 microM GSH. Among all the hydroquinones tested (at
      0.5 mM), tert-butyl-hydroquinone and PHQ were most toxic, followed by
      hydroquinone and 2,5-di(tert-butyl)-1,4-benzohydroquinone. However, accumulation
      of cellular malondialdehyde was not affected by these hydroquinones. The toxicity
      was related to the rate of oxygen consumption by each hydroquinone in the buffer.
      These results suggest that hydroquinone-induced cytotoxicity is dependent on the
      rate of oxidation of these compounds as well as the loss of protein thiols.

PMID- 1417932
TI  - Effects of snake venom phospholipase A2 toxins (beta-bungarotoxin, notexin) and
      enzymes (Naja naja atra, Naja nigricollis) on aminophospholipid asymmetry in rat
      cerebrocortical synaptosomes.
AB  - The effects of snake venom phospholipase A2 (PLA2) toxins (beta-bungarotoxin,
      notexin) and PLA2 enzymes (Naja nigricollis, Naja naja atra) on aminophospholipid
      asymmetry in rat cerebrocortical synaptic plasma membranes (SPM) were examined.
      Incubation of intact synaptosomes with 2 mM 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid
      (TNBS) for 40 min, under non-penetrating conditions, followed by SPM isolation,
      allowed us to calculate the percentage of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and
      phosphatidylserine (PS) in the outer leaflet of the SPM, while incubation with
      disrupted synaptosomes provided total labeling values with the difference
      representing labeling of the inner leaflet. We found that 30% of the PE and 2% of
      the PS were in the outer leaflet, with 54% of the PE and 80% of the PS in the
      inner leaflet; 16% of the PE and 18% of the PS was inaccessible to TNBS. PLA2
      toxins and enzymes increased in a concentration-dependent manner the percentage
      of PS and, to a lesser extent, the percentage of PE in the outer leaflet of the
      SPM, due to a redistribution from the inner to the outer leaflet. There was no
      correlation between the PLA2 enzymatic activities and the increased percentage of
      PS in the outer leaflet of the SPM induced by the PLA2 toxins and enzymes.
      Alteration of aminophospholipid asymmetry does not explain the greater
      presynaptic specificity and potencies of the PLA2 toxins as compared to the PLA2
      enzymes, but may be associated with the increased acetylcholine release from
      synaptosomes induced by both the toxins and enzymes.

PMID- 1417933
TI  - Gold complexes and activation of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Dissociation
      of changes in membrane potential and oxidative burst.
AB  - The effects of the gold compounds on the alteration of membrane potential of
      polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in response to various stimulants have been
      compared with their effects on the oxidative burst. The present studies have
      shown that gold complexes [auranofin (AF), aurothiomalate (Autm), aurocyanide
      (Au(CN)2-)] have contrasting effects on the membrane potential of 3,3'
      dipentyloxacarbocyanine [di-O-C5(3)] loaded PMN. Au(CN)2- at concentrations which
      inhibit the oxidative burst of PMN did not affect the membrane depolarization
      after activation of PMN by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and N-formyl-methionyl
      leucyl phenylalanine (FMLP); Autm slightly stimulated the oxidative burst but had
      no effect on the depolarization of PMN. In contrast, AF inhibited the
      depolarization of stimulated PMN to an extent depending upon the concentration of
      AF, the time of preincubation and the stimulus. The membrane depolarization of
      PMN caused by PMA, FMLP and concanavalin A (ConA) was inhibited by AF (5 microM)
      but the depolarization induced by calcium ionophore (A23187) was not affected. AF
      at the same conditions inhibits the oxidative burst of PMN induced by all these
      single stimuli including the calcium ionophore. Dissociation of membrane
      depolarization and superoxide generation caused by AF was also seen in PMN
      activated by two stimuli. AF (5 microM) had little initial inhibitory effect on
      the oxidative burst of PMN stimulated by combinations of PMA and ConA or PMA and
      FMLP whereas it almost totally blocked the depolarization caused by these
      combinations. Preincubation of cells with 5 microM AF for less than 5 min prior
      to the addition of PMA allowed membrane depolarization which was followed rapidly
      by repolarization. None of the gold complexes studied had any effect on the
      resting membrane potential of PMN.

PMID- 1417934
TI  - Inhibition of biliary lipid and protein secretion by cyclosporine A in the rat.
AB  - We investigated the effect of cyclosporine A (CyA) administered as a single i.v.
      dose of 20 and 40 mg/kg body wt, on biliary secretion of cholesterol,
      phospholipid, bile acid, and lysosomal marker and canalicular plasma membrane
      marker enzymes in anaesthetized Wistar rats. CyA reduced the concentration and
      biliary secretion of cholesterol, phospholipid and bile acid to a considerable
      extent; the inhibitory effect of CyA on the biliary secretion of phospholipid and
      bile acid was greater than that on cholesterol. The biliary outputs of acid
      phosphatase (AcP) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (gamma-GT) were also diminished
      by the drug, all these effects being dose-dependent. Maximum decreases in bile
      acid secretion were observed 10 min after administration, whereas those of
      cholesterol and phospholipid were delayed. Bile acid concentrations and secretion
      returned to pretest values at 30-50 min after CyA injection whereas those of
      cholesterol and phospholipid remained significantly reduced at this time point.
      The greater inhibitory effect of CyA on the biliary outputs of phospholipid and
      bile acid relative to cholesterol secretion together with the asynchronous fall
      and recovery of bile acid, cholesterol and phospholipid concentrations and
      secretion alter the cholesterol/bile acid, phospholipid/bile acid and
      cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratios as well as the lithogenic index, thus
      suggesting that CyA would uncouple biliary lipid secretion from bile acid
      secretion. Since under physiological conditions biliary lipid and gamma-GT
      secretion is related to and dependent upon bile acid secretion, we propose that
      the CyA-induced inhibition on lipid and gamma-GT secretion is, at least partly,
      secondary to the fall in bile acid output caused by the drug. However, since CyA
      inhibits secretory processes independent of the hepatobiliary flux of bile acid,
      such as the exocytic discharge of AcP, and because it also uncouples biliary
      lipid from bile acid secretion, other mechanisms and factors involved in lipid
      and protein secretion (such as intracellular transport, canalicular membrane
      fluidity and/or intracanalicular events) might also be altered by this drug.

PMID- 1417935
TI  - In vitro DNA synthesis by DNA polymerase I and DNA polymerase alpha on single
      stranded DNA containing either purine or pyrimidine monoadducts.
AB  - The capacity of the large fragment of DNA polymerase I from Escherichia coli and
      of DNA polymerase alpha from Drosophila embryo to replicate single-stranded
      M13mp10 DNA containing either purine or pyrimidine monoadducts was compared. The
      monoadducts were respectively induced by cisplatinum and by furocoumarin
      photoaddition. For both types of lesions, it is observed that the eukaryotic
      enzyme is more inhibited than the prokaryotic one. By mapping the arrest sites
      produced by furocoumarin monoadducts on the synthesis catalysed by DNA polymerase
      alpha, we show that, in contrast with the photoreaction observed with double
      stranded DNA, these compounds do not show a strong sequence specificity in
      reacting with single-stranded DNA.

PMID- 1417936
TI  - Events that precede and that follow S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine-induced
      release of mitochondrial Ca2+ and their association with cytotoxicity to renal
      cells.
AB  - Previous studies showed that S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine perturbs
      intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis [Vamvakas et al., Mol Pharmacol 38: 455-461,
      1990]. The objective of the present study was to investigate the cellular events
      that precede and that follow S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine-induced
      mitochondrial Ca2+ release. In incubations with isolated kidney mitochondria, S
      (1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine-induced Ca2+ efflux is preceded by increased
      oxidation of mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides and is prevented by ATP, an
      inhibitor of the hydrolysis of pyridine nucleotides, and by meta
      iodobenzylguanidine, an acceptor of ADP-ribose moieties. In LLC-PK1 cells,
      elevation in the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration is followed by a several-fold
      increase in DNA double-strand breaks which is attributed to the activation of
      Ca2+- and Mg(2+)-dependent endonucleases. The formation of DNA double-strand
      breaks is followed by increased poly(ADP-ribosylation) of nuclear proteins. S
      (1,2-Dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine-induced cytotoxicity in LLC-PK1 cells is blocked
      by chelation of cytosolic Ca2+ with Quin-2, by inhibition of DNA fragmentation
      with aurintricarboxylic acid and by inhibition of increased poly(ADP
      ribosyl)transferase activity by 3-aminobenzamide. These findings indicate that S
      (1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine bioactivation in renal cells may initiate the
      following cascade of events: increased oxidation and hydrolysis of mitochondrial
      pyridine nucleotides resulting in the modification of mitochondrial membrane
      proteins by pyridine nucleotide-derived ADP-ribose moieties, followed by Ca2+
      release. Elevated Ca2+ concentrations may activate Ca(2+)-dependent
      endonucleases, which leads to DNA fragmentation followed by increased poly(ADP
      ribosylation) of nuclear proteins and, finally, cytotoxicity.

PMID- 1417938
TI  - Inhibition of enzymatic activity of phospholipases A2 by minocycline and
      doxycycline.
AB  - Extracellular phospholipases A2 play an important role in articular and extra
      articular inflammatory processes. Secretory non-pancreatic phospholipase A2
      (PLA2) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of articular inflammation in
      rheumatoid arthritis, whereas pancreatic PLA2 contributes to the tissue damage
      associated with acute pancreatitis. Since in experimental models lipophilic
      tetracyclines such as minocycline and doxycycline are antiinflammatory, we
      examined their effects on PLA2 activity using two assay systems in vitro. We
      found that minocycline and to a lesser degree doxycycline were markedly
      inhibitory to both pancreatic and non-pancreatic PLA2. Using [14C]oleic acid
      labeled Escherichia coli membrane phospholipids as substrate, the IC50 values for
      minocycline and doxycycline were 3.6 x 10(-5) M (18 micrograms/mL) and 0.98 x 10(
      4) M (47 micrograms/mL), respectively. In a scooting mode assay using the
      synthetic phospholipid 1-palmitoyl-2-(10-pyrenedecanoyl)-3-L-phosphatidylmethanol
      as substrate, IC50 values for minocycline were 5 microM (2.47 micrograms/mL) for
      non-pancreatic PLA2 and 8 microM (3.95 micrograms/mL) for pancreatic PLA2.
      Addition of excess calcium up to 50 mM did not reverse the inhibitory activity of
      tetracyclines. We conclude that lipophilic tetracyclines inhibit PLA2, probably
      by interaction with the substrate, and may be a useful adjunct in the therapy of
      inflammatory conditions in which PLA2 is implicated pathogenetically.

PMID- 1417937
TI  - Heart and liver membrane phospholipid homeostasis during acute administration of
      various antitumoral drugs to the rat.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate in the rat heart and liver the
      effects of an acute administration of three anthracyclines, doxorubicin,
      epirubicin and pirarubicin, and an anthracenedione, mitoxantrone, on the membrane
      peroxidative status, which was estimated by the composition of polyunsaturated
      fatty acids (PUFA), and on the activities of the enzymes involved in membrane
      repair processes and lipid hydroperoxide detoxification. Rats were injected for
      four consecutive days with the drugs or saline (control) and killed 24 hr after
      the last injection. All the drugs induced an increase in plasma thiobarbituric
      reactive substances and alpha-tocopherol concentrations, both expressed per
      milligram of plasma lipids. Plasma vitamin A was decreased by about a factor of
      two by all the drugs. The fatty acid profile in the heart lipids showed that the
      polyunsaturated species (20:4 n-6, 22:6 n-3) remained at the same or even higher
      levels after anthracycline treatment. This can be explained by the fact that the
      activities of the enzymes involved in either the recycling of membrane
      phospholipids, such as phospholipases A1 and A2 (EC 3.1.1.4 and EC 3.1.1.32),
      lysophospholipases (EC 3.1.1.5) and acylCoA:lysophosphatidylcholine
      acyltransferases (EC 2.3.1.23), or hydroperoxide detoxification, such as selenium
      dependent glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX, EC 1.11.1.9) and glutathione S
      transferases (GSH-T, EC 2.1.5.18), were maintained at the same level of activity
      after the antitumoral treatment. In liver, membrane phospholipid levels of PUFA
      were maintained as well as the activities of phospholipid-metabolizing enzymes.
      GSH-PX activity was not affected whereas that of GSH-T was slightly lowered by
      the drugs. These results suggest that during acute antitumoral-induced lipid
      peroxidation of membranes, the multi-enzymatic complex of the immediate processes
      of repair and detoxification is fully operational, allowing the membrane to
      rapidly recover its functional status. The results are discussed in the context
      of the equivocal relationships between antitumoral-induced lipid peroxidation and
      cardiac disturbances.

PMID- 1417939
TI  - Ethylbenzene-mediated induction of cytochrome P450 isozymes in male and female
      rats.
AB  - Male and female Holtzman rats were exposed to ethylbenzene, and the effect on
      liver microsomal activities was studied. Hydrocarbon- and sex-dependent effects
      on P450-dependent metabolism of drugs and aromatic hydrocarbons were
      investigated. Hydrocarbon treatment produced two patterns of induction in
      cytochrome P450-dependent activities: (1) induction common to both sexes; and (2)
      induction exclusively in females. Benzphetamine N-demethylation, 7-ethoxycoumarin
      O-deethylation, p-nitroanisole O-demethylation and aromatic hydroxylation of
      toluene were induced in both sexes after rats were exposed to ethylbenzene. The
      rate of benzphetamine N-demethylation increased 4-fold in females and nearly
      doubled in males. The increase in O-deethylation of 7-ethoxycoumarin was 3-fold
      in females and doubled in males, while p-nitroanisole O-demethylation increased 4
      fold in both sexes after exposure to ethylbenzene. Ethylbenzene had its greatest
      effect upon the formation of aromatic hydroxylated metabolites of toluene.
      Ethylbenzene exposure increased the rate of o-cresol formation by 4- and 9-fold
      in female and male rats, respectively. The formation rate of p-cresol was
      undetectable in either sex prior to hydrocarbon exposure; however, after the rats
      were given ethylbenzene, rates increased to 0.4 nmol/min/mg protein in females
      and to 0.9 nmol/min/mg protein in the males. Ethylbenzene exposure selectively
      induced aminopyrine demethylation, aniline hydroxylation, N,N-dimethylnitrosamine
      N-demethylation (DMNA) and aliphatic hydroxylation of toluene in females. Rates
      for aminopyrine, aniline, and DMNA were increased 50% over controls, while
      formation of benzyl alcohol from toluene was enhanced to 260% of control. Western
      immunoblotting indicated that ethylbenzene treatment induced cytochrome P450
      2B1/2B2 to a greater extent in male rats and cytochrome P450 2E1 only in females.
      Ethylbenzene exposure did not affect significantly the level of cytochrome P450
      1A1.

PMID- 1417940
TI  - Effects of perfluoro fatty acids on xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes, enzymes
      which detoxify reactive forms of oxygen and lipid peroxidation in mouse liver.
AB  - Male mice were exposed via their diet to perfluoro fatty acids of various chain
      lengths (2-10 carbon atoms) at different doses (0.02 and 0.1% weight) and for
      different periods of time (2-10 days). Thereafter, we monitored effects on liver
      and body weights and a number of hepatic parameters, including mitochondrial
      protein content, microsomal contents of cytochromes P450 and b5, NADPH-cytochrome
      P450 reductase activity [measured as NADPH-cytochrome c reductase (EC 1.6.2.3)],
      microsomal and cytosolic epoxide hydrolase (EC 3.3.2.3) activities, cytosolic DT
      diaphorase (EC 1.6.99.2), glutathione transferase (EC 2.5.1.18), glutathione
      peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.9) and superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) activities, and
      levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive material (as an indicator of lipid
      peroxidation) in the mitochondrial subfraction. The most dramatic changes
      observed were a 5-9-fold increase in mitochondrial protein, a 3-6-fold increase
      in the microsomal content of cytochrome P450, a 3-10-fold increase in cytosolic
      DT-diaphorase activity, an approximately 2-fold increase in cytosolic epoxide
      hydrolase activity and as much as a 60% decrease in the level of thiobarbituric
      acid-reactive compounds in the mitochondrial fraction. Smaller increases in
      microsomal epoxide hydrolase activity and decreases in cytosolic glutathione
      peroxidase activity were also observed. Of the perfluoro fatty acids tested,
      perfluorooctanoic acid caused the largest changes in the parameters examined
      here. Dietary exposure of mice to a 0.02% dose of this substance for 10 days
      results in a maximal or near-maximal effect in most cases.

PMID- 1417941
TI  - The role of lipid peroxidation in the nephrotoxicity of cisplatin.
AB  - The possible role of lipid peroxidation in the nephrotoxicity of the antitumour
      drug cisplatin was studied in vitro. In contrast to Adriamycin, cisplatin did not
      induce lipid peroxidation in rat kidney microsomes containing a NADPH-generating
      system. Pretreatment of rat kidney microsomes with cisplatin did not reduce the
      activity of a microsomal glutathione (GSH)-dependent protective factor against
      lipid peroxidation induced by Fe(2+)-ascorbate. However, pretreatment of rat
      kidney microsomes with 0.1 mM N-ethyl maleimide (NEM) did reduce this GSH
      dependent protection. Cisplatin also did not reduce the activity of a cytosolic
      GSH-dependent protective factor against Fe(2+)-ascorbate-induced lipid
      peroxidation. The results of our experiments indicate that, in contrast to
      Adriamycin, cisplatin does not induce lipid peroxidation in vitro in various test
      systems. It also does not destroy microsomal and cytosolic GSH-dependent
      protective factors against lipid peroxidation.

PMID- 1417942
TI  - Peptidyl fluoromethyl ketones as inhibitors of cathepsin B. Implication for
      treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - Peptidyl fluoromethyl ketones (FMKs), with the amino acid sequence Phe-Ala held
      constant but with variable N-terminal groups, were synthesized and tested for
      inhibition of the cysteine proteinase cathepsin B. The FMKs were effective in
      inhibiting cathepsin B activity in vitro. The inhibition was time dependent and
      was not reversed by dialysis, suggesting covalent modification of the enzyme.
      Cathepsin B activity present in livers and kidneys of rats treated with FMKs was
      reduced by 22-91% 4 hr after a single oral dose of 25 mg/kg. The FMKs inhibited
      the severity of inflammation and the extent of cartilage and bone damage in
      adjuvant-induced arthritis. These effects were seen during the late-stage of the
      disease with no effect on onset or incidence of disease. This is consistent with
      inhibition of protease-mediated damage. These FMKs or derivatives may be of
      clinical value in the treatment of arthritis.

PMID- 1417943
TI  - Increase of brain endogenous monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity (tribulin) in
      experimental audiogenic seizures in rats: evidence for a monoamine oxidase A
      inhibiting component of tribulin.
AB  - Brain tribulin activity in rats with an inherited predisposition to audiogenic
      epilepsy was studied after seizures of different intensity were induced by an
      electric bell. Weak seizures (from 0 to 2 arbitrary units) did not produce any
      changes in endogenous inhibitory activity towards either monoamine oxidase (MAO)
      A or B. Moderate seizures were characterized by increases in both MAO A and MAO B
      inhibitory activity (up to 1.9-fold). Complete tonic epileptiform seizures with
      total areflexia (4 arbitrary units) induced further augmentation (up to 2.5-fold)
      of MAO A but not of MAO B inhibitory activity. This dissociation between the two
      inhibitory activities points to the existence of a separate MAO A-inhibiting
      component of brain tribulin which is different from isatin.

PMID- 1417944
TI  - Inhibition and induction of cytochrome P450 2B1 in rat liver by promazine and
      chlorpromazine.
AB  - Phenothiazine tranquilizers have been associated with pharmacokinetic drug
      interactions in man. In this study the in vivo and in vitro effects of the
      clinically important phenothiazines promazine (PZ) and chlorpromazine (CPZ) on
      drug oxidations catalysed by specific cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes were
      investigated in the rat. In vitro, the two drugs were relatively ineffective
      inhibitors of constitutive P450 activities, but were inhibitory toward the
      principal phenobarbital-inducible P450 2B1 and, to a lesser extent, P450 1A1.
      Administration of PZ and CPZ to male rats did not markedly influence the total
      microsomal P450 content of the liver. However, the quantitatively important male
      specific P450 2C11 was down-regulated by CPZ and concomitant induction of P450
      2B1 and associated 7-pentylresorufin O-depentylase activity were noted. A small
      increase in the activity of microsomal 7-ethylresorufin O-deethylase was also
      observed following administration of both drugs to rats, suggesting induction of
      P450 1A1/2. Considered together, it is apparent that the two phenothiazines are
      preferential inhibitors and inducers of P450 2B1 in rat liver. Drug interactions
      in humans involving phenothiazines may reflect a combined effect of induction and
      inhibition processes as well as down-regulation of other P450s, such as that
      produced by CPZ on P450 2C11.

PMID- 1417945
TI  - Microsomal cytochrome P450 in human brain regions.
AB  - Cytochrome P450 (P450) levels were quantitated in microsomes from human brain
      regions obtained at autopsy. The reduced carbon monoxide binding spectra of
      cortical microsomes showed two absorption maxima at 449 and 425 nm. On
      solubilization of the microsomes, essentially a single peak was observed at 449
      nm. The P450 levels in human brain cortical microsomes varied from 0.03 to 0.12
      nmol/mg protein among the seven samples examined. The concentration of the
      hemeprotein present as nmol/g tissue was highest in the brain stem and cerebellum
      and lowest in the striatum and hippocampus.

PMID- 1417947
TI  - Active-site directed irreversible inhibition of diamine oxidase by a homologous
      series of aziridinylalkylamines.
AB  - Three electrophilic homologous aminoalkylaziridine analogues of putrescine,
      cadaverine, and 1,3-diaminopropane were synthesized and found to represent a
      mechanistically distinct class of irreversible inhibitors of diamine oxidase. The
      putrescine analogue, N-(4-aminobutyl)aziridine gave the lowest calculated IC50
      value, whereas N-(3-aminopropyl)aziridine, an analogue of the poorest substrate
      of the series, showed the highest IC50. The findings suggest that the
      aziridinylalkylamines tested are site-directed agents that form irreversible
      complexes at the active site of diamine oxidase. Affinity of the inhibitors for
      the active site appeared to be dependent on alkyl chain length, suggesting that
      binding promotes the reactivity of the aziridinyl group.

PMID- 1417946
TI  - Reduced carnitine and ketogenesis in the pivampicillin treated rat.
AB  - Pivampicillin (630 mg/kg body wt) given daily by stomach tube induced carnitine
      deficiency in the rat. The carnitine concentrations after 24 days were
      significantly reduced to (mean +/- SD) 34 +/- 2, 27 +/- 7, 70 +/- 18, 75 +/- 16
      and 49 +/- 4% of controls in plasma, liver, muscle, heart and kidney,
      respectively, without any further reduction after 36 days. Pivampicillin
      treatment reduced the carnitine concentrations in the liver of the 48 hr fasted
      rat to about 1/2 of the controls after 6 days. The concentration of beta
      hydroxybutyrate was significantly reduced up to 14 days of treatment, and again
      increased. There was no significant difference in the free fatty acid
      concentrations between treated and control rats. Thus, pivampicillin treatment
      induced carnitine deficiency in the rat, but not as pronounced as seen in humans.
      This is possibly caused by adjustment of bacterial flora in the gut or altered
      renal mechanisms. The pivampicillin-treated rat, therefore, is not a useful model
      for pronounced carnitine deficiency in humans.

PMID- 1417948
TI  - Effect of various flavonoids on lysosomes subjected to an oxidative or an osmotic
      stress.
AB  - When a light mitochondrial fraction (L fraction) of rat liver is incubated in the
      presence of an oxygen free radical generating system (xanthine-xanthine oxidase),
      the free activity of N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAGase) increases as a result of
      the deterioration of the lysosomal membrane. Various flavonoids are able to
      prevent this phenomenon, others are ineffective. Comparative activity studies
      suggest the importance of the presence of two OH groups in orthosubstitution in
      the B ring and of an OH in the 3 position. Flavan-type flavonoids behave like
      their related flavonoids; d-catechin also opposes lysosome disruption.
      Kaempferol, quercetin, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone and d-catechin inhibit
      lipoperoxidation occurring in an L fraction incubated with the xanthine oxidase
      system as ascertained by malondialdehyde (MDA) production. For kaempferol and
      quercetin, such an inhibition parallels the prevention of NAGase release; this is
      not the case for the two other compounds where inhibition of NAGase release takes
      place at a flavonoid concentration lower than that required to oppose MDA
      production. Morphological observations performed on purified lysosomes confirm
      the biochemical results. Some flavonoids are also able to prevent release of
      NAGase caused by the incubation of an L fraction in isoosmotic glucose. Only
      flavone and hydroxyflavones are effective. It is proposed that the protective
      effect of flavonoids on lysosomes subjected to oxygen free radicals does not only
      originate from their scavenger and antilipoperoxidant properties; a more direct
      action on lysosomal membrane making it more resistant to oxidative aggression has
      to be considered. The prevention by some flavonoids of lysosome osmotic
      disruption in isoosmotic glucose could be the result of an inhibition of glucose
      translocation through the lysosomal membrane.

PMID- 1417949
TI  - Stereoselective conjugation of 2-bromocarboxylic acids and their urea derivatives
      by rat liver glutathione transferase 12-12 and some other isoforms.
AB  - Glutathione (GSH) conjugation of the separate enantiomers of five 2
      bromocarboxylic acids and some of their urea derivatives by rat liver GSH
      transferases (GSTs) was studied. The liver cytosolic fraction conjugated all
      compounds, except for (R)-2-bromoisovaleric acid, with a variable degree of
      stereoselectivity. A GST pool, prepared by S-hexyl-GSH affinity chromatography,
      conjugated the urea derivatives at a somewhat higher rate but had very little
      activity towards the carboxylic acids, indicating that much activity towards the
      latter substrates was due to transferases not bound by the affinity column.
      Therefore, the activity was studied of some pure GSTs that are bound only
      slightly by the affinity column towards the separate enantiomers of 2
      bromovaleric acid (BV), its urea derivative and 2-bromo-3-phenylpropionic acid
      (BPP). No activity was detected with transferases 5-5 and 8-8. Transferase 1-1
      was active towards all compounds with high activity towards the urea derivatives.
      Transferase 12-12 showed high, stereospecific activity towards the R enantiomers
      of BV, its urea derivative and BPP.

PMID- 1417950
TI  - Cerium-induced strain-dependent increase in Cyp2a-4/5 (cytochrome P4502a-4/5)
      expression in the liver and kidneys of inbred mice.
AB  - The murine Cyp2a-4 and Cyp2a-5 genes encode P450 isoforms catalysing testosterone
      15 alpha-hydroxylase and coumarin 7-hydroxylase (COH) activities, respectively.
      Two days after the administration of a hepatotoxic dose of cerium chloride (2
      mg/kg i.v.), COH activity was increased 3.2-fold in the liver of DBA/2 mice.
      Three and 4 days after the cerium treatment, coinciding with the occurrence of
      overt liver damage, there was a dramatic decrease in COH activity. The activities
      of testosterone 15 alpha-hydroxylase and the Cyp1a-1-mediated 7-ethoxyresorufin O
      deethylase (EROD) were decreased in response to cerium. Much less pronounced
      changes in the enzyme activities occurred in the C57BL/6 mouse liver. Northern
      blot analysis showed a 21-fold increase in the hepatic Cyp2a-4/5 mRNA in the
      DBA/2 mice at day 2, whereas no increase occurred in the C57BL/6 mice. Also in
      the kidneys the increase in COH activity and in Cyp2a-4/5 mRNA was marked only in
      the DBA/2 mice. A polymerase chain reaction-mediated analysis method utilizing a
      unique PstI restriction site in the Cyp2a-5 cDNA was used to differentiate
      between the highly homologous Cyp2a-4 and Cyp2a-5 mRNAs. Cerium was found to
      increase the amount of hepatic and renal Cyp2a-4 and Cyp2a-5 mRNA only in the
      DBA/2 mice. These data indicate that the Cyp2a-4/5 complex is regulated in a
      different way in DBA/2 and C57BL/6 mice and that some association exists between
      the development of liver damage and COH induction.

PMID- 1417951
TI  - Increased biliary excretion of glutathione is generated by the glutathione
      dependent hepatobiliary transport of antimony and bismuth.
AB  - We have recently demonstrated that the hepatobiliary transport of arsenic is
      glutathione-dependent and is associated with a profound increase in biliary
      excretion of glutathione (GSH), hepatic GSH depletion and diminished GSH
      conjugation (Gyurasics A, Varga F and Gregus Z, Biochem Pharmacol 41: 937-944 and
      Gyurasics A, Varga F and Gregus Z, Biochem Pharmacol 42: 465-468, 1991). The
      present studies in rats aimed to determine whether antimony and bismuth, other
      metalloids in group Va of the periodic table, also possess similar properties.
      Antimony potassium tartrate (25-100 mumol/kg, i.v.) and bismuth ammonium citrate
      (50-200 mumol/kg, i.v.) increased up to 50- and 4-fold, respectively, the biliary
      excretion of non-protein thiols (NPSH). This resulted mainly from increased
      hepatobiliary transport of GSH as suggested by a close parallelism in the biliary
      excretion of NPSH and GSH after antimony or bismuth administration. Within 2 hr,
      rats excreted into bile 55 and 3% of the dose of antimony (50 mumol/kg, i.v.) and
      bismuth (150 mumol/kg, i.v.), respectively. The time courses of the biliary
      excretion of these metalloids and NPSH or GSH were strikingly similar suggesting
      co-ordinate hepatobiliary transport of the metalloids and GSH. However, at the
      peak of their excretion, each molecule of antimony or bismuth resulted in a co
      transport of approximately three molecules of GSH. Diethyl maleate, indocyanine
      green and sulfobromophthalein (BSP), which decreased biliary excretion of GSH,
      significantly diminished excretion of antimony and bismuth into bile indicating
      that hepatobiliary transport of these metalloids is GSH-dependent. Administration
      of antimony, but not bismuth, decreased hepatic GSH level by 30% and reduced the
      GSH conjugation and biliary excretion of BSP. These studies demonstrate that the
      hepatobiliary transport of trivalent antimony and bismuth is GSH-dependent
      similarly to the hepatobiliary transport of trivalent arsenic. Proportionally to
      their biliary excretion rates, these metalloids generate increased biliary
      excretion of GSH probably because they are transported from liver to bile as
      unstable GSH complexes. The significant loss of hepatic GSH into bile as induced
      by arsenic or antimony may compromise conjugation of xenobiotics with GSH.

PMID- 1417952
TI  - Is there an association between an increase in c-myc RNA steady state levels and
      c-myc methylation in HL-60 cells treated with 3-deaza-(+/-)-aristeromycin, an
      indirect inhibitor of methylation?
AB  - Alteration in gene expression of the proto-oncogene c-myc in HL-60 cells is
      associated with differentiation of these cells. We have studied the steady state
      levels of c-myc transcripts, the levels of transmethylation metabolites S
      adenosylmethionine and S-adenosyl-homocysteine and the methylation pattern of the
      c-myc gene after treatment of HL-60 cells with the transmethylation inhibitor and
      granulocytic inducer, 3-deaza-(+/-)-aristeromycin. A transient increase in c-myc
      RNA levels after 45 min of drug exposure was observed which was accompanied by
      changes in the ratio of transmethylation metabolites in both whole cells and
      nuclei. The changes in transmethylation metabolites in whole cells, although
      compatible with levels frequently associated with hypomethylation of cellular
      components, caused no changes in methylation of c-myc DNA sequences of the HL-60
      cells as detected by HpaII or MspI digestion and Southern blotting.

PMID- 1417953
TI  - The effects of ibuprofen enantiomers on hepatocyte intermediary metabolism and
      mitochondrial respiration.
AB  - In vivo and in vitro (-)R-ibuprofen is inverted to the (+)S antipode via
      stereoselective formation of an R-ibuprofenyl-CoA intermediate. In this study the
      effects of (-)R- and (+)S-ibuprofen on metabolism and respiration were studied
      using isolated rat hepatocytes and mitochondria. R-Ibuprofen significantly
      increased the lactate to pyruvate ratio, perturbed mitochondrial ketogenesis as
      evidenced by alterations in the beta-hydroxybutyrate to acetoacetate ratio and
      uncoupled mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. In addition, substantial dose-
      and time-dependent sequestration of reduced CoA (CoASH) occurred in the presence
      of the R enantiomer. Similarly, S-ibuprofen altered both the cytosolic and
      mitochondrial redox states although the magnitude of the effect was substantially
      less than that observed with the R enantiomer. In contrast to R-ibuprofen, S
      ibuprofen did not uncouple oxidative phosphorylation or sequester hepatocyte
      CoASH. It is proposed that the perturbations observed in hepatocyte intermediary
      metabolism and mitochondrial function are attributable to a combination of the
      direct effects of R-ibuprofen per se and the sequestration of CoASH as R
      ibuprofenyl-CoA during the process of chiral inversion. On the basis of these
      results, R-ibuprofen should be considered more in terms of metabolism to a
      reactive acyl-CoA intermediate rather than as a pro-drug for the
      pharmacologically active S-enantiomer.

PMID- 1417954
TI  - Effect of dietary fat on the in vitro hepatotoxicity of paracetamol.
AB  - In the present study, we have examined the effect of dietary fat on paracetamol
      induced liver injury in an in vitro rat liver slice model. Rats were fed, for 7
      10 days, diets containing either butter or polyunsaturated vegetable margarine,
      two fat sources commonly consumed in the human diet. Liver slices were then
      exposed to paracetamol for 2 hr and further incubated for 4 hr without
      paracetamol. Cell damage in the slices was quantified at 6 hr by measuring
      leakage of lactate dehydrogenase, increase in water content and potassium loss.
      Covalent binding of radioactive paracetamol to liver and the membrane fatty acid
      composition of the liver were also measured. Liver slices from rats fed butter
      diets were significantly more sensitive to the toxic effects of paracetamol than
      those from margarine fed rats. The membrane lipid composition of the livers also
      reflected the differing fatty acid content of the two diets.

PMID- 1417955
TI  - Rapid chloroquine efflux phenotype in both chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquine
      resistant Plasmodium falciparum. A correlation of chloroquine sensitivity with
      energy-dependent drug accumulation.
AB  - Recent reports suggest that lower levels of chloroquine accumulation in
      chloroquine-resistant isolates of Plasmodium falciparum are achieved by energy
      dependent chloroquine efflux from resistant parasites. In support of this
      argument, a rapid chloroquine efflux phenotype has been observed in some
      chloroquine-resistant isolates of P. falciparum. In this study, no relationship
      was found between chloroquine sensitivity and the rate of [3H]chloroquine efflux
      from four isolates of P. falciparum with a greater than 10-fold range in
      sensitivity to chloroquine. All the isolates tested displayed the rapid efflux
      phenotype, irrespective of sensitivity. However, chloroquine sensitivity of these
      isolates was correlated with energy-dependent rate of drug accumulation into
      these parasites. Verapamil and a variety of other compounds reverse chloroquine
      resistance. The reversal mechanism is assumed to result from competition between
      verapamil and chloroquine for efflux protein translocation sites, thus causing an
      increase in steady-state accumulation of chloroquine and hence a return to
      sensitivity. Verapamil accumulation at a steady-state is increased by
      chloroquine, possibly indicating competition for efflux of the two substrates.
      Increases in steady-state verapamil concentrations caused by chloroquine were
      identical in sensitive and resistant strains, suggesting that similar capacity
      efflux pumps may exist in these isolates. These data suggest that differences in
      steady-state chloroquine accumulation seen in these isolates can be attributed to
      changes in the chloroquine concentrating mechanism rather than the efflux pump.
      It seems likely that chloroquine resistance generally in P. falciparum, results
      at least in part from a change in the drug concentrating mechanism and that
      changes in efflux rates per se are insufficient to explain chloroquine
      resistance.

PMID- 1417956
TI  - Potencies of protein kinase C inhibitors are dependent on the activators used to
      stimulate the enzyme.
AB  - The aim was to examine systematically the potencies of protein kinase C
      inhibitors as a function of the kinase activator. Protein kinase C is activated
      by at least four stimulators: calcium plus phosphatidylserine (Ca/PS), phorbol 12
      myristate 13-acetate plus PS (PS/PMA), arachidonic acid plus calcium (Ca/AA) and
      the synthetic peptide activator PCK530-558. With histone or GS1-12 as substrates,
      protein kinase C was maximally activated by Ca/PS, or to maxima of 62%, 89% or
      82% with PS/PMA, Ca/AA or PKC530-558, respectively. One group of inhibitors,
      including H-7 and staurosporine, were equipotent, regardless of the activator.
      All other inhibitors showed variable selectivity, dependent upon the activator. A
      second group of inhibitors, including sphingosine and lipophosphoglycan, were
      eight or 200 times more potent for inhibition of PS/PMA-stimulated activity
      (relative to Ca/PS) and a third group, including retinal and palmitoylcarnitine,
      were 14 or 262 times more potent towards Ca/PS-stimulated activity. A final group
      (rhodamine 6G) was nine times more potent when Ca/AA was the activator. Similar
      results were obtained using the endogenous substrates dephosphin or MARCKS in
      synaptosol. Phosphorylation of MARCKS was stimulated by PS/PMA or Ca/PS, while
      phosphorylation of dephosphin was stimulated only by Ca/PS. The phosphorylation
      of either by Ca/PS-activated kinase was nine times more potently inhibited by
      palmitoylcarnitine, while phosphorylation of MARCKS by PS/PMA-activated kinase
      was 10 times more potently inhibited by sphingosine. H-7 inhibited both at
      similar concentrations. A model encompasses these differences in potency if the
      inhibitors are divided into four groups (A-D) according to their competitive
      inhibition with the appropriate activator or at the active site. The non
      selective inhibitors interact at the active sites of protein kinase C (group A).
      The compounds which preferentially inhibit PS/PMA-activated kinase (sphingosine
      and lipophosphoglycan) are competitive inhibitors of PMA and 1,2-diacylglycerol
      (group B), those selective for Ca/PS-activated kinase (palmitoylcarnitine and
      retinal) are competitive with PS (group C) and those selective for Ca-AA
      activation (rhodamine 6G) are likely to be competitive with fatty acid (group D).
      Therefore, the effectiveness of protein kinase C inhibitors is dependent upon the
      activator employed.

PMID- 1417957
TI  - Induction of mutations in V79-4 mammalian cells under hypoxic and aerobic
      conditions by the cytotoxic 2-nitroimidazole-aziridines, RSU-1069 and RSU-1131.
      The influence of cellular glutathione.
AB  - Incubation of the 2-nitroimidazole-aziridine, RSU-1069 [1-(2-nitro-1-imidazolyl)
      3-(1-aziridinyl)-2-propanol], and its monomethylaziridine analogue, RSU-1131 [1
      (2-nitro-1-imidazolyl)-3-(1-(2-methylaziridinyl))-2-propanol], with V79-4
      mammalian cells for 2 hr under aerobic or hypoxic conditions induces mutations as
      measured at the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase locus. The ability of
      these agents to induce mutations is increased by a factor of 12-14 under hypoxic
      conditions. The increased cytotoxicity of these agents under hypoxic conditions
      was confirmed following a 2 hr incubation period. Decreasing the glutathione
      (GSH) content of the cells with buthionine-(S,R)-sulphoximine to < 1% of the
      control generally results in an increase in the cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of
      these agents under both aerobic and hypoxic conditions. Since these agents do not
      modify the cellular GSH levels, it is inferred that the thiols partially detoxify
      through removal of a reactive metabolite of the agents, under hypoxic conditions,
      or removal of known DNA adducts, and not through their interaction with the
      agents themselves. Under aerobic conditions, the formation of mutations is
      consistent with the established monofunctional action of these agents whereas
      under hypoxic conditions the bifunctional action predominates for mutation
      induction, based upon the large differential aerobic:hypoxic effect. From a
      comparison of the number of mutations per lethal event, the effect of thiol
      depletion is more pronounced for cytotoxicity than for mutation induction by
      these agents. In summary, these agents are considered to be weak mutagens towards
      V79-4 cells under aerobic conditions when compared with other DNA alkylating
      agents, although they are more potent under anoxic conditions.

PMID- 1417958
TI  - The relationship between the activity of methionine synthase and the ratio of S
      adenosylmethionine to S-adenosylhomocysteine in the brain and other tissues of
      the pig.
AB  - Using nitrous oxide to inactivate methionine synthase in vivo, the relationship
      of the activity of methionine synthase to the S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)/S
      adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) ratio was examined in neural and other tissues of
      the pig. Pigs were exposed to 15% nitrous oxide for varying intervals of up to 7
      days or studied at varying intervals of recovery in air after 7 days nitrous
      oxide inhalation, and the rate of inactivation or resynthesis of methionine
      synthase was related to the corresponding AdoMet/AdoHcy ratios. The rate of
      inactivation of enzyme during nitrous oxide exposure was considerably faster in
      the liver and kidney than in the brain and spinal cord with activity levelling
      off between 10% and 20% of control values. The AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio fell in all
      tissues during nitrous oxide treatment, the fall being most marked in the brain
      and spinal cord where a 10-fold change occurred. This change was attributed
      mainly to a rise in AdoHcy levels. The recovery pattern of methionine synthase
      was broadly linear but was slower in the spinal cord (0.10 +/- 0.03% per hr; mean
      +/- SEM) than in any other tissue examined including brain (0.35 +/- 0.04% per
      hr). Correspondingly, the recovery of the AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio was also
      significantly slower in the spinal cord. When values for exposure and recovery
      were combined there was a significant correlation between the activity of
      methionine synthase and the AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio in both the brain (r = 0.90; P <
      0.001) and the spinal cord (r = 0.92; P < 0.001). These results support the
      concept that the AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio is closely related to the pathogenic process
      which produces the neurologic lesions associated with a reduction in methionine
      synthase activity.

PMID- 1417959
TI  - Evaluation of iron binding and peroxide-mediated toxicity in rat hepatocytes.
AB  - A novel assay was developed to determine subnanomolar amounts of Fenton-reactive
      iron (FRI) in biological tissues. FRI represents that pool of iron that is redox
      active and capable of participating in a model Fenton reaction. The FRI was used
      to identify a kinetically-defined cellular iron binding site. This site displays
      positive cooperativity, with apparent kinetic constants of Kd = 10.6 microM, Bmax
      = 20.7 nmol/mg protein, and the Hill coefficient = 1.4. After addition of
      exogenous ferrous ammonium sulfate to hepatocytes, binding occurred within a few
      seconds and was stable for at least an hour. Free extracellular iron, but not
      bound iron, stimulated lipid peroxidation in hepatocytes. In contrast, bound but
      not free iron produced a concentration-dependent increase in tert-butyl
      hydroperoxide (TBH)-mediated toxicity, suggesting the toxicological relevance of
      bound, rather than free iron. Furthermore, the hydroxyl radical scavengers
      mannitol and 2-deoxyribose inhibited Fe2/TBH-mediated lipid peroxidation, but not
      cell killing, suggesting that hydroxyl radical may not be involved in the
      critical toxic event. The divalent cations Mn2+ and Co2+ inhibited iron-mediated
      hepatocyte killing in the presence of TBH, but only if added prior to Fe2+. Mn2+,
      but not Co2+, inhibited Fe(2+)-mediated lipid peroxidation regardless of the
      order of addition. These results indicate the existence of a specific,
      kinetically-defined cellular iron binding site. Such binding is involved in
      peroxide-mediated toxicity, but independent of lipid peroxidation. The specific
      nature of this site and involvement with other forms of chemical intoxication or
      cellular iron homeostasis are unknown.

PMID- 1417961
TI  - Alterations in ATP-dependent calcium uptake by rat renal cortex microsomes
      following ochratoxin A administration in vivo or addition in vitro.
AB  - A disruption of calcium homeostasis, leading to a sustained increase in cytosolic
      calcium levels, has been associated with cytotoxicity in response to a variety of
      agents in different cell types. We have observed that administration of a single
      high dose or multiple lower doses of the carcinogenic nephrotoxin ochratoxin A
      (OTA) to rats resulted in an increase of the renal cortex endoplasmic reticulum
      ATP-dependent calcium pump activity. The increase was very rapid, being evident
      within 10 min of OTA administration and remained elevated for at least 6 hr
      thereafter. The increase in calcium pump activity was inconsistent with previous
      observations that OTA enhances lipid peroxidation (ethane exhalation) in vivo, a
      condition known to inhibit the calcium pump. However, no evidence of enhanced
      lipid peroxidation was observed in the renal cortex since levels of
      malondialdehyde and a variety of antioxidant enzymes including catalase, DT
      diaphorase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase
      and glutathione S-transferase were either unaltered or reduced. In in vitro
      studies, addition of OTA to cortex microsomes during calcium uptake inhibited the
      uptake process although the effect was reversible. Preincubation of microsomes
      with NADPH had a profound inhibitory effect on calcium uptake but inclusion of
      OTA was able to reverse the inhibition. Changes in the rates of microsomal
      calcium uptake correlated with changes in the steady-state levels of the
      phosphorylated Mg2+/Ca(2+)-ATPase intermediate, suggesting that in vivo/in vitro
      conditions were affecting the rate of enzyme phosphorylation.

PMID- 1417960
TI  - Depletion of a discrete nuclear glutathione pool by oxidative stress, but not by
      buthionine sulfoximine. Correlation with enhanced alkylating agent cytotoxicity
      to human melanoma cells in vitro.
AB  - The existence of a distinct pool of glutathione in the nucleus of cultured human
      melanoma cells was demonstrated. Melanoma cell nuclei contained 13-35 pmol of
      glutathione/10(6) nuclei, or approximately 0.4-1.3% of the total cellular
      glutathione. This nuclear glutathione pool resisted depletion by buthionine
      sulfoximine, an agent that inhibits glutathione synthesis, but was rapidly and
      reversibly depleted by subtoxic concentrations of Adriamycin plus carmustine, two
      agents that promote oxidation of glutathione without permitting its regeneration
      through enzymatic reduction of glutathione disulfide. The ability of Adriamycin
      plus carmustine to deplete this small but significant pool of glutathione in the
      cell nucleus may explain why these agents potentiate the cytotoxic effects of the
      DNA-alkylating agent melphalan to a much higher degree than does buthionine
      sulfoximine at concentrations that are equipotent in depleting cytosolic
      glutathione.

PMID- 1417962
TI  - Binding of 2-acetylpyridine-5-[(2-chloroanilino)thiocarbonyl]
      thiocarbonohydrazone (BW348U87) to human serum albumin.
AB  - Dissociation constants and rate constants for the binding of 2-acetylpyridine-5
      [(2-chloroanilino)thiocarbonyl]thiocar bonohydrazone (I, BW348U87), an agent that
      enhances the antiherpetic efficacy of acyclovir, to human serum albumin have been
      determined. I quenched the fluorescence of human serum albumin, whereas the
      absorbance of I at 370 nm increased upon binding to the protein. The absorbance
      change was attributed to preferential binding of anionic I (pKa 7.0). Titration
      data indicated multiple binding sites for I. The dissociation constant of the
      high-affinity site was 0.11 microM. The time course for binding of I to 100 nM
      human serum albumin was biphasic. The early and late phases were described by
      first-order rate constants that had maximal values of 100 and 11 sec-1,
      respectively. The rate constant for the dissociation of I from human serum
      albumin was estimated to be 6 sec-1. Dodecyl sulfate and octanoate displaced I
      from human serum albumin.I with rate constants of 4.5 and 7.3 sec-1,
      respectively. Since the fluorescence emission spectrum of human serum albumin and
      the absorption spectrum of I overlapped significantly (the spectral overlap
      integral, J, was 2.6 x 10(-14) M-1 cm3), the possibility of Forster dipole-dipole
      energy transfer was considered. However, a significant fraction of the
      fluorescence quenching by I resulted from a conformational change in the protein
      upon binding of I and was not the result of dipole-dipole energy transfer.
      Nonetheless, the distance between one of the binding regions for I on human serum
      albumin and a tryptophan residue in the protein was estimated to be 31 A by this
      method. The high affinity of I for albumin could be related to its low
      hematological toxicity.

PMID- 1417963
TI  - Suppressive effects of the endothelin receptor (ETA) antagonist BQ-123 on ET-1
      induced reduction of lipoprotein lipase activity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.
AB  - Endothelin (ET)-1 reduced heparin-releasable lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity in
      3T3-L1 adipocytes in a concentration-dependent manner. However, a selective ETB
      receptor agonist, [Ala1,3,11,15]ET-1, did not act like ET-1. The ET-1-induced
      decrease in LPL activity was suppressed by a selective ETA receptor antagonist,
      BQ-123: the concentration-response curve for the ET-1 reduction of LPL activity
      was shifted to the right in the presence of BQ-123 in a concentration-dependent
      manner. This antagonistic effect of BQ-123 clarifies that the ETA receptor is
      responsible for the ET-1-induced reduction of LPL activity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes,
      which suggests that there is therapeutic potential for ETA antagonists in LPL
      related lipoprotein disorders.

PMID- 1417964
TI  - In vitro and in vivo effects of the anti-inflammatory peptides, antiflammins.
AB  - The anti-inflammatory synthetic polypeptides referred to as antiflammins are
      thought to be inhibitors of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) (EC 3.1.1.4). These peptides
      are from the sequence of amino acids of greatest similarity between uteroglobin
      and lipocortin I. The effect of these peptides was studied on PLA2 activation in
      rat platelets and on acute inflammatory models after local or parenteral
      administration of drug. We found that antiflammins decreased collagen-induced
      platelet activation, but had no effect when arachidonic acid was used as
      activator. The peptides were able to inhibit acute inflammatory processes induced
      by carrageenan or phorbol esters when administered locally or parenterally.
      However, antiflammins had no effect on inflammation induced by exogenous PLA2
      administration. These results indicate that the antiflammins may have a direct
      inhibitory effect on PLA2 activation but not on the enzyme or enzyme-substrate
      interaction.

PMID- 1417965
TI  - Inactivation of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase by alkylperoxyl radicals.
      Characteristics and influence of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotides.
AB  - The study of the interaction of alkylperoxyl radicals generated by the aerobic
      thermolysis of 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) (AAP) with yeast alcohol
      dehydrogenase (YADH) revealed a high reactivity of the enzyme, with an average of
      about 20 radicals per added YADH tetramer being needed to elicit its total
      inactivation. NAD+ enhanced YADH inactivation at NAD+/YADH molar ratios from 0.25
      to 1, decreasing the rate of the process when added in excess to the enzyme
      concentration. At NADH/YADH molar ratios greater than 1, NADH exhibited a
      protective effect characterized by a poorly defined induction time and lower
      inactivation rates, which progressively increased during the reaction period.
      These changes occurred concomitantly with the oxidation of NADH into NAD+, which
      might counteract the protective effect of NADH. Under similar conditions, NADP+
      did not modify AAP-induced YADH inactivation, while NADPH exhibited a modest
      protection at NADPH/YADH molar ratios greater than 1. It is concluded that YADH
      inactivation by alkylperoxyl radicals is strongly dependent on the redox state of
      the NADH-NAD+ couple, as the rates of the process at different time intervals
      inversely correlate with the respective NADH/NAD+ ratios.

PMID- 1417966
TI  - Effect of serum-free medium on cytochrome P450-dependent metabolism and toxicity
      in rat cultured hepatocytes.
AB  - Cytochrome P450 (P450)-dependent activities in homogenates of rat hepatocytes
      cultured for 96 hr in serum-free and serum-containing medium were compared.
      Benzphetamine and erythromycin N-demethylases, 7-methoxy- and propoxy-coumarin O
      dealkylases, p-nitrophenol hydroxylase and 7-ethoxy- and pentoxy-resorufin O
      dealkylases were all maintained at higher levels in hepatocytes cultured in serum
      free medium, although there was some selectivity with respect to the extent of
      the maintenance relative to the activities in fresh cells. The toxicities of
      coumarin, precocene I and precocene II to 24 hr hepatocyte cultures, determined
      as decreased survival, were also shown to be increased in serum-free medium.
      However, the magnitude of the difference between media with respect to the
      toxicity of precocene II was decreased in hepatocytes cultured for 72 hr. The
      observed increase in toxicity is consistent with the improved maintenance of P450
      in hepatocytes cultured in serum-free medium, although there is still a selective
      decline in P450 activities and toxicity with increased time in culture. The
      activity of alcohol dehydrogenase and the toxicity of allyl alcohol were similar
      in hepatocytes cultured in serum-free and serum-containing medium for 96 hr. The
      absence of serum did not affect the non-protein sulphydryl content of the
      cultures.

PMID- 1417967
TI  - Impairment of mitochondrial 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase activity in Gunn rat
      liver.
AB  - Gunn rats are characterized by hereditary hyperbilirubinemia and a decrease, when
      compared to Wistar rats, in hepatic heme pool size which could result from an
      alteration of mitochondrial functions. Unconjugated bilirubin present in Gunn rat
      liver did not modify either the ultrastructural morphology or oxidative
      metabolism of the mitochondria as compared to those in Wistar rat liver. However,
      5-aminolevulinic acid synthase activity is reduced by nearly 40% in Gunn rat
      liver mitochondria, thus explaining the reduced size of the hepatic heme pool.

PMID- 1417968
TI  - Influence of palmitate and benzoate on the unidirectional chiral inversion of
      ibuprofen in isolated rat hepatocytes.
AB  - The influence of benzoic acid, a typical substrate of medium-chain acyl-CoA
      synthetase, and of palmitic acid, a substrate of long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase,
      on the metabolic chiral inversion of ibuprofen was investigated in freshly
      isolated hepatocytes. It was shown that the conjugation of benzoid to hippuric
      acid does not influence the chiral inversion of ibuprofen. In contrast, palmitic
      acid inhibited markedly the R-to-S inversion of ibuprofen. It was concluded that
      this inhibition is due to competition between (R)-ibuprofen and palmitic acid for
      long-chain acyl-CoA synthetases.

PMID- 1417969
TI  - Oxidative metabolism of cinnarizine in rat liver microsomes.
AB  - The oxidative metabolism of cinnarizine (CZ) [1-(diphenylmethyl)-4-(3-phenyl-2
      propenyl)-piperazine] to 1-(diphenylmethyl)piperazine (M-1), 1-(diphenylmethyl)-4
      [3-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-2-propenyl]piperazine (M-2), benzophenone (M-3) and 1-[4'
      hydroxyphenyl)-phenylmethyl]-4-(3- phenyl-2-propenyl)piperazine (M-4) has been
      studied in rat liver microsomes. In Wistar rats, kinetic analysis revealed sex
      differences (male > female) in the Km values for formation of all the metabolites
      and the Vmax values for the formation of M-1, M-3 and M-4. The reactions required
      NADPH, and were inhibited by carbon monoxide and SKF 525-A. Only M-2 formation
      was suppressed by sparteine or metoprolol, and was significantly lower in female
      Dark Agouti rats than in Wistar rats of both sexes. The results suggest that CZ
      is oxidized by cytochrome P450, and M-2 formation is related to
      debrisoquine/sparteine-type polymorphic drug oxidation.

PMID- 1417971
TI  - Qualitative differences in [Ca2+]i increases and InsP3 generation following
      stimulation of N1E-115 cells with micromolar and millimolar ATP.
AB  - Addition of ATP (100 microM) to populations of the neuronal cell line N1E-115
      caused a transient increase in intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) which rapidly
      reached a peak (maximum of 243 +/- 7 nM above basal) and returned to basal after
      approximately 50 sec. The response was concentration-dependent (EC50 21 +/- 4
      microM) and was unchanged when calcium was omitted from the extracellular medium.
      Transient increases in D-myo-inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate levels (InsP3) were
      also observed over a similar time period. Addition of millimolar ATP, however,
      produced characteristically different responses; [Ca2+]i again increased rapidly
      (reaching a maximum of 639 +/- 23 nM above basal) but returned to a new
      maintained plateau (274 +/- 34 nM) which was abolished by the inorganic calcium
      channel blocker, nickel (1 mM), and omission of calcium from the extracellular
      medium. InsP3 levels were also maintained but were, however, unaffected by nickel
      or removal of extracellular calcium. The qualitative difference in the mechanism
      of calcium elevation produced with millimolar ATP, compared with lower
      concentrations, suggests that the N1E-115 cells might also contain a low affinity
      P2 receptor coupled with a calcium channel.

PMID- 1417972
TI  - Differing response of the glutathione system to fasting in neonatal and adult
      guinea pigs.
AB  - Adult, term neonatal and 3 day preterm neonatal guinea pigs were fasted for 48
      hr, and the glutathione concentrations of the liver and lung assessed. In adult
      animals, glutathione concentration decreased by 43% in the liver and 29% in the
      lung with respect to fed controls. The decrease in liver glutathione was
      associated with a 75% reduction in the hepatic activity of tau
      glutamyltranspeptidase (tau GGT). Conversely, both liver and lung glutathione
      levels in preterm pups remained unchanged following 48 hr food restriction.
      Likewise, hepatic tau GGT, glutathione reductase (GRed) and glutathione
      peroxidase (GPx) activities were unchanged by fasting in preterm pups. Fasting
      increased pulmonary GPx activity by 27% in these pups. In fasted, term animals,
      substantial increases in both lung (65%) and liver (80%) glutathione
      concentrations were observed, with concomitant increases in GPx and GRed
      activities. Hepatic tau GGT activity was significantly reduced (57%) in term
      pups. These results may suggest that the neonatal guinea pig can maintain tissue
      glutathione status during periods of nutrient stress, through an increased
      capacity for recycling oxidized glutathione and a decrease in turnover of the
      tripeptide. Guinea pig neonates are therefore able to resist starvation-induced
      decreases in tissue glutathione levels seen in adult rodents. If this is a
      general neonatal response it may have important clinical implications in the
      treatment of preterm babies.

PMID- 1417970
TI  - Glutathione and bile acid synthesis. Effect of GSH content of HepG2 cells on the
      activity and mRNA levels of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase.
AB  - Cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase (CH-7 alpha) activity in HepG2 cells depleted of
      glutathione (GSH) was reduced significantly (P < 0.05) compared to that in
      untreated controls. Northern blot analysis of poly A+ mRNA isolated from GSH
      depleted and control HepG2 cells showed that there was a reduction in mRNA for CH
      7 alpha in treated HepG2 cells that was commensurate with the reduction in CH-7
      alpha activity. The fact that total RNA, rRNA, and mRNA for beta fibrinogen were
      unaltered by the depletion of GSH suggests that the change in steady-state CH-7
      alpha mRNA content is specifically sensitive to GSH content. This observation
      represents the first demonstration, for human liver cells, that there is an
      interaction between GSH levels and the regulation of CH-7 alpha mRNA levels.

PMID- 1417974
TI  - The reduction of 6-N-hydroxylaminopurine to adenine by xanthine oxidase.
AB  - The genotoxic and mutagenic compound 6-N-hydroxylaminopurine (HAP) can be
      detoxified in vitro by enzymatic N-reduction to adenine. This reaction is
      catalysed by both rat and rabbit liver cytosolic fractions. The formation of
      adenine was monitored using HPLC. Subcellular distribution of the activity,
      kinetic parameters and the influence of various cofactors and inhibitors were
      determined. The N-reduction required NADH or hypoxanthine or xanthine and was
      strongly inhibited by allopurinol. These observations suggested that the N
      reductase activity is due to xanthine oxidase (EC 1.2.3.2). Moreover, the
      involvement of xanthine oxidase is supported by the observation that purified cow
      milk xanthine oxidase also catalysed this reaction. The N-reduction of HAP was
      inhibited only weakly by oxygen. In addition, the formation of adenine is
      catalysed by either the oxidase or dehydrogenase form of xanthine oxidase. Thus,
      this reaction should be significant for the in vivo detoxification of HAP.

PMID- 1417973
TI  - Effects of chronic ethanol administration on free radical defence in rat
      myocardium.
AB  - Cellular protection against free radical reactions was measured in myocardium
      from ethanol-fed rats using ethanol administration in drinking water as a model
      of moderate alcohol intoxication. The activities of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase
      (SOD) and glutathione-S-transferase were higher in ethanol-fed rats than in
      controls, whereas Mn-SOD, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities were not
      altered by ethanol treatment. Myocardial zinc was higher and selenium
      concentration lower in ethanol-fed rats than in controls. Ethanol consumption,
      which failed to modify the myocardial vitamin E level, did not result in
      increased lipid peroxidation, but decreased cytosolic and membraneous protein
      thiols.

PMID- 1417977
TI  - Regulation by growth hormone and glucocorticoid of testosterone metabolism in
      long-term cultures of hepatocytes from male and female rats.
AB  - The activities of 2-, 6 beta-, 7 alpha- and 16 alpha-testosterone hydroxylase and
      5 alpha-testosterone reductase were measured in intact hepatocytes from male and
      female rats cultured for 8 days in a modified Waymouth medium supplemented with
      0.1 or 1.0 microM dexamethasone with or without addition of 1 microgram/mL growth
      hormone. During culture of hepatocytes from female rats the activity of the male
      specific 16 alpha-testosterone hydroxylase increased. This increase was
      significantly inhibited at day 8 by 1 microM dexamethasone as well as by growth
      hormone. Furthermore, in cultures of hepatocytes from male rats, the activity of
      the constitutive 16 alpha-testosterone hydroxylase was decreased by 1 microM
      dexamethasone as well as by growth hormone. The induction of 6 beta-testosterone
      hydroxylase by dexamethasone was suppressed by growth hormone in hepatocytes from
      both male and female rats, while the 7 alpha-testosterone hydroxylase activity
      was unaffected by culture time, hormone additions and gender. The decrease in
      female-specific 5 alpha-reductase activity with culture time in hepatocytes from
      female rats was significantly attenuated by growth hormone at 0.1 microM
      dexamethasone. The effects of growth hormone on testosterone hydroxylase
      activities in hepatocyte cultures from male and female rats are in accordance
      with the concept of growth hormone as a "feminization signal". The results
      suggest that the glucocorticoid-dependent expression of the male constitutive 16
      alpha-hydroxylase requires periods of low levels of growth hormone.

PMID- 1417976
TI  - High-affinity binding of warfarin, salicylate and diazepam to natural mutants of
      human serum albumin modified in the C-terminal end.
AB  - High-affinity binding of warfarin, salicylate and diazepam to four natural
      mutants of human serum albumin was studied by equilibrium dialysis at pH 7.4. The
      mutants Alb Milano Fast and Alb Vanves possess single amino acid substitutions
      close to the C-terminus, namely 573 Lys-->Glu and 574 Lys-->Asn, respectively. By
      contrast, Alb Catania and Alb Venezia are chain termination mutants in which
      several amino acids have been changed or deleted. Binding of warfarin to the
      variants was lower than binding to normal (wild-type) albumin (Alb A). The
      association constants were 73% (Alb Milano Fast, Alb Vanves and Alb Catania) or
      67% (Alb Venezia) of that determined for Alb A. The results obtained with
      salicylate were more dependent on the type of mutation. The constants were either
      comparable to the normal value (Alb Catania) or reduced to 64% (Alb Milano Fast),
      71% (Alb Vanves) or 43% (Alb Venezia) of that value. Diazepam binding to the
      variants was normal, except for binding to Alb Venezia in which case the
      association constant was reduced to 76% of that calculated for Alb A. The results
      are in accordance with the view that warfarin, salicylate and diazepam bind to
      three different high-affinity sites. It is proposed that the sites for warfarin
      and salicylate are situated rather close to each other in domain II, and that
      these high-affinity sites are relatively susceptible to conformational changes of
      the protein. By contrast, the primary diazepam site is placed closer to, or
      within, domain III of albumin and seems to be less affected by conformational
      changes in the protein molecule.

PMID- 1417978
TI  - Plasma membrane as a site of redox activation of daunomycin in intact human
      erythrocytes. Quantitative evaluation of the hydrogen peroxide produced by the
      membrane with respect to the cytosol.
AB  - The relative importance in human red blood cells of the plasma membrane as a site
      of redox activation of anthracyclines as compared to hemoglobin was evaluated by
      assaying the H2O2 produced upon exposure to daunomycin. The method of H2O2
      dependent irreversible inhibition of catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) activity by 3-amino
      1,2,4-triazole was applied to intact erythrocytes, as well as to isolated
      membranes with added purified catalase. The results obtained indicate a secondary
      role in daunomycin activation for the plasma membrane from a quantitative point
      of view, although membrane pathways can be more harmful than cytosolic pathways,
      especially towards extracellular targets, when the high efficiency of the
      cytosolic antioxidative defences and the external location of the membrane
      activation site are considered.

PMID- 1417975
TI  - Phenothiazines inhibit acetylcholinesterase by concentration-dependent-type
      kinetics. A study with trifluoperazine and perphenazine.
AB  - The properties of perphenazine (PPZ) and trifluoperazine (TFP) as fluorescent
      dyes were exploited to calculate their critical micellar concentrations. The
      relative fluorescence quantum yield of the two amphiphiles was dependent on their
      concentration, abruptly decreasing above 30-40 microM PPZ and 20-30 microM TFP.
      Evidence is presented that this phenomenon is driven by the formation of non
      fluorescent drug aggregates. The type of inhibition kinetics displayed by PPZ and
      TFP on human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was also dependent on drug
      concentration, turning from non-competitive to a "mixed" inhibition type at
      concentrations at which PPZ and TFP were demonstrated to undergo micelle
      formation. Results support the notion that phenothiazines may interact with AChE
      both as monomers and micellar aggregates, producing different inhibitory effects.

PMID- 1417979
TI  - Interaction of berbamine compound E6 and calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain
      kinase.
AB  - The interaction of the berbamine compound E6 and calmodulin (CaM)-dependent
      myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) has been studied. The experimental results
      showed that the inhibition of MLCK activity was increased with increasing amounts
      of E6 and was overcome completely by the addition of excessive CaM. The
      stimulatory activity of MLCK induced by CaM was gradually inhibited by the
      increasing concentrations of compound E6, showing that the inhibition of MLCK
      activity by compound E6 was concentration dependent; and the Ki was 0.95 microM.
      Compound E6 diminished the fluorescence intensity of dansyl-labeled CaM and the
      intensity was increased gradually by the addition of different amounts of CaM.
      Compound E6 had no effect on the activity of MLCK fragments produced by limited
      trypsinization, and it is a novel and considerably potent calmodulin antagonist.

PMID- 1417980
TI  - Multiple effects of staurosporine, a kinase inhibitor, on thymocyte functions.
      Comparison with the effect of tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
AB  - The effects of staurosporine, a protein kinase inhibitor, on the signal
      transduction and proliferation of thymocytes were studied. Signal transduction in
      response to Concanavalin A (Con A) as well as Concanavalin A (Con A)-induced
      augmentation of [3H]inositol incorporation into phospholipids were inhibited by
      staurosporine (> or = 10(-8) M). Staurosporine inhibited thymocyte proliferation
      in response to Con A in the presence or absence of the phorbol ester, phorbol
      myristate acetate (TPA) (10 nM). This inhibition was observed regardless of
      whether staurosporine was added together with Con A or 3 hr later. High
      concentrations of staurosporine (> 10(-8) M) inhibited thymocyte proliferation
      induced by the calcium ionophore A23187 and the phorbol ester TPA, whereas lower
      concentrations of the inhibitor (< or = 10(-8) M) enhanced thymidine
      incorporation in response to these activators. This dual effect of staurosporine
      was also observed in the presence of the staurosporine-related kinase inhibitor,
      K252a. In contrast, the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, tyrphostin AG490, inhibited
      the response to A23187 and TPA at all concentrations of the inhibitor and no
      augmentation was seen. Interleukin 2 (IL-2)-driven mitogenesis in IL-2-dependent
      cells was also inhibited by staurosporine. We suggest that the inhibition of
      thymocyte proliferation by staurosporine results from inhibition of both protein
      kinase C and tyrosine kinase: the augmentation of the response to A23187 and TPA
      results from inhibition of protein kinase C. Inhibition of signal transduction as
      well as inhibition of IL-2-driven mitogenesis result from inhibition of tyrosine
      kinase.

PMID- 1417982
TI  - Effects of chemical modification of nitrobenzylthioinosine on its binding to high
      affinity membrane binding sites and inhibition of nucleoside transport.
AB  - Nitrobenzylthioinosine (NBTI) was systematically modified by attachment of
      substituents at the 2-, 5'-, 3'- and 2'-positions in order to assess the
      importance of these positions in the binding of NBTI to high-affinity membrane
      binding sites (Kd < or = 1 nM) and the inhibition of NBTI-sensitive,
      equilibrative nucleoside transport by mammalian cells. We determined the effect
      of the derivatives on the equilibrium binding of 1 nM [3H]NBTI to human
      erythrocytes and mouse P388 leukemia cells and on the inhibition of zero-trans
      influx of formycin B in P388 cells and equilibrium exchange of uridine in human
      erythrocytes. Placement of substituent groups at the 5'-position of NBTI had
      relatively little effect on its binding to high-affinity binding sites or its
      inhibition of nucleoside transport, regardless of the size of the substituent
      group (up to about 1000 kDa). All substituents at the 2-position considerably
      reduced the affinity of NBTI to membrane binding sites and its potency as an
      inhibitor of nucleoside transport, but some substituent groups reduced the
      affinity of binding more than the inhibition of nucleoside transport. The effect
      of the 2-substituents was not directly related to their size. Attachment of a
      succinate at the 3'- or 5'-position also reduced to a greater extent the binding
      of NBTI than its inhibition of nucleoside transport, which was relatively little
      affected. Attachment of succinates at both the 3' and 5'-positions almost
      completely abolished both binding to high-affinity sites and inhibition of
      nucleoside transport. Both functions of NBTI were abolished completely by the
      simultaneous blockage of the 2'- and 3'-positions. None of the NBTI derivatives
      significantly inhibited NBTI-resistant equilibrative formycin B transport in P388
      and Novikoff rat hepatoma cells at concentrations of < or = 1 microM.

PMID- 1417983
TI  - Inhibitory effect of an intracellular glutathione on delta 12-prostaglandin J2
      induced protein syntheses in porcine aortic endothelial cells.
AB  - Delta 12-Prostaglandin (PG) J2 caused porcine aortic endothelial cells to
      synthesize a 31,000-dalton heme oxygenase and a 67,000-dalton protein (p67).
      Treatment of the cells with buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of
      glutathione (GSH) synthesis, depleted intracellular GSH, and enhanced the
      induction of heme oxygenase and p67 syntheses by delta 12-PGJ2. In contrast,
      treatment with GSH increased the intracellular GSH level and reduced the
      induction. There was a reciprocal relationship between the level of intracellular
      GSH, and that of the induction of heme oxygenase and p67 syntheses by delta 12
      PGJ2. An increase in the intracellular GSH level caused an increase in the ethyl
      acetate-unextractable form of delta 12-PGJ2 in the cytosol, but suppressed the
      accumulation of delta 12-PGJ2 in the nuclei. Furthermore, GSH strongly inhibited
      the in vitro binding of delta 12-PGJ2 to isolated nuclei, which is N
      ethylmaleimide sensitive. Moreover, the induction of heme oxygenase and p67
      syntheses by the thiol-reactive agents arsenite and diethylmaleate was also
      inhibited by GSH treatment and enhanced by BSO treatment. These results
      demonstrate that intracellular GSH suppresses delta 12-PGJ2-induced heme
      oxygenase and p67 syntheses by inhibiting the binding of delta 12-PGJ2 to nuclei.

PMID- 1417981
TI  - Inhibition of EGR-1 and NF-kappa B gene expression by dexamethasone during
      phorbol ester-induced human monocytic differentiation.
AB  - The treatment of human myeloid leukemia cells (HL-60, U-937, THP-1) with 12-O
      tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) is associated with growth arrest and
      appearance of a differentiated monocytic phenotype. While previous studies have
      reported that the glucocorticoid dexamethasone blocks phenotypic characteristics
      of monocytic differentiation, we demonstrated in the present work that
      dexamethasone delays the effects of TPA on the loss of U-937 cell proliferation.
      We also demonstrated that this glucocorticoid inhibits TPA-induced increases in
      expression of the EGR-1 early response gene. The results of nuclear run-on assays
      and half-life experiments indicated that this effect of dexamethasone is
      regulated at the post-transcriptional level. Similar studies were performed for
      the NF-kappa B gene. While TPA treatment was associated with transient increases
      in NF-kappa B mRNA levels, this induction was blocked by dexamethasone. In
      contrast, dexamethasone had no significant effect on the activation of pre
      existing NF-kappa B protein as determined in DNA-binding assays. Taken together,
      these findings suggest that the activated glucocorticoid receptor inhibits
      signaling pathways which include expression of the EGR-1 and NF-kappa B genes and
      that such effects may contribute to a block in TPA-induced monocytic
      differentiation.

PMID- 1417986
TI  - Induction of a pleiotropic response by phenobarbital and related compounds.
      Response in various inbred strains of rats, response in various species and the
      induction of aldehyde dehydrogenase in Copenhagen rats.
AB  - The ability of phenobarbital (PB) to induce a "pleiotropic response" which
      includes both cytochromes P450 (CYP) as well as other drug-metabolizing enzymes
      was investigated in mice, rabbits, hamsters, and various inbred strains of rats.
      PB induced similar drug-metabolizing enzymes (CYP2B, CYP3A, and epoxide
      hydrolase) in rats, mice, rabbits and hamsters. PB and two structural analogues
      (ethylphenylhydantoin and barbital) induced a variety of drug-metabolizing
      enzymes (CYP2B, CYP3A, CYP2A, epoxide hydrolase) in a series of inbred strains of
      rats. In contrast, levels of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) (propionaldehyde,
      NAD+) which were expressed constitutively in all strains of rats were induced by
      PB in only two of the eight strains (ACI, Copenhagen). Further investigations of
      ALDH induction by structurally diverse compounds in Copenhagen rats demonstrated
      a strong correlation between the induction of ALDH and other elements of the
      pleiotropic response (CYP2B, CYP3A, epoxide hydrolase). These results imply that
      induction of ALDH (propionaldehyde, NAD+) is associated with the PB pleiotropic
      response in Copenhagen rats.

PMID- 1417985
TI  - Dihydrolipoic acid--a universal antioxidant both in the membrane and in the
      aqueous phase. Reduction of peroxyl, ascorbyl and chromanoxyl radicals.
AB  - Thioctic (lipoic) acid is used as a therapeutic agent in a variety of diseases in
      which enhanced free radical peroxidation of membrane phospholipids has been shown
      to be a characteristic feature. It was suggested that the antioxidant properties
      of thioctic acid and its reduced form, dihydrolipoic acid, are at least in part
      responsible for the therapeutic potential. The reported results on the
      antioxidant efficiency of thioctic and dihydrolipoic acids obtained in oxidation
      models with complex multicomponent initiation systems are controversial. In the
      present work we used relatively simple oxidation systems to study the antioxidant
      effects of dihydrolipoic and thioctic acids based on their interactions with: (1)
      peroxyl radicals which are essential for the initiation of lipid peroxidation,
      (2) chromanoxyl radicals of vitamin E, and (3) ascorbyl radicals of vitamin C,
      the two major lipid- and water-soluble antioxidants, respectively. We
      demonstrated that: (1) dihydrolipoic acid (but not thioctic acid) was an
      efficient direct scavenger of peroxyl radicals generated in the aqueous phase by
      the water-soluble azoinitiator 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane)-dihydrochloride, and
      in liposomes or in microsomal membranes by the lipid-soluble azoinitiator 2,2'
      azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile); (2) both dihydrolipoic acid and thioctic acid
      did not interact directly with chromanoxyl radicals of vitamin E (or its
      synthetic homologues) generated in liposomes or in the membranes by three
      different ways: UV-irradiation, peroxyl radicals of 2,2'-azobis(2,4
      dimethylvaleronitrile), or peroxyl radicals of linolenic acid formed by the
      lipoxygenase-catalyzed oxidation; and (3) dihydrolipoic acid (but not thioctic
      acid) reduced ascorbyl radicals (and dehydroascorbate) generated in the course of
      ascorbate oxidation by chromanoxyl radicals. This interaction resulted in
      ascorbate-mediated dihydrolipoic acid-dependent reduction of the vitamin E
      chromanoxyl radicals, i.e. vitamin E recycling. We conclude that dihydrolipoic
      acid may act as a strong direct chain-breaking antioxidant and may enhance the
      antioxidant potency of other antioxidants (ascorbate and vitamin E) in both the
      aqueous and the hydrophobic membraneous phases.

PMID- 1417987
TI  - Nonenzymic glycation of albumin by acyl glucuronides in vitro. Comparison of
      reactions with reducing sugars.
AB  - Acyl glucuronides are ubiquitous metabolites formed from acidic xenobiotics and
      endogenous compounds, such as bilirubin. Previous studies indicated that the
      covalent binding of acyl glucuronides to proteins occurs via an imine
      intermediate in a manner analogous to the glycation of proteins via reducing
      sugars. When glucuronic acid was incubated in solution with albumin, it formed 10
      and 4 times more fluorescent, Maillard reaction products with albumin after 25
      days than did glucose or fructose, respectively. However, radiolabeled glucuronic
      acid exhibited less covalent binding to albumin than either glucose or fructose.
      Circular dichroism measurements indicate that glucuronic acid is about 0.02% open
      chain form with exposure of the reactive aldehyde, whereas fructose and glucose
      have 2 and 0.0026% present in solution as the open chain; thus, differences in
      reactivity of the reducing sugars were not correlated with exposure of the free
      aldehyde. Methyl glucuronate formed little fluorescent product with albumin,
      suggesting that the C-6 carboxylate of glucuronic acid may facilitate the
      reactions after covalent binding that lead to the formation of fluorescent
      products. When acyl glucuronide metabolites of two previously marketed acidic
      drugs, zomepirac and suprofen, were incubated with albumin at a concentration of
      2.5 mM, more fluorescent product was formed than by 500 mM glucose. Reversible
      binding of the acyl glucuronides to albumin was 60-90%, but almost zero for the
      free reducing sugars, which indicates that reversible binding may explain the
      enhanced reactivity of the acyl glucuronides in forming fluorescent products with
      albumin. These results indicate that acyl glucuronides are reactive metabolites
      that may cause significant glycation of proteins with glucuronic acid in vivo.

PMID- 1417984
TI  - Contributory role of lung pleura to release of anaphylactic mediators from guinea
      pig lung in response to ovalbumin or A23187.
AB  - Previous findings revealed greater contractile responses of guinea pig lung
      pleural surface strips to antigen or A23187 challenge than denuded lung
      parenchymal strips (lung strip devoid of any pleura). Moreover, we have
      identified a high density of mast cells distributed throughout the lung pleura.
      The present study examined mediators released from guinea pig lung pleural
      surface and denuded lung parenchyma fragments in response to immunologic
      challenge with ovalbumin (OA) or non-immunologic challenge with the ionophore
      A23187. Histamine levels were measured radioenzymatically; leukotrienes (LTs),
      prostaglandins (PGs) and thromboxane B2 (TXB2), a stable metabolite of
      thromboxane A2 (TXA2), were quantitated using an enzyme immunoassay. Histamine
      release reached a maximal level 3-5 min after OA challenge, whereas A23187
      induced histamine release increased gradually in a time-dependent manner. Similar
      kinetics were observed in the release of LTs, PGs and TXA2. Pleural surface
      released a substantially (P < 0.05) greater amount of histamine to both
      challenges than denuded parenchyma. Moreover, histamine content in pleural
      surface was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in denuded parenchyma. Pleural
      surface also released considerably (P < 0.05) more LTB4, LTC4, and LTE4 in
      response to OA and A23187 than denuded parenchyma. In contrast, pleural surface
      and denuded parenchyma released equivalent amounts of PGD2, PGE2, PGF2 alpha, and
      TXA2 in response to both challenges. The rank order of leukotriene release was
      LTC4 > LTE4 > LTB4, whereas that of prostanoid release was TXA2 >> PGD2 > or =
      PGF2 alpha >> PGE2. We conclude that pleural surface is the major source of
      histamine and leukotrienes released from guinea pig lung in vitro in response to
      OA and A23187, whereas both pleural surface and denuded parenchyma participate to
      the same extent in prostaglandin and TXA2 production after such challenges.

PMID- 1417988
TI  - Effects of interleukin 1 alpha on the activities and gene expressions of the
      cytochrome P450IID subfamily.
AB  - The mechanism by which recombinant human interleukin 1 alpha (rhIL-1 alpha)
      inhibits the activities of drug-metabolizing enzymes of rat liver microsomes,
      especially debrisoquine monooxygenase and bufuralol monooxygenase (both
      cytochrome P450IID supported reactions), as well as other enzymes, was
      investigated by injecting IL-1 alpha into rats. rhIL-1 alpha suppressed the
      activities of various P450-linked monooxygenase systems such as aminopyrine N
      demethylase, benzphetamine N-demethylase, and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase. It
      also suppressed the activities of debrisoquine monooxygenase and bufuralol
      monooxygenase. On the other hand, IL-1 alpha had little effect on the activity of
      p-nitroanisole N-demethylase. The suppression of debrisoquine monooxygenase and
      bufuralol monooxygenase activities was caused by a decrease in the amounts of
      immunoreactive P450IID protein and its mRNA. The reduction rates in the level of
      immunoreactive P450IID protein and its mRNA were comparable. These results
      suggest that at the mRNA level, the enzymatic activities of debrisoquine
      monooxygenase and bufuralol monooxygenase are down-regulated by IL-1 alpha.

PMID- 1417990
TI  - [p26--a calcium binding protein from photoreceptor cells in the bovine retina:
      primary structure and expression in E. coli].
AB  - The primary structure of the bovine retinal calcium binding protein P26 has been
      determined by the parallel analysis of the protein and the corresponding cDNA.
      This protein is identical to recovering and shares 59% homology with visinin, a
      cone specific calcium binding protein from chicken retina. P26 was expressed in
      E. coli as a fusion protein and, after purification by affinity chromatography on
      IgG-Sepharose 6, cleaved off with enteropeptidase.

PMID- 1417989
TI  - Effect of lysosomotropic agents on the taurocholate-stimulated biliary excretion
      of horseradish peroxidase.
AB  - The effects of the lysosomotropic agents chloroquine and leupeptin on the
      taurocholate-stimulated biliary excretion of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was
      studied in bile fistula rats. HRP (0.5 mg/100 g body wt) was injected into the
      portal vein during taurocholate (0.4 mumol/min/100 g body wt) or saline infusion.
      HRP appeared in bile showing both an early (approx. 5 min) and a late (approx. 25
      min) excretion peak. The late peak, which represented about 95% of the total HRP
      excreted, is due to transcellular vesicular transport. The early peak is mainly
      due to paracellular leakage although a rapid vesicular transport also
      contributes. Taurocholate infusion significantly increased the biliary output of
      HRP (both peaks) and of the endogenous lysosomal enzyme acid phosphatase.
      Pretreatment with chloroquine or leupeptin inhibited the taurocholate-stimulated
      late excretion of HRP into bile, without affecting its early excretion. The
      lysosomotropic agents did not affect the biliary excretion of bile salts but
      significantly inhibited the taurocholate-stimulated biliary excretion of acid
      phosphatase. The results are consistent with a role of lysosomes in the
      taurocholate-stimulated major transcellular vesicular transport of HRP into bile.

PMID- 1417991
TI  - [Sequence-specific modification of nucleic acids by oligonucleotide derivative
      containing alkylating groups in the C-5-position of deoxyuridine].
AB  - A new type of alkylating derivatives of oligonucleotides with 4(N-methyl-N-2
      chloroethylamino)benzyl (RCl) group at C-5 of deoxyuridine with a high extent of
      the target modification was prepared. The synthesized reagents d(ULNHRClCCACTT),
      where L = CH2 (Ia), CH2OCH2CH2 (Ib) and CH2NHCOCH2CH2 (Ic), proved to effectively
      (80-90%) modify the oligonucleotide d(TAAGTGGAGTTTGGC). The reagents (Ia) and
      (Ib) alkylate G6, G7 and G9 positions, while the reagent (Ic) modifies
      predominantly G9.

PMID- 1417992
TI  - [Synthesis of an artificial gene coding for thymosin alpha1 and its expression in
      Escherichia coli as a hybrid with human tumor necrosis factor].
AB  - Chemical-enzymatic synthesis and cloning in Escherichia coli of an artificial
      gene encoding the immunoactive peptide thymosin alpha 1 have been carried out.
      Recombinant plasmids were constructed which contain fusion genes coding for
      hybrids of human tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and thymosin alpha 1 as N- or C
      terminal part of the hybrid protein. In the C-terminal hybrid protein, TNF and
      thymosin alpha 1 are linked through a methionine residue, thus allowing for
      thymosin alpha 1 to be cleaved off the rest of the hybrid protein with cyanogen
      bromide. In case of the N-terminal hybrid protein, the linker between the
      thymosin alpha 1 and TNF sequences is the acid-labile dipeptide Asp-Pro.
      Expression of the hybrid genes in E. coli and properties of the recombinant
      proteins were studied. The N-terminal hybrid protein was secreted into
      periplasmic space, in contrast with the C-terminal hybrid protein, which formed
      insoluble aggregates inside bacterial cells. Procedures for the isolation of both
      hybrid proteins were developed. The N-terminal hybrid protein displayed full
      biological activity in the cytotoxic assay on the mouse fibroblast L-929 whereas
      the C-terminal hybrid protein proved to be much less active. Treatment of the
      hybrid protein TNF-thymosin alpha 1 with cyanogen bromide lead to a mixture of
      two polypeptides, from which thymosin alpha 1 was purified to homogeneity by
      simple chromatographic procedures.

PMID- 1417993
TI  - [Expression of a synthetic gene for human interleukin-4 in E. coli cells.
      Preparation of a biologically active protein].
AB  - Expression E. coli plasmid were constructed in which the human interleukin-4
      (hIL4) synthetic gene is controlled by tac promoter. The expression level of the
      gene depends on the distance between RBS and the initial codon ATG, with the
      maximal production in case of the nine base pair distance. The recombinant
      protein, accumulated in the inclusion bodies, was solubilized, renaturated, and
      purified to homogeneous, biologically active preparation, the yield being 2 mg/g
      wet cells.

PMID- 1417994
TI  - [Synthesis of protected fragments of the capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus
      pneumoniae, type 8].
AB  - Oxidation of acetates of allyl and 2-(benzyloxycarbonylamino)ethyl beta
      cellobiosides (with OH-4' and OH-6' unprotected) with the Jones reagent followed
      by esterification (with diazomethane or phenyldiazomethane) gave corresponding
      uronates with OH-4' unsubstituted. Condensation of these glycosyl acceptors and
      benzylated derivatives of D-galactose or 4-O-(alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-D-galactose
      led to the protected tri- and tetrasaccharide fragments of the capsular
      polysaccharide from Streptococcus pneumoniae type 8.

PMID- 1417995
TI  - [Synthesis of oligodeoxyribonucleotides containing 5-fluoro-2'
      deoxyribocytidine].
AB  - A synthesis of the phosphoroamidite derivative of 5-fluoro-2'-deoxycytidine which
      allows one to introduce the modified nucleoside residue into the 5'-position of
      the oligodeoxyribonucleotide by the standard solid phase phosphoroamidite method,
      has been carried out. Oligonucleotides with 5-fluoro-2'-deoxycytidine residues in
      various positions of the DNA strand are obtained by the combination of chemical
      and enzymatic syntheses.

PMID- 1417996
TI  - [Folding of peptide chains during formation of the spatial structure of protein
      molecules is determined by the code of amino acid codon roots].
AB  - Basing on the analysis of a large number of protein sequences (Cserzo M., Simon
      I., 1989), the structure of the amino acid nearest neighbour pair whose
      occurrence has a maximal positive deviation from the mean statistical value, is
      shown to correspond in most cases to the code of the amino acid codon roots. It
      reveals particularly amino acid pairs in n and n+5 positions of polypeptide
      chains. Amino acids belonging to A/U family contribute mostly to the folding of
      peptide chains.

PMID- 1417997
TI  - [Secretion of recombinant human epidermal growth factor into the periplasm in
      Escherichia coli cells].
AB  - Secretion vectors were constructed in which a synthetic gene of human epidermal
      growth factor (hEGF) joined with a gene coding for the leader peptide to one of
      the E. coli outer membrane major proteins (OmpF) is controlled by tac promoter.
      The increase of the hEGF yield was achieved by the multiplication of the gene
      copies. The hEGF in bacterial cells was secreted into periplasm. The recombinant
      protein was isolated by means of reverse phase chromatography as almost
      homogenous preparation (greater than 98%), the yield being 7 mg/l bacterial
      culture. The sequence of twenty-five N-terminal amino acid residues of the
      isolated hEGF coincided with that of the natural protein. The preparation proved
      to be biologically active.

PMID- 1417998
TI  - [Structure of macrocyclic K+, Rb+-complexon of meso-valinomycin monohydrate,
      cyclo[-(D-Val-Hyi-Val-D-Hyi)3-].H2O, in a crystalline complex with dioxane by x
      ray structural data].
AB  - The crystal structure of a valinomycin analogue, cyclo[-(D-Val-Hyi-Val-D-Hyi)3
      ]x(C60H102N6O18) crystallized with dioxane and water molecules, has been solved
      by X-ray direct methods. The conformation found is analogous to one established
      for free meso-valinomycin crystallized from other organic solvents. It is
      characterized by a centrosymmetric bracelet form, stabilized by six
      intramolecular 4----1 type hydrogen bonds between amide N-H and C = O groups. One
      water molecule is fixed asymmetrically by hydrogen bonds in the internal
      negatively charged cavity of the complexon. The meso-valinomycin molecule
      "bracelets" in the crystal form stacks alternatively with dioxane molecules.

PMID- 1417999
TI  - [Substituted 6-aminonaphthalene-1-sulfamides as fluorogenic indicators groups for
      synthetic proteinase substrates].
AB  - Alkyl substituted 6-aminonaphthalene-1-sulphamides (ANSA), hydrobromides of
      substituted 6-(N alpha-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-arginyl)aminonaphthalene-1-sulphamides
      (Z-Arg-ANSA) and hydrobromides of 6-(benzyloxycarbonylglycylglycyl-L-
      arginyl)aminonaphthalene-1-sulphamides (Z-Gly-Gly-Arg-ANSA) are synthesized and
      their absorption and emission spectra measured. ANSA have an emission band at 470
      480 nm, comparable or exceeding in intensity that of compounds used as
      fluorogenic leaving groups in peptide cleavage reactions. The bands of Z-Arg-ANSA
      and Z-Gly-Gly-Arg-ANSA are shifted to the short-wave side and do not overlap with
      ANSA's emission band. Reactions of Z-Arg-ANSA and Z-Gly-Gly-Arg-ANSA with trypsin
      were studied. The kinetic parameters (kcat and Km) of the reaction of Z-Arg-ANSA
      were found to depend on the nature and the number of substituents in the
      sulphamide. In the case of Z-Gly-Gly-Arg-ANSA, this dependence is negligible and
      kcat/Km exceeds by over ten times this parameter of Z-Arg-ANSA. ANSA can
      apparently be used in the synthesis of fluorogenic substrates of proteases.

PMID- 1418000
TI  - [Synthesis of phosphono analogs of a phospholipid platelet activating factor].
AB  - Structural analogues of phospholipidic platelet activating factor, (2-acetoxy-3
      octadecyloxy)propyl-1-phosphonocholine and (2-methoxy-3-octadecyloxy)propyl-1
      phosphonocholine, were synthesized. High efficiency of the polymer-bound dibenzo
      18-crown-6-ether as the O-alkylation catalyst was demonstrated. Reaction of allyl
      octadecyl ether with methanol and iodine in the presence of zinc oxide was shown
      to give a mixture of 1-iodo-2-methoxy- and 1-methoxy-2-iodoprop-3-yl ethers of
      octadecanol in the 3:1 ratio.

PMID- 1418001
TI  - [Study of the amino acid sequence of latroinsectotoxin from black widow spider
      venom].
AB  - The N-terminal amino acid sequence of alpha-latroinsectotoxin from the venom of
      Latrodectus mactans tredecimguttatus was determined. Then the toxin was digested
      by trypsin and total or partial amino acid sequences of twenty-six tryptic
      peptides were established. This resulted in the structural information needed for
      the construction of probes followed by the cloning of the alpha-latroinsectotoxin
      structural gene.

PMID- 1418002
TI  - Low levels of somatomedin C in patients with the fibromyalgia syndrome. A
      possible link between sleep and muscle pain.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Fibromyalgia is a common syndrome of musculoskeletal pain and fatigue.
      Lacking distinctive tissue or laboratory correlations, it has often been
      considered a form of "psychogenic rheumatism." In the present study, the notion
      that the stage-4 sleep anomaly typically seen in the fibromyalgia syndrome may
      disrupt growth hormone secretion was tested. Because growth hormone has a very
      short half-life, serum levels of somatomedin C were measured; somatomedin C is
      the major mediator of growth hormone's anabolic actions and is a prerequisite for
      normal muscle homeostasis. METHODS: Serum levels of somatomedin C were measured
      in 70 female fibromyalgia patients and 55 healthy controls, using a peptide
      specific radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Significantly lower levels of somatomedin C
      were observed in the fibromyalgia patients compared with controls (mean +/- SD
      124.7 +/- 47 ng/ml versus 175.2 +/- 60 ng/ml; P = 0.000001). These results could
      not be explained by concomitant therapy or by weight, and in a subset of 21
      patients in whom this was investigated, there was no correlation with various
      indices of disease activity. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that there is a
      distinctive disruption of the growth hormone-somatomedin C neuroendocrine axis in
      a majority of fibromyalgia patients. It is hypothesized that this abnormality may
      explain the link between disturbed sleep and predisposition to muscle pain.

PMID- 1418003
TI  - High-dose immunoglobulin therapy as an immunomodulatory treatment of rheumatoid
      arthritis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin
      (IVIg) in the treatment of refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Ten
      patients with active, severe RA that was unresponsive to first- and second-line
      agents were administered IVIg monthly, for 6 months. RESULTS: Following IVIg
      treatment, there was significant improvement in both subjective and objective
      parameters of disease activity in all 9 patients who completed the protocol. This
      improvement was noted to occur as early as after the second infusion of IVIg.
      After discontinuation of the treatment, all patients had a relapse of the disease
      within a few weeks. CONCLUSION: Since the reduction in clinical activity
      paralleled a decrease in the CD4+CDw29+:CD4+CD45RA+ cell ratio, some of the
      therapeutic benefits associated with IVIg may be due to a direct influence on the
      CD4+CD45RA+ subset. Although the possibility of carrying out further controlled
      studies on a larger scale is limited by the high cost of the treatment, IVIg
      appears to be an effective therapy for refractory RA.

PMID- 1418004
TI  - Treatment of systemic sclerosis with recombinant interferon-gamma. A phase I/II
      clinical trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A phase I/II trial to examine the safety and efficacy of interferon
      gamma (IFN gamma) therapy for patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: An
      18-week open-label study was performed. Eighteen patients with rapidly
      progressive SSc were enrolled, 14 of whom completed at least 16 weeks of the
      study. These 14 patients had a mean age of 40 years and had been diagnosed as
      having SSc an average of 10.1 months prior to study entry. Recombinant IFN gamma
      was injected intramuscularly 3 times weekly for 18 weeks. Six patients received a
      0.1 mg/m2 dose, while 8 patients received a 0.5 mg/m2 dose. Patients who
      completed the 18-week trial were offered maintenance therapy at a dose of up to
      0.5 mg/m2. The effects of IFN gamma on skin involvement were assessed by 2
      methods: 1) evaluation of skin thickness, by scoring 15 zones according to a 0
      (normal skin) to 3 (hidebound skin) scale; and 2) determination of the total body
      surface area involved, by using 2-dimensional body diagrams to indicate areas
      affected, and then having a second, "blinded," assessor calculate the area score
      with a planimeter. RESULTS: The mean skin thickness score decreased from a
      baseline of 25.9 to 19.1 (P < 0.03), and the mean area scores declined from 33.1
      to 19.6 (P < 0.02) after 18 weeks of IFN gamma treatment. Ten patients had a >
      25% decrease in area score. Five patients had a > or = 70% decrease in area
      score, and 3 of them have not experienced disease recurrence for 6 to 17 months
      after discontinuation of IFN gamma. Five patients withdrew before the study
      ended. Three of these patients developed renal crisis, which may reflect the
      severity of the SSc in the study group, although an adverse effect of IFN gamma
      in SSc cannot be excluded. CONCLUSION: IFN gamma was associated with a beneficial
      effect on the skin involvement in most of this series of patients with rapidly
      progressive SSc. A placebo-controlled study will be necessary to confirm these
      results.

PMID- 1418005
TI  - Methotrexate treatment of recalcitrant childhood dermatomyositis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review the clinical course of 16 children with recalcitrant
      dermatomyositis (DM), who were treated with oral methotrexate (MTX) in addition
      to prednisone. METHODS: Sixteen patients with recalcitrant DM who were treated
      with MTX in addition to prednisone were followed between 1984 and 1990. The
      patients' clinical responses to treatment, including alterations in muscle
      strength and muscle enzyme levels, changes in prednisone dosage, and development
      of toxicity or complications were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: All 12
      patients who received MTX for at least 8 months regained normal muscle strength.
      In 11 of the 12, the prednisone dosage could eventually be tapered to < or = 5
      mg/day. Complications during MTX treatment required discontinuation of MTX in 5
      patients, and were unrelated to the cumulative dose of the drug. Active disease
      recurred in 5 patients in whom MTX had been discontinued after apparent clinical
      remission had been achieved. CONCLUSION: MTX, in combination with prednisone, is
      a useful adjunct in the treatment of recalcitrant childhood DM. However,
      recurrence of disease after withdrawal of MTX suggests that the drug may have a
      suppressive, rather than a remittive, effect.

PMID- 1418006
TI  - Effects of interleukin-6 on the metabolism of connective tissue components in
      rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: High levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been found in the synovial
      fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We undertook the present study
      to investigate the role of IL-6 in this disease. METHODS: We examined the effects
      of IL-6, in comparison with IL-1, on the biosynthesis of extracellular matrix
      macromolecules and of matrix-degrading proteinases in rheumatoid synovial
      fibroblasts. RESULTS: In rheumatoid synovial fibroblasts, IL-6 by itself enhanced
      the production of plasminogen activator, its inhibitor, and tissue inhibitor of
      metalloproteinases, whereas it did not modulate the biosynthesis of precursor of
      matrix metalloproteinase 1 (proMMP-1) (tissue collagenase), proMMP-3
      (stromelysin), or connective tissue components. However, IL-1-induced production
      of proMMP-1 and proMMP-3 was preferentially augmented by IL-6. CONCLUSION: These
      results suggest that in RA, IL-6 may participate along with IL-1 in fine tuning
      of the catabolism of connective tissue components, by modulating the balance
      between connective tissue-degrading enzymes and their inhibitors.

PMID- 1418007
TI  - Serum autoantibody to the nucleolar antigen PM-Scl. Clinical and immunogenetic
      associations.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The inflammatory myopathies are characterized by distinctive
      autoantibodies that are associated with certain clinical features and
      immunogenetic patterns. Anti-PM-Scl is one such antibody and is found in pure
      myositis, myositis in overlap, and systemic sclerosis (SSc). Our purpose was to
      describe the clinical and immunogenetic associations of the anti-PM-Scl antibody.
      METHODS: Serum samples from 617 patients with various connective tissue diseases
      were screened for anti-PM-Scl antibody by indirect immunofluorescence and
      Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion. Patients with anti-PM-Scl were serologically
      typed for HLA-DR and DQ, and the genes encoding DQ alpha and DQ beta were
      characterized by hybridization of sequence-specific oligonucleotide to amplified
      genomic DNA. RESULTS: Twenty-three patients (4%) had serum anti-PM-Scl. Sixteen
      had either pure myositis or myositis in overlap, 6 had SSc alone, and 1 had SSc
      and rheumatoid arthritis. Twenty of the antibody-positive patients had serologic
      HLA typing performed; 15 (75%) were HLA-DR3 positive, and 17 (85%) expressed the
      DQw2 allele. None of the 5 DR3 negative patients shared a unique DR or DQ antigen
      with the DR3 positive patients, and further DNA analysis of 10 patients (4 of
      whom were DR3 negative) did not reveal any unique DQ alleles. CONCLUSION: Anti-PM
      Scl identifies a subset of patients with myositis, SSc, or an overlap of the two
      disorders, and this antibody has a strong but not exclusive immunogenetic
      association with the HLA-DR3 antigen.

PMID- 1418009
TI  - Radiologic vignette. Osseous syphilis.

PMID- 1418008
TI  - In vivo expression of stromelysin in synovium and cartilage of rabbits injected
      intraarticularly with interleukin-1 beta.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the in vivo expression of the matrix metalloproteinase
      stromelysin in the synovium and articular cartilage of rabbits injected
      intraarticularly with recombinant human interleukin-1 beta (IL-1). METHODS: The
      direct isolation of messenger RNA (mRNA) from articular cartilage without the
      prior isolation of chondrocytes is described. The in vivo expression of
      stromelysin was examined at the mRNA level by Northern blot analysis, and at the
      protein level by in situ immunolocalization and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay. RESULTS: In the synovium of IL-1-injected joints, stromelysin mRNA levels
      were highest at 4 hours and declined to background levels within 24 hours. In the
      cartilage of IL-1-injected joints, stromelysin mRNA was elevated at 4 hours and
      continued to increase until 8 hours, before declining. Stromelysin mRNA
      expression preceded a similar increase in stromelysin protein levels in both
      synovium and cartilage. CONCLUSION: Intraarticular injection of IL-1 induced the
      endogenous expression of stromelysin mRNA and protein in both synovium and
      cartilage. The kinetics of stromelysin expression correlated well with the
      accumulation of stromelysin and proteoglycan in synovial fluids. Therefore, the
      de novo synthesis of stromelysin in cartilage may have contributed to the loss of
      proteoglycan from that tissue.

PMID- 1418010
TI  - Retroperitoneal fibrosis associated with aortitis.

PMID- 1418011
TI  - Does methotrexate retard radiologic progression of rheumatoid arthritis?

PMID- 1418012
TI  - Giant cell arteritis in Mediterranean countries: comment on the article by
      Salvarani et al.

PMID- 1418013
TI  - Interactions between antibodies and chondrocytes.

PMID- 1418014
TI  - Reduce serum uric acid levels before withdrawing antihyperuricemic therapy in
      patients with tophaceous gout.

PMID- 1418015
TI  - Clinical significance of hyaluronan in rheumatic diseases: comment on the
      articles by Goldberg et al and Woessner.

PMID- 1418016
TI  - Evidence for the presence of androgen receptors in the synovial tissue of
      rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy controls.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the presence of androgen receptors in the synovial tissue of
      male and female patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and matched healthy
      controls. METHODS: Both site I (high affinity, low binding capacity) and site II
      (reduced affinity, higher binding capacity) androgen receptors were investigated
      in soluble and nuclear fractions of homogenized synovial samples, using the
      dextran-coated charcoal method. The finding of pure, high-affinity site I
      receptors in both fractions was considered indicative of androgen receptor
      positivity. In order to determine what type of synovial cell was positive for
      androgen receptors, cryosections of synovial tissues were immunostained with a
      specific monoclonal anti-androgen receptor antibody (MAb), using both
      immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase techniques. Double immunostaining with
      this MAb and specific MAb directed toward different macrophage/granulocyte
      antigens was also performed. RESULTS: Remarkable differences were found between
      male and female controls: Most males were positive for androgen receptors, and
      most females were negative. The fetomolar content of androgen receptor in the
      nuclear fraction was fairly constant, but the soluble fraction showed a higher
      femtomolar concentration in female RA patients than in controls of either sex, as
      well as in male RA patients compared with female RA patients. The androgen
      receptor-positive cells in both RA and control synovial cryosections were found
      by immunostaining to be macrophage-like synoviocytes, and were also found to be
      HLA-DR positive. CONCLUSIONS: The immunosuppressive action exerted by androgens
      might, at least in part, be mediated through their interaction with macrophage
      like synoviocytes functioning as antigen-processing and antigen-presenting cells
      in rheumatoid synovia.

PMID- 1418017
TI  - Antibodies in rheumatoid synovial fluids bind to a restricted series of protein
      antigens in rheumatoid synovial tissue.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: By searching the synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis
      (RA) for antibodies that react to protein antigens in synovial tissue, we sought
      to identify putative antigens present in RA synovial tissue that might drive the
      pathologic immune response believed to be responsible for the joint inflammation.
      METHODS: Synovial tissue was homogenized in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide
      gel buffer, electrophoresed, and analyzed by immunoblotting. RESULTS: Antibodies
      from synovial fluids of patients with RA bound to several proteins in rheumatoid
      synovial tissues, including a series of low (27.5-, 29-, and 30-kd), middle (43-
      and 53-kd), and high (140-, 164-, and 182-kd) molecular weight proteins. Most of
      these antigens were also detected in normal synovial tissue, and the high
      molecular weight proteins were also present in normal dermal, muscle, and liver
      tissues. The low and middle molecular weight proteins were detected in some, but
      not all, of the other normal tissues and in Jurkat cell lysates. Antibodies to
      the low and high series of proteins were present in all rheumatoid synovial
      fluids tested, but were generally absent from synovial fluids from patients with
      other arthritic diseases. CONCLUSION: These results show that antibodies in
      synovial fluids consistently react to several proteins in RA and normal synovial
      tissues. These antigens are possibly the same antigens provoking the T cell
      response in RA; therefore, understanding the mechanism of the immune response
      against these proteins will likely lead to important insight into the etiology of
      RA.

PMID- 1418018
TI  - Assessment of disease activity and impending flare in patients with systemic
      lupus erythematosus. Comparison of the use of complement split products and
      conventional measurements of complement.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether increased levels of the complement split products
      generated in the activation of the alternative or classical pathway accompany
      more severe disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
      and whether these measurements are useful in predicting flares of disease.
      METHODS: Levels of Ba, Bb, SC5b-9, and C4d were measured in 380 plasma samples
      obtained from 86 SLE patients who were prospectively followed up for 15 months.
      RESULTS: In the 20 patients who had inactive disease at the initiation of the
      study, the mean values of all of the complement split products at entry were
      within the normal range. In the 47 patients with stable or moderate disease
      activity, levels of Ba were significantly increased, while the mean values for
      Bb, SC5b-9, and C4d did not differ significantly from those in patients with
      inactive disease. The mean entry value of each analyte was highest in the group
      of 19 patients who had the most severe disease activity at initial evaluation.
      Traditional measurements of complement, i.e., C3, C4, and CH50, followed similar
      trends, but did not discriminate between the 3 groups of patients as well as did
      measurements of the split products. Analysis of the disease course in the
      patients with inactive or stable/moderate disease revealed that an elevated level
      of C4d had the most sensitivity with regard to subsequent flare, while an
      elevated Bb level had the highest specificity and the greatest predictive value.
      CONCLUSION: These data suggest that elevated levels of complement split products,
      particularly products of alternative and terminal pathway activation, more
      accurately reflect disease activity than do conventional measurements of
      complement in SLE and may be useful in the prediction of impending disease
      flares.

PMID- 1418019
TI  - Neuropathologic findings in multi-infarct dementia associated with
      anticardiolipin antibody. Evidence for endothelial injury as the primary event.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: There are few reports describing histopathologic changes associated
      with the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. We describe a patient with multi
      infarct dementia and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, in whom a brain biopsy
      was performed. METHODS: Biopsy material from the left frontal cortex, including
      meninges, cortex, and underlying subcortical white matter, was investigated.
      Microscopic examination and special staining were performed. RESULTS: Microscopic
      examination showed lumenal occlusion by thrombi, and marked endothelial
      hyperplasia of small meningeal and cortical arterioles. CONCLUSION: These
      findings suggest that the pathogenesis of this cerebral vasculopathy is
      noninflammatory and is associated with reactive endothelial hyperplasia and
      thrombosis of small arterioles.

PMID- 1418020
TI  - Presence of small proteoglycan fragments in normal and arthritic human cartilage.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To characterize the small proteoglycans decorin and biglycan in normal
      human patellar cartilage and in cartilage from individuals with chronic
      polyarthritis. METHODS: Cartilage extracts were chromatographed on DEAE-Trisacryl
      and further separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis before and after enzymatic degradation of the glycosaminoglycan
      chains. Decorin and biglycan were visualized after Western blotting, using core
      protein-specific polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: Core protein
      fragments of both proteoglycans were observed even in normal cartilage. In the
      case of decorin they amounted to up to 15% of the immunoreactive material, and up
      to 5% of the core protein was glycosaminoglycan free. The quantity of decorin
      core protein was reduced in arthritic cartilage, but the core protein fragments
      represented up to 45% of the immunoreactive material. Different zones of
      cartilage differed in their content of the fragments. Evidence for an increased
      proportion of biglycan fragments was not obtained. CONCLUSION: Chronic
      polyarthritis leads to increased degradation of small proteoglycans. A
      considerable proportion of decorin fragments is retained in the tissue. These
      alterations may have a negative influence on the mechanical stability of tissue.

PMID- 1418021
TI  - Effect of intraarticular glycosaminoglycan polysulfate treatment on
      patellofemoral pain syndrome. A prospective, randomized double-blind trial
      comparing glycosaminoglycan polysulfate with placebo and quadriceps muscle
      exercises.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of intraarticular (IA) injections of
      glycosaminoglycan polysulfate (GAGPS) plus basic conservative treatment with the
      effects of placebo injections plus conservative treatment and with the effects of
      conservative treatment alone in patients with chronic patellofemoral pain
      syndrome (PFPS). METHODS: We treated 53 patients who presented with chronic PFPS
      in 1 knee, according to 1 of the 3 protocols, in a prospective, randomized,
      double-blind study. Basic conservative treatment consisted of a 6-week program of
      quadriceps muscle exercise, elimination of symptom-producing activities, and oral
      doses of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Physiologic saline served as
      placebo for injection. During the 6-week treatment period, 5 injections were
      given 1 week apart. Along with measurements of quadriceps strength, standardized
      subjective, functional, and clinical assessments were performed at presentation,
      after 6 weeks of treatment, and after 6 months. RESULTS: Results at 6 months
      indicated that IA injections of GAGPS or saline did not result in significant
      improvement beyond the good results achieved by the basic conservative treatment
      alone. More than two-thirds of the patients in each group experienced complete
      recovery. CONCLUSION: Neither the GAGPS injections nor the physiologic saline
      injections are more effective than conservative therapy in the treatment of
      chronic PFPS. Restoration of normal quadriceps muscle function to the affected
      knee seems to be crucial in treating PFPS.

PMID- 1418022
TI  - Appendicular and vertebral bone mass in ankylosing spondylitis. A comparison of
      plain radiographs with single- and dual-photon absorptiometry and with
      quantitative computed tomography.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We assessed the prevalence, severity, and anatomic distribution of
      ankylosing spondylitis (AS)-related osteopenia (OP). METHODS: We studied 70
      patients (60 males, 10 premenopausal females) with AS (according to the New York
      criteria) to determine the frequency of OP. Bone mass was measured by plain
      radiographs of the spine, by single-photon absorptiometry (SPA) of the distal and
      midshaft of the radius on the nondominant side, by dual-photon absorptiometry
      (DPA) of the lumbar spine (L2-L4), and by quantitative computed tomography (QCT)
      of the lumbar spine. RESULTS: SPA values for the radius mass were normal in males
      and in females, both at the distal and midshaft sites. In contrast, spine
      radiographs showed diminished density of the vertebral bodies in 69% of the males
      and 50% of the premenopausal females. Two male patients had had a vertebral
      compression fracture, and one female patient had had two. DPA values for the
      spine mass were significantly diminished in the male patients compared with the
      controls, but not in the female patients. Males with less severe AS also had the
      largest reduction in lumbar bone mineral content. In patients with more severe
      disease, lumbar bone mineral content was not statistically different from that in
      controls. QCT of the lumbar spine performed in 10 patients disclosed low density
      of the trabecular bone of the vertebral bodies, more so in those with more severe
      AS and syndesmophyte formation and/or apophyseal joint fusion, which contrasts
      with the normal values on DPA in these patients. CONCLUSION: Male patients with
      AS have axial osteopenia. In those who have very severe AS with new bone
      formation, DPA demonstrates normal values as a result of two opposite trends:
      central osteopenia (as assessed from QCT) and peripheral new-bone formation,
      which transforms vertebral bodies into long bones. This could modify the
      mechanical resistance of the spine and account for the propensity for
      anteroposterior transvertebral and transdiscal fractures after trauma in AS.

PMID- 1418023
TI  - Signal transduction in Sjogren's syndrome T cells. Abnormalities associated with
      a newly described human A-type retrovirus.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of a novel A-type retrovirus, detected in
      cocultures of lip biopsy specimens from Sjogren's syndrome (SS) patients and a
      human T cell line, on the infected T cells. METHODS: Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL
      6 secretion were measured by bioassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,
      respectively, in the infected and noninfected cell lines. Surface antigen
      expression was determined by flow cytometry, using monoclonal antibodies. Protein
      kinase C (PKC) activity was measured using an enzyme assay kit, and calcium
      mobilization was assessed with a fluorescent probe. RESULTS: Infected cells
      expressed less CD4 and IL-6 receptor, but more HLA-DR, compared with noninfected
      cells. Infected cells also produced less IL-2 and displayed reduced PKC
      activation and calcium mobilization. A similar defect in calcium mobilization was
      detected in T cells from SS patients. CONCLUSION: These data suggest a possible
      involvement of the newly described retrovirus in T cell abnormalities.

PMID- 1418024
TI  - Quantitative immunohistologic criteria are superior to the lymphocytic focus
      score criterion for the diagnosis of Sjogren's syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of
      quantitative immunohistologic criteria for Sjogren's syndrome (SS) in labial
      salivary gland biopsies. METHODS: Quantitative immunohistologic examination was
      performed on labial salivary gland biopsy samples from 80 healthy controls, 32
      patients with primary SS, 14 patients with secondary SS, 5 with "probable" SS, 36
      with keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) with a lymphocytic focus score less than 1
      on the lip biopsy, and 18 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) without clinical
      evidence of SS. RESULTS: This is the first study to show that immunohistologic
      criteria for SS, based on the percentages of IgA-containing and IgG-containing
      plasma cells, are able to 1) confirm the diagnosis of SS in labial salivary
      glands of KCS patients in the absence of grade IV lymphocytic adenitis; and 2)
      distinguish between a grade IV focal lymphocytic adenitis in the labial salivary
      glands of SS patients and of RA patients without SS. CONCLUSION: Quantitative
      immunohistologic criteria were shown to be much more sensitive and disease
      specific than the widely accepted grade IV lymphocytic adenitis criterion, which
      corresponds to a lymphocytic focus score greater than 1, and these criteria
      should be included in the international diagnostic criteria for Sjogren's
      syndrome.

PMID- 1418025
TI  - Elevated serum levels of soluble interleukin-2 receptor in patients with
      Wegener's granulomatosis. Association with disease activity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), a
      marker of T cell activation, could be a useful marker of disease activity in
      Wegener's granulomatosis (WG). METHODS: Soluble IL-2R levels were determined by
      enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. WG disease activity in 102 patients was
      assessed according to clinical features and levels of classic antineutrophil
      cytoplasmic antibody (c-ANCA) and C-reactive protein (CRP). RESULTS: Soluble IL
      2R levels were higher in patients with generalized and active disease than in
      those with limited and inactive disease. In 25 patients with complete clinical
      remission, sIL-2R levels were significantly elevated, although levels of CRP and
      c-ANCA were normal. Eight of these 25 patients had disease relapses within 6
      months. Levels of sIL-2R were significantly higher in patients who had relapses
      than in those who did not. Patients with clinically active WG but low c-ANCA or
      CRP levels had elevated levels of sIL-2R. CONCLUSION: Levels of sIL-2R correlate
      with disease activity in patients with WG, and may indicate imminent relapse.

PMID- 1418026
TI  - Tryptophan metabolism via the kynurenine pathway in patients with the
      eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the metabolism of L-tryptophan (LT) via the kynurenine
      pathway in patients with the eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS). METHODS:
      Measurement of LT, L-kynurenine, and quinolinic acid in plasma and cerebrospinal
      fluid (CSF) from subjects with EMS, from asymptomatic users of LT, and from
      normal subjects. RESULTS: Plasma LT concentrations were lower in untreated EMS
      patients (n = 5) than in corticosteroid-treated EMS patients (n = 5; P less than
      0.05) and in asymptomatic users of LT (n = 5; P less than 0.05). Untreated EMS
      patients, who had discontinued LT weeks to months prior to study, had
      significantly higher plasma levels of L-kynurenine and quinolinic acid than did
      corticosteroid-treated EMS patients (P less than 0.05), normal subjects (P less
      than 0.02), and asymptomatic users of LT (P less than 0.05). EMS patients also
      had significantly elevated levels of L-kynurenine (P less than 0.05) and
      quinolinic acid (P less than 0.001) in CSF compared with normal subjects. After a
      1-gm oral dose of LT, untreated EMS patients (n = 4) showed lower peak levels of
      LT and accentuated synthesis of L-kynurenine and quinolinic acid, compared with
      these values in corticosteroid-treated EMS patients (n = 2), who responded like
      normal subjects (n = 5). CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate that during the
      active phase of EMS, LT metabolism via the kynurenine pathway was accentuated,
      probably secondary to induction of the enzyme indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase.
      Ingestion of large amounts of LT (median daily dose 1.5 gm) resulted in high
      concentrations of kynurenine-pathway metabolites in blood and extrahepatic
      tissues, which was accentuated in EMS patients and which may have played a
      significant role in the pathogenesis of the disease.

PMID- 1418027
TI  - Detection of autoantibodies to the SS-A/Ro antigen: comment on the article by
      Boire et al.

PMID- 1418028
TI  - On creativity.

PMID- 1418029
TI  - IX 207-887 in rheumatoid arthritis. A double-blind placebo-controlled study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy and the safety of IX 207-887 treatment in
      rheumatoid arthritis. The IX compound [10-methoxy-4H-benzo(4,5)cyclohepta-(1,2
      b)thiophene-4-yliden acetic acid] is effective in several animal models of
      rheumatoid arthritis and has a mechanism of action involving the inhibition of
      interleukin-1 release. METHODS: A double-blind, controlled trial of 16 weeks'
      duration comparing placebo with IX at a daily dosage of 800 mg or 1,200 mg (20
      patients/group) was conducted. RESULTS: Thirteen patients withdrew from the
      study, 3 because of lack of efficacy (all in the placebo group) and 10 because of
      side effects (1 in the placebo group [skin rash] and 9 in the IX groups [skin
      rash in 5, intestinal disturbances in 2, hepatitis in 1, meningitis in 1]).
      Intent-to-treat analysis showed a statistically significant difference in the
      variations of clinical and laboratory parameters between the 3 groups. Between
      group comparisons showed an improvement in all these variables in the IX groups
      versus the placebo group. According to Paulus' criteria, 2 of the 20 placebo
      treated patients (10%), 9 of the 20 IX 800 mg-treated patients (45%), and 11 of
      the 20 IX 1,200 mg-treated patients (55%) were considered responders (P = 0.008).
      CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that the tolerability of IX is
      acceptable in rheumatoid arthritis patients, and that IX is an effective slow
      acting drug for use in rheumatoid arthritis.

PMID- 1418030
TI  - Effect of nebracetam on nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors
      expressed in Xenopus oocyte by injecting exogenous mRNA.
AB  - Using voltage- and current-clamp methods the effects of nebracetam 4-aminomethyl
      1-benzylpyrrolidine-2-one hemifumarate, WEB 1881 FU, CAS 118607-07-1), a new
      agent with nootropic property, on the nicotinic (nAChRs) and muscarinic
      acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) were studied, which were expressed in Xenopus
      oocytes by injecting E. electricus mRNA and rat brain mRNA, respectively.
      Simultaneous application of nebracetam (0.03-2 mmol/l) with acetylcholine (ACh)
      (0.01-1 mmol/l) inhibited the ACh-responses of both nAChRs and mAChRs, whereas
      preapplication of these concentrations of nebracetam for 30 s to 1 min
      potentiated such inhibition. A simple competitive inhibition model for the
      effects of both drugs simultaneously applied yielded the inhibition constant, K1
      of 0.419 and 0.212 mmol/l for nAChRs and mAChRs, respectively, indicating that
      the action on mAChRs is a little more potent than on nAChRs. Nebracetam induced a
      concentration-dependent slight increase in inward currents on mAChRs but not on
      nAChRs. It is suggested that the direct effects of nebracetam on nAChRs and
      mAChRS, which were induced only by a rather high concentration, as compared with
      the clinically expected plasma level, may be a contributing factor to the
      clinical effectiveness of the drug only if there is some critical change in the
      sensitivity to the drug.

PMID- 1418031
TI  - Prophylactic effects of a new 1,5-benzothiazepine calcium antagonist on stroke in
      salt-loaded stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.
AB  - The influence of chronic treatment with clentiazem ((+)(2S,3S)-3-acetoxy-8-chloro
      5-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-2,3-dihydro- 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,5-benzothiazepin-4
      (5H)-one maleate, TA-3090), on blood pressure, incidence of stroke, stroke
      related mortality and histological changes of the brain and other organs were
      examined in salt-loaded stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP).
      Male SHRSP that were fed an 8% NaCl-containing diet began to die of a stroke 3
      weeks after salt-loading, accompanied by decreases in body weight and food
      intake. Most of the rats (16 out of 18) died by the 8th week of salt-loading.
      Chronic treatment with clentiazem (300 or 1000 ppm) delayed the occurrence of
      stroke and death in a dose-related manner without any hypotensive action when
      measured by the tail-cuff method. However, examination of circadian changes in
      arterial blood pressure with implanted cannula under a freely-moving condition 3
      weeks after salt-loading revealed that 1000 ppm clentiazem produced significant
      hypotension in the dark phase but not in the light phase. Histological studies (3
      weeks after salt-loading) showed that 1000 ppm Clentiazem significantly
      suppressed the cerebral and renal damages, and vascular hypertrophy in all organs
      studied. Thus, clentiazem prevents stroke and also protects renal damage and
      vascular hypertrophy in salt-loaded SHRSP. The hypotensive effect and organ
      protective action by clentiazem may be involved in its prophylactic action
      against stroke.

PMID- 1418032
TI  - Pharmacological profile of the new antidepressant levoprotiline.
AB  - The pharmacological properties of a new antidepressant, levoprotiline ((-)-R-a
      [(methylamino)methyl]-9,10-ethanoanthracene-9(10H)- ethanol hydrochloride, CGP
      12103 A, CAS 76496-69-0) were investigated. 1. Central nervous system:
      Levoprotiline did not have any marked effects on the general behaviour of mice
      and rats at low doses, however it slightly suppressed the righting reflex and
      spontaneous motor activity of mice at higher doses. In rats, chewing behaviour
      and salivation were observed at higher doses. Levoprotiline had no effects on the
      traction test (mice) and inclined screen test (rats). Levoprotiline induced a
      slight drowsy EEG pattern, the effect being similar to that of typical
      antidepressants such as maprotiline or imipramine but the degree of potency of
      levoprotiline was less than that of the latter two drugs. Levoprotiline and
      maprotiline did not inhibit the arousal response induced by physostigmine, while
      imipramine clearly suppressed the response. 2. Respiratory and cardiovascular
      system: Heart rate decrease and QT prolongation were observed in anesthetized
      dogs. In an in vitro study, levoprotiline caused only slight stimulation of
      noradrenaline transmission in the isolated guinea pig atrium. 3. Smooth muscle:
      The effects of levoprotiline on the contractile response to histamine,
      acetylcholine and serotonin in the isolated guinea pig ileum were compared with
      those of maprotiline or imipramine. While levoprotiline potently inhibited the
      contractile response to histamine, its inhibition of acetylcholine-induced
      contraction was the weakest of the three compounds studied. No remarkable effect
      was observed in serotonin induced contractions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418033
TI  - Variation of pharmacokinetics after oral administration of slow-release
      metoprolol tablets and pharmacogenetic considerations.
AB  - The maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax) after oral administration of 120 mg
      tablets of slow-release metoprolol (CAS 37350-58-6) to 75 Japanese healthy male
      volunteers and 15 arrhythmic patients were measured. Extensive and poor
      metabolizers after oral administrations of slow-release metoprolol tablets were
      classified by means of the frequency distribution of Cmax values. In addition,
      the frequency distribution of Cmax values after oral administration of slow
      release metoprolol 120 mg tablets was compared with that of conventional
      metoprolol 40 mg tablets. 1. Mean +/- S.E. values of Cmax, tmax and AUC0-24 after
      oral administration of slow-release metoprolol tablets to 75 healthy male
      volunteers and 15 arrhythmic patients were 95.3 +/- 6.6 ng/ml, 4.4 +/- 0.2 h and
      1000.4 +/- 70.9 ng.h/ml, respectively. 2. The number of poor metoprolol
      metabolizers after the oral administration of slow-release tablets in 75 healthy
      volunteers and 15 patients was estimated to be 2 subjects (2.2%). 3. The
      frequency distribution of Cmax values after oral administration of conventional
      metoprolol tablets was similar to that of slow-release metoprolol tablets. In
      addition, from the result of this study and that obtained in another study, in
      which the frequency of poor metoprolol metabolizers in British people has been
      examined, it is concluded that the frequency of poor metoprolol metabolizers
      varies between ethnic groups (2.2% in Japanese population and 11.3% in British
      population.

PMID- 1418034
TI  - Synthesis, natriuretic, antikaliuretic and antimagnesiuretic properties of an
      acidic triamterene derivative.
AB  - 2,4,7-Triamino-6-(4-methanesulfonamidophenyl) pteridine (RPH 3048) is a new
      acidic triamterene derivative. Relevant physico-chemical constants were
      determined (solubility at pH 7.4 = 3.7 mg/l; logP at pH 7.4 = 0.2) and
      pharmacokinetic as well as pharmacodynamic properties were investigated, using
      male Wistar rats. After intravenous application of the test substances urine was
      collected, its volume and electrolyte composition determined, and the urine
      recovery of the drugs was analysed. The comparison of RPH 3048 with triamterene
      (CAS 396-01-0) revealed almost equipotent natriuretic and potassium-retaining
      effects for both drugs and an additional relative magnesium-sparing activity of
      RPH 3048. The urine recovery of RPH 3048 after 6 h was higher (20.6%) than that
      of triamterene (12.9%). No metabolite of RPH 3048 could be detected in the urine
      whereas a triamterene metabolite was found. Due to its good solubility in
      alkaline medium RPH 3048 could be dissolved (at pH 11-12) and then administered
      intravenously together with a loop diuretic (furosemide). Urinary electrolyte
      excretion following administration of two different combinations of RPH 3048 and
      furosemide (combination A: 12.5 mumol/kg RPH 3048 and 25 mumol/kg furosemide;
      combination B: 25 mumol/kg RPH 3048 and 25 mumol/kg furosemide) was compared to
      urinary electrolyte excretion of a control group and a group only treated with
      furosemide (25 mumol/kg). The additional application of RPH 3048 reduced in both
      groups potassium and magnesium excretion to control level but did not compromise
      furosemide induced natriuresis. In contrast to earlier investigations these
      results suggest that it is possible to develop acidic triamterene derivatives
      with potent antikaliuretic effects.

PMID- 1418035
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of azosemide in patients with T-drain after cholecystectomy.
AB  - In an open clinical trial the pharmacokinetics of orally administered azosemide
      (2-Chloro-5-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-4-[(2- thienylmethyl)amino] benzene sulfonamide.
      Luret, CAS 27589-33-9) was surveyed in a group of 10 patients with T-drain after
      cholecystectomy. The mean peak concentration was reached after 2.35 h (SE: 0.25
      h) and was 474 ng/ml (142 ng/ml). The plasma elimination half-life was estimated
      to be 6.37 h (1.7 h). In 24 h 5.4% of the dose was excreted unchanged via urine
      and bile. Only a small fraction of the dose (0.53%) was recovered as glucuronide
      from urine and bile. Approximately 2% (0.74%) of the dose was excreted unchanged
      via bile. No other metabolites were detected. Plasma AUCO-24h was 3113
      micrograms.h/l. The renal clearance of 27 ml/min (8.8 ml/min) was 3 times higher
      than the biliary clearance of 10 ml/min (2.4 ml/min). Azosemide is rapidly but
      incompletely absorbed and shows a longer half-life when compared with other loop
      diuretics. Enterohepatical circulation and first-pass effect seem to be less
      significant because low amount of azosemide is excreted via bile.

PMID- 1418036
TI  - Inhibitory effects of propiverine hydrochloride on the agonist-induced or
      spontaneous contractions of various isolated muscle preparations.
AB  - Inhibitory effects of propiverine hydrochloride (P-4, CAS 60569-19-9), a new drug
      which reduces the frequency of micturition, were studied on the agonist-induced
      or spontaneous contractions of various isolated muscle preparations. P-4 (10(-6)
      10(-4) mol/l) inhibited both the KCl-induced contractions of isolated guinea-pig
      urinary bladder and ileum, and its IC50 values (mol/l) were 1.8 +/- 0.3 x 10(-5)
      (urinary bladder) and 1.3 +/- 0.4 x 10(-5) (ileum), respectively. The spontaneous
      contractions of isolated guinea-pig atrium, rat uterus and rabbit duodenum were
      unaffected by P-4 at 10(-6) mol/l, but they were inhibited by the drug at 10(-5)
      10(-4) mol/l. Its IC50 values (mol/l) were 10(-4) greater than (guinea-pig
      atrium), 1.3 +/- 0.3 x 10(-4) (rat uterus), and 1.0 +/- 0.5 x 10(-4) (rabbit
      duodenum), respectively. P-4 (10(-5)-10(-4) mol/l) inhibited the KCl-induced
      contraction of isolated rabbit aorta and the histamine-induced contraction of
      isolated guinea-pig tracheal chain. P-4 (10(-4) mol/l) also inhibited the
      noradrenaline-(norepinephrine) induced contractions of isolated guinea-pig
      urethra and vas deferens. In these isolated muscle preparations, the values of
      IC50 (greater than 10(-4) mol/l) could not be calculated. These results indicate
      that the inhibitory activities of P-4 on urinary bladder and ileum are 10 to 100
      times more potent than those on other organs.

PMID- 1418037
TI  - High pressure liquid chromatographic determination of the new non-steroidal anti
      inflammatory agent butibufen.
AB  - High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the determination and
      validation of a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent, butibufen (CAS 55837
      18-8), microencapsulated butibufen and its pharmaceutical forms--tablets, sachets
      (microencapsulated butibufen with excipients), microemulsion and cream--is
      described. Acetonitrile proved to be the best solvent for the extraction of
      butibufen from its pharmaceutical forms. The results submitted in this paper
      suggest that the HPLC method for the quantitative determination of butibufen is
      linear, accurate, precise and sensitive.

PMID- 1418038
TI  - Antitumor activity of some ruthenium derivatives in human colon cancer cell lines
      in vitro.
AB  - Six ruthenium derivatives were evaluated in vitro in two human colon cancer cell
      lines (SW707 and SW948) utilizing the microculture tetrazolium test (MTT) and
      cell counting with a Coulter Counter. The ruthenium compound sodium
      (tetrachloroimidazoledimethylsulfoxideruthenate)- bisdimethylsulfoxide
      (Na(RuDMSOimCl4)) showed the best efficacy in inhibiting cell proliferation of
      both colon cancer cell lines followed by the other DMSO ruthenium compound sodium
      (tetrachloroindazoledimethylsulfoxideruthenate) - bisdimethylsulfoxide
      (Na(RuDMSOIndCl4)), as demonstrated by IC50 values (80 and 90 micrograms/ml in
      SW707 and SW948 cell lines for Na(RuDMSOImCl4); 155 and 165 micrograms/ml in
      SW707 and SW948 cell lines for Na(RuDMSOIndCl4), respectively). Out of the
      ruthenium derivatives without DMSO, transindazolium - [tetrachlorobis(1H -
      indazole)ruthenate (III,N2)] (HInd[RuInd2Cl4(N2)]), was as active as its DMSO
      containing congener whereas trans-imidazolium-
      [tetrachlorobisimidazoleruthenate)(III)], (HIm(RuIm2Cl4)) was less active, as
      shown by the IC50 values: (HIm (RuIm2Cl4) = 250 and 260 micrograms/ml in cell
      lines SW707 and SW948; HInd[RuInd2Cl4(N2)] = 110 and greater than 200
      micrograms/ml in cell lines SW707 and SW948, respectively). The other ruthenium
      derivatives containing pyrazole and triazole as ligands (trans - pyrazolium
      (tetrachlorobispyrazoleruthenate) (III), PzH(RuPz2Cl4) and
      triazolium(tetrachlorobistriazoleruthenate) (III), TrH(RuTr2Cl4)) were active
      only at high concentrations that cannot be regarded as realistic in vivo, as
      shown by the respective IC50 values: (PzH(RuPz2Cl4) = 1056 and 750 micrograms/ml
      in cell lines SW707 and SW948; TrH(RuTr2Cl4) = 350 and 300 micrograms/ml in cell
      lines SW707 and SW948). The promising activity of ruthenium compounds with DMSO,
      indazole and imidazole as ligands should be evaluated in vivo for elucidating
      their possible role in the treatment of colorectal cancer.

PMID- 1418039
TI  - Stereoselectivity in the disposition of chloroquine and desethylchloroquine in
      rabbits.
AB  - Stereoselective pharmacokinetic properties of chloroquine (CAS 54-05-7) and
      desethylchloroquine were investigated in rabbits by administration of the
      separate enantiomers according to a cross-over design. The terminal half-life was
      longer for (R)-chloroquine than for (S)-chloroquine. A striking difference was
      revealed in the concentrations of metabolites. The levels of (R)
      desethylchloroquine were higher than those of (S)-desethylchloroquine, resulting
      in a statistically significant higher AUC for the (R)-metabolite than for the (S)
      metabolite.

PMID- 1418040
TI  - Influence of alpha-lipoic acid on intracellular glutathione in vitro and in vivo.
AB  - The influence of alpha-lipoic acid (CAS 62-46-4) on the amount of intracellular
      glutathione (GSH) was investigated in vitro and in vivo. Using murine
      neuroblastoma as well as melanoma cell lines in vitro, a dose-dependent increase
      of GSH content was observed. Dependent on the source of tumor cells the increase
      was 30-70% compared to untreated controls. Normal lung tissue of mice also
      revealed about 50% increase in glutathione upon treatment with lipoic acid. This
      corresponds with protection from irradiation damage in these in vitro studies.
      Survival rate of irradiated murine neuroblastoma was increased at doses of 100
      micrograms lipoic acid/d from 2% to about 10%. In agreement with the in vitro
      studies, in vivo experiments with whole body irradiation (5 and 8 Gy) in mice
      revealed that the number of surviving animals was doubled at a dose of 16 mg
      lipoic acid/kg. Improvement of cell viability and irradiation protection by the
      physiological compound lipoic acid runs parallel with an increase of
      intracellular GSH/GSSG ratio.

PMID- 1418041
TI  - Synthesis and antifungal activity of a series of difluorotritylimidazoles.

PMID- 1418042
TI  - In vitro and in vivo studies with flutrimazole, a new imidazole derivative with
      antifungal activity.
AB  - 1-[(2-Fluorophenyl)(4-fluorophenyl)phenylmethyl]-1H-imidazole (flutrimazole, UR
      4056, CAS 119006-77-8) is a new topical imidazole antifungal agent which displays
      potent broad-spectrum in vitro activity against dermatophytes, filamentous fungi
      and yeasts, saprophytic and pathogenic to animals and humans (MIC = 0.025-5.0
      micrograms/ml). In most of these studies the activity of flutrimazole was
      comparable to that of clotrimazole and markedly higher than that of bifonazole
      (MIC differences of greater than or equal to 1 order of magnitude). Tested
      against Scopulariopsis brevicaulis (8 strains), both flutrimazole and
      clotrimazole exhibited fungistatic and fungicidal activity, and clotrimazole
      appeared something less active (MIC = 0.3-2.5 micrograms/ml) than flutrimazole
      (MIC = 0.15-0.6 micrograms/ml). In animal experiments, topical application of 1%
      and 2% flutrimazole, as a cream or solution, was highly effective in models of
      rat vaginal candidiasis and guinea-pig trichophytosis, giving a rate of cured or
      cured plus markedly improved animals higher than 80%. Flutrimazole shares the
      mode of action of other imidazole or triazole-containing antifungals, i.e.
      inhibition of fungal lanosterol 14 alpha-demethylase, as it strongly inhibits
      ergosterol biosynthesis in a cell-free homogenate of Candida albicans, with an
      IC50 value of 0.071 mumol/l.

PMID- 1418043
TI  - Toxicity studies with flutrimazole.
AB  - Studies with 1-[(2-fluorophenyl)(4-fluorophenyl)phenylmethyl]-1H- imidazole
      (flutrimazole, CAS 119006-77-8), a new topical imidazole antifungal agent, have
      been carried out to investigate the acute toxicity of the active substance in
      mice and rats, as well as the acute ocular and dermal irritation in rabbits, the
      dermal tolerance after repeated dose (21 days) applications in rabbits, and the
      sensitising, photoallergic and phototoxic potential in guinea pigs using 1%
      flutrimazole cream. LD50 values after oral or intraperitoneal administration were
      greater than or equal to 1000 mg/kg in both mice and rats, which reveal a very
      low acute toxicity of flutrimazole. No differences were found between the
      excipient and 1% flutrimazole cream in the acute ocular and dermal irritation
      studies in rabbits, the irritation indexes being indicative of no lesions due to
      flutrimazole. Cumulative dermal irritation studies in rabbits showed an improved
      local tolerance of a skin cream containing 1% flutrimazole as compared to a
      commercial skin cream containing 1% clotrimazole. The irritation indexes were 1.2
      and 3.7, respectively (p less than 0.01). The corresponding histophatological
      findings confirmed the better local tolerance of 1% flutrimazole cream.
      Furthermore, it has been found that flutrimazole cream lacks sensitising
      potential (Magnusson and Kligman test), is also devoid of phototoxic potential
      and does not induce photoallergic reactions in guinea pigs, these data being
      confirmed by histopathological studies. These results, together with the very
      slight systemic absorption rate of flutrimazole from the 1% topical drug form,
      clearly show that no restrictions should be taken in the use of the cream for
      reasons of systemic toxicity or dermal tolerance.

PMID- 1418044
TI  - Percutaneous absorption and skin distribution of [14C]flutrimazole in mini-pigs.
AB  - The percutaneous absorption and skin distribution of a skin cream containing 1%
      14C-labelled 1-[(fluorophenyl) (4-fluorophenyl) phenylmethyl]-1H-imidazole
      (flutrimazole, UR-4056, CAS 119006-77-8) was studied in minipigs. The same dose
      of flutrimazole was administered i.v. and topically (as a cream) on scarified
      skin according to a crossover protocol. Samples of urine and faeces were taken at
      various intervals after administration, and radioactivity was measured. The
      percentage of radioactivity accumulated in urine after topical and intravenous
      administration were 1.46% and 41.7%, respectively. In faeces, the percentage of
      radioactivity observed was 6.0% after intravenous administration, and none was
      detected after topical application. In order to study the distribution and
      penetration of [14C]flutrimazole, the cream was applied to intact and scarified
      skin. At various intervals after administration, skin samples were taken. The
      samples for the autoradiographic studies were cut transversely, and for the
      measurement of the levels of radioactivity at different skin depths, slices were
      cut parallel to the cutaneous layers. The results obtained indicate that
      [14C]flutrimazole penetrates quickly into the different epidermic layers and is
      retained mainly in the strata spinosum, granulosum and basale. The stratum basale
      possibly acts as a selective barrier preventing the penetration of the compound
      into the dermis. The percentage of radioactivity in the stratum corneum is lower
      than that detected in all the other epidermic layers taken together. The stratum
      corneum offers low resistance to penetration by the flutrimazole, which very
      probably crosses the epidermic strata by a transcellular route.

PMID- 1418045
TI  - Pharmacokinetic study of [14C]flutrimazole after oral and intravenous
      administration in dogs. Comparison with clotrimazole.
AB  - This trial involved a comparative study using 6 Beagle dogs on the
      pharmacokinetics of 14C-labelled 1-[(2-fluorophenyl)(4-fluorophenyl)phenylmethyl]
      1H-imidazole (flutrimazole, CAS 119006-77-8) and [14C]clotrimazole labelled in
      the imidazole ring. On the basis of a cross-over trial, each animal received a
      dose of 5 mg/kg (approx. 100 microCi) [14C]flutrimazole and [14C]clotrimazole,
      both intravenously and orally. The levels in plasma, urine and faeces of the
      total radioactivity, unchanged drug and the [14C]imidazole formed by
      metabolization of the unchanged drug were determined. Flutrimazole presented a
      biological half-life (t1/2) of 14.4 +/- 3.8 h and a clearance (Cl) of 6.7 +/- 0.8
      l/h, while the values for clotrimazole were very different: t1/2 4.6 +/- 0.8 h
      and Cl: 13.6 +/- 1.0 l/h. After oral administration a fraction of absorbed dose
      (f) of 78 +/- 21% and bioavailability of 8.9 +/- 6.1% were calculated for
      flutrimazole. For clotrimazole, these were: 52 +/- 10% and 4.9 +/- 1.9%,
      respectively. Both drugs showed a significant first-pass effect, with 90% of the
      absorbed dose being metabolized before reaching the systemic circulation. The
      total recovery of radioactivity in faeces and urine 5 days after i.v. and oral
      administration was 58% and 68%, respectively, for [14C]flutrimazole, and 81% and
      79% for [14C]clotrimazole. In both cases, most of the radioactivity was recovered
      in the faeces. The high radioactivity obtained in faeces after i.v.
      administration of both drugs confirms biliary elimination. For both flutrimazole
      and clotrimazole, less than 1% of the total recovered in the urine after i.v.
      administration was recovered as unchanged drug.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418046
TI  - Local and systemic tolerance of flutrimazole skin creams following single and
      repeated topical application in healthy volunteers.
AB  - A double-blind, randomized phase I study was performed in 21 healthy volunteers
      to evaluate the dermal tolerance of skin creams containing 1% and 2% 1-[(2
      fluorophenyl)(4-fluorophenyl)phenylmethyl]-1H-imidazole (flutrimazole, UR-4056,
      CAS 119006-77-8) or only the excipient, versus a commercial skin cream containing
      1% clotrimazole. The study was carried out using the patch-test procedure
      performed in three stages: 1. single application in the back skin; 2. induction
      period (usage test) using three skin areas on the volar side of the forearm of
      each subject, where skin cream samples were applied once a day for a period of
      three weeks; and 3. after a wash-out period of two weeks, challenge applications
      in the back and forearm skin. The systemic tolerance of the formulations was also
      tested. There was no evidence of allergic sensitization after the application of
      flutrimazole creams, or their excipients, with signs of mild and doubtful skin
      reactions being observed in few subjects with all formulations. Furthermore, no
      systemic side effects after topical administration were detected throughout the
      study.

PMID- 1418047
TI  - Pharmacokinetic profile of [14C]flutrimazole following single topical application
      in normal and scarified skin of healthy volunteers.
AB  - 14C-labelled 1-[(2-fluorophenyl)(4-fluorophenyl)phenylmethyl]-1H- imidazole
      (flutrimazole, UR-4056, CAS 119006-77-8) was administered topically (dermally) in
      three male volunteers to normal skin and scarified skin, respectively. Blood,
      urine and faeces were collected and radioassayed by liquid scintillation counting
      techniques. After topical application to healthy skin area, less than 1% of
      flutrimazole was absorbed percutaneously from a 1% cream and the amount absorbed
      was excreted with the urine. Following administration of the drug to scarified
      skin, the proportions absorbed were very similar to those measured after
      application to normal skin. About 0.5% of the administered dose is recovered in
      urine. The absorbed amount of drug leads to very low concentrations in the
      circulation, lower than a few ng/ml.

PMID- 1418048
TI  - Rated performance, cardiovascular and quantitative EEG parameters during
      simulated instrument flight under the effect of terfenadine.
AB  - In a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized two-phase cross-over study
      comprising 10 (5/5) male subjects the effect of oral therapeutic doses of
      terfenadine (Teldane, CAS 50679-08-8) on rated performance, systolic and
      diastolic blood pressure, heart rate and the electroencephalogram of the subjects
      in an instrument flight (IF) procedure trainer was investigated. Terfenadine did
      not influence systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate and the specific
      performance of subjects during instrument flight procedures. Under terfenadine
      the quantitative EEG (qEEG) showed more %alpha, especially %alpha 2 during rest
      and to a lesser extent during instrument flight procedures of the subjects. As a
      result the vigilance dynamics was increased. In the %beta band especially %beta 2
      was increased only during instrument flight activities. The ratio theta/alpha was
      reduced during rest and during activities. Thus all these quantitative EEG
      indicators do not show a decrease in the level of vigilance nor are they
      indicative of signs of drowsiness during rest and during instrument flight
      activities under terfenadine. The results are discussed.

PMID- 1418049
TI  - Quantification of dechelation of gadopentetate dimeglumine in rats.
AB  - An animal model was developed in order to estimate a potential in vivo
      dechelation of gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA; CAS 86050-77-3) and to provide
      information concerning the chemical form of long-term gadolinium not excreted.
      Excretion kinetics and biodistribution of 153Gd-DTPA and Gd-[14C]DTPA were
      studied in 2 groups of rats following the intravenous injection of 0.5 mmol/kg Gd
      DTPA. Differences in the elimination and biodistribution profiles between the
      quantities of 153Gd and 14C radioactivity were taken as evidence for dechelation
      of Gd-DTPA within the body leading to a release of Gd ions. Statistically
      significant differences were observed in excretion and whole-body retention
      indicating an in vivo dechelation of less than 1% of the injected dose. 30% of
      the released Gd ions were excreted via urine and feces during the 21-day time
      interval. 21 days p.i., 70% of the released Gd ions remained in the body
      producing a significant 153Gd excess in liver, spleen, and the bones representing
      the principal target organs of released Gd ions after intravenous injection of Gd
      DTPA. More than 96% of the released Gd ions found in the body 21 days p.i. were
      deposited in the bones. Liver and spleen showed minor contributions. In any case,
      the chemical form of the gadolinium present in liver, spleen, and the bones could
      predominantly be assigned to translocated Gd ions resulting from dechelation of
      Gd-DTPA.

PMID- 1418050
TI  - Human recombinant interleukin-1 alpha and beta and articular tissue integrity. An
      in vivo study on hens and rats.
AB  - Human recombinant interleukin-1 alpha or beta was injected intraarticularly
      several times into the knee joints of rats and hens at different dosages (50-2000
      ng) and intervals. No loss of cartilage detectable by width of the radiological
      joint space and no degenerative changes of subchondral bone could be observed
      during 16 weeks using X-ray analysis. The macroscopical examination of articular
      cartilage of hens after this period and of rats after one year showed no
      morphological cartilage damages. These data suggest that human recombinant Il-1
      alpha and beta alone may not be sufficient to induce a progressing osteoarthritic
      process in these animals.

PMID- 1418051
TI  - Behavioral characterization of the new potent nonselective dopamine agonist
      pergolide.
AB  - Pergolide (LY127809, CAS 66104-23-2), a non-selective dopamine agonist, was
      evaluated for broad behavioral properties in a wide range of pharmacological
      tests. The selective dopamine2(D2) agonist, bromocriptine, served as a reference
      standard for those tests where behavioral activity was noted with pergolide.
      Pergolide and bromocriptine were administered orally to mice at doses of 0.3-30
      and 3-300 mg/kg, respectively. Both compounds produced biphasic effects on
      spontaneous activity, increased hexobarbital-induced sleep time, and lowered
      mouse body temperature. Qualitative changes with pergolide were observed with
      some mice showing hyporeactiveness, ptosis, slowed respiration and placing loss.
      Reserpine-induced hypothermia was reversed by pergolide with significant
      increases in the body temperature of reserpine-treated mice. However, a further
      reduction in the body temperature of reserpinized hypothermic mice was seen
      following bromocriptine administration. Acetic acid-induced writhing and
      performance on the rotarod were both impaired by higher doses of pergolide.
      Bromocriptine administration also reduced writhing at higher doses but did not
      alter performance on the rotarod. Pergolide had no effect on seizure activity as
      evaluated by electroshock, pentylenetetrazol (pentetrazol) or strychnine.
      Oxotremorine-induced tremors and salivation, grip strength, and tail-flick were
      not affected by pergolide. Neither pergolide nor bromocriptine altered
      established shuttle-avoidance behavior in rats at oral doses of 0.1 to 30 mg/kg.
      Behavioral assessment of pergolide in dogs was complicated by severe emetic
      responses at clinically relevant doses greater than 0.003 mg/kg. In summary,
      these data suggest that pergolide produces a behavioral profile which is
      characteristic of dopaminergics.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418052
TI  - General pharmacology of pergolide in animals. 2nd communication:
      gastrointestinal, renal and miscellaneous studies.
AB  - Pergolide mesylate ((8 beta)-8-[(methylthio)methyl]-6-propylergoline
      monomethanesulfonate, LY 127809, CAS 66104-23-2) is a novel and potent dopamine
      agonist marketed for treating the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The potential
      secondary pharmacological effects of this agent on the gastrointestinal and renal
      systems, as well as effects on local anesthesia, hemolysis, platelet aggregation,
      circulating blood glucose, primary antibody production, and the acute
      inflammatory response were examined. Pergolide exhibited significant
      pharmacological effects in gastrointestinal, renal and anti-inflammatory tests at
      high oral doses. Pergolide was essentially inactive in blood hemolysis, platelet
      aggregation, primary antibody production and local anesthesia testing. In
      summary, these studies confirm the pharmacological selectivity of pergolide, and
      indicate a low potential for secondary pharmacological side effects upon the
      functions tested at clinically relevant doses.

PMID- 1418053
TI  - Effects of mergocriptine on cerebral circulation and metabolism in cats.
AB  - Mergocriptine (CBM 36-733, CAS 81968-16-3) is an ergot alkaloid derivative and a
      dopaminergic agonist. Effects of mergocriptine on cerebral circulation and
      metabolism were examined by monitoring cerebral tissue oxygen and carbon dioxide
      tension (BrPO2, BrPCO2), cerebral blood flow (CBF) and blood pressure (BP) in 10
      cats. Mergocriptine (10 micrograms/kg) infused into the carotid artery produced a
      significant increase in CBF during the administration followed by a decrease in
      BrPO2 in parallel with a significant decrease in BP.

PMID- 1418054
TI  - Memantine in the treatment of mild to moderate dementia syndrome. A double-blind
      placebo-controlled study.
AB  - The efficacy and the tolerability of memantine (1-amino-3,5-dimethyladamantane
      hydrochloride, Akatinol Memantine, CAS 41100-52-1) were investigated in patients
      with mild to moderate dementia syndrome in a randomized two-centre placebo
      controlled clinical study. The test substance was administered at a dose of 10
      mg/d from day 1 to day 3 and then at a dose of 2 x 10 mg/d from day 4 to the end
      of treatment after 42 days. Altogether, 88 patients were recruited to the study;
      their average age was 71.5 years. The efficacy of memantine was judged on the
      basis of the baseline/6 week differences in the total sum scores of the Clinical
      Assessment Geriatric Scale (SCAG), the Gottfries-Brane-Steen Scale (GBS), the
      SCAG and GBS subscales and the global assessment of the change in the patient's
      condition. The effects of memantine on performance were studied with the aid of
      psychomotor tests and a behaviour investigation relating to activities of daily
      living (ADL). The tolerability of memantine was assessed on the basis of the
      doctor's global assessment and of entries on structured documentation forms
      (DOTES/TWIS). Further safety parameters--in the form of clinicochemical tests and
      measurements of blood pressure and heart rate--were also monitored during the
      study. On both the psychopathological measurement level (SCAG, global assessment
      of the change in the patient's condition) and the behavioural level (GBS),
      confirmatory statistical analysis brought to light significant differences
      between memantine and placebo (p less than or equal to 0.05), these differences
      showing a superiority of memantine. The tolerability of memantine was good in the
      main. The observed adverse reactions were not serious and, except in 3 patients,
      were rated as causing little or no impairment. The present clinical study
      demonstrates the efficacy of memantine in patients suffering from mostly moderate
      dementia syndrome. Clinical and statistically relevant improvements in the
      dementia-induced disturbances were found on the both the psychopathological level
      (SCAG, CGI) and the behavioural level (GBS). On the performance level also, the
      ADL behaviour investigation detected a highly significant improvement in the
      quality of performance of instrumented activities of daily living under
      memantine. Also the time taken to carry out these tasks was significantly reduced
      in comparison with placebo.

PMID- 1418055
TI  - Bioavailability of vinpocetine and interference of the time of application with
      food intake.
AB  - In a pilot study based on an open cross-over design involving four phases, the
      relative bioavailability of the eburnamenine derivative vinpocetine (CAS 42971-09
      5) was investigated in 8 healthy volunteers in relation to different times of
      drug administration relative to food intake. The substance was applied orally as
      10 mg film tablets. The areas under the plasma concentration-time curves (AUC)
      amounted to 27.3 +/- 18.1 ng.h/ml (fasting) and 42.8 +/- 27.4 up to 54.3 +/- 38.4
      ng.h/ml (non-fasting, intake before and after meal, resp.). The relative
      bioavailability under non-fasting conditions was found to be approx. 60 to 100%
      higher than under fasting conditions.

PMID- 1418056
TI  - Growth-promoting effect of a protein-free hemodialysate used in situations of
      hypoxia and for tissue repair as measured via stimulation of S6-kinase.
AB  - Solcoseryl is the low-molecular weight fraction of calf blood as manufactured by
      counterflow dialysis. This hemodialysate (HD) is in clinical use in situations
      involving hypoxia and for the normalization of tissue repair. The influence of
      the HD on ZR-75 cells was tested. These cells preferably express receptors for
      Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF)/Transforming Growth Factor alpha (TGF-alpha) or
      Somatomedin C (SMC = insulin like growth factor I resp. ILA-I) and react upon
      stimulation by enhancement of their S6-kinase activity, the latter being a
      prerequisite for growth. The functional presence of one or several of these
      peptide growth factors should therefore reflect in a stimulation of S6-kinase
      activity.

PMID- 1418057
TI  - Synthesis and cardiovascular properties of furazanyl-1,4-dihydropyridines and of
      furoxanyl analogues.
AB  - A series of furazanyl- and furoxanyl-1,4-dihydropyridines has been synthesized
      and tested for their cardiovascular activity. The new compounds showed a modest
      activity in comparison with nifedipine and some selectivity for the myocardial
      muscle. The most active compound was diethyl 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-4-(3-phenyl
      4-furoxanyl)-3,5-pyridine dicarboxylate, 4d.

PMID- 1418058
TI  - Bioavailability and metabolism of isosorbide dinitrate from a transdermal spray.
AB  - The plasma pharmacokinetics of isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN), isosorbide-2-nitrate
      (IS-2-N) and isosorbide-5-nitrate (IS-5-N) were investigated in 12 healthy
      volunteers after a single cutaneous administration of 60 mg ISDN (CAS 87-33-2) in
      the form of a solution sprayed onto the skin (TD Spray Iso Mack), in comparison
      with an intravenous infusion of 5 mg ISDN. After the intravenous dose, the
      apparent steady state volume of ISDN distribution came to 179.9 l, total body
      clearance was 3.14 l min-1, and terminal half-life was 79 min, on average. The
      transdermal absorption resulted in an average peak plasma concentration of 6.9 ng
      ISDN ml-1 at 5 h after the administration. ISDN concentrations between 1 and 5 ng
      ml-1 were maintained over at least 15 h. On average, 16.5% of the topically
      applied ISDN reached the systemic circulation. Total variations in Cmax (CV =
      47.9%) and AUC (CV = 36.0%) of transdermal ISDN were similar to those usually
      observed after oral ISDN.

PMID- 1418060
TI  - Pharmacokinetic study of tolmetin in the rat.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of tolmetin (CAS 26171-23-3) was studied in male Wistar rats
      after intravenous and oral administration of 32.95 mg/kg. After intravenous
      administration of the drug, it was shown that the most probable model was the two
      compartment-open model with Michaelis-Menten elimination. After oral
      administration, the drug was absorbed rapidly (K01 = 0.1304 min-1). The
      bioavailability was 96.94% and the drug was mostly excreted as 1-methyl-5-(4
      carboxybenzoyl)-1H-pyrrole-2-acetic acid, while the excretion of the unchanged
      drug was 6.12%.

PMID- 1418059
TI  - Pharmacological studies of the new antiinflammatory agent 3-formylamino-7
      methylsulfonylamino-6-phenoxy-4H-1-benzopyran-4-o ne. 1st communication:
      antiinflammatory, analgesic and other related properties.
AB  - The antiinflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities of 3-formylamino-7
      methylsulfonylamino-6-phenoxy-4H-1-benzopyran-4-on e (T-614, CAS 123663-49-0)
      were investigated in various animal models and compared with those of nimesulide,
      indomethacin and ibuprofen. The antiinflammatory potency of T-614 on carrageenin
      induced paw edema, paper disk granuloma and established adjuvant arthritis was
      greater than that of ibuprofen, but slightly lower than those of nimesulide and
      indomethacin. In acute inflammatory models, unlike indomethacin, T-614 suppressed
      the edemas provoked by dextran and bromelain in rats, but its inhibitory action
      on ultraviolet erythema in guinea-pigs was weak. Although the analgesic activity
      of T-614 was hardly demonstrated in writhing tests in mice, its potency against
      the inflammatory pain such as Randall-Selitto test, adjuvant-induced hyperalgesia
      and antigen-induced arthritic pain in rats was superior to that of ibuprofen.
      Moreover, it had a potent analgesic effect on urate-induced synovitis in dogs. T
      614 exerted a prompt and strong antipyretic effect in both yeast-induced febrile
      rats and lipopolysaccharide-induced febrile rabbits. T-614 had virtually no
      gastrointestinal ulcerogenic action and did not affect water and sodium excretion
      in rats. T-614 is a novel antiinflammatory compound with different
      pharmacological properties from that of the reference drugs.

PMID- 1418061
TI  - Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic effects and gastrointestinal
      toxicity of the new anti-inflammatory drug N-(3-[3
      (piperidinylmethyl)phenoxy]propyl)-carbamoylmethylthio ]ethyl 1-(p-chlorobenzoyl)
      5-methoxy-2-methyl-3-indolylacetate.
AB  - The anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic effects and gastrointestinal
      toxicity of N-(3-[3-(piperidinylmethyl) phenoxy] propyl)- carbamoylmethylthio]
      ethyl 1-(p-chlorobenzoyl) 5-methoxy-2-methyl-3-indolylacetate (CP-331, CAS 127966
      70-5), a new anti-inflammatory drug, were evaluated using indomethacin as a
      control. CP-331 exerted anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effects on
      the models of carrageenin-induced paw edema, increased vascular permeability,
      ultraviolet light-induced erythema, granuloma proliferation, adjuvant arthritis,
      inflammatory pain, and yeast-induced fever. However, these effects were observed
      at a molar level similar to or higher than that of indomethacin. In addition, CP
      331 influenced more markedly than indomethacin the delayed type hypersensitivity
      to sheep red blood cells. On the other hand, CP-331 did not damage the gastric
      mucosa even at a high dose of 1,000 mg/kg and also induced slighter damage to the
      intestinal mucosa than indomethacin. Thus, CP-331 exerted anti-inflammatory,
      analgesic, and antipyretic effects but without showing gastric toxicity, which is
      a common side effect of anti-inflammatory drugs. These results suggest the
      clinical applicability of this drug in the long-term therapy of inflammatory
      diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

PMID- 1418063
TI  - Induction of glutathione S-transferase activity by curcumin in mice.
AB  - Curcumin, a natural constituent of Curcuma longa (turmeric, CAS 458-37-7), has
      been studied for its induction of glutathione S-transferase activity in mice. At
      a dose of 250 mg/kg orally for 15 days, the enzyme activity in liver was
      increased by 1.8 fold. Its effect on other tissues like stomach, small intestine,
      lungs, kidney was not significant. Curcumin also depleted sulfhydryl levels in
      tissues, especially in stomach where 45% depletion was observed.

PMID- 1418062
TI  - Effects of salbutamol and bitolterol mesilate on pO2 levels in asthmatic patients
      and healthy volunteers.
AB  - The hypoxic effects of salbutamol 200 micrograms (CAS 18559-94-9) and bitolterol
      mesilate 740 micrograms (Biterol, CAS 30392-41-7), both administered by
      pressurized aerosol, were assessed by transcutaneous pO2 monitoring in 18
      asthmatic subjects and in 12 normal volunteers. Unlike the latter, the asthmatics
      showed a highly significant difference in ptcO2 time course after the two drugs.
      After bitolterol mesylate the decrease in ptcO2 was much more gradual and the
      maximal decrease showed a 10-min time lag vs. salbutamol, which may partly
      explain the well known chronotropic effect of bitolterol. The clinical importance
      of the beta 2-induced hypoxemia may be related more to the dynamics of the ptcO2
      decrease than to its absolute magnitude, which is usually fairly moderate.

PMID- 1418065
TI  - Missing neutral DNase activity in lymphocytes and phytohemagglutinin-stimulated
      lymphocytes after high dose methotrexate therapy.
AB  - After high dose methotrexate (CAS 59-05-2) therapy of children with non
      metastatic osteosarcoma the neutral DNase activity is missing in lymphocytes and
      in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated lymphocytes. The neutral DNase activity
      reappeared in lymphocytes 14 days and in PHA-stimulated lymphocytes 10 days after
      the end of therapy. The DNA polymerase activity is low when neutral DNase is
      missing and increases when neutral DNase activity reappeared. The neutral DNase
      activity in lymphocytes and in PHA-stimulated lymphocytes is probably identical
      with DNase I. Drug induced changes in DNA conformation can enhance DNase I
      cleavage rate. It is assumed, that high dose methotrexate alters DNA conformation
      and therefore binds DNase I; after this, free DNase I is no more detectable.

PMID- 1418064
TI  - Crystalline lactulose in the therapy of hepatic cirrhosis. Evaluation of clinical
      and immunological parameters. Preliminary results.
AB  - Crystalline lactulose (Laevolac Cristalli, CAS 4618-18-2), a pure form of the
      disaccharide widely employed in the therapy of complications of liver cirrhosis,
      was administered, after a pharmacological wash-out of 10 days and following a
      randomized design, to 10 cirrhotic patients for 30 days at the dosage of 60 g/d,
      while another 10 subjects with similar characteristics received no treatment.
      Besides the parameters usually monitored for the evaluation of liver function and
      state of hepatic encephalopathy, immunological patterns such as lymphocyte
      subpopulations CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16(NK), CD25 and antibacterial activity against
      Ty2 strain of Salmonella typhi were evaluated. At the end of the study (day 30) a
      significant decrease of blood ammonia was observed, as expected, only in the
      group treated with lactulose with respect to the control group, as well as a
      significant increase of CD16 and antibacterial activity (1/3); an enhanced level
      of CD25, although not significant, was also noticed in the treated group with
      respect to the control group. These findings seem to show an effect of activation
      on cell-mediated immune system depressed during liver cirrhosis, produced by
      lactulose. Further studies are needed to confirm these data and to clarify the
      possible mechanisms involved.

PMID- 1418066
TI  - Efficacy and safety of cefotiam hexetil in the treatment of ear, nose and throat
      infections.
AB  - In 60 patients suffering from acute ear, nose and throat infections the efficacy
      and safety of cefotiam hexetil (SCE-2174, CAS 61622-34-2) which is a pro-drug of
      cefotiam was studied. The clinical success rate (improvement/cure) achieved with
      a daily administration of 600 mg was 90%. In 63% of the cases being evaluable for
      bacteriological response an eradication of the causative pathogens at the end of
      the treatment period was found. The majority of the patients tolerated well the
      compound. Side effects which were possibly, likely or definitely related to the
      treatment were observed in 12 patients. In 7 of these patients the treatment had
      to be stopped due to side effects which is equivalent to an intolerance rate of
      12%. The data obtained in the present study indicate that cefotiam hexetil is a
      potent drug for the treatment of acute and acute on top of chronic infections of
      the upper aerodigestive tract.

PMID- 1418067
TI  - Enhancement of the penetration of dithranol and increase of effect of dithranol
      on the skin by liposomes.
AB  - An assessment was made in healthy skin of dithranol erythema caused by a 10-min
      occlusive application of 0.5% dithranol (CAS 1143-38-0) in liposomal gel
      (Natipide II) with and without the addition of 3% salicylic acid, and of 0.5%
      dithranol in vaseline and in a removable standard ointment base, both with 3%
      salicylic acid. Both liposomal preparations led to a significant potentiation of
      the dithranol erythema. The results indicate a strong promotion of the
      penetration of dithranol by the liposomal gel.

PMID- 1418068
TI  - Platelet-activating factor antagonists in experimental shock.
AB  - Platelet-activating factor (PAF) at 10 micrograms/kg i.v. induced profound
      hyperkalemia, changes of hematological parameters, patterns of ECG, and acid-base
      balance in rats. In separate experiments infusions of PAF at 30 ng/kg/min or
      injection of endotoxin from E. coli (15 mg/kg i.v.) induced a marked drop in
      blood pressure. All these changes were antagonized by pretreatment or post
      treatment (in case of hypotension) by the selective hetrazepinoic PAF antagonists
      apafant (WEB 2086, CAS 105219-56-5; 0.1-5 mg/kg i.v.), bepafant (WEB 2170, CAS
      114776-28-2; 0.05-1.0 mg/kg i.v.), or STY 2108 (0.01-0.1 mg/kg), respectively.
      The results support the view that PAF can mimic features of endotoxin shock and
      that the hetrazepines (like apafant, bepafant) are useful tools to clarify the
      role of PAF in such conditions.

PMID- 1418069
TI  - Synthesis of laminarin sulfates with anticoagulant activity.
AB  - Laminarin sulfates were synthesized without significant degradation of the
      genuine laminarin chain using SO3/pyridine complex as a sulfation reagent. 6
      derivatives with a degree of sulfation (d.s.) ranging from 0.30 to 2.26 could be
      obtained. According to methylation analysis the C-6-OH-groups of the glucose
      molecules were preferentially substituted, followed by the OH-groups at C-2 and C
      4. The derivatives Lam S1 (d.s. = 0.30) and Lam S2 (d.s. = 0.64) showed no
      activity in the blood coagulation tests. With increasing d.s. the anticoagulant
      activity increased until an optimum d.s. of 1.49. Anticoagulant laminarin
      sulfates showed significant activity in the activated partial thromboplastin time
      (APTT) test but were less active in the anti-Factor Xa as well as anti-Factor IIa
      assay. Therefore, the anticoagulant activity of the synthesized laminarin
      sulfates is due to the interaction at an early stage of the coagulation cascade
      and neither to a direct inhibition of Factor Xa and IIa nor to an indirect effect
      mediated by antithrombin III.

PMID- 1418070
TI  - [The effect of co-dergocrine mesylate on erythrocyte deformability of
      hyperosmolar blood in vitro].
AB  - Addition of low doses of co-dergocrine mesilate (CAS 8067-24-1), a drug
      containing a mixture of hydrated ergot alkaloids to hyperosmolar blood in vitro
      leads to a dose-dependent increase in erythrocyte filterability through a 8 mu
      filter system. The concentrations of co-dergocrine mesilate used in the present
      experiments ranged from 0.04675-6.0 mg/100 ml blood. Blood samples were incubated
      for 90 min at 37 degrees C, measuring temperature was 37 degrees C. It could be
      shown that the drug-induced increase in erythrocyte filterability was not
      dependent on the presence of leucocytes. At higher osmolarity values, when the
      erythrocytes were more rigid, higher concentrations of codergocrine mesilate were
      needed in order to obtain a comparable improvement in red cell deformability.

PMID- 1418071
TI  - Effect of drug therapy on the relapse of peptic ulcers. 1st communication: the
      effect of acute therapy.
AB  - The following study was conducted in order to investigate the effect of drug
      therapy on the relapse of peptic ulcers. Acute therapy with pirenzepine
      (Gastrozepin, CAS 28797-61-7) (100 mg/d) or cimetidine (CAS 51481-61-9) (800
      mg/d) was given to 402 patients with peptic ulcers using the envelope method.
      Subsequently, 1-year maintenance therapy with pirenzepine (75 mg/d) or placebo
      was carried out in a double-blind study in 251 patients who had been cured within
      3 months. During the study period, an endoscopic examination was repeated
      regularly to study the relapse of ulcers. When the results were stratified and
      analyzed by Cutler-Ederer's life table method to see changes in relapse over
      time, it was noted that the acute therapy for active ulcers did have an influence
      on the course of relapse after the ulcer lesions had been cured. Pirenzepine, a
      M1 antagonist, was superior to cimetidine, a H2 antagonist, in the prevention of
      relapse of ulcers after they had been cured. The results suggest that the
      prevention of relapse of peptic ulcers should be started at the stage of acute
      therapy for active ulcers and that care should be taken in selecting drugs. The
      results also suggest that the natural history of peptic ulcers with respect to
      their relapse can be modified to a certain extent by drug therapy although the
      period for such cannot be specified.

PMID- 1418072
TI  - Effect of drug therapy on the relapse of peptic ulcers. 2nd communication: the
      effect of maintenance therapy.
AB  - One-year maintenance therapy with pirenzepine (Gastrozepin, CAS 28797-61-7) (75
      mg/d) or placebo was performed in a double-blind fashion in 251 patients to
      investigate the relapse by means of endoscopic examinations repeated every 3
      months. Enrolled were the patients who had been cured within 3 months by acute
      therapy with either pirenzepine or cimetidine randomly given by the envelope
      method. When the results were analyzed by Cutler-Ederer's life table method to
      monitor manifestation of relapse, the maintenance therapy with pirenzepine did
      not show any significant difference from placebo in all the patients enrolled.
      However, stratified analysis according to various combinations of background
      factors revealed that there was significant difference in 1-year cumulative non
      relapse rates between the pirenzepine maintenance therapy group and the placebo
      group, suggesting prophylactic effect of the maintenance therapy with pirenzepine
      on relapse. An increase of daily dose more than 75 mg in maintenance therapy may
      be expected to display the prophylactic effect of pirenzepine on ulcer relapse in
      a definite manner.

PMID- 1418073
TI  - [Bioequivalence and bioavailability after single administration of effervescent
      ranitidine tablets].
AB  - An open two-way cross-over study in 12 healthy male volunteers was performed in
      order to determine the relative bioavailability of a 150 mg ranitidine (Zantic,
      CAS 66357-35-5) effervescent tablet sweetened with saccharine in comparison to
      the 150 mg standard ranitidine dispersible tablet (Trinkette). On two occasions
      separated by a wash-out period of 1 week volunteers received a single oral dose
      of both formulations. On each administration day blood samples were collected at
      predetermined time points in order to investigate the pharmacokinetic parameters.
      Single oral doses of ranitidine were very well tolerated by healthy male
      volunteers. The non-parametric 95% confidence intervals for AUC and Cmax were 87
      to 116% and 84 to 107%, respectively. The relative bioavailability of the
      ranitidine effervescent tablet was 99% compared to the dispersible tablet. The
      mean of the Cmax ratio was 95%. The ranitidine effervescent tablet could thus be
      claimed to be bioequivalent to the dispersible tablet.

PMID- 1418074
TI  - 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor simvastatin and the
      human lens. Clinical results of a 3-year follow-up.
AB  - Simavastatin (MK-733, Zocor, CAS 79902-63-9), a new 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl
      coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor, was administered for a period of at
      least 3 years to 21 patients suffering from primary hypercholesterolemia.
      Significant decreases were noted for plasma cholesterol (30%), low density
      lipoprotein cholesterol (40%), whereas an increase in plasma high density
      lipoprotein cholesterol (11%) was observed. The drug therapy was well tolerated
      and clinical examinations revealed no adverse effects. No development of
      cataracts or other ocular side effects have been observed during this 3-year
      follow-up period.

PMID- 1418075
TI  - Interaction of spironolactone with mercury. A possible molecular mechanism.
AB  - The protective activity of spironolactone (CAS 52-01-7) against mercuric acetate
      intoxication and the action of a spironolactone-mercuric acetate complex were
      studied on female Sprague-Dawley rats. Spironolactone was given 30 min after the
      toxic agent. It was found that spironolactone reversed the toxic effects of
      mercury, the mercury-spironolactone complex was much less toxic than mercuric
      acetate and its toxicity disappeared with the administration of spironolactone. A
      molecular mechanism for the protective action of spironolactone against mercury
      intoxication is proposed. The presence of both the steroidal skeleton and the
      thioacetyl group in the same molecule is necessary for the protection against
      mercury intoxication.

PMID- 1418076
TI  - Nimesulide in the treatment of advanced cancer pain. Double-blind comparison with
      naproxen.
AB  - In a clinical double-blind study, the analgesic efficacy and the side-effects of
      nimesulide (Aulin, CAS 51803-78-2) and naproxen administered to 68 patients
      affected by advanced cancer pain were compared. Patients were treated with non
      steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs according to the first step of the
      pharmacological analgesic scale of the WHO. The dose administered was 200 mg
      b.i.d. (every 12 h) for nimesulide and 500 mg b.i.d. (every 12 h) for naproxen.
      From this study the analgesic effect and the tolerability of the two drugs
      appeared to be similar. Both drugs resulted to be effective with a low incidence
      of adverse events that may be related to their use.

PMID- 1418077
TI  - Effects of novel retinoids on growth and differentiation of a rhabdomyosarcoma
      cell line.
AB  - The influence of all-trans-retinoic acid-beta-D-glucopyranosylester, all-trans
      retinoic acid-beta-D-galactopyranosylester, methyl-(1-O-retinoyl-beta-D
      glucopyranoside)uronate and all trans-retinyl-beta-D-glucuronide were
      investigated on the celle line BA-HAN-1C. This clonal cell line was derived from
      a dimethylbenzanthracene induced rhabdomyosarcoma in the rat. The tumor cells
      were incubated for 5 days with medium which was supplemented with various
      concentrations of the different compounds. The action of the retinoids were
      measured by comparing the cellular growth and the creatine kinase activity (as
      differentiation marker) with an supplemented cell line. The retinoids which are
      based on all-trans-retinoic acid (all-trans-retinoic acid-beta-D
      glucopyranosylester, all-trans-retinoic acid-beta-D-galactopyranosylester, methyl
      (1-O-retinoyl-beta-D-glucopyranoide)uronate and their chemical precursors) showed
      similar biological effects as all-trans-retinoic acid and could be used in higher
      concentrations than retinoic acid without the appearance of toxic effects. The
      all-trans-retinyl-beta-D-glucuronide derivatives did not show any influence on
      the cell growth and their creatinine kinase activity. With respect to the effects
      of the compounds two hypothesis about their function were possible: They act as a
      whole molecule, or: they are bound to a receptor where the really effective
      substance, all-trans-retinoic acid is released from the molecule by hydrolytic
      cleavage as required. Investigations with the carbohydrates D-glucose, D
      galactose and D-uronic acid disproved the second theorie because these substances
      enormously support the growth of the tumor cells. The effectively of the free all
      trans-retinoic acid would have been diminished by these components. However, this
      effect did not appear if hydrolysis is considered.

PMID- 1418078
TI  - Fibrinogen and antithrombin III blood levels fluctuations during isoniazid or
      isoniazid plus rifampicin administration.
AB  - Nineteen randomized patients, treated with isoniazid (INH, CAS 54-85-3) for
      tuberculosis chemoprophylaxis or isoniazid plus rifampicin (RMP, CAS 13292-46-1)
      combination for tuberculosis therapy, were studied in order to explore the
      effects of these drugs on fibrinogen and antithrombin III blood levels. Other
      hepatic biology indices were also measured (aminotransferases, alkaline
      phosphatase, prothrombin time etc). The results suggested a relationship between
      INH or INH + RMP administration and fibrinogen as well as antithrombin III blood
      levels. The data indicate a protective effect of the RMP synchronous
      administration (by enzyme induction mechanisms) in the preservation of fibrinogen
      blood levels.

PMID- 1418079
TI  - Synthesis of some hydroxamic acid derivatives of benzimidazole and their
      antibacterial and antifungal activities.
AB  - A number of 1H-benzimidazole-2-propanoic acid derivatives have been synthesized
      by Phillips method, and their antibacterial and antifungal activities have been
      tested. The chemical structures of the synthesized compounds were elucidated by
      spectroscopic (IR, NMR, mass) and elementary analysis. Investigation of
      antimicrobial activity of the compounds was done by agar dilution technique using
      bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922,
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Mycobacterium smegmatis ATCC 607) and yeast
      like fungi (Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida pseudotropicalis,
      Candida kruzei, Candida globrata). Among the compounds tested N-hydroxy-3-(1H
      benzimidazol-2-yl)-propionamide (Compound 6) showed considerable activity against
      both Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis.

PMID- 1418080
TI  - Subcellular distribution and antifungal effects of fluconazole in human
      phagocytic cells. Demonstration of the antifungal agent in neutrophil
      polymorphonuclear leucocytes and monocytes by autoradiography and electron
      micrography.
AB  - Electron microscopic autoradiography was used to demonstrate the presence of [3H]
      fluconazole (CAS 86386-73-4) in neutrophils and monocytes isolated from
      volunteers. Quantitative analysis of the autoradiographs showed significant
      accumulation of fluconazole in both phagocytic cells. The distribution of
      fluconazole was equal in the different intracellular compartments such as
      cytoplasm and nucleus. Fluconazole (20 micrograms/ml) induced ultrastructural
      changes in Candida albicans cells which had been phagocytized by neutrophils or
      monocytes (macrophages) in vitro. Particularly, changes in the plasma membrane
      and in the cytoplasmic structure of the intraphagocytic yeast cells were observed
      electron microscopically.

PMID- 1418081
TI  - Comparative assessment of the cytotoxic effects of different xenobiotics in three
      hepatoma cell lines.
AB  - MH1C1, HTC and HEPA 1c1c7 hepatoma cell lines were selected in this study as the
      bioindicators of the cytotoxicity induced by six chemicals: butylated
      hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), cycloheximide (CHE),
      cyclophosphamide (CPA), potassium dichromate (Cr VI) and 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP).
      The concentrations used were in the range from 10(-6) mol/l to 10(-2) mol/l, and
      the exposure time was 24 h. Two end-points were measured to evaluate
      cytotoxicity: the detachment of dead cells from the monolayer (CS), as evaluated
      by detection of the total macromolecules present in the cell monolayers
      solubilized in alkali and the loss of colony-forming efficiency (CF). The dose
      response curves were different from one compound to another, but generally
      similar with the two assays, the colony formation being the most sensitive test.
      Some technical problems like the toxicity of the solvents at the highest
      concentrations, the different sizes of colonies, the unspecific cellular
      detachment due to overgrowth during the experimental time, can be overcome by
      accurate standardization of the protocols used for each cell line. The
      sensitivity of the three cell lines was very similar, with some differences in
      the case of compounds exerting intermediate toxic effects, like CHE and DNP. The
      most toxic compound was Cr (VI), the least toxic one was CPA. The low cytotoxic
      effects displayed by CPA could be due to a lack of bioactivation and/or an
      increase of the inactivating enzymes, which are typical of hepatoma cell lines.

PMID- 1418082
TI  - Effect of acetylsalicylic acid, ascorbate and ibuprofen on the macrophage system.
AB  - The influence of ascorbic acid (CAS 50-81-7), acetylsalicylic acid (CAS 50-78-2)
      and ibuprofen (CAS 15687-27-1) on macrophages of C57BL/6 mice was investigated in
      vitro. It has been shown that ascorbic acid or acetylsalicylic acid alone did not
      stimulate or inhibit the production of interleukin-6, whereas a combination of
      both substances caused a significant stimulation. The viral replication in L929
      fibroblasts was not affected by ascorbate and/or acetylsalicylic acid. In
      addition, the tumor-necrosis factor (TNF) synthesis of peritoneal macrophages was
      neither stimulated nor inhibited by both substances, alone or in combination. The
      oxygen radical production, however, was definitely inhibited by ascorbic acid,
      the effect of acetylsalicylic acid was far less marked, but at the high
      concentrations the inhibition was clearly discernible. Ibuprofen, a propionic
      acid derivate, was able to reduce the replication of vesicular stomatitis virus
      in L929 fibroblast cells. At the highest concentration of ibuprofen, 100
      micrograms/ml, 34% of the fibroblast were able to survive. This protective effect
      declined as the ibuprofen concentration decreased. Ibuprofen could not stimulate
      peritoneal macrophages to secrete TNF, whereas the oxygen radical production was
      significantly reduced. In addition, ibuprofen activated mouse macrophages to
      produce interleukin-6 in a dose dependent way. The results of the in vitro
      experiments presented clearly show that ascorbic acid, acetylsalicylic acid in
      ibuprofen influenced the unspecific immune system.

PMID- 1418083
TI  - Coumarin congeners as antidepressants.
AB  - 3-Carboethyl coumarin (I) was converted to coumarin 3-acid hydrazide (II). This
      on reaction with appropriate aldehyde yielded 3-arylidino amino coumarin (III).
      Compound III on diazotisation and reaction with ferric chloride yielded the
      corresponding formazans viz. 3-substituted phenyl azoarylidino, amido coumarins
      (IVa1-a10) and oxadiazoles viz. 2-aryl-5-(3-coumarinyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazoles (Va1
      a3), respectively. Simultaneously 3-carboethyl coumarin on hydrolysis gave 3
      carboxy coumarin (VI) which on reaction with aryl amine in methylene chloride
      yielded 3-(N-aryl)amido coumarin (VIIa1-a3). The compounds were screened for
      their antidepressant activity against a tricyclic antidepressant (imipramine).
      Compounds IVa4, IVa5 and IVa9 exhibited activity better than imipramine with no
      toxicity (ALD50 greater than 1000 mg/kg) but IVa5 showed some side effects.

PMID- 1418084
TI  - Inotropic and chronotropic effect of glycerol formal on the isolated rabbit
      heart.
AB  - Glycerol formal (CAS 5464-28-8), an organic solvent used to vehicle drugs to
      target cells, has been shown to possess its own toxicopharmacological properties.
      The present work was undertaken to study its direct effect on the isolated rabbit
      heart. At 2.3 and 4.6 mmol/l (bolus) glycerol formal exerted a positive inotropic
      effect. Upon a perfusion of 4.5 mmol/l/h, the left ventricular pressure and the
      coronary flow were increased, while at 11 mmol/l/h these two parameters showed a
      tendency to decrease. Glycerol formal upon a perfusion at 11 mmol/l/h decreased
      mildly the positive inotropic effect of noradrenaline, and strongly that produced
      by acetylcholine at a nicotinic dose, while it accentuated the bradycardia
      induced by acetylcholine at a muscarinic dose. On the contrary it potentiated the
      stimulant effect of nicotine. The positive inotropic effects of tyramine,
      dimethylphenylpiperazinium and potassium chloride were decreased showing an
      inhibition of noradrenaline liberation induced by glycerol formal at the doses
      used. The action of glycerol formal on agents inducing a positive inotropic
      effect, except nicotine, and its cardiodepressant effect are probably partly due
      to its action on the Ca2+ ion.

PMID- 1418085
TI  - American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 1992 annual convention. San
      Antonio, Texas, November 20-23, 1992. Program and abstracts.

PMID- 1418086
TI  - The status of PAI-1 as a risk factor for arterial and thrombotic disease: a
      review.
AB  - Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is a rapid inhibitor of tissue
      plasminogen (tPA) in vivo. Evidence suggests that the level of plasma PAI-1
      activity is responsible for the regulation of the whole fibrinolytic process
      through this tPA/PAI-1 interaction. Levels of PAI-1 have therefore emerged as a
      candidate for a thrombotic risk factor. Recent epidemiological data supports the
      view that high plasma levels of PAI-1 may be important in the pathogenesis of
      arterial and thrombotic disease. These data are reviewed and their significance
      discussed. PAI-1 expression has been shown to be regulated by many different
      factors in vitro and the relevance of these data to in vivo physiology is
      addressed. The current knowledge of the biochemistry, expression and genetics of
      PAI-1 is also presented and the significance of this to disease pathogenesis is
      discussed.

PMID- 1418087
TI  - Lipolysis of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins activates coagulant factor XII: a
      study in familial lipoprotein-lipase deficiency.
AB  - A high factor VII coagulant activity (VIIc), a marker of increased risk of
      coronary heart disease, is frequently found in types IIb and IV hyperlipidaemia,
      but its cause is not fully understood. Factor VII can be activated by factor
      XIIa, generated from factor XII upon activation of the contact system of
      coagulation. Ten patients with familial lipoprotein-lipase (LPL) deficiency and
      10 healthy control subjects were therefore compared to explore the hypothesis
      that high concentrations of unesterified fatty acids (UFA), released from
      triglyceride-rich lipoproteins by LPL, are a source of factor XII activation and
      hence the increased VIIc that is observed post-prandially and in non-LPL
      deficient hypertriglyceridaemic states. Mean plasma cholesterol and triglyceride
      concentrations were, respectively, 1.5- and 19-fold higher in the patients than
      controls, due to increases in very-low-density lipoproteins and chylomicrons. The
      concentration and composition of plasma UFA were similar in both groups. In
      conformity with the hypothesis, VIIc was not increased in the LPL-deficient
      group, despite their massive hypertriglyceridaemia. Furthermore, when the
      patients' plasma was treated with LPL, factor XII was activated promptly and
      substantially, whereas no similar effect was observed in the controls. These
      results suggest that high concentrations of circulating triglyceride-rich
      lipoproteins will increase VIIc in the presence of LPL.

PMID- 1418088
TI  - Experimental induction of atherosclerosis associated with femoral arteriovenous
      fistulae in rabbits on a stock diet.
AB  - Chronic femoral arteriovenous fistulae were surgically produced in stock-fed
      rabbits. The aortic bifurcation and branching sites of the ilio-femoral arteries
      from each side were examined histologically by the serial section technique in
      rabbits killed at varying times from 121 to 800 days postoperatively. Similar
      preparations were examined from old multiparous breeding does and rabbits with a
      control femoral arteriotomy. Tears of the internal elastic lamina were prominent
      in the abdominal aorta and homolateral ilio-femoral arteries of those with
      fistulae but were only occasional and sporadic in contralateral arteries and
      control animals. Intimal proliferation at branching sites proximal to the fistula
      exhibited varying degrees of enlargement, extension and progression to overt
      atherosclerosis with lipid accumulation, fibrin deposition and calcification.
      Such changes were minimal proximally in contralateral vessels of a few rabbits
      and non-existent in control material. These results (i) constitute the first
      experimental induction of the progression of intimal proliferation to overt
      atherosclerosis at branching sites in stock-fed animals and (ii) substantiate the
      importance of haemodynamics in atherogenesis.

PMID- 1418089
TI  - Effect of sucrose diet on expression of apolipoprotein genes A-I, C-III and A-IV
      in rat liver.
AB  - A sucrose-rich diet stimulates hepatic lipogenesis and induces net production of
      very low density lipoproteins in the liver. To study changes of hepatic
      apolipoprotein gene expression in response to such a diet, we measured the mRNA
      abundance of apolipoproteins A-I, C-III and A-IV in livers of rats fed a sucrose
      rich diet or a control diet for 3 weeks. In livers of sucrose-fed rats, the
      abundance of cellular and nuclear apo A-IV mRNA increased to 185% +/- 21% and
      142% +/- 22% of control values (P less than 0.01), respectively. In sucrose-fed
      rats, the transcriptional activity of the apo A-IV gene, measured in a cell-free
      transcription system using isolated liver nuclei, increased to 144% +/- 23% of
      control (P less than 0.05). In contrast, this diet neither affected the abundance
      of cellular and nuclear apo A-I and apo C-III mRNA nor the transcriptional
      activity of these genes in liver. These results are consistent with
      specialization of the regulatory elements of the genes coding for apolipoproteins
      A-I, C-III and A-IV. Alternatively, enhanced transcription of the apo A-IV gene
      may preclude increased synthesis of apo A-I and/or apo C-III mRNA due to the
      close linkage of the three genes in the rat genome.

PMID- 1418090
TI  - Apolipoprotein A-I and apolipoprotein B containing lipoprotein particles in
      coronary patients treated with extracorporal low density lipoprotein
      precipitation (HELP).
AB  - Evidence for chemical and biological heterogeneity of human plasma lipoprotein
      density classes has been steadily accumulating over the last 15 years.
      Furthermore, several recent reports have indicated potential clinical
      significance of certain lipoprotein subspecies as either atherogenic or
      antiatherogenic. It is generally accepted that lipid lowering treatments can
      retard or even reverse development of atherosclerotic lesions. However, very
      little is known about effects of various lipid lowering treatments on specific
      lipoprotein particles. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of
      heparin induced extracorporal low density lipoprotein precipitation (HELP) on
      various subspecies of plasma lipoprotein particles defined primarily by their
      apolipoprotein composition. Using particle specific enzyme immunoassays, the
      immediate changes in lipoprotein particle profiles were analyzed after a single
      HELP treatment in 12 patients with angiographically documented coronary artery
      disease. In a separate group of 6 patients, particles were repeatedly measured
      over a period of 96 h following a HELP treatment. Single HELP treatment caused an
      immediate and highly significant decrease (67%) in the concentration of simple
      lipoprotein particles containing apolipoprotein B (apo B) as a sole
      apolipoprotein (LP-B). Various subspecies of complex particles containing apo B
      and other apolipoproteins (Lp-B-complex) were also decreased although to a lesser
      degree (44-53%). HELP treatment caused an insignificant, 3% decrease of
      lipoprotein particles containing apo A-I but no apo A-II (Lp-A-I) and a 6%
      decrease in the concentration of particles containing both apo A-I and apo A-II
      (Lp-A-I:A-II). During the 96-h period following HELP treatment various apo B
      containing particles recovered at different rates in different patients.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1418091
TI  - Hypercholesterolaemia alters arterial and blood factors related to
      atherosclerosis in hypertension.
AB  - To evaluate the influence of hypercholesterolaemia on arterial and blood factors
      related to cardiovascular disease in hypertension, 20 normocholesterolaemic and
      31 hypercholesterolaemic hypertensive patients underwent determinations of whole
      blood filterability (WBF), plasma fibrinogen concentration (PF) and aortic pulse
      wave velocity (PWV). Both of the groups had similar age, body mass index,
      cumulative smoking dose and blood pressure. Hypercholesterolaemics had lower WBF
      (P less than 0.02), higher PF (P less than 0.02) and higher PWV (P less than
      0.01) than normocholesterolaemics. In the whole population WBF correlated with
      age (P less than 0.005), mean blood pressure (P less than 0.01), total
      cholesterol (P less than 0.05) and plasma fibrinogen (P less than 0.01). However,
      in a multivariate analysis where age and pressure were controlled as variables,
      only the association between WBF and PF remained significant (P less than 0.001).
      Thus, the higher fibrinogen affects whole blood filterability in
      hypercholesterolaemic hypertensive patients. In the whole population PWV
      correlated positively with HDL cholesterol (P less than 0.01) and age (P less
      than 0.001) and the association with HDL cholesterol remained significant in a
      multivariate analysis (P less than 0.001) where age was controlled. The effect of
      ageing on arterial rigidity seems to be similar in both hypertensive groups as
      deduced from the identical regression slopes relating pulse wave velocity to age.
      So in hypertension with high cholesterol, arterial rigidity was increased without
      changes in arterial stiffening with age.

PMID- 1418092
TI  - Short-term interruption of training affects both fasting and post-prandial
      lipoproteins.
AB  - Exercise training alters plasma lipoprotein profiles in a manner compatible with
      decreased coronary artery disease risk. The aim of this study was to ascertain
      whether interruption of training (detraining) was associated with potentially
      undesirable changes in the metabolism of post-prandial lipoproteins and plasma
      levels of Lp(a). Eight normolipidemic, male runners who ran 30-40 miles/week were
      studied in the trained state and after 14-22 days of detraining. Two of the
      subjects were studied in the reverse order to control for any confounding effects
      of exercise sequence. Detraining resulted in (1) a 12% (P = 0.002) reduction in
      the subjects' aerobic capacity, (2) a 7.7% (P = 0.007) reduction in fasting
      concentrations of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), (3) a 21% (P =
      0.01) reduction in post-heparin lipoprotein lipase activity. Lp(a) concentrations
      did not change significantly (mean increase 15%, P = 0.076). Fasting plasma
      concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and low density
      lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) did not change in the detrained state. There was
      little fluctuation over 24 h in plasma concentrations of TC, LDL-C and HDL-C in
      either the trained or detrained states. TG concentrations fluctuated over the 24
      h in accord with food intake, but there were no exercise-related changes.
      Exercise had a dramatic effect on chylomicron and chylomicron remnant metabolism
      as measured by retinyl palmitate measurements. The mean areas under the
      concentration vs. time curves (AUC) for chylomicron-retinyl esters increased by
      41% (P = 0.013) and for chylomicron remnant-retinyl ester by 37% (P = 0.058)
      following detraining.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418093
TI  - Long-term treatment of neonatal aortic smooth muscle cells with beta VLDL induces
      cholesterol accumulation.
AB  - A model for smooth muscle derived foam cells was developed by treating smooth
      muscle cells isolated from the aortae of neonatal rabbits with beta VLDL for up
      to 1 month. Hyperlipidemic beta VLDL isolated from cholesterol fed rabbits
      induced proliferation of the cells that were maintained in lipid deficient serum.
      In addition, the lipoprotein fraction stimulated [14C]oleic acid incorporation
      into [14C]cholesteryl ester, even in cultures that had been chronically exposed
      to the lipoprotein. The accumulation of cholesterol was evaluated and small
      amounts of cholesteryl ester were demonstrated in cultures treated for 3 days
      with beta VLDL. However, continued exposure to the lipoprotein resulted in larger
      elevations in total cholesterol, approximately 65% of which was in the esterified
      form in cultures treated with 100 micrograms beta VLDL/ml for 24 days. When
      cholesterol levels were examined as a function of time, it was determined that
      both total cholesterol and cholesteryl ester levels increased. Approximately 2-3
      weeks after lipoprotein was introduced to the culture, maximum levels were
      attained. Triglyceride levels were also measured and found to increase more than
      two-fold in cultures that had been incubated in the presence of beta VLDL for 24
      days, when compared to cultures incubated in its absence. Examination of the
      cultures by electron microscopy revealed intracytoplasmic lipid droplets in beta
      VLDL treated cells. These results suggest that beta VLDL treatment of neonatal
      aortic smooth muscle cells provides an ideal model in which to study the lipid
      laden smooth muscle cells that characterize the atherosclerotic plaque.

PMID- 1418094
TI  - Activation of leukocytes with complement C5a is associated with prostanoid
      dependent constriction of large arteries in atherosclerotic monkeys in vivo.
AB  - Activated leukocytes release a variety of substances which have been shown in
      vitro to modulate vascular tone. The chemotactic peptide complement C5a is a
      physiological activator of leukocytes. We injected human recombinant complement
      C5a (10 and 100 micrograms) into the blood-perfused hind limb of normal and
      atherosclerotic cynomolgus monkeys and examined vascular responses. In both
      normal and atherosclerotic monkeys, the high dose of C5a produced about 65%
      decrease in leukocyte cell count in venous blood drainage from the hind limb.
      Injection of C5a produced a pronounced increase in resistance of large arteries
      (segment from iliac artery to dorsal pedal artery) in atherosclerotic, but not in
      normal monkeys. The constrictor effect of C5a in atherosclerotic monkeys was
      abolished by the thromboxane A2 receptor antagonist SQ 29,548 (2 mg/kg i.v.). The
      platelet-activating factor antagonist WEB 2086 (5 mg/kg, i.v.) did not alter
      vascular responses to C5a. We conclude that activation of leukocytes produces
      constriction of large arteries in atherosclerotic, but not normal, monkeys in
      vivo. This response may be mediated in part by release of thromboxane A2.

PMID- 1418095
TI  - Lipoprotein risk factors in vegetarian women of Indian descent are unrelated to
      dietary intake.
AB  - Dietary intakes, anthropometric indices and plasma lipoprotein and alpha
      tocopherol concentrations were measured in premenopausal vegetarian women of
      Indian descent (n = 22) and in white women of European descent consuming either
      mixed (n = 22) or vegetarian diets (n = 18). The Indian women were shorter in
      height than the white women and had a higher proportion of body fat. Energy
      intakes were lower in the Indian women, both in absolute terms and per kg body
      weight. The proportion of energy derived from saturated fatty acids was lower and
      that from polyunsaturated fatty acids was greater in both Indian and white
      vegetarians compared with the subjects on mixed diets. Intakes of dietary fibre
      and vitamins C and E were higher in the white vegetarians compared with the other
      groups. Plasma concentrations of total and LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B
      and the ratio of apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein AI were lower and HDL and HDL2
      cholesterol, alpha-tocopherol concentrations and the ratio of alpha
      tocopherol/cholesterol were greater in the white vegetarian group than in the
      other groups. Total plasma cholesterol was associated with measures of truncal
      obesity, especially subscapular skinfold thickness and the percentage energy
      derived from saturated fatty acids. Plasma concentrations of apo(a) were higher
      and those of HDL and HDL2 cholesterol and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG)
      were lower in the Indian vegetarian women compared with both groups of white
      women. No relationship could be found between apo(a), HDL and HDL2 cholesterol
      concentration and nutrient intake but HDL and HDL2 were negatively associated
      with the proportion of body fat and apo(a) weakly with subscapular skinfold
      thickness.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418096
TI  - Effective reduction of plasma LDL levels by LDL apheresis in familial defective
      apolipoprotein B-100.
AB  - The clinical response to long-term reduction of the plasma LDL cholesterol
      concentration was studied in a man with severe coronary artery disease associated
      with familial defective apolipoprotein B-100 (FDB). Plasma exchange repeated at 2
      week intervals, combined with lipid-lowering drugs, led to remission of angina
      and improved exercise test performance. A similar clinical response was achieved
      after LDL apheresis with dextran sulphate columns repeated once every 2 weeks in
      combination with drug treatment. The reduction in plasma LDL cholesterol level
      brought about by LDL apheresis was at least as marked in the FDB patient as in 5
      patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia. We conclude that FDB patients with
      coronary artery disease may derive clinical benefit from prolonged reduction of
      their plasma cholesterol levels and that LDL containing apo B-100 in which
      arginine at position 3500 is replaced by glutamine is removed from plasma by
      dextran sulphate columns as efficiently as is normal LDL.

PMID- 1418097
TI  - Disruption of endothelial barrier function by lipolytic remnants of triglyceride
      rich lipoproteins.
AB  - Remnants, resulting from the lipolysis of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, injured
      cultured endothelial cells and resulted in decreased barrier function of the
      vascular endothelium. Endothelial cells were cultured on micropore filters.
      Albumin transfer across endothelial cell monolayers was measured after a 24-h
      exposure to media enriched with control or in vitro-lipolyzed samples of various
      hypertriglyceridemic (HTG) sera and its isolated lipoprotein (VLDL, LDL and HDL)
      and serum free protein (d greater than 1.21 g/ml) fractions. Compared with
      control cultures, neither control HTG serum nor its isolated lipoprotein and
      serum-free protein fractions had any effect on albumin transfer. In contrast,
      lipolyzed HTG (L-HTG) serum and all of its isolated lipoprotein fractions (L
      VLDL, L-IDL, L-LDL and L-HDL) caused a marked decrease in endothelial barrier
      function, evidenced by a significant increase in albumin transfer across
      endothelial monolayers. The L-IDL and L-HDL fractions were more effective in
      increasing albumin transfer than the L-VLDL and L-LDL fractions. The extent of
      the L-IDL and L-HDL mediated increases in albumin transfer was concentration
      dependent. An exposure of 12 h was required for L-HDL to increase albumin
      transfer. The L-HDL mediated increase in albumin transfer was reversible only
      after a 12-h exposure at low concentrations. The free protein fraction from L-HTG
      serum had no significant effect on the barrier function of endothelial cells. The
      presence of normolipidemic HDL in culture medium prevented disruption of the
      endothelial barrier induced by L-IDL but not by L-HDL. The decrease in
      endothelial barrier function induced by lipolyzed samples of HTG serum or
      lipoproteins appeared to be correlated with the level of free fatty acids
      contained in lipolytic remnants. Enrichment of LDL, and in particular HDL, with
      fatty acid significantly increased albumin transfer. Compared with lipolyzed
      samples, sera/lipoproteins oxidized in vitro by Cu2+ ions had little effect on
      endothelial barrier function, which did not correlate with their respective
      thiobarbituric acid-reacting substance (TBARS) values. TBARS remained within
      normal range after L-HDL incubation with endothelial cells for up to 48 h. At
      most concentrations tested, exposure to lipolyzed but not oxidized lipoproteins
      resulted in morphological perturbations of cell monolayers. These data suggest
      that lipolytic remnants of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins may play an important
      role in the development of atherosclerosis by decreasing the barrier function of
      the vascular endothelium. The remnant-induced injury of the arterial wall may
      permit the entry of cholesterol-rich lipolytic remnants as well as LDL into the
      arterial wall.

PMID- 1418098
TI  - Studies on apolipoprotein(a) phenotypes. Part 1. Phenotype frequencies in a
      healthy Japanese population.
AB  - The frequency distribution for serum lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) concentrations in
      healthy Japanese was highly skewed, with a mean +/- S.D. of 14.6 +/- 13.6 mg/dl
      and a median of 11.0 mg/dl. The present study provides the first evidence on the
      frequencies of Lp(a) phenotypes and alleles in healthy Japanese subjects. There
      was a strong inverse relationship between the apparent molecular weights of
      apo(a) isoforms and plasma Lp(a) concentrations, as reported previously. However,
      because of the considerable overlap between the Lp(a) concentrations of the
      different phenotypes, it was impossible to predict Lp(a) concentration from Lp(a)
      phenotypes, or vice versa. The present results suggest that the distribution of
      Lp(a) concentrations, mean and median values and Lp(a) phenotype and allele
      frequencies in healthy Japanese are not significantly different from the results
      for Europeans, whereas they are significantly different from other Asian
      populations, i.e. Chinese, Indians and Malaysians.

PMID- 1418099
TI  - The effect of concurrent administration of isradipine on the development of fatty
      streaks in the cholesterol-fed rabbit: a morphometric study.
AB  - Calcium antagonists attenuate the development of aortic lesions in cholesterol
      fed rabbits. This study was undertaken to examine the influence of isradipine
      (dose: 0.3 mg/kg per day orally) on the histological components of these lesions
      in New Zealand White rabbits (age: 12 weeks, weight: 2-2.5 kg). Five groups of
      animals were fed standard chow with the following supplements for 3 weeks: Group
      1, no supplements; Group 2, 40 g cholesterol; Group 3, 60 g cholesterol; Group 4,
      40 g cholesterol + isradipine; Group 5, 60 g cholesterol + isradipine. After 3
      weeks, the animals were killed and the aorta prepared for morphometry. The volume
      of intima/cm aorta was estimated and the volume fraction (Vv) of the intima
      occupied by components of the lesions was estimated by point counting. By
      integrating these two measurements the volume/unit length (mm3/cm) of the
      following components of the aorta were estimated: intima, non-cellular
      components, endothelial cells, myointimal cells, lipid accumulating myointimal
      cells and foam cells. Cholesterol feeding for 3 weeks was associated with
      significant increases in the volume of non-cellular components of the intima,
      endothelial cells, myointimal cells, lipid accumulating myointimal cells and foam
      cells. Administration of isradipine significantly reduced all these parameters.
      It is concluded that isradipine attenuates cellular hyperplasia and accumulation
      of non-cellular components of lesions in cholesterol fed rabbits.

PMID- 1418100
TI  - Serum selenium concentration and risk of ischaemic heart disease in a prospective
      cohort study of 3000 males.
AB  - Whether an association, causative or not, exists between the level of serum
      selenium and the risk of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) remains unsettled. We
      investigated the issue in a cohort of 3387 males aged 53-74 years (mean 63).
      Based on information about health status, life-style and socioeconomic factors
      given in a prefilled comprehensive questionnaire, the men were interviewed and
      the information validated. Following the interview, they underwent a clinical
      examination and had a venous blood sample drawn for the determination of a number
      of biochemical characteristics. Three hundred and forty-six men were excluded due
      to prevalent cardiovascular disease, including stroke. During the next three
      years (1986-1989) 107 men (approximately 3%) suffered an IHD event; 25 events
      were fatal. Compared to others, men with serum selenium levels less than or equal
      to 1 mumol/l, approximately the lowest tertile, had a 70% increased risk of IHD,
      relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence limits was 1.70 (1.14-2.53). After
      multivariate adjustment for cholesterol, social class, smoking and age, RR was
      1.55 (1.00-2.39). Serum selenium level was significantly (P less than 0.05), but
      not strongly, correlated with a number of IHD risk factors: serum cotinine,
      tobacco smoking, social class, alcohol consumption, total cholesterol,
      hypertension, age and physical inactivity. Body mass index, HDL-cholesterol and
      triglycerides were not significantly associated with serum selenium. We conclude
      that middle-aged and elderly Danish men with serum selenium less than or equal to
      1 mumol/l had a significantly increased risk of ischaemic heart disease. This
      association was not explained by the interrelationship of serum selenium and
      major cardiovascular risk factors.

PMID- 1418101
TI  - Inheritability of atherosclerosis and the role of lipoproteins as risk factors in
      the development of atherosclerosis in WHHL rabbits: risk factors related to
      coronary atherosclerosis are different from those related to aortic
      atherosclerosis.
AB  - Inheritability of atherosclerosis and the influences of serum lipids on
      atherosclerosis were examined by following its progression in selectively bred
      WHHL rabbits. Our studies indicate (1) coronary atherosclerosis is clearly
      inherited from parents by offspring whereas inheritability of aortic
      atherosclerosis is uncertain; (2) coronary stenosis is positively correlated to
      serum cholesterol level, although the correlation coefficient is markedly low: in
      contrast, no relationship between serum lipid levels and aortic atherosclerosis
      was observed; (3) cholesterol-rich VLDL showed atherogenicity in aorta, but not
      in coronary arteries; (4) an unknown lipoprotein detected by 3.6% polyacrylamide
      gel electrophoresis was related to coronary atherosclerosis, although no
      relationship between the unknown lipoprotein and aortic atherosclerosis was
      observed. These findings suggest that there are two types of genetic factors
      involved in atherosclerosis, one of which is unique to coronary atherosclerosis
      whereas the other is related to only aortic atherosclerosis.

PMID- 1418102
TI  - Comparative hypolipidemic effects of lovastatin and simvastatin in patients with
      heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.
AB  - We have compared the effects of lovastatin and simvastatin on plasma
      lipoproteins, fibrinogen and urinary mevalonic acid excretion in twenty-three
      patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. After a baseline period
      patients were randomly assigned to receive lovastatin or simvastatin at doses of
      10, 20 and 40 mg twice daily, for a period of 2 months each, and then, after a 4
      week wash-out period, all patients received the alternate drug for a similar
      period of therapy. Both drugs were well-tolerated and no patients were withdrawn
      due to side effects. Lipid values returned to baseline after discontinuation of
      therapy and no carry-over effect was observed. Treatment with lovastatin resulted
      in decreases in LDL cholesterol concentrations from 274 mg/dl at baseline to 211,
      192 and 178 mg/dl, respectively, on doses of 20, 40 and 80 mg/day. Treatment with
      simvastatin reduced concentrations of LDL cholesterol to 194, 168 and 156 mg/dl,
      respectively, on doses of 20, 40 and 80 mg/day. Concentrations of HDL cholesterol
      increased on both drugs, but no dose response relationship was apparent. Both
      drugs reduced the 24-h urinary excretion of mevalonic acid, an intermediate in
      cholesterol biosynthesis, but the magnitude of decrease was similar with
      lovastatin and simvastatin. Small, but statistically non-significant decreases in
      fibrinogen occurred with both drugs. Patients who showed the greatest
      hypolipidemic effect during treatment with lovastatin also showed an excellent
      therapeutic response to simvastatin and vice versa. We conclude that, on a
      milligram per milligram basis, simvastatin is twice as potent as lovastatin in
      the treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia and that with both drugs,
      reductions in LDL cholesterol concentrations are accompanied by decreases in the
      urinary excretion of mevalonic acid.

PMID- 1418103
TI  - Impaired left ventricular relaxation and hyperinsulinemia in patients with
      primary hypercholesterolemia.
AB  - Fifteen non-obese patients with familial hypercholesterolemia and fifteen
      normocholesterolemic subjects matched for age, body mass index, waist/hip ratio,
      arterial blood pressure and sedentary life style underwent blood sampling for
      determination of fasting plasma glucose, insulin, total-, LDL-, HDL-cholesterol,
      triglycerides, free fatty acids, apolipoprotein A1 and B. In both groups of
      subjects we determined erythrocyte membrane microviscosity and performed an
      echocardiographic study. We demonstrated that hypercholesterolemic patients had a
      significant increase in fasting plasma total cholesterol (8.9 +/- 0.5 vs. 5.5 +/-
      0.3 mmol/l, P less than 0.001), insulin (79 +/- 4 vs. 58 +/- 4 pmol/l, P less
      than 0.05) and apolipoprotein B (2.2 +/- 0.5 vs. 1.3 +/- 0.5 g/l P less than
      0.01). In the echocardiographic study we found a significant impairment in left
      ventricular relaxation (isovolumic relaxation time (IRT) 106 +/- 6 vs. 73 +/- 7
      ms, P less than 0.01). Erythrocyte membrane microviscosity (0.253 +/- 0.004 vs.
      0.225 +/- 0.003, P less than 0.05) was also increased in hypercholesterolemic
      patients. Finally we found that erythrocyte membrane microviscosity correlated
      with fasting plasma insulin levels (r = -0.46, P less than 0.03) and IRT (r = 
      0.52, P less than 0.01).

PMID- 1418104
TI  - Collagen types I and III, collagen content, GAGs and mechanical strength of human
      atherosclerotic plaque caps: span-wise variations.
AB  - Measurements of total collagen, of the ratio of collagen types III/(I+III) and of
      sulphated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) were compared with mechanical strength for
      individual ulcerated and non-ulcerated human aortic plaque caps and with intima
      adjacent to the plaques. The distributions of the collagen type ratio were
      similar for both ulcerated and non-ulcerated plaque caps but different from that
      of the adjacent intima. The proportions of different collagen types were not
      related to fracture stress and are thus unlikely to affect the potential to
      ulcerate. The distributions of the sulphated GAGs showed lower amounts for the
      plaque caps compared with the nearby intima, with the centres of ulcerated plaque
      caps having the lowest values. Total collagen had higher values in the
      peripheries of plaque caps compared with the nearby intima, but was distinctly
      lower in the centres of ulcerated plaque caps. Plaque caps appeared to require a
      higher collagen content than adjacent intima to support a given level of
      mechanical strength, suggesting that while collagen production had occurred in
      the plaque caps it was not as efficiently organized to resist fracture as a
      similar amount of collagen in the adjacent intima. Ulcerated plaque caps are
      notable for much larger transverse (centre vs. periphery) gradients of connective
      tissue constituents than for non-ulcerated plaque caps. The development of these
      transverse gradients may be a critical aspect in determining the propensity of a
      plaque to ulcerate.

PMID- 1418105
TI  - Compound heterozygote of cholesteryl-ester transfer protein deficiency in a
      patient with hyperalphalipoproteinemia.

PMID- 1418106
TI  - Studies on apolipoprotein(a) phenotypes. Part 2. Phenotype frequencies and Lp(a)
      concentrations in different phenotypes in patients with angiographically defined
      coronary artery diseases.
AB  - In the present paper, we have evaluated serum Lp(a) concentrations, the
      frequencies of Lp(a) phenotypes and alleles and the association between the Lp(a)
      phenotypes and serum Lp(a) levels in 470 patients with angiographically defined
      coronary artery disease (CAD). Serum Lp(a) concentrations were significantly
      increased in proportion to the number of diseased vessels in the CAD patients.
      The frequencies of Lp(a) phenotypes in the CAD patients were significantly
      different from those in healthy subjects. In particular, the frequency of double
      band phenotypes was higher in the CAD group. The frequencies of Lp(a) alleles in
      the CAD patients, however, were not significantly different from those in the
      healthy subjects. There was a strong inverse relationship between the apparent
      molecular weights of apo(a) isoforms and serum Lp(a) concentrations. Lp(a) levels
      in the CAD patients were higher than those in the healthy subjects with the same
      phenotype. The present results suggest that it is important to consider some
      posttranslational or environmental modifications and other factors, in addition
      to the genetic factor, when assessing contributions to plasma Lp(a) levels.

PMID- 1418107
TI  - A pharmacologist's opinion--alcoholism: the disease debate needs to stop.

PMID- 1418108
TI  - Influence of the level of dietary ethanol in mice with murine AIDS on resistance
      to Streptococcus pneumoniae.
AB  - Chronic ethanol consumption impairs cellular immune functions. This may explain
      the increased occurrence of various opportunistic infections in heavy ethanol
      users. Immunological alterations associated with Acquired Immune Deficiency
      Syndrome (AIDS) also permit more opportunistic infections. In this study, we used
      a murine model of retrovirus infection induced by LP-BM5 murine leukemia virus.
      The combined effects of ethanol use and early retroviral infection (prior to the
      development of AIDS) on resistance to Streptococcus pneumoniae were investigated.
      Consumption of ethanol by non-retrovirus-infected mice resulted in decreased
      resistance to S. pneumoniae. However, retrovirus-infected mice fed a diet
      containing high concentrations of ethanol (6 and 7% v/v) exhibited a greater
      resistance to S. pneumoniae infection than retrovirus-infected mice fed diets
      with lower concentrations (5%) or no ethanol. The total number of white blood
      cells also decreased as serum ethanol levels increased. There were also fewer
      lymphocytes and more neutrophils and monocytes in retrovirus-infected mice fed
      ethanol. Diet consumption decreased as the concentration of ethanol increased in
      the diet. Consumption was dependent upon the dark-light cycle. The highest diet
      consumption was observed during the first 4 hr of the dark period. The level of
      ethanol in serum was influenced by the amount of the diet consumed and its
      ethanol concentration. Both retrovirus infection and ethanol consumption effected
      survival after S. pneumoniae infection.

PMID- 1418109
TI  - Alcohol consumption and biological markers for alcoholism in idiopathic dilated
      cardiomyopathy: a case-controlled study.
AB  - The aim of this study was to compare alcohol consumption and biological markers
      for alcoholism in a population of 23 men (57 +/- 8 years) admitted to hospital
      with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and a control group of 46 men (54
      +/- 8 years) with coronary artery disease, matched for age. The DCM group had a
      higher daily alcohol consumption (82 g/day vs. 30 g/day, P < 0.0002). This
      difference was greater for the consumption of wine (63 g/day in the DCM group vs.
      24 g/day in the control group, P < 0.002). Duration of regular daily alcohol
      consumption was longer in DCM patients (34 years vs. 22 years, P < 0.01) as well
      as duration of heavy alcohol consumption (> 60 g/day) (25 years vs. 10 years, P <
      0.001). Among the biological markers, only the serum levels of immunoglobulin A
      were significantly increased in the DCM group (3.7 g/l vs. 2.7 g/l, P < 0.03). In
      this French population, alcohol is strongly linked to DCM. Biological markers
      appear to be poor predictors of alcohol intoxication in this so-called
      'idiopathic' myocardial disease.

PMID- 1418110
TI  - The antioxidant status of patients with either alcohol-induced liver damage or
      myopathy.
AB  - The antioxidant status of alcoholic patients was assessed by direct measurement
      of the plasma antioxidants alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene and of selenium as
      a marker of glutathione peroxidase. Overall, the alcoholic group showed
      significant decreases in the mean plasma values of beta-carotene, zinc and
      selenium when compared to the control subjects. When the patients were subdivided
      according to their liver histology, beta-carotene showed a progressive decrease
      in plasma concentration with increasing liver damage, whereas alpha-tocopherol
      levels were only depleted in the patients with cirrhosis. There were significant
      decreases in the plasma concentrations of both alpha-tocopherol and selenium in
      all patients with alcoholic skeletal muscle myopathy, whereas patients with
      normal muscle biopsies showed adequate antioxidant status. Such results support a
      role for free radical-mediated damage in end organ injury, particularly myopathy,
      in alcohol misusers.

PMID- 1418111
TI  - Influence of acetaldehyde on the vasopressor effect of serotonin in pithed rats.
AB  - In pithed rats, the intravenous (i.v.) administration of serotonin (3, 10, 30,
      100, 300 and 1000 micrograms/kg) produced a dose-dependent increase in blood
      pressure. The pressor response to serotonin was reduced by acute acetaldehyde
      administration in a dose of 30 mg/kg i.v. and by 5-HT2 antagonist ketanserin
      (0.03 mg/kg i.v.). However, the lowest doses of acetaldehyde (10 and 20 mg/kg)
      were ineffective. In in vitro studies we also demonstrated that acetaldehyde
      (0.43 mM/l) and ketanserin (0.1 microM/l) inhibited the serotonin-induced
      vasoconstriction of isolated rat tail artery. In both experimental models the
      combination of acetaldehyde with ketanserin decreased the action of serotonin to
      the same extent as did ketanserin alone. In pithed rats pretreated with a high
      dose of ketanserin (3 mg/kg i.v.) serotonin produced hypotension by stimulation
      of 5-HT1 receptors. This effect was not enhanced by acetaldehyde (30 mg/kg)
      injection. Our data suggested that the action of acetaldehyde on the effects of
      serotonin in pithed rats was non-specific and independent of its interaction with
      serotonergic 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 receptors in blood vessels.

PMID- 1418112
TI  - Attenuation of the behavioural effects of ethanol in mice by des-enkephalin-gamma
      endorphin (ORG 5878).
AB  - This study shows inhibition of the increase in locomotor activity induced by
      ethanol (2 g/kg i.p.) in mice by a low dose (0.1 mg/kg i.p.) of the non-opioid
      beta-endorphin fragment ORG 5878 (des-enkephalin-gamma-endorphin). ORG 5878 (0.1
      mg/kg i.p.) also significantly antagonised the large increase in electroshock
      seizure threshold produced by ethanol (1.5 g/kg i.p.). In contrast, the
      hypothermia induced by ethanol (2 g/kg i.p.) was not altered by ORG 5878 (0.1
      mg/kg i.p.). The effects of ORG 5878 showed an abnormal dose-response
      relationship, in that a high dose (1 mg/kg i.p.) did not significantly suppress
      any of the behavioural effects of ethanol examined although there was some
      indication that it attenuated the stimulant action of ethanol. ORG 5878 (0.1, 1
      mg/kg i.p.) did not have any intrinsic effects on locomotion, seizure threshold
      or body temperature in mice. These results are the first demonstration that ORG
      5878 may act as an ethanol antagonist in some paradigms.

PMID- 1418113
TI  - Atropine as an inhibitor of voluntary ethanol intake in male rats.
AB  - A single ethanol injection (2.0 g/kg, i.p.) administered to male rats will reduce
      voluntary ethanol intake (water vs. ethanol 10%) if tested for 24 hr, 6 days
      after the injection. Maximal inhibition, when compared to saline-injected
      controls (S), is seen after ethanol injections (E) once a week for 5-6 weeks. At
      this maximal inhibition atropine (A) or saline (S) was injected i.p. prior to the
      voluntary 24 hr intake of ethanol. In experiment 1, the doses 1 and 2 mg/kg were
      used, and in experiment 2, 4 and 8 mg/kg. Each experiment consisted of groups AE,
      SE, AS and SS, according to the above descriptions. In group AS, atropine reduced
      24 hr voluntary ethanol intake with a maximal effect following the 4 mg/kg dose.
      In group AE, atropine did not increase the inhibitory effect induced by the
      ethanol injections. Total fluid intake was not influenced. After the treatment
      period a continuous choice (water vs. 10% ethanol) was offered for 8 (exp. 1) or
      11 (exp. 2) weeks. During these evaluation periods the ethanol intake in group SE
      was always significantly smaller than the corresponding intake in group SS. In
      the atropine-injected groups (AE and AS) a similar significant difference in
      voluntary ethanol intake was observed at the beginning but not at the end of the
      evaluation periods. At the end of exp. 2 a significantly larger number of
      muscarinic binding sites was obtained in the cortex but not in the striatum of
      group SE when compared with groups AS and SS. In group AS a negative correlation
      was found in the striatum between the ethanol intake recorded after the atropine
      injection in week 5 and 6 and muscarinic binding sites. Atropine, probably by
      acting on muscarinic binding sites, seemed to have a specific inhibitory effect
      on voluntary 24 hr ethanol intake, which was similar to the effect induced by the
      ethanol injections.

PMID- 1418114
TI  - Alcohol elimination and the regulation of alcohol consumption in AA and ANA rats.
AB  - Previous studies have usually found that animals with either higher alcohol
      elimination rates or ADH (alcohol dehydrogenase, EC1.I.I.I) activities have
      higher voluntary intakes of alcohol than ones with lower elimination rates. This
      relationship has now been studied in the AA and ANA rat lines genetically
      developed, respectively, for high and low alcohol consumption. Female AA and ANA
      rats had their alcohol elimination rate measured before being given a free choice
      between 10% (v/v) alcohol and water for 3 weeks. The elimination rate was then
      measured again and liver ADH activity was determined. The alcohol elimination
      rate was significantly higher in AA than ANA rats before drinking and was
      increased by alcohol drinking in AA but not ANA rats. ADH activity was similar in
      both lines and unrelated to either alcohol drinking or elimination rates,
      suggesting that the enzyme activity is not a rate-limiting factor in the alcohol
      metabolism of these two lines. The present results support the conclusion that
      alcohol elimination and alcohol consumption are partially determined by genetics.
      Furthermore, although alcohol elimination itself probably does not have direct
      control over drinking, some factor related to the alcohol elimination rate
      appears to be among the mechanisms influencing the level of alcohol drinking.

PMID- 1418115
TI  - Measurement of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin by isoelectric focusing/western
      blotting and by micro anion-exchange chromatography/radioimmunoassay: comparison
      of diagnostic accuracy.
AB  - At present, the most reliable marker of recent and heavy alcohol intake is
      carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT). While most CDT quantitation methods
      (including immunofixation and micro anion-exchange chromatography [MAEC] combined
      with radioimmunoassay [RIA]) either lack the precision required for diagnostic
      usage or are not commercially available, we recently described an isoelectric
      focusing/Western blotting (IEF/WB) procedure that provides sensitive and specific
      assessment of serum CDT content. However, a modified MAEC/RIA kit, supposedly
      more reliable than the original, is also being advanced as suitable for
      widespread clinical application. Therefore, we compared this modified MAEC/RIA
      procedure to the IEF/WB method of CDT quantitation in the following 108 subjects;
      53 alcoholics undergoing detoxification without clinical or histological evidence
      of liver disease, 24 recently drinking alcoholics with biopsy-proven liver
      disease, eight alcoholics abstinent for more than 30 days with biopsy-proven
      liver disease, seven non-drinking patients with non-alcoholic liver disease, and
      16 healthy controls. Although CDT measurements by the two methods were correlated
      (r = 0.60, P < 0.01), serum CDT values obtained with IEF/WB were nearly five-fold
      higher than those obtained with MAEC/RIA (e.g. 140.0 +/- 58 versus 28.5 +/- 16
      mg/l among the active drinkers). Of the two methods, IEF/WB exhibited
      significantly greater sensitivity than MAEC/RIA for detecting recent, heavy
      drinking (75% versus 61%, P < 0.05) and generated no false positives whereas
      MAEC/RIA gave falsely elevated CDT levels in 37% of the abstinent
      alcoholics.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418116
TI  - Korsakoff minus Wernicke syndrome.
AB  - It is commonly believed that Korsakoff's amnesic state in alcoholics is
      characteristically the sequel to Wernicke's disease. However, in a study of 44
      Korsakoff patients it was found that 33 had developed serious memory impairment
      without having had alarming neurological symptoms. This insidious nature of the
      onset of the disease indicates that all alcohol-dependent patients should be
      treated with vitamin B.

PMID- 1418117
TI  - Drinking patterns among medical in-patients with reference to MAST categories: a
      comparative study.
AB  - The aim of the study was to describe the drinking patterns and alcohol
      consumption of patients screened by the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST)
      in a sample of medical patients from a general hospital of a French-speaking,
      wine-drinking country. Data were recorded using a structured interview
      administered to 103 consecutively admitted 20-75-year-old MAST-positive patients
      and 103 age-matched and sex-matched MAST-negative controls admitted to the same
      ward. Relevant differences between MAST-positive and MAST-negative patients
      included the frequent report of recent and total abstinence in MAST-positive
      patients (23% versus 4% in controls), their tendency to drink alone, and less
      often during mealtimes, at home, or with family or friends than MAST-negative
      patients. Alcohol consumption was significantly higher in MAST-positive patients
      of both sexes with 250 and 270 g per week being the optimal discriminative cut
      off level of consumption for men and women, respectively (kappa coefficient, 0.70
      and 0.81, respectively). Regular drinking was the predominant drinking status of
      both MAST-positive and MAST-negative patients. This study suggests that a
      screening test such as the MAST, developed in an English-speaking country may be
      useful in a French-speaking, wine-drinking country. The test identified patients
      with drinking patterns that are culturally abnormal, yet in certain respects
      similar to those of alcoholic patients from other drinking cultures. These
      findings therefore emphasize the worldwide relevance of the concept of the
      alcohol dependence syndrome in addition to the transcultural usefulness of
      alcoholism screening tests.

PMID- 1418118
TI  - Functional imaging of blood brain barrier permeability by single photon emission
      computerised tomography and positron emission tomography.

PMID- 1418119
TI  - Economic aspects of neurosurgery.

PMID- 1418120
TI  - Current concepts of measurement of cerebrospinal fluid absorption and
      biomechanics of hydrocephalus.

PMID- 1418121
TI  - A multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of brain vascular malformations.

PMID- 1418122
TI  - Radiosurgery.

PMID- 1418123
TI  - Amniotic fluid index: correlation with amniotic fluid volume.
AB  - We calculated the amniotic fluid indexes (AFIs) of 310 women on 459 occasions.
      Normative data were analyzed and compared with data in several high-risk groups.
      In the normal gestations there was a progressive increase in AFI with advancing
      gestation until 32 weeks, after which there was a decline. The mean AFIs in
      abnormal gestations varied with the clinical diagnoses. These values were
      compared to those obtained by assessing amniotic fluid volume (AFV), that is a
      pocket more than 2 cm. There were 51 patients with abnormal AFVs. Forty-two had
      decreased fluid, six also had decreased AFIs; nine had increased AFVs and five
      (all with diabetes) also had increased AFIs. Thus, AFIs in normal pregnancies
      showed an orderly pattern of change with gestational age, and there was no
      accurate correlation between AFI and AFV. Thus, using AFV alone may lead to false
      interpretations of amniotic fluid status.

PMID- 1418124
TI  - Control of inspiratory timing in newborn infants.
AB  - In order to determine if inspiratory time in preterm infants was influenced by
      lung volume, two studies were carried out. In the first investigation, carbon
      dioxide was used to stimulate tidal volume to a level three to six times normal.
      The anticipated decrease in inspiratory time at increased tidal volumes was not
      found. These preterm infants behaved in a similar fashion to vagotomized animals
      studied in the same way by Clark and von Euler. In the second investigation,
      Hering-Breuer activity was measured in relation to lung volume changes occurring
      with growth, measured in a body plethysmograph. Although thoracic gas volume
      correlated well with age and weight, inspiratory slowing with airway occlusion
      was found to be independent of both age and lung volume. These investigations
      suggest that neurologic factors have a significant influence on the inspiratory
      time in newborn human infants.

PMID- 1418125
TI  - Comparison of fetal lung maturation in preterm singleton and twin pregnancies.
AB  - Preterm labor or premature rupture of membranes is one of the major complications
      of twin pregnancies and contributes to the increased maternal and perinatal
      morbidity and mortality. Forty-seven twin pregnancies and a comparable group of
      singleton pregnancies constitute the study population. These patients'
      pregnancies were complicated only by preterm labor. The lecithin to sphingomyelin
      ratio is used as an index of fetal lung maturation. Analysis of the data reveals
      that fetal lung maturation is biochemically comparable between twin and singleton
      pregnancies and among twins for a given gestational age in this clinical setting.

PMID- 1418126
TI  - Urinary arginine vasopressin excretion and hyponatremia in the sick neonates.
AB  - We attempted to clarify the renal physiologic response to arginine vasopressin
      (AVP) in the 12 sick neonates: three with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS),
      three with meconium aspiration syndrome, two with transient tachypnea of the
      newborn, two with neonatal asphyxia, and two low birthweight infants during the
      first 2 days of life. Plasma atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), urinary AVP,
      osmolality, free water clearance and creatinine clearance (Ccr) were measured at
      8 to 16 hours of life (stage 1) and 24 to 32 hours of life (stage 2). Urinary AVP
      was expressed as the ratio of AVP to Ccr (urine AVP/Ccr). These subjects were
      divided into two groups: group A represented five infants with a urine AVP/Ccr
      ratio of 2000 or higher and group B, seven infants with a ratio of less than 2000
      at stage 1. Hyponatremia occurred in two infants of group A at stage 2. Number of
      infants on mechanical ventilation was four in group A and one in group B. There
      were no significant differences in gestational age, birthweight, Apgar scores at
      1 and 5 minutes, blood gas pH and mean arterial blood pressure between groups A
      and B. A good correlation was observed between logarithm of urine AVP/Ccr ratio
      and urinary osmolality (p < 0.01). A negative correlation was observed between
      logarithm of urine AVP/Ccr ratio and free water clearance (p < 0.01). Body weight
      of infants of group A at stage 2 was greater than at stage 1 (p < 0.05). Higher
      plasma ANF concentrations were observed in infants of group A at stage 2 when
      compared with those at stage 1 (p < 0.1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418127
TI  - Prenatal ultrasonic prediction of autopsy-proven pulmonary hypoplasia.
AB  - The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for
      ultrasound estimation of fetal chest circumference in relation to autopsy-proven
      pulmonary hypoplasia are described in 58 singleton pregnancies at risk (39 with
      associated preterm premature rupture of the membranes at 30 weeks' gestation or
      less and of 12 or more days' duration, and 19 with associated anomalies). The
      ultrasonographic diagnosis of pulmonary hypoplasia was based on values at or
      below the lower limit of the 95% confidence intervals (for predicting a future
      observation) for normal pregnancies for each of the following tests; chest
      circumference in relation to gestational age and to femur length, for the chest
      circumference to abdominal circumference ratio and for a combination of the three
      measurements. At necropsy, the diagnosis of pulmonary hypoplasia was based on
      lung weight to birthweight ratio or radial alveolar counts. Pulmonary hypoplasia
      was diagnosed in 16 cases at autopsy. The clinicians and the pathologist were
      blinded to the ultrasonographic measurements. All tests performed well with a
      sensitivity of 0.55 to 0.80, specificity of 0.90 to 1.00, positive predictive
      value of 0.80 to 1.00, negative predictive value of 0.87 to 0.91, and an overall
      accuracy of 0.87 to 0.91. We conclude that ultrasound measurement of fetal chest
      circumference is of value with regard to the management of pregnancies at risk
      for lethal pulmonary hypoplasia.

PMID- 1418128
TI  - Perinatal bacteremia due to group F streptococci.
AB  - Perinatal septicemia due to Lancefield groups A, B, C, and G, but not the group
      F, streptococci have been documented. A case of perinatal bacteremia and
      septicemia due to group F streptococci is described.

PMID- 1418129
TI  - Significance of atypical cervical cytology in pregnancy.
AB  - To ascertain the significance of squamous atypia encountered during routine
      Papanicolaou smear screening in pregnancy, we reviewed our experience with 76
      pregnant women seen during a 4-year period. All were evaluated with repeat
      cytology and colposcopy during pregnancy and again postpartum. Colposcopic
      examination during pregnancy revealed a normal transformation zone without
      evidence of intraepithelial neoplasia in 46 women. In six of these women, repeat
      cytology was interpreted as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade 1. In
      30 women, an abnormal transformation zone was identified--14 with a negative
      repeat cytology. In five women, the transformation zone was interpreted as
      compatible with CIN 2 or CIN 3. Colposcopically directed biopsies were performed
      in 31 women, in all but two postpartum. Of the 76 women, human papilloma virus or
      CIN was identified on biopsy in 16 women (21%). We propose that an isolated
      report of atypical squamous cells on cervical cytology obtained at the initial
      prenatal visit does not warrant colposcopic evaluation during pregnancy, unless a
      repeat cytology suggests CIN. Repeat cytology and evaluation to exclude
      infections and inflammatory lesions is appropriate. However, if a subsequent
      cytology is abnormal, postpartum colposcopy and colposcopically directed biopsies
      seem appropriate, since the prevalence of HPV or CIN was 21%.

PMID- 1418130
TI  - Transvaginal sonography at 5 to 14 weeks' gestation: fetal stomach, abnormal cord
      insertion, and yolk sac.
AB  - Transvaginal ultrasound evaluation of the fetal digestive system was performed on
      1000 fetuses at 5 to 14 weeks' gestation. The normal physiologic process of the
      midgut herniation into the cord as well as the embryonal connection between the
      yolk sac and fetus were detected. Peristalsis of the stomach was noted as early
      as 14 weeks' gestation. Because gastric emptying is probably improper at this
      age, gastric pseudomasses were visualized in some cases.

PMID- 1418131
TI  - Prediction of pregnancy outcome by combined analysis of the fetal
      electrocardiogram and systolic time intervals.
AB  - A microcomputer-based system has been developed that continuously analyzes the
      fetal electrocardiogram (ECG) and Doppler cardiogram during labor by noninvasive
      means. Three systolic time intervals (preejection period [PEP], ventricular
      ejection time [VET], and isovolumetric contraction time), and four ECG parameters
      (P-R interval, QRS wave duration, T/QRS amplitude ratio, and S-T slope) are
      simultaneously measured and displayed. Normal values were derived from 126
      uncomplicated pregnancies at term. A second group of 89 cases showing fetal heart
      rate patterns suggestive of fetal distress were subsequently studied: 64 had a
      good outcome (umbilical artery pH 7.20 or higher and a 5-minute Apgar score 7 or
      greater) and 25 were asphyxiated. Results were retrospectively analyzed. All
      asphyxiated fetuses had preejection period, PEP to VET ratio and T to QRS ratio
      values of more than 1 SD above the mean for the normal population. The PEP to VET
      ratio, which is an indicator of myocardial function independent of heart rate,
      proved to be the most sensitive predictor of fetal asphyxia. We conclude that
      analysis of systolic time intervals and ECG parameters of the fetal heart during
      labor improves the diagnostic accuracy of fetal heart rate monitoring.

PMID- 1418132
TI  - Fetoplacental and uteroplacental Doppler blood flow velocity analysis in
      premature rupture of membranes.
AB  - The value of Doppler velocimetry in predicting fetal distress or perinatal
      infection was investigated in 60 patients with premature rupture of the membranes
      (PROM) between 25 and 38 weeks of gestation. Studies were performed in the
      umbilical and uterine arteries after admission to the hospital and repeated every
      24 to 76 hours until delivery. Results of the last study, performed less than 24
      hours before delivery and comparison between longitudinal studies in the same
      patient, failed to disclose statistical differences between patients who did or
      did not develop the perinatal complications under study. We conclude that Doppler
      velocimetry is not a sensitive enough means of predicting fetal distress or
      infection in PROM.

PMID- 1418133
TI  - Severe preeclampsia in preterm pregnancy between 26 and 32 weeks' gestation.
AB  - Obstetric management of severe preeclampsia between 26 and 32 weeks' gestation
      presents a significant management dilemma. We examined the antenatal courses and
      perinatal outcomes of 67 such affected pregnancies and compared them with a group
      of 134 patients, matched for gestational age, who delivered after preterm rupture
      of membranes or preterm labor. Although the severe preeclamptic group had more
      patients with chronic hypertension and renal disease, 67% had no prior medical
      problems. The obstetric and other medical characteristics of both groups were
      similar. Neonatal outcomes in the severe preeclampsia group differed from those
      in the control group: they had lower mean birthweight, 5-minute Apgar score and
      umbilical arterial pH were lower, and their rates of respiratory distress
      syndrome and perinatal death were higher. Temporization for more than 72 hours
      was not possible in 60 of 67 preeclamptic pregnancies due to rapid deterioration
      of the mother (56 cases) or fetus (4 cases). The rate of poor neonatal outcomes
      in severe preeclampsia exceeded that expected with preterm delivery alone and may
      reflect preexisting fetal compromise, served better by early intervention and
      delivery.

PMID- 1418134
TI  - Ultrasonographic assessment of fetal and neonatal spleen.
AB  - To assess the growth and function of the fetal spleen, ultrasonographic
      examinations were performed on 229 normal fetuses, ranging from 20 to 41 weeks,
      menstrual age. Curvilinear relationships were found between the menstrual age and
      splenic length (R2 = 92.7%), circumference (R2 = 93.9%), and area (R2 = 95.2%). A
      normal range of splenic length, circumference, and area measurements for
      estimating the growth of the fetal spleen during normal pregnancy was generated.
      Splenic parameter values just after delivery were significantly lower than those
      measured within 7 days before delivery, and returned to former sizes 24 hours
      later, in both vaginal delivery and cesarean section groups. Splenic parameter
      values in the vaginal delivery group were also significantly lower than those in
      the cesarean section group, just after delivery. Moreover, neonatal splenic
      length showed negative correlations with lactate dehydrogenase (p < 0.001) and
      glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (p < 0.05) in the umbilical venous blood,
      respectively. These results provide a foundation for the evaluation of fetal
      splenic growth and function during pregnancy and the early neonatal period.

PMID- 1418135
TI  - Significance of positive cervical cultures for Chlamydia trachomatis in patients
      with preterm premature rupture of membranes.
AB  - We tested the hypothesis that in patients with preterm premature rupture of
      membranes the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis in the cervix shortens the latent
      period (time from rupture of membranes to delivery) and increases the incidence
      of chorioamnionitis and early endometritis. A total of 178 conservatively managed
      patients with PROM between 22 and 35 weeks' gestation had cervical cultures for
      chlamydia, group B Streptococcus (GBS) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae performed at the
      time of rupture. Patients with GBS and gonorrhea were treated at the time the
      culture results were available and excluded from analysis. The remaining patients
      were divided into group 1: 26 patients (14.6%) positive for only chlamydia (and
      not treated until discharge from the hospital); group 2: 120 patients (67.4%)
      negative for all three organisms. The two groups did not differ in cesarean rate,
      duration of conservative management, hospital stay, or birthweight. Furthermore,
      the rates of chorioamnionitis (30.8% group 1; 38.3% group 2) or early
      endometritis (11.5% group 1; 20.8% group 2) were similar. We conclude that in
      patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes, the presence of chlamydia
      in the cervix appears to neither decrease the latent period nor increase the
      incidence of chorioamnionitis and early endometritis.

PMID- 1418136
TI  - An easy and accurate method of estimating newborn birthweight for resuscitation.
AB  - Emergency administration of medication based on birthweight is often required in
      newborn resuscitation. Actual weighing is often delayed because of the emergency
      situation. Therefore drugs are given according to weight estimates by physicians
      or nurses. The purposes of this study were to develop a measuring tape using the
      infant's length and head circumference to determine body weight and to evaluate
      the performance of the tape measurements to staffs' estimates. Weight, length,
      and head occipitofrontal circumference (OFC) measurements of 200 newborn infants
      were collected. By regression analyses, the best log curve for both length and
      OFC versus weight was determined. From these data, a measuring tape was
      constructed with the corresponding weights marked for both length and OFC. Forty
      five newborn infants with gestational ages of 26 to 40 weeks were studied. Prior
      to actual weighing, estimates of the birthweights were obtained and recorded from
      the tape measurements using both the length and OFC and staffs' estimates. For
      infants less than 2 kg, the average percent error was less by the tape length
      (1.2%) and OFC (0.7%) compared with staffs' estimates (-7.2%). The tape was also
      useful in estimating weights of small for gestational age infants. The tape OFC
      (7.8% error) was more accurate than staffs' estimates (26% error) in these growth
      retarded infants. The clinical precision of the tape was 3% with an intrameasurer
      variability of 5%. We conclude that estimating the birthweight in infants using
      our tape method is a practical and more accurate way than staff estimates,
      especially for low birthweight and small for gestational age infants.

PMID- 1418137
TI  - Characteristics associated with successful weaning in ventilator-dependent
      preterm infants.
AB  - Eighteen ventilator-dependent preterm infants with hyaline membrane disease were
      studied for 24 hours before and after an attempt at extubation. All were treated
      with theophylline prior to weaning and achieved average levels of 8.9 +/- 1.7
      micrograms/ml (49 +/- 9 mumol/liter) in 13 successfully weaned infants and 8.4 +/
      1.1 micrograms/ml (47 +/- 6 mumol/liter) in 5 infants not extubated, p > 0.05.
      Infants successfully weaned were significantly (p < 0.01) older, more mature (29
      +/- 1 versus 26 +/- 2 weeks' gestational age) and heavier (1107 +/- 236 versus
      1016 +/- 256 gm) than infants not successfully extubated. Infants successfully
      weaned differed only in developing a greater maximal inspiratory force (33.8 +/-
      12.3 versus 23.3 +/- 15.0 cm H2O) and higher compliance (1.1 +/- 0.3 versus 0.7
      +/- 0.3) during the preweaning treatment period. These results indicate that
      maturity and size play a significant role in the ability to wean a preterm infant
      from the ventilator successfully, that maximal inspiratory force and compliance
      are higher in preterm infants who can be successfully extubated, and that
      methylxanthines do not uniformly improve pulmonary function in all potentially
      extubatable preterm infants.

PMID- 1418138
TI  - Preeclampsia effect on platelet count.
AB  - Thrombocytopenia is well recognized when preeclampsia is complicated by the
      hemolysis, elevated liver tests, low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome. We studied
      the effect of preeclampsia on the platelets of women whose platelet count and
      liver function were within normal range. We prospectively evaluated 67
      preeclamptic women, gestational age 30 to 42 weeks, with disease of variable
      severity. The platelet counts of these patients, obtained within 24 hours
      preceding delivery, were significantly lower than the platelet counts of 71
      control subjects. The platelet counts did not differ significantly between
      patients with mild and severe preeclampsia. Our findings suggest the existence of
      subclinical thrombocytopenia in preeclamptic women whose platelet values are
      within normal range.

PMID- 1418139
TI  - Reduction in the middle cerebral artery pulsatility index after decompression of
      polyhydramnios in twin gestation.
AB  - Amniotic fluid decompression was performed for symptomatic polyhydramnios
      complicating four sets of discordant twin gestations. Doppler ultrasound
      waveforms of the middle cerebral artery were determined before and after the
      procedure in seven of the eight fetuses. After amniocentesis, the pulsatility
      index of the middle cerebral artery (PIMCA) was reduced in all fetuses (p <
      0.01). When one considers only the larger twin in each set, the magnitude of the
      change in PIMCA was relatively consistent among the different sets (-0.60 +/-
      0.14; p < 0.01; range, -0.45 to -0.79). The smaller twins showed a much more
      variable response (-0.82 +/- 0.70; range, -0.05 to -1.75). The pulsatility index
      of the umbilical artery (PIUA) showed no consistent trend in the five subjects in
      which it was determined. In principle, the cerebrovascular dilation indicated by
      the PIMCA measurements may in part be due to acute increases in maternal and
      fetal carbon dioxide tensions following relief of maternal restrictive lung
      dysfunction. More importantly, the acute fall in amniotic fluid pressure--the
      external pressure to which the fetoplacental unit is exposed--leads to pooling of
      blood in fetal and placental veins, and thereby reduces the effective blood
      volume of the fetoplacental unit. This effective hypovolemia, functionally
      analogous to that produced by fetal hemorrhage, elicits changes in regional
      vascular resistances that favor cerebrovascular perfusion. The impact of acute
      amniotic fluid decompression on the fetal circulation reflected in the marked
      changes in PIMCA suggests a role for monitoring to avoid large acute changes in
      pressure during therapeutic amniocentesis.

PMID- 1418140
TI  - Ultrasonically measured biparietal diameter and abdominal circumference: intra-
      and interobserver variation in the third trimester.
AB  - Serial ultrasound measurements of the fetus under investigation is an important
      indicator of fetal growth, and thus fetal health. To assess how reliable those
      measurements are, a videotape was made, and, utilizing an ultrasound machine that
      allowed the placement of callipers on the videotape, the dispersion of the
      measurements obtained by 17 sonographers was noted. In the individual fetus in
      the third trimester of pregnancy, a 95% confidence interval of 3.5 and 2 weeks
      was found, respectively, for the measurements of the abdominal circumference and
      biparietal diameter (inter- and intraobserver variation combined).

PMID- 1418141
TI  - Evaluation of a fetal risk-scoring system.
AB  - A population of 2029 pregnant women (929 primiparas; 1100 multiparas) has been
      used to examine aspects of the calculation of obstetric risk scores from the
      presence of individual risk factors. The findings have been related to fetal
      outcome in these pregnancies and the following conclusions were reached: (1) the
      use of Bayes theorem for the calculation of a risk score is superior to the
      simple addition of weighted risk factors; (2) the diagnostic efficiency of a risk
      score is somewhat reduced when the data base used for calculation of the score is
      derived from a population different from that of the current pregnancy; (3) there
      is almost total overlap of risk scores in women with satisfactory and
      unsatisfactory fetal outcome. It is concluded that risk scores can be used to
      identify a small group of women at particularly high risk; in the remainder of
      the population scores are unhelpful except perhaps to indicate the women who do
      not require an intensive program of antenatal care.

PMID- 1418142
TI  - Maximum possible impact of tocolytics in preventing preterm birth: a
      retrospective assessment.
AB  - Although tocolytic drugs are widely used to try to stop preterm labor, their
      actual contribution to preventing preterm deliveries is unknown. Since tocolytic
      drugs are not used at the University of Manitoba, it was possible to estimate the
      proportion of preterm deliveries that might have been eligible for tocolytic drug
      therapy. Of 364 consecutive preterm deliveries between 24 and 35 weeks, only 9%
      would have been eligible for, let alone prevented by, tocolytic drug therapy, and
      even a smaller percentage of babies would actually have benefitted from their
      use. The use of tocolytic drugs can, at best, benefit only a very small
      percentage of babies born preterm. Whether the risks of treatment justify this
      small benefit is arguable.

PMID- 1418143
TI  - Prenatal presentation of congenital chloride diarrhea: clinical report and review
      of the literature.
AB  - A case of congenital chloride diarrhea was diagnosed after delivery in a patient
      whose antenatal course was notable for massively dilated small and large bowel
      and persistent, severe hydramnios refractory to therapy. The pathophysiologic
      mechanism is a dysfunctional chloride-bicarbonate exchange in the brush border of
      the ileum. Antenatal presentation, prenatal diagnosis, and a review of the
      current literature are discussed.

PMID- 1418144
TI  - Creation of a neonatology facility in a developing country: experience from a 5
      year project in China.
AB  - In 1983, Project HOPE was invited by Zhejiang Medical University to collaborate
      in developing a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the Children's Hospital in
      Hangzhou, China. The initial approach involved renovating facilities, purchasing
      equipment and supplies, placing short-term consultants in the unit as teachers,
      and bringing selected leaders to the United States for brief fellowships. An
      evaluation at 18 months disclosed poor organization and leadership, inconsistent
      clinical care, and unsatisfactory utilization and maintenance of facilities and
      equipment. Therefore the strategy was revised to include long-term physician and
      nursing consultants, establishment of ties with HOPE Biomedical Engineering
      projects, and development of formal education programs. The unit was transferred
      to the Chinese after 4 years and an evaluation 1 year after transfer revealed an
      actively functioning independent NICU with evolving effective leadership,
      established purchasing and preventive maintenance programs, and continuing formal
      education activities. Unsatisfactory progress was found with the development of a
      transport system, some laboratory capabilities, adherence to admission and
      discharge policies, and various other administrative issues. Although the goal of
      establishing an independent NICU was realized, perhaps the most lasting
      accomplishment was the establishment of a facility and a format for development
      of a transportable education program aimed at improving neonatal care practices
      throughout a larger region of China.

PMID- 1418145
TI  - Neonatal thrombosis with anticardiolipin antibody in baby and mother.
AB  - The anticardiolipin antibody is associated with increased risk of thrombosis,
      which is manifested with various clinical presentations, including vascular
      thrombosis, recurrent fetal wastage, and neurologic defects. We report a case of
      neonatal thrombosis occurring in the renal vein and inferior vena cava associated
      with moderate positive anticardiolipin antibody titer in the baby while the
      maternal serum showed even stronger anticardiolipin antibody of immunoglobulin G
      class. Subsequent follow-up over the 4 months postpartum period showed a
      disappearance of the antibody in the baby, whereas the mother's antibody
      persisted. This case illustrates the fact that the maternal anticardiolipin
      antibody can be transferred to the fetus and may be a risk factor for thrombosis
      in the neonates. Anticardiolipin antibody syndrome should be considered in the
      differential diagnosis of neonatal thrombosis.

PMID- 1418146
TI  - Surface tension of therapeutic surfactants (exosurf neonatal, infasurf, and
      survanta) as evaluated by standard methods and criteria.
AB  - Three commercial preparations for the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress
      syndrome (NRDS), Exosurf Neonatal (EX), Infasurf (IN), and Survanta (SU), were
      studied at 37 degrees C in both a pulsating bubble surfactometer and a vertical
      film surface balance. "Static" characteristics of adsorbed films were assessed
      with "bubble" at maximum radius (Rmax) and at minimum radius (Rmin). Adsorption
      time was time to stable film formation (gamma equilibrium). In dynamic
      experiments, the bubble was cycled (compressed-decompressed) between Rmax and
      Rmin at 20, 40, and 80 cpm. Spread films were cycled in the surface balance
      between maximum area (Amax) and minimum area (A(min)) at 1.5 cpm. In all
      experiments, maximum surface tension (gamma max) coincided with Rmax or Amax and
      gamma min with Rmin or A(min). All trials were continued until gamma max and
      gamma min were reproducible. Data were evaluated according to standard criteria
      for normal function both in vivo and in vitro of lipid mixtures (EX) or natural
      surfactants (IN, SU) prepared for treatment of NRDS. All preparations failed two
      of the four criteria, adsorption in the time of a deep breath and maintenance of
      stable, low gamma. Adsorption required 10 to 20 seconds and stable gamma was
      achieved only at equilibrium gamma, > 17 mN/m. IN and SU conformed in general to
      two criteria, gamma approaching zero on compression and low surface
      compressibility (< 0.09 m/mN), whereas spontaneously formed films of EX did not.
      EX was idiosyncratic in that these two criteria were met only after an apparent
      change of film conformation had been effected, possibly related to elimination of
      preparation additives from the surface.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418147
TI  - Prenatal determination of demographic and attitudinal factors regarding feeding
      practice in an indigent population.
AB  - Demographic and attitudinal factors influencing the decision to breast- or bottle
      feed were evaluated early in pregnancy by survey of 307 women in a low-risk
      prenatal obstetric clinic at a publicly funded hospital in Houston, Texas.
      Subjects responded to 17 demographic and 24 attitudinal questions. Racial
      classification revealed blacks 36.4%, whites 29.2%, and hispanics 30.8%. Twenty
      five percent of the completed surveys were in Spanish. Of the total sample, 26.7%
      planned to breast-feed, 48.2% planned to bottle-feed, and 25.1% planned to do
      both. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed six prominent independent
      risk factors for bottle-feeding. The most significant variable was lack of
      support for breast-feeding from a significant other (husband, mother, other
      relative, or friend), which had a odds ratio (OR) of 456.3. Other attitudinal
      variables achieving independent significance were disagreement with the
      statements "breastfeeding protects against disease" (OR = 4.0), "breasts were
      made for breastfeeding" (OR = 8.0), and "I want to know more about breastfeeding"
      (OR = 120.0). Significant demographic variables identified were completion of
      less than 12th grade (OR = 32.1), and age less than 35 years (OR = 43.3). These
      findings indicate the influence of significant others in the decision to breast
      feed and suggest that future educational programs should require their inclusion
      if the prevalence of breast-feeding in this population is to be increased.

PMID- 1418148
TI  - Group B streptococcal colonization in the diabetic gravida patient.
AB  - Previous reports have suggested that pregnant diabetic patients have higher
      carriage rates of group B Streptococcus (GBS) than nondiabetic gravidas. In order
      to evaluate this in our population, we cultured the posterior pharynx,
      endocervix, vagina, and rectum of 101 diabetic pregnant women and 100 nondiabetic
      gravida patients. The colonization rate of GBS was higher in the diabetic
      population, 31.7%, than in the nondiabetic group 19.0%, (p < 0.039). The vagina
      was the site most often positive in both diabetic and nondiabetic populations
      (23.8% and 17.0%, respectively, p = NS). The second site to culture positive
      overall and the only individual site that was positive significantly more often
      in diabetics was the rectum (16.9% versus 7.0%, p < 0.05). Differences in
      colonization rates were not evident when insulin requirement and diabetic classes
      were considered.

PMID- 1418150
TI  - Developmental aspects of percutaneous caffeine absorption in premature infants.
AB  - Caffeine is commonly used in the treatment of apnea of prematurity. The skin of
      preterm infants varies considerably in its level of maturity. To understand skin
      absorption in low birthweight infants (less than 1500 gm) with gestational age
      between 26 and 34 weeks, a group of 56 preterm babies was studied after
      percutaneous application of 7.5 mg twice daily of caffeine for babies with
      birthweight less than 1000 gm and 10 mg twice daily for babies with birthweight
      more than 1000 gm. The reported technique is a useful alternative method of drug
      administration in premature babies. This study indicates an inverse relationship
      between gestational age and skin absorption contributing to a better
      understanding of skin barrier function in the newborn.

PMID- 1418149
TI  - Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in premature neonates after
      extensive prenatal treatment with betamethasone: a case history.
AB  - Tests of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function were performed on a set of
      32-weeks' gestation triplets whose mother received 16 injections of betamethasone
      over 8 weeks prior to delivery to induce fetal lung maturation. The purpose of
      these studies was to determine if clinically significant suppression of fetal
      adrenocortical function occurred as a result of this repeated and prolonged
      prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids. Serum cortisol levels were measured on cord
      blood from each patient. Morning serum cortisol and 11-deoxycortisol levels were
      measured before and after an oral dose of metyrapone given at midnight on day 5.
      All three infants were clinically well at birth and had no evidence of hyaline
      membrane disease. Cord blood cortisol levels were low in each infant (1.97 +/-
      0.25 micrograms/dl). By day 5, morning cortisol levels had become normal for each
      infant (10.77 +/- 2.42 micrograms/dl). Following the metyrapone dose, the 11
      deoxycortisol levels rose 10- to 20-fold for each infant, indicating normal
      function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis by day 6. Adrenocortical
      suppression following multiple courses of prenatal betamethasone appears to be
      similar in degree and duration to that reported following brief antenatal therapy
      with this medication. Further studies are needed to confirm these anecdotal
      observations.

PMID- 1418151
TI  - Hemodynamic effects of combining epinephrine with nitroglycerin or nitroprusside
      during group B streptococcal sepsis in piglets.
AB  - Septic shock in young children is often characterized by clinical findings
      consistent with a reduction in cardiac index (CI) and elevation of systemic
      vascular resistance index (SVRI). In this context, infusion of inotropic agents,
      alone or in combination with vasodilators, has been recommended. We have utilized
      group B streptococcal (GBS) infusion in piglets to develop a model of low-CI/high
      SVRI septic shock, and report here the effects of the combination of epinephrine
      (EPI) plus either nitroglycerin (NG) or nitroprusside (NP) in this model of
      infant sepsis. Piglets were anesthetized, intubated, and ventilated. All piglets
      received GBS continuously for 90 minutes and were further divided into three
      experimental groups. Group 1 received NG 16 micrograms/kg.min plus EPI 2
      micrograms/kg.min; group 2 received NP 10 micrograms/kg.min plus EPI 2
      micrograms/kg.min, and group 3 received 0.9% sodium chloride (saline) only. CI,
      which fell for all three groups at the onset of GBS infusion, rose significantly
      in group 2 animals (but not in groups 1 and 3). This effect was mediated entirely
      by an increase in myocardial stroke volume. Aortic blood pressure, initially
      unaffected by GBS infusion, rose significantly in both group 1 and 2 compared
      with group 3. SVRI, which rose for all three groups at the onset of GBS infusion,
      was further markedly elevated in group 1 (but not in groups 2 and 3). Pulmonary
      artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance index, both significantly
      increased after GBS infusion, were reduced in group 2 but not groups 1 and 3.
      These observations illustrate the potential for unexpected, and possibly
      detrimental, hemodynamic consequences when vasoactive agents are combined in
      young septic animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418152
TI  - Prophylactic and emergent arterial catheterization for selective embolization in
      obstetric hemorrhage.
AB  - Treatment of obstetric hemorrhage by the selective embolization of damaged pelvic
      vessels under fluoroscopy holds promise as an alternative to surgical
      intervention. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of selective embolization is often
      compromised by its use in emergent settings following the failure of primary
      operative approaches. Therefore we compared the efficacy of prophylactic versus
      emergent catheter placement for selective embolization in nine patients with or
      at risk for obstetric hemorrhage. In four patients with acute obstetric
      hemorrhage catheterization and embolization was carried out following the failure
      of initial medical and surgical approaches. In five patients determined to be at
      risk for intrapartum hemorrhage based on sonographic findings, catheters were
      inserted into the hypogastric vessels prior to elective cesarean delivery. Three
      of these five patients subsequently required selective embolization. In
      comparison to patients undergoing selective embolization following prophylactic
      catheter placement, patients in the emergent group all had a coagulopathy at the
      time of embolization, sustained substantially greater blood loss, and had an
      increased rate of postpartum complications. Finally, there was a significant
      reduction in total embolization time and therefore in radiation exposure in
      patients undergoing prophylactic catheter placement prior to selective
      embolization. These data support the conclusion that in patients determined to be
      at risk for intrapartum or postpartum hemorrhage the prophylactic placement of
      catheters allows for selective embolization in a hemodynamically intact patient
      with stable coagulation indices, theoretically reducing the risk of maternal
      morbidity and possibly mortality.

PMID- 1418153
TI  - Ultrasound diagnosis of immature cervical teratoma: a case report.
AB  - We report a case of cervical teratoma in a term female infant born to a 20-year
      old white woman. There are rare tumors in neonates, occurring in approximately 1
      in 20,000 to 1 in 40,000 live births. These tumors are accurately defined by
      ultrasound. Although benign, cervical teratomas cause respiratory compromise. In
      this case the tumor was removed surgically with no recurrence at the 10-month
      follow-up.

PMID- 1418154
TI  - Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia after maternal immunization with paternal
      mononuclear cells: successful treatment with intravenous gamma globulin.
AB  - We report a case of neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia and intracranial
      hemorrhage in an infant whose mother received immunizations of paternal
      mononuclear cells. This therapy is designed to prevent unexplained first
      trimester miscarriages. No previous cases of platelet autoimmunization associated
      with maternal immunization with paternal mononuclear cells has been reported.
      Treatment with antenatal maternal infusions of intravenous gamma globulin (IVGG)
      did not prevent fetal thrombocytopenia, but IVGG may become the treatment of
      choice for postnatal, antibody-mediated thrombocytopenia of the newborn.

PMID- 1418155
TI  - Detection of intra-amniotic infection by gas-liquid chromatography.
AB  - The use of gas-liquid chromatography to detect short-chain organic acids in the
      amniotic fluid of patients with amnionitis has been previously described. Most of
      the studies describe patients in the early third trimester with such infections.
      The purpose of the current study was to confirm the correlation of infection with
      increased production of organic acids and to assess the effect of gestational age
      on the presence of these short-chain fatty acids in the amniotic fluid. Six
      patients with confirmed chorioamnionitis were used as positive control subjects.
      Seventy-two patients at various gestational ages from 18 to 42 weeks with
      negative Gram's stain and culture results from the amniotic fluid were used as
      negative control subjects. The data revealed an increased production of organic
      acids, particularly pyruvic, oxalic and succinic, in patients with amnionitis
      regardless of gestational age. Interestingly, patients with noninfected amniotic
      fluid also revealed an increase in the concentrations of volatile organic acids
      between 27 and 32 weeks' gestation. It appears from this study that previous
      results correlating chorioamnionitis with an increased production of organic
      acids in the amniotic fluid may have been confounded by gestational age.

PMID- 1418156
TI  - Creatine kinase and creatine kinase isoenzymes as a marker of uterine activity.
AB  - Creatine kinase (CK) and CK isoenzymes are known to fluctuate in labor. Reliable
      information about the longitudinal changes of CK and CK isoenzymes during labor
      is sparse. Nevertheless, they have been used to direct care in women with
      cardiopulmonary disease and preterm labor requiring tocolysis. This study
      evaluated fluctuations of CK and its isoenzymes longitudinally across labor in 49
      women. Blood samples were obtained at 33 to 34 weeks' estimated gestational age,
      on admission in labor at 3 cm or less dilation, 8 cm to complete dilation, and
      postpartum in the recovery room. Specimens were analyzed for total CK, CK-MM, CK
      MB, and CK-BB activity. CK levels increased for all peripartum patients (p <
      0.001). CK activity at 3 cm was greater than at 34 weeks (p < 0.01). Furthermore,
      the early rise in CK activity was greater in those in active labor compared with
      those who required oxytocin stimulation (p < 0.001). CK values at 8 cm and
      postdelivery (mean IU/liter) were often above nonpregnant norms. The early rise
      of CK in spontaneously laboring patients versus those requiring oxytocin
      augmentation may represent a difference in uterine activity. Nonpregnant
      normative data for CK is not appropriate when assessing cardiovascular side
      effects of betamimetic therapy.

PMID- 1418157
TI  - Is there a "dominant twin" in utero?
AB  - A prospective study of 98 pairs of nonstress tests (NSTs) was obtained
      simultaneously from members of 30 twin gestations. Fifty-five percent of the
      total fetal heart rate (FHR) accelerations of both twins were associated with
      each other and occurred within 15 seconds of each other. There were 8.46%
      synchronous FHR accelerations of both twins, possibly reflecting evoked fetal
      movements. Statistical analysis failed to reveal evidence of a dominant twin in
      utero, with one twin initiating the majority of coinciding fetal movements with
      statistical significance in only three gestations. Examination of combinations of
      the 30 separate individual significance tests using techniques of meta-analysis
      demonstrated a p value of 0.81, indicating lack of dominance in any of the 30
      pairs of twins. The probability plot, consistent with the large p value for the
      combination test statistic, suggested that fetal movements in two gestations are
      related, strengthening the hypothesis of in utero tactile communication between
      twins. We conclude that the existence of a "dominant twin" in utero cannot be
      detected by electronic FHR monitoring methods.

PMID- 1418158
TI  - Hemodynamics associated with the diagnosis and treatment of pheochromocytoma in
      pregnancy.
AB  - A pregnant woman with an undiagnosed pheochromocytoma is described. Her
      presentation at 29 weeks' gestation was consistent with preeclampsia. Noninvasive
      measurement of cardiac output and ambulatory monitoring of blood pressure
      provided data that facilitated making the appropriate diagnosis and managing the
      patient until delivery at term.

PMID- 1418159
TI  - Sonographic fetal growth curves from an indigent population in Atlanta, Georgia:
      I. Singleton pregnancies.
AB  - The sonographic estimation of gestational age relies on standards of normal fetal
      growth established in highly selective patient populations. The majority have
      used middle-class, Caucasian gravidas with excellent menstrual dating criteria.
      These reference populations differ considerably from the indigent patient
      population in most southern medical centers: menstrual dating is often imprecise
      and there is a high rate of low birthweight infants delivered. Therefore, we
      established models of fetal growth in a southern, indigent, predominantly black
      patient population. We also compare our study to other sonographic studies.

PMID- 1418160
TI  - Effect of magnesium sulfate on the vascular actions of norepinephrine and
      angiotensin II.
AB  - Magnesium sulfate is used for seizure prophylaxis in patients with preeclampsia.
      It also has significant effects on calcium metabolism and could, therefore, alter
      the pressor response to calcium-dependent vasoconstrictors. The present in vivo
      rat study examined the effect of magnesium sulfate to alter the pressor response
      to norepinephrine (NE) and angiotensin II (A II). Magnesium doses were chosen to
      approximate those used in treating preeclampsia. NE resulted in a significant
      rise in mean arterial pressure (delta MAP, 46 +/- 3.7 mmHg; p < 0.001). A II also
      resulted in a significant rise in MAP (delta MAP, 23 +/- 3.6 mmHg, p < 0.02).
      Magnesium sulfate alone had no significant effect on MAP but attenuated the
      pressor response to both NE (delta MAP, 16 +/- 1.5 mmHg) and A II (delta MAP, 12
      +/- 2.5 mmHg). After discontinuation of the magnesium sulfate infusion, the
      control pressor responses to NE and A II were again seen (delta MAP, 39 +/- 3.5
      mmHg and delta MAP, 28 +/- 4.2 mmHg, respectively). Although magnesium sulfate is
      not a primary antihypertensive agent, it may have effects on blood pressure by
      attenuating the actions of circulating vasoconstrictors.

PMID- 1418161
TI  - Surgical treatment of incompetent cervix.
AB  - A comparison of multiple factors in the surgical management of cervical
      incompetence was carried out in 114 procedures. Factors examined included
      training level of the operator, gestational age, cervical effacement and dilation
      at the time of operation, diagnostic evaluation, Shirodkar or McDonald procedure,
      year of the procedure, and tocolytic therapy. The endpoint for successful outcome
      was defined as 37 weeks or newborn weighing over 2500 gm rather than neonatal
      survival, thus differing from previous studies. All patients were delivered
      vaginally unless there was an obstetric indication for cesarean delivery. The
      most important determinants of a term birth in patients with incompetent cervix
      were operator experience and the use of a Shirodkar procedure.

PMID- 1418162
TI  - Outcome of pregnancy in class A1 and A2 gestational diabetic patients delivered
      beyond 40 weeks' gestation.
AB  - The charts of all diabetic women and their infants delivered during the years
      1983-1988 in our department were reviewed. The test group included consecutive
      gestational diabetic women class A1 (n = 65) and class A2 (n = 59), who delivered
      beyond 40 weeks of gestation. The mean gestational age at delivery was 40.90
      weeks (range, 40.0 to 42.57) in class A1 and 40.49 weeks (range, 40.0 to 42.28)
      in class A2 patients. The first control group matched for age, parity, and
      presentation included 65 gestational diabetic patients class A1 and 59 A2 who
      delivered prior to 40 weeks' gestation. The second control group matched for age,
      parity, and presentation included 124 nondiabetic patients who delivered beyond
      40 weeks of gestation (mean, 41.04 +/- 0.83 weeks). By allowing the pregnancies
      of gestational diabetic patients class A1 and class A2 to proceed beyond 40 weeks
      of gestation, we did not increase the incidence of perinatal mortality and
      morbidity rate. The cesarean section rate was low (10.76% in class A1 and 22.03%
      in class A2). We suggest that not only elective intervention prior to 40 weeks of
      gestation is to be avoided, but an attempt should be made to allow the
      gestational diabetics class A1 and class A2 to proceed to spontaneous labor.

PMID- 1418163
TI  - Effects of physical activity and life-style factors on uterine contraction
      frequency.
AB  - In this cohort study, uterine contractions were recorded in 81 low-risk pregnant
      women who wore ambulatory tocodynamometers continuously during three 72-hour
      periods at advancing gestational ages. During these periods, they also recorded
      their daily activities in a diary. Examination of the data, in general, revealed
      no association between uterine contraction frequency and habits such as smoking,
      alcohol consumption, or drinking caffeinated beverages. Physical activities, such
      as prolonged standing, heavy housework, lifting, or organized exercise also did
      not appear to affect uterine contraction rates. Only climbing stairs and walking
      were associated with increased contraction frequencies, but this effect, although
      statistically significant, was relatively small in magnitude and was present only
      during the last gestational age period monitored (30 to 33 weeks).

PMID- 1418164
TI  - Vaginal ultrasound: an invaluable component of modern obstetric ultrasound.

PMID- 1418165
TI  - Applicability of tocolytic therapy.

PMID- 1418166
TI  - [Control of breathing during exercise].
AB  - Although the control of breathing during exercise has been studied extensively
      that both neural and humoral factors may play a role in mediating the exercise
      hyperpnea, it remains unresolved whether the response is due solely to neural or
      humoral mechanisms and how the pulmonary gas exchange matches to the tissue
      exchange rates. At just onset of exercise ventilation can increase abruptly
      within 1 to 2 breathes (Phase I). Such a rapid increment of ventilation is not
      attributed to the humoral factor(s) due to the circulation delay from muscle
      metabolites. More rapid mechanism(s) such as irradiation from brain stream,
      afferent neurogenic control, blood flow increment as cardiodynamic theory might
      be considered. During moderate exercise intensity with a step function,
      ventilation increased exponentially to the steady state (phase II) after an
      abrupt increase at just onset of exercise. In this phase II, the breathing is
      controlled as to exchange the oxygen and carbon dioxide at rates appropriate for
      the acid-base homeostasis regulation. As a result, arterial blood gases and acid
      base status must maintain within a narrow range despite of extremely enlarged
      metabolic rates by exercise. Some humoral factor(s) might be mediated for the
      control of breathing such as mean steady state error theory, arterial blood gases
      oscillation theory, feedback system by CO2, or optimization theory. At the heavy
      exercise intensity, anaerobic metabolism was supplemented to product for the
      enhanced energy requirement, so that ventilation increased non-linearly with
      oxygen uptake due to the lactoacidosis and its buffering activity. There has been
      a debate concerning cause and effect relationship between blood lactate increment
      and hyperpnea during exercise. Recently, arterial potassium concentration
      resulted from depolarization due to muscle contraction during exercise might
      stimulate to carotid bodies for increasing ventilation.

PMID- 1418167
TI  - [Subcutaneous fat distribution in Japanese women. Part 1. Fat thickness of the
      trunk].
AB  - The thickness of subcutaneous fat were measured at 215 different points on the
      trunk in Japanese young women with using B-mode ultrasonic device. Subjects were
      10 healthy Japanese females aged from 20 to 24 years. Average subcutaneous fat
      thickness over the trunk of 10 subjects was 9.8 mm, and it's standard deviation
      was 1.5 mm. Subcutaneous fat thickness showed the higher value at the buttock,
      the breasts and the abdomen and the lower value at the back. The difference of
      fat distribution between obese subjects and lean subjects was exhibited mainly on
      the abdominal parts but not on the chest and back parts of the trunk.

PMID- 1418168
TI  - [Warming-up under cold environment].
AB  - Warming up procedures in the many antecedent reports, are almost under normal
      ambient temperature and they do not treat the warming up under low temperature.
      The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of warming up by
      intensity and time in submaximal treadmill exercise (90% VO2max intensity during
      10 minutes) on physiological parameters under cold environment in climate chamber
      (room temperature: 10 degrees C, relative humidity: 70%, wind velocity: under 0.2
      m/sec). Eight trained collegiate basic skiers performed main exercise for 5
      minutes after the following warming up conditions: NoW-up (no warming up), W50-15
      (50% VO2max intensity 15 minutes), W70-15(70% VO2max intensity 15 minutes), W50
      30(50% VO2max intensity 30 minutes) or W70-30(70% VO2max intensity 30 minutes).
      It was concluded that the most effective intensity and time of warming up in
      these conditions were 50% VO2max intensity and 30 minutes duration, that is,
      rather low intensity and longer duration time. It was suggested that a warming up
      with a high intensity and short duration was effectless under cold.

PMID- 1418169
TI  - Optimum comfort limits determination through the characteristics of asymmetric
      thermal radiation in a heated floor space, "ondol".
AB  - This study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of the asymmetric radiation on
      thermal comfort, and to suggest the optimum comfort limits in a radiant heating
      space. The index of V.R.T. (Vector Radiant Temperature) was used to describe the
      environmental quality of the heated floor space. Optimum comfort limits of this
      space were suggested through both theoretical and empirical studies. It is
      recommended to use not only man's sensation of the ambient air but also that of
      the floor surface for the determination of the optimum comfort limits on the
      heated floor space such as an "Ondol" in Korea. In the present study the optimum
      comfort limits were suggested in terms of the V.R.T. The optimum limits obtained
      were as follows: the vector radiant temperature 11.0 approximately 15.0 K.

PMID- 1418170
TI  - Influence of noise on heart rate and quantity of work in mental work.
AB  - In the present study, we investigated the correlation between the physiological
      function, heart rate (HR) and the quantity of work performed when A-weighted
      sound pressure level of factory noise or construction noise was varied during the
      mental operations of calculation and erosion. Furthermore, we looked for
      differences in the effects of sound noise and music on the quantity of work
      performed. The A-weighted sound pressure level was set at four levels of
      background noise, i.e. 60, 70 and 80 dB (A). The music sound level was set at 70
      dB (A). The subjects were exposed to factory noise, construction noise and music
      during their mental work. A balanced factorial experiment was conducted with a
      total of 16 combinations of types of mental work (two levels of calculation and
      erosion), sound noise (two levels of factory and construction sound noise), and A
      weighted sound pressure levels (four levels). The order of the experimental
      procedures was determined at random. The following conclusions were made from the
      findings of the study. 1) HR elevation occurred due to exposure to sound noise,
      and further increase in HR resulted from an increase in the A-weighted sound
      pressure level. This result can be attributed to the action of sound noise as a
      stressor, which excites sympathetic nerves, leading to an elevation of HR. 2) The
      quantity of work performed decreased with an increase in the A-weighted sound
      pressure level. 3) When the subjects were exposed to music with an A-weighted
      sound pressure level of 70 dB (A) instead of sound noise of the same level,
      almost no elevation of HR was observed. However, the quantity of work completed
      when exposed to music was less than that performed when exposed to sound noise of
      the same A-weighted sound pressure level.

PMID- 1418171
TI  - The effect of color temperature of lighting sources on the autonomic nervous
      functions.
AB  - The present study was designed to investigate the effects of color temperature of
      lighting sources on the heart rate variability. Eight male students volunteered
      as subjects. The heart rate variability during task and rest sessions were
      estimated under nine different lighting environments consisting of three levels
      of color temperature (3000 degrees K, 5000 degrees K and 6700 degrees K) and
      three levels of illuminance (1001x, 3001x and 9001x). The lighting condition
      caused no effect on the mean heart rate. On the other hand, the power spectrum of
      heart rate was significantly influenced by the lighting conditions. The
      respiratory sinus arrhythmia component and Mayer wave related sinus arrhythmia
      component of the power spectrum increased under higher color temperature
      conditions. Judging from the consistency of heart rate level, the balance between
      the effects of parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems remained at a
      constant level irrespective of lighting quality and intensity. Therefore, both
      parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous functions were concluded to be enhanced
      under higher color temperature conditions. The light with higher color
      temperature was considered to activate the autonomic nervous function more than
      the light of lower color temperature. The effect of color temperature was much
      remarkable in the rest session comparing with the task session. This fact was
      discussed from the viewpoint of color temperature effect in environmental
      lighting.

PMID- 1418172
TI  - [Estimation of energy expenditure and the validity of pitch counting during
      walking and jogging by piezoelectric materials].
AB  - The purpose of the present study was to assess the validity of Piezo-electric
      accelerometer for estimating energy expenditure in walking and jogging. Energy
      consumption by oxygen uptake was determined during steady state level of
      treadmill walking at the speed of 60, 80 and 100 m/min and jogging at the speed
      of 100, 120, 140, and 160 m/min for 10 subjects. There was a highly significant
      correlation between the energy consumption and the estimated energy expenditure
      by an accelerometer despite the attached position (r = 0.912 at the waist, r =
      0.915 at the chest, P < 0.001), which suggests accurate estimating energy
      expenditure in the field.

PMID- 1418173
TI  - [Physical fitness and its relationship with life style for persons of middle or
      advanced age].

PMID- 1418174
TI  - Antineoplastic effects of gallium nitrate on human medulloblastoma in vivo.
AB  - Gallium nitrate possesses antineoplastic activity against certain solid tumors
      and has been demonstrated to be an effective agent in reducing cell proliferation
      and DNA synthesis in the medulloblastoma Daoy cell line in vitro. In prior
      studies, gallium inhibited the cellular uptake of 59Fe by brain tumor cells;
      however, this block in 59Fe uptake was variable and closely paralleled the
      inhibitory effects of gallium on cell growth. In vivo trials now have been
      conducted and have yielded some promising results. Nude mice received intradermal
      injections of medulloblastoma Daoy and then allowed to grow tumors. When the mice
      had developed at least one tumor between 9 to 10 mm in diameter, a 10-day course
      of intraperitoneal gallium nitrate injections was initiated. Gallium nitrate
      treatment reduced overall tumor growth rate and reduced actual tumor size.
      Nephrotoxicity was severe, but may be preventable by continuous gallium infusion
      and use of diuretics and hyperhydration.

PMID- 1418175
TI  - Neurologic outcome of propionic acidemia.
AB  - Twenty patients with propionic acidemia were reviewed retrospectively. Two groups
      were identified: those who presented in the first week of life (11 patients) or
      after the neonatal period (9 patients). The early onset of disease had a much
      higher death rate (hazard ratio: 7.52) and all patients in this group were
      mentally retarded (IQ < or = 60). Movement disorder was common in both groups. Of
      the early-onset group, 3 patients had mild chorea or dystonia. Four in the late
      onset group had a severe movement disorder. In the late onset group, cranial
      computed tomography disclosed transient basal ganglia lucencies following an
      episode of metabolic decompensation; however, no disturbance in amine
      neurotransmitter metabolite concentrations were found in the cerebrospinal fluid.

PMID- 1418176
TI  - Vigabatrin in intractable childhood epilepsy: a retrospective study.
AB  - The effects of vigabatrin were studied over a 6-month period in 43 patients with
      intractable epilepsy. Children with complex partial seizures, with or without
      secondary generalization, responded best with more than one-half achieving a
      greater than 50% reduction; generalized tonic-clonic seizures also improved but
      there was no significant change in absence or myoclonic seizures. Four patients
      are seizure-free on monotherapy with vigabatrin. The drug was well tolerated with
      few side effects.

PMID- 1418177
TI  - Immunodiagnosis of bacterial enteric infections: where do we stand?

PMID- 1418178
TI  - The change of allergen-specific IgG subclass antibodies during immunotherapy in
      mite-sensitive asthmatic children.
AB  - Fifty-six Dermatophagoid farinae (D.f)-sensitive asthmatic children were
      hyposensitized by D.f-crude extract for two years. Serum total IgG subclass
      antibodies and D.f-specific IgE and IgG subclass antibodies were measured by
      ELISA before and after 2 years of treatment. The results showed that 1) After two
      years of treatment, there were significantly higher levels of total serum IgG1 in
      both responder and non-responder groups than those before treatment (p less than
      0.01). The responder group also had significantly higher values of total IgG2 and
      IgG4 after immunotherapy (IT) (p less than 0.05), but not in the non-responder
      group. 2) The serum levels of D.f-specific IgG3 and IgG4 antibodies in responder
      group increased significantly after IT (p less than 0.05). On the contrary, the
      D.f-specific IgE and IgG1 IgG1 in the responder group were significantly lower
      than those before IT. No signi- in the responder group were significantly lower
      than those before IT. No signi-body titres before and after IT was found in non
      responder group. 3) There was a significant correlation between the total IgG4
      and D.f-specific IgG4 antibody (r = 0.634, p less than 0.01). The correlation
      coefficient was 0.634. No correlation was found between the other IgG subclass
      antibodies and D.f-specific IgG subclass antibodies. 4) Correlations between the
      levels of D.f-specific IgE and IgG subclass antibodies were highly significant
      both in IT-responder and non-responder groups. There was a significant
      correlation between the levels of D.f-specific IgG1 and IgG4 in non-responders,
      while no relationship was observed in the responder group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418179
TI  - Antinuclear antibody detection using streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase complex on
      HEp-2 cell substrate.
AB  - The streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (SABC) technique was compared to
      conventional indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) for the detection of anti-nuclear
      antibody (ANA) on HEp-2 cell substrate. SABC showed higher specificity and
      predictive value and gave more reproducible titres and clearer staining patterns
      than IIF in sera from a series of rheumatic disease patients. Sera from 80
      patients with various types of rheumatic diseases and 20 without rheumatic
      disease were further tested using the SABC method. All systemic lupus
      erythematosus (SLE) sera were positive. The overall sensitivity was 95%,
      specificity 90% and predictive value 97% for rheumatic disease. The rim pattern
      was associated with SLE and mixed connective tissue disease. The
      nucleolar/homogeneous pattern was associated with scleroderma and SLE in
      remission. ANA titre and staining pattern have limited value in the clinical
      assessment of rheumatic disease; however, ANA has very high sensitivity for SLE
      and remains an excellent screening test.

PMID- 1418180
TI  - The presence of specific IgE to salicyloyl and O-methylsalicyloyl in aspirin
      sensitive patients.
AB  - Certain adverse reactions to aspirin (ASA), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
      (NSAIDs) and pyrazoline derivatives resemble IgE-mediated hypersensitivity.
      However, convincing evidence of antigen-antibody interactions or of the
      inhibition of the cyclooxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism leading
      to an increase in the generation of leukotrienes (LTs) and a decrease in the
      generation of prostaglandins (PGs) was not fully demonstrated. In this study, two
      types of specific IgE antibodies have been found in 27 serum samples from 28 ASA
      sensitive patients with salicyloyl-discs and O-methylsalicyloyl-discs by Radio
      Allergo Sorbent Tests (RAST). The positive rates were 96.4% and 71.4%,
      respectively. In contrast, no positive results could be found in 10 normal donors
      without ASA sensitivity after ingestion of ASA 500 mg/day for 14 days. Further
      investigation of the chemical structure of epitopes was done by cross inhibition
      studies. Our results are an increasing evidence in favour of an IgE-dependent
      mechanism in patients suffering from ASA sensitivity. Hopefully, the
      determination of specific IgE antibodies will be a safe diagnostic method of ASA
      sensitivity in vitro.

PMID- 1418181
TI  - A study on antigenic and allergenic changes during storage in three different
      biological extracts.
AB  - The stability of three allergens common in tropical countries was evaluated under
      different storage conditions. Prosopis juliflora (PJ), Rhizopus nigricans (RN),
      and wheat dust (WD), were taken as representatives of various groups of allergens
      viz, pollen, fungi and dust. The extracts were stored in buffer containing phenol
      (0.4%) or glycerol (50%) at temperatures ranging from 4-55 degrees C for 15 to 60
      days. Protein content of PJ extract was reduced remarkably when it was stored at
      40 degrees C for 45 days. Thin layer isoelectric focusing and rocket
      immunoelectrophoresis of PJ showed that certain antigenic proteins degrade
      rapidly even at 25 degrees C as early as day 15. However, two to three proteins
      of PJ remain stable at a higher temperature (40 degrees C) for two months.
      Relative radioallergosorbent test (RAST) inhibition showed substantial loss of
      allergenic activity in all the three extracts, when stored at higher temperatures
      (25-55 degrees C) even for short durations, i.e., 15 days. Extracts (PJ and RN)
      containing 50% glycerol were found to be stable, retaining more than 50%
      activity, even when stored at 55 degrees C for 40 days, while extracts without
      glycerol lost more than 75% of their allergenic activity. However, addition of
      glycerol did not change the stability of wheat dust allergenic extract. The
      present findings indicate that allergenic extracts behave differently when
      stored. Hence, the stability of each extract should be determined individually.

PMID- 1418182
TI  - Dot-blot ELISA for the detection of IgM RF and IgA RF.
AB  - Dot-blot ELISA was developed for the detection of IgM RF and IgA RF. Normal
      rabbit IgG (NRIgG), concentration 100 micrograms/ml, was used as the antigen for
      dotting on the 0.45 microns pore size nitrocellulose membrane. Serum, conjugate
      and substrate incubation conditions were at room temperature for 1 hour, 1 hour
      and 3 minutes, respectively. The membrane with NRIgG dot could be sotred for 6
      weeks before use in the assay. Positive results of IgM RF, at the serum dilution
      1:800, were found in 31/51 patients with either classical or definite rheumatoid
      arthritis and 3/68 normal healthy individuals. Positive IgA RF, at the serum
      dilution 1:100, was found in 27/51 of the former and none of the latter.
      Significant concordance with high agreement index was found between the results
      of the dot-blot ELISA developed and those obtained from ELISA performed in
      microtitre plate (Kappa greater than or equal to 0.78 for IgM RF and 0.83 for IgA
      RF, p less than 0.001).

PMID- 1418183
TI  - Re-evaluation of ELISA and latex agglutination test for rheumatoid factor
      detection in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - An indirect ELISA for the determination of each isotype (IgM, IgG, IgA, IgD, IgE)
      of rheumatoid factors (RF) was performed with sera obtained from 77 patients with
      either classical or definite rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 319 controls, using
      rabbit IgG as the antigen. The results were compared with those of a commercial
      latex agglutination test, using denatured human gamma globulin as the antigen for
      rheumatoid factor determination. At the cut-off level at which positive results
      were found in less than 5% of normal controls, ELISA for IgM RF determination had
      sensitivity, specificity, efficiency, positive predictive value and negative
      predictive value of 46.75%, 98.12%, 88.13%, 85.71%, 88.41%, while those for IgA
      RF were 46.75%, 93.42%, 84.34%, 63.16%, 87.91% and for IgG RF were 59.74%,
      92.16%, 85.86%, 64.78%, 90.46%, respectively. These indices by latex
      agglutination test were 83.11%, 93.73%, 91.67%, 76.19% and 95.83%, respectively.
      IgD RF titre greater than or equal to 1:5 was detected in 19/77 RA patients and
      4/200 normal controls while IgE RF titre greater than or equal to 1:5 was
      detected only in 7/77 RA patients. Thus, ELISA did not appear to have any
      advantage over latex agglutination test for diagnosis of RA.

PMID- 1418184
TI  - Sinusitis in Thai asthmatic children.
AB  - The radiographic appearance of sinuses was studied in 146 Thai asthmatic patients
      aged 1-13 years. Forty-eight percent of cases showed sinusitis by the
      radiographic criteria. The maxillary sinus was most commonly involved (98.6%).
      Thirty-three percent had ethmoidal sinusitis and 7% of those with developed
      frontal sinuses had frontal sinusitis. Thirty-three percent had more than one
      sinus involved. Those with frontal sinusitis always had maxillary and/or
      ethmoidal involvement. Sixteen cases had signs and symptoms of sinusitis and all
      of the cases had the radiographic appearance of sinusitis. There was no
      correlation between the occurrence of sinusitis and duration or severity of
      asthma. There was no difference in the occurrence of sinusitis between those with
      or without allergic rhinitis. No correlation between severity of sinusitis and
      age of patients was observed.

PMID- 1418185
TI  - ELISA for seroepidemiological study of exposure to Vibrio cholerae of population
      in Krabi Province, Thailand.
AB  - Seroepidemiological study of Vibrio cholerae exposure was carried out in Krabi
      Province during January 1989 to December 1990 using indirect ELISA to determine
      serum antibodies to lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of V. cholerae. Among 363 serum
      samples obtained from cord blood and venous blood of healthy persons, aged from 6
      months to over 50 years, 65% and 64% were found positive for specific IgG and IgM
      against LPS of V. cholerae, respectively. The seroprevalence of V. cholerae
      infection increased with age from that found at 6 months, being highest in the
      age groups of 30-49 years for IgG and 15-29 years for IgM. The seroprevalence of
      V. cholerae infection was higher among female Muslims and home-makers, and
      increased with the family income. The seroprevalence of cholera infection was
      also influenced by home location, methods of food storage and water supply. These
      data suggested that a large number of Krabi's population had V. cholerae
      infection.

PMID- 1418186
TI  - Comparison of immunogenicity of hepatitis B vaccine between low and normal birth
      weight infants.
AB  - A comparative study was conducted to evaluate the immunogenicity of hepatitis B
      vaccine in low and normal birth weight infants. Hepatitis B vaccine (Hevac B
      Pasteur) was given to 50 low birth weight infants and 50 controls, matched by sex
      and date of delivery. The vaccine was given at birth, 1, 2 and 12 months of age.
      HBsAg and anti-HBs were assessed at birth, 4, 9 and 13 months of age by the micro
      ELISA technique. Using the geometric mean titre of anti-HBs and the
      seroconversion rate as indicators, the immunogenicity of hepatitis B vaccine in
      low birth weight infants was as good as in normal birth weight infants.

PMID- 1418187
TI  - Status and trend of HIV-1 infection and AIDS in Taiwan, December, 1991.
AB  - From May 1, 1985 to December 31, 1991, a total of 4,962,707 serum samples from 8
      population groups in Taiwan were tested for anti-human immunodeficiency virus
      type 1 (anti-HIV-1). In total, 256 samples were seropositive; of these
      individuals, 43 developed acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS): 29 were
      homosexuals; 5 were hemophiliacs; 8 were heterosexuals and 1 was of unknown risk.
      Although the prevalence of HIV-1 infection and AIDS remains low compared with
      other countries, since 1988 the increase has been rapid. Before 1977 the majority
      were homosexuals and hemophiliacs; thereafter the risk groups diversified, with a
      trend away from homosexuals and hemophiliacs towards heterosexuals and
      intravenous drug abusers (IVDAs). A few patients have caused serious social
      problems for the public, health care workers and families. Active community
      efforts are needed to achieve future success in the control of HIV-1 infection
      and AIDS in Taiwan.

PMID- 1418188
TI  - Analysis of antibody levels before and after praziquantel treatment in human
      paragonimiasis heterotremus.
AB  - Enzyme immunoassays (ELISA) and Western blot analysis were used to determine IgG
      antibody levels in patients infected with Paragonimus heterotremus from Thailand
      before and after treatment with praziquantel. An IgG antibody ELISA showed that a
      substantial reduction of antibody levels occurred after one year of treatment.
      Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western
      blot analysis showed that P. heterotremus adult extract is highly complex,
      consisting of more than 9 antigenic bands with molecular size ranging from 123
      kDa to less than 12.3 kDa. Two prominent bands of 31.5 kDa and 18.5 kDa were
      found to show consistent reactions with all serum samples from the pretreatment
      group. There was a marked reduction in the intensity of the reaction of the 31.5
      kDa band with each serum sample from post-treatment patients but the other bands
      disappeared during the one year interval.

PMID- 1418189
TI  - Transcutaneous gas tensions in the sacrum during the acute phase of spinal cord
      injury.
AB  - The first few months following injury to the spinal cord requires constant care
      of the subject if tissue breakdown is to be avoided. The management of acute
      traumatic cases involves complete bedrest in a supine position with appropriately
      positioned pillows to minimize trauma to the bone prominences. This study
      assesses the effectiveness of the management procedure in terms of the tissue
      response at the sacrum of 15 acute spinal cord injured subjects. The measurement
      of mean interface pressures during a representative period of recumbency was
      performed and these were related to changes in transcutaneous gas tensions (TcPO2
      and TcPCO2), which are reliable indices of tissue viability. A series of six
      variables was established which were compared to each other using non-parametric
      statistical analyses. It was shown that this group of subjects demonstrated a
      normal mechanism whereby the level of carbon dioxide was able to control the
      local vascular tone. The results also suggested that the practice of gapping at
      the sacrum should be revised to reduce mean sacral pressures and minimize the
      possibility of tissue breakdown, the risk of which is constant throughout the
      first three months following injury.

PMID- 1418191
TI  - A comparison of various loading configurations of the proximal femur for the
      evaluation of reconstructive surgical procedures.
AB  - The study was designed to evaluate the effect of different loading configurations
      on stem and bone stresses in simulated total hip arthroplasty. The traditional
      experiment design of loading the model through the head of the prosthesis by the
      resultant joint force was compared with a more realistic model which included an
      abductor strap to simulate the abductor muscle force. In addition, an alternative
      experiment design was evaluated in which a loading arm was clamped directly on to
      the head of the prosthesis. The results show that loading the model by the
      resultant joint force not only changes the magnitude of the stresses but also the
      stress distribution compared to the abductor muscle model. The new experiment
      design closely approximates stresses seen in the abductor muscle model below the
      lesser trochanter. In the proximal region, the stresses are increased on the
      medial side and decreased on the lateral side. The advantages of the proposed
      loading model are: (a) easy and reproducible set-up and alignment is facilitated,
      (b) different positions of the femur (flexion, extension) can be simulated and
      (c) a more realistic stress distribution and magnitude is achieved.

PMID- 1418190
TI  - Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament.
AB  - Ligaments are strong collagenous structures that act as constraints on joint
      motion, thus confining the articular surfaces to more or less the same paths. In
      so doing they prevent arbitrary apposition of these surfaces from occurring and
      resulting in abnormal stresses which may damage the joint surfaces. Ligaments
      rupture due to excessive loads, particularly those resulting from trauma
      occurring during sporting events or motor vehicle accidents. Knee and ankle
      joints have the highest frequency of ligamentous injuries. This paper is a brief
      review of the current approaches to the reconstruction of the knee ligaments with
      specific reference to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) being the most
      frequently reconstructed. This is not only because it is frequently injured but
      also because of the debilitating consequences of such an injury. Approaches
      ranging from the conservative to those that advocate the use of frank prosthetic
      replacement have been adopted by surgeons at both ends of the spectrum. Following
      a discussion of the rationale for reconstruction of the ACL, the mechanical and
      biological considerations of the reconstructive procedure are discussed. The
      different methods of ACL reconstruction are reviewed. These include: (a) primary
      repair, (b) reconstruction with different tissues, including autogenous
      allografts and xenografts, (c) reconstruction employing different synthetic
      devices. A brief discussion of the procedures used for reconstruction with
      different types of tissue and of the surviving examples of the synthetic devices
      will follow.

PMID- 1418192
TI  - The function of bipolar hip prostheses--a laboratory study using cadaveric
      acetabula.
AB  - Cadaveric acetabula were mounted in a hip simulator and the friction developed in
      each during articulation with a series of metal femoral head prostheses of
      differing sizes was measured. In a separate study, assembled Hastings bipolar hip
      prostheses were subjected to weight-bearing forces in the same acetabula and
      their self-righting mechanism was observed. The self-righting mechanism was found
      to function efficiently, in most cases overcoming the combined friction of the
      inner and outer articulations of the Hastings hip. However, during motion in the
      hip simulator a wide variation of friction was observed between different
      acetabula and within the same acetabulum with differing head size. In several
      cases this acetabular friction was found to be less than the friction in the
      inner articulation of the Hastings bipolar hip prosthesis, and this may explain
      some cases of reported failure of biarticular function.

PMID- 1418193
TI  - The CADCAM contribution to customized orthopaedic implants.
AB  - CADCAM (computer aided design/manufacture) production methods are often
      associated with mass production; working in the medical field at the Department
      of Biomedical Engineering, the requirement is for one-off, individualized
      implants. Using a knowledge-based system, implant designs are produced from X-ray
      data. Assembly from modular components has greatly reduced the production time of
      implants for bone tumour cases. CADCAM techniques are also used in the production
      of custom-made hip replacements using digitized data gathered from radiographs.
      Femoral canal shape is calculated and the optimal implant designed and
      manufactured from titanium alloy on the Department's CNC (computer numerically
      controlled) machines.

PMID- 1418195
TI  - Bioengineering activities in the Department of Mechanical and Production
      Engineering at the University of Limerick.

PMID- 1418194
TI  - Revision of cemented fixation and cement-bone interface strength.
AB  - Interfacial shear strength between poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement
      and cancellous bone was measured in bone samples from human proximal femora.
      Samples were prepared with fresh cement-bone, fresh cement inside a mantle of
      existing cement and with fresh cement-revised bone surfaces. Push-out tests to
      measure shear strength caused failure only at bone-cement interfaces; revised
      bone interfaces were 30 per cent weaker (P < 0.02) than primary interfaces. The
      clinical relevance is that revision of cemented joint arthroplasties may
      necessitate removal of components with sound cement-bone fixation. The practice
      of removing all traces of PMMA cement may not yield the optimal fixation;
      adhesion of fresh cement to freshly prepared surfaces of the existing cement
      might also be considered where circumstances are favourable.

PMID- 1418196
TI  - The mechanics of soft tissues and soft tissue replacements.

PMID- 1418197
TI  - A model of the geometrical changes in aortic valve leaflets in response to
      leaflet extension and variable boundary conditions.
AB  - The function, deformation and performance of heart valve leaflets are dependent
      on the material properties and the geometry of the leaflet. As the leaflet acts
      as a constrained membrane the geometry is dependent on the boundary condition
      applied to the leaflet and any permanent extension of the leaflet. Both of these
      factors are varied during the preparation of frame-mounted porcine bioprosthetic
      heart valves and surgical insertion of free-sewn valves. This can result in
      abnormal geometry and function. A mathematical model has been developed which
      describes these changes in geometry of a cylindrical leaflet as a function of the
      diameter of the aortic root (boundary conditions) and the length (or permanent
      extension) of the leaflet. Both the angle of inclination and the radius of
      curvature of the cylindrical leaflet were reduced with increased leaflet length
      or decreased aortic diameter. Agreement was found between the model predictions
      and experimental observations in porcine bioprosthetic heart valves, where
      abnormal leaflet geometries are produced by non-physiological boundary conditions
      and permanent set of the leaflets by fixation with glutaraldehyde. The general
      solutions developed in this model allow leaflet geometries to be predicted for a
      range of conditions in free-sewn and frame-mounted valves.

PMID- 1418198
TI  - AIDS and arthroscopic surgery.
AB  - There are an estimated 8 to 10 million people worldwide infected with human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The true extent of infection in the population is
      unknown, and many are unaware of their HIV status. Arthroscopic and
      arthroscopically assisted surgery is less invasive and bloody than other
      orthopaedic procedures, and seemingly less hazardous to surgeons. Nevertheless,
      the potential for exposure exists. Arthroscopic surgeons routinely experience
      gown, face-mask and shoe-cover saturation from the splashing of blood-tainted
      irrigation fluid. Glove perforations by needles, sharps, and bone fragments can
      occur. Bone and tissue allografts pose risks to both surgeon and patient, as HIV
      has been recovered from fresh, frozen and freeze-dried specimens. The process of
      cleaning and disinfecting arthroscopes adequately can damage these expensive
      devices. This article addresses the safeguards that arthroscopic surgeons should
      take to prevent exposure to HIV. Effective sterilizing and disinfecting
      techniques for arthroscopes are also discussed.

PMID- 1418199
TI  - Arthroscopic microdiscectomy.
AB  - Follow-up examinations performed a minimum of 2 years postoperatively showed that
      no neurovascular complications developed in 100 patients who underwent
      arthroscopic microdiscectomy for treatment of herniated discs at L3-4, L4-5, or
      L5-S1. By using a posterolateral approach, endoscopic control, and specially
      designed straight, upbiting, and deflectable forceps, it was possible to remove
      not only fragments located in the center of the nucleus, but also fragments that
      had migrated posteriorly and posterolaterally. Analysis of operative results by a
      modification of the Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's lumbar spine analysis system
      demonstrated that 88 of the patients attained excellent or good results and 12
      attained poor or fair results. The outcome of surgery was not related to age,
      sex, or surgical level. The most common causes of an unsuccessful surgical
      outcome were lateral recess stenosis and sequestered fragments missed in the
      preoperative work-up.

PMID- 1418200
TI  - Arthroscopic therapy of recurrent anterior luxation of the shoulder by capsular
      repair.
AB  - Sixty-five cases of recurrent anterior unidirectional dislocation of the shoulder
      were treated by arthroscopic capsular repair. In this approach, the arthroscope
      is inserted through a posterior portal. Using mostly an anterior portal, a 5-mm
      hole is drilled across the neck of the glenoid, between the 3 and 4 o'clock
      positions. A 5-mm working cannula is passed from the posterior portal into the
      joint. Mostly through the anterior portal, four to six retention U-sutures are
      placed in the labrum, the middle and inferior glenohumeral ligament, and the
      subscapularis tendon. A 25-cm-long, 2.0-mm K-wire with an eye is used. The
      sutures are pulled out posteriorly through the cannula and tied on the fascia of
      the infraspinatus muscle. The goal of the procedure is to reattach the detached
      labrum-ligament complex (LLC) and achieve a capsulorrhaphy in a medial-lateral
      and superior-inferior direction. There were nine redislocations during a follow
      up period of 24-60 months (average, 35.3 months). Reasons for redislocation were
      (a) fewer than four sutures; (b) no sutures of the LLC; (c) placement of the
      drill hole in the top third of the glenoid; (d) nontraumatic dislocation; (e) no
      Bankart or Hill-Sachs lesion; (f) transverse tear of the LLC; or (g) technical
      errors. Redislocation was more common in male patients.

PMID- 1418201
TI  - Effusions after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the ligament
      augmentation device.
AB  - Persistent effusions occurred in 4.3% (seven patients) of 164 patients who
      underwent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using an autograft
      augmented with the ligament augmentation device (LAD) between 1986 and 1989. No
      bacteria were cultured from the joint fluid. The radiograph in each case showed a
      tibial drill hole located anteriorly or anterolaterally. Arthroscopy confirmed an
      abraded LAD in six cases and breakage of the LAD in one case and impingement of
      the graft on the femoral condyle during extension. Under polarized light
      microscopy, the histology of the synovia showed foreign body giant cells in one
      case and particles among the proliferative cells in four cases. The effusions
      subsided in two cases after notchplasty and in five cases after removal of the
      LAD. Impingement of the graft on the femoral condyle due to incorrect positioning
      of the tibial drill hole presumably produced particles that induced synovitis and
      effusions.

PMID- 1418202
TI  - Videoarthroscopy: review and state of the art.
AB  - Since the introduction of videoarthroscopy, there has been rapid technological
      advancement. The charged couple device (CCD) has become the standard small pickup
      unit for the present cameras. The video signal processing and transfer has been
      modified and improved. New Y/C or super VHS and red, green, blue (RGB) systems
      have been associated with improvements in monitors, video recorders, and video
      printers. Measurements of video quality such as resolution, signal-to-noise
      ratio, pixels, and contrast have been confusing to clinicians evaluating these
      new systems. Equipment compatibility and the weak-link theory is important to
      understand when selecting new equipment. This review article presents an update
      for the clinician who wants more information to differentiate among the new video
      arthroscopic systems.

PMID- 1418203
TI  - Office arthroscopy: a diagnostic alternative.
AB  - Twenty patients with enigmatic knee symptoms were selected for evaluation by both
      magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and office arthroscopy. Office arthroscopy was
      performed in a standard examination room using a miniature (1.7 mm) fiberoptic
      arthroscope under local anesthesia. All MRI scans were performed on a state-of
      the-art 1.5-T magnet unit, and included specialized cartilage sequences in 7
      patients. In 14 patients, 26 areas showed articular cartilage changes by
      arthroscopy (grade 2-3). Only nine of these areas were detected by MRI
      (sensitivity 34.6%). There were five false-positive and four false-negative
      readings of meniscal tears by MRI as compared with office arthroscopy. These
      results improved when postoperative menisci were excluded. Only one of three
      anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) disruptions identified by MRI could be verified
      by arthroscopy. The one posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) disruption was
      confirmed by both techniques. MRI was superior to arthroscopy in identifying bone
      contusions, subchondral sclerosis, and medial cruciate ligament (MCL) sprains.
      Office arthroscopy is an accurate and cost-efficient alternative to MRI in
      diagnostic evaluation of knee pathology in patients with enigmatic
      symptomatology.

PMID- 1418204
TI  - Preoperative computed tomography scanning and arthroscopy in predicting outcome
      after lateral retinacular release.
AB  - We initiated a study to look at preoperative, flexed-knee, midpatellar computed
      tomography (CT) scans and intraoperative arthroscopic findings of lateral
      patellar articular degeneration in predicting the results after lateral
      retinacular release for failed nonoperative treatment of anterior knee pain.
      Twenty patients with 30 painful knees underwent preoperative flexed-knee,
      midpatellar CT scans that were retrospectively classified by the method of
      Fulkerson into normal alignment, lateral subluxation, lateral patellar tilt, and
      combined tilt and subluxation. Arthroscopy was performed before open lateral
      release. The lateral facet of the patella was graded as either minimal changes
      (Outerbridge I or II) or advanced (Outerbridge III or IV) changes. Patients were
      followed for a minimum of 2 years and graded on a standard patellofemoral rating
      scale. Only 22 of 30 knees that were thought to be clinically malaligned,
      actually were malaligned by CT scan; eight CT scans were interpreted as normal.
      The results were further stratified into group A (CT-documented tilt, minimal
      facet changes), group B (CT-documented tilt, advanced facet changes), and group C
      (normal CT). Ninety-two percent of group A were rated good or excellent. Twenty
      two percent of Group B rated good/excellent, 33% fair, 44% poor. Only 13% of
      group C rated good (one patient). Based on the results of the study, we recommend
      lateral release for anterior knee patients with CT-proven patellar tilt who have
      not responded to conservative treatment and have minimal facet changes with
      minimal or no subluxation. Lateral retinacular release should not be offered as a
      treatment to the patient with a normally aligned patella because poor results
      will most likely result.

PMID- 1418205
TI  - Medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction for recurrent dislocation of the
      patella: a preliminary report.
AB  - We present a surgical technique for the treatment of recurring dislocation of the
      patella. The procedure, based on Galleazzi's tenodesis of the semitendinosus,
      uses minimal dissection and small incisions to improve cosmetic results and speed
      recovery. A polyester ligament is passed through a bone tunnel at the midline of
      the patella and fixed at the medial condyle, thus creating a medial
      patellofemoral neoligament. We have reviewed the results of 30 knees in 30
      patients with an average follow-up of 39 months. Twenty-five patients (83.3%)
      showed significant improvement of their initial complaints.

PMID- 1418206
TI  - Intraarticular pressures in a gravity-fed arthroscopy fluid delivery system.
AB  - Seven consecutive patients undergoing arthroscopic surgery in a gravity-fed fluid
      delivery system were studied. The average minimum adequate intraarticular
      pressure (MAIP) was 55 mm Hg. The height of a saline bag above the knee necessary
      to achieve this average MAIP was 75 cm. There was a positive correlation between
      diastolic blood pressure and the minimum adequate intraarticular pressure in this
      study. There was no positive correlation between systolic blood pressure and the
      MAIP.

PMID- 1418207
TI  - Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy: a long-term follow-up.
AB  - A follow-up study was conducted to clarify the clinical and radiological long
      term consequences of arthroscopic meniscus resection. One hundred thirty-six
      patients who had unilateral arthroscopic resection of an isolated meniscal tear
      attended for an interview and a physical and radiological examination. Follow-up
      averaged 8.5 years, with a range of 7.9-11.6 years. The reoperation rate was as
      high as 22.8%, but was the lowest in the bucket handle tear group (13%). Pain
      after exercise was less frequent among patients treated for a bucket handle tear
      compared to other lesions. Fifty-three percent of the patients had at least one
      of the Fairbanks change in the operated knee and only 22% in the control knees.
      The radiographic result was not influenced by the type of meniscus lesion nor
      were high age or intraoperatively described cartilage damage factors of
      significance. Malalignment less than 4 degrees of valgus and greater than 10
      degrees of valgus was found to be a significant risk factor for the development
      of degenerative changes following meniscus resection.

PMID- 1418208
TI  - Serial magnetic resonance study assessing the effects of impingement on the MR
      image of the patellar tendon graft.
AB  - This study was designed to serially analyze the magnetic resonance (MR)
      appearance of patella tendon grafts during the first year of implantation, and to
      determine if the sagittal location of the tibial tunnel affects the MR appearance
      of the graft. An additional goal was to analyze the effect of the sagittal
      placement of the tibial tunnel placement on knee extension and stability. Two
      groups were defined by comparing the sagittal relationship of the tibial tunnel
      to the slope of the intercondylar roof from a lateral roentgenogram of the knee
      in full extension. The roof impinged group consisted of nine patients who had the
      tibial tunnel placed anterior to the tibial intersection of the slope of the
      intercondylar roof. The unimpinged group was composed of eleven patients who had
      the tibial tunnel placed posterior and parallel to the slope of the intercondylar
      roof. MR scans were obtained at 0-2, 12, 24, 36, and greater than 48 weeks
      postoperatively. The signal intensities of grafts in both groups were identical
      at 1 week, but increased in the impinged group by 3 months and remained increased
      at 12 months postoperatively (p less than 0.01). In contrast, the MR signal of
      grafts in the unimpinged group remained unchanged during the first year. Knees
      with impinged grafts had extension deficits but remained stable. Roof impingement
      was impossible to view directly with the knee in full extension.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418209
TI  - Arthroscopic surgery of the knee: its role in the support of U.S. troops during
      Operation Desert Shield on USNS mercy.
AB  - The role of arthroscopy in the preconflict deployment of a large number of
      military troops is not well defined. Between September 1990 and January 1991,
      while deployed to the Persian Gulf for Operation Desert Shield 73 patients
      underwent on-board elective arthroscopy on the USNS Mercy. There were 71 men and
      two women with an average age of 27 years (range 19-47). Indications for
      arthroscopy included clinical diagnosis of meniscus tear, acute hemarthrosis,
      chronic effusion, and intra-articular loose body. Findings at the time of
      arthroscopy included 34 patients (47%) with meniscus tears; 17 (23%) with
      anterior cruciate ligament tears; five (7%) with isolated grade II-IV
      chondromalacia involving the patella, trochlea, femoral condyles, or tibial
      plateaus; six (8%) with synovitis; four (5%) with osteochondritis dissecans of
      the medial femoral condyle; two (3%) with a medial retinacular tear secondary to
      patella dislocation; and 10 (14%) with normal arthroscopic examinations. Forty
      nine patients (66%) were returned to duty at an average of 6 days
      postoperatively, obviating the need to evacuate these patients from the Middle
      East theatre.

PMID- 1418210
TI  - A potential complication of endoscopic carpal tunnel release.
AB  - Complications of carpal tunnel release have been well documented in the
      literature. Recently, a procedure for endoscopic release of the transverse carpal
      ligament has been described. This case report demonstrates a potential
      complication of endoscopic carpal tunnel release, in which the flexor digitorum
      superficialis tendon to the ring finger was nearly cut when the arthroscopic
      trocar passed beneath it. The procedure was converted to an open carpal tunnel
      release when the transverse fibers of the carpal ligament were not seen after
      several passes of the trocar. This complication was related to the inability to
      fully extend the wrist and metacarpophalangeal joints because of arthritic
      contractures. This case underscores the need for accurate identification of
      endoscopic anatomy prior to release of the carpal tunnel. The surgeon should not
      hesitate to convert to open technique if it becomes necessary.

PMID- 1418211
TI  - Cystic degeneration of the patella after arthroscopic chondroplasty and
      subchondral bone perforation.
AB  - Chondromalacia of the patella is frequently encountered in patients with anterior
      knee pain. Arthroscopic chondroplasty with perforation of subchondral bone
      remains a popular treatment alternative in spite of the inferior mechanical
      properties of the fibrocartilaginous tissue that this procedure is designed to
      promote. We report a case of cystic degeneration of the patella as a previously
      unrecognized complication following the procedure.

PMID- 1418212
TI  - Arthroscopic resection of chondroblastoma of the knee.
AB  - We present a case of chondroblastoma of the upper tibia treated by complete
      arthroscopic excision. The diagnostic difficulties raised by the case are
      discussed. This method of treatment has not, to our knowledge, been reported in
      the literature.

PMID- 1418213
TI  - Arteriovenous fistula after arthroscopic synovectomy in a patient with
      haemophilia.
AB  - Arteriovenous fistula is a rare complication of arthroscopy. We report a human
      immunodeficiency virus-positive person with haemophilia who 19 months after an
      arthroscopic synovectomy of the knee presented with increasingly frequent
      haemarthroses and a palpable thrill over the knee. Angiography confirmed an
      arteriovenous fistula. The patient was successfully treated by surgical ligation
      of the communicating vessels. The literature regarding vascular injuries after
      arthroscopy of the knee is reviewed.

PMID- 1418214
TI  - Arthroscopic roofplasty: a method for correcting an extension deficit caused by
      roof impingement of an anterior cruciate ligament graft.
AB  - Intercondylar roof impingement should be suspected in any patient having
      difficulty regaining knee extension following an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
      reconstruction. An arthroscopically performed roofplasty can eliminate the
      clinical complaints. The extent of bone removal can be planned from studying a
      lateral radiograph taken with the knee in terminal extension. Extension exercises
      or passive extension devices should not be used in patients with extension
      deficits caused by roof impingement because they may further damage the graft.

PMID- 1418215
TI  - Tibial bone plug nonunion: a cause of anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive
      failure.
AB  - Anterior tibial tunnel placement contributed to the failure of two previous
      anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions. An allograft patellar bone-tendon
      bone nonunion within the tibial tunnel caused dysfunctional ligament laxity. This
      is the first report of this type of reconstructive cruciate ligament failure.

PMID- 1418216
TI  - Midcarpal arthroscopy: anatomy and technique.
AB  - Wrist arthroscopy has had a dramatic impact in both evaluation and treatment of a
      variety of wrist problems. Wrist arthroscopy has typically meant arthroscopy of
      the proximal wrist joint; however, midcarpal joint arthroscopy is becoming a
      routine part of a complete arthroscopic examination of the wrist. Specific
      indications, pertinent anatomy, and a clear technique for performing a midcarpal
      arthroscopy is not well documented in the literature. This article attempts to
      offer some insight on these issues.

PMID- 1418217
TI  - The Arthroscopy Association of North America: the second decade.

PMID- 1418218
TI  - Oxidative energy metabolism in Alzheimer brain. Studies in early-onset and late
      onset cases.
AB  - Reduction of the cerebral metabolic rate of glucose is one of the most
      predominant abnormalities generally found in the Alzheimer brain, whereas the
      cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen is only slightly diminished or not at all the
      beginning of this dementive disorder. This metabolic abnormality may induce
      severe functional disturbances, obviously preceding morphobiological changes.
      From the cerebral metabolic rates of oxidized glucose and oxygen, the cerebral
      ATP formation rate was calculated in incipient early-onset, incipient late-onset
      and stable advanced dementia of Alzheimer type. A reduction of ATP formation was
      found from at least 7% in incipient early-onset, to around 20% in incipient late
      onset DAT, and from 35% to more than 50% in stable advanced dementia. This
      approximation was adjusted to findings demonstrating diminished activities of
      enzymes active in glucose metabolism and formation of oxidation equivalents for
      ATP production from substrates other than glucose. A reduction for energy
      formation to the same range was found, as was also recently reported, in vivo in
      Alzheimer patients. From this rather theoretical point of view, a permanent loss
      of energy by at least 7-20% in incipient and progressively advancing dementia of
      the Alzheimer type may be assumed, with an increasing tendency in stable advanced
      dementia to around 50% energy loss. This energy deficit may have drastic impacts
      on brain function.

PMID- 1418219
TI  - Expression of protease nexin-II in human dorsal root ganglia. A correlative
      immunocytochemical and in situ hybridization study.
AB  - Protease nexin-II (PN-II) is a potent chymotrypsin inhibitor that forms SDS
      stable inhibitory complexes with epidermal growth factor binding protein, the
      gamma-subunit of nerve growth factor, and trypsin, and represents the secreted
      form of the amyloid beta-protein precursor (APP) that contains the Kunitz-type
      protease inhibitor domain. To determine the expression of PN-II within the
      peripheral nervous system, human dorsal root ganglia were processed for
      immunocytochemistry using well-characterized monoclonal antibodies against PN-II
      and for in situ hybridization studies using 35S-RNA PN-II probes for both APP751
      and APP770. Highly specific immunoperoxidase staining of PN-II was demonstrated
      within the cytoplasm of dorsal root ganglia neurons and their processes in
      cryostat (fresh frozen) and vibratome (paraformaldehyde-fixed) sections. In situ
      hybridization using an anti-sense 35S-RNA PN-II probe demonstrated the presence
      of intense neuronal labeling. Labeling was not observed when the corresponding
      sense 35S-RNA PN-II probe was used. Although the precise functional role of PN
      II/APP is not clear, the accumulation of amyloid beta-protein within the neuropil
      appears to be one of the earliest events in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's
      disease (AD). Thus knowledge of the cell populations expressing the PN-II/APP
      gene would certainly be helpful for studies of the molecular mechanisms leading
      to the morphological and functional changes of AD. The results of this study
      clearly establish the expression of PN-II and its mRNA within the dorsal root
      ganglia neurons and their processes, and provide another point of departure for
      studies of the molecular mechanisms underlying the deposition of amyloid beta
      protein and its relationships to the formation of neuritic plaques and
      neurofibrillary tangles.

PMID- 1418220
TI  - Calcium-activated neutral protease (CANP) in normal and dysmyelinating mutant
      paralytic tremor rabbit myelin.
AB  - Calcium-activated neutral protease (CANP) in normal and dysmyelinating mutant,
      paralytic tremor (PT) rabbit myelin and premyelin fractions was studied using
      immature (4-5 wk) or adult animals. The enzyme was estimated by determination of
      its catalytic activity as well as by using immunoblot analysis after SDS-PAGE
      separation. The presence of two forms of CANP--one activated by calcium in the
      micromolar concentration (mu CANP) range and the other exhibiting low calcium
      sensitivity in the millimolar concentration range (m-CANP)--was found in the
      myelin and premyelin fractions. The developmental pattern of the enzyme activity
      was different for each of these two enzyme isoforms depending on the fraction
      studied. The higher activity on CANP (both isoforms) found in PT myelin and
      premyelin could be related to delayed myelination and/or to the higher turnover
      rate of already formed myelin. These results suggest complex and specific roles
      for these isoenzymes during myelin formation as is discussed further in this
      article. Our results confirm the extensive degradation of myelin basic protein
      (MBP), proteolipid protein (PLP), and, to a lesser extent, the other myelin
      proteins by endo- and exogenous CANP. This degradation process was significantly
      elevated in PT rabbit myelin. Moreover as was shown by two-dimensional gel
      electrophoresis, calcium-controlled proteolysis in nonmutant rabbits affected the
      net-charge of MBP in a manner similar to that reported for PT myelin, suggesting
      the possible involvement of CANP in the generation of charge isomers of MBP.

PMID- 1418221
TI  - Contributions to neurochemical knowledge considered ecologically.
AB  - The development of neurochemical knowledge is traced through the following
      stages: (1) Beginnings with academic medicine: a dissertation of 1719, (2)
      Relations with chemistry and scientific journals of around 1800, (3) A review and
      the naming of neurochemistry in 1856, (4) Government publication of
      neurochemistry; a full-time chemist of the brain, (5) Success in a biochemical
      environment, 1900-1940, (6) Neurochemistry with the neurosciences, (7)
      Neurochemical environments of 1955-1957.

PMID- 1418222
TI  - Ganglioside distribution in murine neural tumors.
AB  - The ganglioside composition of seven experimental brain tumors was examined in
      C57BL/6J mice. The tumors were produced from 20-methylcholanthrene (20-MC)
      implantation into either the cerebrum or cerebellum and were maintained in serial
      transplants through many generations. The tumors studied were grown
      subcutaneously as solid tumors, and cells from two of the tumors were also
      studied in culture. Histologically, all of the tumors were similar and could be
      broadly classified as highly malignant, poorly differentiated anaplastic
      astrocytomas. The total ganglioside sialic acid content of the solid tumors was
      markedly lower than that in adult mouse brain. In addition to N-acetylneuraminic
      acid (NeuAc), the gangliosides in the solid tumors contained significant amounts
      of N-glycolylneuraminic acid (NeuGc). The seven solid tumors fell into two
      general groups with respect to ganglioside composition. Furthermore, the
      differences in ganglioside composition between the two tumor groups were strongly
      associated with differences in tumor cell cohesion. The tumors in one group had
      high levels of GM3 hematosides, low levels of oligosialogangliosides, and grew as
      firm cohesive tissues. The tumors in the other group, however, had lower levels
      of GM3 hematosides, noticeable amounts of oligosialogangliosides and grew as soft
      noncohesive tissues. In culture, clonal cells from one of the tumors in the first
      group grew as clumps or islands and contained GM3 as the only major ganglioside,
      whereas clonal cells from a tumor in the second group grew as sheets or
      monolayers and contained little GM3, but expressed several gangliosides with
      complex structures. In marked contrast to the gangliosides in the solid tumors,
      the gangliosides in the cultured tumor cells contained trace amounts of NeuGc.
      Since NeuGc containing gangliosides are abundant in mouse nonneural tissues, the
      high content of NeuGc gangliosides in the solid tumors may arise from
      infiltration of nonneural tissue elements, e.g., macrophages, lymphocytes, and
      endothelial cells.

PMID- 1418223
TI  - The effect of lipoproteins on human glioblastoma growth in vitro.
AB  - Experiments were performed using an established human glioblastoma cell line to
      determine the effect of lipoproteins on regulating their growth. It was found
      that synthetic and natural human high density lipoproteins (HDL) were effective
      in inhibiting tumor cell growth in a nontoxic, dose-dependent manner, and that
      the LD50 was 10-fold lower than that for normal rat astrocytes grown under
      identical conditions. In the presence of the antioxidant, glutathione,
      essentially all of the growth-inhibiting properties of HDL could be reversed
      suggesting that oxidized lipids from the HDL interacting with the plasma
      membranes of the glioblastoma cells were responsible for the growth-inhibiting
      effect observed. The markedly lower concentration of HDL required to inhibit
      glioblastoma cells in culture compared to normal astrocytes suggested that the
      mechanism of HDL-induced inhibition may be important for tumor growth in vivo.
      One possible mechanism under investigation is the possibility of HDL modulation
      of a membrane-associated, tumor-specific phosphatase.

PMID- 1418224
TI  - [Legal cases on the correlation between exposure to asbestos fiber dust and
      laryngeal cancer].
AB  - In Germany the causal relationship between laryngeal carcinoma and occupational
      exposure to asbestos is under discussion. We report on 30 cases of laryngeal
      carcinoma for which compensation was considered, since an occupational contact
      with asbestos was confirmed or suspected. We looked especially for signs of non
      tumorous lesions related to asbestos exposure in radiography or CT of the chest.
      Such signs could be detected in 12 individuals. In Germany compensation for an
      occupational disease can be granted only, if e.g. the relevance of asbestos
      exposure is sufficiently probable, with special regard to other noxious
      influences such as cigarette abuse. Asbestosis of the larynx cannot be diagnosed
      specifically; we, therefore suggest proving the relevance of asbestos exposure in
      respect of signs of tumorous or non-tumorous lesions in the chest.

PMID- 1418226
TI  - [Nystagmus reactions after rotatory vestibular stimulation (modified Veits long
      term rotation) in patients with normal equilibrium. Part I: Absolute values of
      the nystagmus reactions].
AB  - In this study the nystagmographic findings of 70 healthy subjects--obtained after
      having used the rotatory test (modified method of Veits)--are summarised and
      visualised by means of easily appreciated graphs. In accordance with the
      recommendations of the ADANO, the test was carried out as a continuous turning of
      the chair, first clockwise and then counterclockwise, with an accelerating
      stimulus of 3 degrees/s2 and a sudden stop after a period of constant rotation
      with a speed of 90 degrees/s (trapezoidal stimulus). This was done for the
      absolute values of the following nystagmus parameters: frequency, amplitude and
      slow phase velocity of the nystagmus reaction. The limits of a normal nystagmus
      reaction are evaluated by the 5%- or 95%-percentiles on the one side and the mean
      values combined with the standard deviation mean value +/- 2 standard deviations
      on the other. It is shown that the rotatory test with its different phases
      enables very sensitive selection between healthy subjects and patients with an
      acute peripheral vestibular lesion. The intraindividual variability of the
      nystagmus reactions proved to be lower than that between our control persons
      (interindividual variability). By our method of employing the rotatory test it
      can be shown that the interfering phenomenon of habituation does not influence
      the nystagmographic results.

PMID- 1418225
TI  - [Mucoepidermoid cancer of the larynx. Case report and review of the literature].
AB  - Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is classified among the salivary gland tumours and
      is most commonly found in the parotid gland. It rarely occurs in the larynx.
      There have been only 87 cases of laryngeal MEC reported in the literature. We
      report on an MEC of the vocal cord in a 75-year-old man, with a thickened right
      vocal cord without any loss of movement. The initial diagnosis was squamous cell
      carcinoma. One year after radiotherapy a tumour recurrence developed. Because the
      patient refused to laryngectomise, a tumour resection with the CO2 laser was
      performed twice. To date, the patient has been free from disease for more than
      five years. The true incidence of this type of neoplasm could be higher than is
      believed because of its frequent misdiagnosis as squamous cell carcinoma.

PMID- 1418227
TI  - [Histological studies of the behavior of the dentin ossicular prosthesis in the
      human middle ear].
AB  - The Dentine Ossicular Prosthesis (DOP)--introduced in the ENT-Department,
      University of Hamburg in 1986--has proved its worth clinically in more than 300
      cases. In the meantime six of the prostheses had to be removed for various
      reasons. They had remained in the middle ear over a period between 2-5 and 47
      months. The prostheses were investigated undecalcified by the Donath sawing and
      grinding technique. Prostheses in a nearly bland surrounding show a partial
      invagination in fibrous connective tissue without severe reaction of the
      prosthesis itself, whereas in prostheses removed from the neighbourhood of
      inflammatory processes or recurrent cholesteatoma a partial resorption of dentine
      with subsequent new bone formation could be observed. Due to the trouble-free
      clinical and histological performance in the human middle ear, the Dentine
      Ossicular Prosthesis can be well recommended as an alternative material in
      ossiculoplasty.

PMID- 1418228
TI  - [Acute tonsillitis--peritonsillitis--paratonsillar abscess: Differential
      diagnosis by flexible endosonography].
AB  - The role of flexible endosonography in diagnosis of acute tonsillitis and their
      complications was investigated in 59 patients. Our results show that flexible
      endosonography enables the examiner to differentiate acute tonsillitis from
      peritonsillitis and paratonsillar abscess. In particular, abscesses of
      retrotonsillar spread possibly leading to life-threatening complications can be
      detected in an early stage.

PMID- 1418229
TI  - [The diagnostic value of nuclear magnetic resonance tomography in Sjogen's
      disease].
AB  - Sjogren's syndrome is characterised by xerostomia, xerophthalmia and recurrent
      parotid swelling. There is a high coincidence with rheumatoid diseases. A variety
      of clinical and laboratory parameters offers important information for diagnosis,
      but none of them is specific for this disease. 36 patients with clinical
      diagnosis of Sjogren's syndrome were examined in a prospective study to evaluate
      the diagnostic significance of this technique. 34 patients showed an
      inhomogeneous, nodular pattern in the parotid gland. The signal intensity was
      very high, especially in the T2-weighted sequences. There was a significant
      correlation of the radiologic changes with the course of the disease. Four
      patients with the clinical diagnosis of sialadenosis demonstrated bilateral
      enlarged glands with a homogeneous signal pattern. Patients with acute purulent
      parotitis demonstrated enlargement of the gland without an alteration in the
      signal pattern. Patients with chronic recurrent parotitis and patients with
      radiogenic sialadenitis showed little inhomogeneous increase of signal intensity.
      Our results indicate that MRI is presently the radiological method of choice in
      the evaluation of Sjogren's syndrome.

PMID- 1418230
TI  - [Evoked otoacoustic emissions as a screening test for hearing evaluation in
      newborn and premature infants?].
AB  - The purpose of this study was the evaluation of evoked otoacoustic emissions
      (EOAE) for the screening of infant hearing. EOAE and brainstem-evoked response
      audiometry (BERA) were performed in 40 infants at a special care unit at the
      Universitats-Klinik, Gottingen. Both examinations were performed under non
      optimal conditions, reflecting a realistic screening situation. The purpose was
      to determine robust analysis criteria and possible error sources. A comparison of
      both tests shows that sensitivity and specificity are insufficient for reliable
      screening. The EOAE test does not yield the threshold of hearing. There is no
      sharp boundary with the BERA threshold for the detectability of an EOAE.
      Sensitivity and specificity have not been accurately determined so far due to the
      relatively small number of infants with impaired hearing tested. Nevertheless,
      the results show that EOAE should be applied as a supplement to conventional
      audiometry for infants. It is capable of excluding conductive and severe cochlear
      hearing losses and is by itself not a reliable screening test.

PMID- 1418231
TI  - [Comparative speech audiometry studies with compact disk].
AB  - We compared the results of speech audiometry, performed with recorded tape and
      CD, respectively, in 21 subjects with bone conduction hearing loss, and in 27
      subjects with sensorineural hearing loss. In all cases, speech audiometry was
      performed by using the German Freiburg speech test material, recorded in 1969 on
      the basis of the German DIN standard 45626. In subjects with an air-bone gap, the
      hearing loss for speech is 2.3 dB smaller if tested by use of CD, and the speech
      recognition is 10.5 points better, respectively. Smaller differences could be
      found in sensorineural HL: For CD, the hearing loss is 1.2 dB smaller, and the
      speech recognition score is raised by only 1 point. These differences are
      statistically not significant, and the calculation of hearing impairment and
      individual hearing handicap from the tables commonly used in Germany in
      medicolegal expert opinions must not be corrected, if records on CD are used
      basing on the recordings from 1969 according to DIN 45626. The handling of
      compact discs has many advantages in relation to the handling of tapes.

PMID- 1418232
TI  - [Norrie-Wardburg syndrome].
AB  - We describe a case of a 25-year old patient with typical Norrie-Warburg Syndrome.
      From the first year of his life he was found to be blind, with bilateral
      sensorineural loss of hearing. Audiological examination showed symmetrical
      moderate bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. His hearing loss was refractory to
      treatment for the last eight years. Because of timely diagnosis of hearing loss
      and timely fitting of a hearing aid, the patient could study at school and
      graduate from university education. Disease carriers who are clinically healthy
      can be identified only via chromosome analysis.

PMID- 1418233
TI  - [Morphologic aspects of the maturation of the sensory areas of the cerebral
      cortex exemplified by the visual cortex of the rabbit].
AB  - When the cerebral cortex commences its earliest functional tasks, the cellular
      layers and the basic organisation pattern of cell processes have already
      developed. In the rabbit visual cortex it could be shown that the functional
      differentiation runs parallel to an increase in number and growth of cell
      processes. Those tissue compartments where the newly formed branches of the
      dendritic trees of cortical neurons come into contact with the axons arising from
      other cerebral regions, grow between two and six times larger depending on the
      cortical layer where their volume fractions are measured. Cell processes grow and
      increase in number most rapidly between the second and the fourth postnatal
      weeks. Myelination of fast conducting axons takes longer and attains an adult
      level about three month after birth. Then the visual cortex of the rabbit may be
      regarded as mature with regard to both structure and function.

PMID- 1418234
TI  - [Parallel compensation for independent services i.S.v. section 4 Abs.2 GOA within
      the scope of strumectomy].

PMID- 1418235
TI  - Renaissance for hapten-specific T lymphocytes: implications for basic and applied
      research.
AB  - Protein-reactive chemicals and drugs (haptens), such as dinitro- (DNP) or
      trinitro-phenylated (TNP) reagents or penicillins, are potent inducers of
      allergic reactions in experimental animal systems as well as in humans. Hapten
      specific T lymphocytes are mediators of these disorders. Like other antigens,
      hapten determinants on target cells are recognized by the T cell's antigen
      specific receptors exclusively in association with gene products of the major
      histocompatibility complex (MHC). Until recently, the nature of the complex
      hapten/MHC determinants remained unknown. Atypically, this fact, rather than
      spurring scientific investigations, caused a rapid loss of interest in haptens as
      T cell antigens by the majority of immunologists. This situation may now be
      changing, since we have recently identified MHC-binding, hapten-modified peptides
      which mediate cellular recognition by T cells via their antigen-specific
      receptors. Synthetic hapten-peptide conjugates open up new routes in studying the
      molecular details of hapten recognition by T cells. They may also contribute to a
      better understanding of what defines an antigen as an allergy-inducing
      "allergen".

PMID- 1418236
TI  - 7-Desmethyl-microcystin-RR, a hepatotoxin from a waterbloom of Microcystis
      aeruginosa.
AB  - A peptide toxin was isolated from a waterbloom of Microcystis aeruginosa from
      Lake Froylandsvatn in Norway. The isolation procedure included liquid and solid
      phase extraction and reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. Amino
      acid analysis yielded D-glutamic acid, D-erythro-beta-methylaspartic acid and D
      alanine in equimolar and L-arginine in twofold molar ratios. The presence of
      dehydroalanine was confirmed by hydrogenation and subsequent amino acid analysis
      with combined gas liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Investigation of the
      toxin with fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry showed a nominal relative
      molecular mass of 1023. 3-Amino-9-methoxy-2,6,8-trimethyl-10-phenyl- 4,6
      decadienoic acid (Adda) was identified by 1H NMR and 1H, 1H COSY spectroscopy.
      The structure of the toxin was elucidated as 7-desmethyl-microcystin-RR.

PMID- 1418237
TI  - Ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase of C. paradoxa nucleus encoded, but
      cyanobacterial gene transfer from symbiont to host, an evolutionary mechanism
      originating new species.
AB  - The nucleus encoded cyanoplast ("cyanellar") ferredoxin-NADP + oxidoreductase
      (FNR) of Cyanophora paradoxa, characterized by an N-terminal amino acid sequence,
      is compared with homologous sequences of other photoautotrophic organisms. The
      high degree of similarity to the cyanobacterial sequences indicates a
      cyanobacterial origin. This could be a first direct demonstration of an
      intertaxonic combination: a gene transfer from an original endocytobiont
      (cyanobacterium) to the nucleus of its host, one of the most important demands of
      the Endosymbiosis Theory, an evolutionary mechanism leading to the origin of a
      new species.

PMID- 1418238
TI  - Non-essential activation of rat liver porphobilinogen-deaminase by folic acid.
AB  - This report demonstrates the ability of folic acid to activate rat liver
      porphobilinogen-deaminase (PBG-D). Lineweaver-Burk analysis revealed an increase
      in Vmax (38%) without affecting the Km. In the concentration range assayed,
      secondary replots of 1/delta slope and 1/delta intersect versus 1/[folic acid]
      yielded straight lines, indicating the binding of a single molecule of activator
      to the enzyme PBG-D, with a KA = 1.66 mM. Results presented here show that folic
      acid acts as a non-essential activator (alpha = 1; beta = 1.6). The activating
      effect of folic acid has been observed employing the 35-70% ammonium sulphate
      precipitated fraction, desalted by dialysis or gel filtration, whereas no action
      was detected when other partially purified PBG-D preparations were utilized as
      the enzyme source, suggesting either the presence of sites saturated for the
      activator, or the existence of a different structural protein conformation, or
      both.

PMID- 1418239
TI  - Effects of chloroquine on the photosensory membrane turnover and the
      ultrastructure of lysosome-related bodies of the crayfish photoreceptor.
AB  - The effect of chloroquine in combination with bright light on the ultrastructure
      of crayfish (Orconectes limosus R.) photoreceptors was investigated in vivo.
      Chloroquine had several effects upon the crayfish retina. Multivesicular bodies
      (MVB) that are involved in lysosomal degradation of photosensory membrane were
      altered in ultrastructure. MVB frequently contained smaller MVB in a state of
      more advanced membrane degradation. Additionally screening pigment-like granules
      appeared in MVB. MVB accumulated in and filled the retinular cell cytoplasm just
      proximal or distal to the basement membrane which indicated inhibition of
      photosensory membrane degradation. Under chloroquine treatment rhabdom
      degradation appeared to be inhibited, as rhabdom diameter was less reduced under
      these conditions. Also chloroquine caused accumulation of screening pigment
      granules in glial cells within the lamina ganglionaris.

PMID- 1418240
TI  - Modulation by ryanodine of active calcium loading and caffeine induced calcium
      release of heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles.
AB  - The effect of ATP on the calcium release channel in heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum
      vesicles modulated by ryanodine has been analyzed by monitoring active calcium
      uptake and caffeine induced calcium release under near physiological conditions.
      Native as well as ryanodine reacted vesicles display a complex time course of
      calcium uptake resulting in nearly complete exhaustion of medium calcium when ATP
      in combination with an ATP-regenerating system, in contrast to ATP alone, or
      dinitrophenyl phosphate, were used to support calcium uptake. Applying of
      dinitrophenyl phosphate as energy yielding substrate, not affecting channel
      activity, allowed to estimate the fraction of light vesicles devoided of calcium
      channels contaminating the heavy preparation as the fraction that stores calcium
      after the preparation has been treated with channel opening, low concentrations
      of ryanodine (1 microM). Calcium uptake by contaminant light vesicles (25%)
      cannot account for calcium storage, as well as, abolition of caffeine induced
      calcium release of ryanodine treated heavy vesicles. Calcium uptake of native and
      ryanodine treated vesicles is accompanied by the uptake of equivalent amounts of
      inorganic phosphate arising from ATP hydrolysis indicating that calcium is mainly
      stored as calcium phosphate. The momentary capability of the preparation to
      accumulate calcium was measured by activating calcium uptake during the calcium
      storage period with 0.2 mM 45CaCl2 and 4 mM phosphate at short time intervals. A
      significant increase of the momentary uptake activity with time was observed
      being more pronounced for ryanodine treated than for native vesicles indicating
      that under regenerating conditions, ATP can induce closing of the native and even
      more effectively of the ryanodine modified calcium release channels.

PMID- 1418242
TI  - Maturation and responsiveness to extracts of corpora allata from male Locusta
      migratoria containing allatotropic factors.
AB  - Corpora allata (CA) from male Locusta migratoria were tested for their ability to
      synthesize juvenile hormone (JH) and to respond to stimulating brain/corpora
      cardiaca (CC)-extracts under in vitro conditions. We found that a preincubation
      of the CA of both sexes at 4 degrees C for 24 h lowers their basal rate of
      synthesis and retains their responsiveness to allatotropic factors. Male CA can
      be stimulated by brain/CC extracts as well as female CA. JH biosynthesis
      stimulating factors are also present in male brain/CC extracts. Thus such
      extracts from male locusts can be used for the isolation of locust allatotropin.
      Furthermore male locust CA are appropriate for bioassaying such allatotropic
      factors.

PMID- 1418241
TI  - Modulation by monovalent anions of calcium and caffeine induced calcium release
      from heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles.
AB  - Both calcium and caffeine induced calcium release from actively loaded heavy
      sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles were studied to analyze the dependence of both
      activities on the composition of the release medium with respect to monovalent
      anions. Calcium is unable to induce net calcium release while caffeine remains
      effective as releasing agent when the experimental media contain neither chloride
      nor nitrate ions. Caffeine induced calcium release is not suppressed by chelating
      residual medium calcium (approximately 0.5-1 microM) with 2 mM EGTA added 15 s
      prior to 10 mM caffeine. Calcium release from vesicles loaded in media containing
      0.2 M gluconate as monovalent anion is induced when the medium is supplemented
      with chloride or nitrate. The release amplitude increases linearly when K
      gluconate is replaced by KCl. At constant ionic strength the release amplitude
      becomes maximal at a chloride concentration of 0.2 M. The chloride effect
      completely disappears when 2 mM EGTA are added simultaneously. When chloride is
      replaced by nitrate, as releasing agent, maximal release is achieved already by
      addition of 0.1 M K-nitrate. The releasing effect of nitrate can only partially
      be suppressed by EGTA. The different effectiveness of gluconate, chloride and
      nitrate as calcium release supporting ions corresponds to their activating effect
      on the binding of ryanodine to the calcium release channel in the vesicular
      membranes.

PMID- 1418243
TI  - Evidence for a pathway of distal screening pigment granules across the basement
      membrane of the crayfish photoreceptor.
AB  - The distal pigment cells of Orconectes limosus contain two layers of large
      electron lucent vacuoles that are separated by layers of small right-angled
      platelets adjacent to the crystalline cones. The crystalline cones of the
      dioptric apparatus of this species have evaginations into the distal pigment cell
      cytoplasm. In photoreceptors of Orconectes limosus and Procambarus clarkii a dark
      pigment accumulation site was detected just distal to the basement membrane at
      the edges of each retina. These pigment accumulations occurred independent of the
      state of light adaptation. Ultrastructurally the pigment granules at this
      accumulation site resemble distal screening pigment granules according to their
      size (up to 1.2 microns in diameter) and fibrous structure. Distal screening
      pigment granules were also found in tube-like cell processes or extracellularly
      within and proximal to the retinal basement membrane, indicating pigment
      transport to and across the basement membrane. Proximal to the basement membrane
      screening pigment granules were also observed disintegrated to a gravel-like
      electron dense material in widely branched cells. Evidence was found that an
      electron dense material, probably resulting from disintegrating screening pigment
      granules, was incorporated in the integument of the eyestalk. Four hours after
      injection of gold particles into the eye stalk distal to the retina they were
      detected inside and proximal to the retinal basement membrane.

PMID- 1418244
TI  - Fluorescence of chromatin DNA by an oxazolium scintillator.
AB  - Aqueous solutions of a yellow and highly fluorescent derivative from dimethyl
      POPOP, obtained by treating a chloroform solution of this oxazole scintillator
      with dimethylsulfate, induce a strong blue-green or yellow-green fluorescence in
      chromatin DNA under ultraviolet (365 nm) or violet-blue (436 nm) excitation,
      respectively. It is suggested that this new and selective fluorescence reaction
      could originate from binding of the oxazolium derivative into the minor groove of
      DNA.

PMID- 1418245
TI  - O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase in the chick embryo during development.
AB  - In the whole embryo, O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AT) activity increased
      until day 9 of development and declined sharply after day 13. AT activity of the
      liver was greatest between day 12 and day 20 and decreased fast after hatching.
      In the brain, AT activities reached a maximum at day 17 and 18 and declined
      sharply after hatching. At two developmental stages with different AT activities
      (day 10 and day 17) DNA alkylation in the brains was estimated 6, 12, 24 and 48 h
      after administration of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea in ovo by viscometric measurement
      of DNA fragmentation. The high AT activities of the chicken embryo brain at the
      17th day of development correlated with minor DNA fragmentation following a
      repair period of 12-24 h. It is suggested that the high basal level of AT in the
      chick embryo might have a protective function against the persistence of the
      genotoxic lesion O6-methylguanine during development.

PMID- 1418246
TI  - Lowell T. Coggeshall and American Medical Education: 1901-1987.
AB  - This essay analyzes Lowell T. Coggeshall's impact on American medical education
      by focusing on Coggeshall's 1965 report to the Association of American Medical
      Colleges (AAMC), Planning for Medical Progress through Education. Coggeshall
      graduated from medical school in 1928 and became an expert on tropical diseases.
      During his military experience in World War II, Coggeshall shifted his focus to
      administration. He was a skilled executive and became well acquainted with the
      ways of both the federal government and academic medicine. The AAMC, founded in
      1876, was a kind of informal "deans' club" for many years. The many social and
      medical changes of the 1950s and 1960s prompted the AAMC to form a committee,
      headed by Coggeshall, whose chief task was to provide guidance for the AAMC. The
      1965 report recommended that the AAMC move its headquarters to Washington, D.C.,
      and take a more active role in shaping national health policy. However, many of
      the report's suggestions were not implemented, such as having the AAMC change its
      name and represent not only medical schools but all health-related academic
      units. While the report was widely praised, it was also strongly opposed by some
      powerful groups. This essay reviews the impact of Coggeshall's report and
      examines the nature of such reports in general. Coggeshall's greatest
      contribution to American medical education was his role in reshaping the AAMC
      into an effective voice for academic medicine.

PMID- 1418247
TI  - The "health of the public" approach to medical education.
AB  - The author examines the growing discontinuity between medical education and the
      general health needs of society. He explains and illustrates this failure of the
      academic medical center in several ways: by a parable; by reporting the results
      of his informal survey of faculty and residents; by presenting the findings of an
      international conference on medical education; and by giving a detailed
      description of the design and impact of the "Health of the Public" program,
      launched by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Rockefeller Foundation in 1986. He
      maintains that there is an imbalance in the training of physicians and other
      health professionals because academic medical centers are dominated by supply
      side thinking--which is driven by new knowledge and technology and the resulting
      need to find patients to fit the interests and technical capabilities of
      specialists and the equipment and services of hospitals--and have under
      emphasized demand-side thinking, which concerns the patient and the health
      expectations, needs, and trends in the community. The author maintains that
      academic medical centers can continue to achieve the recognition they seek, but
      can do so by making the changes needed to better balance the driving forces of
      supply and demand. Only by doing this will they fulfill their fundamental mission
      of fostering the health of the public.

PMID- 1418248
TI  - The coming influence of a social sciences perspective on medical education.
AB  - Medical education will change from within in response to continued advances in
      biological sciences and technology, but changes that are occurring outside the
      natural sciences can have greater impact, especially (1) the reconceptualization
      of the meaning of health, (2) the increase in the number and range of different
      health improvement strategies, (3) the growing awareness of the paradox of the
      relatively low health status of the U.S. population and high per-capita and
      national health care expenditures, and (4) shifts in the causes of illness and
      death. These changes make it necessary for medical students to be given a
      foundation in both the natural and the social sciences, for most ill health has
      causal roots in both the social and physical environment, even though it is not
      understood how some of these outside influences are translated into disease or
      biologic derangements that lead to disease. Consideration should be given to
      changes in medical education that include (1) interpreting the sociology as well
      as the biology of health, (2) expanding the horizons of medicine to incorporate
      health improvement as well as disease cure, (3) training for population-based
      health care at the community level, and (4) learning to assess medical outcomes
      with more than biometric measures to include measurements of functioning and well
      being. The author presents in detail a health input-output model to show the
      complex interrelationships of socio-ecologic (i.e., outside) factors and the
      individual's genetic-biologic makeup (inside factors) that determine the
      individual's state of health.

PMID- 1418249
TI  - Preventing the decline of academic medicine.
AB  - Academic medicine in North America has been highly successful in many ways in the
      last 50 years, including being able to resist change while unprecedented and
      fundamental changes are taking place in the practice, technology, and financing
      of medicine. This stance places academic medicine at risk of being bypassed by
      events. To prevent this, what balance between rigidity and flexibility should be
      sought? The author addresses this question by first reviewing the history of
      academic medicine and then defining in detail three current problems in medical
      education and two in biomedical research, two of academic medicine's domains. All
      these problems have in common some form of harmful dissociation of endeavors: for
      example, in education, there is a dissociation between both the teaching and
      academic clinical practice of medicine and the health care needs of the public.
      The author then proposes solutions to the problems, based on his examination of
      three major principles that motivate academic medicine. For example, he maintains
      that the teaching of all the medical sciences should be part of, and equal in
      quality to, the overall program of sciences in a university, and that the
      interdependence of medical schools and universities should be nurtured. He also
      maintains that the narrow conceptual framework of medicine that focuses on
      mechanisms of disease must be expanded to include rigorous attention to such
      areas as prevention, technology assessment, and organization of care.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418250
TI  - Flexner's model and the future of medical education.
AB  - Less attention has been paid to Flexner's educational philosophy as compared with
      the recommendations he made to reform American medical education in Bulletin No.
      4 of the Carnegie Foundation, the so-called "Flexner Report." His philosophy
      begins with the education of the child, having much in common with the
      educational theories of John Dewey, and is based on learning by observing and
      doing. Flexner believed that all education should be utilitarian and should
      prepare the individual for the responsibilities of citizenship and for an
      occupation or a profession. He also believed that general education lasted too
      long in this country. Based on Flexner's educational philosophy rather than the
      four-year medical school model that bears his name, the education of the
      physician is reexamined. Recommendations are made concerning the interface
      between the last two years of college and the first two years of medical school
      that would better equip the future physician to face the complexities of medical
      practice in the next century. Further, if medical schools were given
      responsibility for graduate medical education, as has been recommended by
      prestigious committees in the past, it would be possible to integrate the medical
      school clinical years with those of residency training and thereby improve the
      educational experience. A consideration of the education of the physician as a
      continuum, beginning in the third year of college and ending with the conclusion
      of residency training, also would be entirely consistent with Flexner's
      educational views.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418251
TI  - Using workshops to teach residents primary care procedures.

PMID- 1418252
TI  - Medical education reform: the need for global action.

PMID- 1418253
TI  - The National Health Service Corps: bridging the gap in health care.

PMID- 1418254
TI  - Helping residents' families cope.

PMID- 1418255
TI  - Another view of limiting residents' work hours.

PMID- 1418256
TI  - The need to foster students' research skills.

PMID- 1418257
TI  - Need for more research about residents' gender, cultural roles, and stress.

PMID- 1418258
TI  - Advantages of a PBL approach in teaching genetics.

PMID- 1418259
TI  - Academic achievement and acceptance rates of underrepresented-minority applicants
      to medical school.
AB  - While the participation of minority groups underrepresented in medicine has
      increased from 3% of first-year enrollment in 1968-69 to 11% in 1992, many have
      been concerned that the percentage of underrepresented-minority applicants
      accepted is smaller than that of other applicants. To investigate the
      relationship of acceptance rates and measures of academic achievement, historical
      data from 1978-79 through 1991-92 on applicant characteristics maintained by the
      Association of American Medical Colleges were used to develop statistics on
      acceptance rates for underrepresented minorities and for other applicants, by
      each applicant's mean score on the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) and
      undergraduate science grade point average. Those statistics were then related to
      trends in applicant numbers. Results show that acceptance rates for both
      underrepresented minorities and others increased as the numbers of applications
      from both groups declined, then decreased as applications again rose. When
      underrepresented-minority applicants were compared with other applicants within
      the same ranges of grades and MCAT scores, underrepresented-minority applicants
      were accepted at substantially higher rates in every stratum. Thus, medical
      schools generally are acting affirmatively in selecting applicants from
      underrepresented-minority groups.

PMID- 1418260
TI  - A pilot study of biomedical trainees' perceptions concerning research ethics.
AB  - The authors surveyed 2,010 biomedical trainees in the fall of 1990 at the
      University of California, San Diego, regarding their perceptions about unethical
      practices in research and the extent of their training exposure to the ethics of
      scientific investigation; 549 responded, representing both clinical and basic
      science departments and including graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in
      addition to medical students, residents, and fellows. Of the 549 trainees, 129
      (23%) responded that they had received no training in research ethics; 195 (36%),
      that they had observed some kind of scientific misconduct (although not
      necessarily in the sense of research fraud defined in federal regulations); and
      81 (15%), that they would be willing to select, omit, or fabricate data to win a
      grant or publish a paper. The trainees planning an academic career were more
      likely to report having been aware of others' scientific misconduct. Reported
      exposure to ethics training was not associated with a difference in past or
      potential unethical behavior. The authors conclude that while the apparent
      ineffectiveness of past ethics instruction does not preclude the possibility that
      more systematic training may be useful, it does underscore the need to assess the
      efficacy of training activities.

PMID- 1418261
TI  - Physicians, preventive care, and applied nutrition: selected literature.
AB  - The authors review a core of 25 articles (dating from 1982 through 1991)
      regarding medical school curricula and physicians' knowledge, attitudes, and
      practices related to nutritional care, with a focus on prevention of coronary
      heart disease through cholesterol control. They supplement this review by
      discussing the relation of the core articles' results to those of additional
      articles, which focus more generally on physicians' health promotion and patient
      counseling. While there appear to be modest increases in attention to nutrition
      at various levels of medical training and some improvement in physicians'
      attitudes about dietary intervention, the authors conclude that both educational
      opportunities and physicians' practices warrant increased and more effective
      attention to nutrition. Finally, in light of recent trends and growing efforts to
      better prepare physicians to play a leading role in preventive care, the authors
      identify gaps in physicians' training and in research on physicians, preventive
      care, and applied nutrition.

PMID- 1418262
TI  - Combined-degree programs: a valuable alternative for motivated students who
      choose medicine early.
AB  - The author reviews the history and philosophy of combined-degree programs and
      summarizes research on the performances of students in these programs. He notes
      that about one-fifth of U.S. medical schools offer programs that integrate
      premedical and medical school studies and lead to the award of both an
      undergraduate and an M.D. degree in six to eight years. The students in these
      programs perform as well as students electing traditional programs, if not
      better. The author concludes that university-affiliated medical schools might
      well consider establishing combined-degree programs as a means of (1) achieving
      better integration of the premedical and medical curricula and (2) allowing
      greater access to combined-degree programs for students mature enough early on to
      select careers in medicine.

PMID- 1418263
TI  - Curricular variations in combined baccalaureate-M.D. programs.
AB  - The authors review curricular characteristics of combined baccalaureate-M.D.
      programs at 28 U.S. medical schools from 1961, when the first programs started,
      until 1991-92. Initially, in the 1960s, these programs were created (1) to offer
      talented high school graduates an accelerated track leading to the baccalaureate
      and M.D. degrees, (2) to reduce educational expenses, (3) to improve education in
      the humanities, and (4) to attract outstanding students into careers in medicine.
      In the 1970s these objectives were modified to address national health care
      needs, particularly the need to graduate more physicians more quickly, especially
      primary care physicians for underserved areas. In the 1980s the objectives were
      broadened to achieve more diverse goals, including emphases on the humanities,
      community medicine, and biotechnology, in addition to the continued stress on the
      education of primary care physicians.

PMID- 1418264
TI  - The Jefferson-Penn State B.S.-M.D. program: a 26-year experience.
AB  - Since the 1960s a number of physicians have completed both their baccalaureate
      and their M.D. degrees in six or fewer years. In this longitudinal study the
      authors track the academic performances, clinical ratings, and career follow-up
      data of 659 students in one of these accelerated programs, the Jefferson Medical
      College-Pennsylvania State University B.S.-M.D. program, from entering years 1964
      through 1989. The medical school performances, clinical performances in
      residencies, and rates of board certification and faculty appointment of the
      accelerated students compared favorably with those of a control group of medical
      students with similar high school credentials who had followed a four-year
      baccalaureate program. The authors conclude that a carefully chosen group of
      students can achieve high academic standards in an accelerated medical school
      program, graduate as younger physicians able to perform well in postgraduate
      training, and go on to highly productive careers in medicine.

PMID- 1418265
TI  - Specialty preferences of graduating medical students: 1992 update.

PMID- 1418266
TI  - Expert systems in histopathology. V. DS theory, certainty factors and possibility
      theory.
AB  - Uncertainty management for the evaluation of evidence based on linguistic and
      conceptual data is taking advantage of developments in the Dempster-Shafer (DS)
      theory of evidence, possibility theory and fuzzy logic. The DS theory offers the
      capability to assess the uncertainty of different subsets of assertions in a
      domain and the way in which uncertainty is affected by accumulating evidence. The
      DS theory goes beyond probability theory in its ability to represent ignorance
      about certain aspects of a situation. However, the theory is very sensitive to
      the numerical assessments provided by users and can lead to intuitively
      unexpected and even undesirable results. Certainty factors are widely used in
      various expert systems. Their definition and updating may follow either a
      probabilistic model or fuzzy set theoretic concept.

PMID- 1418267
TI  - Nucleoli and AgNOR proteins in 32 cases of primary breast carcinoma. Spatial
      pattern of interactions between 50 clinical and histometric criteria.
AB  - The purpose of this paper is to analyze a method allowing selection of the best
      morphometric criterion for quantifying AgNOR proteins under conventional
      observation conditions by light microscopy. We determined 50 parameters for 32
      cases of primary breast carcinoma. For each case, three 100-nucleus samples
      (tumor center and periphery on a Giemsa-stained, 3-microns tumor section,
      periphery on a silver-stained section) were quantified. Distribution-free
      multidimensional data analysis was used to explore the geometric significance of
      the coefficient of correlation. This analysis revealed a clinical message linked
      with the largest "nucleolar structure" (nucleolus or AgNOR clump) per nucleus on
      the tumor periphery. Tumor recurrence or death correlated only with the
      coefficient of variation of the "nucleolar/nuclear" ratio of the greatest clump
      of AgNORs per nucleus periphery (CVRSa). The prognostic value of CVRSa is
      independent of that of conventional criteria, such as age, tumor size, Scarff
      Bloom-Richardson grading and lymph node status. The largest AgNOR clump per
      nucleus may prove to be a further practical prognostic predictor.

PMID- 1418268
TI  - Quantitative precision of an automated, fluorescence-based image cytometer.
AB  - Digital image-based cytometry of clinical specimens labeled with fluorescent,
      disease-specific markers holds promise for becoming an important diagnostic and
      prognostic technique because the technique can make a diverse range of
      quantitative biochemical, morphologic, densitometric and contextual measurements
      on intact specimens. It has been previously shown by us, using an image cytometer
      (IC) consisting entirely of commercially available components, that the nuclei of
      individual cells in slide-supported specimens can be detected automatically using
      a fluorescent DNA stain and image analysis software. The purpose of this study
      was to determine the precision of the IC for quantifying the integrated
      fluorescence intensity and area of fluorescent standard beads and nuclei.
      Integrated intensities could be quantified to between 2.3% and 3.5% precision
      using a 40x objective lens and between 1.6% and 2.3% using a 20x objective. The
      main contribution to this uncertainty was 2% inaccuracy in determining the
      variations in sensitivity over the imaging area. Areas could be quantified to
      between 0.91% and 2.1% using a 40x objective and between 2.8% and 3.2% using a
      20x objective. Significant quantification errors were introduced if the objects
      were not in focus or were touching each other. Overall, however, these results
      demonstrated that image cytometry of fluorescence-stained specimens can yield
      quantitative results with sufficient precision for determining DNA ploidy
      distributions and for making other measurements on clinical specimens.

PMID- 1418269
TI  - Effect of storage time of pleural effusions on immunocytochemical cell surface
      analysis of tumor cells.
AB  - To determine how long tumor cells can be stored without losing their
      immunocytochemical reactivity, five malignant pleural effusions in EDTA-coated
      tubes were analyzed after different storage times at either 4 degrees C or room
      temperature. Only minor differences were observed between the cells from the two
      storage conditions. Though there was a considerable decrease in the number of
      tumor cells attached to the slides from day 0 to 1, the number of tumor cells was
      still sufficient to allow their clear detection with the monoclonal antibody HEA
      125 even on day 4 of storage in all cases. Therefore, for routine purposes,
      pleural fluids in EDTA-coated tubes can be stored for at least one day prior to
      immunocytochemical staining if the cells are gently handled during preparation.
      Pleural fluid is a richly nutritious medium not only for keeping cells alive but
      also for preserving their immunoreactivity.

PMID- 1418270
TI  - Morphometry of nuclei of the normal and malignant prostate in relation to DNA
      ploidy.
AB  - Fine needle biopsies from 70 patients with prostate carcinoma and 10 patients
      with benign hyperplasia were used to study area, variation in size and form
      factors of the nuclei by image analysis. The results were related to DNA ploidy
      of the cell populations as measured by flow cytometry, cytologic grade and
      patients' survival. Nuclear area differed significantly between benign lesions
      and tumors. It increased in diploid low-grade tumors from a normal value of 54.2
      +/- 3.1 microns2 to 75.6 +/- 5.3 microns2. In aneuploid tumors with an increase
      in the chromosome number, the nuclear size further increased to about twice that
      of benign nuclei. Variation in size also differed between benign and malignant
      epithelium, with a further increase between diploid and gross aneuploid tumors.
      While nuclear size and variation in nuclear size made it possible to discriminate
      malignant from benign lesions, form factor did not differ between benign and
      malignant lesions. In follow-up, however, none of these factors reached
      significance for predicting survival.

PMID- 1418271
TI  - Prognostic importance of the DNA ploidy pattern in malignant mesothelioma of the
      pleura.
AB  - Malignant mesotheliomas often raise a difficult diagnostic problem: once the
      diagnosis is made, the possibilities of predicting the biologic activity and
      prognosis of the tumor are limited. DNA ploidy patterns have been used as a
      prognostic instrument for other tumors, and this pattern was therefore studied in
      37 cases of verified mesothelioma. The measurements were made on Feulgen-stained
      smears from pleural effusions using a Leica Miamed computer microscope. When a
      highly aneuploid tumor was defined as a condition with greater than 5% of the
      cells within defined intervals outside the ranges of the stem-line and the peaks
      representing polyploidization thereof, a near-diploid/polyploid pattern was
      obtained in 41% of the cases, while the remaining 59% were classified as highly
      aneuploid. The prognosis was significantly better among the near
      diploid/polyploid cases. This estimate of the outcome could not be improved by
      using alternative algorithms for high-grade aneuploidy.

PMID- 1418272
TI  - DNA analysis of malignant effusions. Comparison with cytologic diagnosis and
      carcinoembryonic antigen content.
AB  - Twenty-three consecutive malignant effusions from 19 patients submitted for
      cytologic examination were analyzed for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) content
      and for DNA analysis by flow cytometry. The study was undertaken to determine if
      the addition of DNA analysis would improve the sensitivity of cytologic diagnosis
      and CEA assay. CEA examination was performed on Papanicolaou-stained smears and
      hematoxylin-and-eosin-stained cell blocks. Final diagnoses were correlated with
      histologic examination (four patients), clinical and radiologic studies, and
      follow-up. The malignant effusions in 19 patients were secondary to carcinoma of
      the breast (5), lung (5), ovary (1), endometrium (1), mucinous carcinoma of the
      colon (1), unknown primary (1), extraovarian papillary carcinoma (1),
      mesothelioma (2) and large cell lymphoma (2). The sensitivity of cytologic
      diagnosis was 100% and specificity 100%. DNA aneuploidy, defined as the presence
      of two separate peaks in the histogram, was present in 7 of 23 fluids
      (sensitivity, 30%). Four fluids had insufficient cells for analysis, and one
      histogram showed debris (following chemotherapy). DNA aneuploidy was detected in
      effusions secondary to carcinoma of the breast (4), lung (1) and lymphoma (2).
      Using 5 ng/mL as the cutoff, the sensitivity of CEA was 68%. DNA analysis of
      cells in malignant effusions is less sensitive than cytologic diagnosis, and CEA
      assay and is not recommended for routine use in the diagnosis of malignant
      effusions.

PMID- 1418274
TI  - Information, discrimination and divergence in cytology. V. General symmetry of
      total discrimination and total divergence.
AB  - Total discrimination and divergence are derived from Baye's theorem and based on
      backward (a posteriori) probabilities. Total forward (a priori) discrimination
      and divergence can be computed from a test matrix from which total backward
      discrimination and divergence were calculated for optimization of the
      classifications of gynecologic cytology (Papanicolaou smears) and quality control
      in a laboratory. The total forward discrimination and divergence appears to
      behave in parallel with the total backward discrimination and divergence, and the
      discrepancies in the backward and forward discrimination/divergence were the
      smallest near the optimum classification scheme. Conversely, the discrepancies
      between backward and forward discrimination and divergence may be helpful in
      finding the best classification scheme for gynecologic cytology. The general
      symmetries of the total backward and forward discrimination/divergence may be
      related to the human cognitive process of preferring symmetry and to the historic
      process in which cytologic classification followed histologic classification and
      continuously checked for matches in two directions--i.e., from histology to
      cytology and vice versa--thus resulting in the preservation of symmetry.

PMID- 1418273
TI  - The three-group metaphase as a morphologic indicator of high-ploidy cells in
      cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.
AB  - There is a need for additional morphologic criteria to improve the value of
      histologic classification for the prediction of the biologic behavior of cervical
      intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Representative slides from 72 cone specimens
      containing CIN were examined to study the correlation between the presence of
      three group metaphases (TGMs), a morphologically well defined and light
      microscopically readily recognizable atypical mitotic figure, and the incidence
      of aneuploid cells with a nuclear DNA content greater than 5C. The numbers of
      cells greater than 5C (minus the polyploid cells 8C +/- 1C) were counted, using
      LEYTAS image cytometry on Cytospin preparations from the 72 blocks corresponding
      to the slides searched for TGMs and used for histologic classification of the
      lesions in classes CIN 1-3. It appeared that large numbers of aneuploid cells
      greater than 5C were more closely related to the presence of TGM than to a higher
      CIN class per se, particularly in women older than 35. Since aneuploid CIN has a
      higher progression rate than euploid CIN, the presence of TGMs will indicate a
      biologically unfavorable lesion. Thus, TGM deserves further investigation as an
      additional morphologic parameter for predicting the biologic behavior of CIN.

PMID- 1418275
TI  - Information, discrimination and divergence in cytology. VI. Biases and errors of
      measurement in small samples.
AB  - Total discrimination and total divergence have been shown to be useful measures
      of performance in diagnostic cytology. The sample size, Ns (observed number of
      cytology-histology pairs, essential components of a confusion matrix), may be
      small for the comparison of two or more laboratories or periodic quality control
      using observed values. From actual data from previous reports in this series, the
      best estimation of the confusion matrix of a population was obtained by fitting a
      Gaussian-type curve after pseudoscalar transform of ranks (row and column
      numbers). Small sample confusion matrices were generated by Monte Carlo
      simulation to 2.5 x 10(-7) resolution. To keep measurement biases within +/- 0.5
      decits, we found that 100-200 samples of cytology-histology pairs were required
      in the best classifications of three, four and five category-states. At these
      sample sizes, measurement errors (standard errors) were also contained within +/-
      0.5 decits. This study also confirmed that previously reported overestimated
      propagated errors in small samples were in fact overestimation and that their use
      for testing a null hypothesis was valid. The number of samples with indefinable
      statistics due to a zero denominator can be as high as 30% when the sample sizes
      are 500 for three, four and five category-state classifications. Biases due to
      small samples were positive for most category-states except for the optimum three
      category-states, in which bias changed to negative ("bias inversion"), and
      observed errors of discrimination and divergence paradoxically decreased as Ns
      decreased ("error-sample paradox") for a small sample size (Ns less than
      700).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418276
TI  - [Atropine versus glycopyrrolate in eye surgery. A comparison of rhythm disorders
      and heart frequency using Holter-ECG].
AB  - Anticholinergics are indicated in ophthalmic surgery to inhibit oculocardiac
      reflexes (OCR). Although all anticholinergics exert an arrhythmic effect,
      comparative data on occurrence and severity of arrhythmias are not available. The
      aim of this investigation was to compare atropine (A) and glycopyrrolate (G) in
      adults undergoing ophthalmic surgery. One hundred patients (ASA class I and II,
      age range 20-60 yrs.) were given equipotent doses of either A (10 micrograms.kg
      1) or G (5 micrograms.kg-1) in a randomized, double-blind fashion, before
      induction of anaesthesia. Continuous Holter monitoring was performed. The
      procedure was divided into the following phases: O (5 min before drug), I (5 min
      after drug), II (up to induction), III (induction until intubation), IV
      (intubation until operation), V (operation). Supraventricular, junctional, and
      ventricular arrhythmias were analyzed. Severe arrhythmia was judged to be greater
      than 5 events per min, or ventricular beats Lown classes III-V. The beat to beat
      analog signal was digitalized. The heart rate (HR) and the occurrence rate of OCR
      (greater than 20% decrease in heart rate, arrhythmias) was calculated by a
      computerized program. Analysed were: 1. the frequency of OCR, 2. the mean HR for
      each phase, 3. the frequency of all the various arrhythmias during the whole
      period, 4. as well as for each phase. The number of patients with severe
      arrhythmias 5. either for all the time or 6. for the individual phase were
      registered separately. There were no differences 1. in the frequency of OCR and
      2. in mean HR during all phases between A and G.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418277
TI  - [The effect of etomidate on the upper airway reflexes].
AB  - Clinical observations during anaesthesia and intubation of emergency patients are
      presented showing a differentiated impact of etomidate (Hypnomidate) on upper
      airway reflexes: a blockade of pharyngeal reflexes with sustained but possibly
      delayed laryngeal reflexes and a certain protection against laryngospasm and
      vomiting. In addition etomidate enables, preferably in combination, difficult
      intubation with sustained spontaneous breathing due to its low respiratory
      depressant effect. These features were confirmed in a small foreshortened
      clinical study using thiopentone (Trapanal) or etomidate without muscle
      relaxants, whereby the difference in high risk patients became obvious. The
      impact of anaesthetics on airway reflexes is generally concealed by muscular
      relaxants, and observations on this matter are difficult to make subject to
      quantifiable parameters and controlled studies; accordingly such observations are
      scarcely found in newer anaesthetic literature. In the development of new
      techniques for intubation and anaesthesia without muscle relaxation, these
      methodical problems deserve attention.

PMID- 1418278
TI  - [Propofol for sedation during postoperative mechanical ventilation. A comparative
      study with Lytic Mixture].
AB  - Propofol infusion was found to provide excellent sedation and rapid recovery in
      intensive care. The present study compared Propofol with lytic solution (lytic
      solution = mixture of 100 mg Pethidine, 50 mg Promethazine and 0.6 mg
      Dihydroergotamine) during 6 hours of postoperative artificial ventilation. 60
      patients after major abdominal surgical procedures were studied with ethical
      committee approval and informed consent. Patients were randomly allocated to
      receive either Propofol or lytic solution. We aimed at a sedation level of stage
      5 according to the Ramsey score. The mean drug dosages were 3.9 mg/kg/h of
      Propofol and 4.2 ml/h of lytic solution. Hemodynamic values, blood gases as well
      as various biochemical measures did not show any difference between the groups.
      At the end of the sedation period triglyceride concentrations were significantly
      higher in patients receiving Propofol (166 + 79 mg/dl) compared to the control
      group (97 + 60 mg/dl). Significant and relevant differences were found for the
      times of recovery after discontinuation of the sedative. These times were very
      short in the Propofol group. Furthermore, in view of a longer recovery time after
      lytic solution in this group the respiratory rate was significantly slower up to
      the end of the observation period. We conclude that a major advantage of Propofol
      in the present study was the rapid recovery after 6 hour sedation. Patients gain
      vigilance rapidly and sufficient spontaneous respiration within minutes. Not at
      least thanks to these facts patient's safety can be improved in the recovery
      period.

PMID- 1418279
TI  - [Death and assisted death--current medical, ethical and legal questions].
AB  - Taking care of dying people is one of the most difficult obligations of the
      physician, perhaps the most difficult one. In this field, a lot of ethical
      problems arise which have to be coped with. In German the term "Sterbehilfe"
      ("helping to die") has more and more replaced the medical term "euthanasia". At
      present there are doubts whether this new term "helping to die" is useful because
      it might reflect liberal attitudes towards human life. Due to this terminological
      uncertainty many physicians are in two minds about the way of taking care of
      dying patients. Using an exact and unequivocal term for dying without pain and
      torture is an important demand for modern medicine in order to increase people's
      confidence in the last stage of their lives.

PMID- 1418281
TI  - [The humidification of anesthetic gases during anesthesia using heat and moisture
      exchangers].
AB  - This study looks at the question of whether anaesthetic gases are sufficiently
      moistened in a semi-closed system by the partial recycling of expired air with
      simultaneous absorption of CO2. During the inspiration phase only a maximum of
      42% relative humidity at a temperature of 24.8 degrees C was reached. These
      values lie far below the demands of the American National Standard Institute
      (ANSI) of 70% relative humidity at 30 degrees C. When various heat and moisture
      exchangers were used, the relative humidity improved to 99% at a maximum
      temperature of 30.3 degrees C (HME Edith; Engstrom Corporation). The maximum
      values of the BB 12-15, Pall Corporation, and SH 150 from Siemens were slightly
      lower. A marked fall was noticed when using the Humid Vent I of the Medimex
      Corporation, especially in the initial phase. An improved version, the Humid Vent
      II, has been produced. Physiological values (37 degrees C, 100% relative
      humidity) are not achieved by any heat and moisture exchangers. This problem
      could possibly be solved by using infra-red light when warming the gases.

PMID- 1418280
TI  - [The treatment of status asthmaticus using ketamine--experimental results and
      clinical experience].
AB  - Intensive therapy of a patient with status asthmaticus must lead to a reduction
      of vital threat by improving respiratory and cardiac functions. Because of the
      bronchodilating effect of ketamine, analgesic sedation with ketamine and
      benzodiazepines is extremely useful for prolonged ventilation. At the beginning
      of this treatment it can be necessary to supplement the continuous intravenous
      infusion of ketamine and diazepam or ketamine and midazolam with small bolus
      doses of up to 3.5 mg/kg/h of ketamine. Experience has shown that the combination
      of ketamine and midazolam has better controllability. In some of our patients the
      bronchodilating effect of ketamine was not sufficient and therefore ventilation
      with halothane was necessary at least intermittently. In contrast to halothane,
      ketamine can be combined with vasodilators and sympathomimetics as our own
      experience has shown. The combined application of ketamine with glycerol
      trinitrate or sodium nitroprusside is indicated in the event of pulmonary or
      general hypertension. The use of sympathomimetics--mainly beta-sympathomimetics-
      antagonizes the negative inotropic effect of ketamine, improves the circulatory
      system and leads to a direct bronchodilating effect. Progress in treatment was
      mainly achieved by continuous intravenous infusions of terbutaline (Bricanyl).
      Aminophylline is very compatible with ketamine, but because of its stimulating
      effect the use of aminophylline seems to be reasonable only during weaning from
      the ventilator. Control of the usually deep analgesic sedation and an
      accompanying optimum drug therapy are only possible with complete
      cardiorespiratory monitoring including invasive blood pressure measurement and
      catheterization of the pulmonary artery. In our clinic 24 patients with status
      asthmaticus were treated. Sixteen asthmatic patients were treated with analgesic
      sedation using ketamine and benzodiazepines, three of them without intubation and
      ventilation. In spite of the life-threatening situation and reanimation before
      admission to the intensive care unit, only one patient died. Our experience has
      shown that intensive therapy including analgesic sedation with ketamine and
      benzodiazepines, optimized by application of sympathomimetics and vasodilators,
      is suitable for overcoming the life-threatening situation of patients with status
      asthmaticus.

PMID- 1418283
TI  - ET nurses expanding our practice. Behavioral interventions for incontinence.

PMID- 1418282
TI  - [The HELLP syndrome--a challenge to the obstetrician and the intensive care
      therapist].
AB  - The HELLP-syndrome is a severe complication in late pregnancy. The etiology is
      still largely unknown. It is defined as a separate disease but also as a severe
      course of EHP-gestosis. It is mainly characterised by increased liver enzymes, a
      low platelet count, increased haemolysis and hypertension. According to primary
      organ affection, neurological symptoms and acute respiratory distress syndrome,
      acute renal insufficiency and/or upper abdominal complaints may occur. The only
      causal therapy is immediate caesarean section. Postoperative intensive care must
      be guaranteed. As a gentle anaesthetic method neuroleptanalgesia is recommended.
      Based on 7 of our own case reports, pathophysiology and therapy are discussed.

PMID- 1418284
TI  - Product notebook: occlusive skin paste.
AB  - When selecting products for the prevention or treatment of skin breakdown due to
      fecal incontinence and diarrhea, the health care professional should consider the
      following: ETIOLOGY: The premixed skin paste we tested, Critic-Aid, is an
      important part of our treatment plan, but it is not a cure for the etiology of
      loose stools. SAFETY: Use premixed products, or ingredients in an institutional
      mixture, only in ways approved by the FDA. Convenience: The staffing situation
      has made the use of time-savers imperative. Quality Control: The product you use
      or mix should perform consistently. Cost: Choose the most cost-effective product
      that meets your patients' needs. Conventional treatments and preparations failed
      to prevent or heal skin breakdown in our patients with fecal incontinence and
      diarrhea. In response to this problem, we concocted our own institutional
      mixture, using only ingredients approved by the FDA for use in wounds and
      consulting the hospital pharmacist at every turn. However, the procedural and
      potency problems resulting from our institutional mixture prompted us to test a
      premixed skin paste, Critic-Aid, which exceeded our expectations.

PMID- 1418285
TI  - Clean intermittent catheterization.

PMID- 1418286
TI  - A study of wound healing in home care.

PMID- 1418287
TI  - A lifetime of incontinence.

PMID- 1418288
TI  - Antibodies to mycobacterial 65 kDa heat shock protein in systemic sclerosis
      (scleroderma).
AB  - It has been reported that immunity to the 65 kDa heat shock protein of
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT-hsp65) not only accompanies rheumatoid arthritis
      (RA), but may also be characteristic of chronic inflammation. We now report serum
      antibodies to MT-hsp65 in 47% of systemic sclerosis (SSc), 38% of primary
      Raynaud's phenomenon (PRP) and 5% of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Antibody
      levels were higher in patients with active or progressive SSc and correlated with
      the degree of skin fibrosis. Thus, immunity to MT-hsp65 appears in SSc and is not
      limited to RA. However, it does show some degree of specificity beyond chronic
      inflammation: PRP patients have a higher reactivity than do SLE patients.

PMID- 1418289
TI  - Secretory granule autoantigen in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is related
      to 62 kDa heat-shock protein (hsp60).
AB  - Recent studies in NOD mice suggest that cellular and humoral responses against
      beta cell protein(s) cross-reactive with mycobacterial heat-shock protein, hsp60,
      are implicated in the development of autoimmune diabetes. However, this putative,
      hsp60-related autoantigen has not yet been identified nor have the preceding
      events triggering the autoimmunity against it. Our recent studies show that
      antibodies to the mammalian hsp60 bind specifically to the 62 kDa protein located
      to insulin secretory granules and mitochondria of pancreatic beta cells of
      healthy mice [1]. In islets of prediabetic NOD mice affected by insulitis, the
      cellular distribution of this hsp60-related antigen was found to be altered. In
      the present report, we have examined whether this endogenous hsp60-related
      protein of secretory granules serves as an autoantigen in type I diabetes. The
      results of Western blot analysis indicate that diabetic mice sera show reactivity
      to a 62 kDa islet cell antigen. The NOD mice sera that were positive in detection
      of the 62 kDa islet cell antigen were also able to recognize the recombinant
      human hsp60. Immunogold electron microscopy revealed that diabetic NOD mouse
      sera, cross-reactive to human recombinant hsp60, recognize the antigen located in
      secretory granules of beta cells. Double-immunogold labelling demonstrated that
      antigens recognized by both diabetic NOD mice sera and monoclonal hsp60
      antibodies co-localized in the same secretory granules of beta cells.
      Preincubation of islet cell sections with one type of antibody blocks subsequent
      binding of the other, indicating that epitopes recognized by both antisera on
      these proteins are shared. Moreover, preadsorption of diabetic sera with the
      recombinant human hsp60 abolished labelling of secretory granules. These results
      indicate that the hsp60-related protein of beta cell secretory granules is an
      autoantigen in type I diabetes in NOD mice.

PMID- 1418290
TI  - Induction of experimental anti-phospholipid syndrome associated with SLE
      following immunization with human monoclonal pathogenic anti-DNA idiotype.
AB  - MIV-7 is a human monoclonal antibody that binds to DNA and carries a pathogenic
      anti-DNA idiotype 16/6. The antibody was generated by fusing peripheral blood
      lymphocytes of a healthy donor which were stimulated with an anti-idiotypic
      antibody to B11 (a human mAb anti-mouse mammary tumor virus-MMTV). The MIV-7, in
      addition to being an anti-DNA antibody, also binds to MMTV glycoproteins.
      Following immunization into the footpad of naive BALB/c mice with MIV-7, the mice
      developed anti-phospholipid syndrome (APLS) and SLE. The APLS was characterized
      by thrombocytopenia, the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies, lupus
      anticoagulant (prolonged APTT), high resorption rate of fetuses and lower mean
      weights of the placentae and fetuses. The SLE was characterized by serological
      markers (e.g. anti-DNA), laboratory (increased sedimentation rate and
      proteinuria) and histological findings (deposition of immune complexes in the
      glomeruli). Active immunization of mice with mouse monoclonal anti-cardiolipin
      antibodies led to the induction of primary APLS without SLE. The results add to
      our previous passive transfer model in which mouse monoclonal anti-cardiolipin
      antibody generated from immunized mice (CAM) was infused into the tail vein and
      also resulted in induction of pure APLS [11]. Our results demonstrate the ability
      to induce secondary APLS to SLE following immunization with a pathogenic idiotype
      of anti-DNA antibodies and to induce primary APLS with anti-cardiolipin mAb. The
      existence of these experimental models may permit controlled studies of novel
      therapeutic models.

PMID- 1418291
TI  - Production and characterization of human hybridoma monoclonal anti-Sm and anti
      U1RNP antibodies spontaneously produced from normal human lymphocytes.
AB  - A panel of human:human hybridomas secreting monoclonal anti-Sm/RNP antibodies was
      established by the fusion of normal human tonsillar lymphocytes to the
      lymphoblastoid B cell line GM4672. The specificity of these antibodies was
      studied by direct binding and competitive inhibition in enzyme linked
      immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), and by immunoblotting. The stable subclones of
      these hybridoma monoclonal anti-Sm/RNP antibodies could be classified into four
      groups according to ELISA. Group I bound Sm/RNP only, group II bound Sm-RNP,
      Ro/SS-A and La/SS-B, group III bound Sm/RNP and ssDNA, and group IV bound Sm/RNP,
      Ro/SS-A, La/SS-B and ssDNA. When antibodies from each of the groups were tested
      by immunoblotting, the following pattern of reactivity emerged. Group II and IV
      antibodies reacted with U1RNP-A, Sm-B'/B, Sm-D and Sm-E proteins, as well as the
      Ro/SS-A and La/SS-B proteins. In contrast, group I and III antibodies did not
      bind to any individual protein components of Sm/RNP,Ro/SS-A or La/SS-B antigens,
      but recognized their conformational epitopes. These results, therefore, directly
      demonstrate for the first time that normal-derived B cells have the genetic
      potential, revealed here by somatic cell hybridization, to produce anti-Sm/RNP
      antibody responses which are ordinarily only associated with systemic lupus
      erythematosus (SLE) and related connective tissue diseases.

PMID- 1418292
TI  - Thymulin and its role in immunomodulation.
AB  - Even though thymulin was isolated, sequenced and characterised some 20 years ago
      and later identified as a thymic hormone involved in immunomodulation, much more
      work is still required to further understanding of the mechanisms of action(s) of
      this peptide. Since the observation, by a semiquantitative bioassay, of
      diminished levels of thymulin in immunodeficiency and autoimmune disease, new
      data obtained by radioimmunoassay have not only confirmed previous observations
      but also demonstrated that thymulin plays a role in the interaction between the
      immune system and the neuro-endocrine system. In this paper we give an up to date
      account of recent developments in research into the role of thymulin in
      immunomodulation.

PMID- 1418293
TI  - Analysis of anti-idiotypic antibodies against anti-microsomal antibodies in
      patients with thyroid autoimmunity.
AB  - Anti-microsomal antibody (AMA) activity was inhibited in 14 of 16 sera and in all
      12 IgG preparations from patients with postpartum thyroiditis following
      incubation with F(ab')2 fragments from normal polyspecific immunoglobulin for
      therapeutic use (ivIg). Similar results were observed with sera from seven of
      seven patients with Graves' disease and five of six patients with autoimmune
      hypothyroidism. Results of these competitive binding assays and affinity
      chromatography of AMA IgG on Sepharose-bound F(ab'), fragments from ivIg
      indicated that AMA antibodies reacted with ivIg through idiotypic-anti-idiotypic
      interactions. Eight out of 10 IgG preparations from patients with autoimmune
      thyroid disease also showed inhibition of AMA activity when coincubated with
      autologous IgM at various IgG:IgM molar ratios. These observations suggest that
      ivIg can inhibit anti-microsomal antibodies through idiotype-anti-idiotype
      interactions and that such interactions occur with IgM anti-idiotype antibodies
      in vivo, providing evidence of a role for idiotypic network regulation in the
      control of thyroid autoimmunity.

PMID- 1418294
TI  - Involvement of dendritic cells in early insulitis of BB rats.
AB  - In this study, subsets of mononuclear infiltrates in pancreatic islets of BB rats
      at different stages of insulitis were determined by various monoclonal antibodies
      against rat lymphoid cells, including a mouse monoclonal IgM antibody that
      distinguishes between macrophages and dendritic cells (mAb 1F119). 1F119+
      dendritic cells were absent in and around islets of Wistar control rats. In BB
      rats, the first alteration of islets detectable by immunohistochemistry when
      compared with normal islets was the enhanced expression of 1F119 antigen around
      and in the islets (17% 1F119+ islets). At disease stage 1 (i.e. no leukocyte
      infiltration after HE staining), lymphocytes and macrophages were almost absent.
      At disease stage 2 (leukocyte infiltration < 20 cells), a more intense form of
      dendritic cell infiltration was seen (stage 1 versus stage 2, P < 0.0001). In
      addition, ED2+ and ED3+ cells were present around the islets (50% of islets were
      infiltrated with 1F119+ cells versus 16% with ED2+, 19% with ED3+, 11% with
      W3/25+ cells, and 11% with OX8+ cells, P < 0.0001). At disease stage 3 (> 20
      cells), a clear increase of ED2+ and ED3+ macrophages and of W3/25+ and OX8+ T
      lymphocytes in the infiltrates was observed. These observations suggest a role
      for antigen presenting dendritic cells in the initiation of immune reaction in
      type 1 diabetes of BB rats.

PMID- 1418295
TI  - Incidence and phenotype restriction of lymphoid BLT-serine protease granules in
      spontaneously diabetes prone BB rats compared with a normal rat strain.
AB  - In diabetes prone BB rats a relative increase of serine protease (SP)-positive
      lymphocytes (39.8 +/- 10%) was observed in peripheral blood at the time of
      diabetes manifestation (DM) compared with non-diabetic healthy Sprague Dawley
      control rats (Co: 10.3 +/- 4%), with BB rats at age of premanifestation (PM: 14.7
      +/- 4%) and beyond age of expected manifestation (non-diabetic animals, ND: 25.2
      +/- 4%). Similar absolute numbers were found in diabetic BB rats in comparison
      with Sprague Dawley rats. In PM, absolute numbers were lower in comparison with
      diabetic BB rats. SP granular positivity was found restricted to OX8+
      lymphocytes. SP granule-bearing OX8+ lymphocytes were more frequently seen in the
      BB rat strain (PM: 74.3 +/- 8%; DM: 79.4 +/- 8%; ND: 78 +/- 10%) compared with
      normal rats (Co: 32.5 +/- 8%). Absolute numbers were lower in PM animals in
      comparison with DM rats. OX8+ cells were found in a higher relative number in DM
      animals (49.1 +/- 7%) compared with controls (28.2 +/- 3%), PM (26.3 +/- 5%) and
      ND (34 +/- 2%) animals. T lymphocytes expressing the W3/25+ marker, invariably
      negative for SP granules, were present in a higher relative number in ND (49.8 +/
      7%) and the control group (52.3 +/- 10%) compared with PM (31 +/- 8%) and DM (38
      +/- 11%) animals. Absolute numbers of the OX39+ lymphocyte subpopulation were
      decreased in PM and DM-BB rats in comparison with the control group.

PMID- 1418296
TI  - Acquired allo-tolerance to major or minor histocompatibility antigens
      indifferently contributes to preventing diabetes development in non-obese
      diabetic (NOD) mice.
AB  - Diabetes in NOD mice represents the end stage of a genetically-programmed
      autoimmune process mediated by T lymphocytes and directed against insulin
      producing beta cells. We have shown in a previous study that the course of the
      disease is significantly inhibited in NOD mice which have been made tolerant at
      birth to foreign histocompatibility antigens. This early T cell manipulation
      results in a significant delay of disease onset, reduced overall incidence and
      less severe alterations of islet cells. In order to characterize better the
      nature of the foreign tolerogenic determinants responsible for this protection,
      we have now examined separately the contribution of MHC and non-MHC antigens. Two
      lines of congenic mice were used as donors of tolerogenic cells, NOD.H-2b, which
      differ from NOD by the MHC-encoded antigens only, and B10.H-2g7, which differ by
      all the minor histocompatibility antigens encoded by the B10 background, but
      which share with NOD mice the same MHC haplotype. Our results show that NOD
      recipients of F1 semi-compatible cells become specifically tolerant to the set of
      alloantigens to which they were neonatally exposed. Unresponsiveness, assessed by
      lack of CTL generation, is profound and specific. Yet, despite the fact that
      distinct sets of alloreactive T cell precursors are silenced, mice made tolerant
      indifferently to major or minor histocompatibility antigens are significantly
      protected against overt diabetes. These results could mean that each set of MHC
      and non-MHC encoded determinants can independently cross-tolerize a sufficient
      proportion of the autoreactive repertoire to slow the natural course of the
      disease. Alternatively, neonatally-acquired tolerance might induce polyclonal
      activation of the immune system resulting in the suppression or the
      immunodeviation of potentially harmful, autoreactive T cell clones.

PMID- 1418297
TI  - Cultured fibroblasts in avian scleroderma, an autoimmune fibrotic disease,
      display an activated phenotype.
AB  - University of California, Davis, line 200 and 206 chickens spontaneously develop
      an autoimmune syndrome that has many features analogous to human scleroderma,
      including dermal fibrosis, antinuclear antibodies and antibodies to type II
      collagen. These birds also have thymic subcapsular epithelial defects and an
      abnormality in T cell calcium influx and proliferation in response to both T cell
      receptor-dependent and -independent activators. To determine whether fibroblast
      activation is a contributing factor to development of skin fibrosis in line
      200/206 chickens, as it is in human scleroderma, we studied the collagen, non
      collagenous protein and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) production of 34 separate
      fibroblast lines derived from the normal and fibrotic skin of line 200 and 206
      chickens and from the skin of control chicken lines 058 and 254. The mean +/- SEM
      24-h incorporation of 3H-proline or 3H-glucosamine into extracellular collagen,
      non-collagenous protein or GAG by first passage fibroblast lines derived from the
      fibrotic skin of diseased birds was 1,526 +/- 136, 859 +/- 82 and 25.7 +/- 1.3
      dpm/10(3) cells, respectively, while fibroblast lines derived from the skin of
      control birds produced only 341 +/- 36, 343 +/- 42 and 15.2 +/- 1.4 dpm/10(3)
      cells. Similar differences in results were recorded for cell-associated
      production, and when collagen and non-collagenous protein production were
      assessed using non-radioactive electrophoretic methods. The activated phenotype
      of the fibroblast lines derived from the fibrotic skin of diseased birds
      persisted through 10 cell doublings in tissue culture. However, the ratio of type
      I:III collagen and the profile of GAG types produced were similar in all
      fibroblast lines studied. These results suggest that fibroblast activation is
      responsible for the skin fibrosis observed in this avian model of scleroderma.

PMID- 1418298
TI  - Autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) in genetically resistant mice mediated by a T cell
      line.
AB  - Experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) can be induced in genetically
      susceptible strains of mice by immunization to mouse thyroglobulin (Tg). EAT also
      can be produced by administration of anti-mouse Tg T cell lines and clones.
      Previously we were able to raise virulent anti-Tg T cell lines from mice
      genetically susceptible to EAT. These virulent lines, upon attenuation, were able
      to vaccinate the susceptible mice against EAT. We now report the isolation of a
      virulent T cell line from C57BL/6 mice genetically resistant to EAT. The T cell
      line and its clones recognize a Tg epitope cross-reactive between mouse and
      bovine Tg. Unexpectedly, the virulent anti-Tg line attenuated in various ways
      failed to vaccinate C57BL/6 mice against EAT mediated by the line itself. These
      results shed some light on the regulation of autoimmunity.

PMID- 1418299
TI  - Susceptibility and resistance to autoimmunity following neonatal injection of
      semi-allogeneic spleen cells in rats.
AB  - A model of neonatal allotolerance was developed in rats. Brown-Norway (BN)
      neonates injected with semi-allogeneic (BN x Lewis) F1 hybrid spleen cells
      express a long-lasting chimerism and exhibit polyclonal B cell activation
      demonstrated by hyperimmunoglobulinemia affecting mainly IgE and IgG1, anti
      laminin and anti-DNA autoantibodies as well as glomerulonephritis and anti-hapten
      antibodies. These abnormalities are autoregulated although the chimerism
      persists. In contrast, Lewis (LEW) neonates injected with semi-allogeneic (BN x
      LEW) F1 hybrid spleen cells exhibit a very short-lasting chimerism and transient
      activation of B cells, as reflected by increased allo-class II antigen
      expression, but do not develop an autoimmune disease. The autoimmune syndrome
      observed in BN rats is similar to that reported in mice during host-versus-graft
      reaction. Similarities between the drug-induced models of autoimmunity and
      allogeneic reactions in BN rats are also striking. The susceptibility of BN rats
      and the resistance of LEW rats to these autoimmune diseases might respectively
      reflect the involvement of TH2-like or of TH1-like subsets.

PMID- 1418300
TI  - Acquisition of autoimmunity genes by New Zealand mice is associated with natural
      resistance to infection by mycobacteria.
AB  - New Zealand (NZ) mouse strains comprise both autoimmune and non-autoimmune
      animals: NZ black (NZB) mice and the F1 hybrid (NZB/W) of NZB and NZ white (NZW)
      mice show spontaneous autoimmune disease by 6 months of age and die before the
      first year of age from renal disease, while NZW mice do not show autoimmune
      disorders. We investigated whether the autoimmunity-prone NZ animals (NZB and
      NZB/W) differ from the non-autoimmune NZW mice in susceptibility/resistance to
      mycobacterial infection. The three groups of NZ mice were infected by
      intraperitoneal inoculation of 10(8) colony forming units (cfu) of Mycobacterium
      avium. The M. avium infection was induced in 3-month-old mice (i.e., before NZB
      and NZB/W mice develop autoimmune disease) and studied for 4 months. Infected NZB
      and NZB/W mice showed evidence of renal disease at 2 and 4 months of infection
      (but not at 1 month). The non-autoimmune NZW mice were found to be susceptible to
      M. avium since they allowed massive proliferation (4-5 log growth) of the bacilli
      in liver and spleen. In contrast, both groups of autoimmunity-prone mice (NZB and
      NZB/W) were resistant to M. avium since their mycobacterial loads remained below
      the value of the initial inoculum. We conclude that in NZ mice the acquisition of
      autoimmunity genes is associated with expression of natural resistance to
      mycobacterial infection. This is consistent with the view that autoimmunity genes
      may have been evolutionarily selected because of their association with increased
      resistance of the host to infections by intracellular parasites.

PMID- 1418301
TI  - Induction of anti-DNA IgG and IgE antibodies in BALB/c mice.
AB  - Immunization of BALB/c mice with denatured DNA (dnDNA)-methylated bovine serum
      albumin (MBSA) complex along with aluminium hydroxide gel as adjuvant, resulted
      in the induction of anti-DNA antibodies of both IgG and IgE isotypes demonstrable
      by avidin-biotin micro enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and solid phase
      radioimmunoassay (SPRIA), respectively. In contrast to the high levels of IgG2a
      and IgG2b anti-DNA antibodies observed in SLE-prone autoimmune mice, more than
      90% of the anti-DNA antibodies of IgG isotype were found to be of IgG1 subclass.
      Specificity of both IgG and IgE antibodies which recognized activated DNA, dnDNA
      and double-stranded DNA but not RNA was established by competitive ELISA and
      SPRIA inhibition assays. These antibodies cross-reacted with cibacron blue and
      chondroitin sulfate but not with various other proteoglycans, nucleosides and
      nucleotides. Passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction in rats showed that these
      antibodies are capable of inducing in vivo degranulation of mast cells in a dose
      dependent manner. These studies lend support to the concept that IgE antibodies
      directed against DNA may mediate mast cell degranulation and thus contribute to
      immediate-type hypersensitivity phenomena including hives seen in patients with
      systemic lupus erythematosus and to the localization of IgE-nucleic acid
      complexes.

PMID- 1418303
TI  - Continuous cocaine induces persisting changes in behavioral responsivity to both
      scopolamine and diazepam.
AB  - Forty-eight male rats were administered continuous cocaine, daily cocaine
      injections (intermittent), continuous amphetamine, or no drug for 5 days.
      Beginning 45 days after the administration all groups were tested for their
      responsivity, as measured by automated activity cages, to a low dose of the
      cholinergic agonist scopolamine. The continuous cocaine group showed decreased
      sensitivity to this challenge as compared to the other groups. When tested with a
      low dose of diazepam, the continuous cocaine group showed the greatest response.
      However, when observed following an injection of cocaine HCl, the intermittent
      cocaine group showed the greatest behavioral response. These findings support
      those of previous studies that indicated that the mode of initial cocaine
      administration is a key factor in the production of persisting changes in
      behavior and biochemistry.

PMID- 1418302
TI  - Forebrain norepinephrine: role in controlled information processing in the rat.
AB  - A series of experiments examined the effects of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)
      induced depletion of forebrain norepinephrine (NE) on the performance of a visual
      detection (spatial localization) task. The behavioral paradigm used was an
      analogue of Leonard's 5-choice serial reaction time task for humans. The 6-OHDA
      lesion of the dorsal noradrenergic bundle (DNAB) produced a 98% depletion of the
      NE content in the neocortex, and a much smaller depletion (32%) of the NE content
      in the hypothalamus. As reported previously, performance of visual discrimination
      was unaffected by DNAB lesions, even when the discrimination was made more
      difficult by decreasing the intensity of the visual stimuli. However, the lesion
      produced a significant decrease in accuracy and a significant increase in
      omissions when a burst of loud white noise was presented just prior to the onset
      of the visual discriminanda. Similarly, a significant decrease in discriminative
      accuracy was produced in the rats with forebrain NE depletion by systemic
      administration of the psychomotor stimulant, d-amphetamine (0.2 to 0.8 mg/kg). In
      both of these experiments, the lesion-induced discrimination impairment was not
      magnified by reducing the brightness of the visual discriminanda, suggesting that
      the behavioral impairment was not caused by a decreased ability to detect the
      visual stimuli. In addition, the lesion impaired discriminative accuracy when the
      visual discriminanda were presented at an unpredictable rate. The implications of
      these behavioral impairments produced by forebrain NE depletion for theories of
      catecholamine involvement in attentional processes and arousal are discussed in
      terms of a possible role for the DNAB in controlled or "effortful" processing.

PMID- 1418304
TI  - Circadian changes in psychologic effects of ethanol.
AB  - Six healthy human males (aged 22 to 26 years) synchronized with diurnal activity
      from 0700 hours to midnight and nocturnal rest, volunteered to document changes
      in psychologic variables resulting from ethylalcohol ingestion (ethanol 0.67 g/kg
      of body weight). For each subject four separate tests were performed at least 1
      week apart at 0700, 1100, 1900, and 2300 hours in randomized order, with
      measurements taken before and 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 140 minutes postingestion and
      thereafter at 4-hour intervals during a 24- to 36-hour period. Subjects fasted
      for 12 hours preceding ethanol ingestion time and for 8 hours thereafter. Self
      rated inebreity (visual analogue scale) was greatest after ingestion at 2300
      hours and lowest after ingestion at 1100 hours. Both speed to perform random
      number addition and eye-hand skill tests were slowest after ingestion at 2300
      hours. However, changes observed for self-rated physical vigor, tempo, hand-grip
      strength, and systolic blood pressure did not appear to be ethanol ingestion time
      dependent. Validated ethanol ingestion time-dependent effects including those of
      oral temperature were not related to changes in the drug pharmacokinetics.

PMID- 1418305
TI  - Selection and utilization of outcome measures in psychiatric clinical trials.
      Report on the 1988 MacArthur Foundation Network I Methodology Institute.

PMID- 1418306
TI  - Pharmacologic evaluation of SCH-39166, A-69024, NO-0756, and SCH-23390 in
      neonatal-6-OHDA-lesioned rats. Further evidence that self-mutilatory behavior
      induced by L-dopa is related to D1 dopamine receptors.
AB  - The purpose of the present investigation was to explore further the hypothesis
      that the self-injurious behavior induced by L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) in
      neonatal-6-hydroxydopamine (OHDA)-lesioned rats is associated with an action on
      D1 dopamine receptors. This was accomplished by examining the behavioral
      responses induced by SKF-38393, quinpirole, and L-DOPA after treatment with the
      D1 antagonist SCH-23390 and three new pharmacologic agents, SCH-39166, NO-0756,
      and A-69024, reported to be D1 antagonists. All putative D1 antagonists were
      found to antagonize the action of SKF-38393 without reducing the increased
      locomotion and behavioral responses induced by quinpirole, consistent with an in
      vivo action on D1 receptors. The potency hierarchy of the compounds against the
      action of SKF-38393 on activity, from strongest to weakest, was: SCH-39166
      equaled SCH-23390 and these were greater than NO-0756, which was greater than A
      69024. All compounds were found to antagonize L-DOPA-induced self-mutilatory
      behavior (SMB) in neonatal-6-OHDA-lesioned rats in a dose-related manner. The
      potency hierarchy against this behavior, from strongest to weakest, was: SCH
      23390, SCH-39166, NO-0756, and A-69024. The correlation between the ED50 for the
      ability of these drugs to antagonize SKF-38393-induced activity and their ability
      to reduce SMB by L-DOPA was greater than 0.99. In conclusion, the present
      findings provide additional evidence in vivo that NO-0756, SCH-39166, and A-69024
      are selective D1 receptor antagonists.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418307
TI  - Rejection associated with early appearance of donor-reactive antibodies after
      kidney transplantation treated with plasmapheresis and administration of 15
      deoxyspergualin. A report of two cases.
AB  - In two kidney transplant patients, one of whom had panel-reactive antibodies
      (PRA) before transplantation, a pretransplant negative donor-recipient crossmatch
      became positive within the 1st week after transplantation. Simultaneously, good
      graft function deteriorated to a state of anuria. One patient graft biopsy showed
      a vascular rejection, whilst the other patient biopsy was unrevealing. Both
      patients were treated with plasmapheresis and a new immunosuppressive drug, 15
      deoxyspergualin (DSG). Plasmapheresis was performed for 6 and 9 days,
      respectively, and DSG was given for 5 days in a dosage of 6 mg/kg body weight per
      day. One of the patients received methylprednisolone i.v. in addition. During
      treatment the cross-match became negative and has since remained that way. In
      both patients the graft function was restored. No adverse effects were seen from
      the treatment, except for a slight leukocytopenia and thrombocytopenia.

PMID- 1418308
TI  - Protective effect of a prostaglandin oligomer on liver mitochondria in situ: time
      shared measurements of fluorescence and reflectance in the cold-preserved rat
      liver.
AB  - The protective effect of a new oligomeric derivative of prostaglandin B2, known
      as OC-5186, was evaluated using time-sharing spectrofluorometry in the cold
      preserved rat liver. Experiments were divided into three groups: in group A, a
      5000 ng dose of OC-5186 was administered via the peripheral vein, 1000 ng via the
      portal vein, and 200 ng/ml in University of Wisconsin (UW) solution; in group B,
      the OC-5186 dosage was ten times greater than that in group A; in group C
      (control group), liver procurement and storage were performed without OC-5186. At
      0, 12, and 24 h after cold preservation at 4 degrees C, the liver was perfused
      for 30 min at 12 degrees C with oxygenized Krebs-Henseleit solution, after which
      the perfusate was switched to deoxygenized Krebs-Henseleit solution. Time sharing
      spectrofluorometry was used to follow NADH fluorescence at 450 nm with a 360-nm
      excitation wavelength, as well as the reflectance of cytochrome aa3 with 605
      minus 620 nm from oxidation to reduction. Rate constants of NADH fluorescence and
      cytochrome aa3 reflectance were used as indices of integrity of the mitochondrial
      respiratory chain. In group C, the rate constant of NADH fluorescence decreased
      significantly (P < 0.05) from the control value of 8.31 +/- 0.21 x 10(-3) (sec-1)
      to 4.97 +/- 0.15 x 10(-3) and 5.58 +/- 0.16 x 10(-3) (mean +/- SEM) at 12 and 24
      h after cold preservation, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418309
TI  - Efficacy of pyrimethamine for the prevention of donor-acquired Toxoplasma gondii
      infection in heart and heart-lung transplant patients.
AB  - Seven (11%) of the first 65 patients who received heart transplants at Papworth
      Hospital were mismatched for Toxoplasma gondii. Of these, four (57%) experienced
      T. gondii infection and two died. The remaining two had severe symptoms and
      received anti-T-gondii chemotherapy for a year after transplantation. In an
      attempt to reduce the impact of donor-acquired T. gondii in our heart transplant
      recipients, we decided in April 1984 to give prophylactic pyrimethamine to all T.
      gondii-mismatched patients. In this study, 7 years later, we review the efficacy
      of this policy. Five of 37 (14%) patients given prophylactic pyrimethamine
      acquired T. gondii infection; only one was symptomatic, and none died. This
      compares with 100% symptomatic infection in the pre-1984 patients, who did not
      receive prophylactic pyrimethamine. We believe that our experience has shown that
      pyrimethamine is effective in reducing the incidence and severity of primary
      donor-acquired T. gondii infection in mismatched heart and heart-lung transplant
      recipients.

PMID- 1418310
TI  - Octreotide administration in the treatment of pancreatic fistulae after pancreas
      transplantation.
AB  - Among the surgical complications of pancreas transplantation are pancreatic
      fistulae, which arise rather frequently. Suppression of exocrine secretion with
      polymers has succeeded in reducing the rate of this complication. Nevertheless,
      in some instances, pancreatic fistulas may occur. Thirty pancreas
      transplantations were performed in 27 diabetic patients. In 5 cases a pancreatic
      fistula occurred and was drained after the insertion of a catheter for the
      collection of secretions. A serous liquid was collected with a high concentration
      of amylases (61604 +/- 19562 IU/24 h). Fistula output was 280 +/- 87 ml/24 h.
      Patients were treated with octreotide, administered subcutaneously in a dose of
      300-750 micrograms/day. In all patients a progressive reduction in fistula output
      was observed after a mean of 16 + 2 days. Fistula flow rate dropped to 24 +/- 10
      ml/24 h--a reduction of 95% +/- 5% and drainage was subsequently stopped.
      Sonographic follow-up did not show recurrence of peripancreatic collections in
      these patients. All patients were insulin-independent up to 12-44 months after
      surgery.

PMID- 1418312
TI  - Transplantation of allogeneic fetal pancreases combined from MHC-different donor
      strains does not change rejection of the graft.
AB  - A number of 17.5- to 18.5-day-old fetal pancreases were grafted under the kidney
      capsule of streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Eight syngeneically grafted glands were
      sufficient to reverse the diabetes of the recipients within 4 weeks when the
      recipient rats were treated with insulin for 18 days after transplantation. Eight
      allogeneic fetal pancreases obtained from one donor strain were rejected after
      transplantation and the recipients relapsed into hyperglycemia immediately after
      insulin withdrawal. Eight allogeneic fetal pancreases obtained from eight MHC
      different donor strains were also rejected and the recipients relapsed into
      hyperglycemia after insulin withdrawal. Using fetal pancreases as tissue sources,
      the combination of the allogeneic graft from different donor strains was not
      sufficient to prolong the survival time of the grafted tissue.

PMID- 1418311
TI  - Pediatric liver transplantation from neonatal donors.
AB  - Sixteen recipients of neonatal liver grafts were compared with 114
      contemporaneous pediatric recipients of grafts from older donors. Graft and
      patient survival were worse in the neonatal group although the differences were
      not statistically significant. Patients with neonatal livers who had no technical
      complications required a longer time postoperatively to correct jaundice and a
      prolonged prothrombin time. These functional differences were limited to the 1st
      postoperative month and the end result was the same as with liver transplantation
      from older donors.

PMID- 1418313
TI  - 15-deoxyspergualin treatment of graft rejection in man: effect on mononuclear
      cells.
AB  - We studied the effects of 15-deoxyspergualin (DSG) on human mononuclear cells in
      blood when DSG was administered as anti-rejection treatment to kidney-transplant
      patients in combination with methylprednisolone (MP) in a safety study. The
      numbers of leucocytes, lymphocytes and monocytes, the percentages of T and B
      cells and the expression of the interleukin 2 receptor and the human leucocyte
      antigen DR locus (HLA-DR) were determined in blood from these patients and from
      patients treated with MP only. We found that the number of lymphocytes and
      monocytes decreased in all groups, as also did the CD4/CD8 ratio and the HLA-DR
      expression on monocytes. DSG counteracted the increase in the number of
      leucocytes observed in patients treated with MP only. Different effects of DSG
      and MP were also observed on B cells. While the percentage of CD20+ cells
      increased in the MP group, it remained unaltered in patients given low-dose DSG
      and/or was decreased in those given higher doses. Since available evidence
      suggests an effect of DSG on B-cell reactivity, this drug may become an important
      addition to the arsenal of immunosuppressive drugs in clinical transplantation.

PMID- 1418314
TI  - Analysis of prognostic factors affecting renal allograft survival.
AB  - A total of 201 consecutive cadaveric kidney transplantations were performed in
      188 patients at the Chinese Great Wall Hospital, Beijing, from October 1977 to
      May 1990. The overall 1-, 2-, 5-, and 10-year graft survival rates were 75.5%,
      64.5%, 37.0%, and 32.9%, respectively. In the last 5 years, these figures have
      risen to 83.7% at 1 year, 69.5% at 2 years, and 40.8% at 5 years, respectively.
      The 14 variables correlating to graft survival in the present study were analyzed
      using the log rank test for univariate analysis and the Cox proportional hazard
      model for multivariate analysis. The results show that immunosuppressive drug
      therapy, cold ischemia time, acute tubular necrosis, and infection were
      significant factors affecting the survival of cadaveric kidney grafts. Triple
      therapy with low-dose cyclosporin, as compared to conventional immunosuppressive
      drug therapy, significantly increased the 1-year graft survival rate (90.3% vs
      31.3%) but did not influence the long-term graft survival rate after 3 years. The
      incidence of acute tubular necrosis significantly correlated to the cold ischemia
      time and influenced the 1-year graft survival. Analysis showed that the
      lymphocytotoxic crossmatch affected graft survival after 3 years and that most
      late graft losses were due to chronic rejection, suggesting that
      histocompatibility is the strongest factor affecting long-term graft survival. A
      beneficial effect of pretransplant blood transfusions on long-term graft survival
      was seen in patients treated with conventional immunosuppressive drugs but not in
      cyclosporin-treated patients.

PMID- 1418315
TI  - Endoscopic treatment of vesicoureteral reflux prior to renal transplantation.
AB  - Endoscopic subureteral injection of Teflon was done in 34 potential renal
      transplant recipients to correct vesicoureteral reflux. Follow-up ranged from 6
      to 24 months. After one injection reflux was corrected in 53.7% of the patients;
      this increased to 64.8% after a second injection. The procedure is simple,
      effective, without major morbidity, and avoids the risk of nephroureterectomy.
      However, efforts must be made to find an ideal substance with a higher
      biocompatibility and without risk of migration.

PMID- 1418316
TI  - Monoclonal antibodies in renal transplantation: a review.
AB  - OKT3 is the first anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody available for treatment in humans.
      Over the last few years it has proven to be a very powerful immunosuppressive
      agent in renal transplantation. Clinical studies have shown that OKT3 is superior
      to high-dose steroids as first-line treatment for acute renal allograft
      rejection. Furthermore, it is comparable to antithymocyte globulin (ATG) in
      treating steroid-resistant rejection and is also effective as rescue treatment in
      ATG- and antilymphocyte globulin-(ALG-) resistant rejection. Despite its
      excellent rejection-reversal rate, OKT3 treatment is followed by a substantial
      percentage of re-rejections, most of which respond well to steroids. In the early
      post-transplantation period, a prophylactic course of OKT3 is very effective in
      preventing acute rejections, and in this respect it is probably equivalent to
      ATG. Indirect evidence exists that a prophylactic course of OKT3 may be
      beneficial in immunologically high-risk patients and in patients with delayed
      graft function. However, more clinical studies are required to answer the
      question whether OKT3 should be given as induction treatment, as first-line
      treatment, or as rescue treatment. To answer this question, the side effects of
      OKT3 should also be taken into account. First-dose-related side effects, although
      frequent and disturbing, are usually transient and seldom life-threatening,
      provided overhydration has been corrected and steroids have been given before the
      first administration. These side effects are attributed to the release of
      cytokines as a result of T-cell activation or lysis. After exposure of patients
      to OKT3 an increased incidence of infections and malignancies has been reported.
      However, it is not yet clear whether this is due to OKT3 as such, or whether it
      merely reflects the total burden of immunosuppression. Xeno-sensitization
      represents an important limitation to OKT3 treatment, although a second or third
      course can still be effective in patients with low antibody titers. The precise
      immunosuppressive mechanism of anti-CD3 monoclonal antibodies is yet unknown.
      Monitoring of patients treated with OKT3 revealed CD3 and/or T-cell antigen
      receptor depletion and immunological incompetence of remaining T cells. More
      clinical data are required to establish the correct dose and duration of OKT3
      treatment. In conclusion, OKT3 is a powerful immunosuppressive agent but its real
      value in renal transplantation remains to be determined. A practical approach may
      be to reserve it for the treatment of steroid-resistant rejections.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1418317
TI  - VIP restores natural killer cell activity depressed by hepatitis B surface
      antigen.
AB  - Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has recently been shown to bind to human
      lymphocytes and modulate immune functions. The ability of VIP in restoring
      natural killer (NK) cell activity depressed by hepatitis B surface antigen
      (HBsAg) has been investigated in the present research. Human lymphocytes were
      incubated with HBsAg and, after washing, a 4-hr cytotoxicity assay was performed.
      VIP was coincubated with lymphocytes during the preincubation with HBsAg or,
      alternatively, throughout the cytotoxicity assay. The study revealed that VIP,
      either preincubated or coincubated in the 4-hr assay, strongly restores NK cell
      activity depressed by viral antigen. This is noteworthy considering that a number
      of lymphocyte modulators such as interferons fail in restoring viral-dependent NK
      cell activity depression. In contrast with previous reports, even when
      coincubated in the 4-hr assay, VIP is a strong activator of NK cell activity.
      Further studies will be required to understand which mechanisms are involved in
      the interrelation between VIP and NK cells during viral infections.

PMID- 1418318
TI  - Altered macrophage antigen-presenting cell function following Friend leukemia
      virus infection.
AB  - To investigate the mechanism by which Friend leukemia virus (FV) causes
      immunosuppression, the ability of peritoneal macrophages to mediate antigen
      specific T-cell activation following FV infection was examined. Decreased IL-2
      production was observed when antigen-primed T cells were cultured with antigen
      pulsed macrophages from mice infected with FV, compared to T cells cultured with
      macrophages from control mice. Macrophages from FV-infected mice demonstrated
      decreased phagocytic and pinocytic activity, suggesting that antigen uptake may
      be impaired in these cells. In addition, FV-infected mice had decreased numbers
      of MHC class II positive macrophages compared to uninfected controls, as measured
      by immunofluorescence. The alterations in antigen uptake and class II expression
      observed in macrophages from FV-infected mice may be the result of infection of
      these cells by FV, which was demonstrated by in situ hybridization using a FV
      specific probe. The ability of FV to infect and modulate the functions of
      macrophages may account, at least in part, for the immunosuppression observed in
      FV-infected mice.

PMID- 1418319
TI  - Conformation-dependent accessibility of the linear epitopes located on the rabies
      virus glycoprotein.
AB  - Seven monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were derived from mice immunized with the
      rabies virus glycoprotein of the Pitman-Moore (PM) strain. These antibodies
      recognized at least five partially overlapping sites located in one
      immunodominant region. A panel of MAbs was then used to characterize antigenic
      relationship between PM strain and SAD-Vnukovo strain of these rabies viruses. In
      immunoblot, all tested antibodies bound to the glycoprotein of both rabies
      strains, indicating shared antigenic determinants located on the corresponding
      immunodominant regions. The pattern of reactivity in immunoblot suggested the
      specificity of antibodies against linear epitopes. However, the supposed close
      antigenic relation between PM and SAD-Vnukovo strains (evidenced by immunoblot)
      was not fully confirmed by immunoenzymatic assay. Data provided by ELISA
      demonstrated two distinct patterns of MAbs reactivity with both antigens. Four
      antibodies showed specificity for PM strain glycoprotein only, while three MAbs
      bound with both PM and SAD-Vnukovo strain antigens. We supposed the strain
      specific conformation of the native glycoprotein to be responsible for selective
      access of single MAbs to the respective common linear epitopes.

PMID- 1418320
TI  - Antibodies against p24 of HIV-1 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus?
AB  - The involvement of retroviruses in the etiopathogenesis of autoimmunity is
      discussed. Recently antibodies against p24 of HIV-1 were described in patients
      from Texas with SLE. Therefore we investigated the presence of these antibodies
      in our SLE collective (German caucasians and blacks from Michigan) employing
      ELISA and Western blot. No anti-p24 reactivity was observed in our SLE patients
      in Western blots, suggesting that there may be ethnological or regional
      differences between our patients those from Texas.

PMID- 1418321
TI  - Monoclonal antibody characterization of Jamestown Canyon (California serogroup)
      virus topotypes isolated in Canada.
AB  - Jamestown Canyon (JC) virus of the California (CAL) serogroup has been isolated
      in 12 American states and 6 Canadian provinces. A study was undertaken to produce
      monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to JC virus and to use these MAbs to assay for
      possible heterogeneity among naturally occurring JC topotypes in Canada. MAbs
      were produced to the prototype strain of JC virus using BALB/c mice. Twenty-seven
      secreting MAbs were obtained and three of these MAbs were propagated and studied.
      All three MAbs, M1 (IgG1), M2 (IgG2b), and M3 (IgG2a), were reactive by
      immunofluorescent antibody assay against JC-infected vero cells and by ELISA
      against JC antigen. MAb M2 reacted with all members of the Melao complex, MAb M1
      reacted only with Keystone virus, while MAb M3 exhibited no reactivity with other
      CAL serogroup viruses. Only MAb M3 possessed neutralization and hemagglutination
      inhibition activities against JC virus. The MAbs were also tested by ELISA and
      for neutralizing activity against 13 JC topotypes isolated in 5 provinces from
      Newfoundland to Saskatchewan. ELISA confirmed closer identity of the Canadian
      topotypes to JC as opposed to the closely related South River virus. The MAbs
      verified all Canadian topotypes to be JC virus but revealed different patterns of
      reactivity between these topotypes and prototype JC virus.

PMID- 1418322
TI  - Coping with substance abuse: a many-sided task.
AB  - Steady progress is being made towards understanding the use of drugs for non
      therapeutic purposes. The associated problems are increasingly regarded as having
      psychological, biological and social dimensions. There is a growing acceptance
      that the hazardous consumption of alcohol and other drugs can both result from
      and exacerbate poor socioeconomic conditions. Sustained action to combat drug
      related problems is needed on a broad front; there is no panacea.

PMID- 1418323
TI  - Myiasis: the battle continues against screwworm infestation.
AB  - The New World screwworm fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax) caused myiasis extensively
      among livestock in Mexico and the southern third of the USA until eradication was
      achieved by repeatedly releasing sterile males of the species on a massive scale.
      The pest appeared in Libya in 1988, the first time it had become established
      outside the western hemisphere. Because of the threat of myiasis in animals and
      people, not only in Libya but also elsewhere in Africa and beyond, a concerted
      campaign of sterile male releases was mounted with strong international support,
      and the outbreak has been eliminated. Action is continuing against the pest in
      Central America.

PMID- 1418324
TI  - Evaluation of maternal and child health services in Latin America.
AB  - A methodology has been devised for evaluating the efficiencies of maternal and
      child health care services in 18 countries of Latin America. The results point
      towards ways of developing local health systems, strengthening coordination
      between programmes and services, and utilizing resources more rationally.

PMID- 1418325
TI  - Health in space--and on Earth.
AB  - Because astronauts confront unprecedented hazards, manned space exploration has
      to proceed gradually and cautiously, each new step being taken with the benefit
      of what has been learned during earlier stages about bodily requirements. As well
      as helping to protect the lives of astronauts, however, space medicine is proving
      to have valuable applications in global health care.

PMID- 1418326
TI  - Rational education for rational therapy.
AB  - A sound knowledge of pharmacology and clinical therapeutics could help future
      prescribers in India to master the principles and practice of rational therapy.
      The teaching of pharmacology in medical schools should be restructured
      accordingly, and greater attention should be given to the applied aspects of the
      subject. Practicals in experimental pharmacology and dispensing pharmacy should
      be discontinued and useful exercises should be introduced. Methods of evaluation
      should be modified.

PMID- 1418327
TI  - Action to reduce road casualties.
AB  - Progress in road safety is reviewed with particular reference to radical measures
      that have proved beneficial in Australia. Community involvement in decision
      making is vital if gains are to be made and sustained in this field.

PMID- 1418328
TI  - Safe travel--a worthwhile destination.

PMID- 1418329
TI  - Finance for health care: part of a broad canvas.
AB  - The economic crisis of the 1980s led to cuts in both government and household
      expenditure on health in the Third World. In order to address these issues it is
      necessary to adopt a macroeconomic approach to the analysis of the health sector;
      this allows its relationship to the whole economy to be understood. The efficient
      and equitable utilization of resources is particularly important in times of
      severe financial constraint.

PMID- 1418330
TI  - Risk-sharing in rural health care.

PMID- 1418331
TI  - Community participation in the control of filariasis.
AB  - A programme was launched in 1986 for the control of brugian filariasis in an area
      of high endemicity in southern India. Sustained community involvement was
      achieved by integrating economic measures to improve the lot of the people with
      the creation of widespread awareness about the cause of the disease and about the
      possibilities of combating it.

PMID- 1418332
TI  - Traditional healers and community health.
AB  - A review of projects in various countries suggests that traditional healers, if
      properly trained, can contribute significantly to the work of primary care teams.
      Recommendations are offered with a view to making the best possible use of this
      valuable resource.

PMID- 1418333
TI  - Health systems research--a key to progress.
AB  - Papua New Guinea has made significant strides towards establishing a capacity in
      health systems research. This can be expected to strengthen the country's overall
      health development programme.

PMID- 1418334
TI  - Defining health systems research.

PMID- 1418335
TI  - Paradigms old and new.

PMID- 1418336
TI  - An information service on teratogenic agents in Brazil.

PMID- 1418337
TI  - Promotion of breast-feeding in the media.

PMID- 1418338
TI  - Role of traditional birth attendants in the dissemination of advice on nutrition.

PMID- 1418339
TI  - Parents should know how to take a child's temperature.

PMID- 1418340
TI  - Innovation in medical education: looking towards the community.

PMID- 1418342
TI  - Health economics exchange.

PMID- 1418341
TI  - Joint ventures and fair pricing.

PMID- 1418343
TI  - Health literature and bibliographic control in Nigeria.

PMID- 1418344
TI  - Promotion of polio vaccination on television: need for more positive images.

PMID- 1418345
TI  - Mandatory plain packaging for tobacco products.

PMID- 1418346
TI  - China's landmark tobacco law.

PMID- 1418347
TI  - Aftermath of the Armenian earthquake: from emergency aid to cooperation for
      development.

PMID- 1418348
TI  - Baseline studies for community development projects.

PMID- 1418349
TI  - Nurse anaesthetists in the Gambia.

PMID- 1418350
TI  - Primary surgical care.

PMID- 1418351
TI  - X-rays: keeping the doses down.

PMID- 1418352
TI  - Food and drugs: the perils of plenty.
AB  - The abundance of both food and pharmaceuticals in much of Europe has brought
      serious health problems as well as benefits. It is no longer possible to assess
      the quality of most products on the basis of physical examination, and labels
      often carry information that is incomprehensible to lay persons. Governments
      should ensure that consumers can understand both the broad principles of healthy
      living and the nature of the foodstuffs and medicines on offer. It is also
      important that prescribers be kept abreast of developments in the pharmaceutical
      field.

PMID- 1418353
TI  - Challenges and opportunities--one vitamin, two minerals.
AB  - Millions of people suffer and many die from lack of minute traces of nutrients.
      Methods of prevention are cheap and simple. Their universal application could
      yield health and economic benefits comparable to those achieved by smallpox
      eradication.

PMID- 1418354
TI  - A better prospect for city life.
AB  - The WHO "healthy cities" concept is discussed with particular reference to
      initiatives taken in Rennes, France. An outline is given of the collaboration
      between cities, both nationally and internationally, in efforts to achieve the
      health-for-all goals.

PMID- 1418355
TI  - Which way for housing and human settlements?
AB  - In order to clarify the housing and settlements component of the European health
      for-all programme and to identify perceived priorities with a view to the
      preparation of training materials, members of WHO's Rural and Urban Development
      and Housing Network were invited to complete a questionnaire. The results are
      reported below. The questionnaire can be used in identifying local development
      priorities, comparing attitudes, and studying perceived needs. Intended as a tool
      for policy-makers, course organizers and public health professionals, it is
      available from the authors of the present article.

PMID- 1418356
TI  - Essential books for health workers in the Third World.

PMID- 1418358
TI  - Sports and recreation for a healthy life.

PMID- 1418357
TI  - Information support for urban primary health care.

PMID- 1418360
TI  - Global strategy for the prevention and control of AIDS.

PMID- 1418359
TI  - Promotion of heart health in schools.
AB  - The Netherlands Heart Foundation is making a significant contribution to the
      education of primary and secondary school children on the prevention of
      cardiovascular disease, within a broad context of encouragement for healthy life
      styles. Efforts are also being made to ensure that both schoolteachers and pupils
      enjoy a healthy working environment.

PMID- 1418361
TI  - "AIDS: a community commitment" is the theme of World AIDS Day 1992.

PMID- 1418362
TI  - Alzheimer's patients should be included in phase I clinical trials to evaluate
      compounds for Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - Dosage and tolerance are critical issues in successful drug therapy for patients
      with Alzheimer's disease (AD). A clear distinction among patient populations and
      AD patient subpopulations is necessary to ensure a thorough assessment of new
      central nervous system-active compounds. Phase I inpatient trials, in which
      tolerance and safety are evaluated under double-blind conditions in the target
      population, provide valuable information for use in planning multicenter
      outpatient trials. In similar studies, even those involving the elderly,
      tolerance and safety outcomes in healthy volunteers are not always predictable.
      An early trial of the effects of velnacrine in healthy, elderly, male volunteers
      was followed by a trial in the target population. A group of volunteers, aged 60
      to 74 years who did not have AD, received 300 mg of velnacrine each day. This
      dosage was well tolerated for 28 days. Diarrhea, generally of moderate severity,
      was the only reported adverse effect. No subjects were required to discontinue
      taking velnacrine. In contrast, a similar trial showed a dosage of 300 mg of
      velnacrine each day intolerable among patients with AD. Adverse reactions to
      dosages greater than 225 mg/day included dizziness, fainting, nausea and/or
      vomiting, headache, and severe diarrhea. A velnacrine dosage of 225 mg/day
      appeared to be safe and well tolerated in a small population of healthy patients
      with AD. Based on the inpatient experience with AD subjects, a maximum dose of
      225 mg/day was adopted for outpatient studies. Although factors that may
      contribute to drug sensitivity in patients with AD vary beyond conclusive
      parameters, the observed sensitivity within the target AD group may indicate a
      safety/tolerance study as a worthwhile antecedent to multicenter efficacy trials.

PMID- 1418363
TI  - Antidepressant treatment of pathologic laughing or crying in elderly stroke
      patients.
AB  - Pathologic laughing or crying (PLC), a complication of many neurologic disorders,
      involves behavior that is either inappropriate to the context or to the patient's
      subjective feeling state. It is due to a dysregulation of the motoric components
      of emotional experience. PLC is distinct from, but often associated with, major
      depression. The relatively few reports on treatment of PLC are primarily with
      tricyclic antidepressants. We report the effective treatment of PLC due to stroke
      in three patients with nortriptyline or fluoxetine. The cases also illustrate the
      broad spectrum of depressive symptoms (from none to a major depression) seen in
      patients with PLC. We discuss treatment implications and directions for future
      research.

PMID- 1418364
TI  - Alzheimer's disease or plaque disease? Two cases at the frontier of a definition.
AB  - Atypical dementias confront the adequacy of current diagnostic concepts. The two
      patients with atypical dementia syndromes described here shared common postmortem
      features of numerous neocortical neuritic (senile) plaques and microvascular
      amyloid, sparing of hippocampus and substantia nigra, and the virtual absence of
      neurofibrillary tangles. Microscopically, the two differed only by the presence
      of a few subcortical Lewy bodies in case 1. These similar morphologic features
      were associated with dramatically different clinical presentations. In the first
      patient, visual hallucinations, Capgras' syndrome, cognitive slowing, myoclonus,
      parkinsonism, and primitive reflexes evolved over 3 years. Memory and language
      were relatively spared. In the second, dysphagia, nonfluent aphasia, hypophonia,
      motor perseveration, and a severe disorder of attention developed during this 18
      month illness. At autopsy, an unrecognized colon malignancy was found. Despite
      high neuritic plaque counts in cortex, neither the clinical nor the pathologic
      criteria for Alzheimer's disease adequately describe either case. The cases will
      be examined first as clinical, then as neuropathologic, entities. From this
      approach, we conclude that a specific clinical dementia syndrome may be expressed
      by several neuropathologic "diseases" and that a variety of clinical syndromes
      may represent a single neuropathologic diagnosis. This strategy identifies a
      conceptual dichotomy between Alzheimer's syndrome and postmortem Alzheimer's
      disease. Meticulous clinical and neuropathologic observation is essential in
      advancing an understanding of the relationship between the two.

PMID- 1418365
TI  - To drive or not to drive: preliminary results from road testing of patients with
      dementia.
AB  - There has been considerable debate about whether driving privileges should be
      revoked from patients with a diagnosis of dementia and whether highway safety
      policies should come under closer scrutiny for all elderly. Two case studies are
      reported of patients with a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease who
      participated in a pilot project to assess driving. Subjects underwent neurologic
      and neuropsychological evaluation. Caregivers were included in psychosocial
      assessments. Patients participated in a specially designed driving evaluation,
      including an actual road test. Although both patients had mild-to-moderate
      cognitive impairment on standard tests, one of the patients was deemed safe to
      drive on the road test while the other was not. These preliminary results suggest
      that driving skill may not be predictable solely on the basis of the office
      examination. A road competency test provides a more objective and direct measure
      on which to base a decision of such important consequence. Implications for
      public policy and the role for healthcare providers in this process are
      discussed.

PMID- 1418366
TI  - Successful treatment with pimozide of Capgras syndrome in an elderly male.
AB  - A case of Capgras syndrome in a 67-year-old man who failed to improve on
      haloperidol, but responded to pimozide, is described. The patient's paranoid
      delusions abated with 8 mg per day of pimozide. We believe pimozide's established
      benefit in the treatment of delusional disorders warrants its consideration in
      alleviating other delusions, including "the delusion of doubles."

PMID- 1418367
TI  - The SKT neuropsychological test battery.
AB  - The SKT is a brief neuropsychological test battery that includes nine performance
      subtests that define two independent factors of memory and attention deficit. It
      requires no more than 15 minutes to administer and has five parallel forms.
      Developed in Germany, it has been used successfully to document improved
      performance of patients in trials of antidementia drugs in that country. This
      article addresses factor structure and scoring, dementia profile classification,
      reliability, and validity data. The SKT appears to hold promise for efficient
      assessment of objective performance changes to supplement clinical evaluations of
      therapeutic efficacy of new drugs for treatment of senile dementia.

PMID- 1418368
TI  - Pattern of use of antidepressants in long-term care facilities for the elderly.
AB  - Despite some evidence that neuroleptic medication is overused or misused in long
      term care facilities for the elderly, there has been virtually no attention paid
      to the pattern of use of antidepressants in these facilities. All patients in
      long-term care in a geriatric hospital and a home for the aged who were receiving
      antidepressants were identified; 10.5% of the patients in the hospital and 12.7%
      in the home for the aged were receiving an antidepressant. The rate of use of
      antidepressants on the different units ranged from 0% to 26.8%. The most commonly
      prescribed antidepressant was doxepin followed by nortriptyline. The mean dose of
      antidepressant was 34.8 mg. Although depression was the most common reason for
      the prescription of an antidepressant (69% of patients receiving one), other
      reasons included pain, agitation, aggression, and insomnia. Patients had been
      receiving antidepressants for up to 10 years, with a mean duration of 32 months.
      The majority of patients (60%) had a history of depression predating their
      institutional admission. Patients receiving antidepressants were compared to a
      group not receiving antidepressants, who were matched for age, sex, unit, and
      attending physician. Patients receiving antidepressants were more likely to have
      a history of stroke (33.8% versus 16.9%). There was no significant difference
      between the two groups regarding the prevalence of dementia, Parkinson's disease,
      thyroid disease, malignant tumor, congestive heart failure, or diabetes mellitus.
      Prospective studies are required to determine the efficacy of antidepressants in
      this population and to identify factors that can predict a positive response to
      treatment.

PMID- 1418369
TI  - Limitation of the Mini-Mental State Examination for the detection of amnesia.
AB  - The present study demonstrates the limitation of the Mini-Mental State
      Examination (MMSE) for detecting the amnestic syndrome. Although
      neuropsychological testing yielded severe memory deficits in all of the 11
      amnesic patients tested, six of the patients obtained total MMSE scores above the
      standard cutoff score of 24. Further, only six patients completely failed the
      MMSE recall item, and three patients performed errorlessly on this item. Results
      from one postencephalitic patient are presented in detail. She performed the
      serial sevens task very quickly and subsequently recalled all three of the to-be
      remembered words. Her performance on other memory tests confirmed that a longer
      retention interval than that provided by the MMSE is necessary to elicit her
      memory disorder.

PMID- 1418370
TI  - The association of normal-pressure hydrocephalus with obstructive sleep apnea.
AB  - This report describes a 70-year-old man with obstructive sleep apnea who
      deteriorated rapidly when nasal continuous positive airway pressure was begun.
      The patient was found to have normal-pressure hydrocephalus, which was possibly
      exacerbated by the nasal continuous positive airway pressure. A review of the
      literature indicates several significant associations between apnea, normal
      pressure hydrocephalus, and increased intracranial pressure and suggests that the
      association of obstructive sleep apnea and hydrocephalus might not be rare.
      Implications for diagnosis and treatment are discussed.

PMID- 1418371
TI  - Induction of TH1 and TH2 responses: a key role for the 'natural' immune response?
AB  - What pushes a T-cell response towards a predominantly TH1 or TH2 phenotype?
      Several factors have been proposed, including the properties of antigens, dose of
      antigen, site of exposure and ongoing immune response in the host. Here, Sergio
      Romagnani presents new evidence to indicate a determining role for the 'natural'
      immune response, including NK cells and cells of the mast cell/basophil lineage,
      in the subsequent 'specific' T-cell response.

PMID- 1418372
TI  - Immunotoxins: the power and the glory.
AB  - Immunotoxins are hybrid proteins in which the potent cytocidal action of a toxin
      is harnessed for the selective destruction of target cells by attachment to a
      specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) or growth factor. This brief article describes
      the latest advances in the molecular and cellular biology, pharmacology and
      clinical evaluation of immunotoxins, as discussed at a recent meeting.

PMID- 1418373
TI  - Eosinophils 1992.
AB  - This report from a recent meeting* highlights some of the key developments in
      eosinophil research and assesses their impact on current views of the role of
      eosinophils in inflammation. Considerable progress has been made in defining the
      structure, constituents and properties of eosinophils in vitro and these new
      insights into eosinophil biology are summarized. A new era is beginning in which
      the roles of eosinophils can be assessed and defined in vivo.

PMID- 1418374
TI  - The developmental relationship between NK cells and T cells.
AB  - NK cells and T cells share many features, suggesting that they have a common
      origin. Here, Lewis Lanier and colleagues describe recent studies of fetal
      ontogeny and thymic development that provide support for this hypothesis, and
      propose an integrated scheme for NK-cell and T-cell development.

PMID- 1418375
TI  - Immunoglobulins did not arise in evolution to fight infection.
AB  - The complex interactions between B and T cells in response to external antigens
      are the major focus of contemporary immunology. Here, John Stewart argues that
      they may be relatively late evolutionary developments, due to the redeployment of
      a system invented for other reasons. He suggests that the system of variable
      region molecules (VRM) arose, at the time of the first vertebrates, by an
      endogenous, self-organizing process; this primordial VRM system instituted a
      molecular ecology, a function so important that from then on no vertebrate has
      been able to do without it.

PMID- 1418376
TI  - Mechanisms of self tolerance.
AB  - The redundancy of biological systems minimizes the probability that isolated
      molecular and cellular defects entail deleterious consequences. This notion also
      applies to the establishment and maintenance of tolerance to self antigens. Thus,
      immune homeostasis is attributed to multiple distinct safety valves that are
      connected in series and intervene at defined control points of the life cycle of
      the developing lymphocyte to guarantee the physical elimination, functional
      inactivation, or regulated inhibition of self-reactive, potentially
      autoaggressive, B and T cells.

PMID- 1418377
TI  - Diseases associated with HTLV-I: virus, IL-2 receptor dysregulation and redox
      regulation.
AB  - HTLV-I, the etiological agent in adult T-cell leukemia, has also been strongly
      implicated in a number of non-neoplastic T-cell-associated diseases. Here, Junji
      Yodoi and Takashi Uchiyama review these associations and focus on the emerging
      concepts of IL-2R dysregulation and redox regulation by adult T-cell leukemia
      derived factor in the pathogenesis of HTLV-I-related diseases.

PMID- 1418378
TI  - Insect defensins: inducible antibacterial peptides.
AB  - In response to bacterial challenge or trauma, insects produce a battery of
      bactericidal or bacteriostatic molecules with a broad spectrum of activity
      against Gram-positive and/or Gram-negative bacteria; most are small-sized
      cationic peptides. This review focuses on insect defensins, a large group of
      inducible antibacterial peptides that are present both in ancient and recent
      insect orders. This immune response of insects shares many of the characteristics
      of the mammalian acute phase response.

PMID- 1418379
TI  - Arguments against routine adenotonsillectomy.

PMID- 1418380
TI  - Studies of cytokine receptor expression by cells of the immune system--a waste of
      time?

PMID- 1418381
TI  - More evidence for a case for chaperones in antigen processing.

PMID- 1418382
TI  - The size of the mature membrane receptor for follicle-stimulating hormone is
      larger than that predicted from its cDNA.
AB  - A 240 kDa protein isolated from bovine calf testis has been shown to have
      properties characteristic of an FSH receptor. However, rat testis FSH receptor
      has, on the basis of cloning experiments, been found to have a much lower
      molecular mass of 75 kDa (peptide only). To examine this point, the size of the
      FSH receptor in membranes obtained from cultured Sertoli cells of immature rats
      was determined after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under non-reducing
      conditions, followed by transfer to polyvinylidene difluoride membranes and
      direct identification of the FSH receptor by ligand blot analysis utilizing
      radioiodinated human FSH. In this system, the rat Sertoli cell membrane FSH
      receptor also showed a molecular mass of 240 kDa. Bovine testis contains LH and
      FSH receptors. We compared the sizes of FSH and LH receptors present in the same
      bovine testis membrane preparation by ligand blot analysis. The FSH receptor
      again showed a molecular mass of 240 kDa, whereas the LH receptor showed a
      molecular mass of 90 kDa. The latter value is similar to that deduced by cloning
      techniques (75 kDa, peptide only). The evidence seems to suggest that, whereas
      the molecular mass deduced for the LH receptor on the basis of its cDNA is
      similar to that of the mature membrane receptor, the size of the FSH membrane
      receptor is considerably different from that deduced on the basis of its cDNA,
      presumably as a result of post-translational processing. The marked difference in
      size between mature FSH (240 kDa) and LH (90 kDa) receptors may reflect
      significant structural differences of importance with regard to mechanisms of
      signal transduction.

PMID- 1418383
TI  - Design and synthesis of heterofunctional V1a-selective vasopressin receptor
      ligands with lysine at position 9.
AB  - A peptide analogue of [8-arginine]vasopressin (AVP) with Lys substituted for Gly
      at position 9 ([d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)2LysNH2(9)]AVP; ALVP) has been synthesized as a
      precursor for the production of heterofunctional vasopressin receptor ligands.
      Three heterofunctional ligands have been prepared by attaching biotin and a
      photoreactive cross-linker capable of iodination, either alone or in combination,
      to the epsilon-amino group of Lys at position 9 in ALVP. The binding
      characteristics of these novel ligands have been determined at the V1a and V2
      vasopressin receptors by employing membrane preparations of rat liver and kidney
      respectively. All of the analogues synthesized during the course of this study
      bound selectively, and with high affinity, to the V1a vasopressin receptor
      subtype. Our results demonstrate that the strategies described in this paper
      provide a convenient means of synthesizing heterofunctional vasopressin receptor
      ligands with preservation of subtype-specific, high affinity binding
      characteristics. These parameters establish the potential value of the analogues
      as probes for investigating V1a receptor structure and function.

PMID- 1418385
TI  - Regulation of steady-state follistatin mRNA levels in rat granulosa cells in
      vitro.
AB  - The regulation of steady-state follistatin mRNA levels by different pituitary
      hormones and peptide factors was examined in granulosa cell cultures derived from
      diethylstilboestrol-treated immature rats. Cytosolic RNA from cell cultures was
      prepared by lysis and equal amounts of RNA from all samples were analysed with a
      solution-hybridization assay using a 32P-labelled antisense probe corresponding
      to a part of exon 5 together with a part of the 5' end of exon 6 of the rat
      follistatin gene. In addition, a specific 35S-labelled probe for cyclophilin was
      used as an internal standard. The results show that 5 micrograms FSH/l for 24 to
      72 h stimulated steady-state follistatin mRNA levels, reaching levels 18.5-fold
      higher than controls. LH (0.2-100 micrograms/l) had only minor effects on
      follistatin mRNA levels in FSH-primed granulosa cells and prolactin, GH and IGF-I
      did not show any significant effects. Activin raised basal as well as FSH
      stimulated steady-state follistatin mRNA levels up to ten- and twofold above
      controls respectively, whereas epidermal growth factor was found to inhibit FSH
      stimulated follistatin mRNA levels in a dose-dependent manner. It is concluded
      that follistatin mRNA levels in granulosa cells are regulated by FSH rather than
      LH, and that the stimulation by FSH can be inhibited by epidermal growth factor
      but enhanced by activin. Activin alone was also capable of stimulating
      follistatin mRNA.

PMID- 1418384
TI  - Hormonal control of insulin-like growth factor-II gene expression in the rat
      liver.
AB  - IGF-II in the rat is an embryonic/fetal growth factor. Transcription of its gene
      falls abruptly in the liver at about 18-20 days postnatally. In an attempt to
      elucidate the mechanisms controlling this phenomenon, we used Northern analysis
      to investigate the effect of corticosterone and thyroid hormones (tri
      iodothyronine and tetra-iodothyronine) on hepatic IGF-II mRNA levels. The
      administration of either corticosterone or tri-iodothyronine to 8-day-old pups
      resulted in a significant decrease in IGF-II mRNA when the animals were examined
      on day 12 of life. Adrenalectomy, thyroidectomy or adrenalectomy combined with
      thyroidectomy were, however, without effect. Our results indicate that
      glucocorticoid and thyroid hormones are not the exclusive regulators of IGF-II
      gene transcription in the rat liver, but participate in this process, which
      appears to involve multifactorial interactions.

PMID- 1418386
TI  - Extra-pancreatic expression of the rat islet amyloid polypeptide (amylin) gene.
AB  - Messenger RNA for rat islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) has been identified not
      only in the pancreas but also, in lesser amounts, in preparations from the
      stomach and dorsal root ganglia. In the stomach, insulin mRNA was not detectable,
      ruling out possible contamination by pancreatic tissue. Because IAPP and
      calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) are related and CGRP is present in both
      stomach and dorsal root ganglia, it was possible that 'IAPP' signals were in fact
      due to cross-hybridization with CGRP mRNA. A second IAPP probe was constructed
      which does not cross-react. This probe also detected mRNA in both tissues,
      confirming the expression of IAPP in both tissues. The regional distribution of
      IAPP mRNA in the stomach did not parallel that of gastrin mRNA. IAPP mRNA was
      present in the antrum, centrum and pylorus and, like gastrin, the highest amounts
      were in the pylorus. However, the ratio between the pylorus and centrum was 3.6:1
      for IAPP and 156:1 for gastrin. The effects of dietary manipulation were
      determined; a period of 48 h of starvation reduced pancreatic IAPP mRNA by
      approximately 60%, whereas in the stomach there was no significant reduction. If
      the action of IAPP was hormonal, pancreas and stomach would not be acting in
      concert. A paracrine role for gastric IAPP therefore seems more likely.

PMID- 1418387
TI  - Membrane permeability to K+ and the control of aldosterone synthesis: effects of
      valinomycin and cromakalim in bovine adrenocortical cells.
AB  - Stimulation of aldosterone synthesis by angiotensin II (AII) is associated with
      depolarization of the cell membrane. Since the potential difference of
      adrenocortical cells is dependent on membrane permeability to potassium ions, the
      effects of agents which hyperpolarize the cell (by increasing permeability to K+)
      on the control of aldosterone synthesis were investigated further. Basal and AII
      stimulated aldosterone synthesis was increased by 20-70% in cells incubated with
      1 or 10 nM of the potassium ionophore valinomycin; higher concentrations markedly
      inhibited AII-stimulated synthesis. Cromakalim, a potential antihypertensive drug
      which facilitates the opening of K+ channels in smooth muscle cells, stimulated
      basal aldosterone synthesis at 2 microM but had no effect at 40 microM. AII
      stimulated aldosterone synthesis was not affected by cromakalim except at 40
      microM, which was inhibitory. The inhibitory effects of cromakalim, unlike those
      of valinomycin, were not reversible. Aldosterone synthesis from added
      hydroxycholesterol and pregnenolone (but not from deoxycorticosterone and
      corticosterone) was significantly inhibited by 40 microM cromakalim. Potassium
      efflux from cells preloaded with 43K was unaffected by low concentrations of
      valinomycin, but was markedly increased by concentrations which inhibited AII
      stimulated aldosterone production. Small decreases and increases in 43K efflux,
      caused by 1 and 40 microM cromakalim respectively, corresponded with increases
      and decreases in basal aldosterone production; cromakalim did not affect 43K
      efflux from AII-stimulated cells. We suggest that increasing adrenocortical cell
      membrane permeability to K+ reduces steroidogenesis, but that valinomycin and
      cromakalim have other actions which complicate the relationship between 43K
      efflux and aldosterone production. Cromakalim appears to inhibit 21-hydroxylase
      activity in the biosynthetic pathway and may also affect 3 beta-hydroxysteroid
      dehydrogenase activity.

PMID- 1418388
TI  - Microheterogeneity of pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone in male rats:
      differential effects of the chronic androgen deprivation induced by castration or
      androgen blockade.
AB  - Testicular androgens are known to influence not only the secretion but also the
      bioactivity and molecular composition of pituitary FSH. In the present study, we
      investigated the effects of chronic androgen blockade and castration on the
      molecular heterogeneity of the gonadotrophin. Groups of male adult rats (five
      animals per group) received one of the following treatments: vehicle, the non
      steroidal anti-androgens casodex (20 mg/kg per day) or flutamide (20 mg/kg per
      day), or castration. After 8 weeks, the animals were killed and individual
      pituitary homogenates fractionated by isoelectric focusing (IEF) on sucrose
      density gradients in the pH range 2.5-8. FSH was measured by radioimmunoassay
      (RIA) in the individual fractions and by invitro bioassay (Sertoli cell aromatase
      bioassay) in pools of fractions which were combined according to pH intervals of
      0.5 units. Bioactive and immunoreactive FSH were also measured in sera and
      unfractionated pituitary extracts. Testosterone and inhibin were assayed in sera
      by RIA. A significant increase in serum immunoreactive and bioactive FSH was
      demonstrated in flutamide-treated and castrated animals, whereas the pituitary
      content of bioactive FSH remained unchanged in the four groups. Serum
      testosterone and inhibin were undetectable in castrated animals and significantly
      increased in those treated with flutamide. By RIA, the IEF profiles of the
      flutamide-treated and castrated rats showed a significant reduction of the FSH
      isoforms with 3.5 < pI < 4, with a significant increase in the isoforms with pI >
      4 only in the castrated group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418389
TI  - [Measurement of mediators in drug allergies. Preliminary study].
AB  - Drug allergy is still a region where diagnosis remains difficult. It relies on
      clinical history, sometimes skin tests and lymphoblast transformation tests,
      though only when the antigen is soluble. Provocation tests may, if there is a
      doubt, prove the involvement of the drug. It may be made objective by the
      measurement of mediators: ECD and tryptase, thus showing the involvement of
      eosinophils and mastocytes. Should change in these mediators be associated with a
      syndromic reaction or is it on its own, a diagnostic factor? A complementary
      study with a reference group, on a sufficient number of patients has allowed,
      with the assistance of a statistical analysis, better objectivity from the
      results.

PMID- 1418390
TI  - [Occupational asthma caused by isocyanates].
AB  - The aim of our study is to find whether the percentage of RAST positives to
      isocyanates within a company is a reflection of the exposure of the workers.
      Specific IgE was sought in 199 workers from ten companies where isocyanates were
      used. Twenty of them were followed for some time (june 87 to september 90). A non
      exposed reference group was used for comparison. Measurements were made by the
      Pharmacia RAST-ELISA Method. In some cases, controls were made by RAST-RIA and
      CAPS ELISA/RIA. Results show that the proportion of positive RAST varies from one
      organisation to another and is probably a measure of the type and intensity of
      the exposure; the improvement of the working conditions to reduce the ambient
      concentration reduces, in time, the proportion of positive RAST; there were no
      positive RAST in the reference group; the conditions of taking and storage of
      blood samples before analysis influences the result. In conclusion, measurement
      of specific IgE may be an useful alternative to measurement of ambient
      concentration for following workers exposed to isocyanates.

PMID- 1418391
TI  - [Measurement of specific IgE (sIgE) using the MATRIX technique].
AB  - In this study, on 34 subjects, the technique for measurement of sIgE by the
      MATRIX technique has been compared with the reference of CAP RAST, skin tests and
      clinical history. The two techniques of CAP RAST and MATRIX are judged to be
      comparable (correlation percentage 88.2%). The results obtained with four
      allergens [D. pteronyssinus, Timothy grass (Phleum pratense), cat and dog] done
      separately confirm the reliability of the technique. The study was completed by a
      comparison of the advantage and disadvantages of CAP RAST and MATRIX. This shows
      that the manipulation time is much reduced, but with a longer delay time and high
      reagent cost. In contrast, it has the enormous advantage of using a standardised
      range of allergens.

PMID- 1418392
TI  - Combined treatment of allergic rhinitis with terfenadine and nimesulide, a non
      steroidal antiinflammatory drug.
AB  - Thirty patient with allergic rhinitis sensitized to Parietaria pollen were
      enrolled in a double-blind clinical trial in order to evaluate whether the
      addition of nimesulide, a non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug, to standard
      antihistamine therapy may improve symptom relief. Patients were randomly divided
      in two groups: one was given terfenadine (120 mg/day) and nimesulide (200
      mg/day), the other was given terfenadine (120 mg/day) and placebo. Both
      treatments lasted 30 days. Clinical efficacy was assessed by physical examination
      on 1st, 15th, 30th day of treatment, daily self-evaluation of symptom score, and
      patient's overall judgement at the end of the trial. The group receiving
      terfenadine + nimesulide reported a significant lower symptom score and gave a
      better overall evaluation than the group receiving terfenadine + placebo. These
      results suggest that the addition of nimesulide to antihistamine treatment may be
      useful to achieve a better relief of symptoms in allergic rhinitis.

PMID- 1418393
TI  - Plasma osteocalcin concentrations in cows around parturition. The influence of a
      regular versus a very short dry period.
AB  - Plasma Ca, P, Mg and OC concentrations were compared between 2 groups of Holstein
      cows around 2nd calving. Thirteen cows were milked until their daily milk
      production was lower than 2 kg, which occurred 4 d before parturition. The
      control group (8 cows) was normally dried 8 weeks before the expected time of
      calving. Apart from the week following the initiation of the dry period where
      plasma OC concentrations were significantly lower in dried cows than in the
      control group (which would indicate lower bone remodeling in dried cows), no
      significant difference concerning Ca, P, Mg and OC concentrations were observed
      between the 2 groups of cows. This indicates that the only lack of 1 8-week-long
      dry period probably has no major immediate effect upon Ca and bone metabolism in
      young dairy cows given a convenient Ca and P daily intake. Nevertheless, the lack
      of the dried period might protect the cow against parturient hypocalcemia: the
      decrease in plasma Ca and P concentrations observed 12 h after calving was less
      intense in non-dried cows than in controls.

PMID- 1418394
TI  - Degradation of maize stem by two rumen fungal species, Piromyces communis and
      Caecomyces communis, in pure cultures or in association with cellulolytic
      bacteria.
AB  - Two species of rumen fungi, Piromyces (Piromonas) communis FL and Caecomyces
      (Sphaeromonas) communis FG10, were cultured alone or in association with the
      cellulolytic bacteria Ruminococcus flavefaciens or Fibrobacter succinogenes on
      maize stem. A kinetic study of the degradation of the substrate was then made.
      After 48 h of culture, all non-lignified tissues observed by scanning electron
      microscopy disappeared with P communis and degradation was as complete as that
      observed in the rumen. In contrast, C communis degraded little of the plant cell
      walls. The ability of P communis to more rapidly degrade maize stem was probably
      due to the presence of filamentous rhizoids. The extent of dry matter loss after
      8 days of incubation was practically the same in all the monocultures and in the
      4 cocultures. However, the rate of degradation was faster in the bacterial than
      in the fungal monocultures and the co-cultures. No metabolic interaction was
      observed.

PMID- 1418395
TI  - Follicular dynamics, plasma metabolites, hormones and insulin-like growth factor
      I (IGF-I) in lactating cows with positive or negative energy balance during the
      preovulatory period.
AB  - The effect of dietary energy balance (EB) on growth of ovarian follicles was
      tested. Cows (n = 9) were fed a high energy diet (HE diet; positive EB; n = 4) or
      switched to a low energy diet (LE diet; negative EB; n = 5) during the
      preovulatory period. Non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were greater in cows fed
      the LE diet. Concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) were similar in HE and LE
      cows. However, the growth of preovulatory follicles in cows fed the LE diet was
      50% that of cows fed the HE diet. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in plasma
      was less in LE-fed cows compared with HE-fed cows, and plasma IGF-I was
      positively correlated to estrogen: progesterone ratio in follicular fluid of
      dominant follicles. In summary, slower follicular growth in cows fed an LE diet
      occurred despite normal plasma LH and coincided with reduced IGF-I and elevated
      NEFA in plasma.

PMID- 1418396
TI  - Feeding behavior in rats on a complete diet containing Concanavalin A.
AB  - Canavalia ensiformis is a tropical legume which could be used in animal feeding.
      However, it contains a lectin, Concanavalin A (Con A) which is harmful to
      animals. When rats are presented with a diet containing Con A, rejection of the
      food appears very soon after the beginning of ingestion. In order to examine this
      rejection phenomenon 3 studies were carried out. The rejection was found not to
      be due to a neophobic response, nor could it be attributed to a conditioned taste
      aversion. The gastric intubation study suggested the hypothesis that it could be
      the binding of the lectin to the glycosylated molecules from the gut membrane
      which impaired absorption and hence food intake.

PMID- 1418397
TI  - [In vitro simulation of rabbit cecal fermentation in a semi- continuous flow
      fermentor. I. Role of food substrate pretreatment].
AB  - A Rusitec semi-continuous flow fermentor was used to study the influence of
      enzyme pretreatment of food substrates on the fermentation profile over a 2-week
      period following inoculation with rabbit caecal contents. Three types of
      substrate were examined: 1) homogenized commercial rabbit feed; 2) the solid
      remains of this feed after digestion with alpha-amylase for 24 h; and 3)
      substrate 2 digested for 4 h with pepsin (double enzyme treatment). One of a pair
      of nylon pouches containing 15 g substrate was replaced each day, thus producing
      a uniform 48-h fermentation. Fermentation of the untreated feed (1) for 5-6 days
      produced a fermentation profile quite different from that obtained in vivo in the
      rabbit caecum: propionic acid accounted for over 35% of total volatile fatty acid
      (VFA), and butyric acid for about 15%. Amylase digestion (2) gave a stable
      ferment profile closer to the in vivo profile, except that propionic and butyric
      acids were similar at 15% of total VFA. Digestion with both amylase and pepsin
      (3) produced a stable fermentation profile very close to the in vivo profile: C2
      > 60%, C3 < 11% and 17% < C4 < 21%. The rate at which membrane constituents (acid
      detergent fibre, ADF) were lost in 48 h was similar to the digestibility
      coefficient measured in vivo by others for the same basic feed. Lastly, there was
      a high percentage (about 5%) of volatile C5 fatty acids; this could be due to the
      discontinuous fermentor input of one pouch per 24 h. Thus, feed pretreated with
      both amylase and pepsin simulates, in vitro, rabbit caecal fermentation in a semi
      continuous Rusitec type fermentor.

PMID- 1418398
TI  - [In vivo study of cecal fermentation activity in the rabbit. Completion and
      validation of a new technique for cecal cannulation].
AB  - A new technique for caecal cannulation in adult rabbit was validated in order to
      perform in vivo studies of caecal fermentation under a physiological status. The
      cannulation did not modify the digestibility of the diet, and it was possible to
      collect digesta (10 g fresh matter) after a few minutes without stress for
      animals only 10 days post-surgery. Volatile fatty acid (VFA) (60 mM/l) and
      ammonia (11 mM/l) concentration of caecal digesta collected in vivo was not
      different from that obtained from slaughtered rabbits. VFA measurements were
      reproducible (CV = 6.8%) and were not dependent on the daily collection frequency
      (1-5/day). Caecal VFA level in the starved rabbit was very low (23 mM/l) while
      the butyrate/propionate rate was the inverse (C4/C3 = 0.6). Five h after feeding,
      the in vivo VFA level reached 96 mM/l and the butyrate proportion (12%) over
      reached those of propionate (3.5%). The caecal fermentations of a 7-week-old
      rabbit differed from those of an adult by a higher VFA level and by a greater
      post-feeding variation in the fermentation pattern.

PMID- 1418399
TI  - Influence of the method of forage conservation on feeding behaviour, intake and
      characteristics of reticulo-rumen content, in sheep fed ad libitum.
AB  - The influence of silage conservation methods on eating behaviour and the
      characteristics of reticulo-rumen contents was studied in sheep by comparing 3
      forages, a silage without additive (WAS), one with additive (FAS) and hay (H),
      prepared from the same cut green forage. The sheep were rumen fistulated. WAS was
      very badly and FAS poorly preserved while the hay was dried under favourable
      conditions. The forages were fed ad libitum and the dry matter (DM) intake was
      1,054, 1,241 and 1,469 g/day for WAS, FAS and H respectively. There was a single
      feeding in the morning. At the main meal, DM intake was 270, 317 and 388 g/day
      and ingestion rate 4.76, 4.56 and 4.16 g of DM/min for WAS, FAS and H
      respectively. There was slight recovery in ingestion around 16-19 h with hay and
      FAS but not with WAS. With hay, rumination lasted much longer than with the
      silages and began sooner after the end of the main meal. In contrast, overall
      rumination efficiency was the same for hay and FAS. There were fewer contractions
      of the reticulo-rumen with both WAS and hay. The amounts of reticulo-rumen
      contents were comparable for the 2 silages and higher for hay. The amounts of NH3
      in the contents were the same with WAS and hay but greater with FAS. With WAS,
      contents were richer in butyric, valeric and caproic acids. The DM turnover rate
      of the contents was the same for FAS and hay and lower, but not significantly,
      for WAS. Accordingly, with silage, satiety seems to be rapidly reached but there
      was no evidence that organoleptic factors were involved. There were no problems
      with the digestion rate of silages. However, the factors limiting silage intake
      persisted throughout the diurnal cycle, and reticulo-rumen fill was affected. The
      more poorly preserved the silage the more these factors reduced the duration and
      volume of the meals, or both.

PMID- 1418400
TI  - Ultrastructural study of sex inversion in a protogynous hermaphrodite,
      Epinephelus microdon (Teleostei, Serranidae).
AB  - Sex inversion of Epinephelus microdon, a protogynous hermaphrodite was studied
      using light and electron microscopic criteria. The sex changes takes place within
      ex-ovarian lamellae in which, in addition to spermatogonia, numerous primordial
      germ cells (PGCs) were detected. These undifferentiated and bipotential early
      germ cells are involved, as well as spermatogonia, in the building up of the
      testis.

PMID- 1418401
TI  - Sera from preeclamptic women specifically activate human umbilical vein
      endothelial cells in vitro: morphological and biochemical evidence.
AB  - Endothelial cell dysfunction could explain many of the pathophysiological changes
      observed in preeclampsia. Markers of endothelial cell activation including
      increased circulating Von Willebrand factor (VWF) and cellular fibronectin (cFN)
      antedate clinically evident disease. We have therefore proposed that alteration
      of endothelial cell function by circulating agent(s) produced by the placenta
      initiates the clinical syndrome. This hypothesis predicts that there are a
      factor(s) in the blood of women with preeclampsia that are capable of altering
      endothelial cell function. We and others have examined in vitro interactions of
      maternal serum and endothelial cells to test this hypothesis. Our initial report
      indicating increased release of [51Cr]chromate from human umbilical vein
      endothelial cells (HUVE) suggested a lethal, lytic effect of serum from
      preeclamptic women. However, more specific indicators of endothelial cell
      structure and function do not support such a nonspecific effect. The morphology
      of HUVE was minimally altered after exposure to sera of preeclamptic women, and
      the entry of propidium iodide entry into cells, a sensitive indicator of membrane
      integrity, also was not increased. These findings, in combination with the
      increased expression of mRNA for platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), suggest
      endothelial cell activation rather than cell death in response to sera from
      preeclamptic women. Comparison of the effects of endotoxin and sera from
      preeclamptic women also supports the specificity of this response. Whereas
      endotoxin strikingly increased VWF on the surface of HUVE and tissue factor
      activity in conditioned media while minimally increasing cFN, preeclamptic sera
      increased cFN but had no demonstrable effect on VWF or tissue factor
      activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418402
TI  - Interleukin-1 alpha and interleukin-1 beta in preterm and term human parturition.
AB  - Interleukin-1 (IL-1) has been implicated in the mechanism of human parturition in
      the setting of infection. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect
      of labor (term and preterm) and microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity on
      amniotic fluid (AF) concentrations IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta. AF was retrieved by
      transabdominal amniocentesis from the following groups of women: midtrimester
      genetic amniocentesis (16 to 18 wk) (N = 15), preterm labor with intact membranes
      (21 to 36 wk) with or without infection (N = 72), preterm premature rupture of
      membranes (PROM) (N = 88), and term not in labor or in active labor with or
      without infection (N = 58). AF was cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria as
      well as Mycoplasmas. IL-1 was measured with a commercially available immunoassay
      validated for AF (sensitivity: IL-1 alpha, 157 pg/ml; IL-1 beta, 50 pg/ml). All
      women at midtrimester had undetectable AF IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta. Among women
      in preterm labor with positive AF cultures, IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta were
      detectable in the AF in 86.6% (13/15) and 100% (15/15), respectively. In
      contrast, all women with negative AF cultures without labor (N = 36) had
      undetectable AF IL-1 alpha concentrations and 52.7% (19/36) had undetectable AF
      IL-1 beta concentrations. Histopathological chorioamnionitis was present in 92.8%
      (13/14) of patients who had positive AF cultures and detectable IL-1 in the AF.
      IL-1 was significantly higher in patients with preterm PROM, labor, and positive
      AF cultures than in the other subgroups of patients with preterm PROM.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418403
TI  - Update on immunotherapy for recurrent pregnancy loss.
AB  - Results of recent, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials have raised
      questions about the efficacy of immunotherapy for recurrent spontaneous abortion
      (RSA). Most of the clinical trials have shown a 70% successful pregnancy rate
      with immunotherapy. The controversy comes from variations in success rates in the
      control populations, which have ranged from 29% to 76%. Explanations for these
      variations includes small sample sizes and heterogeneity by the populations
      studied as well as cointervention by the placebo. A meta-analysis has been
      proposed to investigate these explanations. Because the trials have largely used
      husband's leukocytes for immunization, alternative forms of immunotherapy have
      been sought. Two treatments that have been proposed but have not completed
      testing a randomized, placebo-controlled trials are intravenous immunoglobulin
      (IVIG) and immunization with seminal plasma. A safe and efficacious method is
      needed to treat recurrent spontaneous abortion; it is hoped that results of
      proposed studies will answer this controversy.

PMID- 1418404
TI  - Association between infertility and spontaneous abortion.
AB  - Women experiencing recurrent spontaneous abortion have a higher frequency of
      infertility than that expected in the general population. To further define the
      relationships between infertility and spontaneous abortion, the obstetrical
      histories of 43 women with unexplained secondary infertility were evaluated for
      the frequency of spontaneous abortion. Of the 88 pregnancies studied, 39 (44%)
      resulted in spontaneous abortion. Women with unexplained secondary infertility
      experienced a three-fold increase (P less than 0.0001) in the frequency of
      spontaneous abortions and half the number of live births (P less than 0.0001)
      compared with the general population. We conclude that the association between
      infertility and spontaneous abortion includes a higher frequency of spontaneous
      abortion among infertile couples as well as a higher prevalence of infertility
      among recurrent spontaneous aborters compared with the general population.

PMID- 1418405
TI  - Evaluation of immunological infertility.
AB  - To evaluate the frequency with which immunological factors are associated with
      infertility, 92 couples with unexplained infertility were studied by using assays
      to detect anti-sperm antibodies (ASA), human leukocyte antigen tissue types
      (HLA), lymphocytotoxic antibodies (LCA), and inhibitors of mixed lymphocyte
      culture (MLC) and mouse blastocyst assay (MBA). Seventy-three of the women had
      blood assayed for antiphospholipid antibodies (APA). The frequencies of APA, ASA,
      LCA, inhibitors of MLC and MBA, as well as HLA associations previously reported
      to be related to infertility (B locus blanks, single DQ locus in offspring,
      greater than 1 DR sharing between mates) among 92 infertile couples were compared
      with those observed among 41 fertile control couples. No significant differences
      in the frequencies of APA, ASA, MBA, and HLA associations between fertile and
      infertile couples were observed. Fertile couples demonstrated the presence of
      wife anti-husband LCA and MLC inhibitors more frequently than did infertile
      couples (51% vs. 8%, P = 0.0001 and 29% vs. 4%, P = 0.002, respectively). While
      APA, ASA, HLA tissue typing, LCA, and MLC and MBA have been previously reported
      as being markers of autoimmune and alloimmune responses relating to reproductive
      outcome, the current data suggest that more specific markers are necessary to
      diagnose immunological components of infertility.

PMID- 1418406
TI  - New concepts in ovarian regulation: an immune insight.
AB  - The purpose of the ovary is to produce eggs. In the human, oocyte production
      occurs cyclically at monthly intervals. The control of egg production is provided
      by both the endocrine and immune systems. Successful oocyte production is the
      result of sophisticated communication between the two systems. These interactions
      allow adaptive processes necessary for continuation of the species.

PMID- 1418407
TI  - Sperm antibodies.
AB  - Anti-sperm antibodies (ASA) occur in 1% to 30% of infertile couples. Mechanisms
      by which ASA impair fertility include prevention of fertilization by decreasing
      acrosome reaction and/or zona pellucida binding, and postfertilization effects.
      Treatment for ASA involves assisted reproductive technologies.

PMID- 1418408
TI  - Characterization of the anti-cancer activity of transferrin-adriamycin
      conjugates.
AB  - The anthracycline anti-cancer drug adriamycin (Adr) was coupled to human
      transferrin (Trf) by using a glutaraldehyde technique. The effect of Trf-Adr
      conjugates and unconjugated Adr on human cells was determined by using normal
      peripheral blood mononuclear cells and chronic myelogenous K562 cells.
      Cytotoxicity was determined by using an assay that measures the conversion of a
      tetrazolium salt (MTT) into a purple product (formazan) by mitochondrial
      dehydrogenases in viable cells. We found that free Adr at a concentration of 1 x
      10(-7) had little effect on K562 cells, while Trf-Adr conjugates inhibited 75% of
      cellular activity. When normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells were tested
      against Trf-Adr conjugates, the 50% inhibitory concentration was found to be 1.4
      1.7 x 10(-6) M, at which concentration greater than 85% of K562 cells were
      inhibited. Interactions of Trf-Adr conjugates with plasma membrane energy
      producing systems are the proposed mechanisms of cytotoxicity.

PMID- 1418409
TI  - Proto-oncogenes and germ-cell differentiation.
AB  - Oncogenes are identified functionally by their ability to induce neoplastic
      transformation of susceptible cells. The first oncogenes to be characterized were
      isolated from acutely transforming retroviruses. Subsequently, it was determined
      that the retroviral oncogenes were formed from normal, progenitor genes. These
      cellular homologs of the viral oncogenes are termed proto-oncogenes. The
      derivation of oncogenes from proto-oncogenes is the consequence of mutations that
      remove regulatory constraints from the proto-oncogene. The ability of oncogenes
      to induce transformation implies that proto-oncogenes may function in growth and
      differentiation pathways in normal cells. Although many proto-oncogenes have been
      defined, the normal physiological function of most is not known. Studies of proto
      oncogene expression during normal gametogenesis have determined that some genes
      are expressed in a stage-specific manner. The use of germ cells to provide
      homogeneous and defined normal cell populations facilitates identifying the roles
      proto-oncogenes have in regulating cell growth and differentiation.

PMID- 1418411
TI  - A cohort study of maternal HLA-DR homozygosity and increased risk for fetal loss.

PMID- 1418410
TI  - Efficacy of immunotherapy for unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion: the
      role of guidelines and meta analysis.

PMID- 1418412
TI  - Main histocompatibility complex and reproductive system.

PMID- 1418413
TI  - Report from the Ethics Committee for Immunotherapy.

PMID- 1418414
TI  - Antiphospholipid antibodies--lobsters or red herrings?

PMID- 1418415
TI  - Danazol suppresses both spontaneous and activated human lymphocyte-mediated
      cytotoxicity.
AB  - Danazol is an effective drug in the treatment of endometriosis. Previous reports
      suggest that it can act by influencing the immune system. Thus, in this study we
      evaluated whether danazol is able to affect the expression of natural and
      activated cytotoxicity by human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). A
      cytotoxicity assay by 51Cr release was performed to determine the effect of
      danazol on lymphocyte cytotoxic response toward an erythroleukemic cell line
      (K562). A significant suppression of spontaneous cytotoxicity was observed when
      lymphocytes were pretreated for 18 h with danazol at the concentration of 5 x 10(
      6) M. In addition, danazol could significantly inhibit both IL-2- and INF alpha
      activated cytotoxicity at the concentration of 10(-5) M. Following 18 h exposure
      to danazol, PBL were able to completely recover their spontaneous but not
      activated cytotoxic potential upon further in vitro incubation (18 h) in absence
      of the drug. The biological significance of danazol as an inhibitor of immune
      function under experimentally defined conditions is discussed in relation to its
      possible role in vivo.

PMID- 1418416
TI  - The effect of peritoneal macrophage-derived factor(s) on ovarian progesterone
      secretion and LH receptors: the role of calcium.
AB  - Macrophages and their secretory products, cytokines, play an integral role in
      many reproductive processes. In this study we examined the effect of conditioned
      media from cultured human peritoneal macrophages on progesterone production by
      granulosa cells and the role of calcium in this process. Macrophages were
      pretreated with various concentrations of a calcium channel blocker (verapamil)
      or a calcium ionophore (A23187). Macrophage-conditioned media (MCM) or cell-free
      media that contained calcium channel modifiers were added at three dose levels to
      cultured porcine granulosa cells. Progesterone production and LH receptor content
      were determined. Macrophage-conditioned media alone elevated basal progesterone
      production, but significantly attenuated granulosa cell LH receptor content.
      These effects were neither potentiated nor suppressed by pretreating macrophages
      with verapamil. However, production of the LH receptor lowering factor(s)
      appeared to be suppressed by calcium ionophore. We conclude that (1) one or more
      factors produced by macrophages have a net stimulatory effect on basal
      progesterone production and these factor(s) may not be calcium-dependent and (2)
      macrophage-derived secretory products reduce granulosa cell LH receptor content.
      The production of these factor(s) may be calcium-dependent.

PMID- 1418417
TI  - In vitro sperm capacitation to treat antisperm antibodies bound to the sperm
      surface.
AB  - Our objective was to study antisperm antibody bound to the acrosome region during
      in vitro capacitation and to determine whether acrosome-antibody free sperm can
      be obtained from previously acrosome-antibody-coated sperm. The spermatozoa from
      a selected series of 14 patients were tested for sperm antibodies bound to the
      sperm surface using d-IBT and focusing on the acrosome positivity. The tests were
      carried out before the incubation and after 3, 6, 9, and 12 h of incubation in
      Tyrode's solution with 0.5% human serum albumin as the capacitation medium. Tests
      to evaluate acrosome region, sperm motion parameters, and zonae binding ability
      were carried out. In this way we were able to evaluate sperm function during
      capacitation protocol. The patients were 14 subjects selected according to good
      seminal characteristics, good post-rise sperm parameters, and high percentage of
      ASA bound to the sperm surface. In all cases the results showed that antisperm
      antibodies bound to the acrosome region were shed prior to the acrosome reaction.
      During sperm capacitation in human a modification, migration, or shedding of
      plasma membrane molecules takes place. The presence of antibodies in such an
      important area of the sperm head could certainly interfere in the fertilization
      process. Our data indicate that in vitro capacitation could provide an in vitro
      therapy capable of eluting antibodies from the acrosome region.

PMID- 1418418
TI  - A rat cytotrophoblast antigen defined by a monoclonal antibody.
AB  - A monoclonal antibody that recognizes specifically a cytotrophoblast antigen was
      obtained. The monoclonal antibody 22H6 was tested on rat choriocarcinoma (in
      vivo, in vitro), normal placenta, ectoplacental cone, blastocysts, and several
      normal organs. The antigen was detected on frozen sections and on tissue culture
      by indirect immunofluorescence. The monoclonal antibody 22H6 reacts with the
      cytotrophoblasts of rat choriocarcinoma. The giant cells do not display a
      positive reaction. It is not expressed on other tumors than choriocarcinoma. In
      adult rats the only cells revealing a positive reaction are the hepatocytes and
      the epithelial cells lining the small intestine. In the pregnant rat, the antigen
      is expressed on the cytotrophoblasts of the junctional zone in the placenta, but
      not on the giant cells. The mab reacts only with the small trophoblast cells of
      the ectoplacental cone, but not with trophectoderm of blastocyst. The mab has an
      IgG2b isotype and is not cytotoxic for choriocarcinoma cells in a complement
      dependent cytotoxicity test. The described monoclonal antibody is to our
      knowledge the only known marker of rat benign and malignant cytotrophoblast.

PMID- 1418419
TI  - A call for the lactation initiator: setting the standards.

PMID- 1418420
TI  - Breastfeeding/lactation and the medical school curriculum.

PMID- 1418421
TI  - Writing effective letters to the editor.

PMID- 1418422
TI  - Abrupt weaning: is breast-binding effective?

PMID- 1418423
TI  - Cabbage leaves: an effective treatment for swollen tissues.

PMID- 1418424
TI  - Supplementation of breastfed infants: does continuing education for nurses make a
      difference?
AB  - Supplementation of breastfed newborns in the first few days of life is a common
      practice that interferes with the establishment of lactation and is related to
      early cessation of breastfeeding. Quality assurance audit results at a large
      maternity hospital led to the development of a continuing education program to
      increase nurses' knowledge of breastfeeding and thereby reduce supplementation.
      An integrated quality assurance and research methodology was selected to analyze
      the impact of the education and yield results that would be more generalizable
      and interest a wider audience. Findings revealed no change in supplementation
      behavior occurred following a four-week education program. Only 33 percent of
      newborns in the study were unsupplemented during their hospital stay. Formula was
      the most often used supplement. Continuing education alone was not effective in
      changing behavior. As shown in the literature, post-course reinforcement of
      behavior needs to be built into the cost of the program to implement and sustain
      desired changes.

PMID- 1418425
TI  - Breastfeeding knowledge of hospital staff in rural maternity units in Ireland.
AB  - Knowledge of breastfeeding is necessary for health workers to adequately assist
      breastfeeding mothers. This paper examines the level of knowledge concerning
      breastfeeding in three rural maternity units in Ireland. Health workers
      responding to a self-report questionnaire felt that they had adequate knowledge,
      but their answers to the questions did not always bear this out. Health workers
      felt more staff training in breastfeeding would help to improve breastfeeding
      rates. Thirty-four percent of respondents had never attended continuing education
      on infant feeding topics. Manufacturers of artificial infant formula were the
      main source of continuing education information. The knowledge level of
      obstetricians did not appear to affect breastfeeding rates. Pediatricians'
      breastfeeding knowledge was good, but they had little input in the care of
      healthy babies. Rising breastfeeding rates were found in the unit where midwives
      were more recently qualified and had higher knowledge scores. The need exists for
      more breastfeeding education in all the units examined, ideally provided by a
      staff member with current lactation training.

PMID- 1418426
TI  - Nurses' knowledge of breastfeeding in a clinical setting.
AB  - Most obstetrical nurses subscribe to the "breast is best" theory. This project
      examined the current knowledge base of a sample of nurses and their practices
      relating to breastfeeding in three clinical settings. These study findings reveal
      that many nurses need to update their knowledge of those practices found to
      encourage successful breastfeeding. Only seven of 16 questions were answered
      correctly by more than 50 percent of the nurses surveyed. Areas of adequate
      knowledge included positioning, breastfeeding frequency, infant suckling
      patterns, and the importance of night feedings. Areas of inadequate knowledge
      included timing of the baby at the breast, milk production, use of glucose water,
      and the use of nipple shields.

PMID- 1418427
TI  - Interfeeding breast pain: a case report.

PMID- 1418428
TI  - Breastmilk oversupply despite retained placental fragment.
AB  - In clients experiencing oversupply, lactation consultants should question more
      closely the frequency of milk ejection reflexes and whether the mother is
      experiencing them only during breastfeeding or frequently, even while not
      nursing. If the mother is still experiencing vaginal bleeding, even if she is
      producing large quantities of milk, she should be encouraged to talk with her
      health care provider about having a sonogram in order to rule out the possibility
      of a retained placental fragment.

PMID- 1418429
TI  - Nipple pain related to vasospasm in the nipple?

PMID- 1418430
TI  - Breastfeeding by Federal Express.

PMID- 1418431
TI  - Antiinfectives in breastmilk. Part I: Penicillins and cephalosporins.

PMID- 1418432
TI  - Mother's own milk: guidelines for storage and handling.

PMID- 1418433
TI  - The glory of woman or love, marriage and maternity. 1896.

PMID- 1418434
TI  - Consensus statement from the consultation on HIV transmission and breastfeeding.

PMID- 1418435
TI  - WIC and breastfeeding: some background information and an invitation.

PMID- 1418436
TI  - Breastfeeding promotion in a rural Indiana WIC office.

PMID- 1418437
TI  - Surgical treatment of epilepsy. Proceedings of a Consensus Conference. March 19
      21, 1990.

PMID- 1418438
TI  - Intractable complex partial seizure: correlation of magnetic resonance imaging
      with pathology and electroencephalography.
AB  - We prospectively analyzed MR studies of 32 patients with intractable complex
      partial seizures, who later underwent resection of EEG-proven seizure foci.
      Twenty-seven patients were imaged at 1.5, 4 at 0.35, and 1 at 0.5 Tesla.
      Correlation was obtained on all patients with EEG and surgical pathology. Of 19
      patients with mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS), 13 exhibited an MR abnormality at
      the site of pathology as determined by EEG and surgery. Abnormalities included
      increased (8) or decreased (1) signal intensity, distortion of gray-white
      interface (1) and temporal lobe atrophy (3). Six patients had no abnormalities at
      the site of the diseased focus. MR was more sensitive in patients with other
      structural lesions which included tumor, encephalitis, polymicrogyria, cryptic
      vascular malformation, and tuberous sclerosis. Prior studies indicate some
      usefulness of MR in intractable seizure patients, but many report relative
      insensitivity of MR in defining an abnormality (as low as 11%). Our results
      demonstrate the usefulness of high-resolution thin-section multiplanar MR using
      cardiac gating or flow compensation techniques in this patient population.

PMID- 1418439
TI  - PET in relation to intracranial electrode evaluations.

PMID- 1418441
TI  - MRI, PET, SPECT: interrelations, technical limits, and unanswered questions.

PMID- 1418440
TI  - Single photon imaging computed tomography (SPECT) for localization of
      epileptogenic focus in patients with intractable complex partial seizures.
AB  - Interictal and ictal HIPDM-SPECT brain scans were obtained in 38 patients who
      eventually underwent temporal lobectomy for treatment of medically intractable
      complex partial seizures (CPS). Interictal studies revealed decreased regional
      cerebral perfusion (rCP) in the temporal lobe corresponding to the eventual site
      of surgery in 76% of the patients. Similarly, ictal studies demonstrated
      increased rCP in 91% of the patients. Of the 33 patients who had both interictal
      and ictal SPECT studies, 23 (70%) showed increased rCP in the ictal state and
      decreased rCP in the interictal state in the same temporal lobe which was
      subsequently removed. The SPECT scans were particularly helpful in providing
      confirmatory evidence for localization and in deciding to undertake temporal
      lobectomy in 16 patients whose EEG studies had provided less secure localization.
      Our experience suggests that interictal and ictal SPECT brain imaging can be
      easily obtained and provides reliable localizing information in the epileptic
      patients being considered for temporal lobectomy.

PMID- 1418443
TI  - Depth electrodes.

PMID- 1418442
TI  - Natural history of drug resistant seizures: clinical aspects.
AB  - In an effort to determine the long-term efficacy of surgical therapy for
      epilepsy, a control group of patients was identified. Both the surgically treated
      and non-surgical groups were evaluated before and after 5- or 10-year follow-ups
      for seizure frequency in the preceding 2 years. To date 39 patients have had bona
      fide partial seizures, with or without secondary generalization, and EEGs with
      focal epileptiform patterns. Prior to first evaluation, these patients had had
      seizures for an average of 10 years and were treated with an average of 54 AEDs
      with documented therapeutic serum levels in most; one-third of the patients
      participated in experimental studies. After treatment for another 5 years with an
      average of 2.5 AEDs or 10 years with an average of 4.0 AEDs, no one was seizure
      free. Fifteen percent had a 75% decrease in seizure frequency and 85% continued
      to have no significant improvement in seizure control. Thus despite vigorous
      treatment, these patients who might have been considered surgical candidates
      continued to have uncontrolled seizures.

PMID- 1418445
TI  - Strategies for focal resection in medically intractable epilepsy.

PMID- 1418444
TI  - Subdural electrodes in the presurgical evaluation for surgery of epilepsy.
AB  - This article gives first an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of
      electrodes of progressively greater invasiveness used in the evaluation of
      patients who are candidates for surgery of epilepsy. The following sections
      discuss the design of subdural electrodes, their clinical indications, and the
      relative advantages and disadvantages of subdural electrodes when compared with
      other invasive techniques.

PMID- 1418446
TI  - Different approaches to resective epilepsy surgery: standard and tailored.
AB  - Intra-operative approaches to resective surgery for medically intractable
      epilepsy, especially cases involving temporal lobes, vary from anatomically
      standardized operations to those tailored to the location of epileptogenic zones
      and eloquent areas in individual subjects. The choice of approaches seems to
      depend on different views of the variability in epileptogenic zones and eloquent
      areas and on the reliability of identifying these areas intraoperatively,
      including the value of interictal epileptic activity. Evidence relating to these
      issues is reviewed. Although the choice of an intra-operative approach has a
      major effect on the risks and costs of the evaluation for epilepsy surgery, with
      higher risks and costs for approaches using standard operations or extra
      operative recording, no controlled study has compared the approaches. Indeed, the
      reported outcome for optimal candidates for each approach is nearly identical,
      providing little justification for use of approaches with higher risks and costs
      in all patients.

PMID- 1418447
TI  - Temporal resections in the surgical treatment of epilepsy.
AB  - Cortico-amygdalo-hippocampectomy in our experience remains the surgical procedure
      of choice for the treatment of temporal lobe epilepsy. It allows removal of an
      ample amount of epileptogenic tissue, provides excellent exposure for the mesial
      structures and is not accompanied by significant intellectual deficit. It takes
      into account the fact that temporal seizures usually arise in the limbic
      structures but quickly recruit the whole anterior cortex in most instances.
      Selective amygdalo-hippocampectomy is an alternative approach when a clear
      mesiobasal limbic focus has been repeatedly demonstrated by intracranial
      recording.

PMID- 1418448
TI  - Clinical indications for hemispherectomy and callosotomy.

PMID- 1418449
TI  - Uncontrolled epilepsy in children.
AB  - Intractable seizures in any age indicates (1) the continued presence of an
      unacceptable quantity of seizures despite reasonable medical and social
      management or (2) seizure eradication at the expense of medication toxicity. The
      incidence of seizures deemed unacceptable depends on their nature, the patient's
      life-style, physiological and social consequences of uncontrolled seizures, and
      the promise of surgical alleviation. The true value of surgery should increase as
      candidates and surgical sites can be more accurately selected, the necessary (and
      unnecessary) diagnostic tests better identified, and all aspects of its effects
      objectively evaluated in follow-up.

PMID- 1418450
TI  - EEG selection for corpus callosotomy.

PMID- 1418451
TI  - Corpus callosotomy.

PMID- 1418452
TI  - Anatomical to functional hemispherectomy from Krynauw to Rasmussen.

PMID- 1418454
TI  - Methodological issues in outcome assessment.

PMID- 1418453
TI  - Assessment of surgical outcome.
AB  - Evaluation of outcome of epilepsy surgery is complex because of several factors.
      Epilepsy is itself a heterogeneous disorder. Different epilepsy centers encounter
      different referral mixes of patients. Institutions employ various methods for pre
      operative evaluation and widely varying surgical techniques. Clear definitions of
      surgical success and reliable scales for its measurement are lacking. Few data
      are acquired prospectively and maintained in a format allowing inter
      institutional collation of results. A better representation of surgical outcome
      could in the future be served by adherence to 4 principles: collection of common
      data in standard formats; comparison of like, rather than disparate, populations;
      maintenance of quantitative data in raw form; and measurement of outcome along
      several dimensions or scales. Psychosocial issues have been underemphasized in
      most prior analyses of outcome.

PMID- 1418455
TI  - Standards for epilepsy surgery centers.

PMID- 1418456
TI  - National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference Statement: surgery
      for epilepsy (19-21 March 1990).

PMID- 1418457
TI  - The natural history of drug resistant epilepsy: epidemiologic considerations.
AB  - Approximately 160,000 United States residents will be evaluated for newly
      identified unproved seizures in 1990. While the majority will have a favorable
      prognosis and more than 50% will ultimately be able to discontinue medication,
      about 10,000 will fall into the category 'intractable'. There are well
      established predictors for seizure remission and for successful withdrawal of
      medications, including seizure type, etiology, age at onset, neurologic status,
      and family history. There are few studies which have evaluated predictors for
      poor outcome, in part because of difficulties with definition. Predictors of poor
      outcome are not necessarily the converse of predictors of good outcome.
      Identification of such factors is important to allow earlier referral of patients
      destined to meet criteria for intractable to allow alternative therapies to be
      instituted.

PMID- 1418458
TI  - Drug treatment of uncontrolled seizures.
AB  - The success of AED therapy for epileptic seizures varies according to epilepsy
      and seizure type. The outcome is excellent in the idiopathic generalized
      epilepsies, poor in the secondary generalized epilepsies and intermediate for the
      partial epilepsies. For this latter group, a table of outcome is described in
      Table I. Overall, approximately 70% of patients can be reasonably managed using
      one AED, although several may need to be tried before considering monotherapy to
      be a failure. Of the 30% unsatisfactorily managed by monotherapy, approximately
      another one-third can be adequately managed given a combination of two drugs.
      Combinations of more than two drugs provide little if any additional benefit.
      Evidence that such combinations have efficacy is inferred from the observation of
      seizure exacerbation when one drug is removed purposely to elicit seizures during
      evaluation for possible epilepsy surgery. The remaining patients are often
      considered for trial of an investigational drug although prospects for important
      improvement are very small even with use of agents shown to be effective and
      introduced for treatment of epilepsy. Thus, 15% of patients may conservatively be
      considered for surgical therapy. This would not suggest that all such patients
      are appropriate candidates from other aspects, but at least they can be
      considered to have failed all reasonable drug therapy.

PMID- 1418459
TI  - Present status in the treatment of the epilepsies.

PMID- 1418460
TI  - Clinical and CCTV-EEG evaluation in presurgical work-up of temporal and frontal
      lobe epilepsies.

PMID- 1418461
TI  - Presurgical EEG investigation in frontal lobe epilepsy.
AB  - Poor localization of the interictal epileptic abnormality and the rather
      unreliable EEG localization of ictal onsets in patients with frontal lobe
      epilepsy may be due to some of the following factors: (1) high risk of EEG
      sampling error, (2) early seizure spread within and outside the frontal lobe, (3)
      widespread distribution of the epileptogenic brain tissue responsible for the
      patient's habitual seizures, and (4) secondary bilateral synchrony and secondary
      epileptogenesis. The relevance of these factors in the preoperative investigation
      of patients with frontal lobe epilepsy was studied in: (a) 34 adult patients
      (mean age: 25 years) who became and persisted seizure free after restrictive
      surgical removal of the anterofrontal region, the parasagittal region convexity
      or the fronto-opercular area; (b) 12 patients in whom the pre-operative EEG
      investigation with extracranial electrodes failed to localize the site of seizure
      onset, leading to further investigation with depth electrodes.

PMID- 1418462
TI  - Intractable epilepsy in adults.
AB  - Intractable epilepsy can be defined as seizures which have not been completely
      controlled with AEDs 1 year after onset despite accurate diagnosis and carefully
      monitored treatment. Once intractable, there is a low probability of remission.
      Predictors of intractability include the presence of partial seizures, structural
      abnormalities on imaging studies, and abnormalities on the neurological
      examinations. If a person continues to have seizures in spite of adequate
      treatment with AEDs, surgical options should be considered.

PMID- 1418463
TI  - Use of psychological and neuropsychological variables in selection of patients
      for epilepsy surgery.
AB  - Cortical resection surgery for epilepsy is costly, involves risk, and does not
      result in significant seizure relief in a number of patients. Therefore, it is
      important to develop methods which will as accurately as possible identify in
      advance those persons who will or will not be helped by this procedure. From a
      review of the literature and from a presentation of original data, it is
      concluded that psychological/neuropsychological variables are valid predictors of
      cessation of seizures following surgery but that they are only infrequently used.
      A multidisciplinary, multivariate statistical approach, using EEG findings and
      psychological/neuropsychological variables in combination, provides the most
      accurate predictions which are superior to those derived from using either EEG
      variables or psychological/neuropsychological variables alone. This approach also
      avoids much of the predictive instability encountered when single variables are
      evaluated. Since psychological/neuropsychological variables are obtained at low
      cost and are non-invasive, further evaluation of their role as predictors of
      seizure relief following surgery is needed.

PMID- 1418464
TI  - Role of the neuropsychological evaluation and the intracarotid sodium amobarbital
      procedure in the surgical treatment for epilepsy.

PMID- 1418465
TI  - Neuropsychological techniques in the identification of epileptic foci.
AB  - Neuropsychological evaluation contributes towards identification of a seizure
      focus through assessment of function. Tests sample widely among cognitive
      abilities, usually contrasting language and visuospatial competence. In patients
      with a temporal-lobe focus, evaluation of memory is crucial and ideally should
      comprise a variety of tasks tapping different aspects of learning and memory. As
      a means of predicting and preventing severe postoperative memory impairment,
      memory is further tested in many cases with the intracarotid sodium amytal (IAP)
      procedure; hippocampus will be spared in patients who fail IAP memory tests.
      Performance after temporal lobectomy on three basic memory tests was evaluated in
      patients who had failed pre-operative IAP memory tests compared to those who had
      passed. Those who had failed performed significantly worse, confirming fragility
      of memory function in cases who have been identified as at risk by the IAP
      procedure.

PMID- 1418466
TI  - Identification of the epileptic focus: magnetic resonance imaging.
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most sensitive and specific structural
      imaging technique available to demonstrate focal epileptogenic lesions in
      patients with intractable partial epilepsy. MRI may be useful in the selection of
      candidates for surgical treatment of epilepsy. The studies may also assist in the
      implantation of depth electrodes and in the stereotactic resection of
      epileptogenic lesions. More recent applications of this neuroimaging modality in
      the surgical treatment of epilepsy include pre-operative hippocampal formation of
      volume measurements and postoperative quantitative determinations of cortical
      resections.

PMID- 1418467
TI  - Benign epilepsy of childhood with occipital paroxysms.

PMID- 1418468
TI  - The electrical status epilepticus syndrome.
AB  - The authors review the clinical and electroencephalographic features of
      electrical status epilepticus during slow sleep (ESES) in children. The major
      points of debate regard the nosology and diagnosis of ESES. The relationship
      between ESES and the neuropsychological impairment is emphasized. It is concluded
      that ESES is a separate electro-clinical entity which deserves individual
      categorization.

PMID- 1418469
TI  - Further genetic aspects in benign localized epilepsies in early childhood.

PMID- 1418470
TI  - Sleep organization in benign childhood partial epilepsies.

PMID- 1418471
TI  - Sixth-month benign familial convulsions.

PMID- 1418472
TI  - Genetically determined epileptic seizures in animals.

PMID- 1418473
TI  - Benign myoclonic epilepsy of infancy: electroclinical symptomatology and
      differential diagnosis from the other types of generalized epilepsy of infancy.
AB  - Benign myoclonic epilepsy in infancy (BME) is characterized by the occurrence of
      brief myoclonic attacks in normal infants aged 4 months to 3 years. There is no
      prior personal history, although in some patients 1 or 2 isolated febrile
      convulsions may occur prior to the onset of myoclonias. A family history of
      epilepsy or febrile convulsions is present in 30% of cases. Myoclonic attacks are
      short and mild, they involve mainly the head and upper limbs. The psychomotor
      development continues normally after the onset of seizures. The EEG shows a
      normal background activity and generalized spike-wave or polyspike-wave
      discharges associated with the myoclonias. These abnormalities are activated by
      drowsiness and during the first stages of sleep. A clinical and EEG
      photosensitivity is present in one-third of the patients. Myoclonias can be
      easily controlled by valproate monotherapy. Rare grand mal seizures can occur
      during adolescence, after withdrawal of drug treatment. The psychomotor evolution
      is good if treatment is started early. When myoclonias begin during the first
      year of life, the diagnoses of cryptogenic infantile spasms and of non-epileptic
      benign infantile myoclonus must be eliminated. In cases with a later onset, the
      following diagnoses can usually be easily discarded: cryptogenic Lennox-Gastaut
      syndrome, myoclonic-astatic epilepsy and unclassified epilepsies with the
      association of myoclonias and other types of seizures.

PMID- 1418474
TI  - The therapy of benign myoclonic epilepsy in infants.
AB  - The authors report the results of treatment of 14 patients (10 male, 4 female,
      average age 20.3 years) with benign myoclonic epilepsy. Valproate monotherapy led
      to control of seizures in 10 cases, and to a distinct reduction of seizure
      frequency in 3 cases. Thrombocytopenia was the only side-effect encountered in
      this study.

PMID- 1418475
TI  - Does an idiopathic west syndrome exist?

PMID- 1418476
TI  - Symptomatology and electroencephalography of the 'genuine' type of the West
      syndrome and its differential diagnosis from the other benign generalized
      epilepsies of infancy.

PMID- 1418477
TI  - The EEG in benign generalised epilepsies in infancy and the differential
      diagnosis from other generalised epilepsies.

PMID- 1418478
TI  - The prognosis of benign generalized epilepsies in early childhood.

PMID- 1418479
TI  - Myoclonic-astatic epilepsy.
AB  - Myoclonic-astatic epilepsy (MAE) belongs to the group of epilepsies with
      primarily generalized seizures as absence epilepsies, and juvenile myoclonic
      epilepsy, as well as infantile and juvenile idiopathic epilepsy with generalized
      tonic-clonic seizures. Like these types of epilepsy, MAE is polygenically
      determined with little non-genetic variability. The disease is characterized by
      the following criteria: genetic predisposition (high incidence of seizures and/or
      genetic EEG patterns in relatives); mostly normal development and no neurological
      deficits before onset; primarily generalized myoclonic, astatic or myoclonic
      astatic seizures, short absences and mostly generalized tonic-clonic seizures; no
      tonic seizures or tonic drop attacks during daytime (except for some rare cases
      with a most unfavourable course); generalized EEG patterns (spikes and waves,
      photosensitivity, 4-7/sec rhythms), no multifocal EEG abnormalities (but often
      pseudofoci). There is a partial overlap with other 'syndromes', such as benign
      and severe myoclonic epilepsy in infants (Dravet et al., 1985a, b), myoclonic
      epilepsy of infancy and early childhood (Aicardi and others). In differential
      diagnosis the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in its stricter sense has to be considered,
      and also atypical benign partial epilepsy or pseudo-Lennox syndrome. Discussion
      is presented of possible pitfalls in the classical syndromic approach to
      classifying epilepsies of early childhood, and of the advantages of a
      neurobiological view for understanding the immense variability of clinical
      manifestations of epilepsy.

PMID- 1418480
TI  - Clinical differential diagnosis between benign and malignant epileptic syndromes
      with generalized seizures in early childhood.

PMID- 1418481
TI  - Behavioural and developmental aspects of primary generalized myoclonic-astatic
      epilepsy.
AB  - The evolution of psychomotor development and behaviour was studied in 15 children
      with primary generalized myoclonic-astatic epilepsy and with developmental status
      adequate for age at final examination at school age following a mean follow-up
      period of 8.5 years. Temporary arrest of mental and motor development in 4
      children was related to high seizure frequency or, in 3, to non-convulsive
      status. Different types of behavioural abnormalities were documented frequently
      during the course of the disorder; they were significantly related to active
      seizure periods and to a lesser extent to anticonvulsant medication. Persistent
      behavioural abnormalities were noted in 5 children. Hyperkinesia, short attention
      span and emotional lability were the most frequent complaints. None of the
      children needed special care and those followed-up until school age were seizure
      free, without medication and in classes appropriate for their age. At initial
      examination the high probability of a favourable prognosis may be anticipated in
      children with normal development before seizure onset, lack of gross brain
      pathology and with strong indications (family history and/or EEG criteria) for a
      genetic predisposition. Nevertheless, repeated systematic re-evaluation for early
      recognition of possible developmental and/or behavioural deviances throughout the
      course of illness are recommended.

PMID- 1418482
TI  - Clinical and electroencephalographic symptomatology of the 'genuine' Lennox
      Gastaut syndrome and its differentiation from other forms of epilepsy of early
      childhood.

PMID- 1418483
TI  - Sleep architecture and childhood absence epilepsy.

PMID- 1418484
TI  - Comparison of the EEG background activity of epileptic children and children with
      migraine.
AB  - The EEG background activity was investigated in the interictal EEGs of 19
      children with migraine and of 88 patients with epilepsy of idiopathic origin in
      the third year of treatment. The control group consisted of 96 healthy children
      matched for age. Spectral analysis was performed, and parameters of the relative
      power within the conventional frequency bands were compared with norm data. The
      means of parameters representing the background activity of migraine as well as
      of epileptic patients significantly differed (slowing) from those of healthy
      controls. No significant differences were found between the main groups of
      migraine and epileptic patients. In comparing the subgroups of epileptic as well
      as of migraine patients, the composition of the background activity in migraine
      patients without aura differed the least from the controls. While the background
      activity in epileptics (especially those with an unfavourable course) showed a
      moderate slowing, a high degree of slowing was observed in patients with migraine
      accompagnee.

PMID- 1418485
TI  - Migraine and epilepsy, with special reference to the benign epilepsies of
      childhood.

PMID- 1418486
TI  - International symposium on benign partial and generalized epilepsies of
      childhood. Summation.

PMID- 1418487
TI  - Benign localized epilepsies in childhood: historical aspects.

PMID- 1418488
TI  - Rolandic epilepsy: clinical and electroencephalographic features.
AB  - Benign rolandic epilepsy (BRE) is a common seizure disorder confined solely to
      children. The disorder is marked clinically by nocturnal generalized tonic-clonic
      seizures and diurnal seizures consisting of simple partial seizures consisting of
      brief unilateral facial clonic activity, dysphasia, and drooling. The EEG
      abnormalities are unique, consisting of generally high amplitude, centrotemporal
      spikes that are activated by sleep. The seizures typically begin in the first
      decade and almost always stop by age 16 years. The seizures are usually
      infrequent although clusters of seizures do occur. When the physician elects to
      treat, the seizures are usually easily controlled.

PMID- 1418489
TI  - Classification of epileptic seizures and the epilepsies: an overview.

PMID- 1418490
TI  - The neurophysiological features of benign partial epilepsy with rolandic spikes.
AB  - SEPs were performed in 44 children with benign partial epilepsy with rolandic
      spikes (BERS). High-amplitude mid- or long-latency SEPs were recorded in 17
      patients (38%). These giant responses showed normal latency values but reached an
      exceedingly high amplitude (up to 200 microV). They showed the same reactivity
      characteristic of normal long-latency SEPs. In a 3-year follow-up study, the
      giant responses were shown to disappear in some patients and to shift from side
      to side in others. Our study demonstrates that giant SEPs are relatively common
      in BERS and give further support to the concept of a functional nature of
      rolandic foci.

PMID- 1418491
TI  - Contribution to the genetics of rolandic epilepsy: waking and sleep EEGs in
      siblings.
AB  - Waking and sleep EEGs were recorded in 69 siblings of 43 patients with rolandic
      spikes. 36 suffered from rolandic epilepsy, 7 from other diseases or symptoms
      (headaches, migraine, learning problems). At least one sibling with epileptic
      activity was found in 51.16% of the patients. Taking the 69 siblings as a basis,
      in 26 (37.68%) epileptic activity was recorded. Benign spike foci were recorded
      in only 4 siblings, generalized spike-wave complexes were seen in 22. Most
      epileptic activity was recorded in the age group of 5-12 years (54.3%). Nearly
      one-half (17.4%) was recorded exclusively in sleep, predominantly in sleep stage
      C (88%). Siblings of patients with (40%) and without seizures (37.5%) showed
      approximately the same rate, likewise siblings with (40%) and without seizures
      (34.8%). An autosomal-dominant mode of inheritance is assumed, but a
      multifactorial mode is also discussed.

PMID- 1418492
TI  - Benign rolandic epilepsy of childhood: topographic EEG analysis.
AB  - Topographic EEG investigation with instant voltage mapping showed maximal
      negativity of 'rolandic' spikes over central or midtemporal electrodes with
      spread to parietal or upper frontal areas, and a dipole distribution
      (centrotemporal negativity, frontal positivity). There was no correlation of
      spike amplitude or duration with spread to adjacent areas. No other focal
      abnormalities, such as focal slowing, occurred. Spike activity was pronounced
      during light sleep and was often associated with generalized spike-wave activity,
      and thus was a sign of functional disturbance rather than the sequelae of brain
      damage. A review of the literature indicates that this pattern is helpful in
      differentiating this from focal abnormalities due to brain lesions.

PMID- 1418493
TI  - Is rolandic discharge a hallmark of benign partial epilepsy of childhood?
AB  - A longitudinal study was conducted in 89 children with partial seizures who had
      rolandic discharges on their interictal EEGs. The clinical characteristics and
      seizure prognosis were compared in children without an organic background
      (idiopathic) and in children with an organic background (symptomatic). Since
      rolandic discharges and sylvian seizures were found in the symptomatic children
      and their seizure outcome was favorable, it is likely that they are
      symptomatologically close to benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal
      spikes. Some of the symptomatic patients may have had complex partial seizures,
      although rolandic discharges were the principal EEG finding. Their seizure
      prognosis was as unfavorable as that of the patients with other symptomatic
      partial epilepsies. The rolandic discharges disappear in an age-related manner in
      idiopathic patients, but tend to persist in the symptomatic ones. The presence of
      rolandic discharges was not considered a hallmark of a benign outcome. Instead,
      the presence of sylvian seizures heralds a benign outcome of partial epilepsies
      regardless of whether they are idiopathic or symptomatic.

PMID- 1418494
TI  - Rolandic spikes and cognitive function.

PMID- 1418495
TI  - The prognosis of benign localized epilepsy in early childhood.
AB  - Onset of seizures during early childhood is a not infrequent possibility in
      benign partial (localization-related) epilepsy (BPEC) when all these syndromes
      and not only benign partial epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes are considered.
      In patients followed up for long periods of time, temporal changes in the EEG
      often make impossible a distribution into discrete syndromes. The electroclinical
      patterns overlap and the determining factor is not the location but the
      morphology of the sharp waves. A complete remission is observed in all patients,
      with rolandic and/or extrarolandic foci. In rare patients, seizures occur during
      adolescence or later and an early onset is a possible risk factor for such an
      outcome. It is not a relapse of BPEC but another epileptic syndrome, usually a
      generalized idiopathic epilepsy. BPEC may be considered as a risk factor for late
      epilepsy. Patients with an early onset of BPEC tend to have a longer active
      period of epilepsy and a higher total number of seizures, whatever is the EEG
      pattern. But neither frequent seizures nor a long seizure period impair the
      children's abilities. Nonetheless, when BPEC begins in early childhood, the
      patient is prone to experience frequent seizures during several years. Drug
      therapy is advisable more often than in BPEC with a later onset.

PMID- 1418496
TI  - The value of the EEG in the diagnosis of localized epilepsies in children.

PMID- 1418497
TI  - BECT: comparison of cerebral blood flow imaging, neuropsychological testing and
      long-term EEG findings.

PMID- 1418498
TI  - Focal epileptic EEG discharges in children not suffering from clinical epilepsy.

PMID- 1418499
TI  - Pharmacological profile of novel cyclic analogs of 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic
      acid.

PMID- 1418500
TI  - Effect of intranigral muscimol on animal models of generalized absence seizures.

PMID- 1418502
TI  - Environmental conditions for treatment of burned patients by the exposure method.
AB  - The influence of the thermal environment on evaporation and heat loss from
      patients with severe burns treated by exposure has been studied. Simple heat
      transfer equations can be used to predict changes resulting from alterations in
      environmental conditions and these have been tested using phantoms. The method
      relies upon the derivation of surface diffusion resistances to describe the
      moisture properties of burn wounds. Clinical measurements revealed wide
      variations in evaporation rates and diffusion resistances for different wounds.
      Evaporation rates changed by less than 30 per cent during the first 5-6 days
      following injury, after which evaporation from partial skin thickness wounds
      gradually fell whereas that from full skin thickness wounds tended to remain
      higher. Raising ambient temperature can compensate for increased evaporation heat
      losses. Patients can be treated at ambient temperatures of 32-35 degrees C in the
      intensive care room with a specially designed airflow system. However, raising
      the temperatures of standard wards with no special airflow or temperature control
      facilities often caused patients to sweat, further increasing heat loss.

PMID- 1418501
TI  - Profile of the paediatric burn patient in a Canadian burn centre.
AB  - Five hundred and eighty-three children (0-18 years old), consisting of 33.4 per
      cent of all burn inpatients, were admitted to the University of Alberta Hospitals
      over an 11-year period (January 1978 to December 1988). Demographic and outcome
      variables, in addition to aetiological factors, were examined. 48.4 per cent of
      burns occurred in children less than 4 years of age, with males predominating in
      every age group (P less than 0.001). Children had smaller burns, a higher
      incidence of scalds, less inhalation injuries and a lower mortality compared to
      adult burn patients admitted over the same time period (P less than 0.05). There
      was a low incidence of confirmed child abuse by burns (1.4 per cent). High-risk
      environments identified were the home (74.6 per cent of burns) and recreational
      settings (12.4 per cent of burns), mainly occurring around campfires. Native
      children were overrepresented in the burn population compared to the general
      population by a factor of approximately 10:1. Scald prevention, high-risk
      environments (home and recreational), high-risk populations (male and natives)
      and unsafe practices with flammable liquids (petrol in particular) should be
      emphasized in paediatric burn prevention programmes.

PMID- 1418503
TI  - Metabolic abnormalities of mitochondrial redox potential in postburn multiple
      system organ failure.
AB  - Forty-five burn patients underwent sequential assays for plasma acetoacetate and
      beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations as well as plasma amino acid levels. Those
      patients who went on to develop multiple system organ failure were noted to have
      a decrease in their acetoacetate concentration with time, whereas there was no
      change in those patients who failed to develop multiple system organ failure. The
      plasma concentration of beta-hydroxybutyrate was not altered by multiple system
      organ failure. In addition, the plasma acetoacetate/beta-hydroxybutyrate ratio
      was found to be directly related to the plasma concentration of branched chain
      amino acids and inversely related to the concentration of aromatic amino acids.

PMID- 1418504
TI  - Looking at burn wounds: the A. B. Wallace Memorial Lecture 1991.

PMID- 1418505
TI  - Survival in major burn injuries treated by one bathing in cerium nitrate.
AB  - Sixty-four patients aged 16-74 years with total body surface area burns (TBSA)
      ranging from 30 to 90 per cent, were given one bathing in 0.04 M cerium nitrate
      within 4 h of admission to hospital. Of 21 patients aged 16-30 years, one died
      (aged 28 with 90 per cent TBSA), and of those aged 31-74 years, two died, one
      (aged 50 years with 55 per cent TBSA) had multiple internal injuries, the other
      (aged 51 years with 55 per cent TBSA) had a pulmonary embolism at day 19. Two
      risk scores, developed from data on 11,200 burn patients treated by standard
      methods (Roi et al. 1983), were applied to the analysis of risk for 59 patients
      for whom both total burn surface (TB) and full thickness (FT) areas had been
      recorded. About 20 patients bore risk of 0.8 or greater on the FT scale and 1.0
      on the TB scale, yet instead of 80 per cent deaths among these, only two died. No
      FT assessment had been made on the multiple injury death whose TB risk score was
      0.66. Such survival results in high-risk patients should encourage the use of
      cerium nitrate for treating serious burn injury.

PMID- 1418506
TI  - The progress of hypertrophic scars monitored by ultrasound measurements of
      thickness.
AB  - Ultrasound scanning was used to measure the thickness of hypertrophic scars
      following burn injury. Scarred areas on patients receiving pressure therapy were
      monitored at regular intervals from the initial healing, through the hypertrophic
      stage, to maturation of the scars. The data, collected over a period of 30
      months, allowed a comparison of scar development in children and adults and a
      comparison of the response at different anatomical sites. Measurements made on
      individual patients could be related to factors affecting the progress of their
      hypertrophic areas and provided a useful backup to visual assessment during
      pressure garment therapy.

PMID- 1418508
TI  - Management of thermal injury in pregnancy--an analysis of 16 patients.
AB  - Sixteen patients at various stages of pregnancy suffered burns covering between
      10 and 80 per cent of the body surface area. This review highlights the
      management problems of these patients during the first, second and third
      trimesters. Only two mothers (both with 80 per cent TBSA burns) died. There were
      five fetal deaths, three of them intrauterine.

PMID- 1418507
TI  - DuoDERM hydroactive dressing versus silver sulphadiazine/Bactigras in the
      emergency treatment of partial skin thickness burns.
AB  - The study compared DuoDERM Burn Pack Hydroactive Dressings (DHD) with silver
      sulphadiazine/Bactigras dressings (SSD/Bactigras) in the outpatient management of
      small partial skin thickness burns. Forty-eight patients were entered into the
      study, and randomly allocated into either the DHD or SSD/Bactigras group. Burn
      wounds were followed until complete re-epithelialization occurred. There were no
      statistical differences between the groups, either with respect to their
      composition or characteristics of healing in days, and patients' subjective
      responses to treatment. However, application was easier in the DHD group (93 per
      cent), compared with 71 per cent in the SSD/Bactigras group (P = 0.0009), and the
      SSD/Bactigras were easier to remove (96 per cent) versus DHD (66 per cent, P =
      0.0004). Furthermore, the DHD group had significantly less dressing changes; a
      mean of three changes per subject in the DHD group compared with eight in the
      SSD/Bactigras group (P = 0.117). Two burn wounds became infected in the DHD
      group, and one in the SSD/Bactigras group. In this study both modalities were
      found to be equally suitable and effective for small partial skin thickness
      burns.

PMID- 1418509
TI  - Microskin autograft with pigskin xenograft overlay: a preliminary report of
      studies on patients.
AB  - Split-thickness pigskin graft (STPSG) was used to replace allograft skin for
      microskin grafting in 16 patients, nine of whom were burn patients, five suffered
      from traumatic defects and two from diabetic ulcers. The expansion ratios used in
      these patients ranged from 8:1 to 12:1. The STPSG preparation described was found
      to be safe for clinical application. The autogenous donor skin was excised from
      the inguinal area, and the donor site was primarily closed. There were no
      instances of donor site morbidity. The majority of the STPSG overlays adhered to
      the wound firmly. Histological examination showed that the microskin grafts
      proliferated actively immediately beneath the STPSG overlay. The time for the
      wound to be fully resurfaced varied from 13 to 21 days depending on the expansion
      ratio employed. There were only two episodes of pseudomonas infection and no
      further grafting was required in any of the patients. In this study the pigskin
      xenograft was found to provide a suitable environment for the epithelialization
      of microskin autografts. When allograft is not available, this is an alternative
      way of ensuring successful microskin grafting.

PMID- 1418510
TI  - X-plasty for repair of burn contractures.
AB  - Release of skin contractures across a joint surface by X-incision is presented.
      The method is particularly suitable for severe and moderate contractures.
      Resultant long lateral flaps lead to good coverage of the flexor surface of the
      joint. This prevents recurrence of contracture even in growing children. The
      method is suitable for any joint.

PMID- 1418511
TI  - Burns following cigarette lighter fluid abuse.
AB  - Seven patients with burns associated with butane cigarette lighter fluid abuse,
      in a group setting within an enclosed space, are presented. In all patients there
      was a reluctance to admit that butane vapour was in use as an intoxicant
      immediately prior to the injury. It is obvious from the circumstances of these
      injuries that the hazardous nature of cigarette lighter fluid is not fully
      appreciated. Since the resultant injuries are usually minor (all patients
      recovered spontaneously with conservative management, the hospital stay averaging
      2 days), it is probable that many more occur, but do not present to accident
      departments as the victims are wary of repercussions should they admit to
      intoxicant vapour abuse. In view of the medical sequelae that can follow butane
      inhalation, burns unit staff should be aware of the problems, their recognition
      and treatment.

PMID- 1418512
TI  - Predominance of staphylococcal organisms in infections occurring in a burns
      intensive care unit.
AB  - To assess the sites, incidence, and bacteriology of infections in intensive care
      burn patients, a prospective survey of all admissions to a tertiary care
      institution burn unit was carried out over a 12-month period. One hundred and
      sixteen patients were admitted, 106 with a diagnosis of thermal burns. Forty
      patients developed 90 infections. Only two deaths occurred, one in a patient with
      sepsis. In order of frequency, pneumonia, burn infection, UTI and primary
      bacteraemia were most common. Staphylococcal species accounted for a majority of
      infections at all body sites except UTI (47 per cent of all infections, including
      11 of 14 bacteraemic infections). Staph. aureus sepsis was more common in those
      carrying the organism on admission. Strain typing of paired admission and
      subsequent clinical isolates in 19 patients with Staph. aureus sepsis indicated
      that eight (42 per cent) became infected with a strain they carried on admission.
      Further reductions in septic complications of burns in our center would be best
      directed at staphylococcal species, particularly Staph. aureus. Both eradication
      of carrier state, and prevention of acquisition of Staph. aureus strains could be
      explored.

PMID- 1418513
TI  - Primary pressure grafts in early reconstruction of deep facial burns.
AB  - The face is an area of great cosmetic importance where the repair of deep burns
      is particularly delicate, as both appearance and function must be taken into
      account. In order to improve the aesthetic prognosis of full skin thickness
      facial burns, a primary pressure graft technique was used in eight patients.
      Early excision was carried out during postburn day 3 and after good-quality
      granulation tissue was obtained around day 10, a full skin thickness graft was
      applied. Pressure was applied to the graft and maintained for 10 days. The grafts
      took successfully in all patients with very satisfactory cosmetic results. This
      is an original technique as it replaces burned tissue at a very early stage with
      tissue which is normal in thickness and quality.

PMID- 1418514
TI  - Phosphorous pentachloride chemical burn--a slowly healing injury.
AB  - A 51-year-old chemical engineer sustained phosphorous pentachloride partial skin
      thickness burns over 20 per cent of his body surface area. Although
      macroscopically and microscopically the wound seemed to be superficial, the
      course of clinical healing of this injury was very slow and painful.
      Retrospectively this burn should have been treated by early excision and
      grafting.

PMID- 1418516
TI  - Development of the treatment of partial skin thickness burns since the Second
      World War: an overview.

PMID- 1418515
TI  - Bilateral metastatic endophthalmitis as a complication of major burns.
AB  - Metastatic infection of the eye is a rare complication of burns. The following
      report describes a patient with endophthalmitis occurring as a complication of
      major burns. The diagnostic difficulties that arose are discussed and the
      recommended treatment outlined.

PMID- 1418517
TI  - Treatment of burns with occlusive dressings: some pathophysiological and quality
      of life aspects.

PMID- 1418519
TI  - Burn bacteriology during the last 50 years.

PMID- 1418520
TI  - Preface: organizational aspects of burn care in The Netherlands and some aspects
      of future burn care.

PMID- 1418518
TI  - Historical appraisal of the use of skin allografts in the treatment of extensive
      full skin thickness burns at the Red Cross Hospital Burns Centre, Beverwijk, The
      Netherlands.

PMID- 1418521
TI  - Then and now: 50 years of burn treatment.

PMID- 1418522
TI  - [Determination of the active constituent in Veronicastrum sibiricum (L.)
      Pennell].
AB  - The anti-inflammatory and analgesic constituent isoferulic acid was
      quantitatively analyzed by means of TLC-SM. The content is 0.09%.

PMID- 1418523
TI  - [Kinetics of pharmacologic effects of radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata and sini
      decoction].
AB  - In the study of analgesic action of Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata and Sini
      Decoction hot-plate method was used and the time-effect relationship was
      determined. The biological half-lives were 11.05 h and 6.84 h respectively. In
      the study of the effect on inflammation induced by egg white in the ankle joints
      of rats, the method of complement ED50 was used. The residual rates of the
      dosages after an interval of 6 hours were 0.60 and 0.69, and the biological half
      lives were 8.11 h and 11.35 h respectively.

PMID- 1418524
TI  - [Inhibitory effects of the extract of pilose antler on monoamine oxidase in aged
      mice].
AB  - It was demonstrated that the water extract of Pilose Antler (WEPA) showed a
      higher inhibitory effect on MAO-B activities in the liver and brain tissues of
      aged mice, but nearly no effect on NAO-A. WEPA could significantly increase the
      contents of 5-HT, NE and DA in the brain tissues of aged mice. In vitro
      experiments revealed that the inhibition of WEPA on MAO-B was competitive, but on
      MAO-A was of mixed-type.

PMID- 1418526
TI  - [Review of improving the technology of processing Chinese herbal medicines].
AB  - In this paper, the present situation of processing technology for Chinese herbal
      medicines is expounded in all aspects. Careful processing, overall developing and
      comprehensive utilization are put forward as improving ways, in the hope of
      providing a scientific basis for carrying forward the traditional processing
      techniques for Chinese herbal medicines in producing areas and putting the
      resources to full and rational use.

PMID- 1418525
TI  - [Effects of ginseng volatile oil on cytochemical components of SGC-823 gastric
      carcinoma in cell culture].
AB  - After 24, 48 and 72 hours' treatment of cells of SGC-823 gastric carcinoma in
      cell cultures with ginseng volatile oil, glycogen, succinate dehydrogenase and
      DNA in single cells were measured quantitatively with MPV2 microscope photometer.
      The results show that the inhibition of cancer cell growth by ginseng volatile
      oil may be due to the action of metabolism of DNA, carbohydrates and energy.

PMID- 1418527
TI  - [Discussion on criteria for appraising the endanger threatening rare medicinal
      plants].
AB  - This paper deals with the criteria for appraising the endanger threatening rare
      medicinal plants. A preliminary evaluating method is presented.

PMID- 1418528
TI  - [Production layout of endemic and superior Chinese medicinal materials in
      Sichuan].
AB  - In this paper, the climatic ecological adaptabilities of 15 kinds of genuine
      Chinese medicinal materials in Sichuan are quantitatively illustrated by means of
      Fuzzy sets and some tentative ideas about their rational production layout are
      advanced for the first time.

PMID- 1418529
TI  - [Scanning electron microscopic identification of hairs on surface of fruits and
      seeds of Chinese medicinal plants].
AB  - A comparative identification of hairs on surfaces of fruits and seeds of some
      Chinese medicines has been made, and a key to 13 kinds of hairs has been
      compiled. According to the characters of hairs, it is possible to identify some
      Chinese drugs in powder form.

PMID- 1418530
TI  - [Effect of moisture and temperature on seed viability of Fritillaria thunbergii
      Miq].
AB  - This paper deals with the effect of two moisture levels (9.2%, 16.7%) and three
      temperature levels (15, 25, 35 degrees C) on seed viability of Fritillaria
      thunbergii. The results show that moisture and temperature have significant
      effects on seed viability.

PMID- 1418531
TI  - [Determination of sugar components in wild and cultured sclerotia of Grifola
      umbellata (pers. ex Fr.) Pilat at different ages].
AB  - Our determination indicates that in both wild and cultured sclerotia of Grifola
      umbellata the contents of reducing sugar decrease with the growing years; the
      contents of Polysaccharide peak in the second year of growth; the contents of
      protein increase with the growing years; the contents of fat reaches maximum in
      the first year of growth; in cultured sclerotia ergosterol becomes highest in
      contents when the plant is two years old, while in wild sclerotia it remains
      lowest.

PMID- 1418532
TI  - [Volatile oil in Ephedra sinica Stapf. and its processed products by GC-MS].
AB  - This paper deals with the changes in contents and chemical composition in the
      volatile oil of Ephedra sinica before and after processing. The results indicate
      that after processing, the more the substances of low boiling point, the higher
      their contents and vice versa. The changes are particularly obvious in yellow
      fried Ephedra sinica.

PMID- 1418533
TI  - [Saponins in fruits pedicels of Panax notoginseng (Burk.). F.H. Chen].
AB  - Six saponins were isolated from the fruit pedicels of Panax notoginseng for the
      first time. They were identified as ginsenoside-Rc, -Rb3, -Re, notoginsenoside
      Fe, -R1 and gypenoside IX by chemical and spectroscopic analysis.

PMID- 1418534
TI  - [Isolation and identification of chemical constituents from Hedyotis chrysotricha
      (Palib.) Merr].

PMID- 1418535
TI  - [Evaluation of rare and endangered conservational medicinal plants in Jiangsu
      Province].

PMID- 1418536
TI  - [Pharmacognostical study on the Chinese drug gualouzi].
AB  - The Chinese drug gualouzi is taken from a variety of plants. In this paper, 22
      kinds of gualouzi derived from 22 plants of Trichosanthes have been studied in
      their pharmacognostical characters and microproperties and accordingly divided
      into four types. Two keys are compiled based on the experimental results.

PMID- 1418537
TI  - [Stability of shuang huanglian aerosol].
AB  - The contents of chlorogenic acid and baicalin in shuang huanglian aerosol were
      determined by HPLC. The process of chemical kinetics of the aerosol was studied
      by constant temperature acceleration tests, and the stability of the drug
      predicted. The results appeared close to those from the stored sample method. pH
      changes during degradation of the drug were also observed.

PMID- 1418538
TI  - [Constituents of essential oils from leaves, stems, and fruits of Perilla
      frutescens (L.) Britt].
AB  - The constituents of essential oils obtained from the leaves, stems, and fruits of
      Perilla frutescens were analysed by GC-MS. 65 compounds including perilla
      aldehyde, perilla alcohol, trans-caryophyllene and hexadecanoic acid, etc. were
      identified. Their percentages in the oils were given.

PMID- 1418539
TI  - [GC-MS analysis of essential oils in needles of Pinus in northeastern China].
AB  - The essential oils of five species of Pinus (P. densiflora, P. sylvestris var.
      mongolica, P. sylvestris var. sylvestriformis, P. tabulaeformis and P. takahasii)
      have been analysed by GC-MS. Fifty compounds have been identified.

PMID- 1418540
TI  - [Ca2+ channel blocking effect of panaxadiol saponins and panaxatriol saponins of
      cultured cardiac cells].
AB  - It was found that PDS and PTS decreased the action potential parameters of the
      cultured myocardiocytes in a dosage-dependent way. The effects of PDS 1000
      micrograms/ml, PTS 200 micrograms/ml were in correspondence with the known Ca2+
      channel blocker Mn2+ 0.05 micrograms/ml. Washing out, administration of
      epinephrine 10 micrograms/ml or Ca2+ 80 micrograms/ml were able to reverse the
      action potential from inhibition. The above results indicate that both PDS and
      PTS have Ca2+ channel blockade action.

PMID- 1418541
TI  - [Effect of radix Astragali and radix ginseng in enhancing the metabolism of human
      myocardial cells in vitro].
AB  - Our experiment indicated that in Radix Astragali and Radix Ginseng treated human
      myocardial cell cultures the level of LDH and SDH elevated in varying degrees and
      in Radix Ginseng treated cells the cAMP showed higher levels but in Radix Ginseng
      treated ones the same was not observed. This suggests that the metabolism of
      myocardial cells is enhanced by Radix Astragali or Radix Ginseng.

PMID- 1418543
TI  - [Compatibility of Chinese drugs radix Aconiti carmichaeli with rhizoma
      Pinelliae].
AB  - To find out whether the Chinese drug Radix Aconiti Carmichaeli is compatible with
      another Chinese drug Rhizoma Pinelliae in preparation, the two medicinal herbs
      were made into different forms of decoctions. Experiments with these decoctions
      were carried out to observe the action on isolated hearts of toads and the ECG
      and acute toxicity on mice. The results showed that in terms of toxicity there
      was no marked increase in the mixed decoction as compared with the other two
      decoctions prepared from Radix Aconiti Carmichaeli and Rhizoma Pinelliae
      separately.

PMID- 1418542
TI  - [Effect of sodium 18 beta-glycyrrhetate on experimental arrhythmia].
AB  - The effect of sodium 18 beta-glycyrrhetate (SGA) on experimental arrhythmia was
      investigated. The result shows that SGA strongly counteracts arrhythmia induced
      by chloroform of chloroform adrenaline, lengthens the appearance time of
      arrhythmia induced by CaCl2, slightly retards the heart rate of rats and rabbits,
      and partly antagonizes the acceleration effect of isoproterenol on rabbit hearts.

PMID- 1418544
TI  - [A review on the chemical constituents of Annona plants].
AB  - The paper reviews the progress in the research on Annona plants, including the
      structure of chemical constituents, spectroscopic characteristics and
      physiological activities. A new kind of anticancer constituent is also
      introduced.

PMID- 1418545
TI  - [Pharmacognostical studies on the Chinese drug baibu, radix Stemona and its
      allied drugs. I. Some textual studies on baibu].

PMID- 1418546
TI  - [Immunological identification of tiger-bone].
AB  - Anti-tiger sera were prepared by using tiger serum proteins to immunize the
      rabbits. Tiger-bone can be identified by the specific serological reaction
      between the anti-tiger sera and the tiger-bone proteins.

PMID- 1418548
TI  - [A preliminary study on growing tempo of Ophisourus harti Boulenger].
AB  - Under experimental circumstances, the relationship between the growing tempo of
      Ophisourus harti and its age, fodder, outside temperature and humidity has
      surveyed. Suggestions have accordingly been made with regard to the rational
      utilization and protection of the resources.

PMID- 1418547
TI  - [Identification of morphology and inorganic elements of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv.
      produced in Sichuan by applying scanning electron microscope with energy
      dispersive X-ray analysis].
AB  - A research on the identification of morphology and inorganic elements of Eucommia
      ulmoides produced in Sichuan has been made by applying scanning electron
      microscope; energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Qualitative and semi-quantitative
      analyses of the inorganic elements in the observed areas have been obtained.

PMID- 1418549
TI  - [Thin layer chromatographic studies on radix Ginseng, fructus Schisandrae and
      radix Salviae miltiorrhizae in yixinfumai granules].
AB  - The main constituents of Radix Ginseng, Fructus Schisandrae and Radix Salviae
      Miltiorrhizae in Yixinfumai Granules were studied by TLC. It was found that
      ginsenoside got hydrolyzed while the drugs were being boiled together. The main
      constituents of Fructus Schisandrae were schizandrol A and B; and those of Radix
      Salviae Miltiorrhizae were tanshinone and protocatechuic aldehyde.

PMID- 1418550
TI  - [Constituents of tannins from Euphorbia prostrata Ait].
AB  - Ten compounds have been isolated from Euphorbia prostrata and identified as
      gallic acid, corilagin, 1,2,3-tri-O-galloyl-D-glucose,geraniin,tellimagradin I,
      II, rugosin A, rugosin E, rugosin D and rugosin G on the basis of physicochemical
      and spectroscopic methods.

PMID- 1418551
TI  - [Chemical studies on immunologically active polysaccharides of Ganoderma
      lucidum(Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst].
AB  - BN3B, the polysaccharide component of the fruit of Ganoderma lucidum, has been
      shown to have immune activity. From BN3B four homogeneous polysaccharides were
      separated and purified. Chemical studies on the main components BN3B1 and BN3B3
      indicated that BM3B1 contained only glucose and should be a glucan containing
      beta-(1----6) and (1----3)glycoside bonds and that BN3B3 was an arabinogalactan
      containing beta-(1----6) and (1----3)glycoside bonds.

PMID- 1418552
TI  - [Chemical constituents of Isodon albopilosus (C.Y. Wu et H.W. Li) Hara].
AB  - Five compounds have been isolated from the stems and leaves of Isodon
      albopilosus. On the basis of spectroscopic and chemical data, they were
      identified as macrocalyxin C, stearic acid, beta-sitosterol, ursolic acid and
      beta-sitosterol-beta-D-glucoside, respectively.

PMID- 1418553
TI  - [Chemical constituents of Vaccinium scopulorum W.W. Smith].
AB  - Seven compounds were isolated from the radix of Vaccinium scopulorum. On the
      basis of spectral analysis, physico-chemical constants and derivative
      preparations, they were identified as beta-amyrin, 3-epi-ursolic acid, methyl
      maslinate, 3 beta-acetoxy-delta 7-cholest-7-ene, protocatechuic acid, ethyl n
      hexacosanoate and ethyl n-tetracosanoate respectively.

PMID- 1418554
TI  - [Relationship between serum level of zinc and copper and inhibitory effect of
      herba Asari oil on proliferation of granuloma induced by implantation of cotton
      pellets in rats].
AB  - Intraperitoneal injection of the essential oil of Asarum himalaicum and A.
      heterotropoides var. mandshuricum may inhibit the proliferation of granuloma
      induced by implantation of cotton pellets in rats. This action might be related
      to the reduction of blood serum zinc.

PMID- 1418555
TI  - [Pharmacological study on spleen-stomach warming and analgesic actions of
      Aconitum carmichaeli Debx].
AB  - This study presents an observation of the anti-inflammatory effect of Aconitum
      carmichaeli decoction on water-immersion stress induced gastric ulcer in mice and
      0.6 mol/L HCl induced gastric ulcer in rats. The observation showed that the
      decoction was resistant to the castor oil induced and Cassia angustifolia leaf
      induced experimental diarrhea in mice, and also had marked analgesic action. It
      is thus suggested that Aconitum carmichaeli is useful clinically as a spleen
      stomach warming and analgesic agent in traditional Chinese medicine.

PMID- 1418556
TI  - [A preliminary exploration of the toxicity of certain Chinese herbal drugs
      containing alkaloids and the prevention of their poisoning].

PMID- 1418557
TI  - [A histochemical study of saikosaponins].
AB  - The root of Bupleurum chinese and B.scorzonerifolium was examined histochemically
      in order to clarify the distribution of saikosaponins in various tissues and
      parts of the root. By means of qualitative and quantitative analyses,
      saikosaponins, the bioactive principles in the root, were found to be abundant in
      the cortex outside the cambium and very little in the xylem of the root. It was
      also found that the thinner root hairs had the highest contents of saikosaponins,
      but decreased towards the thicker root head.

PMID- 1418558
TI  - [A new method of identifying Chinese crude drugs by comparing the characteristic
      content patterns of their chemical constituents].
AB  - Using the characteristic patterns of contents of chemical constituents, Chinese
      crude drugs derived from closely relative species and their fakes can be clearly
      identified and the quality of these drugs can be roughly evaluated. In this
      paper, the identification of Qianghuo (Notopterygium spp.) was presented based on
      this new method.

PMID- 1418559
TI  - [Analysis of chemical constituent of essential oil in Lonicera japonnica Thunb.
      cultivated on the northern plain of Henan Province].
AB  - The chemical constituents of the essential oil in the dry flower and fresh flower
      of Lonicera japonica were analyzed by the GC-MS-DS technique and the
      superimposition of authentic samples. 27 and 30 monoterpenoids and
      sesquiterpenoids were identified from the essential oil of the dry flower and
      fresh flower respectively. The major constituents have been found to be linalool,
      geraniol, aromadendrene and eugenol etc.

PMID- 1418560
TI  - [Determination of total alkaloid in seedling bulbs of Fritillaria thunbergii
      Miq].
AB  - This paper reports the determination of total alkaloid in the seedling bulbs and
      cultivars of the traditional Chinese medicine Fritillaria thunbergii. The result
      shows that the content of total alkaloid reaches the standard value specified in
      Chinese Pharmacopeia, and thus is useful for further production of sexual
      propagation.

PMID- 1418562
TI  - [Optimization of preparing technology for qiju dihuang oral liquid by orthogonal
      method].
AB  - L9(3)4 orthogonal experiment was performed to improve the clarity of Qiju Dihuang
      Oral Liquid. The result shows that the optimum pretreatment technology for the
      liquid includes alcohol concentration 75%, liquid pH 4.2 freezing temperature 3
      degrees C and freezing time 48 hours.

PMID- 1418561
TI  - [Studies on sedative and anticonvulsion effects of differently processed rhizoma
      Typhon].
AB  - Mice were employed to study sedative and anticonvulsion effects of Rhizoma Typhon
      processed by different methods. The results showed that processed and raw Rhizoma
      Typhon had marked sedative effect and delayed convulsion time, caused by
      cardiazole and strychnine. Processed and raw Rhizoma Typhon had similar action.
      With the new processing method, similar sedative and anticonvulsion effects were
      obtained compared with the old processing method.

PMID- 1418563
TI  - [A new method of enveloping volatile oils in Chinese medicinal herbs with beta
      cyclodextrin].
AB  - A comparison has been made of the enveloping rate of volatile oil by three
      different methods with beta-cyclodextrin. The result indicates that the saturated
      water solution enveloping method is very close to the gas-liquid enveloping
      method, P greater than 0.05, but the liquid-liquid enveloping method is
      apparently higher than the saturated water solution enveloping method, P less
      than 0.01.

PMID- 1418564
TI  - [Flavonoids in the seed of Cuscuta chinensis Lam].

PMID- 1418565
TI  - [Alkaloids of Annona reticulata L].

PMID- 1418567
TI  - [Nourishing yin action of the prepared rhizoma Rehmanniae].
AB  - The results of the experiment show that the prepared Rhizomae Rehmanniae can
      obviously improve the change of weight, quality of drinking water, urine and
      serum level of T3, T4 and AD of the hyperthyroid Yin deficient rats, and thus
      administers to the nourishing of Yin. The action of nourishing the kidney Yin is
      related with improving the serum level of AD in the body.

PMID- 1418566
TI  - [Constituents of the dry roots of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch].
AB  - From the extract of dry roots of Rehmannia glutimosa, fatty acids, palmitic acid,
      beta-sitosterol, daucosterol and sulfur (Ss) cyclic compound were isolated and
      identified. The latter four were isolated for the first time.

PMID- 1418568
TI  - [Effect of mieyanling oral liquid on the immune responses in normal and
      cyclophosphamide treated mice].
AB  - It has been proved that Mieyanling in Vivo and in Vitro, can augment the
      lymphocyte transformation rate induced by PHA, Con-A or LPS in mice. The
      suppressed immune function caused by cyclophosphamide can also be significantly
      relieved by Mieyanling Oral Liquid.

PMID- 1418569
TI  - [Inhibition of fructus Corni on experimental inflammation].
AB  - Fructus Corni (FC) decoction inhibits the increase of peritoneal capillary
      permeability by ip 0.7% acetic acid in mice, the proliferation of granuloma
      formed by implanting cotton pellets in rats, the swelling of mouse pinnea with
      xylene and the edema of hind paw induced by injection of fresh egg white 0.1 ml
      in rats. FC decreases the contents of ascorbic acid in adrenal, but has no marked
      effect on the contents of prostaglandin E in inflammatory tissue of rats. These
      results indicate that the inhibitory effect of FC on the inflammatory process may
      be related to pituitary-adrenal axis.

PMID- 1418570
TI  - [Primary observation on antidotal effect of the Chinese drug mutong against
      fuzi].
AB  - Mutong can reduce Fuzi's toxicity markedly. This reducing effect is directly
      proportional to the dosage of Mutong within a certain range and the content of
      alkaloid in Fuzi drops clearly after Fuzi and Mutong are used in the same
      prescription.

PMID- 1418571
TI  - [Textual studies on fuxiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. cv. fuxiorg)].

PMID- 1418573
TI  - [Identification of seven snake-drugs by iso-electric point].
AB  - This paper deals with the identification of seven snake-drugs by means of iso
      electric point of protein. The experimental results show that different species
      of snake-drugs have different iso-electric points. The experimental data are
      accurate and easily reproducible (CV less than 0.5%). The difference of the
      averages of iso-electric points of the seven snake-drugs (P less than 0.01%) is
      extremely significant and thus provides a scientific criterion for the
      identification of peeled or powdered snake-drugs.

PMID- 1418572
TI  - [Quality of dihuang (Rehmannia spp.)].
AB  - In this paper, the contents of catalpol, water-extract and alcohol-extract
      materials, ash, total reducing sugar and inorganic elements in Dihuang from
      different habitats have been measured. The result shows that Huai Dihuang, the
      genuine drug, excels all those from other habitats in quality. The quality of
      commercial dry Dihuang may be related closely to the production area, storage
      time, etc.

PMID- 1418574
TI  - [Cytological observation on culture of embryo in vitro of Tripterygium
      hypoglaucum (level.) Hutch].
AB  - This paper for the first time reports the embryo culture in vitro of Tripterygium
      hypoglaucum. Callus, adventitious roots and adventitious protuberances were
      induced from the cultured embryos in vitro. Multi-buds at the excised embryo tip
      were also observed at the same time. Cytohistological examination showed (1)
      callus was histologically easy to be induced to form adventitious roots; (2)
      callus on the cotyledons was originated from the epidemical and subepidemical
      cells of the cotyledons, and the adventitious roots were originated from the
      disperse meristematic tissue or vascular tissue in the callus obtained from
      cultured excised embryos.

PMID- 1418575
TI  - [Types of flowering branch of Magnolia denudata Desr. under high yield
      conditions].
AB  - The types of flowering branch of Magnolia denudata under high yield conditions
      were investigated. The action of axillary flowering branches on yield increase
      and the cultural techniques of promoting axillary flowering branch formation were
      evaluated. Under the same culturing conditions M. denudata var.
      dilutipurpurascens has hardly any axillary flowering branches.

PMID- 1418576
TI  - [Anti-inflammatory effect of differently processed rhizoma Typhon] off.
AB  - Rat was employed to study the anti-inflammatory effect of Rhizoma Typhon
      processed by different methods. The result showed that processed and raw Rhizoma
      Typhon had similar action. With the new processing method similar anti
      inflammatory effect was obtained compared with the old processing method.

PMID- 1418577
TI  - [Uniform design for the best conditions of processing heixi in shenrong heixi
      pills] off.
AB  - Uniform design has been applied to select the optimum technological conditions
      for processing Heixi in Shenrong Heixi Pills, using the contents of the main
      constituent of Heixi SNS as the optimum target. The best technological conditions
      have thus been found.

PMID- 1418578
TI  - [Preparation of sucking tablet of shengmei] off.
AB  - The Sucking Tablet of Shengmei is made from eight Chinese traditional drugs
      including Radix Adenophorae, Fructus Mume, etc. The effective rate of the tablet
      in treating chronic pharyngitis reaches up to 96 percent. The working mechanism
      related to the fact that the tablet is bacteria-resistant and helps to strengthen
      the body function. This paper presents the preparation process of the Sucking
      Tablet along with solutions for some problems encountered in the process and
      appropriate standards for quality control.

PMID- 1418579
TI  - [Effective chemical constituents of Artemisia argyi Levl. et Vant for inhibition
      of platelet aggregation].
AB  - beta-Sitosterol and eupatilin were isolated and identified from Artemisia argyi.
      Both of them showed marked inhibition of platelet aggregation.

PMID- 1418580
TI  - [Chemical constituents of the roots of Ostericum grosseserratum (Maxim.) Kitag].
AB  - This paper reports the isolation of eleven compounds from the roots of Ostericum
      grosseserratum, of which nine compounds were elucidated as myristic acid,
      palmitic acid, stearic acid, octacosanoic acid, succinic acid, beta-sitosterol,
      sitosterol-beta-D-glucoside, isoscopletin and sucrose. The results are helpful in
      the study of plant taxonomy.

PMID- 1418581
TI  - [Chemical constituents of the leaves of Acanthopanax trifoliatus (Linn) Merr].
AB  - Nevadensin (A), kaur-16-en-19-oic acid (B), taraxerol (C) and taraxerol-acetate
      (D) were isolated from the leaves of Acanthopanax trifoliatus. A and B were
      isolated for the first time. Pharmacological experiments have shown that
      nevadensin possesses expectorant and antitussive actions.

PMID- 1418583
TI  - [Determination of cinnamaldehyde in cortex Cinnamomi by CS-930 TLC scanner].
AB  - Cinnamaldehyde was extracted by chloroform from Cortex Cinnamomi and determined
      directly on a CS-930 TLC scanner. The method is simple and sensitive, and can
      serve as an index for checking the quality of Cortex Cinnamomi.

PMID- 1418584
TI  - [Effects of artificial cultured Panax notoginseng cell on cardiovascular system].
AB  - Alcoholic extract from artificial cultured Panax notoginseng cell (SCC) ip has
      been found conducive to increasing the resistance of mice to anoxia. In vitro it
      helps to increase the outflow of coronary vessels, decrease the heart rate,
      inhibit the constriction of aortic strip stimulated by nor-epinephrine and relax
      spasmodic constriction of ileum smooth muscles markedly. SCC powder suspension on
      po administration can contract bleeding and coagulation time. The pharmacologic
      activities of SCC are similar to those of crude Panax notoginseng.

PMID- 1418582
TI  - [Isolation and identification of julibrotriterpennoidal lactone A from Albizia
      julibrissin Durazz].
AB  - Julibrotriterpennoidal lactone A was isolated from the cortex of Albizia
      julibrissin. Its structure (the C28----C21 lactone of, 3 beta, 16 beta, 21 beta
      trihydroxy-delta 12-oleanen-28-oic acid) has been determined on the basis of
      spectral evidence (IR, 1HNMR, 13C NMR and MS).

PMID- 1418585
TI  - [Pharmacological study on Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc. and ze-e Cordyceps].
AB  - The Ze-e Cordyceps is similar to the Cordyceps sinensis in such pharmacological
      actions as calming, enduring hypoxia, dilating trachea, male sex hormone action,
      antiphlogistic and toxicity, etc. It is thus suggested that the Ze-e Cordyceps
      may be used place of the Cordyceps sinensis in clinical practice.

PMID- 1418586
TI  - [Studies of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. f. hueichingensis as a blood tonic].
AB  - We have studied the function of dried and prepared Rehmannia glutinosa f.
      hueichingensis in treating hemorrhagic anemic mice and in fostering bone marrow
      hematopoietic cells CFU-S, CFU-E. The results show that Rehmannia glutinosa f.
      hueichingensis can promote the recovery of blood deficient animals, RBC. Hb
      expedite the multiplication and differentiation of CFU-S, CFU-E, and thus proves
      markedly helpful to the generation of blood.

PMID- 1418587
TI  - [Antioxidative effect of Chinese drugs].
AB  - The antioxidative effect of more than 50 ethanol extracts of Chinese drugs were
      studied on the air oxidation of linoleic acid. Several ethanol extracts such as
      Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Magnolia officinalis and Zingiber officinale etc., were
      found having stronger antioxidative effect.

PMID- 1418588
TI  - [Pharmacological study of Zingiber officinale (Willd.) Rosc. and its clinical
      use].

PMID- 1418589
TI  - [Advances in the pharmacological study of pollen Typhae].

PMID- 1418590
TI  - A research agenda for pressure ulcer prevention.
AB  - The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) Guideline Panel on
      Pressure Ulcers completed a comprehensive review of the literature related to the
      prediction and prevention of pressure ulcers in adults. On the basis of this
      review, the panel formulated a guideline for care. Additionally, the analysis of
      published research revealed gaps in knowledge, research issues, and
      methodological problems that need attention in future studies. The following were
      identified as focus areas for the future: research with pressure ulcers status as
      the outcome rather than other intermediate outcomes; studies of product and
      intervention efficacy; further delineation of pressure ulcer staging; refinement
      of risk assessment tools; and testing of risk-based multi-intervention trials.

PMID- 1418591
TI  - Defining characteristics of the nursing diagnosis "high risk for impaired skin
      integrity".
AB  - Medical records were retrospectively reviewed to examine factors which may
      predict skin breakdown in the hospitalized adult patient. One-hundred fourteen
      (114) subjects were selected for the study, 60 who developed skin breakdown and
      54 who did not. Results suggested that the factors which predict skin breakdown
      in the hospitalized patient are: age greater than 65 years, decreased level of
      consciousness, low activity level, low-grade fever, presence of infection,
      incontinence, poor nutritional intake, and an altered metabolic state.

PMID- 1418592
TI  - Synthesis of research findings through meta-analysis.
AB  - Meta-analysis is an alternative, quantitative approach to the analysis and
      synthesis of multiple investigations of the same clinical question. The
      statistical approaches that have been developed since Glass coined the term meta
      analysis in 1976 are discussed. Clinicians will find meta-analysis helpful when
      there are conflicting research findings about perplexing clinical problems.

PMID- 1418593
TI  - Research basics: getting past gatekeepers.
AB  - In order to conduct research the investigator must first get beyond the
      "gatekeepers," the people who have the power or the influence to keep the
      research project from being investigated. Two factors that get researchers past
      gatekeepers are integrating some basic assumptions about all institutions and
      using selected practical strategies to gain entry. Basic assumptions include
      consideration of the institution as a dynamic social system encompassing
      territoriality issues, a resistance to change, and investment in maintaining good
      public relations. Practical strategies include communicating with the "right"
      people, "marketing" your proposal effectively, and creating a "win-win"
      situation.

PMID- 1418595
TI  - The need for simple and complex research.

PMID- 1418594
TI  - Pressure ulcer incidence and severity in a community hospital.
AB  - In a study of 1320 adult patients admitted to a community hospital, there was a
      pressure ulcer incidence rate of 8.4%, with 3.2% of pressure ulcers present on
      admission. Of the 190 ulcers found, 63% (n = 120) were hospital acquired and were
      less severe than those present on admission. There was an average of 1.6 ulcers
      per patient; 56.3% (n = 107) were Stage I ulcers and 36.3% (n = 69) were Stage II
      ulcers. The most frequent sites were coccyx-sacral area, heels, and elbows.
      Preventive measures used most frequently were turning, special mattresses, and
      special skin care. After a pressure ulcer developed, the most frequently used
      treatment measures were special bed or mattress, frequent turning, and special
      ointments and dressings.

PMID- 1418596
TI  - Review of AHCPR urinary incontinence in adults: a patient's guide.

PMID- 1418597
TI  - The role of functional imaging in neoplasms of the thyroid.
AB  - Iodine-123 and Iodine-131 have suitable physical properties that enable them to
      be used for functional imaging of the thyroid. Iodine-123 is used for routine
      testing for hyperthyroidism and thyroid nodules, whereas I-131, which has a
      longer half-life, is used for whole body imaging for detecting metastatic thyroid
      cancer in patients who have undergone thyroidectomy. The radionuclides of iodine
      are trapped and organified like nonradioactive iodine. In contrast, technetium as
      pertechnetate is trapped by the thyroid and can be used for imaging immediately
      after intravenous injection. There can be differences in scintiscans made in the
      same patient using radioiodine vs. technetium. Thallium is a useful adjuvant
      imaging agent for thyroid cancer. It should be stressed that correlation with the
      clinical findings and biochemical thyroid function tests are very important when
      evaluating thyroid scintiscans.

PMID- 1418598
TI  - Proteoglycans in cell regulation.
AB  - Proteoglycans are a diverse group of proteins carrying one or more
      glycosaminoglycan side chains linked to the protein as O-glycosides. Our
      appreciation of these structures has matured from a curiosity about unusual
      structural glycoproteins, to confer upon them a central role in cell biology. The
      major classes of glycosaminoglycans are heparan sulfate and heparin, chondroitin
      and dermatan sulfates, keratan sulfate and hyaluronic acid. The latter is unique
      in that it does not contain sulfate residues, and appears to be synthesized, at
      least sometimes, free of a carrier protein. There is now a wealth of information
      on the ability of these structures to influence the growth and development of
      cells and tissues. Many direct and specific effects of proteoglycans will
      undoubtedly be found, and there are likely to be indirect effects of the
      glycosaminoglycans relating to their polyelectrolyte nature. Convincing arguments
      that biological activity resides in certain proteoglycan core proteins are also
      appearing. The following discussion concerns the role of proteoglycans in the
      regulation and action of autocrine and polypeptide growth factors, direct
      mitogenic and antimitogenic actions of glycosaminoglycans, the role of these
      structures in regulating gene expression, and the biological activities of
      proteoglycan core proteins. The probable role of proteoglycans in normal
      glomerular cell function, and in progressive renal disease, will be presented as
      a harbinger of the significant role we can expect them to play in diagnosis and
      therapy in the near future.

PMID- 1418599
TI  - Biochemistry of alcoholic liver disease.
AB  - The biochemistry of alcohol liver disease as it relates to clinical medicine and
      experimental alcohol liver disease is presented. Clinical features are emphasized
      in the diagnosis of alcohol liver disease, particularly as it relates to staging
      the disease and predictors of prognosis. Currently, it is true that the
      biochemical diagnosis of alcohol liver disease is at best very limited in terms
      of the sensitivity tests and specificity of the test. It is particularly
      difficult to detect alcohol liver disease biochemically in the early stages when
      steatohepatitis is not severe. Consequently, 50% of the patients have already
      developed cirrhosis at the time they are diagnosed clinically. In this review
      indicators of malnutrition are emphasized because they have the strongest
      implications regarding survival during the acute hospitalization stage of the
      disease. They are also the best indicators of response to therapy during the
      recovery phase. With respect to experimental work on the pathogenesis of alcohol
      liver disease, it appears that necrosis is due to the inability to increase blood
      flow to compensate for increased oxygen utilization. The hypothesis that
      mitochondrial damage is the cause of liver cell damage is regarded as less
      important in the pathogenesis of necrosis. The shift in the redox state during
      alcohol metabolism accounts for the fatty change noted in the central lobular
      area of the liver in animals fed alcohol. Apparently, there is strong
      experimental evidence that highly reactive intermediates are important in the
      pathogenesis of liver damage due to the induction of the isozyme cytochrome P450
      IIE1 by alcohol ingestion. This mechanism is enhanced by a diet high in
      polyunsaturated fatty acids.

PMID- 1418600
TI  - Application of immunochemical assays to food analysis.
AB  - Immunochemical assays are powerful bioanalytical techniques with application to
      several areas in food science, including food analysis, microbiology, nutrition,
      food safety, food quality, and process control. In principle, immunochemical
      techniques can be applied to the analysis of any compound, with only one specific
      antibody needed that can be obtained either from laboratory animals or, when
      available, from commercial sources. A well-designed immunochemical assay can
      detect targeted compounds at levels as low as 10(-12) M. Immunochemical
      techniques require little or no sample pretreatment, making these analytical
      procedures relatively rapid. The initial cost of developing an immunoanalytical
      assay may be high, but when the procedure is well established, the cost per test
      is often a fraction of that for other analytical methods. For these reasons,
      immunoanalytical assays provide an attractive alternative for the food analyst
      who requires either inexpensive qualitative screening tests or reliable
      quantitative methods with a high degree of sensitivity. This review concentrates
      on the use of enzyme immunoassay to address analytical problems in food chemistry
      and the analysis of various food components.

PMID- 1418601
TI  - Characteristics of antisweet substances, sweet proteins, and sweetness-inducing
      proteins.
AB  - Recent studies on structures and functions of sweetness-inhibiting substances
      (gymnemic acid, ziziphin, and gurmarin); sweet proteins (monellin, thaumatin and
      mabinlin); and taste-modifying proteins (miraculin and curculin) were reviewed.
      Several gymnemic acid homologues and gurmarin were purified from the leaves of
      Gymnema sylvestre and their structures were determined. Ziziphin was also
      purified from leaves of Ziziphus jujuba. Gymnemic acid and ziziphin are glycoside
      of triterpenes that suppress sweetness in human, while gurmarin is a peptide
      having antisweet activity in rat. Mabinlin is a heat-stable sweet protein. The
      whole amino acid sequence and the position of disulfide bridges of mabinlin were
      determined. Miraculin has the unusual property of modifying a sour taste into a
      sweet taste. Curculin elicits a sweet taste. In addition, water and sour
      substance elicit a sweet taste after curculin. Their amino acid sequences and
      subunit structures were determined. These proteins are expected to be used as low
      calorie sweeteners.

PMID- 1418602
TI  - Inhibition of enzymatic browning in foods and beverages.
AB  - Enzymatic browning is a major factor contributing to quality loss in foods and
      beverages. Sulfiting agents are used commonly to control browning; however,
      several negative attributes associated with sulfites have created the need for
      functional alternatives. Recent advances in the development of nonsulfite
      inhibitors of enzymatic browning are reviewed. The review focuses on compositions
      that are of practical relevance to food use.

PMID- 1418603
TI  - Macromolecule replacers in food products.
AB  - Traditional macromolecules and other recently synthesized materials have been
      accepted by consumers for use as low-calorie replacements for fats and sugars in
      food products. These include carbohydrates such as polydextrose, maltodextrins,
      modified starches, gums, and fibers. Protein and lipid-based replacements,
      including fat analogs and emulsifiers, are also available and some have been
      approved for use in food products. This article presents the properties of each
      of the macromolecule replacers, some uses that have been reported in food
      products, and speculative thoughts regarding functionality. Because control of
      water in the food product, added solids, and the mouthfeel characteristics
      associated with microparticles are three of the critical functions that must be
      provided by replacers, effectiveness of usage from a sensory perspective is also
      considered.

PMID- 1418604
TI  - Biology and biochemistry of the chemokines: a family of chemotactic and
      inflammatory cytokines.
AB  - Studies conducted in many laboratories over the past several years have resulted
      in the identification and initial characterization of a large superfamily of
      structurally and functionally related inflammatory cytokines. This superfamily
      currently includes 14 distinct members: platelet factor 4, beta-thromboglobulin,
      neutrophil activating peptide-1/interleukin-8, gro, IP-10, mig, ENA-78,
      macrophage inflammatory proteins-1 alpha and -1 beta, monocyte chemoattractant
      protein-1/JE, RANTES, HC-14, C-10, and I-309. Although numerous biological
      activities have been assigned to these molecules, a common theme is their ability
      to stimulate the chemotactic migration of distinct sets of cells, including
      neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, and fibroblasts. Accumulating evidence
      indicates that these molecules play important roles in mediating cell recruitment
      and activation necessary for inflammation and the repair of tissue damage.

PMID- 1418605
TI  - Pitfalls of CT appearance of adrenal glands in lung cancer patients.

PMID- 1418606
TI  - Computerized tomography of colonic diverticulitis.
AB  - In this review article, the value of computerized tomography (CT) vs. contrast
      enema (CE) in patients with acute diverticulitis is discussed. Acute
      diverticulitis is a frequent differential diagnosis in abdominal disease.
      Approximately 15 to 30% of all patients with diverticulosis develop
      diverticulitis, whereby approximately 21% of these must undergo surgery. The
      clinical as well as the radiographical differential diagnosis between
      diverticulosis and diverticulitis often poses a great problem. While the contrast
      enema demonstrates the changes of the intestinal lumen, the true extent of the
      inflammatory process cannot be estimated. Numerous studies have shown that CT is
      preferable in demonstrating the extent of pericolic inflammation, which is often
      underestimated with the contrast enema. Within the range of computer
      tomographical symptoms, infiltration and colonic wall thickening show a high
      sensitivity. These CT symptoms are not pathognomonic. The differential diagnosis
      of the findings with CT is discussed.

PMID- 1418607
TI  - US and CT evaluation of diffusely enlarged adrenal gland.
AB  - Normal adrenal gland contains an anteromodial ridge and two asymmetric wings.
      This results in the characteristic features of cross-sectional images in
      different levels of a section. When adrenal gland is diffusely enlarged, it
      initially becomes thickened. As it grows larger, it may stimulate a focal mass
      lesion or it may appear irregular in shape. However, the basic forms in different
      section planes are still somewhat maintained. In bilateral adrenal hyperplasia,
      the medulla may be seen as a highly echogenic linear structure on US and a high
      density linear structure on CT. The other causes of diffuse adrenal enlargement
      are hemorrhage, infectious disease, infiltrating neoplastic disease, and
      congenital metabolic deficiency disease.

PMID- 1418608
TI  - CT evaluation of the abdominal wall.
AB  - Computed tomography (CT) is a useful method for evaluating the abdominal wall.
      Pathology includes hernia, hematoma, infection and inflammation, tumor, and post
      traumatic, post-operative, and miscellaneous conditions. The CT findings of these
      various abnormalities are presented.

PMID- 1418609
TI  - Programming of lymphocyte responses to activation: extrinsic factors, provided
      microenvironmentally, confer flexibility and compartmentalization to T-cell
      function.

PMID- 1418610
TI  - Induction, regulation and function of T-cell subsets in leishmaniasis.

PMID- 1418611
TI  - Delayed-type hypersensitivity recruitment of T cell subsets via antigen-specific
      non-IgE factors or IgE antibodies: relevance to asthma, autoimmunity and immune
      responses to tumors and parasites.

PMID- 1418612
TI  - T helper cell immune dysfunction in asymptomatic, HIV-1-seropositive individuals:
      the role of TH1-TH2 cross-regulation.

PMID- 1418613
TI  - Staphylococcal enterotoxins, toxic shock syndrome toxin and streptococcal
      pyrogenic exotoxins: a comparative study of their molecular biology.

PMID- 1418614
TI  - Effects of staphylococcal toxins on T-cell activity in vivo.

PMID- 1418615
TI  - Mycoplasma arthritidis-derived superantigen.

PMID- 1418616
TI  - Cellular and molecular mechanisms of immune activation by microbial
      superantigens: studies using toxic shock syndrome toxin-1.

PMID- 1418618
TI  - Germ-line-encoded recognition of certain short peptide antigens?

PMID- 1418617
TI  - T-cell-dependent shock induced by a bacterial superantigen.

PMID- 1418619
TI  - T-lymphocyte stimulation by microbial superantigens.

PMID- 1418620
TI  - Mls antigens: immunity and tolerance.

PMID- 1418621
TI  - Platelet-derived growth factor isoforms AA, AB, and BB differentially activate
      poly r(I):r(C)-induced genes in human fibroblast FS4 cells.
AB  - Polyribocytidylic-polyriboinosinic acid [poly r(I):r(C)]-inducible genes were
      isolated by a differential screening procedure from a human fibroblast cell (FS
      4) cDNA bank. Among yet unidentified genes (gene 274), one codes for a protein
      with multiple finger motifs and has previously been detected in endothelial cells
      after tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) treatment (A20; Opipari et al.,
      1990), the second one codes for a variant of the I kappa B family (Haskill et
      al., 1991), and a third one for the Ca2+ ATPase (isoform 1). Platelet-derived
      growth factor (PDGF) isoforms (AA, AB, and BB) stimulated the expression of these
      immediate-early genes. But the extent of the respective induction correlated
      neither with the number of the two receptors alpha or beta nor with the level of
      PDGF-stimulated receptor autophosphorylation on tyrosine. Although alpha
      receptors were less abundant than beta-receptors (12,500 binding sites were
      estimated for PDGF-AA, KD 0.03 nM; 20,000 for PDGF-AB, KD 0.03 nM; 35,000 for
      PDGF-BB KD 0.16 nM) and tyrosine phosphorylation induced by PDGF-AA was
      significantly less than that evoked by PDGF-BB, some of the investigated genes
      were more strongly induced by PDGF-AA. We discuss how the differences in the
      biological potency of the PDGF isoforms may reside in different functions of the
      two receptors by activation of alternative signaling pathways.

PMID- 1418623
TI  - Molecular cloning and functional characterization of chicken cathepsin D, a key
      enzyme for yolk formation.
AB  - Upon receptor-mediated endocytosis of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and
      vitellogenin into growing chicken oocytes, the protein moieties of these
      lipoproteins are proteolytically cleaved. Unlike the complete lysosomal
      degradation in somatic cells, enzymatic ligand breakdown in oocytes generates a
      characteristic set of polypeptides, which enter yolk storage compartments for
      subsequent utilization by the embryo. Here, we demonstrate directly that the
      catalyst for the intraoocytic processing of both apolipoprotein B and
      vitellogenin is cathepsin D. The enzyme was purified from oocytic yolk,
      preovulatory follicle homogenates, and liver by affinity chromatography. When
      plasma VLDL and vitellogenin were incubated with the purified enzyme, fragments
      indistinguishable from those found in yolk were generated from both precursors
      under identical, mildly acidic conditions. Amino-terminal sequencing of the pure
      enzyme demonstrated 88% identity with mammalian cathepsin Ds over 34 residues. On
      the basis of this information, a full-length clone specifying chicken
      preprocathepsin D was isolated from a chicken follicle cDNA library by screening
      with a human cathepsin D probe. Whereas previous studies have demonstrated that
      the receptors for lipoproteins in somatic cells and oocytes, respectively, of the
      chicken are the products of different genes, Southern and Northern blot
      hybridization experiments showed that the enzymes expressed in oocytes and liver
      are the product of a single gene, giving rise to a 3.3-kb transcript. The primary
      structure of the 335-residue mature protein suggests a high degree of
      conservation of known crucial features of aspartyl proteases; however, the
      absence of the so-called processing region and of an aromatic residue in a region
      thought to partake in catalysis raise questions with possible evolutionary
      implications.

PMID- 1418622
TI  - Complementary DNA cloning and expression of Pit-1/GHF-1 from the domestic turkey.
AB  - The transition from egg laying to incubation activity in birds is associated with
      a dramatic rise in serum prolactin levels. To further our understanding of the
      regulation of prolactin gene expression in birds, a cDNA clone encoding turkey
      Pit-1/GHF-1 was isolated. The turkey cDNA, designated tPit-1/GHF-1, was 1,123
      nucleotides in length and encoded a protein of 327 amino acids, including a
      conserved 80-amino-acid POU-specific domain and a 60-amino-acid POU homeodomain.
      tPit-1/GHF-1 POU-specific domain and POU-homeodomain showed 94-95% amino acid
      identity with the corresponding rat Pit-1/GHF-1 domains. At its amino terminus,
      tPit-1/GHF-1 contained a 26-amino-acid insertion comparable to that found in the
      rat variant isoform, Pit-1 beta. Two other insertions of 38 and 7 amino acids
      were present and were not found in the mammalian protein. Levels of tPit-1/GHF-1
      mRNA in pituitary tissue were examined at different phases of the turkey
      reproductive cycle by Northern blotting. tPit-1/GHF-1 mRNA was expressed as a 3.5
      kb transcript, whose abundance remained relatively constant throughout the
      reproductive cycle. Thus, the dramatic rise in prolactin mRNA, observed during
      hyperprolactinemia in incubating turkey hens, was not associated with a
      concomitant increase in tPit-1/GHF-1 gene expression.

PMID- 1418624
TI  - Structure of the tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) prolactin I gene.
AB  - The tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) prolactin-I (PRL-I) gene has been cloned
      and sequenced. Its transcript (3,677 bases long) begins with a guanine and is
      organized in five exons and four introns like the other known prolactin genes.
      Analysis of the 1,555-bp 5'-flanking region suggests that pituitary-specific
      expression of the gene could be regulated through a trans-factor related to the
      mammalian pituitary-specific factor Pit-1. Two potential binding sites for such a
      factor were found in the first intron, suggesting a possible regulatory role for
      this region. Moreover, two potential Z-DNA regions are located at positions -837
      to -812 and -246 to -179 from the transcription start site. These two regions
      could play an important role in the regulation of PRL gene expression.

PMID- 1418625
TI  - Cloning, sequencing, and disruption of the gene encoding sterol C-14 reductase in
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - A sterol C-14 reductase (erg24-1) mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was selected
      in a fen1, fen2, suppressor background on the basis of nystatin resistance and
      ignosterol (ergosta-8,14-dienol) production. The erg24-1 allele segregated
      genetically as a single, recessive gene. The wild-type ERG24 gene was cloned by
      complementation onto a 12-kb fragment from a yeast genomic library, and
      subsequently subcloned onto a 2.4-kb fragment. This was sequenced and found to
      contain an open reading frame of 1,314 bp, predicting a polypeptide of 438 amino
      acids (M(r) 50,612). A 1,088-bp internal region of the ERG24 gene was excised,
      replaced with a LEU2 gene, and integrated into the chromosome of the parental
      strain, FP13D (fen1, fen2) by gene replacement. The ERG24 null mutant produced
      ergosta-8,14-dienol as the major sterol, indicating that the delta 8-7 isomerase,
      delta 5-desaturase and the delta 22-desaturase were inactive on sterols with the
      C14 = 15 double bond.

PMID- 1418626
TI  - Sequence of the gene encoding the mitochondrial capsule selenoprotein of mouse
      sperm: identification of three in-phase TGA selenocysteine codons.
AB  - The mitochondrial selenoprotein is a major structural protein of the keratinous
      mitochondrial capsule in mammalian sperm, a structure that functions in shaping
      mitochondria into the helical sheath surrounding the flagellum. A cDNA clone
      (Kleene et al., 1990) was isolated previously encoding a protein whose predicted
      size and amino acid content of > 20% cysteine and proline closely resembled a
      selenoprotein in the bull mitochondrial capsule. The sequences of additional
      cDNAs and genomic DNA reported here reveal that the mouse mitochondrial capsule
      selenoprotein reading frame begins 54 codons further upstream than previously
      reported. Significantly, these 54 codons contain three in-phase UGA codons, which
      normally signify stop but encode selenocysteine in bacterial and mammalian
      selenoproteins. The coding region of the mitochondrial capsule selenoprotein gene
      is interrupted by a single intron. S1 mapping and primer extension demonstrate
      that the vast majority of MCS mRNAs are spliced using consensus 5' and 3' slice
      junctions in mammalian cells. However, two cDNAs have been identified that
      apparently represent rare mRNA variants produced by use of cryptic splice sites.

PMID- 1418627
TI  - Recombinant human acid alpha-glucosidase generated in bacteria: antigenic, but
      enzymatically inactive.
AB  - Genetic deficiency of acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) results in glycogen storage
      disease type II. To investigate whether we could generate a functional
      recombinant human GAA protein for future enzyme replacement therapy, we subcloned
      the GAA cDNA into the bacterial expression plasmid pMaI and analyzed the
      recombinant protein produced. This nonglycosylated recombinant human GAA was
      found to be antigenic by reacting with polyclonal rabbit antibody to human
      placental GAA using ELISA and Western techniques. However, the protein was not
      enzymatically active, suggesting that glycosylation may play a role in enzymatic
      function.

PMID- 1418629
TI  - [Relative mortality trends for diabetes mellitus in the Brazilian state capitals,
      1950-1985].
AB  - The article describes the trend of relative mortality from diabetes mellitus in
      the capitals of the Brazilian states and territories from 1950 to 1975 (by place
      of occurrence) and from 1977 to 1985 (deaths of inhabitants) on the basis of data
      obtained from the statistical yearbooks of Brazil and the Ministry of Health's
      mortality statistics. It also presents the importance of relative mortality from
      diabetes mellitus in each capital by sex and age group, starting with age 20. In
      the earlier time period this mortality was found to be on the rise at a rate of
      increase varying between 1.7 and 11.1 and with an average rate of increase of 3.4
      for all capitals. In the latter period the rate ranged between 0.5 and 2.7, with
      an average rate of 1.5 for all capitals. The death rates were proportionally
      highest between the ages of 50 and 69, and were higher among women. The study
      also comments on underestimation of this mortality when the primary cause of
      death alone is considered.

PMID- 1418630
TI  - [Genetic evidence of a species complex in Anopheles pseudopunctipennis
      pseudopunctipennis].
AB  - In light of inconsistencies in the pattern of malaria transmission within
      geographical areas inhabited by Anopheles pseudopunctipennis pseudopunctipennis,
      a study was carried out to investigate the possibility that this vector
      constitutes a species complex. Hybrid crossing studies, electrophoretic analysis
      of enzyme loci, and DNA restriction analysis were conducted on mosquitoes
      captured at nine sites in Mexico, Bolivia, and Peru. The sterility of generations
      resulting from cross-mating of Mexican female mosquitoes and South American male
      mosquitoes; the results of electrophoretic analysis, which showed differences at
      two loci; and a genetic distance value of 0.13 confirmed the existence of a
      species complex, probably produced by allopatric speciation. It is concluded that
      the geographic distribution of this newly discovered species complex should be
      defined, in view of its potential effect on malaria control.

PMID- 1418631
TI  - [Competence levels].

PMID- 1418628
TI  - Specific DNA amplification utilizing the polymerase chain reaction and random
      oligonucleotide primers: application to the analysis of antigen receptor variable
      regions.
AB  - The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) allows rapid amplification of DNA of known
      sequence. In many situations, part of a genetic sequence is known, but adjacent
      sequences of interest are unknown. This is common in investigations of antigen
      receptor genes from B and T lymphocytes, which are composed of a constant region
      of known sequence and a variable region, for which the sequence may not be known.
      Herein is described a method to amplify DNA when sequence information is
      available for only one primer. This procedure utilizes a primer of known sequence
      in conjunction with a mixture of short random primers. Application of this method
      to the amplification of T-cell antigen receptor cDNA is described.

PMID- 1418632
TI  - [Many plans have been realized in the course of years. 10 year VGV (Society for
      the History of Nursing)].

PMID- 1418633
TI  - [Environment and health care (1). Environmental problems of today].

PMID- 1418634
TI  - [The GIGV Report on aggression (Medical Inspection for Mental Public Health)].

PMID- 1418635
TI  - [Safety and aggression in psychiatry].

PMID- 1418636
TI  - [Beatrixoord Hospital in Haren--coughing politely].

PMID- 1418637
TI  - [The PGGM (Foundation Pension Fund for Health, Mental and Social Affairs), or
      providing for later. 'We have 100 guilders in personal properties'].

PMID- 1418638
TI  - [Does the nurse get a flu shot?].

PMID- 1418639
TI  - [Professional Profile Nursing. Who will do something with it?].

PMID- 1418640
TI  - Degradation of tauromustine (TCNU) in aqueous solutions.
AB  - The stability of tauromustine in buffered aqueous solutions was investigated over
      the pH range 0.9-7.5. The pH rate profile at zero buffer concentration has a
      specific acid catalytic region at pH below 2, a plateau of pH-independent
      degradation between pH 2 and 4, and shows a sharp increase in the degradation
      rate at pH above 4. The activation parameters, the solvent isotope effect and the
      effect of the dielectric constant on the degradation rate were determined, and
      possible degradation mechanisms were discussed. The effects of six cyclodextrin
      (CD) derivatives on the stability of tauromustine in aqueous buffer solutions
      were investigated. All the CDs tested had some stabilizing effect on the drug at
      pH 1.98 and 4.06 but they had little or no effect at pH 6.38. Hydroxypropyl-alpha
      cyclodextrin (HP alpha CD) had the largest stabilizing effect. Tauromustine
      degraded about 25 to 50% slower in aqueous buffer solutions containing 2% HP
      alpha CD compared to buffer solutions containing no CD.

PMID- 1418641
TI  - Chemical stability of insulin. 3. Influence of excipients, formulation, and pH.
AB  - The influence of auxiliary substances and pH on the chemical transformations of
      insulin in pharmaceutical formulation, including various hydrolytic and
      intermolecular cross-linking reactions, was studied. Bacteriostatic agents had a
      profound stabilizing effect--phenol > m-cresol > methylparaben--on deamidation as
      well as on insulin intermolecular cross-linking reactions. Of the isotonicity
      substances, NaCl generally had a stabilizing effect whereas glycerol and glucose
      led to increased chemical deterioration. Phenol and sodium chloride exerted their
      stabilizing effect through independent mechanisms. Zinc ions, in concentrations
      that promote association of insulin into hexamers, increase the stability,
      whereas higher zinc content had no further influence. Protamine gave rise to
      additional formation of covalent protamine-insulin products which increased with
      increasing protamine concentration. The impact of excipients on the chemical
      processes seems to be dictated mainly via an influence on the three-dimensional
      insulin structure. The effect of the physical state of the insulin on the
      chemical stability was also complex, suggesting an intricate dependence of
      intermolecular proximity of involved functional groups. At pH values below five
      and above eight, insulin degrades relatively fast. At acid pH, deamidation at
      residue A21 and covalent insulin dimerization dominates, whereas disulfide
      reactions leading to covalent polymerization and formation of A- and B-chains
      prevailed in alkaline medium. Structure-reactivity relationship is proposed to be
      a main determinant for the chemical transformation of insulin.

PMID- 1418642
TI  - In vitro diffusion cell design and validation. II. Temperature, agitation and
      membrane effects on betamethasone 17-valerate permeation.
AB  - An in vitro permeation cell has been designed and validated for use in monitoring
      the transmembrane permeation of betamethasone 17-valerate. The design utilizes
      common laboratory equipment and incorporates as many beneficial features as
      possible from other designs. The importance of fully validating the hydrodynamic
      performance of the cell prior to experimentation is stressed. The cell was
      validated by monitoring the diffusion of betamethasone 17-valerate in isopropyl
      myristate solution into purified isopropyl myristate receptor phase at different
      temperatures, different agitation rates and through different synthetic and
      biological membranes. The results of the hydrodynamic validation agree with data
      from other researchers and show that the permeation cell is adequately sensitive
      to these experimental parameters. The results of the membrane evaluation allow
      appropriate selection of the barrier material for representative transdermal
      experiments to be conducted. While human and porcine stratum corneum/epidermis
      are similar in diffusive properties, hairless mouse skin appears to be the most
      convenient animal membrane for these studies. Although silicone and cellulose
      membranes appear to be useful in this application, porous filter membranes and
      egg-shell membranes are insufficiently discriminatory to betamethasone 17
      valerate diffusion to provide useful in vitro permeation data.

PMID- 1418643
TI  - Human skin permeability studies of desmopressin and some prodrug derivatives.

PMID- 1418644
TI  - Hodgkin's disease.

PMID- 1418645
TI  - [Teratology and epidemiology in the study of environmental teratogens].
AB  - The processes of cellular migration, cellular differentiation and cellular
      multiplication are studied, since these are the basic developmental processes
      upon which teratogenic agents act resulting in congenital malformations. We also
      carefully analyze the interactions between teratogen-embryo in order to establish
      adequate parameters for analysis of environmental teratogens, as well as
      experimental teratogenesis and epidemiology. Information on the pathogenesis of
      congenital malformations obtained from experimental teratology in an adequate
      biological model, can be extrapolated to the human. The etiology of congenital
      malformations resulting from environmental teratogens can only be elucidated
      through epidemiology, since there is species specificity. Such a study must
      fulfill the following prerequisites: diagnosis of the congenital malformation,
      ruling out genetic factors in the family tree and determination of the exact time
      of exposure to the possible teratogen during the pregnancy.

PMID- 1418646
TI  - [Coverage of 4 health programs for pre-school children in marginal urban areas in
      Mexico City].
AB  - The aim this paper was to evaluate the coverage provided by four preschool child
      health programs (vaccinations, oral hydration therapy, healthy child care and
      sick child care). To make coverage operational, we designed indicators to compare
      the utilization of each program with the condition or health problems considered
      as needed. These results are part of a broad evaluative research called "Coverage
      and Quality of Primary Health Care" (CQPHC) carried out by the National Institute
      of Public Health (NIPH) in the State of Mexico in 1988. The population under
      study was a random sample of the total of preschool children detected in the
      household survey. We only analyzed data including children from 1-4 years to
      ensure that all studied children had completed the basic vaccination schemes. For
      the vaccination program, we observed a coverage of 47.7%, twice as much as that
      of the oral hydration program that only reached was 21.9%, whereas that of the
      sick child care program was 63.8%, the former being 2.0 times less than the
      latter. We can conclude that the different coverage found for each program is
      basically due to the lack socialization of the concept of need and to the extent
      of participation of the concept to make these services available to the
      population.

PMID- 1418647
TI  - [Epidemic outbreak of viral meningitis caused by type 30 ECHO virus].
AB  - The clinical records of 15 children admitted to Hospital Infantile de Mexico
      Federico Gomez with diagnosis of viral meningitis were reviewed. They were part
      of 19 patients admitted with this diagnosis during a 5 week period (March 22 to
      April 30, 1992) and represent a significant increase of aseptic meningitis
      compared with the same periods of previous years at Hospital Infantile de Mexico
      and in Mexico City where there is an ongoing epidemic outbreak of this entity.
      All the patients studied had spinal fluid findings consistent with viral
      meningitis and in 4 of them on ECHO virus type 30 was isolated at the Enterovirus
      Section of the CDC, Atlanta Georgia USA.

PMID- 1418648
TI  - [Percentile curves of growth in macrosomic newborn infants in their first 2 years
      of life].
AB  - Between February 1989 to August 1991, 184 macrosomic newborns were
      somatometrically evaluated during their first 12 hours of age (weight above 4000
      g and height above 52 cm). They have a longitudinal follow-up at the Growth
      Clinic, of the National Institute of Perinatology, in Mexico City, during their
      first two years of age. All the infants without exception were feeding only with
      breast milk or protein modificative milk. The ablactation were since the four
      months of age with the same nutritional pattern. The macrosomic newborn maintain
      a higher velocity of growth, as a logarithmic kind, at the first two years of age
      with early cephalotoracic inversion, with maintenance of a big corporal pattern.
      We conclude that is useful to count with specific growth curves for macrosomic
      infants since their speed and rhythm of growth are different than for the
      adequate birth and low birth weight infants and even the macrosomic children of
      diabetic mother.

PMID- 1418649
TI  - [Effects of clonidine++ administration in children with familial short stature
      and retarded body growth].
AB  - The effect of chronic clonidine administration on the height velocity of two
      groups of children with short stature either familial (FSS) or with
      constitutional growth delay (CGD) is presented. The patients whose age ranged
      between 5 to 12 years had a height below the third percentile; otherwise they
      were healthy. Both groups received 100 micrograms/m2 of clonidine orally during
      12 months. In the group with FSS there was an increase in height velocity from
      3.6 +/- 0.6 cm/years pretreatment values to 5.1 +/- 0.9 cm/years. The group with
      CGD showed an increase from 3.6 +/- 0.7 cm/years to 6.5 +/- 3.4. No secondary
      reactions were observed. The possible impact of this treatment on final height is
      discussed.

PMID- 1418650
TI  - [Rapid detection of neurologic morbidity in full term newborn infants].
AB  - The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the simplified method to
      detect neurological morbidity in newborn and to estimate the predictive
      parameter, i.e. sensitivity, specificity and predictive value. The sample
      consisted of 100 newborn infants from the Maternity Clinic of Hospital Regional
      Docente Trujillo-Peru, during the period from March to May 1990. All infants were
      born full-term, of normal delivery and Apgar score of greater than or equal to 7
      at one minute, and no congenital malformation were present. Each one of the
      newborn was evaluated with a complete neurologic examination and the simplified
      method. Previously, the effects of population variables had been evaluated: the
      mean birth weight was 3277 g. (S.D. 435). Seventy one percent of the infants were
      between 38.5 and 39.5 weeks of gestational age. Eighty five percent of cases,
      showed on Apgar score from 8 to 10. The results allowed to determine that the
      sensitivity of the rapid neurological assessment was 0.70 specificity 0.75 and
      predictive value 0.75 (P less than 0.01). These findings suggest the usefulness
      and convenience of the method to detect neurological morbidity in full-term
      newborn infants.

PMID- 1418651
TI  - [Whorls and spirals in scalp hair. Possible clinical implications].
AB  - The worl and cow-like shape scalp hair patterns. They are patterns considered
      normal and others aberrant. Because they are associated with disorders of early
      brain and craniofacial development, 300 newborn infants were studied. Only 6 had
      congenital malformation without anomaly scalp hair patterns associated. In the
      rest of newborn infants the location and direction of the whorls and cow-like
      were the same see in the children studied previously. Are necessary big series
      for affirm if really exist aberrant patterns.

PMID- 1418652
TI  - [Septic thrombosis of cavernous sinuses. Report of 2 cases].
AB  - We report two male adolescents who developed septic thrombosis of the cavernous
      sinuses after manipulation of a furuncle on the nasal dorsum. We noted in both
      patients, besides the clinical findings of a generalized infectious process,
      palpebral edema, proptosis, ptosis, altered pupillary reactivity and bilateral
      III, IV and VI nerve palsies, as well as dysfunction of the ophthalmic branch of
      the fifth cranial nerve. One of the patients also had bacterial meningitis. Their
      cerebral angiograms demonstrated narrowing of the intracavernous portion of both
      internal carotid arteries. They improved with the antimicrobial treatment, but
      were left with ptosis and ocular palsies as sequelae. The adequate management of
      facial furuncle to prevent such a serious complication is emphasized.

PMID- 1418653
TI  - [Bronchogenic cyst. Presentation of 2 cases and review of the literature].
AB  - The bronchogenic cyst is a congenital malformation of the tracheobronchial tree.
      It is not frequently seen in the pediatric population and had its origin around
      the sixth week of gestation when the bronchial development stops. Two cases of
      intraparenchymal bronchogenic cyst with lobar involvement of the right lung is
      presented. It was suspected after carefully examining and X-ray of the thorax and
      it was confirmed with ultrasonography and CT scan. There were no other associated
      malformations. The clinical and radiological diagnosis is extremely important for
      achieving the correct surgical procedure. This 2 patients was treated by
      thoracotomy and pulmonary lobectomy.

PMID- 1418654
TI  - [Pelger-Huet anomaly and hereditary elliptocytosis in 2 siblings].
AB  - The Pelger-Huet anomaly (PHA) and the hereditary elliptocytosis (HE) are
      alterations affecting leukocytes and erythrocytes, respectively. Most of the
      affected individuals do not present clinic manifestations and are casually
      detected in the laboratory. The PHA and HE were described related to other
      hereditary and congenital conditions, but rarely have been found in the same
      individual. In this paper are reported discovery of the PHA and HE combined both
      in sister and brother, with global delay of development and peculiar physical
      characteristics. Blood smears of both showed an increase of bilobed neutrophils
      and elliptic erythrocytes. The family study showed two more members of the
      mother's branch affected with HE. The PHA could not be found in the parents, nor
      the other members of both branches. The early deaths or in uterus of three sibs
      of the propositus are appointed. The absence of the PHA in both parents of the
      affected individuals,--without discarding the illitimacy possibility--, can be
      explained by an incomplete genetic penetrance. The early or in uterus deaths of
      three sibs of the propositus seems possible that in some cases the combination of
      PHA and HE could be lethal. Possibly in Mexico this may be the first report of
      the presentation of the PHA and HE simultaneously in the same individual.

PMID- 1418655
TI  - [Understanding and diagnosis of complex congenital cardiopathies. II].
AB  - Once the rules for understanding of complex congenital heart disease were
      reviewed in part I, the purpose in this second part is show how the clinical
      diagnosis is made. The first requirement is to separate patients into two groups:
      neonates and infants. A critical route based on five clue data: patient's age,
      presence or absence of cyanosis, presence or absence of myocardial failure,
      pulmonary blood flow estimated on x chest film, and presence of either right or
      left ventricular hypertrophy or both in ECG, is matched. This approach is helpful
      to reduce possibilities to diagnosis in congenital heart disease.

PMID- 1418656
TI  - Combined effects of ethanol and protein deficiency on hepatic iron, zinc,
      manganese, and copper contents.
AB  - The present study has been performed in order to establish the relative and
      combined roles of ethanol and malnutrition on liver Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn
      alterations in alcoholic male adult Wistar rats, and also the relationships
      between these alterations and histomorphometrically determined hepatocyte and
      nuclear areas, perivenular fibrotic rim area, and total amount of fat present in
      the liver. Four groups of 8 animals each were fed: (1) a nutritionally adequate
      diet (C); (2) a 36% ethanol-containing (as percent of energy), isocaloric diet
      (A); (3) a 2% protein-containing, isocaloric diet (PD); and (4) a 36% ethanol, 2%
      protein-containing, isocaloric diet (A-PD), respectively, following the Lieber
      DeCarli model. Ethanol-fed, protein-deficient animals showed the highest liver
      Fe, and the lowest Zn and Cu values, although differences in liver Zn, Mn, and Cu
      values were not significantly different between PD and A-PD groups. Statistically
      significant differences of these parameters were observed between the A and the A
      PD groups, and between the A and PD groups, except for liver iron. Except for
      liver Mn, differences between C and A groups were statistically significant.
      These alterations correlated with liver fibrosis and steatosis, serum albumin,
      and weight loss, except for liver Mn, which was not correlated with fibrosis or
      steatosis. Thus, protein deficiency seems to enhance ethanol-induced liver Fe,
      Zn, and Cu alterations, whereas protein deficiency, but not ethanol, seems to
      play a major role on liver Mn alterations.

PMID- 1418657
TI  - An N-hydroxylated derivative of cyanamide that inhibits yeast aldehyde
      dehydrogenase.
AB  - A stable, N,O-dibenzoyl derivative (DBHC) of N-hydroxycyanamide, the latter the
      postulated bioactivation product of the alcohol deterrent agent, cyanamide, has
      been synthesized. DBHC was an effective inhibitor of yeast aldehyde dehydrogenase
      (AIDH) in vitro and inhibited this enzyme in a concentration-dependent manner
      with an IC50 of 25 microM. Hydrolysis of the benzoate moiety of DBHC with dilute
      NaOH gave rise to the formation of nitroxyl (HN = O), detected by gas
      chromatography as nitrous oxide (N2O), the end-product of nitroxyl dimerization
      and disproportionation. It is postulated that the nitroxyl liberated by esterase
      action on DBHC by yeast AIDH may be the reactive species that inhibits AIDH.

PMID- 1418658
TI  - Adaptive changes of dopamine-D2 receptors in rat brain following ethanol
      withdrawal: a quantitative autoradiographic investigation.
AB  - The effect of subchronic treatment with two doses of ethanol (5 and 10 vol%
      drinking fluid) on the density of dopamine-D2 receptors was investigated at two
      different phases of withdrawal, namely 24 h and 5 days after the cessation of the
      ethanol application. The number of dopamine-D2 receptors was affected in regions
      receiving projections from both the substantia nigra as well as the ventral
      tegmentum. Twenty-four hours after the replacement of the ethanol solution by
      water, a dose-dependent decrease of D2 receptors was found in all regions (N.
      caudatus dorsalis, medialis and ventralis, N. accumbens lateralis and medialis,
      tuberculum olfactorium) and most of the analyzed planes [interaural 7.7-10.2
      according to the atlas of Paxinos and Watson (35)]. At day 5 of withdrawal, the
      number of dopamine-D2 receptors of the animals treated with 5 vol% ethanol
      reached the level of water controls in most planes. In contrast, two- to three
      fold higher numbers were detected in animals treated with the higher dose. Only
      in the most caudal parts of the investigated regions, was the number of receptors
      decreased with the higher dose. The mesocorticolimbic system seems to be less
      sensitive to the effects of ethanol than the nigrostriatal neurones. The findings
      of the present study suggest an increased activity of dopaminergic neurons with
      an adaptive reduction of dopamine-D2 receptors during the subchronic treatment
      with ethanol during the first day(s) of withdrawal. This phase is followed by a
      reduced turnover rate for up to 7 days (21). The reduced activity of dopaminergic
      neurones induces a compensatory increase of the number of receptors.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418659
TI  - Cimetidine as a scavenger of ethanol-induced free radicals.
AB  - Free radical generation and the mobilization of catalytic iron are important in
      the pathogenesis of alcohol-induced liver injury. Cimetidine is a free radical
      scavenger in thermal skin injury and cobra venom-induced lung injury, and was
      therefore investigated as a scavenger of ethanol-induced free radicals. In vitro
      cimetidine inhibited iron-mediated cleavage of DNA as well as the potentiation of
      such cleavage by bleomycin. Peroxidation of microsomes by xanthine-xanthine
      oxidase, acetaldehyde-xanthine oxidase, as well as by the addition of low
      molecular weight iron chelates were inhibited (17-100%) by cimetidine (0.1-1 mM).
      Free radical generation due to ethanol in isolated rat hepatocytes was studied by
      measuring ethane and pentane production. Cimetidine (1 mM) significantly
      decreased ethane and pentane production due to ethanol: 1 mM (2.2 +/- 0.3 vs. 1.0
      +/- 0.2 pmol ethane per 10(6) cells/h; p less than 0.01, 4.2 +/- 0.4 versus 1.6
      +/- 0.3 pmole per 10(6) cells/h pentane; p less than 0.001). Similar inhibitions
      were observed in the isolated perfused liver. Studies of superoxide reduction of
      ferricytochrome-C as well as hydroxyl radical generation by Fe(+)+/EDTA/ascorbate
      revealed that cimetidine was an effective hydroxyl radical scavenger. In summary,
      in a variety of in vitro systems, as well as in isolated hepatocytes and perfused
      liver, cimetidine inhibits ethanol-induced free radical injury. These findings
      may warrant its investigation as a therapeutic agent.

PMID- 1418660
TI  - Binding of serotonergic ligands to brain membranes of alcohol-preferring AA and
      alcohol-avoiding ANA rats.
AB  - The alcohol-preferring AA rats have higher concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine
      (5-HT) in the brain than the alcohol-avoiding ANA rats. In the present study, the
      5-HT1, 5-HT2, and 5-HT3 receptors were studied with [3H]5-HT, [3H]ketanserin, and
      [3H]LY278584, respectively, in membrane homogenates from different brain regions
      of both rat lines using in vitro binding assays. No differences in the 5-HT1 and
      5-HT2 receptor binding in the brainstem, hippocampus, frontal cortex, and
      hypothalamus or in the 5-HT3 receptor binding in the nucleus accumbens, amygdala,
      hippocampus, and frontal cortex were observed between the ethanol-naive animals
      of the rat lines. In rats given the opportunity to voluntarily consume alcohol,
      there was a tendency to increase 5-HT1 binding in the ANA rats, which tendency
      was, however, also found in their ethanol-naive controls subjected to the same
      handling and behavioral tests as the ethanol-experienced animals. The results do
      not, however, indicate that any genetic modifications of the 5-HT receptor
      binding sites have occurred in the process of the selective breeding of AA and
      ANA rats for alcohol preference and avoidance, respectively.

PMID- 1418661
TI  - Ethanol intake: effect on liver and brain mitochondrial function and acetaldehyde
      oxidation.
AB  - The effect of a chronic ethanol consumption by forcing rats to drink a 20% v/v
      ethanol solution as sole drinking fluid, for 3 months, was evaluated on: liver
      and brain mitochondrial function, the capacity of isolated mitochondria to
      oxidize acetaldehyde, as well as on the low Km mitochondrial AlDH activity, in
      rats. The O2 uptake by liver and brain mitochondria in the presence of glutamate
      + malate, succinate or ascorbate + TMPD, was measured polarographically with a
      Clark electrode. Acetaldehyde oxidation was measured by the disappearance rate in
      presence of the intact or disrupted mitochondria (AlDH activity) by gas
      chromatography. Results indicate that an ethanol intake of 11 g/kg b.wt. per day
      produce a significant reduction of the liver mitochondrial respiration tested
      with all the substrates used, including acetaldehyde. In contrast, the activity
      of AlDH in disrupted mitochondria remained unchanged. These results are in accord
      with the idea that a progressive deterioration of liver mitochondrial function
      appears with the increase in amount of ethanol consumed, and that alterations of
      acetaldehyde oxidation by intact mitochondria can be detected before an
      alteration of the AlDH activity. Concerning the brain, this ethanol consumption
      regimen did not affect the brain mitochondrial respiration tested with glutamate
      + malate, succinate or ascorbate + TMPD, but it induces an increase in
      acetaldehyde oxidation rate by intact brain mitochondria. The imposed increase in
      the cerebral aldehyde oxidizing capacity could reflect a principal biochemical
      mechanism underlying neural adaptation to ethanol.

PMID- 1418662
TI  - Evaluating the palatability of alcohol for rats with measures of taste
      reactivity, consumption, and lick rate.
AB  - In two experiments, rats were presented with water and six concentrations of
      alcohol (0.5%, 3%, 6%, 9%, 12%, and 15%, v/v) under conditions of mild fluid
      deprivation. Their responses were measured using taste reactivity (fluids infused
      directly into the mouth), consumption, and lick rate (both in a voluntary
      drinking situation). Results in both experiments showed that the number of
      overall ingestive responses was relatively high and consistent across all alcohol
      concentrations and water; aversive responding was low for all solutions. During
      one-bottle, 10-min tests, rats consumed the three lowest concentrations of
      alcohol (0.5%, 3%, and 6%) and water at an equal level. There was an abrupt drop
      in the amount of alcohol consumed at 9% and a continued decrease at the two
      highest concentrations. Lick rates for alcohol (measured only in Experiment 2)
      fell into three general patterns: 0.5%, 3%, and 6% produced almost identical,
      negatively accelerating curves consistently above that of water which was linear;
      lick rates for 9% and 12% rose initially but, at approximately 2 min, became
      flat; the 15% solution produced a low lick rate throughout the 5-min period.
      There were significant correlations between lick rate and amount consumed but,
      contrary to expectations, no significant correlations were found between taste
      reactivity and the other two measures (consumption and lick rate). These results
      suggest that taste reactivity to alcohol solutions may be reflective of processes
      different from those that regulate licking behavior or actual consumption.

PMID- 1418663
TI  - Differential inhibition by ethanol of norepinephrine- and clonidine-induced
      emesis in cats.
AB  - The effect of acute ethanol administration into the cerebral ventricles on the
      unanesthetized cat upon emesis produced by norepinephrine and clonidine injected
      similarly as well as upon emesis evoked by copper sulfate given orally was
      compared and investigated. Ethanol inhibited the norepinephrine- and clonidine
      induced emesis. The inhibitory effect of ethanol occurred after a transient and
      inconsistent emetic action of the drug. Norepinephrine-induced emesis was about
      12 times more sensitive than clonidine-induced emesis to the inhibitory effect of
      ethanol. In addition, norepinephrine-, but not clonidine-induced emesis was
      abolished after ablation of the area postrema. On the contrary,
      intracerebroventricular ethanol had virtually no effect on emesis caused by
      intragastric copper sulfate. The inhibitory effect of ethanol is ascribed to an
      action on alpha-2 adrenoceptors within the area postrema and on imidazoline
      preferring sites and/or muscarinic cholinoceptors outside the area postrema, but
      not on the emetic region of the brainstem reticular formation. It follows then
      that ethanol can differentiate alpha-2 adrenoceptors from imidazoline-preferring
      sites and/or muscarinic cholinoceptors in the brain of the cat.

PMID- 1418664
TI  - Ethanol decreases progesterone synthesis in human placental cells: mechanism of
      ethanol effect.
AB  - Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a set of signs and symptoms in offsprings born to
      mothers who abuse alcohol during pregnancy. We postulated that impairment in the
      placental endocrine function contribute to FAS. In this study, we examined in
      vitro effects of ethanol on the placental cells' (cytotrophoblast cells) capacity
      to synthesize progesterone. Cytotrophoblast cells were isolated from normal term
      placenta and were incubated (2 x 10(6)) with 20-, 30-, and 40-mM doses of ethanol
      for 6 h. Progesterone was measured in the incubate by RIA. The results showed
      that, at the 20-mM dose of ethanol, progesterone synthesis was significantly
      decreased (p less than 0.01), at the 30-mM dose level there was a further
      decrease of 20%. The differences between 30- and 40-mM ethanol dose levels were
      not significant. To determine the mechanism of ethanol effects on progesterone
      synthesis, cytotrophoblast cells were preincubated with 30 mM ethanol followed by
      10 microliters of LDL (10 microliters LDL = 80 micrograms cholesterol) and vice
      versa. The results showed that ethanol effects on progesterone synthesis was
      dependent on whether ethanol was added prior to or following the addition of LDL
      in the medium. If ethanol was added in the medium prior to LDL, progesterone
      synthesis was decreased significantly (p greater than 0.01); however, when
      ethanol was added after the LDL, ethanol had no effect on progesterone synthesis.
      In the experiment where ethanol and LDL were added simultaneously in the medium,
      ethanol blunted the stimulatory effect of LDL on progesterone synthesis.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418665
TI  - The effect of heparegen on antioxidant enzyme activities in ethanol-induced liver
      injury in rats.
AB  - SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, and sulfhydryl compounds MDA contents in liver of rats treated
      with heparegen for 7, 14, and 21 days after alcoholic liver injury have been
      investigated. After use of this drug, we found beneficial effects on GSH-Px
      activity, sulfhydryl compounds (total and nonprotein), and MDA content and a
      partially beneficial effect on SOD and CAT activities. These enzyme activities
      after 21 days of drug administration were restored. Furthermore, heparegen
      shortens the time necessary for the return of AIAT and GGTP to normal value. This
      enzymatic data are supported by histological studies in light microscopy.

PMID- 1418666
TI  - Ethanol drinking patterns in a continuous-access operant situation: effects of
      ethanol concentration and response requirements.
AB  - Rats, initiated to self-administer ethanol with either a sucrose-substitution
      procedure or a secondary-conditioning procedure, were maintained in a continuous
      access environmental system in which operant lever press responses were required
      to receive 10% ethanol and food reinforcement. Water available from a drinking
      tube was electronically monitored to detect licks. Total daily consumption and
      patterns of food, water, and ethanol responding were analyzed under conditions in
      which the concentration of ethanol presented as a reinforcer was either 10% or
      20%, and the response requirement for ethanol reinforcement was either a fixed
      ratio 4 schedule or a fixed ratio 1 schedule. Either increasing the ethanol
      concentration or decreasing the response requirement resulted in an increase in
      total daily ethanol intake. There was no significant difference between
      initiation procedures. These results are similar to observations in studies using
      a limited-access operant situation. This increased ethanol intake resulted from a
      complex alteration in the daily ethanol drinking pattern. The greatest ethanol
      intakes were observed when both the ethanol concentration was increased and
      response requirement was decreased. This was predominantly the result of
      increasing the number of ethanol drinking bouts per day when the response
      requirement was decreased, and by decreasing individual bout size by less than
      half when the ethanol concentration was doubled. These studies indicate that
      concentration of the ethanol presented as the reinforcer and the response cost
      required for reinforcement are involved in regulating ethanol consumption in the
      continuous-access condition. Type of initiation did not appear to interact with
      these variables.

PMID- 1418667
TI  - Sex differences in pattern of drinking.
AB  - Drinking patterns of male and female Long-Evans rats were compared during a 15
      day drinking period. All animals were tested for preference for alcohol for 24 h
      during which food, water, and beer containing 5% ethanol were freely available.
      Animals drinking 50 ml or more of beer were chosen for the experiments. On days 1
      5, animals were offered food, water, and beer containing 5% ethanol (v/v). On
      days 6-15, the concentration of ethanol in the beer was doubled to 10% (v/v).
      Preference ratios (beer/total fluid) were higher for females than males, and
      females consumed more grams of alcohol per unit of body weight. When alcohol
      concentration was doubled, females increased alcohol intake (g/kg), while males
      tended to titrate alcohol intake to levels consumed at 5% concentration. Female
      patterns of drinking differed from male patterns of drinking.

PMID- 1418668
TI  - Gender differences in ethanol oxidation and injury in the rat stomach.
AB  - A significant fraction of orally consumed ethanol is metabolized by the alcohol
      dehydrogenase (ADH) enzyme present in the gastric mucosa. Human studies have
      shown that this "first pass metabolism" of ethanol correlates quite closely with
      gastric ADH activity which has been demonstrated to be greater in men than women.
      The present study was undertaken to determine if gender influences the magnitude
      of ethanol-induced injury in rat gastric mucosa and whether any differences can
      be linked to altered levels of ADH activity. Since prostaglandins (PGs) have been
      shown to markedly attenuate the severity of gastric injury induced by ethanol in
      the rat stomach, a further goal of this study was to determine whether the
      efficiency of PG's protective action was in any way influenced by gender.
      Accordingly, both male and female rats were pretreated subcutaneously with 16,16
      dimethyl PGE2 (10 micrograms/kg) or saline 30 minutes prior to administering an
      oral dose of 50% ethanol in saline or saline alone. They were then sacrificed 5
      minutes later. In a portion of animals (n = 6 per group), samples of mucosa from
      the glandular stomach were obtained and kinetic activity of ADH determined. In
      another portion of animals (n = 6 per group), gastric tissue samples from the
      glandular mucosa were examined by light microscopy and the magnitude of mucosal
      injury quantified. Alcohol-treated females showed significantly (p less than
      0.05) less superficial and more deep mucosal injury than male counterparts.
      Further, ADH kinetic activity in female rats was significantly less than that
      observed in male counterparts of similar weight (83% of males; p less than
      0.04).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418669
TI  - Prenatal ethanol exposure alters adrenocortical response to predictable and
      unpredictable stressors.
AB  - In the present study, effects of psychological stressors and stressor
      predictability on the adreno-cortical responses of animals exposed to ethanol in
      utero were examined. Male and female offspring from ethanol-exposed (E), pair-fed
      (PF), and ad lib-fed control (C) conditions were tested in adulthood. Separate
      sets of animals were exposed once daily for 5 consecutive days to either
      unpredictable (UNPRED) or predictable (PRED) restraint stress or to UNPRED
      novelty stress. On the fifth test day, blood samples for plasma corticosterone
      determination were taken either prior to stress (basal levels) or following
      stress. Males in all groups and C females had higher basal corticosterone levels
      if previously subjected to PRED restraint than if previously subjected to UNPRED
      restraint; E and PF females did not exhibit this differential responsiveness.
      Following restraint stress on the fifth test day, there were no significant
      differences in response to PRED and UNPRED restraint among E, PF, and C males. In
      contrast, C but not E or PF females exhibited a greater plasma corticosterone
      response to UNPRED than to PRED restraint. Following novelty stress, E males
      exhibited a significantly reduced plasma corticosterone response compared to PF
      and C males. For females, there was a trend for an increased corticoid response
      in E compared to PF females following novelty stress as well as a different
      pattern of response among groups from days 1 to 5 of testing. These data support
      and extend previous studies suggesting that, compared to PF and C animals, E
      animals may exhibit altered responses to stressors as well as deficits in the
      ability to use or respond to environmental cues.

PMID- 1418670
TI  - Effects of morphine on acquisition and maintenance of ethanol and water intake
      patterns in rats.
AB  - Two experiments were conducted to assess the effects of chronic subcutaneous
      injections of morphine (1.0 mg/kg) or saline on the pattern and amount of
      sweetened ethanol and water intake in fluid restricted Long-Evans rats. Following
      daily injections, 2-h two-bottle choice tests were conducted with water and an
      ethanol solution (15% ethanol v/v in 5% sucrose w/v). During a 20-day acquisition
      phase (Experiment 1), ethanol intake patterns and amounts did not differ between
      saline (n = 6) and morphine (n = 6) groups. Both groups exhibited ethanol intake
      patterns that decreased exponentially throughout the session suggesting control
      by fluid restriction procedures. Morphine decreased water intake during initial
      periods of each session and increased intake during later periods. In Experiment
      2, morphine and saline injections were reversed across three phases with the same
      rats. Morphine increased total ethanol consumption during the first few days of
      each 15-day phase, but the groups did not differ thereafter, and the initial
      increases produced no statistically significant group differences. Additionally,
      morphine augmented ethanol intake in early portions of sessions, while water
      intake was decreased and increased during early and later portions of each
      session, respectively. Analysis of the data from the last 5 days of each phase
      indicated that, when injected with morphine, the group which received saline
      during acquisition consumed significantly more ethanol solution than the group
      injected with morphine during acquisition. The effect on patterns of water and
      ethanol intake were observed, regardless of the drug injected during
      acquisition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418671
TI  - The limited access paradigm: description of one method.
AB  - Restricting access to alcohol to a short period daily causes rats, in effect, to
      drink on command. They usually begin drinking alcohol immediately when it is
      first made available each day and consume a rather constant amount during each
      access period. The procedure thus has a variety of useful applications. The
      specific method reported here in detail provides continual access to food and
      water, but access to unflavored 10% ethanol solution only 1 h/d, all in the home
      cage, and produces mean alcohol intakes from 0.5-1.0 g/kg in the access hour.

PMID- 1418672
TI  - The influence of alcohol and sleep deprivation on stimulus evaluation.
AB  - The effects of alcohol and sleep deprivation on choice reaction time (RT) as a
      function of stimulus intensity, stimulus quality, and response compatibility were
      investigated. Fifty-four male subjects were assigned to one of three levels of
      alcohol (0.00, 0.07, or 0.10 BAC), and one of two levels of sleep deprivation (0
      or 24 h). Stimulus intensity, stimulus quality, and response compatibility were
      varied (high or low), with RTs identified according to time on task. Significant
      main effects of each of the stimulus variables were present in baseline analysis,
      with low-level conditions producing longer RTs. Alcohol produced an overall
      slowing of RT. The combination of both treatments led to larger increases in RT
      for low stimulus quality. Sleep deprivation increased RT for high stimulus
      intensity. Alcohol increased RT for low stimulus intensity, but only when
      subjects were not sleep deprived. These results imply higher risk with degraded
      stimulus conditions, e.g., driving in settings of low visibility or at night.

PMID- 1418673
TI  - Purification and properties of 4-halobenzoate-coenzyme A ligase from Pseudomonas
      sp. CBS3.
AB  - The bacterial strain Pseudomonas sp. CBS3 possesses a multi component enzyme
      system which converts 4-chlorobenzoate to 4-hydroxybenzoate. In the first step 4
      chlorobenzoate is activated in a coenzyme A, ATP and Mg(2+)-dependent reaction to
      4-chlorobenzoyl-coenzyme A. ATP is cleaved thereby into AMP and pyrophosphate.
      The involved 4-chlorobenzoate-coenzyme A ligase was purified to apparent
      homogeneity by a 6-step purification procedure. The native enzyme had an apparent
      molecular mass of 115000 Da and was composed of two identical polypeptide
      subunits of 57 kDa. The enzyme displayed an isoelectric point of 5.3. The maximal
      initial rate of catalysis was achieved in 100mM Tris/HCl or Tricine/NaOH buffer,
      pH 8.4, at 35 degrees C. Under these conditions the apparent Km values for ATP,
      coenzyme A and 4-chlorobenzoate were 2.4 to 3.5 mM, 0.11 to 0.19mM and 0.05 to
      0.065mM, respectively. Vmax was 111.6 mumol/(min x mg protein). The N-terminal
      amino-acid sequence was determined. 4-Halobenzoates were preferentially converted
      to the corresponding thioesters. Therefore, the enzyme was named 4-halobenzoate
      coenzyme A ligase.

PMID- 1418674
TI  - Inhibition of human mast cell tryptase by benzamidine derivatives.
AB  - Considerable circumstantial evidence has been provided by in vitro studies that
      tryptase (EC 3.4.21.59), a neutral serine proteinase stored in large amounts in
      mast cell granules, may play an important pathogenetic role in mast cell
      dependent diseases. However, a definitive role has not yet been ascribed to this
      trypsin-like enzyme with restricted substrate specificity as natural or synthetic
      inhibitors of tryptase applicable for in vivo studies are not available so far.
      Therefore, we have studied structure-activity relationships for inhibition of
      tryptase by benzamidine derivatives, compounds known to be potent inhibitors of
      various trypsin-like enzymes. Among the benzamidine derivatives 4
      amidinophenylpyruvic acid exerts a striking inhibitory activity with a Ki of 0.71
      mumol/l. Several additional inhibitors of tryptase with Ki values in the
      micromolar range were found among bis-benzamidines. Derivatives of N alpha
      arylsulfonyl-omega-amidinophenyl-alpha-aminoalkylcarboxylic acids are only weak
      inhibitors of tryptase, although members of this group are potent and selective
      inhibitors of several other trypsin-like enzymes. Comparison of the inhibition of
      tryptase and trypsin revealed that the affinities of the benzamidine derivatives
      to both proteinases are closely correlated (correlation coefficient r = 0.702; n
      = 37; p < 0.001). These results demonstrate that 4-amidinophenylpyruvic acid may
      be useful as a pharmacologic tool for the investigation of the
      (patho)physiological role of tryptase. In addition, benzamidine derivatives may
      be applicable to probe the active site topography of tryptase isoenzymes.

PMID- 1418675
TI  - Amino-acid sequence of the short subfragment-2 in adult chicken cardiac muscle
      myosin.
AB  - The amino-acid sequence of the short subfragment-2 in the amino-terminal portion
      of subfragment-2 derived from adult chicken ventricular muscle myosin was
      completely determined by direct protein analysis. Peptides fragmented by cyanogen
      bromide, lysyl endopeptidase and arginyl endopeptidase of S-carboxymethylated S-2
      and peptides of large CNBr peptides cleaved by dilute formic acid were separated
      and sequenced. This short S-2 composed of 259 amino-acid residues was found
      highly conserved and contained hydrophobic and charged residue repeat units.
      Comparing this sequence with the partial nucleotide sequence of cDNA
      corresponding to short S-2 (Stewart A.F.R., et al. (1991) J. Mol. Evol. 33, 357
      366), a 64 amino-acid residues extension towards the NH2 terminus and 9 residues
      differences were observed. Furthermore, this sequence is compared with those of
      rat, rabbit and human ventricular myosins, and 86.1%, 86.5%, 86.5% sequence
      identities are observed, respectively.

PMID- 1418676
TI  - New analogues of Cucurbita maxima trypsin inhibitor III (CMTI III) with
      simplified structure.
AB  - Seven new analogues of trypsin inhibitor CMTI III were obtained by solid-phase
      peptide synthesis. Three analogues contained only two, instead of three,
      disulfide bridges, whereas the molecules of the next four analogues were
      shortened at the N- and/or C-terminus. The elimination of one disulfide bridge in
      CMTI III induces a decrease in the association equilibrium constants by 6-7
      orders of magnitude, whereas the removal of one, two or three amino-acid residues
      at the N- and/or C-terminus does not significantly affect the activity.

PMID- 1418677
TI  - Dihydropteridine reductase from Escherichia coli exhibits dihydrofolate reductase
      activity.
AB  - E. coli Dihydropteridine reductase, known to have a pterin-independent
      oxidoreductase activity with potassium ferricyanide as electron donor, has now
      been shown to possess also dihydrofolate reductase activity. The kinetic
      parameters for dihydrofolate reductase activity have been determined. The ratio
      of the three activities, dihydropteridine reductase, dihydrofolate reductase and
      pterin-independent oxidoreductase activity is 1.0, 0.05 and 4.3, respectively.
      The enzyme, a flavoprotein which is unstable in the presence of dithiothreitol,
      was shown to be a monomer with a molecular mass of 25.7 kDa. The apparent lack of
      discrimination between hydride transfer from the pyridine nucleotide to N5 of the
      pterin in the dihydropteridine reductase reaction and C6 of folate in the
      dihydrofolate reaction suggested that the FAD prosthetic group may be involved in
      the hydride transfers. The flavoprotein inhibitor N,N- dimethylpropargylamine
      inhibited the dihydropteridine reductase and oxidoreductase reactions differently
      and did not affect the dihydrofolate reductase activity however.

PMID- 1418678
TI  - Neurohypophysial vasopressin and oxytocin as influenced by (6R)-5,6,7,8
      tetrahydro-alpha-biopterin in euhydrated and dehydrated rats.
AB  - Experiments were performed to test a possible role of (6R)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro
      alpha-biopterin dihydrochloride (BH4) in the neurohypophysial vasopressin and
      oxytocin content in euhydrated and dehydrated rats. Chronic treatment with BH4,
      administered to not dehydrated animals, was followed by a significant decrease of
      neurohypophysial vasopressin, but not of neurohypophysial oxytocin. In dehydrated
      animals the neurohypophysial vasopressin content decreased progressively; this
      process was not affected significantly by BH4. In rats dehydrated and treated
      simultaneously with BH4 the decrease of neurohypophysial oxytocin content was
      distinctly less marked.

PMID- 1418679
TI  - An investigation into the glycolipid metabolism of alpha-N
      acetylgalactosaminidase-deficient fibroblasts using native and artificial
      glycolipids.
AB  - Deficient activity of lysosomal alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase represents a
      recently recognized lysosomal disorder whose neurologic manifestation in infancy
      is infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy. The lysosomal enzyme defect, inherited as an
      autosomal recessive trait, was first identified in the two brothers, GD and BD.
      Metabolic modification of glycolipids with terminal alpha-GalNAc was studied in
      fibroblasts from these patients. [Ceramide-3H]Forssman-glycosphingolipid (GSL),
      the fluorescent C6-NBD-lyso-Forssman-glycolipid (GL) and a 14C-labelled
      neoglycolipid containing the blood group A trisaccharide were synthesized and
      used as probes in degradation studies with cell homogenates and with cells in
      culture. Assays of each of these substrates with fibroblast homogenates of the
      patients demonstrated the profound deficiency of alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase
      activity compared with controls. Residual activities in the patients' fibroblast
      homogenates were detected with all glycolipid substrates; those amounted to 6.3
      +/- 3.7% (BD) and 12.8 +/- 6.3% (GD) of the mean activity in controls for
      [3H]Forssman-GSL, and to 2.2 +/- 0.8% (BD) and 3.6 +/- 1.8% (GD) for C6-NBD-lyso
      Forssman GL, respectively. alpha-N-Acetylgalactosaminidase deficiency in intact
      cells was confirmed by TLC analyses, which showed impaired glycolipid
      modification in cell extracts obtained following addition of [3H]Forssman GSL and
      C6-NBD-lyso-Forssman GL to the culture media of fibroblasts from the patients.

PMID- 1418680
TI  - Prostaglandin D2 and E2 syntheses in rat Kupffer cells are antagonistically
      regulated by lipopolysaccharide and phorbol ester.
AB  - Prostaglandin-synthesizing activities were demonstrated in cell-free extracts of
      rat Kupffer cells and characterized. The enzymatic properties of PGH2 synthase
      were found to be similar to those of synthases present in other organs or cell
      types. The specific activity of the enzyme was not changed by substances that
      stimulate prostanoid release by intact Kupffer cells; however, it was reduced by
      pretreatment of the cells with glucocorticoid hormones. On the other hand, the
      activities of PGD2 and PGE2 synthase were influenced differently by the kind of
      cell stimulation. While pretreatment of the intact cells with endotoxin and/or
      inhibition of protein kinase C led to an enhanced PGE2 formation in cell-free
      extracts, exposure to agents that enhance protein kinase C-dependent signalling
      pathways, e.g. phagocytotic stimuli or phorbol ester, suppressed PGE2 synthase
      activity and, therefore, led to enhanced PGD2 synthesis. It is in line with this
      observation that in vitro activation of protein kinase C of Kupffer cells
      resulted in a reduced PGE2 and an enhanced PGD2 synthase activity.

PMID- 1418681
TI  - Isolation and characterization of a non sex-specific lipoprotein from hemolymph
      of fresh water crab Potamon potamios.
AB  - A non sex-specific high density lipoprotein (HDL) was isolated from the hemolymph
      of male fresh water crab Potamon potamios. Antiserum against male lipoprotein
      precipitated a lipoprotein from ovigerous and non ovigerous females. The
      lipoprotein was isolated by a combination of KBr density gradient
      ultracentrifugation and gel filtration on Bio-Gel A-1.5m. Two yellow bands with
      hydrated density of 1.08 and 1.10 g x ml-1 were observed following density
      gradient ultracentrifugation. Native polyacrylamide electrophoresis showed a low-
      and a high-mobility band, staining with Sudan black. Both native bands were
      resolved to a single 128 kDa band in SDS-PAGE. The relative molecular masses of
      the two bands, as determined by gel filtration and native gradient gel
      electrophoresis, were 230 and 440 kDa, respectively. Since the lipid content was
      50% and the molecular mass of the apoprotein was 128 kDa, we suggest that the
      lipoprotein is a monomer and a dimer. Chemical cross-linking experiments support
      this observation. The isoelectric point of the lipoprotein was pH 5.8. The amino
      acid composition was also determined. The lipoprotein contained 50% lipids, with
      phospholipids being the predominant species (80%). Phosphatidylcholine (66%) and
      phosphatidylethanolamine (16%) were the predominant phospholipids. The fatty acid
      content of the lipoprotein was also determined. The lipoprotein contained 68%
      unsaturated fatty acids with oleate being the dominant species (35%).

PMID- 1418682
TI  - Secondary fungal metabolites and their biological activities, II. Occurrence of
      antibiotic compounds in cultures of Armillaria ostoyae growing in the presence of
      an antagonistic fungus or host plant cells.
AB  - We found that in the presence of host plant cells or some antagonistic fungi, the
      highly forest-pathogenic basidiomycete Armillaria ostoyae is strongly stimulated
      to produce a series of toxic secondary metabolites which are capable of
      inhibiting the growth of the antagonist or of killing the plant cells still
      before cell contact. The chemical structures of the metabolites have been
      identified, of which two of them are new compounds. The time dependence and sites
      of synthesis in the mycelium have been determined in order to lay the foundation
      for future studies concerning the induction mechanism for the synthesis of the
      toxins.

PMID- 1418683
TI  - Isolation and partial characterization of the outer dense fiber proteins from
      human spermatozoa.
AB  - Flagella of human spermatozoa were separated from the sperm head by sonication at
      25 kHz and subsequent density gradient centrifugation in Percoll. For isolation
      of the outer dense fibers (ODF), the flagellar membrane and fibrous sheath were
      dissolved under reducing conditions in the cationic detergent
      cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) for 30, 60 and 90 min, respectively. The
      isolation steps were monitored by phase-contrast microscopy and electron
      microscopy. After SDS-PAGE and silver staining two protein bands at 55 and 67 kDa
      could be detected. An identification of these proteins as phosphoproteins, either
      with molybdate/methylgreen or rhodamine B, was not possible. The obtained results
      indicate that the ODF proteins might have more passive elastic than active
      function with respect to motility of spermatozoa.

PMID- 1418684
TI  - The enzymatic and release characteristics of sheep neutrophil elastase: a
      comparison with human neutrophil elastase.
AB  - Sheep are often used to study tissue damage following shock after traumatic
      injury and in the course of other diseases. The processes involved are thought to
      be caused at least in part by elastase released from polymorphonuclear leukocytes
      (PMNs). Since little is known about elastase and its role as a mediator of tissue
      damage in sheep, we studied the biochemical properties and release
      characteristics to sheep leukocyte elastase (SLE) in comparison of those of human
      leukocyte elastase (HLE). Both enzymes showed similar molecular masses, amino
      acid compositions, N-terminal amino-acid sequences, and abilities to digest
      elastin substrates. Differences, however, were found in kinetic parameters
      measured with the elastase-specific substrate N-methoxysuccinyl-(L-alanyl)2-L
      prolyl-L- valine-4-nitroanilide (MeoSuc-AAPV-pNa). The Michaelis constant (Km) of
      ovine elastase was nearly 10 times higher (1.82 mM) than the Km of HLE (0.21 mM).
      Values of SLE calculated for kcat were 70% and for kcat/Km 8% of corresponding
      values determined for HLE. In addition, significant differences between sheep and
      human PMNs were found in in vitro stimulation experiments. In contrast to human
      PMNs, sheep neutrophils released no active elastase, and only 50 to 70% of the
      H2O2 produced by human PMNs. This failure to release active elastase could not be
      explained by a lower elastase content of sheep PMNs, as there were no significant
      differences found between the elastase contents of sheep and human PMNs. We
      conclude that elastase liberated by stimulated sheep PMNs is inactivated by a
      concomitantly released proteinase inhibitor also located within the sheep
      PMNs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418685
TI  - Microbial metabolism of quinoline and related compounds. XV. Quinoline-4
      carboxylic acid oxidoreductase from Agrobacterium spec.1B: a molybdenum
      containing enzyme.
AB  - The quinoline-4-carboxylic acid oxidoreductase from Agrobacterium spec.1B was
      purified 84-fold to apparent homogeneity with 15% recovery, using ammonium
      sulphate precipitation, heat precipitation, hydrophobic interaction, anion
      exchange- and gel chromatography. The molecular mass of the native enzyme was
      estimated to be 320 kDa by gel filtration. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
      of the enzyme revealed three protein bands corresponding to 85, 35 and 21 kDa.
      Per molecule the enzyme contains 8 atoms of iron, 8 atoms of acid-labile sulphur,
      2 atoms of molybdenum, 2 molecules of FAD and as molybdenum cofactor,
      molybdopterin cytosine dinucleotide. Besides quinoline-4-carboxylic acid the
      enzyme also catalysed the conversion of quinoline, 4-chloroquinoline and 4
      methylquinoline to the corresponding 2-oxo-1,2-dihydroderivatives. Cyanide,
      methanol, 4-chloromercuribenzoate and acriflavin were effective inhibitors.

PMID- 1418686
TI  - Anisoosmostic liver perfusion: redox shifts and modulation of alpha
      ketoisocaproate and glycine metabolism.
AB  - 1) In isolated perfused rat liver, 14CO2 production from [1-14C]alpha
      ketoisocaproate or [1-14C]glycine as well as ketogenesis from alpha
      ketoisocaproate were stimulated upon exposure to hypoosmotic perfusion media,
      whereas hyperosmotic exposure inhibited. The effects of anisotonicity were
      preserved when ketogenesis from alpha-ketoisocaproate and 14CO2 production from
      [1-14C]glycine were already stimulated by glucagon. On the other hand,
      ketogenesis from tyrosine (2 mM) or octanoate (0.1 mM) were almost unaffected by
      anisoosmotic exposure. 2) With all ketogenic substrates studied, hypoosmotic
      (hyperosmotic) cell swelling (shrinkage) decreased (increased) the beta
      hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate ratio in effluent perfusate. A shift of the
      mitochondrial and cytosolic NADH systems to a more oxidized (reduced) state
      following hypoosmotic (hyperosmotic) exposure was also found upon infusion of
      beta-hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate and lactate/pyruvate as redox indicator
      metabolite couples. The effects of anisotonicity on the beta
      hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate ratio were reversible upon normoosmotic reexposure
      and persisted throughout anisoosmotic exposure despite completion of volume
      regulatory K+ fluxes within 10-15 min. Hepatic oxygen consumption decreased by
      about 10% during hyperosmotic cell shrinkage and was transiently stimulated
      during hypoosmotic exposure. 3) There was a close relationship between
      ketogenesis from alpha-ketoisocaproate (0.5 mM) and the mitochondrial redox
      state, as assessed by the beta-hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate ratio in effluent,
      regardless of whether the pathway was modulated by anisotonicity or glucagon. 4)
      Isoosmotic cell swelling induced by addition of glutamine (3 mM) was without
      significant effect on ketogenesis from octanoate and stimulated ketogenesis and
      14CO2production from [1-14C]alpha-ketoisocaproate only slightly (i.e. by less
      than 10%); however, in each case the hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate ratio in
      effluent perfusate decreased by about 20% upon addition of glutamine. 5)
      Stimulation of 14CO2production from [1-14C]glycine by hypoosmotic exposure and
      glucagon was only slightly affected when the accompanying decrease of the beta
      hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate ratio was reversed by addition of beta
      hydroxybutyrate. 6) The data are compatible with a hypotonicity (hypertonicity)
      induced shift of the mitochondrial NADH system to a more oxidized (reduced)
      state, probably due to a alterations of respiration. Mitochondrial swelling
      probably also occurs under the influence of glutamine. Modulation of ketogenesis
      from alpha-ketoisocaproate, but not of glycine oxidation by anisoosmotic exposure
      and glucagon can be related to the accompanying redox shifts. The observations
      support the concept that cell volume may be an important parameter determining
      liver cell function.

PMID- 1418687
TI  - Development and optimization of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay employing
      two murine monoclonal antibodies for absolute quantitation of human beta
      glucuronidase.
AB  - We have developed and optimized an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for
      absolute quantitation of human beta-glucuronidase. This is a double antibody
      sandwich system employing two murine monoclonal antibodies specific for human
      beta-glucuronidase developed in our laboratories. The method involves (a) coating
      of the high binding polystyrene microtitration plate with the first antibody (7B6
      IgG), (b) blocking of remaining active sites with 3% bovine serum albumin in
      phosphate-buffered saline, (c) application of samples, (d) addition of the
      biotinylated second antibody (6D2 IgG), (e) addition of streptavidin-horseradish
      peroxidase, and (f) development of color with o-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride
      H2O2 and reading in a microplate reader at a wavelength of 490 nm. The method is
      highly sensitive with an optimal range of 10 to 100 ng/ml of the enzyme and is
      reproducible with intraday and interday precisions of 3.2 and 4.1%, respectively.
      The enzyme contents of 20 urine and 20 bile samples quantitated by this ELISA
      method were, respectively, 148 +/- 101 and 6380 +/- 3780 ng/ml (means +/- SD)
      which correlated well with their enzyme activities. Such a method for absolute
      quantitation of human beta-glucuronidase is essential for studying its
      pathophysiologic roles in cholelithiasis and carcinogenesis and can also be used
      clinically as an indicator for tissue damage or malignancy.

PMID- 1418688
TI  - Enzymatic properties of polyethylene glycol-modified cholesterol esterase in
      organic solvents.
AB  - The solvent dependency and substrate specificity of polyethylene glycol (PEG)
      modified cholesterol esterase (CEH) catalyzing cholesterol ester synthesis in
      organic solvents were studied. When cholesterol and linoleic acid were used as
      the substrates, PEG-modified CEH synthesized cholesterol linoleate only in water
      immiscible organic solvents. Among some solvents capable of solubilizing all of
      the reaction components (PEG-modified CEH, cholesterol, and linoleic acid),
      chloroform was most suitable for enzymatic cholesterol linoleate synthesis, and
      the synthetic activity for cholesterol linoleate decreased in the order
      chloroform, benzene, toluene, and cyclohexane. PEG-modified CEH synthesized
      various cholesterol esters with significant substrate specificity. The substrate
      specificity for cholesterol ester synthesis in benzene was analogous to that for
      cholesterol ester hydrolysis in aqueous solution.

PMID- 1418689
TI  - Partial purification and immobilization of ribonuclease T2.
AB  - A simple procedure, consisting of water extraction, heat treatment at pH 2.0,
      negative adsorption on DEAE-cellulose at pH 4.9, and concanavalin A-Sepharose
      chromatography, was developed for the partial purification of ribonuclease
      (RNase) T2 from taka-diastase powder with an overall yield of 5.5%. The partially
      purified enzyme when coupled to aminoethyl Bio-Gel P-60, retained 12-16% of the
      activity of the soluble enzyme. Temperature stability studies on RNase T2 bound
      to matrices, activated with increasing concentrations of glutaraldehyde, and the
      influence of lysine modification on the activity of the soluble enzyme revealed
      that the low activity observed for the gel-bound enzyme is probably due to the
      masking of the active site of the enzyme as a result of the involvement of lysine
      residues, situated near the active site, during coupling. Immobilization did not
      affect the pH and temperature optima of RNase T2. On repeated use, the bound
      enzyme retained approximately 55% of its initial activity after six cycles. These
      results are discussed, taking into consideration the factors affecting
      immobilized enzymes.

PMID- 1418690
TI  - Cloning and expression of the Erwinia herbicola tyrosine phenol-lyase gene in
      Escherichia coli.
AB  - The tyrosine phenol-lyase (TPL) gene of Erwinia herbicola was cloned and
      expressed in Escherichia coli, and the complete nucleotide sequence of the gene
      determined. The TPL gene comprises 1368 bp, encoding 456 amino acids which have
      90% amino acid identity with TPL from Citrobacter freundii. After replacing the
      5'-flanking region of the TPL gene with the E. coli lac promoter, TPL protein
      could be hyperproduced constitutively in E. coli without induction by L-tyrosine.

PMID- 1418691
TI  - Adverse effects of cancer chemotherapy. An overview of techniques for
      avoidance/minimisation.

PMID- 1418693
TI  - Adverse effects of diuretics.
AB  - Analysis of the available evidence indicates that diuretics do not increase
      coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality. The multiclinic trials supporting
      the cardiotoxicity hypothesis are few in number and flawed in design. The
      majority of the trials, including the well designed trials, indicate no excess of
      coronary heart disease (CHD) events in diuretic-treated patients compared with
      those given other drugs or placebo. Recent studies indicate no increase in
      cardiac arrhythmias after diuretic treatment. Also, although depletion of
      intracellular potassium and magnesium occurs in patients with congestive heart
      failure even without diuretics, intracellular concentration of these ions is not
      significantly reduced by diuretics in patients with uncomplicated hypertension.
      Modest elevations of serum cholesterol may occur during the first 6 to 12 months
      of treatment with thiazide diuretics. However, after this time these elevations
      fall to or below the pretreatment level. The fall may be greater in patients
      receiving other drugs but the differences are small and their clinical
      significance is questionable. The incidences of hyperglycaemia and diabetes were
      only minimally increased in long term clinical trials while the importance of
      hyperinsulinism and insulin resistance in causing CHD remains unproven in
      patients. Thiazides remain, therefore, a safe and effective treatment for
      patients with hypertension.

PMID- 1418694
TI  - Handling of cytotoxic drugs by healthcare workers. A review of the risks of
      exposure.
AB  - Increasing utilisation of chemotherapeutic agents in treating patients with
      malignancy has led to the potential for widespread exposure of healthcare workers
      who come into contact with patients or these agents in the work place.
      Unfortunately, these drugs are toxic to both the abnormal and normal somatic
      cell. This occurs in the patient, and is also likely to affect any individual
      exposed. There appear to be widely divergent opinions concerning the extent of
      hazard of coming into contact with these agents, in spite of which caution and
      minimising exposure risk seems only prudent and appropriate.

PMID- 1418695
TI  - Acute ketotifen overdosage. A review of present clinical experience.
AB  - Ketotifen (Zaditen) is a widely used prophylactic antiasthmatic drug with
      pronounced antianaphylactic properties and a specific H1-antihistaminic effect.
      This article summarises the available information on acute overdosage of this
      drug, which was reported in 13 adults and 8 children. The symptoms of acute
      overdosage observed with ketotifen are similar to those described for
      antihistaminic agents. However, it would appear that the acute toxicity of
      ketotifen is rather low, since no serious effects have been reported either in
      children or in adults after the intake of up to 20mg of ketotifen, which is 10
      times the recommended dose. No lethal outcome of acute overdosage has been
      described in association with this drug. Ketotifen seems to be better tolerated
      in children than in adults. Based on present clinical experience, management of
      acute overdosage includes gastric lavage within 2 to 4h after ingestion or
      activated charcoal after this period. Symptomatic treatment is indicated if
      arrhythmias, hypotension or seizures develop, and the patient should be kept
      under surveillance for at least 6 to 8h.

PMID- 1418696
TI  - Risks versus benefits of withdrawing antihypertensive therapy.

PMID- 1418692
TI  - Adverse drug reactions to systemic antifungals. Prevention and management.
AB  - Systemic administration of antifungal agents for invasive mycoses has
      dramatically increased over the past 10 years in many fields of medicine. The
      increase has been due both to an increasing immune compromised population and to
      potent antibacterial agents which allow these fungi to invade tissue. It is
      apparent that our understanding of the use of both the old and new antifungal
      agents has significantly increased in the last few years. In this review, we
      attempt to document our extensive knowledge of the adverse effects of the
      polyenes, flucytosine, griseofulvin and azoles when given systemically for
      treatment. Interwoven in this documentation of the adverse reactions to these
      agents is the attempt to help clinicians potentially avoid some of these adverse
      effects and if they do occur, to be able to identify and successfully manage
      them.

PMID- 1418697
TI  - Protein calorie malnutrition and cancer therapy.
AB  - Anorexia and cachexia frequently complicate the late stages of malignancy and may
      be a prominent feature of early disease. The resulting weight loss often becomes
      a major focus of concern for the patient and the family and may significantly add
      to the morbidity and mortality of cancer. Factors which contribute to the wasting
      syndrome include the effects of the tumour, effects of chemotherapy,
      abnormalities of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism and the cytokine
      response. Administration of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is an important
      method of addressing malnutrition, particularly in patients with nonfunctioning
      gastrointestinal tracts. A critical review of the TPN cancer literature is
      provided along with a discussion of new approaches and future directions in the
      nutritional support of patients with malignant disease, such as anabolic agents,
      hydrazine sulfate and megestrol.

PMID- 1418698
TI  - Clinical toxicity of interleukin-2.
AB  - Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is increasingly used to treat patients with cancers
      refractory to conventional treatment. Flu-like syndromes are extremely frequent
      but usually mild. A variety of skin complications (mostly erythema and mucositis)
      have been reported. Life-threatening skin reactions have also been described.
      Acute reactivation of psoriasis can also occur. Immediate hypersensitivity
      reactions have so far not been described, but IL-2 treatment has been shown to
      predispose to acute hypersensitivity reactions to iodine-containing contrast
      media. Hypothyroidism is the major endocrine complication and antithyroid
      antibodies have been detected in approximately 50% of patients. Neurological and
      psychiatric disturbances with moderate or severe mental status changes are common
      and sometimes treatment-limiting. The occurrence of peritumoural oedema in
      patients with brain metastases can also be a major practical problem.
      Musculoskeletal disorders are transient and resolve spontaneously. The vascular
      leak syndrome is the most frequent and severe complication of IL-2 of which
      weight gain, generalised oedema, hypotension and impaired renal function are the
      main features. Even though a damaging effect on vascular endothelium cells by
      various cytokines released by activated lymphoid cells or mediated by non
      lymphocyte-dependent factors has been proposed to be involved, the mechanism
      remains unclear. Other cardiovascular injuries, possibly life-threatening,
      including myocarditis, angina pectoris and myocardial infarction, can occur
      during the first days of treatment. Supraventricular arrhythmias are the most
      common rhythmic disorder. Decreases in myocardial contractility and haemodynamic
      pattern similar to those of septic shock have been encountered in most cases.
      Acute renal dysfunction is common but resolves with symptomatic management.
      Intrahepatic cholestasis with hyperbilirubinaemia is observed in most patients
      but permanent liver damage has not been described. Several cases of pancreatitis
      have been reported. Anaemia, thrombocytopenia, lymphocytopenia and eosinophilia
      are frequent and occur in most if not all patients. Some data suggest a high
      incidence of infectious complications, particularly in patients with surgically
      tunnelled catheters, but marked flu-like syndromes may be confounding. Finally,
      death directly related to IL-2 treatment has been noted in less than 1% of all
      patients. Investigations are under way to minimise IL-2 toxicity with varying
      dose regimens and combined treatments.

PMID- 1418700
TI  - Neuropsychiatric reactions to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The
      New Zealand experience.
AB  - The New Zealand Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee has been monitoring reports
      of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) since 1965. We wished to determine the numbers
      of voluntary reports of different types of ADR to all nonsteroidal anti
      inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) over a long time period and relate these to age. As
      the elderly are known to suffer from neuropsychiatric adverse effects of many
      drugs, we investigated neuropsychiatric reactions to NSAIDs to determine whether
      these were more commonly reported in the elderly. We counted all reported ADRs
      suspected to be associated with NSAIDs as well as selected types of ADRs reported
      from 1970 to 1989. These were divided into 5-year periods and 10-year age
      groupings. In each consecutive 5-year period there was a progressive increase in
      the numbers of all ADRs reported for all NSAIDs. This was particularly marked
      above 50 years of age, but the numbers were reduced above 80 years. Reports for
      females accounted for about two-thirds of all reactions. Not unexpectedly,
      alimentary and dermatological ADRs accounted for most reactions and were more
      common in the group above 50 years. Overall, neuropsychiatric reactions were the
      third most common ADR type reported. Their numbers increased with age and peaked
      in the 50 to 59 age group, with a sharp decline after 69 years. This age
      distribution paralleled that for all ADRs to NSAIDs. Although neuropsychiatric
      reactions to NSAIDs were reported in all age groups, they were not reported more
      commonly in the elderly. This study suggests that neuropsychiatric reactions to
      NSAIDs may be more frequent than is commonly believed.

PMID- 1418702
TI  - B-cell activation.
AB  - Extraordinary progress has been made in refining our understanding of the B-cell
      antigen receptor complex, the role of protein-tyrosine phosphorylation as the key
      intermediary in immunoglobulin signal transduction, and in identifying candidate
      effectors of immunoglobulin-mediated signaling. In addition, the properties of a
      new group of G proteins may rekindle interest in older observations implicating
      such molecules as important in B-cell activation.

PMID- 1418701
TI  - New insights into T-cell antigen receptor structure and signal transduction.
AB  - Recent studies have provided insights into how the complex structure of the T
      cell antigen receptor relates to its signal transduction function. Both the CD3
      and zeta subunits contain functioning signaling modules that regulate the
      activation of tyrosine kinases and phosphorylation of cellular substrates.

PMID- 1418703
TI  - Signal transduction by T- and B-cell antigen receptors: converging structures and
      concepts.
AB  - Recent evidence demonstrates that the antigen receptor complexes of T and B
      lymphocytes are very similar in general architecture and primary and secondary
      structure of component polypeptides, and that they use common mechanisms for
      transmembrane signal transduction. Most importantly, multiple subunits of each
      receptor (Ig-alpha, Ig-beta and Ig-gamma, CD3 gamma, CD3 delta and CD3 epsilon,
      and T-cell receptor zeta and eta) possess a motif of approximately 26 amino
      acids, denoted ARH1, which appears to carry sufficient structural information for
      receptor-mediated lymphocyte activation.

PMID- 1418704
TI  - Costimulation of T-cell growth.
AB  - The specificity of T-cell recognition is dictated by the interaction of the T
      cell receptor with MHC-peptide complexes. The biological consequences of such
      recognition is determined, however, by costimulatory pathway(s). Recent studies
      have led to the identification of receptor-counter-receptor pairs that may
      regulate T-cell costimulation.

PMID- 1418705
TI  - Interleukin-2.
AB  - In the past year there have been significant advances in understanding the role
      of interleukin-2. Its role in the activation of T cells by antigen-presenting
      cells, the structure-activity relationships between interleukin-2 and its
      receptor and the subsequent signaling have all become clearer. The creation of
      mice with a specific defect in the interleukin-2 gene has given us a clearer idea
      of its role in vivo. Recent studies also suggest that interleukin-2 may finally
      find a role in immunotherapy.

PMID- 1418706
TI  - Mechanisms of lymphocyte homing.
AB  - The initiation and maintenance of an effective immune response requires the
      coordinated function of spatially distinct compartments of the immune system.
      Such coordination is critically dependent on mechanisms of lymphocyte homing and
      recirculation. The past year has been significant progress in our understanding
      of both the molecular basis of these homing mechanisms, and their potential
      physiological consequences.

PMID- 1418699
TI  - Adverse effects of general anaesthetics.
AB  - This review deals with the adverse reactions associated with general anaesthetic
      agents in current use. These reactions fall into 2 categories; those which are
      more common, predictable and often closely related, and those which are rare,
      unpredictable and carry a high mortality. Both inhalational and intravenous
      anaesthetic agents affect the central nervous and cardio-respiratory systems in a
      dose-related manner. Neuronal inhibition results in decreasing levels of
      consciousness and depression of the medullary vital centres which can lead to
      cardiorespiratory failure. Both groups of agents have some depressant effect on
      the myocardium and vascular smooth muscle leading to a fall in cardiac output and
      hypotension. Centrally-mediated respiratory depression is common to both groups
      and the inhalational agents have a direct effect on lung physiology. The most
      important idiosyncratic reactions to the volatile agents are malignant
      hyperpyrexia and 'halothane hepatitis'. Malignant hyperpyrexia has an incidence
      of 1:12,000 with a mortality of about 24%. It is triggered most often by
      halothane together with suxamethonium. Post halothane hepatic necrosis is rare.
      Evidence points to 2 distinct syndromes; direct toxicity from the products of
      reductive metabolism, and a more serious illness, immunologically mediated via
      haptens formed by liver proteins and the products of oxidative metabolism.
      Prolonged nitrous oxide exposure can cause bone marrow depression and life
      threatening pressure effects by expansion of air-filled spaces within the body.
      The idiosyncratic reactions to the intravenous agents include anaphylactoid
      reactions (which are rare) and triggering of acute porphyria. Etomidate is
      immunologically 'clean', but it inhibits cortisol synthesis.

PMID- 1418707
TI  - Lymphocyte homing to sites of inflammation.
AB  - The identification by monoclonal antibodies and gene cloning of the major
      receptors, the integrins, selectins and endothelial adhesion molecules, involved
      in lymphocyte adhesion and migration has advanced our understanding of the
      molecular interactions between lymphocytes and endothelial cells in the past few
      years. These antibodies and soluble receptors are being applied as reagents for
      studying the in vivo expression of adhesion molecules, the importance of which in
      various types of inflammation is being recognized.

PMID- 1418708
TI  - The interleukin-4 family of lymphokines.
AB  - Evidence has accumulated indicating that four T-cell derived lymphokines,
      interleukin-4, interleukin-5, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor
      and interleukin-3, are closely related. The genes encoding these lymphokines are
      clustered within a region of 1000 kb, the proteins have a common secondary and
      spatial organization, and their corresponding receptors are all members of the
      haemopoietin family of receptors.

PMID- 1418709
TI  - Interleukin-5.
AB  - Interleukin-5 is a dimeric cytokine that controls the differentiation of B cells
      into antibody-secreting cells as well as inducing the growth of Ly-1(CD5)+ B
      cells and B-cell tumors. It also has a major role of the growth and
      differentiation of eosinophils. Rapid progress has been made during the last year
      in the delineation of the structure and activities of interleukin-5, and the
      molecular nature of its functional receptors. Interleukin-5 exerts pleiotropic
      activities on various target cells through a high-affinity receptor which is
      composed of two different polypeptide chains, alpha and beta. The alpha chain
      binds interleukin-5 with low affinity and the beta chain has been identified as
      the interleukin-3 receptor-like protein and is also the beta chain of the
      granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor receptor.

PMID- 1418710
TI  - Mechanisms of soluble mediators.
AB  - A two chain model, composed of ligand-binding and signal transducing subunits,
      first identified in the interleukin-6 receptor system, has been revealed in
      several other cytokine systems. Common signal transducers shared by several
      receptor systems may explain a functional redundancy characteristic of cytokines.
      The signaling pathway from the receptor to gene activation is now becoming
      clearer due to the successful molecular cloning of several transcription factors.

PMID- 1418711
TI  - Interleukin-10.
AB  - Despite the short history of interleukin-10, accumulated evidence indicates that
      this interleukin plays a major role in suppressing immune and inflammatory
      responses. Yet interleukin-10 also maintains cell viability and acts as a
      cofactor to promote the growth of lymphoid and myeloid cells in vitro. Here we
      review the present knowledge on the structure and function of interleukin-10.

PMID- 1418712
TI  - Interferon-gamma.
AB  - During the past year, the most striking progress in our understanding of
      interferon-gamma has been made in the elucidation of the three-dimensional
      structure of the molecule and in the analysis of the molecular structure and the
      functional domains of the interferon-gamma receptor. A greater insight into the
      molecular mechanisms of gene activation by interferon-gamma has been gained, and
      the immunoregulatory role of interferon-gamma has been better defined in studies
      dealing with its effects on B-cell function and with its production by the
      various T-cell subsets. Finally, the effects of interferon-gamma on intracellular
      parasites is an important aspect of interferon-gamma activity that is giving rise
      to several clinical trials.

PMID- 1418713
TI  - T helper cells.
AB  - B-cell proliferation and differentiation is controlled by T helper cells. Recent
      studies have determined that the expression of a novel, 39 kD, T-cell membrane
      protein is responsible for inducing T-cell-dependent B-cell activation. The
      receptor for this protein on the resting B cell is CD40. Once activated, B cells
      are induced to grow and differentiate by the elaboration of interleukin-4 and
      interleukin-5 from activated T cells. Together, T cell-B cell contact and soluble
      factors provide all the signals required for B-cell growth and differentiation.

PMID- 1418714
TI  - Cell-mediated cytotoxicity.
AB  - Progress is being made in determining how cytotoxic cells are activated, the way
      the lethal hit is delivered and the subsequent events in the target cell. Several
      factors cloud the issue, including the heterogeneity of cytotoxic cells,
      differences between fresh cells and cell lines, and the possibility of single
      cells using multiple cytotoxic mechanisms. The most difficult task will be to
      define which cytotoxic mechanisms are significant in vivo.

PMID- 1418716
TI  - Lymphocyte activation and effector functions.

PMID- 1418715
TI  - Macrophage activation by T cells.
AB  - In the past year, the application of biochemical and molecular approaches to the
      analysis of macrophage activation by T cells has provided new information
      concerning the regulation of gene expression during the activation process, and
      advanced our understanding of the multiple mechanisms that influence the
      development of macrophage function during an immune response.

PMID- 1418717
TI  - Inhibition of immune induction: the target of current transplantation tolerance
      strategies.

PMID- 1418718
TI  - Immunosuppressive therapy.
AB  - Although Cyclosporin A has improved transplant outcome, its use has serious
      limitations due to its narrow therapeutic window. New approaches to broaden this
      window exploit alternative drug formulations, pharmacokinetic profiling and new
      immunosuppressive agents, such as Rapamycin and Brequinar, which act in a
      synergistic fashion. There is no evidence to suggest that the pharmacological
      alternative to Cyclosporin A, FK-506, displays a broader therapeutic window,
      although it may be tenfold more potent. Similarly, despite the specificity of the
      IgG2a mouse anti-human CD3 monoclonal antibody, it displays a significant range
      of clinical side effects, delayed therapeutic action and frequently stimulates
      generation of human anti-mouse monoclonal antibodies. Recent advances in
      monoclonal antibody technology seek not only to produce antibodies against
      determinants involved in alloactivation, but also to 'humanize' the antibodies
      for reduced side effects. The availability of this array of potential agents
      highlights the need to develop guidelines for clinical trial methodologies to
      address the unique needs and demands of organ transplantation.

PMID- 1418719
TI  - Cellular mechanisms of rejection.
AB  - Studies by molecular biologists, protein chemists and cell biologists are rapidly
      providing new tools and information for those interested in the cellular
      mechanisms of graft rejection. Despite these contributions, a clear picture of
      the mechanisms involved in rejection has not yet evolved. However, whole new
      areas for research have developed, providing opportunities for new insights as
      well as therapeutic interventions.

PMID- 1418720
TI  - The use of colony stimulating factors in clinical bone marrow transplantation.
AB  - The use of colony stimulating factors in clinical bone marrow transplantation is
      rapidly evolving. Both granulocyte colony stimulating factor and granulocyte
      macrophage colony stimulating factor have shown efficacy in bone marrow
      transplant patients in accelerating the rate of myeloid recovery. The use of
      colony stimulating factor primed peripheral blood progenitor cells appears to
      accelerate platelet recovery as well as myeloid recovery.

PMID- 1418721
TI  - Graft versus host disease following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
AB  - Graft versus host disease is a major barrier in allogeneic bone marrow
      transplantation. The associated morbidity and mortality need to be understood and
      prevented if possible, as the potential indications for bone marrow
      transplantation continue to broaden. Areas of investigation include the cellular
      effector arm as well as the cytokines associated with the expression of the
      disease.

PMID- 1418722
TI  - Organ acceptance and rejection.
AB  - During the past year, transplantation scientists have continued the quest for
      their version of the Holy Grail, developing and expanding model systems aimed at
      improving allograft survival. The highlights include further analyses of
      tolerance induction by intrathymic inoculation of allogeneic tissue, the use of
      oral tolerance to MHC antigens to improve graft survival, and expansion of the
      model of bone marrow transplantation to achieve solid organ tolerance in a large
      animal model and humans. Immunogeneticists have provided data on improved graft
      survival when MHC matching was performed at the molecular level.

PMID- 1418723
TI  - Cytokines in rodent reproduction and the cytokine-endocrine interaction.
AB  - Insights derived from recent studies employing rodent models demonstrate that the
      synthesis of pluripotent cytokines is an important function of resident cells in
      the female reproductive tract. Through steroid hormone regulated secretion of
      these mediators, resident cells appear to coordinate the recruitment and action
      of leukocytes that are centrally implicated in the dramatic remodelling processes
      characteristic of reproductive events.

PMID- 1418724
TI  - Immunobiology of pregnancy.
AB  - This report presents new findings on two conditions that permit genetically
      disparate tissues to coexist during pregnancy: (a) regulation of major
      histocompatibility genes in placental trophoblast, and (b) synthesis of uterine
      and placental polypeptide growth factors with immunosuppressive properties.
      Recent experiments examining inter-relationships between these two protective
      mechanisms are cited, and potential explanations for trophoblast resistance to
      factors with MHC-inducing properties are proposed.

PMID- 1418725
TI  - Vaccines against fertility.
AB  - The first evidence for the efficacy of a birth control vaccine in humans is now
      available from the Phase II trials on the human chorionic gonadotrophin vaccine
      in India. Several sperm antigens have been identified as potential contraceptive
      immunogens and zona pellucida antigens have been reported that reversibly control
      fertility.

PMID- 1418726
TI  - Tumor immunology: the first century.

PMID- 1418727
TI  - Molecular definition of tumor antigens recognized by T lymphocytes.
AB  - Several tumor antigens recognized by T cells have now been identified at the
      molecular level. Various mechanisms can account for their expression: activation
      of normally silent genes; point mutations; chromosome translocations; and post
      translational modifications of proteins. This led to the notion that potential
      tumor-rejection antigens can be shared by a significant proportion of human
      tumors. This may have important implications in cancer immunotherapy, especially
      since tumors expressing a defined antigen can be identified on the basis of the
      expression of the relevant gene.

PMID- 1418728
TI  - MHC antigens and cancer: implications for T-cell surveillance.
AB  - Evidence for a direct involvement of cell-mediated immune mechanisms in the
      control of human tumours remains sketchy. The past year, however, has seen
      advances in our understanding of the relationship between the immune system and
      tumour cells, and has given rise to new prospects for immunological treatment and
      the prevention of cancers.

PMID- 1418729
TI  - New strategies for active immunotherapy with genetically engineered tumor cells.
AB  - While previous tumor vaccine strategies have shown intriguing results, clearcut
      efficacy has been difficult to establish in human trials. Recently, newer
      approaches have been developed in animal systems that modify tumor cells
      genetically so that they express new antigens or secrete certain cytokines.
      Engineering tumor cells to secrete cytokines in a paracrine fashion can induce
      powerful local cytokine effects without producing significant systemic toxicity.
      In addition to local inflammation, this approach can alter the presentation of
      tumor antigen or activation of tumor antigen-specific T lymphocytes, resulting in
      systemic antitumor immunity.

PMID- 1418730
TI  - Construction of cancer vaccines with carbohydrate and protein (peptide) tumor
      antigens.
AB  - Tumor vaccinology is as old as immunological thought and as young as our rapidly
      evolving understanding of antigen processing and presentation. The recent
      availability of carbohydrate and peptide tumor antigens suitable for vaccine
      construction, conjugate and recombinant vector technologies capable of augmenting
      helper and cytotoxic T cell activity and potent new immunological adjuvants have
      combined to produce considerable optimism for the future of tumor vaccines.

PMID- 1418731
TI  - Immunogenetics of cell surface antigens of human cancer.
AB  - Hybridoma technology, immunohistochemistry and molecular genetic techniques have
      paved the way for a general serological mapping of molecules expressed on the
      surface of normal and neoplastic cells. The emerging findings challenge cell
      lineage-based models of differentiation and point to new, modular concepts to
      explain complex tumor phenotypes. In parallel studies, the repertoire of T-cell
      recognized tumor antigens--still mysterious but probably quite distinct from the
      antibody-defined repertoire--has also become accessible to molecular analysis.

PMID- 1418732
TI  - Monoclonal antibodies in the study and therapy of hematopoietic cancers.
AB  - Recent advances utilizing monoclonal antibodies to phenotype acute leukemias have
      revealed no prognostic significance of the expression of lymphoid-associated
      antigens by acute myeloid leukemia blasts and conflicting results regarding
      'biphenotypic' acute myeloid leukemia. Several studies treating patients with
      refractory lymphoma with immunotoxins reported encouraging results but
      significant production of anti-mouse or anti-toxin antibody. Radiolabeled
      antibodies that react with panhematopoietic antigens have delivered selective
      radiation to marrow, spleen and lymph nodes in animal models and are being used
      in Phase I studies of marrow transplantation for acute leukemia.

PMID- 1418733
TI  - Monoclonal antibodies in the detection and therapy of micrometastatic epithelial
      cancers.
AB  - The initial promise of monoclonal antibodies as major therapeutic agents in human
      epithelial cancer has not been realized. Inaccessibility of cells in solid tumors
      due to factors such as the nature of the vascular endothelia and high pressure in
      the tumor are primarily responsible for the failure of antibody therapy. Although
      new strategies employing recombinant antibodies and immunoglobulins designed to
      actively engage the immune system may prove beneficial, micrometastatic tumor
      cells (at the stage of minimal residual disease) are likely to be the only
      suitable targets for antibody therapy. The diagnostic approaches to identify and
      characterize these cells and their use for prognosis and monitoring adjuvant
      immunotherapy is discussed.

PMID- 1418734
TI  - Transplantation.

PMID- 1418735
TI  - Reproduction.

PMID- 1418736
TI  - Cancer.

PMID- 1418737
TI  - Strong binding of single-stranded DNA by stem-loop oligonucleotides.
AB  - We report that oligodeoxynucleotides which form stem-loop hairpin structures and
      which have pyrimidine-rich loops can form strong complexes with complementary
      single-stranded DNA sequences. Stem-loop oligonucleotides were constructed with a
      25-nt T-rich loop and with variable Watson-Crick stems. The complexes of these
      oligomers with the sequence dA8 were studied by thermal denaturation. Evidence is
      presented that the complexes are one-to-one, bimolecular complexes in which the
      pyrimidine loop bases comprise the outer strands in a pyr.pur.pyr triplex, in
      effect chelating the purine strand in the center of the loop. Melting
      temperatures for the loop complexes are shown to be up to 29 degrees C higher
      than Watson-Crick duplex of the same length. It is shown that the presence of a
      stem increases stability of the triplex relative to an analogous oligomer without
      a stem. The effect of stem length on the stability of such a complex is examined.
      Such hairpin oligomers represent a new approach to the sequence-specific binding
      of single-stranded RNA and DNA. In addition, the finding raises the possibility
      that such a complex may exist in natural RNA folded sequences.

PMID- 1418738
TI  - Structure of poly d(A).poly d(T).
AB  - On the basis of the x-ray data from polycrystalline and well oriented fibers of
      the sodium salt of poly d(A).poly d(T) (Arnott et al, Nucl. Acids Res. 11, 4141
      4155 (1983), a revised B'-DNA model incorporating B-like adenine and thymine
      strands is shown to give a much better x-ray agreement (R = 0.25) than the
      previously assigned model consisting of mixed sugar conformations in the two
      strands. The narrowing of the minor and the widening of the major grooves are
      promiscuous features of B'-DNA, which are common to all poly d(purine).poly
      d(pyrimidine) duplexes with two hydrogen bonded base-pairs and are in marked
      contrast with classical B-DNA. Due to modest propeller (-15 degrees), the cross
      strand diagonal hydrogen bonds (0.37 nm) in this duplex are not as strong as
      those in A,T-rich oligonucleotide crystal structures.

PMID- 1418739
TI  - Ultraviolet resonance Raman marker bands of the right to left helix structure
      transitions in DNA and polynucleotide model compounds.
AB  - The right to left helix structural transition in purine-pyrimidine alternating
      copolymers has been extensively studied by vibrational spectroscopies, amongst
      many other experimental approaches. Here, the use of resonance Raman spectroscopy
      in the ultraviolet region (223-, 257- and 281 nm excitation wavelengths) to
      monitor such structural changes is reviewed in the light of new results obtained
      on poly(dA-dC).poly(dG-dT) on one hand, and the previous results obtained on
      poly(dG-dC)2, poly(dA-dT)2 and natural DNA (Chicken erythrocytes) on the other.
      It is now possible to define B----Z transition marker bands involving the proper
      bases, which show a similar behaviour on structural transition whatever the
      composition of alternating purine-pyrimidine sequences: the 1580- and 1487 cm-1
      lines of the purines, the 1486- and 1294 cm-1 lines of the pyrimidines are good
      markers in the vibrational spectra recorded at various UV excitation wavelengths.

PMID- 1418740
TI  - Salt-induced conformational transition of poly(d2NH2A-dT) studied by ultraviolet
      resonance Raman spectroscopy.
AB  - The conformational changes of poly(d2NH2A-dT) in aqueous solution, induced by
      increasing the NaCl concentration from 0.1M to 4M, have been monitored by
      ultraviolet resonance Raman spectroscopy, in using the 222-, 257- and 281 nm
      excitation wavelengths. These changes have been interpreted in comparing the
      polymer spectra to those of the mononucleotide compounds on one hand, and to
      those of other alternating purine-pyrimidine polymers on the other hand, i.e.
      poly(dG-dC) and poly(dA-dT) which showed a B to Z transition in going from low-
      to high salt concentrations. The high salt poly(d2NH2A-dT) spectra do not show
      any Raman marker line of the Z conformation. The spectroscopic results indicate
      that most of the ribose puckering goes from C2'-endo/anti to C3'-endo/anti in
      increasing the salt concentration. In addition the base stacking interactions, to
      which the resonance Raman effect is very sensitive, are not drastically changed
      upon salt variations. Thus the high salt structure of poly(d2NH2A-dT) remains a
      right-handed helix, likely under a dominant A conformation.

PMID- 1418741
TI  - A molecular dynamics simulation of a polyamine-induced conformational change of
      DNA. A possible mechanism for the B to Z transition.
AB  - A 75ps molecular dynamics simulation has been performed on a fully solvated
      complex of spermine with the B DNA decamer (dGdC)5.(dGdC)5. The simulation
      indicates a possible mechanism by which polyamines might induce the formation of
      a left-handed helix, the B to Z transition. Spermine was initially located in the
      major groove, hydrogen bonded to the helix. During the simulation the ligand
      migrates deeper into the DNA, maintaining strong hydrogen bonding to the central
      guanine bases and destroying the Watson-Crick base pairing with their respective
      cytosines. Significant rotation of these and other cytosine bases was observed,
      in part due to interactions of the helix with the aminopropyl chains of spermine.
      An intermediate BII conformation might be of importance in this process.

PMID- 1418742
TI  - Groove width and depth of B-DNA structures depend on local variation in slide.
AB  - The groove widths of DNA helix, especially minor groove width, are generally
      believed to be important for recognition of DNA by various types of ligands. It
      has been postulated earlier that large negative propeller twist, in the AT rich
      regions compresses the minor groove of duplex DNA. A systematic study has now
      been carried out by generating models with different values of local doublet and
      intra-basepair parameters and calculating their minor groove widths. It is found
      that several local doublet parameters affect the minor groove width but it
      depends most strongly on the local step parameters roll and slide when each
      parameter is considered individually. However, a detailed analysis of the various
      local parameters within the B-DNA family of crystal structures indicates that
      propeller twist and slide are most strongly correlated with the observed values
      of minor groove width. The groove depth is also strongly correlated with slide.
      Thus the local base sequence dependent variations in slide can modify both the
      groove width and depth and consequently determine the ligand binding properties
      of DNA.

PMID- 1418743
TI  - Plasmon interpretation of 25 cm-1 mode in DNA.
AB  - An extension of the effective field approach for the normal mode dynamics of
      dissolved DNA polymers has been applied to study the vibrational modes of DNA
      hydration sheath-counterion system, to include the effect of site bound
      counterions on the system dynamics. An alternative interpretation has been
      suggested for a 25 cm-1 mode recently observed in DNA samples and interpreted
      earlier as an interhelical mode. Analysing the eigenvectors this mode is found to
      possess a large electric dipole moment with longitudinal collective oscillations
      of the system. These characteristics identify this mode as a collective plasmon
      mode. Possible physical reasons for the existence of this character have been
      presented.

PMID- 1418744
TI  - Lipid conformational nomenclature: a general method.
AB  - We propose a conformational nomenclature for amphiphilic lipid molecules that is
      general and compatible with the stereospecific numbering scheme, in contrast to
      earlier methods in which discrepancies with the sn-scheme lead to contradictory
      assignments of the absolute configuration of the system. The present method can
      be rationally extended to different classes of lipids, both natural and
      synthetic. It is simple and provides a convenient framework for conformational
      studies on widely varying classes of lipids.

PMID- 1418745
TI  - Diffusion-enhanced energy transfer investigation of histone H5 in chromatin with
      a fluorescently-labelled antibody fragment Fab'.
AB  - The location of chicken erythrocyte H5 histone relative to the axis the 30 nm
      chromatin fibre axis has been investigated by diffusion-enhanced energy transfer.
      In this investigation, a neutral lanthanide chelate as donor and a fluorescent
      probe specific to H5 as acceptor have been used. The acceptor probe consists of
      H5 antibody Fab' fragment, which has been labeled with 5-iodoacetamidofluorescein
      (5-IAF). Using H5 fragments we have shown by ELISA that the antibodies recognized
      the N- and C-terminal ends of this histone. A neutral chelate of terbium
      (TbHED3A) was chosen as a suitable donor for energy transfer with IAF-labelled
      Fab' (Fab'-IAF) bound to H5 in various chromatin structures. The ionic strength
      dependence of the energy transfer from TbHED3A to chromatin-bound Fab'-IAF was
      used to estimate the accessibility and the location of the Fab' in chromatin. The
      rate constants for energy transfer, obtained from the lifetimes of the TbHED3A
      excited state in presence and absence of acceptor, indicated a decrease in
      transfer efficiency upon increase of salt concentration from 5 to 80 mM NaCl.
      This can be correlated with the chromatin folding occurring in this ionic
      strength range and is consistent with the location of at least some of the N and
      C-termini of H5 within the condensed chromatin structure.

PMID- 1418746
TI  - Transcription regulation by steroid hormones: a computer simulation study.
AB  - Three-dimensional structures of complexes of 66 amino acid-DNA binding domains of
      human progesterone (hPR), estrogen (hER) and glucocorticoid (hGR) receptors
      (proteins), with ten base pair DNA duplexes: d(AGGTCATGCT).d(AGCATGACCT) and
      d(AGAACATGCT).d(AGCATGTTCT) were obtained using computer modeling and molecular
      mechanics techniques. Cartesian coordinates for the proteins were obtained from:
      1) structural data of hER and hGR by NMR spectroscopy; 2) steric constraints
      imposed by tetrahedral coordination of the zinc ion to Cys residues, and 3)
      energy minimization in torsional and cartesian space. The proteins were made to
      interact with DNA (in B-form) in major groove through alpha-helical linker
      between the two zinc fingers. The geometry of the complexes was obtained by
      allowing them to slide, glide, penetrate in to and out of the groove, and to
      rotate about the helical axis. The complexes were energy minimized. Also
      maximized was the number of H-bonds between proteins and DNA. The complex
      structures were refined by molecular mechanics using AMBER 3.0. Structural
      parameters of DNA were analyzed in each complex and compared with those of native
      DNA optimized separately. The stereochemical differences of the complexes are
      discussed.

PMID- 1418747
TI  - Using lambda exonuclease inhibition assays to map carcinogen binding sites.
AB  - Previous restriction mapping studies (M.A. Mallamaci, D.P. Reed and S.A. Winkle,
      J. Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, in press (1992)) have indicated that a
      small number of locations on the plasmid pBR322 may be high affinity binding
      sites for the carcinogen N-acetoxy-N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene (acetoxyAAF). PBR322
      was reacted with acetoxyAAF to produce DNA with one, three or seven acetoxyAAF
      moieties per DNA molecule. Thus only the higher affinity binding sites are
      affected. Subsequent digestion with the restriction enzyme Hinf I produced
      fragments containing previously indicated locations of potential acetoxyAAF
      binding sites. Fragments thought not to contain binding sites were also examined
      as controls. The isolated fragments, singly 32P end-labeled, were digested with
      lambda exonuclease. The three fragments suspected of containing acetoxyAAF
      binding sites possess new lambda exonuclease inhibition sites when the fragments
      are obtained from acetoxyAAF reacted DNA. No such inhibition sites are found with
      the two fragments suggested previously not to contain acetoxyAAF binding sites.
      These carcinogen produced inhibition sites occur in sequences which are similar,
      suggesting that acetoxyAAF preferentially may target a small number of sequences.

PMID- 1418748
TI  - Restriction enzyme mapping of carcinogen binding regions on pBR322.
AB  - Previous equilibrium binding experiments (S.A. Winkle and T.R. Krugh, Nucleic
      Acids Res. 9, 3175-3186 (1981)) suggested that the carcinogen N-hydroxy-N-acetyl
      2-aminofluorene might exhibit preferential binding to a small number of sites on
      phiX174 DNA. To examine whether the covalently binding analogue N-acetoxy-N
      acetyl-2-aminofluorene (acetoxyAAF) also possesses high affinity sites, the
      plasmid pBR322 was reacted with 3H labeled acetoxyAAF to give one to sixteen
      adducts per DNA molecule. Thus only higher affinity sites would be affected. The
      DNA was subsequently cleaved with either Alu I, Hae III, Hha I, Hinf I or Hpa II
      restriction endonuclease and the restriction fragments isolated by gel
      electrophoresis. Examination of the distribution of 3H acetoxyAAF among the
      fragments was not random but, rather, with each enzyme, the acetoxyAAF was found
      predominantly in a few fragments. The locations of the bands containing the
      acetoxyAAF for each enzyme overlap--suggesting that there are regions on pBR 322
      which contain high affinity sites for acetoxyAAF binding.

PMID- 1418749
TI  - Conformation and dynamics of drug-DNA intercalation.
AB  - Molecular dynamics simulations have been undertaken for a B-form dodecanucleotide
      duplex in solution with and without an intercalated proflavine molecule between
      the central C.G base pairs. The introduction of this simple intercalator affects
      both the conformational features and dynamic properties of the oligonucleotide
      double helix. Changes are seen in the rms atomic fluctuations and anisotropy of
      phosphate, sugar and base atoms. The backbone conformation is slightly changed on
      average and more sugars adopt the C3' endo conformation in the simulation of the
      complex compared with the simulation of the oligonucleotide alone. Both major and
      minor grooves becomes wider on average with the addition of the intercalating
      drug. Flanking A.T base pairs on both sides of the intercalation site have
      undergone an increase in flexibility, with the base pairs, especially at the 5'
      side, having the N1...N3 hydrogen bonds being broken.

PMID- 1418750
TI  - The serotoninergic system of the brain of the lamprey, Lampetra fluviatilis: an
      evolutionary perspective.
AB  - The distribution of serotonin(5HT)-immunoreactive cell bodies, nerve fibers and
      terminals was investigated by light microscopy in the lamprey Lampetra
      fluviatilis. Twenty-three distinct groups of 5HT neuronal somata were identified
      from diencephalic to rhombencephalic levels in the brain. The diencephalon
      contained a subependymal population of immunoreactive cells in contact with the
      cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which could be subdivided into five separate groups
      situated in the hypothalamus and ventral thalamus; five additional groups of
      immunoreactive diencephalic neurons, situated in the dorsal thalamus and thalamo
      pretectum, which were not in contact with the CSF, were also identified. In the
      midbrain, in addition to a few labelled neurons in the optic tectum, two
      structures containing immunoreactive cells were identified in the tegmentum
      mesencephali. None of these 5HT cells corresponded to the retinopetal neurons
      which are situated in the same region. A very large number of 5HT neurons were
      observed in the hindbrain which could be divided into seven groups in the isthmus
      rhombencephali and a further three in the rhombencephalon proper. Immunoreactive
      fibers and terminals were widely distributed throughout the neuraxis. In the
      telencephalon two 5HT fibers assemblies, lateral and medial, could be identified
      which terminated in both pallial and subpallial structures. The richest
      serotoninergic innervation in the telencephalon was found in the lateral portion
      of the primordium hippocampi and the medial part of the corpus striatum. In the
      diencephalon, the distribution of immunoreactive fibers and terminals was
      heterogeneous, being most pronounced in the lateral hypothalamic area and in the
      infundibulum. The densest arborization of fibers in the mesencephalon was found
      in the stratum fibrosum et cellulare externum of the optic tectum, a major site
      of retinal projection, and in the nucleus interpeduncularis mesencephali as well
      as in the oculomotor nuclei. The rhombencephalon is richly endowed with
      serotoninergic fibers and terminals, many labelled arborizations being found in
      the nuclei isthmi rhombencephali and around the nucleus motorius nervi trigemini.
      Comparative analysis of the serotoninergic systems of petromyzontiforms and
      gnathostomes indicates that the evolution of this system involves a progressive
      elimination of the rostral immunoreactive cells and an increasing complexity of
      the caudal population of serotoninergic neurons.

PMID- 1418751
TI  - Characteristics of labeling of the cerebellar Purkinje neuron by L7 antiserum.
AB  - Previously, it has been shown by light microscopy that antiserum to the L7
      protein labels cerebellar Purkinje neurons. Herein we show by light and electron
      microscopic immunocytochemistry that all cerebellar Purkinje cells express L7 and
      that the gene product is distributed to all neuronal compartments, including the
      nucleus. Possible functional roles for L7, based on its subcellular localization,
      are discussed. L7 is proposed as an excellent marker molecule for future studies
      of normal and aberrant cerebellar development.

PMID- 1418752
TI  - The distribution of cholinergic muscarinic receptors in the dog frontal lobe.
AB  - The topographical distribution of cholinergic muscarinic receptor (MChR) sites
      was studied by means of quantitative receptor autoradiography using
      [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate ([3H]QNB) in the frontal (prefrontal, premotor and
      motor) cortex of the dog. The mean binding value in the frontal cortex was 408 +/
      5.0 fmol/mg tissue and the only area that differed significantly from the mean
      was the primary motor cortex, where the binding value was significantly lower. In
      the dorsal part of the prefrontal and premotor cortical subregions studied, a tri
      laminar pattern of [3H]QNB labelling was observed, with a superficial dense band
      of label corresponding to cortical layers I, II and III. The deep high density
      band overlaid layer V and the upper part of the layer VI. In the ventral part of
      the prefrontal cortex this pattern gradually disappeared and in the most ventral
      part no laminar differences were seen. In contrast, in primary motor areas, the
      deep band of labelling corresponding to layer V was much less pronounced than in
      the frontal association cortex. Variations in the distribution of MChR sites seem
      to reflect to some extent the greater cytoarchitectonic differentiation of the
      dorsal zone and also the similarity between the ventral zone and the limbic
      cortex described by us previously.

PMID- 1418753
TI  - Autoradiographic distribution of [3H]nicotine binding in human cortex: relative
      abundance in subicular complex.
AB  - Distinct patterns of [3H]nicotine (3 nM) binding were apparent in various regions
      of adult human neo- and archicortex. Receptor binding was greatest in the
      subicular complex--particularly presubiculum--and entorhinal cortex, where it was
      prominent in the characteristic parvo- and magnocellular islands of these regions
      and in middle layers of entorhinal cortex. In somatosensory cortex (Brodmann
      areas 3, 1 and 2) and occipital (area 17) cortex binding was highest in the upper
      and lower layers, and relatively sparse in the sensory input, layer IV. In
      primary motor (area 4) and temporal (area 21) cortex, binding in the outer half
      of the cortical ribbon was denser than that in the inner half and a distinct band
      was apparent in temporal and cingulate (area 32) in the lower portion of layer
      III. In prefrontal association cortex the pattern of binding was less distinct
      although slightly higher in the lower architectonic layers. There was generally
      little binding in the hippocampus (areas CA1-4) and dentate gyrus with the
      exception of the stratum lacunosum moleculare in CA2-3 and, to a lesser extent,
      supra- and subgranule zones of the dentate. These patterns of reactivity, which
      are distinct from that of the major cortical cholinergic innervation, suggest
      that the nicotinic receptor, detected using nanomolar concentrations of
      [3H]nicotine, may primarily be associated with intracortical circuitry in the
      neocortex. The relatively high density in entorhinal and subicular regions may be
      related to the extensive phylogenetic development of these regions which has
      occurred in conjunction with the development of multimodal association circuitry
      in the human cortex.

PMID- 1418754
TI  - Adrenergic projections from the lower brainstem to the hypothalamic
      paraventricular nucleus, the lateral hypothalamic area and the central nucleus of
      the amygdala in rats.
AB  - Fine networks of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT)-immunoreactive
      fibers are found in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus--mainly in the
      anterior, dorsal and dorso-medial parvicellular subdivisions, the lateral
      hypothalamus (dorsal, lateral and ventral to the fornix) and in the central
      amygdaloid nucleus. Coronal hemisections of the brainstem through the rostral
      level of the medulla oblongata show that most hypothalamic and amygdaloid PNMT
      fibers arise from the medullary adrenergic cell groups. Fourteen, but not 10 days
      after total hemisections, PNMT fibers disappeared almost completely from the
      hypothalamus and amygdala, ipsilateral to the knife cuts. A small decrease was
      also observed in the ventral, lateral hypothalamus on the contralateral side.
      Partial depletion of PNMT-immunoreactivity in the hypothalamus and the amygdala
      after medial or lateral brainstem hemisections indicates that ascending PNMT
      immunoreactive fibers pass through mainly the lateral portion of the medulla, but
      some fibers also in its medial portion. Midsagittal transection of the
      diencephalon slightly reduced PNMT immunostaining in the paraventricular nucleus
      and the lateral hypothalamus bilaterally. The results show that the ascending
      PNMT system essentially is ipsilateral, but probably with a small crossing-over
      component, both at the diencephalic and lower brainstem level.

PMID- 1418755
TI  - Immunohistochemical study of the catecholaminergic innervation of the spinal cord
      of the rat using specific antibodies against dopamine and noradrenaline.
AB  - We have assessed the relative contributions of dopaminergic and noradrenergic
      descending systems to the catecholaminergic innervation of the rat spinal cord.
      Fibres and terminals were labelled with their own neurotransmitter by using
      specific antibodies raised against dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA)
      respectively. For this purpose, immunohistochemistry according to the peroxidase
      anti-peroxidase technique was performed in different experimental conditions. Two
      group of rats received intracisternal 6-hydroxy-dopamine (6-OHDA) injections
      either with or without benzatropine pretreatment. Animals of a third group were
      not pretreated at all. While 6-OHDA induced a complete disappearance of spinal NA
      like immunoreactivity (NA-LI), except for scarce residual fibres in the thoracic
      intermedio-lateral cell column, DA-like immunoreactivity (DA-LI) was unaffected
      by the lesion. This strongly suggests that the antisera used specifically
      labelled NA-containing and DA-containing fibres respectively. Spinal DA-LI and NA
      LI innervations differed markedly in their topographical distributions and in the
      morphology of the corresponding fibres. DA-LI innervation was restricted to
      laminae I, III and IV and to the intermediate zone, especially the autonomic
      areas. In the ventral horn, it was sparse and more visible after acidification of
      the fixation solution. NA-LI innervation was much more widely spread. In
      addition, the organization of NA-LI fibres suggests that the innervation of the
      whole dorsal horn comes from a group of fibres travelling, at least partially, in
      the superficial dorsal horn.

PMID- 1418756
TI  - Lung adenoma development and NK activity in mice treated with multiple
      carcinogens.
AB  - A wide-spectrum initiation model was investigated in mice. Sequential treatments
      with diethylnitrosamine, urethane and N-methylnitrosourea, with or without a
      promoter, phenobarbital, resulted in tumor formation in the lungs in 85-90% of
      animals, but did not produce any tumorous lesions in other organs. The lung
      tumors were adenomas and the mean number of adenomas was 2.2-2.6 per mouse.
      Phenobarbital combination had no additive effect on lung tumor incidence and
      multiplicity. Splenic NK cell activity showed inconsistent increment in the
      carcinogen plus phenobarbital-treated group during the experiment (P less than
      0.05).

PMID- 1418757
TI  - Technetium-99m HM-PAO SPECT in patients with delayed neurologic sequelae after
      carbon monoxide poisoning.
AB  - We used single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with technetium-99m
      hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (99mTc-HM-PAO) in 14 studies on 6 patients with
      delayed neurologic sequelae from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning to determine
      whether any changes in cerebral blood flow could be correlated with clinical or
      computed tomographic evidence of delayed deficits. Among the six initial CT brain
      scans, two showed low density of both basal ganglia and two showed decreased
      density of the cerebral white matter. There was no correlation between the
      clinical outcome and the findings of the follow-up CT brain scans. Of the two
      SPECTS with 99mTc-HM-PAO performed during acute anoxic insult, one showed focal
      hypoperfusion which appeared 20 days prior to the onset of delayed neurologic
      sequelae after CO poisoning. Seven SPECTs in the six patients performing the
      delayed phase showed diffuse patched patterns of hypoperfusion which improved on
      follow-up images. There was good correlation between the clinical outcome and the
      findings of the 99mTc-HM-PAO SPECT. In preliminary conclusion, 9Tc-HM-PAO brain
      SPECT can be used for predicting or evaluating the outcome of delayed neurologic
      sequelae after CO poisoning. Cerebral vascular changes may be the possible cause
      of hypoperfusion in patients with CO poisoning.

PMID- 1418758
TI  - Variations of the ventral rami of the brachial plexus.
AB  - We studied the variations in the ventral rami of 152 brachial plexuses in 77
      Korean adults. Brachial plexus were composed mostly of the fifth, sixth, seventh
      and eighth cervical nerves and the first thoracic nerve (77.0%). In 21.7% of the
      cases examined, the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth cervical and the
      first thoracic nerves contributed to the plexus. A plexus composed of the fourth,
      fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth cervical and the first and second thoracic
      nerves, and a plexus composed of the fifth, sixth, seventh eighth cervical nerves
      were also observed. The plexuses were classified into three groups according to
      cephalic limitation, and the plexus of group 2 in which the whole fifth cervical
      nerve enters the plexus, were observed the most frequent. The average diameter of
      the sixth and the seventh cervical ventral rami of the plexus was greatest and
      that of the fifth cervical was smallest. The largest nerve entering the plexus
      was the sixth or the seventh cervical nerve in about 79% of cases. The dorsal
      scapular nerve originated from the fifth cervical ventral ramus in 110 cases
      (75.8%). The long thoracic nerve was formed by joining of roots from the fifth,
      sixth, and seventh cervical nerves in 76.0% of cases. Also, a branch to the
      phrenic nerve, the suprascapular nerve, a nerve to the pectoralis major muscle
      and a nerve to the subscapular muscle arising from the ventral rami of the plexus
      were observed.

PMID- 1418759
TI  - Anatomical observation on draining patterns of saphenous tributaries in Korean
      adults.
AB  - This study was done to identify the normal and variants of saphenous tributaries
      in Korean adults. The pattern of confluence of saphenous tributaries, medial
      accessory saphenous, lateral accessory saphenous, superficial epigastric,
      superficial circumflex iliac and superficial external pudendal veins, was
      carefully examined in 249 lower limbs (right, 129; left, 120) of embalmed Korean
      cadavers (73 males & 56 females). The medial accessory saphenous vein drained
      into the great saphenous vein directly (in 82.3%) or by a common trunk (in 17.7%)
      with the superficial epigastric or superficial external pudendal vein. The
      lateral accessory saphenous vein entered the great saphenous (in 67.1%) or the
      femoral vein (in 32.9%) directly or, forming a common trunk with other saphenous
      tributaries. The superficial epigastric vein joined the great saphenous (in
      77.1%) or the femoral vein (in 22.9%) directly or, by a common trunk with other
      saphenous tributaries. The superficial circumflex iliac vein reached the great
      saphenous (in 83.1%) or the femoral vein (in 16.9%) directly or, by a common
      trunk with other saphenous tributaries. The superficial external pudendal vein
      opened into the great saphenous (in 95.2%) or the femoral vein (in 4.8%) directly
      or by a common trunk with other saphenous tributaries. In Koreans, the incidence
      of the normal pattern of saphenous tributaries was 23.7% and in 76.3% any one of
      variant saphenous tributaries entered the femoral or the great saphenous vein by
      a common trunk with other saphenous tributaries.

PMID- 1418760
TI  - Predictable ultrasonographic findings of early abortion.
AB  - Early fetal growth delay and early oligohydramnios have been suspected as signs
      of embryonal jeopardy. However, little information is available for the
      prediction of early abortion. Sonographic examination of 111 early pregnancies
      between the sixth and ninth gestational week with regular, 28 day menstrual
      cycles was performed to investigate predictable sonographic findings of early
      abortion. Sonographic measurements of the gestational sac (G-SAC), crown-rump
      length (CRL) and fetal heart rate (FHR) were performed using a linear array real
      time transducer with Doppler. All measurements of 17 early abortions were
      compared to those of 94 normal pregnancies to investigate the objective rules for
      the screening of early abortion. Most of the early aborted pregnancies were
      classified correctly by discriminant analysis with G-SAC and CRL (G-SAC = 0.5222
      CRL + 14.6673 = 0.5 CRL + 15, sensitivity 76.5% specificity 96.8%). With the
      addition of FHR, 94.1% of early abortions could be predicted. In conclusion,
      sonographic findings of early intrauterine growth retardation, early
      oligohydromnios and bradycardia can be predictable signs for the poor prognosis
      of early pregnancies.

PMID- 1418761
TI  - The effect of hyperglycemia on lipid peroxidation in the global cerebral ischemia
      of the rat.
AB  - To investigate the influence of hyperglycemia on ischemic brain damage, we
      measured brain ATP, lactate and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in global cerebral
      ischemic models of Wistar rats. We induced global cerebral ischemia by the 4
      vessel occlusion method. After 30 or 60 min of occlusion, and after 30 min of
      reperfusion, we measured brain ATP, lactate and MDA levels. During the ischemic
      period, brain ATP levels decreased to 30-70% of sham groups both in normoglycemic
      and hyperglycemic groups. But during the reperfusion period, the recovery rate of
      ATP levels was significantly lower in the hyperglycemic than in the normoglycemic
      groups (p less than 0.05). After 60 min of global ischemia, brain lactate
      increased much more in the hyperglycemic than in the normoglycemic group, and,
      during reperfusion, was washed out slowly in the hyperglycemic group. The MDA
      level, a parameter of lipid peroxidation, increased more in the hyperglycemic
      group than in the normoglycemic group during reperfusion periods (p less than
      0.05). We conclude that hyperglycemia increases lactate accumulation, delays the
      recovery of energy metabolism, and enhances the lipid peroxidation in the
      transient global ischemia of rat brain. These findings may suggest the
      harmfulness of hyperglycemia in clinical cerebral ischemia.

PMID- 1418762
TI  - Small-sized acute subdural hematoma: operate or not.
AB  - A retrospective study of 90 cases of small-sized (less than 3 mm on the printed
      CT film) acute (within 24 hours) subdural hematoma (SASDH) is presented. From
      March 1985 to December 1986, the SASDH were immediately operated on (operation
      rate: 86.0%). From January 1988 to December 1989, we attempted to treat them
      conservatively (operation rate: 49.1%). The patient population for this study
      consisted of 38 surgically-treated patients in the first period (Group I), 26
      surgically-treated patients in the second period (Group IIs), and 26
      conservatively-treated patients in the second period (Group IIc). We compared the
      clinical features, radiologic findings, and outcome of these 3 groups. The
      clinical features of Group I, including age, sex, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score
      on admission, pupillary status on arrival, and interval from injury to the CT,
      did not differ significantly from those of Group II (P greater than 0.01). The
      only difference was the timing of the operation. In Group I, 20 patients (52.6%)
      received an operation within 4 hours, while in Group IIs, only 7 patients (26.9%)
      underwent surgery within 4 hours (P less than 0.05). The radiologic findings of
      Group I, including the thickness and volume of the hematoma, the degree of
      midline shift, and the frequency of skull fracture, also did not differ from
      those of Group II (P greater than 0.1). However, the outcome of Group II
      strikingly differed from that of Group I. The mortality rate was 76.3% in Group
      I, while it was 44.2% in Group II (P less than 0.005).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1418763
TI  - Ossifying fibroma of the sella turcica.
AB  - Ossifying fibroma of the sellar turcica is extremely rare. There are only
      sporadic case reports in the literature. One such case simulating pituitary
      adenoma is presented in an 18-year-old girl.

PMID- 1418764
TI  - Arterial oxygen desaturation rate following obstructive apnea in parturients.
AB  - This study was attempted to observe the rate of oxygen desaturation after full
      oxygenation in six parturients scheduled for Cesarean sections and six patients
      scheduled for transabdominal hysterectomies. We calculated the mean rate of fall
      of arterial saturation (slope of desaturation: less than SaO2 (t2)-SaO2(t1)
      greater than/t2-t1) and changes in arterial blood gases were observed. All
      subjects were denitrogenated then a single isolated apnea was carried out. The
      mean time to obtain 90% saturation was longer in the nonpregnant group (7.5 min
      vs 3.6 min in parturients). The mean slope of desaturation was steeper in the
      parturients (-3.34) than the nonpregnant group (-1.52). As far as the oxygen
      reserve is concerned, the parturients had a lesser margin of safety than the
      nonpregnant women. It was concluded that the lower the thoracic gas volume
      (parturients), the lower the alveolar O2 stores and, the more rapidly these
      stores are depleted.

PMID- 1418765
TI  - Portal and superior mesenteric venous gas with retroperitoneal abscess--CT
      diagnosis (case report).
AB  - We present a case of portal and superior mesenteric venous gas in a 31-year-old
      diabetic woman with a left-sided retroperitoneal abscess. Five years prior to
      admission, patient was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and developed
      emphysematous pyelonephritis, requiring nephrectomy on the left side. A CT
      examination showed air distributed throughout the portal venous system and
      superior mesenteric vein.

PMID- 1418766
TI  - Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura-like syndrome associated with systemic lupus
      erythematosus--combined treatment with plasmapheresis and fresh frozen plasma
      infusion.
AB  - We report on a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus, who, during the course
      of the illness, developed thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. In this case, the
      coexistence of these two conditions was confirmed by laboratory and pathologic
      findings. The infusion of fresh frozen plasma with plasmapheresis reversed the
      course of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

PMID- 1418767
TI  - Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency--report of 4 cases.
AB  - Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the most common hereditary
      enzyme disorder and more than 200 million people have a deficiency in this
      enzyme. It is a globally important cause of neonatal jaundice and causes life
      threatening hemolytic crisis in childhood. At later ages, certain drugs such as
      antimalarials, and fava beans cause hemolysis among G6PD deficiency patients. The
      frequency and severity is influenced by genetic and cultural factors. It is
      common in Mediterranean, African, and some East Asian populations but rare in
      Korea. Four cases of G6PD deficiency which were first noticed in Korea are
      investigated with their clinical features.

PMID- 1418768
TI  - Localized form of colitis cystica profunda--a case of occurrence in the
      descending colon.
AB  - An unusual localization of localized colitis cystica profunda in a 31-year-old
      man is described. The patient presented as anal bleeding and a protruding mass at
      the descending colon; the mass was polypoid and was made up of papillary
      epithelial hyperplasia with downward herniation of glands into the submucosa.
      Only one similar case involving a descending colon has been reported in the world
      literature.

PMID- 1418769
TI  - POEMS syndrome--a case report.
AB  - POEMS syndrome is a multisystem disorder associated with polyneuropathy,
      organomegaly, endocrinopathy, a monoclonal protein (M-protein), and skin changes.
      The authors describe a patient with POEMS syndrome who had osteosclerotic myeloma
      confirmed by open bone biopsy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed discrete
      lesions of low signal intensity in both T1 and T2-weighted images. This patient
      is now being successfully treated with melphalan and prednisone with much
      improvement in skin thickening and sensory change in the lower extremities.

PMID- 1418770
TI  - Nerve sheath myxoma (neurothekeoma)--a case report.
AB  - A case of nerve sheath myxoma also called as neurothekeoma in a 33-year-old woman
      is described. The lesion appeared as a painful, elevated nodule on the scalp for
      several months, without an appreciable increase in size. Microscopically, it
      showed typical histologic characteristics of nerve sheath myxoma, and tumor cells
      revealed strong, positive reaction for S-100 protein and negativity for
      epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) on immunohistochemical staining. These
      immunohistochemical findings of this case support the view that the origin cells
      of this tumor may be schwann cells rather than perineurial cells. The
      histogenesis and differential diagnosis of this tumor are discussed.

PMID- 1418771
TI  - Carbon monoxide exposure of subjects with documented cardiac arrhythmias.
AB  - The impact of low-level carbon monoxide exposure on ventricular arrhythmia
      frequency in patients with ischemic heart disease has not been thoroughly
      studied. The issue is of concern because of the potential proarrhythmic effect of
      carbon monoxide in patients with ischemic heart disease. We studied 30 subjects
      with well-documented coronary artery disease who had an average of at least 30
      ventricular ectopic beats per hour over a 20-hour monitoring interval. By using
      appropriate inclusion and exclusion criteria, subjects were selected and enrolled
      in a randomized double-blind study to determine the effects of carbon monoxide
      exposure on ventricular arrhythmia frequency at rest, during exercise, and during
      ambulatory activities. The carbon monoxide exposure was designed to result in 3%
      or 5% carboxyhemoglobin levels, as measured by gas chromatography. The carbon
      monoxide exposure protocol produced target levels in 60 minutes, and the levels
      were maintained for an additional 90 minutes to provide adequate time to assess
      the impact of carbon monoxide on the frequency of ventricular ectopic beats. The
      data on total and repetitive ventricular arrhythmias were analyzed for seven
      specific time intervals: (1) two hours before carbon monoxide exposure; (2)
      during the two-hour carbon monoxide or air exposure; (3) during a two-hour rest
      period; (4) during an exercise period; (5) during an exercise recovery period;
      (6) six hours after carbon monoxide or air exposure; and (7) approximately 10
      hours after exposure, or the remaining recording interval on the Holter monitor.
      There was no increase in ventricular arrhythmia frequency after carbon monoxide
      exposure, regardless of the level of carboxyhemoglobin or the type of activity.
      During steady-state conditions at rest, the number of ventricular ectopic beats
      per hour was 115 +/- 153 (SD) for room air exposure (0.7% carboxyhemoglobin), 121
      +/- 171 for the lower carbon monoxide exposure (3.2% carboxyhemoglobin), and 94
      +/- 129 for the higher carbon monoxide exposure (5.1% carboxyhemoglobin). The
      frequency of complex ventricular ectopy was not altered at the levels of carbon
      monoxide studied. Secondary analysis of the impact of carbon monoxide on
      ventricular ectopic beat frequency stratified by baseline ejection fraction,
      baseline ventricular ectopic beat frequency, and exercise-induced ST-segment
      changes did not indicate an effect of carbon monoxide on ventricular arrhythmias.
      In conclusion, low levels of carbon monoxide exposure resulting in blood levels
      of 3.2% and 5.1% carboxyhemoglobin, as measured by gas chromatography, do not
      have a proarrhythmic effect on patients with coronary artery disease and frequent
      ventricular ectopy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1418773
TI  - Nonlamellar phases formed by membrane lipids.
AB  - A brief review of membrane lipids forming cubic and reversed hexagonal phases is
      presented. An emphasis is made on anionic lipids and particular microbial lipids.

PMID- 1418772
TI  - A technique to estimate the apparent surface pressure of emulsion particles using
      apolipoproteins as probes.
AB  - The apparent pressures in the surface monolayer of emulsion particles can be
      estimated by comparing the absorption of an apolipoprotein to planar lipid
      monolayers and to emulsions. Lipids are spread at an air-water interface in a
      Pockels/Langmuir surface balance and the adsorption of [14C]-labeled
      apolipoproteins placed in the subphase is studied as a function of surface
      pressure using the surface radioactivity method. An apoprotein surface
      concentration/initial lipid surface pressure curve (gamma/pi i) is constructed.
      The maximum apolipoprotein surface concentration gamma e of emulsions is derived
      from standard emulsion/apolipoprotein binding isotherms. The apparent emulsion
      surface pressure is then estimated by comparing gamma e to the gamma/pi i curve.
      Apolipoprotein A-I has been used as an example of a probe to estimate the
      effective surface pressure in approximately 1000 A diameter egg yolk
      phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol/triolein emulsion particles. When the cholesterol
      content of emulsions is low, the surface pressure of the emulsion is about 17
      dyne cm-1. At high cholesterol concentrations (0.49 cholesterol/phospholipid mole
      ratio) the surface pressure is increased to 25 dyne cm-1. The addition of the
      maximum amounts of apoA-I to these particles raises the effective surface
      pressure of the emulsion to about 30 dyne cm-1 and stabilizes the particles.

PMID- 1418774
TI  - The HIV-1 nef gene product is associated with phosphorylation of a 46 kD cellular
      protein.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the biochemical properties of the HIV-1 nef gene product.
      DESIGN: Earlier reports suggested that Nef protein is phosphorylated and has
      kinase activity. These properties were examined using an in vitro translated
      product. METHODS: A DNA fragment encoding Nef of HIV-1SF2 was transcribed in
      vitro under the control of T7 promoter. The generated nef messenger RNA (mRNA)
      was translated using a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system. Immunoprecipitation was
      performed with a specific monoclonal antibody to Nef. Kinase activity of the
      translated product was evaluated using [gamma-32P]GTP and ATP. RESULTS:
      Translated nef mRNA was found to encode a major protein of 27 kD with two other
      products, of 25 and 29 kD. Using Nef immune complexes for the kinase reaction, a
      protein of 46 kD that reacted with the anti-Nef monoclonal antibody was found to
      be strongly phosphorylated in the presence of Nef. This Nef-associated kinase
      activity on a p46 cellular substrate was dependent on ATP. CONCLUSIONS: The in
      vitro-translated nef gene product was found to be associated with phosphorylation
      of a p46 cellular protein present in rabbit reticulocyte lysate. The Nef protein
      has been linked to suppression of the replication of certain HIV strains.
      Identification of cellular targets of Nef activity could help to elucidate the
      mechanisms for this antiviral effect.

PMID- 1418776
TI  - Development of HIV-1 group-specific neutralizing antibodies after seroconversion.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the induction of group-specific (gs) neutralizing antibodies
      to HIV-1 after seroconversion. DESIGN AND METHODS: Serum samples taken
      sequentially from seven Dutch homosexual men and four British haemophiliacs
      (anonymous sample, therefore sex not known) before and after seroconversion were
      tested for neutralizing antibodies effective against five diverse HIV-1 strains.
      Strains of HIV-1 tested included isolates from the United States, Europe and
      Africa. RESULTS: The gs neutralizing antibody response varied between
      individuals. Only five of the 11 individuals studied produced detectable
      neutralizing antibodies to laboratory-adapted HIV-1 strains (for example, IIIB)
      within 32 weeks of seroconversion. Most individuals initially produced antibodies
      effective against US/European isolates; the response then generally broadened to
      include the more diverse strains, i.e., African. CONCLUSIONS: These results
      suggest that the gs neutralizing target for HIV-1 is poorly immunogenic in vivo
      and is probably not highly conserved among diverse HIV-1 strains.

PMID- 1418775
TI  - Expression of activation antigens, HLA-DR and CD38, on CD8 lymphocytes during HIV
      1 infection.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the expression of the activation markers human leukocyte
      antigen (HLA)-DR and CD38 antigen on CD8+ T-lymphocytes in HIV-infected subjects
      and HIV-negative controls. DESIGN: Two- and three-colour flow-cytometric
      analysis. METHODS: Fresh peripheral venous blood was obtained from 16 HIV
      infected subjects, representing four different stages of HIV disease, and from
      six HIV-negative controls. Three-colour lymphocyte immunophenotyping was
      performed using peridinyl chlorophyll-A protein (PerCP)-conjugated anti-CD8
      monoclonal antibody (MAb) in combination with anti-HLA-DR (phycoerythrin) and
      anti-CD38 (fluorescein isothiocyanate) MAb. RESULTS: The relative percentage of
      the lymphocyte populations thus defined differed between HIV-negative and HIV
      positive subjects and between HIV-infected subjects at different clinical stages
      of disease. Simultaneous expression of HLA-DR and CD38 within the CD8 T
      lymphocyte compartment increased from 8% in controls to 49% in asymptomatic HIV
      infected subjects (P less than 0.005). Symptomatic patients differed from
      asymptomatic seropositives by a further increase in the HLA-DR+ CD38+ CD8 subset.
      In AIDS patients, the HLA-DR+ CD38- CD8 subset decreased (P less than 0.05) and
      the HLA-DR- CD38+ CD8 subset increased (P less than 0.05), compared with the
      other HIV disease stage patients. CONCLUSION: There is a stage-associated pattern
      of HLA-DR and CD38 expression on CD8 T-lymphocytes during HIV infection; specific
      phenotypic patterns may have functional correlates in the host response to the
      virus.

PMID- 1418777
TI  - Glutathione depletion in HIV-infected patients: role of cysteine deficiency and
      effect of oral N-acetylcysteine.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a single oral dose of N-acetylcysteine corrects
      the deficiency of cysteine and glutathione in plasma and mononuclear cells of HIV
      infected patients. DESIGN: Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study. METHODS:
      Cysteine and glutathione were measured in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear
      cells of patients at different stages of HIV infection before and after a single
      oral dose of N-acetylcysteine. RESULTS: At baseline, the plasma concentrations of
      glutathione and cysteine were significantly lower in HIV-infected patients than
      in healthy controls. The intracellular concentration of glutathione correlated
      with the absolute CD4 lymphocyte counts: the concentration of glutathione in
      mononuclear cells was significantly lower in patients with more advanced
      immunodeficiency. A single oral dose of N-acetylcysteine increased the
      concentration of cysteine in plasma and mononuclear cells of HIV-infected
      patients. Four hours after N-acetylcysteine administration, intracellular
      glutathione concentrations in the patients were moderately higher than at
      baseline and at 2 h. CONCLUSIONS: Oral N-acetylcysteine transiently increases the
      concentrations of cysteine and glutathione in mononuclear cells of patients with
      HIV infection. A sustained increase in intracellular cysteine may be necessary to
      normalize intracellular glutathione. This may be accomplished by repeat
      administration of N-acetylcysteine.

PMID- 1418778
TI  - The effect of treatment with zidovudine with or without acyclovir on HIV p24
      antigenaemia in patients with AIDS or AIDS-related complex.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate changes in serum HIV p24-antigen levels in a subset of
      patients who participated in a European/Australian double-blind, placebo
      controlled trial evaluating the efficacy of zidovudine (250 mg every 6 h) alone
      or in combination with acyclovir (800 mg every 6 h) in patients with AIDS, AIDS
      related complex (ARC) or Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). DESIGN: Double-blind, placebo
      controlled randomized clinical trial of less than or equal to 6 months' therapy.
      SETTING: Samples were obtained from patients attending teaching hospital
      outpatient clinics in seven European countries and Australia. SUBJECTS: One
      hundred and ninety-seven HIV-infected patients (60 with AIDS and 137 with ARC or
      KS). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum HIV p24-antigen levels measured using the
      Abbott HIV solid-phase enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: Of 76 ARC/KS patients who
      were initially HIV p24-antigen-positive, one out of 25 randomized to placebo,
      eight out of 23 to zidovudine and 11 out of 28 to the zidovudine/acyclovir
      combination became antigen-negative. The proportion of patients who became
      antigen-negative was significantly higher in both the zidovudine group (P =
      0.016) and the zidovudine/acyclovir group (P = 0.004), compared with the placebo
      group. There were no statistical differences between the zidovudine and the
      zidovudine/acyclovir groups. During the trial p24-antigen levels in the
      zidovudine-treated patients reached their minimum after 4-8 weeks of therapy, and
      tended to increase gradually thereafter. Disease progression occurred
      irrespective of whether p24-antigen levels declined during therapy. No
      association between p24-antigen responses to therapy and baseline disease stage,
      Karnofsky score or baseline CD4 cell count was detectable. CONCLUSION: Acyclovir
      does not potentiate the effect of zidovudine on p24-antigen levels. Change in
      antigen level in response to antiviral therapy needs further investigation before
      it is used as a surrogate marker for clinical efficacy of antiviral therapy.

PMID- 1418779
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of zidovudine in end-stage renal disease: influence of
      haemodialysis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the pharmacokinetics of zidovudine (ZDV) and its glucoronide
      metabolite (G-ZDV) in a patient with end-stage renal disease in haemodialysis.
      DESIGN: Pharmacokinetics study performed during and between haemodialysis
      sessions. METHODS: The patient was treated with oral ZDV (100 mg every 8 h).
      Concentrations of ZDV and G-ZDV were measured by radioimmunoassay. A
      monocompartmental model was used to calculate pharmacokinetic parameters.
      RESULTS: The peak plasma concentrations of ZDV and G-ZDV after drug
      administration between haemodialysis sessions were 0.57 and 10.01 micrograms/ml,
      respectively. The half-lives of ZDV and G-ZDV rose to 3.2 and 14.2 h,
      respectively. The total body clearance for ZDV in the period between
      haemodialysis sessions (0.44 l/kg/h) was 66% lower than normal values. The ZDV
      half-life was normalized by haemodialysis, the total body clearance of ZDV
      increased (1.12 l/kg/h) and the G-ZDV half-life shortened (5.9-7.9 h). Neither G
      ZDV accumulation nor derived ZDV toxicity occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest
      that ZDV is safe and an efficient drug when administered at a dosage of 100 mg
      three times daily in patients with end-stage renal disease in haemodialysis
      sessions, and that ZDV and G-ZDV are cleared by haemodialysis.

PMID- 1418780
TI  - Pancreatitis and pancreatic dysfunction in patients taking dideoxyinosine.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the incidence, clinical characteristics and dose
      relationship of dideoxyinosine (ddI)-associated pancreatitis. DESIGN: Patients
      enrolled in a Phase I dose escalation trial of ddI [AIDS Clinical Trials Group
      (ACTG) 064] were evaluated for signs and symptoms of pancreatic dysfunction.
      SETTING: Two ACTG sites. PATIENTS: Forty-four patients with AIDS or AIDS-related
      complex (ARC) and a CD4 cell count less than or equal to 400 x 10(6)/l. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURES: Seven patients developed pancreatitis that lasted from 1 to 7
      weeks and varied in severity from mild to life-threatening. Seven other patients
      had evidence of hyperamylasemia or hypertriglyceridemia. Six patients who
      developed pancreatitis were able to tolerate rechallenge with lower doses of ddI.
      RESULTS: Development of pancreatitis correlated with cumulative dose of ddI but
      not with stage of disease or concomitant medications. Cumulative dose was not
      significantly associated with development of hyperamylasemia or
      hypertriglyceridemia in patients without clinical pancreatitis. CONCLUSIONS: The
      development of pancreatitis in AIDS or ARC patients receiving ddI varies in
      severity and time course and is associated with cumulative dose. Patients who
      develop pancreatitis may be able to tolerate therapy with a lower dose after
      resolution of their symptoms. Patients receiving ddI require careful monitoring
      for the development of this complication.

PMID- 1418781
TI  - Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in HIV-1-infected children.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical and pathologic features of two HIV-1-infected
      children with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). DESIGN: Case
      report. SETTING: University-affiliated, public-health trust hospital. METHODS:
      Two HIV-1-infected children with PML are described. A 13-year-old girl, presumed
      to be congenitally infected with HIV-1, presented with dysarthria and
      paresthesias of the tongue and chin that evolved rapidly to dementia, muteness
      and severe spastic quadriparesis. The other patient, a 10-year-old boy who
      developed HIV-1 infection from a blood transfusion at the age of 3 years,
      presented with a facial palsy with subsequent development of right hemiparesis
      and aphasia. RESULTS: Brain biopsy in the first child and autopsy in the second
      confirmed the diagnosis of PML. In both patients, the CD4 T-lymphocyte count was
      less than 100 x 10(6)l at the time of neurological presentation. CONCLUSION:
      Despite seroepidemiological studies suggesting that the majority of individuals
      are infected with JC virus during childhood, PML is rare in children with
      impaired cell-mediated immunity. Our patients illustrate that PML is among the
      neurological complications of HIV-1 infection in children.

PMID- 1418782
TI  - The spectrum of HIV-1-related disease among outpatients in New York City.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To define the spectrum of HIV-1-related disease in New York City
      (NYC) and to determine how the clinical spectrum of illness differs in various
      populations. DESIGN AND METHODS: The medical records of the 2983 HIV-infected
      individuals who had received care through 1989 at four hospital outpatient
      clinics and two private physicians' offices were reviewed retrospectively.
      RESULTS: Sixty-one per cent of the study patients and 48% of patients seen in
      1989 had AIDS. HIV-infected women were significantly less likely to have AIDS and
      CD4 lymphocyte counts less than 200 x 10(6)/l than men. For every 100 AIDS
      patients seen in 1989, there were 88 non-AIDS patients with CD4 counts less than
      500 x 10(6)/l, of whom 41 had CD4 counts less than 200 x 10(6)/l; thus, in
      addition to an estimated 16,425 individuals living with AIDS in NYC, we estimate
      that there are at least 14,454 HIV-infected individuals without AIDS with CD4
      counts less than 500 x 10(6)/l, of whom 6734 have CD4 counts less than 200 x
      10(6)/l. Men who have sex with men were significantly more likely to have
      Kaposi's sarcoma, cytomegalovirus disease and retinitis, cryptosporidiosis and
      lymphoma, and significantly less likely to have Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia,
      esophageal candidiasis, extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and bacterial pneumonia
      than intravenous drug users. Whites were significantly less likely to have
      pulmonary TB than Hispanics, non-Haitian and Haitian blacks, toxoplasmosis than
      Hispanics and Haitian blacks, and salmonella septicemia than non-Haitian blacks.
      The frequencies of most diagnoses did not differ by sex; gynecologic diseases
      were recorded infrequently in the medical records of women in this study.
      CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that there are more than 30,000 HIV-infected
      adults living in NYC with significant immunosuppression, that an increasing
      proportion of AIDS cases in NYC will occur among women, and that the spectrum of
      HIV-related disease varies markedly in different populations.

PMID- 1418783
TI  - Maintenance of behavioral change in a cohort of homosexually active men.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess associations of perceptions of sexual behavior change with
      actual risk behaviors and psychosocial variables, and to determine whether
      perceptions of behavior change predict subsequent behavior. DESIGN: Cohort study
      of homosexually active men. SETTING: Community health center in Boston,
      Massachusetts, USA. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred and sixty-two cohort
      members who participated in follow-up in 1989 and who had at least one subsequent
      visit. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Composite risk behavior
      variable, based on unprotected anogenital contact and number of partners.
      RESULTS: Of the 96% who had effected behavior change, 47% perceived that they
      were able to maintain those changes consistently and 58% wanted to make more
      changes. Perceptions of consistent maintenance were associated with lower risk
      behavior, lower perceived riskiness of behaviors and susceptibility to AIDS, and
      fewer barriers to behavior change. Desire for more change was associated with
      increased behavioral effort, fewer barriers to condom use, and greater perceived
      riskiness of current behavior. Among those with lower risk behaviors, perceived
      inconsistent maintenance predicted relapse to more risky behavior at the
      following visit. CONCLUSIONS: Perceived maintenance of behavior change is
      potentially useful in identifying individuals at risk of relapse from safer sex.

PMID- 1418784
TI  - HIV prevalence, attitudes and behaviour in clients of a confidential HIV testing
      and counselling centre in Uganda.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe clients, operation and impact of an African public HIV
      testing and counselling centre. DESIGN AND SETTING: Analysis of samples from
      clients attending the AIDS Information Centre (AIC) in Kampala, Uganda in early
      1991. SUBJECTS: HIV-1-positive and HIV-negative consecutive clients (250 of
      each), 86 consecutive couples, and 200 consecutive clients who were HIV-negative
      in 1990 and were attending for their repeat test. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: HIV
      seroprevalence rates, attitudes, behaviour and behaviour change. RESULTS: HIV-1
      prevalence was 28% overall, 24% in men and 35% in women. Reasons for taking the
      HIV test were a planned marriage or a new relationship (27%; 84% in couples), to
      plan for the future (35%), distrust of sexual partner (14%) and illness or
      disease/death (not HIV-specific) of partner (20%). The majority of the reported
      intentions in response to a positive or a negative HIV test result were positive,
      demonstrating the ability to cope with this information. Of repeat clients, two
      (1%) had become HIV-1-positive. The majority of repeat clients reported one
      sexual partner only (67%) or sexual abstinence (25%). Compared with pre-test
      information from AIC clients attending for the first time, repeat clients
      reported casual sexual contacts less often (6 versus 25%) and, of those, the
      majority used condoms. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates the demand for and the
      feasibility of confidential HIV testing and counseling services in Uganda, and
      illustrates the value of these services in achieving behaviour changes. Such
      services should be considered an additional approach for the reduction of HIV
      transmission in Africa, especially in areas with high HIV seroprevalence rates.

PMID- 1418786
TI  - AIDS-related secondary infections in patients with unknown HIV status.

PMID- 1418785
TI  - Safer sex maintenance among gay men: are we making any progress?

PMID- 1418787
TI  - A case for the revision of the WHO clinical definition for African AIDS.

PMID- 1418788
TI  - HIV infection in Cameroon: 30 months' surveillance in Yaounde.

PMID- 1418789
TI  - Characteristics of newborns and HIV-1 infection in Rwanda.

PMID- 1418790
TI  - HIV seroprevalence surveys in Uruguay.

PMID- 1418791
TI  - Specific antitoxoplasmic immunoglobulin G detected by western blot in AIDS
      patients: relationship to visceral localization.

PMID- 1418792
TI  - Role of proteases as cofactors for antibody-dependent enhancement of HIV.

PMID- 1418793
TI  - Antigenicity of the HIV-2 V3 loop.

PMID- 1418794
TI  - Intramedullary tuberculoma in a patient with HIV infection.

PMID- 1418795
TI  - Pneumopathy and kidney abscess due to Nocardia farcinica in an HIV-infected
      patient.

PMID- 1418796
TI  - Honesty, the best policy.

PMID- 1418797
TI  - Being cruel to be kind.

PMID- 1418798
TI  - Scottish affairs.

PMID- 1418799
TI  - Principles of stroke rehabilitation. Members from a multidisciplinary team
      working with stroke patients in the North West offer advice on successful
      strategies for rehabilitation.

PMID- 1418800
TI  - Evolution, not revolution. Primary nursing is the key to introducing successful
      discharge planning for elderly patients, argue Ann Hare and Penny Hillier.

PMID- 1418801
TI  - Moving together. Anne Herrick Nicodemus explains the ways in which elderly people
      can benefit from exercise and creative movement.

PMID- 1418803
TI  - World depression.

PMID- 1418802
TI  - Losing out in old age.

PMID- 1418804
TI  - Olympic shadows.

PMID- 1418805
TI  - ACE on ageing.

PMID- 1418806
TI  - As I was saying....

PMID- 1418808
TI  - Now for the good news.

PMID- 1418807
TI  - Lifting and moving.

PMID- 1418809
TI  - Practice makes perfect.

PMID- 1418810
TI  - The collapse of caring.

PMID- 1418811
TI  - The structure of hexaaquaaluminium(III) bromate trihydrate,
      [Al(H2O)6](BrO3)3.3H2O.
AB  - Hexaaquaaluminium(III) bromate trihydrate, [Al(H2O)6](BrO3)3.3H2O, M(r) = 572.84,
      triclinic, P1, a = 9.536 (2), b = 11.095 (4), c = 9.291 (2) A, alpha = 106.58
      (2), beta = 100.42 (2), gamma = 113.01 (2) degrees, V = 818.1 (4) A3, Z = 2, Dx =
      2.33 g cm-3, lambda(Mo K alpha) = 0.71073 A, mu = 74.58 cm-1, F(000) = 560, T =
      296 K, R = 0.050 for 3777 unique reflections having I greater than sigma 1. The
      single type of Al ion is coordinated by six inequivalent water O atoms which form
      a slightly distorted octahedron. The average Al--O distance within the octahedron
      is 1.872 (11) A. Each of the three inequivalent bromate groups has three
      inequivalent O atoms. The average Br--O distances and O--Br--O angles for these
      ions are: 1.652 (25) A and 104.1 (17) degrees for Br(1)O3; 1.650 (9) A and 104.4
      (18) degrees for Br(2)O3; 1.643 (9) A and 103.6 (14) degrees for Br(3)O3. The
      aluminium-oxygen complex conformed to rigid-body behavior but the bromate groups
      did not. Corrected for rigid-body motion, the average Al--O distance becomes
      1.880 (10) A. Least-squares refinement of the positional parameters of the 18
      inequivalent H atoms permitted a detailed analysis of the hydrogen bonding.

PMID- 1418812
TI  - The absolute configuration of an intermediate in the asymmetric synthesis of
      unusual amino acids.
AB  - (4R)-3-[(2'R,3'R)-2'-Bromo-3'-(phenylbutanoyl)]-4-(phenylmethyl)-2 -
      oxazolidinone, C20H20Br-NO3, M(r) = 402.30, monoclinic, P2(1), a = 11.542 (2), b
      = 7.625 (1), c = 11.667 (1) A, beta = 113.97 (1) degrees, V = 938.2 (2) A3, Z =
      2, Dx = 1.42 g cm-3, lambda(Mo K alpha) = 0.71073 A, mu = 21.8 cm-1, F(000) =
      412, T = 296 +/- 1 K, final R = 0.028 for 2369 observed reflections. Since a D
      chiral auxiliary was used the configuration at the alpha-carbon was R as
      expected. The two carbonyls are aligned in opposite directions to each other to
      overcome van der Waals repulsions.

PMID- 1418813
TI  - Structure of difluorotriphenylphosphorane.
AB  - C18H15F2P, M(r) = 300.29, orthorhombic, Pbcn, a = 6.105 (2), b = 16.634 (3), c =
      14.356 (3) A, V = 1458 (1) A3, Z = 4, Dx = 1.368 Mg m-3, lambda(Mo K alpha) =
      0.71069 A, mu = 0.194 mm-1, F(000) = 624, T = 294 K, R = 0.045 for 729 observed
      independent reflections. Difluorotriphenylphosphorane [(C6H5)3PF2] displays a
      trigonal bipyramidal geometry about the P atom, with the two F atoms occupying
      axial positions. The three phenyl groups in the equatorial positions are not
      'geared' in a regular propeller arrangement; one of the three rings is twisted in
      the opposite direction to that of the other two.

PMID- 1418814
TI  - Structure of L-phenylalanine L-phenylalaninium formate.
AB  - C9H11NO2.C9H12NO2+.CHO2-, M(r) = 376.41, monoclinic, P2(1), a = 11.507 (6), b =
      5.638 (3), c = 14.610 (5) A, beta = 100.65 (4) degrees, V = 932 (1) A3, Z = 2, Dx
      = 1.342 g cm-3, lambda(Mo K alpha) = 0.7107 A, mu = 0.94 cm-1, F(000) = 400, T =
      295 K, final R = 0.047 for 2693 observed reflections. The phenylalanine
      zwitterion and the phenylalanine cation form a Speakman-salt-type hydrogen bond
      [O ... O = 2.496 (3) A]. Aromatic side chains constitute a thick hydrophobic
      layer with edge-to-face interactions between the phenyl rings.

PMID- 1418815
TI  - Structure of tetralithium 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylate dodecahydrate.
AB  - 4Li+.C14H4O8(4-).12H2O, M(r) = 544.18, triclinic, P1, a = 9.608 (2), b = 10.034
      (2), c = 7.033 (1) A, alpha = 94.29 (1), beta = 96.95 (1), gamma = 64.52 (1)
      degree, V = 607.4 (2) A3, Z = 1, D chi = 1.49 g cm-3, lambda (Mo K alpha) =
      0.71073 A, mu = 1.29 cm-1, T = 295 K, F(000) = 284, R = 0.039 for 2781 unique
      reflections having I greater than sigma I. The two inequivalent carboxyl groups
      adopt a non-planar arrangement with respect to the naphthalene core, making
      dihedral angles of 52.7 (1) and 54.6 (1) degree with it. The Li+ ions are
      tetrahedrally coordinated by carboxyl and water O atoms. The Li-O distances are
      in the range 1.906 (3)-2.041 (3) A, averaging 1.97 (4) A; O-Li-O angles are 101.5
      (1)-123.9 (1) degree, averaging 109 (6) degrees. Each of the 12 inequivalent
      water H atoms is involved in hydrogen bonding. Of these bonds, 11 are typical two
      centered hydrogen bonds with an average H...O (acceptor) distance of 1.92 (11) A
      and an average O-H...O (acceptor) angle of 172 (5) degrees. One water H atom is
      involved in a three-centered hydrogen bond with an average H...O (acceptor)
      distance of 2.61 (4) A and an average O-H...O (acceptor) angle of 120 (3)
      degrees. Adjacent organic anions are separated by the Li+ ions and their
      coordination polyhedra, with the water molecules occupying positions above and
      below the naphthalene rings and participating in a three-dimensional hydrogen
      bonded network.

PMID- 1418816
TI  - Structure of bis(2-chloroethyl)ammonium hexachlorostannate.
AB  - [(ClCH2CH2)2NH2]2SnCl6, M(r) = 617.48, monoclinic, C2/c, a = 15.67 (2), b = 13.54
      (2), c = 13.24 (2) A, beta = 127.9 (2) degrees, V = 2217 A3, Z = 4, D chi = 1.85
      g cm-3, lambda(Mo K alpha) = 0.71073 A, mu = 23.70 cm-1, F(000) = 1208, T = 295
      K, R = 0.058, wR = 0.071 for 1231 unique reflections. The structure consists of
      discrete (ClCH2CH2)2NH2+ cations and octahedral SnCl6(2-) anions with the Sn
      sitting on the twofold axis.

PMID- 1418817
TI  - Folding, aggregation and molecular recognition in peptides.
AB  - In past years, most of the X-ray structure determinations of oligopeptides were
      for cyclic peptides or for short linear peptides. Longer peptides usually
      presented many difficulties in obtaining suitable crystals since the molecules
      are intrinsically very flexible. More recently, it has been appreciated that the
      aminoisobutyric acid residue (Aib), which occurs naturally in many peptides of
      microbial origin, initiates helix folding. Several score of 7- to 15-residue
      linear peptides containing Aib have been synthesized, crystallized and had their
      structures determined to high resolution. Many of the peptide structures have
      been determined in more than one crystalline form. These peptide structures have
      yielded a plethora of information on types of helices, modes of hydration, water
      penetration into helical backbones, helices bent by Pro residues, parallel and
      antiparallel association of helices, effects of Leu residues on association of
      peptides, an example of a zipper assembly by side chains, and an example of a
      possible ion channel with a gating mechanism.

PMID- 1418818
TI  - Structural studies of oxygen-bridged iron compounds.
AB  - Compound (I): cis-dichloro[mu-[bis[mu-[[2,6-diacetylpyridine dioximato](2-)
      O:O']]dihydroxodiphenyl-diborato](3-)]- mu- mithoxydiiron, [Fe2(C30H29B2N6
      O6)Cl2(CH3O)], M(r) = 804.9, monoclinic, Cc, a = 21.228 (6), b = 8.020 (2), c =
      20.865 (5) A, beta = 105.2 (1) degrees, V = 3428 (2) A3, Z = 4, Dx = 1.56 g cm-3,
      lambda(Mo K alpha) = 0.7107 A, mu = 10.6 cm-1, F(000) = 1648, T = 275 K, R =
      0.055 for 3018 unique reflections. Compound (I) contains a pseudo-twofold axis
      relating the two pyridine dioxime groups bound to the Fe atoms. In addition, two
      O atoms from the phenylborate moieties bridge the iron atoms, as does a
      methoxide. The two Cl atoms are bound to the seven coordinate metals axial to the
      methoxide. Compound (II): cis-dichloro[mu-[bis[mu-[[2,6-diacetylpyridine
      dioximato](2-)-O:O']]dihydroxodiphenyldiborato](3-)]-mu- hydroxodiiron,
      [Fe2(C30H29B2N6-O6)Cl2(OH)].H2O.2C2H3N, M(r) = 891.0, monoclinic, P2(1)/n, a =
      11.860 (2), b = 20.911 (5), c = 16.175 (3) A, beta = 92.88 (1) degrees, V = 4006
      (3) A3, Z = 4, Dx = 1.48 g cm-3, lambda(Mo K alpha) = 0.7107 A, mu = 9.1 cm-1,
      F(000) = 1832, T = 275 K, R = 0.051 for 7034 unique reflections. Compound (II)
      contains a hydroxide group replacing the methoxide in compound (I). The crystals
      also contain two acetonitriles of solvation. The bond lengths in the complex and
      the hydrogen-bonding pattern in the crystals are consistent with one of the
      bridging borate O atoms being protonated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418819
TI  - Structure of a pepsin/renin inhibitor complex reveals a novel crystal packing
      induced by minor chemical alterations in the inhibitor.
AB  - The structure determination by molecular replacement methods of a monoclinic
      pepsin/renin inhibitor complex crystal, with two molecules in the asymmetric
      unit, is presented. The atomic model, consisting of two liganded pepsin molecules
      and 110 water molecules, has been refined to a final crystallographic R value of
      0.139 for data between 8 and 2.9 A resolution. The structure reveals a previously
      undescribed pepsin dimer formed predominantly by polar interactions. Inhibitor
      binding induces global structural changes in the native enzyme similar, but not
      identical, to the ones observed in other chemically similar pepsin/renin
      inhibitor complexes crystallized in an orthorhombic form. A region of the
      polypeptide chain (residues 292-297) which was not visible in the orthorhombic
      crystal is well ordered in the presently described structure; possibly induced by
      crystal contacts. The crystal packing of native pepsin is compared with the two
      different crystal forms of the inhibited enzyme.

PMID- 1418820
TI  - Structure determination of the bacteriophage phiX174.
AB  - The structure of the single-stranded DNA phage phiX174 has been determined to 3.4
      A resolution. The crystal space group was P2(1) with one icosahedral particle per
      asymmetric unit, giving 60-fold noncrystallographic redundancy. Oscillation
      diffraction photographs were collected using synchrotron radiation at various
      wavelengths. The particle orientations in the unit cell were determined with a
      rotation function. Because cowpea mosaic virus has a similar external envelope to
      phiX174, it was used as a search model to find the approximately positions of the
      phiX174 particles in the unit cell relative to the crystallographic symmetry
      axes. An initial phase set to 12 A resolution was then based on the cowpea mosaic
      virus atomic structure. These phases were improved by 20 cycles of real-space
      molecular replacement averaging. The phase information was gradually extended to
      3.4 A resolution by molecular replacement electron density averaging. One
      reciprocal lattice point was used for each extension followed by four cycles of
      averaging. The unusual particle capsid, with its 12 pentameric spikes, required
      the careful determination of a precise molecular envelope. This was redetermined
      at regular intervals, as was the particle center. The resultant electron density
      map was readily interpreted in terms of the F, G and J polypeptides in the
      capsid. A difference electron density map between full and partially empty
      particles showed some ordered DNA structure.

PMID- 1418821
TI  - A note on the conformational flexibility of the antiestrogenic drug tamoxifen:
      preferred conformations in the free state and bound to the protein calmodulin.
AB  - The conformational properties of the antiestrogenic drug tamoxifen, a
      triphenylbut-1-ene derivative, have been studied using molecular mechanics. Four
      distinct conformers have been identified, and the energy barriers between them
      have been established. The orientation of the ethyl group substituent has been
      examined in particular, since the lowest-energy conformers have this group
      orientated 180 degrees away from its position in the crystal structures of
      tamoxifen and its derivatives. These differences have implications for the
      interactions of tamoxifen with the calcium-binding protein calmodulin; relevant
      results from a molecular-modelling study of this protein-drug complex are
      presented.

PMID- 1418822
TI  - Crystallization and preliminary data analysis of Flock House virus.
AB  - Flock House virus, purified from infected cultured Drosophila cells, crystallizes
      into three different forms under identical growth conditions. Two crystal forms
      grow in the trigonal space group R3, both with equivalent cell constants a =
      323.6 A, alpha = 61.7 degrees. The difference between the two trigonal crystal
      forms is 1.1 degrees in the orientation of the virus particle as determined from
      the rotation function. Early crystal setups grew in one form, while recent
      crystals grew in the other form. The third space group, which accounts for 5% of
      the observed crystals and grows with both trigonal forms, is orthorhombic I222
      with cell parameters a = 416.7, b = 332.1, c = 351.2 A. The trigonal crystal
      forms contain one virion per unit cell and the orthorhombic form contains two
      particles per cell. All three crystal forms diffract X-rays to 2.8 A resolution.

PMID- 1418824
TI  - Pancreatic ribonuclease co-crystallizes with the dinucleotide dCpdG in two
      distinct forms.

PMID- 1418823
TI  - Structure determination of a dimeric form of erabutoxin-b, crystallized from a
      thiocyanate solution.
AB  - Erabutoxin-b, M(r) = 6861.1, a single 62 amino-acid chain folded by four
      disulfide bridges, was crystallized in a new orthorhombic form by using
      thiocyanate as crystallizing agent. The space group is P2(1)2(1)2(1) with a =
      53.36 (4), b = 40.89 (4), c = 55.71 (5) A, V = 121533.1 A and Z = 8. X-ray
      diffraction data were recorded at the LURE synchrotron facility (lambda = 1.405
      A). The structure was solved by molecular replacement and shows a dimeric
      association through an anti-parallel beta-sheet around the twofold non
      crystallographic axis. The two independent molecules, one SCN- ion and 97
      associated water molecules were refined by molecular dynamics and annealing
      techniques to R = 19.6% (10,913 Fobs, resolution 5-1.7 A). The thiocyanate ion is
      located at the interface of the dimer and close to the non-crystallographic
      twofold axis.

PMID- 1418825
TI  - The structure determination of Sindbis virus core protein using isomorphous
      replacement and molecular replacement averaging between two crystal forms.
AB  - The structure of Sindbis virus core protein has been determined by a combination
      of multiple isomorphous replacement and molecular replacement averaging
      techniques. The multiple isomorphous replacement phase determinations were made
      for two crystal forms (P2(1) and P4(3)2(1)2) of the core protein. The real-space
      molecular replacement averaging was subsequently carried out between two copies
      of the protein per asymmetric unit in the monoclinic form and one copy in the
      tetragonal form. This greatly improved the quality of the electron density maps.
      The Sindbis virus core protein polypeptide could be traced and related to the
      known amino acid sequence. The averaging procedure between different crystal
      forms, as described in this paper, should be generally applicable to other
      systems.

PMID- 1418826
TI  - Dynamical scattering and electron crystallography--Ab initio structure analysis
      of copper perbromophthalocyanine.
AB  - Electron diffraction intensity data were collected at 1200 kV from thin
      epitaxially oriented crystals of copper perbromophthalocyanine (C32Br16CuN8) in a
      projection down molecular columns. Measured cell constants for the projection
      with cmm symmetry are d100 = 17.88 (9), b = 26.46 (15) A. The structure was
      determined by Fourier refinement after three heavy-atom positions were identified
      in an initial potential map. In addition to the copper and halogens, all light
      atom positions were found. Although the final R value for all data is 0.41, n
      beam dynamical calculations for crystal thicknesses corresponding to the
      estimated sample dimension account for the observed amplitudes that deviate most
      from their kinematical values.

PMID- 1418827
TI  - Conjugate-direction minimization: an improved method for the refinement of
      macromolecules.
AB  - A novel method of function minimization that combines the power of the diagonal
      approximation to the normal matrix with conjugate directions is described. This
      method approaches closer to the local minimum than the methods that are commonly
      used in macromolecular refinement. The weakness of the current methods are
      analyzed to explain the advantage of the conjugate-direction method.

PMID- 1418828
TI  - A consistent model of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus hypertension.
AB  - Hypertension is frequently seen in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM),
      but the mechanism of the hypertension is unknown. An animal model of IDDM
      hypertension could be helpful in determining the mechanism, but experimental IDDM
      has been infrequently and irregularly associated with hypertension. In an attempt
      to develop a consistent model of IDDM hypertension, we superimposed
      streptozotocin (STZ)-induced IDDM on surgical reduction of renal mass (RRM) in
      Wistar rats. Seven groups of rats were studied: 1) 60% RRM receiving 65 mg/kg
      body weight (BW) STZ; 2) 60% RRM receiving 40 mg/kg BW STZ; 3) 25% RRM receiving
      65 mg/kg BW STZ; 4) two kidney normal rats receiving 65 mg/kg BW STZ; 5) 60% RRM
      receiving vehicle (control for group 1); 6) 60% RRM receiving vehicle (control
      for group 2); and 7) 25% RRM receiving vehicle. STZ produced diabetes and
      hypertension within 1 to 2 weeks in all three groups of RRM rats but blood
      pressure was unaffected by 60% or 25% RRM alone. STZ alone had no effect on blood
      pressure until the 5th week when the blood pressure increased slightly.
      Progressive weight loss resulted from 65 mg/kg BW STZ combined with 60% RRM; the
      animals had to be terminated after 5 weeks. In only 60% of animals with 40 mg/kg
      BW STZ plus 60% RRM was IDDM produced. On the other hand, 65 mg/kg BW STZ in rats
      with 25% RRM regularly produced IDDM and hypertension without excessive loss of
      body weight. In these rats, albuminuria developed in 2 weeks. Extracellular fluid
      volume was elevated and plasma renin activity was depressed. The animals were
      healthy and hypertensive when killed at the 13th week. We suggest that the 25%
      RRM rat receiving 65 mg/kg BW STZ is a consistent model of IDDM hypertension,
      which may be useful in probing the mechanism of this type of hypertension.

PMID- 1418829
TI  - Chronic magnesium administration enhances oxidative glucose metabolism in
      thiazide treated hypertensive patients.
AB  - In newly-diagnosed untreated (n = 24) and thiazide treated (n = 18) hypertensive
      patients erythrocyte ion content and plasma ion and metabolite levels were
      determined. Thiazide treated patients had lower arterial blood pressure, plasma
      ion levels, erythrocyte magnesium and potassium content but higher fasting plasma
      insulin (66 +/- 7 v 87 +/- 8 pmol/L P < .02), triglycerides (1.88 +/- 0.24 v 2.34
      +/- 0.44 mmol/L P < .05), free fatty acids (0.68 +/- 0.11 v 0.81 +/- 0.18 mmol/L
      P < .05). Subsequently, in a double-blind fashion and in random order thiazide
      diuretic treated patients were assigned to two groups: the first (n = 9) taking
      magnesium (15.8 mmol/day) and the other (n = 9) a placebo. Each treatment period
      lasted 8 weeks. At the end of each treatment period, each patient underwent blood
      sampling for determination of erythrocyte ion content and plasma ion and
      metabolite levels and was submitted to an euglycemic hyperinsulinemic (1
      mU/kg/min for 120 min) glucose clamp. In this latter test D-3-H glucose infusion
      and indirect calorimetry allowed determination of glucose turnover parameters and
      substrate oxidation respectively. Chronic magnesium administration (CMA) raised
      fasting plasma (0.79 +/- 0.03 v 0.83 +/- 0.02 mmol/L, P < .05) and erythrocyte
      (1.98 +/- 0.08 v 2.35 +/- 0.03 mmol/L, P < .01) magnesium content. Along with
      insulin infusion, CMA improved glucose uptake, glucose metabolic clearance rate,
      and oxidative glucose metabolism. In the multiple linear regression analysis of
      the pooled basal data (n = 42), erythrocyte magnesium content displayed an
      independent correlation with basal plasma insulin levels (t = -2.08, P <
      .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418830
TI  - Effects of aging and hypertension on plasma angiotensin II and platelet
      angiotensin II receptor density.
AB  - Plasma renin activity (PRA) declines with age in normal individuals, but the
      effect of age on plasma angiotensin II (ANG II) is less clear. A decline in
      plasma ANG II with age could result in altered platelet ANG II receptor density
      since plasma hormone levels influence their target organ receptors. To
      investigate this possibility, PRA, plasma ANG II, and platelet ANG II receptor
      density were examined in 17 young, 12 middle-aged, and 14 elderly healthy
      normotensive volunteers. To assess whether hypertension altered receptor density,
      these variables were also examined in 23 hypertensive patients. In normotensives,
      there was a negative correlation between age and PRA (r = -0.43, P < .05), no
      significant change in basal plasma ANG II with age, and a weak positive
      correlation between age and ANG II receptor density (r = 0.34, P < .05). Multiple
      regression analysis revealed that the relationship between age and ANG II
      receptor density was independent of the associated rise in mean arterial pressure
      with age (P < .05). Platelet ANG II receptor density was not significantly
      related to PRA or plasma ANG II. ANG II receptor affinity did not change with
      age. Neither PRA nor ANG II receptor density or affinity differed between
      hypertensives and normotensives of similar mean age, but plasma ANG II was
      significantly lower in hypertensives compared with normotensives. We concluded
      that aging is associated with a decline in supine PRA. The small decrease in
      plasma ANG II was not significant. Platelet ANG II receptor density increased
      with age primarily due to a small group of elderly subjects with elevated
      receptor density. There was no change in ANG II receptor density or affinity in
      hypertensives despite apparently lower plasma ANG II in these patients.

PMID- 1418831
TI  - Insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and dyslipidemia in nonobese individuals
      with a family history of hypertension.
AB  - Various facets of glucose, insulin, and lipid metabolism were compared in 76
      normal volunteers--38 with and 38 without a family history of hypertension. The
      two groups were comparable in terms of age, gender distribution, and degree of
      obesity (both generalized and abdominal). Although the plasma glucose response to
      oral glucose was similar in both groups, glucose-stimulated insulin
      concentrations were significantly greater in volunteers with a family history of
      hypertension (P < .001). Furthermore, the steady state plasma glucose
      concentration during a constant infusion of glucose, insulin and somatostatin was
      significantly greater in subjects with a family history of hypertension (8.1 +/-
      0.6 v 6.2 +/- 0.6 mmol/L, P < .001). Since the steady-state plasma insulin levels
      during the infusion were similar, these results indicate that normotensive
      individuals with a family history of hypertension are relatively insulin
      resistant. Finally, plasma very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) triglyceride and
      VLDL cholesterol were higher in those with a family history of hypertension, as
      was the ratio of total to high density lipoprotein cholesterol. Thus,
      normotensive individuals with a family history of high blood pressure are insulin
      resistant, hyperinsulinemic and dyslipidemic when compared to a matched group of
      healthy volunteers without a family history of hypertension.

PMID- 1418833
TI  - Higher salt consumption, digoxin-like factor, and nifedipine response are
      associated with salt sensitivity in essential hypertension.
AB  - In addition to demonstrating evidences of increased sympathetic nervous system
      activity and marked left ventricular hypertrophy in salt-sensitive hypertensives,
      our group has also reported increased weight gain with salt overload in these
      patients. The increased weight gain suggests volume expansion, a situation
      already shown to increase plasma levels of a Na, K-ATPase inhibitor. Therefore,
      in the present study, digoxin-like factor (DLF) serum levels, spontaneous salt
      ingestion, nifedipine hypotensive effect, and plasma renin activity were
      evaluated in essential hypertensive subjects. Thirteen essential hypertensive
      outpatients were studied sequentially on an ad lib diet, a low salt diet (LSD =
      30 mEq Na/day), and a high salt diet (HSD = LSD + 171 mmol/L NaCl/day), 1 week
      each. On the seventh day of LSD and HSD, DLF levels, mean blood pressure (MBP)
      response to nifedipine (10 mg sublingual), and plasma renin activity were
      measured. The MBP percent change from the seventh day of LSD to the seventh day
      of HSD (salt sensitivity) ranged from -13.7 to 20.9%. A positive correlation (r =
      0.64, P < .01) was observed between salt sensitivity and 24-h urinary sodium
      excretion with an ad lib diet. The DLF serum levels correlated with the salt
      sensitivity both on LSD (r = 0.50, P < .05) and on HSD (r = 0.53, P < .05). Salt
      sensitivity was positively correlated with the difference of response to
      nifedipine between HSD and LSD (r = 0.78, P < .001). Plasma renin activity
      correlated inversely with DLF on LSD (r = -0.51, P < .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418832
TI  - Effect of extracellular magnesium on platelet activation and intracellular
      calcium mobilization.
AB  - A dose-dependent effect of magnesium on the inhibition of platelet aggregation
      and release of ATP from dense granules was observed in human platelets (in whole
      blood, platelet-rich plasma, or washed platelets) against various aggregation
      agents (ADP, U46619, collagen, or thrombin). The synthesis and release of the
      proaggregatory cyclooxygenase (CO) and lipoxygenase (LO) products, thromboxane A2
      (TXA2) and 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE), respectively, in platelets
      were also inhibited by Mg in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 4 to 6 mmol/L). These
      Mg-mediated activities were further enhanced when platelets were preincubated
      with insulin (100 microU/mL). The effect of extracellular Mg on the change of
      intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) was assessed using Fura-2/AM loaded
      cells in the presence or absence of extracellular Ca. Thrombin-stimulated influx
      of Ca ions decreased from 194 +/- 30 nmol/L to 156 +/- 21 nmol/L in the presence
      of 5 mmol/L Mg and to 111 +/- 16 nmol/L in 10 mmol/L Mg. However, the
      intracellular Ca release (as determined in the presence of 5 mmol/L EGTA) was not
      affected by Mg. The intracellular Ca-dependent protein kinase C and myosin light
      chain kinase activities on the phosphorylation of endogenous p47 and p20 proteins
      studied after 2 min of thrombin addition decreased only 10 to 25% in the presence
      of 5 to 10 mmol/L Mg. Similar results were obtained when EGTA was added prior to
      the initiation of protein phosphorylation. We conclude that Mg can dose
      dependently inhibit a wide variety of agonists on platelet aggregation.
      Furthermore, insulin can potentiate the inhibitory effects of Mg on platelet
      activation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418834
TI  - The effect of acute and chronic hematocrit changes on cardiovascular hemodynamics
      in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
AB  - Heparin given over a long term by a subcutaneous route consistently lowers blood
      pressure in the hypertensive rat models. The decrease in blood pressure is
      accompanied by a parallel decrease in hematocrit suggesting a causal relationship
      between hematocrit and blood pressure. The aim of this study was to define the
      relationships between acute and chronic hematocrit changes and blood pressure in
      the normotensive and hypertensive states. Normotensive Wistar (NWR) and
      spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats were used. Hematocrit was decreased acutely
      by blood-letting, and chronically by treatment with either heparin (H) or
      phenylhydrazine (P) for 4 weeks. Acute and chronic hematocrit increase was
      accomplished by packed cells transfusion. Systolic blood pressure was measured
      weekly; and at the end of the experimental period, plasma volume, cardiac output,
      and mean arterial pressure were obtained. Acute hematocrit decrease or increase
      (hematocrit ranging from 25 to 65%) did not affect blood pressure in either
      strain of rats; whereas chronic hematocrit changes (hematocrit ranging from 35 to
      61%) significantly affected blood pressure only in SHR. Thus, chronic hematocrit
      decrease induced by H or P resulted in a significant fall in blood pressure
      compared to control (201 +/- 3 v 175 +/- 4, 167 +/- 4 mm Hg, respectively; P <
      .05). Conversely, a chronic hematocrit increase resulted in a significant rise in
      blood pressure (201 +/- 3 v 219 +/- 4 mm Hg; P < .05). Similar hematocrit changes
      produced in NWR, as in SHR, did not affect blood pressure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418835
TI  - The accuracy and performance of the A&D TM 2421, a new ambulatory blood pressure
      monitoring device based on the cuff-oscillometric method and the Korotkoff sound
      technique.
AB  - The accuracy and performance of the A&D TM 2421, a new ambulatory blood pressure
      (BP) monitoring device using both the cuff-oscillometric method (O) and the
      Korotkoff sound method (K) were evaluated. The device was tested for accuracy
      under static and dynamic conditions by simultaneous comparison with two observers
      using a standard mercury column sphygmomanometer (standard method) and by the
      objective recording method (ORM). The performance of the device was also
      evaluated under ordinary ambulatory conditions. The mean differences in BP of
      standard method from K-method were -1.2 +/- 4.7 mm Hg systole and 1.3 +/- 4.7 mm
      Hg diastole (n = 323, mean +/- SD) and those of standard method from O-method
      were -0.4 +/- 5.3 mm Hg systole and 1.4 +/- 5.1 mm Hg diastole (n = 323). The
      agreement between each of the two methods of the device and the standard method
      was within 10 mm Hg for more than 90% of both systolic and diastolic readings.
      During bicycle exercise, the mean differences in BP of standard method from K
      method were -3.4 +/- 4.8 mm Hg systole and 1.8 +/- 5.2 mm Hg diastole (n = 71)
      and those of standard method from O-method were -1.1 +/- 7.3 mm Hg systole and
      1.7 +/- 7.8 mm Hg diastole (n = 67). There was a greater scatter in the
      individual comparisons of the device and the standard method during exercise,
      especially in diastolic BP. The relation between the device and ORM was almost
      similar to that between the device and the standard method.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418837
TI  - NMR measurement of intracellular potassium in the perfused normotensive and
      spontaneously hypertensive rat aorta by a multinuclear subtraction procedure.
AB  - Intracellular free potassium ion concentrations have been measured in the
      isolated perfused aortae from Wistar-Kyoto and spontaneously hypertensive rats by
      a novel multinuclear NMR procedure, which allows the estimation and subtraction
      of the extracellular potassium signal from the total 39K+ resonance. When tested
      on a sample of erythrocytes, the method yielded an intracellular potassium
      concentration of 149 mmol/L cell water, which is similar to the previously
      reported average of 140 mmol/L cell water, indicating full (100%) NMR
      "visibility" of red cell 39K+. In contrast, the 39K+ resonance of the perfused
      rat aorta preparation indicated very low (approximately 15%) NMR visibility of
      intracellular potassium in the aortic tissue, similar to that previously reported
      for perfused hearts. More importantly, aortae from spontaneously hypertensive
      rats yielded a corrected (for low NMR visibility) intracellular potassium
      concentration of only 90 +/- 10 (mean +/- SE; n = 6) mmol/L cell water, which was
      significantly lower (40%; P = .02) than that in aortae from normotensive rats.
      The NMR data thus reveal a significant depletion of intracellular potassium in
      hypertensive arterial smooth muscle cells.

PMID- 1418836
TI  - A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind comparison of amlodipine and
      atenolol in patients with essential hypertension.
AB  - The efficacy and safety of amlodipine (2.5 mg, 5 mg, or 10 mg) once daily was
      compared with atenolol (50 mg to 100 mg) once daily in patients with mild-to
      moderate essential hypertension in a randomized, double-blind, parallel, placebo
      controlled study. One hundred and twenty-five patients were randomly allocated at
      the end of a 4-week run-in placebo period to 8 weeks' double-blind treatment with
      amlodipine (n = 41), atenolol (n = 43), or placebo (n = 41). The mean changes
      from baseline in blood pressure 24 h postdose for amlodipine (mean daily dose 8.8
      mg) were -12.8/-10.1 mm Hg for supine and -11.5/-9.8 mm Hg for standing blood
      pressure (P < .001). For atenolol (mean daily dose 83.7 mg) the changes were 
      11.3/-11.7 mm Hg for supine and -13.3/-12.3 mm Hg for standing blood pressure (P
      < .001). There were no statistically significant differences between treatments.
      The responder rates for amlodipine, atenolol, and placebo were 61.1%, 64.9%, and
      11.1%, respectively. Determinations taken over the 24-h period at the final visit
      revealed that amlodipine and atenolol maintained the group mean supine blood
      pressure at or below 140/90 mm Hg throughout the period of observation; the
      corresponding time-effect curve for the placebo group was clearly in the
      hypertensive range. Heart rate was significantly lowered by atenolol only. Both
      amlodipine and atenolol were well-tolerated. Only one patient was withdrawn
      because of the development of peripheral edema, arthralgia, and fatigue after
      treatment with amlodipine. This study demonstrates that once-daily administration
      of amlodipine or atenolol to mild-to-moderate hypertensive patients was well
      tolerated and provided adequate blood pressure control throughout the 24-h dosing
      interval.

PMID- 1418838
TI  - Noninvasive automatic blood pressure monitoring does not attenuate nighttime
      hypotension. Evidence from 24 h intraarterial blood pressure monitoring.
AB  - Automatic ambulatory blood pressure monitoring makes use of repeated cuff
      inflations throughout the day and night. This may interfere with the
      cardiovascular effects of sleep and thus alter the 24 h blood pressure profile.
      The possibility that intermittent automatic blood pressure measurements prevent
      nocturnal hypotension was examined in 17 mild or moderate essential hypertensive
      patients in whom blood pressure was recorded intraarterially for 48 h by the
      Oxford technique. During the first or the second 24 h period, blood pressure was
      also monitored noninvasively by the SpaceLabs (Redmond, WA) 5300 (n = 10) and by
      the Sandoz Pressure System SPS 1558 (Lavanchy Electronique, Prilly, Switzerland)
      (n = 7) devices, automatic measurements being performed at 15 min intervals
      during the day and at 30 min intervals during the night. Separate computer
      analysis of 24 h intraarterial tracings obtained in absence and in concomitance
      of contralateral automatic blood pressure monitoring showed that the occurrence
      of automatic measurements had not interfered with the day-night intraarterial
      blood pressure and heart rate profiles. Thus the frequent cuff inflations that
      characterize automatic blood pressure monitoring do not attenuate nighttime
      hypotension and bradycardia. This finding supports use of the noninvasive
      approach in assessing blood pressure profiles.

PMID- 1418839
TI  - Decreased rates of release of atrial natriuretic peptide from isolated hearts
      from aging hypertensive rats.
AB  - We tested the hypothesis that in genetically hypertensive New Zealand rats left
      ventricular hypertrophy predisposes to left atrial disease and should be
      associated with a decreased release of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in
      response to acute left atrial stretch. Abrupt distention of the left atrium was
      achieved by the acute onset of left atrial distention in Langendorff-perfused
      isolated rat hearts, which resulted in a rapid release of ANP in all groups of
      hearts. Comparisons were made between normotensive and hypertensive hearts using
      rats aged 2 months, 8 months, 12 months, and 16 months. Rates of release of ANP
      from normotensive and hypertensive hearts were similar at 2 months. Thereafter,
      there was a progressive impairment of ANP release, until in rats aged 16 months,
      rates of release achieved in hypertensive hearts 2 min after the onset of left
      atrial distention were only about half of those of normotensive hearts (55%, P <
      .005). At all ages above 2 months, hypertensive hearts failed to increase the
      concentration of ANP in the coronary effluent at the onset of increased heart
      work. Therefore, in rats with genetic hypertension, there is an impairment of
      release of ANP from the isolated heart in response to left atrial distention.

PMID- 1418840
TI  - Disparate effects of weight loss on insulin sensitivity and erythrocyte sodium
      lithium countertransport activity.
AB  - Previous investigations have demonstrated an association between impaired insulin
      sensitivity and elevated erythrocyte sodium-lithium countertransport (Na(+)-Li+
      CT) activity. It has been speculated that insulin resistance and endogenous
      hyperinsulinemia are causally related to the development of elevated Na(+)-Li+ CT
      activity. To test this hypothesis, we measured insulin sensitivity (euglycemic
      insulin clamp technique) and Na(+)-Li+ CT activity in eight obese women before
      (weight = 102 +/- 5 kg) and after (weight = 88 +/- 5 kg; P < .001) a 10 week
      weight reduction program. Maximal velocity of Na(+)-Li+ CT activity did not
      change (0.50 +/- 0.09 v 0.49 +/- 0.10 mmol/L red blood cells/h; P = NS) despite
      the significant improvement in insulin sensitivity (73 +/- 12 vs 110 +/- 7
      mg/m2/min; P < .0025) and reduction in fasting insulin levels (17 +/- 2 v 10 +/-
      2 microU/mL; P < .05) that accompanied weight loss. These results suggest that
      insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia are not linked pathophysiologically to
      the development of elevated Na(+)-Li+ CT activity.

PMID- 1418842
TI  - Twenty-four hour ambulatory blood pressure profiles following regular alcohol
      consumption.

PMID- 1418841
TI  - Cellular basis of ventricular remodeling in hypertensive cardiomyopathy.
AB  - This review summarizes the effects of long-term pressure overload hypertrophy on
      the right and left ventricular myocardium. In particular, the role that the
      fundamental processes of myocyte growth plays in the remodeling of the wall is
      analyzed quantitatively. Moreover, emphasis is placed on the observation that the
      duration of the overload is an important component of the onset, development, and
      progression of time-dependent myocardial dysfunction associated with hypertensive
      cardiomyopathy. The deterioration in ventricular pump function is postulated to
      be accompanied by myocyte cellular hyperplasia and capillary proliferation in an
      attempt to increase the thickness of the ventricular wall and, consequently, to
      decrease the magnitude of systolic and diastolic stress generated by the
      elevation in ventricular systolic and end-diastolic pressures. Myocyte cellular
      hyperplasia constitutes an essential growth reserve mechanism of the heart.
      Regeneration of damaged and lost myocardium may be accomplished by hyperplasia of
      myocytes, a phenomenon considered not feasible for several decades.

PMID- 1418843
TI  - Endothelin-1 and blood pressure.

PMID- 1418844
TI  - Antihypertensive drug therapy and insulin resistance.

PMID- 1418845
TI  - Questions and answers from controlled clinical trials of antihypertensive therapy
      in progressive renal disease.

PMID- 1418846
TI  - Mild essential hypertension in nonobese premenopausal women is characterized by
      low renin.
AB  - The pathophysiological mechanisms in hypertension may differ in men and women.
      Plasma renin activity was measured in 27 premenopausal, never-treated
      hypertensive women (blood pressure 141 +/- 2/93 +/- 1 mm Hg) and in 18 age
      matched normotensive women (blood pressure 113 +/- 2/71 +/- 2 mm Hg). All
      subjects were unaware of their blood pressure status. The hypertensive women had
      on average lower plasma renin activity (0.21 +/- 0.03 nmol/L/h) than their
      normotensive controls (0.42 +/- 0.07 nmol/L/h, P less than .01). Serum estradiol
      was also lower in the hypertensive women (0.57 +/- 0.06 v 0.81 +/- 0.09 nmol/L, P
      less than .05). No difference in epinephrine, norepinephrine, atrial natriuretic
      peptide, or vasopressin was found between the groups. Plasma renin activity was
      positively correlated to plasma norepinephrine in the hypertensive women only (r
      = 0.41, P less than .05). Since low renin hypertension is associated with less
      cardiovascular complications, this may offer an explanation for the better
      prognosis of hypertension in women.

PMID- 1418847
TI  - High sucrose diets increase blood pressure of both salt-sensitive and salt
      resistant rats.
AB  - We examined the effects of a diet relatively high in sugar and low in protein
      content on systolic blood pressure (SBP) in rats with known pressure responses to
      salt (NaCl) in order to compare "sugar/protein sensitivity" to "salt
      sensitivity." Dahl salt-sensitive (DSS) and salt-resistant (DSR) rats were fed
      one of two low salt diets containing either high sugar (sucrose 51.5% w/w)/low
      protein (14.6% w/w) or low sugar (sucrose 12.5% w/w)/high protein (52.2% w/w)
      content. After 3 weeks, the DSS ingesting the high sugar diet/low protein diet
      developed significantly elevated SBP relative to DSR eating the same high
      sugar/low protein diet and the DSS and DSR consuming the low sugar/high protein
      diet. After 2 to 3 months, the SBP of DSR eating the high sugar diet began to
      rise markedly and eventually both DSS and DSR ingesting the high sugar/low
      protein diet maintained similarly elevated SBP, significantly higher than DSS and
      DSR ingesting the low sugar/high protein diet. When Fischer 344 rats, a
      normotensive, salt-resistant rat strain, were fed the high sucrose/low protein
      diet, SBP also rose significantly into hypertensive ranges over 2 to 3 months.
      Since the SBP of DSR and Fischer 344 rats are not influenced to any great extent
      by high salt intake, even after prolonged exposure, the SBP rise associated with
      the high sugar/low protein diet may be via a mechanism different from salt
      induced hypertension. However, it is also possible that the high sugar/low
      protein diet creates in DSS and DSR the situation responsible for salt induction
      in DSS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418848
TI  - Natriuretic hormones in young hypertensives and in young normotensives with or
      without a family history of hypertension.
AB  - The behavior of plasma atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) and digoxin-like substance
      (DLS), and the daily urinary excretion of kallikrein (uKK) were evaluated in
      young hypertensives and in young normotensives with or without a family history
      of essential hypertension. Each group was also evaluated, separating those with
      low plasma renin activity from the total sample. The sample group was made up of
      75 young males; 31 hypertensives (mean age 22.7 +/- 2.5 years), 28 normotensives
      with hypertensive heredity (normotensives F+) (mean age 22.2 +/- 1.9 years) and
      16 normotensives (mean age 22.0 +/- 2.1 years). An inverse correlation between
      ANF and PRA was shown in all groups. In hypertensives, ANF was inversely
      correlated with uKK (r = -0.664, P less than .0001). Plasma ANF (P less than
      .012) and DLS (P less than .0001) were higher in hypertensives than in
      normotensives, while uKK excretion was lower (P less than .0001). Plasma levels
      of DLS were higher in F+ normotensives than in normotensives (P less than .003).
      Low renin hypertensives showed the lowest uKK excretion (P less than .0001 v
      normal-high renin hypertensives). Furthermore, low renin hypertensives showed the
      highest plasma levels of ANF (P less than .0001 v normal high renin
      hypertensives) and DLS (P less than .012 v normal-high renin hypertensives).
      Plasma ANF (P less than .0001) was higher, while uKK was lower (P less than .045)
      in low renin F+ normotensives than in normal-high renin ones. In conclusion, our
      data indicate that plasma ANF and DLS are elevated since the early phase of
      hypertension.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418849
TI  - Community-based epidemiological study on hypertension in Pu-Li, Taiwan.
AB  - A community-based study was carried out by the Yang-Ming Crusade in 1987-1988 in
      Pu-Li Town, Taiwan. We interviewed 1738 out of 2573 registered residents more
      than 30 years old and their fasting blood samples were drawn and tested. The
      prevalences of definite hypertension (greater than or equal to 160/95 mm Hg) and
      borderline hypertension (140/90 to 160/95 mm Hg) were 18.7% and 16.0%,
      respectively. To study factors associated with hypertension, univariate analysis
      was applied first. Stratified analyses by age and sex were used for interaction
      assessment. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis. According to
      the final model, the significant factors related to definite hypertension were
      age (greater than or equal to 50 v less than 50 years of age, odds ratio [OR]
      2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.6 to 4.3), physical activity (frequent v
      infrequent, OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2 to 0.6), alcohol intake (yes v no, OR 2.3, 95% CI
      1.1 to 4.6), and cholesterol (greater than or equal to 240 v less than 240 mg/dL,
      OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.0 to 2.9). Significant factors related to borderline
      hypertension were age (only for those cholesterol greater than or equal to 240
      mg/dL, greater than or equal to 50 v less than 50 years of age, OR 4.1, 95% CI
      2.1 to 7.9), cholesterol (only for those age less than 50, greater than or equal
      to 240 v less than 240 mg/dL, OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.6 to 7.8), physical activity
      (frequent v infrequent, OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2 to 0.7), and alcohol intake (yes v no,
      OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1 to 4.6).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418850
TI  - Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in a nonacademic setting. Effects of age and
      sex.
AB  - Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurements (ABPM) are likely to
      eliminate the stress of visits and observer bias in office blood pressure (BP)
      recordings, allow consideration of the circadian variability in BP, and correlate
      well with target organ damage. To define the prevalence of "white coat"
      hypertension in a rural community to a nonacademic setting, and to assess age and
      sex related differences, we studied 131 patients who had more than two prior
      office diastolic BP measurements greater than 90 mm Hg and less than 115 mm Hg.
      Blood pressure was measured every 10 to 60 min for 24 h using the SpaceLabs 90207
      device. Office BP readings were higher than ABPM in the group as a whole, in
      individual age groups, and in both sexes. The differences were more pronounced at
      night. Average differences between office and ambulatory BP ranged between 14.4
      +/- 1.7/2.9 +/- 2.0 (ABPM at 10:00), and 33.8 +/- 2.3/22.8 +/- 1.5 mm Hg
      (systolic/diastolic +/- SE) (ABPM at 01:00). The nighttime drop in systolic BP
      was not apparent in subjects more than 65 years old. Women had a proportionately
      higher mean office BP than men (115.0 +/- 0.9 office v 110.2 +/- 1.3 mm Hg ABPM
      in women and 112.3 +/- 0.9 v 104.3 +/- 1.1 mm Hg in men) (P = .013), and the
      elderly did not display the relationship between ambulatory and office mean BP
      seen in younger subjects (r = 0.15, P = .30 v r = 0.36, P = .0004,
      respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418851
TI  - Mechanisms involved in the progression to glomerular sclerosis induced by
      systemic hypertension during mild puromycin aminonucleoside nephrosis.
AB  - To evaluate the contribution of systemic hypertension in the progression of
      nephropathies to glomerular sclerosis, a mild form of puromycin aminonucleoside
      (PAN) nephrosis was associated with Goldblatt hypertension and studied after 18
      weeks. We studied four groups: Group I, controls; Group II, Goldblatt
      hypertension; Group III, PAN nephrosis; and Group IV, both conditions. Systolic
      blood pressure, 24-h proteinuria, serum cholesterol, triglycerides, glomerular
      hemodynamics, and histological studies were compared among the groups. Rats in
      groups II and IV developed systemic hypertension, but only group IV rats showed
      persistent proteinuria. No alterations in lipid metabolism were present in any of
      the groups. The most striking findings in the micropuncture studies were a
      significant increase of glomerular capillary pressure in group IV rats (63.15 +/-
      1.34 mm Hg) as compared to controls (48.74 +/- 0.97 mm Hg) and to groups II and
      III (55.31 +/- 2.11 and 48.17 +/- 1.23 mm Hg, respectively), and a marked fall in
      Kf in groups III and IV. Only group IV showed significant histological
      alterations such as glomerular sclerosis, interstitial damage, and increased
      glomerular area. These results suggest that, in the presence of an underlying
      nephropathy, a greater fraction of systemic pressure is transmitted to the
      glomerular capillaries when systemic hypertension is present; the resulting
      elevation in glomerular pressure and proteinuria seems to be responsible for the
      progression to glomerular sclerosis.

PMID- 1418852
TI  - Insulin-stimulated vascular relaxation. Role of Ca(2+)-ATPase.
AB  - We have recently described defects in vascular smooth muscle Ca2+ transport in
      insulin-resistant states. Since insulin stimulates plasmalemmal Ca(2+)-ATPase
      activity in some tissues, loss of this stimulation in insulin resistance may
      result in reduced Ca2+ efflux, and, consequently, increased intracellular Ca2+
      and vascular tone. Consequently, the present studies were conducted to determine
      the effects of insulin on vascular smooth muscle Ca2+ efflux and vascular
      relaxation following vasoconstriction, and to determine whether these effects are
      attributable to insulin stimulation of Ca(2+)-ATPase. Endothelium-denuded rat
      aortic strips were incubated for 1 h in the presence or absence of insulin (0.1
      mU/mL), and 45Ca2+ efflux was measured. In some experiments, either a low Na+ (3
      to 5 mmol/L) medium was used to inhibit Na+/Ca2+ exchange, vanadate (1 mmol/L)
      was added to inhibit Ca(2+)-ATPase activity, or the insulin level was varied
      (0.01 to 1.00 mU/mL) to establish dose dependence. To determine the effects of
      insulin on vascular relaxation, endothelial denuded aortic strips were suspended
      in a muscle bath and connected to an isometric force transducer. The strips were
      incubated with insulin (0.1 U/mL) or vehicle for 1 h, contracted with
      phenylephrine, and the rate of spontaneous relaxation following phenylephrine
      washout was measured. Insulin (0.1 mU/mL) stimulated both Ca2+ efflux (efflux
      rate constant = 0.288 +/- 0.038 v 0.361 +/- 0.036 min-1 in control and insulin
      treated strips, respectively; P less than .005) and relaxation rate (3.97 +/-
      0.35 v 4.63 +/- 0.31%/min; P less than .01), and both of these effects were
      inhibited by vanadate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418853
TI  - Facilitatory effects of diltiazem on dopamine release in the central nervous
      system. Focus on interactions with D2 autoreceptors and guanosine triphosphate
      binding proteins.
AB  - The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of a Ca
      antagonist (diltiazem) on dopamine release in the central nervous system. Rat
      striatal slices prelabeled with [3H]dopamine (DA) and superfused with Krebs
      Ringer solution were stimulated electrically at a frequency of 1 Hz. Exposure to
      diltiazem (3.3 x 10(-7) to 1 x 10(-5) mol/L) significantly increased both the
      basal and stimulation-evoked [3H]DA release in a dose-dependent manner.
      Exogenously applied unlabeled DA inhibited the stimulation-evoked [3H]DA release.
      Diltiazem significantly antagonized the capacity of the unlabeled DA to inhibit
      stimulation-evoked [3H]DA release. The blockade of D2 receptors by a preferential
      D2 antagonist, sulpiride, reduced the facilitatory effect of diltiazem on
      stimulation-evoked [3H]DA release. Pretreatment with pertussis toxin, which
      interferes with the coupling of the inhibitory guanosine triphosphate-binding
      proteins to adenylate cyclase, significantly diminished the effects of diltiazem
      on stimulation-evoked [3H]DA release. These results show that diltiazem increased
      DA release in rat striatum, at least partially by interactions with the D2
      autoreceptors and pertussis toxin-sensitive guanosine triphosphate-binding
      proteins.

PMID- 1418854
TI  - AT1 receptors mediate the release of prostaglandins in porcine smooth muscle
      cells and rat astrocytes.
AB  - Angiotensin II (AII) can release arachidonic acid metabolites such as
      prostacyclin (PGI2) and PGE2 from cells in cultures. It has recently been
      reported that the AT1 selective nonpeptide AII receptor antagonist losartan had
      similar effects. The present study was undertaken to further evaluate the effects
      of AII and losartan on cells which synthesize prostaglandins, including vascular
      smooth muscle, endothelial, and glial cells. Inhibition of specific [125I]AII
      binding was demonstrated in porcine smooth muscle cell (PSMC) suspensions with
      unlabeled AII and losartan. The IC50 values were 1.3 x 10(-9) mol/L and 7.7 x 10(
      9) mol/L, respectively. PD123177 (an AT2 selective antagonist) had no effect on
      binding. AII produced a concentration-related increase in calcium mobilization
      (fura-2 fluorescence) which was blocked by losartan (IC50 = 8.4 x 10(-8) mol/L)
      but not by PD123177 (10(-6) mol/L). AII (10(-7) to 10(-5) mol/L) stimulated the
      basal release of PGI2 by 100%. This response was blocked by losartan (10(-6) to
      10(-5) mol/L) but not by PD123177 (10(-6) to 10(-5) mol/L) and neither agent
      stimulated basal release in PSMC. Similar effects of AII and antagonists were
      observed upon receptor binding and PGE2 release in primary rat astrocyte (RA)
      cultures. AII did not release PGI2 from porcine endothelial cells, bovine
      pulmonary arterial endothelial cells, or rat C6 glioma cells. Losartan had no
      significant effect at 10(-5) mol/L. By contrast, bradykinin or the calcium
      ionophore A23187 dramatically increased PGI2 release in each of these
      cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418855
TI  - Low sodium diet in essential hypertension. Effect on blood cell ions and
      hemodynamic parameters.
AB  - The influence of salt restriction for 3 months on blood pressure, peripheral
      vascular resistance (observed by occlusive plethysmography), erythrocyte sodium,
      platelet calcium, and pH, was studied in eight untreated essential hypertensive
      patients. A low salt diet decreases blood pressure, vascular resistances,
      erythrocyte sodium, and platelet calcium, but not platelet pH. A strong positive
      correlation was noted between baseline platelet calcium and vascular resistances
      (r = 0.95, P less than .01). But during the salt restriction period, a negative
      correlation has been observed between the changes in these parameters, which
      casts doubt on the use of the platelet as a model of the smooth muscle cell.

PMID- 1418856
TI  - Hypertension, diuretics, and coronary heart disease: a case of apples and
      oranges, reciprocal prejudice, and a partially-clad emperor?

PMID- 1418857
TI  - Reply to Kaplan: Coronary Heart Disease Policy Model.

PMID- 1418858
TI  - What is the best therapy?

PMID- 1418860
TI  - Differential potentiation by calcium antagonists of neuromuscular blockade
      induced by pancuronium and succinylcholine in cats in vivo.
AB  - The effects of several calcium antagonists (verapamil, nicardipine and two
      diltiazem isomers, d-cis and l-cis diltiazem) alone and associated to non
      depolarizing (pancuronium) and depolarizing (succinylcholine) neuromuscular
      blockers, were evaluated on sciatic nerve-tibialis anterior muscle preparations
      from cats in vivo. The calcium antagonists used (at 0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg iv) did not
      modify the height of muscular twitches elicited indirectly. However, these agents
      potentiated in a dose-dependent way the neuromuscular blockade induced by iv
      pancuronium (2-40 micrograms/kg) and succinylcholine (6-200 micrograms/kg). The
      order of potency in increasing the effects of pancuronium was nicardipine much
      greater than d-cis diltiazem greater than or equal to verapamil, whereas the
      order of potency in enhancing succinylcholine effects was d-cis diltiazem greater
      than or equal to verapamil much greater than nicardipine. The effects of
      diltiazem were stereoselective, thus the potentiation induced by d-cis diltiazem
      was significantly greater in all cases than that induced by l-cis diltiazem,
      which suggests that calcium channel blockade plays a role in these interactions.
      However, other mechanisms such as calcium antagonists-induced nicotinic receptor
      desensitization may also be involved.

PMID- 1418859
TI  - Effects of 3,N,N'-trimethyl-2-phenyl-1,4-piperazine diastereomers on monoamine
      uptake and monoamine oxidase in rat brain.
AB  - The diastereomers of 3,N,N'-trimethyl-2-phenyl-1,4-piperazine dihydrochloride
      (TPP) were tested for their effects on NA, DA and 5-HT uptake in synaptosomes
      prepared from hypothalamus, corpus striatum, and frontal cortex, respectively.
      The diastereomers differed with respect to their inhibitory properties. (2 R, 3
      R)-TPP was more potent than the other diastereomers on NA and DA uptake, whereas
      (2 S, 3 S)-TPP was least potent. In contrast, the (2 S, 3 S)- and (2 S, 3 R)
      diastereomers of TPP were more potent than (2 R, 3 R)- and (2 R, 3 S)-TPP as
      inhibitors of 5-HT uptake. None of the diastereomers affected monoamine oxidase
      activity. The findings show that the diastereomers of TPP interact
      stereoselectively with neuronal mechanisms for monoamine uptake, and that the (S)
      configuration at the 2 carbon is important for inhibitory actions of TPP on 5-HT
      uptake.

PMID- 1418862
TI  - Increased binding of 3H-L-deprenyl in spinal cords from patients with amyotrophic
      lateral sclerosis as demonstrated by autoradiography.
AB  - The present investigation has applied quantitative autoradiography and
      histochemistry to study the regional distribution of MAO-B and its relation to
      the number of cells in respective regions. L-deprenyl binds irreversibly and
      quantitatively to the B-form of monoamine oxidase, MAO, and is an ideal 3H-ligand
      to measure the MAO-B enzyme protein in tissues by means of in vitro
      autoradiography. The investigation is performed on spinal sections from five
      controls and five cases with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) on cervical,
      thoracic and lumbar level. The highest density of 3H-L-deprenyl binding was found
      around the central canal (lamina X). MAO-B was markedly increased (up to 2.5
      times of values in controls) specifically in regions of neurodegeneration e.g.
      motor neuron laminae and corticospinal tracts. There was a high correlation
      between glial cell count and 3H-L-deprenyl binding with a relation indicating
      enhanced MAO-B protein in glial cells within areas of neurodegeneration. In
      contrast the increased microglial cell number in ALS did not show any correlation
      with 3H-L-deprenyl binding.

PMID- 1418861
TI  - Disappearance of hypothalamic TRH asymmetry in suicide patients.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to investigate the functional and/or
      pathological significance of the hemispherical lateralization of TRH using
      radioimmunoassay to determine the TRH concentration of nuclei and areas within
      the hypothalamus of suicide patients, with matching measurement being carried out
      on control subjects. In suicide patients, we found no significant difference in
      TRH concentration between the left and right intrahypothalamic structures, while
      the group used as control subjects (see Borson-Chazot, 1986) showed a significant
      left side predominance in the ventromedial nucleus, paraventricular nucleus and
      area dorsalis. As regards the TRH concentration in the right intrahypothalamic
      structures, no significant difference was found between the suicide patients and
      the control subjects. The absence of the left TRH predominance for the three
      intra-hypothalamic structures in question may be of pathological significance.

PMID- 1418863
TI  - The effects of deprenyl on methamphetamine-induced dopamine depletions.
AB  - The effects of deprenyl on methamphetamine-induced dopamine depletions were
      studied in mice. Four SC injections of 12.5 mg/kg of methamphetamine at two-hour
      intervals caused substantial (72-82%) and long-lasting depletions of striatal
      dopamine. Pretreatment with either 25 or 40 mg/kg of deprenyl did not
      significantly alter the magnitude of this depletion. These results indicate that,
      unlike what is observed following MPTP, there is no protection afforded
      dopaminergic cells by deprenyl pretreatment in the methamphetamine model of
      parkinsonism.

PMID- 1418864
TI  - Effect of the selective MAO-A inhibitors brofaromine, clorgyline and moclobemide
      on human platelet MAO-B activity.
AB  - MAO-B activity was compared in healthy volunteers following oral treatment with
      clinically effective doses of the selective MAO-A inhibitors brofaromine (100 mg
      q.d. for 14 days), moclobemide (150 mg t.i.d. for 14 days) and clorgyline (5 mg
      t.i.d. for 10 days). Brofaromine and clorgyline did not alter platelet MAO
      activity. Following moclobemide treatment, MAO-B activity was reduced by 32% (p
      less than 0.05). It recovered during the 5 subsequent days after discontinuation
      of treatment. These results confirm earlier findings. The explanation for this
      finding may be that metabolites of moclobemide are active inhibitors of MAO-B.

PMID- 1418865
TI  - Effect of serum on adrenal PNMT activity.
AB  - Humoral mechanism should be responsible for activation of PNMT
      (phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase) by CRF (corticotropin-releasing factor)
      in vivo (Lima and Sourkes, 1987). Small amounts of serum (10 microliters) caused
      a sig. dose dependent activation of bovine PNMT activity (19.0 +/- 1.8%) changing
      in Km and Vmax values in vitro. Human/rat or ovine CRF--in high amounts (8.4
      nmol) only--increase at the rate of just 10% bovine PNMT activity in vitro. At
      the moment, we do not know which factor in serum is responsible for the increase
      in A (adrenalin) synthesis in vitro.

PMID- 1418866
TI  - Anticonvulsant activity of carbamazepine and diphenylhydantoin against maximal
      electroshock in mice chronically treated with aminophylline.
AB  - The anticonvulsant activities of both carbamazepine and diphenylhydantoin alone
      (after a single intraperitoneal administration) or combined with aminophylline
      were studied against maximal electroshock-induced convulsions in male mice.
      Aminophylline (injected acutely at 50 mg/kg) significantly increased the ED50
      values of both antiepileptics. Given for three days, aminophylline (50 mg/kg,
      twice daily) still impaired the potency of both antiepileptics and after chronic
      aminophylline administration a further decrease in the protective activity of
      carbamazepine and diphenylhydantoin was found. Specifically, after 14 days of
      aminophylline treatment, ED50s for carbamazepine and diphenylhydantoin were 26
      and 19 mg/kg, respectively. These ED50s were significantly elevated compared to
      values determined after acute aminophylline treatment (21.2 and 14.9 mg/kg,
      respectively). Plasma levels of both antiepileptics were unaffected by chronic
      aminophylline which seems to exclude a pharmacokinetic interaction in terms of
      total plasma levels at least. The present results clearly indicate that the
      aminophylline-induced impairment of the anticonvulsant activity of carbamazepine
      and diphenylhydantoin is enhanced over time. This may render aminophylline a
      hazardous drug to epileptic patients who are prescribed this smooth muscle
      relaxant.

PMID- 1418867
TI  - Antagonism by 8-OH-DPAT, but not ritanserin, of catalepsy induced by SCH 23390 in
      the rat.
AB  - In the present experiments, it was shown that the catalepsy induced by the
      dopamine D1 antagonist SCH 23390 (0.2 mg kg-1 sc), was completely antagonised by
      the administration of 8-OH-DPAT (0.1 mg kg-1 sc) for the duration of the effect
      of SCH 23390 (approx. 120 min). Neither the catalepsy induced by raclopride (16
      mg kg-1 sc) nor that induced by SCH 23390 (0.2 mg kg-1 sc) could be antagonised
      by treatment with the 5-HT2 receptor antagonist ritanserin (0.13-2.0 mg kg-1 sc).
      Administration of SCH 23390 (0.0125-0.2 mg kg-1 sc) produced a significant
      suppression of avoidance behavior at all doses, and also produced a significant
      decrease in the number of intertrial crosses. At the higher doses, 0.05 and 0.2
      mg kg-1 sc, there were also escape failures. In contrast to the finding in our
      previous report that raclopride and 8-OH-DPAT in a synergistic manner produce a
      suppression of conditioned avoidance behavior, no such interaction was found
      between 8-OH-DPAT (0.1 mg kg-1 sc) and SCH 23390 (6 micrograms kg-1 sc) in the
      present study.

PMID- 1418868
TI  - Decrease in mesencephalic dopamine autoreceptors in experimental herpes simplex
      encephalitis.
AB  - Brain dopamine receptors were determined in experimental herpes encephalitis
      using an animal model, where herpes simplex virus type 1 was inoculated onto the
      cornea of rabbits. The animals exhibit an asymmetric posture and circling to the
      side of inoculation, which appears to be connected to the altered dopamine
      transmission in the mesostriatal system. In this study striatal and mesencephalic
      D-1 and D-2 dopamine receptors were measured by radioligand techniques using 3H
      SCH 23390 and 3H-spiroperidol as ligands. In the striatal D-1 and D-2 receptors
      there were no significant differences between HSV-inoculated and control rabbits.
      In the substantia nigra-ventral tegmental area there was a significant decrease
      in the D-2 receptors (Bmax) on the side contralateral to the primary virus
      inoculation and the direction of the rotational behaviour, without any changes in
      the D-1 receptors. Thus experimental herpes simplex virus infection seems to
      affect the mesencephalic dopamine autoreceptors, leading to unilateral activation
      of the mesostriatal dopamine system and rotational behaviour.

PMID- 1418869
TI  - Morphometric and neurosecretory changes in supraoptic neurons after D-amphetamine
      treatment.
AB  - Several morphological and immunochemical characteristics of the neurosecretory
      neurons of the supraoptic nucleus (SON) have been studied of rats treated for 1
      month with D-amphetamine sulfate (AMP) (8 mg/kg weight, daily). An increase of
      SON volume (11%) has been observed as a consequence of the growth of the
      dorsoventral axis. Neurosecretory neurons increased their nucleolar area (11.4%),
      their nuclear area (8.3%), and their cytoplasmatic area (18.3%). Vasopressin
      immunoreaction did not show any differences between treated and control animals,
      but oxytocin immunostaining displayed an important increase (23.7%) in the
      neuronal cytoplasm of the treated rats. The SON hypertrophy of the AMP-treated
      rats corresponded to the hypertrophy/hyperfunction of its oxytocinergic neurons,
      and could be considered as a new mechanism of the action of the AMP. The results
      are discussed in relation to the plastic features of the SON and its central
      (neuronal) and peripheral (hormonal) function.

PMID- 1418870
TI  - [Tl-201 myocardial scintigraphic findings in patients with aortic regurgitation].
AB  - To evaluate the myocardial damage associated with aortic regurgitation, thallium
      201 myocardial scintigraphy was performed in 13 patients with aortic
      regurgitation. The data obtained by thallium-201 single photon emission computed
      tomography were expressed as the extent score, and were compared with data by
      echocardiography. The results were as follows: 1. In 11 of 13 patients, there
      were moderate Tl defects in the distribution of bull's eye map, 80% in the apex,
      50% in the inferior and lateral regions, 30% in the anterior region and 10% in
      the septal region. The mean extent score was 22.3 +/- 11.0%. 2. The extent score
      correlated with the increase in aortic regurgitant flow volume. The extent score
      according to the Sellers' classifications II, III, and IV was 13.8 +/- 3.7%, 20.1
      +/- 9.8% and 31.9 +/- 10.2%, respectively. 3. There was a good negative
      correlation between the extent score and fractional shortening (r = -0.66, p <
      0.01), however, no significant correlation was observed between the extent score
      and the left ventricular end-diastolic volume. These results suggest that Tl
      defects in patients with aortic regurgitation are mainly due to myocardial
      ischemia associated with a decrease in coronary perfusion pressure and that the
      extent score may sensitively reflect the severity of myocardial damage in cases
      with aortic regurgitation.

PMID- 1418871
TI  - [Clinical significance of the click intervals for the diagnosis of dysfunction of
      the Medtronic-Hall prosthetic valve].
AB  - To investigate the clinical significance of click interval for evaluation of
      prosthetic valve dysfunction, 20 patients underwent Medtronic-Hall (MH) valve
      replacement (14 in the mitral position and 6 in the aortic position) were studied
      by simultaneous high-speed recordings of phonocardiogram, echocardiogram and/or
      Doppler echocardiogram. Two of the 20 patients, one in the mitral and the other
      in the aortic position, showed MH valve dysfunction. Eleven patients with
      normally functioning Bjork-Shiley (BS) valve in the mitral position served as
      controls. Results were as follows: 1. There were usually 3 opening clicks (OC1,
      OC2, OC3) in patients with normally functioning MH valve in the mitral position.
      These 3 clicks coincided in timing with the beginning of opening, maximum opening
      and the end of sliding motion, respectively. Both OC1 and OC2 of the MH valve
      occurred in similar timing with those of the BS valve (A2-OC1 interval: MH = 65.4
      +/- 11.8 msec vs BS = 72.3 +/- 17.2 msec; OC1-OC2 interval: MH = 31.2 +/- 7.7
      msec vs BS = 27.3 +/- 6.1 msec). However, OC3 occurred significantly later in MH
      valve than in the BS valve (OC2-OC3 interval: MH = 32.3 +/- 7.5 msec vs BS = 16.4
      +/- 3.8 msec, p < 0.01). 2. There were 2 closing clicks (CC1, CC2) in normally
      functioning the MH valve in the aortic position. These 2 clicks coincided in
      timing with the beginning and the end of the closing motion, respectively. Mean
      value of CC1-CC2 interval in 5 prosthetic patients with normal function was 31.0
      +/- 9.6 msec. 3. A patient with malfunctioning MH valve in the mitral position
      showed a markedly prolonged OC1-OC2 interval, ranging from 66 to 140 msec, and
      she had multiple diastolic clicks after the OC2 phase. Prolonged OC1-OC2 interval
      was mainly caused by the delay of appearance of OC2, and it was thought to be due
      to temporary limitation of opening motion of the valve by valve thrombosis. 4. A
      patient with malfunctioning MH valve in the aortic position showed a markedly
      prolonged CC1-CC2 interval (100 msec), and he had a significant severe aortic
      regurgitation during this phase. At operation, fibrinoid thrombus was attached to
      the aortic annulus at the side of minor orifice of the valve. Closing motion of
      the valve was disturbed by this thrombus, and the completion of valve closure was
      markedly delayed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1418872
TI  - [Congenital bicuspid aortic valve: stenotic type and insufficient type].
AB  - Two-hundred and eighty-one patients underwent surgical treatment of the aortic
      valves during a 10-year period of 1981 to 1991, 32 of whom (11%) had bicuspid
      aortic valve. Bicuspid aortic valve is well known to cause calcified aortic
      stenosis, however, some of these cases develop pure aortic insufficiency of
      unknown etiology. In our studies of 32 patients with bicuspid aortic valve, 28
      patients had aortic stenosis, 2 were aortic insufficiency and 2 were infective
      endocarditis. Pathogenesis of aortic insufficiency in patients with bicuspid
      aortic valves was discussed and compared with that of aortic stenosis.

PMID- 1418873
TI  - [Prosthetic valve function evaluated by ultrafast computed tomography (Imatron C
      100)].
AB  - Ultrafast computed tomography (UFCT) is a new diagnostic modality that includes
      not only imaging of cardiac structures, but also movement of cardiac muscles and
      valves. It can be useful in the evaluation of prosthetic valves, because the scan
      time is extremely short and whole cardiac structures are imaged with a slice
      thickness of 8 mm and within 7 cardiac cycles. We review our experience using
      UFCT to observe prosthetic valve function in 22 cases with various valvular
      diseases.

PMID- 1418874
TI  - [A family of Marchesani syndrome with mitral valve prolapse and anuloaortic
      ectasia].
AB  - Marchesani syndrome consists of short statue, small spherical lens, glaucoma and
      brachydactyly, which are manifestations of hyperplastic connective tissue disease
      in systemic organs of mesodermal origin (Marchesani 1939). Among nearly 200 cases
      of Marchesani syndrome reported in the ophthalmology field, none has shown
      cardiac manifestations which typically characterize Marfan syndrome caused by
      hypoplastic connective tissue disorders. We experienced 2 cases which met the
      diagnosis of Marchesani syndrome and yet showed annuloaortic ectasia and mitral
      valve prolapse. A 30-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman who are siblings
      suffered from manifested brachydactyly, spherophakia, glaucoma and cardiac
      involvements. Their parents are in consanguinity. These unprecedented cases with
      mixed manifestations provide the evidence of possible gene-crossing between these
      2 dystrophic mesodermal disorders.

PMID- 1418875
TI  - [Vagal innervation in the human atrioventricular valves].
AB  - Innervation of the human atrioventricular (AV) valves is microscopically studied
      by histopathological methods. The tricuspid and mitral valves of 4 autopsied
      hearts of adult men (age range from 50 to 74 years old) without any
      cardiovascular diseases were stained for acetylcholine-esterase by histochemical
      method in the medium containing acetylthiocholine iodide. Acetylcholine-esterase
      positive nerve fibers of 2 to 50 microns in diameter were widely distributed in
      the subepicardial space of the atrial of the AV valve. They formed a coarse
      network of the nerve elements from the valve base to the anatomical edge. The
      nerve network was more dense at the valve ring and base, as well as at the
      commissure, than at the edge and body. Some thick nerve fibers ran in the chordae
      tendineae. The thick fibers were intercalated with varicose-like special
      structures at several places in the leaflets, which seemed to be a kind of
      sensory apparatus. The thin nerve fibers ended, as usual, at small dot or brush
      like apparatus. It is widely accepted that the acetylcholine-esterase positive
      nerve fibers are identical with vagal nerves which are insisted on participating
      in development of mitral valve prolapse syndrome. We suggest that the vagal
      innervation in the AV valves could play an important role for valvular function.

PMID- 1418876
TI  - [Mitral valve prolapse associated with partial absence of commissural chordal
      insertion: report of two cases].
AB  - We reported 2 cases of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) associated with partial
      absence of the chordae tendineae. Case 1 was a 25-year-old man who was admitted
      to our hospital for further examinations of an apical pansystolic murmur (Levine
      4/6) and the abnormal shadow on his chest radiograph. He was diagnosed as having
      grade 3 + mitral regurgitation (MR) by the Sellers classification and pulmonary
      varix by cardiac catheterization. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed MVP
      of the rough zone of the anterior mitral leaflet and MR blowing into the
      pulmonary varix. Case 2 was a 60-year-old man who was admitted to our hospital
      because of congestive heart failure and apical pansystolic murmur (Levine 4/6).
      Parasternal echocardiography revealed prolapse of both the anterior and posterior
      mitral leaflets and moderate MR. In both cases, absence of insertion of
      anterolateral commissural chordae was confirmed after surgery, and the
      abnormalities of chordal arrangement and insertion were considered as causes of
      MVP in these cases.

PMID- 1418877
TI  - Valvular disease of the heart in the elderly.

PMID- 1418878
TI  - [Evaluation of left ventricular relaxation by mitral regurgitant curve].
AB  - To examine whether left ventricular (LV) isovolumic relaxation can be assessed
      noninvasively using a continuous-wave Doppler technique, we compared Doppler
      determined parameters derived from mitral regurgitation (MR) velocity curve with
      micromanometer-derived indices of LV relaxation, peak negative dP/dt and tau, in
      9 patients with MR (5 with dilated cardiomyopathy, 2 with old myocardial
      infarction and 2 with rheumatic MR). The rate of LV pressure decay (delta P/delta
      t) at aortic valve closure was calculated from the recordings of MR jet
      velocities based on the simplified Bernoulli equation. The time constant of LV
      pressure decay (tD) was determined as the time from the aortic valve closure to
      the point where the velocity declined by (1/e)1/2. Doppler-determined delta
      P/delta t correlated well with hemodynamic peak negative dP/dt (r = 0.97, p <
      0.001), and tD with hemodynamic tau (r = 0.89, p < 0.005). Thus, we concluded
      that left ventricular isovolumic relaxation can be noninvasively assessed with a
      continuous-wave Doppler technique in the presence of mitral regurgitation.

PMID- 1418879
TI  - [A clinicopathologic study of morphologic tricuspid valve prolapse in the aged:
      comparison with color Doppler evaluation].
AB  - Similar morphologic abnormalities have often been observed in the leaflets of
      tricuspid valve in patients with mitral valve prolapse. In the present study,
      morphologic tricuspid valve prolapse was analyzed in 500 consecutive autopsies of
      the aged over 60 years (mean 78.5 yrs, 266 men, 234 women). Additionally, the
      sensitivity and specificity of the color Doppler technique applied before death
      were assessed in 61 autopsy cases. The results were as follows: 1. The incidence
      of morphologic tricuspid valve prolapse was 22.2% at autopsy in 500 cases of the
      aged, however, tricuspid regurgitation had not clinically been detected in any of
      them. 2. The prolapse of 2- or 3-leaflets was common (78.5%). Among the 3
      leaflets, the prolapse was more frequently observed in the anterior or posterior
      leaflet than in the septal leaflet. Combined tricuspid and mitral valve prolapses
      were observed in 22 cases (19.8%). 3. Among 61 cases examined by color Doppler
      echocardiography, autopsy showed that 16 cases had tricuspid valve prolapse and
      14 cases tricuspid regurgitant flow signals (87.5%). 4. Regurgitant flow signals
      were also detected in 4 of 12 morphologically normal cases (33.3%). 5. In autopsy
      cases of the aged, generally, the incidence of morphologic tricuspid valve
      prolapse and tricuspid regurgitant flow signal were high, however,
      hemodynamically significant regurgitation due to prolapse was very rare.

PMID- 1418880
TI  - [A case of cardiac lipoma of the anterior tricuspid leaflet].
AB  - A 42-year-old man with cardiac lipoma of the anterior tricuspid leaflet is
      reported. He had a chief complaint of epigastric discomfort, and a pansystolic
      murmur was heard at the left sternal border in the 4th intercostal space. Two
      dimensional echocardiography disclosed a mobile high density stalkless mass
      having several areas of low density. Two-dimensional Doppler echocardiogram
      revealed a moderate degree of tricuspid regurgitation. These findings were more
      clearly visualized on transesophageal echocardiogram. MRI revealed a high signal
      intensity on the T1-weighted image and a high radiodensity surrounding the mass
      using a contrast medium of Gd-DTPA. A 2.0 x 1.3 x 0.8 cm hemispherical, lobulated
      and sessile yellow mass was excised by means of open heart surgery, and tricuspid
      valvuloplasty was performed. The mass was adipose tissue and was surrounded by
      fibrous tissue just under the lamina fibrosa. These findings were compatible with
      those of the preoperative examinations, although the preoperative diagnosis was
      not conclusive. This was our first case of cardiac lipoma in which the tricuspid
      valve was successfully excised.

PMID- 1418881
TI  - [Long-term effect of medical treatment in patients with chronic aortic
      regurgitation].
AB  - We often experience patients with chronic severe aortic regurgitation (AR) whose
      cardiac function significantly improves by medications, especially by vasodilator
      therapy. To find the factors determining the response to pharmacologic treatment,
      we studied 20 patients with chronic AR with dilated left ventricle (end-diastolic
      dimension > or = 55 mm) using echocardiography; 9 patients with significant
      improvement (delta Ds < or = -3 mm: improved group) and 11 without improvement
      (unchanged group). In the initial evaluation, systolic blood pressure and left
      ventricular relative wall thickness (Thd/Dd) were greater and left ventricular
      end-diastolic dimension was smaller in the improved group than in the unchanged
      group. During the follow-up period, systolic blood pressure and end-systolic wall
      stress decreased significantly and absolute and relative wall thickness increased
      significantly in the improved group, however, they remained nearly the same in
      the unchanged group. Significant negative correlation was observed between Thd/Dd
      and delta Ds. In conclusion, cardiac function in some patients with chronic AR
      can be improved by pharmacologic treatment, and in such cases, the Thd/Dd ratio
      could be a parameter of the response to pharmacologic treatment.

PMID- 1418882
TI  - [Doppler and echocardiographic study of normal systolic murmurs].
AB  - To elucidate the genesis of normal ejection systolic murmurs, we performed phono
      and Doppler echocardiography in 42 normal subjects. Individuals with
      hypertension, ST.T changes on ECG, anemia or other cases with definite
      cardiovascular findings were excluded from the study. Their ages ranged from 22
      to 61 years with an average of 48.1 years. They were classified in 2 groups; 9
      with Levine 2/6 systolic murmur and 33 without murmur or with 1/6 murmur. Fifteen
      patients with pure aortic regurgitation or with aortic prosthesis but without
      significant stenosis, and 7 patients with pulmonic valvular stenosis were served
      as control. We correlated the intensity and timing of murmur with maximal flow
      velocity, acceleration time and other parameters. All systolic murmurs were early
      systolic. Mid-systolic murmur was not noted. Peak of flow velocity increased at
      the aortic orifice than at the left ventricular outflow tract or pulmonary
      orifice. Left-sided peak flow velocity occurred earlier than the right-sided peak
      flow velocity. Early systolic maximal flow velocity of the aorta significantly
      increased in 9 subjects with murmur than in the remaining 33 without significant
      murmur. Ejection fraction, hematocrit and body surface area did not differ
      between the groups with and without significant murmur. Systolic blood pressure
      and age, however, were higher in subjects with murmur. In aortic valvular
      disease, systolic murmurs and peak flow signals were early systolic, but in
      pulmonary stenosis these were mid-systolic in timing. In conclusion, normal
      ejection systolic murmurs were early systolic and originated at the aortic
      orifice. Mid-systolic murmurs were unlikely as left-sided murmur in origin. Flow
      velocity was the most important determinant of the intensity of ejection murmur.

PMID- 1418883
TI  - [Evaluation of aortic regurgitation by Doppler echocardiography].
AB  - To establish a method for evaluating aortic regurgitation (AR) using Doppler
      echocardiography, we studied 104 patients who were classified according to
      aortographic grading (Sellers). The severity of the AR was graded by measuring
      the length of AR jet within the left ventricle by pulsed Doppler mapping (mapping
      method) or by two-dimensional color Doppler echocardiography (length method).
      Also, color Doppler echocardiography was used to measure the width of AR jet just
      below the aortic valve (width method), and pulsed Doppler echocardiography to
      determine the fraction of integral of forward flow and reverse flow in the
      abdominal aorta (abdominal method). Although the diagnostic accuracy of grading
      by these Doppler techniques only ranged between 52% and 68%, the length method
      combined with the abdominal one enhanced the diagnostic accuracy to 89% in
      retrospective study and 80% in prospective study. In conclusion, the length
      method combined with the abdominal method appeared to be useful and reliable in
      evaluating AR.

PMID- 1418884
TI  - Do central antiadrenergic actions contribute to the atypical properties of
      clozapine?
AB  - Full neuropharmacological understanding of the atypical antipsychotic agent
      clozapine remains elusive. Antidopaminergic actions of most neuroleptics probably
      contribute to their antipsychotic benefits, but also to neurological side
      effects. Clinical evidence of abnormalities of dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT)
      in psychotic disorders is inconsistent, but there is substantial metabolic and
      post-mortem evidence for hyperactivity of noradrenaline (NA). Clozapine is only
      weakly antidopaminergic but is a potent antagonist at brain alpha 1-adrenergic, 5
      HT2-serotonergic, and muscarinic receptors. Its apparent limbic-over
      extrapyramidal neurophysiological selectivity can be mimicked by combining a
      typical neuroleptic with a central alpha 1 antagonist. Clozapine strongly
      upregulates alpha 1, but not DA, receptor abundance, and may supersensitise alpha
      1 but not DA receptors in rat brain. Clozapine also selectively increases
      activity of NA neurons and metabolic turnover in NA more than DA areas of rat
      brain, and also increases NA, but not DA or 5-HT, metabolites in human CSF.
      Potential psychotropic effects of selective central antiadrenergic agents may
      deserve reconsideration.

PMID- 1418885
TI  - Clozapine: a hypothesised mechanism for its unique clinical profile.
AB  - Clozapine's clinical profile is unique among antipsychotic drugs. What makes it
      different? For almost two decades researchers have been attempting to answer this
      question. Based on various data, many hypotheses have been proposed. Using
      electrophysiological techniques we have found that clozapine, like typical
      antipsychotic drugs, inactivates most midbrain dopamine cells secondary to the
      induction of depolarisation block. However, unlike classical antipsychotic drugs,
      clozapine does not inactivate the nigrostriatal dopamine system. Based on these
      and other findings the hypothesis of 'depolarisation block' is reviewed and
      presented as an explanation for clozapine's unique clinical profile. Research
      data both for and against the hypothesis are then discussed.

PMID- 1418886
TI  - Clozapine and D1/D2 antagonism in extrapyramidal functions.
AB  - One of the main advantages of clozapine is that it rarely produces extrapyramidal
      syndromes and tardive dyskinesia. This advantage is linked to the atypical
      biochemical profile of clozapine, especially its combined and low blockade of D1
      and D2 receptors. The level of D2 receptor blockade is too low to induce
      extrapyramidal side-effects, and D1 antagonists have a lower extrapyramidal side
      effect potential than traditional D2 neuroleptics, especially with respect to
      dystonia. The combined and balanced D1/D2 receptor blockade may prevent the
      development of a dysbalance between D1/D2 receptor function (in favour of D1)
      which otherwise might lead to tardive dyskinesia.

PMID- 1418887
TI  - Clozapine-associated agranulocytosis: risk and aetiology.
AB  - This paper reviews the epidemiology and pathogenesis of clozapine-associated
      agranulocytosis. According to present clinical experience, granulocytopenia can
      be expected in approximately 3% of patients during clozapine treatment. The risk
      of serious sequelae of granulocytopenia can be minimised by regular white blood
      cell count monitoring. Although research suggests that some patient groups may be
      at higher risk of developing this serious adverse reaction, we cannot yet predict
      the susceptible patients, so all patients exposed to clozapine should receive
      regular blood monitoring throughout treatment. Because of the risk of
      agranulocytosis, clozapine should only be used in schizophrenic patients who are
      resistant to, or intolerant of, conventional antipsychotic medications. Unless
      compliance with blood monitoring is assured, clozapine treatment should not be
      recommended.

PMID- 1418888
TI  - Clinical efficacy of clozapine in treatment-refractory schizophrenia: an
      overview.
AB  - The treatment of patients with schizophrenia who fail to respond to antipsychotic
      medications remains a challenge. Despite numerous attempts to establish effective
      somatic treatment approaches for this population, clozapine appears to be the
      only well established alternative. Depending upon trial duration and response
      criteria, between 30% and 60% of previously unresponsive patients appear to
      derive clinically significant benefit from clozapine. Clozapine also has
      important advantages in terms of its reduced propensity to produce extrapyramidal
      side-effects. Agranulocytosis remains an important risk, so strategies to improve
      the benefit-to-risk ratio should be explored. Issues such as trial duration,
      dosage, blood levels and predictors of response require additional study.

PMID- 1418889
TI  - Dimensions of outcome with clozapine.
AB  - Various outcome measures following clozapine administration to neuroleptic
      resistant schizophrenic patients are considered. The importance of a
      multidimensional perspective is emphasised. There was significant improvement in
      positive symptoms, some negative symptoms, quality of life, some types of
      cognitive function (e.g. semantic memory), extrapyramidal function, and tardive
      dyskinesia. Readmission to hospital, and family burden were markedly reduced,
      which achieved significant savings in the cost of treatment. Compliance with
      clozapine and weekly blood testing can be achieved in the majority of treatment
      resistant cases. These benefits may occur independently of each other.

PMID- 1418890
TI  - Activity and tolerability of tetridamine vaginal lavage in rats and women.
AB  - Tetridamine (2-methyl-3-methylamino-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindazole) is a well known
      analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug. Here the activity and the tolerability of a
      new 0.134% tetridamine formulation in rats and women, are reported. Anti
      inflammatory and analgesic tests were performed in Sprague-Dawley rats with
      carrageenin oedema; topical application of 0.134% tetridamine solution showed a
      marked reduction of paw swelling (-54.4%) and pain sensibility (-81.0%). A 28
      days vaginal tolerability study performed on Sprague-Dawley rats with tetridamine
      lavage (0.2 ml/rat/day) showed, in comparison with control group, no changes in
      haematology, coagulation, clinical biochemistry and in histological examinations
      of uterus and vagina. Clinical studies (4 open and 1 double-blind) were performed
      on 93 women suffering from vulvovaginitis and cervicitis by treatment of 0.134%
      tetridamine vaginal lavage, two times daily, for 7 days. Tetridamine lavage
      reduced or eliminated all inflammation symptoms like burning, leucorrhea, etc.
      and resulted very well tolerated. From these pharmacotoxicological and clinical
      results we can conclude that tetridamine vaginal lavage is a new formulation with
      high activity and good tolerability.

PMID- 1418891
TI  - [Intranasal absorption of various calcitonin spray preparations].
AB  - In a cross-over study performed on 10 patients the intranasal absorption of
      calcitonin contained in three formulation spray was evaluated. One of them
      contained biliary acid (sodium taurocholate) as the absorption promoting factor
      while the other two drugs did not. The dosage of calcitonin in blood was effected
      by means of radioimmunoassay using salmon calcitonin marked with I126 in
      competition to the one present in the sample for a limited quantity of specific
      antibodies for salmon calcitonin. The minimum measurable quantity of calcitonin
      is 10 pg and the response is linear including values between 20% and 80%. It is
      observed that the plasmatic concentration of calcitonin dosed in different times
      after administration of the drug containing sodium taurocholate are always
      significantly higher (Student "t" test for unpaired data, p less than 0.005) than
      the measurements after administration of the other two drugs. They are about 8
      times higher at the first half an hour, about 6 times after an hour and again
      double at the second hour. The AUC calculated for sodium taurocholate containing
      drug (1629 pg/ml/h) results significantly higher in relation to the other two
      drugs (1133 and 926 pg/ml/h) indicating a better bio-availability of calcitonin
      contained in that spray. The relative bioavailability between calcitonin spray
      with sodium taurocholate and the other two drugs in reference resulted to 144%
      and 176%. The presence of a transmucosal absorption promoting factor at the level
      of a nasal mucosa, represented in this case by sodium taurocholate, enhances
      significantly the absorption and the bioavailability of calcitonin present in the
      formulation spray.

PMID- 1418892
TI  - Extracapsular spread and the perineural extension of squamous cell cancer in the
      cervical plexus.
AB  - Extracapsular spread of squamous cell carcinoma in cervical lymph nodes is
      associated with approximately 50% decrease in survival and a twofold increase in
      regional recurrence. This study examines the hypothesis that increased regional
      recurrence may be, in part, due to unrecognized microscopic perineural invasion
      of the nerve rootlets of the cervical plexus. Thirty patients with head and neck
      squamous cell carcinoma with clinically N+ necks undergoing radical neck
      dissection were prospectively studied. Neck dissection specimens were evaluated
      for extracapsular spread, and the cervical plexus rootlets were histologically
      examined for perineural invasion. The incidence of extracapsular spread was 83%
      (25 of 30 patients). Only one (4%) of 25 had involvement of the cervical plexus,
      and this patient had gross as well as microscopic cervical plexus invasion.
      Microscopic perineural spread of squamous cell carcinoma in the cervical plexus
      occurs infrequently when extracapsular spread is present. Routine histologic
      evaluation of cervical rootlets for margins is warranted only when gross tumor is
      in close proximity to the cervical plexus.

PMID- 1418893
TI  - Ampicillin-sulbactam vs clindamycin in head and neck oncologic surgery. The need
      for gram-negative coverage.
AB  - This study was undertaken to assess whether gram-negative antimicrobial coverage
      is required in patients undergoing head and neck oncologic surgery. Ampicillin
      sodium-sulbactam sodium and clindamycin phosphate were compared in a prospective,
      randomized, parallel, double-blind trial of 212 patients undergoing head and neck
      procedures involving clean-contaminated wounds. Both antibiotics were given up to
      1 hour before surgery and continued at 6-hour intervals after surgery for an
      additional eight doses. Fourteen infections occurred in the ampicillin-sulbactam
      treated group (13.3%) and 29 infections in the clindamycin-treated group (27.1%).
      From patients receiving clindamycin, 29 gram-negative organisms were isolated,
      compared with six from those patients receiving ampicillin-sulbactam. This
      finding supports the need for gram-negative coverage in patients undergoing clean
      contaminated head and neck oncologic surgery.

PMID- 1418894
TI  - Transmandibular approaches to the oral cavity and oropharynx. A functional
      assessment.
AB  - The records of patients undergoing transmandibular approaches to soft-tissue
      carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx were reviewed retrospectively. Thirty
      nine patients requiring lateral segmental hemimandibulectomy and 45 patients
      requiring a mandibulotomy were identified. None of the patients given
      mandibulectomy underwent bone reconstruction, while all of the patients with
      mandibulotomy had repair at the completion of the case. A total of 53 patients
      were available for recall and functional assessment. Patients with mandibulotomy
      did not experience significant dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint.
      Patients with mandibulectomy demonstrated increasing amounts of eccentric
      occlusion; however, this did not affect diet and was not reported to be
      uncomfortable by these patients. When feasible, preservation of the mandible
      yielded an improved aesthetic result; however, functional results in patients
      requiring mandibulectomy compare favorably with those obtained after
      mandibulotomy and repair.

PMID- 1418895
TI  - Tumor necrosis factor and chemotherapeutic agents. Potentiation of cytotoxicity
      with interferon gamma.
AB  - This study examined combinations of the recombinant human cytokines, tumor
      necrosis factor alpha and interferon gamma, with doxorubicin and dactinomycin as
      well as other drugs on six squamous cell carcinoma cell lines of head and neck
      origin using the 3(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide
      proliferation assay. Interferon gamma significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of
      tumor necrosis factor alpha with dactinomycin on all six cell lines investigated,
      while in four of six cell lines the cytotoxicity of tumor necrosis factor alpha
      with doxorubicin was significantly augmented by interferon gamma. Additional
      experiments showed no effect with either cytokine in combination with cisplatin,
      fluorouracil, methotrexate, or etoposide. These data demonstrate that human
      recombinant cytokines in concert with certain drugs improve in vitro cytotoxicity
      and may have a potential for improving in vivo therapy.

PMID- 1418896
TI  - A study of the heterogeneity of the mucoepidermoid tumor and the implication for
      future therapies.
AB  - Mucoepidermoid carcinomas are common head and neck neoplasms whose wide
      distribution includes the major salivary glands, especially parotid, the minor
      salivary glands within the oropharynx, sites within the larynx, and the
      submucosal bronchial glands. These tumors are heterogeneous neoplasms composed of
      intermediate, squamous, and mucous cell subpopulations and have been
      traditionally classified as low or high grade based on their histological nature
      and tendency for invasion and metastasis. To gain a better understanding of the
      heterogeneity of these tumors, we conducted in-depth studies of the different
      cellular subpopulations obtained from primary human mucoepidermoid carcinomas
      from various sites, and a derived cell line grown in monolayer culture and as a
      nude mouse xenograft. Flow cytometric and clonal dilution studies indicate that
      the intermediate cell behaves as a reserve cell capable of differentiating into
      either the squamous cell or mucous cell. Immunocytochemical studies of
      bromodeoxyuridine uptake and Ki-67 antigen expression indicate that whereas the
      squamous and mucous cells are terminally differentiated and permanently arrested
      in G0, the intermediate cell actively enters G1 and S. Studies of invasion
      utilizing a human amnionic membrane indicate that only the intermediate cell is
      capable of active invasion. Because the mucous and squamous cells are incapable
      of further division or invasion, therapeutic strategies aimed at differentiating
      the intermediate cell in vivo into either mucous or squamous directions would
      serve as useful adjuncts to surgery by reducing the rate of recurrence and the
      incidence of metastasis.

PMID- 1418897
TI  - Lacrimal drainage system injury in functional endoscopic sinus surgery.
      Incidence, analysis, and prevention.
AB  - Injury to the lacrimal drainage system with resultant epiphora is a complication
      of functional endoscopic sinus surgery. A study of 24 patients was conducted to
      determine the incidence and significance of lacrimal drainage system injuries
      during functional endoscopic sinus surgery. Intraoperative testing demonstrated
      seven occult injuries (15%) in 46 endoscopic procedures. Postoperative testing
      demonstrated diversion of lacrimal drainage into the middle meatus in two
      patients and spontaneous healing of the injured lacrimal drainage system with
      restoration of normal drainage in three of the patients available for follow-up
      testing. In no patient did epiphora develop. It is concluded that the
      nasolacrimal drainage system is in close proximity to the dissection cavity
      during functional endoscopic sinus surgery and, hence, is at risk for inadvertent
      injury. Occult damage to the nasolacrimal drainage system would appear to be a
      common event during functional endoscopic sinus surgery; however, the
      complication of postoperative epiphora is rare.

PMID- 1418898
TI  - Relative effects of intraoperative tissue expansion and undermining on wound
      closing tensions.
AB  - Intraoperative tissue expansion is advocated as a technique to facilitate closure
      of soft-tissue wounds with less tension than if they were closed primarily
      without expansion or, presumably, simple undermining. Few objective studies have
      been done, however, to validate the technique. We specifically questioned the
      relative effects of intraoperative tissue expansion and undermining on wound
      closing tensions in an animal model. Our data showed statistically significant
      reduction in the force required to close a wound after acute intraoperative
      tissue expansion when compared with baseline. However, when the degree of
      undermining achieved by the expander was matched in an equivalent defect, no
      difference in the resultant wound closing tensions could be discerned between
      techniques. This study should be viewed as an initial effort to understand the
      role of intraoperative tissue expansion in reconstructive surgery.

PMID- 1418899
TI  - Facial paralysis reconstruction with Gore-Tex Soft-Tissue Patch.
AB  - No procedure perfectly restores a face paralyzed by surgical ablation of the
      facial nerve. Although dynamic reconstructive procedures are preferred for
      treating patients with complete facial paralysis, various conditions
      contraindicate their use, making static suspension of the paralyzed face a
      reasonable surgical alternative. Expanded polytef soft-tissue patch
      (polytetrafluoroethylene; Gore-Tex Soft-Tissue Patch, Gore-Tex, W. L. Gore &
      Assoc Inc., Flagstaff, Ariz) was used to help correct midfacial and perioral
      asymmetries in 11 patients with complete unilateral facial paralysis. All
      patients had previous surgical ablation of the facial nerve and were not
      considered good candidates for dynamic facial reconstruction. Midfacial and
      perioral asymmetries were improved in all patients using this technique of static
      soft-tissue suspension. One postoperative infection and two cases of
      postoperative suture extrusion were observed in the patient population. Other
      complications associated with the use of Gore-Tex Soft-Tissue Patch for facial
      suspension were limited to technical factors.

PMID- 1418900
TI  - Otologic complaints in temporomandibular joint syndrome.
AB  - Complaints of diminished hearing or reduced speech discrimination frequently
      accompany temporomandibular dysfunction. There is no consensus as to the
      mechanism of their occurrence or the alteration of these symptoms with the
      treatment. We studied 12 subjects with internal derangement of the
      temporomandibular joint (treated surgically) and nine subjects with myofascial
      pain disorder (treated medically), and we found no difference between the groups
      in pretreatment audiometric findings or in their degree of otologic symptoms.
      Similarly, there were no differences in posttreatment audiometric measures and
      there were no significant treatment effects. Furthermore, there was no
      correlation between subjects' complaints of reduced hearing sensitivity or
      discrimination and audiometric results. The apparently significant reduction in
      symptoms experienced by some subjects in the absence of audiometric change
      suggests the operation of unmeasured factors in their response to treatment.

PMID- 1418901
TI  - A clinical profile of otitis media.
AB  - An otitis media with effusion algorithm developed by Paradise et al and tested by
      Cantekin et al has become the basis for many studies of otitis media. However, a
      two-point scale algorithm (otitis media with effusion-no otitis media with
      effusion) may be too ambitious (ie, low specificity) and too optimistic (ie,
      absence of fluid does not necessarily mean normal ear). We propose a four-point
      profile that characterizes the condition of the middle ear, and we report the
      validation of the profile against findings at myringotomy. Statistically, a four
      point scale profile would substantially increase powers of statistical tests,
      compared with a two-point scale algorithm (in studies of the same size), when
      used to study changes of the middle-ear condition over time or to compare
      treatment effects.

PMID- 1418902
TI  - Bacteremia during tonsillectomy.
AB  - To determine the risk of bacteremia during tonsillectomy, we cultured blood
      specimens that were taken from 32 children during surgery and tonsillar swabs
      that were obtained just before excision, and compared the results with
      quantitative cultures of the excised tonsillar tissue. Twenty-five children had
      Haemophilus influenzae within the tonsillar tissue (density range, 10(3) to 10(8)
      colony-forming units per gram), and seven had Streptococcus pyogenes (density,
      10(3) colony-forming units per gram in one case, 10(5) colony-forming units per
      gram in one case, and 10(6) colony-forming units per gram in five cases). Twelve
      perioperative blood cultures were positive; H influenzae was found nine times,
      and Micrococcus species was found one time, and alpha-hemolytic streptococci were
      found two times. Haemophilus influenzae was always present in the corresponding
      tonsillar specimens, although there was no apparent relationship between the
      density of colonization of the tonsillar tissue and a positive blood culture.

PMID- 1418903
TI  - Nasal mucociliary transport of chronic sinusitis in children.
AB  - Nasal mucociliary function is one of the most important and indispensable
      mechanisms of the respiratory tract, providing protection against the atmospheric
      environment. We previously found mucociliary dysfunction in the noses of adult
      patients suffering from chronic sinusitis. In this study, using the saccharin
      method, we determined nasal mucociliary function in normal children and in
      children with chronic sinusitis. The mean (+/- SD) value of saccharin transit
      time in the nose was 28.2 +/- 19.9 minutes in patients with chronic sinusitis,
      this being significantly slower than that in the control group of children. The
      incidence of abnormally slow nasal mucociliary transport time (> 30 minutes) in
      patients was significantly higher than in controls of the same age. Mucociliary
      dysfunction may initiate a vicious cycle of self-mediated inflammation and may be
      important in recovery from chronic respiratory inflammation.

PMID- 1418904
TI  - Oronasal reconstruction with local mucoperiosteal and free latissimus dorsi
      flaps.
AB  - We describe the use of maxillary sinus mucoperiosteum as a pedicled flap to
      reconstruct the floor of the nose following resection of cancer involving the
      palate, buccal mucosa, and mandible. Complete inferior turbinectomy allows access
      to the roof of the maxillary sinus to harvest the mucoperiosteum as a
      vascularized flap pedicled under the remaining middle turbinate. A free
      latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap suspended from the floor of the orbit and
      nasal septum is then used to obliterate the maxillary sinus, reconstruct the
      palate, and support the floor of the nose. A reconstruction employing this
      combination of flaps is presented, including postoperative endoscopic intranasal
      photography and magnetic resonance imaging. Despite the elevated level of the
      floor of the nose and the absence of the inferior turbinates, rhinomanometry
      performed 3 months postoperatively demonstrates adequate nasal airflow with
      normal responses to nasal decongestants.

PMID- 1418905
TI  - Sebaceous carcinoma of the head and neck. Case report and literature review.
AB  - Sebaceous carcinoma is uncommon, with fewer than 400 cases reported. Usually,
      lesions arise in the meibomian glands of the eyelid; however, extraocular lesions
      within the head and neck have been reported. Regardless of the location,
      sebaceous malignancies must be considered aggressive neoplasms with a potential
      for regional and distant metastasis. Diagnosis may be difficult, given the low
      incidence and inconsistencies in histopathologic classification. Recently, needle
      aspiration cytologic characteristics have been delineated, with this procedure
      becoming increasingly useful in establishing the diagnosis. Treatment requires
      wide surgical excision with removal of involved regional lymph nodes. Opinions
      are divided regarding the use of postoperative irradiation or chemotherapy.
      Records of all patients with sebaceous carcinoma of the head and neck treated at
      UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, over the last 35 years were reviewed. The
      clinical and pathologic features are discussed, and the literature is summarized.

PMID- 1418906
TI  - The utility of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of intranasal
      meningoencephaloceles.
AB  - We present three patients in whom the diagnosis of intranasal
      meningoencephalocele was made by magnetic resonance imaging. The initial clinical
      evaluation and computed tomographic examinations of these patients failed to
      distinguish between chronic inflammation and intranasal meningoencephalocele.
      Although both computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are used to
      distinguish between normal, inflammatory, and neoplastic tissue in the nasal
      cavity and paranasal sinuses, limitations do exist and these are the focus of our
      communication. A clear understanding of the efficacy of these radiographic
      modalities will enhance surgical planning and can preclude severe complications.

PMID- 1418907
TI  - Histopathology of the temporal bone following multichannel cochlear implantation.
AB  - The temporal bone histopathologic findings of a patient having received a Nucleus
      22-channel cochlear implant (Cochlear Corp, Englewood, Colo) following bilateral
      transverse otic capsule fractures is presented. The case was complicated by
      perilymph fistulas, labyrinthitis, meningitis, and death due to drowning. The
      left cochlea revealed complete labyrinthitis ossificans; the implanted right
      cochlea demonstrated new bone formation in the basal turn of the scala tympani,
      degeneration of the organ of Corti, but normal ganglion cell counts. Results of
      psychophysical and speech perception 4 months after implantation are presented.

PMID- 1418908
TI  - Pathologic quiz case 2. Myospherulosis of the paranasal sinuses.

PMID- 1418909
TI  - Pathologic quiz case 1. Ductal cyst.

PMID- 1418910
TI  - Regulation of erythropoiesis in the newborn: a complex system.

PMID- 1418911
TI  - Cellular senescence.
AB  - The ageing of cells, cellular senescence, is an event that is encountered in all
      normal cells. Cells grown in vitro have a limited life span and do not grow well
      after a certain number of divisions. They cease to divide and eventually die. In
      accordance with this, the life expectancy of an established cell culture depends
      on the age of the donor. Cells that have undergone immortalization via a crisis
      period of transformation by chemicals or viruses, as well as malignant cell lines
      in general, have an ability to divide indefinitely. A distinct form of cell
      death, apoptosis or programmed cell death, is encountered in many physiological
      situations like in keratinocyte differentiation.

PMID- 1418913
TI  - Liver transplantation: present results and problems.

PMID- 1418912
TI  - Progress in the treatment of childhood leukaemias.
AB  - The Nordic Society for Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (NOPHO) has run a
      population-based registry on all cases of acute leukaemias in the Nordic
      countries since 1981. Data on close to 2000 children with these diagnoses are
      presented and used as a background for a general discussion of progress in the
      therapy of these challenging conditions. Our material is unique in that it is
      population based. The results obtained are comparable to those obtained by all
      other major cooperative groups. Since January 1992, the treatment protocols for
      all types of acute leukaemias in childhood have been harmonized in the Nordic
      countries.

PMID- 1418914
TI  - Leukocyte cell adhesion proteins: from molecular dissection to clinical
      applications.
AB  - Leukocyte adhesion is needed for a number of leukocyte functions like
      immunoglobulin synthesis, T and NK-cell-mediated cytotoxicity, phagocytosis by
      granulocytes, and cellular accumulation in inflamed tissue. Several cell surface
      molecules involved in leukocyte-leukocyte and leukocyte-target cell interactions
      have recently been identified and characterized. Both the polypeptide and
      carbohydrate portions are important in leukocyte interactions. It is becoming
      increasingly apparent that it is possible to interfere with the normal functions
      of the leukocyte adhesion glycoproteins, and such applications may become
      important in medicine.

PMID- 1418915
TI  - Toxoplasma pericarditis mimicking systemic lupus erythematosus. Diagnostic and
      treatment difficulties in one patient.
AB  - A life-threatening T. gondii pericarditis developed in a patient with symptoms
      corresponding to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with high concentrations of
      antinuclear antibodies and lymphadenopathy. The diagnosis would have been SLE
      associated serositis, had not pericardial fluid been inoculated into mice,
      because pericarditis is frequently seen in SLE and false positive toxoplasma
      seroreactions may occur in ANA positive patients. High IgG T. gondii antibodies
      without increased IgM antibodies indicated reactivation rather than primary
      infection. Prolonged high-dose treatment with pyrimethamine-sulphadiazine was
      needed. Interestingly, the patient's SLE symptoms, including high ANA antibodies,
      declined to an unexpected remission after treatment for toxoplasmosis. This may
      not be mere coincidence, but may point to a causative role of toxoplasmosis in
      some cases of SLE.

PMID- 1418916
TI  - Inhibition of colonic motility by cholecystokinin.
AB  - Distal colonic motor activity was measured in 12 control subjects and seven
      constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome patients to examine the effects
      of intravenous administration of cholecystokinin. In the basal state, no
      significant motility differences were noted between these two groups. Following
      the intravenous administration of the hormone cholecystokinin, a statistically
      significant reduction in colonic motility in control subjects and a non
      significant decrease in motility in irritable bowel syndrome patients was seen.
      Our results do not suggest an exaggeration of the colonic motor response to
      cholecystokinin occurs in irritable bowel syndrome.

PMID- 1418917
TI  - Molecular genetics and genetic epidemiology of cardiovascular diseases and
      diabetes. Introductory remarks: risk factor levels and variability.

PMID- 1418918
TI  - Genetic variants of apolipoprotein B: relation to serum lipid levels and coronary
      artery disease among the Finns.
AB  - The genetic variation of apolipoprotein B has been studied extensively in Finns
      with the aid of protein and DNA polymorphisms. Population association studies
      confirmed significant associations between the XbaI polymorphism of the
      apolipoprotein B gene and elevated serum cholesterol levels, and dietary studies
      suggested that the XbaI and ins/del polymorphisms might modify the serum lipid
      response to dietary fat intake. Studies comparing patients and controls, however,
      did not confirm previous studies suggesting that the multi-allelic variation at
      the 3'VNTR region of the apolipoprotein B gene was associated with coronary
      artery disease. The results suggest that the apolipoprotein B gene is involved in
      the regulation of serum lipid levels. A yet unknown mutation in linkage
      disequilibrium with the XbaI site may contribute to this regulation.

PMID- 1418919
TI  - Molecular genetics of familial hypercholesterolaemia: common and rare mutations
      of the low density lipoprotein receptor gene.
AB  - Mutations of the low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor gene give rise to
      familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), one of the most common single-gene diseases
      in the world. Approximately 150 different LDL receptor gene mutations have been
      reported until now and the list seems to be continuously growing. Although
      hampering molecular genetic diagnosis of FH, this wide variability at the DNA
      level provides a useful tool to population genetics and may ultimately lead to
      better understanding of the variation in disease manifestations from family to
      family. The Finns are among the few populations in which one or two mutant LDL
      receptor genes explain the majority of FH cases. Either of the two 'Finnish-type'
      LDL receptor gene deletions, FH-Helsinki or FH-North Karelia, is present in more
      than 60% of the Finnish FH patients; there are no reports on their existence in
      other ethnic groups. Assays for these mutations were shown to markedly complement
      clinical diagnosis of FH in Finland.

PMID- 1418920
TI  - Molecular basis for apo A-IV polymorphisms.
AB  - Apolipoprotein (apo) A-IV is involved in the metabolism of triglyceride-rich
      lipoproteins and high-density lipoproteins and may thus play an important role in
      lipid metabolism, although the precise physiological function of apo A-IV is
      unknown. Structural and functional alterations of apolipoproteins, caused by a
      variety of mutations, have been shown to influence lipoprotein metabolism in
      several ways. Genetic studies are consistent with a single locus for apo A-IV
      with two main codominant alleles A-IV1 and A-IV2. The basis behind some of these
      electrophoretic variants has been determined on a molecular level by the aid of
      the polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of the amplified DNA. For instance,
      apo A-IV1 and apo A-IV2 alleles are explained by glutamine for histidine change
      of amino acid 360. Furthermore, several polymorphisms not leading to charge
      differences have been characterized. The genetic variability of apo A-IV may be
      of help in elucidating the functional role of apo A-IV in lipoprotein metabolism.
      In our study, the frequencies of the alleles due to Gln360-->His and Thr347-->Ser
      substitutions in a Finnish population sample were similar to those reported from
      other populations. In addition we have identified a novel genetic polymorphism of
      apo A-IV, Asn127-->Ser. In the Finnish population the asparagine for serine
      change of amino acid 127 was the most common apo A-IV polymorphism. There are no
      reports from other populations concerning this polymorphism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1418921
TI  - Molecular genetics and genetic epidemiology of cardiovascular disease and
      diabetes. Introductory remarks: genetic models and statistical approaches.

PMID- 1418922
TI  - Twin studies in metabolic diseases.
AB  - The traditional role of twin studies has been to assess the relative role of
      genetic factors as a first step in defining the genetic architecture of complex
      traits. This has been based on the realization that monozygotic pairs (MZ) share
      all their genes, while dizygotic pairs (DZ) share 50% of their genes on average.
      Thus, greater similarity of MZ pairs compared to DZ pairs has been taken as prima
      facie evidence of the role of genetic factors. This is true provided the
      environmental similarity of MZ pairs is not greater than for DZ pairs for effects
      relevant to the trait in question. This first step in genetic studies was carried
      out long ago in many research areas, but not in others. More detailed knowledge
      of the genetic architecture of traits is then obtained by other means. In this
      paper, we give a brief overview of some results for metabolic diseases (ischaemic
      heart disease, hypertension, subarachnoid haemorrhage, NIDDM and IDDM) using the
      classical twin approach in a large, unselected population-based twin cohort. We
      also outline approaches to using twins that we believe will continue to be
      useful, particularly for the study of environmental effects.

PMID- 1418923
TI  - Multipoint analysis for radiation hybrid mapping.
AB  - Radiation hybrid mapping is a somatic cell genetic technique that permits
      construction of fine-structure maps of human chromosomes. Radiation hybrid
      mapping uses X-ray breakage of chromosomes to order genetic loci and to estimate
      distances between them. Cox and colleagues described radiation hybrid mapping and
      derived methods for locus ordering based on two-point statistical analysis of
      radiation hybrid mapping data. In this paper, I describe alternative non
      parametric and likelihood methods for radiation hybrid mapping that make use of
      information on many loci simultaneously, and efficiently include information on
      partially typed radiation hybrids. Locus orders are selected by minimum number of
      obligate chromosome breaks or maximum likelihood. I demonstrate the utility of
      these methods with an application to data on 14 markers and 99 hybrids for human
      chromosome 21.

PMID- 1418924
TI  - Empirical Bayes methods for testing associations with large numbers of candidate
      genes in the presence of environmental risk factors, with applications to HLA
      associations in IDDM.
AB  - Standard regression models for disease incidence data can be used to test for
      associations between a disease and measured genetic and environmental factors and
      their interactions. Complications arise when the gene is not observed, requiring
      segregation and linkage analysis approaches, or when the candidate gene(s) are
      found to be highly polymorphic, as in the HLA region. We propose a Bayesian
      approach to the latter problem, in which the log relative risks for all alleles
      at a given locus are taken to be independent and exchangeable, assuming there is
      no preferential zygotic assortment and negligible recombination. Multi-locus
      problems can be addressed either by adding exchangeable interaction terms or by
      adopting a multivariate prior for haplotype effects. Some simulations based on
      our current work on family studies of IDDM are discussed.

PMID- 1418925
TI  - Genetic epidemiology of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: international
      comparisons using molecular genetics.
AB  - International comparative molecular studies of insulin-dependent diabetes
      mellitus can be viewed from an immunogenetical and an epidemiological
      perspective. Each approach independently contributes to our knowledge concerning
      the etiology and prevention of the disease. However, the combination of these
      perspectives, representing an interface between molecular biology and
      epidemiology, will achieve more in terms of scientific advancement and public
      health than either perspective alone. An excellent example of the development of
      molecular epidemiology has been the evolution of international comparative
      research through the WHO Multinational Project for Childhood Diabetes. Case
      control molecular studies are currently being conducted to test the hypothesis
      that population variation in the frequency of HLA class II susceptibility alleles
      is the primary determinant of the global patterns of insulin-dependent diabetes
      mellitus incidence. Preliminary data suggest that this hypothesis is correct.
      Future international molecular epidemiological studies, encompassing host
      environment interactions, will lead to a better understanding of the
      relationships among specific risk factors within populations and across the
      world. Molecular epidemiology represents a new paradigm for studying the etiology
      and epidemiology of infectious and non-communicable diseases, and no doubt
      represents a major challenge for the 1990s.

PMID- 1418926
TI  - The future of multilocus linkage analysis.
AB  - Current limitations and needs of linkage analysis are discussed. Possible future
      developments in analysis methods and computer implementation are outlined.

PMID- 1418927
TI  - Transgenic animals in lipoprotein research.
AB  - Lipid metabolism is a complex system involving the interaction of several lipid
      transporting and -transferring serum proteins, enzymes regulating lipoprotein
      synthesis and modification, and lipoprotein receptors. Several epidemiological
      studies have demonstrated that many abnormalities in lipid metabolism are
      associated with coronary heart disease risk. There are at least 17 different
      genes that code for proteins directly involved in lipoprotein metabolism.
      Naturally occurring mutations in many of these genes have been described that
      affect either the quantity or the quality of these proteins. Such genetic
      alterations aid in the precise evaluation of the function of these gene products.
      Transgenic animal technology has made it possible to create genetic alterations
      and to study the consequences of overexpression of a gene and expression of a
      mutated protein, and also to study species-specific differences between proteins.

PMID- 1418929
TI  - The relation of communication and language development to mental retardation.

PMID- 1418928
TI  - Approaches to gene therapy of complex multigenic diseases: cancer as a model and
      implications for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
AB  - The general concept of gene therapy is now well established and accepted by the
      medical, scientific and public policy communities, and is rapidly being
      implemented in human experimental studies. In addition to the initial models of
      single gene defects, target diseases have now come to include multigenic and
      multifactorial diseases such as human cancer, neurodegenerative diseases such as
      Parkinson's disease and firms of cardiovascular disease. While many conceptual
      and technical obstacles must still be overcome before therapy for disorders such
      as coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus will easily be approached at the
      genetic level, the early results with several multigenic disease models gives
      some cause for optimism that gene therapies for even those complicated disorders
      will eventually become available.

PMID- 1418930
TI  - Stability of the intelligence quotient-language quotient relation: is discrepancy
      modeling based on a myth?
AB  - Diagnostic and service eligibility decisions are often made on the basis of the
      relation between assessments of cognitive ability and assessments of language
      ability. A discrepancy between cognitive and language performance, with cognition
      being higher, is thought to be a positive predictor of ability to benefit from
      intervention. This triage model assumes reasonable stability of cognitive and
      language measures over time. We evaluated the stability, over 1- and 2-year
      periods, of the relation between a cognitive measure and two language measures.
      We examined whether the cognitive-language relation for these measures changed
      significantly over time and whether children remained in the same service
      eligibility category, based on the discrepancy model, over time. Results
      indicated substantial changes in the cognitive-language relation over time.
      Children's eligibility for service, based on the discrepancy model, also
      fluctuated greatly over time. We conclude that a discrepancy model of triage
      based on broad cognitive and language measures is not an effective means of
      determining who should receive service. Alternative triage methods were
      presented.

PMID- 1418931
TI  - Development and training of referential communication in children with mental
      retardation.
AB  - In referential communication, the speaker must communicate to the listener about
      how a referent is different from other stimuli (i.e., employ the "difference
      rule"--Whitehurst & Sonnenschein, 1985). In Experiment 1 we compared use of the
      difference rule by children with and without mental retardation matched for Quick
      Test MA. Participants with mental retardation were less likely to employ the
      difference rule. Experiment 2 demonstrated that perceptual feedback training,
      which teaches use of the difference rule, enhances referential communication of
      children with mental retardation.

PMID- 1418932
TI  - Degree of associative relatedness and sentence processing by adolescents with and
      without mental retardation.
AB  - Previous research has suggested that individuals with mental retardation are less
      likely than individuals without mental retardation to access and incorporate
      information about the relations between words of sentences in the representations
      of those sentences in memory (e.g., Merrill & Bilsky, 1990; Merrill & Jackson, in
      press). A cued recall study and a semantic verification study were conducted to
      determine whether the magnitude of this group difference could be made smaller by
      increasing the degree to which the words in the sentences were semantically
      related. In both experiments, individuals with mental retardation exhibited an
      ability to utilize contextual information to a greater extent when the words were
      related. In the highly related conditions, the differences between groups was
      virtually eliminated.

PMID- 1418933
TI  - Profile of the prelinguistic intentional communicative behaviors of children with
      profound mental retardation.
AB  - The prelinguistic intentional communicative behaviors of 10 noninstitutionalized
      children with profound mental retardation were analyzed according to five profile
      parameters: communicative rate, communicative function, discourse structure,
      communicative means, and syllable shape. Subjects used a predominance of
      regulatory communicative functions, initiated discourse structure, gestural
      communicative means, and nontranscribable vocalizations/vocalizations without
      consonants. Findings were compared to previously reported data from children
      without mental retardation and institutionalized children with severe and
      profound mental retardation.

PMID- 1418934
TI  - Linguistic imitation in children with Down syndrome.
AB  - Rate of linguistic imitation by 48 children with Down syndrome was compared to
      that of 57 children without mental retardation. Both groups were taken from
      different corpora within the Child Language Data Exchange System (CHILDES,
      MacWhinney, 1991). All speech data were collected from spontaneous speech samples
      of mothers interacting with their children. Three types of imitative utterances
      (exact, expanded, and reduced) were coded using an automatic data analysis
      program called CHIP (Sokolov & MacWhinney, 1990). Multiple regression was
      utilized to test for group differences while controlling for variability in MLU.
      The results indicated that children with Down syndrome imitated slightly less,
      but the exact nature of this difference was related to language level and the
      source of the imitation. As MLU increased, the rate of imitation decreased at a
      much steeper rate for children without mental retardation than for children with
      Down syndrome. In addition, children with Down syndrome showed a different
      pattern of results for imitations of their mothers than for self-repeated
      imitations. The results suggest that children with Down syndrome develop
      differently with respect to linguistic imitation.

PMID- 1418935
TI  - Interdisciplinary strategies for treating dysphagia and eating disorders should
      include dentistry.

PMID- 1418936
TI  - A rapid in situ respiration test for measuring aerobic biodegradation rates of
      hydrocarbons in soil.
AB  - An in situ test method to measure the aerobic biodegradation rates of
      hydrocarbons in contaminated soil is presented. The test method provides an
      initial assessment of bioventing as a remediation technology for hydrocarbon
      contaminated soil. The in situ respiration test consists of ventilating the
      contaminated soil of the unsaturated zone with air and periodically monitoring
      the depletion of oxygen (O2) and production of carbon dioxide (CO2) over time
      after the air is turned off. The test is simple to implement and generally takes
      about four to five days to complete. The test was applied at eight hydrocarbon
      contaminated sites of different geological and climatic conditions. These sites
      were contaminated with petroleum products or petroleum fuels, except for two
      sites where the contaminants were primarily polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
      Oxygen utilization rates for the eight sites ranged from 0.02 to 0.99 percent
      O2/hour. Estimated biodegradation rates ranged from 0.4 to 19 mg/kg of soil/day.
      These rates were similar to the biodegradation rates obtained from field and
      pilot studies using mass balance methods. Estimated biodegradation rates based on
      O2 utilization were generally more reliable (especially for alkaline soils) than
      rates based on CO2 production. CO2 produced from microbial respiration was
      probably converted to carbonate under alkaline conditions.

PMID- 1418937
TI  - The correlation of middle ear aeration with mastoid pneumatization. The mastoid
      as a pressure buffer.
AB  - Atelectatic ears, which by definition are poorly aerated, are also usually
      associated with poor mastoid pneumatization. On the other hand, otosclerotic
      patients, whose middle ears are usually exceptionally well aerated, also have
      excellent mastoid pneumatization. Three unusual cases are presented, in which
      partial atelectasis developed in stapedectomized patients. In each case the
      mastoid was later found to be nonpneumatized, and further analysis revealed that
      their stapes fixation had in effect most probably been of non-otosclerotic
      origin. Thus, although these three cases had at first appeared to represent
      exceptions to the general rule of otosclerotics having a well-aerated middle ear,
      in fact they support the association between atelectasis and poor pneumatization.
      The linkage of good middle ear aeration with large mastoid pneumatization and
      vice versa may suggest that the mastoid plays a role of a pressure buffer in the
      middle ear, which is a system of a gas pocket with fluctuating pressures. Also,
      otosclerosis may be considered to be an unlikely cause of conductive deafness in
      cases of poor pneumatization.

PMID- 1418938
TI  - Late effects of radiotherapy on hearing.
AB  - The effect of radiotherapy on hearing was studied in 30 patients who were treated
      by surgery and radiotherapy for a parotid neoplasm. Functions of the irradiated
      ear were compared with those of the non-irradiated ear in the same patient.
      Tympanometry showed a small but significant reduction of static compliance on the
      irradiated side when compared with the non-irradiated side. Audiometry showed a
      significant increase in hearing loss in the 1-2, 4-8 and 10-20 kHz ranges that
      increased with frequency. This hearing loss was mainly sensorineural in contrast
      to hearing loss at 250-500 Hz, where it was more of a conductive type. There
      appeared to be a significant dose-effect relation in sound perception at 4-8 kHz.
      Doses to the cochlea of less than 55 Gy seldom caused a hearing loss, in contrast
      to doses exceeding 65 Gy. Overall, radiotherapy was found to cause significant,
      mainly sensorineural hearing losses, which were partly dose-dependent.

PMID- 1418939
TI  - Mode of action of photodynamic therapy with sulfonated aluminum phthalocyanine in
      induced squamous cell carcinomas in animal models.
AB  - In order to investigate the mechanism of action of photodynamic therapy (PDT)
      with sulfonated aluminum phthalocyanine (AlSPc) in squamous cell carcinoma,
      animal experiments were performed in induced carcinomas of the mucosa of the
      hamster's cheek pouch and skin of the laboratory mouse. Histological examinations
      revealed signs of massive interstitial bleeding, indicating a vascular response
      to PDT with AlSPc. It was also possible to induce similar change adjacent to
      newly formed vessels at the margin of an inflammatory reaction in the cheek pouch
      of five hamsters in the absence of tumor cells. Implanted human squamous cell
      carcinoma cells in athymic nude mice showed that carcinoma cells removed
      immediately following PDT remained viable, while tumors left in situ became
      necrotic. These results suggest that the primary effect of PDT with AlSPc in vivo
      is not the malignant cell itself, but the vascular stroma of the tumor or in the
      immediate vicinity of the latter.

PMID- 1418940
TI  - Kinin generation following methacholine nasal airway challenge of non-allergic
      subjects.
AB  - Following nasal challenges with the muscarinic neurotransmitter methacholine in
      14 patients with chronic non-allergic rhinitis, kinin generation was induced.
      This occurrence was inhibited by pretreatment with anticholinergic agents
      (ipratropium bromide) and by an overdose of neurotransmitter, indicating that a
      muscarinic receptor is stimulating the liberation of kinin. These observations
      suggest that patients with chronic non-allergic rhinitis exhibit cholinergic
      neurotransmitter-induced kinin generation.

PMID- 1418941
TI  - Changes in voice characteristics after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.
AB  - Previous reports have warned that tonsillectomy or uvulopalatopharyngoplasty
      (UPPP) may alter patients' speech by increasing the amount of nasal resonance as
      well as by changing voice timbre due to enlargement of the vocal tract. However,
      very few objective investigations, excluding nasality problems, have been carried
      out. We studied eight patients who underwent surgery for UPPP and recorded pre-
      and postoperative speech. The speech samples were then rated by seven experienced
      listeners, and acoustic spectra of two long vowels,/a/ and /e/, were analyzed
      using a computer program (MacSpeech Lab II). The listeners were unable to make a
      distinction between pre- and postoperative voice samples in the recordings
      studied. Acoustic analysis showed that the fundamental frequency as well as the
      first and second formants remained essentially unchanged. Present findings show
      that UPPP should not have a significant effect on voice characteristics as long
      as excessive nasality is not produced.

PMID- 1418942
TI  - Maturation of binaural interaction components in auditory brainstem responses of
      young guinea pigs with monaural or binaural conductive hearing loss.
AB  - Reversible conductive hearing loss created during the first 4 weeks post partum
      caused marked alterations in the maturation of binaural interaction components in
      the auditory brainstem responses of guinea pigs. In untreated control animals all
      three components investigated demonstrated postnatal development in terms of
      latency shortening that was completed during the first 3 weeks of life. Plugging
      of both external ear canals caused a significant delay in the maturation of the
      late component DN2, where latency values of the controls were reached only 2
      weeks after the end of the treatment, i.e. after 6 weeks of life. Monaural
      deprivation likewise led to a retarded development of peak latencies during the
      phase of imbalanced sensory input. After the end of the one-sided conductive
      hearing loss the maturation process was markedly enhanced, even resulting in
      latency values for DN2 and DP1 that were significantly shorter than those of the
      controls. This phenomenon persisted until the end of the study period and was the
      case for both plugged and untreated ears in this group of animals. The time
      course of latencies in two other groups of experimental animals which were
      deprived in the same way as adults suggests that the effects observed are due to
      a sensitive period in the maturation process of the auditory pathway.

PMID- 1418943
TI  - Long-term hearing results of one-stage tympanoplasty for chronic otitis media.
AB  - A study of 277 ears with chronic otitis media undergoing one-stage tympanoplasty
      has been carried out. The mean follow-up period was 6.4 years. Ears with intact
      ossicular chains were excluded. Ossiculoplasty was performed using autologous
      ossicles or cortical bone. Mean hearing gain was 10.8 dB. Closure of the
      postoperative air-bone gap to within 20 dB was achieved in 51% of cases. The best
      results were obtained in ears with intact stapes, while cholesteatomatous ears
      showed poorer results than other chronic ears. The present findings show that
      autologous ossicle and cortical bone are still suitable for ossicular
      reconstruction in chronic ears, especially when one-stage surgery is preferred.

PMID- 1418944
TI  - The anterior inferior cerebellar arterial network supplying the rat cochlea and
      its role in autoregulation of cochlear blood flow.
AB  - The sensitivity of the cochlea is dependent upon maintenance of a delicate
      homeostatic environment. One mechanism which participates in providing this
      environment is the autoregulation of cochlear blood flow. This autoregulation is
      ensured through the interaction of sympathetic, peptidergic and hemodynamic
      mechanisms. The current study demonstrates an adaptation that also participates
      in cochlear blood flow autoregulation. Specifically, an anterior inferior
      cerebellar arterial network is described and the relative contributions of each
      of its vessels to total cochlear blood flow is measured using laser Doppler
      flowmetry. The results show that each collateral vessel contributes to the blood
      supply of the cochlea and that reperfusion is accompanied by hyperemia. These
      findings suggest an adaptation that provides stable blood flow through redundancy
      and compensatory potential. Additionally, these observations have implications
      for experimental models of ischemia.

PMID- 1418945
TI  - Surgical lengthening of the short columella: division of the depressor septi
      muscles.
AB  - A new surgical procedure is described to correct the difficult problem of the
      short columella without resorting to cartilage grafts. The ready recourse to
      these grafts, so much in vogue at the present time in primary rhinoplasties,
      should be carefully and completely re-examined, since the final result very
      frequently yields no real benefits and may permanently deface the area from which
      the cartilage has been taken. The present technique combines trimming of the
      upper lateral nasal cartilages with approximation of the alar cartilages and
      excisions of the depressor septi muscles and/or contiguous orbicularis oris
      muscle.

PMID- 1418946
TI  - A histofluorescent study of sympathetic innervation of human palatine tonsils.
AB  - The glyoxylic catecholaminergic histofluorescence method was employed on human
      palatine tonsil specimens in order to study the sympathetic innervation present.
      One percent neutral red was used as a counterstain. Abundant sympathetic fibers
      were demonstrable around the blood vessels of the medulla and capsule. However,
      few sympathetic fibers were found around the vessels of the subepithelial
      connective tissue and interfollicular septa. In the areas of the follicle and
      extrafollicle where B and T lymphocytes were located, sympathetic fibers were not
      found. These findings indicate that if sympathetic innervation can affect T and B
      cells, it will do so indirectly. Results also show that there is a higher
      norepinephrine content in focally infected tonsils that is not due to
      hyperactivity of the sympathetic nerve, but may be due to other mechanisms.
      Finally surgical dissection at the capsule during tonsillectomy will reduce
      bleeding, perhaps because vessels there have an abundant sympathetic innervation
      that leads to good vessel contraction.

PMID- 1418947
TI  - Induction of transformation of human respiratory epithelium in vitro. Preliminary
      investigation.
AB  - Malignancy is the result of multistep transformational changes of normal somatic
      cells. In the case of respiratory epithelial malignancies this process lasts for
      several years. Many methods have been explored to mimic this process in an
      extracorporal model. In the present investigation we combined several of these
      methods. Organ cultures were prepared from tracheal specimens and were then
      consecutively treated with human papilloma virus, benzo(a)pyrene,
      methylnitronitrosoguanine and tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate. Identical numbers of
      organ cultures from the same specimen were maintained without exposure to
      carcinogens. After 6 weeks these cultures were further cultivated either in mixed
      cultures (MC) with autologous isotopic fibroblasts or under the kidney capsule of
      the nude mouse (SRC). These two methods were combined after a few months: MC
      cells were transplanted under the SRC or SRC transplants were explanted in cell
      culture. This long-term selection procedure revealed striking differences between
      control and treated organ cultures. Three-dimensional structures containing
      epithelial cells were isolated from both organ cultures but survived more than 3
      months only from treated cultures. Only MC from treated organ cultures produced
      nodules under SRC. The incidence and morphology of the nodules in the SRC were
      directly related to carcinogen treatment, with more nodules with pronounced
      epithelial cell atypia obtained from treated organ cultures. MC and SRC showed
      the importance of a time factor for selecting cells with changed growth behavior-
      increased time increased the incidence of such cells.

PMID- 1418948
TI  - Clinical experience with the low-resistance Groningen button.
AB  - Since its introduction in 1980, the standard Groningen button prosthesis has been
      of proven value for post-laryngectomy voice rehabilitation. Its relatively high
      airflow resistance has, however, been the cause of failure in achieving good post
      laryngectomy tracheoesophageal shunt speech in some patients. The low-resistance
      Groningen button (LRGB) was therefore designed, thus reducing airflow resistance
      by 50% when compared to the standard device. The clinical performance of the
      LRGB, and the effect of prophylactic amphotericin, was assessed in 32 patients.
      The device lifetime, intratracheal phonatory pressures and patients' subjective
      acceptances of the prosthesis were recorded. Present findings showed that the
      majority of the patients preferred the LRGB as it required less effort to operate
      than the standard device. The intra-tracheal phonatory pressure was found to
      increase with time, but this change was prevented with the prophylactic use of
      amphotericin to inhibit concurrent colonization by Candida spp, which also helped
      to prolong the prosthesis lifetime.

PMID- 1418949
TI  - Hepatic regulation of renal function.
AB  - Despite apparently conflicting reports in the past, the bulk of evidence
      presently available points to a significant role for the liver in the regulation
      of renal function. Hepatic regulation of renal function may involve both a
      hepatorenal reflex and a liver-borne diuretic factor (LBDF and/or
      'glomerulopressin'). The hepatorenal reflex is elicited by an increase in
      intrahepatic pressure, and/or certain amino acids in portal venous blood. It is
      transmitted by serotonin in the liver and presumably by noradrenaline in the
      kidney. It leads to a marked decrease in renal blood flow, glomerular filtration
      and urinary flow rate. The evidence for the LBDF is still circumstantial. The
      LBDF may be stimulated by glucagon and adenosine. It leads to a marked increase
      of renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate and urinary output. Amongst the
      conditions presumed to be associated with altered hepatic regulation of renal
      function are postprandial hyperfiltration, and the deterioration of renal
      function which occurs in liver disease, cardiac insufficiency and cardiovascular
      shock.

PMID- 1418950
TI  - Position sense at the proximal interphalangeal joint is distorted in patients
      with rheumatoid arthritis of finger joints.
AB  - The results of this investigation demonstrate, using a position matching
      paradigm, that the ability of subjects to detect changes in the position of the
      proximal interphalangeal joint is impaired in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
      affecting this joint. In this group there is a systematic flexion bias in
      position judgements compared to an age- and sex-matched control group. This bias
      becomes progressively more pronounced at more extended positions. These results
      suggest that chronic inflammatory joint disease significantly alters
      proprioceptive sensations at finger joints and this may be due to the loss or
      distortion of afferent feedback from mechanoreceptors innervating the affected
      joint.

PMID- 1418951
TI  - A study of the expression of laminin in the spinal cord of the frog during
      development and regeneration.
AB  - In the present experiments, we have used an affinity-purified polyclonal antibody
      to laminin to determine the time course of expression of laminin in the central
      nervous system (CNS) of Rana temporaria tadpoles during normal development and
      during restoration of the dorsal columns of the spinal cord. Immunoblotting
      analysis indicated that in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) of adult frogs the
      antibody recognized proteins of molecular weights 350-400 and 205-220 kDa,
      corresponding to the A and B chains respectively of mammalian laminin.
      Immunohistochemistry with our antibody suggested that laminin was absent from the
      tadpole spinal cord, and did not appear even in the basal lamina of the blood
      vessels within the spinal cord until after metamorphosis. Furthermore, there was
      no evidence of laminin expression in the dorsal columns after hemisection of the
      spinal cord. However, throughout development laminin was present in basal lamina
      outside the CNS, in particular in the pial membranes, and in the basal lamina of
      blood vessels and sheath cells in the dorsal and ventral roots. Electron
      microscopy showed that the blood vessels of CNS capillaries had basal laminae
      throughout development that was morphologically indistinguishable from that seen
      in peripheral vessels.

PMID- 1418952
TI  - The role of cholecystokinin in inhibition of gastric emptying by peptone in the
      rat.
AB  - It is clear that the intestinal hormone cholecystokinin (CCK) inhibits gastric
      emptying, but doubts remain about the physiological significance of this action.
      Evaluation of the apparently conflicting data is complicated by the fact that
      little is known of the duration of action of CCK-releasing meals in delaying
      emptying. We have studied this issue by following the emptying of the second of
      two successive liquid test meals instilled into the stomach in conscious gastric
      fistula rats. Prior administration of peptone, but not saline, delayed the
      emptying of subsequently administered saline and delayed still further the
      emptying of subsequently administered peptone. The action of isotonic peptone
      lasted about 10 min from the initial instillation into the stomach.
      Radioimmunoassay of plasma CCK indicated a significant increase 5 min after
      intragastric peptone, and a still further rise occurred 5 min after
      administration of the second of two consecutive peptone meals; 21 min after the
      first meal, plasma CCK had returned to basal levels. Intravenous infusion of CCK
      in a dose that matched the inhibition of gastric emptying caused by peptone gave
      plasma concentrations about 35% higher than those seen 5 min after the second of
      two consecutive peptone meals. It is concluded that a liquid test meal of peptone
      delays gastric emptying in part through release of CCK and that the response
      lasts 10 min or less. The relatively short duration of action of endogenous CCK
      released by a single protein-rich meal in the rat should be kept in mind in
      interpreting the significance of studies on the physiology of CCK.

PMID- 1418953
TI  - Interdigestive gastric blood flow: the relation to motor and secretory activities
      in conscious dogs.
AB  - Blood flow in the left gastric artery was measured with an electromagnetic
      flowmeter in nine conscious beagle dogs. In the fasting state gastric motility
      and secretion exhibited periodical changes with an average cycle interval of
      115.4 +/- 9.7 min. During a quiescent period, when gastric motility and secretion
      were minimal, the mean blood flow was stable at 33.9 +/- 3.8 ml/min. During the
      contracting phase each peristaltic contraction was coupled with a rapid fall and
      rise in blood flow (from 10.5 +/- 1.9 ml/min below to 21.2 +/- 3.8 ml/min above
      the precontraction levels) in 20-30 s. In addition there was a sustained
      elevation in blood flow (58.6 +/- 6.4 ml/min at the peak) lasting for 29.1 +/-
      2.8 min. The onset of sustained blood flow elevation was preceded by that of
      motility in 63% of the cycles. In 23% of the cycles blood flow started to rise
      before the contracting phase began. Pepsin peaks coincided with blood flow peaks
      in two dogs and preceded the latter in the others. Feeding abolished periodic
      increases in motility and blood flow. It is concluded that left gastric arterial
      blood flow is not steady but exhibits dynamic changes in phase with periodic
      motor and secretory activities of the stomach in fasting conscious dogs.

PMID- 1418954
TI  - Effect of cortisol on blood pressure and vascular reactivity in the ovine fetus.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate the cardiovascular effects of exogenous
      cortisol in fetal sheep, (a) between 100 and 120 days of gestation when cortisol
      production is minimal and (b) after 130 days when endogenous plasma cortisol
      starts to rise. Chronically cannulated ovine fetuses (103-120 days, n = 9; 130
      137 days, n = 7), received sequentially a 24 h infusion of vehicle (0.9% sodium
      chloride) and a 24 h infusion of cortisol at 100 micrograms/h. Blood pressure and
      heart rate changes to bolus injections each of angiotensin II and noradrenaline
      (0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 micrograms) were measured before and after the saline and
      cortisol infusions. Fetuses in each age group, served as additional controls
      receiving 48 h saline infusions. In both immature and mature age groups, the
      cortisol infusion increased basal fetal blood cortisol concentrations by 33.7 and
      35.4 nmol/l respectively. In the immature group, cortisol, but not saline, caused
      significant 14.3 and 15.3% increases in basal systolic and diastolic pressures
      respectively. Basal blood pressure was higher in the mature group, but did not
      increase further despite the increase in cortisol levels. Furthermore, vascular
      responsiveness to angiotensin II but not to noradrenaline was significantly
      enhanced following the cortisol infusion, at both ages. Fetal heart rate did not
      change following the cortisol infusion. Exogenous cortisol contributes to the
      regulation of fetal blood pressure in the immature fetus, when other mechanisms
      have not developed. Cortisol might achieve this, in part, by enhancing vascular
      sensitivity to angiotensin II.

PMID- 1418955
TI  - Myoplasmic Mg2+ concentration in Xenopus muscle fibres at rest, during fatigue
      and during metabolic blockade.
AB  - Intracellular free Mg2+ concentration ([Mg2+]i) was measured in isolated single
      fibres of Xenopus muscle using the fluorescent Mg2+ indicator furaptra. In
      resting muscle the [Mg2+]i was 1.7 mM in a Mg(2+)-free Ringer solution. There was
      no significant change in [Mg2+]i over 2 h in Mg(2+)-free Ringer solution.
      Elevating extracellular [Mg2+] to 40 mM for 5 min caused a small rise (0.13 mM)
      in [Mg2+]i. There was no detectable rise in [Mg2+]i after 5 min in Na(+)-free
      Ringer solution. These results suggest that the membrane is relatively
      impermeable to Mg2+ and that there was no detectable Na(+)-Mg2+ exchange over 5
      min. When muscle fibres were fatigued by repeated tetani continued until force
      declined to about 40% of control, [Mg2+]i showed characteristic changes. During
      the early period of fatigue when force first showed a small decline and then
      became almost stable, [Mg2+]i was unchanged; during the final period of fatigue
      when force declined more rapidly, [Mg2+]i increased by 0.8 mM. Recovery of
      [Mg2+]i took about 30 min. Recovery of force was complex: tetanic force first
      declined (post-contractile depression) and then slowly recovered to control.
      Since the minimum force occurred at about the time when [Mg2+]i had recovered, it
      seems unlikely that post-contractile depression is caused by elevated [Mg2+]i.
      Rigor, produced by inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis, was
      associated with a larger increase (1.6 mM) in [Mg2+]i than fatigue. The rise in
      [Mg2+]i during fatigue and metabolic blockade could be explained as release of
      Mg2+ normally bound to ATP. A model of the metabolic changes and the resulting
      increase in [Mg2+]i explains our results reasonably well.

PMID- 1418956
TI  - Electrical resistances of cultured bovine arterial endothelium in solutions of
      various resistivities.
AB  - Relationships between the electrical resistance (Rm) of cultured endothelium and
      the resistivity (rho) of the bathing solution have been investigated, using eight
      monolayers of bovine arterial endothelium. Bathing solutions of differing rho
      were prepared by mixing culture medium and isosmolar (290 mM) sucrose in various
      proportions. Relationships between 1/Rm and 1/rho were linear, as predicted, with
      a mean 1/Rm intercept of zero. The slopes of the relationships give a mean
      fractional area per unit path length (Ap/delta chi) of 12.7 cm-1 for the
      paracellular pathways of the cultured endothelium. This resembles previous
      estimates of Ap/delta chi for mammalian endothelium in arteries. The 1/Rm
      intercept of zero indicates that the major electrical conducting pathways of
      cultured arterial endothelium are paracellular.

PMID- 1418957
TI  - The protective effect of damaging eccentric exercise against repeated bouts of
      exercise in the mouse tibialis anterior muscle.
AB  - Using a damaging eccentric exercise regime of the mouse tibialis anterior (TA)
      muscle we have investigated the extent and time course of protection afforded by
      one bout of exercise against damage resulting from a second bout of activity.
      Maximal force and fibre morphology were preserved if the exercise was repeated
      within 21 days, but by 84 days muscles once again became susceptible to damage.
      Low-frequency force loss had a shorter time course of protection against repeated
      exercise, lasting less than 21 days. The results provide evidence for different
      mechanisms contributing to the development of muscle damage following eccentric
      exercise and provide a basis for characterizing the adaptive response of muscle
      to damaging exercise.

PMID- 1418958
TI  - Intracerebroventricular angiotensin II-induced thirst and sodium appetite in rat
      are blocked by the AT1 receptor antagonist, Losartan (DuP 753), but not by the
      AT2 antagonist, CGP 42112B.
AB  - In the rat, intakes of water and 1.8% NaCl induced by I.C.V. angiotensin II were
      inhibited by prior I.C.V. injection of the angiotensin subtype 1 receptor
      antagonist, Losartan, but not by the subtype 2 receptor antagonist, CGP 42112B.
      Drinking induced by I.C.V. carbachol was unaffected by either antagonist.

PMID- 1418959
TI  - An investigation into the extent to which flare in human skin crosses the mid
      line.
AB  - We investigated whether flare crossed the mid-line in various positions in humans
      using laser Doppler flowmetry to confirm visual observations. On the back and
      forehead, flare crossed the mid-line. However, on the posterior part of the neck,
      flare did not cross the mid-line, an observation that may be related to the
      elongated shape of flare in this region.

PMID- 1418960
TI  - Precise and efficient construction of synthetic genes.

PMID- 1418961
TI  - PCR primers specific for detection of a rat repetitive sequence.

PMID- 1418962
TI  - A fast and simple technique for sequencing plasmid DNA with Sequenase using heat
      denaturation.

PMID- 1418963
TI  - Purification of the two strands of a DNA fragment by polyethylene glycol
      precipitation.

PMID- 1418964
TI  - Purification of nucleic acids by filtration through a hydrophobic membrane.

PMID- 1418965
TI  - Ultrafast plasmid DNA preparation for rapid transformation.

PMID- 1418966
TI  - Optimized assays for quantifying transient expressions of co-transfected beta
      galactosidase and CAT reporter genes.

PMID- 1418967
TI  - Thiols interfere with chloramphenicol acetyltransferase assays.

PMID- 1418968
TI  - Simple modifications of a protein immunoblotting protocol to reduce nonspecific
      background.

PMID- 1418969
TI  - Rapid immunological screening for protein expression in yeast transformants.

PMID- 1418970
TI  - A simple method of plasmid transformation of E. coli by rapid freezing.

PMID- 1418971
TI  - Cloning of integration sites of retroviruses bearing drug resistance markers.

PMID- 1418972
TI  - Whole mount in situ detection of low abundance transcripts of the myogenic factor
      qmf1 and myosin heavy chain protein in quail embryos.
AB  - We describe a whole mount in situ hybridization procedure to detect and localize
      low abundance transcripts (qmf1) and myosin heavy chain proteins in quail
      embryos. The critical factor in transcript detection was the extent of proteinase
      K digestion. Optimal digestion increased probe accessibility and reduced
      background. The use of digoxigenin-labeled probes and immunological detection
      with anti-digoxigenin-alkaline phosphatase conjugated antibody allowed signal
      development in 6-10 h, unlike the 7 days required using 35S-labeled probes.
      Myosin heavy chain proteins were detected using immunofluorescence and confocal
      laser scanning microscopy to allow precise localization of signal within
      developing embryos.

PMID- 1418973
TI  - Single-cell cDNA-PCR: removal of contaminating genomic DNA from total RNA using
      immobilized DNase I.
AB  - A procedure utilizing immobilized DNase I that allows the efficient amplification
      of cDNA by PCR from a single cell in the absence of contaminating genomic DNA is
      described. DNase I treated, total RNA derived from single cells was reverse
      transcribed into cDNA followed by PCR using beta-actin and c-fos specific primers
      that recognize different exons of the respective genes. Amplification products
      corresponding to cDNA, but not to genomic sequences, were detected after
      treatment with immobilized DNase I in samples previously shown to be contaminated
      with genomic DNA. This method allows the efficient removal of DNA contaminating
      total RNA derived from a single cell.

PMID- 1418974
TI  - A simple and rapid method for screening transformant yeast colonies using PCR.
AB  - A simple and rapid procedure for screening transformant yeast colonies is
      described. In this method, a trace amount of plasmid DNA is isolated from a small
      amount of yeast cell mass; then, the presence of the exogenous DNA in each yeast
      colony is detected by PCR amplification.

PMID- 1418975
TI  - DNA elution and amplification by polymerase chain reaction from dried blood
      spots.
AB  - A quick, sensitive and easily automatizable method for PCR amplification of
      genomic DNA eluted from dried blood spots is described. DNA is eluted from a 3-mm
      spot routinely used for neonatal screening of inherited diseases either by
      boiling or by sonication. A preliminary and brief spot-autoclaving step is
      mandatory to ensure optimal and reproducible PCR amplifications. Only 1% of the
      eluted DNA is required for PCR analysis allowing the execution of multiple
      genetic tests on the same blood spot. The method has been successfully applied to
      the detection of a known phenylketonuria-causing mutation and will facilitate the
      analysis of the genetic repository provided by Guthrie's cards stored in neonatal
      screening laboratories.

PMID- 1418976
TI  - Periodic acid/Schiff staining of glycoproteins immobilized on a blotting matrix.
AB  - A simple and sensitive method for the detection of glycoproteins and
      glycopeptides in solution and in polyacrylamide gels is described. This method
      combines the well-known periodic acid/Schiff stain with protein blotting.
      Compared with direct staining of a polyacrylamide gel, the sensitivity is
      considerably increased. Using a set of glycoproteins, we have found the
      sensitivity to be about 4 ng carbohydrate.

PMID- 1418977
TI  - A visual method for rapid screening of xylose-fermenting ethanolic strains of
      Klebsiella pneumoniae.
AB  - A simple and rapid screening method for selecting hyper-ethanolic strains of
      Klebsiella pneumoniae is described. The method involves a novel biological
      screening marker, namely, the yeast Candida ethanothermophilum. The screening
      marker was seeded on an agar plate to the surface of which agar blocks, each
      containing a colony of K. pneumoniae, were subsequently fixed. This seeded plate
      lacked sources of carbon and energy. Ethanol formed in the agar blocks by the K.
      pneumoniae colonies diffused into the seeded medium and served as a carbon and
      energy source for the ethanotrophic yeasts. Colonies of yeasts appeared around
      the agar blocks in regions of ethanolic diffusion. Hyper-ethanolic strains of K.
      pneumoniae were thus selected on the basis of the number of colonies of the
      screening marker that appeared around the blocks containing the ethanolic
      colonies of K. pneumoniae.

PMID- 1418978
TI  - Production of recombinant porcine tumor necrosis factor alpha in a novel E. coli
      expression system.
AB  - DNA sequences encoding porcine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) were
      reconstructed from a genomic-derived PCR product for expression in Escherichia
      coli. A synthetic DNA primer containing most of exon III was fused to exon IV
      sequences by means of PCR. The fused product was then inserted into the novel
      FLAG vector by restriction and ligation. This initial recombinant construct was
      propagated in single-strand form through use of a helper phage and subjected to
      oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis for the purpose of introducing additional
      coding sequences from exons II and III. The final construct encoded a fusion
      protein consisting of the Omp-A signal peptide, a seven-amino acid FLAG peptide
      and the soluble form of porcine TNF alpha. Bacteria containing this construct
      produced a protein which was recognized by anti-FLAG monoclonal antibody in
      Western blots and which was purified by anti-FLAG immunoaffinity chromatography.
      The purified material was cleaved with enterokinase to remove the FLAG peptide.
      Both the enterokinase-cleaved form and the uncleaved form were shown to have TNF
      activity in a WEHI cell cytotoxicity assay.

PMID- 1418979
TI  - A PCR-based method for manipulation of the vaccinia virus genome that eliminates
      the need for cloning.
AB  - A general method is described for altering specific genes of vaccinia virus (VV).
      We demonstrate and evaluate the procedure by gene inactivation, using a dominant
      selectable marker in conjunction with recombinant polymerase chain reaction
      (PCR). Primers based on the sequence of the target gene enable amplification of
      flanking arms and their subsequent attachment to the gpt cassette that confers
      resistance to mycophenolic acid. Linear PCR constructs are transfected into cells
      infected with wild-type vaccinia virus. Mutant viruses with gpt inserted into the
      target gene by homologous recombination are then selected by growth in the
      presence of MPA. This technique was applied to the vaccinia virus thymidine
      kinase gene and compared to the traditional method of constructing gpt-containing
      plasmids by cloning. The PCR scheme was found to be highly efficient and could
      theoretically be used to insert any foreign DNA element into any nonessential
      target gene for which partial or complete sequence information is available. The
      procedure can potentially be used for a wide variety of genetic modifications,
      including the insertion of foreign genes, with poxviruses and other DNA viruses.
      Genomes of microorganisms, such as bacteria and yeast that can be transformed
      with linear DNA, are also candidates for manipulation by this methodology.

PMID- 1418980
TI  - A rapid and reliable method to create tandem arrays of short DNA sequences.
AB  - Tandemly polymerized regulatory elements, antisense RNA segments or ribozymes are
      potentially useful in selective gene silencing. However, existing methods of
      tandemly polymerizing short DNA segments are laborious. We present a procedure
      that can create cloned arrays of 40-70 monomer units in two steps. We have
      created long arrays of regulatory elements and potential ribozyme sequences.
      Silencing of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) activation by tandem arrays of
      a regulatory element in human immune system cells and in other human and monkey
      cells is discussed.

PMID- 1418981
TI  - Bacterial single-chain antibody fragments, specific for carcinoembryonic antigen.
AB  - We have produced single-chain antibody (scFv) fragments in bacteria specific for
      carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for the
      cloning and modification of the heavy and light variable regions (VH and VL) of
      the mouse monoclonal antibody (MAb) CB-CEA.1. A 14-amino acid linker was used in
      the synthesis of the scFv gene. The VH and VL regions were amplified from cDNA by
      PCR using 5' end FR1 and 3' end constant region primers, and then sequenced. VH
      was then amplified by PCR using an exact 5' end FR1 primer, and a phosphorylated
      (PP) 3' end primer for J2 that also encoded the first 7 amino acids of the
      linker. VL was amplified with a PP 5' end primer for FR1, also encoding the
      remaining 7 amino acids of the linker, and a 3' end primer for J5, plus a stop
      codon and a BglII restriction site. The fragments were ligated and reamplified
      with the PP VH 5' and VL 3' end primers. The VH-linker-VL structure was blunt
      cloned into expression vectors bearing the tryptophan promoter and pelB or ompA
      signal peptide sequences. Culture supernatant, bacteria pellet and periplasm
      preparations were assayed in Western blot and a protein of about 27 kDa was
      identified with rabbit antibodies specific for the Fab of CB-CEA.1. Bacterial
      supernatant and periplasm preparations also inhibited the recognition of CEA by
      HRP-labeled CB-CEA.1 in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Periplasm
      preparations were purified by affinity chromatography with specific anti
      idiotypic MAbs. The Western blot of the eluates identified a protein of
      approximately 27 kDa that blocked the recognition of CEA by HRP-labeled CB-CEA.1
      in ELISA. The VH-linker-VL structure was cloned into a vector bearing the lacZ
      promoter and the pelB signal peptide. The recombinant bacterial clones also
      expressed about 27 kDa scFv, specific for CEA.

PMID- 1418982
TI  - Cyclin B in fish oocytes: its cDNA and amino acid sequences, appearance during
      maturation, and induction of p34cdc2 activation.
AB  - Under the influence of maturation-inducing hormone (MIH) secreted from follicle
      cells, oocyte maturation is finally triggered by maturation-promoting factor
      (MPF), which consists of a homolog of the cdc2+ gene product of fission yeast
      (p34cdc2) and cyclin B. Two species of cyclin B clones were isolated from a cDNA
      library constructed from mature goldfish oocytes. Sequence comparisons revealed
      that these two clones are highly homologous (95%) and were found to be similar to
      Xenopus cyclin B1. Using monoclonal antibodies against Escherichia coli-produced
      goldfish cyclin B and the PSTAIR sequence of p34cdc2, we examined the levels of
      cyclin B and p34cdc2 proteins during goldfish oocyte maturation induced in vitro
      by 17 alpha, 20 beta-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17 alpha, 20 beta-DP), a natural
      MIH in fish. Protein p34cdc2 was found in immature oocyte extracts and did not
      remarkably change during oocyte maturation. Cyclin B was not detected in immature
      oocyte extracts and appeared when oocytes underwent germinal vesicle breakdown.
      Cyclin B that appeared during oocyte maturation was labelled with
      [35S]methionine, indicating its de novo synthesis. Introduction of E. coli
      produced cyclin B into immature oocyte extracts induced p34cdc2 (MPF) activation.
      Although the possibility that immature goldfish oocytes contain an insoluble
      cyclin B is not completely excluded, these results strongly suggest that 17
      alpha, 20 beta-DP induces oocytes to synthesize cyclin B, which in turn activates
      preexisting p34cdc2, forming active MPF.

PMID- 1418983
TI  - Unexpected position-dependent expression of H-2 and beta 2-microglobulin/lacZ
      transgenes.
AB  - In order to study sequences involved in the developmentally regulated and tissue
      specific expression of the class I Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes,
      we have constructed several H-2/lacZ transgenic lines in which the 5' regulatory
      sequences of the H-2Kb gene are linked to the Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase
      (lacZ) gene. In five H-2/lacZ lines, the pattern of lacZ expression, detected
      histochemically varied greatly from line to line. None of the H-2/lacZ transgenes
      were transcribed in cells normally expressing a high level of endogenous H-2
      molecules, although these H-2 regulatory sequences have been shown to be
      sufficient to drive tissue-specific expression of other reporter genes.
      Interestingly, when constructs containing 5' beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m)
      regulatory sequences linked to lacZ were used to derive transgenic lines, similar
      results were obtained. A survey of lacZ labeling in H-2/lacZ and beta 2m/lacZ
      transgenic mice strongly suggests that these transgenes are very sensitive to
      position effect, lacZ expression being controlled by endogenous chromosomal
      regulatory elements specific for each insertion site. Here we describe the
      complex pattern of lacZ expression in the different transgenic lines during
      development; we discuss the unusual properties of these transgenes and underline
      their potential use for developmental studies and characterization of genomic
      sequences involved in spatiotemporal gene expression.

PMID- 1418984
TI  - Secretion of bovine alpha-lactalbumin into the milk of transgenic rats.
AB  - Bovine alpha-lactalbumin (b alpha LA) gene prepared by polymerase chain reaction
      was introduced into rat genomes by microinjection. Out of 17 transgenic rat
      lines, 11 secreted b alpha LA into their milk at concentrations higher than 0.2
      micrograms/ml. Of these, three lines secreted b alpha LA at concentrations higher
      than those in bovine milk. The highest concentration of b alpha LA secreted into
      rat milk was 2,400 micrograms/ml.

PMID- 1418985
TI  - Purification and partial characterization of the 17 kDa sperm coating protein
      from boar seminal plasma.
AB  - Sperm coating proteins of 16, 17, and 19 kDa have been purified from boar seminal
      plasma. The 17 kDa protein has been identified as an antigen recognized by
      monoclonal antibody ACR.3 and is thus identical to low molecular mass zona
      pellucida binding protein from boar spermatozoa (Moos et al., 1990). The 17 and
      19 kDa proteins are glycosylated and tend to form hetero-complexes. The 17 kDa
      ACR.3 antigen is sequentially released from the sperm cell surface during
      capacitation and, after induction of the acrosome reaction, the 16 kDa form was
      also observed. Immunocytochemical studies on boar reproductive tissues have
      suggested that the seminal vesicle epithelium may be the source of these
      proteins.

PMID- 1418986
TI  - F-actin in guinea pig spermatozoa: its role in calmodulin translocation during
      acrosome reaction.
AB  - The presence of actin has been determined in mammalian spermatozoa. However, its
      function in these cells is still almost unknown. Only in boar spermatozoa has
      evidence for F-actin and a possible function for it been presented. In this work,
      actin distribution and F-actin were determined in uncapacitated, capacitated, and
      acrosomal-reacted guinea pig spermatozoa, by means of monoclonal and polyclonal
      antibodies, using an indirect immunoperoxidase technique, and by the use of
      rhodamine-phalloidin. With the last probe we found filamentous actin in these
      cells. By both techniques, actin was detected in the acrosome and in the entire
      tail. In some cells with acrosomal reaction, actin was also detected in the
      equatorial and in the postacrosomal regions. SDS-PAGE and Western blots
      immunostained with monoclonal and polyclonal anti-actin antibodies confirmed the
      presence of actin in extracts of guinea pig spermatozoa. Actin was also detected
      in preparations of Percoll-purified spermatozoa. We have communicated that guinea
      pig spermatozoa show a change on calmodulin location during the acrosome
      reaction. They present it first in the equatorial region and later in the
      postacrosomal region. To determine if F-actin participates in this calmodulin
      translocation, we studied the effect of cytochalasin D. It was found that the
      number of cells with calmodulin in the equatorial region increased in the
      presence of cytochalasin D while the number of cells with calmodulin in the
      postacrosomal region decreased. We also found that after cytochalasin D treatment
      acrosome loss was increased and sperm motility was slightly inhibited. Our
      results suggest that actin participate in calmodulin translocation to the
      postacrosomal region during acrosome reaction, in maintaining the acrosome
      structure, and perhaps also in sperm motility.

PMID- 1418987
TI  - Porcine oocyte zona pellucida M(r) 55,000 glycoproteins: identification of O
      glycosylated domains.
AB  - The distribution of O-linked oligosaccharides on the M(r) 55,000 glycoproteins,
      ZP3 alpha and ZP3 beta, of the porcine oocyte zona pellucida was examined.
      Purified preparations of endo-beta-galactosidase digested ZP3 alpha and ZP3 beta
      were reduced and carboxamidomethylated and digested with trypsin. When the
      trypsin digests were mapped by HPLC, each glycoprotein yielded only one N
      acetylgalactosamine containing glycopeptide. Purification of the O-glycopeptides
      was achieved by a two-step protocol. Tryptic digests were applied to jacalin
      agarose and specifically-bound O-glycopeptides (alpha OGP and beta OGP) were
      eluted with buffer containing 50 mM alpha-methylgalactoside as the haptenic
      sugar. Further purification of each O-glycopeptide was accomplished by reverse
      phase HPLC. Purified O-glycopeptides were characterized with respect to amino
      acid and carbohydrate compositions and sequenced by automated Edman degradation;
      alpha OGP was a 41-residue glycopeptide with three O-linked sugar chains.
      Sequence comparisons revealed a 75% identity between alpha OGP and a
      corresponding segment of rabbit rec55 zona protein; beta OGP was a 25-residue
      glycopeptide characterized by the presence of one N-linked and five O-linked
      sugar chains and a trypsin-resistant internal arginine residue. Sequence
      alignments revealed an 80% or greater identity between beta OGP and internal
      peptides of mouse, hamster and human ZP3 zona proteins. These studies demonstrate
      that in the case of ZP3 alpha and ZP3 beta, the pig homologues of rabbit rec55
      and mouse ZP3, respectively, O-linked oligosaccharides are confined within
      delimited domains rather than widely dispersed on the polypeptide backbone. Such
      clustering of O-linked oligosaccharides may represent an essential determinant of
      the structure and biological activity of zona proteins.

PMID- 1418988
TI  - Detection of chromosome 17- and X-bearing human spermatozoa using fluorescence in
      situ hybridization.
AB  - Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with DNA probes specific to chromosomes
      17 and the X has been applied to human ejaculated sperm. After sperm nuclei were
      decondensed with EDTA and DTT, biotinylated alpha satellite DNA probes TR17 and
      TRX were separately used on preparations from thirteen healthy donors. After
      hybridization 96% of sperm were labelled with the TR17 probe and 48% of sperm
      were labelled with the TRX probe. Frequencies of 0.33% disomic 17 and 0.29%
      disomic X sperm were found. The frequencies of diploid sperm were assessed as
      0.37% using the TR17 probe and 0.20% using the TRX probe which labelled only one
      half of the sperm; after correcting the result from the X-probe to 0.40% the two
      frequencies are very similar.

PMID- 1418989
TI  - Structural changes in sperm from the fiddler crab, Uca tangeri (Crustacea,
      Brachyura), during the acrosome reaction.
AB  - The acrosome reaction (AR) was induced in sperm from the brachyuran crustacean
      Uca tangeri either by mixing male and female gametes in filtered seawater or by
      treating the spermatozoa with the divalent cation ionophore A23187. This latter
      method provided a sufficient number of reacted spermatozoa to allow a detailed
      ultrastructural study of the AR. The process consists of two separate phases: a)
      initial release of the acrosomal vesicle contents, and b) further elongation of
      the acrosomal filament, which causes reversal of the rigid capsule limiting the
      acrosomal vesicle contents. The elongate acrosomal filament consists of an apical
      perforatorium and a basal columnar structure called here the proximal piece. The
      former derives from the perforatorium of the uninduced sperm stage with only
      small ultrastructural changes. The proximal piece forms from myelin-like membrane
      layers which are initially distributed all around the subacrosomal region and
      then accumulate in a column at the perforatorial base, thus promoting a sudden
      forward projection of the perforatorium. The AR in brachyurans is thought to be a
      passive mechanism that utilizes the negative pressure exerted on the nucleus-
      caused by emptying of the acrosomal vesicle--for an organized accumulation of
      membrane-rich material immediately behind the perforatorium, with the final
      result of the raising of a 3 microns long acrosomal filament.

PMID- 1418990
TI  - A freezing and thawing method of hamster oocytes designed for both the
      penetration test and chromosome assay of human spermatozoa.
AB  - Superovulated hamster oocytes were cryopreserved and thawed according to our
      carefully designed procedures. More than 90% (92 +/- 4%) of oocytes survived
      freezing and thawing. They were proven to be well conserved, showing excellent
      performance comparable to freshly ovulated oocytes in the human sperm penetration
      test (proportion of penetrated ova: 94.7% vs. 93.6%) and human sperm chromosome
      analysis (proportion of metaphasic ova: 81.8% vs. 83.6%). There was no
      statistically significant difference in the incidences of sperm chromosome
      aberrations between assays using fresh and frozen-thawed oocytes. In addition,
      there was no statistically significant increase of aberrations in female
      pronuclear (hamster) chromosomes. This freezing-thawing method was found to be
      reliable, yielding viable hamster oocytes of high quality.

PMID- 1418991
TI  - Vitrification of mouse oocytes using short cryoprotectant exposure: effects of
      varying exposure times on survival.
AB  - The effects on oocyte viability of varying the duration of exposure to
      cryoprotectants before rapid cooling to -196 degrees C were examined, using the
      vitrification protocol of Nakagata. A very short exposure (15 sec) was found to
      be optimal, resulting in an overall rate of development from vitrified oocytes to
      hatching blastocysts of 31.8%. Very high rates of survival (77-89%) of oocytes
      exposed to the cryoprotectant media, but without the vitrification, together with
      extreme variability in results between straws in the vitrified groups, suggest
      that losses in viability during vitrification may result from ice damage during
      devitrification of the medium.

PMID- 1418992
TI  - Behavior of sperm nuclei incorporated into parthenogenetic mouse eggs prior to
      the first cleavage division.
AB  - When artificially activated mouse eggs are inseminated in the middle of the first
      cell cycle, sperm nuclei remain condensed until the first mitosis. During mitosis
      of the first cleavage division sperm nuclei decondense, subsequently recondense
      and are passively displaced to the daughter blastomeres. In the 2-cell embryos
      sperm nuclei form interphase nuclei which are able to replicate DNA and to
      condense into discrete chromosomes during the following mitotic division. These
      observations suggest that the mitotic cytoplasm of 1-cell embryos creates similar
      conditions for the transformation of sperm nuclei into male pronuclei as the
      cytoplasm of metaphase II oocytes.

PMID- 1418993
TI  - A study by in situ hybridization of the stage of appearance and disappearance of
      the transition protein 2 and the mitochondrial capsule seleno-protein mRNAs
      during spermatogenesis in the mouse.
AB  - Transition protein 2 is a basic chromosomal protein which functions as an
      intermediate in the replacement of histones by protamines, and the mitochondrial
      capsule seleno-protein is a constituent of the outer membrane of mitochondria
      which functions in constructing the mitochondrial sheath surrounding the
      flagellum. To determine precisely the stages in spermatogenesis when these mRNAs
      are present, paraffin sections of sexually mature testes were hybridized to 35S-
      and 3H-labeled antisense RNAs and exposed to autoradiographic emulsion. The cell
      types hybridizing to probes in situ were determined by staining with hematoxylin
      and periodic acid Schiff. The in situ hybridizations reveal that the transition
      protein 2 mRNA is first detectable in step 7 round spermatids, persists at high
      levels through step 13, and is degraded before step 14. By contrast, the
      mitochondrial capsule seleno-protein mRNA is first detected in step 3 round
      spermatids and persists at high levels until step 16, the end of spermiogenesis.
      The mitochondrial capsule seleno-protein mRNA appears to be expressed only in
      haploid cells since low levels could not be detected in Northern blots of RNA
      from pachytene primary spermatocytes from 18 day prepubertal mice. These results
      demonstrate that the transition protein 2 and mitochondrial capsule seleno
      protein mRNAs are transcribed and degraded at different times during the haploid
      phase of spermatogenesis.

PMID- 1418994
TI  - Protein dynamics in sperm membranes: implications for sperm function during
      gamete interaction.
AB  - A number of mammalian sperm plasma membrane antigens have been implicated as
      playing a functional role in sperm-egg interaction, by virtue of the fact that
      antibodies against these antigens interfere with fertilization. Two such mouse
      sperm plasma membrane antigens are M42, a 200/220 kD glycoprotein doublet, and
      M5, a 150-160 kD glycoprotein. We show that both of these antigens are
      concentrated on the posterior region of caudal epididymal and capacitated mouse
      sperm heads and are relatively diffusible, as determined by fluorescence recovery
      after photobleaching measurements (D = 3-8 x 10(-9) cm2/s with approximately 23%
      diffusing). Crosslinking of these antigens with bivalent antibodies causes them
      to redistribute into the anterior region (acrosomal crescent) of the sperm head.
      In contrast, we describe a third antigen, P220, which is also localized to the
      posterior region of the sperm head on caudal epididymal sperm but which exhibits
      very little diffusion and does not redistribute upon crosslinking. Bivalent anti
      M42 blocks the ZP3-induced acrosome reaction. We have found that monovalent Fab
      fragments of anti-M42 do not block the ZP3-induced acrosome reaction, but that
      inhibition is restored by addition of a second antibody which crosslinks the
      Fabs. Thus, crosslinking is required for both inhibition of the acrosome reaction
      and redistribution. This suggests that redistribution of antigen away from the
      posterior region of the head may be part of the mechanism of inhibition of the
      ZP3-induced acrosome reaction.

PMID- 1418995
TI  - castor encodes a novel zinc finger protein required for the development of a
      subset of CNS neurons in Drosophila.
AB  - Using an enhancer detection screen, we have identified castor, a new gene
      required for embryonic CNS development in Drosophila. Embryos that lack castor
      expression have a diminished CNS axonal network and express engrailed aberrantly
      late in CNS development. castor is unique among the previously described genes
      involved in Drosophila neurogenesis in that its expression is restricted to a
      subset of delaminated CNS neuroblasts and to ventral midline glial precursor
      cells. The putative castor gene product contains a novel zinc-binding domain and
      multiple transcriptional activation domains, suggesting that it acts as a
      transcription factor necessary for the development of a subset of CNS neuronal
      precursors.

PMID- 1418996
TI  - Intracellular movements of fluorescently labeled synaptic vesicles in frog motor
      nerve terminals during nerve stimulation.
AB  - We stained synaptic vesicles in frog motor nerve terminals with FM1-43 and
      studied changes in the shape and position of vesicle clusters during nerve
      stimulation. Each stained vesicle cluster appeared as a fluorescent spot. During
      repetitive nerve stimulation the spots gradually dimmed, most without changing
      shape or position. Occasionally, however, a spot moved, appearing in some cases
      to stream toward and coalesce with a neighboring spot. This suggests the
      existence of translocation mechanisms that can actively move vesicles in a
      coordinated fashion between vesicle clusters. Within single clusters, we saw no
      signs of such directed vesicle movements. Fluorescent spots in terminals viewed
      from the side with a confocal microscope did not shrink toward the presynaptic
      membrane during nerve stimulation, but dimmed uniformly. This suggests that
      vesicles continuously mix within a cluster during destaining and provides no
      evidence of active vesicle translocators within single vesicle clusters for
      moving vesicles to the presynaptic membrane.

PMID- 1418997
TI  - Transgenic mice with a rhodopsin mutation (Pro23His): a mouse model of autosomal
      dominant retinitis pigmentosa.
AB  - We inserted into the germline of mice either a mutant or wild-type allele from a
      patient with retinitis pigmentosa and a missense mutation (P23H) in the rhodopsin
      gene. All three lines of transgenic mice with the mutant allele developed
      photoreceptor degeneration; the one with the least severe retinal photoreceptor
      degeneration had the lowest transgene expression, which was one-sixth the level
      of endogenous murine rod opsin. Of two lines of mice with the wild-type allele,
      one expressed approximately equal amounts of transgenic and murine opsin and
      maintained normal retinal function and structure. The other expressed
      approximately 5 times more transgenic than murine opsin and developed a retinal
      degeneration similar to that found in mice carrying a mutant allele, presumably
      due to the overexpression of this protein. Our findings help to establish the
      pathogenicity of mutant human P23H rod opsin and suggest that overexpression of
      wild-type human rod opsin leads to a remarkably similar photoreceptor
      degeneration.

PMID- 1418998
TI  - Fasciclin IV: sequence, expression, and function during growth cone guidance in
      the grasshopper embryo.
AB  - Monoclonal antibody 6F8 was used to characterize and clone fasciclin IV, a new
      axonal glycoprotein in the grasshopper, and to study its function during growth
      cone guidance. Fasciclin IV is dynamically expressed on a subset of axon pathways
      in the developing CNS and on circumferential bands of epithelial cells in
      developing limb buds. One of these bands corresponds to the location where the
      growth cones of the Ti1 pioneer neurons make a characteristic turn while
      extending toward the CNS. Embryos cultured in the 6F8 antibody or Fab exhibit
      aberrant formation of this axon pathway. cDNA sequence analysis suggests that
      fasciclin IV has a signal sequence; long extracellular, transmembrane, and short
      cytoplasmic domains; and shows no homology with any protein in the available data
      bases. Thus, fasciclin IV appears to be a novel integral membrane protein that
      functions in growth cone guidance.

PMID- 1418999
TI  - Single amino acid substitutions in EGF-like elements of Notch and Delta modify
      Drosophila development and affect cell adhesion in vitro.
AB  - Notch locus EGF-like element mutations spl, altering eye development, and AxE2,
      affecting wing and sensilla development, are modified by mutations at Delta. It
      is shown that two allele-specific suppressors of spl involve single amino acid
      substitutions in the 4th (Dlsup5) and 9th (Dlsup4) EGF-like elements of the Delta
      protein. Cultured cells producing spl or AxE2 aggregate with cells producing wild
      type Delta or Dlsup5 protein, and Dlsup5-producing cells adhere to cells
      producing wild-type Notch protein. However, spl,AxE2, and Dlsup5 are each
      defective in promoting these cell affinities, as none of the mutant proteins can
      compete with the corresponding wild-type proteins for formation of cell
      aggregates. Thus, widely separated EGF-like elements of Notch and Delta appear to
      participate in functional molecular interactions between the proteins. Dlsup5
      does not improve adhesiveness of spl in vitro, so suppression in vivo may involve
      altered developmental signaling by spl-Dlsup5 complexes, rather than modified
      cell adhesion.

PMID- 1419000
TI  - Subunit stoichiometry of a mammalian K+ channel determined by construction of
      multimeric cDNAs.
AB  - The subunit stoichiometry of the mammalian K+ channel KV1.1 (RCK1) was examined
      by linking together the coding sequences of 2-5 K+ channel subunits in a single
      open reading frame and tagging the expression of individual subunits with a
      mutation (Y379K or Y379R) that altered the sensitivity of the channel to block by
      external tetraethylammonium ion. Two lines of evidence argue that these
      constructs lead to K+ channel expression only through the formation of functional
      tetramers. First, currents expressed by tetrameric constructs containing a single
      mutant subunit have a sensitivity to tetraethylammonium that is well fitted by a
      single site binding isotherm. Second, a mutant subunit (Y379K) that expresses
      only as part of a heteromultimer contributes to the expression of functional
      channels when coexpressed with a trimeric construct but not a tetrameric
      construct.

PMID- 1419001
TI  - The rat brain postsynaptic density fraction contains a homolog of the Drosophila
      discs-large tumor suppressor protein.
AB  - In CNS synapses, the synaptic junctional complex with associated postsynaptic
      density is presumed to contain proteins responsible for adhesion between pre- and
      postsynaptic membranes and for postsynaptic signal transduction. We have found
      that a prominent, brain-specific protein (PSD-95) enriched in the postsynaptic
      density fraction from rat brain is highly similar to the Drosophila
      lethal(1)discs-large-1 (dlg) tumor suppressor protein. The dlg protein is
      associated with septate junctions in developing flies and contains a guanylate
      kinase domain that is required for normal control of cell division. The sequence
      similarity between dlg and PSD-95 suggests that molecular mechanisms critical for
      growth control in developing organisms may also regulate synapse formation,
      stabilization, or function in the adult brain.

PMID- 1419002
TI  - Disrupted cerebellar cortical development and progressive degeneration of
      Purkinje cells in SV40 T antigen transgenic mice.
AB  - SV40 T antigen (Tag) expression directed to cerebellar Purkinje cells resulted in
      the generation of three transgenic mouse lines that displayed ataxia, a
      neurological phenotype characteristic of cerebellar dysfunction. Onset of
      symptoms and cerebellar pathology, characterized by specific Purkinje cell
      degeneration, appeared to be directly dependent upon transgene copy number. The
      SV5 line (containing > 30 transgene copies), exhibited embryonic transgene
      expression that caused selective death of immature Purkinje cells and a
      subsequent block in cerebellar development and ataxia at 2 weeks. The
      developmental effect of the disruption of Purkinje cells in SV5 mice suggests
      that a normal complement of these cells is required for early development of the
      cerebellar cortex, especially granule cell proliferation and migration from
      external to internal layers. Transgene expression in a second line, SV4 (10
      copies), was detectable during the second postnatal week. Death of mature
      Purkinje cells in the SV4 line resulted in onset of ataxia at 9 weeks. Ataxia in
      a third line, SV6 (2 copies), was detected after 15 weeks. The distinct
      cerebellar phenotypes of the SV4-6 lines correlate with specific Tag-induced
      Purkinje cell ablation as opposed to tumorigenesis.

PMID- 1419003
TI  - Mechanisms underlying induction of homosynaptic long-term depression in area CA1
      of the hippocampus.
AB  - The mechanisms responsible for long-lasting, activity-dependent decreases in
      synaptic efficacy are not well understood. We have examined the initial steps
      required for the induction of long-term depression (LTD) in CA1 pyramidal cells
      by repetitive low frequency (1 Hz) synaptic stimulation. This form of LTD was
      synapse specific, was saturable, and required activation of post-synaptic NMDA
      receptors. Loading CA1 cells with the Ca2+ chelator BAPTA prevented LTD, whereas
      lowering extracellular Ca2+ resulted in the induction of LTD by stimulation that
      previously elicited long-term potentiation. Following LTD, synaptic strength
      could be increased to its original maximal level, indicating that LTD is
      reversible and not due to deterioration of individual synapses. Induction of
      homosynaptic LTD therefore requires an NMDA receptor-dependent change in
      postsynaptic Ca2+ which may be distinct from that required for long-term
      potentiation.

PMID- 1419004
TI  - Responses of retinal axons in vivo and in vitro to position-encoding molecules in
      the embryonic superior colliculus.
AB  - We show that rat retinal ganglion cell axons exhibit no topographic specificity
      in growth along the rostral-caudal axis of the embryonic superior colliculus
      (SC). Position-related, morphological differences are not found between temporal
      and nasal axon growth cones. However, embryonic retinal axons respond in vitro to
      a position-dependent molecular property of SC membranes. In vivo, regional
      specificity in side branching is the earliest indication that axons make
      topographic distinctions along the rostral-caudal SC axis. Our contrasting in
      vivo and in vitro results indicate that molecules encoding rostral-caudal
      position in the SC neither guide nor restrict retinal axon growth, but may
      promote the development of topographic connections by controlling specificity in
      the extension or stabilization of branches.

PMID- 1419005
TI  - Was Einthoven a 21st century visionary?

PMID- 1419006
TI  - Effects of three anesthetic induction techniques on heart rate variability.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of different clinical induction
      techniques on heart rate variability (HRV). DESIGN: Two studies are reported.
      Study 1 prospectively compared the effects of two induction techniques (etomidate
      vs. thiopental sodium) known to have widely disparate effects on cardiovascular
      reflexes. Study 2 specifically investigated whether the vagotonic effects of
      sufentanil cause an increase in vagally mediated HRV. SETTING: Elective surgery
      in a university-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: Study 1: 18 ASA physical status I
      patients having minor surgery; Study 2: 10 ASA physical status III and IV
      patients having cardiac surgery. INTERVENTIONS: In Study 1, anesthesia was
      induced with either etomidate 0.3 mg/kg or thiopental sodium 4 mg/kg with 60%
      nitrous oxide in oxygen. In Study 2, anesthesia was induced with a sufentanil
      infusion (total dose 2.9 +/- 0.2 micrograms/kg). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:
      The electrocardiogram-derived heart rate signal was subjected to power spectral
      analysis (similar to electroencephalographic analysis) to obtain measurements of
      (1) absolute HRV power [units of (beats per minute)2] within defined frequency
      ranges (HRVLO = power between 0 and 0.125 Hz; HRVHI = power between 0.126 and 0.5
      Hz; HRVTOT = HRVLO + HRVHI) and (2) normalized HRV power (the percentage of total
      power) within these same frequency ranges [e.g., %HRVHI = (HRVHI/HRVTOT) x 100%].
      In Study 1, both techniques caused large reductions in HRVTOT. The reduction
      caused by the thiopental sodium technique (-89% +/- 2%) significantly exceeded
      that caused by the etomidate technique (-58% +/- 13%, p less than 0.02). In Study
      2, sufentanil decreased absolute power measurements of vagally mediated HRV (-69
      +/- 12 change in HRVHI) but increased corresponding normalized measurements of
      vagally mediated HRV (90% +/- 30% increase in %HRVHI). CONCLUSIONS: In Study 1,
      the greater reduction in HRV with the thiopental sodium technique provides
      evidence that the depressant effects of anesthetics on HRV are related in part to
      their effects on cardiovascular reflexes. However, the significant depression in
      HRV caused by the etomidate technique suggests that mechanisms other than
      baroreflex depression (e.g., impaired consciousness) also are important in these
      depressant effects. In Study 2, the decrease in HRVHI caused by sufentanil
      documents that absolute power measurements of vagally mediated HRV are not
      correlated with changes in parasympathetic tone during a potent opioid induction.
      This lack of a correlation may result from the decrease in total HRV observed
      with loss of consciousness. The increase in %HRVHI suggests that normalized
      measurements of HRV may still provide an index of changes in sympathetic
      parasympathetic balance, even when total HRV is decreased following anesthetic
      administration.

PMID- 1419007
TI  - Epidural opioids during laminectomy surgery for postoperative pain.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine whether morphine applied directly to the dura
      during laminectomy surgery provides superior postoperative analgesia during the
      first 24 hours. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind study. SETTING: A university
      affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: Twenty ASA physical status I and II patients ages
      18 to 60 years. INTERVENTIONS: Simultaneous topical dural application and
      intramuscular (IM) injection of unknown solutions of saline and morphine 3 mg.
      MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Postoperative analgesia was assessed using the
      visual analog scale (VAS), a modified McGill-Melzack pain questionnaire,
      subjective nursing evaluations, and the amount of supplemental analgesic
      medication used. Patients were observed for complications and side effects.
      Compared with the patients who received epidural saline and IM morphine, the
      patients who received epidural morphine and IM saline had less postoperative pain
      as determined by VAS scores, nursing evaluations, and amount of supplemental
      opioid analgesic doses (1.6 +/- 1.2 vs. 4.1 +/- 1.2 analgesic doses per patient;
      p less than 0.05) required in the first 24 hours. Minor side effects were similar
      for the two groups. No patient developed respiratory depression. CONCLUSIONS:
      Morphine 3 mg applied topically to the dura at the end of laminectomy surgery is
      a simple, safe, and effective way of providing improved postoperative analgesia.

PMID- 1419008
TI  - Fentanyl-induced muscle rigidity as affected by pretreatment with amantadine
      hydrochloride.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the degree of muscle rigidity in humans
      caused by the administration of high-dose fentanyl is affected by pretreatment
      with amantadine hydrochloride, a drug that stimulates the release of dopamine in
      the basal ganglia. DESIGN: Randomized, observer-blinded comparison of regimes.
      SETTING: Inpatient surgery at a university-affiliated teaching hospital.
      PATIENTS: Sixteen patients scheduled for elective surgery in whom the
      administration of high-dose fentanyl was felt to be appropriate. INTERVENTIONS:
      Eight patients in the control group were given diazepam 5 mg orally 1 hour prior
      to induction of anesthesia. Eight patients in an experimental group were given
      the same dose of diazepam and also were treated with amantadine 1 g orally in
      divided doses over a period of 25 hours prior to their scheduled surgery. At the
      time of surgery, all patients were given fentanyl 50 micrograms/kg intravenously
      at a rate of 1 mg/min and were clinically evaluated for the degree of muscle
      rigidity of the chest wall, abdomen, and extremities. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN
      RESULTS: A single observer, blinded to the technique, evaluated and recorded the
      degree of muscle rigidity present in the chest wall, abdomen, and upper
      extremities immediately after administration of the fentanyl and 3 minutes later.
      The observer was the same individual in all instances. In no case did the muscle
      rigidity compromise our ability to adequately oxygenate the patient. CONCLUSIONS:
      Muscle rigidity associated with the administration of high-dose fentanyl is not
      attenuated by prior administration of amantadine in the dose range studied.

PMID- 1419009
TI  - The efficacy of intramuscular ketorolac in combination with intravenous PCA
      morphine for postoperative pain relief.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine the efficacy of intramuscular (IM) ketorolac used in
      combination with intravenous (IV) patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) morphine for
      postoperative pain relief following intra-abdominal gynecologic surgery. DESIGN:
      Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. SETTING: Patient care unit at
      a university medical center. PATIENTS: Thirty-five healthy women undergoing intra
      abdominal gynecologic surgery who requested postoperative PCA. INTERVENTIONS:
      Postoperatively, all patients received IV PCA morphine, with the PCA device
      programmed to deliver a maximum of 1 mg every 6 minutes (maximum of 30 mg over 4
      hours). In addition, patients received one of three regimens: (1) IM saline every
      6 hours; (2) IM ketorolac 30 mg while in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU),
      followed by 15 mg every 6 hours; or (3) IM ketorolac 60 mg while in the PACU,
      followed by 30 mg every 6 hours. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patients were
      assessed at regular intervals. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores were used to
      assess analgesia and patient satisfaction with therapy. Data on morphine usage
      were obtained from the PCA device, and the frequency and severity of adverse
      effects were assessed for the presence or absence of side effects. Cumulative
      morphine dosages were lower (p less than 0.05) in both ketorolac groups at 12,
      18, and 24 hours. VAS scores and the frequency of side effects did not differ
      significantly among groups. CONCLUSIONS: IM ketorolac significantly decreased PCA
      morphine requirements. The analgesic effects of the two drugs appear to be
      additive.

PMID- 1419010
TI  - Alkalinization of mepivacaine does not alter onset of caudal anesthesia.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of alkalinization of mepivacaine on
      onset of caudal anesthesia. DESIGN: Randomized, blind study. SETTING: Colon
      Rectal Surgery Service of the Tertiary Center at Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
      PATIENTS: Young, healthy adults undergoing anal surgery. INTERVENTIONS: Addition
      of bicarbonate (study group) or saline (control group) to mepivacaine.
      MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: At the onset of sacral anesthesia, demographics
      were measured. A slightly faster onset was found in the study group (4.28 vs.
      6.08 minutes), but this was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS:
      Alkalinization of mepivacaine does not significantly accelerate the onset of
      caudal anesthesia.

PMID- 1419011
TI  - Anesthesia rebreathing bags: physical characteristics and use as portable oxygen
      reservoirs.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine the physical characteristics of 3-liter anesthesia
      rebreathing bags and assess their use for oxygen (O2) storage and delivery during
      transport of patients from the operating room (OR) to the recovery area. SETTING:
      Anesthesia laboratory and pulmonary function laboratory. INTERVENTIONS: Five
      anesthesia rebreathing bags were inflated in 2-liter increments with 50 liters of
      air and then deflated in 2-liter increments. A sixth bag was inflated twice in 1
      liter increments. Five bags were inflated with 60 liters of gas and allowed to
      deflate through a cannula functioning as a flow restrictor. Five bags were
      inflated with 100 liters of gas and checked for damage. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN
      RESULTS: Pressure measurements done at 2-liter increments during inflation of the
      bags to 50 liters and deflation showed a consistent pattern of pressure-volume
      relationships. Assessment of gas flow during deflation through the cannula showed
      flow rates ranging from 3.1 to 3.8 L/min after 5 minutes of continuous flow and
      from 2.8 to 3.8 L/min after 10 minutes. No weakness or damage was apparent in
      bags inflated with 100 liters of gas. CONCLUSIONS: It is feasible for anesthesia
      rebreathing bags distended with O2 to serve as lightweight, inexpensive, and
      easily monitored alternatives to O2 tanks for O2 delivery during transport of
      patients from the OR to the recovery area.

PMID- 1419012
TI  - Examination of the hypopharynx predicts ease of laryngoscopic visualization and
      subsequent intubation: a prospective study of 665 patients.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine (a) whether the ability to visualize a patient's
      airway preoperatively correlates with the ability to visualize his or her larynx
      during laryngoscopy and (b) whether the presence of certain anatomic
      characteristics allows anesthetists to predict difficult laryngoscopic
      visualization and intubation. DESIGN: Observational. Patients were categorized
      into two groups: those who had one or more physical characteristics to alert an
      anesthetist to the possibility of difficult intubation (obesity, overbite, short
      neck, or decreased neck/jaw mobility) and those with none of these
      characteristics. SETTING: University-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: Six hundred
      sixty-five patients scheduled for general anesthesia and requiring endotracheal
      intubation. Patients were between the ages of 18 and 88 years, with body weight
      ranging from 21 kg to 141 kg. INTERVENTIONS: Preoperatively, the anesthetist
      obtained the best view of the hypopharynx by having the patient extend the tongue
      and phonate. The airway was then categorized into one of three classes by the
      ability to see the tonsillar pillars and uvula (Class A, best view--all four
      tonsillar pillars and uvula seen; Class B, part of the pillars and uvula seen;
      Class C, worst view--pillars not seen and uvula partially or not seen). After
      induction, the same anesthetist graded laryngeal visibility into one of four
      groups depending on his ability to see the patient's epiglottis and vocal cords.
      MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patients with one or more clinical clues were more
      likely to have poor visualization of the hypopharynx and, in turn, poor
      laryngoscopic visualization of the glottis. Patients who had a Class A airway
      tended to have easy laryngoscopic visualization and were relatively easy to
      intubate. Conversely, patients with no clinical clues and a Class C airway had
      poor glottic exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms work showing that the
      ability to visualize structures of the hypopharynx is a good predictor of
      subsequent glottic visualization during laryngoscopy and of ease of intubation.

PMID- 1419013
TI  - Hemodynamic and respiratory effects of transtracheal high-frequency jet
      ventilation during difficult intubation.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the hemodynamic and respiratory effects of
      percutaneous transtracheal high-frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) during difficult
      intubation using fiberoptic bronchoscopy under general anesthesia. DESIGN:
      Prospective study. SETTING: Surgical patients scheduled for general anesthesia at
      the Medical College of Virginia Hospital. PATIENTS: Eight patients with known
      difficult airways. Three patients had deformed facial structures. One patient had
      temporomandibular joint impairment. Four patients had tumors of the oral cavity
      with deformed upper airways. INTERVENTIONS: A 13-gauge cricothyroidotomy jet
      ventilation cannula was inserted percutaneously under local anesthesia.
      Anesthesia was induced with etomidate 0.2 to 0.3 mg/kg, alfentanil 15 to 20
      micrograms/kg, and vecuronium 0.1 mg/kg. HFJV was started with 100% oxygen at 30
      to 35 pounds per square inch of driving pressure, 100 cycles per minute, and an
      inspiratory/expiratory ratio of 25%. Thoracic electrical bioimpedance was used to
      measure cardiac index (CI) and ejection fraction (EF). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN
      RESULTS: Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), CI, and EF were measured
      before induction of anesthesia; after 1 minute of HFJV, 5 minutes of HFJV, and 10
      minutes of HFJV; and during positive pressure ventilation following fiberoptic
      intubation. Arterial blood gas samples were obtained before induction of
      anesthesia and after 10 minutes of HFJV. HR decreased significantly after 5
      minutes of HFJV, after 10 minutes of HFJV, and after intubation (p less than
      0.05). MAP decreased significantly after 10 minutes of HFJV compared with the
      preinduction value (mean, 97 to 71 mmHg; p less than 0.01). Although EF increased
      significantly following intubation, from 46% to 59%, there were no significant
      changes in CI. Arterial oxygen tension increased from 85 to 240 mmHg (p less than
      0.05). Arterial carbon dioxide tension also increased, from 39 to 42 mmHg (p less
      than 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Transtracheal HFJV under general anesthesia with
      etomidate, alfentanil, and vecuronium provided satisfactory hemodynamic
      conditions and pulmonary gas exchange. Percutaneous transtracheal HFJV can be
      used safely to manage patients with a difficult airway under general anesthesia
      using fiberoptic bronchoscopy.

PMID- 1419014
TI  - Lidocaine blood levels following aerosolization and intravenous administration.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine whether, following aerosolization of lidocaine for
      topical airway anesthesia, intravenous (IV) lidocaine produces toxic lidocaine
      blood concentrations. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind study. SETTING: University
      affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: Forty healthy patients scheduled for outpatient
      surgery. INTERVENTIONS: The patients received in a randomized, double-blind
      manner aerosolized lidocaine or placebo followed 10 minutes later by IV lidocaine
      or placebo. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: After completion of lidocaine or
      placebo aerosolization and 2 minutes following IV administration of either
      lidocaine or the placebo, venous blood samples were obtained. Lidocaine
      concentration was measured using a homogenous enzyme assay. The group receiving
      both aerosolized and IV placebo and the group receiving aerosolized lidocaine and
      an IV placebo had undetectable (less than 0.05 micrograms/ml) serum lidocaine
      levels. The groups that received either an aerosolized placebo or aerosolized
      lidocaine and IV lidocaine had similar serum lidocaine concentrations [3.34 +/-
      0.46 vs. 3.24 +/- 0.55 micrograms/ml (mean +/- SEM); p greater than 0.05 by Mann
      Whitney U test]. CONCLUSION: IV lidocaine can be safely administered following
      aerosolization of lidocaine in spontaneously breathing patients without producing
      toxic blood lidocaine concentrations.

PMID- 1419015
TI  - Excessive atlanto-occipital flexion as a cause of complete airway obstruction
      following anterior cervical spine fusion.
AB  - This report describes complete airway obstruction following anterior cervical
      fusion caused by extreme, fixed flexion of the neck in a halo device. The causes
      and treatment of such an airway complication are reviewed.

PMID- 1419016
TI  - Should supraclavicular brachial plexus block be avoided in pregnancy?
AB  - Unilateral phrenic nerve block is common after supraclavicular brachial plexus
      block techniques, although it is rarely symptomatic in patients without
      respiratory disease. A 24-weeks-pregnant woman was scheduled for a carpal tunnel
      release because of intractable pain. After a perivascular subclavian brachial
      plexus block with 30 ml of 0.33% plain bupivacaine was performed, the patient
      developed a right phrenic nerve block manifested by acute dyspnea and cough. No
      deleterious consequences followed, but surgery was canceled. Respiratory changes
      produced by pregnancy might compromise ventilatory reserve. Thus, we suggest
      avoiding supraclavicular approaches to brachial plexus block in pregnant women,
      since they may be as prone to developing respiratory embarrassment, secondary to
      phrenic block, as patients with pulmonary pathology.

PMID- 1419017
TI  - Postoperative elevation of serum transaminases following isoflurane anesthesia.
AB  - Halogenated inhalational anesthetics have been implicated in hepatotoxicity.
      Halothane hepatitis results from the biotransformation of the drug to a
      metabolite that binds to liver proteins, which creates a hapten, which, in turn,
      causes an immunologic response in the liver. Case reports of hepatic injury
      resulting from isoflurane, which has a decreased biotransformation compared with
      that of halothane, have received much criticism. We describe a patient who had
      elevated liver enzymes and a positive trifluoroacetyl antibody titer following an
      anesthetic regimen that included isoflurane.

PMID- 1419018
TI  - A simple device for transtracheal ventilation.

PMID- 1419019
TI  - The human immunodeficiency virus: knowledge and precautions among anesthesiology
      personnel.

PMID- 1419020
TI  - Frequency of anesthetic cardiac arrest in infants: effect of pediatric
      anesthesiologists.

PMID- 1419021
TI  - Postintubation croup in children.

PMID- 1419022
TI  - Urinary drainage bag distention: an indication of bladder injury during
      laparoscopy.

PMID- 1419023
TI  - Reporting every look-alike is no longer novel: similarities between labels are a
      fact of life.

PMID- 1419024
TI  - We don't treat air embolism in plastic models.

PMID- 1419025
TI  - Endothelin-1 and endothelin-3 induce chemotaxis and replication of pulmonary
      artery fibroblasts.
AB  - The remodeling of pulmonary vessels that occurs in association with pulmonary
      hypertension involves, in part, thickening of the adventitia. The stimulus for
      this process is not understood. One explanation is that endothelial cells secrete
      a growth factor that expands the local population of fibroblasts by acting as a
      chemoattractant and mitogen. Endothelins are a family of potent newly discovered
      vasoactive peptides. One of these compounds, endothelin-1 (ET-1), is secreted by
      endothelial cells and is known to constrict pulmonary vessels. Another,
      endothelin-3 (ET-3), is not secreted by endothelial cells and is less potent as a
      pulmonary vasoconstrictor. We hypothesized that the endothelins may have the
      capacity both to constrict these vessels and to initiate fibroblast chemotaxis
      and replication. Here we investigated the effects of both ET-1 and ET-3 on the
      chemotaxis and replication of fibroblasts derived from pulmonary vessels. Cells
      were isolated from rat pulmonary arteries, cultured in medium and 10% newborn
      calf serum, and used between passages 2 and 5. Chemotaxis was assessed using a
      modified Boyden chamber with a polycarbonate filter (pore size, 8 microns)
      separating cells in the upper chambers from endothelin in the lower chambers.
      Replication was assessed both by direct cell counts and by a colorimetric assay
      based on uptake and subsequent release of methylene blue. Both ET-1 and ET-3
      induced chemotaxis of pulmonary artery fibroblasts and did so in a dose-dependent
      fashion. The maxima for both peptides occurred at a concentration of about 10(-7)
      M, when chemotaxis was greatest for ET-1 (22 +/- 1.4 versus 14 +/- 1.8 cells/grid
      [mean +/- SEM], (P < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419026
TI  - Modulation of ion transport in cultured rabbit tracheal epithelium by
      lipoxygenase metabolites.
AB  - Lipoxygenase metabolites influence ion movement and fluid balance in the airways.
      We studied the effects of nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), a general inhibitor
      of the lipoxygenase pathway, on Na+ and Cl- secretion in cultured tracheal
      epithelial cells from adult rabbits through short-circuit current (Isc) and
      radioactive tracer flux experiments. NDGA inhibition of leukotriene release in
      freshly isolated rabbit tracheal epithelial cells was assayed by a 3H peptidyl
      leukotriene radioimmunoassay. 3 microM NDGA resulted in a 91% reduction of
      leukotriene release. In unstimulated cultures, Cl- secretion (furosemide
      inhibited fraction of Isc) was 11.1 +/- 2.8 muamp/cm2 (n = 10) and was unchanged
      in the presence of NDGA (n = 10). Epinephrine-stimulated Cl- secretion increased
      Isc by 12.2 +/- 2 muamp/cm2 (n = 10). This stimulation was unchanged by
      pretreatment with NDGA (n = 10), suggesting that inhibition of the lipoxygenase
      pathway did not affect Cl- secretion. In unstimulated cultures, Na+ absorption
      (amiloride-inhibited portion of Isc) was 10.7 +/- 3.3. muamp/cm2 (n = 10) and was
      reduced by 79% in the presence of NDGA (n = 10), suggesting that inhibition of
      the lipoxygenase pathway was associated with inhibition of Na+ absorption.
      Radioactive tracer flux experiments supported these findings. Exogenous LTD4 (n =
      7) and LTC4 (n = 7) were added to cells pretreated with NDGA, and Na+ absorption
      was restored to 76% and 70% of control, respectively. In addition, LTD4 (n = 4)
      and LTC4 (n = 4) were added to cells without prior inhibition of the lipoxygenase
      pathway to NDGA and resulted in an increase in Cl- secretion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419027
TI  - Effect of ozone on platelet-activating factor production in phorbol
      differentiated HL60 cells, a human bronchial epithelial cell line (BEAS S6), and
      primary human bronchial epithelial cells.
AB  - Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a phospholipid with a wide spectrum of pro
      inflammatory properties. In the lung, PAF induces airway hyperresponsiveness,
      neutrophil sequestration, and increased vascular permeability. The alveolar
      macrophage and the bronchial epithelium are tissues that are exposed to inhaled
      ozone (O3). We studied the effect of an in vitro O3 exposure on PAF production in
      a macrophage-like HL60 human cell line (dHL60), a human bronchial epithelial cell
      line (BEAS S6), and also in primary human bronchial epithelial cells. PAF was
      quantified by thin-layer chromatographic separation of lipid extracts from cells
      radiolabeled with [3H]lysoPAF and by radioimmunoassay. In vitro exposure of dHL60
      cells to 0.05 to 1.0 ppm O3 for 15 to 120 min was found to significantly increase
      PAF levels above air control values at all exposure levels and time points
      (average increase of 92%). Similarly, BEAS S6 cells grown on collagen-coated
      filter supports and exposed to 0.05 to 1.0 ppm O3 for 60 min released an average
      increase in PAF of 626% above control values. Primary human bronchial epithelial
      cells also demonstrated significant increases in [3H]PAF release (average
      increase of 289% after exposure to 1.0 ppm O3 for 60 min) compared with paired
      air controls. These findings suggest that some of the effects of O3 inhalation
      may be mediated by PAF.

PMID- 1419028
TI  - Cloning of T lymphocytes from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.
AB  - We have prepared T-cell clones from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from four
      healthy, nonsmoking persons and from four patients with allergic asthma. T cells
      were cloned by direct limiting dilution and with the use of a fluorescent
      activated cell sorter with an automated cell deposition unit. T-cell clones from
      the blood (PB) were prepared as well. The cloning efficiencies of T cells from
      BALF ranged from 3 to 40% and were lower than those obtained from PB T cells (18
      to 72%). The cloning conditions generated CD4+ as well as CD8+ clones. The very
      late antigen-4, VLA-4, was more frequently expressed on CD4+ T-cell clones from
      BALF than from the blood (P < 0.05). CD8+ clones from BALF were more frequently
      VLA-1+ than those from blood (P < < 0.01). Mitogen- and monoclonal antibody
      driven proliferation of CD4+ clones showed that BALF clones were well responsive
      to proliferation stimuli similar to those from the blood. Analysis of interleukin
      4 production by 10 BALF and 10 PB clones showed large variations between
      individual CD4+ clones (BALF: range, < 100 to 700 pg/ml; PB: range, < 100 to
      1,100 pg/ml), indicating the generation of different types of clones, which was
      also clear from analysis of interferon-gamma production. The analysis of
      properties of BALF T-cell clones and their regulation will improve insight into
      immunologic reactions in the lungs.

PMID- 1419029
TI  - Flow cytometric analysis of lymphocyte phenotypes in bronchoalveolar lavage
      fluid: comparison of a two-color technique with a standard immunoperoxidase
      assay.
AB  - Characterization of lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar fluid has provided insight
      into the pathogenesis of many pulmonary diseases. Identification of lymphocyte
      phenotypes has become highly successful due to development of specific monoclonal
      antibodies and reliable methods for detecting labeled cells such as flow
      cytometry (FCM) and immunocytochemistry. FCM permits rapid screening of many
      cells, but this analysis may be confounded by heterogeneity in the size and
      granularity of the cells being evaluated. Such heterogeneity may lead to
      exclusion of cells of interest and inclusion of unwanted cells. Often peripheral
      blood leukocytes are used to define the gate for lung lymphocytes, but this gate
      may be inappropriate due to considerable variation in size and granularity of
      cells in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. Here we report an alternative method
      for generating a gate which employed fluorescence and side scatter signals to
      analyze lymphocyte subsets in BAL fluid by FCM. This gating technique avoids the
      pitfalls inherent in using the conventional lymphocyte gate to analyze lung
      cells. To validate this approach, we compared the results generated by this gate
      and those from the conventional forward/side light scatter gate to results
      derived from an immunocytochemical technique (ABC) that has been extensively
      employed in our laboratory to identify lymphocyte subsets in blood and lavage
      fluid. FCM tended to underestimate the proportions of T-cell subsets compared
      with ABC when the conventional gate was used. Counting only cells that stained
      with fluorescein-conjugated anti-CD45 antibody and that had side scatter
      properties of lymphocytes, however, resulted in excellent agreement between FCM
      and ABC. It appears that the CD45+/side scatter gate includes the vast majority
      of lymphocytes in BAL fluid while excluding most of the nonlymphoid cells that
      contaminate the conventional gate. It was this latter group of cells, and
      erythrocytes in particular, that led to the artificially low values for
      lymphocyte phenotypes in BAL fluid by FCM when the conventional lymphocyte gate
      was used. Although erythrocytes in BAL fluid may be eliminated by hypotonic
      lysis, this may also result in contamination of the conventional lymphocyte gate
      with nuclear debris and particulates from macrophages. Despite these advantages,
      the fluorescence/side scatter gate may not always be optimal for the evaluation
      of T lymphocytes if BAL fluid contains CD45+, nonlymphoid cells with low side
      light scatter. In these instances, additional antibodies such as anti-CD14 and
      anti-CD11 may be employed to determine the size of contaminant monocytic cells
      and neutrophils.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1419030
TI  - Increased fibronectin mRNA in alveolar macrophages following in vivo hyperoxia.
AB  - Oxygen-mediated lung injury can stimulate a fibroproliferative response resulting
      in the alteration of the pulmonary extracellular matrix and subsequent scarring
      of parenchymal tissue. Fibronectin (FN), a component of the extracellular matrix,
      appears in increased quantities in fibrotic lung disease. Alveolar macrophages
      (AMs) are a potential source of this molecule. Using quantitative in situ
      hybridization, we demonstrated that AMs from rabbits acutely exposed to 100%
      oxygen (hyperoxia) for up to 64 h have 20-fold greater levels of FN mRNA relative
      to cells from control animals. When animals were allowed to recover in room air
      for up to 72 h after maximal oxygen exposure, AM FN mRNA abundance approached
      baseline levels. Furthermore, in oxygen-exposed animals, the fraction of lavaged
      cells expressing FN mRNA was increased 10-fold relative to controls. Although
      there was marked cell-to-cell variation, we conclude that the AM is a potential
      source of FN in the events leading to hyperoxia-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

PMID- 1419032
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging of adult intra-axial brain tumors.
AB  - The detection and characterization of intra-axial tumors in the adult have been
      greatly improved with the advent of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, particularly
      when combined with paramagnetic contrast enhancement. MR imaging allows tumor
      localization along with evaluation of edema, tumor margins, intrinsic signal
      intensity on T1- and T2-weighted sequences, and the presence or absence of
      enhancement. Consideration of these characteristics together with pertinent
      clinical history forms the basis of a reasonable differential diagnosis. The
      article summarizes the MR imaging characteristics and pathologic findings of the
      major intra-axial tumors of adults with emphasis on differential considerations.

PMID- 1419031
TI  - The application of contrast agents in the evaluation of neoplasms of the central
      nervous system.
AB  - Magnetic resonance evaluation of central nervous system neoplasms has improved
      tremendously since the introduction of gadolinium-based contrast agents. The
      optimal application of these agents in clinical imaging, however, has not been
      well established. The article discusses the recent application of these agents to
      a number of intracranial neoplasms, including metastases, gliomas, pituitary
      adenomas, and acoustic neurinomas/cerebellopontine angle tumors.

PMID- 1419033
TI  - Adult extra-axial brain tumors.
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging is the preferred cross-sectional imaging study for the
      evaluation of nearly all extra-axial brain tumors in adults. This article
      outlines the neoplasms by their pathology. The discussion covers the neoplasms
      originating from central neuroglial cells, meninges, and cranial nerves. In
      addition, developmental tumors and cysts and secondary extra-axial tumors are
      discussed.

PMID- 1419034
TI  - Pediatric primary brain tumors.
AB  - Magnetic resonance (MR) studies of pediatric brain tumors have been reported.
      Instead of reviewing previous studies, this article addresses specific subjects
      related to pediatric brain tumors, including MR signal characteristics, fourth
      ventricular tumors, pineal region tumors, tumors in chronic epilepsy, tumors in
      early infancy, and brain tumors in phakomatoses.

PMID- 1419035
TI  - Uses and limitations of spoiled gradient-refocused imaging in the evaluation of
      suspected intracranial tumors.
AB  - This article describes the use of a radiofrequency-spoiled gradient-recalled
      (SPGR) imaging pulse sequence in the evaluation of intracranial masses. This
      pulse sequence provides excellent anatomic detail with T1-weighted image
      contrast. Rapid, sequential, single-slice (two-dimensional) images of the brain
      can be obtained in patients who are unable to hold still for long periods of
      time. In addition, volumetric (three-dimensional) image data sets can be obtained
      that provide extremely thin (1- to 2-mm) sections of high detail and good signal
      to-noise ratio for selected critical structures within the brain. Finally,
      because SPGR is also utilized for time-of-flight angiography, parenchymal
      information can be obtained simultaneously with cerebral blood vessel definition.
      One potential pitfall that the magnetic resonance radiologist must be aware of is
      the fact that, in many patients, the degree of contrast enhancement is greatly
      diminished on postgadolinium SPGR images compared with conventional spin-echo T1
      weighted images. Comparison with a set of standard spin-echo postcontrast images
      or, potentially, the use of higher doses of gadolinium may solve this problem. In
      spite of this limitation, the selective utilization of SPGR imaging can yield
      additional useful information for evaluation and preoperative planning in
      patients with intracranial masses.

PMID- 1419036
TI  - Sellar and juxtasellar neoplasms.
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging is the modality of choice for evaluating lesions in
      and around the sella turcica. The article highlights various neoplasms of the
      pituitary gland and the juxtasellar region. The differentiating imaging
      characteristics and clinical presentations of these neoplasms are discussed. Even
      with the best imaging techniques available, however, biopsy or excision of the
      lesion is still necessary to establish the histologic diagnosis.

PMID- 1419037
TI  - Protein targeting to and translocation across the membrane of the endoplasmic
      reticulum.
AB  - Several approaches are currently being taken to elucidate the mechanisms and the
      molecular components responsible for protein targeting to and translocation
      across the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum. Two experimental systems
      dominate the field: a biochemical system derived from mammalian exocrine
      pancreas, and a combined genetic and biochemical system employing the yeast,
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Results obtained in each of these systems have
      contributed novel, mostly non-overlapping information. Recently, much effort in
      the field has been dedicated to identifying membrane proteins that comprise the
      translocon. Membrane proteins involved in translocation have been identified both
      in the mammalian system, using a combination of crosslinking and reconstitution
      approaches, and in S. cerevisiae, by selecting for mutants in the translocation
      pathway. None of the membrane proteins isolated, however, appears to be
      homologous between the two experimental systems. In the case of the signal
      recognition particle, the two systems have converged, which has led to a better
      understanding of how proteins are targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum membrane.

PMID- 1419038
TI  - Mechanisms that determine the transmembrane disposition of proteins.
AB  - The final orientation that a protein assumes in the membrane of the endoplasmic
      reticulum is determined by a few types of signal sequences and their respective
      interactions with the membrane insertion complex. Membrane insertion occurs via a
      series of discrete steps, some of which are regulated by GTP- and ATP-binding
      proteins. Analysis of the protein components in proximity to nascent secretory
      and membrane proteins has revealed novel proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum
      that may form part of the membrane insertion complex.

PMID- 1419039
TI  - Genetic and biochemical analysis of vesicular traffic in yeast.
AB  - Secretory, vacuolar and membrane protein transport in yeast occurs by processes
      that are highly conserved in eukaryotic cells. Recent years have seen a
      proliferation of approaches to the study of vesicular traffic, and in certain
      instances key breakthroughs have been achieved through the application of genetic
      and biochemical methods that are well suited to yeast as an experimental
      organism. The availability of the genetic approach has led to molecular insights
      concerning the mechanisms of vesicle biogenesis, targeting and fusion.

PMID- 1419041
TI  - The endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment.
AB  - The recent identification of an endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate
      compartment has added to the complexity of the structural and functional
      organization of the early secretory pathway. Protein sorting along the
      endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi pathway depends on different signals and mechanisms,
      some of which guarantee recycling from various levels of the Golgi apparatus to
      biosynthetically earlier compartments.

PMID- 1419040
TI  - Regulation of intracellular membrane transport.
AB  - A number of proteins that are necessary for membrane transport have been
      identified using cell-free assays and yeast genetics. Although our knowledge of
      transport mechanisms remains limited, common themes are clearly emerging. In
      particular, specific GTP-binding proteins appear to be involved, not only at all
      steps of membrane traffic but also at more than one check-point within each step.
      The ordered sequence of events occurring during vesicle formation, targeting and
      fusion may be regulated in a stepwise manner by specific GTP-dependent switches,
      which act as modular elements of the transport mechanism.

PMID- 1419042
TI  - Regulation of vesicular and tubular membrane traffic of the Golgi complex by coat
      proteins.
AB  - Transport of cargo through and from the Golgi complex is mediated by vesicular
      carriers and transient tubular connections. Two classes of vesicle have been
      implicated in the biosynthetic or anterograde membrane traffic of this organelle.
      Both classes of vesicle are coated on the cytoplasmic surface with proteins, of
      which at least one component is related. Tubular connections also enable exchange
      of material between membrane-bounded compartments associated with the Golgi
      complex, most obviously in cells that have been treated with the drug, brefeldin
      A. Coat proteins appear to be involved in the regulation of these transport
      processes. Their putative functions include sorting of cargo, as well as
      regulation of budding, fusion or targeting of the membrane carriers.

PMID- 1419043
TI  - Biogenesis of storage granules and vesicles.
AB  - The production of storage granules and vesicles that undergo regulated exocytosis
      occurs via biosynthetic and endocytotic pathways, respectively. Prominent in the
      formation of secretory granules in the Golgi apparatus is selective protein
      aggregation, which may account for the biogenesis of multiple granules in a
      single cell. New cDNA transfection and immunolocalization studies have helped to
      further refine our understanding of the relationship between the formation of
      regulated secretory vesicles and the early stages of the endocytotic pathway.
      Recent insights into the targeting of membrane proteins to these organelles have
      implicated both specific sorting signals and protein-protein aggregation.

PMID- 1419044
TI  - W(h)ither default? Sorting and polarization in epithelial cells.
AB  - The discovery of basolateral sorting signals in the past year may leave the
      default pathway with nowhere to go. With new results suggesting that even more
      GTP-binding proteins and coatamers might be involved in transport and targeting,
      it is clear that the age of mapmaking in polarization research is nearly over.

PMID- 1419045
TI  - Structure and biological effects of lipid modifications on proteins.
AB  - Both the prevalence of lipid modifications of proteins and their importance for
      protein function and cellular localization have been widely observed. The
      advances made during the past year in defining the enzymology of lipid addition
      and in understanding the biological consequences of these modifications on
      protein function are discussed.

PMID- 1419046
TI  - Putting energy into mitochondrial protein import.
AB  - The import of proteins into mitochondria occurs in several steps. At least three
      of these steps require ATP and involve molecular chaperones. This energy
      requirement has served as a useful tool for elucidating the import pathways into
      the four mitochondrial compartments.

PMID- 1419047
TI  - Organellar proton-ATPases.
AB  - Proton pumps that belong to the families of F-ATPases and V-ATPases operate
      without the formation of a phosphorylated intermediate and contain several
      subunits grouped into distinct catalytic and membrane sectors. Recent studies on
      the structure and molecular biology of V-ATPases shed light not only on the
      structure-function relations between the two families, but also on their
      evolution in all organisms.

PMID- 1419048
TI  - Determinants of the calcium permeation of ligand-gated cation channels.
AB  - Fast synaptic transmission in the vertebrate brain is mediated by ligand-gated
      channel receptors. As some of these receptors have been implicated in learning
      and memory, it is important to understand their mechanism of action at a
      molecular level. Excitatory receptors are members of large gene families of
      related channels that are gated by acetylcholine, serotonin, and the most
      abundant neurotransmitter, glutamate. Within the last year, a number of important
      studies have focused on the ability of these channels to flux calcium ions.
      Calcium entry into neurons through some of these channels triggers biochemical
      cascades, which can lead to changes in synaptic efficacy, presumed to be a
      requisite for memory formation, or if it occurs in excess, to cell death. Recent
      studies that attempt to determine the channel structures responsible for this
      calcium conductance will be discussed.

PMID- 1419049
TI  - Sodium-calcium exchange.
AB  - During the past year, significant advances have been made in the investigation of
      molecular, kinetic and electrophysiological aspects of Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange. The
      cardiac and retinal exchangers have been cloned and structure-function studies
      have begun.

PMID- 1419050
TI  - Membrane transport proteins: implications of sequence comparisons.
AB  - Analyses of the sequences and structures of many transport proteins that differ
      in substrate specificity, direction of transport and mechanism of transport
      suggest that they form a family of related proteins. Their sequence similarities
      imply a common mechanism of action. This hypothesis provides an objective basis
      for examining their mechanisms of action and relationships to other transporters.

PMID- 1419052
TI  - Membranes.

PMID- 1419051
TI  - Sodium cotransport proteins.
AB  - Significant advances have been made in elucidating the structure of Na+
      cotransport proteins. Some fifteen of these low-abundance proteins have been
      cloned, sequenced and functionally expressed. They are members of the 12 membrane
      spanning superfamily and they segregate into two groups, the Na+/glucose (SGLT1)
      and Na+/Cl-/GABA (GAT-1) families. SGLT1 transporters are expressed in bacteria
      and animal cells, while GAT-1 transporters are mostly expressed in the brain.
      None have yet been found in plants.

PMID- 1419053
TI  - Membrane permeability.

PMID- 1419054
TI  - Structure, function and evolutionary relationship of proteins containing a
      disintegrin domain.
AB  - Disintegrins are soluble integrin ligands from snake venoms that disrupt cell
      matrix interactions. Recently, the nuclear magnetic resonance structures of two
      disintegrins were determined, providing provocative molecular insight into how a
      disintegrin may engage an integrin. In addition, it has recently been realized
      that disintegrins are derived from larger multifunctional proteins, and that
      there is a family of membrane-anchored, disintegrin domain-containing proteins
      that may promote important cell-cell interactions.

PMID- 1419055
TI  - Inside-out integrin signalling.
AB  - Integrins are expressed by virtually all cells and play key roles in a range of
      cellular processes. Changes in the integrin surface repertoire provide a means of
      altering the strength and ligand preferences of cell adhesion. Recent research
      has examined the affinity modulation of integrins, a rapid and versatile
      mechanism of cell adhesion regulation. Studies with a prototype, alpha IIb beta
      3, indicate that intracellular events influence the conformation and ligand
      binding affinity of the extracellular domain of integrins. This 'inside-out'
      signal transduction appears to be mediated through the integrin cytoplasmic
      domains. In addition, in some cases affinity modulation of integrins may be cell
      type specific. The clarification of the mechanisms of integrin affinity
      modulation should help explain rapid changes in cell adhesion that occur during
      cell migration, aggregation and the cell cycle.

PMID- 1419056
TI  - The role of proteoglycans in cell adhesion, migration and proliferation.
AB  - Proteoglycans comprise a part of the extracellular matrix that participates in
      the molecular events that regulate cell adhesion, migration and proliferation.
      Their structural diversity and tissue distribution suggest a functional
      versatility not generally encountered for other extracellular matrix components.
      This versatility is mainly dictated by their molecular interactions and their
      ability to regulate the activity of key molecules involved in several biological
      events. This molecular cooperativity either promotes or inhibits cell adhesion,
      migration and proliferation. A growing number of studies indicate that
      proteoglycans can play a direct role in these cellular events by functioning
      either as receptors or as ligands for molecules that are required for these
      events to occur. Such studies support a role for proteoglycans as important
      effectors of cellular processes that constitute the basis of development and
      disease.

PMID- 1419058
TI  - Assembly of extracellular matrix.
AB  - A great challenge in understanding how different extracellular matrices assemble
      is to sort through the vast number of possible interactions between and among
      matrix molecules. The most profound insights are likely to come from patients
      with defined defects of matrix molecules and the use of transgenic mice or other
      experimental technologies that mimic the complexity of the human system.

PMID- 1419057
TI  - Membrane proteases: roles in tissue remodeling and tumour invasion.
AB  - The coordinated control of extracellular matrix degradation on the cell surface
      involves three crucial elements: secreted proteases and their inhibitors, surface
      protease receptors and integral membrane proteases. The roles that each of these
      elements play in cell surface proteolysis are described. The localization of
      proteases to the cell surface, protease activation, and regulation of cell
      surface proteolysis by protease inhibitors are key issues for elucidating the
      role of membrane proteases in tissue remodeling and tumour invasion.

PMID- 1419059
TI  - Functional domains of cell adhesion molecules.
AB  - A number of molecules involved in cell adhesion (e.g. fibronectin, laminin,
      collagens I and IV, thrombospondin, entactin) have now been identified and the
      consequent roles that they play in the processes of growth, migration,
      differentiation and tumor spread have been described. Active sequences of the
      molecules have been identified using synthetic peptides derived from specific
      domains. Several adhesive molecules contain multiple active domains with
      different biological activities.

PMID- 1419060
TI  - Adhesion cascades: diversity through combinatorial strategies.
AB  - Cell adhesion occurs via a highly regulated set of sequential interactions.
      Prototypic components of a variety of adhesion cascades are discussed, including
      integrins, triggering molecules and lectin-carbohydrate interactions. Selectivity
      and efficiency are achieved by utilizing the right combination of multiple
      adhesion molecules and by their coordinated biochemical regulation.

PMID- 1419061
TI  - Endothelial cells: adhesion and tight junctions.
AB  - This article reviews recent discoveries concerning the identity of endothelial
      cell adhesion molecules and their participation in intercellular junction
      formation. Observations relating to the formation of high-resistance tight
      junctions between brain endothelial cells are emphasized.

PMID- 1419062
TI  - Molecular linkage between cadherins and actin filaments in cell-cell adherens
      junctions.
AB  - The cell-cell adherens junction is a site for cadherin-mediated cell adhesion
      where actin filaments are densely associated with the plasma membrane through its
      well-developed plasmalemmal undercoat. Recent research has focused on the
      molecular linkage between cadherins and actin filaments in the undercoat of
      adherens junctions in order to understand the functions of these undercoat
      constitutive proteins in the regulation and signal transduction of cadherin-based
      cell adhesion.

PMID- 1419063
TI  - Leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions.
AB  - The movement of leukocytes from the blood circulation into organized lymphoid
      tissues or sites of inflammation requires cooperative interactions between
      signaling and adhesion molecules. Selectins mediate the initial rolling contacts
      of leukocytes with the endothelium. Following leukocyte activation, integrins
      strengthen adhesion and then direct migration beneath the endothelium. Unique
      combinations of signaling and adhesion molecules may regulate the subsets of
      leukocytes that are recruited into specific tissues.

PMID- 1419064
TI  - Regulation of cartilage and bone differentiation by bone morphogenetic proteins.
AB  - Quantum advances have recently been made in the understanding of the regulation
      of cartilage and bone differentiation through the identification, purification,
      genetic cloning and expression of recombinant bone morphogenetic proteins. Bone
      morphogenetic proteins are a family of pleiotropic differentiation factors with
      actions on chemotaxis, mitosis, initiation and promotion of chondrogenic and
      osteogenic phenotypes. They bind extracellular matrix components, heparin and
      type IV collagen and initiate bone repair. The cascade of cartilage and bone
      differentiation consists of several continuous phases: initiation, promotion,
      maintenance and termination.

PMID- 1419065
TI  - Synthesis, assembly and function of plant cell wall macromolecules.
AB  - The plant cell wall consists of a structurally intricate network of
      polysaccharide and protein whose biosynthesis, assembly and functions are still
      poorly understood. Recent research has shown how cell wall macromolecules, and
      fragments thereof, appear to be involved in processes such as cell growth, cell
      and tissue differentiation and the control of pathogenesis.

PMID- 1419066
TI  - Modulators of neuronal migration and neurite growth.
AB  - A multitude of molecules have been identified over the past few years that
      promote neurite outgrowth in vitro. The concept that these molecules work mainly
      by providing an adhesive surface for neuronal growth cones has been challenged by
      evidence from recent experiments. Some of the substrate molecules have diverse
      actions on cell migration and neurite growth. In addition, there is now evidence
      that there are molecules that specifically inhibit growth cone locomotion. This
      has given rise to the hypothesis that growth cones integrate a variety of growth
      promoting and inhibitory signals and translate them into directed locomotion.

PMID- 1419067
TI  - Cell-to-cell contact and extracellular matrix.

PMID- 1419068
TI  - Fibroblast growth factor-stimulated phosphorylation of a lipocortin I-like
      protein is S-phase cell cycle specific in human vascular endothelial cells.
AB  - We examined whether the phosphorylation of a 34 kDa lipocortin I-like protein may
      be associated with internalization process of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) in
      human umbilical vein endothelial (HUVE) cells. We show that: 1) exposure of
      synchronized HUVE cells to basic FGF for an appreciable time lag (> or = 30 min)
      at 37 degrees C and subsequent phosphorylation at 37 degrees C are required to
      obtain an increased 32P-labelling of a 34 kDa substrate; 2) this FGF-stimulated
      phosphorylation occurs in S phase but not G1 phase of the growth cycle; 3) the 34
      kDa substrate appears to be phosphorylated on tyrosine residues; 4) a major
      fraction of the 34 kDa 32P-labelled substrate is immunoprecipitated with an
      antibody that has been raised against human lipocortin/annexin of type I. It is
      suggested that internalized FGF-receptor/kinase complexes might be primarily
      responsible for the phosphorylation of the 34 kDa lipocortin I-related protein in
      S phase HUVE cells.

PMID- 1419069
TI  - Intermolecular cystine-bonding of murine interleukin 2 indicates that ligand
      dimerization is important for the formation of the high-affinity receptor
      complex.
AB  - Interleukin 2 is thought to be active as a monomeric protein. As the nonessential
      Cys-140 of murine interleukin 2 (mIL2) is located in the hydrophobic interface of
      the amphiphilic F domain it was successfully used to stabilize hydrophobic amino
      acid contacts between two mIL2 cores yielding biologically active cystine-bonded
      dimeric mIL2. (3H) thymidine incorporation assays with intermolecular cystine
      bonded or monomeric mIL2 revealed almost identical median effective
      concentrations (EC50) and high-affinity dissociation constants (Kdh),
      respectively. Comparative binding and internalization assays suggest that one
      cystine-bonded dimeric or two monomeric mIL2 molecules bind to the high-affinity
      receptor complex. Furthermore, DSS concentration-dependent crosslinking studies
      using monomeric mIL2 revealed four membrane-derived protein-complexes with
      apparent molecular weights of about 70 kDa, 85 kDa, 95 kDa and 100 kDa,
      respectively, showing that both mIL2 receptor chains may be crosslinked to a
      monomeric or dimeric ligand molecule, respectively. We therefore propose that
      dimerization of murine interleukin 2 occurring either in solution at
      concentrations above the low-affinity dissociation constant or at the low
      affinity receptor is important for regulation of high-affinity complex formation
      and signal transduction.

PMID- 1419070
TI  - High levels of biologically active vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are
      produced by the baculovirus expression system.
AB  - Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a recently discovered mitogen for
      endothelial cells in vitro, and a potent angiogenesis promoting factor in vivo.
      VEGF is secreted from producing cells as a homodimer, binds to specific receptors
      on the cell surface of endothelial cells, and is produced in four forms as a
      result of alternative splicing. We have expressed the cDNA encoding the 165 amino
      acid long isoform of VEGF in insect cells using the baculovirus based expression
      vector. We show that infected insect cells secrete large amounts of VEGF.
      Antibodies directed against a synthetic peptide prepared from human VEGF identify
      the secreted factor. The baculovirus derived VEGF expressed in insect cells
      (inVEGF) binds directly to the VEGF receptors inVEGF competes with pure mammalian
      cells derived [125I]-VEGF for binding to the VEGF receptors that are present on
      the cell surface of endothelial cells. Furthermore, inVEGF is biologically active
      and induces the proliferation of human umbilical vein derived endothelial cells.

PMID- 1419071
TI  - Expression and characterization of bone morphogenetic protein-2 in Chinese
      hamster ovary cells.
AB  - Bone is a dynamic tissue that responds to many factors including vitamin D,
      parathyroid hormone, estrogen, calcitonin, and bone morphogenetic proteins
      (BMPs). The ability to stimulate new bone growth would permit novel therapies for
      situations where bone mass has been lost due to accident or disease. Purified BMP
      2, in conjunction with a suitable matrix, is sufficient to stimulate the
      synthesis of new bone (Wang et al., 1990). We have expressed recombinant human
      BMP-2 at high levels in Chinese hamster ovary cells using methotrexate-mediated
      gene amplification. Several forms of BMP-2 are secreted from CHO cells: (1) an
      amino-terminal propeptide of 40-45 kDa, (23) a mature active 30 kDa homodimer
      consisting of 18-22 kDa subunits, and (3) a small amount of uncleaved 60 kDa
      precursor protein. The mature, active protein is predominantly a 30 kDa homodimer
      consisting of subspecies of 18 and 22 kDa which differ by proteolytic processing
      at their amino termini. Mature BMP-2 and propeptide contain high mannose and
      complex N-linked oligosaccharides, respectively. The molar amount of secreted,
      processed propeptide is approximately 5-fold higher than mature BMP-2 in
      conditioned medium. BMP-2 associates with both the extracellular matrix and the
      surface of CHO cells, which may in part account for the unequal levels of
      extracellular propeptide and mature forms of the molecule in the conditioned
      medium. Recombinant BMP-2 can be expressed in sufficient quantities to assess its
      therapeutic potential for bone regeneration.

PMID- 1419072
TI  - Purification and biochemical characterisation of human and murine stem cell
      inhibitors (SCI).
AB  - We have recently characterised an inhibitor of haemopoietic stem cell
      proliferation (SCI/MIP-1 alpha) and report here on its purification and initial
      biological and biochemical characterisation. The activity can be detected by
      direct addition to the CFU-A stem cell assay and this simple test for inhibitory
      activity has greatly facilitated the purification of the molecule. The
      purification involves a combination of Mono Q ion exchange chromatography,
      heparin-sepharose affinity chromatography and Blue Sepharose affinity
      chromatography. The purified stem cell inhibitor is an 8 kD peptide which is
      identical to the previously described peptide macrophage inflammatory protein 1
      alpha. The peptide has a natural tendency to form large self-aggregates and
      appears, in physiological buffers, to have a native molecular weight of around 90
      kD. SCI is a heat stable, protease sensitive protein which is half maximally
      active at between 10 and 25 pM in the CFU-A assay. The self-aggregates can be
      disrupted by dilute solutions of acetic acid and it appears that disruption
      increases the specific activity of SCI preparations. We also report the
      characterisation of the human homologue of the stem cell inhibitor (human SCI/MIP
      1 alpha) which is 74% identical to murine MIP-1 alpha and which shares all the
      above features of the murine inhibitor.

PMID- 1419073
TI  - Binding of a novel radioiodinated thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 antagonist to
      guinea pig lung membranes.
AB  - The utilization of a novel radioiodinated TXA2/PGH2 receptor antagonist, ISAP (7
      [(1R,2S,3S,5R)-6,6-dimethyl-3(4- iodobenzenesulfonylamino)-bicyclo[3.1.1]-hept-2
      yl]-5(Z)-heptenoic acid) to characterize TXA2/PGH2 receptors from guinea pig lung
      parenchymal membranes in radioligand binding assays is described. [125I]ISAP
      binding was saturable, displaceable, and dependent upon protein concentration.
      The time course of binding yielded k1 = 2.12 x 10(8) M-1 min-1, k1 = 4.46 x 10(
      3) min-1, Kd = k-1/k1 = 17.8 pM. Equilibrium binding studies indicated a single
      class of high affinity binding sites with a Kd of 52.7 +/- 1.9 pM and a Bmax of
      92.7 +/- 7.2 fmoles/mg protein (n = 4). Binding was inhibited by a series of
      structurally diverse mimetics and antagonists with the rank order of potency IBOP
      greater than ONO11113 = SQ26655 greater than U46619 (mimetics) and (d)-S-145
      greater than ISAP greater than (1)-S-145 greater than SQ29548 greater than
      BM13505 = I-PTA-OH (antagonists), with entantioselectivity of binding
      demonstrated by (d) and (1) S-145. Binding was also inhibited by prostanoids
      (PGD2, PGF2 alpha, and 9 alpha, 11 beta-PGF2) thought to act at the airway
      TXA2/PHH2 receptor, but not by histamine or carbachol, and only weakly by LTB4
      and LTD4, consistent with specific binding to the lung TXA2/PGH2 receptor.

PMID- 1419075
TI  - Structure elucidation of oxygenated lipids in human atherosclerotic lesions.
AB  - Oxidative modification of low density lipoproteins and tissue lipids has been
      proposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We examined human
      atherosclerotic lesions of various stages from fifteen victims of acute heart
      failure and detected substantial amounts of oxygenated fatty acids in the tissue
      ester lipids. The degree of lipid oxygenation correlated with the stage of
      advancement of the lesion. More than 85% of the oxygenated fatty acids were
      localized in the cholesterol esters, whereas phospholipids contained only small
      amounts. Structure elucidation of the oxygenation products indicated a
      nonspecific product pattern of various isomers of keto- and hydroxy
      octadecadienoic acid. The data presented suggest an involvement of lipid
      peroxidation in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and indicate that the
      majority of the oxygenation products are formed via nonspecific, non-enzymatic
      reactions possibly initiated by the action of a 15-lipoxygenase.

PMID- 1419074
TI  - Aspirin abolishes the decreased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) entry into the
      rabbit arterial wall induced by the calcium channel blocker isradipine.
AB  - After deendothelialization and experimentally induced hypercholesterolemia in
      rabbits, an increased LDL entry into the vascular wall can be monitored using
      radiolabelled LDL. In male rabbits aged 6 months the abdominal aortic endothelium
      was removed by a Fogarty catheter. The animals fed a 1% cholesterol supplemented
      diet were treated either with isradipine (0.3 mg/kg/daily) (n = 36) alone or in
      combination with aspirin (5 mg/kg/daily) (n = 36) for four weeks. Thirty-six
      animals served as controls. 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours prior to sacrificing, 10
      microCi 125I-LDL was administered intravenously to six rabbits in each group. The
      LDL entry was quantified in the abdominal aorta according to morphologically
      assessed type of surface lining. Aortic cholesterol content was assessed by Sudan
      III staining and quantitative determination. Endothelialized segments exhibited a
      significantly (p less than 0.05 - p less than 0.001) lower LDL uptake as compared
      to re- or deendothelialized segments. The LDL entry was significantly lower with
      isradipine treatment than in controls. In parallel the cholesterol content
      decreased and the Sudan-III-positive areas were smaller in size. This beneficial
      effect as well as that on aortic lipid content was abolished by a pretreatment
      with aspirin. While in the isradipine-treated animals PGI2 synthesis was
      significantly (p less than 0.01) enhanced, it was almost completely blocked by
      aspirin. These findings indicate that the benefit of reduced LDL entry caused by
      isradipine may be mediated by an increased endogenous PGI2 synthesis.

PMID- 1419076
TI  - Effect of prostaglandin E2 or prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors on human
      gonadotrophins and prolactin.
AB  - A role for prostaglandins (PGs) in the release of pituitary hormones in humans is
      controversial. The effect of PGE2 or PG synthesis inhibitors on gonadotrophin and
      prolactin (PRL) levels was evaluated in 50 volunteers (25 males and 25 females).
      Forty cases in four equal groups (Group I & II were males and group III & IV were
      females) received iv infusion of PGE2 in one cycle and non-steroidal anti
      inflammatory drugs (NSAID) [Indomethacin or Naproxen] in the subsequent cycle.
      Control groups A & B (5 males and 5 females) received saline infusions in one
      cycle and placebo capsules in the next cycle. Neither PGE2 nor any of the two
      NSAID altered the basal levels of FSH or LH significantly. PGE2 infusions in
      males depressed PRL levels significantly two hours after the onset of infusions.
      Indomethacin raised PRL levels while Naproxen did not. In women, a similar
      response was also observed but prolactin levels decreased earlier (30 min from
      the PGE2 infusion). These data indicate a probable role for PGE2 or other
      prostanoids as well in the regulation of human PRL release but not in
      gonadotrophin secretion.

PMID- 1419077
TI  - Effect of 25-hydroxycholesterol on cytotoxicity and prostacyclin production in
      cultured human umbilical arterial endothelial cells.
AB  - The effect of cholesterol or 25-hydroxycholesterol on DNA synthesis and
      prostacyclin synthesis by cultured human umbilical arterial endothelial cells was
      investigated. Cells incubated with 25-hydroxycholesterol showed an increased rate
      of cell death, decreased [3H]-thymidine incorporation and increased prostacyclin
      production as compared to either the control or the pure cholesterol group. 25
      hydroxycholesterol caused a concentration- and time-dependent increase in
      prostacyclin synthesis. The intracellular free calcium concentration of
      endothelial cells incubated with 25-hydroxycholesterol was markedly increased in
      a time-dependent manner. Calcium uptake by endothelial cells incubated with 25
      hydroxycholesterol for 24 h was markedly increased. It is suggested that 25
      hydroxycholesterol may depress DNA synthesis and increase prostacyclin synthesis
      via an elevation in the intracellular free calcium concentration of endothelial
      cells.

PMID- 1419078
TI  - Thromboxane synthase inhibition in allergen challenged sheep lung: effect on
      eicosanoid synthesis.
AB  - We determined the effect of a novel inhibitor of thromboxane synthase, DP1904, on
      the baseline and allergen stimulated release of eicosanoids into the
      bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of sheep. DP1904 was effective in reducing the
      baseline and allergen stimulated production of TXB2. Inhibition of thromboxane
      synthase was associated with an increase in other prostaglandin endoperoxide
      metabolites, PGE2 and PGD2. Diversion of endoperoxide metabolism occurs in sheep
      lung tissue in vivo.

PMID- 1419079
TI  - Leukotriene formation by mouse connective tissue mast cells.
AB  - Stimulation of peritoneal cells from BALB/c, CBA/J or WBB6F1(-)+/+ mice with
      IgE/antigen caused the release of mast cell granules and leukotriene C4. No
      leukotriene formation was observed with peritoneal cells from mast cell-deficient
      WBB6F1-W/Wv mice. Mast cells (greater than 98% purity), separated on metrizamide
      gradients, did not synthesize detectable amounts of leukotriene C4 when
      challenged immediately after purification. Co-culture of the mast cells with 3T3
      fibroblasts restored the capability of the mast cells to produce leukotrienes.
      Addition of IL-3 during culture enhanced the synthesis of this eicosanoid. The 5
      lipoxygenase inhibitor A-63162 blocked the leukotriene formation. Western blot
      analysis confirmed the presence of 5-lipoxygenase in connective tissue mast
      cells. These experiments demonstrate that mouse peritoneal (connective tissue)
      mast cells can produce significant amounts of leukotrienes.

PMID- 1419080
TI  - A Calluna vulgaris extract 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor shows potent
      antiproliferative effects on human leukemia HL-60 cells.
AB  - A water-Calluna vulgaris extract (water-CVE) was found to be a relatively
      specific arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor and showed potent anti
      proliferative effects on human leukemic HL60 cells. Water-CVE completely
      inhibited potato 5-lipoxygenase activity at 250 micrograms/ml, partially
      inhibited soybean 15-lipoxygenase at pH 7.4 and had no effect either on this 15
      lipoxygenase at its optimal activity pH (pH 9) or on Lupinus albus 5-, 8-, 15
      lipoxygenase. In culture, the proliferation and DNA synthesis of HL60 cells were
      decreased by water-CVE in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 of 200
      micrograms/ml at day 4. This effect of water-CVE is related to the starting
      density of HL60 cells. These results suggest that arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase
      metabolites and/or leukotrienes could play an essential role in cellular
      functions of leukemic cells and may explain the success of the use of Calluna
      vulgaris as tea and baths in folk medicine.

PMID- 1419081
TI  - Influence of HDL on the formation of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and TXB2 in vitro: the
      importance of the source of HDL.
AB  - The influence of HDL, isolated from normolipidemic human blood and blood of normo
      and hyperlipidemic rabbits, on in vitro 6-keto-PGF1 alpha synthesis by rabbit
      aorta and on TXB2 synthesis by platelets of clotting human and rabbit blood was
      tested. The HDL fraction from normolipidemic subjects, when incubated with blood
      from normolipidemic humans or rabbits, inhibited TXB2 formation. The same
      fraction stimulated the formation of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha after incubation with
      rabbit aorta taken from normolipidemic animals. HDL taken from hyperlipidemic
      rabbits inhibited 6-keto-PGF1 alpha formation in rabbits and had no influence on
      TXB2 formation. These results support the hypothesis that not only is the
      absolute amount of HDL important for its influence on prostanoid formation, but
      also the origin and the composition of the HDL fraction.

PMID- 1419082
TI  - Membranes exert indirect negative control on phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in human
      placenta.

PMID- 1419083
TI  - Elevated maternal plasma immunoreactive phospholipase A2 in human preterm and
      term labour.
AB  - Peripheral plasma concentrations of immunoreactive phospholipase A2 (irPLA2)
      (Type II, non-pancreatic) were determined in 110 women during pregnancy. The
      concentration of irPLA2 did not significantly change during pregnancy (5.7 +/-
      0.6 ng/ml, n = 72) until the onset of labour. When compared with non-labouring
      women, irPLA2 concentrations were significantly elevated in association with both
      preterm labour (13.3 +/- 2.4 ng/ml, n = 15, p less than 0.02) and labour at term
      (10.4 +/- 1.7, n = 23, p less than 0.02). These data suggest that maternal plasma
      irPLA2 may be reflective of the mechanism(s) underlying the labour-associated
      increase in human gestational tissue eicosanoid formation.

PMID- 1419084
TI  - [The inclusion of the family in the therapeutic process in dementia].

PMID- 1419085
TI  - [Cognitive functions in multiple sclerosis].
AB  - Although the presence of intellectual impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS) is
      known since the first studies of the disease frequently the impairment goes
      equally undetected for the patients, their family and the physician because the
      physical dysfunction is much more outstanding. In this study a population of 50
      persons suffering clinically definite MS (Poser's criteria) and 50 healthy
      controls matched with the patients in sex, age and cultural level were submitted
      to a neuropsychological test battery (NPTB). The existence of a correlation
      between the punctuation obtained in the NPTB and factors such as the level of
      disability, the time of evolution, the type of MS and the work status was
      searched. The results show a greater difficulty in doing tasks requiring
      attention-concentration skills thus giving the MS patients significantly lower
      scores in the memory test when compared with the controls. The execution of all
      tests was worse in those forms of MS with the longest time of evolution, higher
      EDSS scores and the chronic-progressive types. In our study the loss of the
      working status was never due to the intellectual impairment, it was because of
      the physical disability.

PMID- 1419086
TI  - [Depression in Parkinson's disease and its relation to the cognitive and motor
      manifestations].
AB  - Evaluation with the geriatric depression scale carried out in 30 patients with
      Parkinson's disease who did not present subjective complaint of loss of memory or
      impairment in superior mental function capable of interfering in daily routine
      showed a high frequency of depression of 50-70% depending on where the cut-off in
      the geriatric depression scale was located. Depression in these patients does not
      significantly relate with either cognitive impairment or the degree of motor
      incapacity. Neither were depression or anxiety in these patients related with
      demographic data such as the age of the patient, age at onset of the disease,
      sex, months of evolution, or education. In contrast, a positive correlation was
      found between depression and anxiety.

PMID- 1419087
TI  - [Ischemic cerebrovascular syndrome of pregnancy and the puerperium].
AB  - There is little information on ischemic cerebrovascular pathology of pregnancy
      and puerperium. The clinical characteristics and the results of tomographic and
      angiographic evaluation of nine patients with ischemic cerebrovascular syndrome
      of pregnancy and puerperium are described. Venous thrombosis was the cause of
      cerebrovascular episode in 4 of the 9 patients presenting characteristic clinical
      manifestations and occurring particularly during puerperium. The diagnostic
      method of these cases was angiography since the scanner was normal in almost all
      the cases. Arterial pathology presented preferentially during pregnancy with no
      peculiar clinical characteristics being observed. In these cases the cerebral
      scanner was the best diagnostic technique. Follow-up suggested a better prognosis
      for venous pathology in terms of sequelae.

PMID- 1419088
TI  - [Cognitive functions in multiple sclerosis. Bibliographic review (1980-1991)].
AB  - The presence of intellectual impairment in MS has been known since the first
      studies of Charcot and Vulpain who described the memory's weakening appearing in
      these patients. However, the interest for the MS' cognitive deficits has
      specially increased in the decade of the 80's. In this article, a bibliographical
      revision of the last published studies about the cognitive impairment in MS has
      been made paying attention to those superior functions known as more affected.
      The aim of this article is to known the correlation among the cognitive
      impairment and the MR images, level of disability, fatigue, duration and course
      of the disease and demographic factors.

PMID- 1419089
TI  - [Hemiparesis-ataxia in meningovascular syphilis].
AB  - Two cases of lacunar infarction of "ataxic-hemiparesis" type secondary to luetic
      vasculitis are presented. The first patient presented meningovasculitis and the
      second progressive general paralysis. In both cases the ischemic lesion was seen
      by magnetic resonance and was located at a pontine level in one case and in the
      corona radiata in the other. Treponemal serology in plasma and CSF was positive
      in both cases with lymphocytic pleocytosis and high CSF protein levels being
      observed. Clinical and response to treatment was satisfactory except in the case
      of general paralysis in whom the impairments existing prior to the cerebral
      infarction persisted. This study complements recent communications in which
      neurosyphilis was attributed to the appearance of other lacunar type infarctions
      (pure motor hemiparesis).

PMID- 1419090
TI  - [Behcet's syndrome with neurological involvement: value of magnetic resonance].
AB  - Behcet's syndrome is a rare inflammatory, multisystemic disease of unknown
      etiology and chronic relapsing course, manifested chiefly by ocular and
      mucocutaneous lesions. Among its neurologic complications, a cerebral vasculitis
      can occasionally been observed, upon which there is little information at
      present. A 31-year-old man presented with fever, weight loss, oral and genital
      ulcers, blurred vision and memory loss during the last two months. The
      cerebrospinal fluid contained 170 lymphocytes/microliters. Computed Tomography
      and cerebral angiography were normal. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed
      small hyperintense lesions in the corticomedullary and periventricular regions.
      The patient's condition improved with corticosteroids. We stress upon the
      importance of MRI to detect small-vessel vasculitis in Behcet's disease.

PMID- 1419091
TI  - [Current status of fine-needle myelography].

PMID- 1419092
TI  - [Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva: evaluation of the signs in an imaging
      study].

PMID- 1419093
TI  - [Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and physical exertion].

PMID- 1419095
TI  - The 1991 Elis Berven Lecture. Radiotherapy in the nineties. Increase in cure,
      decrease in morbidity.
AB  - Advance in radiotherapy can be achieved by obtaining a greater tumour control and
      by reducing the morbidity of treatment, both early and late. The factors
      influencing both means of benefiting the cancer patient are considered.

PMID- 1419094
TI  - [Adenosine deaminase. False negatives in tuberculous meningitis].

PMID- 1419097
TI  - Clinical aspects of tumour involvement of the pulmonary vessels.
AB  - The involvement of the pulmonary vessels by tumour emboli may lead to a clinical
      picture defined as 'subacute cor pulmonale'. Information about this syndrome has
      been limited to case reports and a few series. A study of 214 autopsied cancer
      patients was undertaken to investigate the clinical signs and symptoms of tumour
      involvement of the pulmonary vessels (TIPV). The lungs were removed as a block
      and 15 sections (3 from each lobe) were analyzed. Clinical data about right
      ventricular failure, dyspnoea, cough, pleuritic chest pain, cyanosis, engorgement
      of jugular veins, peripheral oedema, haemoptysis and haemoptoic sputum were
      obtained from the medical records of each patient. Tumour emboli were detected in
      89 cases, and no respiratory symptoms were recorded in 39. The presence of
      dyspnoea and cyanosis were highly significant in the group with TIVP, and right
      ventricular failure and peripheral oedema showed slight significant differences
      between the patients with and without TIPV. The classical picture of subacute cor
      pulmonale was observed in 13 patients and TIPV was considered to be the main
      cause of death in 29 cases. Our results indicate that although the development of
      subacute cor pulmonale was rare in patients with cancer, TIPV may be suspected
      when the patient presents respiratory distress and should be included in the
      differential diagnosis of dyspnoea in cancer patients.

PMID- 1419096
TI  - Diagnosis and treatment of anal carcinoma. An overview.
AB  - Squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal gives early symptoms and is easy to
      diagnose. However, these patients often present with advanced tumours, probably
      because of patient's and/or doctor's delay. The diagnosis must be confirmed by a
      conclusive biopsy as the treatment of ano-rectal tumours is based upon correct
      histopathological diagnosis. Loco-regional tumour control of squamous cell
      carcinoma is excellent following radiotherapy or combined chemoradiotherapy as
      only 10-20% of the patients develop a local recurrence. The great majority of
      these are cured by abdominoperineal resection. However, this treatment involves
      considerable acute and chronic toxicity, but mortality is less than 2%. There is
      no general agreement about how to minimize toxicity without hazarding loco
      regional tumour control. One way could be to irradiate only the primary tumour
      site in patients with early lesions, and reserve radiotherapy of regional lymph
      nodes for more advanced cases. About 20% of the patients develop distant
      metastases, which make the disease incurable. Hence, frequent, rectal digital
      examination is the most important follow-up since early local recurrences can
      easily be cured. There is no general consensus concerning adjuvant chemotherapy,
      but its potential should be further explored.

PMID- 1419098
TI  - Primary gastric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. A retrospective clinico-pathological
      study.
AB  - Prognostic factors and treatment results were analysed in 72 consecutive patients
      with primary gastric lymphoma treated between 1970 and 1985. There were 37
      patients in stage IE, 17 in IIE, 3 in IIES and 15 in stage IV. Histopathological
      re-evaluation and classification according to the TNM system were performed. We
      found that disseminated disease (stage IV), serosal penetration (T3), involvement
      of adjacent organs (T4) and extensive abdominal lymph node involvement (N3) were
      poor prognostic factors. Neither histological malignancy grading, nor the
      appearance of lympho-epithelial lesions were significantly associated with
      relapse-free survival. Forty-six patients with 'limited localized' disease (stage
      IE, IIE, N3 excluded) received potentially curative treatment (surgery,
      radiotherapy, chemotherapy or combinations thereof), of whom 85% remained relapse
      free. Thirty-four patients did only get local treatment (surgery and/or
      radiotherapy) with curative potential, the relapse-free survival rate was 85%. We
      conclude that primary gastric lymphoma stage IE and IIE (N3 excluded) is often a
      truly localized disease that can be cured with local therapy.

PMID- 1419099
TI  - Age as a determinant of axillary node involvement in invasive breast cancer.
AB  - We analyzed the age at diagnosis and the tumor size as determinants of axillary
      node involvement in 725 consecutive patients with breast cancer. The prevalence
      of nodal involvement increased consistently with tumor diameter from 18.9% in
      tumors smaller than 10 mm to 72.9% in those measuring 40 mm, or more. The risk
      also varied with age, the lowest prevalence being found in the youngest and the
      oldest patients and the highest one in the 40-59-year age group. When analyzed as
      a continuous variable age was best fitted as a second order term and it was a
      statistically significant (p = 0.04) determinant of axillary metastases in a
      multivariate model where tumor diameter, histopathological classification and
      estrogen receptor concentration were taken into account as possible confounding
      variables. The findings indicate that the parallelism between the establishment
      of metastases in lymph nodes and at distant sites may vary with age. The
      prognostic value of nodal status may therefore depend on age at diagnosis.

PMID- 1419100
TI  - Measurement of short-term 11C-thymidine activity in human head and neck tumours
      using positron emission tomography (PET).
AB  - Tumour uptake of 11C-thymidine labeled in the methyl position was assessed after
      intravenous injection in 13 patients with head and neck tumours. This activity
      was compared to other tracers such as C15O, 13NH3 and C15O2. In every single case
      a 'positive' tumour image after injection of 11C-thymidine was obtained. Time
      activity curves showed the initial activity to be followed by a rapid decrease
      over the first 10-15 min with an apparent plateau thereafter. A similar level of
      uptake was found in normal salivary gland regions and myocardium, while higher
      activities were noted in liver and kidney parenchyma. It is suggested that both
      blood flow and cellular metabolism can influence 11C-thymidine imaging in this
      class of human tumours.

PMID- 1419101
TI  - Primary malignant lymphoma of the brain. A report of 24 cases from the Norwegian
      Radium Hospital.
AB  - Between 1975 and 1987, 24 patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma
      were seen and treated at the Norwegian Radium Hospital. The overall median
      survival was 24 months. Patients with poor performance status (WHO 3-4) had a
      median survival of 3 months whereas patients with good performance status (WHO 0
      2) had a median survival of 40 months (p < 0.0001). Patients who were not steroid
      dependent after operation had a better survival than those patients who were
      steroid-dependent (p = 0.02). Nine patients were still living without evidence of
      disease at last follow-up, 18-130 months after the initial treatment.

PMID- 1419102
TI  - Primary non-AIDS related brain lymphoma. Patterns of failure following
      radiotherapy.
AB  - Thirteen patients with primary brain lymphoma (PBL) were treated with
      radiotherapy. Three patients also had ocular involvement with retinal masses at
      initial presentation. All but one patient received conventional whole brain
      irradiation and, in addition, spinal irradiation, intrathecal methotrexate or
      orbital irradiation were given in two, two and four patients respectively. The
      radiation doses for involved sites ranged from 40 to 65 Gy, and for prophylactic
      sites from 30 to 50 Gy. After radiotherapy, all patients had complete regression
      of the tumor on computed tomography. Nine patients relapsed, 5 of them with brain
      recurrence. Two patients had ocular recurrence exclusively as their first
      relapse. The remaining two relapsing patients had bone lesions. One patient died
      intercurrently. As a result, only three patients are alive and free of disease
      after 16 to 36 months and all three received some adjuvant treatment in addition
      to whole brain irradiation.

PMID- 1419103
TI  - Prognostic factors in radiation-treated esophageal carcinoma.
AB  - Prognostic factors in esophageal carcinoma treated with irradiation were
      examined. The prognosis of 111 patients without metastasis who had received more
      than 60 Gy was analyzed. Significant associations were found between survival
      rates and tumor length, stage, radioresponse of the primary tumor and the s.c. X
      P classification based on barium contrast radiography; superficial type (tumor
      limited to the surface of the esophageal wall), tumorous type (solid mass without
      ulceration), Ul-A type (tumor with shallow ulceration with regular margin), Ul-B
      type (tumor with deep ulceration or irregular ulcer margin), and funneled type
      (tumor invading the esophageal wall in a scirrhous pattern). In multiple
      regression analysis, the X-P classification had the strongest correlation with
      survival and the survival rates of patients with the superficial type, the
      tumorous type and the s.c. Ul-A type were significantly higher than those of
      patients with the other tumor types (p < 0.001).

PMID- 1419104
TI  - The effect of postoperative radiotherapy on leukocyte zinc, serum trace elements
      and nutritional status of breast cancer patients.
AB  - Mononuclear (MNC) and polymorphonuclear cell (PMNC) zinc content was determined
      together with serum zinc, copper, selenium and iron concentrations in 24 operable
      breast cancer patients during and after postoperative radiotherapy.
      Anthropometric and biochemical indices of nutritional status were measured as
      background data. The measurements were carried out in the years 1987-1988. Nine
      patients used unconventional multivitamin or trace element preparations. A steady
      but statistically insignificant decrease in PMNC zinc was seen during treatment.
      No changes occurred in MNC zinc. Serum copper levels increased in five patients
      possibly due to tamoxifen treatment, but no other alterations occurred in serum
      trace element levels. Appetite was well maintained and nutritional status
      remained unaltered. Postoperative radiotherapy for breast carcinoma had thus no
      effect on either trace element or nutritional status. Patient-initiated
      alternative treatments did not significantly affect their trace element levels.
      This was probably due to small supplementation doses or irregular use of the
      preparations.

PMID- 1419105
TI  - Ondansetron and tropisetron with dexamethasone in the prophylaxis of acute
      vomiting induced by non-cisplatin-containing chemotherapy.
AB  - Forty-seven patients receiving non-cisplatin-containing chemotherapy were entered
      in a prospective study in which the efficacy of ondansetron plus dexamethasone
      and tropisetron plus dexamethasone in the prophylaxis of acute vomiting was
      evaluated. Thirty-nine patients were evaluable for cross-over analysis. During
      the 24 hours following the start of chemotherapy, 97% of patients on ondansetron
      plus dexamethasone reported total control of vomiting compared with 82% of those
      on tropisetron plus dexamethasone (p = 0.026). Thus, both 5-HT3- receptor
      antagonists combined with dexamethasone were highly effective in controlling
      acute vomiting induced by non-cisplatin-containing chemotherapy. The observed
      difference between the treatments may be caused by different dose schedules of
      ondansetron and tropisetron. A double-blind design with equal number of placebo
      controlled administrations is needed to ascertain whether there is a significant
      pharmacological difference between ondansetron and tropisetron.

PMID- 1419106
TI  - Modification of radioresponse of sublethally irradiated mouse jejunum by
      misonidazole.
AB  - The radiation-induced changes in a critically radiosensitive tissue, jejunum of
      BALB/c mice and their modification by a hypoxic cell sensitizer, misonidazole
      (MISO), were studied. Adult mice were exposed to 1.5, 3.0 and 5.0 Gy of 60Co
      gamma radiation 30 min after MISO injection and quantitative studies in jejunal
      cross sections were carried out at different post-treatment times from 3 h to 28
      d. Radiation-induced damage to the jejunal mucosa was dose-dependent and reached
      a maximum on day 1 post-treatment in all the groups. MISO pretreated animals did
      not exhibit any change in the crypt survival or crypt and villous cellularity
      compared to the radiation alone group. However, there was a significant
      suppression of mitotic activity by MISO at early intervals after irradiation.
      This reduction in mitosis in the drug pretreated animals appeared to affect the
      rate of recovery from radiation damage, which was slower and prolonged compared
      with that in the radiation alone group.

PMID- 1419108
TI  - Carcinoma of unknown primary site--a complete and sustained response with
      interleukin-2, alpha interferon and 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin.

PMID- 1419107
TI  - Neutropenic enterocolitis and intestinal perforation associated with carboplatin
      containing conditioning regimen for autologous bone marrow transplantation.

PMID- 1419109
TI  - Acute cerebrovascular accident after treatment with cisplatin.

PMID- 1419110
TI  - Binding of cytotoxin P4 from Naja nigricollis nigricollis to B16F10 melanoma and
      WEHI-3B leukemia cells.
AB  - Cobra venoms cause irreversible destruction of cells cultured in vitro [1,2]. The
      venom of Naja nigricollis nigricollis possessed the most potent cytotoxic
      activity towards B16F10 melanoma cells among various examined venoms [2]. The
      main cytotoxic factor (P4) isolated from this venom showed preferential activity
      on tumor cell lines and caused lysis at concentrations of 10(-7) M (0.8-1
      micrograms/ml) [3]. The present study examined the binding of cytotoxin P4 to
      melanoma B16F10 and WEHI-3B leukemia cell lines and found that, like
      cytotoxicity, it depended on concentration, temperature and incubation time.
      Cytotoxin concentrations that elicited no apparent damage to cells during the
      first hour of incubation caused lysis after a longer period of incubation,
      suggesting that a critical number of bound molecules is required in order to
      cause cell death. Bivalent ions, such as Mg2+, Ca2+ or Sr2+, which decreased
      binding to the cells also inhibited cytotoxicity. Competition experiments as well
      as the displacement of 75% of the bound radiolabelled cytotoxin with 'cold'
      cytotoxin, suggest the presence of specific binding sites for the toxin in the
      examined tumor cells. The non-specific binding of the cytotoxin P4 to sea urchin
      ova and sperm cells without affecting their fertility, even at high
      concentrations of 10(-5) M, indicates that the specific binding to cells is
      probably a necessary condition for cell lysis.

PMID- 1419111
TI  - The effect of the presence of integral membrane protein (human band 3) on the
      membrane lytic properties of melittin in reconstituted systems.
AB  - Reconstitution of the anion exchange protein from human erythrocytes (band 3)
      into phospholipid vesicles was shown to have a protective effect on melittin
      lysis of the vesicles when compared to pure lipid vesicles. Low salt buffer was
      found to cause an inhibition of lysis in both proteoliposomes and pure lipid
      vesicles compared to salt buffer. High phosphate concentration did not seem to
      cause inhibition of lysis in the reconstituted system. However, an inhibition is
      observed in pure lipid vesicle control, which is contradictory to previous
      reports.

PMID- 1419112
TI  - The synthesis and function of the Escherichia coli hemolysin and related RTX
      exotoxins.
AB  - The RTX group of exotoxins represents a branch of a family of exoproteins
      produced by Gram-negative bacteria which share the properties of being secreted
      by a leader-independent pathway and a tandemly-repeated nine-amino-acid sequence
      that is responsible for calcium binding. The Escherichia coli hemolysin (HlyA) is
      the prototype for the RTX exotoxin family which includes the leukotoxins of
      Pasteurella haemolytica and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and hemolysins
      from four Gram-negative genera. A review of the genetics, synthesis, export and
      target cell reactivity of the E. coli hemolysin is given. An evolutionary tree of
      the RTX toxin family based on amino acid sequence similarity is presented.

PMID- 1419113
TI  - Activation of Escherichia coli prohemolysin to the membrane-targetted toxin by
      HlyC-directed ACP-dependent fatty acylation.
AB  - Hemolysin (HlyA) and related toxins of Escherichia coli and other Gram-negative
      pathogenic bacteria form membrane pores in cells of the host immune system,
      causing cell dysfunction and death. An insight into the mechanism by which HlyA
      is targetted to mammalian cell membranes was achieved by establishing in vitro
      activation of the non-toxic precursor proHlyA. By this approach we have
      discovered that conversion of proHlyA to the post-translational active HlyA toxin
      is determined by fatty acylation of proHlyA in an apparently novel process
      directed by the HlyC homodimer activator protein, and dependent upon the cellular
      acyl carrier protein (ACP). By further exploiting the in vitro activation system
      it is now possible to obtain direct evidence that HlyC binds to an internal
      recognition sequence in the proHlyA precursor, in this way providing specificity
      for the transfer to proHlyA of a fatty acid moiety carried by the ACP. It is
      possible that the fatty acid modification determines directly the binding of HlyA
      to mammalian membrane lipids, thus initiating the toxin interaction with the
      target cells.

PMID- 1419114
TI  - The HlyB/HlyD-dependent secretion of toxins by gram-negative bacteria.
AB  - Hemolysin (HlyA) and related toxins are secreted across both the cytoplasmic and
      outer membranes of Escherichia coli and other pathogenic Gram-negative bacteria
      in a remarkable process which proceeds without a periplasmic intermediate. It is
      directed by an uncleaved C-terminal targetting signal and the HlyD and HlyB
      translocator proteins, the latter of which are members of a transporter
      superfamily central to import and export of a wide range of substrates by
      prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Our mutational analyses of the HlyA targetting
      signal and definition for the first time of stages and intermediates in the
      HlyB/HlyD-dependent translocation allow a discussion of the hemolysin export
      process in the wider context of protein translocation.

PMID- 1419115
TI  - Oligomer formation of staphylococcal alpha-toxin analyzed by electron microscopy
      and image processing.
AB  - The 12S oligomeric form of Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin has been studied
      with electron microscopy after incubation of the toxin with membrane preparations
      or liposomes. The target material originated from human platelets. Different
      electron microscopic preparation techniques were used including negative
      staining, freeze-fracture and vitrification in liquid ethane. Analysis of
      micrographs with image processing methods revealed two groups of ring-like
      structures corresponding to alpha-toxin oligomers. One form measured 75 A in
      diameter and had a high stain density in the central protein deficient part while
      the other was larger with a diameter of 100 A and less stain accumulation in the
      center. The conditions under which the latter were formed suggest that this
      corresponds to an inactive loosely-bound form of the toxin. The high stain
      density in the smaller particle is consistent with the presence of a penetrating
      pore in this structure.

PMID- 1419116
TI  - Specific and non-specific mouse protection induced by different chemotypes of the
      Pseudomonas aeruginosa lipopolysaccharides.
AB  - Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were studied by the mouse
      active, cross-protection test. The primary structure of O-specific
      polysaccharides (O-repeating units) of different chemotypes was determined and
      their cross-protective activity demonstrated. Low doses of LPS (0.1-1 micrograms)
      stimulated chemotype-specific protection against P. aeruginosa in mice. This
      immunity was associated with the primary structure of the LPS and it lasted for
      14 days after the first or second immunization. High doses of LPS (10-100
      micrograms) induced cross-protection against P. aeruginosa in mice. The cross
      protective capacity was caused evidently by the secondary structure or
      conformation of LPS molecule, i.e. by the common conformational protective
      determinant. This cross-protection lasted for only 5 days after the first or
      second immunization.

PMID- 1419117
TI  - Mechanism of the protective immunity against murine typhoid: persistence of
      Salmonella L forms in the liver after immunization with live-cell vaccines.
AB  - Live-cell vaccines of Salmonella typhimurium, either a sub-lethal dose of a wild
      type (strain LT2) or a high dose of its two-heptose Rd1 mutant (strain SL1004),
      induced acquired resistance to murine typhoid, which remained 180 days after
      immunization. Growth of S. typhimurium as a bacillary form ceased between days 30
      and 60 of immunization, but L forms of this bacterium colonized the liver (the
      mean number of L forms in the liver: 600 L-forming units) even at 180 days post
      immunization. In contrast, a high inoculum of either a Ra mutant (strain TV148)
      of strain LT2 or S. schottmulleri 8006 sharing the same O antigenic components
      with those of S. typhimurium induced only a short-lived protection in proportion
      to the number of L forms in the liver, and the protective immunity was lost
      before day 180. However, there was no significant difference in the salmonella
      specific T-cell responses among groups of immunized mice on day 180 of
      immunization. A lethal infection with strain LT2 in mice which had been immunized
      75 days previously with living cells of strain SL1004 resulted in a rapid
      clearance of the challenge inoculum, together with a rapid elevation of anti-S.
      typhimurium antibody responses. Thus, the present data suggest that the long
      lived immunity conferred upon live S. typhimurium vaccines is attributable to the
      colonization of this bacterium in the liver as L forms and the ability to
      colonize the liver as L forms is independent of the chain length of salmonella O
      antigens.

PMID- 1419118
TI  - Immunogenicity and toxicity of lipopolysaccharide from Francisella tularensis
      LVS.
AB  - Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from the live vaccine strain of Francisella tularensis
      (F. tularensis LVS) was isolated and purified. The LPS did not stimulate
      lymphocytes from previously tularaemia-vaccinated individuals or lymphocytes from
      non-primed individuals. However, serum antibodies from tularaemia vaccinees
      reacted with the LPS whereas virtually no reactivity was found with antibodies
      from individuals not exposed to F. tularensis LVS. Antibodies of immunoglobulin
      class M displayed the antibody reactivity predominantly. The LPS failed to induce
      the mononuclear cell-derived cytokine interleukin-1 and only low levels of tumour
      necrosis factor were detected. Furthermore, no LPS endotoxin properties were
      found in galactosamine-treated mice or in the Limulus amoebocyte lysate assay.
      From these results it can be concluded that F. tularensis LVS possesses a
      lipopolysaccharide-like molecule, which does not exhibit properties of a
      classical endotoxin.

PMID- 1419119
TI  - Phagocytosis of polymorphonuclear leukocytes by guinea pig peritoneal
      macrophages: effects of serum and temperature in vitro.
AB  - The regulation of phagocytosis of neutrophils by peritoneal macrophages was
      studied in vitro. Peritoneal exudate cells (PECs) of guinea pigs were lavaged 15
      h after the i.p. injection of thioglycollate medium and were cultured in chamber
      slides. When PECs were cultured in RPMI 1640 medium in the absence of serum,
      approximately 20% of the macrophages phagocytized autologous neutrophils during
      48-72 h of culture. Addition of guinea pig serum to the culture (2.5-20% v/v)
      suppressed the extent of the phagocytosis. The suppression was induced by
      globulin-rich ammonium sulfate fractions of the serum. Sera from rat, mouse,
      hamster, horse or calf also suppressed the phagocytosis, but fetal bovine serum
      (FBS) supported the phagocytosis, which was inhibited by globulin-rich Cohn
      fractions of bovine serum. The rate of neutrophil-phagocytosing macrophages was
      proportional to the rate of the pyknotic change of neutrophils. At a high
      temperature (42 degrees C), the autophagocytosis took place at 12 h of culture
      when fresh, but not heat-inactivated, autologous serum was added, implying that
      complement components may play a role in the hyperthermia-induced phagocytosis of
      neutrophils by macrophages. At 42 degrees C, ingested neutrophils did not show
      the pyknotic changes, indicating that intact neutrophils were ingested by
      macrophages.

PMID- 1419120
TI  - Clinical experience with Tc-99m labeled (N2S2) anti-melanoma antibody fragments
      and single photon emission computed tomography.
AB  - We evaluated the imaging capability of murine Tc-99m-labeled antimelanoma Fab
      fragments in 12 patients with clinical stage II and III melanoma. Tc-99m-NRX118.7
      antimelanoma Fab fragment, 10.0 to 27.2 mCi (370-1, 006 MBq), was injected IV 30
      min after irrelevant nonspecific intact antibody and 5 min after intact specific
      antibody were given. In all patients, whole-body scans and spot views were
      obtained. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was additionally
      performed in eight of the patients. The procedure was well tolerated, and 31 of
      38 known foci of melanoma were detected (sensitivity, 82%). SPECT aided in
      detecting and better localizing lesions in the head, neck, and chest. The
      specificity of the technique was satisfactory when interpretation was performed
      with a knowledge of normal sites of accretion and excretion of technetium-99m
      activity such as the kidneys and gut. In several instances, lesions were
      discovered by means of the antibody scan before detection by other methods, and
      in two instances, the lack of visualization on antibody scan of a palpable mass
      correctly indicated that no melanoma was present in the mass. Scan results in
      three patients led to alterations in patient care; including preventing
      aggressive surgical and nonsurgical treatments. Although these data are
      encouraging, evaluation in additional patients will be essential to determine the
      clinical utility of this antibody scan in the management of patients with
      melanoma.

PMID- 1419121
TI  - Using quantitative coronary arteriography to redefine SPECT sensitivity and
      specificity.
AB  - Previous studies looking at the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive accuracy
      of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) have been based upon the
      results obtained by visual interpretation of coronary arteriograms. Since the
      results of visual and quantitative determination of percent diameter stenosis
      have been shown to be statistically different, the results obtained from SPECT
      imaging when compared to quantitative methods for assessing coronary artery
      disease would be expected to provide a more correct assessment of sensitivity,
      specificity, and predictive accuracy. To determine the "true" sensitivity,
      specificity, and predictive accuracy of SPECT in diagnosing coronary artery
      disease, this study compared the results obtained in 44 SPECT images (20 thallium
      and 24 teboroxime) with the results obtained when quantitative coronary
      arteriography was used to analyze the coronary arteriograms. These 44 cases were
      then compared against 8 different definitions of significant coronary artery
      disease, varying from 30 to 80%, to yield 352 comparisons. The maximum
      specificity and predictive accuracy was found when 45% diameter stenosis was used
      to define the presence or absence of significant disease. At 45% diameter
      stenosis, SPECT imaging demonstrated an 86% sensitivity, 78% specificity, and 94%
      predictive accuracy with only 6% false positives. In 100% of the cases where 45%
      diameter stenosis was used to define the presence of disease and exercise failed
      to demonstrate ST segment changes or angina, when SPECT imaging demonstrated a
      perfusion defect(s), quantitative coronary arteriography agreed with SPECT
      imaging results.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419122
TI  - Multiple organ platelet sequestration, hemodynamics, and gas exchange in
      endotoxin shock and the effects of aspirin-terbutaline treatment.
AB  - We studied the effects of two different drugs on multiple organ platelet
      sequestration, hemodynamics, and respiratory function during endotoxin shock.
      Twenty-eight sheep (four groups) were anesthetized and ventilated. Group AT-E
      received aspirin and terbutaline 30 min before and group E-AT 30 min after
      Escherichia coli endotoxin. Group E also received endotoxin but no drug treatment
      (shock controls), and group C received neither endotoxin nor drug treatment.
      There was a marked platelet trapping in the lungs and in the liver immediately
      after administration of endotoxin in groups E and E-AT, but after 4 hr it was
      less pronounced in group E-AT than in the endotoxin controls (P < 0.05). In the
      pretreated animals (group AT-E) there was no increase in platelet sequestration
      until almost 2 hr after endotoxin both in the lungs and the liver, but at the end
      of the study (240 min) there was no difference between the pre- and posttreated
      groups. No significant changes occurred in the kidneys and spleen in any of the
      groups. In groups E and E-AT the endotoxin infusion resulted in 200% rise in
      pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and a sharp decrease in mean arterial pressure
      (MAP; 25-30%), respiratory compliance (CT; 50%), arterial oxygen tension (PaO2;
      70%) as well as in oxygen delivery index (DO2; 30-40%) within 30 min. After 4 hr
      the PAP had decreased significantly in group E-AT, but remained high in group E
      (> 100% higher than in group C). Also MAP, PaO2, DO2 and CT improved slightly in
      group E-AT, while they remained low in group E.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419123
TI  - Sonographic evaluation of physiologic bolus volume in oral swallowing.
AB  - Twenty-two nondysphagic normal subjects were sonographically studied to define
      the average volume of a physiologic fluid bolus. Several varying volumes (5, 10,
      15, and 20 ml) of water were given to assess the average size of the swallowed
      bolus. At the onset of oral deglutition, when placed between the dorsum of the
      tongue and the groove of the hard palate, the bolus has an ellipsoidal shape,
      thus permitting sagittal, axial, and coronal measurements. Our results indicate
      that swallowed bolus volume rises proportionally to water bolus given up to 15 ml
      and that the average size of a physiologic fluid bolus is 7 ml.

PMID- 1419124
TI  - Pathophysiologic considerations in carotid artery imaging: current status and
      physiologic background.
AB  - Carotid endarterectomy now has an established place in the management of selected
      patients with carotid artery disease. This success rests in part on the invasive
      and non-invasive techniques available for imaging of both the pre- and
      postsurgical carotid artery. While contrast angiography has retained its place as
      a key presurgical imaging procedure, newer methods, including Doppler ultrasound,
      MRI angiography, SPECT, and PET scanning are providing additional anatomic,
      physiologic, functional, and biochemical information. An understanding of the
      complementary roles of these procedures is helpful to providers working to
      prevent strokes of carotid origin.

PMID- 1419125
TI  - Impact of very low birthweight on the black-white infant mortality gap.
AB  - In recent years, the rate of decline for the black infant mortality risk (IMR)
      has been slower than that for whites. The resultant widening in the black-white
      infant mortality gap has been accompanied by an increased percentage of very low
      birthweight (VLBW) infants (227 g-1,499 g) among black live births. Restricting
      our analysis to non-Hispanic black and white single live births, we used the 1983
      national linked birth-death file to assess the relative contribution of VLBW
      infants to the black-white gap in IMR. VLBW occurred among 2.3% of all black live
      births and among 0.8% of all white live births. Deaths among VLBW infants
      accounted for 62.5% of the black-white gap in IMR. Although VLBW newborns
      represent a fraction of all live births in the United States, they account for
      almost two-thirds of the black-white gap in IMR. Since preterm delivery is
      associated with most VLBW infant deaths, our findings indicate the crucial need
      to identify strategies that reduce preterm births, among blacks in particular, to
      reduce significantly the infant mortality gap in the United States.

PMID- 1419126
TI  - Relationship of maternal smoking during pregnancy to placenta previa.
AB  - Although maternal smoking during pregnancy is reportedly associated with placenta
      previa, its etiology is unknown. We examined this association by using North
      Carolina vital records of 1988 and 1989. Among women who smoked 0, 1-9, 10-19,
      and > or = 20 cigarettes per day during pregnancy, the prevalence of placenta
      previa at delivery was 3.8, 5.7, 6.3, and 6.7 per 1,000 singleton live births,
      respectively, in the entire population. However, after the potential confounders
      (maternal age, race, gravidity, parity, previous pregnancy terminations, previous
      cesarean section, and gestational age) were controlled by individual matching,
      the adjusted overall odds ratio (OR) was 1.29 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05,
      1.58) with slight dose-response gradients. Our study indicates that, although
      maternal smoking during pregnancy might affect placenta previa, the magnitude is
      substantially smaller than previously reported. This association may be
      attributable to other factors, such as detection bias.

PMID- 1419127
TI  - Prevention of tuberculosis in children: missed opportunities.
AB  - We conducted an eight-year prospective investigation in Tennessee of all cases of
      tuberculosis (TB) reported statewide in children younger than 15 years of age. Of
      the 109 verified childhood cases reported from 1981 to 1988, at least 23 (21%)
      were preventable. Eleven children developed the disease while they were under
      surveillance but were not receiving preventive therapy, nine cases resulted from
      failure of health care providers to conduct timely contact
      interviews/investigations, and three were due to other reasons. Improved
      surveillance, increased use of preventive therapy, and ensured compliance will
      contribute significantly to the elimination of tuberculosis in children at high
      risk of developing the disease.

PMID- 1419128
TI  - Agreement between patient self-reports and medical records for Pap smear
      histories.
AB  - As part of a larger cervical cancer study, we tried to verify the Pap smear
      histories for 125 black women with cervical cancer. For 105 of the patients, we
      identified all possible providers for the five-year period before the calendar
      year of diagnosis. Agreement between the medical records and the patient reports
      was poor to fair (kappa = 0.34) for whether the patient had a Pap smear in the
      three-year period before diagnosis. Patients tended to report far more Pap smears
      than medical records confirmed. Important determinants of agreement were the
      number of Pap smears reported during the five-year period and the age of the
      patient. The older the patient and the more Pap smears reported, the larger the
      discrepancy between the medical record and her self-report. The medical records
      did not contain enough data for us to complete an investigation of the possible
      reasons for this disagreement. Our results suggest these implications: (1)
      clinicians should strongly consider performing Pap smears if they doubt a
      patient's screening history, and (2) Pap smear registries are required for
      reliable and efficient evaluations of cervical cancer control programs because
      neither the patient report nor medical records are adequate.

PMID- 1419130
TI  - Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection among women in a multiphysician
      primary care practice.
AB  - I screened 312 women, 18-45 years of age, presenting for routine gynecologic
      examination or prenatal care in a multiphysician primary care practice for
      Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. I evaluated age, pregnancy,
      payment status, and presence of clinical cervicitis or gonorrhea as possible
      predictors of risk for chlamydial infection. Compared to culture, the direct
      immunofluorescent antibody (DFA) test used to screen for C trachomatis had a
      sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 97%. By culture, the overall prevalence
      of chlamydial infection was 3.2% (confidence limits [CL] = 1.1-5.9) with a
      prevalence of 2.2% in nonpregnant women and 9.3% in pregnant women. Overall
      prevalence by the DFA test was 5.45%. Pregnancy status and youth were the
      significant predictors of risk for infection as determined by culture but not by
      Microtrak. Payment status, clinical cervicitis, and gonorrhea cultures were not
      useful predictors of increased risk. I discuss the implications of using culture,
      an imperfect "gold standard," for determining sensitivity, specificity, and
      prevalence.

PMID- 1419129
TI  - The use of cervical cytology to identify women at risk for chlamydial infection.
AB  - Testing asymptomatic women for chlamydial infection is advocated for high-risk
      populations, but testing criteria in low-risk settings are less clear. To
      determine whether findings from Papanicolaou (Pap) smears could identify women at
      risk for Chlamydia, we studied 512 women, 18 to 50 years of age, seeking routine
      gynecologic care. The prevalence of positive cultures for Chlamydia was 4.7%.
      Three cytologic findings were independently associated with Chlamydia on logistic
      regression: transformed lymphocytes, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and squamous
      metaplasia. The sensitivity and the specificity of the presence of any two of
      these three findings were 75% and 73.6%, respectively. The prevalence of
      Chlamydia if two findings were present was 12.2%, nearly three times the
      population prevalence. Certain findings on cervical cytology may be useful as an
      adjunct in preventive care for chlamydial cervicitis.

PMID- 1419131
TI  - Trend analysis of social and economic indicators of mammography use in Hawaii.
AB  - We examine the relationship between ethnicity and income as determinants of
      mammography use over a span of four years as a means of assessing community
      intervention impacts. The sample consisted of 1,447 women older than 34 years,
      living in Hawaii, who participated in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance
      System (BRFSS). The percentage of women in the sample reporting a screening
      mammogram within the past two years was 31.4% in 1987, 54.1% in 1989, and 51.6%
      in 1990. Women of Hawaiian ancestry had the lowest percentage of mammogram use in
      the past two years (38.7%), while Japanese women had the highest percentage
      (49.8%). Results of logistic regression analysis indicate a significant increase
      in mammography use from 1987 to 1989 and no difference from 1989 to 1990.
      Findings also showed an association between age, income, and ethnicity with use
      in the past two years. Greater age, higher income, and Japanese origin, compared
      to Hawaiian, were all independently associated with increased odds of having had
      a mammogram in the past two years. We discuss results in terms of program
      evaluation and future research implications for community health surveys.

PMID- 1419132
TI  - Female employee participation in a worksite mammography screening program.
AB  - We conducted a survey of 1,184 women 35 years of age or older who were employees
      of a company in Los Angeles County, California, to determine why some women
      participated in a worksite mammography screening program whereas others did not.
      Of the 111 who accepted a mammogram, 90 responded to the survey; of the 1,073 who
      declined mammography, 620 responded. The women were predominantly white, were
      well educated, and had health insurance. Of the 111 women who received
      mammograms, one was diagnosed with carcinoma. Seventy-three percent of the
      respondents to the survey 40 years of age or older who declined mammograms had
      already fulfilled American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines for mammography
      screening at the time of the program. Women who accepted a mammogram were more
      likely to have had at least one previous mammogram than were women who had not
      met ACS guidelines yet who declined screening. We conclude that many female
      employees who are white, are well educated, and have health insurance may not
      participate in a worksite mammography screening program because they have been
      screened elsewhere. Companies providing worksite mammography screening should
      target education to women who have not met ACS guidelines, especially those who
      have never had a mammogram.

PMID- 1419133
TI  - Sensitivity and specificity of lump detection in breast models.
AB  - Lump detection accuracy in models provides an index of ability to detect lumps in
      breast tissue. Recent research suggests poor lump detection accuracy in
      nontrained persons. Following individualized nurse-provided instruction in breast
      self-examination (BSE), 113 well-educated white women exhibited 89% mean lump
      detection sensitivity and 81% mean specificity (sensitivity = number of lumps
      correctly identified divided by actual lumps; specificity = percentage of exams
      completed without detection of false lumps). Problems with hands were potentially
      linked to poor specificity. Completeness of search was significantly associated
      with sensitivity. Lumps most unlikely to be detected were those in the fleshy
      upper outer quadrant of torso models. High accuracy levels here may be
      attributable to timing of assessments, homogeneous sample, models used,
      numbers/sizes of lumps, and long search times. BSE instruction should emphasize
      complete search, examination of outer quadrant of breasts, and assessment of hand
      problems.

PMID- 1419134
TI  - Narrowing the gap in health status of minority populations: a community-academic
      medical center partnership.
AB  - A major challenge in the United States is to narrow the gap in the excess
      morbidity and mortality rates of minority populations. This article presents a
      synthesis of the 15-year results of a collaborative program between the Johns
      Hopkins Medical Institutions and an African-American community with the highest
      rates of premature disease and death in Maryland. The program began with an
      efficacious disease prevention clinical trial with patients and ended with
      effective population approaches. We transferred key components to community
      ownership and formally trained community health workers who provided health
      promotion counseling, monitoring, linkage, and referral services. Results
      indicated significant decreases in morbidity and mortality as a result of
      improved control of hypertension. This program has begun to decrease the health
      status gap in an African-American population and has demonstrated long-term
      sustainability. Current joint activities are directed at several major causes of
      excess morbidity and mortality, including smoking, obesity, hyperlipidemia, and
      hypertension, and at plans for programs to control diabetes, substance abuse, and
      breast and cervical cancer.

PMID- 1419135
TI  - Commentary: women, research, and the National Institutes of Health.

PMID- 1419136
TI  - Questions on cholesterol screening study.

PMID- 1419137
TI  - Questions on cholesterol screening study.

PMID- 1419138
TI  - Focal and diffuse benign hepatic disease: correlative imaging.
AB  - With the large numbers of screening CT scans and ultrasounds performed in a busy
      radiologic practice, it is not uncommon to discover an unexpected focal or
      diffuse process in the liver. When there is no history of primary malignancy,
      many of these lesions are benign. We discuss the variety of benign focal and
      diffuse diseases that can be readily imaged within the liver using ultrasound,
      CT, and MR.

PMID- 1419139
TI  - Correlative imaging of malignant liver tumors.
AB  - Radiologists play a vital role in the management of malignant liver disease, both
      by providing accurate data regarding extent and segmental localization of lesions
      as well as demonstrating their relationship to major vascular structures. The
      interrelationship between the major cross-sectional imaging modalities
      (ultrasound, CT, and MRI) must be understood in order to use each modality
      effectively and efficiently. Characteristic behavior of certain tumors (such as
      venous invasion by hepatomas) can help in recognition of tumor type and may have
      a major impact on decisions regarding resectability. Pitfalls in liver imaging
      (such as the presence of benign conditions that may mimic malignant lesions) must
      be well understood in order to avoid errors in diagnosis. Difficulties may arise
      in underdetection of tumors arising in chronically diseased livers and
      overstatement of the extent of tumors in livers with coexistent benign and
      malignant lesions. The appearances and behavior of primary and metastatic liver
      cancer is reviewed, emphasizing the features listed previously.

PMID- 1419140
TI  - Spectral and color Doppler sonography.
AB  - Color Doppler sonography has become an integral part of modern hepatic
      sonography. Color Doppler can enhance the conspicuity of focal lesions and bile
      ducts in jaundiced patients by illuminating normal vessels with flow. Spectral
      and color Doppler may prove useful in limiting the sonographic differential
      diagnosis of focal liver lesions. Color flow sonography effectively evaluates
      pseudoaneurysms, A-V fistulae, collaterals, and flow reversal in portal
      hypertension, venous clot and tumor invasion, Budd-Chiari syndrome, hereditary
      hemorrhagic telangiectasis, and many other hepatic vascular lesions. We have
      found it invaluable in evaluating cirrhotic and liver transplant patients.

PMID- 1419141
TI  - MR angiography of the liver.
AB  - Recently, several versatile techniques have been developed for performing
      magnetic resonance (MR) angiography in the body. Relative to MR angiography in
      the head and neck, these methods require more interactive involvement by a
      physician to derive their full benefit, but they show great promise in the
      clinical workup of several vascular problems relating to the liver. This article
      outlines practical clinical applications for MR angiography of the liver, based
      on the experience of the authors and others working in the field.

PMID- 1419142
TI  - Noninvasive liver imaging: new techniques and practical strategies.
AB  - The goals and expectations of liver imaging have expanded as the treatment
      options for a range of liver diseases have advanced. Unfortunately, no single
      modality can yet achieve all the goals that an ideal imaging modality should
      satisfy. Currently available liver imaging techniques should be considered
      complementary rather than competitive in their roles, and appropriate utilization
      of the expanding technical capabilities of cross-sectional imaging depends on
      many considerations, including patient factors, referring physician expectations
      and biases, experience and bias of the radiologist, and the availability of state
      of-the-art technical capabilities for each modality. This article reviews the
      advantages, limitations, and roles of fast CT and fast MR liver imaging
      techniques as well as the complimentary role of ultrasound, and the future of new
      imaging considerations including the role of contrast agents.

PMID- 1419143
TI  - Cross-sectional imaging of liver transplantation.
AB  - Orthotopic liver transplantation is commonly performed at many institutions
      around the world. The care of these critically ill patients has heavily relied
      upon cross-sectional imaging. CT, MRI, and ultrasound help enormously in the
      preoperative assessment of these patients and in the postoperative management of
      the various complications. This article reviews the role of these cross-sectional
      modalities and their respective strengths and weaknesses in the adult transplant
      candidate and recipient.

PMID- 1419144
TI  - Occurrence of the purine nucleotide cycle in rat pancreatic islets.
AB  - The presence of the purine nucleotide cycle is investigated in rat pancreatic
      islets. Adenylosuccinase, adenylate deaminase, and adenylosuccinate synthetase
      activities are characterized in islet homogenates. In the assay of the latter
      enzyme, evidence is obtained for operation of the full cycle in islet extracts.
      The activities of the three enzymes are not vastly different in islet and brain.
      These findings are discussed in the light of the role currently ascribed to the
      purine nucleotide cycle in producing ammonia from amino acids, in adjusting the
      concentration of Krebs cycle intermediates, in regulating the relative
      concentrations of ATP, ADP, and AMP, and in controlling the activity of
      phosphofructokinase.

PMID- 1419145
TI  - Glycoprotein metabolism in neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis fibroblasts.
AB  - Human skin fibroblast lines of the infantile form of neuronal ceroid
      lipofuscinosis and control lines were cultured in the presence of [3H]glucosamine
      plus [3H]mannose and [35S]methionine. The labeled glycoconjugates were compared
      by quantitative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. The
      infantile form of the disease showed a 75% decrease of four glycoprotein
      components of M(r) 120-140 kDa. These components appeared to be N-linked
      glycoproteins as peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl) asparagine amidase
      (PNGase F) released 86-96% of the labeled carbohydrate from the labeled protein.
      These results suggest that the infantile form of this disease may be
      characterized by abnormalities in glycoconjugate metabolism leading to reduction
      of specific glycoproteins.

PMID- 1419146
TI  - Lack of hormonal stimulation of pyridoxine metabolism in isolated rat
      hepatocytes.
AB  - Isolated hepatocytes obtained from Sprague-Dawley rats (145-175 g) were incubated
      for 15 min at 30 degrees C in Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer, pH 7.4,
      containing 0.5 mM concentration of each of the 20 natural amino acids and either
      4.5 or 23 microM [U-14C]pyridoxine. Pyridoxine, pyridoxal, pyridoxal phosphate,
      and pyridoxic acid separated by an anion-exchange chromatographic technique were
      quantified using a phosphate analyzer and a liquid scintillation counter. The
      conversion of [U-14C]pyridoxine to its metabolites was more than doubled by
      increasing the amount of pyridoxine (4.5 to 23 microM) in the incubation medium.
      Insulin (10 mU/ml), glucagon (1 nM), or epinephrine (10 microM) did not have any
      significant effect on the conversion of [14C]-pyridoxine to pyridoxal, pyridoxal
      phosphate, or pyridoxic acid. Our earlier observations of a large decrease in
      serum pyridoxal phosphate in the diabetic rat cannot be explained by any direct
      hormonal effects on pyridoxine metabolism.

PMID- 1419147
TI  - Biosynthesis and characterization of (S)-and (R)-3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl
      coenzyme A.
AB  - (S)-3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA), the physiologic substrate of
      HMG-CoA reductase and of HMG-CoA lyase, is available commercially only as (R,S)
      HMG-CoA, a mixture of diastereomers. To provide (S)-HMG-CoA for our continuing
      investigation of HMG-CoA reductase, we used homogeneous, overexpressed
      Pseudomonas mevalonii HMG-CoA reductase (EC 1.1.1.88) and an NAD(+)-regenerating
      system to convert (R)-mevalonate to (S)-HMG-CoA with an overall yield in excess
      of 50%. We also used P. mevalonii HMG-CoA lyase (EC 4.1.3.4) to prepare (R)-HMG
      CoA from (R,S)-HMG-CoA. Each diastereomer was then isolated by ion-exchange
      chromatography. Large-scale preparations provide for economical production of (S)
      HMG-CoA, particularly when recovered coenzyme A is recycled. (S)-HMG-CoA was
      evaluated as a substrate, and (R)-HMG-CoA as an inhibitor, for the P. mevalonii
      enzymes HMG-CoA reductase and HMG-CoA lyase, and for Syrian hamster HMG-CoA
      reductase (EC 1.1.1.34). For both HMG-CoA reductases, (R)-HMG-CoA inhibited
      competitively with respect to (S)-HMG-CoA. The ratio Ki/Km was 0.7 +/- 0.1 and
      0.6 +/- 0.2 for the bacterial and hamster enzymes, respectively. By contrast, (R)
      HMG-CoA did not inhibit P. mevalonii HMG-CoA lyase.

PMID- 1419148
TI  - Statistical analysis of the effect of cadmium and zinc on hamster teratogenesis.
AB  - Maternal smoking is correlated with lower average birth weights and an increase
      in malformations in some studies. Increased maternal cadmium levels and reduction
      of zinc levels in certain tissues from fetuses of women who smoke suggest a
      biological association during pregnancy. Zinc has a protective effect on hamster
      teratogenesis caused by cadmium. To determine whether this protective effect is
      additive or synergistic (interactive), pregnant golden Syrian hamsters were
      injected (iv) on Day 8 of gestation with a test solution based on maternal body
      weight (0.5 ml per 100 g). Five doses were given: 2 mg/kg zinc chloride, 2 mg/kg
      cadmium chloride, 3 mg/kg cadmium chloride, 2 mg/kg zinc chloride plus 2 mg/kg
      cadmium chloride, and 2 mg/kg zinc chloride plus 3 mg/kg cadmium chloride. Fifty
      dams were randomly placed into one of the groups, for a total of 10 pregnant dams
      in each group. Twenty other dams were randomly placed into untreated or saline
      control groups. Fetuses were recovered on Day 15 and weighed, crown-rump length
      was measured, and fetuses were examined for viability and external malformations.
      Resorptions were noted. Statistical analyses included one- and two-way nested
      ANOVA, and logistic regression adjusted for litter effect. Zinc's protective
      effect on acute cadmium embryonic/fetal toxicity and teratogenicity was
      confirmed. The protective effect was of the same magnitude relative to the dose
      dependent effect of the cadmium exposure, indicating that the effect was
      statistically additive and not synergistic. This suggests that the effect depends
      on competition of the two elements at some common binding site(s).

PMID- 1419149
TI  - Effect of insulin on the proline transport activity in cultured fibroblasts from
      patients with Werner syndrome.
AB  - The effect of insulin on the transport of proline has been studied in cultured
      fibroblasts from normal individuals, non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients, and
      patients with Werner syndrome. In fibroblasts from normal individuals and those
      with diabetes mellitus, incubation with 10(-7) M insulin resulted in more than a
      twofold increase in the transport rate after about 14 h incubation. In contrast,
      fibroblasts from patients with Werner syndrome had a markedly attenuated response
      to insulin, suggesting a defect in insulin action on the transport of this amino
      acid in Werner syndrome.

PMID- 1419150
TI  - Aldose reductase: congenial and injurious profiles of an enigmatic enzyme.

PMID- 1419151
TI  - [Ossiculoplasty: implants versus ossicles].

PMID- 1419152
TI  - [Paget's disease with temporal bone involvement, hypoacusis and vertigo. Apropos
      a case].
AB  - The Paget disease is a chronic osteodystrophy of unknown etiology, very frequent
      in 50 years of age and above. It's an anatomo-radiologic syndrome that sometimes,
      is accompanied by clinical symptoms. May be monostotic or polyostotic but never
      generalized. Occasionally it affects the temporal bone producing deafness,
      tinnitus and vertigo. We report a case with important temporal bone
      demineralization, deafness and vertigo.

PMID- 1419153
TI  - [The circadian evolution of the karyometric indices of the inner hair cells. A
      statistical analysis].
AB  - We have realized a statistic study about "Karyometric Index" in the hair cells of
      the Corti organ of the albino Wistar rat [correction of guinea pig] in thirty of
      these animals; after in vivo fixation. The Karyometric Index variations are a
      good indicator of the cellular basic functional activity. Therefore we tried to
      clarify if the their cells are or not resembling to other cellular types with the
      functional circadian circles as well as if they present it or not in their basic
      functionalism, as they are also included in the "Endocrine Difusse System" and
      the "Paraneuron" concepts.

PMID- 1419154
TI  - [The importance of laryngeal compartmentation in the limitation of tumor
      extension].
AB  - Histologic specimens from 75 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx
      treated exclusively by surgery were studied with special attention paid to the
      growth of the tumor in relation with the different laryngeal compartments. Some
      aspects traditionally admitted are discussed. The result show a not very close
      relation between the classic anatomic descriptions and the tumoral growing.

PMID- 1419155
TI  - [An analysis of the DNA content in a stage-T-1 epidermoid carcinoma of the vocal
      cord. The methodology and results].
AB  - DNA content of tumor cells determined by flow cytometry has been correlated to
      biologic behavior and to prognosis for many solid tumors, but insufficient data
      has been accumulated for squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx. In order to know
      the predictive value of this parameter in the prognosis of T-1 vocal cord
      squamous cell carcinoma, we have studied 27 patients submitted to cordectomy. The
      patients outcome was followed for a minimum of five years or until death, DNA
      content was determined by Hedley method in paraffin-embedded sections of formalin
      fixed blocks in an EPICS Profile flow cytometer. 24 of these tumors were diploid
      (89%) and 3 aneuploid (11%). We didn't find statistical correlation between
      ploidy and survival, local failure or someone of the pathological parameters.

PMID- 1419156
TI  - [Laryngomalacia: a review of 42 cases].
AB  - In the period from 1981 to 1990, in the Children's Hospital from Sevilla were
      performed 220 direct laryngoscopies and bronchoscopies to newborns and infants
      that showed as a main finding: stridor voice change or aspiration syndromes. In
      the 30 percent the main cause was a congenital laryngeal anomalies.
      Laryngomalacia is the most common congenital laryngeal anomaly with 42 cases. For
      it frequency, the otolaryngologist should be familiar with the clinical findings,
      diagnosis and actual management.

PMID- 1419157
TI  - [Pneumocephalus as a complication of mastoid surgery].
AB  - Non-traumatic otologic diseases are a rare cause of pneumocephalus. Among them,
      few reports have been described whereas it occurred following oto-surgery. We
      present a case report of pneumocephalus in a patient who presented with CSF
      otorrhea, headache, disorientation, after recent mastoid radical surgery. The
      definite diagnosis was done by CT scan imaging. We realize a review of the
      literature about this subject, we describe the clinical and diagnostic features,
      its possible physiopathology, and its surgical management.

PMID- 1419158
TI  - [The nasal location of calcinosis cutis. Apropos a case].
AB  - The metastatic calcifications, feasible in the renal chronic insufficiency, they
      are conditioned by tissular deposits of calcium. The metabolic and hormonal
      aetiology is inevitable. The known predilection for some tissues and organs in
      these calcic fixations, is gets to value the endonasal and cutaneous infrequent
      appearance, on this case.

PMID- 1419160
TI  - [Supracricoid laryngectomies with cricohyoidopexy. A clinical study of 6 cases].
AB  - A prospective study was carried out in 6 patients with cancer of larynx operated
      between 1986 and 1988. Technical aspects for supracricoid partial laryngectomy
      with cricohyoidopexy are described. Indications, follow-up and complications are
      discussed.

PMID- 1419159
TI  - [Rhinoscleroma. A case report with nasal and laryngeal involvement].
AB  - We present a case of rhinoscleroma that were studied in a spanish patient. The
      location was nasal and extranasal, appearing in the larynx. The diagnosis was
      established by the morphological picture. A review is given of the geographical
      distribution of this disease and the principal diagnostic procedures are outlined
      with special emphasis ou the most reliable staining methods (PAS, Gram),
      immunofluorescence, immunoperoxydase reactions and electron microscopic study are
      discussed.

PMID- 1419161
TI  - [A severe rhinological mycosis: mucormycosis. A report of 3 cases].
AB  - Mucormycosis is a fungal infection, the most frequent form begins in the nose and
      the paranasal sinus and can rich the brain. It is a fulminant and often fatal
      disease, not well known by many specialists. The authors present three cases with
      positive cultures, histology and postmortem studies, drawing attention to the
      importance of its prompt diagnosis and aggressive treatment.

PMID- 1419162
TI  - [2 cases of facial osteosarcoma originating in the maxilla and mandible].
AB  - Two cases of facial osteosarcoma are presented. The principal aspects of each
      patient are related, exposing the fundamental clinical and radiographic features.
      The respective bibliography is revised, considering the experience of some
      authors.

PMID- 1419163
TI  - [Acute dystonia due to neuroleptics in the treatment of vertigo: apropos 2
      cases].

PMID- 1419164
TI  - [Incidence and causes of neonatal seizures in the last 10 years (1981-1990)].
AB  - We report the incidence of neonatal seizures in the last 10 years. Between 1981
      1990, 28,925 infants were born in the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center. Very low
      birth-weight infants (< 1,500 g) were excluded in this study. Seizures were
      identified in 67 infants (0.23%) during the first 7 days of life. Seizures
      occurred more frequently in low-birth-weight infants (1,500-2,499 g) than in
      normal-birth-weight infants (> 2,499 g). Fifty-one infants (0.19%) of 27,276
      normal-birth-weight infants and 16 (0.97%) of 1,649 low-birth-weight infants
      developed seizures. The frequency of seizures was 0.25% during the first 5 years
      and 0.20% during the second 5 years. In low-birth-weight group, the frequency of
      seizures decreased form 1.49% to 0.48% during the 5-year periods, and seizures
      due to post asphyxial hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy also decreased from 0.14%
      to 0.06%. The decreased incidence in neonatal seizures during the last 10 years
      was probably achieved by the progress in intervention of low-birth-weight infants
      in NICU and by the obstetrical prevention of intrapartum asphyxia.

PMID- 1419165
TI  - [Changes in CSF tryptophan metabolite levels in infantile spasms].
AB  - Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 6 cases of asymptomatic infantile spasms (IS)
      (mean age, 6.1 months) was collected before and after treatment with
      adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). The concentration of CSF tryptophan (TRP)
      metabolites was analyzed using HPLC and compared to the metabolite concentration
      in CSF from 10 age-matched controls (mean age, 6.7 months). Levels of CSF
      serotonin (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and kynurenine (KYN) at
      pretreatment were significantly lower in IS patients compared to controls (p <
      0.05). In contrast, the levels of CSF 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-OHKY) before ACTH
      treatment were significantly higher in IS patients than in controls (p < 0.05).
      After the treatment, significant increases in 5-HIAA and decreases in KYN and 3
      OHKY levels (p < 0.05) were observed in CSF of infants whose seizures were
      eliminated by ACTH. These findings suggested that the presence of seizures in IS
      was associated with a significant decrease in serotonergic activity, or that the
      turnover in the direction of 3-OHKY was altered. The possibility that elimination
      of seizures by ACTH might be related to decreased production of kynurenine
      metabolites was discussed.

PMID- 1419166
TI  - [A study on functional plasticity of the brain in childhood. II. Speech
      development and intelligence after the damage of cerebral hemisphere under 1 year
      of age].
AB  - To investigate the functional plasticity of the brain in childhood, the speech
      development, the intelligence test and dichotic listening test were performed on
      27 patients who had suffered from hemiplegia under 1 year of age. Among 13
      patients with right hemiplegia, 7 to 24 years old, 11 patients showed a left ear
      dominance suggesting the lateralization of language in the right hemisphere. All
      14 patients with left hemiplegia, 5 to 37 years old, showed a right ear dominance
      suggesting the lateralization of language in the left hemisphere. All 27 patients
      acquired speech function enough to converse with other people during daily life.
      There were no differences in speech development or intelligence scores between
      both groups of hemiplegia. Although there was no correlation between the speech
      development and the age of onset of hemiplegia, there was a correlation between
      the speech development and the intelligence score in both groups of hemiplegia.

PMID- 1419167
TI  - [A clinical study on neuron-specific enolase activities in cerebrospinal fluid of
      neonates].
AB  - Activities of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were
      measured in 104 neonates (24 cases with CNS diseases and 80 cases without CNS
      diseases) aged from 0 to 27 days and 50 children without CNS diseases aged 3
      months to 15 years. They were determined by using the radioimmunoassay of the
      Eiken Kit. The enzyme activity in neonates without CNS diseases was significantly
      higher than that in children. No significant correlation was found between the
      level of NSE activity and gestational age, birth weight or the days after birth.
      The mean level of NSE activity in the CSF of neonates with CNS diseases was
      significantly higher than that of neonates without CNS diseases. Those activities
      gradually decreased with the clinical course. It was considered that the
      appropriate cut-off level of NSE activities in CSF for anticipating CNS damage
      and neurological sequelae was 20.0 ng/ml.

PMID- 1419168
TI  - [Correlation between morphological abnormalities of Chiari malformation and
      evoked potentials].
AB  - We studied correlation between morphological abnormalities of Chiari malformation
      and evoked potentials (short-latency somatosensory evoked potential [SSEP] and
      auditory brainstem response [ABR]). On SSEP the inter-peak latency prolongation
      of P3-N1 was revealed in 6 out of 8 cases with Chiari malformations. The feature
      of positive wave between P3 and N1 was divided into 2 groups. The tendency of the
      positivity between P3 and N1 was more marked in cases of prolonged P3-N1 latency
      and correlated with the medullary kink. On ABR the prolongation of III-V inter
      peak latency was revealed in one side in 3 patients Chiari malformations with
      malformed pons and tegmentum.

PMID- 1419169
TI  - [Maternal hyperthermia during pregnancy in severely multi-disabled children].
AB  - In a study of prenatal etiologic factors for 5,901 severely multi-disabled
      children (jushoji as called in Japan), 159 patients were found to have been
      exposed to maternal febrile illnesses in utero. Among them, 57 patients did not
      have any causative factors other than maternal febrile illness. In addition to
      severe brain dysfunction, nonspecific anomalies were found in 46.2% of 26
      children exposed to maternal hyperthermia before 4 months of gestation. The
      recent findings of other investigators tend to support the concept of unusual
      hyperthermia being teratogenic in human. Our retrospective study suggested that
      maternal hyperthermia might induce severe brain damage of embryo, but no definite
      malformation complex could be determined.

PMID- 1419170
TI  - [The study of mismatch negativity].
AB  - We studied age related correlations of mismatch negativity (MMN) auditory event
      related potentials (ERPs) using odd ball paradigm in 121 normal subjects (from 6
      months to 43 years) and 33 mentally retarded subjects (from 2 to 18 years). The
      subject was instructed to read a book in order to ignore the stimulus during the
      experiment, or no specific task was imposed on young child. The MMN wave form was
      clearly obtained in normal 6 month old subjects. As the age advanced from 6
      months, the latencies of MMN progressively shortened till about 7 years, when the
      latency reached adult level. One-third of mentally retarded patients had
      prolonged MMN than that normal age-matched subjects. Reliable recording of P300
      requires subject's cooperation and attentiveness, which are difficult to achieve
      in young children or mentally retarded patients. MMN may be utilized in children
      to evaluate the development of the cognitive function.

PMID- 1419171
TI  - [Neonatal tuberous sclerosis: report of a case studied by cranial MRI].
AB  - We reported longitudinal cranial MRI studies of a neonate with tuberous sclerosis
      who presented convulsive seizures on the first day after birth. Cortical tubers
      were not detected on MRI performed at the age of 1 month, but became evident at
      18 months after birth. This finding might reflect the pathological difference
      between the amount of myelin around the cortical tuber and other white matter
      lesions, which increased with age. A heterotopic islet was shown as partially
      stratiform appearance on MRI. This result suggests that the structure of the
      heterotopic islet might be heterogeneous.

PMID- 1419172
TI  - [A case of neonatal tuberous sclerosis with large calcified lesions in the brain
      parenchyma].
AB  - A patient was reported, who was diagnosed as having tuberous sclerosis in
      neonatal period. He began to have complex partial seizures at 3 weeks of age. At
      27 days of age, brain CT revealed a large high density lesion from the left
      temporal cortex to the left posterior horn, in addition to periventricular
      nodules. These lesions were not enhanced after injection of contrast medium.
      Brain MRI demonstrated more nodular lesions, the intensity pattern of which was
      different form those in previously reported cases. Ictal EEG showed secondary
      generalization from left temporal focus, which was compatible with complex
      partial seizures. In English literature, neonatal cases of tuberous sclerosis
      with large parenchymal lesions on brain CT were reported by only a few authors,
      and only two cases of neonatal MRI findings were documented. The neonate with
      tuberous sclerosis should be carefully evaluated because of the atypical
      appearance of MRI in rare cases.

PMID- 1419173
TI  - [Benign familial neonatal convulsions in a family with one member with infantile
      spasms].
AB  - A pedigree of benign familial neonatal convulsions (BFNC) was reported. Seven
      members of two generations experienced convulsions in the neonatal period and/or
      in early infancy. All of these members except one had a good prognosis. One
      member who had infantile spasms was uneventfully delivered at 37 weeks of
      gestation, with a birth weight of 2,562 g and, without trouble during pregnancy.
      At the age of 20 days, she began to have adversive seizures. Later, she developed
      complex partial seizures and infantile spasms at 1 month and 10 days of age.
      Interictal EEG showed hypsarrhythmia. Biochemical investigations and MRI of the
      head revealed no abnormality. Treatment with sodium valproate and carbamazepine
      succeeded in stopping the seizures and she had no seizures after 3 months. But
      her psychomotor development was moderately delayed at 8 months. No case with
      severe epilepsy such as infantile spasms has been reported in the previous
      literature on BFNC. From our experience, early treatment and careful follow-up
      are considered to be important for BFNC.

PMID- 1419174
TI  - [A case of Fahr's disease accompanied with persistent vitreous artery].
AB  - Serial imaging studies in a 16-year-old female affected by Fahr's disease
      accompanied with persistent vitreous artery were performed. She suffered from
      chronic subdural hematoma, which was re-moved at the age of 5 months. Brain CT
      scan performed at the age of 4 revealed calcified lesions at the corticomedullary
      junctions in the frontal lobes of cerebrum. Yearly repeated CT scans revealed an
      increasing number of the calcified lesions, which were observed at the cortico
      medullary junction of cerebrum, globus pallidus, thalami and dentate nuclei of
      the cerebellum. Calcifications have not increased in the last 4 years. Laboratory
      examinations of serum and urine failed to prove any abnormalities. She also had
      bilateral persistent vitreous arteries. The combination of these rare two
      diseases may have occurred coincidentally, but there is a possibility that the
      capillary dysfunction played a role in the pathogenesis of two diseases.

PMID- 1419175
TI  - [The first case of infantile type neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis in Japan].
AB  - We reported the first case of typical infantile-type neuronal ceroid
      lipofuscinosis (INCL) in Japan. The patient was a 1-year-old girl presenting with
      rapidly progressive psychomotor deterioration and blindness. Muscular hypotonia,
      microcephaly and myoclonic jerks became marked with the progression of her
      disease. Diminution in amplitude of EEG, VEP and ERG was prominent in the initial
      stage, but ABR was normal. MRI showed progressive brain atrophy. Electron
      microscopic examination of the biopsied skin revealed granular matrix, the
      specific inclusion bodies, in the epithelial cell of sweet glands. Many sea-blue
      histiocytes were demonstrated in her bone marrow samples. INCL is a common
      progressive encephalopathy in the Scandinavian countries, but a typical case had
      not yet been fully reported in Japan. This prompted us to report our case. Future
      reports are need for the study of INCL in Japan.

PMID- 1419176
TI  - [Muscle cultures and immunocytochemical study of dystrophin in patients with
      Duchenne muscular dystrophy and control patients].

PMID- 1419177
TI  - [When is the deep tendon reflex elicited in Fisher syndrome?].

PMID- 1419178
TI  - [Changes in nuclear DNA content in nasopharyngeal epithelium].
AB  - The nuclear DNA content was measured by flow cytometry (FCM) in 167 specimens
      with normal nasopharyngeal epithelium, paracarcinoma tissue and nasopharyngeal
      carcinoma (NPC). Thirty eight (38%) of 101 NPC, seven (58%) of 12 recurrent and
      six (30%) of 20 paracarcinoma tissues were nondiploid. There was no nondiploid at
      all in 20 specimens of normal nasopharyngeal epithelium. Two of six patients with
      VCA-IGA(+) were nondiploid. Cellular proliferation index (PI) of NPC was
      increased significantly as compared with that of the normal epithelium (P <
      0.01). However there was no marked difference in PI. between NPC and
      paracarcinoma tissues. The rate of cervical metastasis in nondiploid NPC was
      significantly higher than that in diploid NPC (P < 0.025). But there was no
      correlation of DNA content between the stage of the tumor and the titer of VCA
      IGA. These data show that FCM may prove useful in the diagnosis and predication
      of prognosis in NPC.

PMID- 1419179
TI  - [Immunohistochemical distribution and fine localization of the gamma-aminobutyric
      acid in the organ of Corti of normal guinea pigs].
AB  - This paper presents the distribution and fine localization of the gamma
      aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the Corti's organ of normal guinea pigs by using
      immunohistochemical technique (ABC-GDN method) and immunoelectron microscopy.
      GABA-IR was found in axons of efferent neurons in all turns of the cochlear
      spiral, but no positive endings may be found in the apical. The positive
      immunoreactive products were seen in the efferent components, including inner
      spiral bundle, tunnel spiral bundle, tunnel-crossing fibers, and large nerve
      endings on outer hair cell bases. Some of the GABA-IR negative outer hair cells
      could be seen between the positive endings. One GABA-IR positive nerve fiber
      could form synapse with six or seven outer hair cell bases. The GABA-IR positive
      efferent endings, negative efferent endings and negative afferent endings could
      be seen on the out hair cell bases with transmission electronic microscope. The
      GABA-IR positive efferent endings and negative afferent endings could form the
      neuraxon-neurodendron synapse on the inner hair cells bases. These morphological
      distribution suggests that the GABA may be one of the cochlear efferent
      neurotransmitter or modulator.

PMID- 1419180
TI  - [Effects of furosemide on endocochlear potentials, auditory action potentials and
      summating potentials and the changes of inner ear pathology].
AB  - Guinea pigs were injected with furosemide 50 mg/kg (group A) and 25mg/kg (group
      B). Two minutes after injection, EP of group A decreased to -13.9mv while that of
      group B decreased to +65 mv. Also, AP of group A disappeared, and recovered at
      8.5 mins. while AP amplitude of group B decreased to 78%. The SP value of group A
      changed from -14.5mv to +23.4mv 1 min after injection and returned to negative
      polarity in 12 min. Edema of stria vascularis was observed under light
      microscope. Transmission electron microscope showed edema between marginal cells
      and intermedia cells, cytoplasm of the marginal cell protruded to the cochlear
      duct, and cell membrane of outer hair cell folded. The finding of this study
      illustrates that furosemide inhibits the transportation of the active ions of
      cochlear duct tissue resulting in decrease of EP and alters the function of hair
      cells causing the change of AP amplitude. -SP depends on the ion transportation,
      the polarity can be inversed while large dosage of furosemide was used.

PMID- 1419181
TI  - [Prevention of noise induced hearing loss in musicians of Chinese opera].
AB  - The incidence of hearing impairment in musicians of Chinese opera is higher than
      that in popular music and rock and roll music. The sound levels of different
      instruments used in Chinese opera measured acoustically showed drums, gongs and
      cymbols to be hazardous to the ear. The conventional measures of prevention, such
      as ear plugs are not acceptable by the musicians because of interference to the
      musician's hearing ability. A rearrangement of situations of the musicians was
      suggested by the authors. The percussive musicians should be situated one meter
      lower than other musicians. Animal (guinea pigs) experiments by study of AP in
      EcochG and ultrastructural observations of the cochlea have confirmed that our
      suggestion for prevention of noise induced hearing impairment to be efficient.

PMID- 1419182
TI  - [Topographic mapping of the auditory evoked potentials. I. Auditory cortex
      response and middle latency response].
AB  - Color imaging of the human auditory cortex response and middle latency response
      of 21 otologically normal young adults was studied. All the waveforms, latencies,
      amplitudes and the location of FNa, FPa, FN1, FP2 were analysed. Considerable
      variations about the foci location in normal adults were found in this study.

PMID- 1419183
TI  - [Determinations of nasal effective cross-sectional area in 1100 normal subjects].
AB  - Generally speaking, the NECA represents the narrowest site of the nasal airway
      and mirrors the site of the nasal valve in normal subjects. So the NECA is the
      basic element in producing and determining the NAR. A flow-pressure technique
      with software was developed to measure the NECA in 1100 normal subjects. The
      normal values values of NECA in children and adults were established to be 0.40
      +/- 0.12cm2 and 0.52 +/- 0.17cm2 respectively. There was a significant positive
      correlation between the age increase and NECA augmentation in children (r =
      0.649, P < 0.01), and NECA grew at a rate of 0.022 cm2 per year from 5 to 16
      years of age, but revealed some peculiar characters in different phases of
      pediatric development. From 20 years of age the change of NECA began to take a
      stable course, but had a trend to crawl up with ageing. There were no significant
      differences of NECA between the male and female in different age groups. It was
      also noted that there was a negative linear relationship between ipsilateral NECA
      and NAR, and also so between the NECA of both sides combined and total NAR. From
      the findings above, we propose that NECA could be a quantitative and objective
      parameter for assessing the nasal airway impairment.

PMID- 1419184
TI  - [Transnasal endoscopic surgery].
AB  - We have performed operations of transnasal endoscopic surgery successfully. This
      study was intended to analyze and discuss the method of operation on the ostium
      meatus unit, the removal of polyps in sphenoethmoidal recess or superior
      turbinate and our viewpoint of ethmoid sinus operation. We conclude that (1) the
      70 degree nasal endoscope is the main instrument in endoscopy; (2) an endoscope
      and a head lamp should be used alternatively in order to proceed the operation
      quickly and smoothly; (3) the bone wall should not be broken rashly and a good
      drainage should be the main purpose in ethmoid sinus operation; (4) a bipolar
      electrical coagulator, a laser and other techniques should be used to make
      operative fields clear.

PMID- 1419185
TI  - [Aorto-esophageal fistula caused by swallowed foreign body (report of 17 cases)].
AB  - Seventeen cases of aorto-esophageal fistula (AEF) induced by foreign bodies (Fb)
      were reported. Ingested fish and chicken bones were the most frequent offending
      agents (15 cases). The objects were lodged at the level of the aortic arch. It is
      those arrested in this region that may penetrate the esophageal wall and cause an
      AEF. The average latent period between the time of swallowing the FB and the
      signal of hemorrhage was about 8 days. A signal of hemorrhage preceding the
      exsanguinating episodes had been present in 14 cases. This can be taken as the
      indication for urgent operation. Early diagnosis of AEF can be made by the
      history alone, Esophagoscopy may invite a sudden death from massive hemorrhage
      once an AEF is already present. In a small number of cases, an aortic false
      aneurysm or an esophago-bronchial fistula can produce respiratory symptoms
      without hematemesis, Mediastinal widening on chest X-ray films usually suggests a
      false aneurysm but it must be differentiated from a mediastinal abscess or a
      tumor mass. Of these 17 patients, 11 were treated conservatively and all died.
      Six patients were treated surgically with 5 deaths and one surgical survivor.
      This case is believed to be the third reported surgical survival.

PMID- 1419187
TI  - [Techniques for isolating hair cells from guinea pig cochlea].
AB  - Isolated live hair cells are important models for studying the electrophysiology,
      pathology and pharmacology of the hair cell. Using mechanical isolation method
      after papain treatment 70 +/- 27 hair cells, including 0 to 4 inner hair cells,
      could be obtained from each cochlea of 4 guinea pigs. The criteria for a good
      viability of isolated cochlear hair cells were: 1. a smooth hair cell membrane;
      2. hair cells not swollen; 3. the nucleus in the normal position; 4. the
      cytoplasm in a state of semitransparency with a halo at the periphery
      (birefringence) and 5. no Brownian movement of the organelles within the
      cytoplasm. With short-term culturing at room temperature, approximately 90% of
      the isolated hair cells retained a good viability at the end of two hours.
      Subsequently the hair cells gradually degenerated but still, at the end of five
      hours, about 40% of them appeared intact. The degeneration patterns have been
      carefully observed and described.

PMID- 1419186
TI  - [Scanning electron microscopic observations on the middle ear mucosa of human
      fetuses].
AB  - The epithelial development of middle ear mucosa in nine human fetuses, ranging
      from the 12th week to full term, was observed by the scanning electron
      microscopy. The results showed that the ciliated cells were found in the tympanic
      cleft of the 12th week fetus. The ciliated cells were especially dense in a
      crescent region along the antero-inferior periphery of the inner surface of
      eardrum, and were distributed around the tympanic orifice predominantly, above
      and blow the promontory and the hypotympanum. The length of cilia and the
      population of the ciliated cells increased with the fetal age. At the 26th week,
      the ciliated cell population and the length of cilia were similar to those of the
      neonate. The goblet cells appeared at the 26th fetal week. The secretory
      phenomenon of the goblet cells was seen at the 34th fetal age. These findings
      indicated that the mucociliary transportation system has been developed well at
      the late period of fetal development.

PMID- 1419188
TI  - [Changes in vascular stria after blast traumatized guinea pigs by colloidal
      lanthanum tracing technique].
AB  - The exudation of endotheliocyte in the capillary vessels of vascular stria after
      blast traumatized guinea pigs was studied by colloidal lanthanum tracing
      technique. The high density lanthanum ion shown as a line--distribution can be
      found in the endothelial surfaces of vascular stria by using transmission
      electron microscopy, but nolanthanum granulars were seen in the cytoplasm of
      endotheliocyte, the base membrane, and the tissular interval of vascular stria.
      At six hours after exposure to impulse noise, the lanthanum ion can exudate to
      the base membrane of capillary vessels through the closed-linkup between two
      endotheliocytes. On twelve hours after exposure, the exudation of the vascular
      endothelial cell membrane was increased and the lanthanum ion of the high
      electronic density was precipitated to the inside of cytoplasm. This study
      suggested that the impulse noise may have a obvious early effect on the exudation
      of vascular stria and the colloidal lanthanum tracing technique is a better
      method in studying the cochlear microcirculation.

PMID- 1419189
TI  - [Establishment of immunofluorescence for the testing serum antibodies against
      inner ear tissues and its clinical application].
AB  - A modified Sainte-Marie technique for processing the inner ear tissues of guinea
      pigs was described in this paper. The inner ears were fixed over night in 95%
      cold ethanol, decalcified 7-10 days in 10% EDTA-Na2 at 4 degrees C, and embedded
      in paraffin. The deparaffinized sections were exposed 15 min in 95% ethanol
      precooled to 4 degrees C to fix the serum antibodies of patients and labeled
      antibody respectively. The sections were counterstained with Evans-blue. This
      method is simple, rapid, and sensitive, and antigenicity. Also, the specificity
      was enhanced and the preservation of fluorescence was prolonged. By means of this
      method, antibodies against inner ear tissue were found in the serum of 18 out of
      30 patients with Meniere's disease, sudden deafness or uncertain forms of
      progressive sensorineural hearing loss. The results suggest that autoimmune
      response may play an important role in some inner ear disease.

PMID- 1419190
TI  - [Intraoperative monitoring auditory function during surgery of internal auditory
      canal and C-P angle].
AB  - Intraoperative measurement of electrocochleography, auditory brainstem responses
      and eighth nerve action potentials are utilized to assess the functional
      integrity of the cochlea and cochlear nerve. All such assessments have only one
      purpose: for warning the surgeon the possibility of damage the auditory system or
      its surrounding structure. Eighteen patients with various otoneurological
      diseases undergoing surgery had intraoperative monitoring of such evoked
      electrophysiological responses. Hearing was preserved in sixteen patients.
      However, the CM/N1 in ECochG still keep for a few minutes even after transection
      of the cochlear nerve and there is another disadvantage of need for signal
      averaging in BAER. Recording of the response of the the auditory nerve directly
      from the eighth nerve provides the surgeon with immediate information when an
      insult has been made to the cochlear and eighth nerve. Therefore, combination of
      these three measurements are recommended depending on the situation.

PMID- 1419191
TI  - [Revision stapedectomy].
AB  - Early and delayed complications in the inner or middle ear may follow
      stapedectomy and require revision surgery. The records of 72 patients who had
      undergone revision stapedectomy were analyzed to determine: 1. the causes of
      failure. 2. how to revise the conditions due to the failure following previous
      operation. 3. hearing results. These 72 revision operations consisted of 66 case
      of conductive deafness and 6 sensorineural loss. The commonest cause of failure
      was dysfunction of prosthesis (23.6 per cent), followed by otosclerotic regrowth
      (22.2 per cent), incus dislocation (13.9 per cent), reparative granuloma (12.5
      per cent), incus necrosis (11.1 per cent), and fibrous adhesions (9.7 per cent).
      A review of these cases demonstrates that the results of revision stapedectomy
      are different from those for primary stapedectomy. The revision operations
      resulted in post-operative air-born gaps of 15 dB or less in 39.4 per cent of
      cases. Primary stapedectomy resulted in successful closure of the air-bone gap to
      15 dB or less in 97.2 per cent of cases. 'Dead ears' were encountered in 9.1 per
      cent as against 2.1 per cent in the primary cases. Thus the surgeon should be
      aware of the problems and risks involved in revision stapedectomy.

PMID- 1419192
TI  - [The reconstruction of upper alimentary tract after resection of hypopharyngeal
      and cervical esophageal cancer].
AB  - The most difficult problem during surgical treatment in the hypopharyngeal and
      cervical esophageal cancer is the reconstruction of upper alimentary tract after
      resection of the lesions. From April 1984 to October 1990, 52 patients of
      hypopharyngeal and cervical esophageal cancer were treated by surgery (39 men and
      13 women). The age ranged 43-73 years. All of the cases were squamous cell
      carcinoma except one adenocarcinoma. The pectoralis major myocutaneous flap (PMF)
      was used in 32 patients, total gastric transposition (GT) in 15 patients, free
      jejunal interposition (FJI) in 3 patients and free forearm flap (FFF) in 2
      patients. Results showed that satisfactory and lasting deglutatory function was
      achieved in 48 of 52 patients (92.3%). One and three-year survival rates were
      86.2% and 65% respectively. These data showed that reconstructive method
      described above are effective and reliable.

PMID- 1419193
TI  - [Comparison of diagnostic value between the parameters of auditory brain stem
      response in 48 patients with retrocochlear lesions].
AB  - This study was done for comparing the diagnosing value between some parameters of
      the time and frequency domain analysis of ABR in 48 patients with retro-cochlear
      lesions which were identified by CT and/or surgical, pathological examination. In
      conclusions, it revealed that the abnormalities of wave I-VIPL and delta V value
      could be the most sensitive and reliable index; the changes of AR spectrum and
      III-V/I-IIIIPL ratio could be the assist one. Combined with the ILD and
      difference between bilateral I-VIPL, must be useful for determining the location
      of retro-cochlear lesions.

PMID- 1419194
TI  - [Vascular relationships of the trigeminal root with trigeminal neuralgia].
AB  - The vascular relationships of 79 trigeminal nerves exposed surgically for
      treatment of trigeminal neuralgia were studied. 87 etiologic vessels (vein in 28,
      artery in 59) were found and the most common arterial and venous etiologic vessel
      was the superior cerebellar artery (33/59) and petrous vein (16/28) respectively.
      The result provided some clinic data for microvascular decompression in treatment
      of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia.

PMID- 1419195
TI  - [Traumatic orbital wall fracture].
AB  - Thirteen patients with orbital wall fracture by trauma were reported. Among them,
      6 cases were inferior-wall type, another 6 cases were interioinferior-wall type,
      and 1 case with interior-wall type. The clinical manifestation was mainly
      enophthalmos. All of patients were treated with plastic operation through nasal
      sinuses and fixed with national osseous cement. 11 cases were cured, 1 case was
      improved, 1 case had no change.

PMID- 1419197
TI  - [Advances in the research of motility of cochlear outer hair cells in vitro].

PMID- 1419196
TI  - [Diagnostic value of stroboscopy in early glottic carcinoma].
AB  - Stroboscopic evaluation was conducted on 34 cases with glottic T1 carcinomas, and
      the relationship was studied between the area, thickness and volume of the lesion
      and the amplitude as well as mucosal wave of vibration. In all cases the mucosal
      wave of the lesion (WAVL) was abolished. The amplitude of the lesion (AMPL) was
      decreased in 17 and abolished in another 17 cases. There were significant
      relationship between the area of the lesion and the mucosal wave of the entire
      vocal fold (WAVE), the thickness of the lesion and AMPL, and the volume of the
      lesion and WAVE, AMPL, and the amplitude of the entire vocal fold (AMPE). The
      present paper suggested that if WAVL is reserved, the lesion is not invasive
      carcinoma, nor is it if any one of AMPE, AMPL, WAVE or WAVL is normal (except for
      lesions confined to the cartigenous vocal fold).

PMID- 1419198
TI  - Who cares for your dementia?

PMID- 1419199
TI  - Zoonoses of slaughterhouse workers.

PMID- 1419200
TI  - Membership of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine: the new Part I examination.

PMID- 1419201
TI  - The measurement of patient satisfaction.
AB  - Many applied health service researchers launch into patient satisfaction surveys
      without realizing the complexity of the task. This paper identifies the
      difficulties involved in executing patient satisfaction surveys. The recent
      revival of interest in 'satisfaction' and disagreements over the meaningfulness
      of a unitary concept itself are outlined, and the various perspectives and
      definitions of the components of satisfaction are explored. The difficulties of
      developing a comprehensive conceptual model are considered, and the issues
      involved in designing patient satisfaction surveys--and the disasters that occur
      when these issues are ignored--are then set out. The potential cost-effectiveness
      of qualitative techniques is discussed, and the paper concludes by discussing how
      health care management systems could more effectively absorb the findings of
      patient satisfaction surveys.

PMID- 1419202
TI  - Discounting in health care decision-making: time for a change?
AB  - Economic appraisal is increasingly being used to inform health care decision
      making. To allow comparison, costs and benefits spread over time are weighted
      according to when they are experienced. The further in the future, the less
      heavily they are weighted or the more they are discounted. Traditional economic
      appraisal techniques are based on the view that social decisions should reflect
      private preferences. The practice of discounting future streams of costs and
      benefits is principally justified by the fact that individuals have a positive
      time preference, preferring consumption sooner rather than later. Discounting
      weights public decision-making in favour of interventions resulting in short-term
      benefits and against longer-term benefits. This discriminates against preventive
      and other public health programmes. This paper provides a critique of the
      foundations of discounting. It is argued that health policy should have a longer
      time horizon, reflecting social values rather than individual preferences.
      Factors which make discounting the future rational from the individual's point of
      view are shown to be irrelevant to a societal perspective. Although uncertainty
      about the effectiveness of interventions and technological change are good
      reasons for weighting some future benefits less highly, the routine use of a
      single discount rate for economic evaluations of health programmes is not
      justified.

PMID- 1419203
TI  - An evaluation of population screening for carriers of cystic fibrosis.

PMID- 1419204
TI  - A comparison of prospective and retrospective diary methods of assessing alcohol
      use among university undergraduates.
AB  - The objective of this study is to compare data about the quantity of alcohol
      consumed by university undergraduates using a prospective diary with those data
      collected using a retrospective diary. Five hundred and ninety-eight subjects
      were randomly selected and divided into two groups matched for age, sex, year of
      study and subject group; one group received a prospective and one a retrospective
      questionnaire-301 students received prospective and 297 retrospective
      questionnaires. Sixty-eight per cent responded to the prospective and 75 per cent
      to the retrospective survey. There was no significant difference in the median
      alcohol consumption detected for men or women in this study (p = 0.13; p = 0.47).
      However, the prospective diary recorded a greater proportion of heavy drinkers,
      this difference being significant for men and women (p less than 0.05). The
      quantitative results of the retrospective diary are similar to those obtained by
      a similar method in a previous survey. The conclusion is that a prospective diary
      detects a greater proportion of heavy drinkers than a retrospective diary. The
      prospective survey may be the most appropriate method for assessing alcohol use
      in certain situations.

PMID- 1419205
TI  - Quality of hospital service: a study comparing 'Asian' and 'non-Asian' patients
      in Middlesbrough.
AB  - To compare 'Asian' and 'non-Asian' patients' experience of and satisfaction with
      non-clinical aspects of their hospital care, and to evaluate the effect of
      subsequent provision of 'Asian' food, we undertook interview surveys of recently
      discharged adult patients in Middlesbrough. Fifty-two 'Asians' and 52 'non
      Asians' matched for sex, age, specialty of admission and hospital reported
      similar experiences in regard to the amount of information received, the presence
      of medical students during examination, and satisfaction with privacy and
      visiting arrangements. The main differences between the groups related to the
      receipt of written information in the patients' first language, 'Asian' patients'
      inability to communicate because of lack of English and their dissatisfaction
      with existing interpreting arrangements, 'Asian' women's attitudes to examination
      by male doctors, and provision of and satisfaction with hospital food. For
      example, 47 (90 per cent) 'Asians' and 14 (27 per cent) 'non-Asians' required a
      special diet but 19 per cent and 86 per cent, respectively, received it; and
      'Asians' were less satisfied with the food overall. Despite being disadvantaged
      'Asian' patients seldom complained. Following the provision of 'Asian' food,
      'Asian' patients reported satisfaction levels comparable with those of 'non
      Asians'. Equitable health care provision for ethnic minorities requires a level
      of service comparable with that enjoyed by the majority community. Written
      information in minority languages, professional interpreters, examination of
      female patients by women doctors and culturally suitable food were confirmed as
      priority needs. Staff training and community education may ensure successful
      implementation of policy on health care of ethnic minorities. Finally, the
      quality of non-clinical care in hospital needs to be raised for all groups of
      patients.

PMID- 1419206
TI  - A geostatistical approach to the analysis of pattern in rare disease.
AB  - The incidences of human disease vary from place to place, and some show distinct
      patterns. Patterns in rare diseases, such as childhood cancer, are not readily
      discernible, however, and this makes it difficult to relate their distribution to
      factors in the environment in seeking possible causes of the disease. Provided
      cases are geographically indexed, data on a disease can be analysed
      geostatistically. Variograms can be computed to determine the strength and
      spatial scale of any pattern, and to summarize the variation, and then the risk
      of developing the disease can be estimated by kriging. This has been done for the
      incidence rates of childhood cancer from 1980 to 1984 in the West Midlands Health
      Authority Region of England. A novel modification was made to compute the
      variogram of the risk from that of the frequencies, taking into account the
      binomial nature of the data. The incidence of the disease appears patchy. The
      results show that this patchiness is spatially correlated and not purely random.
      The risk appears greatest in the rural south west of the Region and in some of
      the suburbs around the conurbation. This approach using geostatistics seems very
      promising and will be developed further as more data for this and other diseases
      become available.

PMID- 1419207
TI  - A rural advantage? Urban-rural health differences in northern England.
AB  - Rural health inequalities have been relatively neglected in recent years. The
      data assembled for a large study of health and deprivation in the Northern Region
      of England have been reanalysed to examine three questions. How wide are rural
      health inequalities compared with those in urban areas? Is health intrinsically
      better in rural areas, given comparable deprivation or affluence? Is the
      association between health and wealth weaker in rural than in urban areas? It is
      shown that, although health inequalities are wider in urban areas, this
      corresponds to wider socio-economic divisions: at equivalent levels of wealth,
      health measures are similar. This relationship breaks down, however, when the
      most remote rural areas are compared with matching localities in conurbations,
      for in this case rural areas have a clear advantage. We go on to show that the
      apparent weakness of the association between health and wealth in rural areas is
      largely an artefact; the association becomes stronger when the units of
      population (electoral wards) are enlarged to resemble more closely those in urban
      contexts. The comparability of rural and urban forms of deprivation is discussed
      in the light of these results.

PMID- 1419208
TI  - General practitioners, skin lesions and the new contract.
AB  - We reviewed all skin lesions received in our laboratory from general
      practitioners (GPs) during a three-month period before the introduction of the
      new contract for GPs and during the same period a year later. For comparison we
      also reviewed skin lesions received from the general and plastic surgeons.
      Particular attention was paid to the completeness of excision. There was a
      significant increase in the number of skin lesions removed in general practice
      after the introduction of the new contract. Both benign and malignant lesions
      were more likely to be incompletely excised by GPs compared with surgeons. The
      GPs first noted to carry out minor surgery after the new contract came into force
      were less likely to have completely excised lesions than their more experienced
      colleagues. We suggest the future monitoring of lesions removed in general
      practice, possibly by the formation of a joint audit group.

PMID- 1419209
TI  - Boneline: evaluation of an initiative to improve communication between
      specialists and general practitioners.
AB  - In response to a previous study of GPs' and consultants' satisfaction with
      orthopaedic outpatient referrals, orthopaedic surgeons at Doncaster Royal
      Infirmary made themselves available for telephone consultations with general
      practitioners (GPs) at advertised times. This service, called 'Boneline', was
      used infrequently, though the GPs who did use it found it valuable, and reported
      that a number of referrals had been avoided by speaking to the consultant. There
      was, however, no significant change in the rate at which requests for out-patient
      appointments were received during the six months of Boneline's operation.
      Opportunities for improving telephone communication between GPs and consultants
      are discussed.

PMID- 1419210
TI  - Towards the audit of geriatric day hospitals: a pilot project in west
      Surrey/north east Hampshire.
AB  - Following the recommendation of a report on the performance of two geriatric day
      hospitals (GDHs) in West Surrey and North East Hampshire District Health
      Authority in 1988, a pilot study was set up to assess the efficacy of a proposed
      form of audit involving multidisciplinary teams. An outcome measure which
      consisted of four different scales was developed and agreed upon by the multi
      professional team. These scales were used to work out a composite index (Patient
      Achievement Inventory-PAI). In addition, a new data form was designed for
      collection of patient data. To carry out this prospective clinical audit, targets
      were agreed for each patient, and progress was measured against them. Sixty-one
      (61) patients were studied (30 and 31 per respective hospital). Data form
      completion was 90 per cent and 81 per cent respectively. The PAI index proved to
      be reliable (kappa index of agreement = 0.72), and useful as an outcome measure.
      However, because the PAI index is made up of ordinal scales, it can only be used
      to measure change within individuals, not between them. The outcome measures,
      data forms and the continuous audit of these two GDHs proved to be meaningful and
      acceptable in practice.

PMID- 1419211
TI  - Quarterly communicable disease review January to March 1992. From the PHLS
      Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre.

PMID- 1419212
TI  - Study to examine the timeliness of care received by patients with open fracture
      of lower limb.

PMID- 1419214
TI  - The Health Department and research.

PMID- 1419213
TI  - The Health Department and research.

PMID- 1419215
TI  - Travel-associated hepatitis A.

PMID- 1419216
TI  - Low immunization uptake rates in an inner-city health district: fact or fiction?

PMID- 1419217
TI  - Restoration of maxillary anterior teeth using porcelain jacket crowns and
      porcelain veneers.
AB  - Combining different types of restorations when restoring maxillary anterior teeth
      poses a difficult esthetic problem. This article describes a method of restoring
      maxillary anterior teeth using a combination of porcelain jacket crowns and
      indirect porcelain laminate veneers.

PMID- 1419218
TI  - Financial considerations regarding acquisition of the Siemens Cerec computer
      reconstruction system.
AB  - There has been much interest in the in-office fabrication of ceramic posterior
      restorations using computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture (CAD-CAM)
      units. One concern that practitioners have concerning the use of one of these
      systems is the initial expense of the CAD-CAM unit for the office. This article
      deals with the financial implications involved when considering the purchase or
      lease of a CEREC (CAD-CAM) unit.

PMID- 1419219
TI  - Changes in lip contour following treatment of maxillary protrusion with esthetic
      orthodontic appliances.
AB  - With the advent of acid etching techniques and the elimination of unesthetic band
      materials, direct bonding of orthodontic attachments kindled a desire for
      cosmetic appliances such as labial ceramic brackets and lingual orthodontics.
      Owing to the esthetic nature of our combination upper-lingual lower-ceramic
      orthodontic approach, adults who would have normally avoided orthodontic
      treatment are now seeking treatment. This study evaluated the cephalometric
      changes in the soft tissue lip profile following treatment of Class II Division 1
      malocclusion with upper first bicuspid extractions with our esthetic orthodontic
      appliance approach. Serial lateral cephalograms (pretreatment and posttreatment)
      of 16 adult patients with a mean age of 22.1 +/- 3.2 years were studied. The mean
      upper incisor retraction, upper lip retraction, upper lip lengthening, and lower
      lip retraction were 5.75 +/- 1.91 mm, 2.8 +/- 1.4 mm, 1.5 +/- 0.6 mm, and 1.4 +/-
      0.6 mm, respectively. All these changes were statistically significant (p <
      0.01). The nasolabial angle increase of 10.8 +/- 3.0 degrees was also
      statistically significant (p < 0.01). The upper lip retraction to upper incisor
      retraction was 1:2.1, while the upper lip lengthening to upper incisor retraction
      was 1:3.8. The correlation coefficients (r) were 0.91 (p < 0.01) and 0.57 (p <
      0.01), respectively. This study shows that significant esthetic changes in lip
      profile are possible with this cosmetic orthodontic appliance approach. The
      treatment results in this study appear comparable to those published with labial
      metal brackets. With very few exceptions, patients were able to adapt within 2
      weeks, with almost no trauma to the tongue.

PMID- 1419220
TI  - Bond strength of fiber-reinforced composite resin restorations.
AB  - Severe tooth wear is common in older dentate individuals, with one treatment
      option being composite resin restorations reinforced with a suitable matrix. This
      study evaluated the use of high modulus polyethylene (Celanese) fibers as a
      reinforcing matrix for composite resin. Human mandibular incisor teeth were
      sectioned to simulate severe tooth wear. Sectioned surfaces were measured, the
      teeth paired and assigned to control or test sample groups, and further assigned
      to be tested with a labial or lingual shearing force. A phosphorylated dentin
      bonding adhesive was applied to the abraded dentin surface. Labial and lingual
      intra-enamel bevel preparations were cut on each specimen. A piece of Celanese
      fabric was bonded onto the acid-etched labial and lingual bevels of the test
      specimens using an enamel bonding agent. Class IV composite resin restorations
      were then placed onto the test and control specimens. Following water storage,
      the specimens were subjected to shearing forces. Bond strengths for test
      specimens were significantly greater (p < 0.03) than the controls. Specimens with
      a labially applied force also had significantly higher bond strengths (p <
      0.001). SEM analysis revealed adhesive bond failures over dentin surfaces, with
      cohesive bond failures within the composite resin. Celanese fibers maintained the
      restorations on the teeth, although adhesive failures were seen between the
      fibers and enamel bonding agent.

PMID- 1419221
TI  - Conservative treatment of cervical sensitivity.

PMID- 1419222
TI  - Simplified occlusal anatomy for posterior composites.
AB  - Direct posterior composites have had problems in the past and thus have not had
      wide acceptance. The newest generation materials overcome many of their previous
      shortcomings. Finishing with proper anatomy has been difficult and time
      consuming. An alternative to overfilling and then grinding in the anatomy is
      proposed. Using a prefilled tip allows small increments of composite to be placed
      without flowing and sagging. Each cusp is individually shaped and initially cured
      for 10 seconds. Every attempt is made not to overfill the preparation to avoid
      unnecessary grinding. The anatomy shapes up almost automatically, similar to P.K.
      Thomas waxing. With only minor adjustments and polishing with a polishing paste,
      time spent finishing is reduced. Natural looking, functional, and beautiful
      occlusal anatomy is now possible with this simple technique.

PMID- 1419223
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of astemizole in children.
AB  - Astemizole is often administered to children in the treatment of
      rhinoconjunctivitis and urticaria with good efficacy and few side effects. Both
      astemizole and its major metabolite desmethylastemizole (DMA) are clinically
      effective without annoying side effects such as sedation. The pharmacokinetics in
      adults is well known. In three different studies we have investigated the
      pharmacokinetical properties of the drug in children. Study I (absorption):
      Thirty-eight children 8-16 years old (mean 12.6 years) and weighing 25-80 kg
      (mean 45 kg), with rhinoconjunctivitis due to birch pollinosis, were pretreated
      with either astemizole 5 mg daily or placebo for two weeks. Then, all children
      were treated with astemizole in doses increasing every week, i.e. 5, 10, 20 and
      40 mg per day. There was a good correlation between the given dose per kg body
      weight and the plasma concentration of astemizole plus hydroxylated metabolites,
      indicating that astemizole is completely absorbed. Study II (time to reach steady
      state): A group of 21 children 7-18 years old (mean 13.9 years), plus 2 younger
      children, 2 and 5 years old, with allergy against birch- or grass pollen were
      treated with astemizole 10 mg daily for 12 weeks. Astemizole had reached steady
      state plasma levels when the first sample was taken after 1 week, DMA reached
      steady state within 4 weeks. Study III (elimination half-life [t1/2 beta]): In 10
      of the children from study II, t1/2 beta for astemizole plus DMA could be
      calculated (two samples) and was 10.8 days.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419224
TI  - Clinical experience with non-sedating antihistamines in paediatric allergic
      rhinitis.
AB  - This paper reviews all clinical studies involving the use of astemizole in
      children. The indications of seasonal allergic rhinitis, perennial rhinitis and
      various allergic disorders were considered in a total of 21 studies (1,008
      patients). Reference compounds were placebo and other antihistamines, such as
      chlorpheniramine and terfenadine. Astemizole and other antihistamines were
      effective in the treatment of these disorders with a more favourable result for
      those treated with astemizole. Astemizole appeared very satisfactory as regards
      laboratory data and absence of side effects.

PMID- 1419225
TI  - Epidemiology of allergic diseases in children.
AB  - The one-year-prevalence rate of bronchial asthma in children varies from 1-3%,
      when investigated in general practice, to 5-7% in population studies. The
      prevalence rate is highest in young boys. Eighty percent of the asthmatic
      children are allergic, house-dust-mite allergy being the most common allergy. The
      one-year-prevalence rate of rhinitis is 5-10% in general practice, and 10-12% in
      population studies. Again, the prevalence rate is highest in young boys. About
      90% of children with rhinitis symptoms are allergic, with pollen allergy as the
      most common allergy. Risk factors for developing allergic diseases are many. The
      predisposition is probably the most prevailing risk factor. Period of birth, sex,
      race, diet, the presence of other allergic diseases, tobacco smoking, pollution,
      and allergens in the environment, all these factors alone or in combination
      almost double the risk. There is no doubt that both asthma and hay-fever
      prevalences have steadily increased within the last 50 years. Also, admissions to
      hospitals for childhood asthma have continued to increase, while the mortality of
      asthma in children has not risen statistically. This increase is in contrast to
      the effective medication available for both asthma and allergic rhinitis, and to
      the number of preventive factors known to us today. The time has come to try to
      change it at all costs. The outcome of allergic rhinitis and asthma shows that
      only 10% are cured, 50% ameliorate, 30% remain unchanged, and 10% deteriorate.
      Factors determining the outcome are age, immunotherapy, sex, mother's age at
      childbirth, infections, other allergic diseases, and signs and symptoms of food
      allergy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419226
TI  - [Surgical correction of double aortic arch in infants].
AB  - The article generalizes the experience in the surgical correction of a rare
      anomaly of the aortic arch--a vascular ring in the form of a double arch of the
      aorta in 2 babies. In a 9-month-old baby with Fallot's tetralogy the double
      aortic arch was found during an operation. The child died after the operation
      (division of the left arch of the aorta distal to the left subclavian artery in a
      left descending aorta and formation of a subclavian-pulmonary anastomosis). In
      the other 3-month-old patient with a marked picture of tracheo-esophageal
      compression tracheobronchoscopy and esophagography showed a double aortic arch
      with predominance of the right arch, right descending aorta, and a wide patent
      ductus arteriosus. The operation involved division of the ductus arteriosus and
      the hypoplastic left aortic arch between the left common carotid and left
      subclavian arteries. A prolonged period of regression of the symptomatology of
      tracheoesophageal compression was noted in the postoperative period. Early
      recognition of this anomaly of the aortic arch and active surgical tactics
      facilitate improvement of the results.

PMID- 1419227
TI  - [Surgical treatment of left-atrial myxoma].
AB  - The authors had 29 patients with myxomas of the left atrium under observation and
      treated them by operation. Three patients died after the operation. Examination
      of 22 patients in postoperative periods of 8 months to 15 years did not reveal
      recurrent tumors of the heart. The extremely rare development of tumors of the
      heart and the absence of specific clinical manifestations make it difficult to
      establish the diagnosis in time. The relatively high postoperative mortality
      (12%) is due, first of all, to establishment of the diagnosis during the
      operation as a consequence of which an emergency operation on an open heart
      cannot be conducted. Operative treatment is indicated for all patients with a
      recognized tumor of the heart.

PMID- 1419228
TI  - [Ventricular tachycardia: the role of adrenergic stimulation in the prognosis of
      fatal arrhythmia].
AB  - A new method for appraising the individual efficacy of an antiarrhythmic agent is
      described. It is based on paired administration of isoprenaline and testing
      antiarrhythmics for maximum activity. The possibility of provoking ventricular
      tachycardia by isoprenaline made it possible to identify a contingent of patients
      with "catecholamine-sensitive" or "variable" tachycardia. The prognosis of
      "catecholamine-sensitive" ventricular tachycardia proved to be the worst in
      groups of patients with ischemic heart disease attended by postinfarction
      cardiosclerosis and in patients with arrhythmogenic dysplasia of the right
      ventricle.

PMID- 1419229
TI  - [10-year experience with correction of supraventricular tachycardia].
AB  - The results of a 10-year experience in surgical treatment of supraventricular
      tachyarrhythmias in 258 patients are analysed. Invasive and noninvasive methods
      of electrophysiological studies with the predominant use of Soviet-produced
      apparatuses were employed in establishing the diagnosis. Surgery of arrhythmias
      included catheter destruction, cryosurgery on a working heart, but the prevailing
      methods were various types of destruction of anomalous conducting paths under
      conditions of extracorporeal circulation. The authors suggest a method for dosed
      electrocoagulation of paranodal tissues in atrioventricular nodal tachycardias.
      The results of the operation were positive in over 90% of cases. Three fatal
      outcomes in operations with extracorporeal circulation occurred during the first
      years of accumulation of experience in the method. It is concluded that the
      operation is highly effective in severe tachyarrhythmias.

PMID- 1419230
TI  - [Thermal condition of the myocardium in patients with ischemic heart disease
      during cardioplegic heart arrest].

PMID- 1419231
TI  - [Additional myocardial protection by normothermic cardioplegic reperfusion].
AB  - Three series of experiments were conducted on a model of an isolated working rat
      heart to study the efficacy of variants of cardioplegic myocardial protection in
      exposure to 30-minute total ischemia at 37 degrees C: (1) preischemic
      administration of potassium solution (K(+)-30 mM, Mg(2+)-1.6 mM, osmolarity 330
      MOSM/1); ischemia, unmodified reperfusion; (2) preischemic administration of this
      solution, ischemia, postischemic administration of this solution for 5 minutes
      (normothermic cardioplegic reperfusion), putting in a working regimen; (3) the
      regimen of the experiments is the same as in series 2, but normothermic
      cardioplegic reperfusion was carried out with a modified potassium-magnesium
      solution (K(+)-15 mM, Mg(2+)-15 mM, osmolarity 360 MOSM/1). The values of
      functional restoration, rate and total discharge of the enzyme LDH into the
      perfusate were compared. Restoration of functional values (aortic pressure,
      aortic output, cardiac index) according to the experimental series: 3 greater
      than 2 greater than 1. LDH discharge into the perfusate: 3 less than 2 less than
      1. The results of the study provide evidence that reperfusion damage may be
      lessened by normothermic cardioplegic reperfusion; the highest effect was
      produced by a solution with specially selected properties: electrolyte
      composition and high osmolarity.

PMID- 1419232
TI  - [Separation and shunting of intramyocardial segments of the coronary arteries in
      their proximal affection by the arteriosclerotic process].
AB  - Operations for the formation of an aortocoronary shunt were performed on 395
      patients in the period between October 1983 and January 1991. The anomalous
      position of one or more segments was found in 70 patients. The autologous vein
      was used as a graft in 65.7% of these patients and the internal thoracic artery
      in 34.3% of cases. The anterior interventricular branch (AIVB) was situated in
      the myocardium in 58.6% of cases and the circumflex branch (CB) in 31.4% of
      cases, in 8.6% of cases the segments of some arteries were situated anomalously.
      The AIVB was separated beginning from its segment distal in relation to its
      intramyocardial segment in the region of its subepicardial passage, after which
      an incision was made in the myocardium overlying the intramyocardial segment. The
      anomalously situated segments of the other coronary arteries were separated by
      the same techniques. In one case the AIVB was lying in the cavity, in another, it
      was stretched under the endocardium. After shunting these arteries were
      transposed to the surface of the left ventricle which allowed the ventriculotomy
      incision under them to be sutured. There were no complications linked with
      separation and shunting of intramyocardial segments of the coronary arteries.
      These segments of the coronary arteries have a larger lumen and are very rarely
      involved in an atherosclerotic process. Proceeding from the aforesaid,
      intramyocardial segments of coronary arteries whose proximal parts are affected
      by atherosclerosis must be separated and shunted.

PMID- 1419233
TI  - [Echocardiographic diagnosis of the origin of the aorta and pulmonary artery from
      the right heart ventricle].
AB  - The origin of the aorta and pulmonary artery from the right ventricle is a
      congenital heart disease whose anatomical and echocardiographic criteria are the
      object of wide current discussion. The classification of the disease has been
      developed at the Bakulev Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery, USSR AMS. It is
      based on identification of the anatomical differences in the types of origin of
      the aorta and pulmonary artery from the right ventricle (RV OAPA). The present
      research was devoted to the study of the possibilities of echocardiography in the
      differential diagnosis of the types of the anomaly in the RV OAPA complex and the
      possibilities of noninvasive differential diagnosis of RV OAPA and adjacent
      anomalies of the conotruncus. The results of the study allow the conclusion that
      location of intracardiac structures with purposeful use of ultrasonic projections
      provides the possibility of making the differential diagnosis of the types of the
      anomaly in the RV OAPA complex and that the obtained echocardiographic criteria
      may serve for establishing the differential diagnosis of RV OAPA and other
      congenital anomalies of the conotruncus.

PMID- 1419234
TI  - [Tracheal prosthesis].
AB  - A prosthesis of the authors' design with various connective elements of knitted
      Lavsan fabric was tested in experiments on 43 mongrel dogs. Clinical,
      radiological, radiospirographic, and morphological studies showed that the
      optimal prosthesis is that in which the connective elements are made of knitted
      Lavsan fabrics with an average stitch size of 20-23. Granulation tissue grows
      through the prosthesis which is fastened well to the connective-tissue cuff
      forming around it. The trachea replaced by the prosthesis ensures adequate gas
      exchange and lung functioning, causes no essential disorders of pulmonary
      volumes, ventilation and perfusion of the right and left lungs.

PMID- 1419235
TI  - [Mechanism of pharmacological pleurodesis with morphocycline].

PMID- 1419236
TI  - [Complex evaluation of external respiratory function in patients with cancer of
      the lung].
AB  - Principles of complex appraisal of the function of external respiration were
      worked out on the basis of analysis of the mechanics of respiration with the use
      of body plethysmography and invasive examination of pulmonary circulatory
      dynamics and gas transport. The suggested method allows practicable appraisal of
      the mechanisms of oxygen transport disorders and identification of the leading
      link in the development of alveolo-respiratory failure.

PMID- 1419237
TI  - [First results of using laser angioplasty of peripheral arteries in clinical
      practice].

PMID- 1419238
TI  - [Place of the autologous myoneoventricle in the evolution of the methods of
      assisted and replacement blood circulation in critical conditions of the pumping
      function of the heart].

PMID- 1419239
TI  - [Malignant pedicled hemangioendothelioma of the lung].

PMID- 1419241
TI  - The importance of the generalist.

PMID- 1419240
TI  - [Triple-valve prosthesis (old problems, new prospects)].
AB  - The article analyses 30 operations for prosthetics of the mitral, aortic, and
      tricuspid valves in patients with trivalve rheumatic heart disease. Twenty-nine
      patients had a marked organic tricuspid valvular disease. Various models of
      prostheses (ball, semispherical, biological, disk) were used for replacement of
      the valves. Techniques which allowed the subvalvular structures of the tricuspid
      valve to be preserved partly or completely were applied in 18 patients. The
      hospital mortality was 16.7%, long-term mortality 4%. Improvement by two
      functional classes and more occurred in 86% of patients. It is concluded that
      surgeons are no longer compelled to resort to prosthetics of the tricuspid valve,
      which has now become an alternative operation, particularly in the category of
      extremely grave patients with organic affection of 3 valves when the prognosis of
      the result is needed in view of the patient's severe condition. The techniques
      for preserving the valvular apparatus provides optimum conditions for functioning
      of the right ventricle in replacement of the tricuspid valve.

PMID- 1419242
TI  - Health promotion: time for a new philosophy?

PMID- 1419243
TI  - Outcome measures for primary health care: what are the research priorities?
AB  - A Delphi technique was used to ask general practitioners for their opinions as to
      which clinical problems and types of measure they thought most appropriate for
      the development of outcome measures for use in primary health care. The study
      comprised two rounds of postal questionnaires, targeted at general practitioners
      in academic departments throughout the United Kingdom and at trainers in the
      northern region, with the second questionnaire feeding back opinions from the
      first. Ninety eight participants suggested one or more areas in which outcome
      measures could be developed, giving a total of 451 suggestions. Consensus
      produced in the second round indicated that three clinical conditions were
      preferred for the development of outcome measures: asthma, diabetes and
      hypertension. Six categories of outcome measures were developed from the
      responses given in the first round--level of function, level of clinical control,
      incidence of complications, iatrogenic problems, patient understanding of a
      condition, and quality of life. Participants gave these measures different levels
      of importance according to the clinical problem in question. This Delphi study of
      doctors' opinions is a first step in the development process of appropriate,
      practicable measures of outcome for use in primary care and has achieved a degree
      of consensus among general practitioners.

PMID- 1419244
TI  - Problems of drug abuse, HIV and AIDS: the burden of care in one general practice.
AB  - Responsibility for many of the problems of intravenous drug abuse and human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection lies with community care agencies, such as
      general practitioners, community psychiatric and district nurses and drug
      agencies. It is in general practice that this burden is most clearly observed,
      given that general practitioners are in charge of the day-to-day care of
      patients. In an attempt to quantify this workload in an inner city practice with
      11,200 patients, data were gathered from several sources relating to drug use and
      HIV infection. The study identified 432 patients who had consulted with problems
      of drug abuse and/or HIV infection over the period 1981-90. Among this group of
      patients 161 (37%) were HIV antibody positive. Among 191 drug abusers who were
      still registered with the practice in 1990 dihydrocodeine was the most commonly
      prescribed substitute treatment (130 patients) and only nine patients were
      prescribed methadone. Forty seven per cent of drug users continued to inject
      drugs occasionally. However, analysis of urine samples revealed that there was a
      shift away from injecting mainly heroin to multiple drug use, including
      benzodiazepines, usually originating from prescribed sources. Drug abusers who
      were HIV positive consulted their general practitioner significantly more often
      over one year than those who were not (mean 24.9 versus 15.8 consultations, P <
      0.01). However, there was no significant difference between these two groups in
      terms of days spent in hospital. A total of 61 patients were referred to a
      community psychiatric nurse over an eight month period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1419245
TI  - Social indicators of health needs for general practice: a simpler approach.
AB  - The ability of different measures of socioeconomic position to predict distress
      in a sample of general practice attenders has been examined. Perceived distress
      was measured using the Nottingham health profile. The measures of socioeconomic
      position included: social class, Jarman scores of patients' areas of residence,
      whether or not patients owned their own home, whether or not patients owned a
      car, whether or not they had been unemployed during the previous year and whether
      or not they had had further education. Social class data were only available for
      84% of the 1075 respondents completing the Nottingham health profile. Those
      respondents for whom social class data were not available were significantly more
      likely to score positively on the social isolation, sleep and physical mobility
      dimensions of the Nottingham health profile. Not owning one's own home emerged as
      the measure of socioeconomic status that best predicted distress. The other
      measures of socioeconomic status that were significantly predictive of distress
      were not having had further education and having been unemployed during the last
      year. Different measures of socioeconomic position significantly predicted
      positive scores on different dimension of the Nottingham health profile. Although
      the Jarman score significantly predicted a positive score on the sleep dimension,
      it did not predict distress well when compared with the direct measures of
      disadvantage. There are simple, more direct measures of socioeconomic position
      than social class that could be collected routinely by practices which would form
      a better basis for the evaluation of services required to target those needs
      created by persisting social inequalities in health.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1419246
TI  - Evaluation of urine sampling technique: bacterial contamination of samples from
      women students.
AB  - A urine specimen is traditionally sampled using the clean-catch midstream
      technique, but this technique is poorly documented. The aim of this study was to
      evaluate the bacterial content of urine samples taken using individual steps of
      the clean-catch midstream technique, or combinations of steps. One hundred and
      ten women students provided a total of 864 early morning urine samples, using a
      different sampling technique each morning. Holding the labia apart during
      sampling more than halved the percentage of samples containing 10(5) colony
      forming units per ml or more, and increased the percentage of uncontaminated
      samples, compared with passing urine without employing any of the precautions.
      Cleaning the perineum or using the midstream technique resulted in percentages no
      different from urination without employing any precautions. It is therefore
      recommended that women should be instructed to carry out the simplest effective
      urine sampling technique: holding the labia apart.

PMID- 1419247
TI  - Acute herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia: effects of acyclovir and outcome
      of treatment with amitriptyline.
AB  - This retrospective study was designed to assess the effects of acyclovir
      treatment of acute herpes zoster on subsequent postherpetic neuralgia, and to
      examine the effects of amitriptyline in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia.
      Eighty seven patients with postherpetic neuralgia of three or more months'
      duration were studied: 24 of them had had their herpes zoster treated with oral
      acyclovir. At first presentation, only 25% of the 24 patients who had had their
      herpes zoster treated with acyclovir selected the word group containing burning
      on the McGill pain questionnaire compared with 76% of the 63 patients who had not
      received acyclovir. A higher proportion of patients who had had acyclovir than
      had not selected the word group which contains the word aching (63% versus 49%).
      Acyclovir thus appears to change the nature of postherpetic neuralgia.
      Postherpetic neuralgia was treated with amitriptyline, alone or in combination
      with distigmine and/or sodium valproate. There was a strong correlation between
      pain relief and the interval between the occurrence of herpes zoster and the
      initiation of treatment with amitriptyline--early treatment is almost twice as
      likely to be successful as late. Since conventional analgesics and sympatholytic
      drugs are of no benefit in the treatment of established postherpetic neuralgia,
      the sequelae of herpes zoster must, therefore, be recognized and treated with
      amitriptyline as soon as possible.

PMID- 1419249
TI  - Intermittent self catheterization for patients with urinary incontinence or
      difficulty emptying the bladder.
AB  - Urinary incontinence, difficulty voiding and recurrent urinary tract infections
      are common in general practice. In patients with multiple sclerosis, spina
      bifida, intervertebral disc lesions, spinal injuries or tumours, the symptoms may
      be associated with a high residual volume of urine owing to a neuropathic
      bladder. Similar complaints may occur in elderly people or in women with
      gynaecological problems owing to atonic urinary retention. Provided that a
      significant residual volume of urine is found on abdominal examination,
      ultrasound, x-ray or catheterization, both groups of patients may be helped by
      intermittent self catheterization. Intermittent self catheterization is a safe
      and simple technique. By catheterizing themselves between four and six times
      daily patients can gain control over their bladders. Abandoning indwelling
      catheters or bulky external appliances does much for a patient's morale and self
      esteem. In addition, since the bladder is being drained effectively, urinary
      tract infections cease to be a problem and the kidneys are safeguarded. Severe
      disability is not a contraindication since patients in wheelchairs have mastered
      the technique despite paraplegia, an anaesthetic perineum, spinal deformity,
      intention tremor, mental handicap, old age or blindness. Patients should be
      referred to urologists for a trial of intermittent self catheterization. If
      unsuccessful or unacceptable it can be abandoned with no long term consequences.
      If it is effective the benefits may be considerable.

PMID- 1419250
TI  - Lifestyle limitation in asthma.

PMID- 1419248
TI  - Determinants of outcome in smoking cessation.
AB  - A large amount of research has been conducted into the factors which influence
      outcome in attempts to stop smoking. This article reviews the literature in two
      main areas: first, the effects of patient characteristics on outcome, and
      secondly, the effectiveness of various primary care interventions. The practical
      implications of this research for primary care interventions to help people stop
      smoking are explored.

PMID- 1419251
TI  - GPs' recognition of need in the community.

PMID- 1419252
TI  - Apparent hyperglycaemia in paracetamol overdose.

PMID- 1419253
TI  - Health advice for travellers: the GP's role.

PMID- 1419254
TI  - Cholesterol screening.

PMID- 1419255
TI  - Treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers.

PMID- 1419256
TI  - Flourishing or floundering in the 1990s.

PMID- 1419257
TI  - Interface between primary care and specialist mental health care.

PMID- 1419258
TI  - Provision of, and patient satisfaction with, primary care services in a
      relatively affluent area and a relatively deprived area of Glasgow.
AB  - This paper presents the results of a survey of the structure of general practice
      in two contrasting areas within Greater Glasgow health board: the south west area
      had a more deprived social profile at the 1981 census and higher than average all
      cause and selected major cause standardized mortality ratios than the health
      board as a whole while the north west area had a more affluent social profile at
      the 1981 census and lower than average all cause and selected major cause
      standardized mortality ratios. The general practice survey data gathered in 1989
      were supplemented with data from a survey of residents of the localities in three
      age cohorts carried out in 1987-88, which provided information on use of
      services, as well as perceived accessibility of and satisfaction with them.
      Despite the more deprived social and mortality profile of the south west area,
      and greater use of services, few systematic differences in the structure of
      general practices were found in the two areas. These findings support other
      studies which suggest that the stereotype of poorly resourced, low quality
      primary care in inner city areas may apply in London, but not elsewhere.
      Respondents in both areas were equally satisfied with services and found them
      accessible.

PMID- 1419259
TI  - Changes resulting from increasing appointment length: practical and theoretical
      issues.
AB  - The experience of one urban teaching practice in changing its appointment length
      from 7.5 to 10.0 minutes is described. Observed benefits to patients attending
      routine surgeries included an increased consultation time (mean 8.6 minutes
      before, 9.1 minutes after) and reduced waiting time (mean 19.1 minutes compared
      with 14.6 minutes). Overall, workload was unchanged but improving the 'fit'
      between supply and demand was associated with loss of flexibility--a greater
      number of extra patients required to be seen, apparently because fewer
      appointments were available at the start of each day. Waiting and consultation
      times in teaching surgeries and trainee surgeries (booked throughout at 10.0
      minute intervals) were unchanged in response to the new arrangements. The changes
      introduced were well received by medical and reception staff although their
      response was not formally measured. Planning the organization of an appointment
      system requires several distinct decisions to be made. The preferred or actual
      average length of consultations has to be decided and booking arrangements
      designed to enable this to take place without the doctors persistently running
      over time. The number of appointments per week required to meet anticipated
      demand has to be calculated on the basis of list size and expected annual
      consultation rate. However, an exact fit between supply and demand will lead to
      congestion of the system and it appears that flexibility in the form of an
      overprovision of appointments to projected demand of about 120% should be built
      in. Sufficient vacant slots must be provided at the start of each day to allow
      sufficient flexibility to avoid excessive numbers of patients having to be
      accommodated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419260
TI  - General practice based diabetes surveillance: the views of patients.
AB  - Forty three patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes registered at two
      suburban practices were interviewed at least one year after the introduction of
      an organized general practice based system of diabetic surveillance and the
      results compared with data gathered from interviews administered before the
      introduction of the system. Structured data from the two interviews were compared
      in relation to the importance which patients attached to diabetes and its medical
      review, patients' preference for place of future review and the health
      professionals from whom they wished to receive diabetes care. Patients' ratings
      of the performance of health professionals on various aspects of care were
      compared with the ratings given before the introduction of the new service. At
      the follow-up interviews the reasons behind patients' responses to the structured
      questions were explored using a qualitative method. The introduction of a general
      practice based diabetes service was marked by an improvement in attendance for
      diabetes monitoring (56% before introduction, 98% in the year following
      introduction). This was associated with an increase in the importance which
      patients attached to diabetes and its medical review. After experience of
      diabetes care in general practice, patients remained enthusiastic about general
      practice involvement and confident in their general practitioners' knowledge
      about diabetes management. In spite of an improvement in the patients' ratings of
      hospital doctors' communication skills, they continued to rate general
      practitioners significantly more highly in these skills (P < 0.01) and in terms
      of convenience and accessibility (P < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419261
TI  - How many people think they have hay fever, and what they do about it.
AB  - Little is known about the number of people who perceive themselves to be
      sufferers of hay fever. This study investigated how many people between the ages
      of 15 and 59 years perceived themselves to be hay fever sufferers and how they
      treated themselves. The study was carried out in a general practice in Arnold,
      Nottingham, using a postal questionnaire, to which the response rate was 77% from
      a sample size of 1062. Of the 813 respondents, 232 (29%) claimed to have had hay
      fever within the last two years. The prevalence of hay fever decreased
      significantly with age, and was associated with a history of asthma. One hundred
      and twenty five sufferers (54%) used over the counter treatments for their hay
      fever, and one third of these said that they felt drowsy after using them. These
      findings point to the need for general practitioners to be aware that a number of
      people, more than has been indicated by previous surveys, perceive themselves to
      be hay fever sufferers and are prepared to treat themselves using over the
      counter preparations.

PMID- 1419263
TI  - General practitioners' attendance at courses accredited for the postgraduate
      education allowance.
AB  - An analysis was undertaken in the northern half of the South Western Regional
      Health Authority of general practitioners' attendance at courses accredited for
      the postgraduate educational allowance over one year. A total of 358 courses
      provided 2341 hours of accredited education and produced a total general
      practitioner attendance of 50,389 hours. The mean attendance per principal in the
      area was 49.2 hours although the region may be a net importer of attenders from
      outside the area. Of the 50,389 total hours of attendance, 28.3% were in health
      promotion, 48.2% in disease management and 23.5% in service management. Course
      provision and attendance varied considerably over the year. September, October
      and November accounted for 42.7% of the total hours of attendance, compared with
      6.8% in June, July and August. Courses of two to four days or of one week
      duration accounted for 48.3% of total attendance hours; 10.1% of total attendance
      hours were at commercially organized courses and 5.6% at courses organized by
      practices. A total of 66.1% of attendance hours were in postgraduate centres and
      6.8% in the practice. Courses with more than 30 participants accounted for 15.9%
      of courses attended. A total of 174 general practitioners and others organized
      courses, 21 of them influencing 33,521 hours of general practitioner education.
      The study shows that in this area, there was an encouraging provision, range and
      uptake of continuing education courses for general practitioners. The
      concentration of educational activities in postgraduate centres underlines the
      need for increased provision for developing educational skills for clinical
      tutors.

PMID- 1419262
TI  - Prevalence of heart failure in three general practices in north west London.
AB  - There is little recent information on the prevalence of heart failure in the
      United Kingdom. Assuming that patients with heart failure would be taking
      diuretic drugs all such patients were identified in three general practices in
      north west London. The practice records of these patients were examined to
      determine which patients had heart failure. Of the 30,204 patients served by the
      practices, 117 had heart failure, a prevalence of 3.9 per 1000 patients. The mean
      age of these patients was 74 years. The prevalence of heart failure among
      patients under 65 years of age was 0.6 per 1000 patients rising to 27.7 per 1000
      among those aged 65 years and over. The aetiology of heart failure was considered
      to be coronary heart disease for 32% of patients, valve disease for 19%,
      hypertension for 6%, cor pulmonale for 4% and congenital heart disease for 2%.
      The aetiology for the remaining 37% of patients was unknown. Most patients were
      referred to hospital and only 20% had been treated solely by the general
      practitioner. An electrocardiogram and chest radiograph had been obtained for
      over 80% of patients but only 28% had an echocardiogram. Heart failure occurs
      primarily in elderly patients, and coronary heart disease is the dominant
      aetiological factor.

PMID- 1419265
TI  - Forty years on--and back.

PMID- 1419264
TI  - New strategies for higher professional education.
AB  - Since the original recommendation in 1968 for a period of higher professional
      education, the development of this form of education has been slow. However, in
      1990 a working party was established by the education division of the Royal
      College of General Practitioners to report on higher professional education. This
      paper describes some of the early work of the working party and its
      recommendations with particular emphasis on educational strategies, assessment
      and accreditation. A flexible, learner centred approach needs to be developed to
      encourage autonomy. Educational strategies are described which value previous
      experience and allow for a shift of responsibility for learning from the teacher
      to the learner.

PMID- 1419266
TI  - Skin lesion excision in general practice.

PMID- 1419267
TI  - Use of accident and emergency services.

PMID- 1419268
TI  - Prophylaxis against malaria.

PMID- 1419269
TI  - GP's attitudes towards drug users.

PMID- 1419270
TI  - Cost effectiveness of minor surgery in general practice.

PMID- 1419271
TI  - Coronary heart disease.

PMID- 1419272
TI  - Screening for diabetes--an alternative view.

PMID- 1419273
TI  - Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-immunoreactive nerves in the tracheal
      epithelium of rats: an immunohistochemical study by means of whole mount
      preparations.
AB  - The airway mucosa is known to be densely supplied with several types of
      peptidergic nerve fibers. The distribution of the nerve fibers in a large extent
      of the mucosa, however, has been difficult to visualize by observation of
      conventional thin sections. In the present study, whole mount preparations of the
      rat tracheal mucosa were designed to demonstrate calcitonin gene-related peptide
      (CGRP)-containing nerves which are most predominant among peptidergic nerves in
      the trachea. The mucosal sheet of the trachea was separated from the
      cartilaginous base by means of dispase, a protease, to be processed to
      immunohistochemistry for CGRP. In the cartilaginous portion, thick nerve bundles
      immunoreactive for CGRP ran transversely between the cartilage rings, sending
      terminal branches toward the epithelium. In the membranous portion,
      immunoreactive nerve bundles were thinner than those in the cartilaginous portion
      and ran longitudinally. A very dense nerve plexus of CGRP-immunoreactive fibers
      was demonstrated to extend in the basal part of the epithelium; every epithelial
      cell appeared to contact more than one nerve fiber. Immunohistochemistry of the
      whole mount preparations also clearly demonstrated the distribution and entire
      shape of broncho-pulmonary paraneurons scattered in the epithelium.
      Ultrastructurally, the CGRP-immunoreactive intraepithelial nerves were found to
      lack myelin and Schwann sheaths, and to run through the bases of the epithelial
      cells; they were most frequently surrounded by the cytoplasmic processes of the
      epithelial cells. The present study demonstrates that immunohistochemistry of
      whole mount preparations is a useful tool to morphologically analyze neuronal and
      paraneuronal distribution throughout the tracheal epithelium.

PMID- 1419275
TI  - The topographic organization of the retinal ganglion cell layer of the lizard
      Ctenophorus nuchalis.
AB  - The numbers of neurons of the ganglion cell layer (GCL) and their distribution in
      the retina of an Australian lizard Ctenophorus nuchalis were investigated.
      Retinal wholemounts and sections were prepared for light microscopic and optic
      nerves for electron microscopic study. Counts of cell numbers in the GCL from
      wholemounts varied from 200,000 to 380,000. Neurons in the GCL were non-uniformly
      distributed, forming a high cell density streak along the naso-temporal axis of
      the retina. Neurons of the GCL formed 2 to 9 layers in the visual streak and a
      single layer in the rest of the retina. The number of neurons of the GCL in this
      area was estimated at about 2,100,000. Although the visual streak represented
      only 16% of the total retinal surface area, it contained about 90% of all neurons
      of the GCL. Optic axon counts yielded 147,000 myelinated and 2,643,000
      unmyelinated fibres. The estimated optic fibre number of 2,790,000 was 18.2% less
      than the total number of neurons counted from sections in the GCL of the same
      eye. The unexpected high number of neurons in the area of the visual streak
      indicates that cell numbers obtained only from wholemount preparations may vastly
      underestimate the total neuron numbers in the GCL of the lizard retina.

PMID- 1419274
TI  - The dependency of collagen fibrillogenesis in vitro on fibroblast culture
      conditions. Fibroblasts in mono- and multi-layers.
AB  - The extracellular matrix produced by monolayer and tridimensional cultures of
      fibroblasts was investigated using histochemical and ultrastructural methods. In
      monolayer cultures, collagen and proteoglycans produced by fibroblasts could not
      be organized into morphologically recognizable structures. Tridimensional
      fibroblast cultures produced a well organized matrix with periodic, parallel
      ordered collagen fibrils of 50 nm diameter, criss-crossed by alcianophylic
      segments 6-10 nm thick in diameter and 100-300 nm in length, parallel to each
      other, perpendicular to the collagen fibrils and spaced 67 nm from each other.
      Some alcianophylic segments lay perpendicular to the above described ones, with
      maximum lengths of 65-70 nm. Alcianophylic segments are the ultrastructural
      evidence of structural proteoglycans. These observations suggest that the culture
      conditions influence the collagen and proteoglycans secretion, so that the final
      organization of the matrix results quite different.

PMID- 1419276
TI  - Morphological modifications during long-term survival of Meckel's cartilage
      hypertrophic chondrocytes transplanted in the mouse spleen.
AB  - To examine the ultimate fate of hypertrophic chondrocytes, Meckel's cartilage
      bars from 18-day-old mouse embryos were transplanted into isogenic mouse spleen
      for 3, 7, 14 and 21 days and observed at the light and electron microscopic
      levels. The midportions of these Meckel's cartilage bars were used as explants;
      they were characterized by many hypertrophic chondrocytes containing euchromatic
      round nuclei, a large amount of glycogen particles, and some vacuoles. Grafted
      cartilage adapted well to the splenic tissue, showing intense metachromasia
      around the territorial matrix. Ultrastructural observations indicated that the
      number of large vacuoles and glycogen aggregates in the hypertrophic cells became
      markedly reduced with grafting time, whereas the Golgi apparatus and rough
      endoplasmic reticulum were well-developed. Needle-like crystals showing initial
      apatite deposition appeared in association with matrix vesicles; these
      proliferated as time elapsed after transplantation. On day 14 after
      transplantation, cells displaying such various structural features as pyknotic
      nuclei, large vacuoles, and cytoplasmic shrinkage were noted in addition to
      intact hypertrophic chondrocytes. Following resorption of the calcified cartilage
      by multinucleated giant cells, many osteoblasts appeared along the border of the
      calcified matrix. Some remaining hypertrophic cells in the calcified matrix had
      transformed into osteocyte-like cells. On day 21, the resorbed area of the
      calcified cartilage was invaded by many blood vessels. Hypertrophic chondrocytes,
      now exposed from cellular lacunae, and the osteocyte-like cells in the calcified
      matrix displayed involutional changes. The present study showed that, although
      the hypertrophic chondrocytes in Meckel's cartilage essentially underwent
      regressive changes, they retained the ability to stimulate endochondral
      ossification within the microenvironment of the spleen. In addition, some of
      these cells were transformed into osteocyte-like cells.

PMID- 1419277
TI  - Odontoclastic resorption at the pulpal surface of coronal dentin prior to the
      shedding of human deciduous teeth.
AB  - Histological and histochemical observations of more than 150 extracted human
      deciduous teeth revealed that, prior to shedding, odontoclastic resorption as a
      rule takes place at the pulpal surface of coronal dentin. We also found that this
      phenomenon occurs in all kinds of deciduous teeth. The process of this internal
      resorption of coronal dentin of deciduous teeth clearly showed time-related
      histological changes. During the time the roots were actively being resorbed, the
      pulpal tissue retained its normal structure. However, when root resorption neared
      completion, inflammatory cells started to gradually infiltrate into the pulp, and
      odontoblasts began to degenerate. After that, multinucleate odontoclasts
      appeared, and resorption proceeded from the predentin to the dentin. The
      odontoclastic activity was initially detected only on the pulpal surface at the
      bottom areas of the crown. It gradually spread towards the pulpal horn regions
      along the wall of the pulp chamber. However, this internal resorption of coronal
      dentin did not continue until the teeth were finally shed. After the elimination
      of resorption, the resorbed dentin surface was repaired by a cementum-like
      deposition or covered with fibrous connective tissue.

PMID- 1419278
TI  - Plasma cells in the spleen of the Aleutian skate, Bathyraja aleutica.
AB  - Splenic white pulp of the Aleutian skate (Bathyraja aleutica), an elasmobranch,
      was investigated using light and transmission electron microscopy. The major
      cellular constituent was plasma cells, of the typical Marshalko type,
      characterized by well developed rough-endoplasmic reticulum and a Golgi complex.
      The morphology of the rough-endoplasmic reticulum was variable, being lamellar in
      some cells and spherical in others. Plasma cells with distended cisternae of
      rough-endoplasmic reticulum and cells with Russel bodies were often observed.
      Only a small number of lymphocytes were encountered. These findings indicate that
      the splenic white pulp is the major site for immunoglobulin production in this
      fish, thus confirming our previous immunocytochemical observation. Globules
      presumably containing immunoglobulin were found consistently associated with the
      Golgi complex. The secretion mechanism of immunoglobulin by plasma cells is
      discussed in connection with the globules.

PMID- 1419279
TI  - Fine structure of the dorsal epithelium of the tongue of the Japanese terrapin,
      Clemmys japonica (Cheloia, Emydinae).
AB  - As reptiles are situated phylogenetically between the amphibians and the mammals,
      they exhibit considerable variation in the structure of their tongues. The
      present study, one of a series of studies on reptile tongues, aims to demonstrate
      the three-dimensional structure of the dorsal lingual surface of a turtle, the
      Japanese terrapin Clemmys japonica, and to clarify the ultrastructural features
      of the lingual epithelial cells. In the study lingual papillae were observed by
      scanning electron microscopy to be widely distributed over the dorsal surface of
      the tongue. Irregularly shaped (conical, columnar or angular) papillae were
      located in the anterior and central areas, and ridge-like ones, in the latero
      posterior area. Histological examination revealed that the connective tissue
      penetrated into the core of the papillae, and the epithelium was of a stratified
      squamous and/or cuboidal type. Under the transmission electron microscope, two
      types of cells were identified in the intermediate layer of the apical epithelium
      of the lingual papilla: one type was probably an immature mucous cell, whereas
      the other was elongated in a baso-apical direction, its cytoplasm containing fine
      granules. In the surface layer of the apical epithelium, typical mucous cells and
      cells containing numerous, fine, electron-lucent granules were recognized. Both
      types of cells possessed microvilli on their free-surfaces. In the lateral
      epithelium of the lingual papillae, the cytological features from the basal layer
      to the superficial intermediate layer were essentially the same as in the apical
      epithelium. However, in the surface layer, mucous cells were significantly larger
      in number than in the apical epithelium.

PMID- 1419280
TI  - Reticular endings of Purkinje cell axons in the rat cerebellar nuclei: scanning
      electron microscopic observation of the pericellular plexus of Cajal.
AB  - The pericellular plexus of Purkinje cell axons in the cerebellar nuclei was first
      recorded by Cajal (1911), using the Golgi method. The present study observed the
      axonal plexus in the rat by scanning electron microscopy after the plexus'
      detachment from the soma of target neurons by NaOH maceration. The pericellular
      plexus revealed numerous axons with ellipsoidal and moniliform swellings. They
      branched and crossed with each other to form, as a whole, a reticulum which
      enveloped the target neuron instead of multiple isolated boutons. Some axon
      terminals were separated from each other by thin glial processes, while others
      lacked such septa, thus being directly juxtaposed. Immunohistochemistry for spot
      35 protein, a Purkinje cell-specific protein, detected similar beaded and
      reticular axons terminating on the neuronal somata, confirming their
      identification as Purkinje cells. Transmission electron microscopic observation
      showed that most of the axon terminals in question contained elliptical vesicles,
      characteristic for Purkinje cells. The vesicles were not accumulated toward small
      patchy areas of synaptic specialization but disseminated along the entire length
      of the terminal portion of axons.

PMID- 1419281
TI  - Microstructures of the osseous spiral laminae in the bat cochlea: a scanning
      electron microscopic study.
AB  - The architecture and surface structures of the primary and secondary osseous
      spiral laminae in the cochlea of the bat, an animal able to hear high frequency
      sounds, were examined by scanning electron microscopy to understand the
      micromechanical adaptations of the bony supportive elements in the inner ear to
      the specific hearing function. The bat used was Myotis frater kaguyae. The myotis
      bat cochlea was seen to consist of a hook and a spiral portion with one and three
      quarter turns and was characterized by: 1) a distinct ridge-like projection
      running spirally along the middle line on the vestibular leaf of the primary
      osseous spiral lamina; 2) a wide secondary osseous spiral lamina; and 3) a narrow
      spiral fissure between the primary and secondary osseous spiral laminae. The
      ridge on the primary osseous spiral lamina was 150 microns high in the hook and
      basal turn, then lowered toward apex, and flattened before the apical end. The
      surface structures appeared to provide a firm anchorage of the auditory teeth.
      The secondary osseous spiral lamina, which anchors the fibers of the basilar
      membrane, was sharply projected and measured 150 microns in width in the hook,
      and then narrowed gradually toward apex to disappear in the helicotrema. The
      spiral fissure for the basilar membrane was about 40 microns in width in the hook
      and about 120 microns in the apical turn. The findings suggest the presence of a
      narrow and rigid basilar membrane with a high amount of fibers and a strong bony
      support to the auditory teeth for scaffolding the tectorial membrane during
      intense vibration in response to high frequency sounds.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1419282
TI  - A European initiative for prostatic cancer.

PMID- 1419283
TI  - Immune ageing and cancer.

PMID- 1419284
TI  - The darkest ages of tobacco.

PMID- 1419286
TI  - Variations in breast cancer management between a teaching and a non-teaching
      district.
AB  - We compared the management and outcome of 999 women with breast cancer presenting
      between 1982 and 1986 at two centres in a region, one in a teaching district. A
      comparison was also made with relevant research and The Kings Fund Consensus
      Statement. The centres frequently differed markedly in the investigations done,
      diagnostic procedures, histology reporting, axillary sampling, and in the
      treatment given, also differing from the Consensus with no trend towards it.
      Survival was better at the teaching centre, both disease-free (N.S.) and overall
      [odds ratio 1.46 (1.16-1.84) P = 0.0009 unadjusted]. This should be interpreted
      cautiously as the median follow-up time was relatively short and the study was
      non-randomised. We conclude that how women with breast cancer are managed is
      determined as much by where they are referred as by scientific evidence. This
      indicates the need to introduce standards and protocols into business plans,
      making audit and service specifications easier.

PMID- 1419285
TI  - 4-hydroxyandrostenedione: a new treatment for postmenopausal patients with breast
      cancer.
AB  - We have evaluated 4-hydroxyandrostenedione, a specific inhibitor of aromatase, as
      treatment for breast cancer in a phase I dose-ranging study and a phase II study
      of the best-tolerated dose. 168 postmenopausal patients with locally advanced and
      metastatic breast cancer were treated intramuscularly. 19% of patients attained a
      complete or partial response but 26% of those who completed at least 4 weeks
      treatment responded. Side-effects were least in the group receiving 250 mg every
      2 weeks. 13% of patients experienced local discomfort due to the injection and 5%
      had other side-effects. Serum oestradiol fell to 42.4 and 26.5% of baseline at 7
      days after the start of treatment with the 250 mg and 500 mg dose, respectively.
      We conclude that 4-hydroxyandrostenedione at 250 mg every 2 weeks is a safe and
      effective form of treatment for postmenopausal patients with metastatic breast
      cancer.

PMID- 1419287
TI  - Serum vanillylmandelic acid/homovanillic acid contributes to prognosis estimation
      in patients with localised but not with metastatic neuroblastoma.
AB  - In 211 patients with neuroblastoma, serum vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and
      homovanillic acid (HVA) levels were determined and correlated to stage,
      histological differentiation, ferritin, neuron-specific enolase, lactate
      dehydrogenase (LDH) and outcome. Elevated serum VMA and/or HVA levels were found
      16% less frequently than elevated urine levels. The incidence of the elevated
      serum levels increased with stage (stages I-III 58%, IV 78%, IVS 100%). Increased
      VMA/HVA ratios were not associated with a higher grade of tumour differentiation.
      Serum ferritin and neuron-specific enolase showed no correlation, and LDH a
      borderline non-random correlation with the serum catecholamine metabolites. Using
      age-related reference values a quotient of serum VMA/HVA (P = 0.061) < 0.7
      indicated a poorer event-free survival (48 +/- 10%) than ratios > or = 0.7 (event
      free survival 81 +/- 6%) for children with localised neuroblastoma (P = 0.0004).
      No correlation with prognosis was detected for patients with stage IV and stage
      IVS disease. We conclude that serum VMA and HVA determinations may be useful as
      tumour markers for 71% of neuroblastoma patients, and aid in estimating the
      prognosis in children with localised disease.

PMID- 1419288
TI  - Treatment of poor prognosis Burkitt's lymphoma in adults with the Societe
      Francaise d'Oncologie Pediatrique LMB Protocol--a study of the Federation
      Nationale des Centres de Lutte Contre le Cancer (FNLCC).
AB  - 14 adult patients between 16 and 50 years old with small non-cleaved cell
      lymphoma (Burkitt's lymphoma) were prospectively treated from 1982 to 1990 with
      the LMB protocols of the Societe Francaise d'Oncologie Pediatrique (SFOP). No HIV
      positive patients were included. All patients had extensive disease with bad
      prognosis factors, i.e. 10 patients had Murphy stage III and 4 had stage IV with
      bone marrow involvement. The LMB protocols were characterised by high-dose
      fractionated cyclophosphamide, high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX), and cytosine
      arabinoside. No local or central nervous system irradiation was used. Treatment
      duration ranged from 5 (LMB 84) to 12 (LMB 81) months. There were no therapy
      related deaths. All patients achieved complete remission (CR). 6 patients
      relapsed between 2 and 30 months following CR. 8 of the 14 patients (57%) are
      still alive and disease-free after treatment by LMB protocol alone. 2 patients
      were salvaged with bone marrow transplantation after relapse and a total of 10
      out of 14 patients (71%) are disease-free at the time of this report. Our results
      showed the high curability of advanced Burkitt's lymphoma using a paediatric
      protocol, even in adult patients. The LMB protocol may be applied to adult
      patients but requires intensive care during the induction period.

PMID- 1419289
TI  - Phase II study of tauromustine in malignant glioma.
AB  - 46 eligible patients with either anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) or glioblastoma
      (GBM) and clinical and computed-tomography-confirmed relapse following primary
      surgery and radiotherapy received oral tauromustine 130 mg/m2 every 5 weeks. A
      prospective design allowed for concurrent assessment of both clinical and
      radiological responses and drug toxicity. 41% of patients improved clinically
      whilst 46% improved radiologically with 3 complete, 7 partial and 7 minimal
      responses (WHO criteria). Toxicity included grade III or IV gastrointestinal side
      effects (15%), grade III or IV leukopenia (24%) and grade III and IV
      thrombocytopenia (44%). In 9 clinically responding patients, haematological
      toxicity led to discontinuation of treatment. All patients were followed-up until
      death and second-line chemotherapy was not used. Median post-treatment survival
      was 26 weeks for patients with GBM and 57 weeks for patients with AA. Overall 2
      year survival rate was 69% for AA and 23% for GBM. Tauromustine given at the time
      of relapse has demonstrable antitumour activity in patients not previously
      treated with chemotherapy.

PMID- 1419290
TI  - Mitozantrone and methotrexate chemotherapy with and without mitomycin C in the
      treatment of advanced breast cancer: a randomised clinical trial.
AB  - Patients with advanced breast cancer were randomised to 3M (mitozantrone 6.5
      mg/m2q 21 days, methotrexate 30 mg/m2q 21 days, mitomycin C 6.5 mg/m2q 42 days)
      or 2M (as 3M but without mitomycin C). The objective response rates of 30% in 51
      evaluable patients receiving 3M and 26% of 54 patients receiving 2M were not
      significantly different. 4/16 patients not responding to 2M responded to 3M on
      crossover. Both regimes were well tolerated but there was significantly less
      haematological toxicity and fewer dose reductions and delays with 2M. We conclude
      that patients should initially be treated with 2M and that non-responding
      patients should be crossed to 3M.

PMID- 1419291
TI  - A phase II study of 5-fluorouracil and high-dose folinic acid in combination with
      cyclophosphamide and mitoxantrone for advanced breast cancer.
AB  - 38 patients with advanced breast adenocarcinoma were treated in a phase II study
      with 5-fluorouracil and high-dose folinic acid combined with cyclophosphamide and
      mitoxantrone. 6 patients had received prior chemotherapy for advanced disease,
      all with an anthracycline-containing regimen. Treatment was generally well
      tolerated. The most common side-effect was myelosuppression, with 1 toxic death
      due to leukopenia-related sepsis. 1 patient developed severe congestive heart
      failure 12 months from the end of therapy. 36 patients were evaluable for
      response. The overall response rate was 55%. Median duration of response was 8
      months and median survival time was 16 months. This regimen warrants further
      investigations.

PMID- 1419292
TI  - Borderline malignancy of the ovary and controlled hyperstimulation, a report of 2
      cases.
AB  - We report 2 patients who developed a borderline malignancy of the ovary after
      treatment with follicular stimulants in the context of an in vitro fertilisation
      (IVF) programme. In both cases, conservative surgery for the borderline
      malignancy was sufficient treatment. Ultimately, both patients became pregnant, 1
      after IVF treatment and 1 without treatment, and both delivered healthy babies.
      In addition to the presentation of both cases, the literature concerning the
      possible risks of treating patients with high dosage, exogenously administered
      hormones is reviewed and the possible association between exogenous hormones and
      the risk of developing ovarian cancer is discussed.

PMID- 1419293
TI  - Unexpected prolonged myelosuppression after mitomycin, mitoxantrone and
      methotrexate.
AB  - 28 patients (26 with breast cancer and 2 with colon cancer) received mitomycin,
      mitoxantrone and methotrexate (MMM). Half the patients had grade III-IV
      leukopenia and 29% had grade III-IV thrombocytopenia. The median time of recovery
      to WHO grade 0 was 62 and 128 days, respectively. Thrombocytopenia and leukopenia
      were more frequent and longer lasting after the three-drug part of the therapy,
      which suggests a critical role for mitomycin in this toxicity.

PMID- 1419295
TI  - Tumour burden as the main indicator of prognosis in Hodgkin's disease.
AB  - A method of estimating the total tumour burden in patients with Hodgkin's disease
      was devised, combining the number of involved regions with the tumour size in
      each region. Further, a method of estimating the total tumour cell burden was
      devised, combining the estimate of the total macroscopic tumour burden with an
      estimate of the concentration of tumour cells in the tumour tissue. The
      prognostic significance of the total tumour burden was examined in multivariate
      studies of 300 patients in pathological stages I and II treated in the Danish
      National Hodgkin Study and 506 patients in all stages treated at the Finsen
      Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark, during a 15-year period. The total tumour burden
      turned out to be the most important prognostic factor in Hodgkin's disease. Most
      of the hitherto known prognostic factors were shown to be correlated with the
      total tumour burden and to lack independent prognostic significance.

PMID- 1419294
TI  - Uroepithelial and nephrotubular toxicity in patients receiving ifosfamide/mesna:
      measurement of urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase and beta-2-microglobulin.
AB  - The effect of three ifosfamide/mesna regimens on urinary N-acetyl-beta-D
      glucosaminidase (NAG) activity and beta-2-microglobulin (beta 2 M) was studied.
      All regimens produced significant increases in these urinary proteins, indicating
      nephrotubular damage. In regimen A (n = 15), plasma nitrobenzylpyridine (NBP)
      alkylating activity area under the curve (AUC) on day 1 correlated with the
      percentage increase above baseline of maximum urinary NAG activity (r2 = 0.538, P
      = 0.0022) and maximum beta 2 M concentration (r2 = 0.413, P = 0.0097). In regimen
      B (n = 5), plasma NBP alkylating activity AUC correlated with the percentage
      increase above baseline of maximum NAG activity (r2 = 0.843, P = 0.03) and beta 2
      M (r2 = 0.78, P = 0.046). In these two regimens the renal exposure to ifosfamide
      metabolites correlated with the increases in urinary NAG and beta 2 M. The
      relation of these urinary protein abnormalities to longer term effects on renal
      function with different ifosfamide/mesna schedules requires further study.

PMID- 1419296
TI  - Evaluation of a breast cancer screening programme--the DOM project.
AB  - In several studies it has been shown that breast cancer screening by means of
      mammography reduces breast cancer mortality. To ensure that when organising a
      service screening programme the aim is reached, it is necessary to control and
      monitor the process. This is possible by several methods. In this study, disease
      free intervals and survival rates were used as monitoring tools. The DOM project,
      a breast cancer screening programme for women aged 50-64 years old at intake,
      started at the end of 1974. All breast cancer cases diagnosed between 1973 and
      1989 were followed up to 1991. It is clear that disease-free interval and
      survival rates are proper predictors of the effects of screening on breast cancer
      mortality.

PMID- 1419297
TI  - Constitutive tissue factor expression of human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 is
      modulated by growth factors.
AB  - Expression of tissue factor, the initiator of the extrinsic coagulation protease
      cascade, is a feature of certain malignant tumours. To study the modulation of
      tissue factor expression we incubated the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 with
      several growth factors. Epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor
      alpha (TGF alpha) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) rapidly increased tissue factor
      expression of MCF-7 cells peaking at 6-8 h after starting point of incubation, as
      determined by clotting test, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and flow
      cytometry. The data presented support the hypothesis that modulation of
      constitutive tissue factor expression in tumour cells by TGF alpha and IL-1 could
      also occur in vivo possibly resulting from interactions of stromal and cancer
      cells. The meaning for tumour biology, however, remains unclear.

PMID- 1419298
TI  - Modulation of tumour marker CA-125 expression in cultured ovarian carcinoma
      cells.
AB  - The aim of this study was to elucidate whether proliferation of ovarian carcinoma
      cells may affect the biosynthesis and release of CA-125. In a cell culture model
      the tumour marker CA-125 expression in cytosol, surface membrane, and release
      into culture medium was studied in six human carcinoma cell lines. Cell cycle
      analysis of propidium iodide stained nuclei was performed using a fluorescent
      activated cell sorter. The turnover of CA-125 is very rapid, within 24 h the
      equivalent amount found in each cell was also released in the supernatant culture
      medium. A good relation between cytosolic, membrane, and released CA-125 was
      observed. CA-125 expression was associated predominantly with the G0/G1 phase of
      the cell cycle and was dependent on cell density. The results presented here
      demonstrate that factors associated with tumour cell proliferation could
      influence the CA-125 serum level in ovarian cancer patients.

PMID- 1419299
TI  - Biological characterisation of primary and metachronous lesions in breast cancer
      patients.
AB  - Proliferative activity, evaluated as [3H]thymidine labelling index ([3H]dT LI),
      and hormone receptors were determined on 97 primary breast cancers and on
      metachronous lesions from the same patient. Overall, the [3H]dT LI of
      metachronous lesions was significantly higher than that of the primary tumour (P
      = 0.003). Hormone receptor profiles of the two lesions were similar in about 75%
      of the cases; disagreements were mainly due to a disappearance of hormone
      receptors in metachronous lesions. In contralateral tumours, [3H]dT LI and
      hormone receptors were unrelated to those of the relative primary lesion. In this
      series of relapsing patients, [3H]dT LI was unrelated to hormone receptor status
      in the primary tumour, but it was higher in the metachronous lesions from
      patients with hormone receptor-negative primary tumours. For patients given no
      systemic therapy between surgery and relapse, the time to develop local-regional
      recurrences or contralateral tumours was inversely related to the [3H]dT LI of
      the metachronous lesions.

PMID- 1419300
TI  - The effect of a low-fat diet on hormone levels in healthy pre- and postmenopausal
      women: relevance for breast cancer.
AB  - It has been postulated that differences in the levels of circulating hormones may
      be the explanation for the epidemiological link between per capita dietary fat
      intake and the incidence of breast cancer. We have investigated this possible
      relationship in 19 postmenopausal, and 18 premenopausal women who completed a 4
      week period on a diet aiming to reduce fat intake to around 20% of total
      kilocalories. 7-day dietary records revealed a significant decrease in dietary
      fat intake in both the pre- and postmenopausal groups (from 37.2% of calories
      from fat to 23.2% and from 37.9 to 24.3%, respectively). There was a minor
      increase in the level of sex hormone-binding globulin, and a small decrease in
      prolactin in the postmenopausal group, which were of borderline significance.
      There were no significant changes in total oestradiol (E2), or non-protein-bound
      (free) E2 concentrations. In the premenopausal group there were no significant
      changes in any of the hormone levels investigated.

PMID- 1419301
TI  - Patterns of childhood cancer incidence and mortality in Europe.
AB  - Histograms including age-standardised (0-14 years, world standard) incidence and
      mortality rates from selected childhood cancers are presented for 21 European
      cancer registration areas and 24 countries. The overall range of variation in all
      childhood cancer incidence rates across various cancer registration areas in
      Europe was around a factor 1.5, with highest rates in Spain, Italy, Sweden and
      France, and lowest rates in Poland, Hungary, UK, Germany and Yugoslavia. For most
      single cancer sites, however, the observed pattern is essentially attributable to
      random variation alone. A clearer pattern, however, emerged with reference to
      mortality. The overall range of variation, in fact, was around a factor two in
      both sexes, with highest rates in Bulgaria, Portugal, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and
      Poland, and the lowest rates in Austria, UK, Germany, The Netherlands and
      Finland. Trends in mortality from childhood cancers between 1950 and 1989 were
      also presented. Recent declines were observed for total childhood cancer
      mortality, leukaemias, kidney cancer (Wilms' tumours), Hodgkin's disease and
      other lymphomas in most European countries. These declines, however, were
      generally earlier and larger in northern as compared with southern and, mostly,
      with eastern European countries. This pattern of trends likely reflects the
      different adoption and impact of newer efficacious therapies of childhood cancer,
      and hence, confirms that there is ample scope for further reduction in childhood
      cancer mortality in several eastern and some southern European countries.

PMID- 1419302
TI  - Risk factors for kidney cancer in New South Wales--I. Cigarette smoking.
AB  - In a population-based case-control study of kidney cancer in New South Wales,
      data from structured interviews with 489 cases of renal cell cancer (RCC), 147
      cases of renal pelvic cancer (CaRP) diagnosed in 1989 and 1990, and 523 controls
      from the electoral rolls confirmed an increased risk associated with cigarette
      smoking in both types of cancer. The risk among current smokers was consistently
      higher than among ex-smokers, and was nearly twice as great for CaRP than for
      RCC. Additional information provided by this study includes reduced risks
      following cessation of smoking within 12 years for CaRP, but only after 25 years
      for RCC. Starting to smoke before, rather than after, the age of 18 years is
      linked independently with almost twice the risk for CaRP, but does not affect the
      risk for RCC. No independent trend was found with number of cigarettes smoked per
      day.

PMID- 1419303
TI  - The role of local treatment in the cure of cancer.

PMID- 1419304
TI  - Graft vs. leukaemia reactions in chronic myeloid leukaemia.
AB  - A 39-year-old female relapsed 36 months after allogeneic bone marrow
      transplantation for chronic myeloid leukaemia. Infusion of peripheral blood
      leucocytes from her bone marrow donor resulted in complete remission, and she
      remains leukaemia-free 18 months later. This case provides direct evidence for a
      'graft vs. leukaemia' (GVL) effect contributing to the eradication of leukaemia
      after marrow transplantation. Existing evidence for GVL and its possible
      mechanisms are reviewed.

PMID- 1419305
TI  - Classification of Hodgkin's disease: yesterday, today and tomorrow.

PMID- 1419306
TI  - Adjuvant tamoxifen in postmenopausal patients with breast cancer and negative
      axillary lymph nodes.

PMID- 1419307
TI  - Overcoming tumour radiation resistance resulting from acute hypoxia.

PMID- 1419308
TI  - Overcoming tumour radiation resistance resulting from acute hypoxia.

PMID- 1419309
TI  - Interleukin-2 therapy for metastatic uveal melanoma.

PMID- 1419310
TI  - [Primary gastric lymphomas].
AB  - A series of 13 patients with primary gastric lymphoma treated between 1981 and
      1990 are presented. Primary gastric lymphoma made up 4.8% of all gastric tumors
      treated during this period of time. Histologically, there were 3
      lymphoplasmocytoid and 3 centroblastic forms (according to Kiel's classification)
      followed by 2 lymphocytic and 2 centrocytic-centroblastic. According to Mushoff's
      classification. 4 patients belonged to stage I E, 3 to II E1, 3 to II E2, 2 to
      III E, and one patient to stage IV E. In all cases gastrectomy was performed (9
      subtotal and 4 total) although 3 out the former were palliative (23%). The
      operative morbidity was 30.7% and the mortality 7.7%. Seven patients received
      additional treatment with chemotherapy. Survival after 2 years was 70%.

PMID- 1419311
TI  - [The recurrence of colorectal cancer and blood transfusion].
AB  - Report of a retrospective study on 303 patients operated from colorectal
      carcinoma to whom colonic resection was done in B and C stages of Astler-Coller's
      classification. The aim was to try to find a relation between blood transfusion
      and colorectal carcinoma recurrence. The statistical study is made with the
      program LOGIT, studying the surgical incision, evolutive stage and blood
      transfusion variables. The significant contribution of each variable in the
      occurrence of recurrence is studied with the Wald Test. As a result it can be
      deduced that the prognosis of colorectal cancer is influenced by three factors:
      the evolutive stage, the surgical incision (1.87 times more frequent for the
      abdomino-perineal) and the transfusion of more of three units of blood in the
      perioperative period which multiplies by 2.85 the risk of recurrence of
      colorectal carcinoma. In our hospital almost exclusively red cell concentrates
      (including red cells, white cells and minimal fraction of plasma), are
      transfused; possibly the white cells are responsible for the recurrence.

PMID- 1419312
TI  - [The prognosis of colorectal cancer with synchronous liver metastases].
AB  - Between January 1985 and December 1989, 583 patients with carcinoma of the colon
      and rectum have been studied. In 85 with synchronous liver metastases discovered
      at laparotomy and followed-up, median survival time has been 5.8 months and 1 and
      3 year survival 23 and 6 percent respectively. Favorable factors for survival
      were rectosigmoid location, single metastasis in the right hepatic lobe, normal
      values of alkaline phosphatase, resection of the tumor as well as stage II of
      Duke's classification.

PMID- 1419313
TI  - [A biliary fistula after T-tube removal in the transplant patient: its diagnosis
      by Tc-99m-HIDA].
AB  - The Tc-99m HIDA scan is a valuable study after liver transplantation, associated
      with other image techniques. We have used this technique as a reliable and
      objective diagnostic method for biliary fistula after removal of the T-tube in 5
      liver transplantation patients with pain after T-tube removal. All five patients
      who developed fistula not only were diagnosed immediately but, furthermore, the
      surgical technique was indicated by the gammagraphic study. After this
      experience, we propose to remove the T-tube during the Tc-99 HIDA scan.

PMID- 1419314
TI  - [Primary gallbladder carcinoma. A review of 41 cases].
AB  - We present a retrospective study of primary carcinoma of the gallbladder with a
      total of 41 cases over a period of 11 years. In the majority of cases the
      clinical presentation (cholelithiasis, choledocholithiasis); there were only 7
      cases of suspected diagnosis, mainly through the use of new diagnostic techniques
      (echography, computerized tomography). The classification used is that described
      by Nevin (1976) of affection of gallbladder wall and adjacent tissues. The
      conclusions of our study are as follows: a) primary neoplasias of the gallbladder
      are aggressive tumours carrying a poor prognosis aggravated usually late
      diagnosis due to the scarce symptomatology, b) given the high incidence of
      cholelithiasis, it is advisable to perform routine cholecystectomy, c) survival
      is related to the histological grading of the tissues.

PMID- 1419315
TI  - [The gastrointestinal immune system].

PMID- 1419316
TI  - [Esophageal involvement in Behcet's disease].
AB  - We report the case of a female patient that fulfills major criteria of Behcet's
      disease. Multiple esophageal aphthous ulcers seen by endoscopy responded to
      therapy with steroids and colchicine.

PMID- 1419317
TI  - [A primary gastric Burkitt's lymphoma in a child].
AB  - We report a case of a primary gastric Burkitt's lymphoma in a 8-year-old child,
      which first symptoms were abdominal pain, dysphagia, melena and a constitutional
      syndrome. The differential characteristics of this case are its peculiar gastric
      infiltration and the existence of oesophageal extension, which is very infrequent
      among this kind of tumors.

PMID- 1419318
TI  - [An inflammatory fibroid polyp (eosinophilic granuloma) and Crohn's disease
      located in the ileum].
AB  - Lower gastrointestinal tract bleeding as a manner of presentation of the Crohn's
      disease is uncommon. In most cases there is an other concomitant pathology
      responsible for that bleeding. We report a case of lower gastrointestinal tract
      bleeding to an inflammatory fibroid bowel polyp in a patient with ileal Crohn's
      disease. A commentary is made about the etiopathogenic factors of the both
      diseases.

PMID- 1419319
TI  - [Hepatic fascioliasis. Resistance to praziquantel treatment and the radiological
      findings].
AB  - We report a case of hepatic fascioliasis. Fever and epigastric pain was the
      clinical presentation. We describe the features of the ultrasound and computed
      tomography examination. Symptoms were persistent after praziquantel treatment.
      Bithionol was effective and cured the patient.

PMID- 1419320
TI  - [Intracranial metastasis as the first manifestation of a silent colonic
      carcinoma].

PMID- 1419321
TI  - [Obstructive jaundice due to peripancreatic tuberculous adenitis].

PMID- 1419322
TI  - [An inflammatory pseudotumor (plasma-cell granuloma) of the greater omentum].

PMID- 1419323
TI  - [Xanthoma of the colon].

PMID- 1419324
TI  - [Intestinal metastasis of melanoma as the cause of anemia of uncertain origin].

PMID- 1419325
TI  - [Cholecystectomy via laparoscopy: one and a half year's experience].
AB  - Results of the first 175 laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed at our hospital
      over the last 18 months were reviewed. In 17 (9.7%) of cases, due to operatory
      complications, and in some cases due to instrumental deficiencies, we were
      obliged to perform conventional laparotomy. In 8 patients, we performed
      simultaneous alternative surgery during laparoscopy. Our results were
      satisfactory, with no important complications, no re-operations and only 6.2% of
      minor complications. Hospital stay was low (2.5 days), and after 10 days patients
      returned to normal life.

PMID- 1419326
TI  - [100 cases of laparoscopic cholecystectomy].
AB  - The first one-hundred cases of laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed in this
      department are reviewed. The patients are grouped according to the classification
      of McSherry: type I: 5%; type II: 50%; type III; 27%; and type IV: 18%. Our
      technique, which is similar to the one of Troidl, except for entry of the number
      4 port, is described. The results are analyzed according the classification of
      Troidl and 83% of the cases had no complications. There were technical incidents
      which had no repercussion for the patient in 7% of the cases. In 3% of the
      patients there were minor complications. There was no mortality.

PMID- 1419327
TI  - [Pancreatic function and morphology in chronic alcoholism with and without
      cirrhosis].
AB  - We have made a prospective study in alcoholic patients, with and without hepatic
      cirrhosis, in order to evaluate the presence of modifications in the composition
      of pancreatic juice (JPP) and in the pancreatogram that allows us to diagnose the
      existence of chronic pancreatitis associated with alcoholic cirrhosis (CE). The
      patients where 23 chronic alcoholics, 13 of them with CE and the other 10 with no
      hepatic injury (AC). In all, an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography
      (CPRE) was made and after having obtained a pancreatogram a intravenous infusion
      of secretin and cholecystokinin was performed. The total volume, the
      concentrations and the out-puts of bicarbonate, amylase, lipase and total
      proteins were measured in the pancreatic juice collected during 12 minutes. The
      pancreatogram was normal in the 92.3% of CE and in all the AC. Patients with CE
      had similar values of all the evaluated parameters to AC patients. In conclusion,
      there seems to be a good correlation between the pancreatogram and the analytic
      study of JPP, because the JPP has no qualitative and quantitative anomalies when
      the Wirsung duct is normal. In our opinion the study of JPP is not useful in the
      diagnostic of chronic pancreatitis associated with alcoholic hepatic cirrhosis.

PMID- 1419329
TI  - [The diagnosis of peptic ulcer penetration into the liver by endoscopic biopsy. A
      report of 2 cases and a review of the literature].
AB  - We report two patients and review six additional published cases with liver
      penetrating peptic ulcer diagnosed by the finding of hepatic tissue in endoscopic
      biopsies. Clinical and laboratory data were non-specific. The presence of a large
      (2 cm) gastric or duodenal ulcer, with malignant appearance, or a protruding
      mass, with secondary ulceration and located in the gastroduodenal posterior wall
      or in the lesser curvature of the stomach, may suggest the endoscopic diagnosis
      of this complication. Definitive diagnosis is established by endoscopic biopsies
      of the ulcer base and/or of the associated mass.

PMID- 1419328
TI  - [The prediction of the severity of acute pancreatitis by C-reactive protein].
AB  - Reactive C Protein (RCP) has been determined in fifty-one patients with acute
      pancreatitis. RCP has been compared with Ranson's criteria which include several
      clinical and biochemical parameters. The value of 20 mg/dl is the one which
      discriminates serious acute pancreatitis from the mild forms in a 84.3% of
      patients. Sensitivity and specificity of RCP and Ranson's criteria are compared,
      the results obtained are similar (88.9% vs. 81.8% and 94.4% vs. 97%). In summary,
      the determination of RCP is very useful for its simplicity and accuracy in the
      prognosis of acute pancreatitis.

PMID- 1419330
TI  - [Biliary ascaridiasis].
AB  - A case of biliary ascaridiasis is presented in which biliary obstruction and
      pancreatitis were diagnosed. Recovery followed surgical removal of the worms. The
      literature is reviewed.

PMID- 1419332
TI  - II reunion of the National Association for the Study of the Pancreas. Valencia, 6
      7 November 1992. Papers and abstracts.

PMID- 1419331
TI  - [Primary leiomyosarcoma of the gallbladder].

PMID- 1419333
TI  - Chronic pancreatitis: diagnosis and medical treatment.

PMID- 1419334
TI  - Diagnosis and endoscopic treatment of chronic pancreatitis.

PMID- 1419335
TI  - The pancreas in cystic fibrosis.

PMID- 1419336
TI  - [A history and prospect of adoptive immunotherapy against malignant glioma--past,
      now and future].

PMID- 1419337
TI  - [The focal brain ischemia with disturbance of venous drainage].
AB  - The focal brain ischemia with disturbance of cerebral venous drainage often lead
      to brain edema and hemorrhagic infarction and make mortality and morbidity worse.
      So we tried to make sure of this fact using a middle cerebral artery (MCA)
      occlusion model in adult cat. The MCA was exposed by the transorbital approach
      and temporally obstructed by Zen's clip. We divided the animals into two groups
      of eight cats. One group is only MCA occlusion group (sham group) and the other
      in MCA occlusion with disturbance of venous drainage (VRD group). We ligated
      bilateral external jugular vein (EJV) and internal jugular vein (IJV) and
      injected embolic sources from the left EJV to obstruct the venous system of cat
      brain. The pressure of superior sagittal sinus was increased up to 18.7 +/- 5.3
      mmHg by this method. A cranial window was made above the ectosylvian gyrus, which
      has poor anastomosis. The reactivity of pial arteriole and regional cerebral
      blood flow (rCBF) were observed through the window. And histological brain
      examination was also performed. The result was that the reactivity of pial
      arterioles was severely disturbed in VRD group. The area of cerebral infarction
      and edema were also significantly expanded in VRD group. Considering from these
      facts, when the venous drainage was disturbed, cerebral perfusion pressure
      relatively decrease. Because of the decrease in cerebral perfusion pressure,
      cerebral infarction and edema probably expand to the area so called penumbra.

PMID- 1419338
TI  - [Hyponatremia and cerebral vasospasm in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid
      hemorrhage].
AB  - We studied retrospectively the relationship between hyponatremia and cerebral
      vasospasm in 121 consecutive patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. In
      19 patients sodium levels fell below 130 mEq/l on at least two consecutive days.
      Hyponatremia developed at average 8.9 hospital day and lasted for 4.4 days. It
      was mild (126 to 130 mEq/l) in 15 patients, moderate (121 to 125 mEq/l) in 3
      patients, and severe (116 to 120 mEq/l) in 1 patient. Cerebral vasospasm was
      evaluated by angiography, symptoms and CT finding. Angiographical vasospasm was
      found in 57 patients, symptomatic vasospasm in 38 patients and low density area
      on CT in 20 patients. Angiographical vasospasm developed in 15 of the 19 patients
      (78.9%) with hyponatremia, symptomatic vasospasm in 16 patients (84.2%), low
      density area on CT in 8 patients (42.1%), the difference being significantly
      high. (respectively, p < 0.01, p < 0.001 and p < 0.01 by chi-square test)
      Polyuria of 2500 ml or more immediately before the onset of hyponatremia
      developed in 14 patients (87.5%). When symptomatic vasospasm and hyponatremia
      coincided, there were only 4 patients in which symptomatic vasospasm was preceded
      by hyponatremia. So, it is difficult to predict the development of vasospasm from
      that of hyponatremia. This study found incidence of cerebral vasospasm after
      aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage to be significantly higher in patients who
      developed hyponatremia, which raised suspicion about the presence of dehydration.
      Hyponatremia with central origin generally remains asymptomatic, but it is
      important to treat positively when the pathology of cerebral vasospasm is taken
      into consideration.

PMID- 1419339
TI  - [Perinatal neurosurgical care for one fetal hydrocephalus on twin gestation].
AB  - Twin gestations are responsible for a disproportionate amount of perinatal
      mortality and morbidity. Such gestations may impose greater demands on maternal
      and child physiologic systems than singleton pregnancies. The most common
      antenatal complications were preterm labor. The clinical record of
      myelomeningocele infant presenting with overt hydrocephalus in utero at 27 weeks
      of twin gestation and operated miniature Ommaya's reservoir placement early after
      birth and intentional delayed back closure for myelomeningocele was reported.
      Although perinatal neurosurgical care for one fetal hydrocephalus on twin
      gestation is clearly advantageous, it alone is relatively ineffective in reducing
      the incidence of the complication, preterm labor.

PMID- 1419340
TI  - [Pontine infarction presenting non-paralytic pontine exotropia--evaluation of its
      clinical course and its MRI findings].
AB  - We report two patients with brainstem infarction who presented non-paralytic
      pontine exotropia (NPPE) in acute phase. Case 1 was a 76-year-old woman. NPPE
      observed 3 hours after the onset disappeared two days later. Case 2 was a 60-year
      old man. Paralytic pontine exotropia was observed 4 hours after the onset of his
      stroke. NPPE was noted on the next day and left medial longitudinal fasciculus
      (MLF) syndrome was still present on the third day. Seven days later, the
      disturbances of ocular movement was disappeared. T2-weighted cranial MRI showed
      high signal intensity lesions in the paramedian portion of the mid-pontine
      tegmentum beneath the fourth ventricle in both cases. Although it has been
      thought that NPPE is a rare clinical symptom, we think that NPPE is by no means a
      rare symptom in the acute stage of brainstem infarction.

PMID- 1419341
TI  - [A case of general paresis with marked improvement of cerebral blood flow after
      antiluetic therapy--case report].
AB  - Although the incidence of neurosyphilis has declined dramatically after the World
      War II because of the development of antibiotics, it is recently increasing a
      little bit. There has been few reports on the neuroimaging of general paresis. We
      studied a fresh case of general paresis by X-ray CT (XCT), MRI and PET scans, and
      report the changes of neuroimages before and after the therapy. A 38-year-old man
      was admitted with disorientation, thought disorder and personality change. He
      also had insomnia and megalomania. There were neither obvious neurological signs
      nor particular changes of the XCT scan abnormalities on admission. His clinical
      symptoms were gradually worsened within three months, when the XCT and MRI scans
      showed moderate brain atrophy especially in the frontal and temporal lobes with
      mild dilatation of the lateral ventricles. In the PET study, the cerebral blood
      flow was decreased in the entire brain, especially in the frontal lobes, although
      the thalamus and the basal ganglia had normal levels. By immunological procedures
      and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies, the diagnosis of general paresis was
      made. He was treated with penicillin G and other antibiotics. In one year after
      his first therapy, many symptoms vanished. Although the cerebral atrophy was a
      little advanced, the cerebral blood flow was dramatically increased. As far as we
      know, this is the first PET study of general paresis before and after penicillin
      treatments.

PMID- 1419342
TI  - [A case of encephalitis with MRI abnormalities localized in the bilateral
      amygdala and hippocampus].
AB  - We report a patient with encephalitis who showed anterograde and retrograde
      amnesia with MRI abnormalities localized in the bilateral amygdala (AM) and
      hippocampus (HIPP). A 25-year-old man suddenly experienced a generalized tonic
      clonic seizure (GTCS). He was admitted because of increasing lethargy with two
      further GTCSs during the following 6 days. The patient had high fever, and
      neurological examination revealed somnolence, disorientation, amnesia, and nuchal
      stiffness. MRI revealed bilateral symmetrical abnormalities localized in the AM
      and HIPP, which showed low intensity on T1-weighted images and high intensity on
      T2-weighted images. Cerebrospinal fluid examination showed a mildly elevated cell
      count. We suspected herpes simplex virus type I encephalitis and began treatment
      with acyclovir. After the patient regained a clear consciousness, his antero- and
      retrograde amnesia continued for several months. The MRI abnormality became less
      distinct with the improvement of amnesia. We consider that the MRI abnormality
      was indicative of inflammation and edema, and that the lesion in the AM and HIPP
      had induced the amnesia.

PMID- 1419343
TI  - [A case of Tolosa-Hunt syndrome accompanied by facial and vestibular nerve
      damage].
AB  - A 37-year old man, who had repeatedly suffered from transient ophthalmoplegia in
      his left eye at the age of 29 and 36, developed left painful ophthalmoplegia
      accompanied by ipsilateral facial nerve palsy in August, 1991. Neurological
      examination revealed involvement of the left oculomotor, trochlear, ophthalmic
      division of the trigeminal, abducens, facial and vestibular nerves. Gadolinium
      enhanced MRI which was taken at the acute phase of the illness demonstrated
      markedly enhanced left cavernous sinus and adjacent thickened dura mater in the
      middle cranial fossa. At the remission phase after starting corticosteroid
      therapy, these enhanced lesions were no longer observed even in enhanced MRI
      studies. We diagnosed him as suffering from Tolosa-Hunt syndrome presently
      accompanied by facial and vestibular nerve damage because of his history of
      illness, confined lesion in the left cavernous sinus and steroid-induced
      remission. We concluded that Tolosa-Hunt syndrome may be accompanied by damage of
      other cranial nerves in its course and that repeated gadolinium-enhanced MRIs are
      necessary for diagnosis and observation of the patients.

PMID- 1419344
TI  - ["Left unilateral agraphia with right hemiparesis" after occlusion of the left
      middle cerebral artery].
AB  - This paper presented a case of a right-handed male who showed a right hemiplegia
      without aphasia and apraxia. He lost the ability to write with the left hand. A
      56-year-old right-handed man, who had a daughter of left-handedness, was sent to
      our hospital with a homonymous hemianopsia, facial weakness, spastic hemiparesis
      and sensory disturbance in the right side. CT scan revealed an infarction in the
      territory of the left middle cerebral artery. On a month after the onset, he was
      alert and oriented. His speech was normal and verbal comprehension was intact.
      Although he neglected the right side of the page, he could read and comprehend it
      correctly. In contrast with his normal abilities to speak, comprehend, and read,
      difficulties in writing were prominent. Spontaneous writing with the left hand
      was extremely poor, and he even had difficulty writing his own name. His
      dictation was also poor, but his writing improved with copying letters. Agraphia
      had seen even after USN was recovered. Analysis of this case suggested the
      presence of the dominance for speech, comprehension, and praxis in the intact
      right hemisphere, and writing center in the damaged left hemisphere.

PMID- 1419345
TI  - [Hallucinose pedonculaire with left MLF syndrome caused by midbrain infarction--a
      case report].
AB  - A 65-year-old male suffering from left MLF syndrome accompanied by transient
      hallucinose pedonculaire caused by the midbrain infarction is reported. In the
      first night of his admission with MLF syndrome, he complained of sleeplessness
      followed by transient visual hallucination. The hallucination was vivid and
      colored scene in which many strangers were seen around the patient, and he was
      well oriented without dreadfulness at that time. A small infarction in the left
      tegmentum was revealed by MR imaging, which was supposed to cause the
      hallucination.

PMID- 1419346
TI  - [Anti-ganglioside antibodies and motor neuropathy in relation to nerve conduction
      block].

PMID- 1419347
TI  - [New methods of estimation of nerve conduction velocity distribution].

PMID- 1419348
TI  - [Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: multifocal demyelinating
      neuropathy].

PMID- 1419349
TI  - [Kainic acid-induced generalized seizures in cats--microinjection into caudate
      nucleus].
AB  - Electroencephalographic and behavioral changes were observed after 2 micrograms
      of kainic acid (KA) injection through a chronically implanted cannula into
      unilateral caudate nucleus (CN) of freely moving and non-anesthetized cats. The
      control group showed no changes on EEG or behavior during the observation period.
      In KA group, from 2 to 5 minutes after KA injection, the cats showed
      contralateral circling. On EEG, focal spikes were elicited at the injected site
      of the right CN. From 15 to 25 minutes after the injection, secondarily
      generalized seizures were observed on EEG repeatedly. However, the behavioral
      change was not remarkable and only the behavioral arrest was observed during the
      electrographic generalized seizure. From 6 to 8 hours after injection, they
      showed clonic seizure of the contralateral hindlimb followed by generalized tonic
      clonic convulsion. These seizures were frequent during 6 to 16 hours after
      injection. However, these seizures subsided within 48 hours after the injection
      and the cats became normal afterward. Histopathological examination revealed
      focal pyknosis and gliosis only at the injection site of caudate nucleus. The
      results suggested that an epileptogenic focus of the caudate nucleus demonstrated
      a rapid evolution from the focal seizure status to the secondarily generalized
      seizure status. This fact explains that the caudate nucleus may be a possible key
      structure as a relay nucleus for the secondary generalization of a focal seizure.

PMID- 1419350
TI  - [Epidemiological study of motor neuron disease in Hokkaido island--its incidence,
      prevalence and regional distributions--ALS Study Group].
AB  - The incidence, prevalence and regional distributions of sporadic motor neuron
      disease (MND) from 1980 through 1989 were evaluated in collaboration with
      multiple neurological institutes in Hokkaido island. Patients with sporadic MND
      were collected from three sources: 1) neurologist practicing in Hokkaido island,
      2) sending inquiries to 620 major hospitals, 3) notification file of MND provided
      by Japanese Ministry of Welfare and Health. Three hundred and eighty-nine
      patients with sporadic MND were ascertained for this study. Of 389 patients, 238
      patients were men and 151 patients were women, and the ratio of men to women was
      1.6:1. The mean age of onset was 58.2 +/- 10.3 years old, 57.7 +/- 10.4 for men
      and 58.9 +/- 10.0 for women. Their clinical presentations were 303 patients with
      ALS, 52 patients were PBP and 34 patients were SPMA. The crude incidence rate for
      both sexes combined for 1980 through 1989 was estimated as 0.69 per 100,000
      person-year. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence for men was 0.86 per 100,000
      person-year (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.97) and that is higher than 0.53 per 100,000
      person-year (95% CI, 0.45 to 0.61) for women. The average, crude prevalence rate
      from 1985 through 1989 was estimated as 2.25 per 100,000 person-year. There are
      no overall trends of changing the pattern in incidence and prevalence of MND in
      Hokkaido island, however the geographic distributions of the incidence of MND
      according to towns and cities disclosed the presence of some relative clustering
      areas.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419351
TI  - [Ruptured aneurysm at the peripheral branch of the posterior cerebral artery with
      systemic lupus erythematosus].
AB  - We report a 73-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in whom
      intracerebral and intraventricular hemorrhage developed secondary to a ruptured
      aneurysm on the peripheral branch of the posterior cerebral artery. We reviewed
      data on 22 patients (43 aneurysms) in previous reports of ruptured cerebral
      aneurysms associated with SLE, including our case. Of these aneurysms, 34 (79.1%)
      were located on the major artery, and 9 (20.9%) were located on the peripheral
      small artery. Fusiform aneurysms accounted for 27.9% of the total. The prognosis
      was poor, and 14 patients (63.6%) died. Direct aneurysmal surgery was performed
      in 11 patients (50%), but 4 patients died of other diseases associated with SLE.

PMID- 1419352
TI  - [Studies on the erythrocyte membrane skeleton in a patient with chorea
      acanthocytosis--theoretical speculation on the mechanism of neurological
      involvement].
AB  - Patients with chorea-acanthocytosis exhibit symptoms of self-biting, choreic
      movement, and acanthocytosis, but not dementia. The mechanism of choreic
      movements is still unknown. In order to clarify the etiologic mechanism
      underlying these movements, we evaluated the erythrocyte membrane in one patient
      with chorea-acanthocytosis. A 35-year-old female was admitted to Saitama Medical
      School Hospital because of involuntary movements. She was alert, well-oriented,
      and had no gross memory defects. She had slurred speech, choreic movements and
      lip biting. Laboratory examination showed acanthocytes in her peripheral red
      blood cells, normal serum lipid values, and caudate atrophy on her brain CT scan.
      In analyzing the acanthocytes, we initially evaluated the size of the acanthocyte
      population by incubating her red blood cells with plasma. The cell population
      approximately doubled after 2 hours incubation. Next we examined the protein
      composition of erythrocyte ghost by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). There was no significant difference between the
      patient's erythrocyte ghosts and those of a control. Then we investigated
      morphological changes in the patient's erythrocyte by scanning and transmission
      electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). SEM showed the typical acanthocyte shape. The
      quick-freeze, freeze-substitution method confirmed that the routine TEM section
      was not artifactual, and was in fact in accurate reflection of the actual
      features of acanthocytes. TEM of the sections prepared from erythrocyte ghosts
      demonstrated that spectrin tended to be accumulated in the thorn region.
      Furthermore, TEM of quick-freeze, deep-etched replica of the ghost revealed more
      clearly a spectrin network densely packed on the inner hydrophilic
      surface.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419353
TI  - [Immunohistochemical and clinicoendocrinological studies of gonadotropin
      producing pituitary adenomas].
AB  - In order to study the secretion of gonadotropins in clinically non-functioning
      pituitary adenomas, 83 cases were investigated by immunohistochemistry.
      Expression of one or more of gonadotropin subunits (alpha-subunit, follicle
      stimulating hormone (FSH) beta, luteinizing hormone (LH) beta) was found in 38
      (45.8%) of all adenomas studied. alpha subunit and FSH beta were positive in 28
      (33.7%) and 27 (32.5%) cases respectively, whereas LH beta was detected in seven
      (8.4%) adenomas. The presence of both alpha subunit and FSH beta was found in 17
      cases, while alpha subunit was singly positive in 11 cases and FSH beta, in 10
      cases. LH beta was not detected alone, but was always accompanied by alpha
      subunit or FSH beta. By the double staining method, alpha subunit and FSH beta
      were not always colocalized in the same cells. Some cells were found to contain
      both alpha subunit and FSH beta, but others contained either alpha subunit or FSH
      beta. Clinical characteristics of gonadotropin positive adenomas (38 cases) were
      studied in comparison with null cell adenomas (37 cases), which were negative for
      all anterior pituitary hormones. The former (male 27, female 11) ranged in age
      from 21-74 years old (mean, 46.5 yr.), and the latter (male 16, female 21) from
      28-68 yr (mean, 49.5 yr.). Gonadotropin positive adenomas tended to occur in
      middle-aged men. All 38 adenomas were macroadenomas, and 29 patients complained
      of visual failure. Clinical symptoms accompanied by hypersecretion of FSH was
      infrequent. Hypogonadism (amenorrhea, galactorrhea, loss of libido) were observed
      in 8 (9.6%) cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419354
TI  - Inositol phosphates and calcium signaling.

PMID- 1419355
TI  - Discovery of the InsP3-Ca2+ pathway. A personal reflection.

PMID- 1419356
TI  - Kinetics of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-stimulated Ca2+ mobilization.

PMID- 1419358
TI  - Inositol trisphosphate and calcium oscillations.

PMID- 1419357
TI  - Cellular sites of IP3 action.

PMID- 1419359
TI  - Spatial organization of Ca2+ signalling and Ins(1,4,5)P3 action.

PMID- 1419360
TI  - Function and organization of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive calcium
      pool.

PMID- 1419361
TI  - The role of inositol phosphates in neuronal function.

PMID- 1419362
TI  - Multiple forms of phospholipase C isozymes and their activation mechanisms.

PMID- 1419363
TI  - The ins and outs of Ca2+ in exocrine cells.

PMID- 1419364
TI  - Inositol phosphates. Metabolism and site of action in neutrophil granulocytes.

PMID- 1419365
TI  - Pressure ulcers, Part two: Management strategies.
AB  - The goal of this article is to facilitate the successful resolution of pressure
      ulcers. The nurse practitioner (NP) is an ideal health care professional to
      manage pressure ulcer care. This article reviews the basic principles related to
      wound care. The healing trajectory is discussed to assist an NP to determine
      appropriate therapy. Current, research-based management strategies are provided.

PMID- 1419366
TI  - The role of the nurse practitioner in adult day care.
AB  - During the past 25 years, nurse practitioners (NPs) have become health care
      providers in a variety of settings. Adult day care is one of the settings in
      which it is increasingly clear that there is a role for the NP. Nurse
      practitioners have the potential to provide increased comprehensive primary
      health care to clients participating in these programs.

PMID- 1419367
TI  - Stress and tobacco addiction.
AB  - Primary care providers are confronted on a daily basis with persons who are
      addicted to tobacco. Research studies have demonstrated an association between
      substance use and stress and coping. This paper discusses macro- and micro-level
      perspectives of stress that need to be considered in the management of tobacco
      addition. Lazarus's stress and coping paradigm is emphasized as a useful
      framework for managing addicted clients.

PMID- 1419368
TI  - The health beliefs and practices of an Old Order Amish family.
AB  - In caring for people from different cultures, it is important that nurses
      acknowledge the health beliefs and practices of clients. The purpose of this case
      study was to describe the health beliefs and practices of one Old Order Amish
      family. The study was conducted by interviewing a Lancaster County, Pennsylvania,
      Old Order Amish family. The data focused on five areas of inquiry: (a) care of
      elderly family members, (b) health practices, (c) home births, (d) death, and (e)
      health insurance. This study revealed that the Old Order Amish have health
      beliefs and practices that are unique to their culture.

PMID- 1419369
TI  - A new look at pharmacologic therapy for adult asthma.
AB  - Antiinflammatory agents in conjunction with beta agonists in the form of inhaler
      cromolyn or steroids are currently the cornerstone of therapy for recurrent
      asthma after the patient has failed on beta agonists alone. Early treatment with
      antiinflammatory agents is strongly recommended, and may prevent irreversible
      airflow obstruction caused by chronic inflammation, reducing the mortality from
      this illness.

PMID- 1419370
TI  - Current trends in history taking and physical examination: teaching dentists
      physical assessment.

PMID- 1419371
TI  - The status of Medicare reimbursement for nurse practitioners.

PMID- 1419372
TI  - Directory of Academy Board of Directors. July 1992--July 1993.

PMID- 1419373
TI  - Provision of health care in a frontier setting: an Alaskan perspective.
AB  - The Community Health Aide Program is the Indian Health Service's answer to to the
      provision of care to 45,000 Alaska Native people living in remote areas of the
      state. Community health aides are local people who live and work in their
      villages. They offer health services from emergency to preventative care with the
      help of their referral physician, who may be up to 1,300 miles away. Nurse
      practitioners play an important role in the training and supervision of community
      health aides. This article gives an overview of the program, its successes and
      problems, with implications as a health care delivery model for care in other
      underserved areas of the United States.

PMID- 1419374
TI  - Reducing children's pain-distress associated with injections using cold: a pilot
      study.
AB  - This study used an experimental design to test the question, "Does ice reduce the
      pain-distress children experience with injections?" One half of the 38 preschool
      children had ice applied to the preimmunization site for 30 seconds. The
      remaining children received the injection without the extra intervention.
      Measures included the Global Mood Scale, pulse rate, Oucher scale, and Faces
      scale. The results failed to show that ice reduces children's pain-distress with
      injections. Reasons for the failure are discussed, with comments on the various
      measures and suggestions for further study in this area of child nursing care.

PMID- 1419375
TI  - Oral tiludronate: pharmacological properties and potential usefulness in Paget's
      disease of bone and osteoporosis.

PMID- 1419376
TI  - The number of fibroblastic colonies formed from bone marrow is decreased and the
      in vitro proliferation rate of trabecular bone cells increased in aged rats.
AB  - Four- and 21-month old female Sprague-Dawley rats were sacrificed and their
      tibiae and femurs isolated for histology and initiation of bone marrow and
      trabecular bone cultures. The bone loss observed in 21-month old rats was
      associated with a markedly decreased osteoblastic index. The percentages of
      mineralizing trabecular surfaces were only slightly decreased in aged rats,
      whereas the percentages of mineralizing endocortical surfaces were strikingly
      decreased. Diaphyseal femoral marrows from 21-month old rats were less cellular
      than those from four-month old rats, and developed in culture fewer fibroblast
      colony forming units (FCFU) and fewer adherent cells with phenotypic
      characteristics of osteoblast-like cells. Trabecular bone cultures from 21-month
      old rats produced as many cells as cultures from four-month old rats, whereas the
      amount of trabeculae put into culture was much less in aged rats. Moreover, the
      proliferation rate in secondary culture was significantly increased in 21-month
      old rats. Similar responses to calcitriol were observed in bone marrow and
      trabecular bone cells from aged and younger mature rats, while cAMP responses to
      PTH were decreased in cells from aged rats. Our data confirm the age-related
      decrease in the FCFU efficiency of the bone marrow and show a stimulated
      proliferation of trabecular bone cultures from 21-month old rats that could be
      seen either as the result of the inhibition in vivo of the response to a signal
      to proliferate, or as a rebound response to factors present in the serum-enriched
      medium and lacking in vivo.

PMID- 1419377
TI  - A quantitative evaluation of osteoblast-osteocyte relationships on growing
      endosteal surface of rabbit tibiae.
AB  - Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to quantify the intercellular
      relationships between osteoblasts and osteocytes on the growing endosteal
      surfaces of the medullary canal of the tibia in four rabbits of different ages.
      The area of each osteoblast was measured on the SEM micrographs by means of an
      Image Analyzer. The number of osteocyte cytoplasmic processes was indirectly
      evaluated by counting the canalicular openings present on the same microscopic
      fields after the removal of the osteoblasts. The metabolic activity of the
      osteoblasts was indirectly evaluated from their shape, and the structure was
      analyzed by transmission electron microscope (TEM) in sections taken from the
      samples studied by SEM. In all four animals, the surface area of the osteoblasts
      (OA) was found to vary a great deal, whereas the density of canalicular openings
      was fairly uniform. Moreover, although the OA mean value increases significantly
      with the age of the animals, the density of canalicular openings does not; it
      would therefore appear that the older the animal and the more flattened the
      osteoblasts, the greater the number of canaliculi beneath them. Since osteoblast
      activity has previously been shown to be inversely proportional to the area of
      the protoplasm in contact with the bone surface, it appears that the less active
      osteoblasts should contact a greater number of osteocyte cytoplasmic processes.
      These findings suggest that osteocytes might play an important role in modulating
      osteoblast activity and in recruiting osteoblasts that differentiate into
      osteocytes, possibly by means of inhibitory signals transmitted via gap
      junctions.

PMID- 1419378
TI  - Assessment of combined 24,25(OH)2D3 and 1 alpha (OH)D3 therapy for bone disease
      in dialysis patients.
AB  - An increasing body of experimental data suggests a role for 24,25(OH)2D3 in bone
      metabolism. The present study was carried out to assess a possible therapeutic
      role of this vitamin D metabolite in renal osteodystrophy. Twenty-two chronic
      dialysis patients, most of whom were previously maintained on 1 alpha (OH)D3
      therapy, received additional treatment with 10 micrograms/day 24,25(OH)2D3 and
      were compared to 19 patients receiving 1 alpha (OH)D3 alone. Analysis of
      transiliac bone biopsies obtained at study entry and following 10-16 months of
      treatment revealed that the combined therapy produced a decrease in bone
      turnover. Specifically, the addition of 24,25(OH)2D3 inhibited an increase in
      trabecular bone volume (BV/TV) and suppressed osteoclastic parameters. Thus BV/TV
      increased from 26.2 +/- 8.6 to 32.1 +/- 7.5% (p < 0.01) in the 1 alpha (OH)D3
      group, but it remained unchanged in the combined therapy group. In contrast, the
      eroded surface (ES/BS), the osteoclast surface (Oc.S/BS), and the osteoclast
      numbers were significantly suppressed in patients receiving both 24,25(OH)2D3 and
      1 alpha (OH)D3, as compared with those receiving 1 alpha (OH)D3 alone (p < 0.01,
      p < 0.01, and p < 0.001, respectively). These improvements were independent of
      changes in 1 alpha (OH)D3 dosage. The extent of bone aluminium deposits was
      unrelated to the administration of 24,25(OH)2D3 or to its effect. 24,25(OH)2D3
      therapy was not associated with any adverse effects.

PMID- 1419379
TI  - Effects of gallium nitrate on calcium transients in UMR-106 rat osteoblastic
      osteosarcoma cells.
AB  - Gallium nitrate is an effective antihypercalcemic and antiresorptive agent.
      Although its effects on osteoclasts are well documented, the mechanism of action
      of gallium nitrate on osteoblasts is still not established. To determine the
      effects of gallium nitrate on calcium signalling, we studied its effects on
      intracellular calcium concentration in UMR-106 rat osteoblastic osteosarcoma cell
      line. Cells were loaded with a calcium binding fluorescent dye, fluo-3. Changes
      in fluorescence reflected changes in cytosolic calcium. Gallium nitrate elicited
      a dose-dependent biphasic calcium transient with an initial decrease followed by
      an increase, and these changes were seen at high extracellular calcium
      concentration. Markedly altered signal was seen in nominal calcium-free medium,
      suggesting that gallium nitrate mobilized calcium only partly from intracellular
      stores. Gallium nitrate, at concentrations as low as 3 micrograms/ml, inhibited
      parathyroid hormone-stimulated calcium transients. High doses of parathyroid
      hormone could overcome this inhibition. This inhibitory effect appears to be
      selective, since gallium nitrate did not prevent calcium transients elicited by
      alpha-thrombin or prostaglandin F1 alpha. Failure of gallium nitrate to prevent
      calcium transients elicited by these agents, even after the inhibition of
      parathyroid hormone-induced signal, indicates that the inhibition is not a toxic
      effect. In conclusion, gallium nitrate has a marked effect on calcium signalling
      in UMR-106 cells that might be of major importance in modifying the effects of
      calcemic hormones or local factors on osteoblasts.

PMID- 1419380
TI  - Osteogenic activity of growth cartilage examined by implanting decalcified or
      devitalized ribs and costal cartilage zone, and living growth cartilage cells.
AB  - The formation of cartilage prior to bone in an endochondral bone formation
      process suggests that some osteogenic factors exist in the cartilage. This
      osteogenic activity of cartilage or cartilage cells was examined by implanting
      ribs and costal cartilage zone into a subcutaneous pocket of abdominal wall, or
      the growth cartilage (GC) cells into a peritoneal cavity. Rib segments of young
      (four-week-old) rabbits and rats were decalcified (DCed) in 0.6 N HCl for 24 h at
      4 degrees C, or devitalized (DVed) by freezing/thawing and submerged in water for
      48 h at 4 degrees C. These specimens were implanted into the subcutaneous pocket
      of abdominal wall of eight-week-old rabbits and rats. Both the DCed ribs and the
      DVed ones formed bone at costal GC zone after four to six weeks. Costal cartilage
      zone of young rabbits and rats was DCed or DVed as stated above, and implanted
      into the subcutaneous pocket of abdominal wall of eight-week-old rabbits and
      rats. The DVed costal cartilage zone specimens formed bone after three to four
      weeks, but the DCed ones did not, even after eight weeks. GC cells were
      dissociated enzymatically from rat costal GC zone, centrifuged to be made into
      pellets (5 x 10(5) cells/pellet), and implanted into the peritoneal cavity of
      eight-week-old syngeneic rats. After four weeks, implanted GC cells formed bone.
      These results suggest that there are some osteogenic factors in the GC zone
      produced by GC cells, whose activity is lost by decalcification, and which are
      different from known BMPs.

PMID- 1419381
TI  - Regulation of prostaglandin E2 production by vitamin D metabolites in growth zone
      and resting zone chondrocyte cultures is dependent on cell maturation.
AB  - The production of PGE2 by chondrocytes and its regulation by vitamin D
      metabolites was examined in this study as a function of cell maturation.
      Costochondral chondrocytes, derived from the resting zone and growth zone
      cartilage, were grown in culture to fourth passage. At confluence, they were
      exposed to 10(-8)-10(-11)M 1,25-(OH)2D3 or to 10(-7)-10(-10)M 24,25-(OH)2D3 for
      either five minutes or 3, 6, 12, or 24 hours. Indomethacin (10(-7)M) was added to
      one-half of the cultures to block the production of PGE2. The amount of PGE2
      released into the media was determined by radioimmunoassay. Both growth zone and
      resting zone cells produced PGE2 in a time-dependent manner; PGE2 concentration
      was greater in the resting zone cell cultures. 1,25-(OH)2D3 stimulated PGE2
      production by growth zone cells in a dose-dependent manner, significant at 10(-8)
      10(-10)M. This effect was observed at 3 hours and remained elevated during the 24
      hours of culture. 1,25-(OH)2D3 had no effect on PGE2 production by resting zone
      cells. However, 24,25-(OH)2D3 (10(-7)-10(-8)M) inhibited PGE2 production from 3
      24 hours. No effect was noted when 24,25-(OH)2D3 was added to growth zone cells.
      Indomethacin reduced PGE2 production to baseline values in all groups examined.
      The results indicate that chondrocytes in culture produce PGE2. Production is
      regulated by vitamin D3 metabolites and is cell maturation-dependent.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419382
TI  - 'Fee crisis'.

PMID- 1419383
TI  - 'Transmission of HIV to dental patients: more data'.

PMID- 1419384
TI  - 'Selection criteria for dental radiography'.

PMID- 1419385
TI  - Mercury from dental amalgam.

PMID- 1419386
TI  - Trends in the incidence of histologically diagnosed intra-oral squamous cell
      carcinoma in Northern Ireland, 1975-89.
AB  - Studies in Britain point to a rise in the incidence of intra-oral cancer in the
      last 20 years, paralleling trends evident in other European countries. Cases of
      histologically-diagnosed primary intra-oral squamous cell carcinoma have been
      ascertained by reviewing the records of pathology departments in Northern
      Ireland. Trends in the incidence of the disease have been determined for the
      period 1975-89. There has been a significant increase in the incidence among men,
      rising from 1.78 to 3.14 per 100,000. In women over the same period the incidence
      rose from 0.87 to 1.19 per 100,000, but this change was not significant. These
      trends concur with recent findings from other countries.

PMID- 1419387
TI  - The influence of examination frequency and changing dentist on dental treatment
      provision in an Australian defence force population.
AB  - During the early 1980s, a number of studies into dental treatment provision in
      the General Dental Service were conducted in Scotland. These studies indicated
      that the frequency with which an individual attended the dentist for treatment,
      or changed their dentist, influenced the amount of dental treatment that they
      received. The present study was designed to test these findings in an independent
      population, in this case, 100 members of the Royal Australian Air Force. While
      the frequency of attending the dentist did not have any significant effect on
      restoration longevity or the number of restorations a subject received, it did
      influence the cost of such treatment, indicating that frequent attenders received
      more expensive treatments rather than more treatment. Changing dentist did not
      display any significant influence on any of the parameters used in the present
      study.

PMID- 1419388
TI  - Evidence of tooth extraction in a Cypriot mandible of the Hellenistic or early
      Roman period, c. 150 BC to 100 AD.

PMID- 1419389
TI  - The future of dentistry.

PMID- 1419390
TI  - A sore in search of a surname.

PMID- 1419391
TI  - [Burn injuries. Mapping of wound infection--a link in quality assurance
      activities].

PMID- 1419392
TI  - [Life and death. How long can we live?].

PMID- 1419393
TI  - [Life and death. Ethics at life's end].

PMID- 1419394
TI  - [To discontinue or not to start medical treatment].

PMID- 1419395
TI  - [Starting and stopping of life support care].

PMID- 1419396
TI  - [Life and death. Interaction with relatives].

PMID- 1419397
TI  - [Life and death. Care of the dead person].

PMID- 1419398
TI  - [A safe birth].

PMID- 1419399
TI  - [Diagnosis based on infant crying. Interview by Ase Dragland].

PMID- 1419400
TI  - [Breast feeding before and at present].

PMID- 1419402
TI  - [Practice in education. Role of the liaison nurse--research from Oppland on
      practice in education].

PMID- 1419401
TI  - [Project nursing plan: joint documentation system for nursing personnel].

PMID- 1419403
TI  - [Practice in education. Liaison nurse--a bridge builder].

PMID- 1419404
TI  - [Practice in education. Students as a resource].

PMID- 1419405
TI  - [Quality of life--just nurses' responsibility?].

PMID- 1419406
TI  - [Rehabilitation--patients with multiple trauma].

PMID- 1419407
TI  - [Priests as health care workers].

PMID- 1419408
TI  - [Small hospital].

PMID- 1419409
TI  - [Burn injuries. Pain management].

PMID- 1419410
TI  - [In the sunset of life. Experiences put in a system].

PMID- 1419411
TI  - [In the sunset of life. Senile dementia--acting out behavior].

PMID- 1419412
TI  - [In the sunset of life. Restless elderly with senile dementia].

PMID- 1419413
TI  - [In the sunset of life. Contact telephone for relatives].

PMID- 1419414
TI  - [In the sunset of life. To be useful. Interview by Siv Barstad].

PMID- 1419415
TI  - [In the sunset of life. When memory fails].

PMID- 1419417
TI  - [Interaction with relatives].

PMID- 1419416
TI  - [Comments on "Interaction with relatives"].

PMID- 1419418
TI  - [Theme "Burn injuries"--correction and addition].

PMID- 1419419
TI  - [Paradoxes in nursing].

PMID- 1419420
TI  - [In the sunset of life. Loneliness and fellowship].

PMID- 1419421
TI  - [Why do we have that today?].

PMID- 1419422
TI  - [Primary nursing--group nursing. Are organizational models important for quality
      in nursing care?].

PMID- 1419423
TI  - [Philosophical basis for nursing services in an acute hospital].

PMID- 1419424
TI  - [Clinical continuing education--what is nurses' motivation?].

PMID- 1419425
TI  - [In the sunset of life. Significance of life's history].

PMID- 1419427
TI  - [Home and nursing home--filling a void. Interview by Siv Barstad].

PMID- 1419426
TI  - [Home and nursing home--cold coffee and bananas].

PMID- 1419428
TI  - ["Created in our image". Interview by Siv Barstad].

PMID- 1419429
TI  - [Nurses with nursing assistants' salary].

PMID- 1419430
TI  - [Quo vadis--home care nursing?].

PMID- 1419431
TI  - [Determine rotation period self].

PMID- 1419432
TI  - [Many want to leave].

PMID- 1419433
TI  - Synthesis, NMR spectra and function of peptides with alpha-methylserine attached
      to the RGD sequence of osteopontin.
AB  - The three-dimensional structure of the RGD-adhesion sequence has been studied
      previously by means of linear and cyclic peptides. These peptides show widely
      differing affinities to integrins, ascribed to a strong dependence on steric
      factors in the receptor recognition. Insertion of alpha-methylserine next to the
      RGD sequence in this investigation resulted in lower affinity for both
      stereoisomers, and several small changes in chemical shifts and coupling
      constants relative to the parent serine peptide GRGDSL.

PMID- 1419434
TI  - Palladium-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization of vinyl and aryl triflates.
      Associated regioselectivity of the beta-hydride elimination step.
AB  - The Pd(0)-catalyzed intramolecular olefination of vinyl and aryl triflates has
      been studied with a view to gaining insight into the question of kinetically
      preferred reductive elimination when at least two options are available. In
      either series, a non-activated alkene participant was found to be converted most
      readily into the non-conjugated cyclization product. This trend is seen despite
      the more forcing conditions necessary to engage the less reactive aryl triflates
      in ring closure. On the other hand, when the pendant chain is terminated by an
      alpha-methyl acrylate unit, the conjugated diene is kinetically preferred. The
      two reactions appear to be closely balanced energetically since product
      distributions are not greatly disparate. Nevertheless, their complementarity
      could be utilized to advantage in the synthesis of polycyclic molecules
      possessing multiple sterogenic centers.

PMID- 1419435
TI  - Pyridine-substituted hydroxythiophenes. I. Preparation of o-(2-, 3- and 4
      pyridyl)-3-hydroxythiophenes.
AB  - 2-(2-, 3- and 4-pyridyl)-3-hydroxythiophenes and 4-(2-, 3- and 4-pyridyl)- 3
      hydroxythiophenes have been prepared by hydrogen peroxide oxidation of the
      corresponding boronic esters. In the former case the boronic esters were obtained
      in three steps from 2,3-dibromothiophene via the corresponding 3-bromo-2
      pyridylthiophenes synthesized by Pd(0)-catalyzed coupling between 3-bromo-2
      trimethylstannylthiophene and the corresponding bromopyridines. In the latter
      case the known isomeric pyridylthiophenes were converted into the corresponding
      boronic esters in three steps via tribromo- and 3-bromo-4-pyridylthiophenes
      successively. 4-(3- and 4-pyridyl) thiophen-2(5H)-ones were also obtained in the
      syntheses of 4-(3- and 4-pyridyl)-3-hydroxythiophene. They are suggested to arise
      from rearrangement during the halogen-metal exchange. Spectroscopic
      investigations by 1H NMR and IR show that these hydroxythiophene systems exist
      exclusively as enol forms.

PMID- 1419436
TI  - Biosynthetic studies of marine lipids. 40. Generation of the cyclopropane ring of
      sormosterol.

PMID- 1419437
TI  - Interleukin-6 and the metabolic response to surgery.

PMID- 1419438
TI  - A new look at the breath of life.

PMID- 1419439
TI  - Metabolic and respiratory changes after cholecystectomy performed via laparotomy
      or laparoscopy.
AB  - We have compared metabolic and respiratory changes after laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy (n = 15) with those after open cholecystectomy (n = 15). The
      durations of postoperative i.v. therapy, fasting and hospital stay were
      significantly shorter in the laparoscopy group. During the first and second days
      after operation, analgesic consumption but not pain scores (visual analogue
      scale) were significantly smaller after laparoscopy, while vital capacity, forced
      expiratory volume in 1 s, and PaO2 were significantly greater. The metabolic and
      acute phase responses (glucose, leucocytosis, C-reactive protein) were less after
      laparoscopy compared with laparotomy. Although plasma cortisol and catecholamine
      concentrations were not significantly different between the two groups, after
      surgery interleukin-6 concentrations were less in the laparoscopy group.

PMID- 1419440
TI  - Effect of the laryngeal mask airway on lower oesophageal sphincter pressure in
      patients during general anaesthesia.
AB  - We have studied the tone of the lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) in 40 adults
      undergoing routine body surface surgery and allocated randomly to receive
      anaesthesia either by face mask and Guedel airway or by laryngeal mask airway. In
      the laryngeal mask group there was a mean (SEM) decrease in barrier pressure (LOS
      minus gastric pressure) of 3.6 (1.4) cm H2O, compared with a mean increase of 2.2
      (1.2) cm H2O in the face mask group (P < 0.005).

PMID- 1419441
TI  - Anaesthesia for transthoracic endoscopic sympathectomy in the treatment of upper
      limb hyperhidrosis.
AB  - Renewed interest has been shown in transthoracic endoscopic sympathectomy (TES)
      for the treatment of upper limb hyperhidrosis. We review our experience and
      discuss the anaesthetic technique and perioperative problems encountered in 58
      patients undergoing TES for hyperhidrosis. Patients were monitored for arterial
      pressure, heart rate, ECG, pulse oximetry (SpO2), end-tidal carbon dioxide
      concentration, peak inspired airway pressure and skin temperature. General
      anaesthesia, with a double-lumen endobronchial tube, enabled the lungs to be
      collapsed alternately, thereby ensuring easy and clear access to the sympathetic
      chain. Controlled ventilation with 100% inspired oxygen was necessary to obviate
      hypoxaemia. In two patients, severe hypotension and bradycardia occurred during
      insufflation of carbon dioxide into the chest cavity. Four patients required
      underwater drainage of the pleural cavity for treatment of pneumothorax or
      haemothorax. The success and safety of the procedure depends on a scrupulous
      anaesthetic technique.

PMID- 1419442
TI  - Perioperative continuous monitoring of ST-segment changes in patients undergoing
      elective caesarean section.
AB  - Using continuous ambulatory electrocardiography, we have investigated the
      incidence of ST-segment changes occurring in patients undergoing elective
      Caesarean section under extradural, spinal or general anaesthesia. There was no
      evidence of significant perioperative ST-segment changes. The findings contrast
      with the results of other work published recently.

PMID- 1419443
TI  - EEG burst suppression with propofol during cardiopulmonary bypass in children: a
      study of the haemodynamic, metabolic and endocrine effects.
AB  - We have studied the effects of propofol, given to maintain EEG suppression
      throughout cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), in 20 children aged 1-15 yr, in a
      parallel group comparison. Anaesthesia was produced by fentanyl 50 micrograms kg
      1, enflurane or halothane and midazolam 0.1 mg kg-1 at the start of CPB. After
      randomization, 50% of the children also received propofol during CPB. All
      children were cooled during CPB (25-28 degrees C) and pump flows (non-pulsatile)
      were 2.4 litre min-1 m-2, reducing to 1.2-1.6 litre min-1 m-2 during hypothermia.
      Large rates of infusion of propofol were required to maintain EEG suppression,
      particularly during rewarming. Compared with control, the propofol group showed
      significant increases in mixed venous oxygen saturation and significant
      reductions in systemic oxygen uptake and glucose and cortisol concentrations.
      There were no differences in triiodothyronine and lactate concentrations, mean
      arterial pressure during CPB and inotrope requirement after CPB, or in recovery
      times.

PMID- 1419444
TI  - Infusion of propofol to identify smallest effective doses for induction of
      anaesthesia in young and elderly patients.
AB  - We studied 110 patients older than 60 yr or aged 18-50 yr as separate groups in
      two stages to identify the smallest effective doses of propofol for induction of
      anaesthesia. In the elderly patients, in stage 1, at infusion rates of 25, 50 or
      100 mg min-1 the mean (SD) doses administered were propofol 0.82 (0.14) mg kg-1,
      1.22 (0.24) mg kg-1 and 1.65 (0.60) mg kg-1 and the induction times 140.1 (21.9)
      s, 103.2 (23.5) s and 69.4 (10.0) s, respectively. In stage 2, after induction
      with a fixed dose of 0.82 mg kg-1 as a bolus over 5 s or as an infusion at 25 mg
      min-1, the times for induction were 38.5 (14.0) s and 144.5 (36.6) s,
      respectively. In the young patients, at induction rates of 33.3, 50, 100 or 200
      mg min-1, the doses administered were propofol 1.36 (0.28) mg kg-1, 1.46 (0.12)
      mg kg-1, 1.85 (0.43) mg kg-1 and 2.39 (0.50) mg kg-1 and the induction times
      145.0 (25.4) s, 120.0 (18.4) s, 80.2 (19.2) s and 54.5 (10.4) s, respectively. In
      stage 2, a fixed induction dose of 1.46 mg kg-1 resulted in induction times of
      35.0 (8.5) s and 134.0 (26.8) s, respectively. In stage 2 of each age group,
      induction was achieved with smaller doses than those recommended previously and
      there was no difference in the number of patients in whom induction of
      anaesthesia was successful or in the measured cardiorespiratory variables between
      the two induction regimens. This suggests the latter effects are caused by the
      dose administered and not the rate of administration.

PMID- 1419445
TI  - IV bolus administration of subconvulsive doses of lignocaine to conscious sheep:
      effects on circulatory function.
AB  - We have studied the effects of subconvulsive doses of lignocaine on circulatory
      function in five conscious, chronically instrumented sheep. In the absence of
      overt signs of central nervous system toxicity, 50-, 75- or 100-mg i.v. bolus
      doses of lignocaine induced reductions in myocardial contractility, as assessed
      by the maximum rate of increase in left ventricular pressure (LV dP/dtmax), of 17
      (SD 4)%, 25 (4)% and 33 (4)%, respectively. The durations of these reductions in
      myocardial contractility were 2-3.5 min. There were no significant changes in
      cardiac output, coronary artery blood flow, mean arterial pressure, heart rate or
      left ventricular systolic and diastolic pressures. It is concluded that the
      initial toxic effects of lignocaine are on the heart rather than the central
      nervous system, as is generally believed. This negative inotropic effect of
      lignocaine in vivo may be more deleterious to myocardial function when the heart
      is compromised by pre-existing disease, or the co-administration of other
      myocardial depressive drugs.

PMID- 1419446
TI  - Effect of graded infusion rates of propofol on regional and global left
      ventricular function in the dog.
AB  - We have studied the effects of graded infusion rates of propofol (0.2-0.5 mg kg-1
      min-1) on left ventricular global and regional function, in eight acutely
      instrumented dogs. Global function was assessed by measurement of aortic and left
      ventricular pressure, LV dP/dtmax, aortic blood acceleration and stroke volume.
      Regional function was assessed by measurement of systolic shortening and the end
      systolic pressure-length relationship. The response of the coronary circulation
      to short periods of occlusion was also assessed. Administration of propofol
      significantly reduced left ventricular preload, as indicated by reductions in end
      diastolic pressure and length; contractility was depressed, the depression being
      greater in the apex than in the base of the left ventricle. High infusion rates
      impaired relaxation. Regulation of coronary blood flow was not disrupted.
      Reductions in preload and contractility contributed to the propofol-induced
      hypotension. After 60 min, recovery from the greatest infusion rate was
      incomplete.

PMID- 1419447
TI  - Porcine model for studying the passage of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blockers
      through the blood-brain barrier.
AB  - A method has been developed for blood-brain barrier disruption to provide
      reproducible access to the cerebrospinal fluid of the cerebello-medullary
      cistern. The technique was used successfully to investigate transfer of
      pancuronium to the cerebral CSF compartment in pigs. After osmotic disruption of
      the blood-brain barrier, pancuronium concentrations increased significantly in
      the cerebrospinal fluid.

PMID- 1419448
TI  - One-compartment kinetics.
AB  - The mathematical development of the equations needed to determine the plasma
      concentrations of drug in a one-compartment pharmacokinetic model are developed
      from first principles and are illustrated (with caution) by the use of morphine
      given by bolus or continuous i.v. injection or by a simulated i.m. injection. The
      equations allow the calculation of concentrations, given a knowledge of what drug
      is currently present, what are the sizes of the boluses by either i.m. or i.v.
      injection and what is the constant infusion rate. What happens when changes occur
      is also illustrated. The development illustrates the principles needed to apply
      to more complex models.

PMID- 1419449
TI  - A new technique for two-hand bag valve mask ventilation.
AB  - A method of bag valve mask ventilation (BVM) in which the resuscitator compresses
      the self-inflating bag between the open palm and body was compared with both
      standard single resuscitator and two-resuscitator BVM ventilation. Eighteen
      subjects ventilated a modified recording manikin using each method in random
      order. The tidal volume (VT) was greater with the open palm (mean 684 (SD 182)
      ml) than standard single resuscitator ventilation (mean 520 (152) ml). The
      difference was greater in the nine subjects with small hands (mean 196 (103) ml).
      VT was less than with two-resuscitator ventilation (mean VT 953 (236) ml).

PMID- 1419450
TI  - Topical anaesthesia for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.
AB  - We have investigated 60 patients in a prospective double-blind, placebo
      controlled study to assess the efficacy of EMLA (Eutectic Mixture of Local
      Anaesthetics) cream to provide analgesia during extracorporeal shock wave
      lithotripsy (ESWL) with a second generation lithotriptor. Before operation, EMLA
      or placebo cream was applied to the patient's back at the anticipated shock head
      skin interface. During the procedure increments of fentanyl 0.5 micrograms kg-1
      were given i.v. on patient demand. There was no significant difference (P = 0.83)
      in the dose of fentanyl given to each group. We cannot recommend, therefore, the
      use of EMLA cream as an analgesic during ESWL with a second generation
      lithotriptor.

PMID- 1419451
TI  - Transient bradycardia associated with extradural blood patch after inadvertent
      dural puncture in parturients.
AB  - We have studied prospectively 10 ASA I or II postpartum patients after
      inadvertent dural puncture during labour. An extradural blood patch (autologous
      blood 15 ml) was performed within 18 h of delivery, with continuous EEG, upper
      facial EMG (Datex: Anesthesia and Brain Activity Monitor), pulse oximetry and
      heart rate measurement before, during and for 30 min after extradural injection.
      Non-invasive arterial pressure measurements (Dinamap) were recorded at 5-min
      intervals. After extradural blood patch, a statistically significant (Student's t
      test, P < 0.05) decrease in heart rate, from a mean baseline of 88.6 (SD 7.31)
      beat min-1 to 51.3 (7.6) beat min-1, occurred within 122.6 (16.9) s from the time
      of the EBP. Bradycardia was observed for a mean duration of 12.4 (1.1) s. Upper
      facial EMG, EEG, SpO2 and arterial pressure did not change.

PMID- 1419452
TI  - Effects of omeprazole, ranitidine, famotidine and placebo on gastric secretion in
      patients undergoing elective surgery.
AB  - We have compared the effects of omeprazole, ranitidine, famotidine and placebo on
      gastric secretion in a double-blind study in 110 patients undergoing elective
      surgery. Three hours before operation, the patients received, orally, omeprazole
      40 mg, ranitidine 150 mg, famotidine 40 mg or placebo. Gastric volume and pH were
      measured immediately after induction of anaesthesia. Omeprazole, ranitidine and
      famotidine produced a significant increase in gastric pH and a significant
      decrease in gastric volume compared with placebo. When the effects of omeprazole
      on gastric volume were compared with those of ranitidine and famotidine, no
      significant difference was found, but omeprazole was significantly less effective
      in increasing gastric pH. The number of patients having a pH less than 2.5 and a
      volume greater than 0.4 ml kg-1 were: none in the ranitidine group, one (3%) in
      the famotidine group, four (15%) in the omeprazole group and six (23%) in the
      placebo group. We conclude that omeprazole 40 mg given 2-4 h before surgery does
      not afford adequate prophylaxis for the acid aspiration syndrome.

PMID- 1419453
TI  - Surgical face masks are effective in reducing bacterial contamination caused by
      dispersal from the upper airway.
AB  - We have studied the effectiveness of surgical face masks in reducing bacterial
      contamination of a surface, produced by dispersal of organisms from the upper
      airway. Twenty-five volunteers were asked to speak at blood agar plates
      positioned in close proximity to the mouth, initially whilst not wearing a face
      mask and then wearing a surgical face mask over the mouth and nose. A fresh face
      mask almost completely abolished bacterial contamination of agar plates 30 cm
      from the mouth. After 15 min there was an increase in the level of contamination
      which was statistically insignificant.

PMID- 1419454
TI  - Influence of cardiac output on the correlation between mixed venous and central
      venous oxygen saturation.
AB  - The influence of cardiac output on the correlation between central venous oxygen
      saturation and mixed venous oxygen saturation was assessed in 51 patients who had
      both a pulmonary artery catheter and separate central venous catheter in situ.
      Seventy-six paired samples were taken from the catheters and oxygen saturation
      measured immediately in a Ciba Corning 2500 Co-oximeter. Cardiac output was
      measured using a standard thermodilution technique. The data were separated into
      groups with low cardiac index (< 2.5 litre min-1 m-2; n = 20), medium cardiac
      index (2.5-4.0 litre min-1 m-2; n = 36) and high cardiac index (> 4.0 litre min-1
      m-2; n = 20). The correlation coefficients of the three groups were: low cardiac
      index 0.95, medium cardiac index 0.88 and high cardiac index 0.95 (P < .001 for
      all three groups). All measurements were made before any x-ray and necessary
      repositioning of the central venous catheter. These results suggest that central
      venous oxygen saturation is a useful estimate of mixed venous oxygen saturation
      and that the influence of cardiac output on that estimate is minimal.

PMID- 1419455
TI  - A method to facilitate regional anaesthesia by detection of mixed nerve action
      potentials.
AB  - We have studied conduction anaesthesia of the median and ulnar nerves at the
      axilla using mixed nerve action potentials (MNAP) as a guide to needle position
      in three volunteers. The median and ulnar nerves were stimulated distally at the
      wrist using surface electrodes and MNAP were detected proximally in the axilla
      using an insulated needle electrode. The increase in amplitude of MNAP to maximum
      as the insulated needle electrode approached the nerve trunk was taken as an
      indication that the tip of the needle was in close proximity to the nerve trunk.
      Instillation of 1% lignocaine plain 4 ml decreased the amplitude of the MNAP with
      the onset of nerve block. We conclude that this method may be of potential use as
      an aid to peripheral regional anaesthesia by allowing accurate localization of
      needle position close to specific nerve trunks.

PMID- 1419456
TI  - Lumbovertebral syndrome after extradural blood patch.
AB  - We describe a patient who developed an immobilizing lumbovertebral syndrome after
      an extradural blood patch and who was hospitalized with a suspected extradural
      abscess. An infectious aetiology of the persistent backache could be excluded and
      the patient recovered with analgesics and physiotherapy. The probable aetiology
      is discussed.

PMID- 1419457
TI  - Accidental subdural catheterization: radiological evidence of a possible
      mechanism for spinal cord damage.
AB  - We describe the inadvertent subdural insertion of a lumbar extradural catheter in
      a primiparous woman in labour. A small quantity of local anaesthetic resulted in
      extensive motor and sensory block. Computed tomography performed after contrast
      injection demonstrated unequivocally that the catheter was in the subdural space.
      The catheter and injected fluid produced considerable displacement of the
      arachnoid within the thecal sac. We postulate that this could result in arterial
      compression or direct damage to the spinal nerve roots. Such a mechanism might
      explain some of the cases of permanent neurological damage associated with
      extradural analgesia.

PMID- 1419458
TI  - Life-threatening acute respiratory distress in late pregnancy.
AB  - Acute severe ventilatory failure from any cause is always a critical emergency.
      In advanced pregnancy, such an episode is particularly hazardous. The management
      of a pregnant patient who presented with an acute episode of respiratory distress
      is described. Although this was though initially to be an asthmatic attack, there
      was evidence of upper airway obstruction caused by an enlarged thyroid. The major
      complicating factors and aetiology are discussed.

PMID- 1419459
TI  - Midazolam and cardioversion.

PMID- 1419460
TI  - Delayed septicaemia after extradural steroid treatment.

PMID- 1419461
TI  - Steroid therapy and extradural analgesia.

PMID- 1419462
TI  - Insulated regional block needles.

PMID- 1419463
TI  - Effect of preoperative opioid administration on postoperative pain.

PMID- 1419464
TI  - Unnecessary preoperative investigations in children.

PMID- 1419465
TI  - Selective activation of extrathymic T cells in the liver by glycyrrhizin.
AB  - Extrathymic pathways for T cell differentiation were recently demonstrated in the
      liver, intestine and omentum. In this study, glycyrrhizin (GL), a plant extract
      was investigated as to its effect on extrathymic T cells in the liver of mice. A
      new method using anti-LFA-1 mAb in conjunction with anti-TCR or -CD3 mAbs to
      sensitively identify such extrathymic T cells is included. Single injection and
      repeated injections of GL increased not only the number of total hepatic MNC but
      also the proportion of intermediate TCR cells, which are extrathymic T cells
      uniquely seen in the liver. In contrast to other tested reagents (e.g.,
      lymphotoxin and estrogen) that activated the extrathymic T cells and
      simultaneously induced profound thymic atrophy, GL did not affect regular T cells
      in the thymus. The present results suggest that the selective activation of
      extrathymic T cells in the liver might be intimately related to the clinical
      effects of GL.

PMID- 1419466
TI  - The potential improvement of thrombolytic therapy by targeting with bispecific
      monoclonal antibodies: why they are used and how they are made.
AB  - The generation of the proteolytic enzyme plasmin from its inactive precursor
      plasminogen, mediated by so called plasminogen activators, is the essential step
      in thrombolytic therapy. Plasmin is responsible for the degradation of the
      insoluble fibrin, the major component of a thrombus, to soluble fibrin
      degradation products. So far, the use of the more recently developed thrombolytic
      agents single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scu-PA) and tissue-type
      plasminogen activator (t-PA) were disappointing, mainly due to some of their
      negative properties in vivo, i.e., rapid inhibition and/or hepatic clearance.
      Besides some background information on the haemostatic balance; t-PA and scu-PA
      structure; and mechanisms of action, we here review some reported attempts to
      improve on these agents for thrombolytic therapy following various strategies.
      One of the more potential strategies, antibody-targeted thrombolytic therapy
      using bispecific monoclonal antibodies, is discussed somewhat more extensively,
      as are the several procedures that can be followed for bispecific antibody
      preparation.

PMID- 1419467
TI  - Chinese medicine, Coix seeds increase peripheral cytotoxic T and NK cells.
AB  - Coix seeds, a Chinese medicine have been used in Japan and reported to be
      effective in patients with verruca vulgaris and verrucae planae juveniles. We
      investigated the in vivo effects on lymphocyte subsets in seven healthy
      volunteers who took six tablets of Coix seeds three times a day (a typical dose)
      for four weeks. Leukocyte counts and the percentage of total lymphocytes did not
      change but the percentages of CD3+CD56+ cells and CD16+CD57- cells increased
      significantly. These results indicate that Coix seeds increase peripheral
      cytotoxic lymphocytes and may be effective to viral infection through the
      enhancement of cytotoxic activity.

PMID- 1419468
TI  - Early and late hormonal modulation of cholinergic maturation in culture of
      embryonic mesencephali.
AB  - Dissociated cells from 13- and 17-day-old embryonic rat mesencephali have grown
      in primary cultures in order to compare the early and late influences of
      different agents--insulin, dexamethasone and nerve growth factor (NGF)--on the
      expression of cholinergic maturation process. We have studied cholin
      acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity, which is regarded as a specific marker for
      cholinergic function of the brain, and a widely used differentiation marker, the
      acetyl-cholinesterase (AchE) enzyme. Biochemical maturation of increasing
      specific activity of ChAT in both younger and older cells was taken into
      consideration. During cultivation the AchE activity was slightly increased in
      younger cells, but a dramatic decrease could be noted in older ones. Insulin in
      concentration from 10 to 27 micrograms mL-1 causes a significant inhibition in
      ChAT activity in comparison with the enzyme activity measured in control cultures
      (insulin ranging from 1 to 100 ng), independently of embryos age. This
      polypeptide hormone is able to enhance AchE activity in the cultured cells,
      especially in older ones. With continuous treatment of the culture with
      dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid, the ChAT activity in younger cells
      reaches a maximum curve by day 9 (nine). At this time the AchE activity shows a
      slighter, no significant increase than at any other time during cultivation. In
      cell cultures taken from 17-day-old embryos however dexamethasone treatment
      evoked a significant decrease in ChAT activity with a concomitant increase of
      AchE activity which was compared to insulin treatment. In spite of the fact that
      the NGF is able to enhance the ChAT activity, no significant alteration in AchE
      activity can be measured in younger cell cultures. These results suggest an
      uneven expression of the enzymes in embryonic rat mesencephali in the presence of
      above agents depending on the age of cells.

PMID- 1419469
TI  - Administration of milk from cows immunized with intestinal bacteria protects mice
      from radiation-induced lethality.
AB  - Oral administration of "immune milk", that had been obtained from cows immunized
      with a variety of human gut bacteria containing E. coli, S. typhimurium, S.
      dysenteriae and 23 others, protected AKR/J mice from the lethal effect of
      radiation, when immune milk was orally given to mice at 150 g kg-1 day-1 for 7
      days prior to gamma-irradiation of 8 Gy. Mean survival times were 24.8 days for
      the group given immune milk but only 16.8 days for the group given control milk
      from unimmunized cows. Enterobacteriaceae were detected in various organs such as
      liver, lung and kidney on day 13 after irradiation, whereas the numbers were
      significantly fewer in the study group as compared with the control group. And
      fewer number of intestinal Enterobacteriaceae were detected in the study group
      compared with the control group prior to irradiation. Immune milk also enhanced
      the mitogenic response to mesenteric lymph node cells, the redirected cytolytic
      activity of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes to P815 tumor cells with anti
      CD3 mAb, and in vitro killing activities of the phagocytes in mesenteric lymph
      nodes to E. coli as compared with control milk. These results suggest that immune
      milk may reduce the number of bacteria translocating from the intestinal-tract
      and augment the activities of the gut-associated lymphoid tissues against the
      invasion of intestinal bacteria, causing protection against the lethal effect of
      radiation.

PMID- 1419470
TI  - Systemic IL-1 and adjuvant treatment of an experimental tumor. I. Immune status
      following tumor rechallenge.
AB  - Local adjuvant therapy of weakly immunogenic tumors protects against primary
      tumor challenge. However, this form of therapy does not produce long-lasting
      immunity to the tumor. In this study, local adjuvant therapy combined with
      systemic IL-1 administration produced not only primary tumor protection, but also
      long lasting immunity to the tumor. IL-1 and adjuvant protected animals resisted
      rechallenge with tumor as much as 180 days after initial tumor administration.
      Resistance to tumor rechallenge was IL-1 dose dependent. IL-1 and adjuvant
      protected animals also exhibited delayed type hypersensitivity reactions which
      were tumor-specific. Splenic and lymph node cell populations from IL-1 and
      adjuvant protected animals mounted tumor-specific lymphoproliferative responses.
      No such responses were observed in animals which had been administered either IL
      1 or adjuvant alone. These results demonstrate that systemic IL-1 functions to
      augment specific immune protection when administered in conjunction with local
      adjuvant, resulting in long-lasting tumor immunity.

PMID- 1419471
TI  - Therapeutic use of atrial natriuretic factor.

PMID- 1419472
TI  - Excitatory amino acid antagonists and their potential for the treatment of
      ischaemic brain damage in man.
AB  - 1. A wide range of therapeutic strategies has been explored in humans and
      experimental animals with the aim of improving outcome after brain ischaemia but
      few have shown convincing clinical benefit. 2. The massive increase in the
      extracellular concentration of glutamate which occurs in cerebral ischaemia is a
      key component in the sequence of neurochemical events which leads to neuronal
      death. Pharmacological blockade of the action of glutamate at the N-methyl-D
      aspartate (NMDA) receptor, (the glutamate receptor subtype principally involved
      in the neurotoxic effects of the amino acid) provides a novel therapeutic
      approach to cerebral ischaemia. 3. The effects of NMDA receptor antagonists in
      animal models of focal cerebral ischaemia are uniquely consistent, viz, a marked
      reduction in the amount of irreversible ischaemic damage irrespective of the
      species, the model of cerebral ischaemia, when the animals are sacrificed after
      the ischaemic episode, whether ischaemia is permanent or temporary and followed
      by reperfusion and which particular NMDA antagonist was employed. 4. NMDA
      receptor antagonists have marked effects on brain function in normal animals. The
      balance between these potential adverse effects and the anti-ischaemic efficacy
      of these drugs will ultimately determine the clinical utility of this class of
      drugs. 5. The data which are reviewed provide the basis for the current clinical
      evaluation of NMDA receptor antagonists in stroke and head trauma.

PMID- 1419473
TI  - Studies with low dose intravenous diacid ACE inhibitor (perindoprilat) infusions
      in normotensive male volunteers.
AB  - 1. Intravenous ACE inhibitor therapy is of increasing importance in the treatment
      of patients with unstable heart failure after myocardial infarction. Available
      pharmacokinetic and concentration effect data with this route of administration
      are limited. 2. The pharmacokinetics and blood pressure responses to
      perindoprilat were studied during prolonged low dose (1 mg) infusions in eight
      normotensive salt replete male volunteers. 3. Subjects received randomised,
      single (subject) blinded therapy with saline placebo (30 ml) over 3 h or active
      treatment (1 mg in 30 ml) over 1 h, 3 h or 6 h by constant rate infusion. 4.
      Significant falls in blood pressure greater than placebo were noted with active
      infusions without changes in heart rate. Mean maximal plasma perindoprilat
      concentrations reflected the rate of infusion (1 h, 51.5 +/- 11.4 ng ml-1; 3 h,
      30.4 +/- 8.4 ng ml-1; 6 h 19.0 +/- 4.0 ng ml-1) and mean maximal plasma ACE
      inhibition was less with slower infusions (1 h, 95.7 +/- 0.5%; 3 h 92.3 +/- 2.7%;
      6 h 87.4 +/- 5.1%, P less than 0.013). 5. Concentration-time profiles showed a
      sigmoid drug accumulation profile with delay in the early accumulation of drug
      particularly during the 3 h and 6 h infusions. The pharmacokinetic data was
      assessed by statistical comparison of a hierarchy of standard compartmental
      models and non linear saturable binding models. A non linear model incorporating
      elements to describe both tissue and plasma binding of the drug provided the best
      fit to observed data. 6. Low dose constant rate infusions are a means of
      optimising intravenous ACE inhibitor therapy to allow individual dose
      titration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419474
TI  - The analgesic activity of morphine-6-glucuronide.
AB  - 1. The pharmacokinetics, cardio-respiratory effects and analgesic effects of
      intravenous morphine-6-glucuronide were studied in 20 cancer patients with pain.
      Four different dose levels (0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mg 70 kg-1) were studied. Plasma
      concentrations of morphine-6-glucuronide were measured for 12 h after dosing.
      Pulse rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure were monitored, and pain relief
      was measured using two rating scales and a visual analogue scale. 2. The mean
      elimination half-life (+/- s.d.) of morphine-6-glucuronide was 3.2 +/- 1.6 h. The
      mean AUC standardised to a dose of 1 mg 70 kg-1 was 390 +/- 263 nmol l-1 h. Mean
      morphine-6-glucuronide clearance was 96 +/- 38 ml min-1. There was a direct
      relationship between morphine-6-glucuronide plasma clearance and calculated
      creatinine clearance (r = 0.81, P less than 0.001). 38 +/- 22% of the dose of
      morphine-6-glucuronide was recovered unchanged in the urine in 24 h. No morphine
      or morphine-3-glucuronide was detected in the plasma or urine of any patient
      after morphine-6-glucuronide treatment. 3. Morphine-6-glucuronide exerted a
      useful analgesic effect in 17/19 assessable patients for periods ranging between
      2 and 24 h. No correlation was observed between dose or plasma morphine-6
      glucuronide concentrations, and duration or degree of analgesia. No clinically
      significant changes in cardio-respiratory parameters were observed. No patients
      reported sedation or euphoria. Nausea and vomiting were notably absent in all
      cases. 4. Morphine-6-glucuronide is an effective and well-tolerated analgesic. It
      is likely that the majority of the therapeutic benefit of morphine is mediated by
      morphine-6-glucuronide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419475
TI  - Passage of S(+) and R(-) gamma-vinyl-GABA across the human isolated perfused
      placenta.
AB  - 1. The maternal to foetal transfers of S(+)- and R(-)-gamma-vinyl-GABA (VGB)
      across the human isolated perfused placenta were low and comparable with those of
      acidic alpha-amino acids. 2. The placental uptake of the active S(+)-isomer from
      the maternal circulation exceeded that of the R(-)-isomer and this was reflected
      by a corresponding difference in placental tissue concentrations. 3. During
      perfusion with recirculation of the foetal medium, the two enantiomers were
      present at a similar concentration and did not concentrate in foetal perfusate,
      indicating that the excess amount of S(+)-VGB cleared from the maternal
      circulation was not accessible to the foetal perfusate. Furthermore, stable
      concentrations of both isomers in the foetal perfusate suggested a lack of
      placental metabolism. 4. Possible explanations of these findings include the
      operation of a stereoselective sodium-dependent-GABA placental uptake system on
      the maternal side, similar to that observed in neuronal tissue, or
      stereoselective binding to a placental GABA transaminase.

PMID- 1419476
TI  - Ondansetron as an antiemetic.

PMID- 1419477
TI  - Avoiding nitrate tolerance.

PMID- 1419479
TI  - Insulin receptor gene mutation: a molecular genetical and functional analysis.

PMID- 1419478
TI  - Recent evidence for common signalling mechanisms among immunoreceptors that
      recognize foreign antigens.

PMID- 1419480
TI  - Alterations in G-protein expression, Gi function and stimulatory receptor
      mediated regulation of adipocyte adenylyl cyclase in a model of insulin-resistant
      diabetes with obesity.
AB  - The stimulatory effect of Mn2+ (1.5-fold), forskolin (1.6-fold) and low (1
      microM) concentrations of GTP (1.9-fold) on the adenylyl cyclase of adipocyte
      membranes from obese, diabetic CBA/Ca mice was markedly enhanced compared to that
      seen using membranes prepared from their lean littermates. In contrast, receptor
      mediated stimulation, achieved with either isoprenaline or secretin was reduced
      and that by glucagon abolished in membranes from diabetic animals. The levels of
      expression of alpha-subunits of Gi-1, Gi-2 and Gi-3 were reduced to some 49, 76
      and 54%, respectively, in membranes from diabetic animals compared with those
      from normal animals. Levels of G-protein beta-subunits and Gs alpha-subunits were
      similar. Receptor-mediated inhibition of adenylate activity elicited by either
      nicotinic acid or prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) was of a similar magnitude in membranes
      from normal and diabetic animals but the inhibitory action of N6-(L-2
      phenylisopropyl)adenosine (PIA) was greater in membranes from diabetic animals by
      about 30%. Gi function was similarly evident in membranes from both lean and
      diabetic animals, as assessed using low concentrations of guanylyl 5'
      imidodiphosphate to inhibit forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity.
      However, assessing Gi function using GTP showed marked dissimilarities in that
      the elevated GTP concentrations expected to occur physiologically were incapable
      of reversing the stimulation achieved at low concentrations of GTP in membranes
      from diabetic but not normal animals. The adipocytes of CBA/Ca mice, as do other
      animal models of insulin resistance, show lesions in adenylyl cyclase regulation,
      Gi function and G-protein expression.

PMID- 1419481
TI  - Involvement of pertussis toxin-sensitive and -insensitive GTP-binding proteins in
      luteinizing hormone exocytosis distal to second messenger generation.
AB  - Inhibition of luteinizing hormone (LH) exocytosis by guanosine 5'-[gamma
      thio]triphosphate (GTP gamma S) in permeabilized pituitary cells has indicated
      the involvement of one or more GTP-binding proteins in the exocytotic mechanism
      distal to second messenger generation. We now report that two inhibitory sites of
      action of GTP gamma S can be distinguished by their dependence on GTP gamma S
      concentration and their sensitivity to pertussis toxin. Ca(2+)-stimulated
      exocytosis was half-maximally inhibited by 6.8 microM GTP gamma S, a six-fold
      higher concentration than that required for inhibition of exocytosis stimulated
      by phorbol ester plus cAMP. In addition, GTP gamma S inhibition of Ca(2+)
      stimulated exocytosis was insensitive to pertussis toxin, in contrast to the
      inhibition of exocytosis stimulated by phorbol ester plus cAMP, which was
      abolished by pretreatment with pertussis toxin. These results indicate that at
      least two stimulus-specific GTP-binding proteins are involved in regulating LH
      exocytosis distal to second messenger generation.

PMID- 1419482
TI  - Protein kinase C initially inhibits the induction of meiotic cell division in
      Xenopus oocytes.
AB  - We have used one activator and two inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC) to
      examine the role of this enzyme in the induction of meiotic cell division. At 1
      U/ml, phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C increases DAG, alters
      intracellular pH and inhibits the induction of meiosis by insulin or
      progesterone. However, when added about 1.6 h after progesterone, the enzyme
      speeds the induction of cell division. Microinjection of inhibitor peptide (19
      36) of PKC has little effect on progesterone action but stimulates the induction
      of meiosis by insulin. When the inhibitor peptide is injected about 2h after
      insulin addition, the peptide inhibits. A second PKC inhibitor, staurosporine,
      decreases PKC-dependent intracellular pH and in vitro oocyte PKC activity. At
      similar concentrations, staurosporine stimulates insulin or progesterone action,
      but, when added after about 2 h, the drug inhibits induction by insulin. We
      conclude that PKC is initially inhibitory to the induction of meiotic cell
      division but then may become synergistic.

PMID- 1419483
TI  - Two protein kinase C activators, bryostatin-1 and phorbol-12-myristate-13
      acetate, have different effects on haemopoietic cell proliferation and
      differentiation.
AB  - Primary B lymphocytes can be induced to proliferate and certain haemopoietic cell
      lines such as HL60 and U937 can be induced to differentiate by the addition of
      phorbol esters, which have been shown to activate protein kinase C. Several non
      phorbol esters, such as the bryostatins, have also been shown to bind to and
      activate protein kinase C. Although bryostatin-1 and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13
      acetate (TPA) compete for and activate protein kinase C to the same degree and
      with similar kinetics and also induce similar levels of expression of the CD23
      cell-surface antigen, bryostatin-1 is a weak mitogen for B lymphocytes and fails
      to induce the differentiation of both HL60 and U937 cells. Such an outcome
      suggests that these two activators have different binding properties for the
      enzyme that have a physiological consequence which may be useful for analysing
      the role that protein kinase C plays in both differentiation and proliferation.
      Analysis of competition assays between bryostatin-1 and TPA leads us to put
      forward a model where protein kinase C is required to be constantly reactivated
      and recycled during proliferation and differentiation which can be accomplished
      by TPA but not by bryostatin, although we cannot exclude the differential
      activation of some of the sub-species of the kinase by the two agonists.

PMID- 1419484
TI  - Microinjection of the alpha-subunit of the G protein Go2, but not Go1, reduces a
      voltage-sensitive calcium current.
AB  - Calcium currents can be modulated by receptor activation of the GTP-binding
      protein G(o). We have determined whether the two forms of G(o), Go1 and Go2,
      differentially regulate calcium current magnitude. Using identified neurons of
      the pond snail Helisoma, we demonstrate that a high-voltage-activated (HVA)
      calcium current is reduced by addition of the neuropeptide Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-amide
      (FMRFamide) and that this inhibition is mediated by a pertussis toxin (PTX)
      sensitive G protein pathway. Using this calcium current as an assay for G protein
      activity, we microinjected GTP gamma S-activated alpha-subunits of G proteins
      into neuronal somata. We demonstrate that the calcium current is differentially
      regulated by the two forms of alpha o. Microinjection of alpha o2*, but not alpha
      o1*, reduces calcium current magnitude.

PMID- 1419485
TI  - Autophosphorylation of Mucor rouxii cAMP-dependent protein kinase and its role in
      holoenzyme activation.
AB  - Two phosphoproteins of 53,000 and 63,000 mol. wt detected in partially purified
      preparations of Mucor rouxii cAMP-dependent protein kinase submitted to
      phosphorylation conditions with [gamma-32P]ATP are demonstrated to be the result
      of the autophosphorylation of its regulatory subunit, according to the following
      criteria: (1) linearity of phosphate incorporation with enzyme sample; (2)
      independence of phosphate incorporation on temperature; (3) correlation of the
      phosphoproteins with enzymatic activity in a DEAE-Sepharose chromatography; (4)
      specific elution of the phosphorylated proteins from cAMP-agarose; (5)
      phosphorylation of the purified regulatory subunit. Antibodies specific against
      Mucor regulatory subunit detected an intact subunit of 72,000 mol. wt in crude
      extracts. Autophosphorylation of the fungal protein kinase A promotes activation
      of the holoenzyme by cAMP since: (1) under conditions of partial activation,
      increase of activity is observed when using the phosphoform of the enzyme; (2)
      release of free catalytic subunit from cAMP-agarose is enhanced when the
      holoenzyme is previously phosphorylated.

PMID- 1419486
TI  - Signalling across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane: potential mechanisms.
AB  - The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a membrane-bound organelle responsible for the
      synthesis, assembly and post-translational modification of proteins destined for
      the lysosomes, Golgi and for secretion. The processes which occur in the lumen of
      the ER are vital to the correct functioning of the cell, and mechanisms must
      exist to enable the cell to monitor events within the lumen of the ER. How the
      cell is able to do this is not known, but it would apparently require the passage
      of signals from the lumen of the ER to the cytosol, from where signals can be
      sent to, for example, the nucleus to effect changes in transcription. Here, it is
      suggested that the membrane of the ER may contain the components (i.e. receptors,
      kinases, etc.) required for transmembrane signalling in much the same way as the
      plasma membrane does. This hypothesis will be discussed in relation to known ER
      proteins which might act as signalling proteins.

PMID- 1419487
TI  - Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor primes phospholipase D activity
      in human neutrophils in vitro: role of calcium, G-proteins and tyrosine kinases.
AB  - The addition of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) to
      human peripheral blood neutrophils primes phospholipase D (PLD) to subsequent
      stimulation by N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) or phorbol
      myristate acetate (PMA). The present investigation was directed at the
      elucidation of the pathway(s) involved in the regulation of the activity of PLD
      in untreated as well as in GM-CSF-primed neutrophils. Pretreatment with pertussis
      toxin (PT) totally inhibited fMLP-induced activation of PLD in control or GM-CSF
      treated cells. PT did not affect the activation of PLD by PMA but inhibited the
      priming effect of GM-CSF. Activation of PLD by fMLP was dose-dependently
      inhibited by erbstatin, an inhibitor of tyrosine kinases. Furthermore, pre
      incubation with GM-CSF accelerated the tyrosine phosphorylation response to fMLP
      (as analysed by protein immunoblot with antiphosphotyrosine antibodies). In PMA
      stimulated neutrophils, erbstatin antagonized the priming effect of GM-CSF on PLD
      without affecting the direct effects of the phorbol ester. Buffering cytoplasmic
      calcium with the chelator BAPTA inhibited fMLP-induced activation of PLD as
      monitored by the formation of phosphatidylethanol. The stimulation of PLD by PMA
      was partially attenuated in BAPTA-loaded cells while the priming effect of GM-CSF
      was abolished. Thus, priming of human neutrophil PLD by GM-CSF may be mediated by
      G-proteins, by increases in the levels of cytosolic free calcium, and by
      stimulation of protein kinase C and/or tyrosine kinase(s).

PMID- 1419488
TI  - Differential up-regulation of specific and azurophilic granule membrane markers
      in electropermeabilized neutrophils.
AB  - We have developed an alternative method to study the degranulation in
      electropermeabilized human neutrophils by measuring the up-regulation of the
      specific membrane markers CD63 (residing in the azurophilic granules of resting
      neutrophils) and CD67 (present in specific granules). The expression of these
      marker proteins was measured by the binding of specific antibodies to
      paraformaldehyde-fixed cells and subsequent flow cytometry. We first investigated
      whether the changes in CD63 and CD67 expression after stimulation of intact cells
      were comparable with earlier measurements of neutrophil degranulation, in which
      the release of soluble marker proteins was measured. These experiments indicated
      that this new method compares favourably with earlier studies, both with respect
      to kinetics and stimulus dependency. Subsequently, we applied this method (which
      does not include centrifugation of the cells) to study degranulation in
      electropermeabilized neutrophils. In permeabilized neutrophils, a clear up
      regulation of the specific granule marker CD67 was observed upon incubation with
      a free Ca2+ concentration of 1 microM, a value of the cytosolic free Ca2+
      concentration occurring in formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP)-activated
      neutrophils. The azurophilic granule marker CD63 required GTP-gamma-S besides 1
      microM Ca2+ for a significant up-regulation. Hence, our study indicates a
      different requirement for intracellular signals of the two main types of granules
      in human neutrophils.

PMID- 1419490
TI  - Adenosine inhibits divalent cation influx across human neutrophil plasma membrane
      via surface adenosine A2 receptors.
AB  - Adenosine and its analogues inhibited increases in divalent cation influx
      stimulated by platelet-activating factor (PAF) and formyl-methionyl-leucyl
      phenylalanine (FMLP) in a dose-dependent fashion. This effect was antagonized by
      theophylline, an adenosine receptor antagonist. When extracellular adenosine was
      removed by adenosine deaminase, the effect of adenosine was completely abolished.
      Two adenosine analogues with different affinities for adenosine receptor
      subtypes, 5'-N-ethylcarboxamideadenosine (NECA) and L-N6-phenylisopropyladenosine
      (PIA), also inhibited divalent cation influx, NECA being more potent than PIA.
      These results suggest that adenosine and its analogues inhibit divalent cation
      influx across neutrophil plasma membranes via surface adenosine A2 receptors.
      Adenosine had little effect on the initial peaks of intracellular free calcium
      rises induced by chemoattractants, but it inhibited the subsequent rise in free
      calcium. Since calcium influx through the divalent cation channels or neutrophil
      plasma membranes is responsible for maintaining free calcium concentration
      following the initial peaks, we suggest that adenosine modulates neutrophil
      function by interfering with this calcium influx.

PMID- 1419489
TI  - Evidence on the role of three calcium pools in Ca-ionophore A23187-stimulated rat
      blood platelet aggregation.
AB  - The effect of Ca-ionophore A23187 on activation of rat blood platelets was
      investigated to elucidate the involvement of extracellular and intracellular Ca2+
      ions. Platelet aggregation induced by 10 concentrations of the stimulus was
      studied in Ca-free medium as well as in the presence of EGTA and/or calcium. In
      Ca-free medium, A23187 induced platelet aggregation in a dose-dependent way; the
      mean effective concentration was 1.43 +/- 0.08 mumol/l. The stimulatory effect of
      ionophore was potentiated by addition of 0.01 and 0.1 mM calcium and inhibited
      when the calcium concentration was increased to 1 mmol/l. In the presence of
      EGTA, A23187-stimulated aggregation of isolated rat platelets was recorded only
      at a 10-times higher ionophore concentration and was then reduced to 30% in
      comparison with aggregation in Ca-free medium. The inhibitory effect of 1 mM EGTA
      was abolished by addition of 2 mM calcium. We suggest the participation of at
      least three calcium pools in the stimulation of rat platelets by A23187, i.e. the
      extracellular pool, the membrane-associated pool and the pool displacing calcium
      intracellularly.

PMID- 1419491
TI  - Modulation of human growth hormone binding to somatogenic and lactogenic
      receptors by monoclonal antibodies to human growth hormone.
AB  - The relationship between the structure of human growth hormone (hGH) and the
      hormone-receptor interaction was investigated by studying the effects of specific
      monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to hGH on the binding of [125I]hGH to rabbit liver
      and mouse liver microsomes. Receptor binding assays were carried out using a
      constant dose (1 ng) of [125I]hGH and varying concentrations of MAbs. The assay
      was carried out in the presence of either excess ovine prolactin for the
      measurement of somatogenic (SOM) binding sites, or excess bovine growth hormone
      for the determination of lactogenic (LAC) binding sites. Anti-hGH MAbs were found
      to have a whole spectrum of effects on hGH binding, including inhibitory, non
      effect and enhancing activities. Enhancement of the binding of [125I]hGH to both
      SOM and LAC receptors was observed in liver membranes of rabbit or mouse. The
      observed amplified signal of [125I]hGH binding to various receptors in the
      presence of MAb no. 8 may be due to conformational changes which occur following
      MAb binding to hGH. On the other hand, most of the other MAbs caused inhibition
      of [125I]hGH binding. A negative correlation exists between the cross-reaction of
      various MAbs with the N-terminus truncated forms of hGH (Met14-hGH or Met8Leu
      hGH) and their respective KD/IC50 values enabled the evaluation of the crucial
      role of the N-terminus region in hGH binding to both LAC and SOM receptors. MAb
      nos 1 and 19, which are directed towards acid residues 95-134 and the C-terminus,
      inhibited SOM binding more potently than LAC binding. Thus, it seems that these
      mid-molecule and C-terminus regions are also important in hGH binding, and that
      they play a role in the partial overlap of SOM and LAC binding.

PMID- 1419493
TI  - Low molecular mass phosphoproteins from the frog rod outer segments form a
      complex with 48 kDa protein.
AB  - Upon separation of cAMP-dependent low molecular mass phosphoproteins [Components
      I and II; Polans et al. (1979) J. gen. Physiol. 74, 595-613] from the frog rod
      outer segments by gel-chromatography, isoelectric focusing, non-denaturating
      electrophoresis and ion-exchange chromatography, they behave like subunits of the
      oligomeric complex. Apparent molecular mass of the complex determined by gel
      chromatography is 52-57 kDa and by non-denaturating gradient electrophoresis is
      62-66 kDa. The isoelectric point of the complex is 5.5. The elution profile of
      Components I and II upon gel-chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography
      coincides with that of major rod outer segment 48 kDa protein. The isoelectric
      point for them also coincides with the isoelectric point of 48 kDa protein. The
      amount of low molecular mass phosphoproteins is sealed rods is equal to one
      molecule per 60 rhodopsin molecules and coincides with that of a 48 kDa protein.
      It is suggested that in solution Components I and II form an oligomeric complex
      with 48 kDa protein.

PMID- 1419494
TI  - Systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren's syndrome.

PMID- 1419492
TI  - Immunological identification of protein kinase C-alpha and protein kinase C-delta
      in cultured rat mesangial cells: differential sensitivity of the two isoforms
      towards the protein kinase inhibitor H7.
AB  - Rat mesangial cells contain both calcium-dependent protein kinase C (PKC)
      activity, which phosphorylates histone H1 and endogenous proteins, and calcium
      independent, phospholipid-dependent PKC activity, which phosphorylates only
      endogenous proteins. The calcium-dependent PKC was identified as PKC alpha by
      immunoblot analysis and hydroxyapatite chromatography (HPLC). The calcium
      insensitive, phospholipid-dependent isoform was identified as PKC delta using
      similar techniques. The inhibition of these two PKC isoforms by the protein
      kinase inhibitor H7 [1-(iso-quinolinyl sulphonyl)-2-methyl piperazine] was
      examined using both histone H1 and endogenous proteins as substrates.
      Phosphorylations catalyzed by the calcium-dependent PKC isoform alpha were almost
      90% inhibited when histone H1 was used, and only 55% when endogenous proteins
      were the substrate. In contrast, the phosphorylation of endogenous proteins
      catalysed by the calcium-insensitive, phospholipid-dependent PKC delta was not
      significantly affected by the inhibitor.

PMID- 1419495
TI  - Murine models of autoimmunity: T-cell and B-cell defects.
AB  - The lpr gene has been identified as a defect in the Fas gene, which encodes a
      lymphocyte surface protein associated with apoptosis and shares homology with the
      tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptor. This finding is important as it may quickly
      lead to identification of the gld gene product, which is thought to be a ligand
      for Fas. Also, it clearly identifies autoimmune disease as originating from a
      defect in the ability to induce cell death in lymphocytes. The major challenge in
      the future will be to directly demonstrate the relationship of abnormal apoptosis
      pathways to the development of autoimmunity and, in the case of lpr and gld mice,
      to lymphadenopathy, and to eventually determine if this is a fundamental defect
      at the root of all autoimmune diseases in both mice and humans.

PMID- 1419496
TI  - Murine models of autoimmune disease.
AB  - Animal models of autoimmunity are used to identify important immunologic factors
      and pathways involved in the different autoimmune diseases. Identification of the
      role of cytokines and development of new disease models have led to new
      possibilities for treatment.

PMID- 1419497
TI  - Autoantibodies and their idiotypes.
AB  - Antinuclear antibodies occur prominently in systemic lupus erythematosus and
      serve as markers of underlying pathogenetic disturbances. Although these
      antibodies display features indicative of genetic control and in vivo selection
      by self-antigen, other mechanisms shaping the B-cell repertoire may influence
      their production. Provocative new animal models provide systems for analyzing the
      cellular and genetic disturbances promoting these responses, as well as the role
      of pathogenic specificities in inducing tissue injury.

PMID- 1419498
TI  - The molecular genetics of systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren's syndrome.
AB  - Refinements in molecular genetic technology as well as in the organization of the
      major histocompatibility complex and the genes contained therein continue to lead
      the way to elucidation of the immunogenetics of systemic lupus erythematosus and
      Sjogren's syndrome. In this article, recent advances in these areas are reviewed,
      and major histocompatibility complex associations with systemic lupus
      erythematosus and Sjogren's syndrome will be explored with particular emphasis on
      autoantibody subsets of these diseases. Data thus far support the hypothesis that
      systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren's syndrome are clinically and
      serologically heterogeneous disorders of major histocompatibility complex class
      II allele-associated autoantibody subsets, to which other major
      histocompatibility complex genes (C4 null alleles) and non-major
      histocompatibility complex genes (such as T-cell receptor genes) may contribute
      in susceptibility.

PMID- 1419500
TI  - Antiphospholipid antibody and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.
AB  - Over the past year, many reports have been published on a variety of clinical
      manifestations related to antiphospholipid antibodies. The low prevalence of
      anticardiolipin antibodies with the rare occurrence of thrombosis and a low rate
      of fetal loss in studies in Malaysia and China showed a potential role for local
      factors. A study of cross-reactive idiotype of the anticardiolipin antibody
      suggested that anticardiolipin antibodies are derived from a set of natural
      autoreactive clones. Regarding the pathogenic role of the antiphospholipid
      antibody, evidence has been presented that the epitopes formed between
      cardiolipin and beta 2 glycoprotein I are the targets of the antiphospholipid
      antibody. Complement activation, abnormalities of natural anticoagulants such as
      protein S deficiency, and genetic association with DR4, DR7, and DRw53 have also
      been studied.

PMID- 1419499
TI  - New developments in Sjogren's syndrome.
AB  - Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune exocrinopathy with characteristics of both
      organ-specific and generalized autoimmune disease. The main features are
      keratoconjunctivitis sicca and xerostomia, but patients may also show signs of
      extraglandular involvement. Sjogren's syndrome can occur in the absence (primary
      Sjogren's syndrome) or in the presence of other connective tissue disease
      (secondary Sjogren's syndrome). Sjogren's syndrome has often been considered a
      link in the spectrum between autoimmune disease and lymphoproliferative
      disorders. The cause of Sjogren's syndrome is still unknown, although the role of
      viruses in the pathogenesis is disputed. There is still no consensus about the
      diagnostic criteria, due to lack of specificity and sensitivity of the diagnostic
      procedures performed thus far. Recent studies using immunohistochemical and
      molecular biologic techniques highly suggest that disturbances in the target
      organs, such as salivary glands, are the consequence of local processes, rather
      than the reflection of systemic alterations. This underlines the importance of
      implementing these techniques for diagnostic purposes. Based on increasing
      understanding of the pathogenetic processes, new therapeutic possibilities will
      come into the picture. Over the past few years, interesting studies have
      contributed to our knowledge of the disease.

PMID- 1419501
TI  - Clinical manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus, measures of disease
      activity, and long-term complications.
AB  - Studies of renal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus continue to dominate
      the clinical literature. Reports of the prognostic significance of both clinical
      and histologic parameters at the time of renal biopsy are discussed. The
      potential impact of anticardiolipin antibodies on the development of renal
      insufficiency is described. The outcome of renal transplantation in patients with
      systemic lupus erythematosus is assessed in a study concerned with both allograft
      survival and recurrence of active nephritis in the transplanted kidney. The
      incidence and prognosis of various features of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus
      erythematosus are discussed, while the search for an accurate indicator of lupus
      involvement of the central nervous system continues. Magnetic resonance imaging
      and single-photon-emission computed tomography are considered. Abnormalities of
      pulmonary gas exchange are featured in several reports. Features of the
      antiphospholipid antibody syndrome are presented, stressing predisposition to
      thrombosis. The definition and characteristics of systemic lupus erythematosus
      disease flares is discussed, in relation to several recently developed disease
      activity indexes. The attempt to distinguish systemic lupus erythematosus
      activity from infection and preeclampsia is also considered. Finally, the
      association of systemic lupus erythematosus with the development of cancer is
      discussed.

PMID- 1419502
TI  - Prognosis of systemic lupus erythematosus and factors that affect it.
AB  - The prognosis of systemic lupus erythematosus has improved over the past four
      decades. We now have data for 15-year survival, which has also improved. Several
      factors may be associated with improved survival, including earlier diagnosis,
      better treatment, and improved medical therapy. Specific organ damage continues
      to be an issue, primarily with regard to kidney disease and to neurocognitive
      impairment and lung involvement. Infection and vascular disease emerge as
      important factors. With improved survival, other outcome measures, including
      specific organ function and health status, need to be considered.

PMID- 1419503
TI  - Role of drugs and environmental agents in lupus syndromes.
AB  - It is increasingly accepted that a broad range of drugs and environmental factors
      can give rise to lupus syndromes and other types of connective tissue disease
      syndromes. This chapter reviews the drugs and environmental agents reported
      during this past year. Considerable research efforts are now focused on
      understanding the possible mechanisms, particular specificities of the antibody
      responses, new patterns of antibody responses, and biochemical pathways. These
      potentially important contributors to the expression of disease are reviewed.

PMID- 1419505
TI  - Pediatric and heritable disorders.

PMID- 1419504
TI  - Treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - The past year continued to see both major studies and interesting case reports
      slowly add suggestions, if not absolute knowledge, concerning the treatment of
      systemic lupus erythematosus. The Lupus Nephritis Collaborative Study Group
      published two papers, one of which concerned the lack of efficacy of
      plasmapheresis in treating severe lupus nephritis. A related paper documented the
      utility of initial serum creatinine in predicting renal failure in patients
      enrolled in both arms of the plasmapheresis study. Patients in the study received
      high-dose oral prednisone and low-dose oral cyclophosphamide. Whether this
      approach is superior to pulse intravenous cyclophosphamide is yet to be
      determined. Two other approaches to treatment were also reported: anti-CD4, based
      on success in case reports, merits further study; the modified androgen, 19
      nortestosterone, was unfortunately not effective. Other case reports provide
      additional evidence for specific treatments in certain situations, such as the
      use of tetracycline pleurodesis for recurrent pleural effusions. Finally, reports
      of new side effects for old medicines and new ones are a reminder that the
      treatment can be part of the problem when a lupus patient develops complications.

PMID- 1419506
TI  - Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile chronic arthritis, and juvenile
      spondyloarthropathies.
AB  - Immunogenetics are supporting the marked heterogeneity of chronic arthritis in
      children. Thus DRw13-DRw18 and DQw6-DQw18 were associated with persistent
      pauciarticular disease in children with an early onset of disease. Several
      studies have shown DPw2 as an additional susceptibility factor in this subgroup.
      Standardization of diagnostic criteria for juvenile onset spondyloarthropathy and
      psoriatic arthritis is necessary; various studies are in progress, and although
      HLA-B27 provides the common marker, this may only apply to a small group of
      juvenile psoriatics who have spondyloarthropathy. In the management of juvenile
      rheumatoid arthritis, methotrexate in moderate doses has been shown to be
      superior to lower doses of methotrexate and placebo in controlling polyarthritis.
      Methotrexate may be of particular value in treating the polyarthritis that
      follows a pauciarticular onset. The possible value of sulfasalazine in a B27
      group with persistent polyarthritis has been suggested. Highlights of
      corticosteroid therapy were intra-articular injections, particularly in
      pauciarticular disease, the suggestion that deflazacort has a calcium sparing
      effect, and the possible role of intravenous methylprednisone in the management
      of severe disease.

PMID- 1419507
TI  - Rheumatic diseases.

PMID- 1419508
TI  - Rheumatic fever and disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
AB  - New information provided on the pathogenesis and management of rheumatic fever is
      of current interest. Invasive disease by group A streptococci has been shown to
      be due to production of toxin A. The natural history and immunopathologic basis
      for chronic Lyme arthritis are reported. Attention is drawn to pyomyositis and
      clinical presentation of chronic fatigue syndrome in children. Patients with
      Sweet's syndrome often have antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies. Biopsy
      specimens of panniculitis should be taken to aid treatment. Long-term outcome in
      chronic osteomyelitis is favorable; recommendations on the rational use of
      imaging have been reported.

PMID- 1419509
TI  - Musculoskeletal signs of metabolic and systemic diseases in childhood.
AB  - Many metabolic and systemic disorders affect the musculoskeletal system in
      growing children. This review surveys some of the recent literature in several
      diverse areas, including new radiologic methods to determine bone mineralization
      and their use in children with juvenile arthritis and other systemic diseases,
      bone disorders in childhood, and the association of endocrinopathies and
      musculoskeletal symptoms.

PMID- 1419510
TI  - Heritable disorders of connective tissue and disability and chronic disease in
      childhood.
AB  - The heritable disorders of connective tissue encompass a broad range of diseases,
      many of which occur in childhood and present to the pediatric rheumatologist's
      attention. The underlying theme of these disorders is fragility of connective
      tissue components such as bone, cartilage, and blood vessels. Over the past few
      years, investigations of patients with the major forms of heritable disorders of
      connective tissue, osteogenesis imperfecta, Marfan syndrome, and Ehlers-Danlos
      syndrome have revealed genetic mutations of collagen genes as the cause of the
      diseases. Review of the newest genetic information in these three disorders is
      presented. The rheumatic disorders of childhood present a paradigm for the
      effects of chronic disease on children and families. New work, discussed in this
      review, continues to suggest changes in psychosocial adaptation in children with
      chronic rheumatic diseases and their families, but these data are conflicting.
      The development of arthritis impact measures may help workers in pediatric
      rheumatology care to have a broader and more in-depth understanding of the effect
      of this chronic disease on functioning, psychosocial development, and family and
      peer interactions.

PMID- 1419511
TI  - Musculoskeletal tumors in childhood.
AB  - As treatment strategies improve, the ability to cure children with
      musculoskeletal tumors is growing. The stage of a given malignancy, representing
      the degree of spread of the tumor to its local surroundings or distant sites, is
      the best predictor of long-term survival. Unfortunately, the insidious nature of
      the presentation of these tumors leads to their late recognition in advanced
      stages. This review will present scenarios suggesting the need for consideration
      of malignancy in the differential diagnosis of clinical problems related to the
      musculoskeletal system. Pitfalls in diagnosis and therapeutic approaches will
      also be discussed.

PMID- 1419513
TI  - Systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren's syndrome.

PMID- 1419514
TI  - Pediatric and heritable disorders.

PMID- 1419512
TI  - Pain of musculoskeletal origin in children.
AB  - Pain in infants and children may be manifest by deformity, altered function, or
      discomfort. These manifestations are highly age related. Pseudoparalysis may be
      the only manifestation of septic arthritis of the hip in the neonate; a limp is
      often the presenting complaint in Perthes' disease, and scoliosis may be the
      primary manifestation of a herniated disc in an adolescent. New imaging methods
      aid in diagnosis. Ultrasound is helpful in assessing joint effusions; bone scans
      localize the cause of a limp; and magnetic resonance imaging shows spinal cord
      and root lesions. The traditional methods of assessment have not been replaced.
      History and physical examination are most essential to provide a rational basis
      on which to select the appropriate imaging study.

PMID- 1419515
TI  - [Surgery of laparocele].

PMID- 1419516
TI  - [Surgical treatment of post-thyroidectomy laryngeal paralysis].
AB  - A not infrequent complication of thyroid surgery is laryngeal nerve palsy with
      transitory or permanent deficiency of cordal motility. A very frequent cause of
      this condition is total thyroidectomy. Peripheral mono-or bilateral palsy in
      these cases may either occur, in adduction or abduction, and be complete or not
      complete. Therefore, different strategies in order to restore respiratory and
      phonatory functions are required. The Authors describe the main
      otorhinolaryngologic procedures used for the surgical treatment of laryngeal
      palsy, particularly for bilateral adducted ones. Their 10-year experience is also
      reported.

PMID- 1419517
TI  - [Therapeutic trends in adrenal incidentaloma].
AB  - The term incidentally discovered adrenal mass or incidentaloma includes several
      tumors, mainly benign, involving the adrenal space. From 1983 to 1990, at the 1st
      Surgical Department of the Careggi Hospital of Florence, 10 patients (8 females
      and 2 males), with age ranging from 31 to 66 years, were found to have an
      incidentaloma. The size of the mass ranged from 2 to 10 cms; the left side was
      interested in 2 cases and the right one in 8 cases. The first diagnostic approach
      was abdominal ultrasound scanning in 8 out of 10 patients, whereas computerized
      tomography was the first used in the remaining 2 patients. Overall, all patients
      underwent CT scanning, while abdominal ultrasound scanning was performed in 9,
      urography in 2, and MNR in 1. Fine needle aspiration was performed in one case of
      adrenal cyst both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The Authors suggest a
      therapeutic-diagnostic program in which cytology, obtained through fine needle
      aspiration, may have a prominent role in reducing the need for surgical
      interventions, as it recently happened for thyroid disorders. Although
      technically more complex compared to thyroid fine needle aspiration, adrenal
      ultrasound-guided FNA may bring to a better classification of the different
      adrenal disorders reducing at the same time the need for surgery, which at
      present has a prevalent diagnostic intent.

PMID- 1419518
TI  - [Carcinoma of the splenic flexure].
AB  - The Authors report their experience in the management of 25 cancers of the
      splenic flexure corresponding to 4.8% of large bowel cancers overall observed.
      Twelve patients underwent elective surgery consisting in a left hemicolectomy,
      which in 1 of the 12 cases required an associated distal splenopancreatectomy.
      Operative mortality was null, whereas morbidity involved 1 case of anastomotic
      dehiscence. Thirteen patients presenting with complete obstruction underwent
      emergency surgery: a two-stage resection with primary colostomy was performed in
      5 cases, a sub-total colectomy with one-stage ileo-rectal anastomosis or ileo
      sigmoid anastomosis was performed in 8 cases. In this last group of 8 patients
      mortality rate was 12.5% (1 pt.) and diarrhoea was the most important sequela. On
      this regard the Authors point out the opportunity to perform an ileo
      sigmoidostomy, which reduces the incidence of such complication.

PMID- 1419519
TI  - [Cystic tumors of the pancreas: a case of cystadenocarcinoma of the pancreatic
      head].
AB  - Cystic tumors of the pancreas are important, although rare, lesions representing
      nearly 1% of all neoplasms and 10-15% of pancreatic cysts. The Authors compare
      clinical data of the case observed with those reported in literature. The
      described case confirms the peculiar characteristics of pancreatic mucinous
      cystoadenomas: slow growth, not specific symptoms, poor trend to give local or
      distant metastases, difficult preoperative differential diagnosis and satisfying
      oncological resection. Taking into account these parameters and the potential
      malignant evolution of such tumors, the Authors underline the importance of a
      radical surgical therapy.

PMID- 1419520
TI  - [Emergency endoscopic sphincterotomy in acute lithiasic cholangitis].
AB  - Emergency endoscopic sphincterotomy in acute cholangitis for bile duct stones
      should be the first choice treatment in patients with and without gallbladder. In
      fact, emergency surgery carries higher mortality and morbidity rates. Urgent
      biliary drainage, easily and quickly obtainable by endoscopy is the major goal.
      Bile duct stone clearance can be attempted subsequently, when the patient general
      conditions are stable. Elective open surgery can be performed thereafter, if
      indicated, with less risk. This experience is clearly shown by many surgical and
      endoscopic, mainly retrospective, studies.

PMID- 1419521
TI  - [New trends in the diagnosis of Crohn's disease].
AB  - The Authors in reviewing the diagnostic techniques commonly used in Crohn's
      disease, focus their attention on Indium-111 scanning. The method seems useful,
      not only to point out the complications of the disease (stenosis, abscess,
      fistula) but especially for the follow up of patients after surgery with early
      diagnosis of a possible relapse.

PMID- 1419522
TI  - [Revascularization of distal arteries of the leg: critical considerations on more
      than 2000 cases reported in the literature].
AB  - The Authors review the results of more than 2000 cases of lower extremity
      revascularization, treated from 1969 to 1991 and reported in the literature. They
      evaluate indications, contraindications and results at 12 and 24 months from
      operation performed with saphenous vein "in situ" and reversed. Finally they
      stress the greater reliability of by-passes performed with "in situ" saphenous
      vein graft.

PMID- 1419523
TI  - Existing and emerging foodborne diseases.
AB  - Foodborne diseases, i.e. illnesses due to contaminated food, are one of the most
      widespread problems of the contemporary world. They are toxic or infectious by
      nature and are caused by agents which enter the body through the ingestion of
      contaminated food or water. These agents can be chemical like pesticide residues
      and toxic metals or biological like pathogenic microorganisms. Foods contaminated
      by biological agents are, however, the major cause of foodborne disease. Data
      recorded in different countries show that the incidence of some of these diseases
      has increased dramatically over the past few years, but because of under
      reporting the data are of limited value and cannot be compared between countries.
      In most countries, individual cases of illness are usually not reported. A
      sentinel surveillance system, started as a pilot study in the Netherlands, was
      shown to be feasible for the registration of some foodborne infections. Based on
      this study, it can be estimated that each year Salmonella and Campylobacter cause
      respectively about 12,000 and 25,000 cases of acute enteritis per million. Case
      control studies clearly implicate poultry products as an important source of
      acute enteritis. New developments in food production and changing trends in food
      consumption lead to the emergence of new hazards. Additionally, because the
      population is aging and there has been an increase in the number of individuals
      with underlying diseases, the state of public health is deteriorating.
      Campylobacter, Salmonella enteritidis and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli are
      examples of microorganisms that have the opportunity to increase as a consequence
      of intensive husbandry. Listeria monocytogenes is an example of an organism that
      causes disease in immunosuppressed individuals.

PMID- 1419524
TI  - The economic impact of poultry-borne salmonellosis: how much should be spent on
      prophylaxis?
AB  - Foodborne salmonellosis constitutes a major health problem in many countries.
      Moreover, the costs associated with salmonellosis could be considerable. There
      are thus strong arguments for preventive efforts. Ambitious, often government
      sponsored, programmes aimed at preventing and controlling salmonellosis in for
      instance, poultry production represent one alternative to lower salmonellosis
      related illness and economic costs. On the other hand, such comprehensive
      programmes are rather resource-demanding. From the economic point of view the key
      problem is to find the optimal level for prophylactic measures. The purpose of
      this study is to compare two different approaches to preventing poultry-borne
      salmonellosis among humans. We identify and compare the economic costs of illness
      due to poultry-borne salmonellosis and the costs of salmonella control in England
      and Wales and Sweden, respectively. An alternative option is then introduced: the
      concept of competitive exclusion (CE). Our results show that the cost of illness
      constitutes the major part of the total cost in England and Wales, whereas in
      Sweden, the control cost amounts to 95% of the total cost. By using the CE
      concept, the cost of illness due to poultry-borne salmonellosis in England and
      Wales could be reduced by at least GB pound 12.6 million. These advantages apply
      to individuals, producers, and to society, and we thus conclude that the CE
      concept is a very cost-effective way of using scarce resources.

PMID- 1419525
TI  - Control of Salmonella in poultry in Great Britain.

PMID- 1419526
TI  - A voluntary Salmonella control programme for the broiler industry, implemented by
      the Danish Poultry Council.
AB  - In the light of data and experience gained over the last two decades, initiatives
      made to combat and control Salmonella in the Danish broiler industry are
      described and the results obtained so far are discussed. The main elements
      include evaluation of the establishments, procedures and processes used,
      including bacteriological assessment, advice and guidance, routine
      bacteriological monitoring, and also research. Results obtained are used in the
      control of breeding stock, parent stock, hatcheries, broiler farms,
      slaughterhouses, feedmills and transport systems.

PMID- 1419527
TI  - Problems of Salmonella sampling.
AB  - Modern husbandry practices, regional concentration of the industry, high stocking
      densities, uniform age-distribution of birds and continuous feeding promote the
      spread of poultry diseases. Moreover, the immature state of the intestinal
      microflora or disturbance of the developing flora by antibiotics increases
      susceptibility of chicks to salmonellas. If an estimate of the number of
      salmonella-positive birds in a flock is needed, then the required number of
      samples can be assessed by using the binomial distribution function. Whenever a
      qualitative result is sufficient, the samples can be pooled or the flock litter
      can be sampled using an 'overshoe method', which is a novel, low-cost and rapid
      technique. An optimal pooling factor can be assessed at low prevalence levels
      (less than 10%). Serological methods will only detect the presence of antibodies
      to invasive strains of Salmonella. The sampling interval depends on the strategy
      of the Salmonella Control Programme. Breeder flocks should be sampled more
      frequently than meat flocks and laying flocks. The new salmonella standard, ISO
      6579-1990, is applicable in the poultry industry. When bacterial numbers are
      likely to be low, or the organisms in a stressed condition, a pre-enrichment step
      should be included. In the case of faecal samples, however, pre-enrichment should
      be omitted. A whole carcass rinsing and massaging method is preferred for the
      examination of finished carcasses.

PMID- 1419528
TI  - The competitive exclusion concept: development and future.
AB  - The origin of the competitive exclusion (CE) concept in controlling a Salmonella
      infantis outbreak in poultry in 1971 and the subsequent development of a
      commercial treatment product are described. The possible role of CE in salmonella
      control, current status of the concept and theories relating to the bacteria
      involved and mechanisms of protection are reviewed. Some observations are made on
      the need for methodological development and possibilities for extending the scope
      of CE to other pathogens and types of domestic animal.

PMID- 1419529
TI  - Competitive exclusion in the young bird: challenge models, administration and
      reciprocal protection.
AB  - The competitive exclusion (CE) concept has been tested against both non-invasive
      and invasive salmonella serotypes. Studies with different challenge models
      indicate that CE treatment is likely to protect the young bird against all
      serotypes that are capable of intestinal colonization. Spray or 'droplet'
      application of the CE-treatment material was compared with administration in the
      first drinking water. Both methods gave a similar degree of protection against
      Salmonella infantis. A study was made to compare protection of newly hatched
      chicks and turkey poults by the one commercial CE product Broilact, and two
      similar preparations involving intestinal microorganisms from an adult turkey.
      Each preparation protected both avian species when administered orally prior to
      challenge, but the degree of protection obtained varied with the type of
      preparation and its host origin.

PMID- 1419530
TI  - Defined cultures and prospects.
AB  - Resistance of young chicks to Salmonella colonization can be increased by
      treating them with suspensions or anaerobic cultures of gut content from healthy,
      adult birds. Unfortunately, such treatments have an unknown bacterial composition
      and are therefore not acceptable to regulatory agencies in some countries.
      Efforts are continuing to identify components in the gut microflora that are
      involved in the protective process. The ultimate aim is to identify bacteria that
      may be used, either alone or in mixtures (defined cultures), as a prophylactic
      treatment of chicks against Salmonella colonization. Although much research has
      been done in this area, a defined culture treatment with a potency and stability
      equivalent to that of undefined culture has not been developed. Since the
      mechanism of protection is not clear, there are no reliable criteria for
      selecting potentially protective strains. The most effective mixtures contain
      large numbers of bacterial cultures (about 50 isolates). These mixtures are
      comparable to undefined faecal cultures in protecting chicks against challenge
      levels of up to 10(4) Salmonella/chick. However, they are not protective for
      turkey poults. Mixtures containing lower number of strains are generally less
      protective. It appears that obligate and facultative anaerobes from different
      genera are required for protection. Mixtures containing strains from only one
      genus, e.g. Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium, are generally not effective.
      Maintenance of intestinal isolates on laboratory media, as well as in storage at 
      70 degrees C, results in a progressive decrease in their protective ability. The
      protective ability of mixtures or individual strains can be partially restored by
      in vivo passage. A promising criterion for isolating and/or screening potentially
      protective isolates is based on the adherence of native microflora to the caecal
      wall of treated chicks. Despite substantial efforts and some progress in the
      development of defined cultures, the prospects are not very encouraging. Until
      the exact mechanism of protection is elucidated, the basis for selecting the
      required strains will be difficult to define.

PMID- 1419531
TI  - Competitive exclusion of campylobacters from poultry with K-bacteria and
      Broilact.
AB  - The competitive exclusion (CE) product (Broilact) which is effective against
      Salmonellas, was found to be inactive against campylobacters. Microecological
      concepts were applied in the search of a new competitive flora and two novel
      strains ('K-bacteria') were isolated. These strains resembled campylobacters but
      differed from them in morphology, enzyme profiles (API), cellular fatty acid
      profiles and when tested with a ribosomal RNA hybridization probe (Gene-Trak).
      Two-week laboratory trials on broiler chickens showed that CE treatment may
      protect the birds against campylobacters but revealed the need for facultatively
      anaerobic bacteria in establishing a protective flora. A 5-week pilot scale trial
      was carried out. The trial involved 1800 newly hatched chicks in 30 groups. K
      bacteria and Broilact, which provided the necessary facultatively anaerobic
      bacteria, were administered to some of the birds in the first drinking water. A
      seeder bird technique was used to challenge experimental and control birds with
      Campylobacter jejuni biotype 2 (broiler origin). Three seeder birds were placed
      in each group of 60 birds. Groups were sampled weekly for campylobacters and
      finally at the slaughterhouse. From each group, the caecal contents of two birds
      were examined quantitatively for campylobacters. The performance of the birds was
      also monitored during the trial. The results showed a 1.5 week delay in the onset
      of campylobacter infection in treated chicks and a consistently lower level of
      colonization in comparison with control birds. At slaughter, levels of carriage
      in caecal contents of treated birds were 1.5-2.0 log10 units lower than those of
      controls, despite apparent stress from harvesting and transportation. The
      treatment had no economically important effects on the performance of the birds
      during rearing.

PMID- 1419532
TI  - Antimicrobials and competitive exclusion.
AB  - The compatibility of commonly used antimicrobial feed additives with CE treatment
      are examined. It appears that additives permitted in the U.K. are without effect
      on CE, with the possible exception of avoparcin. However, a sharp difference has
      been found with the effect of antimicrobials on CE treatment cultures in vitro,
      and the in vivo effect; and it is postulated that these differences may be
      accounted for by the fact that the substances may not be 'caecum available' in
      the bird. When effects are observed in the bird they appear to be largely due to
      dose variation. In the case of adult birds already infected with Salmonella, the
      time lapse between completion of antimicrobial treatment and the administration
      of Broilact will be examined; as well as the selection of appropriate
      antimicrobial treatment in infected birds prior to the administration of
      replacement microflora.

PMID- 1419533
TI  - Long-term experience with competitive exclusion and salmonellas in Finland.
AB  - Poultry production is under strict official control in Finland. Fifteen years
      after the introduction of 'competitive exclusion' treatment the majority of
      growers (over 70%) use it routinely. The number of Salmonella-positive flocks is
      less than 5% and the incidence of Salmonella-contaminated broiler carcasses has
      been 5-11% in the last two years. The average number of Salmonella cells on
      contaminated carcasses is very low, generally less than 5 per carcass. Between 70
      and 80% of human Salmonella infections are contracted abroad, mainly outside the
      Nordic countries. It is estimated that only 15-20% of some 1200 cases of domestic
      origin are caused by contaminated poultry.

PMID- 1419534
TI  - Experience of a 10-year use of competitive exclusion treatment as part of the
      Salmonella control programme in Sweden.
AB  - In Sweden, competitive exclusion (CE) treatment has been used since 1981 as a
      part of the national control programme for Salmonella. According to the programme
      all broiler flocks are tested for Salmonella before slaughter thus providing an
      evaluation of CE treatment. The CE culture used is mainly for the two consecutive
      flocks raised in a unit after a Salmonella-infected flock has been identified.
      During the period 1981-1990 Ce culture has been given to 179 flocks, involving
      3.82 million chickens. Only one of the treated flocks was found to be Salmonella
      positive. A special study during a period when Salmonella was spread by
      contaminated feed demonstrated that CE treatment was effective in controlling
      Salmonella under field conditions. A likely contributory factor is that the
      hatcheries in Sweden can be claimed to be Salmonella-free. In addition, the
      control programme and related action, have led to a very low incidence of
      Salmonella in broiler chickens. A nationwide study carried out in 1990
      demonstrated that less than 1% of broiler chickens was contaminated with
      Salmonella after slaughter.

PMID- 1419535
TI  - The use of an antimicrobial and competitive exclusion combination in Salmonella
      infected pullet flocks.
AB  - Replacement pullets which had been found infected with Salmonella were treated
      with antibiotics for 12 days, moved to a clean house by the 11th day and given 2
      treatments with a competitive exclusion (CE) preparation on the 13th and 15th
      day. It was found necessary to supply a small amount of feed to generate a thirst
      in the birds and ensure efficient and rapid consumption of the CE preparation.
      Salmonella could not be grown from the intestines or other organs of birds after
      this procedure had been carried out.

PMID- 1419536
TI  - Use of a competitive exclusion product (Broilact) to prevent Salmonella
      colonization of newly hatched chicks.
AB  - The study described here was carried out at the request of a French company to
      utilize the authors' experience of 'competitive exclusion' treatment for poultry.
      The objective of the study was to determinate the safety and efficacy of a
      particular treatment product (Broilact) in protecting chicks against Salmonella
      infection.

PMID- 1419537
TI  - Prevention of colonization by Salmonella enteritidis PT4 in broiler chickens.
AB  - Field experiments in The Netherlands and in Scandinavian countries have shown
      that an undefined microflora originating from SPF adult poultry will reduce
      considerably the colonization of young chicks by Salmonella. A commercial product
      from this so-called Nurmi concept, Broilact, was studied for its effectiveness in
      preventing infection of broilers with Salmonella enteritidis PT4 (S.e.). Two
      trials were carried out, in which the birds were exposed to S.e. via 'seeder'
      birds placed among them. The trial period was 21 days and each week one third of
      the chicks was killed and their caecal contents examined for salmonellas. The
      results of the first trial can be summarized as follows. (1) After 2 weeks the
      number of 'seeder' birds carrying the Salmonella decreased sharply; (2) the
      proportion of infected chicks in the Broilact-treated group was lower than in the
      non-treated group; (3) Counts of S.e. in the non-treated group were higher than
      in the Broilact group. Results of the second trial were comparable, although no
      salmonellas could be isolated after the second week.

PMID- 1419539
TI  - Survey of thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. and Yersinia spp. in three surface
      water sources in Norway.
AB  - We investigated the occurrence of thermotolerant Campylobacter and Yersinia spp.
      in three surface water sources in Norway which represented different levels of
      pollution and eutrophication. Samples were collected every fortnight during a 14
      month period. In addition, samples from 100 private wells were examined for
      campylobacters only. Campylobacter was recovered from 42 (43.8%) of the 96
      samples of surface water, whereas Yersinia spp. were isolated from four (4.2%) of
      the samples. Campylobacter was not isolated from the well water samples. The
      highest isolation rate of Campylobacter was obtained from the two most polluted
      water sources. The proportion of positive samples was significantly higher in the
      autumn (71.4%) than in the spring (36.4%) or summer (22.2%). The highest overall
      isolation rate was obtained at water temperatures ranging from 2.1 to 8.0 degrees
      C, and the lowest at temperatures greater than 15 degrees C. Logistic regression
      analysis showed a highly significant relationship between the prevalence of
      Campylobacter and the number of three types of indicator bacteria: faecal
      coliforms, faecal streptococci and sulphite-reducing clostridia. Of the 60
      Campylobacter isolates obtained, 51.7% belonged to C. jejuni biotype 1, 20.0%
      belonged to C. jejuni biotype 2, 21.7% to C. coli, 3.3% to C. lari and 3.3% were
      non-typable. All four Yersinia isolates were non-pathogenic variants.

PMID- 1419540
TI  - Behavior of Listeria monocytogenes during processing and storage of
      experimentally contaminated hot-smoked trout.
AB  - Hot-smoked fish like smoked trout is quite frequently contaminated with Listeria
      monocytogenes. In order to estimate the potential health hazard for the consumer
      eating such products, the behavior of L. monocytogenes was studied during
      processing and storage of artificially-inoculated hot-smoked trout. Four trials
      were performed; in trials 1 and 3 a wild-type strain was used, while in trials 2
      and 4 a serological reference strain, SLCC 2755, was used. In the first two
      trials, raw trout was surface inoculated with L. monocytogenes, marinated, hot
      smoked (core temperature 65 degrees C during 20 min), and stored at 4 and 8-10
      degrees C, respectively, for up to 20 days. At different times during processing
      and storage, samples were taken and, by means of a MPN-method, quantitatively
      analysed for L. monocytogenes. The initial Listeria levels in the trout were
      10(6) MPN/g. Until smoking, the concentrations remained about the same. After the
      hot-smoking process and during storage, however, L. monocytogenes could no longer
      be detected. In trials 3 and 4, the trout were inoculated after hot-smoking at a
      final concentration of 4.5 x 10(1) MPN/g and 3.1 x 10(1) MPN/g, respectively.
      During storage at 4 degrees C, neither an increase nor a decrease of L.
      monocytogenes was observed. At 8-10 degrees C, however, a significant increase up
      to 10(7) MPN/g occurred. By hot-smoking, low level contaminations of raw fish
      with L. monocytogenes will easily be eliminated. Nevertheless, it is of great
      importance to prevent postprocessing contamination, because during storage at
      refrigeration temperatures growth of L. monocytogenes is possible.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419538
TI  - Evaluation of the efficacy of Broilact in preventing infection of broiler chicks
      with Salmonella enteritidis PT4.
AB  - A study was conducted to evaluate treatment of day-old broiler chicks with
      Broilact, a live-culture preparation, for preventing intestinal colonization by a
      non-host-specific Salmonella (S. enteritidis PT4, with high resistance to
      nalidixic acid). Newly hatched broiler chicks were sprayed with Broilact at a
      commercial hatchery and delivered on the same day to Huntingdon Research Centre.
      Control chicks from the same source (i.e. chicks not treated with Broilact) were
      sent separately. Chicks were maintained in floor pens in groups of 40. The
      challenge was introduced by means of seeder birds infected with S. enteritidis
      PT4 (nalr) at a nominal dose level of 10(4) CFU per bird (3 seeder birds per pen
      of 40 contact birds). Groups of birds were killed 7, 28 and 40 days after
      challenge, and in each case caecal contents were examined culturally for the test
      organism. A total of 18 deaths occurred including 13 untreated contact birds, 3
      Broilact-treated contact birds and 2 seeder birds. These were attributed to the
      experimental infection. Results of the examination of caecal contents from
      untreated control birds indicated that the challenge organism was successfully
      established in contact chicks via the seeder birds. The overall results for birds
      treated with Broilact showed a clear protective effect, with little indication of
      any significant infection by the challenge organism. It was concluded therefore
      that under the conditions of this study, Broilact was largely effective in
      preventing intestinal colonization by the non-host-specific s. enteritidis PT4.

PMID- 1419541
TI  - Infectivity of Toxoplasma gondii in mutton following curing, smoking, freezing or
      microwave cooking.
AB  - To investigate the effects of curing with sodium chloride and sucrose, low
      temperature smoking, freezing at -20 degrees C, and cooking in a microwave oven,
      respectively, on the infectivity of Toxoplasma gondii encysted in mutton, meat
      from three experimentally and one naturally infected sheep was used. Samples of
      meat prepared accordingly as well as untreated, raw meat from each animal were
      assayed by mouse inoculation. Infective T. gondii was isolated from untreated
      samples from all animals used, but in no case from cured, smoked or frozen meat.
      However, in two of four steaks processed in a microwave oven, according to a
      standard household recipe, the parasite remained infective, possibly due to
      uneven heating of the meat.

PMID- 1419542
TI  - Glucose and sucrose fermenting capacity of homofermentative lactic acid bacteria
      used as starters in fermented salads.
AB  - Salads, i.e., vegetables and/or meat in an oil-in-water emulsion with a low pH
      due to the addition of acids, are popular in western countries. The shelf life of
      these salads is influenced mainly by storage temperature and the use of
      preservatives, i.e., sorbic and benzoic acid. Lactic acid fermentation could be
      an interesting novel approach to salad preparation. As part of an investigation
      on fermented salads, lactic acid bacteria from the genera Lactobacillus,
      Pediococcus and Streptococcus were screened for their capacity to ferment glucose
      and sucrose in a model system and in a standard salad. The temperature optimum of
      these strains was in the range of 34-48 degrees C. Most of these strains produced
      about equal amounts of L(+)- and D(-)-lactic acid. To determine the specific
      sugar fermenting capacity (mmol lactic acid produced per min per g dry weight) of
      non-growing cells of lactic acid bacteria, a semi-automated model system was
      used, based on monitoring the pH decrease in a phosphate buffer during conversion
      of sugars to lactic acid. The strains tested showed acid production rates on
      glucose varying between 0.03 and 0.39 mmol of acid produced per min per g dry
      weight (average 0.23). These glucose-grown cells showed varying, but lower
      fermentation rates on sucrose (0-0.25 mmol/min/g d.w., average 0.04) than sucrose
      grown cells (0-0.33 mmol/min/g d.w., average 0.19). Results obtained with the
      model system were in good agreement with those of fermentation tests, carried out
      with a standard salad. Inhibition of spoilage bacteria in the standard salad
      could be achieved by using starter cultures with high fermenting capacity.

PMID- 1419543
TI  - Simple and economical culture of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in
      CO2 in moist air.
AB  - Strains of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli representing the 18 serogroups (Lior)
      most commonly isolated from humans in Canada were grown on solid media in an
      atmosphere of 10% CO2 in moist air, 99% relative humidity. When the growth of all
      18 serogroups on Mueller Hinton agar in a microaerobic atmosphere (5% O2, 10% CO2
      and 85% N2) was compared with the growth of all 18 serogroups on the same media
      in 10% CO2 in moist air, colony sizes were significantly larger (p less than
      0.05) for strains grown in 10% CO2 in moist air. No significant difference in
      colony numbers was seen between the two atmospheres. The addition of blood to the
      media significantly enhanced the growth of the campylobacters in both types of
      atmospheres (p less than 0.05). This simple CO2 atmosphere permitted the use of a
      common CO2 incubator thereby reducing the cost and difficulty of culturing these
      organisms.

PMID- 1419544
TI  - Growth of fermentative and non-fermentative yeasts in natural yoghurt, stored in
      polystyrene cartons.
AB  - Permeation of oxygen through polystyrene packaging is a factor in the growth of
      yeasts in natural yoghurt. Diffusion of oxygen through the packaging material can
      permit the growth of non-fermentative yeasts in yoghurt stored at refrigeration
      temperatures. Yarrowia lipolytica, a non-fermentative yeasts which does not
      utilize lactose was isolated from yoghurt. The growth in natural yoghurt of
      Yarrowia lipolytica and the lactose-fermenting yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus was
      investigated. Both yeasts grew in yoghurt with reduced fat content. Storage of
      yoghurt in an anaerobic atmosphere eliminated growth of Yarrowia lipolytica but
      permitted fermentative growth of Kluyveromyces marxianus.

PMID- 1419545
TI  - An audit of trauma deaths in Newcastle upon Tyne.
AB  - The TRISS methodology was applied to identify unexpected trauma deaths during a
      one-year period. Out of a total of 104 deaths, 50 were hospital deaths (M =
      0.6837). Twelve (27%) of these deaths were judged to be unexpected, ie, had a
      probability of survival (Ps) > or = 0.50 (Z = +4.80). Those deaths deemed to be
      unexpected were subject to further analysis. The implications of these findings
      are discussed.

PMID- 1419546
TI  - A survey of head injuries in a general hospital.
AB  - This paper reports the incidence of head injuries as patients attended a general
      hospital Accident & Emergency Department. The survey was carried out over a
      twelve-month period. The Accident & Emergency Department of Luton & Dunstable
      Hospital sees approximately 60,000 new patients every year. It is situated in
      close proximity to the M1 motorway and other major road systems. Facilities are
      available on site for computerised tomography from Monday to Friday between 9:00
      am and 5:00 pm. At other times, if it is considered necessary after consultations
      with our neurosurgical colleagues, they are referred to the Royal Free Hospital,
      30 miles away.

PMID- 1419547
TI  - Childhood chronic renal failure in Qatar.
AB  - Thirty children below the age of 12 with chronic renal failure (CRF) were
      studied. In 21 patients (70%) the renal failure was secondary to congenital or
      familial aetiology. Obstructive uropathy (53.3%), mostly due to posterior
      urethral valves (40%), comprised the majority of cases. Four cases (13.3%) were
      secondary to reflux nephropathy. It is concluded that the majority of cases of
      CRF in the state of Qatar are secondary to potentially treatable or preventable
      conditions. Use of antenatal ultrasonography combined with aggressive management
      of obstruction and urine infection may help reduce morbidity and mortality.

PMID- 1419548
TI  - Fluvoxamine in the treatment of depressive illness. A series of double-blind
      hospital based comparative studies carried out in the UK.
AB  - A series of double-blind hospital based studies comparing fluvoxamine with other
      antidepressants in depressed patients is reviewed. Overall there were no
      significant differences in terms of efficacy between fluvoxamine and the
      comparators (amitriptyline, dothiepin, lofepramine and mianserin). Fluvoxamine
      was shown to be associated with a low incidence of anticholinergic,
      cardiovascular or sedative effects. This profile of activity, together with low
      toxicity in overdosage, has established the place of fluvoxamine in the treatment
      of depressive illness.

PMID- 1419549
TI  - Comparative efficacy and tolerability of cephradine and cefuroxime axetil in the
      treatment of acute dysuria and/or frequency in general practice.
AB  - One hundred and thirteen patients with dysuria and/or frequency were treated
      randomly with either 500 mg cephradine 12-hourly or 125 mg cefuroxime axetil 12
      hourly, for seven days. A total of 71 patients were found to have urinary
      infection: bacteriological cure rates were 97% one week post-treatment, and 96%
      five weeks post-treatment, for both antibiotics. On direct questioning, adverse
      events were reported by eight patients out of 59 taking cephradine and by three
      of 54 who had received cefuroxime axetil. However, only three and one
      respectively stopped taking the antibiotic due to the adverse event. Analysis of
      diary cards, completed by 109 patients, showed a significantly higher incidence
      of increased frequency of bowel movements in those taking cefuroxime axetil. It
      is concluded that both antibiotics are of equal value in the treatment of simple
      acute urinary infections in general practice.

PMID- 1419550
TI  - Doctors' knowledge of socio-legal aspects of patient care.
AB  - Doctors' knowledge of socio-legal aspects of patient care is poor. To quantify
      this a questionnaire on certain socio-legal topics was sent to 400 general
      practitioners and 250 hospital doctors. The responses were compared to a group of
      social workers. Both hospital doctors and general practitioners did badly on all
      topics considered. Social workers' knowledge was significantly better overall, (P
      < 0.01). Our results confirm the lack of knowledge amongst a broad spectrum of
      doctors. We suggest that this may be related to a lack of emphasis on these
      aspects in both undergraduate and postgraduate education.

PMID- 1419551
TI  - Ofloxacin versus trimethoprim and co-trimoxazole in the treatment of
      uncomplicated urinary tract infection in general practice.
AB  - A large-scale, randomised, multicentre single-blind clinical trial was conducted
      to assess the comparative efficacy and tolerance of ofloxacin, trimethoprim and
      co-trimoxazole in the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infection in
      general practice. A total of 1,069 patients from 76 centres across the UK were
      enrolled in the study, and randomised to one of the following treatment groups:
      ofloxacin (200 mg od), trimethoprim (200 mg bd) or co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim
      160 mg and sulphamethoxazole 800 mg bd). Each patient received five days of
      medication. Clinically, ofloxacin was as effective as trimethoprim and co
      trimoxazole. However, the bacteriological cure rate was significantly better for
      ofloxacin, with eradication of the initial causative pathogen by the end of
      treatment in 92% of patients in the ofloxacin group, compared with 81% for
      trimethoprim and co-trimoxazole (P = 0.0002). There was also a lower relapse rate
      for ofloxacin. Ofloxacin was well tolerated: adverse events were reported by 67
      (12.4%) patients in the ofloxacin group, compared with 48 (18.7%) patients in the
      co-trimoxazole group and 37 (13.6%) patients in the trimethoprim group. Ofloxacin
      can therefore be considered a suitable alternative for the treatment of
      uncomplicated urinary tract infection.

PMID- 1419552
TI  - Sleep apnoea: causes, consequences and treatment.
AB  - An awakening has taken place over the last 25 years to the science of sleep
      disorders. Foremost amongst these, both in the medical world and the public eye,
      has been Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (SAS). The prevalence is thought to be the order
      of 1-2%. Males are eight times more commonly affected than females, although
      after the menopause the gap narrows considerably. Sleep apnoea occurs in
      children, usually in relation to large tonsils and adenoids, but in adult life
      patients usually present between the age of 40 and 60 and the prevalence
      increases with age. Numerous apnoeas or hypopnoeas during the night's sleep
      result in disordered sleep architecture and unrefreshing sleep. This is usually
      accompanied by night-long snoring which may lead to marital discord and even
      complaints from neighbours. Symptoms on waking may be a headache and a feeling of
      not being refreshed by sleep. Sleepiness during the day can interfere with work
      and social activities and may produce risks to the patient and others if it
      occurs while operating dangerous machinery or driving. Over a longer time scale
      SAS results in intellectual and memory deterioration, a higher incidence of
      ischaemic heart disease, hypertension, polycythemia and pulmonary hypertension.
      Right heart failure is particularly likely if there is chronic airflow
      obstruction contributing to a low arterial oxygen level. Asystolic periods and
      tachyarrhythmias may occur during apnoeic periods. The increased mortality of SAS
      relates to coronary and cerebrovascular disease and arrhythmias. Sudden death
      occurs with greater frequency in patients with SAS, mainly at night.

PMID- 1419553
TI  - Coronary intervention: where are we now?
AB  - Coronary interventional techniques are used widely in the treatment of patients
      with coronary artery disease. With modern dilatation equipment the angiographic
      success rate of coronary balloon angioplasty may exceed 90%, but complications
      due to acute coronary occlusion may require emergency coronary artery bypass
      surgery (2-4%), or result in acute myocardial infarction (2-5%) or in-hospital
      death (0-2%). In most patient groups the long-term outcome of successful coronary
      angioplasty is good, but restenosis of a successfully dilated stenosis occurs in
      about 30% of cases, necessitating re-intervention in a significant proportion of
      patients. Other interventional methods of treating coronary artery stenosis,
      including directional and rotational coronary atherectomy, endoluminal stenting,
      and laser angioplasty, have been used in preliminary clinical studies. The acute
      results of these techniques are encouraging but the restenosis rate remains high
      and the long-term results are uncertain. The results of randomised clinical
      trials comparing coronary interventional techniques with alternative treatment
      methods are awaited.

PMID- 1419555
TI  - Conservative therapy for tennis elbow.
AB  - Tennis elbow is a common overuse syndrome. It is accompanied by degenerative
      changes in the enthesis of the extensor carpi radialis brevis muscle. It may be
      best diagnosed clinically by eliminating other possible causes of lateral elbow
      pain. Physical methods should always be selected as initial treatment.
      Immobilisation is the initial advice that most doctors give: ultrasound has been
      shown to be effective in a placebo-controlled, double-blind trial, and low energy
      laser has been found to reduce objective but not subjective symptoms. Other forms
      of physical treatment like electrotherapy, thermotherapy and massages can be
      tried, even though proof of their efficacy needs to be established more firmly.
      When physical treatments have failed, steroid injections can help. If symptoms
      still persist, then surgery is called for. There are still many open questions
      surrounding the syndrome of tennis elbow. Research into this common soft tissue
      disease should be intensified.

PMID- 1419554
TI  - Ectopic pregnancy: epidemiology, advances in diagnosis and management.

PMID- 1419556
TI  - Which calcium channel blocker for ischaemic heart disease?
AB  - Calcium channel blockers have been available since the early 1960s. Extensive
      research has been undertaken to evaluate their usefulness in the treatment of
      patients with ischaemic heart disease. We have reviewed the pharmacology of these
      drugs and the major clinical trials. In particular, we have examined the effect
      of calcium channel blockers on the progression of atheroma, and their role in the
      following clinical settings: following myocardial infarction, following non-Q
      wave myocardial infarction, and in unstable angina.

PMID- 1419557
TI  - The management of aortic aneurysms.

PMID- 1419558
TI  - Artificial ventilatory management in a severe, pregnant asthmatic--a case report.
AB  - A 33-year-old pregnant atopic woman, who had never suffered from asthma or atopic
      related disorder, was admitted on three occasions during her fifth pregnancy with
      severe asthma. On her last admission she required more intensive monitoring and
      artificial ventilation. We report this patient and discuss the pathogenesis of
      asthma during pregnancy. Asthma in pregnancy is not uncommon and it may take a
      severe course in some pregnancies. In one prospective study 42% of the patients
      required aggressive management, but none required artificial ventilation.
      However, there was no difference in the outcome of pregnancies between asthmatic
      and control subjects. Here we describe a patient with severe asthma who required
      artificial ventilation with a successful outcome.

PMID- 1419559
TI  - Paradoxical emboli in elderly patients.
AB  - We report two elderly patients who each had a patent foramen ovale (PFO) and were
      considered to have had paradoxical emboli. In one patient the PFO was detected by
      contrast two-dimensional echocardiography, whereas in the other it was
      demonstrated at post-mortem examination. This is an unusual but treatable
      condition, particularly difficult to diagnose in older people and probably
      occurring more frequently than is generally suspected.

PMID- 1419560
TI  - Spontaneous rupture of normal spleen: an enigma recalled.
AB  - That a normal spleen can rupture spontaneously has long been a point of debate. A
      definitive case is reported here in an attempt to resolve the issue in its
      favour. Spleen involved in tropical diseases like malaria, infectious
      mononucleosis and typhoid fever is prone to rupture spontaneously as well as in
      cases follow minor trauma. In contrast, normal spleen ruptures almost always
      following severe trauma, such as road accidents or fall from significant heights.
      Though cases of spontaneous rupture of normal spleens have appeared off and on in
      the past, doubt has always surrounded the very existence of such an entity. We
      are reporting a definitive case of spontaneous rupture of normal spleen. This is
      only the second case of its kind since 1958 and the first ever from the Indian
      subcontinent.

PMID- 1419561
TI  - Recurrent endometrial adenocarcinoma presenting as an umbilical metastasis
      (Sister Mary Joseph's nodule).
AB  - A case of recurrent endometrial adenocarcinoma metastatic to the umbilicus is
      reported. The possible modes of spread, management and prognosis of this rare
      manifestation of visceral malignancy are discussed.

PMID- 1419562
TI  - Extra cranial arteriovenous malformations presenting as pulsatile tinnitus.
AB  - We present two cases of extra cranial arteriovenous malformations, which
      presented as pulsatile tinnitus. They were originally diagnosed by clinical
      examination and both lesions were subsequently confirmed by angiography and their
      feeding vessels defined. One case was managed by surgical excision, which
      produced relief of symptoms. The diagnosis and management of arteriovenous
      malformations is discussed.

PMID- 1419564
TI  - Crossed ectopic pelvic kidney with duplication.

PMID- 1419563
TI  - Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm presenting with acute urinary retention.
AB  - Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm classically presents with abdominal pain
      radiating to the back, a pulsatile abdominal mass and circulatory collapse.
      However, other symptoms may be the only presenting complaint. We report the case
      of a patient who presented with a history of acute retention of urine relieved by
      catheterisation, but who then developed clinical features more typical of
      abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture.

PMID- 1419565
TI  - Incarcerated fallopian tube.

PMID- 1419566
TI  - Meningitis: a neurosurgical disease.

PMID- 1419567
TI  - Expanded programme on immunization.

PMID- 1419568
TI  - Fascioliasis.

PMID- 1419569
TI  - Cerebrospinal meningitis in the Central African Republic.

PMID- 1419570
TI  - Expanded programme on immunization. Poliomyelitis outbreak.

PMID- 1419571
TI  - Global health situation.

PMID- 1419572
TI  - Expanded programme on immunization. Poliomyelitis outbreak.

PMID- 1419573
TI  - Update: International Task Force for Disease Eradication. 1992.

PMID- 1419574
TI  - Haemochromatosis.

PMID- 1419575
TI  - Cancer prevention education in United States medical schools. Cancer Education
      Survey II: cancer education in United States medical schools.
AB  - The Cancer Education Survey collected data from 126 of 128 US Medical Schools on
      the current status of cancer-related educational activities for undergraduate
      medical students. The study was conducted by a Supervisory Committee of the
      American Association for Cancer Education, with funding from the American Cancer
      Society. The survey obtained data concerning institutional characteristics in
      support of undergraduate medical student cancer education, ie, administrative
      structures, current cancer-related curricula, sources of financial support, and
      anticipated changes in these characteristics. Institutions were also queried on
      specific topics of cancer prevention, detection, and diagnosis that might be
      taught as identifiable areas of instruction for medical students. Three-fourths
      of the institutions had a lecture on the principles of cancer screening, and,
      among those, nearly three-fourths classified it as a part of a required course or
      rotation. Detection of common cancers is taught in virtually all institutions.
      The least likely cancer prevention lecture topics are related to prevention and
      cessation of smoking, a well-verified cancer risk. Also, no consistent pattern
      emerges that might indicate that association with a cancer center imparts to a
      medical school a greater emphasis on delivery of cancer prevention topics.

PMID- 1419576
TI  - Changing the cancer curriculum: a curriculum committee's response to the results
      of the AACE Cancer Education Survey II. Cancer Education Survey II: cancer
      education in United States medical schools.
AB  - The AACE Cancer Education Survey-II offers an unusual opportunity based on data
      from 125 medical schools and 1,035 experienced cancer educators to effect
      constructive change with regard to cancer education. The changes suggested
      include more coordination; integration; and a shift of emphasis to include more
      on topics of prevention, early diagnosis, tumor biology, rehabilitation,
      palliative care, and psychosocial issues. Ample opportunities, especially in the
      ambulatory care arena, exist at most medical schools, and there is a great deal
      of interest in improving the situation. This article reviews the factors
      contributing to resistance to change, the data on adult learning, and the major
      movements and dilemmas facing medical education today. It also discusses some of
      the external forces like the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and
      foundation support, which are being harnessed to effect change. Given these
      barriers, forces, and opportunities, the article ends with a possible action plan
      for an individual, an institution, and national bodies interested in cancer
      education. The knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes must be defined, taught
      effectively, and evaluated. It is an opportune time, armed with this useful data,
      to bring about change in how cancer subjects are taught. The ultimate goal is
      more knowledgeable and effective practitioners and scientists who can decrease
      the morbidity and mortality from cancer.

PMID- 1419578
TI  - A multidisciplinary educational program to promote head and neck cancer
      screening.
AB  - An educational program to promote screening through primary health care for the
      squamous cell cancers of the buccal cavity, pharynx, and larynx as developed and
      implemented, and its impact on screening was documented. Providers of care for
      high-risk patients at seven inner-city health care sites in Boston were
      identified and targeted for training. Of the 327 providers who were targeted for
      training from December 1986 through June 1989, 261 (80%) attended educational
      sessions. Screening exams were documented on an average of 14.7 patients per
      targeted provider through December 1989. The educational program was associated
      with a large increase in documented screening for these cancers, compared with
      baseline rates. Several adaptations in the program were required, including a
      demonstration of efficient screening to address the concerns of these providers
      about time constraints. Variations in the quantity and quality of documented
      screening among health care sites were noted.

PMID- 1419577
TI  - A meal conference format to teach ambulatory nutrition concepts.
AB  - Third-year medical students participated in a program using a meal conference
      approach to teach ambulatory nutrition concepts called "Building Better Health
      Through Nutrition." The series of three interactive presentations was given
      during the required family medicine clerkship. A pretest and posttest were used
      to measure acquisition of nutrition knowledge. There was a statistically
      significant (P less than 0.05) average increase in posttest compared to pretest
      scores. Seventy percent of students rated the meal conference approach as
      "effective" or "very effective" and 76% stated that the series expanded their
      knowledge of nutrition's role in clinical medicine. We conclude that the meal
      conference format is an effective way to teach nutrition during the clinical
      years in medical school.

PMID- 1419579
TI  - Physician/patient communication: a model considering the interaction of
      physicians' therapeutic strategy and patients' coping style.
AB  - During the last decade, several studies have demonstrated the importance of
      information-seeking versus information-avoiding coping styles of cancer patients
      receiving educational information from their physician. During the same period of
      time other studies have demonstrated important differences in the communicative
      style of oncologists providing educational information to their patients.
      However, the implications of the interaction of these two areas of research have
      not been systematically considered. We present here a hypothetical model
      concerning the implications of physicians with different communicative styles
      interacting with patients with different coping styles.

PMID- 1419580
TI  - Teachers' attitudes to cancer education: a discussion in the light of a recent
      English survey.
AB  - Various attempts have been made at encouraging cancer education in British
      schools, and while some have had limited success, there is still a reluctance
      amongst teachers to adopt this subject in the classroom. The study discussed in
      this paper was an attempt to ascertain the current status of cancer education in
      English secondary education. Over 1,200 English secondary (11-16 years olds)
      schools took part and the data were collected between February and June 1990.
      Although there is evidence to suggest an element of self-selection, results from
      this sample indicate a growing commitment and enthusiasm for cancer education, in
      comparison to previous, similar studies. Over half the teachers had taught about
      cancer and 68.8% rated it an important health education topic. However, cancer
      did rate lowest out of a variety of health issues. Several reasons for this are
      discussed and all appear to relate to teachers' negative attitudes toward cancer,
      apparently based on preconception and misinformation. These must be overcome if
      cancer education is to achieve its true potential in English schools.

PMID- 1419581
TI  - Survey design and observations relating to cancer education funding. Cancer
      Education Survey II: cancer education in United States medical schools (conducted
      by The American Association for Cancer Education with the support of the American
      Cancer Society).
AB  - A survey has been conducted of cancer education programs for medical students in
      United States medical schools by the American Association for Cancer Education
      with grant support from the Department of Detection and Treatment of the American
      Cancer Society (formerly the Professional Education Department). Two
      questionnaires were used, an Educational Resources Questionnaire (ERQ), which 126
      of the 128 medical schools completed and returned, and a Faculty and Curriculum
      Questionnaire (FCQ), which was completed and returned by 1,035 faculty members
      who had been named as active in undergraduate medical student cancer education by
      respondents in each school who had been designated by the Dean's Office to
      complete the ERQ. Overall conclusions included: (1) increased coordination of
      cancer education activities is a major need in many schools; (2) there is
      widespread interest in the further development of cancer education objectives;
      (3) development of a national cancer education curriculum is needed; (4) there is
      interest in the development of improved instructional materials and methods; (5)
      development of evaluation methods is needed for cancer education programs; and
      (6) an ongoing funding process is needed to provide support for interdepartmental
      coordination of cancer education activities. Cancer prevention and detection
      topics were ranked above cancer treatment in plans for future curriculum
      emphasis. More detailed conclusions and recommendations are provided in this
      publication and three subsequent articles in this issue of the Journal of Cancer
      Education.

PMID- 1419583
TI  - "It is still a privilege to be ..." an oncologist.

PMID- 1419582
TI  - Instructional methods and the use of teaching resources in cancer education
      curricula. Cancer Education Survey II: cancer education in United States medical
      schools.
AB  - The findings on cancer teaching methodology presented in this abstract come from
      an American Association for Cancer Education (AACE)/American Cancer Society
      sponsored survey of American allopathic medical schools in 1989 and 1990 to
      determine how and how well cancer is presented in the medical school curriculum.
      Responses were received from 126 institutional and approximately 1,000 faculty
      respondents. Approximately one-third (368) of faculty respondents indicated the
      use of specific learning objectives; utilization does vary across disciplines.
      The lecture remains the dominant form of instructional method. Computers were
      reported as an instructional modality by only 16% of the faculty respondents.
      Prepared audiovisual instructional materials appeared to be widely utilized. Use
      varied from 86% for 35mm slides to 11% for video discs. Faculty favored the
      development of new teaching materials for ten topic areas ranging from
      approximately 40% for early detection and prevention to a low of approximately
      25% for rehabilitation and continuing care. The survey identified an
      underutilization of existing outpatient facilities and tumor registries for
      cancer teaching purposes. The findings give rise to questions concerning the
      appropriateness of the match between specific instructional goals and the
      teaching methods employed. Eight recommendations designed to strengthen cancer
      training are made.

PMID- 1419584
TI  - New standards for commercial support of CME: where are we headed?

PMID- 1419585
TI  - Clinical research--a commentary.

PMID- 1419586
TI  - Enhancing the level of nutrition education at Tufts University's Medical and
      Dental Schools.
AB  - The current medical and dental curricula at Tufts were evaluated to ascertain the
      breadth and depth of their nutrition programs. The program, which both schools
      plan to initiate, to enhance the level of nutrition education involves (1)
      development of nutrition units for the first and second year, (2) expansion of
      required nutrition courses in the second year, (3) diet lunches in the third year
      introducing the role of nutrition in the clinical setting, and (4) nutrition
      rounds in the fourth year. A combined medical-dental seminar will be presented
      each year. At the end of the five-year funding period, it is anticipated that a
      manual will be available to all medical and dental schools that includes (1)
      nutrition units, (2) methods of dietary assessment in medical-dental practices,
      (3) nutrition interaction for the prevention of chronic disease in medical-dental
      practices, and (4) nutrition support for chronic disease and cancer, and case
      studies on nutrition and disease. The success of this program will be evaluated
      on the basis of goals and a national nutritional literacy exam.

PMID- 1419587
TI  - Dental student education in oncology: design and assessment of an undergraduate
      course.
AB  - Five-year survival rates of oral cancer patients remain poor. To better prepare
      undergraduate dental students to recognize this problem and contribute to
      solutions, a 24-hour lecture course in oral oncology was instituted. A pre-course
      quiz, daily quizzes, a midterm and a final examination were administered to
      assess student knowledge. The course covered all aspects of oral cancer from
      epidemiology and etiology, through diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation.
      Student oncology knowledge was assessed by analyzing the test results of two
      consecutive third-year dental classes. Overall, students adequately meet the
      course objectives, but assessment of specific topics reveal some deficits in
      particular areas. Evaluation of student knowledge provides valuable information
      to instructors for improving course content and student achievement.

PMID- 1419588
TI  - Defining and accomplishing clinically related objectives in an eight-hour
      oncology course for first-year medical students.
AB  - Designing a clinically relevant cancer curriculum for freshmen attending medical
      schools with a traditional curriculum poses the following challenges: (1) there
      is limited curriculum time; (2) the subject matter is complex. The authors
      defined some of the responsibilities of the general physician in regard to cancer
      and six related objectives that first-year students could accomplish in an eight
      hour multidisciplinary oncology course. A case-based, modified essay examination
      required students to demonstrate that they could begin to integrate principles of
      prevention, screening, diagnosis and staging, and treatment modalities. Ninety
      percent of the students accomplished the objectives. However, in working up the
      cancer case, 70% of the students did not mention the physical examination and 53%
      forgot multidisciplinary consultation. In a curriculum with limited objectives,
      first-year students can begin to deal efficiently with the complexities of
      cancer. Evaluation data revealed those objectives and related physician
      responsibilities requiring reinforcement in subsequent training.

PMID- 1419589
TI  - The effect of breast clinic participation on the education of third-year medical
      students.
AB  - Traditional methods of teaching concepts of breast disease to medical students
      have included didactic lectures, patient interviews and examinations in the
      hospital, and patient-directed rounds with housestaff and attendings. From 1980
      to 1987, third-year students at the University of South Carolina School of
      Medicine participated in these educational experiences and were tested at the
      conclusion of the eight-week surgical core rotation, utilizing written and oral
      examinations. Beginning in July 1987, students began participating in a defined
      weekly Diagnostic Breast Clinic which included in-depth instruction in patient
      examination techniques, mammographic interpretation, and treatment planning.
      Results of oral and written examinations, specifically regarding knowledge of
      breast cancer, were compared between the early and later periods. Significantly
      improved performance was noted in students exposed to a defined breast clinic
      experience and strongly supports the integration of specific cancer clinic
      experiences in undergraduate medical education.

PMID- 1419590
TI  - Cigarette smoking among young physicians and their approach to the smoking
      problem of their patients.
AB  - We have undertaken a survey of 100 interns and 100 residents at University of
      Ankara Medical School to find out their smoking rates as well as their view of
      the smoking problem in Turkey and their approach to the patient who smokes. The
      smoking rate of interns and residents were comparable to those of the 146
      nonmedical university students surveyed at the same time (31% and 37% versus
      38%). Our results indicate that smoking residents have less confidence in their
      efficacy to influence the patients to quit smoking when compared to nonsmokers
      (34.2% versus 14.5%; p < 0.05). Likewise, they have a higher, though not
      significant, tendency not to counsel their patients than those who are not
      smoking. Therefore we conclude that a successful smoking cessation program in
      Turkey requires encouragement of the medical students and residents to quit
      smoking and better training of them with regard to smoking intervention methods
      in order to increase their confidence of efficacy.

PMID- 1419591
TI  - Quality of life and patients with cancer: a comparative study of patient versus
      physician perceptions and its implications for cancer education.
AB  - A group of 300 matched pairs of adult patients with cancer (PWC) and their
      physicians were interviewed concerning the effects of disease and treatment on
      the patients' quality of life (QL). Patients were asked to rate specific QL
      factors that concerned them personally, while physicians were asked to evaluate
      the QL concerns of a hypothetical patient population exhibiting characteristics
      and diagnoses similar to those of their matched patients. The results indicated
      that physicians failed to recognize age as a factor having a direct impact upon
      the QL of their patients. Specifically, physicians estimated that elderly PWC,
      rather than young PWC, experienced more problems in four out of five QL
      categories, while in actuality younger patients reported more difficulties in all
      five categories when compared to their older counterparts. These data suggest
      that physicians should become more sensitive to the individualized, personal
      nature of their patients' QL and the factors that may shape or modify it.
      Implications for cancer education suggest a focus upon determining specific PWC
      needs as opposed to teaching general QL problems. Students should also be taught
      not to assume that all PWC experience the same QL concerns; rather, students
      should be taught to develop a specific history seeking to determine these needs.
      Finally, educators and students should recognize that young PWC apparently have
      more difficulty with their disease and its therapy than older PWC.

PMID- 1419592
TI  - The use of illustrations and narrative text style to improve readability of a
      health education brochure.
AB  - Research suggests that much of the available health education literature requires
      a level of reading ability that makes it inaccessible to a large proportion of
      the population in greatest need of health information. The present study tested
      the value of illustrations and a narrative text style as means of improving the
      readability of a brochure designed to provide information on cervical cancer and
      condyloma. Two versions of the brochure were designed, one that had only text
      presented as simple sentences in bullet-type format (SMOG reading level score of
      7.7), and a second version that had somewhat more difficult text formatted in a
      narrative style (SMOG grade level score of 8.4) together with drawings designed
      to complement the text. A randomized study design was used to test for
      comprehension, perceived ease of understanding, and overall rating of the two
      brochures. Women selected from one private and three public health primary-care
      clinics were randomly assigned to read one of the two brochures. The brochure
      with illustrations and narrative text was given a significantly higher overall
      rating than the one with bullet-type text and no illustrations, while no
      difference was found in perceived ease of reading. Among poor readers,
      comprehension was significantly greater for women who read the brochure with
      illustrations and narrative text, with no difference in comprehension of the two
      brochures for better readers. The results suggest that the use of aids such as
      illustrations and text style can make health education literature more accessible
      to high-risk populations, while remaining interesting enough to appeal to
      individuals at all levels of reading ability.

PMID- 1419593
TI  - Understanding cultural differences through family assessment.
AB  - While much has been documented with regard to the role of the family in managing
      the stress of a diagnosis of cancer, there has been a paucity of attention
      devoted to cultural differences, which are vital factors in the family's unique
      ability to cope. Health care professionals in large urban settings are often
      required to assess families that are unfamiliar to them. This paper focuses on
      the need to educate health care professionals in order that they can more clearly
      conceptualize the structure, function, and health-related needs of families from
      differing cultural backgrounds. Nine interviews with Greek, Chinese, and Italian
      immigrant families were analyzed retrospectively with regard to family
      perceptions of hospitalization and experiences surrounding coping and problem
      solving with respect to a diagnosis of cancer. Findings revealed that fear and
      loneliness were predominant emotions at the onset of hospitalization. Coping
      strategies and the management of stress frequency differed from the suggestions
      of health personnel. This paper concludes that the content of health education
      curricula needs to be broadened to include attention to cultural considerations.

PMID- 1419594
TI  - An instrument for measuring cancer patients' preferences for support groups.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable instrument to
      assess cancer patients' preferences for all types of social support and
      organizational features of cancer support groups. The content of the instrument
      was the result of a detailed analysis of four resources: (1) literature relating
      to cancer support group interventions, (2) program materials from existing
      groups, (3) interviews with individuals who developed or directed groups, and (4)
      interviews with patients who have participated in cancer support groups. A jury
      of six experts was used to establish content validity of the instrument. The
      reliability of the instrument was examined by measuring a sample of 258 cancer
      patients. The reliability coefficients of the instrument were all above .80,
      except for two types of social support (instrumental and informational
      educational), which were .72 and .78, respectively. It was concluded that the
      instrument produces valid and reliable measurements of cancer patients'
      preferences for cancer support groups.

PMID- 1419595
TI  - Improving communications in clinical oncology: the EuroCODE project. The EuroCODE
      Steering Committee.

PMID- 1419596
TI  - Change in the oestrogen receptor status of breast cancer with age--comparison of
      two types of assay.
AB  - The oestrogen receptor (ER) is considered to be an essential component of the
      mechanism of response of a breast tumour to endocrine therapy, but ER
      measurements have proved to have only modest predictive value. In the present
      study, we have examined ER status by both immunocytochemical assay (ER-ICA) on a
      fine needle aspirate and by radioligand-binding assay (DCC) on an excised portion
      of tumour. There was a correlation between the ER level detected by the two
      assays (Spearman's r = 0.77 for DCC versus ER-ICA staining intensity, r = 0.70
      for DCC versus ER-ICA percentage of cells stained, P < 0.0001, n = 137 in each
      case). Each assay showed an increasing proportion of ER+ve results with
      increasing patient age. In the case of ER+ve tissues only, while ER concentration
      by DCC assay increased steadily with age (r = 0.39, P < 0.0001, n = 108), the ER
      ICA assay revealed that, staining intensity increased with age (r = 0.26, P =
      0.001, n = 149) but the percentage of cells stained did not (r = 0.08, P = NS, n
      = 149). It is concluded that increasing endocrine responsiveness with advancing
      age could reflect the increasing proportion of ER+ve tumours with increased
      levels of ER per cell (as indicated by staining intensity) rather than increasing
      proportion of ER+ve cells.

PMID- 1419598
TI  - Influence of tumour physico-chemical conditions on interleukin-2-stimulated
      lymphocyte proliferation.
AB  - The proliferative response of murine lymphocytes to interleukin-2 (IL-2) was
      examined under physico-chemical conditions present in solid tumours, namely low
      oxygen and glucose concentrations and acidic pH. Lymphocytes were cultured for
      four days in 30 U ml-1 IL-2 to simulate serum IL-2 concentrations attainable with
      high-dose systemic IL-2 therapy. Lymphocyte proliferation was significantly (P <
      0.05) reduced by low oxygen concentrations (both anoxia [0% O2] and hypoxia [10%,
      low glucose (6 mg dl-1), or acidic pH (6.7 or 6.4). Moderate glucose
      concentration (32 mg dl-1), or neutral pH (7.0) did not impair proliferation.
      This study indicates that impairment of lymphocyte proliferation by tumour
      physico-chemical conditions may be a factor in the relatively poor success rate
      of IL-2/LAK cell immunotherapy.

PMID- 1419597
TI  - Active melanogenesis in non-S phase melanocytes in B16 melanomas in vivo
      investigated by double-tracer microautoradiography with 18F-fluorodopa and 3H
      thymidine.
AB  - 3,4-Dihydroxy-2-[18F]fluoro-L-phenylalanine (2-[18F]FDOPA) and [6-3H]thymidine
      ([3H]Thd) were simultaneously injected into mice transplanted with B16 melanomas
      of FM3A mammary carcinoma. Melanogenesis was differentiated from DNA synthesis in
      the mitotic cell cycle by monitoring grain distribution with double-tracer
      microautoradiography. The percentages of pigmented cells were inversely
      proportional to those of [3H]Thd-labelled cells, indicating that the greater the
      number of melanocytes, the smaller was the number of proliferating cells. The
      number of grains produced by 2-[18F]FDOPA in the [3H]Thd-unlabelled melanocytes
      was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than the numbers in the [3H]Thd-labelled
      melanocytes and in nonmelanocytes. The [3H]Thd-unlabelled non-melanocytes and
      FM3A cells showed the lowest accumulation of 2-[18F]DOPA, which may have resulted
      from the basic amino acid demand by malignant neoplasms via amino acid transport.
      The [3H]Thd-labelled cells, regardless of whether they were pigmented or not, had
      slightly more grains with 2-[18F]FDOPA than the [3H]Thd-unlabelled non
      melanocytes (P < 0.05), which may have resulted from the enhanced amino acid
      requirement for proliferation. Melanogenesis appeared to be activated only in the
      non-S phase of the mitotic cycle in melanocytes.

PMID- 1419599
TI  - Malignant progression of a mouse fibrosarcoma by host cells reactive to a foreign
      body (gelatin sponge).
AB  - The QR regressor tumour (QR-32), a fibrosarcoma which is unable to grow
      progressively in normal syngeneic C57BL/6 mice, was able to grow progressively in
      13 out of 22 mice (59%) when it was subcutaneously coimplanted with gelatin
      sponge. We established four culture tumour lines from the resultant tumours (QRsP
      tumour lines). These QRsP tumour lines were able to grow progressively in mice
      even in the absence of gelatin sponge. The ability of QRsP tumour cells to
      colonise the lungs after intravenous injection and to produce high amounts of
      prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) during in vitro cell culture was much greater than that
      of parent QR-32 cells. These biological characteristics of QR-32 cells and QRsP
      tumour cells were found to be stable for at least 6 months when they were
      maintained in culture. We also observed that QR-32 cells were able to grow
      progressively in five out of 12 (42%) mice after coimplantation with plastic non
      adherent peritoneal cells obtained from mice which had been intraperitoneally
      implanted with gelatin sponge. These host cells reactive to gelatin sponge
      increased the production of high amounts of PGE2 by QR-32 cells during 48 h
      coculture. Preliminary in vitro studies implicated the involvement of hydrogen
      peroxide and hydroxyl radical as some of the factors necessary to induce QR-32
      cells to produce high amounts of PGE2 and to accelerate tumour progression.

PMID- 1419601
TI  - p53 expression in Reed-Sternberg cells of Hodgkin's disease.
AB  - Mutation of the p53 protein may represent the commonest genetic event in human
      malignancy. Abnormal p53 expression has been reported in a variety of carcinomas,
      sarcomas and lymphoid neoplasms; however there is little information in relation
      to Hodgkin's disease. The expression of the nuclear phosphoprotein was
      investigated in paraffin-embedded biopsies from fifty patients with Hodgkin's
      disease using a polyclonal antibody, CM-1 and in snap-frozen material with
      monoclonal antibodies, PAb 1801 and PAb 240. Specifically, immunoreactivity was
      localised to the Reed-Sternberg cells or mononuclear variants in both nodular
      sclerosing (86% cases) and mixed cellularity (57% cases) subtypes of Hodgkin's
      disease. However, no positive staining was found in our cases of nodular
      lymphocyte predominant type Hodgkin's disease. Serial biopsies following
      recurrence of disease demonstrated consistent results. It is suggested that
      overexpression of p53, probably mutant, may have a role in the tumorigenesis of
      Hodgkin's disease.

PMID- 1419600
TI  - Modulation of the proliferative response of breast cancer cells to growth factors
      by oestrogen.
AB  - A number of growth factors have been implicated in the control of the
      proliferation of breast cancer cells and some have been reported to mediate the
      proliferative effects of oestradiol. MCF-7 cells were treated with growth factors
      in the presence and absence of oestradiol. Oestradiol increased the response of
      cells to the proliferative effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming
      growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF).
      Platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) and cathepsin D had no effect in the
      presence or absence of oestradiol while TGF-beta slightly reduced the stimulation
      by oestradiol. In the absence of oestradiol, there was little effect of
      combinations of growth factors although the effects of bFGF and IGF-I were
      additive. In the presence of oestradiol, the effects of bFGF and TGF-alpha were
      additive whereas bFGF acted as an IGF-I antagonist. Overall, bFGF had the
      greatest effect on cell proliferation although this was less marked than the
      previously described effect of the IGFs and insulin. The effects of oestradiol on
      the sensitivity of cells to the proliferative effects of bFGF did not appear to
      result from regulation of bFGF receptor expression.

PMID- 1419602
TI  - Induction of HSP70 is associated with vincristine resistance in heat-shocked 9L
      rat brain tumour cells.
AB  - The most prominent cellular changes in heat-shock response are induction of HSPs
      synthesis and reorganisation of cytoskeleton. Vincristine was used as a tool to
      evaluate the integrity of microtubules in 9L rat brain tumour cells recovering
      from heat-shock treatment. Cells treated at 45 degrees C for 15 min and recovered
      under normal growing condition became resistant to vincristine-inflicted
      cytotoxicity and microtubule destruction. Among all HSPs, the level of HSP70 and
      the degree of vincristine resistance are best correlated. HSP70 and tubulin were
      found to be associated with each other as they were co-immunoprecipitated by
      either anti-HSP70 or anti-beta-tubulin monoclonal antibody. The current studies
      establish for the first time that HSP70 can complex with tubulin in cells and
      this association may stabilise the organisation of microtubules thus protect the
      heat-treated cells from vincristine damage. These findings are noteworthy in
      combining hyperthermia and chemotherapy in the management of malignant diseases.

PMID- 1419603
TI  - Growth, morphology and chemosensitivity studies on postconfluent cells cultured
      in 'V'-bottomed microtiter plates.
AB  - This study assessed the growth pattern, cellular organisation and
      chemosensitivity of established human tumour cell lines growing as postconfluent
      cultures in 'V'-bottomed, 96-well microtiter plates. Cross-sections of the colon
      (HT29, SW620, SW1116), ovarian (A2780) and head and neck (UM-SCC-22B) carcinoma
      microcultures allowed in situ evaluation of the cellular organisation in the
      wells. After 5 days of growth, every cell line had reached confluence, but each
      of them displayed a specific pattern of cell stacking which ranged from two to
      ten layers. Postconfluent HT29 cells displayed morphologic features suggestive of
      some degree of enterocytic differentiation. Growth and cytotoxicity could be
      studied reliably and reproducibly in this system with the sulforhodamine B
      protein assay. Against HT29 postconfluent cultures, the EC50's (drug
      concentrations producing absorbance readings 50% lower than those of non-treated
      wells) of 5-fluorouracil and of the ether lipid, hexadecylphosphocholine, were 1
      mM and 50 microM respectively. The possibility to perform chemosensitivity tests
      using semiautomated microtiter plate technology supports further evaluation of
      this system as an alternative antitumour drug testing model.

PMID- 1419604
TI  - No effect of dose, hepatic function, or nutritional status on 5-FU clearance
      following continuous (5-day), 5-FU infusion.
AB  - One hundred and eighty seven patients (155 males, 32 females) with histologically
      proven and previously untreated head and neck cancer were entered in the study. A
      total of 222 cycles of therapy were analyzed (cisplatin 100 mg m-2 on day 1 and 5
      day continuous intravenous infusion of 5-FU 550-1069 mg m-2 day-1, mean 875.5 mg
      m-2 day-1). Significant interpatient variability for various 5-FU pharmacokinetic
      parameters was observed including an almost ten-fold range in 5-FU clearance (5
      FU Cl, ml min-1 m-2 = 791-7769, mean 2820.7). Log 5-FU Cl was not modified by 5
      FU dose (r = -0.1034, P = 0.124, n = 222). Poor linear correlations between log 5
      FU Cl and hepatic function tests were observed (respective r and P values for 222
      cycles, log AST:0.0526, 0.4365; Log ALT: -0.1167, 0.0842; Log A1K. Phos.:0.154,
      0.0214; Log GGT: 0.0652, 0.3436; Log LDH: -0.0984, 0.1563; Log bilirubin: 0.1278,
      0.0601). The log 5-FU Cl was also poorly correlated with the serum concentration
      of various nutritional proteins (respective r and P values for 222 cycles,
      Albumin: 0.0110, 0.8714; prealbumin: -0.1067, 0.1129; transferrin: 0.0439,
      0.5226). Laboratory data including indices of hepatic function and nutritional
      status cannot account for the interpatient variability in 5-FU disposition.

PMID- 1419605
TI  - Intake of vegetables, fruits, beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin supplements
      and cancer incidence among the elderly: a prospective study.
AB  - A cohort of 11,580 residents of a retirement community initially free from cancer
      were followed from 1981 to 1989. A total of 1,335 incident cancer cases were
      diagnosed during the period. Relative risks of cancer were calculated for
      baseline consumption of vegetables, fruits, beta-carotene, dietary vitamin C, and
      vitamin supplements. After adjustment for age and smoking, no evidence of a
      protective effect was found for any of the dietary variables in men. However, an
      inverse association was observed between vitamin C supplement use and bladder
      cancer risk. In women, reduced cancer risks of all sites combined and of the
      colon were noted for combined intake of all vegetables and fruits, fruit intake
      alone, and dietary vitamin C. Supplemental use of vitamins A and C showed a
      protective effect on colon cancer risk in women. There was some suggestion that
      beta-carotene intake and supplemental use of vitamin A, C, and E were associated
      with reduced risk of lung cancer in women, but none of these results were
      statistically significant. These inverse associations observed in women seem to
      warrant further investigation, although there was inconsistency in results
      between the sexes.

PMID- 1419606
TI  - Contribution of 3H-thymidine labelling index and flow cytometric S-phase in
      predicting survival of patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
AB  - The 3H-thymidine labelling index (3H-dT LI) of cell suspensions from fresh
      material and the flow cytometric S-phase (FCM-S) of nuclei recovered from
      paraffin blocks were determined on the same pathologic lymph node specimen for
      190 non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs). FCM-S was defined by a planimetric method and
      by an optimization procedure. Poor correlation coefficients were observed among
      the three cell kinetic variables. All three cell kinetic variables were
      significant indicators of 8-year survival and median survival time. The life
      regression procedure evidenced a significant relative contribution of 3H-dT LI
      and FCM-S, thus suggesting a different biologic meaning of the two cell kinetic
      variables. This finding was further supported by evidence that simultaneous use
      of 3H-dT LI and FCM-S can identify groups of patients with different survival
      better than when either modality is used alone. Multivariate analysis indicated
      that the risk groups as defined by cell kinetic variables are predictors of
      survival even in the presence of established factors such as histology and stage.

PMID- 1419607
TI  - Sarcomas in north west England: III. Survival.
AB  - Survival data on a population-based series of bone, soft tissue and visceral
      sarcomas diagnosed in the North West of England between 1982-84 and subjected to
      histopathological peer review are presented. Five-year crude survival for all
      cases was 34%. Survival in males and females did not differ significantly (P =
      0.6, 5-year survival 32% vs 36%) but was markedly worse for patients diagnosed
      over the median age of 60 years, even when allowance was made for underlying
      mortality (P = 0.03, 34% vs 44%). Five-year survival rates for the major site
      groups were: bone 44%; soft tissues of head, neck and trunk 36%; soft tissues of
      extremities 35%; female genital tract 35%; retroperitoneum 15%; gastro-intestinal
      tract 13%. Analysis by the major histological types revealed the following
      survival rates: leiomyosarcoma--female genital tract 25%, gastro-intestinal tract
      14%, non-visceral soft tissue 21%; malignant fibrous histiocytoma of soft tissue
      29%; liposarcoma 52%; osteosarcoma of bone 46%; and chondrosarcoma of bone 50%.

PMID- 1419608
TI  - The influence of aminoglutethimide and its analogue rogletimide on peripheral
      aromatisation in breast cancer.
AB  - The influence of the prototype aromatase inhibitor Aminoglutethimide (AG) and its
      analogue Rogletimide (RG) on peripheral aromatisation were investigated in 13
      postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer. Seven patients received AG
      1,000 mg daily plus Hydrocortisone (HC) cover and six received RG as dose
      escalation of 200 mg bd, 400 mg bd and 800 mg bd. In vivo aromatase inhibition
      was investigated using the double bolus injection technique with [4-14C] oestrone
      ([4-14C]E1) and [6,7-3H] androstenedione ([6,7-3H]4A) followed by a 96 h urine
      collection. The labelled urinary oestrogens were separated and purified by
      chromatography and HPLC. Plasma oestradiol (E2) was also measured. AG mean
      aromatase inhibition was 90.6% +/- 1.8 s.e.m. and E2 suppression 75.7% +/- 7.3
      s.e.m. RG mean aromatase inhibition was 50.6% +/- 9.8 s.e.m. at 200 mg bd, 63.5%
      +/- 5.7 s.e.m. at 400 mg bd and 73.8% +/- 5.8 s.e.m. at 800 mg bd. E2 suppression
      was 30.7% +/- 9.5 s.e.m., 40.2% +/- 10.3 s.e.m. and 57.6% +/- 9.2 s.e.m.
      respectively. These results confirm the efficacy of AG as an aromatase inhibitor.
      RG produced dose dependent E2 suppression and aromatase inhibition, but even at
      the maximum tolerated dose of 800 mg bd had sub-optimal aromatase inhibition and
      oestradiol suppression compared with AG.

PMID- 1419609
TI  - Lobular panniculitis after subcutaneous administration of interleukin-2 (IL-2),
      and its exacerbation during intravenous therapy with IL-2.
AB  - Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is now registered for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma
      in a number of European countries. The subcutaneous (sc) route of administration
      is being used increasingly because of its better toxicity profile compared with
      higher dose intravenous (iv) protocols. We report here a patient who developed a
      lobular panniculitis at the site of sc IL-2 injection which prevents continuation
      of sc therapy. Subsequent administration of the same IL-2 dose by iv injection
      caused recurrence of the problem again necessitating discontinuation of IL-2
      treatment.

PMID- 1419610
TI  - Lung cancer and passive smoking: reconciling the biochemical and epidemiological
      approaches.
AB  - The accurate determination of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is
      notoriously difficult. There have been to date two approaches to determining this
      exposure in the study of association of passive smoking and lung cancer: the
      biochemical approach, using cotinine in the main as a marker, and the
      epidemiological approach. Typically results of the former have yielded much lower
      relative risk than the latter, and have tended to be ignored in favour of the
      latter, although there has been considerable debate as to the logical basis for
      this. We settle this question by showing that, using the epidemiologically based
      meta-analysis technique of Wald et al. (1986), and misclassification models in
      the EPA Draft Review (1990), one arrives using all current studies at a result
      which is virtually identical with the biochemically-based conclusions of Darby
      and Pike (1988) or Repace and Lowry (1990). The conduct of this meta-analysis
      itself raises a number of important methodological questions, including the
      validity of inclusion of studies, the use of estimates adjusted for covariates,
      and the statistical significance of estimates based on meta-analysis of the
      epidemiological data. The best estimate of relative risk from spousal smoking is
      shown to be approximately 1.05-1.10, based on either of these approaches; but it
      is suggested that considerable extra work is needed to establish whether this is
      significantly raised.

PMID- 1419611
TI  - Significance of S-phase fraction and hormone receptor content in the management
      of young breast cancer patients.
AB  - Tumours from 336 breast cancer patients under the age of 50 were analysed for
      hormone receptor content and by DNA flow cytometry. Sixty-six percent of the
      tumours were positive for estrogen receptors (ER), 60% were progesterone receptor
      (PR) positive and 42% showed DNA diploid profiles. DNA hypodiploid tumours were
      relatively frequent (7%), especially in patients aged 40 years or less (11%). S
      phase fraction (SPF), with a mean of 10%, correlated significantly with receptor
      status, DNA ploidy, lymph node status, tumour size and age. With a median follow
      up period of 34 months, the distant recurrence-free interval was independently
      predicted by lymph node status, tumour size, SPF and PR content. Amongst the 212
      patients who had not received adjuvant systemic treatment, receptor status was,
      in addition to lymph node status and SPF, independently related to distant
      recurrence rate. A high SPF identified a subgroup with high recurrence rate,
      comprising approximately one third of the node-negative patients. Similarly, the
      one third of node-positive patients who had PR-positive tumours with a low S
      phase fraction formed a subgroup with low recurrence rate. We conclude that
      hormone receptor assays and DNA flow cytometry should be useful tools in the
      management of breast cancer patients less than 50 years of age.

PMID- 1419612
TI  - Interleukin-4 receptor and epidermal growth factor receptor expression in
      colorectal cancer.
AB  - Interleukin-4 receptor (IL-4R) and Epidermal Growth Factor receptor (EGFR) were
      assessed as factors associated with adenoma-carcinoma progression in colorectal
      cancer and tumour invasion. A monoclonal antibody (MR6) was applied to detect IL
      4R in: metaplastic polyps (five cases), adenomas (15 cases), and carcinomas (44
      adenocarcinomas and one squamous cell). Positive labelling was obtained in all
      polyps, adenomas and in 40/45 carcinomas. Normal colonic mucosa of these
      patients, as well as macrophages and lymphocytes infiltrating the tumour stroma,
      were also positively labelled with MR6. Four out of five poorly differentiated
      adenocarcinomas did not show IL-4 receptor expression. No significant correlation
      was found with tumour size, lymph node stage and IL-4 receptor expression. On the
      above specimens a parallel detection of epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR)
      by a monoclonal antibody (EGFR 1) was carried out. Expression of EGFR was found
      in 14/20 polyps and in 22/45 carcinomas. All but one of the EGFR positive
      malignant tumours showed coexpression of IL-4 receptor. Lymph node involvement by
      tumour cells was detected in 25 out of 45 patients. Eighteen of these 25 cases
      were positive with EGFR1.

PMID- 1419613
TI  - Single agent high-dose cisplatin (200 mg m-2) treatment in ovarian carcinoma.
AB  - Twenty patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma were treated with high-dose
      cisplatin 200mg m-2. Patients were to receive three cycles at 21 day intervals.
      Treatment was stopped if severe myelosuppression or any neurotoxicity occurred.
      Overall, eight (40%) of patients responded with a complete response in five
      (25%). Four of 16 (25%) previously treated patients responded. The median
      duration of response was 44 weeks (range 6-130). In patients previously treated
      there was a significant association (P < 0.002) between response and a remission
      free interval of 52 weeks or more from primary chemotherapy. Toxicity was
      assessable in 18 patients. Alopecia and nausea/vomiting were common.
      Myelosuppression was recorded in nine patients delaying planned administration in
      eight of 35 cycles. Five patients developed anaemia and six thrombocytopenia.
      Neurotoxicity affected seven patients and varying degrees of tinnitus six
      patients. Neurotoxicity and myelosuppression were indications for cessation of
      treatment in 8 patients receiving less than three cycles. Analysis revealed no
      significant association between toxicity and prior cisplatin exposure, age or the
      amount of high-dose cisplatin administered. This series reveals that it is
      possible to achieve good response rates using high-dose cisplatin without
      encountering debilitating neurotoxicity.

PMID- 1419614
TI  - Trends in endometrial cancer incidence and survival in the Swiss Canton of Vaud.

PMID- 1419615
TI  - Flavone acetic acid (FAA) with recombinant interleukin-2 (TIL-2) in advanced
      malignant melanoma. II: Induction of nitric oxide production.
AB  - Plasma samples were collected from 20 patients undergoing phase I clinical trial
      with flavone-8-acetic acid (FAA; 4.8 g m-2 per dose) in combination with
      recombinant human interleukin-2 (rhIL-2; 6-18 i.u. m-2 per day) for the treatment
      of metastatic melanoma. Samples were analysed for nitrate content as an
      indication of the oxidation of L-arginine to nitric oxide. Pretreatment plasma
      nitrate levels (53 +/- 4 microM) were significantly above those of healthy
      volunteers (19 +/- 4 microM). The maximum plasma nitrate concentration obtained
      after treatment, 190 +/- 29 microM (range 49 to 655 microM), was comparable to
      that of mice treated with FAA. Most of the increases occurred 3-5 days after
      initiation of a 5 day infusion of rhIL-2, but three of the increases occurred
      within 2 days of a 1 h infusion of FAA alone. The maximum plasma nitrate
      concentrations of the three patients which underwent remission (two complete, one
      partial) following treatment (368 +/- 143 microM) were significantly higher (P <
      0.05) than those of patients with progressive disease. Hypotension was the major
      dose-limiting side effect, and there was no relationship between the degree of
      hypotension and the rise in plasma nitrate. The results provide evidence that
      treatment of patients with FAA and rhIL-2 induce the synthesis of nitric oxide, a
      physiological mediator and potential cytotoxic agent.

PMID- 1419616
TI  - Haemostatic changes and thromboembolic risk during tamoxifen therapy in normal
      women.
AB  - Tamoxifen has been implicated as a risk factor for venous thrombosis in advanced
      breast cancer although the evidence for increased arterial or venous thrombosis
      with tamoxifen in early breast cancer is less clear. The effect of tamoxifen on
      haemostasis, and thereby possible thromboembolic risk, was investigated in normal
      women enrolled in a placebo controlled trial of tamoxifen as a chemopreventative
      agent for breast cancer. There was an initial reduction in fibrinogen levels in
      all women on tamoxifen over the first year of follow-up and a marginal reduction
      in antithrombin III and Protein S in postmenopausal women at 6 months. There were
      no changes in cross linked fibrinogen degradation products or Protein C for pre
      or post-menopausal women. There was no increase in the incidence of
      thromboembolic events on tamoxifen. This study demonstrates that tamoxifen has
      only marginal effects on factors involved in haemostasis reported to affect the
      incidence of arterial or venous thromboembolic disease. The follow-up time is
      relatively short (maximum 36 months) and careful long term follow-up is necessary
      to detect clinically significant morbidity.

PMID- 1419617
TI  - The adenoma-carcinoma sequence in the colorectum--early appearance of a hierarchy
      of small intestinal mucin antigen (SIMA) epitopes and correlation with malignant
      potential.
AB  - The colorectal adenoma-carcinoma sequence was examined in relation to the ectopic
      expression of the oncofoetal Small Intestinal Mucin Antigen (SIMA), to the
      development of morphologic changes in the adenoma and perineoplastic mucosa and
      to indices of malignant potential. Four anti-SIMA MAbs, which define a novel
      hierarchy of SIMA epitopes in the normal small intestine and adjacent to
      colorectal cancers, were used in a retrospective immunohistochemical study of
      Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP, n = 183) and non-familial (n = 44) adenomas.
      Inappropriate expression of SIMA epitopes was first detected in mucosa adjacent
      to minute microadenomas larger than three glands, and with increase in size, in
      increasing amounts within adenomas themselves, but not with microadenomas smaller
      than three glands or regions of flat mucosa free of adenomas. SIMA epitope
      expressed in mucosa adjacent to adenomas preceded changes in perineoplastic
      morphology, which progressed with adenoma growth to resemble transitional mucosa
      (TM) adjacent to cancers. Thus, the onset of both SIMA expression and
      morphological changes in TM were consistent with reactive rather than pre
      existing field change phenomena. The previously reported hierarchy of four SIMA
      epitopes (5C5, 3D4, 4D3, 6C5) was also consistently observed in the adenoma
      carcinoma sequence, and applied to (i) the order of epitope detection, (ii) the
      number of positive adenomas and (iii) extent of staining; (iv) the height in the
      crypt and (v) distance from the adenoma to which epitopes were expressed in
      perineoplastic mucosa. These observations are consistent with a progression of
      changes in mucin composition with adenoma development. The percentage of positive
      adenomas and reactivity scores for each anti-SIMA MAb correlated with increasing
      adenoma size, degree of dysplasia and growth pattern. SIMA expression appears to
      predate the earliest reported oncogene and tumour suppressor gene changes, was
      persistent and increased throughout adenoma development. SIMA epitopes are thus
      markers of very early neoplastic change, whose expression correlates with
      malignant potential and may contribute to the accumulation of changes necessary
      for tumourigenesis.

PMID- 1419618
TI  - Increased p53 protein content of colorectal tumours correlates with poor
      survival.
AB  - Allelic losses on the short arm of chromosome 17 occur frequently in colorectal
      cancers. Despite the existence of other common molecular events such as loss of
      the long arms of chromosomes 18 and 5, it has been demonstrated that the former
      has the greatest prognostic significance. Of the various genes mapping to the
      commonly deleted sequence, the best candidate as a 'target' seems to be the p53
      antioncogene. We applied our methods of detection of the p53 protein in a series
      of 78 colorectal cancers stored in a tumour bank from 1985 to 1989, for which the
      median follow-up was 42 months. Nuclear-attached p53 was quantified by flow
      cytometry and soluble p53 was assayed by ELISA. Both assays used a monoclonal
      antibody considered to be specific for a conformational epitope present only on
      the mutated protein. Fifty of the 78 tumours (64%) were found to present
      significant levels of p53 attached to the nucleus. A further two tumours
      contained high levels of p53 only in their soluble fraction. Thus, 52 out of 78
      cancers (67%) were considered to be positive for p53. The p53 content correlated
      with 17p loss (P < 0.002), hyperdiploid DNA content (P < 0.001) and tumour site
      (P < 0.03), but not Dukes' stage (P = 0.15). p53 negative cases had a better
      overall survival than p53 positive ones (P < 0.03). When the 14 stage D tumours
      were excluded from the analysis, p53 was no longer significantly predictive of
      survival (P < 0.07), but remained predictive of recurrence (P < 0.02) and
      metastasis (P < 0.03). Multivariate analysis was not performed because of the
      small number of cases. Overall, disease-free and metastasis-free survival were
      compared to the positivity obtained either with pAb 421 and/or 1801 or pAb 240
      since all three were used in the flow cytometric analysis, defining subsets of
      421-, 1801+ and 421-, 1801-, 240+. The presence of nuclear protein presenting the
      mutation-specific epitope, recognised by pAb 240, was found to be the most
      discriminant. It must be noted that univariate survival analysis demonstrated
      that more than 80% of patients with p53-negative tumours were alive at 3 years vs
      less than 50% in the p53-positive group. A large prospective study should be
      conducted to define the exact prognostic significance of the p53 content of
      colorectal carcinomas.

PMID- 1419619
TI  - Clinical pharmacokinetics of epirubicin: the importance of liver biochemistry
      tests.
AB  - The influence of liver biochemistry tests on epirubicin pharmacokinetics has been
      investigated in 52 women with advanced breast cancer, 27 of whom had
      radiologically proven liver metastases. Patients received epirubicin 12.5-120 mg
      m-2 given as an i.v. bolus. Epirubicin levels were measured by HPLC following the
      first cycle of treatment. Epirubicin elimination, expressed as clearance
      (dose/AUC), in the 22 patients with normal AST and bilirubin was compared with
      that of 30 patients with a raised AST +/- raised bilirubin. Epirubicin clearance
      was significantly reduced in the patients with a raised AST, whether their serum
      bilirubin was normal (22 patients) or elevated (eight patients). In the 30
      patients with a raised AST +/- raised bilirubin, epirubicin clearance correlated
      strongly with the level of AST (r = -0.72) but not with serum bilirubin, alkaline
      phosphatase, albumin or creatinine. Using a multiple regression analysis, AST was
      the only one of these biochemical variables predictive of epirubicin clearance
      (r2 = 0.47, P = 0.0006). We conclude that a raised serum AST is a more sensitive
      and reliable measure of abnormal epirubicin pharmacokinetics than increased
      bilirubin. These findings have implications for anthracycline treatment in
      patients with abnormal liver biochemistry.

PMID- 1419620
TI  - Prognostic factors in breast cancer.

PMID- 1419621
TI  - Cholesterol metabolism during the growth of a rat ascites hepatoma (Yoshida AH
      130).
AB  - The metabolism of cholesterol has been investigated in tumour cells, ascitic
      fluid and blood serum during the growth of an ascites hepatoma (Yoshida AH-130)
      in the rat. High rates of cholesterol synthesis and elevated free and esterified
      cholesterol content were observed in tumour cells. During tumour growth, the host
      animals progressively developed marked changes in the level and distribution of
      serum cholesterol consisting in an increase of total cholesterol and of a marked
      reduction of HDL cholesterol (HDL2 subfraction in particular). In agreement with
      previous observations, these findings indicate that a consistent pattern of
      altered cholesterol homeostasis develops in relation to normal or neoplastic
      tissue growth. High synthetic rates and intracellular accumulation of cholesterol
      are observed in the proliferating cells. Moreover, blood serum cholesterol
      decreases in the HDL fraction while it increases in LDLs, suggesting that during
      proliferative processes cholesterol fluxes between tissues and serum lipoproteins
      are markedly perturbed.

PMID- 1419622
TI  - Chemosensitivity testing of fresh human gastric cancer with highly purified
      tumour cells using the MTT assay.
AB  - A major problem associated with the chemosensitivity testing of fresh human
      tumour cells using the MTT assay is the contamination of nonmalignant cells in
      the tumour tissues. Highly purified fresh human gastric cancer cells could be
      obtained from 43 solid tumours and eight malignant ascites for the MTT assay. The
      success rate of the MTT assay was 87.9% (51 of the 58 cases), and the purity of
      tumour cells was greater than 90% after separation on Ficoll-Hypaque and Percoll
      discontinuous gradients in primary, or metastatic lesions, and also ascites.
      Cisplatin, mitomycin, and doxorubicin were more potent drugs than etoposide and 5
      FU against gastric cancer cells. The chemosensitivity in differentiated cancer
      was equivalent to that in non-differentiated cancer. Twenty of the 51 patients
      with gastric cancer had evaluable lesions, and they received chemotherapy
      according to the results of the MTT assay using highly purified tumour cells. A
      clinical response was obtained in 12 of these 20 patients (response rate: 60.0%;
      five with complete response, seven with partial response).

PMID- 1419623
TI  - Treatment with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent delays the growth of
      spontaneous pulmonary metastases of a mammary adenocarcinoma of non-detected
      immunogenicity.
AB  - Previous reports showed that treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
      agents (NSAIA) can alter the growth profile of a variety of tumours. In this
      study, the effect of NSAIA treatment on the growth of the primary tumour and the
      appearance of spontaneous pulmonary metastases, was investigated. A mammary
      adenocarcinoma of non-detected immunogenicity, C7HI, was grafted subcutaneously
      in the lateral flank of Balb/c mice. Oral treatment with approximately 1 mg kg-1
      day-1 piroxicam delayed both tumour growth and the growth of pulmonary
      metastases. Survival of mice bearing the primary tumour was significantly
      lengthened by anti-inflammatory treatment. Similarly, in separate experiments,
      after surgical removal of the primary tumour by day 34 after grafting, the group
      of mice treated orally with piroxicam also exhibited a higher survival rate than
      the control group. Upon surgical removal of the primary tumour 34 days after
      grafting, piroxicam treatment significantly decreased both the number and size of
      pulmonary metastases. The results of this study lends support to the hypothesis
      that inhibition or modulation of inflammation may delay tumour organisation and
      growth. It is suggested that piroxicam treatment may be an appropriate adjunct
      therapy to delay the appearance of pulmonary metastases and to increase life
      expectancy in a host whose primary tumour has to be surgically removed.

PMID- 1419624
TI  - The detection of specific gene rearrangements in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma using the
      polymerase chain reaction.
AB  - Characteristic gene rearrangements are present in most non-Hodgkin's lymphomas
      (NHL). These are usually detected by Southern blotting techniques. In this study,
      the ability of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect the t(14;18)
      chromosomal translocation and immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene rearrangement
      was evaluated. DNA from 14 follicular and 42 diffuse B-cell lymphomas was
      examined using oligonucleotide primers specific for opposing sides of the IgH
      gene rearrangement on chromosome 14 (towards conserved VH and JH sequences) and
      opposing sides of the t(14;18) chromosomal translocation (towards the major
      breakpoint region of the bcl-2 gene on chromosome 18 and conserved JH sequence on
      chromosome 14). The t(14;18) translocation was detected in 57% of follicular
      lymphomas and 21% of diffuse B-cell lymphomas. Clonal IgH gene rearrangements
      using PCR were detected in 50% follicular and 52% of the diffuse lymphomas.
      Either or both of these rearrangements were detected in 93% follicular and in 59%
      of diffuse lymphomas. PCR is a rapid and easy technique that can detect the
      abnormal rearrangement of the bcl-2 gene and clonal IgH rearrangement, indicating
      the presence of lymphoma. This may be of benefit in monitoring response to
      therapy and in predicting prognosis in this disease.

PMID- 1419625
TI  - Potent antitumour activity of (-)-(R)-2-aminomethylpyrrolidine (1,1
      cyclobutanedicarboxylato)platinum(II) monohydrate (DWA2114R) against advanced
      L1210 leukaemia in mice.
AB  - The time dependency of the antitumour activity of (-)-(R)-2
      aminomethylpyrrolidine(1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxylato++ +)platinum(II) monohydrate
      (DWA2114R) was examined in mice inoculated i.p. with 10(5) mouse L1210 leukaemia
      cells. The increase in life span was greater in mice treated with 72 mg kg-1
      DWA2114R on the 6th day following tumour inoculation than in mice treated at
      earlier times. Such superior effects against advanced L1210 were also seen with
      cis-diammine (1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxylato)platinum(II) (CBDCA) but not seen with
      the parent compound, cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (CDDP) or other antitumour
      agents devoid of platinum. After the injection of DWA2114R on day 6, most of the
      ascites tumour cells accumulated in the S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle and
      the total cell number markedly decreased from 10(8) to less than 10(6). On the
      other hand, only a temporary G1 arrest and a less than 50% reduction of the cell
      number were induced after a similar treatment on day 3. Interestingly, the
      superiority of DWA2114R for advanced L1210 was lost in athymic nude mice and mice
      depleted of T cells by anti-thymocyte antisera. In addition, mice cured of
      advanced L1210 specifically rejected re-inoculated L1210 cells. These results
      indicate that the superior antitumour activity against advanced L1210 is unique
      to DWA2114R among the agents tested (except for CBDCA) and is caused by both an
      increased drug susceptibility of tumour cells and a drug-induced antitumour
      effect mediated by T cells of the host mice.

PMID- 1419626
TI  - O6-alkylguanine-DNA-alkyltransferase activity and nitrosourea sensitivity in
      human cancer cell lines.
AB  - The DNA repair enzyme, O6-alkylguanine-DNA-alkyltransferase (ATase), is thought
      to be the principal mechanism controlling resistance to nitrosoureas and related
      alkylating agents. We compared the sensitivities of five human testis and five
      bladder tumour cell lines to two nitrosoureas (N-nitroso-N-methylurea (MNU) and
      mitozolomide) with cellular levels of ATase. Enzyme levels ranged from 3 to 206
      fmol mg-1 protein (0.1 x 10(4) to 5.1 x 10(4) molecules/cell) in the testis lines
      and from 11 to 603 fmol mg-1 (0.4 x 10(4) to 9.1 x 10(4) molecules/cell) in the
      bladder lines. Based on IC50s in an MTT assay, the testis tumour cell lines were,
      on average, four times more sensitive to MNU and six times more sensitive to
      mitozolomide than the bladder cell lines. The cytotoxicities of MNU and
      mitozolomide were closely related (R = 0.9). In the testis cell lines ATase
      activity (molecules/cell) was related to IC50s for mitozolomide (R = 0.97) but
      not MNU (R = 0.78). In the bladder cell lines and overall, ATase activity
      correlated with cellular sensitivity to neither agent. Relatively high levels of
      resistance occurred in cells expressing low levels of ATase, and amongst cell
      lines expressing high levels of ATase, large differences in IC50s were observed.
      These results support the suggestion that resistance to nitrosoureas can be
      mediated by mechanisms other than ATase and that at relatively high levels of
      expression, ATase does not confer resistance in proportion to its activity.

PMID- 1419627
TI  - The prognosis of primary and metastasising melanoma. An evaluation of the TNM
      classification in 2,495 patients.
AB  - The prognostic value of the TNM classifications of the UICC dated 1978 and 1987,
      was investigated in a population of 2,495 patients who were followed up over the
      long term. In the case of primary melanoma, Breslow's tumour thickness proved to
      be the most powerful predictor of patient survival in multivariate analysis,
      while the significance of Clark's level ranged after that of both localisation of
      the primary tumour and the sex of the patient. The continuous proportional
      relationship between tumour thickness and risk of death makes it possible to
      regrade thickness groups. Grading cutoffs at 1, 2 and 4 millimetres, with no
      account being taken of depth of invasion, proved to be particularly favourable
      for a classification in accordance with prognostic criteria. In advanced stages
      of the disease, the outcome of locoregional and distant metastasis is
      significantly different; and furthermore in the case of locoregional metastasis,
      in-transit and satellite metastases exert a significantly better prognosis than
      regional lymph node involvement. Isolated juxtaregional lymph node metastases
      occurred primarily or during the course of the observation period in only 19
      patients of our group, and, in comparison with visceral metastases, proved to
      have only an insignificantly better prognosis. For this reason, it would appear
      meaningful to assign them to a common stage. On the basis of these results,
      proposals are made for modifications of the TNM classification.

PMID- 1419628
TI  - Anticipatory nausea and emesis, and psychological morbidity: assessment of
      prevalence among out-patients on mild to moderate chemotherapy regimens.
AB  - The prevalence of nausea and emesis among a series of out-patients (n = 95)
      receiving mainly mild-to moderately-emetic cytotoxics, was assessed, along with
      levels of psychological morbidity. Particular focus was given to the rates of
      psychologically-based (anticipatory) nausea and emesis. Results indicated that
      23% of patients experienced anticipatory nausea and the majority reported that
      this occurred before at least half of the previous treatment cycles. Both emetic
      challenge of chemotherapy regimen and younger age were linked to this
      anticipatory effect. The data clearly indicated that nausea and emesis, both post
      treatment and in anticipation of treatment, carried a psychological cost with
      anxiety being highest in those experiencing anticipatory nausea and/or emesis.
      The role of anxiety in the aetiology of psychologically-based nausea and emesis
      was not evaluated and it is considered that a prospective study is needed to
      clarify the exact contribution of psychological factors in the incidence of both
      post-treatment and anticipatory side-effects.

PMID- 1419629
TI  - The expression of 5T4 antigen in colorectal and gastric carcinoma.
AB  - The expression of 5T4, an oncotrophoblast cell surface antigen was examined in 72
      colorectal and 27 gastric carcinomas, with immunoperoxidase technique, on frozen
      sections. Highly significant association was found between 5T4 expression in the
      malignant cells and metastatic spread. The results suggest that the appearance of
      5T4 molecules in cancer cells reflects a change which may contribute to the
      development of metastatic potential.

PMID- 1419630
TI  - The influence of the host on the course of gastric carcinoma.
AB  - Immunoglobulins (Ig) and some complement components (C) were quantified in sera
      from patients with gastric carcinoma before surgery and at regular intervals
      during a 5-year follow-up. The preoperative concentrations of C1-INH and C4 were
      higher (P < 0.0005 and P < 0.005) and IgG lower (P < 0.0005) in 50 patients with
      recurrence than in 46 5-year survivors. The prognostic significant of C1-INH was
      superior to that of the extent of disease (F-values 37.1 and 26.1). The
      preoperative immune data classified 76% of the patients correctly as to
      recurrence and no recurrence. Also, the preoperative C1-INH concentration had a
      highly significant effect on time to recurrence of cancer (P = 0.0007), adjusting
      for age and disease extent. After surgery the mean IgG concentrations were within
      normal range and without difference between the two groups. On the other hand,
      the concentrations of C1-INH and C4 in the individual patients in both groups
      remained the same from before to after surgery and throughout the observation
      period (P = 0.34). Apparently, the serum levels of C1-INH and C4 do not reflect
      the bearing of cancer. We therefore suggest that these variables represent an
      independent immune state that is appropriate to the host. A comparison of our
      variables with those of healthy individuals seems to support this idea. This
      immune state has a significant influence on whether a resected gastric cancer
      will recur, and also on how soon recurrence may be manifest.

PMID- 1419631
TI  - CA-125 is not a useful marker in metastatic breast cancer.

PMID- 1419632
TI  - Cancer potential in liver, lung, bladder and kidney due to ingested inorganic
      arsenic in drinking water.
AB  - In order to compare risk of various internal organ cancers induced by ingested
      inorganic arsenic and to assess the differences in risk between males and
      females, cancer potency indices were calculated using mortality rates among
      residents in an endemic area of chronic arsenicism on the southwest coast of
      Taiwan, and the Armitage-Doll multistage model. Based on a total of 898,806
      person-years as well as 202 liver cancer, 304 lung cancer, 202 bladder cancer and
      64 kidney cancer deaths, a significant dose-response relationship was observed
      between arsenic level in drinking water and mortality of the cancers. The potency
      index of developing cancer of the liver, lung, bladder and kidney due to an
      intake of 10 micrograms kg day of arsenic was estimated as 4.3 x 10(-3), 1.2 x
      10(-2), 1.2 x 10(-2), and 4.2 x 10(-3), respectively, for males; as well as 3.6 x
      10(-3), 1.3 x 10(-2), 1.7 x 10(-2), and 4.8 x 10(-3), respectively, for females
      in the study area. The multiplicity of inorganic arsenic-induced carcinogenicity
      without showing any organotropism deserves further investigation.

PMID- 1419634
TI  - Cancer mortality in African and Caribbean migrants to England and Wales.
AB  - Cancer mortality during 1970-85 of immigrants from East and West Africa and the
      Caribbean to England and Wales is described. Overall cancer mortality was raised
      in West African males (RR 1.38, 95% CI 1.25-1.54), and non-significantly raised
      in West African females (RR 1.14, 0.96-1.37) compared to mortality in the England
      and Wales-born population. Much of the increased risk was due to very high rates
      of liver cancer in males (RR 31.6, 23.8-41.9), but rates were also raised for a
      wide range of other cancers in each sex. Only lung and brain cancer had
      significantly decreased mortality. In East Africans, overall cancer mortality was
      low in males (RR 0.63, 0.56-0.70), and in females (RR 0.80, 0.72-0.89). Mortality
      was significantly low for cancers of the stomach, pancreas and testis, and
      Hodgkin's disease in males, for cervical cancer in females, and for lung cancer
      and melanoma in both sexes. Cancer sites with significantly raised mortality
      included oropharyngeal cancer, leukaemia, and multiple myeloma in both sexes. In
      Caribbean immigrants overall cancer rates were significantly low in males (RR
      0.71, 0.68-0.74) and in females (RR 0.76, 0.73-0.80). Mortality was significantly
      low for many cancers including colorectal, lung, testis and brain cancers.
      Mortality was significantly raised only for cancer of the prostate in males, of
      the placenta in females, and of the liver, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple
      myeloma in both sexes. Overall, mortality was high from prostatic cancer and
      liver cancer, and was low from brain cancer, in predominantly ethnic African
      immigrant groups. Both East and West African immigrants had raised rates of
      leukaemia. All of the migrant groups had high rates of multiple myeloma and low
      rates of testicular, ovarian and lung cancer. Genetic and environmental factors
      that may contribute to these patterns are discussed.

PMID- 1419633
TI  - Increased expression and mutation of p53 in choroidal melanoma.
AB  - Using CM-1 antibody directed against the human p53 protein, high levels of mutant
      p53 protein expression were found in 12 out of 18 malignant choroidal melanomas.
      In contrast, we failed to observe elevated p53 expression, indicating the absence
      of p53 mutation in seven choroidal naevi, a potentially premalignant condition
      that can progress to form malignant melanoma. For two choroidal melanomas, we
      demonstrated that high levels of p53 protein were accompanied by exon 7
      mutations. The mutations were found at codon 238, TGT-->TTT and codon 253, ACC-
      >AGC. These observations suggest that acquisition of abnormalities of the p53
      gene may be an important step in the development of malignant melanoma.

PMID- 1419636
TI  - Breast self examination and survival from breast cancer.
AB  - The survival of 616 women aged 15-59 with breast cancer, 226 of whom had been
      taught and practised breast self examination (BSE) prior to diagnosis and 390 of
      whom had not, is reported. Six year survival rates were 73.1% in the BSE taught
      group and 66.1% in other women (P = 0.07).

PMID- 1419635
TI  - The epidemiology of AIDS-associated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the World Health
      Organization European Region.
AB  - This paper describes the epidemiology of AIDS-associated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
      (NHL) in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region. Data, collected by
      the WHO Collaborating Centre on AIDS in Paris, France, were derived from the
      national AIDS surveillance systems of 21 countries. Among 53,042 cases reported
      as of the end of June 1991, 1,617 (3.0%) had NHL as the presenting clinical
      manifestation of AIDS. The proportion of cases presenting with NHL ranged from
      1.1% in children infected perinatally to 3.9% among haemophiliacs. In comparison
      with intravenous drug users (IVDUs) (2.6% of whom had NHL), a moderate excess was
      found among homosexual or bisexual men (odds ratio - OR -:1.2, 95% confidence
      interval - CI -:1.0-1.3). Over time, the proportion of NHL was constant, but
      whereas among homosexual or bisexual men the frequency of NHL as AIDS-indicator
      disease significantly increased (9.7% per year), among IVDUs a significant
      downward trend emerged (17.1% per year). In respect to age, two peaks of NHL were
      seen at the age groups 10-19 (3.8%) and 50-59 (4.3%). The proportion of AIDS
      associated NHL significantly increased with increasing age among homosexual and
      bisexual men and heterosexuals whereas it decreased among IVDUs. All these
      differences, however, have to be interpreted cautiously on account of the
      limitations of the reporting systems.

PMID- 1419637
TI  - The influence of carbogen breathing on tumour tissue oxygenation in man evaluated
      by computerised p02 histography.
AB  - Tumour tissue oxygenation has been measured in man during carbogen breathing (95%
      O2, 5% CO2) using a commercially available polarographic electrode system
      (Eppendorf p02 histograph). At least 200 tumour measurements in each of 17
      patients with accessible tumours were taken before, and subsequently continuously
      after the commencement of carbogen breathing for periods of 10 to 30 min. In 12
      out of 17 patients studied there was a significant increase in median tumour p02
      during the first 10 min of carbogen breathing (range 9 to 1800%). There was an
      initial rapid increase in tumour p02 which was maintained until 8 to 12 min, but
      then decreased throughout the subsequent treatment period. Although there was a
      reduction in the proportion of point measurements < or = 10 mmHg in 11 out of 13
      patients, during carbogen breathing, measured points of < or = 2.5 mmHg were only
      eliminated in three out of 11 tumours. The time course has implications for the
      planning of clinical trials utilising radiotherapy with carbogen breathing.

PMID- 1419638
TI  - Lack of prognostic significance of DNA ploidy and S phase fraction in breast
      cancer.
AB  - DNA Ploidy and S phase fraction (SPF) were measured in Stage I and II breast
      cancers from patients with at least 8 years of follow-up, to assess the
      prognostic significance of these data. Disaggregated sections of formalin-fixed,
      paraffin-embedded tumour were analysed by flow cytometry. SPF was calculated
      using a rectangular model of S phase, after subtraction of background debris
      using an exponential model. 64% of tumours were DNA aneuploid. The median SPF was
      4.5% for DNA diploid, and 10.9% for DNA aneuploid tumours. There were small
      reductions in survival at 10 years for DNA aneuploid tumours, and for tumours
      with above median SPF, but these were not statistically significant. The relative
      hazard for DNA aneuploid tumours was 1.20 (95% CI 0.81-1.76), and for high SPF
      was 1.31 (95% CI 0.87-1.98). Neither factor was statistically correlated with
      survival in multivariate analysis. Technical and theoretical factors limit the
      accuracy and reproducibility of flow cytometric data, and may explain the lack of
      prognostic information given.

PMID- 1419639
TI  - Glutathione S-transferase activity and isoenzyme composition in benign ovarian
      tumours, untreated malignant ovarian tumours, and malignant ovarian tumours after
      platinum/cyclophosphamide chemotherapy.
AB  - Glutathione S-transferase (GST) isoenzyme composition, isoenzyme quantities and
      enzymatic activity were investigated in benign (n = 4) ovarian tumours and
      malignant ovarian tumours, before (n = 20) and after (n = 16) chemotherapy.
      Enzymatic activity of GST in cytosols was measured by determining 1-chloro-2,4
      dinitrobenzene conjugation with glutathione, cytosolic GST subunits were
      determined by wide pore reversed phase HPLC, using a S-hexylglutathione-agarose
      affinity column, and isoelectric focussing. Both GST activity and GST pi amount
      were not related to histopathologic type, differentiation grade, or tumour volume
      index in untreated malignant tumours. GST isoenzyme patterns were identical in
      benign tumours and malignant tumours before and after platinum/cyclophosphamide
      chemotherapy, while GST pi was the predominant transferase. Mean GST activity and
      GST pi amount were decreased (P < 0.05) in malignant ovarian tumours after
      platinum/cyclophosphamide chemotherapy compared to untreated ovarian malignant
      tumours. No relation was found in untreated ovarian tumours between GST pi amount
      and response to platinum/cyclophosphamide chemotherapy. Thus, within the
      limitations of the current study no arguments were found for a role of GST in in
      vivo drug resistance of malignant ovarian tumours to platinum/cyclophosphamide
      chemotherapy.

PMID- 1419640
TI  - Glutathione S-transferase activity and isoenzyme distribution in ovarian tumour
      biopsies taken before or after cytotoxic chemotherapy.
AB  - A study involving the measurement of glutathione S-transferase activities and
      isoenzyme distributions in human ovarian tumours has been carried out. These
      tumours have been obtained either at initial debulking surgery, prior to
      cytotoxic chemotherapy, or at second look laparotomy following chemotherapy. The
      response rates of these two groups to chemotherapy differ markedly, with patients
      who have relapsed following initial chemotherapy showing a reduction in response
      rates to subsequent chemotherapy. Analysis of these data show no statistically
      significant differences between the glutathione S-transferase activity or
      isoenzyme distribution in these two groups of patients. Significant differences
      were observed in the glutathione-S-transferase activities (GST) between tumours
      and normal ovaries. GST activities in pre-chemotherapy tumours (n = 33, P = 0.01)
      and post-chemotherapy tumours (n = 20, P = 0.001) where significantly higher than
      the GST activity in normal ovaries (n = 15). One feature was the expression of
      the basic isoenzyme which is expressed more in normal ovaries than in tumours. No
      differences in these parameters were observed in normal peritoneal tissue taken
      from patients before or after chemotherapy. These data do not support the
      hypothesis that changes in glutathione S-transferase enzyme activity or isoenzyme
      expression are major determinants of response to chemotherapy in ovarian tumours.

PMID- 1419641
TI  - The selection of cases for randomised trials: a registry survey of concurrent
      trial and non-trial patients. The British Stomach Cancer Group.
AB  - A randomised trial of adjuvant chemotherapy vs placebo in operable stomach cancer
      recruited 249 patients from the West Midlands Region between 1976-1980. A Cancer
      Registry survey identified a further 1261 suitable concurrent cases. Trial
      patients were compared with the 960 non-trial cases from participating Districts.
      Only 493 (51%) non-trial cases passed all of the prospective trial selection
      criteria for entry. Stage and fitness caused the majority of exclusions and were
      also highly prognostic. A univariate analysis comparing eligible patients with
      the trial showed the two groups to be balanced for the significant independent
      prognostic factors of the trial. However, differences in patient age and the
      surgery performed indicate that recruitment may have been influenced by unknown
      selection factors. This survey highlights the difficulty of retrospective
      selection and confirms the need for randomised controls. Data available from
      specialist Registries may be used to help develop new protocols and to verify and
      extend trial results.

PMID- 1419642
TI  - Competing risks determining event-free survival in early breast cancer.
AB  - To evaluate the natural history of a disease and the effects of therapeutic
      interventions, it is important to determine which are the causes of treatment
      failure and to assess the extent to which each cause contributes to the total
      failure rate. The paper presents a new biostatistical technique to decompose the
      total event-free survival of a diseased population into cause-specific failure
      rates. The technique was based on a competing risk approach thereby avoiding
      biases related to assumptions of independence between different types of event.
      Such assumptions are inherent in the conventional Kaplan-Meier or actuarial
      methods. The competing risk method was used to analyse the pattern of failure
      among 2,850 pre- and postmenopausal patients with early-stage breast cancer and
      the results were compared to those obtained using conventional methods. The
      following events were analysed: loco-regional recurrence, distant metastasis,
      contralateral breast cancer, other new primary malignancies, and intercurrent
      deaths. The rate of new primary malignancies was found to be significantly higher
      in post- than in premenopausal patients (6% vs 3% at 10 years). In low-risk, node
      negative postmenopausal patients the incidence of recurrences from breast cancer
      were found to be no greater than other types of events. This observation
      highlights the significance of the effect of different adjuvant therapies not
      only on the disease itself but also on the risk of second primary malignancies
      and other intercurrent diseases. In general, it was found that the conventional
      statistical methods tended to overestimate the event-specific rates. In
      conclusion, the method based on competing risks permits an unbiased analysis of
      all types of events determining the total event-free survival. It is thus useful
      for the description of the natural history of breast cancer as well as other
      diseases.

PMID- 1419643
TI  - Monitoring blood flow to colorectal liver metastases using laser Doppler
      flowmetry: the effect of angiotensin II.
AB  - Many colorectal liver metastases are hypovascular, and their low level of
      perfusion is associated with limited drug uptake and poor response rates with
      regional chemotherapy. We have previously shown that hepatic arterial
      vasoconstrictors may increase drug delivery to liver tumours, but the underlying
      haemodynamic changes have not been defined. Using intraoperative laser Doppler
      flowmetry (LDF) we have assessed the effect of intraarterial angiotensin II (AI)
      on tumour blood flow in ten patients with colorectal liver metastases.
      Measurements were performed during placement of infusion catheters for regional
      chemotherapy. Blood flow was recorded continuously with a Periflux PF3 perfusion
      monitor via a probe held on the tumour surface, following hepatic arterial
      infusion of 15 micrograms AII over 90 s. Six patients with isolated small
      metastases (< 5 cm in diameter) showed increases in flow, which reached a peak at
      170-240 s from the start of AII infusion, and which were closely correlated with
      the corresponding increase in arterial pressure (r = 0.92, P = 0.009). Of the
      four patients with large confluent tumour deposits, two showed smaller transient
      increases in flow over the first 60 s of AII infusion and two had no measurable
      flow response. Increased blood flow following AII infusion may increase the
      exposure of tumour to therapeutic agents. This study suggests that both tumour
      size and the effect upon systemic arterial pressure may be important determinants
      of the blood flow response to AII. LDF may provide useful information about the
      potential of AII and other vasoconstrictors to enhance targeting precision.

PMID- 1419644
TI  - Prognostic variables for the selection of patients with operable soft tissue
      sarcomas to be considered in adjuvant chemotherapy trials.
AB  - From 1975 to 1988, 144 patients naive of treatment, with non-metastatic soft
      tissue sarcoma were treated at Fondation Bergonie by surgery, followed by
      radiotherapy and without chemotherapy. An analysis of prognostic variables was
      done on this population to determine patients for whom an adjuvant chemotherapy
      would be relevant. Prognostic variables in overall survival (OS), metastasis-free
      survival (MFS), disease-free and local free recurrence survivals were analysed by
      univariate and multivariate analysis. In multivariate analysis using Cox's model,
      only tumour depth and tumour grade were significant with the MFS end point, while
      tumour depth, tumour grade and tumour site were significant when considering OS.
      A predictive stratification for patients is proposed: a favourable prognostic
      group with grade 1 tumour or superficial, grade 2 tumour (5-year OS: 97.8%; 5
      year MFS: 100%); an intermediate prognostic group with deep, grade 2 tumour or
      superficial, grade 3 tumour (5-year OS: 58.8%; 5-year MFS: 48.1%); and finally a
      poor prognostic group with deep, grade 3 tumour (5-year OS: 31.7%; 5-year MFS:
      34.1%). Patients in the intermediate and poor prognostic groups who present a
      high metastatic risk are to be considered for adjuvant chemotherapy trials.

PMID- 1419645
TI  - Value of epidermal growth factor receptor status compared with growth fraction
      and other factors for prognosis in early breast cancer.
AB  - The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane glycoprotein whose
      expression is important in the regulation of breast cancer cell growth. The
      relationship between EGFR status (determined by an immunocytochemical assay) and
      various prognostic factors was investigated in 164 primary breast cancers.
      Overall 56% of tumours were EGFR-positive and the expression of EGFR was
      unrelated to axillary node status, tumour size and histological grade; and it was
      poorly associated with the tumour proliferative activity measured by Ki-67 immuno
      cytochemistry. The relapse-free survival (RFS) probability at 3-years was
      significantly worse for patients with EGFR positive tumours (P = 0.003) and for
      those whose Ki-67 score was > 7.5% (P = 0.0027), as well as in patients with
      axillary node involvement (P = 0.01) and with poorly differentiated tumours (P =
      0.04). Immunocytochemical determination of EGFR and cell kinetics gave
      superimposable prognostic information for predicting RFS with odds ratios of
      3.51, when evaluated singly. In our series of patients EGFR, Ki-67 and node
      status retain their prognostic value concerning RFS in multivariate analysis. The
      3-year probability of overall survival (OS) was significantly better in node
      negative patients (P = 0.04) and was similar in EGFR-positive and negative
      patients. In conclusion, EGFR status appears to be a significant and independent
      indicator of recurrence in human breast cancer and the concomitant measurement of
      the tumour proliferative activity seems to improve the selection of patients with
      different risks of recurrence.

PMID- 1419646
TI  - Comparison of plasma prolactin and CEA in monitoring patients with adenocarcinoma
      of colon and rectum.
AB  - Plasma prolactin (PRL) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were measured by
      radioimmunoassay in 74 patients with adenocarcinoma of colon and rectum. The
      markers were correlated with disease stage, histological grade and
      progression/remission of disease. The circulating preoperative median PRL and CEA
      levels were significantly higher in colorectal cancer patients than in their
      respective controls. PRL was elevated in all Dukes stages and in all histological
      grades of the tumour whereas the rise in CEA was more pronounced in Dukes D. Out
      of 74 patients, 29% (21/74) developed recurrent disease and 31% (23/74) responded
      to the treatment. With regard to monitoring recurrence(s), the predictive value
      of PRL was 94% which was significantly greater than that of CEA which was only
      62%. In patients who developed liver metastases PRL remained elevated whereas CEA
      showed more than 100-fold increase. Therefore, we feel that CEA is a better
      marker for monitoring patients who developed liver metastases. From our results,
      we suggest that PRL can be used as a better overall marker for detecting
      recurrence(s) in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 1419648
TI  - Sialyl Tn as a prognostic marker in epithelial ovarian cancer.

PMID- 1419649
TI  - Draft guidance on children affected or infected by HIV.

PMID- 1419647
TI  - Immunological effects of alternative weekly interferon-alpha-2b and low dose
      interleukin-2 in patients with cancer.

PMID- 1419650
TI  - Secure units: behind the headlines.

PMID- 1419651
TI  - Nightingale's notes on nursing.

PMID- 1419652
TI  - The management of fractures of the hip.
AB  - Proximal femoral fractures are a common reason for admission to orthopaedic
      units, and one which may become even more regular as the population ages. Despite
      this, newcomers to the orthopaedic arena, such as nursing students, may be
      confused when faced by different hip fractures and the treatments which may be
      offered. This article seeks to clarify some of these points by outlining the
      anatomy of the proximal femoral region, various common fractures, the treatments
      available to the surgeon and aspects of nursing care associated with the pre and
      post operative phases of the patient's care.

PMID- 1419653
TI  - Teaching sociology: sharing learning.
AB  - The ideas in this article arose from discussions between two nurse educators
      brought together from different professional backgrounds to teach on a new
      Project 2000 course. It is a frank and honest account of a partnership involving
      two teachers--a nurse and a sociologist. It is also an illustration of theory-in
      use; of an attempt in the workplace to move away from the split between theories
      in sociology, nursing and education and their practical application. The authors
      discuss how they worked in partnership--planning, delivering and evaluating their
      contribution to the course's 18 month long common foundation programme.

PMID- 1419654
TI  - Nursing's brain drain.

PMID- 1419655
TI  - Cardiology: improving nurses' resuscitation skills.
AB  - Nurses have a crucial role to play in determining whether victims of cardiac
      arrest survive, but skills vary and, perhaps because of the onerous
      responsibility placed upon them, some nurses feel less than confident in using
      their abilities to the full. The author describes a resuscitation training course
      for staff in one hospital, designed to bolster confidence and to ensure all
      nurses are equally competent in giving assistance when cardiac arrest occurs.

PMID- 1419656
TI  - Education: perceptions of supernumerary status.
AB  - This, the first of three related articles, explores the attitudes of students,
      preceptors and lecturers to supernumerary status. While the contractual aspect of
      supernumerary status is understood by the three groups, there is confusion about
      the educational aspect. Next week, the reality of supernumerary status from the
      experience of students will be examined, while the final article will look at the
      role of students, preceptors, sisters/charge nurses and lecturers in the
      implementation of supernumerary status.

PMID- 1419657
TI  - Diffusing the fear of cancer.

PMID- 1419658
TI  - The Nat Health files. Whistle while you're sacked.

PMID- 1419659
TI  - Lateral nursing. Nursing's family feuding.

PMID- 1419660
TI  - Complementary therapy. Appropriate therapies for nurses to practise.

PMID- 1419661
TI  - Complementary therapy, therapeutic touch--research and reality.

PMID- 1419662
TI  - Complementary therapy. Research methods in complementary therapies.

PMID- 1419663
TI  - In-flight nursing: flying to the rescue.

PMID- 1419665
TI  - Championing the disadvantaged. Interview by Jean Gray.

PMID- 1419664
TI  - Europe: evolution in nursing.

PMID- 1419666
TI  - Care of people with diabetes in hospital.
AB  - Although most hospitals have protocols for the care of people with diabetes who
      are admitted as a result of their condition or other illness, deficiencies in the
      care offered are still regularly reported. This article explores reasons why the
      care of people with diabetes in hospital seems to be unsatisfactory, and proposes
      some solutions to the problems.

PMID- 1419667
TI  - An independent stoma care service.
AB  - This article describes the establishment of an independent stoma care service,
      and the problems the author encountered. Set up just over four years ago, it is
      one of the few independent stoma care services in the UK. It currently caters
      exclusively for patients in private hospitals in London and the South-East of
      England, and the author also holds a clinic in Harley Street. Over 300 patients
      benefit from the service.

PMID- 1419669
TI  - Education. The reality of supernumerary status.
AB  - This is the second of three related articles looking at the reality of
      supernumerary status for undergraduate nursing students in Northern Ireland. The
      first (1) explored students, preceptors and lecturers' perceptions of the term
      'supernumerary'. Next week, the role of students, charge nurses and preceptors
      will be examined in relation to its implementation. This article portrays the
      reality of supernumerary status from the students' perspective, using diaries and
      a questionnaire.

PMID- 1419670
TI  - Health discrimination against gays.

PMID- 1419668
TI  - A milieu approach to dementia day care.
AB  - Applying the principles of therapeutic milieu, in which individual needs can be
      recognised within those of a group, can help people with dementia to realise
      their potential. The implementation of a system of care based on such an approach
      in a day unit is described, focusing on the need to acknowledge the essential
      worth of attenders and providing adequate support for staff.

PMID- 1419671
TI  - The Clay column.

PMID- 1419672
TI  - Hospital security: NHS ignores rape alarms.

PMID- 1419673
TI  - Employment: why on earth am I nursing?

PMID- 1419674
TI  - The Sister Susie column. Dog day surgery visits.

PMID- 1419675
TI  - Professional conduct: the UKCC Code deciphered.

PMID- 1419676
TI  - Lateral nursing. Consumption imperils nurses.

PMID- 1419677
TI  - School nursing: a slice of history.

PMID- 1419678
TI  - Health of the nation: the missing links.

PMID- 1419679
TI  - Europe: a return to criminalisation.

PMID- 1419680
TI  - Ensuring compliance in enteral feeding.
AB  - Enteral feeding provides a lifeline for some patients, but is not without its own
      hazards and risks. The complications include blocking of tubes and
      gastrointestinal intolerance, and may inhibit and delay the patient's recovery
      from illness. This article discusses the difficulties, and offers some potential
      solutions to them.

PMID- 1419681
TI  - Mental health: use and abuse of control and restraint.
AB  - The recent report of the inquiry into complaints at Ashworth Hospital (1)
      recommended that control and restraint techniques, used to contain violent
      conduct, should be used as a last resort, 'and should be subject to careful
      scrutiny to determine system failures'. This article, which points out that
      nurses in many areas are victims of increased levels of violence, defines control
      and restraint techniques, who should use them and in which situations their use
      may be sanctioned. The author concludes that although preservation of the
      patient's rights and dignity is paramount, nurses who have undergone control and
      restraint training are more confident practitioners when they are confronted with
      violent situations. In a second article next month, Tarbuck will look at issues
      of ethics and the human rights of patients.

PMID- 1419682
TI  - Paying health care assistants in the NHS.

PMID- 1419683
TI  - Current initiatives in open learning.
AB  - This article considers the needs for open learning in pre- and post-registration
      nurse, midwife and health visitor education. Examples of institutions using open
      learning are provided and the English National Board's current initiatives in
      relation to open learning packages are detailed. The Board's future initiatives
      demonstrating its commitment to the support of open learning are also described.

PMID- 1419685
TI  - Student overload is threatening nurses responsible for supervising placements.

PMID- 1419684
TI  - Education: implementation of supernumerary status.
AB  - This series of three articles began with a discussion of perceptions of
      supernumerary status and was followed by an examination of the reality of the
      term as seen through the eyes of students, teaching and ward staff. The series
      concludes this week with an exploration of the context in which supernumerary
      status can best be implemented.

PMID- 1419686
TI  - A day in the life. Could my big end have gone?

PMID- 1419687
TI  - Lateral nursing: the academic paper chase.

PMID- 1419688
TI  - Equal opportunities: chipping away at change.

PMID- 1419689
TI  - Living will allows choice for people with HIV/AIDS.

PMID- 1419690
TI  - AIDS focus. Educating for health.

PMID- 1419692
TI  - AIDS focus. HIV roundup.

PMID- 1419691
TI  - AIDS focus. Developing a vaccine for HIV.

PMID- 1419693
TI  - 'No' to blanket HIV pregnancy testing.

PMID- 1419694
TI  - Understanding quality (continuing education credit).

PMID- 1419695
TI  - Asthma explained (continuing education credit).

PMID- 1419696
TI  - Introducing EuroQuan.

PMID- 1419697
TI  - EuroQuan. Nursing standards in Europe.

PMID- 1419699
TI  - Primary nursing: making time for patients.

PMID- 1419698
TI  - EuroQuan. European quality.

PMID- 1419700
TI  - Off the boil on the health service.

PMID- 1419701
TI  - Patient autonomy: willing decisions.

PMID- 1419703
TI  - Whistleblowing: discipline!

PMID- 1419702
TI  - Relief work: don't forget Somalia. Interview by Charlotte Alderman.

PMID- 1419705
TI  - Clinical practice and management.

PMID- 1419704
TI  - Living aids: wheelchair evaluation and prescription.
AB  - This article reviews the assessment procedure for patients who require a
      wheelchair. The author, a medical specialist in prosthetics and orthotics,
      describes the important physical and social factors which must be considered, and
      defines what equipment is available from the National Health Service and
      elsewhere.

PMID- 1419706
TI  - Off-the-shelf audit: is it feasible?
AB  - Increasing interest in audit in the health service has focused attention on the
      tools and methods used to achieve it. These can be extremely expensive, so a
      tendency to opt for off-the-shelf packages has developed. This article reviews
      how one such instrument, The Central Nottinghamshire Psychiatric Nursing Audit,
      has been used in two settings over the past three years, with particular emphasis
      on its cost-effectiveness.

PMID- 1419707
TI  - The named nurse in perspective.
AB  - This is the first of three articles that concentrate on the implications of the
      named nurse initiative for nursing practice. The way the initiative has been put
      into practice in Sheffield Health Authority will be described next week, followed
      by Steve Wright's analysis of the value of wearing name badges. To set the scene,
      Royal College of Nursing General Secretary Christine Hancock takes a wider look
      at the concept of the named nurse and relates it to systems of organising nursing
      that are in general use.

PMID- 1419708
TI  - The standard guide to writing for publication.

PMID- 1419709
TI  - The cynical nurse specialist.

PMID- 1419710
TI  - Women's network: women at work.

PMID- 1419711
TI  - Student voice: witness to inhuman practices.

PMID- 1419712
TI  - A tremendous opportunity to influence services.

PMID- 1419713
TI  - Occupational risk of HIV-associated TB.

PMID- 1419714
TI  - Radical approach to HIV vaccine.

PMID- 1419715
TI  - Community care: the forgotten carers.

PMID- 1419716
TI  - Bosnia: victims of the violence.

PMID- 1419717
TI  - The new language of caring.

PMID- 1419718
TI  - Patrolling occupational health. Interview by Charlotte Alderman.

PMID- 1419719
TI  - A new development in radiology: TIPS.
AB  - Interventional radiology has had a significant impact on patient care over the
      past 20 years, with the development of low-risk procedures. Nurses specialising
      in this field must maintain their knowledge of innovations to ensure that the
      nursing care of such patients remains appropriate. This article describes the
      indications for and procedural technique of transjugular intrahepatic
      portosystemic shunting (TIPS), a new initiative in interventional radiology.
      Although there are risks and side-effects, initial evidence of the method's
      efficacy suggests it has great potential in reducing morbidity and length of
      hospital stay.

PMID- 1419720
TI  - The role of the support worker.
AB  - The major contribution which nurses make to patient care could be enhanced still
      further if nurses' professional skills were used to the full. Advances in medical
      technology, faster patient throughput, increasing numbers of very elderly people
      and higher consumer expectations have changed and extended the demands on nurses
      and nursing.

PMID- 1419721
TI  - Giving and taking constructive criticism.

PMID- 1419722
TI  - Patient's charter: the implementation of named nursing.

PMID- 1419724
TI  - Management: everybody's enemy.

PMID- 1419723
TI  - No nursery rhyme or reason: working parents.

PMID- 1419725
TI  - A day in the life. Never mind the width.

PMID- 1419726
TI  - The Nat Health files. The latest pet therapy.

PMID- 1419727
TI  - Getting the nursed degree.

PMID- 1419728
TI  - District nursing: another lonely death.

PMID- 1419730
TI  - [Children live dangerously--accident prevention a responsibility of the pediatric
      nurse?].

PMID- 1419731
TI  - [Pension reform in force--evaluation of the new pension legislation].

PMID- 1419729
TI  - [Our children's hospital aught to be more thoughtful of children].

PMID- 1419732
TI  - [Informative visits to England].

PMID- 1419733
TI  - [Acute appendicitis--guidelines for preoperative and postoperative care].

PMID- 1419734
TI  - [Special nursing tasks in pediatric psychosomatics].

PMID- 1419735
TI  - [Rudolf Degkwitz (1889-1973)].

PMID- 1419736
TI  - [Meaningful environment-friendly disinfection and hygienic measures in
      pediatrics].

PMID- 1419737
TI  - [20 years of the new building of the pediatric hospital in Gorlitz].

PMID- 1419739
TI  - [Mucoviscidosis].

PMID- 1419738
TI  - [Is Pediatric Nursing disappearing?].

PMID- 1419740
TI  - [Pre- and postoperative care of male newborns and infants with urethral
      obstructions].

PMID- 1419741
TI  - [The technique of endotracheal suction].

PMID- 1419742
TI  - [Nurse counselor in neonatology].

PMID- 1419743
TI  - [Meaningful environment-friendly disinfection and hygienic measures in
      pediatrics. 3].

PMID- 1419744
TI  - [Poisonous and less poisonous plants. 4].

PMID- 1419746
TI  - [Caries prevention. Position of the nutrition commission of the Austrian Society
      for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine].

PMID- 1419745
TI  - [Lues Connata--clinical aspects, diagnosis and therapy].

PMID- 1419747
TI  - [Satisfaction and dissatisfaction--triggering factors in nursing performance].

PMID- 1419748
TI  - [Tubingen sibling day care--day care for healthy children].

PMID- 1419749
TI  - Distribution of interleukin 1 receptor antagonist protein (IRAP), interleukin 1
      receptor, and interleukin 1 alpha in normal and psoriatic skin. Decreased
      expression of IRAP in psoriatic lesional epidermis.
AB  - The distribution of interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), type 1 interleukin 1
      receptor (IL-1R), and the interleukin 1 receptor antagonist protein (IRAP), was
      investigated in biopsies of normal skin, and in uninvolved and lesional skin of
      patients with psoriasis, using specific monoclonal antibodies. We report the
      novel finding that IRAP is distributed throughout the living layers of the
      epidermis in normal skin, and is also associated with sebaceous glands and
      eccrine sweat glands. Our finding that the inhibitor protein IRAP is present in
      areas where the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1 alpha is distributed provides
      strong evidence in favour of a cytokine regulatory system in normal skin. We
      further document for the first time that IL-1R in normal skin is localized to the
      living layers of the epidermis, sebaceous and eccrine glands, as well as to a
      prominent network of dermal dendritic cells, and upper dermal blood vessels.
      There was a consistent reduction in the level of IRAP expression in lesional
      compared with uninvolved skin in biopsies from six out of seven psoriasis
      patients. Decreased IRAP expression in lesions of psoriasis indicates that
      alterations in the level of this inhibitor protein may be important in the
      pathogenesis of inflammatory skin conditions.

PMID- 1419751
TI  - Epidermolysis bullosa in Northern Ireland.
AB  - Cases of epidermolysis bullosa (EB) diagnosed in Northern Ireland during a 23
      year period (1962-84) were identified from dermatology clinic files, paediatric
      hospital notes and cases known by general practitioners. A total of 48 confirmed
      new cases of EB were diagnosed during the screening period. This involved 31
      families, with identification of 36 further cases. The distribution of incident
      EB subtypes was: simplex 31 (65%), junctional 1 (2%), dystrophic 12 (25%) and
      acquisita 4 (8%). The incidence rate of new cases of EB diagnosed per year is
      1.4/million and prevalence of all forms estimated at 32/million. The prevalence
      of simplex, junctional and dystrophic forms is 28, 0.7 and 3/million,
      respectively.

PMID- 1419750
TI  - Intracellular expression of type VII collagen during wound healing in severe
      recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa and normal human skin.
AB  - The ability of keratinocytes to synthesize basement membrane components in vivo
      during wound healing in normal human skin and in severe recessive dystrophic
      epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) was investigated. Indirect immunofluorescence using
      anti-type VII collagen (VIIc, recognizing the globular non-helical component of
      the molecule), anti-type IV collagen, anti-laminin and bullous pemphigoid
      antisera, was performed on biopsies of intact skin and of healing skin taken
      between 7 and 14 days after dermatome injury (upper to mid-dermal wounding) in
      eight patients with severe RDEB and in seven normal subjects. Baseline anti-type
      VIIc immunofluorescence showed completely absent staining of the epidermis,
      dermis and dermo-epidermal junction in severe RDEB samples, and bright linear
      dermo-epidermal junction fluorescence in normal human skin. In 5/5 normal human
      skin samples taken 9-12 days post-wounding, some type VIIc expression was noted
      within basal cells as well as in a continuous or interrupted linear distribution
      at the basement membrane zone. In all the severe RDEB biopsies sampled between
      days 10 and 13 (5/5), anti-VIIc fluorescence was also seen with varying intensity
      within basal and lowermost suprabasal cells, and in one day 14 sample at the
      dermo-epidermal junction. Low levels of intracellular type IVc were seen in both
      groups, but only in those samples taken 7-9 days after injury; later biopsies
      showed only continuous dermo-epidermal junction staining. Linear basement
      membrane zone labelling with laminin and bullous pemphigoid antisera was seen in
      all samples in both sets of subjects, even at day 7, but there was no detectable
      intracellular antisera staining.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419752
TI  - Exposure to house dust mites in homes of people with atopic dermatitis.
AB  - The median relative density of house dust mite populations was determined in
      mattresses in the homes of 23 people with atopic dermatitis (AD) who were mite
      sensitive. It was significantly higher (total mites [dead and live] 174/0.1 g of
      dust: live mites 45.5/0.1 g) than in those of 23 healthy non-atopics (total mites
      52/0.1 g; live mites 7.5/0.1 g; P < 0.05, < 0.01, respectively; Mann-Whitney U
      test). There was no significant difference between mite population densities in
      mattresses in damp homes (n = 27; total mites 188/0.1 g; live mites 36/0.1 g) and
      those in homes with no damp (n = 19; total mites 116/0.1 g; live mites 26/0.1 g).
      These data demonstrate a clear association between AD and exposure to large
      numbers of mites, independent of the presence of domestic damp. People with AD
      were exposed to densities of > 500 mites/0.1 g of mattress dust five times more
      frequently than non-atopics, corresponding to a relative risk of 25.0, but were
      exposed to densities of < or = 50 mites/0.1 g five times less frequently. The
      overall relative risk for AD, with a cutoff of 50 mites (total)/0.1 g, was 8.1.
      There was an obvious positive correlation between magnitude of exposure and
      frequency of disease. It is hypothesized that the association between high
      densities of mites and AD is related to differences in lipid composition of the
      shed squames on which the mites feed: those of people with AD may be of greater
      nutritional value than those of non-atopics, thus enhancing mite population
      growth.

PMID- 1419753
TI  - Adhesion molecules and related proteins in Darier's disease and Hailey-Hailey
      disease.
AB  - We have used antibodies to plakoglobin and E-cadherin: the lectins, peanut
      agglutinin (PNA) and soybean agglutinin (SBA); and sera from patients with the
      autoimmune diseases pemphigus vulgaris (PV) or pemphigus foliaceus (PF), in an
      immunohistological study of Darier's disease and Hailey-Hailey disease. There was
      normal expression of plakoglobin, E-cadherin, lectins and pemphigus antigens at
      the periphery of keratinocytes in uninvolved skin. Clumps of plakoglobin were
      detected within acantholytic cells in Hailey-Hailey disease, whereas expression
      was diffuse in acantholytic cells in Darier's disease. This difference may
      reflect differences in the pathogenesis of acantholysis. E-cadherin expression
      was weak or absent at the periphery of some acantholytic cells; lectin binding
      was sometimes reduced around acantholytic cells, and pemphigus antibodies did not
      bind to the acantholytic cells involved skin in either disease. Internalization,
      conformational changes or proteolysis may alter the expression of extracellular
      epitopes by acantholytic cells.

PMID- 1419754
TI  - Increased sensory neuropeptides in nodular prurigo: a quantitative
      immunohistochemical analysis.
AB  - Seven patients with nodular prurigo, five patients with lichenified eczema and
      seven control volunteers were studied immunohistochemically using antisera to the
      pan-neuronal marker protein gene product 9.5 (PGP), and the neuropeptides
      calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P (SP), tyrosine hydroxylase
      (TH), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and the C-flanking region of
      neuropeptide Y (C-PON). PGP-, CGRP- and SP-immunoreactivities were also evaluated
      using image analysis quantification, and the data compared by statistical
      analysis. No significant changes were noted in the lichenified skin of patients
      with chronic eczema, compared with the control groups. In contrast, a significant
      increase in PGP immunoreactive nerve fibers was seen in lesional skin of all
      nodular prurigo cases studied, when compared with non-lesional skin from the same
      patient or from control subjects (P < 0.001). In one case massive neural
      hyperplasia was also identified. Staining for CGRP and SP showed a large increase
      of immunoreactive nerves in lesional skin of nodular prurigo patients, which
      closely paralleled that of PGP. Staining with VIP, C-PON and TH was similar in
      both lesional and non-lesional skin. These results indicate that neural changes
      in nodular prurigo are associated with an increase of sensory neuropeptides,
      which could be related to the intense pruritus which accompanies nodular prurigo.
      The absence of significant changes in lichenified skin suggests that the increase
      in CGRP- and SP-immunoreactive nerve fibres is a characteristic feature of
      nodular prurigo and may be important in its pathogenesis.

PMID- 1419755
TI  - A quantitative immunohistochemical study of the expression of integrins by nerves
      in psoriatic and normal skin.
AB  - Qualitative and quantitative assessment of integrin expression by dermal nerves
      was made by an avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase method on snap-frozen biopsies from
      affected psoriatic skin, and skin from normal control subjects with no history of
      skin disease. Nerves expressed alpha 1, alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 6, beta 1 and
      beta 4 integrin subunits, and perineural sheaths in the mid-dermis also expressed
      these subunits, with the exception of alpha 2. There were more upper dermal nerve
      segments expressing alpha 1 integrin compared with other integrins both in
      controls and in psoriatic skin. The greater number of nerves expressing alpha 1
      integrin compared with other integrins may be due to anatomical or functional
      differences between groups of nerves. There were significantly more nerves
      expressing alpha 1, alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 6 and beta 4 integrins in psoriatic
      skin compared with control skin. This generalized increase may indicate a
      secondary trophic effect on all nerves rather than a specific increase in one
      type of nerve. However, the expression of alpha 2 integrin may be significant in
      the pathogenesis of the psoriatic plaque, in that it was barely detectable in the
      normal site-matched biopsies, but much greater in psoriatic plaques. The study of
      the expression of adhesion molecules by neurones in psoriasis offers a new avenue
      for investigation of the role of neuronal hypertrophy in the initiation and
      maintenance of psoriatic plaques.

PMID- 1419756
TI  - Peripheral anchorage of dermal equivalents.
AB  - Human fibroblasts can induce collagen gel contraction with different kinetics
      depending on the number of cells and on the collagen concentration within this
      lattice, which has been considered as a dermal equivalent. Skin equivalent is a
      combined culture of dermo-epidermal layers which may be of therapeutic value in
      the treatment of burn patients. However, the current production of the dermal
      equivalent component gives results that present many drawbacks for their eventual
      clinical use as a first step in obtaining a skin equivalent. These include: (i)
      final surfaces which are very small; less than 20% of the initial size (ii)
      excessive thickness which may hamper successful graft take (iii) fibroblasts that
      do not have an arrangement comparable with normal dermal tissue. We propose, as a
      solution to these problems, the utilization of a 5-mm-wide fibre-glass filter
      ring peripherally attached to the surface of the Petri dishes to prevent
      inordinate contraction while the fibroblasts reorganize the collagen gel. Using
      this technique the initial surface was preserved and the dermal equivalent
      contracted only in thickness. Histological analysis of these anchored equivalents
      confirmed an alignment of fibroblasts and collagen fibres resembling normal
      dermal tissue. We consider this method useful in the development of dermo
      epidermal sheets for clinical purposes.

PMID- 1419758
TI  - Sensitivity of different areas of the flexor aspect of the human forearm to
      corticosteroid-induced skin blanching.
AB  - The intensity of corticosteroid-induced blanching has been found to vary at
      different areas of the flexor aspect of the human forearm. A retrospective
      analysis of 38,880 observations of skin blanching in 56 volunteers was conducted
      to assess the sensitivity of forearm skin to betamethasone 17-valerate. The mid
      forearm appears to be more sensitive to the blanching response than do the areas
      close to the wrist or elbow. These results indicate that each preparation under
      evaluation should be applied to several sites along the forearm when using the
      human skin blanching assay in order to obtain an accurate comparative assessment
      of corticosteroid release from topical delivery vehicles.

PMID- 1419759
TI  - Bone changes and their significance in children with ichthyosis on long-term
      etretinate therapy.
AB  - Anxiety about the use of etretinate in children has been provoked by several
      reports describing skeletal abnormalities during long-term therapy. However, we
      have observed no evidence of skeletal toxicity in 42 children treated over an 11
      year period. Radiological screening before and during treatment has failed to
      reveal abnormalities that would influence our decision to commence or to continue
      etretinate administration. We recommend that children who are to be treated with
      etretinate should have a baseline selective skeletal survey, with follow-up
      radiology restricted to those with pretreatment radiological abnormalities and
      those who develop musculo-skeletal symptoms. In addition we advise that dosage
      should not exceed 1 mg/kg/day. If these guidelines are followed, we believe that
      long-term therapy with etretinate can be given to children, with an acceptable
      margin of safety.

PMID- 1419757
TI  - Isolation and characterization of a lower molecular weight protein doublet of
      horny cell outer leaflet: a possible novel epidermal differentiation marker.
AB  - The water-soluble fraction of stratum corneum contains numerous unidentifiable
      proteins and polypeptides when examined by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide
      gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Intensely stained polypeptide bands of low
      molecular weights (LMW) [8 and 10 kDa] are also present, and the abundance and
      invariable presence of this LMW protein doublet in the soluble proteins of
      stratum corneum prompted us to isolate and characterize them. Extracts of stratum
      corneum, using 8 M urea, 0.05 M Tris, pH 9.0, 0.025 M 2-mercaptoethanol, were
      dialysed against water. Water-insoluble proteins were removed by repeated
      dialysis and centrifugation. From the remaining soluble proteins, a LMW protein
      doublet was isolated by Sephadex G50 column chromatography and reversed-phase
      high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The amino acid compositions of the
      8 and 10 kDa proteins were similar to, but different from, those of known
      structural proteins in the stratum corneum. Rabbit antibody was raised against
      the 10-kDa protein band and cross-reacted with the 8-kDa protein band by Western
      immunoblot technique. The antibody recognized only this protein doublet amongst
      the proteins extracted from cultured keratinocytes. The 8- and 10-kDa proteins
      therefore appear to be closely related to, but different from, known structural
      proteins or degradation products. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron
      microscopy demonstrated that this protein doublet was located in the cytoplasm of
      the cells of the malpighian layer, and in the outer layer of the marginal band of
      the horny layer. Its distribution was shown to be limited to stratified squamous
      epithelia by organ specificity studies. These results suggest that this protein
      doublet appears to be a novel soluble protein and a new epidermal differentiation
      marker of stratified epithelium.

PMID- 1419760
TI  - Bath-water compared with oral delivery of 8-methoxypsoralen PUVA therapy for
      chronic plaque psoriasis.
AB  - Forty-four patients with chronic plaque psoriasis were randomly allocated to
      treatment with bath-water-delivered 8-methoxypsoralen (bath 8-MOP) or oral 8
      methoxypsoralen (oral 8-MOP) PUVA therapy. There was a significant reduction in
      extent of the lesions and psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) after 20
      treatments with each modality. There was a fourfold reduction in cumulative
      ultraviolet A (UVA) dose in the bath group. Side-effects of erythema and nausea
      were less with bath therapy.

PMID- 1419761
TI  - An investigation of the pharmacokinetics of topical terbinafine (Lamisil) 1%
      cream.
AB  - Twenty human volunteers were entered into a study to investigate the
      pharmacokinetics of terbinafine 1% cream. Subjects were randomized to receive
      terbinafine 1% cream applied to the back on 1 day, or on 3, 5 or 7 consecutive
      days. Up to five sequential skin surface biopsies were taken at a site on the
      upper back at various time-points both during treatment, and following cessation
      of treatment. Terbinafine levels in these biopsies were analysed using HPLC. The
      study showed that increasing the number of applications from one to seven did not
      significantly increase the peak concentration (Cmax) in the stratum corneum. It
      did, however, increase the total amount of terbinafine found in the stratum
      corneum, resulting in terbinafine being detected for longer periods after
      cessation of therapy. Treatment for 7 days resulted in terbinafine still being
      detectable 7 days after cessation of therapy, when the terbinafine concentration
      was significantly higher than the known cidal concentrations for the common
      causative organisms of superficial dermatomycoses. This study indicates a
      significant potential for short-duration treatment with terbinafine (Lamisil) 1%
      cream in superficial dermatomycoses.

PMID- 1419762
TI  - Phenytoin-induced pseudolymphoma. A report of a case and review of the
      literature.
AB  - We report a patient with phenytoin-induced pseudolymphoma mimicking cutaneous T
      cell lymphoma (CTCL). Despite withdrawal of phenytoin, there was persistence of
      the cutaneous eruption and lymphadenopathy. Southern blot analysis of
      immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor genes was therefore used to assess whether
      there was a clonal lymphoid expansion. However, no rearrangement of the beta T
      cell receptor gene or immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene was detected in tissue DNA
      from skin and lymph nodes. One year later the patient became asymptomatic,
      although he is still at risk of developing a true malignant lymphoma in the
      future, a condition known as pseudo-pseudolymphoma. It is suggested that
      genotypic studies may help in the initial diagnosis and the subsequent management
      of such patients.

PMID- 1419763
TI  - Centrifugal lipodystrophy of the face mimicking progressive lipodystrophy.
AB  - We report a Japanese boy with centrifugal lipodystrophy. The initial lesion
      developed on the forehead as an area of erythema which showed centrifugal spread
      and central fading to leave a residual depression. Three years later, similar
      erythematous lesions appeared on the cheeks, and he developed a cadaverous
      appearance. A central depression on the upper trunk was surrounded by an
      erythematous border and there was right cervical lymphadenopathy. Histological
      examination revealed inflammatory changes in the subcutaneous fat. Although this
      patient showed the characteristics of both centrifugal and progressive
      lipodystrophy (partial lipodystrophy), we consider that he has centrifugal
      lipodystrophy of the face because of the overall features of the lesions.

PMID- 1419764
TI  - Elephantiasis nostras verrucosa: beneficial effect of oral etretinate therapy.
AB  - Elephantiasis nostras verrucosa is characterized by chronic secondary, non
      filarial lymphoedema due to recurrent lymphangitis, dermal fibrosis, and
      epidermal changes consisting of hyperkeratotic, verrucous and papillomatous
      lesions. Histologically, there is pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia. Therapeutic
      efforts should aim to reduce lymph stasis, which will also lead to improvement of
      the cutaneous changes. In this study, rapid disappearance of the hyperkeratotic
      and verrucous lesions, remarkable flattening of the papillomatous nodules and
      improvement of lymphoedema occurred in three obese patients treated with
      etretinate in an initial dose of 0.6-0.75 mg/kg/day for 4-6 weeks. Monitoring of
      plasma concentrations of etretinate, acitretin and 13-cis-acitretin by HPLC
      revealed sufficient short-time absorption (4 h) and bioavailability of the drug
      (30 days; two out of three patients). Long-term maintenance therapy in one
      patient produced a remarkable improvement in the lymphoedema; another patient
      relapsed after discontinuation of the etretinate and responded again after this
      was reintroduced. In the third patient treatment was withdrawn because of an
      increase in triglycerides, but improvement persisted 6 months later. The clinical
      side-effects of oral retinoid therapy were moderate and well tolerated.

PMID- 1419765
TI  - British Society for Investigative Dermatology. Annual meeting. Sheffield, 24-25
      September 1992. Abstracts.

PMID- 1419766
TI  - A case of malignant haemangioendothelioma showing response to interleukin 2
      therapy.

PMID- 1419767
TI  - Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus-like gyrate erythema and hypertrichosis
      lanuginosa acquisita associated with uterine adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 1419768
TI  - Unusual pattern of phototoxic burning following trimethylpsoralen (TMP) bath
      photochemotherapy (PUVA)

PMID- 1419769
TI  - Lesional blistering following narrow-band (TL-01) UVB phototherapy for psoriasis:
      a report of four cases.

PMID- 1419770
TI  - Discoid lupus erythematosus-like lesions in carriers of X-linked chronic
      granulomatous disease.

PMID- 1419771
TI  - Median nail dystrophy associated with isotretinoin therapy.

PMID- 1419772
TI  - Extracorporeal photochemotherapy in the treatment of severe psoriatic
      arthropathy.

PMID- 1419773
TI  - Malignant melanoma occurring as a second cancer following primary germ cell
      tumour in males: report of three cases.

PMID- 1419774
TI  - Comparative teratogenicity of nine retinoids in the rat.
AB  - he comparative teratogenicity of nine retinoids in Wistar rats was investigated.
      The compounds studied and dose levels tested (mg/kg) were: all-trans-retinoic
      acid (TRA), 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100; etretinate (ETR), 25, 50; acitretin (ACIT),
      25, 50; 13-cis-retinoic acid (13CRA), 100, 200; and five retinamides, each at 300
      and 600 mg/kg, N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-retinamide (4HPR); N-tetrazol-5-ylretinamide
      (TZR); N-butylretinamide (NBR); N-ethylretinamide (NER); 13-cis-N-ethylretinamide
      (13CNER). Retinoids were administered by oral intubation on days 10 and 11 post
      coitum (p.c.). Dams were killed on day 22 p.c. and examinations carried out to
      assess teratogenic potential. TRA, ETR, ACIT, 13CRA and 4HPR increased the
      incidence of resorptions. The incidence of abnormal fetuses, irrespective of the
      specific abnormalities induced, was markedly increased (50-100%) by TRA, ETR,
      ACIT, 13CRA and 4HPR, whereas TZR and NBR caused moderate increases (20-50%), and
      NER and 13CNER induced mild increases (10-20%). The incidences of CNS,
      craniofacial and urinogenital defects were generally high with TRA, ETR, ACIT and
      13CRA. Cardiac vessel defects were markedly increased by 4HPR. Using a number of
      criteria, a generalized ranking order of the toxicity of the compounds was drawn
      up: TRA > ETR > ACIT > 13CRA > 4HPR > TZR identical to NBR > NER identical to
      13CNER. The ranked order of relative in-vivo teratogenicity for the nine
      retinoids is compared with a previously reported in-vitro assessment of the
      compounds using a rat whole embryo culture technique.

PMID- 1419776
TI  - Binding of asparaginase to mouse monocytes.
AB  - We have demonstrated that biotinylated asparaginase binds to mouse monocytes.
      Also, asparaginase bound to peritoneal exudate, resident, splenic, bone marrow
      and pulmonary macrophages, but not to neutrophils or lymphocytes. Labelled
      asparaginase binding to peritoneal exudate macrophages was inhibited by 20-fold
      excess of unlabelled asparaginase. The binding of asparaginase to monocytes from
      mice injected with lactic dehydrogenase virus (LDV) or carrageenan was decreased.
      This decreased binding following treatment with LDV or carrageenan was reversed
      when mice were treated with diethylstilboestrol. In-vivo asparaginase clearance
      in mice infected with LDV was impaired as compared with that in uninfected mice.
      Neither strain nor age differences affected the binding to monocytes. The results
      suggest that the ability of asparaginase to bind to monocytes in vitro may
      reflect clearance function in vivo.

PMID- 1419775
TI  - Measurements of blood flow and histometry of the cellular infiltrate in
      tuberculin skin test responses of the typical Koch type and the non-turgid
      variant form (Listeria-type) in pulmonary tuberculosis patients and apparently
      healthy controls.
AB  - The typical turgid Koch type and the non-turgid variant form (Listeria-type) of
      the tuberculin skin test responses were studied in 76 newly diagnosed pulmonary
      tuberculosis patients and 29 apparently healthy factory worker controls from
      Surabaya in Indonesia; in general, the patients had more intense responses than
      the controls. The blood flow velocity (RBCflux) at the centre of the reaction was
      similar in all groups, but central relative slowing (a presumed forme fruste of
      severe ischaemia) was much more common in the Koch-type reactions in tuberculosis
      patients. In both groups of subjects, the overall density of cellular infiltrate
      (and the major populations of inflammatory cells) was greater in the typical Koch
      type reactions than in the non-turgid variant reactions. Thus the Koch-type
      reactions were indubitably more intense in inflammatory terms than the non-turgid
      variant form, but the results of this study do not exclude the possibility that
      there were underlying qualitative differences in pathogenesis between reactions
      of the two types as well as the obvious difference in severity.

PMID- 1419777
TI  - Lactic dehydrogenase virus infection prevents development of anti-nuclear
      antibody in (NZB x NZW)F1 mice; role of prostaglandin E2 and macrophage Ia
      antigen expression.
AB  - Persistent lactic dehydrogenase virus (LDV) infection prevents the development of
      antinuclear antibody (ANA) in (NZB x NZW)F1 mice. To assess the suppressive
      mechanisms, we focused on the role of the E series of prostaglandin(PGE), since
      previously we have shown enhanced production of PGE by macrophages from
      chronically LDV-infected mice. Treatment with PGE2 suppressed ANA titres more
      markedly in non-infected mice than in LDV-infected mice. Indomethacin enhanced
      ANA titres more markedly in LDV-infected mice than in non-infected mice. The
      number of Ia antigen positive(Ia+) macrophages was less in LDV-infected mice than
      in uninfected mice. The number of Ia+ macrophages was decreased in non-infected
      mice by PGE2 treatment and increased in LDV-infected mice by indomethacin
      treatment. These results suggest that the low ANA production in LDV-infected (NZB
      x NZW)F1 mice may be related to the decreased number of Ia+ macrophages and that
      one of the factors responsible for suppression of Ia+ macrophages may be the
      enhanced PGE2 production in the LDV-infected mice.

PMID- 1419779
TI  - Detection of leptospiral antigen (L. interrogans serovar copenhageni serogroup
      Icterohaemorrhagiae) by immunoelectron microscopy in the liver and kidney of
      experimentally infected guinea-pigs.
AB  - Guinea-pigs were experimentally infected with L. interrogans serovar copenhageni
      serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae and their liver and kidney were studied by
      immunoelectron microscopy using the post embedding indirect immunogold labelling
      technique. Primary antibody was a purified rabbit anti-serum produced against the
      same leptospiral strain used in the inoculum. Gold-labelled leptospiral antigen
      (LAg) was found close to cell membranes of hepatocytes, kidney tubular cells and
      endothelial cells of the interstitial capillaries of the kidney. Afterwards it
      was internalized by hepatic and tubular cells, and eventually found in lysosomes.
      Phagolysosomes of Kupffer cells were also found to contain remnants of degraded
      leptospires and gold-labelled LAg. Gold-labelled intact leptospires were detected
      at the enlarged intercellular spaces between hepatocytes at the areas of hepatic
      cell plate disarray, showing the potential for leptospiral migration during the
      septicaemic phase of the disease potentially contributing to the pathogenesis of
      the lesions. The affinity of leptospiral antigenic material for cell membranes
      suggests an initial interaction with cell surface proteins followed by its
      internalization and cell damage. The nature of antigenic material detected,
      however, remains undefined; it may be a toxin, an enzyme or any other factor/s
      involved in leptospiral virulence.

PMID- 1419778
TI  - The development of an in-vitro perfusion system for studies on cultured cells.
AB  - The design and use of a perfusion system, using a modified flow chamber for
      studies on cultured animal cells, is described. Rat thoracic aorta smooth muscle
      cells were isolated by an explant method and grown on Thermanox coverslips. These
      were introduced into the flow chamber. A flow rate of 25ml/min and a shear stress
      of 14.6 dynes/cm2 (12 dyne = 10 microN) (both within physiological limits) were
      maintained. Cells remained attached to the coverslips after 8h of perfusion with
      culture medium. The effect of exposing rat smooth muscle cells to the
      cardiovascular toxin, allylamine, is also described. The components of the system
      are routinely available, simple to clean, easy to assemble and sterilize. The
      incorporation of an in-line sensor that monitors pH, PO2, PCO2 and temperature
      ensures that the perfusion conditions remain within physiological limits.
      Automation means that minimal supervision is required. This system provides a
      potential mechanism in which cultured vascular cells may be perfused under
      controlled haemodynamic conditions, and their response to a cytotoxin may be
      evaluated.

PMID- 1419780
TI  - Protoporphyrin overload in unrestrained rats: biochemical and histopathologic
      characterization of a new model of protoporphyric hepatopathy.
AB  - We determined the feasibility of producing protoporphyric hepatopathy in
      unrestrained rats by infusing protoporphyrin into their portal circulation via
      chronic indwelling catheters. Sprague-Dawley rats, 200-300 g, received single
      (8.5-27.8 mumol) or multiple (64.1-208.7 mumol) infusions of protoporphyrin over
      3-240 h. Single protoporphyrin infusions increased the hepatic protoporphyrin
      concentration from < 1 nmol/g up to 1368 nmol/g; multiple infusions up to 3908
      nmol/g. The maximal non-hepatic tissue concentrations averaged 243 nmol/g in the
      spleen. Hepatocanalicular and ductular birefringent pigmented deposits were found
      in all livers, generally proportional to the protoporphyrin load. Aggregates of
      crystalline protoporphyrin were detected in biliary ductules, canaliculi,
      hepatocytes, Kupffer cells and fat-storage cells by electron microscopy.
      Laboratory abnormalities included elevations of the transaminases, LDH, GGTP and
      bilirubin and a modest fall in the haematocrit suggesting a mixture of red blood
      cell and hepatic injury. Thus, protoporphyric hepatopathy was produced by
      infusions of protoporphyrin into the portal circulation. This model may aid in
      understanding the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of liver disease in
      protoporphyria.

PMID- 1419781
TI  - The immunocytochemical localization of tumour necrosis factor and leukotriene in
      the rat liver after treatment with lipopolysaccharide.
AB  - After administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharide, there is an increase in the
      number of leucocytes which adhere to the endothelial cell surface of the hepatic
      vessels and pass through the endothelial layer by comparison with controls. There
      is also marked endothelial cell damage including intracytoplasmic oedema,
      increased numbers of autophagic vacuoles and dilatation of the intercellular
      junction in LPS-treated samples. The presence of immunocytochemical products of
      leukotriene (LTR) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) was examined using in both LPS
      treated and control samples. Immunoreactions of LTR which were seen in specific
      granules of neutrophils and monocytes attached to the endothelial cell surface
      may indicate the onset of endothelial cell damage. Positive immunoreactions of
      TNF on the endothelial cell surface, seen only in LPS-treated samples, indicate
      that TNF may enhance the passage of blood cells through the endothelia and also
      increase the endocytotic activity of the liver parenchymal cells, as revealed by
      the present marker experiment using horseradish peroxidase. Positive reactions of
      TNF in lysosomes of the endothelial cells suggest that they are able to produce
      TNF and transport it to the cell surface.

PMID- 1419782
TI  - The pathology of rat lung isografts following 48 or 72-hour cold storage and
      subsequent reperfusion in vivo for up to 1 month.
AB  - Using a left lung orthotopic isograft model in adult male AS strain rats, the
      pathology of lungs which were stored for 48 or 72  hours using a simple organ
      flush technique followed by low temperature (0 degrees C) immersion has been
      investigated. Lungs were examined after cold storage alone and after storage
      followed by either brief (up to 1 hour) or extended (30 days) reperfusion with
      blood in vivo. Grafts were flushed with either isotonic saline (NaCl) or
      hypertonic citrate solution (HCA) alone, or with HCA containing either verapamil
      (a Ca(2+)-channel blocker) or prostacyclin (PGI2 which has both anti-platelet and
      vasodilator actions). Controls included fresh non-flushed lungs and fresh HCA
      flushed lungs which were transplanted immediately after harvest. After prolonged
      (48 or 72-hour) cold ischaemia alone the only clear change in lung morphology was
      of nuclear swelling. Early reperfusion changes included: (i) oedema (interstitial
      and alveolar); (ii) vascular congestion; and (iii) intra-alveolar haemorrhage.
      Features (i) and (ii) were diffuse whilst haemorrhage was patchy. Lungs which
      remained in vivo for up to 30 days showed focal scarring and chronic inflammation
      with numerous macrophages containing haemosiderin; the extent of the changes
      observed in individual grafts tended to mirror the gross macroscopic outcome.
      Attempts to improve the cold ischaemic tolerance with added agents (verapamil and
      prostacyclin PGI2) failed to produce a clear advantage.

PMID- 1419783
TI  - Australian beta zero-thalassaemia: a high haemoglobin A2 beta zero-thalassaemia
      due to a 12 kb deletion commencing 5' to the beta-globin gene.
AB  - A large novel deletional beta zero-thalassaemia mutation associated with
      unusually high levels of haemoglobin A2 in heterozygotes is described in an
      Australian family. The deletion was characterized by restriction enzyme analysis
      followed by PCR amplification and sequencing of the breakpoint region. Australian
      beta zero-thalassaemia extends from 835 basepairs (bp) 5' to the cap site of the
      beta-globin gene downstream for 12.023 kb. This deletion, similar to previously
      described deletional beta zero-thalassaemias associated with high Hb A2, removes
      sequences 5' to the beta-globin gene promoter and emphasizes the functional
      importance of the 5' beta-globin region in eliciting the unusually high Hb A2
      phenotype.

PMID- 1419784
TI  - Improved post-transfusion quality of density separated AS-3 red cells after
      extended storage.
AB  - A centrifugal method of red cell density separation was utilized for unit
      processing in these studies to determine the quality of the lighter fraction
      (neocytes) after storage for up to 42 d and to evaluate whether the heavier
      fraction (gerocytes) deteriorated more rapidly than neocytes during storage. Each
      unit was passed through a Leukotrap filter to remove white cells prior to density
      separation. Red cell recovery and survival were evaluated using double label
      technetium-99m with either chromium-51 or nonradioisotopic chromium which
      permitted concurrent paired analysis. In vivo neocyte red cell recovery, as
      tested on the same 11 donors on days 1, 7 and 42 of storage, was effectively
      unchanged. Recovery and survival half-life (that is, the number of days after
      transfusion at which half of the cells infused remain in the circulation) of 42 d
      stored gerocytes were significantly lower than similarly stored neocytes (75.5 +/
      7.2% and 20.1 +/- 6.5 d for gerocytes versus 84.4 +/- 4.9% and 39.0 +/- 9.0 d
      for neocytes). One-day stored neocytes showed a 16.5% increase in red cell
      availability over the combined average for 42 d stored neocytes and gerocytes.
      Statistically, while there were significantly higher ATP, 2,3-DPG, and lactate
      levels pre-storage by paired t-test for neocytes compared to gerocytes, by day 42
      there were no significant differences detected between the two red cell fractions
      by any of the in vitro variables measured. These studies suggest that this simple
      separation technique for leucocyte-poor red cell units provides a neocyte
      population with improved viability and the potential for increased transfusion
      intervals in chronically transfused patients.

PMID- 1419785
TI  - Band 3-Memphis is associated with a lower transport rate of phosphoenolpyruvate.
AB  - Band 3-Memphis is the most common variant of erythrocyte band 3 protein, in which
      a single amino acid substitution (Lys56-->Glu) in a cytoplasmic domain of band 3
      has been found. We showed here that the prevalence of the variant was
      particularly higher in the Japanese population than that in other populations.
      The calculated gene frequency of the variant in Japanese was 0.156, which was
      about 4 times higher than that in Caucasian. Although it has been generally
      accepted that the cytoplasmic domain of band 3 bears no relation to anion
      transport activity, we found that the transport rate of phosphoenolpyruvate in
      erythrocytes of homozygotes was decreased to about 80% of that in control cells,
      and that of heterozygotes was at an intermediate level. The evidence indicates
      that some structural changes in the cytoplasmic domain of band 3 may have
      influence on the conformation of anion transport system.

PMID- 1419786
TI  - Identification of autoantigens in autoimmune haemolytic anaemia by a non
      radioisotope immunoprecipitation method.
AB  - In human autoimmune anaemia (AIHA), warm autoantibodies frequently appear to have
      serological specificity for the Rh complex, but to date, immunochemical
      techniques have failed to demonstrate that the antibodies react with Rh
      associated polypeptides. We describe the immunoprecipitation of red blood cell
      (RBC) autoantigens, using biotin labelling and a luminescent detection method. In
      three cases of warm AIHA, a band of 32 kD and a diffuse zone of 38-51 kD or 40-51
      kD were specifically precipitated by eluted RBC autoantibody. This pattern
      corresponds closely with that precipitated by two Rh-specific monoclonal
      antibodies, BRIC 207 and AB5. Antibody from the three eluates also showed
      serological specificity for the Rh complex in a haemagglutination assay against a
      panel of RBC with a range of Rh phenotypes, including rare -D-/-D- and Rh null
      cells. Eluted autoantibody from another warm AIHA patient immunoprecipitated a
      peptide of 67 kD that did not correspond in apparent molecular mass either with
      Rh-associated bands, or with major RBC membrane proteins or sialoglycoproteins
      (SGP). The haemagglutination assay showed that this eluate contained both Rh
      specific and Rh-unrelated antibody. Warm autoantibody eluted from the RBC of a
      clinically normal, but direct antiglobulin test positive, blood donor was
      serologically unreactive with the Rh complex, and immunoprecipitated unknown
      peptides of 26, 29, 35, 48 and 51 kD, together with a band of 90 kD that
      comigrated with SGP alpha 2 (glycophorin A). In six further warm AIHA cases, no
      antigens were precipitated by autoantibody-containing RBC eluates. Overall, the
      results demonstrate that autoantibodies bind to Rh polypeptides in some, but not
      all, patients with warm AIHA, suggesting that the aetiology of the disease may
      vary.

PMID- 1419787
TI  - Effect of orally active hydroxypyridinone iron chelators on human lymphocyte
      function.
AB  - Several iron chelators, 3-hydroxypyridin-4-ones (CP) and desferrioxamine (DF)
      were compared for their effect on DNA synthesis, cell viability and expression of
      cell proliferation markers. Short-term (4 h) exposure of human peripheral blood
      mononuclear cells to CP or DF inhibited the proliferative response of cells to
      concanavalin A (Con A). Inhibition by CP and DF showed a dose-dependent effect
      with CP compounds more active than DF. Increased inhibitory activity of CP over
      DF was partly due to the lipophilic properties of CP. Pre-saturation of CP and DF
      with exogenous ferric ion either diminished or prevented the inhibitory effect.
      At high chelator concentrations or prolonged (72 h) exposure of the cells to
      chelators, inhibition occurred but poor cell viability was observed. In contrast
      to their inhibition of DNA synthesis, these iron chelators showed little effect
      on protein synthesis and the expression of transferrin receptors and interleukin
      2 (IL-2) receptors. These findings suggest that both DF and CP compounds exert
      their effect by chelation of ferric ion with subsequent inhibition of DNA
      synthesis.

PMID- 1419788
TI  - Hereditary stomatocytosis: phenotypical expression of sodium transport and band 7
      peptides in 44 cases.
AB  - The clinical heterogeneity and the role of red cell membrane protein band 7 in
      membrane transport were studied in 44 patients with hereditary stomatocytosis
      with normal red cell membrane lipids. These patients were arbitrarily categorized
      into three phenotypes, based on the extent of sodium influx: hereditary
      stomatocytosis Type I: with markedly increased Na influx (8.90 +/- 3.39
      mmol/lRBC/h); Type II: with moderately increased Na influx (2.10 +/- 0.79) and
      Type III with normal Na influx (1.31 +/- 0.13). The three groups of patients were
      compared with normal controls (1.29 +/- 0.14). The extent of anaemia and jaundice
      was almost identical in the three groups in the presence of nearly the same
      degree of stomatocytosis (I: 54.8 +/- 10.7%, II: 38.8 +/- 12.8, and III: 40.2 +/-
      10.8). Approximately one third of the cases (14/44) with hereditary
      stomatocytosis showed no overt haemolysis even with marked stomatocytosis. Cell
      hydration was abnormal in Type I (MCV 119.6 +/- 8.5 fl, MCHC 29.3 +/- 1.8%) but
      normal in Types II and III (MCV 98.2 +/- 11.7, 94.1 +/- 8.5; MCHC 34.4 +/- 2.1,
      34.5 +/- 2.2). These results indicate that there was no correlation between the
      extent of Na influx and either the degree of stomatocytosis or the extent of
      overt haemolysis. The role of band 7 in membrane transport was also studied.
      Three components (30 kD, 28 kD and 26 kD polypeptides) of band 7 were analysed by
      SDS-PAGE and NEPHGE/SDS-PAGE, and the content of these polypeptides were
      expressed as the ratio to band 5. The 30 kDa polypeptide in the three groups was
      nearly identical to that in normal controls (12.3 +/- 4.0), except for non
      haemolysing patients in Type II. The 28 kD peptide was also decreased in five out
      of nine cases of Type II (25.7 +/- 5.6) as compared with normal controls (32.9 +/
      3.6) and cases of Type I (35.8 +/- 2.8) and Type III (32.7 +/- 2.9). No
      deficiency of this peptide was noted in Type I patients. No correlation was
      observed between the content of the 28 kD polypeptide and Na influx (r = 0.416),
      but the 26 kD polypeptide tended to be elevated in cases with overt haemolysis.
      These results suggest that band 7 may not be essentially involved in the
      formation of stomatocytic changes, although the presence of subtle defects in
      band 7 structure and function may not be ruled out. The present findings provide
      an important starting point to initiate further extensive investigations.

PMID- 1419789
TI  - Mitogenic role for extracellular calmodulin-like activity in normal human
      umbilical vein endothelial cells.
AB  - Normal human umbilical vein endothelial cells cultured on gelatin-coated plastic
      dishes were found to produce a protein in their media which had calmodulin-like
      immunoreactivity and biological activity. Further identification of the protein
      was achieved by examining the incorporation of 14C leucine into protein found in
      the conditioned medium. Cells produced 14C labelled protein in their medium which
      specifically bound to an affinity column for calmodulin. This latter material
      stimulated calmodulin dependent phosphodiesterase activity in vitro and this
      stimulation was inhibited by the addition of the calmodulin antagonist W7. The
      presence of calmodulin-like activity and immunoreactivity in the media varied as
      the cells grew from low to high density, a peak of extracellular calmodulin-like
      activity preceding an increase in cell number. Extracellular calmodulin-like
      activity did not correlate with the presence of lactate dehydrogenase in the
      medium. The addition of pure pig brain calmodulin affected the rate of cell
      proliferation; significant proliferation to pure calmodulin was only seen in
      cells at low density, at higher density calmodulin either had no effect or
      inhibited proliferation. Inhibition of extracellular calmodulin activity by a
      calmodulin antagonist immobilized on agarose beads, or by an antibody to
      calmodulin significantly decreased proliferation in all dividing cultures. Taken
      together this data suggests that, in vitro, calmodulin, or a very closely related
      protein, influences endothelial cell proliferation through an autocrine
      mechanism.

PMID- 1419790
TI  - Neutrophil-releasing activity of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony
      stimulating factor in myelokathexis.

PMID- 1419791
TI  - Efficacy of high-dose intravenous gammaglobulin in the management of acquired von
      Willebrand's disease during orthopaedic surgery.

PMID- 1419792
TI  - A patient with marked leucocytosis, t(8;21), absent Philadelphia chromosome, but
      rearranged BCR gene.

PMID- 1419793
TI  - Antiplatelet antibodies in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

PMID- 1419794
TI  - Intensive induction chemotherapy in elderly patients. The BGMT Group.

PMID- 1419795
TI  - Function of acid-treated platelets for transfusion.

PMID- 1419796
TI  - Exercise-induced variations of lymphocytosis in the lymphoproliferative disease
      of large granular lymphocytes.

PMID- 1419797
TI  - CNS-directed therapy in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

PMID- 1419798
TI  - Quantitation of granulocyte antibodies in sera and determination of their binding
      sites.
AB  - An enzyme immunoassay using eluates was developed for the quantitation of
      granulocyte antibodies in sera. Incubation of donor granulocytes with sera
      containing granulocyte alloantibodies (NA1, NA2, NB1, 5b, HLA) or autoantibodies
      resulted in a significantly higher amount of immunoglobulin G (IgG) per cell than
      did incubation with control sera. Ultracentrifugation of the sera prior to
      testing reduced unspecific binding of IgG to granulocytes. In eight of 10
      assessed sera from patients with Felty's syndrome eluted IgG decreased from
      elevated to normal levels. Ultracentrifugation further allowed determination of
      the binding sites of granulocyte-reactive alloantibodies. Using sera containing
      NA1- and NA2-specific alloantibodies 173,000-188,000 binding sites on homozygous
      and 84,000-110,000 on heterozygous cells were determined. A similar number was
      found using a Fc gamma receptor III (FcRIII)-specific monoclonal antibody.
      Granulocytes from patients with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria showed
      greatly reduced binding sites for NA-specific alloantibodies. The binding sites
      for the human alloantibody NB1 ranged from 36,000 to 318,000 and for the 5b
      alloantibody from 44,000 to 65,000. Mean values of 139,000 binding sites for HLA
      antigens and 27,000 binding sites for the FcRII were determined using monoclonal
      antibodies.

PMID- 1419799
TI  - Establishment of a novel granulocytic sarcoma cell line which can adhere to
      dermal fibroblasts from a patient with granulocytic sarcoma in dermal tissues and
      myelofibrosis.
AB  - A novel human myeloid cell line, designated HSM-1, has been established from the
      pleural effusion of a patient with granulocytic sarcoma (GS) who had been
      followed as having primary myelofibrosis for 10 years. When he was diagnosed as
      having granulocytic sarcoma in dermal tissues, no evidence of malignant
      transformation into leukaemia was found in both the peripheral blood and bone
      marrow. The established cell line was positive for myeloperoxidase, Sudan black
      B, Naphthol AS-D chloroacetate esterase. Surface marker analysis revealed that
      HSM-1 expressed CD4, CD13, CD11a, CD11b, Leu8, CD49b, CD49d, CD49e, CD29 and HLA
      DR. To clarify why the unusual myeloid tumours developed in non-haematopoietic
      tissues, we examined the capability of HSM-1 to bind to skin fibroblast layers.
      The HSM-1 cells were found to bind to both bone marrow stromal layers and skin
      fibroblast layers. Among the other myeloid cell lines tested, none was found to
      bind to skin fibroblast layers. These findings suggest that the GS cell line may
      be derived from a haematopoietic precursor cell which can bind to skin
      fibroblasts and is localized in non-haematopoietic tissues resulting in the
      formation of extramedullary myeloid metaplasia. HSM-1 is a useful tool for
      analysing the characteristics of granulocytic sarcoma and homing receptors for
      haematopoietic stem cells.

PMID- 1419801
TI  - Comparison of plasma cell infiltration in bone marrow biopsies and aspirates in
      patients with multiple myeloma.
AB  - In 54 patients with multiple myeloma plasma cell infiltration was compared in
      bone marrow biopsies and aspirates. In 48% of cases plasma cell infiltration was
      comparable, in 48% infiltration in the aspirate was lower than in the biopsy. In
      only two cases more plasma cells were found in the aspirate. Eleven patients
      (20%) had less than 20% plasma cells in the aspirate and more than 50% in the
      biopsy. Underestimation of plasma cell load especially seems to occur in patients
      with a focal growth pattern of multiple myeloma or when strong fibrosis is
      present. 69% of patients with stage III, according to Durie & Salmon (1975), and
      76% of patients with a high beta 2-microglobulin had more than 50% plasma cells
      in the biopsy, indicating that these parameters, which are based on tumour load,
      are influenced by other factors as well. The bone marrow biopsy is of superior
      value for direct estimation of the tumour load in multiple myeloma compared to
      bone marrow aspirates. A prospective study is needed to determine its prognostic
      significance.

PMID- 1419800
TI  - Monitoring of multiple myeloma and bone marrow fibrosis with aminoterminal
      propeptide of type III collagen (PIIINP).
AB  - Bone marrow fibrosis is known in myelomatosis and depends on the extent of plasma
      cell infiltration. The serum concentration of the aminoterminal propeptide of
      type III procollagen (PIIINP) has previously been reported to reflect
      fibrogenesis in the marrow in myelofibrosis. Here we followed 15 consecutive
      patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma with repeated PIIINP measurements
      during treatment with intermittent courses of melphalan and prednisolone. PIIINP
      was found to change with clinical behaviour of the disease, nonresponders and
      patients with recurrent disease having elevated values and the values in
      responders decreasing to the normal level or remaining there. Collagen fibres in
      plasma cell infiltrates of biopsies from bone marrow or skeletal tumours of these
      patients stained heavily with antibodies against PIIINP. Our results suggest that
      PIIINP works as a noninvasive indicator of bone marrow fibrogenesis. In multiple
      myeloma PIIINP is a sensitive, but not specific marker of disease course.

PMID- 1419802
TI  - Variable expression of features of normal and neoplastic stem cells in patients
      with thrombocytosis.
AB  - Essential thrombocytosis (ET) is currently diagnosed by histopathologic
      assessment of the marrow after exclusion of a secondary cause or another
      myeloproliferative disorder. To evaluate the potential of more direct diagnostic
      methods, we compared the frequency and association of several abnormal features
      characteristic of neoplastic precursors in 32 patients presenting with platelet
      counts > 500 x 10(9)/l. Assays for erythropoietin (Ep)-independent erythroid
      progenitors were performed on all patients, determination of the cycling status
      of circulating progenitors on 27, and assessment of granulocyte clonality on 15.
      In most, but not all, patients deregulated progenitor turnover. Ep-independent
      progenitors and clonal granulocytes were concordant findings. The presence of
      polyclonal granulocytes and lack of evidence of abnormalities in Ep-dependence or
      progenitor cycling were also concordant findings in most, but not all patients.
      Thus, normal (i.e. polyclonal) granulocytes may be produced in occasional
      patients in spite of the presence of a neoplastic clone. Interestingly, one third
      of patients thought to have ET on the basis of blood and marrow histopathology
      showed no abnormalities previously associated with neoplastic progenitors. These
      findings suggest variability in dominance of the neoplastic clone in some ET
      patients and the potential utility of a multifaceted laboratory approach to
      investigate the underlying pathology in patients with thrombocytosis.

PMID- 1419803
TI  - Type IIB von Willebrand's disease: gene mutations and clinical presentation in
      nine families from Denmark, Germany and Sweden.
AB  - Type IIB of von Willebrand's disease (vWD) is a variant in which the structurally
      abnormal von Willebrand factor (vWF) shows an increased affinity for the platelet
      vWF receptor, glycoprotein Ib (GPIb). This may sometimes give rise to platelet
      aggregation and thrombocytopenia in vivo. In 20 patients from nine unrelated
      families with type IIB vWD from Denmark, Germany and Sweden we studied the
      molecular defect by amplification and direct sequencing of parts of exon 28 which
      encode for the vWF domain that interacts with platelet GPIb. Three different
      point mutations were identified one of which has not previously been reported.
      Fifteen patients from five families were heterozygous for the Arg543-->Trp
      substitution. The mutation had occurred independently in all five families and in
      two of them represented a de novo mutation. In one of these families the father,
      though asymptomatic and with normal laboratory test results, carried the mutation
      in heterozygous form. In three families, four affected members were found to be
      heterozygous for the Arg543-->Cys substitution. The mutations were of different
      origin at least in two of the families. The third substitution, Val551-->Leu,
      which has not previously been described, was found in one patient and was due to
      a de novo mutation. In most of the patients spontaneous thrombocytopenia had been
      recorded on at least one occasion. Five of the patients with the Arg543-->Trp
      substitution and the one with the Val555-->Leu substitution had all had bleeding
      associated with thrombocytopenia in the neonatal period of early infancy.

PMID- 1419804
TI  - Defects in type IIA von Willebrand disease: a cysteine 509 to arginine
      substitution in the mature von Willebrand factor disrupts a disulphide loop
      involved in the interaction with platelet glycoprotein Ib-IX.
AB  - Type IIA von Willebrand disease (vWD) is characterized by the loss of high and
      intermediate weight multimers of von Willebrand factor (vWF) from plasma. The 3'
      end of exon 28 in the vWF gene from four type IIA vWD patients was amplified by
      the polymerase chain reaction, cloned and sequenced. Sequencing identified two
      potential missense mutations resulting in the amino acid substitutions Arg 834-
      >Gln and Glu 875-->Lys in the mature vWF subunit within an area of vWF where
      mutations in type IIA vWD have been reported. Neither of these amino acid
      substitutions was found in over 100 normal alleles tested by allele specific
      oligonucleotide hybridization. A polymorphism (Val 802-->Leu) was identified in
      another patient. Other areas of exon 28 were analysed by denaturing gradient gel
      electrophoresis (DGGE) and DNA from one patient demonstrated an irregular DGGE
      pattern on the 5' end of the exon. Sequencing demonstrated an amino acid
      substitution of an arginine for cysteine at position 509 adjacent to an area of
      vWF where defects associated with type IIB vWD have been found. This substitution
      was not found in 100 normal chromosomes tested by restriction enzyme digestion.
      The Cys 509-->Arg substitution eliminates an intramolecular disulphide bridge
      formed by Cys 509 and Cys 695 which is important to maintain the configuration of
      vWF functional domains that interact with platelet glycoprotein Ib-IX.

PMID- 1419805
TI  - von Willebrand disease family studies: comparison of three methods of analysis of
      the von Willebrand factor gene polymorphism related to a variable number tandem
      repeat sequence in intron 40.
AB  - A region with a variable number of tandem ATCT repeats (VNTR) has previously been
      localized within intron 40 of the von Willebrand factor (vWF) gene. In the
      present report we describe the use of this polymorphism as a genetic marker to
      study the inheritance pattern in five families affected with various types of von
      Willebrand disease (vWD): types I, IIA, IIB, IIC and the newly characterized
      variant with totally defective FVIII binding. Three means of investigation
      previously reported, all using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of
      this vWF gene region, were compared in terms of informativeness. The two direct
      single-step procedures analysing only partial sequences of the VNTR region turned
      out to be less informative (three studies informative out of five) than the third
      method characterizing the variability of the whole VNTR sequence. This latter
      approach, based on the analysis of the Alu I restriction pattern of the VNTR
      region, was informative in all the families investigated, therefore avoiding the
      need to combine it with other genetic marker studies for efficient gene tracking.
      In conclusion, this two-step (PCR and digestion) method is the most informative
      for the characterization of the inheritance of the different subtypes of vWD and
      for the prenatal diagnosis of its severe forms.

PMID- 1419806
TI  - Interaction of porcine von Willebrand factor with the platelet glycoproteins Ib
      and IIb/IIIa complex.
AB  - Porcine von Willebrand factor (PvWF) induces platelet aggregation which is
      thought to be responsible for the thrombocytopenia that occurs in haemophilic
      patients treated with commercial preparations of porcine factor VIII. This study
      demonstrates that such aggregation can be completely inhibited by a monoclonal
      antibody against human platelet glycoprotein GPIb and partially inhibited by an
      antibody directed against platelet GPIIb/IIIa. The interaction of PvWF with GPIb
      is also demonstrated by the inhibitory effect of purified glycocalycin on
      aggregation. The binding site of PvWF to GPIb is very close to that of human vWF,
      since a recombinant peptide blocks the binding of both molecules to GPIb. When
      platelets are incubated with PvWF, the GPIIb/IIIa receptor is activated and binds
      fibrinogen. PvWF also binds to GPIIb/IIIa when platelets are stimulated with
      thrombin, suggesting that the molecule has the same RGD sequence as other
      adhesive proteins (human vWF, fibrinogen, fibronectin and vitronectin). These
      findings identify the dual mechanisms responsible for in vivo platelet
      aggregation induced by PvWF, i.e. binding to GPIb and activation of the
      GPIIb/IIIa receptor.

PMID- 1419807
TI  - Patterns of development of tachyphylaxis in patients with haemophilia and von
      Willebrand disease after repeated doses of desmopressin (DDAVP).
AB  - When patients with mild haemophilia or von Willebrand disease (vWD) are
      repeatedly treated with desmopressin (DDAVP) at relatively short time intervals,
      some of them may become less responsive or unresponsive. The development of
      tachyphylaxis would limit the usefulness of DDAVP in clinical management of these
      patients. On the other hand, tachyphylaxis is not consistent, and its patterns of
      development are unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate in controlled
      conditions the occurrence of tachyphylaxis by giving intravenous DDAVP (0.3
      microgram/kg) on four consecutive days to a selected group of patients with mild
      haemophilia A (n = 22) and type I vWD (n = 15). After each dose, we measured
      parameters known to change after DDAVP, i.e. factor VIII coagulant activity,
      bleeding time, von Willebrand factor antigen, ristocetin cofactor and tissue-type
      plasminogen activator antigen. We found that on average the responses obtained
      after the second dose of DDAVP were approximately 30% less than those obtained
      after the first, but were not further reduced after the third and fourth dose. At
      all time intervals after DDAVP, patients with vWD responded relatively better
      than patients with haemophilia, and there were fewer vWD patients who responded
      poorly or became unresponsive. In vWD patients there were no significant changes
      in the bleeding time responses and in blood pressure and heart rate. The clinical
      implications of these findings are that repeated doses of DDAVP can be given
      efficaciously to many patients (particularly to those with vWD), even though
      responses lower than those seen after the first dose should be expected.

PMID- 1419808
TI  - Enhancement of human T cell responses to allogeneic stimuli by factor VIII
      concentrates.
AB  - The effect of factor VIII concentrate, from commercial and National Health
      Services manufacturers, on in vitro lymphocyte proliferative response to
      allogeneic stimulator cells was investigated. Factor VIII preparations 'purified'
      by ion exchange or by monoclonal antibody affinity had no effect in this assay
      but lymphocyte proliferation in response to allogeneic cells was markedly and
      consistently enhanced by some intermediate purity factor VIII concentrates and,
      to a lesser extent, by a factor IX preparation. These preparations did not
      stimulate lymphocyte proliferation in the absence of other mitogens. The co
      mitogenic factor(s) present in intermediate purity factor VIII was not
      identified. However, enhanced proliferation was not due to factor VIII itself,
      nor to albumin or fibronectin. The clinical relevance of the immunomodulatory
      activity of intermediate purity factor VIII concentrates in vitro is discussed.

PMID- 1419809
TI  - The production of human monoclonal antiplatelet auto-antibodies derived from
      human lymphocytes of normal origin: reactivity to DNA, anionic phospholipids and
      platelet proteins.
AB  - Human hybridoma monoclonal antiplatelet antibodies were produced using tonsillar
      lymphocytes from a nonthrombocytopenic male fused to the lymphoblastoid cell line
      GM 4672. Twenty of 472 (4%) IgM producing hybridomas had antiplatelet reactivity
      as detected by ELISA. Thirteen of these antiplatelet antibody producing
      hybridomas with clonality ensured by limiting dilution were tested for antigenic
      specificity. Two different and mutually exclusive groups of antiplatelet
      antibodies were identified. The first group of antiplatelet antibodies (four
      clones) showed reactivity that was limited to DNA and anionic phospholipids.
      Antibodies from the second group (seven clones) showed reactivity by
      immunoblotting to a variety of platelet proteins including platelet glycoprotein
      IIb. These antibodies did not bind DNA nor anionic phospholipids. These studies
      indicate that lymphocytes of normal human origin have the genetic potential to
      produce antiplatelet autoantibodies. These antiplatelet antibodies segregate on
      the basis of their target antigens into two major groups, which mimic the target
      antigens held responsible for antiplatelet autoantibodies in disease. These
      include glycoproteins (typical of chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura)
      and DNA and/or anionic phospholipids (typical of the lupus anticoagulant
      syndrome).

PMID- 1419810
TI  - Interleukin-2 induces activation of coagulation and fibrinolysis: resemblance to
      the changes seen during experimental endotoxaemia.
AB  - The administration of Interleukin-2 (IL-2) causes the release or generation of
      other cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF) which, by disturbing the
      anticoagulant properties of the endothelium, may induce a procoagulant state in
      patients receiving this drug. We therefore evaluated the effects of IL-2 on
      coagulation and fibrinolysis in 14 patients receiving 12 or 18 x 10(6) IU/m2/d of
      IL-2 given as a 15 min infusion for 5 d. Blood samples were drawn at short
      intervals after the first IL-2 infusion. The parameters were analysed by way of
      analysis for repeated measures (F tests rather than t tests). During the first
      day, thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) complexes started to increase 2 h after the IL-2
      infusion, reaching peak levels at 4 h (n = 14; 11.2 +/- 6.4 micrograms/l v 49.8
      +/- 49.2 micrograms/l, P < 0.01). Plasma alpha 2 antiplasmin (PAP) complexes
      showed a similar pattern rising from a mean baseline value of 17.5 +/- 7.6 nmol/l
      to 66.8 +/- 47.7 nmol at 4 h (P < 0.01). In four patients the peak of PAP
      preceeded that of TAT. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) rose from a mean
      baseline value of 4.9 +/- 3.7 micrograms/l to 26.3 +/- 13.5 micrograms/l at 4 h
      (P < 0.01). Plasminogen-activator-inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels increased from 59 +/
      35 micrograms/l to 113 +/- 39 micrograms/l at 6 h (P < 0.01). tPA PAI-1
      complexes increased from 0.15 +/- 0.07 to 0.69 +/- 0.21 nmol/l at 6 h (P < 0.01).
      Our study indicates that IL-2 activates the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems
      in vivo. The changes resemble the perturbations observed after endotoxin/TNF
      administration. These abnormalities may play a role in the side-effects induced
      by IL-2 therapy.

PMID- 1419811
TI  - Immunophenotyping of fetal haemopoietic cells permissive for human parvovirus B19
      replication in vitro.
AB  - Human parvovirus B19 is known to inhibit erythroid colony formation in vitro, but
      the precise stage of differentiation at which erythroid precursors become capable
      of supporting viral replication has not been accurately determined. In order to
      address this issue, haemopoietic cells derived from first trimester fetal liver
      were cultured in medium containing B19 antigen-positive serum. Infected cells
      were phenotyped by combining immunohistology for cell-type specific antigens with
      non-isotopic in situ hybridization for B19 nucleic acid. Strong nuclear
      hybridization signal was detected as early as 8 h after infection in erythroid
      precursors labelling with antibodies to glycophorin A, glycophorin C, CD43, CD36
      and HLA-ABC (pronormoblast or normoblast phenotype). Giant erythroid precursors
      labelling with the same five antibodies were a pathognomonic feature of infected
      cultures, but contained relatively little B19 nucleic acid. Hybridization signal
      was not detected in progenitor cells of more primitive erythroid phenotype or in
      nuclei of cells of other lineages, though B19 DNA was occasionally localized
      within the cytoplasm of macrophages. Double-labelling with antibody Ki-67
      confirmed that proliferating cells were targets for B19 infection. Co-detection
      of cell-type specific antigens and viral nucleic acid is a powerful tool for
      investigating host cell specificity, and suggests that proliferating late
      erythroid precursors are the only haemopoietic cells fully permissive for B19
      infection.

PMID- 1419812
TI  - Treatment of advanced stage T cell lymphoblastic lymphoma: results of the United
      Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group (UKCCSG) protocol 8503.
AB  - Ninety-five unselected patients with stage III and IV T cell lymphoblastic
      lymphoma were treated according to the United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study
      Group protocol 8503. This was a continuous, intensive leukaemia type regimen
      including cranial irradiation (18 Gy in 10 fractions) and continuing chemotherapy
      for 2 years identical to the concurrent Medical Research Council ALL protocol.
      Four-year event-free survival was 65% (95% CI 50-80%) with no significant
      difference between stage III and stage IV cases. 4.2% of patients died of
      infection or non-tumour related events. Following relapse salvage was unlikely
      without high dose chemotherapy and bone marrow rescue. These results show an
      improvement over previous U.K. studies but we need to continue to search for
      subsets of patients with resistant disease for whom even more intensive therapy
      possibly combined with bone marrow rescue is required.

PMID- 1419813
TI  - Recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor after
      autologous bone marrow transplantation for malignant lymphoma: a British National
      Lymphoma Investigation double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
AB  - Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is active in enhancing
      the production of mature myeloid cells in vitro and several phase I/II clinical
      trials have suggested that its administration may accelerate neutrophil recovery
      after autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT). We have conducted a
      multicentre randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial in patients with
      poor prognosis malignant lymphoma receiving an identical high-dose combination
      chemotherapy regimen with ABMT. 61 patients were entered and 29 in each arm of
      the trial were evaluated. Treatment with GM-CSF did not affect the period of
      severe neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of < 0.1 x 10(9)/l) but
      accelerated recovery to an ANC of 0.5 x 10(9)/l (median 14 d v 20 d in controls,
      P = 0.001). There was no significant difference in platelet recovery between the
      groups (GM-CSF group platelet dependent for 25 d v control 19 d, P = NS). The
      number of positive blood cultures was similar in both groups (GM-CSF 14 v placebo
      13) and there were no differences in days of fever > 37.5 degrees C (median 8 v
      6) or days on parenteral antibiotics (11 v 10). Patients receiving GM-CSF had a
      median period of hospitalization following BMT of 24 d (control 25). No
      significant major toxicity attributable to GM-CSF administration was detected. We
      have confirmed in a randomized trial that GM-CSF accelerates neutrophil but not
      platelet recovery following ABMT. We were unable to demonstrate any accompanying
      changes in clinical outcome and believe that further trials are necessary to
      assess the clinical value of GM-CSF in BMT.

PMID- 1419814
TI  - Lymphoid lineage-associated features in acute myeloid leukaemia: phenotypic and
      genotypic correlations.
AB  - This study is intended to establish biological correlation between the expression
      of lymphoid associated features in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). In 62 AML
      patients, predominantly enrolled on Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG)
      treatment protocols, in whom immunoglobulin (Ig) as well as T-cell receptor beta
      chain (TCR-beta) gene rearrangement analyses had been performed, morphology,
      cytochemistry, antigen profile and karyotype were reviewed retrospectively.
      Nuclear reactivity with anti-TdT antibody was demonstrated in 34 patients (55%)
      and confirmed by ribonuclease protection assay in all patients tested. Five TdT
      protein negative patients were TdT-transcript positive. Lymphoid antigens (lyA)
      were detected in 24 of 51 cases tested (47%) with B-cell antigens (CD19, CD10)
      being restricted to TdT+ AML (P = 0.03). Only two patients had Ig heavy, none had
      Ig light chain or TCR-beta gene rearrangements. Although both patients with
      rearranged Ig loci were TdT+, either by protein or RNA analysis, the low
      incidence of such rearrangement within the TdT+ AML group (6%) argues against a
      significant association between the presence of TdT and crosslineage Ig gene
      rearrangements in AML. While FAB-diagnoses did not differ between TdT+ and TdT-
      or lyA+ and lyA- AML, particular immunophenotypic features correlated with TdT
      positively, e.g. the presence of early antigens, CD34 and HLA-DR, and the absence
      of the more mature myelo-monocytic antigens, CDw65 and CD14. Certain cytogenetic
      abnormalities were associated with TdT+ AML such as inv(16) (p13q22) or t(16;16)
      (p12;q22) (five patients; P = 0.03) and t(8;21) (q22;q22) (three patients). A
      greater number of TdT- than TdT+ AML patients had only normal karyotypes (P =
      0.06). Neither immunophenotypic nor karyotypic correlations could be established
      for lyA+ AML.

PMID- 1419815
TI  - Re-emergence in remission of primary clone in acute myelogenous leukaemias with
      multiple chromosomal aberrations at diagnosis.
AB  - We describe the clinical, haematological and cytogenetic features of three
      patients who had acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML) with complex bone marrow
      karyotypes when first cytogenetically examined. Induction chemotherapy led to
      remission from the acute leukaemia. However, neither clinically nor
      morphologically did this remission mean a return to normal haematopoiesis. The
      two patients who displayed myelodysplastic features before and when AML was
      diagnosed, again developed myelodysplasia, and the third patient, who had a long
      history of polycythaemia vera, returned to this myeloproliferative condition. Nor
      was cytogenetic normalization achieved; instead, abnormal cell clones were found
      in which all but one of the karyotypic aberrations present at acute leukaemia
      diagnosis had disappeared. The solitary anomalies that were detected in these
      reemerging clones must correspond to the primary cytogenetic aberrations of the
      patients pre-leukaemic diseases. They were del(5) (q11q33) and del(17) (p11) in
      the two myelodysplastic cases, and der(18)t(9;18) (p11;p11) in the patient with
      long-standing polycythaemia vera. The other, secondary, aberrations were probably
      the leukaemogenic changes, and with the eradication or reduction of the subclones
      containing them, the leukaemic phenotype disappeared. The three cases add
      cytogenetic evidence to the growing understanding that the remission obtained in
      some AMLs is actually a return to a preleukaemic, myeloproliferative or
      myelodysplastic, syndrome.

PMID- 1419816
TI  - The selective use of AMSA following high-dose cytarabine in patients with acute
      myeloid leukaemia in relapse: a Leukemia Intergroup study.
AB  - This clinical trial was designed to evaluate the role of high-dose cytarabine
      (ara-C) in the treatment of adults with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in first
      relapse. We also tested the hypothesis that the selective use of AMSA (100
      mg/m2/d on days 7, 8 and 9) would increase the complete remission (CR) rate when
      leukaemia cells remained in the bone marrow immediately following 6 d of Ara-C (2
      3 g/m2/12 h) alone. Of 155 patients evaluable for response, 115 (74%) experienced
      marked cytoreduction by day 6 and received no further induction chemotherapy; 53
      (45%) of these patients achieved CR after one course and 45 (38%) had resistant
      disease. The 36 patients (23%) with inadequate cytoreduction after the 6 d of ara
      C alone were randomly assigned either to no further chemotherapy (21 patients) or
      to 3 d of AMSA (15 patients). The CR rates after one course were 14% and 53%,
      respectively (P = 0.01), and the fractions with resistant disease were 76% and
      40%, respectively. The fractional reduction of leukaemia cells in the day 6 bone
      marrow aspirate specimen (P < 0.0001) and the reduction in the leukaemia cell
      mass measured in the day 6 marrow biopsy (P = 0.001) were the strongest
      predictors for achieving CR versus having residual disease in univariate
      analyses. The median duration of remission was 5 months, but seven patients (10%)
      remain in CR after 30-92 + months. Among the 140 patients who received only the 6
      d of ara-C, the pretreatment albumin (P = 0.002) and lactate dehydrogenase (P =
      0.01) levels were the strongest predictors of response in univariate analyses,
      but only the albumin remained significant (P = 0.01) in a stepwise logistic
      regression analysis. Those patients with albumin > 4.0 mg/dl and LDH < 125% of
      normal had a 71% CR rate, and only 16% had resistant disease. Thus, pretreatment
      characteristics and rapid cytoreductin in the day 6 bone marrow sample identified
      a favourable subset of patients with AML in first relapse, some of whom responded
      quite well to 6 d of ara-C alone and have had long disease-free remissions.

PMID- 1419817
TI  - Primary myelodysplastic syndrome in children: the clinical experience in 33
      cases.
AB  - We describe the clinicomorphological features in 33 cases of primary
      myelodysplastic syndrome classified according to the FAB classification which
      presented to a single centre over a 12 year period. Presenting features were
      typically related to pancytopenia although hepatosplenomegaly and granulocytic
      sarcomas were far more prevalent than in the adult population. Morphological
      assessment of the peripheral blood and the bone marrow showed seven patients had
      refractory anaemia (RA), 13 patients had RA with excess of blasts (RAEB), nine
      patients had RAEB in transformation (RAEB-t) and four patients had chronic
      myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML). The overall mean survival was short (9.9 months)
      in all the subgroups and the leukaemic transformation rate was high. None of the
      patients scored 0-1 according to the Bournemouth Scoring System; four patients
      scored 2 whereas 29 patients scored 3 to 4. We conclude that unlike adults, the
      myelodysplastic syndromes in children run an aggressive clinical course,
      irrespective of the FAB subtype, and the pathogenesis of these diseases in
      paediatric practice warrants scientific scrutiny. Intensive chemotherapy such as
      the one used in de novo-AML lead to complete remission in some children and these
      early results suggest that this should be the treatment of choice in paediatric
      MDS.

PMID- 1419818
TI  - Low-dose etoposide: a potential therapy for myelodysplastic syndromes.
AB  - Four patients with refractory anaemia with excess blasts in transformation (RAEB
      t) and seven patients with acute leukaemia (AL) transformed from myelodysplastic
      syndromes (MDS) were treated with etoposide (50 mg, 2 h infusion, two to seven
      times per week) for at least 4 weeks. Of 10 assessable patients, three RAEB-t
      patients achieved partial response and one AL patient achieved complete
      remission. Three of the four responders were resistant to prior repeated low-dose
      cytarabine therapy. The responders did not require transfusions for 2-9 months
      while continuing on etoposide therapy. The side-effects were mild and well
      tolerated. Three possible mechanisms, i.e. a cytotoxic effect, differentiation
      induction of malignant cells, and prolongation of blood cell survival by
      destroying the reticuloendothelial system, may explain the effects of etoposide.
      We conclude that low-dose etoposide is a potential therapy for MDS and atypical
      leukaemia.

PMID- 1419819
TI  - Age-related incidence and other epidemiological aspects of myelodysplastic
      syndromes.
AB  - Although most haematologists perceive a rising prevalence and incidence of
      myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), reliable epidemiological data on these disorders
      are largely lacking. The bone marrow register of the University of Dusseldorf
      allowed us to assess among other epidemiological features the incidence of MDS,
      which was compared to that of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Among a total of
      18,416 different patients registered between 1975 and 1990, 584 cases of MDS
      (3.2%) and 506 cases of AML (2.8%) were identified. Over the study period, the
      percentage of newly diagnosed MDS rose from 1.3% to 4.5%, while there was no
      upward trend for AML. Among all patients undergoing bone marrow biopsy, the
      proportion of those over 60 years of age increased from 41.9% in 1975 to 54.1% in
      1990. We found a strong correlation between the proportion of elderly patients
      and the relative frequency of MDS diagnoses. Thirty-one patients (5.3%) were
      classified as a secondary MDS because of previous treatment with cytotoxic
      chemotherapy and/or irradiation for a variety of malignancies. Twelve patients
      were identified in whom occupational exposure to organic solvents could not be
      ruled out. For calculating age-specific incidence rates, the analysis was
      confined to the town district of Dusseldorf (575,000 inhabitants), because exact
      demographical data were available for this population. In the last quinquennium
      of the study period (1986-90), myelodysplastic syndromes were more frequent than
      AML in the age group 50-70 years (4.9 v 1.8/100,000/year). In patients over 70,
      the incidence of MDS was more than 3 times that of AML (22.8 v 6.7/100,000). In
      this group, men had a higher incidence of MDS (33.9/100,000) than women
      (18/100,000). Crude annual incidence (all age groups) was also higher for MDS
      (4.1/100,000) than for AML (2.1/100,000) in recent years. We conclude that MDS
      are relatively common haematological neoplasias. The rising incidence in recent
      years is probably not due to changes in aetiological factors, but may reflect
      increased awareness on the part of physicians and extended use of diagnostic
      procedures in elderly patients.

PMID- 1419820
TI  - Cellular and humoral immune responses in haemophiliacs after vaccination against
      tick-borne encephalitis.
AB  - The primary immune response to a viral antigen (tick-borne encephalitis, TBE) has
      been determined in haemophiliacs. Twelve HIV-negative and four clinically
      asymptomatic, HIV-positive haemophiliacs as well as 16 age-matched healthy
      controls were included in the study. Antibody responses after TBE vaccination
      were comparable in HIV-negative haemophiliacs and controls; however, antibody
      titres in HIV-infected haemophiliacs were significantly lower after completion of
      the three-dose vaccination schedule (geometric mean reciprocal antibody titres
      (SEM): controls, 193 (1.37), HIV-positive haemophiliacs, 13 (2.18), P < 0.005).
      TBE vaccination failed to induce a T cell proliferative response in the HIV
      positive haemophiliacs. While in HIV-negative patients the antigen-specific
      lymphoproliferative responses after primary and one booster vaccination were
      comparable to those of the controls, cellular responses were decreased in HIV
      negative haemophiliacs following a second booster immunization 19 months after
      primary immunization (3H-thymidine incorporation, delta dpm, mean +/- SEM:
      controls, 34662 +/- 7129, HIV-negative haemophiliacs, 14339 +/- 7420, P < 0.005).
      As the protective mechanisms for TBE infection are not yet completely understood,
      further work will be necessary to determine whether the decreased capacity to
      mount a sufficient long-term cellular memory response in HIV-negative
      haemophiliacs might be important for the protective effect of TBE vaccination in
      this population.

PMID- 1419821
TI  - Treatment of haemophilic flexion deformities using the Flowtron intermittent
      compression system.
AB  - We have studied prospectively the use of the Flowtron intermittent compression
      system for the home treatment of fixed flexion deformities of elbows and knees,
      resulting from chronic haemophilic arthropathy. A total of 16 elbows (six
      unilateral and five bilateral), and 10 knees (six unilateral and two bilateral)
      in 11 patients were studied. Treatment caused a decrease in flexion contracture
      of the elbows from 41 +/- 3 degrees to 28 +/- 3 degrees (P < 0.001), an
      improvement of 32%. The knees showed a decrease in flexion contracture from 31 +/
      3 degrees to 20 +/- 2 degrees (P < 0.0001), an improvement of 35%. Prophylactic
      factor replacement was not used during the study and there were no bleeds
      attributable to the treatment. We conclude that the use of the Flowtron in home
      treatment of fixed flexion deformities in haemophiliac patients is safe,
      effective and cheap.

PMID- 1419822
TI  - Sustained correction of the bleeding time in an afibrinogenaemic patient after
      infusion of fresh frozen plasma.
AB  - We have evaluated the duration of the effect of replacement therapy with two
      different doses of fibrinogen on the prolonged bleeding time of an
      afibrinogenaemic patient and the relationship between changes in bleeding time
      and plasma and platelet fibrinogen concentrations. The infusion of 40 mg/kg
      fibrinogen, as fresh frozen plasma (FFP), corrected the prolonged bleeding time
      of the patient from longer that 30 min to 8 min. The bleeding time was still
      normal 9 d after infusion, at a time when the plasma and platelet fibrinogen
      levels were low (0.13 g/l and 27 micrograms/10(9) platelets; normal ranges 1.6
      4.0 and 60-190). Two months later, the infusion of a smaller dose of fibrinogen
      (4 mg/kg) also corrected the bleeding time, which remained normal until the
      second day after infusion, despite the fact that plasma and platelet fibrinogen
      were very low (0.02 g/l and 3.4 micrograms/10(9) platelets). The bleeding time
      returned to the prolonged baseline values only by day 6 post-infusion, when
      plasma and platelet fibrinogen levels were 4 x 10(-4) g/l and 1.4
      micrograms/10(9) platelets. Therefore, sustained correction of the prolonged
      bleeding time may be obtained in afibrinogenaemic patients with a single infusion
      of fibrinogen at lower doses than usually recommended.

PMID- 1419823
TI  - A reversed activity staining procedure for detection of an acquired antibody
      against factor XIII in a girl with factor XIII deficiency.
AB  - A new method for detection of inhibitors against factor XIII is described.
      Agarose gel electrophoresis with normal platelet poor plasma as a factor XIII
      source included in the gel was combined with reversed activity staining. The
      procedure was applied to a 10-year-old girl with factor XIII deficiency where
      substitution therapy had failed. Plasma samples from the patient inhibited the
      factor XIII catalysed incorporation of the fluorescent monodansylthiacadaverine
      into casein at a position corresponding to the migration of gamma-globulins.
      Treatment with Sepharose-bound protein A effectively adsorbed the factor XIII
      antibody in the patient's plasma.

PMID- 1419824
TI  - The 32.6 kb Indian delta beta-thalassaemia deletion ends in a 3.4 kb L1 element
      downstream of the beta-globin gene.
AB  - The Indian delta beta-thalassaemia, with elevated fetal gamma globin gene
      expression, was previously found to have a large deletion beginning 1 kb 3' of
      the (A) gamma globin gene at GenBank HUMHBB coordinate 42151, and extending into
      a new L1 sequence. We have now determined the 3' breakpoint of this deletion, and
      in doing so we have extended the known beta-globin gene cluster DNA sequence from
      its end at 73326 to projected GenBank coordinate 79016. These data show that the
      deletion is 32.6 kb long, terminating 11 kb 3' of the beta-globin gene. This 3'
      breakpoint is at 74772, within a 3.4 kb partial L1 repeat at 74263-77665; the
      Black ((A) gamma delta beta)(0)-thalassaemia also terminates in this L1, at
      76508. In addition, two Alu sequences were found, at 73692-73816 and 78171-78441.
      Among the protein-binding DNA sequence motifs 3' to the Indian delta beta
      thalassaemia breakpoint, at 76581/76607 there is a TGATAA/ACACCC pair that binds
      the erythroid-specific GATA-1 and ubiquitous CACCC-box binding proteins. We
      hypothesize that elevated fetal haemoglobin may be due to an enhancer or
      enhancers 3' to the deletion breakpoints and may involve the TGATAA/ACACCC pair.

PMID- 1419825
TI  - Serum non-transferrin-bound iron in beta-thalassaemia major patients treated with
      desferrioxamine and L1.
AB  - Non-transferrin-bound iron (NTBI) in plasma is toxic due to its ability to
      participate in free radical formation with resultant peroxidation and damage to
      cell membranes and other biomolecules. NTBI concentration was determined in serum
      in 12 normal volunteers and in 52 patients with beta-thalassaemia major by a
      modification of the method described by Singh et al (1990). There was no
      detectable NTBI in normal individuals. In the patients NTBI values ranged from 
      1.5 to 9.0 mumol/l (mean +/- SD: 3.6 +/- 2.3). The patients' serum ferritin
      concentrations ranged from 207 to 11,400 micrograms/l (2674 +/- 2538), total
      serum iron from 20 to 61 mumol/l (39.5 +/- 9.6) and transferrin saturation from
      44 to 110% (84.5 +/- 13.8). The NTBI correlated significantly with serum ferritin
      (r = 0.467, P < 0.001), total serum iron (r = 0.608, P < 0.001) and transferrin
      saturation (r = 0.481, P < 0.005). When patients were grouped according to their
      compliance with desferrioxamine (DFX) therapy, the good compliers had
      significantly lower NTBI concentrations compared to the poor compliers (poor: 5.4
      +/- 1.8 mumol/l v good: 2.7 +/- 1.7 mumol/l, P < 0.001). There was also a
      significant difference between the level of NTBI and whether or not the patients
      had complications of iron overload (5.2 +/- 1.7 mumol/l v 2.9 +/- 1.6 mumol/l, P
      < 0.001). During this study 10 patients were entered into a trial of the oral
      iron chelator 1,2- dimethyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one (L1). Their NTBI values were
      observed during the first 6 months of the trial and showed a significant fall
      (paired t-test: P = 0.007). These results suggest that the level of NTBI may
      prove helpful in assessing the efficiency of chelation in patients with
      transfusion dependent anaemia and help to predict organ damage.

PMID- 1419826
TI  - Transfer of specific immunity from donor to recipient of an allogeneic bone
      marrow graft: evidence for donor origin of the antibody producing cells.
AB  - A rapid recovery of specific humoral immunity in the recipient of an allogeneic
      bone marrow transplantation (BMT) can be observed after immunization of the donor
      before graft sampling. This has been attributed to transfer of specific immunity
      from donor to recipient. However, to maintain the concept of transfer the origin
      of the antibody producing cells in the recipient after BMT must be demonstrated.
      To this end, donor-recipient pairs with differences in Gm-allotypes were selected
      and immunized before BMT with the neo-antigen Helix pomatia haemocyanin (HPH)
      according to three immunization protocols. Additionally, the recipients were
      immunized at day 42 after BMT. Serum samples were weekly obtained from the
      recipients in the first 100 d after BMT. The origin of HPH-specific antibody
      producing cells was assessed by two approaches: (1) determination of the Gm
      allotypes of anti-HPH antibodies within a distinct IgG subclass, (2) analysis of
      anti-HPH antibody spectrotypes by isoelectric focusing combined with
      immunoblotting. The results obtained with these two approaches show concordance
      in most instances and led to the conclusion that the antibody producing cells are
      of donor origin.

PMID- 1419827
TI  - Regulation of iron absorption in iron loaded subjects with end stage renal
      disease: effects of treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin and reduction
      of iron stores.
AB  - The effects on iron absorption of variation in erythroid activity, haemoglobin
      and iron stores were studied in six anaemic dialysis-dependent subjects in whom
      iron stores were increased from previous red cell transfusions. Gastrointestinal
      mucosal uptake and whole body retention of oral iron were measured at the
      beginning of the study, after starting treatment with recombinant erythropoietin
      (but before significant increase in haemoglobin), after partial correction of
      anaemia, after further reduction of iron stores by repeated phlebotomy, and when
      erythropoiesis decreased from the discontinuation of treatment with
      erythropoietin. Between successive measurements, valid comparisons were made in
      five subjects. Correction of anaemia decreased whole body retention of iron
      through decreased mucosal uptake (P = 0.032). Further reduction in iron stores
      through repeated phlebotomy whilst the increase in haemoglobin was maintained by
      treatment with erythropoietin, tended to increase whole body retention of iron
      through an increase in mucosal transfer (P = 0.010). With initial enhancement of
      erythropoiesis in anaemic iron-loaded subjects there was no change in any
      measured component of iron absorption. However, after correction of anaemia and
      reduction of iron stores, a decrease in erythropoiesis was associated with
      decreased whole body iron retention in all subjects through decreased mucosal
      transfer (P = 0.028). The data suggest that anaemia upregulates mucosal iron
      uptake, and that erythroid activity upregulates mucosal transfer but that this
      latter effect may be counter-balanced by iron overload which downregulates
      mucosal transfer.

PMID- 1419828
TI  - Transferrin uptake by bone marrow macrophages is independent of the degree of
      iron saturation.
AB  - The uptake of transferrin by macrophages was studied in relation to the degree of
      iron saturation. Rat bone marrow derived macrophages were incubated with
      transferrin labelled with 59Fe and 3H. At 37 degrees C the amount of 59Fe
      incorporated by macrophages was dependent on the time of incubation. 3H labelled
      transferrin was found degraded in the supernatants of the cell culture (material
      not precipitated by trichloroacetic acid) in a time dependent fashion. Taking
      into account the specific activity of 59Fe-3H labelled transferrin, we found that
      95% of the transferrin uptake was degraded. This suggests that most of the uptake
      of transferrin was not mediated by a receptor-dependent mechanism, but by a phase
      fluid endocytosis. 3H-labelled apotransferrin appears in the supernatant of the
      cell culture at the same rate as 59Fe-3H labelled diferric transferrin, showing
      an identical uptake for the two types of transferrin. Uptake of apo- or diferric
      transferrin by macrophages was identical in relation to time of incubation and
      the amount of transferrin used. These studies suggest that most of the
      transferrin uptake by bone marrow macrophages (non-activated or non-elicited
      cells) is mediated by a non-receptor mechanism that is independent of the degree
      of transferrin saturation.

PMID- 1419830
TI  - Towards a new predictor of AIDS progression through the quantitation of HIV-1 DNA
      copies by PCR in HIV-infected individuals.
AB  - The proviral copy (PVC) number in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of
      human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals was measured by a
      quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to determine over time the
      relation between the viral load and the evolution towards the disease in HIV
      infected people: 67 anti-HIV-1 positive individuals (60 stage II/III, 7 stage IV)
      were studied. The mean PVC number per 1.5 x 10(5) PBMCs in stage II/III
      individuals (14.4 +/- 14.2) and in stage IV individuals (32.2 +/- 22.9) was
      significantly different (P < 0.02). PVC number was inversely correlated to the
      CD4 lymphocyte count (P < 0.01). In the logistic regression, the PVC number was a
      better marker of evolution towards the disease than the CD4 lymphocyte count. The
      mean proportion of HIV-infected PBMCs in stage IV individuals and in stage II/III
      individuals was 1/4606 and 1/10714, respectively.

PMID- 1419829
TI  - Long-term assessment of efficacy and safety of L1, an oral iron chelator, in
      transfusion dependent thalassaemia: Indian trial.
AB  - From August 1989 to May 1991, 52 patients with transfusion dependent thalassaemia
      major received L1 (1,2-dimethyl-3- hydroxypyrid-4-one), the oral iron chelator,
      for a period of 3-21 months (mean +/- SD: 14.2 +/- 6.8). Mean (+/- SD) urinary
      iron excretion varied from 6.2 +/- 4.6 mg/d on 25 mg/kg/d of L1 to 42.3 +/- 37.1
      mg/d on 100 mg/kg/d of L1. Mean (+/- SD) drop in S ferritin was 1465 +/- 990
      micrograms/l after 5.0 +/- 0.8 months to 3641.2 +/- 2299.3 micrograms/l after
      20.1 +/- 0.9 months of therapy. There was no evidence of neutropenia,
      thrombocytopenia, ear or eye toxicity. L1-related arthralgia, which was
      reversible on dose reduction or stoppage, was seen in 20 patients (38.5%), while
      minor gastrointestinal (GI) tract symptoms occurred in seven (3.5%) cases. We
      conclude that although L1 is an effective iron chelator, further studies are
      required to understand the mechanism of L1 related arthralgia and also to find a
      safer but effective dose on which incidence of L1 related arthralgia is minimal.

PMID- 1419831
TI  - Therapy with recombinant interferon alpha-2c during unexpected pregnancy in a
      patient with chronic myeloid leukaemia.

PMID- 1419832
TI  - Translocation (3;21) (q26.2;q22.1) found in a patient with myelodysplastic
      syndrome and long-term exposure to organic solvents.

PMID- 1419833
TI  - Transient plasmacytosis with acute infection in myeloma.

PMID- 1419834
TI  - Myelodysplastic syndrome associated with increased bone marrow fibrosis and
      translocation (5;12)(q33;p12.3).

PMID- 1419835
TI  - Spontaneous regression of Ki-1 positive T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a
      patient with HIV infection.

PMID- 1419836
TI  - Splenectomy and chronic ITP in children.

PMID- 1419837
TI  - Childhood meningiomas. Experience in the modern imaging era.
AB  - Twenty children with meningiomas (ages 18 months to 17 years) received initial
      therapy at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia between January 1975 and June
      1991, accounting for 2% of children with primary brain tumors seen during that
      time interval. All were verified histopathologically, and none had had prior
      irradiation. Fifteen were male and 5 female. Fifteen tumors were intracranial,
      all located supratentorially. Two of these also had a component within the optic
      canal. One tumor was entirely within the orbit. Four meningiomas arose within the
      spinal canal. Associated conditions were neurofibromatosis (NF) type I (1
      patient), NF type II (2 patients), and a facial alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (1
      patient). A gross total resection as documented by postoperative scan and
      operative note was accomplished in 12 patients. Four of these relapsed, at a mean
      of 3.5 years from initial surgery. In 4 patients a near-total resection (> 90%)
      was performed. Of these, 2 progressed at 9 months and 1.5 years. One of these
      died of complications associated with reoperation. In 4 patients a partial
      resection (50-90%) was performed. Two of these progressed at 4 months and 1 year,
      and the other 2 have been followed for less than 2 years. Five patients received
      radiation therapy (RT). One patient received RT as adjunctive therapy after
      primary surgery because of papillary histology. The other 4 had RT following
      reoperation for recurrence at a mean of 1.5 years from diagnosis (range, 7 months
      to 2 years). These 4 patients remain alive and with stable disease at a mean of 6
      years from diagnosis (range 2-8.8 years).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419838
TI  - Specialization is inevitable.

PMID- 1419839
TI  - Craniovertebral abnormalities in Down's syndrome.
AB  - The ligamentous laxity associated with atlantoaxial subluxation has been assumed
      as a normal occurrence in 15-20% of Down's syndrome patients. The
      occipitoatlantoaxial instability that accompanies this entity has been poorly
      recognized. The medical records and radiographic findings of 18 symptomatic
      patients with Down's syndrome and cervicomedullary compromise were reviewed (1979
      1991). All patients were evaluated prospectively under protocol for abnormalities
      of the cranial vertebral junction. There were 11 males and 7 females (age 3-42).
      'Fixed' atlantoaxial luxation was seen in 8 (5 developed precipitous onset of
      cervical medullary compression). Occipitoatlantoaxial instability was present in
      9 and associated rotary luxation in 9. The average predental space was 8 mm in
      the neutral position in 18 individuals. Two adolescents had previously undergone
      atlantoaxial dorsal fusion with subsequent progressive basilar invagination due
      to unrecognized occipitoatlantal instability. An os odontoideum was seen in 3
      patients. Irreducible invagination in 2 was treated with anterior decompression
      followed by dorsal occipital cervical fixation. The occipital cervical fixation
      was utilized in 10 individuals. Atlantoaxial dorsal fusion was made in 7 and 2
      patients with acute rotary luxation of C1 and C2 were treated with
      immobilization. Halo immobilization in two individuals following a dorsal
      occipital cervical fixation produced an anterior fusion at the cranial vertebral
      complex indicating active vertebral ligamentous pathology. The review focuses on
      increased incidence of occiput cervical instability in the spectrum of
      craniovertebral junction abnormalities associated with Down's syndrome. A large
      percentage has an odontoid ossicle probably as a result of repeated minor trauma.
      The results of surgical stabilization have been shown to be excellent.

PMID- 1419841
TI  - Complications with selective posterior rhizotomy.
AB  - Since 1986 250 patients have undergone selective posterior rhizotomy for spastic
      cerebral palsy at New York University Medical Center. Severe, perioperative
      complications were experienced by 15% of these patients and consisted of
      bronchospasm, aspiration pneumonia, urinary retention, ileus, sensory loss.
      Additionally, most of our patients had severe pain immediately after the surgery
      and nearly half had dysesthesias for up to 3 weeks. Long-term complications such
      as decreasing range of muscle movement and hip dislocation are now becoming
      apparent. This patient population must be viewed as having special risks
      attendant with surgery and particularly with selective posterior rhizotomy.

PMID- 1419840
TI  - Selective functional posterior rhizotomy for treatment of spastic cerebral palsy
      in children. Review of 50 consecutive cases.
AB  - Fifty consecutive children are described with spastic cerebral palsy treated with
      selective functional lumbar and sacral rhizotomy and followed for a minimum of 6
      months. In all patients, spasticity improved postoperatively, but this was not
      necessarily accompanied by a functional improvement. Eighteen children who could
      not walk preoperatively were able to do so after rhizotomy. All 17 children who
      could walk preoperatively could do so following surgery, and in 15, gait was
      improved. Complications included transient urinary dysfunction in 4 children and
      sensory loss in 1. The operative procedure evolved with time: the technique of
      replacement laminotomy was refined; the electrophysiologic basis for selection of
      nerve rootlets changed after studies of nonspastic controls; smaller percentages
      of the L3 and L4 roots were sectioned in an attempt to prevent postoperative
      weakness of quadriceps, and there was a trend in the most recent patients to cut
      a smaller portion of all the posterior roots.

PMID- 1419842
TI  - Fluid, blood, and blood product management in the craniofacial patient.
AB  - This report is a retrospective review of the perioperative management of 56
      children who underwent craniofacial surgical procedures. The use of a combination
      of 5% dextrose in normal saline or 5% dextrose in Ringer's lactate and normal
      saline resulted in postoperative sodium values in a normal range. In patients
      receiving a combination of 5% dextrose and electrolyte No. 48 and normal saline,
      the mean postoperative sodium level was 130 mEq/l with 9 of 18 patients below 130
      mEq/l. Two patients in the series suffered clinical seizures on postoperative day
      1 as a result of serum sodium levels of 122 and 121 mEq/l, respectively. We
      recommend that only solutions with a sodium content between 77 and 154 mEq/l be
      used routinely in the perioperative management of craniofacial patients.

PMID- 1419843
TI  - Neuroimaging for investigation of seizures in children.
AB  - In patients with structural abnormalities of the brain with poor seizure control
      by medication, epilepsy surgery becomes a very important tool for seizure
      control. Numerous radiological imaging studies are being used for studying the
      abnormality in order to aid in the planning of surgery. Included in the
      radiological imaging modalities are CT, MR, and Xenon CT, SPECT and PET. In
      future, perfusion and diffusion MR as well as MEG mapping will become part of the
      investigative tool. The following paper is a summary and discussion of the
      usefulness of different modalities in different disease entities with a proposal
      for the method of investigation.

PMID- 1419844
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging of pediatric posterior fossa tumors.
AB  - MR detected abnormality in all 115 pediatric patients who subsequently had
      pathologically proven posterior fossa tumors. In 114, the initial magnetic
      resonance (MR) diagnosis was that of brain tumor. In 1, with less than 1-cm2 area
      of gadolinium enhancement, the significance of the initial finding was uncertain.
      Common posterior fossa tumor subgroups (brainstem gliomas, cerebellar
      astrocytomas, primitive neuroectodermal tumors, and ependymomas) have relatively
      consistent presentations on imaging studies. However, less common tumors mimic
      the MR appearance of more common ones, while common tumors may also have atypical
      appearances.

PMID- 1419845
TI  - Applications of neuroimaging in hydrocephalus.
AB  - Hydrocephalus is a common problem in pediatric neurological and neurosurgical
      practices. In this manuscript, the common imaging appearances of hydrocephalus
      are discussed in relation to the underlying causes of the hydrocephalus.
      Moreover, specific findings seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MR) examinations
      are discussed and contrasted with those on computed x-ray tomography (CT) and
      ultrasound. Finally the imaging findings associated with treatment of
      hydrocephalus are discussed. In particular, analysis of shunt function, the
      diagnosis of shunt failure, and the complications of shunting are stressed.

PMID- 1419847
TI  - Neuroradiology of intracranial infection.
AB  - The ability to detect and differentiate intracranial infection has markedly
      improved, first with the introduction of computed tomography and, more recently,
      with magnetic resonance. Enhanced magnetic resonance imaging is the procedure of
      choice in the evaluation of nearly all intracranial infections. The sensitivity
      of MR to foci of increased water content, seen in most parenchymal infections,
      the lack of bone artifact, and the multiplanar capability of MR have led to this
      preeminence. Computed tomography remains useful primarily in those infections
      associated with intracranial calcification, such as TORCH syndrome. This article
      summarizes the most recent CT and MR findings of infection involving the meninges
      and brain parenchyma.

PMID- 1419846
TI  - Intraoperative uses of ultrasound in the pediatric neurosurgical patient.
AB  - Ultrasound imaging has become a common method for intraoperative evaluation of
      the central nervous system. Real-time monitoring aids in guidance for aspiration
      of fluid collections and placement of catheters as well as the localization and
      evaluation of masses, and confirmation of their complete removal. Color Doppler
      is useful in the evaluation of blood flow in arteriovenous malformations,
      aneurysms, and neoplasms. Consultation among the ultrasound staff,
      neuroradiologists, and neurosurgeons before the operative procedure maximizes the
      usefulness of ultrasound, thus aiding in the success of surgery.

PMID- 1419848
TI  - Characterization of genes expressed in mesophyll protoplasts of Nicotiana
      sylvestris before the re-initiation of the DNA replicational activity.
AB  - To decipher the early events preceding the re-entry of somatic cells into the
      cell cycle, we constructed a cDNA library from 6-h-old protoplasts of Nicotiana
      sylvestris. We characterized three mRNAs, via their cDNAs, that accumulate at
      very high levels 6 h after the beginning of the culture. Two of them could be
      identified by comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence to databanks. 6P10 is
      a novel type I trypsin inhibitor, which has the peculiarity of being devoid of
      the pro-sequence peptide described to be essential for transport to the vacuole.
      6P73 is a novel, moderately anionic peroxidase. 6P50 belongs to a gene family not
      yet identified. These genes are highly expressed in protoplasts at the beginning
      of the culture and moderately in roots, but are neither expressed in response to
      chemical treatment, heat shock, pathogen attacks nor during tumor induction.
      These findings suggest that the activation of these genes corresponds not only to
      a specific adaptation of protoplasts to the new environment but also, since their
      level of expression decreases at the onset of division, to a sequence of events
      connected with the establishment of the new program of gene expression of the
      dividing cell.

PMID- 1419849
TI  - Suramin changes the fate of Spemann's organizer and prevents neural induction in
      Xenopus laevis.
AB  - Suramin, a polyanionic compound, which has previously shown to dissociate
      platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) from its receptor, prevents the
      differentiation of neural (brain) structures of recombinants of dorsal blastopore
      lip (Spemann's organizer) and competent neuroectoderm. Furthermore, the suramin
      treatment changes the prospective differentiation pattern of isolated blastopore
      lip. While untreated dorsal blastopore lip will differentiate into dorsal
      mesodermal structures (notochord and somites), suramin treated dorsal blastopore
      lip will form ventral mesoderm structures, especially heart structures. The
      results are discussed in the context of the current opinion about the mode of
      action of different growth factor superfamilies.

PMID- 1419850
TI  - Hairless, a Drosophila gene involved in neural development, encodes a novel,
      serine rich protein.
AB  - Hairless is a dominant loss of function mutation in Drosophila affecting the
      formation of adult sensory organs. In the mutants, neuronal precursor cells do
      not differentiate, suggesting that Hairless might be involved in specifying or
      realizing neuronal fate in the fly, similar to the 'pro-neural' genes of the
      achaete-scute complex. As highlighted by the manifold phenotypic interactions of
      Hairless with most of the neurogenic loci, the gene might play an important role
      in nervous system development. Therefore, we initiated a molecular analysis of
      the Hairless locus in order to elucidate the function of its gene product and
      gain insight into the biochemical nature of the observed genetic interactions in
      which it participates. Here, we report the molecular cloning of the Hairless
      locus, confirmed by breakpoint and transformation analysis. Unexpectedly,
      Hairless activity peaks during embryogenesis, where transcripts accumulate
      primarily in endo- and mesodermal cell layers, and is lowest during larval
      stages, the lethal phase of Hairless mutants. The putative Hairless protein
      deduced from DNA sequencing is extremely basic and highly enriched in serine
      residues. Hairless appears to encode a novel protein without compelling homology
      to other known proteins which function in specifying peripheral nervous system
      development in Drosophila.

PMID- 1419851
TI  - Transforming growth factor-beta 1 in heart development.
AB  - Defined biochemical stimuli regulating neonatal ventricular myocyte
      (cardiomyocyte) development have not been established. Since cardiomyocytes stop
      proliferating during the first 3-5 days of age in the rodent, locally generated
      'anti-proliferative' and/or differentiation signals can be hypothesized. The
      transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) family of peptides are multifunctional
      regulators of proliferation and differentiation of many different cell types. We
      have determined in neonatal and maturing rat hearts that TGF-beta 1 gene
      expression occurs in pups of both normotensive (Wistar Kyoto, WKY) and
      hypertrophy-prone rats (spontaneously hypertensive, SHR). TGF-beta 1 transcript
      levels were readily apparent in total ventricular RNA from SHR pups within 1 day
      of age and elevated in 3-7 day old WKY and SHR hearts when cardiomyocyte
      proliferation indices are diminished. TGF-beta 1 transcript levels remain at a
      'relatively' high level throughout maturation and into adulthood in both strains.
      Further, TGF-beta 1 transcripts were localized to cardiomyocytes of neonatal rat
      ventricular tissue sections by in situ hybridization. Immunoreactive TGF-beta was
      co-localized to the intracellular compartment of neonatal cardiomyocytes at the
      light and electron microscopic level. In vitro analysis using primary cultures of
      fetal and neonatal cardiomyocytes indicated that TGF-beta s inhibit mitogen
      stimulated DNA synthesis and thymidine incorporation. From these data, we propose
      that locally generated TGF-beta s may act as autocrine and/or paracrine
      regulators of cardiomyocyte proliferation and differentiation as intrinsic
      components of a multifaceted biochemical regulatory process governing heart
      development.

PMID- 1419852
TI  - Intracellular signalling pathways involved in mesoderm induction by FGF.
AB  - We have examined the possible role of two signal transducing mechanisms, tyrosine
      phosphorylation and activation of protein kinase C (PKC), during fibroblast
      growth factor (FGF)-induced mesoderm induction in Xenopus. Tyrosine
      phosphorylation was examined through the use of a monoclonal anti-phosphotyrosine
      antibody. This antibody was shown to recognize the FGF receptor crosslinked to
      radioiodinated FGF. We also studied the response of Xenopus ectodermal explants
      to sodium orthovanadate, a compound that has been shown to elevate intracellular
      phosphotyrosine levels. Thirty percent of explants cultured in 100 microM
      vanadate were induced. In addition, vanadate synergized with FGF to give
      inductions that were more dorsal in nature than either vanadate or FGF alone. The
      role of PKC was evaluated by measuring PKC activity during mesoderm induction by
      FGF and by examining the effect of the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13
      acetate (TPA) on explants. TPA did not induce mesoderm, however, activation of
      PKC was detected in FGF-treated explants. Therefore, activation of the PKC
      pathway alone is not sufficient for mesoderm induction. Simultaneous treatment
      with TPA and FGF resulted in a significant inhibition of mesoderm induction by
      FGF, suggesting that activation of PKC could be part of a negative feedback
      mechanism. In contrast, TPA had no effect on induction by activin A.

PMID- 1419853
TI  - Certified sick leave as a non-specific morbidity indicator: a case-referent study
      among nurses.
AB  - A case-referent study assessed the association between medically certified sick
      leave from work and some occupational characteristics--namely, two work load
      indices (nurse patient ratio and patients' average duration of stay) and hospital
      and care unit. Study participants were nurses from seven general hospitals in
      Quebec City who had been employed for at least six months at the time of study.
      Cases (n = 184) experienced at least one episode of medically certified sick
      leave for a diagnosis "most likely to be related to work load" between 1 January
      1984 and 31 May 1987. Referents (n = 1165) were chosen from subjects who had no
      such leave, whatever the medical reason, and were matched to cases by the
      incidence density sampling method. Occupational data were collected from
      employment records and administrative files. Analysis was by multiple logistic
      regression. Significant associations were found between sick leave and nurse
      patient ratio among head nurses, patient's duration of stay, and one hospital.
      Sick leave was more frequent among full time permanent nurses and among those on
      night and evening schedules. These associations were independent of age, duration
      of service in this hospital or in the actual job assignment, and care unit. This
      study supports the relevance of using sick leave as a non-specific indicator of
      health out-comes.

PMID- 1419854
TI  - Subclinical impairment of colour vision among workers exposed to styrene.
AB  - The effects of exposure to styrene were studied among 60 men aged 20 to 56 (mean
      29.5) employed in shipbuilding. Exposure was due to the handling of glass
      reinforced polyester materials. The study was cross sectional and the workers
      were compared with a control group matched for age, social and occupational
      state, and ethnic origin. During the study, the mean atmospheric exposure to
      styrene was 24.3 ppm. Mean urinary elimination was 230 mg/g creatinine for
      mandelic acid and 57.4 mg/g creatinine for phenylglyoxylic acid. The Farnsworth
      100 hue test showed no significant differences between the exposed and control
      groups for error scores. A significant difference was found, however, for the
      number of subjects with errors axis in the red-green, or blue-yellow ranges, or
      both, which was larger among the exposed workers (32/60 v 20/60 for the controls
      (p < 0.05)). Psychometric tests were also conducted, using the World Health
      Organisation (WHO) neurobehavioural core test battery. Of the seven tests it
      included, anomalies were only found for the aiming test. These results suggest
      that exposure to moderate styrene concentrations of the order of 25 ppm can lead
      to impairment of colour vision.

PMID- 1419855
TI  - Musculoskeletal symptoms and type A behaviour in blue collar workers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Type A behaviour pattern, characterised by excessive competitiveness,
      impatience, hostility and time urgency, has been previously investigated as a
      risk factor for coronary heart disease. There are few studies concerning
      musculoskeletal symptoms and type A behaviour. Could there be a higher frequency
      of musculoskeletal symptoms with a more pronounced type A behaviour? DESIGN: A
      cross sectional retrospective study. Standardised nordic questionnaires were used
      for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms and the Bortner questionnaire and
      its subscales (1) speed and (2) hard driving and competitiveness were used to
      assess type A behaviour. SETTING: Factory based (a manufacturing industry where
      they make ventilating shafts). SUBJECTS: 58 blue collar workers (51 men and seven
      women). Mean age was 36.9 years. Mean employment time was seven years. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURE: Blue collar workers with musculoskeletal symptoms had a more
      pronounced type A behaviour than those without symptoms. RESULTS: For shoulder
      symptoms during the past 12 months blue collar workers had a more pronounced type
      A behaviour (p < 0.001). For symptoms during the past seven days the results were
      significant for the neck (p < 0.01), the shoulder (p < 0.01), and also for lower
      back pain (p < 0.05). There were no differences in age, psychosocial factors, or
      psychosomatic symptoms. According to the Bortner subscales, the speed subscale
      seems to be more important than the hard driving and competitiveness subscales.
      CONCLUSIONS: Blue collar workers with a more pronounced type A behaviour seem to
      have a higher incidence of musculoskeletal symptoms.

PMID- 1419856
TI  - Objective testing for vasospasm in the hand-arm vibration syndrome.
AB  - Since vibration white finger (VWF) became a prescribed industrial disease in
      1985, objective testing for the diagnosis and grading of the severity of the
      condition has become desirable. Measurements have been made of finger blood flow
      and finger systolic pressure before and after cold challenge in 22 healthy
      control subjects and 34 men presenting for medical examination in connection with
      compensation claims for VWF. This type of testing has previously produced one
      false negative result in 35 patients with an established clinical diagnosis of
      Raynaud's syndrome and no false positives in 40 control subjects. Finger blood
      flow was not significantly different in the claimants and controls in either warm
      or cool environments at local finger temperatures from 32 degrees C down to 20
      degrees C. Finger systolic pressure in the claimants was not significantly
      different from that in the controls when the fingers were warm at 32 degrees C.
      After five minutes middle phalangeal cooling to 15 or 10 degrees C, finger
      systolic pressure was 0 mm Hg in 22 of the claimants indicating that vasospasm
      had occurred. No vasospasm occurred in the remaining 12 claimants or in any of
      the 22 control subjects. By clinical assessment alone, 26 of the 34 claimants had
      been thought to have VWF and 21 (81%) of these exhibited vasospasm in the
      laboratory. Of the eight considered not to have VWF, only one exhibited vasospasm
      in the laboratory.

PMID- 1419857
TI  - Fatal accidents among Icelandic seamen: 1966-86.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether fatal accidents, including drownings, have
      decreased among Icelandic fishermen and seamen. DESIGN: Historical prospective
      study. The study population was record linked with the National Register and the
      Register of Deceased to get information on water transport accidents (ICD-7, E850
      E858) during the period 1966-86. The number of persons in each calendar year and
      the number of days at sea registered at the pension fund were both used as
      denominator to find annual mortalities. SETTING: Iceland. SUBJECTS: 27,884 seamen
      who were members of the Seamen's Pension Fund. The cohort included both fishermen
      and seamen from the merchant fleet. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in mortality
      from all accidents and drownings from 1966-86. RESULTS: The mortality for all
      fatal accidents was 89.4 per 10(5) person-years and did not change appreciably
      during the study period. The mortality for drowning was unchanged at 73.2 per
      10(5) person-years. The greatest number of drownings were among those 20-24 years
      of age but the mortality for drowning was highest among those 45-54 years of age.
      CONCLUSION: Mortality because of fatal accidents and drownings among these seamen
      was high and did not conclusively decrease during the study period. Further
      preventive measures are needed.

PMID- 1419858
TI  - Concentrations of individual serum or plasma bile acids in workers exposed to
      chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons.
AB  - Individual serum or plasma bile acid concentrations were measured by high
      performance liquid chromatography in two groups of workers with differing
      exposures: to hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD) and a mixture of other chlorinated
      solvents (SOLVENT) in study A; and trichloroethylene (TCE) in study B. Exposures
      to HCBD and TCE were associated with highly significant increases in a number of
      individual and summed bile acid measures, with a dose effect relation shown for
      HCBD. Exposure to SOLVENT was associated with significant decreases in three bile
      acid measures but this may have been due to misclassification of exposure. No
      association was found between any of the exposures and any of the standard tests
      of liver function. This preliminary study suggests that some chlorinated
      hydrocarbons are associated with raised bile acid concentrations in the blood of
      exposed workers. It may be that the changes in such concentrations reflect early
      and small disturbances of liver function. The significance and mechanism of the
      changes are yet to be determined.

PMID- 1419859
TI  - Dose related acute irritant symptom responses to occupational exposure to sodium
      borate dusts.
AB  - A repeated measurement design was employed in the study of acute symptoms of eye
      and respiratory tract irritation resulting from occupational exposure to sodium
      borate dusts. The symptom assessment of the 79 exposed and 27 unexposed subjects
      comprised interviews before the shift began and then at regular hourly intervals
      for the next six hours of the shift, four days in a row. Exposures were monitored
      concurrently with a personal real time aerosol monitor. Two different exposure
      profiles, a daily average and short term (15 minute) average, were used in the
      analysis. Exposure-response relations were evaluated by linking incidence rates
      for each symptom with categories of exposure. Acute incidence rates for nasal,
      eye, and throat irritation, and coughing and breathlessness were found to be
      associated with increased exposure levels of both exposure indices. Steeper
      exposure-response slopes were seen when short term exposure concentrations were
      used. Results from multivariate logistic regression analysis suggest that current
      smokers tended to be less sensitive to the exposure to airborne sodium borate
      dust. There was no indication that anhydrous sodium borate was more potent than
      the other sodium borates in this work environment.

PMID- 1419860
TI  - Pulmonary effects of exposure to fine fibreglass: irregular opacities and small
      airways obstruction.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Man made mineral fibres imitate asbestos and produce tumours of the
      pleura in animals. To answer the question, Does prolonged exposure to fibreglass
      adversely affect pulmonary function or produce radiographic abnormalities in
      human subjects? we studied workers in a midwestern appliance plant where
      refrigerator doors and previously entire cabinets were insulated with fibreglass
      sheeting and loose rotary spun fibreglass. METHODS: Spirometry and lung volumes
      were measured, respiratory and occupational questionnaires were administered, and
      chest x-ray films were read for pneumoconiosis using International Labour Office
      (ILO) 1980 criteria in 284 workers with exposure of 20 years or more. RESULTS:
      Expiratory flows were reduced including FEV1 (mean 90.3% of predicted (pr), FEF25
      75 (85.5% pr), and FEF75-85 (76.2% pr). Forced vital capacity was significantly
      reduced (92.8% pr) and total lung capacity was significantly increased (109.2%
      pr). In white male smokers, a group large enough for comparisons, parameters of
      pulmonary function were reduced further in the presence of irregular opacities.
      Forty three workers (15.1%) had evidence of pneumoconiosis on chest radiographs:
      26 of these (9.1%), had no known exposure to asbestos and 17 (6.0%) had some
      exposure. The best judgement was that in 36 (13.0%), pulmonary opacities or
      pleural abnormalities were due to fibreglass. CONCLUSION: Commercial rotary spun
      fibreglass used for insulating appliances appears to produce human disease that
      is similar to asbestosis.

PMID- 1419861
TI  - Lung cancer and occupation: results of a multicentre case-control study.
AB  - The objective of the current study was to estimate the risk of lung cancer
      attributable to occupational factors and not due to tobacco. At 24 hospitals in
      nine metropolitan areas in the United States, 1793 male lung cancer cases were
      matched for race, age, hospital, year of interview, and cigarette smoking (never
      smoker, ex-smoker, smoker (1-19 and > or = 20 cigarettes per day)) to two types
      of controls (cancer and non-cancer hospital patients). Information on usual
      occupation, exposure to specific potential carcinogens, and cigarette smoking was
      obtained by interview. Risk of lung cancer was increased significantly for
      electricians; sheetmetal workers and tinsmiths; bookbinders and related printing
      trade workers; cranemen, derrickmen, and hoistmen; moulders, heat treaters,
      annealers and other heated metal workers; and construction labourers. All of
      these occupations are potentially exposed to known carcinogens. Odds ratios (ORs)
      were increased for exposure to coal dust (adjusted OR = 1.5; 95% confidence
      interval (95% CI) 1.1-2.1). After stratification, this association was
      statistically significant only after 10 or more years of exposure. Lung cancer
      was also related to exposure to asbestos (adjusted OR = 1.8; 95% CI 1.5-2.2). The
      ORs increased with increasing duration of exposure to asbestos for all smoking
      categories except for current smokers of 1-19 cigarettes per day. The statistical
      power to detect ORs among occupations that were previously reported to be at
      increased risk of lung cancer but that failed to show an OR of at least 1.5 in
      the current study was small. The cumulative population attributable risk (PAR) of
      lung cancer due to occupation was 9.2%. It is concluded that occupational factors
      play an important part in the development of lung cancer independently of
      cigarette smoking. Because occupations at high risk of lung cancer were under
      represented, the cumulative PAR of the present study is likely to be an
      underestimate of the true contribution of occupation to risk of lung cancer.

PMID- 1419863
TI  - Survival of asbestos insulation workers with mesothelioma.
AB  - Malignant mesothelioma is a lethal disease. It is rare in the general population;
      however, workers exposed to asbestos suffer significant burdens of the neoplasm.
      The survival time of 457 consecutive fatal cases of pleural and peritoneal
      mesothelioma that occurred among 17,800 asbestos insulation workers observed
      prospectively from 1 January 1967 to 1 January 1987 was studied. Mean survival
      time from initial presentation of the disease to death was 11.4 months for the
      pleural mesothelioma patients compared with 7.4 months for the peritoneal group.
      This difference was statistically significant. Mean survival time from diagnosis
      to death was shorter for both groups of patients: 8.4 months for pleural
      mesothelioma v 5.8 months for the peritoneal cases. In conclusion, survival time
      in mesothelioma patients is short; most die within a year from the onset of the
      initial symptoms. No effective therapy is yet available.

PMID- 1419862
TI  - Malignant melanoma of the skin among workers in a telecommunications industry:
      mortality study 1976-83.
AB  - An incidence study of malignant melanoma of the skin (MMS), conducted previously
      among the workers of four plants of a large telecommunications industry located
      in Montreal, Canada, showed a standardised incidence ratio of 2.7 (95% confidence
      interval (95% CI) 1.3-5.02) for the years 1976 to 1983. To describe more
      precisely the magnitude of the problem a mortality study was started among the
      same population (n = 9590) for the same period (1976-83). At the end of 1983,
      9180 workers were alive, 261 were dead, and 149 (1.5%) were not traced.
      Standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) for all causes of death were surprisingly
      low for men (SMR = 0.57; 95% CI 0.50-0.64) and women (SMR = 0.56; 95% CI 0.37
      0.82). The SMRs for major causes of death were also less than expected. These
      results may be explained by a pronounced selection bias (healthy worker effect)
      and by the short duration of follow up (eight years). For MMS, two deaths
      occurred among men (SMR = 2.00; 95% CI 0.24-7.22) and one among women (SMR =
      4.81; 95% CI 0.12-26.78). A third man who died of MMS was miscoded as having a
      primary pulmonary melanoma. Including this case increased the SMR for MMS to 3.00
      (95% CI 0.62-8.77; p = 0.08). Polyvinyl chloride and polychlorinated biphenyls
      were used in the plants and some of the workers did soldering. A planned case
      control study will investigate other possible exposures at work.

PMID- 1419864
TI  - Follow up study of renal tubular dysfunction and mortality in residents of an
      area polluted with cadmium.
AB  - A retrospective cohort study was conducted to investigate the association between
      cadmium induced renal tubular dysfunction and mortality. A total of 230 subjects
      aged 40 or older and living in a cadmium polluted area in Kosaka Town, Akita
      Prefecture, Japan, were studied at least once between 1975 and 1977 and again in
      1990. Urinary beta 2-microglobulin and total amino nitrogen concentrations were
      significantly related to mortality from all causes in women. The finding supports
      the idea that cadmium induced kidney damage is a factor associated with mortality
      in a general population exposed to environmental cadmium.

PMID- 1419865
TI  - Chronic glomerulonephritis and exposure to solvents: a case-referent study.
AB  - To evaluate the risk of chronic glomerulonephritis in subjects exposed to solvent
      vapours, a case-referent study was carried out. The case group, including 60
      patients (44 men and 16 women) with non-systemic chronic glomerulonephritis,
      established by biopsy, was compared with 120 control subjects (60 patients with
      traumatic fractures and 60 patients affected by nephrolithiasis) matched by sex
      and age. Information on occupational and non-occupational exposure to solvent was
      obtained by questionnaire. The exposure scores drawn from questionnaires were
      significantly higher in the case group than in the referent groups for both total
      and occupational solvent exposure. No significant differences in non-occupational
      exposure were found. The odds ratio of chronic glomerulonephritis for
      occupationally exposed (score > 0) was 3.9 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.64
      8.33). When IgA nephropathy patients (n = 27) were separately evaluated, an
      increased risk was found for both total and occupational exposure. Using a
      logistic regression model, a dose-response effect for occupational exposure was
      seen. The results support the hypothesis that chronic glomerulonephritis may be
      related to environmental factors such as exposure to hydrocarbons.

PMID- 1419866
TI  - Lipid oxidation and atherosclerosis: a possible vindication of fresh eggs and
      milk.

PMID- 1419867
TI  - Baroreflex responses to the stress of severe hemorrhage in the rat.
AB  - In two groups of anesthetized (sodium pentobarbital), mature Sprague-Dawley rats,
      1) aged 2 years and weighing 300-400 grams, 2) aged 6 months weighing 200-300
      grams, baroreflex-induced circulatory responses to pressor (graded doses
      phenylephrine) and depressor (graded doses nitroglycerine) agents were compared
      to those occurring during progressive hemorrhage in the same animals. Graded
      withdrawals of blood from the femoral artery elicited progressive hypotension
      accompanied by bradycardia rather than expected tachycardia. Graded doses of
      phenylephrine (2.5 ug to 40 ug bolus, via femoral vein) regularly induced
      elevations in arterial blood pressure with associated reflex bradycardia.
      Similarly graded doses of nitroglycerine induced a marked decline in arterial
      blood pressure, without expected tachycardia. As hypotension became more severe
      (during hemorrhage), atrioventricular conduction slowed and A-V block developed,
      resulting in statistically greater slowing in ventricular than in atrial
      excitation and contractile cycles. Heart failure during hemorrhage in the rat is
      characterized sequentially by severe bradycardia, depressed atrial contractile
      force, impaired conduction and A-V block, terminating in ventricular, atrial, and
      finally, in pacemaker failure. Baroreceptor reflexes were blunted or even absent
      in both young and old animals during induced hypotension.

PMID- 1419869
TI  - Heart rate reactivity in attention deficit disorder subgroups.
AB  - Beat-to-beat heart rate (HR) was analyzed for 9 contiguous seconds in a warned
      reaction time (RT) paradigm. Imperative stimuli were tones of three intensity
      levels (55, 78, and 100 db); a visual warning signal occurred 5 sec before tone
      onset. Baseline and reward conditions were run. Normal controls were contrasted
      with three Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) subgroups: ADD-only, ADD with
      hyperactivity (ADDH), ADD with hyperactivity and aggression (ADDHA). The ADD
      subgroups were predicted to show less deceleration in HR because of their problem
      sustaining readiness to respond. Significant sex x group differences in HR levels
      and change scores were found. Overall, girls had higher HR levels than boys and
      the ADD-only group (boys and girls) had lower HRs than the other ADD groups. But,
      the ADD-only boys had more marked deceleration to the warning signal and
      acceleration to the tones than the other ADD boys, whereas the ADD-only girls
      were no more reactive than the ADDH and ADDHA girls. Control girls had the
      highest HR levels and were the most reactive to stimuli. Control boys and ADD
      only boys had similar HR levels and reaction patterns. ADD-only girls appear to
      be underaroused, whereas ADD-only boys do not. Results suggest that cardiac
      measures can provide external validation of disruptive and nondisruptive ADD
      subtypes.

PMID- 1419870
TI  - Predictors of myocardial infarction over a span of 30 years in Roseto,
      Pennsylvania.
AB  - Predictors of myocardial infarction with or without survival were sought in a 30
      year study of Roseto, Pennsylvania, a nearly exclusively Italian community of
      approximately 1,600, compared to the immediately adjacent town of Bangor with a
      population of approximately 5,000. At the start of the study the death rate from
      myocardial infarction among men in Roseto was less than half that in Bangor
      despite an equal prevalence of the usual risk factors, mainly smoking and diet.
      The communities were followed prospectively for 30 years during a striking social
      change in Roseto toward less family and community cohesion and more commitment to
      individual goals and adherence to materialistic values. During this period the
      prevalence of and mortality from myocardial infarction increased sharply to equal
      the situation in Bangor. The predictive values of measurements made of Rosetans
      during individual examinations in 1962-63 were tested against the outcome in
      1990. Those who experienced fatal myocardial infarction and those who had a well
      documented infarction and survived were matched with and compared to controls.
      Although subjects with cholesterol concentration above 200 were twice as likely
      to experience myocardial infarction as those with concentrations below 200, less
      than 20% of those whose cholesterol concentration was above 200 experienced any
      evidence of myocardial infarction over the nearly 30-year period. Moreover, there
      were no significant differences between the coronary patients, with or without
      survival, and their sex, age, and cholesterol matched controls; nor were smoking,
      evidence of hypertension, diabetes, or obesity predictive of significant
      differences between the two groups. These data lead to the inference that while
      those with the conventional risk factors are more likely to develop myocardial
      infarction than are those without the risk factors, an even larger proportion of
      the population may have the risk factors and not succumb to myocardial infarction
      over a period of nearly three decades.

PMID- 1419868
TI  - The putative role of free radicals in the loss of neuronal functioning in
      senescence.
AB  - One of the hallmarks of the aging process is a loss of sensitivity in central
      neuronal receptors to agonist stimulation. This appears to be especially true in
      central (hippocampal, striatal) muscarinic cholinergic systems and in the
      striatal dopamine systems. For these two systems, any decline in their
      sensitivity can be of extreme importance in determining the behavioral
      capabilities of the organism. Decrements in the striatal dopamine system may be
      reflected as motor behavioral deficits, while the central cholinergic systems
      play a major role in the processing of memory through the activation of
      muscarinic receptors (mAChR). Declines in the function of these receptors appear
      to be at least partially responsible for the marked deterioration of cognitive
      function in normal aging and, more notably, in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous
      work has indicated only minimal success in improving performance in tasks that
      assess memory in senescent animals or humans with pharmacological agents which
      enhance cholinergic functioning. The present review describes research that
      indicates that two of the factors involved in this decline in receptor
      sensitivity include: (a) decreased receptor concentrations and (b) age-related
      decrements in signal transduction pathways. Studies are reviewed that indicate
      that the oxidative neural damage that occurs via kainic acid or ionizing
      radiation parallel those seen in aging. It is suggested that the common mechanism
      that may exist among all of the age-, disease-, excitatory amino acid- or
      radiation-induced deficits in neuronal transmission may involve free-radical
      mediated alterations in membrane integrity through lipid peroxidation.

PMID- 1419871
TI  - Ivan Pavlov on communist dogmatism and the autonomy of science in the Soviet
      Union in the early 1920s. 1923.
AB  - On 25 September, 1923, two days before his 74th birthday, Ivan Petrovich Pavlov
      stood before a class of medical students assembled in the auditorium of his Alma
      Mater, the Military Medical Academy in Leningrad. Pavlov, the recipient of the
      Nobel prize in medicine in 1904 for his work in physiology, was about to address
      his first class of the new academic year, and, as was his custom, he had prepared
      his first lecture on a general theme. This was an especially significant address,
      however, for in it Pavlov reviewed the impressions he had gathered during his
      travels in Western Europe and the United States in the summer of 1923, and he
      criticised the prevailing ideology of Soviet communism by attacking the ideas of
      Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin, then the leading expositor of Bolshevik Marxism. An
      English translation of the lecture is printed below.

PMID- 1419872
TI  - Detection of alpha S1-casein in vomit from bottle-fed babies by enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay.
AB  - This study describes a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using
      rabbit anti-bovine alpha S1-casein antibody for the detection of commercial milk
      and milk-containing vomit. The antibody does not react with other human body
      fluids such as breast milk. The stability of alpha S1-casein antigenic activity
      was examined after storage at different temperatures and enzyme digestion. There
      was no decrease after storage for one year at room temperature but 40% of the
      activity was lost after 6 months at 37 degrees C. Enzyme digestion (6 hours, 37
      degrees C) resulted in 65 approximately 70% loss of activity but the antibody
      reacted with the peptide fragments of alpha S1-casein. Vomit samples from 3
      normal infants were tested by ELISA, and alpha S1-casein could be detected in 1
      cm2 stain.

PMID- 1419873
TI  - Fatal poisonings in Jutland (Denmark) during the 1980s.
AB  - During the period 1980 through 1989 a total of 1029 cases of fatal poisoning (638
      men and 391 women) were examined at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Aarhus
      University, Denmark. In 68% of the cases death had been caused by drugs, whereas
      acute alcohol poisoning and carbon monoxide accounted for 15% and 14% of the
      cases, respectively. Alcohol was detected in more than half of the 1029 fatal
      poisoning cases, and in 42% of all cases the blood alcohol concentration was
      above 0.8 g/kg. In 57% of the cases death was categorized as accidental, only in
      31% of the cases as suicide. Accidental deaths were especially predominant
      amongst drug and/or alcohol abusers. Propoxyphene was the drug found to have
      caused most fatal poisonings during the decade (30% of the drug-related deaths).
      Most of the propoxyphene-related deaths occurred during the early and mid
      eighties. Barbiturate poisonings were quite frequent during the first half of the
      eighties. However, the number of deaths caused by barbiturates decreased
      significantly after 1986, when most barbiturates were withdrawn from the market.
      The number of deaths caused by narcotics and analgesics increased during the
      survey period, while no specific tendency was observed concerning
      antidepressants.

PMID- 1419874
TI  - Application of DNA techniques for identification using human dental pulp as a
      source of DNA.
AB  - Dental pulp tissue could be obtained in most cases from materials obtained under
      experimental conditions and from forensic casework (air accidents, burned and
      putrefied bodies). Teeth extracted during dental treatment (n = 30) were stored
      for 6 weeks and 4 years at room temperature. In addition teeth (n = 10) extracted
      from jaw fragments that had been stored for 15 years at room temperature, and
      teeth extracted post mortem from actual identification cases (n = 8) were
      investigated. Following extraction from dental pulp tissue the DNA concentration
      was measured by fluorometry. The amount of DNA obtained from the dental pulp
      tissue of a single tooth varied from 6 micrograms to 50 micrograms DNA. In most
      cases high molecular weight DNA was still present although the major portion
      consisted of degraded DNA. Genomic dot blot hybridization for sex determination
      using the biotinylated repetitive DNA probe pHY 2.1 was performed and sex was
      correctly classified in all cases using 50-100 ng target DNA. PCR typing of the
      HLA-DQ alpha and ApoB 3' VNTR systems from dental pulp tissue DNA was in
      agreement with the results obtained from blood, bloodstains, or lung tissue. In
      addition, Southern blot analysis of selected samples using the single locus VNTR
      probe pYNH24 was successfully performed. In all cases the DNA recovered from
      dental pulp was unsuitable for multilocus probe analysis.

PMID- 1419875
TI  - Measurement of digitalis-glycoside levels in ocular tissues: a way to improve
      postmortem diagnosis of lethal digitalis-glycoside poisoning? I. Digoxin.
AB  - Prompted by animal studies reporting the accumulation of digitalis-glycosides in
      ocular tissues, we investigated whether measurement of digoxin levels in human
      ocular tissues can improve the postmortem diagnosis of lethal digoxin
      intoxication. Digoxin was measured in the vitreous humor and choroid-retina of
      patients who had received in-patient treatment with digoxin prior to death
      (therapeutic group) and in a single case of suicidal intoxication. The results
      were compared with the digoxin levels in the femoral vein blood, myocardium,
      kidney and liver, and evaluated in light of the medical history of each patient.
      In the therapeutic group the mean digoxin level was higher in the choroid-retina
      than in other tissues and body fluids. The range of variation in levels in the
      choroid-retina following therapeutic doses was comparable to that in the other
      tissues. An extremely high level of digoxin was present in the choroid-retina in
      the case of suicidal intoxication. In all cases, levels in the vitreous humor
      were very low compared to those in the choroid-retina. Hence, it is unlikely that
      significant distortion of choroid-retinal levels occurs due to postmortem
      diffusion of digoxin into the vitreous body. Our results indicate that
      measurement of digoxin levels in the choroid-retina can aid the postmortem
      diagnosis of lethal digoxin intoxication.

PMID- 1419877
TI  - Frequency of HLA DQA1 alleles in an Italian population.
AB  - A sample of 103 Italians was tested for HLA-DQA1 polymorphism using the
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and dot blot hybridization. Results were in Hardy
      Weinberg equilibrium. The power of discrimination was 0.91 and the rate of
      exclusion 56.7. The frequencies of the DQA1*0201 and DQA1*0301 alleles were found
      to be significantly different from other Caucasian populations.

PMID- 1419876
TI  - Measurement of digitalis-glycoside levels in ocular tissues: a way to improve
      postmortem diagnosis of lethal digitalis-glycoside poisoning? II. Digitoxin.
AB  - Postmortem digitoxin levels in the choroid-retina and vitreous humor of patients
      who had undergone digitoxin therapy (therapeutic group) and in one case of
      suicidal digitoxin poisoning were measured and compared with levels in femoral
      vein blood, myocardium, kidney and liver. The results were interpreted in light
      of the medical history of each patient. The digitoxin level in the choroid-retina
      of the single case of suicidal poisoning was far higher than the choroid-retinal
      levels in the therapeutic group. In the latter, variation in choroid-retinal
      levels was comparable to that in the other tissues. In cases where the choroid
      retina of the right and left eyes were examined, digitoxin levels in both eyes
      were essentially equal. There was no indication of significant changes in choroid
      retinal levels due to postmortem diffusion of digitoxin into the vitreous body.
      Based on these results, determination of digitoxin levels in the choroid-retina
      could contribute to improving postmortem diagnosis of lethal digitoxin poisoning.

PMID- 1419878
TI  - Time-dependent pericellular expression of collagen type IV, laminin, and heparan
      sulfate proteoglycan in myofibroblasts.
AB  - Human skin wounds (n = 62) with a wound age between 5 h and 6 weeks were
      investigated. The appearance of cell-associated pericellular basement membrane
      components collagen type IV, laminin and heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) in
      myofibroblasts was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Laminin and HSPG were first
      detectable around myofibroblasts approximately 1.5 days after wounding. Collagen
      type IV did not appear before the 4th day after wound infliction. In wounds more
      than 7 days old, 94% of the cases showed fibroblastic cells positively staining
      for laminin, 70% of the wounds contained fibroblastic cells positive for HSPG and
      in 63% a positive reaction for collagen type IV was obtained around these cells.
      The numbers of the cases as well as of the cells positively stained for laminin
      exceeded the corresponding values for HSPG and especially for collagen type IV.
      The pericellular appearance of laminin or HSPG around myofibroblasts, therefore,
      indicates a wound age of at least approximately 1.5 days. The pericellular
      localization of collagen type IV indicates a survival time of approximately 4
      days or more. Since these proteins are still detectable in the pericellular
      region of myofibroblasts in skin wounds with advanced wound age (6 weeks) further
      information for the time-estimation of older human skin lesions cannot be
      obtained. A semiquantitative analysis revealed no significant correlation between
      the number of positively stained cells and the wound age, rendering this
      parameter unsuitable for a practicable time-estimation of human wounds.

PMID- 1419879
TI  - A unique case of naturally occurring mummification of human brain tissue.
AB  - When skulls and bones were exhumed from a mass grave in Bulgaria and subjected to
      medicolegal examination they were found to originate from 39 humans aged 36-60
      years old who had been buried approximately 45-50 years ago. Solid structures
      which strongly resembled shrunken human brain tissue were found inside 2 intact
      skulls. Among other bones 5 similar structures were found one of which was an
      almost entirely preserved human brain, and the others were fragments from
      different regions of the human brain. Samples of these structures were immersed
      in 15% aqueous glycerol solution to soften and were examined by light and
      electron microscopy. Samples of this material and of fresh human brain were
      subjected to elementary atomic spectral analysis. These complex studies indicated
      the samples to be naturally mummified human brain tissue and that this process
      had occurred due to specific conditions within the cranial cavities after burial.

PMID- 1419880
TI  - Lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme patterns in vaginal injury of a 4-year-old girl.
AB  - Lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme patterns indicative of vaginal injury were
      identified in extracts of a bloodstain on a pair of knickers belonging to a 4
      year-old girl. No evidence of semen or saliva was detected in the stain. The
      result corroborated the clinical findings and provided strong evidence of child
      sexual abuse.

PMID- 1419881
TI  - A common origin for dental porcelain derived from an accused's hand and the
      decreased victim of an assault.
AB  - A small, solid fragment removed from a wound on a hand of a murder suspect was
      submitted to electron microprobe analysis and found to have the properties of
      dental porcelain. A sample of porcelain removed from the dental bridge of the
      deceased had an essentially similar elemental profile. This investigation
      assisted the Court by providing valuable objective evidence of a physical contact
      between the accused and the victim.

PMID- 1419882
TI  - Optimized amplification of the polymorphic system COL2A1.
AB  - The influence of various amplification parameters on the demonstration of COL2A1
      patterns was examined in serial experiments. The combination of 6 optimized
      parameters (concentration of primers, nucleotides, Taq polymerase, K+, Mg2+,
      number of cycles) led to an approximately tenfold increase in sensitivity and a
      decrease in allelic drop-out. In unequal mixtures of DNA from 2 individuals the
      weakest component was detectable in dilutions down to 1:20. In a small population
      sample (n = 120) 10 alleles could be demonstrated.

PMID- 1419884
TI  - Estrogen receptor and C19-5-ene-steroid concentrations in the nuclear fraction
      from human breast carcinoma tissue.
AB  - The adrenal-derived estrogen 5-androstene-3 beta,17 beta-diol (ADIOL) is
      estrogenic at the concentrations found in the blood of Western women. We have now
      measured the concentrations of both ADIOL and the estrogen receptor (ER) in the
      nuclear fraction (800 g pellet) of 89 primary human mammary tumors. No difference
      was found in nuclear ADIOL concentrations in tumors from 45 pre- and 44
      postmenopausal women. Significantly higher nuclear ADIOL concentrations were
      found in 49 ER negative tumors compared to 40 ER positive tumors (P < 0.005). A
      similar relationship applied in the postmenopausal group (P = 0.01) and the
      premenopausal group, but in this latter instance failed to reach significance (P
      = 0.1). In ER positive tumors there was no correlation between ADIOL and ER
      nuclear levels. ADIOL was present in the total particulate fraction (100,000 g
      pellet) at twice the concentration found in the nuclear 800 g pellet and again no
      difference was found in its concentration in tumors from 20 pre- compared to 34
      postmenopausal women. Dehydroepiandrosterone was also measured in the 800 g
      fraction of 45 tumors and its concentration, which was some 10-fold higher than
      ADIOL and significantly correlated with that steroid, was again independent of
      menopausal status. The higher concentration of C19-5-ene-steroids in ER negative
      cellular fractions could be due to differences in their metabolism; ER negative
      tumors either lack, or possess very low levels of, hydroxysteroid
      sulfotransferase which catalyzes formation of sulfate esters of C19-5-ene
      steroids previously observed to be major metabolites produced by ER positive
      cells. Higher concentrations of free steroids in ER negative cells would then be
      available for combination with membranes and non-specific binding sites
      throughout the cell.

PMID- 1419883
TI  - Hormone stimulated steroid biosynthesis in granulosa cells studied with a
      fluorogenic probe for cytochrome P-450SCC.
AB  - The regulation of steroidogenesis by luteinizing hormone (LH) was studied in
      granulosa cells during follicular development using a fluorescent reporter assay
      based on the metabolism of a fluorescent probe specific for cytochrome P-450SCC
      (cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme). Intact granulosa cells or mitochondria
      were obtained from the first (F1) second (F2) and third (F3) largest preovulatory
      follicles of the hen ovary and incubated with the fluorogenic substrate.
      Metabolism of this substrate by cytochrome P-450SCC generates the highly
      fluorescent resorufin anion (the fluorescent reporter). In both mitochondria and
      intact granulosa cells, incubated with the fluorescent substrate, an increase in
      resorufin fluorescence was observed and the increase was greater in samples
      derived from F1 than in samples from F2 or F3. In cells, LH added simultaneously
      with the P-450SCC substrate significantly increased resorufin fluorescence above
      control values in a time- and dose-dependent manner up to 2-3 h after the
      incubation was initiated. Forskolin and 8-bromo-cAMP also stimulated metabolism
      of the P-450SCC substrate significantly by 15 min. When granulosa cells were
      preincubated with LH before exposure to the P-450SCC substrate resorufin
      fluorescence was significantly attenuated compared to controls (not exposed to LH
      in the preincubation period). The decrease in resorufin fluorescence observed
      when cells were pretreated with LH, may be due to the release of cholesterol from
      endogenous pools and its competition with the exogenous fluorogenic for the
      substrate P-450SCC enzyme. In granulosa cells that were preloaded with the P
      450SCC substrate, the stimulatory effect of LH treatment remained constant from
      30 min to 2 h after hormone addition. The results show that this fluorescent
      probe can be used in a rapid assay for the continuous measurement of the acute
      effects of hormone agonists on cholesterol conversion to pregnenolone in
      steroidogenic cells.

PMID- 1419885
TI  - Interaction of DP-TAT-59, an active metabolite of new triphenylethylene
      derivative (TAT-59), with estrogen receptors.
AB  - DP-TAT-59, (Z)-2-(4-(1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-isopropylphenyl)-1-butenyl)
      phenoxy)-N, N-dimethylethylamine, has been reported to inhibit estrogen
      stimulated growth of MCF-7 cells as well as rat uterus at lower concentrations
      than the hydroxymetabolite of tamoxifen (4-OH-TAM). In the present study, the
      growth of mouse Leydig cell tumor, B-1F cells were also more effectively
      inhibited by DP-TAT-59 than 4-OH-TAM. Additionally, the expression of estrogen
      responsive element ligated CAT gene transfected into B-1F cells was also
      suppressed by DP-TAT-59. Thus, the interaction of DP-TAT-59 with estrogen
      receptor (ER) was characterized and compared with that of 4-OH-TAM using immature
      rat and bovine uteri. The dissociation constant of DP-TAT-59 to ER of immature
      rat uterus was 0.24 nM and was similar to that of 4-OH-TAM (Kd = 0.20 nM) and
      estradiol (Kd = 0.29 nM). Using sucrose density gradients, the sedimentation
      constant of DP-TAT-59 with bovine uterus was 4.9S, which was similar to that of
      estradiol (5.1S) and 4-OH-TAM (5.3S). However, the elution profile of the DP-TAT
      59-ER complex from a DEAE-Sephadex column was different for both estradiol-and 4
      OH-TAM-ER complexes. These results suggest that ER forms different complexes with
      DP-TAT-59 than estradiol or 4-OH-TAM, while the ER binding affinity of these
      compounds are similar to each other.

PMID- 1419886
TI  - Immunochemical specificity of placental NADPH cytochrome c (P-450) reductase in
      neoplastic and non-neoplastic human tissue.
AB  - NADPH cytochrome c (P-450) reductase was purified from human placental microsomes
      using a combination of affinity and gel filtration chromatography. Affinity
      chromatography using agarose-hexane-adenosine 2'5 diphosphate resulted in two
      protein bands being detected by SDS-PAGE of approximate MwS 68 and 75 kDa.
      Fractions containing the two proteins were pooled, and then resolved using
      Sephacryl S-200. Both of the purified proteins displayed enzyme activity,
      measured by their ability to reduce cytochrome c. The 75 kDa protein obtained was
      used to immunize three female New Zealand white rabbits. The IgG fraction was
      partly purified from rabbit sera which suppressed placental microsomal NADPH
      cytochrome c reductase activity by > 80% using 33% ammonium sulphate. The
      procured antibody suppressed androstenedione aromatase activity in microsomal
      preparations of human placental and breast adipose tissue, and NADPH cytochrome c
      reductase activity in prostate (benign and malignant), MDA-MB-231 breast cancer
      cells, breast adipose, Hep G2 hepatoma cells and placental microsomal
      preparations. The extent of NADPH cytochrome c reductase inhibition varied in the
      order of malignant prostate < benign prostate < MDA < breast adipose < Hep G2 <
      placenta. The results suggest that human placental NADPH cytochrome c (P-450)
      reductase shares common antigenic epitopes pertinent to its capability of
      reducing cytochrome c in all of the above-mentioned tissues. In attempting to
      associate possible changes in NADPH cytochrome c reductase activity imposed by
      neoplasia to the obtained immunochemical cross reactivity and enzyme activity
      results, it was noted that microsomes obtained from MDA cells exhibited enzyme
      activity significantly less than that of breast adipose microsomes (1.6 and 8.1
      nmol/min/mg protein, respectively) and by comparison showed 6% less homology
      towards the placental antibody. The results obtained for benign and malignant
      prostate showed no significant difference between the neoplastic states as
      adjudged by enzyme activity and immunochemical assays.

PMID- 1419887
TI  - Biotin-hydrazide derivatives for the development of steroid enzyme-linked
      immunoassays.
AB  - We are describing the synthesis and use of biotinamidocaproyl-derivatives of 18
      oxocortisol-3-carboxymethoxylamine for the development of enzyme labels using the
      avidin-peroxidase system for the design of enzyme-linked immunoassays (ELISA). An
      ELISA for 18-oxocortisol and -hydroxycorticosterone was devised which showed
      improved sensitivity and specificity in comparison to an RIA using a tritiated
      tracer. The system is easy to prepare and offers the possibility to design
      immunoassays when no tritiated tracer is available.

PMID- 1419888
TI  - The interrelationships between nonapeptide and steroid hormones secretion by
      bovine granulosa cells in vitro.
AB  - The effects of adding oxytocin (OT) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP) on
      progesterone and estradiol-17 beta secretion by bovine granulosa cells in culture
      were studied. The influence of these steroids on OT and AVP release was also
      evaluated. OT (1, 10, 100 or 1000 mIU/ml) stimulates both progesterone and
      estradiol output. Small doses (10 pM/ml) of exogenous progesterone or estradiol
      stimulated a surge in OT, while the intermediate doses (100 or 1000 pM/ml) had no
      influence, and large doses (10,000 pM/ml) inhibited OT secretion by granulosa
      cells. Thus, a potential regulatory loop between OT and steroid hormone release
      by granulosa cells was demonstrated. Stimulation of a surge in steroids by OT,
      activation of OT release by small doses of steroids and inhibition of OT
      secretion by excess steroids may suggest the existence of a feedback mechanism
      regulating these hormones production. Addition of AVP (1, 10, 100 or 1000 pM/ml)
      inhibited progesterone and stimulated a surge in estradiol, while steroid
      hormones did not induce AVP release. These data suggest the regulation of ovarian
      steroidogenesis by AVP, feedback influences are less likely.

PMID- 1419889
TI  - Bioconversion of steroids by Cochliobolus lunatus--II. 11 beta-hydroxylation of
      17 alpha, 21-dihydroxypregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione 17-acetate in dependence of the
      inducer structure.
AB  - The 11 beta-hydroxylase of the filamentous fungus Cochliobolus lunatus m 118 was
      induced with the substrate 17 alpha, 21-dihydroxypregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione 17
      acetate (11 beta-deoxyprednisolone 17-acetate) itself, substrate analogues,
      different pregnane compounds, sterols, intermediates of microbial sterol side
      chain degradation or bile acids, together with 24 different steroids in a
      standardized test system. The resulting 11 beta-hydroxylation rate, leading to
      prednisolone 17-acetate and prednisolone, respectively, was determined and
      compared with the hydroxylation rate of non-induced cultures. The transformation
      yield strongly depended on the inducer structure. The microbial sterol side-chain
      degradation intermediates (20S)-20-hydroxymethylpregn-4-en-3-one and the
      corresponding pregna-1,4-diene compound caused the highest induction effects
      (induction factors 5.1 and 4.9, respectively). The metabolism of (20S)-20
      hydroxymethylpregna-1,4-dien-3-one during the cultivation was elucidated. The
      induction effect decreased with the rising oxidation of the inducer. The
      significant increase of the 11 beta-hydroxylation rate of 1-dehydro-pregnane
      substrates by specific induction allows alternative pathways to glucocorticoid
      partial syntheses.

PMID- 1419890
TI  - GC-MS studies of 16-androstenes and other C19 steroids in human semen.
AB  - Human semen was examined for the presence of 16-androstenols, 16-androstenones
      and androgens. Extracts were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
      after derivatization of steroids under study. In a qualitative study, 5 alpha
      androst-16-en-3 alpha- and 3 beta-ols, 5,16-androstadien-3 beta-ol and 5 alpha
      androstan-3 beta-ol were detected in a semen pool A. Hydroxyl groups were
      converted to tert-butyldimethylsilyl ethers, the ions selected for monitoring
      being [M-57]+, consistent with loss of the tert-butyl group. For a more detailed
      quantitative study, a second semen pool B was used. In this case, all hydroxyl
      groups were converted to trimethylsilyl ethers, while oxo groups were not
      derivatized. As with semen pool A, separation of steroids was achieved using
      capillary gas chromatography with appropriate temperature programming.
      Quantification was carried out by mass spectrometry using selected ion monitoring
      of two significant ions and appropriate internal standards. The following
      steroids were identified at the concentrations indicated: 5 alpha-androst-16-en-3
      alpha- and 3 beta-ols and 5,16-androstadien-3 beta-ol (concentration range, 0.5
      0.7 ng/ml). 5 alpha-Androst-16-en-3-one and 4,16-androstadien-3-one were also
      present at levels of 0.7-0.9 ng/ml. Two androgens, testosterone and 5 alpha
      dihydrotestosterone were found at concentrations of 0.5 and 0.3 ng/ml,
      respectively. These data, showing the presence of 16-androstenes and androgens in
      human semen, appear to be consistent with testicular formation of these steroids.
      The possible significance of the odorous 16-androstenes is discussed.

PMID- 1419892
TI  - Regulation by dexamethasone of the 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity
      in adult rat Leydig cells.
AB  - The effect of long-term in vitro treatment with dexamethasone, insulin and/or LH
      on the 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 beta-HSD) activity and the
      testosterone level was examined in cultures of Leydig cells from adult rats. A
      rapid and simple method for measuring the 3 beta-HSD activity has been developed,
      in which the NADH, generated by 3 beta-HSD, reduced nitroblue tetrazolium to a
      product with absorption maximum at 560 nm. Km for the reaction was 8.1 microM and
      Vmax was 12.7 nmol/min x mg protein. Addition of 0.1 or 1 microM dexamethasone
      for 44 h decreased the 3 beta-HSD activity to 83% and the basal testosterone
      level to 64% of control value after 22 and 44 h of culture. Addition of 1 nM
      insulin inhibited the 3 beta-HSD activity to 90% after 44 h of culture, whereas
      the testosterone level was increased after 3 h. Addition of 0.1 ng/ml LH did not
      affect the 3 beta-HSD activity in Leydig cells from adult rats. Concomitant
      treatment of the cells with dexamethasone and insulin inhibited the 3 beta-HSD
      activity to 74%, indicating an additive effect, whereas no additive effect on the
      testosterone level was observed. The results demonstrate that the 3 beta-HSD
      activity can be measured in a rapid and reliable way by measuring the reduction
      of nitroblue tetrazolium. Furthermore, the results suggest that dexamethasone
      acts on 3 beta-HSD through a mechanism different from that of insulin, as an
      additive effect was observed.

PMID- 1419891
TI  - Soy of dietary source plays a preventive role against the pathogenesis of
      prostatitis in rats.
AB  - This study examined the effects of diet on the development of prostatitis in male
      rats. Adult male rats were placed on either of two specially formulated diets
      which differed from one another by the presence or absence of soy as the protein
      source. A third group of rats (control) was fed standard laboratory rat chow
      which also includes soy as a source of protein. After 11 weeks, it was found that
      rats maintained on soy-free diet developed prostatitis mainly in the lateral lobe
      of the prostate. Increased severity and incidence of prostatitis in rats
      maintained on the soy-free diet coincided with a significant decrease in urinary
      excretion of various phytoestrogens. There was no evidence of prostatitis in rats
      maintained on soy-containing diets. Urinary excretion of phytoestrogens in rats
      maintained on soy-containing diet was also not different from controls. These
      results suggest that soy as a dietary source plays a protective role against the
      development of prostatitis in rats, and indicate that the ventral, lateral and
      dorsal lobes of the rat prostate have different sensitivities to alterations in
      dietary factors.

PMID- 1419893
TI  - Determination of urinary cortisol with three commercial immunoassays.
AB  - Urinary cortisol determination was performed with three commercially available
      immunoassays: one enzyme-immunoassay (Cortisol Biotrol) (EIA) and two
      radioimmunoassays: Quanticoat Cortisol (Kallestad Diagnostics) (KD-RIA) and
      GammaCoat Cortisol (Clinical Assays) (CA-RIA). Four procedures were carried out.
      Procedure I (methylene chloride extraction) was applied to EIA and CA-RIA and
      procedure II (ethyl acetate extraction) to KD-RIA. Procedure III combining
      procedure I and column chromatography on Sephadex LH 20 in methylene chloride was
      applied to the three kits. Procedure IV consisting of carbon tetrachloride
      preextraction and extraction with cyclohexane-ethyl acetate (50:50, v/v) was
      applied to CA-RIA. The results obtained were compared with those of the reference
      technique, "on-line" HPLC with u.v. detection. Two groups of results were
      arbitrarily considered, those below (n = 28) and those above (n = 6) 270 nmol/l.
      In the first group, the results were markedly overestimated when the procedure
      was limited to solvent extraction. Conversely, the third procedure proved the
      efficiency of the chromatographic step since specificity was greatly improved in
      the three cases, the levels obtained with either kits being similar to those of
      the reference technique. The second group of results (above 270 nmol/l) yielded
      by the three kits were not always higher than those of HPLC when the procedure
      was limited to solvent extraction. When column chromatography was included in the
      procedure, the results were comparable to those of HPLC in three cases and lower
      in the three others. Since, the latter samples were collected after cortisol
      administration, and overestimated cortisol values obtained by HPLC might be due
      to the interference of some cortisol metabolites.

PMID- 1419894
TI  - Effect of serum and serum lipoproteins on testosterone production by adult rat
      Leydig cells in vitro.
AB  - The effect of serum factors other than luteinizing hormone on Leydig cell
      testosterone secretion was examined using an in vitro bioassay system based on
      the stimulation of purified adult rat Leydig cells during a 20 h incubation in
      the presence of a maximal dose of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). Charcoal
      extracted serum and testicular interstitial fluid (IF) from normal adult male
      rats were separated into lipoprotein and lipoprotein-deficient fractions by
      density ultracentrifugation. Stimulatory bioactivity was found in the lipoprotein
      fraction of both serum and IF, although the levels of lipoprotein and
      corresponding bioactivity recovered from IF were significantly lower (25%) than
      those of serum. There was no difference between the effects of serum lipoproteins
      on Leydig cell testosterone production stimulated by either hCG or dibutyryl
      cAMP. In time-course studies, the serum lipoprotein fraction had no effect on hCG
      stimulated testosterone production in vitro at 3.0 or 6.0 h, but partially
      prevented the normal decline in hCG-stimulated testosterone production after 6.0
      h. In contrast, unfractionated serum was stimulatory at all time-points. In the
      absence of hCG, the lipoprotein fraction was stimulatory at both 6.0 and 20 h,
      although not at 3.0 h. The lipoprotein-deficient protein fraction of serum had no
      effect on hCG-stimulated testosterone production alone, but significantly
      enhanced the bioactivity of the lipoprotein fraction, and caused a dose-dependent
      stimulation of testosterone production in the presence of a constant
      concentration of serum lipoproteins. Both a stimulatory peak of activity
      (apparent MW 40-80 kDa), and a large MW (> 100 kDa) inhibitor of testosterone
      production were identified in serum after fractionation by gel filtration
      (Sephadex G-100). The data indicate that (i) the stimulatory effect of serum on
      short-term hCG-stimulated Leydig cell testosterone production in vitro is
      predominantly due to the serum lipoprotein fraction, possibly by providing
      additional precursors for testosterone synthesis, (ii) the biological activity of
      the lipoproteins is influenced by both stimulatory and inhibitory serum proteins
      in addition to luteinizing hormone, and (iii) that serum lipoproteins may be
      involved in supporting Leydig cell steroidogenesis in vivo.

PMID- 1419895
TI  - Participation of a cytochrome P450 enzyme from the 2C subfamily in progesterone
      21-hydroxylation in sheep liver.
AB  - Progesterone 21-hydroxylation in hepatic microsomes from adult male sheep is a
      quantitatively important metabolic pathway (0.27 +/- 0.08 nmol
      deoxycorticosterone formed/min/mg protein; representing 13-25% of total
      progesterone conversion). This study was undertaken to determine whether the
      ovine hepatic progesterone 21-hydroxylase may be another member of the P450 2C
      subfamily, normally associated with progesterone 21-hydroxylation in rodent
      liver. An IgG preparation raised in rabbits against purified rat liver microsomal
      cytochrome P450 2C6 was found to recognize a single antigen (MW 52 kDa) in sheep
      liver microsomes. This protein was present in sheep liver (apparent concentration
      16 +/- 4 ng/micrograms microsomal protein) representing approx. 28% of the
      corresponding content of P450 2C6 in untreated rat liver. Preincubation of the
      anti-P450 2C6 IgG with hepatic microsomes was found to decrease the rate of
      progesterone 21-hydroxylation to 50-80% of uninhibited control. Taken together,
      from these findings it is apparent that a P450 enzyme, most likely from the 2C
      subfamily, catalyses deoxycorticosterone formation from progesterone in sheep
      liver and that this is a quantitatively important pathway of progesterone
      hydroxylation in these fractions.

PMID- 1419897
TI  - Differential regulation of transforming growth factor alpha autoinduction in a
      nontransformed and transformed epithelial cell.
AB  - Addition of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) to cultured human
      keratinocytes results in enhanced expression of TGF-alpha mRNA. This phenomenon
      of TGF-alpha autoinduction is also observed in a TGF-alpha responsive colon
      cancer cell line, LIM 1215. In the present study, regulation of TGF-alpha
      autoinduction is examined in these two cell types. In human keratinocytes, but
      not in LIM 1215 cells, the increase in steady-state TGF-alpha mRNA following
      administration of TGF-alpha is due to stabilization of the 4.8-kilobase TGF-alpha
      transcript, as determined by actinomycin D decay curves. Nuclear run-on
      experiments confirmed transcriptional control in LIM 1215 cells. Basal and TGF
      alpha-stimulated TGF-alpha expression is mediated, at least in part, through a
      protein kinase C-dependent pathway in both cell types, as determined by the
      protein kinase C inhibitor 1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H7),
      which attenuates TGF-alpha mRNA accumulation. In the keratinocytes, but not in
      the LIM 1215 cells, basal TGF-alpha expression is mediated through an epidermal
      growth factor receptor-dependent pathway, as determined by antibody blockade of
      the epidermal growth factor receptor. Thus, differential regulation of TGF-alpha
      autoinduction exists in these nontransformed and transformed epithelial cell
      types.

PMID- 1419896
TI  - Protein product of a human intronless calmodulin-like gene shows tissue-specific
      expression and reduced abundance in transformed cells.
AB  - The recently identified NB-1 mRNA is transcribed from a single intronless gene,
      previously thought to be an unexpressed calmodulin pseudogene. Although
      expression levels of the three known human calmodulin genes fluctuate only
      slightly in all cell types and tissues examined, NB-1 expression is limited to
      certain cells of pseudostratified and stratified epithelial tissues. Like
      calmodulin, the protein encoded by NB-1 is heat stable and binds to phenyl
      Sepharose in a calcium-dependent manner. Despite the shared identity of 85% of
      their 148 amino acids, however, calmodulin and NB-1 protein are easily
      distinguished electrophoretically and immunologically. Polyclonal antibodies
      prepared against recombinant NB-1 protein recognize a protein with an apparent
      molecular weight of 16,000 which is abundant in cultured normal human mammary
      epithelial cells, but which is absent or barely detectable in fibroblasts or
      tumor cell lines. The immunohistochemical distribution of NB-1 protein in
      histologically normal tissues suggests that expression of the gene is regulated
      during epithelial differentiation. The majority of a small number of malignant
      tissues examined had lowered or undetectable NB-1 protein expression relative to
      normal tissues. Given its restricted distribution, the NB-1 protein may be
      involved in the initiation or maintenance of certain differentiated functions.
      Its absence may be due to or necessary for the manifestation of the transformed
      phenotype in certain cell types.

PMID- 1419898
TI  - Tissue-specific expression of two isoforms of chicken fibroblast growth factor
      receptor, bek and Cek3.
AB  - Chicken bek and Cek3 are isoforms of the fibroblast growth factor receptor which
      consist of primary structures that are identical except for a variation within
      the last of three immunoglobulin-like repeats in the ligand-binding domain.
      Northern blot analysis using isoform-specific probes revealed that the bek mRNA
      is expressed exclusively in lung, whereas the Cek3 mRNA is expressed prominently
      in brain and weakly in lung. We further localized these transcripts in brain and
      lung by in situ hybridization histochemistry. In lung, the expression of the bek
      and Cek3 transcripts was distinguished in the smooth muscle of the parabronchus
      and in the arterial adventitia. On the other hand, in brain, the Cek3 transcript
      was detected in three areas: the corpus medullare of the metencephalon
      (cerebellum), the archiastriatum of the telencephalon, and the ependymal cells of
      the ventriculare of the mesencephalon. Two putative exons corresponding to
      isoform-specific sequences, respectively, were found to be closely located on the
      chicken genome. These results indicate that bek/Cek3 isoforms are derived from
      the same premessenger and that their expression is regulated in a tissue- or even
      area-specific manner. Moreover, another potential isoform produced by a new
      splice site within the Cek3-specific exon has been isolated.

PMID- 1419899
TI  - Protein tyrosine phosphatase activation during nerve growth factor-induced
      neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells.
AB  - We have studied the role of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPases) during
      neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells. Nerve growth factor (NGF), a well
      characterized differentiating agent for these cells, led to a decrease in DNA
      synthesis within 24 h. This was accompanied by a 2- to 3-fold increase in the
      activity of PTPases, measured as the dephosphorylation of polyacidic or polybasic
      substrates phosphorylated on tyrosine. PTPase activation was independent of cell
      density and proportional to NGF concentration, with a half-maximal effect
      occurring at 0.35 nM. High-performance liquid chromatography size exclusion
      chromatography revealed that PTPases with molecular masses of 550, 300, and 60
      kilodaltons were activated in response to NGF. Additional studies showed that the
      presence of NGF made PC12 cells refractory to the mitogenic effect of epidermal
      growth factor. Our data indicate that NGF-induced neuronal differentiation and
      growth arrest in PC12 cells are associated with activation of several PTPases. We
      speculate that PTPase activation in response to NGF may inhibit the mitogenic
      actions of other growth factors.

PMID- 1419900
TI  - Interferon-inducible gene expression in HL-60 cells: effects of the state of
      differentiation.
AB  - The promyelocytic leukemia line HL-60 can be terminally differentiated in vitro
      to either monocyte/macrophages or granulocytes. We used this cell line to test
      whether the state of differentiation of a cell changes its response to interferon
      (IFN). The characteristics of expression of several IFN-alpha- and IFN-gamma
      inducible genes in undifferentiated and differentiated HL-60 cells were examined.
      p67, an IFN-gamma-inducible protein, was induced similarly in three cell types,
      whereas another IFN-gamma-inducible protein, p56, was induced strongly only in
      undifferentiated cells. In contrast, two isozymes of 2,5(A)-synthetase were
      induced better in differentiated cells in response to either IFN. Several IFN
      alpha-inducible mRNAs, e.g., 561, 6-16, 1-8, and 2A, were induced much more
      strongly in granulocytes than in macrophages or in undifferentiated cells.
      Electrophoretic mobility shift assays using the IFN-stimulated response element
      of gene 561 and nuclear extracts of IFN-alpha-treated cells revealed the
      appearance of one complex and the disappearance of another one, concomitant with
      differentiation of the cells to granulocytes. These observations suggest that
      expression of IFN-inducible genes in HL-60 cells is regulated by trans-acting
      factors whose activity changes with the state of differentiation of the cells.
      Our study may have implications in the optimal clinical use of IFNs. Inducing
      cellular differentiation may augment the efficacy of IFNs as antitumor agents.

PMID- 1419901
TI  - Changes in p34cdc2 kinase activity and cyclin A during induced differentiation of
      murine erythroleukemia cells.
AB  - Hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA)-induced murine erythroleukemia (MELC)
      differentiation is characterized by a prolongation of the initial G1 which
      follows passage through S phase in the presence of inducer. Commitment to
      terminal cell division is first detected in a portion of the cell population
      during this prolonged G1. HMBA-induced commitment is stochastic. This study has
      examined changes in two known cell cycle regulators, p34cdc2 and cyclin A, in
      cycle-synchronized MELC in the absence and presence of HMBA. Histone H1 kinase
      activity of p34cdc2, and the levels of CDC2Mm mRNA, 1.8-kilobase mRNA of cyclin
      A, and cyclin A protein changed during cell cycle progression in MELC, and all of
      them were suppressed during G1. The suppression of the H1 kinase activity and
      cyclin A expression continued through the prolonged G1 in MELC cultured with
      HMBA, whereas p34cdc2 protein level did not vary through the cell cycle in MELC
      cultured without or with inducer. Phosphorylation of p34cdc2 in uninduced MELC
      gradually increased as cells progressed from G1 to S. In induced MELC, an
      increase in phosphorylation of p34cdc2 occurred during the prolonged G1, and
      prior to the exit of the bulk of the cells from G1 to S. These results suggest
      that in HMBA-induced MELC, p34cdc2 phosphorylation per se is not a limiting
      factor in determining G1 to S progression. The persistent suppression of cyclin A
      expression and histone H1 kinase activity may play a role in HMBA-induced
      commitment to terminal differentiation.

PMID- 1419902
TI  - Isolation and characterization of complementary DNA for N-cym, a gene encoded by
      the DNA strand opposite to N-myc.
AB  - The N-myc oncogene has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of human
      tumors, including childhood neuroblastoma and adult small cell lung cancer. We
      have isolated and characterized complementary DNA clones derived from a
      transcription unit, N-cym, located on the opposite DNA strand to N-myc, with
      extensive overlap existing between the 5' ends of the two transcription units.
      The N-cym gene, which can encode a 109-amino acid protein, is expressed during
      fetal development, as well as in tumor cell lines containing amplified N-myc
      loci, where it is expressed at very high levels. Although other examples of
      overlapping, opposite-strand eukaryotic genes exist, N-myc and N-cym are unique
      in that they appear to be coregulated in tumor cell lines under basal growth
      conditions and in response to the differentiating agent retinoic acid. This
      coregulation suggests that their protein products may be functionally
      interrelated during normal development and oncogenesis.

PMID- 1419903
TI  - Regulation of c-jun expression during induction of monocytic differentiation by
      okadaic acid.
AB  - The present work has examined the effects of okadaic acid, an inhibitor of type 1
      and 2A protein phosphatases, on the regulation of c-jun expression during
      monocytic differentiation of U-937 leukemia cells. The results demonstrate that
      okadaic acid treatment is associated with induction of a differentiated monocyte
      phenotype characterized by: (a) growth arrest; (b) increases in Mac-1 cell
      surface antigen expression; (c) down-regulation of c-myc transcripts; and (d)
      induction of tumor necrosis factor gene expression. This induction of monocytic
      differentiation was associated with transient increases in c-jun mRNA levels,
      which were maximal at 6 h. Similar effects were obtained for the c-fos gene. Run
      on analysis demonstrated detectable levels of c-jun transcription in U-937 cells
      and that this rate is increased approximately 40-fold following okadaic acid
      exposure. c-jun mRNA levels were superinduced in cells treated with both okadaic
      acid and cycloheximide, whereas inhibition of protein synthesis had little, if
      any, effect on okadaic acid-induced c-jun transcription. The half-life of c-jun
      mRNA was similar (45-50 min) in both untreated and okadaic acid-induced cells. In
      contrast, treatment with both okadaic acid and cycloheximide was associated with
      stabilization (t 1/2 = 90 min) of c-jun transcripts. Taken together, these
      findings indicate that the induction of c-jun transcription by okadaic acid is
      controlled primarily by a transcriptional mechanism. Since previous studies have
      demonstrated that the c-jun gene is autoinduced by Jun/AP-1, we also studied
      transcription of c-jun promoter (positions -132/+170)-reporter gene constructs
      with and without a mutated AP-1 element.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419904
TI  - Expression and phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein during induced
      differentiation of murine erythroleukemia cells.
AB  - Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein, pRB, play a
      role in the control of cell cycle progression and expression of differentiation
      in eukaryotic cells. The regulation of pRB level and phosphorylation state was
      investigated during the induction of differentiation of murine erythroleukemia
      cells (MELC) by the chemical agent hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA). In MELC,
      there is a critical time in G1 or early S phase when HMBA must be present in
      order to induce differentiation. This is followed by prolongation of the
      subsequent G1 phase, resumption of progression through the cell cycle for several
      generations, and then cell cycle arrest in G1-G0. Associated with HMBA-induced
      prolongation of G1, there is an increase in the amount of the underphosphorylated
      form of pRB. A variant cell line (DS19/VCR-C) with accelerated kinetics of HMBA
      mediated differentiation shows a more marked increase in underphosphorylated pRB.
      In culture with HMBA, as MELC resume progression through the cell cycle, pRB is
      present in the phosphorylated form. The total amount of pRB increases
      approximately 3-fold over the succeeding cell divisions prior to terminal arrest
      in G1. This increase in pRB is inhibited by dexamethasone, which also blocks HMBA
      induced MELC differentiation. During this period, RB mRNA also increases
      approximately 3- to 5-fold, which reflects an increase in the rate of
      transcription, with no change in mRNA stability. The state of phosphorylation and
      amount of pRB appear to be involved in the control of HMBA-induced terminal cell
      division of MELC.

PMID- 1419905
TI  - Activation of NF-kappa B by interleukin 2 in human blood monocytes.
AB  - We report here that interleukin 2 (IL-2) acts on human blood monocytes by
      enhancing binding activity of the transcription factor NF-kappa B to its
      consensus sequence in the 5' regulatory enhancer region of the IL-2 receptor
      alpha chain (p55). Similarly, IL-2 activates NF-kappa B in the human monocytic
      cell line U 937, but not in resting human T-cells. This effect is detectable
      within 15 min and peaks 1 h after exposure to IL-2. Enhanced NF-kappa B binding
      activity is followed by functional activation in that inducibility of the IL-2
      receptor alpha chain is mediated by enhanced NF-kappa B binding and that a
      heterologous promoter containing the NF-kappa B consensus sequence (-291 to -245)
      of the IL-2 receptor alpha chain gene is activated. In addition, IL-2 is capable
      of increasing transcript levels of the p50 gene coding for the p50 subunit of the
      NF-kappa B transcription factor, whereas mRNA levels of the p65 NF-kappa B gene
      remained unchanged.

PMID- 1419906
TI  - Stable induction of c-jun mRNA expression in normal human keratinocytes by agents
      that induce predifferentiation growth arrest.
AB  - A variety of agents can induce predifferentiation growth arrest (PGA) in human
      keratinocytes; these include transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) and
      razoxane. We evaluated the ability of these and other agents to induce the
      expression of a variety of transcription factor genes including c-fos, c-myc,
      junB, and c-jun. The results show that both TGF-beta 1 and razoxane induce
      maximal c-jun mRNA expression 4 days after initiation of treatment concurrent
      with the development of PGA. In contrast, no detectable induction of c-fos, c
      myc, or junB was observed. Keratinocytes maintained in the presence of TGF-beta 1
      for an additional 3 days continued to show high levels of c-jun mRNA, indicating
      stable induction. Razoxane treatment also induces PGA and high c-jun mRNA levels
      for 4 days, but thereafter a decay of c-jun expression occurs. Run-off
      transcription experiments comparing rapidly growing cells with cells treated with
      TGF-beta 1 for 4 days demonstrated a significant increase in transcriptional
      activity of the c-jun gene. This result indicates that the increase in c-jun gene
      expression is due in part to a change in transcriptional regulation of c-jun. The
      stable induction of c-jun mRNA in keratinocytes at the PGA state is unique
      because the induction of this gene is usually transient. The finding that c-fos
      is not coinduced suggests that c-Jun homodimers or other AP-1 heterodimers may be
      formed at the PGA state to facilitate the stable induction of c-jun mRNA. This
      experimental system should therefore serve as a model system to study the
      molecular mechanisms for the stable control of c-jun gene expression and the
      control of AP-1-dependent gene expression during the process of keratinocyte
      differentiation.

PMID- 1419907
TI  - Identification of an immediate early gene, pghs-B, whose protein product has
      prostaglandin synthase/cyclooxygenase activity.
AB  - We have characterized a growth factor-inducible gene, pghs-B, isolated by
      differential screening of a lambda complementary DNA library from RNA of serum
      stimulated NIH 3T3 cells which encodes a 604-amino acid protein presenting high
      similarity with prostaglandin G/H synthase (PGHS). Induction of both pghs-B mRNA
      and protein is rapid and remains at high levels for several hours. The increase
      in pghs-B mRNA is mainly due to transcriptional activation of the gene. PGHS-B
      has been expressed in the baculovirus system and has been demonstrated to be
      involved in prostaglandin synthesis and to be inhibited by indomethacin,
      demonstrating that PGHS-B is indeed an enzyme related to PGHS. The pghs-B gene
      maps to the [1G-1H2] region of the murine genome.

PMID- 1419908
TI  - Protein prenylation: key to ras function and cancer intervention?

PMID- 1419909
TI  - Functional analyses of albumin expression in a series of hepatocyte cell lines
      and in primary hepatocytes.
AB  - A series of simian virus 40-immortalized hepatocyte cell lines which are
      heterogeneous with regard to expression of albumin protein and RNA were
      characterized for their ability to transcribe the albumin gene. Nascent chain
      extension assay showed that albumin RNA levels in these cells were determined
      predominantly at the transcription level. The albumin promoter and enhancer
      sequences were fused to the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene; the
      ability of the resulting expression constructs to drive chloramphenicol
      acetyltransferase expression after transfection into these hepatocyte cell lines
      was measured. The activity of the albumin promoter and enhancer constructs in
      primary hepatocytes was also measured. The albumin promoter was expressed
      differentially in these cells; however, no correlation was found between the
      transcriptional efficiency of the transfected albumin promoter and endogenous
      albumin transcription. The albumin enhancer was functional in some but not all
      albumin-positive cells. The minimal albumin enhancer was mapped to a 330-base
      pair fragment extending from -9.94 kilobases (kb) to -10.27 kb; three elements
      within this fragment recently shown to be necessary for enhancer function in a
      murine hepatocyte cell line were also essential for albumin enhancer function in
      the rat hepatocyte cell line CWSV1. A transcriptional silencer was identified
      which could suppress the expression of the homologous albumin promoter and the
      heterologous herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase promoter. Preliminary analysis
      localized the albumin silencer between -11 and -12 kb. Our results suggest that
      multiple regulatory sequences may act cooperatively to determine efficient tissue
      specific expression of the albumin gene.

PMID- 1419910
TI  - A common set of nuclear factors bind to promoter elements regulated by the
      retinoblastoma protein.
AB  - A 30-base pair element within the c-fos promoter, termed the RCE (retinoblastoma
      control element), has previously been shown to be the target of transcriptional
      regulation by the product of the retinoblastoma (Rb) gene. We have identified
      three nuclear proteins [retinoblastoma control proteins (RCPs)] that complex with
      this promoter element in vitro. The Rb gene does not appear to encode the RCPs as
      the expression of Rb in vivo does not correlate with RCE-RCP complex formation in
      vitro. A single binding site for the RCPs within the c-fos RCE was identified,
      and the nucleotides required for protein-DNA complex formation were defined.
      Similar sequences are found in the promoters of two additional genes that are
      regulated by Rb (c-myc and TGF-beta 1), and binding assays demonstrate that the
      RCPs also interact with these elements. Linkage of the c-fos RCE to the herpes
      simplex virus thymidine kinase promoter led to a 4-fold stimulation of expression
      in transient transfection assays. Mutations within the RCP binding site that
      abrogate stable interaction of the RCPs with the RCE in vitro block RCE
      transcriptional activity in vivo. Our results suggest a role for the RCPs in RCE
      dependent transcription and the regulation of transcription by the Rb protein.

PMID- 1419911
TI  - Persistent expression of the tumor suppressor gene DCC is essential for neuronal
      differentiation.
AB  - Cell differentiation is associated either with a complete loss of proliferative
      potential or with a change in growth requirements. Neoplastic transformation may
      result from the activation of oncogenes that support growth or from inactivation
      or loss of tumor suppressor genes, which are thought to regulate differentiation.
      To examine the relationship between tumor suppressor genes and cell
      differentiation, we chose the gene "deleted in colorectal cancer" (DCC) and
      studied its role in a pheochromocytoma cell line, PC-12, using antisense RNA as
      well as antisense oligonucleotides to DCC. When exposed to nerve growth factor
      for several days, PC-12 cells develop long dendrites. This morphological change
      follows the transient expression of immediate early genes and is associated with
      an up-regulation of DCC. Interestingly, if the up-regulation of DCC was
      counteracted using an antisense RNA technique, the morphological changes were
      prevented, but the other parameters of the nerve growth factor response were
      unaffected. Moreover, when DCC expression was inhibited by antisense
      oligonucleotides to DCC in nerve growth factor-differentiated cells, the neuron
      like phenotype was reversed. Our results demonstrate that the gene DCC is
      involved in a distal segment of neural differentiation and provide the first
      direct evidence that a tumor suppressor gene plays a role in cell
      differentiation.

PMID- 1419912
TI  - Neuronal differentiation triggered by blocking cell proliferation.
AB  - Treatment of the neuroblastoma cell line SHSY5Y with nerve growth factor (NGF)
      resulted in limited neurite extension, but proliferation continued. However,
      SHSY5Y cells treated with NGF and a pulse of the DNA polymerase alpha and delta
      inhibitor aphidicolin showed dramatic neuronal differentiation. Few
      differentiated cells were observed immediately following the NGF-aphidicolin
      treatment; however, continued treatment of the cells with NGF in the ensuing week
      resulted in extension of long neurites (> 400 microns). Neurite extension was not
      observed for cells treated with aphidicolin alone. Hence, aphidicolin and NGF act
      synergistically to induce differentiation of SHSY5Y cells. If maintained in NGF,
      the differentiated cells were stable for at least 1 month and displayed many
      neuronal characteristics. They were mitotically inactive, and, in contrast to
      control or NGF-treated cells, the differentiated cells required NGF for survival.
      The cells expressed multiple microtubule-associated proteins (MAP), including MAP
      1A, MAP 1B, and tau. There was expression of synaptic vesicle antigens
      synaptophysin and SV2, but not synapsin Ia/b or synapsin IIa/b. Both hydroxyurea
      and thymidine, which inhibit synthesis of nucleotides, act synergistically with
      NGF to induce differentiation of SHSY5Y cells. Since aphidicolin, hydroxyurea,
      and thymidine are chemically unrelated, we conclude that these drugs enhance NGF
      induced differentiation by blocking cell proliferation and not through an
      unrelated side effect. The model suggested by these studies is that
      differentiation is triggered by two simultaneous signals: NGF and cessation of
      cell proliferation.

PMID- 1419913
TI  - Down-regulation of cell cycle control genes by ionizing radiation.
AB  - The cellular responses to ionizing radiation include growth arrest, DNA repair,
      and lethality. However, little is known about the signaling events responsible
      for these responses. The present studies have examined the effects of ionizing
      radiation on the expression of genes involved in cell cycle control. The results
      demonstrate that the treatment of asynchronous cells with 20 Gy ionizing
      radiation is associated with transient down-regulation of the cdc2, cyclin A,
      cyclin B, and cdc25 genes. This effect was associated with transient induction of
      the c-jun gene. RNA stability studies demonstrate that the down-regulation of
      gene expression following ionizing radiation exposure is at least in part due to
      a decrease in transcript half-life. Other studies were performed with elutriated
      cells enriched for populations in G1 and S phases. Treatment of G1 enriched cell
      populations with 10 Gy resulted in a selective decrease in cyclin B mRNA levels,
      whereas this effect on cyclin B expression was less pronounced at 5 Gy and
      undetectable at 1 Gy. Similar results were obtained with S phase enriched cells.
      Taken together with clonogenic survival studies, these findings indicate that
      down-regulation of cell cycle control gene expression is associated with
      lethality, whereas lower doses of ionizing radiation have little, if any, effect
      on the expression of these genes. The findings also suggest that DNA damage may
      activate signaling events which regulate expression of cell cycle control genes.

PMID- 1419914
TI  - Expression of the growth factor-inducible immediate early gene cyr61 correlates
      with chondrogenesis during mouse embryonic development.
AB  - cyr61 is a growth factor-inducible immediate early gene initially identified in
      serum-stimulated mouse fibroblasts. It encodes a member of an emerging family of
      cysteine-rich secreted proteins that includes a connective tissue growth factor.
      We show here that cyr61 is expressed in the developing mouse embryo and
      extraembryonic tissues. In the placenta, cyr61 is expressed in regions of
      trophoblastic origin, including the ectoplacental cone and the trophoblastic
      giant cells. In the midgestation embryo, cyr61 is expressed in the smooth muscle
      vessel walls of the arterial circulatory system. Most notably, expression is
      found in developing cartilaginous elements, including the limbs, ribs, and
      prevertebrae. In addition, regions of the chondrocranium and craniofacial
      elements, such as Meckel's cartilage, also express cyr61. Thus, cyr61 transcript
      is found in mesenchymal cells of both mesodermal and ectodermal origin during
      their differentiation into chondrocytes. The temporal and spatial regulation of
      cyr61 expression and the biochemical features of its encoded protein suggest that
      cyr61 may be important for the normal growth, differentiation, or morphogenesis
      of the cartilaginous skeleton of the embryo.

PMID- 1419915
TI  - Medical technologies in developing countries: a pilot programme for the setting
      up of a regional centre for maintenance of medical equipment in Ethiopia.
AB  - In the last years a new approach to cooperation programmes with developing
      countries has been followed. It critically considers cooperation as donation and
      makes a big contribution to cooperation for the development of developing
      countries. For such reasons some topics such as 'education' and the 'management
      of the health services and technologies' have become more important than in the
      past. The authors report, first on some general aspects of the cooperation
      programmes in this field and, secondly, on some experiences relating to a
      cooperation programme for the management of medical technologies in Ethiopia.

PMID- 1419916
TI  - A non-linear method for estimating the alpha generators from an EEG over the
      scalp.
AB  - A method is developed to estimate the frequency feature of alpha generators from
      EEG signals of different derivation. This method is based on principal component
      analysis and a constrained non-linear optimization technique. Results of the
      method gives a variation range of the power spectrum. Experimental results for
      estimating the generator spectra of the brain alpha activity in anterior and
      posterior regions over the scalp are shown. Finally, the noise problem with this
      method is also discussed.

PMID- 1419917
TI  - A new ensemble averaging technique in impedance cardiography for estimation of
      stroke volume during treadmill exercise.
AB  - In this study, a new ensemble average technique is developed to measure cardiac
      output during treadmill exercise. Each dz/dt peak is used as a starting point for
      ensemble averaging, instead of the conventionally used R point of the ECG, in
      order to prevent the peak dz/dt waveform (C point) from smoothing, which results
      in increased dz/dtmax. The R-Z interval from the R point of the ECG to the peak
      dz/dt varies for each heart beat especially during strenuous exercise. Signal-to
      noise ratios of five subjects obtained with the new technique are 0-32.6% higher
      than those obtained with the conventional technique at rest and during four
      levels of treadmill exercise. Power spectral densities of the averaged dz/dt
      waveforms by the peak dz/dt and R point references are also analyzed. Stroke
      volumes of the five subjects averaged by the peak dz/dt are 0-23.5% higher than
      those obtained by the R point at rest and during four levels of exercise.

PMID- 1419918
TI  - Research on the main elements influencing blood pressure measurement by pulse
      wave velocity.
AB  - There have been considerable errors in non-invasive continuous beat-by-beat blood
      pressure (BP) measurement using the pulse wave velocity (PWV). To solve the
      problem, an in vivo study using 10 dogs was performed. The PWV-BP correlation
      under intact neuro-humoral factors was compared with that under the factors to be
      partly eliminated and the PWV-BP regularities were investigated using 10-beat
      average data. It was confirmed that the vasomotion and the viscoelasticity of
      vascular smooth muscles are the main elements influencing PWV-BP correlation
      through changing the elasticity of the arterial wall, and result in a 'shift' and
      'zigzag swings' in the PWV-BP relationship so as to lower the PWV-BP correlation.
      By choosing large arteries and modifying the PWV algorithm, linear correlation
      coefficients of 0.97 +/- 0.027 and standard errors of the BP estimate of 5.29 +/-
      2.84 mm Hg were obtained. The study suggests that the error could be further
      reduced by simultaneously measuring some related parameters.

PMID- 1419919
TI  - An isolation power supply by phototransmission.
AB  - An isolation power supply by phototransmission was proposed, and the conversion
      efficiency and the electric characteristics of a prototype of the power supply
      unit were estimated. Infrared light emitting diodes (LEDs) and single-silicon
      crystal solar cells were used as light sources and photovoltaic cells,
      respectively. A maximum conversion efficiency of 3.9% was achieved. The constant
      output voltage feedback system, which detects the change of the output voltage of
      the solar cells and controls the driving current of the LEDs, operates this power
      supply at maximum conversion efficiency independent of loads. The liquid-cooling
      structure of the power supply unit can keep the conversion efficiency nearly
      constant independent of the input power. The fabricated power supply has little
      capacitive leakage current and negligibly small internal noise.

PMID- 1419920
TI  - Spectral 'noise' and ultrasonic tissue characterization.
AB  - The spectral fluctuations of each realization of echo signals are usually
      regarded as a noise to be rejected. However, a significant amount of texture
      information is hidden within such 'noise'. In fact, it allows us to distinguish
      three classes of breast tissue, chosen for their distinctive histology.

PMID- 1419921
TI  - An 8086-based Holter arrhythmia monitor.
AB  - Holter monitoring is a technique which involves the use of a specialized recorder
      to record and analyze the ECG of an ambulatory subject for a duration up to 24 h.
      It is used for persons who have generally normal ECG, but who experience heart
      disorders under some particular stress conditions. This paper describes the
      design of an 8086-based Holter monitor using state-of-the-art technology. The old
      concept of analog signal processing and cassette recording has been replaced by
      digital signal processing and solid state memories. The main features of the new
      monitor, as compared with conventional ones, is its intelligence to detect and
      record arrhythmias which are of clinical importance. Emphasis was placed on
      miniaturization and minimization of the power consumption while designing the
      monitor.

PMID- 1419922
TI  - Effects of battered women's early responses on later abuse patterns.
AB  - Abused women (N = 234) were interviewed using a structured questionnaire to
      determine whether violence increases during the course of an abusive
      relationship. Comparisons were made between women with short-term violence and
      long-term abusive relationships to assess whether strategies used by victims
      during early incidents affected the duration of the violence. Women out of the
      relationship were also contrasted with women still in the relationship. The data
      supported the picture of increasing abuse for 18 months with a relatively stable
      rate from then on. The number of forms of abuse and the severity of them tended
      to quickly increase over early events. Women with short-term violence were more
      likely to make plans following early incidents, typically involving changing the
      marital situation. Whether experiencing short-term or long-term abuse, battered
      women perceived their own sanctions on the abusers as responsible for the
      cessation of the violence. Continued investigation is necessary to replicate
      these findings and to identify strategies for reducing violence while women are
      in the relationship.

PMID- 1419924
TI  - Perceived credibility of children's sexual abuse allegations: effects of gender
      and sexual attitudes.
AB  - We investigated whether sex role stereotyping, adversarial sexual beliefs,
      acceptance of interpersonal violence, sex of the subject, characteristics of the
      child (age, sex), and characteristics of the alleged perpetrator (stranger,
      father) affect judgments of the credibility of children's reports that they have
      been sexually abused. Two hundred and fifty-five college students in a 3 x 2 x 2
      factorial arrangement were given the Burt (1980) scales and asked to read a short
      vignette in which a child alleged that he/she was sexually abused and the accused
      male denied the abuse. Although the vast majority of subjects indicated that they
      believed the child was telling the truth, females rated the child's credibility
      significantly higher than males F(1, 253) = 6.29, p = .01226. No other
      significant relationships were found. The results imply that the vast majority of
      individuals in a college sample tended to believe children's sexual abuse
      allegations and that this credibility assessment is not influenced by
      characteristics of the child or perpetrator examined in this study. Implications
      of the truncated range of the dependent variable and of the Burt scales are
      discussed.

PMID- 1419923
TI  - An evaluation of a secondary school primary prevention program on violence in
      intimate relationships.
AB  - A large-scale primary prevention program for wife assault and dating violence was
      evaluated, employing a measure of attitudes, by means of the London Family Court
      Clinic Questionnaire on Violence in Relationships. The target audience comprised
      all students in four high schools. A brief intervention, including a large group
      presentation on wife assault and dating violence, followed by classroom
      discussion facilitated by community professionals was instituted. Attitudes,
      knowledge and behavioral intentions were assessed prior to intervention,
      immediately afterward, and at five to six weeks postintervention, in a stratified
      classroom level random sample of the participants. Significant positive attitude,
      knowledge, and behavioral intention changes were found at posttest, and the
      majority of these were maintained at delayed follow-up. Striking sex differences
      were found, with females consistently showing better attitudes than males. A
      'backlash' effect was noted among a small number of males after the intervention.
      It was hypothesized that this group may already be involved in abusive behavior
      and require secondary, rather than primary, prevention. Students reported a high
      level of awareness of and experience with violence in their own and their
      friends' dating and family relationships, and overwhelmingly endorsed primary
      prevention of relationship violence in the schools.

PMID- 1419925
TI  - The impact of professional football games upon violent assaults on women.
AB  - The relationship between the timing and outcomes of the Washington Redskins'
      football games and the frequency of admissions to hospital emergency rooms in
      northern Virginia is investigated. An OLS time series analysis is conducted,
      controlling for days of the week, months, years and special holidays for 1988
      1989. The results indicate that the frequency of admissions of women victims of
      gun shots, stabbings, assaults, falls, lacerations and being struck by objects
      increases when the team wins. We hypothesize that many of these injuries are the
      result of battering and that having a favorite team win may act as a trigger for
      assault in some males. We suggest that viewing the successful use of violet acts
      may give the identifying fan a sense of license to dominate his surroundings.

PMID- 1419926
TI  - The moderating impact of social support following childhood sexual abuse.
AB  - The role of social support in moderating the impact of childhood sexual abuse on
      adult psychological adjustment was examined. Subjects included 475 women, age 18
      45, some of whom were currently receiving treatment, others who were not. Women
      in the treatment group were receiving therapy for either alcoholism, for being
      battered, or for mental health problems. The comparison group was drawn from two
      sources: a random household sample and a sample of women attending drinking
      driver classes. Among both groups, women who had been sexually abused exhibited
      more psychological symptoms and lower self-esteem compared to those who were not
      abused. Latency of disclosure of childhood sexual abuse had no impact on long
      term consequences of the abuse for either the treatment or the comparison group.
      However, among women in the comparison group, those who experienced supportive
      reactions following disclosure of sexual abuse had fewer psychological symptoms
      and somewhat higher self-esteem relative to those who did not receive support.
      Social support had no apparent effect on the long-term adjustment of women in the
      treatment group. Possible explanations for this pattern and directions for future
      research are discussed.

PMID- 1419928
TI  - Brightness versus apparent contrast. 1: Incremental and decremental disks with
      varying diameter.
AB  - This study describes the matching of the brightness and of the apparent contrast
      of foveal disks, presented as an increment or decrement with varying diameter
      against a 300 cd.m-2 background. If the brightness in the centre of the disks is
      matched with a constant reference brightness, the well-known spatial Broca-Sulzer
      phenomenon is obtained. This effect is not found if the apparent contrast of the
      disks is matched instead. All matching results and detection thresholds indicate
      that luminance increments and decrements are processed asymmetrically by the
      visual system: for decrements the threshold curve and curves of isobrightness as
      well as apparent iso-contrast are all shifted towards larger disk radii relative
      to those for increments. Two nonlinear single-channel models are tested against
      the data.

PMID- 1419927
TI  - Conventional and delinquent activities: implications for the prevention of
      violent victimization among adolescents.
AB  - While age is one of the most important correlates of an individual's risk of
      violent victimization, research regarding the victimization of adolescents is
      relatively meager. Using two well-known national data sources and an analytical
      framework guided by lifestyle/routine activities theories, we describe the
      relationships between activity involvement and the risk of assault and robbery
      victimization among adolescents in the United States. Several findings relevant
      to victimization prevention emerge. First, we find that certain adolescent
      activities are related to risk of violence. Youth who engage in delinquent
      activities experience the highest risk of assault and robbery victimization.
      Second, we find very few conventional activities which protect adolescents from
      victimization net of background factors (e.g., gender, race, family structure) or
      offending levels. We discuss the implications of these findings for programs
      directed at reducing violent victimization among adolescents and for
      lifestyle/routine activities theories of victimization.

PMID- 1419929
TI  - Measurement of the 2D affine Lie group parameters for visual motion analysis.
AB  - A class of linear operators is presented for estimating the local components of
      2D translation, dilatation, rotation, and the shear/deformations which span the
      six degrees of freedom of motion of arbitrarily textured surfaces. This results
      in a model of visual motion analysis which proposes that the local
      transformations in the image are analysed by decomposing them into the six one
      parameter subgroups of the 2D affine group. Each of the required invariant
      integral operators are easily specified by the characters of these six subgroups.
      The 2D affine group, however, does not have a simple structure. It is a Lie group
      which possesses a semi-direct product manifold, and classical harmonic analysis
      cannot proceed unless some mechanism is prescribed to isolate the 2D 'general
      linear' transformations from the 2D translations. It must also do so using
      measures which receive only local support from the image, since the global affine
      group model is only valid tangentially. A form of 'active perception' is thereby
      implicated; it is proposed that spatial indexing and 2D tracking is needed in
      order to form reliable estimates of 3D motion parameters using local operators in
      a data-driven fashion.

PMID- 1419930
TI  - Visual search for oriented lines: the role of angular relations between targets
      and distractors.
AB  - Subjects can perform parallel visual search for an item of unique orientation
      when it is presented on a background texture composed of lines of two other
      orientations. A number of cues can be used to speed this search. It helps if the
      target has a unique categorical status (e.g., it is the only 'steep' item) (Wolfe
      et al., J. Exp. Psychol. Hum. Percept. Perf. 18, 34-49 1992). It helps if the two
      background orientations are symmetrical about a vertical axis (Wolfe and Friedman
      Hill, Psychol. Sci. 3, 194-198, 1992). The experiments presented here show that
      it helps if the angles formed by the target with one of the distractor types are
      smaller than the angles formed by the two distractor orientations. These results
      illustrate that stimulus similarity is a complex concept even for a simple
      feature like orientation.

PMID- 1419931
TI  - Phase shifts and the square-wave illusion.
AB  - When observers view a vertical triangle-wave luminance profile, they often report
      a square-wave illusion with a depth component, resembling a corrugated surface.
      Alternate bars seem to be in front of or behind adjacent bars and the surface
      appears to be illuminated from the right or left. These perspectives alternate
      with continuous viewing. One explanation for this illusion stems from the notion
      of instability among phase-selective mechanisms. Two experiments (1 and 3) were
      designed to determine whether systematic phase shifts introduced between the
      fundamental and the odd harmonics of the waveform would lead to a systematic bias
      of the illusion. The results indicated that a significant bias occurred when a
      phase shift as small as 9 deg was introduced, and that the bias from the phase
      shifts was more powerful than previous reports of drift-induced bias. There was a
      highly significant effect of direction of phase shift and the corresponding
      perceived direction of illumination. Another experiment (2) was designed to
      determine if illusional cues within the phase-shifted profiles aided phase
      discrimination. The results indicated that experienced subjects, presumably using
      cues within the profiles, discriminated between the stimuli significantly better
      than did naive subjects. These data support the role of phase in the square-wave
      illusion, but they also raise questions about the role of contrast changes in
      local regions of the stimulus.

PMID- 1419932
TI  - Abstract processes in texture discrimination.
AB  - In this study some experiments on texture segmentation are reported using the
      local Gabor power spectrum. The techniques applied are: (1) supervised pixel
      classification; (2) boundary detection by spectral dissimilarity estimation; (3)
      region-based segmentation based on Gaussian spectral estimation; and (4) the same
      as (3) but based on central moments of the local spectrum. It is shown that very
      acceptable-to-excellent results can be obtained. It is argued, however, that the
      shortcomings of region-based and boundary-based approaches require that both
      processes should act in parallel, not only in digital image processing but also
      in the modelling of visual perception.

PMID- 1419934
TI  - Symptomatology and the prediction of social skills acquisition in schizophrenia.
AB  - The relationship between patient symptomatology and the acquisition of social
      skills during an inpatient social skills training program, and the maintenance of
      skills at a one-month followup, were examined in a sample of recently
      hospitalized schizophrenic and schizoaffective disorder patients. Subtypes of
      patients with enduring Thought Disorder (vs. no enduring Thought Disorder) or
      enduring Anergia (vs. no enduring Anergia) on the BPRS during the treatment
      period were compared in their response to the social skills training
      intervention. Patients with enduring Thought Disorder acquired skills at the same
      rate as patients without Thought Disorder, but were unable to retain their skills
      at followup, in contrast to their counterparts. Enduring Anergia was not related
      to either the acquisition or maintenance of social skills. The results were
      unaffected when memory was statistically controlled. The findings suggest that
      patient symptomatology may be an important factor mediating the efficacy of
      social skills training interventions.

PMID- 1419933
TI  - Normal eye tracking is associated with abnormal morphology of medial temporal
      lobe structures in schizophrenia.
AB  - Eye tracking and brain morphology assessed by magnetic resonance imaging were
      examined in 48 patients in their first episode of schizophrenia and in 15 normal
      controls. Schizophrenic patients showed higher rates of eye tracking dysfunction
      and more abnormal brain morphology involving the lateral ventricles, medial
      temporal lobe (MTL) structures and the frontal-parietal cortex than controls.
      Enlargement of the lateral ventricles and global rating of abnormal brain
      morphology were significantly more prevalent in male schizophrenics than female
      schizophrenics. These findings indicate that abnormalities in a variety of brain
      regions are present in some schizophrenics during the period shortly after the
      first hospitalization and could not be a function of treatment or chronic
      illness. We found no relation between abnormal eye tracking and any single
      feature of abnormal brain morphology. However, normal eye tracking was
      significantly associated with MTL abnormalities in schizophrenics, reflecting an
      inverse association between quality of eye tracking and degree of abnormality in
      MTL structures. These results suggest that abnormal eye tracking is not mediated
      by the same processes that lead to structural brain anomalies in schizophrenia.

PMID- 1419935
TI  - Left-handed first-episode, neuroleptic-naive schizophrenic patients have a higher
      prevalence of autoantibodies.
AB  - Using standard immunological techniques, sera from first-episode, neuroleptic
      naive schizophrenic patients (n = 51) and age, race and sex matched healthy
      controls (n = 51) were screened for seven common autoantibodies. Significantly
      more left-handed (67%) than right-handed (23%) schizophrenic patients had
      autoantibodies (p = 0.011). Left-handed schizophrenic patients were six times
      more likely than right-handed patients or controls and four times more likely
      than left-handed controls to test positive for autoantibodies (p = 0.012). These
      data suggest that disease and sinistrality contribute to the excess of
      autoantibodies in schizophrenia.

PMID- 1419936
TI  - The Patient Rejection Scale in an Israeli sample: correlations with relapse and
      physician's assessment.
AB  - The Patient Rejection Scale (PRS), which was developed to assess the feelings of
      rejection that relatives experience toward mental patients, was administered to a
      sample of 50 family members living with schizophrenic outpatients in Jerusalem,
      Israel. PRS response distribution was similar to that reported for a New York
      City sample. Total rejection scores were significantly correlated with a number
      of demographic variables and with the treating physician's assessment of the
      degree of rejection, hostility and criticism of the respective family members.
      Physician's rating of emotional over-involvement did not correlate with PRS
      scores. Both PRS and treating physician's ratings correlated significantly with
      course of illness parameters. The findings and their implications are discussed
      in the context of expressed emotion (EE) research.

PMID- 1419937
TI  - Estimating daily urine volume in chronic psychosis.

PMID- 1419938
TI  - Biography of Louis Gaston Labat, M.D.

PMID- 1419939
TI  - 1992 Labat Lecture. Toward the mathematization of spinal anesthesia.

PMID- 1419940
TI  - Perioperative analgesia with subarachnoid sufentanil administration.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Thirty-seven ASA Physical Status I parturients
      undergoing elective cesarean delivery were evaluated to determine the effects of
      subarachnoid sufentanil administration. METHODS: This study was carried out in a
      randomized, double-blind fashion. All patients received 1.4 ml 0.75% bupivacaine
      with 8.25% dextrose following 10 micrograms, 15 micrograms, or 20 micrograms
      sufentanil, or 1 ml of normal saline containing no sufentanil. Onset and duration
      of sensory and motor anesthesia, duration of complete analgesia, duration of
      effective analgesia, and intraoperative parenteral opioid requirements were
      evaluated. Incidence of side effects such as respiratory depression, pruritus,
      nausea, and vomiting were evaluated. RESULTS: Duration of complete analgesia and
      duration of effective analgesia were prolonged significantly in all patient
      groups receiving sufentanil as compared to control groups receiving no narcotic.
      Pruritus was significantly increased in patient groups receiving subarachnoid
      sufentanil. Respiratory depression was not observed in any patient studied. One-
      and five-minute Apgar scores; umbilical, venous, and arterial blood gas results;
      and Early Neonatal Neurobehavioral Scale results were all within normal limits
      and were not significantly different among the groups.

PMID- 1419941
TI  - Efficacy of subarachnoid morphine in a community hospital.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Two hundred seventy-five patients who underwent major
      surgery and received subarachnoid morphine for postoperative pain relief were
      prospectively studied to establish the benefits of its routine use in a community
      hospital. RESULTS: Seventy-nine percent of all patients had a satisfactory
      analgesic-free interval of 18 hours, and postoperative analgesics were
      unnecessary for the first 24 hours in 56% of all patients. Pruritus developed in
      26% of all patients, 16% experienced nausea, vomiting, or both, and 4%
      experienced urinary retention. There were no cases of respiratory depression.
      Ninety-two percent of all patients were managed on the medical/surgical floors
      without incident, and 90% of the patients were satisfied with their results.
      CONCLUSION: It was shown that, when there are properly trained floor nurses,
      subarachnoid morphine (0.1-0.4 mg) can be an effective, safe, and simple method
      for postoperative pain control in a community hospital.

PMID- 1419942
TI  - Comparison of Sprotte and Quincke needles with respect to post dural puncture
      headache and backache.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare 24-gauge Sprotte and 25
      gauge Quincke needles with respect to post dural puncture headache and backache.
      METHODS: Three hundred ASA Physical Status I or II patients scheduled for minor
      orthopedic or urologic operations under spinal anesthesia were chosen for this
      randomized, prospective study at a university hospital and a city hospital.
      Anesthetic technique, intravenous fluids, and postoperative pain therapy were
      standardized. Patients were randomly divided into three equal groups. Spinal
      anesthesia was performed with either a 24-gauge Sprotte needle or a 25-gauge
      Quincke needle with the cutting bevel parallel or perpendicular to the dural
      fibers. RESULTS: Anesthesia could not be performed in three cases with the
      Sprotte needle and in one case with the Quincke needle. The most common
      complications were post dural puncture backache (18.0%), post dural puncture
      headache (8.2%), and non-postural headache (6.7%). No major complications
      occurred. The Quincke needle with bevel perpendicular to the dural fibers caused
      a 17.9% incidence of post dural puncture headache. The Quincke with bevel
      parallel to the dural fibers and the Sprotte needles caused similar post dural
      puncture headache rates (4.5% and 2.4%, respectively). Other factors associated
      with post dural puncture headache were young age, early ambulation, and sedation
      during spinal anesthesia. There were no significant differences between needles
      in the incidence of post dural puncture backache. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate
      that Quincke needles should not be used with the needle bevel inserted
      perpendicular to the dural fibers. The Sprotte needle does not solve the problem
      of post dural puncture headache and backache.

PMID- 1419943
TI  - Technical and light microscopic comparison of four different small-diameter
      catheters used for continuous spinal anesthesia.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Recently several manufacturers developed ultra-thin
      catheters for continuous spinal anesthesia. Their use may be associated with
      technical problems. METHODS: Four spinal catheters [Preferred Medical 28-gauge
      and 32-gauge (polyurethane), Kendall CoSpan 28-gauge (nylon), and Microspinal 32
      gauge (polyimide)] were compared in 41 patients who underwent knee or hip
      operations. Difficulties in using the catheters were recorded, and after their
      removal, the catheters were examined by light microscopy. RESULTS: The insertion
      of the 28-gauge catheters was always successful. However, five of 11 of the 32
      gauge polyurethane and one of ten of the 32-gauge polyimide catheters could not
      be inserted. Plain 0.5% bupivacaine (2-6.5 ml) was administered, and the median
      pinprick analgesia level varied between T4 (28-gauge nylon) and T7 (other
      groups). During removal, one of ten of the 28-gauge nylon, four of ten of the 28
      gauge polyurethane, and all six 32-gauge polyurethane catheters stretched. Two of
      six of the 32-gauge polyurethane catheters broke, but no fragment remained in any
      patient. Microscopic examination revealed deposits of fibrinous material on the
      tips of all polyurethane and polyimide catheters and on one nylon catheter. One
      polyimide catheter ruptured 15 cm from the tip. No signs of tearing or lost
      pieces of catheter material were observed by light microscopy. CONCLUSION: The
      use of the 32-gauge polyurethane catheter was associated with problems that limit
      its clinical usefulness. Nylon and polyimide catheters with stainless steel
      stylets were more resistant to stretching. The nylon catheter was most resistant
      to adhesion of fibrinous material.

PMID- 1419944
TI  - Continuous pump pressures cannot be used to identify catheter tip migration into
      the subarachnoid space.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Migration of an epidural catheter into the
      subarachnoid space is a potentially lethal complication of continuous epidural
      anesthesia. We evaluated the use of pump pressure measurement during infusion in
      detecting such an occurrence. METHODS: Pump pressures at two flow rates (P1 and
      P10) and epidural space pressure (P0) were measured hourly in eight consecutive
      ASA Physical Status I parturients receiving continuous epidural anesthesia and
      compared to those of a patient whose catheter migrated into the subarachnoid
      space. In addition, total resistance to infusion (Rtot) was calculated as the
      slope of the least squares regression line linking pressure and flow. Epidural
      resistance (Repi) was computed as the difference between total resistance and
      catheter resistance; Repi = Rtot - Rcath. RESULTS: In epidural catheters, average
      P0 and P10 were 13 +/- 4 mmHg and 23 +/- 4 mm Hg, respectively, and did not
      change over time. Rtot and Repi averaged 960 +/- 180 RU and 980 +/- 120 RU,
      respectively. Pump pressures in the subarachnoid catheter were 10 mmHg for P0 and
      20 mmHg for P10, while Rtot was 1000 RU. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that epidural
      and subarachnoid space resistance is essentially zero and the pump pressure in
      the system is used to overcome the catheter resistance. Both spaces offer the
      same total resistance to infusion and, therefore, pump pressure will not change
      when a catheter migrates into the subarachnoid space.

PMID- 1419945
TI  - Brachial plexus block with the nerve stimulator: motor response characteristics
      at three sites.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Differences in motor response patterns, minimum
      electrical currents, and success rates using a nerve stimulator for brachial
      plexus block were determined for the interscalene, supraclavicular, and axillary
      approaches. METHODS: Supervised, resident physicians performed 106 brachial
      plexus blocks. For each block, the minimum stimulating current, the strongest
      joint motion at the minimum current immediately before local anesthetic
      injection, presence or absence of other joint motion, and anesthetic success or
      failure were recorded. RESULTS: In the interscalene group (n = 43), strongest
      joint motions clustered at the shoulder (40%) and elbow (54%). In the
      supraclavicular group (n = 29), strongest joint motions distributed bimodally at
      the elbow (62%) and fingers (31%). In the axillary group (n = 34), strongest
      joint motions clustered at the wrist (35%) and fingers (61%). Overall,
      concurrent, weaker joint motion was observed in 26% (p not significant). Overall,
      the minimum current producing visually observable or palpable upper extremity
      motor responses was 0.69 +/- 0.02 mA (mean +/- SEM, range 0.2-1.5). No
      significant differences were found for minimum currents by site of approach,
      presence or absence of weaker joint motion, or success or failure of anesthesia.
      The overall success rate was 89%, with the rate being 91% for interscalene, 97%
      for supraclavicular, and 79% for axillary approaches (p not significant). Within
      the axillary group, elbow flexion as the strongest joint motion was a significant
      predictors of failure compared with other responses (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:
      Localization of the brachial plexus with the nerve stimulator is equally
      effective at the interscalene, supraclavicular, and axillary sites. Current
      values in the range reported have no predictive value for success. Advantages of
      the nerve stimulator for brachial plexus block include an objective endpoint and
      continuous feedback.

PMID- 1419946
TI  - Selective block of nerves in the axillary approach to the brachial plexus.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Optimal surgical conditions for flexor tendon tenolysis
      in the hand were achieved by ulnar, radial, and musculocutaneous nerve block at
      the axilla combined with median nerve block at the wrist. RESULT: Because the
      median nerve function proximal to the wrist was preserved, the patient was able
      to flex the finger intraoperatively. CONCLUSION: Palpation of nerves together
      with a nerve stimulator were used to localize the nerves accurately.

PMID- 1419948
TI  - Is peribulbar block safer than retrobulbar?

PMID- 1419947
TI  - Headache from intracranial air after a lumbar epidural injection: subarachnoid or
      subdural?
AB  - BACKGROUND AND METHODS: There is a growing awareness of the possibility of
      headache resulting from intracranial air secondary to identification of the
      epidural space by loss of resistance using air (LOR-A). Most reported cases have
      been attributed to subarachnoid air passage. A case is described of sudden
      headache following LOR-A. RESULTS: Various features of the case suggest that the
      passage of air to the head was subdural rather than subarachnoid. CONCLUSIONS:
      Recovery was uneventful.

PMID- 1419949
TI  - An argument against the use of the nerve stimulator for peripheral nerve blocks.

PMID- 1419950
TI  - Quaternary structure and assembly process of the T cell receptor.
AB  - The human immune system contains T and B lymphocytes which respond in an antigen
      specific manner to foreign antigens. These foreign antigens are recognized by
      multimeric receptors expressed on the cell surface of T and B lymphocytes. The
      subunits that make up the T and B cell receptor complexes have been identified,
      but their stoichiometries and positions in the complex remain to be resolved.
      Elucidation of the quaternary structures is necessary to understand the molecular
      basis of signal transduction events which follow antigen recognition and will
      contribute to the design of drugs that can modulate T and B cell responses. Here,
      I will discuss recent insights into the quaternary structures of the TCR and BCR
      and the striking similarities between the two, both in the structures of the
      subunits and in the overall quaternary structures. In addition, the intracellular
      assembly processes of these receptor complexes will be discussed, as well as the
      recent realization that these processes appear to be mediated by house-keeping
      proteins that transiently bind to partial TCR and BCR complexes. Similar to the
      role of BiP which mediates assembly processes of B cell immunoglobulins, a
      recently identified intracellular protein of 90 kD, called IP90, appears to play
      a role in TCR and BCR assembly processes. Analyses of the IP90 protein might
      contribute not only insight into the folding and assembly processes in
      lymphocytes, but also into those of newly synthesized proteins in many different
      cell types.

PMID- 1419952
TI  - Recent trends in research on differentiation of hematopoietic cells and
      lymphokines (hemopoietins).
AB  - A recent trend in hematological research fields has been to isolate and
      characterize hematopoietic stem cells/progenitors and their growth factors
      (hemopoietins) to gain a much better understanding of the nature of the stem cell
      and the mechanisms regulating its development. It is generally accepted that all
      the various types of blood cells develop from a single progenitor called a
      hematopoietic stem cell. Quantitative studies of the function of hemopoietic stem
      cells began two decades ago with the development of a spleen colony assay, and
      then, clonal cell culture techniques for committed progenitors were developed
      with several models for hematopoietic differentiation being proposed. Within the
      last few years, some hormones have been discovered that are known as
      hematopoietic growth hormones or hemopoietins, each of which is of protein nature
      and causes specific classes of blood cells to be made and primed. These hormones
      also enhance the function of the mature cells, the genes of which have recently
      been cloned. On the other hand, long-term bone marrow culture has recently
      permitted detailed investigations of the relationship between hematopoietic cells
      and the microenvironment in which they are found, e.g. stromal cells, in vitro,
      relating to the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. Further, in
      hematological fields, other bioactive factors including differentiation-inducing
      compounds, e. g. bioactive glycosphingolipids, and leukocyte-endothelial cell
      recognition molecules (adhesion receptors) have been discovered, the molecular
      mechanism(s) of which have yet to be elucidated. This communication focuses on
      recent advances in research on soluble hemopoietins and other bioactive factors
      relating to differentiation-induction and to cell-to-cell recognition.

PMID- 1419951
TI  - Hodgkin's disease derived cell lines: a review.
AB  - A number of so-called "HD cell lines" have been established over the last 10-15
      years (Table 1). Or those 15 cell lines we studied, only the cell lines CO, DEV,
      HD-70, HDLM, KM-H2, L-428, L-540 and SUP-HD1 can be regarded to represent true HD
      cell lines. According to the immunostaining results and molecular genetic data,
      these 8 cell lines can be assigned either to the T-cell lineage (CO, HDLM, L-540)
      or B-cell lineage (DEV, HD-70, KM-H2, SUP-HD1). With the data currently
      available, the cell lineage origin of L-428 cannot be unequivocally determined,
      but appears to be lymphoid. All but one of these eight HD cell lines have been
      established from patients with the nodular sclerosis subtype. Therefore, the
      conclusions drawn from the in vitro studies are limited to this histological
      subtype of HD. It is conceivable that culture conditions select for a particular
      type of cell that will survive. The state of differentiation of these HD cell
      lines remains unclear due to the incomplete expression of T- or B-cell antigens.
      The in vitro cells and the in vivo H-RS cells share, however, the expression of
      the unique activation markers CD15, CD25, CD30, CD71 and HLA-DR. Recently
      published data indicate that the HD cell lines express and produce a large number
      of cytokines. Multiple non-random chromosomal abnormalities and the expression of
      various proto-oncogenes are also new and exciting findings and certainly deserve
      further study. In summary, although the cultured cells are not unequivocally
      proven to be the direct progeny of in vivo H-RS cells, several continuous HD cell
      lines have been established that display a variety of phenotypical features
      identical or similar to those of their presumed in vivo counterparts. Surface
      marker, molecular genetic and other features suggest a T- or B-cell derivation.
      An extrapolation of these conclusions would point to a lymphoid origin of H-RS
      cells. Whether H-RS cells can originate from other cell types such as
      monocytes/macrophages or reticulum cells, cannot be answered with the currently
      available HD cell lines.

PMID- 1419953
TI  - Human T lymphotropic virus type-I (HTLV-I) immortalizes human T cells in vitro-
      its implication in the pathogenesis of adult T cell leukemia (ATL).
AB  - HTLV-I is the first human retrovirus that was isolated from a patient with T-cell
      malignancy in 1980 in the United States. HTLV-I is detected in most patients with
      adult T cell leukemia (ATL) and healthy carriers, who are frequently found in the
      southwestern parts of Kyushu and Shikoku Districts. HTLV-I-infected cells express
      IL-2 receptors, and HTLV-I-infected T cell lines can be established from most of
      ATL patients in culture in the presence of IL-2. Furthermore, these IL-2
      dependent T cell lines often begin to proliferate in the absence of IL-2 and to
      not respond to IL-2, despite IL-2 receptors on their cell surface, thus mimicking
      ATL cells in vivo. These findings suggest that HTLV-I is an etiological agent of
      ATL. In this mini-review, the T cell immortalizing activity of HTLV-I in vitro,
      with special reference to the evolution of ATL cells based on our results, is
      described.

PMID- 1419954
TI  - [Key points and problems concerning chemosensitivity tests, with special
      reference to MTT assay].
AB  - Recently, the semiautomated tetrazolium-based MTT colorimetric assay have been
      used to measure chemosensitivity. We also have been used this assay for 4 ovarian
      clear cell carcinoma cell lines to investigate the chemosensitivity of this
      tumor. In this study, several problems have been faced to be solved. In this
      paper, we pointed out these problems and indicated solutions.

PMID- 1419955
TI  - The expression of the mouse VpreB/lambda 5 locus in transformed cell lines and
      tumors of the B lineage differentiation pathway.
AB  - The expression of RNA transcripts from two pre B lymphocyte related genes, VpreB
      and lambda 5, has been studied in a series of transformed cell lines which appear
      frozen at different states of B lineage differentiation, from early progenitors
      to surface Ig positive B cells. In the HAFTL-1 cell line, which arose from fetal
      liver by transformation with a retrovirus containing the Hras oncogene, Northern
      analysis of poly A+ mRNA as well as in situ hybridization of RNA in single cells
      revealed that lambda 5 and VpreB are already expressed at the progenitor stage
      and increase in expression as the progenitors differentiate to precursor (preB)
      cells, or are turned off as the progenitors differentiate to myeloid cells.
      Continued rearrangements of Ig genes in pre B cell lines leading to Ig expression
      on the surface of NFS-5 pre B cells do not influence the continued expression of
      VpreB and lambda 5. Surface Ig-positive B lineage cell lines also express the pre
      B-related genes. Both Ly1+ as well as Ly1- pre B cells are VpreB- and lambda 5
      positive. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation of 70Z/3 pre B cells does not turn
      off lambda 5 expression. It therefore appears that, at least in transformed cell
      lines, the expression of VpreB and lambda 5 is not directly regulated by the
      expression of microH, kappa L, or lambda L chains, LPS reactivity, or the Ly1
      surface antigen. Fusion of plasmacytoma cells with normal pre B cells to generate
      pre B hybridomas leads to down-regulation of VpreB/lambda 5 expression.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419956
TI  - T cell receptor alpha-chain pairing determines the specificity of residue 262
      within the Kb-restricted, ovalbumin257-264 determinant.
AB  - Ovalbumin-specific, Kb-restricted T cells recognize the minimal fully active
      synthetic peptide ovalbumin (OVA)257-264. This sequence coincides with the eight
      residue, allele-specific peptide binding motif previously predicted from direct
      sequencing of naturally occurring Kb-associated peptides (Falk, K., Rotzscke, O.,
      Stevanovic, S., Jung, G., and Rammensee, H.-G., Nature 351:290, 1990). T cell
      recognition of a panel of analogs with single residue substitutions between the
      two putative Kb anchor residues at OVA261 and OVA264 suggested that at least one
      residue, Glu at position 262, is involved in TCR interaction. OVA-specific
      cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) derived from TCR beta-chain transgenic mice, where
      the beta-chain originates from an OVA-specific, Kb-restricted CTL B3, showed that
      differences in TCR alpha-chain pairing determined the specificity for OVA residue
      262. These data support the notion that residue 262 of the OVA T cell
      determinant, corresponding to position 6 within the Kb-binding motif, represents
      a contact site for TCR. This residue interacts directly with the TCR alpha-chain
      or with a site on the TCR beta-chain whose conformation is affected by TCR alpha
      chain pairing.

PMID- 1419958
TI  - Conformational changes in mouse MHC class II proteins at acidic pH.
AB  - MHC class II molecules bind peptide antigens and present them to T cells. Recent
      evidence suggests that peptide--MHC class II interaction is regulated by pH. Both
      peptide binding to and dissociation from MHC class II molecules is enhanced at
      acidic pH. In this report we use circular dichroism to investigate the
      possibility that the modulation of peptide association with MHC class II
      molecules at acidic pH is associated with changes in MHC class II structure. Our
      results show that a change in the structure of the MHC class II protein A(d)
      occurs between pH 4 and 5, close to the pH optimum for peptide binding. More
      drastic changes in A(d) structure occur at lower pH levels, where peptide
      dissociation is enhanced. The structural changes at pH 4-5 are fully reversible
      upon neutralization, while changes at pH 3 are not. The pH stability of purified
      E(d) molecules is somewhat different, with changes observed only at pH less than
      4. This may reflect a differential occupancy of the purified molecules with
      endogenous peptides.

PMID- 1419957
TI  - Properties of B cell stage specific and ubiquitous nuclear factors binding to
      immunoglobulin heavy chain gene switch regions.
AB  - The Ig heavy chain (IgH) constant region (CH) class switch is manifested by DNA
      deletions which exchange the C mu gene of a functional VDJ-CH rearrangement for a
      C gamma, C epsilon or C alpha gene. Repetitive sequences (S regions) 5' of each
      CH gene mediate CH gene switch recombination by an illegitimate mechanism. S mu
      can be subdivided into S mu 5' (non-repetitive) and S mu 3' (repetitive)
      components with recombination occurring in either part. Here, we describe the
      properties of ubiquitous and B cell stage specific S mu binding factors NFS mu-U1
      and NFS mu-B1 respectively. U1 only bound to S mu 5' sequences, and B1 to S mu
      5', S mu 3' sequences and to other S regions with varying affinities. DMS and OP
      Cu footprinting revealed the sequence AAAAAGCATGGCTGA in the U1 site while the B1
      S mu 5' site overlapped the 3' end of the U1 binding site and also contained
      additional 3' flanking S mu repeat motifs (GAGCTGAGATGGGTGGGCT). Binding site
      competition assays reveal that NFS mu-B1 is either very related or identical to S
      alpha BP (described by Waters et al., Mol. Cell Biol. 9:5594, 1989) and BSAP
      (identified by Barberis et al., Genes Devl. 4:849, 1990) which were shown to bind
      to two sequences upstream of the S alpha repeats and within the promoters of sea
      urchin histone genes respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1419959
TI  - T cell receptor usage by HLA-DQw8-specific T cell clones.
AB  - To investigate whether T cells recognizing the same HLA molecule may demonstrate
      homology in parts of their TCR, five different HLA-DQw8-specific T lymphocyte
      clones (TLC) were studied. The TCR alpha and -beta genes of four alloreactive,
      HLA-DQw8-specific and one antigen-specific TLC were sequenced. All TLC used
      different V alpha and V beta genes. However, four of the TLC shared a certain
      CDR1 beta motif and all five used either J beta 2.3 or -2.5. In addition, two
      used the same J alpha. The results indicate a possible preferential usage of
      certain TCR structures by T cells specific for DQw8.

PMID- 1419961
TI  - N.m.r. study of interaction between sugar and peptide moieties in mucin-type
      model glycopeptides.
AB  - In order to investigate the structural properties of the sugar and peptide
      linkage region in glycoprotein, some glycopeptides were synthesized as a model
      for AFGP (antifreeze glycoprotein), which is one of the mucin-type glycoproteins.
      The results from n.m.r. measurements in DMSO and aqueous conditions revealed that
      the glycopeptides form an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the amide proton
      of N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) and the carbonyl oxygen of threonine (Thr) to
      which the GalNAc is covalently linked. This intramolecular hydrogen bond may play
      an important role in determining the orientation of the sugar moiety relative to
      the protein backbone. The roles for the activity of the proline (Pro) residue in
      AFGP were also discussed.

PMID- 1419960
TI  - Characterization of Fc epsilon RI gamma in human natural killer cells.
AB  - We report the characterization of the Fc epsilon RI gamma chain which associates
      with the transmembrane form of CD16 to form the low affinity receptor for IgG (Fc
      gamma RIII) expressed on human natural killer (NK) cells. cDNA cloning and
      sequence analysis of Fc epsilon RI gamma from a polyclonal CD3-CD16+ NK line
      established that this molecule is identical to Fc epsilon RI gamma previously
      identified in human basophils as part of a high affinity receptor for IgE.
      Polymerase chain reaction analysis of Fc epsilon RI gamma gene expression in a
      series of CD3+CD16- and CD3-CD16+ NK clones reveals that Fc epsilon RI gamma is
      not directly linked to NK activity since clones of the CD3+CD16- phenotype lack
      Fc epsilon RI gamma RNA but nevertheless mediate cytotoxicity. Taken together,
      these results demonstrate that the Fc epsilon RI gamma molecule is expressed in
      various types within the hematopoietic system as part of multimeric surface
      receptors involved in different biological functions.

PMID- 1419962
TI  - Construction of nucleosome cores from defined DNA sequences of prokaryotic
      origin.
AB  - A procedure for the de novo construction of nucleosome core particles from
      defined DNA sequences of prokaryotic origin is described. Efficient de novo
      reconstitution without added carrier DNA is demonstrated. DNase I and exonuclease
      III analysis of a nucleosome core prepared from a 154 base pair fragment
      extending from base 853 to base 1006 of pBR322 indicates a non-random positioning
      of the histone core along the DNA. As bacteria have no histones, their DNA cannot
      be expected to have a histone core positioning signal encoded in it, the
      efficient formation of a uniquely positioned core particle is not self evident.
      The possibility that a phosphate end group positions DNA fragments on the histone
      is considered. The de novo reconstitution of carrier-less defined nucleosome core
      particles should facilitate the physicochemical study of nucleosomes on the fine
      structural level.

PMID- 1419963
TI  - Glass transition of gluten. 1: Gluten and gluten-sugar mixtures.
AB  - The glass transition in hydrated wheat gluten has been studied using dynamic
      mechanical thermal analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, pulsed nuclear
      magnetic resonance and a three point bend test. The results for gluten alone are
      in good agreement with results obtained by other workers for gluten and glutenin.
      In contrast to their effect on the Tg of amylopectin, a gluten:sugar ratio of
      10:1 (where the sugar is amorphous fructose, sucrose or glucose) has little
      effect on the glass transition temperature, as a function of water content. A
      sample containing gluten and fructose in the ratio 2:1 showed plasticization due
      to the sugar.

PMID- 1419964
TI  - Glass transition of gluten. 2: The effect of lipids and emulsifiers.
AB  - The effects of lipids and emulsifiers on the glass transition temperature (Tg) of
      gluten have been studied as a function of water content, using differential
      scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, a three point bend
      test and pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance. Lipids and emulsifiers were found to
      have little or no effect on Tg, with the exception of the lower molecular weight
      caproic and hydroxycaproic acids, which had a plasticizing effect. In the case of
      hydroxycaproic acid this was found to be in accordance with the Couchman-Karasz
      equation. The magnitude of the drop in modulus at Tg was increased in the
      presence of these additives at low water contents. The effect of lipids and
      emulsifiers on the Tg of gluten and their compatibility with gluten appears to
      depend both on their hydrophobicity and on their molecular weight.

PMID- 1419965
TI  - Behaviour of mouse macrophage cell line and mouse fibroblast on copolymers
      containing cellulose triacetate.
AB  - Copolymers containing cellulose triacetate were prepared under various
      conditions. A bacteriological plastic dish was coated with the copolymer (HCTA
      MDI copolymer) composed of hydrolysed cellulose triacetate (HCTA) and
      diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI). The deacetylated copolymer (DA-copolymer) was
      prepared by the deacetylation of HCTA-MDI copolymer. The behaviour of animal
      cells such as a mouse macrophage cell line (A640-BB-2 cells) and a mouse
      fibroblast (3T6 cells) on prepared dishes was investigated morphologically. A640
      BB-2 cells showed good adhesion and smooth spreading, and 3T6 cells also showed
      good adhesion and sufficient cell growth on the dish coated with HCTA-MDI
      copolymer. These results suggest that these copolymers are useful for biomedical
      materials.

PMID- 1419966
TI  - Binding study of metal ions to S100 protein: 43Ca, 25Mg, 67Zn and 39K n.m.r.
AB  - The interactions of the S100 protein (S100) with metal cations such as Ca2+,
      Mg2+, Zn2+ and K+ were studied by the metal n.m.r. spectroscopy. The line widths
      of 43Ca, 25Mg, 67Zn and 39K n.m.r. markedly increased by adding all S100s. A
      broad 43Ca n.m.r. band of Ca(2+)-S100a solution was not affected by Zn2+ and K+,
      while it was greatly decreased by adding Mg2+. The 43Ca n.m.r. spectra of Ca(2+)
      S100a0 and -S100b solutions consisted of two slow-exchangeable signals which
      corresponded to Ca2+ bound to two environmentally different sites of the S100a0.
      These two 43Ca n.m.r. signals were not affected by Zn2+ and K+. The line width of
      broad 25Mg n.m.r. band of the Mg(2+)-S100 solution greatly decreased by adding
      Ca2+, while it did not change by adding Zn2+ and K+. Further, the addition of
      Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+ did not affect the line width of the 67Zn n.m.r. of the Zn(2+)
      S100 solutions. These findings suggest that: (1) Mg2+ binds to all S100s, and at
      least one of the Mg2+ binding sites of S100 molecule is the same as the Ca2+
      binding site; (2) Zn2+ binds to S100s, although the binding site(s) is/are
      different from Ca(2+)- or Mg(2+)-binding site(s), and the environment of Zn2+
      nuclei will not change even though Ca2+ binds to S100s.

PMID- 1419967
TI  - Gelation of globular proteins: effect of pH and ionic strength on the critical
      concentration for gel formation. A simple model and its application to beta
      lactoglobulin heat-induced gelation.
AB  - The influence of pH (2-9) and ionic strength (0-0.14 M NaCl) on the sol-gel
      transition of beta-lactoglobulin was investigated in order to determine the
      critical gel concentration (C0). The concentration necessary to form a gel near
      the isoelectric pH remains approximately constant (approximately 1% w/v)
      independently of the ionic strength. At other pH values, the higher the ionic
      strength is, the lower the protein concentration must be to form a gel. A
      theoretical model to relate the effect of the intensity and the range of
      electrostatic interactions on the critical concentration (C0) is proposed and
      fits reasonably with the experimental results.

PMID- 1419968
TI  - Control of collagen fibril diameters in tissues.
AB  - It is proposed that radial growth of collagen fibrils, which takes place in all
      connective tissues to varying extents, according to the tensile stresses exerted
      on them, proceeds mainly by aggregation of protofibrils (approximately 10 nm) and
      existing fibrils. In young tissues, fibrils are prevented from making frequent
      intimate contacts which would lead to aggregation by abundant interfibrillar
      proteoglycan, that keeps the fibrils apart. Collagen fibrils are probably unable
      to fuse except when the molecules within them are packed in the same sense, i.e.
      fusing fibrils are parallel. The roughly equal numbers of parallel and
      antiparallel fibrils seen in several tissues must limit radial fibril growth in
      older tissues, where proteoglycan is usually less abundant. Possible origins of
      the balance of fibril polarities, which must be conserved after fibril nucleation
      on cell or non-cell templates, are analysed. The two controlling factors, ambient
      proteoglycan and fibril polarity, working against the tendency of fibrils to
      fuse, account for many features of the observed distributions of collagen fibril
      diameters in diverse tissues and at different ages.

PMID- 1419969
TI  - Study on the prevention of surface-induced platelet activation by albumin
      coating.
AB  - To understand how albumin on the surface inhibits surface-induced platelet
      activation, we adsorbed albumin on dimethyldichlorosilane-coated glass (DDS
      glass) and modified the adsorbed albumin by three different methods. The adsorbed
      albumin was crosslinked with glutaraldehyde, dried and rehydrated, or digested
      with trypsin. Surface albumin concentration did not change by crosslinking;
      however, it decreased by about 15% by a simple dry-and-rehydration process.
      Trypsin digestion reduced the surface albumin concentration by 50%. Platelets
      were found to adhere and activate on albumin coated DDS-glass, if the adsorbed
      albumin was modified. The extent of platelet activation was quantified with two
      numeric parameters, the spread area and circularity. Fibrinogen adsorption to the
      dried or digested albumin layer resulted in enhancement of platelet activation,
      while adsorption of more albumin inhibited platelet activation. The results
      suggest that albumin can inhibit platelet activation as long as it covers the
      surface completely and remains flexible on the surface. This study indicates that
      steric repulsion is one of the mechanisms of surface passivation by albumin.

PMID- 1419970
TI  - Influence of a preadsorbed terpolymer on human platelet accumulation, fibrinogen
      adsorption, and ex vivo blood activation in hemodialysis hollow fibers.
AB  - Results are presented on kinetics of platelet accumulation in charged
      polyacrylonitrile (AN69) hollow fibers by continuous data recording under flow
      conditions (wall shear rate 108-1050 s-1), using suspensions of washed 111In
      labeled human platelets in Tyrode's-albumin buffer, containing washed red blood
      cells (0-40%). Preadsorption of a terpolymer of acrylonitrile,
      poly(ethyleneoxide) methacrylate and trimethylaminoethyl chloride methacrylate
      leads to very efficient passivation with respect to platelet accumulation and
      fibrinogen adsorption. In human ex vivo tests, evaluation of complement peptide
      C3a, platelet beta-thromboglobulin, leucocyte-polymorphonuclear neutrophile
      elastase and fibrinopeptide A shows no detectable activation. Furthermore,
      preadsorption appears to result in simultaneous improvement in hemocompatibility
      of the blood lines leading to and from the dialysis module. This single
      pretreatment of dialysis membranes should allow injection of lower doses of
      anticoagulant to patients submitted to hemodialysis.

PMID- 1419971
TI  - Growth of uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains at solid surfaces.
AB  - The adhesion and growth of two catheter-associated (O2K2 and O83K?) and two non
      catheter-associated (O111K58 and O157K-) uropathogenic Escherichia coli strains
      on glass, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), a negatively charged copolymer of MMA
      and methacrylic acid (MAA) and a positively charged copolymer of MMA and
      trimethylaminoethyl methacrylate chloride (TMAEMA-Cl) were studied. The solid
      surfaces were placed in a parallel plate perfusion system. After preadhesion of
      the bacteria onto the surfaces, growth was initiated by perfusing the system with
      MacConkey broth. Growth was measured by counting adherent bacteria as a function
      of time. Bacterial strains were characterized by means of water contact angle,
      microbial adhesion to hydrocarbon (MATH), anion exchange resin retention (ARR)
      and zeta potential measurements. Solid surfaces were characterized by means of
      water contact angle and zeta potential measurements. The catheter-associated
      strains had significantly higher water contact angles, zeta potentials and ARR
      values than the non catheter-associated strains. Non catheter-associated strains
      did not grow at the surfaces used. Catheter-associated strains did not grow at
      the positively charged surface but exhibited growth at the other surfaces.
      Strains grew more rapidly at surfaces with a relatively high negative zeta
      potential and a low water contact angle than at surfaces with a relatively low
      negative zeta potential and a high water contact angle. The growth of strain O2K2
      on glass was significantly reduced when urine instead of MacConkey broth was used
      as perfusion medium.

PMID- 1419972
TI  - A new apheresis system using a copolymer (polyvinyl alcohol triethylene glycol
      diacrylate) for removal of LDL from dog whole blood.
AB  - Studies were undertaken to determine the effectiveness of a copolymer composed of
      PVA-TEGDA (Poly Vinyl Alcohol TriEthylene Glycol) as a plasma-cholesterol
      lowering procedure. For a comparative study, five dogs underwent plasmapheresis
      including the transfusion bag containing gel in the plasma line, while three
      control dogs underwent the same plasmapheresis without gel. Numerous biological
      determinations were performed firstly in whole blood circulation before and after
      treatment over 10 days, and secondly in plasma before and after LDL binding on
      the gel. In the whole blood circulation, the average significant depletion of
      cholesterol levels was 31-51% for treated, 0-16% for control dogs and the average
      significant depletion of LDL cholesterol was 26-75% for treated and 0-3% for
      control dogs. Gel was therefore able to bind 121-217 mg of total cholesterol and
      34-70 mg of LDL cholesterol per gram of gel. Lipid and lipoprotein levels
      rebounded 3-4 days after treatment. Adverse effects were not observed during all
      plasmapheresis. No significant differences between control plasmapheresis and gel
      plasmapheresis were obtained for blood cell counts while lengthened coagulation
      times were observed during 24 h. Complement was not significantly activated by
      the copolymer as shown by a same decreased activity in the blood stream of all
      dogs: in fact, CH 50 depletion in the gel incubated plasma was due to a protein
      adsorption on the hydrogel. This new approach for LDL apheresis appears to be a
      promising new technique.

PMID- 1419973
TI  - The effect of an intramedullary self-reinforced poly-L-lactide (SR-PLLA) implant
      on growing bone with special reference to fixation properties. An experimental
      study on growing rabbits.
AB  - Polylactic acid (PLA) is a synthetic biodegradable material. The self-reinforced
      implants made of poly-L-lactic acid (SR-PLLA) were manufactured of biodegradable
      polymeric matrix reinforced with fibres of the same material. The purpose of this
      study was to find out the effect of an intramedullary SR-PLLA implant on growing
      bone and its applicability to the fixation of a femoral shaft osteotomy in a
      growing rabbit. In seven rabbits 6 weeks of age a SR-PLLA implant 2.0 mm in
      diameter and 50 mm in length was introduced into the intramedullary cavity of the
      right femur. A proximal femoral shaft osteotomy of the right femur was made in
      another ten 6-weeks-old rabbits. After accurate reduction, fixation of the
      osteotomy was achieved with an intramedullary 2.0 mm by 50 mm SR-PLLA-rod. The
      follow-up times were 6 and 28 weeks. An intramedullary SR-PLLA-rod neither caused
      any disturbance of the bone growth nor abnormalities of the peripheral blood cell
      counts. Solid union of the osteotomy was seen in six weeks after fixation with SR
      PLLA implant.

PMID- 1419974
TI  - A new hydrophilic polymer for biomaterial coatings with low protein adsorption.
AB  - BIOPOL polyurethane polymers, an extension of the HYPOL Polymer series of
      foamable hydrophilic polymers, have been developed which exhibit improved
      performance for selected biomedical applications. Members of the BIOPOL
      polyurethane polymer series, with molecular weights in the range of 7000 to
      30,000, are larger molecules than HYPOL polymers (MW less than 3000) and produce
      hydrogels, rather than foams, when mixed with water. The prototype material in
      this series, BIOPOL XP-5, is a liquid prepolymer which chain extends in water and
      forms a hydrogel which can contain greater than 85% water. The time required for
      polymerization with water was dependent on the prepolymer: water ratio. This
      prepolymer was coated onto silica and medical grade tubing and then cured in
      place with water to form a stable coating which was resistant to non-specific
      protein binding. In addition, soluble, isocyanate-free forms of the prepolymer
      were tested for toxicity and shown to produce no adverse effects when injected
      intravenously into mice or when applied to a chicken chorioallantoic membrane.
      BIOPOL polymers can be useful in applications where protein adsorption is an
      undesirable event.

PMID- 1419976
TI  - In vitro cytotoxicity of melanized poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogels, a
      novel class of ocular biomaterials.
AB  - Due to their ability to absorb ultraviolet and visible radiation, we have
      proposed the melanized poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogels as
      biomaterials suitable for the manufacture of soft artificial intraocular lenses.
      Their biocompatibility has not been evaluated so far. In this study, poly(2
      hydroxyethyl methacrylate) containing various amounts of adrenochrome-melanin
      were synthesized and the cytotoxicity of their aqueous extracts was assessed by
      using four in vitro testing techniques (trypan blue dye exclusion, inhibition of
      DNA synthesis, lactate dehydrogenase release, and inhibition of cell growth).
      Assays were based on incubation with human choroidal fibroblasts. By the first
      three techniques, no cytotoxicity was found in the extracts. The inhibition of
      cell growth test showed a slight cellular protein loss, however only in the
      extracts of polymers with high melanin content. The results suggest that the
      release of potentially toxic agents from melanized hydrogels into an aqueous
      medium is not significant. However, when an assay in collagen gel was carried out
      in the presence of specimens of melanized hydrogels, a toxic reaction was clearly
      revealed. This can be caused by a delayed release of toxic molecules from
      melanin, or by some other mechanism. The use of melanin-containing polymers as
      implant materials becomes questionable and further research is necessary.

PMID- 1419975
TI  - Surface characterization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate/styrene copolymers by
      angle-dependent X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and static secondary ion mass
      spectrometry.
AB  - The surface composition and structure of three structurally distinct amphiphilic
      copolymers of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and styrene have been examined
      with angle-dependent X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and static secondary
      ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The phase-separated block copolymer made by anionic
      living polymerization, HSH-A50, showed significant surface enrichment of styrene.
      The outermost 2-3 A appeared to be approximately 100% styrene, with the styrene
      concentration decreasing to its bulk value at a depth of approximately 50 A from
      the surface. However, HEMA was detected in the outer 20 A of this copolymer. The
      presence of HEMA in the surface region implies this copolymer may undergo
      significant restructuring when hydrated in a hydrophilic environment (as opposed
      to the hydrophobic environment in which the sample was prepared and analyzed).
      The phase-separated block copolymer made by telechelic coupling of free radical
      polymerized functionalized oligomers, HSH-B60, showed only slight styrene
      enrichment at the surface. Both HEMA and styrene were detected at all sampling
      depths, including the outermost surface layer, consistent with the presence of
      discrete HEMA and styrene domains at the copolymer surface. Since both components
      are already present at the surface under hydrophobic conditions, the degree of
      restructuring this copolymer may undergo upon hydration should be minor. The
      random HEMA--styrene copolymer made by conventional free radical initiation
      techniques, HS-RAN50, had a surface composition that was similar to the bulk
      composition and independent of depth, as expected for a homogeneously mixed
      copolymer film.

PMID- 1419977
TI  - Control of adhesion and detachment of parenchymal liver cells using lactose
      carrying polystyrene as substratum.
AB  - Adhesion of hepatocytes on culture dishes whose surface was coated with a lactose
      carrying styrene homopolymer (PVLA) was investigated. Hepatocytes maintained
      their round shape on PVLA substratum, which is in contrast to the usual spread
      shape characteristic of those cultured on collagen and fibronectin substrata.
      Calcium ion was indispensable for hepatocyte adhesion in PVLA substratum, and
      hence the hepatocytes on PVLA were easily detached when the culture was treated
      with ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA). The recovered hepatocytes readheres
      to PVLA. The adhesion of hepatocytes to PVLA was not inhibited by cytochalasin B
      but by colchicine. Hepatocytes recognize the galactose moieties on the surface of
      asialoglycoproteins and removes these proteins from the blood stream by receptor
      mediated endocytosis. The mechanism of adhesion of hepatocytes on PVLA substratum
      which contains a high density of galactose residues was distinct from the
      attachment on collagen and fibronectin substrata, and showed great similarity to
      the receptor and ligand interactions which occurs in the clearance of
      asialoglycoproteins by hepatocytes.

PMID- 1419978
TI  - Cytocompatibility study of NHLBI primary reference materials using human
      endothelial cells.
AB  - Four different materials, low density polyethylene (LDPE), polydimethylsiloxane
      (PDMS), polyvinylcholoride (PVC) and cellulose, were selected by the Devices and
      Technology Branch of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) as
      primary reference materials for blood contacting. Among the wide variety of tests
      proposed to assess hemocompatibility of short-term blood contacting catheters, it
      was desirable to rule out whether these materials could release toxics for
      vascular cells of the physiological environment. Thus, the cytocompatibility of
      these materials have been checked towards human umbilical vein endothelial cells:
      the method used avoids direct contact between cells and materials but evaluates
      the effect of possible toxic substances leached from materials. These substances
      were obtained under defined conditions according to a standard. The results show
      that the extracts of cellulose and LDPE provoke an important cytotoxic effect on
      the endothelial cell cultures, while the extracts of PDMS and PVC allow the
      obtention of endothelial cell lining of the reference surface, with a correct
      global metabolic activity and the intracellular presence of von Willebrand
      factor.

PMID- 1419979
TI  - Some methods for evaluating clinical itch and their application for studying
      pathophysiological mechanisms.
AB  - Research on itch has been hampered by difficulties in measuring the itch
      sensation. A microcomputer-based system, where the patients themselves record
      their symptoms on portable data loggers can be used for quantitative measurements
      of clinical itch and for the detection of antipruritic effects of drugs. By using
      this system we have found that itch in atopic dermatitis is not inhibited by
      antihistamines but by cyclosporin A, a drug inhibiting cytokine production. Thus
      histamine is not a major pruritogen in atopic dermatitis. A hypothesis is
      proposed that cytokines are involved in itch in atopic dermatitis.

PMID- 1419980
TI  - Localization of fibronectin in the initial lymphatics and blood vessels of normal
      human skin: an immunoelectron microscopic investigation.
AB  - The initial lymphatics of the human skin do not possess a basal lamina, but a
      subendothelial fibrous network, of which we do not know the biochemical and
      immunohistological composition. We investigated the wall of blood vessels and
      initial lymphatics in normal human skin for the presence of fibronectin by
      immunoelectron microscopy. We found discontinuous linear subendothelial
      diaminobenzidine (DAB) reaction products in both blood vessels and lymphatics. In
      addition fibronectin could be found at the anchoring fibrils of the initial
      lymphatics.

PMID- 1419981
TI  - Immunohistological analysis of P53 expression in human skin tumors.
AB  - The p53 expression in various skin tumors was immunohistologically evaluated
      using two mouse monoclonal anti-p53 antibodies, PAb421 and PAb1801. The p53
      expression was not detected in the normal epidermal cells. Nuclear staining
      suggested that the p53 expression was observed in 10 of 26 squamous cell
      carcinomas (SCCs) from 24 patients, in one undifferentiated carcinoma, one
      proliferating trichilemmal cyst, one malignant proliferating trichilemmal tumor
      and in one metastatic carcinoma of breast cancer. None off four cases of Bowen's
      disease (SCC in situ) showed nuclear staining. In the SCCs, five of 20 primary
      lesions, three of four recurrent lesions and both of two metastatic lesions had
      positive nuclei. There was one case of SCC in which a primary lesion was negative
      but a recurrent lesion was positive. Thus, p53 expression was more frequently
      observed in SCCs at more clinically advanced stages. This may suggest that p53
      has some relevance to progression of SCC. Nuclear staining was not detected in
      any of the following cases: two cases of seborrheic keratosis, one eccrine
      poroma, one keratoacanthoma, 11 basal cell epitheliomas, two mammary Paget's
      disease, three genital Paget's disease, one sebaceous carcinoma, four malignant
      melanomas, six lymphomas, two leukemia cutis and two angiosarcomas.

PMID- 1419983
TI  - Association of ras p21 with differentiation of epidermal keratinocytes in
      proliferating skin diseases.
AB  - We examined the localization of DNA replicating cells and ras oncogene product
      p21 positive cells in proliferating skin diseases, such as psoriasis vulgaris,
      lichen planus, verruca vulgaris, verruca plana juvenilis and seborrheic
      keratosis. ras p21-positive cells were found rather in the differentiated layers
      than in the proliferating layers of the epidermis. We indicate that the
      expression of ras p21 can be associated with the differentiation of epidermal
      keratinocytes not only in tumor tissues but also in inflammatory skin disease.

PMID- 1419982
TI  - Differences in HTLV-I integration patterns between skin lesions and peripheral
      blood lymphocytes of HTLV-I seropositive patients with cutaneous
      lymphoproliferative disorders.
AB  - We examined HTLV-I integration patterns in nine cases of HTLV-I-seropositive
      patients with cutaneous lymphoproliferative disorders. The Southern blot on EcoRI
      digests of DNA revealed a discrete band of HTLV-I provirus (monoclonal
      integration) in either skin lesions or peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). Four
      cases showed the monoclonal integration of HTLV-I provirus only in skin lesions:
      one case showed only in PBL and two cases showed in both skin and PBL. The
      Southern blot on PstI digests of DNA revealed a 2.4 Kb band of the internal
      construct of HTLV-I provirus (polyclonal integration) in the PBL of EcoRI
      negative samples. The difference in HTLV-I integration patterns between skin
      lesions and PBL in these cases suggests that the monoclonal outgrowth of HTLV-I
      infected cells in the skin is causatively associated with the pathogenesis of
      cutaneous ATL.

PMID- 1419984
TI  - Role of fibronectin in the adherence of Staphylococcus aureus to dermal tissues.
AB  - Staphylococcus aureus has a fibronectin receptor on its surface. Fibronectin
      seems to play a role in the initiation and modification of infection with S.
      aureus. We studied the role of fibronectin in the binding of S. aureus (clinical
      isolates) to dermal tissues in mice, and the relationship between the fibronectin
      binding ability of S. aureus and clinical features of S. aureus skin infections.
      Mice were inoculated with S. aureus incubated with gold-particles bound
      fibronectin and skin specimens were taken for electron microscopic examination.
      The number of gold particles surrounding the S. aureus cells decreased with time,
      with none detected 4 h after inoculation. At both 5 min and 1 h after
      inoculation, gold particles were only found on the free surface of S. aureus
      cells and not in the interface between S. aureus cells and fibroblasts.
      Fibronectin-bound gold particles were bound more extensively to S. aureus strains
      isolated from furunculosis or furuncle than to those from bullous impetigo. These
      results suggest that the matrix fibronectin on the surface of the fibroblasts of
      mice contributes to the adherence of S. aureus to the fibroblasts, and that the
      number of fibronectin binding sites on S. aureus cells is related to the degree
      of local invasiveness.

PMID- 1419985
TI  - Decompensation in proteinase-inhibitor system and application of proteinase
      inhibitors in pemphigus and pemphigoid.
AB  - The goal of this study was to determine levels of serine proteinases and their
      inhibitors in serum and blister fluid of patients with pemphigus vulgaris (PV)
      and bullous pemphigoid (BP) in the course of treatment with prednisolone and
      proteinase inhibitors such as Contrycal and epsilon-aminocaproic acid. Assessment
      of the total proteolytic activity of serine proteinases (TPASP) and total
      antitryptic activity (TATA) is sera and blister fluids from 53 PV and 38 BP
      patients showed abnormalities in the proteinase and proteinase inhibitor levels
      in the acute stage of these bullous dermatoses. In PV, the level of TRASP was
      raised to 495 +/- 73 mU/ml (control 246 +/- 48 mU/ml; P < 0.001) in serum and to
      849 +/- 96 mU/ml (control 189 +/- 34 mU/ml; P < 0.001) in blister fluid. In BP,
      the level of TRASP was raised to 472 +/- 101 mU/ml (P < 0.001) and 796 +/- 103
      mU/ml (P < 0.001) in serum and blister fluid, respectively. In both dermatoses,
      the increase in serine proteinase activity developed against the background of
      decreased or unchanged antiproteolytic activity. TATA levels dropped to 16 +/- 5
      inhibitory units (iU)/ml (control 26 +/- 5 iU/ml; P < 0.001) in PV serum and to 6
      +/- 1 iU/ml (control 20 +/- 2 iU/ml: P < 0.001) in PV blister fluid. In BP, serum
      TATA levels were within normal values, whereas blister fluid TATA levels were
      significantly decreased (14 +/- 3 iU/ml; P < 0.1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1419986
TI  - Sebaceous gland activity and urinary androgen levels in children.
AB  - Sebum and 24-h urine samples were collected from 17 children, aged 10-17 years.
      Wax ester (WE) secretion rates were measured as the index for sebaceous gland
      activity. The fatty acid methyl esters were analyzed by capillary gas
      chromatography. Urinary testosterone as well as 17-ketosteroids (androsterone,
      dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and etiocholanolone) were separated from the urine
      samples and analyzed by gas chromatography. WE secretion rates increased with age
      and there were correlated changes in the monounsaturated fatty acids of WEs.
      Straight chain types such as 14:1 and 16:1 tended to increase, while 18:1 tended
      to decrease. There was a negative correlation between iso even fatty acids and WE
      secretion rates. However the other chain types such as straight odd, iso odd and
      anteiso odd showed no statistically significant change in relation to WE
      secretion rates. WE secretion rates were correlated positively with testosterone
      levels in both sexes, with DHEA in males, and with etiocholanolone in females.
      The results suggest that sebaceous gland activity is stimulated by adrenocortical
      androgens in prepuberty, in addition to the strong effect of testosterone during
      puberty.

PMID- 1419987
TI  - Intrauterine rhythm and blues?

PMID- 1419988
TI  - Antibiotic prophylaxis and caesarean section.

PMID- 1419989
TI  - Antenatal cardiotocogram quality and interpretation using computers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To test the application in practice of computerized fetal heart rate
      (FHR) analysis in pregnancy. DESIGN: Randomized distribution of subjects with
      computerized analysis automatically revealed or concealed. SETTING: A district
      general hospital and a teaching hospital outside London. SUBJECTS: 2869 pregnant
      women studied within a year. OUTCOME MEASURES: Quality and duration of the
      cardiotocogram; quantitative measurement of FHR variation; number of stillbirths.
      RESULTS: With interactive advice to the operator, records were of improved
      quality (up to 28% without signal loss) with potentially much reduced recording
      time. The short-term FHR variation measured in the last records before
      intervention is reported for the first time. CONCLUSION: The benefits of using
      the computers include improvement in record quality and saving of time. In
      addition, where interpretation depended on estimation of FHR variation there was
      prima facie evidence of observer misinterpretation; visual analysis was
      unreliable. A larger trial is now required with more rigorous constraints on
      intervention.

PMID- 1419990
TI  - Previous miscarriage and stillbirth as risk factors for other unfavourable
      outcomes in the next pregnancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To look for associations between previous fetal loss and fetal
      malformation or low birthweight in a subsequent pregnancy. DESIGN: A case-control
      study with place of birth, time and sex matched controls. SETTING: 72 South
      American maternity hospitals. SUBJECTS: 18,534 malformed, 1150 non-malformed
      babies of low birthweight and 16,394 controls. All babies were from mothers with
      at least one previous pregnancy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Frequency of stillbirths
      and miscarriages in the previous pregnancy and outcome of the index pregnancy.
      RESULTS: Multiple malformation, Down's syndrome, anencephaly, spina bifida, pes
      equinovarus, congenital dislocation of the hip and low birthweight are associated
      with previous fetal loss. CONCLUSION: A miscarriage or a stillbirth in a previous
      pregnancy should be taken into account when the risk of malformations or low
      birthweight in a subsequent pregnancy is assessed.

PMID- 1419991
TI  - Lack of relation between fetal blood gases and fetal blood flow velocity waveform
      indices found in rhesus isoimmunised pregnancies.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation between umbilical vein blood gas
      components and the vascular resistance in four fetal arteries in Rh-immunised
      pregnancies. DESIGN: A prospective observational study over a 4-month period.
      SETTING: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi
      Arabia. SUBJECTS: Fifteen Rh-isoimmunised pregnant women. INTERVENTIONS: Pulsed
      Doppler examinations of the umbilical artery, fetal internal carotid artery,
      thoracic aorta and abdominal aorta before transabdominal fetal blood sampling
      from the umbilical vein on 38 occasions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Doppler flow
      velocity pulsatility index (PI), systolic/diastolic ratio (A/B) and resistance
      index (RI) in the four fetal arteries investigated were related to the umbilical
      vein blood gases and acid-base status (PO2, PCO2, O2-content, CO2-content, HCO3,
      base excess and lactate concentration). RESULTS: There were no correlations
      between the Doppler indices in any of the vessels studied and the blood gases
      components in the umbilical vein. The ratios between the corresponding Doppler
      indices in the different vessels were also independent of the blood gases and
      acid-base status and there were no significant differences in the Doppler indices
      in the same vessel between fetuses with blood gas values over the 75th centile
      and those with values below the 25th centile. CONCLUSION: This study does not
      support a reduction in peripheral vascular resistance in the fetal cerebrum in
      relation to fetal hypoxia in Rh-immunized pregnancies.

PMID- 1419992
TI  - A comparison between computerised (mean range) and clinical visual
      cardiotocographic assessment.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare computer cardiotocographic (CTG) analysis with clinical
      visual analysis. DESIGN: A retrospective blind comparison of the two techniques
      of CTG assessment. SETTING: Fetal Assessment Unit, King's College Hospital,
      London. SUBJECTS: One hundred CTG traces of women referred to the unit were
      studied; the traces were taken after 32 weeks' gestation, within 10 days of
      delivery and where outcome was known. INTERVENTIONS: The CTG traces were assessed
      both by the computer (System 8000 computerised CTG analyser, Oxford Sonicaid Ltd)
      and visually, by one of us. MAIN OUTCOME: Computer mean range from 0 to 80 in ms
      clinical visual CTG score from 0 to 80 (arbitrary units). A score < 20 is
      ominous; suspicious when between 20 and 30; and normal when > 30. RESULTS: There
      was close correlation between the computer mean range and clinical visual
      assessment (r = 0.78, n = 100, P = 0.001). However, there were 13 occasions where
      the computer classified the trace as abnormal when clinical visual assessment was
      normal, indicating computer false positives. All these pregnancies had normal
      outcomes. There were no traces where computer analysis was normal and clinical
      visual assessment abnormal. CONCLUSIONS: Computerised CTG analysis gives an
      objective assessment which agrees closely with experienced visual assessment. It
      also provides a number which can be used to assess the value of fetal heart rate
      analysis.

PMID- 1419993
TI  - The risk of acute myocardial infarction after oestrogen and oestrogen-progestogen
      replacement.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the relative risk of developing a first acute myocardial
      infarction after treatment with oestrogens alone or oestrogen-progestogen
      combinations. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study utilizing a prescription-based and
      record linkage system for a follow-up period from 1977 to 1983. Average
      individual observation time was 5.8 years. SETTING: The entire female population
      of the Uppsala Health Care Region (1.4 million inhabitants), one-sixth of the
      total Swedish population. SUBJECTS: 23,174 women aged 35 years and older,
      identified from pharmacy records as having been prescribed non-contraceptive
      oestrogens during 1977-1980. OUTCOMES: Admissions to hospitals for first acute
      myocardial infarctions. RESULTS: Overall, 227 cases of a first acute myocardial
      infarction were observed as against 281:1 expected, RR = 0.81 (95% confidence
      limits 0.71 to 0.92). Women who were younger than 60 years at entry into the
      study and prescribed oestradiol compounds (1-2 mg) or conjugated oestrogens
      (0.625-1.25 mg) showed a significant 30% reduction of the relative risk (RR =
      0.69, 0.54 to 0.86). Those prescribed a combined oestradiol-levonorgestrel brand
      also demonstrated a significantly lowered relative risk (RR = 0.53, 0.30 to
      0.87). The risk estimates were near unity during the first year of follow-up but
      decreased during subsequent years. Exposure to the weak oestrogen oestriol did
      not alter the risk. CONCLUSION: Hormonal replacement therapy with oestrogens
      alone, and maybe also when cyclically combined with progestogens, can reduce the
      risk of acute myocardial infarction.

PMID- 1419994
TI  - Outpatient falloposcopy: intra-luminal imaging of the fallopian tube by trans
      uterine fibre-optic endoscopy as an outpatient procedure.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To develop trans-uterine falloposcopy using the linear eversion
      technique in outpatients. DESIGN: A prospective, descriptive study of the
      introduction and application of this new technique. SETTING: A tertiary referral
      University Research Clinic independent of operating theatres and inpatient
      admission. SUBJECTS: Twenty-one infertile women with previous evidence of
      fallopian tube disease. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Rate of successful tubal
      cannulation and procedure completion, tubal section visualized, condition of the
      tubal epithelium, subsequent treatment plan. RESULTS: A bilateral examination was
      attempted in 19/21 patients and completed in 18. Two early falloposcopies with
      inadequate analgesia were aborted due to pain after only one tube had been
      examined without an attempt to identify or cannulate the contralateral tubal
      ostium. In one patient, neither ostium was identified or cannulated. After ostial
      localization, 37/37 tubes were cannulated. If the ostium was not localized but
      'blind' cannulation attempted, 1/3 were cannulated successfully. Epithelium
      characteristic of the ampulla was seen in 31/38 (82%) tubes, and of the proximal
      tube only in 3/38 (8%). Successful bilateral assessment noted complete bilateral
      proximal obstruction in 2/18 patients, non-obstructive bilateral endotubal damage
      in 7/18, unilateral damage in 3/18 and bilateral healthy tubes in 6/18.
      Unilateral examination in two patients found minimal evidence of damage in one
      and severe intra-tubal adhesions in the other. After falloposcopy, 11/21 patients
      elected for IVF, 9/21 tubal surgery and 1/21 for IVF whilst awaiting surgery.
      CONCLUSION: Falloposcopy is a technique which can be performed in an outpatient
      clinic. It is well tolerated, and high rates of luminal cannulation and
      visualization are possible. Atraumatic access to the tube and visualization of
      its lumen offer exciting opportunities for diagnosis and treatment of tubal
      conditions.

PMID- 1419995
TI  - Intergenerational studies of human birthweight from the 1958 birth cohort. II. Do
      parents who were twins have babies as heavy as those born to singletons?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To ascertain whether maternal twinning influences the previously
      described association between the birthweight of singleton mothers and their
      infants. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: The association between the birthweight of
      singleton parents and their offspring and that between twin parents and their
      offspring was compared using data from the 23-year-old sample of the 1958 British
      national birth cohort. The numbers available for full comparison were 1027 female
      and 611 male singleton cohort members, and 26 female and 17 male twin cohort
      members and their first singleton livebirths. RESULTS: Of the mothers who had
      been twins, half had been of low birthweight, and overall their mean weight was
      700 g less than that of their singleton counterparts. Nevertheless, the mean
      birthweight of babies of twin mothers was 133 g, and of twin fathers 94 g,
      greater than of babies of corresponding singletons. For female, but not male,
      parents this difference persisted after adjustment for confounding variables.
      CONCLUSIONS: We suggest two possible reasons for the difference between the
      weight of babies of twin and singleton mothers. Firstly, the growth of twins
      becomes retarded late in pregnancy, possibly after a period critical in
      determining long-term reproductive effects. Secondly, the twin survivors were of
      higher birthweight than the original twin cohort, whilst the singleton survivors
      were more representative of all singleton births, thus introducing a possible
      bias.

PMID- 1419996
TI  - A prospective study comparing the outcome of oocytes retrieved in the aspirate
      with those retrieved in the flush during transvaginal ultrasound directed oocyte
      recovery for in-vitro fertilization.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study prospectively the fate of oocytes collected from the
      follicular aspirate and subsequent flushes during transvaginal ultrasound
      directed oocyte recovery for in-vitro fertilization (IVF). SETTING: A tertiary
      referral assisted conception centre. SUBJECTS: 100 consecutive patients
      undergoing 100 cycles of IVF. Four patients were withdrawn because their embryos
      were electively cryopreserved. Therefore 96 cycles were studied. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: The oocyte recovery rate, viability, fertilization and cleavage rates
      and outcome of embryos generated from oocytes that were obtained from either the
      initial aspirate (A1), dead space in the collecting system (A2) or the first two
      2 ml flushes (F1 and F2) were compared. RESULTS: The overall oocyte recovery rate
      was 87.8%. Of the 1046 oocytes collected, 40.3% were from A1, 41.3% from A2,
      13.7% from F1 and 4.7% from F2. There were comparable numbers of viable and
      fertilized oocytes and cleaved, transferred and frozen embryos in tubes A1 and A2
      but all these parameters were significantly lower in tubes F1 and F2 (P <
      0.0001). All these parameters were also significantly higher in F1 compared with
      F2 (P < 0.001), except for the number of embryos frozen, in which there was no
      difference. The overall pregnancy rate per cycle was 28.1% and the pregnancy rate
      per embryo transfer was 31.0%. There were no pregnancies in any of the cycles in
      which embryos originating from F2 were transferred, nor were there pregnancies in
      cycles in which only embryos from F1 were transferred. CONCLUSION: Follicular
      aspiration together with one 2 ml flush maximises the recovery of oocytes that
      will result in pregnancies.

PMID- 1419997
TI  - Maternal and fetal atrial natriuretic peptide levels at delivery from normal and
      growth retarded pregnancies.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether circulating fetal levels of the vasodilator
      atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) are reduced in pregnancies complicated by
      intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). DESIGN: Prospective observational study.
      SETTING: University teaching hospital and research laboratory. SUBJECTS: 25
      normal singleton pregnancies delivered at term by spontaneous vertex delivery (n
      = 16) or by elective caesarean section (n = 9), and a series of 14 singleton
      pregnancies complicated by IUGR. INTERVENTION: Measurement of ANP by radio
      immunoassay in maternal venous, umbilical artery, and umbilical vein plasma from
      a series of normal, and IUGR pregnancies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comparison of
      plasma ANP levels between the three groups; relation between fetal ANP, PO2 and
      pH. RESULTS: Mode of delivery did not influence either maternal, umbilical artery
      or umbilical vein plasma ANP levels in normal term singleton pregnancies.
      Umbilical vein ANP levels were significantly higher in the IUGR group when
      compared with normal pregnancies at term (mean 66 95%, CI 36-122 vs mean 37, 95%
      CI 29-47 pg/ml, P = 0.03) and were inversely related to umbilical artery pH (R2 =
      65%; P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that umbilical vein ANP levels
      are elevated in pregnancies complicated by IUGR, and rise appropriately in
      response to the stress of acidosis. In the absence of any receptor or second
      messenger defect within feto-placental vascular smooth muscle, these data suggest
      that ANP is not directly implicated in the vascular pathophysiology of IUGR.

PMID- 1419998
TI  - Raynaud's phenomenon and peripheral gangrene complicating scleroderma in
      pregnancy--diagnosis and management.

PMID- 1419999
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging pelvimetry: a useful adjunct in the management of the
      obese patient.

PMID- 1420000
TI  - Recurrent idiopathic non-immunologic hydrops fetalis: a report of two families,
      with three and two affected siblings.

PMID- 1420001
TI  - Unreactive fetal heart rate pattern and atrial flutter.

PMID- 1420002
TI  - Determination of twin zygosity by DNA hybridisation to wild type bacteriophage
      M13.

PMID- 1420003
TI  - Measurement of amniotic fluid volume in early labour is a useful admission test.

PMID- 1420004
TI  - Can out-of-hours work by junior doctors in obstetrics be reduced? and role of
      senior house officer in the labour ward.

PMID- 1420005
TI  - Role of prostaglandins in the management of prelabour rupture of membranes at
      term.

PMID- 1420006
TI  - WHO appropriate technology for birth revisited.

PMID- 1420007
TI  - A case-control study of unexplained antepartum stillbirths.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To ascertain factors that will identify women who are at increased
      risk of unexplained antepartum stillbirth. DESIGN: Matched case-control study.
      The cases and controls were initially analysed as a whole group and again after
      dichotomizing into those of low birthweight (< 2500 g) and those of normal
      birthweight (> or = 2500 g). SETTING: Western Australia 1980-1983. SUBJECTS:
      Unexplained antepartum stillbirths of > or = 1000 g birthweight (cases) and
      liveborn infants individually matched for year of birth, plurality, sex and
      birthweight of infant and race of mother (controls). RESULTS: The case
      pregnancies had more polyhydramnios (OR 10.83, 95% CI 2.41-48.69) and cord
      problems (OR 6.57 95% CI 1.36-31.75) than the controls but, paradoxically, other
      obstetric and medical complications were less common in the cases. The
      association with polyhydramnios persisted when the analysis was confined to those
      with low birthweight. With normal birthweight fetal distress was more frequent in
      the cases (OR 3.65 95% CI 1.36-9.80) but there were few other differences.
      CONCLUSIONS: The clinical and diagnostic systems currently in use are unable to
      identify many fetuses at risk of death. Decreases in the rate of unexplained
      antepartum stillbirths await the discovery of new preventable causes, or of
      innovations in clinical or laboratory aspects of obstetric care.

PMID- 1420008
TI  - A case-control study of intrapartum stillbirths.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine antenatal and intrapartum risk factors for intrapartum
      stillbirths in a total population. DESIGN: Matched case-control study. SETTING:
      Western Australia 1980-1983. SUBJECTS: Intrapartum stillbirths of > or = 1000 g
      birthweight (cases) and liveborn infants (controls) individually matched for year
      of birth, plurality, sex and birthweight of infant and race of mother. RESULTS:
      Intrapartum stillbirths were more likely than controls to have had placental
      abruption (OR = 9.55, CI = 2.09-43.69), fetal distress (OR = 4.64, CI = 1.92
      11.19), cord prolapse (OR = 10.00, CI = 1.17-85.60) and unhealthy placentas (OR =
      2.26, CI = 1.13-4.52), and more likely to have been born by vaginal breech
      manoeuvre (OR = 3.51, CI = 1.40-8.80) and emergency caesarean section (OR = 2.15,
      CI = 1.13-4.10); mothers of intrapartum stillbirths were less likely to have had
      no labour (OR = 0.14, CI = 0.04-0.55) and to have been delivered normally (OR =
      0.20, CI = 0.10-0.40). Mothers of cases born by emergency caesarean section had
      longer labours than mothers of controls born by this method. All intrapartum
      stillbirths with breech presentation were born by vaginal breech manoeuvre
      compared with only 53% of the controls; the remainder of the controls were born
      by caesarean section. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that little could have been
      done early in pregnancy to prevent the intrapartum stillbirths as no antenatal
      risk factors predicted these deaths. Most of the risk factors identified related
      to labour and delivery problems. Considering cases born by emergency caesarean
      section, delivery of the mother earlier in labour may have prevented some of the
      deaths.

PMID- 1420009
TI  - Risks of anal incontinence from subsequent vaginal delivery after a complete
      obstetric anal sphincter tear.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of various risk factors on long term anal
      incontinence in women with a complete obstetric tear of the anal sphincter.
      DESIGN: Postal questionnaire. SETTING: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics,
      Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. SUBJECTS: 152 women with complete obstetric
      tear of the anal sphincter. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Occurrence and duration of
      anal incontinence in relation to any delivery. RESULTS: 56 of 121 respondents had
      experienced a subsequent vaginal delivery; 23 (41%) of these had had transient
      anorectal incontinence directly after the complete tear and four (7%) had
      permanent anorectal incontinence. In the 23 women with transient anorectal
      incontinence directly after the complete tear, 9 (39%; 95% CI 19%-59%) developed
      anorectal incontinence after the next delivery, and this was permanent in four
      (17.4%; 95% CI 2%-33%). In the 29 women without anorectal incontinence after
      complete tear, two had transient incontinence of flatus but for less than 14 days
      after the next delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Transient anal incontinence after a
      complete tear is a predictor of anal incontinence after subsequent vaginal
      delivery. The major long term problem in our study of premenopausal women was
      incontinence of flatus. This possibility should be discussed with the women when
      a further pregnancy is planned.

PMID- 1420011
TI  - Determinants of pregnancy heartburn.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence and severity of reflux symptoms in pregnancy.
      DESIGN: Self-administered questionnaire detailing age, race, gestational age,
      parity, weight, height, symptoms and severity of gastro-oesophageal reflux.
      SETTING: An antenatal clinic in a teaching hospital. SUBJECTS: 607 consecutive
      women at various stages of pregnancy were recruited during attendance at
      antenatal clinic. RESULTS: The prevalence of heartburn increased with gestational
      age (22% in the first, 39% in the second, and 72% in the third trimester; P <
      0.0001), as did severity of heartburn (P < 0.0001). Pharyngeal regurgitation as a
      symptom showed little increase during advancing pregnancy. Symptoms of heartburn
      rapidly increased towards the end of the second trimester. The decrease in
      heartburn traditionally expected during the last three weeks of pregnancy (fetal
      head descent) was not observed. Logistic regression analysis showed increased
      risk of suffering heartburn with increasing gestational age (P < 0.0001), pre
      pregnancy heartburn (P < 0.0001), parity (P < 0.0001) and inversely with maternal
      age (P < 0.05) but not with body mass index before pregnancy, race, or weight
      gain in pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Heartburn, but less so pharyngeal regurgitation,
      increases in prevalence and severity with gestational age and parity. We
      speculate that hormone-related impairment of distal oesophageal clearance
      mechanisms may have a crucial bearing on whether heartburn develops in those
      individuals at greatest risk.

PMID- 1420012
TI  - Do fetal pulse oximetry readings at delivery correlate with cord blood
      oxygenation and acidaemia?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy of a pulse oximeter in the fetus. DESIGN: A
      prospective descriptive study, comparing oxygenation and acidaemia of cord blood
      with oxygen saturation in the arteries of the fetal scalp measured by a pulse
      oximeter just before delivery. The data were collected using an experimental
      pulse oximeter and a sensor specifically adapted to cope with the problems of
      fetal pulse oximetry. SETTING: The labour ward in a teaching hospital. SUBJECTS:
      Thirty seven Caucasian fetuses presenting by the vertex in normal uncomplicated
      labour. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Fetal pulse oximetry reading shortly before birth,
      umbilical cord oxygenation and pH, and Apgar scores. RESULTS: Data of sufficient
      quality were obtained from 28 fetuses. There was a highly significant correlation
      between pulse oximetry reading and umbilical vein oxygen saturation r = 0.59, P =
      < 0.001). There was also a significant correlation between the pulse oximeter
      reading and cord blood pH (vein: r = 0.57, P = 0.002, artery: r = 0.63, P =
      0.001). Apgar scores were not related to the oximetry results. CONCLUSION: Pulse
      oximetry readings reflect fetal oxygenation at birth.

PMID- 1420010
TI  - A comparative study of the use of epoprostenol and dihydralazine in severe
      hypertension in pregnancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the antihypertensive effects of epoprostenol sodium
      (prostacyclin) with that of dihydralazine in acute hypertensive crises of
      pregnancy. DESIGN: A prospective randomized study. A minimum of 20 patients per
      group was considered statistically acceptable (alpha = 0.05, power = 0.9).
      SETTING: A large urban tertiary hospital. SUBJECTS: Forty-seven pregnant patients
      with diastolic blood pressures of > 100 mmHg were studied. INTERVENTION: Lowering
      of high blood pressure with either dihydralazine (n = 25), the standard drug for
      this purpose, or epoprostenol (n = 22). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: A significant drop
      in high blood pressure was regarded as a fall of 15 mmHg diastolic and 30 mmHg
      systolic blood pressure. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant
      differences in the antihypertensive effects between the two treatment groups.
      Epoprostenol infusion caused less tachycardia; the mean pulse rate changed from
      81.77 beats/min, before treatment to 88.36 at stabilization, compared with a
      change from 80.96 beats/min to 102.68 in the group treated with dihydralazine (P
      = 0.0024). CONCLUSION: The place of epoprostenol in pregnancy might be in
      patients with severe hypertension and tachycardia and in those requiring acute
      control of severe hypertension on the operating table before general anaesthesia.

PMID- 1420013
TI  - The role of abnormal fetal heart rate in scheduling chorionic villus sampling.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of fetal heart rate (FHR) measurements in
      predicting spontaneous fetal loss in pregnancies scheduled for chorionic villus
      sampling (CVS). DESIGN: A prospective descriptive study. SETTING: Two hospital
      departments of obstetrics and gynaecology in Israel. SUBJECTS: 114 women between
      9 and 11 weeks gestation scheduled for chorionic villus sampling (CVS).
      INTERVENTIONS: Fetal heart rate was measured by transvaginal Doppler ultrasound
      and compared with a monogram established from 75 fetuses. Whenever a normal FHR
      was recorded, CVS was performed immediately. RESULTS: 106 women had a normal FHR
      and underwent CVS; two of these pregnancies ended in miscarriage. In five
      pregnancies no fetal heart beats could be identified and fetal death was
      diagnosed. In three pregnancies an abnormal FHR was recorded and CVS was
      postponed; all three pregnancies ended in miscarriage within 2 weeks. CONCLUSION:
      Determination of FHR correlated with crown-rump length could be useful in
      predicting spontaneous miscarriage before performing any invasive procedure late
      in the first trimester.

PMID- 1420014
TI  - Fetal heart rate in early pregnancy and chromosomal disorders.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate normal fetal heart rate in early pregnancy and assess
      the hypothesis that abnormal fetal heart rate is associated with fetal
      chromosomal abnormalities. DESIGN: Prospective descriptive cross-sectional study.
      SETTING: Antenatal clinic associated to the University Clinic of Obstetrics,
      University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands. SUBJECTS: 424 pregnant women who
      attended for prenatal counselling. INTERVENTIONS: Measurements of fetal heart
      rate from 6-16 weeks gestation, cross-sectional study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
      Fetal heart rate expressed as beats/min. RESULTS: Karyotyping showed a normal
      chromosomal pattern in 414 fetuses. The median fetal heart rate increased from
      138 beats/min at 6 weeks to 177 beats/min at 9 weeks, thereafter, fetal heart
      rate gradually decreased to 150 beats/min at 16 weeks. Karyotyping showed 10
      abnormalities: five trisomies 21, three trisomies 18, and two mosaic patterns in
      chorionic villi. Fetal heart rate of the trisomic fetuses was distributed around
      the median with that of all Down's syndrome fetuses within the normal range. In
      one fetus with trisomy 18, the heart rate exceeded the 90th centile, in another
      it fell under the 10th centile. The two fetuses with a mosaic pattern in
      chorionic villi had heart rates outside the normal range. CONCLUSION: Fetal heart
      rate in chromosomally abnormal fetuses in early pregnancy do not appear to be
      consistently different from that in normal fetuses. The use of a single
      measurement of fetal heart rate is not valuable for screening purposes.
      Chromosomal mosaicism in chorionic villi may be associated with abnormal fetal
      heart rate.

PMID- 1420015
TI  - The prognosis of adenosquamous carcinomas of the uterine cervix.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Firstly, to identify a cohort of women with invasive adenosquamous
      carcinomas of the uterine cervix, including mucin-producing squamous cell
      carcinomas. Secondly, to compare the biological characteristics and behaviour of
      a cohort of adenosquamous carcinomas with a cohort of non-mucin-producing
      squamous cell carcinomas. DESIGN: Histological review, retrospective survival
      analysis. SETTING: Regional multidisciplinary gynaecological oncology service.
      SUBJECTS: 161 cases of stage 1B and above invasive cervical carcinoma presenting
      between 1 January 1980 and 31 July 1987. Thirty nine women with adenosquamous
      carcinomas were compared with 103 women with non-mucin-producing squamous cell
      tumours. RESULTS: Inclusion of routine stains for mucin in the assessment of
      histological material resulted in the reclassification of 38 (24%) of the cases,
      including the identification of 31 mucin-producing squamous cell carcinomas. The
      survival with adenosquamous tumours was significantly worse than with squamous
      cell cancers (P = 0.006), 5-year survival rates being 52% and 75% respectively.
      Multivariate analysis showed that this effect was explained by differences in
      clinical stage, pelvic lymph node metastasis and vascular invasion by tumour.
      CONCLUSIONS: The application of routine mucin stains to cervical tumours
      identifies a group of previously unrecognized adenosquamous cancers. Tumours so
      identified are likely to pursue a more aggressive clinical course associated with
      a poorer survival when compared to non-mucin-producing squamous carcinomas.

PMID- 1420016
TI  - Increase in bone mass after one year of percutaneous oestradiol and testosterone
      implants in post-menopausal women who have previously received long-term oral
      oestrogens.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect on the bone density of the skeleton after
      changing from oral oestrogen to subcutaneous oestradiol and testosterone
      replacement. DESIGN: Prospective non-randomized single centre study. SUBJECTS:
      Twenty women who were receiving long-term oral oestrogen replacement. Ten changed
      to oestradiol and testosterone implants; the remaining ten continued with oral
      oestrogens. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Bone density was measured using dual photon
      absorptiometry at the lumbar spine and neck of femur at the start of the study
      and after one year. RESULTS: The bone density increased significantly by 5.7% at
      the spine and by 5.2% at the neck of femur in those women who changed to implant
      therapy but remained unchanged in those women who continued with oral therapy.
      CONCLUSION: Subcutaneous oestradiol and testosterone implants will result in an
      increase in bone mass even after many years of oral oestrogen replacement
      therapy.

PMID- 1420018
TI  - Distribution of renin-containing cells in the developing human kidney: an
      immunocytochemical study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To characterize the pattern of renin containing cells (RCC) within the
      human kidney between 20 weeks of gestation and 6 months of postnatal life.
      DESIGN: Descriptive study using paraffin-embedded blocks of kidney stored
      following postmortem examination. METHODS: Sections of kidney were stained
      immunocytochemically using an antibody to human renin; the proportion of RCC
      within each of three zones (superficial, middle and deep) of the cortex, and
      their anatomical relation to individual glomeruli were determined. The cases were
      divided into five groups for analysis to gestational or postnatal age. RESULTS:
      Fetal RCC were usually at the vascular pole of the most mature glomeruli within
      the deeper areas of the cortex and were occasionally located within glomeruli.
      This distribution persisted until birth, even when the kidney was histologically
      mature. By contrast there were fewer RCC in neonatal and infant kidneys and, as
      in adult kidneys, these were located predominantly in the superficial cortex.
      CONCLUSION: The change in RCC distribution around the time of normal birth may
      relate to the transition to independent renal function. The location and density
      of RCC during fetal life may influence renal perfusion and amniotic fluid
      production.

PMID- 1420019
TI  - The use of a tissue expansion technique in the reconstruction of the female
      genitalia in bladder exstrophy.

PMID- 1420017
TI  - Plasma endothelin, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and uterine and umbilical
      artery flow velocity waveforms in hypertensive pregnancies.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation between concentrations of endothelin and
      atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in maternal plasma and vasospasm in the uterine
      and umbilical arteries as detected by duplex pulsed colour Doppler
      ultrasonography in hypertensive pregnancies. DESIGN: An observational study.
      SUBJECTS: 32 women admitted consecutively to hospital with pregnancy induced
      hypertension (seven without proteinuria and 25 with proteinuria) and 78 healthy
      pregnant women examined at 28-40 weeks gestation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
      Systolic/diastolic (S/D) ratio in flow velocity waveforms (FVWs) and plasma
      concentrations of endothelin and ANP in the 32 women with pregnancy induced
      hypertension; plasma concentrations of endothelin and ANP in 78 healthy pregnant
      women (controls). RESULTS: Pathological FVWs suggesting vasospasm in the uterine
      or umbilical artery, or both arteries, were found in 12 women with hypertension.
      Plasma ANP was significantly higher (P = 0.03) in the women with hypertension and
      pathological FVWs (median 23.0, range 10.1-52.8 pmol/l) than in those with
      hypertension and normal FVWs, (median 13.8, range 5.3-42.3 pmol/l) but
      corresponding plasma endothelin levels did not show any significant difference
      (median 1.63, range 0.51-3.33 pmol/l and median 1.38, range 0.51-3.51 pmol/l,
      respectively). CONCLUSION: Local release of endothelin from the vascular
      endothelium is thought to cause vasospasm in pregnancy induced hypertension but
      this does not seem to increase the concentration of endothelin in the maternal
      peripheral plasma, probably because of its rapid disappearance from the blood
      circulation. As ANP dilates the blood vessels, the increase of its release in
      hypertensive pregnancies may be a compensatory mechanism against vasospasm.

PMID- 1420020
TI  - Endometrial decidual changes in a postmenopausal woman treated with tamoxifen and
      megestrol acetate.

PMID- 1420021
TI  - Renal cell carcinoma: an unusual cause of second trimester hypertension.

PMID- 1420022
TI  - Randomized placebo controlled trial to assess the role of intracervical
      lignocaine in outpatient hysteroscopy.

PMID- 1420023
TI  - Breech delivery and epidural analgesia.

PMID- 1420024
TI  - Breech delivery and epidural analgesia.

PMID- 1420025
TI  - ST-waveform analysis of the fetal electrocardiogram could reduce fetal blood
      sampling.

PMID- 1420026
TI  - Intra-operative blood loss during elective lower segment caesarean section.

PMID- 1420027
TI  - [Infection status of the sea eel (Astroconger myriaster) purchased from the
      Noryangjin fish market with anisakid larvae].
AB  - Although the sea eel (Astroconger myriaster) is suspected as one of the most
      important fish host for human anisakiasis in Korea, no report has been made on
      the infection status of the sea eel with anisakid larvae. In the present study,
      26 sea eels (Astroconger myriaster) were purchased from the Noryangjin fish
      market in Seoul, and anisakid larvae were collected from their viscera, muscle,
      head and skin. The collected larvae were classified by their morphological types.
      A total of 1,351 anisakid larvae were collected from 15 of 26 fish examined.
      Among them, 1,269 were recovered from the viscera, 66 from the muscle, and 16
      from the head and skin. Morphologically, most of the anisakids were classified
      into 6 known larval types, Anisakis type I (564 larvae) of Berland (1961),
      Contracaecum type A (409) and type D (5) of Koyama et al. (1969), Contracaecum
      type C' (83) and type D' (117) of Chai et al. (1986), and Contracaecum type V (1)
      of Yamaguti (1935). Remaining 172 specimens were new in the available literature,
      hence, designated as Contracaecum type A' (new type). The present results
      revealed that the sea eels caught in the Korean waters are heavily infected with
      anisakid larvae, not only in their viscera but also in the muscle, and Anisakis
      type I was the most common among the 7 larval types.

PMID- 1420028
TI  - [Enterobius gregorii Hugot, 1983 recovered from school children in Kangwon-Do,
      Korea].
AB  - Hugot (1983), Hugot and Tourte-Schaefer (1985) reported that nematodes of the
      genus Enterobius causing human enterobiasis might be classified into two
      different species on the basis of the size and shape of spicule in male worms. E.
      gregorii Hugot, 1983 has significantly shorter spicules in males than those in E.
      vermicularis. A total of 194 male Enterobius were collected from 17
      schoolchildren by anthelmintics at Wonju, Kangwon-do. The sizes of spicules and
      morphologies were comparatively observed. Two different types of spicules in male
      Enterobius were also observed in Korea. Out of 112 male worms observed, the
      percentages of E. gregorii (short-spicule type) and E. vermicularis (long-spicule
      type) were 23.2% and 76.8%, respectively.

PMID- 1420029
TI  - Egg production of Clonorchis sinensis in different strains of inbred mice.
AB  - In order to compare the intraspecific variation in host-parasite relationship of
      Clonorchis sinensis, six strains of inbred mice, ICR, DDY, GPC, BALB/c, nude and
      DS, were infected orally with 20 metacercariae of C. sinensis. The biologic
      incubation period of C. sinensis was the shortest in DDY mice, 21.2 days in
      average, followed by GPC 21.4, BALB/c and DS 23.2, ICR and nude 23.4 days,
      respectively. The fertile period of the fluke was also the longest in the DDY
      strain, 164 days on average, followed by GPC 132, BALB/c 97, nude 37, DS 32 and
      ICR 28 days. The egg-laying capacity of the fluke in DDY and GPC was relatively
      high and stable compared with the other four strains of mice. It was found that
      there are intraspecific variations in biologic incubation period, fertile period,
      and fecundity of C. sinensis. The DDY mouse is likely to be the most suitable
      experimental animal among the six strains of the mice tested.

PMID- 1420030
TI  - Platelet kinetics and other hematological profiles in experimental Plasmodium
      falciparum infection: a comparative study between Saimiri and Aotus monkeys.
AB  - Levels of platelets and other hematological values were monitored in 21 Saimiri
      and 12 Aotus monkeys over a period of three weeks post-infection with monkey
      adapted Indochina CDC-1 strain of Plasmodium falciparum. In both Saimiri sciureus
      boliviensis and Aotus nancymai karyotype-1 monkeys the severest thrombocytopenia
      was observed at 14 days post-infection coinciding with peak parasitemia,
      neutropenia, lymphocytosis, and anemia associated with severe hemoglobinemia and
      elevated fibrinogen degeneration products(FDP's). MCH and MCV profiles in Aotus
      monkeys decreased with ascending parasitemia. In contrast, these parameters in
      Saimiri were characterized by a significant compensatory increase correlating
      with parasitemia. In general, thrombocytopenia was one of the earliest clinical
      manifestations of the infection with the platelets returning to normal levels
      shortly after peak parasitemia at 14 days. Platelet kinetics had a strong
      correlation with hematologic and parasitologic values in the Aotus model. No
      consistent associations were observed between platelet kinetics and other
      parameters in the Saimiri model. These data indicate that the Aotus model for
      malaria is more predictable than the Saimiri. Further, platelet turnover rates
      and recovery provide a useful prognostic parameter during malaria infection. The
      results are discussed in relation to the value of the two species of monkeys as
      models for the pathogenesis of human malaria.

PMID- 1420031
TI  - Karyotypes of Pneumocystis carinii from Korean rats.
AB  - Molecular karyotyping was applied to Pneumocystis carinii(Pc) from two strains of
      experimental rats, Sprague Dawley(SD) and Fisher(F), in Korea. Field inversion
      gel electrophoresis and contour clamped homogeneous electric field
      electrophoresis resolved 15 chromosomal bands from the Pc. The size of the bands
      was estimated 270kb to 684kb from SD rats, and 273kb to 713 kb from F rats. The
      bands of 283 kb from SD rats and of 273 kb from F rats stained more brightly
      suggesting duplicated bands. Total number of chromosomes was at least 16, and
      total genomic size was estimated 7 x 10(6) bp. All of the bands from F rats
      hybridized to the probe of repeated DNA sequences of Pc and the band of 448 kb
      size was proved to contain rDNA sequences, but Pc. chromosome bands from SD rats
      showed no reactions to the probes. The 2 different karyotypes of P. carinii from
      2 strains of rats were maintained consistently for 2 years.

PMID- 1420032
TI  - Isolation and partial characterization of cysteine proteinase from sparganum.
AB  - A proteolytic enzyme was purified from the tissue extract of spargana
      (plerocercoids of Spirometra erinacei) by DEAE-Trisacryl M ion exchange
      chromatography and thiopropyl-sepharose affinity chromatography resulted in a 21
      fold purification. The proteinase activity was assayed with a synthetic
      fluorescent substrate, carbobenzoxy-phenylalanyl-7-amino-4-trifluoromethyl
      coumarin. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified materials
      revealed a single 28,000 dalton band. Inhibitor profiles of the band indicated
      that it belonged to cysteine endopeptidases. It exhibited identical pH curves
      with optimum at pH 5.5, and 50% activity from pH 4.7 to 8. It could completely
      degrade collagen chains to three identical products. It also showed some activity
      on hemoglobin. Furthermore, the band on immunoblots was reactive to the sera of
      sparganosis patients. These results suggest that the proteolytic enzyme belongs
      to cysteine proteinase which plays a role in the tissue penetration. Also it may
      be used as the antigen for diagnosis of active sparganosis.

PMID- 1420033
TI  - Immunogenicity and protective efficacy of solubilized merozoite-enriched
      Theileria sergenti immunogens. II: Protection against natural exposure under
      field conditions.
AB  - A Theileria sergenti soluble merozoite preparation containing the 29, 34, 35 and
      105 KD as the immunodominant polypeptides, was evaluated for efficacy, safety and
      protectivity in Holstein calves against virulent field tick challenge. The
      soluble antigens (100 mg/dose) were fortified with either complete or incomplete
      Freund's adjuvant. Twenty naive calves, aged one month, were subcutaneously
      inoculated with the preparation and a booster dose was administered 4 weeks
      later. Twenty additional calves served as controls. Five weeks after the booster
      dose, vaccinates and uninoculated controls were moved to a pasture, a heavily
      tick infested area in Cheju-do, Korea. The vaccinates showed negligible change in
      hematocrit and total RBC count whereas control animals showed significant (p <
      0.05) hematological changes and associated anemia. Only 30% of vaccinates
      required chemotherapy after the experiment was terminated. All control animals
      required chemotherapy and 25% received blood transfusion. The highest percent
      parasitized erythrocytes in vaccinated cattle was 0.4% as compared with 3.6%
      among controls during the month of July. A significant difference (p < 0.05) was
      observed in the rate of body weight increase. Significant differences were also
      noted in serum albumin, aspartate aminotransferase, total protein and bilirubin.
      Significantly more vaccinated cattle maintained normal ranges of hematological
      and biochemical values as compared with the control group. It is suggested that
      soluble merozoite T. sergenti antigens may be potential vaccine candidates for
      developing a genetic vaccine in Korea.

PMID- 1420034
TI  - Immunoelectrophoretic analysis of major component proteins in cystic fluid of
      Taenia solium metacestodes.
AB  - When cystic fluid of Taenia solium metacestodes (CF) was filtrated through
      Sephacryl S-300 Superfine, major proteins were in fractions III and IV. Major
      protein in fraction III was Band C protein of 150 kDa and that in fraction IV was
      Band N protein (Choi et al., 1990). When CF was electrophoresed in 0.9% agarose
      gel and reacted with anti-CF rabbit serum (RACF), two main bands, a long outer
      and a short inner band, were precipitated, together with 8 minor bands. RACF
      reacted with fraction III forming the long outer band whereas RACF formed the
      short inner band with fraction IV in immunoelectrophoresis (IEP). The long outer
      precipitin band of CF fraction III was similar to antigen B in hydatid fluid (HF)
      of Oriol et al. (1971), while the short inner band of CF fraction IV was similar
      to HF antigen 5 of Capron et al. (1967). When HF was reacted with RACF, the short
      inner band was immunoprecipitated without forming the long outer band. Common
      antigenicity between CF and HF seemed to exist in fraction IV rather than in
      fraction III of CF. Patient sera of neurocysticercosis reacted more frequently
      with fraction III than with fraction IV.

PMID- 1420035
TI  - Component proteins and protease activities in excretory-secretory product of
      sparganum.
AB  - Spirometra mansoni plerocercoid (sparganum) was incubated in saline at 4 degrees
      C or 37 degrees C up to 100 hours. Protein contents in the excretory-secretory
      product (ESP) were rather constant (mean 7.7 mg of protein/gram of sparganum) in
      the preparations. Reducing SDS-PAGE of ESP showed similar protein subunit
      compositions with those in crude extract. Antigenic 36 and 31 kDa proteins were
      major bands in ESP. ESP exhibited specific activities of protease (2.9-5.3
      units/mg) at pH 6.0 and pH 7.5. Presence of protease activity in ESP may be a
      supporting evidence that hitherto known cysteine protease of sparganum is
      possibly secreted.

PMID- 1420036
TI  - [A case of strongyloidiasis accompanied by duodenal ulcer].
AB  - A 58-year-old chronic alcoholism patient, who complained of epigastric
      discomfort, nausea, and frequent loose stool was diagnosed as strongyloidiasis
      accompanied by duodenal ulcer. The symptoms first appeared two years ago and
      aggravated during the recent 3 months, and he lost 4 kg of his body weight. Stool
      examination revealed rhabditoid nematode larvae, which were confirmed as those of
      Strongyloides stercoralis after cultivation of them to filariform larvae. At
      duodenoscopy, duodenal ulcer was found. The patient was treated with albendazole
      (200 mg, bid, for 14 days) for strongyloidiasis and with colloidal bismuth
      sulfate (240 mg, bid, for 6 weeks) for duodenal ulcer. After the medication, the
      symptoms of loose stool and epigastric discomfort were much improved and he was
      discharged with no clinical problems. This is an interesting case which suggests
      that S. stercoralis infection could be related with ulceration of the duodenal
      mucosa.

PMID- 1420037
TI  - The red eye of renal failure: a crystal induced inflammation?
AB  - Of 57 patients with chronic renal failure and calcification of the anterior
      membranes of the eye eight developed inflammatory reactions, clinically
      indistinguishable from pingueculitis. In three patients an acute inflammatory
      reaction of the episcleral tissue and the conjunctiva over it developed which we
      considered to represent the red eye of renal failure. In these patients massive
      shedding of calcium phosphate salts was clinically evident. Histopathologically
      in all these patients calcific deposits were observed. Although sporadically
      polymorphonuclear leucocytes were present in the inflamed tissues we could not
      demonstrate crystal phagocytosis. We believe that in the red eyes in renal
      failure and, more specifically, in the red eyes of renal failure a crystal
      induced inflammatory mechanism is not operative.

PMID- 1420039
TI  - Radial keratotomy: a review of 300 cases.
AB  - Three hundred consecutive cases of radial keratotomy performed between 1985 and
      1990 were reviewed. There were no sight threatening complications of surgery and
      no patient lost one or more lines of corrected Snellen acuity. Overall 78.7% saw
      6/12 or better unaided postoperatively and 51.7% saw 6/6 or better. Refraction
      showed 61.3% to be within 1 dioptre of emmetropia and 86.7% were within 2
      dioptres. Further analysis demonstrated that results of unaided acuity and
      proximity to emmetropia were much better for low (< -2.87 D) and moderate (-3.0
      to -5.87 D) than for high (> -6.0 D) myopes.

PMID- 1420038
TI  - Herpetic keratitis in Tanzania: association with malaria.
AB  - Of 103 patients who presented to a rural clinic in Africa with corneal
      ulceration, 62 (60.2%) had corneal ulcers which on clinical diagnosis were
      attributable to herpes simplex virus. There was a strong association between
      herpetic ulceration and a history of recent malaria; 37 of 62 (59.7%) herpetic
      ulcers occurred in the 3 month period from April to June which corresponds to the
      end of the peak season for malaria compared with 14 of 41 (34%) of the non
      herpetic ulcers. Fifty per cent of herpetic ulcers had a geographic morphology,
      27.4% were dendritic, and 22.6% presumed herpetic ulcers were stromal: 38.7% of
      herpetic ulcers occurred in children under 5 years of age. Bilateral herpetic
      ulcers occurred in 16.1% of patients but were more common in children under 2
      years of age. Geographic and stromal ulcers tended to heal more slowly than
      dendritic ulcers (mean time to healing 12.6, 12.2, and 6.6 days respectively),
      and were more likely to result in severe corneal scarring (45%, 29%, and 0%
      respectively). Herpes simplex keratitis is a major cause of corneal scarring in
      Africa. It is often seen in children, may be bilateral, commonly is geographic in
      morphology, and has a strong association with malaria infection. Because it is
      not easily preventable, more effort must be made to ensure early diagnosis and
      prompt, effective treatment in order to prevent severe scarring and visual loss.

PMID- 1420040
TI  - Life expectancy in keratoconus.
AB  - It is observed that few patients over the age of 60 regularly attend the
      keratoconus clinic at Moorfields Eye Hospital. The hypothesis that patients with
      keratoconus have a shorter life expectancy owing to underlying connective tissue
      related disease was tested. From patient records a sample of 337 keratoconus
      patients aged at least 40 years by 1991 were identified, of which 279 were
      living, 13 were deceased, and 45 were untraceable. The mortality rate for
      keratoconus patients was compared with that of the general population using
      actuarial English life tables. Results show no significant difference between the
      general population mortality rate and that of the keratoconus sample even with
      adjustment for social class. Possible explanations for the non-attendance of
      older patients are discussed.

PMID- 1420042
TI  - Intravenous sedation for ocular surgery under local anaesthesia.
AB  - Anterior segment ophthalmic surgery is commonly performed under local
      anaesthesia. In order to improve patient comfort, a variety of sedation
      techniques has been employed in the past. The object of this study was, firstly,
      to determine whether continuous intravenous sedation during surgery offered any
      advantages in patients premedicated with temazepam and metoclopramide, and,
      secondly, to compare midazolam to propofol for this purpose. Forty nine patients
      were randomly allocated to receive no intravenous sedation (n = 15), continuous
      propofol infusion (n = 17), or continuous intravenous midazolam infusion (n = 17)
      after peribulbar anaesthesia. Each technique provided cardiovascular and
      respiratory stability and allowed early recovery with minimal postoperative
      sequelae. Unexpected ocular field movement occurred more commonly in the patients
      receiving intravenous sedation, although statistical significance was not shown
      (p = 0.06). Significantly more patients in the intravenous sedation groups
      reported amnesia (p = 0.03). Patient acceptability was good irrespective of the
      technique used. This study suggests that continuous sedation using propofol or
      midazolam is not beneficial and should be avoided in ophthalmic patients who have
      received a simple premedication.

PMID- 1420041
TI  - Foveal photopigment kinetics--abnormality: an early sign in myotonic dystrophy?
AB  - Twelve subjects with minimal expression of the myotonic dystrophy (MyD) gene were
      investigated by retinal densitometry, a technique which has been used to study
      the properties of photopigments in the living eye and to detect photoreceptor
      abnormalities. Other investigations included slit-lamp examination, funduscopy,
      raleigh matches with the anomaloscope, tonometry, and neurological examination,
      including electroretinography (ERG) and pattern visual evoked potentials
      recording. Foveal densitometry demonstrated reduced values of the macular
      photopigment density difference with normal photopigment kinetics in early phases
      of the disease, even in asymptomatic individuals. The densitometric values
      correlated with decreased amplitudes of the photopic ERG a-wave. These findings
      may be explained by loss or dysfunction of the outer segments of foveal
      receptors. It is yet unknown whether or not these changes are secondary to other
      observed neuroretinal abnormalities in MyD. The most likely explanation might be
      an abnormality of the Na, Ca:K exchanger at the level of the outer segments of
      the photoreceptors whether or not in combination with a dysfunction of voltage
      generation systems, involving both photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium.

PMID- 1420043
TI  - Type IV collagen and laminin in Bruch's membrane and basal linear deposit in the
      human macula.
AB  - Tissue obtained from the macula in 10 human eyes (53-77 years) was used for an
      investigation into the extracellular matrices of the retinal pigment epithelium
      (RPE), Bruch's membrane, and the choriocapillaris. The ultrastructural
      distribution of type IV collagen and laminin was documented using immunogold
      labelling. Labelling for type IV collagen was strongly positive in all the
      specimens in the basement membranes of the choriocapillaris but not that of the
      RPE where labelling was either weak or absent. Laminin was localised to deposits
      of granular material in Bruch's membrane but was absent from the basement
      membrane of the RPE and the choriocapillaris. Basal linear deposit, observed in
      three cases, demonstrated labelling for laminin but not for type IV collagen. The
      series was too small for correlation of these morphological changes with age.

PMID- 1420044
TI  - Induced chorioretinal venous anastomosis in experimental retinal branch vein
      occlusion.
AB  - Iatrogenic retinal vein to choroidal vein anastomoses were created using laser
      photocoagulation in six of seven dog eyes in which a partial branch retinal vein
      occlusion had previously been created photochemically. A similar attempt to
      create an anastomosis was made in six control eyes in which no branch vein
      occlusion was present. In the eyes in which a branch retinal vein had been
      created, a venous chorioretinal anastomosis appeared to be present by 3 to 6
      weeks. In three control eyes similar venous anastomosis was created; however this
      took 6 to 8 weeks to develop and was of much smaller calibre than the one that
      developed in the presence of a partial branch retinal vein occlusion. No adverse
      complications were noted in the period of the study (3 months). This study
      demonstrates that chorioretinal venous anastomoses can be created and may be of
      use in the treatment of partial retinal vein occlusions that show signs of
      progression.

PMID- 1420045
TI  - AgNOR counts in conjunctival malignant melanoma lack prognostic value.
AB  - Using a silver staining technique, argyrophilic nucleolar organiser region
      associated proteins (AgNORs) have been studied in routinely processed paraffin
      sections of 46 invasive malignant melanomas (MM) of the conjunctiva. The aim of
      this retrospective study was to assess the value of the AgNOR method as a
      prognostic indicator for this neoplasm. The 46 cases were divided into two
      groups: (A) 14 cases of MM that metastasised and caused death of the patient
      within 5 years of (histological) diagnosis, and (B) 32 cases of MM that did not
      metastasise and in which patients survived beyond 5 years. The mean of the AgNOR
      counts per nucleus was 7.03 (95% CI: 5.81-8.24) in group A, and 7.15 (95% CI:
      6.53-7.77) in group B. A comparison using a multifactor analysis of variance
      (ANOVA) model, which corrected for possible confounding effect of tumour
      thickness, site, and cell type showed no significant difference in AgNOR counts
      between groups A and B (p = 0.8). Analysis by the Cox proportional hazards
      regression model showed that survival was not influenced significantly by the
      mean AgNOR number (hazard ratio: 0.92). Whereas the AgNOR technique may be used
      to distinguish benign from malignant melanocytic lesions of the conjunctiva, we
      conclude it has no value in predicting the outcome for patients with conjunctival
      MM.

PMID- 1420046
TI  - Laser trabeculoplasty.
AB  - Using the now well established technique ALT is a safe and effective means of
      lowering IOP in eyes with POAG, pigmentary glaucoma, and exfoliative glaucoma
      though the effect diminishes with time. Pressure reduction with ALT is seldom
      greater than 30% and eyes with an IOP of more than 28 mm Hg are unlikely to be
      controlled for any length of time without additional treatment. ALT is probably
      most suitable either for older patients whose glaucoma is not well controlled on
      medical treatment, or for patients with newly diagnosed open angle glaucoma, but
      without advanced field loss, as a primary treatment or in combination with a non
      miotic topical medication. In many it will defer surgery, in some indefinitely.

PMID- 1420049
TI  - Acyclovir in herpes zoster ophthalmicus.

PMID- 1420048
TI  - Vanishing retinal arterial aneurysms: a case report.
AB  - An 18-year-old woman with retinal vasculitis developed multiple retinal arterial
      aneurysms over a period of 3 years. Subsequently she developed macular oedema,
      peripheral neovascularisation, and vitreous haemorrhage and was treated with
      systemic steroids, laser photocoagulation, and vitreoretinal surgery. No systemic
      cause for vasculitis was found. Serial fluorescein angiography demonstrated
      gradual resolution of the arterial aneurysms over the subsequent 7 years.

PMID- 1420047
TI  - Bilateral multiple cavernous haemangiomas of the orbit.
AB  - Orbital cavernous haemangioma, a common orbital tumour, is usually single and
      unilateral. We report the first case of histologically confirmed bilateral
      multiple cavernous haemangiomas of the orbit.

PMID- 1420050
TI  - Sir William Bowman.

PMID- 1420051
TI  - Heavy liquids for postoperative tamponade.

PMID- 1420052
TI  - The electro-oculogram in central retinal vein occlusion.
AB  - As part of a prospective masked study, the electro-oculogram (EOG) was recorded
      from 28 patients within 48 days of developing central retinal vein occlusion
      (CRVO). The EOG light peak/dark trough ratio (Lp/Dt) x 100 was significantly
      lower in the affected than in the unaffected eyes of patients (p < 0.001), and
      abnormally low in absolute terms in 20 patients (71%). All unaffected fellow eyes
      had a normal EOG ratio. The mean Lp amplitude of affected eyes was significantly
      smaller than that of unaffected eyes (p < 0.001), whereas the differences in mean
      Dt amplitudes between affected and unaffected eyes were not statistically
      significant. The Lp amplitude in the affected eye was 48% or less of that in the
      unaffected eye in the eight patients (29%) who developed rubeosis iridis during
      the 9 month follow-up, and in six others. No patient whose Lp amplitude in the
      affected eye was greater than 48% of that in the unaffected eye, developed
      rubeosis. It is concluded that the Lp amplitude is abnormal in patients with
      acute CRVO. The degree of this abnormality bears a relation to the development of
      rubeosis, which might prove a useful indicator of whether to institute or
      withhold panretinal photocoagulation.

PMID- 1420053
TI  - Controlled study of ocular morbidity in school children born preterm.
AB  - Two hundred children who were of very low birth weight (VLBW) (1500 g or less)
      and 193 controls who were of normal birth weight (NBW) were examined at
      approximately 9 years of age. Binocular visual acuity of 6/6 or better was noted
      in 178 (89.5%) VLBW children and 189 (97.9%) NBW children. Visual morbidity was
      significantly higher among VLBW children. Strabismus was present in 38 (19%),
      cicatricial retinopathy of prematurity in 13 (6.5%), and optic atrophy in six
      (3%) children in this group. Children who were VLBW were also more myopic than
      the NBW controls. Optic atrophy was frequently associated with cerebral
      dysfunction. Regular assessments to identify ocular abnormalities in children who
      were VLBW are recommended.

PMID- 1420054
TI  - Vitreon, a short-term vitreoretinal tamponade.
AB  - This investigation of the liquid perfluorocarbon, perfluorophenanthrene
      (Vitreon), establishes its safety and efficacy as a short-term vitreoretinal
      tamponade. We utilised Vitreon as an intraoperative tool and postoperative
      vitreoretinal tamponade in 16 patients. Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR)
      (six), giant retinal tear (four), rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (three),
      retinal detachment with keratoprosthesis (two), and submacular and vitreous
      haemorrhage (one) were successfully repaired. Vitreon was left in the eye and
      removed 5 days to 4 weeks postoperatively. Complications encountered included
      proliferative PVR (five), limited peripheral retinal detachment (three), macular
      pucker (two) cataract (three), hypotony (two), excessive fibrin reaction (one),
      and elevated intraocular pressure (one). At the latest evaluation, all retinas
      are attached with a follow-up of 1.25 to 12 months (mean 6.8 months).

PMID- 1420056
TI  - Cautery for lower lid entropion.
AB  - A prospective study was undertaken to evaluate a simple cautery technique for the
      correction of involutional lower lid entropion in 50 patients. After a 12 month
      follow-up period all patients were free of entropion. Only one patient needed to
      have the procedure repeated because of recurrence. The technique was found to be
      simple, effective, safe, and required very little time and skill.

PMID- 1420055
TI  - Ocular circulatory changes following scleral buckling procedures.
AB  - The effect of segmental scleral buckling (SB) on ocular circulation was evaluated
      by measurements of the ocular pulse amplitude (PA) and the ophthalmic artery
      pressure (OAP). In this study the OAP was defined as the intraocular pressure
      (IOP) at which the PA disappeared during increasing IOP. Twenty four patients
      with unilateral rhegmatogenous retinal detachment who underwent SB of varying
      extent were studied; the unoperated fellow eyes served as controls. Both the OAP
      and the ophthalmic perfusion pressures (OAP minus IOP) decreased significantly (p
      < 0.01) as the area of SB treatment increased. Follow-up measurements showed that
      the OAP was relatively lower up to 3 months postoperatively than after 3 months,
      and then remained stable. Our results indicated that SB affects the ocular pulse
      measurements and may decrease ocular blood flow because of decreased ophthalmic
      perfusion pressure, probably due to increased choroidal vascular resistance, and
      that the greater the extent of the SB treatment, the greater the possibility of
      decreased ocular blood flow.

PMID- 1420058
TI  - Tono-Pen tonometry in normal and in post-keratoplasty eyes.
AB  - Oculab Tono-Pen tonometry was compared with Goldmann applanation tonometry in 82
      eyes of 82 patients with normal corneas and in 54 eyes of 54 patients who had
      undergone penetrating keratoplasty and whose corneas did not preclude the use of
      Goldmann tonometer. We found that the intraocular pressure (IOP) in 48% of the
      eyes with normal corneas and in 57% after keratoplasty has different measurements
      with Goldmann and Tono-Pen pressures of 3 mm Hg or more. Despite the correlation
      between the Goldmann tonometer and the Tono-Pen in the group of eyes with normal
      corneas (r = 0.83) as well as in the group of eyes after keratoplasty (r = 0.79)
      the Tono-Pen tended to significantly overestimate the Goldmann tonometer reading
      (p < 0.0001). The mean difference between the two instruments was highest across
      the lower IOP range (< 9 mm Hg) in the group of eyes after keratoplasty. Because
      the mean absolute values of the paired differences between Goldmann and Tono-Pen
      measurements varied significantly across all IOP intervals it was not possible to
      establish a correction factor which could be used when comparing the two
      measurements. Based on this study the Tono-Pen consistently overestimated the
      actual IOP in an unpredictable manner. Where possible Goldmann measurements of
      the IOP are still to be preferred.

PMID- 1420057
TI  - Prevention of acute postoperative pressure rises in glaucoma patients undergoing
      cataract extraction with posterior chamber lens implant.
AB  - Acute elevations in intraocular pressure (IOP) commonly follow extracapsular
      cataract extraction and lens implant in glaucoma patients. Thirty six patients
      with glaucoma undergoing cataract extraction and posterior chamber lens
      implantation received one of three treatments. Group 1: 500 mg of Diamox Sustets
      (acetazolamide) 1 hour preoperatively (10 patients); Group 2: peroperative
      intracameral Miochol (acetylcholine) (11 patients); Group 3: the above treatments
      combined (15 patients). IOPs were measured at 3, 6, 9, and 24 hours
      postoperatively. The average of the maximum pressure rises above the preoperative
      level over the 24 hour period was greatest for the group receiving acetazolamide
      only at 8.9 mm Hg; for the acetylcholine group the average maximum rise was 6.3
      mm Hg; while the combined treatment group showed a decrease of 0.7 mm Hg. IOP
      rises of > 6 mm Hg were seen in 7% of patients (one of 15) in the combined
      treatment group, 45% (five of 11) of the acetylcholine group, and 70% (seven of
      10) of the acetazolamide group. IOP rises of > 10 mm Hg were seen in 7% of the
      combined treatment group, in 18% of the acetylcholine only group, and in 50% of
      the acetazolamide only group. A pressure rise > 20 mm Hg was seen in one patient
      receiving acetazolamide only and one patient receiving acetylcholine only. The
      difference between the acetylcholine group and the combined group for rises > 6
      mm Hg was significant using the chi 2 test while the acetazolamide group showed a
      significant difference for rises > 6 and 10 mm Hg compared with the combined
      group. All acute pressure rises were recorded before or at 9 hours following
      operation except in the combined treatment patient where the rise occurred at 24
      hours. To prevent the acute IOP rises seen following cataract surgery with lens
      implant in glaucoma patients we recommend combined ocular hypotensive therapy.

PMID- 1420059
TI  - Visual evoked potentials after retrobulbar or periocular anaesthesia.
AB  - The effect of the local anaesthetic agent, etidocaine, on the optic nerve
      function was examined at regional ophthalmic anaesthesia. Visual evoked potential
      (VEP) was recorded before and 15 minutes after injection of the anaesthetic agent
      in 19 patients scheduled for elective cataract surgery (seven retrobulbar and 12
      periocular). Both the anaesthetised--that is, the eye to be operated on--and the
      fellow eye were examined. In the retrobulbar group, two patients displayed non
      recordable VEPs while one had virtually non-detectable waves following the
      anaesthesia. In two retrobulbarly anaesthetised eyes, later peaks were
      unidentifiable while two other eyes had decreased amplitudes. In the periocular
      group, in nine patients, there was no clearcut effect on VEP resulting from the
      anaesthetic. In three patients of this group mild changes in the anaesthetised
      eyes were found. The differences in the effect of retrobulbarly or periocularly
      injected anaesthetics on VEP are probably due to the different concentration of
      the anaesthetic agent around the optic nerve.

PMID- 1420061
TI  - Proliferative retinal diseases: myofibroblasts cause chronic vitreoretinal
      traction.
AB  - Myofibroblasts are contractile cells having features intermediate between those
      of the fibroblast and smooth muscle. Myofibroblasts in preretinal membranes may
      cause retinal traction in proliferative retinal diseases. In this study, we
      demonstrate the presence of a chronically contractile subpopulation of
      myofibroblasts in pre-retinal membranes. Apha smooth muscle actin or desmin, both
      markers of the myogenically differentiated and chronically contractile
      subpopulation could be detected in a large majority of the examined membranes.
      Our findings may serve to explain the cellular basis of vitreoretinal traction in
      proliferative vitreoretinopathy and proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

PMID- 1420060
TI  - Immunopathological findings in conjunctival cells using immunofluorescence
      staining of impression cytology specimens.
AB  - The conventional technique of impression cytology provides a non-invasive method
      for the evaluation of conjunctival epithelium alterations. Using indirect
      immunofluorescence procedures two inflammatory markers, class II MHC antigens HLA
      DR and the receptor to IgE (CD23), were sought in impression cytology specimens
      obtained from 80 patients. In normal subjects conjunctival epithelial cells did
      not show any reactivity. Only scattered dendritic cells were found to express
      class II antigens but not the receptor to IgE. In contrast patients with chronic
      conjunctivitis of various aetiologies, mainly infectious or allergic, had 40-100%
      of brightly positive conjunctival cells for one or both antigens. In these cases
      epithelial cells and goblet cells reacted similarly. Twenty four eyes in 12
      patients with idiopathic dry eye syndrome disclosed results similar to those from
      normal conjunctival specimens. However 18 other specimens from patients suffering
      from idiopathic tear deficiency but undergoing multiple substitutive treatments
      for dry eye had moderate to strong positivity for HLA DR and/or the receptor to
      IgE (20-100% of cells). As these results were independent of the degree of
      squamous metaplasia the expression of these membrane markers may reflect local
      inflammation in addition to tear deficiency, possibly due to sensitisation to the
      eye drops used. These immunocytological techniques thus provide useful methods of
      investigating conjunctival inflammation and allergy. They may constitute valuable
      aid in the diagnosis and appropriate treatment of ocular surface disorders.

PMID- 1420062
TI  - Experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis in the RCS rat: the influence of
      photoreceptor degeneration on disease expression.
AB  - S-antigen induced experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) was produced in the
      Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) strain of rat which develops a photoreceptor
      dystrophy within 2 weeks of birth. Animals were sensitised at 60, 90, and 105
      days of age: all animals developed disease, but onset was significantly delayed
      in older (105 day) animals compared with those aged 60 days at sensitisation (p
      0.003). Disease was characterised by the early development of complete serous
      retinal detachment which resolved in a few days: the prevalence of retinal
      detachment was increased to 80% in dystrophic animals compared with 10% in the
      congenic, non-dystrophic controls (p < 0.001). Anterior uveitis was seen in 17/30
      control strain eyes, but in none of 30 dystrophic eyes (p < 0.001). Genetically
      determined photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium dysfunction in the RCS
      rat, which may involve the local accumulation of altered S-antigen, predisposes
      the dystrophic strain to display an acute retinal detachment in the early stages
      of EAU. This phenomenon illustrates how biochemical dysfunction of a target organ
      may influence susceptibility, form, and severity of an experimental autoimmune
      disease.

PMID- 1420063
TI  - Adjustable sutures in squint surgery.

PMID- 1420064
TI  - Congenital adenoma of the iris and ciliary body: light and electron microscopic
      observations.
AB  - A 23-year-old man had a lesion in the right inferior iris which appeared to have
      enlarged since it was first seen when the patient was aged 5 years. The lesion
      was excised by a partial iridocyclectomy. Histopathologically the neoplasm was
      composed of both pigmented and non-pigmented cells. Pseudoacini, containing acid
      mucopolysaccharides, were present throughout the tumour matrix. Electron
      microscopically the non-pigmented cells were found to possess a convoluted
      plasmalemma, abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum, and numerous desmosomes and
      gap junctions. The pigmented cells contained large, round, mature melanosomes,
      occasional premelanosomes, and desmosomes, which resembled the posterior pigment
      epithelium of the iris. The intercellular matrix contained fine collagen fibrils
      resembling vitreous. We believe that this neoplasm represents a congenital
      adenoma of the ciliary body and iris.

PMID- 1420065
TI  - Ciliary block (malignant) glaucoma after cataract extraction with lens implant
      treated with YAG laser capsulotomy and anterior hyaloidotomy.
AB  - An 84-year-old woman developed high intraocular pressure with a shallow anterior
      chamber 2 months after an extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior
      chamber lens implant. The condition did not respond to peripheral iridectomy and
      removal of the implant but was treated successfully with YAG laser capsulotomy
      and anterior hyaloidotomy.

PMID- 1420066
TI  - Late onset Leber's optic neuropathy: a case confused with ischaemic optic
      neuropathy.
AB  - A case is reported of a 63-year-old man with progressive central visual loss in
      one eye followed 11 months later by involvement of the fellow eye. A diagnosis of
      chronic ischaemic optic neuropathy was considered. However, despite a negative
      family history, the absence of electrocardiographic abnormalities, and minimal
      fundus changes a diagnosis of Leber's optic neuropathy was made on the basis of
      magnetic resonance imaging findings and the mitochondrial DNA mutation at base
      pair 11778.

PMID- 1420067
TI  - Concurrent uveoretinitis and pineocytoma in a child suggests a causal
      relationship.
AB  - Uveoretinitis was observed in a 9-year-old girl 6 months prior to the clinical
      appearance of a pineal tumour. Surgical removal was not successful but biopsy
      revealed a parenchymal neoplasm with differentiated pinealocytes and absent
      mitotic activity. Some of the tumour cells contained S-antigen, rhodopsin, and
      serotonin. Systemic glucocorticoid therapy followed by radiation therapy caused
      considerable reduction in size of the tumour and a complete normalisation of all
      eye symptoms. This report demonstrates for the first time that a pineocytoma can
      occur together with uveoretinitis in humans. The latter resembles the
      experimentally induced autoimmune uveoretinitis described in animals. It is
      speculated that the retinitis might reflect an autoimmune response to S-antigen
      present in some tumour cells of the pineocytoma.

PMID- 1420069
TI  - Plasma concentrations of fat-soluble vitamins A and E in neonates with
      myelomeningocele.
AB  - A group of newborn infants with myelomeningocele was compared with a group of
      neonates suffering from gastrointestinal malformations and a group of healthy
      children less than one year of age. The parameters studied were prealbumin,
      retinol-binding protein and the fat-soluble vitamins A and E. There were no
      significant differences between the groups in the plasma levels of the proteins
      or vitamin E. Vitamin A levels in newborn infants with myelomeningocele were
      found to be significantly lower compared to both the other groups.

PMID- 1420070
TI  - Long-term results after partial and unilateral nephrectomy in childhood.
AB  - In a clinical follow-up, 47 patients after unilateral or partial nephrectomy were
      examined. The average age at operation was 5.8 years (range 3 days-17.1 years),
      the average follow-up period after surgery was 11.9 years (range 8.2-18.3 years).
      Main indications for surgery were hydronephrosis (n = 27), other congenital
      malformations (n = 6) and neoplasia (n = 9). In one patient, we found
      hypertension, two patients presented with moderately diminished creatinine
      clearance, two further patients suffered from unilateral hydronephrosis after
      partial nephrectomy. We found by ultrasonography marked compensatory hypertrophy
      in cases of solitary kidneys (225.6 +/- 49.3%) as well as contralateral kidneys
      after partial nephrectomy (158.7 +/- 55.6%).

PMID- 1420068
TI  - Severe lower tracheal stenosis in infancy.
AB  - 16 infants with severe distal tracheal stenosis (TS) seen from 1978-1988 are
      reviewed. Diagnosis was established by endoscopy and confirmed by radiographic
      methods, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in three cases. Types of TS
      ranged from segmental stenosis to complex lesions involving the carina and
      bronchi. Associated vascular anomalies were found in nine patients (56%). All
      patients needed long-term intubation or a tracheostomy (seven cases) for stenting
      of the airway. Patients with congenital TS (CTS) were treated by tracheal
      resection (two survivors), dilatation (one survivor, two non-survivors), or
      observation (two non-survivors). Patients with pulmonary artery sling (PAS) were
      treated by division of the vascular sling (three survivors, one non-survivor), or
      combined vascular and tracheal surgery (one non-survivor). One patient with
      dilated pulmonary arteries compressing both main bronchi died in spite of oxygen
      therapy. Two cases of compression by an anomalous aorta were managed with
      dilatation (one survivor, one non-survivor). One patient with a severe stricture
      after a tracheal resection was successfully treated by dilatation. The overall
      mortality was 50%. We conclude that 1. endoscopic examination of the
      tracheobronchial tree and thorough evaluation of associated anomalies is
      mandatory in symptomatic patients; 2. if indicated surgical correction is the
      treatment of choice for tracheal stenosis; 3. dilatation and stenting of the
      stenosis are invaluable tools in the management of these infants.

PMID- 1420072
TI  - 20 years of functional reconstructive surgery in bladder exstrophy--balance 10
      years after a preliminary report.
AB  - This is an update of a consecutive series of 19 patients with bladder exstrophy
      presented as a preliminary report 10 years ago with a follow-up of 6 years. The
      average time of follow-up now is 14 years. In difference to the former report
      several additional procedures have been performed in most patients. 3 early
      "good" patients stay "good and continent". Only 3 out of 5 patients categorized
      as "fair" are now "good and continent" and only one without further intervention.
      3 out of 6 patients who were classified as "poor" are now diverted. The overall
      rate of secondary diversions is 40% including 2 patients with
      ureterosigmoidostomies. All patients have normal renal function and normal blood
      pressures. These results show that an early "good" result generally remains
      "good" but additional surgery may be warranted. The initially "fair" results
      usually necessitate a secondary procedure, e.g. augmentation cystoplasty or/and
      bladder neck tightening to show an improvement. Patients with early "poor"
      results unfortunately remain "poor" and have a great chance to get diverted.

PMID- 1420071
TI  - Predictability of duration and severity of congenital hydronephrosis as a cause
      of smooth muscle deterioration in pyelo-ureteral junction obstruction.
AB  - Between 1989 and 1990, 31 new unilateral PUJO, prenatally diagnosed (16th-37th
      week of gestational age), underwent pyeloplasty between 19 and 105 days of age.
      The correlation between severity (V) (volume of hydronephrotic kidney) and
      duration (dT) of congenital hydronephrosis from its first detection in utero to
      surgery and histological findings were prospectively evaluated in this series. A
      dT longer than 70 days and a V larger than 50 ml., were considered as predictable
      for hypotrophy with fibrosis of the upper urinary tract smooth musculature. In
      conclusion, time seems to play an important role in the increase of the volume of
      the obstructed urinary tract to the extent of a large-scale hydronephrosis.

PMID- 1420073
TI  - Hyperplastic callus formation in osteogenesis imperfecta.
AB  - Osteogenesis imperfecta, an inherited disorder of connective tissues, affects
      roughly (OI) 4000 people in Germany (11). The main clinical symptoms are fragile
      bones, progressing skeletal deformities, generalized osteoporosis and short
      stature. Incidentally, the clinical manifestations can range from perinatal
      lethal forms to phenotypical normal adults. In many instances the underlying
      causes of the disease are mutations in gene coding for collagen I, the
      predominant protein in most connective tissues. Fracture healing is usually not
      impaired, although in a unique group of OI-patients, a tumor-like hyperplastic
      callus occurs with excessive deposition of extracellular matrix constituents.
      Biochemical analysis of the callus is reminiscent of bone from early stages of
      human development and normal fracture healing (e.g. collagen type composition,
      degree of posttranslational modification). This underlines that, besides collagen
      mutations, the regulation of collagen synthesis and their posttranslational
      processing might be disturbed in patients with hyperplastic callus formation.

PMID- 1420074
TI  - Does fibrin glue cause foreign body reactions?
AB  - The study was performed in 20 Wistar rats. Approximately 4 mm perforations were
      created in the left colon of ten rats to which fibrin glue was applied (Group D).
      The control group had the same injury without any therapeutic or surgical
      measures (Group K). Of the 20 rats in both groups none died during the
      postoperative period. All animals sacrificed on the 11th postoperative day. All
      ten rats of Group D displayed inflammatory foreign body reactions. The control
      group showed no such reaction.

PMID- 1420075
TI  - Manometric evaluation of children with chronic constipation using a suction
      stimulating electrode.
AB  - Thirteen children with chronic constipation (8 males and 5 females, aged 1 month
      to 9 years) were evaluated manometrically. A suction-stimulating electrode was
      used to induce the rectoanal reflex electrically so as to examine the threshold
      voltage and latency of this reflex. The rectoanal reflex was induced in all
      patients by balloon dilatation of the rectum. However, electrical stimulation of
      the rectal mucosa triggered a reflex in only nine of them and the threshold
      voltage and latency was 22.2 +/- 3.6 volts (mean +/- SD, n = 9) and 2.04 +/- 0.38
      seconds (n = 9), respectively. Hence, it is suggested that a suction-stimulating
      electrode is a useful supportive tool in manometric anorectal studies, and that
      disturbances in the rectal nervous system might be one of the causative factors
      in chronic constipation in childhood.

PMID- 1420076
TI  - Rupture of the duodenum with avulsion of the papilla of Vater due to blunt trauma
      in a child, and review of the literature.
AB  - Duodenal rupture with avulsion of the papilla of Vater is an uncommon injury due
      to blunt abdominal trauma in children. This report describes a 9-year-old boy who
      sustained this injury and was treated successfully two days delayed by a Roux-en
      Y choledocho-pancreaticojejunostomy and temporary implantation of a zipper for
      abdominal wall closure. The rarity of this complex injury and its initial
      presentation as a posttraumatic pancreatitis warrant its description. A review of
      the literature, modes of diagnosis and surgical technique for repair are
      described.

PMID- 1420077
TI  - Acute acalculous cholecystitis caused by Salmonella typhi in a 6-year-old child.
AB  - A rare case of acute acalculous cholecystitis caused by Salmonella typhi in a 6
      year-old child is presented. The clinical signs were fulminant, with diffuse
      peritonitis being suspected. Cholecystostomy and i.v. ceftriaxone proved
      efficacious and the girl was discharged in less than two weeks. The appropriate
      literature is reviewed.

PMID- 1420078
TI  - Penile dorsal angulation in a child without epispadias.
AB  - This is a report on a 5-year-old boy with dorsal penile angulation without
      epispadias. The surgical correction is described.

PMID- 1420079
TI  - Polyorchidism: a case report and review of the literature.
AB  - We report on a case of polyorchidism associated with left-sided inguinal hernia
      and hydrocele. Biopsies of both testes revealed normal histological pattern.
      After the hernia repair and hydrocelectomy both testes were left at their
      original places in the scrotum and fixed. Polyorchidism and its management are
      discussed briefly.

PMID- 1420081
TI  - Reconstruction of the perineal body after recurrence of a recto-perineal fistula
      in an intermediate type of anorectal malformation in a young woman.
AB  - The appearance of a recto-perineal fistula post-operatively in an intermediate
      type of anorectal malformation is rare. It always gives rise to incontinence.
      However, the closure of this fistula is particularly difficult since recurrence
      is frequent. The following case report concerns a patient who after several
      unsuccessful attempts to close the fistula, had a local rotation flap which
      permitted good healing and a beneficial effect on continence thanks to a good
      reconstruction of the perineal body.

PMID- 1420080
TI  - Thermography in a child with varicocele.
AB  - A 12-year-old boy with a left-sided varicocele (Grade 3) was assessed
      preoperatively and followed postoperatively by computer-assisted infrared
      thermography. The temperature of the left scrotum was 35.4 degrees C before
      surgery which was 4 degrees C higher than that of the right scrotum. After
      ligation of the left internal spermatic vein and removal of the varicocele,
      scrotal thermograms 39 days and 12 months after operation were normal. Therefore,
      it seems that thermography is very valuable in the evaluation of testicular
      function in children with varicocele, in whom semen analysis is impossible.

PMID- 1420082
TI  - Further characterization of the acetyl LDL (scavenger) receptor expressed by
      rabbit smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts.
AB  - We have previously demonstrated that the acetyl low density lipoprotein (LDL), or
      scavenger, receptor is expressed by rabbit smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and
      fibroblasts. Moreover, receptor activity in rabbit fibroblasts was regulated over
      a wide range by preincubating the cells with secretion products from human
      platelets or with phorbol esters. The current studies were undertaken to examine
      the regulation of receptor expression in rabbit SMCs, to characterize further the
      receptor expressed by rabbit SMCs and fibroblasts, and to determine whether
      incubating these cells with chemically modified lipoproteins would lead to foam
      cell formation. Receptor activity was increased fivefold in rabbit SMCs by
      preincubation with platelet secretion products and nine- to 20-fold by
      preincubation with phorbol esters or mezerein, a non-phorbol activator of protein
      kinase C. The phorbol ester-induced increase in receptor activity was due to an
      increased mass of scavenger receptor as determined by both ligand blots and
      immunoblots of membrane proteins from these cells. The immunoblotting studies
      suggest that the SMC scavenger receptor activity is due to type I or type II
      scavenger receptors. The scavenger receptor expressed by phorbol ester-treated
      rabbit SMCs and fibroblasts bound chemically modified LDL with an order-of
      magnitude higher affinity (Kd 5.1 x 10(-10) M) than did the scavenger receptor
      expressed by mouse peritoneal macrophages (Kd 4.1 x 10(-9) M), whereas rabbit
      macrophages bound chemically modified LDL with intermediate affinity (Kd 1.0 x
      10(-9) M). Both the phorbol ester-stimulated rabbit fibroblasts and SMCs
      expressed 10-30% as many receptors per cell as did mouse peritoneal macrophages.
      Consistent with the difference in the number of receptors, uptake of the
      chemically modified LDL at 37 degrees C by SMCs led to approximately 25% as much
      lysosomal degradation and stimulation of cholesterol esterification as in mouse
      peritoneal macrophages. Incubation of phorbol ester-treated rabbit fibroblasts or
      SMCs with chemically modified LDL (50 micrograms/ml) for 24 or 48 hours,
      respectively, resulted in a threefold increase in total cholesterol and a 15-fold
      increase in cholesteryl ester within the cells. These studies suggest that the
      scavenger receptor-mediated uptake of modified lipoproteins may contribute to the
      formation of SMC foam cells in atherosclerotic lesions.

PMID- 1420083
TI  - Experimental atherosclerosis at the carotid bifurcation of the cynomolgus monkey.
      Localization, compensatory enlargement, and the sparing effect of lowered heart
      rate.
AB  - We have characterized plaque localization, the extent of compensatory artery
      enlargement, and the effect of heart rate in experimental atherosclerosis at the
      carotid bifurcation of the cynomolgus monkey. We altered heart rate by sino
      atrial node ablation (SNA) and then fed the animals an atherogenic diet for 6
      months. Heart rate was measured at four time points by 24-hour telemetry. Of nine
      animals with SNA, heart rate was reduced significantly in six (from 148 +/- 11 to
      103 +/- 20 beats/min, p < 0.001) and was unchanged in three. Sham-operated
      monkeys had no significant change in heart rate. On the basis of comparison with
      the preoperative mean for all 17 animals (136 +/- 22 beats/min), animals were
      separated into a low-heart-rate (LHR) group (111 +/- 16 beats/min, n = 12) and a
      high-heart-rate (HHR) group (150 +/- 16 beats/min, n = 5). Blood pressure, serum
      cholesterol level, and body weight did not differ for the two groups. As in the
      human, plaques formed predominantly in the proximal portion of the internal
      carotid artery at the lateral wall opposite the flow divider. Plaque cross
      sectional area increased progressively from the relatively uninvolved, adjacent
      common carotid artery to the mid-sinus region of the internal carotid artery and
      decreased from the mid-sinus region to the internal carotid artery beyond the
      sinus. Plaque distribution was the same for the LHR and HHR groups, but lesion
      area and percent stenosis were greater for the HHR group than for the LHR animals
      (2.01 +/- 1.19 compared with 0.76 +/- 0.42 mm2 for lesion area [p < 0.02] and
      30.7 +/- 4.4% compared with 15.2 +/- 7.3% for stenosis [p < 0.002]).(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420084
TI  - Vascular endothelium responds to fluid shear stress gradients.
AB  - In vitro investigations of the responses of vascular endothelium to fluid shear
      stress have typically been conducted under conditions where the time-mean shear
      stress is uniform. In contrast, the in vitro experiments reported here have re
      created the large gradients in surface fluid shear stress found near arterial
      branches in vivo; specifically, we have produced a disturbed-flow region that
      includes both flow separation and reattachment. Near reattachment regions, shear
      stress is small but its gradient is large. Cells migrate away from this region,
      predominantly in the downstream direction. Those that remain divide at a rate
      that is high compared with that of cells subjected to uniform shear. We speculate
      that large shear stress gradients can induce morphological and functional changes
      in the endothelium in regions of disturbed flow in vivo and thus may contribute
      to the formation of atherosclerotic lesions.

PMID- 1420085
TI  - Monoclonal antibodies against LDL further enhance macrophage uptake of LDL
      aggregates.
AB  - Self-aggregates of low density lipoprotein (LDL) are taken up and degraded more
      rapidly by macrophages than is native LDL. That enhanced uptake is attributable
      in part to phagocytosis via the LDL receptor pathway. However, arterial
      macrophages appear to express little LDL receptor activity. The present studies
      demonstrate an alternative mechanism by which LDL aggregates could contribute to
      foam cell formation. This could occur by the formation of large immune complexes
      that are taken up by macrophages via the Fc receptor. When immune complexes were
      formed with native, soluble LDL and MB47, a monoclonal antibody specific to the
      apoprotein B domain recognized by the LDL receptor, the subsequent uptake and
      degradation of the LDL by macrophages were inhibited 50-80% compared with native
      LDL alone. In contrast, when aggregated LDL was bound to MB47 at a similar molar
      ratio, the subsequent degradation of the insoluble immune complexes was two- to
      fivefold greater than that of aggregated LDL alone. The enhanced uptake was
      abolished when Fab or F(ab')2 fragments of MB47 were substituted for the intact
      antibody, indicating that the increased uptake was via the Fc receptor pathway.
      Furthermore, the uptake of the immune complexes of aggregated LDL was reduced by
      competition for the Fc receptor with heat-aggregated immunoglobulin. There was
      also an increase in the rate of cellular cholesterol esterification and an
      increase in macrophage cholesteryl ester mass. Since aggregates of LDL as well as
      autoantibodies against modified LDL have been demonstrated in atherosclerotic
      lesions, it is possible that immune complexes of aggregates of modified LDL may
      be generated in the intima.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420086
TI  - Time course and cellular characteristics of the iliac artery response to acute
      balloon injury. An angiographic, morphometric, and immunocytochemical analysis in
      the cholesterol-fed New Zealand white rabbit.
AB  - Evaluation of the response of the arterial vessel wall to acute arterial injury
      in experimental models has taken on substantial importance because of an
      increasing interest in angioplasty treatment of human atherosclerotic lesions. In
      this study, the response of normal arterial vessels to acute balloon injury was
      studied in 45 iliac artery segments from 24 New Zealand White rabbits fed a 2%
      cholesterol diet. At specified time points between 1 and 41 days after the
      initial balloon pullback injury, the iliac arteries were analyzed by
      angiographic, morphometric, and immunocytochemical techniques. Angiographic
      measurements indicated progressive compromise of the iliac artery lumen with
      increasing duration of time from injury. Morphometric measurements showed that
      intimal area increased from 0.004 +/- 0.01 mm2 3 days after injury to 1.15 +/-
      0.30 mm2 34-41 days after injury. Cell line-specific immunocytochemical analysis
      identified the macrophage as a prominent component of the earliest intimal
      cellular infiltrate. Smooth muscle cells appeared within the intima 7-9 days
      after injury. As the intima increased in area, macrophages predominated along the
      internal elastic lamina aspect of the intimal lesion while smooth muscle cells
      occupied the portion of the intima adjacent to the lumen. In summary, retrograde
      balloon pullback injury followed by cholesterol feeding results in progressive
      arterial luminal narrowing due to a progressively enlarging intimal cellular
      infiltrate. The temporal and spatial contributions of smooth muscle cell and
      macrophage components of the developing intimal cellular infiltrate have been
      characterized.

PMID- 1420087
TI  - Hepatic ACAT activity in African green monkeys is highly correlated to plasma LDL
      cholesteryl ester enrichment and coronary artery atherosclerosis.
AB  - Previous studies and this study of African green monkeys show a strong positive
      correlation between plasma low density lipoprotein (LDL) size and the extent of
      coronary artery atherosclerosis (CAA). Increased LDL size was principally due to
      the accumulation of cholesteryl oleate molecules within the particle core,
      suggesting that many of these cholesteryl esters were of tissue origin, i.e.,
      from the acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) reaction instead of
      the lecithin:cholesterol acyl-transferase (LCAT) reaction. The current study was
      conducted to test the hypothesis that ACAT in the liver is the source of the
      increased numbers of cholesteryl oleate molecules in plasma LDL particles that
      appear to increase the atherogenic potential of LDL. Monkeys were fed diets rich
      in fat (lard, safflower oil, or fish oil) and cholesterol for 3-6 years before
      liver perfusion, ACAT assay, and evaluation of CAA. Hepatic ACAT activity was
      positively correlated with hepatic cholesteryl ester secretion (r = 0.61, p <
      0.001), plasma LDL cholesteryl ester content (r = 0.60, p < 0.0001), and the
      extent of CAA (r = 0.62, p < 0.0001). The number of cholesteryl oleate molecules
      within LDL increased proportionally with LDL size in each of the diet groups.
      Hepatic cholesteryl oleate concentration was correlated with the accumulation of
      cholesteryl oleate in liver perfusate (r = 0.72, p < 0.01) and with plasma LDL
      cholesterol oleate content (r = 0.73, p < 0.0001). Our interpretation is that
      these data, obtained in a relevant primate model of CAA, suggest that hepatic
      ACAT increases the atherogenicity of LDL by augmenting both the secretion by the
      liver and accumulation in plasma LDL of cholesteryl oleate.

PMID- 1420088
TI  - Change in LDL particle size is associated with change in plasma triglyceride
      concentration.
AB  - Low density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size is inversely associated with plasma
      triglyceride concentration in cross-sectional analyses. In the present study,
      changes in the LDL particle size of 227 participants of the Framingham Offspring
      Study were analyzed longitudinally by nondenaturing gradient gel electrophoresis
      at two examinations that were separated by 3-4 years. All subjects had
      triglyceride concentrations < 400 mg/dl at both exams. Using laser scanning
      densitometry to assess mean LDL particle size, 56% of samples displayed a change
      in size: 41% had a one-band size change, 13% had a two-band change, and 2% had a
      three-band change. These changes in size corresponded to a 15% change in pattern
      type, based on pattern A and B terminology. There was a significant inverse
      association between change in LDL size and change in triglyceride (p < 0.0001)
      and glucose (p < 0.004) concentrations, body weight (p < 0.02), and age (p <
      0.03). There was also a significant positive association with change in high
      density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentration (p < 0.0001). Change in LDL
      cholesterol concentration, as calculated by use of the Friedewald formula,
      however, showed no significant association with change in LDL size (p < 0.9).
      There was also no significant association with change in smoking or blood
      pressure, but there was a nonsignificant inverse trend associated with alcohol
      intake (p < 0.08).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420089
TI  - Cholesterol efflux is defective in macrophages from atherosclerosis-susceptible
      White Carneau pigeons relative to resistant show racer pigeons.
AB  - White Carneau (WC) pigeons are susceptible to the development of aortic
      atherosclerosis, whereas Show Racer (SR) pigeons are resistant, even though there
      are no differences in the known risk factors, including plasma cholesterol
      levels, lipoproteins, blood pressure, etc. Although this suggests that the
      difference in atherosclerosis susceptibility between WC and SR pigeons may be
      mediated at the level of the arterial wall, we have yet to identify a mechanism
      that can account for this difference. In pigeons as in other species (including
      humans), macrophages play a major role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
      Pigeon macrophages have multiple mechanisms for the uptake of lipoproteins and
      the accumulation of cholesteryl esters. To date, however, no differences in
      lipoprotein uptake between macrophages of WC and SR pigeons have been identified
      that could explain the difference in atherosclerosis susceptibility. In the
      present study we explored the alternative hypothesis that there are differences
      in the rate of cholesteryl ester clearance from peritoneal macrophages isolated
      from the two breeds of pigeons. Cholesterol efflux studies were conducted with
      elicited pigeon peritoneal macrophages that were loaded with cholesteryl ester
      either in vitro by incubation with rabbit beta-very low density lipoprotein or in
      vivo by isolation of macrophages from birds fed a cholesterol-containing diet.
      Using these techniques we were able to load WC and SR macrophages consistently
      with cholesteryl esters to levels typical of arterial foam cells (150-1,150
      micrograms/mg cell protein). Under these cholesterol loading conditions there was
      no net efflux of cholesterol from either WC or SR macrophages when incubated for
      up to 24 hours in the presence of pigeon or human high density lipoprotein (HDL),
      fetal bovine serum, or lipoprotein-deficient serum. Under the same conditions,
      efflux of cholesterol from mouse peritoneal macrophages was stimulated by human
      and pigeon HDL. Despite the inability of HDL, lipoprotein-deficient serum, or
      fetal bovine serum to promote net cholesterol efflux, apoprotein (apo)
      HDL/phosphatidylcholine (PC) vesicles stimulated cholesteryl ester clearance from
      both WC and SR pigeon macrophages but at a significantly slower rate from WC
      pigeon macrophages. When incubated in the presence of excess apoHDL/PC (400
      micrograms/ml), the rate of depletion of cellular cholesteryl esters was log
      linear for at least 48 hours. WC macrophages cleared an average of only 9% of
      their cholesteryl esters in 24 hours when incubated with excess apoHDL/PC,
      whereas SR macrophages reduced their cholesteryl ester content by an average of
      42%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1420090
TI  - Long-term nicotine exposure increases aortic endothelial cell death and enhances
      transendothelial macromolecular transport in rats.
AB  - Repeated endothelial cell injury has been suggested as an initiating factor in
      atherogenesis. Dying or dead endothelial cells have been shown to make
      significant contributions to the local enhancement of transendothelial
      macromolecular transport. Since cigarette smoking is one of the major risk
      factors for atherosclerosis, we examined the hypothesis that smoking accelerates
      atherogenesis by increasing the frequency of endothelial cell death and hence
      transendothelial macromolecular transport. Sixteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were
      given nicotine at a weight-adjusted dose of 5 mg/kg body wt per day in their
      drinking water over a period of 6 weeks. A group of 16 age-matched male Sprague
      Dawley rats not exposed to nicotine and maintained over the same time period
      served as the control group. In en face preparations of thoracic aorta,
      immunoglobulin G-containing dying or dead endothelial cells were identified by
      the indirect immunoperoxidase method, and endothelial leakage to Evans blue
      albumin (EBA) complexes (5 minutes after intravenous injection) was visualized by
      fluorescence microscopy. The results showed that in nicotine-treated rats, 51% of
      dead endothelial cells were associated with EBA leakage, which was responsible
      for 57% of total EBA leaky foci. Both the frequency of endothelial cell death
      (0.94 +/- 0.11% versus 0.40 +/- 0.04%, p < 0.0001 by two-tailed, unpaired
      Student's t test) and the number density of EBA leaky foci (6.45 +/- 1.23/mm2
      versus 3.30 +/- 0.49/mm2, p < 0.05 by two-tailed, unpaired t test) were
      significantly greater in nicotine-treated rats than in control rats.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420092
TI  - Mast cell-mediated inhibition of reverse cholesterol transport.
AB  - Net cholesterol efflux from cholesterol-loaded macrophages, i.e., foam cells, was
      induced by incubating the foam cells with high density lipoprotein3 (HDL3).
      However, when the incubation system included rat serosal mast cells stimulated to
      trigger exocytosis of their cytoplasmic secretory granules, the ability of HDL3
      to induce cholesterol efflux was largely lost. This loss was found to be due to
      the proteolytic action of chymase, the neutral protease of the granules, which
      degraded the apolipoproteins of HDL3, so rendering them unable to mediate
      cholesterol efflux from the foam cells. The observation defines a novel cell
      dependent mechanism that blocks the initial steps of reverse cholesterol
      transport and suggests a role for mast cell chymase in cellular accumulation of
      cholesterol, an early stage in atherogenesis.

PMID- 1420091
TI  - Effect of endothelial integrity, transmural pressure, and time on the intimal
      medial uptake of serum 125I-albumin and 125I-LDL in an in vitro porcine arterial
      organ-support system.
AB  - This report describes a new in vitro, metabolically supported, Sinclair Research
      Farm minipig aortic preparation in which the intimal-medial uptakes (M, mg.cm-2
      of intimal surface) of porcine 125I-albumin and normocholesterolemic
      (nonoxidized) porcine 125I-low density lipoprotein (LDL) from a stirred,
      autogenous serum (containing a 125I-protein concentration of c0, mg.cm-3 at 37
      degrees C and pH 7.4) were studied as functions of transmural pressure (0 < or =
      P < or = 150 mm Hg), time (30 < or = t < or = 120 minutes), and endothelial
      integrity. The following new observations were made: 1) The normalized
      transendothelial uptakes (M/c0, cm) of both albumin and LDL across normal intact
      aortic endothelial surfaces were insensitive to P. This indicated that these
      macromolecular solutes were not readily convected across the normal aortic
      endothelial surface despite increasing P. 2) However, the associated
      transendothelial M/c0 versus t relations for the normal intact surfaces were
      shown to increase monotonically with t in a manner consistent with a simple
      diffusive transport across a large surface barrier into the subjacent media,
      either with (Cases 2A and 2B) or without (Case 1) an associated transmural water
      convection. 3) The shapes of these temporal M/c0 curves of albumin and LDL were
      virtually the same; however, the magnitude of the albumin M/c0 curve was about
      sevenfold greater than that of LDL. 4) The M/c0 across the injured endothelial
      surface (Case 2C) not only increased monotonically with t but also increased
      significantly with P, indicating that in the absence of a normal endothelial
      surface, a very large convective component was added to the transport processes
      across the exposed aortic endothelial basement membrane and internal elastica. We
      conclude that: 1) the normal porcine aortic endothelial surface can provide a
      virtually complete barrier to the transendothelial convective transport of both
      albumin and LDL, 2) the diffusive barrier of the normal endothelial surface to
      LDL was sevenfold greater than that to albumin, 3) loss of the endothelial cell
      layer was associated with a threefold increase in the (P = 0) diffusive intimal
      medial uptake of serum albumin in contrast to an eightfold increase in the
      pressurized (P = 150 mm Hg) combined diffusive-convective intimal-medial albumin
      uptake in the same vessel.

PMID- 1420093
TI  - Relation of triglyceride metabolism and coronary artery disease. Studies in the
      postprandial state.
AB  - The status of fasting triglycerides as a risk factor for coronary artery disease
      (CAD) has been considered weak because in multivariate analyses, triglycerides
      tend to be eliminated by high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. To further
      evaluate the role of triglycerides in CAD, we employed postprandial lipemia as a
      more informative means of characterizing triglyceride metabolism. In 61 male
      subjects with severe CAD and 40 control subjects without CAD as verified by
      angiography, we measured cholesterol; triglycerides; HDL cholesterol; HDL2
      cholesterol; and apolipoproteins A-I, A-II, and B in fasting plasma and
      triglycerides before and 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours after a standardized test meal.
      Both the maximal triglyceride increase and the magnitude of postprandial lipemia
      (area under the triglyceride curve over 8 hours after the meal) were higher in
      cases than in control subjects. Single postprandial triglyceride levels 6 and 8
      hours after the meal were highly discriminatory (p < 0.001), and by logistic
      regression analysis displayed an accuracy of 68% in predicting the presence or
      absence of CAD. In this respect, accuracy was higher than that of HDL2
      cholesterol (64%) and equal to that of apolipoprotein B (68%), the most
      discriminatory fasting parameter. Multivariate logistic-regression analysis was
      performed to reduce the number of risk factors to those that were statistically
      independent. This statistical procedure selected postprandial but not fasting
      triglycerides into the most accurate multivariate model, which also contained the
      accepted risk factors HDL2 cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and age. This model
      classified 82% of subjects correctly. We conclude that triglycerides are
      independent predictors of CAD in multivariate analyses including HDL cholesterol,
      provided that a challenge test of triglyceride metabolism such as postprandial
      lipemia is used. The study suggests that the metabolism of triglycerides is a
      critical determinant of cholesterol metabolic routing. The findings support the
      concept that the negative association between HDL cholesterol levels and CAD
      actually originates in part from a positive relation between CAD and plasma
      triglycerides, as ascertained in the postprandial state.

PMID- 1420094
TI  - Serum Lp(a) as a discriminant marker of early atherosclerotic plaque at three
      extracoronary sites in hypercholesterolemic men. The PCVMETRA Group.
AB  - To investigate the role of lipoprotein (a) (Lp[a]) as an atherogenic condition
      related to hypercholesterolemia, we studied the serum concentration of Lp(a) as
      measured by immunonephelometry in relation to the presence of asymptomatic
      echographic plaques in the peripheral arteries of 103 untreated
      hypercholesterolemic, normotensive, middle-aged men. Plaque was found at carotid,
      aortic, and femoral sites in 36%, 51%, and 53% of subjects, respectively. The
      Lp(a) level was higher in the group with carotid plaques than in the group
      without (0.29 +/- 0.20 versus 0.17 +/- 0.14 g/l, p < 0.01), not significantly
      higher in the group with aortics plaque than in the group without (0.24 +/- 0.19
      versus 0.19 +/- 0.16 g/l), and not different between groups with and without
      femoral plaques (0.21 +/- 0.18 versus 0.22 +/- 0.17 g/l). A logistic regression
      analysis confirmed that Lp(a) was associated with carotid plaques (p = 0.004),
      independent of other risk factors. However, in patients with low density
      lipoprotein cholesterol values above the group median value (4.7 mmol/l), Lp(a)
      was associated not only with carotid plaques (p < 0.01) but also with aortic
      plaques (p < 0.05), as well as with the number of diseased sites (p = 0.02). In
      contrast, in patients with low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels below or
      equal to 4.7 mmol/l, Lp(a) only remained associated with carotid plaques (p <
      0.05). Thus, in symptom-free, hypercholesterolemic men, early atherosclerosis was
      influenced by serum Lp(a), particularly in the carotid arteries, as well as by
      the presence of a higher level of low density lipoprotein cholesterol.

PMID- 1420096
TI  - Etoposide treatment suppresses atherosclerotic plaque development in cholesterol
      fed rabbits.
AB  - To study the mechanisms by which monocytes/macrophages and smooth muscle cells
      contribute to atherosclerotic lesions, we studied atherosclerotic plaque
      formation in cholesterol-fed rabbits treated with etoposide, a drug that has been
      shown to have several effects that could interfere with the proposed interactions
      between these two cell types (M.W. Aarnoudes et al, Virchows Arch B 1984;47:211
      216 and M. Rozencweig et al, Cancer 1977;40:334-342). Our results show that long
      term etoposide treatment of New Zealand White rabbits maintained on a high
      cholesterol diet decreases the extent of fatty streak formation in the aortic
      intima. Moreover, the plaques formed in the presence of etoposide are thinner and
      at least focally have less fibrous tissue and fewer smooth muscle cell-derived
      foam cells than do plaques in control rabbits. These effects are independent of
      the extent of the diet-induced hyperlipemia or an effect of etoposide on blood
      cell count and may be related to the inhibition of intimal cell proliferation by
      etoposide.

PMID- 1420095
TI  - LDL binding sites on platelets differ from the "classical" receptor of nucleated
      cells.
AB  - Washed human platelets bound radioiodinated low density lipoprotein (125I-LDL) to
      a class of saturable binding sites; they numbered 1,348 +/- 126 per platelet, and
      the dissociation constant (KD) was 50.7 +/- 9 nM. 125I-LDL binding to platelets
      was reversible, and apparent equilibrium was attained within 25 minutes at 22
      degrees C and was characterized by forward and reverse rate constants of 1.47 x
      10(4) x sec-1 x M-1 and 8 x 10(-4) x sec-1 x M-1, respectively. Such binding was
      largely unaltered by temperature, divalent ions, and chelating agents. In
      addition, neither did receptor regulation (up or down) occur when platelets were
      loaded with cholesterol, nor did prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) increase the binding of
      125I-LDL to platelets. On the other hand, the specificity of LDL binding was not
      typical of the LDL receptor of nucleated cells. Lipoproteins competed for the
      occupancy of LDL binding sites in platelets with the following order of potency:
      very low density >> intermediate density > high density subfraction 2. High
      density lipoprotein subfraction 3, heparin, and PGE1 had no effect on this
      binding. 125I-LDL binding to lymphocytes and fibroblasts and proteolytic
      degradation of 125I-LDL by lymphocytes was inhibited by the monoclonal antibody
      IgG-C7 directed against the LDL receptor to 88%, 85%, and 85% (p < 0.001),
      respectively. However, with this monoclonal antibody, a blocking effect on
      neither 125I-LDL binding to platelets nor on LDL-enhanced platelet aggregation
      induced by ADP and collagen was found. Moreover, we confirmed the existence of
      LDL binding in platelets from patients with familial hypercholesterolemia. Our
      results indicate that human platelets bind LDL by saturable sites, which clearly
      differ from the "classical" LDL receptor in their binding properties, absence of
      receptor regulation, presence in platelets of familial hypercholesterolemia
      patients, and the lack of a blocking effect of IgG-C7 on LDL binding and LDL
      biological activity.

PMID- 1420098
TI  - A longitudinal study of the effects on the oral mucosa of treatment for acute
      childhood leukaemia.
AB  - A longitudinal study was undertaken of the effect of therapy on the oral mucosa
      of 12 children with acute leukaemia. The major oral problem was ulceration, which
      was associated with neutrophil counts of less than 1.0 x 10(9)/l. Candida
      carriage rates were consistently high in patients with or without oral
      candidosis. Salivary flow was not significantly different between leukaemic
      children and the control group.

PMID- 1420097
TI  - Dentigerous cysts involving permanent incisors: four case reports.
AB  - Four cases of dentigerous cysts involving permanent incisors are reported. In
      each case the primary predecessor had been traumatized, was discoloured and
      suspected of being non-vital. Epithelial proliferation of the follicular tissues
      induced by chronic periapical inflammation of the predecessors is suggested as
      the most likely pathogenesis of cystic transformation in these cases. Regular
      radiographic review of discoloured primary incisors is recommended.

PMID- 1420100
TI  - Dental caries in 12-year-old children in Salford, UK: changes over 28 years.
AB  - A sample of 111 12-year-old children in Salford, UK was examined in 1988, and the
      findings compared with those of a survey carried out in 1960 of 12-year-old
      children in the same city. Between 1960 and 1988, the mean DMFT of the boys fell
      from 6.04 to 2.34 and that of the girls from 6.54 to 3.40. All types of teeth
      were affected by caries in 1960 but in 1988 none of the canines and mandibular
      lateral incisors were affected. In 1960 the permanent first molars contributed
      57% of the boys' and 54% of the girls' total DMFT while in 1988 they contributed
      87% of the boys' and 73% of the girls' DMFT. Jackson's Treatment Index showed
      that the dental services were making a greater impact in 1988; for the boys it
      rose from 29.5 to 63.2 and for the girls from 27.8 to 62.3.

PMID- 1420099
TI  - Dental health and salivary Streptococcus mutans levels in a group of children
      with heart defects.
AB  - One-hundred children aged 2-16 years who were attending the Outpatients
      Department of the Yorkshire Regional Cardiac Centre were examined for dental
      caries, gingivitis, plaque and calculus. A control group of 100 children was also
      examined. A saliva sample was taken from each child in the study group to assess
      the level of Streptococcus mutans colonization. Comparing study and control
      groups, dental caries experience (dmft) was significantly higher only in the
      primary teeth of 5-9-year-old children in the study group, and there were no
      significant differences in gingivitis, plaque or calculus. The S. mutans count
      was found to be positively correlated to the number of decayed teeth in the study
      group.

PMID- 1420101
TI  - Flow rate and chemistry of parotid saliva related to dental caries and gingivitis
      in patients with thalassaemia major.
AB  - Twenty-one child patients with thalassaemic major (TM) and 83 healthy control
      children were examined for dental caries and gingivitis. Stimulated parotid gland
      secretions were collected from each child. Parotid saliva flow rate was measured
      and the saliva samples were tested for calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium,
      urea, lysozyme and immunoglobulin levels (IgA, IgG, IgM). The results showed that
      dental caries experience was significantly higher in the TM group. Parotid saliva
      flow rates in TM patients were not significantly different from those in the
      healthy controls. However, the median saliva concentrations of phosphorus and IgA
      were significantly lower in the patients than in the controls. The concentration
      of lysozyme was also lower in the TM group, but the difference was not
      statistically significant. The findings could provide an explanation for the
      higher dental caries experience and gingivitis observed in the TM group.

PMID- 1420102
TI  - Dental management of a child with EEC syndrome.
AB  - The EEC syndrome is a condition characterized by ectrodactyly, ectodermal
      dysplasia and clefting of the lip and/or palate. Here we report a case of a boy
      with the EEC syndrome. The clinical and radiologic aspects of this condition, as
      well as the dental treatment, are reviewed.

PMID- 1420103
TI  - [Significance of the so-called symptomless periods of disease].
AB  - Considerable change has occurred to nosology due to the advent of electron
      microscopy and its use in investigations of pathological processes. These
      investigations have shown that morphological alterations under the impact of
      pathogenic factors may persist for extended periods of time without any clinical
      manifestation due to soon effectiveness of mechanisms of compensation in the form
      of regeneration and hyperplasia of cells and intracellular ultrastructures
      (intracellular regeneration). Clinical symptoms will not grow manifest until
      regeneration and hyperplasia are not capable any more of compensation for tissue
      lesions that have resulted from dystrophy and necrosis. This is likely to offer
      an explanation for delay of treatment, when a patient will not see a physician
      until the disease has become incurable. It is the established purpose of early
      diagnosis to detect structural alterations in organs during the asymptomatic
      preclinical period, that is before the disease has reached an advanced stage. The
      idea of "primary existent functional and secondarily added morphological
      alterations" is just as erroneous as that of the existence of "purely functional
      diseases". Such outdated concepts used to be based on underestimation of
      compensatory reactions of the organism and the enormous role played by them in
      the development and outcome of pathological processes.

PMID- 1420104
TI  - [Pathology of the placenta. XI. Feto-fetal transfusion syndrome].
AB  - An account is given in this part of the series of placental alterations in the
      foeto-foetal transfusion syndrome of monochorial twin pregnancies. Arteriovenous
      or less often arterio-arterial anastomoses between the two parts of the placenta
      were found to be conditions for such foeto-foetal transfusion. Blood is
      discharged on the foetal side from one twin to the other, with one of the twins
      being adversely affected in growth and general development (donor), which may be
      as bad as acardia in case of very early onset of transfusion. The other twin
      (recipient) will undergo better development but will as well be impaired by
      cardiac hypertrophy and other organic lesions due to excessive inflow of blood.
      The placenta of the donor--quite often meeting intra-uterine death--usually is
      smaller than that of the recipient. It is severely anaemic and, additionally, may
      be of inadequate maturity. The placenta of the recipient may exhibit strongly
      pronounced hyperaemia, up to A and B angiomatosis. The author describes two of
      his own cases, with reference being made to morphological findings.

PMID- 1420105
TI  - [Pathomorphology of experimental Candida mycosis].
AB  - An account is given in this paper of evaluated results obtained from over 30
      years of research on the pathogenesis and morphology of experimental candidiasis.
      No success has so far been recorded from efforts to set up a fully valid animal
      experimental model of all forms of candidiasis in man. Models so far can be
      successfully constructed only for certain links in the process of infection.
      Particular importance, in this context, should be attributed to effects on the
      organism which would cause improvement or reduction of specific and unspecific
      resistance. Critical analysis of results obtained from differently conceptualized
      experiments has contributed to comprehensive understanding of the morphogenesis
      of opportunistic candida infections in man. Models established in the wake of
      animal experiments have provided a basis for formulation of principles of a
      combined candidiasis therapy, using both antibiotics and immunomodulators.

PMID- 1420107
TI  - Comparative lectinhistochemical studies on paraffin- and glycol methacrylate
      embedded CNS tissue specimens from AIDS autopsies. Mistletoe lectin I (ML I) as
      cell-marker.
AB  - Brain tissue and spinal cord tissue from 12 patients who had died of AIDS was
      fixed in neutral formalin; then after the embedment of some of it in paraffin and
      some of it in glycol methacrylate, it was analyzed lectinhistochemically with
      mistletoe lectin I (ML I). Mistletoe lectin (ML I) is a reliable marker for
      microglia cells and macrophages and for special cell forms (polynuclear giant
      cells, so-called pericytes) belonging to this cell system. In both the embedding
      procedures used, the representation of the cells is very clear and subtly
      differentiated so that the preparations are very well suited to the study of AIDS
      associated tissue damage in the CNS. Whereas the immunological macrophage markers
      (CD 68 markers) KPI, PG-M1 produce good results on paraffin-embedded material but
      are completely useless on material embedded in glycol methacrylate, the cells of
      the monocyte-macrophage system can be represented very well and reliably after
      being embedded in glycol methacrylate with mistletoe lectin I (ML I).

PMID- 1420106
TI  - Analysis of expression of erythropoietin-binding sites in human lung carcinoma by
      the biotinylated ligand.
AB  - Recombinant glycosylated erythropoietin (EPO) was biotinylated with biotin
      aminocaproyl hydrazide via periodate-treated sialic acid moieties and applied to
      sections of 64 tumors of the lower respiratory tract, comprising 19 primary
      adenocarcinomas, 19 epidermoid carcinomas, 13 large cell anaplastic carcinomas,
      11 small cell lung carcinomas, 11 intrapulmonary metastases, 1 mesothelioma and 1
      lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia. The formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded
      specimens were incubated with labelled EPO at room temperature and a
      concentration of 10 micrograms/ml for 60 min. The expression of the EPO-binding
      sites was visualized by the ABC technique. All of the analyzed large cell
      anaplastic carcinomas and the majority of the epidermoid carcinoma (89%),
      adenocarcinoma (79%), and metastases (82%) displayed binding capacities for EPO.
      Five out of the eleven small cell lung carcinomas, the analyzed mesothelioma and
      lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia revealed definite staining, too. Binding sites
      could, in addition, be seen in air dried, non-fixed, acetone-fixed, and ether
      ethanol-fixed cytological specimens. The data indicate that the expression of
      binding sites with specificity for EPO can be frequently seen in human bronchial
      malignancies.

PMID- 1420108
TI  - [Ultrastructure of amitosis and mitosis of the liver].
AB  - Thousands of liver cells of several ultrastructural investigation programs of our
      laboratory have been evaluated in respect to amitosis and mitosis. Multiplication
      of hepatocytes by amitosis and mitosis often leads to bi-, tri- and
      multinucleated cells. No striking ultrastructural changes have been observed in
      the hepatocytes of human and animal livers. There are no indications of enhanced
      autophagocytosis or other signs of dedifferentiation. However, non-hepatocytes
      suffer ultrastructural changes during mitosis: endothelial cells reduce their
      organelles in number, round up their shape and form microvilli reaching between
      the microvilli of hepatocytic sinusoidal membrane. Mitotic Kupffer cells contain
      only small phagosomes and are separated from hepatocytes by endothelial cell
      processes.

PMID- 1420109
TI  - Congenital malformations of the respiratory tract.
AB  - Malformations of the respiratory tract were found in 21 out of 205 foetuses (10%)
      in whom various congenital malformations had been prenatally detected by
      ultrasonography and amniocentesis. Pulmonary hypoplasia was the most common of
      all pulmonary malformations and was established in 17 cases (81%). Lung
      alobulation was established in two cases (9.5%), and pulmonary cysts were
      recorded in another two cases in post-mortem examinations. Correlations
      established between ultrasonographic and pathomorphological findings were not
      satisfactory as only 29% of all ultrasonographic diagnosis were complete and
      correct. Hence, much closer cooperation between the pathologist and clinician is
      essential to all investigations of congenital malformations, in particular to
      those of complex nature.

PMID- 1420110
TI  - [Syncytial variant of the nodular sclerosing type of Hodgkin's disease in
      cervical lymph nodes with simultaneous sarcoidosis-like granulomatosis in the
      intrathoracic lymph nodes and liver].
AB  - A woman aged 31 years had been afflicted with mediastinal lymph node enlargement
      and hepatopathy for two years. Epithelioid-cell granulomatosis was diagnosed at
      another institute on the basis of biopsies taken from the liver and thoracic
      lymph nodes, resulting in the differential diagnosis of sarcoidosis or
      tuberculosis. Another biopsy was taken from enlarged cervical lymph nodes, after
      tuberculostatic therapy had remained unsuccessful and had not prevented
      deterioration of the patient's condition. We diagnosed from that biopsy the
      syncytial variant of nodular sclerosis of Hodgkin's disease.
      Immunohistochemically, the tumour cells exhibited positive reactions to antigens
      CD 15 and CD 30, whereas no evidence was provided to the presence of
      cytokeratins, lysozyme and S-100 protein. In grading, we associated our case with
      subtype 2 of nodular sclerosis and clinical stage II. Combined radiotherapy and
      chemotherapy resulted in complete remission of the tumour disease. Presence of
      granulomatosis similar to sarcoidosis was confirmed by follow-up examination of
      the liver and lymph node biopsies which originally had been histopathologically
      examined at another institute. The question is discussed whether or not this
      granulomatous reaction reflected an increased immunological defence reaction of
      the organism to Hodgkin's disease and thus offered an explanation for the
      unexpected favourable course of the patient's disease.

PMID- 1420111
TI  - [Aggressive angiomyxoma of the vulva and perineum].
AB  - Reported in this paper are two cases of aggressive perineovulvar angiomyxoma.
      Soft, painless tumours with gelatinous cut surface were detected in either
      patient, two women aged 32 and 46 years. Histological findings included
      fibromyxoid stroma with spindle-shaped and stellate cells as well as
      vascularization in striking abundance. Most of the vessels were thin-walled.
      There was no plexiform arborization. Strongly atypical nuclei or mitoses or
      necrotic foci were not recordable. The tumour exhibited infiltrative growth.
      Tumour cells could be immunohistochemically associated with antibodies against
      vimentin, whereas negative responses were recorded from antibodies against S-100
      protein, factor-VIII-associated protein and pancytokeratin. Aggressive
      angiomyxoma is a biologically benign neoplasia prone to recurrence and typically
      localized in soft tissue of the pelvic region. Metastases so far have never been
      found. Wide local excision has proved to be the optional therapeutic approach.

PMID- 1420113
TI  - Twelve HLA-DR6-related DRB1 alleles and associated DR, DQ haplotypes in
      traditional Australians and other populations of Asia-Oceania.
AB  - The relative distributions of 12 HLA-DR6-related HLA-DRB1 alleles in indigenous
      populations of Australia, Melanesia, Polynesia, Micronesia, and northern and
      southern China have been determined by analysis of nucleotide sequence
      polymorphisms in 364 examples of HLA-DR6 positive chromosomes. Oligonucleotide
      hybridizations of polymerase chain reaction products of HLA-DQA1, DQB1, DRB1 and
      DRB3 genes generated 24 HLA-DR6-related haplotypes. The study aimed to determine
      the regional distribution of DR,DQ haplotypes associated with three novel HLA-DR6
      alleles, namely DRB1*1408, 1409, and 1410, known to occur in Australian
      Aborigines, to gain further insights into the molecular phylogeny of these
      alleles. DRB1*1408 was the most common HLA-DR6 subtype in Oceania, although it
      was not detected in Chinese. In Australian Aborigines and Papua New Guinean
      highlanders, DRB1*1408 was associated with DRB3*0202, while in Polynesians and
      Micronesians it was associated with DRB3*0101. The different haplotype
      arrangements, together with the near absence of DRB1*1408 in coastal Melanesians,
      suggest the possibility that two independent mutations have generated DRB1*1408
      in Australia and Oceania. DRB1*1409 and 1410 alleles were confined to Australian
      Aborigines, while DRB1*1407 was found exclusively in Melanesians; DRB1*1401 was
      the only HLA-DR6 allele represented in all study populations. The population
      specific HLA-DR6 alleles and haplotypes have important implications for unrelated
      bone-marrow donor registries in Australia and Oceania.

PMID- 1420112
TI  - [Primary intracranial plasma cell granuloma. Report of two cases].
AB  - Investigation of biopsies of a suprasellar tumour in a man, 33 years of age, and
      a supratentorial tumour in a woman, 18 years of age, resulted in histological
      diagnosis of intracranial plasma cell granuloma, a rare condition. Polyclonality
      of the plasma cells involved in the process could be verified by
      immunohistochemical investigation. Chordoma was clinically assumed in the first
      case and meningioma in the second. Biological behaviour and dubious prognosis are
      discussed, with reference being made to relevant literature.

PMID- 1420114
TI  - Diversity in DNA rearrangements and in RNA expressions of immunoglobulin gene on
      common variable immunodeficiency.
AB  - Six heterogeneous common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) patients were analysed
      for germ-line DNA, DNA rearrangements, and RNA expressions of immunoglobulin (Ig)
      gene by Southern or northern blotting using appropriate probes. We detected no
      polymorphism in neutrophil DNA hybridized to a C mu and a C gamma probe. In three
      patients, both serum Ig and Ig-bearing cells were scarcely detected, and by
      northern hybridization methods, neither mu mRNA, gamma mRNA, alpha mRNA nor kappa
      mRNA was detected. However, one Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B lymphoblastoid
      cell line (LCL) of these three patients was different from the germ line in the
      region of JH, C gamma, and C kappa, and expressed mu mRNA at a higher level. The
      B cell defects of these three patients lay on the B cell maturation stage similar
      to X-linked agammaglobulinaemia (XLA). In two others among the six CVID patients,
      serum IgM and IgM-bearing cells were detected to a certain degree, and by
      northern hybridization, mu mRNA was detected at a lower level, but neither mu
      mRNA, alpha mRNA, nor kappa mRNA was detected. One LCL of these two patients
      could express mu mRNA at the normal level. In the last patient, the serum IgM was
      normal, serum IgG and IgA were somewhat low, Ig-bearing cells were normal, mu
      mRNA and kappa mRNA were detected at the normal level, and gamma mRNA and alpha
      mRNA were detected at a lower level. The defect of this patient affected the
      class switch stage. These results showed that primary B cell defects in CVID
      occurred at several B cell differentiation stages which could be classified by
      expression of the Ig gene, and at the degree of clonal diversity in the B cell
      repertoire. Furthermore, this study provides support for the idea that the CVID
      defect is related to a more generalized cellular function, such as regulating the
      proliferation and/or clonal expansion of cells of the B lymphoid lineage.

PMID- 1420115
TI  - Nucleotide sequencing of HLA-DQ gene second exons in Chinese homozygous cells.
AB  - Six HLA class I and class II-homozygous Chinese cell lines with unique HLA-Dw
      types were studied. Since the majority of HLA class II nucleotide sequence
      polymorphism is localized within the second exons of the genes, we used the
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify these regions in HLA-DQA and DQB genes
      and subsequently determined the nucleotide sequences. No unique DQA1 or DQB1
      alleles were found. However, a new haplotype of DQA1*0601-DQB1*0301-DRB1*1202 was
      found in two cells; and DQA1*03011 was found in association with DR9 in another
      two cells. This indicates that new DR-DQ associations may explain the observed
      new HLA-Dw types. The DQB2 sequences were identical in all six cells and were
      identical to a sequence previously reported in a DR6 haplotype. The DQA2
      sequences from two clones obtained from two cells differed from each other and
      from previously reported sequences. The results show that the DQA1 and DQB1
      alleles in the Chinese individuals studied are as previously reported in
      Caucasian populations and as such may be typed by restriction fragment-length
      polymorphism (RFLP) or PCR-sequence-specific oligonucleotide typing (PCR-SSO) or
      PCR-RFLP using conventional probe or restriction enzyme sets.

PMID- 1420116
TI  - Serological and molecular analysis of HLA in Israeli primary sclerosing
      cholangitis patients.
AB  - HLA class I and class II were investigated in 15 Israeli primary sclerosing
      cholangitis patients and compared to healthy controls. None of the well
      established serological specificities were found to be associated with the
      disease. HLA-DR52 is serologically defined, but its subtypes DR52a, DR52b, and
      DR52c cannot be precisely defined by serological means. Therefore, we have used
      HLA-DNA typing in order to assign the DR52 splits in PSC patients. Genomic DNA
      was amplified by PCR, dot-blotted and hybridized with sequence specific
      oligonucleotide probes defining the known HLA-DR52 associated alleles. Only 4 out
      of the 15 PSC patients tested were found to express DRB3*0101 the allele that
      encodes DR52a. Of the remaining 11 patients, 9 expressed DRB3*0202 haplotypes,
      with 2 patients expressing both DRB3*0101 and DRB3*0202, and the remaining 2
      patients expressed no DRB3 allele. Our data indicate that there is no apparent
      association between PSC and the HLA antigens and alleles studied including the
      alleles of the DRB3 locus in the Israeli population. Thus HLA pheno/genotyping of
      PSC patients in the Israelis will not be useful for early and/or differential
      diagnosis of this disease.

PMID- 1420118
TI  - Frequency of HLA-DPB1 alleles in multiple sclerosis patients from Northern
      Ireland.
AB  - Using sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes, no altered distribution in the
      frequency of HLA-DPB1 alleles was found in multiple sclerosis patients from
      Northern Ireland. Although present in the controls, linkage disequilibrium
      between HLA-DPB1*0101 and HLA-DR17 was not found in multiple sclerosis patients.

PMID- 1420117
TI  - A likelihood approach to HLA serology.
AB  - A likelihood approach to HLA serology has been developed in which the aim is not
      to define a recognition set for a serum but to describe the serum's ability to
      react with each and every antigen in the test cells, this ability being
      quantified in terms of the probability of a positive reaction. For a given set of
      probabilities, one for each antigen, it is possible to derive the probability of
      the observed set of reactions (the likelihood of the set of probabilities). The
      maximum possible value of the likelihood for any possible combination of the
      probability set can then be sought, but this requires a maximization of
      likelihood with respect to 60-100 independent parameters. Theoretical
      considerations of the shape of the likelihood surface prove that, in this
      particular case, this is a feasible proposition. This approach allows the
      recognition of three groups of antigens: those for which there is considerable
      evidence of a specificity, those for which there is either no specificity or a
      very weak specificity, and those for which there is insufficient evidence on
      which to base a conclusion. The existence of a specificity can be tested using a
      log likelihood ratio as a statistic, but the usual assumption of a chi 2
      distribution of this statistic cannot automatically be made in this situation.
      Therefore, the distribution is estimated by simulation. A serologist using this
      approach would receive considerably more information as to the serum's reaction
      patterns and valid statistics for the existence, or not, of a specificity.

PMID- 1420119
TI  - Nomenclature for factors of the HLA system, 1991.

PMID- 1420121
TI  - [Publicity and truth in medicine].

PMID- 1420123
TI  - The pathogenic classification of glaucomas.
AB  - On the basis of a pathogenic definition, our classification distinguished for
      each of the first intersections a main--mostly determinant mechanism and a
      secondary mechanism, mostly modulating the damages: hydrodynamic alteration and
      tissue resistance alteration--for the second intersection, outflow block and
      hypersecretion--for the third. Reflecting the state of present knowledge, from
      the corresponding forms of the disease, only outflow block glaucoma is completely
      analysed, the exogenous, trabecular, pretrabecular and mixed glaucomas being
      described. In order to permit the correct framing of all pretrabecular block
      glaucomas, the posterior push forms (retrovitreal or parietal) were introduced
      besides the anterior already described forms (pupillary or angular). As for low
      tissue resistance glaucomas, genetic, cardiovascular, metabolic, haematologic and
      ocular influences are mentioned. This classification avoids the theoretical
      inadvertencies of previous classifications offering the synthetic frame of a
      coherent system, open to any new developments, all inclusive, terminologically
      clear and with direct therapeutic references.

PMID- 1420120
TI  - Typing for class I HLA polymorphism: past, present, and future.

PMID- 1420122
TI  - [The role of accommodation in functional strabismus].
AB  - The accommodative reflex unleash is produced by many stimuli, of which the most
      important are the lack of clarity of the retinal image and the convergence. The
      ciliary muscles, although innervated by vegetative fibres, behave like striated
      fibres. It is also discussed the role of accommodation in the appearance of
      functional strabismus.

PMID- 1420124
TI  - [The geographic environment--a risk factor in eyelid tumors?].
AB  - The paper shows the role of the geographical environment in the incidence of
      various ophthalmological diseases and tries to make connections between different
      factors of pollution and the appearance of cancer, using epidemiological data. In
      Bihor district, the analysis of ocular tumors during a 25 years period shows 34
      cases of malignant melanoma, 6 cases of glioma, 14 epibulbar malignant tumors
      opposing to 487 palpebral tumors, 3 tumors of the lacrimal sac and 8 cases of
      trichoepithelioma. Histopathologically, 173 of them were spinal cell epithelioma,
      210 were basal cell epithelioma, 48 were sudoriferous, 40 were non-differentiated
      and 16 16 were mixed forms. The authors propose the district distributed study of
      the morbidity of various ocular diseases, which lead to the achievement of an
      ophthalmo-geography.

PMID- 1420125
TI  - [Pseudodominance in congenital glaucoma].
AB  - By studying the genealogical tree of a 3.5-years-old child, on a three
      generations, we obtained values which have shown that the transmission in
      congenital glaucoma is sometimes of pseudo-dominant type. The obtained values are
      in accordance with the values in the medical literature. the percentage of the
      subjects affected by glaucoma being 66% and the maximum penetrance of the
      pathological gene. Our observations try to clear up the pseudo-dominant aspect in
      early congenital glaucoma.

PMID- 1420126
TI  - [Corneal rodent ulcer].
AB  - It is presented the observation of a 67-years-old female patient with relapsed
      ulcus rodens at the right eye. Are also discussed the etiopathogenic mechanisms
      of the affection and the actual treatment principles, based on the mechanism of
      self immunity which stays at the basis of the disease's pathogeny.

PMID- 1420127
TI  - [Goldenhar's oculoauricular dysplasia, limbic dermoid and conjunctival
      dermolipoma].
AB  - The paper presents two clinical observations on Goldenhar's syndrome which puts
      in associations multi-lesions of the first branchial arc. The first observation
      presents a dermoid of the limb, the second associates a conjunctival dermolipoma
      at one eye with dermoid of the limb at the other eye. Morphologically, these
      tumoral formations constitute dysgenetic heterotopias which present at the
      surface a weak keratinized epidermal, under which it may be identified a dense
      conjunctival tissue which contains pilosebaceous and sudoripous glands and also a
      well-represented adipose tissues at the dermolipoma level.

PMID- 1420129
TI  - Exuberant epibulbar tumor penetrating into the orbit in xeroderma pigmentosum.
AB  - The clinical and histopathological findings are described in a 10-year-old girl
      with xeroderma pigmentosum and multiple ophthalmic complications, including the
      eyelids, conjunctiva, orbit, cornea and iris; some of these complications took an
      unusual form. Histological examination following right orbital exenteration
      revealed an epibulbar squamous cell carcinoma penetrating the orbit and building
      a noose all around the ocular globe with subsequent strangulation. Moreover, a
      palpebral squamous cell carcinoma developed-independently from the right lower
      lid and, unconnected with the epibulbar tumor, penetrated to the orbit.

PMID- 1420128
TI  - [The elementary visual and psychovisual manifestations in cerebral circulatory
      insufficiency].
AB  - A correlation between cerebral vascular topography and visual ways topography was
      made. The carotid vascularization intricates with the vertebral basilar
      vascularization, because the pre-geniculate and post-geniculate optical ways have
      mainly a carotid irrigation, while the diencephalic intermedial nervous centers
      and the final cortical nervous centers have mainly a vertebral basilar
      vascularization. It is shown that there are some individual arterial anatomical
      variations, two of which having a remarkable importance. The former refers to the
      carotid origin of the posterior cerebral arteria, which makes that the totality
      of visual ways being irrigated by carotid circulatory system. The latter refers
      to the Willis atypical polygons, which determine important atipies in the
      topographical distribution of the chiasma's arteries and optical bandelets. By
      visual field's modifications are sampled the different types of cerebral
      circulatory insufficiency.

PMID- 1420130
TI  - [Echography in ophthalmology].
AB  - Echography represents an extremely valuable method in exploration of the eye for
      knowledge of some ocular parameters or detect and localize intraocular
      pathological process when the classical ophthalmological investigations are
      insufficient because of the affected transparent mediums. It is also used in the
      orbit pathology which is inaccessible to direct examination. This work contains
      the echographic exploration of the most common oculo-orbital diseases reached by
      ultrasonography (echography). The direct access of the ophthalmologist to the
      echograph enables the correlation between the anamnestic and clinical datum with
      those obtained by echographic explorations, meaning a more precise diagnosis.

PMID- 1420131
TI  - [Mesodermal dysgenesis of the anterior segment].
AB  - A patient is 18 years old; he presents Peters' anomaly, microcornea, the
      persisting of papillar membrana, congenital specifying lens for both eyes and
      atypical iridic coloboma for the right eye. The eye sight is diminished under the
      limit of practice usefulness for both eyes. The disease is thought to be a
      mesodermal dysgenesis of the anterior segment having some persisting fetal
      structures. The absence of such lesions within the same family pleads for the
      action of a teratogen factor that have belated action during the 4th-5th month of
      pregnancy.

PMID- 1420132
TI  - [Sympathetic ophthalmia after a cataract operation].
AB  - Sympathetic ophthalmia remains a dreadful complication of ocular traumas,
      accidentally but also surgically occurred; it may induced by certain ocular
      components, which are strongly antigenic, such as the uveal material or the
      recently discovered retinal material, represented by the interphotoreceptor
      binding protein and the S-antigen. The occurrence of the disease seems to be
      favoured by the transferring of the antigenic material through the conjunctival
      lymphatic mesh opened by the trauma. The paper presents a female patient with
      sympathetic ophthalmia occurred after cataract surgery.

PMID- 1420134
TI  - [Brachymorphy and cataract].
AB  - A 43-years-old male patient presents pathological cataract at both eyes. The
      thorough somatic examination shows little size, with adiposity, short members
      with brachydactyly. It is discussed the presence of the pathological cataract as
      part of a mesodermal dysgenetic syndrome with brachymorphy and brachydactyly,
      different from the Weill-Marchesani syndrome.

PMID- 1420135
TI  - [Heredity in myopia].

PMID- 1420133
TI  - [Congenital cataract associated with mental retardation and epilepsy].
AB  - The paper presents the observations on a female patient with congenital cataract,
      oligophrenia, unsteady gait, low muscular strength, diminished osteotendinous
      reflexes. The patient has an under normally developed intellect, dysarthria,
      epileptic crises. Her speaking practice is bad, she also has tropical
      disturbances, genu valgum, shortening of the fingers of the right hand,
      kyphoscoliosis. The clinical signs integrate the observations with the Marinescu
      Sjogren syndrome. The case is interesting because of the association of the
      epilepsy with this syndrome.

PMID- 1420136
TI  - Aldose reductase: model for a new paradigm of enzymic perfection in
      detoxification catalysts.

PMID- 1420137
TI  - Site-directed mutations that alter the inhibitory activity of the tissue
      inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1: importance of the N-terminal region between
      cysteine 3 and cysteine 13.
AB  - The tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) was subjected to single
      site mutations within the N-terminal three loops using an oligonucleotide
      directed polymerase chain reaction method. All the histidines, and a number of
      other residues conserved between TIMP-1 and TIMP-2, were individually modified
      and the mutant TIMPs expressed in mammalian cells. Purified mutant TIMPs were
      shown to be correctly folded by measuring the effect of guanidine hydrochloride
      on intrinsic fluorescence. Kinetic analyses of mutants using a quenched
      fluorescent peptide substrate and the metalloproteinase PUMP indicated that
      mutation of His7 and Gln9 caused an increase in the apparent dissociation
      constant, largely due to an increase in the rate of dissociation of complexes.
      The data indicate that the anchored sequence between Cys 3 and Cys 13 is a key
      region for interaction of TIMP-1 with metalloproteinases.

PMID- 1420138
TI  - Proteolysis of an active site peptide of lactate dehydrogenase by human
      immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease.
AB  - The muscle and heart lactate dehydrogenase (LDHs) of rabbit and pig are
      specifically cleaved at a single position by HIV-1 protease, resulting in the
      conversion of 36-kDa subunits of the oligomeric enzymes into 21- and 15-kDa
      protein bands as analyzed by SDS-PAGE. While the proteolysis was observed at
      neutral pH, it became more pronounced at pH 6.0 and 5.0. The time courses of the
      cleavage of the 36-kDa subunits were commensurate with the time-dependent loss of
      both quaternary structure and enzymatic activity. These results demonstrated that
      deoligomerization of rabbit muscle LDH at acidic pH rendered its subunits more
      susceptible to proteolysis, suggesting that a partially denatured form of the
      enzyme was the actual substrate. Proteolytic cleavage of the rabbit muscle enzyme
      occurred at a decapeptide sequence, His-Gly-Trp-Ile-Leu*Gly-Glu-His-Gly-Asp
      (scissile bond denoted throughout by an asterisk), which constitutes a "strand
      loop" element in the muscle and heart LDH structures and contains the active site
      histidyl residue His-193. The kinetic parameters Km, Vmax/KmEt, and Vmax/Et for
      rabbit muscle LDH and the synthetic decapeptide Ac-His-Gly-Trp-Ile-Leu*Gly-Glu
      His-Gly-Asp-NH2 were nearly identical, suggesting that the decapeptide within the
      protein substrate is conformationally mobile, as would be expected for the
      peptide substrate in solution. Insertion of part of this decapeptide sequence
      into bacterial galactokinase likewise rendered this protein susceptible to
      proteolysis by HIV-1 protease, and site-directed mutagenesis of this peptide in
      galactokinase revealed that the Glu residue at the P2' was important to binding
      to HIV-1 protease. Crystallographic analysis of HIV-1 protease complexed with a
      tight-binding peptide analogue inhibitor derived from this decapeptide sequence
      revealed that the "strand-loop" structure of the protein substrate must adopt a
      beta-sheet structure upon binding to the protease. The Glu residue in the P2'
      position of the inhibitor likely forms hydrogen-bonding interactions with both
      the alpha-amide and gamma-carboxylic groups of Asp-30 in the substrate binding
      site.

PMID- 1420139
TI  - The three-dimensional structure of a glutathione S-transferase from the mu gene
      class. Structural analysis of the binary complex of isoenzyme 3-3 and glutathione
      at 2.2-A resolution.
AB  - The crystal structure of a mu class glutathione S-transferase (EC 2.5.1.18) from
      rat liver (isoenzyme 3-3) in complex with the physiological substrate glutathione
      (GSH) has been solved at 2.2-A resolution by multiple isomorphous replacement
      methods. The enzyme crystallized in the monoclinic space group C2 with unit cell
      dimensions of a = 87.98 A, b = 69.41 A, c = 81.34 A, and beta = 106.07 degrees.
      Oligonucleotide-directed site-specific mutagenesis played an important role in
      the solution of the structure in that the cysteine mutants C86S, C114S, and C173S
      were used to help locate the positions of mercuric ion sites in nonisomorphous
      derivatives with ethylmercuric phosphate and to align the sequence with the model
      derived from MIR phases. A complete model for the protein was not obtained until
      part of the solvent structure was interpreted. The dimer in the asymmetric unit
      refined to a crystallographic R = 0.171 for 19,298 data and I > or = 1.5 sigma
      (I). The final model consists of 4150 atoms, including all non-hydrogen atoms of
      434 amino acid residues, two GSH molecules, and oxygen atoms of 474 water
      molecules. The dimeric enzyme is globular in shape with dimensions of 53 x 62 x
      56 A. Crystal contacts are primarily responsible for conformational differences
      between the two subunits which are related by a noncrystallographic 2-fold axis.
      The structure of the type 3 subunit can be divided into two domains separated by
      a short linker, a smaller alpha/beta domain (domain I, residues 1-82), and a
      larger alpha domain (domain II, residues 90-217). Domain I contains four beta
      strands which form a central mixed beta-sheet and three alpha-helices which are
      arranged in a beta alpha beta alpha beta beta alpha motif. Domain II is composed
      of five alpha-helices. Domain I can be considered the glutathione binding domain,
      while domain II seems to be primarily responsible for xenobiotic substrate
      binding. The active site is located in a deep (19-A) cavity which is composed of
      three relatively mobile structural elements: the long loop (residues 33-42) of
      domain I, the alpha 4/alpha 5 helix-turn-helix segment, and the C-terminal tail.
      GSH is bound at the active site in an extended conformation at one end of the
      beta-sheet of domain I with its backbone facing the cavity and the sulfur
      pointing toward the subunit to which it is bound.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400
      WORDS)

PMID- 1420140
TI  - Modular mutagenesis of exons 1, 2, and 8 of a glutathione S-transferase from the
      mu class. Mechanistic and structural consequences for chimeras of isoenzyme 3-3.
AB  - Exons 1 and 2 and exon 8 of the mu class GSH transferases from rat encode
      sequence-variable regions 1 and 4 of mu class isoenzymes, respectively. These two
      of four variable regions are located at the N- and C-termini of this isoenzyme
      class and impinge on the active site. In order to assess the influence of these
      variable regions on the catalytic diversity of the class mu isoenzymes, seven
      chimeric isoenzymes were constructed by transplantation of the variable regions
      of the sequence of the type 4 subunit into the corresponding regions of the type
      3 subunit. The chimeric isoenzymes exhibit unique catalytic properties.
      Replacement of all, or part, of variable region 4 of the type 3 subunit with that
      of the type 4 subunit results in chimeric catalysts with higher turnover numbers
      in nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions. Analysis of the crystal
      structure of isoenzyme 3-3 [Ji, X., Zhang, P., Armstrong, R. N., & Gilliland, G.
      L. (1992) Biochemistry (preceding paper in this issue)] suggests that interaction
      of the flexible C-terminal tail with the N-terminal domain helps limit the rate
      of product release from the active site of isoenzyme 3-3 in this type of
      reaction. Substitution of all, or part, of the sequence-variable region 1 of
      subunit 3 with that of subunit 4 results in chimeric isoenzymes that mimic the
      high stereoselectivity but not the catalytic efficiency of isoenzyme 4-4 toward
      alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420141
TI  - Complete sequential 1H and 15N nuclear magnetic resonance assignments and
      solution secondary structure of the blue copper protein azurin from Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa.
AB  - Complete sequential 1H and 15N resonance assignments for the reduced Cu(I) form
      of the blue copper protein azurin (M(r) 14,000, 128 residues) from Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa have been obtained at pH 5.5 and 40 degrees C by using homo- and
      heteronuclear two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) nuclear magnetic
      resonance spectroscopic experiments. Combined analysis of a 3D homonuclear 1H
      Hartmann-Hahn nuclear Overhauser (3D 1H HOHAHA-NOESY) spectrum and a 3D
      heteronuclear 1H nuclear Overhauser 1H[15N] single-quantum coherence (3D 1H[15N]
      NOESY-HSQC) spectrum proved especially useful. The latter spectrum was recorded
      without irradiation of the water signal and provided for differential main chain
      amide (NH) exchange rates. NMR data were used to determine the secondary
      structure of azurin in solution. Comparison with the secondary structure of
      azurin obtained from X-ray analysis shows a virtually complete resemblance; the
      two beta-sheets and a 3(10)-alpha-3(10) helix are preserved at 40 degrees C, and
      most loops contain well-defined turns. Special findings are the unexpectedly slow
      exchange of the Asn-47 and Phe-114 NH's and the observation of His-46 and His-117
      N epsilon 2H resonances. The implications of these observations for the
      assignment of azurin resonance Raman spectra, the rigidity of the blue copper
      site, and the electron transfer mechanism of azurin are discussed.

PMID- 1420142
TI  - NMR studies of the conformational change in human N-p21ras produced by
      replacement of bound GDP with the GTP analog GTP gamma S.
AB  - 1H-Detected 15N-edited NMR in solution was used to study the conformational
      differences between the GDP- and GTP gamma S-bound forms of human N-p21ras. The
      amide protons of 15N-labeled glycine and isoleucine were observed. Resonances
      were assigned to residues of particular interest, glycines-60 and -75 and
      isoleucines-21 and -36, by incorporating various 13C-labeled amino acids in
      addition to [15N]glycine and [15N]iosleucine and by replacing Mg2+ by Co2+. When
      GTP gamma S replaced GDP in the active site of p21ras, only 5 of the 14 glycine
      amide resonances show major shifts, indicating that the conformational effects
      are fairly localized. Responsive glycines-10, -12, -13, and -15 are in the active
      site. Gly-75, located at the far end of a conformationally-active loop and helix,
      also responds to substitution of GTP gamma S for GDP, while Gly-77 does not,
      supporting a role for Gly-75 as a swivel point for the conformational change. The
      amide proton resonances of isoleucines-36 and -21 and a third unidentified
      isoleucine also undergo major shifts upon replacement of GDP by GTP gamma S.
      Thus, the effector-binding loop containing Ile-36 is confirmed to be involved in
      the conformational change, and the alpha-helix containing Ile-21 is also shown to
      be affected.

PMID- 1420143
TI  - Compact denatured state of a staphylococcal nuclease mutant by guanidinium as
      determined by resonance energy transfer.
AB  - The protein from a mutant clone of staphylococcal nuclease with a cysteine
      substituting for a lysine at position 78 was prepared and labeled with a cysteine
      specific fluorescent probe 5-[[2-[(iodoacetyl)-amino]ethyl]amino]naphthalene-1
      sulfonic acid (IAEDANS). Time-resolved nonradiative energy-transfer studies were
      done using the single tryptophan at position 140 as the energy donor and the
      IAEDANS as the receptor. Changes in distance and distance distributions were
      observed as a function of increasing guanidinium (GuHCl) concentration (0-2 M)
      and in the presence or absence of Ca2+ and inhibitor 2'-deoxythymidine 3',5'
      diphosphate (pdTp). In the native state, both the ternary complex and the
      noncomplexed protein are best fit with one population having an average donor
      acceptor distance of approximately 23 A and an "apparent" full width at half
      maximum (fwhm) of distance distribution of approximately 18 A. Besides the
      contribution of linker arm of the acceptor, it appears that there are some
      conformational heterogeneties either due to the disordering of the tryptophan
      region or due to the whole protein in the native state. During GuHCl unfolding,
      the average distance remains relatively constant up to GuHCl concentrations where
      both the ternary complex and the ligand-free protein are denatured (1-1.3 M). The
      compact denatured states persist up to 2 M GuHCl. At 2 M GuHCl, the heterogeneity
      of the denatured state in the ternary complex is much larger than that of the
      ligand-free nuclease. The results show that the denatured states of
      staphylococcal nuclease mutant K78C by GuHCl are compact and these compact
      denatured states are likely due to residual structures or incompletely disrupted
      hydrophobic cores under these conditions.

PMID- 1420144
TI  - Extracting information on folding from the amino acid sequence: accurate
      predictions for protein regions with preferred conformation in the absence of
      tertiary interactions.
AB  - A recently developed procedure to predict backbone structure from the amino acid
      sequence [Rooman, M., Kocher, J. P., & Wodak, S. (1991) J. Mol. Biol, 221, 961
      979] is fine tuned to identify protein segments, of length 5-15 residues, that
      adopt well-defined conformations in the absence of tertiary interactions. These
      segments are obtained by requiring that their predicted lowest energy structures
      have a sizable energy gap relative to other computed conformations. Applying this
      procedure to 69 proteins of known structure, we find that regions with largest
      energy gaps--those having highly preferred conformations--are also the most
      accurately predicted ones. On the basis of previous findings that such regions
      correlate well with sites that become structured early during folding, our
      approach provides the means of identifying such sites in proteins without prior
      knowledge of the tertiary structure. Furthermore, when predictions are performed
      so as to ignore the influence of residues flanking each segment along the
      sequence, a situation akin to excising the considered peptide from the rest of
      the chain, they offer the possibility of identifying protein segments liable to
      adopt well-defined conformations on their own. The described approach should have
      useful applications in experimental and theoretical investigations of protein
      folding and stability, and aid in designing peptide drugs and vaccines.

PMID- 1420145
TI  - Relationships between secondary structure fractions for globular proteins. Neural
      network analyses of crystallographic data sets.
AB  - The relationship between the fractions of protein secondary structural components
      as determined from X-ray crystallographic data by the procedures of Kabsch and
      Sander (KS) and of Levitt and Greer (LG) is analyzed by neural network analysis
      of these two tabulations of literature data. A linear relationship between the KS
      and LG reductions of X-ray data to secondary structure descriptors is
      demonstrated by a regression analysis of the relationships between these sets of
      structural parameters. Back-propagation neural network analysis was then used to
      derive equations for determination of the most probable fractions of beta-sheet,
      bend, turn, and "other" conformations given the fraction of alpha-helix in a
      globular protein. The deviation of the X-ray values for beta-sheet from that
      determined with these equations was shown to have a variance that exponentially
      decreased with increasing fraction of alpha-helix. A second neural network
      analysis showed that knowledge of both the alpha-helical and beta-sheet fractions
      in a protein significantly reduces the uncertainty in prediction of the other
      components of the secondary structure. These analyses provide insight into the
      nature of the data sets derived from crystal structures. Since these
      complications of crystal structure data are commonly used as reference
      information for quantitative evaluation of spectra (for example, FTIR, Raman, and
      electronic or vibrational circular dichroism) in terms of secondary structure,
      such internal correlations in the reference sets may have significant effects on
      the stability of spectroscopic analyses derived from them.

PMID- 1420148
TI  - Covalent adducts between tRNA (m5U54)-methyltransferase and RNA substrates.
AB  - The interaction of tRNA (m5U54)-methyltransferase (RUMT) with in vitro
      synthesized unmodified tRNA and a 17-base oligoribonucleotide analog of the T-arm
      of tRNA in the absence of AdoMet has been investigated. Binary complexes are
      formed which are isolable on nitrocellulose filters and are composed of
      noncovalent and covalent complexes in nearly equal amounts. The covalent RUMT-RNA
      complexes are stable to SDS-PAGE and migrate slower than free enzyme or RNA.
      Kinetic and thermodynamic constants involved in formation and disruption of
      noncovalent and covalent binary complexes have been determined and interpreted in
      the context of steady-state kinetic parameters of the enzyme-catalyzed
      methylation and 5-H exchange of substrate. The results show that the isolable
      covalent complex is kinetically incompetent as an intermediate for methylation.
      Isotope trapping experiments show that when AdoMet is added to preformed binary
      complex, all bound tRNA is converted to methylated product; thus, the covalent
      complexes are chemically competent to form products. We have concluded that,
      after a reversible binary complex is formed, the catalytic thiol adds to the 6
      carbon of the U54 of tRNA. The initial adduct leaves the reaction pathway to
      protonation at carbon 5; the latter can deprotonate and re-enter the pathway to
      form methylated product. It is speculated that covalent binary RUMT-RNA adducts
      may serve as depots of enzyme-tRNA complexes primed for methylation, or in
      unknown roles with RNAs other than tRNA.

PMID- 1420146
TI  - Vibrational circular dichroism studies of the A-to-B conformational transition in
      DNA.
AB  - The vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectra of several natural DNAs as well
      as tRNA, poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC), and poly(dA-dT).poly(dA-dT) are reported for
      the base deformation modes in the IR region from 1700 to 1550 cm-1 for the
      polymers in D2O as well as in high alcohol dehydrating conditions. Spectra of
      both the B- and A-forms were identified. The A-form DNA VCD, not previously
      reported, has characteristics that can be found in the VCD spectra of RNAs as
      would be expected from the similarity of their structures. The VCD is sequence
      dependent. Under the dehydrating conditions studied, poly(dA-dT)poly(dA
      dT),poly(dA).poly(dT), and a high-A-T fraction natural DNA had a different
      bandshape from the other DNAs, which was similar to that of poly(rA).poly(rU).
      Poly(dG-dC).poly-(dG-dC) did not form an A-form in high-alcohol conditions but
      instead had a VCD spectrum much like that of its high-salt-induced Z-form.
      Qualitative differences seen experimentally between A- and B-form DNA VCD were
      suggested by the differences in the coupled oscillator VCD calculated for the two
      forms.

PMID- 1420147
TI  - Mammalian DNA polymerase beta: characterization of a 16-kDa transdomain fragment
      containing the nucleic acid-binding activities of the native enzyme.
AB  - The 39-kDa DNA polymerase beta (beta-Pol) molecule can be readily converted into
      two constituent domains by mild proteolysis; these domains are represented in an
      8-kDa N-terminal fragment and a 31-kDa C-terminal fragment [Kumar et al. (1990a)
      J. Biol. Chem. 265, 2124-2131]. Intact beta-Pol is a sequence-nonspecific nucleic
      acid-interactive protein that binds both double-stranded (ds) and single-stranded
      (ss) polynucleotides. These two activities appear to be contributed by separate
      portions of the enzyme, since the 31-kDa domain binds ds DNA but not ss DNA, and
      conversely, the 8-kDa domain binds ss DNA but not ds DNA [Casas-Finet et al.
      (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 19618-19625]. Truncation of the 31-kDa domain at the N
      terminus with chymotrypsin, to produce a 27-kDa fragment (residues 140-334),
      eliminated all DNA-binding activity. This suggested that the ds DNA-binding
      capacity of the 31-kDa domain may be carried in the N-terminal segment of the 31
      kDa domain. We used CNBr to prepare a 16-kDa fragment (residues 18-154) that
      spans the ss DNA-binding region of the 8-kDa domain along with the N-terminal
      portion of the 31-kDa domain. The purified 16-kDa fragment was found to have both
      ss and ds polynucleotide-binding capacity. Thermodynamic binding properties for
      these activities are similar to those of the intact enzyme.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420150
TI  - Functional compensation of a recognition-defective transfer RNA by a distal base
      pair substitution.
AB  - A single G3:U70 base pair in the acceptor helix is the major determinant of
      alanine acceptance in alanine transfer RNAs. Transfer of this base pair into
      other transfer RNAs confers alanine acceptance. A G3:C70 substitution eliminates
      alanine acceptance in vivo and in vitro. In this work, a population of
      mutagenized G3:C70 alanine tRNA amber suppressors was subjected to a selection
      for mutations that compensate for the inactivating G3:C70 substitution. No
      compensatory mutations located in the acceptor helix were obtained. Instead, a
      U27:U43 substitution that replaced the wild-type C27:G43 in the anticodon stem
      created a U27:U43/G3:C70 mutant alanine tRNA that inserts alanine at amber codons
      in vivo. The U27:U43 substitution is at a location where previous footprinting
      work established an RNA-protein contact. Thus, this mutation may act by
      functionally coupling a distal part of the tRNA structure to the active site.

PMID- 1420149
TI  - Subunit complementation of thymidylate synthase.
AB  - Each of the two active sites of thymidylate synthase contains amino acid residues
      contributed by the other subunit. For example, Arg-178 of one monomer binds the
      phosphate group of the substrate dUMP in the active site of the other monomer
      [Hardy et al. (1987) Science 235, 448-455]. Inactive mutants of such residues
      should combine with subunits of other inactive mutants to form heterodimeric
      hybrids with one functional active site. In vivo and in vitro approaches were
      used to test this hypothesis. In vivo complementation was accomplished by
      cotransforming plasmid mixtures encoding pools of inactive Arg-178 mutants and
      pools of inactive Cys-198 mutants into a host strain deficient in thymidylate
      synthase. Individual inactive mutants of Arg-178 were also cotransformed with the
      C198A mutant. Subunit complementation was detected by selection or screening for
      transformants which grew in the absence of thymidine, and hence produced active
      enzyme. Many mutants at each position representing a wide variety of size and
      charge supported subunit complementation. In vitro complementation was
      accomplished by reversible dissociation and unfolding of mixtures of purified
      individual inactive Arg-178 and Cys-198 mutant proteins. With the R178F + C198A
      heterodimer, the Km values for dUMP and CH2H4folate were similar to those of the
      wild-type enzyme. By titrating C198A with R178F under unfolding-refolding
      conditions, we were able to calculate the kcat value for the active heterodimer.
      The catalytic efficiency of the single wild-type active site of the C198A + R178F
      heterodimer approaches that of the wild-type enzyme.

PMID- 1420151
TI  - Roles of Cys148 and Asp179 in catalysis by deoxycytidylate hydroxymethylase from
      bacteriophage T4 examined by site-directed mutagenesis.
AB  - The proposed roles of Cys148 and Asp179 in deoxycytidylate (dCMP)
      hydroxymethylase (CH) have been tested using site-directed mutagenesis. CH
      catalyzes the formation of 5-(hydroxymethyl)-dCMP, essential for DNA synthesis in
      phage T4, from dCMP and methylenetetrahydrofolate. CH resembles thymidylate
      synthase (TS), an enzyme of known three-dimensional structure, in both amino acid
      sequence and the reaction catalyzed. Conversion of Cys148 to Asp, Gly, or Ser
      decreases CH activity at least 10(5)-fold, consistent with a nucleophilic role
      for Cys148 (analogous to the catalytic Cys residue in TS). In crystalline TS,
      hydrogen bonds connect O4 and N3 of the substrate dUMP to the side-chain amide of
      an Asn; the corresponding residue in CH is Asp179. Conversion of Asp179 to Asn
      reduces the value of kcat/KM for dCMP by (1.5 x 10(4))-fold and increases the
      value of kcat/KM for dUMP by 60-fold; as a result, CH(D179N) has a slight
      preference for dUMP. Wild-type CH and CH(D179N) are covalently inactivated by 5
      fluoro-dUMP, a mechanism-based inactivator of TS. Asp179 is proposed to stabilize
      covalent catalytic intermediates, by protonating N3 of the pyrimidine-CH adduct.

PMID- 1420152
TI  - Left-sided substrate binding of lysozyme: evidence for the involvement of
      asparagine-46 in the initial binding of substrate to chicken lysozyme.
AB  - The "right-sided" and "left-sided" substrate binding modes at the lower
      saccharide binding subsites (D-F sites) of chicken lysozyme were investigated by
      utilizing mutant lysozymes secreted from yeast. We constructed the following
      mutant lysozymes; "left-sided" substitution of Asn46 to Asp, deletion of Thr47,
      and insertion of Gly between Thr47 and Asp48 and "right-sided" substitution of
      Asn37 to Gly. Analyses of their activities and substrate binding abilities showed
      that Asn46 and Thr47 are involved in the initial enzyme-substrate complex and
      Asn37 is involved in the transition state. These results support an earlier
      proposal that interactions between substrate and residues at the left side of
      lysozyme stabilize a catalytically inactive enzyme-substrate complex, while
      interactions between substrate and residues at the right side stabilize the
      catalytically active complex [Pincus, M. R., & Scheraga, H. A. (1979)
      Macromolecules 12, 633-644]. These results are also consistent with the proposed
      kinetic mechanism for lysozyme reaction that the rearrangement of an initial
      enzyme-substrate complex (beta-complex) to another complex (gamma-complex) is
      required for catalytic hydrolysis [Banerjee S. K., Holler, E., Hess, G. P., &
      Rupley, J. A. (1975) J. Biol. Chem. 250, 4355-4367].

PMID- 1420153
TI  - Insulin differentially regulates protein phosphotyrosine phosphatase activity in
      rat hepatoma cells.
AB  - We have studied the effect of insulin stimulation on phosphotyrosine phosphatase
      (PTPase) activity in the well-differentiated rat hepatoma cell line Fao. PTPase
      activity was measured using a 32P-labeled peptide corresponding to the major site
      of insulin receptor autophosphorylation. Of the PTPase activity in Fao cells, 14%
      was in the cytosolic fraction, whereas 86% was in the particulate fraction; this
      latter fraction also had a 4-fold higher specific activity. Purification of the
      particulate fraction by lectin chromatography resulted in a 50% increase in
      specific activity, although this glycoprotein-rich fraction contained only 1.5%
      of the total activity. Both the cytosolic and particulate PTPase fractions were
      active toward the tyrosyl-phosphorylated insulin receptor in vitro. The activity
      of the particulate fraction but not the cytosolic fraction was inhibited by
      addition of a micromolar concentration of a phosphorylated peptide corresponding
      to residues 1142-1153 of the human insulin receptor sequence. By contrast,
      addition of the nonphosphorylated peptide even at millimolar concentration was
      without effect. Both PTPase fractions were inhibited by Zn+ at similar
      concentrations, whereas the cytosolic PTPase activity was 10-fold more sensitive
      to vanadate inhibition. Treatment of cells with 100 nM insulin increased PTPase
      activity in the particulate fraction by 40% and decreased activity in the
      cytosolic fraction by 35%. These effects occurred within 15 min and were half
      maximal at 3-4 nM insulin. When assessed as total activity, the magnitude of the
      changes in PTPase activity in the particulate and cytosolic fractions could not
      be explained on the basis of a translocation of PTPases between the two
      pools.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420154
TI  - Biochemical characterization and electron-transfer reactions of sym1, a
      Rhodobacter capsulatus reaction center symmetry mutant which affects the initial
      electron donor.
AB  - A 51 bp section of the Rhodobacter capsulatus photosynthetic reaction center M
      subunit gene (nucleotides M562-M612 of the pufM structural sequence) encoding
      amino acids M187-M203 was replaced by the homologous region of the L subunit
      gene. This resulted in the symmetrization of much of the amino acid environment
      of the reaction center initial electron donor, P. This is the first in a series
      of large-scale symmetry mutations and is referred to as sym1. The sym1 mutant was
      able to grow photosynthetically, indicating that reaction center function was
      largely intact. Isolated reaction centers showed an approximately 10-nm blue
      shift in the QY band of P. The standard free energy change between P* and P+BphA-
      determined from analysis of the long-lived fluorescence from quinone-reduced
      reaction centers decreased from about -120 meV in the wild-type to about -75 meV
      in the sym1 mutant. A 65-70% quantum yield of electron transfer from P* to P+QA-
      was observed, most of the yield loss occurring between P* and P+BphA-. The decay
      of the stimulated emission from P* was about 3-fold slower in this mutant than in
      the wild-type. Time-resolved spectral analysis of the charge-separated
      intermediates formed in sym1 reaction centers indicated that the major product
      was P+BphA-. A model-dependent analysis of the observed rates and electron
      transfer yields gave the following microscopic rate constants for sym1 reaction
      centers (wild-type values under the same conditions are given in parentheses):
      [formula: see text] Analysis of the sym1 mutant, mutants near P made by other
      groups, and interspecies variation of amino acids in the vicinity of P suggests
      that the protein asymmetry in the environment of the initial electron donor is
      important for optimizing the rate and yield of electron transfer, but is not
      strictly required for overall reaction center function.

PMID- 1420155
TI  - The low-spin heme site of cytochrome o from Escherichia coli is promiscuous with
      respect to heme type.
AB  - Cytochrome o of Escherichia coli is able to incorporate two different structures
      of heme, either heme B (protoheme) or heme O, in its low-spin heme site. In
      contrast, the heme of the binuclear O2 reduction site is invariably heme O. Heme
      O is a newly discovered heme that is related to heme A, but with the formyl group
      of the latter replaced by methyl. Enzyme isolated from wild type E. coli has
      predominantly heme B in the low-spin site, whereas enzyme isolated from various
      overexpressing strains contains both types of enzyme in different proportions. In
      some strains, 70% of the enzyme has heme O in the low-spin site. Despite this
      variation in the structure of one of the prosthetic groups, the enzymatic
      activity and polypeptide composition of the enzyme remain virtually constant. EPR
      and activity data both indicate that heme B and heme O occupy the same low-spin
      heme site in the enzyme. With heme O in this site, the alpha-absorption band is
      narrower and further to the blue, and the Em,7 is lower, than when there is heme
      B in the site. In contrast to previous proposals, we show here that the enzyme
      does not exhibit significant spectral interactions between the hemes. The
      structural heterogeneity of the low-spin heme accounts for the variation in the
      optical spectra and redox properties of the enzyme as isolated from different
      strains of E. coli.

PMID- 1420158
TI  - Interaction of annexin VI with membranes: highly restricted dissipation of
      clustered phospholipids in membranes containing phosphatidylethanolamine.
AB  - Association of annexin VI with membranes induced extensive clustering of acidic
      phospholipids as detected by self-quenching of fluorescent-labeled acidic
      phospholipids [Bazzi, M.D., & Nelsestuen, G.L. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 7961]. The
      present study examined the rates of protein-induced clustering of acidic
      phospholipids in membranes containing 10-15% fluorescent-labeled phosphatidic
      acid dispersed in phosphatidylcholine (PC) or phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). Both
      membranes supported similar levels of protein-induced fluorescence quenching.
      With membranes containing PC, protein-membrane association and fluorescence
      quenching were rapid, and were virtually complete within seconds after the
      reagents were mixed. Membranes containing PE exhibited rapid protein-membrane
      association, but showed a fluorescence quenching that was several orders of
      magnitude slower than membranes containing PC. Calcium chelation resulted in
      rapid dissociation of protein-membrane complexes. Subsequent recovery of the
      fluorescence signal of both membranes was virtually complete, but the rate of
      fluorescence recovery was very different. The recovery was rapid in membranes
      containing PC, while PE-containing membranes showed slow recovery that approached
      the rate at which the fluorescent-labeled phosphatidic acid exchanged between
      vesicles. Thus, the presence of PE appeared to severely restrict dissipation of
      clustered phospholipids in membranes. Membranes containing PE, N-methyl-PE, N,N
      dimethyl-PE, and PC showed successive increases in the rates of fluorescence
      quenching and recovery, suggesting that hydrogen bonding between head groups was
      the basis for this property. If the restricted dissipation of phosphatidic acid
      in PE membranes is a general property, the relative mobility of membrane
      components and even diffusion on interior cell membranes may be greatly
      influenced by this phenomenon.

PMID- 1420156
TI  - Determination of recognition nucleotides for Escherichia coli phenylalanyl-tRNA
      synthetase.
AB  - The nucleotides in Escherichia coli tRNA(Phe) required for recognition by its
      cognate synthetase have been determined in vitro by measuring the kinetic
      parameters for aminoacylation using mutant tRNA(Phe) transcripts with purified E.
      coli tRNA(Phe) synthetase. The substitution of 11 nucleotides in E. coli
      tRNA(Phe) is shown to decrease the kcat/KM by as much as 1000-fold relative to
      the wild type. The most important recognition elements are the three anticodon
      nucleotides G34, A35, and A36. The recognition set also includes nucleotides in
      the variable pocket (U20 and U59), the acceptor end (A73), and the tRNA central
      core (G10, C25, A26, G44, and U45). Many of the recognition nucleotides are also
      among the residues comprising the identity set determined in vivo using an amber
      suppressor tRNA(Phe) [McClain, W. H., & Foss, K. (1988) J. Mol. Biol. 202, 697
      709]. As could be anticipated from the very different methods used, some
      nucleotides in the identity set determined by the suppressor method were not
      among the recognition nucleotides and vice versa. The E. coli tRNA(Phe)
      recognition data can also be compared to the recognition sets for yeast and human
      tRNA(Phe) determined previously. The results indicate that the mechanism by which
      phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases recognize their substrates seems to have diverged
      somewhat among different species. For example, nucleotide 20 in the D-loop, the
      anticodon nucleotides and the discriminator base 73 are important for the
      recognition by all three enzymes. However, recognition of the tRNA central core
      nucleotides is unique to E. coli FRS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420157
TI  - Structure determination of the cyclohexene ring of retinal in bacteriorhodopsin
      by solid-state deuterium NMR.
AB  - The orientation and conformation of retinal within bacteriorhodopsin of the
      purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium was established by solid-state
      deuterium NMR spectroscopy, through the determination of individual chemical bond
      vectors. The chromophore ([2,4,4,16,16,17,17,17,18,18-2H11]retinal) was
      specifically deuterium-labeled on the cyclohexene ring and incorporated into the
      protein. A uniaxially oriented sample of purple membrane patches was prepared and
      measured at a series of inclinations relative to the spectrometer field. 31P NMR
      was used to characterize the mosaic spread of the oriented sample, and computer
      simulations were applied in the analysis of the 2H NMR and 31P NMR spectral line
      shapes. From the deuterium quadrupole splittings, the specific orientations of
      the three labeled methyl groups on the cyclohexene ring could be calculated. The
      two adjacent methyl groups (on C1) of the retinal were found to lie approximately
      horizontal in the membrane and make respective angles of 94 degrees +/- 2 degrees
      and 75 degrees +/- 2 degrees with the membrane normal. The third group (on C5)
      points toward the cytoplasmic side with an angle of 46 degrees +/- 3 degrees.
      These intramolecular constraints indicate that the cyclohexene ring lies
      approximately perpendicular to the membrane surface and that it has a (6S)-trans
      conformation. From the estimated angle of the tilt of the chomophore long axis,
      it is concluded that the polyene chain is slightly curved downward to the
      extracellular side of the membrane.

PMID- 1420159
TI  - Mammalian facilitative glucose transporters: evidence for similar substrate
      recognition sites in functionally monomeric proteins.
AB  - Four facilitative glucose transporters isoforms, GLUT1/erythrocyte, GLUT2/liver,
      GLUT3/brain, and GLUT4/muscle-fat, as well as chimeric transporter proteins were
      expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and their properties were studied. The relative
      Km's of the transporters for 2-deoxyglucose were GLUT3 (Km = 1.8 mM) > GLUT4 (Km
      = 4.6 mM) > GLUT1 (Km = 6.9 mM) > GLUT2 (Km = 17.1 mM). In a similar fashion, the
      uptake of 2-deoxyglucose by GLUT1-, GLUT2-, and GLUT3-expressing oocytes was
      inhibited by a series of unlabeled hexoses and pentoses and by cytochalasin B in
      a similar hierarchical order. To determine if the functional unit of the glucose
      transporter was a monomer or higher-order multimer, the high-affinity transporter
      GLUT3 was coexpressed with either the low-affinity GLUT2 or a GLUT3 mutant which
      contained a transport inactivating Trp410-->Leu substitution. In oocytes
      expressing both GLUT2 and GLUT3, the transport activity associated with each
      transporter isoform could be distinguished kinetically. Similarly, there was no
      alteration in the kinetic parameters of GLUT3, or the ability of glucose or
      cytochalasin B to inhibit 2-deoxyglucose uptake, when coexpressed with up to a 3
      fold greater amount of functionally inactive mutant of GLUT3. These studies
      suggest that the family of glucose transporters have similar binding sites which
      may be in the form of a functional monomeric unit when expressed in Xenopus
      oocytes.

PMID- 1420160
TI  - Calmodulin-specific monoclonal antibodies inhibit DNA replication in mammalian
      cells.
AB  - The involvement of calmodulin in the proliferation of Chinese hamster embryo
      fibroblast cells has been studied with a specific monoclonal antibody to
      calmodulin. We observed that calmodulin levels increase 2-fold in the late G1
      period in these cells, and this coincides with the increase in DNA polymerase
      alpha activity as the cells progress synchronously from a quiescent state in the
      G1 to the S phase. However, there is a concurrent 10-fold enhancement of
      thymidine kinase activity, which is tightly coupled to the entry of cells into
      the S phase. Incubation of permeabilized S-phase cells with calmodulin-specific
      murine monoclonal antibody resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of DNA
      replication. This inhibitory effect of anti-calmodulin antibodies on DNA
      replication is completely reversed by the addition of exogenously purified
      calmodulin. These observations provide evidence for the involvement of calmodulin
      in DNA replication and, therefore, in cell proliferation during the S phase.

PMID- 1420161
TI  - Loop mobility in a four-helix-bundle protein: 15N NMR relaxation measurements on
      human interleukin-4.
AB  - 15N NOE, T1, and T2 measurements have been carried out on uniformly 15N-labeled
      human interleukin-4. Analysis of the results in terms of order parameters (S2)
      shows that although the helical core of this four-helix-bundle protein exists as
      a well-defined structure with limited conformational flexibility (S2 congruent to
      0.9), other regions of the molecule experience substantial fluctuations in the
      conformation of the main chain (S2 = 0.3-0.8). These regions include both the N-
      and C-termini and two of the loops joining the helices. The majority of these
      internal motions are fast compared with the overall rotational correlation time
      (tau R = 7.6 ns at 35 degrees C) and are localized in regions that are relatively
      ill-defined in the NMR structures previously determined for this protein [Smith,
      L. J., Redfield, C., Boyd, J., Lawrence, G. M. P., Edwards, R. G., Smith, R. A.
      G., & Dobson, C. M. (1992) J. Mol. Biol. 224, 899-904]. Other motions are on a
      slower time scale and appear to be associated with two of the three disulfide
      bonds and the beta-sheet region in the protein. The dynamic properties of
      interleukin-4 in solution have been compared with features of the X-ray
      structures of other four-helix-bundle proteins. The results suggest that the
      dynamic properties observed here may be general for this class of proteins and
      may be significant for the interpretation of both their structural and functional
      properties.

PMID- 1420162
TI  - Spectroscopic studies of arsenic(III) binding to Escherichia coli RI
      methyltransferase and to two mutants, C223S and W183F.
AB  - The interactions of an arsenic (III) reagent, (CH3)2AsSCH2CONH2, with two
      Escherichia coli RI methyltransferase mutants, W183F and C223S, have been studied
      by phosphorescence, optically detected magnetic resonance, and fluorescence
      spectroscopy. The phosphorescence spectrum of the W183F mutant containing only
      one tryptophan at position 225 reveals a single 0,0-band that is red-shifted by
      9.8 nm upon binding of As(III). Fluorescence titration of W183F with
      (CH3)2AsSCH2CONH2 produces a large tryptophan fluorescence quenching. Analysis of
      the quenching data points to a single high-affinity As(III) binding site that is
      associated with the fluorescence quenching. Triplet-state kinetic measurements
      performed on the perturbed tryptophan show large reductions in the lifetimes of
      the triplet sublevels, especially that of the T chi sublevel. As(III) binding to
      the enzyme at a site very close to the Trp225 residue induces an external heavy
      atom effect, showing that the perturber atom is in van der Waals contact with the
      indole chromophore. In the case of the C223S mutant, a single tryptophan 0,0-band
      also is observed in the phosphorescence spectrum, but no change occurs upon
      addition of the As(III) reagent. Fluorescence titration of C223S with As(III)
      shows essentially no quenching of tryptophan fluorescence, in contrast with
      W183F. These results, along with previous triplet-state and biochemical studies
      on the wild-type enzyme [Tsao, D. H.H., & Maki, A. H. (1991) Biochemistry 30,
      4565-4572], show that As(III) binds with high affinity to the Cys223 residue and
      that the Trp225 side chain is located close enough to that of Cys223 to produce a
      heavy-atom perturbation when As(III) is bound.

PMID- 1420163
TI  - Resonance Raman studies of the protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase from
      Brevibacterium fuscum.
AB  - Resonance Raman studies of the protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase (PCD) from
      Brevibacterium fuscum have been carried out to take advantage of the high iron
      site homogeneity of this enzyme. Native uncomplexed PCD exhibits individual
      resonance-enhanced nu CO and delta CH vibrations for the two tyrosinates
      coordinated to the active site iron center, which can be assigned to a particular
      residue by their excitation profiles. Of the two nu CO features observed at 1254
      and 1266 cm-1, only the latter is upshifted (to 1272 cm-1) when H2O is replaced
      by D2O. Similarly the 1254-cm-1 feature is unaffected, while the 1266-cm-1
      feature is shifted to approximately 1290 cm-1 when inhibitors such as phenolates
      or terephthalate bind to the active site. These observed shifts can be
      rationalized by the presence of hydrogen-bonding interactions with solvent in the
      active site cavity, which are modulated by D2O and eliminated upon inhibitor
      binding. Examination of the PCD crystal structure suggests that the axial
      tyrosine can be hydrogen bonded in the uncomplexed enzyme to water molecules
      present in the substrate binding pocket. The equatorial tyrosine may also be
      hydrogen bonded but to solvent molecules which are trapped in a pocket
      inaccessible to bulk solvent. These studies allow for the first time the
      association of particular Raman spectroscopic features, i.e., the nu CO's at 1254
      and 1266 cm-1, with the equatorial and axial tyrosine residues in the PCD active
      site, respectively; they lay the groundwork for further Raman studies on
      catalytically important species to determine the roles these tyrosine residues
      may play in the PCD reaction cycle.

PMID- 1420164
TI  - 1.67-A X-ray structure of the B2 immunoglobulin-binding domain of streptococcal
      protein G and comparison to the NMR structure of the B1 domain.
AB  - The structure of the B2 immunoglobulin-binding domain of streptococcal protein G
      has been determined at 1.67-A resolution using a combination of single
      isomorphous replacement (SIR) phasing and manual fitting of the coordinates of
      the NMR structure of B1 domain of streptococcal protein G [Gronenborn, A. M., et
      al. (1991) Science 253, 657-661]. The final R value was 0.191 for data between
      8.0 and 1.67 A. The structure described here has 13 residues preceding the 57
      residue Ig-binding domain and 13 additional residues following it, for a total of
      83 residues. The 57-residue binding domain is well-determined in the structure,
      having an average B factor of 18.0. Only residues 8-77 could be located in the
      electron density maps, with the ends of the structure fading into disorder. Like
      the B1 domain, the B2 domain consists of four beta-strands and a single helix
      lying diagonally across the beta-sheet, with a -1, +3 chi, -1 topology. This
      small structure is extensively hydrogen-bonded and has a relatively large
      hydrophobic core. These structural observations may account for the exceptional
      stability of protein G. A comparison of the B2 domain X-ray structure and the B1
      domain NMR structure showed minor differences in the turn between strands and two
      and a slight displacement of the helix relative to the sheet. Hydrogen bonds
      between crystallographically related molecules account for most of these
      differences.

PMID- 1420166
TI  - Effects of the steroid antagonist RU486 on dimerization of the human progesterone
      receptor.
AB  - We previously reported, using a coimmunoprecipitation assay, that the B form (PR
      B) of the human progesterone receptor from T47D human breast cancer cells
      dimerizes in solution with the A receptor (PR-A) and that the extent of
      dimerization correlates with receptor binding activity for specific DNA sequences
      [DeMarzo, A.M., Beck, C.A., Onate, S.A., & Edwards, D.P. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad.
      Sci. U.S.A. 88, 72-76]. This suggested that solution dimerization is an
      intermediate step in the receptor activation process. The present study has
      tested the effects of the progesterone antagonist RU486 on solution dimerization
      of progesterone receptors (PR). As determined by the coimmunoprecipitation assay,
      RU486 binding did not impair dimerization of receptors; rather, the antagonist
      promoted more efficient solution dimerization than the progestin agonist R5020.
      This enhanced receptor dimerization correlated with a higher DNA binding activity
      for transformed receptors bound with RU486. RU486 has been shown previously to
      produce two other alterations in the human PR when compared with R5020. PR-RU486
      complexes in solution exhibit a faster sedimentation rate (6 S) on salt
      containing sucrose density gradients than PR-R5020 complexes (4 S), and PR-DNA
      complexes have a faster electrophoretic mobility on gel-shift assays in the
      presence of RU486. We presently show that the 6 S PR-RU486 complex is a receptor
      monomer, not a dimer. The increased sedimentation rate and increased mobility on
      gel-shift assays promoted by RU486 were also observed with recombinant PR-A and
      PR-B separately expressed in insect cells from baculovirus vectors. These results
      suggest that RU486 induces a distinct conformational change both in PR monomers
      in solution and in dimers bound to DNA. We also examined whether conformational
      changes in PR induced by RU486 would prevent a PR polypeptide bound to RU486 from
      heterodimerization with another PR polypeptide bound to R5020. To evaluate this,
      PR-A and PR-B that were separately bound to R5020 or RU486 in whole cells were
      mixed in vitro. PR-A-RU486 was capable of dimerization with PR-B-R5020, and this
      was demonstrated for heterodimers both formed in solution and bound to specific
      DNA. The capability to form heterodimers in vitro raises the possibility that the
      antagonist action of RU486 in vivo could in part be imposed in a dominant
      negative fashion through heterodimerization between one receptor subunit bound to
      an agonist and another bound to RU486.

PMID- 1420165
TI  - Molecular cloning of porcine alveolar macrophage-derived neutrophil chemotactic
      factors I and II; identification of porcine IL-8 and another intercrine-alpha
      protein.
AB  - Alveolar macrophages (AM) mediate lung inflammation by producing lipid and
      peptide molecules that attract neutrophils (PMN) to the lung. Recently we
      described two porcine proteins called alveolar macrophage-derived chemotactic
      factors, AMCF-I and -II, that are potent, efficacious, and specific PMN
      chemoattractants both in vitro and in vivo. We report here the cloning of the
      full-length cDNAs which code for each protein. Porcine AM were stimulated for 4 h
      in vitro with Escherichia coli endotoxin (LPS), and a cDNA library was created
      from poly(A)(+)-selected mRNA. Specific oligonucleotide probes for AMCF-I and
      AMCF-II were amplified from the porcine AM cDNA library by the polymerase chain
      reaction using degenerate oligonucleotide primer pairs derived from the N
      terminal amino acid sequences of the proteins. These probes were used to isolate
      2 full-length cDNAs of 1466 (AMCF-I) and 1515 (AMCF-II) base pairs. Both cDNAs
      code for proteins with four cysteine residues containing the C-X-C sequence
      characteristic of the intercrine-alpha family of neutrophil chemoattractants.
      AMCF-I shares 74% identity with human IL-8 and 84% identity with rabbit IL-8, and
      likely represents the porcine homologue of IL-8. By contrast, AMCF-II has no
      obvious human homologue. AMCF-II shares 53% identity with human neutrophil
      activating peptide 2. Its shared identity with the GRO-related proteins is as
      high as 61% (rat CINC/GRO), and its shared identity with the 78 amino acid
      epithelial cell-derived neutrophil activator (ENA-78) is 67%. AMCF-II may
      represent a new member of the intercrine-alpha family of neutrophil
      chemoattractants.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420168
TI  - Unusual DNA conformation at low pH revealed by NMR: parallel-stranded DNA duplex
      with homo base pairs.
AB  - We have investigated the conformational potentials of several DNA
      oligonucleotides containing sequences related to 5'-CGA in neutral pH and low pH
      (< 5.0) conditions. One-dimensional proton NMR spectra show that d(CGATCG),
      d(TCGATCGA), and d(CGATCGATCG) exhibit new sets of resonances at low pH
      (approximately 3.8-4.4), when compared to those from the neutral pH samples. The
      low pH form and the neutral pH form are in slow equilibrium. Analyses of the data
      suggest that these sequences under low pH conditions adopt structures distinct
      from B-DNA. Two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (2D NOESY)
      data from the DNA hexamer d(CGATCG) of the neutral and low pH samples were used
      to analyze their respective structures in solution. An iterative NOE spectral
      driven refinement procedure, SPEDREF [Robinson, H., & Wang, A. H.-J. (1992)
      Biochemistry 31, 3524-3533], was used to show that the neutral pH structure is
      close to canonical B-DNA. In contrast, analysis of the low pH form using the 2D
      NOESY data suggests that its structure is consistent with a right-handed parallel
      stranded (PS) double helix with symmetrical non-Watson-Crick (C+:C, G:G, A:A,
      T:T) homo base pairs. Supporting evidence for the PS helix includes the
      asymmetric inversion-recovery relaxation times associated with the two ends of
      the helix. The structure is favored by the 5'-CGA sequence in which the cytosines
      provide the C+:C pairing for the nucleation step and the GpA step is
      significantly stabilized by the interstrand G-A stacking interactions.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420167
TI  - Passage of RNA polymerase from open complex to elongation mode at the Escherichia
      coli lacUV5 promoter: nucleolytic hypersensitivity as a probe for complex
      conformational changes.
AB  - In transcriptionally active complexes between RNA polymerase and promoters, the
      center of the melted region is hyperreactive to the nucleolytic activity of the
      cuprous complex of 1,10-phenanthroline (OP-Cu). In the first part of this work,
      using synthetic oligonucleotides and exploiting gel retardation assays, I
      demonstrate that DNA unpairing is not the only determinant of this
      hyperreactivity. Polymerase binding is directly implicated, presumably
      participating in the stabilization of an intermediate required for the cutting.
      In the second part of the work, I show that, from fine analysis of the
      nucleolytic pattern of lacUV5 promoter DNA towards OP-Cu and Phe OP-Cu, it is
      possible to locate polymerase and to characterize its contacts at any time during
      the early stages of transcription. This analysis provides a description of the
      passage from the "open complex" to the elongation mode in terms of, first,
      release of the upstream contacts, and second, loss of sigma subunit. Occupancy of
      the overlapping promoter, P2, has a positive effect on the escape of polymerase
      from abortive cycling. The involvement of sigma and beta subunits in the
      reactivity pattern is discussed with respect to previous cross-linking studies.

PMID- 1420169
TI  - Enzymatic properties of the RecA803 protein, a partial suppressor of recF
      mutations.
AB  - The RecA803 protein suppresses the recombinational repair defect of recF
      mutations and displays enhanced joint molecule formation in vitro (Madiraju et
      al., 1988). To understand the physical basis for these phenomena, the biochemical
      properties of RecA803 protein were compared with those of the wild-type protein.
      The RecA803 protein shows greater DNA-dependent ATPase activity than the wild
      type protein with either M13 single-stranded (ss) DNA, which contains secondary
      structure, or double-stranded DNA. This increased activity reflects an enhanced
      ability of the mutant protein to form active complexes with these DNA molecules
      rather than an enhanced catalytic turnover activity, because identical kcat
      values for ATP hydrolysis are obtained when DNA substrates lacking secondary
      structure are examined. In addition, the ssDNA-dependent ATPase activity of
      RecA803 protein displays greater resistance to inhibition by SSB (single-stranded
      DNA binding) protein. These properties of the RecA803 protein are not due to
      either an increased binding affinity for ssDNA or an increased kinetic lifetime
      of RecA803 protein-ssDNA complexes, demonstrating that altered protein-DNA
      stability is not the basis for the enhanced properties of RecA803 protein.
      However, the nucleation-limited rate of association with ssDNA is more rapid for
      the RecA803 protein than for wild-type RecA protein. Consequently, we suggest
      that altered protein-protein interactions may account for the differences between
      these two proteins. The implications of these results with regard to the partial
      suppression of recF mutations by recA803 are discussed (Madiraju et al., 1988).

PMID- 1420170
TI  - Labeling of two different regions of the nucleotide binding site of the
      uncoupling protein from brown adipose tissue mitochondria with two ATP analogs.
AB  - The nucleotide binding site of the uncoupling protein (UCP) from brown adipose
      tissue was mapped by photoaffinity labeling with 2-azidoadenosine 5'-triphosphate
      (2-azido-ATP) and by affinity labeling with 3'-O-(5-fluoro-2,4
      dinitrophenyl)adenosine 5'-triphosphate (FDNP-ATP). Both analogs bind with high
      affinity and specificity to the UCP in intact mitochondria, as well as to the
      isolated solubilized protein. Reversible binding at 4 degrees C in the dark is
      competitively blocked by GTP. Like the natural ligands ATP and GTP, both analogs
      are capable of inhibiting the H+/OH- conductance of the UCP as measured in
      proteoliposomes with reconstituted UCP. 2-azido-ATP was incorporated into UCP in
      mitochondria in the presence of carboxyatractylate, while FDNP-ATP was inserted
      into isolated UCP by prolonged incubation at room temperature under pH variation.
      Both reactions can be blocked by GTP. The incorporation of 2-azido-ATP could be
      localized between residues 258 and 283 by cleavage with CNBr. Solid-phase
      sequencing of the homoserine-linked radioactive peptide indicated that the 2
      azido-ATP was linked to threonine-263. The incorporation of FDNP-ATP could be
      assigned by cleavage with CNBr and alternatively with trypsin at a locus of
      covalent attachment between residues 238 and 255. On the basis of published data
      that no tyrosine participates in nucleotide binding of the UCP, the probable
      residue reacting with FDNP-ATP is cysteine-253.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420171
TI  - Modification of cytochrome P450 1A2 enzymes by the mechanism-based inactivator 2
      ethynylnaphthalene and the photoaffinity label 4-azidobiphenyl.
AB  - 2-Ethynylnaphthalene (2EN) had previously been demonstrated to be a mechanism
      based inactivator of rat cytochrome P450 (P450) 1A2 [Hammons, G.J., Alworth,
      W.L., Hopkins, N.E., Guengerich, F. P., & Kadlubar, F. F. (1989) Chem. Res.
      Toxicol. 2, 367-374]. In this work 2EN was also demonstrated to be a useful
      inactivator of rabbit P450 1A2 (k(inactivation) 0.094 min-1, K(i) 11 microM) but
      it did not inactivate human P450 1A2, although the sequences of the three
      proteins are approximately 80% identical. Rat and rabbit P450 1A2 were modified
      by incubation with NADPH-P450 reductase, NADPH, and [3H]2EN to levels of 0.35 and
      0.47 nmol of adduct (nmol of P450)-1, respectively. In each case only a single
      tryptic peptide was labeled; recovery of labeled peptides was low under the
      acidic HPLC conditions. The rabbit P450 1A2 peptide FQELMAAVGR (positions 175
      184) and the rat P450 1A2 peptide L(S)QQYGDVLQIR (positions 67-78) were
      identified. 4-Azidobiphenyl (4-N3BP) was developed as a photoaffinity label for P
      450 1A2 proteins because of its similarity to 4-aminobiphenyl, a known substrate
      for the enzymes. 4-N3BP was shown to be photolyzed with 350-nm light and
      radioactive label could be incorporated into rat P450 1A2. Labeling of the
      protein was found to be saturable with increasing concentrations of 4-N3BP and up
      to 0.59 nmol of label could be incorporated (nmol P450 1A2)-1. The substrate 4
      aminobiphenyl and the competitive inhibitor 7,8-benzoflavone blocked
      photolabeling of P450 1A2 with 4-N3BP, and 4-N3BP inhibited N-hydroxylation of 4
      aminobiphenyl by P450 1A2 in the usual enzyme assay.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1420174
TI  - Molecular thermodynamic model to predict the alpha-helical secondary structure of
      polypeptide chains in solution.
AB  - The native state of a protein molecule in aqueous solutions represents one of the
      lowest states of Gibbs energy [Anfinsen, C.B. (1973) Science 181, 223-230]. Much
      progress has been made about the rules of protein folding [King, J. (1989) Chem.
      Eng. News 67, 32-54] and the dominant forces in protein folding [Dill, K.A.
      (1990) Biochemistry 29, 7133-7155]. However, the quantitative contributions of
      different Gibbs energy terms to protein stability remains a controversial issue
      [Moult, J., & Unger, R. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 3816-3824]. A molecular
      thermodynamic model has been proposed for the Gibbs energy of folding a residue
      in aqueous homopolypeptides from a random-coiled state to either the alpha-helix
      state or the beta-sheet state [Chen, C.-C., Zhu, Y., King, J.A., & Evans, L.B.
      (1992) Biopolymers 32, 1375-1392]. In this work, we present a generalization of
      the molecular thermodynamic model for the Gibbs energy of folding natural and
      synthetic heteropolypeptides from random-coiled conformations into alpha-helical
      conformations. The generalized model incorporates the intrinsic folding potential
      due to residue-solvent interactions, the cooperative folding effect due to
      residue-residue interactions, and the location and length of alpha-helices. The
      utility of the model was demonstrated by examining the stability of alpha-helical
      conformations of a number of natural polypeptides including C-peptide (residues 1
      13) and S-peptide (residues 1-20) of RNase A (bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A),
      the P alpha fragment in BPTI (bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor), and synthetic
      polypeptides (the copolymers of different amino acid residues) including alanine
      based peptides (16 or 17 residues long) in water. The computed Gibbs energies
      correspond well with the experimental data on helicity. The results also
      accounted for the effects of amino acid substitution and temperature on the
      stability of alpha-helical conformations of the test polypeptides.

PMID- 1420172
TI  - Phospholipase A2 engineering. The structural and functional roles of aromaticity
      and hydrophobicity in the conserved phenylalanine-22 and phenylalanine-106
      aromatic sandwich.
AB  - The highly conserved phenylalanine-22 and phenylalanine-106, arranged as an
      aromatic sandwich, form part of an invariant hydrophobic wall that shields the
      active site of bovine pancreatic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) from bulk solvent
      [Dijkstra, B. W., Drenth, J., & Kalk, K. H. (1981) Nature 289, 604-606]. The
      residues have also been suggested to interact with the sn-2 acyl chain of bound
      phospholipid substrate [White, S. P., Scott, D. L., Otwinowski, Z., Gelb, M. H.,
      & Sigler, P. B. (1990) Science 250, 1560-1563]. We now report the importance of
      these two residues in the structure and function of PLA2 in terms of aromaticity
      (changing to Ile) and hydrophobic (changing to Ala) and hydrophilic (changing to
      Tyr) character of these residues. The structural properties of the mutants were
      analyzed by proton NMR and by guanidine hydrochloride-induced denaturation. The
      functional properties were determined by measuring kinetic parameters toward
      various substrates in the forms of monomers, micelles, and vesicles, and by
      measuring equilibrium dissociation constants at the interface. The results show
      that (i) The conformational stability of each mutant was as good as that of wild
      type PLA2; none of the mutants was significantly perturbed structurally as judged
      from detailed 1H NMR analysis. These results suggest that neither the Phe-22/Phe
      106 face-to-face pair nor the Phe-22/Tyr-111 edge-to-face pair plays a
      significant structural role. (ii) Mutations to Ile at either position 22 or
      position 106 resulted in only minor perturbations in activity. This suggests that
      the aromaticity is not important to the function of these two residues.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420173
TI  - Role of disulfide exchange in alpha 1-protease inhibitor.
AB  - The major endogenous inhibitor of neutrophil elastase in the plasma, alpha 1
      protease inhibitor (alpha 1-PI), has a single cysteine residue which has been
      shown to form mixed disulfides with a number of thiols in vitro. Under normal
      physiological conditions, the plasma concentrations of reduced and oxidized
      thiols are such that a major fraction of alpha 1-PI in the circulation in vivo is
      in the form of mixed disulfides [Laurell, C.-B. (1979) in The Chemistry and
      Physiology of Human Plasma Proteins (Bing, D. H., Ed.) pp 329-341, Pergamon, New
      York]. We show here that the mixed disulfide between glutathione or cysteine and
      alpha 1-PI (alpha 1-PI-SSG or alpha 1-PI-SScys) has an intrinsic fluorescence
      which distinguishes it from the reduced form of alpha 1-PI. By employing the
      fluorescence difference, we have measured the ratio of alpha 1-PI-SH to mixed
      disulfide alpha 1-PI in redox buffers of different ratios of reduced to oxidized
      glutathione (GSH to GSSG) or reduced to oxidized cysteine (cys to cysSScys) and
      have calculated an equilibrium constant and redox potential of 0.74 +/- 0.08 and
      8 +/- 2 mV, respectively, for the alpha 1-PI-SH/alpha 1-PI-SSG couple and of 0.32
      +/- 0.02 and 29 +/- 2 mV, respectively, for the alpha 1-PI-SH/alpha 1-PI-SScys
      couple. We are unable to detect any change in Trp fluorescence in the complex of
      alpha 1-PI and elastase when the preformed complex is added to the same GSH/GSSG
      or cys/cysSScys redox buffers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420175
TI  - Spontaneous transfer of ganglioside GM1 from its micelles to lipid vesicles of
      differing size.
AB  - The spontaneous incorporation of II3-N-acetylneuraminosylgangliotetraosylceramide
      (GM1) from its micelles into phospholipid bilayer vesicles has been investigated
      to determine whether curvature-induced changes in membrane lipid packing
      influence ganglioside uptake. Use of conventional liquid chromatography in
      conjunction with technically-improved molecular sieve gels permits ganglioside
      micelles to be separated from phospholipid vesicles of different average size
      including vesicles with diameters smaller than 40 nm and, thus, allows detailed
      study of native ganglioside GM1 incorporation into model membranes under
      conditions where complicating processes like fusion are readily detected if
      present. At 45 degrees C, the spontaneous transfer rate of GM1 from its micelles
      to small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) comprised of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero
      3-phosphocholine (POPC) is at least 3-fold faster than that to similar
      composition large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) prepared by octyl glucoside
      dialysis. Careful analysis of ganglioside GM1 distribution among vesicle
      populations of differing average size reveals that GM1 preferentially
      incorporates into the smaller vesicles of certain populations. This behavior is
      observed in SUVs as well as in LUV-SUV mixtures and actually serves as a
      sensitive indicator for the presence of trace quantities of SUVs in various LUV
      preparations. Analysis of the results shows that both differences in the
      diffusional collision frequency between GM1 monomers and either SUVs or LUVs and
      curvature-induced changes in the interfacial lipid packing in either SUVs or LUVs
      can dramatically influence spontaneous ganglioside uptake.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420176
TI  - Standard thermodynamic formation properties for the adenosine 5'-triphosphate
      series.
AB  - The criterion for chemical equilibrium at specified temperature, pressure, pH,
      concentration of free magnesium ion, and ionic strength is the transformed Gibbs
      energy, which can be calculated from the Gibbs energy. The apparent equilibrium
      constant (written in terms of the total concentrations of reactants like
      adenosine 5'-triphosphate, rather than in terms of species) yields the standard
      transformed Gibbs energy of reaction, and the effect of temperature on the
      apparent equilibrium constant at specified pressure, pH, concentration of free
      magnesium ion, and ionic strength yields the standard transformed enthalpy of
      reaction. From the apparent equilibrium constants and standard transformed
      enthalpies of reaction that have been measured in the adenosine 5'-triphosphate
      series and the dissociation constants of the weak acids and magnesium complexes
      involved, it is possible to calculate standard Gibbs energies of formation and
      standard enthalpies of formation of the species involved at zero ionic strength.
      This requires the convention that the standard Gibbs energy of formation and
      standard enthalpy of formation for adenosine in dilute aqueous solutions be set
      equal to zero. On the basis of this convention, standard transformed Gibbs
      energies of formation and standard transformed enthalpies of formation of
      adenosine 5'-trisphosphate, adenosine 5'-diphosphate, adenosine 5'-monophosphate,
      and adenosine at 298.15 K, 1 bar, pH = 7, a concentration of free magnesium ions
      of 10(-3) M, and an ionic strength of 0.25 M have been calculated.

PMID- 1420177
TI  - Analysis by mutagenesis of the ATP binding site of the gamma subunit of skeletal
      muscle phosphorylase kinase expressed using a baculovirus system.
AB  - Active gamma subunit of skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase has been obtained by
      expression of the rat soleus cDNA in a baculovirus system. The protein exhibited
      the expected pH 6.8/8.2 activity ratio of 0.6, and its activity was insensitive
      to Ca2+ addition, indicating that it was free gamma subunit and not a gamma
      subunit-calmodulin complex. It was stimulated approximately 2-fold by Ca(2+)
      calmodulin addition, demonstrating that it had retained high-affinity calmodulin
      binding. By site-directed mutagenesis, we have examined the role of six of the
      amino acids that constitute the consensus ATP binding site of the protein kinase,
      which in the gamma subunit is represented by the sequence
      26Gly.Arg.Gly.Val.Ser.Ser.Val.Val33. Changes were evaluated by the kinetic
      determination of the dissociation constants of gamma-ATP, gamma-ADP, gamma
      AMP.PCP, and gamma-phosphorylase and the maximum catalytic activity. The mutants
      Ser26-gamma, Ser29-gamma, Phe30-gamma, and Gly31-gamma each exhibited an
      essentially identical dissociation constant for gamma subunit phosphorylase,
      indicating that these mutations had not caused a global alteration in the protein
      structure but were limited to changes in the nucleotide binding site domain.
      Substitution of either Val33 (by Gly) or Gly28 (by Ser), two of the most
      conserved residues in all protein kinases, resulted in enzyme with marginally
      detectable activity. In noted contrast, the Ser26 mutant, which substituted the
      first glycine of the consensus glycine trio motif, and which is also very highly
      conserved, retained at least 25% of the enzymatic activity. The Gly31
      substitution, which restored a glycine to a position characteristic for most
      protein kinases, had little overall effect upon the maximum rate of catalysis.
      Restoration of Ser30 to the more typical phenylalanine, which is present in most
      protein kinases, had minimal effect on catalysis. These data provide the first
      direct evaluation of the roles that different residues play within this consensus
      glycine trio/valine motif of the protein kinases, which up to now have only been
      surmised to be of importance because of their conservation. Two unexpected
      findings are that for one residue that is very conserved (Gly26) there is some
      flexibility of substitution not apparent from the evolutionary conservation and
      that a second quite conserved residue in protein kinases (equivalent to Gly at
      position 31) does not produce a protein optimized for nucleotide binding.

PMID- 1420178
TI  - Structure and novel exons of the human tau gene.
AB  - The microtubule-binding protein tau is important in establishing and maintaining
      neuronal morphology and is a major component of the neurofibrillary tangles
      (NFTs) characteristic of Alzheimer's brain. The neuron-specific tau transcript
      undergoes complex alternative splicing. The human tau gene has been cloned and
      mapped. The restriction analysis and partial sequencing of the gene shows that it
      contains (1) four alternatively spliced exons previously described in rodent and
      bovine but not in human tau cDNAs and (2) two CpG islands, one associated with
      the promoter region, the other with exon 9. Examination of human tau mRNA
      indicates that the human cerebrocortical splicing pattern differs from that
      previously reported for the murine and bovine tau mRNAs, despite conserved exon
      organization in all three genes.

PMID- 1420179
TI  - Effects of magnesium ion on the interaction of atrial muscarinic acetylcholine
      receptors and GTP-binding regulatory proteins.
AB  - Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR) purified from porcine atrium were
      reconstituted into lipid vesicles with GTP-binding regulatory proteins (G
      proteins, Gi, Go, or Gn) purified from porcine cerebrum. Apparent affinities of
      the reconstituted mAChR and G proteins for carbachol and GDP, respectively, were
      estimated from the effects of these ligands on the binding of [3H]-L
      quinuclidinyl benzilate ([3H]QNB) to mAChR and [35S]guanosine 5'-O-(3
      thiotriphosphate) ([35S]GTP gamma S) to G proteins in the presence of different
      concentrations of MgCl2. A total of 30-35% of reconstituted mAChRs exhibited low
      affinity for carbamylcholine, irrespective of the presence or absence of guanine
      nucleotides, and the remainder of the mAChRs showed high affinities for
      carbamylcholine in the absence of GTP or GDP and a low affinity in their
      presence. The affinity for carbamylcholine in the absence of guanine nucleotides,
      but not in their presence, increased with increases in MgCl2 concentration.
      Apparent Kd's for carbamylcholine were estimated to be approximately 100 microM
      in the presence of guanine nucleotides, 1.5 microM in the absence of guanine
      nucleotide and Mg2+ (< 0.1 microM), and 0.1 microM in the absence of guanine
      nucleotide and the presence of MgCl2 (10 mM). These results indicate that mAChRs
      may assume at least three different conformations that are characterized by
      different affinities for agonists. Furthermore, the data suggest that MgCl2 is
      not necessary for the formation of the mAChR-G protein complex, but can induce a
      conformational change in the complex. On the other hand, the presence of MgCl2
      was necessary for carbamylcholine to influence the binding of guanine
      nucleotides.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420180
TI  - Laminins and other strange proteins.
AB  - Laminins are large multidomain proteins of the extracellular matrix (ECM) with
      important functions in the development and maintenance of cellular organization
      and supramolecular structure, in particular in basement membranes. Each molecule
      is composed of three polypeptide chains, A (300-400 kDa) and B1 and B2 (180-200
      kDa), which together form the characteristic cross-shaped laminin structure with
      three short arms and one long arm. Many different domains have been identified in
      laminin by sequence analysis, structural investigations, and functional studies.
      Each short arm is formed by homologous N-terminal portions of one of the three
      chains. Structurally, each short arm contains two or three globular domains which
      are connected by rows of manyfold-repeated Cys-rich "EGF-like" domains. In all
      three chains this region is followed by a long heptad repeat region similar to
      those found in many alpha-helical coiled-coil proteins. These parts of the three
      laminin chains constitute a triple-stranded coiled-coil domain, which forms the
      extended rodlike structure of the long arm. This is the only domain in the
      protein which is made up of more than one chain and consequently serves the
      function of chain assembly. The two B chains are terminated by the coiled-coil
      domain, but the A chain contains an additional C-terminal segment which accounts
      for five globular domains located at the tip of the long arm. Several important
      functions of laminin have been assigned to individual domains in either the short
      arms or terminal regions of the long arm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420181
TI  - Crystallographic evidence of a large ligand-induced hinge-twist motion between
      the two domains of the maltodextrin binding protein involved in active transport
      and chemotaxis.
AB  - The periplasmic maltodextrin binding protein of Escherichia coli serves as an
      initial receptor for the active transport of and chemotaxis toward
      maltooligosaccharides. The three-dimensional structure of the binding protein
      complexed with maltose has been previously reported [Spurlino, J. C., Lu, G.-Y.,
      & Quiocho, F. A. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 5202-5219]. Here we report the
      structure of the unliganded form of the binding protein refined to 1.8-A
      resolution. This structure, combined with that for the liganded form, provides
      the first crystallographic evidence that a major ligand-induced conformational
      change occurs in a periplasmic binding protein. The unliganded structure shows a
      rigid-body "hinge-bending" between the two globular domains by approximately 35
      degrees, relative to the maltose-bound structure, opening the sugar binding site
      groove located between the two domains. In addition, there is an 8 degrees twist
      of one domain relative to the other domain. The conformational changes observed
      between this structure and the maltose-bound structure are consistent with
      current models of maltose/maltodextrin transport and maltose chemotaxis and
      solidify a mechanism for receptor differentiation between the ligand-free and
      ligand-bound forms in signal transduction.

PMID- 1420182
TI  - Structure of d(T)n.d(A)n.d(T)n: the DNA triple helix has B-form geometry with C2'
      endo sugar pucker.
AB  - The polynucleotide helix d(T)n.d(A)n.d(T)n is the only deoxypolynucleotide triple
      helix for which a structure has been published, and it is generally assumed as
      the structural basis for studies of DNA triplexes. The helix has been assigned to
      an A-form conformation with C3'-endo sugar pucker by Arnott and Selsing [1974;
      cf. Arnott et al. (1976)]. We show here by infrared spectroscopy in D2O solution
      that the helix is instead B-form and that the sugar pucker is in the C2'-endo
      region. Distamycin A, which binds only to B-form and not to A-form helices, binds
      to the triple helix without displacement of the third strand, as demonstrated by
      CD spectroscopy and gel electrophoresis. Molecular modeling shows that a
      stereochemically satisfactory structure can be build using C2'-endo sugars and a
      displacement of the Watson-Crick base-pair center from the helix axis of 2.5 A.
      Helical constraints of rise per residue (h = 3.26 A) and residues per turn (n =
      12) were taken from fiber diffraction experiments of Arnott and Selsing (1974).
      The conformational torsion angles are in the standard B-form range, and there are
      no short contacts. In contrast, we were unable to construct a stereochemically
      allowed model with A-form geometry and C3'-endo sugars. Arnott et al. (1976)
      observed that their model had short contacts (e.g., 2.3 A between the phosphate
      dependent oxygen on the A strand and O2 in the Hoogsteen-paired thymine strand)
      which are generally known to be outside the allowed range.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420183
TI  - Isotope-edited nuclear magnetic resonance study of Fv fragment of anti-dansyl
      mouse monoclonal antibody: recognition of the dansyl hapten.
AB  - An isotope-edited proton nuclear magnetic resonance study is reported of Fv,
      which is the smallest antigen recognition unit composed of VH and VL domains. Fv
      has been obtained by clostripain digestion of a short-chain anti-dansyl mouse
      IgG2a monoclonal antibody [Igarashi, T., Sato, M., Katsube, Y., Takio, K.,
      Tanaka, T., Nakanishi, M., & Arata, Y. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 5727-5733]. A
      variety of stable-isotope-labeled anti-dansyl Fv analogues have been prepared.
      The aromatic proton resonances for all Tyr residues of the Fv fragment have been
      assigned in the absence and presence of epsilon-dansyl-L-lysine by means of
      isotope-edited homonuclear and heteronuclear two-dimensional NMR experiments. On
      the basis of the established assignments, it has been concluded that the dansyl
      ring is bound through Tyr-96H and Tyr-104H to both ends of H3, the third
      hypervariable region of the heavy chain. We also suggest that the antigen binding
      results in the formation of a hydrophobic core comprising the dansyl ring and the
      aromatic rings of Tyr-96H and Tyr-104H.

PMID- 1420184
TI  - A beta-turn is present in the 392-411 segment of the human fibrinogen gamma
      chain. Effects of structural changes in this segment on affinity to antibody 4A5.
AB  - The interaction between fibrinogen gamma-peptide 392-411, LTIGEGQQHHLGGAKQAGDV,
      and monoclonal antibody 4A5, an antibody with a high affinity for both for the
      peptide and native fibrinogen, is being studied as a model for peptide-antibody
      interaction. Two-dimensional NMR studies of the free peptide at pH 5.2 indicated
      the presence of a significant population, about 60%, of type II beta-turn,
      spanning residues Gln407-Asp410. At pH 2.7, little, if any, turn structure is
      present. The D-Ala409 analog, which, for steric reasons, would be expected to
      preserve the beta-turn, and the L-Ala409 analog, which would not be expected to
      have this conformational feature, were synthesized, and NMR studies confirmed the
      respective structural predictions. The affinity of the D-Ala analog for antibody
      4A5 is even greater than that displayed by native gamma 392-411, while the
      affinity of the L-Ala analog is less than one-tenth that of the native peptide.
      Both conformational and steric effects involving residues 407-410 may be
      important in recognition by antibody 4A5. Since gamma 392-411 includes a platelet
      receptor binding locus of fibrinogen, and this and related peptides are
      inhibitors of platelet aggregation, the D-Ala409 and L-Ala409 analogs were tested
      for platelet binding. Neither of the analogs displays any measurable platelet
      binding, indicating that the recognition requirements for the platelet receptor
      differ considerably from those for antibody 4A5.

PMID- 1420185
TI  - A differential scanning calorimetric study of the thermal unfolding of mutant
      forms of phage T4 lysozyme.
AB  - In continuation of our earlier work on the effects of amino acid replacements on
      the thermodynamics of the thermal unfolding of T4 lysozyme [Kitamura, S., &
      Sturtevant, J. M. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 3788-3792; Connelly, P., Ghosaini, L.,
      Hu, C.-Q., Kitamura, S., Tanaka, A., & Sturtevant, J. M. (1991) Biochemistry 30,
      1887-1891; Hu, C.-Q., Kitamura, S., Tanaka, A., & Sturtevant, J. M. (1992)
      Biochemistry 31, 1643-1647], we report here a study by differential scanning
      calorimetry of the effects of five replacements at Ile3. Four of these
      replacements, those with Glu, Phe, Pro, and Thr, caused apparent
      destabilizations, while the replacement by Leu led to a small apparent
      stabilization. The largest observed destabilization (Ile3Pro) amounted to -3.0
      kcal mol-1 in free energy at pH 2.00 and 38.8 degrees C (the denaturational
      temperature of the wild-type protein at this pH), and the largest stabilization
      amounted to +1.2 kcal mol-1 at pH 3.00 and 53.6 degrees C.

PMID- 1420188
TI  - 1-N-glycyl beta-oligosaccharide derivatives as stable intermediates for the
      formation of glycoconjugate probes.
AB  - Incubation of reducing sugars in ammonium bicarbonate was found to be a simple
      procedure for the formation of beta-D-glycosylamines of purified complex
      oligosaccharides in 70-80% yield. These provide valuable intermediates for the
      synthesis of a wide range of oligosaccharide probes and derivatives by acylation
      of the 1-amino function. The 1-amino function showed different rates of
      reactivity with different reagents. In general, interactions with large ring
      systems such as the fluorophores dansyl chloride and carboxyfluorescein gave 10
      20% yields of products, which consisted of mixtures of both anomeric forms,
      whereas smaller acylating reagents gave near-quantitative yields of the desired
      beta-D-derivatives. Steric effects may explain differences in reactivity. N
      Chloroacetamido derivatives could be obtained in high yield with retention of the
      beta-anomeric configuration. Subsequent ammonolysis of the chloroacetamido
      function afforded the corresponding N-glycyl beta-derivatives. The linker thereby
      introduced retains the amino function, possesses the useful properties of fixed
      anomeric configuration, improved stability, and uniform reactivity with a variety
      of reagents, and is structurally analogous to an asparagine side chain. The
      potential therefore exists for the generation of oligosaccharide derivatives
      tailored for different applications.

PMID- 1420187
TI  - Fibril formation by primate, rodent, and Dutch-hemorrhagic analogues of Alzheimer
      amyloid beta-protein.
AB  - Deposition of extraneuronal fibrils that assemble from the 39-43 residue beta/A4
      amyloid protein is one of the earliest histopathological features of Alzheimer's
      disease. We have used negative-stain electron microscopy, Fourier-transform
      infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and fiber X-ray diffraction to examine the
      structure and properties of synthetic peptides corresponding to residues 1-40 of
      the beta/A4 protein of primate [Pm(1-40); human and monkey], rodent [Ro(1-40);
      with Arg5-->Gly, Tyr10-->Phe, and His13-->Arg], and hereditary cerebral
      hemorrhage with amyloidosis of the Dutch type (HCHWA-D) [Du(1-40); with Glu22-
      >Gln]. As controls, we examined a reverse primate sequence [Pm*(40-1)] and an
      extensively substituted primate peptide [C(1-40); with Glu3-->Arg, Arg5-->Glu,
      Asp7-->Val, His13-->Lys, Lys16-->His, Val18-->Asp, Phe19-->Ser, Phe20-->Tyr,
      Ser26-->Pro, Ala30-->Val, Ile31-->Ala, Met35-->norLeu, Gly38-->Ile, Val39-->Ala,
      and Val40-->Gly]. The assembly of these peptides was studied to understand the
      relationship between species-dependent amyloid formation and beta/A4 sequence and
      the effect of a naturally occurring point mutation of fibrillogenesis. The three
      N-terminal amino acid differences between Pm(1-40) and Ro(1-40) had virtually no
      effect on the morphology or organization of the fibrils formed by these peptides,
      indicating that the lack of amyloid deposits in rodent brain is not due directly
      to specific changes in its beta/A4 sequence. beta-Sheet and fibril formation,
      judged by FT-IR, was maximal within the pH range 5-8 for Pm(1-40), pH 5-10.5 for
      Du(1-40), and pH 2.5-8 for Ro(1-40).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420189
TI  - Synthesis of 1-N-glycyl beta-oligosaccharide derivatives. Reactivity of Lens
      culinaris lectin with a fluorescent labeled streptavidin pseudoglycoprotein and
      immobilized neoglycolipid.
AB  - The lectin from Lens culinaris (lentil) has a binding specificity for
      glycopeptides bearing 6-O-linked fucose on the reducing terminus on complex-type
      N-linked oligosaccharides. Lentil lectin therefore provides an excellent example
      of a carbohydrate binding protein in which high-affinity interactions are
      dependent on the integrity of the oligosaccharide core structure. We report here
      the synthesis of the 1-N-glycyl beta-derivative of Gal beta 4GlcNAc beta 2Man
      alpha 6(Gal beta 4GlcNAc beta 2Man alpha 3)Man beta 4GlcNAc beta 4(Fuc alpha 6)
      GlcNAc (Gal-2F) and its subsequent biotinylation and palmitoylation. The biotin
      derivative when bound to a streptavidin-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)
      conjugate was able to bind to both concanavalin A (ConA) and lentil lectin
      affinity columns. In contrast, synthesis of the biotin derivative of the
      glycamine derivative of Gal-2F and subsequent binding to streptavidin-FITC
      afforded reactivity to a ConA affinity column but not to a lentil lectin affinity
      column. Lentil lectin also bound to plastic microtiter plates containing the
      adsorbed palmitoyl-1-N-glycyl beta-derivative. No binding occurred when the
      homologous glycamine neoglycolipid was used. These results suggest the 1-N-glycyl
      beta-derivative of oligosaccharides may have general utility as an intermediate
      in the synthesis of novel glycoconjugate probes.

PMID- 1420186
TI  - Picosecond phase grating spectroscopy of hemoglobin and myoglobin: energetics and
      dynamics of global protein motion.
AB  - Phase grating spectroscopy has been used to follow the optically triggered
      tertiary structural changes of carboxymyoglobin (MbCO) and carboxyhemoglobin
      (HbCO). Probe wavelength and temperature dependencies have shown that the grating
      signal arises from nonthermal density changes induced by the protein structural
      changes. The material displaced through the protein structural changes leads to
      the excitation of coherent acoustic modes of the surrounding water. The coupling
      of the structural changes to the fluid hydrodynamics demonstrates that a global
      change in the protein structure is occurring in less than 30 ps. The global
      relaxation is on the same time scale as the local changes in structure in the
      vicinity of the heme pocket. The observed dynamics for global relaxation and
      correspondence between the local and global structural changes provides evidence
      for the involvement of collective modes in the propagation of the initial
      tertiary conformational changes. The energetics can also be derived from the
      acoustic signal. For MbCO, the photodissociation process is endothermic by 21 +/-
      2 kcal/mol, which corresponds closely to the expected Fe-CO bond enthalpy. In
      contrast, HbCO dissipates approximately 10 kcal/mol more energy relative to
      myoglobin during its initial tertiary structural relaxation. The difference in
      energetics indicates that significantly more energy is stored in the hemoglobin
      structure and is believed to be related to the quaternary structure of hemoglobin
      not present in the monomeric form of myoglobin. These findings provide new
      insight into the biomechanics of conformational changes in proteins and lend
      support to theoretical models invoking stored strain energy as the driving force
      for large amplitude correlated motions.

PMID- 1420190
TI  - Complete structure of the adhesin receptor polysaccharide of Streptococcus oralis
      ATCC 55229 (Streptococcus sanguis H1).
AB  - This report describes the determination of the complete primary structure of the
      adhesin receptor polysaccharide of Streptococcus oralis ATCC 55229 (previously
      characterized as Streptococcus sanguis H1), a Gram-positive bacteria implicated
      in dental plaque formation. The polysaccharide was isolated from S. oralis ATCC
      55229 cells after deproteination, enzymatic hydrolysis, and ion exchange
      chromatography. It was shown to consist of rhamnose, galactose, glucose,
      glycerol, and phosphate, in molar ratios of 2:3:1:1:1. Sequence and linkage
      assignments of the glycosyl residues were obtained by methylation analysis
      followed by gas-liquid chromatography and electron-impact mass spectrometry. 31P
      NMR spectroscopy revealed that phosphate was present in a diester, connecting
      glycerol to one of the galactosyl residues. High-performance liquid
      chromatography of a partial acid hydrolysate of the polysaccharide confirmed this
      finding by showing galactose 6-phosphate and glycerol 1-phosphate. The structural
      determination was completed by the combination of two-dimensional homonuclear
      Hartmann-Hahn and NOE experiments and heteronuclear [1H,13C] and [1H,31P]
      multiple-quantum coherence experiments. Thus, the adhesin receptor polysaccharide
      of S. oralis ATCC 55229 was found to be a polymer composed of hexasaccharide
      repeating units that contain glycerol linked through a phosphodiester to C6 of
      the alpha-galactopyranosyl residue and are joined end-to-end through
      galactofuranosyl-beta(1-->3)-rhamnopyranosyl linkages: [formula: see text] This
      structure is novel among bacterial cell surface polysaccharides in general and
      specifically among those implicated in dental plaque formation.

PMID- 1420191
TI  - Cloning, sequencing, and expression in Escherichia coli of the Clostridium
      tetanomorphum gene encoding beta-methylaspartase and characterization of the
      recombinant protein.
AB  - The gene encoding methylaspartase (EC 4.3.1.2) from Clostridium tetranomorphum
      has been cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli. The open reading
      frame (ORF) codes for a polypeptide of 413 amino acid residues (M(r) 45,539) of
      which seven are cysteine residues. The size of the ORF indicates that
      methylaspartase is a homodimer rather than an (AB)2 tetramer. The deduced primary
      structure of the protein shows no homology to enzymes that catalyze similar
      reactions or, indeed, any convincing homology with any other characterized
      protein. The recombinant protein is identical to the enzyme isolated directly
      from C. tetanomorphum as determined by several criteria. The enzyme is obtained
      in a highly active form (approximately 70% of the activity of the natural enzyme)
      and migrates as a single band (M(r) 49,000) in SDS-polyacrylamide gels. The
      kinetic parameters for the deamination of (2S,3S)-3-methylaspartic acid by the
      natural and recombinant proteins are very similar, and the proteins display
      identical potassium ion-dependent primary deuterium isotope effects for V and V/K
      when (2S,3S)-3-methylaspartic acid is employed as the substrate. In accord with
      the activity of the natural enzyme, the recombinant protein is able to catalyze
      the slow formation of (2S,3R)-3-methylaspartic acid, the L-erythro-epimer of the
      natural substrate, from mesaconic acid and ammonia. Earlier work in which the
      cysteine residues in the protein were labeled with N-ethylmaleimide had indicated
      that there were eight cysteine residues per protein monomer. One cysteine residue
      was protected by substrate. Here evidence is forwarded to suggest that the
      residue that was protected by the substrate is not a cysteine residue but the
      translation product of a serine codon. Kinetic data indicate that this serine
      residue may be modified in the active enzyme. The implications of these findings
      on the mechanism of catalysis are discussed within the context of a few emerging
      mode of action for methylaspartate ammonia-lyase.

PMID- 1420192
TI  - Mechanistic studies on the human matrix metalloproteinase stromelysin.
AB  - To probe the mechanism of stromelysin (SLN)-catalyzed peptide hydrolysis, we
      determined the pH dependence of kc/Km and solvent deuterium isotope effects on kc
      and kc/Km. pH dependencies of kc/Km were determined for the SLN-catalyzed
      hydrolysis of three peptides: Arg-Pro-Lys-Pro-Gln-Gln-Phe-Phe-Gly-Leu-Nle-NH2,Arg
      Pro-Ala-Pro-Gln-Gln- Phe-Phe - Gly-Leu-NleNH2, and N-acetyl-Arg-Pro-Ala-Pro-Gln
      Gln-Phe-Phe-Gly-Leu-Nle-NH2 (cleavage at Gln-Phe bond). The pH dependencies are
      all bell-shaped with shoulders that extend from pH 7.5 to 8.5. The existence of a
      shoulder indicates that the reaction mechanism involves at least two routes to
      products. These curves are governed by three proton ionizations with pKa values
      of 5.4, 6.1, and 9.5. The solvent isotope effect measurements provided the
      following values: D(kc/Km) = 0.80 +/- 0.05 and D(kc) = 1.58 +/- 0.05. That
      D(kc/Km) and D(kc) are different suggests that the rate-limiting transition
      states for the processes governed by kc/Km and kc cannot be the same. We use
      these results, together with analogy to thermolysin catalysis, to develop a
      mechanism for SLN catalysis.

PMID- 1420193
TI  - Haloperoxidase activity of Phanerochaete chrysosporium lignin peroxidases H2 and
      H8.
AB  - Monochlorodimedone (MCD), commonly used as a halogen acceptor for haloperoxidase
      assays, was oxidized by hydrogen peroxide in the presence of lignin peroxidase
      isoenzymes H2 and H8. When oxidized, it produced a weak absorption band with an
      intensity that varied with pH. This absorbance was used as a simple method for
      the product analysis because it disappeared when MCD was brominated or
      chlorinated. We assessed the activity of the lignin peroxidases for oxidation of
      bromide by measuring the bromination of MCD, the formation of tribromide, the
      bromide-mediated oxidation of glutathione, and the bromide-mediated catalase-like
      activity. We analyzed the reaction products of MCD and the halide-mediated
      oxidation of glutathione when bromide was replaced by chloride. These enzymes
      demonstrated no significant activity for oxidation of chloride. Unlike other
      peroxidases, the lignin peroxidases exhibited similar pH-activity curves for the
      iodide and bromide oxidations. The optimum pH for activity was about 2.5.
      Surprisingly, this pH dependence of lignin peroxidase activity for the halides
      was nearly the same in the reactions with hydrogen donors, such as hydroquinone
      and guaiacol. The results suggested that protonation of the enzymes with pKa
      approximately 3.2 is necessary for the catalytic function of lignin peroxidases,
      irrespective of whether the substrates are electron or hydrogen donors. These
      unique reaction profiles of lignin peroxidases are compared to those of other
      peroxidases, such as lactoperoxidase, bromoperoxidase, chloroperoxidase, and
      horseradish peroxidase. Isozyme H2 was more active than isozyme H8, but isozyme
      H8 was more stable at very acidic pH.

PMID- 1420194
TI  - Cleavage of the Lys196-Ser197 bond of prolyl oligopeptidase: enhanced catalytic
      activity for one of the two active enzyme forms.
AB  - Prolyl oligopeptidase, a representative of a new family of serine proteases, is
      remarkably sensitive to ionic strength and has two catalytically active forms,
      which interconvert with changing pH [Polgar, L. (1991) Eur. J. Biochem. 197, 441
      447]. To reveal whether conformational changes are associated with these effects,
      prolyl oligopeptidase was digested with trypsin. SDS gel electrophoresis studies
      demonstrated that tryptic digestion of the 75-kDa native protein generated two
      fragments, one having a molecular mass of 51 kDa and the other of 26 kDa. The
      digestion was markedly dependent on the ionic strength. Specifically, the
      digestion proceeded more rapidly in 0.05 M Hepes buffer than in 0.05 M Hepes
      buffer containing 0.5 M NaCl. Moreover, the nicked enzyme formed at low ionic
      strength was not stable but degraded and inactivated during an extended
      incubation. The digestion experiments suggested that alteration in the ionic
      strength elicits conformational changes in native prolyl oligopeptidase, and this
      may account for the enhanced catalytic activity observed at higher ionic
      strength. The two fragments of the nicked prolyl oligopeptidase did not separate
      during size-exclusion chromatography under nondenaturing conditions on a Superose
      12 column and eluted in place of the native enzyme, indicating that they were
      strongly associated. The reactive serine residues of the nicked enzyme was
      labeled with tritiated diisopropyl phosphofluoridate, and the fragments were
      separated by size-exclusion chromatography in urea.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1420197
TI  - Enhanced stability of histone octamers from plant nucleosomes: role of H2A and
      H2B histones.
AB  - Gel filtration and sedimentation studies have previously established that the
      vertebrate animal core histone octamer is in equilibrium with an (H3-H4)2
      tetramer and an H2A-H2B dimer [Eickbush, T. H., & Moudrianakis, E. N. (1978)
      Biochemistry 17, 4955-4964; Godfrey, J. E., Eickbush, T. H., & Moudrianakis, E.
      N. (1980) Biochemistry 19, 1339-1346]. We have investigated the core histone
      octamer of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and have found it to be much more stable
      than its vertebrate animal counterpart. When vertebrate animal histone octamers
      are subjected to gel filtration in 2 M NaCl, a trailing peak of H2A-H2B dimer can
      be clearly resolved from the main octamer peak. When the plant octamer is
      subjected to the identical procedure, there is no trailing peak of H2A-H2B dimer,
      but rather a single peak containing the octamer. A sampling across the octamer
      peak from leading to trailing edge shows no change in the ratio of H2A-H2B to (H3
      H4)2. Surprisingly, the plant octamer shows the same stability at 0.6 M NaCl, a
      salt concentration in which the vertebrate animal octamer dissociates into dimers
      and tetramers. Equilibrium sedimentation data indicate that the assembly
      potential of the wheat histones in 2 M NaCl is very high at all protein
      concentrations above 0.1 mg mL-1. In order to disrupt the forces stabilizing the
      plant histone octamer at high histone concentrations, the concentration of NaCl
      must be lowered to approximately 0.3 M.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420196
TI  - DNA recognition and binding by the Euplotes telomere protein.
AB  - The 51-kDa telomere protein from Euplotes crassus binds to the extreme terminus
      of macronuclear telomeres, generating a very salt-stable telomeric DNA-protein
      complex. The protein recognizes both the sequence and the structure of the
      telomeric DNA. To explore how the telomere protein recognizes and binds telomeric
      DNA, we have examined the DNA-binding specificity of the purified protein using
      oligonucleotides that mimic natural and mutant versions of Euplotes telomeres.
      The protein binds very specifically to the 3' terminus of single-stranded
      oligonucleotides with the sequence (T4G4) > or = 3 T4G2; even slight
      modifications to this sequence reduce binding dramatically. The protein does not
      bind oligonucleotides corresponding to the complementary C4A4 strand of the
      telomere or to double-stranded C4A4.T4G4-containing sequences. Digestion of the
      telomere protein with trypsin generates an N-terminal protease-resistant fragment
      of approximately 35 kDa. This 35-kDa peptide appears to comprise the DNA-binding
      domain of the telomere protein as it retains most of the DNA-binding
      characteristics of the native 51-kDa protein. For example, the 35-kDa peptide
      remains bound to telomeric DNA in 2 M KCl. Additionally, the peptide binds well
      to single-stranded oligonucleotides that have the same sequence as the T4G4
      strand of native telomeres but binds very poorly to mutant telomeric DNA
      sequences and double-stranded telomeric DNA. Removal of the C-terminal 15 kDa
      from the telomere protein does diminish the ability of the protein to bind only
      to the terminus of a telomeric DNA molecule.

PMID- 1420195
TI  - Characterization of dipyridophenazine complexes of ruthenium(II): the light
      switch effect as a function of nucleic acid sequence and conformation.
AB  - Spectroscopic parameters for two novel ruthenium complexes on binding to nucleic
      acids of varying sequences and conformations have been determined. These
      complexes, Ru(bpy)2dppz2+ and Ru(phen)2dppz2+ (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine; phen = 1,10
      phenanthroline; dppz = dipyrido[3,2:a-2',3':c]-phenazine) serve as "molecular
      light switches" for DNA, displaying no photoluminescence in aqueous solution but
      luminescing intensely in the presence of DNA. The luminescent enhancement
      observed upon binding is attributed to the sensitivity of the excited state to
      quenching by water; in DNA, the metal complex, upon intercalation into the helix,
      is protected from the aqueous solvent, thereby preserving the luminescence.
      Correlations between the extent of protection (depending upon the DNA
      conformation) and the luminescence parameters are observed. Indeed, the strongest
      luminescent enhancement is observed for intercalation into DNA conformations
      which afford the greatest amount of overlap with access from the major groove,
      such as in triple helices. Differences are observed in the luminescent parameters
      between the two complexes which also correlate with the level of water
      protection. In the presence of nucleic acids, both complexes exhibit
      biexponential decays in emission. Quenching studies are consistent with two
      intercalative binding modes for the dppz ligand from the major groove: one in
      which the metal-phenazine axis lies along the DNA dyad axis and another where the
      metal-phenazine axis lies almost perpendicular to the DNA dyad axis.
      Ru(bpy)2dppz2+ and Ru(phen)2dppz2+ are shown here to be unique reporters of
      nucleic acid structures and may become valuable in the design of new diagnostics
      for DNA.

PMID- 1420200
TI  - Analysis of human red cell spectrin tetramer (head-to-head) assembly using
      complementary univalent peptides.
AB  - The mass-driven assembly of spectrin dimers to form tetramers involves two equal
      head-to-head alpha-beta associations and requires at least 30 degrees C for
      interconversion to occur readily. In this paper, the properties of tetramer
      formation were investigated using two complementary univalent peptides (the alpha
      I domain and beta monomers). Since the alpha I domain lacks an essential
      nucleation site required for side-to-side (lateral) heterodimer assembly
      [Speicher et al. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 14775-14782], these two peptides can
      only assemble head-to-head at a single site. This head-to-head assembly readily
      occurs at lower temperatures, indicating the temperature barrier for dimer
      tetramer interconversion is caused by a conformational constraint of the dimer.
      This constraint, a closed hairpin loop, is released when the laterally associated
      partner is removed. The univalent alpha I-beta binding affinity at 37 degrees C
      (Ka = 1.4 x 10(5) M-1) is similar to the dimer-tetramer association constant at
      the same temperature. As the temperature is decreased from 37 to 0 degrees C, the
      alpha I-beta binding affinity increases about 32-fold. In contrast with head-to
      head associations involving dimers, the second-order rate constants of two
      complementary univalent peptides (i.e., alpha I and beta) are dramatically
      higher, and the estimated activation energy (about 50 kJ mol-1) is about 5-fold
      lower. An open dimer conformation is an obligatory high-energy intermediate
      required for dimer-tetramer interconversion, and opening the dimer hairpin loop
      contributes about 190 kJ mol-1 to the activation energy for tetramer
      association.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420198
TI  - Probing the primary donor environment in the histidineM200-->leucine and
      histidineL173-->leucine heterodimer mutants of Rhodobacter capsulatus by light
      induced Fourier transform infrared difference spectroscopy.
AB  - Light-induced P+QB-/PQB FTIR difference spectra of reaction centers (RCs) have
      been obtained from chromatophores lacking light-harvesting B800-850 antenna for
      Rhodobacter capsulatus wild type (WT) and for the two mutants HisM200-->Leu and
      HisL173-->Leu. The primary donor (P) in both mutants consists of a
      bacteriochlorophyll-bacteriopheophytin heterodimer. The most prominent difference
      between the WT and the mutant spectra is in the 1600-1200-cm-1 region. The WT
      spectrum displays large positive bands at approximately 1290, 1500-1430, and 1580
      1530 cm-1. These three bands are either small or altogether absent in the
      heterodimer spectra. In addition, both heterodimer spectra compare well with the
      electrochemically generated BChla+/BChla spectrum [Mantele, W.G., Wollenweber, A.
      M., Nabedryk, E., & Breton, J. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85, 8468
      8472]. These observations indicate that the positive charge is localized on the
      monomeric BChl in the heterodimers. The overall shape of the ester and keto C = O
      signals in the BChla+/BChla spectrum is maintained in the in situ spectra
      although significant differences are observed in the frequency, width, and
      splitting of the bands. The shape of the signal at 1757/1744 cm-1 in HisL173-
      >Leu is comparable to the 1751/1737-cm-1 signal of BChla+/BChla in
      tetrahydrofuran, indicating a free 10a ester C = O of PM in HisL173-->Leu. The
      reduced amplitude of the negative 1740-cm-1 feature in both HisM200-->Leu and WT
      spectra suggests a hydrogen-bonded 10a ester C = O for PL.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420199
TI  - Role of the carboxy terminus of polypeptide D1 in the assembly of a functional
      water-oxidizing manganese cluster in photosystem II of the cyanobacterium
      Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803: assembly requires a free carboxyl group at C-terminal
      position 344.
AB  - The D1 polypeptide of the photosystem II (PSII) reaction center is synthesized as
      a precursor polypeptide which is posttranslationally processed at the carboxy
      terminus. It has been shown in spinach that such processing removes nine amino
      acids, leaving Ala344 as the C-terminal residue [Takahashi, M., Shiraishi, T., &
      Asada, K. (1988) FEBS Lett. 240, 6-8; Takahashi, Y., Nakane, H., Kojima, H., &
      Satoh, K. (1990) Plant Cell Physiol. 31, 273-280]. We show here that processing
      on the carboxy side of Ala344 also occurs in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis
      6803, resulting in the removal of 16 amino acids. By constructing a deletion
      strain of Synechocystis 6803 that lacks the three copies of the psbA gene
      encoding D1, we have developed a system for generating psbA mutants. Using this
      system, we have constructed mutants of Synechocystis 6803 that are modified in
      the region of the C-terminus of the D1 polypeptide. Characterization of these
      mutants has revealed that (1) processing of the D1 polypeptide is blocked when
      the residue after the cleavage site is changed from serine to proline (mutant
      Ser345Pro) with the result that the manganese cluster is unable to assemble
      correctly; (2) the C-terminal extension of 16 amino acid residues can be deleted
      with little consequence either for insertion of D1 into the thylakoid membrane or
      for assembly of D1 into a fully active PSII complex; (3) removal of only one more
      residue (mutant Ala344stop) results in a loss of assembly of the manganese
      cluster; and (4) the ability of detergent-solubilized PSII core complexes
      (lacking the manganese cluster) to bind and oxidize exogenous Mn2+ by the
      secondary donor, Z+, is largely unaffected in the processing mutants (the
      Ser345Pro mutant of Synechocystis 6803 and the LF-1 mutant of Scenedesmus
      obliquus) and the truncation mutant Ala344stop. Our results are consistent with a
      role for processing in regulating the assembly of the photosynthetic manganese
      cluster and a role for the free carboxy terminus of the mature D1 polypeptide in
      the ligation of one or more manganese ions of the cluster.

PMID- 1420201
TI  - Amphiphilic forms of butyrylcholinesterase in mucosal cells of rat intestine.
AB  - The properties of a cholinesterase from mucosal cells of rat intestine have been
      characterized. The enzyme was identified as butyrylcholinesterase because it was
      more sensitive to iso-OMPA (IC50 = 1.0 x 10(-6) M) than to BW284C51 (IC50 = 5.5 x
      10(-5) M) and was not inhibited by substrate excess. It displayed a higher
      affinity for acetylthiocholine than for butyrylthiocholine. A major molecular
      form was observed sedimenting at 5.9 S. Two other minor molecular forms were
      identified as a hydrophilic tetramer (G4, sedimenting at 10.5 S) and a monomer
      (G1, sedimenting at 4.3 S). The 5.9 S component was referred to as "G" form (G
      for globular) and not "G2" as usual dimers for the following reasons: (i) the G
      form was unaffected by the reducing agents, beta-mercaptoethanol and
      dithiothreitol, which converted disulfide-linked dimers of acetylcholinesterase
      into monomers, (ii) the G form was shifted from 5.9 to 3.4 S when the sucrose
      gradient contained Triton X-100. This value of 3.4 S (in Triton X-100) appeared
      too low for a typical G2 form. The shift in the S value was partly reversible:
      the 3.4 S form resedimented at 5.2 S in the absence of detergent. The behavior of
      the G form in sucrose gradients indicated that it was amphiphilic. This was
      confirmed in nondenaturing electrophoreses and also by quantitative binding of
      the G form to octyl-Sepharose. The hydrophobic domain of the G form was not a
      glycolipid, as shown by its insensitivity to Bacillus thuringiensis
      phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and its nonaggregating properties
      in the absence of nondenaturing detergent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420202
TI  - Effects of adenyl nucleotides and carbachol on cooperative interactions among G
      proteins.
AB  - Muscarinic agonists and adenyl nucleotides are noncompetitive modulators of sites
      labeled by [35S]GTP gamma S in washed cardiac membranes from Syrian golden
      hamsters. Specific binding of the radioligand and its inhibition by either GTP
      gamma S or GDP reveals three states of affinity for guanyl nucleotides. In the
      absence of adenyl nucleotide, carbachol promotes an apparent interconversion of
      sites from higher to lower affinity for GDP; the effect recalls that of guanyl
      nucleotides on the binding of agonists to muscarinic receptors. In the presence
      of 0.1 mM ATP gamma S, the binding of [35S]GTP gamma S is increased at
      concentrations up to about 50 nM and decreased at higher concentrations. At a
      radioligand concentration of 160 pM, binding exhibits a bell-shaped dependence on
      the concentration of both ATP gamma S and AMP-PNP; with ADP and ATP, there is a
      second increase in bound [35S]GTP gamma S at the highest concentrations of adenyl
      nucleotide. ATP gamma S and AMP-PNP also modulate the effect of GDP, which itself
      emerges as a cooperative process: that is, binding of the radioligand in the
      presence of AMP-PNP exhibits a bell-shaped dependence on the concentration of
      GDP; moreover, the GDP-dependent increase in bound [35S]GTP gamma S is enhanced
      by carbachol. The interactions among GDP, GTP gamma S, and carbachol can be
      rationalized quantitatively in terms of a cooperative model involving two sites
      tentatively identified as G proteins. Both GTP gamma S and GDP exhibit negative
      homotropic cooperativity; carbachol enhances the homotropic cooperativity of GDP
      and induces or enhances positive heterotropic cooperativity between GDP and
      [35S]GTP gamma S. An analogous mechanism may underlie the guanyl nucleotide
      dependent binding of agonists to muscarinic receptors. The data suggest that the
      binding properties of G proteins and their associated receptors reflect
      cooperative effects within heterooligomeric arrays; agonist-induced changes in
      cooperativity may facilitate the exchange of GTP for bound GDP and thereby
      constitute the mechanism of G protein activation in vivo.

PMID- 1420203
TI  - Molecular cloning and characterization of rKlk10, a cDNA encoding T-kininogenase
      from rat submandibular gland and kidney.
AB  - We have cloned and determined the nucleotide sequence of a novel kallikrein-like
      mRNA, designated rKlk10*, from rat submandibular gland and kidney with the aid of
      the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This cDNA contains 737 base pairs comprising
      the sequence encoding a mature protein of 235 amino acid residues, partial
      zymogen peptide, and 3' noncoding sequence. Sequence comparisons showed that
      rKlk10 mRNA shares 87 and 88% sequence identity with rat tissue kallikrein at
      nucleic acid and amino acid levels, respectively. It encodes a 26,428-Da acidic
      protein whose derived amino acid sequence matches completely with the partial
      amino acid sequence of a kallikrein-like enzyme designated as T-kininogenase, K10
      protein, or antigen-gamma purified from rat submandibular gland [Xiong et al.
      (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 2822-2827; Gutman et al. (1991) Eur. J. Biochem. 784,
      1-5; Berg et al. (1991) Biochem. J. 280, 19-25]. The protein encoded by rKlk10
      retains the key amino acid residues determining kallikrein cleavage specificity.
      Northern blot analysis with an rKlk10-specific oligonucleotide probe showed that
      its mRNA level in the submandibular gland is decreased dramatically by
      administration of the beta agonist isoproterenol. Tissue-specific expression of
      rKlk10 was analyzed by Northern blotting and Southern blotting of PCR-amplified
      cDNA, which showed that rKlk10 is expressed at high levels in the submandibular
      gland and low levels in the kidney but not in seven other tissues including
      prostate, liver, heart, adrenal gland, testes, pituitary, and pancreas. rKlk10
      cDNAs cloned from the kidney and submandibular gland show sequence
      identity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420204
TI  - Antibody and peptide probes of interactions between the SH1-SH2 region of myosin
      subfragment 1 and actin's N-terminus.
AB  - The negatively charged residues in the N-terminus of actin and the 697-707 region
      on myosin subfragment 1 (S-1), containing the reactive cysteines SH1 and SH2, are
      known to be important for actin-activated myosin ATPase activity. The
      relationship between these two sites was first examined by monitoring the rates
      of SH1 and SH2 modification with N-ethylmaleimide in the presence of actin and,
      secondly, by testing for direct binding of SH1 peptides to the N-terminal segment
      on actin. While actin alone protected SH1 from N-ethylmaleimide modification,
      this effect was abolished by an antibody against the seven N-terminal amino acids
      on actin, F(ab)(1-7), and was greatly reduced when the charge of acidic residues
      at actin's N-terminus was altered by carbodiimide coupling of ethylenediamine.
      Neither F(ab)(1-7) nor ethylenediamine treatment reversed the effect of F-actin
      on SH2 reactivity in SH1-modified S-1. These results show a communication between
      the SH1 region on S-1 and actin's N-terminus in the acto-S-1 complex. To test
      whether such a communication involves the binding of the SH1 site on S-1 to the N
      terminal segment of actin, the SH1 peptide IRICRKG-NH2(4+) was used.
      Cosedimentation experiments revealed the binding of three to six peptides per
      actin monomer. Peptide binding to actin was affected slightly, if at all, by
      F(ab)(1-7). The antibody also did not change the polymerization of G-actin by the
      peptides. The peptides caused a small reduction in the binding of S-1 to actin
      and did not change the binding of F(ab)(1-7).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420205
TI  - Alzheimer's disease and control brain contain soluble derivatives of the amyloid
      protein precursor that end within the beta amyloid protein region.
AB  - The 39-43 amino acid beta amyloid protein (A beta) that deposits as amyloid in
      the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is encoded as an internal
      sequence within a larger membrane-associated protein known as the amyloid protein
      precursor (APP). In cultured cells, the APP is normally cleaved within the A beta
      to generate a large secreted derivative and a small membrane-associated fragment.
      Neither of these derivatives can produce amyloid because neither contains the
      entire A beta. Our study was designed to determine whether the soluble APP
      derivatives in human brain end within the A beta as described in cell culture or
      whether AD brain produces potentially amyloidogenic soluble derivatives that
      contain the entire A beta. We find that both AD and control brain contain
      nonamyloidogenic soluble derivatives that end at position 15 of the A beta. We
      have been unable to detect any soluble derivatives that contain the entire A beta
      in either the AD or control brain.

PMID- 1420207
TI  - Psychosocial measures in adolescent health: reflections on the impact of one's
      publication on subsequent published research.

PMID- 1420206
TI  - Self-assessment of testicular size.

PMID- 1420208
TI  - Partner and grandmother contact in black and white teen parent families.
AB  - Contact of teen mothers with grandmothers and partners was studied as a predictor
      of maternal and middle childhood developmental outcomes. Mothers were interviewed
      yearly beginning in 1979 until 1986. Each child was given a developmental
      assessment in 1986. Black teens lived longer with their parents after the child's
      birth and white teens married earlier and had more disruptions in their
      relationships. Grandmother assistance with childcare was positively associated
      with the mother's ability to pursue her education. The findings suggested,
      however, that child developmental problems may occur when mothers routinely rely
      upon grandmother assistance into middle childhood, particularly for white
      families. In general, a male partner who had regular contact with the mother's
      child, more stimulation and support in the home environment, and higher
      educational level of the mother were associated with better child developmental
      outcomes.

PMID- 1420210
TI  - Maternal weight status and term birth weight in first and second adolescent
      pregnancies.
AB  - The relationship of maternal weight status to birth weight was evaluated
      retrospectively for the first and second pregnancies of 72 younger (age 12-15
      years at first conception) and 80 older (age 16-19 years at first conception) low
      income adolescents (76% black, 24% white). Mean birth weight increased during the
      second pregnancies of both groups (277 g and 132 g, respectively). Multiple
      regression analysis (controlling for potentially confounding variables) indicated
      a positive relationship between second and third trimester rate of maternal
      weight gain (kg/week) and birth weight for younger adolescents during their
      second pregnancy (p = 0.014), and for older adolescents during their first
      pregnancy (p = 0.047). Mean birth weight increased with each increase in maternal
      weight-for-height (W/H) category near term from the lowest (< 100% of standard)
      to the highest (> or = 140% of standard), for both age groups during both
      pregnancies. Multiple regression analysis indicated that among older adolescents
      birth weight increased 4.2 +/- 2.0 g (X +/- SE) for each 1% increase in maternal
      W/H near term in their first pregnancy (p = 0.038) and 7.1 +/- 1.8 g for each 1%
      increase in maternal W/H near term in their second pregnancy (p = 0.0003). Among
      younger adolescents these relationships, while in the same direction, were not
      statistically significant.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420211
TI  - Beliefs and behavioral intentions regarding human immunodeficiency virus testing
      among New York City runaways.
AB  - From 1988 to 1991, 139 runaways aged 11-19 years in the New York City area (n =
      70 males, 69 females) were recruited from four shelters. Each runaway
      participated in a semistructured interview assessing beliefs and behavioral
      intentions regarding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing. When asked how
      they would respond to being seropositive for HIV, 29% of runaways reported that
      they would engage in self-destructive acts and/or harm others (e.g., suicide,
      unprotected sex), 80% anticipated extreme distress, 47% expected difficulty
      securing housing and food, and 61% believed that friends were likely to avoid
      them. When presented with specific alternatives, fewer runaways anticipated self
      destructive acts. Drug use, rather than sexual behaviors, would lead runaways to
      get tested for HIV. These results suggest that health-care providers must
      anticipate emotional distress and potential self-destructive behavior following
      receipt of documentation of HIV positive serostatus among runaways. Furthermore,
      prior to testing, youths' access to food, shelter, medical care, and social
      support must be secured.

PMID- 1420209
TI  - Young motherhood and infant hospitalization during the first year of life.
AB  - We studied the relationship of young maternal age with infant hospitalization
      using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth for 3,130 infants born
      between 1979 and 1983 to mothers aged 14-25 years. Data on the mothers were first
      collected in 1979 and yearly thereafter. Data on their children were collected
      starting in 1982. Logistic regressions of infant hospitalization rates were
      estimated for first and second and higher births. The odds of infant
      hospitalization during the first year of life increased with decreasing maternal
      age, even with adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, preventive health
      care practices, and newborn health status, factors hypothesized to explain the
      maternal age effect. The maternal age relationship with hospitalization differed
      by birth order; among second and higher births, the odds of hospitalization was
      increased only for infants of mothers aged 20-22 years. Male infants, infants
      with a first well-baby visit after the first month of life, with birth weights
      between 1501 and 2500 g, and with nursery stays longer than 1 week also had
      increased odds of hospitalization. Ethnicity, grandmother's education, poverty
      status, mother's school enrollment, and family composition were not related to
      the odds of hospitalization, nor was smoking during pregnancy when adjustment was
      made for birth weight and length of nursery stay.

PMID- 1420212
TI  - An evaluation of a school-based AIDS/HIV education program for high school
      students.
AB  - The effect of a 1-hr school-based AIDS/HIV education program on the knowledge and
      attitudes of high school students was evaluated with a modified version of the
      Centers for Disease Control Health Risk Survey. One urban and one suburban school
      each were randomly assigned to an educational intervention (n = 535) or a control
      group (n = 659). All students received a posttest 2 weeks after the intervention.
      Knowledge was based on responses to 12 true-false questions (pretest alpha = .76,
      posttest alpha = 0.81). Principal components analysis was used to develop three
      attitude scales and risk-taking behavior was assessed by self-report. Data were
      analyzed with Kruskall-Wallis analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate
      ANOVA. The groups did not differ in knowledge level at pretest. At posttest the
      education group had significantly (p < or = 0.006) higher knowledge even after
      controlling for the effects of previous AIDS education (p < or = 0.019), gender
      (p < or = 0.007), and Hispanic ethnicity (p < or = 0.048). After the education
      program, students were less worried about exposure to the AIDS virus, but were
      more worried (p < or = 0.048) about AIDS acquisition during their adult life.
      Although single school-based AIDS/HIV education programs may increase knowledge,
      more extensive education may be needed to change the behavior and attitudes of
      older high school students.

PMID- 1420214
TI  - Prepubertal initiation of sexual experiences and older first partner predict
      promiscuous sexual behavior of delinquent adolescent males--unrecognized child
      abuse?
AB  - Sexual experiences of 1580 delinquent adolescent males ages 9-19 years admitted
      to a juvenile detention center from January 1985 to July 1990 were determined
      through a structured health history interview. A total of 89.6% admitted to prior
      sexual activity; 26.8% claimed sexual experience by age 11 years. Only 3.2%
      reported sexual abuse or incest. Of 334 sexually active adolescents who revealed
      both age of their first partner and their age of first intercourse, 42% had their
      first experience with a female 2 or more years older. Males who had their first
      sexual experience before age 11 years or with a female 2 or more years older,
      reported significantly larger numbers of sexual partners in their lifetime and
      during the year preceding their incarceration. Girls with similar first sexual
      experiences in terms of age of initiation and age difference from partner are
      considered to be abused. Practitioners who work with children and adolescents
      need to recognize the possibility of sexual activity among pre-adolescent males
      and to be aware of its implications.

PMID- 1420215
TI  - Leisure-time physical activity and aerobic fitness in African-American young
      adults.
AB  - This cross-sectional study identified the leisure-time physical activity (LTPA)
      and aerobic fitness levels of 189 African-American young adult college freshmen.
      LTPA was measured with the Lipid Research Clinics (LRC), Godin Leisure-Time
      Exercise, and the College Alumnus physical activity questionnaires. The Physical
      Activity Index (PAI), an index of walking, stair climbing, and recreational
      sports participation, was obtained from the College Alumnus questionnaire.
      Aerobic fitness was measured indirectly with the Cooper 12-Minute Walking/Running
      Test. More women (82%) than men (53%) were classified as inactive (strenuous
      exercise or labor < 3 days/week and much less active than peers) or low active
      (strenuous exercise or labor < 3 days/week and as active or more active than
      peers) on the LRC Questionnaire. The PAI scores were moderately low in men (1,521
      +/- 1,634 kcal.week-1) and very low in women (706 +/- 868 kcal.week-1). The
      majority of men (71%) and women (82%) were classified as 'very poor' in aerobic
      fitness levels. Body mass index (BMI), a measure of body fatness, was classified
      as 'overweight' or 'obese' for 39% of men and 37% of women (BMI = 25.9 +/- 5.7
      kg/m2), reflecting inactive LTPA habits. These findings are consistent with
      studies showing low LTPA in middle-age African-American adults. School and
      community-level interventions are recommended to increase LTPA and aerobic
      fitness in adolescent and young adult African-Americans.

PMID- 1420216
TI  - Use of nonmedical treatment by cystic fibrosis patients.
AB  - To determine frequency, perceived effectiveness, and cost of religious, physical,
      and other nonmedical practices, we interviewed all (n = 402; 100% participation)
      of our cystic fibrosis patients/families [age, 0-45 (median, 18) years]. At least
      one type of nonmedical therapy was used by/on 264 (66%), two-thirds of which was
      religious. Most respondents perceived benefit (e.g., group prayer, 95%; religious
      articles, 81%; chiropractic, 69%). Only 17 (4.2%) invested over $200 lifetime
      (minimal compared with medical costs). These treatments, apparently used by most
      patients/families, rarely interfered with medical care. Physician openness and
      empathy toward patients' beliefs might enhance rapport and facilitate discussion
      of possible helpful or adverse effects of nonmedical treatment.

PMID- 1420217
TI  - Physician attitudes toward confidentiality of treatment for adolescents: findings
      from the Upper Midwest Regional Physicians Survey.
AB  - The provision of confidential medical services to adolescents is an enduring
      health policy issue in the United States, and the focus of policy statements by
      several professional medical organizations. Physician attitudes toward
      confidential service provision to teenagers were examined in the Upper Midwest
      Regional Physician Survey, a representative sample of community-based
      pediatricians and family physicians. Overall, three-quarters of participants
      favored confidential service provision for youths. Multivariate analysis revealed
      that the most salient reasons for favoring confidentiality were perception of
      unique needs among adolescents, year of licensure, high self-assessed competency
      in addressing sexual concerns of adolescence, adequacy of training in
      interpersonal and sexual issues, frequency of addressing interpersonal issues,
      and lower self-assessed adequacy of training in traditional medical problems of
      youths. Implications for state and federal legislation are discussed.

PMID- 1420213
TI  - Gender differences in knowledge, intentions, and behaviors concerning pregnancy
      and sexually transmitted disease prevention among adolescents.
AB  - Gender differences in knowledge, intentions, and behaviors regarding preventing
      pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases were studied. Data for the study
      were collected from 1,033 students in 13 California high schools. Females in this
      sample were more likely than males to have discussed sexuality topics with
      parents, to have engaged in sexual intercourse more frequently, to have
      experienced a pregnancy scare, to have used oral contraceptives during their last
      sexual encounter, to perceive that a larger proportion of their peers were
      engaging in sex and using birth control, to obtain birth control from health
      facilities, and to report intentions to abstain or use protection in hypothetical
      situations placing them at risk for unprotected sex. In contrast, males reported
      that they were more likely to have always used birth control, to have used birth
      control during their first sexual encounter, and to have used a condom during
      their last sexual encounter. Furthermore, males were more likely to obtain birth
      control from a store or a friend. Finally, males knew more about using condoms
      correctly and their role in preventing sexually transmitted diseases. The
      efficacy of interventions designed to reduce unintended pregnancy and sexually
      transmitted diseases among adolescents may be increased by addressing these
      gender differences. Understanding gender differences may also facilitate an
      increased role for males in the overall prevention scheme. Further research is
      clearly needed to increase knowledge about these gender differences.

PMID- 1420219
TI  - Fatal water intoxication in a young patient with anorexia nervosa.

PMID- 1420218
TI  - Sexual intercourse, contraception, and risk-taking behavior among unselected
      French adolescents aged 11-20 years.
AB  - An epidemiological study was carried out among 4,255 adolescents, aged 11-19
      years, randomly selected from secondary schools in a northern urban area of
      France. The questionnaire concerned sexual activity, contraception, health
      status, licit and illicit drug consumption, and other risk-taking behavior. A
      total of 31% of the adolescents had had sexual relations (43% of the boys, 20% of
      the girls). Sexual activity increased with age. A large majority (70%) of the
      sexually active adolescents used some form of contraception. The study confirms
      the relationship between smoking, drinking, illicit drug consumption, and sexual
      activity, but shows that contraceptive behavior is not related to problem
      behavior.

PMID- 1420220
TI  - Oral contraceptives and venous thromboses in adolescents undergoing elective
      surgery: a case report, and review of the literature.
AB  - Oral contraceptive (OC) use is a risk factor for the development of deep venous
      thromboses (DVT) in adolescents, particularly for those patients undergoing
      surgery. Adolescents have received little attention in the literature on this
      subject. We describe a 17-year-old female who developed a DVT while receiving OCs
      at the time of elective surgery. We recommend that adolescent females undergoing
      elective surgery discontinue OCs at least 1 month before and after the surgery
      and attendant immobilization.

PMID- 1420221
TI  - Fiber transformation and fiber replacement in chronically stimulated muscle.
AB  - Chronic low-frequency stimulation (CLFS) of fast-twitch muscles induces fast-to
      slow fiber-type transitions that differ in their extent in rat and rabbit. Fast
      twitch muscle of the normal rat responds to CLFS with sequential transitions in
      myosin heavy chain (HC) expression in the order HCIIb --> HCIId --> HCIIa.
      However, in rabbit muscle the changes proceed beyond the state of HCIIa and
      include, as a final step, the expression of the slow myosin HCI. The time course
      for the transitions in myosin HC expression at both the messenger ribonucleic
      acid and protein levels suggests that fiber-type conversions occur asynchronously
      in a sequential manner. Thus type IIB fibers convert first to type IID fibers;
      these fibers then transform into type IIA fibers, which in rabbit muscle
      ultimately change into type I fibers. This sequence and the related changes in
      myosin isoforms point to different thresholds of the genes encoding the various
      fast and slow myosin HC isoforms. Although transformation of existing fast fibers
      into slower fibers is the major process that underlies the stimulation-induced
      fast-to-slow conversion, fiber replacement may also contribute. In rabbit muscle
      CLFS may cause metabolic exhaustion and subsequent deterioration in a fraction of
      the fast-twitch glycolytic fibers. For the most part these are replaced by
      satellite cell-derived, newly formed slow-twitch fibers.

PMID- 1420222
TI  - Blood flow to the latissimus dorsi muscle pouch during chronic counterpulsation
      stimulation.
AB  - The cyclic contraction of a skeletal muscle ventricle (SMV) stimulated in
      counterpulsation results in phasic perfusion of the muscle. Perfusion will occur
      primarily during cardiac systole when the muscle is relaxed. However, the resting
      preload of the SMV will be systolic arterial pressure, which will impede blood
      flow to the relaxed muscle. To determine the effect of chronic counterpulsation
      stimulation on the blood flow to an SMV and identify stimulation regimens that
      prevent the risk of chronic ischemia, SMVs were created in four mongrel dogs by
      implementing an implantable mock circulation device. The SMV was stimulated in
      counterpulsation for 4 weeks after a 2-week vascular delay period and 2 weeks of
      low-frequency muscle conditioning. During biweekly studies, the muscle was
      stimulated in four modes against preloads varying from 20 to 120 mm Hg. Resting
      blood flow decreased significantly at preloads greater than 60 mm Hg. Normalized
      blood flow increased between 10% and 30% during stimulation; greater increases
      corresponded to more demanding stimulation modes. The elevated blood flow during
      stimulation, however, decreased with increasing preload. Stroke work increased
      with increasing preload until preload exceeded 100 mm Hg. The decreased blood
      flow and increased stroke work occurring at higher preloads indicate that the
      supply/demand ratio becomes compromised with increasing preload. A hyperemic
      response occurred during the resting beats after a stimulated beat, increasing
      the volume blood flow by as much as 80%. This response occurred regardless of
      preload or stimulation rate. If the SMV relaxed before the onset of systole, a
      hyperemic response occurred within the stimulated beat.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1420223
TI  - Significance of the biopsy site of the latissimus dorsi muscle for fiber typing.
AB  - The use of the latissimus dorsi muscle for cardiomyoplasty requires accurate
      assessment of the outcome of methods used to convert fast fibers to slow fibers.
      A knowledge of the normal distribution pattern of slow fibers within the
      latissimus dorsi is necessary for this endeavor. Fresh latissimus dorsi and teres
      major muscle tissues from seven pigs, one rabbit, two sheep, one monkey, and four
      dogs were studied with myosin adenosine triphosphatase staining. Fiber counts
      were made visually. With the exception of the rabbit, the distribution patterns
      were similar for all species: (1) intersegmentally--the number of slow fibers
      decreased steadily from the teres major to the anterior edge of the lateral
      segment; (2) intrasegmentally--slow fibers were more frequent in the deep layer
      than the superficial layer; and (3) intrasegmentally--the slow fibers tended to
      cluster in rosette formations around the neurovascular bundles. These patterns of
      distribution indicate the need for careful location of biopsies to ensure valid
      comparison of the amount of slow fibers in tissue before and after treatment.

PMID- 1420224
TI  - Voltage-dependent performance of skeletal muscle pouches: implications for
      cardiomyoplasty.
AB  - Cardiomyoplasty, a new therapy for heart failure, uses autologous skeletal muscle
      to mechanically assist the heart. The success of dynamic cardiomyoplasty is
      critically dependent on the contraction strength of the assisting skeletal
      muscle. Unlike cardiac muscle, skeletal muscle contracts in a graded response to
      electrical stimulation. However, in current cardiomyoplasty practice, no
      systematic technique exists to set the stimulating voltage effecting skeletal
      muscle contraction. The stimulating voltage is simply set to some multiple of the
      "threshold" voltage. Furthermore, researchers do not consider the role of
      stimulating voltage when they determine the amount of assistance afforded during
      cardiomyoplasty. To more accurately assess the value of this heuristic voltage
      setting technique, we investigated the role of stimulating voltage on the
      strength of contraction of the latissimus dorsi muscle. Six New Zealand white
      rabbits had isovolumic hydraulic pouches constructed from the latissimus dorsi
      muscle. The muscles were wrapped around a compliant balloon in which isovolumic
      pressure development was measured during tetany-inducing burst (pulse-train)
      stimulation. The tetanic plateau of the pouch pressure record was used to measure
      the effects of stimulating voltage on skeletal muscle contraction. Results
      indicated that (1) increasing stimulating voltage from two to four times the
      "threshold" voltage increased normalized pouch pressure from 0.38 +/- 0.21 to
      0.78 +/- 0.12 (mean +/- SD) (p < 0.05); (2) the threshold-normalized voltage
      necessary to cause maximal muscle contraction varied widely (5.7 +/- 2.0, mean +/
      SD; range, 3.1 to 9.3); and (3) the current achieving maximal pressure
      development varied from 5.6 to 31.4 mA (19.9 +/- 10.4 mA).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420225
TI  - Evaluation of cardiomyoplasty and skeletal muscle ventricle procedures in a
      clinically realistic animal model.
AB  - Cardiomyoplasty and skeletal muscle ventricle procedures have shown increasing
      promise in the treatment of cardiomyopathy with associated chronic congestive
      heart failure. More than 100 patients have now received such procedures
      worldwide. The clinical results to date have been mostly anecdotal with
      subjective improvement but without firm objective data to collaborate the
      subjective impression. A clinically realistic animal model would have tremendous
      advantages to help elucidate the mechanisms by which cardiomyoplasty or skeletal
      muscle ventricles improve the sense of well-being of patients who have congestive
      heart failure. Several possible animal models exist, including pharmacologically
      induced congestive heart failure models and postischemic injury cardiomyopathy
      models. The most intriguing, however, is a spontaneously occurring cardiomyopathy
      in large dogs. This idiopathic cardiomyopathy that appears mainly in large-breed
      dogs (Great Danes, Dobermans, and Saint Bernards) has a rapidly progressive
      course; it has a 6-month mortality rate of 75% and a 12-month mortality rate of
      95% to 100%. The most efficacious use of such an experimental model would include
      the evaluation of cardiomyoplasty and skeletal muscle ventricle procedures in a
      multidimensional fashion. Experimental endpoints should include mortality,
      exercise tolerance, systolic and diastolic ventricular function, and arrhythmia
      occurrence. Sophisticated techniques now exist for the evaluation of systolic and
      diastolic ventricular function. Such evaluation may well provide additional
      insight into how such experimental procedures benefit those with congestive heart
      failure.

PMID- 1420226
TI  - Skeletal muscle ventricles in circulation long-term: one hundred ninety-one to
      eight hundred thirty-six days.
AB  - It has been shown previously that skeletal muscle ventricles fashioned from
      canine latissimus dorsi muscle can function as effective blood pumps. We describe
      four dogs that have been reported on before but have now had skeletal muscle
      ventricles functioning as effective aortic diastolic counterpulsators for 191 to
      836 days. One dog remains well with a skeletal muscle ventricle that has been
      pumping in circulation for 194 days; there has been no evidence of thrombus in
      the skeletal muscle ventricle cavity or thromboembolism. None of the three dogs
      that died had evidence of peripheral embolization, although two of those dogs had
      thrombus within the cavity of the skeletal muscle ventricle. This study proves
      that skeletal muscle ventricles can function long-term in the circulation and
      maintain diastolic pressure augmentation beyond 2 years. To the best of our
      knowledge, the dog whose skeletal muscle ventricle pumped in circulation for 836
      days represents the longest living laboratory animal or human with a functioning
      heart assist device.

PMID- 1420227
TI  - A new skeletal muscle linear-pull energy convertor as a power source for
      prosthetic circulatory support devices [corrected].
AB  - Previous studies show that stimulated skeletal muscle wrapped around the heart or
      a blood pumping pouch can provide partial circulatory assistance. However,
      skeletal muscle is accustomed to pulling in direct tension, and power obtained
      from using the muscle in wraparound configurations is very inefficient. Therefore
      we have developed a new skeletal muscle-powered, linear-pull energy convertor for
      powering a wide range of implanted devices, including circulatory support blood
      pumps such as counterpulsation devices or complete prosthetic ventricles. This
      energy convertor system is powered by a skeletal muscle such as the latissimus
      dorsi, which is stimulated with a pulse generator. With the muscle left intact
      and in situ as much as possible, its insertion at the humerus is removed and
      reattached to a small-cylinder hydraulic energy convertor that is firmly attached
      to the ribs. Mechanical force in direct tension from the muscle is converted to
      high-pressure, low displacement; hydraulic energy (at approximately 200 psi). The
      output of this hydraulic energy convertor is connected by a small-diameter tube
      to a hydraulic actuator to drive the pusher plate of an implantable ventricular
      assist device located in the thoracic cavity or abdomen or another suitable blood
      pump. Preliminary in vitro tests from an engineering model of the Thoratec muscle
      powered ventricular assist device show flow outputs of 5.2 L/min at a mean
      arterial pressure of 99 mm Hg. The muscle-powered ventricular assist device is a
      specific application designed to provide completely implantable circulatory
      support as an alternative to heart transplantation. It will enable patients to
      experience a quality of life free from batteries and the electrical power
      conditioning hardware required with electromechanical systems.

PMID- 1420228
TI  - Successful lung transplantation for posttraumatic adult respiratory distress
      syndrome after extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support.
AB  - A severe adult respiratory distress syndrome after bilateral lung contusion was
      successfully treated by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and subsequent double
      lung transplantation in a 19-year-old man. The patient is fully rehabilitated 1
      year after transplantation.

PMID- 1420230
TI  - Comment concerning humoral rejection.

PMID- 1420229
TI  - When is lung transplantation appropriate?

PMID- 1420231
TI  - Early infections and bronchiolitis obliterans-organizing pneumonia in single lung
      transplant recipients.

PMID- 1420232
TI  - Infections in heart transplant recipients: the experience of the Italian heart
      transplantation program. Italian Study Group on Infections in Heart
      Transplantation.
AB  - Infectious complications are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in
      heart transplantation. In this report we describe their incidence in the Italian
      Heart Transplantation Program and their relationship to induction
      immunosuppressive protocols used. A total of 662 heart transplantations in 651
      patients had been performed by March 1, 1990, in 10 Italian centers, with a
      follow-up of 12,022 patient-months. Actuarial survival at 54 months was 80%.
      There were 115 deaths, 28 as a result of infection (24%); 30 were perioperative.
      Mortality from infection was 15% in the first 30 postoperative days and 35%
      thereafter. During follow-up, 256 life-threatening infectious episodes occurred
      in 180 patients, for a mean of 1.42 infections/patient. Of these episodes, 28
      (10.9%) were lethal. The rate at 54 months, excluding perioperative deaths, was
      0.021 episodes/patient-month, with a mean of 0.39 infections/patient in the 651
      patient series. At 6 months, 72% of patients were free from infection. This value
      did not change significantly during subsequent follow-up. Bacterial infections
      were most frequent (49.2%); fungal (10.5%) and protozoan (5.9%) infections had
      the worst outcome (lethality 26% and 20%, respectively). A primary
      cytomegalovirus infection was observed in 23 cases (12 mismatches). Lung
      involvement (99 episodes) and bacterial sepsis (47 episodes) were most common.
      Eighty episodes of infection (31.2%) were preceded by a supplementary treatment
      for rejection with steroid pulses (69%), prednisone boost (20%), or cytolytic
      therapy (11%). Treatment had preceded the infection by less than 15 days in 55%
      of cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420233
TI  - Echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular wall motion before and after
      heart transplantation.
AB  - Forty transplanted hearts were retrospectively investigated before, immediately
      after, and 15 +/- 12 months after heart transplantation by two-dimensional
      echocardiography for the presence and course of left ventricular myocardial wall
      motion abnormalities. Fourteen heart donors who were brain dead because of
      subarachnoid hemorrhage formed group 1 (mean age, 35 years); 21 heart donors who
      were brain dead because of head injury formed group 2 (mean age, 29 years), and
      five heart donors who were brain dead because of head injury with an additional
      chest trauma formed group 3 (mean age, 28 years). Myocardial wall motion was
      examined in six different myocardial segments (inferior, septal, anterior,
      posterior, posterolateral, apical) and was quantitatively assessed by a modified
      score index system (score index 0 = normal wall motion; score index 1 = diffuse
      hypokinesia). Overall, 27 of the 40 heart donors showed mild to severe (9 of the
      40) wall motion abnormalities, which improved shortly after heart transplantation
      (score index: 0.36 vs 0.18, p < 0.01), and remained improved 15 months after
      heart transplantation (score index: 0.15). Among the different study groups, a
      significant improvement occurred in the myocardial wall motion score index on a
      short-term and long-term basis in all the groups, except for group 2, regarding
      the long-term follow-up. This study concluded that brain-dead, potential heart
      donors often reveal mild-to-severe left ventricular wall motion abnormalities,
      which are readily detected and semiquantitated by two-dimensional
      echocardiography.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420234
TI  - Differences in left ventricular filling patterns in heart and heart-lung
      transplant recipients as assessed by Doppler echocardiography of transmitral
      flow.
AB  - The conventional surgical technique of orthotopic heart transplantation involves
      reconstruction of atria from donor and recipient components. The mechanical
      function of the atria is thus likely to be altered either by this anatomic
      disruption or by the autonomic denervation, which also occurs as a result of
      transplantation. We investigated 18 subjects with Doppler echocardiography of
      transmitral flow, to assess the contributions of passive and active filling of
      the left ventricle in six normal subjects, six heart transplant recipients, and
      six heart-lung transplant recipients. The ratio of passive transmitral flow to
      active flow was significantly higher in isolated heart transplant recipients than
      in normal subjects (p < 0.001), suggesting a reduced active, late diastolic
      component to left ventricular filling. This was not due to denervation, because
      the ratio in heart-lung recipients was lower than that in normal subjects (p <
      0.01). These data suggest that anatomic rather than neural dysfunction is
      responsible for a major change in transmitral flow characteristics after isolated
      heart transplantation; whether the resulting change in pattern of left
      ventricular filling is clinically important deserves further investigation.

PMID- 1420235
TI  - Global and regional left ventricular function in heart transplant patients: an
      angiographic follow-up study.
AB  - We studied the global and regional left ventricular function, its determinants
      and its modification with time, in orthotopic heart transplant recipients. We
      reviewed the left ventricular cineangiography performed 1 (50 patients), 2 (33
      patients), 3 (18 patients), and 4 (seven patients) years after operation.
      Regional wall motion was quantitatively evaluated by the area method. All
      patients had angiographically normal coronary arteries and no evidence of acute
      rejection at the time of the study. One year after heart transplantation, cardiac
      index and left ventricular ejection fraction were mildly but significantly lower
      than normal. Cardiac index was more than 2.5 L/min/m2 in all but one patient, and
      ejection fraction was more than 50% in all patients. Only previous acute cardiac
      rejection necessitating therapy and arterial hypertension showed some influence
      on the left ventricular function. Two years after operation, the left ventricular
      end-diastolic volume was increased, and left ventricular mass-volume ratio
      decreased compared with year 1. Three years after operation, an increase of left
      ventricular end-diastolic pressure and of left ventricular ejection fraction was
      also evident. Four years after operation, the heart rate was higher, compared
      with previous years. Even if the changes in the parameters of left ventricular
      function were significant, they were small in terms of absolute value. Regional
      hypokinesia was detected 1 year after heart transplantation in eight patients,
      involving one segment in six patients and two segments in two patients.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420236
TI  - Quantitative analysis of nitroglycerin-induced coronary artery vasodilation in
      transplanted hearts.
AB  - Quantitative serial coronary angiograms performed annually over a 3-year period
      after transplantation in 26 orthotopic heart transplant recipients showed
      persistently normal nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation. The vasodilator response
      to nitroglycerin did not predict development of graft arteriopathy; the presence
      of graft arteriopathy did not prevent a substantial vasodilator response to
      nitroglycerin.

PMID- 1420237
TI  - Impact of proximal or midvessel discrete coronary artery stenoses on survival
      after heart transplantation.
AB  - To assess survival after the development of transplant coronary artery disease,
      annual angiography reports from 353 heart transplant recipients were reviewed.
      Fifty-four patients who survived beyond 1 year and in whom moderate-to-severe
      proximal or midvessel coronary artery disease developed were identified. Moderate
      to-severe proximal or midvessel coronary disease was defined for this study as a
      40% or more stenosis in 1 or more primary or secondary epicardial arteries.
      Actuarial survival (Kaplan-Meier) from the time of disease detection in those 54
      patients was 67% at 1 year, 44% at 2 years, and 17% at 5 years. Actuarial
      survival was reduced proportionate to disease severity. Survival for single
      vessel disease (> or = 40% stenosis) was 64% at 1 year, 36% at 2 years, and 22%
      at 5 years. Survival was significantly worse with triple-vessel disease (13% at 2
      years; p = 0.01) and intermediate for double-vessel disease (41% at 2 years; p =
      0.01). Of 19 patients who underwent retransplantation for coronary artery
      disease, 13 patients (68%) died at a mean of 24 +/- 20 months (range, 1 to 59),
      and of 15 patients from whom postmortem or angiographic data were available, 11
      patients (73%) showed recurrence of significant coronary artery disease in the
      new graft. Identification of moderate or severe proximal or midvessel coronary
      disease at angiography predicts an overall mortality rate of more than 50% at 2
      years. The poor survival rate in those who underwent retransplantation (around
      50% at 4 years) and the high rate of redevelopment of coronary disease suggest
      that retransplantation should be reserved for selected candidates with
      angiographically severe disease, if used at all.

PMID- 1420238
TI  - Total lymphoid irradiation in the treatment of early or recurrent heart
      rejection.
AB  - Total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) has been shown experimentally to induce a state
      of partial tolerance when administered before organ transplantation. Anecdotal
      reports in clinical transplantation have suggested efficacy of TLI in the
      treatment of recurrent rejection after heart transplantation. To further assess
      the safety and efficacy of TLI, 19 patients were entered into a protocol of TLI
      for the treatment of recurrent or early severe rejection despite conventional
      therapy. Rejection rate decreased from 1.3 episodes/month before TLI to 0.53
      during TLI and 0.07 after TLI (p < 0.0001). Infections increased during TLI
      (possibly related to recent augmented immunosuppression before TLI), but all
      infections were successfully treated. One death occurred after TLI from acute
      allograft rejection. White blood cell (WBC) and platelet counts were depressed
      during and after (3 months) TLI. Frequent adjustments of dosing interval and,
      occasionally of the dosage were required to control WBC and platelet counts. Five
      patients experienced transient WBC of less than 1000/ml. More rejection episodes
      (and thus greater overall immunosuppression) before TLI and a lower tolerated
      dose of azathioprine before TLI predicted (by multivariate analysis) a lower WBC
      during TLI. CONCLUSIONS: (1) TLI is an effective adjunct for the intermediate
      control of early or recurring acute allograft rejection. (2) Close surveillance
      of WBC and platelets with appropriate adjustment of TLI dose and interval is
      necessary during TLI therapy. (3) The long-term benefits, possible late
      deleterious effects, and potential role of TLI as induction therapy remain to be
      elucidated.

PMID- 1420239
TI  - Reevaluation of steroid tapering after steroid pulse therapy for heart rejection.
AB  - A retrospective analysis was conducted to determine the efficacy and
      complications resulting from steroid pulse therapy, with or without a steroid
      taper, in 93 episodes of heart transplant rejection that occurred in 72 patients
      (58 men, 14 women; mean age, 47.6 years). Each rejection episode was classified
      according to severity (Texas Heart Institute endomyocardial biopsy scale) and the
      treatment. Group 1 included 25 episodes of grade 7, 8, 9, or 10 rejection
      (International Society for Heart Transplantation [ISHT] grade IIIB or IV) that
      were treated with high-dose methylprednisolone (2.5 to 3.0 gm) and a steroid
      taper of 1.75 gm over 30 days. Group 2 included 16 episodes of rejection, with
      the severity of rejection and methylprednisolone pulse therapy being similar to
      that in group 1, but without a steroid taper. The results of treatment in group 1
      were compared with those in group 2. Group 3 included 12 episodes of grade 5, 6,
      or 7 rejection (ISHT grade IIIA or IIIB) that were treated with moderate-dose
      methylprednisolone (1.0 to 2.0 gm) and a steroid taper, as described. Group 4
      included 40 episodes of rejection, with the severity of rejection and
      methylprednisolone therapy being similar to that of group 3, but without a
      steroid taper. The results of treatment in group 3 were compared with those in
      group 4. No statistically significant differences were found among the groups
      regarding subsequent episodes of rejection or infection within 3 months of
      treatment. No statistically significant difference was noted among the groups in
      the number of rejection episodes requiring additional therapy to control the
      rejection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420240
TI  - Stability of long-term renal function in heart transplant patients treated with
      induction therapy and low-dose cyclosporine.
AB  - Long-term renal function was evaluated in heart transplant recipients who were
      treated with antilymphocyte globulin induction therapy and low-dose cyclosporine
      therapy. Although an initial 16% drop in the glomerular filtration rate occurred,
      long-term follow-up revealed stability of renal function. Four-year patient
      survival was 77.6%. Use of induction therapy with low-dose cyclosporine may
      preserve renal function without compromising long-term patient survival.

PMID- 1420241
TI  - Heart transplantation in patients over 54 years of age with triple-drug therapy
      immunosuppression.
AB  - Between April 1, 1986, and December 31, 1989, 206 patients received orthotopic
      heart transplants with triple-drug therapy immunosuppression (cyclosporine,
      azathioprine, prednisone). Forty-six patients were aged 55 years or more at the
      time of transplantation and 160 patients were less than 55 years of age; these
      two groups were compared. Selection criteria and treatment regimen were the same
      in both groups. In our experience, although both groups had good postoperative
      survival, older patients had higher mortality rates early after transplantation,
      particularly from rejection and infection. Patients over 55 years of age had
      similar nonfatal rejection rates and were no more likely to have infectious
      episodes than younger patients. As demand for heart transplantation increases and
      waiting lists lengthen, the age of potential recipients should be an important
      factor in deciding how to allocate scarce donated organs, although age should not
      be exclusive.

PMID- 1420242
TI  - Neurologic complications of heart transplantation in children.
AB  - Neurologic complications can add significant morbidity to otherwise successful
      orthotopic heart transplantations in children. Complications have been reported
      to occur in up to 50% of children undergoing heart transplantation. The purpose
      of this study was to identify the prevalence and outcome of neurologic
      complications of heart transplantation in children. We reviewed all children who
      received orthotopic heart transplantation at Texas Children's Hospital from
      November 1984 to November 1990. Twenty-two patients (ages, 3 weeks to 17 years;
      mean, 8.5 years) underwent heart transplantation using cardiopulmonary bypass
      with moderate hypothermia. For analysis, we compared results during the first 3
      years of our experience, 1984 through 1987 (group 1), to 1987 through 1990 (group
      2). Survival was 45% (5 of 11 patients) for group 1 and 73% (8 of 11 patients)
      for group 2. A neurologic complication was defined as a change in the neurologic
      examination and/or status. Neurologic complications included seizures (6 of 22
      patients), strokes (3 of 22 patients), unresponsiveness (3 of 22 patients), and
      change in mental status (2 of 22 patients). Early (within 2 weeks after
      operation) neurologic complications occurred in 45% (10 of 22 patients), were
      persistent (sequelae lasting more than 4 months) in 27% (6 of 22 patients), and
      resulted in death in 9% (2 of 22 patients). Late (after 2 weeks after operation)
      neurologic complications occurred in 23% (5 of 22 patients), were persistent in
      9% (2 of 22 patients), and have occurred in only two survivors. Neurologic
      factors were not responsible for the cause of death in group 2. No neurologic
      complications (early or late) were seen in 1 of 11 patients in group 1 as
      compared with 7 of 11 patients in group 2 (p < 0.015). Serious neurologic
      morbidity decreased between the two groups after preoperative cyclosporine was
      avoided and postoperative hypertension was controlled. All survivors are
      functioning at age-appropriate levels. Although neurologic complications may be
      frequent, long-term neurologic disability in survivors is rare.

PMID- 1420243
TI  - Long-term results in diabetic patients undergoing heart transplantation.
AB  - We conducted a retrospective study of 305 nondiabetic patients and 37 diabetic
      patients who underwent heart transplantation from July 1982 to May 1990.
      Actuarial survival was similar for both groups of patients at 1 year (76.4%
      versus 81.3%) and at 2 years (69.6% versus 73.0%). Because we were interested in
      long-term results, we further analyzed only those patients surviving more than 1
      year after transplantation (214 nondiabetic patients and 29 diabetic patients).
      Mean follow-up for the nondiabetic patients was 31.8 +/- 16.2 months and for the
      diabetic patients, 32.9 +/- 4.1 months. The respective mean age in each group was
      50.4 +/- 10.3 years and 51.6 +/- 9.1 years. No difference was observed between
      the nondiabetic patients and diabetic patients regarding the rejection rate per
      patient-month (0.040 +/- 0.041 versus 0.045 +/- 0.051 episodes per patient
      month), the infection rate per patient-month (0.056 +/- 0.081 versus 0.081 +/-
      0.102 episodes per patient-month), or renal function as evidenced by mean
      creatinine levels at 1, 2, and 3 years. Twelve patients were insulin-dependent
      before transplantation; and 1 year after transplantation, they required an
      insulin dose 2.12 times greater than the dose before operation. Coronary artery
      disease developed in 32.8% of the nondiabetic patients, compared with 31.0% of
      the diabetic patients by the fourth year of follow-up. Despite the need for
      increased insulin doses, the diabetic patients had similar long-term survival to
      that of the nondiabetic patients, without an increased risk of rejection,
      infection, renal dysfunction, or coronary artery disease. Our experience supports
      the feasibility of heart transplantation in selected diabetic recipients.

PMID- 1420244
TI  - Cyclosporine A and prednisone-associated osteoporosis in heart transplant
      recipients.
AB  - Immunosuppressive therapy with cyclosporine A or prednisone produces bone loss in
      some animal models. Although we have clinically observed osteoporotic fractures
      in our heart recipients, the effects of cyclosporine and prednisone on bone
      density in transplant populations has not been fully elucidated. This study was
      undertaken to examine indexes of mineral metabolism and bone mineral density
      (BMD) in heart transplant recipients referred for evaluation of possible bone
      disease. Twenty of 93 patients who underwent heart transplantation at our
      institution were evaluated for osteoporosis. Sixteen of these patients (eight
      men; eight women) were included in this cross-sectional study (two patients were
      excluded because of hyperparathyroidism, and two patients were excluded because
      severe fractures prevented BMD from being measured). The mean age of the heart
      transplant recipients was 52.4 +/- 2.2 years, and the study was conducted a mean
      of 33.4 +/- 4.6 (men) and 19.0 +/- 7.0 (women) months after heart
      transplantation. Forty-four percent of these heart transplant recipients were
      seen clinically with fractures. Biochemical tests of skeletal homeostasis and BMD
      measurements with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry were performed. In male and
      female patients, the indexes of mineral metabolism showed (mean +/- sem)
      osteocalcin levels of 9.60 +/- 2.3 micrograms/L and 9.46 +/- 1.9 micrograms/L
      (normal: men, 6.39 +/- 0.69 micrograms/L; women, 5.87 +/- 0.71 micrograms/L) and
      intact parathyroid hormone levels of 48.8 +/- 10.3 ng/L and 63.4 +/- 10.7 ng/L
      (normal: men, 26.8 +/- 3.3 ng/L; women, 30.7 +/- 2.1 ng/L),
      respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420245
TI  - Prevention of loss of vertebral bone density in heart transplant patients.
AB  - Seventy-six patients (63 men, 13 women) have been followed up by vertebral bone
      density (VBD) studies from 3 to 36 months. VBD was measured by single-energy
      computerized tomographic scan. Before transplantation, VBD was found to be lower
      than in age-matched controls (less than 40 years of age [group 1], 96% of
      controls: 40 through 49 years of age [group 2], 77%; 50 to 60 years of age [group
      3], 87%; more than 60 years of age [group 4], 76%). After transplantation,
      despite oral calcium supplements, VBD fell further in all but two patients (97%),
      which was almost certainly related to maintenance steroid and cyclosporine
      therapy, and was most marked in the older groups (group 2, 67% compared with age
      matched controls at 6 months; group 3, 60%; group 4, 50%). Intensive therapy with
      synthetic salmon calcitonin (in 29 of 76 patients [38%]), testosterone (in 33 of
      63 men [52%]), or estrogen (in 12 of 13 women [92%]) limited, but did not totally
      prevent, further loss in VBD; in patients who had shown an approximate 45% loss
      of VBD from pretransplantation levels, further loss was reduced to between 4% and
      10%. Five patients increased bone density after calcitonin therapy. Despite
      significantly reduced VBD in several older patients, minor vertebral bone
      compression developed in only one patient. We recommend that all patients
      undergoing heart transplantation, particularly those over the age of 50 years,
      should be followed by VBD studies, and therapy should be administered to prevent
      VBD loss.

PMID- 1420246
TI  - Cardiac xenografting in the pig-to-rhesus monkey model: manipulation of
      antiendothelial antibody prolongs survival.
AB  - Transplantation of immediately vascularized grafts across species barriers in
      which preformed cytotoxic antibodies exist, otherwise known as discordant
      combinations, has uniformly resulted in hyperacute rejection. We studied how well
      plasma exchange and perfusion through organs removes preformed immunoglobulin M
      cytotoxic antibodies and prolongs survival of a porcine heart heterotopically
      transplanted into a rhesus monkey. With the use of plasma exchange or absorption
      of antibodies by porcine kidney perfusion with or without immunosuppression,
      graft survival was prolonged, although antibody-mediated rejection ultimately
      occurred. In one case in which plasma exchange, kidney perfusion, and
      immunosuppression were combined, a functioning pig heart survived in a rhesus
      monkey for 8 days without evidence of rejection. The animal was killed on day 8
      according to protocol because of a wound dehiscence. With this animal we were
      able to demonstrate that circulating antibodies against graft endothelium had
      bound to the graft endothelium without inducing rejection, a process referred to
      as accommodation. In this case, despite the presence of antiendothelial
      antibodies, complement did not appear to be activated, and fibrin thrombi did not
      form. Although we have achieved this rejection-free survival only in one animal,
      this case suggests that it may be possible to maintain xenotransplants in
      discordant species without rejection if preformed antibodies are appropriately
      lowered or altered during the initial period of graft implantation.

PMID- 1420247
TI  - The effects of interferon-alpha/beta in a model of rat heart transplantation.
AB  - Interferons have multiple immunologic effects. One such effect is the activation
      of expression of cell surface antigens. Interferon alpha/beta enhance expression
      of class I but not class II histocompatibility antigens. Contradictory
      information has been published regarding the effect of interferon-alpha/beta
      administration in patients with kidney transplantation. In a model of rat heart
      transplantation we demonstrated that administration of interferon-alpha/beta
      accelerated rejection in a dose-dependent fashion in the absence of maintenance
      cyclosporine. Animals treated with maintenance cyclosporine had evidence of
      increased rejection at 20 days that was resolved completely at 45 days with
      cyclosporine alone.

PMID- 1420248
TI  - TPEN, a transition metal chelator, improves myocardial protection during
      prolonged ischemia.
AB  - In view of the hypothesis that free radicals induced damage during ischemia and
      reperfusion is mediated by transition metals, we investigated the effect of the
      potent metal chelator TPEN (N,N,N'N'-tetrakis(-)[2-pyridylmethyl]
      ethylenediamine) on cardiac function after prolonged myocardial ischemia.
      Isolated working rat hearts were subjected to 12 hours of cold ischemic arrest
      followed by reperfusion for 1 hour. The study was carried out on five groups
      (nine hearts in each): (1) St. Thomas' Hospital cardioplegic solution; (2) St.
      Thomas' Hospital cardioplegic solution with 7.5 mumol/L TPEN; (3) protection
      conditions as in group 2, but with TPEN administration during preischemic and
      reperfusion periods; (4) University of Wisconsin solution; and (5) the same
      conditions as in group 4 with TPEN administration during the preischemic and
      reperfusion periods. Significant enhancement of hemodynamic recovery was observed
      in the presence of TPEN throughout the experiment. The recovery of cardiac output
      was 24% +/- 4% in group 3, as compared to 12% +/- 4% in group 1 (p < 0.01). The
      postischemic left ventricular pressure recovery was 57% +/- 4% in group 3, as
      compared to 18% +/- 7% in group 1 (p < 0.005). The hearts in group 5 recovered,
      reaching 29% +/- 2% of the preischemic cardiac output and at 65% +/- 2% of the
      left ventricular pressure recovery (p < 0.05 versus group 3). Lactate
      dehydrogenase was released throughout the reperfusion. TPEN addition to groups 2
      and 3 did not significantly reduce lactate dehydrogenase release; however, TPEN
      in University of Wisconsin solution and throughout the experiment significantly
      decreased lactate dehydrogenase release.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420249
TI  - Donor heart preservation survey.
AB  - A questionnaire requesting information on donor heart preservation technique and
      outcomes during the first 6 months of 1990 was circulated to heart
      transplantation centers worldwide. Seventy-nine usable replies representing 1371
      clinical transplant operations were received. Twenty-seven percent of the
      respondents reported using some form of donor pretreatment. Most (90%) used
      single flush cardioplegic induction with the use of eight different types of
      cardioplegic solutions, only 5% of which were oxygenated. Six different types of
      storage media were used, and the coolant was melting ice in 66% of the centers.
      Storage temperatures between 0 degrees C and 7 degrees C were reported, with 78%
      of the respondents using 4 degrees C storage. Fifty-five percent of the centers
      used some form of reperfusion modification. No statistically significant
      associations were noted between outcome and technique, apart from the use of
      storage medium in which the use of cardioplegic solution conferred a 2.5 times
      increase in deaths compared with cold saline. The results of this questionnaire
      provide evidence for the diversity of techniques currently used for donor heart
      preservation, reflecting the lack of any one optimal method.

PMID- 1420250
TI  - Histologic changes in donor bronchi may explain the reduced mucosal blood flow
      seen during acute lung allograft rejection.
AB  - We assessed the histologic changes in donor and recipient bronchi from 15 dogs
      that had received a lung transplant and related these changes to the severity of
      acute rejection seen in the parenchyma of these same lungs. Minimal rejection was
      associated with no abnormal change in either the donor or the recipient bronchi.
      In mild lung rejection, mononuclear cell cuffings were seen around bronchial
      arteries in donor bronchial adventitia, although few mononuclear cell infiltrates
      were seen in the submucosa. Moderate lung rejection was associated with more
      prominent mononuclear cell cuffings in the donor bronchial adventitia and mucosal
      infiltrates of mononuclear cells in the membranous portion. In cases of severe
      lung rejection, the mononuclear cell infiltrates were also apparent in the
      cartilaginous portion of the donor bronchial mucosa. Moreover, submucosal edema
      and detachment of bronchial epithelium were seen. These histologic changes were
      not observed in the recipient bronchi during acute rejection, nor were they seen
      in the donor and the recipient bronchi during lung infection without rejection.
      They might, therefore, reflect acute rejection in the donor bronchus. These
      results might provide the histologic support for our previous observation of
      decreased bronchial mucosal blood flow measured by the laser Doppler flowmeter in
      relation with the extent of acute lung rejection.

PMID- 1420251
TI  - Different patterns of cell volume regulation in hyposmotic media between attached
      and suspended HeLa cells.
AB  - Both attached and suspended HeLa cells swelled in a medium of a hypotonic
      osmolality of 235 mosmol/kg H2O. When the osmolality was further decreased to 166
      mosmol/kg H2O, attached cells instantly swelled and then rapidly lost water and
      K+, followed by slow gains of them. Suspended cells instantly swelled and then K+
      loss and regulatory volume decrease (RVD) occurred. Neither 0.1 mM ouabain nor 10
      mM TEA changed the water loss of attached cells, whereas ouabain inhibited RVD of
      suspended cells. Quinine (1 mM) inhibited water losses from both cells and
      comparison of the losses implies stronger activation of K+ channel in attached
      cells than in suspended cells. Omission of medium Ca2+ or addition of 10 mM BaCl2
      inhibited RVD in part. These results suggest that hyposmotic stress induces net
      water loss from attached cells, associated with K+ release through the Ca(2+)
      dependent K+ channel. Suspended cells osmotically swell, followed by RVD with K+
      and Na+ releases through the K+ channel and Na(+)-pump, respectively. The
      different patterns of volume changes may relate to the difference of activity or
      time of activation of the K+ channel between both cells.

PMID- 1420252
TI  - Permeability of lipid bilayers to amino acids and phosphate.
AB  - Permeability coefficients for amino acid classes, including neutral, polar,
      hydrophobic, and charged species, were measured and compared with values for
      other ionic solutes such as phosphate. The rates of efflux of glycine, lysine,
      phenylalanine, serine and tryptophan were determined after they were passively
      entrapped in large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) composed of egg
      phosphatidylcholine (EPC) or dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC). The following
      permeability coefficients were obtained for: glycine, 5.7 x 10(-12) cm s-1 (EPC),
      2.0 x 10(-11) cm s-1 (DMPC); serine, 5.5 x 10(-12) cm s-1 (EPC), 1.6 x 10(-11) cm
      s-1 (DMPC); lysine, 5.1 x 10(-12) cm s-1 (EPC), 1.9 x 10(-11) cm s-1 (DMPC);
      tryptophan, 4.1 x 10(-10) cm s-1 (EPC); and phenylalanine, 2.5 x 10(-10) cm s-1
      (EPC). Decreasing lipid chain length increased permeability slightly, while
      variations in pH had only minor effects on the permeability coefficients of the
      amino acids tested. Phosphate permeability was in the range of 10(-12)-10(-13) cm
      s-1 depending on the pH of the medium. The values for the polar and charged amino
      acids were surprisingly similar to those previously measured for monovalent
      cations such as sodium and potassium, which are in the range of 10(-12)-10(-13)
      cm s-1, depending on conditions and the lipid species used. This observation
      suggests that the permeation rates for the neutral, polar and charged amino acids
      are controlled by bilayer fluctuations and transient defects, rather than
      partition coefficients and Born energy barriers. The results are relevant to the
      permeation of certain peptides into lipid bilayers during protein translocation
      and membrane biogenesis.

PMID- 1420254
TI  - Exchange efflux of [3H]palmitate from human red cell ghosts to bovine serum
      albumin in buffer. Effects of medium volume and concentration of bovine serum
      albumin.
AB  - [3H]Palmitate, PA, exchange efflux kinetics is recorded from human erythrocyte
      ghosts to buffer with bovine serum albumin, BSA, at 0 degrees C. The effects have
      been investigated of three medium/ghost volume ratios: 36, 80 and 500, of six BSA
      concentrations, [BSA]: 0.01, 0.02, 0.05, 0.2, 1 and 2% (1.5, 3.0, 7.5, 30, 150
      and 300 microM) and of various v, molar ratios of palmitate to BSA, between 0.15
      and 0.94. Data are analyzed in terms of a virtually closed three-compartment
      model. In theory, the tracer efflux is biexponential and the rate coefficients
      differ at least 20 fold [1]. The efflux rate at 2% BSA is monoexponential beyond
      our resolution time of about 1 s, but nearly biexponential at or below 0.2% BSA
      with a well-defined smallest-rate coefficient beta. beta depends strongly on
      [BSA] but is remarkably v independent. The medium/ghost volume ratio has no
      effect on beta when [BSA] > or = 0.2%, although beta measured at 2% BSA is almost
      2-fold higher than at 0.2%. This suggests the presence of an unstirred layer,
      USL. According to our model, the observations are understood quantitatively on
      basis of our previously published dissociation rate constants of the PA-BSA
      complex, as well as PA equilibrium bindings to ghost membranes (Bojesen, I.N. and
      Bojesen, E. (1991) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1069, 297-307). Essentially, beta is
      theoretically a function of two terms, one comprising the membrane transport
      parameters and the other the medium-dependent variables. Most important is the
      clearance with respect to monomer concentration adjacent to the membrane. The
      clearance is calculated on basis of quasi-stationary diffusion in USL. The data
      are compatible with a planar USL of 6 microns depth and with the same area as a
      ghost but not with a spherical USL.

PMID- 1420253
TI  - Localization of the binding domain of the inhibitory ligand forskolin in the
      glucose transporter GLUT-4 by photolabeling, proteolytic cleavage and a site
      specific antiserum.
AB  - The binding domain of forskolin in the adipocyte/muscle-type glucose transporter
      (GLUT-4) was localized with the aid of the photoreactive derivative, [125I]IAPS
      forskolin (3-[125I]iodo-4-azidophenethylamido-7-O-succinyldeacetyl-forskolin).
      Plasma membranes from insulin-treated rat adipocytes containing predominantly the
      GLUT-4 isoform were irradiated with UV light in the presence of [125I]IAPS
      forskolin. The covalently labeled glucose transporters were isolated by
      immunoprecipitation with specific antiserum and partially digested with trypsin
      and elastase. The fragments were separated by gel electrophoresis, transferred on
      to nitrocellulose membranes, and identified by direct autoradiography and by
      immunoassay with antiserum against a peptide sequence corresponding to the C
      terminus of GLUT-4. Digestion with a high-purity grade trypsin generated two
      photolabeled fragments with apparent molecular weights of 21 and 16 kDa. Since
      the antiserum detected two fragments with identical electrophoretic mobility,
      both labeled fragments appeared to contain the intact C-terminus of GLUT-4. In
      contrast, digestion with elastase generated only one photolabeled fragment with
      intact C-terminus at 21 kDa, and a smaller unlabeled fragment with intact C
      terminus at 15 kDa. A less pure trypsin preparation generated two labeled (21 and
      17 kDa) and one unlabeled (15 kDa) fragment with intact C-terminus. These data
      suggest that the site of covalent binding of IAPS-forskolin in the GLUT-4 is
      located within a region of 1-6 kDa defined by the difference between the
      unlabeled C-terminal fragment (15 kDa) and the labeled fragments (21, 17 and 16
      kDa). Based on a tentative allocation of the fragments to the sequence of the
      GLUT-4, it is suggested that the covalent binding site of IAPS-forskolin is
      located between the membrane spanning helices 7-9, possibly in the proximity of
      helix 9.

PMID- 1420255
TI  - Alteration of the passive electrical properties of lymphocyte membranes induced
      by GM1 and GM3 glycolipids.
AB  - The electrical conductivity of normal human lymphocyte suspensions has been
      measured in the frequency range from 10 kHz to 100 MHz, where a well-pronounced
      conductivity dispersion occurs, caused by the surface polarization at the
      interface between the cell membrane and the extracellular solution. We have
      investigated the alteration of the passive electrical properties of the
      cytoplasmatic cell membrane induced by two different gangliosides (GM1 and GM3)
      inserted, at various concentrations, into the outer leaflet of membrane double
      layer. The alterations observed in the dielectric parameters (the membrane
      conductivity and the membrane permittivity) derived on the basis of a 'double
      shell' model, result in an overall increase of the ion permeation across the
      membrane and an enhanced polarizability of its hydrophilic region for both
      gangliosides investigated. The relevance of these alterations is discussed.

PMID- 1420256
TI  - A new diffusion chamber system for the determination of drug permeability
      coefficients across the human intestinal epithelium that are independent of the
      unstirred water layer.
AB  - A new method for determining permeability coefficients, that are independent of
      the unstirred water layer (UWL), has been developed. The method was used to
      determine the cellular permeability coefficient of the rapidly absorbed drug
      testosterone in monolayers of the human intestinal epithelial cell line, Caco-2.
      Using a new diffusion cell with an effective stirring system based on a gas lift,
      the cellular permeability coefficient for testosterone was (1.98 +/- 0.13).10(-4)
      cm/s which is 3.5-times higher than the permeability coefficient obtained in the
      unstirred system. The thickness of the UWL obtained with the well stirred
      diffusion cell was 52 +/- 4 microns. This value is much lower than those
      previously reported in various well stirred in vitro models. The calculated
      cellular permeability of testosterone was 13-23-times lower than that for an UWL
      of the same thickness as the epithelial cell (17-30 microns). We conclude that
      the permeability of the epithelial monolayer must be included in calculations of
      the thickness of the UWL.

PMID- 1420257
TI  - Influence of staphylococcal delta-toxin on the phosphatidylcholine headgroup as
      observed using 2H-NMR.
AB  - The interaction of the 8-toxin peptide isolated from Staphylococcus aureus with
      the headgroup region of lipid bilayer membranes composed of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl
      sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) was investigated using deuterium (2H) and
      phosphorus (31P) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. At relatively low
      peptide/lipid ratios (P/L < 0.10), all 2H- and 31P-NMR spectral lineshapes at 25
      degrees C were indicative of a single population of liquid-crystalline lipids in
      a bilayer arrangement. At these P/L ratios, delta-toxin had only marginal effects
      on the size of the quadrupole splitting measured from POPC labelled at either the
      alpha-methylene (POPC-alpha-d2) or the beta-methylene segment (POPC-beta-d2) of
      the choline headgroup and, similarly small effects on the magnitude of the
      chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) of the 31P-NMR spectrum. With increasing amounts
      of delta-toxin (0.10 < P/L < 0.15) the size of the 2H quadrupole splitting from
      POPC-alpha-d2, as well as the magnitude of the 31P-CSA, decreased progressively
      and rapidly. The quadrupole splitting from POPC-beta-d2, however, remained
      relatively unaffected. At yet higher levels of delta-toxin (P/L > 0.15), all 2H-
      and 31P-NMR spectra indicated the presence of multiple lipid populations
      experiencing varying degrees of increased conformational disordering. The
      spectral lineshapes of these apparently nonbilayer spectral components reverted
      to bilayer-type lineshapes upon lowering the measuring temperature to 5 degrees
      C. At the utmost highest level of delta-toxin measured here (P/L = 0.20), all 2H-
      and 31P-NMR spectra consisted of a single, broad, apparently nonbilayer-type
      component, indicative of hindered but virtual isotropic motional averaging of the
      POPC headgroups. In this case no reversion to bilayer-type spectra could be
      obtained by decreasing the temperature. We could obtain no evidence that the
      conformation of the choline headgroup of POPC was responding to any specific
      influence of delta-toxin on bilayer surface electrostatics.

PMID- 1420258
TI  - Expression of GLUT-2 cDNA in human B lymphocytes: analysis of glucose transport
      using flow cytometry.
AB  - The molecular characterization of transport proteins is often limited by
      transient functional expression or the need for a simple method to select
      functional cDNA clones. We used a mammalian expression system to obtain long-term
      expression of GLUT-2, an isoform of glucose permease. Rat GLUT-2 cDNA was ligated
      into an EBV vector (pLPP) and transfected into B lymphocytes which lack GLUT-2.
      Northern and Western analyses confirmed expression of GLUT-2 protein in membranes
      of transfected cells. Two functional assays using flow cytometry were developed
      to distinguish GLUT-2 transfectants from control/pLPP transfectants. Uptake of
      NBD-glucosamine, a fluorescent analogue of glucose, was increased in GLUT-2
      transfectants. In addition, when exposed to hypertonic glucose medium, GLUT-2
      transfectants and control/pLPP transfectants exhibited a difference in forward
      angle light scatter (FALS), an index of cell volume, indicating a difference in
      glucose permeability. Independent measurements of glucose uptake (isotopic) and
      cell volume (video microscopy) confirmed the flow cytometry observations. This
      expression system used in combination with flow cytometry is useful for studying
      the functional properties of glucose and other solute transporters.

PMID- 1420259
TI  - Effect of cationic cholesterol derivatives on gene transfer and protein kinase C
      activity.
AB  - Four different cationic derivatives of cholesterol were synthesized which contain
      either a tertiary or a quaternary amino head group, with and without a succinyl
      spacer-arm. Their ability to inhibit protein kinase C (PKC) activity was measured
      in a detergent mixed micellar solution. Derivatives containing a quaternary amino
      head group were effective inhibitors (Ki approx. 12 and 59 microM) of PKC and
      derivatives containing a tertiary amino head group were approx. 4-20-fold less
      inhibitory. Liposomes containing an equimolar mixture of
      dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) and a cationic cholesterol derivative
      were tested for the DNA-mediated transfection activity in mouse L929 cells.
      Highest activity was found with the derivative with low PKC inhibitory activity
      and with a succinyl spacer-arm. The transfection activity of this tertiary amine
      derivative, N,N-dimethylethylenediaminyl succinyl cholesterol was dependent on
      DOPE as a helper lipid; liposomes containing dioleoylphosphatidylcholine and this
      derivative had little activity. The transfection protocol of this new cationic
      liposome reagent was optimized with respect to the ratio of liposome/DNA, dose of
      the complex and time of incubation with cells. Several adherent cell lines could
      be efficiently transfected with this liposome reagent without any apparent
      cytotoxicity. However, the transfection activity was strongly inhibited by the
      presence of serum components.

PMID- 1420260
TI  - Retinal and retinol promote membrane fusion.
AB  - Disk membranes from the bovine retinal rod outer segments (ROS) were found to
      fuse with vesicles made of lipids extracted from unbleached ROS disk membranes,
      using a lipid mixing assay for membrane fusion (relief of self-quenching of R18,
      octadecylrhodamine B chloride). If the retinal chromophore of rhodopsin was
      reductively linked to opsin before lipid extraction, the vesicles made of the
      extracted lipids were not suitable targets for fusion of the disk membranes. The
      addition of retinal and retinol to these vesicles restored their ability to fuse.
      Therefore, the presence of all-trans retinal was implicated in promoting membrane
      fusion in this system. To test this possibility, the ability of retinal and
      retinol to influence the phase behavior and the fusion capability of large
      unilamellar vesicles (LUV) of N-methyl dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (N-methyl
      DOPE) was examined. Both retinal and retinol stimulated the fusion of vesicles of
      N-methyl-DOPE (contents mixing with ANTS, 1-aminonaphthalene-3,6,8-trisulfonic
      acid; DPX, p-xylylene bis(pyridinium bromide)). Both compounds reduced the onset
      temperature for isotropic resonances in the 31P-NMR spectra of N-methyl-DOPE
      dispersions and the onset temperature, TH, for formation of hexagonal II phase.
      These results were consistent with previous studies in which the onset
      temperature for the 31P-NMR isotropic resonances were correlated with stimulation
      of membrane fusion. These data suggested that both retinal and retinol may
      stimulate membrane fusion by destabilizing the bilayers of membranes.

PMID- 1420261
TI  - The mechanism of the solute-induced chain interdigitation in phosphatidylcholine
      vesicles and characterization of the isothermal phase transitions by means of
      dynamic light scattering.
AB  - A new method is introduced for the detection of chain interdigitation in
      phospholipid bilayers. The same method is used to measure the hydrocarbon tilt in
      the dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine membranes as a function of the bulk
      concentration of the interdigitation-inducing solutes, such as ethanol. The
      hydrocarbon tilt in the phosphatidylcholine bilayers is demonstrated to be
      limited to angles below approx. 51 degrees. The need for higher tilt values leads
      to bilayer interdigitation. Solute-induced chain interdigitation is shown to be a
      cooperative process provoked by the excessively large lateral repulsion in the
      interfacial region and the concomitant excessive chain tilt. Ethanol-induced
      phosphatidylcholine interdigitation, for example, proceeds via interdigitated
      domains formation and finally gives rise to the bilayers with fully intercalated
      chains tilted by at least 30 degrees (and sometimes as much as 50 degrees) with
      respect to the membrane normal.

PMID- 1420262
TI  - Cocaine induces intracellular free Mg deficits, ischemia and stroke as observed
      by in-vivo 31P-NMR of the brain.
AB  - 31P-NMR spectroscopic studies were performed in vivo on brains of rats
      administered cocaine. Cocaine.HCl (1-5 mg/kg) administered systemically to
      lightly anesthetized rats resulted in significant and progressive deficits in
      whole brain intracellular free Mg ([Mg2+]i). Intracellular pH (pHi) also fell in
      a progressive manner but only after a significant fall in brain [Mg2+]i was
      noted. Both [Mg2+]i and pHi returned to normal in most rats. Brains of rats that
      exhibited stroke-like events, however, demonstrated continued intracellular
      acidosis associated with progressive loss of phosphocreatine and elevation of Pi
      up until death. These observations are consistent with the tenet that injection
      of cocaine can result in severe cerebral vasospasm, ischemia and rupture of
      cerebral blood vessels as a consequence of depletion of brain [Mg2+]i.

PMID- 1420263
TI  - Comparative analysis of latrotoxin channels of different conductance in planar
      lipid bilayers. Evidence for cluster organization.
AB  - It has been established that channels induced by Latrodectus tredicimguttatus
      alpha-toxin (LT) in lipid bilayers have a cluster organisation. So far as: (i)
      the LT-channels had practically identical sizes of its water pores (r = 9.4 +/-
      0.6 A) independently on the lipid composition of planar bilayer lipid membrane
      (BLM) although their conductances might differ from each other more than 10 times
      (100 mM KCl (pH 7.5)). (ii) affinity of permeable ions to channels had a small
      variation with distinct group of BLM, although LT-channels conductances varied
      from 112 +/- 8 pS till 1110 +/- 40 pS for phosphatidylcholine-BLM and from 75 +/-
      6 pS till 170 +/- 14 pS for phosphatidylserine-BLM. (iii) Ca/K selectivity was
      greater in negatively charged membranes but did not also depend on the channel
      amplitude for the same BLM. Cation-anionic selectivity was identical for all
      studied channels.

PMID- 1420264
TI  - Sequence analysis of the catalytic subunit of H(+)-ATPase from porcine renal
      brush-border membranes.
AB  - The catalytic subunit of the H(+)-ATPase from brush-border membranes of porcine
      renal proximal tubules was labeled with the hydrophobic SH-group reagent 10-N
      (bromoacetyl)amino-1-decyl-beta-glucopyranoside (BADG) which irreversibly
      inhibits proton pump activity in the absence but not in the presence of ATP. The
      labeled protein was purified and digested with proteinases. After isolation and
      sequencing of proteolytic peptides two BADG-labeled cysteines were identified.
      The amino acid sequences of the obtained proteolytic peptides were homologous to
      the catalytic subunit of V-ATPases. From mRNA of porcine kidney cortex a
      catalytic H(+)-ATPase subunit was cloned. 181 of the 183 amino acids which
      overlap in the sequence derived from the cDNA and the proteolytic peptides were
      identical, and the two deviations are due to single base exchanges. A comparison
      of the amino acid sequence derived from the cloned cDNA with sequences of
      catalytic H(+)-ATPase subunits communicated by other laboratories revealed 98%,
      96% and 94% identity with sequences from bovine adrenal medulla, from bovine
      kidney medulla and from clathrin-coated vesicles of bovine brain. Between 64% and
      69% identity was obtained with sequences from fungi and plants. The data show
      that the catalytic subunit of V-ATPases is highly conserved during evolution.
      They indicate organ and species specificity in mammalians.

PMID- 1420265
TI  - Carrier-mediated transport system for choline and its related quaternary ammonium
      compounds on rat intestinal brush-border membrane.
AB  - The characteristics of the intestinal transport system for choline were
      investigated using isolated brush-border membrane vesicles from rat small
      intestine. In spite of the diminutive lipid solubility, the uptake of choline by
      membrane vesicles reflected smooth permeation into intravesicular space rather
      than the binding to the membrane surface. Physiological conditions, present in
      the intact intestine, such as an inward-directed Na+ or H+ gradient and inside
      negative membrane potentials, didn't directly involve in choline transport across
      the brush-border membrane. Moreover, an outward-directed H+ gradient had no
      significant effect on the time course of choline transport. However, in the
      absence of a driving-force, the initial uptake of choline exhibited a saturable
      manner. A kinetic analysis of the initial uptake rate gave an apparent Km of 159
      microM. Furthermore, unlabeled choline caused both cis-inhibition and trans
      stimulation for labeled choline transport, suggesting the existence of a carrier
      mediated transport system for choline, classified as so-called 'facilitated
      diffusion'. Since tetramethylammonium, acetylcholine, and N1-methylnicotinamide
      caused both cis-inhibition and trans-stimulation, they appear to be accepted as
      the substrate of choline carrier. On the other hand, quaternary ammonium
      compounds (QACs) such as those which possessed hydrophobic parts in their
      molecules exhibited only cis-inhibition. They also inhibited Na(+)-dependent D
      glucose transport, indicating that they influenced various carrier-mediated
      transport systems non-specifically due to interaction with the membrane. These
      findings strongly suggest that the choline transport system on the brush-border
      membrane of rat intestine recognizes only small molecular QACs as its substrate.

PMID- 1420266
TI  - Monolayer study of plastoquinones, alpha-tocopherol quinone, their hydroquinone
      forms and their interaction with monogalactosyldiacylglycerol. Charge-transfer
      complexes in a mixed monolayer.
AB  - The surface pressure-area isotherms of pure plastoquinone-9 (PQ-9), plastoquinone
      3 (PQ-3), alpha-tocopherol quinone (alpha-TQ), their reduced (hydroquinone) forms
      and mixtures of these molecules with monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) have
      been studied by a monolayer technique. The collapse pressures of all
      hydroquinones (QH2) were higher than those of the corresponding quinones (Q), the
      difference being highest between PQ-9 and PQH2-9. The limiting molecular areas of
      hydroquinones were higher than those of the corresponding quinones except for
      alpha-TQH2. All Q-QH2 mixtures showed miscibility throughout the whole range of
      the components' ratios. There was no deviation from the additivity rule observed
      for any of the Q-QH2 mixture, as well as for the mixtures of MGDG with PQ-3, PQH2
      9, alpha-TQ and alpha-TQH2. On the other hand, PQ-9/MGDG and PQH2-3/MGDG mixtures
      showed positive and negative deviations, respectively. All the isotherms of Q
      MGDG and QH2-MGDG mixtures showed a kink point above the collapse pressure of the
      Q or QH2 examined, indicating that with the increase in surface pressure, Q or
      QH2 were gradually squeezed out from the monolayer. The percent content of Q and
      QH2 in the monolayer as a function of surface pressure was also calculated. The
      hydroquinones were more difficult to remove from monolayers than the
      corresponding quinones, and among the investigated quinones, PQ-9 was most easily
      and alpha-TQ most difficulty squeezed out. The surface pressure-area isotherms of
      the three-component mixtures of PQ-9/PQH2-9/MGDG showed a shift to lower
      molecular areas in comparison with the corresponding two-component mixtures,
      especially at higher surface pressures. This indicates that the presence of PQ-9
      lowered the PQH2-9 content in the monolayer, especially at higher pressures,
      which was explained by charge-transfer complex formation upon interaction of PQ-9
      with PQH2-9. The comparison of surface potential-area isotherms of PQ-9/PQH2
      9/MGDG mixtures with those of the corresponding binary mixtures also suggest
      charge-transfer interaction between PQ-9 and PQH2-9. The orientation and
      localization of the investigated quinones and quinols in the thylakoid membrane
      and significance of charge-transfer interactions in functioning of PQ-9 has been
      discussed.

PMID- 1420267
TI  - A volume-sensitive chloride conductance revealed in cultured human keratinocytes
      by 36Cl- efflux and whole-cell patch clamp recording.
AB  - The Cl- transport mechanism responsible for the stimulation of 36Cl- efflux after
      exposure to hypotonic medium (210 mosmol/kg) was investigated in human
      keratinocytes. The involvement of the anion exchanger and of the Cl-/cation
      cotransporters was ruled out by the finding that replacement of extracellular Cl-
      by the poorly permeant anion gluconate, and the addition of bumetanide and
      furosemide, inhibitors of the Na+/K+/Cl- and K+/Cl- cotransporters, respectively,
      failed to significantly reduce the activation of Cl- efflux by hypotonic medium.
      'Whole cell' configuration of the patch clamp technique directly revealed the
      presence of a macroscopic Cl- current, which was evoked by incubation with
      hypotonic medium and was reversed by elevation of the extracellular osmolality.
      Volume-sensitive current showed outward rectification of the current-voltage
      relationship and time-dependent inactivation at depolarizing voltages. This
      current was Cl- selective, because the zero-current reversal potential approached
      the Cl- equilibrium potential, when extracellular Cl- was replaced by gluconate.
      0.1 mM 1,9-dideoxyforskolin significantly reduced either 36Cl- efflux and the Cl-
      current, suggesting that the Cl- efflux and the macroscopic current activated
      after exposure to hypotonic medium are mediated by the same pathway. Electronic
      cell sizing showed that in keratinocytes hypotonic swelling was not followed by a
      significant regulatory volume decrease response.

PMID- 1420268
TI  - Atrial natriuretic peptide degradation by CPA47 cells: evidence for a divalent
      cation-independent cell-surface proteolytic activity.
AB  - Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is rapidly cleared and degraded in vivo.
      Nonguanylate-cyclase receptors (C-ANPR) and a metalloproteinase, neutral
      endopeptidase (EC 3.4.24.11) (NEP 24.11), are thought to be responsible for its
      metabolism. We investigated the mechanisms of ANP degradation by an endothelial
      derived cell line, CPA47. CPA47 cells degraded 88% of 125I-ANP after 1 h at 37
      degrees C as determined by HPLC. Medium preconditioned by these cells degraded
      41% of the 125I-ANP, and this activity was inhibited by a divalent cation
      chelator, EDTA. Furthermore, a cell-surface proteolytic activity degraded 125I
      ANP in the presence of EDTA when receptor-mediated endocytosis was inhibited
      either by low temperature (4 degrees C) or by hyperosmolarity at 37 degrees C.
      The metalloproteinase, NEP 24.11, is unlikely to be the cell-surface peptidase
      because 125I-ANP is degraded by CPA47 cells at 4 degrees C in the presence of 5
      mM EDTA. These data indicate that CPA47 cells can degrade ANP by a novel divalent
      cation-independent cell-surface proteolytic activity.

PMID- 1420269
TI  - Phase behaviour and molecular species composition of oat root plasma membrane
      lipids. Influence of induced dehydration tolerance.
AB  - Tolerance to dehydration induced by repeated water-deficit stress is well
      correlated to changes in the lipid composition of oat root cell plasma membranes.
      The molecular species of the two dominant phospholipids phosphatidylcholine and
      phosphatidylethanolamine were determined. The four major species were 16:0/18:2,
      16:0/18:3, 18:2/18:2 and 18:2/18:3. In contrast to the large changes in plasma
      membrane lipid composition in other respects, induced tolerance resulted in very
      weak alterations concerning the phospholipid molecular species pattern. Only
      minor alterations, appearing as a decrease in the 18:3-containing lipids,
      occurred. Total lipids of microsomes and isolated plasma membranes of root cells
      were analysed by X-ray crystallography at different degrees of hydration. The
      lipid phase behaviour at different degrees of hydration was further confirmed by
      polarization microscopy. In the presence of excess water all membrane lipids
      adopted a reversed micellar configuration. The plasma membrane lipids from root
      cells with induced dehydration tolerance formed upon dehydration two coexisting
      lamellar structures. The importance of the phase behaviour at different degrees
      of hydration for the membrane properties and the relation to membrane composition
      is discussed.

PMID- 1420270
TI  - A new system for bilayer lipid membrane capacitance measurements: method,
      apparatus and applications.
AB  - A new method and a new apparatus for capacitance measurements on bilayer lipid
      membranes are described. The membrane is charged and discharged with a constant
      current during the measurement. The charge-discharge cycle duration, which is
      proportional to the membrane capacitance, is measured. The measured time period
      is converted into a binary number by digital systems and then this number is
      either further converted into a constant capacity-proportional voltage or read
      out by the computer. The apparatus makes it possible to measure the capacitances
      of voltage-polarized membranes. Application of the apparatus to capacitance
      measurements of bilayer lipid membranes during their potential on the capacitance
      is presented. The capacitances of membranes stimulated by rectangular voltage
      pulses and of those stimulated by a linearly varying potential were reported.

PMID- 1420271
TI  - Single Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels in human erythrocytes: Ca2+ dependence of
      opening frequency but not of open lifetimes.
AB  - Using the patch-clamp technique single-channel properties of Ca(2+)-activated K+
      (CaK) channels were investigated in inside-out membrane patches of human
      erythrocytes. In a physiological K+ gradient (5 mM K+ externally: 150 mM K+
      internally) the single CaK channel conductance is 15 pS in the membrane potential
      range of -40 to +40 mV. The channel open probability, opening frequency and open
      and closed time distributions are voltage-independent. The open probability and
      the opening frequency of the CaK channel depend on [Ca2+]i and increase between
      0.5 and 60 microM Ca2+ from approx. 10% to 90% of the maximum value obtained at
      115 microM. The relation between open probability and [Ca2+]i can be described by
      a sigmoid concentration-effect curve with an EC50 of 4.7 microM and a slope
      factor of 1. Independent of [Ca2+]i open time distributions yield two time
      constants of 5.3 and 22 ms. The relative amplitudes of the fast and slow
      components of the open time histogram as well as the maximum open probability and
      the maximum opening frequency of CaK channels vary considerably. In addition, CaK
      channels in multiple channel patches are highly interdependent. It is concluded
      that the Ca(2+)-dependence of CaK channels in human erythrocytes is due to the
      modulation of opening frequency by internal Ca2+. The results are consistent with
      a classical receptor-agonist model in which ligand interaction kinetics are much
      faster than channel gating.

PMID- 1420272
TI  - Properties and the primary structure of a new halorhodopsin from halobacterial
      strain mex.
AB  - A new halorhodopsin-like pigment from the new halobacterial strain mex (Otomo,
      J., Tomoika, H. and Sasabe, H. (1992) J. Gen. Microbiol. 138, 1027-1037) was
      partially purified, and its amino acid sequence from helices A to G was
      determined using PCR technique. Two arginine residues in the A-B interhelix loop
      segment, a series of six amino acid residues (EMPAGH) in the B-C interhelix
      segment and most of the residues near the Schiff base of the retinal were found
      to be conserved in three halorhodopsins (halobium, pharaonis and mex). This
      result strongly suggests that these residues are essential for anion pumping
      function in halorhodopsin. The light-induced ion-pump measurements have shown
      that the selectivity of anion transport between chloride and nitrate in mex
      halorhodopsin is lower than that of halobium halorhodopsin, but higher than that
      of pharaonis halorhodopsin. The number of amino acid residues in the B-C
      interhelix loop segments is different in each halorhodopsin, and it correlates
      with their anion (chloride and nitrate) selectivity. These results suggest that
      the length of the B-C segment affects the selectivity of anion transport in
      halorhodopsin.

PMID- 1420273
TI  - Distinct metal ion binding sites on Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels in inside-out
      patches of human erythrocytes.
AB  - Effects of Cd2+, Co2+, Pb2+, Fe2+ and Mg2+ (1-100 microM) on single-channel
      properties of the intermediate conductance Ca(2+)-activated K+ (CaK) channels
      were investigated in inside-out patches of human erythrocytes in a physiological
      K+ gradient. Cd2+, Co2+ and Pb2+, but not Fe2+ and Mg2+, were able to induce CaK
      channel openings. The potency of the metals to open CaK channels in human
      erythrocytes follows the sequence Pb2+, Cd2+ > Ca2+ > or = Co2+ >> Mg2+, Fe2+. At
      higher concentrations Pb2+, Cd2+ and Co2+ block the CaK channel by reducing the
      opening frequency and the single-channel current amplitude. The potency of the
      metals to reduce CaK channel opening frequency follows the sequence Pb2+ > Cd2+,
      Co2+ >> Ca2+, which differs from the potency sequence Cd2+ > Pb2+, Co2+ >> Ca2+
      to reduce the unitary single-channel current amplitude. Fe2+ reduced the channel
      opening frequency and enhanced the two open times of CaK channels activated by
      Ca2+, whereas up to 100 microM Mg2+ had no effect on any of the measured single
      channel parameters. It is concluded that the activation of CaK channels of human
      erythrocytes by various metal ions occurs through an interaction with the same
      regulatory site at which Ca2+ activates these channels. The different potency
      orders for the activating and blocking effects suggest the presence of at least
      one activation and two blocking sites. A modulatory binding site for Fe2+ exists
      as well. In addition, the CaK channels in human erythrocytes are distinct from
      other subtypes of Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels in their sensitivity to the metal
      ions.

PMID- 1420274
TI  - The structural and functional organization of the baseplate distal part of T4
      bacteriophage.
AB  - The structural organization of the baseplate distal part of bacteriophage T4 has
      been studied. The investigations resulted in revealing the functional role of
      gene products '11' and '12' in the course of baseplate reorganization and DNA
      injection. A new model of 'arrangement' of gp12 in the intact particle is
      suggested. A functional interrelationship between long fibers of the phage and
      the protein complex of baseplate distal part has been established.

PMID- 1420275
TI  - Chemical assessment of phospholipid and phosphoenergetic metabolites in
      regenerating rat liver measured by in vivo and in vitro 31P-NMR.
AB  - For the assessment of 31P-NMR spectroscopic data, phospholipid precursors
      (phosphorylethanolamine (PE) and phosphocholine) and catabolites
      (glycerophosphorylethanolamine (GPE) and glycerophosphorylcholine (GPC)), as well
      as adenosine phosphates were chemically determined in regenerating rat liver. The
      data were compared with those obtained by in vivo and in vitro 31P-NMR
      spectroscopies. Chemical assay revealed a significant increase of PE and a
      decrease of GPE, GPC and ATP in hepatectomy group compared to sham operation
      group. The values obtained by in vitro NMR were in good agreements with those of
      chemical assay, but significant differences between the two groups were observed
      only in PE and inorganic phosphate (Pi). Noticeable increase in PME was not
      detected by in vivo 31P-NMR spectroscopy, although the increase of PE was about
      2.5-times that of the control and its constitution ratio to the whole
      phosphomonoester (PME) was less than 15%. On the other hand, in vivo NMR showed a
      large phosphodiester (PDE) peak occupying approx. 40% of the total phosphorus
      signal, while the contribution of its constituents, GPE and GPC was about 5%
      found by both chemical assay and in vitro NMR. The PDE peak in in vivo NMR seemed
      to reflect the membrane phospholipid itself rather than its catabolites. A slight
      decrease of phosphoenergetic level in regenerating rat-liver was commonly
      suggested by all three analytical methods.

PMID- 1420276
TI  - Long-lived fluorescence lifetime from tyrosine in a peptide derived from S-100b.
AB  - It was shown in an earlier report (Turner et al., 1989, Biochem. Cell Biol. 67;
      179-186) that the anomalous steady-state fluorescence emission spectra observed
      for the protein S-100b in aqueous solution at pH 7.5 contains a long-lived
      fluorescence decay component. In this study, a peptide consisting of residues 11
      to 27 of the beta-subunit, was investigated. 11Ile-Asp-Val-Phe-His15-Gln-Tyr-Ser
      Gly-Arg20-Glu-Gly- Asp-Lys-His25-Lys-Leu27 Fluorescence lifetimes were measured
      at the emission maximum and in the red edge of the spectrum. At wavelengths
      greater than 320 nm, the data was best fit with three exponentials. The third
      exponential gave lifetimes of 13.1 ns and 15.9 ns when the peptide was dissolved
      in the solvents propane-2-ol and propane-1,2-diol, respectively (lambda EX = 275
      nm, lambda EM = 350 nm). These fluorescence lifetimes are similar to that
      observed for a decay component of native S-100b in the red edge of the emission,
      suggesting that the 1 degrees and 2 degrees features of a heptadecapeptide from S
      100b protein has enough structural information when dissolved in solvents of
      intermediate polarity provide appropriate conditions for long-lived fluorescence
      from a tyrosine/tyrosinate species to occur.

PMID- 1420277
TI  - Purification, characterization and partial amino acid sequences of a xylanase
      produced by Penicillium chrysogenum.
AB  - An extracellular xylanase (1,4-beta-D-xylan xylanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.8, endo 1,4
      beta-xylanase) was found to be the major protein in the culture filtrate of
      Penicillium chrysogenum when grown on 1% xylan. In contrast to other
      microorganism no xylanase multiplicity was found in P. chrysogenum under the
      conditions used. This enzyme was purified to homogeneity by high performance
      anion-exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. It had an M(r) of 35,000 as
      estimated by SDS-PAGE and was shown to be active as a monomer. No glycosylation
      of the protein could be detected neither by a sensitive glycostain nor by
      enzymatic deglycosylation studies. The enzyme hydrolyzed oat spelt and birchwood
      xylan randomly, yielding xylose and xylobiose as major end products. It had no
      cellulase, CMCase, beta-xylosidase or arabinogalactanase activity but acted on p
      nitrophenylcellobioside. The pH and temperature optima for its activity were pH
      6.0 and 40 degrees C, respectively. Eight peptides obtained after endoproteinase
      LysC digestion of xylanase have been sequenced, six of them showed considerable
      amino acid similarity to glucanases and high M(r)/acidic xylanases from different
      bacteria, yeasts and fungi.

PMID- 1420278
TI  - Unequivocal evidence in support of the nonenzymatic redox coupling between
      glutathione/glutathione disulfide and ascorbic acid/dehydroascorbic acid.
AB  - Experiments were performed to evaluate the nonenzymatic reaction between
      glutathione (GSH) and dehydroascorbic acid (DHA). Though both ascorbic acid and
      glutathione disulfide (GSSG) are formed from this reaction, previous work has
      focused almost exclusively on measurements of ascorbic acid. In contrast, there
      is very little information about the formation of GSSG under the same conditions
      as those used to produce ascorbic acid. The emphasis on ascorbic acid stems from
      the fact that a spectrophotometric technique is available for its measurement,
      whereas 1H-NMR or an amino acid analyzer has been used to measure GSSG. The
      present experiments use a simple, rapid method for accurately and precisely
      measuring the concentrations of GSSG in a solution. The spectrophotometric (340
      nm) procedure uses NADPH and glutathione reductase; analysis time is very short,
      many replicate samples can be tested and as little as 0.05-0.1 mM GSSG can be
      detected. Using this method, it is shown that there is an equimolar production of
      GSSG and ascorbic acid from GSH and DHA and that the decrease in GSH is
      stoichiometrically related to the increase in the concentration of GSSG. The
      present findings provide additional insight into the interaction between the
      GSH/GSSG redox couple and the ascorbic acid/DHA redox couple.

PMID- 1420279
TI  - Characterisation of chondroitin/dermatan sulphate proteoglycans synthesised by
      rat mammary myoepithelial and fibroblastic cell lines.
AB  - Chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans were isolated from the culture medium of rat
      mammary gland fibroblast (Rama 27) and myoepithelial (Rama 401) cell lines which
      had been labelled with [35S]sulphate. Chromatography on Sepharose CL-4B indicated
      that the Rama 401 proteoglycan was larger than the Rama 27 proteoglycan (Kav
      values 0.47 and 0.56, respectively). Treatment of the proteoglycans with alkaline
      NaBH4 yielded chondroitin sulphate chains with average M(r) values of 37,000
      (Rama 401) and 21,000 (Rama 27). Structural analysis of the glycosaminoglycan
      chains indicated that both were co-polymers of chondroitin and dermatan sulphate
      although there were differences in the amounts and distribution of the
      disaccharide repeating units. The M(r) values of the core proteins, determined by
      immunoblotting, were about 43,000 and 46,000 (Rama 27) and 44,500 (Rama 401).
      Using an antibody to chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan in immunofluorescence
      experiments, the proteoglycan was demonstrated on the surface of both cell lines.
      Rama 27 cells additionally possessed an extensive fibrous extracellular matrix
      which also stained with the antibody. Staining of sections of lactating mammary
      gland suggested that the proteoglycan was present in the basement membrane as
      well as the stromal connective tissue. The presence of chondroitin sulphate
      proteoglycan in the basement membrane was confirmed by ultrastructural
      immunolocalisation.

PMID- 1420281
TI  - Purification and characterization of zeta-crystallin/quinone reductase from
      guinea pig liver.
AB  - zeta-Crystallin, a major lens protein of certain mammalian species, has recently
      been characterized as a novel and active NADPH:quinone oxidoreductase. Here we
      report the purification of this protein from guinea pig liver by utilizing
      sequentially: ammonium sulphate precipitation, Blue Sepharose affinity, cation
      exchange and hydrophobic chromatography steps. This four-step isolation procedure
      yielded 118-fold purification and a specific activity of 6 U/mg protein when
      assayed in the presence of 9,10-phenanthrenequinone. Kinetic, immunological and
      physical properties of this protein have been found to be identical with those of
      guinea pig lens zeta-crystallin. Western blot analysis using antibodies raised
      against zeta-crystallin peptides demonstrated the presence of substantial amounts
      of this protein in human liver homogenates.

PMID- 1420280
TI  - Immunochemical characterization and toxicological significance of P-450HFLb
      purified from human fetal livers.
AB  - Immunochemical properties of P-450HFLb purified from human fetal livers were
      investigated. P-450HFLb cross-reacted with antibodies to rat P-4501A1 but not
      with antibodies to CYP2A6, CYP2C9, CYP3A7 (P-450HFLa) and rat CYP2B1. In
      addition, P-450HFLb also cross-reacted with both monospecific antibodies to rat
      CYP1A1 and CYP1A2. However, P-450HFLb was shown to be an immunochemically
      distinct form of cytochrome P-450 from P-450PA (human CYP1A2). Immunoblot
      analysis of human fetal livers with the antibodies to P-450HFLb showed that P
      450HFLb was expressed in all fetal livers studied although there appeared to be
      individual differences in the amounts of P-450HFLb expressed in fetal livers. The
      formation of mutagens from IQ (but not from AFB1) in fetal liver homogenates was
      inhibited by the antibodies to P-450HFLb in a dose dependent manner. These
      results suggest that P-450HFLb may be a form of human cytochrome P-450 classified
      into CYP1 gene family, and that the cytochrome P-450 is, in part, responsible for
      the mutagenic activation of IQ in human fetal livers as well as CYP3A7 (P
      450HFLa).

PMID- 1420282
TI  - The role of serum and serum components in the merocyanine 540-sensitized
      photoinactivation of K562 leukemia cells.
AB  - Serum is known to inhibit the merocyanine 540 (MC540)-sensitized
      photoinactivation of cells and enveloped viruses in a concentration-dependent
      manner. In diagnostic applications of MC540, a moderate amount of serum or serum
      albumin is frequently added to the staining solution because it enhances the
      contrast between intensely staining cells (e.g., electrically excitable cells or
      leukemia cells) and cells with a lower affinity for the dye (e.g., nonexcitable
      cells, red cells, normal leukocytes). In this communication we report on a
      quantitative analysis of the interactions of MC540 with serum and serum
      components. Human serum inhibited the MC540-sensitized photoinactivation of K562
      leukemia cells most effectively, followed in order of decreasing potency by calf,
      newborn calf, horse, and fetal bovine serum. The photoprotective capacity of
      these five sera was directly proportional to their albumin content. Gel
      filtration experiments and differential spectroscopy showed that MC540 bound to
      serum albumin and lipoproteins. Both delipidated and lipidated albumin were
      capable of binding MC540. However, lipidated albumin had a considerably higher
      binding capacity and affinity for dye molecules.

PMID- 1420283
TI  - Measurement of the formation of betaine aldehyde and betaine in rat liver
      mitochondria by a high pressure liquid chromatography-radioenzymatic assay.
AB  - A new assay procedure for measurement of rat liver mitochondrial choline
      dehydrogenase was developed. Oxidation of [methyl-14C]choline to [methyl
      14C]betaine aldehyde and [methyl-14C]betaine was measured after isolating these
      compounds using HPLC. We observed that NAD+ was required for conversion of
      betaine aldehyde to betaine in rat liver mitochondria. In the absence of this
      cofactor, oxidation of choline led to the accumulation of betaine aldehyde. The
      apparent Km of the mitochondrial choline dehydrogenase for choline was 0.14-0.27
      mM, which is significantly lower than previously reported. A partially purified
      preparation of choline dehydrogenase catalyzed betaine aldehyde formation only in
      the presence of exogenous electron acceptors (e.g., phenazine methosulfate). This
      preparation failed to catalyze the formation of betaine even in the presence of
      NAD+, indicating that betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase may be a separate enzyme
      from choline dehydrogenase.

PMID- 1420284
TI  - Mammalian lipoxygenases: molecular structures and functions.

PMID- 1420285
TI  - Hypertriglyceridemia is exacerbated by slow lipolysis of triacylglycerol-rich
      lipoproteins in fed but not fasted streptozotocin diabetic rats.
AB  - Hydrolysis by endothelial lipases of triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins of
      diabetic origin were compared to lipoproteins of non-diabetic origin. The plasma
      lipoprotein fraction of density < 1.006 g/ml, including chylomicrons and VLDL,
      were incubated in vitro with post-heparin plasma (PHP) lipases. The lipoproteins
      of diabetic origin were hydrolysed at a significantly slower rate than
      lipoproteins from normal rats by the lipoprotein lipase component of PHP.
      However, if rats were fasted for 16 h prior to lipoprotein recovery, no
      differences in rates of VLDL hydrolysis were observed. Slower hydrolysis of
      lipoproteins of diabetic origin reflected a decrease in the apolipoprotein
      CII/CIII ratio and other changes in the apolipoprotein profile. To assess whether
      diabetic rats were less able to clear triacylglycerol independent of changes in
      the nature of the lipoproteins, we monitored the clearance of chylomicron-like
      lipid emulsions in hepatectomized rats. In vivo, emulsion triacylglycerol
      hydrolysis was not slowed due to diabetes. However, control and diabetic rats,
      which had been fasted for 16 h, cleared triacylglycerol at about twice the rate
      of fed rats. Triacylglycerol secretion rates in diabetic and control rats were
      similar, whether fed or fasted. We conclude that in streptozocin diabetic rats,
      hypertriglyceridemia was not due to overproduction of chylomicron- or VLDL
      triacylglycerol, nor to decreased endothelial lipase activities. Rather, in fed
      diabetic rats, the triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins are poorer substrates for
      lipoprotein lipase. This may lead to slower formation of remnants which would
      exacerbate slow remnant removal. VLDL of diabetic origin were hydrolysed as
      efficiently as VLDL from control donors, suggesting that in the fed state the
      lipolytic defect may be specific for chylomicrons.

PMID- 1420287
TI  - Modified apolipoprotein pattern after irradiation of human high-density
      lipoproteins by ultraviolet B.
AB  - The ultraviolet B-induced destruction of tryptophan residues and lipid
      peroxidation of high-density lipoproteins is accompanied by the immediate and
      marked structural modification of the apolipoproteins, as revealed by SDS
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblot with specific monoclonal
      antibodies. Formation of several polymers of apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein A
      II or both apolipoproteins occurred, although apolipoprotein A-II did not contain
      any Trp residue. These results suggest that initial photochemical damage can be
      transferred via intramacromolecular processes to other sites within the same
      apolipoprotein and by intermacromolecular reactions from apolipoprotein A-I to
      other apolipoproteins. In both cases, lipid peroxidation enhances the propagation
      of the initial photochemical damage. The physiological significance of this work
      is discussed with respect to the low-light doses required for the alterations of
      the high-density lipoproteins.

PMID- 1420286
TI  - Oxidized HDL are much less cytotoxic to lymphoblastoid cells than oxidized LDL.
AB  - The possible effect of oxidized HDL was investigated on lymphoblastoid cells, in
      comparison to the cytotoxic effect of oxidized LDL. Oxidation of HDL was promoted
      by UV-C irradiation, or by copper ion (5 microM) or the combination of the two
      treatments. HDL extensively treated by UV-C for 20 h did not exhibit any
      cytotoxic effect on cultured lymphoblastoid cells even at a concentration of 500
      micrograms apolipoprotein A-I/ml. In contrast to UV-treated (2 h) LDL, which were
      highly cytotoxic (already at a concentration of 100 micrograms apolipoprotein
      B/ml), HDL treated by copper or copper + UV were oxidized, as shown by TBARS
      formation and PUFA content decrease, but were slightly cytotoxic.

PMID- 1420288
TI  - Opposite regulation of hepatic lipase and lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase
      by glucocorticoids in rats.
AB  - Rats were treated with hydrocortisone, dexamethasone or triamcinolone for 4 days.
      The effect of treatment on hepatic lipase and lecithin:cholesterol
      acyltransferase (LCAT) mRNA levels and catalytic activities was determined.
      Hepatic lipase mRNA was not affected by hydrocortisone, but was decreased after
      dexamethasone (-28%) and triamcinolone (-54%). Hepatic lipase activity followed
      the same pattern, it was not affected by hydrocortisone and lowered by
      dexamethasone (-38%) and triamcinolone (-70%). The LCAT mRNA level in the liver
      was also not affected by hydrocortisone, but increased upon treatment with
      dexamethasone (+22%) and triamcinolone (+72%). Plasma LCAT, determined with an
      excess exogenous substrate (designated LCAT-II), tended to decrease after
      hydrocortisone treatment (-11%) and was higher after dexamethasone (+21%) and
      triamcinolone (+22%). The plasma cholesterol esterification rate (designated LCAT
      I), determined by incubation of the plasma at 37 degrees C, followed the same
      pattern. The activity ratio of hepatic lipase/LCAT-II decreased from 1 in the
      controls to 0.51 after dexamethasone and 0.25 in the triamcinolone-treated
      animals. The plasma HDL cholesterol concentration in the different groups changed
      oppositely to the hepatic lipase/LCAT activity ratio. It is concluded that HDL
      cholesterol is raised by synthetic glucocorticoids due, among other factors, to a
      lowered hepatic lipase and an increased plasma LCAT activity. The influence of
      glucocorticoids on these enzymes is, at least partly, explained by the effects on
      the hepatic mRNA contents.

PMID- 1420290
TI  - Effects of 2-tetradecylglycidic acid on rat platelet energy metabolism and
      aggregation.
AB  - We investigated the role of energy supplied by long-chain fatty acid oxidation in
      rat platelet function. Inhibition of the mitochondrial uptake of long-chain fatty
      acids was achieved by treating rats with 2-tetradecylglycidic acid (TDGA), a
      potent inhibitor of the overt form of carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT-I). The
      maximum aggregation rate (MAR), CPT-I activity, lactate production, oxygen
      consumption and adenine nucleotide content of isolated rat platelets were then
      studied in vitro. 4 h after the in vivo administration of TDGA, the CPT-I
      activity in saponin-permeabilized platelets was nearly completely inhibited along
      with a significant reduction in the MAR induced by ADP, thrombin and ionophore
      A23187. The ATP level, adenylate energy charge (ATP + 1/2 ADP)/(ATP + ADP + AMP)
      and ATP/ADP ratio in the platelet cytoplasmic pool were also reduced. Platelets
      from TDGA-treated rats showed lower oxygen consumption rates in both the basal
      respiratory and oxygen burst states. These results indicate that mitochondrial
      long-chain fatty acid oxidation coupled to oxidative phosphorylation is an
      important energy source in rat platelets and is probably involved in the
      maintenance of platelet function. Enhanced in vitro lactate production in
      platelets from TDGA-treated rats may have resulted from a compensatory increase
      in glycolysis which only partly compensated for impaired long-chain fatty acid
      oxidation.

PMID- 1420289
TI  - Effect of interleukin-1 alpha on lipoprotein lipids in cynomolgus monkeys:
      comparison to tumor necrosis factor.
AB  - Acute inflammation is associated with changes in lipoprotein metabolism.
      Cytokines are thought to mediate the metabolic effects of the inflammatory
      process. This study was undertaken to compare the effects of interleukin-1 alpha
      (IL-1 alpha) to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) on lipoprotein metabolism in non
      human primates. Recombinant human IL-1 alpha (100 micrograms/kg), TNF alpha (20
      micrograms/kg) and lipopolysaccharide (20 micrograms/kg) were injected into
      cynomolgus monkeys. Lipoprotein concentrations, plasma activities of post-heparin
      lipase (PHLA) and lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) were measured prior
      to and 24 and 48 h after, injection. All three injections caused afebrile
      response in the animals. Interleukin-1 alpha had no effect on plasma lipoprotein
      concentrations, composition of lipoproteins or enzyme activity. In contrast,
      injection of TNF caused significant changes in lipoprotein concentrations. There
      was a 38% increase in plasma triacylglycerol and 30% decrease in plasma
      cholesterol at 48 h after injection. Concentrations of apolipoproteins A-I and B
      were decreased 20% and 44%, respectively, at 48 h. Compositional analyses of
      lipoprotein particles after TNF injection showed that both the LDL and HDL
      particles had decreased content of cholesterol ester and increased
      triacylglycerol after injection, and plasma activities of PHLA and LCAT were
      decreased. These changes were qualitatively similar to those seen after LPS
      injection. These data suggest that, unlike TNF, IL-1 alpha is not an important
      mediator of the inflammatory process on lipoprotein metabolism in cynomolgus
      monkeys.

PMID- 1420291
TI  - Lipid composition, phospholipid profile and fatty acid of rat caecal mucosa.
AB  - In this study, we examined the lipid composition of rat caecal mucosa, including
      the fatty acid composition of major phospholipid classes. Phospholipids accounted
      for 90% of the total lipid, with cholesterol, triacylglycerols, diacylglycerols,
      fatty acids and cholesterol ester making up the remainder. Therefore, a
      phospholipid to neutral lipid ration of 9:1 was found. Phosphatidylethanolamine
      was the predominant phospholipid, with phosphatidylcholine as the second most
      abundant phospholipid. Cardiolipin, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol and
      lysophosphatidylcholine were present in lesser amounts. Sphingomyelin and
      lysophosphatidylethanolamine were only detected in trace amounts. The major fatty
      acids present in both the lipid and all phospholipid fractions were palmitate,
      stearate, oleate, linoleate and arachidonate. Other fatty acids of chain length
      greater than C20 were only detected in phospholipid fraction and accounted for <
      5% of the total fatty acids in this fraction. However, 11.10% of 22:6 (n-3) and
      7.17% of 24:0 were detected in phosphatidylserine and lysophosphatidylcholine,
      respectively. The results are discussed in terms of their possible physiological
      significance.

PMID- 1420293
TI  - Inhibition by serum components of oxidation and collagen-binding of low-density
      lipoprotein.
AB  - Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is oxidized by cellular and noncellular mechanisms,
      both leading to an increased binding to collagen. We have investigated the effect
      of serum on lipid peroxidation, apoprotein oxidation and the binding of oxidized
      apoprotein to collagen. During noncellular oxidation, lipoprotein-deficient serum
      strongly inhibited all three processes. The serum fraction of M(r) > 100,000 was
      equally inhibitory; this effect was not due to alpha 1 or gamma globulins, alpha
      2 macroglobulins, haptoglobins or ceruloplasmin. The serum fraction of M(r)
      30,000-100,000 stimulated the binding of oxidized apoprotein but the albumin in
      this fraction inhibited lipid peroxidation and apoprotein oxidation. Serum
      ultrafiltrate (M(r) < 1000) inhibited lipid and protein oxidation, and binding;
      the inhibitory effect was abolished by deionization which removed histidine. The
      effects of lipoprotein-deficient serum and its fractions on cellular oxidation
      were similar but weaker than those on noncellular oxidation, HDL inhibited
      noncellular oxidation as well as binding of oxidized apoprotein. VLDL also
      inhibited oxidation; this could not be accounted for by its content of apo B. If
      present in vivo, these inhibitory effects would completely suppress both cellular
      and noncellular oxidation of LDL and its subsequent binding to collagen.

PMID- 1420292
TI  - Hypoxia increases stimulus-induced PAF production and release from human
      umbilical vein endothelial cells.
AB  - Hypoxia alters endothelial cell function and metabolism. Since PAF is synthesized
      by endothelial cells and capable of modulating endothelial cell responses, we
      investigated the effect of hypoxia on synthesis and release of PAF from
      endothelial cells. We found: (1) Approx. 90% of the radylPAF derivative in
      stimulated endothelial cells is acylPAF. (2) Acute hypoxic (15 min-1 h) priming
      increased ionophore- and thrombin-induced radylPAF accumulation. (3) Long-term
      hypoxic exposure increased radylPAF accumulation at 24 and 48 h in the presence
      of ionophore. (4) Bioactive PAF was released into media and hypoxia and ionophore
      synergistically increased PAF release. (5) Hypoxia and ionophore stimulation
      increased phospholipase A2 activity and decreased acetylhydrolase activity in
      endothelial cells. We conclude that hypoxia and ionophore increase PAF synthesis
      and release from endothelial cells.

PMID- 1420294
TI  - Isolation and properties of gamma-tocopherol methyltransferase in Euglena
      gracilis.
AB  - Gamma-Tocopherol methyltransferase (EC2.1.1.-), which catalyzes the conversion of
      gamma-tocopherol into alpha-tocopherol, was present in a cell homogenate of
      Euglena gracilis. The enzyme was loosely bonded to the outer membrane of
      chloroplasts and solubilized from chloroplast membranes by a detergent, followed
      by partial purification in a three-step procedure. The methyltransferase showed a
      pH optimum of 7.5 and a temperature optimum of 35 degrees C and had an M(r) of
      150,000. The activity was about 1.4-fold higher with gamma-tocopherol than with
      beta-tocopherol as substrate. The enzyme was specific for S-adenosylmethionine as
      a methyl donor, with a Km value of 50 microM. The addition of homogentisate, L
      tyrosine and L-phenylalanine into a suspension of Euglena cells increased the
      relative pool sizes of alpha- and gamma-tocopherol, but not those of beta- and
      delta-tocopherol. The contents of alpha- and gamma-tocopherol in a chloroplast
      fraction of Euglena were always higher than those of any other fraction after any
      period of incubation with homogentisate. Based on the results of the present
      experiments, we propose a biosynthetic pathway of alpha-tocopherol in Euglena
      gracilis.

PMID- 1420295
TI  - Black lipid membranes of tetraether lipids from Thermoplasma acidophilum.
AB  - Black lipid membranes were formed of tetraether lipids from Thermoplasma
      acidophilum and compared to the bilayer forming lipids
      diphytanoylphosphatidylcholine and diphythanylglucosylglycerol. Bilayer-forming
      lipids varied in thickness of black lipid membranes due to the organic solvent
      used. Measurements of the specific membrane capacitance (Cm = 0.744 microF/cm2)
      showed that the membrane-spanning tetraether lipids from Thermoplasma acidophilum
      form a monolayer of a constant thickness of 2.5-3.0 nm no matter from which
      solvent. This finding corresponds to the results of Gliozzi et al. for the lipids
      of another archaebacterium, Sulfolobus solfataricus. Black lipid membranes were
      formed at room temperature with a torus from bilayer-forming lipids, however, the
      torus could also be formed by the tetraether-lipid itself at room temperature and
      at defined concentration. In these stable black lipid membranes, conductance was
      measured in the presence of valinomycin, nonactin, and gramicidin. At 10(-7) M
      concentration, valinomycin mediated higher conductance in membranes from
      tetraether lipids (200-1200 microS/cm2) than from bilayer-forming lipids (125-480
      microS/cm2). Nonactin, at 10(-6) M concentration, mediated a 6-fold higher
      conductance in a tetraether lipid membrane than in a bilayer, whereas
      conductance, in the presence of 5 x 10(-11) M gramicidin could reach higher
      values in bilayers than in tetraether lipid monolayers of comparable thickness.
      Monensin did not increase the conductance of black lipid membranes from
      tetraether lipids under all conditions applied in our experiments. Poly(L-lysine)
      destroyed black lipid membranes. Lipopolysaccharides from Thermoplasma
      acidophilum were not able to form stable black lipid membranes by themselves. The
      lipopolysaccharide complexes from Thermoplasma acidophilum and from Escherichia
      coli decreased the valinomycin-mediated conductance of monolayer and bilayer
      membranes. This influence was stronger than that of the polysaccharide dextran.

PMID- 1420296
TI  - Phospholipid modifications during conversion of hepatic myofibroblasts into
      lipocytes (Ito-cells).
AB  - Connective tissue cells of liver parenchyma (perisinusoidal myofibroblasts) can
      be induced to express the lipocyte (Ito cell) phenotype. We have studied
      phospholipid synthesis and phosphate incorporation during this in vitro
      conversion, induced by insulin and/or indomethacin, in the established murine
      cell line GRX. Phospholipid synthesis, measured by [14C]acetate incorporation,
      was increased after a full induction of the lipocyte phenotype. The 32Pi
      incorporation into phospholipids was increased from the beginning of induction.
      Phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylinositol synthesis were increased early in the
      induction, whilst the increase of major constitutive phospholipids was
      significant only after the full lipocyte phenotype induction. The presence of
      unsaturated fatty acids in phospholipids was increased in lipocytes. Linoleic
      acid was present only in diacylglycerols and in phosphatidylinositol. Since we
      have shown previously that linoleic acid was not present in triacylglycerols,
      this result indicates the importance of future studies on activation of
      phosphatidylinositol cycles in induction of lipocyte phenotype in liver
      connective tissue cells.

PMID- 1420297
TI  - Interaction between high-density lipoprotein subpopulations in apo B-free and
      abetalipoproteinemic plasma.
AB  - Two populations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles exist in human
      plasma. Both contain apolipoprotein (apo) A-I, but only one contains apo A-II:
      Lp(AI w AII) and Lp(AI w/o AII). To study the extent of interaction between these
      particles, apo B-free plasma prepared by the selective removal of apo B
      containing lipoproteins (LpB) from the plasma of three normolipidemic (NL)
      subjects and whole plasma from two patients with abetalipoproteinemia (ABL) were
      incubated at 37 degrees C for 24 h. Apo B-free plasma samples were used to avoid
      lipid-exchange between HDL and LpB. Lp(AI w AII) and Lp(AI w/o AII) were isolated
      from each apo B-free plasma sample before and after incubation and their protein
      and lipid contents quantified. Before incubation, ABL plasma had reduced levels
      of Lp(AI w AII) and Lp(AI w/o AII), (40% and 70% of normals, respectively).
      Compared to the HDL of apo B-free NL plasma, ABL HDL had higher relative contents
      of free cholesterol, phospholipid and total lipid, and contained more particles
      with apparent hydrated Stokes diameter in the 9.2-17.0 nm region. These
      differences were particularly pronounced in particles without apo A-II. Despite
      their differences, the total cholesterol contents of Lp(AI w AII) increased,
      while that of Lp(AI w/o AII) decreased in all five plasma samples and the amount
      of apo A-I in Lp(AI w AII) increased by 6-8 mg/dl in four during the incubation.
      These compositional changes were accompanied by a relative reduction of particles
      in the 7.0-8.2 nm Stokes diameter size region and an increase of particles in the
      9.2-11.2 nm region. These data are consistent with intravascular modulation
      between HDL particles with and without apo A-II. The observed increase in apo A
      II-associated cholesterol and apo A-I, could involve either the transfer of
      cholesterol and apo A-I from particles without apo A-II to those with A-II, or
      the transfer of apo A-II from Lp(AI w AII) to Lp(AI w/o AII). The exact mechanism
      and direction of the transfer remain to be determined.

PMID- 1420298
TI  - The phosphonic acid analog of phosphatidylglycerol phosphate: influence on
      Escherichia coli growth and physiology.
AB  - At 20 microM, rac-3,4-dihydroxybutyl-1-phosphonate (DBP) has only a slight
      bacteriostatic effect on Escherichia coli. However, cells lose viability when the
      medium also contains either 20 mM magnesium or calcium ions. Magnesium ions
      stimulate the incorporation of DBP into (1,2-diacyl)-sn-glycerol-D-4'
      phosphoryloxy-3'-hydroxybutyl-1'-pho sphonate, the phosphonate analog of
      phosphatidylglycerol phosphate. Much higher DBP concentrations are needed to
      block the growth of a pgsA3 mutant than to block the growth of an isogenic wild
      type strain. The DBP-treated pgsA mutant also has a much higher survival rate
      when stored in the cold than does the DBP-treated wild-type strain. Furthermore,
      the pgsA3 mutant grows normally in the presence of DBP and magnesium ions.
      Treatment with DBP and magnesium ions does not appear to disrupt the cell's inner
      or outer membranes. However, it does block macromolecular and phosphoglyceride
      synthesis. A combination of 20 microM rac-DBP and 0.5 mM spermidine or 0.125 mM
      spermine is bacteriostatic. These studies indicate that the PGP analog
      contributes to DBP's bacteriostatic effect when the growth medium contains low
      concentrations of magnesium or calcium ions and is responsible for its
      bactericidal effect when the medium contains high concentrations of these ions.

PMID- 1420300
TI  - Essential fatty acid metabolism in cultured human airway epithelial cells.
AB  - To characterize essential fatty acid metabolism of human airway epithelium, we
      examined the capacity of epithelial cells to incorporate and desaturate/elongate
      18:2(n - 6) and the turnover of phospholipid fatty acyl chains in these cells.
      Epithelial cells were cultured for 5-7 days and incubated with [1-14C]18:2(n - 6)
      (1 microCi, 100 nmol). The essential fatty acid profile of the cells was readily
      modified by 18:2(n - 6) supplementation to culture medium. After 4 h incubation,
      32 +/- 5.6 nmol of [1-14C]18:2(n - 6) was incorporated into phospholipids (65 +/-
      9.5%, of which 74% was incorporated into phosphatidylcholine (PC)) and neutral
      lipid (31 +/- 10%) per mg protein of cultured cells. 30 +/- 8% of [1-14C]18:2(n -
      6) incorporated, was converted to homologous trienes, tetraenes and pentaenes,
      the major products being 20:3(n - 6) and 20:4(n - 6). The conversion of 18:2(n -
      6) was time-dependent and donor age-related. A higher proportion of 20:3(n - 6)
      and 20:4(n - 6) was incorporated into phosphatidylinositol (PI) and
      phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). About 10-15% of total products formed from 18:2(n 
      6) was released from membrane to culture medium. Both 20:4(n - 6) and 20:5(n -
      3) inhibited 18:2(n - 6) incorporation and desaturation. Rate of incorporation of
      18:2(n - 6) was more than either 18:1(n - 9) or 16:0. With pulse-chase studies,
      the half-life of 18:2(n - 6) in PC, PI and PE was estimated to be 5.5, 6.0 and
      7.3 h, respectively. These data indicate active metabolism of essential fatty
      acids in human airway epithelial cells. This metabolism may play a key role in
      the regulation of membrane properties and function in these cells.

PMID- 1420299
TI  - LCAT activation properties of apo A-I CNBr fragments and conversion of discoidal
      complexes into spherical particles.
AB  - We studied the substrate properties of the phospholipid-cholesterol
      apolipoprotein complexes generated with apo A-I, apo A-I-CNBr fragments, apo A-II
      and apo A-IV for cholesterol esterification by the enzyme lecithin-cholesterol
      acyltransferase (LCAT). The kinetic parameters determined with the different
      complexes as substrates, showed that the complexes containing apo A-I and apo A
      IV were about 40-times more efficient than those generated with the apo A-I
      fragments. In this system, the substrates containing apo A-II had the lowest
      efficiency. In spite of the differences in the kinetic parameters observed with
      the various apolipoprotein-lipid complexes, the cholesterol inserted in the
      complexes was esterified for more than 90% after 24 h in all systems studied.
      Based upon the results of the kinetic experiments, we followed the transformation
      of the discoidal complexes into spherical particles, due to the formation of a
      cholesteryl esters core, in the presence of low-density lipoproteins as an
      external source of cholesterol. We observed the formation of spherical particles
      by electron microscopy, after incubation of the discoidal complexes with LCAT for
      24 h. The average percentage of cholesteryl esters in the converted particles was
      around 60% of the total cholesterol, varying between 40% for the apo A-I-CNBr-1
      DPPC-cholesterol complex and up to 86% for the apo A-I-DPPC-cholesterol complex.
      The secondary structure of protein in the complexes was not significantly
      modified. However, the phospholipid phase transition disappeared, together with
      the parallel orientation of the phospholipid acyl chains with the helical
      segments of the apolipoproteins, as the phospholipids are organized in a
      monolayer at the surface of the spheres.

PMID- 1420301
TI  - Low temperature-induced fatty acid desaturation in Brassica napus: thermal
      deactivation and reactivation of the process.
AB  - When Brassica napus plants are grown at low temperatures (e.g., 5 degrees C) the
      rate of desaturation in leaves of newly formed fatty acids in both chloroplastic
      (MGDG) and cytosolic (PC) diacylglycerols is higher or more rapid than in plants
      grown at higher temperatures (e.g., 30 degrees C). This low temperature-induced
      increase in the rate of desaturation is lost within hours if plants are
      transferred to higher temperatures. However, if plants are then returned to low
      temperatures they regain the ability to rapidly desaturate fatty acids. This
      process is restored relatively slowly (over days) in contrast to the more rapid
      loss at high temperatures. This has important physiological consequences on the
      level of unsaturated fatty acids in plant membranes and the process of
      temperature control of the fatty acid composition of membrane lipids.

PMID- 1420302
TI  - Action of lysosomal phospholipase A1 on bis(monoacylglycerol)phosphate.
AB  - Bis(monoacylglycerol)phosphate (BMP) in macrophages is known to rapidly turn over
      its acyl moiety(s) located at primary positions of the glycerols, yet the
      glycerols and phosphate remain stable within the BMP molecule. Here we examine
      whether the phospholipase A1 isolated from rat-liver lysosomes is capable of
      deacylating BMP. By comparison with the precursor of BMP, phosphatidylglycerol,
      BMP is a very poor substrate for the phospholipase A1. We conclude, therefore,
      that a direct deacylation of the acyl groups at the primary alcohol level of the
      glycerol probably does not occur, but postulate that transacylations may occur to
      account for the removal of the acyl moiety.

PMID- 1420304
TI  - Nitrogen chemical structure in DNA and related molecules by X-ray absorption
      spectroscopy.
AB  - The electronic environment of nitrogen in nucleic acid bases, nucleotides,
      polynucleotides and DNA has been studied, for the first time using X-Ray
      Absorption Near-Edge Spectroscopy (XANES). Generally, the spectra of these
      complex molecules consist of low energy bands corresponding to 1s-->pi*
      transitions and high energy bands corresponding to 1s-->sigma* transition, as
      illustrated using several nitrogen model compounds. The 1s-->pi* transitions show
      particular sensitivity to the chemical environment of the nitrogen. Oxygen
      substitution on ring carbon atoms generally results in a significant blue shift
      of the lowest 1s-->pi* bands while halogen substitution results in a small blue
      shift. These observations illustrate the significance of the disturbance of the
      aromatic ring system produced by exocyclic carbonyl groups. Direct substitution
      on the nitrogen frequently results in significant spectral perturbations.
      Differences between the spectra of the polynucleotides and the sums of spectra of
      the individual nucleotides point to the effects of hydrogen-bonding in
      complementary double-helix structures. The XANES spectrum of a DNA sample with a
      known ratio of the polynucleotides is equivalent to the weighted sum of the
      spectra of individual polynucleotides, indicating that the difference in base
      stacking interactions produces negligible spectral effects. The variability of
      nitrogen K-edge spectra in these samples and in protein may be useful for
      chemically specific imaging using X-ray microscopes.

PMID- 1420303
TI  - Identification of a developmentally regulated gene in the mouse central nervous
      system which encodes a novel proline rich protein.
AB  - A full length cDNA whose corresponding mRNA is down-regulated during the mouse
      embryonic brain development was isolated. The cDNA contains a single long open
      reading frame which could encode a protein with relative molecular mass of 41
      kDa. The predicted gene product contains long stretches of prolines towards the
      NH2-terminus, followed by a leucine/proline rich region. The cDNA probe detected
      a number of mRNA species in Northern blot analysis. The reverse transcriptase
      polymerase chain reaction analysis of mRNA from adult mouse tissues indicated
      that heart and testis expressed this gene (named NDPP-1) at relatively high
      levels, while lower levels of mRNA were detected in a number of other tissues.
      Expression of NDPP-1 was also detected in embryonic carcinoma and
      pheochromocytoma cell lines, but not in fibroblasts. The cDNA hybridized to
      genomic DNA from several vertebrates species in Southern blot analysis indicating
      interspecies conservation of this gene. The interesting pattern of expression of
      the NDPP-1 gene during mouse brain development and the structure of its putative
      protein product indicate that this gene may play an important biological role in
      the development of mouse central nervous system.

PMID- 1420305
TI  - Expression of heme oxygenase and its RNA in mouse liver after injection of heme
      and splenectomy.
AB  - Heme is known to activate the HO (heme oxygenase) gene in cultured cells, but
      little is known about the effect of heme on the HO gene in intact organisms. The
      expressions of HO and its RNA in mouse liver were measured using mouse HO cDNA
      and HO antibody after injection of heme or splenectomy. The antibody was prepared
      against a beta-galactosidase-HO hybrid protein made in Escherichia coli. The HO
      mRNA level increased to a maximum 15 h after heme injection. In contrast,
      expression of HO was maximal about 45 h after heme injection. Essentially the
      same results were obtained in mice after splenectomy. These results suggest that
      the HO gene in mouse liver was activated by the injection of heme and
      splenectomy.

PMID- 1420306
TI  - Structural organization of a nuclear gene for the alpha-subunit of the bovine
      mitochondrial ATP synthase complex.
AB  - The structural organization of an expressed bovine gene (ATPA1) that encodes an
      isoform of the alpha-subunit of the mitochondrial F0F1 ATP synthase was
      determined. The gene extends over 10 kilobase-pairs and is divided into 12 exons.
      The first exon encodes the 5' untranslated region and approximately one-half of
      the presequence that targets this protein to the mitochondrion. The remainder of
      the presequence, together with three amino acids of the mature protein, are
      encoded by exon 2. Primer extension and nuclease protection analyses revealed
      multiple sites of transcription initiation. The 5' flanking region of the ATPA1
      gene can drive the transcription of a reporter gene in an orientation-dependent
      manner. This promoter region contains several sequence elements which might play
      an important role in regulating the expression of this gene, including possible
      TATA and CCAAT boxes, putative Sp1-binding sites, and sequences resembling AP-1,
      AP-2, AP-4 and cAMP-responsive elements. The ATPA1 gene also contains sequences
      homologous to several motifs that are shared among some nuclear genes encoding
      mitochondrial proteins. These include Mt1, Mt3, Mt4, a respiratory enhancer, and
      NRF-2 sites. Tissue-specific differences in the ATPA1 mRNA levels were observed
      with high levels found in skeletal muscle and heart, and lower levels in other
      tissues.

PMID- 1420307
TI  - In vitro expression and secretion of functional mammalian intrinsic factor using
      recombinant baculovirus.
AB  - Intrinsic factor was produced at levels of 1-2 mg per 1 (0.25 micrograms per
      10(6) cells) by growth of recombinant baculovirus-infected Sf9 cells in spinner
      culture. The recombinant IF showed a binding affinity for cobalamin (2.6.10(-10)
      M) and for the intrinsic factor-cobalamin receptor (3.5.10(-10) M) nearly
      identical with native IF. Purification of the recombinant intrinsic factor could
      be accomplished by affinity chromatography, but final purification by gel
      chromatography (FPLC) was necessary to separate intrinsic factor from a 62 kDa
      protein secreted from uninfected Sf9 cells. This protein binds selectively to the
      cobalamin-Sepharose column, but demonstrates no cobalamin binding activity after
      elution. Microgram quantities of radiolabelled protein could be produced for
      metabolic and autoradiographic studies. The stability of intrinsic factor to
      pancreatic proteinases was nearly identical with human gastric intrinsic factor,
      both native and recombinant as produced in mammalian cells. Glycosylation of the
      intrinsic factor was demonstrated by lectin binding to the recombinant protein
      separated on SDS-PAGE, and by a shift in apparent molecular mass from 47 kDa to
      43 kDa following treatment of Sf9 cells with tunicamycin. Most of the recombinant
      IF was produced by Sf9 cells in the first 48 h post infection.

PMID- 1420308
TI  - Binding of GDP to a ribosomal protein after elongation factor-2 dependent GTP
      hydrolysis.
AB  - Incubation of 80S ribosomes with a substoichiometric amount of [alpha-32P]GTP and
      with eEF-2 resulted in the specific labeling of one ribosomal protein which
      migrated very close to the position of the acidic phosphoprotein P2 from the 60S
      subunit in two-dimensional isofocusing-SDS gel electrophoresis. Localization of
      protein P2 in this electrophoretic system was ascertained by correlation with its
      position in the standard two-dimensional acidic-SDS gel electrophoresis after its
      specific phosphorylation by casein kinase II. Labeling of the ribosomal protein
      was dependent on the presence of eEF-2, and could be attributed to [alpha-32P]GDP
      binding from the results of chase experiments and HPLC identification, this
      binding being very likely responsible for the slight shift in the
      electrophoretical position of the protein. Incubation of ribosomes with tRNA(Phe)
      in the absence of mRNA induced the release of the bound GDP.

PMID- 1420309
TI  - Regulation of translation and proteolysis during the development of embryonic
      dorso-ventral polarity in Drosophila. Homology of easter proteinase with Limulus
      proclotting enzyme and translational activation of Toll receptor synthesis.
AB  - The generation of dorso-ventral polarity during Drosophila embryogenesis is
      regulated by the action of 12 maternally expressed gene products, the dorsal
      group. These products act together to form a dorso-ventral nuclear gradient of
      the transcription factor dorsal. At least three of the dorsal group genes (snake,
      easter and gastrulation defective) encode secreted serine proteinases which
      probably function during early development in the perivitelline compartment of
      the embryo. Here, we report that the easter proteinase is homologous in its light
      chain sequence to the haemocyte proclotting enzyme (PCE) of the Japanese
      horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus. PCE is the terminal member of a
      proteolytic cascade activated in response to microbial polysaccharides and acts
      to cleave coagulogen, an invertebrate equivalent of fibrinogen. On the basis of
      this homology we are able to predict with confidence the overall primary
      structure of the easter proteinase, its mode of activation and its substrate
      specificity. The result also suggests that easter functions zygotically in
      haemocytes in a Drosophila defence response analogous to that found in
      Tachypleus. We also show here that the Toll receptor protein is absent in early
      cleavage embryos but accumulates rapidly at the syncitial blastoderm stage, the
      developmental stage at which its function is required. This finding suggests that
      translation of Toll mRNA is regulated in response to fertilisation and egg
      deposition. These two observations are consistent with a model of dorso-ventral
      pattern formation in which a proteolytic cascade is activated uniformly in the
      perivitelline compartment of the embryo and causes the release of ventrally
      localised ligands of the Toll receptor. A possible alternative model in which a
      proteolytic cascade is activated in response to a ventrally restricted signal is
      also discussed.

PMID- 1420311
TI  - Unusual sequences of two old, inactive human Alu repeats.
AB  - Two human Alu repeats terminating in an oligo(T) run rather than the usual A-rich
      3' tail were isolated by library screening. Base sequence comparisons reveal that
      these unusual Alus are also exceptionally divergent from other Alu family members
      implying that they are evolutionarily old. Unlike other members of the family,
      they are not transcribed in vitro by RNA polymerase III (Pol III) suggesting a
      partial explanation for how Alu source genes might become inactive with age.

PMID- 1420310
TI  - Isolation of cDNA clone encoding rat senescence marker protein-30 (SMP30) and its
      tissue distribution.
AB  - We have isolated and characterized two cDNA clones encoding senescence marker
      protein-30 (SMP30), the amounts of which are known to decrease androgen
      independently with aging in the livers of rats. Of these cDNA clones, one
      consisted of 1588 bp nucleotides and the other of 1195 bp nucleotides generated
      by alternative polyadenylation. These two cDNA clones shared the same open
      reading frame, but the larger species had 393 bp nucleotides of 3' untranslated
      region in addition to the first polyadenylation site of smaller species. Northern
      hybridization analysis showed that two species of mRNA (1.7 kb and 1.4 kb)
      located in the liver and kidney were consistent with these short and long forms
      of cDNA. The open reading frame, 897 bp could encode 299 amino acids. The
      estimated molecular weight and pI of the deduced polypeptide were 33,387 and 5.1,
      respectively. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis confirmed that SMP30 was
      preferentially localized in the hepatocytes and renal proximal tubular
      epithelium. Genomic Southern hybridization analysis demonstrated that SMP30 was
      widely conserved among higher animals. A computer-assisted homology analysis of
      nucleic acid and protein databases revealed no remarkable homology with other
      known proteins. Therefore, SMP30 seems to be a novel protein. In addition, the
      existence of putative A-U rich mRNA degradation signals and protein degradation
      signals (PEST sequence) in the structure of SMP30 may suggest important
      regulatory function of this unique protein manifested by changes in its
      concentrations.

PMID- 1420312
TI  - Improved plasmids containing the Escherichia coli dam gene under the control of
      the tac promoter.
AB  - We report the construction of a series of plasmids containing the dam gene under
      the control of the tac promoter. Cells containing these plasmids produce about 8
      to 10-fold more Dam methyltransferase (Mtase) than the previously used plasmid
      pTP166 and avoid the use of a high temperature step necessary for the expression
      of Dam Mtase in the plasmid pDOX1 and thus allow its use for the study of
      thermosensitive mutants.

PMID- 1420313
TI  - Primary structure of rat renal dipeptidase and expression of its mRNA in rat
      tissues and COS-1 cells.
AB  - Three cDNA clones of rat renal dipeptidase (rrDP) were isolated from rat renal
      and pulmonary cDNA libraries using a DNA fragment of human renal DP cDNA clone,
      MDP4, as a probe. The complete amino acid sequence deduced from the cDNA contains
      410 amino acid residues, beginning with a signal peptide of 16 amino acid
      residues. RNA blot hybridization analysis showed that 1.6 and 2.2 kb mRNAs were
      expressed in lung and kidney, however, only 1.6 kb mRNA was detected in small
      intestine. COS-1 cells transfected with the cDNA expressed enzymatically active
      rrDP.

PMID- 1420314
TI  - The complete cDNA sequence for dihydrolipoyl transacylase (E2) of human branched
      chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex.
AB  - We have determined the complete nucleotide sequence for the cDNA encoding human
      dihydrolipoyl transacylase (E2) using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE)
      procedure. The full-length E2 cDNA is 3535 nucleotides in length. The coding
      region spans 1446 bp and the 3'-noncoding region spans 2074 bp. The latter
      contains three Alu repetitive sequences and two transcription termination sites.

PMID- 1420315
TI  - Nucleotide sequence and tissue distribution of mouse transforming growth factor
      alpha.
AB  - Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF alpha) is secreted into the medium of the
      Moloney murine sarcoma virus-transformed 3T3 cell line, 3B11-1C. Using reverse
      transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), we have amplified, cloned and
      sequenced a cDNA fragment from this cell line which encodes the full protein
      coding region of the mouse TGF alpha precursor. The deduced amino acid sequence
      (159 residues) differs from that of human TGF alpha at 13 sites and from that of
      rat at 3 sites. In the mouse, TGF alpha transcripts were detected in a variety of
      normal adult tissues including two previously unreported sites: the preputial
      glands and the bladder.

PMID- 1420316
TI  - Sequencing of the primary adhesion domain of bovine von Willebrand factor.
AB  - A cDNA library, constructed from bovine heart endothelial cell poly(A)+ RNA, was
      screened using a BstXI fragment of human von Willebrand and factor (vWF) cDNA as
      a probe. This probe codes for the major adhesion domain of vWF that includes the
      GPIb, collagen and heparin binding domains. Of the ten positive clones obtained,
      a clone that spanned the region of interest was sequenced by the
      dideoxynucleotide method yielding a sequence of 1550 bp. This region of the
      bovine cDNA codes for amino acids corresponding to #262 to #777 in human vWF and
      encompasses the entire pro adhesion domain. Both the nucleotide sequence and the
      deduced amino acid sequence are 82% homologous to those of human vWF. Cysteine
      residues #471, 474, 509 and 695, which form intrachain bonds in human vWF, are
      also present in the bovine vWF sequence.

PMID- 1420317
TI  - A new cDNA sequence for the murine interleukin-2 gene.
AB  - We have amplified by PCR and sequenced the first exon of the interleukin 2 gene
      from the RF/J mouse strain DNA. When we compared the RF/J first exon sequence
      with the one reported previously, we found several differences. These differences
      are also reflected in the deduced amino acid sequence and they have been
      localized in the first 23 amino acids of the mature polypeptide. The finding of
      this new IL-2 sequence shows that there is more than one allele for the mouse IL
      2 molecule and raises the possibility of functional differences between alleles.

PMID- 1420318
TI  - Cloning and 5'-flanking sequence of a rat cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase gene.
AB  - A cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase gene containing 8 kb of the 5'-flanking region
      and 5 kb of the transcription region which covers exons 1 to 5 was isolated from
      a rat genomic library. The 2015 bp nucleotide sequence 5'-upstream from the start
      codon was determined. This promotor region contains many liver-enriched or 
      specific elements (TGT3, HNF/LF-B1), putative hormone responsive elements (TRE,
      GRE, RRE or RARE) and ubiquitous transcription factor binding sites (NF-1, OCT
      1). In addition, 21 CA repeats which have potential to form the Z-DNA structure
      were found in this region. These putative regulatory elements and repetitive
      motifs may play roles in the regulation of cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase gene
      in the liver. The sequence identity of the rat gene to the human gene in this
      region is low. Only liver-enriched elements are conserved in the cholesterol 7
      alpha-hydroxylase genes.

PMID- 1420319
TI  - Secretagogue-induced proteolysis of lung spectrin in alveolar epithelial type II
      cells.
AB  - Incubation of isolated rat alveolar epithelial type II cells with secretagogues
      (calcium ionophore, ATP or terbutaline) resulted in rapid proteolysis of lung
      spectrin and appearance of multiple proteolytic products which showed
      immunoreactivity with an antibody against human erythrocyte spectrin. These
      proteolytic products were similar to those generated from erythrocyte spectrin or
      cultured lung tumor cells (A549 cells) incubated with purified calpain.
      Furthermore, incubation of alveolar type II cells with a calpain-specific
      inhibitor modulated the secretagogue-induced proteolysis of lung spectrin. Thus,
      stimulation of secretion appeared to activate endogenous calpain in type II
      cells, suggesting that calpain-mediated proteolysis of a submembranous
      cytoskeletal protein could play an important role in the secretory process.

PMID- 1420320
TI  - Cultured chick-embryo heart cells respond differently to ouabain as measured by
      the increase in their intracellular Na+ concentration.
AB  - Using digital imaging microscopy with the sodium-sensitive fluorescent indicator
      sodium-binding benzofuran isophtalate (SBFI), we examined the cytosolic free
      sodium ion concentration ([Na+]i) in single chick-embryo heart cells. The
      distribution of the [Na+]i was homogeneous within one cell, but we found a wide
      cell to cell variation in the range of 3 to 18 mM [Na+]i. In contrast to former
      experiments showing a heterogeneity of chick-embryo heart cells with respect to
      their [Ca2+]i (Ahlemeyer et al. (1992) Eur. J. Biochem. 205, 269-275), we could
      not distinguish cell populations with different [Na+]i. We found a lognormal
      distribution of the resting [Na+]i with a median value of 8.8 mM with a standard
      deviation of 4.5 mM (n = 90). After the addition of varying concentrations of
      ouabain, we found a biphasic dose-response curve as measured by the increase in
      [Na+]i. Ouabain showed its half-maximal effect on the [Na+]i between 10(-9) M and
      10(-8) M and at 4.3.10(-6) M under steady-state conditions. The finding of a
      heterogeneity of chick-embryo heart cells with respect to their ouabain-induced
      increase in [Na+]i is consistent with our previous observations of cells
      differing in their [Ca2+]i and in the sensitivity of their sodium pumps to
      cardiac glycosides.

PMID- 1420321
TI  - Transferrin and iron distribution in subcellular fractions of K562 cells in the
      early stages of transferrin endocytosis.
AB  - Iron distribution in subcellular fractions was investigated at different times
      after a single cohort of 59Fe-125 I-labeled transferrin (Tf) endocytosis in K562
      cells. Cell homogenates prepared by hypotonic lysis and deoxyribonuclease
      (DNAase) treatment were fractionated on Percoll density gradients. Iron
      containing components in the postmitochondrial supernatant were further
      fractionated according to their molecular weight using gel chromatography and
      membrane filtration. In the initial phases of endocytosis, both iron and Tf were
      found in the light vesicular fraction. After 3 min the labels diverged, with iron
      appearing in the postmitochondrial supernatant and Tf in the heavy fraction
      containing mitochondria, lysosomes and nuclei. Iron released from Tf-containing
      vesicles appeared both in low- and high-molecular-weight fractions in the
      postmitochondrial supernatant. After 5 min of endocytosis 59Fe activity in the
      low-molecular-weight fraction remained constant and 59Fe accumulated in a high
      molecular-weight fraction susceptible to desferrioxamine chelation. After 10 min,
      59Fe radioactivity in this fraction decreased and a majority of cytosolic 59Fe
      was found in ferritin. These results do not support the concept of the cytosolic
      low-molecular-weight iron pool as a kinetic intermediate between transferrin and
      ferritin iron in K562 cells.

PMID- 1420322
TI  - Iron(III)-binding polypeptide in human cord and adult serum: isolation,
      purification and partial characterization.
AB  - A low-molecular-weight, non-transferrin-bound, Fe(III)-binding polypeptide has
      been isolated and purified from normal human cord and adult sera by gel
      filtration and high-performance liquid chromatography. The polypeptide was traced
      isotopically with 59Fe(III)-chloride and high voltage paper electrophoresis. This
      Fe(III)-binding polypeptide has been partially characterized, and found to be
      biochemically distinct from other known Fe(III)-binding proteins, such as
      transferrin, lactoferrin and ferritin. Furthermore, the electrophoretic mobility
      and amino-acid composition distinguish the polypeptide from other physiological
      iron chelators such as a previously described Fe(III)-citrate complex. The
      polypeptide is highly hydrophilic, rich in lysine residues and phosphorylated.
      The observed positive charge of the polypeptide is suggested to originate from
      these lysine residues. The molecular mass of this polypeptide is estimated to be
      approx. 2500 Da, which is in close agreement with previous reports and is
      consistent with amino-acid analysis data. Cord serum levels of the polypeptide
      were significantly higher than adult serum levels. The degree of Fe(III)
      specificity and the function of the Fe(III)-polypeptide have not been ascertained
      at the present time. It is possible that the polypeptide may compete for Fe(III)
      with transferrin and is involved in the mobilization and transportation of iron
      by some as yet unknown mechanism.

PMID- 1420323
TI  - Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of chromatin in an in-vitro poly(ADP-ribose)-turnover
      system.
AB  - This paper describes the effect of an in-vitro poly(ADP-ribose) turnover system
      on the poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of chromatin. Both poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase and
      poly(ADP-ribose)glycohydrolase were highly purified and used in 4 different
      turnover systems: non-turnover, slow, medium and fast turnover. These turnover
      systems were designed to reflect possible turnover conditions in intact cells.
      The major protein acceptors for poly(ADP-ribose) are histones and the polymerase
      itself, a process referred to as automodification. The level of poly(ADP-ribose)
      modification of polymerase, histone H1 and core histones has been measured. The
      size of the polymer for each of the 3 groups of acceptor proteins has been
      determined by gel electrophoresis. After many turnover cycles at medium and fast
      turnover, the histones (H1 and core) become the main poly(ADP-ribose) acceptor
      proteins. The rate at which steady-state polymer levels are reached and the total
      accumulation of polymer in a given turnover system are both inversely
      proportional to the amount of glycohydrolase present. Furthermore, increasing
      amounts of glycohydrolase in the turnover systems reduces average polymer size.
      The polymer synthesized in the medium and fast turnover systems is degraded by
      glycohydrolase in a biphasic fashion and in these systems the half-life of
      polymer agreed with results found in intact cells. Our results show that the
      relative levels of polymerase and glycohydrolase activities can regulate the
      proportional poly(ADP-ribose) distribution on chromatin-associated acceptor
      proteins during steady-state turnover conditions. The patterns of modification of
      polymerase and histones under turnover conditions agree with in vivo
      observations.

PMID- 1420324
TI  - Insulin effect on isolated rat hepatocytes: diacylglycerol-phosphatidic acid
      interrelationship.
AB  - It is widely accepted that insulin action does not involve inositol phospholipid
      hydrolysis through the stimulation of a phosphatidylinositol-specific
      phospholipase C (PI-PLC). This consideration prompted us to investigate the
      insulin effect on the mechanism leading to the accumulation of diacylglycerol
      (DAG) and phosphatidic acid (PA) in rat hepatocytes. Basically, insulin induces:
      (i) a significant increase of both [3H]glycerol and fatty acid labelling of DAG;
      (ii) a significant increase of PA labelling preceding DAG labelling and
      paralleled by a decrease of phosphatidylcholine (PC) labelling. These
      observations, which suggest an insulin-dependent involvement of a phospholipase
      D, are strengthened by the increase of PC-derived phosphatidylethanol in presence
      of ethanol. Finally, the observation that the PA levels do not return to basal
      suggests that other mechanisms different from PC hydrolysis, such as the
      stimulation of direct synthesis of PA, may be activated.

PMID- 1420325
TI  - The mitochondrial carnitine carrier: characterization of SH-groups relevant for
      its transport function.
AB  - The transport function of the purified and reconstituted carnitine carrier from
      rat liver mitochondria was correlated to modification of its SH-groups by various
      reagents. The exchange activity and the unidirectional transport, both catalyzed
      by the carnitine carrier, were effectively inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide and
      submicromolar concentrations of mercurial reagents, e.g., mersalyl and p
      (chloromercuri)benzenesulfonate. When 1 microM HgCl2 or higher concentrations of
      the above mentioned mercurials were added, another transport mode of the carrier
      was induced. After this treatment, the reconstituted carnitine carrier catalyzed
      unidirectional substrate-efflux and -influx with significantly reduced substrate
      specificity. Control experiments in liposomes without carrier or with inactivated
      carrier protein proved the dependence of this transport activity on the presence
      of active carnitine carrier. The mercurial-induced uniport correlated with
      inhibition of the 'physiological' functions of the carrier, i.e., exchange and
      substrate specific unidirectional transport. The effect of consecutive additions
      of various reagents including N-ethylmaleimide, mercurials, Cu(2+)-phenanthroline
      and diamide on the transport function revealed the presence of at least two
      different classes of SH-groups. N-Ethylmaleimide blocked the carrier activity by
      binding to SH-groups of one of these classes. At least one of these SH-groups
      could be oxidized by the reagents forming S-S bridges. Besides binding to the
      class of SH-groups to which N-ethylmaleimide binds, mercurials also reacted with
      SH-groups of the other class. Modification of the latter led to the induction of
      the efflux-type of carrier activity characterized by loss of substrate
      specificity.

PMID- 1420326
TI  - Protein sequence determination by ESI-MS and LSI-MS tandem mass spectrometry:
      parvalbumin primary structures from cat, gerbil and monkey skeletal muscle.

PMID- 1420327
TI  - Disulfide-linked S100 beta dimers and signal transduction.
AB  - S100 beta is a calcium-binding protein with neurotrophic and mitogenic
      activities, both of which may be mediated by the protein's ability to stimulate
      an increase in intracellular free calcium ([Ca2+]i). These extracellular trophic
      activities of S100 beta require a disulfide-linked, dimeric form of the protein.
      In this chapter, we present a minireview on the current state of knowledge
      concerning extracellular functions of S100 beta, with emphasis on the potential
      relevance of these activities to neuropathological disorders. We also report a
      simplified procedure for preparation of pharmacological amounts of biologically
      active S100 beta dimers, based on the finding that formation of disulfide-linked
      S100 beta dimers can be stimulated by the presence of calcium or lipid.

PMID- 1420328
TI  - Ca(2+)-calmodulin regulated effectors of microtubule stability in neuronal
      tissues.
AB  - In general, microtubules are labile structures which depolymerize at low
      temperature and are sensitive to Ca2+. However, in brain tissue, axonal
      microtubules are disassembly-resistant and can exist without attachment to a
      microtubule organizing center. Stable microtubules cannot be purified by usual
      recycling procedures and this has made the elucidation of the molecular
      mechanisms involved in their stabilization difficult. This paper summarizes
      previous work in our laboratories, aimed at the identification of brain
      microtubule stabilizing proteins. We present assay methods which allow the
      detection of microtubule stability effectors in complex extracts and in
      chromatographic column fractions. Applied to brain crude extracts, they result in
      the isolation of Ca(2+)-calmodulin binding and Ca(2+)-calmodulin regulated
      proteins. One, called STOP, appears to account for microtubule stabilization in
      neurons. A second protein with similar activity is myelin basic protein. Non
      neuronal tissues also contain Ca(2+)-calmodulin-regulated effectors which appear
      to differ in structure from their neuronal counterparts. Thus, in all tissues
      examined, microtubule stability seems to be accounted for by unique Ca(2+)
      calmodulin regulated proteins, showing tissue specificity.

PMID- 1420329
TI  - A growth-dependent post-translational modification of annexin VI.
AB  - Annexin VI (p68, 67-kDa calelectrin) is a member of a family of Ca2+/phospholipid
      binding proteins, that includes p35 (annexin I) and p36 (annexin II), the major
      cellular substrates for phosphorylation by the epidermal growth factor receptor
      and pp60v-src tyrosine kinase activities, respectively. We report here that like
      annexins I and II, annexin VI is phosphorylated in vivo, but that in contrast,
      annexin VI phosphorylation is associated with cell growth. In both Swiss 3T3
      fibroblasts and human T-lymphoblasts the pattern of phosphorylation followed an
      almost identical profile. In particular, annexin VI was not phosphorylated in
      quiescent cells, but was phosphorylated on serine and to a lesser extent
      threonine, several hours following cell stimulation. Furthermore, annexin VI also
      incorporated phosphate in a growth-dependent manner, in a form other than a
      phosphoamino-acid. The phosphate was visualised following acid hydrolysis of
      immunoprecipitated annexin VI, as part of a complex having high mobility on 2-D
      thin-layer electrophoresis. The identity of this complex is not known. The
      results suggest that a post-translational modification other than direct protein
      phosphorylation may influence the activity of annexin VI and provide evidence
      linking cell growth with regulation of annexin VI function.

PMID- 1420330
TI  - The alpha-helical content of calmodulin is increased by solution conditions
      favouring protein crystallisation.
AB  - The conformation of porcine-brain calmodulin in solution has been examined by far
      UV circular dichroism in the presence of 2-methyl 2,4-pentanediol, and
      polyethylene glycol which are used to promote the crystallisation of calmodulin.
      These organic compounds increase the alpha-helical content of Ca4-calmodulin to a
      significant degree and to a level similar to the alpha-helical content deduced
      from the crystal structure. These results support the view that in aqueous
      solution at pH 5-7, the conformation of Ca4-calmodulin is significantly different
      from the crystal structure and probably lacks at least a portion of the central
      helix. In the process of crystallisation, Ca4-calmodulin apparently adopts
      additional alpha-helical structure, probably due to the composition of the
      solution from which crystals are grown.

PMID- 1420331
TI  - Interaction of calmodulin with phospholamban and caldesmon: comparative studies
      by 1H-NMR spectroscopy.
AB  - In order to identify comparative aspects of the interaction of calmodulin with
      its target proteins, proton magnetic-resonance studies of complex formation
      between calmodulin and defined segments of phospholamban and caldesmon have been
      undertaken. Residues 3-15 in the cytoplasmic region of phospholamban, an integral
      membrane protein of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum believed to regulate the
      calcium pumping ATPase, are shown to contribute to interaction with calmodulin.
      Using wheat germ calmodulin specifically modified with a spin-label to provide
      the spectral means for spatial localisation, these residues of phospholamban were
      correlated with binding in the vicinity of the probe attached to Cys-27 in the N
      terminal domain of calmodulin. This interaction, relevant to the mechanism of
      calmodulin-dependent phosphorylation of phospholamban that relieves its
      inhibitory influence on the calcium pump, provides a useful model system for
      comparative study of the properties of calmodulin-binding domains. We contrast
      here a calmodulin-binding segment in the C-terminal region of caldesmon localised
      by 1H-NMR study of the interface(s) between the two proteins. These observations
      are discussed in the context of other calmodulin-binding sequences.

PMID- 1420332
TI  - Interaction of troponin I and troponin C: use of the two-dimensional transferred
      nuclear Overhauser effect to determine the structure of a Gly-110 inhibitory
      troponin I peptide analog when bound to cardiac troponin C.
AB  - The structure of a peptide analog of the inhibitory region of cardiac troponin-I
      (N-acetyl-G110-TnI(104-115) amide) when bound to cardiac troponin-C has been
      determined by 2-dimensional 1H-NMR techniques. The bound structure determined for
      this peptide is similar to that determined previously for the skeletal peptide
      (which has a proline at position 110) bound to skeletal troponin-C (Campbell and
      Sykes (1991) J. Mol. Biol. 222, 405-421). This structure shows a helical like
      peptide backbone 'bent' around P109-G110 to bring the hydrophobic residues F106,
      L111 and V114 closer together. The other 'side' of this structure is surrounded
      by the basic residues extending outwards towards the protein or solution. While
      the bound structures of the cardiac and skeletal peptides are shown to be quite
      similar, the cardiac peptide appears more flexible near the central glycine
      residue.

PMID- 1420333
TI  - Sequence comparison among muscle-specific calpain, p94, and calpain subunits.
AB  - While conventional calpains, m- and mu-calpains named according to their calcium
      dependence, are expressed in almost every tissues, mRNA of newly identified p94,
      which has a significant sequence similarity to the conventional calpain large
      subunits, is abundantly expressed only in skeletal muscle. In addition to this
      specific expression, p94 is distinct from conventional calpains in that it
      contains three unique regions showing no similarity to conventional calpain
      subunits. When rat and human p94 are compared, overall sequence similarity is
      94.0%, which is close to those for m- and mu-calpain large subunits; 93.1% and
      95.4% between human and rabbit, respectively, suggesting the evolutionary
      importance of p94. These calpain large subunit proteins, p94, m- and mu-types,
      can be considered to constitute a super family, whose p94, m- and mu-types
      represent the three major types. Sequences of the calpain large-subunit family
      members, including the recently reported Schistosoma calpain, are compared. Their
      evolutionary correlation and function are discussed on the basis of the results
      thus far obtained.

PMID- 1420334
TI  - S-100 protein binds to annexin II and p11, the heavy and light chains of
      calpactin I.
AB  - S-100 protein, a dimeric, Ca(2+)-binding protein of the EF-hand type, interacts
      with annexin II (p36, the heavy chain of the cytoskeletal protein complex,
      calpactin I), with p11 (the light and regulatory chain of calpactin I) and with
      the hetero-tetramer annexin II2-p11(2) (calpactin I) in a Ca(2+)-regulated way,
      but not with annexins I, V and VI. The interaction of S-100 protein with the
      above proteins was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy using acrylodan-S
      100 protein and acrylodan-annexin II and by cross-linking experiments using the
      bifunctional cross-linker disuccinimidyl suberate (DSS). S-100 protein binds with
      the highest affinity to annexin II (Kd approx. 0.4 microM) and with the lowest
      affinity to calpactin I (Kd approx. 10 microM), with a constant stoichiometry of
      about 2 mol of protein/S-100 dimer. Thus, S-100 protein could substitute for p11
      in regulating the activities of annexin II in cells which do not express p11
      and/or act synergistically with p11 in cells expressing both p11 and S-100. The
      binding of S-100 protein to p11 could reflect the natural tendency of S-100
      subunits and p11 to dimerize. Chimeric p11-S-100 alpha and p11-S-100-beta
      proteins could therefore form in a Ca(2+)-regulated way. The interaction of S-100
      protein with calpactin I appears of doubtful physiological importance, because of
      the low binding affinity, of the small extent of fluorescence changes induced by
      calpactin I in acrylodan-S-100 protein and of lack of DSS-induced complex
      formation between the two protein species.

PMID- 1420335
TI  - Novel isoforms of CaBP 33/37 (annexin V) from mammalian brain: structural and
      phosphorylation differences that suggest distinct biological roles.
AB  - Two calcium-dependent phospholipid- and membrane-binding proteins have been
      purified from bovine brain. These are termed CaBP33 and CaBP37. Complete sequence
      analysis has revealed that these two proteins are isoforms of annexin V. Despite
      an apparent difference of 4 kDa between the two proteins on SDS-PAGE, only two
      amino-acid substitutions were found. These are, in CaBP33, Ser-36 and Lys-125 and
      in CaBP37, Thr-36 and Glu-125. This corresponds to a mass difference of 15 Da.
      This was confirmed by electrospray mass spectrometric analysis. Both isoforms can
      be phosphorylated substoichiometrically in vitro by protein kinase C at residue
      Thr-22.

PMID- 1420336
TI  - The heterodimer calmodulin: myosin light-chain kinase as a prototype vertebrate
      calcium signal transduction complex.
AB  - The heterodimer complex of calmodulin (CaM) and the protein kinase catalytic
      subunit of myosin light chain kinase from vertebrate smooth muscle and non-muscle
      tissues (sm/nmMLCK) is one of the most extensively characterized CaM-regulated
      enzyme complexes and it has an established in vivo role in the transduction of
      calcium signals into biological responses. We have used a combination of
      approaches to the study of CaM and sm/nmMLCK in order to derive initial insight
      into the key features of each protein and of the CaM-MLCK heterodimeric complex
      that are involved in protein-protein and calcium-protein recognition and
      regulation of enzyme activity. On-going studies are described here that include
      site-specific mutagenesis, fluorescence spectroscopy, enzymology and peptide
      analog analysis. These and previous results indicate that: (1), both
      electrostatic and hydrophobic features are important in the functionally correct
      interactions between CaM and MLCK; (2), even the interactions between CaM and
      peptide analogs of the CaM binding site of MLCK are heterogeneous and non-trivial
      in nature; (3), amino-acid residues that have been conserved in CaM across
      millions of years of evolution and that are conserved in CaMs with quantitative
      MLCK activator activity can be mutated without any detectable effect on activity
      and (4), structures different from the prototypical EF-hand domain of CaM can
      have similar calcium-binding activity in the presence of a CaM binding structure.

PMID- 1420337
TI  - Calretinin in rat ovary: an in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical study.
AB  - Calretinin is a cytosolic calcium-binding protein of the calmodulin superfamily,
      with high homology with calbindin D28k. The only cells in which calretinin has
      been described so far are neurons, in the central nervous system and in retina.
      In the present work, we describe the expression of the calretinin gene in the
      interstitial cells of rat ovary. Immunohistochemistry, using a calretinin
      specific antibody, allowed to detect the protein from 19 days after birth.
      Western blot from ovary homogenates confirmed the labelling of a 29 kDa band, the
      size of calretinin. In situ hybridization confirmed immunochemical data;
      calretinin transcripts were clearly shown in the same cell population. This
      represents the first description of calretinin outside the nervous system. Its
      function in ovary remains to be determined.

PMID- 1420338
TI  - Oxylipin pathway to jasmonates: biochemistry and biological significance.

PMID- 1420339
TI  - Effects of mevinolin treatment on tissue dolichol and ubiquinone levels in the
      rat.
AB  - Rats were treated with mevinolin by intraperitoneal injection (15 days) or
      dietary administration (30 days). The cholesterol, dolichol, dolichyl phosphate
      and ubiquinone contents of the liver, brain, heart, muscle and blood were then
      investigated. The cholesterol contents of these organs did not change
      significantly, with the exception of muscle. Intraperitoneal administration of
      the drug increases the amount of dolichol in liver, muscle and blood and
      decreases the dolichyl-P amount in muscle. The same treatment increases the level
      of ubiquinone in muscle and blood and decreases this value in liver and heart.
      Oral administration decreases dolichol, dolichyl-P and ubiquinone levels in heart
      and muscle, while in liver the dolichol level is elevated and ubiquinone level
      lowered. In brain the amount of dolichyl-P is increased. Intraperitoneal
      injection of mevinolin also modifies the liver dolichol and dolichyl-P isoprenoid
      pattern, with an increase in shorter chain polyisoprenes. The levels of dolichol
      and ubiquinone in the blood do not follow the changes observed in other tissues.
      Incorporation of [3H]acetate into cholesterol by liver slices prepared from
      mevinolin-treated rats exhibited an increase, whereas in brain no change was
      seen. Labeling of dolichol and ubiquinone was increased in both liver and brain,
      but incorporation into dolichyl phosphate remained relatively stable. The results
      indicate that mevinolin affects not only HMG-CoA reductase but, to some extent,
      also affects certain of the peripheral enzymes, resulting in considerable effects
      on the various mevalonate pathway lipids.

PMID- 1420340
TI  - Studies on the chemical structure of neutral glycosphingolipids in eggs of the
      sea hare, Aplysia juliana.
AB  - Six neutral glycosphingolipids (GL-1-GL-6) were obtained from eggs of the sea
      hare (Aplysia juliana) and were characterized by FABMS, 1H-NMR, partial acid
      hydrolysis, methylation studies and GC analysis of the component sugars, fatty
      acids and long-chain bases. The following structures were determined to be Glc
      beta 1-1Cer (89%) and Gal beta 1-1Cer (11%) for GL-1, Glc beta 1-1Cer (47%) and
      Gal beta 1-1Cer (53%) for GL-2 having hydroxy fatty acids in the ceramide moiety,
      Gal beta 1-4Glc beta 1-1Cer for GL-3, Fuc alpha 1-2Gal beta 1-4Glc beta 1-1Cer
      for GL-4, Gal alpha 1-2Gal beta 1-4Glc beta 1-1Cer for GL-5 and GalNAc alpha 1
      3(Gal alpha 1-2)Gal beta 1-4Glc beta 1-1Cer for GL-6. The fatty acid composition
      of each glycosphingolipid, except for GL-2, which contained 2-hydroxypalmitic
      acid, consisted of mostly saturated C16-C20 acids, especially palmitic acid and
      stearic acid. The long-chain bases of all glycosphingolipids consisted mainly of
      branched nonadeca-4-sphingenine and octadeca-4-sphingenine. GL-6, which was one
      of the major glycosphingolipids, may be a precursor of a series of
      phosphonoglycosphingolipids which have been isolated from the skin of A. kurodai.

PMID- 1420342
TI  - Homology-derived three-dimensional structure prediction of Candida cylindracea
      lipase.
AB  - We propose a structural model of Candida cylindracea lipase (CCL) based on the
      reported X-ray structure of the highly homologous Geotrichum candidum lipase
      (GCL). The network of interactions around the active site, the salt and disulfide
      bridge pattern is conserved in the proposed structure. Functional, structural and
      evolutionary aspects of the peculiar usage of CTG codons by C. cylindracea ATCC
      14830 are discussed.

PMID- 1420341
TI  - Differential effect of subspecies of lipoprotein containing apolipoprotein A-I on
      cholesterol efflux from cholesterol-loaded macrophages: functional correlation
      with lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase.
AB  - Two species of lipoprotein containing apoA-I, one containing only apoA-I (LpA-I),
      and the other containing apoA-I and apoA-II (LpA-I/A-II), were tested for their
      effects on macrophage foam cells. Rat macrophages were converted to foam cells by
      incubation with radiolabeled acetylated LDL. Incubation with LpA-I or LpA-I/A-II
      decreased the cellular cholesteryl esters (CE) mass. However, the free
      cholesterol (FC) mass was only reduced by LpA-I. All the radioactivity excreted
      into the medium was associated with LpA-I or LpA-I/A-II; 39% of the excreted
      radioactivity was esterified in LpA-I and 10% in LpA-I/A-II. Upon complete
      inactivation of lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) activity with
      dithiobisnitrobenzoic acid, the cholesterol reducing capacity of LpA-I was
      weakened significantly. However, the CE mass reducing capacity of LpA-I/A-II was
      not affected. When LpA-I and LpA-I/A-II were combined, the cholesterol reducing
      capacity of the mixture was similar to that of LpA-I alone. However, LpA-I re
      isolated from the medium showed a lower esterification rate than did the re
      isolated LpA-I/A-II, thereby indicating that the cholesterol esterified in LpA-I
      was transferred to LpA-I/A-II. These results suggest that (i) the function of LpA
      I is closely linked to the LCAT activity while that of LpA-I/A-II is not, and
      (ii) LpA-I in concert with LpA-I/A-II induces a series of extracellular events;
      LCAT-mediated esterification of excreted FC by LpA-I and a subsequent CE transfer
      to LpA-I/A-II. These mechanisms might be important for net cholesterol efflux
      from macrophage foam cells in physiological states.

PMID- 1420343
TI  - Enhancement of platelet functions by low density lipoproteins.
AB  - Platelet suspensions, that secreted about 50% of their dense granule contents
      upon stimulation with alpha-thrombin, showed a dose-dependent increase in
      secretion after 30 min preincubation with 0.5-3.0 g low density lipoprotein (LDL)
      protein/1. A 1-5 min preincubation had no effect. The enhancement by LDL only
      occurred at about 20% secretion or more, indicating that a minimal degree of
      activation was required for LDL to become effective. Lysine-modified LDL was
      equally effective as native LDL. The effect of LDL on secretion was accompanied
      by enhanced thromboxane B2 formation caused by stimulation of the liberation of
      arachidonate from phosphatidylcholine and/or phosphatidylinositol. However, when
      thromboxane formation was inhibited or the prostaglandin H2-thromboxane A2
      receptor was blocked, LDL remained a potent stimulator of the secretion response.
      Thus, LDL enhances platelet secretion by a thromboxane A2-dependent and a
      thromboxane A2-independent mechanism via an effect that is independent of
      specific binding sites on the platelet.

PMID- 1420344
TI  - Activation of phospholipases in platelets by polyclonal antibodies against a
      surface membrane protein.
AB  - In a previous paper we demonstrated using immunochemical techniques that
      propolypeptide of von Willebrand factor was present on the surface of resting
      platelets. In the present paper we show that polyclonal antibodies against
      propolypeptide of von Willebrand factor induce activation of phospholipase(s) in
      platelets and lead to platelet aggregation. The antibody-stimulation of platelets
      induced the synthesis of thromboxane A2 (TXA2). Furthermore, the aggregation was
      inhibited by aspirin and an antagonist of TXA2. Aspirin inhibited not only the
      aggregation but also the activation of arachidonic acid liberation from
      phospholipids, but the effect of aspirin on arachidonic acid liberation was
      cancelled by the combined effect of the antibodies and a TXA2 mimetic agonist,
      which itself did not activate arachidonic acid liberation. The antibody-induced
      activation of arachidonic acid liberation and the aggregation were blocked by
      cytochalasin B. All these results obtained with antibodies were quite similar to
      the results obtained with collagen.

PMID- 1420345
TI  - Changes of membrane phospholipid composition of human erythrocytes in
      hyperlipidemias. I. Increased phosphatidylcholine and reduced sphingomyelin in
      patients with elevated levels of triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins.
AB  - The composition of red blood cell membrane and plasma phospholipids has been
      analyzed in patients with hyperlipidemias. In red cells of patients with elevated
      levels of triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins, phosphatidylcholine (PC) was raised
      and sphingomyelin (SM) reduced, resulting in a 20% increase of the membrane PC/SM
      ratio. In plasma phospholipids of these patients PC and SM levels were also
      higher and lower, respectively and the plasma PC/SM ratio was elevated by more
      than 50%. Close positive correlations between plasma and membrane phospholipids
      were obtained for PC, SM and the PC/SM ratio in normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic
      donors. Plasmalogen phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), a supposed endogenous
      protector against lipid oxidation, was reduced by about 20% in red cell membrane
      lipids in hyperlipidemic patients. Also plasmalogen-PE in plasma tended to be
      reduced in hyperlipidemic donors. Plasma HDL levels were positively related to
      the content of plasmalogen PE in the red cell membrane. In conclusion, there are
      closely related increases in PC/SM ratios in plasma and the red cell membrane in
      patients with elevated levels of triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins. It is
      speculated that decreases in red cell membrane plasmalogen-PE in hyperlipidemic
      patients could be related to impaired antioxidant protection, possibly as a
      consequence of reductions in plasma HDL levels.

PMID- 1420346
TI  - Changes of membrane phospholipid composition of human erythrocytes in
      hyperlipidemias. II. Increases in distinct molecular species of
      phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine containing arachidonic acid.
AB  - The molecular species composition of red blood cell diacyl-phosphatidylcholine
      (PC), diacyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and alkenylacyl-PE (plasmalogen PE)
      has been analyzed in normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic donors. In all three
      phospholipid subclasses the percentages of the species 16:0/20:4 were increased
      in hyperlipidemic patients. In diacyl-PE, 18:1/20:4 was also elevated. No changes
      were observed in the other quantitatively important molecular species containing
      arachidonic acid at sn-2, namely 18:0/20:4. The rise in 16:0/20:4 in diacyl-PC
      and diacyl-PE of hyperlipidemic donors was accompanied by a fall in molecular
      species with linoleic acid (18:2) at sn-2 (in particular 18:1/18:2). In
      alkenylacyl-PE the elevation of 16:0/20:4 was compensated by a decrease in
      species with docosatetraenoic acid (22:4) at sn-2 in particular by a fall in
      16:0/22:4. Among all donors, the percentages of 16:0/20:4 in diacyl-PC and PE
      were positively associated with plasma total cholesterol levels. The changes in
      molecular species composition of PC and PE in hyperlipidemia are expected to
      alter the function of erythrocyte membrane transport proteins and--if present
      also in other cell types--to affect eicosanoid metabolism.

PMID- 1420347
TI  - Synthesis, characterization and some properties of dideoxynucleoside analogs of
      cytidine diphosphate diacylglycerol.
AB  - Phospholipid conjugates of antiretroviral nucleoside analogs have been proposed
      to have several advantageous features when compared to the parent drugs
      (Hostetler, K.Y. et al. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 6112-6117). Here we report on
      the synthesis of one such type of lipid conjugates, i.e., nucleosides diphosphate
      diacylglycerols. The syntheses of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine diphosphate
      diacylglycerol, 3'-deoxythymidine diphosphate diacylglycerol and 2',3'
      dideoxycytidine diphosphate diacylglycerol (with different acyl chains) were
      performed starting from phosphatidic acid and the antiviral nucleoside. A high
      performance liquid chromatography procedure for a single step purification of the
      compounds is presented. The compounds were characterized biochemically, using rat
      liver enzymes and chemically by phosphorus, fatty acid, ultraviolet, IR and 1H
      NMR analyses. Preliminary data on the behaviour in aqueous solution of some of
      the compounds are presented.

PMID- 1420348
TI  - A new glycolipid from Mycobacterium avium--Mycobacterium intracellulare complex.
AB  - From a nonpolar lipid fraction of Mycobacterium avium--Mycobacterium
      intracellulare complex cell mass, a new glycolipid was obtained, which was shown
      to be 5-mycoloyl-beta-arabinofuranosyl-(1-->2)-5-mycoloyl-alpha-ar abinofuranosyl
      (1-->1')-glycerol. When examined by TLC, all the 12 strains of this species
      tested, including clinical isolates, were found to contain this glycolipid. But
      the glycolipid was not detected in Mycobacterium bovis BCG or Mycobacterium
      tubrculosis H37Rv.

PMID- 1420349
TI  - Identification and characterization of apolipoprotein(AII-E2-AII) complex in
      human plasma lipoprotein.
AB  - A new apolipoprotein complex designated as the apo(AII-E2-AII) complex was
      identified in the lipoprotein fractions of human plasma with apoE phenotypes
      containing apoE2 (E4/E2, E3/E2, and E2/E2). Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide
      gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) followed by an immunoblotting assay using anti
      apoE or anti-apoAII antibodies, established that the apo(AII-E2-AII) complex,
      with a molecular weight of 58,000, was identical to the complex consisting of
      apoE and apoAII, and that it also dissociated following reduction with beta
      mercaptoethanol. This new complex was also demonstrated to be distinct from the
      apo(E-AII) complex and apoE monomer by isoelectric focusing, in the samples that
      were not treated with beta-mercaptoethanol. In apoE phenotype E3/E2, the apo(AII
      E2-AII) complex was primarily included in the high-density lipoprotein (HDL,
      1.063 < d < 1.21 g/ml) fraction, but was also observed in a small quantity in the
      very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL, d < 1.006 g/ml) fraction. For further
      characterization, the apo(AII-E2-AII) complex was isolated by preparative SDS
      PAGE, and no contamination of apo(E-AII) complex and apoE monomer was detected by
      immunoblotting assay using an anti-apoE antibody. It was confirmed by an enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system that a molecular ratio between apoAII
      monomer and apoE in the isolated apo(AII-E2-AII) complex was approx. 2, when the
      apo(E-AII) complex was used as a standard with the ratio of 1:1. It indicates
      that the apo(AII-E2-AII) complex is formed from two molecules of apoAII monomer
      and one molecule of apoE.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420350
TI  - Protein transfer between A-I-containing lipoprotein subpopulations: evidence of
      non-transferable A-I in particles with A-II.
AB  - Transfer of apolipoproteins (apo) between the two subpopulations of apo A-I
      containing lipoproteins in human plasma: those with A-II [Lp(AI w AII)] and those
      without [Lp(AI w/o AII)], were studied by observing the transfer of 125I-apo from
      a radiolabeled subpopulation to an unlabeled subpopulation in vitro. When Lp(AI w
      AII) was directly radioiodinated, 50.3 +/- 7.4 and 19.5 +/- 7.7% (n = 6) of the
      total radioactivity was associated with A-I and A-II, respectively. In
      radioiodinated Lp(AI w/o AII), 71.5 +/- 6.8% (n = 6) of the total radioactivity
      was A-I-associated. Time-course studies showed that, while some radiolabeled
      proteins transferred from one population of HDL particles to another within
      minutes, at least several hours were necessary for transfer to approach
      equilibrium. Incubation of the subpopulations at equal A-I mass resulted in the
      transfer of 51.8 +/- 5.0% (n = 4) of total radioactivity from [125I]Lp(AI w/o
      AII) to Lp(AI w AII) at 37 degrees C in 24 h. The specific activity (S.A.) of A-I
      in the two subpopulations after incubation was nearly identical. Under similar
      incubation conditions, only 13.4 +/- 4.6% (n = 4) of total radioactivity was
      transferred from [125I]Lp(AI w AII) to Lp(AI w/o AII). The S.A. of A-I after
      incubation was 2-fold higher in particles with A-II than in particles without A
      II. These phenomena were also observed with iodinated high-density lipoproteins
      (HDL) isolated by ultracentrifugation and subsequently subfractionated by
      immunoaffinity chromatography. However, when Lp(AI w AII) radiolabeled by in
      vitro exchange with free [125I]A-I was incubated with unlabeled Lp(AI w/o AII),
      the S.A. of A-I in particles with and without A-II differed by only 18% after
      incubation. These data are consistent with the following: (1) in both populations
      of HDL particles, some radiolabeled proteins transferred rapidly (minutes or
      less), while others transferred slowly (hours); (2) when Lp(AI w AII) and Lp(AI
      w/o AII) were directly iodinated, all labeled A-I in particles without A-II were
      transferable, but some labeled AI in particles with A-II were not; (3) when Lp(AI
      w AII) were labeled by in vitro exchange with [125I]A-I, considerably more
      labeled A-I were transferable. These observations suggest the presence of non
      transferable A-I in Lp(AI w AII).

PMID- 1420351
TI  - Mevinolin, a competitive inhibitor of hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase,
      suppresses enterocyte esterification of exogenous but not endogenous cholesterol.
AB  - Mevinolin (lovastatin), a competitive inhibitor of hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme
      A reductase, directly inhibited acyl-CoA cholesteryl acyltransferase in rabbit
      intestinal microsomes at a dose of 20 micrograms/ml or more. Lineweaver-Burk
      analysis showed a competitive type of inhibition with respect to oleoyl-CoA. In
      cultured intestinal Caco-2 cells, mevinolin reduced [14C]oleate incorporation
      into cholesteryl-esters by 86% of controls at doses as low as 0.1 micrograms/ml.
      However, in cells whose activity of acyl-CoA cholesteryl acyltransferase was
      stimulated 7-fold by 10 mM mevalonolactone, a significant inhibitory effect on
      cholesteryl-ester formation could not be detected, even at 40 micrograms/ml of
      mevinolin. In contrast, cells supplied with liposomal cholesterol or cholesterol
      derived from low-density lipoproteins showed a marked reduction of cholesteryl
      ester formation in the presence of 10 or 0.1 micrograms/ml of mevinolin,
      respectively. It is concluded that the observed suppressive effects of mevinolin
      on cholesterol esterification in cultured Caco-2 cells are indirect and possibly
      caused by changes in the acyl-CoA cholesteryl acyltransferase substrate pool or
      intracellular cholesterol transport.

PMID- 1420352
TI  - Regulation of intestinal apo A-IV mRNA abundance in rat pups during fasting and
      refeeding.
AB  - The amount of intestinal apolipoprotein (apo) A-IV mRNA was examined in rat pups
      during fasting and refeeding. When 14-day old pups were fasted for 15 h, apo A-IV
      mRNA levels in the whole intestine decreased to 20% of the prefasting level.
      Refeeding casein and lactose, and the artificial milk composed of Intralipid,
      casein and lactose, caused an elevation of the apo A-IV mRNA after 3 h, without
      accompanying an elevation of serum triacylglycerols and apo A-IV (fat-independent
      elevation of apo A-IV mRNA). Refeeding Intralipid alone simultaneously elevated
      the apo A-IV mRNA, and serum triacylglycerols and apo A-IV after 3 h (fat
      dependent elevation of apo A-IV mRNA). Administration of physiological saline
      during fasting partly suppressed the reduction of the apo A-IV mRNA (40% of the
      prefasting level), and the dietary fat-independent elevation of the message
      disappeared. Refeeding dam's milk to the pups, fasted without water
      administration, increased the apo A-IV mRNA after 3 and 15 h, although the
      elevation of serum triacylglycerols and apo A-IV occurred only after 15 h.
      Refeeding the milk increased the apo A-IV mRNA after 3 h and 15 h. Refeeding
      dam's milk to the pups fasted with saline administration accelerated the fat
      dependent elevation of the apo A-IV mRNA. Simultaneously refeeding Intralipid and
      Pluronic L-81, an inhibitor of lymphatic fat transport, delayed the elevation of
      the apo A-IV mRNA and serum triacylglycerols and apo A-IV. Transcription rates of
      the apo A-IV mRNA, determined by nuclear run/on assay, were similar before and
      after fasting and refeeding Intralipid. During fasting, administration of
      puromycin, as compared with actinomycin D, enhanced the disappearance rate of the
      apo A-IV message. Intestinal mRNA for apo B, but not for apo A-I and beta-actin,
      similarly changed to the apo A-IV message. Thus, it can be concluded that: (1)
      dietary fat-dependent and -independent factors are involved in the elevation of
      the intestinal apo A-IV message; (2) the elevation of the message is not mediated
      by lipid uptake in the enterocytes but rather stimulated by the events leading to
      secretion of chylomicrons; and, (3) dietary fat-dependent elevation of the
      message appears to be due to the stabilization of the message.

PMID- 1420353
TI  - Characterization of recombinant human and rat pancreatic phospholipases A2
      secreted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae: difference in proteolytic processing.
AB  - An expression plasmid for human pancreatic phospholipase A2 in Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae was constructed by insertion of cDNA encoding its preprophospholipase
      A2 into a yeast expression vector pAM82. The resulting product secreted in the
      yeast culture medium was mainly prophospholipase A2, which was the same as the
      natural proenzyme in all aspects examined, including the higher order structure.
      However, when the rat preprophospholipase A2 cDNA was manipulated in the same
      manner, the active phospholipase A2 of the intact mature form was secreted with
      the proenzyme being hardly detected in the medium. This unexpected favorable
      result would occur due to cleavage of rat phospholipase A2 pro-peptide by a
      trypsin-like proteinase in S. cerevisiae. Based on this finding, we constructed a
      plasmid carrying the sequence coding for the prepro-peptide of rat pancreatic
      phospholipase A2 behind the PHO5 promoter in the pAM82 vector, which leads to the
      secretion of heterologous proteins as their mature form. The use of this plasmid
      led to secretion of biologically active human pancreatic secretory trypsin
      inhibitor and a glutamic acid-specific endopeptidase from Staphylococcus aureus
      ATCC 12600, which are eukaryote and prokaryote proteins, respectively, in the
      culture medium of S. cerevisiae.

PMID- 1420354
TI  - Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of guinea-pig NADPH-cytochrome P-450
      oxidoreductase [corrected].
AB  - A cDNA clone coding for cytochrome P-450 oxidoreductase was isolated from a
      guinea-pig liver cDNA library. The cDNA, MSr2, contained a complete coding region
      of 678 amino acids. The amino acid sequence of the guinea-pig cytochrome P-450
      oxidoreductase showed approx. 90% identities with those of rat, human, rabbit,
      pig enzymes indicating conservation of primary structure of the enzyme during
      evolutionary divergence of species. The high conservation of acidic residues of
      the enzyme sustained the importance of them to maintain its function [corrected].

PMID- 1420355
TI  - Nucleotide sequence of hamster spermidine/spermine-N1-acetyltransferase cDNA.
AB  - The nucleotide sequence of a cDNA encoding hamster spermidine/spermine-N1
      acetyltransferase, a key enzyme in polyamine degradation and excretion, has been
      determined. The cDNA consists of a 1016 base pair insert including 120
      nucleotides of the 5' untranslated region and the complete 3' untranslated
      region. The deduced amino acid sequence is very similar to the human
      spermidine/spermine-N1-acetyltransferase with only 8 differences in 171 amino
      acids and the corresponding nucleotide sequence shows 91% identity. The 5'
      untranslated regions are even more closely related with 97% identity suggesting
      that this region may play a role in the regulation of acetyltransferase activity.
      Translation of the acetyltransferase mRNA in a reticulocyte lysate was not
      altered by the addition of N1,N12-bis(ethyl)spermine.

PMID- 1420356
TI  - Nucleotide sequence of the 5' end including the initiation codon of cDNA for the
      E1 alpha subunit of the human branched chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase
      complex.
AB  - The 5' end including the start AUG codon has been defined for the human E1 alpha
      subunit of the branched chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase complex by rapid
      amplification of cDNA ends. Considering conservative substitutions the amino acid
      sequence in the mitochondrial targeting sequence for the human clone is 73%
      identical to this sequence in rat and 84% identical to the bovine sequence. This
      peptide also shows similarity to the targeting sequence for the human beta
      subunit but not with targeting sequence for the other subunits of the complex.

PMID- 1420357
TI  - Somatic hypermutagenesis in immunoglobulin genes. II. Influence of neighbouring
      base sequences on mutagenesis.
AB  - A new approach for the analysis of hotspots of mutations is described. It is
      based on the classification of hotspot site sequences. Using this approach, the
      consensuses RGYW and TAA of hotspot sites were revealed in the V gene.
      Correlation between somatic mutations and these consensuses is investigated by
      the statistical weight method in 323 somatic substitutions in 14 V genes.
      Assuming the absence of any correlation, the probability of observing such data
      in the sample would be very low (0.0003). These results support the idea that
      emergence of somatic mutation is significantly influenced by neighbouring base
      sequences. This idea was also supported by the analysis of 296 somatic mutations
      in flanking sequences of V genes. It is supposed that this influence is an
      important feature of somatic hypermutagenesis.

PMID- 1420358
TI  - Cloning and characterization of the secY gene from the cyanobacterium
      Synechococcus PCC7942.
AB  - The secY gene product is an essential component of the Escherichia coli
      cytoplasmic membrane, which mediates the protein translocation across the
      membrane. We found a gene homologous to secY in the genome of the cyanobacterium
      Synechococcus PCC7942. The deduced amino acid sequence, 439 amino acids long,
      shows 43% homology with that of the E. coli secY. The hydrophobic profile
      suggests that the Synechococcus SecY protein is an integral membrane protein
      containing ten membrane-spanning segments, which are closely related to the E.
      coli counterpart. The SecY protein may participate in the protein translocation
      across the cytoplasmic or thylakoid membrane in Synechococcus PCC7942.

PMID- 1420359
TI  - Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the cDNA encoding human erythrocyte-specific
      AMP deaminase.
AB  - The nucleotide sequence of cDNA encoding human erythrocyte AMP deaminase has been
      determined by screening of human spleen cDNA library and by utilizing polymerase
      chain reaction (PCR) techniques. The 3.7 kb cDNA contains an open reading frame
      of 2301 bp which encodes 767 amino acids chain resulting in 89 kDa protein. The
      polyadenylation consensus signal (5'-AATAAA) located at 1212 bp 3' downstream
      from the stop codon. The homologies to human and rat muscle-specific AMP
      deaminases showed 64.1% and 65.2% identities, respectively, at the nucleotide
      level in the area of open reading frame, and 60.2% and 59.8% similarities at the
      deduced amino acid level.

PMID- 1420360
TI  - rel, NFKB, and the Brachyury T gene.
AB  - Comparing the sequences of the murine Brachyury T gene protein with the NKFB, rel
      and dorsal protein family reveals weak sequence similarities, including a DNA
      binding/dimerization motif. These similarities may reflect homologies between
      these proteins or may only be of phylogenetic relevance.

PMID- 1420361
TI  - Gender related differences in the expression and characteristics of glutathione S
      transferases of human colon.
AB  - In the present study, the expression of glutathione S-transferase (GST) isozymes
      was compared in human male and female colon tissues. GST isozymes were purified
      and quantified in five male and five female colon tissue samples. Noticeable
      differences were observed in the isoelectric focusing profiles (IEF) of the GSTs,
      from male and female colon tissues. Both male and female colon tissues had three
      common GST peaks with pI values of 9.2, 6.7 and 4.8. An additional GST peak with
      a pI value of 6.2 found in all females was not found in males. Based on kinetic,
      immunological and structural properties, these isozymes were classified into
      alpha (pI 9.2), mu (pI 6.7 and 6.2) and pi (pI 4.8) classes. Activity of the
      alpha-class GST in male colon was approx. 2-fold higher than the corresponding
      isozyme in female colon. The pi-class GST 4.8 was the most predominant GST in
      both the sexes and its activity with CDNB as substrate was more abundant (about
      1.6-fold) in female colon as compared to that in male colon. Significant
      differences were seen in substrate specificities between male and female colon
      GST 4.8. Sex related differences were also observed in the inhibition kinetics of
      GST pi from male and female colon in the presence of hematin. In addition, GST pi
      isolated from female colon was more thermostable as compared to the corresponding
      male isozyme. The thermostability of purified GST pi isozyme from males or
      females was not affected by incubation of the enzyme with either estrogen,
      testosterone or progesterone.

PMID- 1420362
TI  - Stress factors affecting expression of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase
      mRNA in rat hepatoma cells.
AB  - O6-Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is decisively involved in
      protecting mammalian cells against genotoxic effects of alkylating carcinogens.
      We analysed regulation of MGMT expression after exposing rat hepatoma H4IIE cells
      to various 'stress' factors. Treatments that damage DNA such as alkylation,
      hydrogen peroxide, ultraviolet or X-ray exposure, as well as restriction enzymes
      introduced into cells by electroporation or arrest of replication by hydroxyurea
      significantly induced MGMT mRNA (2.5 to 5-fold). Slight induction (up to 2.5
      fold) was observed after heat shock or cadmium/zinc treatment. No or only a very
      weak induction (less than 1.5-fold) was observed after treatment with 6
      thioguanine, 5-azacytidine, transfection of methylated DNA, depletion of MGMT by
      feeding with O6-methylguanine or O6-benzylguanine, serum starvation and feeding
      of starved cells, cAMP, TPA and dexamethasone treatment. Inhibitors of protein
      kinases, H8 and H9, induced MGMT mRNA. On the other hand, an inhibitor of
      phosphatases (sodium vanadate) prevented induction of MGMT by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N
      nitrosoguanidine. The data indicate that DNA breaks are an ultimate signal for
      MGMT mRNA induction and that protein phosphorylation is involved in regulating
      MGMT expression.

PMID- 1420363
TI  - Involvement of AP1 and PEA3 binding sites in the regulation of murine tissue
      inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) transcription.
AB  - Transcription of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1), a secreted
      protein that regulates the activities of the metalloproteinases, collagenase and
      stromelysin, is activated by serum growth factors. Transient transfection
      experiments have revealed several regions of cis-acting regulatory sequences
      involved in the response of the murine TIMP-1 gene to serum. One area is in the
      vicinity of the promoter, consisting of a non-consensus binding site (5'-TGAGTAA
      3' at -59/-53) for transcription factor AP1 and an adjacent 24 bp region of dyad
      symmetry that contains a PEA3-binding site. A second is an upstream region (-1020
      to -780) that acts as an enhancer when linked to a heterologous promoter, and
      contains a consensus AP1 binding site (at -803/ -797). Gel retardation assays
      revealed differences between nuclear factors in mouse C3H10T1/2 cells that bound
      to the TIMP(-59/ -53)AP1 site and a consensus collagenase TRE (TPA-response
      element). The TIMP(-59/ -53)AP1 site is a promiscuous motif that binds c-Fos/c
      Jun AP1 translated in vitro and is an effective competitor for binding of nuclear
      AP1 factors to the consensus TRE, but in addition it binds factors that do not
      associate with the consensus TRE. The TIMP(-59/ -53)AP1 motif and the dyad
      symmetry region stimulated expression from a thymidine kinase promoter in an
      additive fashion, and competition experiments showed that excess copies of these
      factor binding sites reduced expression from a reporter plasmid driven by the
      TIMP-1 promoter. Our data show that binding sites for AP1 and PEA3 transcription
      factors are involved in the regulation of TIMP-1 transcription, which suggests
      that the coordinated induction of TIMP-1, collagenase and stromelysin may be
      achieved through the actions of a shared set of nuclear transcription factors.
      However, the properties of the TIMP-1(-59/ -53)AP1 motif likely reflect an
      additional type of transcriptional regulation restricted to TIMP-1.

PMID- 1420364
TI  - Interaction of human and Escherichia coli tRNA(Phe) with human 80S ribosomes in
      the presence of oligo- and polyuridylate templates.
AB  - Human placenta and Escherichia coli Phe-tRNA(Phe) and N-AcPhe-tRNA(Phe) binding
      to human placenta 80S ribosomes was studied at 13 mM Mg2+ and 20 degrees C in the
      presence of poly(U), (pU)6 or without a template. Binding properties of both tRNA
      species were studied. Poly(U)-programmed 80S ribosomes were able to bind charged
      tRNA at A and P sites simultaneously under saturating conditions resulting in
      effective dipeptide formation in the case of Phe-tRNA(Phe). Affinities of both
      forms of tRNA(Phe) to the P site were similar (about 1 x 10(7) M-1) and exceeded
      those to the A site. Affinity of the deacylated tRNA(Phe) to the P site was much
      higher (association constant > 10(10) M-1). Binding at the E site (introduced
      into the 80S ribosome by its 60S subunit) was specific for deacylated tRNA(Phe).
      The association constant of this tRNA to the E site when A and P sites were
      preoccupied with N-AcPhe-tRNA(Phe) was estimated as (1.7 +/- 0.1) x 10(6) M-1. In
      the presence of (pU)6, charged tRNA(Phe) bound loosely at the A and P sites, and
      the transpeptidation level exceeded the binding level due to the exchange with
      free tRNA from solution. Affinities of aminoacyl-tRNA to the A and P sites in the
      presence of (pU)6 seem to be the same and much lower than those in the case of
      poly(U). Without a messenger, binding of the charged tRNA(Phe) to 80S ribosomes
      was undetectable, although an effective transpeptidation was observed suggesting
      a very labile binding of the tRNA simultaneously at the A and P sites.

PMID- 1420365
TI  - The unique structure of the Paramecium caudatum hemoglobin gene: the presence of
      one intron in the middle of the coding region.
AB  - The gene encoding hemoglobin (Hb) in the ciliated protist, Paramecium caudatum,
      has been cloned and sequenced. A single Hb locus was detected on an isolated
      genomic fragment with a size of approx. 15 kbp. This gene contained 443 bp. The
      5' transcriptional regulatory region contained TATA box- and CAAT box-like
      sequences which resemble the structure of the promoter region in higher
      eukaryotic genes. The amino acid sequence deduced from the gene agreed precisely
      with that of the major Hb component. It was an unusual structure, much smaller
      than Hbs from many other organisms. Furthermore, all of the untranslated regions
      in this gene were also small. Particularly, one intervening sequence (intron)
      being only 23 bp was shorter than any other introns reported for eukaryotic genes
      encoding protein. The position of the intron in the P. caudatum Hb gene
      corresponded closely to that of the second intron which had been reported only
      for plant Hb genes. Possible routes for the evolution of Hb genes were discussed.

PMID- 1420366
TI  - Cloning of the cDNA for U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle 70K protein
      from Arabidopsis thaliana.
AB  - We cloned and sequenced a plant cDNA that encodes U1 small nuclear
      ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) 70K protein. The plant U1 snRNP 70K protein cDNA is not
      full length and lacks the coding region for 68 amino acids in the amino-terminal
      region as compared to human U1 snRNP 70K protein. Comparison of the deduced amino
      acid sequence of the plant U1 snRNP 70K protein with the amino acid sequence of
      animal and yeast U1 snRNP 70K protein showed a high degree of homology. The plant
      U1 snRNP 70K protein is more closely related to the human counter part than to
      the yeast 70K protein. The carboxy-terminal half is less well conserved but, like
      the vertebrate 70K proteins, is rich in charged amino acids. Northern analysis
      with the RNA isolated from different parts of the plant indicates that the snRNP
      70K gene is expressed in all of the parts tested. Southern blotting of genomic
      DNA using the cDNA indicates that the U1 snRNP 70K protein is coded by a single
      gene.

PMID- 1420367
TI  - Cloning of the C alpha catalytic subunit of the bovine cAMP-dependent protein
      kinase.
AB  - The bovine C alpha type catalytic subunit of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase
      was cloned. A partial cDNA was isolated from a bovine heart cDNA library. This
      clone contained 120 bp of the coding sequence and the entire 3' untranslated
      region of 1431 bp. The complete coding region was cloned by PCR amplification
      from total bovine heart and skeletal muscle RNA. The sequence of the 3'
      oligonucleotide was taken from the partial cDNA clone whereas the 5'
      oligonucleotide was chosen by comparison of sequences of published C alpha
      subunits from other species. In the deduced amino acid sequence there is one
      deviation from the published bovine C alpha protein sequence, aspartic acid 286
      is exchanged by an asparagine. The C alpha mRNA was found to be expressed
      differentially in various bovine tissues.

PMID- 1420368
TI  - The two splice variants of collagen XII share a common 5' end.
AB  - The short splice variant of collagen XII is composed of 1960 amino acid residues.
      This polypeptide contains the same signal peptide and the same carboxy-terminus
      as the long splice variant, but lacks an internal fragment of 1164 amino acid
      residues. Thus, the two variants of collagen XII are not created by the use of
      two different transcription initiation sites as generally assumed, but result
      from the inclusion or skipping of several exons located within the collagen XII
      gene.

PMID- 1420370
TI  - Linkage position determination in a novel set of permethylated neutral
      trisaccharides by collisional-induced dissociation and tandem mass spectrometry.
AB  - A set of neutral permethylated trisaccharides identical in the non-reducing (A---
      B) disaccharide and linkage isomeric in the reducing terminal (B----C)
      disaccharide has been synthesized. Collision-activated tandem mass spectrometry
      was used for analysis of the B----C linkage position. The trisaccharides,
      gal(beta 1----4)glc(beta 1----X)glc, where X = 3, 4 and 6, were synthesized and
      examined using fast atom bombardment collision-induced dissociation tandem mass
      spectrometry. Results were rationalized using molecular modeling. We have
      previously reported results for determination of the A----B linkage position with
      isomeric sets of synthetic trisaccharides containing internal amino sugars. The
      neutral trisaccharides were synthesized to isolate electronic effects of the
      amino group. An approach of relating daughter ion to parent ion ratios and
      collision energy offset was used to generate slopes that predict linkage position
      in glc beta 1----X glc reducing end glycoside form of terminal trisaccharides.

PMID- 1420369
TI  - Nucleotide sequence of rat erythropoietin.
AB  - The cDNA for the rat erythropoietin (EPO) has been cloned and sequenced. The
      deduced amino acid sequence consists of 166 amino acid residues, which has a 79%
      and 95% homology with human and mouse EPOs, respectively. Many short stretches,
      highly conserved in primate and rodent EPOs, are found in the 3'-noncoding region
      when insertions and deletions are taken into consideration.

PMID- 1420371
TI  - Measurement of muscle protein fractional synthetic rate by capillary gas
      chromatography/combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry.
AB  - The measurement of skeletal muscle protein fractional synthetic rate using an
      infusion of (1-13C)leucine and measuring the isotopic abundance of the tracer in
      skeletal muscle protein by preparative gas chromatography (GC)/ninhydrin isotope
      ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) is laborious and subject to errors owing to
      contamination by 12C. The purpose of this study was to compare muscle
      (13C)leucine enrichment measured with the conventional preparative GC/ninhydrin
      IRMS approach to a new, continuous-flow technique using capillary GC/combustion
      IRMS. Quadriceps muscles were removed from four Sprague-Dawley rats after each
      was infused at a different rate with (1-13C)leucine for 6-8 h. Muscle leucine
      enrichment (at. % excess) measured by both methods differed by less than 4%,
      except at low (13C)leucine enrichments (less than 0.03 at. % excess). In
      addition, capillary GC/combustion IRMS was used to assess muscle (13C)leucine
      enrichment and fractional muscle protein synthesis rate in ten normal young men
      and women infused with (1,2-13C2)leucine for 12-14 h. This approach reduced the
      variability of the isotope abundance measure and gave estimates of muscle protein
      synthesis rate (0.050 +/- 0.011% h-1 (mean +/- SEM); range = 0.023-0.147% h-1)
      that agree with published values determined using the standard analytical
      approach. The measurement of (13C)leucine enrichment from skeletal muscle protein
      by capillary GC/combustion IRMS provides a simple, acceptable and practical
      alternative to preparative GC/ninhydrin IRMS.

PMID- 1420372
TI  - Liquid chromatographic/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass
      spectrometric analysis of synthetic elastase inhibitor peptide.
AB  - A liquid chromatographic/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass
      spectrometric method for the determination of tert-butyloxycarbonyl-Tyr-Leu-Val
      CH2Cl (Boc-YLV-CH2Cl) was investigated. Boc-YLV-CH2Cl was eluted from a Cosmosil
      5C8 column in a solvent system of 0.1% acetic acid-methanol (30: 70, v/v). The
      positive ion spectrum of Boc-YLV-CH2Cl showed a quasi-molecular ion at m/z 526
      with fragment ions which provided structural information. Boc-YLV-CH2Cl was
      purified from blood and tissue samples with Sep-Pak C18 cartridges. The analysis
      in biological samples was performed by focusing the characteristic ion at m/z
      526. The calibration graphs were linear over the concentration range studied
      (injected amounts of 9.5-190 pmol). The method was applied to the determination
      of Boc-YLV-CH2Cl in biological samples.

PMID- 1420373
TI  - Mass spectrometric quantification of cysteine-containing leukotrienes in rat bile
      using 13C-labeled internal standards.
AB  - Leukotriene C4 and N-acetyl leukotriene E4 were determined in rat bile using a
      procedure based on high-performance liquid chromatographic fractionation,
      hydrogenation to 5-hydroxyeicosanoic acid, and gas chromatographic/mass
      spectrometric selected ion monitoring analysis of the pentafluorobenzyl ester,
      trimethylsilyl ether derivatives. 13C4-Labeled analogs of the leukotrienes were
      synthesized and used as internal standards. The concentrations of both
      leukotrienes in rat bile were markedly elevated after administration of endotoxin
      to anesthetized animals; N-acetyl leukotriene E4 was the more abundant product.
      The presence of leukotriene C4 in rat bile after endotoxin challenge was
      confirmed by fast atom bombardment/tandem mass spectrometry with precursor ion
      scanning. Quantitative determination of leukotriene C4 using the tandem mass
      spectrometric procedure was consistent with the gas chromatographic/mass
      spectrometric data but the latter procedure gave a substantially lower detection
      limit.

PMID- 1420374
TI  - Design and optimization of a micropump-based electrospray device for preparation
      of nitrocellulose substrates for plasma desorption time-of-flight mass
      spectrometry.
AB  - Details of a nitrocellulose (NC) substrate preparation technique in 252Cf plasma
      desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry were investigated using an
      electrospray device, in which a micropump was employed for solution delivery. The
      molecular ion yields for three standard proteins (porcine insulin, chicken-egg
      lysozyme and chymotrypsinogen A) were studied as a function of the electrosprayed
      NC layer thickness, spray rate, NC solution concentration and some other
      parameters. Optimal parameters of the NC substrate preparation procedure were
      determined, which include deposition of a layer of 250-750 micrograms cm-2 at up
      to 15 microliters min-1 spray rate and up to 15 micrograms microliters-1 solution
      concentration.

PMID- 1420375
TI  - Determination of L-654,066, a new 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor in plasma by liquid
      chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry.
AB  - L-654,066 is a new 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor. A sensitive and specific assay
      based on combined liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry has been developed for
      the determination of this drug candidate in plasma. The analyte was isolated from
      plasma by solid-phase extraction on a C-18 cartridge. A related substance, L
      683,838, was used as the internal standard. Extracts were chromatographed on a 5
      cm C18 reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography column interfaced via
      the heated nebulizer probe to a corona discharge chemical ionization source. The
      mass spectrometer was operated in the positive ion tandem mode. The method has
      sufficient sensitivity, precision, accuracy and selectivity for the analysis of
      clinical samples containing L-654,066 at concentrations in the range 0.5-20 ng ml
      1. The chromatographic run time is less than 2 min.

PMID- 1420376
TI  - Simultaneous determination of tenidap and its stable isotope analog in serum by
      high-performance liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization
      tandem mass spectrometry.
AB  - A specific high-performance liquid chromatographic/atmospheric pressure chemical
      ionization tandem mass spectrometric assay for the quantitative determination of
      tenidap and its D3 analog in human serum is described. The assay exhibited a
      linear dynamic range of 0.1-25 micrograms ml-1. Its precision for the two
      analytes over the range was 17% or better. The assay validity and its utility to
      investigate changes in tenidap bioequivalence and pharmacokinetics are presented.

PMID- 1420377
TI  - Water as a useful calibrant for thermospray mass spectrometry.
AB  - The present report demonstrates that thermospray liquid chromotography/mass
      spectrometry (LC/MS) calibration can be easily achieved by the observation of
      water cluster ions in filament-on or discharge ionization modes. Cluster ions of
      sizes ranging from 1 to 44 water molecules are readily observed and thus are
      useful over the mass range from 17 to 792 Da.

PMID- 1420378
TI  - Hybrid tandem mass spectrometers in biological research.

PMID- 1420379
TI  - Optimization of short-column gas chromatography/electron ionization mass
      spectrometry conditions for the determination of underivatized anabolic steroids.
AB  - A gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric method based on the use of short
      capillary gas chromatograph columns (3-5 m) and electron ionization mass
      spectrometry has been optimized and evaluated for the determination of
      underivatized anabolic steroids. The short-column gas chromatographic/mass
      spectrometric method was shown to result in short analysis times and to require
      minimal sample preparation, but suffered from some loss in sensitivity and
      chromatographic resolution compared with conventional gas chromatographic/mass
      spectrometric techniques for derivatized steroids. Therefore, short-column gas
      chromatographic conditions were optimized to maximize the sample transfer
      efficiency (sensitivity) from the gas chromatograph into the ion source of the
      mass spectrometer, while maintaining chromatographic integrity and minimizing
      thermal decomposition. Mass spectrometric conditions were optimized to maximize
      ionization efficiency with respect to the intensity of the molecular ion and
      degree of fragmentation such that positive identification of each steroid could
      be made based on the resulting mass spectra. Under optimized conditions, we have
      shown that underivatized anabolic steroids spiked into urine samples can be
      determined at low-nanogram levels using short-column chromatography/full-scan
      electron ionization mass spectrometry.

PMID- 1420380
TI  - Utility of liquid chromatography/fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and
      liquid chromatography/thermospray mass spectrometry for structure identification
      of metabolites of a fluorinated herbicide.
AB  - This study demonstrates a useful application of on-line microbore high
      performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fast atom bombardment (FAB) and
      thermospray (TSP) mass spectrometry techniques for identification of metabolites
      from the in vitro metabolism of an experimental Monsanto herbicide: 2-chloro-N
      (ethoxymethyl-N-[2-methyl-6- (trifluoromethyl)phenyl]acetamide,
      'chloroacetanilide'. The microbore HPLC FAB technique on a high-resolution sector
      mass spectrometer accelerated identification of polar metabolites from the in
      vitro metabolism study of the herbicide. It provided good chromatographic
      resolution and excellent FAB sensitivity with strong protonated molecular ions.
      Scanning high-resolution LC/FAB mass spectrometry also provided molecular
      formulae for structural elucidation of unknown metabolites. Sample purification
      and concentration were minimized. Identification of less polar metabolites was
      carried out using LC/TSP mass spectrometry with a quadrupole mass spectrometer.
      LC/TSP mass spectrometry provided useful structural information for both polar
      and less polar metabolites because their spectra showed more fragmentation than
      FAB spectra. Glutathione conjugation was the major reaction observed during in
      vitro incubation of the herbicide. Oxidation of the chloroacetanilide by rat
      liver enzymes was also a significant metabolic reaction. Seven metabolites were
      identified, of which four were glutathione conjugates.

PMID- 1420381
TI  - Fast atom bombardment and tandem mass spectrometry at high and low collision
      energy for the sequence analysis of low to middle-mass peptides.

PMID- 1420382
TI  - Electron impact and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometric analysis of the food
      borne carcinogens 2-amino-3-methylimidazo [4,5-f] quinoline, 2-amino-3,8
      dimethylimidazo [4,5-f] quinoxaline and their metabolites.
AB  - Electron impact (EI) and fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry were used
      to characterize the heterocyclic aromatic amines, 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5
      f]quinoline and 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline and their
      metabolites. The carcinogenic N2-hydroxy metabolites and several non-conjugated
      detoxification products were analysed directly by EI mass spectrometry, while
      several polar sulphate and beta-glucuronic acid conjugates were analysed by FAB
      mass spectrometry. Analysis of beta-glucuronic acid conjugates was also achieved
      by EI mass spectrometry following silylation.

PMID- 1420383
TI  - [Radioimmunoscintigraphy: fundamentals (1)].
AB  - Radioimmunoscintigraphy (scintigraphy of benign and malignant diseases with
      radioactively labelled monoclonal antibodies) is being performed via clinically
      controlled studies in Germany since 1985. In this review the immunological
      fundamentals and diagnostic possibilities of this new diagnostic approach are
      given described.

PMID- 1420385
TI  - [A debatable issue: indications for the selection and use of absorber materials].
AB  - In response to the present occasion, the areas of application of different
      radiation-absorbent test device materials used in practice are presented in an
      overview. The test methods recommended for acceptance and constancy testing, the
      absorbers suitable for this as well as the dependence of a few test parameters
      relevant to image quality and their tolerances regarding the absorber material
      are described. The test results are verified and it is shown that in the use of
      technical test devices, unusually high dose tolerances or high densities of the
      test device exposures, for example, are by all means in agreement with good
      technically induced medical imaging quality.

PMID- 1420386
TI  - [Magnetic resonance angiography: physical principles and clinical applications].
AB  - Within the last four years magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) developed very
      rapidly towards a well accepted screening technique for vascular examinations as
      a fast add on to conventional MR. This review describes the basic physical
      principles as well as the different methods like time-of-flight and phase
      sensitive MRA for visualization of blood vessels. Different applications of 3D,
      2D sequential and 3D multi-volume MRA are shown from various regions of the head
      and body. A short outlook to quantitative flow measurements is given in the last
      chapter including some interesting applications of these techniques which show
      the still expanding potential of magnetic resonance.

PMID- 1420384
TI  - [Radioimmunoscintigraphy of colorectal tumors: state of the art (2)].
AB  - Radioimmunoscintigraphy (RIS) of colorectal carcinomas is under investigation in
      controlled clinical studies in Germany since 1985. With the availability of 99mTc
      labelled monoclonal antibodies against the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), there
      is an increasing acceptance of this new technique; nevertheless, the merits of
      RIS in comparison to established methods of staging and restaging of patients
      with colorectal carcinomas as computed tomography, endoscopy and sonography are
      still under discussion. In this review the current "State of the Art" of
      radioimmunoscintigraphy of colorectal carcinomas is given in respect of whether
      there is additional information which can be gained only by Ris but not by the
      established diagnostic procedure.

PMID- 1420388
TI  - [The importance of CT for the diagnosis of adrenal gland tumors: myelolipoma].
AB  - Myelolipoma is a rare benign tumour of the adrenal cortex. 20% of the patients
      have intratumoral, mostly tiny foci of calcifications. In most cases CT, as the
      gold standard for imaging the adrenal gland, is able to diagnose the myelolipoma.
      MR yields no additional information. Even large tumours with or without
      calcifications can remain without surgical intervention if there is a regular
      follow-up. The indications for surgical management are reduced by the
      characteristic appearance of this tumour on CT scan.

PMID- 1420387
TI  - ["Pseudo-dissection" in an abdominal aortic aneurysm].
AB  - Sonography of 52 patients with aneurysms of the abdominal aorta revealed in 7
      cases hypoechoic crescent-like zone between parietal thrombus and the aortic wall
      which simulated aortic dissection. Duplex-sonography was performed in all cases
      and no flow could be detected in this area. In two patients intraoperatively
      several milliliters of a serous fluid could be aspirated from this zone which
      confirmed the suggestion of seroma within the parietal thrombus. This observation
      may be found rather frequently and should not be a reason for immediate surgery.

PMID- 1420389
TI  - [Complications in the kidney pelvis and the ureter following kidney
      transplantation].
AB  - Development of complications of the pelvis and the ureter, especially obstruction
      and necrosis with an urinary fistula was seen in 35 of 751 patients after kidney
      transplantation (4.6%). In this study they occurred significantly often in
      patients with multiple renal arteries of the donor kidney, for example pole
      arteries. An arterial angiography of the aorta abdominalis in living donors
      before transplantation is not be neglected. The diagnosis of urological
      complications includes sonography, in cases of ureteral obstruction percutaneous
      antegrade urography, and in a given case computed tomography.

PMID- 1420390
TI  - [Bladder tumors--Magnevist-assisted magnetic resonance tomography].
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, Magnetom 0.5 Tesla) using a high-resolution
      surface coil was performed on 10 healthy volunteers, 16 patients with bladder
      tumours, 2 patients with cystitis and 15 patients with bladder tumours and
      cystitis. Lesion delineation versus urine, bladder wall and surrounding organs
      was evaluated in plain and contrast-enhanced (IV Magnevist, 0.1 mmol/kg) T1
      weighted, plain proton-density and T2-weighted spin-echo images. Surface-coil MRI
      proved very sensitive since all lesions were found in plain scans. Cystitis and
      27 of 31 tumours exhibited contrast enhancement, however, differentiation of
      tumours and cystic lesions was not improved. Plain T2 and contrast-enhanced T1
      weighted images demonstrated bladder wall disruption and perivesical tumour
      spread with equal sensitivity. Post-contrast images permitted unequivocal
      visualisation of perivesical tumour spread in surrounding peritoneal fat. The
      authors conclude that T2-weighted imaging may be restricted to non-enhancing
      bladder tumours thus significantly reducing imaging time.

PMID- 1420391
TI  - [The clinical relevance of sonography in intensive care units].
AB  - 336 sonographic examinations were performed with a portable ultrasound scanner on
      217 patients in intensive-care units. In 302/336 (90%) cases, the region of
      clinical interest could be demonstrated completely or mostly by ultrasound. The
      clinical question could be answered by ultrasound in 270/310 (87%) cases
      partially. In 17/210 (5%) cases the clinical question could not be answered by
      ultrasound, in 26/336 (8%) cases there was no clinical question at all. 211/336
      (63%) sonographic examinations were retrospectively classified as clinically
      relevant. A large part of clinically relevant examinations was found at the
      sonographic evaluation of the liver (100%), of the pericardium (96%), of the
      kidneys (89%), of the blood vessels (80%), of the gallbladder (78%), of the
      pleural space (76%) and on sonographic evaluation of patients with blunt
      abdominal trauma (91%). A relatively small part of clinically relevant
      examinations was found at sonographic evaluation of circumscribed or free
      intraabdominal fluid (59% resp. 57%), of cholestasis (53%) and of suspected
      neoplasm (11%). Sonographic examinations of the pancreas (40%) or the spleen
      (33%) and examinations without any clinical question (50%) also showed little
      clinical relevance.

PMID- 1420392
TI  - [Bladder outflow obstruction due to a small, median prostatic cyst--diagnosis and
      interventional radiology treatment].
AB  - We describe a rare case of a bladder outlet obstruction due to a midline
      prostatic cyst. In the following clinical appearance, diagnostic imaging and
      therapy by CT-guided punction are reported. Differential diagnosis and therapy
      are discussed.

PMID- 1420393
TI  - [Detection of a pheochromocytoma in the urinary bladder wall].
AB  - We present the case of a 23-year old female patient with clinical signs and
      biochemical results of a pheochromocytoma. Abdominal ultrasound gave no hints on
      localisation. Angiography demonstrated a richly vasculated tumour in the region
      of the superior urinary bladder. Computed tomography (CT) was able to localise
      the tumour but could not differentiate the tumour origin in bladder or uterus.
      The selective venous catheter blood sampling confirmed the localisation of the
      norepinephrine producing pheochromocytoma in the inferior pelvic region.
      Intraoperative diagnosis turned out to be an extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma of
      unknown tumour status in the dorsal bladder wall.

PMID- 1420394
TI  - A national survey of physicians' and nurses' attitudes toward endoscope cleaning
      and the potential for cross-infection.
AB  - To elicit information on endoscope cleaning practices and the perceived risk of
      cross-infection, questionnaires were mailed to 500 physicians and 1,000
      gastroenterology nurses and associates in November and December 1991. The survey
      results indicated that while the majority (83% of nurse/associates and 82% of
      physicians) expressed satisfaction with current cleaning methods, levels of
      confidence in endoscope reprocessing varied in several key areas. Concern about
      the potential for device-borne human immunodeficiency virus transmission was
      expressed by 82% of nurses and 87% of physicians, while 75% of nurses and 53% of
      physicians feared being liable should cross-infection occur. While most
      respondents (86% of physicians and 30% of nurses) were unaware of cross-infection
      incidents, 6% of nurses reported outbreaks in their institutions. According to
      survey responses, the risk of cross-infection may be attributable to variable
      cleaning practices--failure to clean scopes before placing them in disinfectant,
      abbreviated overall cleaning times, and inconsistent disinfectant immersion times
      -that may be compounded by unreliable automatic disinfectors. At least once a
      year endoscopes were blocked by debris according to 74% of nurses and 72% of
      physicians. Reactions to glutaraldehyde had been experienced by 87% of nurses and
      65% of physicians. Gastroenterology professionals may be unaware of the actual
      incidence of cross-infection, but recognize its potential. Lapses in cleaning
      practices and the difficulty in monitoring postendoscopy nosocomial infections
      add to their uncertainty.

PMID- 1420395
TI  - Celiac disease--a patient's perspective.

PMID- 1420397
TI  - Endoscopic retrograde hemorrhoidal sclerotherapy.
AB  - This article describes an endoscopic retrograde hemorrhoidal sclerotherapy
      technique that is well tolerated and associated with high patient satisfaction,
      low complication rates, and satisfactory long-term results. This therapy is best
      used when colonoscopy is performed, and the need for treatment of hemorrhoidal
      disease is identified prior to the procedure. Since conventional sclerotherapy
      equipment is used, the demands on the endoscopy staff and finances are lessened.
      This article also discusses the implications for nursing care and patient
      teaching associated with this procedure.

PMID- 1420396
TI  - Primary biliary cirrhosis: current diagnosis and treatment.
AB  - Primary biliary cirrhosis is a progressive noninflammatory destruction of the
      interlobular bile ducts within the liver, leading to cholestasis and eventual
      cirrhosis. Ninety percent of affected patients are women. Most patients are
      initially without symptoms or have mild symptoms such as fatigue or pruritus. A
      minority of patients have the classical triad of jaundice, pruritus, and
      xanthelasmas. Almost all patients will have positive anti-mitochondrial antibody
      test results and an elevation of the serum alkaline phosphatase level. Primary
      biliary cirrhosis is thought to be an autoimmune disorder with additional liver
      injury being mediated by the subsequent cholestasis and accumulation of toxic
      bile acids. New treatment modalities include colchicine, ursodeoxycholic acid,
      and methotrexate. All patients, including those with only minor symptoms, have
      increased mortality compared with age-matched controls, thereby emphasizing the
      need for early diagnosis.

PMID- 1420398
TI  - Droperidol (Inapsine).
AB  - Droperidol may be used to bring about conscious sedation in therapeutic and
      diagnostic endoscopy. Droperidol is a neuroleptic tranquilizer that produces
      marked tranquilization and sedation. Droperidol may be used to allay apprehension
      and provide a state of mental detachment while maintaining reflex alterness
      necessary in endoscopic interventions. Adverse reactions to droperidol are
      generally self-limiting or readily managed with hydration to correct hypotension.

PMID- 1420399
TI  - Quality review in the endoscopy setting.

PMID- 1420400
TI  - Going home with a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy: a reference for patients
      and care givers.

PMID- 1420401
TI  - Growth hormone treatment for the elderly?

PMID- 1420402
TI  - Age-related modifications in neural cardiovascular control.
AB  - Integrated cardiovascular responses to a range of different stimuli, as well as
      the overall, spontaneously occurring variability in blood pressure and heart
      rate, undergo complex changes with aging. A general trend is that homeostatic
      control mechanisms lose part of their ability to modulate heart rate and to
      buffer the concomitant blood pressure variations; the two phenomena are possibly
      linked by a cause-effect relationship. A detailed analysis of the age-related
      changes in the major reflex systems reveals a clear-cut impairment in arterial
      baroreceptor control of the heart rate, but much less pronounced changes in its
      control of blood pressure, on the other hand, both the hemodynamic and humoral
      components of the cardiopulmonary reflex appear to be markedly attenuated. The
      experimental evidence of the mechanisms underlying these changes is still largely
      incomplete, and it appears that the gaps will have to be filled by a systematic,
      detailed analysis, i.e., that no generalizations or extrapolations will be
      possible. Indeed, the data available so far indicate that the age-related
      alterations are highly non-uniform, some functions undergoing a definite
      impairment but others being much better preserved and some being even enhanced;
      thus aging is by no means associated with a generalized decline in cardiovascular
      functions and should instead be viewed as a complex, highly selective process.
      These peculiar biological features of the aging phenomena merit further
      investigation in both the cardiovascular and the other organ systems, in order to
      verify the possibility that currently unrecognized homeostatic potentials in the
      elderly subject may be exploited to advance his/her clinical management in health
      and disease.

PMID- 1420403
TI  - Stress, glucocorticoids, and aging.
AB  - Attention has long been focused on the relationship between stress and aging,
      both under the guise of stress as an accelerator of normal aging and of aging as
      a time of impaired ability to cope with stress. This review examines the
      considerable amount of evidence in support of these views. We address these ideas
      with respect to glucocorticoids, the adrenal steroid hormones secreted during
      stress. In particular, we concentrate on three model systems: 1) programmed
      senescence in marsupial mice and semelparous fish as mediated by glucocorticoid
      excess; 2) glucocorticoid hypersecretion in rats and its role in damaging the
      aging brain; and 3) potential human and primate adrenocortical dysfunction during
      aging. We discuss physical and cognitive consequences of adrenocortical
      dysfunction in these systems, and how they may relate to human aging.

PMID- 1420405
TI  - Changes in posture and balance with age.
AB  - Changes in posture with age are of concern because of their association with
      impaired mobility and the possibility of falls. In this study alignment of the
      joint centers and balance of body segments were measured in 41 women, aged 65 and
      older, and correlated with weight, age, change in height, and activity. Balance
      was assessed by calculating the whole-body center of gravity, and the partial
      centers of gravity above the knee and hip. Compared to a younger reference
      population, the older subjects had greater kyphosis, a more posterior hip
      position, and leaned forward more from the hips (more anterior center of gravity
      above the hips). Among the 41 elderly subjects, larger kyphoses correlated with
      greater decrease in height. Elderly subjects who were inactive tended to learn
      more, but forward lean was not correlated to other variables. These findings
      suggest two separate sets of changes: an osteoporosis-related stooping, and also
      a forward lean that may relate to muscular weakness or to fear of instability.
      Posture among the elderly was quite varied and did not follow any one pattern of
      change.

PMID- 1420404
TI  - Age-related changes in tissue contents of immunoreactive calcitonin gene-related
      peptide.
AB  - Age-related changes in calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) content were found
      in a number of rat tissues, and most can be explained by the physiological and
      pathological changes associated with advancing age. In some specific areas of the
      brain, and some cardiovascular tissues such as atria and arteries, the CGRP
      content declined with age (p < 0.01), while the contents were increased in the
      thyroid gland, plasma and in veins (p < 0.01). In the substantia nigra and
      striatum, the immunoreactive-CGRP (i-CGRP) levels found in older rats were about
      50% of those found in adolescent rats (p < 0.01). The i-CGRP levels found in the
      penis, bladder, kidney, testis and adrenal gland gradually increased up to
      maturity, and then rapidly declined in the aging rats. However, in the lungs and
      sensory ganglia (dorsal root and trigeminal), the highest content of i-CGRP was
      found in immature 3-week-old rats, and then declined with age. Changes of i-CGRP
      observed with age may support multiple physiological roles for CGRP at various
      stages of development. The changes described here, particularly in the lungs,
      substantia nigra, striatum and the cardiovascular system, should help in further
      understanding the physiological and pathophysiological role of CGRP in health and
      in age-related disorders.

PMID- 1420406
TI  - Norepinephrine sensitivity of the endocrine pancreas in aging F344 rats.
AB  - The effect of norepinephrine (NE) infusion on glucose-stimulated insulin
      secretion was evaluated in whole perfused pancreases isolated from 6-, 12-, and
      26-month-old male Fischer 344 (F344) rats. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion
      was significantly inhibited by NE in all age groups. There was no significant
      effect of aging on the sensitivity or magnitude of inhibition at any of the
      concentrations of NE. In contrast, vascular pressure attained during NE infusion
      was significantly less in the 26-month-old rats compared to 6- and 12-month-old
      animals. These results suggest that the adrenoceptor neuroeffector mechanism of
      the smooth muscle declines at a faster age-related rate than does the beta-cell's
      adrenoceptor mechanism.

PMID- 1420407
TI  - Effect of cholinergic tone on growth hormone-releasing hormone-induced secretion
      of growth hormone in normal aging.
AB  - Aging is associated with an impairment in the GH response to GHRH and to several
      other stimuli of GH secretion. We evaluated the effect of pyridostigmine (PD) or
      placebo pretreatment (Protocol A: placebo or 120 mg PD orally at 8 a.m.; Protocol
      B: placebo or 60 mg PD twice orally at 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.) on GH responsiveness to
      GHRH (1 micrograms/kg BW bolus i.v. at 9 a.m.) in 15 normal elderly males (65-92
      years) and in 14 normal young adults (20-37 years). GH response to GHRH was
      significantly reduced in elderly subjects compared to young adults (p < 0.05). PD
      (Protocol A) increased GH release in both elderly and young subjects. In elderly
      men, PD enhanced GH response to GHRH. The phenomenon was more evident when PD was
      administered according to Protocol B (p < 0.01). The area under the curve of GH
      was significantly greater after PD plus GHRH than it was after placebo plus GHRH
      (p < 0.01). In young adults, PD induced an increase in GH responsiveness to GHRH
      when administered according to Protocol A (p < 0.05) but not Protocol B. Both GH
      peak and AUC of GH after PD plus GHRH (Protocols A and B) in elderly subjects
      were not significantly different from the same parameters found in young subjects
      after placebo plus GHRH. Our data confirm that pituitary somatotrophin
      responsiveness to GHRH in man changes with aging. PD restores GH responsiveness
      to GHRH in elderly subjects. The effect of PD on GH secretion suggests that
      cholinergic mechanisms may be involved in GH control in normal aging.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420408
TI  - Clinical trials in cognitive impairment in the elderly.
AB  - The pharmacological treatment of dementia is particularly difficult because of
      the uncertainty of the diagnosis and of the underlying pathogenetic processes,
      and because of the variable severity of the syndrome. This paper suggests several
      lines for future therapeutic trials in dementia. These include the need to work
      with homogenous populations and to take into account the natural history of the
      disease, the pharmacologic characteristics of the drugs, and the particular
      ethical considerations pertaining to demented patients. We review the diagnostic
      criteria for dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia. We discuss
      the different types of therapeutic trial design, the problem of the duration of
      the protocol, the tools to evaluate the cognitive effects and the activities of
      daily living, and the use of a Clinical Global Impression of Change (CGIC). The
      results of some therapeutic trials in AD and vascular dementia are given as
      examples.

PMID- 1420409
TI  - Conference on the physiologic basis of frailty. April 28, 1992, Baltimore,
      Maryland, U.S.A. Introduction.

PMID- 1420410
TI  - The role of DNA damage and its repair in the aging process.

PMID- 1420411
TI  - Relationship between the immune system and frailty: pathogenesis of immune
      deficiency in HIV infection and aging.

PMID- 1420413
TI  - Metabolic deterioration with advancing age: the role of physical activity.

PMID- 1420412
TI  - Growth hormone, IGF-I, gonadal steroids, and aging.

PMID- 1420415
TI  - Decline in neuromuscular function as an index of frailty: insights from studies
      in aging rodents.

PMID- 1420414
TI  - Malnutrition and chronic inflammation: causes or effects of frailty?

PMID- 1420416
TI  - [Unevenness of distribution of historical events throughout an 11-year solar
      cycle].
AB  - Tchizhevsky hypothesis (1922) of historical process heliotaraxia (helios--sun,
      taracsio--perturb) was empirically tested. Samples of near 13 and 4.6 thousand
      events mentioned in Chronology sections of two largest Soviet historical
      handbooks were analyzed. Events were classified into 4 groups on the basis of
      "strength" and "social contradictions meaning" of their names, called tolerance
      and polarity: tolerant--intolerant (e.f. riot--roform) and polar--neutral (e.f.
      civil war-external war). It was found that frequency and polarity of historical
      events increased in maximum of sunspot cycle and in the next year as compared
      with minimum and the year before minimum. The probability of revolution (the most
      polar and intolerant name of historical event) is the highest in maximum and the
      lowest in the year before minimum. Intolerance of polar events increased and
      neutral events decreased in maximum. All these relations were highly significant
      (P < 0.001). It was concluded that heliotaraxic phenomena exist and are basically
      associated with year of sunspot maximum.

PMID- 1420417
TI  - [Sensitivity of biological objects to the effects of the geomagnetic field].
AB  - It is shown on the basis of calculations of energy sublevels of the hyperfine
      structure that the effect of the geomagnetic field upon the impurity atoms in the
      volume of living cells should be considered in relation to the value of
      geomagnetic field induction pulses delta B. When delta B > or = 10 pT and the
      dielectric constant epsilon > or = 10, magnetodipole transitions between
      sublevels of the hyperfine structure within one term are possible in impurity
      atoms in their 2P-state. During magnetic storms with delta B > or = 100 nT
      magnetodipole or magnetoquadrupole forced transitions from 2P1/2 and 2P3/2 states
      to 2S1/2 metastable state are possible in the resonant zones formed by
      intersection of hyperfine energy sublevels of the corresponding excited levels.

PMID- 1420418
TI  - [Biological detector of weak cosmic fields].
AB  - Possibility of use of biological object as a detector of faint cosmophysical
      fields is discussed. The signals of free induction and electric echo caused by a
      short-term effect of light with an intensity of approximately 0.2 mWt/sm2 on
      biological systems were observed. The experiments with Blatella germanica, Muska
      domestica were performed in vivo and with red and green seaweeds and yeast cells
      in vitro. The signals were detected by means of the dielectric permeability
      measurement in a dynamic regime. Main features of the observed responses are
      described and assumption on mechanisms of their origin are given. An example of
      registration of the Lunar eclipse on a detector with in active element of
      Blatella germanica is given.

PMID- 1420419
TI  - [Effect of fluctuations of solar activity of biological systems].

PMID- 1420420
TI  - [The effect of weak variable extremely low frequency magnetic fields on the infra
      day rhythm of the rat sympathoadrenal system].
AB  - It was found in open test that changing magnetic fields with 8 Hz frequency and 5
      mcTl induction in daily 3 hours exposition on rats with a middle level of the
      mobile activity move the phase of diuresis daily rhythms and epinephrine and
      norepinephrine yield as well. In rats with desinchronosis provoked by hypokinesia
      the changing magnetic fields restore the synchronism of the studied processes.

PMID- 1420421
TI  - [Temporal analysis of calls of the psychiatric emergency medical aid team].
AB  - 6075 calls for the psychiatric emergency ambulance unit were reviewed. An
      analysis of the hourly and 24-hour number of calls showed the existence of 24
      hour, lunar and seasonal rhythms in the frequency of calls. The correlation
      between clinical symptoms and the number of calls points to aggravations of
      diseases. The accumulated data indicate that there is a connection between the
      dynamics of the psychopathological processes and ecological factors which are
      determined by periodic fluctuation of gravitation fields.

PMID- 1420423
TI  - [Cosmophysical correlations in live and non-live nature as a manifestation of
      weak interactions].
AB  - Determination of weak effects is proposed, their relationship with cosmophysical
      correlations is advanced. The experimental results are presented on the
      intensification coefficient of weak effects (10(4)) for polarized electromagnetic
      radiation. The magnetoresonance mechanism of weak effects is suggested. The
      experimental evidence in favor of this mechanism and its application to the
      problems of cosmophysical correlations are given.

PMID- 1420422
TI  - [The synchronizing effect of infralow frequency magnetic fields on biological
      systems].
AB  - Time-organization of lipid peroxidation and thiol groups exchange was examined.
      It was shown that one-divisible 3-hours effect of the extremely low magnetic
      fields depending on the frequency ensured formation of definite rhythm of the
      investigated processes. The obtained results are considered as an evidence of
      frequency-dependent adoption of the magnetic fields by the living systems
      according to the mechanism of forced synchronization of elementary cyclic
      processes underlain by integral oscillations.

PMID- 1420424
TI  - [Effect of an infralow frequency magnetic field on nerve cell rhythm and their
      resistance to hypoxia].
AB  - The direct effect of infralow-frequency (0.05, 0.1, 0.25 Hz, 100 nT) magnetic
      fields (MF) was demonstrated on the brain cellular--tissue model--surviving
      slices of mouse cerebellum. MF influence is a trigger for the nervous cells. MF-5
      Hz revealed two-phases response: inhibition and excitation of the impulse
      activity of neurons. Besides that we recorded convulsive effect of MF. The
      experiments with simultaneous exposure of hypoxia and MF revealed a prohypoxia
      effect of MF, when the oxygen concentration was very low and also after
      reoxygenation. The surviving slices may be used as a model for studying the fine
      mechanisms of influence of different intensity MF on the nervous cells.

PMID- 1420425
TI  - [Cosmophysical fluctuations and development of the human embryo].
AB  - An analysis of the dependence of embryonic pathology development on heliocosmic
      factors is conducted and regular changes of the appearance of different kinds of
      pathology depending on heliocosmic situations in different months of the year are
      shown. Periods of conception of increasing amount of children with different
      disturbances of development coincide with values of the Wolf's number and sun
      radiation stream density of certain ranges in comparison with the mean values,
      the same indexes are in conformity with the periods of conception of children
      having haemolytic disease and diabetic foetopathy.

PMID- 1420426
TI  - [Geocosmic factors in adaptation of intracellular energetics in diseases of
      pregnant and confined women and children].

PMID- 1420427
TI  - [Correlation of the probability of occurrence of breast neoplasms with solar
      activity].
AB  - A contingent with high incidence of precancerous breast diseases (1080 persons)
      was studied to assess the relationship between solar activity and 1) alterations
      in the relationship between women with early menarche and women with middle and
      late menarche (high and low risk of breast cancer respectively) and 2) incidence
      of benign breast diseases. It was established that population content alterations
      were wave-like and had statistically significant periods 3,5; 7 and 12 years, and
      correlate with Wolf number changes. Incidence of benign breast diseases in the
      group aged 20-50 years also changed periodically (T = 11 years) depending on the
      birth-year and correlated conversely with Wolf numbers at the birth-years.
      Incidence of benign breast diseases changes periodically in the population of
      women with early menarche with the period of 3.6 years, and in those with middle
      and late menarche--with the periods of 10.5, 3.2 and 4 years. There is a
      statistically significant correlation between the incidence of benign breast
      diseases and Wolf numbers in population of women with middle and late menarche.

PMID- 1420428
TI  - [Connection between the sector structural of the interplanetary magnetic field
      and hematologic indicators in normal and neoplastic processes].
AB  - Interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) sector polarity was compared to hematologic
      indexes of normal mice and mice after single injection of carcinogen 1,2
      Dimethylhydrazine. It has been established that the hemoglobin level and the
      number of leucocytes in the standard blood volume depend on IMF sector polarity:
      both indexes are higher at +IMF, than at -IMF. Mice injected with carcinogen have
      mainly higher hemoglobin level at +IMF and mainly lower one at -IMF than the
      control mice.

PMID- 1420429
TI  - [Modulation of energy metabolism of lymphocytes in children by natural physical
      factors].
AB  - The aim of this work is exploration of natural physical factors influencing
      change of age-dependent energy exchange parameters (e.g. activity of SDG) in
      healthy and premature children. 35 healthy and 35 premature children were
      investigated over 11 years from early antenatal and postnatal period.
      Cytochemical investigations were carried out 1-2 time a year until 6 years of
      age. Solar activity, geomagnetic excitability, air temperature and atmospheric
      pressure and its diurnal variation on index represented environmental factors. It
      is suggested that quiet magnetic field might be a predictor of higher level of
      SDG activity and vice versa. Higher activity of magnetic field leads to
      displacement of maximum-age of SDG activity to an earlier age. Lymphocytes react
      to magnetic storm in a phasic manner. Other physical environmental factors might
      have reciprocal effect so that some of them could negate the effect of others. If
      intrauterine development took place in a year of higher solar activity, early
      development results. However, later development is characterized by lower level
      of SDG activity. On premature children, as well as in healthy subjects, the more
      influencing factors on energetic age-dependent parameters are geomagnetic field
      and variation of atmospheric SDG activity in healthy children is within normal
      range (and has a training effect), while in premature children depression of
      hydrogenase in the end stage.

PMID- 1420430
TI  - [The possible effect of parameters of the gravitational field on indicators of
      functional asymmetry of the brain].
AB  - Correlation of the brain functional asymmetry (BFA) in 2400 humans born in 1930
      1984 and numbers of the joining of planets, moon and the Sun was investigated in
      corresponding years of conception and birth. A significant correlation with BFA
      was found in men, while there was no such correlation in women.

PMID- 1420431
TI  - [Deviation from a Poisson distribution in a series of identical tests of E. coli
      cultures as a result of the effect of correlating factors of exo- and endogenous
      natures].
AB  - Vital cells number (VCN) in the sampling of E. coli populations was
      experimentally measured and distribution histograms were obtained. In most cases
      distributions show considerable deviation from Poisson model. VCN distribution
      histograms are polymodal, dispersion/arithmetical mean ratio may essentially
      differ from 1. The more essential differences from Poisson distribution were
      observed for populations with the higher cell concentration. Computer simulation
      of the VCN histograms indicated that additional parameters (such as those
      describing cellular interaction of different nature and/or other factors that
      influence random behaviour of cells) should be introduced into Poisson model to
      explain observed variations in VCN distribution histograms.

PMID- 1420432
TI  - [Reaction of rats with various constitutional features to the effect of weak
      variable magnetic fields of extremely low frequency].
AB  - The influence of 8 Hz frequency and 5 mcTl induction changing magnetic fields on
      the functional state of blood neutrophils, sympathoadrenal system and brain
      integrative activity in rats with low, middle and high level of mobility was
      investigated in open test. It was found out that changing magnetic fields provoke
      the stress-reaction development in rats with low mobile activity. The adaptation
      which develops in rats with high and middle mobile activity comes later by 5-7
      days in high mobility rats.

PMID- 1420433
TI  - [Processing biorhythmic data modified by a cosinor analysis method].
AB  - Modified Cosinor-Analyses method used in processing of biorhythmological data is
      considered. Advantages of modified method and its practical results are shown.
      Assumption of oscillations with the periods of 4-6 hours in humans daily
      physiological activity is confirmed.

PMID- 1420434
TI  - [Natural and technogenic electromagnetic background and its effect on the
      environment].
AB  - Causes of the initiation of natural and technogenic electromagnetic background,
      its effect on the man and environment are considered. Ideas are discussed of
      eliminating negative consequences of the effects of electromagnetic waves of
      different range on the man.

PMID- 1420436
TI  - A non-nucleotide-based linking method for the preparation of psoralen-derivatized
      methylphosphonate oligonucleotides.
AB  - A method is reported for conjugating an analog of 4'-(aminomethyl)-4,5',8-
      trimethylpsoralen to methylphophonate oligonucleotides. This method enables the
      psoralen moiety to be coupled to the phosphonate backbone between any two desired
      bases in a sequence. When hybridized to a target mRNA, the psoralen moiety can be
      directed toward a uridine base and, in turn, can undergo a photo-addition
      reaction with the target under UV irradiation at 365 nm. Several different non
      nucleotide-based amino-linker reagents have been prepared for incorporation into
      methylphosphonate oligonucleotides by standard phosphonamidite chemistry. In
      addition, an N-hydroxysuccinimide activated ester analog of 4'-[(3
      carboxypropionamido)methyl]-4,5',8- trimethylpsoralen has been synthesized for
      conjugation to the amino-linker moieties. Using this approach, we have prepared a
      number of psoralen-methylphosphonate-oligonucleotide conjugates which are
      complementary to the chimeric bcr/abl mRNA associated with chronic myelogenous
      leukemia. Solution hybridization studies with a 440-base subfragment of the
      bcr/abl RNA have shown that the psoralen moiety does not adversely affect duplex
      stability. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analyses have demonstrated that the
      psoralen-oligonucleotide conjugates undergo photo-addition to the RNA in a
      sequence-specific manner. Optimal photo-addition occurs when the psoralen moiety
      is inserted adjacent to one or more adenine residues in the oligonucleotide
      sequence, particularly between adenine and thymine (5'-3'). This internal
      labeling approach greatly increases the number of potential target sites
      available for photo-cross-linking experiments.

PMID- 1420435
TI  - Conjugates of anticancer agents and polymers: advantages of macromolecular
      therapeutics in vivo.

PMID- 1420437
TI  - Preparation and characterization of recombinant proricin containing an
      alternative protease-sensitive linker sequence.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of utilizing a factor Xa
      specific cleavage site within a recombinant protein containing the ricin A chain
      (RTA) sequence. Release of RTA is believed to be an essential step during the
      intracellular phase of ricin intoxication. Failure to incorporate such cleavage
      sites in fusions containing RTA results in a loss of toxin action (O'Hare, M., et
      al. (1990) FEBS Lett. 273,200. Kim, J., and Weaver, R.F. (1988) Gene 68,315). In
      this report we describe the introduction of a factor Xa-specific site in the
      linker of proricin, which we use here as a model substrate. Upon purification of
      the recombinant mutant proricin after expression in Xenopus oocytes, we
      demonstrate that the protease does have access to the engineered recognition
      sequence (albeit at low efficiency) and that the presence of the latter does not
      interfere with disulfide bond formation or the lectin activity of the ricin B
      chain moiety. Upon cleavage and reduction, the RTA polypeptide displays ribosome
      inactivating ability, indicating that the presence of the modified linker at its
      C-terminus does not interfere with its catalytic activity. The general
      applicability of using such a cleavage site in recombinant fusions with RTA is
      discussed.

PMID- 1420438
TI  - A novel method for the incorporation of glycoprotein-derived oligosaccharides
      into neoglycopeptides.
AB  - We describe a new method for the transfer of carbohydrate moieties to
      polypeptides in which complex carbohydrate, in the form of glycosyl amino acid,
      is removed from an available glycoprotein, derivatized, and reacted with a
      polypeptide via an iodoacetylated alpha-amino group. A family of oligomannose
      chains, N-linked to the side chain of Asn, was obtained from ovalbumin by pronase
      digestion and purified as previously described. A reactive sulfhydryl group was
      specifically placed on these molecules by reaction of 2-iminothiolane with the
      Asn alpha-amino group. Separately, the alpha-amino group of the peptide GGYR was
      specifically iodoacetylated by reaction with iodoacetic anhydride at pH 6.
      Reaction of the thiol-containing carbohydrate with iodoacetylated peptide at pH 8
      gave in high yield the corresponding oligomannosyl-peptides, whose structures
      were confirmed by mass spectrometry. A peptide inhibitor of HIV protease was also
      oligomannosylated by this procedure. The principle advantage of this method is
      the efficiency of the reaction even when performed with stoichiometric amounts of
      the two molecules at low concentration. It should be feasible to extend this
      chemistry to larger polypeptides.

PMID- 1420440
TI  - Synthesis and high stability of complementary complexes of N-(2
      hydroxyethyl)phenazinium derivatives of oligonucleotides.
AB  - Two simple methods for the synthesis of oligonucleotides bearing a N-(2
      hydroxyethyl)phenazinium (Phn) residue at the 5'- and/or 3'-terminal phosphate
      groups are proposed. By forming complexes between a dodecanucleotide
      d(pApApCpCpTpGpTpTpTpGpGpC), a heptanucleotide d(pCpCpApApApCpA), and Phn
      derivatives of the latter, it is shown that the introduction of a dye at the end
      of an oligonucleotide chain strongly stabilizes its complementary complexes. The
      Tmax and the thermodynamic parameters (delta H, delta S, delta G) of complex
      formation were determined. According to these data, coupling of a dye with the 5'
      terminal phosphate group is the most advantageous: delta G(37 degrees C) is
      increased by 3.59 +/- 0.04 kcal/mol compared to 2.06 +/- 0.04 kcal/mol for 3'-Phn
      derivatives. The elongation of the linker, which connects the dye to the
      oligonucleotide, from a dimethylene up to a heptamethylene usually leads to
      destabilization of the oligonucleotide complex. The complementary complex formed
      by the 3',5'-di-Phn derivative of the heptanucleotide was found to be the most
      stable among all duplexes investigated. Relative to the unmodified complex the
      increase in free energy was 4.96 +/- 0.04 kcal/mol. The association constant of
      this modified complex at 37 degrees C is 9.5 x 10(6) M-1, whereas the analogous
      value for the unmodified complex is only 3 x 10(3) M-1.

PMID- 1420439
TI  - A new method to specifically label thiophosphorylatable proteins with extrinsic
      probes. Labeling of serine-19 of the regulatory light chain of smooth muscle
      myosin.
AB  - We present a new method to specifically and stably label proteins by attaching
      extrinsic probes to amino acids that are thiophosphorylated by protein kinases
      and ATP gamma S. The method was demonstrated for labeling of a
      thiophosphorylatable serine of the isolated regulatory light chain of smooth
      muscle myosin. We stoichiometrically blocked the single thiol (Cys-108) either by
      forming a reversible intermolecular disulfide bond or by reacting with iodoacetic
      acid. The protein was stoichiometrically thiophosphorylated at Ser-19 by myosin
      light chain kinase and ATP gamma S. The nucleophilic sulfur of the protein
      phosphorothioate was coupled at pH 7.9 and 25 degrees C to the fluorescent
      haloacetate [3H]-5-[[2-[(iodoacetyl)-amino]ethyl]amino]naphthalene-1- sulfonic
      acid ([3H]IAEDANS) by displacement of the iodide. Typical labeling efficiencies
      were 70-100%. The labeling was specific for the thiophosphorylated Ser-19, as
      determined from the sequences of two labeled peptides isolated from a tryptic
      digest of the labeled protein. [3H]IAEDANS attached to the thiophosphorylated Ser
      19 was stable at pH 3-10 at 25 degrees C, and to boiling in high concentrations
      of reductant. The labeled light chains were efficiently exchanged for unlabeled
      regulatory light chains of the whole myosin molecule. The resulting labeled
      myosin had normal ATPase activities in the absence of actin, indicating that the
      modification of Ser-19 and the exchange of the labeled light chain into myosin
      did not significantly disrupt the protein. The labeled myosin partially retained
      the elevated actin-activated Mg(2+)-ATPase activity which is characteristic of
      thiophosphorylated myosin. This indicates that labeling of the thiophosphate
      group with [3H]IAEDANS did not completely disrupt the functional properties of
      the thiophosphorylated protein in the presence of actin.

PMID- 1420441
TI  - A convenient and flexible approach for introducing linkers on bifunctional
      chelating agents.
AB  - The synthesis of a protected bifunctional analog of ethylenediaminetetraacetic
      acid (EDTA) is described. The molecule contains an aminobenzyl moiety that allows
      the easy attachment of the chelating agent to a wide variety of groups. Examples
      of reaction with the C-termini of two peptides are given. In the following paper,
      the two peptides are used to study the enzymatic cleavage of metal chelates from
      a monoclonal antibody.

PMID- 1420443
TI  - Preparation of 5- and 6-(aminomethyl)fluorescein.
AB  - 5(6)-Carboxyfluorescein is protected as the diacetate then reduced to 5(6)
      (hydroxymethyl)fluorescein diacetate. The separated isomers are subjected to a
      Mitsunobu reaction with dibenzyl imidodicarbonate, yielding diprotected 5- and 6
      (aminomethyl)fluorescein diacetate. Methanolysis of the acetates followed by
      deprotection with HBr/acetic acid gives 5- and 6-(aminomethyl)fluorescein
      hydrobromide.

PMID- 1420442
TI  - Influence of a peptide linker on biodistribution and metabolism of antibody
      conjugated benzyl-EDTA. Comparison of enzymatic digestion in vitro and in vivo.
AB  - Insight into the metabolism of radiolabeled antibodies is important for the
      design of better radioimaging and therapy agents. To test the effect of linkers
      that can be cleaved in vivo, we introduced Ala-Leu-Ala-Leu between the antibody
      Lym-1 and an 111In-labeled benzyl-EDTA. For comparison, we studied a conjugate
      without the linker. Digestion of the two conjugates in vitro showed that the one
      with Ala-Leu-Ala-Leu was cleaved rapidly by the liver protease cathepsin B1 (T1/2
      approximately 6 h). After 100 h of digestion, reversed-phase HPLC product
      analysis of the Ala-Leu-Ala-Leu conjugate showed that 48% of the total
      radioactivity had the same retention time as (p-aminobenzyl)-EDTA(In), and 37% of
      the total radioactivity had the same retention time as [p-(Ala-Leu-amido)benzyl]
      EDTA(In). After 97 h of digestion, the conjugate without the linker had 79% of
      the radioactivity activity still attached to the protein. We also tested the two
      conjugates in mice. Ala-Leu-Ala-Leu had only a moderate effect on the whole body
      and liver clearance in vivo. The excretion of the radioactivity was about 6% per
      day with the linker and about 3% per day without the linker. HPLC analysis of the
      urine of a single mouse showed products similar to the in vitro study; 54% of the
      excreted radioactivity had the same retention time as (p-aminobenzyl)-EDTA(In),
      while 10% had the retention time of [p-(Ala-Leu-amido)benzyl]-EDTA(In).

PMID- 1420444
TI  - Genetic lesions in preleukemia.
AB  - Preleukemia is thought to be a clonal disorder of hemopoietic stem cells. The
      conversion of a normal cell into a preleukemic and ultimately leukemic state is a
      multistep process requiring the accumulation of a number of genetic lesions. The
      myelodysplastic syndromes have become a paradigm for human preleukemia, where
      nonrandom chromosomal abnormalities, including complete or partial deletions of
      chromosomes five and seven, trisomy eight and Y chromosome loss suggest specific
      changes. Of particular significance are 5q deletions, as many genes important in
      hemopoiesis are located in this region, including the proto-oncogene FMS, which
      encodes the receptor for the macrophage colony-stimulating factor, CSF-1. Genetic
      damage such as point mutations in the RAS and FMS genes has been detected in
      preleukemia patients. The RAS gene family (N, K and H) encodes membrane-bound G
      proteins, which, like other proto-oncogenes, are components of the intracellular
      signal transduction pathways controlling mitogenesis and differentiation. The
      characterization of such lesions may ultimately identify those patients at
      greatest risk of leukemic transformation.

PMID- 1420446
TI  - The June RAC meeting.

PMID- 1420445
TI  - The ras/cholesterol connection: implications for ras oncogenicity.
AB  - The frequent detection of mutated ras genes in a variety of cancers (reviewed in
      Bos, 1988, 1989; Der, 1988) suggests that ras makes a significant contribution to
      human malignancies (reviewed in Barbacid, 1987; Lacal and Tronick, 1988; Der,
      1989). While the role of ras in malignancy is unclear, it is well-established
      that the association of ras protein with the inner surface of the plasma membrane
      is critical for triggering ras oncogenicity. The trafficking of ras proteins to
      the plasma membrane requires a series of three closely linked posttranslational
      modifications (farnesylation, proteolysis, and carboxymethylation) that are
      signaled by the consensus C-terminal CAAX motif present on all ras proteins
      (reviewed in Rine and Kim, 1990; Gibbs, 1991; Der and Cox, 1991). THe recent
      discovery that an essential intermediate in cholesterol biosynthesis, the
      isoprenoid farnesol, is attached covalently to ras proteins has stimulated
      considerable interest and has identified important new directions for studies of
      ras function. First, understanding the role of farnesol-linked interactions with
      the plasma membrane may identify the biochemical basis for the oncogenic actions
      of ras proteins. Second, the enzymes that catalyze the processing steps that
      trigger membrane association of ras proteins are promising targets for
      pharmacologic intervention in ras-associated disease. In this review, we
      summarize our current knowledge of the role of posttranslational processing in
      ras-membrane interaction and transforming activity. We also provide an update of
      recent studies addressing the role of isoprenoid modification in the function of
      ras and of other isoprenoid-modified proteins (reviewed in James and Olson, 1990;
      Glomset et al., 1990; Maltese, 1990). While this role is likely to be specific
      for each protein, ras proteins can provide an excellent prototype for
      understanding the role of isoprenoid modification in protein function.

PMID- 1420447
TI  - A model for predicting the risk of cancer consequent to retroviral gene therapy.
AB  - Theoretical estimates of the risk of cancer resulting from accidental insertion
      of retroviral gene therapy vectors into oncogenically vulnerable genomic sites
      may prove an important supplement to experimentally derived data in estimating
      risk/benefit ratios for future gene therapy trials. We have approached risk
      assessment by considering either a single vector insertion event or a single
      natural mutation to be potentially oncogenic, should either occur in a cell that
      would otherwise end with one less than the total number of mutations required for
      frank neoplasia. Estimates of the relative probabilities of these two phenomena
      yield a relative risk assessment, which in conjunction with epidemiologic data on
      natural cancer frequencies can be converted into an assessment of absolute risk.
      This approach yields an estimated range of relative risk over 10 years of about
      1.00000026 to 25 for cells bearing single copies of inserted vectors; the upper
      limit is higher for multiple copies. These estimates, if accurate, imply that
      small experimental human or animal gene therapy cohorts will rarely, if ever,
      manifest vector-related cancers and that more precise future risk assessments
      will require additional data on natural and vector-induced mutation rates.

PMID- 1420448
TI  - Transplantation of genetically modified autologous hepatocytes into nonhuman
      primates: feasibility and short-term toxicity.
AB  - Ex vivo gene therapy directed to the liver is being developed for the treatment
      of inherited metabolic diseases. Transplantation of hepatocytes that have been
      transduced with a low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor gene is a potential form
      of therapy for familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). We have demonstrated efficacy
      of ex vivo gene therapy for familial hypercholesterolemia in a rabbit animal
      model of this disease. In preparation for human trials, we describe in this
      report experiments in baboons for documentation of the feasibility and safety of
      autologous hepatocyte transplantation. Three baboons underwent a partial
      hepatectomy and their hepatocytes were isolated, cultured, and transduced with a
      retrovirus containing the human LDL receptor gene. The hepatocytes were harvested
      and infused into an indwelling catheter that had been placed into the inferior
      mesenteric vein at the time of liver resection. The baboons tolerated the
      procedures well and are being maintained and clinically evaluated for an
      indefinite time period. Follow-up evaluations have ranged from 3 to 8 months.
      Clinical evaluations have been unremarkable and blood chemistry and hematology
      determinations have stayed within normal limits.

PMID- 1420449
TI  - Public acceptance of human gene therapy and perceptions of human genetic
      manipulation.
AB  - Clinical trials of gene therapy are underway in different countries, and further
      countries can be expected to use gene therapy soon. Little remains known,
      however, about public perceptions of gene therapy. Nationwide mail response
      opinion surveys were conducted in Japan in August-October, 1991. A total of 54%
      of the public, 65% of the high school biology teachers, and 54% of the scientists
      who responded said that they would be willing to use gene therapy, and 66%, 73%,
      and 62%, respectively, said that they would be willing to use gene therapy on
      their children. There appears to be growing acceptance of gene therapy in Japan,
      although about one-quarter of the population are against it. The underlying
      reasoning behind the acceptability of human genetic manipulation and perceived
      benefits and risks are presented, and these were found to be generally similar to
      reasoning expressed in a similar survey conducted in New Zealand in May, 1990.
      Public perceptions are also compared to those in Europe and the United States.
      People perceive both benefits and risks from genetic manipulation. There appears
      to be more teaching of ethical, social, and environmental issues associated with
      genetic engineering in senior high school biology classes in New Zealand than in
      Japan. In Japan and New Zealand, about 90% of the public would support including
      discussion of social issues associated with science and technology in the
      curriculum.

PMID- 1420450
TI  - Report of the Committee on the Ethics of Gene Therapy.

PMID- 1420451
TI  - Genetics, Religion and Ethics Project. The Institute of Religion and Baylor
      College of Medicine, The Texas Medical Center, Houston, Texas, June 1, 1992.

PMID- 1420452
TI  - Treatment of patients with advanced cancer using tumor infiltrating lymphocytes
      transduced with the gene of resistance to neomycin.

PMID- 1420453
TI  - Clinical protocol of human gene transfer for hemophilia B.

PMID- 1420454
TI  - Treatment of patients with severe combined immunodeficiency due to adenosine
      deaminase (ADA) deficiency by autologous transplantation of genetically modified
      bone marrow cells.

PMID- 1420455
TI  - Immobilized proteins as chromatographic supports for chiral resolution.
AB  - This review examines the role of protein-bonded chiral stationary phases (CSPs)
      in enantiomeric separation and investigates the performance characteristics and
      desired properties of protein CSPs for separation and large-scale operation. The
      review also discusses the ability of protein-based CSPs to examine the
      stereochemistry of drug metabolism processes.

PMID- 1420456
TI  - The S-oxidative degradation of a novel corticosteroid tipredane (INN). Part I:
      Preliminary investigations into the hydrogen peroxide S-oxidation of tipredane.
AB  - The C-17 dithioketal moiety of the corticosteroid tipredane (INN, I) has been
      shown to undergo peroxide oxidation yielding an array of sulphoxide epimers. All
      epimers have been isolated and characterized by spectroscopic techniques.
      Oxidation of the C-17 beta methylthio-substituent appeared to occur exclusively
      giving a 4:1 ratio of the S:R configuration at the sulphoxide moiety. Both
      methylthiosulphoxide epimers (V) have been shown to be susceptible to thermolysis
      yielding the monoethylthio- derivative (VI) via elimination of methylsulphenic
      acid. As expected from stereochemical considerations at the C-17 position the S
      epimer has been found to be more susceptible than its corresponding R epimer
      towards thermolysis. The monomethylthiosulphoxide epimers (III) were produced in
      a 1:1 ratio, indicating that they were formed from the oxidation of the
      corresponding monomethylthio- derivative (VII). This probably arose from the
      elimination of ethylsulphenic acid from the alpha-ethylthiosulphoxide (VIII).

PMID- 1420457
TI  - Determination of gold-based antiarthritis drugs and their metabolites in urine by
      reversed-phase ion-pair chromatography with ICP-MS detection.
AB  - A sensitive method for the determination of gold-based drugs auranofin,
      myochrysine, and their metabolites has been developed. These gold-containing
      compounds were separated by reversed-phase ion-pair chromatography with
      tetrabutylammonium chloride as the ion-pairing agent. Gold-specific on-line
      detection utilized inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The
      separation conditions of pH, methanol content, concentration of the ion-pairing
      agent and ionic strength have been investigated. The detection limit for
      auranofin, the last peak in the chromatogram, was 0.3 ng. These methods were
      applied to the analysis of gold-containing species in urine from arthritis
      patients on auranofin, myochrysine or solganol therapy. The recovery of the total
      gold-containing species from urine was greater than 90%. Dicyanogold(I) anion,
      [Au(CN)2]-, was detected in the urine of several patients.

PMID- 1420458
TI  - Direct injection analysis of carbamazepine and its active 10,11-epoxide
      metabolite in plasma by use of a semipermeable surface (SPS) silica column in LC.
AB  - A semipermeable surface (SPS) silica column was applied for the simultaneous
      determination of carbamazepine (CBZ) and its active 10,11-epoxide metabolite
      (EPO) in plasma following direct injection in LC. The SPS packing material
      consists of an ODS ligand as the hydrophobic inner phase and a polyoxyethylene
      network as the hydrophilic outer phase. When a 5-microliters portion of intact
      plasma was injected onto the column using a mobile phase of phosphate buffer (pH
      7.1, ionic strength 0.1)-acetonitrile (4:1, v/v), the plasma proteins were size
      excluded, whereas the drug and its metabolite were retained and separated both
      from each other and from other commonly co-administered drugs such as
      phenobarbital (PB) and phenytoin (DPH). The calibration graphs (peak area vs
      concentration) of CBZ, EPO and PB were linear over the therapeutic range of
      plasma concentration (r greater than 0.998) with good relative standard
      deviations (RSD less than 3.98%, n = 5). The recoveries from plasma were almost
      complete (greater than 96.6%). The analysis time was 17 min. The method as
      developed was applied in studies on the time course of plasma concentrations of
      unchanged CBZ and EPO after i.v. administration of CBZ to the rat.

PMID- 1420459
TI  - Analysis of [14C]-saterinone and its metabolites in dog plasma, urine and bile by
      high-performance liquid chromatography with radioactivity and fluorescence
      detection and by mass spectrometry.
AB  - An HPLC method was developed for the direct on-line radioactivity determination
      of [14C]-saterinone and its metabolites in biological canine fluids after
      intravenous and intraduodenal administration. After direct injection of 200
      microliters of sample, the metabolites were separated on a semi-preparative
      reverse-phase column. The metabolites were identified by HPLC reference
      standards, enzymatic hydrolysis and mass spectrometry. Besides a small amount of
      unchanged saterinone, six metabolites could be detected, both in bile and urine.
      The main fraction (about 80-90% of the sum of detected metabolites) contained the
      phase II metabolites of saterinone, the sulphate and glucuronide. Ring
      hydroxylated saterinone and three metabolites that were not identified made up
      about 1-4% each. In plasma, only the major compounds could be detected because of
      the lower absolute concentrations. The metabolic pathway of saterinone in dogs
      was elucidated and compared with other species. Results from previous studies
      concerning a first-pass metabolism could be confirmed.

PMID- 1420460
TI  - Synthesis and spectroscopic studies of norethylmorphine.

PMID- 1420461
TI  - Analysis and pharmacokinetics of a new prodrug N-l-leucyldoxorubicin and its
      metabolites in plasma using HPLC with fluorescence detection.

PMID- 1420462
TI  - Rapid determination of conditional partition constants in an FIA system.
AB  - This paper presents a simple and rapid method for the screening of substances for
      their conditional partition constants in the chloroform-water system. Samples are
      injected in either aqueous or organic solution into the corresponding phase.
      After equilibration in segmented flow the amount of sample remaining is measured
      photometrically. Performing the measurements at a series of phase volume ratios
      enables calculation of conditional partition constants knowing neither the amount
      injected nor the absorptivity of the substance under study. The time needed for a
      determination is about 15 min per substance, in many cases even shorter and the
      sample consumption is, in most cases, less than 1 mg. These characteristics make
      the method suitable for screening purposes. A series of compounds has been
      examined with this method, and acceptable results for the conditional partition
      constants were obtained in the range 0.2 less than D' less than 100 (-0.7 less
      than log D' less than 2.0).

PMID- 1420463
TI  - Determination of thevetin B in serum by fluorescence polarization immunoassay.
AB  - Thevetin B, a cardiac glycoside of Thevetia neriifolia Juss. seeds, was
      determined in serum by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Anti-digitoxin
      antibody was used, thevetin B genin being structurally identical to
      digitoxigenin. Cross-reactivity of 94% was found by this method, for
      concentrations from 5 to 80 ng ml-1.

PMID- 1420464
TI  - Colorimetric and titrimetric assay of isoniazid.
AB  - Two methods are proposed for the determination of isoniazid in pure form or in
      tablets. In the first method chlorpromazine hydrochloride, when treated with 2
      iodoxybenzoic acid as an oxidant in 50% w/v o-phosphoric acid solution, is
      oxidized to chlorpromazine free radical which absorbs at 530 nm. The red free
      radical is readily reduced quantitatively by isoniazid to the colourless
      chloropromazine. The addition of isoniazid to a red solution of chlorpromazine
      free radical results in a decrease in absorbance in direct proportion to the
      quantity of isoniazid. This forms the basis for the quantitative determination of
      micro-quantities of isoniazid (3-18 micrograms ml-1). The second method involves
      the titrimetric determination of isoniazid using N-bromophthalimide as a titrant.
      The end-point is determined either directly using methyl red or amaranth as
      indicator, or by a back titration method in which a known excess of N
      bromophthalimide solution is added to isoniazid solution and then the residual
      unreacted reagent is determined iodometrically. The results by the proposed
      procedures were in good agreement with those obtained by the official methods.

PMID- 1420465
TI  - Determination of 9-hydroxyellipticine by redox colorimetry.
AB  - The chemical reactions involved in the decomposition of 9-hydroxyellipticine (9
      OH-E), an anticancer agent, in polar solvents is explained. The reactions, which
      involve the formation of 9-oxo-ellipticine and the addition of a nucleophilic
      acid on the C10 site of the heterocyclic system, have been used to measure 9-OH-E
      quantitatively by colorimetry in solution and by reflection on paper surfaces. A
      method for the stabilization of 9-OH-E in polar solvents is proposed.

PMID- 1420466
TI  - The identification of related substances in 9 alpha-fluoroprednisolone-21 acetate
      by means of high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector and
      mass spectrometry.
AB  - A method for the analysis and identification of the principal related substances
      in 9 alpha-fluoroprednisolone acetate is described. This compound has been chosen
      as a model for the investigation of related substances which can be originated in
      the general procedure for introducing a fluorine substituent at position 9 of a
      corticosteroid molecule. HPLC procedures, both in reversed and in normal phase
      were used; a rapid scanning UV detector which allows direct spectrophotometric
      data to be obtained on chromatographic peaks, proved to be a tool of great
      importance. Thus, after reversed-phase chromatographic separation and observation
      of the UV spectra and their respective second derivatives, it was possible to
      characterize some of the principal effective and potential related substances
      such as 9 alpha-fluorohydrocortisone acetate, 9 alpha-bromoprednisolone acetate,
      9 beta, 11 beta-epoxyprednisolone acetate and 9(11)-dehydroprednisolone acetate,
      emerging as chromatographic peaks. Identification of 9 alpha-bromoprednisolone
      acetate and of 9 alpha-fluorohydrocortisone acetate which proved to be the most
      significant impurities, was confirmed by means of an exhaustive study of the mass
      spectra of these substances conveniently isolated by normal-phase HPLC. The
      chromatographic, spectrophotometric and mass-spectrometric characteristics of the
      studied compounds are reported.

PMID- 1420467
TI  - Liquid chromatographic resolution of the isomers of tipredane and
      phenylthioproline using urea-solubilized beta-cyclodextrin in the mobile phase.
AB  - Two LC assays were developed using urea-solubilized beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD)
      as a mobile phase additive in combination with reversed-phase columns. A
      methylsilane column gave optimal resolution of the steroid tipredane from its
      epimer. An investigation of the effects of beta-CD concentration, column
      temperature, column type, and addition of ethanol on the chromatographic
      separation is detailed. The enantiomer and diastereoisomers of L-cis
      phenylthioproline were best resolved by urea-solubilized beta-cyclodextrin and a
      trimethylsilane column. The elution order of L-cis-phenylthioproline relative to
      its stereoisomers was reversed after adding ethanol to the beta-CD containing
      mobile phase or by changing from a beta-CD to an acetylated beta-CD column. The
      resolution factors for these separations obtained using the beta-CD mobile phase
      were larger than those obtained using beta-CD columns. Mobile phases containing
      up to 0.15 M beta-CD and 8 M urea were investigated. The separation of these
      isomers are dramatically affected by column polarity.

PMID- 1420468
TI  - Thermal decomposition of reduced glutathione in solution for organ preservation.

PMID- 1420469
TI  - Isolation and characterization of the S-glucuronide of 4-nitrothiophenol formed
      by microsomal glucuronyl transferase.

PMID- 1420470
TI  - Analysis of 3- and 4-monopivaloylepinephrine, degradation products in dipivefrin
      hydrochloride drug substance and ophthalmic formulations.

PMID- 1420471
TI  - A competitive enzyme immunoassay for the direct determination of mometasone
      furoate (SCH 32088) in human plasma.
AB  - Mometasone furoate (SCH 32088) is a synthetic corticosteroid which has a topical
      anti-inflammatory activity with a minimal potential for suppressing hypothalamic
      pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis. A sensitive competitive enzyme immunoassay
      (EIA) for measuring SCH 32088 in unextracted human plasma has been developed. The
      3-(O-carboxymethyl)oxime (CMO) of SCH 32088 was synthesized and conjugated with
      bovine thyroglobulin, and the product was used for the production of antibodies
      in rabbits. SCH 32088-3-CMO was also conjugated with horseradish peroxidase,
      which was used as the tracer. The EIA thus developed can detect 1 pg SCH 32088
      per assay or 25 pg per ml of human plasma. It can reliably quantitate SCH 32088
      in human plasma from 50 pg ml-1 to 2.5 ng ml-1 with good linearity, accuracy and
      precision. The assay can be extended to measure SCH 32088 in plasma of laboratory
      animals. The availability of this sensitive assay makes it possible to evaluate
      the pharmacokinetics and toxicokinetics of SCH 32088 in laboratory animals and
      man.

PMID- 1420472
TI  - Use of derivatization reactions with adsorptive stripping voltammetry for
      determining fotemustine in biological samples.
AB  - A method is described for determining the new fotemustine antineoplastic in human
      serum. The method is based on the derivatization of the original molecule by
      means of diazotization and coupling reactions. The derivatization product is
      determined by means of adsorptive stripping voltammetry. The calibration graphs
      were linear over the range 6 x 10(-9)-8 x 10(-7) and 6 x 10(-10)-8 x 10(-8) M,
      according to whether the coupling reagent was 1-naphthylamine or 1-naphthol,
      respectively. At the same time, the detection limits are 4.1 x 10(-9) and 1.4 x
      10(-10) M, respectively. The method was applied to determine this antineoplastic
      in human serum, after a liquid-liquid extraction process, from which recovery
      factors of 95.6% has been obtained.

PMID- 1420473
TI  - Fundamental studies in reversed-phase liquid-solid extraction of basic drugs;
      III: Sample matrix effects.
AB  - Using a set of 13 basic solutes (including a quarternary ammonium compound) with
      controlled pKa, log P and plasma protein binding, the factors which influence the
      extraction of these compounds from plasma by reversed-phase liquid-solid
      extraction have been studied. Direct analysis of plasma, avoiding deproteination,
      etc., is possible providing the sample is applied to the cartridge under the
      appropriate conditions. These conditions are dictated by the degree of plasma
      protein binding and are controlled and predicted from the lipophilicity of the
      compound. Plasma samples containing lipophilic compounds (log D(pH 7.4) > 2.03)
      require acidification and samples containing more polar compounds (log D(pH 7.4)
      < 0.9) should be applied untreated. Failure to use the appropriate conditions can
      result in significant losses from the cartridge on application or washing. In the
      intermediate lipophilicity range the optimal application conditions cannot be
      predicted. The effect of various aqueous-organic wash solvents have been
      investigated, and it was found that the cationic but not the proteinaceous
      components of plasma also affect the extraction process. This phenomenon which is
      probably due to an attenuation of the secondary cation exchange mechanism,
      results in more facile elution than when compounds are applied in water.

PMID- 1420474
TI  - Relationships between the chromatographic retention data and the effects of
      nucleoside derivatives in highly metastatic 3LL cells.
AB  - The effect of 21 nucleoside derivatives on the [3H]-thymidine cellular uptake and
      on the incorporation into DNA of highly metastatic 3LL (Lewis lung carcinoma)
      cells has been measured. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecular parameters (the
      adsorption capacity, specific adsorption surface, lipophilicity and specific
      hydrophobic surface area) have been determined by using thin-layer
      chromatography. Stepwise linear regression analysis and principal component
      analysis have been applied in order to reveal the relationships between the
      molecular parameters and the effect of the nucleoside derivatives on highly
      metastatic 3LL cells. The first principal component obtained from the measured
      activity data could be attributed to the change of [3H]-thymidine cellular uptake
      caused by the nucleoside, while the second principal component could be regarded
      as the measure of the effect on the DNA incorporation of [3H]-thymidine. The
      effect of the nucleosides on the [3H]-thymidine uptake could be explained by the
      specific hydrophobic and adsorption surface area of the nucleoside, on the other
      hand the effect on the DNA incorporation could be described by the adsorption
      characteristics (specific hydrophilic surface area and adsorption capacity) of
      the derivatives.

PMID- 1420475
TI  - The enantiomeric resolution of ciprofibrate and related compounds by HPLC using
      chiral stationary phases.
AB  - The attempted chromatographic resolution of the drug ciprofibrate and a range of
      related compounds, containing the chiral moiety 2,2-dichlorocyclopropylbenzene,
      using five different chiral stationary phases is described. Aqueous mobile phases
      were used throughout and the successful separation of nine out of 12 pairs of
      enantiomers was achieved. Structures remote from the chiral centre were seen to
      affect chiral recognition.

PMID- 1420476
TI  - Ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of morphine and
      pseudomorphine in injections.
AB  - A stability-indicating HPLC procedure has been developed for the determination of
      morphine and its degradation product pseudomorphine in injection solutions. The
      reversed-phase chromatographic procedure uses an octadecyl-bonded column with a
      mobile phase of acetonitrile and aqueous buffer containing an ion-pair reagent.
      Chromatographic conditions are identified that enable the complete separation of
      morphine and pseudomorphine without peak deformation or splitting. The only
      sample preparation required is a simple dilution. The method is found to be
      precise and linear. The devised method has been applied to the determination of
      the content of morphine and pseudomorphine in injection solutions stored under
      normal conditions and after exposure to daylight or heating at 60 degrees C.

PMID- 1420477
TI  - Determination of glutathione isopropyl ester in rat, dog and human blood by high
      performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.
AB  - A HPLC method is developed for the determination of glutathione isopropyl ester,
      a drug for the treatment of cerebral vascular disease, in rat, dog and human
      blood. The blood is deproteinized with sulphosalicylic acid and the clear
      supernatant treated with a thiol-specific fluorogenic reagent, ammonium 7
      fluorobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole-4-sulphonate (SBD-F) in borate buffer pH 7.5 at 30
      degrees C. The derivatization of glutathione isopropyl ester with SBD-F is
      markedly enhanced by the addition of dimethyl sulphoxide, and is complete in 30
      min. The fluorescent derivatives of glutathione isopropyl ester and the internal
      standard, glutathione ethyl ester are separated from those of endogenous thiols
      such as cysteine and glutathione on a reversed-phase column. The method is simple
      and selective with a detection limit of 0.05 micrograms ml-1. Blood
      concentrations of glutathione isopropyl ester in rats, dogs and humans after
      intravenous administration are determined using the method.

PMID- 1420478
TI  - Spectrophotometric determination of famotidine in pharmaceutical preparations.

PMID- 1420479
TI  - Determination of cephradine and L-arginine in injections by second derivative
      ultraviolet spectrophotometry.

PMID- 1420480
TI  - Determination of quinine in some pharmaceutical preparations using a ring-coated
      piezoelectric sensor.

PMID- 1420481
TI  - A study of the photodegradation of benzydamine in pharmaceutical formulations
      using HPLC with diode array detection.

PMID- 1420482
TI  - A liquid chromatographic method for the determination of hydrochlorothiazide in
      human plasma.

PMID- 1420483
TI  - [A methodology for clinical trials in parenteral nutrition].
AB  - Recent and progressive knowledge on parenteral nutrition has not been accompanied
      by due attention to the methodology for clinical testing in this therapeutical
      field. Although many different laws, guidelines or norms do exist which can be
      applied to any clinical test, in the case of parenteral nutrition several
      characteristic aspects arise that should be taken into account in the design of
      clinical tests. This review places special emphasis on the definition of clinical
      testing, the role of the researcher and the ethical, methodological and design
      related requirements to be considered when preparing a protocol for study. Not
      only is the importance of the selection and the size of the sample mentioned, but
      also the different variables normally used in parenteral nutrition. The correct
      follow-up, measurement, evaluation and statistical analysis of these variables
      makes it possible to reach valid conclusions, and provide the basic information
      for later study. The application of ethical norms and the control of adverse
      conditions guarantees the correct undertaking of this type of clinical research.

PMID- 1420484
TI  - [The methodology of quality control in parenteral nutrition. II. The application
      of the program to a therapeutic plan].
AB  - Patients subjected to parenteral nutrition (PN) must be treated based on a
      therapeutical plan which has been adapted to their nutritional and clinical needs
      within a normalizing framework. Furthermore, for this therapeutical plan to be
      effective and safe, not only must it be suitable for the patient, but also
      "exact" with regard to daily routines. The quality control programme designed was
      applied retrospectively to 148 patients. Evaluation was made based on the
      following indicators: a) delay in initiating parenteral nutrition, b) average
      intake of macronutrients, c) administration of micronutrients, d) duration of the
      PN, e) temporary interruptions of the PN, f) errors in medication and g) return
      of nutrient units. The compliance percentage obtained was 100, 100, 28.7, 89.5,
      63.2 100 and 100 respectively. The results obtained have made it possible to
      understand the quality profile of the therapeutical plan applied to patients on
      PN. It is also a useful method for the continued improvement of this therapy.

PMID- 1420485
TI  - [The Iberian pig: an animal with fat with a high content of monounsaturated fatty
      acids].
AB  - We have analyzed the fatty acid composition of subcutaneous fat in the Iberian
      pork feed with acorns using gas chromatography. We have found a 59.1% content in
      oleic acid (18:1) and 62% of total monounsaturated fatty acids. This figures
      statistically does differs from the data about fat composition in pig taken from
      others food composition sources. We conclude that Iberian pork feed with acorns
      have a very high content in monounsaturated fatty acids and can no be considered
      as harmful as other animals fats.

PMID- 1420486
TI  - [Changes in the biochemical parameters during parenteral nutrition. The
      experience in Hospital de Bellvitge].
AB  - The purpose of this study is to evaluate the modifications in biochemical
      parameters before and after the initiation of nutritional therapy, and to observe
      whether there is a relationship between the patient's development (exitus or
      improvement) and the presence of sepsis. The study was performed on 578 adults
      treated in our hospital from January 1988 to October 1989. The parameters
      analyzed were the following: glucose, triglycerides, total proteins, albumin,
      cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase, GOT, GPT, bilirubin, GGT, urea, urates,
      creatinine and electrolytes. The average initial values of each parameter were
      compared against those obtained after interrupting the PN by means of the Student
      t test. The results showed that within the parameters indicating the hepatic
      function, GGT and alkaline phosphatase were those that showed the most
      significant differences after ceasing the PN. Furthermore, the parameters
      indicating hepatic function and the electrolytes showed greater variations,
      regardless of the clinical evolution of the patient (improvement or exitus). The
      remainder of the parameters showed significant variations based on the clinical
      evolution.

PMID- 1420487
TI  - [Enteral nutrition in burn patients].
AB  - Nutritional support plays an important role in the treatment of patients with
      burns. Due to the severe hypercatabolism that develops in these patients, oral
      support is insufficient in most cases, and this makes it essential to initiate
      artificial nutritional support (either enteral or parenteral). Enteral nutrition
      is more physiological than parenteral, and data exist which show that in patients
      with burns, enteral nutrition exercises a protective effect on the intestine and
      may even reduce the hypermetabolic response in these patients. The purpose of the
      study was to evaluate the effectiveness and tolerance of enteral nutritional
      support with a hypercaloric, hyperproteic diet with a high content of branched
      amino acids in the nutritional support of patients suffering from burns.
      MATERIAL: The study included 12 patients (8 males and 4 females), admitted to the
      Burns Unit. Average age was 35 +/- 17 years (range: 21-85 years). The percentage
      of body surface affected by the burns was 10% in two cases, between 10-30% in
      three cases, between 30-50% in five cases and over 50% in two cases. Initiation
      of the enteral nutrition was between twenty-four hours and seven days after the
      burn. The patients were kept in the unit until they were discharged, and the
      average time spent in the unit was 31.5 days (range: 17-63 days). Total energetic
      requirements were calculated based on Harris-Benedict, with a variable aggression
      factor depending on the body surface burned, which varied from 2,000 and 4,000
      cal day. Nitrogenous balance was determined on a daily basis, and plasmatic
      levels of total proteins, albumin and prealbumin on a weekly basis. RESULTS:
      There was a significant difference between the prealbumin values at the
      initiation and finalization of the enteral nutrition (9.6 +/- 2.24 mg/dl compared
      with 19.75 +/- 5.48 mg/dl; p < 0.001). The nitrogenous balance improved, changing
      from -5.4 in the second week to positive values by the fourth and fifth weeks of
      treatment. Tolerance to the enteral diet was very good, and only mild
      complications such as diarrhoea developed in two patients. CONCLUSIONS: Enteral
      nutrition is a suitable nutritional support method for patients with burns, which
      maintains the nitrogenous balance positive and improves the visceral protein
      parameters in these patients at an early stage, with very few complications.

PMID- 1420488
TI  - [Percutaneous and surgical gastrostomies: our clinical experience in enteral
      nutrition].
AB  - Percutaneous gastrostomy (PG) was performed on 18 patients and 11 patients were
      subjected to surgical gastrostomy (SG) in the HCU of Zaragoza from October 1990
      to November 1991. Involvement of the high digestive tract was the most common
      finding: 11 patients had CA of the oesophagus and stomach, 2 suffered from
      extrinsic pressure of the oesophagus due to metastatic adenopathy of a lung and
      breast tumour and 9 patients had CA of the larynx with total dysphagia. Another
      less common indication in our series, although still of great importance, was a
      severe involvement of the CMS, which made oral nutrition impossible due to
      functional dysphagia. Due to the long-term nature of this pathology, feeding by
      nasogastric tube was not considered. This was the case of 4 patients. The
      duration of enteral nutritional in the patients' home was 112.8 +/- 61 days with
      PG and 37 +/- 26 days with SG (p: 0.007). The incidence of complications was 33%
      in PG and 73% in SG, and for both techniques, the most common complication was
      blockage of the tube. Percutaneous gastrostomy is a simple technique, with no
      surgical risks involved, but with the benefits of traditional surgical techniques
      which, despite the small number of cases recorded, has very few complications
      both with regard to placing and afterwards, and also enables the patient to
      receive nutrients earlier than would be the case with traditional surgical
      techniques during prolonged periods at the patient's home.

PMID- 1420489
TI  - Small solute clearances and clinical outcomes in CAPD.
AB  - The strong correlation of weekly clearances of urea and creatinine with PCR
      suggests that minimum targets of 50 L/week/1.73 m2 body surface area of
      creatinine clearance and a weekly kt/v urea of 1.7 are reasonable if protein
      intakes in excess of 0.8 g/kg normalized body weight are to be achieved in most
      CAPD patients. It would seem reasonable that this increases the chances for
      better nutrition. It would also seem reasonable that this should eventually
      improve long-term outcomes and survival in large population studies where the
      impact of dialysis dose could emerge as significant, even with the presence of
      all the other variables that are known to affect commonly monitored outcome
      parameters. These recommended targets are well below those achieved by
      hemodialysis; higher targets could possibly achieve even better long-term
      results, but this is unknown.

PMID- 1420490
TI  - Lubrication of the peritoneum.

PMID- 1420491
TI  - Erythropoietin and peritoneal dialysis: the efficacy of intraperitoneal dosing.

PMID- 1420492
TI  - Is total creatinine clearance a good predictor of clinical outcomes in continuous
      ambulatory peritoneal dialysis?
AB  - The measurement of the adequacy of dialysis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal
      dialysis (CAPD) is controversial. The use of weekly total creatinine clearance
      (TCC) has been recommended, but not validated. We analyzed data from our recent
      urea kinetics in a CAPD study to investigate TCC and its relationship to patient
      outcomes. TCC was measured over 24 hours by adding residual renal and peritoneal
      creatinine clearance, correcting for 1.73 m2 surface area and converting to a
      weekly value. Seventy-six patients had 218 measurements, on starting CAPD and
      then at 6-month intervals, with mean follow-up of 20 months (range 1-57 months).
      The mean TCC was 73.62 +/- 32.11 L/week. Due mainly to the loss of residual renal
      function, the TCC decreased with time (r = -0.40, p < 0.0001), from 88.65 L/week
      initially to 66.11 at one year, 59.84 at two years, and 50.47 at three years.
      Dialysate-to-plasma creatinine concentration ratios (D/P Cr) increased with time
      (r = 0.28, p < 0.0001) from 0.62 initially to 0.66 at one year and 0.73 at two
      years. The TCC correlated significantly with serum levels of creatinine (r = 
      0.46, p < 0.0001), urea (r = -0.21, p < 0.001), potassium (r = 0.14, p < 0.05),
      phosphate (r = 0.25, p < 0.001), and hemoglobin (r = 0.16, p < 0.01), but not
      with serum albumin or with clinical outcomes including technique failure,
      hospital days, transfusions, peritonitis rate, nerve conduction velocity, or
      subjective indices of well-being, except for a weak correlation with the fatigue
      index (r = 0.19, p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420493
TI  - Intraperitoneal administration of phosphatidylcholine improves ultrafiltration in
      continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients.
AB  - Reports in the literature have linked a low phosphatidylcholine content in
      continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) effluent to ultrafiltration
      loss. Clinical evidence suggests that adding phosphatidylcholine to the dialysis
      solution enhances ultrafiltration. A clinical study has been designed to clarify
      the effect of phosphatidylcholine on ultrafiltration in CAPD patients with normal
      ultrafiltration. A weekly measurement of the peritoneal equilibration test was
      conducted per patient in the hospital. A comparison between the control dialysis
      solution (three-week period) and the phosphatidylcholine premixed solution (three
      week period) was performed on a total of 12 patients. This study shows that a
      phosphatidylcholine premixed dialysis solution significantly enhances
      ultrafiltration. Since ultrafiltration per osmotic driving force (mL/g glucose)
      is enhanced, the patient's glucose load per day is reduced to achieve equal
      ultrafiltration. In the presence of phosphatidylcholine, peritoneal permeability
      remained unchanged, as indicated by membrane transport characteristics. No side
      effects were observed.

PMID- 1420494
TI  - Dialysis at home in the west of Scotland: a comparison of hemodialysis and
      continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis in age- and sex-matched controls.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To audit the outcome of patients treated at home by hemodialysis and
      continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). DESIGN: Retrospective
      comparison of nondiabetic hemodialysis patients with age- and sex-matched
      nondiabetic patients treated by CAPD. SETTING: Renal Units, Stobhill General
      Hospital and Western Infirmary, Glasgow, providing the home dialysis service for
      the West of Scotland. PATIENTS: Between 1982 and 1988, 139 hemodialysis patients
      starting treatment at home, compared with 139 matched patients starting CAPD over
      the same time period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient characteristics and
      cardiovascular risk factors at the start of home treatment. Patient and technique
      survival with both forms of dialysis. RESULTS: Patients selected for home
      hemodialysis were less likely to be smokers (p < 0.02) and to have
      electrocardiographic evidence of ischemia or left ventricular hypertrophy (p <
      0.05) than patients treated by CAPD. Patient survival and technique survival
      (excluding death and renal transplantation) at 3 years were 93.8% versus 86.2% (p
      < 0.05) and 94.2% versus 80.8% (p < 0.04) for hemodialysis and CAPD,
      respectively. Cardiovascular events were responsible for the majority of deaths
      in both groups, but there was a greater proportion of deaths from other causes in
      patients treated by CAPD. There was no significant difference in the
      transplantation rate between the two treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Home dialysis
      is an effective method of renal replacement treatment for patients with end-stage
      renal disease. The results of hemodialysis are superior to CAPD, but this may be
      partly due to selection bias.

PMID- 1420495
TI  - The pharmacokinetics of intraperitoneal erythropoietin administered undiluted or
      diluted in dialysate.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the bioavailability of intraperitoneal erythropoietin (EPO)
      administered undiluted versus diluted in 2 L of dialysis fluid. DESIGN: Group 1
      patients received one dose of EPO, 400 U/kg BW given with vehicle only. This
      dwelled for 8 hours after which 2 L of dialysate were infused. Group 2 patients
      received the same dose of EPO diluted in 2 L of dialysate which dwelled for 8
      hours. Both groups resumed their CAPD regimen after the first 8 hours. Blood
      levels of EPO were measured for 24 hours in both groups. SETTING: The Home
      Peritoneal Dialysis Unit, Toronto Hospital, Western Division. PATIENTS: The
      participants were on CAPD for at least three months, free of peritonitis, and had
      no abnormalities of peritoneal transport. Three patients took part in both arms
      of the study, and there were 6 patients altogether in each group. RESULTS: When
      EPO was administered undiluted, there was a greater than ninefold increase in
      bioavailability of the hormone as measured by the area under the curve (AUC),
      compared to when the same dose was diluted in 2 L of dialysis fluid. CONCLUSIONS:
      The previous studies that reported low bioavailability of intraperitoneal EPO
      used the hormone diluted in dialysate. The current findings suggest that if EPO
      is given in the dry peritoneal cavity, the bioavailability is greatly improved
      and may be clinically effective. Intraperitoneal instillation may prove to be an
      alternative route for EPO in the peritoneal dialysis patient unable or unwilling
      to receive subcutaneous injections. We are currently studying the effectiveness
      of undiluted intraperitoneal EPO in CAPD patients.

PMID- 1420496
TI  - Effect of erythropoietin in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients:
      comparison between intravenous and intraperitoneal administration.
AB  - The administration of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) in CAPD patients
      is usually done subcutaneously. Only a few authors have reported on its
      intraperitoneal (IP) administration. We compared the effect of IP administration
      of rHuEPO in CAPD patients to that of intravenous (IV) administration. Ten anemic
      CAPD patients injected rHuEPO into their dialysis bag once a day, 3 times a week,
      for 18 weeks. The initial dose was 12,000 U. The dwell time of the exchanges with
      rHuEPO was about 6 hours. Nine other anemic CAPD patients were treated with IV
      rHuEPO once a week for 18 weeks. The initial dose was 6000 U. In the IP group the
      hematocrit rose from 24.04 +/- 2.7% to 33.3 +/- 3.8% (mean +/- SD). In the IV
      group 2 patients were excluded from the efficiency evaluation. In 7 of the 9
      patients in the IV group, the hematocrit rose from 23.27 +/- 2.6% to 32 +/- 5.5%
      (mean +/- SD). The intraperitoneal administration of rHuEPO in CAPD patients is
      sufficient in improving anemia, although it requires a much larger dosage to
      yield the same level of improvement as the one obtained with the intravenous
      administration. However, in patients on continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis or
      IP dialysis, a smaller dosage during the prolonged dwell time may be effective.

PMID- 1420497
TI  - Intraperitoneal administration of recombinant human erythropoietin.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy and safety of intraperitoneal administration
      of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) in continuous ambulatory peritoneal
      dialysis (CAPD) patients compared to subcutaneous rHuEPO. DESIGN: Prospective
      analysis of an open, nonrandomized investigation. SETTING: Outpatient CAPD
      clinics in two university hospitals. PATIENTS: Nine adult CAPD patients receiving
      rHuEPO intraperitoneally and 8 patients receiving rHuEPO subcutaneously.
      INTERVENTION: One hundred units of rHuEPO per kilogram of body weight were
      administered three times a week for 8 weeks or until the target hematocrit of 35%
      was reached. Thereafter, dosages of rHuEPO were adjusted for response.
      Intraperitoneal rHuEPO was administered in 1 L of dialysis solution during the
      night. MEASUREMENTS: Efficacy was assessed by measuring the increase in
      hemoglobin. Tolerance was assessed by monitoring side effects. RESULTS: In the
      first 8 weeks of treatment hemoglobin concentration increased from 64.5 +/- 12.9
      g/L to 98.3 +/- 16.1 g/L (p < 0.0005) in the intraperitoneally treated group. In
      the subcutaneously treated group hemoglobin increased significantly faster (p <
      0.05) from 72.5 +/- 4.8 g/L to 119.2 +/- 11.3 g/L (p < 0.0005) in the same
      period. Antihypertensive medication had to be increased or instituted in most of
      the patients in both groups. The incidence of peritonitis in the
      intraperitoneally treated group was not increased when compared to the
      pretreatment incidence. CONCLUSIONS: Subcutaneously administered rHuEPO is
      superior to intraperitoneally administered rHuEPO with regard to the required
      dosages. However, the results of this study show that intraperitoneal
      administration of rHuEPO might be a convenient and safe alternative when
      subcutaneous administration is undesirable.

PMID- 1420498
TI  - Six-year experience with swan neck catheters.
AB  - From the beginning of our continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD)
      program in January 1977 until June 1985, we used Tenckhoff and Toronto Western
      Hospital catheters. Throughout these years catheter survival probabilities of
      about 30% at three years persisted unchanged and were similar to survival
      probabilities reported by the National CAPD Registry special survey for these
      catheters. The first improvement in catheter results regarding leaks was noted
      after the adoption of lateral catheter insertion. Malfunction was less using swan
      neck prototypes from August 1985 to April 1986. The latter catheters were made of
      80 degrees arc angle tubing between 8.5 cm spaced cuffs and were inserted in a
      reversed U-shape tunnel with the incision at the top of the tunnel. The use of
      these catheters was abandoned because of high cuff extrusion and exit infection
      rates. The next generation of swan neck catheters, the swan neck Missouri 2 and 3
      catheters with straight intraperitoneal segments, improved the results
      dramatically. These catheters were made of 180 degrees arc angle tubing between 5
      or 3 cm spaced cuffs. The estimated survival probability of 61% at three years
      more than doubled compared to previously used catheters. Recently we modified the
      intraperitoneal segment of the catheters, replacing the straight segment with a
      coiled one. These modified catheters, the swan neck Missouri coiled catheters,
      have been used exclusively since February 1990. In addition to an acceptable
      survival probability of 88% at one year, there are two major advantages of these
      catheters, the same as for other coiled catheters: elimination of infusion pain
      due to a jet effect and pain related to straight catheter tip pressure on the
      peritoneum experienced by some patients.

PMID- 1420499
TI  - A 45-year-old black female on peritoneal dialysis with chronic abdominal pain.

PMID- 1420500
TI  - Bowel perforation in CAPD patients.

PMID- 1420501
TI  - CAPD after aortic graft surgery.

PMID- 1420502
TI  - Does posture modify solute transport in CAPD?

PMID- 1420503
TI  - Literature. October-December 1992.

PMID- 1420504
TI  - The evaluation of low-dose cytarabine in the treatment of myelodysplastic
      syndromes: a phase-III intergroup study.
AB  - One hundred and forty one patients were treated in a combined Eastern Cooperative
      Oncology Group and Southwest Oncology Group phase-III study evaluating low-dose
      cytarabine (LDAC) versus supportive therapy for the treatment of myelodysplastic
      syndrome (MDS). Patients were randomized to either cytarabine 10 mg/m2
      subcutaneously BID or supportive therapy. Central pathology review was required.
      All patients were classified according to the FAB criteria for MDS. The overall
      concordance rate for the MDS subtype was 52%, and 25 patients were pathology
      exclusions, including 20 with AML. The overall response rate to a single cycle of
      LDAC was 32%, with 11% complete and 21% partial responses. The median duration of
      response was 5.9 months, with a range of 1.4-33.5 months. Responses were seen in
      all subtypes. Infections were more common in the LDAC arm. There was no
      difference in the time to progression or the overall survival for patients
      treated with LDAC or supportive therapy. The incidence of leukemic transformation
      was similar in both arms at 15%, but it differed according to the MDS subtype.
      Patients receiving LDAC had a decreased transfusion requirement after 3 months.
      There was a significant correlation between the degree of cytoreduction after
      receiving a single cycle of LDAC and survival. This survival difference was most
      marked in patients with the RAEB and RAEB-T subtypes. Although LDAC produced
      responses in all subtypes of the MDS, there was no effect on overall survival or
      transformation to AML. However, selected patients benefited from a single cycle
      of LDAC with durable responses. A cytoreductive effect appears to be required for
      a durable response. Future studies should include pathology review and must
      address the clinical and biological heterogeneity of MDS.

PMID- 1420505
TI  - A major concanavalin-A-binding cell surface protein from normal and leukemic
      granulocytes: isolation and characterization.
AB  - This paper reports the isolation and biochemical characterization of a major
      concanavalin A (Con A)-binding cell surface protein (protein 2, M(r) 75-85 kD)
      from normal and chronic myeloid leukemic (CML) granulocytes. Our studies show
      that protein 2 has two differentially glycosylated forms, protein 2a (M(r) 75-85
      kD), which does not bind the lectin RCA, and protein 2b (M(r) 80-90 kD), which
      does. Both molecules show identical retention times on reverse-phase HPLC,
      irrespective of the cell source. By the procedure used the amount of 2a obtained
      is about 2.4 times more than that of 2b in normal cells and about 2.6 times more
      in CML cells. Furthermore, both are approximately 2.4-fold more in CML
      granulocytes. A polyclonal antibody to protein 2a also immunostains protein 2b.
      The antibody to protein 2a does not prevent Con A binding but inhibits its
      internalization. Similarity of the molecules from both the cell types and their
      increased amounts in CML granulocytes suggest that factors/components other than
      its structure and amount are responsible for the known defective internalization
      of Con A by CML granulocytes.

PMID- 1420506
TI  - Flow-cytometric enumeration of reticulocytes with the new fluorochrome 1,3'
      diethyl-4,2'-quinolylthiacyanine (correction of 1',3'-diethyl-4,2'
      quinolylthiacyanine)
AB  - Several flow-cytometric methods for reticulocyte enumeration in whole blood have
      been developed, with different degrees of practical use. Recently, a new
      fluorochrome, 1,3'-diethyl-4,2'-quinolylthiacyanine (corrected) (DEQTC) was
      proposed in a brief report, as an alternative to thiazole orange for reticulocyte
      counting. We have evaluated the usefulness of this fluorescent stain by assessing
      the optimal conditions for the flow-cytometric analysis, and by comparing in
      double-blind assays the quantitative results of this technique with those
      obtained by manual counting with brilliant cresyl blue. Our results show that
      flow cytometry with DEQTC is highly correlated to the manual method (r = 0.95
      0.99), supporting the interest of this particular stain and of flow cytometry for
      routine laboratory work in hematology.

PMID- 1420507
TI  - Rapid molecular characterization of mutations leading to unstable hemoglobin beta
      chain variants.
AB  - Characterization of unstable hemoglobins by protein analysis is often difficult.
      However, it is facilitated by DNA analysis, especially in the case of
      hyperunstable beta-chain variants, which produce a beta-thalassemia phenotype. We
      have applied an efficient strategy to the detection of such variants at the DNA
      level, based on computer-designed denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE)
      of amplified DNA fragments. This approach makes it possible to detect any anomaly
      in the beta-globin gene. We describe the use of the DGGE method for rapid
      characterization of beta-chain variants and report a new missense mutation in the
      beta-globin gene third exon, beta 127 CAG-CGG/Gln-Arg, which is responsible for
      the synthesis of a highly unstable hemoglobin.

PMID- 1420508
TI  - Mediastinal extramedullary hematopoiesis as first manifestation of hereditary
      spherocytosis.

PMID- 1420509
TI  - Use of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) to treat a child with pancytopenia and
      hypoplastic marrow.

PMID- 1420510
TI  - Converging toward a "unified field theory" of epidemiology.

PMID- 1420511
TI  - Medicare studies of vertebral fractures.

PMID- 1420512
TI  - A definition of bias founded on the concept of the study base.
AB  - We propose a definition of bias founded on the concept of the study base. The
      definition is unrelated to the study design, thereby permitting a clear
      comparison of validity among different study types. Also, it facilitates
      assessment of bias because it allows bias to be subdivided under mutually
      exclusive categories. In relation to the study base, the epidemiologic study can
      be viewed as involving three distinct steps. First, the person-time (study base)
      is specified for the study. Second, the investigators collect data on disease
      events and person-time among the exposed and unexposed from the study base.
      Third, they calculate an estimate of the effect of the exposure using the data.
      Categories pertaining to each of these three steps will create mutually exclusive
      categories of bias. We suggest the following terminology: the first step
      generates confounding, the second results in misclassification and
      misrepresentation, and the third produces analysis deviation. The total bias is
      the sum of the confounding, misclassification, misrepresentation, and analysis
      deviation. We illustrate our proposed epidemiologic theory with examples from
      various biological settings.

PMID- 1420513
TI  - Renal cell cancer among paperboard printing workers.
AB  - A physician's alert prompted us to investigate workers' cancer risk at a
      paperboard printing manufacturer. We conducted a retrospective cohort mortality
      study of all 2,050 persons who had worked at the facility for more than 1 day,
      calculated standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for bladder and renal cell
      cancer, and conducted a nested case-control study for renal cell cancer.
      Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) from all causes [SMR = 1.0, 95% confidence
      interval (CI) = 0.9-1.2] and all cancers (SMR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.3-1.0) were not
      greater than expected. One bladder cancer and one renal cell cancer were included
      in the mortality analysis. Six incident renal cell cancers were observed,
      however, compared with less than two renal cell cancers expected (SIR = 3.7, 95%
      CI = 1.4-8.1). Based on a nested case-control analysis, the risk of renal cell
      cancer was associated with overall length of employment but was not limited to
      any single department or work process. Although pigments containing congeners of
      dichlorobenzidine and o-toluidine had been used at the plant, environmental
      sampling could not confirm any current exposure. Several limitations and a
      potential selection bias limit the inferences that can be drawn.

PMID- 1420514
TI  - Evaluation of three nutritional assessment methods in a group of women.
AB  - We conducted a reproducibility study of four 24-hour dietary recalls (N = 224)
      and four biochemical assessments of nutritional status (N = 265) in a group of
      women in Alabama. For 24-hour recalls, the variance component ratios were all
      greater than 1, and the intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.16 to
      0.27 for macronutrients, and from 0.09 to 0.37 for vitamins and minerals. The
      intraclass correlation coefficients for biochemical assessments ranged between
      0.39 and 0.74 with corresponding variance component ratios of 1 or below for most
      nutrients. The correlation coefficients between the food frequency questionnaire
      on the usual dietary intake during the year preceding the beginning of study and
      the mean values of four 24-hour dietary recalls administered at the initial visit
      and again after 2, 4, and 6 months ranged from 0.3 to 0.4 for most nutrients. We
      found plasma beta-carotene levels to be moderately correlated with dietary
      vitamin A (r = 0.20) and beta-carotene (r = 0.22).

PMID- 1420515
TI  - Assessing consumption of high-fat foods: the effect of grouping foods into single
      questions.
AB  - Questionnaires on the frequency of consumption of foods are commonly used to
      measure dietary intake in epidemiologic research. To reduce the burden on
      respondents, questionnaires are often shortened by combining inquiries on similar
      foods into a single question. The effect of this practice on the reporting of
      dietary intake has never been investigated, however. To address this issue, we
      used two food frequency questionnaires in a telephone survey designed to rank
      adult residents of Alabama by their intake of dietary fat. One questionnaire
      included 29 questions about separate high-fat foods, whereas the other grouped
      these same foods into 14 questions. Compared with the 443 respondents interviewed
      using the 29-item separated-foods questionnaire, the 465 respondents responding
      to the 14-item grouped-foods questionnaire reported lower average intakes of the
      foods. In addition, a substantially higher percentage of respondents to the
      grouped-foods questionnaire reported never consuming the foods.

PMID- 1420516
TI  - Passive smoking in Germany and Poland: comparison of exposure levels, sources of
      exposure, validity, and perception.
AB  - Nonsmoking females age 35-65 years from Bremen, Germany (91 women), and Opole,
      Poland (98 women), were interviewed about their recent passive smoking exposure.
      We obtained urine samples at the time of interview and determined the
      concentration of cotinine as an indicator of tobacco smoke exposure. In Poland
      and in Germany, the vast majority of nonsmoking women are involuntarily exposed
      to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Polish women had slightly higher exposure
      levels than German women, with overall means of 9.93 and 8.65 ng cotinine/mg
      creatinine, respectively. Smoking by the husband was the major source of exposure
      in both study groups. In the Polish group, the work place was also an important
      source of ETS exposure. The validity of self-reported passive smoking exposure
      was found to be generally good; it was somewhat better in the German study group.
      A negative attitude toward tobacco smoke was slightly stronger among the German
      women. The percentage of women misreporting their active smoking status was low.

PMID- 1420517
TI  - Hospitalization with vertebral fracture among the aged: a national population
      based study, 1986-1989.
AB  - Whereas fractures related to osteoporosis have become a pressing public health
      concern, relatively few epidemiologic studies have focused on vertebral
      fractures. To shed further light on the occurrence of this injury, we collected
      data from the Health Care Financing Administration on 151,986 discharges listing
      a diagnosis of vertebral fracture over a 4-year period. After adjusting for age,
      white women experienced the highest rates of discharge, at 17.1 per 10,000 per
      year, followed by white men (9.9 per 10,000), black women (3.7 per 10,000), and
      black men (2.5 per 10,000). Among white women, discharge rates rose exponentially
      from 5.3 discharges per 10,000 population at age 65 to nearly 47.8 per 10,000 at
      age 90. White men, black women, and black men experienced less dramatic age
      related increases in discharge rates. The similarity of these patterns to
      discharge rates for hip fracture suggests that the race-sex differences in
      vertebral fracture discharge rates may be due to differences in the incidence of
      vertebral fracture.

PMID- 1420518
TI  - A case-control study of smoking and gallbladder disease: importance of examining
      time relations.
AB  - We report a case-control study of gallbladder disease and cigarette smoking.
      Subjects were 252 incident cases and 233 age-sex-residence-matched community
      controls. Three quarters of the subjects were women. The age-matched risk of
      gallbladder disease was increased in current smokers vs never-smokers [odds ratio
      (OR) = 1.6 and 1.3 in women and men, respectively] and in past smokers (OR = 1.5
      for each sex). In light of earlier research, showing that, in women, certain risk
      factors for gallbladder disease may act maximally soon after first exposure, we
      examined time relations. In women, multivariable analysis showed that the risk
      increase was especially high in current-smoking women less than 35 years of age
      [OR = 3.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-9.8] and in women who had been
      smoking for 1-8 years (OR = 2.8, 95% CI = 1.1-7.1). These results indicate that,
      in women, the smoking-related risk of gallbladder disease is greatest soon after
      first exposure--as has also been reported for oral contraceptive use. The
      findings highlight the potential for mis-estimating risk in case-control studies
      when late-occurring cases have a different relation to the exposure factor than
      do the early-occurring cases within the original, albeit undocumented, exposure
      cohort.

PMID- 1420519
TI  - Mammary gland mass and breast cancer risk.
AB  - Evidence indicates that early life events and conditions, possibly extending to
      the intrauterine stages of life, and including energy restriction in early life,
      affect the risk of breast cancer. The mechanism of this effect is likely to be
      through a reduction in mammary gland mass and, inferentially, the total number of
      ductal stem cells. The evidence derives from epidemiologic and animal studies. It
      can explain certain epidemiologic findings that cannot be accounted for by more
      established breast cancer risk factors, including the more frequent occurrence of
      breast cancer in the left breast and the higher incidence of this disease among
      caucasian women than among Asian women in Asia.

PMID- 1420521
TI  - Reliability of sexual behavior data among high school students in Rome.
AB  - We compared findings on sexual behavior from a self-administered questionnaire
      and a face-to-face interview, separated by 2-4 weeks, directed at 383 Italian
      secondary school students. The correlation coefficients or kappa values for
      reported prevalence of coital experience, age at first intercourse, and age of
      first partner were all greater than 0.7. The interview underreported coitus and
      overreported condom use, when administered before the questionnaire. The students
      thought that 18.4% of their classmates had ever had coitus, compared with 23.5%
      on self-report. We conclude that despite an overall high reproducibility of
      sexual behavior measures, distortions due to perceptions of social desirability
      might occur.

PMID- 1420520
TI  - Lactation history and bone mineral density among perimenopausal women.
AB  - To examine the relation between lactation and bone mineral density, we conducted
      a cross-sectional study among white, nonsmoking, perimenopausal women age 40-54.
      Three hundred fifty-two women completed a questionnaire covering medical and
      reproductive histories, physical activity, and diet. We measured the bone density
      of lumbar vertebrae 2-4 with dual photon absorptiometry, and the midradius and
      distal radius with single photon absorptiometry. Women with a history of
      lactation had 41 mg per cm2 higher lumbar bone mineral density than women with no
      lactation (95% confidence interval = 8-74 mg per cm2), controlling for parity,
      body mass, physical activity, and menopausal status. We found no important
      increase at mid- or distal radius.

PMID- 1420522
TI  - The reliability of self-reported alcohol consumption in the remote past.
AB  - We examined the reliability of self-reported alcohol consumption in past age
      periods of women's lives. As part of a case-control study of breast cancer
      conducted in Massachusetts and Wisconsin in 1988-1991, the same questionnaire was
      administered for a second time to 211 controls (mean age = 54 years) after an
      interval of 6-12 months. The Spearman correlation coefficients between the
      average number of grams of alcohol consumed daily reported in the two interviews,
      by age period of consumption, were: 16-19 years, r = 0.81; 20-29 years, r = 0.84;
      30-39 years, r = 0.75; and for recent consumption, r = 0.77. Self-reported
      alcohol consumption throughout adult life was reported with precision sufficient
      to make the ranking of subjects' intake consistent between interviews.

PMID- 1420523
TI  - Fletcher's paradox.

PMID- 1420524
TI  - The paradigms of wound care.

PMID- 1420525
TI  - Wound care: everybody's doing it, but is that enough?

PMID- 1420526
TI  - Done at last!

PMID- 1420527
TI  - A research-based risk assessment tool as the cornerstone of a pressure ulcer
      prevention program.
AB  - By highlighting theories of knowledge utilization, we consider some of the
      factors and issues in planning research utilization projects. By our use of a
      research utilization model in developing a research-based pressure ulcer
      prevention program, we help to bridge the gap between research and practice.

PMID- 1420528
TI  - Clinical trial of the Braden Scale on an acute care medical unit.
AB  - Pressure ulcers in hospitalized patients represent a significant challenge to the
      health professionals who care for these patients. This challenge extends to the
      health care system as a whole because of the staggering costs associated with
      pressure ulcer resolution. Although the relative benefits of various treatment
      methods have long been debated, intervention before ulcer formation clearly
      stands as the most efficacious approach to this problem. The Braden Scale for
      Predicting Pressure Sore Risk, a recently developed paper tool, was evaluated in
      our acute care medical unit for its ability to predict pressure ulcer occurrence.
      The sensitivity of the Braden Scale in this evaluation was much lower than that
      reported in other published studies. The Braden Scale was less effective than the
      nurse judgment prediction method, the current prevailing prediction method at
      this institution. The gravity of these results, however, is unclear because of
      the questionable incidence of ulcers in this study, which may be artificially
      high due to permissive criteria used in the identification of stage 1 ulcers. We
      determined that the lack of unequivocally defined criteria for the identification
      of stage 1 ulcers may contribute to variance between studies. We also found that
      intervention measures were used only 27% of the time after the identification of
      patients at risk.

PMID- 1420529
TI  - Fibronectin in acute and chronic wounds.
AB  - Fibronectin, a fibrillar glycoprotein, is the major adhesive protein deposited at
      the wound interface during acute wound healing. Its abilities to interact with
      both cells and matrix are responsible for its description and characterization as
      a multifunctional adhesive glycoprotein. Fibronectin functions to promote cell
      adhesion, cell shape and spreading, organization of the cytoskeleton, hemostasis
      and thrombosis, cell migration, and phagocytosis. Both in vitro and in vivo
      studies indicate that fibronectin interacts with cells important to wound
      healing, including platelets, neutrophils, monocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial
      cells, and epidermal cells. It promotes adhesion between cells and between cell
      and matrix, cell spreading, migration, chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and matrix and
      basement membrane organization. Fibronectin is consequently active during each
      stage of wound healing. Its importance in acute wound healing is now widely
      recognized. More recently, investigators have begun to study fibronectin's role
      in chronic wounds. This article briefly reviews fibronectin, outlines its role in
      wound healing, and discusses current research on fibronectin in chronic wounds.

PMID- 1420530
TI  - Air support therapy: ethical considerations.
AB  - Pressure ulcers are a major health problem for the elderly population in the
      United States. Billion of health care dollars are spent for hospitalization, air
      support therapy, wound care products, and nursing care. In addition, the cost in
      human suffering is priceless. Many patients with pressure ulcers have several
      chronic diseases that make wound healing difficult. Nurses must begin to examine
      the ethical principles that guide their care of these patients. This article
      focuses on some ethical issues related to the care of patients with pressure
      ulcers and the difficulties encountered with pressure ulcer care. Careful
      analysis of the goals of pressure ulcer treatment may help nurses develop ethical
      guidelines to direct them in the care of these patients.

PMID- 1420531
TI  - Options in practice: transverse loop colostomy in midline incision. Descending
      loop colostomy over a Hollister bridge.

PMID- 1420533
TI  - Ostomy care.

PMID- 1420532
TI  - Pressure ulcers in adults: prediction and prevention. Agency for Health Care
      Policy and Research.

PMID- 1420534
TI  - More on bowel and bladder management in a child.

PMID- 1420535
TI  - Oxybutynin dosage questioned.

PMID- 1420536
TI  - Trends in Indian adolescent drug and alcohol use.
AB  - Trends in overall drug use among Indian and non-Indian youth have followed
      similar patterns, increasing from 1975 to the early 1980s and, for the most-used
      drugs, declining since then. At every point in time more reservation Indian youth
      are involved with drugs than are non-Indian youth. Rates for cocaine and
      hallucinogen use by Indian youth increase until 1990. The decline in overall drug
      use has occurred because a considerable number of moderate users have shifted to
      non-use. There has been no decrease in the proportion of high-risk users; since
      1980, it has stayed between 17% and 20%. Societal changes and prevention programs
      are reaching casual drug users but not those susceptible to heavy drug
      involvement.

PMID- 1420537
TI  - Comparison of drug use rates for reservation Indian, non-reservation Indian and
      Anglo youth.
AB  - Rates of drug use and involvement were compared for three groups: Indian youth
      living on reservations, Indian youth living off reservations and Anglo youth. A
      consistent pattern emerged, showing the lowest rates of use among Anglo youth,
      higher rates among non-reservation Indian youth, and the highest rates among
      Indian youth on reservations. Rates of tobacco use, both smoked and smokeless,
      and marijuana use are especially high for Indian youth. Indian youth also show a
      pattern of earlier initiation to drug use. Gender differences reveal slightly
      higher rates of use for males, although the differences are not great enough to
      suggest that prevention efforts for males should have a higher priority.

PMID- 1420538
TI  - The consequences of drug and alcohol use for Indian youth.
AB  - Indian youth have higher rates of using alcohol and drugs in ways that increase
      their risk--getting very drunk, drinking while driving, and using drugs and
      alcohol together. The highest rate is found among reservation youth, a lower rate
      among non-reservation Indians, and the lowest rate among non-Indian youth.
      Frequency of self-reported consequences from alcohol and drug use follow the same
      order, with 15% of reservation seniors involved in an alcohol-related accident.
      The most frequent consequences involve relationship problems. Drug injection is
      rare in all groups.

PMID- 1420540
TI  - Drug use of friends: a comparison of reservation and non-reservation Indian
      youth.
AB  - There is not much drug use at school, but reservation youth are most likely, non
      reservation Indian youth next most likely, and non-Indian youth least likely to
      have used drugs at school. Alcohol and drugs are used most frequently at weekend
      parties and at night with friends. Reservation youth are twice as likely as the
      others to have used alcohol while driving around and three times more likely to
      have used drugs while driving around. Drugs are used with friends. Heavy drug
      users are more likely to have friends who use drugs and friends who encourage
      drug use and are less likely to have friends who would try to stop them from
      using drugs.

PMID- 1420539
TI  - Attitudes about drugs and the drug use of Indian youth.
AB  - Alcohol, marijuana, and inhalants are the easiest drugs to obtain, but all drugs
      are available to some students. Younger students felt that inhalants were easier
      to get than marijuana. Availability does not have a major effect on use; if there
      is motivation to use, drugs are available. Perceived harm is linked to use, and
      8th-grade reservation youth show the lowest belief that drugs are harmful; only
      51% believe that using marijuana regularly will lead to "a lot" of harm. In
      general, non-Indian youth show higher rates of perceived harm, congruent with
      their lower rates of drug use.

PMID- 1420541
TI  - Characteristics of Indian youth and drug use.
AB  - The overall high rates of drug use found among Indian youth may be accounted for
      in part by lack of educational and employment opportunity and other endemic
      problems of Indian reservations. Individual drug involvement is most highly
      related to membership in drug-using peer clusters; but because of physical
      isolation, links between drug use and close friends are weaker for Indian youth,
      and family influence is felt more strongly. Anxiety, depression, and low self
      esteem are not related to drug involvement, but angry youth are more likely to
      have drug-involved peers. Risk factors for Indian youth are low family caring,
      age first drunk, poor school adjustment, weak family sanctions against drugs,
      positive attitudes toward alcohol use, risk of school dropout, father not at
      home, and poor religious identification.

PMID- 1420542
TI  - An annotated bibliography of papers on drug abuse among Indian youth by staff of
      the Tri-Ethnic Center for Prevention Research.

PMID- 1420543
TI  - Beyond boundaries: cross-cultural care.

PMID- 1420544
TI  - Managing the distressed newborn.

PMID- 1420546
TI  - Eating your way to a healthy lifestyle.

PMID- 1420545
TI  - Eating your life away.

PMID- 1420547
TI  - Dying at home.

PMID- 1420548
TI  - Deal the public in.

PMID- 1420549
TI  - Enzyme histochemistry of the olfactory and vomeronasal sensory epithelia in the
      golden hamster.
AB  - Histochemical activities of several enzymes were investigated in the olfactory
      epithelium (OE) and vomeronasal organ (VNO) of the golden hamster. Activities of
      adenosine triphosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase and succinate dehydrogenase were
      intense in the OE, and the sensory (VSE) and respiratory epithelium (VRE) of the
      VNO. The activity of acid phosphatase was intense in both the OE and the VSE,
      while that of non-specific esterase was intense in the VSE alone. The activity of
      alkaline phosphatase was detectable only in the VRE. Activities of monoamine
      oxidase and acetylcholine esterase were negative in all of the OE, VSE and VRE.
      These similarities and differences in the histochemical distribution of enzymes
      between OE and VSE may reflect the common olfactory function and/or functional
      specialization in these epithelia. On the other hand, the VRE was considerably
      different from the OE and VSE in the enzymatic distribution. This may reflect the
      non-olfactory function of this epithelium.

PMID- 1420550
TI  - Effects of pulsing electromagnetic fields on the ligament healing in rabbits.
AB  - Effects of pulsing electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) on ligament healing were
      investigated using 80 rabbits. All animals received square resection (4 mm x 4
      mm) of both patellar ligaments in full thickness at their center. They were
      divided into 4 groups of 20 rabbits each and stimulated with different
      electromagnetic intensity of 0 (control), 2, 10, and 50 gauss (G) for 6 hr daily.
      Pulse frequency and pulse width were 10 Hz and 25 microseconds, respectively.
      After PEMFs stimulations for 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks, 5 animals of each group were
      euthanized and the regenerated tissue at the defective portion was investigated
      histologically and biomechanically. Histologically, the tissue stimulated by
      PEMFs showed an earlier increase in capillaries and fibroblasts and more matured,
      prominent longitudinal orientation of collagen fibers than those of control
      groups. Among the rabbits stimulated electromagnetically, those stimulated at 50
      G revealed the earliest ligament healing. Tensile strength of regenerated
      ligament tissues of any PEMFs groups increased significantly at 1 and 2 weeks
      after operation, however, at 3 and 4 weeks after operation, there were no
      significant differences between groups. Among these values, those of 50 G group
      were the highest consistently during most of the experimental period. From the
      above results, PEMFs enhanced the earlier stage of ligament healings and 50 G
      gauss seemed to be the most effective among the 3 field intensities used. This
      promoting effect may potentiate the earlier recovery of the function after the
      ligament injury.

PMID- 1420551
TI  - Production and some properties of cytotoxins produced by Campylobacter species
      isolated from proliferative enteropathy in swine.
AB  - Cytotoxin production by Campylobacter species isolated from proliferative
      enteropathy in swine was examined. Twenty-one of 29 strains of C.
      hyointestinalis, 10 of 27 strains of C. mucosalis and 10 of 10 strains of C. coli
      were cytotoxin positive. By the gel filtration chromatography of C.
      hyointestinalis culture filtrate, cytotoxin activities were observed in two peaks
      (fraction I and fraction II). Most of the cytotoxic activities lay in fraction I,
      which is heat-labile, trypsin-sensitive and the molecular weight was estimated at
      40,000. On the other hand, fraction II cytotoxin was heat-stable, trypsin
      insusceptible and molecular weight was approximately 1,000.

PMID- 1420552
TI  - Histochemical studies on the dependence of secretory function of the major
      vestibular gland (Bartholin's gland) on ovarian steroid hormones in the cat.
AB  - The dependency of the secretory function of the feline major vestibular gland
      (Bartholin's gland) on the ovarian steroid hormones was studied histochemically.
      After estrogen (estradiol-17 beta or diethylstilbestrol), progesterone or a
      combination of these was administered to cats which were previously
      ovariohysterectomized, the major vestibular glands were removed, embedded in
      paraffin, sectioned, and stained by alcian blue, periodic acid-Schiff or
      peroxidase-labeled lectin (peanut agglutinin and wheat germ agglutinin). The
      vividly positive reactions to the stainings applied were observed in the
      secretory epithelial cells of the major vestibular glands in the estrogen treated
      animals. The dependency of the secretory function of the major vestibular glands
      on the estrogen was demonstrated in this study.

PMID- 1420553
TI  - Evaluation of the anaerobic method for the analysis of fecal microflora of beagle
      dogs.
AB  - The plate-in-bottle method of Mitsuoka et al. (1969) for the counting of fecal
      bacteria in beagle dogs was superior to an anaerobic jar method. Comparisons of
      three nonselective media, such as medium 10 supplemented with 10% cecal extract
      of dogs (designated as M10C), M10 with 10% fecal extract of dogs (M10F), and M10,
      by the plate-in-bottle method indicated that the visible bacterial counts for
      M10C were higher than those for M10 and M10F. The high percentage (18.4%) of
      numbers of the extremely oxygen-sensitive anaerobes to the fecal total counts by
      using the plate-in-bottle method with M10C was also observed.

PMID- 1420554
TI  - In vitro study on the increase of trypsin resistance in the rat testicular sperm
      head.
AB  - The alteration of trypsin resistance in rat sperm head was investigated after the
      sperm were incubated in the culture media (199-Earele, 1% BSA) containing the
      inhibitors of protein synthesis. The head of non-incubated testicular sperm was
      easily digested by trypsin (1 mg/ml) while the head of the incubated sperm showed
      resistance to trypsin digestion after 3 hr-incubation. Trypsin resistance in
      epididymal sperm head did not change after the sperm was incubated. Neither
      cycloheximide (100 micrograms/ml) nor chloramphenicol (100 micrograms/ml)
      affected the trypsin resistance in the testicular sperm head.

PMID- 1420555
TI  - Activities of certain cytoplasmic enzymes in bovine T lymphoma.
AB  - Activities of certain cytoplasmic enzymes were measured in bovine T lymphoma (BTL
      PC3 cells). The activities of hexokinase, pyruvate kinase and glucose-6-phosphate
      dehydrogenase in PC3 cells were elevated as much as 2 or 3-fold of those in
      bovine thymocyte. The high activities of these enzymes derived from activation of
      glucose metabolism may reflect the high growth potential of PC3 cells.

PMID- 1420556
TI  - Effect of cobra venom factor on experimental infection of mice against
      Clostridium chauvoei.
AB  - The effect of cobra venom factor (CoVF) treatment was examined to clarify the
      mechanism of resistance of mice to Clostridium chauvoei infection. In CoVF
      treated mice inoculated with spores of C. chauvoei, no death occurred and the
      organisms in the infected muscle progressively decreased, similar to that of non
      treated control mice. These results indicated that C3 did not play a significant
      role in the resistance of mice against C. chauvoei infection.

PMID- 1420557
TI  - Surgery of hepatic cysts in a cat.
AB  - A 2-year-old female Japanese domestic cat weighing 3.6 kg was presented due to
      marked abdominal distention and was diagnosed as hepatic cyst. The bile acid
      concentration of the hepatic cyst was as low as the serum bile acid
      concentration. The membrane of the cysts was excised from the edge of the
      compressed hepatic tissue and no other surgical manipulation was performed. This
      surgical procedure is simple and quick compared to hepatic lobectomy, however, it
      is necessary to evaluate the fluid of the cyst before performing this procedure.

PMID- 1420558
TI  - Enhanced resistance to bacterial infections in mice by oral administration of an
      active egg white product.
AB  - We found that the oral administration of active egg white product (AEWP) enhances
      host resistance to infections. The prophylactic administration of AEWP enhanced
      nonspecific resistance in mice to systemic infection with E. coli. Moreover, the
      therapeutic administration of AEWP was effective against S. aureus infection in
      mice.

PMID- 1420559
TI  - Comparison of the inhibitory effect of sulfamonomethoxine and other sulfonamides
      on capsule formation of Bordetella bronchiseptica.
AB  - The inhibitory effect of sulfamonomethoxine and other sulfonamides on the capsule
      formation of sulfonamide-resistant Bordetella bronchiseptica was investigated.
      All the sulfonamides having MeO(-OCH3) groups inhibited the capsule formation of
      B. bronchiseptica. Strong inhibition was obtained with sulfamonomethoxine.
      Inhibition was not seen with sulfonamides having no MeO groups.

PMID- 1420560
TI  - Visual evoked potentials in guinea pigs with brain lesion.
AB  - Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were recorded in 10 adult male guinea pigs with
      brain lesion. Lesions were produced in 5 animals by superficial suction of the
      occipital lobe. The other 5 animals were orally administered with hexachlorophene
      (about 35 mg/kg/day) for 28 days. In the VEP following the ablation of the
      occipital lobe, the peaks P10, N20, P55, N75, N140 and P200 disappeared in many
      cases. The amplitude of the peak N40 decreased to approximately one half its
      control VEP. In the VEP obtained from the animals administered with
      hexachlorophene, the peak latencies of N20, P30, P55, N75 and P100 were slightly
      prolonged after the 7th day following the first administration. On the other
      hand, there was no change in the latency of N40 during the whole period of
      administration. The peak-to-peak amplitude showed some variability in different
      peaks. Histologically, diffuse status spongiosis were found in the white matter
      of the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. As described above, the ablation of
      the occipital lobe caused markedly depressed VEPs, however, the responses to the
      photic stimulation persisted after the injury. On the other hand, the VEPs of
      animals administered with hexachlorophene showed a high probability of peak
      appearance, and a decrease in amplitude was not marked.

PMID- 1420561
TI  - Comparison of antimicrobial resistant Escherichia coli in wild and captive
      Japanese serows.
AB  - The fecal Escherichia coli isolated from wild Japanese serows living in
      mountainous areas away from humans and those from captive serows kept in human
      areas were examined for antimicrobial resistance and the possession of
      transferable R plasmids. Of 874 E. coli strains isolated from 283 wild serows in
      1980-1981, only 11 (1.3%) were resistant to at least one of 6 antimicrobial
      drugs; ampicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, kanamycin and
      sulfadimethoxin. Seven (2.5%) individuals were found to carry resistant E. coli.
      To heighten the isolation frequency of drug-resistant strains, fecal samples of
      244 wild serows in 1983-1984 were cultured directly onto drug-supplemented media.
      Only 12 (4.9%) serows were shown to have drug-resistant E. coli. No transferable
      R plasmid was detected among a total of 87 resistant strains from wild serows. In
      contrast, all 33 captive serows except one which was kept only one day after
      capture, showed resistant E. coli and 20 (60.6%) serows were excreting R plasmid
      carrying E. coli. Of 161 drug-resistant strains from captive serows, 50 (31.1%)
      were found to carry R plasmids. Wild serows seemed to readily change to harbor
      resistant E. coli almost as soon they were reared in human areas without direct
      exposure to drugs. These results lead to the conclusion that drug-resistant E.
      coli can probably be used as microbial indicator for natural environmental
      pollution.

PMID- 1420562
TI  - Anatomically corrected malposition (ACM) with subpulmonary infundibulum in a
      calf: clinico-morphologic case report.
AB  - A Japanese black calf with cyanosis, tachycardia, tachypnea and systolic murmur
      died of hypoxemia and cardiac insufficiency on the 38th day after birth. We could
      not establish the diagnosis during it's life. However, anatomically corrected
      malposition (ACM) with ventricular septal defect was confirmed at autopsy. There
      was situs solitus of the viscera and atria with atrio-ventricular discordance and
      ventriculo-arterial concordance. The ventricles demonstrated l-loop, i.e. on the
      right-sided ventricle there was a markedly enlarged morphologic left ventricle,
      and on the left-sided ventricle there was a hypoplastic morphologic right
      ventricle with a stenotic tricuspid valve and Ebstein-like deformity. The right
      posterior aorta originated from the left ventricle. The pulmonary artery arose
      from the left-sided right ventricle via infundibulum. There was a fibrous
      continuity between the aortic and mitral valve. We considered that this is the
      first reported case of bovine ACM.

PMID- 1420563
TI  - The role of 36 megadalton plasmid of Salmonella enteritidis for the pathogenesis
      in mice.
AB  - The pathogenesis associated with the 36 Megadalton (Md) plasmid of Salmonella
      choleraesuis subsp. choleraesuis serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) was
      assessed by using the plasmid-containing strain AL1190, plasmid-cured strain
      AL1192, and plasmid-reintroduced strain AL1193. After oral inoculation of strain
      AL1190 or AL1192 to C57BL/6 mice, mesenteric lymph nodes, spleens, and livers
      were examined for the numbers of viable bacteria and for the histopathological
      changes. The numbers of bacteria were greater and histopathological changes were
      severer in these organs of mice inoculated with strain AL1190, than in those with
      strain AL1192. Strains AL1190, AL1192, and AL1193 showed the equivalent survival
      rate to sera of guinea pig, calf, and pig, and grew equally well under the iron
      limiting conditions. These results suggested that the 36 Md plasmid of S.
      Enteritidis contribute to the spread of the infection beyond small intestines to
      mesenteric lymph nodes, spleens, and livers, but not to serum resistance or
      acquisition of iron.

PMID- 1420564
TI  - Chemotactic activity of hemocytes derived from a brackish-water clam, Corbicula
      japonica, to Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Escherichia coli strains.
AB  - Hemocytes from adult and juvenile specimens of a brackish-water clam, Corbicula
      japonica, were attracted chemotactically to live cells of Vibrio parahaemolyticus
      and Escherichia coli strains in a balanced salt solution, which was enhanced
      significantly in the presence of respective C. japonica plasma. Chemotactic
      attractions of adult's and juvenile's hemocytes were seen also in artificial
      seawater at a similar level to those in the balanced salt solution. Chemotactic
      attractions of juvenile's hemocytes to these strains were lower in level than
      those of adult's hemocytes. C. japonica plasma seems to facilitate for C.
      japonica hemocytes to recognize these organisms.

PMID- 1420565
TI  - Immunohistochemical findings of juxtaglomerular cells on acute phase in two
      kidney Goldblatt hypertensive rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats.
AB  - Juxtaglomerular (JG) cells on the acute phase in two-kidney Goldblatt
      hypertensive (2KGH) rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were examined
      immunohistochemically. JG cells in 2KGH rats and SHR were positively stained with
      anti-renin serum and anti-angiotensin II (A II) serum. In 2KGH rats, the number
      of renin and AII immunoreactive JG cells in the clipped kidneys increased
      throughout the observation period. The number of renin and AII immunoreactive JG
      cells in the unclipped kidneys was almost the same as that in control rats,
      although immunoreactivity of these cells was weak and they were small in size.
      These changes in the unclipped kidneys became obvious with the time course after
      operation. We did not see any changes in these cells in SHR. In 2KGH rats treated
      with captopril, the number of renin immunoreactive JG cells in the clipped
      kidneys increased, whereas that of AII immunoreactive JG cells in the bilateral
      kidney decreased. When captopril was administered to SHR, the number of renin
      immunoreactive JG cells in the bilateral kidney increased, whereas that of AII
      immunoreactive JG cells in the bilateral kidney decreased. These results
      suggested that the JG cell in the bilateral kidney was closely related to the
      development of hypertension in 2KGH rats, but not in SHR. The increase of renin
      immunoreactive JG cells in 2KGH rats and SHR treated with captopril was probably
      due to the removal of negative feedback inhibition of AII on JG cells.

PMID- 1420566
TI  - Monoclonal antibodies to feline lymphocyte membranes recognize the leukocyte
      common antigen (CD45R).
AB  - By immunization of BALB/c mice with a feline T lymphoblastoid cell line, MYA-1
      cells, two types of lymphocyte-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were
      obtained. The 220/205/190 kd protein defined by 2F11 mAb is highly expressed on
      the surface of MYA-1 cells and another feline T lymphoma cell line, FL74 cells.
      The protein is also expressed on normal feline thymocytes, splenocytes and feline
      peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Another mAb, 17B10, caused similar
      results as those of 2F11 except for its low reactivity with FL74 cells. The
      second type of mAb, 15B3, defined the 220 kd protein. The reactivities of this
      mAb with MYA-1 cells, FL74 cells, PBMCs and feline splenocytes were lower than
      the former two mAbs, and did not react to feline thymocytes. On the other hand,
      17B10 and 15B3 defined partial populations of MYA-1 and FL74 cells recognized by
      2F11. The cells defined by the 2F11 and 17B10 are all leukocytes in spleen and
      lymph node. In contrast, 15B3 defined most of the cells in B cell area and
      partially in T cell area. These results suggested that 2F11 and 17B10 recognized
      the specific antigen of 220/205/190 kd of the leukocyte-common antigen (L-CA)
      family, CD45R, with different epitopes, and that 15B3 defined the distinct
      antigen of 220 kd on CD45R.

PMID- 1420567
TI  - Clinicopathology of meningoventriculitis due to Streptococcus bovis infection in
      neonatal calves.
AB  - Three neonatal calves ranging in age from 4 to 14 days were examined
      pathologically and bacteriologically. The calves showed depression, anorexia,
      pyrexia, and difficulty or inability to stand followed by cloudiness of the
      ocular aqueous humor or cornea. Autopsy revealed congestion, petechiae, and
      cloudy areas in the meninges. Histologically, the central nervous system (CNS)
      lesions were prominent and limited to the meninges where fibrinous exudate and
      infiltrations of neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes were present. There
      were mild or slight degrees of choroid plexitis and ependymitis. Endophthalmitis
      was seen as a concurrent lesion in all cases. Fibrinous or fibrinopurulent
      changes were found in the peritoneum and epicardium as well as in several other
      organs. Numerous Gram-positive cocci were detected in affected areas of the whole
      body. Bacteriologically, Streptococcus bovis was isolated from all examined
      materials consisting of the brain, cerebrospinal fluid, ocular aqueous humor, and
      several other organs. These results suggest that the lesions were associated with
      infection of the organism and that the present cases were in the process of
      septicemia.

PMID- 1420568
TI  - Non-specific natural cytotoxic factor released from bovine peripheral blood
      lymphocytes.
AB  - Natural cytotoxicity against bovine leukemia cells (PC-3 cells) was found in
      bovine peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), and in non-adherent cells but not in
      adherent cells to nylon-wool column. Natural cytotoxic cells (NCC), which have
      natural cytotoxic activity, are found in T cell-rich fraction. When NCC were
      cocultured with PC-3 cells, natural cytotoxic factor (NCF) was released rapidly
      from NCC, and dose-response curve for NCF was almost linear induction.
      Cytotoxicity against PC-3 cells by NCC or NCF was increased with an increment of
      incubation period. Cytotoxicity against K562 cells, CL-1 cells, M1 cells or EL-4
      cells by NCF was almost the same level as that against PC-3 cells, but that
      against those cell lines by NCC was not found. NCF activity in culture fluid from
      NCC cocultured with K562 cells or CL-1 cells was lower than that from NCC
      cocultured with PC-3 cells.

PMID- 1420569
TI  - Immunocytochemical and morphometric studies on the effects of dehydration on
      vasopressin-secreting cells in the hypothalamus of the Mongolian gerbils.
AB  - Effects of dehydration on vasopressin-secreting cells (VP cells) of the
      supraoptic nucleus (SON) and the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in the Mongolian
      gerbils were studied immunocytochemically and morphometrically. The plasma
      osmolality was measured at the time of sacrifice of individual animals and the
      body weight was measured every day during dehydration. The plasma osmolality
      increased significantly on day 3 of dehydration, followed by a gradual increase
      to reach nearly its equibilium state on day 10. The body weight decreased rapidly
      until day 10, followed by a gradual decrease thereafter. The area of VP cells
      increased significantly in both the SON and PVN on day 1 of dehydration, the
      level being nearly the same until days 3 to 5 and going up on day 7 to reach the
      plateau after day 15. These findings seem to reflect a compensation mechanism
      between the volume of body fluid and the plasma osmolality and to reflect
      responses of VP cells to the osmotic stimuli. Electron microscopic observation
      revealed that, at the beginning and late stages of dehydration, the increase in
      the area of VP cells was in parallel with the expansion of the Golgi area and
      with the distension of cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum.

PMID- 1420570
TI  - Experimental Tonsillophilus suis granuloma in rats and guinea pigs.
AB  - Rats and guinea pigs were experimentally infected by intradermal and
      intraperitoneal inoculation of T. suis. These animals were observed for
      pathologic changes at various stages. Macroscopic observation disclosed visible
      grayish white soft nodules at the injection site in those inoculated
      intradermally and many grayish white nodules in the peritoneum of those
      inoculated intraperitoneally. Histopathological examination revealed the presence
      of characteristic microbial elements in the centre of the lesions. Various stages
      of the lesions were recognized; the early stage being abscess, the advanced stage
      being pus-forming granuloma and the final stage being residual granuloma. The
      microbial elements were composed of spores, thalli and multilocular tubers. Clubs
      were formed around microbial elements in rats inoculated intradermally and in
      guinea pigs inoculated intraperitoneally. The characteristic T. suis lesions in
      pigs were reproduced by experimental infection of this organisms in rats and
      guinea pigs, and thus the pathogenicity of T. suis was confirmed.

PMID- 1420571
TI  - Relationship between pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary thromboembolism
      associated with dead worms in canine heartworm disease.
AB  - To examine effects of thromboemboli due to dead worms on pulmonary arterial
      pressure (PAP), 20 to 50 dead heartworms were inserted into the pulmonary
      arteries of 4 heartworm uninfected dogs (uninfected group) and 11 dogs infected
      with heartworms (infected group). In the uninfected group, the mean PAP rose 1
      week after worm insertion (10.9 to 166. mmHg), but it recovered by the 4th week.
      Clinical signs, hemodynamics and blood gas findings also deteriorated at the 1st
      week, but recovered at the 4th week. Angiographic and pathological findings
      indicated that blood flow recovered through the spaces between thromboemboli and
      vessel walls at the 4th week. The infected dogs were divided into three groups.
      In the infected-I group (5 dogs), the intimal lesions of the pulmonary arteries
      were slight, and clinical and laboratory findings showed changes similar to those
      of the uninfected group. In the infected-II group (4 dogs), the pulmonary
      arterial lesions were severe and the mean PAP was higher (25.7 mmHg) than in the
      uninfected group before worm insertion. An increase in PAP (34.1 mmHg) and
      worsening of clinical and laboratory findings were noticed till the 4th week.
      Thromboemboli adhered extensively to the vessel walls. Two dogs in the infected
      III group died of severe dyspnea on the 9th and 10th day, and the mean PAP rose
      remarkably at the 1st week (from 19.4 to 28.2 mmHg). Severe pulmonary parenchymal
      lesions with edema or perforation were observed. From the above results, it was
      clarified that effects of dead worms on PAP and clinical signs depended on the
      severity of pulmonary arterial lesions before worm insertion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420572
TI  - The complete amino acid sequence of the Clostridium botulinum type D neurotoxin,
      deduced by nucleotide sequence analysis of the encoding phage d-16 phi genome.
AB  - The complete nucleotide sequence of Clostridium botulinum type D strain CB16
      neurotoxin was determined and the deduced amino acid sequence is reported here
      for the first time. The structure and function of botulinum type D neurotoxin is
      discussed from a molecular biological viewpoint. DNA was extracted from toxin
      converting phage d-16 phi of C. botulinum type D strain CB16, and a fragment
      (about 10 kbp) coding for the neurotoxin was cloned into Escherichia coli using
      lambda gt11. A 21-mer oligonucleotide which corresponds to Phe7 to Val13 of the
      partial amino acid sequence near the N-terminus of the type D neurotoxin was
      synthesized and used as a probe to identify the gene encoding type D neurotoxin.
      The nucleotide sequence contained a single open reading frame coding for 1,275
      amino acids (molecular weight of 146,785) and the deduced amino acid sequence
      corresponded exactly to the partial amino acid sequences determined by direct
      microsequencing of the neurotoxin fragments. In the dichain molecule of the
      neurotoxin, Thr2 and Asn443 formed the N-termini of the light chain (M.W. 50,410)
      and heavy chain (M.W. 96,394) respectively, and these two chains were linked with
      a disulfide bond between Cys437 on the light chain and Cys450 on the heavy chain.
      The nucleotide sequence of the D-CB16 neurotoxin differed from that previously
      reported for type D neurotoxin by three nucleotides.

PMID- 1420573
TI  - Overshoot and high equilibrium in body temperature responses of rats to ambient
      heat: relation to thermoregulatory ability and improvement in estimation of
      survival time in a hot environment.
AB  - Physiological significance of body temperature responses to ambient heat (BTRAH)
      with high overshoot or a high equilibrium phase was studied in relation to
      thermoregulatory ability. Subsequently, an attempt was made to predict survival
      time (ST) by measuring the period required to attain a colonic temperature (Tco)
      of 42.0 degrees C (t42.0), whereas ST hitherto having been calculated on the
      basis of a period until Tco attains 42.5 degrees C (t42.5). Tco of rat was
      monitored continuously with a Cu-Co thermocouple during exposure to an ambient
      temperature (Ta) of 42.5 degrees C. The lower the overshoot temperature (Tos) or
      the equilibrium temperature (Teq), the longer the rats survived in a hot
      environment. The present findings further suggest that these two types of BTRAH
      are immature variations of the typical triphasic BTRAH which is characteristic of
      heat resistant individuals. A new regression line of ST (Y) as a function of the
      t42.0 (X) was obtained for most rats as follows: Y = 0.963X + 43.85 (male); and Y
      = 0.973X + 39.10 (female). This equation enabled to calculate ST without thermal
      death. However, the former approach based on t42.5 must be applied yet in small
      number of rats which showed the irregular BTRAHs with Tos or Teq higher than 42.0
      degrees C. Delayed influence on survival and fecundity at a Ta of 24 degrees C
      were not found during one year following this hyperthermia up to 42.5 degrees C.

PMID- 1420574
TI  - Theoretical epidemiology on bovine ephemeral fever outbreaks in Tanegashima
      Island, Kagoshima Prefecture of Japan in 1988.
AB  - From the end of September to November 1988, a compact scale of bovine ephemeral
      fever (BEF) outbreaks occurred suddenly in Tanegashima island of Kagoshima
      Prefecture, southern part of Kyusyu island of Japan. The BEF outbreak pattern
      showed epidemical characteristics as follows; (1) outbreak spread from few foci
      to zone during one month, and (2) the disease might be transmitted in farms with
      a fixed probability of adequate contact. By using the above aspects, we attempted
      to analyze the disease theoretically with the application of Poisson distribution
      and Reed-Frost model. The BEF incidence in farms was in well accord with the
      Poisson distribution. As the very rare event occurred in unit time or in unit
      area in this epidemic, the cattle population at risk were equivalently
      susceptible to BEF virus in this island, due to the influence of no vaccination
      to BEF control before the first outbreak. Similarly, the epidemic curve of the
      Reed-Frost model was proved to fit well the incidence observed in a farm, and the
      probability of adequate contact was induced as p = 0.226. If the cattle
      population is less than 5 in this farm, the outbreak would not occur in the first
      instance.

PMID- 1420575
TI  - Detection and characterization of Theileria sergenti proteinases.
AB  - The lysate of Theileria sergenti piroplasms was tested for proteinases using
      sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in which substrate was
      included in gel matrix. Six proteinases of molecular weight 330, 125, 98, 94, 67
      and 58 kilodalton (kDa) were detected. From the results of the Triton X-114 phase
      partition, 330, 125 and 58 kDa proteinases were partitioned into aqueous phase,
      which indicated that they were not associated with parasite membranes. All these
      three enzymes were classified into metalloproteinase family because of their
      sensitivities to metal-ion chelating compounds, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
      (EDTA) and 1,10-phenanthroline. On the other hand, 98 and 94 kDa proteinases were
      membrane-associated metalloproteinases which were preferentially inhibited by
      1,10-phenanthroline. Another metalloproteinase of 67 kDa which was inhibited by
      EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline was not associated with parasite membranes.
      Proteinases of 98 and 94 kDa degraded heat-denatured hemoglobin.

PMID- 1420576
TI  - Pregnancy and lactation affect the microvasculature of the mammary gland in mice.
AB  - Microvascular changes in the mammary gland in mice during pregnancy and lactation
      were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with a corrosion cast
      method, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and morphometry. By SEM, duct
      associated capillary plexuses were sparsely distributed to branch into adipocytes
      during virgin period. With advance in pregnancy, both branches from the capillary
      plexuses and branches from the vessels surrounding adipocytes extended further to
      form capillary networks. The basket-like architecture was completed by day 18 of
      pregnancy. These findings may indicate that angiogenesis occurs frequently during
      this period. During lactation, the basket-like architecture still remained and
      the capillaries surrounding alveoli meandered. After weaning, the regression of
      microvasculature followed the degeneration of alveoli. By TEM and morphometry,
      the density of pinocytotic vesicles (PVs) (number of PVs per microns 2 of
      endothelium cytoplasm) increased twofold from day 18 of pregnancy to day 5 of
      lactation, furthermore increased threefold from days 10 to 20 of lactation, and
      subsequently decreased after weaning. Marginal folds and microvillous processes
      gradually increased in length with advance in pregnancy, reached the maximum from
      days 5 to 15 of lactation, and thereafter decreased. In addition, the capillaries
      with thinner walls were in close contact with alveoli during the late stage of
      pregnancy and during lactation. Furthermore, the alveolar epithelial cells had
      well-developed basal infoldings during lactation. These findings suggest that the
      capillaries play an important role in transporting materials necessary for milk
      production.

PMID- 1420577
TI  - Changes in blastogenic responses of lymphocytes and delayed type hypersensitivity
      responses after vaccination in dogs.
AB  - To clarify the immunologic effects of vaccination in dogs, we monitored total
      leukocyte and lymphocyte counts, humoral antibody responses, blastogenic
      responses of lymphocyte, and delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses after
      vaccination. Mixed vaccines were administered on day 0 except for canine
      parvovirus (CPV) vaccine which was readministered on day 21. The puppy and adult
      dogs had a significant decrease in leukocyte and lymphocyte counts on day 7. The
      puppies showed a significant increase in the blastogenesis of lymphocytes after
      each vaccination, whereas the adult dogs had no significant changes. However, the
      adult dogs were divided into two groups, high responders and low responders in
      blastogenesis of lymphocytes. The dogs with higher or lower response in SI values
      on day 0 tended to show decrease or increase after the first vaccination,
      respectively. Since almost all dogs developed high titers of humoral antibody, it
      is considered that vaccination acts in an immunomodulative fashion. DTH responses
      to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and CPV vaccine monitored at 0, 3, and 8 weeks after
      the first vaccination produced strong reactions, in particular those to CPV
      vaccine rose significantly after vaccination and maintained the higher responses
      for at least 2 months. These results suggest that DTH responses to PHA and CPV
      vaccine are helpful to monitoring non-specific and specific immune functions in
      vivo, therefore, DTH could be used as simple and rapid immunologic tests in
      canine practice.

PMID- 1420578
TI  - Detection of uremic peaks in dogs by anion exchange high performance liquid
      chromatography.
AB  - Sera of dogs with gentamicin-induced uremia were analyzed by high performance
      liquid chromatography system with strongly basic macroreticular anion exchange
      resin. Satisfactory separation of peaks was achieved with good reproducibility
      after deproteinization of sera with trichloroacetic acid at a final concentration
      of 3%, confirming that the system was suitable for qualitative analysis of uremic
      serum. The chromatograms showed that the number of peaks and the peak area had
      relation to concentrations of serum urea nitrogen or creatinine and severity of
      uremia. Four peaks were selected as suspected canine uremic peaks with high
      correlation to serum creatinine concentrations which were hardly influenced by
      extrarenal factors. The results suggested that these four fractions might contain
      uremic toxins.

PMID- 1420579
TI  - Field trials on a live bovine respiratory syncytial virus vaccine in calves.
AB  - Field trials were carried out in calves using a live bovine respiratory syncytial
      (BRS) virus vaccine prepared from the attenuated BRS virus, strain rs-52. Two
      hundred seventy-five and 353 calves were vaccinated intranasally and
      intramuscularly, respectively. No undesirable postvaccinal reactions were
      observed in the vaccinated calves. Of the serum neutralizing (SN) antibody
      negative calves 89.7% (26/29) and 92.8% (90/97) developed SN antibody 1 month
      after intranasal and intramuscular vaccination, respectively. Most of the calves
      having SN antibody titers of 1:1 or 1:2 at the time of vaccination showed a
      significant increase in SN antibody titer. About 70% and 90% of the calves
      vaccinated intranasally and intramuscularly, respectively, maintained SN antibody
      for 6 months after vaccination. In a field trial, a natural BRS virus infection
      occurred about 5 months after the start of the trial. Ten of the 16 unvaccinated
      control calves showed respiratory symptoms due to BRS virus infection. On the
      contrary, all of the 68 vaccinated calves exhibited no symptoms at all,
      indicating efficacy of the vaccine.

PMID- 1420580
TI  - Glomerulopathy with IgA deposition in the dog.
AB  - In 100 dogs autopsied, glomerular IgA deposition was examined by the
      immunofluorescence technique and the histopathological features of glomeruli with
      IgA deposition were examined by light and electron microscopy. The incidence of
      the IgA deposition was age-related but there were no sex and breed
      predisposition. Deposition of IgA was observed mainly in mesangial areas in
      approximately a half (47%) of dogs examined. IgG, IgM and C3 often co-deposited.
      Histopathology of the glomeruli with IgA deposition indicated increase of
      mesangial cells, crescent formation, hemispherical deposits in paramesangial
      areas and glomerular sclerosis. Ultrastructurally electron dense substances
      positive for IgA deposited in mesangial and paramesangial areas. The examination
      to know the relation between the severity of IgA deposition and the number of
      mesangial cells or percent of the cells to total glomerular cells indicated that
      mesangial cells increased at the early stage of the disease and subsequently
      epithelial and endothelial cells proliferated as the increasing amount of IgA.
      Dogs suffering from enteritis or liver diseases showed high incidence of
      glomerular IgA deposition.

PMID- 1420581
TI  - Conglutinin, mannan-binding protein, and serum amyloid P component concentrations
      in sera from cows: changes associated with mastitis.
AB  - To study the roles of conglutinin (Kg), mannan-binding protein (MBP), and serum
      amyloid P component (SAP) in the protection of cattle against infections, the
      concentrations of these proteins in the sera from cows with mastitis were
      determined by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The Kg and MBP
      concentrations in the sera from cows with mastitis were much lower than those
      from uninfected (or clinically healthy) ones, and increased after recovery. No
      significant difference in the SAP concentrations was found between healthy and
      infected cows. With the sera from cows experimentally infected with bovine
      leukemia virus, the Kg concentrations were also lower than those from uninfected
      ones, whereas the MBP concentrations were not. From these findings, the Kg
      concentration is suggested to be serologically a possible indicator for clinical
      diagnosis of treatment for mastitis although both Kg and MBP concentrations were
      found to decrease in cows with mastitis and to increase after recovery.

PMID- 1420583
TI  - Vagal afferent activities and respiratory reflexes during drug-induced
      bronchoconstriction in the guinea pig.
AB  - Vagal afferent activities and respiratory reflexes during drug-induced
      bronchoconstriction were studied in 31 anesthetized, spontaneously breathing or
      artificially ventilated guinea pigs. Histamine (5, 10, 20 micrograms/kg), ACh
      (10, 20, 40 micrograms/kg) and endothelin-1 (2 micrograms/kg) were intravenously
      injected to the animals in order to induce the bronchoconstriction. In
      spontaneously breathing and vagi intact animals, a considerable respiratory
      change characterized by rapid-shallow breathing was elicited by histamine. Such
      respiratory change was abolished by bilateral vagotomy, indicating that the vagal
      pathway fairly participated in the respiratory change during bronchoconstriction.
      Indeed, recordings of electrical activities of single vagal afferent nerve fibers
      from pulmonary stretch and irritant receptors elucidated that the
      bronchoconstriction by the three drugs markedly influenced these receptor
      activities. The response of stretch receptors to bronchoconstriction was grouped
      into four types: two of those types showed a marked increase in their activities
      and the other two a decrease or no change. Such uneven response was assumed to be
      derived from heterogenous contraction and aeration among the intrapulmonary small
      airway. On the other hand, irritant receptors were invariably stimulated by
      increased transmural pressure during bronchoconstriction. Administration of
      isoproterenol (20 micrograms/kg) which inhibited the smooth muscle contraction
      abolished stimulatory effect of the drugs to irritant receptors, suggesting that
      the effect was due to indirect action through the muscle contraction rather than
      their direct action to the nerve endings.

PMID- 1420582
TI  - Impaired baroreflex control of arterial pressure in WHHL rabbits.
AB  - The present study was designed to investigate baroreflex control capacity of
      arterial pressure (AP) in the conscious Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL)
      rabbit. The control capacity of the baroreflex system was assessed with overall
      open-loop gain (G). Seven WHHL and 14 normal Japanese white rabbits were
      chronically implanted two catheters in the aortic arch through the left
      subclavian and common carotid arteries. A small amount of blood (2 ml/kg, body
      weight) was rapidly extracted into a syringe via the left common carotid artery
      in the conscious state. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was monitored with a
      catheter-transducer system through the left subclavian artery. The MAP responses
      to the rapid hemorrhage were averaged 8 times by a computer. G was calculated as
      G = delta API/delta APS-1, where delta API was an immediate MAP fall after the
      hemorrhage and delta APS was a steady-state error 1-2 min after the hemorrhage.
      The values of G in the conscious normal and WHHL rabbits were 7.35 +/- 0.24 and
      1.91 +/- 0.29 (mean +/- SE, p < 0.01), respectively. To investigate effects of
      pentobarbital anesthesia on baroreflex system, the hemorrhage experiment was
      repeated several times under pentobarbital anesthesia (20 mg/kg, i.v.). The
      values of G in the anesthetized normal and WHHL rabbits were 6.69 +/- 0.23 and
      1.68 +/- 0.34 (mean +/- SE, p < 0.01), respectively. G in the normal and WHHL
      rabbits did not show any significant change in the presence and absence of
      pentobarbital anesthesia (p > 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420584
TI  - Are there M cells in the cecal tonsil of chickens?
AB  - A unique morphological cell type, "microfold or membranous (M) cell-like cell",
      was detected electron-microscopically in the cecal tonsil epithelium of the
      chicken. M cell-like cells possessed a few short microvilli of irregular
      arrangement and a large number of lymphocytes and macrophages wedged into their
      basal surfaces. Triticum vulgaris was found to bind to M cell-like cells. With
      horseradish peroxidase (HRP) treatment, M cell-like cells showed an active HRP
      uptake just as did the neighbouring usual absorptive epithelial cells. No uptake
      of colloidal carbon particles from the intestinal lumen was recognized in any
      part of the intestinal epithelium. These results suggest that M cell-like cells
      of the chicken possess some M cell-characteristic morphological and histochemical
      features, but that their active uptake of foreign materials is not so developed
      as in mammalian M cells.

PMID- 1420585
TI  - [Acyl and plasmalogen analogs of platelet activating factor--new lipid cellular
      bioregulators].
AB  - Recent data concerning two structural platelet-activating factor (PAF) analogs-1
      O-acyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (acyl-PAF) and 1-O-alk-1'-enyl-2
      acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (vinyl-PAF) identified in some cells and
      tissues are reviewed. Isolation, identification, biosynthesis, and metabolism of
      acyl-PAF and vinyl-PAF are considered. The activity of acyl-PAF and vinyl-PAF
      towards platelets, leukocytes, isolated myocardium, and ileum as well as its in
      vivo activity are discussed. The influence of acyl-PAF and vinyl-PAF on PAF
      platelet interaction, Ca2+ mobilization, and platelet adenylate cyclase activity
      is considered. It is concluded that similar to PAF, acyl-PAF and vinyl-PAF should
      be regarded as a family of PAF lipid bioregulators.

PMID- 1420586
TI  - [Detection of apoprotein A-1 immunoreactivity in chromatin of rat hepatocytes].
AB  - The binding of 125I-labeled lipoproteins to subcellular structures of rat
      hepatocytes was studied. The protein component of HDL, LDL, and VLDL was found in
      large and small membranes, nuclei, mitochondria, lysosomes, microsomes, and cell
      cytosol. The presence in liver nuclear chromatin of proteins immunochemically
      related to apoA-1 was demonstrated by solid phase immunoenzymatic analysis, dot
      immunoanalysis, and immunoelectroblotting. The apoprotein A-1 immunoreactivity
      was detected in transcriptionally inactive total chromatin, transcriptionally
      active chromatin, and nuclear matrix. The specific apoA-1 immunoreactivity of
      transcriptionally active chromatin and nuclear matrix was two times as low as
      that of total and transcriptionally inactive chromatin. Immunoelectroblotting
      revealed two proteins possessing an apoA-1 immunoreactivity (M(r) 28 and 14 kDa).
      The 28 kDa protein was found in transcriptionally active chromatin and nuclear
      matrix, while the 14 kDa one--only in transcriptionally inactive chromatin. the
      roles of apoproteins in lipid transport to nuclei and the maintenance of
      chromatin in a transcriptionally active state are discussed.

PMID- 1420587
TI  - [Two types of prolactin-binding sites on membranes of cow milk fat globules].
AB  - Prolactin (PRL) binding to specific receptors of cow milk fat globular membranes
      (MFGM) has been studied. The data obtained point to the existence of two PRL
      binding sites on cow MFGM. The parameters of PRL binding to lactogenic receptors
      have been estimated for a two-binding-site model.

PMID- 1420588
TI  - [Substrate specificity of phosphoribosyl-aminoimidazole-succinocarboxamide
      synthetase (SAICAR-synthetase) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast].
AB  - The substrate specificity of phosphoribosyl-aminoimidazole-succinocarboxamide
      synthetase (SAICAR-synthetase, EC 6.3.2.6) of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae
      towards a set of carboxyaminoimidazole ribotide (CAIR) analogs with modifications
      in the imidazole ring, ribose and phosphate moieties, as well as aspartic acid
      analogs has been studied. It was found, in particular, that: i) the presence of
      double charged phosphate group, 2'- and 3'-hydroxyl groups in the ribose fragment
      and of an amino group in the imidazole ring of the CAIR molecule is not the
      absolute requirement for the enzymatic reaction; ii) 3'-carboxy-1.2.4-triazole
      analog of CAIR is a competitive inhibitor of the enzyme; iii) 2'-deoxy-CAIR is a
      substrate for both yeast SAICAR-synthetase and its avian liver and human
      erythrocyte counterparts. A new method designed to determine the SAICAR
      synthetase activity with the help of bifunctional enzymes possessing, in addition
      to the SAICAR-synthetase activity, also a phosphoribosyl-aminoimidazole
      carboxylase activity, is proposed; this method is based on the use of 2'-deoxy
      CAIR. Some aspartic acid analogs (L-malic acid, beta-threo-oxy-, and beta-threo
      fluoro-aspartic acids and alanosine) are substrates for yeast SAICAR-synthetase.
      The possible involvement of malate as an alternative substrate for the SAICAR
      synthetase reaction in vivo is discussed. The results of a comparative analysis
      of already established primary structures of yeast, bacterial, human, and chicken
      SAICAR-synthetases are presented.

PMID- 1420589
TI  - [Effect of mevinolin and glycyrrhizinic acid on cholesterol and bile acid
      metabolism in cultured rabbit hepatocytes].
AB  - A comparison of effects of two hypocholesterolemic drugs--mevinolin and
      glycyrrhizinic acid, on cholesterol and bile acid metabolism in cultured rabbit
      hepatocytes has been carried out. The following parameters have been determined:
      i) cholesterol synthesis from [2-14C]acetate; ii) bile acid production from newly
      synthesized and [4-14C]-labeled HDL2 cholesterol, and, iii) total cholesterol
      efflux into the incubation medium Mevinolin (0.5 microgram/ml) inhibited [2-14C]
      acetate incorporation into cholesterol by more than 90%. Conversely,
      glycyrrhizinic acid did not influence cholesterol synthesis even when used at
      high (100 micrograms/ml) concentrations but stimulated the conversion of
      endogenous (by 37%) and exogenous (by 18%) cholesterol into bile acids and
      increased, in addition, the proportion of bile acids in the total sterol pool
      released from hepatocytes into the incubation medium. At the same time, mevinolin
      used at 0.5 microgram/ml decreased the bile acid production by endogenous (by
      27%) and exogenous (by 40%) cholesterol. The data obtained suggest that
      glycyrrhizinic acid exerts hypocholesterolemic action by stimulation of
      cholesterol conversion into bile acids without any effect on cholesterol
      synthesis. As for mevinolin, it has a cholesterol-suppressing effect via a
      mechanism of cholesterol synthesis inhibition only.

PMID- 1420590
TI  - [Comparative study of the features of protein composition of human aorta tunica
      media].
AB  - A preliminary two-dimensional map of human aorta tunica media proteins comprising
      280 polypeptide fractions has been constructed. Individual protein fractions were
      characterized in terms of molecular masses and relative electrophoretic mobility;
      the resulting values were stored in the "protein" data base. Using co
      electrophoresis, the positions of certain tunica media proteins (light chains,
      myosin, tropomyosin, actin, albumin) was determined. The two-dimensional map was
      used to compare tunica media proteins with their human cardiac muscle
      counterparts.

PMID- 1420591
TI  - [Activation of Na/H exchange by thrombin in peritoneal mast cells].
AB  - Using the fluorescent probe, BCECF, the changes in intracellular pH (pHi) in rat
      peritoneal mast cells were studied. alpha-Thrombin (0.1 nM) induced biphasic
      changes in pHi which consisted in a temporary decrease in pH with its subsequent
      steady increase due to the Na/H exchange activation which was inhibited by EIPA
      and controlled by extracellular Na+. The biphasic changes in pHi induced by DIP
      alpha-thrombin (0.1 pM-1 nM), a catalytically inactive form with an intact
      recognition site, were similar to those of alpha-thrombin, whereas beta/gamma
      thrombin (10-1000 pM), a catalytically active form characterized by structural
      disturbances in the recognition site, was able to induce only the initial phase
      of acidification. The thrombin recognition site modulators, alpha 1-thymosin and
      heparin, blocked the ability of the enzyme to induce the alkalinization of pHi.
      Nigericin stimulated the Na/H-exchange in mast cells. The rate of the Na/H
      exchange activation determined with nigericin, decreased with an increase in the
      alpha-thrombin dose from 0.1 pM up to 10 nM. Activation of protein kinase C (PKC)
      in mast cells by PMA used at 1 nM and 10 nM led to the alkalinization of the
      cytoplasm as a result of the Na/H-exchange activation blocked by EIPA. The PKC
      inhibitor, H-7, suppressed the pHi increase induced by both PMA and alpha
      thrombin. The alpha-thrombin-induced acidification of the cytoplasm was
      completely blocked by SITS in Ca(2+)-free media, whereas in media with Ca2+ SITS
      inhibited the pHi decline. Acidification of the cytoplasm by thrombin seems to be
      due to both Ca2+ influx and activation of Cl- fluxes. It is concluded that the
      observed activation of the Na/H-exchange by thrombin is induced by a cascade of
      intracellular reactions involving PKC.

PMID- 1420592
TI  - [Hydrolysis of prolactin by a serine proteinase from mammary gland secretory cell
      mitochondria].
AB  - Mitochondrial proteinase isolated from secretory cells of the mammary gland of
      lactating rats able to hydrolyze 125I-labeled and native prolactin (PRL) has been
      studied. The enzyme represents a serine proteinase and is localized in the inner
      mitochondrial membrane. The molecular mass of the enzyme is 17-18 kDa, pH optimum
      is at 8.0-9.0. Partial purification of the enzyme has been carried out. The Km
      constant for 125I-PRL is equal to 10(-6) M, that for 2% hemoglobin is 1.2 x 10(
      4) M. Analysis of products of rat and ovine PRL hydrolysis by proteinase using
      high performance liquid chromatography and PAAG electrophoresis revealed the
      formation of large-size fragments of the hormone. A possible role of proteinase
      in the mechanism of PRL action on mammary gland tissues is discussed.

PMID- 1420593
TI  - Morphometric analysis of sciatic nerve and its main branches in the rabbit.
AB  - In the rabbit the myelinated fibres with the largest diameter originating from
      the sciatic nerve distribute mainly into the peroneal nerve, even though there is
      no difference in the density of myelinated fibres of the representative unit
      between the sciatic nerve and its branches. The distribution of the myelinated
      fibre diameters is unimodal in the sciatic nerve, but bimodal both in the
      peroneal and tibial nerves. The quotient axon diameter/fiber diameter (g ratio)
      shows a different trend between the sciatic nerve and the branches originating
      from it. Except for the peroneal nerve, the increase of the axon calibre
      corresponds to the reduction of the relative myelin sheath thickness and
      therefore to the reduction of internodal distance. The results show that the
      sciatic nerve and its terminal branches in the rabbit have morphometrical
      characteristics that are peculiar and differ from those of the other rodents.

PMID- 1420594
TI  - The oxytocin positive elements in the hypothalamic magnocellular nuclei of rats
      treated with histamine.
AB  - The oxytocin positive elements of the hypothalamic supraoptic (SON) and
      paraventricular (PVN) nuclei, were instigated in 160 male rats through
      immunohistochemical, morphometric and statistical methods. The rats subdivided
      into five groups: 20 control rats; 20 rats treated with physiological saline
      intraperitoneal via (ip); 20 rats treated with physiological saline
      intracerebroventricular via (icv); 20 histamine (HA) treated rats, ip; and 20 HA
      treated rats, icv. Some labeled nerve cells appear, mainly, in the lateral part
      of the SON and the PVN of the control animals. These neurons have central nucleus
      and oxytocin positive cytoplasmic granulations. After the treatment with
      physiological saline, ip or icv, no alterations were observed. In HA treated
      rats, icv, numerous neurons and pathways were observed strongly labeled. Large
      droplets appear in the SON and in the PVN of these animals. In HA treated rats,
      ip, the oxytocin positive material is similar to that observed in the control
      rats. The morphometric and statistical studies confirm these findings. The
      results are discussed in this paper.

PMID- 1420595
TI  - Influence of chick or quail embryonic testes on the reproductive system of the
      quail embryo.
AB  - The reproductive system of female quail embryo undergoes masculinization under
      the influence of chick and quail embryonic testis grafted into an extraembryonic
      coelom. Mullerian ducts undergo regression. The left gonad transforms into an
      ovotestis and the right gonad either does not develop or transforms into a small
      testis. Testicular chick or quail graft does not affect the development of the
      cortical ovarian-like region in the left testis of male hosts. In some quail
      testicular grafts developing in female quail hosts cortical region is retained
      longer than normally.

PMID- 1420596
TI  - Characterization of the nuclear receptors of triiodothyronine (T3) by
      immunocytochemistry under electron microscopy.
AB  - By immunocytochemical methods, using colloidal gold particles coupled to
      antibodies, it is possible to label the occupied nuclear T3 receptors and observe
      them by electron microscopy. We carried out some experiments to validate these
      methods by testing the absence of non-specific binding of the antibodies to
      subcellular structures different from the T3 receptors. So, we have verified that
      the number of occupied T3 receptors in tissues from normal rats is lower in
      kidney cells than in heart and liver ones, a finding which is an agreement with
      data reported by others. The occupation of the receptors increases after T3
      administration and decreases by triiodothyroacetic acid (Triac) administration to
      the rats, due to the displacement of T3 from the receptors with the latter. Our
      results are similar to those of the other authors using radioactive tracers. Non
      specific binding was not detected. The occupied T3 receptors labelled with
      colloidal gold particles are located most commonly in the hetero/euchromatin
      interface. From our results we conclude that the colloidal gold particles
      observed by electron microscopy specifically label occupied T3 receptors, and the
      determination of the thyroid status at cellular level can be achieved using
      electron microscopy after labelling the receptors by immunocytochemistry with
      colloidal gold particles coupled to antibodies.

PMID- 1420597
TI  - Selective species specificity of tumor necrosis factor for toxicity in the mouse.
AB  - The selective cytotoxic activity of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) on many
      transformed human or murine cell lines is (almost) not species-specific. There
      are, however, a limited number of biological assay systems such as gene induction
      in murine thymoma cells and the murine thymocyte proliferation assay, in which
      recombinant murine (rm) TNF, but not recombinant human (rh) TNF is active. We
      have now investigated the possible species specificity of the lethality-inducing
      properties of TNF in the mouse. When administered alone, only rmTNF, but not
      rhTNF caused lethality. This difference was not due to a different endotoxin
      contamination or to a different pharmacokinetic behavior. When a sensitizing
      agent, galactosamine, was added, the species specificity was abolished. We have
      shown previously that similar conclusions could be drawn for at least some of the
      antitumor mechanisms of TNF. We conclude that to mimic the two major phenomena
      caused by endotoxin administration, viz. lethality and antitumor effect, two
      distinct signals are needed. In mice, rmTNF can provide both, while rhTNF needs
      another agent (a sensitizer) to cause systemic toxicity. The results are
      discussed with respect to recent findings showing that, in the mouse, rhTNF can
      only bind to the TNF-R55 receptor type, while rmTNF can bind both to the TNF-R55
      and TNF-R75 receptor types.

PMID- 1420598
TI  - Glycosylation of the interleukin-1 receptor type I is required for optimal
      binding of interleukin-1.
AB  - The two types of cell surface receptors for interleukin-1 (IL-1) are
      glycoproteins that contain N-glycosidic chains on their extracellular portions.
      To determine the role of glycosylation of the IL-1 receptor type I (IL-1RtI) in
      the binding and function of IL-1, we used four plant lectins and glycosidase
      treatment on two different T-cell lines (EL4-6.1 and D10S) and expressing high
      number of binding sites for IL-1. The lectins wheat germ agglutinin,
      phytohemagglutinin, and concanavalin A inhibited in a dose-response manner the IL
      1-induced proliferation of D10S cells. Binding of IL-1 was blocked and
      radioactive IL-1 was displaced from these cells by these lectins. Specific sugars
      (GlcNAc, NeuAc, Gal-GlcNAc-Man, Man, or alpha-MeMan) did not themselves affect IL
      1 binding but reversed the blocking effects of the lectins. The two cell lines
      differed in their responses to the lectin-mediated inhibition of IL-1 binding.
      Digestion by N-glycosidase significantly decreased the capacity of cells to bind
      IL-1, and reduced by approximately 20,000 D the M(r) of the IL-1RtI.
      Neuraminidase and O-glycanase treatment did not alter the binding of IL-1 to D10S
      or EL4-6.1 cells. This study demonstrates that glycosylation of the extracellular
      domain of the IL-1RtI is due to N-linked carbohydrates, that the degree of
      glycosylation can vary in cells of different lineage, and that this N-linked
      glycosylation appears to be essential for optimal binding and activity of IL-1 to
      its type I receptor.

PMID- 1420599
TI  - Tumor recognition and lytic competence of IL-2-activated lymphocytes: regulation
      of both antibody-independent and -dependent cellular cytotoxicity via P75 IL-2
      receptor.
AB  - Fc receptor-positive lymphocytes (FcR+) contain lymphokine-activated killer cell
      (LAK) precursors that in response to IL-2 develop potent antitumor cytotoxicity.
      These FcR+ cells are also capable of antibody-dependent cytotoxicity (ADCC),
      which can be detected using fresh human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL)
      directed to murine targets, however, PBL-mediated ADCC to human tumors usually is
      very low, requiring a stimulation of the PBL, which also can be accomplished with
      IL-2. Using human melanoma tumor target cells, with and without the 14G2a
      monoclonal antibody, we examined in parallel the role of p75 IL-2 receptor for
      regulation of the induction of both LAK and ADCC forms of antitumor cytotoxicity.
      Enrichment of FcR+ cells from fresh peripheral blood by elutriation and flow
      cytometry, followed by varying periods of IL-2 culture, revealed a differential
      kinetics of activation. ADCC was detectable after PBL exposure to IL-2 for as
      short as the 4 h cytotoxicity assay, while LAK activation required more than 24 h
      of exposure. Elimination of the FcR+ cells by magnetic bead depletion from large
      granular lymphocyte populations (LGL) resulted in a loss of both LAK and ADCC.
      Addition of antibody known to block the binding of IL-2 to the p75 molecule of
      the IL-2 receptor complex (Mik-beta 1) to activation cultures at zero time
      resulted in abrogation of both cytotoxicities. These results suggest that
      differentiation and maturation of the ADCC effectors occurs in response to IL-2
      via the p75 molecule, as also does LAK activation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1420601
TI  - Comparative tissue distribution of 125I- and U-14C-labeled recombinant human
      interleukin-2 in the rat.
AB  - The distribution of recombinant human interleukin-2 (rhIL-2) after intravenous
      administration of 125I- or U-14C-labeled rhIL-2 is reported in the major organs
      of the rat. Five minutes after the administration of U-14C-labeled rhIL-2, the
      radioactivity had been rapidly cleared from the plasma, while 38% of the dose was
      found in the kidneys, confirming that the major site of clearance for rhIL-2 is
      the kidney. After 1 h, a large fraction of the radioactivity had disappeared from
      the kidney and was found in the carcass. When the same experiments were carried
      out with 125I-labeled rhIL-2, comparable distribution results were obtained:
      Preferential accumulation of 125I radioactivity (37.4%) was found in the kidney
      at 5 min after iv administration of 125I-labeled rhIL-2. One hour after dosing
      125I label was predominantly present in the carcass (46%) and skin (15%). Similar
      percentages of the dose of 125I or 14C radioactivity were present in other organs
      or tissues. The present study indicates a similar distribution of the radiolabel
      in selected tissue and organs regardless of whether 14C or 125I was employed.

PMID- 1420600
TI  - The immunomodulatory role of IFN-alpha or maltose-stabilized IFN-alpha on T-cell
      activation.
AB  - The effects of human interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) or maltose-stabilized IFN-alpha
      (MS-IFN-alpha) on IL-2 production by PHA- or anti-CD3 mAb-stimulated MOLT 16
      cells, a human leukemic T cell line, were studied. MS-IFN-alpha is an IFN-alpha
      containing powder in which maltose was used as an excipient, and has been shown
      to have a positive effect on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected
      patients. In this study, MS-IFN-alpha powder was dissolved in a culture medium
      and used for the experiments. IL-2 production by PHA- or anti-CD3 mAb-stimulated
      MOLT 16 cells was augmented by coculturing with IFN-alpha or MS-IFN-alpha. The
      augmentation of IL-2 production by IFN-alpha or MS-IFN-alpha was completely
      abrogated by rabbit anti-IFN-alpha antibody. We have previously shown that IL-2
      production by PHA-stimulated MOLT 16 cells is augmented by coculturing with IL-1.
      Furthermore, IL-2 production by PHA-stimulated MOLT 16 cells was also augmented
      by human TNF-alpha in a dose-dependent manner. The TNF-alpha-induced augmentation
      was completely abrogated by rabbit anti-TNF-alpha antibody. Interestingly, both
      IFN-alpha and MS-IFN-alpha synergized with rIL-1 alpha or TNF-alpha resulting in
      IL-2 production being augmented far more effectively than either cytokine
      alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420602
TI  - Modulation of the posthemorrhage bacterial polysaccharide antigen-specific
      antibody response by interleukins 2 and 4.
AB  - Abnormalities in immune response play a major role in the increased
      susceptibility to infection after hemorrhage and trauma. Several studies have
      shown decreased release in vitro of interleukin-2 (IL-2) following blood loss. To
      better define in vivo the interactions between T and B cells, as well as the
      effects of treatment with the T cell-derived cytokines IL-2 and IL-4, mice were
      injected with concanavalin A at predetermined times posthemorrhage, and the
      percentages and numbers of splenic plasma cells producing antibody to the
      bacterial polysaccharide antigen levan (from Aerobacter levanicum) were
      determined. Decreased numbers and percentages of levan specific splenic plasma
      cells were found in animals treated with concanavalin A both immediately and 2 to
      4 days after hemorrhage. Treatment in vivo with recombinant IL-2, but not IL-4 or
      anti-IL-2 receptor antibodies, following blood loss was able to increase the
      numbers of levan specific plasma cells to levels as high or higher than those
      found in normal, unhemorrhaged animals, but was unable to affect the decreased
      percentage of levan specific splenic plasma cells. These results suggest that the
      use in vivo of IL-2 may restore bacterial antigen specific antibody responses to
      normal levels after blood loss.

PMID- 1420604
TI  - Business forms: interviewing potential plaintiff-clients.

PMID- 1420605
TI  - Communicate what you intend for effective image building.

PMID- 1420603
TI  - Accounting systems for small businesses.

PMID- 1420606
TI  - Toxic torts: superfund--key factor in hazardous waste issue.

PMID- 1420607
TI  - Hedonic damages.

PMID- 1420608
TI  - Ontogeny of intestinal lipid and lipoprotein synthesis.
AB  - Despite increasing evidence that the fetal intestine produces apoproteins, there
      is limited knowledge about its ability to absorb fat. The present study focused
      on the intracellular processing of lipid formation and transport by lipoproteins
      in the developing fetus. Explants of fetal jejunum (14-20 weeks) were maintained
      in serum-free organ culture for 42 h with [14C]-oleate. Esterified lipids
      extracted from the tissue showed an abundance of phospholipids (PL; 54-77%),
      while those harvested from the medium displayed a predominance for triglycerides
      (TG; 68-73%). Only a minor percentage of radioactivity was recovered in
      cholesterol ester (CE) from the tissue (1.8-2.5%) or medium (1.3-2.5%).
      Separation of PL by thin-layer chromatography revealed a prevalence of
      phosphatidylcholine followed by phosphatidylethanolamine. Over the fetal period
      studied a trend towards increase was noted in TG, CE and most of the PL classes
      but not phosphatidylcholine. In parallel, we observed a progressive increase in
      these lipoprotein fractions produced by the fetal intestine during development,
      i.e., chylomicrons, very low-density lipoproteins and high-density lipoproteins.
      Our data stress not only the ability of the fetal intestine to absorb fat, but
      also the ontogenetic changes of lipid and lipoprotein synthesis.

PMID- 1420609
TI  - Measurement of total bodywater volume with deuterated water in newborn infants.
AB  - D2O and H2(18)O are often used as tracers for the determination of total body
      water (TBW). For newborn infants, the commonly used noninvasive method has not
      been validated. In this study TBW was calculated from D2O concentrations in blood
      and compared with TBW calculated from D2O concentrations in urine. TBW calculated
      from all urine portions voided at least 6 h after D2O administration on average
      was 1.0% lower. TBW calculated from only three urine portions voided 6, 12, and
      24 h after D2O administration was 0.6% (mean) lower compared to TBW calculated
      from D2O concentrations in blood. This study indicates that the noninvasive
      method to measure TBW can be considered a reliable method when used in newborn
      infants.

PMID- 1420610
TI  - GTP-dependent protein(Gs) activity in preterm infants.
AB  - In a previous study, we showed a renal resistance to PTH in preterm infants
      during their 1st week of life. We proposed it could explain early neonatal
      hypocalcemia. Such renal resistance is well known in type 1 pseudohypoparathyroid
      patients and is explained by a defect of stimulatory GTP-dependent protein (Gs).
      To determine if functional immaturity in the Gs protein could be involved in PTH
      resistance, we studied 27 newborn babies: 7 full-term and 20 preterm babies.
      Biological activity of the Gs unit was determined on days 1, 3 and 10 after
      delivery by bioassay. No correlation was found between the Gs unit activity and
      either gestation or birth weight at these dates. Eight infants had hypocalcemia
      and their Gs unit activity did not differ from those with normocalcemia.
      Furthermore, we showed that the Gs unit is active from 29 weeks of gestation. We
      conclude that the Gs protein appears not to be involved in the pathophysiology of
      early renal resistance to PTH and therefore in early neonatal hypocalcemia.

PMID- 1420611
TI  - Ovine maternal and fetal glomerular atrial natriuretic factor receptors: response
      to dehydration.
AB  - In pregnancy, dehydration produces marked effects on maternal and fetal body
      water homeostasis including an increase in fetal urinary sodium concentration and
      excretion. To examine the role of fetal plasma atrial natriuretic factor (ANF)
      and glomerular ANF receptors in dehydration-induced natriuresis, we compared
      plasma ANF levels and glomerular ANF binding characteristics in dehydrated and
      control maternal and fetal sheep. Mean (+/- SEM) maternal and fetal plasma ANF
      levels in control animals (n = 9) at 132-136 days gestation were 37 +/- 3 pg/ml
      and 138 +/- 20 pg/ml, respectively. Although mean ANF receptor maximum binding
      capacities (Bmax) were significantly higher in maternal than in fetal glomeruli
      (83 +/- 11 vs 34 +/- 12 fmol/mg protein, respectively), the dissociation
      constants (Kd) for ANF binding were not different (2.7 +/- 0.6 and 3.7 +/- 1.7 x
      10(-10) M, respectively). In an additional 9 animals studied after 63 +/- 4 h of
      water deprivation, maternal plasma ANF levels were significantly lower than in
      the control group (14 +/- 4 vs. 37 +/- 3 pg/ml), maternal glomerular ANF receptor
      Bmax values were significantly higher (732 +/- 203 vs. 83 +/- 11 fmol/mg
      protein), and Kd values were six-fold higher (17.0 +/- 7.1 vs. 2.7 +/- 0.6 x 10(
      10) M), although this difference was only marginally significant (p = 0.06). In
      contrast to the adult, there was a small, nonsignificant decrease in plasma ANF
      levels and no difference in Bmax or Kd values between the dehydrated and
      euhydrated fetal animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420612
TI  - Effect of hypoxia on renal prostaglandin E2 production in human and rat neonates.
AB  - Effect of hypoxia on renal prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production was shown in
      asphyxic newborn infants and experimental hypoxic rats. In asphyxic infants, at
      postnatal day 1, the urinary excretion of PGE2 in severe asphyxia (1.00 +/- 0.19
      pg/kg/min, n = 10) was lower than that of the mild asphyxia (2.15 +/- 0.18
      pg/kg/min, n = 10) or normal newborn infants (2.65 +/- 0.25 pg/kg/min, n = 8) (p
      less than 0.01). The urinary excretion of PGE2 was inversely correlated with the
      urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (r = -0.84, p less than 0.01). The urine
      volume in mild asphyxia (0.04 +/- 0.005 ml/kg/min) was higher in comparison to
      normal newborn infants (0.026 +/- 0.002 ml/kg/min) (p less than 0.01), but had no
      correlation with the urinary excretion of PGE2. In experimental hypoxic rats, the
      renal PGE2 concentration increased from 0.19 +/- 0.02 ng/mg protein to the
      maximum level of 0.59 +/- 0.03 ng/mg protein at 10 min of hypoxia. The renal PGE2
      concentration then decreased to the minimum level (0.105 +/- 0.02 ng/mg protein)
      at 24 h after 20 min hypoxia. The renal ATP rapidly decreased during 20 min
      hypoxia, and gradually increased to 55.1 +/- 6.2 nmol/mg protein at 24 h after 20
      min hypoxia, which recovered only about 60% of the control level. It seems likely
      that renal PGE2 does not play a major role in diuresis in mild birth asphyxia and
      that severe birth asphyxia suppresses the renal PGE2 production in early neonatal
      period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420613
TI  - Effect of dexamethasone on antioxidant enzymes in fetal rat lungs and kidneys.
AB  - To determine if an enhancement in the fetal antioxidant enzyme (AOE) system by
      maternal dexamethasone (DEX) is specific to organ and dose, the lung and kidney
      of pups, whose mother received DEX (0.2 or 2 mg/kg) twice, were obtained on days
      19 and 20 of gestation. Low-dose DEX increased the four AOE in the day-19 lung,
      but not in day-20 lung. High-dose DEX decreased the copper-zinc superoxide
      dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase in the lungs. Thus, the DEX-induced
      maturation of lung AOE is dependent on dose and timing. DEX enhanced the four AOE
      in the day-19 kidney at both doses. In the day-20 kidney, DEX enhanced the
      manganese SOD at the low dose and also catalase at the high dose, suggesting that
      DEX accelerates the maturation of kidney AOE as well.

PMID- 1420614
TI  - Intestinal development and fatty acid binding protein activity of newborn pigs
      fed colostrum or milk.
AB  - Newborn pigs (n = 20) were gavage-fed sow's colostrum, defatted colostrum, milk,
      defatted milk or a 5% lactose solution over 24 h in order to evaluate effects on
      growth and functional differentiation of small intestine. Colostrum-fed pigs had
      greater (p less than 0.01) mucosal mass in the proximal half of the small
      intestine than did the milk- or lactose-fed groups. Total fatty acid binding
      protein (FABP) activity and FABP activity per mg DNA in proximal intestines of
      colostrum-fed pigs exceeded that for the lactose group. FABP activities (per g
      mucosa or mg soluble protein) were greater (p less than 0.01) in the proximal
      segments of small intestines of pigs fed whole versus the corresponding defatted
      secretion. These results indicate that the feeding of colostrum specifically
      augments perinatal intestinal growth and differentiation as manifested by
      increased cellular hypertrophy and FABP activity. Milk lipid and unidentified
      factor(s) enriched in colostrum are inducers of intestinal FABP activity.

PMID- 1420615
TI  - Hemodynamic effects of continuous negative extrathoracic pressure and continuous
      positive airway pressure in piglets with normal lungs.
AB  - The hemodynamic effects produced by continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
      and continuous negative extrathoracic pressure (CNEP) of 4 and 8 cm H2O were
      compared in 8 normal, spontaneously breathing piglets. Arterial blood gases and
      hemodynamic measurements were obtained before and during CPAP and CNEP of 4 and 8
      cm H2O. CPAP 8 cm H2O and CNEP 8 cm H2O produced significant increases (p less
      than 0.01) in PaO2 from baselines 76 +/- 3 to 85 +/- 3 and 77 +/- 4 to 85 +/- 3
      mm Hg, respectively. No significant changes occurred in PaCO2 or cardiac index,
      except during CPAP 8 cm H2O [38 +/- 1 to 44 +/- 2 mm Hg (p less than 0.05) and
      376 +/- 30 to 330 +/- 30 ml/kg/min (p less than 0.05), respectively]. During CPAP
      of 4 cm H2O, significant increases occurred in mean right atrial pressure (Pra)
      (2.1 +/- 0.3 to 3.3 +/- 0.4 mm Hg; p less than 0.01), left ventricular end
      diastolic pressure (LVEDP) (2.8 +/- 0.4 to 3.7 +/- 0.3 mm Hg; p less than 0.01),
      and mean pulmonary artery pressure (Ppa) (12.9 +/- 0.8 to 15.1 +/- 0.8 mm Hg; p
      less than 0.01). CPAP of 8 cm H2O produced marked increases in Pra (2.1 +/- 0.2
      to 4.9 +/- 0.7 mm Hg; p less than 0.01), LVEDP (2.7 +/- 0.5 to 4.5 +/- 0.4 mm Hg;
      p less than 0.01) and Ppa (12.8 +/- 0.8 to 17.7 +/- 0.6 mm Hg; p less than
      0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420616
TI  - Urinary and plasma epidermal growth factor levels are decreased in neonates with
      intrauterine growth retardation and in their mothers.
AB  - Epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentrations in urine and plasma samples
      collected from pregnant women and neonates were measured by RIA. The EGF
      concentration of the first voided urine was higher in appropriate-for-date (AFD)
      neonates (33.9 +/- 23.0 ng/mg creatinine) than in those with intrauterine growth
      retardation (IUGR; 23.5 +/- 7.7 ng/mg creatinine, p less than 0.05) and heavy-for
      date (19.8 +/- 5.2 ng/mg creatinine, p less than 0.05) neonates. The urinary EGF
      concentration of pregnant women showed no marked changes throughout pregnancy.
      Urinary EGF concentrations of women with AFD fetuses (45.9 +/- 31.2 ng/mg
      creatinine) did not differ significantly from those of women with diabetes (39.9
      +/- 26.8 ng/mg creatinine) or women with multiple fetuses (44.6 +/- 30.6 ng/mg
      creatinine). However, women with IUGR fetuses showed lower urinary EGF
      concentrations (13.8 +/- 7.4 ng/mg creatinine, p less than 0.05) than women with
      AFD fetuses. Maternal and fetal platelet-poor plasma EGF concentrations at
      delivery were lower in the IUGR group (mother: 2.62 +/- 0.38 ng/ml, fetus: 2.16
      +/- 0.07 ng/ml, respectively, p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.005) than in the
      AFD group (mother: 3.34 +/- 0.64 ng/ml, fetus: 3.24 +/- 0.93 ng/ml). In the IUGR
      group, the EGF concentration in fetal blood was always lower than that in
      maternal blood (p less than 0.05), although the AFD groups showed no such
      difference. These data suggest that EGF levels are closely related to fetal
      growth.

PMID- 1420617
TI  - Developmental changes of glutamate dehydrogenase activity in rat liver
      mitochondria and its enhancement by branched-chain amino acids.
AB  - The developmental changes of glutamate dehydrogenase activity in the fetal and
      neonatal rat liver were investigated, as well as the effects of branched-chain
      amino acids on this enzyme. Hepatic glutamate dehydrogenase activity showed a
      marked increase at the end of the fetal period and peaked on the 5th day of
      neonate at approximately 3 times higher than the adult level. Glutamate
      dehydrogenase was activated by leucine, isoleucine, and valine in this order when
      they were added to isolated intact liver mitochondria in vitro. The enhancement
      of enzyme activity was more marked in fetal rats than in adults. In contrast,
      when branched-chain amino acids were added after disrupting the mitochondrial
      membrane by sonication, only leucine slightly activated glutamate dehydrogenase,
      while isoleucine and valine slightly inhibited its activity. Our findings suggest
      that glutamate may be actively synthesized in the developing rat liver
      mitochondria and then transaminated to other nonessential amino acids for protein
      synthesis, and that increased intramitochondrial branched-chain amino acid
      concentrations may enhance glutamate dehydrogenase activity. This anabolic
      metabolism will contribute to the fetal growth and development.

PMID- 1420618
TI  - Urodilatin and atrial natriuretic peptide are present in the urine of healthy
      neonates and young infants.
AB  - Urine sampling has been proposed as noninvasive monitoring of plasma atrial
      natriuretic peptide (ANP) in neonates, assuming urine contains only filtered
      plasma ANP. Recently, urodilatin, another natriuretic peptide, which is cross
      reactive to ANP in the ANP radioimmunoassay (ANP-RIA), has been isolated from the
      urine of adults. We studied the urine of healthy term neonates and young infants
      for the presence of urodilatin. In all urine samples, we found three peaks of ANP
      RIA-reactive material: the first one in the position of urodilatin, the second
      one coeluting with synthetic ANP and a third late eluting peak, possibly
      containing degradation products. The physiological significance of these findings
      remains to be investigated.

PMID- 1420619
TI  - Some animal models for the study of perinatal asphyxia.
AB  - Much of our current understanding concerning the pathophysiology of perinatal
      brain disorders has evolved from animal studies over the past three decades.
      Fetal and neonatal nonhuman primate, pregnant sheep, lamb, puppy, piglet and
      immature rodents, all have been important animal models for perinatal brain
      research. Although no model can be considered 'perfect' in reflecting the variety
      and complexity of human brain pathology, the investigator must assess the merits
      and limitations of each model within the framework of the research questions
      being asked. A variety of experimental designs have been used over the years and
      variations of particular interest are the animal age, the method of producing
      brain insult and the procedures used for evaluating outcomes. Most models
      relating to the study of intracranial hemorrhage, cerebral blood flow and
      cerebral energy metabolism have generally been acute preparations. Some important
      long-term survival models have also been developed in recent years for the study
      of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The latter include the nonhuman primate,
      piglet, sheep and immature rat models. In this article, I have reviewed some
      important animal models used in perinatal brain research with emphasis on those
      relating to perinatal asphyxia and intracranial hemorrhage.

PMID- 1420620
TI  - Effect of glucose on perinatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage.
AB  - Investigations suggest that hyperglycemia superimposed on hypoxia-ischemia or
      cerebral ischemia accentuates brain damage in adult experimental animals and
      humans. Such does not appear to be the case in immature animals. The present
      review discusses fundamental differences in immature and adult brain metabolism
      which account for the age-specific paradox. Based on currently available data, it
      is recommended that glucose supplementation not be curtailed during labor and
      delivery of asphyxiated human infants; on the contrary, glucose therapy might
      substantially reduce hypoxic-ischemic brain damage.

PMID- 1420621
TI  - Brain injury in the premature infant--current concepts of pathogenesis and
      prevention.
AB  - Brain injury in the premature infant and, particularly, the prevention of that
      injury is an enormous problem. With modern neonatal intensive care, approximately
      85% of very low birth weight infants survive, and of these survivals,
      approximately 5-15% exhibit major spastic motor deficit, grouped under the
      rubric, 'cerebral palsy', and an additional 25-50% exhibit less prominent
      developmental disabilities, particularly school failure.

PMID- 1420622
TI  - Ischaemia of the preterm brain.
AB  - Much has been learned about the diagnosis and prognosis of periventricalar
      leucomalacia during the past 10 years. The understanding of its causation,
      however, has not advanced much. Still, the candidate for the principal role is
      focal ischaemia in the particularly vulnerable regions of the brain. It has been
      difficult to provide direct supportive evidence for this hypothesis. It has not
      been possible to define a threshold for (global) cerebral blood flow (CBF) under
      which brain damage or electrical dysfunction occurs. Three hypothetical
      explanations for the lack of clear relation between global CBF and electrical
      brain activity of the preterm infant must be examined more closely: (1) the very
      low levels of CBF are adequate, (2) global CBF does not reflect the perfusion of
      the white matter, or (3) acute white-matter ischaemia does not result in cerebro
      electrical dysfunction. In view of the practical importance, more research is
      indicated.

PMID- 1420623
TI  - Perinatal pharmacology and cerebral blood flow.
AB  - Many of the drugs used in neonatal intensive care units might impede cerebral
      blood flow, thereby increasing the risk of intraventricular hemorrhage and
      periventricular leukomalacia. Our studies focussed on sick preterm neonates who
      were treated with the following drugs: caffeine (20 mg/kg i.v., as caffeine
      citrate); phenobarbital (loading dose: 20 mg/kg); indomethacin (0.2 mg/kg/dose,
      every 12 h three doses), and synthetic surfactant (Exosurf; 50 mg/kg = 5 ml/kg
      intratracheally). All of the drugs studied, except indomethacin, had no adverse
      effect on cerebral hemodynamics.

PMID- 1420625
TI  - Cerebral function in the growth-retarded fetus and neonate.
AB  - Intrauterine growth retardation is associated with increased risks for permanent
      neurological disabilities. A series of studies was undertaken to elucidate
      whether fetal growth retardation causes a primary perturbation of brain function
      and development and whether an increased vulnerability for periods of oxygen lack
      exists. In two groups of neonates who were small for gestational age (SGA) evoked
      potentials were investigated. A high frequency of abnormal recordings were
      obtained in SGA babies. SGA babies had significantly longer latency periods for
      the primary evoked potentials than appropriately grown controls. In guinea pigs
      and rats growth retardation was induced by reducing the placental blood flow
      during late gestation. Growth retarded guinea pups demonstrated a considerable
      reduction of the ability to retain normal somatosensory evoked response during
      hypoxia compared to appropriately grown littermates. Growth retarded rat fetuses
      exhibited marked changes of the monoamine metabolism in the brain inasmuch as
      basal levels of serotonin and its main metabolite were low while an inappropriate
      acceleration of the serotonin synthesis rate took place during hypoxia. The
      tissue concentrations of aspartate were also significantly lower in growth
      retarded fetuses than normally grown littermates. Finally, lipid peroxidation was
      assessed. During adequate oxygenation no difference was observed when lipid
      peroxidation was assessed. During adequate oxygenation no difference was observed
      when lipid peroxidation in brain tissue of growth retarded and appropriately
      grown fetuses was compared but during mild-moderate hypoxia lipid peroxidation
      was significantly more intense in the growth retarded group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420624
TI  - Intrauterine blood flow and postnatal neurological development in growth-retarded
      fetuses.
AB  - Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is associated with abnormal neuro
      developmental outcome. Aortic blood flow velocity waveforms have been shown to
      predict fetal distress in IUGR. Fetal aortic blood flow velocity waveforms were
      correlated to neuro-developmental performance at 7 years of age. Results suggest
      that abnormal fetal aortic blood flow velocity waveforms are associated with
      neuro-developmental impairment.

PMID- 1420626
TI  - Doppler ultrasound and the neonatal cerebral circulation: methodology and
      pitfalls.
AB  - Doppler ultrasound is a popular technique for investigating the haemodynamics of
      the neonatal cerebral circulation. Different types of instrumentation are
      available of which a duplex scanner is a suitable choice for spot measurements,
      whilst a simple continuous wave directional Doppler may be better for long-term
      monitoring purposes. Doppler signals may be obtained from many arterial and
      venous sites within the neonatal brain, but most measurements are made from the
      anterior or middle cerebral arteries. It is usual to process the Doppler signal
      to obtain an envelope waveform which may represent either mean velocity or
      maximum velocity, although the latter has some distinct advantages. The zero
      crossing detector used for early studies is unsuitable for use with Doppler
      signals. Changes in the shape of the velocity waveform may be quantified using
      different methods, of which the so-called resistance index is the most popular.
      It is also possible to make absolute velocity measurements, although these cannot
      be converted to flow because it is not possible to measure the diameter of
      neonatal cerebral vessels. There is considerable controversy as to whether the
      diameter of the vessels at the sites of ultrasound insonation can be affected by
      factors such as blood pressure and arterial gases, but it is unlikely that any
      such changes could invalidate the basic findings of Doppler studies. With care
      and attention to detail, Doppler ultrasound provides a valuable window on the
      neonatal cerebral circulation.

PMID- 1420627
TI  - Hemodynamic foundation of umbilical arterial Doppler waveform analysis.
AB  - This paper reviews various in vitro and in vivo studies which have been conducted
      to investigate the influence of central and peripheral circulatory factors on the
      Doppler indices. These studies indicate that the Doppler indices are affected by
      both central and peripheral hemodynamics. Of the central factors, the heart rate
      influences the indices predominantly through the variations during the diastolic
      phase of the cardiac cycle. This was confirmatory of the clinical findings. Of
      the other central factors, cardiac contractility may not affect the rising slope
      of the Doppler waveform. Regarding the peripheral hemodynamics, both in vitro and
      in vivo studies confirm that the indices reflect the changes in the peripheral
      resistance; however, opposition to flow in a pulsatile flow can be adequately
      described only by impedance. Initial in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrate
      that the indices correlate well with the impedance parameters. However, this is
      true only when the central circulation remains stable.

PMID- 1420628
TI  - Near infrared spectroscopy. Investigation and assessment of perinatal brain
      injury.
AB  - Near-infrared spectroscopy is a new technique for noninvasive monitoring of
      tissue oxygenation and haemodynamics. Quantitative measurements can be made of
      oxyhaemoglobin, deoxyhaemoglobin, oxidized cytochrome and various haemodynamic
      indices. This technique is likely to prove increasingly valuable for: cot-side
      monitoring brain oxygenation and haemodynamics in babies; investigating the
      mechanisms of damage to the brain; according the results of treatment; and
      assigning long-term prognosis.

PMID- 1420629
TI  - The dexamethasone suppression test in children and adolescents: a review and a
      controlled study.
AB  - Dexamethasone Suppression Test (DST) studies conducted in children and
      adolescents are reviewed, together with factors hypothesized to explain
      discrepancies in rates of DST nonsuppression across studies. These factors are
      then examined in a controlled study of 27 adolescents with major depressive
      disorder (MDD) and 34 normal controls (NC). Subjects were given 1 mg of
      dexamethasone at 11:00 PM, and the following day serum samples for cortisol were
      collected each hr from 8 AM to 11 PM through an indwelling catheter. There were
      no significant differences found between the MDD and NC subjects on any
      postdexamethasone cortisol measure. Further, cortisol suppressors and
      nonsuppressors were not distinguished by any of the hypothesized factors
      identified from the review, including inpatient status, presence of suicidality,
      endogenous features, psychotic symptoms, or prior history of MDD. Questions about
      the appropriateness of the 1 mg dose of dexamethasone (currently the standard
      dose used with adolescents) are raised, together with a discussion of the effects
      of stress on DST findings.

PMID- 1420630
TI  - Changes in middle cerebral artery velocity after marijuana.
AB  - Velocity of blood flow in the middle cerebral artery was measured with
      transcranial Doppler flowmeter before, during, and 1 hr after smoking a marijuana
      cigarette and a placebo cigarette during two separate visits to the laboratory.
      Ten healthy, right-handed male volunteers with a history of marijuana smoking
      took part in the study. The participants were drug-free for a minimum of 3 mo
      before the project. During the experiment, blood pressure, pulse rate, and end
      tidal levels of carbon dioxide were continually monitored. Marijuana smoking was
      associated with a significant increase in middle cerebral artery velocity.
      Although marijuana smoking was associated with increased pulse rate, the changes
      in blood velocity and pulse rate followed different time courses. Marijuana
      smoking was not associated with significant changes in blood pressure or end
      tidal carbon dioxide.

PMID- 1420631
TI  - The morphology of lipopigment in rat Purkinje neurons after chronic acetyl-L
      carnitine administration: a reduction in aging-related changes.
AB  - The aging-related accumulation of neuronal lipopigment is considered to be
      cellular debris from processes of renewal of cellular constituents, but it can
      also reflect cell damage and certain diseases. Acetyl-L-carnitine (AC) has been
      reported to reduce some morphological and behavioral associations of brain aging
      and the present study investigated the effects of 37 weeks of AC administration
      on lipopigment in rat Purkinje neurons. Lipopigment was identified by
      fluorescence microscopy and the area enclosed by an outline of each discrete
      region of lipopigment was measured. Acetyl-L-carnitine was associated with a
      significant (p = 0.05) reduction in the number of discrete lipopigment regions
      and there was a significant (p = 0.001) association of AC administration with
      numbers of lipopigment regions in various size categories. As AC administration
      was associated with a reduction in some of the aging-related morphological
      changes in lipopigment, this compound is a candidate for evaluation as a long
      term prophylactic agent for the adverse effects of cerebral aging.

PMID- 1420632
TI  - Laterality of motor activity during normal and disturbed sleep.

PMID- 1420633
TI  - Neuroendocrine dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease: results following TRH
      stimulation.

PMID- 1420634
TI  - Left ventricular enlargement associated with diagnostic outcome of
      schizophreniform disorder.

PMID- 1420635
TI  - The effect of a mental challenge test of plasma norepinephrine and cortisol in
      bulimia nervosa and in controls.

PMID- 1420636
TI  - Hallucination, dopamine and hypnotizability.

PMID- 1420637
TI  - Exercise and antidepressant serum levels.

PMID- 1420638
TI  - Herpes simplex mimicking functional psychosis.

PMID- 1420639
TI  - Neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia.

PMID- 1420640
TI  - Schizophrenia research: the problem of controls.

PMID- 1420641
TI  - An olfactory-limbic model of multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome: possible
      relationships to kindling and affective spectrum disorders.
AB  - This paper reviews the clinical and experimental literature on patients with
      multiple adverse responses to chemicals (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome
      MCS) and develops a model for MCS based on olfactory-limbic system dysfunction
      that overlaps in part with Post's kindling model for affective disorders. MCS
      encompasses a broad range of chronic polysymptomatic conditions and complaints
      whose triggers are reported to include low levels of common indoor and outdoor
      environmental chemicals, such as pesticides and solvents. Other investigators
      have found evidence of increased prevalence of depression, anxiety, and
      somatization disorders in MCS patients and have concluded that their psychiatric
      conditions account for the clinical picture. However, none of these studies has
      presented any data on the effects of chemicals on symptoms or on objective
      measures of nervous system function. Synthesis of the MCS literature with large
      bodies of research in neurotoxicology, occupational medicine, and biological
      psychiatry, suggests that the phenomenology of MCS patients overlaps that of
      affective spectrum disorders and that both involve dysfunction of the limbic
      pathways. Animal studies demonstrate that intermittent repeated low level
      environmental chemical exposures, including pesticides, cause limbic kindling.
      Kindling (full or partial) is one central nervous system mechanism that could
      amplify reactivity to low levels of inhaled and ingested chemicals and initiate
      persistent affective, cognitive, and somatic symptomatology in both occupational
      and nonoccupational settings. As in animal studies, inescapable and novel
      stressors could cross-sensitize with chemical exposures in some individuals to
      generate adverse responses on a neurochemical basis. The olfactory-limbic model
      raises testable neurobiological hypotheses that could increase understanding of
      the multifactorial etiology of MCS and of certain overlapping affective spectrum
      disorders.

PMID- 1420642
TI  - Platelet and whole blood serotonin content in depressed inpatients: correlations
      with acute and life-time psychopathology.
AB  - Platelet or whole blood serotonin content did not differ significantly in
      patients with major depression compared to healthy controls, but within the
      patient group, platelet serotonin levels correlated negatively with severity of
      depression (r = -0.49, p = 0.007). Levels were 39% lower in patients who had made
      a suicide attempt compared to nonattempter patients (47.2 +/- 27.3 versus 77.6 +/
      41.7 ng/10(8) platelets, p = 0.04). Conversely, comorbid borderline personality
      disorder (85.3 +/- 41.5 ng/10(8) platelets) was associated with 31% greater
      platelet serotonin content than nonborderline patients (58.9 +/- 31.1 ng/10(8)
      platelets) and 27% greater than healthy controls (62.4 +/- 19.8 ng/10(8)
      platelets). A pronounced seasonal variation in whole blood and platelet serotonin
      content was found in both patients and controls, largely due to lower levels in
      summer. Excluding cases tested in the summer abolished the statistically
      significant differences in patients with and without comorbid borderline
      personality disorder (BPD). Nevertheless, BPD attempters had lower serotonin
      levels than BPD nonattempters but higher serotonin levels than non-BPD
      attempters. Current hostility and a life-time history of aggression were
      positively correlated with platelet serotonin content (r = 0.44, p = 0.04 and r =
      0.41, p = 0.06). This study provides evidence for an association between lower
      platelet serotonin content and depression and suicidal behavior, and association
      of higher platelet serotonin content and comorbid borderline personality disorder
      and behavior traits such as aggressivity.

PMID- 1420643
TI  - Clozapine in the treatment of dysphoric mania.
AB  - Seven patients with bipolar disorder, characterized by dysphoric mania with
      psychotic features and chronic disability, refractory to standard treatments and
      anticonvulsants, all showed marked symptomatic and functional improvement when
      given the atypical antipsychotic clozapine. During follow-up over 3-5 years, most
      of the patients sustained substantial gains in psychosocial function; and of the
      six patients remaining on clozapine, no further hospitalizations were needed.
      This remarkable improvement in a severely ill group of patients suggests that
      clozapine may have utility in the treatment of bipolar disorder as well as
      schizophrenia.

PMID- 1420644
TI  - Exercise tolerance in panic disorder patients.
AB  - Sixteen panic patients and fifteen normal controls performed submaximal exercise
      testing on a bicycle ergometer. Only one patient subject panicked. Biochemical,
      physiological, and psychological data showed similar exercise tolerance in both
      patients and controls. Exercise-induced distress and lactate increment do not
      appear to cause panic attacks.

PMID- 1420645
TI  - Alteration by a plasma factor of platelet aggregation and 5HT uptake in
      depression.

PMID- 1420646
TI  - The contribution of constructional accuracy and organizational strategy to
      nonverbal recall in schizophrenia and chronic alcoholism.
AB  - The Rey-Osterrieth complex figure was used to assess the separate influences of
      the constructional accuracy and the organizational strategy employed while
      copying the figure on the later, incidental recall of the figure. We tested a
      model, which hypothesized that subjects who copied the main framework of the
      figure holistically would be more likely to achieve good copy accuracy scores and
      to reproduce the figure more accurately at recall than subjects who used a
      piecemeal approach during copy. Subjects included 68 detoxified, chronic
      alcoholics (ALC), 28 patients with schizophrenia (SZ), and 69 normal control
      subjects (NCS). The results showed that the ALC and the SZ groups, on average,
      had lower accuracy and strategy scores at copy than did the NCS group, and
      furthermore, that the combined contributions of copy accuracy and copy strategy
      accounted for group differences at recall. A path analysis revealed that, for all
      three groups, copy strategy had a significant direct effect on copy accuracy.
      Moreover, copy accuracy and copy strategy made independent contributions to
      recall accuracy within the ALC and NCS groups; by contrast, within the SZ group,
      copy strategy made an independent contribution to recall performance but copy
      accuracy did not. These results suggest that (1) organizational strategy can
      influence constructional accuracy at both copy and recall; (2) copy accuracy and
      strategy have the potential to influence recall independently; and (3) the recall
      deficit in ALC could be attributed to abnormalities in both accuracy and strategy
      at copy, whereas in SZ it could be attributed only to strategy abnormalities. The
      deficits observed on the complex figure test in the ALC and SZ were primarily
      nonmnemonic and were related to ability in figure construction and organizational
      strategy.

PMID- 1420648
TI  - Effect of 12-hour infusion of naloxone on mood and cognition in normal male
      volunteers.
AB  - The effects of a 12-hour naloxone infusion on mood, cognition, and plasma
      cortisol levels were evaluated in eight normal subjects. The dosage used was a 10
      mg dose plus 7 mg/hr (total = 94 mg). Naloxone induced a significant rise in
      serum cortisol and also induced cognitive impairment, as shown by increased
      choice reaction time, reduced ability to recall the order of letters and numbers,
      and reduced accuracy of spatial orientation. The rise in cortisol induced by
      naloxone was significantly correlated with the rise in the Profile of Mood Scale
      (POMS) score, indicative of dysphoria. Finally, performance on the spatial
      orientation task was highly negatively correlated with the peak POMS score after
      naloxone. From these data and previous studies it is concluded that opioid
      receptors of low sensitivity to naloxone may mediate a common mechanism
      regulating the pituitary-adrenal axis' mood, and cognitive function during
      stress. Personality traits may account for the large individual variability
      reported in previous studies.

PMID- 1420647
TI  - Sympathoadrenomedullary activity in the neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
AB  - Many clinical features of the neuroleptic malignant syndrome suggest that
      sympathetic nervous system hyperactivity is involved in the pathophysiology of
      this disorder. Only a few studies have examined levels of catecholamines or their
      metabolites in patients with NMS; results so far have been inconclusive. In the
      present study urinary catecholamine metabolites obtained during the course of NMS
      were studied with respect to frequently reported signs and symptoms of NMS. The
      principal findings are that (1) elevated urinary catecholamines and metabolites
      are a frequent but inconstant feature of NMS; (2) it is likely that sympathetic
      nervous system hyperactivity contributes to the picture of fulminant NMS; and (3)
      the role of the adrenal medulla in producing excess catecholamines during NMS is
      uncertain.

PMID- 1420649
TI  - Low plasma gamma-aminobutyric acid levels in male patients with depression.
AB  - Plasma levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were significantly lower in males
      with primary unipolar major depressive disorder than in healthy controls.
      Although the difference in means between control and symptomatic depressed
      patient groups was small, the distribution of plasma GABA in the depressed
      patients was markedly different from controls. Forty percent of depressed
      patients had plasma GABA levels below those of controls. Plasma GABA levels
      correlated positively with duration of illness, and negatively with age at onset
      of the mood disorder and the total Endogenomorphic Symptom Score on the Hamilton
      Rating Scale. Plasma GABA levels may be a biochemical marker of vulnerability to
      depression, as opposed to a consequence of the illness. A low GABA condition in
      depression fits and complements the prevailing biogenic amine hypotheses of
      depression.

PMID- 1420650
TI  - Asterixis induced by carbamazepine therapy.
AB  - There are very few reports about asterixis as a side effect of treatment with
      psychopharmacologic agents. In this report we present four patients treated with
      a combination of different psychotropic drugs, in whom asterixis was triggered
      either by adding carbamazepine (CBZ) to a treatment regimen, or by increasing its
      dosage. Neither dosage nor serum levels of CBZ were in a higher range. We
      consider asterixis to be an easily overlooked sign of neurotoxicity, which may
      occur even at low or moderate dosage levels, if certain drugs as lithium or
      clozapine are used in combination with CBZ.

PMID- 1420651
TI  - Carbamazepine addition in tricyclic antidepressant-resistant unipolar depression.

PMID- 1420652
TI  - Season-of-birth effect reveals the existence of etiologically different groups of
      schizophrenia.

PMID- 1420653
TI  - Lipids in psychological research: the last decade.
AB  - We review the recent literature examining lipid changes during stressful
      experiences, and the psychological and constitutional differences that influence
      lipid levels at rest and that may modulate lipid response to stress. Mild forms
      of chronic or episodic stress are apparently not associated with alterations in
      lipids and lipoproteins, but severe forms of real or perceived stress do appear
      to alter lipid levels. Acute laboratory stress is frequently associated with
      short-term alterations in lipids and lipoproteins, but the significance of these
      changes is unclear. Several individual characteristics, such as heightened
      neuroendocrine or autonomic reactivity to stressors, Type A component behavior,
      and other aspects of personality, appear to be associated with an atherogenic
      lipid profile. Stress may influence lipid concentrations and metabolism through a
      variety of physiological and behavioral mechanisms, but none have been clearly
      elucidated. Future research should concentrate on understanding these mechanisms.

PMID- 1420654
TI  - Serum lipids, neuroendocrine and cardiovascular responses to stress in healthy
      Type A men.
AB  - This study examined the relationship between serum lipid activity in healthy Type
      A men and cardiovascular and neuroendocrine responses to a behavioral stressor,
      mental arithmetic. Assessment of blood lipids included measures of total
      cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), high density
      lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), and serum triglycerides. Cardiovascular (blood
      pressure and heart rate) and neuroendocrine (epinephrine, norepinephrine and
      cortisol) responses were recorded before (rest), during (stress) and after
      (recovery) the mental arithmetic test. Diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial
      pressure and, to a lesser extent, systolic blood pressure levels at rest, during
      stress, and at recovery correlated positively with TC levels. In addition, both
      diastolic and mean arterial pressure were positively correlated with the ratio of
      TC to HDLC and with triglycerides during stress and recovery. Heart rate did not
      correlate with any lipid measure. Cardiovascular stress-reactivity calculated as
      change from rest to stress did not correlate significantly with any lipid
      measure. Plasma norepinephrine during stress correlated positively with
      triglycerides; a similar trend was observed for the TC/HDLC ratio. Plasma
      cortisol at rest and during stress correlated positively with the TC/HDLC ratio
      and serum triglycerides, and negatively with HDLC. Plasma norepinephrine
      reactivity calculated as change from rest to stress correlated negatively with
      HDLC and positively with triglycerides. In addition, cortisol reactivity was
      positively correlated with triglycerides. It is suggested that the mechanisms
      mediating Type A behavior and coronary heart disease may include increased
      cardiovascular and neuroendocrine responses as well as unfavorable lipid
      profiles.

PMID- 1420655
TI  - Time effects on event-related brain potentials and vigilance performance.
AB  - A review of the literature showed that in vigilance or oddball tasks, changes
      over time in event-related potentials (ERPs) and performance measures often seem
      to be unrelated, but a number of studies had some shortcomings. In the present
      study a visual vigilance experiment was carried out, in which single-trial ERPs
      and performance data of 40 males were obtained. A relationship between time
      trends in behavioral and ERP measures was found: an early P3 amplitude and
      response latency (RT) showed an inversely varying relation over time. Analysis of
      covariance showed that the two linear trends tap the same aspect of processing:
      both trends became insignificant when adjusted for common variance. A negative
      correlation between mean values of P3 amplitude and RT rather than for change
      scores has been observed in previous studies, but has been ignored in the
      literature. However, correlations with RT have also been reported for other ERP
      deflections. Although there were several correlations between mean scores, most
      time-induced changes in ERP parameters appeared to be unrelated to worsening
      performance, for which several explanations are advanced. The ERP results do not
      support the hypothesis that a decrement in performance is caused by increasing
      difficulty discriminating targets from nontargets. A gradual decline in effort or
      resources allocated to the task might be an alternative explanation of
      performance deterioration. However, an effort-hypothesis cannot easily be tested.
      Effort is often invoked post hoc, and has previously been associated with many
      ERP components. The relationship between ERPs and the signal detection measures
      "sensitivity" d' and "response bias" beta is discussed.

PMID- 1420656
TI  - [A prospective study on temporary and permanent sensation disorders after oral
      surgical measures in the lateral mandibular area].
AB  - Postoperative disturbances of sensory nerve function after dentoalveolar surgery
      imply forensic problems. Also the indication of microsurgical reconstruction will
      be discussed in these cases as well. Both questions can only be seen on the
      background of data material concerning those nerve complications. Therefore a
      clinical prospective study on functional disturbances of the inferior alveolar as
      well as the lingual nerve after dentoalveolar surgery in 1.107 cases was
      undertaken. Concerning the inferior alveolar nerve 2.2% of temporary functional
      disturbances were assessed while 1.4% of temporary functional disturbances for
      lingual nerve were found. Complete restoration of sensory function was found
      three months postoperatively in 20% of these cases and six months postoperatively
      in the remaining patients.

PMID- 1420657
TI  - [Initial clinical experiences with the photodynamic therapy (PDT) of oral cavity
      carcinomas].
AB  - Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is based on the selective accumulation of
      photosensitizing agents in tumor tissues. Activation of the photosensitizer with
      ligh of suitable wavelength leads to tumor destruction preserving healthy
      tissues. 13 carcinomas stage T1 and T2 of the oral cavity in men were treated.
      Necroses of a depth from 1.5 to 6 mm occurred regularly. Therefore photodynamic
      therapy seems to be suitable to treat small, superficial cancers of the oral
      cavity, especially, if the tumors are multilocated.

PMID- 1420658
TI  - [The use of the T-Scan system in occlusal diagnosis].
AB  - The present study examines the T-Scan reproduction system used in occlusal
      diagnosis. The system represents a major technical innovation in functional
      diagnostics. Nevertheless, various aspects of it still require improvement.
      Amplifying or confirming the results of previous studies, the following
      observations are intended to indicate how the system might be improved, and how
      it can be reliably used at present: The reproduction afforded by the sensor as
      situated in the mouth is insufficient. Exact reproduction of the topography of
      the occlusal contacts is not possible. Reproducibility of the temporal sequence
      of the contacts is slight. The registering of dental functional movements can
      give rise to errors of interpretation. Threshold values for the registration of
      contact points in the system's pressure mode are uneven. The relative
      reproduction of different impressions is unreliable. Since in the system's
      pressure-mode early contacts cannot be distinguished from strong physiological
      contacts, in clinical practice the former must first be identified using the time
      mode.

PMID- 1420659
TI  - [The effect of the interocclusal space on temporomandibular recordings. A study
      with the use of the Stereognathograph PC].
AB  - 1536 recordings of the condylar movement of 32 patients were made by means of the
      Stereognathograph PC. The test persons performed mediotrusive and protrusive
      movements. These movements were recorded with tooth contact and with increased
      interocclusal space, with and without the clinician's supportive guidance. The
      objective of the study was to analyse the effects of increased interocclusal
      space on the recording of the condylar path. Statistical evaluation showed that
      neither procedure has any real advantage over the other. Both, the occlusal tray
      as well as the paraocclusal tray may, depending on clinical situation of the
      ligaments, lead to erroneous recordings. The reproducibility of the recording of
      the condylar path is only slightly decreased by increased interocclusal space.
      Considering, however, the amount of work involved in each procedure, the
      occlusally fixated tray should probably be given preference, when there is no
      intention of recording occlusal guided movements.

PMID- 1420660
TI  - [Mandibular positions in complete dentures according to the calotte principle].
AB  - A total of 37 patients was provided with complete dentures according to the
      calotte system. Two groups were formed with regard to the arrangement of the
      anterior teeth. After a mean period of wear amounting to 13 months different
      positions of the mandible were recorded in 21 patients under the guidance of a
      central bearing point and in occlusion. Patients with an arrangement of the
      anterior teeth free of interferences in excursive movements exhibited a
      significantly lower distance habitual occlusion/retruded position than subjects
      with an overlap limiting sagittal freedom. Therefore, an arrangement of the
      anterior teeth integrated into the calotte complex respectively free of
      interferences in eccentric positions is to be preferred.

PMID- 1420661
TI  - [Microbiological studies of self-disinfecting alginate impression materials].
AB  - Using microbiologically experimental methods and observations corresponding to
      praxis the efficiency of the addition of antiseptics to alginate is evaluated.
      The addition of chlorhexidine to the alginate leads to a considerable reduction
      of the amounts of germs, but an one hundred percent disinfection of the alginates
      is not always performed. An influence of the alginate materials and the water
      quality on the antimicrobial efficacy of chlorhexidine has been proved. The
      always occurring contamination of the impression tray rules out a complete
      stopping of infection between the patient and the laboratory staff.

PMID- 1420662
TI  - [A clinico-histological study for the diagnosis and classification of spontaneous
      periodontal diseases in the dog].
AB  - Using standardized investigation methods periodontal parameters were proved for
      diagnostic application of spontaneous periodontal diseases in dogs. The diseases
      are classified in gingivitis simplex, g. granulomatosa, g. ulcerosa, g.
      hyperplastica, g. desquamativa, juvenile periodontitis, rapidly progressive p.
      and chronic p. This proposal can be used for further investigations in
      experimental dentistry and for therapeutic purposes in veterinary dentistry.

PMID- 1420663
TI  - Tuberculin positivity among the homeless.

PMID- 1420664
TI  - Enhancing violence prevention in at-risk youth.

PMID- 1420665
TI  - Fitting the care to the patient.

PMID- 1420666
TI  - African-American women and abortion: a neglected history.
AB  - The history of African-American women's efforts to control their fertility is
      largely unknown. From slavery to the present, the growth rate of the African
      American population has been cut in half. Demographers and historians frequently
      attribute this change to external factors such as poverty, disease, and coerced
      birth control, rather than the deliberate agency of African-American women. This
      essay assembles a brief historical record of the ways African-American women have
      sought to control their fertility through the use of abortion and birth control.
      It also examines the activism of African-American women in the establishment of
      family planning clinics and in defense of abortion rights.

PMID- 1420667
TI  - Correlates of health insurance coverage: evidence from the Midwest.
AB  - The Midwest is often overlooked in national studies of health insurance status.
      We analyzed the economic and social characteristics of uninsured and underinsured
      individuals and households in a Midwestern state using both bivariate and
      multivariate techniques. As in much of the country, economic factors,
      particularly income and employment, were most significant in accounting for
      insurance coverage. Unexpectedly, rural and urban residents were equally likely
      to lack insurance. Results indicate that in rural areas, underinsurance may be a
      greater problem than uninsurance, and that income-based health insurance is more
      effective than employer-provided plans in reaching all Americans.

PMID- 1420668
TI  - The relationship between primary care and life chances.
AB  - Many researchers criticize clinical medicine for its failure to improve mortality
      rates. But in their critiques, few distinguish primary care from expensive, high
      technology specialized care. This research is concerned with the empirical
      relationship between the availability of health services resources (i.e., primary
      care, specialty care, hospital beds) and certain "life chances," as measured by
      overall and disease-specific mortality rates, and life expectancy. The model
      shows a significant direct association between primary care and favorable
      mortality outcomes, though the same does not hold true for variables such as
      hospital beds or physician specialists. There should be greater emphasis on
      prevention-oriented primary care as a mechanism for health improvement and cost
      control.

PMID- 1420669
TI  - Antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
AB  - Diarrhea is clearly one of the most common side effects encountered with
      antimicrobial treatment. Virtually all drugs with an antibacterial spectrum of
      activity have been implicated, although there are definite differences in
      associated incidence rates that appear to depend on spectrum of activity and
      pharmacokinetic properties. Most cases of antibiotic-associated diarrhea can be
      classified in two categories: cases in which Clostridium difficile is implicated
      and cases in which no putative agent or recognized pathophysiological mechanism
      is clearly established. This review is intended to provide management guidelines
      for patients with diarrhea that occurs in association with antibacterial agents.

PMID- 1420670
TI  - Neurobrucellosis: clinical and therapeutic features.
AB  - Eighteen patients with neurobrucellosis are described. Eleven patients had
      meningitis alone or with papilledema, optic neuropathy, or radiculopathy. Four
      patients had meningovascular complications manifested by stroke or intracerebral
      hemorrhage from a presumed mycotic aneurysm. Two patients had parenchymatous
      dysfunction, including a child who had a cerebellar syndrome without evidence of
      direct infection of the central nervous system. One patient presented with
      polyradiculopathy. Twelve of 16 patients had pleocytosis; none had cell counts
      greater than 419 x 10(6)/L. Most patients had hypoglycorrhachia and elevated
      levels of protein in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Results of an agglutination
      test for Brucella in serum were positive for all patients. Six of 16 patients had
      positive blood cultures, and four of 14 had positive CSF cultures. Antimicrobial
      treatment included concurrent administration of two or more of the following
      drugs: streptomycin, tetracycline (or doxycycline), rifampin, and trimethoprim
      sulfamethoxazole. Eleven patients fully recovered. Five patients were left with
      residual neurological deficits. Four of these patients suffered permanent hearing
      loss, one of whom also had significant loss of vision in one eye. One elderly
      senile patient with meningovascular brucellosis remained in a vegetative state
      despite receiving antimicrobial therapy for 6 months. One patient died due to
      rupture of a mycotic aneurysm within 7 days of initiation of therapy. One other
      patient was treated after sustaining an intracerebral hemorrhage, but this
      patient's condition was diagnosed only after discharge.

PMID- 1420671
TI  - Atypical papulovesicular rash due to infection with Rickettsia conorii.
AB  - We present an unusual case of Rickettsia conorii infection that was associated
      with cutaneous papulovesicular lesions on a patient who had returned from the
      bushveld of South Africa. The lesions were diffusely scattered across the trunk,
      extremities, and both palms. Several recent reports have documented similar
      papulovesicular or pustulovesicular rashes that occurred on travelers returning
      from southern Africa. These rashes resemble the lesions of rickettsialpox.
      Evidence suggests that these atypical exanthems may be due to variant strains of
      R. conorii or to an unusual host response to infection with this organism; thus,
      infection with R. conorii should be included in the list of diseases that cause
      poxlike lesions.

PMID- 1420672
TI  - Rhinoceros' rhinorrhea: cause of an outbreak of infection due to airborne
      Mycobacterium bovis in zookeepers.
AB  - Seven of 24 zookeepers exposed to a Southern white rhinoceros infected with
      Mycobacterium bovis were presumably infected via aerosols generated in the
      cleaning of the barn for the rhinoceros. All demonstrated conversion by the
      intermediate-strength purified-protein-derivative skin test, but none had
      clinical illness. In certain occupational settings like zoos and abattoirs,
      exposure to M. bovis may be an occupational hazard, and routine periodic
      tuberculin screening should be performed.

PMID- 1420673
TI  - Comparison of mycobacterial lymphadenitis among persons infected with human
      immunodeficiency virus and seronegative controls.
AB  - Lymphadenitis is a common extrapulmonary manifestation of mycobacterial disease
      in persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We compared the
      clinical, mycobacterial, and diagnostic characteristics of mycobacterial adenitis
      in 11 HIV-seropositive and 29 HIV-seronegative patients. Ninety-three percent of
      the HIV-seronegative patients and 54% of the HIV-seropositive patients were
      foreign-born. In contrast to the HIV-seronegative patients, seropositive patients
      were more likely to be febrile and have negative purified protein derivative skin
      tests and abnormal chest roentgenograms. Sputum samples were rarely diagnostic in
      either group. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was the most commonly isolated organism
      in both groups, although United States-born patients with HIV infection were more
      likely to be infected with nontuberculous mycobacteria. In contrast to results
      for seronegative patients, fine-needle aspiration was usually diagnostic in the
      HIV-seropositive population, especially in those at risk for M. tuberculosis
      infection. Similarly, the rate at which smears were positive for acid-fast
      bacilli was significantly higher in the HIV-seropositive group, a circumstance
      suggesting a higher burden of organisms in this population. Finally, although
      preceding opportunistic infections were uncommon in the HIV-seropositive group,
      both tuberculous and nontuberculous adenitis were associated with advanced
      immunosuppression.

PMID- 1420674
TI  - Antibiotic susceptibility profiles of 941 gram-negative bacteria isolated from
      septicemic patients throughout Canada. The Canadian Study Group.
AB  - The choice of antimicrobial therapy for the treatment of bacteremia is often
      empirical and based on the knowledge of antibiotic susceptibility profiles of the
      most common bacteria causing such infections. It therefore is crucial to survey
      the susceptibility of bacteria causing sepsis. This study examines the
      susceptibility profiles of 941 gram-negative bacteria, isolated from septic
      patients in 10 Canadian hospitals, to 28 antimicrobial agents. Among the
      isolates, 30 different species were represented; Escherichia coli dominated,
      representing 52.5% of isolates. More than 50% of all bacteria were resistant to
      ampicillin. Only 67% of the E. coli isolates were susceptible to ampicillin,
      while 30% of all strains were resistant to ticarcillin. Of the cephalosporins,
      ceftazidime and cefoperazone/sulbactam were the agents to which isolates were the
      most susceptible (90%). Only 51% of the E. coli strains were susceptible to
      cephalothin, while 91% were still susceptible to cefazolin. A total of 93% and
      98% of the strains were susceptible to aztreonam and imipenem, respectively.
      Aminoglycosides were highly active against most isolates, in general in the
      following order: netilmicin greater than tobramycin greater than gentamicin
      greater than amikacin. Tobramycin was the most active against Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa. Nearly all isolates were susceptible to the quinolones. Tolerance
      (MBC/MIC ratio, greater than or equal to 32) was rarely observed. This survey of
      the susceptibility of gram-negative bacteria causing sepsis provides valuable
      information for implementing the chemotherapy for gram-negative septicemia and
      demonstrates that several older and newer agents, alone or in combination, can be
      used as adequate initial therapy for gram-negative sepsis in Canada.

PMID- 1420675
TI  - Epidemiology of blastomycosis in a region of high endemicity in north central
      Wisconsin.
AB  - The clinical and epidemiologic features of 73 patients with laboratory-confirmed
      blastomycosis who were identified over an 11-year period in North Central
      Wisconsin are presented. Pulmonary disease was the sole manifestation in 77% of
      patients. More than one-half of all patients had symptoms that included fever,
      cough, weight loss, night sweats, and pleuritic chest pain. Virtually all were
      previously healthy, and most did not have an outdoor occupation. However, 82% of
      these patients lived or had visited within 500 m of rivers or associated
      waterways. The majority experienced the onset of symptoms between December and
      April. The estimated mean annual incidence rate of infection for Vilas County was
      40.4 cases per 100,000 persons, and that for the largest city in the county was
      101.3 cases per 100,000 persons. Several areas with an exceptionally high
      incidence of the infection were observed. We suggest that, in regions where
      blastomycosis is hyperendemic, clinical disease is most often pulmonary and
      occurs in immunocompetent individuals and that residence near an ecological focus
      may be a greater risk factor for acquisition of blastomycosis than is occupation.

PMID- 1420676
TI  - Acute pubic osteomyelitis in athletes.
AB  - Three cases of pubic osteomyelitis in athletes are reported. The clinical
      presentation in each case was acute groin, hip, or perineal pain; fever; chills;
      inability to bear weight; and pubic symphysis tenderness. Since radiographic
      changes in the pubic bone can be delayed, a high index of suspicion is required
      by the clinician. Although Staphylococcus aureus is the dominant pathogen in
      pubic osteomyelitis, it is recommended that the diagnosis be established by
      culture of blood or pubic bone aspirate so that specific therapy can be
      instituted quickly.

PMID- 1420677
TI  - Phaeohyphomycosis due to Exophiala species: clinical spectrum of disease in
      humans.
AB  - Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala species is an unusual infection, but it has
      been reported with increasing frequency as immunosuppressive therapy has become
      more widespread and laboratory methods for diagnosis have improved. To our
      knowledge, the first case of subcutaneous phaeohyphomycosis due to Exophiala
      jeanselmei in a cardiac transplant patient is presented, and previously reported
      cases of exophiala infection are reviewed. This patient was successfully managed
      with surgical excision of the lesion and combination therapy with amphotericin B
      and 5-fluorocytosine.

PMID- 1420678
TI  - Unusual manifestations of Yersinia enterocolitica infections diagnosed using
      novel methods.
AB  - We report the cases of two patients who had infections due to Yersinia
      enterocolitica. The first patient exhibited chronic recurrent fever, hepatic and
      splenic granulomas, and bone marrow abnormalities, and the second patient
      presented with enterocolitis with leukocytoclastic vasculitis of the skin.
      Cultures and agglutination titers were negative. Indirect immunofluorescence
      techniques with use of serotype-specific antisera and antisera to Yersinia outer
      membrane proteins (Yops) were applied to biopsy specimens, and immunoblotting
      techniques for determining class-specific circulating antibodies to Yops were
      used for demonstrating these unusual manifestations of Y. enterocolitica
      infections.

PMID- 1420679
TI  - Concepts on the use of liposomal antimicrobial agents: applications for
      aminoglycosides.
AB  - Liposomes are microscopic lipid vesicles consisting of one or more concentric
      phospholipid bilayers enclosing discrete aqueous spaces. Liposomes provide an
      apparently nontoxic biological delivery system for hydrophobic and hydrophilic
      drugs. With few exceptions liposomal antimicrobial drugs are administered
      intravenously, although other routes have been investigated. Intravenously
      administered, conventionally prepared vesicles are rapidly cleared from the blood
      principally by phagocytic cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS), in
      particular by macrophages located in the liver (Kupffer's cells) and spleen. The
      expectation that liposomes would provide a new form of drug carrier capable of
      diverse physiological selectivity has not been realized. The low endocytotic
      capacity of many cell types and the inability of liposomes to transverse
      continuous vascular endothelia have prevented the active targeting of non-MPS
      tissues with liposomes. Despite their well-documented toxicity and the
      development of new antimicrobial classes, aminoglycosides continue to have an
      important antimicrobial role. The encapsulation of aminoglycosides into liposomes
      may reduce the toxicity associated with the multiple daily administration often
      required for patients with normal renal function. In addition, the encapsulation
      of aminoglycosides alters their pharmacokinetics, increases t1/2 and area under
      the curve, decreases Vd and Cpmax, and causes a shift in drug accumulation from
      the kidney to other organs, thus potentially reducing nephrotoxicity. Studies
      demonstrate improved outcome for intracellular infections treated with liposomal
      aminoglycosides vs. free aminoglycosides. Unresolved questions include what role
      liposomal aminoglycosides have in the treatment of extracellular infection and
      whether their sustained release action will promote resistance.

PMID- 1420680
TI  - Pyomyositis in North America: case reports and review.
AB  - We report two cases and review the characteristics of pyomyositis. The courses of
      patients who presented with pyomyositis at the Maricopa Medical Center (Phoenix)
      are detailed. Ninety-eight reported cases over the last 20 years in North
      America, found through a MEDLINE search, are summarized. Infection with the human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may predispose the patient to pyomyositis. The onset
      is usually insidious with progression to large purulent collections and
      significant morbidity. The diagnosis is frequently suggested by findings of
      imaging studies. Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for most cases in tropical
      areas but is less frequently associated with cases in North America. Since
      infection with HIV predisposes patients to bacterial infections, pyomyositis will
      occur more frequently in this patient population. Increased awareness of the
      disease will improve management. Following aspiration or surgical drainage,
      therapy with broad-spectrum empirical antibiotics may be considered initially in
      the treatment of pyomyositis.

PMID- 1420681
TI  - Maternal-fetal transmission of human immunodeficiency virus: a review of possible
      routes and cellular mechanisms of infection.
AB  - The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections among children is
      increasing in a manner that closely follows the spread of the disease among
      women. Despite the fact that in utero transmission via the placenta is though to
      play a major role in the spread of HIV to the pediatric population, little is
      known about the timing, route(s), and cellular mechanisms by which maternal-fetal
      transmission occurs. This review attempts to use a developmental and cellular
      approach to assess the available clinical and laboratory data pertaining to
      maternal-fetal HIV transmission. While much of this review focuses on the role of
      the placenta, particularly the placental trophoblast, on the transmission of HIV,
      potential routes of infection during early development are also discussed.
      Clinical studies indicate that the placental trophoblast can be infected with HIV
      but have shed no light on how the virus gains entry to this tissue. While some
      laboratory studies confirm that trophoblast cells and placental macrophages can
      be infected with HIV in vitro, many studies are difficult to interpret because of
      inadequate characterization of the placental cells used. The role of CD4 in the
      infection of trophoblast remains controversial and clearly warrants a systematic
      examination. It is also apparent that viral tropism has not received enough
      attention and more studies using different strains of HIV are required. Thus,
      several basic questions remain to be answered before strategies to prevent
      maternal-fetal transmission of HIV can be developed.

PMID- 1420682
TI  - Tuberculosis of the breast as a presenting manifestation of AIDS.
AB  - Tuberculous infections of the breast are considered rare in the developed world.
      We describe a case of mammary tuberculosis in a woman who was not initially known
      to be seropositive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and who was thought
      to have a pyogenic breast abscess. This uncommon presentation of extrapulmonary
      tuberculosis as an AIDS-defining condition highlights the necessity for
      performing mycobacterial smears and cultures in such cases when patients are at
      risk for HIV infection.

PMID- 1420683
TI  - Central venous catheter sepsis caused by unusual Gordona (Rhodococcus species:
      identification with a digoxigenin-labeled rDNA probe.
AB  - We describe central line sepsis caused by Gordona (Rhodococcus) species in two
      patients, which complicated receipt of long-term total parenteral nutrition at
      home. Species identification was attempted by conventional biochemical analysis
      and analysis of polymorphisms in the ribosomal RNA genes with use of a
      digoxigenin-labeled rDNA probe. Using these techniques, we identified our first
      patient's isolate as Gordona terrae. The isolate from our second patient was
      biochemically atypical and could not be reliably matched to any of the recognized
      Gordona (Rhodococcus) species. To our knowledge, these patients are the first to
      have been reported with systemic infection caused by Gordona (Rhodococcus)
      species. The first patient's infection resolved after 6 weeks of intravenous
      therapy with vancomycin with the catheter left in situ; however, infection in the
      second patient required catheter removal for cure. These cases show that
      immunocompetent patients receiving long-term parenteral nutrition may develop
      central line infections with these unusual species of microorganisms.

PMID- 1420684
TI  - Isolated pulmonary aspergillar infection in cardiac transplant recipients: case
      report and review.
AB  - The optimal type and duration of antifungal therapy for localized aspergillosis
      in cardiac transplant recipients is unclear. We report the case of a patient who
      had persistent invasive pulmonary aspergillosis despite prolonged treatment with
      amphotericin B. A combined approach using antifungal therapy and surgery appears
      effective for localized pulmonary disease. Aspergillar infection in solid organ
      transplant recipients is reviewed.

PMID- 1420685
TI  - Biliary concentrations of fluconazole in a patient with candidal cholecystitis:
      case report.
AB  - A patient with acute cholecystitis due to Candida albicans and Candida
      parapsilosis was treated with a percutaneous cholecystostomy and daily
      intravenous fluconazole. Fluconazole levels in serum and bile were measured by
      gas chromatography. Fluconazole levels in the bile were equal to those in the
      blood for the first 8 hours after a dose and were slightly higher than serum
      levels after that. Bile levels after an oral dose of fluconazole were 15% higher
      than levels achieved after intravenous administration of the drug. The infection
      was cured after 2 weeks of treatment. This experience suggests that sufficient
      fluconazole is excreted in the bile to be effective for treatment of biliary
      infections due to susceptible yeasts.

PMID- 1420686
TI  - Meningitis due to Prototheca wickerhamii in a patient with AIDS.
AB  - The first documented case of algal meningitis due to Prototheca wickerhamii is
      reported in a patient with AIDS. The initial CSF culture yielded only
      Cryptococcus neoformans. P. wickerhamii was isolated on four subsequent lumbar
      punctures. The patient died, and at autopsy the alga was isolated from
      leptomeninges over the brain and about the spinal cord. Histologic sections from
      numerous locations of the brain revealed masses of cryptococci and prototheca.

PMID- 1420687
TI  - An unusual case of false-positive serology for the human immunodeficiency virus:
      report from the heterosexual HIV transmission study.
AB  - A man was found to have a repeatedly positive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) that was
      confirmed by a western blot with six positive bands. He was told that he was
      seropositive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but subsequent EIAs were
      negative and western blots were either negative or indeterminant. All other HIV
      related studies were unrevealing, and no explanation for the false-positive
      result was found. We have not absolutely eliminated the possibility of mislabeled
      specimens, but we believe this to be unlikely. The possibility, albeit
      infrequent, of concomitant false-positive EIAs and western blots should be kept
      in mind when formulating public policy with regard to HIV testing.

PMID- 1420688
TI  - Lymphocutaneous Nocardia brasiliensis infection acquired from a cat scratch: case
      report and review.
AB  - Nocardia brasiliensis is a bacterium that is most commonly found in the soil.
      Traumatic inoculation of N. brasiliensis into the skin is the most typical mode
      of acquisition of infection due to this organism. To the best of my knowledge, I
      report the first case of lymphocutaneous N. brasiliensis disease from a
      penetrating cat scratch of the skin, thereby establishing cats as vehicles for
      the transmission of this infection. Treatment with penicillin produced a rapid
      resolution of all signs and symptoms of infection. The efficacy of penicillin
      against the N. brasiliensis isolate recovered from this patient was highly
      unusual. In general, penicillin has limited therapeutic value since these
      organisms elaborate beta-lactamase. Sulfonamides remain the drugs of choice for
      the treatment of these infections. These soil-borne organisms are most likely
      carried on the claws of cats and may establish infection after percutaneous
      inoculation. A high index of suspicion for N. brasiliensis soft-tissue infection
      is required since a delayed or missed diagnosis may be associated with
      progressive local disease and/or widespread disseminated infection.

PMID- 1420689
TI  - Adenovirus pneumonia with severe sequelae in an immunocompetent adult.
AB  - Notable complications from adenovirus pneumonia in healthy adults are rare. We
      report a well-documented case of adenovirus type 3 infection in a previously well
      adult woman that resulted in severe pulmonary complications as well as self
      limited ocular, hepatic, and gastrointestinal abnormalities.

PMID- 1420690
TI  - Management of chronic urethral symptoms in men.
AB  - We describe 20 men who were referred because of chronic urogenital symptoms. They
      had been previously seen by zero to six physicians (mean, 1.8 physicians) and had
      been treated with zero to five courses of antimicrobial agents (mean, 2.4
      courses) without relief of their symptoms. Results of physical examinations of
      all patients were normal. An extensive evaluation failed to reveal any objective
      evidence of urethral inflammation. Cultures for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia
      trachomatis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, and Trichomonas vaginalis were uniformly
      negative. No additional antimicrobial agents were prescribed. Data from follow-up
      questionnaires filled out by 10 of these men 5-28 months later (mean, 11.8
      months) disclosed the disappearance of symptoms in three and the reduction of
      symptoms in four. Chronic urethral symptoms may occur in the absence of objective
      evidence of inflammation and infection with known urethral pathogens. Observation
      without antimicrobial therapy is the treatment of choice for such patients.

PMID- 1420691
TI  - Hepatobiliary infections caused by Haemophilus species.
AB  - Haemophilus species are rarely associated with hepatobiliary infections. We
      report a case of hepatic abscess caused by Haemophilus paraphrophilus and review
      the English-language literature for reports of infections of the liver and
      biliary system caused by Haemophilus species. Most patients identified had
      predisposing conditions. The pathogenesis of hepatobiliary infections due to
      Haemophilus species may involve ascending spread from the gastrointestinal tract
      or hematogenous seeding following oropharyngeal colonization.

PMID- 1420692
TI  - A two-year prospective, nationwide study to determine the epidemiology and impact
      of invasive childhood Haemophilus influenzae type b infection in Israel. The
      Israeli Pediatric Bacteremia and Meningitis Group.
AB  - Accurate data on invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease from
      countries other than the United States and western Europe are limited, and none
      are available from the Middle East. We report the results of a nationwide
      prospective epidemiological study in Israel whose purpose was to provide a
      background for decisions regarding the need for Hib conjugate vaccinations.
      During the 2 study years, 344 patients less than 13 years of age with a positive
      blood or CSF culture for Hib were seen in 25 medical centers in which pediatric
      patients were hospitalized. The overall incidence of Hib disease was 34 per
      100,000 persons less than 5 years old, an incidence in the range of those
      reported for western Europe. Twenty-two percent of patients were less than or
      equal to 6 months old, 69% were less than or equal to 12 months, 87% were less
      than or equal to 18 months, and 93% were less than or equal to 24 months. Thus,
      our findings represent a unique epidemiological pattern: the age distribution of
      our patients resembles that of immunologically compromised populations or of
      persons living in less-industrialized areas, but the incidence of disease is
      similar to that found in western Europe. In view of these data, the Israeli
      Ministry of Health decided to license conjugate vaccines for immunization of
      infants beginning at 2 months of age.

PMID- 1420693
TI  - AIDS enteropathy.
AB  - Chronic diarrhea is one of the hallmarks of advanced human immunodeficiency virus
      (HIV) disease. The symptoms of this complication are troublesome, have a
      significant impact on the patient's quality of life, and in severe cases can lead
      to extreme abnormalities in fluids and electrolytes and can even cause death. The
      workup for AIDS-associated diarrhea is often frustrating and frequently
      unrewarding. However, during the last 10 years, much has been learned about the
      causes of diarrhea; while treatment is still often ineffective, some advances
      have been made. Dr. John G. Bartlett and his colleagues in the Department of
      Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have been responsible for
      many of these advances. In this AIDS Commentary, these experts discuss recent
      advances that have enhanced our understanding of chronic diarrhea in HIV-infected
      persons and offer their recommendations for the most efficient and effective
      approach to managing these patients.

PMID- 1420694
TI  - Aspergillosis of the CNS presenting as aseptic meningitis.

PMID- 1420695
TI  - Vibrio parahaemolyticus septicemia in a patient with neutropenic leukemia.

PMID- 1420696
TI  - Immunity to measles and rubella in women infected with human immunodeficiency
      virus.

PMID- 1420697
TI  - Bite wounds and infection.

PMID- 1420698
TI  - Severe soft-tissue infection caused by Eikenella corrodens.

PMID- 1420699
TI  - Sporothrix schenckii meningitis in a patient with AIDS.

PMID- 1420700
TI  - Toxocaral visceral larva migrans after ingestion of raw lamb liver.

PMID- 1420701
TI  - Streptococcus zooepidemicus septic arthritis: case report and review of group C
      streptococcal arthritis.

PMID- 1420702
TI  - Penicillin-resistant pneumococcal vertebral osteomyelitis.

PMID- 1420703
TI  - Good response to antibiotic treatment of lung infection due to Rhodococcus equi
      in a patient infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

PMID- 1420704
TI  - Acinetobacter species: which do we mean?

PMID- 1420705
TI  - Aortic valve endocarditis due to Escherichia coli.

PMID- 1420706
TI  - Life-threatening Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in patients with infection due
      to human immunodeficiency virus.

PMID- 1420707
TI  - Bacteremia due to vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium of Van B phenotype
      during prophylaxis with vancomycin.

PMID- 1420708
TI  - Fatal intrauterine infection associated with Mycoplasma hominis.

PMID- 1420709
TI  - Evaluation of soft tissue response to a poly(urethane urea).
AB  - Variations in the performance of vascular prostheses constructed of
      polyurethanes, and some evidence which suggested that these variations could be
      due not to the properties of the polymer itself, but to differences in the
      cellular response to the various microstructures of porous polyurethanes require
      investigation. Experiments were performed to evaluate quantitatively the extent
      of the cell behaviour adjacent to a series of polyurethane samples. It was shown
      that, with Biomer, a polyurethane urea, the profile of cell behaviour as a
      function of distance from the implant surface and of time following implantation,
      the response of cells in general and macrophages in particular, varied
      considerably with different internal microstructure. This supports the suggestion
      that the cellular response to different structures and susceptibility to
      degradation are related.

PMID- 1420710
TI  - Seeding of enzymatically derived and subcultivated canine endothelial cells on
      fibrous polyurethane vascular prostheses.
AB  - Fibrous polyurethane (FPU) prostheses with or without fibronectin coating and
      gelatin impregnation and FPU prostheses with or without fibronectin coating were
      seeded with 4.8 x 10(5) subcultivated dog endothelial cells per cm2 prosthesis.
      Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) prostheses with and without fibronectin
      coating served as controls. The numbers of cells retained on uncoated
      polyurethane prostheses were minimal but increased with fibronectin coating
      and/or gelatin impregnation. Adhering cells were predominantly round in shape and
      few cells were seen stretched over the prosthetic fibres. Optimum numbers of
      cells were found in prostheses impregnated with gelatin and coated with
      fibronectin, where almost all the cells were stretched forming a confluent
      monolayer. In ePTFE prostheses only minimal numbers of cells were retained but in
      the fibronectin-coated prostheses a high cell count was noted. Gelatin
      impregnated and fibronectin-coated FPU prostheses, as well as ePTFE prostheses
      coated with fibronectin, were additionally perfused in vitro after seeding under
      nearly physiological conditions for 1 h. Cells in the FPU prostheses were still
      present after perfusion, whereas all the cells in the ePTFE prostheses were lost
      from the inner surface. It is concluded that FPU prostheses impregnated with
      gelatin and coated with fibronectin are a suitable substrate for subcultivated
      endothelial cells to be seeded on. The cells remained at the surface even after 1
      h in vitro perfusion with tissue culture medium under nearly physiological
      conditions. Further research including in vivo implantations is indicated.

PMID- 1420711
TI  - Microradiographic and histochemical evaluation of mineralization inhibition at
      the bone-alumina interface.
AB  - Microradiographic and histochemical tests were used to examine the behaviour of
      the bone tissue close to the alumina coating in cementless hip prostheses which
      were radiologically stable and explanted because of pain. The presence was
      detected of a decalcification stripe of the bone tissue with a thickness of about
      300 microns, parallel to the prosthesis profile and in appearance not influenced
      by the roughness of the surface. This phenomenon was attributed to the presence
      of aluminium ions similarly to what happens in osteomalacic osteodystrophy in
      nephropathic dialysed patients. It was concluded that the phenomenon must be
      carefully considered because, in the long term, it could cause failure in the
      alumina coating.

PMID- 1420712
TI  - Surface characterization of microtextured silicone.
AB  - A set of microtextured silicone surfaces was manufactured using the technique of
      photolithography. The textures consist of a uniform array that imparts anisotropy
      to the surfaces. Processing the material required multiple steps which may have
      altered the surface characteristics. This project aimed to determine if a surface
      texture on implant grade silicone would affect the material characteristics. ESCA
      and contact angle studies revealed no measurable alteration of the surface
      chemistry or surface energy due to the texturing procedure or the presence of the
      texture. Both analytical techniques confirmed the material was silicone. The
      actual dimensions of the surface textures, size, spacing, depth and orientation
      of the textures were found to be close to the design values, using SEM and
      quantitative two- and three-dimensional profilometry. Standard 2D profilometry
      was not sufficient to characterize the surfaces, as a direct result of the
      uniformity of the arrays. A method of characterizing regular surface periodic
      structures is presented.

PMID- 1420713
TI  - Prevention of protein adsorption and platelet adhesion on surfaces by PEO/PPO/PEO
      triblock copolymers.
AB  - Fibrinogen adsorption and platelet adhesion on to dimethyldichlorosilane-treated
      glass and low-density polyethylene were examined. The surfaces were treated with
      poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(propylene
      oxide)/poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymers (Pluronics). Poly(ethylene
      glycol) could not prevent platelet adhesion and activation, even when the bulk
      concentration for adsorption was increased to 10 mg/ml. Pluronics containing 30
      propylene oxide residues could not prevent platelet adhesion and activation,
      although the number of ethylene oxide residues varied up to 76. However,
      Pluronics containing 56 propylene oxide residues inhibited platelet adhesion and
      activation, even though the number of ethylene oxide residues was as small as 19.
      Fibrinogen adsorption on the Pluronic-coated surfaces was reduced by more than
      95% compared to the adsorption on control surfaces. The ability of Pluronics to
      prevent platelet adhesion and activation was mainly dependent on the number of
      propylene oxide residues, rather than the number of ethylene oxide residues. The
      large number of propylene oxide residues was expected to result in tight
      interaction with hydrophobic dimethyldichlorosilane-treated glass and low-density
      polyethylene surfaces and thus the tight anchoring of Pluronics to the surfaces.
      The presence of 19 ethylene oxide residues in the hydrophilic poly(ethylene
      oxide) chains was sufficient to repel fibrinogen and platelets by the mechanism
      of steric repulsion.

PMID- 1420714
TI  - Humoral responses to type I collagen after surgical curettage procedures
      employing bovine collagen implants.
AB  - Freeze-dried bovine type I collagen was implanted into periodontally diseased
      sites of 11 patients in an effort to repair the affected site. Peripheral blood
      samples taken at 0, 6 and 12 wk were assayed for antibody to human and bovine
      collagen using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and compared with samples
      from 9 control subjects. Antibody levels to both human and bovine collagen, which
      were present at significantly higher levels in the patients at 0 wk than in the
      control subjects (P less than 0.01 for human and bovine), were significantly
      lower at 6 wk than at zero time (P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.01 for human
      and bovine collagens, respectively). At 12 wk post-implantation, the antibody
      level to human collagen still remained significantly lower (P less than 0.05)
      than zero time levels but not in respect of the antibody to bovine collagen.

PMID- 1420715
TI  - In vitro resistance of artificial connective tissues to human bile and pancreatic
      juice.
AB  - The resistance of connective tissue generated from elastin, placenta extracts and
      human collagen was tested by in vitro incubation with bile and pancreatic juice
      to investigate the potential use in human digestive surgery. The resistance,
      determined by macroscopical and microscopical examinations, has been directly
      compared to those of bovine collagen matrices (Spongel, Pangen, Helistat,
      Translagen). Only the compact and cross-linked human collagen patch resisted both
      bile and pancreatic juice. All other biomaterials tested dissolved either in bile
      or in pancreatic juice. The in vivo behaviour of this new human collagen matrix
      and its involvement in gastrointestinal wound healing must now be investigated.

PMID- 1420716
TI  - Immobilization of alpha-amylase into photographic gelatin by chemical cross
      linking.
AB  - alpha-Amylase was immobilized into photographic gelatin by chemical cross-linking
      with chromium (III) acetate and chromium (III) sulphate. Cellulose triacetate
      film strips, enabled simple handling when coated with an alpha-amylase-gelatin
      mixture, accomplishing a high degree of durability during consecutive immersions
      into reaction media. The optimum conditions for pH, substrate concentration,
      temperature, incubation time and storing conditions of free and immobilized alpha
      amylase were determined. The effect of use number on activity and the effect of
      resting on reuse number were also determined. Photographic gelatin was found to
      be a very efficient natural polymer, due to its extraordinary diffusion
      characteristics for immobilization as a carrier.

PMID- 1420717
TI  - Principle and investigation of the bioadhesion mechanism of solid dosage forms.
AB  - The development of bioadhesive tablets requires a good knowledge of their
      adhesion mechanism and the possibility of using an accurate in vitro evaluation
      technique. The bioadhesion mechanism is not basically different from the general
      adhesion mechanism, but it is necessary to take into account the biological
      nature of at least one of the two substrates involved in the process. The
      hydrated joint created at the molecular interface, resulting from the inter
      penetration of the polymeric chains of the mucin and the bioadhesive product, is
      especially interesting, because its viscoelastic properties make it a damping
      device for the stresses transmitted to the bioadhesive surface.

PMID- 1420718
TI  - Characterization of surgical suture materials using dynamic mechanical analysis.
AB  - Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) has been used to characterize the viscoelastic
      properties of four suture materials, Prolene, Maxon, Vicryl and silk. The
      technique identified the main transitions for the sutures and frequency
      multiplexing was used to define the variation of modulus with time. The
      monofilament Prolene has a beta transition and the monofilament Maxon has an
      alpha transition close to room temperature, indicating that both materials
      exhibit a change in stiffness with time. The alpha transitions (Tgs) of silk and
      Vicryl occur at temperatures significantly above room temperature and frequency
      multiplexing data indicate that both materials exhibit stable moduli with respect
      to time at room temperature. Determination of the viscoelastic behaviour through
      DMS appears to be very useful in predicting the performance of suture materials.

PMID- 1420719
TI  - Bone cell interactions with a granular glass-ionomer bone substitute material: in
      vivo and in vitro culture models.
AB  - The interface between bone and a synthetic bone substitute constructed from glass
      ionomer cement (ionomeric microimplant) was studied in diffusion chambers
      implanted in a primate baboon model (Papio ursinus) and in in vitro primary bone
      organ cultures derived from neonate rat calvaria. In both models osteoblast-like
      cells colonized the surface of the implant producing a collagenous extracellular
      matrix. An electron-dense bonding zone similar to that reported for
      hydroxyapatite and titanium was seen in both models but was a more constant
      feature of the tissue/implant interface in calvarial culture.

PMID- 1420720
TI  - Further observations on high impact strength denture-base materials.
AB  - Previous studies have shown that high impact strength can be conferred on denture
      base poly(methyl methacrylate) polymers by modification with acrylic-terminated
      butadiene-styrene block copolymers, and that the acrylic end-group was necessary
      for effective reinforcement. It is now shown that, by solvent extraction studies,
      grafting of the copolymer occurs both with acrylic-terminated and non-terminated
      block copolymers. It is therefore concluded that the mode of grafting is
      different, and some possible mechanisms are discussed.

PMID- 1420721
TI  - Soft tissue reaction to de novo plaque formation on implants and teeth. An
      experimental study in the dog.
AB  - The aim of the present investigation was to assess the effect of de novo plaque
      formation on the gingiva and masticatory mucosa around teeth and implants. The
      study was performed in 5 beagle dogs which at the initiation of the experiment
      were 15 months old. During a preparatory period, the mandibular right premolars
      were extracted, 3 fixtures installed, abutment connection performed and a 4-month
      period of plaque control completed. A clinical examination was performed and
      biopsies of the second mandibular premolar (P2) and the contralateral implant
      site (2P) were sampled. The dogs were allowed to form plaque during a period of 3
      weeks. The clinical examination was repeated and biopsies harvested from the 2
      remaining implants and the contralateral tooth sites. The tissue samples were
      prepared for histometric and morphometric analysis. Both the masticatory mucosa
      at implants and the gingiva responded to de novo plaque formation with the
      development of an inflammatory lesion. The size as well as the composition of the
      lesions in the 2 tissues had many features in common. It was concluded that the
      mucosa around implants and the gingiva around teeth had a similar potential to
      respond to early plaque formation.

PMID- 1420722
TI  - Functional adaptation to full-arch fixed prosthesis supported by osseointegrated
      implants in the edentulous mandible.
AB  - The objective of the present study was to assess possible adaptive functional
      changes in the masticatory system after insertion of fixed prostheses supported
      by osseointegrated implants in the edentulous mandible. Registrations of
      mandibular movement characteristics and maximal biteforce were performed at
      insertion and after 1 week, 3 months and 1 year after connection. The duration of
      the opening and closing phase decreased and maximal biteforce increased
      significantly (p < or = 0.05-0.001) from connection of the prostheses to the
      annual check-up. However, the process of functional adaptation implied 2
      identified stages. An immediate phase that occurred within the 1st week, probably
      due to altered impact from mechano-sensitive receptors and a later more time
      dependent phase, based on learning and new cortical engrams. Accordingly, the
      process of adaptation will continue over a long period of time.

PMID- 1420723
TI  - Quantitative digital subtraction radiography for the assessment of peri-implant
      bone change.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to develop a digital subtraction technique to
      assess peri-implant bone change. The method uses subtraction radiography to
      enhance visualization of the area of change that has occurred between
      radiographic examinations, and superimposes the area of change on the original
      radiographs. Furthermore, a reference wedge allows calculation of the mass of the
      lesion. The method was validated using 21 small bony chips placed on 3 different
      skulls prior to the first radiograph. The chips were removed, a second radiograph
      taken, and the images subtracted. A morphologic method was used to isolate the
      lesion and the change in bone mass calculated. Overall, there was excellent
      correlation between the calculated lesion mass (mg) and actual lesion mass (r2 >
      0.90). The utility of the method was demonstrated using a case that experienced
      implant failure. These data indicate that quantitative digital subtraction
      radiography may be of value in measuring peri-implant bone change in root form
      implants.

PMID- 1420724
TI  - A semi-automated computer-assisted method for measuring bone loss adjacent to
      dental implants.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to develop a repeatable method for measurement of
      bone support around root form and blade implants suitable for use in high-quality
      but unstandardized radiographs. 10 phantoms were fabricated to simulate
      progressive osseous defects around implants. Radiographs were taken in triplicate
      and digitized. Specialized software was written which placed a grid of known
      dimensions over the implant so that the top and the bottom of the grid were at
      the neck and the base of the implant, respectively. The investigators selected
      the edge of the bone at each point where the grid intersected the implant and the
      software automatically detected the implant edge. The software also outlined and
      displayed the defect on the computer monitor. Measurements were performed 5 times
      and the standard deviation was taken as a measure of the repeatability of the
      method. Repeatability for blades and root forms was 0.19 +/- 0.07 mm and 0.08 +/-
      0.03 mm, respectively. There was no significant difference in the ability to
      measure bone loss in the blade versus the root form (p = 0.17, NS). These results
      indicate that this semi-automated computer-assisted method for measuring bone
      loss around implants is repeatable and may be of value for clinical trials using
      either root form or blade implants.

PMID- 1420725
TI  - A comparative study of the clinical efficacy of Screw Vent implants versus
      Branemark fixtures, installed in a periodontal clinic.
AB  - The clinical success of 85 Screw Vent and 107 Branemark implants, consecutively
      installed in a private periodontal clinic under the same conditions and by the
      same operator, is compared. Mobile implants were removed and considered as
      failures. Intra-oral radiographs were assessed for the presence of peri-implant
      radiolucencies and for analysis of bone loss after functional loading. 85 Screw
      Vent implants were installed in 31 patients. Of 23 implants installed in 9
      mandibles, none failed after 16.8 (range 12-25) months of function. Of 62 Screw
      Vent implants installed in 23 maxillae, 6 failed at abutment connection, 1 failed
      after 2 months and 2 after 13 months of function. The absolute failure rate after
      13.2 (range 6-24) months was 9/62. Mean loss of bone was 1.47 mm (-1.0- +4) after
      12 months of functional loading. 107 Branemark fixtures were installed in 25
      patients. Of 51 fixtures inserted in 12 mandibles, none failed; of 56 fixtures
      installed in 13 maxillae 1 failed before and 2 failed during abutment connection.
      The absolute failure is 3/56. All remaining fixtures were immobile after loading.
      13 fixtures were more than 6 months in function. Only short-term comparison
      between both systems is possible because the observation time is longer for the
      Screw Vent implants. In the 1st year, only 1 implant system was available to the
      periodontist. Short-term comparison reveals 11.3% versus 5.3% of cumulative
      failure after 6 months for the Screw Vent and Branemark implants, respectively.
      The results indicate that clinical efficacy is as effectively obtained with Screw
      Vent as with Branemark implants in the mandible. The outcome of treatment with
      Screw Vent implants in the maxilla seems less predictable.

PMID- 1420726
TI  - Treatment of an early implant failure according to the principles of guided
      tissue regeneration (GTR).
AB  - The present case report demonstrates the application of guided tissue
      regeneration (GTR) in combination with antimicrobial therapy for the treatment of
      an early implant failure. This treatment approach both prevented further loss of
      bone as well as led to the regeneration of lost bone. By means of color-converted
      digital subtraction images, remodelling of the tissues adjacent to the defect was
      documented as early as one month postsurgically. The images demonstrated "bone
      fill" in the apical portion of the defect and resorptive changes at the bone
      crest. This case report demonstrates that combined regenerative and antimicrobial
      therapy may be a successful treatment approach restoring osseointegration of
      dental implants following loss of bone due to infection. Continuously increasing
      bone-fill inside the defect was documented when comparing the radiograph obtained
      immediately before the GTR procedure and at months 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 of the
      healing period, respectively. Clinical measurement obtained at the time of the
      surgery and at the time of the membrane removal confirmed the radiographic
      evidence of bone-fill by demonstrating new tissue resistant to probing in close
      contact to the implant surface at the site of the previous defect. Antimicrobial
      therapy included an antibiotic regimen during the 1st month of healing as well as
      topical rinses with an antiseptic (chlorhexidine) over the entire healing period
      of 6 months. As a result of this treatment approach, the implant was saved and
      could be used as an abutment for a bridge reconstruction.

PMID- 1420727
TI  - Experimental breakdown of peri-implant and periodontal tissues. A study in the
      beagle dog.
AB  - The objective of the present experiment was to study lesions in the peri-implant
      and periodontal tissues resulting from ligature placement and subgingival plaque
      formation. The experiment was performed in 5 beagle dogs which at the start of
      the study were about 15 months old. They were given a diet which allowed gross
      plaque formation. The mandibular right premolars were extracted, 3 fixtures (a.m.
      Branemark) installed and abutment connection performed. Towards the end of a 6
      month plaque control period, a clinical and radiographic examination was
      performed. Ligatures were placed in a subgingival position at 2 of the implants
      and the contralateral premolars. Plaque was allowed to accumulate. After 6 weeks,
      the ligatures were removed. 1 month later, the clinical and radiographical
      examination was repeated and samples from the subgingival microbiota obtained.
      Biopsies from the teeth and implant sites were harvested and processed for
      histometric and morphometric analyses. The results from the clinical and
      histological examinations revealed that: (i) clinical and radiographic signs of
      tissue destruction were more pronounced at implants than at teeth; (ii) the size
      of the soft tissue lesion was larger at implants than at teeth; (iii) the lesion
      at implants but not at teeth extended into the bone marrow.

PMID- 1420728
TI  - Programmed cell death: concept, mechanism and control.
AB  - Programmed cell death or apoptosis occurs under physiological conditions as a
      result of physiological effectors. It is a relatively slower process and requires
      active participation of the cell in the suicidal mechanism. Apoptosis is
      controlled by precise intrinsic genetic programme and may be induced by almost
      all those stimuli causing necrosis. The role played by the intensity in
      determining the death process and the underlying mechanism is imperfectly
      understood. Morphologically apoptotic cells appear as small condensed body. The
      chromatin is dense and fragmented, packed into compact membrane-bound bodies
      together with randomly distributed cell organelles. The plasma membrane loses its
      characteristic architecture and shows extensive blebbing. It buds off projections
      so that the whole cell may split into several membrane-bound apoptotic bodies.
      Significant chemical changes take place in the plasma membrane. This helps in
      recognition of the apoptotic bodies by phagocytes. At this moment it is unclear
      if all cells can undergo apoptosis or it is a characteristic of only some tissues
      which are predisposed to apoptotic death being directly under the control of
      hormones or growth factors. Experimental studies aimed at comparison of induction
      of apoptosis in cells of different origin are warranted to elucidate this point.
      Biochemically a pre-commitment step for induction of death programmation through
      macromolecular synthesis is essential for most systems. The double-stranded
      linker DNA between nucleosomes is cleaved at regular inter-nucleosomal sites
      through the action of a Ca2+, Mg(2+)-sensitive neutral endonuclease. Zinc is a
      potent inhibitor of the enzyme. Calcium probably plays a key controlling role in
      activation of the enzyme since prevention of Ca2+ increase prevents endonuclease
      activation. It is becoming evident that signal transduction through appropriate
      receptors control the Ca2+ flux in the cells. Most apoptotic cells require
      synthesis of RNA and proteins. Delay or abrogation of apoptosis by inhibition of
      macromolecular synthesis is well known. The dying cells show high mRNA levels for
      several enzymes. Several degradative enzymes become active. Regulatory proteins
      maintain control over the apoptotic cascade. At the molecular level, search has
      been initiated for the mammalian equivalents of the cell death (ced) gene.
      Activation of several specific genes is indicated. Specific expression of cell
      death-associated gene products (e.g. TRPM-2/SGP-2) has been reported in several
      unrelated apoptotic cell systems. Sequential induction of c-fos, c-myc and 70 kDa
      heat shock protein is reported. Studies demonstrate that certain genes must
      remain in a transcriptionally active demethylated state during programmed cell
      death. Recent evidences clearly indicate that apoptosis may be positively or
      negatively modulated by certain genes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1420729
TI  - Cell adhesion molecules: a unifying approach to topographic biology.
AB  - Cell adhesion molecules are pivotal to the development and maintenance of tissue
      structure in metazoan organisms. In mammals, several families of proteins are
      involved in cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion. The cadherins are homophilic,
      primary CAMs, involved in the establishment of boundaries between cell
      collectives early in embryogenesis. The Ig gene superfamily have diversified
      widely, with homophilic and heterophilic CAMs and antigen recognition molecules
      amongst the members. The Integrin family play an important role in binding to
      extracellular matrix, as well as counter-receptors on the surface of other cells.
      The Selectin family and HCAM are carbohydrate-binding proteins, and play a
      prominent role in the circulation of lymphocytes and neoplastic cells. CAMs are
      fundamental to development of tissue structure in metazoan organisms. Cellular
      differentiation dictates adherence to a specific microenvironment, through the
      pattern of surface CAM expression. Conversely, CAM binding can affect gene
      expression within the cell itself. Cell differentiation and cell adhesion are
      interdependent processes. In the adult, CAM are crucial to tissue maintenance.
      Cells frequently change their adhesive properties in response to physiological or
      pathological processes. The integrity of the vascular system is maintained by
      circulating platelets which are capable of rapid upregulation of cell adhesion
      and profound changes in metabolism, on contact with subendothelial matrix. Both
      endothelial cells and neutrophils undergo changes in CAM expression in response
      to inflammatory mediators, permitting rapid and appropriate recruitment of
      phagocytes to damaged tissue. Tissue repair is dependent on phenotypic changes in
      normally static cells, allowing increased motility and replication. The immune
      system requires constitutive cells to undergo multiple complex adhesion and
      detachment events over short periods of time, and is capable of discriminating
      normal self from aberrant-self or non-self, through antigen specific recognition
      and adhesion molecules. The pathophysiology of processes such as infection and
      neoplasia are profoundly affected by cellular CAM expression. CAMs and related
      molecules are fundamental to the development, maintenance and surveillance of
      tissue structure.

PMID- 1420730
TI  - Endothelium-dependent responses of cerebral arterioles to adenosine 5'
      diphosphate.
AB  - The goal of this study was to determine the role of endothelium-derived relaxing
      factor (EDRF) in dilatation of cerebral arterioles in response to adenosine 5'
      diphosphate (ADP). Using intravital microscopy, we measured the diameters of pial
      arterioles in vivo in rats during superfusion with ADP, acetylcholine and
      nitroglycerin before and during topical application of inhibitors of nitric oxide
      synthesis (NG-monomethyl-L-arginine; L-NMMA and NW-nitro-L-arginine; L-NNA).
      Prior to suffusion with L-NMMA and L-NNA, ADP (10 and 100 microM), acetylcholine
      (0.1 and 1.0 microM), and nitroglycerin (1.0 and 10 microM) produced dose-related
      increases in the diameter of pial arterioles. Following application of L-NMMA
      (1.0 and 10 microM) and L-NNA (0.1 and 1.0 microM), dilatation of cerebral
      arterioles in response to ADP was significantly inhibited. In addition, L-NMMA
      and L-NNA significantly inhibited dilatation of cerebral arterioles in response
      to acetylcholine, but did not alter vasodilatation in response to nitroglycerin.
      Thus, our findings suggest that ADP dilates cerebral arterioles via the
      production of nitric oxide, or a nitric-oxide-containing compound.

PMID- 1420731
TI  - Endothelium function is protected by albumin and flow-induced constriction is
      independent of endothelium and tone in isolated rabbit femoral artery.
AB  - To investigate the preservation of endothelial function, we perfused two segments
      of one rabbit femoral artery (n = 8) in a pressure myograph in parallel, both
      with Tyrode, but one with 0.6% albumin added. The change in the outer diameter of
      the vessels [preconstricted with norepinephrine (NE) to 70%] in response to
      acetylcholine as an indicator of the endothelial function, was repeatedly
      measured over 5 h after the equilibration. The difference between the
      acetylcholine responses of the two vessel segments was significant (p < 0.05)
      after a perfusion period of 4 h. We also investigated whether flow-induced
      constriction is dependent on (1) the presence of endothelium and (2) the level of
      preconstriction. We therefore perfused segments of rabbit femoral arteries (n =
      5) with Tyrode with 0.6% albumin. If acetylcholine-induced dilatation was
      present, a flow-diameter relation was determined at two constriction levels:
      about 60% (high) and 90% (low) of the passive outer diameter. Both determinations
      were repeated after mechanical endothelium removal (checked functionally and
      histologically). A similar decrease in diameter (about 7%) with an increase in
      flow ranging from 0 to 1,330 microliters/min was found in all conditions. We
      conclude that the addition of (0.6%) albumin protects endothelial function in the
      rabbit femoral artery when perfused in the low-flow range for a period longer
      than 4 h. We also found that flow-dependent constriction is neither influenced by
      the presence of the endothelium nor by the level of tone induced with NE.

PMID- 1420732
TI  - Synthesis of TGF-beta 1 by vascular endothelial cells is correlated with cell
      spreading.
AB  - Cultured vascular endothelial cells (ECs) secrete transforming growth factor beta
      (TGF-beta) which stimulates intimal smooth muscle cells to synthesize increased
      amounts of lipoprotein-binding proteoglycans. We report here that the amount of
      TGF-beta 1 synthesized by ECs is correlated with EC density and cell spreading.
      ECs cultured at low density synthesized and secreted 2- to 3-fold more TGF-beta,
      measured by the Mink lung cell assay, than intermediate and high density
      cultures, and this increase in secreted protein was matched by a corresponding
      increase in mRNA for TGF-beta 1 measured by Northern hybridization using a [32P]
      labeled cDNA probe for TGF-beta 1. TGF-beta 1 mRNA was detected in individual
      cells by in situ hybridization with the cDNA probe labeled with [35S] and with a
      [35S]-labeled 30-mer antisense oligonucleotide. In situ mRNA levels did not
      relate to cell density per se but to cell area. The larger the area of substratum
      covered, the more mRNA per cell, irrespective of cell density. For cell areas in
      the range 500-1,200 microns 2, a doubling of cell area resulted in an
      approximately 3-fold increase in mRNA. Cells cultured at low density had a larger
      mean cell area than cells cultured at higher densities, and this increased area
      was sufficient to account for the increased TGF-beta 1 mRNA levels found for the
      low density cultures by Northern hybridization. Despite variations in cell area,
      cell volumes did not change significantly with cell density.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420733
TI  - Review article: metabolic consequences of long-term inhibition of acid secretion
      by omeprazole.
AB  - Metabolic sequelae of profound and long-lasting inhibition of gastric acid
      secretion by omeprazole have largely been neglected. Data from long-term studies
      suggest that vitamin B12 stores decrease slightly over several years, although
      this was not clinically relevant within the first 4 years of therapy.
      Additionally, it cannot be completely ruled out that patients with an increased
      iron demand may develop iron deficiency, but data available at present do not
      provide any evidence that iron malabsorption is to be expected under normal
      conditions. Protein homeostasis and calcium metabolism seem to be unaffected by
      long-term omeprazole therapy. Based upon present experience, serum cobalamin
      concentration should be monitored in patients undergoing omeprazole therapy for
      several years.

PMID- 1420734
TI  - Effect of potassium chloride on gastric acid secretion and gastrin release in
      humans.
AB  - The effect of potassium chloride on gastric acid secretion and gastrin release
      was studied in 6 healthy human beings. On 3 separate days and in random order,
      subjects received an intragastric infusion of 0.5 L of a glucose-saline solution
      to which had been added 40 mmol KCl, 40 mmol NaCl, or no additional salts. All
      test solutions stimulated acid secretion and gastrin release to a similar degree.
      While potassium ions play a critical role in acid secretion by parietal cells
      (via the H+, K(+)-ATPase), KCl administered into the gastric lumen at a
      concentration of 80 mmol/L has no effect on acid secretion in man.

PMID- 1420735
TI  - Experience with 'triple' anti-Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy: side
      effects and the importance of testing the pre-treatment bacterial isolate for
      metronidazole resistance.
AB  - At the 1990 World Congresses of Gastroenterology, the Working Party on
      Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) recommended that, in suitable patients, the
      bacterium should be eradicated using a therapeutic regimen comprising a bismuth
      salt, tetracycline and metronidazole for two weeks. We have treated 40 patients
      infected with H. pylori with 'triple' therapy consisting of 120 mg tripotassium
      dicitrato bismuthate q.d.s., 500 mg tetracycline q.d.s. and 400 mg metronidazole
      t.d.s. for two weeks. The success rate, in terms of bacterial eradication, was
      19/21 (90.5%) in patients with metronidazole-sensitive organisms, compared with
      only 6/19 (31.6%) in patients whose H. pylori were resistant to metronidazole (P
      less than 0.01). Side effects, particularly diarrhoea and vomiting/nausea, were
      common: 23/40 patients reported such symptoms during the 14-day course of
      therapy. Fifteen of these 23 patients completed the entire 14-day course,
      although suffering from significant side effects, while the remaining eight
      patients had to discontinue the treatment because side effects became
      intolerable. If a form of triple therapy is going to be widely used to eradicate
      H. pylori infection, the regimen will have to be simpler, shorter, produce fewer
      side effects and be more effective in patients with metronidazole-resistant
      bacteria.

PMID- 1420736
TI  - Co-administration of misoprostol or ranitidine with indomethacin: effects on
      pharmacokinetics, abdominal symptoms and bowel habit.
AB  - This three-way randomized crossover study in 18 healthy male volunteers compared
      the pharmacokinetics of 50 mg indomethacin b.d. during concomitant twice daily
      dosing with 400 micrograms misoprostol, 150 mg ranitidine or placebo. Plasma
      indomethacin concentrations were determined by HPLC assay of samples collected
      over 12 h after the first dose, and over 14 h after the last dose on Day 8 of
      each dosing period. A daily diary of bowel habits, and the occurrence and
      severity of abdominal symptoms, was kept by each subject throughout the study.
      Statistical comparisons were made by analysis of variance. In the presence of
      misoprostol there was a 13% decrease in the area under the plasma concentration
      time curve of indomethacin over one dosing interval on Day 1 (P less than 0.01),
      and at steady state there was a 24% decrease in the maximum plasma concentration
      (P less than 0.02). The pharmacokinetics of indomethacin were not affected by co
      administration of ranitidine. Accumulation of indomethacin after repeated oral
      dosing was not significantly altered by the co-administration of either
      misoprostol or ranitidine. The frequency and severity of abdominal symptoms was
      significantly increased (P less than 0.01) during misoprostol dosing, compared
      with either ranitidine or placebo plus indomethacin. When the dosing phase (Days
      1-8) was compared with the washout phase (Days 9-15) in each period, misoprostol,
      but not ranitidine or placebo, plus indomethacin resulted in an increase (P less
      than 0.001) in abdominal symptom severity, frequency of bowel motions and a
      decrease in faecal consistency.

PMID- 1420737
TI  - An artificial stomach-duodenum model for the in-vitro evaluation of antacids.
AB  - To improve the dynamic in-vitro evaluation of the effects of antacids, we have
      developed the 'artificial stomach' model by adding a 'duodenal reservoir' to
      receive the gastric emptying flux and simulated bicarbonate secretion, thus
      constituting an 'artificial stomach-duodenum' model. With this model we measured
      antacid-induced resistance to gastric acidification, and simultaneously evaluated
      the effect of antacid activity on the duodenal milieu. The model also permitted
      evaluation of the antacid effects of proteins (as natural antacids), and of drugs
      containing aluminium phosphate, alone or combined with magnesium oxide, or
      aluminium and magnesium hydroxides. At the gastric site, these drugs, as well as
      the proteins (that is, meat extract), induced a strong resistance to
      acidification due to the gastric emptying flux and to antacid composition. At the
      duodenal site, the decrease of the acid load penetrating into the duodenum
      varied, depending on the efficacy of gastric antacid activity. Duodenal pH was
      related to the equilibrium between bicarbonate secretion and the emptying of acid
      load. Proteins and aluminium phosphate induced the same duodenal pH as in the
      control tests without antacids, but magnesium-containing antacids increased it,
      thus decreasing bicarbonate consumption. The antacid mechanisms within the
      stomach, and the fate of antacids in the duodenal milieu, might explain the
      variation in duodenal pH in response to antacid administration.

PMID- 1420738
TI  - Oral pharmacokinetics of cyclosporin in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis
      and patients with skin diseases.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of cyclosporin after oral administration were studied in
      seven patients with non-end stage primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) without
      previous cyclosporin treatment (Group I), a control group of nine patients with
      skin diseases (mainly psoriasis; Group II) and six patients with PBC after
      prolonged cyclosporin treatment (Group III). Whole blood concentrations of
      cyclosporin were measured using a non-specific (N) radioimmunoassay (RIA) and--in
      a majority of the cases--also by a RIA specific (S) for the parent drug. No
      difference in cyclosporin absorption was observed between patients with PBC and
      those with a skin disease. The mean values for the area under the blood
      concentration-time curve for the first 6 h after the test dose (AUC0-6) and the
      maximal blood concentrations (Cmax) were significantly higher for Group I
      compared with Group II patients (P = 0.007 and 0.03, respectively), but the time
      to maximal blood concentrations (tc,max) did not differ. There was a trend toward
      higher mean AUC0-6 (P = 0.08) and Cmax (P = 0.08) values for Group III compared
      with Group I patients. Tc,max values were not influenced by prolonged cyclosporin
      treatment. The ratio of cyclosporin whole blood concentrations measured by the
      non-specific and specific RIA's (N/S ratio) increased with time without obvious
      differences between the three groups. These data suggest that cyclosporin
      absorption and its biotransformation in the liver are not impaired in patients
      with non-end stage PBC and that neither is affected by prolonged treatment.

PMID- 1420739
TI  - Omeprazole versus famotidine in the short-term treatment of duodenal ulcer
      disease.
AB  - The efficacy and safety of omeprazole, in 241 patients with active recurrent
      duodenal ulcer from 21 Italian centres, was studied in a multicentre double-blind
      randomized trial comparing 20 mg omeprazole o.m. or 40 mg famotidine nocte with
      endoscopic examination, symptom recording, laboratory screening and gastrin
      assay. In a per protocol analysis, the duodenal ulcer healing rates for
      omeprazole and famotidine, documented by endoscopy, were 62% (68/109) and 33%
      (39/117) after 2 weeks of treatment (P less than 0.001), 92% (96/104) and 80%
      (86/108) cumulative after 4 weeks (P less than 0.05), and 99% (102/103) and 92%
      (96/104) after 6 weeks (P less than 0.05), respectively. The results of this
      trial demonstrate that 20 mg omeprazole o.m. is superior to 40 mg famotidine
      nocte in duodenal ulcer healing.

PMID- 1420740
TI  - Influence of the timing of administration of 300 mg ranitidine on 24-hour gastric
      pH in patients acute duodenal ulcer.
AB  - The 24-hour intragastric pH of 12 patients with an acute duodenal ulcer was
      recorded with the aim of comparing the effects of two different times of
      administration of 300 mg ranitidine: post evening meal, or bedtime. This double
      blind crossover trial involved 3 centres. Twenty-four-hour gastric pH was
      measured under standard conditions (meals, time schedule) at the middle of each
      14-day treatment period. The analysis was performed on the percentage of times
      spent at pH levels below 1.5, 2, 3 and 4 for different periods and for the total
      24 hours. During the whole day and night combined, as well as during the
      afternoon (12.00 hours-19.00 hours), there was no difference between the 2
      regimens regardless of the pH profile studied. During the morning (07.30 hours
      12.00 hours), the time spent below pH 1.5 and 2 was less when the drug was taken
      at bedtime (P less than 0.05). In contrast, during the whole night (19.00 hours
      07.30 hours) the percentage of time spent below pH 1.5, 2 and 3 was significantly
      less when the drug was taken at post evening meal (P less than 0.05). These
      results show that in patients with acute duodenal ulcer, 300 mg ranitidine
      administered at the end of the evening meal provides better control of nocturnal
      acidity than administration at bedtime and hence is suggested for optimization of
      therapeutic efficacy.

PMID- 1420741
TI  - Treatment of Crohn's disease with fusidic acid: an antibiotic with
      immunosuppressive properties similar to cyclosporin.
AB  - Fusidic acid is an antibiotic with T-cell specific immunosuppressive effects
      similar to those of cyclosporin. Because of the need for the development of new
      treatments for Crohn's disease, a pilot study was undertaken to estimate the
      pharmacodynamics and tolerability of fusidic acid treatment in chronic active,
      therapy-resistant patients. Eight Crohn's disease patients were included. Fusidic
      acid was administered orally in a dose of 500 mg t.d.s. and the treatment was
      planned to last 8 weeks. The disease activity was primarily measured by a
      modified individual grading score. Five of 8 patients (63%) improved during
      fusidic acid treatment: 3 at two weeks and 2 after four weeks. There were no
      serious clinical side effects, but dose reduction was required in two patients
      because of nausea. Biochemically, an increase in alkaline phosphatases was noted
      in 5 of 8 cases (63%), and the greatest increases were seen in those who had
      elevated levels prior to treatment. All reversed to pre-treatment levels after
      cessation of treatment. The results of this pilot study suggest that fusidic acid
      may be of benefit in selected chronic active Crohn's disease patients in whom
      conventional treatment is ineffective. Because there seems to exist a scientific
      rationale for the use of fusidic acid at the cytokine level in inflammatory bowel
      disease, we suggest that the role of this treatment should be further
      investigated.

PMID- 1420742
TI  - Short report: cefprozil for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection.
AB  - Helicobacter pylori infection has proven to be extraordinarily difficult to
      eradicate. Antimicrobial monotherapies have been particularly disappointing, with
      most eradication rates in the range of 0 to 15%. We evaluated cefprozil (250 mg
      q.d.s. for 14 days) in 12 H. pylori-infected subjects. The 13C-urea breath test
      was used to evaluate effectiveness of therapy. Eradication was defined as a
      negative urea breath test 4 to 6 weeks after the end of treatment. Suppression of
      H. pylori was demonstrated in 4 of 12 (33%) by a negative urea breath test two
      days after start of treatment. H. pylori infection was not eradicated in any
      subject (0%). Adverse events were intermittent and mild. Cefprozil does not
      appear to offer promise as monotherapy for the eradication of H. pylori.

PMID- 1420743
TI  - Short report: comparison of the effects of sublingual nifedipine and isosorbide
      dinitrate on oesophageal emptying in patients with Chagasic achalasia.
AB  - The effects of sublingual nifedipine and isosorbide dinitrate on oesophageal
      emptying were compared in 11 patients with Chagasic achalasia. The oesophageal
      emptying of a radiolabelled test meal was assessed three times in each patient by
      a scintigraphic technique. No treatment preceded one of the studies (basal
      study). Nifedipine (20 mg) by the sublingual route 30 min before the meal,
      preceded one study. Isosorbide dinitrate, 5 mg by the sublingual route 5 min
      before the meal, preceded the third study. The order of the studies was allocated
      randomly for each patient. Oesophageal retention at the completion of the meal
      was significantly less (P less than 0.01) after isosorbide dinitrate (median:
      54%, range: 5-87%) than after sublingual nifedipine (median: 78%, range: 7-99%)
      or after the control study (median: 83%, range: 5-100%). This difference
      persisted up to 20 min after the meal. Values measured in the control study and
      after sublingual nifedipine were not different (P greater than 0.10). These
      results show that isosorbide dinitrate, but not sublingual nifedipine, enhances
      oesophageal emptying in Chagasic achalasia.

PMID- 1420744
TI  - Short report: comparison of two orally administered bowel preparations for
      colonoscopy--polyethylene glycol and sodium picosulphate.
AB  - Fifty-nine consecutive patients admitted for colonoscopy were randomized to
      receive polyethylene glycol or sodium picosulphate. Patients expressed their
      opinion in a questionnaire and the endoscopists, blinded to the preparation,
      assessed the cleanliness of different segments of the colon. There was no
      statistically significant difference in the taste-acceptability of the
      preparations, frequency of nausea, abdominal pain, peri-anal soreness or sleep
      disturbance between the two groups. Polyethylene glycol caused vomiting in 13% of
      patients while this was absent in those who received sodium picosulphate (P less
      than 0.05). The average number of stools passed was 12.4 in the polyethylene
      glycol and 8.6 in the sodium picosulphate groups; mean difference 3.8 (95% C.I.
      0.7-6.9) with P less than 0.02. The overall cleanliness of the colon was better
      in the polyethylene glycol group (P = 0.002) as judged by the blinded
      colonoscopist. There was less delay (P = 0.06) and more completed colonoscopies
      (P = 0.01) in this group. Polyethylene glycol was a better preparation in all
      segments of the colon except the rectum. We conclude that polyethylene glycol is
      the choice of the colonoscopist and should be given to all patients; sodium
      picosulphate would be a good alternative if patients are intolerant. If a limited
      colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy is intended, sodium picosulphate may be
      preferred because of its acceptable efficacy and slightly advantageous side
      effect profile.

PMID- 1420745
TI  - Review article: the pathophysiology and pharmacological treatment of portal
      hypertension.
AB  - The pathogenesis of portal hypertension remains poorly understood. Similarly,
      pharmacological manipulation for the prevention and treatment of variceal
      haemorrhage has not fulfilled the promise of the 1980s. This article reviews
      current concepts in the pathophysiology of portal hypertension and considers
      pharmacotherapy for the treatment of variceal bleeding.

PMID- 1420746
TI  - Review article: the treatment of alcoholic liver disease.
AB  - Over the past 20 years we have moved from a situation in which we had no therapy
      for alcoholic liver disease, through a period when any therapy we had was purely
      empirical, to an era where we have specific therapies for different aspects of
      this disease based upon sound pathogenic principles. In this short review, an
      attempt has been made to summarize these advances in the understanding of the
      pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease. In particular, they explain why patients
      with severe acute alcoholic hepatitis continue to deteriorate in hospital despite
      withdrawal from alcohol, why they respond to corticosteroids, why only a small
      percentage of patients develop cirrhosis, and why propylthiouracil may offer
      protection.

PMID- 1420747
TI  - Comparison between a standard pancreatic supplement and a high enzyme preparation
      in cystic fibrosis.
AB  - This study compared the relative effectiveness of a standard pancreatic enzyme
      supplement ('Creon', Duphar) and a new preparation ('Pancrease HL', Cilag)
      containing about 3 times the lipase and more than 5 times the protease activity.
      Capsule dosage was adjusted to a ratio of approximately 3:1. Fat balances showed
      that absorption of fat did not change significantly on conversion to the new high
      lipase product, and the coefficient of absorption of total energy was similarly
      maintained. The coefficient of protein absorption was significantly enhanced with
      the high enzyme preparation (P less than 0.01), which may explain the reported
      subjective improvement in stool odour. No adverse effects were recorded. Patient
      acceptability of the new compound was high; the great reduction in the number of
      capsules required at each meal was cited by all patients as the reason for their
      preference.

PMID- 1420748
TI  - Omeprazole in the long-term treatment of severe gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
      in patients with systemic sclerosis.
AB  - Twenty-five patients with systemic sclerosis and severe gastro-oesophageal reflux
      disease were treated with 20-80 mg omeprazole daily for up to 5 years. Efficacy
      of treatment was assessed by symptom score, by endoscopic and histopathological
      surveillance of the oesophageal and gastric mucosa, and by laboratory screening
      including serum gastrin concentration. Statistically significant relief of
      symptoms and healing of oesophagitis confirmed the efficacy of this treatment.
      However, complete healing of oesophagitis was not achieved in half of the
      patients due to residual gastro-oesophageal acid reflux. Repeated adjustments of
      the maintenance dose of omeprazole may be needed for this group of patients. From
      the safety point-of-view, nothing was observed to discourage the long-term use of
      omeprazole in this group of patients.

PMID- 1420749
TI  - A comparison of gastro-oesophageal reflux in volunteers assessed by ambulatory pH
      and gamma monitoring after treatment with either Liquid Gaviscon or Algicon
      Suspension.
AB  - This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of single doses of either
      Liquid Gaviscon or Algicon Suspension in the suppression of food and acid reflux
      into the oesophagus after a test meal in volunteers. After the pH electrode and
      gamma detector were positioned 5 cm above the cardia, the volunteers received a
      refluxogenic radiolabelled meal. The subjects then remained untreated, or thirty
      minutes later they were given a dose of unlabelled Algicon Suspension, or Liquid
      Gaviscon and a recording was made for a minimum of 3 hours. Allocation to the
      treatment group was randomized with the cross-overs performed 1 week apart.
      Liquid Gaviscon suppressed gastro-oesophageal reflux of both food and acid
      whereas only an insignificant reduction in reflux was seen after Algicon
      Suspension. The oesophageal pH remained below 4 for 3.21 +/- 0.92% (S.E.M.) of
      the recording period in the control study, 0.88 +/- 0.33 after Gaviscon and 2.91
      +/- 0.68 after Algicon. The reflux of food was reduced from 17,070 x 10(3) +/-
      4713 x 10(3) counts in the control study to 224 x 10(3) +/- 93 x 10(3) counts
      after the Gaviscon and 16,080 x 10(3) +/- 7131 x 10(3) counts after Algicon. The
      suppression of reflux by Liquid Gaviscon was significantly better than that
      produced by Algicon Suspension.

PMID- 1420750
TI  - Oral or intravenous erythromycin has no effect on human distal colonic motility.
AB  - Erythromycin is a prokinetic agent for the lower oesophageal sphincter, the
      stomach, the gallbladder and the small bowel, acting directly on motilin
      receptors. Its effect on pressure activity of the human colon has not been
      investigated. Eight healthy volunteers were studied on 2 occasions and given
      intravenous or oral erythromycin, or placebo in a single-blind, randomized
      crossover study. Sigmoid pressure activity was measured using a 4-lumen water
      perfused system placed sigmoidoscopically at 50, 45, 30 and 15 cm from the anal
      verge. The pressures were analysed for activity index (mmHg.min) for the 35 cm
      colonic study segment using dedicated software. No significant difference was
      found in the activity index following oral erythromycin (500 mg) or placebo, or
      following intravenous erythromycin 1.8 mg/kg or placebo. A further 8 subjects
      were studied in a single-blind crossover study to determine the effect of oral
      erythromycin (500 mg) b.d. on colonic transit, measured with radio-opaque markers
      and a single abdominal X-ray. Mean or segmental colonic transit times were not
      statistically significantly different (Student's paired t-test) in the subjects
      on placebo or erythromycin. This lack of effect of erythromycin on the distal
      large intestine may indicate the absence of receptors for motilin in that part of
      the gut.

PMID- 1420751
TI  - Ranitidine for erosive oesophagitis: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
      Glaxo Erosive Esophagitis Study Group.
AB  - A multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted
      to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ranitidine 150 mg and 300 mg in 342
      patients with erosive oesophagitis. Treatment was given four times daily, and
      continued for 12 weeks or until healing (that is, normal or only erythematous
      mucosa). Erosive oesophagitis healing rates, as determined by endoscopy, were
      significantly greater in ranitidine-treated patients by 4 weeks compared with
      those of placebo-treated patients. By 12 weeks, erosive oesophagitis healing
      rates were 83 and 81% for ranitidine-treated patients (150 and 300 mg,
      respectively) and 58% for placebo-treated patients (P less than or equal to
      0.001, ranitidine vs. placebo). Symptomatic relief was achieved within 24 hours
      after starting either dosage of ranitidine. Heartburn frequency (P less than
      0.001) and severity (P less than 0.001), as well as antacid consumed per week (P
      less than 0.001), were reduced in both ranitidine groups in comparison with
      placebo. Healing rates and symptom relief were similar in the two ranitidine
      groups. Both dosages of ranitidine were well tolerated. Ranitidine (150 mg) given
      four times daily appears to be as effective as 300 mg ranitidine given four times
      daily in patients with moderate to severe oesophageal erosions.

PMID- 1420752
TI  - The effect of combined therapy with ranitidine and pirenzepine in the treatment
      of reflux oesophagitis.
AB  - The combination of a histamine H2-receptor antagonist and a muscarinic receptor
      antagonist has been reported to result in greater suppression of intragastric
      acidity than either agent alone. The present randomized, double-blind,
      multicentre trial compared the effects of the oral combination of 150 mg
      ranitidine b.d. plus 50 mg pirenzepine b.d. with 150 mg ranitidine b.d. plus
      placebo pirenzepine b.d. in the treatment of patients with reflux oesophagitis.
      All 157 patients had symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux with endoscopically
      confirmed oesophageal erosions (Savary and Miller grades I-III). After four weeks
      of treatment, healing rates were 32/75 (43%) in the combined treatment group and
      34/76 (45%) in the group receiving ranitidine alone. After eight weeks, the
      cumulative healing rates had increased to 48/72 (67%) and 51/75 (68%),
      respectively. More patients receiving ranitidine plus pirenzepine had complete
      relief of day- and night-time heartburn after four weeks compared with those
      receiving ranitidine alone (day: 59% vs. 38%, P = 0.02; night: 69% vs. 52%, P =
      0.04). After eight weeks, symptom relief was comparable in both groups. Clinical
      adverse effects were reported by nine patients receiving ranitidine and by 19
      patients receiving the combination. It is concluded that combining ranitidine
      with pirenzepine does not aid the healing of reflux oesophagitis but does improve
      symptom relief at four weeks.

PMID- 1420753
TI  - Nine years of maintenance treatment with ranitidine for patients with duodenal
      ulcer disease.
AB  - Four hundred and sixty-four patients with duodenal ulcer disease received
      continuous maintenance treatment with ranitidine for up to 9 years. Treatment
      failure was defined as either the first symptomatic recurrence of ulcer or the
      first ulcer recurrence accompanied by haemorrhage. Life tables were constructed
      using the Kaplan-Meier product-limit method; comparisons of survival curves were
      performed using the log-rank test; and multivariate analysis was carried out
      using the Cox proportional hazards model. Results. The proportion of patients
      remaining free from symptomatic recurrence of ulcer during maintenance treatment
      with either 150 mg/day or 300 mg/day ranitidine was: 95% at 1 year; 88% at 3
      years; 86% at 5 years; and 81% at 7 and 9 years (95% C.I. 76-86%). Young age and
      the absence of exposure to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) at the
      time of diagnosis of ulcer were shown to increase the likelihood of developing
      ulcer recurrence. The rate of ulcer recurrence after 9 years of maintenance
      treatment (17%) was significantly less than that after 5 years without active
      anti-ulcer therapy (80%), P = 0.0001. The proportion of patients who remained
      free from ulcer haemorrhage during maintenance treatment was: 99.1% at 1 year and
      98.1% at 5 and 9 years (95% C.I. 96.7-99.6%). The risk of haemorrhage was
      significantly greater in patients who were not receiving active treatment (12.4%
      at 5 years) than in patients receiving maintenance treatment (less than 2% at 9
      years), P = 0.0001 (log-rank test). Patients who had originally presented with
      haemorrhage had an increased risk of further ulcer bleeding compared with
      patients who presented with pain (P = 0.0013). A significantly greater proportion
      of patients with NSAID-associated duodenal ulcers remained free from ulcer
      recurrence during maintenance treatment compared with patients suffering from
      'idiopathic' ulcers (P = 0.0238), although there was no difference between the
      two groups in respect of haemorrhage during maintenance treatment. Conclusions.
      (a) Continuous maintenance treatment with ranitidine for up to nine years
      successfully prevents ulcer recurrence in more than 80% of patients with duodenal
      ulcer disease. (b) Young age increases the risk of ulcer recurrence during
      maintenance treatment with ranitidine. Ulcers associated with NSAID-intake at the
      time of diagnosis have a lesser risk of recurrence during maintenance treatment.
      (c) The risk of haemorrhage in patients with ulcer disease receiving maintenance
      treatment with ranitidine for nine years was less than 2% compared with greater
      than 12% in untreated patients observed for 5 years.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400
      WORDS)

PMID- 1420754
TI  - Short report: comparison of two doses of balsalazide in maintaining ulcerative
      colitis in remission over 12 months.
AB  - In a four-centre prospective double-blind trial, 108 patients with ulcerative
      colitis in remission were randomized to receive balsalazide in doses of 3 g or 6
      g/day for 12 months. The patients were assessed at 3-monthly intervals
      clinically, sigmoidoscopically and with routine haematology and biochemistry.
      Remission rates of 77% (3 g/day) and 68% (6 g/day) at 12 months were not
      significantly different. Intolerance reactions leading to withdrawal from the
      study occurred in only 9 patients (8%), all occurring in the first 7 weeks of the
      study. Balsalazide is therefore both highly effective in maintaining remission in
      ulcerative colitis and well tolerated in both conventional and high dosage (the
      latter equivalent to 5.5 g/day of sulphasalazine). In this study no distinct
      advantage in maintenance of remission has been found for the higher dose of
      balsalazide.

PMID- 1420755
TI  - Gastrointestinal side-effects of NSAIDS.

PMID- 1420756
TI  - [Perspectives of immunosuppressive treatment for the prevention of diabetes
      mellitus type I].

PMID- 1420757
TI  - [Infectious endocarditis in parenteral drug addicts: study of 57 cases].
AB  - We present 57 cases of infectious endocarditis (IE) in 51 parenterally drug
      addicts (PDA) admitted at the Internal Medicine Service of the Hospital Clinico
      of Valencia between January ist, 1988 and January 15th, 1992. The disease
      affected young patients, 84% of them being HIV-1+ and 86% presenting CD4+
      lymphocytes lower than 200 cells/mm3. Fever was the most constant symptom, with
      radiological disorders and presence of vegetations by echocardiogram in 65% and
      53% of episodes, respectively, and affectation of the tricuspid valve in 59% of
      patients. The diagnosis of endocarditis was definitive in 51% of cases, possible
      in 15% and probable in 22%, being cardiac failure the most severe complication,
      present in 23% of episodes. The detection of significant valve regurgitation in
      patients with IE and without developing cardiac failure is not predictive of
      future complications, nor its absence identifies patients with a favourable
      prognosis. Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated germ (48%),
      being methicillin-resistant in 15% of cases and with a slower response to the
      treatment with vancomycin than the methicillin-sensitive. Five patients died, all
      of them with CD4+ lower than 50 cells/mm3, which may have a predictive value in
      the follow-up of these patients.

PMID- 1420758
TI  - [Epidemiology of obesity among the adult population of Catalonia].
AB  - Several epidemiological studies have shown that obesity is related to the
      mortality from cardiovascular disease. In this study, the epidemiology of obesity
      and the correlation between body mass index and other cardiovascular risk factors
      was studied in a representative sample of the adult population of Catalonia. It
      was obtained a random sample (n = 704) of the adult population of Catalonia aged
      15 or more years. Height and weight were measured and body mass index (BMI) was
      calculated (height in Kg/weight2 in m2). Obesity was defined as a BMI greater
      than 30, and overweight as a BMI from 25 to 30. In the first 314 participants, it
      was determined the concentration of total cholesterol, cholesterol-HDL and
      triglyceride, and it was measured the blood pressure. The correlation between BMI
      and other cardiovascular risk factors was analysed. The study was carried out in
      1989. The mean of BMI increased with age in both sexes. BMI was significantly
      higher in men (26 kg/m2) than women (25 kg/m2). The prevalence of obesity was of
      12% in both men and women, and the prevalence of overweight was of 48.5% in men
      and 38% in women. The prevalence of arterial hypertension, hypercholesterolemia
      and diabetes was greater individuals with obesity, with differences statistically
      significant for hypertension (odds ratio of 3.26). The multiple logistic
      regression analysis showed that the association between obesity and hypertension
      was not statistically significant (OR adj. = 2.09), when the effect of the other
      risk factors, the age and sex were controlled.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420759
TI  - [Comparative study of von Willebrand factor in patients with temporal arteritis].
AB  - Giant cell arteritis, temporal arteritis (TA), is a vasculitis which affects
      large and medium-sized vessels. The von Willebrand factor (vWF) is synthesized by
      endothelial cells and megakaryocytes. Increased amounts of vWF are released into
      plasma in response to an endothelial damage. vWF levels were studied by Electro
      Immunodiffusion in 16 patients with TA (8 of them with a positive biopsy) and
      their values were compared with 5 patients with Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) and
      32 controls. We found higher amount of vWF in global TA, biopsy-positive TA,
      biopsy-negative TA, and PMR than in controls. There were no relationship between
      vWF amounts in plasma and clinical findings nor the laboratory parameters. We
      feel that although in our study vWF might be of some help as an alternative to
      the biopsy in those patients with high suspicion of TA, the results of other
      authors raise doubt about the usefulness of the determination of vWF in TA.

PMID- 1420760
TI  - [Dual photon absorptiometry in algodystrophy].
AB  - Biphotonic absorptiometry has begun to demonstrate its usefulness in the field of
      osteoporosis. In algodystrophy, the radiology and the degree of isotopic fixation
      suggest a bone disorder, although both techniques are unable to objectively
      quantify it. Biphotonic absorption is an scanning technique which allows the
      quantification of bone demineralization in the segment affected by algodystrophy
      and its evolutive follow-up.

PMID- 1420761
TI  - [Hepatic cirrhosis and alpha 1-antitrypsin deficit: a family study].
AB  - Hepatic cirrhosis secondary to deficit of alpha-1 antitrypsin is an entity rarely
      observed among the adult population. We describe the clinical and histological
      characteristics of a patient with PiZZ phenotype, affected by an hepatic
      cirrhosis of this etiology, as well as the analytical and phenotypical study of
      his close relatives, all of which presented a type-Z mutation.

PMID- 1420762
TI  - [Bardet-Biedl syndrome: subclinical renal disorders in 2 siblings].
AB  - Two siblings with Bardet-Biedl's syndrome are studied, in whom renal structural
      and functional disorders were observed, with reduction in the ability to
      concentrate urine in both cases and decrease of creatinine clearance in the
      second case. The study of the hypophyseal function was normal.

PMID- 1420763
TI  - [Fahr's disease and hypocalcemic syndromes. Presentation of a clinical case].
AB  - A clinical case of a man with calcification of basal ganglions (CBG) is
      presented. The first manifestations of this syndrome were loss of consciousness
      and convulsions. The potential causes of his hypocalcemia, Fahr's syndrome,
      myocardiopathy of hypoparathyroidism and hypocalcemia are reviewed and a study
      oriented to autoimmune polyendocrinopathy is performed.

PMID- 1420764
TI  - [Hepatic hemangiomas and rheumatoid arthritis in patients treated with
      azathioprine].
AB  - Two clinical cases of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and poor response
      to conventional treatment are described. Patients received immunosuppressor
      treatment with azathioprine (AZA) and developed hepatic hemangiomas without
      detectable hepatic pathology previous to the treatment with AZA. The hepatic
      iatrogenesis of AZA is discussed, as well as the etiopathogenic hypothesis
      regarding hepatic hemangioma.

PMID- 1420765
TI  - [Clinical syndromes in HIV infection (part 2)].
AB  - The spectrum of clinical manifestations associated to HIV infection is very
      broad. In addition to processes that may be attributed to the virus itself,
      multiple opportunistic infections can develop while the immunodeficiency
      develops. Any organ or system of the organism may be affected by these processes.
      The main clinical syndromes in AIDS and the differential diagnosis of their
      potential etiologies are reviewed.

PMID- 1420766
TI  - [Clinical and diagnostic characteristics of Aeromonas strains].
AB  - We studied the taxonomic, clinic, microbiological diagnostic and therapeutic
      characteristics of Aeromonas strains. Eleven geno-species have been isolated in
      human. They can be enterotoxigenic or enteroinvasive. These bacteria can be
      easily confused with other Gram negative bacilli (the Aeromonas are oxidase
      positive). They produce diarrhea but can only colonizer. In others localizations
      they are always diagnostic. Their detection in stools can be realized with the
      blood agar plus ampicillin or cefsulodin-novobiocin-irgasan agar. The treatment
      of extraintestinal infection is similar to the Gram negative infections. The
      Aeromonas are resistant to erythromycin, streptomycin and first generation
      cephalosporin. The beta-lactamic antimicrobials aren't the election treatment
      because the are positive beta lactamase. The diarrhea in children and
      immunocompromised or chronic patients will be treated with cotrimoxazole or
      fluorquinole.

PMID- 1420767
TI  - [Screening in primary health care. Presentation of a case of familial
      hemochromatosis].

PMID- 1420768
TI  - [Late hydrothorax due to parenteral nutrition].

PMID- 1420769
TI  - [Cyclosporine-verapamil interaction].

PMID- 1420770
TI  - [Cutaneous metastasis of pulmonary epidermoid carcinoma].

PMID- 1420771
TI  - [Physical exercise in family and community medicine].

PMID- 1420772
TI  - [The introduction of a new specialty program].

PMID- 1420773
TI  - [Maternal attitude to breast feeding and difficulties in the immediate
      puerperium].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the attitudes of women who have just given birth
      towards breast feeding according to their social class and level of education, as
      well as the problems arising during their stay in hospital, and the possible
      repercussions the latter might have. DESIGN: Transversal descriptive study, based
      on random sampling. SITE. The Maternity Unit of the "Marques de Valdecilla"
      University Hospital, Santander. PARTICIPANTS: 100 mothers of newborn babies
      chosen at random amongst those who had given birth vaginally to normal babies
      after a nine months pregnancy. RESULTS: The results from the questionnaire show
      that: 35% derived their information on breast feeding from magazines, 25% from
      the psychoprophylactic obstetrician (PPO), 28% had no information. 60% of the
      sample took the decision to breast-feed before pregnancy, 21% during the
      pregnancy, and 6% after the birth. 78% of the children were fully documented at
      the hospital on: first time at the breast, frequency of feeds, glucose solution
      supplement. 60% of the mothers evidenced problems with their breasts. On leaving
      hospital, 83% were breast feeding. CONCLUSIONS: To continue promoting breast
      feeding and helping mothers not to have so many problems at the beginning, we
      should use primary health attention, PPO courses and prenatal education as
      platforms for action, emphasising the importance of preventive care of the breast
      and breast-feeding technique. Hospitals should incorporate the international
      recommendations on initial lactation, with subsequent reinforcement during home
      visits and health centre appointments.

PMID- 1420774
TI  - [Major and minor changes in the electrocardiogram of the hypertensive patient].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of electrocardiograph
      deviation in such hypertensive patients. DESIGN: Retrospective descriptive study
      of a representative sample of patients with high blood pressure. SITE. Primary
      attention centre. PATIENTS: The sample consists of 352 patients, systematically
      random selected from a pool of 1780 patients suffering from hypertension, aged
      over 14 years, attending the centre (119 males (34%) and 233 females (66%).
      Average age 59.4 +/- 13.5 years). MAIN MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The first ECG
      reading after diagnosis of hypertension was analysed and codified according to
      the pooling project criteria. 38.9% present electrocardiograph deviations, the
      most frequent being minor wave 1 (12%), significant breaking up of the ST (9%)
      and left ventricular hypertrophy (5.1%), the latter more frequent in women (p =
      0.03). Age, systolic arterial blood pressure and the time the condition had been
      in existence, certain associated chronic diseases, and use of pharmaceutical
      drugs acting cardiovascularly, are positively related to the deviation in ECG (p
      < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The value of ECG in the treatment of high blood pressure
      sufferers is indicated.

PMID- 1420776
TI  - [The appropriateness of emergency referrals sent from primary care to a general
      hospital].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Study of the degree of completeness of slips sent to forward patients
      from primary medical care to emergency units of the corresponding general
      hospital. DESIGN: This is a statistical descriptive and inferential study. SITE.
      The study was carried out in the general hospital allocated to Zaragoza Health
      Area III. PATIENTS: Included in the study are all patients sent by primary
      medical care for evaluation by the urgency unit in the internal medicine section.
      MAIN MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: 415 urgent treatment slips were analysed,
      evaluating the completion rate and the degree of correctness in relation to their
      source as either rural or urban. With regards the degree of completion (clinical
      history, antecedents, examination) and correct functioning at the visit to family
      doctor stage, there are highly significant differences between those sent from
      all other such centres (p less than 0.01). Only in the case of 8 slips were
      physical examinations completed for the presenting ailment: 7 came from urban
      health centres and 1 from rural health centres. Diagnostic impressions and
      observations were absent from 62.2% of the slips. CONCLUSIONS: While overall
      there is no difference between those sent from rural and urban centres, there
      were differences when those sent from urban health centres were compared with
      those sent by all other health centres.

PMID- 1420775
TI  - [Mental disorders and the utilization of the general medicine consultation].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the quantitative relationship that exists between mental
      problems and use of the general medical practitioner, and the association between
      such problems, increased use of the medical services, and morbidity and socio
      demographic variables. DESIGN: Observational cross-section study. SITE. A primary
      care team's general medical consultations. PATIENTS: Patients aged over 15,
      attending the consultations. A sample of 310 patients was selected using
      systematic sampling. INTERVENTIONS: The Mental Health GHQ, 28 items questionnaire
      was administered to the patients, to detect the existence of significant mental
      health disorders. MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS: Amongst older patients there is a
      greater incidence of mental illness, statistically significant at p less than
      0.01. Also significant at p < 0.01 were the greater number of visits to the
      doctor amongst patients previously diagnosed as having mental disorders, amongst
      the elderly, those patients included in health programmes and those who showed
      greater take-up of supplementary explorations and interim consultations.
      CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate an association between mental illness and
      greater number of visits to the general practitioner, leading to the hypothesis
      that a considerable number of such visits could be attributed to mental illness.
      There is no doubt that it is important to integrate the mental health services
      into primary care practice.

PMID- 1420777
TI  - [The approach to the etiological diagnosis of hyperlipemias in primary care].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To perform etiological diagnosis of hyperlipidemia (HL) brought to
      light in family medical (general practice) consultations. DESIGN: Retrospective
      descriptive study. SITE. A basic health zone (ZBS). PATIENTS: 231 patients
      diagnosed as having HL by their doctors. MAIN MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Lipidic
      levels (average figures): total cholesterol (CT): 280; C-LDL: 201; C-HDL: 49 and
      triglycerides (TGL): 198. Distribution by phenotypes: IIa: 178 patients, IIb: 42,
      IV:5, with 6 doubtful cases. Distribution according to etiological diagnosis: 79%
      primary HL (83% polygenic and 17% family) 15% secondary HL, with 6% having both
      types in association. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis of HL in the visits to the family
      doctor reveals probability-predictable patterns based, above all, on the the
      overall assessment made by the doctor of his/her patient. The survey and the
      family study are very limited in our circles. The predominating type of HL is
      primary polygenic where prescribing of special diets will be sufficient in most
      cases.

PMID- 1420778
TI  - [Hyperuricemia and gout].

PMID- 1420779
TI  - [The classification, diagnosis and control of asthma].

PMID- 1420780
TI  - [The family and advanced cancer].

PMID- 1420781
TI  - [A method of identifying problems and of detecting diagnostic deficiencies by
      using the primary care center information system].

PMID- 1420782
TI  - [The knowledge and consumption of drugs by 7th-grade schoolchildren of].

PMID- 1420783
TI  - [The prioritization of health problems by the community: a very educational
      experience].

PMID- 1420784
TI  - [Acute hepatitis: an adverse reaction to fenofibrate treatment].

PMID- 1420785
TI  - [A case of taeniasis in primary care].

PMID- 1420786
TI  - [A descriptive study of hypercholesterolemia in a population assigned to a family
      physician].

PMID- 1420787
TI  - [Family medicine in the new Europe].

PMID- 1420788
TI  - [Primary care reform and consumer satisfaction].

PMID- 1420789
TI  - [Follow-up of the quality of drug prescriptions: the Primary Care Center of Badia
      City (1986-1990)].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the variation in the quality of prescription of medicines
      in Primary Attention Centre in two different periods, 1986 and 1990. DESIGN:
      Longitudinal, retrospective study with direct intervention. SITE. Primary
      Attention Centre, Ciudad Badia. PARTICIPANTS: 1986: 9 general practitioners in
      medicine (GPs) and 7 pediatricians. 1990: 9 Gps, 7 pediatricians, and 7
      residential doctors (MFC based) who were not included in the earlier evaluation.
      INTERVENTION: Once the 1986 prescriptions had been analysed qualitatively, the
      results were made available to and discussed with the doctors who made out the
      prescriptions (passive feedback). As ongoing intervention the periodic clinical
      sessions should be considered. MAIN MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Increase in the
      substances included in Index/Guide: MG 6.5% and P 13% (p < 0.00001). Increase in
      the number of substances with an active principle and in the combinations
      accepted: MG 2.3% and P 9% (p < 0.00001). Increase in the percentage of
      specialties with high V1: MG 1% (p = 0.12) and P 10% (p < 0.00001). CONCLUSIONS:
      There has been an increase in the quality of medical prescriptions according to
      the indicators analysed. There are other external factors that effect
      prescriptions that are difficult to measure. This type of study allows one to
      pinpoint the excessive or wrong use of intrinsically not very valuable sub-groups
      of therapeutic substances, and will serve as a base for indication-prescription
      studies.

PMID- 1420790
TI  - [Effect of post-natal visit on the involvement in the activities of the mother
      child program].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Ascertain what effect post-natal visits have on recruiting
      involvement in the mother and child programme of activities. Identify the profile
      of mothers and children with little involvement in these activities. Ascertain
      how suitable the register is. DESIGN: Study of cohorts of previous years. The
      term exposed cohort refers to mothers who received the postnatal visit in 1989,
      and non-exposed cohort to those who did not receive one. SITE. Health Centres in
      Almanjayar and Cartuja. Primary Attention. Evaluation of the services offered.
      PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: The sample consisted of the 166 women whose
      pregnancy we monitored from the Centre, and who gave birth between January and
      December 1989. MAIN MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The most indicative results show
      that the group that received the post-natal visit tended to attend the healthy
      child clinic, family planning and metabolism testing services, with greater
      frequency, and to breast feed longer. The differences are only significant (p =
      0.004) in the case of family planning. CONCLUSIONS: We positively evaluate the
      post-natal visit because of its contribution to the early detection of the
      problems of mother and child, and to recruitment into Family Planning. And
      because the examining risk has meant that factors associated with reduced
      coverage by the services (ethnicity, educational level, mother's age) did not act
      as such in our study.

PMID- 1420791
TI  - [Effect of the physician's and the patient's sex on the clinical interview].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyse differences attributable to the sex of the doctor and of
      the patient in the activities and content of the clinic appointment in Primary
      Attention. DESIGN: Analysis of interaction, in terms of activities and content,
      in 157 clinic appointments. SITE. General medical consultations in four Primary
      Attention Public Health Centres. PATIENTS: Those who used the health services on
      the day of the study. INTERVENTION: Tape recording of the appointments. MAIN
      MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The interviews were recorded. There were shown to be
      differences according to the sex of the doctor and of the patient in terms of the
      development and content of the interviews. The style of the woman doctor involved
      longer interviews with greater social content; in general sameness of sex (doctor
      and patient) led to greater mutual complementation in the interviews.
      CONCLUSIONS: It has been shown that there are differences in the activities and
      content of the clinic appointments in Primary Attention which depend on the sex
      of the patient and doctor.

PMID- 1420793
TI  - [Spontaneous hematoma of the rectal muscles as a cause of abdominal pain with
      palpable mass].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To carry out a review of hematoma in the abdominal wall: etiology,
      triggering factors, diagnosis and treatment. To consider differential diagnosis
      with other causes of acute abdominal pain with palpable mass. DESIGN: Based on
      two clinical observations. SITE. Iscar Health Centre, Valladolid. PATIENTS: Two
      patients who presented themselves at Casualty complaining of acute abdominal pain
      and with palpable abdominal mass (lump). MAIN MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The
      anamnesis and physical exploration provided the tentative diagnosis, and they
      were sent to the Hospital centre in question. The analyses, X-rays and abdominal
      scans were not conclusive and an abdominal laparotomy was carried out which
      confirmed the diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous haematoma in the abdominal wall
      is a cause of acute abdominal pain which is encountered most frequently in women
      receiving anticoagulant treatment or in situations that increase abdominal
      muscular tension (coughing, pregnancy, constipation, previous laparotomies and
      intraabdominal injections). Confirmation of initial diagnosis is obtained,
      normally, using sonic scanners, or abdominal TAC, but on occasions findings are
      not conclusive, and are submitted to abdominal laparotomy. The treatment is
      conservative except with hemodynamic complications.

PMID- 1420792
TI  - [Evaluation of the quality of prenatal care in primary care].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Determine the quality of prenatal assistance by means of an audit.
      DESIGN: This is a retrospective and longitudinal observational study. SITE. At
      the Primary Attention level, at the "La Chana" Health Centre, Granada. PATIENTS:
      514 mothers-to-be. MAIN MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The completion rate of the
      programme was studied via twelve indicators. Gynecological examination during the
      first visit (37.74%), serology of infections and toxoplasma (32%) and AgHBs
      (14.28%) were the indicators least carried out. Gestatory age (98.84%) probable
      date of the birth (98.45%) and arterial blood pressure (96.7%) were those most
      frequently carried out. CONCLUSIONS: Motivation exists in the Primary Attention
      team to record complete medical histories. Need to: unify therapeutic diagnostic
      criteria, increase coordination between the different levels of attention, and
      carry out audits more often, to evaluate the quality of attention given
      objectively.

PMID- 1420794
TI  - [Report on continuing care in 1990 at the Health Center I of Ciudad Real].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine what justification there is for Continuous Attention
      (CA). Secondly the ranking of processes, derivations and effect of the time of
      year. DESIGN: Descriptive longitudinal and retrospective study. Observational,
      non-controlled and without random distribution (all cases) and non-blind. SITE.
      Primary Attention (PA). PATIENTS: All people who attended the Health Centre (HC)
      from 3-5 pm, in 1990. INTERVENTION: None that would affect the results. MAIN
      MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Most of those attending did so for IRA's, contusions,
      wounds, sprains and abdominalgias (table 1). 6.6% were derived, mainly digestive
      and traumatological processes (table 2). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with similar
      studies, the demand generated by our population is optimal both in numbers and in
      justification. Among the, subjectively-speaking non-justified visits the reasons
      were to avoid ordinary doctors appointments, to get second opinions, to obtain
      prescriptions, complementary analyses and hospitalisation, and obtain results
      more quickly, under the emergency service. A significant number of children are
      attended by general practitioners (GPs), and this induces private consultation.
      Derived cases are 6.6%, less than the standard 15%. One third of these cases are
      not hospitalised, especially in months when hospital demand is at its maximum.
      The lack of coordination between our service and the hospital casualty service is
      obvious, leading to amongst other things, the "rebound" effect on the user.
      Closeness between the two services means that an estimated 15% go directly to
      hospital, a fact which could diminish comparability between this and other
      studies, although in treating the whole series, the reliability of this study is
      improved.

PMID- 1420796
TI  - [Treatment of bronchial asthma].

PMID- 1420795
TI  - [Preliminary study of smoking cessation at 6 months following medical counseling,
      pamphlet, and follow-up].
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Preliminary study to evaluate the results of a programme to help
      smokers. DESIGN: Study involving direct intervention, with control group, and
      with random distribution in experiment group and control group. SITE. The study
      was carried out in the patients' visits of the five doctors at Primary Attention
      on the afternoon shift, "V Centennary" Health Centre, San Sebastian de los Reyes,
      Madrid. PATIENTS: 102 smokers aged from 21 to 67 years who attended the
      appointments for any reason were selected. INTERVENTION: The participants in the
      experiment group (n = 48) were given a structured talk which lasted ten minutes
      and were supplied with a "Guide to Giving up Smoking". The control group (n = 50)
      were advised to give up the habit. We checked consumption by telephoning
      subjects, after 30 days, 90 and 180. MAIN MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: After 30 days
      12 individuals (25%) from the experiment group had given up smoking, and 4 (8%)
      from the control group. After 90 days 12 subjects from the former group did not
      smoke (25%) compared with 3 (6%) from the latter. After 6 months 10 out of the
      former group did not smoke (20.8%) and 5 individuals from the latter (10%) (not
      significant). CONCLUSIONS: Subjects were positively receptive to the medical
      advice received from their doctors. The level of non-smoking observed after 6
      months is clinically significant, although the difference between the two groups
      is not statistically significant, possibly as a result of the small size of the
      sample.

PMID- 1420797
TI  - [Treatment of sexually transmitted diseases].

PMID- 1420798
TI  - [Usefulness of spirometry in asymptomatic young smokers].

PMID- 1420799
TI  - [Role of nursing in chronic prescription].

PMID- 1420800
TI  - [Chronic prescription].

PMID- 1420801
TI  - Thyroid autoimmunity.

PMID- 1420802
TI  - Preferential use of T-cell receptor V genes in human autoimmune thyroid disease.
AB  - We review here our analyses of hTcR V gene activity within the thyroid glands of
      patients with autoimmune thyroid disease. Our data, based on thyroid aspiration
      specimens, indicate that early in the onset of Graves' disease there is a marked
      restriction in both hTcR V alpha and V beta gene families utilized by
      intrathyroidal T-cells. Later, however, and as seen in surgical thyroid specimens
      from patients with long term disease, there appears to be a loss of V beta
      restriction for unclear reasons. In contrast, patients with Hashimoto's
      thyroiditis are usually diagnosed later in the natural history of the disease and
      appear to show much less hTcR V gene family restriction. The mechanisms driving
      the use of few and many hTcR V genes within the thyroid gland are likely to be
      complex and may reveal important insights into disease pathogenesis.

PMID- 1420803
TI  - Cytokines and immune regulation in thyroid autoimmunity.
AB  - We studied the role of cytokines and immune regulation in thyroid tissue from
      patients with Graves' disease. Immunohistochemistry showed that the thyroid
      glands are characterized by an aberrant expression of HLA class II antigens on
      thyrocytes, generation of new blood vessels and infiltration of mononuclear
      cells. We demonstrated that CD4+ memory cells were more frequent in thyroid
      glands from Graves' patients than were CD4+ naive cells. The intrathyroidal T
      cells demonstrated an enhanced expression of the adhesion molecules LFA-1, CD2,
      VLA-4 and VLA-5, and vascular endothelial cells of capillaries and thyrocytes in
      thyroid glands reacted with anti-ICAM-1 monoclonal antibody. The adhesion
      molecules and HLA antigens on both vascular endothelial cells and thyrocytes were
      regulated by inflammatory cytokines. These results suggest that circulating
      lymphocytes migrate into thyroid tissues and that memory T cells are retained in
      the thyroid tissues by cellular interactions with thyrocytes or with
      extracellular matrix.

PMID- 1420804
TI  - A perspective on human autoimmune thyroid disease: is there an abnormality of the
      target cell which predisposes to the disorder?
AB  - It has been suggested recently that autoimmunity could be regarded as a
      physiological response of the normal immune system to autoantigens caught up in
      an inflammatory response to viral or bacterial antigen expressed in the target
      tissue. Other theories to explain autoimmunity include molecular mimicry whereby
      a viral or microbial hapten similar to an autoantigen initiates the production of
      autoantibodies that cross react with an autoantigen, with a subsequent immune
      response reacting with autologous cell structures which are homologous with the
      particular microorganism. There has also been a suggestion that there may be a
      genetic abnormality of the target cell which is necessary for the initiation of
      autoimmune thyroid disease. The present review examines these proposals and
      provides evidence against an antigen-driven origin for autoimmune thyroid disease
      (AITD). Currently, there is no valid evidence for viral involvement, and likewise
      the evidence for molecular mimicry as an initiating factor does not hold up to
      scrutiny. While a genetic abnormality of the thyrocyte may be important in
      certain animal models of AITD, in the human there is no evidence for such an
      abnormality. Evidence that AITD is derived from a disturbance of immunoregulatory
      mechanisms has been documented elsewhere and would appear to be the most
      appropriate explanation for these disorders. The immunoregulatory disturbance
      itself may be related to an abnormality of the mechanism of specific antigen
      (i.e. normal autoantigen) presentation to appropriately induce T lymphocytes and
      that theory will require further illumination.

PMID- 1420805
TI  - Intrathyroidal activated (Ia+) T-lymphocyte CD+ subsets and B cells in Graves'
      hyperthyroidism respond rapidly to propylthiouracil therapy: demonstration using
      fine needle aspirates and two-colour laser flow cytometry.
AB  - Using a rapid (whole blood lysis) single laser microfluorocytometric technique
      that permitted the simultaneous analysis of two monoclonal antibody surface
      markers tagged with different fluorescent dyes, the intrathyroidal (IT) and
      peripheral blood (PB) activated [Ia+ = DR+] T-lymphocyte CD3+ subsets and
      [F(ab')2+] B cells were studied in hyperthyroid patients with Graves' disease
      (GD) before and after 1-4 months of propylthiouracil (PTU) therapy. IT
      lymphocytes were obtained by serial fine needle aspiration. In untreated patients
      a marked quantitative (approximately < 10 fold) increase in activated (Ia+ CD3+)
      T-lymphocytes as well as CD4+ and CD8+ subsets, for IT compared to PB sites, was
      found. The percentages of Ia+ CD4+ and Ia+ CD8+ within Ia+ CD3+ were not
      significantly different between the two sources of T cells. F(ab')2+. B cells
      were significantly increased (approximately 2-3 fold) in IT compared to PB. In
      hyperthyroid GD patients, PTU therapy induced rapid and specific changes within
      the Ia+ CD3+ subsets, namely a reduction in the Ia+ CD4+ subset and an increase
      in the Ia+ CD8+ subset, resulting in a marked decrease in the Ia+ CD4+/Ia+ CD8+
      ratio. These changes occurred in association with a reduction in serum T4 and T3
      concentration. No significant changes could be detected within the total
      (predominantly non-activated) CD3+, CD4+ or CD8+ lymphocyte subsets within PB and
      only a small decrease in the CD4+/CD8+ ratio was demonstrated in IT, following
      PTU treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420806
TI  - Analysis of human TSH receptor gene and RNA transcripts in patients with thyroid
      disorders.
AB  - Human TSH receptor (hTSH-R) gene and RNA transcripts were analyzed by Southern
      and Northern blots in patients with various thyroid disorders, and in tissue cell
      lines. A 1.4 Kb cDNA encoding the extracellular human TSH-R domain was used as a
      probe. Southern analysis revealed two constant bands of 11.0 and 5.0 Kb (hTSH-R)
      in the thyroid and human white cell samples studied, regardless of the disease
      process. Northern analysis showed a predominant band at about 4.4 Kb in the
      thyroid tissues but not in non-thyroid tissue or cell lines tested. There were no
      gene rearrangements or abnormal transcripts in Graves' disease or multinodular
      goiter samples. In contrast, the labelled cDNA TSH-R probe did not bind to RNA
      isolated from 1 of 2 papillary cancer samples. A portion of the unique area of
      the h-TSH receptor (approximately nucleotides 1100-1230) was directly sequenced
      in thyroid glands from patients with Graves' disease, multinodular goiter, and
      differentiated thyroid cancer. No mutations or polymorphisms were identified in
      these samples, as compared to normal thyroid or control placenta, although
      further definition of sequence variation in other areas of the TSH receptor, as
      well as in more samples, needs to be performed. The present study indicates the
      normal patterns of DNA and RNA hybridization in a variety of thyroid tissues and
      disease states, and demonstrates that pathologic thyroid samples, with the
      possible exception of thyroid cancer, were not associated with specific
      nucleotide abnormalities in the unique area of the TSH receptor that was studied.

PMID- 1420807
TI  - The role of iodine in thyroid autoimmunity: from chickens to humans: a review.
AB  - Evidence has been presented to support the idea that iodine plays an important
      role in autoimmune thyroiditis. Excessive amounts induce thyroiditis in
      genetically susceptible animal strains, while intrathyroidal depletion of iodine
      prevents disease in strains susceptible to severe thyroiditis. While the
      mechanisms by which iodine promotes thyroiditis is unknown, several hypotheses
      have been proposed. (1) T and/or B cells may react specifically to iodinated
      portions of thyroglobulin (Tg) so that severe iodine depletion renders Tg non
      immunogenic. (2) A defect in the iodine processing machinery in thyroid
      epithelial cells of a susceptible person or animal may, in the presence of
      iodine, result in elevated levels of oxygen or iodine radicals, which could
      damage membrane lipids or proteins. (3) Defective iodine processing may result in
      the iodination of lipid or proteins (other than Tg) which could act either as
      immunogens or polyclonal activators.

PMID- 1420808
TI  - The role of T lymphocytes in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy.

PMID- 1420809
TI  - Role of connective tissue autoimmunity in Graves' ophthalmopathy.
AB  - Histologic similarities exist between the tissues involved in the extrathyroidal
      manifestations of Graves' disease, namely ophthalmopathy and pretibial
      dermopathy. Both conditions are characterized by an accumulation of
      glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and an infiltration of lymphocytes. We have shown that
      interleukin-1 and transforming growth factor-beta, cytokines released by the
      local inflammatory cell infiltrate, are capable of stimulating GAG synthesis by
      retroocular and pretibial fibroblasts. Additionally, affected retroocular and
      pretibial fibroblasts demonstrate an enhanced induction of HLA-DR in response to
      interferon-gamma treatment and both cell types express the 72 kDa heat shock
      protein in vivo and in vitro. Retroocular and pretibial fibroblasts from patients
      with Graves' ophthalmopathy and pretibial dermopathy thus seem to possess unique
      immunological features that may render them more susceptible to the autoimmune
      process in Graves' disease. Chronic stimulation of fibroblasts by cytokines
      released in the local inflammatory milieu may result in excessive GAG production.
      The accumulation of these hydrophilic mucopolysaccharides, with its associated
      edema, leads to the clinical manifestations of Graves' ophthalmopathy and
      pretibial dermopathy.

PMID- 1420810
TI  - Glycosaminoglycans in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy.
AB  - Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) accumulation in the retrobulbar space of patients with
      thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) has been documented in a number of
      immunohistochemical studies. In order to gain further insight into possible
      immunopathogenic mechanisms, the influence of humoral immunity on retrobulbar
      fibroblasts (RF) as GAG producing cells as well as on GAGs themselves was
      investigated. The effect of lymphocytes on hyaluronic acid (HA) synthesis of RF
      as well as in turn the influence of RF on lymphocytes were evaluated. In search
      of methods which would facilitate management of patients with TAO and allow
      assessment of disease activity, GAGs were determined in both urine and plasma.
      Immunoglobulin G (IgG) of patients with TAO were found to markedly stimulate the
      3H-GAG secretion of RF. Patients with TAO exhibited significantly greater
      antibody values directed against HA than controls. Preliminary results concerning
      the influence of lymphocytes on RF indicate a tendency for patients' lymphocytes
      to increase the synthesis of HA. Furthermore, these lymphocytes in turn were
      stimulated more by irradiated autologous RF than by irradiated heterologous RF.
      Urine and plasma GAG determination proved to be suitable for the routine
      assessment of disease activity and outcome of therapy. In conclusion, GAGs seem
      to play an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease and their
      measurement may provide aid to the endocrinological evaluation of patients with
      TAO.

PMID- 1420811
TI  - Nature and significance of orbital autoantigens and their corresponding
      autoantibodies in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy.
AB  - There is now considerable evidence that the pathogenesis of thyroid-associated
      ophthalmopathy is closely linked to the presence of a shared autoantigen(s) in
      the thyroid and the eye muscle, against which cytotoxic mechanisms are directed.
      Although the orbital connective tissue is certainly involved in the orbital
      inflammatory process, a 64 kDa membrane protein expressed by both the eye muscle
      and the thyroid and recognized consistently by antibodies in the sera of TAO
      patients, seems to be the most likely target candidate. While its presence in non
      ocular skeletal muscle is not as well established, more recent data tend to
      suggest the existence of a 64 kDa molecule in the three tissues. The availability
      of a cDNA encoding a 572 amino acid protein corresponding to a MW of 63-64 kDa,
      which may be the same molecule, will allow us to determine more clearly the
      structural characteristics of the different molecules proposed as targets. The
      role of the corresponding autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of the eye disease
      is far less well defined. Whether they play a role in the induction of the
      ophthalmopathy or only represent helpful markers remains to be clarified.

PMID- 1420812
TI  - A novel congenital haemostatic defect: combined factor VII and factor XI
      deficiency.
AB  - Isolated deficiencies of factors VII and XI are both rare. Not surprisingly,
      therefore, combined factor VII and XI deficiency has not been reported
      previously. We report here a kindred with a combined heterozygous deficiency for
      both factors VII and XI. The proposita is a 28-year-old woman who had both a
      prolonged prothrombin time (PT) and a prolonged activated partial prothrombin
      time (APTT) associated with a mild bleeding tendency. Coagulation studies were
      performed on the six available members of this kindred. The PT and APTT were
      normal or mildly abnormal in five of these individuals. Factor VII coagulant
      activity (VII:C) varied from 0.33 to 0.77 units/ml in affected subjects. In
      contrast, the concentration of factor VII-related antigen for the six individuals
      ranged from 0.68 to 2.10 units/ml. Comparable factor VII:C levels were obtained
      when each subject's plasma was tested with either a rabbit or a human
      thromboplastin reagent. Factor XI coagulant activity was less than 0.5 units/ml
      in three of the six subjects and normal (approximately 1.0 units/ml) in the other
      three. The concentrations of thrombin-antithrombin-III and prothrombin fragment
      1.2 were within normal limits for all individuals. In addition to being
      associated with heterozygous factor XI deficiency, the abnormal factor VII
      molecule in the plasma of affected individuals in this kindred appears to
      represent a newly described mutation. This is suggested by the pattern of
      reactivity with thromboplastin from different species, the normal tissue factor
      binding and the bleeding tendency in heterozygous individuals in this kindred.

PMID- 1420813
TI  - Human fibrinogen heterogeneity: the COOH-terminal residues of defective A alpha
      chains of fibrinogen II.
AB  - Fibrinogen fraction I (340 kDa) and fraction II (305 kDa) were isolated by
      glycine precipitation. The subunit chains of the two fractions were separated,
      after reduction, by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. The
      amino acid compositions of the B beta and tau chains of fibrinogen II were
      identical with those of fibrinogen I. In contrast, the A alpha chains of
      fibrinogen II were composed of two populations, one comprising homogeneous,
      intact A alpha chains and the other consisting of heterogeneous, deficient A
      alpha chains (A alpha' chains) of lengths varying according to the sizes of their
      COOH-terminal defects. The molar ratio of the A alpha to the A alpha' chains in
      fibrinogen II was 1.16:1. The amino acid composition and sequence analyses of the
      TPCK-trypsin peptides derived from the A alpha' chains revealed that the COOH
      terminal residues of the A alpha' chains were mainly Asn-269, Gly-297 and Pro
      309. These results indicate that the fibrinogen II molecule is asymmetrical and
      can be represented by the formula (A alpha) (A alpha')(B beta)2(tau)2 and that
      fibrinogen II cannot be a plasmin degradation product of fibrinogen I.

PMID- 1420814
TI  - Behaviour of tissue plasminogen activator, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 and
      their complex in various disease states.
AB  - Plasma levels of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) antigen, plasminogen
      activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) antigen and t-PA/PAI-1 complex were measured in
      plasmas from 18 healthy subjects and 75 patients with various diseases (28
      patients with haematological malignancies, 20 with thrombotic diseases, five with
      infectious diseases, four with liver diseases, ten with bleeding disorders and
      eight miscellaneous conditions). In addition, we studied ten patients with
      bleeding disorders after DDAVP infusion and 18 healthy subjects after venous
      occlusion. Plasma levels of t-PA antigen, PAI-1 antigen and t-PA/PAI-1 complex
      were increased in the patients compared with the healthy subjects. t-PA/PAI-1
      complex levels correlated well with t-PA antigen levels and molar concentrations
      of t-PA antigen were similar to those of the t-PA/PAI-1 complex. Venous occlusion
      induced an increase in both t-PA antigen and PAI-1 antigen and the molar
      concentration of the t-PA/PAI-1 complex was equivalent to that of t-PA antigen.
      Following DDAVP infusion, the levels of t-PA antigen and t-PA/PAI-1 complex
      increased but PAI-1 antigen levels decreased, and the increase of t-PA antigen
      was greater than that of t-PA/PAI-1 complex. These findings indicate that PAI-1
      antigen exceeds t-PA antigen in healthy subjects and in patients with various
      diseases. We conclude that part of the t-PA/PAI-1 complex is rapidly cleared from
      the circulation and that free t-PA increases after DDAVP infusion.

PMID- 1420815
TI  - Membrane fluidity and platelet aggregation: dibucaine permits ristocetin-induced
      platelet aggregation with low-molecular-weight von Willebrand multimers.
AB  - The effects of brief incubation of platelets with dibucaine were studied.
      Membrane fluidity was increased after incubation with 1 mM dibucaine for 1 min as
      determined by fluorescence polarization. Platelet aggregation was increased when
      ristocetin was employed as modulator and normal plasma used as a source of von
      Willebrand factor (vWF). In contrast, aggregation was decreased with botrocetin.
      After cryoprecipitation the supernatant, which contained predominantly low
      molecular-weight vWF multimers, was effective with ristocetin only after prior
      incubation of the platelets with dibucaine. This indicates that low-molecular
      weight vWF multimers can also support ristocetin-induced aggregation when the
      membrane fluidity is increased. This idea was supported by the use of plasma from
      a patient with von Willebrand disease type IIa. Being a multimeric protein, von
      Willebrand factor contains multiple binding sites for glycoprotein Ib (GP Ib). GP
      Ib-dependent aggregation by agents that do not contain multiple binding sites,
      i.e. wheat germ agglutinin or polyclonal antibodies to GP Ib, was decreased after
      brief incubation with dibucaine. These observations are discussed in relation to
      the hypothesis that the increased membrane fluidity allows an increased number of
      GP Ib molecules to bind to each vWF multimer.

PMID- 1420816
TI  - Antiphospholipid antibodies and thrombosis in systemic lupus erythematosus:
      comparison of three lupus anticoagulant assays and anticardiolipin ELISA in 188
      patients.
AB  - The presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in 188 unselected patients with
      systemic lupus erythematosus was studied using the recalcification time, kaolin
      clotting time (KCT), dilute Russell's viper venom time (dRVVT) and
      anticardiolipin ELISA (aCL) to identify patients with a high or low risk of
      thrombosis among patients with aPL. aPL were detected by at least one method in
      104 (55%) of the patients. Despite heterogeneity, lupus anticoagulant (LA)
      methods correlated reasonably well with each other (r = 0.736-0.968), but poorly
      with aCL (r = 0.241-0.549). Positivity in LA assays and immunoglobulin G (IgG)
      aCL were associated with patients who experienced thrombosis (P less than 0.001
      for all assays). Patients with both LA and aCL had experienced thrombosis more
      often than those having only one (odds = 6.3, P less than 0.001). When patients
      with aPL were ranked by relative strength of the finding and divided into
      tertiles, a history of thrombosis was associated with membership in the strongest
      tertile of at least one assay (odds = 4.2, P = 0.002). LA and aCL had similar
      sensitivities for thrombosis (61% and 63%, respectively), but LA was more
      specific than aCL (79% vs 53%). The best combination of two assays was KCT with
      dRVVT (61% sensitivity, 87% specificity). Maximal sensitivity (71%) for
      thrombosis could be achieved by adding IgG-aCL to these two assays, but
      specificity was lower (73%). In conclusion, a high thrombotic risk among patients
      with aPL was indicated by the simultaneous presence of both LA and aCL, strongly
      positive aPL, and, among aCL, IgG-class antibodies.

PMID- 1420817
TI  - Molecular study of von Willebrand disease: identification of potential mutations
      in patients with type IIA and type IIB.
AB  - The defective von Willebrand Factor (vWF) in type IIA von Willebrand disease
      (vWD) has decreased binding affinity for platelet membrane glycoprotein Ib (GPIb)
      while in type IIB vWD, the abnormal vWF has increased affinity for this receptor.
      Segments of exon 28 of the vWF gene were amplified by the polymerase chain
      reaction and sequenced in two patients with type IIA and two patients with type
      IIB vWD. One type IIB patient showed an arginine to tryptophan substitution at
      amino acid residue 543 in the mature vWF and the other patient had a valine to
      methionine change at residue 553. Including these two new cases, substitutions at
      residues 543 and 553 now account for more than half of the documented mutations
      in patients with type IIB vWD. One patient with type IIA vWD showed an isoleucine
      to threonine change at amino acid 865. This substitution has been reported in
      another patient with type IIA vWD. The other patient showed a novel proline to
      serine change at residue 885. The C to T nucleotide transition which causes the
      amino acid change was not found in over 100 normal chromosomes tested by allele
      specific oligonucleotide hybridization and was linked to type IIA vWD in the
      family. This potential mutation is more carboxyterminal in the vWF subunit than
      other reported mutations in type IIA vWD. It is apparent that mutations
      associated with type IIA vWD are not as tightly grouped as defects in type IIB
      vWD, supporting the evidence that the type IIA vWD phenotype is generated by
      diverse mechanisms.

PMID- 1420818
TI  - Quantitative assay of the carbohydrate in urokinase-type plasminogen activator by
      lectin-enzyme immunoassay.
AB  - We developed an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the measurement of Asn302-linked
      carbohydrate in urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) using peroxidase
      (HRP)-labelled lectins. u-PA antigen in the sample was immunologically bound to
      microtitre plate wells by anti-u-PA IgG and the binding of HRP-labelled lectins
      [Con A (Concanavalin A), WGA (wheat germ agglutinin), PNA (peanut agglutinin),
      CSA (Scotch broom), GS-I (Groffonia simplicifollia) and SBA (soybean agglutinin)]
      to the carbohydrate of u-PA was measured. The lectin-EIA was dose-dependent in
      the range 6-6000 IU/ml of u-PA using Con A and WGA. The assay did not detect the
      carbohydrate of bovine albumin, ovalbumin, human albumin, plasminogen, tau
      globulin and fibrinogen. The binding of HRP-labelled Con A and WGA to the
      carbohydrate of u-PA was specifically inhibited by alpha-methylmannose and N
      acetylglucosamine respectively. Endo F treatment of the carbohydrate of u-PA
      decreased the binding of Con A and WGA. The carbohydrate of u-PA obtained from
      chest fluid, ascites and U937 cell culture medium reacted with Con A and WGA by
      this assay forming a band in the 55 kDa region. These results suggest that the
      lectin-EIA method is suitable for the assay of the carbohydrate in the B-chain of
      u-PA.

PMID- 1420819
TI  - The present status of tissue factor pathway inhibitor.
AB  - Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) is the factor Xa-dependent inhibitor of
      the factor VIIa/tissue factor complex. The plasma concentration of this 276 amino
      acid, 40 kDa glycoprotein is normally about 100 ng/ml. There are three
      intravascular pools of TFPI: 50-90% is on the endothelium, 10-50% is in plasma
      and less than 2.5% is in platelets. The TFPI in plasma is mainly associated with
      lipoproteins-only about 5% is free TFPI. The lipoprotein-associated TFPI seems to
      be of less anticoagulant effect than the free TFPI. Both unfractionated heparin,
      low-molecular-weight heparins and pentosan polysulphate induce release of TFPI
      after intravenous injection, whereas dermatan sulphate does not. The interactions
      with TFPI account for a considerable amount of the anticoagulant effect of
      heparin. Studies have shown increased TFPI levels in plasma from patients with
      advanced malignancy and in subjects with fatal DIC or septicaemia. The reason for
      this is unknown. For measuring the anticoagulant activity of TFPI in plasma, end
      point or antigen assays may be less useful than the clotting assay with dilute
      tissue factor. Animal studies indicate that the main physiological role of TFPI
      is the inhibition of small amounts of tissue factor. TFPI is probably essential
      for a normal haemostatic balance.

PMID- 1420820
TI  - Venous thromboembolism and cancer.
AB  - The literature was reviewed in an attempt to determine whether patients with
      cancer have an increased risk of venous thromboembolism, i.e. deep vein
      thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. From case reports it was apparent that various
      thromboembolic or thrombophlebitic manifestations may be found in a small number
      of patients, although it is possible that not all cases belong to the same
      clinical or pathogenetic entity. In clinical series it was found that the risk of
      postoperative venous thromboembolism was increased in cancer patients, but the
      possibility that this was due to associated risk factors, rather than to the mere
      presence of a tumour, could not be excluded. Little is known about patients not
      undergoing surgery. Retrospective postmortem studies have found more thrombi in
      patients with malignancy, but a prospective study failed to demonstrate an
      association between malignancy and pulmonary embolism. It is possible that
      different types of cancer show various degrees of association with venous
      thromboembolism. We conclude that further studies should be performed to provide
      a firm clinical and pathoanatomical basis for investigations into the
      pathogenesis of venous thromboembolism.

PMID- 1420821
TI  - Haemostatic effects in vivo after snakebite by the red-necked keelback
      (Rhabdophis subminiatus).
AB  - We describe a patient who developed a severe coagulopathy after being bitten by a
      red-necked keelback snake (Rhabdophis subminiatus), a species which is generally
      considered non-venomous. The patient's blood was incoagulable due to complete
      depletion of fibrinogen. Comprehensive coagulation studies were performed to
      identify the mechanism(s) by which the snake toxin caused the coagulopathy. It
      was found to contain a potent prothrombin activator, probably an activator of
      protein C and possibly also a factor X activating enzyme. The fibrinolysis was
      secondary to intravascular fibrin formation; there were no indications for a
      direct fibrinogenolytic activity in the snake toxin. Remarkably, there was
      virtually no consumption of antithrombin III, despite extensive thrombin
      formation; this feature appears to be not uncommon after snake bites, but is
      still unexplained.

PMID- 1420822
TI  - Dental surgery in patients with severe factor XI deficiency without plasma
      replacement.
AB  - Bleeding following dental extraction is frequently the first manifestation of
      severe factor XI deficiency. Safe oral surgery has previously been performed in
      such patients by using plasma replacement therapy with or without concomitant
      administration of antifibrinolytic agents. The aim of this study was to determine
      whether such patients can undergo safe dental extractions using only an
      antifibrinolytic agent. The study group consisted of 19 patients with severe
      factor XI deficiency (factor XI:C level less than 14 U/dl) who had previously
      bled following dental extractions (14 patients) or other trauma (five patients).
      Tranexamic acid, 1 g q.i.d., was given from 12 h before surgery, until 7 days
      afterwards. No excessive bleeding was observed following dental extractions. One
      patient had slight oozing after 3 days which ceased spontaneously. Thus, plasma
      replacement no longer appears necessary for patients with severe factor XI
      deficiency requiring dental extractions.

PMID- 1420823
TI  - Prothrombin fragment F1 + 2 and thrombin-antithrombin III complex are useful
      markers of the hypercoagulable state in atrial fibrillation.
AB  - It is well known that atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most important
      diseases that predispose patients to thrombosis. We have attempted to identify
      patients with AF in the hypercoagulable state by measuring molecular markers such
      as thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT) and prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (PTF)
      and determining the effect of antithrombotic therapy on these markers; 83
      patients with AF were studied. Increased levels of plasma TAT and PTF were more
      frequently observed in patients with AF and associated mitral stenosis than in
      patients with AF alone. In cases of AF without mitral stenosis, plasma levels of
      TAT and PTF were significantly lower in those patients receiving antithrombotic
      agents (aspirin or warfarin) than in those receiving no antithrombotic agents.
      Furthermore, plasma levels of PTF were significantly lower in patients given
      warfarin than in those receiving aspirin. These results suggest that (1) patients
      with AF and mitral stenosis who are not given warfarin are in an extremely
      hypercoagulable state and (2) some patients with AF without mitral stenosis who
      are not given antithrombotic agents are also moderately hypercoagulable. In vivo
      activation of blood coagulation was more effectively controlled in patients
      receiving warfarin than in those taking aspirin.

PMID- 1420824
TI  - Thrombolysis using consecutive high dose bolus and infusion of alteplase in a
      patient with acute massive pulmonary embolism.
AB  - We describe the successful use of a novel dosage regimen of alteplase in a 77
      year-old man with massive acute pulmonary embolism in the presence of a relative
      contraindication (recent cranial surgery). An intravenous alteplase bolus of 50
      mg was administered, followed 40 min later by a 50 mg infusion over 2 h.
      Pulmonary arteriography showed a considerable increase in intraluminal filling of
      thrombotically occluded vessels as a result of alteplase administration, and was
      accompanied by marked clinical improvement. Peak alteplase plasma concentration
      after the bolus was 5.5 micrograms/ml, and the steady state concentration during
      infusion was 0.52 micrograms/ml. Detailed monitoring of haemostasis parameters
      showed elevated endogenous fibrinolytic activity at baseline, very high levels of
      fibrin degradation products during treatment resulting from lysis of an extensive
      thrombus mass, moderate fibrinogenolysis compared to fibrinolysis, long plasma
      half-lives of fibrin(ogen) degradation products (9.2-11.0 h), and increased
      thrombin generation. There were no bleeding side-effects. The regimen combines
      the advantages of rapid onset (bolus) and maintained potency (infusion) of
      thrombolytic effect in pulmonary embolism.

PMID- 1420825
TI  - A comparison of the plasminogen activator activity units of urinary-type
      plasminogen activator (u-PA) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA).
AB  - The earliest tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) preparations prepared from
      melanoma cells were expressed in urinary-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) units
      of activity using the u-PA International Standard (66/46). This report describes
      a comparison between u-PA and t-PA units by various types of fibrin plate
      procedure using both human and bovine fibrin. Within the biometric limits of this
      procedure it was found that the potency ratio of u-PA/t-PA was 3.5 (human
      fibrin), 5.29 (enriched bovine fibrin) and 4.6 (crude bovine fibrin). Specific
      activity figures of approximately 100,000 IU/mg for pure t-PA using the urokinase
      standard (66/46) would convert to approximately 350,000-530,000 IU/mg using the
      International Standards for t-PA (83/517 and 87/670). This latter figure is
      compatible with the reported specific activity for purified preparations of
      recombinant t-PA.

PMID- 1420826
TI  - Intra-cardial thrombosis with systemic and pulmonary embolism as main symptoms in
      a patient with protein S deficiency.
AB  - This report describes the unusual occurrence of both left and right atrial
      thrombosis with peripheral arterial and pulmonary embolism, respectively, as
      presenting symptoms of congenital protein S deficiency in a 31-year-old man. The
      coagulation study performed in the coumarin-treated propositus indicated a
      heterozygous protein S state. The finding of reduced free protein S antigen and
      protein S activity levels with normal total protein S and C4B-bp levels in five
      other family members (father, sister, and three relatives on the paternal side)
      confirmed the inherited nature of the defect. Since there is an increased
      frequency of arterial thrombosis in patients suffering from protein S deficiency,
      any case of idiopathic intra-cardial thrombosis requires careful haemostatic
      screening. In addition, the possibility of intra-cardial thrombosis should be
      considered in any thromboembolic event seen in inherited protein S deficiency.

PMID- 1420827
TI  - Use of thermal imaging to monitor crural thrombolysis.
AB  - Intra-arterial thrombolysis is increasingly being used as the treatment of choice
      in selected cases of critical limb ischaemia. At present angiography is the
      established method of monitoring the progress of thrombolysis. We report a case
      in which thermal imaging was used in conjunction with angiography to monitor the
      effects of thrombolysis.

PMID- 1420828
TI  - Evidence of discrepant commercial ISI assignment.

PMID- 1420829
TI  - Circadian rhythm of plasma beta-thromboglobulin in healthy human subjects.

PMID- 1420830
TI  - [Suitability of capacitive sensors for measuring relative humidity in anesthetic
      gas systems].
AB  - A capacitive sensor was tested for its suitability for measuring relative
      humidity in an anaesthetic gas circuit. The valvo sensor PH1 was tested using
      various different anaesthetic gas mixtures. Measuring accuracy was influenced
      neither by such volatile anaesthetics as isoflurane and halothane, nor by oxygen
      or nitrous oxide. The response time of the sensor depends on its position within
      the gas, and in the most favourable case is about 3 minutes. The sensor is
      readily incorporated within an existing gas circuit. The linearity of the
      characteristic curve must be corrected by external electronic compensation to
      avoid measuring problems in the lower humidity range.

PMID- 1420831
TI  - [Automatic tracking system for laser surgery of the human cornea].
AB  - An automatic, closed loop, real-time tracking device is described. The purpose of
      this device is, despite movements of the eye, to keep the laser beam correctly on
      target while performing corneal surgery. This type of laser surgery, is employed
      specifically to ablate some of the cornea to correct myopia, hyperopia and
      astigmatism.

PMID- 1420832
TI  - [Morphological and numerical studies of the stress compatibility of patella
      implants].
AB  - Failure of total knee arthroplasty is relatively often caused by problems of the
      patellofemoral replacement. The purpose of this study was to analyze the
      distribution of stresses within an anatomical patella and the changes in stress
      distribution after patellar resurfacing with a Miller-Galante I patellar implant
      using two- and three dimensional finite element models (FEM). To assess validity,
      FEM results were compared with morphological findings from contact radiographs
      and densitographs. Internal orientation of bone trabeculae is in good agreement
      with the orientation of theoretically calculated principal stresses. Almost
      unchanged principal tensile stresses after implantation, together with the lack
      of extreme stress peaks within the cancellous bone ensure stress compatibility of
      the implant. In the case of a firmly seated implant with good bone ingrowth,
      increased von Mises stresses are found near the fixation peg/plate junction.
      Their relevance for improved bone ingrowth near this part of the interface is
      emphasized. At the same time, material failure at the peg/plate junction can be
      better understood. An analysis of the early postoperative period assuming
      nonlinear interface conditions failed to demonstrate an uniform distribution of
      normal and tangential interface forces.

PMID- 1420833
TI  - Linear regression analysis based on Buckley-James estimating equation.
AB  - In this note we consider the problem of drawing inference about the regression
      parameters in a linear model with survival data. A simple procedure based on the
      Buckley-James (1979, Biometrika 66, 429-436) estimating equation is proposed and
      illustrated with an example.

PMID- 1420834
TI  - Blocked arteries and multivariate regression.
AB  - Ultrasound blood flow waveforms may be used in the diagnosis of arterial
      occlusive disease in human legs. We develop a statistical model to predict
      disease severity, conditional on the ultrasound data and some training data. It
      belongs to the class of models known as seemingly unrelated regressions, for
      which the Bayesian predictive density function cannot be evaluated analytically.
      Allowing for missing components of response vectors in the training data, we
      describe a first-order approximation to the predictive density, based on a Bayes
      estimate of the precision matrix. This approximation is then used to generate
      cross-validated predictions of disease severity in a set of 31 patients. We
      conclude with a discussion of the results.

PMID- 1420835
TI  - Testing the effect of treatment in experiments with correlated binary outcomes.
AB  - This paper considers the problem of testing for treatment effect in a randomized
      experiment with correlated binary outcomes, representing success or failure for
      different "parts" of a randomized unit. Attention is restricted to tests that are
      based on a summary score for each individual randomized, and thus are valid
      regardless of the precise nature of the correlation among parts. The focus is on
      the efficiency of such tests under various correlation structures, with special
      emphasis on the case in which the correlation among parts within an individual
      differs across treatment groups. A class of summary score statistics is defined,
      and optimal testing is discussed for some simple situations. Three potential
      general-purpose tests also are described: (1) the ratio estimate test discussed
      by Henderson et al. (1988, Controlled Clinical Trials 9, 189-205); (2) a modified
      ratio estimate test with adjusted weighting based on the within-individual
      correlation between parts; (3) a test defined by applying the Mantel-Haenszel
      procedure to the proportion of individuals with at least one failure, stratifying
      by the number of parts. For these general-purpose tests, numerical calculations
      of asymptotic efficiency are presented under a wide range of designs and
      correlation structures. On the basis of these results, some practical
      recommendations for choosing a test are made.

PMID- 1420836
TI  - Multivariate methods for clustered binary data with multiple subclasses, with
      application to binary longitudinal data.
AB  - Clustered binary data occur frequently in biostatistical work. Several approaches
      have been proposed for the analysis of clustered binary data. In Rosner (1984,
      Biometrics 40, 1025-1035), a polychotomous logistic regression model was proposed
      that is a generalization of the beta-binomial distribution and allows for unit-
      and subunit-specific covariates, while controlling for clustering effects. One
      assumption of this model is that all pairs of subunits within a cluster are
      equally correlated. This is appropriate for ophthalmologic work where clusters
      are generally of size 2, but may be inappropriate for larger cluster sizes. A
      beta-binomial mixture model is introduced to allow for multiple subclasses within
      a cluster and to estimate odds ratios relating outcomes for pairs of subunits
      within a subclass as well as in different subclasses. To include covariates, an
      extension of the polychotomous logistic regression model is proposed, which
      allows one to estimate effects of unit-, class-, and subunit-specific covariates,
      while controlling for clustering using the beta-binomial mixture model. This
      model is applied to the analysis of respiratory symptom data in children
      collected over a 14-year period in East Boston, Massachusetts, in relation to
      maternal and child smoking, where the unit is the child and symptom history is
      divided into early-adolescent and late-adolescent symptom experience.

PMID- 1420837
TI  - A parametric family of correlation structures for the analysis of longitudinal
      data.
AB  - In epidemiological settings, we are often faced with numerous short time series,
      and a parsimonious parametrization of the correlation structure is desired in
      order to optimize the efficiency of the estimation procedure. We propose a damped
      exponential correlation structure for modeling multivariate Gaussian outcomes.
      The correlation between two observations separated by s units of time is modeled
      as gamma s theta, where gamma is the correlation between elements separated by
      one s-unit, and theta is a damping parameter. For (theta = 0), (theta = 1), and
      theta----infinity), the correlation structures of compound symmetry, first-order
      autoregressive, and first-order moving average processes are obtained. Although
      the AR(2) dependency structure, and the combination of random effects and AR(1)
      errors are not special cases of the proposed parametric family, these structures
      can be well approximated within the family for short time series. Maximum
      likelihood methods for parameter estimation and interpretations of intermediate
      models (0 less than theta less than 1) are discussed in the context of modeling
      pulmonary function in an adult population in The Netherlands and T-cell subsets
      in homosexual men infected with human immunodeficiency virus Type I.

PMID- 1420838
TI  - Modelling balanced longitudinal data: maximum likelihood estimation and analysis
      of variance.
AB  - For linear models, assuming a within-experimental-units covariance structure that
      incorporates errors of measurement, serial correlation, and variation between
      units, results on explicit estimation of regression parameters are used to
      simplify maximum likelihood estimation of covariance parameters. The use of an
      analysis of variance table as a simpler alternative to likelihood inference is
      illustrated with two examples.

PMID- 1420839
TI  - Exchangeability in multivariate Markov chain models.
AB  - Time-homogeneous Markov chain models with state space [0, 1]k are useful in
      analysis of binary follow-up data on k individuals that interact. The number of
      parameters increases exponentially with k so more restrictive models are
      imperative for statistical inference. The hypothesis that the matrix of
      transition probabilities is invariant under permutation of individuals is
      discussed. It is shown that if individuals are exchangeable, then the process
      counting the number of individuals occupying a given state is a Markov chain.
      This reduction of data is sufficient if either at most a single individual may
      change state between two consecutive time points or if a state is absorbing.
      Similar results are obtained for exchangeability within two subgroups. Inference
      in the multivariate process reduces to a univariate problem if individuals are
      independent given the group's previous response. It is shown how conditional
      independence could be tested assuming exchangeability. The different hypotheses
      re examined in an analysis of the occurrence of bacteria in milk samples of
      Danish dairy cattle.

PMID- 1420840
TI  - Sequential monitoring for comparison of changes in a response variable in
      clinical studies.
AB  - The spending function approach proposed by Lan and DeMets (1983, Biometrika 70,
      659-663) for sequential monitoring of clinical trials is applied to situations
      where comparison of changes in a continuous response variable between two groups
      is the primary concern. Death, loss to follow-up, and missed visits could cause
      follow-up measurements to be right-censored or missing for some participants.
      Furthermore, the probability of being censored may be dependent on the parameter
      value of the response variable (informative censoring). We propose to compare
      treatment effects by comparing areas under the expected response change curves
      between the two groups. When the response curves are linear as a function of time
      in both groups, this comparison is equivalent to comparing the rates of change in
      the response variable. Covariances of the sequential test statistics are derived.
      Conditions for having independent increments are presented. For studies designed
      to evaluate long-term treatment effects, spending functions obtained by shifting
      the usual spending functions (Kim and DeMets, 1987, Biometrika 74, 149-154) to
      the right and then rescaling to the remaining interval are also proposed. Such a
      shifted spending function is applied to the monitoring plan for the Lung Health
      Study (Anthonisen, 1989, American Review of Respiratory Diseases 140, 871-872).

PMID- 1420841
TI  - Use of external rates in nested case-control studies with application to the
      international radiation study of cervical cancer patients.
AB  - A method is proposed for analysis of nested case-control studies that combines
      the matched comparison of covariate values between cases and controls and a
      comparison of the observed numbers of cases in the nesting cohort with expected
      numbers based on external rates and average relative risks estimated from the
      controls. The former comparison is based on the conditional likelihood for
      matched case-control studies and the latter on the unconditional likelihood for
      Poisson regression. It is shown that the two likelihoods are orthogonal and that
      their product is an estimator of the full survival likelihood that would have
      been obtained on the total cohort, had complete covariate data been available.
      Parameter estimation and significance tests follow in the usual way by maximizing
      this product likelihood. The method is illustrated using data on leukemia
      following irradiation for cervical cancer. In this study, the original cohort
      study showed a clear excess of leukemia in the first 15 years after exposure, but
      it was not feasible to obtain dose estimates on the entire cohort. However, the
      subsequent nested case-control study failed to demonstrate significant
      differences between alternative dose-response relations and effects of time
      related modifiers. The combined analysis allows much clearer discrimination
      between alternative dose-time-response models.

PMID- 1420842
TI  - Semiparametric estimation of random effects using the Cox model based on the EM
      algorithm.
AB  - Consider a survival experiment where individuals within a certain subset of the
      population share a common, unobservable, random frailty. Such a frailty could be
      an unobservable genetic or early environmental effect if individuals were in
      sibling groups or an environmental effect if individuals were grouped by
      households. Suppose that if the frailty, omega, is known, the Cox proportional
      hazards model for the observable covariates is valid with the consequence of the
      random effect being a multiplicative factor on the hazard rate. Assuming tht the
      random frailties follow a gamma distribution, estimates of the fixed and random
      effects are obtained by using an EM algorithm based on a profile likelihood
      construction. The method developed is applied to the Framingham Heart Study to
      examine the risks of smoking and cholesterol levels, adjusting for potential
      random effects.

PMID- 1420843
TI  - A statistical distribution with an unbounded hazard function and its application
      to a theory from demography.
AB  - We introduce a statistical distribution with hazard function mu(t) proportional
      to (psi-t)beta-1 for 0 less than or equal to t less than psi and shape parameter
      beta satisfying 0 less than beta less than 1. This hazard function is suggested
      by a theory of aging in demography. We discuss properties of this distribution
      and maximum likelihood estimates of its parameters. Mixture distributions are
      considered to account for pooling across dissimilar populations. This model is
      compared with the Gompertz and generalized Pareto distributions and used to
      estimate a finite limit on human lifespan based on the survival of a group of
      female centenarians.

PMID- 1420844
TI  - Proportional hazards model with covariates subject to measurement error.
AB  - When covariates of a proportional hazards model are subject to measurement error,
      the maximum likelihood estimates of regression coefficients based on the partial
      likelihood are asymptotically biased. Prentice (1982, Biometrika 69, 331-342)
      presents an example of such bias and suggests a modified partial likelihood. This
      paper applies the corrected score function method (Nakamura, 1990, Biometrika 77,
      127-137) to the proportional hazards model when measurement errors are additive
      and normally distributed. The result allows a simple correction to the ordinary
      partial likelihood that yields asymptotically unbiased estimates; the validity of
      the correction is confirmed via a limited simulation study.

PMID- 1420845
TI  - Estimating the probability of toxicity at the recommended dose following a phase
      I clinical trial in cancer.
AB  - The problem of point and interval estimation following a Phase I trial, carried
      out according to the scheme outlined by O'Quigley, Pepe, and Fisher (1990,
      Biometrics 46, 33-48), is investigated. A reparametrization of the model
      suggested in this earlier work can be seen to be advantageous in some
      circumstances. Maximum likelihood estimators, Bayesian estimators, and one-step
      estimators are considered. The continual reassessment method imposes restrictions
      on the sample space such that it is not possible for confidence intervals to
      achieve exact coverage properties, however large a sample is taken. Nonetheless,
      our simulations, based on a small finite sample of 20, not atypical in studies of
      this type, indicate that the calculated intervals are useful in most practical
      cases and achieve coverage very close to nominal levels in a very wide range of
      situations. The relative merits of the different estimators and their associated
      confidence intervals, viewed from a frequentist perspective, are discussed.

PMID- 1420846
TI  - The efficiency of a weighed log-rank test under a percent error misspecification
      model for the log hazard ratio.
AB  - For comparison of two survival distributions, it is natural to use a weighted log
      rank test with weight function given by the log hazard ratio function that is
      anticipated a priori. This paper investigates the efficiency of this test when
      the a priori estimate of the log hazard ratio is subject to a specified
      percentage error. The test is shown to be the maximum efficiency robust test over
      the class of alternatives in question and a simple expression for the maximum
      efficiency is established.

PMID- 1420847
TI  - Starting D-optimal designs for batch kinetics studies of enzyme-catalyzed
      reactions in the presence of enzyme deactivation.
AB  - This paper describes a strategy for the starting experimental design of
      experiments required by general research in the field of biochemical kinetics.
      The type of experiments that qualify for this analysis involve batch reactions
      catalyzed by soluble enzymes where the activity of the enzyme decays with time.
      Assuming that the catalytic action of the enzyme obeys a Michaelis-Menten rate
      expression and that the deactivation of the enzyme follows a first-order decay,
      the present analysis employs the dimensionless, integrated form of the overall
      rate expression to obtain a criterion (based on the maximization of the
      determinant of the derivative matrix) that relates the a priori estimates of the
      parameters with the times at which samples should be withdrawn from the reacting
      mixture. The analysis indicates that the initial concentration of substrate
      should be as large as possible, and that the samples should be taken at times
      corresponding to substrate concentrations of approximately 2/3, 1/4, and
      I/epsilon of the initial concentration (where epsilon should be as large as
      possible).

PMID- 1420848
TI  - Marginal models for correlated binary responses with multiple classes and
      multiple levels of nesting.
AB  - A model for correlated binary data is presented. Marginal probabilities and odds
      ratios are allowed to have general regression structures that include multiple
      classes and multiple levels of nesting. Estimation is done through the
      generalized estimating equations approach of Liang and Zeger (1986, Biometrika
      73, 13-22). They are contrasted with conditional models and recommendations for
      choosing between the two are given. Examples from genetic epidemiology are
      presented.

PMID- 1420849
TI  - Maximum likelihood estimation for interval-censored data using a Weibull-based
      accelerated failure time model.
AB  - The accelerated failure time regression model is most commonly used with right
      censored survival data. This report studies the use of a Weibull-based
      accelerated failure time regression model when left- and interval-censored data
      are also observed. Two alternative methods of analysis are considered. First, the
      maximum likelihood estimates (MLEs) for the observed censoring pattern are
      computed. These are compared with estimates where midpoints are substituted for
      left- and interval-censored data (midpoint estimator, or MDE). Simulation studies
      indicate that for relatively large samples there are many instances when the MLE
      is superior to the MDE. For samples where the hazard rate is flat or nearly so,
      or where the percentage of interval-censored data is small, the MDE is adequate.
      An example using Framingham Heart Study data is discussed.

PMID- 1420850
TI  - On estimating standardized risk differences from odds ratios.
AB  - An estimator proposed by Greenland and Holland (1991, Biometrics 47, 319-322) for
      a standardized risk difference parameter is shown to be a maximum likelihood
      estimator if the consistent estimator of the common odds ratio is appropriately
      chosen. The statistical problem under consideration is reparameterized.
      Likelihood equations are derived.

PMID- 1420851
TI  - On informative and random dropouts in longitudinal studies.

PMID- 1420853
TI  - A theory of site distribution of melanomas: Queensland, Australia.
AB  - Although sun exposure is believed to be associated causally with cutaneous
      melanoma, the high incidence on less sun-exposed areas such as the back, as well
      as on chronically exposed sites such as the face, suggests that the association
      with sunlight is less straightforward than for other skin cancers. To explain
      this enigmatic site distribution, a theory of site-dependent susceptibility of
      melanocytes to malignant transformation is proposed. As possible evidence, all
      melanomas diagnosed in the state of Queensland, Australia, over a one-year period
      were surveyed for histologic evidence of benign melanocytic nevus cells adjacent
      to the melanoma, and analyzed according to anatomic distribution. Results showed
      a regional variation in the proportion of melanomas with adjacent nevi not
      explicable by regional variation in nevus density, which suggests that there is a
      varying susceptibility of nevi to malignant change. Given that nevus cells are
      equivalent to melanocytes, this finding would support the hypothesis that
      melanocytes at-large have a differential response to the mitogenic stimulus of
      sunlight according to anatomic site.

PMID- 1420852
TI  - Carotenoids, retinol, and vitamin E and risk of proliferative benign breast
      disease and breast cancer.
AB  - We investigated the relationship between serum levels of retinol, beta-carotene,
      alpha-carotene, lycopene, alpha-tocopherol, and gamma-tocopherol as well as
      intakes of retinol, carotene, and vitamin E and the risks of breast cancer and
      proliferative benign breast disease (BBD) in a case-control study of
      postmenopausal women in the Boston, MA (United States) area. Serum nutrient data
      were available for 377 women with newly diagnosed stage I or II breast cancer and
      173 women with proliferative BBD. Controls were 403 women who were evaluated at
      the same institutions but did not require a breast biopsy or whose biopsy
      revealed nonproliferative BBD. We observed no significant associations between
      serum levels of these micronutrients and risk of proliferative BBD or breast
      cancer. The risk of breast cancer was decreased among women in the highest
      quintile of intake of vitamin E from food sources only (odds ratio [OR] for the
      highest quintile = 0.4, 95 percent confidence interval [CI] = 0.2-0.9; P, trend
      across quintiles = 0.02) but less so for total vitamin E intake including
      supplements (OR = 0.7, CI = 0.4-1.3; P, trend = 0.07).

PMID- 1420854
TI  - Atypical hyperplasia and breast cancer risk: a critique.
AB  - The purpose of this paper is to examine critically the evidence that atypical
      hyperplasia (AH) is a risk factor for breast cancer. First, we appraised studies
      that have examined the association between AH and breast cancer risk for their
      adherence to widely accepted standards for the conduct of research. Second, we
      examined the available evidence to determine the plausibility of an association
      between AH and breast cancer risk using the guidelines proposed by Bradford Hill.
      A total of 18 studies (11 cohort studies, two case-control studies, and five
      cross-sectional studies) were found that were published in the English language
      from January 1960 to March 1992 that examined the association of AH as a distinct
      entity and breast cancer risk. A systematic approach was adopted to examine the
      collected studies for their adherence to methodologic standards, which showed
      wide variation among studies. A meta-analysis was carried out, based on a total
      sample size of 182,980 women. Of 16 studies that gave point estimates of risk, 14
      exceeded unity and 12 were significantly different from unity. The pooled
      estimate from all studies of the association between AH and breast cancer, gave
      an overall odds ratio (OR) of 3.67 (95 percent confidence interval = 3.16-4.26).
      The test of the hypothesis of homogeneous association was rejected (chi 2 =
      151.6, df = 14, P < 0.0001), indicating significant variability among the ORs of
      individual studies. The conclusions from the application of the Bradford Hill
      criteria indicated strongly that AH is a risk factor for breast cancer.

PMID- 1420855
TI  - Childhood cancer among Swedish twins.
AB  - The risk of childhood cancer was evaluated among 35,582 twins born in Sweden
      between 1952 and 1967. Cancers were identified through linkage with national
      cancer and mortality registries. Overall, 59 childhood cancers and 41 deaths from
      cancer occurred before the age of 16. For both sexes combined, the cancer
      incidence was similar to that in the general population of primarily single-born
      children (number observed/number expected [O/E] = 1.0, 95 percent confidence
      interval [CI] = 0.7-1.2). For males under age five, cancer incidence was reduced
      significantly (O/E = 0.3, CI = 0.1-0.7). There was a substantial increase in all
      cause mortality among twins (O/E = 3.7), attributable to a high mortality during
      the first year of life. Excluding this first year, the O/E for death (all causes)
      was 1.1 (CI = 1.0-1.3). For cancer mortality of both sexes, the O/E was 0.9 (CI =
      0.6-1.2), with no significant reduction of risk in any sex-age group. We conclude
      that with the possible exception of males aged 0-4 years, the childhood cancer
      risk of twins appears similar to that of singletons.

PMID- 1420856
TI  - Urban-rural differences in the management of breast cancer.
AB  - We conducted a population-based study with medical-record review of breast cancer
      patients as part of a larger study of an oncology outreach program to improve
      cancer management for rural patients within their community hospital. This
      analysis compares the breast cancer care received by the rural population before
      the oncology outreach program with that of the contiguous urban population. All
      1986-87 cases in selected Illinois (United States) counties were identified using
      the Illinois State Cancer Registry. Data were obtained by hospital record audit
      and physician survey. Case follow-back was 98 percent complete. Rural cases were
      evaluated separately when they were diagnosed in an urban facility. State-of-the
      art management was defined by the 1986-87 Physician Data Query and included
      diagnostic evaluation, prognostic evaluation, and stage-specific treatment. A
      summary variable incorporated whether or not the most appropriate management was
      offered. Compared with urban cases, rural cases diagnosed in rural hospitals were
      less likely to have staged tumors and more likely to have node dissections. Rural
      cases traveling to urban centers were less likely to have limited surgery,
      hormone therapy, and a biopsy as a first-step surgical procedure, and more likely
      to have node dissection.

PMID- 1420857
TI  - Accuracy of death certificates: a population-based, complete-coverage, one-year
      autopsy study in East Germany.
AB  - The Goerlitz Autopsy Study is a population-based autopsy study, conducted in 1987
      in the municipality of Goerlitz, population 78,484, in former East Germany. It is
      unique in that 1,023 (96.5 percent) of the 1,060 subjects who died in the
      municipality over a period of one year were investigated by full autopsy. An
      underlying cause was assigned to every death, using the procedures recommended by
      the International Classification of Diseases, Injuries and Causes of Death, ninth
      revision, German edition. Assignment of cause of death was done independently by
      the attending clinician and the pathology team who performed the autopsy. The
      data were analyzed through cross-classification of deaths by death certificate
      diagnosis and autopsy-based diagnosis. Sensitivity and positive predictive values
      were calculated for the death certificate diagnoses, assuming that the autopsy
      findings represent the correct reference set. Overall, 47 percent of diagnoses on
      death certificates differed from those based on autopsy and, for 30 percent of
      the subjects, the difference crossed a major disease category. The proportion of
      disagreement was higher for deaths occurring in nursing homes and among the very
      old, but was unrelated to gender. In the death certificates, diseases of the
      circulatory system and endocrine and metabolic disorders were over-represented,
      whereas infectious diseases, neoplasms, and respiratory, digestive, and
      genitourinary diseases were under-represented. Neoplasms in the death
      certificates are characterized by relatively high sensitivity and predictive
      values, even though these were still unsatisfactory, given the chronicity of the
      clinical course and the opportunities available for correct diagnosis.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420858
TI  - Oral contraceptive use and risk of cutaneous malignant melanoma.
AB  - The relation between cutaneous malignant melanoma (MM) and the use of oral
      contraceptives (OC) was investigated in a case-control study carried out from
      1979 to 1991 among patients in hospitals and clinics in the Philadelphia (PA) and
      New York City (NY) metropolitan areas (United States). Cases were 615 women under
      age 70 who recently had been diagnosed with invasive melanoma; controls were
      2,107 women of the same ages who had been treated for other conditions unrelated
      either to OC use or to skin diseases. The cases were categorized as severe or
      nonsevere based on the depth of invasion of the tumor or the presence or absence
      of metastases. Among the severe cases, OC use was not associated with MM: the
      relative risk (RR) estimate for ever-use was 1.1 (95 percent confidence interval
      [CI] = 0.8-1.5) and the estimate for 10 or more years of use was 1.1 (CI = 0.6
      2.1). Nor was risk associated with recent use, long latency, or young age at
      first use. Among the nonsevere cases, ever-use of oral contraceptives was
      associated positively with MM (RR = 1.5, CI = 1.1-2.4) but there was no trend
      with increased duration of use. The findings provide evidence against the
      hypothesis that OC use increases the risk of malignant melanoma. The elevated
      estimates among the nonsevere cases most likely reflect selection bias rather
      than a causal relation.

PMID- 1420860
TI  - Childhood leukemia and neonatal exposure to lighting in nurseries.

PMID- 1420859
TI  - Occupational risk factors for multiple myeloma among Danish men.
AB  - A large population-based case-control study evaluated occupational exposures in
      1,098 Danish males diagnosed with multiple myeloma from 1970 to 1984 and in 4,169
      age- and gender-matched controls alive at the time of case-diagnosis. Industrial
      histories were obtained from the Supplementary Pension Fund which, since 1964,
      has recorded employments of adult Danes; occupation came from subjects' most
      recent tax records. Four industrial hygienists created a job-exposure matrix for
      47 substances based on 15,000 unique industry/occupation combinations in
      subjects' histories. Risk of myeloma was significantly elevated among road and
      railroad workers, precision metalworkers, and workers in the transportation and
      communication industries. Risk increased significantly with duration of
      employment in: production of synthetic yarns, plastic packaging, and
      miscellaneous chemical compounds; fabricating structural metal and stationary
      tanks; body factories; electrical plants; and retail sale of paint and wallpaper.
      Risks of myeloma were elevated, though statistically nonsignificantly, in all
      categories of exposure to gasoline and engine exhausts. Risks rose with
      likelihood and duration of exposure to phthalates, and were statistically
      significant and nearly fivefold with probable exposure to vinyl chloride for five
      or more years. After adjusting for multiple exposures and disregarding exposures
      within 10 years of diagnosis (or selection as a control), probable exposure to
      vinyl chloride was associated with increased risk of myeloma, which rose to
      fivefold with longer exposure. Associations with gasoline, engine exhausts, and
      phthalates persisted, but were inconsistent with duration and probability of
      exposure. Previously reported associations with agriculture were not confirmed by
      these data.

PMID- 1420861
TI  - Computer modeling of fibrin polymerization kinetics correlated with electron
      microscope and turbidity observations: clot structure and assembly are
      kinetically controlled.
AB  - Although much is known about fibrin polymerization, because it is complex, the
      effects of various modifications are not intuitively obvious and many
      experimental observations remain unexplained. A kinetic model presented here that
      is based on information about mechanisms of assembly accounts for most
      experimental observations and allows hypotheses about the effects of various
      factors to be tested. Differential equations describing the kinetics of
      polymerization were written and then solved numerically. The results have been
      related to turbidity profiles and electron microscope observations. The
      concentrations of intermediates in fibrin polymerization, and fiber diameters,
      fiber and protofibril lengths have been calculated from these models. The
      simplest model considered has three steps; fibrinopeptide A cleavage, protofibril
      formation, and lateral aggregation of protofibrils to form fibers. The average
      number of protofibrils per fiber, which is directly related to turbidity, can be
      calculated and plotted as a function of time. The lag period observed in
      turbidity profiles cannot be accurately simulated by such a model, but can be
      simulated by modifying the model such that oligomers must reach a minimum length
      before they aggregate. Many observations, reported here and elsewhere, can be
      accounted for by this model; the basic model may be modified to account for other
      experimental observations. Modeling predicts effects of changes in the rate of
      fibrinopeptide cleavage consistent with electron microscope and turbidity
      observations. Changes only in the rate constants for initiation of fiber growth
      or for addition of protofibrils to fibers are sufficient to account for a wide
      variety of other observations, e.g., the effects of ionic strength or
      fibrinopeptide B removal or thrombospondin. The effects of lateral aggregation of
      fibers has also been modeled: such behavior has been observed in turbidity curves
      and electron micrographs of clots formed in the presence of platelet factor 4.
      Thus, many aspects of clot structure and factors that influence structure are
      directly related to the rates of these steps of polymerization, even though these
      effects are often not obvious. Thus, to a large extent, clot structure is
      kinetically determined.

PMID- 1420862
TI  - Brain stimulation using electromagnetic sources: theoretical aspects.
AB  - We prove that, at the frequencies generally proposed for extracranial stimulation
      of the brain, it is not possible, using any superposition of external current
      sources, to produce a three-dimensional local maximum of the electric field
      strength inside the brain. The maximum always occurs on a boundary where the
      conductivity jumps in value. Nevertheless, it may be possible to achieve greater
      two-dimensional focusing and shaping of the electric field than is currently
      available. Towards this goal we have used the reciprocity theorem to present a
      uniform treatment of the electric field inside a conducting medium produced by a
      variety of sources: an external magnetic dipole (current loop), an external
      electric dipole (linear antenna), and surface and depth electrodes. This
      formulation makes use of the lead fields from magneto- and
      electroencephalography. For the special case of a system with spherically
      symmetric conductivity, we derive a simple analytic formula for the electric
      field due to an external magnetic dipole. This formula is independent of the
      conductivity profile and therefore embraces spherical models with any number of
      shells. This explains the "insensitivity" to the skull's conductivity that has
      been described in numerical studies. We also present analytic formulas for the
      electric field due to an electric dipole, and also surface and depth electrodes,
      for the case of a sphere of constant conductivity.

PMID- 1420863
TI  - Gating of mammalian cardiac gap junction channels by transjunctional voltage.
AB  - Numerous two-cell voltage-clamp studies have concluded that the electrical
      conductance of mammalian cardiac gap junctions is not modulated by the
      transjunctional voltage (Vj) profile, although gap junction channels between low
      conductance pairs of neonatal rat ventricular myocytes are reported to exhibit Vj
      dependent behavior. In this study, the dependence of macroscopic gap junctional
      conductance (gj) on transjunctional voltage was quantitatively examined in paired
      3-d neonatal hamster ventricular myocytes using the double whole-cell patch-clamp
      technique. Immunolocalization with a site-specific antiserum directed against
      amino acids 252-271 of rat connexin43, a 43-kD gap junction protein as predicted
      from its cDNA sequence, specifically stained zones of contact between cultured
      myocytes. Instantaneous current-voltage (Ij-Vj) relationships of neonatal hamster
      myocyte pairs were linear over the entire voltage range examined (0 less than or
      equal to Vj less than or equal to +/- 100 mV). However, the steady-state Ij-Vj
      relationship was nonlinear for Vj greater than +/- 50 mV. Both inactivation and
      recovery processes followed single exponential time courses (tau inactivation =
      100-1,000 ms, tau recovery approximately equal to 300 ms). However, Ij recovered
      rapidly upon polarity reversal. The normalized steady-state junctional
      conductance-voltage relationship (Gss-Vj) was a bell-shaped curve that could be
      adequately described by a two-state Boltzmann equation with a minimum Gj of 0.32
      0.34, a half-inactivation voltage of -69 and +61 mV and an effective valence of
      2.4-2.8. Recordings of gap junction channel currents (ij) yielded linear ij-Vj
      relationships with slope conductances of approximately 20-30 and 45-50 pS. A
      kinetic model, based on the Boltzmann relationship and the polarity reversal
      data, suggests that the opening (alpha) and closing (beta) rate constants have
      nearly identical voltage sensitivities with a Vo of +/- 62 mV. The data presented
      in this study are not consistent with the contingent gating scheme (for two
      identical gates in series) proposed for other more Vj-dependent gap junctions and
      alternatively suggest that each gate responds to the applied Vj independently of
      the state (open or closed) of the other gate.

PMID- 1420864
TI  - A quasi-elastic light scattering study of smooth muscle myosin in the presence of
      ATP.
AB  - We have investigated the hydrodynamic properties of turkey gizzard smooth muscle
      myosin in solution using quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS). The effects of
      ionic strength (0.05-0.5 M KCl) and light chain phosphorylation on the
      conformational transition of myosin were examined in the presence of ATP at 20
      degrees C. Cumulant analysis and light scattering models were used to describe
      the myosin system in solution. A nonlinear least squares fitting procedure was
      used to determine the model that best fits the data. The conformational
      transition of the myosin monomer from a folded form to an extended form was
      clearly demonstrated in a salt concentration range of 0.15-0.3 M KCl. Light chain
      phosphorylation regulates the transition and promotes unfolding of the myosin.
      These results agree with the findings obtained using sedimentation velocity and
      electron microscopy (Onishi and Wakabayashi, 1982; Trybus et al., 1982; Trybus
      and Lowey, 1984). In addition, we present evidence for polymeric myosin
      coexisting with the two monomeric myosin species over a salt concentration range
      from 0.05 to 0.5 M KCl. The size of the polymeric myosin varied with salt
      concentration. This observation supports the hypothesis that, in solution, a
      dynamic equilibrium exists between the two conformations of myosin monomer and
      filaments.

PMID- 1420865
TI  - Chain-length dependence of lipid bilayer properties near the liquid crystal to
      gel phase transition.
AB  - The temperature dependence of the mean orientational order parameter in the
      vicinity of the liquid crystal to gel phase transition is obtained from the first
      moment M1 of deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance spectra for bilayers of chain
      perdeuterated phosphatidylcholines with acyl chains of 12, 14, 16, and 18
      carbons. The data clearly show an increasing temperature dependence of the
      orientational order parameter in the vicinity of the transition, with the effect
      becoming more pronounced with decreasing chain length. Assuming a linear
      relationship between the mean orientational order parameter and the extension of
      the acyl chain, estimates of the change in area of the membrane at the transition
      are shown to be consistent with those obtained from other measurements. It is
      shown that the transition may be modeled in terms of a Landau expansion of the
      free energy involving a small number of phenomenological parameters. From this it
      is shown that the behavior of these systems in the temperature range of interest
      is, in large part, controlled by the close proximity of a spinodal to the
      transition temperature.

PMID- 1420866
TI  - Resonance Raman spectroscopic and kinetic consequences of a nitrogen ... sulphur
      enzyme-substrate contact in a series of dithioacylpapains.
AB  - The resonance Raman (RR) spectroscopic, conformational, and kinetic properties of
      six dithioacylpapain intermediates have been examined. Five of the intermediates
      are of the form N-(methyloxycarbonyl)-X-glycine-C(= S)S-papain, where X is L
      phenyl-alanine, D-phenylalanine, glycine, L-phenylglycine, or D-phenylglycine.
      The sixth intermediate is N-phenylacetyl-glycine-C(= S)S-papain. Throughout the
      series there is an approximately 50-fold variation in kcat, the rate constant for
      deacylation, and a 1750-fold variation in kcat/KM. Existing RR spectra structure
      correlations allow us to define the torsional angles in the NH-CH2-C(= S)-S-CH2
      CH fragment of the functioning intermediates. The values of these angles for each
      bound substrate appear to be very similar, with the substrates assuming a B-type
      conformer such that the nitrogen atom of the P1 glycine residue is cis to the
      thiol sulphur atom of cysteine-25. For each intermediate, the C(= S)S-CH2CH
      torsional angle is approximately -90 degrees, whereas for the SCH2-CH torisonal
      angle the cysteine-25 thiol sulphur (S) and cysteine-25 C alpha hydrogen (H)
      atoms are approximately trans. The three acyl-enzymes with the lowest catalytic
      rate constants, viz. N-(methyloxycarbonyl)-glycine-glycine-, N
      (methyloxycarbonyl)-L-phenylglycine-glycine-, or N-(phenylacetyl)-glycine
      dithioacylpapains, have atypical RR spectra in that they show a feature of medium
      intensity in the 1,085-cm-1 region. This band is sensitive to NH to ND exchange
      of the P1 glycine residues' (-NH-) function and, thus, the corresponding mode
      involves an excursion of the NH hydrogen. It is hypothesized that the high
      intensity is due to a particularly strong interaction between the P1 glycine
      nitrogen atom and the thiol sulphur of cysteine-25, which also has the effect of
      retarding deacylation, because the nitrogen . . . sulphur contact has to be
      broken in the rate-determining step.

PMID- 1420867
TI  - Pulmonary surfactant protein SP-C causes packing rearrangements of
      dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine in spread monolayers.
AB  - The hydrophobic pulmonary surfactant protein SP-C has been isolated from porcine
      lung surfactant, and it has been incorporated into monolayers of
      dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC). The monolayers, which contained 1 mol% of
      a fluorescently-labeled phosphatidylcholine, were observed under various states
      of compression in an epifluorescence surface balance. SP-C altered the packing
      arrangements of DPPC in the monolayer, causing the production of many more,
      smaller condensed lipid domains in its presence than in its absence.

PMID- 1420868
TI  - Monomer diffusion and polymer alignment in domains of sickle hemoglobin.
AB  - We have used polarized absorbance to observe the process of monomer accretion and
      polymer alignment which occurs in domains of sickle hemoglobin that are formed
      and maintained by laser photolysis. These diffusion and alignment processes have
      been studied as a function of initial concentration and temperature (initial and
      final), as well as beam size and domain number. Monomers are found to diffuse
      into growing polymer domains with a rate that is essentially temperature and
      concentration independent, but which depends on the size of the final domain
      boundaries, and the number of domains within a boundary. The final concentrations
      achieved are very close to those found in packed centrifugation experiments (50
      55 g/dl) and are approximately independent of starting temperature and
      concentration. The influx of monomers is accompanied by polymer alignment, and
      the amount aligned is proportional to the amount diffused throughout the process.
      We propose that polymer alignment controls the influx of added monomers into the
      growing domain.

PMID- 1420869
TI  - Binding kinetics of an anti-dinitrophenyl monoclonal Fab on supported
      phospholipid monolayers measured by total internal reflection with fluorescence
      photobleaching recovery.
AB  - Fluorescence photobleaching recovery with total internal reflection illumination
      (TIR-FPR) has been used to measure the dissociation kinetics of a fluorescein
      labeled anti-dinitrophenyl monoclonal Fab specifically bound to supported
      monolayers composed of a mixture of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine and
      dinitrophenyl-conjugated dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine. The fluorescence
      recovery curves were not monoexponential; when analyzed as a sum of two
      exponentials, the rates and fractional recoveries were approximately 1 s-1
      (approximately 50%) and approximately 0.1 s-1 (approximately 30%). The data did
      not change as a function of the Fab solution concentration, indicating that the
      fluorescence recovery curves were not influenced by the rate of diffusion in bulk
      solution. Also, the recovery curves were independent of the size of the
      illuminated area, indicating that surface diffusion did not significantly
      contribute to the rate and shape of the fluorescence recovery. The measured off
      rates and apparent association constant (1.6 x 10(5) M-1) were analyzed with the
      theoretical formalism for a proposed mechanism that accounts for the
      nonmonoexponential kinetics.

PMID- 1420870
TI  - A membrane model for cytosolic calcium oscillations. A study using Xenopus
      oocytes.
AB  - Cytosolic calcium oscillations occur in a wide variety of cells and are involved
      in different cellular functions. We describe these calcium oscillations by a
      mathematical model based on the putative electrophysiological properties of the
      endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. The salient features of our membrane model
      are calcium-dependent calcium channels and calcium pumps in the ER membrane,
      constant entry of calcium into the cytosol, calcium dependent removal from the
      cytosol, and buffering by cytoplasmic calcium binding proteins. Numerical
      integration of the model allows us to study the fluctuations in the cytosolic
      calcium concentration, the ER membrane potential, and the concentration of free
      calcium binding sites on a calcium binding protein. The model demonstrates the
      physiological features necessary for calcium oscillations and suggests that the
      level of calcium flux into the cytosol controls the frequency and amplitude of
      oscillations. The model also suggests that the level of buffering affects the
      frequency and amplitude of the oscillations. The model is supported by
      experiments indirectly measuring cytosolic calcium by calcium-induced chloride
      currents in Xenopus oocytes as well as cytosolic calcium oscillations observed in
      other preparations.

PMID- 1420871
TI  - Simulations of the temperature dependence of energy transfer in the PSI core
      antenna.
AB  - In order to understand the organization of the PSI core antenna and to interpret
      results obtained from studies of the temperature and wavelength dependence of
      energy transfer and trapping in the PSI particles, we have constructed a model
      for PSI in which spectral heterogeneity is considered via a self-consistent
      approach based on Forster transport. The temperature dependence of the absorption
      and emission spectra of the individual Chl molecules in the protein matrix is
      calculated based on a model Hamiltonian which includes a phonon contribution.
      Time and wavelength resolved kinetics of PSI at different temperatures are
      investigated by means of two-dimensional lattice models. We conclude that
      wavelength-dependent fluorescence decay kinetics result only when two or more
      bottlenecks exist in the energy transfer and trapping process. A single trap or
      several pseudo-traps with spectrally identical environments do not lead to
      wavelength dependent decays. Simple funnel arrangements of the spectral types can
      be ruled out. At least one pigment with energy lower than the photochemical trap
      located close to the reaction center is required to produce the trends of the
      fluorescence lifetimes observed experimentally. The remainder of the core antenna
      is consistent with a random arrangement of spectral types.

PMID- 1420872
TI  - Study of mechanisms of electric field-induced DNA transfection. III. Electric
      parameters and other conditions for effective transfection.
AB  - Electric parameters, osmolality, temperature, and pH of the suspending medium and
      the growth phase of cells, etc., are known to influence the efficiency of the
      pulsed electric field (PEF)-induced DNA transfection of cells. PEF-induced
      transfection of Escherichia coli JM105 by plasmid DNA PUC18, PUC19, PBR322, and
      PMSG has been used as a model system to establish quantitative relationships
      between these parameters and transfection efficiency. The main findings are
      summarized for experiments using unipolar square wave PEF. (a) For a given field
      strength (up to 6 kV/cm), the transfection efficiency (TE) was linearly dependent
      on the pulse width (up to 1 ms). (b) When field strength is fixed, Log [TE]
      correlated with the number of pulses applied. Similarly, when field duration was
      fixed, Log [TE] correlated with the number of pulses. (c) In the absence of
      MgCl2, TE showed a maximal value at 50 mM sucrose and was reduced by several fold
      at lower and higher sucrose concentrations. Cell survival was nearly constant in
      the range 1-300 mM sucrose. (d) E. coli in the early and mid-exponential growth
      phases was more susceptible to PEF for DNA transfection than it was in the
      stationary phase. (e) For a given set of electric parameters, TE was the highest
      at neutral pH and was greatly reduced at acidic and alkaline pH. (f) Increasing
      the temperature from 0 to 37 degrees C resulted in the reduction of TE by three
      orders of magnitude. This could reflect a rapid shrinking of pores at higher
      temperatures. (g) TE was inversely proportional to the square of the size of the
      plasmid DNA. By adjusting the above parameters to optimize transfection, a TE of
      1010 1microg-1 DNA (PUC18) has been recorded. Further improvement in percent cell
      transfection may be expected by a more exhaustive search of conditions than the
      present study has done.

PMID- 1420873
TI  - Folding kinetics of designer proteins. Application of the diffusion-collision
      model to a de novo designed four-helix bundle.
AB  - A folding algorithm is described, based on the diffusion-collision model,
      combining static and dynamic calculational methods. The algorithm is applied to
      predict the basic structure and schematic folding pathways of an artificial four
      helix bundle.

PMID- 1420874
TI  - Effect of small release on force during sarcomere-isometric tetani in frog muscle
      fibers.
AB  - We investigated the effect of small shortening imposed on frog muscle fibers
      during sarcomere-isometric tetani. Sarcomere length was initially kept constant,
      then slightly shortened (1%-5% of initial length) and clamped again for the
      remainder of the tetanus. Force level after the shortening was higher than the
      force level preceding the release. The size of the increase was larger than that
      predicted by the descending limb of the linear force-length relation. The
      difference between measured and predicted force levels increased with sarcomere
      length. At a sarcomere length of 3.2 microns, the force level after the
      shortening was higher by 50% than the force level expected from the linear
      descending limb. Dispersion of sarcomere-length within the sampled region was
      measured by two independent methods: striation imaging and analysis of the
      intensity profile of the first diffraction order. Sarcomere-length inhomogeneity
      in the sampled region was too small (standard deviation from the average
      sarcomere-length was +/- 0.03 microns) to account for the size of the increase in
      force. We studied the dependence of increase in tetanic force level after small
      sarcomere-length release on the size, velocity and timing of the release, as well
      as on initial sarcomere-length. Release size was the major determinant of the
      amount of increase in force. Release of 20 nm per half sarcomere was sufficient
      to produce an almost full force increase. Larger releases increased the force
      only moderately. Over the range studied, release velocity and timing had little
      or no effect.

PMID- 1420875
TI  - Transport methods for probing the barrier domain of lipid bilayer membranes.
AB  - Two experimental techniques have been utilized to explore the barrier properties
      of lecithin/decane bilayer membranes with the aim of determining the
      contributions of various domains within the bilayer to the overall barrier. The
      thickness of lecithin/decane bilayers was systematically varied by modulating the
      chemical potential of decane in the annulus surrounding the bilayer using
      different mole fractions of squalene in decane. The dependence of permeability of
      a model permeant (acetamide) on the thickness of the solvent-filled region of the
      bilayer was assessed in these bilayers to determine the contribution of this
      region to the overall barrier. The flux of acetamide was found to vary linearly
      with bilayer area with Pm = (2.9 +/- 0.3) x 10(-4) cm s-1, after correcting for
      diffusion through unstirred water layers. The ratio between the overall membrane
      permeability coefficient and that calculated for diffusion through the
      hydrocarbon core in membranes having maximum thickness was 0.24, suggesting that
      the solvent domain contributes only slightly to the overall barrier properties.
      Consistent with these results, the permeability of acetamide was found to be
      independent of bilayer thickness. The relative contributions of the bilayer
      interface and ordered hydrocarbon regions to the transport barrier may be
      evaluated qualitatively by exploring the effective chemical nature of the barrier
      microenvironment. This may be probed by comparing functional group contributions
      to transport with those obtained for partitioning between water and various model
      bulk solvents ranging in polarity or hydrogen-bonding potential. A novel approach
      is described for obtaining group contributions to transport using ionizable
      permeants and pH adjustment. Using this approach, bilayer permeability
      coefficients of p-toluic acid and p-hydroxymethyl benzoic acid were determined to
      be 1.1 +/- 0.2 cm s-1 and (1.6 +/- 0.4) x 10(-3) cm s-1, respectively. From these
      values, the -OH group contribution to bilayer transport [delta(delta G0-OH)] was
      found to be 3.9 kcal/mol. This result suggests that the barrier region of the
      bilayer does not resemble the hydrogen-bonding environment found in octanol, but
      is somewhat less selective (more polar) than a hydrocarbon solvent.

PMID- 1420876
TI  - Indo-1 binding to protein in permeabilized ventricular myocytes alters its
      spectral and Ca binding properties.
AB  - We have examined the binding of the fluorescent Ca indicator indo-1 to cellular
      protein in permeabilized ventricular myocytes and also to soluble and particulate
      myocyte protein. Using either a filtration technique or equilibrium dialysis, and
      conditions similar to those in a cardiac myocyte patch clamped with 100 microM
      indo-1 in the patch pipette, we found that 72% of the total indo-1 was bound to
      myocyte protein at a protein concentration of 100 mg/ml. This corresponds to a
      binding of 3.8 +/- 0.5 nmol indo-1/mg protein. Separation of the myocyte protein
      into a soluble and a particulate fraction showed that 63% of the bound indo-1 was
      bound to soluble protein, corresponding to a binding of 3.22 +/- 0.99 nmol/mg,
      whereas 37% of the bound indo-1 was bound to particulate protein (0.85 +/- 0.14
      nmol/mg) at a low [Ca] (pCa approximately 9). Binding of indo-1 in permeabilized
      myocytes was approximately 60% higher at a saturating Ca concentration (pCa = 3),
      than under Ca free conditions (1 mM EGTA). Simultaneous measurements of free [Ca]
      with a Ca selective electrode and indo-1 fluorescence showed that, the
      dissociation constant (Kd) for Ca was increased 4-5 fold in the presence of
      permeabilized myocytes as compared to the value obtained in vitro. In agreement
      with the binding experiments we estimate that the true Kd and the apparent Kd
      (using ratiometric measurements) for Ca binding to indo-1 are increased
      approximately four fold, at a myocyte protein concentration of 100 mg/ml.

PMID- 1420877
TI  - Implications of epidermal growth factor (EGF) induced egf receptor aggregation.
AB  - To investigate the role of receptor aggregation in EGF binding, we construct a
      mathematical model describing receptor dimerization (and higher levels of
      aggregation) that permits an analysis of the influence of receptor aggregation on
      ligand binding. We answer two questions: (a) Can Scatchard plots of EGF binding
      data be analyzed productively in terms of two noninteracting receptor populations
      with different affinities if EGF induced receptor aggregation occurs? No. If two
      affinities characterize aggregated and monomeric EGF receptors, we show that the
      Scatchard plot should have curvature characteristic of positively cooperative
      binding, the opposite of that observed. Thus, the interpretation that the high
      affinity population represents aggregated receptors and the low affinity
      population nonaggregated receptors is wrong. If the two populations are
      interpreted without reference to receptor aggregation, an important determinant
      of Scatchard plot shape is ignored. (b) Can a model for EGF receptor aggregation
      and EGF binding be consistent with the "negative curvature" (i.e., curvature
      characteristic of negatively cooperative binding) observed in most Scatchard
      plots of EGF binding data? Yes. In addition, the restrictions on the model
      parameters required to obtain negatively curved Scatchard plots provide new
      information about binding and aggregation. In particular, EGF binding to
      aggregated receptors must be negatively cooperative, i.e., binding to a receptor
      in a dimer (or higher oligomer) having one receptor already bound occurs with
      lower affinity than the initial binding event. A third question we consider is
      whether the model we present can be used to detect the presence of mechanisms
      other than receptor aggregation that are contributing to Scatchard plot
      curvature. For the membrane and cell binding data we analyzed, the best least
      squares fits of the model to each of the four data sets deviate systematically
      from the data, indicating that additional factors are also important in shaping
      the binding curves. Because we have controlled experimentally for many sources of
      receptor heterogeneity, we have limited the potential explanations for residual
      Scatchard plot curvature.

PMID- 1420878
TI  - Atomic force microscopy of three-dimensional membrane protein crystals. Ca-ATPase
      of sarcoplasmic reticulum.
AB  - We have observed three-dimensional crystals of the calcium pump from sarcoplasmic
      reticulum by atomic force microscopy (AFM). From AFM images of dried crystals,
      both on graphite and mica, we measured steps in the crystal thickness,
      corresponding to the unit cell spacing normal to the substrate. It is known from
      transmission electron microscopy that crystal periodicity in the plane of the
      substrate is destroyed by drying, and it was therefore not surprising that we
      were unable to observe this periodicity by AFM. Thus, we were motivated to use
      the AFM on hydrated crystals. In this case, crystal adsorption appeared to be a
      limiting factor, and our studies indicate that adsorption is controlled by the
      composition of the medium and by the physical-chemical properties of the
      substrate. We used scanning electron microscopy to determine the conditions
      yielding the highest adsorption of crystals, and, under these conditions, we have
      obtained AFM images of hydrated crystals with a resolution similar to that
      observed with dried samples (i.e., relatively poor). In the same preparations, we
      have observed lipid bilayers with a significantly better resolution, indicating
      that the poor quality of crystal images was not due to instrumental limitations.
      Rather, we attribute poor images to the intrinsic flexibility of these
      multilamellar crystals, which apparently allow movement of one layer relative to
      another in response to shear forces from the AFM tip. We therefore suggest some
      general guidelines for future studies of membrane proteins with AFM.

PMID- 1420879
TI  - Nonmonotonic alterations in the fluorescence anisotropy of polar head group
      labeled fluorophores during the lamellar to hexagonal phase transition of
      phospholipids.
AB  - The temperature dependence of the fluorescence anisotropy of polar head group
      labeled fluorophores (i.e., N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)dipalmitoyl-L-
      alpha-phosphatidylethanolamine or N-(lissamine rhodamine B sulfonyl)dipalmitoyl-L
      alpha-phosphatidylethanol- amine) incorporated into multiple
      phosphatidylethanolamine molecular species was parabolic, possessing minima
      (dr/dT = 0) that precisely correlated with the respective lamellar (L alpha) to
      hexagonal (HII) phase transition temperature of each species. The parabolic
      alterations in the thermotropic behavior of these fluorophores were due to
      increased motional constraints in the polar head group region during heating
      (dr/dT greater than 0), because significant alterations in the fluorescence
      lifetimes of these probes during the phase transition did not occur. The
      sensitivity inherent in identification of peak minima was exploited to determine
      the lamellar to hexagonal phase transition temperatures of several homogeneous
      molecular species of plasmenylethanolamine (e.g., the transition temperature of 1
      O-(Z)-hexadec-1'-enyl-2-octadec-9'- enoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine was 28
      degrees C). Experiments using ethanolamine glycerophospholipids containing either
      an ester or a vinyl ether linkage at the sn-1 position demonstrated that
      introduction of the vinyl ether constituent increased the propensity of these
      species to assume the hexagonal phase. Collectively, these results identify and
      substantiate a new technique for the characterization of the lamellar to
      hexagonal phase transition in phospholipids that requires only small amounts of
      phospholipids present in dilute membrane suspensions.

PMID- 1420880
TI  - Optical and physical properties of wet-spun films of Na-hyaluronate. Evidence of
      a phase transition.
AB  - The refractive indices, water content, and volume of wet-spun films of Na
      hyaluronate have been measured as a function of relative humidity (rh). These
      data are used with the Lorentz-Lorenz formula to determine the optical
      polarizabilities of Na-hyaluronate parallel and perpendicular to the helical
      axis. The analysis reveals a drop in the optical polarizabilities of
      approximately 20% between 80 and 88% rh, indicating a phase transition.

PMID- 1420881
TI  - Formation of a new stable phase of phosphatidylglycerols.
AB  - Dilauroyl and dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol (DMPG) form a more stable gel state
      when aqueous suspensions are incubated several days at low temperature (0-2
      degrees C), pH 7.4 with 0.15 M NaCl. This gel state is characterized by a higher
      transition temperature and a higher transition enthalpy. The geometry of this gel
      state is distinguishable from the metastable gel state that forms rapidly upon
      hydration on the basis of its x-ray diffraction pattern. Infrared spectra in the
      CH2 scissoring region indicate that the stable gel phase of DMPG is also
      characterized by reduced reorientational fluctuations of acyl chains and
      increased interchain interactions. Analysis of vibrational bands due to ester
      carbonyl groups of DMPG suggests that the transition to a new gel phase is
      initiated by changes in the interfacial and/or headgroup region of the bilayer,
      most likely via formation of interlipid hydrogen bonds. The melting of the stable
      gel phase of DMPG is accompanied by a gross morphological change resulting in
      vesiculation.

PMID- 1420882
TI  - Techniques for obtaining analytical solutions to the multicylinder somatic shunt
      cable model for passive neurones.
AB  - The somatic shunt cable model for neurones is extended to the case in which
      several equivalent cylinders, not necessarily of the same electrotonic length,
      emanate from the cell soma. The cable equation is assumed to hold in each
      cylinder and is solved with sealed end conditions and a lumped soma boundary
      condition at a common origin. A Green's function (G) is defined, corresponding to
      the voltage response to an instantaneous current pulse at an arbitrary point
      along one of the cylinders. An eigenfunction expansion for G is obtained where
      the coefficients are determined using the calculus of residues and compared with
      an alternative method of derivation using a modified orthogonality condition.
      This expansion converges quickly for large time, but, for small time, a more
      convenient alternative expansion is obtained by Laplace transforms. The voltage
      response to arbitrary currents injected at arbitrary sites in the dendritic tree
      (including the soma) may then be expressed as a convolution integral involving G.
      Illustrative examples are presented for a point charge input.

PMID- 1420883
TI  - Long tail kinetics in biophysics?
AB  - Long tail kinetics describe a variety of data from complex, disordered materials
      that cannot be described by conventional kinetics. It is suggested that the
      kinetics of diffusive motion in complex biological media, such as cytoplasm or
      biomembranes, might also have long tails. The effects of long tail kinetics are
      investigated for two standard biophysical measurements, fluorescence recovery
      after photobleaching (FRAP), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). It is shown that
      long tail kinetic data would yield significantly distorted and misleading results
      when analyzed assuming conventional kinetics.

PMID- 1420884
TI  - Analysis of electric field stimulation of single cardiac muscle cells.
AB  - Electrical stimulation of cardiac cells by imposed extracellular electric fields
      results in a transmembrane potential which is highly nonuniform, with one end of
      the cell depolarized and the other end hyperpolarized along the field direction.
      To date, the implications of the close proximity of oppositely polarized
      membranes on excitability have not been explored. In this work we compare the
      biophysical basis for field stimulation of cells at rest with that for
      intracellular current injection, using three Luo-Rudy type membrane patches
      coupled together as a lumped model to represent the cell membrane. Our model
      shows that cell excitation is a function of the temporal and spatial distribution
      of ionic currents and transmembrane potential. The extracellular and
      intracellular forms of stimulation were compared in greater detail for monophasic
      and symmetric biphasic rectangular pulses, with duration ranging from 0.5 to 10
      ms. Strength-duration curves derived for field stimulation show that over a wide
      range of pulse durations, biphasic waveforms can recruit and activate membrane
      patches about as effectively as can monophasic waveforms having the same total
      pulse duration. We find that excitation with biphasic stimulation results from a
      synergistic, temporal summation of inward currents through the sodium channel in
      membrane patches at opposite ends of the cell. Furthermore, with both waveform
      types, a net inward current through the inwardly rectifying potassium channel
      contributes to initial membrane depolarization. In contrast, models of
      stimulation by intracellular current injection do not account for the
      nonuniformity of transmembrane potential and produce substantially different
      (even contradictory) results for the case of stimulation from rest.

PMID- 1420886
TI  - Virtual intermediates in photosynthetic electron transfer.
AB  - We explore the possibility of virtual transfer in the primary charge separation
      of photosynthetic bacteria within the context of several types of experimental
      data. We show that the peak that might be expected in the virtual rate as
      electric fields vary the intermediate state energy is severely broadened by
      coupling to high-frequency modes. The Stark absorption kinetics data are thus
      consistent with virtual transfer in the primary charge separation. High-frequency
      coupling also makes the temperature dependence weak over a wide range of
      parameters. We demonstrate that Stark fluorescence anisotropy data, usually taken
      as evidence of virtual transfer, can in fact be consistent with two-step
      transfer. We suggest a two-pulse excitation experiment to quantify the
      contributions from two-step and virtual transfer. We show that virtual absorption
      into a charge transfer state can make a substantial contribution to the Stark
      absorption spectrum in a way that is not related to any derivative of the
      absorption spectrum.

PMID- 1420885
TI  - Evidence for structurally different attached states of myosin cross-bridges on
      actin during contraction of fish muscle.
AB  - Using data from fast time-resolved x-ray diffraction experiments on the
      synchrotrons at Daresbury and (Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron [DESY]), it is
      shown that during contraction of fish muscle there are at least two distinct
      configurations of myosin cross-bridges on actin, that they appear to have
      different tension producing properties and that they probably differ in the axial
      tilt of the cross-bridges on actin. Evidence is presented for newly observed
      myosin-based layer lines in patterns from active fish muscle, together with
      intensity changes of the actin layer lines. On the equator, the 110 reflection
      changes much faster (time for 50% change t1/2 = 21 +/- 4 ms after activation)
      than the 100 reflection (t1/2 = 35 +/- 8 ms) and tension (t1/2 = 41 +/- 3 ms)
      during the rising phase of tetanic contractions. These and higher order
      reflections have been used to show the time course of mass attachment at actin
      during this rising phase. Mass arrival (t1/2 = 25 ms) precedes tension by
      approximately 15 ms. Analysis has been carried out to evaluate the effects of
      changes in sarcomere length during the tetanus. It is shown that any such effects
      are very small. Difference "equatorial" electron density maps between active
      muscle at a time when mass arrival at actin is just complete, but the tension is
      still rising, and at a later time well into the tension plateau, show that the
      structural difference between the lower and higher force states corresponds to
      mass movement consistent with axial swinging of heads from a nonstereospecific
      actin attached state (low force) to a more stereospecific (high force) state.

PMID- 1420887
TI  - Formation of a square-planar Co(I) B12 intermediate. Implications for enzyme
      catalysis.
AB  - X-ray edge and extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) techniques
      provide powerful tools for analysis of local molecular structure of complexes in
      solution. We present EXAFS results for Co(I) B12 that demonstrate a four
      coordinate (distorted) square-planar configuration. Comparison of EXAFS solutions
      for Co(I) and Co(II) B12 (collected previously; Sagi et al. 1990. J. Am. Chem.
      Soc. 112:8639-8644) suggest that modulation of the Co-N bond to the axial 5,6
      dimethylbenzimidazole (DMB), in the absence of changes in Co-N (equatorial) bond
      distances, may be a key mechanism in promoting homolytic versus heterolytic
      cleavage. As Co-C bond homolysis occurs, the Co-N (DMB) bond becomes stronger.
      However, for heterolytic cleavage to occur, earlier electrochemical studies (D.
      Lexa and J. M. Saveant. 1976. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 98:2652-2658) and recent studies
      of methylcobalamin-dependent Clostridium thermoaceticum (Ragsdale et al. 1987. J.
      Biol. Chem. 262:14289-14297) suggest that removal of the DMB ligand (before Co-C
      bond cleavage) favors formation of the four-coordinate square-planar Co(I)
      species while inhibiting formation of the five-coordinate Co(II) B12 complex.
      This paper presents the first direct evidence that formation of the Co(I) B12
      intermediate must involve breaking of the Co-N (DMB) bond.

PMID- 1420888
TI  - Influence of the membrane surface on glycolipid conformation and dynamics. An
      interpretation of NMR results using conformational energy calculations.
AB  - Glycolipids constitute an important class of biomolecules that are involved in
      biomolecular recognition. The importance of carbohydrate head group conformation
      in such processes is well recognized. Glycolipids typically occur as minor
      components of the complex heterogeneous matrix of a biological membrane. As a
      result, the membrane surface may not only influence head group conformation but
      also serves as a spatial frame in which the glycolipid is oriented and
      recognized. In this study, conformational energy calculations have been used to
      assess the conformational space available to the glucose head group of 1,2-di-O
      tetradecyl-3-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-sn-glycerol (beta-DTGL) in a liquid
      crystalline membrane matrix. 2H NMR quadrupolar splittings are calculated and
      compared with those observed experimentally. This study demonstrates the
      importance of including surface interactions when considering the conformational
      space accessible to cell surface carbohydrates. The empirical approach taken here
      provides considerable insight at the molecular level, and offers the possibility
      of exploring even more complex systems.

PMID- 1420889
TI  - Direct correlation of structure changes and thermal events in hydrated lipid
      established by simultaneous calorimetry and time-resolved x-ray diffraction.
AB  - In many lipid systems, polymorphic and mesomorphic behavior depends on sample
      thermal history. To establish unequivocally the structural origin of endothermic
      and exothermic events in such systems, we have performed simultaneous calorimetry
      and time-resolved x-ray diffraction (SCALTRD). To this end, aluminum calorimetry
      crucibles were used to contain the hydrated lipid sample, and the calorimeter was
      mounted with the base of the crucible oriented perpendicular to a synchrotron
      derived focused monochromatic x-ray beam for SCALTRD data collection.
      Measurements were made with hydrated monoelaidin and 1,2-dielaidoyl-sn-glycero-3
      phosphoethanolamine (DEPE) contained in hermetically sealed crucibles. Time
      resolved x-ray diffraction (TRXRD) data were collected using an x-ray image
      intensifier/video system and a streak camera containing an x-ray sensitive image
      plate and/or film. SCALTRD analysis of the lamellar gel to lamellar liquid
      crystalline phase transition in hydrated monoelaidin gives identical progress
      curves by calorimetry and TRXRD at a scan rate of 1 degree C/min. At faster
      rates, calorimetry shows a broader phase transition that starts at a lower and
      ends at a higher temperature than is observed by TRXRD. The disparity arises in
      part because the x-ray beam used in TRXRD interrogates only a small portion of
      the sample, whereas the calorimeter responds to the entire sample volume. Because
      data collection times are relatively long, radiation damage is an important
      potential problem for SCALTRD measurements. Such an effect was observed with
      DEPE/water in that TRXRD shows the lamellar gel to lamellar liquid crystalline
      phase transition occurring at a lower temperature than observed by calorimetry.
      We speculate that the sample accumulates impurities locally as a result of
      radiation damage that has the effect of lowering the phase transition temperature
      at the site of interrogation by the x-ray beam. This "methods-in-combination"
      SCALTRD approach facilitates the direct correlation of structure rearrangements
      and thermal events in the same sample under identical conditions of thermal
      history. The information content of the data so derived far surpasses that
      available from either method used in isolation.

PMID- 1420890
TI  - Intermediates and kinetics of membrane fusion.
AB  - Recently, it has become clear that the influenza virus fusion protein,
      hemagglutinin (HA), produces membrane destabilization and fusion by a multistep
      process, which involves the aggregation of the HAs to form a fusion site. While
      the details of this process are under debate, it is important to recognize that
      proposing any sequence of "microscopic" fusion intermediates encumbers general
      "macroscopic" kinetic consequences, i.e., with respect to membrane mixing rates.
      Using a kinetic scheme which incorporates the essential elements of several
      recently proposed models, some of these measurable properties have been
      elucidated. First, a rigorous mathematical relationship between fusion
      intermediates and the fusion event itself is defined. Second, it is shown that
      what is measured as the macroscopic "fusion rate constant" is a simple function
      of all of the rate constants governing the transitions between intermediates,
      whether or not one of the microscopic steps is rate limiting. Third, while this
      kinetic scheme predicts a delay (or lag) time for fusion, as has been observed,
      it will be very difficult to extract reliable microscopic information from these
      data. Furthermore, it is predicted that the delay time can depend upon HA surface
      density even when the HA aggregation step is very rapid compared with fusion,
      i.e., the delay time need not be due to HA aggregation. Fourth, the inactivation
      process observed for influenza virions at low pH can be described within this
      kinetic scheme simply, yet rigorously, via the loss of the fusion intermediates.
      Fifth, predicted Arrhenius plots of fusion rates can be linear for this multistep
      scheme, even though there is no single rate-determining step and even when a
      branched step is introduced, i.e., where one pathway predominates at low
      temperature and the other pathway predominates at high temperature. Furthermore,
      the apparent activation energies obtained from these plots bear little or no
      quantitative resemblance to the microscopic activation energies used to simulate
      the data. Overall, these results clearly show that the intermediates of protein
      mediated fusion can be studied only by using assays sensitive to the formation of
      each proposed intermediate.

PMID- 1420891
TI  - Myosin light chain 2 modulates calcium-sensitive cross-bridge transitions in
      vertebrate skeletal muscle.
AB  - We investigated the mechanism of the Ca2+ sensitivity of cross-bridge transitions
      that limit the rate of force development in vertebrate skeletal muscle. The rate
      of force development increases with Ca2+ concentration in the physiological
      range. We show here that at low concentrations of Ca2+ the rate of force
      development increases after partial extraction of the 20-kD light chain 2 subunit
      of myosin, whereas reconstitution with light chain 2 fully restores native
      sensitivity to Ca2+ in skinned single skeletal fibers. Furthermore, elevated free
      Mg2+ concentration reduces Ca2+ sensitivity, an effect that is reversed by
      extraction of the light chain but not by disruption of thin-filament activation
      by partial removal of troponin C, the Ca2+ binding protein of the thin filament.
      Our findings indicate that the Ca2+ sensitivity of the rate of force development
      in vertebrate skeletal muscle is mediated in part by the light chain 2 subunit of
      the myosin cross-bridge.

PMID- 1420892
TI  - Melittin-induced changes in lipid multilayers. A solid-state NMR study.
AB  - Solid-state 1H, 13C, 14N, and 31P NMR spectroscopy was used to study the effects
      of the bee venom peptide, melittin, on aligned multilayers of dimyristoyl-,
      dilauryl- and ditetradecyl-phosphatidylcholines above the gel to liquid
      crystalline transition temperature, Tc. Both 31P spectra from the lipid
      headgroups and 1H resonances from the lipid acyl chain methylene groups indicate
      that the peptide does not affect the mosaic spread of the lipid molecules at
      lipid:peptide molar ratios of 10:1, or higher. None of the samples prepared above
      Tc showed any evidence of the formation of hexagonal or isotropic phases.
      Melittin-induced changes in the chemical shift anisotropy of the headgroup
      phosphate and the lipid carbonyl groups, and in the choline 14N quadrupole
      splittings, show that the peptide has effects on the headgroup order and on the
      molecular organization in the sections of the acyl chains nearest to the bilayer
      surface. The spin-lattice relaxation time for the lipid acyl chain methylene
      protons was found to increase and the rotating-frame longitudinal relaxation time
      to markedly decrease with the addition of melittin, suggesting that motions on
      the nanosecond time scale are restricted, whereas the slower, collective motions
      are enhanced in the presence of the peptide.

PMID- 1420893
TI  - Protein dynamics. Vibrational coupling, spectral broadening mechanisms, and
      anharmonicity effects in carbonmonoxy heme proteins studied by the temperature
      dependence of the Soret band lineshape.
AB  - In this work we study the temperature dependence of the Soret band lineshape of
      the carbonmonoxy derivatives of sperm whale myoglobin, human hemoglobin, and its
      isolated alpha and beta subunits. To fit the observed spectral profile we use an
      analytic expression derived for a system whereby a single electronic transition
      is coupled to Franck-Condon active vibrational modes, within the adiabatic and
      harmonic approximation. The vibronic structure of the spectra arises from the
      coupling with high frequency modes; these modes contribute to the total line
      shape through a series of Lorentzians with peak positions at vibrational
      overtones and half width related to the time constant of the population decay of
      the excited electronic state (homogeneous broadening); moreover, the coupling
      with low frequency modes broadens each Lorentzian to a Voigtian. Inhomogeneous
      broadening is modeled as a gaussian distribution of the 0-0 transition
      frequencies and is therefore added as a constant term to the previous gaussian
      width. This spectral deconvolution enables us to investigate the different
      contributions to line broadening and the parameters that characterize the
      vibrational coupling, as well as their dependence upon protein and solvent
      composition. The investigation is carried out as a function of temperature in the
      range 20-300 K; relevant information is obtained by comparing experimental
      results with theoretical predictions. This work supports a description of the
      investigated proteins as heterogeneous systems, whose heterogeneity depends on
      the particular protein and on the composition of the external matrix. The
      delocalized pi electron cloud of the porphyrin ring is coupled not only to the
      high frequency vibrational modes of the active site but also to a "bath" of lower
      frequency modes that involve the entire protein; moreover at suitable
      temperatures (approximately 200 K), anharmonic motions, which are an obvious
      prerequisite for the jumping among different conformational substates, become
      evident.

PMID- 1420894
TI  - Spatial variations in membrane properties in the intact rat lens.
AB  - We have used linear frequency domain techniques to measure impedance at various
      locations and depths in the intact rat lens. The data are used to obtain best-fit
      solutions to a new electrical model based on lens structure, allowing us to
      estimate localized conductances of surface cell membranes (Gs), fiber cell
      membranes (gm), and gap junctions (Gj) as functions of position. We find that gm
      is small and fairly uniform throughout the lens (2.02 +/- 0.58 microS/cm2); for
      the anterior surface-epithelial cells Gs = 1.26 +/- 0.19 mS/cm2; for the
      posterior surface differentiating fiber cells Gs = 0.46 +/- 0.04 mS/cm2. Thus, Gs
      varies about the equator in a stepwise fashion. Gj between fiber cells at
      locations interior to 80% of the radius is fairly uniform (0.75 S/cm2); but in
      the outer 20% Gj varies smoothly and symmetrically from both poles (0.66 S/cm2)
      to equator (5.95 S/cm2). This pattern of variation in Gj is similar to the
      pattern of inward and outward currents reported by Robinson and Patterson (1983.
      Curr. Eye Res. 2:843-847). We therefore suggest that the nonuniform distribution
      of functional gap junctions, not the surface cell conductance or Na/K pumps, may
      be responsible for directing these current flows. Gap junctional uncoupling
      during exposure to elevated calcium and acidification was also examined. High
      calcium (20 mM, with the calcium ionophore A23187) produced modest (twofold)
      irreversible uncoupling along with large, irreversible decreases in membrane
      potential. We did not pursue this further. Acidification with 20 and 100% CO2
      bubbled Tyrode's produced 5- and 15-fold reversible uncoupling, respectively,
      only in the outer 20% of the lens radius. The remaining inner 80% of the lens gap
      junctions seemed resistant to the acidification and did not uncouple.

PMID- 1420895
TI  - 1H nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of cobalt(II) substituted carbonic
      anhydrase.
AB  - The structure of ClO4 and NO3 adducts of cobalt(II) substituted bovine carbonic
      anhydrase have been investigated through 1D NOE and 2D 1H nuclear magnetic
      resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. For the first time two-dimensional NMR techniques
      are applied to paramagnetic metalloproteins other than iron-containing proteins.
      Several active site signals have been assigned to specific protons on the grounds
      of their scalar and dipolar connectivities and T1 values. The experimental
      dipolar shifts for the protons belonging to noncoordinated residues have allowed
      the identification of a plausible orientation of the magnetic susceptibility
      tensor around the cobalt ion as well as of the magnitude and the anisotropy of
      the principal susceptibility values. In turn, a few more signals have been
      tentatively assigned on the grounds of their predicted dipolar shifts. The two
      inhibitor derivatives have a very similar orientation but a different magnitude
      of the chi tensor, and the protein structure around the active site is highly
      maintained. The results encourage a more extensive use of the two-dimensional
      techniques for obtaining selective structural information on the active site of
      metalloenzymes. With this information at hand, comparisons within homologous
      series of adducts with various inhibitors and/or mutants of the same enzyme of
      known structure should be possible using limited sets of NMR data.

PMID- 1420896
TI  - Hydrogen peroxide plays a key role in the oxidation reaction of myoglobin by
      molecular oxygen. A computer simulation.
AB  - The stability properties of the iron(II)-dioxygen bond in myoglobin and
      hemoglobin are of particular importance, because both proteins are oxidized
      easily to the ferric met-form, which cannot be oxygenated and is therefore
      physiologically inactive. In this paper, we have formulated all the possible
      pathways leading to the oxidation of myoglobin to metmyoglobin with each required
      rate constant in 0.1 M buffer (pH 7.0) at 25 degrees C, and have set up six rate
      equations for the elementary processes going on in a simultaneous way. By using
      the Runge-Kutta method to solve these differential equations, the concentration
      progress curves were then displayed for all the reactive species involved. In
      this complex reaction, the primary event was the autoxidation of MbO2 to metMb
      with generation of the superoxide anion, this anion being converted immediately
      and almost completely into H2O2 by the spontaneous dismutation. Under air
      saturated conditions (PO2 = 150 Torr), the H2O2 produced was decomposed mostly by
      the metMb resulting from the autoxidation of MbO2. At lower pressures of O2,
      however, H2O2 can act as the most potent oxidant of the deoxyMb, which increases
      with decreasing O2 pressures, so that there appeared a well defined maximum rate
      in the formation of metMb at approximately 5 Torr of oxygen. Such examinations
      with the aid of a computer provide us, for the first time, with a full picture of
      the oxidation reaction of myoglobin as a function of oxygen pressures. These
      results also seem to be of primary importance from a point of view of clinical
      biochemistry of the oxygen supply, as well as of pathophysiology of ischemia, in
      red muscles such as cardiac and skeletal muscle tissues.

PMID- 1420897
TI  - Dimerization kinetics of the IgE-class antibodies by divalent haptens. I. The Fab
      hapten interactions.
AB  - The binding of divalent haptens to IgE-class antibodies leads predominantly to
      their oligomerization into open and closed dimers. Kinetics of the open dimer
      formation was investigated by fluorescence titrations of Fab fragments of
      monoclonal DNP-specific IgE antibodies with divalent haptens having different
      spacer length (gamma = 14-130 A). Binding was monitored by quenching of intrinsic
      tryptophan emission of the Fab. Addition of divalent haptens with short spacers
      (gamma = 14-21 A) to the Fabs at rates larger than a distinct threshold value
      caused a significant decrease of Fab-binding site occupation in the initial phase
      of the titration. This finding was interpreted to reflect a nonequilibrium state
      of hapten-Fab-binding. Such nonequilibrium titrations were analyzed by inserting
      a kinetic model into a theory of antibody aggregation as presented by Dembo and
      Golstein (Histamine release due to bivalent penicilloyl haptens. 1978. J.
      Immunol. 121, 345). Fitting of this model to the fluorescence titrations yielded
      dissociation rate constants of 7.8 x 10(-3) s-1 and 6 x 10(-3) s-1 for the Fab
      dimers formed by the flexible divalent haptens N alpha, N epsilon
      di(dinitrophenyl)-L-lysine (gamma = 16 A) and bis(N beta-2,4-dinitrophenyl
      alanyl)-meso-diamino-succinate (gamma = 21 A). Making the simplifying assumption
      that a single step binding equilibrium prevails, the corresponding dimer
      formation rate constants were calculated to be 1.9 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 and 1.1 x
      10(4) M-1 s-1, respectively. In contrast, all haptens with spacers longer than 40
      A (i.e., bis(N alpha-2,4-dinitrophenyl-tri-D-alanyl)-1,7-diamino-heptane, and
      di(N epsilon-2,4-dinitrophenyl)-6-aminohexanoate-aspartyl-(prolyl)n-L-l ysyl (n =
      24, 27, 33) exhibit a relative fast dimerization rate of the Fab fragments
      (greater than 7 x 10(6) M-1 s-1). These observations were interpreted as being
      caused by orientational constraints set by the limited solid angle of the
      reaction between the macromolecular reactants. Thus, ligands having better access
      to the binding site would react faster.

PMID- 1420898
TI  - Dimerization kinetics of the IgE-class antibodies by divalent haptens. II. The
      interactions between intact IgE and haptens.
AB  - Interactions between a monoclonal, DNP-specific IgE molecules (hybridoma A2) and
      divalent DNP-haptens in solution cause aggregation of the former predominantly
      into closed rings of two IgE and two divalent haptens (Schweitzer-Stenner, R., A.
      Licht, I. Luscher, and I. Pecht. 1987. Biochemistry. 26:3602-3612). The time
      course of this process was now investigated by titrating the A2-IgE with divalent
      DNP-haptens having long and rigid oligoproline spacers (di(N epsilon-2,4
      dinitrophenyl)-6-amino-hexanoate-aspartyl-(prolyl)n-L-ly- syl; n = 24, 27, 33).
      Binding was expressed in quenching of the IgE intrinsic tryptophan emission. As
      shown in the preceding paper, hapten addition to the IgE-A2 at rates faster than
      a distinct threshold value led to nonequilibrium titrations (NETs) from which
      kinetic processes slower than 2 s-1 can be resolved. Analysis of these titrations
      shows that the dimeric rings open at rates of approximately 10(-2) s-1,
      independent of the divalent hapten's spacer length. The ring closure rate,
      however, decreases with spacer length. The latter observation was qualitatively
      rationalized in terms of the diffusion process of a Gaussian chain which relates
      the ring closure rate constant to the expectation value for the distance between
      the free ends of the respective open chain.

PMID- 1420899
TI  - Magnetic and electric characteristics of the electric fish Gymnotus carapo.
AB  - The fresh water fish Gymnotus carapo produces a continuous series of weak pulsed
      electric fields in its surroundings and senses disturbances of this field as part
      of its sensory system. The electric and magnetic properties of the electric organ
      of this fish were studied. Magnetic fields close to the fish on the order of nT
      are produced by currents on the order of 10(-4) A in the electric organ of the
      fish. The electromotive force, the internal resistance, the current, and the
      electric power of the equivalent circuit were determined noninvasively.

PMID- 1420900
TI  - Protein dynamics and 1/f noise.
AB  - It has long been recognized that protein dynamical processes occur over a wide
      temporal range. However, the functionality of this spectrum of events remains
      unclear. In this work, a generalized noise function analysis is applied to a
      collection of diverse protein dynamical systems. It is shown that a power law
      model with an oscillatory component can adequately describe the time course of a
      variety of processes. These results suggest that under the appropriate
      conditions, proteins are in a metastable state. A microscopic, chemical kinetic
      model based on a Poisson distribution of activation energies is presented. From
      this model specific functional forms for the parameters of the generalized noise
      model can be derived. Additionally, a model is presented to described kinetic
      hole burning effects observed at low temperatures. Scaling laws are derived for
      these models that provide a connection with the generalized noise analysis.

PMID- 1420901
TI  - Oxygenation-deoxygenation cycle of erythrocytes modulates submicron cell membrane
      fluctuations.
AB  - Low frequency submicron fluctuations of the cell membrane were recently shown to
      be characteristic for different cell types, nevertheless their physiological role
      is yet unknown. Point dark-field microscopy based recordings of these local
      displacements of cell membrane in human erythrocytes, subjected to cyclic
      oxygenation and deoxygenation, reveals a reversible decrease of displacement
      amplitudes from 290 +/- 49 to 160 +/- 32 nm, respectively. A higher rate of RBC
      adhesion to a glass substratum is observed upon deoxygenation, probably due to a
      low level of fluctuation amplitudes. The variation in the amplitude of these
      displacements were reconstituted in open RBC ghosts by perfusing them with
      composite solutions of 2,3 diphosphoglycerate, Mg+2, and MgATP, which mimic the
      intracellular metabolite concentrations in oxygenated and deoxygenated
      erythrocytes. The mere change in intracellular Mg+2 during oxygenation
      deoxygenation cycle is sufficient to explain these findings. The results imply
      that the magnitude of fluctuations amplitude is directly connected with cell
      deformability. This study suggests that the physiological cycle of oxygenation
      deoxygenation provides a dynamic control of the bending deformability and
      adhesiveness characteristics of the RBC via a Mg+2-dependent reversible assembly
      of membrane-skeleton proteins. The existing coupling between oxygenation
      deoxygenation of the RBC and its mechanical properties is expected to play a key
      role in blood microcirculation and may constitute an example of a general
      situation for other circulating blood cells, where the metabolic control of
      cytoskeleton dynamics may modulate their dynamic mechanical properties.

PMID- 1420902
TI  - Modulation of lateral transport of membrane components by spatial variations in
      diffusivity and solubility.
AB  - The effect of spatially varying diffusivity and solubility on the efficiency of
      intramembrane transport is investigated by obtaining solutions to the generalized
      lateral diffusion equation in which both the diffusion coefficient, D(r), and the
      partition coefficient, K(r), are functions of position. The mean-time-to-capture
      by a sink, tc, of particles diffusing in a plane is obtained analytically for the
      case of a sink surrounded by gradients in D(r) and K(r) with radially symmetrical
      geometry. It is shown that for particles originating at random locations, tc is
      shortened dramatically, if in an annular region around the sink, D and K are
      significantly greater than in the remainder of the plane. Similarly, a viscous
      boundary layer surrounding a sink is demonstrated to represent a significant
      barrier for diffusing particles. To investigate more complex geometries, a finite
      difference numerical integration method is used and is shown to provide
      comparable results for tc with modest computational power. The same method is
      used to calculate the tc for particles originating at a source that is joined to
      the sink by a channel. The increase in the rate with which particles travel from
      a source to a sink when they are joined by a high diffusivity and/or solubility
      channel is illustrated by several numerical examples and by graphical
      representations that show the equilibrium particle density (and hence the
      effective particle flow) in the presence of different sink, source, and channel
      combinations. These results are discussed in terms of fluidity domains and other
      membrane heterogeneities.

PMID- 1420903
TI  - Kinetic analysis of the activation of transducin by photoexcited rhodopsin.
      Influence of the lateral diffusion of transducin and competition of guanosine
      diphosphate and guanosine triphosphate for the nucleotide site.
AB  - The activation of transducin (T) by photoexcited rhodopsin (R*) is kinetically
      dissected within the framework of Michaelis-Menten enzymology, taking transducin
      as substrate of the enzyme R*. The light scattering "release" signal (Vuong,
      T.M., M. Chabre, and L. Stryer, 1984, Nature (Lond.). 311:659-661) was used to
      monitor the kinetics of transducin activation at 20 degrees C. In addition, the
      influence of nonuniform distributions of R* on these activation kinetics is also
      explored. Sinusoidal patterns of R* were created with interference fringes from
      two crossed laser beams. Two characteristic times were extracted from the
      Michaelis-Menten analysis: t(form), the diffusion-related time needed to form the
      enzyme-substrate R*-transducin is 0.25 +/- 0.1 ms, and T(cat), the time taken by
      R* to perform the chemistry of catalysis on transducin is 1.2 +/- 0.2 ms, in the
      absence of added guanosine diphosphate (GDP) and at saturating levels of
      guanosine triphosphate (GTP). With t(form) being but 20% of the total activation
      time t(form) + t(cat), transducin activation by R* is not limited by lateral
      diffusion. This is further borne out by the observation that uniform and
      sinusoidal patterns of R* elicited release signals of indistinguishable kinetics.
      When (GDP) = (GTP) = 500 microM, t(cat) is lengthened twofold. As the in vivo GDP
      and GTP levels are comparable, the exchange of nucleotides may well be the rate
      limiting process.

PMID- 1420904
TI  - Direct observation of defect structure in protein crystals by atomic force and
      transmission electron microscopy.
AB  - We have examined the structure of S-layers isolated from Sulfolobus
      acidocaldarius using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron
      microscopy (TEM). From the AFM images, we were able to directly observe
      individual dimers of the crystal, defects in the crystal structure, and twin
      boundaries. We have identified two types of boundaries, one defined by a mirror
      plane and the other by a glide plane. This work shows that twin boundaries are
      highly structured regions that are directly related to the organization of units
      within each crystal domain. Projection maps from TEM images have shown that there
      are significant differences in the final average maps has allowed us to relate
      high magnification views obtained by AFM to the relatively high resolution
      information obtained by electron microscopy and image processing.

PMID- 1420905
TI  - Rates of energy transfer between tryptophans and hemes in hemoglobin, assuming
      that the heme is a planar oscillator.
AB  - Using the Forster equations we have estimated the rate of energy transfer from
      tryptophans to hemes in hemoglobin. Assuming an isotropic distribution of the
      transition moments of the heme in the plane of the porphyrin, we computed the
      orientation factors and the consequent transfer rates from the crystallographic
      coordinates of human oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin. It appears that the orientation
      factors do not play a limiting role in regulating the energy transfer and that
      the rates are controlled almost exclusively by the intrasubunit separations
      between tryptophans and hemes. In intact hemoglobin tetramers the intrasubunit
      separations are such as to reduce lifetimes to 5 and 15 ps/ns of tryptophan
      lifetime. Lifetimes of several hundred picoseconds would be allowed by the
      intersubunit separations, but intersubunits transfer becomes important only when
      one heme per tetramer is absent or does not accept transfer. If more than one
      heme per tetramer is absent lifetimes of more than 1 ns would appear.

PMID- 1420906
TI  - Quaternary structure and geminate recombination in hemoglobin: flow-flash studies
      on alpha 2CO beta 2 and alpha 2 beta 2CO.
AB  - The kinetics of geminate recombination for the diliganded species alpha 2CO beta
      2 and alpha 2 beta 2CO of human hemoglobin were studied using flash photolysis.
      The unstable diliganded species were generated just before photolysis by chemical
      reduction in a continuous flow reactor from the more stable valency hybrids alpha
      2CO beta 2+ and alpha 2+ beta 2CO, which could be prepared by high pressure
      liquid chromatography. Before the flash photolysis studies, the hybrids had been
      characterized by double-mixing stopped-flow kinetics experiments. At pH 6.0 in
      the presence of inositol hexaphosphate (IHP) both of the diliganded species show
      second order kinetics for overall addition of a third CO that is clearly
      characteristic of the T state (l' = 1-2 x 10(5) M-1 s-1), whereas at higher pH
      and in the absence of IHP they show combination rates characteristic of an R
      state. The kinetics of geminate recombination following photolysis of a bound CO,
      however, showed little dependence on pH and IHP concentration. This surprising
      observation is explained on the basis that the kinetics of geminate recombination
      of CO primarily depends on the tertiary structure of the ligand binding site,
      which apparently does not differ much between the R state and the liganded T
      state formed on adding IHP in this system. Since this explanation requires
      distinguishing different tertiary structures within a particular quaternary
      structure, it amounts to a contradiction to the two-state allosteric model.

PMID- 1420907
TI  - Vibrationally enhanced tunneling as a mechanism for enzymatic hydrogen transfer.
AB  - We present a theory of enzymatic hydrogen transfer in which hydrogen tunneling is
      mediated by thermal fluctuations of the enzyme's active site. These fluctuations
      greatly increase the tunneling rate by shortening the distance the hydrogen must
      tunnel. The average tunneling distance is shown to decrease when heavier isotopes
      are substituted for the hydrogen or when the temperature is increased, leading to
      kinetic isotope effects (KIEs)--defined as the factor by which the reaction slows
      down when isotopically substituted substrates are used--that need be no larger
      than KIEs for nontunneling mechanisms. Within this theory we derive a simple KIE
      expression for vibrationally enhanced ground state tunneling that is able to fit
      the data for the bovine serum amine oxidase (BSAO) system, correctly predicting
      the large temperature dependence of the KIEs. Because the KIEs in this theory can
      resemble those for nontunneling dynamics, distinguishing the two possibilities
      requires careful measurements over a range of temperatures, as has been done for
      BSAO.

PMID- 1420908
TI  - How do selectins mediate leukocyte rolling in venules?
AB  - At the onset of inflammation, 20-80% of all leukocytes passing postcapillary
      venules roll along the endothelium. Recent blocking experiments with antibodies
      and soluble adhesion receptor molecules, as well as in vitro reconstitution
      experiments, suggest that leukocyte rolling is mediated by adhesion molecules
      that belong to the selectin family. What differentiates a selectin
      counterreceptor interaction that leads to leukocyte rolling from others that
      mediate firm adhesion after static incubation but no adhesion when incubated
      under flow conditions? Here, we explore this question by introducing a
      quantitative biophysical model that is compatible with the laws of mechanics as
      applied to rolling leukocytes and the present biochemical and biophysical data on
      selectin mediated interactions. Our computational experiments point to an
      adhesion mechanism in which the rate of bond formation is high and the detachment
      rate low, except at the rear of the contact area where the stretched bonds detach
      at a high uniform rate. The bond length and bond flexibility play a critical role
      in enhancing leukocyte rolling at a wide range of fluid shear rates.

PMID- 1420909
TI  - Computer detection of the rapid diffusion of fluorescent membrane fusion markers
      in images observed with video microscopy.
AB  - We have developed an algorithm for automated detection of the dynamic pattern
      characterizing flashes of fluorescence in video images of membrane fusion. The
      algorithm detects the spatially localized, transient increases and decreases in
      brightness that result from the dequenching of fluorescent dye in phospholipid
      vesicles or lipid-enveloped virions fusing with a planar membrane. The flash is
      identified in video images by its nonzero time derivative and the symmetry of its
      spatial profile. Differentiation is implemented by forward and backward
      subtractions of video frames. The algorithm groups spatially connected pixels
      brighter than a user-specified threshold into distinct objects in forward- and
      backward-differentiated images. Objects are classified as either flashes or noise
      particles by comparing the symmetries of matched forward and backward difference
      profiles and then by tracking each profile in successive difference images. The
      number of flashes identified depends on the brightness threshold, the size of the
      convolution kernel used to filter the image, and the time difference between the
      subtracted video frames. When these parameters are changed so that the algorithm
      identifies an increasing percentage of the flashes recognized by eye, an
      increasing number of noise objects are mistakenly identified as flashes. These
      mistaken flashes can be eliminated by a human observer. The algorithm
      considerably shortens the time needed to analyze video data. Tested extensively
      with phospholipid vesicle and virion fusion with planar membranes, our
      implementation of the algorithm accurately determined the rate of fusion of
      influenza virions labeled with the lipophilic dye octadecylrhodamine (R18).

PMID- 1420911
TI  - Investigation of the structural determinants of the intrinsic fluorescence
      emission of the trp repressor using single tryptophan mutants.
AB  - The fluorescence decay properties of wild-type trp repressor (TR) have been
      characterized by carrying out a multi-emission wavelength study of the frequency
      response profiles. The decay is best analyzed in terms of a single exponential
      decay near 0.5 ns and a distribution of lifetimes centered near 3-4 ns. By
      comparing the recovered decay associated spectra and lifetime values with the
      structure of the repressor, tentative assignments of the two decay components
      recovered from the analysis to the two tryptophan residues, W19 and W99, of the
      protein have been made. These assignments consist of linking the short, red
      emitting component to emission from W99 and most of the longer bluer emitting
      lifetime distribution to emission from W19. Next, single tryptophan mutants of
      the repressor in which one of each of the tryptophan residues was substituted by
      phenylalanine were used to confirm the preliminary assignments, inasmuch as the
      0.5-ns component is clearly due to emission from tryptophan 99, and much of the
      decay responsible for the recovered distribution emanates from tryptophan 19. The
      data demonstrate, however, that the decay of the wild-type protein is not
      completely resolvable due both to the large number of components in the wild-type
      emission (at least five) as well as to the fact that three of the five lifetime
      components are very close in value. The fluorescence decay of the wild-type decay
      is well described as a combination of the components found in each of the
      mutants. However, whereas the linear combination analysis of the 15 data sets (5
      from the wild-type and each mutant) yields a good fit for the components
      recovered previously for the two mutants, the amplitudes of these components in
      the wild-type are not recovered in the expected ratios. Because of the dominance
      of the blue shifted emission in the wild-type protein, it is most likely that
      subtle structural differences in the wild-type as compared with the mutants,
      rather than energy transfer from tryptophan 19 to 99, are responsible for this
      failure of the linear combination hypothesis.

PMID- 1420910
TI  - Cooperativity of thiol-modified myosin filaments. ATPase and motility assays of
      myosin function.
AB  - The effects of chemical modifications of myosin's reactive cysteines on
      actomyosin adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activities and sliding velocities in
      the in vitro motility assays were examined in this work. The three types of
      modifications studied were 4-[N-[(iodoacetoxy)ethyl]-N-methylamino]-7-nitrobenz-2
      oxa-1,3- diazole labeling of SH2 (based on Ajtai and Burghart. 1989.
      Biochemistry. 28:2204-2210.), phenylmaleimide labeling of SH1, and
      phenylmaleimide labeling of myosin in myofibrils under rigor conditions. Each
      type of modified myosin inhibited the sliding of actin in motility assays. The
      sliding velocities of actin over copolymers of modified and unmodified myosins in
      the motility assay were slowest with rigor-modified myosin and most rapid with
      SH2-labeled myosin. The actin-activated ATPase activities of similarly
      copolymerized myosins were lowest with SH2-labeled myosin and highest with rigor
      modified myosin. The actin-activated ATPase activities of myosin subfragment-1
      obtained from these modified myosins decreased in the same linear manner with the
      fraction of modified heads. These results are interpreted using a model in which
      the sliding of actin filaments over myosin filaments decreases the probability of
      myosin activation by actin. The sliding velocity of actin over monomeric rigor
      modified myosin exceeded that over the filamentous form, which suggests for this
      myosin that filament structure is important for the inhibition of actin sliding
      in motility assays. The fact that all cysteine modifications examined inhibited
      the actomyosin ATPase activities and sliding velocities of actin over myosin
      poses questions concerning the information about the activated crossbridge
      obtained from probes attached to SH1 or SH2 on myosin.

PMID- 1420912
TI  - Lipid bilayer surface association of lung surfactant protein SP-B, amphipathic
      segment detected by flow immunofluorescence.
AB  - Lung surfactant protein, SP-B, and synthetic amphipathic peptides derived from SP
      B were studied in model lung surfactant lipid bilayers by immunofluorescent
      labeling. Liposomes were formed by hydrating a lipid film on the glass viewing
      port of a temperature controlled flow chamber. Membrane associated peptides were
      detected by epifluorescence optical microscopy of the binding of anti-peptide
      polyclonal monospecific antibodies and FITC-conjugated secondary antibodies added
      to buffer contained in the flow chamber. Liposomes were bound by antibody to
      residues 1-25 of SP-B if formed from lipid films containing the 1-25 peptide, (SP
      B(1-25)), or if SP-B(1-25) was added to already formed liposomes in buffer
      solution. The distribution of antigen-antibody complex was temperature dependent
      with aggregation occurring at greater than or equal to 30 degrees C. Surface
      association was not detected in liposomes formed from lipid films containing the
      49-66 peptides (SP-B(49-66)), using an antibody to the 49-66 peptide, or to a
      synthetic version of the SP-B protein, (SP-B(1-78)), using both antibodies to the
      49-66 peptide and the 1-25 peptide. The detection of SP-B(1-78) with antibody to
      the 49-66 sequence was only possible after reducing SP-B(1-78) with
      dithiothreitol, suggesting that the COOH-terminus of the full monomer protein is
      accessible to the bulk aqueous environment unlike the COOH-terminal peptide. The
      size, number of layers, and fluidity of the liposomes were not altered by protein
      or peptides, although they were affected by lipid composition and temperature.

PMID- 1420913
TI  - Influence of sickle hemoglobin polymerization and membrane properties on
      deformability of sickle erythrocytes in the microcirculation.
AB  - The rheological properties of normal erythrocytes appear to be largely determined
      by those of the red cell membrane. In sickle cell disease, the intracellular
      polymerization of sickle hemoglobin upon deoxygenation leads to a marked increase
      in intracellular viscosity and elastic stiffness as well as having indirect
      effects on the cell membrane. To estimate the components of abnormal cell
      rheology due to the polymerization process and that due to the membrane
      abnormalities, we have developed a simple mathematical model of whole cell
      deformability in narrow vessels. This model uses hydrodynamic lubrication theory
      to describe the pulsatile flow in the gap between a cell and the vessel wall. The
      interior of the cell is modeled as a Voigt viscoelastic solid with parameters for
      the viscous and elastic moduli, while the membrane is assigned an elastic shear
      modulus. In response to an oscillatory fluid shear stress, the cell--modeled as a
      cylinder of constant volume and surface area--undergoes a conical deformation
      which may be calculated. We use published values of normal and sickle cell
      membrane elastic modulus and of sickle hemoglobin viscous and elastic moduli as a
      function of oxygen saturation, to estimate normalized tip displacement, d/ho, and
      relative hydrodynamic resistance, Rr, as a function of polymer fraction of
      hemoglobin for sickle erythrocytes. These results show the transition from
      membrane to internal polymer dominance of deformability as oxygen saturation is
      lowered. More detailed experimental data, including those at other oscillatory
      frequencies and for cells with higher concentrations of hemoglobin S, are needed
      to apply fully this approach to understanding the deformability of sickle
      erythrocytes in the microcirculation. The model should be useful for reconciling
      the vast and disparate sets of data available on the abnormal properties of
      sickle cell hemoglobin and sickle erythrocyte membranes, the two main factors
      that lead to pathology in patients with this disease.

PMID- 1420914
TI  - Conformation and elasticity of the isolated red blood cell membrane skeleton.
AB  - We studied the structure and elasticity of membrane skeletons from human red
      blood cells (RBCs) during and after extraction of RBC ghosts with nonionic
      detergent. Optical tweezers were used to suspend individual cells inside a flow
      chamber, away from all surfaces; this procedure allowed complete exchange of
      medium while the low-contrast protein network of the skeleton was observed by
      high resolution, video-enhanced differential interference-contrast (DIC)
      microscopy. Immediately following extraction in a 5 mM salt buffer, skeletons
      assumed expanded, nearly spherical shapes that were uncorrelated with the shapes
      of their parent RBCs. Judging by the extent of thermal undulations and by their
      deformability in small flow fields, the bending rigidity of skeletons was
      markedly lower than that of either RBCs or ghosts. No further changes were
      apparent in skeletons maintained in this buffer for up to 40 min at low
      temperatures (T less than 10 degrees C), but skeletons shrank when the ionic
      strength of the buffer was increased. When the salt concentration was raised to
      1.5 M, shrinkage remained reversible for approximately 1 min but thereafter
      became irreversible. When maintained in 1.5 M salt buffer for longer periods,
      skeletons continued to shrink, lost flexibility, and assumed irregular shapes:
      this rigidification was irreversible. At this stage, skeletons closely resembled
      those isolated in standard bulk preparations. We propose that the transformation
      to the rigid, irreversibly shrunken state is a consequence of spectrin dimer
      dimer reconnections and that these structural rearrangements are thermally
      activated. We also measured the salt-dependent size of fresh and bulk extracted
      skeletons. Our measurements suggest that, in situ, the spectrin tethers are
      flexible, with a persistence length of approximately 10 nm at 150 mM salt.

PMID- 1420915
TI  - Time-resolved x-ray diffraction study of the troponin-associated reflexions from
      the frog muscle.
AB  - The vertebrate skeletal muscle gives rise to a series of x-ray reflexions indexed
      as orders (n) of 77 nm, the even orders being meridional whereas the odd orders
      being near-meridional. The diffraction intensities associated with these
      reflexions originate from the axial period of 39 nm attributable to the repeat of
      troponin-tropomyosin on the thin filament. In the present study, the x-ray
      intensities of the furthest inner reflexions, A2 (n = 2) reflexion at an axial
      spacing of 1/39 nm-1 and A4 (n = 4) reflexion at 1/19 nm, of this series were
      measured with a time resolved manner. Upon activation of the frog striated
      muscle, the two reflexions underwent biphasic time courses of the intensity
      changes. With A2 reflexion, a rapid intensity increase by 16%, being completed by
      the time when tension rises to 5%, was followed by a slow intensity decrease down
      to 50%, which was associated with the tension rise. In both phases, lateral
      widths remained unchanged. A4 reflexion also behaves in the same way, although
      the first phase (the intensity increase) was not clear due to unsatisfactory
      statistics. We interpret phase one as being caused by conformational change of
      the troponin-tropomyosin complex upon binding of Ca2+ to troponin, whereas phase
      two being due to direct contribution of the mass of the myosin heads bound to the
      thin filament, although possible contribution of conformational changes of the
      regulatory proteins to phase two is not excluded. The results indicated that the
      calcium activation of the thin filament leads the onset of the actomyosin
      interaction.

PMID- 1420916
TI  - Quenching of fluorescein-conjugated lipids by antibodies. Quantitative
      recognition and binding of lipid-bound haptens in biomembrane models, formation
      of two-dimensional protein domains and molecular dynamics simulations.
AB  - Three model biomembrane systems, monolayers, micelles, and vesicles, have been
      used to study the influence of chemical and physical variables of hapten
      presentation at membrane interfaces on antibody binding. Hapten recognition and
      binding were monitored for the anti-fluorescein monoclonal antibody 4-4-20
      generated against the hapten, fluorescein, in these membrane models as a function
      of fluorescein-conjugated lipid architecture. Specific recognition and binding in
      this system are conveniently monitored by quenching of fluorescein emission upon
      penetration of fluorescein into the antibody's active site. Lipid structure was
      shown to play a large role in affecting antibody quenching. Interestingly, the
      observed degrees of quenching were nearly independent of the lipid membrane model
      studied, but directly correlated with the chemical structure of the lipids. In
      all cases, the antibody recognized and quenched most efficiently a lipid based on
      dioctadecylamine where fluorescein is attached to the headgroup via a long,
      flexible hydrophilic spacer. Dipalmitoyl phosphatidylethanolamine containing a
      fluorescein headgroup demonstrated only partial binding/quenching. Egg
      phosphatidylethanolamine with a fluorescein headgroup showed no susceptibility to
      antibody recognition, binding, or quenching. Formation of two-dimensional protein
      domains upon antibody binding to the fluorescein-lipids in monolayers is also
      presented. Chemical and physical requirements for these antibody-hapten complexes
      at membrane surfaces have been discussed in terms of molecular dynamics
      simulations based on recent crystallographic models for this antibody-hapten
      complex (Herron et al., 1989. Proteins Struct. Funct. Genet. 5:271-280).

PMID- 1420917
TI  - Conformational dynamics and intersubunit energy transfer in wild-type and mutant
      lipoamide dehydrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii. A multidimensional time
      resolved polarized fluorescence study.
AB  - Time-resolved fluorescence and fluorescence anisotropy data surfaces of flavin
      adenine dinucleotide bound to lipoamide dehydrogenase from Azotobacter vinelandii
      in 80% glycerol have been obtained by variation of excitation energy and
      temperature between 203 and 303 K. The fluorescence kinetics of a deletion mutant
      lacking 14 COOH-terminal amino acids were compared with the wild-type enzyme to
      study a possible interaction of the COOH-terminal tail with the active site of
      the enzyme. The flavin adenine dinucleotide fluorescence in both proteins
      exhibits a bimodal lifetime distribution as recovered by the maximum entropy
      method of data analysis. The difference in standard enthalpy and entropy of
      associated conformational substates was retrieved from the fractional
      contributions of the two lifetime classes. Activation energies of thermal
      quenching were obtained that confirm that the isoalloxazines in the deletion
      mutant are solvent accessible in contrast to the wild-type enzyme. Red-edge
      spectroscopy in conjunction with variation of temperature provides the necessary
      experimental axes to interpret the fluorescence depolarization in terms of
      intersubunit energy transfer rather than reorientational dynamics of the flavins.
      The results can be explained by a compartmental model that describes the
      anisotropy decay of a binary, inhomogeneously broadened, homoenergy transfer
      system. By using this model in a global analysis of the fluorescence anisotropy
      decay surface, the distance between and relative orientation of the two
      isoalloxazine rings are elucidated. For the wild-type enzyme, this geometrical
      information is in agreement with crystallographic data of the A. vinelandii
      enzyme, whereas the mutual orientation of the subunits in the deletion mutant is
      slightly altered. In addition, the ambiguity in the direction of the emission
      transition moment in the isoalloxazine ring is solved. The anisotropy decay
      parameters also provide information on electronic and dipolar relaxational
      properties of the flavin active site. The local environment of the prosthetic
      groups in the deletion mutant of the A. vinelandii enzyme is highly
      inhomogeneous, and a transition from slow to rapid dipolar relaxation is observed
      over the measured temperature range. In the highly homogeneous active site of the
      wild-type enzyme, dipolar relaxation is slowed down beyond the time scale of
      fluorescence emission at any temperature studied. Our results are in favor of a
      COOH-terminal polypeptide interacting with the active site, thereby shielding the
      isoalloxazines from the solvent. This biological system forms a very appropriate
      tool to test the validity of photophysical models describing homoenergy transfer.

PMID- 1420918
TI  - Simplified method for setting the phase angle used in capacitance measurements in
      studies of exocytosis.
AB  - Phase detectors (lock-in amplifiers) have been used in conjunction with patch
      clamp apparatus to follow the time course of exo- and endocytotic processes. A
      critical step is accurate setting of the phase to separate signals due to
      conductance changes from those due to capacitance changes. It has been the
      practice to obtain this setting empirically. Analysis of the admittance, and its
      derivatives, of a model equivalent circuit used commonly in this field shows that
      the desired phase setting is just twice the phase shift of the current relative
      to the stimulus voltage, which is easily, accurately and quickly determined. This
      fact permits rapid and accurate setting of the desire phase angle for those cells
      to which the equivalent circuit is suitable.

PMID- 1420919
TI  - Penetration of macromolecules into contracted blood clot.
AB  - The effectiveness of thrombolytic therapy is determined by accessibility of
      thrombus compartments to plasminogen activators and, therefore, depends on
      permeability of thrombus to blood born macromolecules. Accumulation of 125I
      labeled proteins with molecular massess ranging from 150 to 450 kD into partly
      contracted blood clot or plasma clot was consistent with diffusion coefficients
      3.2 x 10(-11) and 2.7 x 10(-11) m2 s-1, respectively. So far as the model
      conditions imitated those for venous thrombi, these data indicate that such
      thrombi are porous enough for immunoconjugates of relatively big size.

PMID- 1420920
TI  - Studies on the structure of actin gels using time correlation spectroscopy of
      fluorescent beads.
AB  - Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) has been used to measure the
      diffusion of fluorescently labeled beads in solutions of polymerized actin or
      buffer. The results, obtained at actin concentrations of 1 mg/ml, show that small
      beads (0.09 micron in diameter) diffuse nearly as rapidly in the actin gel as in
      buffer, whereas the largest beads tested (0.5 micron in diameter) are
      immobilized. Measured autocorrelation times for motions of beads with
      intermediate sizes show that the diffusion is retarded (relative to buffer) and
      that the time behavior cannot be represented as a single diffusive process. In
      addition to the retarded diffusion observed over distances > 1 micron, 0.23
      micron beads also show a faster motion over smaller distances. Based on the
      measured rate of this faster motion, we estimate that the beads may be
      constrained within a cage approximately 0.67 micron on a side, equal to a
      filament length of approximately 250 subunits. Fluorescence correlation
      spectroscopy measurements made in the same small spot (radius of 1.4 microns) of
      the gel vary over time. From the variations of both the autocorrelation functions
      and the mean fluorescence, we conclude that, corresponding to a spatial scale of
      1.4 microns, the actin gel is a dynamic structure with slow rearrangement of the
      gel occurring over periods of 20-50 s at 21-22 degrees C. This rearrangement may
      result from local reorganization of the actin matrix. Data for the retardation of
      beads by the actin gel are consistent with a detailed theory of the diffusion of
      particles through solutions of rigid rods that have longitudinal diffusion
      coefficients much less than that of the particles (Ogston, A. G., B. N. Preston,
      and J. D. Wells. 1973. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A. 333:297-316).

PMID- 1420921
TI  - Effects of the anesthetic dibucaine on the kinetics of the gel-liquid crystalline
      transition of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine multilamellar vesicles.
AB  - The effects of the anesthetic dibucaine on the relaxation kinetics of the gel
      liquid crystalline transition of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DC16PC)
      multilamellar vesicles have been investigated using volume-perturbation
      calorimetry. The temperature and pressure responses to a periodic volume
      perturbation were measured in real time. Data collected in the time domain were
      subsequently converted into and analyzed in the frequency domain using Fourier
      series representations of the perturbation and response functions. The Laplace
      transform of the classical Kolmogorov-Avrami kinetic relation was employed to
      describe the relaxation dynamics in the frequency domain. The relaxation time of
      anesthetic-lipid mixtures, as a function of the fractional degree of melting,
      appears to be qualitatively similar to that of pure lipid systems, with a
      pronounced maximum, tau max, observed at a temperature corresponding to greater
      than 75% melting. The tau max decreases by a factor of approximately 2 as the
      nominal anesthetic/lipid mole ratio increases from 0 to 0.013 and exhibits no
      further change as the nominal anesthetic/lipid mole ratio is increased. However,
      the fractional dimensionality of the relaxation process decreases monotonically
      from slightly less than two to approximately one as the anesthetic/lipid mole
      ratio increases from 0 to 0.027. At higher ratios, the dimensionality appears to
      be less than one. These results are interpreted in terms of the classical kinetic
      theory and related to those obtained from Monte Carlo simulations. Specifically,
      low concentrations of dibucaine appear to reduce the average cluster size and
      cause the fluctuating lipid clusters to become more ramified. At the highest
      concentration of dibucaine, where n < 1, the system must be kinetically
      heterogeneous.

PMID- 1420922
TI  - Study of mechanisms of electric field-induced DNA transfection. IV. Effects of
      DNA topology on cell uptake and transfection efficiency.
AB  - Electric parameters and solvent conditions are known to influence the efficiency
      of DNA transfection of cells by a pulsed electric field (PEF). A previous study
      (Neumann, E., M. Schaefer-Ridder, Y. Wang, and P. H. Hofschneider. 1982. EMBO
      (Eur. Mol. Biol. Organ.) J. 1:841-845) has indicated that DNA topology is also an
      important determinant. We report an investigation of the PEF induced uptake,
      stability, and expression of three different topological isomers, circular
      supercoiled (scDNA), circular relaxed (crDNA), and linearized (lnDNA) forms of
      the plasmid pBR322, by Escherichia coli strain JM105. Monomeric pBR322 prepared
      by the electroelution from an agarose gel was in the supercoiled form. Treatment
      of the scDNA with wheat germ topoisomerase I removed the superhelicity and the
      DNA assumed the relaxed circular form. Treatment of scDNA by a restriction
      endonuclease, EcoRI or Hind III, linearized the DNA. The MgCl2-dependent bindings
      of all three forms of DNA to the cell surface were indistinguishable. So was the
      PEF induced cell uptake. In contrast, the transfection efficiency (TE) for the
      scDNA and the crDNA were high (approximately 2 x 10(8) micrograms-1 DNA at
      neutral pH), whereas that for the lnDNA was approximately five orders of
      magnitude lower (less than 1 x 10(3) micrograms-1 DNA). Analysis by agarose gel
      electrophoresis indicated that the PEF loaded ln DNA was degraded by the host
      cell within 3 h. However, the loaded scDNA and the crDNA were stable and
      expressed in the cytoplasm. We conclude that first, the PEF induced DNA entry
      into E. coli did not depend on the topology of the DNA. As cellular uptake of DNA
      also correlated with the surface binding, these data support electrophoresis of
      surface bound DNA as the dominating mechanism for the DNA entry. Second, the
      variations of TE for different topological forms of DNA reflected their relative
      stability in the host cells. Third, since the loaded DNA could be either rapidly
      degraded by the host enzyme or expressed, they were unlikely coated with a layer
      of protective lipid membrane. Thus, PEF induced cellular uptake of DNA is
      unlikely by the endocytotic mechanisms as was reported previously for the
      liposomes (Chernomordik, L. V., A. V. Sokolov, and V. G. Budker. 1990.Biochim.
      Biophys. Acta. 1024:179-183).

PMID- 1420923
TI  - Shaking stack model of ion conduction through the Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel.
AB  - Motivated by the results of Neyton and Miller (1988. J. Gen. Physiol. 92:549
      586), suggesting that the Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel has four high affinity ion
      binding sites, we propose a physically attractive variant of the single-vacancy
      conduction mechanism for this channel. Simple analytical expressions for
      conductance, current, flux ratio exponent, and reversal potential under bi-ionic
      conditions are found. A set of conductance data are analyzed to determine a
      realistic range of parameter values. Using these, we find qualitative agreement
      with a variety of experimental results previously reported in the literature. The
      exquisite selectivity of the Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel may be explained as a
      consequence of the concerted motion of the "stack" in the proposed mechanism.

PMID- 1420924
TI  - Acyl chain conformational ordering in 1,2 dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine.
      Integration of FT-IR and 2H NMR results.
AB  - The extent of trans-gauche isomerization at the 4 and 4' positions of the acyl
      chains of fully hydrated 4,4,4',4'-d4 1,2-dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (4
      d4 DPPE) bilayers was quantitatively evaluated from the infrared (IR) intensity
      of the CD2 rocking modes. About 20% gauche conformers were observed at 72 degrees
      C (above Tm), while at 23 degrees C, well below Tm, about 4% were noted. The
      order parameter SC-D was determined from 2H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)
      quadrupolar splittings. SC-D is the product of a segmental order parameter (S
      gamma), which depends on conformational order, and a chain order parameter (S
      alpha) which depends on slower motions such as chain wobble. The IR-determined
      percentage of gauche forms was converted into a segmental order parameter and
      factored out of the measured value for SC-D to yield an estimate of S alpha =
      0.59 for L alpha phase DPPE. A comparison with S alpha for 1,2
      dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) suggests that increased wobble is
      responsible for enhanced motional averaging of the quadrupolar splittings in the
      latter at a similar reduced temperature. The extent of conformational disordering
      [at the 4(4') position] is essentially unchanged between the two molecules. The
      current study demonstrates the advantage of integrating quantitative IR with 2H
      NMR data, for elucidation of the contributions of the individual motions that
      average the NMR quadrupolar splittings.

PMID- 1420926
TI  - Adenine nucleotide translocase greatly increases the partition of trinitrophenyl
      ATP into reduced Triton X-100 micelles.
AB  - The presence of adenine nucleotide translocase (ANT) was found to greatly enhance
      the partitioning of the ATP analog 2',3'-O-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)-adenosine 5'
      triphosphate (TNP-ATP) into reduced Triton X-100 micelles. The protein's effect
      was studied through the quenching of fluorescence of purified ANT, irreversibly
      inhibited by carboxyatractyloside (CAT), solubilized in reduced Triton X-100
      micelles. The dependence of quenching of the protein's time-resolved tryptophan
      fluorescence on TNP-ATP concentration was measured and found to follow a Stern
      Volmer mechanism. However, the calculated quenching constant was too large to be
      accounted for by the aqueous TNP-ATP concentration. Experiments were therefore
      conducted to determine the partitioning of the quencher between the three phases
      present: aqueous, protein-free micelle, and protein micelle; a system also
      described by the equation of Omann, G. M., and M. Glaser (1985. Biophys. J.
      47:623-627.). By measuring the dependence of the apparent quenching rate constant
      on the protein concentration and protein/micelle ratios, this equation was used
      to calculate both the quencher partition coefficient into protein-free micelles
      (Pm) and into protein-micelles (Ppm), as well as the bimolecular quenching rate
      constant (kpm) in protein micelles. From the quenching experiments, kpm = 5.0 x
      10(8)M-1s-1,Pm = 290 and pyrene quenching experiment to be 325, and by a rapid
      filtration experiment to be 450. Clearly, the presence of the integral membrane
      protein ANT-CAT in reduced Triton X-100 micelles greatly increases the partition
      of TNP-ATP into the micelle. ANT alters the properties and thus, the structure of
      the detergent micelle, which has direct implications for the use of detergent
      micelles as a model system for membrane proteins and may indicate that analogous
      effects occur in the mitochondrial membrane.

PMID- 1420925
TI  - A mosaic multiple-binding model for the binding of caldesmon and myosin
      subfragment-1 to actin.
AB  - Binding of caldesmon to actin causes a decrease in the quantity of bound myosin
      and results in a reduction in the rate of actin-activated adenosine triphosphate
      hydrolysis. It is generally assumed that the binding of caldesmon and myosin to
      actin is a pure competitive interaction. However, recent binding studies of
      enzyme digested caldesmon subfragments directed at mapping the actin binding site
      of caldesmon have shown that a small 8-kD fragment around the COOH-terminal can
      compete directly with the myosin subfragment 1 (S-1) binding to actin; at least
      one other fragment that binds to actin does not inhibit the actin-activated
      adenosine triphosphate activity of myosin. That is, only a part of the caldesmon
      sequence may be responsible for directly blocking the binding of S-1 to actin.
      This prompts us to question the actual mode of binding of intact caldesmon and
      myosin S-1 to actin: whether the entire intact caldesmon molecule is competing
      with S-1 binding (pure competitive model) or just a small part of it (mosaic
      multiple-binding model). To answer this question, we measured the amount of
      myosin S-1 and caldesmon bound per actin monomer as a function of the total
      concentration of S-1 added to the system at constant concentrations of actin and
      caldesmon. A formalism for calculating the titration data based on the pure
      competitive model and a mosaic multiple-binding model was then developed. When
      compared with theoretical calculations, it is found that the binding of caldesmon
      and S-1 to actin cannot be pure competitive if no cooperativity exists between S
      1 and caldesmon. In contrast, the mosaic multiple-binding model can fit the
      binding data rather well regardless of the existence of cooperativity between S-1
      and caldesmon.

PMID- 1420928
TI  - Confinement as a determinant of macromolecular structure and reactivity.
AB  - The confinement of macromolecules within enclosures or "pores" of comparable
      dimensions results in significant size- and shape-dependent alterations of
      macromolecular chemical potential and reactivity. Calculations of the magnitude
      of this effect for model particles of different shapes in model enclosures of
      different shapes were carried out using hard particle partition theory developed
      by Giddings et al. (J. Phys. Chem. 1968. 72:4397-4408). Results obtained indicate
      that the equilibrium constants of reactions, such as isomerization, self
      association, and site binding, that result in significant change in
      macromolecular size, shape, and/or mobility may be altered within pores by as
      much as several orders of magnitude relative to the value in the unbounded or
      bulk phase. Confinement also produces a substantial size-dependent outward force
      on the walls of an enclosure. These results are likely to be important within the
      fluid phase of biological media, such as the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells,
      containing significant volume fractions of large fibrous structures (e.g., the
      cytomatrix).

PMID- 1420927
TI  - Cholesterol in model membranes. A molecular dynamics simulation.
AB  - Molecular dynamics simulations of a model membrane with inserted cholesterol
      molecules have been performed to study the perturbing influence of cholesterol.
      In the fluid phase of a lipid bilayer at 13 mol% concentration of cholesterol,
      local ordering of the hydrocarbon chains is induced. This perturbation decays
      with the distance from the cholesterol, and the effect extends 1.25 nm. It can be
      monitored in several ways, e.g., by an order parameter corresponding to deuterium
      nuclear magnetic resonance quadrupolar splittings, by the fraction of gauche
      bonds, or by the local bilayer thickness. At constant surface density, the local
      ordering is accompanied by disordering of the bulk phase, and, consequently, the
      net ordering effect is small. After compressing the system laterally in
      accordance with experimentally known surface areas, the bulk order parameters
      agree with those of a pure system, and the average order parameters are in
      accordance with experimental data. The necessity for this lateral compression is
      supported by calculated lateral pressures. At lower cholesterol concentration
      (3%), no direct perturbing effect is observed. A smaller lateral pressure than in
      a pure system indicates that the system with cholesterol is expected to have a
      smaller surface area, which would result in an increase of the order parameters,
      thus accounting for the experimental observations. The lack of spatial variation
      is, however, puzzling and may indicate a cooperative ordering effect.

PMID- 1420929
TI  - Interfacial models of nerve fiber cytoskeleton.
AB  - A new approach, basing on a resemblance between cytoskeleton structures
      associated with plasma membranes and interfacial layers of coexisting phases, is
      proposed. In particular, a lattice model, similar to those of the theory of
      surface properties of pure liquids and nonelectrolyte solutions (Ono, S., and S.
      Kondo. 1960. Handbuch der Physik.), has been developed to describe nerve fiber
      cytoskeleton. The preliminary consideration of the model shows the existence of
      submembrane cytoskeleton having increased peripheral densities of microtubules
      (compared with the bulk density) which is in qualitative agreement with the data
      in literature. Some additional possibilities of the approach proposed are briefly
      discussed.

PMID- 1420930
TI  - The exocytotic fusion pore modeled as a lipidic pore.
AB  - Freeze-fracture electron micrographs from degranulating cells show that the lumen
      of the secretory granule is connected to the extracellular compartment via large
      (20 to 150 nm diameter) aqueous pores. These exocytotic fusion pores appear to be
      made up of a highly curved bilayer that spans the plasma and granule membranes.
      Conductance measurements, using the patch-clamp technique, have been used to
      study the fusion pore from the instant it conducts ions. These measurements
      reveal the presence of early fusion pores that are much smaller than those
      observed in electron micrographs. Early fusion pores open abruptly, fluctuate,
      and then either expand irreversibly or close. The molecular structure of these
      early fusion pores is unknown. In the simplest extremes, these early fusion pores
      could be either ion channel like protein pores or lipidic pores. Here, we
      explored the latter possibility, namely that of the early exocytotic fusion pore
      modeled as a lipid-lined pore whose free energy was composed of curvature elastic
      energy and work done by tension. Like early exocytotic fusion pores, we found
      that these lipidic pores could open abruptly, fluctuate, and expand irreversibly.
      Closure of these lipidic pores could be caused by slight changes in lipid
      composition. Conductance distributions for stable lipidic pores matched those of
      exocytotic fusion pores. These findings demonstrate that lipidic pores can
      exhibit the properties of exocytotic fusion pores, thus providing an alternate
      framework with which to understand and interpret exocytotic fusion pore data.

PMID- 1420932
TI  - Measuring the microelastic properties of biological material.
AB  - We have used the atomic force microscope (AFM) to measure the local rigidity
      modulus at points on the surface of a section of hydrated cow tibia. These data
      are obtained either from contrast changes that occur as the contact force is
      altered, or from force versus distance curves obtained at fixed points. These two
      methods yield the same values for rigidity modulus (at a given point). At low
      resolution, the elastic morphology and topography mirror the features seen in
      optical and electron micrographs. At high resolution we see dramatic variations
      in elastic properties across distances as small as 50 nm.

PMID- 1420931
TI  - Evaluation of cellular mechanisms for modulation of calcium transients using a
      mathematical model of fura-2 Ca2+ imaging in Aplysia sensory neurons.
AB  - A theoretical model of [Ca++]i diffusion, buffering, and extrusion was developed
      for Aplysia sensory neurons, and integrated with the measured optical transfer
      function of our fura-2 microscopic recording system, in order to fully simulate
      fura-2 video or photomultiplier tube measurements of [Ca++]i. This allowed an
      analysis of the spatial and temporal distortions introduced during each step of
      fura-2 measurements of [Ca++]i in cells. In addition, the model was used to
      evaluate the plausibility of several possible mechanisms for modulating [Ca++]i
      transients evoked by action potentials. The results of the model support prior
      experimental work (Blumenfeld, Spira, Kandel, and Siegelbaum, 1990. Neuron. 5:
      487-499), suggesting that 5-HT and FMRFamide modulate action potential-induced
      [Ca++]i transients in Aplysia sensory neurons through changes in Ca++ influx, and
      not through changes in [Ca++]i homeostasis or release from internal stores.

PMID- 1420933
TI  - Fatty-acid chain tilt angles and directions in dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine
      bilayers.
AB  - X-ray diffraction has been applied to determine the various tilt angles and
      directions (if any) which can be assumed by oriented gel phase multilayers of
      dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) as a function of hydration. We report for
      the first time that oriented DPPC multilayers with a repeat spacing (d-spacing)
      of 55.2A at 25 degrees C and 0% relative humidity (RH) have hydrocarbon chains
      tilted at an angle theta of 21.5 degrees with respect to the bilayer normal. In
      addition, the chains are tilted along one of the bisectors (omega = 0 degrees) of
      the hexagonal lattice (8 wide-angle maxima, 2 unique), a phase not previously
      reported in DPPC studies. At 100% RH, the chain tilt angle and d-spacing
      increased to approximately 29.0 degrees and 58.9A, respectively. Since at 100% RH
      only 4 wide-angle maxima are observed, we analyze the data on the assumption that
      the hydrocarbon chains may rotate independently of the hexagonal lattice (omega =
      0-30 degrees), at a fixed chain tilt angle theta (Stamatoff, J.B., et al. 1979.
      Biophys. J. 25:253-262). The largest observed angle phi made by the wide-angle
      maxima with the equator is 29.5 degrees corresponding to a theta of approximately
      32.6 degrees (omega avg. = 24 degrees) and the sample having a d-spacing of 64.0
      A (excess water condition). Finally, theta remains relatively constant
      (approximately 21.5 degrees) up to a RH of approximately 45% and a d-spacing of
      57.8A, after which, with increases in RH, theta increases to a maximum of 32.6
      degrees.

PMID- 1420934
TI  - E/M dips. Evidence for lipids regularly distributed into hexagonal super-lattices
      in pyrene-PC/DMPC binary mixtures at specific concentrations.
AB  - We have examined the effect of 1-palmitoyl-2-(10-pyrenyl)decanoyl-sn-glycerol-3
      phosphatidylcholine (Pyr-PC) concentration on the ratio of excimer fluorescence
      to monomer fluorescence (E/M) in L-alpha-dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC)
      multilamellar vesicles at 30 degrees C, with special attention focussed on the
      smoothness of the curve. We observed a series of dips, in addition to kinks, in
      the plot of E/M versus the mole fraction of Pyr-PC (XPyrPC). The observation of
      dips is a new finding, perhaps unique for Pyr-PC in DMPC since only kinks were
      observed for Pyr-PC in L-alpha-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and in egg
      yolk phosphatidylcholine (egg-PC) (Somerharju et al., 1985. Biochemistry. 24:
      2773-2781). The dips/kinks observed here are distributed according to a well
      defined pattern reflecting a lateral order in the membrane, and distributed
      symmetrically with respect to 50 mol% Pyr-PC. Some of the dips appear at specific
      concentrations (YPyrPC) according to the hexagonal super-lattice model proposed
      by Virtanen et al. (1988. J. Mol. Electr. 4: 233-236). However, the observations
      of dips at XPyrPC > 66.7 mol% and the kink at 33.3 mol% cannot be interpreted by
      the model of Virtanen et al. (1988). These surprising results can be understood
      by virtue of an extended hexagonal super-lattice model, in which we have proposed
      that if the pyrene-containing acyl chains are regularly distributed as a
      hexagonal super-lattice in the DMPC matrix at a specific concentration YPyrPC,
      then the acyl chains of DMPC can form a regularly distributed hexagonal super
      lattice in the membrane at a critical concentration (1-YPyrPC). The excellent
      agreement between the calculated and the observed dip/kink positions, except for
      the dip at 74 mol% and the kink at 40 mol%, provides most compelling evidence
      that lipids are regularly distributed into hexagonal super-lattices in Pyr
      PC/DMPC mixtures at specific concentrations. The physical nature of the dips not
      only gives us a better understanding of lipid lateral organization in membranes
      but also will lead to new theoretical considerations and experimental designs for
      exploring the relationship between lipid regular distribution and membrane
      functions.

PMID- 1420935
TI  - Rotational diffusion and intermolecular collisions of a spin labeled alpha
      helical peptide determined by electron spin echo spectroscopy.
AB  - Short peptides that are composed mainly of alanine have recently been shown to
      form alpha-helices in aqueous solution at low temperature (Marqusee, S., and R.
      L. Baldwin. 1987. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 84:8898-8902; Marqusee, S., V. H.
      Robbins, and R. L. Baldwin. 1989. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 86:5286-5290).
      These peptides are excellent models for probing structure and dynamics in
      isolated helical domains. In previous work we have designed and synthesized spin
      labeled analogs of these helix-forming peptides and we have shown that these
      analogs retain the folding characteristics of the parent peptide (Todd, A. P.,
      and G. L. Millhauser. 1991. Biochemistry. 30:5515-5523). Using conventional
      continuous wave electron spin resonance (CW ESR) we have further shown that local
      motion is more pronounced near the helix amino terminus than in the central
      region as the peptide is thermally unfolded (Miick, S. M., A. P. Todd, and G. L.
      Millhauser. 1991. Biochemistry. 30:9498-9503). In this present work we use
      electron spin echo (ESE) spectroscopy to further refine our understanding of the
      solution dynamics of the 3K-8 peptide, which is a 16-mer with a nitroxide spin
      label attached at position 8. We find that the spin echo decays are well
      described by a single exponential function and that the determined correlation
      times are close to those previously derived from CW experiments. Variable
      concentration ESE experiments have directly revealed Heisenberg spin exchange
      (HSE) interactions and we find that the interpeptide collision rate is near to
      that expected for a free species in solution. This provides strong evidence that
      the helical conformation of these peptides is not stabilized by intermolecular
      interactions.

PMID- 1420936
TI  - Molecular origin of the internal dipole potential in lipid bilayers: calculation
      of the electrostatic potential.
AB  - The finite difference linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation was solved for a
      segment of bilayer for two lipids (phosphatidylcholine dihydrate and
      phosphatidylethanolamine-acetic acid) in order to obtain the transbilayer
      electrostatic potential. Atomic coordinates derived from the crystal structures
      of these lipids were used, and partial changes were assigned to all atoms in the
      polar parts of the molecules. These calculations confirmed that a dipole
      potential exists in the uncharged hydrophobic interior of a bilayer. The
      phosphocholine and phosphoethanolamine groups make negative contributions to the
      internal potential, and the glycerol acyl esters make positive contributions, but
      the sum of these terms is negative. The water of hydration in
      phosphatidylcholine, and the acetic acid which is present in the
      phosphatidylethanolamine crystal structure, make positive contributions to the
      internal potential. It is concluded that the water of hydration in fully hydrated
      lipid bilayers is mainly responsible for the experimentally inferred positive
      sign of the internal potential.

PMID- 1420938
TI  - A theoretical model of LDL-receptor trapping on a spherical cell.
AB  - The kinetics of the trapping of LDL-receptor complexes by coated pits on the
      surface of fibroblasts is examined in this paper. We have recently developed a
      mathematical formalism to extend Keizer's non-linear, non-equilibrium fluctuation
      dissipation theory to the kinetics of chemical systems constrained to a spherical
      surface. Keizer's theory is ideally suited to the study of open biological
      systems. In the past it has been used to investigate endocytosis on fibroblasts.
      However, these applications have modeled the cell membrane with an infinite
      plane. As such, the finite size of the cellular membrane, as well as its precise
      symmetry, could not be incorporated into the previous studies. Thus in this paper
      we use our recently developed methodology to reexamine the trapping step in
      endocytosis on spherical cells. For cell surface processes, the theoretical
      consideration of a spherical symmetry or an infinite plane, in model
      calculations, will depend on the experimental or in vivo conditions of the
      processes of interest. For a spherical symmetry, we find that the finite size of
      the cell surface does not significantly affect the rate of the trapping step
      given the empirically determined values for the relevant parametes on
      fibroblasts. This result supports the approximation used in the previous
      investigation. However, this and other analyses indicate that the finitie size of
      the biological surface probably is an important parameter for processes which
      occur on smaller biological surfaces such as those found on organelles.

PMID- 1420937
TI  - Time-resolved tryptophan emission study of cardiac troponin I.
AB  - We have carried out a time-resolved fluorescence study of the single tryptophanyl
      residue (Trp-192) of bovine cardiac Tnl (CTnl). With excitation at 300 nm, the
      intensity decay was resolved into three components by a nonlinear least-squares
      analysis with lifetimes of 0.60, 2.22, and 4.75 ns. The corresponding fractional
      amplitudes were 0.27, 0.50, and 0.23, respectively. These decay parameters were
      not sensitive to complexation of CTnl with cardiac troponin C (CTnC), and
      magnesium and calcium had no significant effect on the decay parameters. After
      incubation with 3':5'-cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, the intensity decay of
      CTnl required a fourth exponential term for satisfactory fitting with lifetimes
      of 0.11, 0.81, 1.95, and 6.63 ns and fractional amplitudes of 0.06, 0.37, 0.27,
      and 0.29, respectively. When bound to CTnC, the intensity decay of phosphorylated
      CTnl (p-CTnl) also required four exponential terms for satisfactory fitting, but
      the longest lifetime increased by a factor of 1.7. The decay parameters obtained
      from the complex formed between p-CTnl and CTnC were not sensitive to either
      magnesium or calcium. The anisotropy decay was resolved into two components with
      rotational correlation times of 0.90 and 23.48 ns. Phosphorylation resulted in a
      decrease of the long correlation time to 14.61 ns. The anisotropy values
      recovered at zero time suggest that the side chain of the Trp-192 had
      considerable subnanosecond motional freedom not resolved in these experiments.
      Within the CTnl.CTnC complex, the unresolved fast motions appeared sensitive to
      calcium binding to the calcium-specific site of CTnC. The observed emission
      heterogeneity is discussed in terms of possible excited-state interactions in
      conjunction with the predicted secondary structure of CTnl. The loss of molecular
      asymmetry of cardiac troponin I induced by phosphorylation as demonstrated in
      this work may be related to the known physiological effect of beta-agonists on
      cardiac contractility.

PMID- 1420939
TI  - Dynamics of benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide adducts in poly(dG-dC).(dG-dC) studied by
      synchrotron excited fluorescence polarization anisotropy decay.
AB  - Time-resolved fluorescence studies have been performed on (+)-anti-7,8
      dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxybenzo[a]pyrene adducts in double-stranded poly(dG-dC).(dG
      dC). Part of the adduct population gives rise to excimer fluorescence. The
      heterogeneous fluorescence emission decay curves at 22 degrees C could be
      resolved into three components with lifetimes: 0.4 ns, 3 ns and 24 ns for the
      total fluorescence (monomer and excimer emission), and 0.5 ns, 5 ns and 24 ns,
      respectively, for excimer emission alone. The relative amplitudes for the longer
      lifetimes were larger for the pure excimer population than for the mixed
      population. The fluorescence polarization anisotropy decay curves were resolved
      into two components of rotational correlation times: 0.4 ns and 25 ns for the
      total fluorescence and 0.3 ns and 33 ns for the excimer fluorescence. We
      interpret the two rotational correlation times to correspond to local motion of
      the adduct and segmental motion of the polynucleotide, respectively.

PMID- 1420940
TI  - The vibrational normal modes of beta-barrels in an IgG antibody molecule.
AB  - Based on the quasi-continuity model, and using the method of group theory, we
      studied the normal vibrations of the VL- and the CHL-beta-barrels in an IgG
      molecule. We put emphasis on the Raman- and the infrared-active normal modes. The
      Raman modes we obtained include both the breathing motion mode (or the dominant
      low-frequency mode) which corresponds to the maximum peak in the Raman spectrum,
      and the normal modes that correspond to the lower peaks. Our calculated vibration
      frequencies are found to be in good agreement with the experimental results
      observed by Painter et al. (Biopolymers 20 (1981) 243). The method and work
      presented in this paper may improve Chou's quasi-continuity theory in calculating
      the vibrational modes of a beta-barrel protein.

PMID- 1420941
TI  - On the base sequences of the promoters in transcription initiation.
AB  - The base sequence of a specific DNA region identified as the promoter is
      investigated by means of the quantity S(r) corresponding to
      "superdelocalizability" of oxygen ion of each phosphate for the ten DNA dimer
      units ([XY/Y'X']2-) and ([XY/Y'X']2- + H+)-complexes. A mechanism is proposed of
      how RNA polymerase can recognize its transcription site (phosphate), and is
      applied to the Escherichia coli promoters, lacUV5, recAp, rrnEpl, and rrnEp2. The
      result explains fairly well the character of the promoters experimentally found.

PMID- 1420942
TI  - Thermal stability of proteins in intermolecular complexes.
AB  - A general phenomenological model is proposed for the estimation of the influence
      of the formation of complexes with ligands on thermal stability of proteins. In
      this model the reversible processes of unfolding-refolding and of association
      dissociation of protein-ligand complexes and of the irreversible chemical
      degradation of the unfolded protein were analyzed jointly. By using certain
      approximations, the analytical expressions for both the thermodynamic and kinetic
      stabilization are obtained. Two thermodynamic and four kinetic regimes of
      stabilization and destabilization can exist in such system. Each thermodynamic
      regime appears to be compatible with three different kinetic regimes. The effect
      of the formation of complexes on thermodynamic and kinetic stability of the
      protein is determined by the degrees of binding of the ligand to the folded and
      unfolded protein species and by the rates of irreversible degradation of free
      protein and protein in complex.

PMID- 1420943
TI  - Comments on the entropies of genetic codes of DNA and proteins.

PMID- 1420944
TI  - Generalization of the Spiegler-Kedem-Katchalsky frictional model equations of the
      transmembrane transport for multicomponent non-electrolyte solutions.
AB  - The Spiegler-Kedem-Katchalsky frictional model equations of the transmembrane
      transport for systems containing n-component, non-ionic solutions is presented.
      The frictional interpretation of the phenomenological coefficients of membrane
      and the expressions connecting the practical coefficients (Lp, sigma i, omega ij)
      with frictional coefficients (fij) are presented.

PMID- 1420945
TI  - Enhanced biopotency of synthetic C3a analogues by membrane binding. A
      fluorescence anisotropy decay study.
AB  - The biological activity of oligopeptide analogues of C3a is markedly increased by
      N-terminal attachment of a hydrophobic group as, for instance, 9
      fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc), either direct or via a flexible 6-aminohexanoyl
      (Ahx) spacer. This study presents evidence from fluorescence anisotropy decay
      measurements that the hydrophobic appendix mediates non-specific binding of the
      synthetic peptide analogues to phospholipid vesicles. According to quantitative
      considerations no alternative or additional rate-enhancing mechanisms other than
      surface diffusion are required to account for the gain in biopotency.

PMID- 1420946
TI  - Time-resolved intrinsic fluorescence of Enzyme I. The monomer/dimer transition.
AB  - Enzyme I of the bacterial phosphotransferase system can exist in a monomer/dimer
      equilibrium which may have functional significance. Each monomer contains two
      tryptophan residues. It is demonstrated that the decay of both the monomer and
      the dimer can be described by a biexponential. The decay times depend on the
      temperature and at 6 degrees C the decay times are tau 1 = 0.4 ns and tau 2 = 3.2
      ns for the monomer and tau 3 = 3.2 ns and tau 4 = 7.2 ns for the dimer form of
      the enzyme. The changes in the fluorescence decay parameters can be utilized to
      measure the equilibrium constant for the monomer/dimer transition.

PMID- 1420947
TI  - The self-association of human spectrin at high concentration.
AB  - The self-association of purified human spectrin has been studied at sedimentation
      equilibrium over a wide range of concentration (0-20 g/L) at 30 degrees C and pH
      7.5. Coincidence of apparent weight average molecular weight and omega (r) plots
      as a function of total spectrin concentration indicated that equilibrium was
      attained and that no significant concentration of solute was incapable of
      participating in the self-association reaction. Under these conditions, no
      significant dissociation of the heterodimer to component polypeptide chains could
      be detected. The behavior of spectrin between 0 and 20 g/L can be described
      reasonably well by a cooperative isodesmic model, in which the protomer for
      association is the alpha beta heterodimer. With this model, the equilibrium
      constant for the heterodimer-tetramer step, K24, is 2 x 10(6) M-1, and K(iso),
      the equilibrium constant describing all other steps, is approximately 0.2 x 10(6)
      M-1. The returned value of the second virial coefficient for this model, 1.0 x
      10(-7) L mol g-2, is consistent with the lower limit of values calculated for the
      heterodimer from the charge and Stokes radius of spectrin. On the other hand, the
      attenuated indefinite association model fails to describe the self-association of
      spectrin adequately over the range 0-20 g/L. Systematic decreases in the
      estimates of the second virial coefficient and the equilibrium constants for
      association beyond the tetramer suggest that the assumption of a single value of
      the second virial coefficient may not be appropriate for spectrin, and that non
      ideality would best be taken into account by consideration of the detailed
      solution composition.

PMID- 1420948
TI  - Effects of lipid structure on energy transfer from carbazolyl to anthryl groups
      in a lipid bilayer.
AB  - Two types of chromophoric amphiphiles were synthesized: one of them possesses a
      molecular structure of N,N-dialkyl aromatic amino acid (5X18 type, where X is A
      or Cz), and the other alpha,gamma-dialkylglutamate connected to aromatic amino
      acid (mXG12 type, where m is an integer). 5-N-Ethylcarbazolyl and 9-anthryl
      groups were chosen as the chromophore, and introduced to each amino acid
      derivative. All the amphiphiles formed assembly showing gel-liquid crystalline
      phase transition. The phase-transition temperature of the assembly composed of
      mXG12-type amphiphile was higher than that of 5X18-type amphiphile. Absorption
      and CD spectra of 6-(trimethylammonium)hexanoyl-L-3-(5-N-ethylcarbazolyl) alanine
      N,N-dioctadecylamide bromide (5Cz18) in the assembly indicated the absence of
      strong ground-state interactions between the carbazolyl groups, while those of 6
      (trimethylammonium)hexanoyl-L-3-(5-N-ethylcarbazolyl)alanyl-L-gl utamic acid
      alpha,gamma-didodecyl ester (5CzG12) or 11-(trimethylammonium)undecanoyl-L-3-(5-N
      ethylcarbazolyl)al anyl-L-glutamic acid alpha,gamma-didodecyl ester (10CzG12)
      indicated the ground-state interactions based on dimer or higher aggregates.
      Fluorescence spectra of 5Cz18 showed very weak excimer emission, while excimer
      and/or excited dimer or higher aggregates were observed in the assembly of 5CzG12
      or 10CzG12. Similar results were obtained for amphiphiles (mAG12) with anthryl
      and hydroxyethyldimethylammonium groups in places respectively of carbazolyl and
      trimethylammonium groups of 5CzG12 and 10CzG12. Taking these results together
      into consideration, the molecular packing of mXG12 in the assembly should be
      tighter than that of 5X18. In the binary assembly of 6
      (trimethylammonium)hexanoyl-L-3-(9-anthryl) alanine N,N-dioctadecylamide bromide
      (5A18)/5Cz18 (1/99 mol/mol), about 60% of photoenergy absorbed by the carbazolyl
      groups was transferred to the anthryl groups, indicating an efficient energy
      migration along the two-dimensional array of carbazolyl chromophores of 5Cz18. On
      the other hand, in the mCzG12/mAG12 binary assembly, the energy-transfer
      efficiency was much lower due to the formation of dimer or the higher aggregates
      acting as energy-dissipating sites.

PMID- 1420949
TI  - Reduced lysozyme in solution and its interaction with non-ionic surfactants.
AB  - Reduced lysozyme at pH 2.5 bound poly(oxyethylene) alkylethers in two steps and
      the maximum bound amount Qmax of the surfactant reached as large as 0.5-0.7 mole
      per mole amino acid residue in the cooperative binding step. Binding isotherms
      were well superimposed when surfactant concentrations were normalized by
      respective values of the critical micelle concentration, cmc. In terms of the
      onset concentrations of the cooperative binding C*, hydrophobicity of reduced
      lysozyme was quantitatively defined as RT In (cmc/C*) which amounted to 670 J per
      mole surfactant and was unique to the protein irrespective of the kind of
      surfactant. Qmax could be used as another measure of the hydrophobicity of the
      protein. The binding isotherms were evaluated by two methods: equilibrium
      dialysis and surface tension. Their results were consistent with each other and
      rather complementary. Reduced lysozymes were molecularly dispersed at pH below
      2.5 in 0.01 M NaCl but aggregation took place as pH increased. The aggregates
      could not be dissociated on dilution nor by the addition of nonionic surfactants
      but by lowering pH. The irreversible nature of the aggregation was reasonably
      interpreted with a model based on the 'entangled' arrangement of the beta-sheets,
      which could account for the irreversible aggregation of unfolded proteins in
      general.

PMID- 1420950
TI  - Chlorpromazine induced aggregation of normal human hemoglobin. Electron
      microscopic evidence.
AB  - Normal human hemoglobin exceeding a certain minimum concentration (called
      critical aggregation concentration) undergoes aggregation in presence of the
      psychotherapeutic drug chlorpromazine (CPZ). The critical aggregation
      concentration decreases with the increase of CPZ concentration. Electron
      micrographs of CPZ-treated hemoglobin clearly indicate that the aggregates of
      hemoglobin are in filamentous form of average width 75 +/- 8 A. A possible
      mechanism for such aggregation has been discussed.

PMID- 1420952
TI  - Nodules resembling arachnoid villi in pulmonary venules in plexogenic pulmonary
      arteriopathy.
AB  - We have found nodules histologically resembling arachnoid villi adjacent to
      pulmonary venules in a woman of 30 years with primary pulmonary hypertension.
      Such lesions have been reported previously in cases of mitral stenosis and
      pulmonary thromboembolism and we believe them to absorb excess water from the
      interstitial tissues of the alveolar walls, thus protecting the lung from the
      development of edema. In this way they seem to have a similar function to that of
      cerebral arachnoid villi and granulations which transport cerebrospinal fluid
      into the dural sinuses.

PMID- 1420951
TI  - Protective effect of selenium in cardiac ischemia and reperfusion.
AB  - The purpose of the present investigation was to establish whether pretreatment
      with selenium enhances the stores of selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase in
      the tissues and to verify if and to what extent alterations of mechanical and
      biochemical cardiac properties induced by ischemia in the myocardium may be thus
      prevented. Ten rats had sodium selenite (6 micrograms/day) added to their
      drinking water for 4 weeks, while 10 control rats received no treatment. At the
      end of 4 weeks, the hearts were perfused by the Langendorff technique with
      oxygenated Krebs-Henseleit solution at a rate of 10 ml/min for 30 minutes at 37
      degrees C. Ischemia was then induced by reducing the perfusion to 1 ml/min for 60
      minutes; reperfusion followed at the control rate for a further 30 minutes.
      Isometrically developed pressure and its maximum first derivative at different
      ventricular volumes was measured before and after the ischemic period. Lactate
      and creatine kinase activity were measured in the effluent throughout. Tissue
      concentrations of adenine nucleotides and creatine phosphate and lutathione
      peroxidase activity were estimated after reperfusion. The rats treated with
      selenium showed a wide-spread increase in the activity of Se-dependent
      glutathione peroxidase in all tissues. There was an improved recovery of
      ventricular contraction during reperfusion and an increased myocardial content of
      adenine nucleotides and creatine phosphate. During reperfusion, the loss of
      creatine kinase into the perfusate was less in the treated animals, and there was
      a similar trend for the production of lactate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420953
TI  - The effects of halothane, enflurane and isoflurane on the isolated rat heart
      recovering from cardioplegic arrest.
AB  - The direct cardiac effects of volatile anesthetics following cardioplegic
      ischemia were investigated in isolated, paced rat hearts. In one series of
      experiments, the hearts were perfused with oxygenated Krebs Henseleit solution
      for a 15-minute stabilization period and then the effect of the volatile
      anesthetic was tested. In another series of experiments, after the stabilization
      period, the hearts were subjected to cardioplegic (KCl 20mEq/L) ischemia at 30
      degrees C for 30 minutes and then the effect of the volatile anesthetic was
      tested. Halothane, enflurane or isoflurane was introduced to the Krebs Henseleit
      solution at 0.7 and 1.4 minimal alveolar concentration. All the volatile
      anesthetics decreased myocardial contractility in a dose dependent manner both
      before and after cardioplegic arrest. Halothane decreased coronary flow, while
      isoflurane and enflurane increased coronary flow in both the cardioplegic and non
      cardioplegic hearts. The influence of the anesthetics was transient and ceased
      once they were withdrawn. Ischemic cardioplegia did not affect the response to
      volatile anesthetics.

PMID- 1420954
TI  - The effects of L-arginine mono(2-mercaptoethanesulfonate) on the ischemic and
      reperfused heart.
AB  - We evaluated the effectiveness of L-arginine mono(2-mercaptoethanesulfonate)
      (argimesna) to limit the extent of myocardial damage resulting from 60 minutes of
      severe ischemia followed by 30 minutes of reperfusion in the Langendorff-perfused
      rabbit heart. Argimesna is a sulfhydryl group containing molecule which has no
      effect on glutathione status or on the total thiol pool. The effects of 10(-6) M
      argimesna were compared with those of 10(-6) M L-arginine and of 10(-6) M sodium
      salt of 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate (mesna). Pretreatment of the hearts with 10(-6)
      M argimesna resulted in marked myocardial protection, measured in terms of
      improved recovery of developed pressure (p less than 0.01), reduced release of
      creatine kinase (p less than 0.01), maintenance of mitochondrial function and
      increased stores of ATP on reperfusion (p less than 0.01). On reperfusion less
      oxidative stress developed, as indicated by less accumulation of oxidized
      glutathione (p less than 0.01). These effects were specific for argimesna; no
      significant protection could be found for mesna and L-arginine. The beneficial
      effects of argimesna could not be explained by hemodynamic differences or effects
      on anaerobic metabolism. Neither is it likely that argimesna acts as a free
      radical scavenger at the concentrations employed. The protection may be achieved
      by maintenance of -SH groups during ischemia and reperfusion.

PMID- 1420955
TI  - Cardiac ATP breakdown and mechanical function during recurrent periods of anoxia.
AB  - The effect of repeated short anoxic or ischemic periods on ATP breakdown and
      cardiac function remains controversial. To analyze this issue further and to
      study the regulation of adenine nucleotide breakdown during recurrent cardiac
      anoxia, we compared two different protocols of intermittent anoxia. Four rat
      hearts, perfused according to Langendorff, were exposed to 12 periods of anoxia,
      each lasting 1 minute, with reoxygenation periods of 3 minutes (protocol A). A
      second group of 8 hearts were made anoxic for 6 periods of anoxia, each lasting 1
      minute, followed by 6 periods of anoxia, each lasting 2 minutes, with the same
      reoxygenation periods (protocol B). Adenosine production was studied with high
      performance liquid chromatography, ventricular contraction was monitored using a
      force transducer. During anoxia a substantial vasodilation and immediate fall in
      strength of ventricular contraction occurred. They were most pronounced during
      the first anoxic period and during the change from 1 to 2 minute periods of
      anoxia. Adenosine production was about 1 nmol/min during the first 1-minute
      anoxic period, decreasing during the following 1-minute anoxic periods. During
      the first 2-minute anoxic period, a new and much higher adenosine peak was
      observed (6 nmol/min), decreasing during the following 2-minute anoxic periods.
      Total purine release followed a pattern similar to that of adenosine. The
      concentration of ATP at the end of protocol B was 18.5 mumol/g dry tissue, which
      is significantly lower than that in protocol A (21.6 mumol/g). The results show
      that ATP breakdown during intermittent anoxia gradually decreases,
      notwithstanding the presence of substantial amounts of ATP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420956
TI  - Effect of magnesium on myocardial damage induced by epinephrine. Ultrastructural
      and cytochemical study.
AB  - Magnesium ion is involved in energy metabolism, transport of ions and control of
      intracellular Ca2+. Catecholamines, intensify cellular Mg2+ depletion and the
      detrimental effects of catecholamine excess and Mg2+ deficiency are mutually
      enhancing in the myocardium. To investigate whether Mg2+ supplementation protects
      the myocardium against damage induced by catecholamines, we examined the
      ultrastructure and the ultracytochemical localization of Ca2+ in the myocardium
      of rabbits infused with epinephrine (1 microgram/kg/min intravenously for 2
      hours), in rabbits infused simultaneously with epinephrine and MgSO4 (50 mg/kg,
      intravenously) and in saline-infused controls. Qualitative evaluation showed that
      Mg2+ supplementation attenuated the mitochondrial alterations induced by
      epinephrine and decreased intracellular and endothelial swelling.
      Ultracytochemistry with oxalate-pyroantimonate showed a shift in the localization
      of Ca2+ from the vicinity of the sarcolemma in the controls into the mitochondria
      in epinephrine-treated hearts. Mg2+ supplementation had no effect on the changes
      in Ca2+ localization induced by epinephrine or on the intensity of the
      cytochemical reaction. In conclusion, Mg2+ supplementation reduces the
      ultrastructural features of myocardial damage induced by epinephrine without an
      effect upon changes in intracellular distribution of Ca2+ induced by epinephrine,
      as shown cytochemically.

PMID- 1420957
TI  - Design of peptides: synthesis, crystal structure, molecular conformation, and
      conformational calculations of N-Boc-L-Phe-Dehydro-Ala-OCH3.
AB  - It is noteworthy that the dehydro-Ala residue adopts an extended conformation
      that is different than those observed in dehydro-Phe, dehydro-Leu, and dehydro
      Abu. The peptide N-Boc-L-Phe-dehydro-Ala-OCH3 (C18H24N2O5) was synthesized by the
      usual workup procedure and finally by converting N-Boc-L-Phe-L-Ser-OCH3 to N-Boc
      L-Phe-dehydro-Ala- OCH3. It was crystallized from its solution in a methanol
      water mixture at room temperature. The crystals belong to the monoclonic space
      group P2(1), with a = 9.577(1) A, b = 5.195(3) A, c = 19.563(3) A, beta =
      94.67(5) degrees, V = 970.1(6) A3, Z = 2, dm = 1.201(5) Mg m-3, dc = 1.197(5) Mg
      m-3. The structure was determined using direct method procedures. It was refined
      by a full-matrix least-squares procedure to an R value of 0.048 for 1370 observed
      reflections. The C2 alpha-C2 beta distance is 1.327(8) A, while the bond angles
      N2-C2 alpha-C2' and C1'-N2-C2 alpha are 109.8(5) degrees and 127.8(5) degrees,
      respectively. The backbone adopts a nonspecific conformation with dehydro-Ala in
      a fully extended conformation with the following torsion angles: theta 1 =
      175.2(4) degrees, omega 0 = 170.2(4) degrees, phi 1 = 135.8(5) degrees, psi 1 = 
      22.6(6) degrees, omega 1 = 168.5(5) degrees, phi 2 = -170.3(5) degrees, psi 2T = 
      178.6(5) degrees, theta T = 178.4(7) degrees. The rigid planar and trans
      conformation of dehydro-Ala forces Phe to adopt a strained conformation. The Boc
      group has a trans-trans conformation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420958
TI  - Combined use of homo- and heteronuclear coupling constants as restraints in
      molecular dynamics simulations.
AB  - A penalty function for scalar coupling constants has been applied in molecular
      dynamics simulations as an experimental constraint. The function is based on the
      difference between the coupling constant calculated from the dihedral angle and
      the experimentally measured coupling constant. The method is illustrated on a
      model cyclic pentapeptide for which 3JHN-H alpha and 3JHN-C beta, both about the
      phi backbone dihedral angle, have been measured. The function is efficient in
      producing structures consistent with the scalar couplings, but removed from the
      conformation observed in solution. This arises from the lack of J restraints for
      the psi dihedral angle. Simulations with both nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) and
      J-coupling restraints illustrates small but significant differences from
      simulations using only NOEs.

PMID- 1420959
TI  - Molecular dynamics conformational search of six cyclic peptides used in the
      template assembled synthetic protein approach for protein de novo design.
AB  - Six cyclic peptides, designed to act as topological templates in the TASP
      (template assembled synthetic protein) approach in protein de novo design, were
      investigated employing a 100-ps, 900-K molecular dynamics conformational search.
      The peptides are composed of two Lys-X-Lys (X = Gly, Ala) tripeptides connected
      at its N- and C-terminal end by a Pro-Gly motif and a cystine bridge (I), two Pro
      Gly units (II), naphthalene derivatives (III), and tetrahydronaphthalene
      derivatives of different stereochemistry (IV-VI). The molecular dynamics
      conformational search established that template I had beta-sheet like geometry.
      Templates II-VI showed different preferential geometries, among them, e.g.,
      distinct preferences for type V turns in Pro-Gly containing peptides and close
      spatial arrangement of hydrophobic naphthalene moieties. The orientation of the
      lysine side chains within preferential geometries of the individual templates is
      analyzed and a tentative evaluation for their potential to stabilize TASP
      molecules of 4-helix bundle topology is given.

PMID- 1420960
TI  - The spectroscopic properties of the lipodepsipeptide, syringomycin E.
AB  - The spectroscopic properties of syringomycin E, an antibiotic
      lipodepsinonapeptide associated with pathological states in plants, have been
      investigated by uv absorbance and CD spectroscopies, and by the synthesis of
      relevant model compounds. Initial studies [E. Vaillo, A. Ballio, P. L. Luisi, and
      R. M. Thomas (1990) in Peptides 1990, Giralt, E. & Andreu, D., Eds., Escom
      Scientific, Leiden, Netherlands] suggested that a significant contribution to the
      spectra was due to the presence of a zdehydroaminobutyric acid residue in the
      amino acid sequence. The model peptides N-Boc-L-Phe-delta zAbu-OMe and its
      analogue, N-Boc-L-Phe-L-Thr-OMe, lacking the unsaturated bond, were synthesized
      using standard solution chemistry, and a detailed investigation was made in which
      the spectra of the models and that of syringotoxin (an antibiotic closely related
      to syringomycin E but without a Phe residue) were compared with those of
      syringomycin E under a variety of solvent conditions. The uv absorbance spectra
      of both N-Boc-L-Phe-delta zAbu-OMe and syringomycin E clearly showed the presence
      of the unsaturated residue while the CD spectra were complex, environmentally
      sensitive, and contained contributions from both the delta zAbu and Phe residues.
      In the course of these studies extinction coefficients were obtained for
      syringomycin E and its dipeptide model. The origins of the uv and CD spectra are
      discussed in detail, and a comparison is made with the spectra of other, similar
      lipopeptide antibiotics. Finally, a structural model for syringomycin is proposed
      in which the changes induced in the spectrum by alterations in the solvent
      environment are accommodated.

PMID- 1420961
TI  - Variable ranges of interactions in polypeptide conformations with a method to
      complement molecular modeling.
AB  - Formulations of conformational weights for helix-coil transitions can be extended
      to substantially more complex situations than are usually pursued. General rules
      for matrix multiplication that depend parametrically on the interaction ranges
      and numbers of rotamers of residues are presented. The orders of the matrices of
      statistical weights can be increased with chain length, so that an individual
      matrix element can represent any specified single conformation, as needed. By the
      appropriate choice of interaction ranges and numbers of available conformers,
      approximations can be introduced in which: (1) an average of the conformations of
      any chain segment is obtained, (2) specific residue-residue interactions are
      excluded, or (3) the conformation of a part of the chain is restricted or fixed.
      The method is appropriate for treating specific interactions in peptides and
      could be used together with available experimental information to develop models
      of conformational transitions. As such, the methods represent a class of
      calculations aimed at more rigorous calculations built around known features of a
      molecule. The aim is to facilitate calculations that bridge the gap between
      nonquantitative molecular model building and more rigorous but less directed
      molecular mechanics calculations. The method can directly include any desired
      longer range of interactions, if the interaction range is not too long to make
      impossible the manipulation of the requisite matrices. An outline is presented of
      an application to treat salt bridges in the C peptide of ribonuclease A.

PMID- 1420963
TI  - Stacking interactions of ApA analogues with modified backbones.
AB  - CD spectra have been measured as a function of temperature for a number of ApA
      analogues with modified backbones. Oligonucleotides with these modified backbones
      are being used as antisense agents having potential as viral therapeutics.
      Results of these studies show that when a carbonyl is substituted for the
      phosphate to produce an uncharged backbone, the analogues that have either sugar
      or morpholino substitution do not stack. In contrast, when a morpholino group is
      substituted for the sugar and the phosphate is modified so as to be uncharged,
      there is strong base stacking. Stacking interactions in the phosphorus-linked
      morpholino analogues are at least as strong as those found in d(ApA). The
      stacking interactions in ApA are weak by comparison. Singular value decomposition
      demonstrates that the stacking is two state, and Taylor series decomposition
      yields a coefficient that measures base stacking interactions. The van't Hoff
      equation is applied to the base stacking coefficient from the Taylor series
      fitting to give thermodynamic parameters.

PMID- 1420964
TI  - Excluded volume effects on the partition of single- and double-stranded
      oligodeoxynucleotides between two liquid phases.
AB  - The distribution coefficients of single- and double-stranded
      oligodeoxynucleotides in a PEG 8000/phosphate two-phase system are a function of
      their chain length. Values of the distribution coefficients are in general
      agreement with a simple extension of a model for excluded volume effects (the
      "available volume model") which was applied previously to the distribution of
      proteins in this system. The current results therefore provide a second set of
      examples for molecules of very different geometry where the distribution added
      molecules is controlled by excluded volume interactions between those molecules
      and the PEG 8000 of the two-phase system.

PMID- 1420962
TI  - Interpretation of 25Mg spin relaxation in Mg-DNA solutions: temperature variation
      and chemical exchange effects.
AB  - The temperature dependencies of line shapes and spin-lattice relaxation times T1
      have been measured for 25Mg in dilute solutions of Na-DNA/NaCl containing varying
      amounts of added magnesium(II) ions. The 25Mg spectrum is clearly non-Lorentzian,
      due to the presence of motions modulating the quadrupolar interaction that are
      slow compared to the inverse of the Larmor frequency. The weakly temperature
      dependent line shapes and relaxation rates appear to be influenced by the
      relatively slow exchange of the Mg2+ ions between the DNA surface and the aqueous
      bulk phase. The observed temperature dependencies depend on the ratio of total
      magnesium to DNA phosphate, Mg/P. The line shape as well as the temperature
      dependence of the line width at half height can be qualitatively reproduced with
      a two-site discrete exchange model for the quadrupolar relaxation of a spin 5/2
      nucleus in isotropic solution. The calculations give a value of the lifetime for
      magnesium bound to DNA of 4 ms at room temperature. Previously reported
      temperature-dependent 43Ca relaxation measurements in DNA solution can be
      reproduced under the assumption of a mean lifetime of bound calcium that is not
      larger than 2 ms but not smaller than 50 microseconds at room temperature. The
      temperature variation of T1 for 25Mg has been calculated, giving some qualitative
      agreement with the data. The correlation time for bound 25Mg has been found to be
      about 40 ns at room temperature.

PMID- 1420965
TI  - A molecular thermodynamic approach to predict the secondary structure of
      homopolypeptides in aqueous systems.
AB  - Under physiological conditions, many polypeptide chains spontaneously fold into
      discrete and tightly packed three-dimensional structures. The folded polypeptide
      chain conformation is believed to represent a minimum Gibbs energy of the system,
      governed by the weak interactions that operate between the amino acid residues
      and between the residues and the solvent. A semiempirical molecular thermodynamic
      model is proposed to represent the Gibbs energy of folding of aqueous
      homopolypeptide systems. The model takes into consideration both the entropy
      contribution and the enthalpy contribution of folding homopolypeptide chains in
      aqueous solutions. The entropy contribution is derived from the Flory-Huggins
      expression for the entropy of mixing. It accounts for the entropy loss in folding
      a random-coiled polypeptide chain into a specific polypeptide conformation. The
      enthalpy contribution is derived from a molecular segment-based Non-Random Two
      Liquid (NRTL) local composition model [H. Renon and J. M. Prausnitz (1968) AIChE
      J., Vol. 14, pp. 135-142; C.-C. Chen and L. B. Evans (1986) AIChE J., Vol. 32,
      pp. 444-454], which takes into consideration of the residue-residue, residue
      solvent, and solvent-solvent binary physical interactions along with the local
      compositions of amino acid residues in aqueous homopolypeptides. The UNIFAC group
      contribution method [A. Fredenslund, R. L. Jones, and J. M. Prausnitz (1975)
      AIChE J., 21, 1086-1099; A. Fredenslund, J. Gmehling, and P. Rasmussen (1977)
      Vapor-Liquid Equilibrium Using UNIFAC, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company,
      Amsterdam], developed originally to estimate the excess Gibbs energy of solutions
      of small molecules, was used to estimate the NRTL binary interaction parameters.
      The model yields a hydrophobicity scale for the 20 amino acid side chains, which
      compares favorably with established scales [Y. Nozaki and C. Tanford (1971)
      Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol. 46, pp. 2211-2217; E. B. Leodidis and T. A.
      Hatton (1990) Journal of Physical Chemistry, Vol. 94, pp. 6411-6420]. In
      addition, the model generates qualitatively correct thermodynamic constants and
      it accurately predicts thermodynamically favorable folding of a number of aqueous
      homopolypeptides from random-coiled states into alpha-helices. The model further
      facilitates estimation of the Zimm-Bragg helix growth parameter s and the
      nucleation parameter sigma for amino acid residues [B. H. Zimm and J. K. Bragg
      (1959) Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol. 31, pp. 526-535]. The calculated values
      of the two parameters fall into the ranges suggested by Zimm and Bragg.

PMID- 1420966
TI  - Analyzing the normal mode dynamics of macromolecules by the component synthesis
      method.
AB  - This paper presents a general method for studying the harmonic dynamics of large
      biomolecules and molecular complexes. The performance and accuracy of the method
      applied to a number of molecules are also reported. The basic approach of the
      method is to divide a macromolecule into a number of smaller components. The
      local normal modes of the components are first calculated by treating individual
      components and the interactions between nearest neighboring components. The
      physical displacements of all atoms are then represented in the local normal mode
      space, in which a selected range of high-frequency local modes is neglected. The
      equation of motion of the molecule in the local normal mode space will then have
      a smaller dimension, and consequently the normal modes of the whole structure,
      particularly for large molecules, can be solved much more easily. The normal
      modes of two polypeptides--(Ala)6 and (Ala)12--and a double-helical DNA-
      d(ATATA).d(TATAT)--are analyzed with this method. Reductions on the dimensions of
      harmonic dynamic equations for these molecules have been made, with the fraction
      of the deleted high-frequency modes ranging from 1/2 to 5/6. The calculated low
      frequency normal modes are found to be very accurate as compared to the exact
      solutions by standard procedure. The major advantage of the present approach on
      macromolecule harmonic dynamics is that the reduction on the dimensionality of
      the eigenvalue problems can be varied according to the size of molecules, so the
      method can be easily applied to large macromolecules with controlled accuracy.

PMID- 1420967
TI  - Resolution of the electronic absorption spectra of the adenine and thymine
      residues in poly(dA).poly(dT).

PMID- 1420968
TI  - Terbium(III)-induced fluorescence of four-stranded G4-DNA.

PMID- 1420969
TI  - Discontinuous volume transitions in ionic gels and their possible involvement in
      the nerve excitation process.
AB  - Discontinuous volume changes in polymer gels carrying negatively ionized groups
      were studied by varying the molarities of univalent and bivalent cations in the
      bathing solution. These studies offer a sound basis for elucidating the origin of
      rapid swelling and heat production in nerve fibers associated with the process of
      excitation.

PMID- 1420970
TI  - Vibrational studies of the disulfide group in proteins. VI. General correlations
      of SS and CS stretch frequencies with disulfide bridge geometry.
AB  - Normal mode calculations have been done on a range of disulfide bridge
      conformations in order to determine how the SS stretch and CS stretch frequencies
      depend on structure. In addition to varying the C alpha C beta SS and NC alpha C
      beta S dihedral angles, we have varied the phi, psi of the adjoining peptide
      groups since we have shown that these also influence the above frequencies. In
      order to obtain structural information from the observed frequencies, we have
      done a study of the conformational states found in 92 disulfide bridges in 25
      known protein structures. This permits making a statistically based correlation
      between CS stretch frequencies and the possible contributing conformers.

PMID- 1420971
TI  - A molecular dynamics study of conformational changes and hydration of left-handed
      d(CGCGCGCGCGCG)2 in a nonsalt solution.
AB  - Twelve dinucleotides (one complete turn) of left-handed, flexible, double-helix
      poly(dG-dC) Z-DNA have been simulated in aqueous solution with K+ counterions for
      70 ps. Most of the d(GpC) phosphates have rotated in accordance with a ZI----ZII
      transition. The ZII conformation was probably partly stabilized by counterions,
      which coordinate one of the anionic oxygens and the guanine-N7 of the next (5'---
      3' direction) base. The presence of base-coordinating ions close to the helical
      axis rotated and pulled about half of the d(CpG) phosphates further into the
      groove. These ions also gave rise to rather large deviations from the crystal
      structure (ZI) with their tendency of pulling the bases closer toward the helical
      axis. A flipping of the orientation about the glycosyl bond from the +sc to the 
      sc region was observed for one guanosine, also leading to deviations from the
      crystal structure. Many bridges containing one or two water molecules were found,
      with a dominance for the latter. They essentially formed a network of intra- and
      interstrand bridges between anionic and esterified phosphate oxygens. A "spine"
      of water molecules could be distinguished as a dark zig-zag pattern in the water
      density map. The lifetime of a bridge containing one water was about twice as
      long as that of a two-water bridge and it lasted 5-15 times longer than a
      hydrogen bond in water. The lifetimes were also calculated for a selection of
      bridge types, in order of decreasing stability: O1P/O2P ... W ... O'4 much
      greater than O1P/O2P ... W ... guanine-N2 greater than O1P/O2P ... W ... O1P/O2P.
      The reorientational motion of water molecules in the first hydration shell around
      selected groups was slowed down considerably compared to bulk water and the
      decreasing order of correlation times was guanine-N2 greater than O'4 greater
      than O'3/O'5 greater than O1P/O2P.

PMID- 1420972
TI  - The use of UV-visible spectroscopy for the determination of hydrophobic
      interactions between neuropeptides and membrane model systems.
AB  - Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy has been used as a rapid method to evaluate the
      hydrophobic interactions between a series of cationic and zwitterionic
      neuropeptides and dipeptides with the hydrophobic core of two membrane model
      systems; sodium dodecyl sulfate and lysophosphatidylcholine micelles. If a
      hydrophobic interaction occurs, a 1-nm bathochromic shift is observed in the uv
      visible spectrum of the aromatic side chains when going from aqueous solution to
      a micellar solution. The aromatic residues of substance P, bradykinin, and Des
      Arg9 bradykinin all exhibited the 1-nm bathochromic shift in the presence of
      sodium dodecyl sulfate while those of Met-enkephalin did not. The opposite
      effects were observed in the presence of lysophosphatidylcholine micelles.

PMID- 1420973
TI  - DNA flexibility as a function of allomorphic conformation and of base sequence.
AB  - Systematic theoretical modeling of symmetric DNA oligomers, carried out earlier
      for the B conformation, is now extended to A-DNA. In contrast to the previous
      results, it is found that A-DNA shows no multiplicity of low-energy substate
      conformations. The possibilities of the Jumna algorithm are subsequently applied
      to studying deformations of the oligomers. Controlled winding and stretching
      deformations are used to study how the two allomorphs and different base
      sequences absorb such external stress. The results help explain the internal
      mechanics of the DNA double helix and the extent to which fine structure
      influences this behavior. The results point to some differences between the A and
      B double helices, but also to many similarities. Sequence effects on flexibility
      are relatively limited compared to their impact on optimal energy conformations.
      It is also shown that the conformational substates detected for B-DNA oligomers
      are preserved under deformation, but have little influence on its energetics.

PMID- 1420974
TI  - Salt-dependent stability of poly(dG).poly(dC) with potential of mean force
      Coulomb interactions.

PMID- 1420975
TI  - Electrostatic forces in two lysozymes: calculations and measurements of histidine
      pKa values.
AB  - In order to examine the electrostatic forces in globular proteins, pKa values and
      their ionic strength dependence of His residues of hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL)
      and human lysozyme (HUML) were measured, and they were compared with those
      calculated numerically. pKa values of His residues in HEWL, HUML, and short
      oligopeptides were determined from chemical shift changes of His side chains by
      1H-nmr measurements. The associated changes in pKa values in HEWL and HUML were
      calculated by solving the Poisson-Boltzmann equations numerically for macroscopic
      dielectric models. The calculated pKa changes and their ionic strength dependence
      agreed fairly well with the observed ones. The contribution from each residue of
      each alpha-helix dipole to the pKa values and their ionic strength dependence was
      analyzed using Green's reciprocity theorem. The results indicate that (1) the pKa
      of His residues are largely affected by surrounding ionized and polar groups; (2)
      the ionic strength dependence of the pKa values is determined by the overall
      charge distributions and their accessibilities to solvent; and (3) alpha-helix
      dipoles make a significant contribution to the pKa, when the His residue is close
      to the helix terminus and not fully exposed to the solvent.

PMID- 1420976
TI  - Elongational flow studies on DNA in aqueous solution and stress-induced scission
      of the double helix.
AB  - Elongational flow techniques are used to investigate the birefringent response
      and flow-induced molecular scission of monodisperse phage-DNA samples in aqueous
      solution. A 4-roll mill apparatus was used to characterize the solutions at low
      stain rates, epsilon less than or equal to 300 s-1, and the opposed jets
      apparatus used to study fracture of the DNA molecules at strain rates up to 15 x
      10(3) s-1. The molecular weight values were measured before and after fracture in
      elongational flow using the high-resolution technique of pulsed field gel
      electrophoresis (PFGE). The birefringent response incorporates both rigid and
      flexible components. The birefringence is nonlocalized and rises gradually to a
      plateau value, similar to rigid-rod behavior. In addition a certain minimum value
      in the strain rate is necessary, an onset value epsilon 0, before the signal
      appears, indicating a flexible component. This behavior is consistent with a
      hinged-rod model and is similar to that observed for the protein collagen
      molecule at elevated temperature. We propose that this type of behavior is likely
      for multistrand rope-like macromolecules where localized separation or partial
      untwisting of the intertwined chains occurs, creating temporary hinges, in
      accordance with biochemical evidence for sequence-specific sites of flexibility.
      Results are presented on the entanglement effects at high concentrations. We have
      calculated rotational diffusion rates as a function of concentration and
      molecular weight. Using PFGE to measure the molecular weight profiles, our
      fracture studies at high strain rates demonstrate chain halving and quartering in
      accordance with the predictions of the thermally activated barrier to scission
      theory for single-chain polymers.

PMID- 1420977
TI  - Origins and consequences of ligand-induced multiphasic thermal protein
      denaturation.
AB  - The presence of subsaturating levels of a high-affinity ligand has been
      demonstrated both by experiment and calculation to have far-reaching consequences
      on thermally induced protein denaturation due to the coupling between the protein
      denaturation and ligand-binding equilibria. Under such circumstances, a protein
      may undergo biphasic denaturation even though in the absence of ligand it
      exhibits a thermogram comprised of a single essentially symmetric endotherm. Up
      to now, the presence of just 2 maxima in the thermogram has been presented merely
      as an experimental observation or as the result of equilibrium computations. Here
      we develop a thermodynamic description of the linkage between these equilibria in
      which the number of cusps present in the thermogram correlates with the number of
      resolved steps in the plot of saturation level of remaining native protein vs
      temperature (i.e., the thermal binding curve). During thermally induced
      denaturation, the concentration of native protein decreases; thus, the native
      protein in effect is titrated with ligand at constant total ligand concentration.
      The free ligand concentration The free ligand concentration increases
      substantially through the release of bound ligand by unfolding protein thereby
      increasing the saturation level of the remaining native protein. The form of this
      thermal binding curve is a function of the number of ligand-binding sites on the
      protein, the magnitudes of the association constants, and the total ligand and
      total protein concentrations. As a result, the model predicts multiphasic
      denaturation of a single cooperative unit when the thermal binding curve consists
      of discrete multiple steps. The presence of only 2 maxima (i.e., a single cusp)
      in a thermogram for a protein with multiple sites on the native species derives
      from the form of the thermal binding curve, which in this case is a single-step
      sigmoidal plot, and not from the predominant denaturation of unliganded and fully
      liganded native species. In addition, it is shown that, in general, the
      contributions from the denaturation of individual native protein species are
      decidedly non-two-state in character; thus, simple deconvolution should not be
      carried out. The effects of nonzero values of delta Cp and d delta Cp/dT for
      denaturation and of changes in enthalpy and in heat capacity for ligand binding,
      as well as the interaction of ligand with the denatured protein, are explored
      also.

PMID- 1420978
TI  - Thermodynamic substantiation of water-bridged collagen structure.
AB  - A solution of the problem of topology of a hydrogen bond net in a triple helix of
      collagen is suggested on the basis of an analysis of thermodynamic data on
      denaturation of phylogenetically different collagen [T. V. Burjanadze (1982),
      Vol. 21, pp. 1489-1501; T. V. Burjanadze, E. I. Tiktopulo, and P. L. Privalov
      (1987), Dokl. Akad. Nauk. USSR, Vol. 293, pp. 720-724] as well as on the earlier
      evaluation of the energy of the OH group of the 4-hydroxyproline bond [A. R. Ward
      and P. Mason (1973), Journal of Molecular Biology, Vol. 29, pp. 431-435]. It is
      shown that only the water-bridged collagen structure [G. N. Ramachandran and R.
      Chandrasekharan (1968), Biopolymers, Vol. 6, pp. 1649-1661; G. N. Ramachandran,
      M. Bansal, and R. S. Bhatnagar (1973), Biochimica Biophysica Acta, Vol. 322, pp.
      166-171; M. Bansal, C. Ramakrishnan, and G. N. Ramachandran (1975), Proceedings
      of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Vol. 82, pp. 152-164] can explain both the
      change of thermostability upon proline hydroxylation [J. Rosenbloom, M. Harsch,
      and S. Jimenez (1973), Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Vol. 158, pp. 478
      484] and its phylogenetic change [T. V. Burjanadze (1982)].

PMID- 1420979
TI  - Presence of a thermostable domain in the helical part of the type I collagen
      molecule and its role in the mechanism of triple helix folding.
AB  - A study has been done of the effect of neutral salts (NaCl and CaCl2) on the
      mechanism of type I collagen triple helix folding and unfolding in concentrated
      acetic acid solutions (2-8.8 M). It is shown that in these conditions,
      thermoabsorption and secondary structure change in heated solutions proceed in
      two consecutive stages. Salts exert a different destabilizing effect on different
      sites of the macromolecule, promoting the detection of a thermostable domain. The
      presence of a thermostable domain permits one to carry out reversible
      denaturation of collagen and to study the mechanism of the triple helix folding.
      Proceeding from the mechanism of the triple helix folding, an assumption has been
      made on the localization of the thermostable domain and its biological role.

PMID- 1420980
TI  - Synthesis of new hydrophilic microspheres: optimized carriers for microparticle
      enhanced nephelometric immunoassays.
AB  - To optimize antigen-antibody reactions, we have synthesized chemically well
      defined hydrophilic microspheres. Proteins or haptens were covalently linked to
      these carriers. When the microsphere conjugates were agglutinated by the
      corresponding antiserum, the size of the complex artificially increased during
      the immunological reaction. After optimizing various parameters such as the
      hydrophilic character, repulsion charges, and amount of antigen coupled to the
      microspheres, we developed a rapid and sensitive immunoassay based on laser light
      scattering by the complexes.

PMID- 1420981
TI  - Conformational studies of anionic melittin analogues: effect of peptide
      concentration, pH, ionic strength, and temperature--models for protein folding
      and halophilic proteins.
AB  - Melittin (MLT), a 26-residue cationic (net charge +5 at pH 7.2) peptide from bee
      venom, is well known to be a monomeric, approximately random coil; but when its
      charges are reduced by titration, by acetylation (net charge +2) or succinylation
      (net charge -2), or by screening by salt, it goes over to tetrameric alpha-helix.
      The conversion is promoted by raising the peptide concentration. The tetramer is
      held together by hydrophobic forces. We have changed the net charge to -6 by
      acylation with acetylcitric anhydride (a new acylating agent); this anionic
      derivative forms tetrameric helix at neutral pH, without salt, and at relatively
      low concentration, conditions under which the cationic MLT does not become
      helical. Thus, a high net charge is not sufficient to prevent association and
      helix formation. We have synthesized an anionic melittin analogue of MLT (E-MLT;
      net charge -4) in which all five lysine and arginine residues are replaced with
      glutamate, and acetyl and succinyl derivatives of E-MLT (net charges -5 and -6).
      All three of these are resistant to helix formation. They require much higher
      NaCl or NaClO4 concentration for helix formation than does MLT. Even CaCl2,
      MgCl2, and spermine.4HCl are less effective in helicizing E-MLT than MLT. MLT, at
      pH 7.2, shows increasing helix as the peptide concentration increases (8-120
      microM), but E-MLT and its acyl derivatives do not. MLT and acylated MLTs in the
      helical tetramer show both cold- and heat-induced unfolding, with maximum
      stability near room temperature. At high temperature, a significant amount of
      residual structure remains. Heating (to 100 degrees C) monomeric MLT (i.e., MLT
      at low concentration) or E-MLT results in a monotonic increase in negative
      ellipticity. In 1.0 M NaCl, E-MLT (at sufficiently high concentration) also shows
      cold and hot unfolding. The results are discussed in respect to charge-charge and
      charge-dipole interactions, and hydrophobic effects. E-MLT is also discussed in
      relation to proteins of halophilic bacteria, which have higher proportions of
      anionic residues than do corresponding proteins of nonhalophiles.

PMID- 1420982
TI  - Conformational and ion binding properties of a cyclic octapeptide, cyclo (Ala-Leu
      Pro-Gly)2.
AB  - The conformation and ion-binding characteristics of a cyclic octapeptide, cyclo
      (Ala-Leu-Pro-Gly)2, in a liphophilic solvent, acetonitrile, have been studied
      using CD and nmr spectroscopy. The peptide binds preferentially to divalent
      cations such as calcium, magnesium, and barium. The conformations of the free
      cyclic peptide and its calcium complex are very similar with well-defined beta-
      and gamma-turns. The cyclic peptide readily forms equimolar and possibly 2:1
      (peptide:cation) complexes with divalent cations.

PMID- 1420983
TI  - The electrostatic potential for the phosphodiester group determined from X-ray
      diffraction.
AB  - The charge density distribution in the crystal structure of ammonium
      dimethylphosphate at 123 K has been determined from x-ray diffraction data (MoK
      alpha) using 8437 reflections with sin theta/lambda less than 1.33 A-1
      [NH4+.(CH3)2PO4-, M(r) = 143.08, monoclinic, P2(1)/c, a = 10.007(1), b =
      6.926(1), c = 9.599(2) A, beta = 105.40(1) degrees, V = 641.4(3) A3, Z = 4, F000
      = 304, Dx = 1.4815 g.cm-3, mu = 3.726 cm-1]. Least-squares structure refinement
      assuming Stewart's rigid pseudoatom model (variables including Slater-type radial
      exponents and electron populations for multipole terms extending to octapoles for
      C, N, O, and P, and dipoles for H) gave R(F2) = 0.039 for all reflections. The
      dimethylphosphate anion is in the gauche-gauche conformation and has approximate
      twofold symmetry. One phosphoryl O atom forms three hydrogen bonds and the other
      forms one. Neither of the ester O atoms is hydrogen bonded. For the
      dimethylphosphate anion isolated from the crystal structure, a map of the
      electrostatic potential obtained using the pseudoatom charge parameters shows
      that the phosphoryl O atoms are considerably more electronegative than the ester
      O atoms. The electrostatic potential distribution obtained in this way has been
      fitted by least squares to a system of atom-centered point charges. The potential
      calculated from these point charges agrees with the experimental result. It also
      agrees reasonably well with potentials obtained from three other systems of point
      charges that are widely used as part of the semiempirical force field for
      molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics calculations involving nucleic acids.

PMID- 1420984
TI  - Conformation of diastereomeric peptide sequences: structural analysis of Z-D-Val
      Ac6c-Gly-L-Phe-OMe.
AB  - We have recently undertaken a systematic structural analysis of fully protected
      tetrapeptides containing at the N- and C-terminus either homo- or heterochiral
      amino acids, spaced by an achiral dipeptide segment. The interest for this class
      of peptides derives from the observation that, on reverse-phase (HPLC), the homo-
      and heterochiral sequences have a markedly different retention times. The
      diastereomeric sequences, namely Z-(L/D)-Val-X-Y-L-Phe-OMe (X = Sar, Gly, Ac3c,
      Aib, Ac5c, Ac6c, Deg, Dpg, Dbu, Dip, Dph; Y = Sar, Gly, Ac3c, Aib, Ac5c, Ac6c)
      show different overall hydrophobicity attributed to a different three-dimensional
      structure that also depends on the X-Y segment. Therefore, following preliminary
      studies in solution, we report here the detailed x-ray analysis of the
      tetrapeptide Z-D-Val-Ac6c-Gly-L-Phe-OMe in order to understand the structural
      features governing the overall hydrophobicity of linear fully protected
      tetrapeptides.

PMID- 1420985
TI  - Conformations in solution of angiotensin II, and its 1-7 and 1-6 fragments.
AB  - High-resolution proton spectra at 620 MHz of human angiotensin II (1-8),
      angiotensin II (1-7), and angiotensin II (1-6) have been obtained in aqueous
      solution at acidic pH, and in dimethylsulfoxide solution. Complete chemical shift
      assignments for all three angiotensin peptides were made based on two-dimensional
      (2D) correlated spectroscopy and 2D-CA-MELSPIN spectra. Based on the measured
      values of 3JHNCH, the pattern of observed transverse Overhauser effects, and side
      chain coupling constants, it is concluded that all three analogues exist in H2O
      or DMSO-d6 as a mixture of conformers that is largely extended, with negligible
      content of folded structures, such as beta-turns, gamma-turns, or helix content.
      The results fit well with those of Nikiforovich et al.

PMID- 1420986
TI  - Alpha-elastin coacervate as a protein liquid membrane: effect of pH on
      transmembrane potential responses.
AB  - A protein liquid membrane composed of coacervated alpha-elastin, a chemical
      fragmentation product of the biological elastic fiber protein, functioned as an
      amphoteric liquid ion-exchange membrane. Ionic permselectivities of the alpha
      elastin coacervate membrane to a series of metal chlorides were investigated for
      the concentration-cell systems by the ordinary electrochemical measurements.
      Effects of pH on the transmembrane potential responses for NaCl, CaCl2, and MgCl2
      systems were examined. Only in the Ca(2+)-containing system did potential
      responses stay at constant levels against the pH changes, whereas in the other
      systems, increasing pH caused potential changes, indicating an improvement of
      cationic permselectivity across the alpha-elastin coacervate membrane. It was
      suggested that the characteristic Ca2+ transport mechanisms across the alpha
      elastin coacervate membrane are related in some way to the polypeptide backbone
      interactions specific and selective to Ca2+ ions.

PMID- 1420988
TI  - The CD of ligand-DNA systems. 2. Poly(dA-dT) B-DNA.
AB  - A systematic theoretical study of the CD of [poly(dA-dT)]2 and its complexes with
      achiral small molecules is presented. The CD spectra of [poly(dA-dT)]2 and of
      poly(dA):poly(dT) are calculated for various DNA structures using the matrix
      method. The calculated and experimental spectra agree reasonably well for
      [poly(dA-dT)]2 but less well for poly(dA):poly(dT). The calculated CD spectrum of
      [poly(dA-dT)]2 fails to reproduce the wavelength region of 205-245 nm of the
      experimental spectrum. This discrepancy can be explained by a magnetic dipole
      allowed transition contributing significantly to the CD spectrum in this region.
      The induced CD of a transition moment of a molecule bound to [poly(dA-dT)]2 is
      also calculated. As was the case for [poly(dG-dC)]2, the induced CD of a groove
      bound molecule is one order of magnitude stronger than that of an intercalated
      molecule. The calculations also show considerable differences between pyrimidine
      purine sites and purine-pyrimidine sites. Both signs and magnitudes of the CD
      induced into ligands bound in the minor groove agree with experimental
      observations.

PMID- 1420987
TI  - The contribution of residue ion pairs to the helical stability of a model
      peptide.
AB  - Comparative CD measurements were made on the model helical peptides
      acetylYEAAAKEAXAKEAAAKAamide and acetylYEAAAEKAXAKEAAAKAamide in which X
      represents a nonaromatic nonionic residue. The former peptide contains three
      potential i, i + 4 complementary ion pairs at neutral pH, while the latter
      peptide contains one potential complementary and two potential antagonistic i, i
      + 4 ion pairs. The effect of pH and ionic strength on the mean residue
      ellipticity of these peptides was measured at 222 nm and 0 degrees C. These
      measurements were analyzed assuming a common two-state helix/coil transition and
      only i, i, + 4 ion-pair interactions. The analyses suggest that the central ion
      pairs do modulate helical content while the peripheral ion pairs do not,
      presumably due to the location of the peripheral ion pairs in the frayed ends of
      the helix. The complementary central ion pair stabilizes the helix by about 0.4
      kcal/mole and the antagonistic central ion pair destabilizes the helix by about
      0.2 kcal/mole.

PMID- 1420989
TI  - Shape distributions of protein topography.
AB  - A method is presented for measuring protein surface shape. It is an improvement
      of an earlier method that intersects a sphere with the solvent-excluded volume of
      a protein molecule. The new method, called a shape distribution, produces a more
      sophisticated description of the region of the sphere inside the protein than is
      provided by simply measuring the region's area or solid angle. This method is
      applied to the prediction of molecular complexes in three systems: the hemoglobin
      nonallosteric interface, trypsin and trypsin inhibitor, and heme and
      apomyoglobin. It does not uniquely predict the correct structure, even though the
      individual structures are taken from the experimentally determined complex
      structure. However, it does provide a list of several hundred predicted
      complexes, one of which is correct, and from which the correct complex might be
      extracted by a subsequent chemical filter.

PMID- 1420990
TI  - IR (vibrational) CD of peptide beta-turns: a theoretical and experimental study
      of cyclo-(-Gly-Pro-Gly-D-Ala-Pro-).
AB  - IR vibrational CD (VCD) has been observed for the cyclic pentapeptide cyclo-(-Gly
      Pro-Gly-D-Ala-Pro-) in solution in CDBr3. The observed VCD spectra do not
      resemble the VCD features of any of the previously reported peptide secondary
      structures, such as alpha-helical, "random coil," or sheet structures, and might
      be due to the beta-turn contained in this molecule. To shed light onto the origin
      of the observed spectra, VCD intensity calculations, based on the solution and
      solid-state structures of cyclo-(-Gly-Pro-Gly-D-Ala-Pro-), have been carried out.
      In addition, calculated VCD data for pure beta-turns are discussed.

PMID- 1420991
TI  - Hydrophobicity scale for proteins based on inverse temperature transitions.
AB  - In general, proteins fold with hydrophobic residues buried, away from water.
      Reversible protein folding due to hydrophobic interactions results from inverse
      temperature transitions where folding occurs on raising the temperature. Because
      homoiothermic animals constitute an infinite heat reservoir, it is the transition
      temperature, Tt, not the endothermic heat of the transition, that determines the
      hydrophobically folded state of polypeptides at body temperature. Reported here
      is a new hydrophobicity scale based on the values of Tt for each amino acid
      residue as a guest in a natural repeating peptide sequence, the high polymers of
      which exhibit reversible inverse temperature transitions. Significantly, a number
      of ways have been demonstrated for changing Tt such that reversibly lowering Tt
      from above to below physiological temperature becomes a means of isothermally and
      reversibly driving hydrophobic folding. Accordingly, controlling Tt becomes a
      mechanism whereby proteins can be induced to carry out isothermal free energy
      transduction.

PMID- 1420992
TI  - Hydrophobicity of amino acid residues: differential scanning calorimetry and
      synthesis of the aromatic analogues of the polypentapeptide of elastin.
AB  - Relative hydrophobicities of aromatic amino acid residues are investigated by
      using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) on 10 synthetic copolypentapeptides
      of poly(VPGVG) of elastin. Utilizing the hydrophobic-driven process of the
      inverse temperature transition exhibited by these polypentapeptides in aqueous
      solution, the relative hydrophobicities of Phe, Trp, and Tyr residues are
      determined by the critical temperature and heat of the transition. The DSC data
      for the aromatic residue containing copolypentapeptide aqueous solution indicate
      that tryptophan is the most hydrophobic amino acid residue, phenylalanine the
      third most hydrophobic on basis of transition temperature and the second on basis
      of transition heat. For tyrosine, significant differences are observed between
      the phenolic and the phenoxide anionic states. At pH 7, where tyrosine is
      protonated, it is found to be the second most hydrophobic amino acid residue on
      the basis of the transition temperature, whereas on the basis of the heat of
      transition, it is less hydrophobic than both tryptophan and phenylalanine.
      Changing the pH from pH 7 to pH 12, for example, for poly[0.8(VPGVG), 0.2(VPGYG)]
      in aqueous solution shifts the transition temperature from 7 to 49 degrees C with
      a dramatically reduced heat. On the basis of both the transition temperature
      scale and the heat of transition, the hydroxylated tyrosine appears less
      hydrophobic than glycine.

PMID- 1420993
TI  - Comparative aspects of host-parasite and host-tumor relationships.

PMID- 1420994
TI  - Tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene expression in the tissues of normal mice.
AB  - Although TNF-alpha is traditionally associated with macrophage activation during
      neoplasia and acute inflammation, recent Northern blot hybridization studies
      indicate that gene expression occurs in the absence of pathology. In order to
      identify the cellular sources of endogenous message and protein, normal mouse
      tissues were tested for TNF-alpha mRNA using in situ hybridization and for the
      corresponding protein by immunocytochemistry. Unexpectedly, specific TNF-alpha
      message was readily detected in hepatocytes, kidney tubule epithelial cells,
      various populations of spleen cells and neurons. TNF-alpha protein was present in
      the same liver and kidney cells as those that contained TNF-alpha mRNA, was low
      in spleen cells, and was absent in neurons. These results suggest that cells
      other than macrophages are the major sources of TNF-alpha gene products in normal
      tissues, indicate that regulation is accomplished by more than one mechanism, and
      are consistent with the postulate that products of this gene contribute to normal
      physiological processes.

PMID- 1420995
TI  - Binding of neutrophil attractant/activation protein-1 (interleukin 8) to resident
      dermal cells.
AB  - Putative tissue receptors for leukocyte attractants, including neutrophil
      attractant/activation protein-1 (interleukin 8, NAP-1/IL-8), have been implicated
      in the regulation of neutrophil emigration into the tissues. An in-situ binding
      assay and an ex-vivo autoradiographic approach were used to investigate the
      binding of radiolabeled NAP-1/IL-8 to human and animal skin. These methods
      revealed the presence of saturable NAP-1/IL-8-binding sites on the endothelial
      cells of venules and veins but not arteries or capillaries of the dermis. In
      addition, the binding of NAP-1/IL-8 to dermal macrophages and perivascular mast
      cells was observed. We suggest that the NAP-1/IL-8-binding sites described here
      could be involved in the regulation of NAP-1/IL-8-induced neutrophil emigration.

PMID- 1420996
TI  - Pharmacokinetics, safety and immunomodulatory effects of human recombinant
      interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in healthy humans.
AB  - A phase I study of human recombinant interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra)
      was conducted in healthy males between the ages of 18 and 30. Twenty-five
      volunteers received a single, 3 h continuous intravenous infusion of doses
      ranging between 1 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg IL-1ra. At 3 h into the infusion, plasma IL
      1ra levels were 3.1 micrograms/ml and 29 micrograms/ml for the 1 mg/kg and 10
      mg/kg doses, respectively. Post-infusion plasma IL-1ra levels declined rapidly,
      exhibiting an initial half-life of 21 min and a terminal half-life of 108 min.
      Clinical, hematological, biochemical, endocrinological and immunomodulatory
      effects were monitored over 72 h and compared to those of four subjects receiving
      a 3 h infusion of saline. There were no clinically significant differences
      between the drug and saline groups in symptoms, physical examinations, complete
      blood counts, mononuclear cell phenotypes, blood chemistry profiles, serum iron
      and serum cortisol levels. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) obtained
      after completion of the IL-1ra infusion synthesized significantly less
      interleukin 6 ex vivo than PBMC from saline-injected controls. These data suggest
      that transient blockade of interleukin 1 receptors is safe and does not
      significantly affect homeostasis.

PMID- 1420997
TI  - Induction of inflammatory cytokine release from cultured human monocytes by C
      reactive protein.
AB  - The human acute phase protein, C-reactive protein (CRP), is capable of
      specifically binding to and modulating the function of mononuclear phagocytes. To
      investigate whether CRP can also affect the capacity of these cells to produce
      inflammatory cytokines, enzyme immunoassays and Western blot techniques were used
      to quantitate interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor
      necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) produced by freshly-isolated normal human
      monocytes. CRP induced the rapid release of each cytokine, with significantly
      elevated levels in culture supernatants at 4 hours and maximal levels of TNF
      alpha at 8 hours, and of IL-1 beta and IL-6 at 16 hours of culture. The effects
      of CRP were dose-dependent; greater than 10-fold increases of each cytokine were
      observed following culture with greater than or equal to 50 micrograms/ml CRP,
      concentrations which are often found in the presence of moderate to severe
      inflammation or tissue injury. The induction of cytokine release by CRP was
      unaffected by inclusion of 25 micrograms/ml polymyxin-B in culture media, but was
      completely abrogated by prior boiling of the CRP, a procedure which had no effect
      on induction of monocyte cytokine release by lipopolysaccharide. The dose
      dependent induction of inflammatory cytokines by CRP provides further support for
      the hypothesis that interaction with mononuclear phagocytes constitutes an
      important biological role for this acute phase protein.

PMID- 1420998
TI  - Interleukin 4 inhibits IL-2-induced proliferation of a human T-leukemia cell line
      without interfering with p56-LCK kinase activation.
AB  - Recently we described the establishment in culture and the immunophenotypic and
      functional characteristics of a human T-leukemia line TALL-103/2 derived from the
      T-cell receptor (TCR)-gamma/delta subset of T-lymphocytes. TALL-103/2 cells are
      absolutely dependent on interleukin 2 (IL-2) for their growth and survival in
      culture and thus provide a model cell line for studies of IL-2 signal
      transduction in a TCR-gamma/delta T-cell. In this report, we focus on the
      regulation of SRC-family protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) by IL-2. TALL-103/2
      cells were found to contain p56-LCK, p59-FYN, p62-YES and p53/56-LYN. Stimulation
      of growth factor-deprived TALL-103/2 cells with IL-2, however, induced increases
      in the relative activity only of the p56-LCK kinase. This IL-2-mediated increase
      in LCK kinase activity was manifested both by increased kinase
      autophosphorylation and by increased phosphorylation of the exogenous substrate
      enolase during in vitro kinase assays. Furthermore, immunoblot assays determined
      that the levels of p56-LCK protein were unaltered by IL-2-treatment, indicating
      that the measured elevations in LCK kinase activity reflected an increase in the
      specific activity of this PTK. In TALL-103/2 cells, IL-2 stimulated concentration
      dependent increases in p56-LCK activity that displayed rapid and transient
      kinetics: detectable increases occurred within 1 minute after IL-2 stimulation,
      peaked at 10 minutes, and declined to baseline levels by 30 minutes. Treatment of
      TALL-103/2 cells with IL-4 abrogated IL-2-initiated proliferation, but did not
      inhibit IL-2-mediated activation of p56-LCK.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1420999
TI  - Regulation of synovial cell growth: basic fibroblast growth factor synergizes
      with interleukin 1 beta stimulating phospholipase A2 enzyme activity,
      phospholipase A2 activating protein production and release of prostaglandin E2 by
      rheumatoid arthritis synovial cells in culture.
AB  - Cytokines have been implicated in the regulation of eicosanoid synthesis and
      synovial cell proliferation. To further define these mechanisms, we have compared
      the effects of basic fibroblast growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor
      on cell growth, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production and phospholipase A2 enzyme
      activity in long-term cultures of synovial cells from rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
      patients capable of proliferating in serum-free medium. Compared with serum-free
      medium alone, RA synovial cell growth was significantly enhanced by adding either
      basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) or platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) to
      the culture medium. Growing RA synovial cells for 14 days in serum-free medium
      plus bFGF caused them to spontaneously release significant amounts of PGE2, an
      effect not seen if cells were grown in serum-free medium alone, or serum-free
      medium plus PDGF. Enhanced release of PGE2 occurred when arachidonic acid was
      added to bFGF but not PDGF-treated RA synovial cells, suggesting that bFGF
      increased cyclooxygenase enzyme activity in these cells. Moreover, phospholipase
      A2 (PLA2) enzyme activity was found to be significantly greater in RA synovial
      cells grown for 14 days in serum-free medium containing bFGF alone, or bFGF plus
      interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta) compared with cells grown in either serum-free
      medium alone, or serum-free medium plus PDGF. Similarly, bFGF plus IL-1 beta
      stimulated release of PLA2 activating protein, a novel mammalian phospholipase
      stimulator found in high concentrations in RA synovial fluid.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421000
TI  - Presence of interleukin 10 (IL-10) in the ascites of patients with ovarian and
      other intra-abdominal cancers.
AB  - Typically, ovarian cancer remains restricted to the peritoneal cavity. Because of
      this unique localization, the study of ovarian cancer is particularly suitable
      for immune analysis and for the development of immunotherapy. Here we report that
      peritoneal fluid from patients with ovarian or other intra-abdominal cancers
      contained significantly elevated levels of interleukin 10 (IL-10) (542 +/- 77
      pg/ml, N = 35), compared with peritoneal fluid from patients with benign
      gynecological conditions (34.2 +/- 7.5 pg/ml, N = 63) (P < 0.001). Peritoneal
      fluid IL-10 levels did not correlate with histology, tumor stage, grade, or
      prognosis. IL-10 levels were also elevated in the serum of patients with intra
      abdominal cancer (1353 +/- 906, N = 8). Established ovarian cancer cell lines (N
      = 5) did not produce any detectable IL-10. Investigation of the cell surface
      phenotype of the cells in the peritoneal cavity indicated the presence of
      significant amounts of activated immune cells. The presence of cytokines such as
      IL-10 in the peritoneal cavity of ovarian cancer bearing patients could be
      important in the growth and development of cancer, more specifically, in relation
      to host immune responsiveness.

PMID- 1421001
TI  - The autocrine role of tumor necrosis factor in the proliferation and functional
      differentiation of human lymphokine-activated T killer cells (T-LAK) in vitro.
AB  - The autocrine role of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) in the proliferation and
      functional differentiation of human lymphokine-activated T-killer cells (T-LAK)
      in vitro was investigated. Human peripheral blood lymphocytes initially
      stimulated with IL-2 and phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA) for 48 h will proliferate for
      long periods in vitro in the presence of IL-2. These T-LAK cells have been shown
      to be 95% CD3 positive. Employing ELISA techniques, greater than 500 pg/ml of TNF
      was found to be released in the supernatants of these cells during the first 5
      days of culture. However, the levels dropped to 100-200 pg/ml by days 7-10. T-LAK
      cells grown from days 7 to 10 in the presence of IL-2 and rabbit anti-TNF were
      significantly growth inhibited (up to 23%). The cytolytic activity of T-LAK cells
      grown from days 0 to 7 in the presence of anti-TNF was also decreased (up to
      75%). Phenotypic analysis of these anti-TNF treated T-LAK cells revealed a
      decrease in CD8 expression (up to 12%) and increase in CD4 expression (up to 27%)
      when compared with control cells. The data suggest that TNF has a regulatory role
      in the growth and functional differentiation of these human T-LAK cells.

PMID- 1421002
TI  - In-vitro stimulation of TNF-alpha from human whole blood by cell-free
      supernatants of gram-positive bacteria.
AB  - Gram-positive bacteria are being recognized increasingly as the cause of shock
      like syndromes, clinically indistinguishable from those seen in association with
      Gram-negative endotoxic shock. Much clinical and experimental data link tumour
      necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) with the pathogenesis of endotoxic shock, and a
      number of studies of individual Gram-positive species have also implicated TNF
      alpha. We report here the first systematic study of the ability of cell-free
      supernatants of common Gram-positive bacteria to induce TNF-alpha from human
      peripheral blood monocytes in vitro. Almost all the 63 strains were able to
      induce TNF-alpha, although the levels were substantially lower than those
      obtained from supernatants of Gram-negative bacteria, used as controls.
      Streptococcus pneumoniae, S. pyogenes, viridans streptococci and coagulase
      negative staphylococci were consistently more active than group B and D
      streptococci. TNF-alpha induction did not correlate with conventional markers of
      pathogenicity; amongst strains of Staphylococcus aureus, commensal and blood
      culture isolates did not induce significantly different amounts of TNF. We
      conclude that cell-free supernatants of most Gram-positive bacteria are capable
      of inducing TNF-alpha from human peripheral blood monocytes in vitro, but the
      significance of this finding remains to be determined.

PMID- 1421003
TI  - Welcan units.

PMID- 1421004
TI  - Cytological evaluation of the effect of Tamoxifen in premenopausal and post
      menopausal women with primary breast cancer by analysis of the karyopyknotic
      indices of vaginal smears.
AB  - The influence of Tamoxifen on the vaginal epithelium of 33 premenopausal and 99
      post-menopausal women with primary advanced breast cancer was investigated. The
      karyopyknotic index (KPI) values were assessed before starting therapy and at
      monthly intervals during therapy with Tamoxifen. A decrease in the KPI in
      menstruating women and a slight but definite increase in KPI values in post
      menopausal women were observed.

PMID- 1421005
TI  - Well differentiated follicular neoplasms of the thyroid: reproducibility and
      validity of a 'decision tree' classification based on nucleolar and karyometric
      features.
AB  - This study was conducted on fine-needle aspirates of well differentiated
      follicular neoplasms of the thyroid. A 'decision tree' classification based on
      the percentage of nucleolated nuclei, percentage of nuclei with two or more
      nucleoli and mean major nuclear diameter was adopted. We observed that the
      reproducibility and the validity of the follicular adenoma vs follicular
      carcinoma discrimination are greater than in the subjective evaluation. Moreover,
      similar classification results were obtained when measurements were performed
      either with a fully automated image analysis system or with semiautomatic or
      manual instrumentation. As for reproducibility of the inter-instrument
      comparisons, the k statistic values ranged from 0.85 to 1.00 (mean value 0.90,
      that is, an 'almost perfect' degree of agreement); in the subjective evaluations,
      the inter-observer comparisons showed values ranging from 0.20 to 0.56 (mean
      value 0.37, that is, 'fair'). In the decision tree classification, feature value
      thresholds were selected in order to have specificity of 100% and the predictive
      value of a positive result (carcinoma) of 100%; accuracy was 87% (range 86-89%),
      sensitivity 74% (71-79%), the predictive value of a negative result (adenoma) 79%
      (78-82%). In the subjective evaluation the values were as follows: accuracy 67%
      (64-71%), sensitivity 57% (50-64%), specificity 77% (71-79%), predictive value of
      a negative result (adenoma) 64% (61-69%), predictive value of a positive result
      (carcinoma) 71% (67-75%). The conclusion is that, by using a routine microscope
      equipped with a micrometer, the preoperative diagnosis of follicular carcinoma
      from smears can be formulated with a high degree of certainty.

PMID- 1421006
TI  - Nucleolar organizer regions in pituitary gland adenomas.
AB  - Nucleolar organizer regions are DNA segments concerned with the synthesis of
      ribosomal RNA (rRNA). Some specific proteins related to NORs can be demonstrated
      by a silver technique and are then referred to as Ag-NORs. The mean number of Ag
      NORs per cell has been used as a marker of cell proliferation in recent years and
      there is some evidence to suggest that Ag-NOR counts can be used to differentiate
      between normal and neoplastic cells. Paraffin block sections of 42 pituitary
      gland adenomas and 24 normal adult pituitary glands have been examined using the
      Ag-NOR staining technique. Touch imprints of nine adenomas and 12 normal adult
      pituitary glands were also examined using the same Ag-NOR staining technique.
      Using light microscopy at x2000 magnification, the Ag-NORs were located as black
      dots in the cell nuclei and the mean number of Ag-NORs per cell was determined.
      No significant difference was observed between blocked sections and imprints of
      adenomas or between imprints and paraffin sections of normal glands. However, a
      significant difference was observed between the mean number of Ag-NORs in
      pituitary gland adenomas and normal glands in paraffin block sections and touch
      preparations (P less than 0.001). The modified Ag-NOR technique can be a useful
      aid in the differential diagnosis between normal pituitary gland tissue and
      pituitary adenomas, especially during surgical operations.

PMID- 1421007
TI  - Leiomyosarcoma of the breast; cytological and histological features, with a
      review of the literature.
AB  - This report describes the cytological and histological features of a
      leiomyosarcoma of the breast. The differential diagnosis of this rare tumour is
      discussed. Eleven well documented cases of leiomyosarcoma of the breast have been
      reported previously and details of these are included in this review.

PMID- 1421008
TI  - Cytological appearances of a solitary squamous cell papilloma with associated
      mucous gland adenoma in the lung.
AB  - Solitary papillomas of the lung are rare. They are usually squamous but mixed
      squamous cell papilloma and mucous gland adenoma can occur. We report for the
      first time the cytological findings of a fine needle aspirate from a mixed
      squamous cell papilloma and mucous gland adenoma from the lung periphery.

PMID- 1421009
TI  - Peripheral low-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the lung--needle aspiration
      cytodiagnosis and histology.
AB  - Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the lung is a rare tumour, and is not usually
      considered in the differential diagnosis of a peripheral lung mass. The
      cytological and histological features of an intimate admixture of polygonal
      intermediate cells, well differentiated mucinous and squamous cells, as
      illustrated in this case report, serve to differentiate a well differentiated
      mucoepidermoid carcinoma from adenosquamous carcinoma, low grade adenocarcinoma,
      bronchioloalveolar carcinoma, and benign reactive changes.

PMID- 1421010
TI  - Comparison of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor and interleukin-1
      production from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells as measured by specific
      radioimmunoassays.
AB  - Attention has focused on cytokine networks in which gene and protein expression
      of some cytokines is under the influence of other cytokines. In the present
      studies, we addressed the relationship between the synthesis of granulocyte
      macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) in human
      peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated with mitogens. Since
      bioassays for cytokines are sensitive to more than one of these factors, it was
      necessary to measure the amounts of IL-1 and GM-CSF independent of bioassays. A
      specific and sensitive (40 pg/ml) radioimmunoassay (RIA) was developed for human
      GM-CSF. The sensitivity of the RIA was greater when lysine residues were
      iodinated with Bolton-Hunter reagent than tyrosine residues using chloramine T.
      After stimulating PBMC with concanavalin A (Con A), the biological activity of GM
      CSF was determined in bone marrow cultures and compared to immunoreactive GM-CSF;
      GM-CSF levels detected by bioassays and RIAs were highly correlated in two
      separate sets of experiments (r2 = 0.95 and 0.43). Incubation with Con A for 48 h
      induced more GM-CSF than stimulation by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) despite the fact
      that PHA stimulates large amounts of IL-1 alpha; indomethacin had no effect on
      Con A stimulated synthesis of GM-CSF or IL-1 alpha. In two separate studies, PBMC
      from 14 donors and a second group of 12 donors were incubated with Con A for 48 h
      and the total amount of immunoreactive IL-1 alpha and GM-CSF was determined in
      the same cell cultures. There was no correlation of the amount of either
      cytokines in these cultures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421011
TI  - Activation of the systemic production of tumor necrosis factor after exposure to
      acute stress.
AB  - Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), which was originally identified as a tumoricidal
      factor, is now regarded as one of the main regulators of inflammation and various
      immune systems. Thus it has been considered to be mobilized in case of emergency.
      However, we assume that TNF and the cytokine network driven by the monokine also
      function under normal condition for homeostasis of the animal body which is
      exposed to various kinds of physiological stress. To test this possibility, we
      exposed C3H/He mice for up to 3 days to five types of acute stress: food
      deprivation, drinking water deprivation, sleep deprivation, swimming, and
      physical restraint. After release from the stress, the level of priming for
      systemic production of TNF was examined using OK-432 (a streptococcal
      preparation) as a trigger. Priming of TNF production was not observed immediately
      after 2-day exposure to most of the stressors. Sleep deprivation alone tended to
      induce a primed state especially when the stress period was lengthened to 3 days.
      On the other hand, by keeping mice in a normal condition for a 2-day restorative
      interval after 2-day exposure to the stressors, systemic production of TNF was
      consistently primed for all the stress examined. The time course of the priming
      effect was examined in detail for water-deprivation stress. The effect was
      detected as early as 3 hours after release from stress, was sustained for 2 days,
      and returned to the basal level by 4 days after the release. Based on these
      results, we discussed the role of the TNF-driven cytokine circuit in adaptation
      to stress.

PMID- 1421012
TI  - Interleukin-2 and blood brain barrier in cats: pharmacokinetics and tolerance
      following intrathecal and intravenous administration.
AB  - Single bolus doses of glycosylated human interleukin-2 (n IL-2) in the range of
      2.8 x 10(3) to 2.0 x 10(6) IU/kg were administered to anesthesized cats via the
      cephalic vein (n = 10) or using suboccipital puncture (n = 8). CSF (cerebrospinal
      fluid) and blood samples were collected by repeated puncture. The n IL-2
      concentration in four cats was determined on the basis of its biologic activity
      using 3H-thymidine incorporation into human ConA-blasts and by radioimmunoassay.
      In additional experiments radioactivity was determined in cerebrospinal fluid and
      serum after intravenous and intrathecal (i.th.) application of 5.8 x 10(3) - 3.2
      x 10(3) IU/kg of 14C-acetyl-n IL-2 in regular time intervals. CSF and serum
      concentration time-profiles show a biexponential decline in the plasma
      elimination phase with half-lives of 4 min (alpha-phase) and 90 min (beta-phase)
      after intravenous and 20-120 min (alpha-phase) and 2-16 hours (beta-phase) after
      intrathecal application. There is a trend towards longer terminal elimination
      half-lives with increasing doses. Interleukin-2 is able to penetrate the blood
      brain barrier from the circulation into the cerebrospinal fluid and vice versa.
      Due to a slow rate of penetration and rapid elimination from blood only traces of
      n IL-2 (2-8 IU/ml) are detected in CSF after i.v. injection of 2 x 10(6) IU/kg,
      whereas concentrations between 400 and 1600 IU/ml are maintained in CSF for
      several hours following i.th. administration of 2-10 x 10(5) IU/kg.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421013
TI  - The roles of IL-4, TGF-beta and LPS in IgA switching.
AB  - CH12.LX B cells have been used as a lymphoma model of MHC restricted, antigen
      dependent B cell differentiation. These B cells express surface IgM and secrete
      IgM. Most recently we have demonstrated that CH12.LX is a model of cytokine
      driven IgA differentiation. Recently, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta)
      has been shown to be a probable switch factor for IgA in LPS-stimulated mouse
      lymphocytes, therefore we chose CH12.LX B cells to study the effect of IL-4, TGF
      beta and LPS in IgA isotype switching. Adding TGF-beta to the monoclonal cell
      line CH12.LX results in induction of mIgA expression but no enhancement of IgA
      secretion similar to the effect of IL-4. The addition of LPS serves as a non
      specific stimulus to enhance the secretion of the expressed immunoglobulin, but
      has no IgA specific activity of its own. IL-4 and TGF-beta together are
      synergistic for mIgA expression. Pretreatment studies show that TGF-beta added
      after IL-4 is the same as TGF-beta alone whereas the converse is the same as
      adding both cytokines together. TGF-beta acts by increasing the steady state
      levels of alpha message, whereas northern analysis indicates that IL-4 does not
      induce alpha message the way TGF-beta does. These data confirm that TGF-beta by
      itself is an isotype switch factor for IgA. In addition, IL-4 and TGF-beta cause
      mIgA expression through different mechanisms. CH12.LX B cells serve as a valuable
      model to study the role of multiple signals required for mIgA expression and IgA
      secretion.

PMID- 1421014
TI  - Inhibition of morphine dependence by a lipopolysaccharide from Pantoea
      agglomerans.
AB  - A lipopolysaccharide from Pantoea agglomerans (LPSp) was purified and examined
      for relief of morphine dependence by observing its inhibition of the jumping of
      mice on naloxone-precipitate withdrawal. Administration of LPSp either
      intravenously or intradermally showed marked inhibition of the jumping. Beta
      endorphin in mouse serum and brain tissue were recognized to be in synchrony with
      the time course of the relief. Administration of TNF-alpha gave similar effect,
      suggesting that LPSp induces a cytokine cascade to produce endogenous TNF
      followed by ACTH/beta-LPH gene products and beta-endorphin. The effect of LPSp
      was better than that of LPS from E. coli or Bordetella pertussis, and thus is
      considered to be applicable for clinical use.

PMID- 1421015
TI  - Interleukin-1 and tumour necrosis factor production by human monocytoid cells:
      study on a single cell level.
AB  - Human IL-1 beta and TNF alpha production by normal and transformed monocytoid
      cells was studied using biological assays, cytokine specific ELISA and by
      immunocytochemical methods on a single cell level. Quiescent human blood
      monocytes and cultured in vitro transformed human monocytoid cell lines U-937,
      THP-1 and HL-60 did not contain IL-1 beta and TNF alpha in their cytoplasm. IL-1
      beta synthesis and secretion was induced by LPS stimulation in nearly 90%
      monocytes, 15-20% U-937, 3-5% THP-1 and in no HL-60 cells. Normal human blood
      monocytes had a more rapid kinetics of IL-1 beta synthesis. IL-1 beta positive
      cells stained with antibodies to human IL-1 beta appeared at 1-2 hours after LPS
      application, while in monocytic cell lines only after 4-6 hours. Using
      immunoperoxidase staining of U-937 cells pulse labelled with 3H-thymidine, it was
      shown that proliferating cells did not synthetize IL-1 beta. Instead of IL-1
      beta, TNF alpha could be induced by LPS in U-937 cells only after preliminary
      differentiation with PMA. Recombinant IL-1 beta induced a very low level of TNF
      alpha production in PMA-treated cells. Similarly recombinant TNF alpha alone
      induced IL-1 beta synthesis only in a few U-937 cells.

PMID- 1421017
TI  - Gender inequalities in care-giving in Canada.
AB  - In Canada today, as in the past, men and women devote different amounts of time
      and effort to providing health care to their family and in the broader community.
      This paper examines "the social distinction between masculinity and femininity"
      in care-giving. Issues of gender inequality in care-giving have the potential to
      affect the formal health care system as the burden of caring will increase over
      the next few decades with the aging of society. This increase in need for care is
      occurring at a time when primary care providers--women--have additional demand on
      their time. Canadian society has been facing a series of social, demographic and
      economic shifts such as a higher divorce rate, two-income families, women's
      increasing professional commitments and first pregnancies at later ages, these
      factors may not affect women's willingness to care for others. However women may
      need support to provide the care. Assuming present trends, increasing need for
      families to care for elderly relatives may be inevitable. Perhaps society will
      recognize this need and provide support to those providing informal care. This
      could take the form of allowing individuals more time to provide care through
      child care leave, leave to care for parents and job-sharing. Support to those
      providing informal care might also be facilitated through community support
      services such as respite care, household maintenance, psychological support to
      care-givers, support groups, informal networks within a community and
      consideration of unconventional support methods.

PMID- 1421016
TI  - A statistical chronicle of tuberculosis in Canada: Part I. From the era of
      sanatorium treatment to the present.
AB  - This report marks over 50 years of publication by Statistics Canada of annual
      reports on tuberculosis statistics. These years have witnessed what has been
      described as a conquest of tuberculosis in Canada. To quote George Jasper
      Wherrett in The Miracle of the Empty Beds: One hundred years ago the word
      consumption (as tuberculosis was then called) struck horror in human hearts.
      Today, in the western world, it barely evokes any emotion save a too easy
      surprise that it still exists. This statistical chronicle of tuberculosis in
      Canada is divided into two parts. Part I: From the Era of Sanatorium Treatment to
      the Present pulls together data from yellowed-with-age reports on tuberculosis
      and vital statistics, historical accounts and modern computer files, to document
      the changes in tuberculosis incidence and mortality over past decades to the
      present. Part II: Risk Today and Control takes a closer look at those most
      vulnerable to contracting tuberculosis. It also looks at the future, the need for
      maintaining and, indeed, strengthening vigilance, and the work yet to be done to
      eradicate tuberculosis in Canada. The fight against tuberculosis is far from
      over.

PMID- 1421018
TI  - Mortality differentials between three populations--residents of Scandinavia,
      Scandinavian immigrants to Canada and Canadian-born residents of Canada, 1979
      1985.
AB  - The study compares the mortality of Canadian residents born in Canada and
      Scandinavia (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark) to the mortality of the four
      Scandinavian countries. The study focuses on the mortality experience of anyone
      who was 35-74 years old during the period 1979-85. Swedish and Norwegian
      populations both in Scandinavia as well as immigrants to Canada had relatively
      low mortality from all causes of death. On the other hand, populations in Finland
      and Denmark had comparatively higher mortality from certain causes of death.
      Finnish excess mortality from cardiovascular diseases and from external causes of
      death was present in Finnish living in Scandinavia as well as in Finnish
      immigrants to Canada. This contrasted with the excess mortality from non
      cardiovascular disease in the population of Denmark which was not reflected in
      the mortality of Danish immigrants to Canada. Finally, the cardiovascular
      mortality of all Scandinavian-born immigrants to Canada was found to be lower
      than in their respective countries of origin. The article includes a discussion
      of possible explanations for these results.

PMID- 1421019
TI  - 1992 Canadian Cancer Statistics.
AB  - In Canada, it is estimated that in 1992 115,000 new cases of cancer will be
      diagnosed. This total excludes 47,200 estimated new cases of non-melanoma skin
      cancer. The number of new cases is increasing by about 3,000 per year due partly
      to the aging population, improved registration, earlier detection of cancer and
      real increases in the incidence of some types of cancer. It is estimated that
      there will be 58,300 cancer deaths in 1992. By 1992, prostate cancer will have
      overtaken lung cancer as the leading cancer among men in the four western
      provinces while lung cancer is expected to exceed breast cancer as the leading
      cause of cancer deaths among women in some provinces, notably British Columbia.
      In British Columbia, the relative survival rates for most cancers improved
      between the periods 1970 to 1974 and 1980 to 1984. However, stomach, lung and
      pancreatic cancers, which have low survival rates, showed little improvement.
      This article is based on 1992 estimates of cancer incidence and mortality, cancer
      trends in Canada and relative cancer survival rates in British Columbia, found in
      Canadian Cancer Statistics 1992. This publication was prepared at Statistics
      Canada through a collaborative effort involving the Canadian Cancer Society,
      Health and Welfare Canada and the provincial/territorial cancer registries.

PMID- 1421020
TI  - Health care and health status. A Canada--United States statistical comparison.

PMID- 1421021
TI  - Highlights. Causes of death 1990.

PMID- 1421022
TI  - Historical publication highlights: selected birth and fertility statistics,
      Canada, 1921-1990.

PMID- 1421023
TI  - Hospital morbidity, 1989-90.

PMID- 1421024
TI  - List of residential care facilities, 1991.

PMID- 1421025
TI  - Mental disorders, 1989-90.

PMID- 1421026
TI  - Nursing in Canada.

PMID- 1421027
TI  - Surgical procedures, 1989-90.

PMID- 1421028
TI  - Therapeutic abortions, Canada and the provinces, 1990.

PMID- 1421029
TI  - Is the AIDS virus responsible for the disease?

PMID- 1421030
TI  - Retrospective study correlating clinical infectious history and peripheral blood
      T-cell subpopulations in cancer, GvH and HIV+ patients.
AB  - The CD4+ CD8- inducer helper cell and the CD4- CD8+ cytotoxic/suppressor cell
      absolute numbers were measured in the peripheral blood of patients with various
      pathological conditions: with leukemia-lymphomas or solid tumors, patients with
      bone marrow grafts suffering from GvH, HIV-1 asymptomatic carriers, ARC and AIDS
      patients. The study was carried out during observation periods when they were not
      suffering from opportunistic infections and were untreated. In all the groups a
      decrease of the CD4+ CD8- cell absolute number was observed. In the leukemia
      lymphoma and solid tumor bearing patients the CD4- CD8+ absolute value was lower
      than normal, while in the GvH- and HIV-infected patients, it was significantly
      higher. The clinical follow-up of each group indicates that GvH, ARC and AIDS
      patients developed infection in 40-68% of the cases, ie the only groups at risk
      of infection are those in which the CD4- CD8+ absolute values are high: we
      suggest that the balance CD4+ versus CD8+ should be considered rather the
      absolute CD4+ when discussing appropriate use of immuno-regulators.

PMID- 1421031
TI  - Analysis of purine nucleotides in lymphocytes from healthy subjects and AIDS
      patients.
AB  - The most important purine nucleotides (NAD, AMP, IMP, GMP, XMP, ADP, ATP, GDP,
      GTP) were analyzed by HPLC in the lymphocytes of healthy subjects and HIV-1
      seropositive patients at different stages of the disease (ARC-AIDS). Several
      differences, which focus attention on the behaviour of purine nucleotide
      metabolism in the lymphocytes of these patients, were observed.

PMID- 1421032
TI  - The role of drugs in the origin of AIDS.
AB  - It is proposed that the new American and European AIDS epidemics are caused by
      recreational and anti-HIV drugs rather than by human immunodeficiency virus
      (HIV). Chronologically, the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s followed a massive
      escalation in the consumption of recreational drugs that started in the 1960s and
      70s. Epidemiologically, both epidemics derive about 80% of their victims from the
      same groups of 20-44 year-olds, of which 90% are males. In America 32% of these
      are intravenous drug users and their children, about 60% are male homosexuals who
      are long-term users of oral aphrodisiac drugs and an unknown percentage are
      prescribed the cytotoxic DNA chain terminator AZT, as inhibitor of HIV. Direct
      evidence indicates that these drugs are necessary for HIV-positives and
      sufficient for HIV-negatives to develop AIDS diseases. The drug-AIDS hypothesis
      predicts correctly that: (i) AIDS is new in the US, because the drug epidemic is
      new, while the HIV epidemic is old--fixed at a constant 1 million Americans since
      1985; (ii) despite an increase in venereal diseases, AIDS remains restricted to
      long-term drug users and small groups with clinical deficiencies; (iii) over 72%
      of AIDS occurs in 20-44 year-old males, because they make up over 80% of hard
      psychoactive drug use; (iv) distinct AIDS diseases correlate with the use of
      distinct drugs, eg Kaposi's sarcoma with nitrite inhalants, tuberculosis with
      intravenous drugs, and leukopenia, anemia, and nausea with AZT; (v) AIDS diseases
      are only acquired after long-term drug consumption, rather than after single
      contacts as the virus-hypothesis predicts. The drug hypothesis can be tested
      epidemiologically and experimentally in animals. It predicts that most AIDS can
      be prevented by stopping the consumption of drugs, and provides a rational basis
      for therapy.

PMID- 1421033
TI  - Serum bone alkaline phosphatase and CA 549 in breast cancer with bone metastases.
AB  - A monoclonal radioimmunometric assay for bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP)
      developed by Hybritech, USA, with an upper limit of normal of 40 U/l, was
      examined in 125 patients with breast cancer. Eleven patients who remained tumour
      free for 5-6 years had small intra-individual variations of BAP. The median value
      in 33 patients with multiple bone metastases of 60 U/l was elevated when compared
      with that in 40 patients with no evidence of metastases (22 U/l) and 34 U/l in 16
      with limited bone disease (1-2 hot spots). By contrast, only 2 out of 25 patients
      with extensive local recurrence, lung, or hepatic metastases, without bone
      involvement showed an increase of BAP (< 200 U/l). The BAP levels were compared
      to total alkaline phosphatase (TAP), the breast cancer marker CA 549
      (HybriBREScan). Longitudinal studies of 15 patients with bony metastases showed
      that TAP and BAP were well correlated only when the TAP was elevated; CA 549 and
      BAP could vary independently. The main use of BAP in patients with bone
      metastases appears to be an aid to the monitoring of treatment; however, it is
      not significantly raised in limited bone metastases.

PMID- 1421034
TI  - Serum erythropoietin levels in hemodialysed patients after administration of
      recombinant human erythropoietin.
AB  - In anemic patients on regular hemodialysis (HD), correction of anemia with
      recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) administered intravenously (iv) or
      subcutaneously (sc) was followed over a 2-month period. Monitoring serum Epo post
      dose concentrations after the first iv rHuEpo injection and following another
      regular injection after 2 months of therapy with rHuEpo iv in 9 patients showed
      that the Epo elimination half-life was reduced from 7.48 h to 4.68 h. In the same
      patients the initially low percentage of erythroblasts and mature erythroid
      progenitors increased during 2 months of rHuEpo therapy. Because Epo molecules
      bound to Epo receptors are internalized in target cells we suggest that the
      expansion of the Epo responsive cell pool could explain the shorted Epo
      elimination time after 2 months of rHuEpo treatment. By monitoring serum Epo
      concentration following sc rHuEpo injection in 7 HD patients it was found that
      the modest increase in serum Epo levels (30-60 mU/ml) was sufficient to correct
      anemia.

PMID- 1421035
TI  - Levels and variability of purine nucleotides in normal human lymphocytes.
AB  - Anion-exchange, high performance liquid chromatography was used to determine
      purine nucleotides in lymphocytes of healthy males and females of various ages.
      We observed a considerable dispersion of values which were unrelated to age or
      sex, possibly linked to various states of activation of circulating lymphocytes
      and to other unknown factors.

PMID- 1421036
TI  - TSH binding site structures in human eye muscle fractions identified by using
      covalent-crosslinking.
AB  - 125I-labelled human TSH was crosslinked to the human thyroid and extraocular eye
      muscle membrane and cytosol fractions (which were obtained by centrifugation).
      Studying crosslinking of 125I-labelled TSH to the thyroid fractions, TSH binding
      sites' structures were demonstrated on the eye muscle membranes and in the
      cytosol fractions. The binding of 125I-labelled TSH was inhibited by the addition
      of 120 mIU/mL of unlabelled TSH (and not with 12 mIU/mL) which confirmed the
      presence of TSH binding sites structures (MW about 66,000 Da) on the eye muscle
      membrane and in its cytosol. Adding purified IgG fractions from the sera from
      controls and Graves' disease (with high titer of antibodies against TSH receptor)
      to the thyroid and eye muscle membranes and cytosol fractions, the binding of
      125I-labelled human TSH was inhibited by molecular weight of about 66,000 Da in
      the cytosol fractions. The affinity constant of the binding sites in the human
      eye muscle cytosol and the number of TSH receptors were found to be 146 x 10(9) M
      1 and 9.8 x 10(10) molecules/mg/mL by Scatchard analysis, respectively.

PMID- 1421037
TI  - Transplantation, immunity, tolerance and grafts. Dempster, Hasek "et les autres".

PMID- 1421038
TI  - Current problems in organ transplantation.
AB  - Organ transplantation has evolved over the past 30 years, although 'new' and
      'old' problems remain unsolved, which from a personal point of view, might be
      summarized as: i) the transfusion effect; ii) HLA matching and pre-graft
      sensitization of the potential recipient; iii) immunosuppressive drugs; iv) the
      pathogenesis of chronic rejection; v) infections; vi) de novo cancers. The aim is
      to attain a state of specific immunological tolerance without the use of
      immunosuppressive drugs.

PMID- 1421039
TI  - Current status of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
AB  - Use of allogeneic bone marrow transplants continues to increase. During the 36
      year period between 1955 and 1990, more than 33,000 patients received allogeneic
      bone marrow transplants; more than 45% of these were performed during the 3 years
      1988-1990. Transplants are effective therapy for leukemia and other hematologic
      diseases. It is widely considered that transplants are the treatment of choice
      for aplastic anemia and chronic myelogenous leukemia, those who fail conventional
      therapy for acute leukemia and a variety of genetic, metabolic and immune
      deficiency disorders. Successful application of bone marrow transplantation is
      limited by complications such as graft failure, graft versus host disease GVHD
      and interstitial pneumonia and, until recently, the requirement for an HLA
      identical sibling donor. In the past few years, an increasing number of
      transplants were performed using unrelated or HLA-partially matched related
      donors with some success. Development of post-transplant complications can often
      be predicted by risk factor assessment. In this report, current data from the
      IBMTR are summarized and several risk factors affecting outcome identified.

PMID- 1421040
TI  - Pancreas and islet transplantation in man.
AB  - The results of pancreas transplantation have greatly improved, the overall
      patient and graft 1-year survival rates now being 89 and 62%, respectively. A
      technically successful graft ensures a near-normal glucose metabolism in most
      cases, and improves the patient's quality of life. However, pancreas
      transplantation is not a life-saving procedure and because of the necessary
      permanent immunosuppression it is usually performed in patients in whom a kidney
      transplant is needed or has been previously established. In such patients the
      other diabetic chronic complications are often advanced and limit the potential
      benefit of pancreas transplantation, but it seems premature to extend the
      indications to early stage diabetes. Islet transplantation has many potential
      advantages, mainly the possibilities of immune alteration and immune protection
      of the transplant that could allow transplantation to be performed without
      immunosuppression and the use of xenogenic tissue. Major limiting factors are the
      high numbers of islets necessary to ensure insulin independence and the low yield
      of islet isolation from adult pancreas. Encouraging, albeit preliminary results
      have been recently reported in man.

PMID- 1421041
TI  - Liver transplantation: the challenges of the 1990s.
AB  - An enormous increase in liver transplantation has been observed over the last
      decade since it now represents a suitable therapeutic option for patients with
      end-stage liver disease. The overall one-year survival rate is about 75% for
      adults and 85% for children, when fulminant hepatic failure and malignancies are
      excluded. Such improvements in both survival and quality of life are due to many
      concurrent factors: better timing and selection; development of the UW solution
      for liver preservation; improvement in operative management including surgical
      technique, veno-venous bypass and cell-saver; progress in intensive care
      management of immunosuppressed patients. Nevertheless, the increasing demand for
      livers is now confronting the transplant teams with organ shortage, for which the
      introduction of graft reduction, hepatic biparition and living-related donation
      will contribute to alleviate the scarcity of donors. As a consequence of the
      increasing number of long-term survivors, greater efforts are now being directed
      towards the long-term outcome after liver transplantation: disease recurrence,
      the need for permanent immunosuppression and the quality of rehabilitation will
      become the challenges of the 1990s before reaching the next step towards multiple
      organ transplantation.

PMID- 1421042
TI  - Allogenic recognition in 1992.
AB  - Many new data have been obtained in the last 4 years concerning the structure and
      functions of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Structural data
      are summarized and the functions of MHC molecules in the presentation of peptides
      to T cells are described. The high selectivity of peptides binding to MHC
      molecules is discussed. The negative and positive selection of T cells in the
      thymus is described and the notion of repertoire introduced. The consequences of
      these new data on the understanding of H2 restriction and alloreactivity are
      described. The four potential types of alloreactivity are defined: i) house
      keeping gene (HKG) peptides bound to allogenic MHC molecules; ii) allogenic
      peptides (derived from allogenic MHC molecules) bound to allogenic MHC molecules;
      iii) empty allogenic MHC molecules; iv) allogenic peptides bound to autologous
      MHC molecules. In fact, the allogenic response is mostly directed toward HKG
      peptides bound to the allogenic MHC molecules of the graft cells (type 1). The
      potential role of type four alloreactivity in rejection is discussed.

PMID- 1421043
TI  - Endoscopic ultrasonography in colorectal diseases.
AB  - Since new flexible high-frequency ultrasound endoscopes are now available, the
      use of this technique in colorectal disease has been determined. Its role in the
      preoperative staging of rectal cancer, and in follow-up after surgery has been
      established, but its use in cases of anal cancer and in non-neoplastic rectal
      diseases still has to be demonstrated more precisely.

PMID- 1421044
TI  - Surgical endoscopy in thoracic surgery.
AB  - From November 1990 to April 1992, 32 patients were operated on by video
      thoracoscopic surgery (VTS). Included were 22 males and 10 females, mean age 47.6
      years. VTS has been used therapeutically on 25 occasions: 20 spontaneous
      pneumothoraxes; two recurrent pleuritis; two cysts; one mediastinal; one
      pulmonary; and one thoracic sympathectomy. VTS was also used diagnostically seven
      times: five lung biopsies and two mediastinal lymph node biopsies. It was
      necessary to perform a mini-thoracotomy in one patient and proceed to immediate
      thoracotomy in three patients. There were no deaths in this series, the morbidity
      was two patients with collapsed lungs, one of which required drainage. VTS must
      be performed under standard thoracic surgical conditions: selective intubation,
      and fully equipped to make an immediate thoracotomy. The advantages of VTS are
      aesthetic and functional, the post-operative pain is reduced in intensity and
      duration. At present, VTS is indicated for the treatment of spontaneous
      pneumothorax, the assessment and biopsy of mediastinal lymph node and the
      excision of some lung lesions. Improvements in the apparatus should lead to a
      broadening of these indications in the future.

PMID- 1421045
TI  - Non-surgical management of bile duct stones.
AB  - Endoscopic sphincterotomy with stone extraction is the non-surgical method of
      choice for treatment of choledocholithiasis in patients unfit for surgery or with
      previous cholecystectomy. Its success rate is 85-90%. Many adjunctive methods
      have been developed to increase the clearance rate after initial failure and are
      reviewed in this paper. Collaboration among the surgeon, endoscopist and
      radiologist offers the patient a high opportunity for successful clearance of
      common bile duct (CBD) stones with the least morbidity and mortality. The
      application of endoscopic sphincterotomy combined with laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy to younger patients is now debated.

PMID- 1421046
TI  - Immunogenicity of combined anti-HIV and anti-suppressive vaccine preparations.
AB  - HIV-1 antigens generate in man both a humoral and cellular immune reaction.
      However, in ARC/AIDS patients, the cellular response is inhibited by HIV-1 which
      induces an antiproliferative (suppressive) effect on activated T cells. To
      overcome this inhibition and up-regulate the cellular response, we designed a new
      vaccine strategy directed both against HIV-1 and immunosuppression and we used an
      immunizing preparation composed of HIV-1 antigens combined with immunoregulatory
      peptides prepared in a biologically inactivated but immunogenic form. In mice,
      this preparation induced anti-HIV-1 antibodies and a cell-mediated cytotoxicity
      directed against H2 restricted cells carrying HIV-1 antigens.

PMID- 1421047
TI  - Effect of pinaverium bromide on jejunal motility and colonic transit time in
      healthy humans.
AB  - Pinaverium bromide is a specific calcium channel blocker used in the treatment of
      irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) for its spasmolytic activity. The aim of the
      present study was to evaluate the effect of orally administered pinaverium
      bromide on jejunal motility and total and segmental colonic transit time in
      control subjects. Gastrointestinal studies were performed in 10 healthy
      volunteers (30 +/- 3 years), before and after a treatment phase of 14 days (150
      mg/d). Jejunal motility was measured by prolonged manometry (14 h) and colonic
      transit time by a multiple ingestion, single marker technique. No significant
      modification of phase III of the migrating motor complexes was demonstrated. On
      the contrary, a significant (p < 0.01) but weak decrease of the frequency of
      contraction was found. Unlike previous studies, no decrease of total or segmental
      colonic transit time was demonstrated.

PMID- 1421048
TI  - Minocycline and benign intracranial hypertension.
AB  - A case is reported of a 16-year-old girl who developed benign intracranial
      hypertension, with severe bilateral papilledema after minocycline therapy. A
      lumboperitoneal bypass was carried out in view of the ophthalmologic signs and
      the pressure of cerebrospinal fluid.

PMID- 1421049
TI  - Displacement of rifampicin bound to serum proteins by addition of levamisole.
AB  - We have studied, by ultrafiltration, the interactions between rifampicin (15 and
      30 microM) and levamisole (7 microM) since both drugs may be associated for the
      treatment of brucellosis. We can observe a statistically significant increase in
      the free plasmatic fraction of rifampicin at the studied concentration of
      levamisole, which indicated that levamisole reduced rifampicin bound to proteins
      (290 and 250%, respectively).

PMID- 1421050
TI  - Comparative bioavailability and steady state fluctuations of Tegretol commercial
      and carbamazepine OROS tablets in adult and pediatric epileptic patients.
AB  - The comparative bioavailability and steady state fluctuations resulting from the
      administration of Tegretol 200 mg commercial tablets and carbamazepine OROS
      controlled delivery tablets were investigated in 22 adult and 12 pediatric
      epileptic patients. Tegretol commercial tablets were dosed according to
      previously established clinical regimens of 400 to 2000 mg daily doses divided
      into four equal or unequal intervals. Carbamazepine OROS was dosed every 12 h at
      the same corresponding daily dose. Comparisons of the pharmacokinetic parameters
      AUC, Cmax, Cmin, and tmax at steady state for the two dosage forms demonstrated
      definitively the bioequivalence of carbamazepine OROS with Tegretol commercial
      tablet over a 24-h treatment interval.

PMID- 1421051
TI  - Applicability of teicoplanin dosage adjustment guidelines for renally impaired
      patients over the range of 3 to 30 mg kg-1.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of teicoplanin were investigated in 13 subjects with various
      degrees of renal impairment using a randomized two-period crossover design; 11
      subjects completed both periods. Doses of 3 and 30 mg kg-1 were administered as
      single dose, 60-min constant rate intravenous infusions. Blood samples were
      obtained over 28 days and urine was collected over 48 h. Serum and urine were
      analyzed using a microbiological assay. As previously observed in studies
      conducted in renally impaired subjects, teicoplanin total and renal clearance
      significantly decreased with decreasing creatinine clearance (p < 0.0001).
      However, for these parameters, no differences between doses were observed. Dosage
      adjustment guidelines for renally impaired patients are usually developed using
      the ratio of total clearance in renally impaired patients to the total clearance
      in patients with normal renal function. Since no dose-related differences existed
      in the relationship between teicoplanin total clearance and creatinine clearance,
      initial dosage adjustment guidelines for renally impaired patients developed at 3
      or 30 mg kg-1 are applicable over the range of 3 to 30 mg kg-1.

PMID- 1421052
TI  - Disposition kinetics of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene in rats.
AB  - One of the most potent carcinogens is 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (7,12-DMBA),
      which is used routinely to conduct studies to evaluate carcinogen inhibitors. Its
      pharmacokinetics have not been reported in the literature. In view of its
      significant effects on drug metabolizing enzymes and clearance mechanisms, it is
      important to know its disposition characteristics. In this study, we monitored
      the disposition characteristics of 7,12-DMBA in rats as a function of dose range
      commonly used in carcinogenesis studies. A mean residence time of 40-55 min was
      observed; the total body clearance ranged from 8-13 l kg-1. No effect of dose was
      observed on the pharmacokinetic parameters. This suggests that the dose-dependent
      effects of 7,12-DMBA carcinogenesis are related to its transient disposition
      characteristics.

PMID- 1421054
TI  - Inappropriate inclusion of non-quantifiable plasma concentrations in the
      estimation of extent of absorption.

PMID- 1421053
TI  - Input rate-dependent stereoselective pharmacokinetics: enantiomeric oral
      bioavailability and blood concentration ratios after constant oral input.
AB  - A pharmacokinetic model and relevant equations were used to simulate the blood
      concentration ratio (Cratio) and oral bioavailability ratio (Fratio) of the two
      enantiomers of model racemic drugs after different oral input rates. The
      simulations were carried out for six metabolically eliminated racemic drugs with
      regard to differences between the two enantiomers in their metabolic maximum
      velocity (Vmax) and/or Michaelis-Menten constant (Km). Both Cratio and Fratio
      values were dependent on the oral input rate of the drugs, with the maximum
      sensitivity observed for input rates close to the Vmax of the enantiomers.
      However, at input rates substantially lower or higher than Vmax, the dependence
      of ratios to input rate was minimal. The profile of dependence of Cratio and
      Fratio on the input rate differed for the various modeled drugs and, in one case,
      input rate alteration lead to a reversal in the stereoselectivity of the ratios.
      Relevance of these findings with regard to alterations in the dose and/or
      formulation of racemic drugs is discussed.

PMID- 1421055
TI  - Neutrophil function in whole blood and after purification: changes in receptor
      expression, oxidase activity and responsiveness to cytokines.
AB  - Neutrophil function and plasma membrane receptor expression was measured in cell
      suspensions isolated by two separate procedures and in unfractionated whole
      blood. When cells were prepared by a combined dextran/ficoll procedure, their
      ability to generate reactive oxidants in response to fMet-Leu-Phe was greater
      than in corresponding cells isolated by a one-step procedure on Mono-Poly
      Resolving Medium (M-PRM). Cells prepared by both methods could be primed in vitro
      by rGM-CSF, but the priming ratio was greater in cells prepared by the latter
      method. The ability of neutrophils in whole blood to generate reactive oxidants
      in response to fMet-Leu-Phe was extremely low, but this was increased by more
      than 10 fold if the blood was pre-incubated with rGM-CSF. Similarly, expression
      of CD 11b and CD 16 was very low (or undetectable) in neutrophils in whole blood,
      but this was rapidly increased upon priming. Activation by PMA resulted in a down
      regulation of CD 16 expression as the receptor was shed from the cell surface.
      Neutrophils isolated by either the dextran/ficoll or the M-PRM method showed
      increased expression of receptors compared with those in whole blood, although
      this expression was lower in cells isolated by the latter method. These data
      indicate that the isolation procedures used to obtain purified neutrophils prime
      both receptor expression and oxidase function, although these effects are
      minimalised in isolation procedures using M-PRM. Furthermore, as CD 16 expression
      on neutrophils in whole blood is rapidly up-regulated during priming, it seems
      likely that, as for complement receptors, rapidly-mobilisable intracellular
      stores of this receptor exist.

PMID- 1421057
TI  - Evaluation of in vivo insulin action and glucose metabolism in milk-fed rats.
AB  - Milk diet has long been recommended in the management of gastrointestinal
      pathologies. Since milk feeding represents a high fat-low carbohydrate diet and
      it is acknowledged that insulin resistance is one of the consequences of high fat
      feeding, it is important to know whether or not chronic milk feeding leads to an
      impairment of the insulin-mediated glucose metabolism. To examine this question,
      adult female rats were given raw cow's milk (50% of total calories as lipids) for
      18 days. They were compared to rats raised in parallel and fed the standard
      laboratory diet (15% of total calories as lipids). At the end of the 18 day
      period, body weight, daily caloric intake, basal plasma glucose and insulin
      levels in the milk-fed rats were similar to those in the control rats. In vivo
      insulin action was assessed with the euglycemichyperinsulinemic clamp technique
      in anesthetized animals. These studies were coupled with the 2-deoxyglucose
      technique allowing a measurement of glucose utilization by individual tissues. In
      the milk fed rats: 1) the basal rate of endogenous glucose production was
      significantly (p < 0.01) reduced (by 20%); 2) their hepatic glucose production
      was however normally suppressed by hyperinsulinemia; 3) their basal glucose
      utilization rate was significantly (p < 0.01) reduced (by 20%); 4) their glucose
      utilization rate by the whole-body mass or by individual tissues was normally
      increased by hyperinsulinemia. These results indicate that insulin action in
      adult rats is not grossly altered after chronic milk-feeding, at least under the
      present experimental conditions.

PMID- 1421056
TI  - Amino acid uptake regulation by cell growth in cultured hepatocytes isolated from
      fetal and adult rats.
AB  - Amino acid uptake mediated by system A was studied in cultured fetal and adult
      hepatocytes, subjected to growth stimulation by EGF and insulin, or to growth
      inhibition by high cell density. The mitogenic stimulation induced a strong
      transport increase only in fetal cells, while the cell density-dependent growth
      inhibition, probably mediated by molecules present on adult hepatocyte membranes,
      provoked the decrease of amino acid uptake only in the adult cells. The results
      indicate that the different modulation of amino acid transport by cell growth is
      dependent on the age and the differentiation stage of hepatocytes.

PMID- 1421058
TI  - In vitro secretion of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha): a comparison
      of the A431 cell line with three human oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma lines.
AB  - Transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) is a single chain polypeptide which
      exists in a variety of forms differing in molecular weight. These forms are
      variously present in normal and neoplastic cells. Of particular interest are TGF
      alpha's well-known mitogenic properties. The transition from a normal to a
      neoplastic cellular state results from signalling defects that may depend upon,
      inter alia, abnormal levels of expression and secretion of TGF-alpha. It is known
      that the secretion of TGF-alpha may be enhanced appreciably by agents such as
      phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), serum factors and epidermal growth factor
      (EGF). Here, we compare the efficacy of these three agents in the elevation of
      TGF-alpha secretion in the well studied A431 cell line with their previously
      undocumented efficacy in certain interesting, but little known, human oesophageal
      squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) lines.

PMID- 1421059
TI  - A domain of the alpha-subunit of rabbit phosphorylase kinase shows homologies
      with regions of rabbit alpha-tropomyosin, human EGF receptor, and the alpha chain
      of bovine S-100 protein.
AB  - Sequence comparison of the alpha-subunit of phosphorylase kinase with alpha
      tropomyosin revealed 32% identity, and 49% similarity, between the region of
      alpha-tropomyosin coded by exon 5 and a 39 amino acid segment of the kinase
      subunit. A subsequence of the alpha-subunit segment and a sequence overlapping
      the same alpha-subunit region are homologous with: (a) a region of the
      cytoplasmic domain of EGF receptor (50% identity) and (b) a Ca(2+)-binding domain
      of the alpha chain of S-100 protein (50% identity) respectively. Statistical
      analysis shows that these homologies are significant. The biological implication
      of the above similarities is discussed.

PMID- 1421060
TI  - Developmental regulation of potassium channels and the impact on neuronal
      differentiation.

PMID- 1421061
TI  - Axon terminal hyperexcitability seen in epileptogenesis in vitro.

PMID- 1421062
TI  - Glucose/insulin/potassium therapy: a reevaluation of myocardial benefits during
      cardiopulmonary bypass.

PMID- 1421064
TI  - Dobutamine increases heart rate more than epinephrine in patients recovering from
      aortocoronary bypass surgery.
AB  - To determine whether epinephrine might prove to be a cost-effective substitute
      for dobutamine, two 8-minute infusions of either epinephrine (10 and 30
      ng/kg/min, n = 28) or dobutamine (2.5 and 5 micrograms/kg/min, n = 24) were
      administered to 52 patients recovering in the intensive care unit (ICU) after
      aortocoronary bypass (CABG) surgery. At the higher dose, both drugs significantly
      (P < .05) increased cardiac index (CI), epinephrine from 2.8 +/- 0.1 at baseline
      to 3.3 +/- 0.1 L/min/m2, and dobutamine from 3.2 +/- 0.1 at baseline to 4.1 +/-
      0.2 L/min/m2. Epinephrine increased CI significantly less than dobutamine. Both
      drugs significantly increased stroke volume index (SVI), epinephrine from 32 +/-
      1 at baseline to 36 +/- 1 mL/beat/m2, and dobutamine from 36 +/- 1 at baseline to
      40 +/- 2 mL/beat/m2. At the higher dose, the effects of the two drugs on SVI were
      indistinguishable. On the other hand, while the higher dose of both drugs
      significantly increased heart rate (HR), epinephrine from 88 +/- 2 at baseline to
      90 +/- 2 beats/min and dobutamine from 89 +/- 2 at baseline to 105 +/- 3
      beats/min, the increase following the higher dose of dobutamine was significantly
      greater than that seen after epinephrine. Effects of the two drugs on mean
      arterial pressure, central venous pressure, pulmonary artery occlusion pressure,
      systemic vascular resistance, pulmonary vascular resistance, and left-ventricular
      stroke work did not significantly differ. Similar results were obtained in the
      subset of patients with baseline CI less than 3 L/min/m2 who more closely
      resembled patients who might acutely require inotropic drug
      administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421063
TI  - Is calcium or ephedrine superior to placebo for emergence from cardiopulmonary
      bypass?
AB  - To determine whether ephedrine or CaCl2 improves hemodynamics in cardiac surgery
      patients emerging from cardiopulmonary bypass, three sequential doses of either
      CaCl2 (200 mg/dose; n = 12), ephedrine (5 mg/dose; n = 12), or placebo (n = 12)
      were administered in a prospective, randomized, double-blind fashion.
      Thermodilution volumetric catheters were used to calculate right ventricular (RV)
      volumes and ejection fraction. The first dose of ephedrine improved RV stroke
      volume from 57 +/- 3 to 63 +/- 4 mL/beat (P < 0.05) and ejection fraction from 44
      +/- 2% to 49 +/- 2% (P < 0.05). Subsequent doses maintained this improvement but
      without further change. In contrast, placebo and CaCl2 had minimal effects on RV
      end-systolic volume, stroke volume, and ejection fraction. After the third
      injection of ephedrine, mean arterial pressure had significantly increased from
      78 +/- 2 to 93 +/- 4 mmHg (P < 0.05) in contrast to insignificant increments with
      placebo and CaCl2. Serum ionized calcium increased by 6% to 8% after each CaCl2
      bolus but remained stable in the ephedrine and placebo groups. CaCl2 failed to
      improve RV performance in mildly hypocalcemic patients during separation from
      cardiopulmonary bypass. In patients with normal preoperative ventricular
      function, ephedrine more effectively improved RV performance and arterial blood
      pressure than placebo or CaCl2, and is a suitable short-acting drug to assist
      separation from cardiopulmonary bypass.

PMID- 1421065
TI  - Amrinone and dobutamine as primary treatment of low cardiac output syndrome
      following coronary artery surgery: a comparison of their effects on hemodynamics
      and outcome.
AB  - This study was undertaken in order to compare the effectiveness of amrinone and
      dobutamine as primary treatment of a low cardiac output (CO) after coronary
      artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Thirty patients with preoperative left
      ventricular dysfunction participated in this open-label randomized study.
      Patients were included if they failed to separate from cardiopulmonary bypass
      (CPB) without inotropic support or if they had a cardiac index (CI) less than 2.4
      L/min/m2 after CPB regardless of the blood pressure, in the presence of adequate
      filling pressures. The treatment objectives were to separate from CPB and achieve
      a CI > or = 2.4 L/min/m2 and a mean arterial pressure > or = 70 mmHg. Patients
      treated with amrinone received 0.75 mg/kg followed by 10 micrograms/kg/min; when
      the objectives were not achieved within five minutes, another 0.75 mg/kg was
      given. Patients treated with dobutamine received an initial infusion of 5
      micrograms/kg/min increased stepwise to 15 micrograms/kg/min if necessary. Eleven
      of 15 amrinone versus 6 of 15 dobutamine patients achieved the predefined
      treatment objectives with the test drug alone (P = NS). Comparisons of
      hemodynamics in patients treated solely with amrinone (n = 7) or dobutamine (n =
      6) after CPB showed no significant differences between the treatment groups. The
      incidence of myocardial ischemia as detected by Holter monitor was 36% with
      amrinone and 33% with dobutamine. Two patients suffered ventricular fibrillation
      and two had significant supraventricular tachyarrhythmias (heart rate > 130/min)
      during treatment with dobutamine alone, whereas no significant arrhythmias
      occurred in the amrinone group (P = NS). Six dobutamine patients (40%) had
      postoperative myocardial infarction (MI) as opposed to none among the amrinone
      patients (P = 0.017). These results indicate that amrinone compares favorably
      with dobutamine as a primary treatment of low CO after CABG. Further study in a
      larger number of patients will be required in order to determine if the lower
      incidence of MI in the amrinone group was due to the treatment drug.

PMID- 1421066
TI  - Intravenous milrinone following cardiac surgery: I. Effects of bolus infusion
      followed by variable dose maintenance infusion. The European Milrinone
      Multicentre Trial Group.
AB  - The hemodynamic and adverse effects of intravenous milrinone were studied in 99
      adult patients (66 men) following elective myocardial revascularization, mitral
      and/or aortic valve surgery. All patients had a low cardiac output (cardiac index
      [CI] mean 1.93, range, 1.11 to 2.5 L/min/m2) despite adequate cardiac filling
      pressure (mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure [PCWP] 11.5 mmHg, range, 8 to
      20 mmHg). Following a period of baseline stability (mean 17.8 minutes, range, 10
      to 50 minutes), patients received a bolus infusion of 50 micrograms/kg over 10
      minutes. A continuous maintenance infusion of 0.375 (low), 0.5 (mid) or 0.75
      (high) micrograms/kg/min was administered for a minimum of 12 hours. Patients
      were allocated to each dosage group sequentially, not randomly. Hemodynamic
      measurements were made before the start of milrinone and 15 minutes after the
      bolus infusion. Further measurements were made at 30, 45, and 60 minutes, and at
      3, 6, and 12 hours after the start of treatment. Measurements were also made at 2
      and 4 hours after treatment was stopped. The bolus infusion caused significant
      increases in CI, heart rate (HR), and stroke index (SI), (P < 0.001), and
      significant falls in PCWP, right atrial pressure (RAP), mean pulmonary artery
      pressure (mPAP), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), mean arterial pressure
      (MAP), and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) (P < 0.001). These effects were
      maintained to a significant degree by each of the three maintenance infusion
      regimens, although the pulmonary vasodilator effects appeared less predictable
      and more dose dependent. Eighteen patients (19%) had arrhythmias; 16 of these
      were judged not to be serious events. Two were deemed serious; these were both
      episodes of fast atrial fibrillation (AF).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421067
TI  - Intravenous milrinone following cardiac surgery: II. Influence of baseline
      hemodynamics and patient factors on therapeutic response. The European Milrinone
      Multicentre Trial Group.
AB  - Further analysis of the data from 99 adult patients who received an intravenous
      infusion of milrinone following elective cardiac surgery was done. All patients
      received a bolus infusion of 50 micrograms/kg over 10 minutes, followed by a
      maintenance infusion of either 0.375, 0.5 or 0.75 microgram/kg/min for a period
      of 12 hours. Hemodynamic measurements were made after the bolus infusion (15
      minutes), and then after 30, 45, and 60 minutes at 3, 6, and 12 hours, and 4
      hours after treatment was stopped. The following was found: (1) pretreatment
      cardiac index (CI) affected the response to treatment. Patients with a low CI
      (1.59 L/min/m2) had a 54% increase after the bolus infusion compared to a 27%
      increase in patients with a higher pretreatment value (2.2 L/min/m2) (P < 0.05);
      (2) patients with a high resting level of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR >
      200 dynes.sec.cm-5) had a greater response to treatment (26% fall in PVR) than
      the remainder (9% fall in PVR) after 60 minutes; (3) patients with a low
      pretreatment mean arterial pressure (MAP) (n = 17, MAP 64 mmMg, range, 52 to 70)
      showed no fall in MAP following treatment, but showed a significant increase in
      CI (+55%). A good therapeutic response was found that was similar in patients
      undergoing valve replacement surgery or coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and
      in patients in sinus rhythm or atrial fibrillation before treatment. It is
      concluded that the therapeutic response to intravenous milrinone following
      cardiac surgery is partially determined by pretreatment hemodynamics.

PMID- 1421068
TI  - Left ventricular filling as assessed by pulsed Doppler echocardiography after
      coronary artery bypass grafting.
AB  - Diastolic filling of the left ventricle, as assessed by transesophageal pulsed
      Doppler echocardiography during and in the early phase following coronary artery
      bypass grafting, was investigated in nine patients without valvular disease or
      left ventricular hypertrophy. The ratio between the maximal heights of the early
      diastolic flow-velocity peak and the late (atrial) diastolic flow-velocity peak,
      the E:A ratio, and also the deceleration time of the early peak were calculated
      as indices of left ventricular filling. The E:A ratio decreased from 1.01 +/-
      0.06 after induction of anesthesia to 0.46 +/- 0.06 on arrival in the intensive
      care unit (ICU). The E:A ratio then increased and reached 0.87 +/- 0.08 after 6
      hours in the ICU. This increase in E:A ratio in the ICU was due to an increasing
      peak velocity of the E wave. The deceleration time decreased after surgery and
      increased from 111 +/- 25 to 145 +/- 12 milliseconds in the ICU. Pulsed Doppler
      indices of diastolic filling are known to be altered by changes in hemodynamic
      parameters, to be load-dependent, and to vary with heart rate. In the ICU,
      pulmonary capillary wedge pressure remained unchanged, heart rate decreased by
      approximately 12%, and systemic vascular resistance decreased by approximately
      40%. The changes in hemodynamic parameters could have affected the E:A ratio, but
      it is unlikely that they could explain the marked increase in the E:A ratio that
      occurred in the ICU. The results, therefore, imply the presence of impaired
      diastolic filling immediately after cardiopulmonary bypass with gradual, but not
      complete, recovery during the first 6 hours in the ICU.

PMID- 1421069
TI  - Left ventricular regional function and relaxation: effects of inotropic
      stimulation.
AB  - The effects of increasing doses of two inotropes, isoproterenol and calcium
      chloride (CaCl2), on left ventricular regional myocardial function and isovolumic
      relaxation were studied in six anesthetized sheep. After baseline data, CaCl2 was
      given as intravenous boluses to yield doses of 10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg, 40 mg/kg, 80
      mg/kg, and 160 mg/kg. After a second series of baseline data were obtained,
      constant infusions of isoproterenol were begun with doses of 0.025
      micrograms/kg/min, 0.05 micrograms/kg/min, 0.1 micrograms/kg/min, 0.2
      micrograms/kg/min, and 0.4 micrograms/kg/min. During each stage of the protocol
      with both inotropes, data were recorded during acute constriction of the
      descending thoracic aorta. Left ventricular relaxation was assessed by analysis
      of peak negative left ventricular (LV) dP/dt and the time constant of isovolumic
      left ventricular relaxation (Trelax). Regional myocardial function showed little
      change in either apical or basal segments until high doses of the inotropes. Peak
      negative LV dP/dt significantly changed from baseline (775 +/- 60 mmHg/s) with
      0.2 micrograms/kg/min (1780 +/- 400 mmHg/s, P < 0.05 v baseline) and 0.4
      micrograms/kg/min (2,220 +/- 380 mmHg/s, P < 0.05 v baseline) of isoproterenol,
      and was unchanged by CaCl2. Trelax was significantly decreased by all doses of
      isoproterenol, whereas only one dose of CaCl2 decreased Trelax. Trelax was
      increased with afterloading and this effect was altered by isoproterenol. It is
      concluded that isoproterenol hastens, whereas CaCl2 does not alter, left
      ventricular relaxation. This may reflect beta-adrenergic modulation of calcium
      fluxes during isovolumic relaxation.

PMID- 1421070
TI  - Effect of prostaglandin E1 on myocardial contractility in dogs anesthetized with
      halothane: load-independent and noninvasive assessment using transesophageal
      echocardiography.
AB  - The presence of an inotropic action of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) in vivo is
      controversial, and there are conflicting results obtained by various indices of
      myocardial contractility. In this study, a direct effect of PGE1 on contractility
      was investigated in dogs by use of a load-independent contractile index: left
      ventricular end-systolic wall stress (LVESWS) versus the velocity of
      circumferential fiber shortening with rate-corrected (Vcfc) relationship using
      transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Hemodynamics, arterial blood gas, and TEE
      data were obtained before PGE1 infusion (control), and with a 10%, 20%, and 30%
      decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP) following intravenous PGE1
      administration. PGE1 infusion rates were 0.19 +/- 0.03 at 10%, 0.82 +/- 0.17 at
      20%, and 2.32 +/- 0.36 micrograms/kg/min at a 30% decrease in MAP. Pulmonary
      capillary wedge pressure, systemic vascular resistance index, and left
      ventricular stroke work index significantly decreased, and heart rate, cardiac
      index, and stroke volume index were not significantly altered. Analysis of the
      TEE data showed LVESWS (index of afterload) significantly decreased from 92.0 +/-
      11.2 g/cm2 to 72.7 +/- 7.8 at 10%, 59.3 +/- 7.8 at 20%, and 44.6 +/- 6.2 at a 30%
      decrease in MAP, and Vcfc significantly increased from 0.595 +/- 0.065 circ/sec
      of control value to 0.670 +/- 0.056 at 10%, 0.824 +/- 0.049 at 20%, and 0.939 +/-
      0.070 at a 30% decrease in MAP. In the LVESWS versus Vcfc relationship, no
      significant difference could be detected between the control state and the 10%,
      20%, and 30% decrease in MAP, and no inotropic effect was found.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421072
TI  - Massive hyperkalemia during combined heart-lung transplantation: inadvertent
      contamination with modified Euro-Collins solution.

PMID- 1421071
TI  - Canine end-systolic pressure-length relationships: depressed by diltiazem,
      invalidated by ischemia.
AB  - This study was designed to determine whether the end-systolic pressure-length
      relationship (ESPLR) reflects changes in regional contractility during the
      imposition of graded ischemia, and whether it is modified by diltiazem during
      propofol anesthesia. Seven beagles were anesthetized and instrumented to measure
      left ventricular pressure and subendocardial segment lengths (sonomicrometry) in
      the region of the left anterior descending (LAD) and circumflex (LC) arteries.
      Afterload was increased by the tightening of a snare around the descending
      thoracic aorta. Pressure-length loops were constructed and the slope of the ESPLR
      and the x-axis intercept, Lo, were calculated. Graded ischemia of the apical
      myocardium only was accomplished by the tightening of a micrometer-controlled
      snare around the LAD to produce Critical Constriction (CC), Ischemia 1 and 2 (I1,
      I2), and Total Occlusion (TO). In the basal LC region, LAD ischemia had no effect
      on either the ESPLR slope or Lo. In contrast, the ESPLR slope in the LAD area was
      decreased by ischemia at I1 (-40%), increased at TO (+69%), and unchanged at CC
      and I2, and was reduced by diltiazem at CC and I2 (-31% and -36%, respectively).
      The LAD ESPLR Lo was increased by ischemia by 64% and 61% at I2, and 91% and 122%
      at TO, before and after diltiazem, respectively. In the LC region, diltiazem
      decreased systolic shortening and the ESPLR slope. These results indicate that
      diltiazem has negative inotropic properties in both ischemic and nonischemic
      areas. Also, Lo is not a constant and must always be redetermined for every
      intervention. In the absence of ischemia, the ESPLR may be a reliable measure of
      myocardial contractility.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421073
TI  - Use of somatostatin analog in the treatment of hypotension during bowel surgery.

PMID- 1421074
TI  - Severe bronchospasm following cardiopulmonary bypass in an asthmatic.

PMID- 1421075
TI  - Myocardial infarction during coronary artery bypass surgery.

PMID- 1421076
TI  - Pro: a cardiac anesthesia team should be responsible for providing emergency
      cardiac surgical care.

PMID- 1421077
TI  - Con: cardiac anesthesia and elitism: where does SIGMA end and ROA begin?

PMID- 1421078
TI  - Avoiding intra-arterial placement of the introducer sheath.

PMID- 1421079
TI  - Continuous, noninvasive blood pressure monitoring in the heart room.

PMID- 1421080
TI  - A simple "remote control" for an ultrasound imaging system.

PMID- 1421081
TI  - Suicide by interruption of immunosuppressive therapy.

PMID- 1421082
TI  - Brainstem Fos expression following acute unilateral labyrinthectomy in the rat.
AB  - Detection of Fos protein expression with a polyclonal antibody was used to
      identify brainstem neurons responding to acute (24 h) effects of a unilateral
      sodium arsanilate chemical labyrinthectomy in Long-Evans rats. Asymmetrical
      expression was apparent in the medial and inferior vestibular nuclei, the
      prepositus hypoglossi, the dorsolateral central gray, and the inferior olivary
      beta subnucleus. These data suggest different distributions of neural activation
      compared with previous electrophysiological and 2-deoxyglucose results. In
      addition, there was some Fos expression bilaterally in the olivary dorsomedial
      cell column, interstitial nucleus of Cajal and the Darkschewitsch nucleus. These
      results support the concept of multiple systems participating in vestibular
      compensation and further define some specific nuclei involved in the acute stage.

PMID- 1421083
TI  - Apomorphine disrupts odour-induced patterns of glomerular activation in the
      olfactory bulb.
AB  - The olfactory bulb of adult male rats stimulated with propionic acid vapours
      displays a characteristic focus of high metabolic activity in the dorso-medial
      glomeruli, as revealed by the 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) method. Injection of the
      dopaminergic agonist apomorphine (1.5 mg kg-1) prior to odour stimulation
      completely abolishes this selective pattern of glomerular activation, while the
      metabolic activity of other bulbar areas is not significantly altered. This
      effect is abolished by a previous injection of the dopamine antagonist
      haloperidol (0.1 mg kg-1). These observations emphasize the probable involvement
      of dopamine and dopamine receptors in the bulbar processing of olfactory
      information.

PMID- 1421084
TI  - Quantitative autoradiographic mapping of a novel serotonin receptor-5-HT1S.
AB  - The spinal cord distribution of a recently identified, high affinity 3H-5-HT
      binding site, the 5-HT1S receptor was studied employing quantitative
      autoradiography with microdensitometry. The laminar distribution and density of
      other high affinity 3H-5-HT binding sites present in rat spinal cord, 5-HT1A, 5
      HT1B and 5-HT1C, was also determined. The greatest density of 5-HT1S receptors
      was found in the superficial dorsal horn laminae, the autonomic nuclei around the
      central canal and the ventral motor nuclei. Smaller, variable densities of 5-HT1S
      receptors were observed in other spinal cord regions. A similar spatial pattern
      of receptor density was observed for 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B and 5-HT1C receptors. The
      distribution of 5-HT1S receptors suggests functional modulation of somatosensory
      input to spinal cord as well as control of visceral and somatomotor activity.

PMID- 1421086
TI  - Fos and jun in rat central amygdaloid nucleus and paraventricular nucleus after
      stress.
AB  - The present paper describes the effect of capsaicin-induced stressful stimulus on
      the expression of immediate early genes (IEGs) c-fos, c-jun, junB and junD in the
      hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and the central amygdaloid nucleus
      (ACe) using in situ hybridization. Stress caused an intense expression of c-fos,
      c-jun and junB especially in the PVN and ACe and also a clear induction of junD
      was observed in the PVN. This suggests that the PVN and the ACe are two major
      targets of stress in the brain. The intense expression of the IEGs in the ACe and
      PVN suggests that stress may affect neurotransmitter gene expression through Fos
      and Jun proteins in both these nuclei.

PMID- 1421085
TI  - Nitric oxide mediates Fos expression in the spinal cord induced by mechanical
      noxious stimulation.
AB  - Immunocytochemical localization of Fos protein was used to analyze the
      involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in the expression of Fos in the spinal cord,
      induced by mechanical noxious stimulation (NS). Mechanical NS was applied to the
      left hindpaw 30 minutes after intrathecal administration of the NO synthase
      inhibitor, N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and the resulting Fos
      expression in the spinal cord dorsal horn was compared with that obtained in rats
      exposed only to the mechanical NS. Pretreatment with L-NAME but not its
      stereoisomer N omega-nitro-D-arginine methyl ester (D-NAME), produced a dose
      dependent suppression of Fos expression induced by mechanical noxious
      stimulation. These results indicate that NO modulates the expression of Fos in
      the dorsal horn induced by mechanical noxious stimulation and further support the
      hypothesis that NO is involved in nociceptive events occurring in the spinal cord
      in response to a peripheral noxious stimulus.

PMID- 1421087
TI  - Decortication and striatal mRNA: increases of mRNA for fibronectin, but not of
      NCAM or alpha-1 tubulin.
AB  - Ipsilateral frontal cortex lesions damaged the corticostriatal input. Northern
      hybridization analysis showed increases in fibronectin (FN) mRNA, but not changes
      in mRNA for neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), neuro-filament-68 (NF-68) or
      alpha-tubulin (alpha-1T) 72 h post-lesion. In situ hybridization resolved a
      different spatial-temporal distribution. The superficial cell layer beneath the
      wound cavity showed transient elevations of FN mRNA that peaked at 72 h post
      lesion. However, in the ipsilateral striatum, FN mRNA was maximal at later times
      than in the wound cavity, at 240 h post-lesion. Changes in NCAM and alpha-tubulin
      mRNAs in response to decortication occur only around the wound cavity but not in
      the deafferentated striatum. The different time courses of mRNA revealed by
      Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization are most probably due to
      contamination of the ipsilateral striatum at dissection with superficial tissue
      adjacent to the wound cavity. These results suggest that cellular responses to
      ipsilateral decortication consist of two phases: (i) a wound healing process; and
      (ii) striatal responses to deafferentation.

PMID- 1421088
TI  - Different distributions of dystrophin and related proteins at nerve-muscle
      junctions.
AB  - The distributions of dystrophin, 'dystrophin-related protein' (DRP) and beta
      spectrin were compared with that of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) at rat nerve
      muscle junctions (NMJs) using immunofluorescence techniques. In sections,
      monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to dystrophin and beta-spectrin labelled the entire
      sarcolemma but were concentrated at the NMJs while those to DRP labelled only
      NMJs. In permeabilized muscle fibres, DRP was precisely co-localized with the
      AChRs, whereas the zone of high density labelling of dystrophin and beta-spectrin
      extended 0.3-0.4 microns beyond the AChRs. Within the NMJ, the labelling of DRP
      appeared as a series of interconnecting lines similar to that of AChRs. However,
      labelling of dystrophin and beta-spectrin was consistently more punctate. These
      data suggest DRP is more closely associated with AChRs than are dystrophin or
      beta-spectrin.

PMID- 1421089
TI  - Oncostatin M regulates VIP expression in a human neuroblastoma cell line.
AB  - Oncostatin-M (OM), a recently described glycoprotein cytokine, is structurally
      and functionally related to cholinergic differentiation factor/leukemia
      inhibitory factor (CDF/LIF) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). To determine
      whether OM, like CDF/LIF and CNTF, possesses trophic or differentiative functions
      for neurons we examined the effects of recombinant human OM on ciliary neuron
      survival and neurotransmitter expression in sympathetic neurons. Like CDF/LIF,
      but in contrast to CNTF, OM had no effect on ciliary neuronal survival at any
      concentration tested. OM produced small but reproducible increases in choline
      acetyl transferase (ChAT) activity and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) levels
      in rat sympathetic neuron cultures, but this effect was significantly less than
      that of CNTF or CDF/LIF. To determine if human OM would elicit a more robust
      response from human cells, we utilized a human neuroblastoma cell line, NBFL,
      that responds to CNTF and CDF/LIF by altering vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)
      levels. OM specifically elevated VIP and c-fos mRNA levels in NBFL cells and was
      as potent as CDF/LIF in this assay. Our data provides evidence that OM acts on
      neurons and identifies a neural cell line responsive to OM, CNTF, CDF/LIF.

PMID- 1421090
TI  - Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-labelled nets surround parvalbumin-containing
      neurons.
AB  - Net-like structures surrounding several types of neurones contain glycoconjugates
      which are detectable by lectins specific for N-acetylgalactosamine. Wisteria
      floribunda agglutinin (WFA) was introduced as a further marker for the
      visualization of such perineuronal nets, which were also revealed in regions of
      the rat brain where these structures could not be clearly demonstrated using
      other lectins. The WFA-labelled perineuronal nets resembled in detail those which
      could be visualized using Vicia villosa agglutinin, colloidal iron or
      hyaluronectin as markers. Furthermore, WFA-stained perineuronal net components
      appeared to be similar to proteoglycan-immunoreactive structures. Dual-peroxidase
      experiments and fluorescence double labelling demonstrated that WFA-binding
      structures frequently ensheath GABAergic neurons containing the calcium-binding
      protein parvalbumin in the areas investigated.

PMID- 1421091
TI  - Bicommissural neurones in the cerebral cortex of developing hamsters.
AB  - The trajectory, developmental time course, and origin of callosal fibres that
      recross through the anterior commissure were studied in developing hamsters,
      using carbocyanines in fixed brains on different ages. The bicommissural fibres
      were found in hamsters from E15 through P7, but disappeared after P7. By double
      labelling it was found that the neurones of origin of these bicommissural fibres
      were located in the lateral cortex within the region where the callosal zone of
      origin overlaps that of the anterior commissure. From these experiments, it was
      concluded that the axons of a group of cells in the lateral cortex of developing
      rodents are branched and grow transiently through both the callosum and the
      anterior commissure.

PMID- 1421092
TI  - Developmental changes of EAA metabotropic receptor activity in rat cerebellum.
AB  - The potency but not the efficacy of t-ACPD stimulation of phosphatydil inositide
      hydrolysis changes in developing rat cerebellum. This suggests that the
      excitatory amino-acid-stimulated metabotropic receptors and/or their coupling are
      ontogenically regulated. In this, cerebellum differs from other CNS regions where
      only efficacy changes were described. Differently from hippocampus, the t-ACPD
      effect, at all ages, is independent of the activation of the NMDA receptor.

PMID- 1421093
TI  - A transient immunoglobulin-like reactivity in the developing cerebral cortex of
      rodents.
AB  - Species-specific antisera against rat or mouse immunoglobulins, such as the
      commercial ones currently used as secondary antibodies in immunohistochemistry,
      revealed an intense, developmentally regulated immunostaining of the cerebral
      cortex in the homospecific rodent species. The immunostaining showed evident
      anatomical restrictions, favouring the subplate in prenatal animals. In Western
      blots, the antisera recognized the protein moiety of a 93 kDa glycoprotein. Both
      tissue and Western blot immunostaining were completely prevented by preadsorption
      of the antisera with the corresponding homospecific immunoglobulin. The present
      results show that a novel molecule, related to immunoglobulins, is transiently
      expressed in the developing cerebral cortex of rodents, and stress the need for
      exquisite controls in immunohistochemical studies.

PMID- 1421094
TI  - Neurotrophin-induced trk receptor phosphorylation and cholinergic neuron response
      in primary cultures of embryonic rat brain neurons.
AB  - Tyrosine phosphorylation of trk type neurotrophin receptors in primary cultures
      of embryonic rat brain cells was studied by immunoprecipitation and
      immunoblotting. In cultures containing basal forebrain cholinergic neurons, but
      not in cultures of cerebral cortex, nerve growth factor (NGF) treatment for 4 min
      induced tyrosine phosphorylation of trk family proteins. Stimulation with brain
      derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) or neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), resulted in a very
      robust phosphorylation signal in basal forebrain and cortical cultures,
      suggesting actions of these neurotrophins not only on cholinergic cells but
      probably on most embryonic brain neurons. Trk tyrosine phosphorylation was
      completely abolished by 5 microM K-252b. Inhibition was rapid, being evident by
      30 s following addition of the drug. Corresponding stimulatory and inhibitory
      effects were seen for phospholipase-C gamma 1 (PLC gamma 1) and extracellular
      signal-regulated kinase 1 (Erk1), two enzymes involved in second messenger
      mechanisms. Our findings indicate involvement of trk receptor activation in the
      NGF response of basal forebrain cholinergic cells and provide evidence for
      widespread presence of BDNF and NT-3 responsive neurons in the embryonic brain.

PMID- 1421095
TI  - Muscarinic M3 receptors inhibit a leak conductance in rat corticocallosal
      neurons.
AB  - Acetylcholine, acting on muscarinic receptors, has a powerful modulatory effect
      on neurons in the cerebral cortex. Recent evidence that cortical tissue contains
      at least four different muscarinic receptor subtypes having different
      pharmacological properties indicates the value of new investigations of the
      receptor subtypes that mediate electrophysiological responses. Here we studied
      the ionic nature and pharmacology of the depolarizing response to acetylcholine
      in identified corticocallosal neurons in primary culture. This response is the
      result of a non-rectifying 'leak' K+ conductance which is reduced in the presence
      of acetylcholine. The relative sensitivity of this conductance change to the
      antagonists pirenzepine and 4-DAMP suggests that it is mediated by the M3 subtype
      of muscarinic receptor.

PMID- 1421096
TI  - Mannitol does not affect energy metabolism in forebrain ischemia.
AB  - Mannitol has a beneficial effect on ischemic injury following a short-duration
      forebrain ischemic insult in rats. Using the same animal model, we attempted to
      show that this effect of mannitol could be traced (via an improvement in cerebral
      blood flow) to a tempering of the collapse in the high-energy phosphates that
      occurs during the insult. A 10 min ischemic insult was induced by bilateral
      carotid artery occlusion followed by a reduction of the blood pressure to 50 mmHg
      through removal of blood via a tail catheter. 31P NMR spectroscopy was used to
      monitor the energy state and the pH prior to, during, and after the insult. The
      studies show that mannitol administered in doses of 0.25 g kg-1 or 1.0 g kg-1
      prior to the insult has no significant effect on the high-energy phosphate levels
      or on the cerebral pH during ischemia, or on their post-ischemia recovery.

PMID- 1421097
TI  - Increased monoamine turnover in the subfornical organ area following body fluid
      depletion.
AB  - To clarify whether monoaminergic inputs to the subfornical organ (SFO) area
      participate in fluid regulatory systems, we examined the effects of body fluid
      depletion on monoamine turnover in the region of the SFO using microdialysis
      techniques in rats. An iso-osmotic reduction of fluid volume following
      subcutaneous treatment with polyethylene glycol (PEG) significantly increased
      dopamine (DA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic
      acid (5-HIAA) concentrations in the SFO area. 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in the
      SFO area could be detected after the PEG treatment, while 5-HT was undetectable
      before the treatment. The data imply that both dopaminergic and serotonergic
      systems in the SFO area may be involved in controlling body fluid balance.

PMID- 1421099
TI  - Ganglioside derivative LIGA20 reduces NMDA neurotoxicity in neonatal rat brain.
AB  - The semisynthetic ganglioside derivative LIGA20 (II3Neu5-AcGgOse4-2-d-erythro-1,3
      dihydroxy-2-dichloro-ac eta mide-4-trans-octadacene) was found to be about ten
      times more potent than the natural ganglioside GM1 in protecting neurones in
      culture against glutamate toxicity. Here we show that, in vivo, LIGA20 attenuated
      toxicity of the glutamate receptor agonist N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA). In seven
      day-old rats NMDA was injected intracerebroventricularly, while LIGA20 or GM1
      were administered subcutaneously. The loss in brain weight, five days following
      treatment, was used to estimate NMDA toxicity. Significant protection was
      observed with 2.5 mg kg-1 of LIGA20, while at least ten times this dose was
      needed for GM1, thus suggesting the superior in vivo pharmacological action of
      LIGA20.

PMID- 1421098
TI  - Requirement for macrophages in neuronal injury induced by HIV envelope protein
      gp120.
AB  - HIV-1-related neuronal injury may involve a complex web of viral proteins and
      cytokines, but neurons themselves are not infected. The HIV envelope protein
      gp120 has been shown to engender an early increase in neuronal free calcium
      followed by delayed excitotoxic-like damage, which is prevented by N-methyl-D
      aspartate (NMDA) antagonists. In the present study, we found that the injurious
      effects of gp120 on retinal ganglion cell neurons require the presence of
      macrophages in mixed neuronal glial cultures of postnatal retina. Within 24 hours
      of incubation, 20 pM gp120 injured nearly 40% of retinal ganglion cells in
      cultures containing macrophages and other glial cells, whereas no deleterious
      effects of gp120 were noted on retinal ganglion cells in cultures depleted of
      macrophages. Thus, the toxic effect of gp120 on neurons appears to be an indirect
      one, mediated by activation of macrophages and perhaps other glial cells.

PMID- 1421100
TI  - Dose-response of rt-PA and its combination with aspirin in a rat embolic stroke
      model.
AB  - The efficacy and safety of thrombolysis with different dose regimens of
      recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) and its combination with aspirin
      was tested in an embolic stroke model. In rats the carotid territory was
      embolized with a single clot formed in a polyethylene tube and washed with
      saline. Fifteen minutes after embolization 10 animals were treated with rt-PA 10
      mg kg-1; 11 with 15 mg kg-1; 12 with 20 mg kg-1 and 9 with 10 mg kg-1 + 20 mg kg
      1 aspirin and 34 animals with saline. Rt-PA 10 mg kg-1 reduced median infarct
      volume (in percent of the ipsilateral hemisphere volume) from 19.5 to 4.8; rt-PA
      15 mg kg-1 to 2.0; rt-PA 20 mg kg-1 to 0.0, while rt-PA 10 mg kg-1 + aspirin
      resulted in a median infarct volume of 9.5%. Thrombolytic therapy significantly
      and dose dependently (p = 0.001) reduced the infarct volume, improved the
      presacrifice clinical score and increased (p = 0.02) angiographically verified
      reperfusion. There was no additional benefit of coadministration of aspirin.

PMID- 1421101
TI  - Evidence for an endogenous cholecystokininergic balance in social memory.
AB  - The cholecystokinin (CCK) peptide family is involved in a variety of
      physiological processes, including neurotransmission in the brain.
      Pharmacological responses to CCK are mediated through at least two receptor
      subtypes termed CCK-A and CCK-B. Studies with CCK agonists suggest a possible
      role for CCK in cognition. Using selective antagonists and a behavioural
      recognition test based on the olfactory discriminative capacities of rats, we
      found that endogenous CCK acting at CCK-A and CCK-B receptors modulates olfactory
      recognition positively and negatively, respectively. CCK-B receptor antagonists
      therefore have facilitatory potentialities on memory processes.

PMID- 1421102
TI  - Possible inspiratory off-switch neurones in the ventrolateral medulla of the cat.
AB  - The location and axonal projection of a type of respiratory neurones (termed bIE
      neurones), which show burst firing at the time of phase transition from
      inspiration to expiration, were studied in Nembutal-anaesthetized, paralysed and
      artificially ventilated cats. The bIE neurones showed maximum firing at the sharp
      decline of inspiratory activity. All of the bIE neurones tested projected to
      medullary respiration-related areas of the ventral respiratory group (VRG), the
      dorsal respiratory group (DRG), and the Botzinger complex (BOT). The bIE neurones
      were distributed in the dorso-medial border of the main assembly of respiratory
      neurones of the VRG and BOT. The possibility that these bIE neurones participate
      in inspiratory termination is discussed.

PMID- 1421103
TI  - Sulpiride anxiogenic-like effect inhibition by a D1 dopamine receptor antagonist.
AB  - The increased latency to explore a white compartment from a black one into which
      a mouse has been introduced, appears to be correlated with its anxiety level. In
      this test, the D2 specific dopamine receptor antagonist (+/-) sulpiride dose
      dependently (5-40) mg kg-1 i.p.) increased this latency. This effect was
      suppressed by the D1 specific dopamine receptor antagonist SCH 23390 (25
      micrograms kg-1 s.c.) which intrinsically displayed an apparent anxiolytic
      effect.

PMID- 1421105
TI  - Slow and medium afterhyperpolarizations in maturing rat hippocampal CA1 neurones.
AB  - The postnatal evolution of the signals underlying the afterhyperpolarization
      (slow-AHP and medium-AHP) was studied in rat CA1 hippocampal neurones (P10-16,
      P17-23 and P greater than 26) using in vitro slices. Noradrenaline (NA) and
      signal subtraction were used to decompose the AHP (m-AHP and s-AHP). The
      amplitude of the s-AHP was found significant between P10-16 and P17-23 cells; the
      m-AHP showed no significant change. The time to peak of the s-AHP of the P
      greater than 26 cells was found to be significantly different from the remaining
      groups; the m-AHP showed no significant change. The changes in waveform and
      amplitude of the AHP at this stage were found to be mainly due to the
      modifications of the slow-AHP.

PMID- 1421104
TI  - Apamin blocks the slow AHP in lamprey and delays termination of locomotor bursts.
AB  - The effects of apamin on the slow afterhyperpolarization (sAHP) in spinal
      neurones and on the frequency of rhythmic bursting during fictive locomotion were
      investigated in the lamprey spinal cord in vitro. Apamin, which is a selective
      blocker of a small conductance KCa channel responsible for the sAHP in many types
      of neurones, was also found to reduce the sAHP in lamprey neurones. The summation
      of the sAHP is considered to be an important burst terminating factor in the
      spinal locomotor network and thereby to regulate the frequency of fictive
      locomotion. In support of this view, apamin was found to reduce the frequency of
      rhythmic bursting during fictive locomotion induced by kainate and NMDA.
      Serotonin, which has previously been shown to reduce the sAHP and slow the rate
      of rhythmic bursting, may therefore act, at least in part, on apamin-sensitive
      KCa channels.

PMID- 1421106
TI  - Elevated gene expression in the red nucleus after spinal cord compression injury.
AB  - Since the mechanism of injury in the majority of human traumatic spinal cord
      injuries involves rapid cord compression due to bone displacement or fracture
      dislocation, we have used a compression injury model to examine the response of
      adult rat rubrospinal neurons to traumatic spinal cord injury. We have applied in
      situ hybridization techniques to examine levels of mRNA for cytoskeletal and
      growth-associated proteins. We report a population of magnocellular red nucleus
      neurons with elevated levels of T alpha 1 tubulin and GAP-43 up to four weeks
      post-lesion. In control animals, both probes had very low hybridization signals
      indistinguishable from background. These and other findings suggest that kinetic
      compression injuries of the adult spinal cord can result in regeneration
      associated gene expression in intrinsic CNS neurons.

PMID- 1421107
TI  - Potentiation of GABA-mediated currents by cAMP-dependent protein kinase.
AB  - Recent reports described a down-regulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
      receptor function in several types of central neurones by cyclic adenosine
      monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Surprisingly, we found that
      in cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) the membrane permeable-compound 8-bromo-cAMP
      (500 microM) induced a long-lasting potentiation of both, whole-cell current
      responses to bath-applied GABA and amplitudes of miniature inhibitory synaptic
      currents (mIPSCs). When dialyzing the PCs with the specific protein kinase
      inhibitor peptide (PKIP, 400 micrograms ml-1), the same manipulation failed to
      induce a potentiation. These results strongly suggest that, in contrast to its
      action in other types of neurones, activation of PKA up-regulates the GABAA
      receptor function in cerebellar PCs.

PMID- 1421108
TI  - Inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis impairs two different forms of learning.
AB  - Nitric oxide (NO), an intercellular messenger in the central nervous system of
      vertebrates, plays an important role in the establishment of synaptic plasticity.
      In order to investigate the role of NO and synaptic plasticity in learning, we
      injected rats and rabbits with the NO synthase inhibitor nitro-L-arginine methyl
      ester (L-NAME) prior to training on two tests of learning. Rats treated with L
      NAME were impaired in learning a spatial learning task, while rabbits given the
      NO synthase inhibitor demonstrated learning deficits in the conditioned eyeblink
      response. The results support the hypothesis that NO plays a critical role in
      acquisition of two different forms of learning.

PMID- 1421109
TI  - Specific hypothalamic neuropeptide Y variation with diet parameters in rats with
      food choice.
AB  - Neuropeptide Y (NPY) preferentially stimulates carbohydrate intake rather than
      fat intake but there is no information on the effects of food choice on the
      concentration of NPY in the brain. We measured brain NPY concentrations in male
      adult rats that had to choose between a high fat and a high carbohydrate diet or
      were fed a control diet for 2 weeks. In rats with food choice, energy intake
      increased (+17%). NPY levels increased in the parvocellular part (PVNp) of the
      PVN and decreased in the lateral hypothalamus and were significantly correlated
      with the carbohydrate-to-fat energy ratio but not with total energy intake. This
      suggests that hypothalamic NPY might be involved in food choice and that PVNp is
      important in the regulation of feeding behaviour by NPY.

PMID- 1421110
TI  - Gene expression in the geniculate induced by a nonphotic circadian phase shifting
      stimulus.
AB  - We examined the effect of a nonphotic stimulus (running in a novel wheel) on the
      induction of Fos-related proteins in the two well-established neural components
      of the circadian clock: the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and the intergeniculate
      leaflet (IGL) of the lateral geniculate complex. There was no induction of Fos
      immunoreactivity (IR) in the SCN, but the IGL showed distinct Fos IR in animals
      whose running levels were associated with maximal rhythm shifts. Induction of Fos
      immunoreactivity was greatest at circadian phases when wheel running induces
      phase shifts. This temporal and spatial specificity of Fos induction is evidence
      that the intergeniculate leaflet mediates nonphotic signals to the circadian
      clock.

PMID- 1421111
TI  - Evoked oscillatory cortical responses are dynamically coupled to peripheral
      stimuli.
AB  - We report that the response of neurons in rat somatosensory cortex to tactile
      stimulation consists of two components, a short-latency response and an
      oscillatory response, observable as up to 8 peaks in the post-stimulus-time
      histogram with interpeak intervals in the order of 100 ms (10 Hz). While the
      first component is always stimulus locked, the second component is strictly
      stimulus-locked only when elicited from the resting state: once started, the
      oscillations are only weakly affected by further stimulation. This implies
      generally that the question of stimulus locking of oscillatory response
      components is not a yes/no question. Instead, the concept of dynamic coupling is
      shown to adequately capture the different limit cases. We present a simple
      dynamic model that exemplifies this point.

PMID- 1421112
TI  - Perceptual correlates of massive cortical reorganization.
AB  - Following long-term deafferentation of one upper limb in adult primates, the
      cortical areas corresponding to that limb become responsive to stimuli applied to
      the face. To explore this phenomenon, we studied some patients after upper limb
      amputation. In patient VQ, stimuli applied to the lower face or 7 cm above the
      stump evoked precisely localized referred sensations in individual digits which
      were often modality specific. Similarly, in another patient, WK several complete
      somatotopic representations of the phantom limb were found, on the face, chest
      and axilla, indicating the emergence of such maps in regions remote from the
      stump. These effects may be a direct perceptual correlate of the physiological
      observations of Merzenick et al (1984), Wall (1977) and Pons et al (1991).

PMID- 1421113
TI  - The differential effects of lateral midbrain lesions on the two phases of
      formalin pain.
AB  - Lesions were placed in the lateral midbrain (LM) to determine the effects of
      disruption of paleo- and neospinothalamic systems, at the level of the midbrain,
      on the biphasic tonic pain response induced by formalin. During the first phase
      of formalin pain, subjects with LM lesions exhibited significantly less pain
      responding than did unoperated controls or subjects with lesions at another site,
      the habenula. During the second phase, there were no significant differences in
      pain responding among the three groups. The results suggest that the two phases
      are mediated by different neural substrates and specifically that Phase 2 appears
      to involve either neural substrates caudal to our LM lesions or sites rostral to
      the lesions but accessible via a more medial path.

PMID- 1421114
TI  - Atropine and naloxone sensitive stimulation produced analgesia from pretectal
      nucleus in rat.
AB  - Mild and brief electrical stimulation of sites in the pretectal nucleus (PTN) of
      rats evoked potent analgesia of long duration, without significant aversions and
      was unassociated with motor deficit. The present study has analysed effects of
      opioidergic and cholinergic neurotransmitter antagonists administered
      intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) on this analgesia. Pretreatment either with
      naloxone or atropine sulphate both in doses of 30 and 50 micrograms each,
      respectively i.c.v., 10 min prior to subsequent pretectal stimulation,
      significantly attenuated the increase in tailflick latency. The antagonism of
      pretectal stimulation produced analgesia (PSPA) by naloxone and atropine, raises
      the possibility of involvement of both endogenous opioids and cholinergic
      mechanisms in pretectal analgesia.

PMID- 1421115
TI  - Behavioral correlates of action potentials recorded chronically inside the Cone
      Electrode.
AB  - Long-term recording of stable action potentials with a new electrode
      configuration has been achieved for up to 15 months in monkeys. Action potentials
      are separated from the continuous multi-unit recordings made between two wires
      inside a glass open ended cone implanted in the motor cortex. Neural tissue is
      induced to grow into the glass cone by autologous sciatic nerve placed inside
      prior to implantation. Data presented here show that behavioral correlates of
      neural activity are related to flexion and extension movements of the
      contralateral hand and digits. These data suggest that this electrode can be used
      in both basic and applied studies.

PMID- 1421116
TI  - Evaluations of ventral pallidal dopamine receptor activation in behaving rats.
AB  - Recent evidence justifies the inclusion of the ventral pallidum/substantia
      innominata (VP) into the category of dopaminoceptive brain regions. Since the VP
      is known to mediate both cognitive and motoric processes, the present study
      employed intracerebral microinjections of dopamine directly into the VP of rats
      to determine if the catecholamine influences these processes. Dopamine
      concentrations of up to 10 micrograms were ineffectual in altering performance
      parameters in a working memory task. However, concentrations as low as 0.01
      micrograms increased locomotion in an open field. The magnitude of this response
      was related to the dopamine dose injected and the effect was attenuated by
      systemic pretreatment with the dopaminergic antagonist, flupentixol. These
      studies suggest that dopamine neurotransmission at the level of the VP may be
      important in the locomotor functions attributed to ascending dopamine systems.

PMID- 1421117
TI  - SKPYMRFamide, a novel FMRFamide-related peptide in the snail Lymnaea stagnalis.
AB  - In Lymnaea stagnalis, three members of the FMRFamide peptide family have been
      chemically identified in the central nervous system, and other members of the
      family are predicted by cDNA studies. The present study demonstrates the
      occurrence of even more FMRFamide-related peptides in this species by identifying
      a novel member of this family. The peptide was purified from brain extracts by
      three different HPLC steps. Its amino acid sequence has been determined as Ser
      Lys-Pro-Tyr-Met-Arg-Phe-amide (SKPYMRFamide).

PMID- 1421118
TI  - Fibronectin staining detects micro-organisms in aged and Alzheimer's disease
      brain.
AB  - Filamentous, fibronectin-immunopositive structures, previously described in
      Alzheimer's disease and control brains were negative for neuronal, glial, and
      macrophage markers. The present study sought to determine the nature of these
      entities and to further characterize their morphology, immunoreactivity and
      distribution between neuropathologies. Ultrastructural analysis shows these
      formations to be filamentous micro-organisms, which may belong to the
      actinomycetes. Immunohistochemistry for the cell-stress protein ubiquitin is
      consistently positive in these organisms. They are also present in Down's
      syndrome, dementia pugilistica, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with dementia, and
      Parkinson's disease. The pattern of tissue distribution implies a pre-mortem
      invasion of the brain, and, as the micro-organism is present at a four to five
      fold higher frequency in Alzheimer's disease, it may act pathogenically in this
      dementing illness.

PMID- 1421119
TI  - Expression of neuronal markers in the so-called ENU-induced schwannomas.
AB  - The present data show that the so-called ENU-induced malignant schwannomas
      express neuronal markers. This finding supports the hypothesis that a population
      of tumor cells in these neoplasms are neuroblastic in nature, and suggests the
      classification of ENU-induced schwannomas as primitive neuroectodermal tumors.

PMID- 1421120
TI  - Drug interactions represented by high resolution computer graphics.
AB  - The amount of backward walking induced in mice by co-administration of
      clenbuterol, a beta-adrenoceptor agonist and putative antidepressant, and the
      benzodiazepine chlordiazepoxide was plotted as a three-dimensional surface, using
      modified Uniras software. The surface was compared with the theoretical surface
      to be expected if the interactions between the two drugs were merely additive.
      The difference between the theoretical and the obtained surfaces was plotted and
      a functional representation of statistical variability was 'draped' over the
      difference model. The computer methods can be applied to small amounts of
      irregularly distributed data, and results are apparent from simple inspection,
      e.g. the highest peak of backward walking is also the most reliable
      statistically. The technique is useful for both laboratory and clinical studies.

PMID- 1421121
TI  - Effects of a metabotropic glutamate agonist, trans-ACPD, on cortical epileptiform
      activity.
AB  - The effect of the metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist trans-1-amino
      1,3,cyclopentanedicarboxylic acid (trans-ACPD) on epileptiform activity induced
      in rat neocortical slices by exposure to Mg(2+)-free medium was examined. Trans
      ACPD dose dependently (10-200 microM) decreased the frequency of spontaneous
      epileptiform events whilst increasing both the duration of afterpotentials and
      the number of afterbursts associated with single events. This effect on
      afterpotentials and afterbursting was particularly pronounced in 14-17 day-old
      rats and was blocked by the sigma ligand ditolyguanidine (DTG) 10 microM. The
      putative metabotropic glutamate receptor antagonist L-AP3 did not antagonise the
      actions of trans-ACPD. The results suggest a role for metabotropic glutamate
      receptors in epilepsy, possibly in the transition from interictal to ictal
      activity.

PMID- 1421122
TI  - 5-HT response of rat hippocampal pyramidal cell bodies.
AB  - Serotonin (5-HT) responses of pyramidal neurones freshly dissociated from rat
      ventral hippocampal CA1 region were investigated by using nystatin-perforated
      whole-cell recording. These dissociated neurones lack most of the dendrites and
      axons. Application of nanomolar concentrations of 5-HT induced outward current
      with an increase of membrane conductance at a holding potential (VH) of -40 mV.
      The current was mimicked by alpha-methyl-5-HT (5-HT2 receptor family agonist),
      but not by 8-OH-DPAT (5-HT1 receptor family agonist). Ketanserin (5-HT2 receptor
      family antagonist) and spiperone (5-HT1A and 5-HT2 receptor family antagonist)
      blocked the current in a concentration dependent manner. These results suggests
      that 5-HT-induced outward current is mediated by the activation of 5-HT2 receptor
      family in the cell bodies of hippocampal pyramidal neurones.

PMID- 1421123
TI  - The effects of orally active enkephalinase inhibitors on morphine withdrawal
      syndrome.
AB  - Considerable evidence has accumulated to suggest that intracerebroventricular
      administration of enkephalinase inhibitors, which do not penetrate the blood
      brain barrier, significantly attenuates opioid withdrawal syndrome. Therefore,
      the aim of this study was to examine the effect of intraperitoneal (i.p.)
      administration of orally active enkephalinase inhibitors, acetorphan (2.5-20 mg
      kg-1) and SCH 34826 (15-120 mg kg-1). These drugs significantly decreased the
      severity of the naloxone precipitated withdrawal syndrome in morphine dependent
      rats and mice. It therefore appears that these orally active enkephalinase
      inhibitors are promising tools in studying modulation of opioid dependence
      phenomena.

PMID- 1421124
TI  - Effect of nitecapone and clorgyline, given intracerebro-ventricularly on L-dopa
      metabolism in the rat brain.
AB  - A new COMT inhibitor, nitecapone (OR-462) or clorgyline, a MAO-A inhibitor, was
      infused into the 3rd brain ventricle (i.c.v.) of conscious male rats. None of the
      enzyme inhibitors given alone alter hypothalamic or striatal levels of L-dopa,
      dopamine or their metabolites. Most of the rats were pretreated with
      levodopa/carbidopa (LD/CD, 15/30 mg kg-1 intraperitoneally). Now, the action of
      nitecapone is localized in the hypothalamus since homovanillic acid (HVA) is
      decreased there, not in the striatum. The levels of 3-O-methyldopa (3-OMD) are
      not changed in either brain region, suggesting a lack of the peripheral leakage
      of nitecapone. Clorgyline (3 and 10 micrograms rat-1) elevates hypothalamic and
      dopamine levels. Nitecapone and clorgyline decrease prolactin (PRL) levels below
      those reduced by LD/CD treatment.

PMID- 1421125
TI  - Philanthotoxin-343 blocks long-term potentiation in rat hippocampus.
AB  - The effects of extracellularly-applied synthetic philanthotoxin-343 (PhTX-343) on
      transmission and long-term potentiation (LTP) at Schaffer-collateral/commissural
      CA1 synapses were investigated. PhTX-343 was ineffective in antagonizing CA1
      field-EPSPs mediated by AMPA/kainate receptors. However, when a micromolar
      concentration of the toxin was present during tetanization, the induction of LTP
      was suppressed. In contrast, when PhTX-343 was applied either immediately after
      or long after tetanization no effect on LTP could be found. It appears that the
      synaptic, non-NMDA receptors of the CA1-region are insensitive to PhTX-343.
      Suppression of LTP induction could result from antagonism of postsynaptic NMDA
      receptors, but the results do not rule out other possibilities such as
      presynaptic block.

PMID- 1421127
TI  - Reduction of A1 adenosine receptors in cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum in
      ageing mouse brain.
AB  - Age related changes in A1 adenosine receptor binding were investigated in mouse
      brain using the selective agonist, [3H]-cyclohexyladenosine ([3H]CHA). In the
      cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum of aged mice (28 months old), a significant
      decrease of about 44%, 50% and 12%, respectively, in [3H]CHA binding compared to
      young animals (3 months old) was observed. According to the Scatchard analysis of
      the binding data in the cortex, this decrease was due to a receptor density
      reduction and not to a Kd change. Since the weight and protein content of each
      tissue tested did not differ significantly between the old and the young animals,
      our findings may be partly explained by specific reductions of A1 receptors
      rather than a general cell degeneration in old age.

PMID- 1421126
TI  - beta-Amyloid increased neuronal susceptibility to injury by glucose deprivation.

PMID- 1421128
TI  - Early functional glutamate receptors in acutely dissociated embryonic raphe
      cells.
AB  - We report for the first time, modulation of cytosolic calcium in response to
      glutamate and specific glutamate receptor agonists in early embryonic rat brain
      cells (raphe cells taken at gestation days 13 or 14). Metabotropic as well as
      ionotropic agonists were effective. Cells responding to kainic acid were
      particularly prominent in caudal raphe. We used very short post-plating delays (2
      to 6 h); it may therefore be assumed that functional receptors already exist in
      the intact embryonic brain by gestation day 13. Since many developmental
      processes are influenced by cytosolic calcium modulation, glutamate receptors may
      play a key role in brain development, well before the extensively studied
      postnatal peak in receptor density.

PMID- 1421129
TI  - A novel method to analyse response patterns of taste neurons by artificial neural
      networks.
AB  - Despite several notions on the gustatory code proposed over three decades,
      investigators have not yet reached a consensus. This paper describes a new
      approach to analyse gustatory neural activities. Three-layer neural networks were
      trained by the back-propagation learning algorithm, to classify the neural
      response patterns to four basic taste qualities. The discrimination by the
      trained networks on taste qualities in the response patterns of rat chorda
      tympani fibres (CT) and cortical taste neurons (CN) was consistent both with the
      correlation analysis and with behavioural experiments. By examining the
      connection weights of each neuron, some input neurons representing CN were
      'pruned' without deteriorating the ability of the network to discriminate taste.
      This characteristic of the network is contrary to a previous hypothesis, that
      taste neurons are of equal importance in the neural coding.

PMID- 1421130
TI  - Immunolocalization of two cytochrome P450 isozymes in rat nasal chemosensory
      tissue.
AB  - The NMa and NMb isoforms of cytochrome P450 enzymes are expressed in three nasal
      chemosensory organs: the olfactory, septal and vomeronasal mucosae. The NMa
      isoform is widely distributed throughout the nasal mucosa whereas the NMb isoform
      is present primarily in the chemosensory mucosae. The localization of cytochromes
      P450 demonstrates that sustentacular cells in the olfactory and septal epithelia,
      the mucus of the vomeronasal organ and the acinar cells of glands in the lamina
      propria of all three chemosensory systems engage in xenobiotic metabolism and
      participate in odorant/pheromone clearance, a perireceptor process associated
      with chemosensory transduction.

PMID- 1421131
TI  - Neutrophil-activating peptide-1/interleukin-8 mRNA is localized in rat
      hypothalamus and hippocampus.
AB  - Neutrophil-activating peptide-1/interleukin-8 (NAP-1/IL-8) is a cytokine
      synthesized by various cell types. In the immune system NAP-1/IL-8 is part of an
      immune cascade initiated by IL-1 production. NAP-1/IL-8 affects hypothalamic
      function and its production is suppressed by steroids. Therefore, it might be
      expected that NAP-1/IL-8 would be produced in brain areas involved in the control
      of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPA). NAP-1/IL-8 mRNA was
      localized by in situ hybridization in the paraventricular nucleus of the
      hypothalamus and hippocampus. Those areas also express the genes encoding
      interleukin-1-alpha (IL-1 alpha), IL-1 beta, IL-1 receptors, and IL-1 receptor
      antagonist (IL-1ra). This suggests that an immune cascade, which is well
      characterized in the immune system, may exist in brain, in areas of relevance to
      the regulation of stress-related neuroendocrine function.

PMID- 1421132
TI  - Treatment with excitatory amino acids or high K+ and NMDA receptors in cerebellar
      granule cells.
AB  - N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activity was examined, in terms of 45Ca2+
      influx, during the development of cerebellar granule cells grown under 'non
      trophic' [10 mM potassium (K10)] or 'trophic' conditions [25 mM potassium (K25),
      NMDA and kainate (KA)]. NMDA receptor activity increased sharply between 2 and 4
      days in vitro (DIV) irrespective of growth conditions which upon further
      cultivation exerted a powerful influence, the NMDA response increasing
      progressively in K25 and NMDA grown cells, while remaining at a constant level in
      KA treated cells. In contrast, in K10 grown cells the NMDA response declined by 7
      DIV to about 20% of the estimates in K25 at 9 DIV. Trophic conditions are,
      therefore, essential for the proper functional expression of NMDA receptors.

PMID- 1421133
TI  - Preparation for reaching: a PET study of the participating structures in the
      human brain.
AB  - The regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured as an indicator of regional
      metabolic activity with positron emission tomography (PET) in eight subjects who,
      after seeing a screen with seven targets prepared themselves with their eyes
      closed to reach these targets. The preparation phase was associated with
      increases of rCBF in the prefrontal cortex, several remote visual association
      areas in the parietal lobe, the supramarginal gyrus, the ventrolateral thalamus
      and the cerebellar vermis. During the course of learning the activations in the
      parietal visual areas, the supramarginal gyrus and the prefrontal cortex
      prevailed as a sign of the visual spatial information; its transformation being
      kept in working memory. The other activations vanished. No activations were seen
      in the motor cortices, indicating that reaching is a task which does not require
      substantial preparatory activity of motor cortices prior to the go signal.

PMID- 1421134
TI  - Atypical pyramidal cells in epileptic human cortex: CFLS and 3-D reconstructions.
AB  - Epileptic temporal cortices, removed from 3 patients with intractable partial
      epilepsy (IPE) during neurosurgery, were studied. Pyramidal neurons (40-50 per
      slice) in laminae III, V and white matter, were injected with lucifer yellow.
      Samples were examined in a confocal laser scanning microscope (Biorad 600) and
      individual cells scanned at 0.1-1 microns incremental levels. 2-D maximal linear
      projection was used for overview. Frames (50-60) of scanned neurons were
      transformed into 3-D volumes, using VoxelView software on a Silicone Graphics
      workstation and rotated. All samples contained neurons with duplicated apical
      dendrites, additional basal dendrites or were misplaced in a horizontal position
      in the white matter. The relation between these preliminary observations and the
      disease is discussed.

PMID- 1421135
TI  - beta-Amyloid induces neuritic dystrophy in vitro: similarities with Alzheimer
      pathology.
AB  - beta-Amyloid protein, the major component of neuritic plaques found in
      Alzheimer's disease, has been implicated as a potential contributor to the
      disease's progressive neuropathology. We report that within a two day exposure to
      aggregates of synthetic beta-amyloid peptide, the neurites of cultured rat
      hippocampal neurons adopt a dystrophic appearance. Observed morphological changes
      in the neurites include beading, fragmentation, terminal swelling and tortuous
      growth patterns. The degenerative changes are similar to those observed in
      neurites associated with neuritic plaques, suggesting that beta-amyloid may
      induce the neuritic abnormalities of Alzheimer neuropathology.

PMID- 1421136
TI  - Differential effects of deprenyl and MPTP on catecholamines and activity in
      BALB/c mice.
AB  - The present study examined the effects of deprenyl (1.5 mg kg-1) and 1-methyl-4
      phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) (30 mg kg-1) on dopamine (DA),
      norepinephrine (NE) and motor activity in BALB/c mice. Results indicate that pre
      treatment with deprenyl injections protected against MPTP's toxicity on DA, NE
      and motor function. However, if deprenyl was given 3 or 7 days after the MPTP
      injection (for 3 days in succession), it could not reverse MPTP's toxicity.
      However, if deprenyl was given for an extended period of 7 days, it reversed
      MPTP's toxicity on NE, but not on DA and behaviour. If deprenyl was given soon
      after MPTP each day for 10 days, it protected against MPTP's toxicity on DA and
      NE, but not on locomotor activity. These results suggest that only prior and
      repeated deprenyl injection has a satisfactory protective effect against MPTP's
      neurotoxicity.

PMID- 1421138
TI  - Specific in vitro synaptogenesis between identified Lymnaea and Helisoma neurons.
AB  - We tested the ability of identified neurons from two different families of
      pulmonate molluscs to form specific connections in vitro. The presynaptic neuron
      chosen for this study was the giant dopamine cell of Lymnaea stagnalis and
      Helisoma trivolvis which is known to synapse upon specific visceral and parietal
      ganglion neurons in both species. Here we show that the giant dopamine cells can
      reform specific connections in vitro on follower neurons from both species. Thus
      the mechanisms that determine synapse specificity are conserved between two
      different families of molluscs.

PMID- 1421137
TI  - Morphine differentially affects domoic acid and kainic acid toxicity in vivo.
AB  - The effect of systemic injections of morphine on behavioural toxicity and
      hippocampal (CA3 region) damage produced by both domoic and kainic acids was
      investigated in mice. Low doses of morphine (2.0 and 4.0 mg kg-1), but not higher
      doses, significantly antagonized the toxic response to a previously determined
      TD50 of domoic acid. By contrast, low doses of morphine had either minimal or no
      effect on the response to an equitoxic dose of kainic acid (TD50), but higher
      doses (6.0 and 8.0 mg kg-1) resulted in significant potentiation of kainate
      toxicity. These results provide the first evidence of a pharmacological
      dissociation between the mechanisms of domoic acid and kainic acid toxicity in
      vivo, suggesting that these two toxins produce behavioural and hippocampal
      toxicity via overlapping but non-identical mechanisms.

PMID- 1421139
TI  - Circadian rhythms of vasopressin content in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the
      rat.
AB  - The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the anterior hypothalamus contains a
      circadian pacemaker in mammals. We determined the circadian profiles of arginine
      vasopressin (AVP), a major peptide in the dorsomedial SCN, in rats under light
      dark (LD), constant dark (DD) and constant light (LL) conditions. Under LD
      conditions, AVP levels in the SCN showed circadian rhythmicity with a peak at
      early light phase and a broad trough during the dark phase. This rhythm in the
      AVP contents was maintained even after 14 days of free-running under DD
      conditions and 3 days under LL conditions. These circadian patterns of AVP are
      similar to those of somatostatin, another peptide in the dorsomedial SCN. This
      indicates a common mode of regulation for peptides in this subfield of the SCN.

PMID- 1421140
TI  - D600, a Ca2+ antagonist, prevents stimulation of nerve regeneration by magnetic
      fields.
AB  - We have found that regeneration of the rat sciatic nerve is stimulated if the
      rats are exposed to a 50 Hz sinusoidal magnetic field. In this study we
      investigated the effect of a Ca2+ antagonist, methoxyverapamil (D600) on this
      response. D600 was administered to the regenerating segment of the nerve via
      implanted osmotic minipumps. Magnetic field exposure increased regeneration
      distances in vehicle perfused nerves. This enhancement was blocked by perfusion
      with D600 at a concentration which alone failed to affect outgrowth of nerve
      fibres, lending support to the idea that Ca2+ fluxes could be involved in
      mediating the biological actions of magnetic fields.

PMID- 1421141
TI  - Site of initiation of replication of the ribosomal genes of pea (Pisum sativum)
      detected by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.
AB  - The time course of replication of the 9 kb ribosomal DNA repeats of synchronized
      root cells of pea was followed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The
      temporal order of appearance of single-stranded replication intermediates shows
      that replication begins within the subrepeats located in the intergenic spacer
      region about 1.5 kb downstream from the 3' end of the 25S gene. Hybridization to
      specific probes indicated that this location is identical to that established
      earlier by a different method.

PMID- 1421142
TI  - Biological activities of human interferon and 2'-5' oligoadenylates in plants.
AB  - Exogenous human interferon 2 (IFN) and 2'-5' oligoadenylates (2-5A) have been
      shown to cause at least a dual physiological effect in tobacco and wheat: (i)
      increased cytokinin activity and (ii) induced synthesis of numerous proteins,
      among which members of two groups of stress proteins have been identified, namely
      pathogenesis-related (PR) and heat shock (HS) proteins. These effects were
      observed only by low concentrations of these substances: IFN at 0.1-1 u/ml and 2
      5A at 1-10 nM.

PMID- 1421143
TI  - The wheat mitochondrial genome contains an ORF showing sequence homology to the
      gene encoding the subunit 6 of the NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase.
AB  - A region of the mitochondrial (mt) DNA of wheat was studied because of its
      homology with other plant mtDNAs. Sequence analysis revealed an open reading
      frame encoding a polypeptide of 247 amino acids. Comparison of the sequence of
      the putative polypeptide with the protein sequence data of the Swiss-Prot library
      reveals homology with subunit 6 of the NADH-ubiquinone complex of mitochondria
      from Marchantia polymorpha, Podospora anserina, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and of
      chloroplasts from M. polymorpha and Oryza sativa. No similarity was detected when
      compared with the subunit 6 of animal mitochondria, probably due to the rapid
      evolution of the sequence. A single 1.2 kb transcript appears in northern RNA
      blots. We found 15 edited sites of which only 13 give amino acid changes. This is
      the first report of a mt nad6 gene in higher plants.

PMID- 1421144
TI  - The organization of the prosystemin gene.
AB  - The organization of the gene encoding tomato prosystemin, a 200 amino acid
      protein precursor of the 18 amino acid polypeptide inducer of proteinase
      inhibitor synthesis in tomato and potato plants, is reported. The prosystemin
      sequence reveals that the gene, which is composed of five homologous pairs of
      exons plus a non-homologous exon at the C-terminus containing the systemin
      sequence, has evolved by several gene duplication-elongation events from a much
      smaller ancestral gene. The nucleotide and amino acid sequence homologies among
      the exons suggest that a small ancestral gene was duplicated to form at least two
      tandem repeats, followed by subsequent duplication-elongation events that
      resulted in five tandemly repeated nucleotide sequences and three duplicated
      amino acid sequence elements. Since the systemin nucleotide or amino acid
      sequence was not duplicated, it was either not part of the gene duplication
      elongation events or its coding region evolved separately and may even have been
      added to the tandemly repeated part of the gene at a later time.

PMID- 1421145
TI  - Salt stress alters A/T-rich DNA-binding factor interactions within the
      phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase promoter from Mesembryanthemum crystallinum.
AB  - The common ice plant, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, shifts from C3 to
      crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) photosynthesis in response to osmotic stress.
      The expression of a number of genes encoding enzymes involved in the CAM pathway
      increases as a result of increased transcription rates. To begin to investigate
      the mechanisms responsible for the transcriptional activation, we have
      characterized the 5' control region of a specific isoform of phosphoenolpyruvate
      carboxylase gene (Ppc1) that plays a key role in CAM. We have determined the
      nucleotide sequence of the 5' flanking region of this gene. Ppc1 contains a long
      5'-leader sequence with the transcriptional start site located 332/333
      nucleotides 5' of the translational initiation codon. Multiple DNA interactions
      with nuclear factors are detectable within the 5'-flanking region of Ppc1. We
      have used copper orthophenanthroline footprinting to demonstrate that one
      particularly abundant factor (designated PCAT-1) binds the Ppc1 promoter at two
      distinct A/T-rich sites located -128 to -158 and -187 to -205 bp upstream of the
      transcriptional start site. These binding sites share a loose consensus motif
      having the sequence AARTAAC(T/A)A(G/T)TTTY. Gel retardation competition
      experiments with oligonucleotides containing these A/T-rich binding sites suggest
      that both sites bind the same factor, but with different affinities.
      Fractionation of crude nuclear extracts by heparin-agarose chromatography
      indicates that PCAT-1 is more prevalent in extracts prepared from salt-stressed
      leaf tissue. Additional binding activities that interact with the PCAT-1 binding
      sites have been detected that either increase or decrease in abundance or binding
      affinity in response to salt stress.

PMID- 1421146
TI  - Identification and characterization of a full-length cDNA encoding for an auxin
      induced 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase from etiolated mung bean
      hypocotyl segments and expression of its mRNA in response to indole-3-acetic
      acid.
AB  - 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase (EC 4.4.1.14) is the key
      regulatory enzyme in the ethylene biosynthetic pathway. The identification and
      characterization of a full-length cDNA (pAIM-1) 1941 bp in length for indole-3
      acetic acid (IAA)-induced ACC synthase is described in this paper. The pAIM-1
      clone has an 87 bp leader and a 402 bp trailing sequence. The open reading frame
      is 1452 bp long encoding for a 54.6 kDa polypeptide (484 amino acids) which has a
      calculated isoelectric point of 6.0. In vitro transcription and translation
      experiments support the calculated molecular weight and show that the enzyme does
      not undergo processing. Eleven of the twelve amino acid residues which are
      conserved in aminotransferases are found in pAIM-1. The sequence for pMAC-1 which
      is one of the 5 genes we have identified in mung bean is contained in pAIM-1.
      pAIM-1 shares between 52 to 65% homology with previously reported sequences for
      ACC synthase at the protein level. There is little detectable pAIM-1 message
      found in untreated mung bean tissues; however, expression is apparent within 30
      min following the addition of 10 microM IAA reaching a peak after approximately 5
      h with a slight decrease in message after 12 h. These changes in message
      correlate with changes in ACC levels found in these tissues following treatment
      with 10 microM IAA.

PMID- 1421147
TI  - Alfalfa root nodule phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase: characterization of the cDNA
      and expression in effective and plant-controlled ineffective nodules.
AB  - Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) plays a key role in N2 fixation and
      ammonia assimilation in legume root nodules. The enzyme can comprise up to 2% of
      the soluble protein in root nodules. We report here the isolation and
      characterization of a cDNA encoding the nodule-enhanced form of PEPC. Initially,
      a 2945 bp partial-length cDNA was selected by screening an effective alfalfa
      nodule cDNA library with antibodies prepared against root nodule PEPC. The
      nucleotide sequence encoding the N-terminal region of the protein was obtained by
      primer-extension cDNA synthesis and PCR amplification. The complete amino acid
      sequence of alfalfa PEPC was deduced from these cDNA sequences and shown to bear
      striking similarity to other plant PEPCs. Southern blots of alfalfa genomic DNA
      indicate that nodule PEPC is a member of a small gene family. During the
      development of effective root nodules, nodule PEPC activity increases to a level
      that is 10- to 15-fold greater than that in root and leaf tissue. This increase
      appears to be the result of increases in amount of enzyme protein and PEPC mRNA.
      Ineffective nodules have substantially less PEPC mRNA, enzyme protein and
      activity than do effective nodules. Maximum expression of root nodule PEPC
      appears to be related to two signals. The first signal is associated with nodule
      initiation while the second signal is associated with nodule effectiveness.
      Regulation of root nodule PEPC activity may also involve post-translational
      processes affecting enzyme activity and/or degradation.

PMID- 1421148
TI  - A major barley allergen associated with baker's asthma disease is a glycosylated
      monomeric inhibitor of insect alpha-amylase: cDNA cloning and chromosomal
      location of the gene.
AB  - A 14.5 kDa barley endosperm protein that is a major allergen in baker's asthma
      disease, as previously shown by both in vitro (IgE binding) and in vivo tests,
      has been identified as a glycosylated monomeric member of the multigene family of
      inhibitors of alpha-amylase/trypsin from cereals. A cDNA encoding this allergen
      (renamed BMAI-1) has been isolated and characterized. The deduced sequence for
      the mature protein, which is 132 residues long, is identical in its N-terminal
      end to the 20 amino acid partial sequence previously determined from the purified
      allergen, and fully confirms that it is a member of the multigene family of
      cereal inhibitors. Southern-blot analysis of wheat/barley addition lines using
      the insert in the BMAI-1 cDNA clone as a probe, has led to the location of the
      allergen gene (Iam1) in barley chromosome 2, while another related member of this
      protein family, the barley dimeric alpha-amylase inhibitor BDAI-1 gene (Iad1) has
      been located in chromosome 6. Iam1 is the first member of this inhibitor family
      in cereals to be assigned to chromosome group 2, thus extending the dispersion of
      genes in the family to five out of the seven homology groups of chromosomes in
      wheat and barley (chromosomes 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7).

PMID- 1421149
TI  - Purification and characterization of seven chloroplast ribosomal proteins:
      evidence that organelle ribosomal protein genes are functional and that NH2
      terminal processing occurs via multiple pathways in chloroplasts.
AB  - Putative genes for 21 ribosomal proteins (RPs) have been identified in the
      chloroplast DNA of four plants by nucleotide sequencing and homology comparison
      but few of the gene products have been characterized. Here we report the
      purification and N-terminal sequencing of seven proteins from the spinach
      chloroplast ribosome. The data show them to be the homologues of Escherichia coli
      RPs L20, L32, L33, L36, S12, S16 and S19, and thus support the view that their
      genes identified in the chloroplast DNA represent functional genes. The
      initiating methionine residue was not detected in the mature protein in most
      cases but it was present in S16, indicating that only the formyl group is removed
      in this case. This result and the previously reported finding of N-methyl alanine
      at the N-terminus of chloroplast L2 indicate the existence of multiple N-terminal
      processing pathways in the chloroplast.

PMID- 1421150
TI  - The cruciferin gene family in radish.
AB  - In order to analyse the cruciferin gene family in radish a cDNA library was
      screened either with heterologous rapeseed probes or by differential screening
      and sequencing. We could identify six partial cDNA clones belonging to two
      different groups of cruciferin genes which do not cross-hybridize, and probably
      three distinct subfamilies. One of these classes corresponds to the previously
      described cruciferin from rapeseed and Arabidopsis. A gene corresponding to the
      second group, as well as its border sequences, was isolated from a radish genomic
      library and analysed in more detail. The cruciferin gene (cruRS) contains three
      introns and encodes a 479 amino acid protein. The transcription initiation site
      was determined. The expression of the different group of genes was studied by
      northern blot analysis: genes of both classes are expressed simultaneously and
      roughly at the same level between 25 and 35 days after flowering. Cruciferin gene
      copy number was estimated by Southern blot analysis. There appear to be seven or
      eight genes in one class and three in the other, located at different loci.

PMID- 1421152
TI  - Isolation and characterization of a tobacco gene with homology to pectate lyase
      which is specifically expressed during microsporogenesis.
AB  - A genomic clone has been isolated which contains an open reading frame of 1191 bp
      interrupted by two small introns. The ORF has been sequenced and the
      transcriptional start determined. The predicted amino acid sequence shows
      homology to the deduced amino acid sequences of two pollen-specific pectate lyase
      genes identified in tomato. The genomic clone was isolated using a partial cDNA
      clone, TP10, which had been isolated from a Nicotiana tabacum pollen cDNA library
      by means of differential screening. TP10 has been fully sequenced and contains an
      open reading frame of 792 bp which shows 96% homology to the ORF in the genomic
      clone. The transcript corresponding to TP10 is maximally expressed late in pollen
      development, and has not been detected in vegetative tissues.

PMID- 1421151
TI  - Cloning and sequencing of the petBD operon from the cyanobacterium Synechococcus
      sp. PCC 7002.
AB  - The genes encoding the photosynthetic cytochrome b6 (petB) and subunit 4 (petD)
      have been cloned and sequenced from the unicellular, photoheterotrophic,
      transformable cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, formerly designated
      Agmenellum quadruplicatum. The gene arrangement was found to be similar to that
      reported in the cyanobacterium Nostoc PCC 7906. The DNA and derived protein
      sequences were compared to chloroplast and the other cyanobacterial sequences. By
      pulsed-field electrophoresis, the petBD operon and the petCA operon, encoding the
      Rieske iron-sulfur protein and cytochrome f, were found to be located on
      separate, unlinked, Not I-digested DNA fragments. The petBD operon was found on
      the third largest Not I fragment (NC-325) while the petCA operon was found on the
      second largest Not I fragment (NB-370). These results suggest the two operons are
      not in proximity. The 1.35 kb transcript was shown to be light-regulated.
      Transcripts from cells grown under constant illumination showed a decrease in
      petB transcript levels to undetectable levels within 2 h after the cells were
      placed in the dark. Upon reillumination, transcript levels rose to three-fold
      over that seen initially under constant illumination.

PMID- 1421153
TI  - A DNA library from an individual Beta patellaris chromosome conferring nematode
      resistance obtained by microdissection of meiotic metaphase chromosomes.
AB  - We have used a standard protocol established for human chromosomes to create a
      chromosome-specific plasmid library from a Beta patellaris chromosome conferring
      nematode resistance. A monosomic addition line was chosen carrying 18 sugar-beet
      (Beta vulgaris L.) and one wild-beet (B. patellaris) chromosome. The wild-beet
      chromosome can readily be identified as a univalent during metaphase I of
      meiosis. Highly synchronized meiotic material was used to excise the univalents
      from four pollen mother cells. The chromatin was lysed in a 1 nl collection drop,
      the DNA purified and restricted with Rsa I, ligated into a vector containing
      universal sequencing primers, and amplified by the polymerase chain reaction. The
      amplified DNA was inserted into a standard plasmid vector and cloned.
      Approximately 23,000 recombinant plasmids were obtained of which 15,800 could be
      utilized. Their insert sizes ranged from 80 to 700 bp with an average of 130 bp.
      61 clones were tested in more detail by genomic Southern hybridization with sugar
      beet and wild-beet DNA. Of these 32 plasmids (52%) contained single-copy inserts,
      11 (18%) were specific for wild-beet DNA indicating that the DNA cloned
      originates in the univalent chromosome. The application of this technique for
      establishing high-density RFLP maps for discrete regions of plant genomes is
      discussed.

PMID- 1421154
TI  - Differential accumulation of mRNAs encoding extracellular and intracellular PR
      proteins in tomato induced by virulent and avirulent races of Cladosporium
      fulvum.
AB  - Tomato leaves infected by the fungal pathogen Cladosporium fulvum contain several
      types of intracellular and extracellular pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins.
      Previously, we reported the purification and serological characterization of five
      extracellular PR proteins: P2, P4, P6, a chitinase and a beta-1,3-glucanase [22,
      23]. Here we describe the purification of a basic intracellular 33 kDa beta-1,3
      glucanase and the isolation and characterization of cDNA clones encoding the two
      extracellular P14 isomers P4 and P6, the extracellular acidic beta-1,3-glucanase
      and a basic 35 kDa beta-1,3-glucanase, different from the purified 33 kDa
      protein. Southern blot analysis demonstrated that tomato PR proteins are not
      encoded by large gene families, as is the case in tobacco. The number of genes
      corresponding to each protein was estimated to vary between one and three. A
      northern blot analysis indicated that the mRNAs for the extracellular PR proteins
      (P4, P6 and acidic beta-1,3-glucanase) accumulate to similar levels in compatible
      and incompatible tomato-C. fulvum interactions, although the maximum level of
      expression is reached much faster in the incompatible interaction. On the other
      hand, the mRNA for the basic 35 kDa beta-1,3-glucanase is induced rapidly to high
      levels in both interactions, but declines in time to background levels only in
      the incompatible interaction. The relevance of this difference in relation to
      plant defence is discussed.

PMID- 1421155
TI  - Regulation of the maize HRGP gene expression by ethylene and wounding. mRNA
      accumulation and qualitative expression analysis of the promoter by
      microprojectile bombardment.
AB  - The expression of the maize gene coding for a hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein
      (HRGP) has been studied by measuring the mRNA accumulation after wounding or
      ethylene treatment. RNA blot and in situ hybridization techniques have been used.
      The temporal and tissue-specific expression has been observed: the cells related
      to the vascular system show the more intense HRGP mRNA accumulation.
      Transcriptional constructions of the maize HRGP promoter have been tested on
      different maize tissues by microbombarding. A 582 bp promoter is able to direct
      the expression of the gus gene on calli and young leaves. Constructions having
      shorter promoter sequences lose this ability. The 582 bp construction retains the
      general specificity of expression observed for the HRGP gene.

PMID- 1421156
TI  - Import and processing of the precursor of the delta subunit of tobacco
      chloroplast ATP synthase.
AB  - A cDNA clone encoding the complete precursor of the delta subunit of chloroplast
      ATP synthase has been isolated from a tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaf cDNA
      library in lambda gt11. The 880 bp insert encodes a polypeptide of 248 amino acid
      residues, of which 61 residues constitute an N-terminal presequence and 187
      residues make up the mature delta subunit. Transcription and translation of the
      cDNA in vitro produced a protein of 29 kDa which was imported by isolated pea
      chloroplasts and processed to the mature 20 kDa subunit. The delta subunit
      precursor was processed to the mature size by a processing peptidase present in
      pea stromal extracts. Hybridisation of the cDNA to Southern blots of tobacco
      genomic DNA suggests the presence of two genes in the haploid genome.

PMID- 1421157
TI  - Expression of desiccation-related proteins from the resurrection plant
      Craterostigma plantagineum in transgenic tobacco.
AB  - Three cDNAs encoding desiccation-induced proteins from the resurrection plant
      Craterostigma plantagineum were each ligated to a triplicated CaMV 35S promoter
      and a nopaline synthase 3'-flanking region in an Agrobacterium vector and
      introduced into tobacco. Transgenic plants expressed the encoded Craterostigma
      proteins at high levels. This did not lead to changes in the phenotype, in the
      growth habit or in basic photosynthetic parameters. In tobacco, one protein was
      targeted to the chloroplast stroma which is its normal location in Craterostigma.
      These desiccation-related proteins are not sufficient per se to increase drought
      tolerance as measured by ion-leakage tests.

PMID- 1421158
TI  - Characterization of a Brassica napus gene encoding a cruciferin subunit:
      estimation of sizes of cruciferin gene families.
AB  - A gene encoding a subunit of the 12S storage globulin, cruciferin, in Brassica
      napus (oilseed rape) has been isolated and characterized. The gene consists of
      about 2200 bp including three short intervening sequences. Primer extension
      analysis showed that the major transcription start site is located 30 bp 5' of
      the predicted ATG start codon. This gene belongs to one of three different major
      families encoding cruciferin subunits. By use of gene-family-specific probes and
      Southern blotting analysis the number of genes of the three different cruciferin
      subtypes in B. napus was estimated.

PMID- 1421159
TI  - Nucleotide sequence of a metallothionein gene of the thermophilic cyanobacterium
      Synechococcus vulcanus.

PMID- 1421160
TI  - Import of the precursor of the chloroplast Rieske iron-sulphur protein by pea
      chloroplasts.
AB  - cDNA clones encoding the precursor of the Rieske FeS protein of the chloroplast
      thylakoid membrane have been isolated from a pea leaf cDNA library in lambda gt
      11, following screening with antibodies to purified pea chloroplast Rieske FeS
      protein. The longest cDNA insert of 880 bp encodes a polypeptide of 230 amino
      acid residues, of which 50 residues constitute an N-terminal cleavable
      presequence and 180 residues make up the mature protein. Transcription and
      translation of the cDNA in vitro produced a polypeptide of 26 kDa which was
      efficiently imported by isolated pea chloroplasts and processed to the mature 20
      kDa protein. Southern hybridisation to pea genomic DNA indicated the presence of
      a single gene encoding the Rieske FeS protein in the haploid genome.

PMID- 1421161
TI  - Ras in signal transduction.
AB  - Ras protein is a GTP-binding protein, and acts as a signal transducer in
      fibroblast, lymphoid, myeloid, and neuronal cells. In all cases, tyrosine
      kinases, intrinsic to or associated with receptors, seem to play an important
      role for the activation of Ras in response to extracellular stimulations. A
      GDP/GTP exchange regulator and a GTPase stimulatory protein are thought to
      mediate signals from the kinases. The active Ras.GTP can cause different
      phenotypes, that is, proliferation, transformation, activation, or
      differentiation, depending on cell types, although it is not yet clear what is
      the primary target of the active Ras-GTP or how the various phenotypes are
      determined downstream of Ras protein.

PMID- 1421162
TI  - Prenoids and palmitate: lipids that control the biological activity of Ras
      proteins.
AB  - Ras proteins can be modified by two types of lipids--an isoprenoid and the fatty
      acid palmitate. These lipids help the otherwise cytoplasmic Ras protein to
      interact with the plasma membrane of a cell. The biological consequences of this
      association between Ras and membranes are dramatic, and can alter a cell's
      behavior from normal growth into malignancy. The scope and limits of our
      knowledge of the steps, structures and enzymes involved in this molecular
      transformation from soluble inactivity to membrane-bound potency are offered
      below. The prospects of regulating Ras function by controlling its intracellular
      location provides a tantalizing opportunity to translate research into a novel
      therapeutic reality.

PMID- 1421163
TI  - Three-dimensional structure of p21H-ras and its implications.
AB  - The three-dimensional structure of the H-ras oncogene product p21 has been
      determined in both its active, GTP-bound and its inactive, GDP-bound forms. This
      has supplied a wealth of information on the mode of binding of guanine
      nucleotides, on the mechanism of the GTPase reaction and on the conformational
      change of the protein which accompanies GTP hydrolysis. The structural analysis
      has also given clues to the interaction of p21 with the regulatory proteins GAP
      (GTPase Activating Protein) and nucleotide exchange factor. The three-dimensional
      structures of oncogenic mutants of p21 have also been determined and can nicely
      explain different biochemical and biological behaviour of these mutant proteins.

PMID- 1421164
TI  - GTPase activating proteins.
AB  - Since Ras proteins negotiate many signalling pathways leading to cell growth or
      differentiation, the regulation of Ras activity is vital to cellular health. Ras
      activity, which derives from a collaboration between Ras and GTP, is terminated
      by the GTPase activating protein (GAP)-catalyzed hydrolysis of the GTP. Hence, a
      simple regulatory scheme emerges: extracellular signals control Ras activity via
      membrane receptors and GAPs. However, the signalling scenario is probably not so
      simple. In looking for factors which interpret Ras activity, researchers have
      been led to the same factors which also regulate Ras activity, namely the GAPs.
      Therefore, it may be that Ras proteins are actually regulators of GAPs.

PMID- 1421165
TI  - Genetic analysis of ras homologs in yeasts.
AB  - Ras proteins with extensive structural homology to mammalian p21ras have been
      studied in the two yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe.
      Comparative analysis of these two yeasts has revealed significant differences in
      the biochemical and physiological functions that are controlled by this subgroup
      of eukaryotic GTP-binding regulatory proteins. Despite such divergence of
      cellular functions, proteins and mechanisms involved in the regulation and
      modification of Ras proteins are highly conserved in yeasts and other eukaryotes.
      Genetic analysis of the function of yeast proteins that regulate or modify Ras
      proteins has provided important information about Ras proteins in general.

PMID- 1421166
TI  - Ras proteins in developmental pattern formation in Caenorhabditis elegans and
      Drosophila.
AB  - Recent studies of genetically isolated mutants in Caenorhabditis elegans and
      Drosophila have revealed ras functions in developmental pattern formation. The
      ras proteins act as genetic switches to determine cell fates between two
      alternative choices during C elegans vulval development (vulval versus hypodermal
      cells) and during Drosophila eye development (R7 versus cone cell). In both
      cases, ras proteins act downstream of a receptor tyrosine kinase in a signal
      transduction pathway that mediates cell-cell interactions. These genetic systems
      may allow the further elucidation of ras-mediated developmental regulatory
      pathways.

PMID- 1421167
TI  - ras activation in experimental carcinogenesis.
AB  - We review experimental models of carcinogenesis in which the role of ras
      activation has been most thoroughly studied: skin, thymus, mammary gland and
      liver. Qualitative changes (point mutations), as well as quantitative changes
      (over-expression, increased gene dosage) contribute to the transforming phenotype
      induced by ras genes. The activation of the three different ras family members is
      associated with particular tumor types, carcinogenic agents, and carcinogenic
      stages, suggesting the ras proteins may be involved in different biological
      functions. Depending on the system, ras activation has been shown to be an early
      and/or a late event in the multi-step process of carcinogenesis. These data
      underscore the possible relationship between ras activation and cell type
      specificity, proliferation, differentiation or cell-cell interaction.

PMID- 1421168
TI  - ras and human tumors.
AB  - Mutational activation of ras oncogenes is frequently encountered in human tumors.
      For unexplained reasons, K-ras mutations are predominantly found in pancreatic
      cancer, colorectal cancer and adeno-carcinoma of the lung, N-ras is predominantly
      found in a subset of acute leukemias and in myelodysplastic syndromes, while H
      ras mutations are rare. In most tumors, ras mutations are not clearly associated
      with specific clinical or biological features, but in lung cancer, childhood
      lymphoblastic leukemia and possibly in myelodysplastic syndromes ras mutations
      may predict a poor prognosis. Accumulating evidence suggests that exposure to
      chemical carcinogens is responsible for many ras mutations in humans.

PMID- 1421169
TI  - Regulation of DNA replication by the nuclear envelope.
AB  - Recent evidence suggests that the nuclear envelope is directly involved in
      regulating DNA replication. It does this in at least three ways. First,
      replication is dependent on assembly of an intact nuclear envelope capable of
      nuclear transport. Second, the nuclear membrane defines the nucleus as the
      fundamental unit of replication and determines the timing of initiation. Third,
      the nuclear membrane is essential for coupling DNA replication to the cell cycle.
      Thus, regulated DNA replication in eukaryotic cells depends on a structurally
      intact and functional nuclear envelope.

PMID- 1421170
TI  - Assembly and cell cycle dynamics of the nuclear lamina.
AB  - The nuclear lamina is a karyoskeletal structure composed of intermediate filament
      type proteins. It underlies the inner nuclear membrane and confers mechanical
      stability to the nuclear envelope. In addition, it interacts with chromatin and
      may thereby participate in determining the three-dimensional organization of the
      interphase nucleus. During mitosis, the nuclear lamina is transiently
      disassembled, most probably through hyperphosphorylation of lamin proteins by the
      protein kinase p34cdc2, a key regulator of the eukaryotic cell cycle. Mitotic
      disassembly of the lamina is necessary but not sufficient for nuclear envelope
      breakdown. Electron microscopic analyses have begun to provide insights into the
      principles that govern lamina assembly in vitro, and sequence motifs required for
      targeting newly synthesized lamins to the nuclear envelope have been identified.
      Of particular interest, lamins were shown to undergo a type of hydrophobic
      modification known as isoprenylation. Finally, recent studies addressing the
      nature of lamin-chromatin interactions may provide the basis for elucidating the
      role of lamins in organizing the distribution of interphase chromatin.

PMID- 1421171
TI  - An extended view of nuclear lamin structure, function, and dynamics.
AB  - Molecularly-based studies of nuclear lamins have progressed at a rapid rate in
      the last decade. However, we still have no answer to the most important question:
      what are the functions of lamins? In this review we describe recent experiments
      which challenge traditional views of lamin function and structure. These
      surprising results indicate that much lamin functionality remains to be
      discovered, and that more global approaches to lamin structure and function are
      especially appropriate at this time.

PMID- 1421172
TI  - Nuclear pore structure and function.
AB  - Nuclear pores are huge macromolecular assemblies, approximately 120 nm in
      diameter, that perforate the nuclear membrane and mediate nucleocytoplasmic
      transport. Nuclear pores are constructed from a cylindrical spoke-plug complex
      sandwiched between nucleoplasmic and cytoplasmic rings. The spoke-plug complex
      has pronounced 8-fold rotational symmetry, which is also present in the rings.
      Nucleocytoplasmic transport is an energy-requiring process that takes place
      through the centre of the pores and can accommodate particles up to about 25 nm
      diameter. Translocation is preceded by a separate binding step which does not
      require energy. Several nuclear pore proteins have been isolated and
      characterized. Many of these proteins contain O-linked N-acetyl glucosamine
      residues and may have similar modular domain structures.

PMID- 1421173
TI  - A high frequency of N-RAS oncogene mutations in multiple myeloma.
AB  - Mutation of the RAS oncogene was studied in ten patients with multiple myeloma,
      and the DNA from nude mouse tumors formed by cells obtained from tumorigenecity
      assays (in vivo selection assays) in these patients was analyzed by PCR and
      oligonucleotide hybridization. Mutations of the N-RAS oncogene were identified in
      two of three patients investigated by in vivo selection assay and in five of ten
      patients investigated by PCR analysis of DNA from myeloma cells. In the two
      former patients, mutation of the N-RAS oncogene was observed at the 61st codon.
      Of the five N-RAS mutant-positive patients investigated by the PCR analysis, one
      had a mutation at codon 12, two had mutations at codon 13, and two had mutations
      at codon 61. None of the patients had mutations of the K-RAS oncogene. These
      results suggest that the frequency of RAS gene mutation in multiple myeloma is
      higher than in other lymphoid malignancies such as acute lymphocytic leukemia,
      chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and malignant lymphoma. As the mutation was
      observed only at the N-RAS oncogene level, it is speculated that N-RAS oncogene
      activation might play an important role in the progression of multiple myeloma.

PMID- 1421174
TI  - Gene analyses of abnormal fibrinogens with a mutation in the gamma chain.
AB  - In four abnormal fibrinogens with a point mutation in the gamma chain, all
      characterized by impaired fibrin polymerization, we identified single base
      exchanges in the respective mutant gamma chain genes by polymerase chain reaction
      followed by DNA sequence analysis. These base exchanges accounted for the amino
      acid substitutions previously reported from our laboratory. They were exchanges
      of C to T (CGC for gamma Arg-275 to TGC for Cys) in fibrinogen Osaka II, T to G
      (AAT for gamma Asn-308 to AAG for Lys) in fibrinogen Kyoto I, T to C (ATG for
      gamma Met-310 to ACG for Thr) in fibrinogen Asahi, and G to T (GAT for gamma Asp
      330 to TAT for Tyr) in fibrinogen Kyoto III. These base exchanges were found to
      reside in exon VIII of the gamma chain gene. Since many abnormal molecules are
      associated with polymerization defects, unless associated with the impaired
      release of fibrinopeptides A and/or B, exon VIII of the gamma chain gene may
      deserve careful study to define the structural alterations.

PMID- 1421175
TI  - Altered expression of protein kinase C in adult T-cell leukemia cells.
AB  - Protein kinase C (PKC) has been shown to be involved in the mitogenic response
      and in oncogenic cell transformation in many experimental models. We analyzed the
      expression of PKC in both highly purified leukemic T cells freshly isolated from
      adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) patients and control T lymphocytes obtained from
      healthy volunteers. PKC activity was decreased in the ATL cells as compared with
      the control T cells. Cytosolic PKC activity in the ATL cells was remarkably
      decreased, whereas particulate membrane PKC activity was similar to the control
      level. The percentage of PKC activity in the particulate fraction was 34% in the
      ATL cells and 19% in the control cells. Regarding the altered subcellular
      localization of PKC activity, phorbol ester-induced translocation of cytosolic
      PKC was inhibited in some ATL cases. Similarly to the decrease in PKC activity,
      there was a decrease in the expression of the major PKC isozymes II(beta) and
      III(alpha) in ATL cells. These results suggest impaired regulation of PKC
      expression in ATL as well as in many experimental cancers.

PMID- 1421176
TI  - Hirudin and sulotroban improve coronary blood flow after reperfusion induced by
      the novel recombinant plasminogen activator BM 06.022 in a canine model of
      coronary artery thrombosis.
AB  - Thrombus formation in anesthetized, open-chest dogs was induced by electrical
      injury to the intimal surface of the left circumflex coronary artery. One-hour
      postocclusion, administration of vehicle to heparinized dogs (n = 12) did not
      induce reperfusion despite concomitant treatment with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA),
      sulotroban, or saline. Intravenous bolus injection of 140 kU/kg (= 0.24 mg/kg) of
      the unglycosylated t-PA variant BM 06.022 induced reperfusion in 4 out of 6 dogs,
      followed by flow deterioration. Pretreatment with i.v. ASA did not improve
      coronary blood flow (CBF). Conjunctive treatment with the thromboxane A2-receptor
      antagonist, sulotroban, (10 mg/kg i.v. bolus, followed by 10 mg/kg/h) or with
      recombinant hirudin, a specific thrombin inhibitor, (1 mg/kg/h) 30 min prior to
      i.v. injection of BM 06.022, prolonged (p < 0.01) the cumulative patency time
      (sum of time-intervals in which the coronary artery was patent) to 147.4 +/- 9.2
      min in 4 out of 6 reperfused dogs and 129.9 +/- 12.3 min in 7 out of 8 dogs,
      respectively, compared to the saline plus BM 06.022 treatment (47.5 +/- 13.1 min)
      in 4 out of 6 dogs. The terminal CBF was higher (p < 0.01) after sulotroban plus
      BM 06.022 (7.0 +/- 1.7 ml/min) and hirudin plus BM 06.022 (6.3 +/- 1.5 ml/min)
      than after saline plus BM 06.022 (0.8 ml/min). These findings demonstrate that
      drugs with antithromboxane or antithrombin activity may improve CBF after
      reperfusion.

PMID- 1421177
TI  - Rapid prenatal diagnosis of Hb Bart's hydrops fetalis in southeast Asia area by
      polymerase chain reaction.
AB  - We used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify the breakpoint area of
      alpha-thalassemia-1 of Southeast Asia type and several parts of the alpha-globin
      gene cluster to make a differential diagnosis between alpha-thalassemia-1 and Hb
      Bart's hydrops fetalis. The procedure involved three primers to detect the
      homozygote of alpha-thalassemia-1, then amplifies the other alpha-globin gene
      cluster with three other pairs of primers to double check the results. The PCR
      products were checked again by allele specific probes. Twenty-two cases were
      diagnosed prenatally, two were normal, 17 were alpha-thalassemia-1, and three Hb
      Bart's hydrops fetalis. All cases were confirmed either by Southern blot
      hybridization or follow-up by sonography or after delivery. No false positive or
      false negative results were obtained by our strigent procedure. We conclude it to
      be a rapid, accurate and economic method.

PMID- 1421179
TI  - Effects of cobalamin, cobalamin analogues and cobalamin binding proteins on
      P388D1 mouse leukemic cells in culture.
AB  - Cobalamin-deficient P388D1 mouse leukemic cells were created by propagation in a
      cyanocobalamin-free medium in which the original fetal bovine serum was replaced
      by bovine serum albumin. These cobalamin-deficient cells gradually ceased to
      multiply when the medium contained 5-methyltetrahydrofolate. The growth of cells
      that had been cultured with this coenzyme was recovered following the addition of
      cyanocobalamin (CNCbl), at concentrations above 37 pM. In contrast to the effect
      of CNCbl, cobinamide, and cobalamin analogues prepared from hydroxy cobalamin by
      reaction with ascorbic acid, did not have a growth-inducing effect on these
      cells, nor did these analogues inhibit CNCbl-dependent growth. Transcobalamin II
      cobalamin complex had a remarkably stimulating effect on cell growth. The growth
      inducing effect became apparent with a cobalamin concentration of only 0.37 pM.
      This was about 1/100th the level of free cobalamin required for cell growth.
      However, no growth-inducing effect was seen at an R protein-bound cobalamin
      concentration of 37 pM, indicating that once cobalamin has been bound to R
      protein, it loses its growth-promoting effect on these cells in culture.

PMID- 1421178
TI  - Circulating transferrin receptor in acute leukemias.
AB  - Serum transferrin receptor (s-TR) levels in acute leukemia patients were measured
      by a recently developed sandwich radioimmunoassay. The mean s-TR level for normal
      subjects (n = 205) was 246 +/- 79 (mean +/- 1 SD) ng/ml. The values for patients
      with untreated acute myelocytic leukemia (AML, n = 18) and untreated acute
      lymphocytic leukemia (ALL, n = 14) were 398 +/- 175 ng/ml and 479 +/- 176 ng/ml,
      respectively, both of which were significantly higher than those for the normal
      subjects (AML, p < 0.02; ALL, p < 0.05). When complete remission was achieved
      with initial remission induction therapy, s-TR decreased to 262 +/- 47 ng/ml (n =
      22, 12 AML and 10 ALL), returning to normal levels. There was a good correlation
      between s-TR levels and the number of leukemic cells in peripheral blood (r =
      0.743, n = 32, p < 0.01). In two patients with AML, serial changes of s-TR values
      and numbers of blast cells in the peripheral blood and bone marrow occurred in a
      parallel manner. If, therefore, this assay for s-TR can be made more sensitive,
      it may become useful for assessing acute leukemia activity and for monitoring the
      effects of therapy.

PMID- 1421180
TI  - Primary extramedullary plasmacytoma of the small intestine.
AB  - We report a case of primary extramedullary plasmacytoma (PEMP), IgA kappa type,
      with a long clinical history, in a 64-year-old Japanese woman. In this case, PEMP
      occurred primarily in the jejunum and then recurred in several organs,
      specifically the spleen and stomach, and in the subcutaneous tissue, over a
      period of about 16 years. However, examination of bone marrow aspirates on
      several occasions continued to show no plasmacytoma involvement. The patient is
      still living. Immunohistochemical examinations revealed monoclonal IgA kappa
      immunoglobulin in the cytoplasm of infiltrating plasma cells in all surgical
      specimens examined. Immunoelectrophoresis revealed serum M-component only when
      the patient had a splenic tumor. Soon after splenectomy, the serum M-component
      disappeared. PEMP of the small intestine is rare.

PMID- 1421181
TI  - Monitoring hemangioblastoma tumor burden using plasma erythropoietin levels.
AB  - We report a 39-year-old female patient with a hepatic hemangioblastoma,
      polycythemia and elevated plasma erythropoietin (Epo) levels. Following
      orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx), her plasma Epo levels and hematocrit
      normalized but began to rise several months later. This rise correlated with the
      appearance of multiple lung metastases. The tumor was implicated as the source of
      excess Epo production using Northern analysis of a resected metastatic lung
      nodule. Based on our results, the measurement of plasma Epo levels in patients
      with Epo secreting tumors could be of general utility in assessing tumor burden.

PMID- 1421182
TI  - [Transthoracic lung biopsy. A useful but unused method?].

PMID- 1421183
TI  - [The determination of myocardial mass by cardiac magnetic resonance tomography.
      The effect of section alignment and section distance].
AB  - The effect of section alignment and distance in volumetric determination of
      myocardial mass by means of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was studied
      in 19 isolated pig hearts. Double angulated views taken through the short axis of
      the heart with a slice thickness of 10 mm and slices at a distance of 0 mm, 1 mm,
      3 mm and 5 mm produced accurate left ventricular measurements with cardiac MRI.
      Measurements in the long axis of the heart resulted in a marked underestimation
      of myocardial mass; depending on slice intervals, there was an error between 13%
      and 20%. In vivo measurements in 35 subjects confirmed the effect of section
      alignment. Measurements in the long axis of the heart produced results of 139.9
      +/- 31.7 g, significantly less than measurements in the short axis of the heart
      of 157.8 +/- 32.3 g.

PMID- 1421184
TI  - [Measurement error estimation in MR tomographic volumetry of the left ventricle
      with the multisection technic].
AB  - A multi-slice technique for MRT measurements of the left ventricular volume is
      much faster than the use of single-slice methods and is therefore better
      tolerated, leaving time for additional measurements. The end-diastolic left
      ventricular volume can be reliably measured by this method (123.3 +/- 13.5 ml vs.
      124.1 +/- ml). The end-systolic volume is consistently overestimated by 23.7 +/-
      18.3% compared with the reference value obtained by single slice measurements
      (47.9 +/- 8.9 ml vs 39.1 +/- 7.9 ml). Correspondingly, stroke volume and ejection
      fraction is underestimated on average by 10.6 +/- 9.7% and 10.6 +/- 7.6%
      respectively).

PMID- 1421186
TI  - [In-vivo 31P-NMR-spectroscopy in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy].
AB  - In vivo 31P-NMR spectra of heart muscle were obtained in 7 patients with dilating
      cardiomyopathies and in 10 normal subjects, using an ISIS technique with a 1.5
      Tesla body scanner (Philips Gyroscan S15) and the results of the two groups were
      compared. These results were easily reproduced. In patients with cardiomyopathy
      there was a significant (p < 0.05) reduction of the PCr/ATP ratio as an
      expression of abnormal energy metabolism. Two patients with mild clinical
      symptoms and only slightly reduced functional measurements showed no significant
      changes in the 31P-NMR spectrum. The patients with the largest reduction of the
      PCr/ATP index also showed the most marked changes in functional measurements. The
      PCr/ATP ratio (as also suggested by animal experiments) appears to be a suitable
      non-invasive indicator for the diagnosis and staging of myocardial changes in
      dilating cardiomyopathies.

PMID- 1421185
TI  - [The direct measurement of the spin-grid-relaxation times of phosphorus
      metabolites in the human myocardium].
AB  - The T1 relaxation times of the phosphorus metabolites in human heart muscle
      measurable by 31P-MR spectra were determined in 12 individuals using a 1.5 Tesla
      system. Several spectra were recorded consecutively with a pulse repetition time
      of 1.6 s to 24 s. The T1 times of creatine phosphate (CP), of gamma-, alpha-,
      beta-adenosintriphosphate (ATP), 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) together with
      anorganic phosphate) and phosphodiester (PDE) showed mean measurements of 6.1 +/-
      0.5, 5.4 +/- 0.5, 5.0 +/- 0.5, 5.8 +/- 1.0, 7.6 +/- 1.0, and 5.0 +/- 1.0 s (M +/-
      SE). The accuracy of the ISIS technique was tested with a special phantom. T1
      times were also measured in standard solutions (20 mM CP, 10 mM ATP); CP was 8.7
      +/- 0.2 s and gamma-ATP was 9.9 +/- 0.7 s. Corrections for partially saturated
      31P-MR spectra--at least for CP/ATP ratios--are relatively small.

PMID- 1421187
TI  - [MR tomographic volumetry of the subarachnoid space in HIV-associated brain
      atrophy].
AB  - The CSF volume of 45 patients with HIV infection was measured at various clinical
      stages and the results compared with 24 normals. 60% of all patients showed
      increased CSF spaces as an indication of cerebral atrophy. Serial measurements
      were particularly valuable during the early stages of atrophy since there is
      marked variation in the normal CSF volume. Conventional measurements, with the
      exception of the width of the third ventricle, were much less sensitive than
      these quantitative measurements. Classification of HIV infection according to the
      clinical stage was useful since CSF volume and volume increase correlated with
      the stage of HIV infection.

PMID- 1421188
TI  - [Magnetic resonance tomography in the follow-up after the embolization of
      arteriovenous malformations of the central nervous system].
AB  - Interventional embolisation is an accepted treatment for intracranial or spinal
      arteriovenous malformations. Since multiple embolizations are often required,
      noninvasive repeatable follow-up studies are desirable. The aim of this study is
      to demonstrate the usefulness of T2-weighted images, MR angiography, and
      gadolinium-DTPA first-pass studies for post-embolisation follow-up studies. Five
      patients with arteriovenous malformations, four cerebral and one spinal, were
      studied prospectively before and repeatedly after single or multiple
      embolizations. A total of 26 MRI studies (1.5 T Magnetom, Siemens AG) were
      performed. The combination of T2-weighted images, MR angiography, and gadolinium
      DTPA first-pass studies nicely demonstrated the arteriovenous malformations and
      the effect of embolisation which ranged from negligible to almost complete. While
      contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images and contrast-enhanced MR-angiography seemed
      to be of little more value than unenhanced studies, gadolinium-DTPA first-pass
      studies appeared to be more sensitive than T2-weighted images or MR-angiography
      because of their high intrinsic sensitivity to regional blood flow and volume. In
      the spine, T2-weighted images and MR-angiography were too insensitive to detect
      arteriovenous malformations, whereas gadolinium-DTPA first-pass studies
      sensitively detected the malformation and the changes after embolizations.

PMID- 1421189
TI  - [A prospective study to determine the recanalization time with a guide
      wire/recanalization catheter system in arterial occlusions].
AB  - The success rate and time taken for recanalization was determined in a
      prospective study of 82 consecutive unselected patients (53 men, 29 women; mean
      age 65.7 +/- 13, from 28 to 88 years). There were 106 complete occlusions of
      infrarenal arteries and a hydrophilic guide wire with a special 5-F
      recanalization catheter was used. Mean occlusion length was 12.97 +/- 10 cm (from
      1 cm-45 cm). 79.3% of occlusions were in the femoro-popliteal territory, 6.6%
      were iliac and 14.1% tibial. 101 of the 106 occlusions were recanalized (95.3%).
      Mean recanalization time was 120.8 +/- 228.1 s (from 1 s-1440 s), mean
      recanalization velocity was 0.11 cm/s. The majority of obstructions could be
      recanalized in less than one minute. The five occlusions which could not be
      recanalized were distal lesions in the superficial femoral artery and which were
      longer than 10 cm; two were calcified. There were no complications resulting from
      the recanalization apart from three perforations which were clinically not
      apparent. Consequent angioplasty proved successful in 78.1% of these patients.

PMID- 1421190
TI  - [Long-term observation after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in the pelvic
      and leg areas].
AB  - In this study 163 patients had long term follow ups after PTA; the value of a
      test which had previously hardly been used, the "Cox proportional hazards model",
      for prognostic purposes is stressed. In this test account is taken of the
      severity of the stenosis before PTA, the extent of re-stenosis following PTA and
      the distance of the occlusion from the aorta and these are related to the
      likelihood of success. The use of the Cox proportional hazards model with an
      accurate description of the clinical material and the use of the Kaplan-Meier
      method is recommended in order to obtain comparable figures for the results
      obtained in various centres. In this study patency after six months was 77%,
      after a year 67%, after three years 46% and after five years 37%.

PMID- 1421191
TI  - [The catheter embolization of acute hematuria after percutaneous nephrostomy and
      nephrolitholapaxy].
AB  - Angiography was performed on 6 patients with acute haematuria following
      percutaneous nephrostomy and nephrolitholapaxy; in 3, vessel damage with leak of
      contrast into the nephrostomy canal or renal parenchyma was demonstrated and in 3
      there were one or more pseudoaneurysms with or without arteriovenous fistula. All
      patients were successfully treated by catheter embolisation. Various catheter
      techniques (monaxial, coaxial) and embolic materials (Spongostan, Ivalon, coils)
      were used. The use of a Tracker-18 catheter with micro coils is the method of
      choice and permits superselective embolisation of bleeding from small peripheral
      branches with maximal preservation of the renal parenchyma.

PMID- 1421192
TI  - [The imaging diagnosis of acute renal transplant obstruction with special
      reference to antegrade pyelography].
AB  - 30 patients with an acute build-up of renal transplant were examined
      comparatively via antegrade pyelography (AP), computed tomography (CT) and
      sonography (SONO). In the proof of obstructions and compressions of the ureter of
      renal transplant, antegrade pyelography was superior to sonography and computed
      tomography. Perirenal collections of fluids were recognised correctly via
      sonography by 73% (11/15) and computed tomography by 87% (13/15). The computer
      tomogram is superior in the differentiation of perirenal collection of fluids. In
      establishing proof of the cause of an acute build-up of renal transplant it was
      evident that computed tomography with a sensitivity of 64% and a specificity of
      94% was slightly superior.

PMID- 1421193
TI  - [Renal osteodystrophy: the spectrum of the x-ray symptoms in modern forms of
      kidney transplantation and long-term dialysis therapy].
AB  - Plain film radiography and microradioscopy represent standard imaging for
      diagnosis and grading of renal osteodystrophy. The aim of this retrospective
      study was to evaluate the effects of modern therapeutic regimens on skeletal
      abnormalities as diagnosed radiographically. 198 patients were investigated. X
      ray findings of 38 patients from 1981-1983 (16-66 years, 40.1 +/- 13.4; 23 male,
      15 female) were compared with those of 160 patients from 1991 (20-71 years, 48.4
      +/- 12.5; 98 male, 62 female). We found significant differences in respect of the
      spectrum and the degree of skeletal abnormalities. The prevalence of phalangeal
      resorptions lowered from 87 to 50%, the prevalence of soft tissue calcification
      from 68 to 57%. Therefore, renal osteodystrophy is not as extensive as it was ten
      years ago, but it still continues to be an unavoidable complication of renal
      insufficiency.

PMID- 1421194
TI  - [The imaging diagnosis of sclerosing peritonitis (SP) following continuous
      ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD)].
AB  - Sclerosing peritonitis is a serious complication of CAPD characterised by
      thickened peritoneal membranes which lead to decreased ultrafiltration and
      intestinal obstruction. The roentgenographic signs of SP were analysed in 11
      patients who underwent plain x-ray of the abdomen, follow-through examinations of
      the small bowel, ultrasonography and computed tomography. Results were correlated
      with the histological degree of SP. Besides the non-specific findings of
      intestinal obstruction, patients with histologically marked SP had loculated
      fluid collections, thickening of the bowel wall and/or peritoneum, peritoneal
      calcifications and thickened peritoneal membranes. Due to the fact that
      postoperative complications often occur in patients with SP, detection of the
      radiological signs should lead to cautious surgical interventions and changeover
      to haemodialysis.

PMID- 1421195
TI  - [The preoperative marking of nonpalpable breast lesions: the technic and
      results].
AB  - 189 non-palpable breast lesions in 182 patients were localized using conventional
      mammographic apparatus, a wire grid compression plate and a cannula with a hooked
      mandrin. The technique of the examination for defining the lesion in three planes
      and fixation of the lesion with the wire is described. In 173 instances (91.5%),
      the lesion was found at the first biopsy and subsequent biopsies were necessary
      on only 24 occasions. One lesion (0.5%) was missed completely. 47 carcinomas were
      found (24.9%) and the incidence of malignancy increased from 14.3% to 33.3%
      during the series. The mean ratio defining the size of the biopsy and the size of
      the lesion was 3.3 and indicates good preservation of breast tissue. Radiographs
      of the specimen taken with compression showed 186 lesions (98.4%). The method,
      which is comfortable for the patient, provides satisfactory detection and
      localization of the lesions; results are similar to those of stereotactic methods
      but this method is quicker and much less expensive.

PMID- 1421196
TI  - [Pseudothrombosis of the vena cava superior and other flow artifacts in high
      resolution rapid computed tomography of the thorax].

PMID- 1421197
TI  - [Sonography and computed tomography in intraperitoneally retained abdominal
      drapes].

PMID- 1421198
TI  - [The nuclear magnetic tomographic imaging of a fistula between the right coronary
      artery and the left atrium].

PMID- 1421199
TI  - [The absent cervical pedicle syndrome. A rare anomaly of the cervical spine].

PMID- 1421200
TI  - [An advanced stage of a bilharziasis infection in CT diagnosis].

PMID- 1421201
TI  - [Re: the article by G. Barzen et al.: The value of radioimmunoscintigraphy...,
      Forstchr. Rontgenstr. 156 (1992) 3-10].

PMID- 1421202
TI  - Changes in the blood-brain transfer of L-phenylalanine elicited by arginine
      vasopressin.
AB  - Arginine vasopressin (AVP) coinjected into the carotid artery in physiological
      concentrations (0.1 nmol/l) with L-[3H]phenylalanine changed the kinetic
      parameters of blood-brain barrier (BBB) transport of this neutral amino acid. The
      half-saturation constant (Km) and the maximum velocity of transport (Vmax) were
      estimated in nine brain regions of male Wistar rats anaesthetized with ether. In
      the cerebral hemisphere Km decreased significantly from 0.107 to 0.061 mmol/l and
      Vmax from 37.6 to 27.4 mmol/min/g. Comparing the kinetic constants for the
      phenylalanine transfer of corresponding regions of control animals and those
      coinjected with the amino acid and AVP, 8 out of 9 (Km) and 7 out of 9 (Vmax)
      regions were found significantly lowered. The findings support the hypothesis
      that AVP binding to the endothelial cell layer of the brain capillaries induces
      alterations of the transfer of at least the large neutral amino acids (LNAAs)
      from blood to brain. The kinetic parameters estimated for L-phenylalanine favour
      the assumption that in vivo AVP induces a preferred transport of this amino acid
      across the BBB compared to L-leucine.

PMID- 1421203
TI  - Effect of mesulergine on prolactin secretion and dopamine D2 receptors-adaptive
      changes in diethylstilbestrol-induced hyperplasia of the rat anterior pituitary.
AB  - Mesulergine (N,N-dimethylsulphamide-N'-1,6-dimethyl-ergoline-8 alpha-yl) is an
      active semisynthetic ergot derivative with lower antiprolactin potency compared
      with bromocriptine or pergolide. Since no data are yet available on the effects
      of mesulergine on pituitary dopamine receptors, the present study has been
      designated to elucidate the influence of this drug on prolactin secretion in vivo
      and in vitro and 3H-spiperone binding by the anterior pituitary gland in female
      Wistar rats with experimentally induced hyperprolactinemia. Three weeks after
      bilateral ovariectomy and subcutaneous implantation of silastic tubes, containing
      10 mg of diethylstilbestrol, a dramatic rise in serum prolactin levels was
      observed (1.67 +/- 0.23 vs. 80.82 +/- 3.80 ng/ml; P less than 0.001). Mesulergine
      attenuated the stimulatory effect of diethylstilbestrol on serum prolactin level
      in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. At concentration range between 10(-5) and
      10(-7) M it also inhibited prolactin secretion from cultured rat pituitary cells
      to the medium during 180 min incubation in a dose-dependent manner. Scatchard
      analyses performed on the in vitro 3H-spiperone binding kinetics in a dispersed
      anterior pituitary cell culture, prepared from the pituitaries from rats treated
      for four weeks with diethylstilbestrol, showed that chronic mesulergine treatment
      (in dose of 3.0 mg/kg injected s.c. for 10 days) induced a significant decrease
      in the number of dopamine D2-binding sites (Bmax 28.00 +/- 4.20 vs. 42.80 +/-
      4.76 fmol/10(6) cells; P less than 0.01) without any changes in D2-receptor
      affinity. Our results suggested that antiprolactin activity of mesulergine in
      vivo and in vitro is probably associated with agonistic effect of this drug on D2
      dopamine receptors.

PMID- 1421204
TI  - Low concentrations of oxytocin suppress lordosis when infused into the lateral
      ventricle of female rats.
AB  - The first experiment was undertaken to compare the effects on lordosis of the
      infusion of oxytocin into the lateral versus the third ventricle. Female rats
      fitted with bilateral cannulae aimed at these ventricles were primed with 5
      micrograms estradiol benzoate and 150 micrograms progesterone and received an
      infusion of 0.34 ng oxytocin into either the left lateral or the third ventricle.
      The infusion of 0.34 ng oxytocin into the left lateral ventricle inhibited
      lordosis behavior, while the same dose infused into the third ventricles of the
      same animals did not. Since a facilitation of lordosis in response to the
      infusion of oxytocin into the lateral ventricle has been reported in other
      studies, it seemed possible that the inhibition and facilitation could be
      produced by different doses of oxytocin. In the second experiment this hypothesis
      was tested in another set of female rats fitted with unilateral cannulae aimed at
      the left lateral ventricle, primed with 5 micrograms estradiol benzoate and 150
      micrograms progesterone and infused with different doses of oxytocin. In these
      animals the inhibition occurred with 0.34 ng but not with 3.4 ng or 34 ng of
      oxytocin. No facilitation was observed at any of these doses.

PMID- 1421205
TI  - Effects of dexamethasone on TRH and TRH precursor peptide (Lys-Arg-Gln-His-Pro
      Gly-Arg-Arg) levels in various rat organs.
AB  - The effect of an acute dexamethasone administration on thyrotropin-releasing
      hormone (TRH) and TRH precursor peptide (Lys-Arg-Gln-His-Pro-Gly-Arg-Arg) (p-8)
      levels in various rat organs has been studied. Rats were injected i.p. with 25
      micrograms of dexamethasone/100 g body weight (group A), 500 micrograms of
      dexamethasone/100 g body weight (group B) or saline (group C). The rats were
      serially decapitated after the injection. TRH and p-8 levels in the hypothalamus,
      cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem, stomach and eye and plasma TRH and
      thyrotropin (TSH) levels were measured by individual radioimmunoassays. P-8
      levels in the hypothalamus decreased significantly in both group A and B at 1-4
      hours after the injection, and then returned to pretreated levels at 24 hours
      after the injection. TRH levels in the hypothalamus increased significantly in
      both group A and group B at 1-4 hours after dexamethasone injection. No changes
      in p-8 and TRH levels were observed in other organs. In group A, plasma TRH
      levels tended to decrease at 1-2 hours, then to increase at 3 hours. In group B,
      plasma TRH levels decreased 1-4 hours after the dexamethasone injection, then
      increased at 24 hours. The plasma TSH levels decreased significantly at 1-4 hours
      in group A and group B, returned to pretreatment levels at 24 hours in group A,
      and increased significantly in group B at 24 hours after dexamethasone
      injection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421206
TI  - The role of some circumventricular organs in hormone action and secretion.

PMID- 1421207
TI  - Single point estimation of glucocorticoid receptors in lymphocytes of normal
      subjects and of children under long term glucocorticoid treatment.
AB  - A single point assay of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) in human lymphocytes based
      on the measurement of specific dexamethasone binding has been developed and
      compared with a common multi-point Scatchard analysis. The assay conditions
      concentration of the ligand 20 nmol/l, incubation time 2 h and the cell count 2-6
      mil. cells/tube in the assay volume 0.25 ml were found to be optimal. An attempt
      was also undertaken to use a cell harvester for the separation of cells from
      unbound ligand. Though specifically bound dexamethasone measured by whole-cell
      assay and that using cell harvester correlated well, almost by one order lower
      values obtained with the latter method render it non-applicable for receptor
      quantitation. The results from 9 healthy volunteers (average GR concentration
      7131 +/- 1256 sites/cell) correlated excellently with those obtained by the
      Scatchard analysis. The single point assay has been also applied for
      determination of GH in 10 children treated with large doses of prednisone. The
      average values from healthy volunteers did not differ significantly from those
      found in these children, though much broader range was found in patients.

PMID- 1421208
TI  - Androgen hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases under the influence of pyridoxine
      derivatives.
AB  - The metabolism of testosterone in the rat ventral prostate, anterior pituitary,
      basal hypothalamus and amygdala was studied in vitro under the influence of
      vitamin B6 compounds. The influence of these compounds on the activity of 5 alpha
      reductase (5 alpha-R), 3 alpha- and 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 alpha
      HSD, 17 beta-HSD) was determined for all the examined tissues. Pyridoxine
      hydrochloride significantly increased the activity of 5 alpha-R, 3 alpha- and 17
      beta-HSD, but pyridoxal hydrochloride had an inhibitory influence on 5 alpha-R
      and showed no effect on 3 alpha-HSD activity at the prostate level. Male rat
      anterior pituitary, basal hypothalamus or amygdala incubated with pyridoxal
      phosphate and pyridoxal hydrochloride showed modified enzymatic activities.
      Pyridoxal hydrochloride showed an inhibitory effect on 5 alpha-R in the rat
      pituitary and basal hypothalamus as well as in the rat prostate.

PMID- 1421210
TI  - [Changes in impulse activity of neurons of the CA3 area of the hippocampus under
      the effects of neuromodulator neurotropin].
AB  - Neurotropin (Nippon Zoki Co, Ltd) effects on firing patterns of the CA 3
      hippocampus neurons in rabbits under a 24-h food deprivation was studied.
      Neuronal firing was recorded in a state of hunger (40 neurons) and under
      neurotropin (27 neurons) injected through a catheter implanted into the lateral
      brain ventricles. Initially, in 20% of neurons histograms had a bimodal
      interspike interval distribution: 1.5-25 ms and 100-400 ms. Neurotropin (50
      microliters) increased the baseline spike rate regularity of hippocampus neurons.
      Histograms had a monomodal interspike interval distribution. Neurotropin (70
      microliters) inhibited firing patterns and histograms, had trimodal interspike
      interval distribution: 1.5-5 ms; 250-400 ms and 1000 ms. Thus, these data
      suggested the involvement of neuro-immuno-modulator mechanisms in organization of
      firing patterns in rabbits.

PMID- 1421209
TI  - Inhibition of human serum oxytocinase (cystine aminopeptidase, E. C. 3.4.11.3) by
      GnRH peptides.
AB  - The hydrolysis of H-Cys(Bzl)-NH-Meq by human serum oxytocinase (E.C. 3.4.11.3)
      was inhibited non-competitively by various pyroglutamyl peptides. The most
      effective were the chicken GnRH II (Ki = 6 x 10(-6) mol l-1) and salmon GnRH (Ki
      = 12 x 10(-6) mol l-1), while the inhibitory potency of human GnRH was
      substantially lower (Ki = 60.0 x 10(-6) mol l-1). Variations in inhibitory
      potency of individual peptides reflected mostly the differences in N-terminal and
      C-terminal parts of the molecules.

PMID- 1421211
TI  - [Diurnal dynamics of red blood indicators after carotid glomectomy in rats].
AB  - After bilateral carotid glomectomy the rat resistance to acute hypoxia reduces
      and phenomena of anemia arise. There appear correlations between resistance to
      hypoxia and red cell count, hemoglobin and hematocrit. The diurnal fluctuation of
      rat resistance to acute hypoxia after the glomectomy does not change while
      hemodynamics undergo marked changes.

PMID- 1421212
TI  - [Features of changes in bioelectric reactions of the cerebral cortex in rats with
      deafferentation pain syndrome].
AB  - In rats with pain syndrome after sciatic nerve section the authors studied
      spontaneous and evoked bioelectric activity in sensomotor cerebral cortex of both
      hemispheres. Electrocorticogram showed the presence of hyper-synchronic
      discharges and paroxysmal peak-wave (700-800 mV) activity in contralateral
      hemisphere. While stimulating the injured limb the threshold of evoked potentials
      (EP) was observed to decrease, its amplitude to increase and focus maximum EP
      activity to extend.

PMID- 1421213
TI  - [Effects of neurotropin on seizure activity in picrotoxin kindling].
AB  - It is shown that both intracerebral and intraperitoneal neurotropin
      administration resulted in a decrease of seizure susceptibility of preliminary
      picrotoxin--kindled rats. On the other hand, neurotropin did not change the
      course of kindling development. Under conditions of acute picrotoxin--induced
      seizures it was observed that preliminary cycloheximide (protein-synthesis
      blocker) administration abolished anticonvulsant properties of neurotropin. It is
      concluded that anticonvulsant effects of neurotropin are realized via modulation
      of endogenous peptides synthesis and, in particular, cerulein.

PMID- 1421214
TI  - [Relations between disorders of the intestinal-hepatic basin hemodynamics and
      absorption function in hemorrhage].
AB  - Chronic dog experiments showed that blood loss of 30 ml/kg or an intravenous
      injection of 1 microgram/kg norepinephrine did not markedly change small
      intestinal absorption. Blood supply to the liver was maintained at the expense of
      restricted portal circulation. Adaptation in blood loss seems to support arterial
      blood supply to the liver and absorbing epithelium of the small intestine to
      warrant their resistance to circulatory hypoxia and to promote their functional
      activity.

PMID- 1421215
TI  - [Changes in EEG and higher nervous activity of rats during cerebral anti-ischemic
      protection by acelysin].
AB  - The water-soluble aspirin (acelysin) has been used as an anti-ischaemic protector
      when injected in the dose of 150 mg/kg 30 min before ischaemia. The EEG has been
      registered during the whole period of experiment and the total EEG power index
      has been calculated. The higher nervous activity has been evaluated during
      analysis of rat's abilities for elaboration of conditional reflex of an active
      escape reaction in Y-labyrinth. The results have demonstrated the complete
      rehabilitation and restoration of brain functional activity 8 days after
      endurance of brain ischaemia under protection of acelisin.

PMID- 1421216
TI  - [Use-dependent inhibition of C-axon multimodal units of cat skin by lidocaine and
      N-propyl-ajmaline].
AB  - Subcutaneous application of local anesthetic drug lidocaine and cardiac
      antiarrhythmic n-propyl-ajmaline produced the reversible use-dependent inhibition
      of feline polymodal mechano-heat C-fiber cutaneous sensory units (CMH-units)
      excited by moderate noxious mechanical stimulus. The discharge rate as well as
      the number of evoked spikes of polymodal sensory units treated with the drugs
      decreased below the values observed under noxious chemical excitation of CMH
      units. The repeated mechano-stimulation with 5 to 30 sec interval between stimuli
      produced complete though a reversible block of the treated units. Quaternary
      amine n-propyl-ajmaline induced use-dependent inhibition of CMH-units in lower
      concentrations than tertiary amine lidocaine. The use-dependent inhibition of CMH
      units is discussed in connection with nociception and local analgesia.

PMID- 1421217
TI  - [Parameters of systemic hemodynamics in conscious rats with acute streptozotocin
      diabetes].
AB  - The effect of acute streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus on the systemic
      hemodynamic parameters was studied in conscious rats by thermodilution technique.
      Male Wistar rats were made diabetic with a single intravenous injection of
      streptozotocin (STZ, 50 mg/kg). The most important finding of this work was the
      elucidation of the systemic vasodilation and increased cardiac index one day
      after STZ injection. Such alteration in hemodynamic parameters could result in
      the increased blood flow and capillary hypertension in some vascular beds and,
      therefore, be considered as a pathogenic factor in the development of diabetic
      microangiopathy.

PMID- 1421219
TI  - [Participation of tyrosine residues of myoglobin in the disproportionateness
      reaction of heme iron (II) and (IV)].
AB  - By means of the comparison of the constant oxidation reactions of both the
      myoglobin modified by N-acetylimidazole and the intact myoglobin in the presence
      of H2O2 or ferrylmyoglobin we characterized the role of the tyrosine residues
      (Tyr) of myoglobin in the synproportionation reaction between heme iron (II) of
      one molecule and heme iron (IV)--of another. It was demonstrated that Tyr
      derivatization resulted in the decrease of the velocity of redox interaction
      between deoxymyoglobin (II) and ferrylmyoglobin (IV) and led to the decrease of
      the efficiency of oxymyoglobin deoxygenation. The effects were shown to be
      independent on Tyr quantity in myoglobin molecule and to have the same character
      for both the sperm-whale myoglobin and the horse myoglobin.

PMID- 1421218
TI  - [Effects of ubiquinone-9 on lipids of nuclei and chromatin of the rat liver under
      continuous irradiation].
AB  - The influence of continuous gamma irradiation on the lipids of nuclei and
      chromatin of rat liver at a dose-rate of 0,129 Gy/day for 155 days (a total dose
      of 20 Gy) and by feeding of ubiquinone-9 has been studied. The amount of
      phosphatidylcholine with phosphatidylserine and phosphatidyl-ethanolamine in
      liver nuclei of irradiated rats was found to increase. Ubiquinone-9 had a
      normalizing effect. A decrease of cardiolipin was observed in the liver chromatin
      of irradiated rats. The amount of free fatty acids had a tendency to decrease in
      homogenate, nuclei and liver chromatin of irradiated rats. Ubiquinone was found
      to increase the amount of free fatty acids up to the control level. The amount of
      cholesterol in nuclei was increased after irradiation and that in chromatin
      tended to rise. Ubiquinone-9 significantly decreased the amount of cholesterol in
      nuclei and chromatin of irradiated rats.

PMID- 1421220
TI  - [Mechanisms of opioid peptide participation in the regulation of carbohydrate
      metabolism].

PMID- 1421221
TI  - [Periodicity of changes in the concentration of cholesterol and blood serum
      proteins in dynamics of hypercholesterolemia].
AB  - During 30-week hypercholesterolemia in rabbits and guinea pigs the differences in
      cholesterol dynamics manifested themselves in quantitative variations of blood
      serum proteins. Five weeks after the beginning of the experiment a sharp increase
      of cholesterol level corresponded to the equally sharp decrease of the quantity
      of blood serum total and cation proteins. The variation of protein and
      cholesterol concentrations in guinea pigs during 17 weeks is similar to the
      development of early stages of cholesterolemia (4 weeks) in rabbits. It can be
      supposed that there is a connection between metabolic systems involved in the
      transformation of blood serum cholesterol and blood serum.

PMID- 1421222
TI  - [Changes in the organization of the intermediate filament system of human
      fibroblasts in lysosomal storage diseases and their modeling].
AB  - The organization of the system of the vimentin intermediate filaments (IFs) in
      human fibroblasts in lysosomal storage diseases (Fabry's disease, mannosidosis)
      and their modelling has been studied in vitro. It was shown that during
      accumulation of nonhydrolyzable compounds, hypertrophy of the lysosomal
      compartment is accompanied by formation of ring-shaped bundles IFs, surrounding
      apparently these increased organelles. The changed organization of IFs is
      characteristic of polarised pathological cells in monolayer, and after repassage
      it is retained only at the spreading state; on transition from the discoid to
      extended cellular form there occurred the centrifugal shift of ring-shaped
      structures of IFs to active cell border and gradual restoration of radial
      fibrillar state of IFs. It is suggested that on intralysosomal storage of unsplit
      compounds reorganization of the vimentin-type IFs in ring-shaped structure is
      necessary for optimal distribution and stabilization into the cytoplasm of large
      amounts of increased lysosomes with exo- and endogenous contents. In condition of
      free spreading (i. e. with diminished cell density) the restoration of normal
      fibrillar IF organization may be due to the loss of considerable number of
      hypertrophied lysosomes; the involvement of lysosomal membrane in formation of
      active cellular border is not to be ruled out.

PMID- 1421223
TI  - [A comparison of 3 methods of lipoprotein (a) isolation from human plasma].
AB  - Three methods for purification of lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] from human plasma were
      compared. Method I: two-stage ultracentrifugation with subsequent gel-filtration
      of Lp(a) containing fractions (1.063-1.090 g/ml) on Sepharose CL-4B. Method II:
      ultracentrifugation followed by affinity chromatography of plasma fraction (1.063
      g/ml) on anti-apoB sorbent. Method III: affinity chromatography of the whole
      plasma on anti-apo(a) sorbent. The Lp(a) yield of these methods is 35, 54 and
      41%, respectively. The method III is preferable of these three because it
      permitted high purification of a large amount of Lp(a) by single-step
      chromatography.

PMID- 1421224
TI  - [Increase of seizure threshold and resistance to stress in rats after
      immunization against fragment of diazepam-binding inhibitor].
AB  - White rats were immunized against fragment of diazepam-binding inhibitor
      octadecaneuropeptide (ODN) with conjugate ODN bovine serum albumin. This rats
      have reduced reactions of fear and anxiety in stress model of "open field" and in
      conflict Vogel test; their pain sensitivity ("tail flick" test) was lowered. The
      number and intensity of generalized seizure reactions after injection of
      pentylenetetrazole were decreased. The results show that active immunization to
      endogenous ODN has stress--protective and anti-seizure effects.

PMID- 1421226
TI  - [Toxic effects of heavy metal salts on intact and irradiated cultured mammalian
      cells].
AB  - The toxicity of solutions of K2Cr2O7 and NiSO4.8H2O for cultivated Chinese
      hamster fibroblasts and murine lymphoma Sp-2 cells was determined using three
      criteria of damage: cell death (dyeing with trypan blue), inhibition of cell
      proliferation and their colony-forming activity. It was shown that both salts
      have equal toxicity in (10(-3)-10(-2)) M interval for both culture investigated
      relative to inhibition of cell proliferation. The threshold of toxicity of
      K2Cr2O7 relative to reproductive cell death (10(-4) M is smaller than to the
      inhibition of cell proliferation. The nontoxic concentration of K2Cr2O7 enhanced
      the radiation-induced reproductive death of fibroblast culture at doses 2 and 4
      Gy.

PMID- 1421225
TI  - [Elimination of the atherogenic effect of beta blocker propranolol by
      papaverine].
AB  - Recently, the ability of beta-blockers to stimulate proliferative activity and
      induce lipid accumulation in cultured human aortic intimal cells has been
      demonstrated. Moreover, the addition of calcium antagonists completely blocked
      the increase in proliferative activity and abolished cholesterol accumulation
      caused by propranolol. In this study blood serum of rabbits treated with 20 mg of
      propranolol induced 2-fold cholesterol accumulation in mouse peritoneal
      macrophages. Papaverin did not influence this effect. In case of simultaneous
      administration of propranolol and papaverin rabbit serum did not exhibit the
      ability to accumulate intracellular lipids. Propranolol substantially stimulated
      the formation of myointimal thickening and neutral lipid accumulation in denuded
      rabbit aorta. Papaverin completely blocked the propranolol-produced atherogenic
      changes. The data suggest that in vitro and in vivo atherogenic effects of beta
      blockers may be prevented by papaverin.

PMID- 1421227
TI  - [Disorders of bone marrow hematopoiesis long time after the action of cytostatic
      preparations].
AB  - We studied the condition of CBA mice bone marrow hemopoiesis and functional
      activity of adherent cells 6 months after a single treatment with vinblastine
      (VB), doxorubicin (DR) and cyclophosphamide (CP) in LD10 dose (6, 22 and 250
      mg/kg, respectively). There was a long-term disorganization of bone marrow cell
      composition. The damage may be attributed to exhaustion of the pools of stem
      cells and changes in function of the cells formed by hemopoiesis induction
      microenvironment.

PMID- 1421228
TI  - [Antipyrine metabolism and rat liver ultrastructure in single and combined action
      of trichlorodiphenyl and dioctyl phthalate].
AB  - As shown by animal experiments, low-dose trichlorodophenyl and dioctyl phthalate
      induce microsomal cytochrome P-450-dependent enzymes and ultrastructural changes
      in hepatocytes. This evidences hepatotoxicity of the compounds.

PMID- 1421229
TI  - [Febrifugal activity of acupuncture and its strengthening by the effects of
      anaprilin].
AB  - The power and duration of antipyretic actions of acupuncture under single or
      repeated stimulation of Shaoshang (Lu-11) and Shangyang (LI-1) acupoints were
      studied in rabbits. Under conditions of preliminary i. v. injection of
      propranolol (1-2 mg/kg), strengthening of acupuncture antipyretic activity was
      revealed. This effect suggests participation of norepinephrine system in
      mechanism of febrifugal action of acupuncture.

PMID- 1421230
TI  - [An experimental study of anti-amnestic activity of piracetam in orchidectomized
      rats].
AB  - The decrease of learning ability by 50% as assessed by passive avoidance test and
      the increase 28% of microviscosity of synaptosomal membranes from brain cortex
      were observed in rats in a month after orchidectomy as compared with that of
      intact or sham--operated animals. The treatment of orchidectomized rats with
      piracetam either by single application or in the course of 10 days applications
      in the daily dose of 250 mg/kg intraperitoneally failed to improve learning
      ability of animals in passive avoidance test and to produce a normalizing effect
      on the structure of membrane lipid matrix. The testosterone content in blood of
      orchidectomized rats was 10 times lower as compared with control and was not
      affected by treatment with piracetam.

PMID- 1421231
TI  - [Effects of nitroglycerin on intracellular concentration of calcium in human
      blood platelets].
AB  - It is shown that nitroglycerin has a calcium-blocking property in human platelets
      both at basal and ADP-induced calcium level, determined by fluorescence
      techniques (Fura-2). The study demonstrated a dose-dependent inhibitory effect of
      nitroglycerin on calcium rise, induced by ADP. 30-min preincubation with 60
      microM nitroglycerin increased IC50 from 44 (without preincubation) to 320
      microM, indicating the development of nitrate tolerance. It was suggested, that
      human platelet may be used as an experimental model of nitrate tolerance.

PMID- 1421232
TI  - [Characteristics of immunomodulating effect of histamine in inbred strain mice].
AB  - The activity of 5'-nucleotidase of peritoneal exudate in subcutaneous injection
      of histamine in a dose of 1.0-100 microliters was studied in mice of different
      lines (CBA, C57, B1/6, Balb/c, NFS/n, NFR/n). There were interline differences in
      the influence of histamine on this metabolic index.

PMID- 1421233
TI  - [Sensitivity to mouse toxin and level of macrophage 5-nucleotidase activity].
AB  - It is shown that immunomodulator of bacterial origin salmozan causes alternations
      of sensitivity to mouse toxin in mice CBA. A correlation exists between the
      sensitivity to mouse toxin and the level of 5-nucleotidase of peritoneal exudate
      macrophages.

PMID- 1421234
TI  - [Characteristics of lymphoid subpopulations of peripheral blood of patients with
      shigellosis].
AB  - This work presents some investigation results of lymphoid subpopulation
      functional activity: Tg+1, Tg-1, Theophylline-resistant and Theophylline
      sensitive lymphocytes and O-1 isolated from the peripheral blood of patients with
      bacterial dysentery (BD) in local xenogenic GVHD. It has been established that
      Tg+1 and Tg-1 have stimulating effect on local xenogenic GVHD, but O-1 are inert
      though the quantity of Fcg+--receptor carrying lymphocytes among O-1 in BD and
      nonspecific ulcerative colitis is increased compared with donors. Theophylline
      resistant and Theophylline-sensitive lymphocytes demonstrated inhibiting effect
      on GVHD formation which was evident in the latter case.

PMID- 1421235
TI  - [Immunomorphological studies of the antigen associated with squamous cell cancer
      of the human cervix uteri].
AB  - The existence of the antigen associated with human cervical squamous cell cancer
      in normal and pathologically changed cervical epithelium was studied.
      Immunocytochemical and immunohistochemical methods were used. It is shown that
      the levels of the antigen increase significantly as the severity of dysplastic
      changes in epithelial stratum grows and tumor invasive growth begins. The data
      obtained indicate that the above tumor-associated marker can be useful in the
      follow-up for prognosticating a course of cervical cancer and dysplasia.

PMID- 1421236
TI  - [Seasonal characteristics of the circadian rhythm of peripheral blood leukocyte
      content in Wistar rats].
AB  - In Wistar rats, the seasonal variability of acrophase position, mesor value and
      circadian rhythm amplitudes of total leukocyte count, as well as of percentage
      and absolute lymphocyte count was revealed. The leukocyte count and absolute
      lymphocyte content were found highest in spring, while eosinophils--in autumn,
      neutrophils and monocytes--in winter.

PMID- 1421237
TI  - [Seasonal changes in amine-containing structures of the thymus during the 1st
      hour of antigen effects].
AB  - Using luminescent-histochemical and microspectrofluorimetric techniques, the
      combination of early visual and quantitative changes of catecholamine and
      serotonin content in biogenic amine-containing thymus structures during the first
      hour contact of the body with the T-dependent antigen (sheep red blood cells) has
      been studied. The experiments were made on 60 male rats of Wistar-2 line, white
      laboratory rats in spring and autumn. The degree and direction of the changes
      were found to depend on the baseline neuromediator levels.

PMID- 1421238
TI  - [Cytoarchitectonics of pulpy cords in regional lymph nodes in rats with chronic
      carbophos poisoning].

PMID- 1421239
TI  - [Effects of nerve growth factor on the development of the dendritic system of
      cholinergic neurons in dissociated culture of the rat septum].
AB  - Neurons dissociated from septal area of fetal (E18-19) rat brain were grown 14
      days in culture. Cholinergic neurons were identified by cytochemical
      demonstration of acetyl cholinesterase. It was shown that the nerve growth factor
      added to the culture medium (50 u/ml) has increased the size of cell body of AchE
      positive neurons, mean total length and arborization of dendrites and also the
      dendritic tree area.

PMID- 1421241
TI  - [Phosphate metabolism in the mineral matrix of intact bones and after single and
      multiple fractures].
AB  - The level of mineral matrix phosphates in unbroken bones was investigated in rats
      with isolated and multiple fractures. It was found out that in bones lying close
      to the broken one the phosphates exchange shifts were similar to the changes
      happening in the region of the trauma. On the resorption stage the phosphates
      level in the nearby intact tissue decreases, during the bone callus formation it
      increases, and in the process of remodelling decreases again. The authors suggest
      that this zone should be identified under the term "trauma field".

PMID- 1421240
TI  - [Histological manifestations of the sparing effect of cooling in heat dissection
      of the cerebral cortex and liver].
AB  - A new method of heat dissection of tissues combined with application of cooling
      was studied experimentally in white rats. Histologic changes of tissues of the
      cerebrum cortex and the liver wounds were investigated. It was found out that
      automatic selection of temperature regimen in combination of heat and cold
      ensured stable effect which was well balanced from the point of view of its depth
      and prevented overheating of tissues surrounding a wound channel. In comparison
      with cut wounds the above mentioned method allowed to gain better safety of
      cells.

PMID- 1421242
TI  - [Morphofunctional analysis of zinc-accumulating capacity of digestive system
      organs].
AB  - The distribution of zinc and related changes have been studied in zinc--loaded
      chick pancreas, ileum and liver at the ultrastructural level by sulphide--silver
      method. White Leghorn chicks fed a high zinc diets (50, 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000
      mgZn/kg diet) for 6 weeks, were killed at intervals; portions of their organs
      were fixed for light and electron microscopy; other samples were analyzed for
      zinc by AA spectrophotometry. A drastic increase of zinc level in chick pancreas
      fed 2000 mg Zn/kg diet (as ZnCl2) was associated with acinar cell degeneration.
      Apoptosis was the predominant form of acinar cell deletion. This study provides
      support for a previously proposed theory that cell injury stimulates passive zinc
      accumulation.

PMID- 1421243
TI  - [Structural-metabolic changes in the ventricular myocardium in massive
      experimental pulmonary embolism].
AB  - A comparative study of hemodynamic and structural-metabolic changes in myocardium
      of right (RV) and left (LV) ventricles by compensative massive pulmonary embolism
      (MPE) and decompensated MPE was made in 29 mongrel dogs. By decompensated MPE the
      histoenzymological and ultrastructural methods reveal changes in RV which are not
      adequate to its high hemodynamic load: the catabolic enzymes activity decreases,
      the numeral density of mitochondrial profiles decreases too, the fraction of
      damaged mitochondria increases. By decompensated MPE the myocardial metabolism
      shifts from catabolic to biosynthetic processes, the activity of NADP.H-D and G-6
      PDG increase in both ventricles.

PMID- 1421244
TI  - [Wound epithelialization in rats depending on the quantity and orientation of
      microautotransplants].
AB  - Patches of autoskin (0.5 x 1.0 mm) were grafted on a full-thickness rat back skin
      wound (5.4 cm2). As a result of "island" epithelialization from
      microautotransplants (MATR), the skin defect underwent repair. It is shown that
      the advance of the wound re-epithelialization did not depend on MATR number and
      their orientation in relation to the wound surface. The use of MATR allows to
      restore the skin defect with the plastic coefficient 1:100. This reduces the
      deficiency of donor skin at extensive burns.

PMID- 1421245
TI  - [Evoked potentials and electric resistance of the cerebral cortex under the
      effects of strychnine and atropine].
AB  - The effect of strychnine and atropine on the amplitude of the evoked potentials
      (EP) of the cerebral cortex was studied. It was shown, that both drugs increased
      amplitude of the EP. When we used strychnine, increased amplitude of the EP
      determined modification of the electrical resistance and current sources of the
      electrical field of the EP. Atropine did not change electrical resistance and in
      this case only electrical current sources determined modification of the EP.

PMID- 1421247
TI  - [Changes in the bioelectrical activity of the brain cortex in rats with
      infraorbital nerve compression].
AB  - Bioelectrical activity of the somatosensory cortex was studied in the Wistar rats
      with chronic (1.5-2 months) compression of the infraorbital nerve produced by two
      partial ligations. In 20% of rats spike-slow wave complex and slow waves were
      observed. Electrostimulation of the skin on the injured nerve side resulted in a
      considerable increase in the amplitude of early components of the contralaterally
      evoked potentials in comparison with the non-injured side stimulation in 75% of
      rats. A decrease in the evoked potential thresholds on the injured nerve
      stimulation was shown in both hemispheres. In most of the animals a
      hypersynchronous late component of the evoked potential was observed.

PMID- 1421246
TI  - [Relationship between functional activity of the adrenal glands and gonads in
      monkeys during puberty].
AB  - Testicular and adrenal cortex endocrine functions were simultaneously tested in
      pubertal baboons (papio hamadryas) during one year. Concentrations of androgens
      (testosterone, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone),
      corticosteroids (cortisol, progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, 17
      hydroxypregnenolone) and aldosterone were determined in blood of the experimental
      monkeys by radioimmunoassay. It was shown that with increasing androgen
      (testosterone and dihydrotestosterone) levels in blood of the pubertal monkeys
      there was a significant decrease of corticosteroid concentration which was most
      pronounced in the monkeys with maximum increase of testosterone level. Described
      hormonal changes did not influence aldosterone concentration.

PMID- 1421248
TI  - [Mechanism of the antiarrhythmic effect of laser irradiation].
AB  - Acute experiments were performed to study the role of afferent impulses from the
      heart receptors which pass by different vagal fibers during intraatrial laser
      irradiation. Double laser irradiation of the right atrium seemed more effective
      than a single one as to decreasing ventricular arrhythmias during cardiac
      ischemia. It is shown that the antiarrhythmic effect of intraatrial laser
      irradiation may be due to the change of the afferent information passing by
      myelinated vagal fibers.

PMID- 1421249
TI  - [Interatrial differences of myocardial reactivity and its changes in adaptation
      of rats to physical exercise].
AB  - The myocardial reactivity to main regulatory influences (changes of stimulation
      rate, superfusion of acetylcholine, adrenaline, noradrenaline) was to be higher
      in right than in left rat atrium. The training-induced increase of some
      interatrial differences in myocardial reactivity suggests their essential
      physiological significance.

PMID- 1421250
TI  - [Effects of taurine and dipeptide Tyr-Tyr on ventricular defibrillation].
AB  - Results of the study of taurine and dipeptide Tyr-Tyr effect on the threshold
      values of functional lesions of the myocardium and heart defibrillation are
      reported. The experiments were carried out on 27 narcotized mongrel dogs weighing
      12-30 kg. Defibrillation was performed using Lifepak-7 defibrillator (USA).
      Lesion threshold (LT), defibrillation threshold (DT) and electrotherapeutic index
      (ETI) as a LT:DT ratio were determined. In 14 experiments (control group) these
      parameters were evaluated during 3 h. In group 1 (6 experiments) taurine (100
      mg/kg) was infused intravenously by the end of the 1st hour, in group 2--Tyr-Tyr
      (25 mg/kg). It was shown that infusion of taurine did not have a noticeable
      effect of the LT, DT and ETI values. Infusion of Tyr-Tyr resulted in an increase
      in LT and DT. The possibility to use dipeptide Tyr-Tyr in the complex of measures
      aimed at ceasing ventricular fibrillation is discussed.

PMID- 1421251
TI  - [Role of the vagus nerve in mechanisms of the modulation of afferent duodenal
      effects].
AB  - The electrostimulation of vagal nerves, the effect of naloxone and atropine on
      duodenal afferentation by registering evoked potential (EP) at cortex on direct
      electrostimulation of duodenum have been studied in acute experiments on cats. It
      has been established that the stimulation of afferent portion of vagal nerves
      causes the effect of deprivation of EP, whereas the stimulation with certain
      intensity of efferent portion of vagal nerves intensifies the duodenal
      afferentation. The effect of afferentation easeness (relief) has been blocked by
      the application of naloxone 10-20 microgram on duodenal bulbus, but not on it's
      i. v. injection and without effect on local application of atropine. It is
      concluded that the role of vagal nerves on the modulation of duodenal nociception
      is due to the activation of opiate terminals of the efferent vagal nerve
      portions.

PMID- 1421252
TI  - [Functional state of the endogenous opioid peptide system in traumatic shock in
      rats].
AB  - The experiments have been performed on 120 Wistar rats and 546 CBWH mice. Met
      enkephalin (ME) and beta-endorphin (BE) levels were determined to increase in
      blood and mid-brain 3 hours later after soft tissue compression of pelvic
      extremities. 48 hours later after six-hour compression BE and ME level in blood
      was increased, BE concentration in blood was also increased, and enkephalins'
      content in brain and blood was decreased as against the control. Opioid peptides
      influence on the host compression period has been studied. D-agonists were
      established to decrease, but mu-agonists were established to increase mice
      survival in shock. Opioid peptides' significance in traumatic shock pathogenesis
      is being discussed.

PMID- 1421253
TI  - [Study of axodendritic synapses of the hippocampal CA3 field in experimental
      uremia and administration of exogenous parathyroid hormone].
AB  - The effect of parathyroid hormone intraperitoneal injection at different stages
      of experimental uremia induced by subtotal nephrectomy on ultrastructural
      morphofunctional characteristics of hippocampus Ca3 field axospinal synapses was
      studied. A conclusion is made that the decrease of synaptic activity in the
      hippocampus field due to redistribution of calcium ions between spine cytoplasm
      and spine apparatus may take place after PTH injection and during uremia
      development.

PMID- 1421254
TI  - [Effects of calcium antagonist finoptin on superoxide dismutase activity and
      conditioned reflex memory in adrenergic cardiac necroso-genic stress in rats].

PMID- 1421255
TI  - [Effects of prolonged hyperbarism on lipid peroxidation and structural-functional
      state of erythrocytes].
AB  - Prolonged helium-oxygen hyperbaric (pressure 3,6 MPa) increased diene conjugate
      and Schiff's base level in plasma and erythrocyte membranes of mice. In those
      conditions SOD and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities were inhibited in
      erythrocytes. Lipid bilayer microviscosity and cholesterol content of erythrocyte
      membranes were increased.

PMID- 1421256
TI  - [Antiatherogenic action of corn oil in experimental atherosclerosis].
AB  - Therapeutic effect of corn oil was studied in rabbits with alimentary
      atherosclerosis. Corn oil was administered (2 ml/kg, 30 days) after the
      completion of cholesterol diet unlike studies, where they were administered
      simultaneously. Total cholesterol, apoB-lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides
      decreased more intensively in rabbits fed by corn oil than in control group. No
      changes in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were observed. The most
      pronounced effect was noted in aorta morphological analysis: an aorta damage
      degree was 4.8% as compared with 52.9% in the control group. The results show
      that available plant oils with omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), in
      particular corn oil, may as well as omega-3 PUFA be used as the base for
      antiatherogenic preparations.

PMID- 1421257
TI  - [Antiradical activity of complex copper compounds (II) on coumarin ligand base].
AB  - The antioxidant capacity of copper chelates with coumarins has been studied by
      the method of iron-induced chemiluminescence. All substrates studied were potent
      antioxidants, comparable to butylated hydroxytoluene. The mechanism of the
      antioxidant action of these copper-coumarin chelates was similar to that of Cu-Mn
      superoxide dismutase, with a coumarin part of the complex being involved as a
      free radicals trap.

PMID- 1421258
TI  - [Content of cholesterol extracted from human skin surface--a possible
      discriminant of atherosclerosis?].
AB  - Basing on the data of Bouissou et al. on an increase of cholesterol content in
      the skin biopsies in atherosclerosis patients, the cholesterol amount was
      evaluated after superficial atraumatic rapid treatment of patients palm skin. The
      optimization of the extraction conditions was performed: the surface skin
      cholesterol value was constant for individual subjects (variability factor 5%).
      The range of this value was 1.5-6 Mg/cm2 and it was higher for atherosclerotic
      patients. No correlations with any conventional plasma lipoprotein parameters
      were observed. At the same time positive correlation (r = 0.54. p < 0.01) was
      observed with dyslipoprotein coefficient--(Ch+TG/alpha-Ch). Possible diagnostic
      significance of this skin cholesterol parameter is discussed.

PMID- 1421259
TI  - [Relaxant effects of oligopeptides isolated from the tracheal mucosa and
      pulmonary parenchyma on the smooth muscle of isolated rat trachea].
AB  - Relaxant effect of oligopeptides extracted from tracheal mucosa (PTM), lung
      parenchyma (PLP), aortal wall (PAW) and thymic gland (PTG) was investigated using
      acetylcholine-induced constriction of tracheal strips. Time of 50 percent
      relaxation of constricted strips treated with saline, atropine or peptides was
      measured. Both PTM and PLP in concentrations 10(-6)-10(-3) g/ml accelerated
      relaxation in dose-dependent manner, however this effect was less prominent
      compared with atropine. Relaxant effect of PTM was found using different parts of
      trachea (cervical of thoracal), indicating independence of PTM action of
      intramural ganglia which are present only in the thoracal part. PAW and PTG did
      not show any significant effect on relaxation time. These results suggest the
      presence of oligopeptides, capable to relax airways smooth muscle, in tracheal
      mucosa and lung parenchyma.

PMID- 1421260
TI  - [Increased lipid peroxidation in the rat hypothalamus after short-term emotional
      stress].
AB  - Concentrations of TBA-reactive substances (TBARS) were measured
      spectrophotometrically in homogenates of small samples of the brain
      (hypothalamus, parieto-occipital, sensori-motor and limbic cortex), heart, liver
      and adrenals of male August and Wistar rats; the former strain is more
      susceptible to emotional stress than the latter one. Forced isolation of the rats
      in the restraining plastic cages for 1 h increased the TBARS concentrations in
      the hypothalamus and liver in August rats only. TBARS accumulation in some
      tissues correlated with such indices of emotional stress as the changes in
      relative weight of thymus and adrenals. As regards the brain regions, after 1
      hour emotional stress the TBARS levels were no longer different because of an
      increment in hypothalamic TBARS concentration. However, in control conditions the
      hypothalamus had significantly lower TBARS levels than any other brain structure
      both in Wistar and August rats.

PMID- 1421261
TI  - [Role of leukocyte adhesion in filterability of blood cell suspensions].
AB  - We investigated blood cells suspension filterability of 16 donors. The filtration
      was performed trough 5 microns-pore nuclear filters at constant perfusion
      pressure 10(5) din/cm2. We estimated also the adherence of leukocytes and
      platelets on nylon. The adherence of platelets and mononuclear leukocytes reduced
      the level of the suspension filterability only by 21% (p > 0.05). The presence of
      nonadhesive polynuclear leukocytes in the suspensions did not change practically
      their filterability. The addition in the suspensions of adhesive polynuclear
      leukocytes reduced suspension filterability dramatically.

PMID- 1421262
TI  - [Effects of peginol C-2000 on respiration and oxidative phosphorylation in liver
      mitochondria of rats poisoned with butylcaptax].
AB  - The data on the effect of synthetic antioxidant Paginol C-2000 on respiration and
      oxidative phosphorylation in liver mitochondria of rats primed with butylcaptax
      are given. It is shown that intoxication of organism with butylcaptax in the dose
      of 1/10 LD50 during 5 days resulted in suppression of respiration and oxidative
      phosphorylation in rat liver mitochondria. It is found, that administration of
      Raginol C-2000 into organisms of primed animals leads to the reduction of
      succinate pathway of oxidation, that, in its turn, results in the normalization
      of functioning level of ATP-synthesizing system of mitochondria.

PMID- 1421263
TI  - [DNA-protein interactions in CpG islands and DNAse I sensitive chromatin].
AB  - DNA-protein interactions were studied in the chromatin preparations obtained
      according to different procedures by means of nucleoprotein-celite
      chromatography. Three discrete fractions dissociating in 1M, 2M and 3M NaCl were
      observed in all preparations. The 1M fraction prevails in DNaseI-sensitive
      chromatin and the 2M fraction--in the resistant. Chromatin solubilized by MspI
      restrictase (the active chromatin) contains the 1M and 3M fractions, one
      solubilized by AluI (inactive)--the 2M fraction. Distribution of the fractions is
      different in proliferating and quiescent cells.

PMID- 1421264
TI  - [Post-intoxication hypothermia and processes of free radical lipid peroxidation
      in the rat brain and heart in organophosphorus cholinesterase inhibitor
      poisoning].
AB  - The activity of lipid peroxidation (LP) of the brain and myocardium as well as
      the intensity of the body hypothermia during 30 days after a single introduction
      of poisons at a dose < D50 were studied on the models of induced toxicosis in
      rats due to two organophosphorus compounds (malathion and armin). It has been
      established that the maximums of diene conjugates and Schiff's bases accumulation
      in the rat organs poisoned with malathion and the intensity of hypothermic
      response on days 14 and 21 after intoxication coincided. The similar elevated
      lipid peroxidation was associated with esophageal hypothermia on day 14 after
      armin administration. Therefore, because of hypothermia, the influence of
      organophosphorus compounds on lipids of the rat brain and heart in the post
      intoxication period may include the free radical ways of their peroxidation.

PMID- 1421265
TI  - [Lipid peroxidation in the aorta of normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive
      rats with diabetes mellitus].
AB  - We have studied the effects of streptozotocin-induced (STI) diabetes on the lipid
      peroxidation in the aorta from normotensive (NTR) and spontaneously hypertensive
      (SHR) rats. In the control SHR quantity of malonyldialdehyde (MDA), conjugated
      dienes (CD) and arterial pressure where higher than in NTR analogous group. It
      has been shown that Diabetes in NTR results in significantly increased arterial
      pressure and quantity of MDA and CD. Under certain conditions in SHR arterial
      pressure and the other factors remain almost unchanged. It is likely that
      completely different changes in intensity of lipid peroxidation may evidence
      breaking adaptation mechanism in diabetic SHR.

PMID- 1421266
TI  - [Effects of arginine on properties of the erythrocyte membrane in hypoxia].
AB  - The antioxidant effect of arginine evident from stabilization of membrane
      structure and properties and activation of oxygen-toxicity-protecting enzymes was
      demonstrated in hypoxia. The intraperitoneal injection of L-arginine-HCl in a
      dose of 120 mg per 100 g body mass prevented the increase of microviscosity,
      membrane permeability and lipid peroxidation products level in hypoxia. At the
      same time the activity of the antioxidant enzymes--superoxide dismutase and
      catalase--was increased in red blood cells by 64 and 46%, respectively.

PMID- 1421267
TI  - [Activity of cytochromes P-450p and P-450h in liver microsomes and blood
      corticosteroid levels in experimental animals under the action of physical
      factors].
AB  - In experiments on male Wistar rats it has been found that physical factors
      applied in medicine (laser radiation of low intensity with wave length 0.89
      microns, microwaves of centimeter range of 2450 MHz, and ultrasound of low
      intensity 880 KHz) changed catalytic activity of liver microsomal and
      rostenedione 16 alpha- and 6 beta-hydroxylating cytochromes P-450h and P-450p and
      blood corticosteroids level. Activities of these two steroid-metabolizing
      cytochromes decreased under ultrasonic skin application on liver region and
      increased under microwave and laser action. Contents of physiologically inactive
      form of corticosterone were not changed by the physical factors action while
      level of active hormone was increased under ultrasonic and microwave action.
      These findings suggest association of the activity of liver steroid-metabolizing
      cytochromes P-450 and level of physiologically active form of corticosterone in
      blood under physical factors skin application on liver region.

PMID- 1421268
TI  - [Lipid peroxidation changes in the brain in fetal alcohol syndrome].
AB  - The study was performed upon three groups of 12-week-old male rats. The first
      group of rats received ethanol/9 g/kg/day as 6% aqueous solution/during pregnancy
      and lactation, the second group received ethanol only during lactation and the
      third group, controls, received equicaloric sucrose solution. The concentrations
      of LPO products were determined in the homogenates of tissue from frontal cortex,
      striatum, hypothalamus, hippocamp and cerebellum. The concentration of
      fluorescent products in the brain structures of rats treated perinatally with
      ethanol was several-fold increased as compared with controls. The levels of diene
      conjugates were increased in most brain structures of rats with FAS. It should be
      pointed out that there was the same degree of increase of the levels of both
      fluorescent products and diene conjugates in two groups of rats with FAS. Having
      in mind that in the rat the increased growth of the brain occurs during the first
      10 postnatal days, it might be assumed that this period is favorable for LPO.

PMID- 1421269
TI  - [Anticalcium activity of several antidepressive agents].
AB  - In experiments in white mice and rats the antidepressants pyrazidol (pirlindole),
      moclobemide and especially tetrindole possess anticalcium activity in tests of
      calcium chloride-induced lethality in mice and arrhythmia in rats. Tetrindole is
      as active as verapamil. Imipramine, azaphen and incazane were not active in these
      experiments. In vitro on isolated intestinal segments of guinea-pigs tetrindole
      exerts anticalcium action, but in less degree than verapamil. In all probability
      the anticalcium activity of tetrindole may play some role in the mechanism of
      action of this compound on the central nervous system.

PMID- 1421270
TI  - [Antioxidant effects of antihypoxic drugs in cerebral ischemia].
AB  - Cerebral ischemia in rats (both carotid arteries occlusion) during 30 min, 3
      hours and recirculation (1 hour) after ischemia (30 min) stimulated diene
      conjugates and fluorescent products accumulation in brain tissue. Intraperitoneal
      injection of sodium hydroxybutyrate (100 mg/kg), bemitil (50 mg/kg), ethomersol
      (50 mg/kg) reduced brain lipid peroxidation and did not yield in this respect to
      emoxypin (5 mg/kg). In contrast to emoxypin, sodium hydroxybutyrate, bemitil and
      ethomersol had no antiradical activity.

PMID- 1421271
TI  - [Participation of protein synthesis in brain cell structures in the action of
      antifeins on long-term memory].
AB  - Incorporation of 3H-leucine into proteins of rat brain cell structures during
      application of antifeins (compounds of alternative action on memory processes)
      has been studied. No correlation was observed between changes in protein
      synthesis in nuclei, mitochondria, components of endoplasmic reticulum and memory
      effects of ethyl-, allyl- and propylnorantifeins. Only M1 and M2-demethylated
      structural analogs of ethylnorantifeins (exerting the most effective action on
      RNA synthesis and retention of conditional reflexes) enhanced the synaptosomal
      protein synthesis.

PMID- 1421272
TI  - [Analysis of the role of calcium in analgesic action of non-narcotic analgesics
      and calcium channel blockers].
AB  - In the mice hot-plate test we have compared analgesic effect of calcium channel
      blockers and new non-narcotic analgesic antiinflammatory agent PV-107: verapamil
      > fenigidin > PV-107. Simultaneously we have shown strong correlation (r - 0.82)
      between analgesic effect and 45Ca2+ efflux of cardiac membrane in depolarizing
      media in vitro.

PMID- 1421273
TI  - [Mechanism of prolonged hypocoagulation appearing after intratracheal
      administration of heparin].
AB  - The comparative study of intratracheal and intravenous effect of administration
      of heparin on blood clotting and mast cell population condition was carried out
      in experiments. Unlike intravenous bolus injection of heparin, which induced fast
      short-time inactivation of all enzyme clotting factors, a single intratracheal
      injection inactivated "internal" rout of thrombin production. It was shown, that
      long-term hypocoagulability effect and inhibition of factors of blood coagulation
      after intratracheal administration of heparin correlated with accumulation of
      heparin in mast cell.

PMID- 1421274
TI  - [Detection of opioids in an extract of oak silkworm cocoons].

PMID- 1421275
TI  - [Role of T-lymphocytes in the mechanisms of hemopoiesis-inducing microenvironment
      activation in inflammation].
AB  - On the model of acute infectious peritonitis in mice, the inflammation was shown
      to accompany pronounced activation of bone marrow haemopoiesis. The increased
      number of committed precursor cells of erythro- and granulomonocytopoiesis,
      morphologically differentiated elements and enhancing colony-stimulating and
      erythropoietic activities of GIM cells origin were shown as well. Thy 1.2+ cells,
      migrating to bone marrow, were shown to play an important role in hemopoiesis
      stimulation inflammation. These stimulate the processes of myeloid precursor
      proliferation directly (by means of lymphokines) and in cooperation with
      monocytes-macrophages of GIM.

PMID- 1421276
TI  - [Characteristics of the mitogenic activity of purified thymocyte growth factor].
AB  - Being purified by gel filtration and reverse phase HPLC the thymocyte growth
      factor from the supernatant of the cell line of intrathymic precursors of T
      lymphocytes can stimulate the growth of splenocytes and thymocytes nonactivated
      by mitogen. Addition of suboptimal doses of mitogen or phorbol myristate acetate
      does not enhance the cell response to the thymocyte growth factor. The thymocyte
      growth factor in capable of stimulating the growth of thymocytes synergistically
      with interleukin-2, but the direct action of the thymocyte growth factor is not
      mediated by the production and reception of interleukin-2 and interleukin-4.

PMID- 1421277
TI  - [A simple method of continuous passage of human tumors in immunocompetent mice].
AB  - A simple procedure is described for the continuous passage of a human tumor in
      immunocompetent mice. The BRO human melanoma was transplanted consecutively 25
      times by implanting tumor tissue under the sub--renal capsule of mice which had
      been immunosuppressed by a single dose of whole--body irradiation or by cytosine
      arabinoside followed by irradiation. The tumor grew continuously for 14 days, and
      cytological examination showed that the growth consisted almost entirely of tumor
      cells.

PMID- 1421278
TI  - [Immunomodulating activity of exogenous ceruloplasmin in experimental tumor
      growth].
AB  - Immunomodulating properties of ceruloplasmin were determined in vivo on healthy
      mice line C57BL/6 and mice with Lewis carcinoma. It was established, that
      ceruloplasmin at the concentration of 1-40 mg/kg stimulated both T- and B-
      systems of immunity and prevented immunodepression activity of tumor growth.

PMID- 1421279
TI  - [Inhibition of phospholipid reacylation in oxidative damage of tumor cells].
AB  - In this study we examined the effect of oxidative stress on phospholipid
      reacylation and [1-14C]arachidonic acid uptake by murine mastocytoma P815 cells.
      Tert-butyl hydroperoxide inhibited arachidonic acid uptake by P815 cells and
      incorporation of fatty acid into main cellular phospholipids. Specific activity
      of control phosphatidylcholine was about 15-fold higher than that of
      phosphatidylcholine from tert-butyl hydroperoxide-treated cells. For
      phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylinositol this inhibition was about 7
      fold and 12-fold, respectively. Thus, oxidative stress causes the drastic changes
      in the process of phospholipid repair, which may significantly disorder membrane
      stability.

PMID- 1421280
TI  - [Effects of human defensin HNP-1 on the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha
      by human blood monocytes in vitro].
AB  - The influence of human defensin HNP-1 on the synthesis of tumor necrosis factor
      alpha (TNF-alpha) by human blood monocytes was studied. It was shown that TNF
      alpha production by human monocytes activated by SAC or PMA was augmented in the
      presence of HNP-1 concentrations of 10(-8)-10(-9) M. HNP-1 alone induced no
      synthesis of TNF-alpha. High concentration of HNP-1 (10(-4) M) was cytotoxic for
      human monocytes.

PMID- 1421281
TI  - [Electrophoretic analysis of 53K protein presence in leukocytes of the newborn].

PMID- 1421282
TI  - [Thiol-induced fragmentation of chromosomal DNA].
AB  - Supramolecular complexes of DNA (SC DNA) were isolated from loach sperm, loach
      erythrocytes and hen erythrocytes by the phenol method. By the use of UV
      sedimentation on neutral 5-20% sucrose gradient, we studied the effect of 2
      mercaptoethanol (ME), dithiothreitol (DTT) and NaBH4 on SC DNA at different pH
      and long-time incubation (5 and 10 days). It appeared that ME treatment at pH 4.4
      fragmented SC DNA of three objects into subunits of size 5 x 10(5)D. Incubation
      with DTT at pH 8 in the presence of EDTA resulted in subunits of size 1-2 x
      10(7)D. However, NaBH4 at pH 8 failed to induce fragmentation of SC DNA. It is
      shown that ME-induced at pH 4.4 fragmentation is accompanied by a decrease in
      hyperchromatic effect of subunits, indicating the presence of "sticky" ends.
      Thus, ME-induced fragmentation of SC DNA results from a "clayting" double-strand
      break, involving, on an average, 180 bp.

PMID- 1421283
TI  - [Delayed hypersensitivity to house dust-storage mites Thyrophagus putrescentiae
      in experimental allergic dermatoses].
AB  - House dust mites and storage mites proved to be one of the main allergens causing
      hypersensitivity in atopic dermatitis in allergic patients. The authors
      reproduced experimental allergic dermatosis on the model of delayed type
      hypersensitivity in guinea pigs, caused by sensitization to the allergen from the
      mite's bodies Tyrophagus putrescentiae--species having wide distribution in the
      country. The results characteristic for T-cell type hypersensitivity have been
      obtained: delayed positive skin tests after 24 hours, typical histomorphological
      picture (strong allergic alteration, epidermis desquamation, vasculitis, dermis T
      cell infiltration and spongiosis--Waksman's syndrome). It is concluded that side
      by side with humoral IgE-mediated reaction there is strong delayed T-cell
      hypersensitivity to the storage mites Tyrophagus putrescentiae.

PMID- 1421284
TI  - [Testing of promising dressing materials in cultures of fibroblasts and
      keratinocytes of human skin].
AB  - Cell cultures of epidermal keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts were used to test
      collagen dressings in vitro. It was shown that effects of the dressings on skin
      major cell types might be differentially evaluated.

PMID- 1421285
TI  - [Clinico-experimental study of histoenzymological changes in the ventricular
      myocardium in pulmonary embolism].
AB  - The SDH and LDH activity in ventricular myocardium was studied in early autopsies
      of 16 patients, which died from acute pulmonary thromboembolism, and also in 17
      dogs with experimental pulmonary embolism. In general the data of
      histoenzymological study of experimental and sectional material were identical.
      We revealed some factors, which correlated with low activity of catabolic enzymes
      in ventricular myocardium of the patients with pulmonary embolism: small volume
      of embolic occlusion (the thromboembolism of lobar and segmental pulmonary
      arteries); the presence of prior chronic cardiopulmonary disease; the advanced
      age and the female sex. Preexisting cardiopulmonary disease, as well as age and
      sex changes of myocardial metabolism, may assist the development of heart failure
      by relatively small volume of embolic obstruction.

PMID- 1421286
TI  - [Development of interfollicular epidermis on the surface of collagen framework of
      the dermis in experimental animals].
AB  - The fate of interfollicular epidermis keratinocytes which filled the hair
      follicles bursas of collagen dermis framework was investigated in the
      autotransplantation experiment. Collagen dermis framework was prepared from the
      skin flap. Interfollicular epidermis was detached with the help of suction method
      and transferred to the collagen dermis framework surface which was placed
      previously on the full thickness skin defect surface. It was established that in
      this environment keratinocytes not only developed, but some of them migrated into
      the hair follicle bursas cavities. It resulted in the follicular-like structures
      formation, cell elements of which differentiated in the manner characteristic of
      interfollicular epidermis. However, in spite of the fact that the epidermal cells
      partially retained their proliferating ability, ingrowing would completely
      disappear by the 15th to 20th day after the transplantation.

PMID- 1421287
TI  - [Effects of antibodies to lysosomal enzymes on the course of experimental burn
      shock].
AB  - On the model of burn shock in rats, the influence of antibodies to lysosomal
      enzymes has been studied in respect to the cathepsin D activity, oxygen regimen,
      acid-base equilibrium in blood, and animal survival. It has been shown that the
      antibodies inactivate the cathepsin D activity which is increased in burn shock.
      Because of the decreased cardiodepressant action of the lysosomal enzymes, the
      blood circulation improves, the manifestations of hypoxia and metabolic acidosis
      are attenuated. The results obtained confirm an important role of the lysosomal
      in the pathogenesis of bur, shock and permit one to consider its therapy using
      antibodies to the lysosomal enzymes to be promising.

PMID- 1421288
TI  - [Flavobion and thioctacid lessen irradiation-induced latent injury of the liver].
AB  - The effect of hepatoprotective drugs (flavobion and thioctacid) and a single
      whole-body irradiation (5.7 Gy of gamma radiation) on the regeneration of rat
      liver was examined. Liver regeneration was estimated on the basis of chosen
      morphological parameters on hour 30 after partial hepatectomy. Radiation-induced
      latent injury to intact rat liver 30 min before partial hepatectomy manifested in
      remaining regenerating liver by slowing-down of the increase in liver weight,
      cellularity and inhibition of the mitotic activity and in more frequent
      chromosome aberrations. Both hepatoprotective agents, especially thioctacid, used
      i.p. 60 min before irradiation, i.e. 90 min before partial hepatectomy, alleviate
      the manifestations of latent injury in this low proliferating organ as indicated
      by an increase in cellularity and mitotic index as compared with unprotected
      animals. Furthermore, the preparations tested decreased the frequency of
      radiation-induced chromosome aberrations.

PMID- 1421289
TI  - [Ultrastructural changes in interneuron connections in intramural ganglia of the
      small intestine in suckling rabbits with experimental cholera].
AB  - Data, received in investigation of the small intestine intramural ganglia of 34
      suckling rabbits show, that development of experimental cholera induce in the
      neurons reactive shifts, changed by dystrophic alterations. Prevaluation of
      cholinergic influences in autonomic ganglia in small intestine promotes
      enterocytes hypersecretion and accelerating of motor activity.

PMID- 1421290
TI  - [Functional morphology of resistant pulmonary vessels and capillaries in
      individual and species adaptation to high altitude].
AB  - Morphological and structural rearrangement of resistant pulmonary vessels and
      alveolar capillaries was assessed in lowland animals (rabbits) during high
      altitude adaptation, in aboriginal high-altitude species (yaks, mountain goats)
      and on native highlanders. Structural adaptive developments in pulmonary vessels
      and capillaries of high-altitude animals contribute to maximal facilitation of
      gas diffusion. Similar adaptive changes in pulmonary resistant vessels and
      capillaries of laboratory animals and in native highlanders are associated with
      pathological alterations manifest in the elevation of pulmonary vascular
      resistance, right ventricular hypertrophy, increases in the thickness of the
      basal membrane of the air-blood barrier. In all the subjects studied the process
      of high-altitude adaptation is associated with hypertrophy of pulmonary
      endothelium. The intensification of pulmonary endothelium. The intensification of
      pulmonary endothelium metabolic activity may be directed at regulation of
      vascular tone.

PMID- 1421291
TI  - [Changes in adhesive interactions of keratinocytes during regeneration of the rat
      skin].
AB  - The values of adhesion between keratinocytes as dermo-epidermal junction in the
      skin decreased after UV-irradiation, heating to 60 degrees C or sodium dodecyl
      sulfate action. The results suggest the existence of nonspecific adaptive
      reactions of keratinocytes adhesive interactions in response to different
      irritative stimulants.

PMID- 1421292
TI  - [Reparative changes in the sensorimotor cortex of the offspring in moderate
      prenatal alcoholism].
AB  - Sensorimotor cortex of 21-, 30-, 60-day-old offspring given prenatally moderate
      alcohol (2 g/kg) manifested signs of compensatory type: double nerve and glial
      cells, open capillaries, nearby nerve and glial cell bodies with basal membrane
      of capillaries. Intracellular reparative processes in dystrophic neurons were
      observed: nuclear activation, hyperplasia of cytoplasmic organelles, hypertrophy
      of some of them. Reparative processes are more distinct in 30-day-old rat
      offspring In 60-day-old offspring a polymorphic pattern of cortical synapses
      ultrastructure was found. However, dystrophic changes of neurons and
      interneuronal connections still remain.

PMID- 1421293
TI  - [A new method of assessing anxiety-phobic states in rats].
AB  - A new multiparameter method for evaluating anxiety-phobic states in rats is
      elaborated. The method is based on the ranged scale consisting of parameters
      which characterize the species-specific rat response to the series of
      ethologically adequate test-stimuli inducing manifestation of the anxiety-phobic
      states. The method makes it possible to evaluate individual anxiety-phobic level
      in rats, to form experimental groups with rats of known individual anxiety-phobic
      level, to conduct repeated observations in the same animals. The method is easy
      to perform in laboratory and makes it possible to get the results quickly.

PMID- 1421294
TI  - [Opposite effects on antioxidant enzymes of adaptation to continuous and
      intermittent hypoxia].
AB  - Adaptation to continuous hypoxia under mid-mountain conditions (altitude 2100 m)
      decreases the content of lipid peroxidation products and the activity of
      superoxide dismutase and catalase in rat heart, liver, and brain, with a
      concomitant decline in the resistance to reperfusion arrhythmias. On the
      contrary, adaptation to intermittent hypoxia in the altitude chamber increases
      the activity of the antioxidant enzymes in the same organs, while the content of
      peroxidation products remains normal; at the same time, the heart becomes more
      resistant to reperfusion arrhythmias. The mechanism is discussed that ensures
      enhanced antioxidant protection in adaptation to intermittent hypoxia.

PMID- 1421295
TI  - [Effectiveness of artificial ventilation in oil microembolism followed by
      pulmonary edema].
AB  - In experiments on sodium pentobarbital (40 mg/kg, i.p.) anesthetized mongrel cats
      of either sex weighting from 2.0 to 4.0 kg, it was found, that in conditions of
      oil pulmonary microembolization, followed by pulmonary edema, the most suitable
      is rapid and shallow pattern of ventilation, ensuring optimal
      ventilation/perfusion interrelation. The oil microembolization was introduced
      with intravenous administration (1 mg per kg of body weight during 2 min) of
      olive oil. It is necessary to provide flexible regimens of artificial ventilation
      and conformity of respiratory pattern and body's demands can be controlled
      according to pHa and PaO2. It is desirable that pH and pO2 can be evaluated
      continuously.

PMID- 1421296
TI  - [Dynamics of coronary circulation in rats].
AB  - The blood flow velocities in left anterior descending coronary artery and
      ascending aorta have been measured in anesthetized rats by high frequency Doppler
      technique. The measurement of coronary blood flow velocity by miniature
      ultrasonic probe (2.0 x 1.5 mm) was performed through myocardial surface. Two
      different forms of coronary blood flow curves were recorded. These forms of the
      curves depend on the value of the coronary blood flow velocity and are connected
      with the ascending aorta blood flow velocity. The dynamics of the coronary blood
      flow reactions under coronary artery occlusion and asphyxia in the rat is similar
      to the one in the cat and the dog, but less expressive. In experiments with
      vasodilators the direct dependence between linear and volume coronary artery
      velocities under the measurement through myocardial surface was found.

PMID- 1421297
TI  - [Functional state of the hematopoietic system in different stages of CCL4-induced
      liver fibrosis in mice].
AB  - The state of hemopoietic system at different stages of CCL4-induced liver
      fibrosis in mice and its reaction to stimuli was examined. At early stages of
      liver fibrosis (2 weeks of CCL4-administration) we observed a disinhibition of
      granulo-monocytopoiesis. This is manifested in an increase of the number of
      immature granulocytes, monocytes/macrophages and CFU-GM in the bone marrow. After
      24 h of zymosan injection in this stage an increase of both bone marrow CFU-GM
      and CFU-E, and the rate of serum colony stimulating activity (CSA) occurred. On
      the contrary, in advanced liver fibrosis (16 weeks of CCL4 administration), the
      rate of both granulo-monocytopoiesis and erythropoiesis were decreased as
      compared with the preceding stage of the process and the response to zymosan
      became perverted: the number of CFU-GM was paradoxically decreased, while the
      number of CFU-E remained practically unchanged. The rate of serum CSA increased
      very poorly too. Thus, in advanced liver fibrosis the hemopoietic system is
      functionally defective and this factor may be important in development of
      fibrotic process in the liver.

PMID- 1421298
TI  - [An experimental model of apneusis and periodic respiration].
AB  - In experiments on sodium pentobarbital (40 mg/kg, i. p.) anesthetized mongrel
      cats of either sex weighting from 2.0 to 4.0 kg, it was stated, that sodium or
      lithium hydroxybutyrate (HOB) (200 mg/kg, i. v.) effectively slowed down
      breathing with inspiratory holdings. Thus 3-5 minutes after HOB administration,
      eupneic pattern of respiration was changed firstly to inspiratory apneustic one
      (100% of cats), and then to periodic one (80% of cats). This pattern persisted
      for 60-90 minutes, and after that the respiratory pattern usually changed its
      direction to the opposite one. In these conditions alterations of arterial blood
      composition (pH, pO2, pCO2, SO2) and hemodynamic variables (heart rate, arterial
      pressure) can not be considered as the cause of apneustic pattern of respiration.
      It is suggested, that HOB can be used for simulating such terminal respiratory
      patterns as apneustic and periodic ones.

PMID- 1421299
TI  - [Aldosterone and electrolyte content in blood and myocardium of rats after single
      physical load in acute alcoholic intoxication].
AB  - It is shown that acute alcoholic intoxication causes essential changes of
      aldosterone content and balance of electrolytes in blood plasma of Wistar rat
      males. The SPL test revealed the inadequate reaction in the mineral-corticoid
      function of the adrenal glands in the rats with acute alcoholic intoxication. The
      method of the free choice of the load by the experimental rats is the most
      optimal way to assess. The rats with acute alcoholic intoxication displayed
      smaller tolerance to physical load.

PMID- 1421300
TI  - [Organization of reflex sympathetic influence on rate and force of cardiac
      contraction].
AB  - In acute experiments on 21 cats it was proved that the change of afferent impulse
      on vagus nerves by means of either freeze-block or electrostimulation of their
      central ends results in differential reflex influences on rhythm and force of the
      cardiac contractions caused by sympathetic nervous system. The cut of the lower
      cardiac nerves may cause 'break-up' of the observed reflex, removing or inverting
      its ino- or chronotropy component. The given phenomenon was revealed in the
      experiments with high arterial pressure and with absence of tonic chronotropy
      influences of the left lower cardiac nerve.

PMID- 1421301
TI  - [Effects of inflammation on adhesive interactions of keratinocytes].
AB  - The reversible prolonged increase of intercellular adhesion in the epidermis
      along the margins of the wound as well as in the scar epidermis during the full
      thickness skin wound healing was found. This effect must have adaptive
      significance.

PMID- 1421302
TI  - [Quantitative characteristics of interactions of blood lipoproteins and steroid
      hormones].
AB  - Human and serum lipoproteins interaction with steroid hormones (corticosterone
      and hydrocortisone) were studied. Methods of fluorescence quenching titration and
      equilibrium dialysis were used for quantitative evaluation of VLDL, LDL and HDL
      glucocorticoids binding ability. Association constants were found to be 0.6-2.0 x
      10 M for corticosterone and 4.0-8.0 x 10 M for hydrocortisone. The number of
      binding sites ranged from 3 to 300 for different classes of lipoproteins. Our
      data suggest high specificity of serum lipoproteins binding with corticosterone
      and hydrocortisone.

PMID- 1421303
TI  - [Nuclear magnetic relaxation in biochemical analysis of plasma and blood serum].

PMID- 1421304
TI  - [Antioxidant activity of high density lipoproteins in vivo].
AB  - The paper deals with antioxidant effect of high density lipoproteins (HDL) in
      vivo. The effect of intravenous injection of large-dose HDL3 (200 mg protein),
      isolated from human plasma to rabbits with experimental hypercholesterolemia, on
      the content of primary products of lipid peroxidation in rabbit blood, the
      correlation between HDL cholesterol level and the content of lipid peroxide
      products in blood plasma of healthy persons and patients with IHD were studied.
      Intravenous injection of HDL3 to rabbits with experimental hypercholesterolemia
      has been shown to lead in 6 hr to a 24-hr significant (p < 0.01) decrease of
      conjugated dienes and trienes. The existence of negative correlation between HDL
      cholesterol level and the content of conjugated dienes in blood plasma of healthy
      persons (N = 47) and patients with IHD (n = 64) is revealed. Basing on the data
      obtained conclusion of universal character of protective antiatherogenic effect
      of HDL is drawn.

PMID- 1421305
TI  - [Activation of free radicals reaction and changes in the state of antioxidant
      protection in blood in toxic experimental influenza infection].
AB  - The paper presents an experimental model of toxic influenza infection. The toxic
      form of influenza was shown to result in the activation of free radical processes
      accompanied by the accumulation of both lipid peroxidation products and
      methemoglobin and the decrease of alpha-tocopherol in erythrocytes, by the
      accumulation of NO. and nitrizyl complexes of heme iron in the blood. The
      activation of free radical processes was followed by the stimulation of
      antioxidant system in the blood. Thus, there was an increase of both superoxide
      dismutase activity in erythrocytes and ceruloplasmin content in the blood. The
      data obtained support the important role of the active products of free radical
      processes in the development of toxicosis under acute virus infections.

PMID- 1421306
TI  - [Microsomal hydroxylating system of the mouse liver in toxic forms of influenza
      infection].
AB  - The paper presents the experimental model of toxic influenza infection induced by
      A/Victory/35/72 (H3N2) strain adapted to CBA mice. The virus toxicosis was shown
      by means of ESR technique to be accompanied by a decrease of both the content of
      the active form of cytochrome P-450 and the activity of p-nitroanisole o
      demethylase. In microsomes there was activation of lipid peroxidation (LP) and an
      increase of microviscosity of lipid matrix. LP activation in microsomes was not
      accompanied by the change of alpha-tocopherol content.

PMID- 1421307
TI  - [Effects of cerebrocrast on local cerebral circulation and EEG in cats with
      cerebral hemorrhage].
AB  - In experiments on awake cats before and after intracerebral hemorrhage influence
      of cerebrocrast and nimodipine intravenous infusion (1 microgram/kg-1/min-1
      during 60 min) on cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the cortex, thalamus and reticular
      formation and power of (alpha + beta)-, theta-, and delta-waves was investigated.
      During cerebrocrast infusion increasing CBF and improving bioelectrical activity
      were demonstrated.

PMID- 1421308
TI  - [Dynamics of calmodulin in cerebral structures under the action of modulated UHF
      electromagnetic fields].
AB  - The influence of modulated UHF-electromagnetic fields (low intensity) on
      calmodulin levels in several brain structures was studied. It was shown that UHF
      electromagnetic fields influence calmodulin levels in the hypothalamus and
      sensorimotor cortex. Its effect depends on modulation regimes.

PMID- 1421309
TI  - [Activation of ATP-sensitive K+-channels of cardiomyocytes by endogenous
      cardiopeptides].
AB  - The "patch-clamp" method was applied to rat ventricular cardiomyocytes to study
      the effect of endogenous cardiopeptides (a component of a cardiologic medicine
      "cardialin") on single K(+)-channel currents. It was noted that ATP-sensitive
      K(+)-channel activity increased only in the presence of 10(-8)-10(-6) mg.ml-1
      peptide solution in the patch-clamp micropipette. To check up the suggestion that
      G-protein takes part in a direct reaction of K(+)-channel by external ligand we
      studied the effect of GTP-gamma-S (0.1 mM) in the presence of Mg2+ (1 mM) on the
      K(+)-channel in "run-down" state in the "inside-out" configuration. It was
      demonstrated experimentally that reactivation of the ATP-sensitive K(+)-channel
      develops in the presence of GTP-analogue.

PMID- 1421310
TI  - [Prolonged action of tuftsin in penicillin epilepsy].
AB  - The free behaviour experiments on rats showed during the first day the tuftsin
      induced (0.3 mg/kg i. p.) increment of epileptic discharge in all the structures
      simultaneously. Open field behaviour depended on the sequence of penicillin and
      tuftsin injections. The rats with tuftsin used after the epileptiformic activity
      has been developed showed the behaviour analogical to the penicillin-injected
      animals. The preventive injections of tuftsin resulted in restoration of all
      behavioural indications by the third day. The optimal corrective effect has been
      obtained with tuftsin used preventively.

PMID- 1421311
TI  - [Mechanisms of hepatoprotective action of new nicotinic acid derivatives in
      experimental CCL4-induced liver injury].
AB  - New biologically active compounds (BAC) created on the basis of nicotinic acid
      possess hepatoprotective action. The preparations were introduced preventively in
      doses of 10 mg/kg during 14 days. Litonit and nicogamol increased survival of
      experimental animals by 36.8% and nicotinic acid by 26.8%. ALT, AST, GGT activity
      in the blood serum was reduced. The activity of the main antioxidant enzymes (SOD
      and catalase) grew in the rat liver tissue in parallel with inhibition of DK and
      MDA activity. Morphological picture of the rat liver, most evident after
      application of litonit improved. Hepatoprotective action of these BAC are
      attributed to their membrano stabilizing effects.

PMID- 1421312
TI  - [Non-quantal secretion of a mediator as factor determining consequences of
      acetylcholinesterase inhibition].
AB  - The mechanism of shortening MEPC decay phase after initial prolongation due to
      acetylcholinesterase inhibition by armine and neostigmine was studied by use of
      two-electrode voltage-clamp at the mice diaphragm Factors which switch off non
      quantal secretion of acetylcholine from the nerve (acute denervation in vitro,
      ouabain, high concentration of magnesium ions) only slightly reduced the
      prolongation of MEPC caused by AChE inhibition. So, postsynaptic potentiation of
      MEPC by nonquantal ACh is not significant immediately after AChE inhibition. At
      the same time these factors abolished the process of shortening MEPC decay phase.
      It is concluded, that desensitization of the postsynaptic membrane induced by
      nonquantal ACh is the main mechanism of the MEPC shortening and that this
      mechanism can compensate insufficient AChE activity.

PMID- 1421313
TI  - [Development and use of a method of determination of specific immunoglobulin G
      based on immunoenzyme analysis in the diagnosis of pulmonary aspergillosis].
AB  - Enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) was employed for determination of specific
      immunoglobulin G to Aspergillus fumigatus (A.f.). Culture filtrate of A.f. was
      used as antigen. Optimal conditions of ELISA were found. Serum of 138 asthmatic
      patients with total IgE level more than 500 PRU/ml were analysed for determining
      the limits of IgG to A.f. concentrations.

PMID- 1421314
TI  - [Effects of alpha-interferon on the level of adenosine metabolism enzymes and
      bactericidal activity of macrophages in staphylococcal infection].
AB  - In staphylococcal infection the changes in functional ability of macrophages
      occur: their oxygen-depending bactericidity and adenosine-desaminase activity are
      depressed 5-nucleotidase ability increases. Introduction of homologous alpha-IFN
      in the dose of 1 x 10(3) u/mouse leads to enhancing macrophage bactericidity of
      the animals infected, inhibits their 5-nucleotidase activity and enhances
      adenosine desaminase one. Influence of alpha-IFN on the activity of adenosine
      metabolism enzymes in macrophages can be considered one of the most important
      mechanisms of its modulating effect in bacterial infections.

PMID- 1421315
TI  - [Effects of modulators and cytostatics on catabolism of I-125 desoxyuridine in
      tumors (express-method of antineoplastic modulator screening)].
AB  - El-4 and P-815 murine tumor cells labelled by 125I-deoxyuridine or 51Cr were
      administered in 7-day subcutaneous syngeneic tumors or subcutaneously. At the
      same time different groups of mice were treated by LPS plus MDP, beta-C7H15-MDP,
      dexal-MDP, polyacrylamide-MDP-phosphatidylethanolamine, adriblastin or
      cyclophosphamide. It was shown that cytostatics and immunomodulators
      significantly delayed catabolism and withdrawing of 125I-deoxyuridine (that has
      not been incorporated in DNA) from tumor cells. This delay was correlated with
      the inhibition of tumor nodes growth rate. It is concluded that influence of
      cytostatics and immunomodulators on catabolism and withdrawing rate of 125I
      deoxyuridine from tumor cells relates to their cytostatic effect and may be used
      at the earliest screening step of immunomodulator analysis.

PMID- 1421316
TI  - [Radiation protective properties of a synthetic antagonist of glucocorticoids RU
      38486].
AB  - Radioprotective properties of synthetic antiglucocorticoid RU 38,486 were
      investigated. It was demonstrated that this antagonist of glucocorticoids
      possesses radioprotective effect in vitro and in vivo systems. Radioprotective
      properties at molecular level exhibited in inhibition of postirradiation
      endonuclease activation and in prevention of internucleosome chromatin
      degradation. Involvement of cytosol glucocorticoid receptors in initiation of
      radiation-induced programmed cell death is discussed.

PMID- 1421317
TI  - [Effects of atrial natriuretic peptide AP II on the morphofunctional state of the
      adrenal cortex of white rats].
AB  - The effect of atrial natriuretic peptides synthetic analog AP II on adrenal zona
      glomerulosa and zona fasciculata physiological regeneration have been studied on
      male rats. The 3H-thymidine incorporation into DNA in adrenal cortical cells was
      evaluated in 4 and 24 h after intraperitoneal injection of 10 or 100 mcg/kg AP
      II. Besides, we have investigated the influence of AP II on adrenal cortical
      cells karyometric parameter in 4 and 24 h and aldosterone plasma concentration in
      1 h after injection. 10 mcg/kg AP II increased the fraction of labelled nuclei in
      zona glomerulosa and decreased the aldosterone plasma level. No significant
      changes were seen in zona fasciculata cells proliferation. 100 mcg/kg AP II
      inhibited the DNA synthesis process in adrenal zona fasciculata, but had no
      significant influence on zona glomerulosa physiological regeneration and
      aldosterone plasma concentration. No nuclear morphometric parameter changes were
      observed in adrenal glomerulosa and fasciculata cells of AP II--treated animals.

PMID- 1421318
TI  - [Seasonal and circadian fluctuations in blood biochemical indicators in mice in
      natural conditions and exposed to constant light].
AB  - The fluctuations of activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine
      aminotransferase (ALT) and those of the levels of protein, glucose, cholesterol,
      bilirubin, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, K+, Cl-, Na+ in blood plasma of mice
      in natural conditions (NC) and exposed to constant light (CL) were studied in
      different seasons of the year (in January, April, July, October) on days 18, 24,
      6 (at 12 o'clock). Most indices both in NC and CL animals had seasonal rhythm
      similar for each of them. This proves a primary effect of environmental
      geoclimatic factors of formation of circadian periodicals as compared to
      desynchronization in constant light revealed by Kosinor analysis in winter
      (acrophase from 14.16 till 16.32 o'clock) and autumn (acrophase from 23.03 til
      4.40 o'clock). During the same seasons one can observe the maximum
      desynchronization influences of constant light, which leads to abrupt falling (to
      the 10-fold and more) of the fluctuations amplitude and in some cases to
      stabilization of circadian rhythm.

PMID- 1421319
TI  - [Contribution of genetic constitution to the formation of circadian rhythm of
      several hemodynamic parameters].

PMID- 1421320
TI  - [Neural regulatory effects on the contractility of heart ventricles].
AB  - As a result of acute experiments on cats we revealed the approaches to choosing
      the best indices of the contractility of the left and the right cardiac
      ventricles in the concrete conditions of the experiment on the basis of the
      original criterion of optimality. For revealing neural inotropy influences we
      suggest the index based on the combined changes of optimum indices. A new
      approach to revealing reflex influences on contractility in the conditions of
      intact blood circulation is worked out, which is based on the comparison of these
      influences with the control changes of haemodynamic parameters.

PMID- 1421321
TI  - [Morphological aspects of broad-plasma lymphocyte migration through ependymal
      cell of mammalian vascular plexus].
AB  - A morphological study of the cerebral vascular plexus was performed to find out
      the ways of blood cell migration from the vascular lumen into the liquor and in
      the opposite direction, as well as through ependymocytes. The material of the
      study consisted of cattle (cows and goats) with the body weight of 500 kg and 30
      40 kg, respectively. From each animal species 16 animals were used in the study.
      Investigational methods included light and electron microscopy. Sequential stages
      of broad-plasma lymphocyte migration from the vascular lumen through
      endotheliocytes, capillary basal layer, connective tissue stroma, basal membrane
      of ependymocytes, as well as through proper ependymocytes have been revealed. The
      authors refer the phenomenon of broad-plasma lymphocyte migration to the
      phenomenon of emperipolesis.

PMID- 1421322
TI  - [Modular structure of the rat hypothalamus].

PMID- 1421323
TI  - [Morphofunctional aspects of genetic analysis of osteogenesis imperfecta in
      cultured skin fibroblasts].
AB  - Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a disease with biochemical evidence of
      abnormality in collagen biosynthesis. We report here that expression of the OI
      phenotype extends to the level of dermal fibroblast morphology in vitro. Growth
      characteristics and morphology of control (n = 3) and 01 cell strains (n = 10)
      were compared. Our results show that (1) OI fibroblasts take longer time (16
      days) than that with control cells (13 days) to reach stationary phase; (2) OI
      fibroblasts achieve a lower cell density (1.0 +/- 0.09) at stationary phase
      compared to control cells (1.47 +/- 0.1); p < 0.01; (3) cell shape (expressed as
      the width/length ratio) was also abnormal in OI cells: they have significantly
      increased ratios (p < 0.05) compared to control. These changes were associated
      with an increased level of fibronectin concentration and engorged cytoplasmic
      vesicles in dermal fibroblasts in vitro. We have reason to suspect that
      dysmorphology of fibroblasts may be related to aberrant collagen metabolism that
      leads to inadequacy of extracellular substratum, that in its turn hinders normal
      adhesion of cells as well as their spreading, morphology and fibronectin
      concentration.

PMID- 1421324
TI  - [Effects of different regimens of hyperbaric oxygenation on transcriptional
      activity and morphology of frontal cortex neurons in occlusion of the common
      carotid artery in rats].
AB  - The effect of different regimens of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) on cortical
      pyramids morphology and transcription were studied under occlusion of common
      arteria carotis. The effect of early (3 hours after occlusion) and late (14 hours
      after occlusion) use of 1.2 and 2.0 ata of HBO was estimated. The rats were
      killed 15 minutes or 24 hours after HBO session. The effect of early use of HBO
      was normalizing, stabilizing and independent on the dose. Protecting effect of
      the late HBO on morphology and transcription activity of nuclear chromatin of
      pyramids was higher in the 1.2 ata regimen. In case of late HBO both pressures
      produced depressing effect on the nucleoplasmic chromatin, transcription.

PMID- 1421325
TI  - [A method of multivariate analysis of data in the study of the effects of space
      flight factors on the rat brain neuron structure].
AB  - The usage of some methods of multivariate analysis for neuro-morphological
      studies is discussed. The alterations of dendritic trees of pyramidal neurons of
      layer III of visual cortex of the rat exposed to the influence of space flight
      aboard biosputnik "Cosmos-1887" were studied and the results are described to
      illustrate the methods power. o-technique of factor analysis was shown to be
      suitable for processing of the data obtained from an experiment with complex
      environmental conditions.

PMID- 1421326
TI  - [Is transferrin a neurotrophic factor controlling myosin composition of the
      skeletal muscle?].
AB  - After transferrin injection to the slow m. soleus of guinea pig no
      immunohistochemical changes in myosin composition with monoclonal antibodies (AB)
      against fast myosin heavy chain (HCf) have been found. All muscles fibers in
      intact and experimental animals were identified as slow ones (type I of muscle
      fibers). After colchicine treatment of nerve trunk innervating slow muscle, some
      muscle fibers reacting with monoclonal AB against myosin HCf have been found.
      However, after colchicine treatment of nerve trunk and transferrin injection also
      some muscle fibers in slow muscle reacting with monoclonal AB against myosin HCf
      have been found. In appears that transferrin probably can not be the factor of
      neurotrophic control for myosin composition in skeletal muscle.

PMID- 1421327
TI  - [Activity of smooth muscle cells in experimental ileus under the effects of
      ultraviolet laser irradiation].

PMID- 1421329
TI  - Looking through the crystal.

PMID- 1421328
TI  - [Effects of minced muscle tissue implantation and subsequent laser therapy on
      regeneration of skeletal muscles in guinea pigs].
AB  - It is known that regenerative capacity of skeletal muscles in guinea pigs is less
      than in rats. The guinea pig muscle regenerates are characterized by smaller
      muscle fibers and greater amounts of interstitial connective tissue. The present
      experiments were designed to stimulate the regenerative capacity of muscle tissue
      in adult guinea pigs, using tissue and laser therapy. It was shown that the
      minced muscle tissue implantation to the site of injury in m. gastrocnemius
      increased the quantity of regenerating muscle tissue. When the same operation was
      combined with following laser therapy the increase of muscle tissue was observed
      as well but not by far. At the same time laser therapy promoted noticeable
      acceleration of fibrin resorption, wound healing and regenerative modifications
      in implanted muscle fragments. Thus, the present methods stimulated relatively
      law regenerative capacity of guinea pig muscle tissue and promoted more
      qualitative recovery of injured area.

PMID- 1421330
TI  - Health promotion in the British workplace: a suitable case for treatment?
AB  - Over the years, the British workplace has provided a fertile bed for the growth
      of health-related surveillance, research and intervention. A brief review of the
      literature on this topic, highlights the plethora of different groups involved,
      and their differing agenda in relation to the health of the workforce. Key
      participants, including the workforce, have different perceptions of, and
      commitment to, the promotion of health. Health promotion should be concerned with
      reducing inequalities in health experience and opportunity but, because the large
      majority of British workplaces have no access to appropriate occupational health
      services, most health promotion activity is concentrated in large profit-making
      concerns with suitable existing facilities. In this article, the background to
      health-related initiatives in the British workplace is given, and the various
      contributions to workplace health promoting activities are noted. Their potential
      for mis-use is discussed and the need for a more comprehensive and integrated
      approach to primary care, including health promotion, is suggested. In the
      present economic climate in Britain there is a need to create a comprehensive
      database of all health promotion activities so that, with collaboration,
      integration and coordination of all initiatives, regardless of venue, we can put
      our present meagre resources to best use.

PMID- 1421331
TI  - Tuberculosis screening in health service employees: who needs chest X-rays?
AB  - There is uncertainty in the NHS about which individuals should be offered pre
      employment screening by chest X-ray and whether this procedure is of value in the
      detection of tuberculosis. To provide evidence for practice, pre-employment chest
      X-ray and tuberculin skin test status were examined retrospectively for employees
      of a health district. Cases were those with an abnormal chest X-ray; referents
      were a sample of the remainder with a normal chest X-ray. The majority of the
      population had positive tuberculin skin tests and there was no difference between
      cases (58 positive out of 68) and referents (170 positive out of 212). Most of
      the X-ray abnormalities were trivial; four findings were thought significant, but
      would have caused no problems if undetected and none of these findings was
      related to tuberculosis. We conclude that in new employees in Hampstead health
      district, X-ray abnormalities are rare and not predicted by testing tuberculin
      skin reactivity; neither procedure is justified routinely as a means of screening
      for tuberculosis. The situation in districts with a high incidence of
      tuberculosis needs to be investigated.

PMID- 1421332
TI  - Investigation into the environmental factors associated with the incidence of
      skin disease following an outbreak of Miliaria rubra at a coal mine.
AB  - A retrospective study was undertaken to examine by interactive linear modeling a
      possible association between environmental conditions and the incidence of skin
      conditions (excluding athletes foot) in a coal mine following an increase in skin
      rashes, mainly 'prickly heat' (Miliaria rubra). An increase in the incidence was
      found with increasing surface temperature and underground air velocity; a
      decreased incidence with increased underground air quantity (air volume per unit
      time); whilst the relationship with underground temperature was found to be
      quadratic with incidence decreasing until 27 degrees C wet bulb (although this is
      not necessarily the optimum temperature for other purposes) and then increasing.
      The association between skin incidence and environmental factors was strongest
      (in terms of variance explained) when the incidence was associated with the
      environmental conditions of 4 to 8 weeks previously. The constant nature of
      relative humidity over the period prevented an examination of its relationship
      with rash incidence. Possible strategies for reducing the incidence of 'prickly
      heat' are discussed.

PMID- 1421333
TI  - Relationship between occupational health care and absenteeism.
AB  - A connection is generally assumed between occupational health care (in Dutch
      'bedrijfsgezondheidszorg', or BGZ) and a reduction in absenteeism. In the Dutch
      literature various authors and researchers make great claims for the effect of
      occupational health care in reducing absenteeism. As yet, however, they have not
      concerned themselves very much with providing proof for the validity of their
      position. They speculate as to the positive influence of occupational health care
      on the health and welfare of employees and assume a direct connection between it
      and the reduction of absenteeism, but they do not have at their disposal
      empirical research results to support their speculations. So far as we know solid
      research of an experimental or quasi-experimental design into the relationship
      between occupational health care and absenteeism has never been carried out.
      Recently, however, an experiment with occupational health care for teaching
      personnel (in Dutch: Experiment met BGZ voor Onderwijspersoneel, or EBO) did take
      place, providing the opportunity to determine the influence of occupational
      health care on absenteeism in a quasi-experimental setting. Unfortunately, the
      results of the experiment indicate that the relationship between occupational
      health care and absenteeism is more complex than is generally assumed. In the
      course of the experiment, and in particular during the final year, the level of
      absence in the experimental group rose considerably, while in the control group
      it fell slightly. That rise was mainly due to the increase in the number of
      persons who were sick for a long period of time (at least 6 months).

PMID- 1421334
TI  - Effects of a change in shift work on health.
AB  - Aspects of health were studied in a sample of factory workers who changed their
      pattern of working from 'fortnight about' to three advancing shifts. Within the
      same factory and doing similar work there was a comparison group who were working
      permanent days only. The change in shifts was associated with more difficulty
      with sleep, more indigestion, higher alcohol consumption, reduced alertness and a
      worse social life. There was more minor psychiatric disturbance in those who
      worked three shifts than in those who worked days only.

PMID- 1421335
TI  - Impact of the new European legislation regarding vocational driving on London
      Transport Medical Service: the doctor's role.
AB  - The outcome of the first 1000 medical examinations undertaken by London Transport
      Medical Service (LTMS) to comply with the regulations for non-passenger carrying
      public carriage vehicle licence holders was analysed to assess where the primary
      role of the examining doctor affected the final outcome. It was found that the
      primary involvement of the doctor possibly altered the outcome in only two cases.
      In 49 cases, the medical practitioner had an interpretative role in the final
      assessment, or in the pursuit of further information, such as clarification of
      past history from other sources. In these cases, actual contact with the
      applicant did not affect the final outcome.

PMID- 1421336
TI  - Does diving damage your brain?

PMID- 1421337
TI  - Acoustic trauma in a telephone operator.
AB  - This case report describes an incident where a telephone operator suffered
      acoustic trauma from a subscriber blowing a whistle down a telephone mouthpiece,
      the sound being transmitted into the ear of the operator. Evidence of hearing
      loss persisted for several months before complete recovery was achieved.
      Comparison is made with hearing loss associated with the use of cordless
      telephones.

PMID- 1421338
TI  - Pre-employment colour vision testing.

PMID- 1421339
TI  - Pre-employment colour vision testing.

PMID- 1421340
TI  - Accidents in the workplace.

PMID- 1421341
TI  - Disaster and the occupational physician.

PMID- 1421342
TI  - Lung health: a global struggle.

PMID- 1421343
TI  - Skin testing with recombinant Mycobacterium intracellulare antigens.
AB  - The immunoreactivity of four recombinant Mycobacterium intracellulare beta
      galactosidase fusion proteins, which correspond to 22, 40, 43 and 85 kDa M.
      intracellulare antigens, was assessed. Lymphoproliferative assays demonstrated
      that Escherichia coli lysates containing each of the fusion proteins stimulated T
      cells in vitro. Purified preparations of three of these recombinant M.
      intracellulare antigens (22, 43 and 85 kDa) also induced delayed-type
      hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions in sensitized guinea pigs. However, the skin
      test responses evoked by each of these antigens was not species-specific. Given
      these results, the potential utility as skin test reagents of the purified
      antigens or peptides derived from these proteins is discussed.

PMID- 1421344
TI  - In vitro activity of meropenem and imipenem against mycobacteria: development of
      a daily antibiotic dosing schedule.
AB  - The activity of two carbapenem antibiotics, meropenem and imipenem, against
      Mycobacterium species was assessed by means of the Bactec 460 radiometric
      apparatus. This system allowed a result to be read in 4-10 days. The instability
      of imipenem, particularly, in the test system necessitated the development of a
      regimen of daily addition of antibiotic to permit a more accurate assessment of
      antibiotic activity to be made. When antibiotic-containing media are incubated
      for long periods, as is the case when determining antimycobacterial activity, the
      stability of test antibiotics is an important factor that must be considered.

PMID- 1421345
TI  - The humoral immune response after BCG vaccination: an immunoblotting study using
      two purified antigens.
AB  - The specific IgG response induced by BCG vaccination was investigated in 27
      adults using two purified BCG antigens in a dot immunoblotting assay. The
      reflectance values increased significantly after vaccination when P64 but not
      when P32 was used as the antigen. The values measured after vaccination were
      compared with those obtained when testing sera from patients with tuberculosis.
      We observed that the level of anti-P64 IgG reached after BCG immunization was
      high enough to preclude a serological differential diagnosis with tuberculosis.

PMID- 1421346
TI  - Occurrence of mycobacteria in biofilm samples.
AB  - The occurrence of mycobacteria was studied in 50 biofilm samples from water
      treatment plants, domestic water supply systems and aquaria. Mycobacteria were
      found in 90% of the samples and their densities usually ranged between 10(3) and
      10(4) cfu/cm2 (maximum density 5.6 x 10(6) cfu/cm2). Organic substances such as
      plastics and rubber were usually colonized by larger numbers of mycobacteria than
      inorganic substances such as copper and glass. The highest mycobacterial
      densities were found on plastic surfaces which were continuously perfused with
      water at temperatures between 22 and 30 degrees C. The species identified include
      Mycobacterium chelonae, M. flavescens, M. fortuitum, M. gordonae, M. kansasii,
      and M. terrae/nonchromogenicum. The occurrence in microcolonies indicate that
      biofilms may be an important replication site of aquatic mycobacteria.

PMID- 1421348
TI  - The impact of changing BCG coverage on tuberculosis incidence in Swedish-born
      children between 1969 and 1989.
AB  - In April 1975, the mass vaccination of newborns against tuberculosis was replaced
      by selective vaccination of groups at risk. BCG coverage fell from more than 95%
      before 1974 to 1.8% between 1975 and 1982 and thereafter reached an average of
      13.7% up to 1989. The cumulative incidence of tuberculosis before 5 years of age
      was estimated among children born in Sweden during periods of high, low and
      moderate increasing BCG coverage. The incidence figures per 100,000 children was
      0.8, 3.9 and 2.9, respectively, for children born to Swedish parents and 2.6,
      39.4 and 13.2, respectively, for those born to foreign parents. The observed
      incidence of tuberculosis among non-BCG vaccinated children born to Swedish
      parents was within the expected limits given by a prognostic model based on the
      natural change of the risk of infection. The effectiveness of the selective BCG
      vaccination programme, which was intensified after 1981 for the second generation
      of immigrants, was estimated to 0.82 (95% confidence interval 0.38, 0.95)
      assuming that there was no change of the risk of infection for children born to
      foreign parents over the period studied. From April 1975 to December 1989,
      tuberculosis was notified in 85 children born in Sweden during the same period, 7
      of them were BCG vaccinated and 78 non-vaccinated, 45 were symptomatic, 3 of them
      with disseminated tuberculosis.

PMID- 1421347
TI  - Proposal of an improved score method for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis
      in childhood in developing countries.
AB  - 210 children aged less than 5 years, referred to the Arua Regional TB Centre
      (Uganda) for suspected pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), were examined by anamnesis,
      clinical examination, Mantoux test, gastric washing, chest X-ray. The response to
      treatment criterion was applied to the patients treated. According to the score
      method suggested by Ghidey and Habte, 31 children were diagnosed as PTB patients.
      30 of the 31 children with PTB tested positive for alcohol acid-fast bacilli
      (AAFB) in the aspirated juice. The Mantoux test and X-rays gave a minor
      contribution to diagnosis. The clinical results are commented. A statistical
      analysis was carried out to evaluate the role of gastric washing in the diagnosis
      of PTB in children under 5 years of age (sensitivity, 96.8%; specificity, 92.2%;
      positive predictive value, 68.2%; negative predictive value, 99.4%). The response
      to treatment was also evaluated. A modified enlarged score method (based on
      gastric washing and including response to treatment) is proposed to be applied in
      developing countries where chest X-ray and other facilities are often lacking.

PMID- 1421349
TI  - Tuberculosis control programme in Beijing.
AB  - Since 1978 a new tuberculosis control programme based on modern concepts has been
      started in Beijing. The main goals of the programme were: (1) To prioritize the
      control of sources of infection; (2) to instigate fully supervised treatment
      (FST) for new smear-positive patients; (3) to extend services to the rural areas.
      A four-level network of tuberculosis control services has been organized both in
      urban and rural areas. Tuberculosis control has been integrated into rural
      primary health care. Coverage of FST among new smear-positive cases increased to
      93% in 1990. A standard regimen, 1HS/11H2S2 has been used for initial treatment.
      A reserve regimen of RFP and EMB was added to those who failed to convert in 6
      months. Since 1988 a 6-month intermittent short-course regimen has been
      introduced as standard regimen. Case-finding has been intensified since 1980
      through symptomatics. Control of chronic excreters was achieved through FST of
      new smear-positive cases and fully supervised retreatment of old chronic cases.
      The new tuberculosis control programme has proved highly successful in
      controlling sources of infection. The prevalence of smear-positive pulmonary
      tuberculosis in Beijing during the national surveys in 1979, 1984-1985 and 1990
      was 127, 56 and 16 per 100,000 respectively. The average annual reduction rate
      was 17%. This successful experiment has been recognized as a model for the whole
      country.

PMID- 1421350
TI  - Early diagnosis of tuberculosis by fibreoptic bronchoscopy.
AB  - We carried out a retrospective study of the methods used to achieve an early
      diagnosis of 67 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis treated at our institute
      between 1984 and 1989. Sputum bacteriology was positive in 56 of the 67 patients,
      22 were positive on microscopical examination of smears and on culture and 34 on
      culture alone. The 11 patients with negative sputum bacteriology were all
      diagnosed by fibreoptic bronchoscopy. In addition, 21 of the 34 smear
      negative/culture-positive patients were examined by fibreoptic bronchoscopy and
      the initial diagnosis was made in 7 of these. Thus the initial diagnosis was made
      by sputum bacteriology in 49 cases and by fibreoptic bronchoscopy in 18 cases.
      The median number of days between obtaining a specimen and starting therapy was 7
      days for sputum microscopy, 41 days for sputum culture, 7 days for microscopic
      examination of bronchoscopy specimens, 51 days for culture of the same and 19
      days for biopsy. Fibreoptic bronchoscopy is therefore useful for the diagnosis of
      cases of tuberculosis in which tubercle bacilli are not detected in sputum and,
      in some instances, for an earlier diagnosis of smear-negative/culture-positive
      patients.

PMID- 1421351
TI  - Defaults, defaulter action and retrieval of patients during studies on
      tuberculous meningitis in children.
AB  - Chemotherapy studies were undertaken on 180 children, aged between 1 and 12
      years, with tuberculous meningitis. They received therapy for 12 months. As
      approximately one-half of the patients came from outside Madras city, retrieval
      action was not possible in all cases of default. Despite this, a high rate of
      compliance and punctuality was achieved as a result of initial and periodic
      motivation. This report highlights the role and importance of motivation in the
      prevention of default and the retrieval of defaulters during the treatment of
      children with tuberculous meningitis.

PMID- 1421352
TI  - An unusual presentation of oesophageal tuberculosis.
AB  - Oesophageal tuberculosis secondary to tuberculous mediastinal lymphadenopathy is
      a very unusual presentation of adult tuberculosis. We report a young patient who
      presented with anorexia and weight loss. The chest radiograph and CT scan
      revealed mediastinal lymphadenopathy causing extrinsic oesophageal compression on
      the barium swallow. This was confirmed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Four
      weeks later, because of spontaneous partial relief in dysphagia, upper
      gastrointestinal endoscopy was repeated and revealed an ulcerated lesion with
      nodular margins at the mid-oesophagus. Biopsy from the ulcer margin revealed non
      caseating granulomas. The patient had complete relief of dysphagia and other
      symptoms within 3 weeks of start of antituberculosis therapy.

PMID- 1421353
TI  - The medical treatment of a tuberculous tracheo-oesophageal fistula.
AB  - Tracheo-oesophageal (TE) fistulas caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis are rare
      and usually require both surgical treatment and medical treatment with
      antituberculosis drugs. A patient with a tuberculous TE fistula and mediastinal
      lymphadenitis was successfully treated by medical management alone.

PMID- 1421354
TI  - Clinical evaluation of 99mTc-MIBI myocardial tomography for detecting coronary
      artery disease.
AB  - To evaluate the clinical efficacy of 99mTc-MIBI myocardial tomography for
      detecting coronary artery disease, 34 consecutive patients who underwent both
      99mTc-MIBI study and coronary arteriography were included in the present study.
      Ten without and 24 with significant coronary artery disease were documented by
      coronary arteriography. The overall sensitivity and specificity of 99mTc-MIBI
      study for detecting coronary artery disease were 91.8% (22/24) and 80.0% (8/10),
      respectively. In subset studies, 16 of 17 (94.1%) patients with previous
      myocardial infarction and 6 of 7 (85.7%) patients with significant CAD but
      without MI were identified as abnormal. Reversible perfusion abnormalities were
      shown in 4 of 5 patients undergoing both exercise and rest studies. Rest
      perfusion abnormalities were shown in 2 patients with unstable angina pectoris
      who underwent only rest study. In conclusion, 99mTc-MIBI myocardial tomography
      provides a reliable method for detecting coronary artery disease. Rest study has
      high sensitivity for identifying patients with MI, and exercise/rest study can
      identify patients with significant CAD but without MI.

PMID- 1421355
TI  - Growth inhibition and differentiation of promyelocytic cells (HL-60) induced by
      BC-4, an active principle from Boswellia carterii Birdw.
AB  - The induction of cell differentiation and growth inhibition of HL-60 cells by Bc
      4, an active principle from Boswellia carterii, was studied in vitro and in vivo.
      The proliferation of HL-60 cells was found to be inhibited by Bc-4 at a
      concentration of 5-10 micrograms/ml. Under the action of Bc-4, the acid
      phosphatase and NBT reduction activities in HL-60 cells were increased, and
      phagocytosis of cells was also induced. All these activities were concentration
      dependent. The HL-60 cells were induced by Bc-4 to differentiate into more mature
      cells morphologically. The in vivo growth of HL-60 cells in mouse subrenal
      capsules (SRC) and in diffusion chambers inoculated into mice was inhibited by Bc
      4 at a dose of 50 mg/kg. The morphology of HL-60 cells treated by Bc-4 in
      diffusion chambers exhibited characteristics of mature granulocytic cells.

PMID- 1421356
TI  - The use of an external tibial fixator in the treatment of genu varum.
AB  - This paper reports 72 cases of genu varum treated by a U-shaped osteotomy of the
      tibia and an oblique osteotomy of the fibula in combination with immobilization
      effected by a specially designed external tibial fixator. Owing to this modified
      approach, the patients were able to stand up and move about much earlier than
      usual. Our trial yielded 80.7% excellent, 16.6% good and 2.7% fair results. The
      treatment course was shortened to two thirds of the time required when using
      previously described techniques.

PMID- 1421357
TI  - The application of Dick instrumentation in spine surgery.
AB  - From June, 1989 to March, 1991, 24 cases with various spinal disorders were
      treated in our department using the Dick technique. The results were as follows:
      In the fresh fracture group (7 cases), all the spine fractures were reduced
      anatomically: the 2 cases without neurological defects returned to work 3 months
      after operation; the 3 cases with incomplete paraplegia had rapid neurological
      recovery; and the 2 cases with complete paraplegia showed no recovery after
      operation. In the late fracture group (10 cases), traumatic kyphotic curves were
      partially reduced and back pain was decreased markedly in all: Muscle power was
      increased significantly in 3 cases; spasticity was remarkably improved in 2
      cases; 3 cases obtained complete cure of incontinence; and 4 cases had no
      significant improvement. In 3 cases with ankylosing spondylitis, the initial
      average kyphotic curve was 73.3 degrees, while the postoperative average curve
      was 28.3 degrees. The result of treatment of spinal stenosis due to degenerative
      spondylolisthesis (1 case) was good; slipping vertebrae were stabilized and fused
      with the Dick system after thorough decompression. In 1 tumor and 2 Tb-spine
      cases, the patients recovered and were ambulatory soon after operation.

PMID- 1421358
TI  - The quantitative alteration of 5s rRNA during the development of mammalian
      erythroid cells and its effect on DNA synthesis in SP2/0 mouse myeloma cells.
AB  - Mouse myeloma cells (SP2/0) were incubated with 125I-5s rRNA from rabbit
      reticulocytes and processed for autoradiography. The results indicated that 5s
      rRNA could pass into the nuclei of mouse myeloma cells. In a separate experiment,
      SP2/0 were incubated with cold 5s rRNA, then with 3H-TdR and processed for
      autoradiography. It was found that in the mouse myeloma cells, DNA synthesis and
      cell division were obviously suppressed. In another series of experiments, rRNA
      was extracted from rabbit bone marrow, reticulocytes and erythroid cells and from
      rat embryonic liver and erythroid cells. The rRNA was analyzed by agarose
      electrophoresis. It was found that the amount of 5s rRNA in various stages of
      erythroid development changed along with the denucleating process. Thus it seems
      likely that 5s rRNA from mammalian erythroid cells could play a role in reversing
      the malignant phenotype of tumor cells and denucleation of mammalian erythroid
      cells through inhibiting DNA synthesis.

PMID- 1421359
TI  - Molecular cytogenetic study of short arm aberrations in human D, G group
      chromosomes.
AB  - Six cases of Dp+/Gp+, 10 cases of D/G translocation, 1 case of supernumerary
      marker chromosome, and 1 case of Yqs were studied using molecular and cytogenetic
      techniques. The Ag-NOR frequencies of the Dp+ and Gp+ groups were found to be
      higher than those of normal controls, while their satellite association
      frequencies were lower. Autoradiographic silver grains were not significantly
      distributed along the p+ part of the marker chromosome as revealed by chromosomal
      in situ hybridization using an rRNA probe. This result differs from our previous
      report. It is suggested that there might be different mechanisms for the
      formation of p+ on acrocentric chromosomes. D/G translocation cases were found to
      have lost their NOR. A study of supernumerary marker chromosomes and Yqs cases
      suggested that the marker chromosome and Yqs exerted no phenotypic effect. The
      mechanism of their formation is discussed.

PMID- 1421360
TI  - The relationship between the changes in plasma atrial natriuretic peptide and
      renin angiotensin contents and hemodynamics in pulmonary hypertensive rats.
AB  - Pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) increased significantly in rats after hypobaric
      hypoxic exposure for 15 days (CH15) (P less than 0.001) and was maintained at the
      same level after prolonged hypoxic exposure for 40 days (CH40). There were no
      significant changes in carotid systolic and diastolic blood pressure in CH15 and
      CH40 rats. The contractility of the right and left ventricles of CH15 and CH40
      rats showed no difference as compared with the control group. Plasma atrial
      natriuretic peptide (ANP) content in CH40 rats was obviously increased (P less
      than 0.001), while angiotensin II (AII) dropped markedly (P less than 0.05).
      Plasma renin activity was increased in both hypoxic groups (P less than 0.05
      respectively). These results indicate that during chronic hypoxia, plasma ANP and
      the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) play an important role in the modulation of
      pulmonary as well as systemic hemodynamics. They may work cooperatively to limit
      the development of pulmonary hypertension and to maintain systemic blood pressure
      within the normal range.

PMID- 1421361
TI  - STD epidemiologic analysis at national surveillance spots in the period 1987
      1990.
AB  - This article summarizes surveillance data of STDs at 16 urban monitoring centers
      in 1987-1990. During the four year period, 125,493 STD cases were reported. The
      average annual incidence was 77.80/100,000. Because the rate of increase in
      females (65.85% per year) was greater than that in males (36.81% per year), the
      male-to-female ratio fell from 2.39:1 (1987) to 1.34:1 (1990). The number of STD
      cases reported from all centers tended to increase, and the overall rate of
      increase was 46.61% per year. The major disease was gonorrhea, with a constituent
      ratio of 59.22% (1990). However, condyloma acuminatum and nongonococcal
      urethritis had greater rates of increase (105.03% and 85.14% per year,
      respectively). The 20-39 year age group accounted for 82.10% of total cases, for
      STD patients were mostly in the sexually active population. The STD incidence
      among self-employed businessmen (1206.06/100,000, in 1990) was highest among
      professional populations. According to analysis of different regions, STD
      incidence was highest in the southern cities (203.00/100,000, 1990). The greatest
      rate of increase of STDs was in Yangtze River Valley cities, where the average
      annual rate of increase was 71.41%.

PMID- 1421362
TI  - Breast volume measurement in 125 young Chinese women.
AB  - The authors carried out research on breast volume and body surface anatomy of 125
      unmarried young women. As a result, an average breast volume for young Chinese
      women was obtained (325.36 +/- 12.66 ml), and a table together with several
      linear equations for calculating breast volume were derived. These will provide
      plastic surgeons with useful tools for designing mammaplasty procedures.

PMID- 1421363
TI  - A comparative study of the outcome of renal transplantation in peritoneal
      dialysis and hemodialysis patients.
AB  - Fifty-four cases of renal transplantation performed in peritoneal dialysis (PD)
      patients were compared with 48 cases in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Three
      immunosuppressive treatments were used: prednisolone, azathioprine and
      cyclosporine. Methylprednisolone was used to treat rejection, and polyclonal
      Atgem or monoclonal OKT3 antibodies were used if there was no response. There was
      no difference in sex, age, donor source, immunosuppressive regime, duration of
      dialysis before transplantation, or duration of follow-up between the two groups.
      Following transplantation, there was no significant difference in patient
      mortality and survival or graft survival between the groups. The incidences of
      infections were also similar in the two groups. PD is commonly used in developing
      countries as an alternative to hemodialysis for the treatment of chronic renal
      failure. This study has shown that renal transplantation can be successfully
      performed in patients treated by this method.

PMID- 1421364
TI  - Comparative study of 99mTc-HM-PAO SPECT brain imaging, EEG and CT scanning in
      epileptic patients during the interictal period.
AB  - Forty patients with epilepsy in the interictal period were studied with 99mTc (HM
      PAO) SPECT brain imaging, EEG and CT scanning. Four cases of generalized epilepsy
      had normal findings on EEG, SPECT imaging and CT scanning. Two cases of childhood
      benign partial seizures had abnormal EEG, but the SPECT brain imagings were
      normal. Regional hypoperfusions of various extents were found in 20 of the 34
      patients with complex partial seizures. Among the 34 patients, 17 had abnormal
      EEG and 8 had abnormal CT scans. A good topographic concordance between regional
      HM-PAO hypofixation and EEG foci was found (39.1%). Localization of the lesion by
      SPECT imaging and CT scan was coincident in 5 cases (27.8%). The correlation
      between these three examination methods is discussed.

PMID- 1421365
TI  - Studies on intrahepatic cholelithiasis in west China.
AB  - Intrahepatic cholelithiasis is widespread in Asia and brings much suffering to
      the Chinese people. This paper presents a brief sketch of our clinical
      observations, research and some related views.

PMID- 1421366
TI  - Skin test inhibition by astemizole.
AB  - For the purpose of evaluating the therapeutic effect of antihistamines, we have
      set up an assay method called the "Skin Test Inhibition Index" (STII). Twenty
      subjects with hay fever were given astemizole (10 mg/d) for 7 days. Skin
      titration tests were carried out before and after treatment. Significant
      inhibition of the skin test reaction by astemizole was demonstrated (STII = 91).
      Another group of 6 hay fever patients was given astemizole (10 mg/d) for 10 days,
      and STII was determined on days 5 and 10 and on days 7, 14 and 21 after
      treatment. STII were calculated as 12, 108, 90, 10 and 7, respectively. These
      results demonstrate that astemizole is a long-acting antihistamine.

PMID- 1421367
TI  - Hepatocyte growth factor is a synergistic factor for the growth of hematopoietic
      progenitor cells.
AB  - Bone marrow (BM) stromal cells, which include macrophages, fibroblasts,
      endothelial cells, and adipocytes, have been shown to produce several factors
      that modulate the growth of BM progenitors. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a
      fibroblast-derived factor and has recently been shown to be a ligand for the c
      met proto-oncogene, a member of the receptor class of tyrosine kinases. c-met
      messenger RNA (mRNA) is predominantly expressed in epithelial cells, but has been
      detected in several murine hematopoietic progenitor cell lines, suggesting that
      HGF and met might function during hematopoiesis. Here, BM cells were found to
      express both met mRNA and protein. Moreover, HGF was shown to synergize with
      interleukin-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor to stimulate
      colony formation of hematopoietic progenitor cells in vitro. These results show
      that, in addition to its activity on epithelial cells, HGF is a new member of the
      functionally related group of factors that modulate hematopoiesis.

PMID- 1421368
TI  - Recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator for the treatment of established
      severe venocclusive disease of the liver after bone marrow transplantation.
AB  - Seven patients were treated with recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator
      (tPA) for severe hepatic venocclusive disease (VOD) that developed after bone
      marrow transplantation for hematologic malignancy. Recombinant human tPA (10 mg/d
      x 2 days) and heparin (1,000 U bolus followed by continuous intravenous infusion
      of 150 U/kg/d x 10 days) were begun a median of 9 days (range, 4 to 18 days)
      posttransplant. The median total serum bilirubin and percent weight gain from
      baseline were 19.4 mg/dL (range, 14.6 to 34.9 mg/dL) and 9.1% (range, 1% to
      18.5%), respectively, at the start of tPA administration. Five patients responded
      to therapy with prompt reduction in total serum bilirubin within 96 hours of
      starting tPA. Three patients are alive 178 to 379 days posttransplant without
      evidence of VOD. No patient had significant hemorrhagic complications with tPA.
      We conclude that recombinant human tPA can be administered to patients with
      severe VOD at the dosage described. Whereas preliminary data suggests that
      recombinant human tPA can alter the natural history of severe VOD, further study
      is necessary to determine its efficacy.

PMID- 1421369
TI  - Clinical and cytogenetic responses to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating
      factor in therapy-related myelodysplasia.
AB  - We treated 10 patients with a therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome with
      escalating doses of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF;
      sargramostim) in a phase II trial and used sequential cytogenetic analyses to
      determine whether there was stimulation of nonclonal hematopoiesis. The GM-CSF
      was administered by continuous intravenous infusion over 2 hours daily for 14
      days, followed by a 14-day rest period. The initial starting dose was 60
      micrograms/m2/d. The GM-CSF dose was escalated within individual patients to 125
      micrograms/m2, 250 micrograms/m2, and then 500 micrograms/m2/d until the
      peripheral blood neutrophil count at least doubled and exceeded 1,000/microL. GM
      CSF treatment then continued in monthly maintenance cycles. During 57 treatment
      courses, the neutrophil count increased in 52 but only doubled and exceeded
      1,000/microL in 21. Mild eosinophilia was stimulated in five patients, but only
      two had greater than 1,000 eosinophils/microL. In only three patients was any
      stimulation of platelet or red blood cell production observed, and thus, little
      change in transfusion requirements occurred. The bone marrow karyotypes from
      individual patients either remained completely abnormal or became increasingly
      abnormal over the course of treatment. We found no evidence that GM-CSF
      preferentially stimulated normal marrow stem cells to proliferate or had the
      ability to eradicate the cytogenetically abnormal clone by inducing terminal
      differentiation. Although the effect on granulopoiesis was transient and
      dependent on continued GM-CSF treatment, the increase in the neutrophil count was
      clinically important in some patients, allowing more effective control of ongoing
      infections.

PMID- 1421370
TI  - Favorable outcome of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in childhood: a report
      of three consecutive studies of the BFM group.
AB  - In 1981 the BFM group introduced a new treatment strategy for B-cell acute
      lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). A cytoreductive prephase
      (prednisone/cyclophosphamide) was followed by eight 5-day courses of
      chemotherapy. Fractionated cyclophosphamide, methotrexate (MTX) 0.5 g/m2 (24-hour
      infusion), and MTX intrathecally were administered at each course and cytosine
      arabinoside (ARA-C)/teniposide (VM-26) was given alternately with doxorubicin. In
      study ALL-BFM-83, central nervous system (CNS) chemotherapy was intensified by
      adding dexamethasone, while MTX/ARA-C was administered intraventricularly.
      Therapy duration was reduced to six courses. In study ALL-BFM-86, MTX 0.5 g/m2
      was replaced by high-dose (HD) MTX, 5 g/m2 (24-hour infusion), and MTX/ARA
      C/prednisolone intrathecal therapy was introduced. Doses of ARA-C and VM-26 were
      increased and fractionated, cyclophosphamide was partially replaced by
      ifosfamide, and vincristine was added. CNS irradiation was 24 Gy for prevention
      and 30 Gy for overt disease in studies ALL-BFM-81 and -83, but was omitted in ALL
      BFM-86. In all, 87 patients were enrolled, 22 (8 CNS-positive) in study All-BFM
      81, 24 (7 CNS-positive) in study ALL-BFM-83, and 41 (0 CNS-positive) in study ALL
      BFM-86. The estimated 5-year duration of event-free survival (EFS) was 43% in
      study ALL-BFM 81, 50% in study ALL-BFM-83, and 78% in study ALL-BFM-86 (minimal
      follow-up, 25 months). Nineteen of 24 relapses occurred while on therapy or
      shortly thereafter. In study ALL-BFM 81, the CNS was the most frequent site of
      failure. In ALL-BFM-83, there were no isolated CNS relapses, but more bone marrow
      (BM) relapses occurred. In ALL-BFM-86, localized manifestations were the
      predominant site of failure, no isolated BM relapses occurred, and only one CNS
      relapse was diagnosed. No single parameter exerted a consistent influence on
      outcome with one exception. The presence of residual disease after the first two
      courses was correlated with an increased risk of therapy failure. We conclude
      that an intensive, short-pulse therapy delivered within a 4-month period is
      highly effective in the treatment of B-ALL. In addition to fractionated
      cyclophosphamide/ifosfamide, a 24-hour infusion of HD MTX 5 g/m2 in conjunction
      with an i.th. therapy is an important component for prevention of both systemic
      and CNS relapses. CNS irradiation is not needed for CNS-negative patients.

PMID- 1421371
TI  - Differential effects of sequential, simultaneous, and single agent interleukin-3
      and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor on megakaryocyte maturation
      and platelet response in primates.
AB  - Recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) following
      interleukin-3 (IL-3) priming has been shown to increase thrombopoiesis. To
      elucidate the comparative abilities of IL-3 and GM-CSF in influencing
      megakaryocyte development in vivo, serial bone marrow analyses were performed on
      rhesus monkeys treated with 5 micrograms/kg/d of IL-3 and 5 micrograms/kg/d of GM
      CSF sequentially for 4 days each, simultaneously for 8 days, and as single agents
      for 8 days. Platelet counts maximally increased to a mean of 7.5 x 10(5)/microL
      (n = 3) on days 11 through 12 in monkeys treated with sequential IL-3/GM-CSF. In
      contrast, neither IL-3 alone nor simultaneously administered IL-3/GM-CSF elicited
      increases in thrombopoiesis between days 3 and 15. GM-CSF elicited a variable
      platelet response. Megakaryocyte ploidy distributions were significantly (P <
      .001) shifted between days 7 and 10 in monkeys treated sequentially and between
      days 3 and 15 in monkeys treated with combined IL-3/GM-CSF and with GM-CSF alone
      but not in monkeys treated with IL-3 alone. The changes in mean DNA content and
      megakaryocyte size, as determined by digital image analysis, were larger in
      monkeys treated with sequential IL-3/GM-CSF and with GM-CSF alone than in
      simultaneously treated monkeys. In addition, sequentially but not simultaneously
      treated monkeys showed increased numbers of megakaryocytes on bone marrow biopsy.
      We conclude that administration of IL-3 followed by GM-CSF treatment increases
      thrombopoiesis by sequentially increasing megakaryocyte numbers and maturation
      and that these effects are diminished by simultaneous administration of the two
      cytokines.

PMID- 1421373
TI  - Roles of erythropoietin, insulin-like growth factor 1, and unidentified serum
      factors in promoting maturation of purified murine erythroid colony-forming
      units.
AB  - We have used 75% to 90% pure murine erythroid colony-forming units (CFU-E) to
      delineate the processes and factors underlying their maturation. These CFU-E form
      32 cell colonies and are drawn from what we term generation I of a six-generation
      long maturation sequence (Landschulz et al, Blood 79:2749, 1992). Applying assays
      of 59Fe-heme biosynthesis and colony numbers as measures of maturation and
      analyses of DNA degradation as an index of programmed cell death, we find that
      (1) erythropoietin (Epo) enhances maturation throughout most of its course; (2)
      Epo first seems able to forestall DNA degradation when CFU-E reach generation II;
      (3) the processes that Epo elicits thereafter start to persist when Epo is
      withdrawn; (4) insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) also forestalls DNA
      breakdown, but later loses effectiveness; (5) IGF-I adds little to maturation
      when Epo levels are high, but when Epo levels are low, enhances it substantially;
      and (6) for maturation to be entirely optimal, an unidentified serum factor(s) is
      probably required when Epo levels are high and is certainly needed when Epo
      levels are like those in normal animals. Quantitatively, about 40% of optimal in
      vitro erythropoiesis at normal Epo levels depends on Epo alone, another 30% or
      less on the addition of IGF-I, and the remaining 30% or more on the addition of
      unidentified serum factor(s). Applied together, these three or more factors lead
      to two-thirds of the maximum maturation realized with saturating Epo levels.
      Because we also find that heme accumulated in CFU-E culture can closely approach
      levels in red blood cells, we suppose that our conclusions apply as well to CFU-E
      maturation in vivo.

PMID- 1421372
TI  - Bryostatin 1 modulates the proliferation and lineage commitment of human myeloid
      progenitor cells exposed to recombinant interleukin-3 and recombinant granulocyte
      macrophage colony-stimulating factor.
AB  - The activity of protein kinase C (PK-C) has been implicated in the regulation of
      the growth and differentiation of both normal and neoplastic hematopoietic cells.
      We have examined the effects of the PK-C-activating agents phorbol 12,13
      dibutyrate (PDBu), mezerein, and bryostatin 1 on the proliferation and lineage
      commitment of CD34+ human myeloid progenitor cells stimulated by recombinant
      interleukin-3 (rIL-3) and/or recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony
      stimulating factor (rGM-CSF). Although each of the PK-C activators administered
      alone induced no colony formation, coadministration of these agents with plateau
      concentrations of each cytokine (eg, 50 ng/mL) increased the number of day 14
      granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units by 100% to 150%. The number of pure
      and mixed neutrophil and macrophage colonies was substantially enhanced in the
      presence of PK-C activators, whereas the percentage and, in most cases, the
      absolute number of eosinophilic colonies was significantly reduced. The
      inhibition of eosinophilic colony formation was not overcome by the addition of
      rIL-5. Although addition of bryostatin 1 24 hours before rIL-3 abrogated the
      increase in total colony formation observed with simultaneous administration of
      factors, the inhibition of eosinophilic colonies and the increase in
      neutrophil/macrophage colonies persisted under these conditions. The addition of
      bryostatin 1 for up to 144 hours after rIL-3 continued to potentiate total colony
      formation, whereas the inhibition of eosinophilic commitment was lost after 120
      hours. Together, these results suggest that pharmacologic interventions at the
      level of PK-C may regulate both the proliferation as well as the lineage
      commitment of human hematopoietic progenitors exposed to rGM-CSF and rIL-3.

PMID- 1421374
TI  - Release of interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 from human monocytes by antithymocyte
      globulin: requirement for de novo synthesis.
AB  - Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) is an effective treatment in patients with severe
      aplastic anemia (SAA). Its mechanism of action remains unclear, although it has
      been assumed to be immunosuppressive. However, ATG has also been shown by several
      laboratories to be immunostimulatory. Recently, interleukin-1 (IL-1) production
      has been found to be decreased in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated peripheral blood
      monocytes obtained from SAA patients. We have investigated the ability of ATG to
      function as an immunostimulatory agent via the production of IL-1 and IL-6 by
      normal human monocytes in vitro. Supernatants from ATG-stimulated monocytes were
      assayed for biologically active and immunoreactive IL-1 and IL-6. We have found
      that ATG, via its F(ab')2 fragment is a powerful inducer of IL-1 and IL-6
      production. Furthermore, ATG induction of both cytokines from normal monocytes
      required de novo synthesis, as determined by 35S-methionine incorporation.
      Because these two cytokines synergize with other cytokines at both the stem cell
      and progenitor levels, these stimulatory properties of ATG may be relevant to the
      treatment of SAA. This would favor the hypothesis of a bimodal mechanism for ATG
      as an inducer of hematopoietic growth factors and as an immunosuppressive agent.

PMID- 1421375
TI  - Involvement of nuclear factor-kappa B in induction of the interleukin-6 gene by
      leukemia inhibitory factor.
AB  - Recent studies have indicated that the leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) induces
      secretion of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in myeloid cells. We here show that synthesis
      of IL-6 by human mononuclear phagocytes exposed to recombinant human (rh) LIF is
      preceded by an increase of IL-6 transcript levels as a result of transcriptional
      activation of the IL-6 gene. Analysis of deleted fragments of the IL-6 promoter
      indicated that transcriptional activation of the IL-6 promoter was associated
      with enhanced binding activity of the transcription factor nuclear factor (NF)
      kappa B. Binding of activation protein (AP)-1 and NF-IL-6, also known to
      transcriptionally activate the IL-6 promoter, was not inducible by LIF.
      Furthermore, introduction of the NF-kappa B sequence into a heterologous promoter
      construct, but not of AP-1- and NF-IL-6-binding sequences, conferred inducibility
      by LIF to this promoter. Deletion of the NF-kappa B binding site in the IL-6
      promoter was associated with loss of inducibility by LIF, lending further support
      for the notion that the NF-kappa B binding site is crucial for LIF-mediated
      induction of the IL-6 promoter. Taken together, our results show that rhLIF
      induces IL-6 gene expression in mononuclear phagocytes through transcriptional
      gene activation involving NF-kappa B.

PMID- 1421376
TI  - Isolation of a cDNA clone encoding a zinc finger protein highly expressed in T
      leukemia lines.
AB  - A cDNA clone encoding a novel zinc finger protein expressed in lymphoid cells has
      been isolated. This protein contains 5 repeats of the C2H2 motif previously
      described in the Drosophila gap gene, Kruppel, which is involved in embryo
      segmentation. Northern blot analysis showed that the messenger RNA (mRNA)
      encoding this protein is expressed at high levels in a variety of T-leukemia cell
      lines, at lower levels in some B cells, but is not observed in nonlymphoid cells.
      Within the T lineage, the mRNA is found at high levels in both alpha beta and
      gamma delta T cells. These data suggest that this cDNA, designated Hkr-T1,
      represents a gene that may contribute to the determination of the differentiation
      and the specificity within lymphoid cells.

PMID- 1421377
TI  - Alteration of the proliferative rate of acute myelogenous leukemia cells in vivo
      in patients.
AB  - Ten patients with active acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) received either 13 cis
      retinoic acid (RA) + alpha interferon (IFN) or recombinant human granulocyte
      macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) for 3 days. Cell cycle
      measurements were performed before and at the conclusion of administration of the
      bioactive agent(s). The proliferative rate of the leukemia cells in vivo
      decreased in four of five patients receiving RA+IFN whereas in one patient
      proliferation accelerated. The proliferative rate of AML cells accelerated in
      three of the five patients who received rhGM-CSF and slowed in two patients.
      These data show that while the proliferative rate of AML cells can be altered in
      vivo, the effect produced by bioactive agents may be the opposite of the desired
      effect. Furthermore, the studies described here demonstrate the usefulness of
      marrow biopsies for measuring the percent S-phase cells and the importance of
      measuring the duration of S phase so that the effects of bioactive agents on the
      cell cycle time of the leukemia cells can be determined.

PMID- 1421379
TI  - Compound heterozygosity in a complete erythrocyte bisphosphoglycerate mutase
      deficiency.
AB  - Erythrocyte bisphosphoglycerate mutase (BPGM) deficiency is a rare disease
      associated with a decrease in 2,3-diphosphoglycerate concentration. A complete
      BPGM deficiency was described in 1978 by Rosa et al (J Clin Invest 62:907, 1978)
      and was shown to be associated with 30% to 50% of an inactive enzyme detectable
      by specific antibodies and resulting from an 89 Arg-->Cys substitution. The
      propositus' three sisters exhibited the same phenotype, while his two children
      had an intermediate phenotype. Samples from the family were examined using
      polymerase chain reaction and allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization and
      sequencing techniques. Amplification of erythrocyte total RNA from the
      propositus' sister around the 89 mutation indicated the presence of two forms of
      messenger RNAs, a major form with the 89 Arg-->Cys mutation and a minor form with
      a normal sequence. Sequence studies of the propositus' DNA samples indicated
      heterozygosity at locus 89 and another heterozygosity with the deletion of
      nucleotide C 205 or C 206. Therefore, the total BPGM deficiency results from a
      genetic compound with one allele coding for an inactive enzyme (mutation BPGM
      Creteil I) and the other bearing a frameshift mutation (mutation BPGM Creteil
      II). Examination of the propositus' two children indicated that they both
      inherited the BPGM Creteil I mutation.

PMID- 1421378
TI  - Hexamethylene bisacetamide in myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myelogenous
      leukemia: a phase II clinical trial with a differentiation-inducing agent.
AB  - Hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA) is a potent inducer of differentiation of a
      number of transformed cell lines in vitro. We report results of a phase II
      clinical trial in 41 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or acute
      myelogenous leukemia (AML) to whom HMBA was administered by continuous infusion
      for 10 days and repeated after an interval of 18 to 75 days. HMBA induced a
      complete remission (CR) in three patients and a partial remission (PR) in six
      patients. The median duration of CR was 6.8 months (range 1.3 to 16 months) and
      3.7 months for PR (range 1 to 7 months). No significant difference was observed
      between responders and nonresponders with respect to the mean HMBA plasma levels,
      which were 0.86 +/- 0.04 mmol/L and 0.87 +/- 0.12 mmol/L, respectively. In
      certain patients morphologic and chromosome analyses provided evidence that HMBA
      induced differentiation of transformed hematopoietic precursors. The most
      prominent toxicity was thrombocytopenia, generally reversible on cessation of
      administration of HMBA.

PMID- 1421380
TI  - Evidence that sustained growth suppression of intestinal anaerobic bacteria
      reduces the risk of acute graft-versus-host disease after sibling marrow
      transplantation.
AB  - The influence of intestinal bacterial decontamination on the occurrence of grades
      II to IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) was retrospectively analyzed in
      194 predominantly adult patients treated by genotypically identical sibling
      marrow transplantation under conditions of strict protective isolation and
      intestinal antimicrobial decontamination. Forty-five patients (23%) developed
      acute GVHD and univariate analysis identified four features that significantly
      increased the risk for this reaction: chronic myeloid leukemia as the underlying
      disease, as compared with all other disease categories (P < .0001); female marrow
      donors for male recipients, as compared with other gender combinations (P <
      .005); ineffective, as compared with sustained growth suppression of intestinal
      anaerobic bacteria (P < .006); and methotrexate as the sole immunoprophylactic
      compound, as compared with cyclosporine containing regimens (P < .05). Using the
      duration of anaerobic growth suppression as a time-dependent explanatory
      variable, proportional hazards regression analysis confirmed these features as
      independent predictors for acute GVHD with relative risk estimates of 1.9 (95%
      confidence interval [CI], 1.3 to 2.7) for the immunoprophylactic regimen (P <
      .0004), of 1.8 (95% CI, 1.3 to 2.5) for the underlying disease (P < .0005), of
      1.7 (95% CI, 1.2 to 2.5) for anaerobic decontamination (P < .002), and of 1.3
      (95% CI, 1.1 to 1.6) for the donor/recipient gender combination (P < .008),
      respectively. Best subset selection modeling also identified the quality of
      anaerobic decontamination as the third most important predictor for acute GVHD,
      when all four significant features were included. Estimates of acute GVHD
      stratified by the quality of anaerobic bacterial growth suppression showed a
      strong influence of anaerobic decontamination in patients burdened by at least
      one of the other unfavorable factors (P < .009). In conclusion, this study
      provides strong evidence that sustained growth suppression of intestinal
      anaerobic bacteria after clinical sibling marrow transplantation can
      independently modulate the occurrence of grades II to IV acute GVHD, which is in
      concordance with previous results from animal transplantation models.
      Antimicrobial chemotherapy specifically targeted to the intestinal anaerobic
      bacterial microflora may be complementarily useful in preventing acute GVHD and
      should be investigated in a prospective trial.

PMID- 1421381
TI  - Impaired erythropoietin response to anemia after bone marrow transplantation.
AB  - Delayed erythroid recovery is common after bone marrow transplantation (BMT),
      with some patients continuing to require red blood cell (RBC) transfusion support
      for as long as 1 year. While the etiology is multifactorial, inadequate
      stimulation of erythroid progenitors by the erythroid growth factor,
      erythropoietin, may play a role. In this study, the erythropoietin response to
      anemia of 70 consecutive patients undergoing BMT at the Johns Hopkins Oncology
      Center was compared with the erythropoietin response in uncomplicated iron
      deficiency anemia. Erythropoietin levels were elevated for the degree of anemia
      early after BMT; however, at the time of marrow recovery, erythropoietin levels
      were significantly suppressed in both allogeneic and autologous BMT patients
      compared with the iron-deficient patients. Patients with acute graft-versus-host
      disease (GVHD) had a more marked suppression of the erythropoietin response to
      anemia. In the patients who remained anemic for extended periods of time (up to
      12 months after BMT), an inadequate erythropoietin response to anemia persisted.
      Delayed erythroid recovery after BMT is associated with inadequate erythropoietin
      levels. Therefore, recombinant human erythropoietin may be useful in the
      treatment of the anemia associated with both autologous and allogeneic BMT.

PMID- 1421382
TI  - Pentoxifylline did not prevent transplant-related toxicity in 31 consecutive
      allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients.

PMID- 1421383
TI  - Quinine-associated immune thrombopenia, neutropenia, and renal failure in a
      patient with Klinefelter's syndrome.

PMID- 1421384
TI  - Adaptor for Jamshidi needles to enhance penetration of hard bone.

PMID- 1421385
TI  - Polymerase chain reaction monitoring shows a high efficacy of clinical
      immunomagnetic purging in patients with centroblastic-centrocytic non-Hodgkin's
      lymphoma.

PMID- 1421386
TI  - Problems with the international normalized ratio.

PMID- 1421387
TI  - Molecular basis of inherited human antithrombin deficiency.
AB  - Figures 1 and 4 summarize the various AT mutations that have been described. The
      molecular elucidation, over the past decade, of the various AT deficiency types
      has provided important new insights into functional-structural relationships of
      AT. This knowledge, together with data provided by monoclonal antibodies and x
      ray crystallographic studies of related molecules, has provided important new
      insights as to how the AT molecule functions in vivo. Finally, such knowledge
      might, in the foreseeable future, lead to the production of AT molecules that are
      specifically genetically engineered to be of use in a variety of clinical
      situations.

PMID- 1421388
TI  - Breakpoints at 11q23 in infant leukemias with the t(11;19)(q23;p13) are
      clustered.
AB  - We have analyzed a series of nine infant leukemias that carry a
      t(11;19)(q23;p13). They had the morphologic features of acute lymphoblastic
      leukemia (ALL) and expressed markers typical of B-cell progenitor ALL or pre-B
      ALL; one coexpressed myeloid markers in addition to lymphoid markers
      (biphenotypic). Two probes (P/S4 and 98.40) subcloned from a yeast artificial
      chromosome (YAC) known to span the breakpoint in the t(4;11) were used to
      investigate DNA isolated from the leukemic cells of these patients. A total of
      approximately 15 kb of genomic DNA in the vicinity of the probes was examined by
      conventional Southern blot analysis using a series of restriction enzymes. In
      eight of the nine cases, the breakpoint could be mapped to an approximately 10-kb
      BamHI fragment disclosed by hybridization to the P/S4 probe.

PMID- 1421389
TI  - All-transretinoic acid followed by intensive chemotherapy gives a high complete
      remission rate and may prolong remissions in newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic
      leukemia: a pilot study on 26 cases.
AB  - We entered 26 patients with newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) in
      a pilot study of all-transretinoic acid (ATRA) followed by intensive
      chemotherapy. Median age was 46 (range 25 to 63). No patient presented with
      leukocytes > 10 x 10(9)/L or had the microgranular APL variant. Cytogenetic
      analysis (25 patients) found a t(15;17) in 24 cases. Patients were scheduled to
      receive ATRA (45 mg/m2/d) until complete remission, followed by an intensive
      daunorubicin (DNR) + Ara C course ("4 + 7" course), then three "2 + 5" DNR + Ara
      C courses and maintenance chemotheapy. However, the "4 + 7" course was
      administered in emergency if hyperleukocytosis rapidly developed to prevent
      leukostasis. Twenty-five patients (96%) achieved CR, 14 with ATRA alone and 11
      after the addition of the "4 + 7" course on day 2 to 30 of treatment, because
      leukocytes rapidly increased (9 cases), because of resistance to ATRA (1 case),
      and development of organomegaly (1 case). The remaining patient died on day 6,
      from CNS bleeding. Apart from hyperleukocytosis, side effects were usually
      moderate. In the 11 patients who could be studied in vitro, a very good
      correlation was found between in vivo and vitro differentiation and proliferation
      of APL blasts with ATRA. Three patients were allografted after the "4 + 7"
      course. Four patients did not receive this course but received the subsequent "2
      + 5" courses and maintenance. The remaining patients followed the scheduled
      protocol. Three patients relapsed after 8, 11, and 15 months (including one
      allografted patient). Two patients died in CR, after 6 and 17 months. The other
      20 patients remained in CR after 18+ to 34+ months (median 21). Actuarial disease
      free interval (DFI) and event free survival (EFS) were 87% and 77%, respectively,
      after 18 months. These results were compared to those obtained in our previous
      APL 84 trial with chemotherapy alone in newly diagnosed APL (after excluding
      patients included in this trial who presented with hyperleukocytosis). In APL 84
      trial, the CR rate was 76%, the actuarial DFI and EFS were 59% and 48% after 18
      months, respectively. Differences with the pilot study of ATRA followed by
      chemotherapy were significant for DFI (P = .02), EFS (P = .006), but not for CR
      rate (P = .08). Although this is a historical comparison, these results suggest
      that ATRA followed by chemotherapy may prove superior to chemotherapy alone in
      newly diagnosed APL, by slightly increasing the CR rate, but perhaps more
      importantly by reducing the relapse rate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1421390
TI  - A controlled trial of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating
      factor after total body irradiation, high-dose chemotherapy, and autologous bone
      marrow transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukemia or malignant lymphoma.
AB  - Infections during granulocytopenia are major complications of autologous bone
      marrow transplantation (ABMT). Since recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage
      colony-stimulating factor (rhuGM-CSF) has proved to accelerate bone marrow
      recovery after cytostatic chemotherapy, we studied its effects on hematopoietic
      regeneration and on infectious complications after total body irradiation (TBI)
      and high-dose chemotherapy followed by ABMT. Eighty-one patients with acute
      lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in complete remission (CR) or with non-Hodgkin's
      lymphoma (NHL) in CR or partial remission were randomized in a double-blind,
      placebo-controlled trial. They received either rhuGM-CSF 250 micrograms/m2
      (Escherichia coli-derived) daily by continuous infusion after ABMT, or placebo.
      Treatment was continued until the neutrophil counts reached greater than
      500/microL for 1 week. The maximum treatment duration was 30 days. Thirty-nine
      patients in the rhuGM-CSF group and 40 patients in the placebo group were
      evaluable. The median time needed to reach a neutrophil count of 500/microL was
      15 days with rhuGM-CSF and 28 days with placebo (P = .0001). Bacterial infections
      occurred in 14 (35.9%) of the patients with rhuGM-CSF and in 25 (62.5%) of the
      patients given the placebo (P = .024). Nine of the 14 bacterial infections in the
      rhuGM-CSF group and 20 of the 25 infections in the placebo group were diagnosed
      within the first 10 days after ABMT. Capillary leakage and a reversible fluid
      retention were seen in five of the rhuGM-CSF-treated patients. Patients treated
      with rhuGM-CSF had lower serum protein and albumin levels than patients in the
      placebo group. There was no statistically relevant difference in overall survival
      between the two groups (P = .47). Relapse occurred in 14 (34%) patients with
      rhuGM-CSF and in 18 (45%) patients with placebo. We conclude that continuous
      infusion of rhuGM-CSF after ABMT accelerates the regeneration of granulocytes and
      reduces the number of bacterial infections.

PMID- 1421391
TI  - Changes in T-helper cell function in human immunodeficiency virus-infected
      children during didanosine therapy as a measure of antiretroviral activity.
AB  - Didanosine has shown activity against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in
      both children and adults. We prospectively assessed T-helper cell (Th) function
      as determined by in vitro interleukin-2 (IL-2) production in response to a panel
      of T-cell stimuli in 22 HIV-infected children before and during didanosine
      therapy and we correlated the incidence of opportunistic and recurrent bacterial
      infections with changes in p24 antigen and CD4 counts. Didanosine (270, 360, or
      540 mg/m2/d) was administered orally for periods ranging from 8 to 40 weeks
      (mean, 24 weeks). Five of six asymptomatic patients (Centers for Disease Control
      P-1) compared with 6 of 16 symptomatic (P-2) patients exhibited improved Th
      function (greater than threefold increase in IL-2 production to at least 2 of the
      4 stimuli) during therapy. Of 12 patients without infections during therapy, 9
      (75%) showed improvement in Th function, compared with only 2 of 10 patients with
      infections (P = .03). Notably, the incidence of infections was not correlated
      with improvements in CD4 count or decreases in p24 antigen. Improvement in Th
      function during didanosine therapy is correlated with decreased incidence of
      infections. Assessment of Th function may provide an additional measurement of
      immunologic response to antiretroviral therapy.

PMID- 1421392
TI  - Monoclonal antibody against the common beta subunit (beta c) of the human
      interleukin-3 (IL-3), IL-5, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor
      receptors shows upregulation of beta c by IL-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha.
AB  - High-affinity receptors for human granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating
      factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-3 (IL-3), and IL-5 are composed of two distinct
      subunits, alpha and beta. Each receptor has its own ligand-specific alpha
      subunit, and the three receptors share the common beta subunit, beta c. Using a
      transfectant of NIH3T3 cells expressing the high-affinity human GM-CSF receptor,
      monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) against beta c were generated. These MoAbs
      specifically bound to cells bearing beta c and immunoprecipitated the beta c
      protein of 120 Kd. Using these MoAbs, expression of beta c was examined. It is
      known that IL-1 augments the proliferative response of a human factor-dependent
      hematopoietic cell line TF-1 to either GM-CSF, IL-3, or IL-5, and that it
      upregulates the high-affinity receptors for GM-CSF, IL-3, and IL-5. Antibody
      binding and immunoprecipitation demonstrated that IL-1 increased cell surface
      expression of beta c. This enhancement by IL-1 was accompanied by an increased
      level of beta c mRNA. In addition, we found that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF
      alpha) also increased the expression of beta c, although it did not augment the
      proliferative response of TF-1 to GM-CSF, IL-3, and IL-5.

PMID- 1421393
TI  - Role of monocytes in the expansion of human activated natural killer cells.
AB  - We have studied the mechanisms underlying expansion of recombinant interleukin-2
      (rIL-2)-stimulated natural killer (NK) cells in vitro. A population of NK cells
      expressing the CD56+/CD3-phenotype (98.9% +/- 0.42%) was obtained from normal
      human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) by fluorescence-activated cell
      sorting (FACS). Culture of NK cells in media containing rIL-2 (1,000 U/mL) for 18
      days resulted in a population of activated NK cells (ANK) with significantly
      enhanced cytotoxicity, but only 2.6 +/- 0.56-fold expansion of cell number
      compared with the starting NK population. Culture of starting NK populations and
      autologous PBMNC in a Transwell system (Costar, Cambridge, MA), providing
      separation of the two cell populations by a 0.4-microns pore membrane, resulted
      in a dose-dependent increase in fold expansion of ANK (expansion = 19.9 +/- 4.0
      fold; P < .001; n = 22) significantly greater than that observed when NK were
      cultured alone. Further experiments using the Transwell system showed that the
      stimulatory effect of autologous PBMNC on ANK progenitor proliferation resides in
      the CD14+ monocyte fraction (maximal expansion = 14.5 +/- 1.5-fold; n = 17) and
      not in the CD5+ T-lymphocyte or CD19+ B-lymphocyte fractions. Direct coculture of
      purified NK and autologous monocytes in the same compartment, thus permitting
      cell-cell contact, resulted in significantly greater expansion of the ANK
      population (30.6 +/- 4.7-fold expansion, P < .001; n = 10) than that observed
      when NK and monocytes were separated by the Transwell membrane. Finally,
      depletion of PBMNC of cells bearing CD5 and CD8 by panning on antibody-coated
      plastic flasks resulted in a starting cell population enriched for NK progenitors
      and for monocytes. Cultures of this resultant population for 18 days in the
      presence of rIL-2 yielded an ANK population similar to that obtained when
      CD56+/CD3- cells obtained by FACS were cocultured with autologous monocytes.
      These results suggest that proliferation of ANK requires autologous monocytes and
      is in part mediated by humoral factors, but is enhanced when NK and monocytes are
      in direct cell-cell contact. Depletion of cells bearing CD5 and CD8 from PBMNC is
      a single efficient method for obtaining a starting population capable of
      producing large numbers of ANK in culture that may lead to new therapeutic uses
      for the ANK population.

PMID- 1421394
TI  - Calpain activity in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura is
      associated with platelet microparticles.
AB  - Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is characterized by thrombocytopenia
      and disseminated platelet thrombi throughout the microvasculature. Studies by our
      group have demonstrated calcium-dependent proteolytic activity (calpain) that is
      no longer detectable in the serum of patients with acute TTP after their
      recovery. The purpose of this study was to investigate if the protease activity
      of TTP was detectable in plasma and, therefore, not an in vitro phenomenon
      secondary to the formation of serum. Additionally, we looked for evidence of
      membrane association of the active protease in the patients' samples, which would
      explain the persistence of its activity in the presence of plasma inhibitors.
      Acute TTP samples, both serum and plasma, were collected from 10 patients with
      TTP. Calpain was measured using bioassays for enzyme activity and also by
      detection of the protein using immunoblotting with an anticalpain monoclonal
      antibody (MoAb). In all instances, calpain could be detected both functionally
      and antigenically in the acute TTP sera and plasma. No calpain activity could be
      detected in any of the controls, although antigenic calpain was detectable in one
      sample from a patient who had undergone cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. To
      investigate whether the calpain was associated with microparticles in the plasma,
      the TTP plasma samples were ultrafiltered and ultracentrifuged. Activity was not
      lost by passage across a 0.2-micron filter but was detectable only in the pellet
      following ultracentrifugation. Membrane association of the calpain in the
      microparticles also was demonstrated using solubilization with Triton X-100.
      Immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that the calpain activity could be
      removed by MoAbs against platelet membrane glycoproteins (IX and IIb/IIa) but not
      by a MoAb against red blood cell membrane glycophorin. These studies indicate
      that active calpain is associated with platelet microparticles in plasma from
      patients with TTP.

PMID- 1421395
TI  - Characterization of platelet-releasable forms of beta-amyloid precursor proteins:
      the effect of thrombin.
AB  - Activated platelets release a potent inhibitor of factor XIa previously
      identified as a Kunitz proteinase inhibitor domain-containing form of the beta
      amyloid precursor proteins (beta APP). Two carboxy-terminal truncated forms of
      the beta APP, beta APP-751 and beta APP-770, are shown to be the predominant
      isoforms secreted by platelets. The release of beta APP from platelets is
      responsible for the higher concentration of beta APP in serum compared with
      plasma, and thrombin dose-response data show that release of beta APP is most
      consistent with alpha granule localization within the platelet. Thrombin induces
      a limited and specific proteolysis of platelet-secreted beta APP, resulting in
      loss of a carboxy-terminal fragment. This phenomena is dependent on both thrombin
      concentration and duration of incubation and is inhibited by the thrombin
      specific inhibitor hirudin, characteristics that can be duplicated in a mixture
      of purified recombinant beta APP-751 and thrombin. A similar effect of thrombin
      on full-length transmembrane forms of beta APP would result in a membrane-bound
      remnant containing the intact beta-amyloid protein.

PMID- 1421396
TI  - Response of human platelets to activating monoclonal antibodies: importance of Fc
      gamma RII (CD32) phenotype and level of expression.
AB  - Certain monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) specific for platelet membrane
      glycoproteins are known to be capable of activating platelets, and it is
      generally thought that platelets from normal subjects are equally susceptible to
      stimulation by such MoAbs. We found that platelets from 20 normal donors varied
      significantly in their sensitivity to three IgG1 murine MoAbs specific for
      membrane glycoproteins CD9, GPIV (CD36), and the GPIIb/IIIa complex (CD41),
      respectively. The response of platelets to these MoAbs was blocked by prior
      addition of MoAb IV.3 specific for the Fc gamma RII receptor, indicating that
      activation was Fc receptor mediated. Platelets that responded poorly to these
      MoAbs failed to bind the MoAb 41H.16, specific for the "responder" form of Fc
      gamma RII, but platelets that responded well reacted with this MoAb. The average
      number of Fc gamma RII receptors on platelets from "responders" and "non
      responders" was approximately the same. However, the number of Fc gamma RII
      receptors expressed influenced sensitivity of a subgroup of "responder" platelets
      to the anti-CD41 MoAb. These platelets were judged on the basis of MoAb binding
      studies to be heterozygous for the two alleles of Fc gamma RIIA. In contrast to
      their varying sensitivity to IgG1 MoAbs, members of the platelet panel responded
      equally well to 50H.19, an IgG2a MoAb specific for CD9, and these responses could
      not be blocked by MoAb IV.3 in the presence of plasma. This appears to be because
      of dual actions of 50H.19 on platelets: one FcR-dependent and the other
      complement-dependent. Our findings confirm previous reports that certain IgG1
      MoAbs activate platelets through binding of their Fc domains to Fc gamma RII
      receptors and demonstrate that this response is influenced both by Fc gamma RII
      phenotype and (in the case of the anti-CD41 MoAb) by the number of Fc gamma RII
      receptors expressed. The failure of nonresponding platelets to bind detectable
      amounts of MoAb 41H.16, which is thought to recognize all Fc gamma RII receptors
      except for one allele of the Fc gamma RIIA gene, is consistent with the
      possibility that Fc gamma RIIA gene products, but not Fc gamma RIIB or Fc gamma
      RIIC gene products, are expressed on platelets.

PMID- 1421397
TI  - Presence of active and latent type 1 plasminogen activator inhibitor associated
      with porcine platelets.
AB  - Data from a number of laboratories indicate that human platelets contain type I
      plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) primarily in a latent form; however, one
      report (Biochemistry 28:5773, 1989) indicated that it is predominantly the active
      form of PAI-1 that is present in and can be purified from an ammonium sulfate
      precipitate of porcine platelets. To clarify this situation, we investigated and
      compared the status of PAI-1 in porcine and human platelets. Immunologic analysis
      of the ability of PAI-1 to form complexes with immobilized t-PA indicated that
      porcine and human platelets contained 3.7 +/- 0.4 and 1.7 +/- 0.3 U of PAI
      activity per 10(8) platelets (n = 6; +/- SD), respectively; sodium dodecyl
      sulfate (SDS)-activation of the lysates increased PAI-1 activity to 10.8 +/- 3.0
      and 3.8 +/- 0.5 U per 10(8) platelets. Platelet lysates were also treated with an
      excess of soluble t-PA, which formed complexes with active PAI-1, whereas the
      latent form was detected by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and reverse
      fibrin autography. Furthermore, immobilized t-PA was able to deplete active PAI-1
      from the platelet extracts, and the latent form remaining in the absorbed extract
      could be quantitated by activation with 4 mol/L guanidine. To investigate the
      differences between our observations and the published data, porcine platelets
      were extracted, and PAI-1 was partially purified as described in the literature.
      For quantitative analysis, porcine platelet PAI-1 was also purified to
      homogeneity using standard chromatographic procedures optimized in our laboratory
      for endothelial PAI-1, and the purified protein was used to develop an enzyme
      linked immunoabsorbent assay for porcine PAI-1 antigen. Our results indicate
      that: (1) latent PAI-1 in concentrated ammonium sulfate precipitates of porcine
      platelet lysates cannot be detected unless the precipitates are diluted before
      treatment with denaturants; and (2) active and latent porcine platelet PAI-1 can
      be separated by gel filtration over molecular sieving columns. In summary, this
      report documents that PAI-1 in porcine platelets is present in both an active and
      a latent form.

PMID- 1421398
TI  - Prothrombin Himi: a compound heterozygote for two dysfunctional prothrombin
      molecules (Met-337-->Thr and Arg-388-->His).
AB  - A congenitally dysfunctional form of prothrombin, Prothrombin Himi, shows reduced
      fibrinogen clotting activity, although it retains full hydrolytic activity toward
      synthetic substrates. To elucidate the structural abnormality of the variant
      prothrombin, we first performed genetic analysis of dysprothrombin. Polymerase
      chain reaction amplification of the exons 8 through 14 of the proband and her
      family members' prothrombin genes, which code the thrombin moiety, followed by
      single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis, identified two variant
      conformers in exon 10 specific to this family. One variant allele detected in the
      father was inherited by the proband and one of her sisters, and the other
      detected in the mother was also inherited by them. This result indicates that the
      proband has two different base pair changes in the gene. Sequencing showed two
      novel point mutations in the proband's gene. One is a T to C transition at
      position 8751, resulting in the substitution of threonine for methionine at codon
      337 (Thrombin Himi I). The other is a G to A transition at 8904, resulting in the
      substitution of histidine for arginine at codon 388 (Thrombin Himi II). By
      sequencing analysis of her parents, it was determined that Thrombin Himi I was
      inherited from the father and Thrombin Himi II from the mother. These results
      confirm that Prothrombin Himi is compound heterozygous for two dysfunctional
      prothrombin molecules.

PMID- 1421399
TI  - Importance of platelets in experimental venous thrombosis in the rat.
AB  - Venous thrombosis was induced by ligature of the inferior vena cava in rats whose
      blood was made hypercoagulable by intravenous (IV) administration of tissue
      thromboplastin. From a dose-response showing that the administration of
      increasing doses of tissue thromboplastin resulted in a subsequent progressive
      increase of thrombus weight, two concentrations of tissue thromboplastin were
      chosen: a high dose (550 microL/kg, IV) where thrombus formation was optimal and
      a concentration (7 microL/kg, IV) where tissue thromboplastin-hypercoagulability
      was intermediate. In both experimental conditions, leukopenia provoked by a
      myelotoxic drug did not influence the development of venous thrombosis. However,
      after thrombocytopenia induced by an antiplatelet antiserum, a dramatic decrease
      in thrombus formation was observed in animals that had been pre-challenged with
      the lower dose of tissue thromboplastin, whereas decrease in platelet count did
      not affect venous thrombosis under high thrombogenic challenge. When administered
      orally 2 hours before thrombosis induction, the ticlopidine analogue clopidogrel
      showed dose-dependent inhibition of thrombus formation in animals that were pre
      challenged with a low dose of tissue thromboplastin (ED50 = 7.9 +/- 1.5 mg/kg,
      orally) but remained ineffective against high tissue thromboplastin-induced
      venous thrombosis. We further determined the effect of heparin and hirudin, and
      showed that both of these drugs exhibited a more potent antithrombotic activity
      after injection of the lower dose of tissue thromboplastin than after injection
      of a high dose of tissue thromboplastin. Therefore, using our model of stasis and
      hypercoagulability, platelet activation played a major role in the development of
      venous thrombosis when the thrombogenitic stimulus was mild.

PMID- 1421401
TI  - Characterization of adhesion molecules on human myeloma cell lines.
AB  - In multiple myeloma, malignant plasma cells are localized in marrow and rarely
      circulate in peripheral blood. To investigate the role of adhesion proteins in
      this process, we determined the expression and function of adhesion molecules on
      cell lines derived from patients with myeloma. The U266, ARH-77, IM-9, and HS
      Sultan cell lines strongly expressed beta 1 and alpha 4 integrins (89% to 98%
      positive), confirming that VLA-4 is the principal integrin on these cell lines.
      The U266 and IM-9 cell lines also expressed alpha 3 integrin on 15% to 20% cells.
      In contrast, all lines lacked cell surface alpha 2, alpha 5, and alpha 6 integrin
      expression (< 5% positive). These cell lines adhered to fibronectin (20% to 40%
      specific binding), without significant binding to either collagen or laminin.
      Adhesion of these cell lines to fibronectin was partially blocked with either
      anti-beta 1 integrin monoclonal antibody (MoAb) (75% inhibition), anti-alpha 4
      integrin MoAb (75% inhibition), or RGD peptide (50% inhibition), but was
      unaffected by anti-alpha v beta 3 or anti-alpha IIb beta 3 MoAbs. Moreover, the
      combination of anti-beta 1 plus RGD peptide or anti-alpha 4 plus RGD peptide
      inhibited binding to fibronectin by 80% and 95%, respectively. Finally,
      pretreatment and coculture of the IM-9 cell line with interleukin-6 (IL-6)
      resulted in a 52% decrease in specific binding to fibronectin (30% +/- 6% to 15%
      +/- 6%; P = .001), associated with a decrease in the number of cells expressing
      VLA-4 and a decrease in intensity of VLA-4 expression. These data suggest that
      myeloma cells adhere to fibronectin through VLA-4 as well as through RGD
      dependent mechanisms, and that this binding can be downregulated by IL-6. Future
      studies of binding of both myeloma cell lines and freshly isolated tumor cells to
      extracellular matrix proteins and to marrow stroma may enhance our understanding
      of localization and trafficking of cells within the bone marrow microenvironment.

PMID- 1421400
TI  - Variable region gene analysis of an isotype-switched (IgA) variant of chronic
      lymphocytic leukemia.
AB  - Chronic lymphocytic leukemia of B-cell origin (B-CLL) is generally thought to
      arise by neoplastic transformation of B lymphocytes, which express CD5 and have
      features of an early stage of B-cell differentiation. To study isotype-switched B
      CLL as a potentially more differentiated variant, we performed genetic and
      functional immunoglobulin (Ig) gene analysis in two cases of CD5+ B-CLL in which
      the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) secreted predominantly IgA (CLL
      249) or IgG (CLL-412) when stimulated with pokeweed mitogen in vitro. By cDNA
      sequencing and by studies of CLL-heterohybridomas, CLL-249 expresses the heavy
      chain constant region C alpha as anticipated, while CLL-412 expresses C mu, not C
      gamma. In CLL-249, the expressed VH gene is 98% homologous to VH26, a germline
      VH3 gene that occurs frequently in the fetal repertoire, and which has been
      associated with anti-DNA specificity. The VL gene of CLL-249 is a lambda VL gene
      for which the germline sequence is not known. In CLL-412, the VH gene is 100%
      homologous to the VH1 gene of a published anti-DNA antibody (21/28), and is
      probably a germline gene sequence; the VL gene is 100% homologous to 15AVKI, also
      a germline gene. The supernatant antibody of the CLL-412 heterohybridoma is an
      IgM-kappa, which reacts with ssDNA and cardiolipin. The CLL-249 heterohybridoma
      secreted IgA-lambda, which bound none of the antigens tested, a finding that may
      be related to amino acid differences from the probable germline V genes. The
      demonstration of an in vivo isotype-switched variant, such as CLL-249, suggests
      that B-CLL may be a heterogeneous group of clonal disorders, of which less common
      variants may have features of more differentiated B-cell stages, such as isotype
      switching.

PMID- 1421402
TI  - A new in situ hybridization technique for spliced RNA species documents the bone
      marrow origin of pulmonary macrophages in chronic myelogenous leukemia.
AB  - Tissue macrophages derive from monocytes of bone marrow origin. Because monocytes
      from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) contain the Philadelphia
      chromosome (Ph), it seemed probable that tissue macrophages in CML would
      originate from the malignant clone. Using powerful molecular techniques, we
      studied pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAM) from two patients with CML. PAM from
      Patient 1, a patient in chronic phase studied before bone marrow transplantation
      (BMT), contained the Ph by Southern blot analysis. Patient 2, an accelerated
      phase patient, was studied after post-BMT relapse. PAM from this patient not only
      contained the Ph, but also expressed the BCR/ABL message documented by a new
      splice junction in situ hybridization technique. This new technique allows
      detection of BCR/ABL mRNA and determination of splice useage in individual cells.
      These data confirm the continued replenishing of PAM from peripheral blood
      monocytes in non-BMT settings and represent the first direct evidence that tissue
      macrophages are derived from the malignant clone in patients with CML.

PMID- 1421403
TI  - Evidence that multiple myeloma Ig heavy chain VDJ genes contain somatic mutations
      but show no intraclonal variation.
AB  - To investigate whether somatic hypermutation occurs in multiple myeloma (MM) Ig
      VH region genes, we have cloned and sequenced the expressed VH genes from five
      cases of MM. The sequences were obtained after polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on
      total RNA isolated from the bone marrow, using 5' VH family-specific leader and
      3' C gamma- or C alpha-specific primers. MM-specific CDR3 oligonucleotides were
      produced to isolate VH genes expressed by the malignant plasma cells. In all five
      cases, the productive Ig gene used the VH3 family. Extensive sequence analysis of
      multiple independent M13 clones showed no intraclonal variation with no evidence
      for ongoing somatic hypermutation in MM VH region genes. We were able to identify
      possible germline counterparts of the expressed VH genes in two cases. Comparison
      of these genes shows that the MM VH region genes have somatic mutations
      characteristic for an antigen-driven process. In the other three cases, no close
      homology could be found with published VH3 sequences. These findings implicate
      that, in MM, clonal proliferation takes place in a cell type that has already
      passed through the phase of somatic hypermutation.

PMID- 1421404
TI  - Cell cycle kinetics in malignant lymphoma studied with in vivo iododeoxyuridine
      administration, nuclear Ki-67 staining, and flow cytometry.
AB  - Cell cycle kinetics of malignant lymphoma were investigated using in vivo
      labeling with iododeoxyuridine (IdUrd) and subsequent flow cytometry (FCM) of
      IdUrd/DNA and Ki-67/DNA. This approach provides an extensive cell kinetic profile
      from only one single tumor biopsy, including data upon the percentage of S-phase
      cells, the IdUrd labeling index (LI), Ki-67-derived growth fraction, duration of
      the S-phase, duration of the G1-phase, potential doubling time, cell production
      rate, and total cell cycle time. Tissue samples from 33 patients were studied:
      non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL; n = 22), Hodgkin's disease (HD; n = 7), and reactive
      hyperplasia (n = 4). In NHL, the percentage of S-phase cells, LI, growth
      fraction, duration of the S-phase, and cell production rate were significantly
      correlated with the histologic malignancy grade according to the Working
      Formulation (P < or = .02). Data found in HD were not essentially different from
      those in low-grade NHL and reactive hyperplasia. Remarkably, the duration of the
      S-phase, the duration of the G1-phase, and the total cell cycle time appeared to
      be rather independent of histologic malignancy grade within the NHL category. A
      significant correlation was observed between the IdUrd LI and the percentage of S
      phase cells, the growth fraction, the potential doubling time, and the cell
      production rate (P < .001), but not with the duration of the separate cell cycle
      phases (P > .05). Our data show (1) that it is feasible to obtain detailed
      information on the in vivo growth characteristics of malignant lymphoma; and (2)
      that the transition time through the different cell cycle phases widely varies,
      even within distinct histologic subgroups.

PMID- 1421406
TI  - Human common acute lymphoblastic leukemia-derived cell lines are competent to
      recombine their T-cell receptor delta/alpha regions along a hierarchically
      ordered pathway.
AB  - Rearrangements of the T-cell receptor (TCR) delta locus are observed in the
      majority of human B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALL) with a
      striking predominance of V delta 2(D)D delta 3 recombinations in common ALL
      (cALL) patients. Recently, we and others showed that almost 20% of cALL cases are
      characterized by further recombination of V delta 2(D)D delta 3 segments to J
      alpha elements, thereby deleting the TCR delta locus in analogy to the delta
      Rec/psi J alpha pathway in differentiating alpha/beta-positive T cells. We report
      here that two human cALL-derived cell lines, REH and Nalm-6, are competent to
      recombine the TCR delta/alpha locus under standard tissue culture conditions.
      Analysis of different REH subclones obtained by limiting dilution of the initial
      culture showed a biased recombination of V delta 2D delta 3 to distinct J alpha
      elements. During prolonged tissue culture, a subclone acquired growth advantage
      and displaced parental cells as well as other subclones. Frequently, the DJ
      junctions of REH subclones contained extended stretches of palindromic sequences
      derived from modified D delta 3 coding elements. The other cell line, Nalm-6,
      started the TCR delta/alpha recombination with an unusual signal joint of a
      cryptic recombinase signal sequence (RSS) upstream of D delta 3 to the 3' RSS of
      D delta 3. The RSS dimer was subsequently rearranged in all investigated
      subclones to an identical J alpha element. Both cell lines might become valuable
      tools to unravel the complex regulation of TCR delta/alpha recombination pathways
      in malignant and normal lymphopoiesis.

PMID- 1421405
TI  - Recombinant toxins containing the variable domains of the anti-Tac monoclonal
      antibody to the interleukin-2 receptor kill malignant cells from patients with
      chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
AB  - We have previously shown that the variable domains of the monoclonal antibody
      anti-Tac [anti-Tac(Fv)] can be fused to derivatives of Pseudomonas exotoxin (PE)
      or diphtheria toxin (DT) to produce recombinant immunotoxins that kill
      interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor-bearing cells. We now report that two of these
      single-chain recombinant immunotoxins, anti-Tac(Fv)-PE40KDEL and DT388-anti
      Tac(Fv), are cytotoxic toward peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from
      patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In anti-Tac(Fv)-PE40KDEL, anti
      Tac(Fv) is genetically fused to the amino terminus of PE40KDEL, a recombinant
      form of PE which contains amino acids 253-608 of PE and the -KDEL mutation at the
      carboxyl terminus. In DT388-anti-Tac(Fv), anti-Tac(Fv) is fused to the carboxyl
      terminus of the first 388 amino acids of DT. PBMCs from 14 patients were
      incubated with the recombinant toxins for 60 hours, and [3H]-leucine
      incorporation was measured. Anti-Tac(Fv)-PE40KDEL was cytotoxic to 7 of the 14
      patient samples, with half-maximal inhibition of protein synthesis (IC50)
      achieved at 1.2 to 9 ng/mL (1.8 to 13 x 10(-11) mol/L). DT388-anti-Tac(Fv) was
      cytotoxic to 11 of the 14 samples, with IC50s ranging from less than 1 to 250
      ng/mL. DT388-IL-2, in which the first 388 amino acids of DT are attached to IL-2,
      was marginally cytotoxic toward only 4 of 13 CLL samples tested with IC50s
      ranging from 100 to 550 ng/mL. Trypan blue staining of cells from several
      patients indicated that inhibition of protein synthesis correlated with cell
      death. Binding assays using [3H]-anti-Tac indicated that the CLL cells from nine
      of the patients contained between 400 and 2,500 sites per cell. Cells from
      another patient, which were resistant to both anti-Tac(Fv)-PE40KDEL and DT388
      anti-Tac(Fv), had less than 100 sites per cell. We conclude that anti-Tac(Fv)
      PE40KDEL and DT388-anti-Tac(Fv) can kill CLL cells which have low numbers of IL-2
      receptors, and should be investigated further for therapy of this disease.

PMID- 1421408
TI  - Exaggerated cation leak from oxygenated sickle red blood cells during
      deformation: evidence for a unique leak pathway.
AB  - An abnormal susceptibility of the sickle red blood cell (RBC) membrane to
      deformation could compromise its permeability barrier function and contribute to
      the exuberant cation leakiness occurring during the sickling phenomenon. We
      examined this hypothesis by subjecting RBCs at ambient oxygen tension to
      elliptical deformation, applying shear stress in a viscous medium under
      physiologic conditions. Compared with normal and high-reticulocyte control RBCs,
      sickle RBCs manifest an exaggerated K leak response to deformation. This leak is
      fully reversible, is both Cl and Ca independent, and at pHe 7.4 is fully balanced
      so that Kefflux equals Nainflux. This abnormal susceptibility is also evident in
      that the K leak in response to deformation occurs at an applied shear stress of
      only 141 dyne/cm2 for sickle RBCs, as compared to 204 dyne/cm2 for normal RBCs.
      Fresh sickle RBC membranes contain elevated amounts of lipid hydroperoxide, the
      presence of which is believed to provide the biochemical basis for enhanced
      deformation susceptibility. When examined at pHe 6.8, oxygenated sickle RBCs
      acquire an additional, unbalanced (Kefflux > Nainflux) component to the K leak
      increment specifically ascribable to deformation. Studies with inhibitors suggest
      that this additional component is not caused by a known leak pathway (eg, either
      K:Cl cotransport or the Gardos channel). This abnormal susceptibility of the
      sickle membrane to development of cation leakiness during deformation probably
      contributes to the exuberant cation leak taking place during RBC sickling.

PMID- 1421407
TI  - Characterization of the murine macrophage mannose receptor: demonstration that
      the downregulation of receptor expression mediated by interferon-gamma occurs at
      the level of transcription.
AB  - The macrophage mannose receptor (MMR) is a 175-Kd cell-surface transmembrane
      glycoprotein that is expressed on tissue macrophages where it functions both to
      mediate the uptake of mannose-rich glycoproteins and as a phagocytic receptor for
      bacteria, yeasts, and other pathogenic microorganisms. In this report we describe
      the cloning of the full-length cDNA of the mouse macrophage mannose receptor and
      we investigate the level at which interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) downregulates
      mannose receptor expression. The latter is a marker of the functional state of
      the cell as high levels are expressed on resident and inflammatory macrophages,
      whereas cells activated by treatment with IFN-gamma have decreased-to-absent cell
      surface mannose receptor expression. The murine MMR cDNA contains an open reading
      frame that predicts a protein of 1,456 amino acids. Transient expression of the
      protein in heterologous cells shows that this cDNA encodes a functional mannose
      receptor. The deduced amino acid sequence of this protein has an overall 82%
      homology with the human mannose receptor and as such, the ectodomain contains an
      N-terminus that is cysteine-rich followed by a fibronectin type II domain and
      eight carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs). The ectodomain is linked to a
      hydrophobic transmembrane region and a 46-amino acid cytoplasmic tail. All of the
      eight CRDs are particularly well conserved, especially CRD4, which shows 92%
      homology with the equivalent region of the human protein. Steady-state levels of
      murine MMR mRNA were measured in the macrophage cell line J774E, which is known
      to express the protein at the cell surface. These levels were decreased by a 4-
      to 8-hour incubation with IFN-gamma, but were almost abolished by overnight
      treatment with this cytokine. Nuclear run-on experiments showed that IFN-gamma
      inhibits MMR gene transcription. Therefore, the regulation of mannose receptor
      expression by IFN-gamma provides a novel system in which to study the mechanisms
      by which this cytokine represses gene expression.

PMID- 1421409
TI  - Molecular analysis of human glycophorin MiIX gene shows a silent segment transfer
      and untemplated mutation resulting from gene conversion via sequence repeats.
AB  - The human glycophorin (HGp) loci that define the red blood cell surface antigens
      of the MNSs blood group system exhibit considerable allelic variation. Previous
      studies have identified gene conversion events involving HGpA(alpha) and
      HGpB(delta) that produced delta-alpha-delta hybrid genes which differ in the
      location of breakpoints. This report presents the molecular analysis of HGpMilX,
      the first example of a reverse alpha-delta-alpha hybrid gene that specifies a
      newly described phenotype of the Miltenberger complex. A novel restriction
      fragment unique to the HGpMilX gene was detected by Southern blot hybridization.
      The structure of the genomic region encoding the entire extracellular domain of
      the MilX protein was determined. Nucleotide sequencing of amplified genomic DNA
      showed that a silent segment of the HGpB(delta) gene had been transposed to
      replace the internal part of exon III in the HGpA(alpha) gene, thereby resulting
      in the formation of the MilX allele with an alpha-delta-alpha configuration. The
      proximal alpha-delta breakpoint was found to be flanked by a direct repeat of the
      acceptor splice site, whereas the distal delta-alpha breakpoint was localized to
      a palindromic region. This DNA rearrangement, with a minimal transfer of 16
      templated nucleotides and a single mutation of untemplated adenyl nucleotide, not
      only created two intraexon hybrid junctions but transactivated the expression of
      a new stretch of amino acid residues in the MilX protein. Such a segment
      replacement may have occurred through the directional transfer from one duplex to
      the other via the mechanism of gene conversion. The occurrence of HGpMilX as
      another hybrid derived from parts of parent genes underlines the role of the
      recombinational "hotspot" in the generation of allelic diversity in the
      glycophorin family.

PMID- 1421410
TI  - O-linked oligosaccharides of glycophorins A and B in erythrocytes of two
      individuals with the Tn polyagglutinability syndrome.
AB  - Tn polyagglutinability syndrome is an acquired condition where erythrocytes
      express Tn neo-antigen and become susceptible to hemagglutination by the
      naturally occurring anti-Tn present in normal sera. Early studies had indicated
      that O-linked N-acetyl galactosamine was the sole serologic Tn determinant, but
      more recently O-linked NeuNAc alpha 2, 6GalNAc also has been implicated as a Tn
      antigen (sialosyl-Tn). However, none of these studies were performed on purified
      glycoproteins. In this report we examine oligosaccharides of glycophorins A and B
      purified from Tn erythrocytes of two affected individuals to establish how N- and
      O-linked saccharides differ from normal. Analysis of carbohydrate composition and
      treatment with N-glycanase showed that the Asn-linked unit of glycophorin A was
      not affected. O-linked oligosaccharides were obtained by beta-elimination in the
      presence of tritiated sodium borohydride. The reduced radiolabeled products were
      fractionated by Bio-Gel P-2 chromatography, and their structures were
      investigated by comparison with standards, by monosaccharide quantification, and
      by neuraminidases of known specificities. The results show that Tn glycophorins
      from both donors contain intact and truncated forms of trisaccharide and
      tetrasaccharide NeuNAc alpha 2,3Gal beta 1,3GalNAc and NeuNAc alpha 2,3Gal beta
      1,3- (NeuNAc alpha 2,6)GalNAc usually present in glycophorins A and B. The
      truncated forms include the protein O-linked monosaccharide, GalNAc and
      disaccharide, NeuNAc alpha 2,6GalNAc (major isomer). The presence of intact
      glycans in the total population of Tn erythrocytes was confirmed by their
      susceptibility to T activation after treatment with neuraminidase. The proportion
      of the four species was not identical in glycophorins of these two donors but, in
      both, the truncated units predominated and the amount of the disaccharide was
      approximately one half of that of the monosaccharide. The data are consistent
      with alterations in UDPGal:GalNAc beta 1,3galactosyl transferase that may have
      multiple molecular origins and with induction of a specific GalNAc protein alpha
      2,6 sialosyl transferase in Tn hematopoietic precursor cells. The molecular basis
      for these alterations awaits further study.

PMID- 1421412
TI  - Enhancement of T-cell-depleted bone marrow allografts in the absence of graft
      versus-host disease is mediated by CD8+ CD4- and not by CD8- CD4+ thymocytes.
AB  - Transplantation of T-cell-depleted C57BL/6-Nu/Nu ("nude") bone marrow (BM) into
      C3H/HeJ recipients, conditioned with 8 Gy total body irradiation plus
      chemotherapy with the myeloablative drug dimethyl myleran, resulted in poor
      hematopoietic reconstitution 14 days posttransplant, compared with
      transplantation with T-cell-depleted BM from normal C57BL/6 donors. Hematopoietic
      reconstitution of "nude" BM could be improved by the addition of
      (C57BL/6xC3H/HeJ)F1 thymocytes void of graft-versus-host activity. Enhancement of
      BM allografting by thymocytes is sensitive to low radiation doses (> or = 5.0 Gy)
      and can be achieved by transplanting the BM 24 hours before the administration of
      thymocytes. Fractionation of F1 thymocytes by differential agglutination with
      peanut agglutinin (PNA) and by fluorescence activated cell sorting showed that
      this hematopoietic enhancing activity is enriched in the unagglutinated (PNA-)
      thymocyte fraction and is mediated by PNA- CD8+ and not by PNA- CD4+ thymocytes.

PMID- 1421411
TI  - Silent human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection: a rare occurrence in a high
      risk heterosexual population.
AB  - A group of 58 heterosexual female partners (FP) of human immunodeficiency virus
      type 1 (HIV-1)-seropositive hemophiliacs was studied by conventional diagnostic
      methods such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot
      analysis to examine whether any had acquired HIV-1 infection through sexual
      transmission. A subset of 29 FP were asked to answer a detailed questionnaire
      concerning their health, use of "safer sex" techniques, and other risk factors
      for HIV-1 infection. They also had additional blood drawn for CD4 cell analysis,
      viral cultures, nef, gag, and env immunoblots, and polymerase chain reaction
      (PCR) analysis to assess the occurrence of "silent" HIV-1 infection in a high
      risk seronegative population. Among the 58 FP, three were found to be HIV-1
      seropositive on first testing, with no new seroconversions occurring with
      subsequent testing in the remaining 55. Two seropositive FP had the additional
      testing and were found to have positive viral cultures, as well as positive PCR
      results. All of the seronegative FP (n = 24) who had additional testing were
      negative in viral culture, had negative immunoblots, and had no HIV-1 nucleic
      acid sequences detected by PCR. Thus, in this population, silent HIV-1 infection
      appears to be a rare occurrence and antibody testing seems to correlate with the
      more sensitive techniques of PCR and viral cultures.

PMID- 1421413
TI  - Use of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in
      patients with lymphoid malignancies transplanted with unpurged or adjusted-dose
      mafosfamide-purged autologous marrow.
AB  - The neutropenia-related morbidity and mortality occurring after autologous bone
      marrow transplantation (ABMT) is increased by marrow purging procedures. While
      phase I through III clinical trials showed the enhancing activity of recombinant
      human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) on neutrophil
      recovery after ABMT with unpurged marrow, controversial results have been
      reported when purged marrow was used. Therefore, it was the aim of the present
      study to evaluate the efficacy of rhGM-CSF administration in a group of patients
      (n = 15) with lymphoid malignancies transplanted in complete remission with
      mafosfamide-purged (n = 10) or unpurged (n = 5) marrow. Mafosfamide
      concentrations used for marrow purging were evaluated on an individual basis by
      means of a recently described technique that destroys the granulocyte-macrophage
      (granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units [CFU-GM]) compartment, but spares
      50% of the more primitive stroma adherent colony-forming cells (CFU-Blast). rhGM
      CSF (10 micrograms/kg/d) was started within 24 hours of ABMT and administered in
      a 4-hour infusion daily until the absolute neutrophil count (ANC) reached 500 x
      10(6)/L and then for 7 more days. Patients receiving mafosfamide-purged or
      unpurged marrow failed to show any difference in terms of median number of days
      required to achieve an ANC > or = 500 x 10(6) (13 v 14.0, P > .4) cells/L. As
      compared with retrospective controls, granulocytic recovery was reduced by a
      median time of 11 (P < or = .0005) and 5 (P < or = .0005) days for patients
      grafted with purged and unpurged marrow, respectively. The number of CFU-GM (mean
      +/- SD) infused per kilogram of body weight was significantly lower in patients
      who received purged autografts as compared with those receiving unpurged
      autografts (0.85 +/- 0.79 x 10(4) v 15.7 +/- 9.2 x 10(4), P < or = .0005). The
      dose of CFU-GM progenitors infused per kilogram of body weight did not correlate
      (r = .031, P > .05) with the time required to reach an ANC > or = 500 x 10(6)
      cells/L. The number of CFU-Blast (mean +/- SD) infused per kilogram of body
      weight was not significantly different between patients who received purged or
      unpurged autografts (5.05 +/- 2.51 x 10(3)/kg v 6.18 +/- 2.66 x 10(3)/kg, P < or
      = .375). A statistically significant correlation (r = -.658, P < or = .05) was
      observed between the number of CFU-Blast infused and the number of days required
      to reach an ANC > or = 500 x 10(6) cells/L.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1421414
TI  - Analysis of T-cell receptor variability in transplanted patients with acute graft
      versus-host disease.
AB  - T lymphocytes play a pivotal role in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and largely
      contribute to the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect. Most mature T lymphocytes
      specifically recognize antigens through the alpha/beta T-cell receptor (TCR).
      Each alpha/beta TCR chain includes a constant region and a variable region, the
      latter being encoded by V-J alpha or V-D-J beta rearranged gene segments. To
      better characterize T cells involved in GVHD, V alpha and V beta gene segment
      usage was analyzed, after cDNA amplification, in peripheral blood mononuclear
      cells (PBMC) and skin samples from three patients with grade II cutaneous GVHD.
      At time of GVHD diagnosis (days 11, 22, and 25), when first signs of engraftment
      were detectable, virtually all V alpha and V beta subfamilies were represented in
      PBMC RNAs of the three recipients. These results suggest that diversified TCR
      gene segment expression is observed early after allogenic bone marrow
      transplantation (alloBMT). Lymphocytes infiltrating GVHD skin also expressed a
      large series of V alpha and V beta subfamily specificities. However, analysis of
      the V alpha and V beta amplified products showed substantial differences between
      PBMC and the skin lymphocyte RNAs. These observations indicate that a large
      variety of T lymphocytes are present at the disease site, while some of them may
      be specifically amplified or decreased in response to minor histocompatibility
      antigens (miHA). Further characterization of the latter T-cell subpopulations
      should lead to a better understanding of human in vivo responses directed at
      miHA.

PMID- 1421415
TI  - Optimization of busulfan dosage in children undergoing bone marrow
      transplantation: a pharmacokinetic study of dose escalation.
AB  - Busulfan (BU) is a widely used myeloablative and antineoplastic agent in clinical
      bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The lower incidence of BU-associated
      toxicities and lower therapeutic effectiveness in young children given BU doses
      based on body weight (ie, 16 mg/kg) is associated with altered pharmacokinetics
      of BU; the area under the curve (AUC) of BU concentration versus time is
      significantly less in these patients than those observed in older children and
      adults. To optimize BU dosage in young BMT recipients, we developed a dosage
      regimen based on body surface area (BSA) and determined BU pharmacokinetics and
      BU-associated toxicities. Seven children (median age, 3.9 years, range, 1.1 to
      5.7) undergoing allogeneic or autologous BMT for leukemia received 40 mg/m2/dose
      BU every 6 hours for 16 doses; BU concentrations were measured in the plasma, and
      AUCs were determined for each patient after the first and 13th doses. Expressed
      as a function of body weight, the median BU dosage was 26.4 mg/kg (range, 24.3 to
      28.2), a 60% increase over the BU dosage based on body weight. Four patients
      developed mucositis, and one of them also developed nonfatal hepatic veno
      occlusive disease (VOD). No patients receiving 40 mg/m2 BU developed
      neurotoxicity (eg, seizures) or interstitial pneumonitis. Prompt and sustained
      engraftment was observed in the allogeneic BMT recipients, and late graft failure
      was not seen. The mean BU AUCs were 1,105 mumol/L.min (range, 790 to 2,080) after
      the first dose and 1,022 mumol/L.min (range, 632 to 1,860) after the 13th dose of
      BU, comparable to the AUCs in adults given 16 mg/kg of BU. These studies suggest
      that, in young children, BSA-based dosing of BU (40 mg/m2) provides drug
      exposures (AUCs) closer to adult values with acceptable toxicities and may
      improve therapeutic effects.

PMID- 1421416
TI  - Eosinophils or large granular lymphocytes.

PMID- 1421417
TI  - Hematocrit and iron absorption.

PMID- 1421418
TI  - Serum levels of beta 2 microglobulin and interleukin-6 to differentiate
      monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.

PMID- 1421419
TI  - Interference of the IGF system as a strategy to inhibit breast cancer growth.
AB  - Experimental evidence suggests that human breast cancer cells can be regulated by
      the IGF-I and IGF-II present in the tumor stromal elements and/or by the
      endogenous tumor cell IGF-II in a paracrine or autocrine fashion. Thus, blockade
      of the receptor signalling pathway could lead to diminished tumor growth.
      Blockade of the type I IGF receptor by a monoclonal antibody (alpha IR3) has been
      used as a strategy to demonstrate the importance of the IGF pathway. Although
      alpha IR3 could not block serum-free growth of breast cancer cell lines, it could
      inhibit anchorage independent growth in most cell lines in the presence of serum.
      In vivo, alpha IR3 administered at the time of tumor cell inoculation could
      inhibit MDA-MB-231 tumor formation in athymic mice; however, inhibition of
      established tumors was not seen. Moreover, alpha IR3 could not inhibit tumor
      formation of the MCF-7 cell line in vivo. These results suggest that blockade of
      the type I IGF receptor can inhibit the growth of some breast cancer cells both
      in vitro and in vivo. Future anti-growth factor strategies include the
      combination of anti-IGF receptor antibodies with IGF neutralizing modalities, the
      dual blockade of growth factor receptors (epidermal growth factor receptor and
      type I IGF receptor), and combinations of steroid hormone antagonists and anti
      growth factor treatments to maximize tumor inhibition.

PMID- 1421421
TI  - Can the insulin-like growth factors regulate breast cancer growth?
AB  - Many laboratories have demonstrated that polypeptide growth factors stimulate
      human cancer cell growth in experimental systems. Despite this observation, a
      central question remains: can inhibition of peptide growth factor action inhibit
      tumor growth in humans? To answer this question, several other concerns must
      first be addressed. Which growth factors are critical for tumor growth? What are
      the specific cellular effectors for each growth factor? Can feasible therapies be
      designed to interrupt growth factor pathways? This issue of Breast Cancer
      Research and Treatment explores the relevance of the insulin-like growth factors
      to breast cancer cell growth.

PMID- 1421420
TI  - Insulin-like growth factor expression in breast cancer epithelium and stroma.
AB  - The insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are mitogens for many cancer cell types.
      In breast cancer cells, IGF-I and IGF-II have both been shown to stimulate cell
      proliferation. However, IGF-I mRNA has not been found in human breast cancer cell
      lines, making it unlikely that IGF-I is commonly expressed as an autocrine growth
      factor for breast cancer cells. Nevertheless, IGF-I mRNA can be detected in
      breast cancer tissue samples, and in situ hybridization studies have shown that
      the message originates from the stromal cells adjacent to normal lobules. IGF-II,
      on the other hand, has been detected in some breast cancer cell lines. In the
      estrogen receptor positive cell line T47-D, IGF-II mRNA was induced by estradiol.
      Furthermore, transfection of an IGF-II expression vector into a previously
      estrogen-dependent cell line resulted in hormone independent growth. Thus, IGF-II
      can be expressed as an autocrine growth factor in some breast cancers and its
      expression may, in part, result in hormone independence. Finally, stromal cells
      obtained from breast tissues showed that IGF-I was commonly expressed in
      fibroblasts derived from non-malignant biopsy specimens, while IGF-II mRNA was
      detected in fibroblasts adjacent to malignant tissue. These studies suggest that
      IGF-II expression may be important in both autocrine and paracrine regulation of
      breast cancer cell growth.

PMID- 1421422
TI  - Expression of IGF-I and IGF-II mRNA in breast tissue.
AB  - Expression of IGF-I and IGF-II was studied in human breast cancer tissues by in
      situ hybridization. IGF-I mRNA was detected only in stromal cells adjacent to
      normal breast epithelial cells. Stromal cells associated with the tumor cells did
      not contain IGF-I, nor did malignant or benign breast epithelial cells. In
      contrast, IGF-II mRNA was found in both the malignant epithelial cells and their
      adjacent stromal cells. These data imply that stromal cells associated with
      breast epithelium may switch expression from IGF-I to IGF-II during breast cancer
      evolution. This appearance of IGF-II expression may identify cancer-associated
      stromal cells that have a fetal phenotype.

PMID- 1421423
TI  - IGF-I and IGF-II expression in human breast cancer xenografts: relationship to
      hormone independence.
AB  - Although the growth of some estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancers can
      initially be hormonally manipulated, all will eventually escape hormonal control.
      It is possible that the expression of polypeptide growth factors is initially
      under the control of steroid hormones, while the hormone unresponsive state is
      characterized by constitutive expression of growth factors. We studied the
      relationship between hormone responsiveness and IGF expression in xenograft
      models. The ER+ T61 xenograft was established from a primary breast cancer and
      has been continually passaged in athymic mice. ER+ MCF-7 cells and ER-MDA-MB-231
      cells were grown in tissue culture and then inoculated into athymic mice. ER+
      xenograft growth was regulated by estrogen, but with opposite results--T61
      xenografts are inhibited by estrogen, while MCF-7 xenografts require estrogen for
      tumor formation. All xenografts expressed type I and II IGF receptors. Although
      T61 xenografts also express an alternatively spliced IGF-I mRNA, its expression
      was not regulated by estrogen. Both xenografts expressed IGF-II in a hormonally
      regulated manner--T61 levels were depressed by estrogen, while MCF-7 levels were
      increased. Thus, in these model systems, xenograft regulation of tumor growth is
      accompanied by parallel changes in IGF-II expression. In the estrogen independent
      MDA-MB-231 cells, IGF-II was constitutively expressed. These data show that IGF
      II expression correlates with estrogen treatment, suggesting that autocrine
      expression of IGF-II may mediate estrogen-regulated cell growth.

PMID- 1421424
TI  - Interactions of pro-cathepsin D and IGF-II on the mannose-6-phosphate/IGF-II
      receptor.
AB  - The mannose-6-phosphate (Man-6P)/IGF-II receptor is a multifunctional receptor
      which binds with a high affinity on distinct sites two strikingly different
      classes of ligands: IGF-II, and Man-6P bearing molecules such as lysosomal
      enzymes or other biologically relevant ligands (TGF beta precursor, EGF receptor,
      proliferin...). Binding of each ligand on its cognate site is severely decreased
      in the presence of the other type of ligand, thus revealing that the two distinct
      sites are strongly interacting (steric hindrance, conformational change). Any
      imbalance in ligands and receptor concentration in various pathological
      situations (transformation, tumor, altered hormonal levels...) is thus likely to
      perturb their associated biological functions in the targeting and routing of
      lysosomal enzymes or Man-6P ligands or in the autocrine/paracrine IGF-II--induced
      cellular responses.

PMID- 1421425
TI  - Type 1 IGF receptor in human breast diseases.
AB  - The first step of the action of IGF1 and IGF2 (IGFs) is their binding to membrane
      receptors. IGF binding sites have been characterized by competitive binding and
      cross-linking techniques in human breast cancer cell lines as well as in human
      breast cancers and in human benign breast diseases. IGF2 is a good competitor of
      125I-IGF1 binding to IGF1-R; insulin competes but with a potency 1/100 lower than
      the IGF1 potency. Chemical cross-linking experiments revealed that the apparent
      molecular weight of the IGF1-binding sites is 130,000. Alpha IR-3, a murine
      monoclonal antibody against the IGF1-R, blocks IGF1-binding to this receptor.
      This antibody inhibits the IGF1-stimulated growth of breast cancer cells.
      Therefore, the IGF1 specific binding sites correspond to the previously described
      type 1 IGF receptors (IGF1-R) in normal tissues. Cross-linking experiments with
      labeled IGF2 resulted in a major band of apparent Mr 260,000-270,000 that was
      inhibited by unlabeled IGF2 but not by insulin, and corresponds to the type 2 IGF
      receptor; a second band of apparent Mr 130,000 was inhibited by excess IGFs and
      insulin (Type I receptor). The alpha-IR3 inhibition of the IGF2 mitogenic
      activity suggest that IGF1-R partially mediates the growth effect of IGF2 in
      these cells. We and others have demonstrated that most breast cancer cell lines
      contain IGF1-R.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421428
TI  - A phase II study of sulofenur (LY186641) in gastric cancer.
AB  - Sulofenur is a novel diarylsulfonylurea with proven anti-tumor activity in murine
      tumor models. In this phase II study in patients with advanced gastric or
      gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma, 17 patients were treated with sulofenur orally
      at 700 mg/m2 for 14 days every 3 weeks. No tumor responses were seen. The main
      toxicities were anemia, methemoglobinemia and abnormalities in liver function
      tests. These toxicities precluded dose escalation. However, plasma levels of
      sulofenur, and its hydroxy and keto metabolites were probably insufficient to
      exert anti-tumor effect in comparison with data from murine studies. Further
      structure-activity studies are warranted.

PMID- 1421427
TI  - Tamoxifen reduces serum insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I).
AB  - Antiestrogens are widely used in the management of hormonally responsive breast
      cancer in both adjuvant and palliative settings, and are currently being
      evaluated as chemopreventive agents. The classical mechanism of action of these
      drugs involves inhibition of estrogen-stimulated neoplastic cell proliferation by
      blockade of estrogen receptors present on breast cancer cells. This paper reviews
      recent clinical and laboratory data that suggest that the commonly used
      antiestrogen tamoxifen also acts to reduce serum IGF-I levels. Estrogens appear
      to play a permissive role in growth hormone (GH) release by the pituitary gland
      and GH is known to stimulate IGF-I expression by hepatocytes. It is therefore
      possible that blockade of estrogen receptors in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis
      by tamoxifen interferes with GH release, leading to reduced hepatic IGF-I
      expression. In view of results suggesting that IGF-I is a more potent mitogen
      than estradiol for breast cancer cells and data demonstrating a positive
      correlation between estrogen receptor level and IGF-I receptor level of breast
      cancer cells, the IGF-I lowering effect of tamoxifen may contribute to the
      cytostatic activity of the drug. The interrelationships between steroid hormone
      physiology and IGF-I physiology may have relevance to a variety of commonly used
      treatments for hormonally responsive cancers.

PMID- 1421426
TI  - Progestin regulation of insulin and insulin-like growth factor I receptors in
      cultured human breast cancer cells.
AB  - Recent studies indicate that the insulin receptor (IR) content is higher in
      breast cancer cells than in normal mammary epithelial cells. This observation has
      been made both in tissue specimens from patients with breast cancer, and in
      various human cultured breast cancer cell lines. Investigations have now been
      undertaken to understand the role of progestins in the regulation of the IR and
      the closely related insulin like growth factors-I receptor (IGF-I-R).
      Pretreatment of T-47D cultured human breast cancer cell lines with progestins
      induced a time and dose dependent increase in IR content. This increase was due
      primarily to an effect of progestins to increase IR mRNA levels. Other steroid
      hormones including glucocortocoids, estrogen, and testosterone were without
      effect. In contrast to their up-regulation of the IR, progestins down-regulated
      the IGF-I-R at the level of mRNA. An analysis of the processes involved revealed
      that progestins increased the biosynthesis of a ligand for IGF-I receptor, IGF
      II. IGF-II in turn down-regulated the IGF-I-R. Thus these studies indicate that
      progestins have important effects on both the IR and the IGF-I-R. The effects of
      progestins on these and other growth factor receptors, therefore, may have an
      important role in the biology of breast cancers.

PMID- 1421429
TI  - Hydroxyurea modulates 5-fluorouracil antineoplastic activity in advanced head and
      neck carcinoma pretreated with chemotherapy.
AB  - After informed consent 21 patients with advanced head and neck cancer resistant
      to folinic acid/5-fluorouracil (FA/5FU + cisplatin) were treated with weekly
      FA/5FU plus low dose hydroxyurea (HU) to evaluate if HU could further modulate
      5FU antineoplastic activity. Five patients achieved a partial response (23.8%)
      which was short-lived (mean duration 6.5 months). Three patients (14%) had stable
      disease and 13 (62%) progressed. Among responders, four patients had epidermoidal
      carcinoma and one had clear cell carcinoma. Treatment was well tolerated and 5FU
      related toxicity was not apparently worsened by the addition of HU. The most
      frequent toxicities were nausea/vomiting (81%), diarrhea (52%) and leukopenia
      (57%). Grade 3 nausea/vomiting and leukopenia were recorded in only 19 and 9% of
      cases, respectively. One patient had grade 1 cutaneous toxicity and a second
      patient showed a hand-foot syndrome. These results suggest that HU may further
      positively modulate 5FU antineoplastic activity.

PMID- 1421431
TI  - Late doxorubicin cardiotoxicity.
AB  - The occurrence of late congestive heart failure (CHF) as the first clinical
      manifestation of doxorubicin-induced cardiac toxicity is unusual in children and
      very rare in adults. However, subclinical cardiac dysfunction is commonly
      detected in children years after treatment with doxorubicin containing regimens.
      We report a 58 year old woman who developed stage IV CHF 7 years after completion
      of doxorubicin treatment for carcinoma of the ovary. Occult cardiac dysfunction
      was first demonstrated by radionuclide angiography 6 years prior to the
      occurrence of the clinical manifestations. This unique course of the disease and
      the management of the CHF are discussed.

PMID- 1421430
TI  - Potential antineoplastic activity of keto-C-glycosides--a new family of
      cytostatic agents.
AB  - We have examined the biological activity of keto-C-glycosides (KCGs), a new
      family of drugs displaying antiproliferative and cytotoxic properties on tumor
      cells. KCG1, the most powerful drug tested on epithelial derived neoplastic
      cells, was 25-125 times more cytostatic on epithelial cells than on lymphoma. By
      contrast, KCG10 proved to be more cytostatic on lymphoma than on epithelial
      cells. Correlations were found between the cytostaticity of KCGs and their
      lipophilicity, and are discussed within the framework of the structure-activity
      and the structure-selectivity relationships.

PMID- 1421432
TI  - Cortical blindness--a catastrophic side effect of vincristine.
AB  - The term 'cortical blindness' indicates loss of sight due to bilateral lesions of
      the occipital lobes. It is a rare, but severe, side effect of chemotherapeutic
      agents. Cortical blindness was diagnosed in a 67 year old woman with
      leiomyosarcoma of the large bowel, treated by vincristine-containing
      chemotherapy. Cortical blindness without focal neurological signs and with two
      repeated normal brain computed tomography scans, in which there was no structural
      damage to the occipital lobes, suggests a metabolic or toxic reaction as a cause
      in our patients. The temporal relationship between vincristine treatment and
      cortical blindness implicates vincristine as the possible causative agent for
      this catastrophic phenomenon.

PMID- 1421433
TI  - Cisplatin-related Lhermitte's sign.
AB  - The sensation of a sudden electrical impulse travelling along the spine to the
      legs and feet on flexion of the neck has been known as Lhermitte's sign.
      Lhermitte's sign, as part of cisplatin-related neurotoxicity, was observed in
      four patients, with ovarian or lung cancer, simultaneously with peripheral
      neuropathy, after a dose of 375-700 mg/m2. The dose intensity (DI) of cisplatin
      in our patients ranged from 12.5 to 26.9 mg/m2/week. No direct relationship was
      found between DI and the timing of Lhermitte's sign. Other relevant causes for
      this sign were ruled out. The mechanism responsible for the development of
      Lhermitte's sign is unclear. Interruption of treatment with cisplatin may not
      prevent the appearance of Lhermitte's sign. In most of the reported cases in the
      literature this sign developed after the end of cisplatin courses.

PMID- 1421434
TI  - Hydroxyurea-induced cell death in human T lymphoma cells as related to imbalance
      in DNA/protein cycle and deoxyribonucleotide pools and DNA strand breaks.
AB  - The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanism(s) behind the cellular
      toxicity of therapeutic concentrations of hydroxyurea (HU). Treatment of human T
      lymphoma cells (CCRF-CEM) with 60-100 microM of HU for 24 h decreased the growth
      rate by 90% due to accumulation of cells in early S phase. It induced a marked
      imbalance in both the DNA/protein cycle (as measured by two-parameter flow
      cytometry) and the deoxyribonucleotide (dNTP) pools. HU treatment did not enhance
      the frequency of DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs), as measured by the alkaline
      unwinding technique. Cell viability was unaffected. However, removal of HU led to
      10-15% cell loss during the following 12 h period in parallel with increasing
      SSBs, and a rapid progression of cells through S and G2 stages. The unbalanced
      DNA to protein content per cell and the dNTP pools were normalized 6-12 and 24 h
      after removal of HU, respectively. These results show that marked changes in the
      DNA to protein ratio and dNTP pools alone are not directly lethal, but when
      combined with a high replicative DNA synthesis rate, as found after removal of
      HU, apparently lead to elevated cell death.

PMID- 1421435
TI  - A comparative study of the antitumor activities of 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine and
      its prodrug trimethoxybenzoyl-5'-deoxy-5-fluorocytidine (Ro09-1390) on human
      digestive organ cancer xenograft lines transplanted into nude mice.
AB  - 5'-Deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'-DFUR) is one of the oral fluoropyrimidines widely
      used in the treatment of gastric, colorectal and breast cancers in Japan. 5'-DFUR
      is converted to 5-fluorouracil by pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylase in the
      tumor. 5'-DFUR has toxic effects on the intestine and may cause severe diarrhea.
      Trimethoxybenzoyl-5'deoxy-5-fluorocytidine (Ro09-1390) is a prodrug of 5'-DFUR,
      which was developed to reduce the intestinal toxicity of 5'-DFUR. The present
      study was designed to assess the antitumor activity and spectrum of Ro09-1390,
      and to compare its efficacy with that of 5'-DFUR. Six digestive organ cancer
      xenograft lines (two gastric, one esophageal, one colorectal, one gall bladder
      and one bile duct cancers) were s.c. transplanted into nude mice. The agents were
      orally administered daily for 14 days at doses of 0.08-0.64 mmol/kg (1-8 times
      the maximal clinical dose of 5'-DFUR). Both 5'-DFUR and Ro09-1390 significantly
      inhibited the growth of two gastric cancer lines, and the IC50's for Ro09-1390 in
      both lines were lower than the respective values for 5'-DFUR. The esophageal,
      colorectal, gall bladder and bile duct cancer lines, however, were resistant to
      both agents. 5'-DFUR at 0.64 mmol/kg significantly inhibited the growth of these
      cancers, but with high mortality, and most mice receiving this dose died within
      14 days after the start of therapy, suffering from severe diarrhea and body
      weight loss. Ro09-1390 at the same dose resulted in low mortality, but evidenced
      similarly low antitumor activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421436
TI  - Expression of resistance to etoposide and vincristine in vitro and in vivo after
      X-irradiation of ovarian tumor cells.
AB  - Two human ovarian carcinoma cell lines (JA-T/P and SK-OV-3/P) were exposed to 10
      fractions of 5 Gy X-irradiation in vitro. Surviving populations generated
      sublines designated DXR-10 which expressed significant resistance to etoposide
      (VP-16) and vincristine (VCR), but not to adriamycin (ADR) or acute X
      irradiation, as judged by clonogenic assays. JA-T/P and JA-T/DXR-10 tumor cells
      were xenografted into nude mice and treated with a single dose of VCR (1.8
      mg/kg), VP-16 (24.5 mg/kg) or ADR (10.0 mg/kg) and 48 h later the surviving
      clonogenic cells in each tumor were quantitated. Significantly fewer colonies
      grew from the JA-T/P xenografts treated with either VCR or VP-16, as opposed to
      the JA-T/DXR-10 tumors, whilst comparable colony numbers were recorded after ADR
      treatment. These data suggest that the resistant phenotype following exposure to
      fractionated X-irradiation in vitro is also expressed in vivo.

PMID- 1421437
TI  - Influence of O6-methylguanine on DNA damage and cytotoxicity of temozolomide in
      L1210 mouse leukemia sensitive and resistant to chloroethylnitrosoureas.
AB  - Temozolomide is a new anticancer agent which in the early clinical investigation
      has shown promising antitumor activity. It decomposes spontaneously to the active
      metabolite of DTIC (MTIC). Temozolomide is more cytotoxic against L1210 than
      against a subline L1210/BCNU, resistant to chloroethylnitrosoureas. Using [methyl
      3H] temozolomide we found that after 1 h exposure the amount of O6-methylguanine
      (O6mGua) was twice as high in L1210 than in L1210/BCNU whereas the amount of N7
      mGua was approximately the same in the two cell lines. O6-alkylguanine DNA
      alkyltransferase (AT) levels were higher in L1210/BCNU than in L1210, supporting
      the view that the resistance to methyltriazenes is probably related to the
      efficient repair of O6mGua in L1210/BCNU. Exposure of L1210/BCNU cells to 0.4 mM
      O6mGua for 24 h resulted in a depletion of AT and in a higher temozolomide
      induced cytotoxicity. In the sensitive cell line L1210, temozolomide activity was
      not potentiated by O6mGua pretreatment. Moreover, in L1210/BCNU, O6mGua increased
      DNA single-strand breaks caused by temozolomide, suggesting that O6-guanine
      alkylation induces an excision repair mechanism in cells depleted in AT.

PMID- 1421439
TI  - SDZ PSC 833 and SDZ 280-446 are the most active of various resistance-modifying
      agents in restoring rhodamine-123 retention within multidrug resistant P388
      cells.
AB  - Multidrug resistance (MDR) of tumor cells may result from overexpression of P
      glycoprotein (Pgp) but may be down-modulated by resistance-modifying agents
      (RMAs). The cyclosporin SDZ PSC 833 and the cyclopeptolide SDZ 280-446 were found
      to be the strongest RMAs known to date for restoring the sensitivity of MDR cells
      to anticancer drugs, as well as for restoring their retention of daunomycin, a
      fluorescent anthracycline. Using rhodamine-123 (Rhod-123), another fluorescent
      probe of Pgp function which also differentiates sensitive and MDR cells, several
      RMAs were compared for their capacity to inhibit Pgp function. At variance with
      the data obtained with the daunomycin probe, a series of RMAs did not detectably
      restore Rhod-123 retention by the MDR cells. With the remaining RMAs, achieving
      the same levels of Rhod-123 retention required 3 times lower RMA concentrations
      when the RMA was added to the MDR cells for both the initial uptake and the
      efflux of Rhod-123 rather than for its uptake only. Nevertheless, the data
      emphasized the large superiority of SDZ PSC 833 and SDZ 280-446 over all other
      RMAs.

PMID- 1421438
TI  - Interferon modulation of 5-fluorouracil: use in neoadjuvant therapy inhibits
      experimental liver metastases in nude mice.
AB  - Experimental liver metastasis was studied in 4-5 week old athymic nude mice that
      were injected intrasplenically with a human colorectal tumor cell line (LoVo). A
      treatment schedule combining 5-fluorouracil and interferon (IFN) was previously
      shown to inhibit liver metastases. When this treatment was delayed until after
      splenectomy at 1, 2 and 3 weeks after tumor cell injections, liver metastases
      were not inhibited. However, when IFN was given during the interval between tumor
      cell injections and splenectomy (as neoadjuvant therapy), liver metastases were
      inhibited in the 2 and 3 week groups, but not in the 1 week group.

PMID- 1421440
TI  - Cyclophosphamide-induced suppressor cells in nude mice.
AB  - Lymphocytes regenerated after treatment with a high dose of cyclophosphamide (CY)
      were characterized in nude mice. Ten days after a single injection of 200 mg/kg
      CY into nude mice, regenerated spleen cells suppressed in vitro primary and
      second antibody production against sheep red blood cells. The CY-treated spleen
      cells exhibited normal natural killer (NK) activity, very low B and T cell
      content, but increases in cell surface charge [electrophoretic mobility (EPM)]
      and histamine receptors. The suppressor cells could not be removed by treatment
      with anti-Thy-1 plus complement (C), or treatment with antiasialo GM1 (aGM1) plus
      C, which abrogated NK activity. It was concluded that CY-treated spleen cells,
      which exhibited high EPM and histamine receptors, comprise the natural suppressor
      cells which are Ig-, Thy-1- and aGM-1.

PMID- 1421441
TI  - A diapause associated protein of the pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella
      Saunders.
AB  - A diapause associated protein was electrophoretically isolated from the hemolymph
      of diapausing last instar larvae of the pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella.
      This protein (M(r) approximately 490,000, glycolipoprotein) was given the name
      Pectinophora diapause protein (PDP). It is composed of one subunit (M(r)
      103,000). The concentration of PDP increased dramatically in the hemolymph of
      diapausing larvae from 17.4% in prediapause (PD) phase to 29.2% in early diapause
      (ED) phase reaching a level of 38.6% in larval hemolymph of middiapause (MD)
      phase. The concentrations of total proteins in the hemolymph of active feeding
      (A), PD, ED, and MD larvae were 69.8, 106,6, 113.3, and 118 mg/ml, respectively,
      while those in the fat body of the same larvae were 7.1, 7.4, 8.8, and 4.5 mg/g,
      respectively. In Pectinophora a drop in the concentration of fat body proteins
      coincided with a corresponding increase in hemolymph proteins, which suggests an
      active release of protein from the fat body into the hemolymph during the
      development of diapause. A partial amino acid sequence of pectinophorin showed
      the first 15 amino acids starting from the amino terminus of the peptide chain: N
      ALA-LYS-THR-ILEU-VAL-GLU-ASN-MET-PRO-PRO-THR-PRO-LEU-ASN-ALA-C.

PMID- 1421442
TI  - Development of specific RIA and ELISA to study trypsin modulating oostatic factor
      in mosquitoes.
AB  - Trypsin modulating oostatic factor (TMOF), a decapeptide (H-YDPAPPPPPP-OH) that
      signals the termination of trypsinlike enzyme biosynthesis in the mosquito
      midgut, was covalently bound to Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin using N
      hydroxysuccinimide and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. Polyclonal antibodies raised in
      rabbits against this conjugate were used to develop specific RIA and enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect the peptide hormone in female Aedes
      aegypti. TMOF and its analogs TMOF(B) (H-DYPAPPPPPP-OH), P4 (H-YDPAPPPP-OH), P1
      (H-YDPAP-OH), and poly-L-proline were tested with the antiserum. The antiserum
      fully recognized TMOF and partially recognized P4. Using both RIA and ELISA, we
      report that the amount of TMOF in the mosquito ovary is 100 +/- 20 ng (S.E.) and
      96 +/- 1.4 ng (S.E.), respectively, for each assay. Minute quantities of TMOF a
      thousandfold lower than in the ovary were found in the mosquito brain, indicating
      that the hormone is probably not neural but ovarian in origin.

PMID- 1421443
TI  - Oral toxicity to flesh flies of a neurotoxic polypeptide.
AB  - An insect selective neurotoxic polypeptide from venom of the scorpion Androctonus
      australis (AaIT, M(r) 8,000) was shown to cross the midgut of the flesh fly
      Sarcophaga falculata, using assays of oral toxicity, column chromatography, and
      microscopic autoradiography of the native and radioiodinated toxin. AaIT induced
      paralysis of flies within 1-2 h after oral administration, with a lethal dose
      (LD50) of 10 micrograms/100 mg of body weight. Oral toxicity was about 0.14% of
      toxicity by injection. Hemolymph collection 70-85 min after feeding flies with
      [125I]AaIT showed that 5% of ingested radioactivity appeared in hemolymph. Most
      of this represented degradation products, but included about 0.3% of the
      chromatographically intact toxin. In contrast, hemolymph of identically treated
      lepidopterous larvae (Manduca, Helioverpa [= Heliothis]) contained degradation
      products but no intact toxin. [125I]AaIT was shown to cross the midgut of
      Sarcophaga through a morphologically distinct segment of the midgut previously
      shown to be permeable to a cytotoxic, positively charged polypeptide of similar
      molecular weight. These results suggest that Sarcophaga midgut contains a
      morphologically and functionally distinct segment that transports small peptides,
      and that employment of neurotoxic polypeptides for insect control may be
      feasible. Activity might be greatly improved through modification and metabolic
      stabilization of active peptides.

PMID- 1421444
TI  - Anthropometric assessment of the nutritional status of patients with liver
      cirrhosis in an Italian population.
AB  - A poor nutritional status has repeatedly been described in advanced liver
      cirrhosis, but the exact prevalence of the defect and its relation to the
      aetiology and severity of liver disease in the Italian population are only partly
      known. Anthropometric measurements were carried out in 200 patients with
      cirrhosis (135 M, 65 F). Liver disease was related to alcohol abuse in 77 cases,
      but most patients had stopped alcohol for at least 6 months before study. In
      comparison to a normal elderly Italian and to an age-matched North-American
      population, 5 to 45% of male patients with cirrhosis and 10 to 30% of females had
      signs of malnutrition, the proportion being variable according to the test used.
      Male patients showed a remarkable reduction in muscle mass (30-45% of patients,
      mainly in the presence of moderate-to-severe or severe liver failure), whereas
      female patients showed a more remarkable reduction of fat stores (15-30% of
      cases), with advancing liver failure, and a less severe reduction in muscle mass.
      No direct effect of alcohol was demonstrated in this selected population.

PMID- 1421445
TI  - Clinicopathological assessment of gastric biopsy samples of patients with
      Helicobacter pylori infection--metronidazole resistance and compliance problems
      in the United Arab Emirates.
AB  - The significance of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection was assessed prospectively
      in forty-two patients with dyspepsia using histological, bacteriological and
      biopsy urease techniques. Thirty-eight patients (90.5%) were positive for HP
      infection and were treated with bismuth subcitrate (De Nol), tinidazole and
      doxycycline. HP was present in the antrum, corpus, fundus, duodenum and gastric
      juice in 36, 26, 23, 2 and 2 patients respectively (p < 0.01, X2 test).
      Histological assessment yielded more positive identifications of HP than the
      urease test (36 vs 28 positive cases, p < 0.01, McNemar's X2 test), while
      histology and bacteriology were virtually identical (38 vs 37 of 41 pairs, p >
      0.5, X2 test). There was a good correlation between bacterial and
      polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMNL) counts per high power field (r = 0.8; p <
      0.001; n = 34 pairs). There was resistance to metronidazole in 10 out of 16
      isolates, but no resistance was recorded against tetracycline (p < 0.001, X2
      test). Among the sixteen patients who attended follow-up endoscopy, there was
      clinical improvement and no evidence of HP in 5 individuals (31.25%). One patient
      had amelioration of his symptoms, 5 experienced no change and in 5 their symptoms
      became worse. Metronidazole resistance may be one of the important factors in the
      United Arab Emirates and elsewhere.

PMID- 1421447
TI  - Extrahepatic abdominal hydatidosis: surgical features of 11 cases.
AB  - We have described 11 cases of rare abdominal localization of hydatosis in the
      kidney, spleen and serous tissues. The clinical and surgical features have also
      been discussed.

PMID- 1421446
TI  - Interdigestive antro-duodenal motor disorders in functional dyspepsia. Associated
      chronic gastritis correlates with a further motor impairment.
AB  - The interdigestive antro-duodenal motor activity was studied in 12 dyspeptic
      patients without gastritis (group A), 12 dyspeptic patients with chronic
      superficial antral gastritis (group B) and 8 healthy controls (group C) by
      manometric recording of phases of the interdigestive motility cycle (IDMC)
      prolonged over 240 minutes. A significantly lower incidence of migrating motor
      complexes (MMCs) starting from the antrum was observed in dyspeptic patients with
      gastritis vs dyspeptic patients without gastritis (p = 0.02) and in these latter
      vs controls (p < 0.01). Likewise, the overall number of MMCs was smaller in
      patients with gastritis vs controls (p = 0.02). Symptomatic evaluation was
      performed in the two groups of dyspeptic patients, without detecting any
      differences in frequency and severity of individual and overall complaints. Our
      results confirm the role of interdigestive antral motor abnormalities in the
      genesis of dyspeptic syndrome and suggest that the presence of associated chronic
      superficial gastritis may correlate with a further motor impairment.

PMID- 1421448
TI  - The menstrual cycle has no effect on gastrointestinal transit time. Evaluation by
      means of the lactulose H2 breath test.
AB  - Gastrointestinal transit time was studied by means of the H2 breath test (after
      administration of 20 g of lactulose) in 20 healthy women with regular menstrual
      cycles. The mean transit time measured in the follicular phase of the cycle (M +/
      SE = 71.25 +/- 6.69 min) did not differ statistically from that measured in the
      luteal phase (66.75 +/- 5.49 min). Data were statistically analyzed using
      Student's t test for paired data and the Wilcoxon Test for non-parametric data.
      Our results show that, in physiological conditions, female sex hormones do not
      affect mouth-to-caecum transit time. The H2 breath test is easy to perform and
      well tolerated; it thus proves particularly suitable for use in women of child
      bearing age.

PMID- 1421449
TI  - Antigliadin antibody classes in chronic liver disease.
AB  - Antigliadin antibody (AGA) subtypes (IgG and IgA class) were tested in sera from
      67 patients with chronic liver disease of different aetiology (29 with primary
      biliary cirrhosis (PBC), 31 with chronic non-A non-B hepatitis, and 7 with
      autoimmune chronic active hepatitis (CAH) compared with 23 subjects with
      inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Nineteen patients with coeliac disease served
      as positive controls. IgA-AGA alone were found in 3.4% of patients with primary
      biliary cirrhosis and in 3.2% of non-A, non-B CAH. IgG-AGA alone were found in
      1.3% of patients with IBD, in 6.8% of primary biliary cirrhosis and in 14.2% of
      autoimmune CAH. IgA-AGA and IgG-AGA together were found in 6.8% of PBC and in 1
      patient with autoimmune CAH. Jejunal biopsy, performed in 7 out of the 2 patients
      with both IgA and IgG-AGA, showed the characteristic features of coeliac disease
      in one subject with autoimmune CAH. The same patient had the highest titre of
      AGA. In conclusion, these results indicate that AGA (either IgG and IgA) can be
      present at low titre in chronic liver disease and their presence may be secondary
      to the liver damage per se. High titres of AGA in chronic liver disease may
      suggest a real association with coeliac disease.

PMID- 1421450
TI  - Abdominal attack of hereditary angioedema associated with marked leucocytosis. A
      case report.
AB  - Hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks are not usually associated with an increase
      of peripheral blood leucocytes. In a 25-year-old woman suffering from HAE a
      marked leucocytosis (31,000/mm3) with polynucleosis was observed during a severe
      attack of the disease. Awareness of the underlying disease, physical examination
      and the results of instrumental investigations allowed for appropriate treatment
      avoiding invasive procedures. A leucocytosis of the severity observed in our
      patient suggests that the abdominal attack of HAE can involve the peritoneum as
      well as the intestinal mucosa. Thus, in a patient with an attack of abdominal
      pain the presence of leucocytosis does not exclude the diagnosis of HAE.

PMID- 1421451
TI  - Computed tomography in the identification of gallstones likely to respond to
      UDCA.
AB  - An unusual case of a patient with two biliary stones of different densities that
      responded differently to oral litholytic treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid
      (UDCA) is reported. The findings confirm, in an unusual experimental model, that
      CT is useful in the selection of those stones which have a high probability of
      dissolution under treatment with oral bile acids.

PMID- 1421452
TI  - Chronic bleeding caused by small bowel angiodysplasia: a problem of recognition
      and diagnosis.
AB  - Angiodysplasia of the gastrointestinal tract is a disorder consisting of ectasia
      of submucosal and mucosal vessels, which causes acute and chronic bleeding. We
      describe the case of a 58-year-old man with a history of recurrent lower
      intestinal bleeding and severe anemia. Endoscopy and X-ray examination of the
      gastrointestinal tract failed to show the source of bleeding. Selective
      angiography of the superior and inferior mesenteric arteries revealed a vascular
      ectasia. The patient underwent ileo-cecal resection with remarkable improvement
      after surgery.

PMID- 1421453
TI  - Enema reduction of childhood intussusception under ultrasound guidance.

PMID- 1421454
TI  - Iatrogenic haemobilia and ultrasonography: one more case.

PMID- 1421455
TI  - Factors that determine the cost and performance of early identification
      protocols.
AB  - In this paper, a simple model is used to examine the relation between important
      factors, such as prevalence of hearing loss, and protocol performance and cost.
      Protocol hit rate is determined primarily by the hit rate of the screening
      protocol and follow-up percentage, the percentage of infants who return for
      diagnostic testing. Many factors influence protocol cost. Not only does absolute
      cost change as certain model parameters are varied, but the relative cost of
      different protocols can change as well. The false alarm rate of the screening
      protocol and the follow-up percentage have the greatest impact on protocol cost.

PMID- 1421456
TI  - Predictability and reliability of hearing aid benefit measured using the PHAB.
AB  - This investigation explored the extent to which self-assessed hearing aid benefit
      measured by the Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (PHAB) could be predicted from
      adaptation to hearing loss and/or from communication difficulties reported
      without amplification. Adaptation to hearing loss was measured using 13 scales of
      the Communication Profile for the Hearing Impaired (CPHI). These were combined to
      produce three composite CPHI scores. Results from 58 experienced hearing aid
      wearers indicated that benefit was significantly related to magnitude of unaided
      difficulties for all seven PHAB subscales. In addition, one of the three
      composite CPHI scores contributed to benefit prediction for the two sound
      perception subscales of the PHAB. Test-retest reliability of PHAB subscale scores
      was evaluated for 28 subjects using correlations and difference distributions.
      Reliability was found to be consistent with previous studies but modest. Critical
      differences were large compared with the anticipated size of benefit differences
      due to, for example, different hearing aid prescriptions. It is concluded that
      the PHAB is best suited for group research: when used for individual subjects,
      the PHAB may not be sensitive enough to detect important differences between
      hearing aid conditions.

PMID- 1421457
TI  - Effects of interaural speech-recognition differences on binaural advantage for
      speech in noise.
AB  - The relationship between interaural differences in speech-recognition performance
      and binaural advantage for speech in noise was studied. Subjects were five
      hearing-impaired listeners with symmetrical pure-tone air-conduction audiograms
      and significant interaural differences in speech recognition. All subjects
      repeated nonsense syllables in the presence of competing noise in monaural and
      binaural conditions. Binaural advantage was calculated as the difference in
      signal-to-noise ratio that afforded 50 percent correct performance between the
      monaural and binaural conditions. The results were diverse. Although the majority
      of the subjects retained some degree of binaural advantage, a conclusive
      relationship between interaural differences in speech recognition and binaural
      advantage could not be established. The implications for binaural hearing aid
      fittings are discussed.

PMID- 1421458
TI  - Acoustic-immittance screening for detection of middle-ear effusion in children.
AB  - The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity
      of the following acoustic-immittance protocols and their constituent measures for
      detection of middle-ear effusion in children: (a) tympanometric width; (b) absent
      ipsilateral acoustic reflex; (c) ASHA guidelines; (d) tympanometric peak
      pressure; and (e) static-acoustic middle-ear admittance. The middle-ear sample
      was composed of 82 ears of 54 subjects ranging in age from 3 to 11 years. The
      control (normal-hearing, normal middle-ear) sample was composed of 53 ears of 53
      subjects ranging in age from 3 to 10 years. Each subject was given a complete
      otolaryngologic evaluation (including pneumotoscopy and/or microtoscopy) and
      audiologic (including acoustic-immittance) evaluation. In the group of middle
      ears with normal-hearing sensitivity, the sensitivity and specificity of the ASHA
      guidelines were 63 percent and 79 percent, respectively. An acoustic-immittance
      screening protocol, based on all of the individual acoustic-immittance measures,
      and characterized by high sensitivity and specificity, is proposed.

PMID- 1421459
TI  - Effects of notch noise bandwidth on the auditory brainstem response to clicks.
AB  - The effects of notch width of notch masking noise on the auditory brainstem
      response (ABR) were investigated with ten normal-hearing subjects. Wave V
      latencies and amplitudes were measured to a click in quiet and in the presence of
      noise with notches centered around 1000 Hz and 4000 Hz. Notch width was either
      0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, or 2.5 octaves. A 95 dB SPL broadband noise was necessary to
      mask a 65 dB nHL click at an effective level of 73 dB nHL. All ten subjects at
      both 1000 Hz and 4000 Hz yielded identifiable responses for the click in quiet
      and for the 2.5 octave and 2.0 octave conditions, and eight or nine subjects
      responded to the 1.5 octave notch noise. In contrast, no responses were observed
      to the 0.5 octave condition, and only three or four subjects responded to the 1.0
      octave notch noise. These findings suggest that when ABRs are obtained to 65 dB
      nHL clicks in notch noise, the notch width should exceed 1.0 octave. Moreover,
      because of the relatively low amplitudes elicited with the 1.5 octave bandwidth,
      it appears preferable to select notches that are 2.0 to 2.5 octaves wide.
      Considering the wide bandwidth required, the high noise levels necessary to mask
      clicks, high ABR thresholds, and the difficulty setting the signal-to-noise
      ratio, it appears that tonepips are more promising than clicks in notch noise for
      assessing frequency specific ABRs.

PMID- 1421460
TI  - Adaptation of the auditory brainstem response: effects of click intensity,
      polarity, and position.
AB  - The aim of this research was to study the effects of several stimulus parameters
      on adaptation characteristics of the auditory brainstem response (ABR).
      Recordings were obtained from normal hearing adults to separate trains of 5
      rarefaction and 5 condensation clicks with interclick intervals of 10 msec and
      intertrain intervals of 500 msec at three intensities. Absolute latencies for
      waves I, III, and V were essentially unchanged by polarity; latency shifts,
      however, were induced by parametric manipulations of click intensity, polarity,
      and position in the train. Furthermore, variations in ABR wave morphology
      appeared with changes in intensity and polarity. Adaptation, as measured by
      amplitude, was considerable; the measures of adaptation, however, were not
      related in a simple manner to the latency shifts. The findings indicate that
      adaptation of the ABR is a consequence of an interplay of central and peripheral
      processes to click polarity, sequence, and intensity. Finally, the results
      provide evidence that when fast stimulus presentation rates are used to estimate
      thresholds rapidly, one must be aware that certain stimulus parameters can alter
      the ABR waveforms.

PMID- 1421461
TI  - Otoacoustic emissions, audiometric sensitivity loss, and speech understanding: a
      case study.
AB  - The clinical measurement of otoacoustic emissions can assist in differentiating
      between peripheral and central explanations for deficits in speech understanding.
      We present audiometric and distortion-product emission data in a case with
      sensorineural hearing loss and a deficit in speech understanding. The presence of
      evoked emissions argues against attributing the speech audiometric loss to
      cochlear defect.

PMID- 1421462
TI  - High-frequency thresholds: sound suite versus hospital room.
AB  - Benefits of high-frequency audiometry in monitoring hearing sensitivity of
      patients administered ototoxic medications are well established. Thresholds
      obtained within a sound suite have been proven reliable. It may, however, often
      be necessary for the audiologist to evaluate the patient at bedside. The primary
      purpose of this study was to determine if significant differences are present
      between high-frequency thresholds measured in a sound suite versus thresholds
      measured in a hospital room. In addition, the test-retest reliability of high
      frequency thresholds was determined when measured in a hospital room. For 25
      normal hearing subjects, results revealed that significant differences were not
      observed between thresholds measured in a sound suite versus those measured in a
      typical hospital room. In addition, differences between the initial and repeated
      thresholds obtained in the hospital room were not significant, and the
      differences were, for the most part, within +/- 10 dB at all test frequencies.

PMID- 1421463
TI  - Implications of audiologic success?

PMID- 1421464
TI  - Effects of interstimulus interval on slow phase velocity to ipsilateral warm air
      caloric stimulation in normal subjects.
AB  - This study investigated the effects of interstimulus interval on slow phase
      velocity (SPV) to ipsilateral warm air caloric stimulation in normal subjects.
      Results suggest that about 3 minutes should intervene between the offset of one
      irrigation and the onset of the second irrigation. This finding supports the
      hypothesis that carryover effects are likely only when nystagmus from the
      preceding irrigation overlaps the subsequent irrigation. If correct, clinicians
      do not have to wait a fixed time period between stimuli, but can initiate caloric
      stimulation as soon as nystagmus has ceased from the preceding irrigation. This
      recommendation compensates for individual and procedural differences. Test-retest
      reliability also was investigated. Findings suggest that when immediate test
      retest differences exceed approximately 6 degrees/second (95% confidence
      interval), the examiner should administer additional trials until stability is
      ascertained. Moreover, unusual or significant findings should be verified with
      repeat testing.

PMID- 1421465
TI  - SPIN test performance of elderly hearing-impaired listeners.
AB  - Normative information is available on the expected performance of hearing
      impaired individuals on the revised version of the Speech Perception in Noise
      (SPIN) test. This normative sample includes individuals with sensorineural
      hearing loss drawn from an age range of 19 to 69 years, with 79 percent of the
      sample being less than 65 years of age. In the present study, SPIN scores were
      obtained from both ears of 98 elderly, hearing-impaired listeners (age range: 60
      to 78 years). When the percent-correct scores on the High-Predictability (PH)
      items and on the Low-Predictability (PL) items are viewed as two separate
      measures, mean performance of the current "elderly-only" sample is similar to the
      performance of the original normative sample. However, for a certain percentage
      (18%) of the aged ears, the contextual cues provided in the PH sentences were not
      used as effectively as expected based on the normative guidelines.

PMID- 1421466
TI  - Responses of elderly hearing aid users on the hearing aid performance inventory.
AB  - The responses of hearing aid users aged 65 to 80 years to a 64-item measure of
      perceived benefit afforded by hearing aids were collected in order to develop
      normative data concerning the perceived benefit afforded specifically to elderly
      patients. Across most of the listening situations evaluated, the elderly
      respondents reported less perceived benefit than the generally younger listeners
      from the original normative study for this measure. For the current respondents,
      perceived hearing aid benefit was not related to variables such as average
      hearing loss, hearing aid style, or length of hearing aid use, but was related to
      hours per week of hearing aid use. A shortened version of this questionnaire is
      proposed, which uses just those questions most likely to be answered by elderly
      respondents.

PMID- 1421467
TI  - Comparison of Etymotic insert and TDH supra-aural earphones in auditory brainstem
      response measurement.
AB  - There are few systematic comparisons of Etymotic ER-3A insert earphones versus
      supra-aural earphones in auditory brainstem response (ABR) measurement. We
      compared ER-3A insert earphones and two types of supra-aural earphones (TDH-39P
      and TDH-49P) in a group of normal hearing adults. Acoustic analyses revealed
      spectral and temporal differences among earphones. Behavioral and ABR thresholds
      to click stimuli were slightly elevated with the ER-3A compared to the TDH
      earphones. The ER-3A earphones produced a latency delay, relative to the TDH
      earphones, that varied from about 0.8 to 1.0 msec, and increased at lower
      stimulus intensity levels. In addition, ABR wave I amplitude was significantly
      reduced with the ER-3A earphone. Based on these data, we recommend collection of
      normative data with the ER-3A earphones prior to their use in ABR measurement.

PMID- 1421468
TI  - Effects of cochlear hearing loss on the ABR latencies to clicks and 1000 Hz tone
      pips.
AB  - High-frequency hearing losses can substantially confound the interpretation of
      click-evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABRs). One method proposed to
      circumvent the problem is to use frequency-specific tone pips to stimulate
      equivalent areas on the basilar membrane in normal and pathologic groups, or in
      both ears of asymmetrically impaired patients. This retrospective study
      investigated the ABRs to clicks and 1000-Hz tone pips from 90 asymmetrically
      impaired subjects with cochlear pathology. The 4000 Hz threshold significantly
      affected the wave V latencies from both clicks and tone pips for the most
      severely impaired subjects. The wave V latencies were highly correlated between
      ears for both stimuli, but the correlation was higher with the 1000-Hz tone pips.
      It was concluded that the use of 1000-Hz tone pips can supplement the
      interpretation of click-evoked ABRs, particularly in patients whose 2000- and/or
      4000-Hz thresholds are worse than 75 dB HL.

PMID- 1421469
TI  - Evaluation of prescriptive fitting.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine the minimum tolerance needed when
      choosing a manufacturer who custom-built analog circuitry for all-in-the-ear
      hearing aids to match a popular prescriptive amplification formula. Given the
      tolerance, a second purpose was to evaluate fitting success by calculating the
      differences in prescribed versus preferred gain and pre- versus postfitting
      perceived benefits. Eight elderly adults with mild to moderate sensorineural
      hearing losses participated. Real ear measurements were obtained via a probe-tube
      microphone system. Even when providing for the optimal scenario of custom
      building the circuitry, the inherent limitations of analog technology allowed no
      better than a +/- 12 dB electroacoustic match to prescribed gain. Although the
      minimum tolerance found was less than previous studies, it was still considered
      excessive given the differences in prescribed gain among formulae. Regardless of
      the large tolerance and a preference for less gain than prescribed, the subjects
      reported substantial benefit with the fitting approach.

PMID- 1421470
TI  - Evaluation of the efficacy of a multimemory hearing aid.
AB  - Although multimemory hearing aids have theoretical advantages over conventional
      "single memory" hearing aids, research and clinical data are not available to
      support their efficacy. The present study reports on the usefulness of a
      commercially available multimemory hearing aid in daily listening situations.
      Nineteen elderly hearing-aid wearers were fitted with the Quattro Q8 hearing aid.
      A modified Simplex procedure was used to select the electroacoustic
      characteristics for each memory. Subjects wore the device home and reported their
      satisfaction with each memory on the hearing aid in different listening
      situations. Their impressions on the whole hearing aid and on the remote feature
      were also sampled. Although a majority of subjects showed preference for
      multimemory design, such observations may not be readily evident until after
      extended use of the device. Inconvenience and cost of the device may prohibit
      some hearing-impaired listeners from using the device.

PMID- 1421471
TI  - Auditory brainstem response to tone bursts in quiet, notch noise, highpass noise,
      and broadband noise.
AB  - This study investigated the effects of tone bursts (1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, and 4000
      Hz) in quiet, notch noise, highpass noise, and broadband noise on the
      identifiability, latency, and amplitude of the auditory brainstem response (wave
      V). Normal listeners were presented with 40 dB and 80 dB nHL tone bursts having
      rise-plateau-fall times of 1 msec. Wave V was observed in all subjects at 40 dB
      and 80 dB nHL for the quiet and noise conditions. The latency findings suggest
      that responses elicited by the 80 dB nHL tone bursts in quiet were, in part,
      mediated by regions on the basilar membrane that did not correspond to the center
      frequency of the tone burst. To increase frequency-specificity, high-level tone
      bursts (e.g., 80 dB nHL) should be mixed with notch, highpass, or broadband
      noise. The use of noise conditions for low intensity levels (e.g., 40 dB nHL)
      does not appear necessary for isolating the response because both the notch and
      the highpass conditions yielded latencies similar to the quiet condition.
      Although similar wave V amplitudes were found at all frequencies, amplitudes were
      smaller for the broadband noise than for the quiet, notch, and highpass
      conditions. Thus, the latter conditions seem preferred.

PMID- 1421472
TI  - Asymmetries in topographic brain maps of auditory evoked potentials in the
      elderly.
AB  - We compared topographic brain maps of the middle response (MR) and late response
      (LR) auditory evoked potentials in two groups of elderly males. Subjects were
      categorized on the basis of the performance of the poorer hearing ear on the
      Synthetic Sentence Identification (SSI) test. Evoked potentials, obtained in
      response to 1000-Hz tone pips and tone bursts, were recorded under three
      conditions of sound stimulation:binaural (BIN), left ear only (LE), and right ear
      only (RE). Comparisons of the topographic brain maps generated by the two groups
      revealed significant asymmetry in the MR of the experimental group. LE
      stimulation produced a larger response over the right hemisphere, and RE
      stimulation produced a larger response over the left hemisphere. This asymmetry
      was not observed in the experimental group with binaural stimulation, or in the
      control group in any of the three stimulation conditions. An analogous asymmetry
      was not recognized in the LR in either group for any of the three sound
      conditions. Results are interpreted in relation to the recently proposed model of
      multiple middle latency generators.

PMID- 1421473
TI  - The statistical analysis of circadian phase and amplitude in constant-routine
      core-temperature data.
AB  - Accurate estimation of the phases and amplitude of the endogenous circadian
      pacemaker from constant-routine core-temperature series is crucial for making
      inferences about the properties of the human biological clock from data collected
      under this protocol. This paper presents a set of statistical methods based on a
      harmonic-regression-plus-correlated-noise model for estimating the phases and the
      amplitude of the endogenous circadian pacemaker from constant-routine core
      temperature data. The methods include a Bayesian Monte Carlo procedure for
      computing the uncertainty in these circadian functions. We illustrate the
      techniques with a detailed study of a single subject's core-temperature series
      and describe their relationship to other statistical methods for circadian data
      analysis. In our laboratory, these methods have been successfully used to analyze
      more than 300 constant routines and provide a highly reliable means of extracting
      phase and amplitude information from core-temperature data.

PMID- 1421474
TI  - Ontogeny of the circadian system controlling release of sperm from the insect
      testis.
AB  - In the gypsy moth, the release of sperm bundles from the testis into the vas
      deferens is rhythmic and is controlled by a circadian pacemaker located in the
      reproductive system. However, in males kept since pupation in constant darkness
      (DD) and temperature, the release of sperm was arrhythmic. The release of sperm
      became rhythmic when males were transferred from a light-dark cycle (LD 16:8) to
      DD 6-7 days after pupation. To further investigate the development of the
      circadian system during the pupal stage, we exposed DD pupae to a single 8-hr
      pulse of light or 8-hr pulse of a 4 degrees C temperature increase on different
      days after pupation. The pattern of sperm release was determined 5-6 days after
      the pulse. Males that were exposed to light or temperature pulses 5 days after
      pupation subsequently showed nonrhythmic sperm release. However, about half of
      the pupae that received the pulse on day 6 and most of the pupae that received it
      on day 7 subsequently showed synchronized sperm release. These results suggested
      that the clock underlying rhythmic release of sperm becomes operational at
      approximately 6 days after pupation--that is, 2 days prior to initiation of
      rhythmic sperm release from the testis.

PMID- 1421476
TI  - Phase resetting of the Neurospora crassa circadian oscillator: effects of
      inositol depletion on sensitivity to light.
AB  - The input pathway between the blue-light photoreceptor and the circadian
      oscillator of Neurospora crassa has not yet been identified. To test the
      hypothesis that an inositol phospholipid signaling system might be involved in
      blue-light signal transduction, phase resetting by light was assayed in the
      inositol-requiring inl strain under conditions of inositol depletion. Phase
      resetting curves and dose-response curves indicated that cultures maintained on
      low inositol (25 microM) were several orders of magnitude more sensitive to light
      than those maintained on high inositol (250 microM). This difference in light
      sensitivity was a property of inositol auxotrophy and was not seen in the wild
      type or in an inositol-independent inl+ revertant. Phase resetting by temperature
      was not affected by inositol depletion, indicating that the effect on light
      resetting is specific to the light input pathway and is not the result of a
      change in the amplitude of the oscillator itself. The results indicate an
      indirect role for inositol metabolites in the light input pathway--one that is
      not likely to involve direct participation of an inositol phospholipid signal
      transduction mechanism.

PMID- 1421475
TI  - Properties of mutual coupling between the two circadian pacemakers in the eyes of
      the mollusc Bulla gouldiana.
AB  - We examined, in vitro, the effects of changing the free-running period (tau) of
      one oscillator on the phase relationship between the circadian rhythms of impulse
      activity in the optic nerves that are driven by the bilaterally paired ocular
      pacemakers in Bulla gouldiana. One eye of the coupled pair was treated either
      with lithium artificial seawater (to lengthen tau) or with low-chloride
      artificial seawater (to shorten tau). The results suggested that the coupling is
      relatively weak, since the majority (9 to 16) of eyes were unable to maintain a
      stable phase relationship when tau differences between the eyes were only about 1
      hr. When stable phase differences were achieved, the tau of the coupled system
      was intermediate between the tau's of the individual oscillators, and the eye
      with the shorter intrinsic tau would invariably phase-lead the pair.
      Interestingly, in a few instances, pairs of eyes that had desynchronized by 9.5
      10.5 hr resynchronized within a single cycle via a massive phase advance in the
      rhythm from the phase-lagging eye. The result suggests the existence of a novel
      phase-shifting mechanism that is part of the mutual coupling pathway. We found
      evidence that connection of the eye with the cerebral ganglion increases the tau
      of the ocular pacemaker, suggesting that efferent signals from the central
      nervous system influence tau. These signals may also modulate the phase-shifting
      response.

PMID- 1421477
TI  - Technical comment: ten-minute delay on dataquest actograms.

PMID- 1421478
TI  - Responses of female New World screwworm flies, Cochliomyia hominivorax, to
      coloured targets in the laboratory.
AB  - The responses of unmated female New World screwworm flies, Cochliomyia
      hominivorax Coquerel, to visual targets were studied in a wind-tunnel. Both
      activity and frequency of contacts with targets increased greatly when the
      screwworm attractant mixture swormlure-4 was added to the airstream. Target
      orientated responses depended on target colour, with red and black targets being
      preferred over blue, white and yellow ones; this preference was much greater in
      the presence of odour than in its absence. No preference was detected for
      different shapes and orientations of red targets, all of equivalent surface area.
      Omitting different components from swormlure-4 generally resulted in a large
      reduction in activation and target contacts. Attempts to substitute 1-octen-3-ol
      for the butanol fraction were unsuccessful, but skatole may substitute to some
      extent for indole; the two isomers of butanol normally present in swormlure-4 may
      substitute partly or completely for each other. This type of measurement forms a
      suitable bioassay in the development of attractive targets for monitoring and
      control of wild adult screwworm populations.

PMID- 1421479
TI  - A generalized approach to detection of organophosphate resistance in mosquitoes.
AB  - Insecticide bioassays and biochemical microtitre assays were compared for
      detection of resistance to the organophosphate insecticides malathion and
      fenitrothion, using inbred laboratory strains of malaria vectors Anopheles
      albimanus Wiedemann, An.arabiensis Patton and An.stephensi Liston. With
      susceptible mosquitoes, the LT100 values determined from bioassays corresponded
      closely with times taken to abolish the activity of acetylcholinesterase activity
      in biochemical assays: approximately 2 h for malathion and 3 h for fenitrothion.
      Resistant strains of all three anophelines showed longer survival correlated with
      prolonged acetylcholinesterase activity. An.albimanus strains with insensitive
      acetylcholinesterase survived bioassays with discriminating doses of 1 h exposure
      to 5% malathion or 1% fenitrothion and were judged as resistant. It is concluded
      that enzyme-specific microassays provide a reliable means of detecting resistant
      individuals, with practical advantages over bioassays which do not reveal the
      resistance mechanism and require large numbers of healthy mosquitoes.

PMID- 1421480
TI  - Studies on vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi in Trinidad, West Indies.
AB  - Studies on vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas were conducted during 1982-85 as
      part of an investigation on the epidemiological status of American
      Trypanosomiasis in Trinidad, West Indies. A total of 148 reduviid bugs were
      collected from caves, armadillo nests and at light traps, comprising four
      sylvatic species and totalling 120 Panstrongylus geniculatus (Latreille), two P.
      rufotuberculatus (Champion), twelve Rhodnius pictipes Stal and fourteen Eratyrus
      mucronatus Stal. A significantly higher level of infection with T. cruzi was
      recorded for P. geniculatus (42.5%) compared to R. pictipes (8.3%). The other two
      bug species were not found to be infected. P. geniculatus seems to be the most
      important vector in the sylvatic cycle of transmission of T. cruzi in Trinidad.

PMID- 1421481
TI  - Effect of puparia incubation temperature: increased infection rates of
      Trypanosoma congolense in Glossina morsitans centralis, G. fuscipes fuscipes and
      G. brevipalpis.
AB  - Puparia of Glossina morsitans centralis (Machado), G.fuscipes fuscipes (Newstead)
      and G.brevipalpis (Newstead) were incubated at 25 +/- 1 degrees C, 28 +/- 1:25 +/
      1 degrees C, day:night or 29 +/- 1 degrees C throughout the puparial period, and
      maintained at 70-80% relative humidity. Puparial mortality was higher at 29 than
      at 25 degrees C (optimum temperature) in all three species, particularly in
      G.f.fuscipes and G.brevipalpis. Adults of G.m.centralis from puparia incubated at
      29 degrees C, and those of this subspecies, G.f.fuscipes and G.brevipalpis from
      puparia incubated at 28:25 degrees C, day:night or 25 degrees C throughout, were
      infected as tenerals (27 h old) by feeding them at the same time on goats
      infected with Trypanosoma congolense (Broden) IL 1180 after the parasites were
      detected in the wet blood film. Infection rates on day 25 post-infected feed were
      higher in G.m.centralis from puparia incubated at 29 degrees C and in adults of
      the three different tsetse species from puparia incubated at 28:25 degrees C,
      day:night, than in those from puparia incubated at 25 degrees C. However, in
      G.f.fuscipes the labral and hypopharyngeal infection rates were not significantly
      different from those of the tsetse produced by puparia kept at 25 degrees C.

PMID- 1421482
TI  - Chemical control of Ornithonyssus sylviarum on caged layer hens.
AB  - Manual application of aqueous solutions of malathion, carbaryl and permethrin
      controlled northern fowl mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum Canestrini and Fanzago, on
      caged layer hens for at least 118 days. Azamethiphos sprayed manually provided
      acceptable control for a shorter period. Machine application, particularly of
      azamethiphos, but also malathion, provided lesser control. The addition of
      surfactant increased the wetting ability of the sprays but interfered with the
      efficacy of azamethiphos.

PMID- 1421484
TI  - Cytotaxonomic confirmation of two forms of Simulium sirbanum in the eastern part
      of the Onchocerciasis Control Programme in West Africa.
AB  - An earlier report (Cheke et al., 1987) of morphological differences between
      populations of Simulium sirbanum Vajime & Dunbar in West Africa was confirmed
      cytotaxonomically. Populations with adult males having Type III scutal patterns
      were associated with male larvae heterozygous for the inversion IS-3, whereas
      adult males with Type IV scutal patterns were associated with larvae homozygous
      for IS-3. The taxonomic implications are briefly discussed but the evidence is
      considered to be inappropriate for resurrecting S. sudanense Vajime & Dunbar.
      Aspects of the biology of the two forms and their importance in onchocerciasis
      transmission are discussed.

PMID- 1421483
TI  - Anopheles nili as the main vector of human malaria in villages of southern
      Cameroon.
AB  - In villages near Sanaga river, in the forest zone of south Cameroon, Anopheles
      nili Theobald is the main species of mosquito regularly found biting man inside
      houses. Its densities are related to the flow level of the river. It is also the
      main malaria vector in terms of intensity and seasonal duration of transmission.
      The yearly malaria inoculation rate due to An. nili alone is 104 infective
      bites/man, varying between 3 infective bites/man in October and 20 in March.
      Anopheles gambiae Giles is a less important vector in the area but reached its
      peak in the dry season, when the Sanaga river is at its lowest level. These
      observations underline the influence of local ecology on malaria transmission and
      the need for entomological studies in each situation.

PMID- 1421485
TI  - Distribution and seasonality of Culex (Melanoconion) caudelli, a vector of
      arboviruses in Trinidad.
AB  - Seasonal and spatial distributions of the arbovirus vector mosquito Culex
      (Melanoconion) caudelli Dyar and Knab (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Aripo
      Wallerfield forest, Trinidad, were studied by collecting mosquitoes attracted to
      mouse-baited traps in forest, ecotone and savannah, one day per week throughout
      the year, 98% of the Cx caudelli mosquitoes were collected during the wet season,
      with a significant positive correlation between rainfall and mosquito catch. The
      reverse occurred during the dry season. Cx caudelli displayed a preference for
      the ecotone where 67% were collected, while 32% and 1% were collected in the
      forest and savannah respectively.

PMID- 1421486
TI  - Evidence for activation of endogenous opioid systems in mice following short
      exposure to stable flies.
AB  - Biting flies influence both physiology and behaviour of domestic and wild
      animals. This study demonstrates that brief (30 min) exposure of male and female
      mice to stable flies leads to significant increases in nociceptive responses,
      indicative of the induction of analgesia. The biting fly-induced analgesia was
      mediated by endogenous opioid systems as it was blocked by the prototypic opiate
      antagonist naloxone. Exposure for 30 min to the bedding of biting fly-exposed
      mice also induced significant opioid mediated analgesic responses in mice.
      Exposure to either house flies or the bedding of house fly-exposed mice had no
      significant effects on nociception. These results indicate that brief exposure to
      either stable flies, or to olfactory cues associated with mice exposed to stable
      flies, activates endogenous opioid systems leading to the induction of analgesia
      and likely other opioid mediated behavioural and physiological stress responses.
      These results suggest the involvement of endogenous opioid systems in the
      mediation of the behavioural and physiological consequences of biting fly
      exposure in domestic and wild animals.

PMID- 1421487
TI  - Borrelia burgdorferi infection in Ixodes ricinus from habitats in Denmark.
AB  - A total of 2647 ticks of the genus Ixodes was sampled by flagging the vegetation
      in thirty-one sites in eastern Jutland, Denmark. All ticks were identified as
      Ixodes ricinus Linnaeus. A total of 317 ticks (202 nymphs and 115 adults) from
      three different sites were examined for the spirochaete Borrelia burgdorferi
      Johnson et al. by indirect fluorescent antibody staining; the frequency of
      infection varied from 7% to 22%. It is concluded that I. ricinus, known to be the
      most common tick in Denmark, is the vector largely responsible for the
      transmission of B. burgdorferi in this country.

PMID- 1421488
TI  - Colonization of the mouse cadaver by flies in southern England.

PMID- 1421489
TI  - Lack of outer caudal setae as a constant feature of Phlebotomus tobbi larvae.

PMID- 1421490
TI  - Field and laboratory evidence for multiple bloodfeeding by Lutzomyia longipalpis
      (Diptera: Psychodidae).

PMID- 1421491
TI  - An analysis of supernumerary or B-chromosomes of wild and laboratory strains of
      Glossina morsitans morsitans.

PMID- 1421492
TI  - Blowfly species composition in sheep myiasis in Britain.

PMID- 1421493
TI  - Metabolic heat generation in dipteran larval aggregations: a consideration for
      forensic entomology.

PMID- 1421494
TI  - Population dynamics and control of Triatoma infestans.
AB  - Analysis of field populations of Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae),
      after a 3-year study, shows that population growth rate is affected by both
      density-dependent and density-independent mortality. Although an equilibrium
      exists, apparently as a consequence of a density dependent-mechanism, population
      density fluctuates throughout the year because of the effect of monthly mean
      minimum temperature as a density-independent source of mortality. Simulation
      studies based on Moran curves shows that high population densities have an
      approximately constant extinction probability (around 0.20), independently of the
      season the population starts growing. However, at very low population densities,
      the extinction probability depends strongly on the season when the population
      begins to grow. Very low density populations beginning in winter or autumn have
      the highest extinction probability. The outcome of the simulation studies
      coincides with results observed in field populations affected by insecticide
      application at different seasons.

PMID- 1421495
TI  - Responses of female New World screwworm flies, Cochliomyia hominivorax, to
      swormlure-4 in the laboratory.
AB  - The behaviour of 4-day-old virgin female New World screwworm flies Cochliomyia
      hominivorax Coquerel was investigated in a wind tunnel using video. Addition of
      the screwworm attractant swormlure-4 to the airstream resulted in an increase in
      the number of take-offs and in the duration of flight. In the presence of
      swormlure-4 the flight speed decreased and the rate of turning increased. Take
      off was significantly orientated upwind during the period when swormlure-4 was
      added to the airstream, and significantly orientated downwind in the period after
      the addition of swormlure-4. The possible means by which this species finds a
      point source of odour in the field are discussed and compared with the mechanisms
      used by other flies.

PMID- 1421496
TI  - Snail predation by larvae of Sepedon scapularis Adams (Diptera: Sciomyzidae), a
      potential biocontrol agent of snail intermediate hosts of schistosomiasis in
      South Africa.
AB  - Malacophagous larvae of the fly Sepedon scapularis Adams were shown
      experimentally to be effective predators of three species of aquatic pulmonate
      snails tested as prey: Bulinus africanus (Krauss) an important intermediate host
      of Schistosoma haematobium (Bilharz), Bulinus tropicus (Krauss) and the invasive
      species Physa acuta Draparnaud. Survival of S. scapularis larvae from instar to
      instar was negatively affected by the size of prey snails, since larvae tended to
      be asphyxiated by the mucous secretions of the snails, or by the larval hydrofuge
      hairs becoming entangled in snail faeces. In experiments to test the choice of
      S.scapularis larvae for different species and sizes of snails, B.africanus was
      significantly disfavoured compared with the other two snail species. Small snails
      (< 3 mm) were more frequently killed by all three larval instars of S.scapularis.
      First instars killed few, if any, large snails (> 7 mm), whereas second and third
      instars preyed effectively on all sizes of snails. Third instars killed
      significantly more snails than younger instars. For larvae offered only one
      species of snail as prey, the mean total number of snails killed per larva during
      its entire development was 49 B.africanus, 45 B.tropicus or 34 P.acuta. It is
      concluded that S.scapularis is potentially useful as a biological control agent
      for use against indigenous Bulinus and exotic Physa snails.

PMID- 1421497
TI  - Patterns of sandfly distribution in tropical forest: a causal hypothesis.
AB  - 1. In tropical rain forest, phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae), such
      as Lutzomyia vespertilionis and L.ylephiletor, have an aggregated distribution on
      their tree buttress diurnal resting sites, as studied during 1987-88 at Finca la
      Selva in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica. 2. Experimental transfer of flies
      to trees not used as resting sites indicated that many apparently suitable sites
      remain unoccupied. 3. Observations of sandflies on the buttresses revealed that
      males and females are juxtaposed more frequently than expected by chance alone.
      Courtship behaviour by three of the four species of sandfly studied was observed
      on the buttresses. 4. It is suggested that the use of buttresses as swarming
      sites for mating behaviour is more likely to account for the observed
      distribution patterns of sandflies than their use of buttresses simply as diurnal
      resting sites.

PMID- 1421498
TI  - Host preferences of the phlebotomine sandfly Lutzomyia longipalpis in Amazonian
      Brazil.
AB  - Experiments were undertaken to determine the relative attractiveness of humans,
      dogs and chickens to Lutzomyia longipalpis, the principal vector of Leishmania
      chagasi causing American visceral leishmaniasis. Field experiments in two
      villages on Marajo Island, Para State, Brazil, showed that one boy attracted
      significantly more flies than one dog or chicken, and slightly fewer flies than a
      group of six chickens. Experiments with laboratory-bred female flies showed that
      a significantly greater number of flies engorged on a single human than on either
      a single dog or chicken, and man-biting catches demonstrated the willingness of
      flies to bite in the field. It appears that Lu.longipalpis has catholic feeding
      habits, the attractiveness of different hosts being largely a function of their
      relative sizes. These results are discussed with reference to the epidemiology of
      visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil.

PMID- 1421499
TI  - Ootaxonomy and eggshell ultrastructure of Phlebotomus sandflies.
AB  - The eggshell structure of four sandfly species: Phlebotomus perniciosus Newstead,
      P.perfiliewi Parrot, P.papatasi Scopoli and P.duboscqi Neveu-Lemaire, was
      examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). At the
      TEM level, the eggshell appears to have a homogeneous vitelline envelope and a
      thick chorion. At SEM level, the eggshell of all species is characterized by the
      outer chorion forming a series of fifteen to twenty longitudinal sinuous ridges,
      cross-linked in places to form a pattern of polygons, each line of the chorion
      consisting of columns arranged in a palisade. The aeropyle region of the egg is
      described for the first time in phlebotomine sandflies. Specific characters of
      the eggshell topography are described for distinguishing between these and other
      species of Phlebotomus.

PMID- 1421500
TI  - Crossing type variability associated with cytoplasmic incompatibility in
      Australian populations of the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus Say.
AB  - An analysis of cytoplasmic crossing type variation in Australian populations of
      Culex quinquefasciatus, a member of the Culex pipiens complex of mosquitoes,
      revealed high levels of variability causing partial incompatibility between
      natural populations. Segregating crossing types were commonly found together
      within sampled sites. No correlation was evident between similarity of crossing
      type and environmental parameters of the sites, nor distance between sites. The
      nature of the observed variation did not support the hypothesis of paternally
      expressed nuclear 'restorer' genes. Such high levels of crossing type variation
      would be likely to impede attempts to control populations of the Culex pipiens
      complex using cytoplasmic incompatibility.

PMID- 1421501
TI  - Carbohydrate-binding specificities of anti-erythrocyte lectins (haemagglutinins)
      in Anopheles gambiae gut extracts and haemolymph.
AB  - Lectins that agglutinate red blood cells (RBC) were demonstrated in Anopheles
      gambiae mosquito haemolymph and gut extracts. No apparent differences in
      haemagglutinin titres were detected between male and female mosquitoes and
      overall agglutinin levels were not increased following a bloodmeal. Titres were
      highest in the haemolymph and midgut extracts versus human AB, horse, chicken and
      goat RBCs and in hindgut against human AB, chicken and sheep; foregut extract
      gave relatively low titres. Adsorption of haemolymph and gut extracts with
      selected RBCs coupled with carbohydrate inhibition and the use of enzyme-treated
      RBCs revealed the presence of multiple (hetero-) agglutinins. An.gambiae lectins
      were specific for (1-1)-, (1-4)- or (1-6)-linked glucose based disaccharides,
      glucose and its (1-2) or (1-3) linkages with fructose and, to a lesser extent,
      aminated or N-acetylated glucose, or galactose and its deoxy derivatives. This
      study presents the first report of the occurrence of heterogenous anti-RBC
      agglutinins in haemolymph and gut extracts of the mosquito An.gambiae, together
      with the sugar-binding specificities of these lectins.

PMID- 1421502
TI  - A comparison of African buffalo, N'Dama and Boran cattle as reservoirs of
      Trypanosoma congolense for different Glossina species.
AB  - Teneral Glossina morsitans centralis Machado were fed on the flanks of the
      African buffalo (Syncerus caffer Sparrman), N'Dama (Bos taurus L.) or Boran (Bos
      indicus L.) cattle infected with Trypanosoma congolense Broden. The infected
      tsetse were maintained on rabbits and on day 30 after the infected feed, the
      surviving tsetse were dissected to determine the infection rates. The mean
      infection rates (% +/- SE) in the midgut of tsetse fed on buffalo, N'Damas and
      Borans were 23.5 +/- 3.3, 31.6 +/- 2.7 and 33.7 +/- 4.6, respectively. The
      differences were not significant. However, the mean mature infection rate in
      tsetse fed on the buffalo (13.2 +/- 2.1%) was significantly lower compared to the
      rates in tsetse fed on the N'Dama (20.4 +/- 1.4) or the Boran cattle (21.4 +/-
      1.1). When groups of teneral G.m.centralis, G.pallidipes Austen, G.p.gambiensis
      Vanderplank, G.f.fuscipes Newstead, G.brevipalpis Newstead and G.longipennis
      Corti were fed simultaneously on either an infected buffalo, an N'Dama or a Boran
      steer, the mature infection rates ranged from 0 to 16.1%. Irrespective of the
      host species used, the T.congolense infection rate was highest in G.m.centralis,
      lowest in the palpalis and fusca group tsetse, with G.pallidipes being
      intermediate. Nevertheless, the trypanoresistant African buffalo and N'Dama may
      serve as reservoirs of T.congolense as can trypanosusceptible Boran cattle.

PMID- 1421503
TI  - Modelling the effect of feeding-related mortality on the feeding strategy of
      tsetse (Diptera: Glossinidae).
AB  - Free-living haematophagous insects risk death through host grooming responses or
      through increased susceptibility to predation whenever they take a bloodmeal. In
      this paper we investigate the effects of these risks on the feeding strategy of
      tsetse. A model is presented that allows for death of tsetse by starvation if
      they do not succeed in feeding within a fixed time (set at 6 days in the first
      instance) and for mortality specifically associated with feeding. In addition
      there is background mortality that applies to all flies at all times. The model
      is used to compute the individual life-time fertility (number of female puparia
      per female) as a function of the probability of obtaining a meal (indicated by
      field data to be very high, usually > 0.85 per day) and the day on which flies
      start to search for a meal. We suggest that the feeding strategy that would be
      selected for is that which allows the maximum reproductive output. The model
      shows that this strategy involves making no attempts to feed for 3-4 days after
      the previous meal and then attempting to feed with the greatest possible
      probability until a meal is obtained. The predicted feeding interval, obtained
      independently of any trapping data, agrees closely with all previous estimates
      from field studies using a variety of methods. Preliminary results from a
      laboratory experiment reveal an increased risk of predation of recently fed as
      compared with hungry tsetse. The lower the actual feeding mortality the more
      frequently will flies be able to feed should conditions so demand. It is
      adaptive, however, for tsetse to delay attempting to feed for as long as they
      can, which is made possible by the near certainty of locating and feeding on a
      host within 1 day, using their sophisticated sensory systems.

PMID- 1421504
TI  - Effects of hydroprene on development and reproduction in the Oriental cockroach,
      Blatta orientalis.
AB  - Nymphs of the Oriental cockroach Blatta orientalis were exposed during the
      penultimate and final instars to vinyl tiles treated with the juvenile hormone
      analogue hydroprene. Adults moulting from these nymphs exhibited deformities such
      as twisted wings in both sexes and modified genitalia in females. Females with
      deformities were unable to produce viable oothecae. B.orientalis confined on
      tiles treated with hydroprene at rates of 25-100 mg/m2 did not reproduce. The
      treatment rate of 10 mg/m2 reduced fecundity and caused 47-57% of resultant
      adults to have deformities, but some adults reproduced successfully and
      population growth was not suppressed.

PMID- 1421505
TI  - Acquired immunity to larvae of Amblyomma marmoreum and A.hebraeum by tortoises,
      guinea-pigs and guinea-fowl.
AB  - A study of acquired resistance in guinea-pigs, guinea-fowl and tortoises to
      larvae of the ticks Amblyomma hebraeum Koch and A.marmoreum Koch (Acari:
      Ixodidae) showed that repeated infestations of the laboratory host resulted in a
      29.3-49.4% reduction respectively in weight of engorged larvae. No resistance was
      induced in guinea-fowl, the natural host for larvae of both species. A small
      decline in the mean weight of engorged larvae was observed for both species of
      ticks after three successive infestations on tortoises. The reduction in weight
      was more pronounced in A.hebraeum (14.5%) which does not naturally feed on
      tortoises than for A.marmoreum (8.4%), a common tick on this host. The occurrence
      of acquired resistance in natural tick host relationships as opposed to unnatural
      tick host relationships is discussed.

PMID- 1421506
TI  - Phoretic and parasitic mites infesting the New World screwworm fly, Cochliomyia
      hominivorax, following sterile insect releases in Libya.
AB  - During the screwworm eradication programme in Libya in 1991, trapped specimens of
      Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) were found infested with phoretic mites,
      Macrocheles muscaedomesticae (Scopoli), or parasitic mites, Trichotromidium
      muscarum (Riley). The possible sources of infestation and potential effects of
      mites on screwworm flies are discussed.

PMID- 1421507
TI  - Circadian variation in venom yield by the scorpion Heterometrus indus (De Geer).

PMID- 1421508
TI  - Effects of flavonoids released naturally from bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) on nodD
      regulated gene transcription in Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli.
AB  - Nine flavonoid aglycones released from black bean (Phaseolus vulgaris
      'PI165426CS') seeds and roots induced nodC::lacZ transcription in Rhizobium
      leguminosarum bv. phaseoli strains containing extra cloned copies of the
      regulatory genes nodD1, nodD2, or nodD3 from that biovar. Individual flavonoids
      generally induced highest levels of nodC::lacZ transcription (Imax) with extra
      copies of nodD2, and the concentration required for half-maximum induction (I50)
      was lowest with extra copies of nodD1 genes. One apparently unique feature of R.
      l. bv. phaseoli is that naturally released flavonoids with very diverse
      structures induce nod genes. For all three nodD genes, two compounds exuded from
      roots, genistein and naringenin, produced much higher levels of nodC::lacZ
      transcription than other flavonoids, but this fact was not explained by increased
      transcription of the nodD genes themselves. The remaining seven flavonoid
      aglycones showed reproducibly different capacities to induce nodC::lacZ
      transcription, but all were considerably less powerful inducers than genistein
      and naringenin in strains with extra copies of each of the nodD genes. Tests with
      glycosides of the nod-gene inducers showed that glycosides, which are normally
      released by bean, had lower I50 values than the corresponding aglycones with all
      nodD genes. Additive interactions observed between the strong nod-gene inducer
      genistein and the weak inducer eriodictyol remain to be explained at the
      molecular level.

PMID- 1421509
TI  - An Xanthomonas citri pathogenicity gene, pthA, pleiotropically encodes gratuitous
      avirulence on nonhosts.
AB  - The pathogenicity gene, pthA, of Xanthomonas citri is required to elicit symptoms
      of Asiatic citrus canker disease; introduction of pthA into Xanthomonas strains
      that are mildly pathogenic or opportunistic on citrus confers the ability to
      induce cankers on citrus (S. Swarup, R. De Feyter, R. H. Brlansky, and D. W.
      Gabriel, Phytopathology 81:802-809, 1991). The structure and the function of pthA
      in other xanthomonads and in X. citri were further investigated. When pthA was
      introduced into strains of X. phaseoli and X. campestris pv. malvacearum (neither
      pathogenic to citrus), the transconjugants remained nonpathogenic to citrus and
      elicited a hypersensitive response (HR) on their respective hosts, bean and
      cotton. In X. c. pv. malvacearum, pthA conferred cultivar-specific avirulence.
      Structurally, pthA is highly similar to avrBs3 and avrBsP from X. c. pv.
      vesicatoria and to avrB4, avrb6, avrb7, avrBIn, avrB101, and avrB102 from X. c.
      pv. malvacearum. Surprisingly, marker-exchanged pthA::Tn5-gusA mutant B21.2 of X.
      citri specifically lost the ability to induce the nonhost HR on bean, but
      retained the ability to induce the nonhost HR on cotton. The loss of the ability
      of B21.2 to elicit an HR on bean was restored by introduction of cloned pthA,
      indicating that the genetics of the nonhost HR may be the same as that found in
      homologous interactions involving specific avr genes. In contrast with
      expectations of homologous HR reactions, however, elimination of pthA function
      (resulting in loss of HR) did not result in water-soaking or even moderate levels
      of growth in planta of X. citri on bean; the nonhost HR, therefore, may not be
      responsible for the "resistance" of bean to X. citri and may not limit the host
      range of X. citri on bean. The pleiotropic avirulence function of pthA and the
      heterologous HR of bean to X. citri are both evidently gratuitous.

PMID- 1421510
TI  - Broad host range and promoter selection vectors for bacteria that interact with
      plants.
AB  - A plasmid vector, pGV910, and a derived cosmid, pRG930, have been constructed.
      Both contain the ColE1 and pVS1 origins of replication and are stably maintained
      in Escherichia coli, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and Azorhizobium caulinodans
      ORS571. They are compatible with commonly used IncP cloning vectors, although
      pVS1 was classified as an IncP plasmid, unable to replicate in E. coli (Y. Itoh,
      J.M. Watson, D. Haas, and T. Leisinger, Plasmid 11:206-220, 1984). Promoter
      selection vectors were derived from both of these plasmids by using a
      promoterless beta-glucuronidase and/or beta-galactosidase gene. These vectors
      facilitate the study of gene expression in bacteria under particular
      environmental conditions. This is illustrated by the expression of the gusA gene
      under the control of a nod promoter in A. caulinodans nodulating stem-located
      infection sites on Sesbania rostrata.

PMID- 1421511
TI  - Isolation and gene disruption of the Tox5 gene encoding trichodiene synthase in
      Gibberella pulicaris.
AB  - The trichodiene synthase gene (Tox5) was isolated from Gibberella pulicaris, and
      its nucleotide sequence was determined. Tox5 was disrupted through transformation
      with a plasmid carrying a doubly truncated copy of the coding region and a
      selectable marker for resistance to hygromycin B (Hygr). Analysis of 82
      transformants for their ability to produce the trichothecene, 4,15
      diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), resulted in the identification of five DAS- strains.
      Southern hybridization analysis of DAS- Hygr transformants indicated that the
      plasmid integrated at the Tox5 locus. The disrupted Tox5 gene was shown to be
      mitotically stable. Analysis of nine tetrads revealed either the cosegregation of
      the disrupter plasmid and the DAS- phenotype or the loss of the disrupter
      plasmid. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using gene disruption in G.
      pulicaris and suggest a general method for obtaining Tox5- mutants in other
      trichothecene-producing fungi.

PMID- 1421512
TI  - Structural and functional analysis of two different nodD genes in Bradyrhizobium
      japonicum USDA110.
AB  - Bradyrhizobium japonicum has two closely linked homologs of the nodulation
      regulatory gene, nodD; these homologs are located upstream of and in divergent
      orientation to the nodYABCSUIJ gene cluster. We report here the nucleotide
      sequence and mutational analyses of both nodD copies. The predicted NodD1 and
      NodD2 proteins shared 62% identical amino acid residues at corresponding
      positions and exhibited different degrees of homology with NodD proteins of other
      Bradyrhizobium, Azorhizobium, and Rhizobium strains. Induction of the nodYABCSUIJ
      operon, as measured by expression of a translational nodC'-'lacZ fusion, required
      the nodD1 gene, but not nodD2. A B. japonicum mutant deleted for both nodD copies
      (strain delta 1267) still showed residual nodulation activity; however,
      nodulation of soybean was significantly delayed, and nodulation of mung bean and
      siratro resulted in strongly reduced nodule numbers. Fully efficient nodulation
      of mung bean and siratro by strain delta 1267 was restored by genetic
      complementation with the nodD1 gene, but not with nodD2. We conclude from these
      data that nodD1 is the critical gene that contributes to maximal nodulation
      efficiency, whereas the nodD2 gene does not play any obvious role in nodulation
      of the host plants tested.

PMID- 1421513
TI  - Changes in the activity and the polypeptide composition of the oxygen-evolving
      complex in photosystem II of tobacco leaves infected with cucumber mosaic virus
      strain Y.
AB  - The amount of 22- and 23-kDa polypeptides in a 23-kDa protein family, which plays
      a regulatory role in photosynthetic oxygen evolution, decreased significantly
      during the progress of appearance of chlorotic spots in cucumber mosaic virus
      strain Y (CMV[Y])-inoculated tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum 'Ky57') leaves (Plant
      Mol. Biol. 16:689-698, 1991). The present study was conducted to determine if the
      amount of other polypeptides of the oxygen-evolving complex and the oxygen
      evolving activity also decreased in CMV(Y)-inoculated tobacco leaves. The amount
      of a 33-kDa polypeptide, which is essential to oxygen evolution, did not decrease
      in CMV(Y)-inoculated leaves showing early symptoms, although the amount of 22-
      and 23-kDa polypeptides began to decrease. However, comparative analysis of
      electron transport in thylakoid membranes indicated that the oxygen-evolving
      activity in CMV(Y)-inoculated tobacco leaves was only partly reduced, compared
      with the activity in CMV(O)-inoculated tobacco leaves which did not show clear
      symptoms. Partial inhibition of the oxygen-evolving activity, by a differential
      decrease in the amount of polypeptides of the oxygen-evolving complex, seems to
      be associated with the primary molecular process of symptom expression in CMV(Y)
      inoculated tobacco leaves.

PMID- 1421514
TI  - 252Cf plasma-desorption mass spectrometry of lipid A from Enterobacter
      agglomerans.
AB  - Endotoxins from gram-negative bacteria are believed to be causative agents of
      byssinosis, an occupational pulmonary disease associated with exposure to cotton
      dust in textile mills. Lipid A preparations from Enterobacter agglomerans, a gram
      negative bacterium commonly found in cotton and cotton dust, have been analyzed
      using plasma-desorption mass spectrometry. Results indicate the existence of at
      least two lipid A types which differ only by the presence of an additional oxygen
      atom whose position has been localized to the acyloxyacyl ester-linked side-chain
      of the distal portion of the molecule. The lower molecular weight compound of the
      two structures has the same molecular weight and presumably the same empirical
      formula as a well-characterized lipid A from Salmonella minnesota. The mass
      spectra of lipid A compounds obtained from S. minnesota and E. agglomerans show
      strong similarities. Palmitoyl, hydroxymyristoyl, myristoyl, and lauroyl side
      chains which are known to be present in the former are inferred from spectral
      evidence to be present in the latter.

PMID- 1421515
TI  - Mass spectrometry of DNA mixtures by laser ablation from frozen aqueous solution.
AB  - We report time-of-flight mass spectra of test mixtures of six single-stranded DNA
      segments. The segments range in size from 8 to 60 nucleotides (molecular weight
      range 2413 to 18,602 Da). The best mass spectra were obtained by pulsed laser
      ablation of thin frozen films of an aqueous solution of the mixture from an
      oxidized copper substrate. These mass spectra are dominated by the molecular-ion
      peak for each DNA segment, and show little evidence of fragmentation, peak
      broadening or cluster formation. In contrast, mass spectra obtained using UV
      laser ablation from an anthranilic acid matrix yield broad peaks with evidence of
      fragmentation, and DNA segments longer than 26 nucleotides are difficult to
      detect.

PMID- 1421516
TI  - Determination of 15N enrichment of taurine in cat urine by high resolution fast
      atom bombardment mass spectrometry.
AB  - A method is described for measuring the stable isotopic enrichment of taurine in
      cat urine samples by high resolution fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry,
      after 15N labelled taurine was given to cats for the purpose of investigating
      taurine metabolism. The 15N enrichment of taurine was measured after hydrolysis
      and purification of taurine by anion/cation exchange chromatography. The isotopic
      ratio of taurine was determined by measuring the [M+H]+ ion peaks in the spectra
      of the unlabelled and labelled compounds under multiple ion scan conditions. The
      overall standard deviation of the measurement is better than 4%. This method
      requires no derivation and uses only 500 microL of urine samples.

PMID- 1421517
TI  - Expression of cell adhesion molecules during initiation and cessation of neural
      crest cell migration.
AB  - Because of their distribution and known ability to promote neuronal adhesion, it
      has been proposed that N-CAM and N-cadherin are involved in the formation of the
      nervous system. Here, we examine the expression of these molecules during the
      initiation and cessation of trunk neural crest cell migration during the
      formation of the peripheral nervous system. Whereas other neural tube cells
      express N-cadherin, the dorsal neural tube containing neural crest precursors has
      little or no N-cadherin immunoreactivity. In contrast, N-CAM is expressed in the
      dorsal neural tube and on early migrating neural crest cells, from which it
      gradually disappears during migration. Both N-CAM and N-cadherin are absent from
      neural crest cells at advanced stages of migration. As neural crest cells cease
      migration and condense to form dorsal root and sympathetic ganglia, N-cadherin
      but not N-CAM is observed on the forming ganglia, identified by neurofilament
      expression and the aggregation of HNK-1 reactive cells. The results demonstrate
      that the absence of N-cadherin correlates with the onset of neural crest
      migration and its reappearance correlates with cessation of migration and
      precedes gangliogenesis.

PMID- 1421518
TI  - Molecular analyses of carbonic anhydrase-II expression and regulation in the
      developing chicken lens.
AB  - The expression of carbonic anhydrase-II (CA-II) in the developing chicken lens
      was examined and compared with that in the retina of the chicken embryo. CA-II
      expression was measured by immunohistochemistry and radioimmunoassay during
      development, and CA-II mRNA was quantified by Northern blot and densitometric
      scanning and localized by in situ hybridization. A functional promoter of the
      chicken CA-II gene was identified by transfection of primary embryonic chicken
      lens epithelial cells and analyzed in deletion mutants. The results establish
      that CA-II makes up about 0.1% of the total soluble protein of the embryonic
      chicken lens, an amount insufficient to make it a candidate for an enzyme
      crystallin in this species. Lens fiber differentiation coincided with a loss of
      CA-II mRNA and protein; by contrast, CA-II persisted in the epithelial cells of
      the embryonic and mature lens. This and previous studies showed that CA-II
      amounts to as much as 3% of the protein of the embryonic chicken retina and
      follows a different developmental time course of expression; like the lens, CA-II
      decreases until day 10 in the embryonic retina, but, unlike the lens, it
      increases thereafter and plateaus at hatching. Progressive deletions of the 5'
      flanking regions (from position -1314 to +32) of the CA-II gene fused to the
      bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene resulted in a
      gradual loss of promoter activity, consistent with an additive effect of putative
      cis-regulatory elements found in many crystallin genes. These experiments provide
      the foundation for a molecular analysis of the developmental and differential
      regulation of the CA-II gene in lens and retina.

PMID- 1421519
TI  - Association interneurons of embryonic rat spinal cord transiently express the
      cell surface glycoprotein SNAP/TAG-1.
AB  - SNAP/TAG-1 is a 135 kDa glycoprotein of the immunoglobulin superfamily that is
      transiently expressed upon the surfaces of developing axons. In the embryonic
      rodent spinal cord, this molecule is expressed by motor neurons, dorsal root
      ganglion cells, and commissural neurons (Yamamoto et al.: J. Neurosci. 6:3576
      3594, 1986; Dodd et al.: Neuron 1:105-116, 1988). The commissural cells are a
      subset of early-forming dorsal horn interneurons whose axons follow a
      circumferential course in the embryonic spinal cord. The axons of commissural
      neurons cross the developing ventral commissure to terminate on contralateral
      synaptic targets, whereas those of the other subset of circumferential cells, the
      association interneurons, remain on the same side of the spinal cord to form
      ipsilateral, terminal synaptic fields. The difference between the axonal
      trajectories of these two subsets of nerve cells raised the question of whether
      or not association interneurons would also express the SNAP/TAG-1 epitope and, if
      so, how would this expression be related to that of the commissural cells.
      Immunocytochemistry for SNAP/TAG-1 and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) was used
      to answer these questions. The results indicated that association interneurons
      expressed SNAP/TAG-1 epitopes and that this expression began later and lasted
      longer than that of the commissural neurons. Other new findings of this study
      included the identification of a lateral subgroup of commissural fibers that
      expressed SNAP/TAG-1 later than their more medially located counterparts, and
      these lateral fibers were more pronounced in the thoracic spinal cord than at
      cervical levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421520
TI  - Distinct regions of human fibronectin are essential for fibril assembly in an in
      vivo developing system.
AB  - In early vertebrate development, the proper assembly of fibronectin into fibrils
      is crucial for embryonic cells to adhere and to migrate on the extracellular
      matrix. The molecular mechanisms by which such a process occurs in vivo are
      poorly understood. In the amphibian embryo Pleurodeles waltl fibronectin fibrils
      appear first at the blastula stage. They form a fibrillar matrix on the basal
      surface of animal cells facing the blastocoel. Using competition and perturbation
      experiments with purified proteolytic fragments and domain-specific monoclonal
      antibodies, we demonstrate that at least three fibronectin sites are essential
      for assembly of fibronectin fibrils in the blastula of Pleurodeles waltl. Two
      sites, the RGDS sequence and the synergistic domain in the 10th type III repeat,
      are both involved in receptor recognition. A third site that spans the 9th type I
      and 1st type III homology sequences is also likely to participate in fibronectin
      fibronectin interactions.

PMID- 1421521
TI  - A cyclical, developmentally-regulated death phenomenon in a colonial urochordate.
AB  - Botryllus schlosseri is a colonial ascidian whose asexually derived, clonally
      modular systems of zooids exhibit developmental synchrony. The blastogenic cycle
      culminates in a phase of programmed cell and zooid death called takeover, in
      which all functional zooids die over a 30 hr period, and are replaced by a new
      generation of individuals. Because of the weekly recurrence and magnitude of
      visceral death in this model organism, we have begun to characterize the
      mechanisms that govern takeover. Here we describe a monoclonal antibody (B3F12.9)
      that recognizes a novel 57 Kd polypeptide (under reducing conditions) localized
      to the perivisceral extracellular matrix (PVEM) of buds and zooids, as well as
      blood cells of Botryllus by immunofluorescence and immunogold labeling of tissue
      sections. During their active feeding phase, zooids exhibited a uniform labeling
      pattern of PVEM along their anteroposterior (A-P) axis. At the onset of takeover
      (T = 3 hr), B3F12.9 immunostaining became diffuse or absent at the anterior end,
      which paralleled the axis of contraction of the dying zooid, whereas the
      posterior end retained its labeling integrity. During mid (T = 15 hr) to late (T
      = 28 hr) takeover, issue damage was extensive, large blood macrophages and other
      B3F12.9 immunoreactive blood cells invaded the peribranchial cavity, whereas PVEM
      labeling gradually disappeared along the entire A-P axis. These findings indicate
      that takeover is a dynamic process in which extracellular matrix breakdown
      proceeds in a polarized fashion, beginning at the anterior end of each zooid and
      gradually propagating toward the posterior end.

PMID- 1421522
TI  - Localization of type II collagen, long form alpha 1(IX) collagen, and short form
      alpha 1(IX) collagen transcripts in the developing chick notochord and axial
      skeleton.
AB  - In this study we compare, by in situ hybridization, the spatial and temporal
      expression patterns of transcripts of avian type II collagen and the long and
      short forms of the (alpha 1) chain of type IX collagen during the development of
      the notochord and axial skeleton. We observed type II collagen and short form
      type IX collagen transcripts in the developing (stage 25-28) nonchondrogenic
      notochord. Conversely, long form type IX transcripts were not detectable in the
      notochord or perinotochordal sheath. Interestingly, all three transcripts
      colocalized in the developing chondrogenic vertebrae of the axial skeleton as
      well as in the chondrocranium and Meckel's cartilage. The expression of the short
      form of type IX collagen in these regions was more restricted than that of the
      long form. This report provides additional support for a complex regulatory
      pathway of cartilage marker gene expression in chondrogenic vs. nonchondrogenic
      tissues during avian embryogenesis.

PMID- 1421523
TI  - Cardiac expression of polysialylated NCAM in the chicken embryo: correlation with
      the ventricular conduction system.
AB  - The neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) and its polysialic acid moeity (PSA)
      affect cellular interactions during the development of the nervous system and
      skeletal muscle. NCAM has also been identified in the embryonic heart of various
      species including humans. However, knowledge regarding the role of NCAM and its
      function-modulating PSA in cardiogenesis is limited. The distribution of NCAM and
      its PSA in the ventricular myocardium of chicken embryos was determined by
      indirect immunofluorescence staining. The NCAM polypeptide was found throughout
      the cardiac myocardium. In contrast PSA was located in discrete regions in stage
      20 to 44 embryos (during and after septation). Myocardium at the subendocardial
      regions of the atrioventricular canal and ventricular trabeculae were PSA
      positive by stage 20. At later stages, transverse sections of the postseptation
      heart just below the level of the atrioventricular interface revealed a PSA
      positive bundle of myocardium in the septum. This bundle was continuous with two
      branches at a more apical level which in turn were continuous with the PSA
      positive subendocardial myocardium lining the left and right ventricles. This
      pattern of PSA in the myocardium was similar to that of the ventricular
      conduction system configuration defined in the adult heart. Electron micrographs
      of the subendocardium of the ventricular septum revealed PSA positivity on
      myofibril-containing cells with the ultrastructural location of Purkinje fibers.
      At later stages (35-44) a subset of cells within PSA-positive regions was stained
      by an antibody against an isoform of the myosin heavy chain found in adult
      Purkinje fibers. These cells and surrounding tissue lacked PSA in the adult
      heart. Thus polysialylated NCAM may be modulating cell-cell interactions during
      the development of the ventricular conduction system.

PMID- 1421524
TI  - Colonization of the developing pancreas by neural precursors from the bowel.
AB  - Neurons in ganglia of the myenteric plexus of the duodenum and stomach have
      recently been demonstrated to innervate pancreatic ganglia and transsynaptically
      to excite acinar and islet cells. The hypothesis that crest-derived cells first
      colonize the foregut and secondarily enter the pancreas by way of the pancreatic
      buds was tested. Studies were done with fetal rats (days E11-E15). Pancreatic
      rudiments and foregut were explanted separately and in co-culture. The
      development of neurons in the explants, identified by demonstrating the
      immunoreactivities of neurofilaments and growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43),
      provided an indirect assay for the presence of neural precursors in the tissue at
      the time of explantation. Cells of putative neural crest origin were visualized
      immunocytochemically using the monoclonal antibody, NC-1. Additional markers
      included the immunoreactivities of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH), which is
      expressed by vagal crest-derived cells that colonize the bowel, neuropeptides
      (substance P and neuropeptide Y [NPY]) found in mature pancreatic neurons, and
      serotonin (5-HT), which is located in the cell bodies of enteric but not
      pancreatic neurons. Neurons were detected in cultures of foregut, but not
      pancreas, when these tissues were explanted by themselves at days E11 and E12. At
      E11 neural precursors did not leave explants of bowel or migrate into co-cultured
      pancreatic rudiments. When the foregut was explanted at E12, however, neural
      precursors migrated away from the bowel, giving rise both to distant ganglia and
      to neurons within co-cultured pancreatic rudiments. Intrapancreatic ganglia
      developed in the co-cultures even when the pancreatic attachment to the bowel was
      severed. Neurons appeared in pancreatic rudiments explanted by themselves on day
      E13. Neurons developing in pancreatic explants expressed the immunoreactivities
      of DBH, substance P, and NPY, but not 5-HT. These observations support the idea
      that pancreatic ganglia develop from crest-derived cells that first colonize the
      fetal rat foregut and there acquire the ability to colonize the pancreas. A later
      migration into the pancreatic rudiments of a subset of the original emigres or
      their progeny between days E12 and E13 gives rise to a network of pancreatic
      ganglia that can be regarded as an extension of the enteric nervous system.

PMID- 1421525
TI  - Adenosine levels in the postimplantation mouse uterus: quantitation by HPLC
      fluorometric detection and spatiotemporal regulation by 5'-nucleotidase and
      adenosine deaminase.
AB  - Extracellular adenosine has the potential to influence many aspects of target
      cell metabolism. The present study has determined the endogenous levels of
      adenosine in the pregnant mouse uterus and developing embryo-decidual unit with
      respect to the expression of two key enzymes of adenosine metabolism, 5'
      nucleotidase (5'-NT; EC 3.1.3.5) and adenosine deaminase (ADA; EC 3.5.4.4). To
      measure adenosine levels, nucleoside extracts were etheno-derivatized and
      quantitated by high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection
      (0.03 pmol/mg protein sensitivity). Adenosine levels were determined to be 0.18
      nmol/mg protein in the nonpregnant uterus; however, two statistically significant
      changes were identified in the pregnant uterus: (1) a periimplantation surge
      between day 3 (0.24 nmol/mg protein) and day 5 (0.59 nmol/mg protein) of
      gestation (plug day 0; implantation day 4); and (2) an early postimplantation
      decline between day 6 (0.54 nmol/mg protein) and day 7 (0.10 nmol/mg protein).
      The periimplantation adenosine surge coincided with uterine expression of 5'-NT,
      an enzyme which catalyzes the irreversible dephosphorylation of 5'-AMP to
      adenosine. 5'-NT expression was shown by Northern blot analysis to peak in the
      embryo-decidual unit on day 5 of gestation and then to decline through day 9;
      transcripts remained elevated in the placenta between day 9 and day 13 (the
      latest day examined in this study). By use of specific enzyme histochemistry,
      most 5'-NT activity was localized to the primary decidual zone on day 5. This
      expression subsequently declined during regression of the primary decidua;
      however, 5'-NT appeared on giant trophoblast (days 7-13) and the metrial gland
      (days 11-13). Other purine catabolic enzymes degrading AMP (adenylate deaminase)
      or generating adenosine (S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase) were not detected in
      the embryo-decidual unit suggesting that the net flux of utero-placental AMP
      catabolism proceeds with adenosine as an intermediate, this being the major
      pathway of adenosine formation. The sharp drop in adenosine levels between day 6
      and day 7 coincided with a rise in the activity and mRNA expression of ADA, an
      enzyme which catalyzes the irreversible deamination of adenosine to inosine. ADA
      was previously localized to the secondary decidual zone (days 6-11), secondary
      giant cells (days 7-13), and spongiotrophoblasts (days 8-13) in the mouse
      (Knudsen et al., 1991). Results of developmental Northern blot analysis
      demonstrated a direct correlation of relative 5'-NT/ADA mRNA band intensity to
      adenosine content between day 4 and day 9 of gestation, suggesting that the local
      availability of adenosine in the antimesometrium is dependent upon the
      distribution of these enzymatic activities.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1421526
TI  - Coincident loss of mitochondria and nuclei during lens fiber cell
      differentiation.
AB  - During normal differentiation, lens fiber cells lose their nuclei, mitochondria,
      and other membrane-bound organelles. In the present study, a slice preparation of
      the embryonic chicken lens was used with laser scanning confocal microscopy to
      study the spatial and temporal patterns of organelle breakdown during embryonic
      development. At all stages examined, mitochondria in lens epithelial cells were
      present in perinuclear clusters. In contrast, early in development, lens fiber
      cells contained extremely elongated mitochondria (> 100 microns) that were
      distributed throughout the cytoplasm and oriented along the long axis of the
      cells. By the 8th day of embryonic development (E8), the mitochondria in the
      central fiber cells began to fragment. At the same time, the nuclei in these
      cells became smaller and more spherical. By E10, mitochondrial staining in the
      central fibers became punctate. Electron microscopy of this region revealed
      swollen mitochondria with disrupted cristae. By E12, cells in the central region
      of the lens lacked mitochondria and nuclei. The loss of nuclei and mitochondria
      from a given cell was coincident and abrupt (2-4 hr), occurring in a previously
      unsuspected domain situated about 300 microns from the anterior surface of the
      lens. A cytoskeletal component, actin, persisted in the central cells indicating
      that organelle degradation represents a selective process and not simply the
      global degradation of supramolecular structures. Throughout embryonic
      development, the organelle-free region grew at approximately the same rate as the
      lens and, by the time of hatching, had expanded to match the diameter of the
      pupil.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421527
TI  - Expression of NCAM isoforms during skeletal myogenesis in the mouse embryo.
AB  - We have examined the developmental patterns of neural cell adhesion molecule
      (NCAM) gene expression in embryonic mouse skeletal muscle cells by in situ
      hybridization. Moreover, by utilising exon-specific cRNA probes, we have examined
      tissue specific splicing of the NCAM gene. We show that there is a distinct
      sequence of NCAM isoform expression during skeletal muscle development. Since
      NCAMs are also expressed in other cell types, particularly neurons, NCAM mRNAs
      have been colocalised with acetylcholine receptor alpha (AChR alpha) gene
      transcripts to identify muscle-specific expression. NCAM is first detected in
      somites as they first form, prior to their differentiation into muscle and
      nonmuscle compartments. Myotomes, the first skeletal muscle masses to form in the
      embryo, express mRNAs for the transmembrane 180 and 140 kDa isoforms of NCAM.
      Both of these transcripts are also detected in the neural tube, and their spatial
      pattern of expression changes with development. Transcripts containing the muscle
      specific domain (MSD) of the NCAM gene are not detected prior to 11 days
      postcoitum (p.c.), at a time when rostral somites already contain well-developed
      myotomes. As the level of MSD mRNAs increases at 12 days p.c., the 140 and 180
      kDa transcript levels decrease in skeletal muscle masses. The level of all NCAM
      isoform transcripts declines between 13 and 15 days p.c. in muscle. However, the
      180 and 140 kDa NCAM isoforms are expressed at a high level in neural tissue and
      in other locations in the developing embryo such as in smooth muscle, around
      vibrissae follicles, and in the perichondrial zone of digits.

PMID- 1421528
TI  - High-intensity nociceptive stimuli minimize behavioral effects induced by
      restraining stress during the tail-flick test.
AB  - Analgesia following exposure to various stressors is a well-documented
      phenomenon. Restraint of an animal during the tail-flick test (TFT) represents a
      potent stressor that can induce both altered baseline latencies and enhanced
      response to opioids. The present study shows that the use of higher stimulus
      intensities during TFT minimizes the stress influences produced by restraint on
      the animal's response rendering the test more sensitive to the pharmacological
      action of analgesic drugs.

PMID- 1421529
TI  - Cell-growth quantitation methods for the evaluation of antiestrogens in human
      breast cancer cells in culture.
AB  - The antiproliferative activity of the antiestrogen, tamoxifen, on the growth of
      MCF-7 human breast cancer cells was evaluated using the hemocytometric trypan
      blue exclusion method, [3H]-thymidine incorporation, and a total protein
      determination. Tamoxifen was evaluated over a concentration range from 10(-9) to
      10(-6) M. The hemocytometric trypan blue exclusion method and [3H]-thymidine
      incorporation were sensitive enough to demonstrate the inhibitory influence of
      tamoxifen on the proliferation of MCF-7 cells at a concentration as low as 10(-9)
      M. A very good correlation of these two methods was observed in the submicromolar
      concentration range of tamoxifen. The total protein determination method was only
      sensitive enough to detect the antiproliferative influence of tamoxifen at
      concentrations above 10(-6) M. In conclusion, the [3H]-thymidine incorporation
      method was found to be effective and much less time consuming than the
      hemocytometric trypan blue exclusion method for evaluating the antiproliferative
      effects of antiestrogens in cultured MCF-7 cells. However, when evaluating
      antiestrogens, which are cell-cycle specific, the results of the [3H]-thymidine
      incorporation method should be interpreted with caution.

PMID- 1421530
TI  - Quantitative autoradiography of 3H-paroxetine binding sites in rat brain.
AB  - The use of 3H-paroxetine as a ligand for quantitative autoradiography of
      serotonin (5-HT) transport sites was optimized, and the distribution of 3H
      paroxetine binding sites in rat brain was studied. Under the conditions
      described, 3H-paroxetine binding in forebrain sections was of high affinity and
      saturable, with a Kd of 0.18 +/- 0.02 nM (mean +/- SEM) and Bmax of 268 +/- 12
      fmol/mg of protein (n = 3). Nonspecific binding was 10.7% +/- 1.0 of the total
      binding (n = 8). The distribution of 3H-paroxetine binding sites closely matched
      the regional distribution of 5-HT nerve terminals and cell bodies. The highest
      concentrations of 3H-paroxetine binding sites were found in the dorsal raphe
      nucleus (563 +/- 55 fmol/mg tissue, n = 4), and high densities of binding were
      also found in the locus coeruleus, medial forebrain bundle, substantia nigra,
      several limbic structures (amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus, olfactory
      tubercle, septum, and thalamus), and components of the visual relay system
      (superior colliculus and the lateral geniculate body). Although lesioning of 5-HT
      neurons with p-chloroamphetamine (PCA) drastically eliminated 3H-paroxetine
      binding in most regions of the rat brain, significant binding remained in the
      raphe nuclei and medial forebrain bundle suggesting that 3H-paroxetine binding in
      these regions was to presynaptic sites on cell bodies or axons relatively
      resistant to PCA.

PMID- 1421531
TI  - Three-dimensional electrocardiography in the rat.
AB  - Three-dimensional electrocardiography with computerized analysis provides a means
      to rapidly collect and quantitatively analyze electrocardiographic data from
      rats. Electrical activity at each point in time can be expressed quantitatively
      as a vector with magnitude and direction. Rats are fitted with plate and needle
      electrodes in three mutually perpendicular axes: X (right to left), Y (rostral to
      caudal), and Z (ventral to dorsal). Electrocardiographic signals are recorded on
      paper and also collected at 1000/sec using an IBM-compatible computer equipped
      with a fast A/D convertor. Signals are analyzed using an interactive program
      written in Turbo PASCAL which transforms data into an array consisting of vector
      magnitude and direction at each time point. The data are further used to produce
      both a tabular report and graphic output. This method retains simplicity while
      extending the accuracy of electrocardiographic (ECG) measurement. It literally
      adds another dimension of information to the three-lead ECG most commonly
      measured in rats.

PMID- 1421532
TI  - Venous thrombosis produced in the vena cava of rabbits by vascular damage and
      stasis.
AB  - The main objective of these experiments was to develop and characterize a new
      experimental model of venous thrombosis, and determine whether a combination of
      vascular wall damage (crushing with hemostat clamps) and prolonged stasis
      produced more reproducible clots than prolonged stasis per se. Rabbits were
      laparotomized, and a segment of the vena cava was dissected free and looped with
      two silk ligatures, 2.5 cm apart. The proximal tie was ligated 5 min after
      release of the clamps; the distal tie applied shortly thereafter, trapping a
      volume of blood in the isolated segment. At 2 hr after ligation, the isolated
      venous sac was excised and examined for the presence of a clot. Large, well
      formed clots, which could be readily transferred and weighed, were invariably
      observed in the "clamp" and "no clamp" groups, the latter being a sham control.
      Mean clot weights did not differ in the two groups (23.1 +/- 1.6 versus 30.8 +/-
      5.4 mg dry weight, clamped versus no clamp, respectively, p greater than 0.05).
      However, the precision of the method was improved significantly (p less than
      0.005) by clamping as determined by homogeneity of variance testing. Time-course
      studies showed that a considerable lag period (about 60 min) preceded development
      of a detectable clot, and that the thrombus evolved rapidly during the interval
      of 60-90 min postligation. The location of the small clots at 60 min in clamped
      segments, as well as the failure of prolonged (120 min) stasis without caval
      isolation to cause substantial thrombi, strongly suggests that clot formation
      attributed to "stasis per se" is in fact due to focal vascular lesions created at
      the tie-down points. The present study is also the first report of blockade of
      localized venous thrombosis by recombinant tissue factor pathway inhibitor
      (rTFPI). When given as an i.v. bolus 20 min prior to ligation, rTFPI at 400 and
      800 micrograms/kg completely blocked formation of the thrombus or greatly reduced
      its size in five of the six animals tested.

PMID- 1421533
TI  - A computerized method for measurement and analysis of blood pressure in small
      animals.
AB  - A method is described for computerized measurement of blood pressure (BP) in
      small animals. As described, the system measures BP in up to four experimental
      animals at one time by sequential sampling but can be expanded to take data from
      up to 10. It requires an Apple II computer, and is run from a Grass pen-recording
      system. Pulse rate and systolic and diastolic BP are measured, and these
      variables are used to calculate mean arterial pressure (MAP) and the time
      integral of MAP minute by minute. The data are displayed in real time and stored
      hourly on floppy disc for further analysis.

PMID- 1421534
TI  - Gastric mucosal damage due to aspirin and copper aspirinate assessed by gastric
      mucosal potential difference changes.
AB  - When the gastric mucosa is damaged by antiinflammatory agents, such as aspirin,
      gastric mucosal potential difference (GPD) decreases and may or may not return to
      predamage values after the agent is removed. The magnitude and time course of the
      gastric potential difference changes have been suggested as a measure of mucosal
      damage. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fasted, anesthetized, and surgically
      prepared for measurement of GPD by placement of electrodes in the gastric lumen
      and spleen. Test mixtures of aspirin, copper aspirinate, copper sulfate, or
      mixtures of aspirin and copper sulfate were administered by gavage, and
      subsequent changes in GPD were recorded. The area between the extrapolated
      control (baseline) GPD and the damage GPD was determined. The product of this
      area and the maximum change in GPD, the Reizindex (RI), was calculated. Values
      for all copper (II)-containing systems, including those with no aspirin, were
      significantly greater than aspirin alone. It was concluded that factors other
      than mucosal damage may contribute to a reduction in GPD and, therefore, an
      increase in Reizindex.

PMID- 1421535
TI  - Consensus on laparoscopic surgery.

PMID- 1421536
TI  - Laparoscopic hernioplasty update.
AB  - The Toy-Smoot laparoscopic hernioplasty has been performed on 75 patients with a
      total of 83 hernioplasties over the past 20 months. Sixty-nine patients were male
      and six were female. The age range was 20 to 75 years with an average age of 51.5
      years. Twelve of the patients had bilateral hernias repaired: 55 direct hernias,
      16 indirect hernias, and 5 pantaloon hernias. Eleven of the repairs were for
      recurrent hernias. The procedure was performed under general anesthesia. The
      abdomen was insufflated with carbon dioxide, establishing the pneumoperitoneum.
      Three 11 mm trocars were inserted, the first via the umbilicus, into which the 0
      degrees endoscope was inserted. Two additional trocars were inserted at the level
      of the umbilicus at the anterior axillary lines. The hernia sacs were left in
      situ. The medial umbilical ligament was dissected medially, so as to identify
      directly the pubic tubercle and the Cooper's ligament. An expanded PTFE soft
      tissue patch, 1 mm thick and 7.5 x 10 cm in size, was attached to the Nanticoke
      Endo-patch spreader and introduced via the contralateral trocar and positioned
      over the hernia defect. The Endopath EMS stapler was then used to secure the PTFE
      patch over the hernia defect. This required secure anatomical fixation to the
      transversalis fascia anteriorly and laterally, the pubic tubercle, and the
      posterior rectus sheath, medially, Cooper's ligament, posteromedially, and the
      endoabdominal fascia, posterolaterally. There were a total of seven different
      complications, one major, which was a bladder injury that required an open repair
      of the bladder and then an open, conventional hernioplasty.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421537
TI  - A novel endoscopic transgastric fundoplication procedure for gastroesophageal
      reflux: an initial animal evaluation.
AB  - Complications of gastroesophageal reflux are common in adults and children. A
      variety of surgical procedures have been successfully used to treat this
      condition. All current techniques require open surgery and are associated with
      significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in the high risk,
      neurologically damaged child. The authors have developed a novel method of
      creating a gastric fundoplication using an endoscopic transgastric approach in
      pigs. The procedure involves the creation of an esophageal intussusception into
      the stomach under direct vision with an endoscope. The gastric fundus is then
      plicated around the esophagus using a custom stapling device. The transgastric
      approach allows creation of a fundoplication, is easily performed, is potentially
      effective at preventing gastroesophageal reflux, and has the obvious advantages
      of minimally invasive surgery over open techniques of fundoplication.

PMID- 1421538
TI  - Why catheterize the bladder for laparoscopic cholecystectomy?
AB  - Bladder catheterization is widely employed for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
      Fifty consecutive laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed without bladder
      catheterization. Patients were asked to void shortly before induction of
      anesthesia to ensure that the bladder was empty. Postoperative bladder
      catheterization for urinary retention was required in 3 of the 50 patients.
      Routine bladder catheterization for laparoscopic cholecystectomy is unnecessary,
      and its elimination will reduce costs, urethral trauma, and nosocomial urinary
      tract infections.

PMID- 1421539
TI  - Extraperitoneal endoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection vs. laparoscopic lymph
      node dissection in the staging of prostatic and bladder carcinoma.
AB  - Eighteen patients undergoing laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy were compared
      with eighteen patients undergoing lymph node dissection performed via a totally
      extraperitoneal approach called extraperitoneal endoscopic pelvic lymph node
      dissection. Operative time, nodal yield, and hospital stays were essentially the
      same in both groups. However, the laparoscopic approach had a greater incidence
      of morbidity, leading the authors to adopt a totally extra-peritoneal endoscopic
      approach to pelvic lymph node dissection. Advantages of using an extraperitoneal
      approach are presented.

PMID- 1421540
TI  - Three-dimensional transrectal ultrasound: preliminary patient evaluation.
AB  - Transrectal ultrasound is uniquely useful in diagnosing and localizing the extent
      of lower colon and rectal disease. This paper reports the preliminary evaluation
      of three-dimensional intraluminal ultrasound imaging of normal and diseased
      rectal segments. The three-dimensional reconstructions were produced using a
      computerized PC based image analysis system which aligns ultrasound images to
      produce the three-dimensional images. A unique perspective for displaying both
      normal and pathologic anatomy is achieved using this new technology and the
      method has promising diagnostic and therapeutic potentials.

PMID- 1421541
TI  - Hernioscopy: laparoscopy via an inguinal hernia sac.
AB  - The use of laparoscopy in general surgery has expanded to aid in the diagnosis of
      various intraabdominal conditions. A new application of the laparoscope is
      described to explore the abdominal cavity for potential gangrenous bowel after
      reduction of an incarcerated inguinal hernia. Hernioscopy allows for a good view
      of the entire abdomen including inspection of the colon for serosal changes of
      carcinoma. Exploration via this technique is accomplished without additional skin
      incisions or fascial disruptions and with no increased morbidity, when performed
      during the inguinal herniorrhaphy.

PMID- 1421542
TI  - Aortic laceration: a rare complication of laparoscopy.
AB  - Aortic laceration during laparoscopic procedures is a rare but well-known
      complication with a high mortality rate. Thus far, few cases which were
      recognized and treated successfully have been reported in the literature; the
      exact incidence is not known. Such a complication occurred after an elective
      laparoscopic sterilization in a 35-year-old woman. The situation was recognized
      early and successfully treated. The common complications of laparoscopy are
      usually of a minor nature but a few are life threatening. This case illustrates
      the need for emphasis on the prevention of complications and the appropriate
      course of action in the event of their occurrence.

PMID- 1421543
TI  - Laparoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of acute small bowel obstruction.
AB  - The surgical correction of acute small bowel obstruction is conventionally
      performed through a vertical laparotomy incision. The increasing use of the
      laparoscope for elective general surgery has led to an increase in its use for
      the diagnosis and treatment of acute abdominal conditions. The authors report
      five cases of acute small bowel obstruction treated with the aid of the
      laparoscope. All five patients were able to leave the hospital in the early
      postoperative period and remain symptom free. Laparoscopy is a useful technique
      in the management of selected cases of small bowel obstruction.

PMID- 1421544
TI  - Laparoscopic cholangiography: a new method and device.
AB  - Laparoscopic cholangiography is invaluable in the detection of bile duct stones,
      visualization of ductal anomalies and discovery and prevention of iatrogenic
      injuries to the bile ducts. The use of this procedure is, however, limited by the
      technical difficulties of cystic duct cannulation. A method of laparoscopic
      cholangiography that avoids cystic duct cannulation is described. It consists of
      a Kumar I Cholangiography Clamp that is applied across the gallbladder just above
      the Hartmann's pouch and divides the gallbladder into a medial and lateral
      compartment. A Kumar Cholangio Catheter is then introduced through the side
      channel of the clamp, puncturing the medial compartment (i.e. the Hartmann's
      pouch) with a short #22 gauge needle for aspiration, followed by dye injection.
      Cholangiography was obtained with remarkable ease in 49 of the first 50 cases
      (98%) without complication.

PMID- 1421545
TI  - Percutaneous endoscopic implantation of Automatic Implantable
      Cardioverter/Defibrillator (AICD): an animal study of a new nonthoracotomy
      technique.
AB  - The Automatic Implantable Cardioverter/Defibrillator (AICD) prevents death due to
      malignant ventricular arrhythmias but requires thoracotomy for the implantation
      of the preferred two-patch lead system. The purpose of this study was to develop
      and test a new percutaneous endoscopic method of the AICD lead implantation
      without the need for open chest surgery. A high resolution video endoscopy system
      and currently available endoscopic instrumentation were used to develop pleural
      pericardial dissection technique in 7 pigs and to endoscopically implant custom
      made AICD patches in 20 pigs. An examining 10 mm rigid endoscope inserted in the
      6th intercostal space in the anterior axillary line provided direct visual
      control for endoscopic dissection of the parietal pleura from the pericardium,
      delivery, and implantation of the AICD patches. This was successfully carried out
      through two trocars (10 and 11 mm) inserted into the pleural-pericardial space
      via the subxyphoid approach in 18 of 20 pigs. Effective patch positioning was
      confirmed by attaining a defibrillation threshold of 20J or less in 13 pigs. Of
      those, three required lead polarity reversal, and three others required lead
      repositioning to lower defibrillation thresholds to 20J or less. In three pigs,
      defibrillation thresholds of 30J or higher were required. Defibrillation was
      unsuccessful in two pigs due to patch malfunction. The authors conclude that
      percutaneous endoscopy is a feasible method of AICD lead implantation.

PMID- 1421546
TI  - Laparoscopic pericardial window.
AB  - The patient with a malignant pericardial effusion can be extremely difficult to
      treat and provide optimal palliation. The performance of transabdominal
      laparoscopic pericardial window may prove to be a significant advance in the
      management of these individuals. No previously reported description of this
      procedure has been found in the world literature as far back as 1966. A
      presentation of the case, description of the surgical procedure, and discussion
      of the therapeutic implications are provided.

PMID- 1421547
TI  - The need for improving laparoscopic suturing and knot-tying.

PMID- 1421548
TI  - A technique for extracorporeal suturing.
AB  - Advances in laparoscopic surgical procedures will be facilitated by the ability
      to perform suturing efficiently and effectively. A simple technique of
      extracorporeal suturing is described, which permits rapid and reliable knot
      placement for a wide variety of laparoscopic procedures.

PMID- 1421549
TI  - A technique of laparoscopic knot tying.

PMID- 1421550
TI  - Ultrastructural histopathology of human olfactory dysfunction.
AB  - This paper presents electron-microscopic observations on biopsies of the
      olfactory mucosae of several classes of patients with smell disorders: 1)
      patients with loss of smell function following head injury (post-traumatic
      anosmics or hyposmics); 2) patients with loss of smell function following severe
      head colds and/or sinus infections (post-viral olfactory dysfunction, or PVOD);
      and 3) patients that have lacked smell function since birth (congenital
      anosmics). Of these, the traumatic anosmics' olfactory epithelia were quite
      disorganized; the orderly arrangement of supporting cells, ciliated olfactory
      receptor neurons, microvillar cells, and basal cells was disrupted. Although many
      somata of ciliated olfactory receptors were present, few of their dendrites
      reached the epithelial surface. The few olfactory vesicles present usually lacked
      olfactory cilia. The post-viral anosmics, too, had a greatly reduced number of
      intact ciliated olfactory receptor neurons, and most of those present were
      aciliate. The post-viral hyposmics had a larger population of intact, ciliated
      olfactory receptor cells. In the seven cases of congenital anosmia studied, no
      biopsies of olfactory epithelium were obtained, indicating the olfactory
      epithelium is either absent--or greatly reduced in area--in these individuals.

PMID- 1421551
TI  - Fine structural aspects of secretion and extrinsic innervation in the olfactory
      mucosa.
AB  - The mucus at the surface of the olfactory mucosa constitutes the milieu in which
      perireceptor events associated with olfactory transduction occur. In this review,
      the ultrastructure of olfactory mucus and of the secretory cells that synthesize
      and secrete olfactory mucus in the vertebrate olfactory mucosa is described.
      Bowman's glands are present in the olfactory mucosa of all vertebrates except
      fish. They consist of acini, which may contain mucous or serous cells or both,
      and ducts that traverse the olfactory epithelium to deliver secretions to the
      epithelial surface. Sustentacular cells are present in the olfactory epithelium
      of all vertebrates. In fish, amphibia, reptiles, and birds, they are secretory;
      in mammals, they generally are considered to be "non-secretory," although they
      may participate in the regulation of the mucous composition through
      micropinocytotic secretion and uptake. Goblet cells occur in the olfactory
      epithelium of fish and secrete a mucous product. Secretion from Bowman's glands
      and vasomotor activity in the olfactory mucosa are regulated by neural elements
      extrinsic to the primary olfactory neurons. Nerve fibers described in early
      anatomical studies and characterized by immunohistochemical studies contain a
      variety of neuroactive peptides and have several targets within the olfactory
      mucosa. Ultrastructural studies of nerve terminals in the olfactory mucosa have
      demonstrated the presence of adrenergic, cholinergic and peptidergic input to
      glands, blood vessels, and melanocytes in the lamina propria and of peptidergic
      terminals in the olfactory epithelium. The neural origins of the extrinsic nerve
      fibers and terminals are the trigeminal, terminal, and autonomic systems.

PMID- 1421552
TI  - Endocytic pathways in the olfactory and vomeronasal epithelia of the mouse:
      ultrastructure and uptake of tracers.
AB  - Mammalian olfactory neurons possess a well-developed system of endocytic
      vesicles, endosomes, and lysosomes in their dendrites and perikarya. Vomeronasal
      neurons are similar and also contain much perikaryal agranular endoplasmic
      reticulum (AER). Olfactory supporting cells contain endocytic vesicles and
      endosomes associated closely with abundant fenestrated AER, and vesicles and
      numerous large dense vacuoles are present basally. Vomeronasal supporting cells
      have little AER, and few dense vacuoles occur in their bases. In olfactory
      neurons, ultrastructural tracers (0.08% horseradish peroxidase, thorium dioxide,
      ferritin) are endocytosed by olfactory receptor endings and transported to the
      cell body, where their movement is halted in lysosomes. Higher concentrations
      (1%) of horseradish peroxidase penetrate olfactory receptor plasma membranes and
      intercellular junctions. In olfactory supporting cells, endocytosed tracers pass
      through endosomes to accumulate in dense basal vacuoles. These observations
      indicate that olfactory sensory membranes are rapidly cycled and that endocytosed
      materials are trapped within the epithelium. It is proposed that in the olfactory
      epithelium, endocytosis presents redundant odorants to the enzymes of the
      supporting cell AER to prevent their accumulation, whereas in the vomeronasal
      epithelium the receptor cells carry out this activity.

PMID- 1421553
TI  - Ultrastructural studies of microtubules and microtubule organizing centers of the
      vertebrate olfactory neuron.
AB  - The olfactory neuron is specialized along its length into highly determined
      morphological regions. These regions include the dendritic cilia, dendritic
      vesicle, dendritic shaft proper, perikaryon, axon, zone of transition where the
      axon widens as it approaches its termination, and the axon terminal. Except for
      the zone of transition and the terminal, characteristic populations of
      microtubules occur in these compartments. In the olfactory vesicle, three
      discrete microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs) nucleate microtubules: the basal
      body, the lateral foot associated with the body, and dense masses of nearby
      material. Little is known about MTOCs elsewhere in the neuron, although the
      polarity of the axonal microtubules indicate that they originate at or near the
      perikaryon. An attempt is made to summarize what is known of the origin,
      structure, distribution, and function of microtubules in vertebrate olfactory
      neurons, which are useful model systems in which to study microtubules.
      Information about olfactory neuron microtubules may be applicable to neurons in
      general (e.g., the discovery that axons contain microtubules of uniform polarity
      was first made in the olfactory neuron) or to microtubules in other eukaryotic
      cells.

PMID- 1421554
TI  - Growth of olfactory epithelial tissue in vitro: lectin staining of axons.
AB  - In vitro methods have been used to study several aspects of development of
      olfactory epithelium. In this paper, the value of growing olfactory tissue in
      explant cultures is reviewed and some experiments are reported on the
      identification of lectin receptors on olfactory axons by the use of lectin-gold
      complexes. Both concanavalin A-gold (con A-gold) and wheat germ agglutinin-gold
      consistently decorated olfactory axons in explant cultures. Con A-gold also bound
      to the tips of growth cone filopodia, suggesting the glycoconjugate molecules
      containing alpha-methyl-pyranoside are important in adherence of growth cones to
      their substrate. The wide range in density of lectin-gold particles suggested
      that axons, and the sensory cells from which they arise, are not a uniform
      population, i.e., they have different molecular fingerprints. This was supported
      by the observation that soybean agglutinin-gold stained some axons very well, but
      others remained unstained. Peanut agglutinin did not bind to any axons.

PMID- 1421555
TI  - Lectins bind differentially to cilia and microvilli of major and minor cell
      populations in olfactory and nasal respiratory epithelia.
AB  - Binding of colloidal gold-conjugated lectins was studied in cilia and microvilli
      of rat olfactory and respiratory epithelia. This was done in sections of rapidly
      frozen, freeze-substituted specimens embedded in Lowicryl K11M or, for wheat germ
      agglutinin (WGA) alone, in deep-etched replicas. Olfactory dendritic endings and
      cilia labeled with WGA and faintly with soybean agglutinin (SBA); olfactory
      supporting cell microvilli bound only Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA).
      Microvilli of an infrequent cell bound peanut agglutinin (PNA), SBA, and WGA.
      These microvilli labeled more strongly with the last two lectins than the
      olfactory cilia. Respiratory cilia bound WGA and, somewhat more weakly, PNA;
      microvilli of ciliated respiratory cells bound all four lectins. Visualization of
      specific labeling improved after preincubation of sections with neuraminidase,
      except for DBA where lectin binding was abolished. PNA labeling was seen only
      after neuraminidase preincubation. The densities of membrane surface particles
      that labeled with WGA corresponded with those of fracture plane particles in a
      quantitative freeze-fracture, deep-etch analysis. Therefore, a considerable
      fraction of the WGA-bound particles could reflect transmembrane proteins in
      olfactory dendritic endings and cilia and in respiratory cilia. The possible
      nature of these particles is discussed.

PMID- 1421556
TI  - Depo provera treatment for sex offending behavior: an evaluation of outcome.
AB  - Forty men, ages 16 to 78 years, with sex-offending behavior, were treated with
      combined medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), group therapy, and individual
      psychotherapy. Twenty-three are pedophiles; seven, rapists; and 10,
      exhibitionists. Five had sex-offending behavior that began after head trauma. The
      duration of MPA therapy, usual intramuscular dose 400 mg/wk, ranged from six
      months to 12 years, usually more than two years. These men were compared with a
      control group of 21 men who refused MPA therapy. They had similar types of sex
      offending behavior and were treated with psychotherapy alone with follow-up for a
      period that ranged from two to 12 years. MPA-related side effects included
      excessive weight gain, malaise, migraine headaches, severe leg cramps, elevation
      of blood pressure, gastrointestinal complaints, gallbladder stones, and diabetes
      mellitus. Of the 40 individuals who took MPA, 10 are still on therapy. Eighteen
      percent reoffended while receiving MPA therapy; 35 percent reoffended after
      stopping MPA. In contrast, 58 percent of the control patients, who refused and
      never received MPA, reoffended. Patients defined as regressed were much more
      likely to reoffend off therapy than the patients defined as fixated. Other risk
      factors for reoffense include elevated baseline testosterone, previous head
      injury, never forming a marriage relationship, and alcohol and drug abuse. In
      spite of significant medical side effects, maintenance MPA offers benefit for the
      compulsive sex offender by reducing the reoffense rate.

PMID- 1421557
TI  - Incompetence, treatment refusal, and hospitalization.
AB  - Psychiatrists have proposed broadened commitment statues based on need for care
      and treatment, and under which judges have no role in deciding cases of treatment
      refusal. The mental health bar has consistently opposed these proposals on
      constitutional and common law grounds. The authors propose new commitment
      criteria based on incompetency to decide about hospitalization, and inability to
      live safely in freedom. The proposed standards would meet the Constitutional
      requirements, and would permit hospitalization and/or treatment for many persons
      who are in need but who now go without. The authors recognize that new commitment
      law without adequate clinical resources will not greatly improve patient care.

PMID- 1421558
TI  - Treatment boundary violations: clinical, ethical, and legal considerations.
AB  - The observance of treatment boundaries maintains the integrity of the therapist
      patient relationship. It is the therapist's professional duty to establish
      appropriate treatment boundaries. Basic boundary guidelines are reviewed. The
      principles underlying these boundary guidelines are explored. A clinical vignette
      describing the sexual exploitation of a patient by her therapist dramatically
      illustrates progressive boundary violations. Boundary violations involving money
      are particularly common. Double agent roles also are likely to lead to the
      establishment of dissonant treatment boundaries with patients. The clinical,
      ethical, and legal issues surrounding the maintenance of treatment boundaries are
      discussed.

PMID- 1421559
TI  - Approaches to forensic assessment of false claims of sexual misconduct by
      therapists.
AB  - The author offers systematic approaches to evaluation of claims of therapist
      patient sexual misconduct, together with their rationales. False accusations
      should be considered in all such cases in order to maintain the balanced forensic
      perspective and to probe for malingering, as in all evaluations. Practical
      techniques are offered and the underlying reasoning described.

PMID- 1421560
TI  - The impact of clozapine on 25 forensic patients.

PMID- 1421561
TI  - Collision between law and ethics: consent for treatment with adolescents.
AB  - The dilemmas between legal obligations and ethical responsibilities can often
      create problems in clinical work. The treatment of minors, and particularly
      adolescents, can present special issues to the clinician that are becoming
      increasingly frequent and difficult. The issue of informed consent for treatment
      of adolescents raises serious questions for the clinical practitioner who is
      faced with both legal and ethical dilemmas in making decisions about treatment.
      There are an increasing number of cases where adolescents may seek treatment yet
      are in circumstances that preclude parental consent. This paper uses case
      material to illustrate some of the legal, ethical, and treatment considerations
      in the situation of adolescent treatment where parental consent is problematic.

PMID- 1421562
TI  - The occupational hazards of jury duty.
AB  - Jurors on criminal trials carry a considerable burden of responsibility. They
      determine the defendant's fate. Additionally, during trials they can be exposed
      to stressful, frightening, and sordid aspects of life. The stressfulness varies
      depending upon the nature of the trial, its length, the nature of the testimony
      and evidence, the jurors' interpersonal relationships, the difficulty
      establishing guilt or innocence, the public's attitude, etc. These experiences
      can create psychological and/or physical discomfort that can be transient and
      mildly or moderately intense, or more serious and constitute illness. The authors
      have studied juries of four criminal trials--two murder cases, one child abuse
      case, and one obscenity case. Forty jurors were interviewed. Twenty-seven had one
      or more discomforting physical and/or physiological symptoms. These involved
      gastrointestinal distress (10 jurors); generalized nervousness (4 jurors); heart
      palpitation (6 jurors); headaches (4 jurors); sexual inhibitions (4 jurors);
      depression (4 jurors); anorexia (4 jurors); faintness (2 jurors); and numbness,
      lump in throat, chest pain, hives, and flu (1 juror each). Seven of the jurors
      became clearly ill. Illnesses included: peptic ulcer reactivation and hives,
      phobic reaction, anxiety state and increased alcohol use, hypertensive episode
      and visual scotomata, sexual inhibition, chills, fever, and depression, and post
      traumatic stress disorder.

PMID- 1421563
TI  - The Tarasoff raid: a new extension of the duty to protect.
AB  - The authors discuss the general outlines of the Tarasoff duty of psychotherapists
      to protect potential victims of their violent patients. They describe the
      flexible range of clinical responses that therapists have utilized, as well as
      their professional concerns about preserving patient confidentiality (or at least
      strictly circumscribing the scope of disclosure when confidentiality must be
      breached). A recent case is reported that illustrates a striking new extension of
      Tarasoff, involving a police search and seizure of a psychotherapist's
      confidential treatment records and tapes, in response to a third-party complaint
      that the records contained evidence of his patients' violent acts and
      propensities. The implications of this case are that the therapist's discretion
      in the assessment of his duty to protect, the selection of a proper course of
      action, and the implementation of specific responses may be taken out of his
      hands, for all intents and purposes, and expropriated by law and order officials.
      Moreover, regardless of whatever clinical approach he adopts and whether or not
      he issues a warning, his attempts to preserve patient confidentiality are bound
      to prove unsuccessful in any future legal proceedings. Patient communications are
      likely to lose their confidential status on the grounds that they caused or
      triggered the Tarasoff warning (or that they should have triggered it). If the
      patient directed serious threats against the therapist himself, the court may
      find that, as a consequence, a "genuine therapeutic relationship" ceased to exist
      and thereafter all patient disclosures were no longer confidential on that
      basis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421564
TI  - Peer review of psychiatric expert testimony. American Psychiatric Association's
      Council on Psychiatry and Law.

PMID- 1421566
TI  - Endoplasmic reticulum: a dynamic patchwork of specialized subregions.

PMID- 1421567
TI  - Activation of a muscle-specific actin gene promoter in serum-stimulated
      fibroblasts.
AB  - Treatment of AKR-2B mouse fibroblasts with serum growth factors or inhibitors of
      protein synthesis, such as cycloheximide, results in a stimulation of
      cytoskeletal beta-actin transcription but has no effect on transcription of
      muscle-specific isotypes, such as the vascular smooth muscle (VSM) alpha-actin
      gene. Deletion mapping and site-specific mutagenesis studies demonstrated that a
      single "CArG" element of the general form CC(A/T)6GG was necessary and possibly
      sufficient to impart serum and cycloheximide-inducibility to the beta-actin
      promoter. Although the VSM alpha-actin promoter exhibits at least three similar
      sequence elements, it remained refractory to serum and cycloheximide induction.
      However, deletion of a 33 base pair sequence between -191 and -224 relative to
      the transcription start site resulted in the transcriptional activation of this
      muscle-specific promoter in rapidly growing or serum-stimulated fibroblasts.
      Although the activity of this truncated promoter was potentiated by cycloheximide
      in a manner indistinguishable from that of the beta-actin promoter, this was
      dependent on a more complex array of interacting elements. These included at
      least one CArG box and a putative upstream activating element closely associated
      with the -191 to -224 inhibitory sequences. These results demonstrate that the
      expression of a muscle-specific actin gene in fibroblasts is suppressed by a cis
      acting negative control element and that in the absence of this element, the
      promoter is responsive to growth factor-induced signal transduction pathways.

PMID- 1421568
TI  - Ability of adenovirus 5 E1A proteins to suppress differentiation of BC3H1
      myoblasts correlates with their binding to a 300 kDa cellular protein.
AB  - We have used deletion mutants to define the regions in Ad5 E1A proteins necessary
      to suppress differentiation of mouse BC3H1 myoblasts. We examined the
      differentiation of cells infected at a low multiplicity with viruses containing
      the E1A deletions and constructed so as to produce only the smaller of the two
      major E1A proteins. Only four of the mutant viruses containing deletions within
      the N-terminal 69 residues failed to suppress differentiation as judged by
      changes in morphology and in levels of muscle-specific alpha-actin mRNA and
      creatine kinase activity. The results were confirmed by analyses of lines of
      cells stably transfected with representative E1A mutants. The mouse cellular
      proteins to which mutant E1A proteins bound were identified by
      immunoprecipitating E1A proteins specifically from infected BC3H1 cells and by
      analyzing the precipitates on denaturing gels. Bands of proteins of 300, 130,
      107, 105 (the retinoblastoma product), and 60 kDa (cyclin A) were distinguished.
      Failure to suppress differentiation correlated with loss of binding to the 300
      kDa protein but not to any of the others. The regions of E1A defined in this way
      have been shown to be required for several other activities, including enhancer
      repression and transformation. One function of the 300-kDa protein appears to be
      to facilitate the action of transcriptional enhancers of differentiation-specific
      genes.

PMID- 1421565
TI  - The extracellular regulation of growth factor action.

PMID- 1421569
TI  - Inhibition of c-Jun DNA binding by mitogen-activated protein kinase.
AB  - Here we demonstrate that partially purified Xenopus p42 mitogen-activated protein
      (MAP) kinase phosphorylates bacterially expressed human c-Jun at a single site,
      serine 243. Several lines of evidence argue that this phosphorylation is due to
      p42 MAP kinase itself rather than some contaminating species. Phosphorylation of
      serine 243 markedly decreases the binding of c-Jun to oligonucleotides containing
      the 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate response element. These findings suggest
      that MAP kinase may play a role in the down-regulation of c-Jun or in the cycle
      of transcriptional initiation and elongation.

PMID- 1421570
TI  - Induction of NF-kappa B-like activity by platelet-derived growth factor in mouse
      fibroblasts.
AB  - Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) modulates the expression of numerous genes
      via interaction with a specific DNA sequence termed the kappa B site. Its
      activity is modulated by a cytosolic inhibitor protein termed I kappa B, and its
      activation occurs in response to a variety of agents in a variety of cell types,
      most notably B and T lymphocytes. Data presented here show that an activity
      (designated complex I) that binds specifically to the kappa B site is induced in
      density-arrested Balb/c-3T3 mouse fibroblasts by platelet-derived growth factor
      (PDGF), a potent mitogen for these cells. Increased levels of complex I, as
      evaluated by electrophoretic mobility shift assays of nuclear extracts, were
      observed in cells treated for 1-4 h (but not 15 min) with the BB isoform of PDGF.
      12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) and the AA isoform of PDGF also
      stimulated this response and both isoforms, but not TPA, were effective in cells
      depleted of protein kinase C. Complex I most likely is authentic NF-kappa B, a
      p50-p65 heterodimer, or a closely related factor because it exhibited properties
      characteristic of those previously described for NF-kappa B including
      inducibility by deoxycholate and cycloheximide and sensitivity to I kappa B. A
      second kappa B binding activity (complex II), which apparently contained p50
      homodimers, displayed limited induction by PDGF, whereas a third complex (complex
      III) migrated faster than but behaved similarly to complex I. These studies
      suggest that NF-kappa B or an NF-kappa B-like factor may participate in the
      expression of PDGF-inducible genes.

PMID- 1421571
TI  - Modulation of the dynamic instability of tubulin assembly by the microtubule
      associated protein tau.
AB  - Microtubule-associated proteins (MAP), such as tau, modulate the extent and rate
      of microtubule assembly and play an essential role in morphogenetic processes,
      such as axonal growth. We have examined the mechanism by which tau affects
      microtubule polymerization by examining the kinetics of microtubule assembly and
      disassembly through direct observation of microtubules using dark-field
      microscopy. Tau increases the rate of polymerization, decreases the rate of
      transit into the shrinking phase (catastrophe), and inhibits the rate of
      depolymerization. Tau strongly suppresses the catastrophe rate, and its ability
      to do so is independent of its ability to increase the elongation rate. Thus, tau
      generates a partially stable but still dynamic state in microtubules. This state
      is perturbed by phosphorylation by MAP2 kinase, which affects all three
      activities by lowering the affinity of tau for the microtubule lattice.

PMID- 1421572
TI  - Role of GTP hydrolysis in microtubule dynamics: information from a slowly
      hydrolyzable analogue, GMPCPP.
AB  - The role of GTP hydrolysis in microtubule dynamics has been reinvestigated using
      an analogue of GTP, guanylyl-(alpha, beta)-methylene-diphosphonate (GMPCPP). This
      analogue binds to the tubulin exchangeable nucleotide binding site (E-site) with
      an affinity four to eightfold lower than GTP and promotes the polymerization of
      normal microtubules. The polymerization rate of microtubules with GMPCPP-tubulin
      is very similar to that of GTP-tubulin. However, in contrast to microtubules
      polymerized with GTP, GMPCPP-microtubules do not depolymerize rapidly after
      isothermal dilution. The depolymerization rate of GMPCPP-microtubules is 0.1 s-1
      compared with 500 s-1 for GDP-microtubules. GMPCPP also completely suppresses
      dynamic instability. Contrary to previous work, we find that the beta--gamma bond
      of GMPCPP is hydrolyzed extremely slowly after incorporation into the microtubule
      lattice, with a rate constant of 4 x 10(-7) s-1. Because GMPCPP hydrolysis is
      negligible over the course of a polymerization experiment, it can be used to test
      the role of hydrolysis in microtubule dynamics. Our results provide strong new
      evidence for the idea that GTP hydrolysis by tubulin is not required for normal
      polymerization but is essential for depolymerization and thus for dynamic
      instability. Because GMPCPP strongly promotes spontaneous nucleation of
      microtubules, we propose that GTP hydrolysis by tubulin also plays the important
      biological role of inhibiting spontaneous microtubule nucleation.

PMID- 1421573
TI  - Expression and distribution of osteopontin in human tissues: widespread
      association with luminal epithelial surfaces.
AB  - Osteopontin, a glycoprotein with a glycine-arginine-glycine-aspartate-serine
      (GRGDS) cell-binding domain, has been described in bone and is also known to be
      expressed in other organs, particularly kidney. The goal of the present work was
      to define the distribution of osteopontin synthesis and deposition in a wide
      variety of normal adult human tissues using a multifaceted approach that included
      immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and Northern analysis.
      Immunohistochemical studies have revealed the unexpected finding that osteopontin
      is deposited as a prominent layer at the luminal surfaces of specific populations
      of epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal tract, gall bladder, pancreas,
      urinary and reproductive tracts, lung, breast, salivary glands, and sweat glands.
      Northern analyses identified gallbladder as a major site of osteopontin gene
      transcription comparable in magnitude with that of kidney, and immunoblotting
      identified osteopontin in bile. In situ hybridization localized osteopontin gene
      transcripts predominantly to the epithelium of a variety of organs as well as to
      ganglion cells of bowel wall. Osteopontin of epithelial cell origin, like bone
      derived osteopontin, promoted GRGDS-dependent cell spreading in attachment
      assays. We postulate that osteopontin secreted by epithelium binds integrins on
      luminal surfaces. Collectively, these findings suggest an important role for
      osteopontin on many luminal epithelial surfaces communicating with the external
      environment.

PMID- 1421574
TI  - Interaction of dynamin with microtubules: its structure and GTPase activity
      investigated by using highly purified dynamin.
AB  - We purified a large amount of dynamin with high enzymatical activity from rat
      brain tissue by a new procedure. Dynamin 0.48 mg was obtained from 20 g of rat
      brain. The purity of dynamin was almost 98%. Dynamin plays a role of GTPase
      rather than ATPase. In the absence of microtubules, Michaelis constant (Km) and
      maximum velocity (Vmax) for dynamin GTPase were 370 microM and 0.25 min-1,
      respectively, and in their presence, both were significantly accelerated up to 25
      microM and 5.5 min-1. On the other hand, the ATPase activity was very low in the
      absence of microtubules, and even in their presence, Km and Vmax for dynamin
      ATPase were 0.2 mM and 0.91 min-1. Despite slow GTPase turnover rate in the
      absence of microtubules, binding of GTP and its nonhydrolizing analogues was very
      fast, indicating that GTP binding step is not rate limiting. Dynamin did not
      cause a one-directional consistent microtubule sliding movement just like kinesin
      or dynein in the presence of 2 mM ATP or 2 mM GTP. We observed the molecular
      structure of dynamin with low-angle rotary shadowing technique and revealed that
      the dynamin molecule is globular in shape. Gel filtration assay revealed that
      these globules were the oligomers of 100-kDa dynamin polypeptide. Dynamin bound
      to microtubules with a 1:1 approximately 1.2 molar ratio in the absence of GTP.
      Quick-freeze deep-etch electron microscopy of the dynamin-microtubule complex
      showed that dynamin decorates the surface of microtubules helically, like a screw
      bolt, very orderly and tightly with 11.4 +/- 0.9 (SD)nm period. Contrary to the
      previous report, microtubules make bundles by the attachment of the dynamin
      helixes around each adjacent microtubule, and no cross-bridge formation was
      observed.

PMID- 1421575
TI  - Specification of sites for polarized growth in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the
      influence of external factors on site selection.
AB  - Many eucaryotic cell types exhibit polarized cell growth and polarized cell
      division at nonrandom sites. The sites of polarized growth were investigated in
      G1 arrested haploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. When yeast cells are arrested
      during G1 either by treatment with alpha-factor or by shifting temperature
      sensitive cdc28-1 cells to the restrictive temperature, the cells form a
      projection. Staining with Calcofluor reveals that in both cases the projection
      usually forms at axial sites (i.e., next to the previous bud scar); these are the
      same sites where bud formation is expected to occur. These results indicate that
      sites of polarized growth are specified before the end of G1. Sites of polarized
      growth can be influenced by external conditions. Cells grown to stationary phase
      and diluted into fresh medium preferentially select sites for polarized growth
      opposite the previous bud scar (i.e., distal sites). Incubation of cells in a
      mating mixture results in projection formation at nonaxial sites: presumably
      cells form projections toward their mating partner. These observations have
      important implications in understanding three aspects of cell polarity in yeast:
      1) how yeast cell shape is influenced by growth conditions 2) how sites of
      polarized growth are chosen, and 3) the pathway by which polarity is affected and
      redirected during the mating process.

PMID- 1421576
TI  - Myosin II phosphorylation and the dynamics of stress fibers in serum-deprived and
      stimulated fibroblasts.
AB  - The actin-based cytomatrix generates stress fibers containing a host of proteins
      including actin and myosin II and whose dynamics are easily observable in living
      cells. We developed a dual-radioisotope-based assay of myosin II phosphorylation
      and applied it to serum-deprived fibroblasts treated with agents that modified
      the dynamic distribution of stress fibers and/or altered the phosphorylation
      state of myosin II. Serum-stimulation induced an immediate and sustained increase
      in the level of myosin II heavy chain (MHC) and 20-kDa light chain (LC20)
      phosphorylation over the same time course that it caused stress fiber
      contraction. Cytochalasin D, shown to cause stress fiber fragmentation and
      contraction, had little effect on myosin II phosphorylation. Okadaic acid, a
      protein phosphatase inhibitor, induced a delayed but massive cell shortening
      preceded by a large increase in MHC and LC20 phosphorylation. Staurosporine, a
      kinase inhibitor known to effect dissolution but not contraction of stress
      fibers, immediately caused an increase in MHC and LC20 phosphorylation followed
      within minutes by the dephosphorylation of LC20 to a level below that of
      untreated cells. We therefore propose that the contractility of the actin-based
      cytomatrix is regulated by both modulating the activity of molecular motors such
      as myosin II and by altering the gel structure in such a manner as to either
      resist or yield to the tension applied by the motors.

PMID- 1421578
TI  - Biology education is the scientific future.

PMID- 1421577
TI  - Phosphorylation of p90 and p52 in response to phorbol-esters in Swiss/3T3 cells
      overexpressing protein kinase C-alpha.
AB  - Cell lines stably overexpressing protein kinase C (PKC)-alpha were previously
      described by us. These cell lines were generated by the introduction of the full
      length cDNA coding for PKC-alpha into Swiss/3T3 cells. Here we show that
      activation of PKC-alpha by phorbol-esters induced in these cells specific
      phosphorylation of two cellular proteins p90 and p52. Phosphorylation of p80
      (MARCKS protein), previously identified as a substrate for PKC, was also
      enhanced. Phosphorylated p90 and p52 proteins were associated with particulate
      membrane-enriched fractions and were extractable with the use of nonionic
      detergents. Time course analysis of phorbol-ester induced phosphorylation of p90
      and p52 revealed maximal stimulation of phosphorylation after 15-30 min.
      Phosphamino acid analysis showed that phosphorylation of p90 and p52 occurred
      mainly on serine residues. Phosphorylation of p52 was also on threonine residues.
      Whereas, phorbol ester activation induced phosphorylation of both p90 and p52,
      the mitogens platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and fibroblast growth factor
      (FGF) enhanced phosphorylation of p90, but not p52. Thus, our studies showed the
      involvement of PKC-alpha in the regulation of p90 and p52 phosphorylation and
      provided direct evidence for the role of PKC-alpha in cellular signaling by PDGF
      and FGF. Moreover, the fact that phosphorylation of p52 was specific to phorbol
      ester activation may suggest its involvement in tumor promotion. Characterization
      of p90 and p52 will enable us to reveal the phosphorylation cascade activated
      downstream to PKC-alpha and to determine their role in mitogenic signaling and
      tumor promotion.

PMID- 1421579
TI  - Chromosome loss, hyperrecombination, and cell cycle arrest in a yeast mcm1
      mutant.
AB  - The original mcm1-1 mutant was identified by its inability to propagate
      minichromosomes in an ARS-specific manner, suggesting that it is defective in the
      initiation of DNA synthesis at ARSs. This mutant is also defective in expression
      of alpha-mating-type-specific genes. Further genetic and biochemical studies
      confirmed that Mcm1 is a transcription factor that mediates the transcriptional
      regulation of a number of genes, including genes outside of the mating type
      complement, by interacting with different cofactors. Although MCM1 is an
      essential gene, none of the previously characterized mcm1 mutants exhibits
      significant growth defects. To assess which of the many roles of Mcm1 is
      essential for growth, we constructed and characterized a temperature-sensitive
      conditional mutant of mcm1, mcm1-110L. This mutant exhibits a temperature
      dependent cell-cycle arrest, with a large, elongated bud and a single, undivided
      nucleus that has a DNA content of close to 2n. In addition, it shows elevated
      levels of chromosome loss and recombination. In spite of the severity of the mcm1
      110L mutation, this mutant still retains an ARS-specific pattern of
      minichromosome instability. All of these phenotypes are precisely those exhibited
      by mutants in three MCM genes, MCM2, MCM3, and MCM5/CDC46, that have been shown
      to play interacting roles in the early steps of DNA replication.

PMID- 1421580
TI  - Signal transduction by the platelet integrin alpha IIb beta 3: induction of
      calcium oscillations required for protein-tyrosine phosphorylation and ligand
      induced spreading of stably transfected cells.
AB  - We demonstrate an example of signal transduction by an integrin and have begun to
      define the pathway through which this signaling is achieved. We constructed a
      stably transfected derivative of 293 cells (ATCC 1573) that expresses the
      platelet integrin GPIIbIIIa (alpha IIb beta 3). This cell line, clone B, adheres
      to and spreads on fibrinogen, a ligand for alpha IIb beta 3, while the parent
      cell line does not. Stimulation of these cells either by adhesion to fibrinogen
      or with antiserum directed against alpha IIb beta 3 results in induction of
      calcium oscillations, followed by tyrosine phosphorylation of at least one
      protein of molecular weight approximately 125 kDa. We establish that this
      phosphorylation, as well as the morphological rearrangements, requires the
      mobilization of calcium.

PMID- 1421581
TI  - Red storm rising.

PMID- 1421582
TI  - RTH Laennec: a life immersed in tuberculosis.

PMID- 1421583
TI  - John Keats: poet, surgeon and consumptive.

PMID- 1421584
TI  - First do no harm.

PMID- 1421585
TI  - Epidemiology of tuberculosis in Rhode Island.
AB  - The increase in the reported cases of tuberculosis in Rhode Island from 1985 to
      1991 has been striking. This rise has occurred at a faster rate than that for the
      United States overall. Although the HIV epidemic is largely to blame for the
      resurgence of tuberculosis nationwide, its impact on tuberculosis locally has
      been muted. The rise in reported cases in Rhode Island is attributable mainly to
      increased cases among minority groups, particularly Southeast Asians. Blacks and
      Hispanics are likewise at an increased risk for developing active disease.
      Especially alarming is the dramatic rise in the number of tuberculosis cases
      reported in children in Rhode Island, a reflection of active disease transmission
      in the community. The Rhode Island Tuberculosis Control Program, already
      functioning at full capacity, must find ways of curbing the growing tuberculosis
      problem.

PMID- 1421586
TI  - An update on tuberculosis in children: the Rhode Island experience.

PMID- 1421587
TI  - Drug-resistant tuberculosis.

PMID- 1421588
TI  - The essentials of a tuberculosis elimination program.

PMID- 1421589
TI  - Screening for tuberculosis: everything you already knew, probably forgot and
      meant to look up.

PMID- 1421590
TI  - The diagnosis and treatment of active tuberculosis.

PMID- 1421591
TI  - Tuberculosis and the health department: the present and the future in Rhode
      Island.

PMID- 1421592
TI  - Tuberculosis in Rhode Island.

PMID- 1421593
TI  - Hepatic, splanchnic and systemic haemodynamic abnormalities in portal
      hypertension.
AB  - Portal hypertension is characterized by a pathological increase in portal venous
      pressure that leads to the formation of portosystemic collaterals that divert
      portal blood to the systemic circulation, bypassing the liver. Increased vascular
      resistance to portal blood flow is the initiating factor in portal hypertension.
      Increased resistance along the hepatic and portocollateral circulation is in part
      modifiable by pharmacological agents. An additional factor is splanchnic
      vasodilatation with increased portal blood inflow, which contributes to the
      maintenance and aggravation of the portal hypertension. Endogenous vasodilators
      are thought to be responsible for the splanchnic hyperaemia of portal
      hypertension. Vasodilatation is also prominent in the stomach and lungs, and
      plays an important role in the pathophysiology of portal hypertensive gastropathy
      and of the hepatopulmonary syndrome. The systemic circulation is markedly
      hyperkinetic, with reduced arterial pressure and peripheral resistance and
      increased cardiac output. The plasma volume is expanded due to renal sodium
      retention. The expanded plasma volume enables the increase in cardiac output, and
      represents another mechanism contributing to the increase in portal pressure.

PMID- 1421594
TI  - Natural history and prognosis of variceal bleeding.

PMID- 1421595
TI  - Emergency and elective endoscopic therapy for variceal haemorrhage.

PMID- 1421596
TI  - Portal hypertensive gastropathy.
AB  - There is now substantial clinical evidence to suggest that portal hypertensive
      gastropathy is an important source of gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with
      portal hypertension. Although a relatively uncommon presenting feature in such
      patients, it appears to become progressively more frequent and important the
      longer such patients with bleeding oesophageal varices survive after treatment by
      endoscopic sclerotherapy. It is now being increasingly recognized as the most
      important cause of haemorrhage after oesophageal varices in such patients. The
      endoscopic and histological characteristics of the condition are now well
      established but from a clinical point of view it is important to distinguish it
      from a number of other disorders. The pathogenesis of portal hypertensive
      gastropathy is poorly understood; venous congestion secondary to portal
      hypertension undoubtedly plays an important role but this is not thought to
      account entirely for the condition since abnormalities in the arterial blood
      supply are also observed. Many abnormalities in gastric mucosal function have
      been reported but it is unclear whether these are secondary disturbances or
      whether they play an important primary role in the development of the condition.
      Animal studies to date have not been helpful due to the lack of a satisfactory
      experimental model. Portocaval shunt surgery cures portal hypertensive
      gastropathy but propranolol has been shown to be highly effective in controlling
      haemorrhage from this condition and should now be considered the treatment of
      choice. The mechanism of action is unclear, and it remains to be shown whether
      other beta-blockers, or indeed any other drugs, are useful in treating this
      disorder.

PMID- 1421597
TI  - The role of portosystemic shunting in the management of portal hypertension.
AB  - In this chapter, we have tried to indicate the role of the portosystemic shunt in
      the treatment of portal hypertension. The conclusions are evident: in the last 10
      years it has lost its role as leader in the treatment of portal hypertension.
      However, some firm statements can be made. The selective shunt is an operation
      that provides both good variceal decompression and satisfactory maintenance of
      liver function. Its results in great part depend on the skill of the surgeon.
      Only a patient with good liver function (Child's classes A and B) is a candidate
      for shunt surgery, with, very occasionally, a patient with severe disease (class
      C). In an emergency, the operation is used only after failure of sclerotherapy,
      but it must be used at the right time before the patient's condition has
      deteriorated. In the prevention of variceal rebleeding, the selective shunt or
      sclerotherapy can be routine measures. The choice between the two treatments
      depends on the patient's willingness and the ability of the institution to
      perform both procedures successfully. If sclerotherapy is chosen, the institution
      must be able to rapidly rescue a sclerotherapy failure by shunt surgery. Liver
      transplantation is probably the treatment of the future, but it is at present
      impossible to suggest that the procedure is feasible for all patients with
      variceal bleeding and severe liver disease.

PMID- 1421598
TI  - Liver transplantation in the management of bleeding oesophageal varices.

PMID- 1421599
TI  - Management of gastric varices.
AB  - Gastric varices (GV) are a common (20%) accompaniment of portal hypertension;
      they are more often seen in those patients who bleed than in those who do not
      (27% versus 4%, p < 0.01). They can develop in both segmental and generalized
      portal hypertension. Depending on their location and relation with oesophageal
      varices, GVs can be classified as gastrooesophageal varices (GOV) and isolated
      gastric varices (IGV); each of these can be further subdivided as follows: GOV1
      (extension of oesophageal varices along lesser curve) and GOV2 (extension of
      oesophageal varices towards fundus); and IGV1 (varices in the fundus) and IGV2
      (isolated varices anywhere in the stomach). The common presentation of GVs is
      variceal bleeding and encephalopathy. In comparison with oesophageal varices, GVs
      bleed significantly less often (64% versus 25%, p < 0.01) but more severely (2.9
      +/- 0.3 versus 4.8 +/- 0.6 transfusion units, p < 0.01). Patients with GOV2 and
      IGV1 bleed more often than patients with other types of GVs. Sclerotherapy for
      oesophageal varices can significantly influence the natural history of GVs. GOV1,
      or lesser curve varices, disappear in the majority of cases (59%) after
      obliteration of oesophageal varices. In those with persisting GOV1, the incidence
      of bleeding and mortality is high and these patients require gastric variceal
      sclerotherapy (GVS). During oesophageal variceal sclerotherapy, bleeding can
      occasionally be induced from GVs. After obliteration of oesophageal varices,
      recurrence as GVs (secondary GVs) can occur in about 9% of patients. Emergency
      GVS is quite effective in controlling acute bleeding from GVs, more so than
      balloon tamponade. Potent sclerosants like tetradecyl sulphate and alcohol and a
      glue, bucrylate, have been quite effective. Elective GVS can achieve obliteration
      of GVs in nearly 70% of patients. Rebleeding and ulceration are common
      complications of GVS; probably related to incomplete obliteration and mucosal
      injury respectively. Splenectomy is quite effective in treating GVs due to
      segmental protal hypertension. For GV bleeding due to generalized portal
      hypertension, a shunt operation is often effective. TIPS procedure appear to be a
      very promising therapy for GV bleeding. Liver transplantation may be a superior
      alternative to sclerotherapy and shunt surgery for gastric varices.

PMID- 1421600
TI  - Transection and devascularization procedures for bleeding from oesophagogastric
      varices.
AB  - Transection and devascularization procedures (Sugiura procedure and
      transabdominal transection of oesophagus and devascularization) had been the most
      popular modality of treatment for oesophagogastric varices until the 1970s but
      the trends of treatment for varices have changed drastically during the last
      decade. This is partly due to the recent development of endoscopic sclerotherapy
      and partly due to the patient's increasing demand for less invasive treatment.
      Recently most patients with oesophagogastric varices are treated initially by
      endoscopic sclerotherapy and surgical treatment is only called for after
      sclerotherapy has failed.

PMID- 1421601
TI  - Pathophysiology and treatment of ascites and the hepatorenal syndrome.
AB  - Ascites indicates the accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, due to a
      wide range of causes. These causes can be classified according to the presence of
      portal hypertension, severe blood dyscrasia and peritoneal disease. Cirrhosis is
      the most frequent cause of ascites. The occurrence of ascites in cirrhosis is due
      to portal hypertension, which is responsible for the increase in hydrostatic
      pressure at the sinusoidal level and the alterations of splanchnic and systemic
      haemodynamics. These latter include increased splanchnic inflow, reduced systemic
      resistance and increased plasma volume and cardiac output. Portal hypertension
      also plays a major role in determining sodium retention, which occurs in the
      setting of increased RAA system and SNS activity. The mechanisms by which portal
      hypertension leads to the activation of antinatriuretic factors and sodium
      retention are not completely understood; three main hypotheses have been proposed
      to explain this relationship, namely the underfilling, the overflow and the
      peripheral arterial vasodilatation theories. In patients with cirrhosis and
      ascites, there is an overall activation of the renal prostaglandin system, which
      probably acts to maintain renal haemodynamics and GFR by counteracting the
      vasoconstricting effects of AII and noradrenaline on renal circulation. In
      advanced stages, ascites may become refractory to medical treatment and renal
      function shows a progressive impairment and eventually acute renal failure, the
      so-called HRS, due to a marked vasoconstriction of the renal arteries and the
      opening of the intrarenal-arteriovenous (A-V) shunts. In this condition, the
      reduced renal synthesis of vasodilating prostaglandins is probably of pathogenic
      importance. Treatment of ascites is usually based on bed rest, low-sodium diet
      and administration of aldosterone antagonists and loop diuretics. A sequential
      treatment of ascites based on the progressive addition of more potent drugs is
      the best way to relieve ascites while avoiding potentially dangerous side
      effects. Patients who fail to respond to the above manoeuvres are said to have
      refractory ascites. Current treatment of this latter condition is mainly based on
      therapeutic paracentesis and the application of the LeVeen shunt, but long-term
      results are unsatisfactory.

PMID- 1421602
TI  - Animal implantation results with the Utah-100 total artificial heart.
AB  - The Utah-100 total artificial heart was designed to have increased reliability
      over the Jarvik-7 total artificial heart, achieve better fit, and minimize device
      associated thrombus formation, without decreasing the function. The Utah-100
      heart was tested in 28 calves and 3 sheep. The smallest animal at the time of
      implantation weighted 54 kg. Mean survival duration was 78 days (range, 1-331
      days), with 14 animals surviving longer than 60 days. Multiple organ function was
      maintained satisfactorily with the Utah-100 artificial heart, and mean plasma
      free hemoglobin values in the calves that survived longer than 100 days were less
      than 10 mg/dl. Hemorrhage was the main cause of death in animals dying within 30
      days after implantation (5/13, 38%); infection was another primary cause of death
      or termination (4/31, 13%). Deaths due to mechanical failure occurred from valve
      or diaphragm failure in two cases, yielding a 91% reliability at a 90% confidence
      level for 60 days' support. No animal died because of driver or other technical
      failure. Utah-100 hearts showed superior antithrombogenicity in the connector and
      valve-related areas when compared with the results of the Jarvik-7 heart, which
      was also fabricated and implanted in our laboratory (p less than 0.01). With
      these test results, the authors anticipate that the Utah-100 heart will be a safe
      and effective device for interim use as a bridge to heart transplantation.

PMID- 1421603
TI  - Vascular access surgery for maintenance hemodialysis. Variables in hospital stay.
AB  - Access surgery in support of maintenance hemodialysis is a major factor
      contributing to prolonged hospitalization in the hemodialysis patient population.
      In surveying 140 consecutive patients admitted for access surgery, average length
      of stay was 14 days, independent of race or underlying cause of renal disease.
      Extended length of stay was most commonly encountered in older patients admitted
      for thrombosed fistulae or grafts. Postoperative fever, the need for repeated
      femoral catheterization, delay in access revision or placement due to infection,
      and the need for adequate social service support resulted in prolonged
      hospitalization. Understanding and preventing factors that prolong
      hospitalization may allow the minimization of length of stay in the future and
      improve quality of life for the end-stage renal disease patient, while also
      decreasing the cost of care.

PMID- 1421604
TI  - Sterilization of a small caliber vascular graft with a polyexpoxy compound.
AB  - Sterilization of tissue based medical devices via cold sterilization processes
      has been limited to formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, and mixtures of the same with
      alcohols and surfactants. The authors report the sterilization of a small caliber
      vascular graft with a combination of diglycidyl ether and ethanol. The sterilant
      contains 1-4% diglycidyl ether and 10-20% ethanol as an aqueous solution.
      Sterilization is achieved after exposure of the graft to the sterilant solution
      for a period of 7 days at an elevated temperature (30 degrees - 40 degrees C).
      The biologic indicator selected for efficacy studies was Bacillus subtilis niger
      ATCC 9372 (endospores). The grafts were inoculated with a concentrated endospore
      suspension and immersed in the sterilant solution for increasing time periods.
      After extensive rinsing over membrane filters to remove any residual sterilant,
      the grafts and filters were cultured in tryptic soy broth. D10 values were
      calculated using a fraction-negative, most probable number technique.
      Additionally, many representative bacteria and fungi were tested and found to be
      susceptible to the new sterilant developed. The diglycidyl ether/alcohol
      sterilant developed was found to be efficacious for sterilization of the tissue
      based vascular grafts tested.

PMID- 1421605
TI  - Intravascular oxygenation for advanced respiratory failure.
AB  - Severe acute respiratory failure of varying etiology may require the temporary
      use of artificial gas exchange devices. So far, extracorporeal membrane
      oxygenation and extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal have been used successfully
      for this purpose. A totally implantable intravascular oxygenator (IVOX) recently
      became available. The authors have used IVOX in three patients who presented with
      severe respiratory failure secondary to pneumonia (n = 2) and post-traumatic
      adult respiratory distress syndrome (n = 1). At the time of implantation, all
      patients had hypoxemia (PaO2 less than 60) despite a 100% inspired oxygen
      concentration and forced mechanical ventilation. The duration of IVOX therapy
      ranged from 12 to 71 hr. All patients initially showed improvement in arterial
      oxygenation, allowing for moderate reduction of ventilator therapy after several
      hours. In one patient the pulmonary status deteriorated further, and she died
      from multiple organ failure despite IVOX therapy. One patient could be stabilized
      but died from other causes. The third patient is a long-term survivor 18 months
      after IVOX therapy. Gas transfer capabilities of IVOX are limited when compared
      to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and this may restrict its clinical
      applicability in cases of severe adult respiratory distress syndrome. However,
      IVOX may be used successfully in selected patients with less severe respiratory
      failure.

PMID- 1421606
TI  - In vitro and in vivo evaluation of microencapsulated porcine islets.
AB  - To provide a plentiful supply of pancreatic islets for future clinical
      transplants into diabetic patients, the authors have developed a simple and
      consistent method of isolation of porcine islets. Both in vitro and in vivo
      studies demonstrated that the islets were viable and functional. Xenotransplants
      of 1.5 x 10(3) - 2.5 x 10(3) of microencapsulated porcine islets into diabetic
      mice resulted in restoration of normoglycemia in 13 of 18 experimental animals
      for up to 10 months. A xenograft of 50 x 10(3) microencapsulated porcine islets
      into a spontaneously diabetic monkey normalized hyperglycemia for more than 150
      days. This experiment indicated that the transplantation of encapsulated porcine
      islets has great potential as a clinical treatment in diabetes mellitus.

PMID- 1421607
TI  - Hybrid artificial cells: microencapsulation of living cells.
AB  - In 1965, the use of artificial cells for the microencapsulation of living cells
      was demonstrated. At that time, this technique was also proposed for use in
      immunoisolation of endocrine cells, islets, and hepatocytes as hybrid artificial
      organs. Progress in the biotechnology of cell culture in the last 10 years has
      allowed this approach to be extensively investigated by an increasing number of
      centers. The author's recent studies concentrated on microencapsulation of
      hepatocytes as a model system. Such cells were implanted to increase the survival
      of galactosamine induced fulminant hepatic failure rats, or to decrease the high
      bilirubin levels in Gunn rats and xenografts of microencapsulated rat hepatocytes
      into mice provided immunoisolation. Furthermore, hepatocyte secreted hepatic
      stimulating factors (mw 110,000 D) accumulating in the microcapsules helps to
      increase the viability of the hepatocytes. In addition to these studies, a novel,
      two step cell encapsulation method was developed to improve immunoisolation and
      biocompatibility. Microencapsulation of microorganisms was also carried out using
      a model microorganism to convert serum cholesterol to carbon dioxide.

PMID- 1421608
TI  - The high probability of a near term "cure" for type I diabetes.

PMID- 1421609
TI  - Cardiac pathology following resuscitative circulatory support. Direct mechanical
      ventricular actuation versus cardiopulmonary bypass.
AB  - Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is currently advocated for treating refractory
      cardiac arrest. Direct Mechanical Ventricular Actuation (DMVA) is an alternative
      method that does not contact the blood and has other unique advantages for
      providing resuscitative circulatory support, including rapid application and
      relative technical simplicity. The purpose of this study was to assess pathologic
      changes in the heart following resuscitation with either CPB or DMVA. Dogs (n =
      22) received 1 hr of CPB (n = 11) or DMVA (n = 11) following a 12.5 min cardiac
      arrest. All deaths [4/11 (CPB) vs. 2/11 (DMVA), p = 0.31] occurred during the
      initial 24 postoperative hours. At 7 days, survivors had magnetic resonance
      imaging to determine cardiac ejection fraction [46% (CPB) vs. 51% (DMVA), p =
      0.39], as well as the presence of cardiac wall motion abnormalities [50% (CPB)
      vs. 33% (DMVA), p = 0.57] and gross cardiac lesions [17% (CPB) vs. 17% (DMVA)].
      The survivor's hearts were then extirpated, fixed, and examined for gross lesions
      [2/7 (CPB) vs. 0/9 (DMVA), p = 0.17]. Transmural sections of the anterior and
      posterior papillary muscles were histologically evaluated. The severity and
      extent of epicardial fibrosis and focal myocyte necrosis did not differ between
      groups. These data demonstrate that DMVA does not cause more myocardial trauma
      than CPB when used to provide resuscitative circulatory support. Therefore, the
      unique attributes of DMVA may improve resuscitation outcome in patients who
      suffer refractory cardiac arrest, without additional risk of cardiac injury.

PMID- 1421610
TI  - A cerebrospinal fluid glucose biosensor for diabetes mellitus.
AB  - A cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) glucose biosensor is introduced. The biosensor is a
      polarimeter that measures the rotation of plane polarized light proportional to
      glucose concentration. Preliminary in vitro studies revealed a linear response
      with good sensitivity over a range of glucose solutions (0-400 mg/dl).
      Anesthetized, adult dogs underwent intravenous glucose loading, and these
      preliminary in vivo studies resulted in good correlation (r = 0.98) between CSF
      polarimeter readings and CSF glucose by laboratory assay. This in vivo
      correlation suggests that both mutarotation of glucose anomer and changes from
      other optically active substances present in CSF are either negligible or
      constant over the range of glucose concentrations studied. The CSF polarimeter
      showed a significant rise soon after the intravenous loading of glucose (1-30
      min) but a longer lag time (45-60 min) between the peak blood glucose and peak
      CSF polarimeter reading. This preliminary work extends, to the CSF, the concept
      of measuring optical rotation.

PMID- 1421611
TI  - Quantitation of comparative thrombogenicity of dog, pig, and human platelets in a
      hemodialyzer.
AB  - Comparative platelet thrombogenicity was quantified with In111 labeled platelets.
      The platelets collected from the blood of Beagle dogs, Yorkshire pigs, and human
      volunteers were labeled with detergent free In111 tropolone, and sham
      hemodialysis (SHD) was performed with a hollow fiber dialyzer in a flow loop at
      37 degrees C, with flow rates of 7, 150, and 270 ml/min. After SHD, hemodialyzer
      radioactivity was measured with an ionization chamber, gamma counter, and it was
      imaged with a gamma camera. The mean values of hemodialyzer-adherent platelet
      radioactivity were calculated. Canine platelets are more thrombogenic than
      porcine and human platelets. Quantitation of comparative thrombogenicity with
      In111 platelets may provide an estimation of prosthesis induced thrombogenicity
      of human platelets from animal studies.

PMID- 1421612
TI  - Fundamental rhythm of sympathetic nerve discharges in animals with total
      artificial hearts.
AB  - To evaluate the effect of total artificial heart replacement on the autonomic
      nervous system, sympathetic neurograms were analyzed by power spectrum and
      coherence function. Two pneumatically driven, sac type ventricular assist devices
      were implanted as biventricular bypasses (BVB) in adult, mongrel dogs. After
      initiation of BVB pumping, the natural heart was electrically fibrillated to form
      a BVB TAH model. Renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) was recorded using a
      bipolar electrode attached to the left renal sympathetic nerve. RSNA was
      amplified and integrated by use of an R-C integrator. Power spectra of the RSNA
      and values of squared coherence between the arterial pressure wave form and the
      RSNA were calculated by computer. In animals with total artificial hearts (TAHs),
      coherence at the cardiac rhythm frequency was decreased, and coherence at the TAH
      pumping rhythm frequency was increased. These results indicate that the arterial
      pulse wave observed in TAH animals contributed to the sympathetic neurogram.

PMID- 1421613
TI  - Frequency, therapy, and prevention of infections associated with large bore
      catheters.
AB  - Since the introduction of large bore catheters for acute hemodialysis 30 years
      ago, many problems with handling, material, and contamination of these catheters
      existed. Nevertheless, the catheterization of the inferior and superior vena
      cavae with a large bore catheter has proved to be suitable as a rapid connection
      process for hemodialysis, hemofiltration, hemoperfusion, plasmapheresis,
      plasmaperfusion, etc. In a retrospective study with 2,626 large bore catheters in
      1,627 patients, the frequency of infections, thrombosis, bleeding, and other side
      effects was investigated. All complications and side effects are presented
      dependent upon vascular access route. In total, the complication rate was 44.2%
      higher in subclavian puncture than in internal jugular puncture at 23.9%. The
      highest complication rates in both vascular access routes were infections or
      septicemia; infections were observed in 22.8% of subclavian catheters versus 9.5%
      of internal jugular catheters. Three different catheter materials (Teflon,
      polyurethane, and polypropylene) were investigated with scanning electron
      microscopy after removal. The advantages and disadvantages of the different
      materials are presented.

PMID- 1421614
TI  - Photodynamic therapy and neoplastic disease.
AB  - The selective photosensitization of neoplastic lesions is a new modality for
      eradication of early tumors and palliation of more advanced disease. There is a
      substantial amount of information relating to modes of photodamage, and the
      clinical role of this form of therapy is becoming clarified. New sensitizers are
      being developed with a view toward an enhanced photodynamic effect, utilization
      of simpler light sources, and elimination of concurrent skin photosensitization.
      The mechanism whereby efficacious photosensitizers localize in neoplastic, as
      compared with normal, adjacent tissue remains to be determined, although theories
      have been proposed. The photosensitizing agent used in most clinical protocols in
      Photofrin. This product is a complex mixture of porphyrin monomers, dimers, and
      higher oligomers, and interpretation of biologic and photophysical data is often
      difficult, although this is not universally appreciated.

PMID- 1421615
TI  - Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic aspects of iodo-doxorubicin.
AB  - Iodo-doxorubicin (I-DOX) is a new doxorubicin (DOX) analog presently in phase II
      clinical trials in Europe. This drug is similar to DOX in its metabolism but
      differs in its pharmacokinetics. We describe correlations between pharmacokinetic
      parameters and toxicity. There is a linear relationship between the dose in mg/m2
      and the nadirs of the reduction in white blood cells (WBC), neutrophils (PMN),
      platelets (PLT), and hemoglobin (HB). Furthermore, a linear correlation exists
      between the dose in mg/m2 and the area under the curve (AUC) of I-DOX. The
      relationship between the AUC of I-DOX and the reduction of PMNs plotted on a
      logarithmic scale shows a sigmoidal curve, whereas no such correlation was found
      between I-doxorubicinol, the major cytostatic metabolite, and the reduction in
      PNMs. The variation in the AUC for I-DOX correlated with the relative amount of
      metabolism of I-DOX. A correlation existed between the relative amount of
      metabolism of I-DOX and the reduction in PNMs. These results may have an impact
      on the evaluation of I-DOX in phase II trials, since a sound understanding of the
      pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationships can yield important information for
      minimizing unacceptable toxicity during phase II, as well as phase III, trials.

PMID- 1421616
TI  - Relationship between the clinical aggressiveness of large cell immunoblastic
      lymphomas and expression of 92 kDa gelatinase (type IV collagenase) and tissue
      inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) RNAs.
AB  - Aberrant expression of secreted proteinases and their specific inhibitors is
      believed to represent an important factor in the pathogenesis of invasion and
      metastases of malignant neoplasms. Our previous data indicated a link between
      elevated expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) and the
      clinical aggressiveness of malignant non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Further studies are
      presented on eighteen cases of high grade, large cell immunoblastic lymphoma in
      which expression at the RNA level of TIMP-1 and the metalloproteinase, 92 kDa
      gelatinase, were analyzed. Factors that may influence production of 92 kDa
      gelatinase, such as necrosis, vascularity, proliferative activity, and extranodal
      extension, as well as clinical parameters, such as age and sex, stage, location,
      and survival were assessed. Statistical analysis showed that, although clinical
      stage was the most important predictor of survival, after controlling for age at
      diagnosis, levels of 92 kDa gelatinase transcripts added to the ability to
      predict survival.

PMID- 1421617
TI  - O6-alkylguanine DNA-alkyltransferase is not a major determinant of sensitivity to
      1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea in four medulloblastoma cell lines.
AB  - The protein O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (O6-AGT) has been implicated as
      a major determinant of resistance of diverse tumors to chloroethylnitrosoureas.
      To evaluate the contribution of O6-AGT to resistance of medulloblastomas to
      chloroethylnitrosoureas, we assessed the role of O6-AGT in determining (BCNU).
      Sensitivity to BCNU cytotoxicity, measured as dose dependent survival of soft
      agar colony forming ability, varied among the lines. Two lines (UW443 and UW228
      3) displayed linear survival curves and comparable BCNU sensitivity (D37 ca. 140
      microM). The other lines (UW228-2 and UW228-1) had biphasic survival curves
      indicating that each line was composed of two sub-populations that differed in
      BCNU sensitivity. The D37 for these sub-populations ranged from 51 microM to 253
      microM. The O6-AGT activities of the cell lines, however, did not reflect their
      varied susceptibilities to BCNU as evidenced by a 9-fold difference in O6-AGT
      activity between UW443 and UW228-3. Moreover, elimination of O6-AGT activity by
      the inhibitor O6-benzylguanine did not appreciably increase sensitivity to BCNU
      compared with the response of other human tumor cells [Dolan et al. Cancer Res.
      51:3367-3372, 1991]. Our results demonstrate that O6-AGT is not a major
      determinant of BCNU sensitivity in the four medulloblastoma lines.

PMID- 1421619
TI  - Reference listings in cancer research.

PMID- 1421618
TI  - Catalysis and ligand binding by thymidylate synthase immobilized on thiopropyl
      sepharose 6B.
AB  - Lactobacillus casei thymidylate synthase, which employs the thiol of cysteine-198
      as a covalent catalyst, was reversibly coupled to thiopropyl-Sepharose 6B through
      the catalytic sulfhydryl group of one of its two subunits, yielding an
      immobilized heterodimeric form of the enzyme possessing one free active site and
      one covalently modified active site. Enzyme inactivated by treatment with N
      ethylmaleimide, which selectively modifies the active site cysteines but not the
      remaining cysteines (cys-244), failed to react with the resin. Modified assay
      procedures were developed and utilized to characterize the activity and ligand
      binding properties of this unique enzymic species. The immobilized enzyme was
      found to catalyze thymidylate formation at its free active site but exhibited
      lowered specific activity (13-fold) and kcat (16-fold) values and an increased Km
      for dUMP (4-fold) when compared to the native, soluble enzyme. Immobilized enzyme
      also formed a covalent inhibitory ternary complex with 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridylate
      and 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate with a stoichiometry of 0.32 (mol FdUMP: mol
      enzyme), about half the predicted value of 0.6-0.7. The results of this initial
      study suggest that the active sites of the native enzyme dimer are asymmetrical
      in nature, and that the chemical status of the catalytic sulfhydryl groups may
      play a key role in directing communication between the subunits.

PMID- 1421620
TI  - Carpal tunnel syndrome and systemic sclerosis.
AB  - Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) was observed in 4 cases of a consecutive series of
      16 patients admitted for the initial diagnosis or follow-up of systemic
      scleroderma from 1986 to 1990. We also observed one case of ulnar nerve
      compression. Neurological involvement was confirmed by electromyogram, and motor
      and sensory nerve conduction studies. The neurological signs appeared at the
      beginning of the disease in two cases and preceded the discovery of scleroderma
      in two. CTS is not rare in scleroderma and must be carefully sought, both
      clinically and electrophysiologically. Patients with 'idiopathic' CTS might need
      clinical follow-up for early diagnosis of scleroderma.

PMID- 1421621
TI  - The pustule in palmoplantar psoriasis: transformed vesicle or mature
      microabscess? A three-dimensional study.
AB  - Psoriasis on the palms and soles is characterized by pustules, vesicles and
      hyperkeratotic plaques. Several studies have postulated that the pustules and
      vesicles are round or egg-shaped. This three-dimensional study reveals that
      neither pustules nor vesicles have a regular spherical morphology. The vesicles
      are located in the upper and middle layers of the epidermis and may exhibit dumb
      bell- or banana-shaped lumina. The pustules consist of different compartments
      combining characteristics of a dyshidrotic vesicle with those of a microabscess
      of Munro.

PMID- 1421622
TI  - Nonclonal lymphocytic proliferation in cutaneous lymphoid hyperplasia: a flow
      cytometric and morphological analysis.
AB  - Cutaneous lymphoid hyperplasia, follicular B cell pseudolymphoma or lymphadenosis
      benigna cutis and lymphocytic infiltration of Jessner-Kanof are a group of benign
      lymphoid hyperplastic disorders which usually involve the skin of the face or
      head and neck. These lesions may be difficult to differentiate from malignant
      lymphocytic lymphomas both morphologically and clinically. To evaluate whether
      quantitative flow-cytometric analysis and DNA ploidy determination of the
      lymphoid cells in the lesions would provide additional and more precise
      diagnostic parameters, we have correlatively analyzed a case by morphological,
      flow-cytometric and immunohistochemical methods. The two latter methods both
      revealed that the lesions harbored nonclonal heterogeneous subpopulations of
      lymphoid cells, but 62% of the cells analyzed were of B cell lineage progenies.
      No pre-B cells, immature B or T determinants were detected. Ploidy analysis of
      the isolated lymphocytes disclosed predominantly diploid (2 N) cells with about
      1% 4 N and a few (less than 5%) hyperdiploid (2.2 N) cells. Cell cycle analysis
      showed that 97.2% of the cells were in G0-G1 phase. Phenotyping and DNA ploidy
      study of the lymphocytes of the lesion may provide quantitative diagnostic
      parameters to distinguish this benign lesion from true lymphocytic lymphoma
      involvement of skin. The eventual biological behavior of the minor hyperdiploid
      subpopulation of lymphoid cells found in this lesion is currently uncertain,
      however.

PMID- 1421623
TI  - Wet working conditions increase brittleness of nails, but do not cause it.
AB  - The incidence of brittle nails is higher in women than in men. Repeatedly a
      suspected cause for the higher incidence of brittle nails in women is the
      frequent exposure to water. This study was aimed at clarifying whether wet
      working conditions increase the incidence of brittle nails in women and men in a
      similar degree. We determined the incidence of brittle nails in 511 persons in
      professions that involve frequent hand contact with water. The data were compared
      to those of a large, non-selected control group. 50% of the female probands
      showed the sign of brittle nails (control group: 30.4%, p less than 0.05). Only
      13.5% of the male test persons of this study had brittle nails; the difference to
      the control group (13.2%) was not significant. It is discussed that in women the
      bridges between nail corneocytes are possibly weaker than in males as a
      constitutional characteristic. Accordingly, frequent alternating periods of
      hydration and drying increase the incidence of brittle nails particularly in
      women.

PMID- 1421624
TI  - Vitiligo is associated with a significant increase in HLA-A30, Cw6 and DQw3 and a
      decrease in C4AQ0 in northern Italian patients.
AB  - HLA polymorphisms of class I (HLA-A, B, C) of class II (HLA-DR, DQ) and of class
      III (C4A, C4B, BF) were investigated in 93 Northern Italian patients affected
      with vitiligo and in 388 controls. Vitiligo patients had significant increases in
      HLA-A30 (corrected p, pc = 0.0144), Cw6 (pc = 0.0189), DQw3 (pc less than 0.0003)
      and a significant decrease in C4AQ0 (pc = 0.003). Nonfamilial vitiligo is marked
      by increases in HLA-A30 and DQw3. Extensive vitiligo is marked by increases in
      HLA-A30 and Cw6. These findings suggest that immunogenetic mechanisms may be
      responsible for vitiligo and that unique HLA phenotypes may influence the
      expression of vitiligo in this population.

PMID- 1421625
TI  - Quinolones as an alternative treatment of chlamydial, mycoplasma and gonococcal
      urogenital infections.
AB  - We report the results of several trials aimed at evaluating the quinolones in
      urogenital infections. In Chlamydia trachomatis infections, ofloxacin (200 mg
      b.i.d. for 10 days) gave a cure rate of 98% (n = 66), and fleroxacin (400 mg
      s.i.d. for 7 days) provided a cure rate of 89% (n = 19). A double-blind study
      comparing fleroxacin (600 mg s.i.d.) to doxycycline (100 mg b.i.d.) for 7 days
      showed similar high cure rates for both regimens (100%; n = 23). In Mycoplasma
      hominis infections, ofloxacin (200 mg b.i.d. for 10 days) yielded a cure rate of
      86% (n = 50) for M. hominis and 55% (n = 43) for Ureaplasma urealyticum.
      Gonococcal infections (n = 122) were all cured by a single dose of 200 mg
      ofloxacin. Both ofloxacin and fleroxacin were well tolerated and may be
      recommended for patients with chlamydial or uncomplicated gonococcal infections,
      although 600 mg fleroxacin showed a higher incidence of adverse events compared
      to doxycycline.

PMID- 1421627
TI  - Leukoderma in association with giant congenital nevi: report of two cases.
AB  - Two patients are presented in whom giant congenital nevi were associated with
      hypopigmentation. One patient has had no associated melanoma. The second patient
      developed hypopigmentation years before a melanoma was excised, and increased
      hypopigmentation was noted years later without evidence of melanoma recurrence.
      While the mechanism for the development of the hypopigmentation noted in these
      two patients in uncertain, an immunologically mediated systemic process may be
      responsible.

PMID- 1421626
TI  - Acral persistent papular mucinosis and IgA monoclonal gammopathy: report of a
      case.
AB  - The case of a 60-year-old man with acral persistent papular mucinosis (APPM),
      thought to represent a new distinctive form of dermal mucinosis not associated
      with systemic diseases, is reported. The patient had a 4-year history of multiple
      small papular lesions on the distal forearms, wrists and back of the hands.
      Histologically, mucin deposits in the upper and mid dermis sparing a superficial
      subepidermal grenz zone were observed. In contrast to previously described cases,
      a monoclonal IgA of kappa light chain isotype was detected. Our findings
      challenge the view that absence of paraproteinemia is a peculiar characteristic
      of APPM and raise once more the question of its relationship to the discrete
      papular form of lichen myxedematosus.

PMID- 1421628
TI  - Anti-lamin-B autoantibodies in a patient with cold urticaria.
AB  - Anti-lamin-B autoantibodies at a significant level had been found on two
      occasions in the serum of a 56-year-old woman who was suffering from an
      apparently idiopathic chronic cold urticaria. Anti-lamin autoantibodies can be
      detected in various autoimmune disorders including hepatitis, vasculitis and
      peripheral blood cytopenia. In our patient, there was no other clinical or
      biological abnormality. A chance association cannot be ruled out.

PMID- 1421629
TI  - Malignant melanoma in a Hispanic male with nevus of Ota.
AB  - Nevus of Ota is uncommon in the non-Oriental population. We report a case of
      malignant melanoma with metastasis to the genitourinary tract in a Hispanic male
      with nevus of Ota. Thirty-six prior cases of nevus of Ota with malignant melanoma
      reported in the English language are reviewed. Sixty-eight percent were women;
      76% were Caucasians. Metastatic disease was reported in 16%. Three patients had
      liver metastases. Our case was the first involving the genitourinary tract. All
      but one patient with metastatic disease died within 1 month of presentation.
      Despite the increased frequency of nevus of Ota in the Japanese, only 4 cases of
      malignant melanoma have been reported. Nevus of Ota would appear to be a risk
      factor for developing malignant melanoma in the Caucasian population.

PMID- 1421630
TI  - Tripe palms: a significant cutaneous sign of internal malignancy.
AB  - Tripe palms is a paraneoplastic keratotic skin sign of great predictive value. It
      is characterized clinically by a curious rugose thickening of the palms with an
      accentuation of the normal dermatoglyphic ridges and sulci. Histological
      examination reveals an undulant epidermis with hyperkeratosis, acanthosis and
      papillomatosis. More than 80 cases have been reported in the literature; 90% of
      them were associated with an internal malignancy, mostly a carcinoma of the lung
      or stomach. We herein report a 66-year-old Chinese man with adenocarcinoma of the
      lung who presented typical tripe palms. Recognition of this distinctive pattern
      should prompt a meticulous search for an underlying malignancy, particularly lung
      or gastric carcinoma.

PMID- 1421631
TI  - Hair follicle nevus.
AB  - We present a case of hair follicle nevus, a rare hamartoma composed of vellus
      hair follicles. Hair follicle nevus should be differentiated from accessory
      auricle, trichofolliculoma and hair nevus.

PMID- 1421632
TI  - Annular psoriasiform eruption with lymphocytic infiltration of the epidermis: a
      variant of acute psoriasis?
AB  - Disseminated annular psoriasiform lesions developed over a period of 2 months in
      a 48-year-old man with no preceding psoriatic history of drug intake, being
      accompanied by general dullness and arthralgia. Etretinate was effective for both
      skin eruption and arthralgia; only the latter recurred on its cessation 5 months
      later. However, histologic features examined by serial sections totally lacked
      those of pustular psoriasis; there were no neutrophils in the epidermis where
      massive T lymphocyte infiltration existed instead, in a fashion similar to that
      of early psoriatic lesions. We differentiated this peculiar annular psoriasiform
      eruption from the annular erythematous lesions noted in pityriasis rosea,
      erythema annulare centrifugum, subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus, annular
      erythema associated with Sjogren's syndrome and erythema chronicum migrans. It is
      our speculation that this dermatosis represents a variant of acute psoriasis,
      rather than annular pustular psoriasis. The histopathologic and immunohistologic
      findings suggest ongoing cellular immune responses in these lesions where some
      unknown inhibitory mechanisms might be operative against further production of
      neutrophil chemotactic factors that usually takes place in psoriatic lesions.

PMID- 1421633
TI  - Chilblain lupus erythematosus and lupus pernio--the same entity?

PMID- 1421634
TI  - Acral persistent papular mucinosis and lichen myxedematosus.

PMID- 1421635
TI  - Psoriatic alopecia: acute and chronic hair loss in 47 patients with scalp
      psoriasis.
AB  - Symptomatic hair loss and alopecia were seen in psoriatic lesions of the scalp in
      47 patients. Remarkably, in 66% of the cases it was an inaugural manifestation,
      and in 36% the scalp was exclusively involved. Therefore 34% of the patients
      presented with a primary manifestation of isolated scalp psoriasis. Hair loss
      varied in intensity from protracted to moderate and massive (36% in tufts). It
      presented as acute (51%), chronic (36%) or chronic recurrent (13%). Thirteen
      patients (28%) became aware of the hair loss with the beginning of therapy. The
      alopecia was found to be circumscribed in 75% of the cases and diffuse in 25%. In
      2 cases psoriatic alopecia also manifested itself at sites other than the scalp.
      The telogen count was found to be increased up to 25-86% in the florid stage.
      Examinations under the light microscope showed a patchy perifollicular
      lymphohistiocytic infiltrate in the upper and middle dermis with adnexotropia in
      several cases. This infiltrate can alter the follicle epithelium and may lead to
      a granulomatous foreign-body reaction with destruction of the hair follicle.
      After topical antipsoriatic treatment, most of the reexamined patients showed
      complete hair regrowth, while 5 developed a residual scarring. Therefore, in the
      patient with circumscribed or diffuse symptomatic alopecia, with or without
      scarring, psoriatic alopecia should be considered.

PMID- 1421637
TI  - Relation between urinary albumin excretion and skin involvement in patients with
      psoriasis.
AB  - The increase in urinary albumin excretion rate (AER), a hallmark of both diabetic
      nephropathy and hypertension, has also been described in patients affected with
      diffuse psoriasis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether such an
      increase is independent of the coexistence of diabetes or hypertension and
      whether it may be related to the extension and severity of skin lesions. Median
      AER, determined by radioimmunoassay, was significantly higher in a group of 32
      normotensive nondiabetic psoriatic patients than in 36 age- and sex-matched
      controls (9.6 vs. 5.3 micrograms/min; p = 0.0006). AER was related with grading
      of skin involvement (r = 0.65; p = 0.001); patients with the most widespread skin
      lesions (psoriasis area and severity index: PASI greater than 11) were
      characterized by a significantly raised median AER (14.9 micrograms/min) compared
      with those with PASI scores between 4 and 11 (9.8 micrograms/min) or less (5.6
      micrograms/min) and controls (F = 10.58; p = 0.0001), independent of other
      covariates such as age, sex and blood pressure (p = 0.001). This latter finding
      was confirmed by the prevalence of microalbuminuria (AER greater than 10
      micrograms/min) which was present in 2 out of 8 patients with PASI less than 4, 0
      out of 12 patients with PASI ranging between 4 and 11 and in 5 out of 12
      psoriatics with PASI greater than 11 (p = 0.038 by two-tailed Fisher's exact
      test).

PMID- 1421636
TI  - Correlation of eosinophils, eosinophil cationic protein and soluble interleukin-2
      receptor with the clinical activity of atopic dermatitis.
AB  - To evaluate the correlation with the clinical activity of atopic dermatitis (AD)
      we investigated prospectively cellular and serological parameters such as
      eosinophils, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R),
      soluble CD23 (sCD23) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in peripheral blood of 37 AD
      patients on admission to and discharge from the Department of Dermatology at the
      University Hospital in Zurich. On admission the actual clinical skin condition as
      measured by the skin intensity score (SIS) was significantly correlated with
      eosinophils (p less than 0.005), ECP (p less than 0.05) and sIL-2R (p less than
      0.001). During the observation period a significant improvement in the clinical
      status as measured by the SIS was observed in all AD patients (p less than
      0.001). A significant decrease in sIL-2R (p less than 0.005), which was most
      pronounced in the group of AD patients receiving systemic steroids, together with
      a decrease in eosinophils and ECP but not in sCD23 and LDH could be demonstrated
      between admission and discharge. In addition, a slight but significant increase
      in peripheral blood lymphocytes (p less than 0.005) and monocytes (p less than
      0.01) was noted. Comparing the 'extrinsic' (n = 32) and the 'intrinsic' (n = 5)
      types of AD no significant differences with regard to the above mentioned
      parameters were found. Our data indicate that cellular and serological parameters
      such as eosinophils, ECP and sIL-2R reflect the clinical activity of AD and may
      therefore give further insights into the pathogenesis of this disease.

PMID- 1421638
TI  - Plasma lipid changes in psoriatic children.
AB  - Plasma lipid, lipoprotein and apoprotein concentrations were determined in
      psoriatic children and in healthy controls. The plasma total cholesterol (TC) was
      higher than in controls (p = 0.03). The higher cholesterol levels were explained
      by an almost significant increase in cholesterol associated with high-density
      lipoproteins and by the tendency towards higher values of cholesterol associated
      with low-density lipoproteins and very-low-density lipoproteins. No significant
      changes of plasma triglycerides were observed. Levels of apoproteins (apo) AI and
      apo B were not significantly different in psoriatic children; however, the levels
      of apo B were correlated differently with plasma TC in psoriatic children, and
      the ratio TC/apo B was significantly increased in patients with respect to the
      controls, suggesting some differences of plasma lipoprotein lipid/apoprotein
      relationship in psoriasis.

PMID- 1421639
TI  - Prediction of glomerular filtration rate using aminoglycoside clearance in
      critically ill medical patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this preliminary investigation was to evaluate the use of
      aminoglycoside serum concentrations as a surrogate measure of the glomerular
      filtration rate (GFR) in comparison with other measured and empiric methods
      against inulin, the criterion standard measure of GFR. DESIGN: A consecutive
      sample of all eligible patients. SETTING: An eight-bed medical intensive care
      unit in a university-affiliated tertiary-care teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Ten
      critically ill medical patients receiving gentamicin or tobramycin for presumed
      or documented gram-negative bacillary infection were enrolled in the study. The
      patients were mechanically ventilated and had underlying organ system
      dysfunction. All ten patients completed the study. INTERVENTION: Patients
      underwent renal functional assessment by measured inulin (Cl(in)) and 24-hour
      urinary creatinine clearance (Clcr). Aminoglycoside serum concentrations were
      used to estimate GFR and were compared with the two measured methods and a
      creatinine clearance calculated with the Cockcroft-Gault method (ClCG). All
      evaluations were performed the same day. RESULTS: Cl(in) averaged 51.6 +/- 35.0
      mL/min and serum creatinine ranged from 0.3 to 5.4 mg/dL (26.5 to 477.3 mumol/L).
      Steady-state peak and trough aminoglycoside concentrations were 6.1 +/- 1.4 and
      1.3 +/- 0.9 micrograms/mL, respectively. There were no statistically significant
      differences between the various methods, although the aminoglycoside-calculated
      GFR (Cl(amg)) 95 percent confidence intervals were smaller than Clcr and ClCG
      compared with Cl(in). Mean absolute errors were smaller with Cl(amg) than with
      Clcr and ClCG. Regression results indicated that only Cl(amg) and ClCG
      demonstrated agreement with Cl(in) (lines not different from y = x). However, the
      Cl(amg) showed closer agreement, with a mean square error almost half that of
      ClCG (9.6 vs. 18.1). CONCLUSIONS: Cl(amg) can be used routinely as an estimate of
      GFR in critically ill patients, with less error than empiric methods.

PMID- 1421641
TI  - Evaluation of glipizide and glyburide in a health maintenance organization.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine if there was a difference in the long-term glycemic
      control, average daily dose, and cost of therapy in patients with noninsulin
      dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) treated with glyburide and glipizide in a
      health maintenance organization (HMO). DESIGN: Retrospective evaluation of
      medical and pharmacy records. SETTING: Multispecialty group practice HMO.
      PATIENTS: 140 NIDDM patients being treated with either glyburide (n = 70) or
      glipizide (n = 70) were randomly selected from the populations of patients
      receiving either drug using computerized pharmacy records. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:
      Mean daily doses and blood glucose measurements (fasting blood glucose, random
      blood glucose, hemoglobin A1C) were stratified in 3-month periods from the time
      the drug therapy was started or the patient first presented to the clinic for a
      total of 18 months. Long-term glycemic control was defined as fasting blood
      glucose less than 8.33 mmol/L (150 mg/dL). RESULTS: The groups were comparable
      with regard to age (53.4 y glyburide, 56.7 y glipizide), gender (43 M:27 F
      glyburide, 47 M:23 F glipizide), race (38 W/16 B/16 H glyburide, 45 W/16 B/9 H
      glipizide), concurrent medical conditions, adverse effects, and compliance. Long
      term glycemic control was similar in both groups. Although the number of subjects
      who were controlled (by definition) tended to be greater in the glyburide group,
      no clinical or statistical difference was found. There was no statistical
      difference in mean daily dose between the ethnic groups, but the small numbers
      preclude further analysis. The glipizide group had a larger percentage increase
      in dose within the first year than did the glyburide group; however, the
      percentage increase from the 3-month dose was similar after 18 months (22.7
      percent glyburide, 27.5 percent glipizide.) Average daily cost of therapy, based
      on mean daily dose, was slightly lower for glyburide-treated patients.
      CONCLUSIONS: If glycemic control is similar with glyburide and glipizide, as seen
      in this study, economic considerations regarding choice of therapy and formulary
      inclusion may be appropriate.

PMID- 1421640
TI  - Heparin and infusion phlebitis: a prospective study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether heparin sodium, when added to fluids infused
      through a peripheral catheter, reduces some local catheter-related problems
      (i.e., phlebitis, catheter obstruction, and extravasation of fluid) and extends
      the catheter's useful life. DESIGN: Prospective, double-blind, placebo
      controlled. SETTING: Internal medicine ward of a general hospital with 400 beds.
      PATIENTS: Eighty-one consecutive acute collaborating patients who had a venous
      catheter in the forearm, inserted by nurses with more than one year of
      professional experience. INTERVENTION: Heparin sodium 1000 units/mL or NaCl 0.9%
      was added to compatible infusion fluids just before they were given to the
      patients. The final concentration of heparin was 1 unit/mL. MEASUREMENTS: Length
      of time until catheters were removed and reasons for their removal. RESULTS: The
      heparin group had a lower rate of local catheter-related problems than the
      placebo group (34.3 vs. 61.5 percent, respectively, p less than 0.05; 95 percent
      confidence interval for the difference 4.3 to 50.1 percent). The catheter's mean
      life in the heparin group was longer than that of placebo group (98.9 +/- 55.2
      vs. 66.2 +/- 47.2 h, respectively, p less than 0.05; 95 percent confidence
      interval for the difference 9.15 to 56.25 h). This effect was mainly attributable
      to prevention of noninflammatory catheter-related problems (e.g., obstruction,
      extravasation) and to a delay in the appearance of phlebitis. CONCLUSIONS:
      Heparin sodium, when added to infusion fluids to a final concentration of 1
      unit/mL, diminishes local intravenous catheter-related problems and extends the
      catheter's life.

PMID- 1421642
TI  - Compatibility of ceftazidime and aminophylline admixtures for different methods
      of intravenous infusion.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Aminophylline and ceftazidime are sometimes used concurrently in
      patients with respiratory disorders. Parenteral aminophylline usually is
      administered as a constant infusion, and ceftazidime is given intermittently or
      less commonly as a constant infusion. We evaluated the stability and
      compatibility of the two drugs when aminophylline is given as a constant
      intravenous infusion and ceftazidime is administered simultaneously either
      through a y-site (piggyback method) or as a continuous infusion (constant
      infusion method). DESIGN: The chemical stability of intravenous aminophylline and
      ceftazidime in dextrose 5% and NaCl 0.9% for both methods was studied. Three
      different formulations of ceftazidime from the same manufacturer were studied
      (minibag using reconstituted ceftazidime, premixed minibag, and ceftazidime
      arginine). For the piggyback and constant infusion methods, samples were
      collected at 0, 1, and 2 hours; and 0, 6, and 24 hours, respectively. All
      experiments were conducted in triplicate. Samples were analyzed in duplicate by a
      stability-indicating HPLC assay method. OUTCOME MEASURE: Ceftazidime and
      aminophylline were considered stable if concentrations remained above 90 percent
      of the original concentrations over the time periods studied. RESULTS:
      Ceftazidime was determined to be compatible with aminophylline in the piggyback
      method. In contrast, when aminophylline and ceftazidime were admixed in the same
      intravenous container (constant infusion method), the two drugs were not stable.
      CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that aminophylline and ceftazidime admixtures
      are incompatible when prepared in the same intravenous container, which may occur
      if both are given as a constant infusion. The two drugs are compatible when the
      ceftazidime is piggybacked into a primary intravenous set in which aminophylline
      is administered as a constant infusion.

PMID- 1421643
TI  - Two cases of suspected immunologic-based hypersensitivity reactions to etoposide
      therapy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report two cases of suspected immunologic-based hypersensitivity
      reactions to etoposide therapy. DATA SYNTHESIS: Two cases are presented that
      differ from the majority of reported hypersensitivity reactions to etoposide. One
      patient, who tolerated etoposide during his first three-day chemotherapeutic
      dosage regimen, developed a hypersensitivity reaction to etoposide upon re
      exposure to the drug during the first day of a subsequent three-day cycle.
      Another patient experienced a hypotensive episode on the first day of an initial
      three-day regimen, which did not recur on the two subsequent days of the cycle.
      However, when the patient was re-exposed to etoposide four weeks later, he
      experienced a severe reaction within minutes of drug infusion. Both patients were
      premedicated with corticosteroids and neither reported prior drug allergies.
      CONCLUSIONS: Based upon these cases and other literature reports, we believe
      these reactions primarily represent a type II or immunologic-based
      hypersensitivity reaction to etoposide.

PMID- 1421644
TI  - Cephalexin-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report a case of cephalexin-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS),
      a devastating adverse drug reaction that involves the entire skin surface and
      mucosal areas of the body. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE search (key terms
      cephalosporins, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, erythema multiforme, and systemic lupus
      erythematosus) and references identified from bibliographies of pertinent
      articles. DATA SYNTHESIS: Clinical presentation and manifestations of SJS include
      the skin, eyes, gastrointestinal tract, and pulmonary system. Infectious
      complications are the leading cause of mortality. Early intervention is important
      to prevent progression of SJS. The case described is consistent with the features
      of this syndrome. The patient presented with fever, arthralgias, and malaise.
      Skin lesions included a diffuse violet macular rash with erythema and multiple
      bullous lesions on her neck and abdomen. The skin biopsy was consistent with SJS.
      Multiple mucocutaneous ulcers were found in her mouth, but no evidence of lower
      gastrointestinal tract involvement was documented. She remained relatively free
      of pulmonary complaints except for the presenting bronchitis. CONCLUSIONS:
      Cephalexin should be added to the list of agents to consider as iatrogenic causes
      of SJS.

PMID- 1421645
TI  - Acute renal failure in an elderly woman following intramuscular ketorolac
      administration.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report a case of ketorolac tromethamine-induced acute renal failure
      and to discuss the risk factors that make patients more susceptible to the renal
      effects of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). DATA SOURCES: Case
      reports and review articles identified by MEDLINE. Indexing terms included
      ketorolac, renal failure, and NSAIDs. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were abstracted from
      pertinent published English-language sources and were reviewed by all authors.
      DATA SYNTHESIS: Ketorolac is an intramuscularly administered NSAID with many of
      the same adverse effects associated with other oral NSAIDs. Although reversible
      depression of renal function has been associated with several NSAIDs, to date
      there have been no published reports of acute renal failure secondary to
      ketorolac administration. A 71-year-old woman received three doses of ketorolac
      to control the pain associated with pelvic and T11-T12 compression fractures.
      Over the next two days, the patient developed signs and symptoms of acute renal
      failure, including significant increases in blood urea nitrogen, serum
      creatinine, and peripheral edema. These signs and symptoms resolved over the next
      three to four days. Certain risk factors, several of which were present in this
      woman, make individual patients more susceptible to the renal affects of NSAIDs.
      These risk factors include advanced age, cirrhosis, volume depletion, congestive
      heart failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, and preexisting mild renal dysfunction.
      CONCLUSIONS: Caution should be taken when initiating ketorolac or any NSAID
      therapy with specific attention to risk factors that predispose a patient to
      renal dysfunction.

PMID- 1421646
TI  - Anaphylactoid reaction following ketorolac tromethamine administration.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report a case of an anaphylactoid reaction to injectable ketorolac
      tromethamine in a patient with no prior history of allergies or risk factors
      associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced hypersensitivity
      reactions. CASE SUMMARY: A 37-year-old man without a significant medical history
      presented to an emergency department with vague, dull, left-sided chest pain.
      Myocardial infarction was ruled out based on an unremarkable electrocardiogram,
      chest X-ray, and laboratory data that were within normal limits. Sublingual
      nitroglycerin 0.4 mg, magnesium/aluminum hydroxide gel 30 mL, and intravenous
      ranitidine 50 mg were administered without resolution of symptoms. Ketorolac
      tromethamine 60 mg was administered intramuscularly with resolution of symptoms.
      The patient was discharged; however, within 30 minutes, he returned to the
      emergency department with facial swelling, shortness of breath, and chest
      tightness. Multiple doses of aerosolized albuterol and intravenous
      methylprednisolone and diphenhydramine were administered, resulting in a slight
      improvement of symptoms. The patient was admitted for a complete cardiac
      evaluation that proved negative. The allergic symptoms resolved and the patient
      was discharged without medication after a three-day hospitalization. DISCUSSION:
      Ketorolac tromethamine is the first injectable nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug
      approved for short-term pain management. A review of the literature revealed no
      similar cases of anaphylactoid reaction. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare professionals
      must be aware of the potential risks of anaphylactoid reactions, especially in
      light of the increased use of injectable ketorolac in the ambulatory setting and
      availability of the oral formulation.

PMID- 1421647
TI  - Methemoglobinemia in a patient undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report a case of methemoglobinemia induced by benzocaine in a
      patient undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy. CASE SUMMARY: Before undergoing an
      upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, a 15-year-old girl received 20% benzocaine as a
      spray, to locally anesthetize the pharyngeal mucosa. Thirty minutes after the
      endoscopy, the patient suddenly became cyanotic, short of breath, and comatose.
      She was intubated and transferred to the intensive care unit. Her blood
      methemoglobin concentration was 54 percent. The patient was treated with
      intravenous methylene blue. Four hours later she was extubated. She was alert,
      awake, and asymptomatic. DISCUSSION: This is the fourth reported case of
      methemoglobinemia induced by benzocaine spray in patients undergoing
      gastrointestinal endoscopy. Pathways for the formation of methemoglobin in the
      body are reviewed. Intravenous methylene blue is the drug of choice for this
      condition, and produces rapid and dramatic reversal of methemoglobinemia.
      CONCLUSIONS: It is common to use benzocaine spray prior to upper gastrointestinal
      endoscopy. Benzocaine rarely induces methemoglobinemia in these patients. Prompt
      diagnosis and treatment with intravenous methylene blue is warranted in such
      cases.

PMID- 1421648
TI  - Cloxacillin-induced acute tubulo interstitial nephritis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report a case of possible cloxacillin-induced acute tubulo
      interstitial nephritis (AIN). CASE SUMMARY: A 15-year-old male patient presented
      with hypertension, edema, lumbar pain, sterile pyuria, eosinophiluria (ten
      percent), and severe renal dysfunction three months after the ingestion of
      cloxacillin. A renal biopsy revealed diffuse edema and inflammatory infiltrate of
      the interstitium (five percent eosinophils). He received four sessions of
      peritoneal dialysis with dramatic improvement in urinary output and renal
      function. His biochemical parameters returned to normal values 21 days after
      admission, without the use of glucocorticosteroids. DISCUSSION: Published case
      reports on AIN induced by penicillin and related drugs are reviewed and compared.
      The role of interstitial edema in acute renal failure associated with drug
      induced AIN is mentioned. CONCLUSIONS: AIN is a rare but significant complication
      of therapy with penicillin and related drugs. The clinical picture is similar for
      all of these drugs, but skin rash and fever are absent in AIN induced by
      cloxacillin and cloxacillin-related drugs. Dialysis improved the patient's
      urinary output and renal function. Beta-lactam antibiotics should be avoided in
      patients with cloxacillin-induced AIN.

PMID- 1421649
TI  - Chlorpropamide-induced hyponatremia in the veteran population.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and possible risk factors associated with
      chlorpropamide (CPA)-induced hyponatremia in the veteran population. DESIGN:
      Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Federal tertiary care medical center.
      PATIENTS: Veterans receiving CPA from our facility with at least one serum sodium
      concentration below 135 mmol/L within the past year were eligible. A randomly
      selected control group consisting of patients taking CPA with normal sodium
      concentrations was also chosen. One hundred forty-five of 799 patients who had
      received CPA were included in the study. RESULTS: The average daily dose of CPA
      was 425 +/- 207 mg (+/- SD). The incidence of hyponatremia associated with CPA
      was 7.1 percent (57/799 patients). The majority of patients were mildly
      hyponatremic (48/57 patients, 84 percent) with serum sodium concentrations
      between 130 and 134 mmol/L. The incidence of CPA-induced syndrome of
      inappropriate antidiuretic hormone was 2.1 percent. Concurrent angiotensin
      converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor use was identified as a risk factor; thiazide
      diuretic use was not. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of hyponatremia related to CPA
      use in elderly veterans is consistent with other reports in the literature. ACE
      inhibitors may be a predisposing factor for CPA-induced hyponatremia.

PMID- 1421650
TI  - Use of metered-dose inhalers in mechanically ventilated patients.

PMID- 1421651
TI  - Buspirone in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PMID- 1421652
TI  - Danazol in hereditary angioedema.

PMID- 1421653
TI  - Pamidronate.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this article is to introduce readers to the
      use of a new agent, pamidronate. The article discusses its use in hypercalcemia
      of malignancy (HCM), osteolytic lesions, and Paget's disease. Pharmacokinetic
      data and clinical trials are reviewed, as well as adverse effects and dosage
      guidelines. DATA SOURCES: A MEDLINE search was used to identify English-language
      studies involving pamidronate for the period from 1970 to 1992. STUDY SELECTION:
      As comparative trials were few in number, trials using pamidronate as a single
      agent were also reviewed. DATA EXTRACTION: Sparse pharmacokinetic data were
      obtained from clinical trials. All clinical trials available at the time of
      publication that met the following criteria were reviewed: (1) allowed for
      adequate rehydration prior to drug therapy; (2) reported standardized and
      corrected serum calcium concentrations; (3) separated data obtained from patients
      who received pamidronate alone from those who received pamidronate and concurrent
      chemotherapy. RESULTS: Pamidronate has a pharmacologic profile similar to that of
      etidronate, but pamidronate is more potent and has a longer duration of effect.
      It has been investigated primarily in the treatment of HCM as well as in the
      treatment of osteolytic bone metastases and Paget's disease. In hypercalcemia of
      malignancy it appears to be as effective as established agents with the advantage
      that a single dose of pamidronate 90 mg iv provides a durable response. In
      Paget's disease chronic oral administration has also been shown to be effective
      in relieving bone pain. Adverse reactions with intravenous administration are
      transient and self-limiting and usually occur with the first dose. The most
      common adverse effect is a transient and self-limiting fever. Chronic oral
      administration of doses greater than 600 mg/d is associated with gastrointestinal
      toxicities. CONCLUSIONS: Although more well-designed clinical trials comparing
      pamidronate with standard therapies and other available agents are necessary,
      initial results indicate that pamidronate is an effective and promising
      alternative for use in the treatment of HCM.

PMID- 1421654
TI  - Adjuvant intravesical therapy for superficial bladder cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review the results of clinical trials and adverse drug effects of
      thiotepa, BCG vaccine, mitomycin, and doxorubicin, which are used as adjuvant
      intravesical therapy for superficial bladder cancer. DATA SOURCE: Information was
      retrieved from a MEDLINE search, of the English-language literature. Indexing
      terms included adjuvant pharmaceutics, bladder neoplasms, thiotepa, mitomycin,
      BCG vaccine, and doxorubicin. DATA EXTRACTION: Data from several human and in
      vitro studies were assessed and evaluated, according to the strength of
      comparative data and therapeutic response. STUDY SELECTION: Emphasis was placed
      on clinical trials that assessed and evaluated dosage, therapeutic regimens, and
      therapeutic response of adjuvant intravesical therapy for superficial bladder
      cancer. DATA SYNTHESIS: Adjuvant intravesical therapy and long-term prophylaxis
      are effective for superficial bladder cancer. Studies have shown that
      doxorubicin, thiotepa, BCG, and mitomycin, when used as adjuvant therapy, provide
      better protection than transurethral resection alone against tumor recurrence and
      prolong the time to when cystectomy is required. CONCLUSIONS: Several randomized
      clinical trials suggest that BCG is superior to thiotepa, doxorubicin, and
      mitomycin in preventing bladder tumor recurrence and tumor progression. Local
      cystitis is an adverse effect produced by all four agents; however, BCG vaccine
      has been reported to cause a higher incidence of adverse reactions (e.g.,
      dysuria, hematuria). BCG may also cause an influenza-like syndrome, arthralgias,
      and fever, but most of these reactions have resulted in few severe adverse
      effects when the drug is given in the relatively modest recommended doses.

PMID- 1421655
TI  - Lactulose in the management of constipation: a current review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review the current published clinical studies evaluating the
      clinical efficacy and safety of lactulose compared with other laxatives or
      placebo. Adverse effects associated with lactulose are also reported. DATA
      SOURCES: Information was retrieved by searching the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases
      for clinical trials, abstracts, conference proceedings, and review articles
      dealing with lactulose. STUDY SELECTION: Emphasis was placed on clinical trials
      where lactulose was compared with other laxatives or placebo in patient
      populations where the diagnosis of constipation was reasonably established. DATA
      EXTRACTION: The methodology and results from clinical studies were evaluated.
      Assessment of the studies was made based on diagnosis of constipation, prior
      management of patients, follow-up of patients, dosage, and adverse effects. DATA
      SYNTHESIS: Clinical trials in geriatric patients, terminally ill patients,
      children, and normal and constipated subjects were reviewed. In most instances,
      lactulose was compared with a placebo, without incorporating the current
      education on dietary techniques for improving defecation. CONCLUSIONS: Generally,
      clinical trials have demonstrated a beneficial response compared with placebo,
      although sometimes that response has been only marginally better, from a clinical
      point of view.

PMID- 1421656
TI  - Impact of therapeutic drug monitoring of intravenous theophylline regimens on
      serum theophylline concentrations in the medical intensive care unit.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study was to determine if a clinical
      pharmacist ensuring appropriate use and performing careful pharmacokinetic
      analysis of serum theophylline concentrations (STCs) can result in optimal
      theophylline regimens for patients in a medical intensive care unit (ICU).
      DESIGN: In phase 1 of the study, housestaff physicians determined the
      theophylline dosing regimen. A clinical pharmacist prospectively followed these
      initial patients, but did not intervene. Patients in phase 2 received intravenous
      theophylline, with all dosing regimens being based on prospective therapeutic
      drug monitoring (TDM) by a clinical pharmacist. PARTICIPANTS: The first phase
      enrolled 11 consecutive patients admitted into the medical ICU and requiring
      intravenous theophylline. This was followed by a second phase of 14 medical ICU
      patients whose intravenous theophylline regimen was determined by a clinical
      pharmacist performing pharmacokinetic analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Questions
      were organized into the following sections: (1) number of STC blood samples
      drawn, (2) number of emergency STCs performed, (3) number of concentrations per
      infusion-rate changes, (4) number of STC results in the pharmacist-generated
      regimens that were within the physicians' predetermined acceptable range.
      RESULTS: In phase 1, 27 theophylline rate changes occurred, with a mean +/- SD of
      1.01 +/- 0.3 STCs per day. In phase 2, 44 theophylline infusion rates were
      changed, with a mean +/- SD of 0.62 +/- 0.3 STCs per day. The TDM group had a
      significant reduction (p less than 0.001) in inappropriate concentrations (15 vs.
      40 percent) as set by predetermined criteria, and fewer emergency theophylline
      concentration requests (2 vs. 14). Serum theophylline concentrations ordered by
      the physician were achieved in 85 percent of the pharmacist-generated regimens.
      CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacokinetic analysis when performing TDM in the determination of
      intravenous theophylline regimens can result in optimal therapy for patients,
      while significantly reducing the number of STCs required.

PMID- 1421657
TI  - Antibiotic use in urban whites and blacks: the Minnesota Heart Survey.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess racial differences in the use of antibiotics, including
      penicillins, erythromycins, tetracyclines, sulfas, and cephalosporins. DESIGN:
      Population-based surveys, conducted from 1985 to 1987. SETTING: The seven-county
      metropolitan area of Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN. PARTICIPANTS: 3127 whites
      (response rate 68 percent) and 1047 blacks (response rate 65 percent), aged 35-74
      years. RESULTS: White women (26 percent of 1625) were more likely to report
      having taken an antibiotic in the past year than were white men (18 percent of
      1502), black women (18 percent of 590), or black men (15 percent of 457).
      Reported antibiotic usage decreased with increasing age. Black men were more
      likely than white men to report the use of tetracyclines or sulfas; otherwise,
      white men reported higher usage prevalences. White women reported higher usage
      prevalences of all drug classes than black women. CONCLUSIONS: Significant
      independent predictors of antibiotic use were younger age, white race, and female
      gender. Potential explanations for these differences include differences in
      patient access, physician-prescribing behaviors, or both.

PMID- 1421658
TI  - Professional self-image among Israeli pharmacists: sectoral differences.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine sectoral differences in the professional activities and
      self-images of Israeli pharmacists. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS:
      Pharmacists from private, community, and hospital sectors (n = 145) completed a
      survey that assessed the rewards accrued from their professional activities as
      pharmacists and evaluated their professional and sectoral self-image. RESULTS:
      Few intersectoral differences were found among Israeli pharmacists. Most agreed
      that the main rewards in the public sector are secure employment, intellectual
      challenge, and responsibility. In the private sector, the rewards are high
      income, responsibility, and opportunity to counsel. The majority of pharmacists
      in all sectors are satisfied with their profession, and 90.7 percent would choose
      it again. Nevertheless, they ranked pharmacy eighth among nine professions chosen
      for comparison, which shows quite a low professional image. The private and
      hospital pharmacists attributed a higher social status to their own sectors than
      to the community sector. CONCLUSIONS: The inferior professional self-image held
      by pharmacists, despite the rewards of the profession, should be examined in
      greater detail.

PMID- 1421659
TI  - Potential fluoxetine-selegiline interaction.

PMID- 1421660
TI  - Possible theophylline-minocycline interaction.

PMID- 1421661
TI  - Initiating clinical pharmacokinetics in China.

PMID- 1421662
TI  - Therapeutic monitoring of theophylline--a real need!

PMID- 1421663
TI  - Comment: patterns of isotretinoin prescribing.

PMID- 1421664
TI  - Comment: lovastatin-induced rhabdomyolysis in the absence of concomitant drugs.

PMID- 1421665
TI  - Aerosolized pentamidine and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia: patient compliance
      and outcomes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The study objectives were to compare compliance between every-two-week
      and every-four-week aerosolized pentamidine regimens, and to determine if
      patients who were more compliant with the use of aerosolized pentamidine were at
      decreased risk for developing Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). DESIGN:
      Nonrandomized observational study of patients receiving aerosolized pentamidine
      for PCP prophylaxis using the hospital pharmacy computer system to document
      aerosolized pentamidine use and compliance, and the Patient Administration
      Division's computer to document cases of PCP. SETTING: Tertiary care, US Army
      medical center. PATIENTS: All patients who were prescribed aerosolized
      pentamidine (60 mg every two weeks, 300 mg every four weeks, or both) over a 3.5
      year period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mean percent compliance was determined and
      compared between every-two-week and every-four-week regimens. The relationship
      between compliance and cases of PCP as determined using nonparametric statistics.
      RESULTS: Patients (n = 146) who were prescribed aerosolized pentamidine 60 mg
      every two weeks were more compliant (p = 0.006) than those prescribed 300 mg
      every four weeks. In addition, those patients who initially received the 60-mg
      regimen and were switched to the 300-mg regimen were more compliant when taking
      the 60-mg dose (p = 0.027). There was no association between compliance with
      either regimen and cases of PCP. Compliance generally was poor with both
      regimens. CONCLUSIONS: Patients on every-two-week regimens of aerosolized
      pentamidine were more compliant than those on every-four-week regimens. However,
      regardless of compliance, some patients failed aerosolized pentamidine over the
      3.5-year period. Other agents that lend themselves to compliance may be more
      appropriate for PCP prophylaxis than aerosolized pentamidine.

PMID- 1421666
TI  - Setting confidence intervals for drug concentrations from pharmacokinetic
      parameters.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe and illustrate a convenient method of forecasting drug
      concentrations with confidence intervals (CIs) using the means and standard
      deviations of relevant pharmacokinetic parameters (e.g., clearance and volume of
      distribution). DESIGN: Using summary statistics from previously published
      reports, a Monte Carlo technique employing a SAS random number generator creates
      an arbitrarily large "sample" of each pharmacokinetic parameter. A related
      "sample" of drug concentrations is provided by inserting the parameters into the
      appropriate model. A point estimate of the mean drug concentration with a CI is
      calculated using standard statistical methods. Both the one- and two-compartment
      body models are illustrated using previous investigations of gentamicin and
      lidocaine, respectively. RESULTS: One-compartment simulations describe CIs for
      gentamicin concentrations that vary widely depending on the source of the
      clearance and volume of distribution parameters. Lidocaine CIs using a two
      compartment analysis indicate a range of concentrations quite different from the
      expected mean. CONCLUSIONS: CIs provide a perspective of drug therapy that is
      considerably more informative than a simple point estimate of the mean
      concentration.

PMID- 1421667
TI  - Lack of in vitro inactivation of tobramycin by imipenem/cilastatin.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Inactivation of aminoglycosides by beta-lactam antimicrobials both in
      vitro and in vivo has been documented. Such an interaction has not previously
      been documented between carbapenems and aminoglycosides. Examination of serum
      concentrations of tobramycin in a patient receiving both agents suggested that
      this interaction might exist. The purpose of this study was to look at this
      question in an in vitro model. METHODS: Low concentrations of tobramycin (10
      micrograms/mL) were incubated with imipenem/cilastatin (concentrations of 10, 20,
      and 40 micrograms/mL) in human serum at 37 degrees C. Aliquots of these solutions
      were withdrawn at 0, 6, 24, 72, and 120 hours and assayed for tobramycin
      concentrations using a fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Aliquots of
      tobramycin 10 micrograms/mL and carbenicillin 200 micrograms/mL were analyzed in
      the same manner, as a positive control. High concentrations of tobramycin (800
      micrograms/mL) and imipenem (5000 micrograms/mL)/cilastatin were incubated
      together at 21 degrees C and sampled at 0, 6, 24, and 72 hours for tobramycin
      concentrations. RESULTS: The degradation rates for low-concentration tobramycin
      and the various concentrations of imipenem/cilastatin were not statistically
      different from those of the controlled incubations. In contrast, carbenicillin
      significantly enhanced the degradation rate of tobramycin at this concentration
      (half-life 72 hours and a 34 percent loss at 24 hours, p = 0.0028). Higher in
      vitro concentrations of imipenem (5000 micrograms/mL)/cilastatin and tobramycin
      (800 micrograms/mL) resulted in significant, but moderate degradation over
      controlled incubations (half-life 80 hours and 10 percent loss at 12 hours, p =
      0.0031). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that inactivation of tobramycin is
      not a problem at common clinically achievable imipenem serum concentrations in
      patients.

PMID- 1421668
TI  - Chemical compatibility of regional anesthetic drug combinations.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To define the physical and chemical compatibilities of several classes
      of drugs that may be used in combination for peridural anesthesia. DESIGN:
      Morphine, fentanyl, bupivacaine, lidocaine, tetracaine, ketamine, and clonidine
      were admixed for one hour in five groups of three-drug combinations, plus one
      group of all seven drugs. The combinations were inspected macroscopically and
      microscopically to determine physical compatibility. The admixtures were
      evaluated by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) and compared with known
      standards to determine chemical compatibility. RESULTS: The admixtures showed no
      physical incompatibility on microscopic or macroscopic evaluation. Chemical
      compatibility of all mixtures was confirmed by GC/MS. Ion chromatograms of the
      drugs in admixtures were identical to previously established standards.
      CONCLUSIONS: The agents evaluated demonstrated physical and chemical
      compatibility under conditions that would be observed during the administration
      of peridural anesthesia. Combinations of these drugs therefore could be safely
      admixed for use in anesthesia.

PMID- 1421669
TI  - Hypersensitivity and anaphylactoid reactions to ciprofloxacin.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report three cases of life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions
      to the oral administration of ciprofloxacin. CASE SUMMARY: Life-threatening
      hypersensitivity reactions to oral ciprofloxacin, characterized by diffuse,
      erythematous, nonpruritic, blanching rash, with fever and hypotension, occurred
      in two HIV-infected patients. One of these reactions was considered
      anaphylactoid. A similar hypersensitivity reaction was documented in a non-HIV
      infected patient. DISCUSSION: Premarketing clinical trials described no reports
      of life-threatening anaphylactoid hypersensitivity reactions to ciprofloxacin.
      However, postmarketing surveillance studies have documented their occurrence.
      Seven cases of anaphylactoid reaction to ciprofloxacin have now been documented
      in HIV-infected patients. CONCLUSIONS: As with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, HIV
      infected people treated with ciprofloxacin may be at special risk for
      hypersensitivity reactions.

PMID- 1421670
TI  - Enhanced anticoagulant effect of coumarin derivatives induced by doxycycline
      coadministration.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report two cases of enhanced oral anticoagulant effect induced by
      doxycycline coadministration. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: University teaching
      hospital. PATIENTS: Two patients on chronic oral anticoagulation therapy who
      presented with severe bleeding and marked impairment in blood coagulation tests
      shortly after the initiation of doxycycline therapy. DISCUSSION: The literature
      concerning the possible effects of tetracyclines on hemostasis with or without
      antecedent anticoagulation therapy is reviewed and the speculated mechanisms for
      such an interaction are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of
      tetracyclines such as doxycycline to patients on chronic oral anticoagulation
      therapy may be associated with a marked enhancement in anticoagulant effect. In
      such patients the prothrombin ratio should be closely monitored and the
      anticoagulant dosage adjusted accordingly.

PMID- 1421671
TI  - Nonthrombocytopenic purpura associated sequentially with nifedipine and
      diltiazem.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report the case of a patient who developed nonthrombocytopenic
      purpura sequentially following the administration of nifedipine and diltiazem.
      DATA SOURCES: Case reports, MEDLINE review of pertinent literature, and review of
      relevant studies. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted from direct patient
      observation and review of laboratory studies and published reports. DATA
      SYNTHESIS: Nonthrombocytopenic purpura secondary to cutaneous vasculitis is a
      known, although rare, adverse effect of nifedipine. It has not been reported in
      association with diltiazem. We report the case of a 75-year-old woman in whom a
      purpuric rash demonstrated by biopsy to be attributable to cutaneous vasculitis
      developed in the course of nifedipine therapy. The rash disappeared after
      discontinuation of the drug; however, it recurred when diltiazem therapy was
      initiated. CONCLUSIONS: Nonthrombocytopenic purpura may be associated with
      diltiazem as well as with nifedipine. When this adverse effect occurs following
      administration of a calcium-channel blocker, caution is advised in using other
      agents of the same class.

PMID- 1421672
TI  - Case report of a syncopal episode associated with fluoxetine.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report a syncopal episode associated with fluoxetine in a young,
      relatively healthy man. DESIGN: Single case report. SETTING: 585-bed private
      hospital. PATIENT: A 30-year-old man with hypertension, esophageal ulcers, and
      syncope of recent onset. RESULTS: Fluoxetine was started six weeks prior to the
      syncopal episode in this patient, and is the medication most temporally
      associated with the event. Because the patient had a normal neurologic
      examination and electroencephalogram, but an abnormal electrocardiogram on
      admission and one month after discharge, the syncopal episode was most likely
      caused by cardiovascular effects of fluoxetine. CONCLUSIONS: Fluoxetine has been
      reported to cause cardiac conduction abnormalities in otherwise normal
      individuals. Bradycardia secondary to a direct effect of fluoxetine, or to a drug
      interaction among fluoxetine, ranitidine, and enalapril is the most likely
      explanation for this patient's syncopal episode.

PMID- 1421673
TI  - Profuse diarrhea after misoprostol use in a patient with a history of Crohn's
      disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report a case of profuse diarrhea after misoprostol use in a
      patient with a history of Crohn's disease and to discuss the role of eicosanoids
      in Crohn's disease. DATA SOURCES: Patient medical records, case reports, review
      articles identified by MEDLINE, and personal communication with the physician,
      patient, and manufacturer. DATA EXTRACTION: From interviews, the manufacturer,
      and pertinent published sources by one author and reviewed by the others. DATA
      SYNTHESIS: A 55-year-old woman presented to clinic complaining of multiple joint
      pains. Her medical history was significant for peptic ulcer disease,
      hypertension, and Crohn's disease in remission since May 1989. Her joint pains
      were treated with ibuprofen 600 mg po qid and misoprostol 200 micrograms po qid
      (after meals and at bedtime). Following the administration of three doses of
      ibuprofen and misoprostol, the patient experienced abdominal cramps, pain, and
      voluminous, watery diarrhea for two days. Upon discontinuation of the ibuprofen
      and misoprostol, all of her gastrointestinal symptoms resolved within 12 hours.
      Rechallenge with ibuprofen alone failed to produce a recurrence of symptoms.
      Enhanced synthesis of intestinal eicosanoids has been demonstrated in Crohn's
      disease. Misoprostol, a synthetic analog of one of the eicosanoids, could induce
      a flare-up of Crohn's disease as suggested in this patient. CONCLUSIONS:
      Misoprostol should be used with caution in patients with known inflammatory bowel
      disease.

PMID- 1421674
TI  - Oral contraceptive use in osteoporosis.

PMID- 1421675
TI  - Erythromycin in gastrointestinal motility disturbances.

PMID- 1421676
TI  - Isoproterenol in the diagnosis of vasodepressor syncope.

PMID- 1421677
TI  - Clarithromycin: review of a new macrolide antibiotic with improved microbiologic
      spectrum and favorable pharmacokinetic and adverse effect profiles.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the new macrolide antibiotic clarithromycin with
      erythromycin in terms of in vitro activity, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics,
      clinical efficacy, and toxicity. DATA IDENTIFICATION: An English-language
      literature search employing MEDLINE (1987-91), Index Medicus (1987-91), Program
      and Abstracts of the 30th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and
      Chemotherapy (1990), Program and Abstracts of the 31st Interscience Conference on
      Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (1991), and bibliographic reviews of
      related textbooks and review articles. STUDY SELECTION: Eighty-five articles were
      selected. Clinical trials with clarithromycin have been limited, and emphasis was
      placed on trials reported in the Program and Abstracts of the 30th Interscience
      Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy and Program and Abstracts of
      the 31st Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. DATA
      EXTRACTION: Articles were assessed for study quality and specific information
      addressing the stated purpose. In articles reporting the results of clinical
      trials, emphasis was placed on comparative efficacy and toxicity. RESULTS OF DATA
      ANALYSIS: A review of 24 human trials suggests that clarithromycin is equally
      effective as erythromycin, penicillin VK, ampicillin, or amoxicillin for
      treatment of a variety of upper and lower respiratory tract or skin infections.
      Clarithromycin also appears to be better tolerated than these agents, with a
      lower incidence of gastrointestinal adverse effects. Limited clinical studies in
      patients with Mycobacterium leprae or Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex
      (MAI) suggest that clarithromycin may prove to be efficacious and well tolerated
      in the treatment of these infections. CONCLUSIONS: Clarithromycin is as effective
      in vivo as erythromycin, with less gastrointestinal irritation. Additionally,
      clarithromycin appears to expand the traditional spectrum of macrolide
      antibiotics, with promising activity against M. leprae and MAI.

PMID- 1421678
TI  - The triglyceride connection in atherosclerosis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the proposed mechanism of triglyceride-induced
      atherogenesis, to address the controversy surrounding serum triglycerides as a
      coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factor, and to recommend an appropriate
      therapeutic approach to hypertriglyceridemia. DATA SOURCES: Studies, review
      articles, and editorials published since 1976. A MEDLINE search of English
      language literature was conducted using the terms triglyceride and
      hypertriglyceridemia. STUDY SELECTION: Studies, review articles, and editorials
      were selected for detailed review if they addressed the pathogenesis of
      triglyceride-induced atherosclerosis, the controversy associated with elevated
      serum triglyceride as a CHD risk factor, and hypertriglyceridemia treatment
      options. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were reviewed that described the atherogenicity of
      chylomicron and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) remnants, the inverse
      relationship that exists between high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and serum
      triglyceride, the hypertriglyceridemia treatment controversy, and the treatment
      options of diet, exercise, weight control, alcohol restriction, and medication.
      DATA SYNTHESIS: Hypertriglyceridemia is a well-known risk factor for
      pancreatitis. However, its role in atherogenesis is less well defined. Several
      proposed connections appear to exist between hypertriglyceridemia and
      atherosclerosis, including the inverse correlation between triglycerides and HDL,
      the presumed atherogenicity of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein remnant particles,
      the potential resultant increase in the serum concentration and atherogenicity of
      low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and the proposed interaction between serum
      triglyceride and the fibrinolytic/coagulation system. Clinical trials addressing
      this issue offer mixed results that are subject to interpretation. Diet,
      exercise, weight control, alcohol restriction, and certain lipid-lowering
      medications are effective at reducing serum triglyceride. CONCLUSIONS:
      Hypertriglyceridemia is a theoretical risk factor for CHD because of the
      increased production of atherogenic chylomicron and VLDL remnants, the inverse
      relationship present between serum triglyceride and HDL, the possible resultant
      increase in LDL attributable to remnant-reduced hepatic LDL-receptors as well as
      the formation of more dense and, therefore, more atherogenic LDL, and to the
      interaction between serum triglyceride and the fibrinolytic/coagulation system.
      However, most clinical trials that have found hypertriglyceridemia to be a risk
      factor for CHD do not include other CHD risk factors in their analyses.
      Therapeutic intervention to lower serum triglyceride with diet, exercise, and/or
      drugs is definitely recommended in the treatment and/or prevention of
      pancreatitis; however, the role of triglyceride-lowering to reduce CHD risk
      remains controversial.

PMID- 1421679
TI  - Implications of the study population in the early evaluation of
      anticholinesterase inhibitors for Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Velnacrine testing for tolerance and safety in both normal elderly
      subjects and patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is reviewed to illustrate the
      importance of Phase I trials in the target group as more predictive of safety and
      tolerance for subsequent multicenter trials than those conducted in healthy
      elderly subjects. DESIGN: Both a single-dose and a randomized, double-blind,
      placebo-controlled, ascending, multiple-dose study were performed with healthy,
      elderly men. In the multiple-dose study, the subjects were randomized to four
      groups of 14, with 10 subjects receiving velnacrine and 4 receiving placebo. The
      doses were velnacrine 25 (group 1), 50 (group 2), and 100 mg (group 3),
      respectively, administered twice daily; group 4 received 100 mg three times daily
      for 28 days. Blood and urine were collected serially for the pharmacokinetic
      assessment. With AD patients, 24 subjects were randomly assigned to receive
      either placebo or velnacrine for 10 days in a double-blind, sequential escalation
      study in a hospital setting. There were three groups of 8 subjects. Six patients
      in each group received velnacrine and 2 placebo. The three groups received
      respective dosages of 450, 300, and 225 mg/d three times daily. Adverse events
      were closely monitored and recorded. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: The multiple-dose
      test in healthy elderly men included 56 men, aged 60-74 years. Rigorous screening
      for any potential complications that could affect absorption, distribution,
      metabolism, or excretion preceded patient entry in the AD patient study. Patients
      with a history of major psychiatric, neurologic, and cardiovascular disorders
      were excluded. The patients ranged in age from 56 to 89 years, and were equally
      distributed between gender. INTERVENTION: Velnacrine was administered in various
      doses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We emphasize the extreme adverse effects
      encountered in the AD patient group compared with the healthy group. Plasma
      concentrations of velnacrine over time in both groups are given, as well as the
      drug's half-life and excretion rates. RESULTS: The tolerable dosage predicted by
      studies performed in healthy elderly subjects was 300 mg/d. This dosage was not
      tolerable among the AD patients. A dosage as high as 450 mg/d resulted in a tonic
      seizure in one patient. The predicted dosage of 300 mg/d produced an adverse
      effect profile in AD patients that included dizziness, nausea and/or vomiting,
      headaches, and severe diarrhea. AD patients tolerated a dosage of 225 mg/d.
      CONCLUSIONS: A velnacrine dosage of 300 mg/d that was tolerated in healthy
      elderly subjects was not tolerated by AD patients.

PMID- 1421680
TI  - Adjuvant corticosteroid therapy for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in AIDS
      patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review published abstracts, case reports, and journal articles and
      evaluate data examining the use of systemic corticosteroids as adjuvant treatment
      for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in patients with AIDS. DATA SOURCES:
      Computerized online databases, peer-reviewed journals from January 1986 through
      September 1991, and personal communication with a National Institutes of Health
      correspondent. STUDY SELECTION: The authors identified 13 reports pertinent to
      this review. By author consensus, five studies were selected for analysis based
      on sample size, controlled study design, and clinical outcome measures.
      Recommendations of an expert panel from the National Institutes of Health and the
      University of California also are discussed. DATA EXTRACTION: Data are presented
      based on the methodologic strength of the studies reviewed. Studies are assessed
      on sample size, inclusion criteria, comparative cohort populations, specific
      patient outcome measures, and statistical analysis. DATA SYNTHESIS: Results of
      the study analysis support the use of systemic corticosteroids as early
      adjunctive therapy for AIDS patients with moderate-to-severe PCP who have an
      initial arterial oxygen partial pressure of less than 70 mm Hg or an alveolar
      arterial gradient greater than 35 mm Hg on room air. Improved outcomes included
      decreased mortality, respiratory failure, and deterioration of oxygenation. Data
      evaluated have shown that adjuvant corticosteroid therapy is most effective when
      initiated within 72 hours of beginning specific antipneumocystis therapy. A
      small, but sometimes significant, increased rate of infection in steroid-treated
      patients was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the literature reviewed, early systemic
      adjuvant corticosteroid therapy can benefit patients with moderate-to-severe AIDS
      related PCP. The steroid regimen used in the largest controlled trial and
      recommended by the expert panel is prednisone 40 mg bid (days 1-5), then 40 mg/d
      (days 6-10), then 20 mg/d (days 1-21).

PMID- 1421681
TI  - Serum albumin concentrations: who needs them?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the multiple factors that influence serum albumin
      concentrations and to discuss settings in which the monitoring of such
      concentrations provides clinically useful information. DATA SOURCES: Original
      investigations, review articles, books, and abstracts published in English. STUDY
      SELECTION: Studies pertaining to factors affecting serum albumin concentration
      were chosen based on general applicability. Recommendations related to the
      appropriate monitoring of albumin concentrations were based on studies performed
      in the clinical setting with direct applicability to patient care. DATA
      EXTRACTION: Data on factors affecting serum albumin concentration were extracted
      from studies that resulted in similar conclusions regardless of assay technique.
      Appropriate indications for albumin monitoring were derived from studies
      demonstrating direct clinical relevance. DATA SYNTHESIS: A number of factors may
      influence serum albumin concentration and ultimately affect interpretation of the
      concentration. Serum albumin concentrations generally are useful in the
      institutional setting shortly after admission or preoperatively to determine
      patient prognosis. Albumin concentrations have limited merit for predicting the
      free fractions of various hormones, electrolytes, and drugs. When used as an
      indicator of nutritional support, albumin concentrations are most helpful when
      measured over longer periods in relatively stable patients. CONCLUSIONS: Serum
      albumin determinations should be limited to those situations in which the
      concentrations are likely to provide clinically useful information. Such
      situations are limited.

PMID- 1421682
TI  - Home total parenteral nutrition in a "no-bowel" patient in Spain.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To report a case of a patient with no functional bowel who was
      receiving home total parenteral nutrition in a country that has had a few
      professional experiences in this area of therapy. CASE SUMMARY: A woman with a
      history of scattered colonic polyposis developed a mesenteric tumor that caused
      intestinal obstruction. Tumor withdrawal required the excision of 1.5 m of
      jejunum-ileum. Postoperative complications required further surgical intervention
      and subtotal intestinal resection. Duodenocolic anastomosis was not possible and
      a high output and permanent fistula remained. DISCUSSION: The complications of
      home parenteral nutrition addressed in the literature are reviewed. The problems
      encountered in our patient have been resolved. CONCLUSIONS: After three years of
      postoperative survival, we believe the quality of life of our patient has
      increased and the parenteral nutrition team members are much better prepared to
      manage patients with similar problems.

PMID- 1421683
TI  - Sulfur compounds in therapy: radiation-protective agents, amphetamines, and
      mucopolysaccharide sulfation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Sulfur-containing compounds have been used in the search for whole
      body radiation-protective compounds, in the design of amphetamine derivatives
      that retain appetite-suppressive effects but lack most behavioral effects
      characteristic of amphetamines, and in the search for the cause of kidney stone
      formation in recurrently stoneforming patients. METHODS: Organic synthetic
      procedures were used to prepare radiation-protective compounds having a variety
      of sulfur-containing functional groups, and to prepare amphetamine derivatives
      having electron-attracting sulfur functions. In the case of the kidney stone
      causation research, isolation of urinary mucopolysaccharides (MPS) from
      recurrently stoneforming patients was carried out and the extent of sulfation of
      the MPS was determined by electrophoresis. RESULTS: Whole-body radiation
      protective agents with a high degree of protection against lethal doses of gamma
      radiation in mice were found in a series of quinolinium and pyridinium
      bis(methylthio) and methylthio amino derivatives. Mechanism studies showed that
      the copper complexes of these agents mimicked the beneficial action of superoxide
      dismutase. Electron-attracting sulfur-containing functions on amphetamine
      nitrogen, as well as 4'-amino nitrogen provided amphetamine derivatives with good
      appetite-suppressant effects and few or no adverse behavioral effects. Higher
      than normal levels of sulfation of the urinary MPS of stone formers suggested a
      cause for recurrent kidney stone formation. A sulfation inhibitor was found to
      prevent recurrence of stone formation and inhibit growth of existing stones.
      CONCLUSIONS: The inclusion of various sulfur-containing functions in organic
      molecules yielded compounds having whole-body radiation protection from lethal
      doses of gamma-radiation in animals. The presence of electron-attracting sulfur
      functions in amphetamine gave derivatives that retained appetite-suppressant
      effects and eliminated most adverse behavioral effects. A therapy for recurrent
      urolithiasis resulted from inhibition of MPS sulfation, after the finding that
      stoneforming patients had abnormally high levels of MPS sulfation.

PMID- 1421684
TI  - Appropriateness of mandatory patient counseling.

PMID- 1421685
TI  - Critical analysis of the content and enforcement of mandatory consultation and
      patient profile laws.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the experience of 12 states that mandate that
      pharmacists provide consult services to patients and maintain drug profiles. DATA
      SOURCES: An analysis of each state's statutes and regulations was complemented by
      telephone interviews of state licensing board staff. RESULTS: Nine states specify
      the information to be provided during consultations, but only one (Florida)
      requires a comprehensive list of drug information, including adverse drug
      reactions, drug-drug interactions, directions for use, and necessary warnings.
      Eleven of the 12 states also require pharmacists to maintain patient drug
      profiles, but only 6 states specify the type of information to be included in
      profiles. State efforts to inform consumers about the pharmacist consultation
      requirement are limited, with only 7 states undertaking minimal promotional
      programs. The fact that no states reported any consumer consultation complaints
      or disciplinary actions against pharmacists for failure to consult illustrates
      the limited nature of mandatory consultation statues and regulations.
      CONCLUSIONS: The wide variety of requirements demonstrates that these laws do not
      represent a uniform standard of practice. The lack of documented evidence
      regarding implementation invites questions regarding their usefulness and
      reinforces the need for enhanced monitoring activities.

PMID- 1421686
TI  - Unresponsiveness to human recombinant erythropoietin in an epileptic dialysis
      patient secondary to valproic acid toxicity.

PMID- 1421687
TI  - Treatment of viral hemorrhagic fevers with ribavirin.

PMID- 1421688
TI  - Comment: cecal vitamin bezoar formation inducing abdominal discomfort.

PMID- 1421689
TI  - Comment: ketorolac formulary restriction and usage evaluation.

PMID- 1421690
TI  - [Molecular bases of tumor cell invasiveness].

PMID- 1421691
TI  - [Review of results and clinical analysis of conservative partial surgery
      associated with postoperative radiotherapy in operable breast cancers stages I
      amd II].
AB  - Over the last 25 years, conservative forms of treatment have been used for the
      locoregional treatment of early breast cancer, stages I and II (< 3 cm in
      diameter). At present, the same carcinological results are obtained with
      conservative surgery and radiation therapy as with radical surgery, and the
      aesthetic and functional results have improved. Several parameters should be
      taken into account, ie tumour volume, breast volume, multifocal nature and
      histologic type. A number of questions still remain unanswered namely: what is
      the most appropriate conservative surgery (quadrantectomy, tumourectomy or local
      excision)? What is the most appropriate total irradiation dose (50 Gy over 5
      weeks: or 45 Gy over 4.5 weeks)? What is the value of radiation boost in patients
      with negative resection margins? What is the value of radiation boost in patients
      with a high local risk of recurrence? What is the most appropriate radiation
      technique for boost in the primary tumour bed (electrons or iridium implants)?
      Does the external irradiation of regional lymph nodes improve survival rate? Is
      it possible to extend conservative treatment to a 4-cm diameter tumour? What is
      the impact of adjuvant systemic chemotherapy and/or hormonotherapy on the risk of
      isolated breast cancer recurrence?

PMID- 1421692
TI  - E-cadherin expression: a counterbalance for cancer cell invasion.
AB  - Invasion, eventually leading to metastasis, is presented as the result of a
      balance between the activation of 2 sets of genes, coined i+ (invasion promotor)
      and i- (invasion suppressor) genes. Experiments in vitro have indicated that the
      homotypic homophilic epithelial cell--cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin (L-CAM;
      uvomorulin; cell CAM 120/80; Arc-1; rrl antigen) is an i- gene product. In
      several cell families, manipulation of E-cadherin at the level of the protein by
      antibody-mediated inactivation, at the level of the mRNA by antisense DNA
      transfection, and at the level of the genome by sense DNA transfection
      respectively resulted in induction and suppression of invasiveness. Nude mouse
      tumors from non-invasive homogeneously E-cadherin-positive cell populations were
      found to be invasive and metastatic. These tumors expressed E-cadherin in a
      heterogeneous manner, the undifferentiated cells being negative; but tumor
      derived cells in culture were again E-cadherin-positive, indicating
      downregulation of this protein by host factors. Several types of human cancers
      showed a similar heterogeneity suggesting a relationship between downregulation
      of E-cadherin and invasion. Our current research focus is on the factors
      responsible for E-cadherin downregulation in experimental and human cancers.

PMID- 1421693
TI  - [Regulation by protein kinase C of TGF-beta 1 expression in cultured cells of
      breast adenocarcinoma].
AB  - In human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells, phorbol diesters inhibit proliferation and
      induce cell maturation. We investigated the involvement of TGF-beta 1 in the PCK
      mediated inhibition of breast cancer cell proliferation. Using an RNase
      protection assay, we showed that TPA induced a dose-dependent increase in levels
      of TGF-beta 1 mRNA that paralleled the inhibitory effect on MCF-7 proliferation.
      Similar results were obtained with another TPA-sensitive breast cancer cell line
      (BT-20). TPA did not increase TGF-beta 1 mRNA levels in the MCF-7:RPh-4 and T47D
      cell lines, which are both insensitive to the growth inhibitory effects of
      phorbol esters. In addition, the increase in TGF-beta 1 mRNA level was not
      observed after treatment of the MCF-7 cell with other inducers of cell
      differentiation such as forskolin, DMF, HMBA and sodium butyrate. The induction
      of TGF-beta 1 mRNA by TPA along with its inhibitory effect on cell proliferation
      suggests that TGF-beta 1 mediates, at least in part, the inhibitory effect of PKC
      activation.

PMID- 1421694
TI  - [5-FU cardiotoxicity in adjuvant chemotherapy for colonic cancer letter)].

PMID- 1421695
TI  - [What can be learned from cancers occurring after therapeutic radiation?
      Proceedings of a meeting of the French Society of Radioprotection. Paris, 27
      March 1992].

PMID- 1421696
TI  - [What can be learned from cancers occurring after therapeutic radiation?
      Introduction].

PMID- 1421697
TI  - [Radiation-induced skin cancers and leukemia. Historical data].

PMID- 1421698
TI  - [Thyroid tumors after radiotherapy].

PMID- 1421699
TI  - [Cancers after radiotherapy in children].

PMID- 1421700
TI  - [Secondary neoplasms after allograft of bone marrow. Role of irradiation].

PMID- 1421701
TI  - [Secondary solid tumors after Hodgkin's disease radiotherapy; experience at the
      Gustave Roussy Institute].

PMID- 1421702
TI  - [Second cancers after treatment of Hodgkin's disease: experience at the
      International Database on Hodgkin's disease (IDHD)].

PMID- 1421703
TI  - [Second tumor after bone marrow graft. Analysis of 265 total body irradiation in
      children from January 1980 to December 1990 at the Leon-Berard Center].

PMID- 1421704
TI  - [Genetic predispositions of second cancers].

PMID- 1421705
TI  - [Apoptosis or programmed cell death: concepts, mechanisms and contribution in
      oncology].
AB  - Programmed cell death, or apoptosis, corresponds to a sequence of intracellular
      events that lead to cell death. It has been shown that apoptosis is necessary in
      some physiological conditions such as embryogenesis, homeostasis of the immune
      system, erythropoiesis, etc. Some xenobiotics can induce apoptosis at lower doses
      and necrosis at higher doses. When a cell dies, it is either by apoptosis or by
      necrosis, and there are many differences between these two deaths. Apoptosis
      begins by a pre-commitment phase, which is reversible; during this phase the cell
      has a high level of second messengers. The commitment phase then follows and is
      irreversible, even when the xenobiotic that triggered the induction is removed.
      Most often, apoptotic cell death requires synthesis of macromolecules, the
      inhibition of their synthesis can prevent it. The cell undergoes important
      morphological changes during apoptosis, its volume decreases when its density
      increases. Then chromatin becomes granular, intensively osmiophilic, it condenses
      along the nuclear membrane. Later, chromatin disintegrates into small granules
      which will be phagocytized. One of the most important characteristics of the
      programmed cell death is the activation of an endonuclease, that gives rise to
      DNA fragments of 180-200 base pairs or multiples of these numbers; then after
      electrophoresis, the DNA gives the appearance of a ladder. Apoptotic cells can be
      characterized after classic staining, and flow cytometry; they can be separated
      from other cells by centrifugation on a gradient of density. It has been
      hypothesized that cell transformation could be due to a sudden resistance to
      apoptosis. However, the most interesting aspect in oncology recently demonstrated
      is that well-known anticancer drugs are able to induce apoptosis. One can hope
      that the discovery of new targets for anticancer drugs could lead to discovering
      new drugs that could be more active.

PMID- 1421706
TI  - [Growth factors and intestinal cancers].
AB  - This review focuses on the growth factors (primarily IGFs, TGF-alpha and TGB
      beta) that control both proliferation and differentiation of the normal
      intestinal epithelial cells and their involvement in intestinal tumorigenesis.
      Integrity of the digestive tissue is dependent on continuous coordination between
      cell growth and maturation along the crypt- villus axis. Beyond an intricate
      network of various regulatory molecules, such a regulation is essentially in
      close connection with the opposite biological effects delivered on a same target
      cell by TGF-alpha and TGF-beta. Growth factors act via regulatory
      autocrine/paracrine loops that are physiological means to deliver biological
      signals throughout the normal gut tissue. During tumorigenesis, cell
      progressively lose their sensitivity towards such extracellular regulatory loops.
      TGF-alpha insensitivity is linked to constitutive activation of intracellular
      pathways that induce uncontrolled cell growth. The incapacity to respond to TGF
      beta that is due to an alteration of its intracellular pathway does not allow the
      negative regulation of cell proliferation or the induction of cell
      differentiation. Concurrently, the disappearance of an IGF-II extracellular
      autocrine loop appears to be correlated with cells maintained in an
      undifferentiated state. These alterations lead to a break between the metabolic
      pathways involved in the delicate control of the proliferation/differentiation
      balance. This leads to an unscheduled increase of positive proliferative signals
      which are responsible for an uncoordinated epithelial cell growth that favour
      tumor cell clone outgrowth. From these experimental data, essentially obtained in
      vitro, we propose a tentative colorectal tumorigenesis model that links both
      growth factor pathways and genetic (oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes)
      alterations. However, such a model only represents a part of the multiple cell
      and molecular interactions that are set in action in vivo. It remains to decipher
      their consistency in order to improve new therapeutic strategies.

PMID- 1421707
TI  - [Mammary microcalcifications: is there a consensus on interpretation and
      management?].
AB  - Twenty two view mammograms without magnification, with microcalcifications
      corresponding to non palpable breast lesions, were submitted to 23 experienced
      observers, either gynaecologists or radiologists. These mammograms consisted of
      10 malignant lesions and 10 benign lesions; all of them underwent surgical
      procedures. The microcalcifications were graded and categorized into one of the
      four groups: malignant; suspect; slightly suspect; benign. One of the four
      options was proposed: biopsy; mammogram within 3 months; mammogram within 6
      months; mammogram within a year. Twelve observers out of 23 have referred to a
      classification. The mammograms were assessed according to a consensus. The
      validity of that diagnostic test was studied in various clinical situations and
      the lack of homogeneity of the responses was quantified. In the trade-off
      situation between sensitivity and specificity (suspect or malignant considered as
      positive), sensitivity is 50% and specificity is 70%. Moreover, the responses are
      not homogeneous at all and this lack of homogeneity is found to be statistically
      significant, greater than by chance alone. The diagnosis of cancer is more
      frequently put forward by the radiologists. This study explains the low
      predictive value of non palpable microcalcifications undergoing surgical
      procedures: from 11.5 to 44% in the literature. Similarly, there is no agreement
      on the frequency of the follow-up for these microcalcifications when they do not
      lead to surgical procedures.

PMID- 1421708
TI  - [Meta-analysis of adjuvant medical treatment in breast cancers. Ten year
      results].
AB  - The ten-year results of the meta-analysis of the adjuvant systemic treatment of
      early breast cancer are summarized. The five-year results are confirmed and a few
      new informations arise: tamoxifen is more efficient when given more than two
      years; the results of chemotherapy are significant in post-menopausal patients
      less than 70 years old.

PMID- 1421709
TI  - [Puncture of bone lesions under tomodensitometric control].
AB  - Sixty CT-guided fine needle biopsies were performed on 59 patients. Of the 40
      lesions in patients with a previous history of cancer, malignancy was confirmed
      by cytological examination in 27 cases and benignity in three cases. Of the 20
      lesions in patients with no previous history of cancer, malignancy was confirmed
      in nine cases (45%) and benignity in five cases (25%). This precise and safe
      procedure shows 78% overall accuracy in this series.

PMID- 1421710
TI  - A phase II trial of early intensive chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow
      transplantation in the treatment of poor prognosis non seminomatous germ cell
      tumors.
AB  - Twenty-eight patients with poor prognosis, advanced metastatic non seminomatous
      germ cell tumors (NSGCT) were treated with early high dose chemotherapy and
      autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) rescue. The primary tumor was
      testicular in 19 patients and extragonadal in nine patients. For 19 patients with
      a testicular primary, the median probability of complete remission (CR) was 0.05
      according to our prognostic mathematical model based on pretreatment levels of
      serum HCG and AFP. The same prognostic model was used for extragonadal primaries.
      Treatment consisted of two cycles of a modified double dose of cisplatin,
      vinblastine, bleomycin, VP-16 regimen (mPVeBV) followed by a high dose cisplatin
      etoposide-cyclophosphamide regimen (PEC) followed by ABMT. Of the 28 patients, 17
      (61%) achieved CR, one of which was surgical CR (sCR), five died of rapidly
      progressive disease early during the first cycle of mPVeBV, two had treatment
      related deaths, three did not respond and one patient refused treatment. Of the
      17 patients initially in CR, three relapsed after 4, 4 and 7 months respectively
      and have subsequently died. Two other patients died while still in CR: one
      committed suicide and one died of an infectious complication due to transfusion
      related AIDS. Twelve patients are alive in CR after a median follow-up of 66
      months (range 7-72 months). The non parametric 3-year survival rate is 40%. To
      demonstrate the effect of intensive chemotherapy with ABMT, a randomized
      multicenter French study was set up to evaluate the PVeBV regimen with or without
      high dose treatment and ABMT in poor risk NSGCT patients.

PMID- 1421711
TI  - Histocompatibility antigens associated with Behcet's disease in northern Han
      Chinese.
AB  - Among Han nationality Chinese and living in the northern area of the Yellow
      River, 120 patients suffering from Behcet's disease and 100 unrelated healthy
      individuals were typed for histocompatibility antigens (HLA)-A, -B, -C, and -DR
      and -DQ antigens. HLA-DR and DQ typing was performed on B-lymphocyte separated
      with Lympho-B-Kwik. The HLA-antisera were provided by 11th IHWC. Bf alleles and
      C4 allotypes were determined by immunofixation agarose-gel electrophoresis. HLA
      B51 was found in 67/120 (55.83%) patients and in 12/100 (12%) controls, the Chi
      square and relative risk values were 45.54 and 9.27, respectively (p < 0.0005).
      C4AQ0 frequency was significantly increased in the patient group. In the complete
      form group HLA-B51 was observed more frequently (62.79%). No significant
      differences of other HLA antigens, frequencies, Bf or B4 alleles were found
      between the groups.

PMID- 1421712
TI  - Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus with coexisting autoimmune thyroid
      disease in Japan.
AB  - Type 1 diabetes mellitus is known to be a heterogenous disease which is
      frequently complicated with other autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD). The present
      study was designed to investigate the clinical characteristics and HLA antigens
      in Japanese Type 1 diabetic patients with AITD. Subjects were 25 Type 1 diabetic
      patients with AITD (13 Graves' disease and 12 Hashimoto's thyroiditis) and 32
      Type 1 diabetic patients without AITD. Compared with Type 1 diabetic patients
      without AITD, age at onset of diabetes was later and positive ICA persisted much
      longer in the diabetic patients with AITD. Compared with normal controls, DR9 was
      increased in the patients with AITD, while DR4 was increased in those without
      AITD. Type 1 diabetic patients with AITD were characterized by the late onset of
      diabetes, persistent ICA and increased association with DR9. These results
      suggest that immunological and genetic heterogeneity may exist within Japanese
      Type 1 diabetic patients.

PMID- 1421713
TI  - Central motor conductivity in aged people.
AB  - The conductivity of motor neurons in 26 aged females (mean age 79 years) was
      analyzed by the conventional conduction method and by pulsed magnetic stimulation
      and compared with that in 14 younger controls. In aged people, slow motor
      conduction velocities were found in peripheral nerves. Central motor conduction
      time (CMCT) in relaxed muscle was shorter in the aged people, although CMCT was
      normal in mildly contracted muscle. These findings coincide with the results
      studied in Parkinson's disease, although these subjects were not diagnosed as
      having Parkinson's disease. Aged people generally have an anteflexed posture,
      slow movements, and poor postural reflexes, and have been reported to have a
      decrease in the dopamine level which is relatively earlier than that of other
      transmitters in the basal ganglia. This may account for the present finding that
      aged people have neurophysiological abnormalities in CNS which are similar to
      those in Parkinson's disease.

PMID- 1421714
TI  - Unoperated thoracic aortic aneurysms: survival rates of the patients and
      determinants of prognosis.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term prognosis of unoperated
      thoracic aortic aneurysms, and to detect the risk factors which determine the
      prognosis of unoperated patients. The subjects were 52 unoperated patients with
      58 thoracic aortic aneurysms (22 of the ascending aorta, 36 of the descending
      aorta or the aortic arch) and 38 with abdominal aortic aneurysms. The survival
      rates of the patients with ascending aortic aneurysms at 3 years and 5 years and
      those of the patients with descending aortic aneurysms at 5 years were
      significantly higher than those of the patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms.
      The risk factors for rupture of thoracic aortic aneurysms were the large size of
      aneurysms and non-management by the cardiologist and the risk factors for death
      unrelated to the aneurysms were patient age, male gender and non-management by
      the cardiologist.

PMID- 1421715
TI  - Phonoechocardiographic identification of chordal snap in hypertrophic
      cardiomyopathy.
AB  - In three patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a late systolic click
      following mid systolic murmur was recognized. M-mode and two-dimensional
      echocardiography showed the presence of systolic anterior motion of the chordae
      tendineae in all cases. Phonoechocardiographic studies showed that the time of
      the click always coincided with the endpoint of mild anterior motion of the
      chordae tendineae. The click was considered to be a chordal snap.

PMID- 1421716
TI  - Endobronchial involvement with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia.
AB  - Although many cases of Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WMG) with pulmonary
      involvement have been reported, endobronchial involvement has not been described.
      We report an unusual case of WMG wherein endobronchial invasion of tumor cells
      narrowed the airways and caused coughing and wheezing.

PMID- 1421718
TI  - Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma with prominent cardiac metastasis, accompanied by a
      marked leukocytosis with a neutrophilia and high GM-CSF level in serum.
AB  - Cardiac metastasis of thyroid carcinoma is extremely rare. We treated a case of
      anaplastic thyroid carcinoma with prominent cardiac metastasis. The 61-year-old
      male was admitted because of high fever. Investigations revealed a cardiac mass
      and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Resection of the cardiac mass revealed that it
      was metastasis from the thyroid carcinoma. After 4 months, he died in spite of
      intensive therapy. Marked leukocytosis was observed during the clinical course,
      and a concomitant increase of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor
      (GM-CSF) level was demonstrated in the sera. It was suggested that the high GM
      CSF level in serum contributed to leukocytosis.

PMID- 1421717
TI  - Pentasomy X mosaic in two adult sisters with diabetes mellitus.
AB  - Pentasomy X mosaic in two adult sisters with non-insulin dependent diabetes
      mellitus is described. The younger sister had schizophrenia, and both were
      mentally retarded, but no apparent somatic abnormalities were found. Chromosome
      analyses revealed karyotype 45,X/46,XX/47,XXX/48,XXXX/49,XXXXX mosaic with a low
      frequency of aneuploidy on cultured peripheral lymphocytes and 46,XX on cultured
      skin fibroblasts in both sisters. The low frequency of X chromosome aberration
      may be responsible for the lack of somatic abnormalities and the long life in
      both sisters. The association of pentasomy X mosaicism and diabetes mellitus
      however appears to be coincidental.

PMID- 1421719
TI  - Partial anomalous pulmonary venous return showing anomalous venous return to the
      azygos vein.
AB  - Partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR) is a congenital heart disease
      with a reported incidence of autopsied case. The location of the anomalous
      pulmonary venous return is usually the right atrium, superior vena cava (SVC),
      and sometimes the brachiocephalic vein, inferior vena cava (IVC) or coronary
      venous sinus. Recently we experienced a rare case of PAPVR showing anomalous
      right total pulmonary venous return to the azygos vein. Furthermore, downward
      translocation of the right upper lobe bronchus was evident. This rare case is
      reported along with a review of the related literature.

PMID- 1421720
TI  - Thyroid papillary adenocarcinoma in a woman with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.
AB  - We present a rare case of Peutz-Jeghers(P-J) syndrome in a 29-year-old woman who
      developed adenocarcinoma of the thyroid and polyps in the gastrointestinal tract.
      Polyps removed from the stomach, colon and ileum showed features typical of
      hamartomas. Histological examination indicated that the tumor resected from the
      right lobe of the thyroid was a papillary adenocarcinoma. This appears to be the
      first precise report of a P-J syndrome associated with thyroid carcinoma. This
      case adds an example of predisposition of P-J syndrome to extra-intestinal
      malignancy and indicates the importance of long-term observation of malignancy.

PMID- 1421721
TI  - Bartter's syndrome with gouty arthritis.
AB  - A 45-year-old woman with Bartter's syndrome complicated with gouty arthritis is
      reported. Bartter's syndrome was diagnosed from hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis,
      high plasma renin activity, normal blood pressure and attenuated pressor response
      to exogenous angiotensin II infusion. Serum uric acid was 11.8 mg/dl, the renal
      clearance of uric acid was low (3.0 ml/min) and fractional excretion of uric acid
      (FEUA) was 7.0%, being the lower limit of the normal range. Fractional excretion
      of phosphate was low (5.3%) and fractional free water clearance per fractional
      distal sodium delivery was 0.51. The mechanism of hyperuricemia in this case is
      discussed.

PMID- 1421722
TI  - Multiple liver abscesses secondary to Yersinia enterocolitica.
AB  - A 37-year-old male, a poorly-controlled insulin-dependent diabetic patient, was
      admitted to our hospital with complaints of high fever and confusion. Laboratory
      data showed hyperglycemia, positive inflammatory reaction and liver dysfunction.
      Blood culture demonstrated Yersinia enterocolitica. Liver CT scan showed multiple
      low density areas. These data were consistent with a diagnosis of liver abscess
      secondary to Yersinia enterocolitica. He died of disseminated intravascular
      coagulation; subsequent autopsy confirmed the clinical diagnosis. Liver abscess
      secondary to Yersinia enterocolitica with septicemia is rare, but has been
      reported in compromised hosts. In the mechanism of this disease, the alimentary
      tract has been suggested to be the port of entry in most cases.

PMID- 1421723
TI  - Wegener's granulomatosis in a patient with a rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - A 38-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis who developed Wegener's
      granulomatosis is described. Wegener's granulomatosis appeared with saddle nose,
      perforation in her nasal septum, and granuloma in the nasal cavity. Laboratory
      evaluation showed a positive rheumatoid factor and circulating immune complex.
      Radiographic examination revealed ankylotic changes in both wrist and elbow
      joints. Bilateral anosmia and other disease manifestations completely responded
      to treatment with oral cyclophosphamide and prednisolone.

PMID- 1421724
TI  - Immunological studies on opportunistic infection and the development of adult T
      cell leukemia.
AB  - Three patients with opportunistic infection preceding adult T-cell leukemia (ATL)
      are presented: a 66-year-old woman with cryptococcosis and Pneumocystis carinii
      pneumonia, a 46-year-old man with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and a 55-year
      old woman with cryptococcosis. Although, at the first examination, the first two
      had smoldering type ATL and the third case was an HTLV-I carrier, all three
      developed overt ATL 14-16 months after the onset of opportunistic infection. It
      is considered that there is immune suppression already present in HTLV-I carriers
      and in patients with smoldering ATL, and opportunistic infection is predictive of
      the development of ATL.

PMID- 1421725
TI  - Post-splenectomy meningitis in patients with lymphoid malignancy.
AB  - This report describes pneumococcal meningitis in two splenectomized patients with
      lymphoid malignancy. Early diagnosis and emergency treatment of pneumococcal
      infection in splenectomized patients is proven to be of significant value.
      Prophylactic antibiotics targeted against pneumococcus should be considered for
      the clinical management of such conditions in splenectomized patients,
      particularly during cytotoxic chemotherapy.

PMID- 1421726
TI  - Idiopathic acute eosinophilic pneumonia.
AB  - A previously healthy young man presented with acute respiratory distress, high
      fever and bilateral ground-glass appearance on chest radiograph. Bronchoalveolar
      lavage analysis demonstrated significant eosinophilia (72%) with no evidence of
      infection. The transbronchial lung biopsy showed that the walls of bronchioli and
      alveolar septa were markedly infiltrated with eosinophils. The patient rapidly
      improved with corticosteroid therapy. This case exemplifies the recently
      described idiopathic acute eosinophilic pneumonia. Similar cases published in the
      Japanese literature were reviewed and discussed.

PMID- 1421727
TI  - Persistent hemichorea associated with thyrotoxicosis.
AB  - We describe a case with unilateral chorea associated with thyrotoxicosis. A 23
      year-old female with no family history of neurological diseases acutely developed
      choreic movements of the left extremities during gross thyrotoxicosis. CT scan
      and MRI study demonstrated no abnormality. Single-photon emission CT with
      technetium Tc 99m-labeled hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime revealed normal cerebral
      perfusion. Although the choreic movements were partially improved by dopamine
      antagonist, they persisted for two months until successful treatment of the
      thyrotoxicosis finally abolished these movements. Increased sensitivity of
      dopamine receptors may be responsible for persistent choreic movements in
      thyrotoxicosis.

PMID- 1421728
TI  - Granulomatous hypophysitis with meningitis and hypopituitarism.
AB  - We report an unusual case of granulomatous hypophysitis in which visual
      impairment, meningitis and hypopituitarism in a 76-year-old female were
      associated with radiological evidence of a pituitary mass. The sellar lesion was
      indistinguishable from pituitary tumor on neuroimaging studies, but the recovery
      of visual acuity and visual field abnormalities together with the improvement of
      pituitary function after steroid administration indicated that the mass lesion
      was due to an inflammatory disease of the pituitary gland. The pituitary tissue
      obtained by transsphenoidal hypophysectomy revealed granulomatous inflammatory
      cell infiltration with epithelioid cells and scattered multinucleated giant
      cells. Although a causal relationship with meningitis was not ascertained,
      possible exposure of the CSF space to the autoimmune inflammatory process of the
      pituitary gland was likely in view of the positive pituitary antibody reaction
      and radiological evidence of suprasellar extension. This entity should be
      considered when evaluating patients with a pituitary mass, hypopituitarism and
      meningitis.

PMID- 1421729
TI  - Thoracic extramedullary hematopoiesis associated with hereditary spherocytosis.
AB  - A 54-year-old man was diagnosed with hereditary spherocytosis. An X-ray of the
      chest disclosed bilateral round masses in the upper and lower posterior
      mediastinum. CT showed homogeneous round masses of soft tissue density in the
      posterior mediastinum. A needle biopsy of the mass showed hyperplastic erythroid
      bone marrow. Fatty metamorphosis of the masses was observed in CT 2 years after
      splenectomy but showed no change in size.

PMID- 1421730
TI  - Bronchopulmonary disease in ulcerative colitis.
AB  - Two cases of ulcerative colitis are described: a 33-year-old woman who developed
      widespread bronchiectasis 7 months after undergoing colectomy, and a 72-year-old
      man whose colonic disease began coincidentally with the appearance of diffuse
      interstitial pulmonary infiltrates. In both cases, clinical correlation and
      common patterns of response of lung and bowel diseases suggested that the co
      existence of these two pathologies might not be merely a casual relation.

PMID- 1421731
TI  - Clinical practice guideline: acute pain management.

PMID- 1421732
TI  - Detoxification of nonopiate drugs in the chronic pain setting and clonidine
      opiate detoxification.
AB  - Although the pain physician is most familiar with the treatment of the opiate
      withdrawal syndrome, other drugs are abused by the chronic pain patient. The pain
      physician should then be familiar with the withdrawal syndromes associated with
      other drug groups. The withdrawal syndromes associated with hypnosedatives,
      psychotomimetics, nicotine, stimulants, ergot alkaloids, beta adrenergic blocking
      agents, antidepressants, muscle relaxants, and alpha-adrenergic agonists are
      described. Drug detoxification protocols for these drugs are reviewed.
      Additionally, the rationale for clonidine opiate detoxification is discussed, and
      current clonidine detoxification protocols are reviewed.

PMID- 1421733
TI  - Chronic-pain medications: equivalence levels and method of quantifying usage.
AB  - Medication use is an important consideration in chronic-pain rehabilitation
      programs (CPRPs). However, it is difficult to quantify this aspect of chronic
      pain treatment, because patients often take multiple medications that can differ
      by pharmacological class as well as dosage level. The Medication Quantification
      Scale (MQS) provides a method for quantifying medication use in patients with
      chronic, nonmalignant pain. Scores are calculated for each medication based on
      weights assigned by medication class and dosage level, and these scores are
      summed to provide a quantitative index of total medication usage suitable for
      statistical analysis. The method for calculating MQS scores is illustrated, and
      research data on MQS reliability and validity are presented. Interrater
      reliability was rho = 0.985 (p less than 0.0001) for 30 MQS scores calculated by
      two clinicians. MQS scores for 88 patients correlated well with the clinical
      judgment of 12 health care professionals (mean rho = 0.755, p less than 0.0001).
      The MQS scores for 60 chronic-pain patients (30 treated in a CPRP and 30
      untreated) were obtained at two time points: evaluation and 1-year follow-up. A
      two (groups) by two (time points) analysis of variance yielded a significant
      group-by-time interaction (F = 8.82, p less than 0.0043). Treated patients
      decreased their medication intake significantly (p less than 0.0001), whereas
      untreated patients did not (p greater than 0.57). The MQS offers a reliable and
      valid method for quantifying medication usage in chronic-pain patients.

PMID- 1421734
TI  - Patient controlled analgesia: the relation of psychological factors to pain and
      analgesic use in adolescents with postoperative pain.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship of psychological variables to pain and
      patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) use in adolescents undergoing orthopedic
      surgeries. DESIGN: Cohort. PATIENTS: Fifty adolescents and their parents. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURES: Visual analogue scales of pain, the McGill Pain Questionnaire,
      and questionnaires that assessed overall psychological distress, anxiety, and
      family environment. RESULTS: Correlations of the psychological variables with
      measures of pain and PCA use showed that high levels of anxiety and distress in
      adolescents were related to higher postoperative pain. Adolescents from
      controlling and conflicted families also had higher pain ratings and made more
      frequent PCA demands during the lockout interval when drug was unavailable.
      Parent anxiety and distress were also related to adolescent pain and PCA use.
      CONCLUSIONS: The psychological status of adolescents and their parents can
      significantly influence postoperative pain and PCA use.

PMID- 1421735
TI  - MMPI scale 3 as a predictor of back injury report: what does it tell us?
AB  - Items and selected subscales of Scale 3 (Hysteria) of the MMPI were examined to
      pinpoint personality or emotional factors predictive of back injury reports in an
      industrial setting. Data were derived from a previous prospective-design study of
      back pain in volunteer hourly wage employees of an aircraft manufacturing
      company. After physical examination and completion of questionnaires pertaining
      to demographic, psychosocial (including the MMPI), and workplace factors, workers
      were followed for an average of 3 years. Those who subsequently reported back
      injury were compared with those who did not. In that study three variables
      predicted report of back injury, one of which was Scale 3 of the MMPI. Individual
      items, Ornduff et al. subscales of Psychological Denial and Body Concern, and the
      five Harris-Lingoes (1955) subscales of Scale 3 were analyzed. Three Harris
      Lingoes subscales showed significant relationships to the criterion. Hy-3:
      Lassitude/Malaise; Hy-1: Denial of Social Anxiety; and, marginally, Hy-2: Need
      for Affection, significantly contributed to prediction effectiveness. Results and
      implications for the understanding of factors predicting back injury reports and
      for the medical evaluation of pain and the concept of pain are discussed.

PMID- 1421736
TI  - An 18-month follow-up of a secondary prevention program for back pain: help and
      hindrance factors related to outcome maintenance.
AB  - Thirty-six subjects participated in an 18-month follow-up of a secondary
      prevention program for back pain of recent onset. The follow-up assessment
      included most of the same instruments used in the original study. In addition,
      interviews were conducted to ascertain help and hindrance factors for maintaining
      improvements during the follow-up period. Results showed that subjects had
      significantly less pain, used fewer medications, and were more active at 18-month
      follow-up than at baseline. All subjects had returned to work, and one third had
      no pain-related work absences during the follow-up. A cost-benefit analysis
      indicated substantial economic savings when follow-up sick-listing data were
      compared with estimates based on an increasing trend for pain-related absenteeism
      found during the baseline period. Hindrance factors reported by subjects were
      related to personal time-management and workplace factors, especially
      psychosocial aspects of the work environment. It was concluded that the secondary
      prevention program was effective and that future maintenance programs should
      focus more on personal time-management and workplace factors.

PMID- 1421737
TI  - Persistent low-back pain is real. However, diagnostic spinal injections are not
      helpful in its evaluation.
AB  - We endeavored to assess the short-term effects of intrathecal fentanyl and
      lidocaine in chronic-pain patients by ascertaining whether the opioid fentanyl,
      by virtue of its lack of sensory and motor paralysis, conferred any diagnostic
      advantages over lidocaine, a local anesthetic whose effects include sensory and
      motor paralysis. Neuraxial administration of fentanyl has been touted as an
      improved diagnostic tool to distinguish between peripheral and central pain,
      because the absence of sensory and motor effects may avert the patient's
      presumption of the onset of analgesia based on these cues. Twenty-two patients
      with persistent low-back pain, whose investigations had determined that they were
      not surgical candidates, were studied using a counter-balanced, placebo
      controlled, and double-blinded crossover design. Each patient received three
      separate lumbar intrathecal injections of equal volume (1.4 ml): cerebrospinal
      fluid, fentanyl 25 micrograms, and lidocaine 70 mg. Pain and symptom assessments
      were performed preinjection (baseline), and at regular intervals up to and
      including 4 h postinjection. Pain was evaluated by verbal patient response using
      a numerical pain-rating system of 0 to 10. Duration of analgesia, sensation of
      warmth, and adverse effects were noted. Statistical analyses were performed using
      nonparametric tests. Subjects' average age was 56 years, with a median low-back
      pain duration of 16 years. There were no significant differences in the baseline
      median-pain scores among injection types. The baseline and best cerebrospinal
      fluid-pain scores were significantly different, suggesting a placebo effect. The
      best pain scores for fentanyl and lidocaine were superior to their own baseline
      levels and to the best cerebrospinal fluid scores.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1421738
TI  - Chronic back pain: view from a psychiatrist's office.
AB  - Twenty-six adult outpatients suffering from chronic back pain were observed in a
      clinical study. Treatment was multifaceted. A psychiatrist with a subspecialty in
      pain management served as the coordinator of all treatments used. Treatment
      included biofeedback, physical therapy, behavioral-management program and pain
      measurement scales, psychotherapy with pain counseling, and medication. Patients
      were seen weekly for 4 months and observed for 1 year thereafter. Results of the
      study bore out the necessity of a coordinated multifaceted approach to treatment
      of chronic pain. Strong emotional overlay was seen in all patients. Stress,
      depression, and secondary gain are symptoms that were addressed along with the
      physical symptomatology. Patients improved significantly. The psychiatric
      component serving as the anchor for treatment was viewed as a key to success. The
      emotional component present in chronic pain must not be overlooked, because it
      plays a vital role in successful treatment.

PMID- 1421739
TI  - Voices from the past: ancient views of pain in childhood.
AB  - Our understanding of pain in childhood has made many important advances in the
      past 15-20 years. Examination of the views of ancient writers, who were concerned
      about pain and disease in childhood, reveals similar concerns that have dominated
      the discussions of clinicians and researchers in the twentieth century. The most
      recent pediatric pain research confirms the position of many writers in previous
      centuries who believed children and infants are sensitive to pain. Although
      childhood historians have assumed that pain in children was largely ignored in
      previous centuries, examination of ancient medical writings reveals ongoing
      debates about the sources of pain in childhood, symptoms of pain and its
      treatment. This paper contrasts historical perspectives with the views of
      twentieth century writers.

PMID- 1421740
TI  - A case of opiate-insensitive pain: malignant treatment of benign pain.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We report the case of a woman with presumed cancer pain treated with
      escalating doses of opiates despite no evident improvement in her pain and
      several deleterious side effects. PATIENT: A 62-year-old woman with cervical
      myelopathy and a diagnosis of a spinal cord tumor was referred to the University
      of Washington Medical Center complaining of chest tightness, multiple joint
      pains, nausea, constipation, seizures and a deteriorating memory. At the time of
      admission she was confined to her bed with a full-time attendant and was
      receiving 240 milligrams of intravenous morphine per hour for her pain.
      INTERVENTION: Diagnostic studies failed to find any evidence of neoplasm and
      revealed only an old hemorrhage within the cervical spinal cord. A program of
      increasing physical and occupational therapy and decreasing opiate intake was
      initiated. RESULTS: Within a month the patient's pain complaints decreased, as
      did the rest of her presenting complaints. Her activities of daily living greatly
      increased making attendant care no longer necessary. CONCLUSIONS: This case
      report illustrates some of the hazards of opioid therapy in the management of
      patients with chronic pain. Our patient's opiate therapy was expensive, gave her
      undesirable side effects, and did not reduce her pain complaints or improve her
      function. In the treatment of chronic pain, of noncancerous or cancerous origin,
      a) systemic opioids may not be effective in reducing pain complaints in every
      patient, b) treatment efficacy evaluation should always include functional
      endpoints, and c) nonefficacious treatments should not be continued indefinitely.

PMID- 1421741
TI  - RSD score: criteria for the diagnosis of reflex sympathetic dystrophy and
      causalgia.
AB  - No standardized criteria for the diagnosis of reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD)
      are in common use. An RSD score scoring system of diagnostic criteria is
      proposed. Diagnosis of reflex sympathetic dystrophy by RSD score correlated well
      with clinical diagnosis in a group of 25 patients who had treatment for chronic
      upper extremity pain. Standardization of diagnostic criteria with the RSD score
      should enhance comparison of the outcomes of studies concerning the treatment of
      RSD.

PMID- 1421742
TI  - Interscalene blocks for chronic upper extremity pain.
AB  - A study of 25 patients was carried out to determine the efficacy of interscalene
      block (ISB) for the treatment of chronic upper extremity pain. An RSD score was
      used to categorize these patients. Seventeen of the 25 patients had less pain
      after ISB, and 14 also had increased range of motion of the affected limb.
      Patients with reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD)/causalgia, as well as other
      chronic pain conditions, improved. ISB was compared with stellate ganglion block
      (SGB) in patients undergoing both treatments. ISB seemed to be at least as
      effective as SGB for treatment of RSD/causalgia and may have some advantages over
      SGB. The role of somatic and sympathetic blockade is discussed.

PMID- 1421743
TI  - Reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the stump in below-knee amputees.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To document the occurrence of reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the
      stump in two patients with below-knee amputation. DESIGN: A retrospective survey
      emphasising two clinical case reports. SETTING: Department of orthopaedic
      rehabilitation at a teaching rehabilitation hospital. PATIENTS: Lower limb
      amputees (n = 164) were accepted for prosthetic rehabilitation. Twenty-one
      amputees were regarded as rehabilitation failures; in two below-knee amputees
      intractable pain was the major problem. RESULTS: Clinical manifestations,
      radiological, and scintigraphic findings in the two amputees with intractable
      pain met the criteria for diagnosis of reflex sympathetic dystrophy. CONCLUSIONS:
      Reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the stump should be suspected in below-knee
      amputees whenever severe pain persists over a period of 3 to 4 months following
      amputation.

PMID- 1421744
TI  - Physical illness and the family emotional system: psoriasis as a model.
AB  - Most physical illnesses are characterized by significant variability in age of
      onset and severity of clinical course. Although many diseases may occur in the
      context of a strong family history for the disease, they may also occur when
      there is no such history. Psoriasis has been chosen as a model for demonstrating
      that variability in age of onset, clinical course, and family history for a given
      disease may be explained, in part, by factors related to the family emotional
      system, a concept described by family systems theory (Bowen theory). Links
      between the clinical manifestations of psoriasis and the family emotional system
      have important treatment implications.

PMID- 1421745
TI  - Coping with inner feelings and stress: heavy alcohol use in the context of
      alexithymia.
AB  - The authors conducted a population study to assess the relationship between heavy
      alcohol consumption and alexithymia, defined as difficulty in identifying and
      expressing feelings. The study sample consisted of 2,297 middle-aged men from
      eastern Finland. The proportion of men who reported either frequent intoxication
      or unpleasant aftereffects of heavy drinking increased linearly with alexithymia.
      Alexithymia and the heavy acute intake of different sorts of alcoholic drinks
      were also consistently associated. Long-term heavy use, taking into account both
      the dose and frequency, was also linearly related to the alexithymia measure. In
      multivariate models to assess whether high alcohol consumption in alexithymic
      individuals might relate to stress, the authors found nothing to support the
      stress-dampening hypothesis.

PMID- 1421746
TI  - Psychosocial antecedents of athletic injury: the effects of life stress and
      social support on female collegiate gymnasts.
AB  - The article presents information from two studies of a research program
      investigating psychosocial antecedents of athletic injury. Study 1 describes the
      development of the Life Events Survey for Collegiate Athletes (LESCA). The LESCA
      demonstrated good content validity and provided a stable measure of life stress.
      The LESCA's validity and the moderating effects of social support were explored
      in the second study. The LESCA provided a construct-valid measure of life stress
      and was a better predictor of athletic injury than the Social and Athletic
      Readjustment Rating Scale. Social support moderated the stress-injury
      relationship in such a way that LESCA negative life stress accounted for 11% to
      22% of injury variances in low-support conditions; LESCA positive life stress
      accounted for 14% to 20% of injury variances in high-support conditions.
      Mechanisms underlying the stress-injury relationship and directions for future
      research are discussed with respect to the model outlined by M. B. Andersen and
      J. M. Williams in 1988.

PMID- 1421747
TI  - Emerging products for glycosylation analysis.

PMID- 1421748
TI  - Mammalian glycosyltransferases: genomic organization and protein structure.
AB  - In recent years, several glycosyltransferase genes and cDNAs have been cloned and
      characterized. Although the glycosyltransferases seem to share the same general
      architecture, there is only little sequence similarity between the various
      enzymes. Moreover, a comparison of the organization of the genes shows that there
      is no common pattern of intron-exon structure. In addition, there seems to be
      little or no correlation between glycosyltransferase exons and protein domains.
      Taken together, these observations suggest that many of the glycosyltransferase
      genes evolved independently. So far, only two glycosyltransferase gene families
      have been described. These families may have evolved by exon-shuffling, or by
      gene duplication and subsequent divergence. For specific glycosyltransferases,
      mechanisms such as alternative splicing and alternative promoter usage play a
      role in the production of multiple protein isoforms from a single gene. These
      isoenzymes may differ in their enzymatic properties or cellular localization.

PMID- 1421749
TI  - Photoaffinity labelling of glycosyltransferases.
AB  - The photoaffinity analogues 5-azido-UDP-glucose and 5-azido-UDP-glucuronic acid
      have proven to be valuable biochemical tools in the studies of nucleoside
      diphosphate sugar-utilizing enzymes, especially membrane-associated
      glycosyltransferases. A summary of the past and current uses of these analogues
      is presented, as well as photoaffinity data for the enzyme UDP-glucose:
      dolichylphosphate glucosyltransferase (Glc-P-Dol synthase). This enzyme has
      served as a model membrane-associated glycosyltransferase for demonstrating the
      uses of 5-azido-UDP-glucose. The advantages of using photoaffinity analogues for
      the purification and characterization of glycosyltransferases are presented, as
      well as an outline of the general procedures which can be used in conjunction
      with these analogues.

PMID- 1421750
TI  - Identification and synthesis of a novel 15 kDa beta-galactoside-binding lectin in
      human leukocytes.
AB  - Knowledge of the identity, synthesis and secretion of beta-galactoside-binding
      lectins by leukocytes is of importance because lactosaminoglycans present at the
      leukocyte cell surface may be physiologically significant lectin receptors that
      could mediate autocrine or paracrine functions and/or cell adhesion. This paper
      presents data that show that a previously identified 15.5-16.5 kDa lactose
      binding protein synthesized in vitro by human peripheral leukocytes is actually
      comprised of three different polypeptides. One of these is related to a novel 15
      kDa lectin isolated from human spleen and which is synthesized by B
      lymphoblastoid cells. Spleen contains at least six lactose-binding polypeptides
      for which the carbohydrate-binding activity is independent of the presence of
      divalent cations and mercaptoethanol. The splenic 15 kDa polypeptide does not
      appear to be immunologically related to previously characterized beta-galactoside
      binding lectins. It is separable from galaptin, another galactoside-binding
      lectin (subunit mol. wt 14.5 kDa) by chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel. Western
      blot analyses and immunoprecipitation/fluorography experiments with metabolically
      labelled cells showed the presence of the 15 kDa lectin in peripheral leukocytes
      and in Epstein-Barr virus-immortalized B lymphoblastoid cells. The 15 kDa lectin
      yielded polypeptide fragments of approximately 6.2 and approximately 8.6 kDa
      after cyanogen bromide (CNBr) degradation. These fragments were partially
      sequenced and 12 residues/fragment were identified. A similarity search of the
      SWISS PROT protein data base did not reveal a relationship of the 15 kDa
      polypeptide to known lectins, including galaptin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1421751
TI  - Reducing the overlap problem in the proton NMR spectra of oligosaccharides by
      application of pseudo-four-dimensional homonuclear HOHAHA-HOHAHA-COSY.
AB  - A new homonuclear NMR experiment is described for the assignment of the proton
      NMR spectra of oligosaccharides, namely HOHAHA-HOHAHA-COSY (where HOHAHA is
      homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn spectroscopy and COSY is correlated spectroscopy).
      While this technique may formally be thought of as a four-dimensional NMR
      experiment, by use of selective pulses it is demonstrated that the analogous
      pseudo-four-dimensional experiment is a valuable improvement over conventional
      three-dimensional HOHAHA-COSY, in that the degree of resonance overlap is
      markedly reduced by the dispersion of resonances into a fourth effective
      dimension. The technique is demonstrated by application to the biantennary
      nonasaccharide Gal beta 1-4-GlcNAc beta 1-2Man alpha 1-6(Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc beta
      1-2Man alpha 1-3)Man-beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-4GlcNAc.

PMID- 1421752
TI  - Carbohydrate structure of Marburg virus glycoprotein.
AB  - Marburg virus was propagated in E6 cells, a cloned cell line of Vero cells, in
      the presence of [6-3H]glucosamine. Radiolabelled viral glycoprotein was digested
      with trypsin, and oligosaccharides were liberated by sequential treatment with
      endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H, peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta
      glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase F and O-glycosidase, by beta-elimination, and by
      alkaline hydrolysis. After fractionation by HPLC and gel filtration, glycans were
      characterized chromatographically, by digestion with exoglycosidases and, in
      part, by methylation analysis and liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry. The
      oligosaccharide structures thus established include oligomannosidic and hybrid
      type N-glycans, as well as neutral fucosylated bi-, tri- and tetraantennary
      species, most of which carry an additional bisecting N-acetylglucosamine. In
      addition, high amounts of neutral mucin-type O-glycans with type-1 and type-2
      core structures were detected. None of the glycans present in this viral
      glycoprotein carried sialic acid residues.

PMID- 1421753
TI  - The tertiary structure of endo-beta-1,4-glucanase B (CenB), a multidomain
      cellulase from the bacterium Cellulomonas fimi.
AB  - Endo-beta-1,4-glucanase B (CenB) is a large (110 kDa) extracellular enzyme from
      the cellulolytic bacterium Cellulomonas fimi. CenB contains five domains,
      including a typical C.fimi cellulose-binding domain, separated by distinctive
      linker polypeptides (Meinke et al., 1991b). X-ray scattering analyses show that
      CenB has a highly elongated shape resembling beads on a string. The sizes of the
      polypeptides produced by treatment of CenB with proteases, together with their N
      terminal amino acid sequences, show that at least two of the four linkers
      connecting the five domains of CenB are more sensitive to proteolysis than the
      domains themselves. It is concluded that the beads represent the domains of CenB,
      the string represents the linkers.

PMID- 1421754
TI  - A human lysosomal alpha(1----6)-mannosidase active on the branched trimannosyl
      core of complex glycans.
AB  - Normal human fibroblasts and fibroblasts from a patient with alpha-mannosidosis
      were grown in the presence or absence of 100 microM swainsonine for 7 days.
      Accumulated oligosaccharides were isolated and analysed by high performance
      liquid chromatography (HPLC) and methylation analysis. Man alpha 1----3Man beta 1
      ---4GlcNAc and Man alpha 1----2Man alpha 1----3-Man beta 1----4GlcNAc (where Man
      is D-mannose and GlcNAc is N-acetyl-D-glucosamine) comprised greater than 80% of
      the total oligosaccharides in untreated mannosidosis cells. However, Man alpha 1-
      --6[Man alpha 1----3]Man beta 1----4GlcNAc was the major Man3GlcNAc isomer
      present after 7 days of swainsonine treatment. No mannose-containing
      oligosaccharides were detected in control fibroblasts in the absence of
      swainsonine but, in its presence, oligosaccharides containing 2-9 mannose
      residues accumulated. Man alpha 1----6[Man alpha 1----3]-Man alpha 1----6[Man
      alpha 1----3]Man beta 1----4GlcNAc and Man alpha 1----6-[Man alpha 1----3]Man
      beta 1----4GlcNAc were the major components (67%). Surprisingly, Man alpha 1---
      3Man beta 1----4GlcNAc was only observed in swainsonine-treated control cells
      during the recovery period after removal of swainsonine. These studies suggest
      the presence of a second lysosomal alpha-mannosidase activity which is unaffected
      in genetic alpha-mannosidosis, but is inhibited by swainsonine. This enzyme would
      cleave the alpha(1----6)-linked mannose residue from branched Man3GlcNAc to form
      Man alpha 1----3Man beta 1----4GlcNAc. To confirm this hypothesis, fractions from
      alpha-mannosidosis and control fibroblasts that bound to concanavalin A (ConA)
      Sepharose and were eluted with 0.5 M alpha-methyl mannoside were incubated at pH
      4.0 with Man alpha 1----6[Man alpha 1----3]Man beta 1----4-GlcNAc. As
      anticipated, Man alpha 1----3Man beta 1----4GlcNAc was the sole product using
      enzyme from mannosidosis fibroblasts, while the major product from control
      fibroblasts was Man alpha 1----6Man beta 1----4GlcNAc. This confirmed the
      presence of a swainsonine-inhibitable alpha(1----6)-mannosidase activity
      unaffected by the disease. The differing substrate specificities of the alpha(1--
      -6)-mannosidase and the major lysosomal alpha-mannosidase indicate that the
      alpha(1----6)-mannosidase plays an important role in the generation of the
      oligosaccharides accumulated in alpha-mannosidosis patients.

PMID- 1421755
TI  - Developmental sialic acid modifications in rat organs.
AB  - The changes in expression of sialic acids in Sprague-Dawley rats in the prenatal
      and early postnatal time period have been examined in multiple organs, both
      visceral and non-visceral. In all organs examined, there is a dramatic increase
      in both N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) and N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc)
      shortly after birth. The bulk of the sialic acid is present in the ganglioside
      fraction in all tissues examined. As total amounts of sialic acid present in
      gangliosides decrease, the proportion present in the low molecular weight
      cytosolic fraction increases. A curious observation is that Neu5Ac hydroxylase
      activity is present at the time of the increase in sialic acid, but its activity
      does not correlate with Neu5Gc expression after the early postnatal period. This
      implies that Neu5Gc expression has another level of regulation besides CMP-Neu5Ac
      hydroxylase activity.

PMID- 1421756
TI  - Presence of O-linked oligosaccharide on a threonine residue in the human
      transferrin receptor.
AB  - We have previously demonstrated that the human transferrin receptor (TfR) of
      approximately 90 kDa contains Ser/Thr-linked (O-linked) oligosaccharides. In the
      present study, we report our identification of the site of attachment of the O
      linked oligosaccharides in the receptor. A 70 kDa fragment from the external
      domain of the TfR was generated by trypsin treatment of the [3H]glucosamine
      labelled receptor purified from human K562 cells. The beta-elimination of the
      intact TfR, but not the 70 kDa fragment, released Gal-[3H]Gal-NAcitol, indicating
      that the 70 kDa fragment lacks O-linked oligosaccharides. In the remaining 20 kDa
      fragment there are three potential sites (Thr96, Thr104 and Ser106) for O
      glycosylation in the extracellular domain. To identify which of these residues
      are O-glycosylated, both the [3H]Thr- and [3H]Ser-labelled TfR were directly
      treated with mild base to effect beta-elimination, and the radiolabelled amino
      acids and their derivatives were analysed. Approximately 2% of the total
      radiolabelled Thr, but no radiolabelled Ser, was converted to expected beta
      elimination products by this treatment. These and other results demonstrate that
      only one O-linked oligosaccharide is present in the TfR and that it occurs on
      either Thr96 or Thr104. From human serum we purified the cleaved, soluble form of
      the TfR (s-TfR), which contains Thr104, but lacks Thr96. The s-TfR was sensitive
      to O-glycanase and bound to Jacalin lectin, indicating that the s-TfR contains an
      O-linked oligosaccharide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421757
TI  - Identification of the O-linked glycosylation site of the human transferrin
      receptor.
AB  - The human transferrin receptor is a glycoprotein containing three N-linked and
      one O-linked glycosylation sites. Tryptic digestion of the receptor, followed by
      chromatography on BioGel P-2 and reverse-phase HPLC, yields a glycopeptide (amino
      acids 101-120) containing the O-linked site. Amino acid sequence analysis reveals
      that the site of O-glycosylation is Thr-104. Mass spectral analysis is consistent
      with the presence of a Gal-GalNAc core with predominantly two sialic acid
      residues.

PMID- 1421758
TI  - Topology of ER processing alpha-mannosidase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - The yeast specific alpha-mannosidase which converts Man9GlcNAc to a single isomer
      of Man8GlcNAc is involved in N-linked oligosaccharide processing in the
      endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Sequence analysis of the structural gene for this
      enzyme suggested that it is a type II transmembrane protein (Camirand et al.,
      1991). To firmly establish its membrane topology, the gene was transcribed in
      vitro and translation was performed in a reticulocyte lysate with and without dog
      pancreas microsomal membranes. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of [35S]methionine-labelled products showed that the
      largest band formed corresponded in size to the 63 kDa peptide expected from the
      alpha-mannosidase gene product. It was transformed into a 4 kDa larger
      endoglycosidase H-sensitive band in the presence of microsomal membranes. This
      glycosylated translation product was completely protected from proteinase K
      digestion in the absence of detergent. These results demonstrate that the yeast
      ER alpha-mannosidase is a type II membrane protein, like Golgi enzymes involved
      in N-linked glycosylation.

PMID- 1421759
TI  - Cloning and expression of the murine gene and chromosomal location of the human
      gene encoding N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I.
AB  - A mouse cDNA clone previously isolated from an F9 teratocarcinoma cell library
      and shown to confer N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I (GlcNAc-TI) activity on
      Lec1 Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell transfectants [Kumar, R., Yang,J.,
      Larsen,R.D. and Stanley,P. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA, 87, 9948-9952] has
      been sequenced. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences are highly
      homologous to previously described human and rabbit GlcNAc-TI cDNAs. A 1250 bp
      portion of the mouse cDNA encoding all but the first 34 amino acids of the
      deduced protein sequence was inducibly expressed in Escherichia coli and gave
      rise to a prominent fusion protein of mol. wt approximately 45 kDa whose presence
      correlated with high levels of GlcNAc-TI activity in cell lysates. Probes
      generated from the cDNA were used to show that the GlcNAc-TI gene is present in a
      single copy in mammals and that a homologous gene was not detectable (under low
      stringency hybridization conditions) in DNA from yeast, sea urchin, Drosophila or
      Chaenorhaditis elegans. Genomic DNA clones that hybridized to probes generated
      from the GlcNAc-TI cDNA were isolated from a mouse liver library. Restriction
      analyses, Southern hybridization and DNA sequence analyses of subcloned genomic
      DNA fragments and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product provided evidence
      that the coding and 3' untranslated regions of the cDNA reside in a single exon.
      However, the mouse GlcNAc-TI gene (Mgat-1) includes at least one additional exon
      5' of the coding region. Southern analyses of DNA from mouse-human somatic cell
      hybrids and in situ hybridization were used to locate the human GlcNAc-TI gene
      (MGAT-1) between positions q31.2 and q31.3 on chromosome 5, a region of
      chromosome 5 that is syntenic with a region of mouse chromosome 11. Northern
      analyses of adult mouse tissues revealed two GlcNAc-TI gene transcripts that are
      differentially expressed in different tissues.

PMID- 1421760
TI  - Fingerprinting genomes by use of PCR with primers that encode protein motifs or
      contain sequences that regulate gene expression.
AB  - PCR primers of arbitrary nucleotide sequence have identified DNA polymorphisms
      useful for genetic mapping in a large variety of organisms. Although technically
      very powerful, the use of arbitrary primers for genome mapping has the
      disadvantage of characterizing DNA sequences of unknown function. Thus, there is
      no reason to anticipate that DNA fragments amplified by use of arbitrary primers
      will be enriched for either transcribed or promoter sequences that may be
      conserved in evolution. For these reasons, we modified the arbitrarily primed PCR
      method by using oligonucleotide primers derived from conserved promoter elements
      and protein motifs. Twenty-nine of these primers were tested individually and in
      pairwise combinations for their ability to amplify genomic DNA from a variety of
      species including various inbred strains of laboratory mice and Mus spretus.
      Using recombinant inbred strains of mice, we determined the chromosomal location
      of 27 polymorphic fragments in the mouse genome. The results demonstrated that
      motif sequence-tagged PCR products are reliable markers for mapping the mouse
      genome and that motif primers can also be used for genomic fingerprinting of many
      divergent species.

PMID- 1421761
TI  - Modulation of polymorphic loci detection with synthetic tandem repeat variants.
AB  - The modifications of hybridization patterns were studied when Southern blots,
      carrying stallions DNA samples, were probed with eight synthetic tandem repeats
      (STRs), related by sequence variations in the basic unit. Because STRs
      preferentially crosshybridize with genomic VNTRs, they usually give patterns
      looking more like DNA fingerprints, but we found that even small modifications in
      the STR monomer could cause major changes in the hybridization profiles and could
      induce a shift of fingerprint pattern towards the detection of only one or two
      loci. This enables the use of STRs as direct genetic markers for linkage
      analysis, without cloning of the corresponding DNA fragment. Moreover, the set of
      STR variants can suggest consensus sequences allowing some prediction of the
      banding pattern.

PMID- 1421762
TI  - A mouse genomic library in the bacteriophage P1 cloning system: organization and
      characterization.
AB  - Using the bacteriophage P1 cloning system, we have constructed a two to three
      times coverage, high-molecular-weight (HMW) genomic library from mouse C127
      fibroblast cells. The library consists of about 127,500 clones with an average
      insert size of about 70 kb that are organized into 300 primary pools containing
      approximately 425 clones per pool. For screening purposes the primary pools are
      combined into secondary pools (approximately 4250 clones each) and tertiary pools
      (approximately 21,250 clones each). Screening is performed by the polymerase
      chain reaction (PCR) with DNA isolated from the secondary and tertiary pools. We
      have screened the library for 13 different mouse sequences and have detected 11.
      Clones generated from two of the eleven positive screens were isolated from the
      library (those containing the c-fos and G alpha i2 genes) and were further
      characterized. Direct double-stranded sequencing of DNA from P1 clones with
      primers bordering the insert provided sequence information from each end of the
      cloned DNA.

PMID- 1421763
TI  - RASA contains a polymorphic microsatellite and maps to bovine syntenic group U22
      on chromosome 7q2.4-qter.
AB  - The bovine gene for the p21ras protein activator (RASA) includes in its 5'
      untranslated region a (TG)n repeat. Analysis of this (TG)n repeat by PCR
      amplification of genomic DNA revealed a four-allele polymorphism. A cDNA probe
      was used to assign RASA to the region 2.4-qter of bovine Chromosome (Chr) 7 by in
      situ hybridization. PCR analysis of a panel of somatic hybrid lines allowed the
      assignment of RASA to the unassigned syntenic group 22 (U22) and thus localizes
      U22 on Chr 7.

PMID- 1421764
TI  - Polymorphic microsatellite loci of the rat (Rattus norvegicus).
AB  - The EMBL and GenBank DNA databases were searched for microsatellite sequences of
      the rat containing dinucleotide repeats of (CA)n and (GA)n. Among those obtained,
      23 sequences were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction to examine the size
      variation of the amplified fragment in inbred rat strains. All of the 23
      microsatellite sequences varied in size among the strains tested. The 23
      microsatellite loci in a pair of substrains separated from the same progenitor
      strain were then analyzed. Fragments identical in size were observed in all loci
      of the two substrains, indicating the stability of the microsatellite over a
      large number of generations. The microsatellite loci, therefore, should be useful
      markers for linkage analyses in the rat.

PMID- 1421765
TI  - Deletion mapping of the mouse ornithine decarboxylase-related locus Odc-rs8
      within Igh-V.
AB  - The Odc-rs8 locus belongs to a family of mouse DNA sequences related to the gene
      encoding ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). Odc-rs8 was mapped by recombinant inbred
      (RI) strain analysis to the region of Chromosome (Chr) 12 occupied by the
      variable region genes of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (Igh) complex. In the
      present study, alleles at Odc-rs8 were shown to cosegregate with those for Igh
      variable region (Igh-V or VH) genes among 37 inbred mouse strains that had been
      characterized previously for their haplotypes at Igh. For a more precise
      definition of the location of Odc-rs8 relative to Igh-V, DNAs from 17 Abelson
      murine leukemia virus (A-MuLV)-transformed pre-B cell lines cultured from mice
      heterozygous at Igh and Odc-rs8 were analyzed for the presence of DNA restriction
      fragments (RFs) derived from each parental Odc-rs8 allele. These cell lines, each
      of which has rearranged one or both Igh genes, previously were employed in
      mapping members of nine VH gene families by deletion analysis (Brodeur et al.
      1988). Comparing the deletion profiles of the cell lines for Odc-rs8 with those
      for the VH gene families has located Odc-rs8b within the VHJ558/VH3609 gene
      cluster and Odc-rs8c either within or upstream of the 5'-most 9% of VHJ558,
      identifying Odc-rs8 as a potentially useful marker for the 5' end of the Igh
      complex.

PMID- 1421766
TI  - Syntenic mapping and chromosomal localization of bovine alpha and beta interferon
      genes.
AB  - The previous assignment of bovine alpha-(IFNA) and beta-(IFNB) interferon gene
      families to syntenic group U18 was confirmed with additional cDNA probes and a
      bovine-rodent hybrid somatic cell panel representing all 29 bovine autosomal
      syntenic groups. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) localized these genes
      to bovine Chromosome (Chr) 8 band 15 and demonstrates that with biotinylated
      plasmids, as few as five tandemly arrayed sequences can be detected by
      conventional fluorescent microscopy. This technique can be applied to physical
      mapping of other multicopy genes in domestic animals.

PMID- 1421767
TI  - Functional analysis of a t complex responder locus transgene in mice.
AB  - Transmission ratio distortion (TRD) of mouse t haplotypes occurs through the
      interaction of multiple distorter loci with the t complex responder (Tcr) locus.
      Males heterozygous for a t haplotype will transmit the t-bearing chromosome to
      nearly all of their offspring. This process is mediated by the production of
      functionally inequivalent gametes: wild-type meiotic partners of t spermatozoa
      are rendered functionally inactive. The Tcr locus, which is required for TRD to
      occur, is thought to somehow protect its host spermatid from the sperm
      inactivating effects of linked distorter genes (Lyon 1984). In previous work, Tcr
      was mapped to a small genetic interval in t haplotypes, and a candidate gene from
      this region was isolated (Tcp-10bt). In this work, we further localize Tcr to a
      40-kb region that contains the 21-kb Tcp-10bt gene. A cloned genomic copy of Tcp
      10bt was used to generate transgenic mice. The transgene was bred into a variety
      of genetic backgrounds to test for non-Mendelian segregation. Abberrant
      segregation was observed in some mice carrying either a complete t haplotype or a
      combination of certain partial t haplotypes. These observations, coupled with
      those of Snyder and colleagues (in this issue), provide genetic and functional
      evidence that the Tcp-10bt gene is Tcr. However, other genotypes that were
      predicted to produce distortion did not. The unexpected data from a variety of
      crosses in this work and those of our colleagues suggest that elements to the TRD
      system and the Tcr locus remain to be identified.

PMID- 1421769
TI  - Linkage analysis of the Gi alpha 2 gene on mouse chromosome 9.

PMID- 1421770
TI  - Four-state models and regulation of contraction of smooth muscle. I. Physical
      considerations, stability, and solutions.
AB  - Cyclic four-state models are frequently used in biology to represent a variety of
      molecular behaviors. A common experimental strategy to test such models is to
      follow the behavior of the real system after some of the rate constants are
      changed in a stepwise manner. We analyze the mathematical behavior of a simple
      example of such a model applicable to the regulation of contraction of smooth
      muscle, but our results apply in general to any linear, cyclic four-state model.
      We discuss detailed balance and requirements for linearity. We find that the only
      way to have sustained oscillations is for the rate constants of the model to be
      themselves oscillatory. We state conditions for decaying oscillations and find
      that in models that do not follow strictly first-order kinetics and do not
      satisfy detailed balance, these conditions can hold. We show analytically that
      the response of any state to step changes in the rate constants is the sum of
      three weighted exponentials plus a constant term, the steady-state value. We
      provide explicit expressions for the time dependence of all state variables. We
      discuss a simple way to use these results to obtain numerical solutions in cases
      where the rate constants change in an arbitrary way.

PMID- 1421768
TI  - Distortion of transmission ratio by a candidate t complex responder locus
      transgene.
AB  - The mouse t complex responder locus (Tcr) is centrally involved in the phenomenon
      of male-specific transmission ratio distortion (TRD) through its action in
      haploid germ cells. Previously, we identified a candidate gene, Tcp-10b, whose t
      allele generates alternatively spliced transcripts. The full-length Tcp-10bt
      transcript is present in pre- and postmeiotic germ cells and encodes a product
      that is virtually identical with that encoded by the wild-type allele. The
      alternatively spliced t-specific transcript is observed in post-meiotic haploid
      spermatids and would encode an altered polypeptide that could convey the Tcrt
      phenotype. To assess their function, we have introduced constructs representing
      each Tcp-10bt transcript into transgenic mice. Breeding experiments demonstrate
      that these two constructs alter the transmission ratios of t haplotypes from male
      mice, but in opposite directions. The results provide support for the hypothesis
      that Tcp-10bt is a component of the Tcr locus.

PMID- 1421771
TI  - An analysis of life history evolution in terms of the density-dependent
      Lefkovitch matrix model.
AB  - The evolution of demographic characteristics is considered in terms of the
      density-dependent Lefkovitch matrix model, which describes a species' population
      dynamics with a stage-specific pattern of reproduction and mortality. We obtain
      the invadability condition of a mutant-type into the wild-type population at the
      equilibrium state. The condition depends on the left and right eigenvectors at
      the equilibrium state. The condition depends on the left and right eigenvectors
      at the equilibrium state and the difference, between wild-type and mutant-type
      populations, of the values of elements in the Lefkovitch matrix at the
      equilibrium state. It is also shown that if elements of the density-dependent
      Lefkovitch matrix are decreasing functions of population density, then the
      equilibrium population density increases in the process of natural selection;
      that is, K-selection acts even on the stage-structured population. The evolution
      of life history in perennial plants is discussed through two models as an
      application of the above results. The evolution of perennial plants with no
      vegetative reproduction is analyzed in the first example. It is shown that
      whether monocarpic perennials (which reproduce once and die) or polycarpic
      perennial plants (which reproduce more than once) are favored depends on the cost
      of a produced seed. The second example concerns perennial plants that reproduce
      vegetatively. It is shown that whether monocarpic or polycarpic perennial plants
      are favored depends on the cost of a seed and that where vegetative reproduction
      is common, polycarpic perennials with no seed reproduction are favored.

PMID- 1421772
TI  - The possible effects of aggregation on the quantitative interpretation of flow
      patterns in ecological networks.

PMID- 1421773
TI  - Nature is not uniform.

PMID- 1421774
TI  - Four-state models and regulation of contraction of smooth muscle. II. Properties
      of the solutions and identification.
AB  - We analyze the behavior and the identification problem of cyclic four-state
      models. We find that for any state, or a weighted combination of two states,
      there can be at most one maximum, or one minimum, and two inflection points. We
      obtain necessary conditions for overshoot and undershoot and give examples. We
      describe procedures to estimate all the rate constants and discuss certain
      experimental aspects of the identification problem. Finally, we give an example
      of identification by obtaining the 10 model parameters from experimental data on
      skinned fibers from smooth muscle. These results, in conjunction with the results
      of the previous paper, can help in testing four-state models of regulation of
      contraction of smooth muscle and of a variety of other physiological and
      biochemical phenomena.

PMID- 1421775
TI  - Improving Tikhonov regularization with linearly constrained optimization:
      application to the inverse epicardial potential solution.
AB  - Two methods to improve on the accuracy of the Tikhonov regularization technique
      commonly used for the stable recovery of solutions to ill-posed problems are
      presented. These methods do not require a priori knowledge of the properties of
      the solution or of the error. Rather they exploit the observed properties of
      overregularized and underregularized Tikhonov solutions so as to impose linear
      constraints on the sought-after solution. The two methods were applied to the
      inverse problem of electrocardiography using a spherical heart-torso model and
      simulated inner-sphere (epicardial) and outer-sphere (body) potential
      distributions. It is shown that if the overregularized and underregularized
      Tikhonov solutions are chosen properly, the two methods yield epicardial
      solutions that are not only more accurate than the optimal Tikhonov solution but
      also provide other qualitative information, such as correct position of the
      extrema, not obtainable using ordinary Tikhonov regularization. A heuristic
      method to select the overregularized and underregularized solutions is discussed.

PMID- 1421776
TI  - Structured modeling of fish physiology.
AB  - The use of models in simulation and state estimation has proved useful in diverse
      applications, especially in industrial process control. The project presented
      here looked into the modeling of fish physiology for applications in fish
      physiology research and aquaculture. The models deal with gastric evacuation,
      metabolism, kidneys, gills, the cardiovascular system, and feeding behavior and
      are based on data from the literature. Model responses are mostly in accord with
      real responses in principle, but, as with most models of complex biological
      systems, the numerical accuracy is low in several cases. However, these
      structured models enable researchers to test hypotheses by altering the submodels
      and parameters.

PMID- 1421777
TI  - Branched-chain amino acids and respiration.
AB  - A series of investigations suggest a specific role for BCAA in the regulation of
      respiration. In vitro incubation studies have shown that BCAAs improve the
      recovery of muscle force after fatigue. Further investigations revealed that
      leucine plays a key role in this action and acts in a manner not dependent on its
      use as an energy substrate. In humans, solutions enriched with BCAA have
      decreased PCO2 and stimulated the ventilatory response to hypercapnia, thereby
      corresponding to an enhanced ventilatory sensitivity with the administration of
      BCAA. The mechanisms for these actions are unknown. The most viable hypothesis is
      based on the ability of BCAA to decrease the synthesis of serotonin due to
      altered transport of AAs, including tryptophan, to the brain. Clinical studies
      have suggested a potency of BCAA in the treatment of respiratory dysfunction of
      preterm infants, as well as of patients with sleep apnea related to various
      disease states. The clinical applications of BCAA-enriched mixtures in
      respiratory diseases are still experimental, and many controversies exist
      concerning the validity of BCAA in clinical practice. Most TPN regimens contain
      BCAA approximating the average intake of BCAA in the Western diet. The question
      therefore remains whether additional BCAA supplementation is useful to achieve
      the suggested metabolic and pharmacological effects. Meticulous future studies
      are needed to establish the therapeutic value of BCAA in the treatment of various
      respiratory functions.

PMID- 1421778
TI  - Management of diabetic patients requiring nutritional support.
AB  - A retrospective analysis was performed on 70 patients with diabetes mellitus who
      required nutritional support over the 10-yr period 1979-1989. Information was
      available for 65 patients, of whom 55 had non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
      (NIDDM). Enteral nutrition (EN, 750-2200 kcal/day) was given to 40 NIDDM patients
      (group A) and 6 insulin-dependent diabetic (IDDM) patients (group B), and
      parenteral nutrition (PN, 1600-2400 kcal/day) was given to 18 NIDDM patients
      (group C) and 4 IDDM patients (group D). Three NIDDM patients required both types
      of feeding. Preadmission diabetes treatment remained the same during feeding for
      31% of the total group (38% of group A, 33% of group B, 23% of group C, and 0% of
      group D). The NIDDM patients in group C who received insulin during PN required a
      high daily dose of approximately 100 U. The IDDM patients on PN required an
      increase of 225% from their preadmission daily dose. The likelihood of a patient
      requiring a major change from preadmission diabetes therapy depended mainly on
      the severity of the underlying illness and on the type of feeding (greater with
      PN) but not on preadmission therapy, age of patient, or type of EN (cyclic vs.
      continuous). Hypoglycemic episodes were uncommon in all groups. There were no
      significant differences between the prefeeding and feeding blood glucose levels
      and HbA1c results.

PMID- 1421779
TI  - Performance of normal-weight and underweight men with marginal changes in energy
      intake.
AB  - This study compares the continuous response of six underweight (UW) (body mass
      index [BMI] < 18 kg/m2) and six normal-weight (NW) (20 < BMI < 25) men of similar
      age to a modest but sustained level of underfeeding and overfeeding. Habitual
      energy intake over 4 wk, body composition, and basal metabolic rate (BMR) were
      measured under metabolic-ward conditions. NW subjects were heavier by 9 kg and
      had 5% more body fat than UW subjects. The average BMR of UW subjects was 7.5%
      lower than NW subjects in absolute terms and also per kilogram fat-free mass per
      day but was higher by 8% when expressed per kilogram body weight per day. Three
      NW and three UW subjects were given a diet with 10% less energy than their
      habitual intake for 4 wk. They were brought back to the normal level of feeding
      for another 4 wk. Finally, they were overfed by 10% for 4 wk. This sequence was
      reversed in the remaining six subjects. Changes in body weight, BMR, and energy
      balance were assessed. UW subjects showed a quick and vigorous reduction in BMR
      (13.4%) during the 1st wk of underfeeding compared with NW subjects (8.1%). In
      the later weeks, the reduction was 8% in UW and 7% in NW subjects. Furthermore,
      UW subjects showed a tendency to resist a decrease in body weight (mean loss 180
      g), unlike NW subjects (mean loss 730 g). With overfeeding, the mean increase in
      BMR for UW was higher (7.4%) than for NW (5.3%) subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421780
TI  - Dietary fat level as determinant of protein-sparing actions of structured
      triglycerides.
AB  - This study assessed the effects of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) containing
      long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), an equimolar physical mixture of LCT and medium
      chain triglycerides (MCTs), and a structured triglyceride synthesized from
      equimolar amounts of MCT and LCT on energy and protein metabolism after thermal
      injury (25% body surface area full-thickness scald burn). Male Sprague-Dawley
      rats (245-271 g) received isovolemic diets intravenously that supplied 250
      kcal.kg-1.day-1, 2 g amino acid nitrogen.kg-1.day-1, and 50% of nonprotein
      calories as lipid and 50% as dextrose for 3 days. Whole-body and tissue leucine
      kinetics were estimated by a 4-h continuous infusion of L-[1-14C]leucine on day
      3. Nitrogen balance, plasma albumin, plasma glucose, energy expenditure, and
      whole-body and liver and rectus muscle protein kinetic parameters were
      determined. No significant differences were noted in any of the parameters
      measured. This study suggests that the unique protein-sparing actions usually
      associated with structured triglyceride administration are not seen when they are
      provided as 50% of nonprotein calories. In addition, the ratio of MCT to LCT in
      the starting mixture from which the structured triglycerides are synthesized may
      be an important determinant of the protein-sparing actions attributed to these
      lipids.

PMID- 1421781
TI  - Factorial experiment to determine influence of fish protein and fish oil on serum
      and liver lipids in rabbits.
AB  - Rabbits were fed purified diets consisting of casein (CA), fish protein (FP), and
      soy protein (SP) combined with MaxEpa oil (ME) or corn oil (CN) to determine the
      effects of dietary protein and lipid sources on serum total, lipoprotein, and
      hepatic lipid levels. Dietary proteins and lipids exerted significant (p < 0.05)
      separate effects on serum total cholesterol (TC) (p < 0.005), very-low-density
      lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) (p < 0.001), and high-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol (HDL-C) (p < 0.001), whereas only dietary proteins significantly
      affected low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (p < 0.001) and the LDL
      C/HDL-C ratio (p < 0.05). Hence, FP induced serum TC (233 mg/dl), VLDL-C (22
      mg/dl), and LDL-C (151 mg/dl) intermediary to hypercholesterolemic CA (TC, 319
      mg/dl; VLDL-C, 57 mg/dl; LDL-C, 204 mg/dl) and cholesterol-lowering SP (TC, 129
      mg/dl; VLDL-C 19 mg/dl; LDL-C, 84 mg/dl). The twofold rise in HDL-C on feeding FP
      (35 mg/dl), compared with CA (20 mg/dl) and SP (16 mg/dl), resulted in a drop in
      LDL-C/HDL-C to a level similar to that of SP groups. The cholesterol-lowering
      action of ME (188 mg/dl), in contrast to CN (266 mg/dl), was reflected mainly in
      VLDL (ME, 15 mg/dl; CN, 50 mg/dl) but also in HDL (ME, 16 mg/dl; CN, 31 mg/dl)
      fractions. Compared with CN, the significant (p < 0.05) ME-induced rise in serum
      and VLDL triglycerides was accompanied by a significant (p < 0.001) drop in
      lipoprotein lipase activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421783
TI  - New horizons in nutritional biochemistry and metabolism.

PMID- 1421782
TI  - Total parenteral nutrition: iatrogenic immunosuppression.
AB  - It may be necessary for future formulations of TPN to encompass functions other
      than mere provisions of nutrients. Although current solutions of TPN are well
      tolerated in most patients for short periods and remain an important adjunct to
      modern surgical therapy, these solutions have significant room for improvement.
      Designing the ideal artificial gut for the highly stressed patient may include
      reproduction of the neurological, endocrine, and immune responses that occur
      after the oral presentation of foodstuffs.

PMID- 1421784
TI  - Energy expenditure in cancer patients.

PMID- 1421786
TI  - The evolving story of lipids as a calorie source.

PMID- 1421785
TI  - Nutritional and developmental variations of intestinal glycosylation.

PMID- 1421787
TI  - L-arginine, nitric oxide and collagen vascular diseases: a potential
      relationship?

PMID- 1421788
TI  - The therapeutic use of L-arginine to increase nitric oxide production.

PMID- 1421789
TI  - The histogram and boxplot: a picture is worth a thousand words.

PMID- 1421790
TI  - On the cause and prevention of Kak'ke. 1885.

PMID- 1421792
TI  - The growing problem of osteoporosis.

PMID- 1421791
TI  - John M. Kinney Award. Reflections on a long term interest in energy metabolism
      and injury.

PMID- 1421793
TI  - Differences in fracture pattern between an urban and a rural population: a
      comparative population-based study in southern Sweden.
AB  - Differences in the incidence of hip fractures have been reported between urban
      and rural areas. In this population-based study the characteristics of fracture
      patterns between the city of Malmo and the nearby rural district of Sjobo were
      compared. A total of 782 individuals in Malmo and 486 in Sjobo were invited to
      participate. Fracture history for all invited was registered. The odds ratio for
      fracture was higher in Malmo, particularly for women over 70. More than half of
      the urban women aged 70 had a history of a fracture. A fourfold increase in
      fracture prevalence between the ages of 60 and 70 was observed in women in Malmo,
      whereas the prevalence doubled in Sjobo. The differences in fracture patterns
      between these two urban and rural communities may be explained by different
      lifestyles.

PMID- 1421794
TI  - Comparison and investigation of bone mineral density in opposing femora by dual
      energy X-ray absorptiometry.
AB  - A dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) machine was used to measure the bone
      mineral density (BMD) of both femora in 760 female volunteers. Each volunteer
      completed a questionnaire and exclusion criteria were applied such that only 480
      of these were considered normal subjects. The remaining 280 women failed to
      comply with the criteria and were considered 'abnormal'; their BMD results were
      analysed separately. Two abnormal subgroups, one with previous long bone
      fractures and one with radiologically diagnosed osteopenia, were studied. BMD
      values for femoral neck, Ward's triangle and trochanter were compared between the
      two femora in all the above groups. No dominance relationship was found when
      comparing left to right femur, averaged over any population studied, but large
      differences were found between the femora in individual volunteers. There was a
      high correlation between BMD in opposing femora of 0.91, 0.91 and 0.84 for the
      femoral neck, Ward's triangle and trochanter respectively. However, in normal
      subjects the percentage variation in these regions ranged up to 34%, 64% and 80%
      respectively at the different femoral sites. In addition, the normal population
      was divided into two subgroups, one in which the density difference between the
      femora was large, and the other in which the difference was statistically
      insignificant. The analytical and anatomical variations between these two groups
      were investigated. Only part of the difference appeared to be due to analytical
      problems and it seems that there is a genuine difference in femoral density. Poor
      correlation for femoral neck percentage density difference was found with average
      BMD, age, height and weight in the normal population.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1421795
TI  - Epidemiology of hip fractures in The Netherlands: women compared with men.
AB  - In this retrospective study the epidemiology of hip fractures in The Netherlands
      was evaluated. The number of hip fractures over the period 1972-1987 was
      collected from the Dutch Centre for Health Care Information (Stichting
      Informatiecentrum voor de Gezondheidszorg, SIG). The demographic data were
      collected from the Dutch Centre for Statistics (Centraal bureau voor de
      Statistiek, CBS). The age-adjusted incidence of hip fractures for both women and
      men 50 years of age and over, increased linearly over the period 1972-1987. There
      was also a linear rise in the age-adjusted incidence of hip fractures in women
      and men 65 years of age and over, but the rise in incidence was equal in both
      sexes. After the age of 50 years women and men showed an equal proportional
      increase in the age-specific incidence of hip fractures by 5-year age groups.
      This proportional increase was independent of the calendar year studied during
      the period 1972-1987. The increase over time in the age-adjusted incidence of hip
      fractures in inhabitants 50 years of age and over is the result of changes that
      act well before the age of 50 years, because the proportional increase in the age
      specific incidence of these fractures after the age of 50 years did not change
      over the period studied. The cohort analysis showed that the age-specific
      incidence of hip fractures in more recently born birth cohorts is higher than
      that in birth cohorts born long ago. This observation agrees with the other
      observations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421796
TI  - Hip fractures in the elderly: a world-wide projection.
AB  - Hip fractures are recognized to be a major public health problem in many Western
      nations, most notably those in North America, Europe and Oceania. Incidence rates
      for hip fracture in other parts of the world are generally lower than those
      reported for these predominantly Caucasian populations, and this has led to the
      belief that osteoporosis represents less of a problem to the nations of Asia,
      South American and Africa. Demographic changes in the next 60 years, however,
      will lead to huge increases in the elderly populations of those countries. We
      have applied available incidence rates for hip fracture from various parts of the
      world to projected populations in 1990, 2025 and 2050 in order to estimate the
      numbers of hip fractures which might occur in each of the major continental
      regions. The projections indicate that the number of hip fractures occurring in
      the world each year will rise from 1.66 million in 1990 to 6.26 million by 2050.
      While Europe and North America account for about half of all hip fractures among
      elderly people today, this proportion will fall to around one quarter in 2050, by
      which time steep increases will be observed throughout Asia and Latin America.
      The results suggest that osteoporosis will truly become a global problem over the
      next half century, and that preventive strategies will be required in parts of
      the world where they are not currently felt to be necessary.

PMID- 1421797
TI  - Fracture risk as determined by prospective and retrospective study designs.
AB  - Both retrospectively and prospectively designed studies consistently show low
      bone mass and/or bone mineral content (BMC) to be risk factor for low-trauma
      fractures in postmenopausal women. Along with the reports of such studies there
      has been concern expressed that BMC measurements overlap between fracture groups,
      i.e., some women with high BMC develop fractures and some women with low BMC do
      not. In these commonly used epidemiologic study designs, BMC does not
      discriminate between those who have and have not experienced the untoward event
      at some level of the exposure factor. The ability to discriminate is more
      properly determined by the sensitivity and specificity of the measured value. To
      contrast the concepts of risk and sensitivity, a nested case-control study was
      conducted within a 24-year cohort study of women at risk for osteoporosis. We
      found that for each 1.0 decrement of BMC z-scores, the adjusted relative risk for
      the prospective study design was 1.67, while the odds ratio obtained from the
      most recent BMC z-score measurements was 1.87. A receiver operating
      characteristic (ROC) curve, calculated from the nested case-control study data,
      showed that BMC z-scores, measured after low-trauma fracture, have both low
      sensitivity and low specificity to detect existing fracture status.

PMID- 1421798
TI  - The apparent incidence of hip fracture in Europe: a study of national register
      sources.
AB  - The objective of this study was to examine the apparent incidence of hip fracture
      from discharge rates in European countries. A request was sent to the Ministries
      of Health in all European countries, asking for the number of hip fracture
      patients by age and sex, between the years 1983 and 1985. Seventeen countries
      responded. As expected, hip fracture was most frequently found amongst the
      elderly, particularly women. The incidence of hip fracture rose exponentially
      with age in both sexes. It was higher in women than men and there was a three
      fold range between countries in the female to male sex ratio. There was an eleven
      fold range in apparent incidence amongst women and a seven-fold range amongst men
      between the various countries. The highest incidence was found in the northern
      part of Europe and the lowest in the Mediterranean area. There was a significant
      positive correlation between the age-standardized incidence rates reported in men
      from each country and that in women. There was a larger difference in incidence
      between countries than between sexes, which suggests important genetic or
      environmental factors in the causation of hip fracture. The extent to which this
      reflects imperfect capture of data is uncertain but will be important to
      determine in order to identify reasons for differences and to enable confident
      projections of the future magnitude of this disorder.

PMID- 1421799
TI  - Corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis: effects of a treatment with slow-release
      sodium fluoride.

PMID- 1421800
TI  - The myth of coupling reagents.
AB  - Coupling reagents have been proposed for peptide synthesis ever since the
      introduction of the method because of the convenience of the procedure, which
      consists of peptide bond formation by addition of a specific condensing agent to
      the mixture of carboxyl and amine components. However, truly efficient and yet
      innocuous coupling reagents are hard to find. Most coupling reagents give rise to
      unwanted reactions, which can be traced to certain characteristic structural
      features in their molecules. Such features are illustrated with the intermediates
      generated by dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and N-ethyl-5-phenyl-isoxazolium-3'
      sulfonate (Woodward's reagent K). Some side reactions can be avoided if peptide
      bond formation is carried out in two separate steps: activation of the carboxyl
      group of the carboxyl component in the form of an active ester, followed by the
      catalyzed aminolysis of the active ester.

PMID- 1421801
TI  - Synthesis and disulfide structure determination of agelenin: identification of
      the carboxy-terminus as an amide form.
AB  - Agelenin, a blocker of the presynaptic calcium channel, is a 35-amino acid
      peptide having six cysteinyl residues recently isolated from the venom of the
      spider Agelena opulenta. However, it has not been confirmed whether the carboxy
      terminus of this peptide is a free acid or amide. To elucidate this, we
      synthesized both peptides by a solid phase procedure, and compared their elution
      profiles with that of the natural product on RP-HPLC. The retention time on HPLC
      as well as the biological activity of the synthetic peptide-amide was found to be
      identical with those of natural agelenin, confirming that the carboxy-terminus of
      agelenin is amidated. The disulfide structure of agelenin was also determined to
      be linked between 3-19, 10-24 and 18-34, by comparing the tryptic peptide linked
      by two disulfide bonds with those synthesized by the selective formation of
      disulfide bonds.

PMID- 1421802
TI  - Incomplete TFA deprotection of N-terminal trityl-asparagine residue in fmoc solid
      phase peptide chemistry.
AB  - We demonstrate that TFA deprotection of trityl-protected N-terminal asparagine is
      incomplete under normal conditions, resulting in low yields or impure products.
      This phenomenon does not occur if the asparagine is internal, nor for trityl
      protected N-terminal glutamine. Studies on the deprotection of H Asn(Trt)OH show
      that the incomplete deprotection is due to the extremely slow removal of a trityl
      group close to an amino group. The use of the new methyl-trityl protecting group
      overcomes this problem resulting in rapid and complete deprotection.

PMID- 1421803
TI  - Bioactive conformation of Arg-Gly-Asp by x-ray data analyses and molecular
      mechanics.
AB  - Analysis of well resolved x-ray crystal structure data of proteins (Brookhaven
      protein data bank) has been combined with molecular mechanics methods using MM2,
      to determine possible bioactive conformations for the sequence Arg-Gly-Asp, which
      is believed to be involved in interactions of adhesive proteins with the
      glycoprotein complexes on activated platelets. In spite of the very flexible
      nature of this tripeptide fragment, only three general classes of structures were
      obtained. In one of them, the guanidinium and carboxylate moieties are in
      hydrogen-bonding proximity, while in the other they are separated by distances of
      greater than 8 A. Recent literature on the binding affinity of some rigid
      platelet-aggregation inhibitors seems to support the latter class of structures
      to correspond to the bioactive conformation.

PMID- 1421804
TI  - Mercury in a commercial preparation of rat amylin.
AB  - The biological activity of amylin is reported to vary widely depending on the
      source and purity of the material. Three commercial samples of rat amylin were
      compared for structural differences. The samples were nearly identical using most
      of the available analytical measures--amino acid analysis, HPLC retention, even
      Edman sequencing data. When the samples were compared by ion spray ionization
      mass spectrometry, the molecular mass of one sample was 200 daltons higher than
      anticipated. Careful analysis of the sample, including atomic emission
      spectrometry, revealed that a mercury atom was associated with the polypeptide.
      The mercury presumably resulted from a deprotection step in the synthesis,
      involving the removal of an acetamidomethyl group from cysteine.

PMID- 1421805
TI  - Identification of a subunit contact site of the alpha-subunit of follitropin.
AB  - Using synthetic peptides, we previously identified portions of the lutropin alpha
      subunit that are in contact with the beta-subunit. In order to elucidate
      structure/function differences of the glycoprotein hormones, a similar study was
      conducted for follitropin. Peptides corresponding to the follitropin alpha
      subunit were synthesized using standard solid-phase procedures. Purified peptides
      were incubated in the presence of alpha- and beta-subunits of follitropin, and
      subunit recombination was monitored using gel permeation chromatography and
      reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography. Peptide alpha 33-58,
      corresponding to a highly conserved portion of alpha-subunit, completely
      inhibited subunit recombination for 24 h, and allowed only partial (61%-71%)
      recombination after 48 h. Peptide alpha 51-65 or alpha 61-78 inhibited subunit
      recombination partially at 24 h, but almost full (greater than 80%) recombination
      was observed by 48 h. Peptides corresponding to the rest of the alpha-subunit,
      alpha 1-15, alpha 11-27, alpha 22-39, and alpha 73-92, did not inhibit
      recombination of the alpha- and beta-subunits. The data suggest that alpha
      subunits have similar residues in contact with regions of the beta-subunits of
      both lutropin and follitropin, specifically involving residues from continuous
      regions of the alpha-subunit (residues 45-75). The data suggest that this region
      contains multiple sites of contact with the beta-subunit.

PMID- 1421806
TI  - Automated peptide-resin deprotection/cleavage by a robotic workstation.
AB  - A robotic workstation has been constructed that automates the deprotection of
      peptides with trifluoroacetic acid-labile side-chain protecting groups and
      cleavage from acid-labile resins. The workstation was constructed around a Zymark
      robot arm and is integrated with a peptide synthesis workstation. Peptide resin
      samples are deprotected and cleaved with a trifluoroacetic acid/scavenger
      cocktail that accommodates all common protecting groups used with Fmoc chemistry.
      Aqueous-ether continuous extraction is used to remove the scavengers and reaction
      by-products. The apparatus cleaves a 50-500-mg sample of peptide resin every 2
      hours and provides the peptides as an aqueous solution in 10% HOAc. Crude
      peptides obtained with this apparatus are free from residual scavengers and range
      in yield from 50%-80%. This method is applicable to all but the most hydrophobic
      peptides and minimizes human contact with the noxious cleavage reagents.

PMID- 1421807
TI  - Semisynthesis of human growth hormone-releasing factors by alpha-amidating enzyme
      catalyzed oxidation of glycine-extended precursors.
AB  - Recombinant alpha-amidating enzyme was used in the semisynthesis (1-5 mg scale)
      of human growth hormone-releasing factor, GRF(1-44)-NH2, by in vitro enzymatic
      oxidation of the glycine-extended precursor, GRF(1-44)-Gly-OH, prepared by solid
      phase synthesis. The equipotent analog, GRF(1-29)-NH2, and the superactive
      analog, [Ala15]-GRF(1-29)-NH2, were also prepared by this route and were fully
      characterized. Isolated yields of about 75% were obtained, and the products each
      possessed full potency in an in vitro rat pituitary bioassay and full receptor
      binding affinity. Methods to monitor the amidation of polypeptide substrates and
      analyze the final products are described, including the use of capillary zone
      electrophoresis. A transient alpha-hydroxyglycine intermediate, [Ala15]-GRF(1-29)
      Gly(alpha-OH)-OH, was isolated and characterized. Kinetic studies with this
      intermediate demonstrate that the rat alpha-amidating enzyme from recombinant
      mouse C127 cells possesses both the monooxygenase and lyase activities needed to
      catalyze both steps of the amidation process.

PMID- 1421808
TI  - Potent agonists of growth hormone-releasing hormone. II.
AB  - Analogs of the 29-amino acid sequence of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GH-RH)
      with agmatine (Agm) or Lys-NH2 in position 29 have been synthesized by the solid
      phase method, purified, and tested in vitro. Except for one peptide, all analogs
      contained desaminotyrosine (Dat) in position 1. All contained Nle27 in order to
      avoid oxidation of Met27. Some peptides contained one or more additional L- or D
      amino acid substitutions in positions 2, 12, 15, 21, 27 and/or 28. Analogs [Dat1,
      Ala15, Nle27, Asn28]GH-RH(1-28)Agm (II, [Asn28]-Mz-2-51); [Dat1, Ala15, D-Lys21,
      Nle27, Asn28]GH-RH(1-28)Agm (III, MZ-3-125); and [Dat1, D-Asn8, Ala15, D-Lys21,
      Nl27, Asn28]GH-RH(1-28)Agm(IV, MZ-3-129) were 5.7, 2.8, and 3.9 times more potent
      in vitro, respectively, than GH-RH(1-29)NH2. However, if we compare the potencies
      of peptides II and III (analogs of the bovine sequence) with those of the analogs
      of human GH-RH (XII and XIII) [Dat1, Ala15, Nle27]GH-RH(1-28)Agm; [Dat1, Ala15, D
      Lys21, Nle27]GH-RH(1-28)Agm, respectively, the GH-releasing potency was decreased
      by 50% and 33%, respectively, by the incorporation of Asn28. Our studies indicate
      that Lys-NH2 at the C-terminus of GH-RH(1-29) and/or beta-Ala, GABA (gamma
      aminobutyric acid), and Phe in position 15 are disadvantageous, but potent GH-RH
      analogs can result from the combination of agmatine in position 29 with other
      substitutions.

PMID- 1421810
TI  - Alkylation of tryptophan during deprotection of Tmob-protected carboxamide side
      chains.
AB  - Alkylation of tryptophan occurred during the synthesis of a 19-amino acid peptide
      of the following sequence: Tyr Ala Ala Gln Asn Arg Arg Gly Leu Asp Leu Leu Phe
      Trp Glu Gln Gly Gly Leu. Alkylation was found to occur during cleavage of the
      peptide from the solid support under acidic conditions in the presence of Tmob,
      which is used for protecting glutamine and asparagine. Presence of alkylated
      tryptophan was confirmed by mass spectrometry, HPLC and amino acid sequence
      analyses.

PMID- 1421809
TI  - Synthetic vaccines and HIV-1 hypervariability: a "mixotope" approach.
AB  - The hypervariability of the gp120 envelope protein principal neutralizing domain,
      the V3 loop, represents a major problem in the design of vaccines against HIV-1.
      We have designed a mixed V3 loop peptide, termed "mixotope," obtained in a unique
      synthesis, and containing around 7.5 x 10(5) different sequences of 22 to 25
      residues, organized around the conserved GPGR tetrapeptide. Free or coupled to a
      carrier protein, the "mixotope" induced in rabbits broadly specific antibodies,
      which recognized different individual V3 loop sequences, and the native gp120
      protein. The "mixotope" approach may allow researchers to focus vaccine strategy
      against hypervariable functional epitopes of various pathogens.

PMID- 1421812
TI  - Canine ovulation timing.
AB  - The key endocrinologic event in the estrous cycle is the luteinizing hormone (LH)
      peak, which triggers ovulation and thus determines the fertile period. Although
      LH is impractical to measure directly, a coincidental rise in progesterone also
      occurs. The recent advent of in-house canine-specific progesterone assays allows
      accurate identification of the fertile period of the bitch.

PMID- 1421811
TI  - 4-Methyltrityl (Mtt): a new protecting group for the side chain protection of Asn
      and Gln in solid-phase peptide synthesis.
AB  - The trityl group was recently introduced for the protection of the side chain
      carboxamide function of asparagine and glutamine. The 4-methyltrityl (Mtt) group,
      a structural modification of trityl, is presented here and allows more rapid
      cleavage from the protected peptides. Procedures for the introduction of the
      group and comparative cleavage reactions are also presented.

PMID- 1421813
TI  - An update of artificial insemination with fresh, chilled, and frozen semen.
AB  - Two major limitations have been identified in semen extender technology in the
      dog; the longevity of canine sperm cells is greatly decreased by cooling or
      freezing, and the anatomy of the canine cervix acts as a barrier to intrauterine
      deposition of semen via a vaginal insemination. Currently, the ability to predict
      ovulation time indirectly by measuring serum progesterone levels has increased
      the success rate using both chilled and frozen canine semen. The American Kennel
      Club now routinely registers litters produced with both of these methods, and
      will allow foreign semen from recognized kennel clubs to be imported for domestic
      use.

PMID- 1421814
TI  - The use of reproductive hormones in canine reproduction.
AB  - Naturally produced and synthetically prepared reproductive hormones are
      frequently employed as pharmaceuticals in canine reproduction. Specific
      indications for the use of these preparations are few; too often hormonal
      therapies are used incorrectly and at times deleteriously. Appropriate uses of
      reproductive hormones are based on known physiological mechanisms in order to
      improve reproductive efficiency or to treat specific disorders.

PMID- 1421815
TI  - The role of the veterinarian in genetic counseling.
AB  - When the veterinarian encounters a disorder with an unknown etiology, the
      following criteria can identify the potential contribution of the animals genome
      to the problem: 1. The disorder occurs with higher frequency in a group of
      related animals than in the general population. 2. A defect involves the same
      anatomic site in a group of related animals. 3. The disease has a consistent age
      of onset and clinical course. 4. The disease increases in frequency with
      inbreeding. 5. The disorder is consistently associated with a specific
      chromosomal anomaly. 6. The disorder can be traced to an abnormality in a single
      specific protein molecule. Veterinarians must access the information that
      knowledgeable breeders gather and channel that information constructively into
      diagnostic tests, test breedings, and data banks to work toward a common goal-
      discovery of the genetic basis of disease and development of appropriate breeding
      programs to minimize or eliminate debilitating genetic problems in dogs.

PMID- 1421816
TI  - Breeding kennel management.
AB  - Veterinarians and dog breeders should work together to establish protocols for
      health care and breeding management that are based on sound scientific principles
      as well as practical systems. These protocols should involve bitches, stud dogs,
      and puppies. Tantamount importance must be placed on record keeping so that
      problems may be identified and solved before they are irreversible.

PMID- 1421817
TI  - The role of ultrasound in canine reproduction.
AB  - This article describes the role of ultrasound in the diagnosis of canine
      pregnancy. Advantages and disadvantages are discussed, and ultrasound is compared
      with traditional imaging methods.

PMID- 1421818
TI  - Pregnancy diagnosis by biochemical assay.
AB  - If pregnancy diagnosis by biochemical assay is to become practical, new marker
      characterization will be required. Pregnancy marker development is reviewed in
      dogs and other species, as are molecular biology techniques that have the
      potential to reveal previously inaccessible targets in the dog.

PMID- 1421819
TI  - Infertility in the male dog.
AB  - The diagnosis and characterization of infertility in the male dog depends largely
      on the initial history and semen evaluation and on following the course of
      infertility over time. The diagnostic testing described here is helpful for
      guiding therapy, but the prognosis in serious cases of infertility is usually
      poor. Cases of subfertility that are not progressive have a better prognosis with
      optimal breeding management. Finally, the clinician should remember that some
      insults to the testes are reversible with time so it is important not to
      administer therapy that will interfere with the dog's ability to recover. Client
      education is an important part of the management of male dog infertility because
      it is not uncommon for various drugs to be administered by the breeder, or at the
      breeder's request, without a sufficient diagnostic work-up. In addition, errors
      of breeding management may play a role in male dog infertility or limit the
      success of treatment.

PMID- 1421820
TI  - Feeding to optimize canine reproductive efficiency.
AB  - The relationship between nutrition and reproduction is a topic of importance to
      veterinarians and breeders. Nutrient deficiencies, excesses, and imbalances all
      are capable of altering reproductive performance. Healthy adult dogs should be
      fed a diet high in digestibility, low in residue, and high in nutrient
      bioavailability. Rarely is nutritional intervention necessary during the first
      half of gestation. During the last half of gestation, switching to a
      growth/lactation diet and increasing intake by 1.2 to 1.4 x maintenance is
      indicated. Depending on breed and pup numbers, at peak lactation, feed intake may
      need to be increased by 2 to 4 x maintenance. The feeding goals of lactation are
      to minimize loss of bitch body condition score and optimize milk production and
      pup growth. After weaning, the female who is in poor body condition should remain
      on a diet rich in protein, fat, and trace nutrients until she is
      physically/nutritionally repleted.

PMID- 1421821
TI  - International Symposium on Recombinant Factor VIII (rFVIII)

PMID- 1421822
TI  - Expression and structure-function properties of recombinant factor VIII.

PMID- 1421823
TI  - The manufacturing process of recombinant factor VIII, recombinate.
AB  - In summary, this brief report documents the cell culture and rAHF purification
      systems used to produce rFVIII and has focused on the unique characteristics of
      the cell line, the production process, and purification system used. This review
      emphasizes the general philosophy used throughout the research and development of
      this innovative and complex therapeutic agent, in order to provide a safe and
      efficacious rAHF in the management of individuals with hemophilia A. This review
      provides a brief description of the in-process system and controls that have been
      incorporated to meet the high standards and safety objective.

PMID- 1421825
TI  - The manufacturing of the recombinant factor VIII, Kogenate.

PMID- 1421824
TI  - Current status of clinical studies of recombinant factor VIII (recombinate) in
      patients with hemophilia A. Recombinate Study Group.

PMID- 1421826
TI  - Clinical trials of the recombinant factor VIII product, Kogenate.

PMID- 1421827
TI  - Legal implications of the introduction of recombinant factor VIII.

PMID- 1421828
TI  - Primary and secondary ethical issues arising from the introduction of recombinant
      factor VIII: "primum non nocere," but what next?

PMID- 1421829
TI  - Psychosocial issues surrounding the general or restricted use of recombinant
      factor VIII: hemophilia clinic perspective.

PMID- 1421830
TI  - The past and the future: recombinant factor VIII and the consumer.

PMID- 1421831
TI  - The management of hemophilia patients with inhibitors.

PMID- 1421832
TI  - [Options for continued development of medical care].
AB  - The German health care system is currently faced with challenges that stem from
      the changing demographic structure of the population as well as from the
      increasing implementation of costly technological advances in diagnosis and
      treatment in the presence of inadequate preventive and rehabilitative structures.
      Ever-rising expectations and demands on the part of German citizens and the
      increasing number of doctors are threatening to overburden the increasingly
      limited financial resources of the health care system. The pressure for
      allocatory measures has led to intense competition amongst the various
      specialties and sectors of the health care system. In this paper the author
      describes the current developments with regard to the evolution of the health
      care system in the near future. He predicts an increasing demand for long-term
      care facilities especially for the elderly, for more easily accessible
      rehabilitative services as well as a continuing increasing demand for high-tech
      services. The pressure of these qualitative as well as quantitative demands in
      the face of intersectoral competition and limited financial resources will
      necessarily lead to a restructuring of the professional as well as non
      professional system with new forms of organization for in-patient as well as out
      patient services that will address these issues.

PMID- 1421833
TI  - [Health promotion and wellness programs in private corporate organizations.
      Problems of trans-national and trans-cultural transferability].
AB  - Health promotion and wellness programmes in corporate organisations are subjects
      of considerable interest to both the providers (companies) and the consumers
      (employees). Economic considerations constitute a significant factor in
      businesses' interest in adopting health promotion programmes and in the wellness
      communities attempts to sell such programming to business. Substantial elements
      of both the business and wellness communities believe that health promotion
      programmes are financially profitable in addition to, and as a result of,
      improving employee's health. A fact which has not yet attracted significant
      research activities is a comparative analysis of corporate health promotion and
      wellness programmes in different societies with different cultural backgrounds,
      corporate cultures and external environments. Especially the emerging of a "New
      Europe" after the full realisation of the Common Market (EC) after 1992 and the
      tremendous economic possibilities after substantial political changes in the
      political structure of the eastern part of Europe (on its way to capitalism)
      might make it worth to look into corporate wellness programs of European
      organisations and to discuss pros and cons after comparing them with the ones of
      their American counterparts. Most important facts in which US organisations
      differ from most European corporations are not only the internal corporate
      culture but also the external environment, such as direct government
      interventions and political pressure from the consumer interest groups (strong
      unions). In many European countries the government imposes a very tight
      regulatory and legal framework and dictates the way corporate organisations have
      to share the burden of health related costs and have to provide occupational,
      wellness or preventive programmes for their employees.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1421834
TI  - [The tracer concept of quality assurance in the hospital--a critical evaluation].
AB  - The "tracer concept", on which the introduction of quality assurance measures in
      Germany according to section 137 GRG is based, are critically confronted with the
      general test philosophy. It is shown that this tracer methodology does not come
      up to expectations and should be abandoned. Development and introduction of
      indicators are recommended that would be more appropriate to attain the target of
      quality assurance: quality improvement.

PMID- 1421835
TI  - [Organization of social medicine counseling according to section 275 Abs. 4 SGB V
      exemplified by the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern medical service].
AB  - In accordance with social legislation (statute-book of social law, SGB V, section
      275, 4) compulsory sickness insurance is obliged to consult the Medical Advisory
      Service especially in case of general problems of medical supply and advice for
      patients, quality monitoring, negotiation strategies with all partners of the
      medical supply system, and for creating joint panels of physicians and sick
      insurance bodies, particularly examination committees. Exemplarily possibilities
      of management of these problems are described for the Medical Advisory Service of
      Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. This example may demonstrate in what way the Medical
      Advisory Service can bring its own sociomedical competence into play appropriate
      to regional needs as a service enterprise of the compulsory sickness insurance.

PMID- 1421836
TI  - [Regional survey of the vaccination rate of 5th grade students exemplified by a
      rural district in Bavaria].
AB  - It was the purpose of this investigation to get a survey of the vaccination rate
      of eleven-to-twelve-year old pupils in a rural district of Bavaria. We could get
      the facts by checking the international certificates of vaccination during the
      medical examination of children in the fifth class of primary schools. The
      results show that the vaccination rate against polio and tetanus was sufficient,
      incomplete against diphtheria and insufficient against German measles, mumps and
      measles. Due to the good cooperation with the primary schools we could get the
      facts by studying thoroughly 75% of the pupil's certificates of vaccination. A
      regional survey is a good and inexpensive way of obtaining information on the
      vaccination rate and it is the last opportunity to achieve a systematic survey of
      the vaccination rate of children of a certain age. The sero-conversion rate
      cannot be judged by such a regional survey of the vaccination rate.

PMID- 1421837
TI  - [The physician's role in relation to the guardianship law].
AB  - Legislation concerning guardianship and tutelage of the mentally and/or
      physically handicapped had so far been governed by the antiquated concept of
      mental diseases. The revised law (literally: "Care" law) took shape mainly on the
      lines of the development that followed the great "Psychiatry Inquiry Project"
      conducted in Germany a few years back. All decisions to be made on the grounds of
      the new law should always place the well-being of the mentally diseased and
      handicapped patients first. In this connection medical expertise is one of the
      most important decision aids for the judge who is called upon to decide on
      tutelage and guardianship. Hence, demands to be made on the quality of expertises
      are correspondingly high.

PMID- 1421838
TI  - Evaluation of solid sorbents for the recovery of polyether toxins (brevetoxins)
      in seawater.

PMID- 1421839
TI  - Modification of the method 1 AOAC (CB-method) for the detection of aflatoxins.

PMID- 1421840
TI  - Modified continuous flow respirometer to measure the effect of tannery effluents
      on the respiration of earthworms.

PMID- 1421841
TI  - Monitoring of mutagens in river and marine sediments by Salmonella/microsome
      assay combined with blue cotton method.

PMID- 1421842
TI  - Stable blood cell counts after one-week storage at room temperature.

PMID- 1421843
TI  - Daily intake of metals by females in Osaka, Japan.

PMID- 1421844
TI  - Formation of cyclohexyl-PCBs upon UV irradiation of PCBs in cyclohexane.

PMID- 1421845
TI  - Esterase activities during chick embryonic development and its relationship with
      the metabolism of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid butyl ester.

PMID- 1421846
TI  - Delta-ALAD activity variations in red blood cells in response to lead
      accumulation in rock doves (Columba livia).

PMID- 1421847
TI  - Enhanced production of micronuclei by hexavalent chromium in cultured CHO cells.

PMID- 1421849
TI  - Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface waters of Alessandria District, south
      eastern Piedmont (Italy).

PMID- 1421848
TI  - Inhibition of implantation caused by methylmercury and mercuric chloride in mouse
      embryos in vivo.

PMID- 1421850
TI  - Malathion induced changes in the optomotor behavior of an Indian carp, Labeo
      rohita.

PMID- 1421851
TI  - Biotransformation of the flame retardant MC-984 by goldfish, Carassius auratus.

PMID- 1421852
TI  - Growth pattern changes of Chlorella vulgaris and Anabaena doliolum due to
      toxicity of dimethoate and endosulfan.

PMID- 1421853
TI  - Toxicity of kelthane to eyestalk ablated and eyestalk extract injected penaeid
      prawn, Metapenaeus monoceros (Fabricius).

PMID- 1421854
TI  - Effects of chromium, copper, nickel, and zinc on survival and feeding of the
      cladoceran Moina macrocopa.

PMID- 1421855
TI  - Cadmium induced potassium efflux from Scenedesmus quadricauda.

PMID- 1421856
TI  - Toxicity of methylmercury to Daphnia pulex.

PMID- 1421857
TI  - Effect of manganese and iron at a neutral and acidic pH on the hematology of the
      banded tilapia (Tilapia sparrmanii).

PMID- 1421858
TI  - Bioaccumulation of yttrium in Pseudomonas fluorescens.

PMID- 1421859
TI  - Concentrations of aluminum in gut tissue of crayfish (Procambarus clarkii),
      purged in sodium chloride.

PMID- 1421861
TI  - Usefulness of preoperative low dose cisplatin treatment for advanced esophageal
      cancer.
AB  - In order to decrease the perioperative complications by preoperative cisplatin
      chemotherapy, the preoperative single administration of cisplatin (30 mg/m2) was
      performed weekly from one to six times in 36 consecutive patients with esophageal
      cancer classified as higher than Stage II. The survival curve of 17 patients in
      Stage III was significantly better (P < 0.05) than that of patients who had been
      treated without preoperative cisplatin treatment. In 3 of the 12 patients who had
      locally invasive cancer, either the main tumors or the metastatic lymph nodes,
      which had invaded the trachea or the left main bronchus, sufficiently receded, so
      that a curative esophagectomy became possible; 2 of them have survived over 33
      months while 1 died of pneumonia 33 months after surgery. The number of
      perioperative complications was minimal, and thus, we consider that the
      postoperative use of cisplatin and fluorouracil is indicated in patients in whom
      a histological response is noted in the resected specimens.

PMID- 1421860
TI  - Metastatic mode and DNA ploidy in gastric carcinoma.
AB  - We studied the amounts of nuclear DNA in gastric cancer metastases histologically
      and cytochemically by flow cytometry, which was performed retrospectively on
      paraffin-embedded specimens from 95 patients. At surgery, all cases of aneuploid
      cancer were positive for lymph node metastases. Liver metastases were frequently
      seen in aneuploid cancer (63%, P < 0.01), while lung metastases were the most
      common in diploid cancer (50%, P < 0.05). The incidence of peritoneal metastasis
      was high in undifferentiated diploid cancer (72%, P < 0.01). Local lymph node
      recurrence after surgery was more common in aneuploid than in diploid cancer (P <
      0.01). The incidence of bone and distant lymph node metastasis was found to be
      strongly dependent on tissue differentiation. The DNA ploidy pattern is thus
      considered to be closely linked to lymph node, liver, and lung metastases in
      gastric cancer.

PMID- 1421862
TI  - Independent clinical and flow cytometric prognostic factors for the survival of
      patients with stage I gastric cancer.
AB  - Paraffin-embedded tumor samples from 151 patients with stage I gastric cancer
      were analyzed by DNA flow cytometry, and 80 patients received an infusion of
      bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) to determine S-phase fraction. S-phase fractions of
      tumors were measured by the immunohistochemical method using anti-BrdU monoclonal
      antibody. Of the 151 patients, 81 (54%), and 70 (46%) showed diploid and
      aneuploid patterns. There was no significant association between DNA ploidy and
      wall invasion, histologic type, or lymphatic invasion. Aneuploid tumors were
      associated with positive-vessel invasion. When the DNA ploidy and
      clinicopathological parameters were simultaneously entered into the Cox
      regression model, DNA ploidy and wall invasion emerged as independent prognostic
      parameters. Aneuploid tumors had significantly higher values of BrdU labeling
      indices than diploid ones. These results indicate that the determination of DNA
      ploidy patterns may be an important prognostic factor in patients with stage I
      gastric cancer, and may be useful in deciding the therapeutic schedule of
      patients with gastric cancer.

PMID- 1421863
TI  - The prognosis of patients with gastric cancer possessing sex hormone receptors.
AB  - Estrogen receptors (ER) and progesterone receptors (PgR) were
      immunohistologically investigated in 107 patients with gastric cancer who
      underwent curative resection. Both ER and PgR were detected only in the cancer
      cell nucleus. The ER positive rate was 27.7% for males and 31.0% for females,
      while the PgR positive rate was 9.2% for males and 11.9% for females.
      Clinicopathologically, the ER positive rate was slightly higher in young females
      and in cases of poorly differentiated gastric cancer. When cumulative survival
      rates were analyzed in relation to the presence or absence of receptors, the 10
      year cumulative survival rate after surgery was significantly lower in the ER
      positive cases, being 15.7% cent, than in the ER negative cases, being 62.7%, and
      also significantly lower in the PgR positive cases, being 18.2%, than in the PgR
      negative cases, being 48.3%. The coexistence of ER and PgR in gastric cancer
      tissues suggests that the ER is physiologically active, or that ER positive
      gastric cancer is hormone-dependent. The poor prognosis of patients with receptor
      positive gastric cancer suggests that gastric cancer with these receptors is
      highly malignant.

PMID- 1421864
TI  - Complete correction of the tetralogy of Fallot in adults using separated
      extracorporeal circulation to block intrathoracic collateral circulation and
      improve perfusion of the renal vasculature.
AB  - During the last 10 years, complete correction of the tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)
      has been performed on 28 adult patients using the "separated extracorporeal
      circulation" (separated ECC) technique developed by us. In addition to the usual
      ascending aortic and dual right arterial cannulations for ECC, the separated ECC
      also involved femoral arterial cannulation and the insertion of a catheter with
      two balloons via the other femoral artery. Flow via the ascending aorta and
      femoral artery were maintained separately during ECC. The urine output during
      separated ECC was significantly better than that during ordinary ECC (P < 0.01)
      and the operative field for intracardiac correction was clearer as a result of
      blocking the collateral circulation. Thus we believe separated ECC to be a
      superior method for total correction of TOF in adults, which may enhance the
      operative outcome.

PMID- 1421865
TI  - An experience of cell sorting using samples isolated from paraffin-embedded
      tissue of neuroblastoma.
AB  - Flow cytometric DNA content analyses were performed on samples from 72 patients
      with neuroblastoma. Nuclear suspensions obtained from paraffin-embedded samples
      were prepared using the method described by Schutte et al. Determination of DNA
      ploidy was possible in 62 out of 72 patients. DNA diploidy was detected in 23
      (37.1%) and DNA aneuploidy was found in 39 (62.9%) of these 62 patients. Cell
      sorting was performed on two peak areas of the DNA histogram of samples with
      aneuploidy. The sorted cells of the first peak area were composed of small round
      cells and were considered to be normal lymphocytes. The sorted cells of the
      second peak area were composed of relatively large cells with obvious nucleoli
      and were considered to be neuroblastoma cells. Thus, two cell components could be
      distinguished by cell sorting. It is concluded that cell sorting may be of
      benefit in giving detailed information about DNA histograms, even in samples
      obtained from paraffin-embedded tissue.

PMID- 1421866
TI  - Microscopic and immunohistological studies on intimal hyperplasia of the
      arterially implanted autovein graft and its anastomosis in dogs.
AB  - The fate of intimal hyperplasia of arterially implanted autovein bypass grafts
      and their distal end-to-side anastomoses in dogs was studied microscopically and
      immunohistologically. The bypass grafting was done under conditions of abnormal
      blood flow and high peripheral resistance. Intimal hyperplasia of the graft first
      became evident 7 days after implantation and the thickness increased to about 500
      microns 3 months or more after the implantation. The intimal hyperplasia was
      related to an active proliferation of smooth muscle cells which proved positive
      for alpha-smooth muscle actin staining. Moreover, it was more dominant at the toe
      and heel of the anastomosis and moderately apparent on the floor of the host
      artery. The constituent elements of the hyperplastic intima at the anastomosis
      were fibroblast-like cells and extracellular collagen fibers which were negative
      for alpha smooth muscle actin staining. This study revealed that the features of
      intimal hyperplasia at the distal anastomosis in autovein bypass grafting
      differed from those of the implanted autovein graft itself; the former being
      related to excessive proliferation of fibroblasts and collagen fibers while the
      latter displayed an active proliferation of smooth muscle cells.

PMID- 1421867
TI  - Undifferentiated (embryonal) sarcoma of the liver: report of three cases.
AB  - Undifferentiated (embryonal) sarcoma is a rare malignant tumor of the liver. It
      typically presents in late childhood and its prognosis is poor. We experienced
      three cases of such a tumor during the period of 1976-1989; two of these patients
      are still alive without disease. Each case was independently treated with a
      combination of surgery and pre- and/or postoperative chemotherapy, which was
      found to be effective. In one surviving patient, cyclophosphamide and vincristine
      were found to be effective, while in the other a combination of cisplatin,
      Adriamycin (ADM), vincristine and cyclophosphamide was observed to induce a rapid
      reduction in the size of the recurrent tumor. Thus, an adequate combination of
      surgery and chemotherapy may improve the prognosis of this tumor.

PMID- 1421868
TI  - Macronodular adrenal hyperplasia causing Cushing's syndrome: report of two cases
      and an overview.
AB  - Of the various entities producing adrenal hyperfunction, nodular adrenal
      hyperplasia is rarely described, however, recent reports have established it as a
      distinct cause of Cushing's syndrome. Although the etiology of this disease
      remains uncertain, two distinct forms are recognised, namely: macronodular
      hyperplasia and micronodular dysplasia. Establishing the diagnosis preoperatively
      is difficult but essential to ensure the correct treatment is performed. Two
      cases of macronodular hyperplasia are reported herein followed by a review of the
      available literature on this subject.

PMID- 1421869
TI  - Stercoraceous perforation of the sigmoid colon: report of two cases.
AB  - Stercoraceous perforation of the sigmoid colon has rarely been reported in the
      literature. This lesion is assumed to be produced by the pressure from a hard
      scybalum resulting in a perforated ulcer with necrotic edges. Two cases of
      stercoraceous perforation of the sigmoid colon are presented in this paper. It is
      difficult to diagnose this lesion preoperatively, although ultrasonograms proved
      useful in showing the colon perforation. This lesion should always be suspected
      when a patient who has had chronic constipation presents with sudden severe
      abdominal pain. It is possible that this lesion is becoming more common as the
      mean age of the population increases and we stress the importance of immediate
      surgery and intensive care for improving the prognosis.

PMID- 1421870
TI  - Portal vein thrombosis after splenectomy successfully treated by an enormous
      dosage of fibrinolytic agent in a short period: report of two cases.
AB  - Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) after splenectomy in a patient with portal
      hypertension occurs with unusually high frequency. Recently, two patients with
      PVT following splenectomy were treated by fibrinolytic therapy with an enormous
      dosage of urokinase (UK) in a short period. PVT was quickly dissolved without
      side effects and the patients are now doing well without any recurrence of PVT.
      Therefore, when there is no evidence of bowel infarction, fibrinolytic therapy
      with an enormous dosage of UK over a short period is deemed to be both effective
      and essential as a conservative therapy for PVT.

PMID- 1421873
TI  - Holiday mindfulness.

PMID- 1421871
TI  - Intussusception of an appendiceal mucocele: report of a case.
AB  - A 66 year old Japanese female was admitted to our department for the examination
      and treatment of a mass in the cecum. She had experienced no symptoms or signs
      other than a positive test result for fecal occult blood. The mass in the cecum
      was confirmed by barium enema, colonofiberscopy and CT scanning. The presumptive
      diagnosis was a submucosal tumor of the cecum, however, a laparotomy subsequently
      revealed intussusception of an appendiceal mass. An ileocaecal resection with an
      ileocolic anastomosis was therefore performed and the mass was histologically
      diagnosed as a mucocele of the appendix. This patient is only the 24th case of
      intussusception of a mucocele of the appendix to be reported in Japan. A review
      of the available literature on this condition follows the case report.

PMID- 1421872
TI  - Interferon alpha-2a shows antitumor activity in combination with 5-fluorouracil
      against human colon carcinoma xenografts: a study in reference to thymidylate
      synthetase activity inhibition.
AB  - To clarify the mode of antitumor activity shown by a combination of recombinant
      human interferon alpha-2a (IFN) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), experimental therapy
      was performed on human colon carcinoma (Co-4) xenografts serially transplanted
      into nude mice, using IFN and 5-FU, either alone or in combination. IFN alone
      showed dose-dependent antitumor activity and 5-FU also revealed a moderate
      antitumor effect. Although IFN, given as 600,000 units/mouse daily sc x 14, and 5
      FU, given as 60 mg/kg q4d x 3 ip, showed additive antitumor activity against Co
      4, the thymidylate synthetase (TS) inhibition rate was unchanged in the tumors
      treated with the IFN/5-FU combination in comparison with those treated with 5-FU
      alone. This suggests that the antitumor activity of IFN and 5-FU in combination
      does not involve augmentation of the TS inhibition by 5-FU.

PMID- 1421874
TI  - Role of pulmonary vascular pressure in the first breath: engineering reassessment
      of Jaykka's experimental findings.

PMID- 1421875
TI  - Methods of resuscitation in low-Apgar-score newborn infants--a national survey.
AB  - The incidence, treatment and immediate course in infants with postnatal apnoea
      were studied. Information on all infants born in Sweden in 1985 with a low Apgar
      score (3 or less at 1 min or 6 or less at 5 min) was collected from the midwife
      and from the baby's chart. Of the 97,648 live births, 1633 (1.7%) had a low Apgar
      score. The risk increased with decreasing birthweight and with severe
      malformations. Before delivery, 19% of the low-Apgar-score infants were not
      expected to require resuscitation. Eighty percent of the ventilated infants were
      satisfactorily ventilated by bag and mask; the remainder were intubated. Of the
      ventilated infants, 78% developed spontaneous breathing within 10 min after birth
      and 89% within 20 min. Routine intubation or administration of buffer in cases of
      postnatal asphyxia had no influence on the time to onset of regular spontaneous
      breathing.

PMID- 1421876
TI  - The effect of early and late cord-clamping on blood viscosity and other
      hemorheological parameters in full-term neonates.
AB  - This study was done to compare postnatal alterations in blood viscosity
      (capillary viscometer) and its determinants: hematocrit, plasma viscosity
      (capillary viscometer), red cell aggregation (Myrenne aggregometer) and red cell
      deformability (rheoscope) in the first five days of postnatal life in full-term
      neonates with early (< 10 s) and late (3 min) cord-clamping. The fetal blood
      volume of the placenta ("residual placental blood volume") decreased from 52 +/-
      8 ml/kg of neonatal body weight after early cord-clamping to 15 +/- 4 ml/kg after
      later cord-clamping. Neonatal blood volume, calculated as the difference between
      an assumed total feto-placental blood volume of 115 ml/kg and the measured fetal
      blood volume of the placenta, was 50% higher in the late cord-clamped infants
      than in the early cord-clamped infants. Both groups showed similar viscosity,
      hematocrit and other rheological parameters in cord blood. In the infants with
      early cord-clamping, the hematocrit decreased from 0.48 +/- 0.04 l/l at birth to
      0.43 +/- 0.6 l/l after 24 h (p < 0.05). Whole blood viscosity did not change
      significantly with age. After late cord-clamping, the hematocrit rose from 0.50
      +/- 0.04% at birth to 0.63 +/- 0.05 l/l at 2 h of age (p < 0.005) and dropped to
      0.59 +/- 0.5 l/l (p < 0.05) at 24 h. Blood viscosity increased by 40% (p < 0.001)
      within the first 2 h, but did not change significantly during the following five
      days. In both groups, plasma viscosity and red cell aggregation increased
      significantly (p < 0.05) on day 5 due to significant increases in total plasma
      protein and fibrinogen concentrations (p < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1421877
TI  - Randomized controlled trial of dexamethasone treatment in very-low-birth-weight
      infants with ventilator-dependent chronic lung disease.
AB  - This randomized controlled trial was designed to answer the question: does
      administration of dexamethasone to neonates with bronchopulmonary dysplasia
      decrease the need for assisted ventilation? Twenty-five infants with a birth
      weight < 1501 g, requiring mechanical ventilation and FiO2 of > or = 0.30 at 21
      35 days of age, were randomized to treatment with iv dexamethasone or to sham
      injections for 12 days. The primary outcome criterion was extubation within seven
      days after study entry. Treatment (n = 12) and control (n = 13) groups were well
      matched at entry. Dexamethasone facilitated weaning from assisted ventilation (p
      = 0.0154). There was no increased incidence of infection. Dexamethasone treatment
      resulted in a significant increase in glucosuria (p = 0.0002) and in systolic
      blood pressure (p = 0.0034). There was a significant decrease in heart rate (p =
      0.0001) and a significant weight loss (p = 0.0002) following dexamethasone
      treatment. Dexamethasone treatment facilitated weaning from assisted ventilation
      but several systemic effects were noted that deserve further evaluation before
      dexamethasone becomes routine treatment.

PMID- 1421878
TI  - Total leukocyte and neutrophil count changes associated with antenatal
      betamethasone administration in premature infants.
AB  - The white blood cell counts of 84 premature infants were included in a
      retrospective study of 45 infants treated antenatally with betamethasone and 39
      non-treated infants. A significant increase in neutrophil and immature neutrophil
      forms was found in the treated group when the drug was administered to the mother
      close to delivery. This effect lasted for three days. Afterwards, although the
      counts were not significantly high compared to the control group, their
      physiological decrease was delayed. This study indicates that the known
      stimulating effect of steroids on total leukocyte and neutrophil counts in adult
      humans and fetal lambs, also occurs in premature infants. This fact supports
      recent reports which propose the antenatal maternal administration of
      betamethasone as a cause of leukemoid reaction or leukocytosis after birth.

PMID- 1421879
TI  - Insensible water loss from the skin during phototherapy in term and preterm
      infants.
AB  - The rate of evaporation from the skin was measured before and during phototherapy
      in 10 full-term and seven preterm infants (gestational age 29-33 weeks). The
      method for measurement of rate of evaporation was non-invasive and was based on
      determination of the water vapour pressure gradient close to the skin surface.
      All infants were studied naked in an incubator with an ambient relative humidity
      of 50% and with a controlled environment with respect to temperature and air
      velocity. In the term infants the mean rate of evaporation, measured from an
      interscapular skin area, was 3.1 g/m2h both before and after 30 min of
      phototherapy. In the preterm infants the corresponding value was 9.8 g/m2h before
      and 9.7 g/m2h after 120 min of phototherapy. Thus, in thermally stable infants,
      non-ionizing radiation from phototherapy equipment does not increase water loss
      from the skin.

PMID- 1421880
TI  - Respiratory water loss and oxygen consumption in newborn infants during
      phototherapy.
AB  - Respiratory water loss was measured together with oxygen consumption (VO2) and
      carbon dioxide production (VCO2) in 11 full-term and eight preterm infants (mean
      gestational age 34 weeks, range 31-36 weeks) before and during 1 h of
      phototherapy. The method for determination of respiratory water loss, VO2 and
      VCO2 was based on an open flow-through system with a mass spectrometer for
      measurement of gas concentrations. All infants were studied naked in an incubator
      with an ambient relative humidity of 50% and with a controlled environment with
      respect to temperature and air velocity. The infants were calm during the
      measurements. Before phototherapy, in term infants respiratory water loss was 4.4
      (SD 0.7) mg/kg min and VO2 5.9 (0.9) ml/kg min and in preterm infants respiratory
      water loss was 4.7 (0.8) mg/kg min and VO2 6.1 (0.8) ml/kg min. No significant
      difference was found between values obtained during or after 1 h of phototherapy
      and those obtained before.

PMID- 1421881
TI  - Lipoproteins in preterm and small-for-gestational-age infants during the first
      week of life.
AB  - Plasma lipoprotein levels and composition have been determined in preterm and
      small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants, and compared to full-term infants,
      during the first week of life. Significantly lower levels of HDL and higher
      levels of VLDL were found in both preterm and SGA infants in comparison to full
      term healthy infants. These results suggest a low capacity to metabolize VLDL.
      Preterm infants showed a behaviour similar to full-term infants with regard to
      the changes in lipoprotein composition. Small-for-gestational-age infants showed
      a higher lipoprotein lipid content than preterm infants. A low ratio of
      cholesteryl ester to free cholesterol (CE/FC) was found in both preterm and SGA
      infants suggesting a reduced lecithin: cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT)
      activity. In preterm infants we observed no changes in the CE/FC ratio during the
      first week of life, whereas in SGA infants this ratio increased after birth.

PMID- 1421882
TI  - Essential fatty acids in human colostrum.
AB  - We analyzed the colostrum of 11 mothers, consuming a normal hospital diet, for
      total fat content and various fatty acids. Three of the mothers had given birth
      four weeks prematurely. Total fat content of the colostrum ranged from 2.16 to
      3.65 g/100 ml. The major fatty acids were palmitic acid (16:0) and oleic acid
      (18:1) (24.3 and 39.7% (w/w), respectively). The dominating polyunsaturated fatty
      acid was linoleic acid (18:2n-6) (11.5% of the total fatty acids). Linolenic acid
      (18:3n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) accounted for 0.7 and 0.6%,
      respectively, of the sum of total fatty acids. The ratio of polyunsaturated to
      saturated fatty acids was 0.42, ranging from 0.28 to 0.5, and the ratio of n-6/n
      3 fatty acids was 6:1. Linoleic acid and linolenic acid were positively
      correlated with each other (p < 0.02), whereas palmitic acid was negatively
      correlated with oleic acid (p < 0.05). We conclude that the average human
      colostrum contains the recommended level and balance of the essential fatty acids
      required by the newborn baby.

PMID- 1421883
TI  - Transient colonization of the gut of newborn infants by orally administered
      bifidobacteria and lactobacilli.
AB  - We investigated if orally administered bifidobacteria and/or lactobacilli could
      be cultured from faeces of infants after antibiotic treatment, when these
      bacterial species are usually absent. Lyophilized Bifidobacterium longum, strain
      BB-536, B. breve, strain BB-576, or Lactobacillus acidophilus, strain LAC-343,
      were used. Doses of 3 x 10(9) cells of one strain, or a mixture of all three
      strains 3 x 10(9) cells each were fed three times daily at mealtimes to 11
      infants aged 0-8 weeks. Treatment was started the first day after antibiotic
      treatment and was continued for 5 days. The bacterial species were isolated in 9
      of 11, 7 of 10 and 2 of 9 specimens obtained on the last day of bifidobacteria or
      lactobacilli administration, 5 and 15 days thereafter, respectively. No side
      effects were noted.

PMID- 1421884
TI  - Chlamydia trachomatis in neonatal respiratory distress of very preterm babies:
      biphasic clinical picture.
AB  - We observed 12 very preterm infants (10 males) with a peculiar respiratory
      syndrome characterized by early onset soon after birth and by a biphasic course.
      The severe first phase was characterized by a clinical pattern mimicking the
      idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome of prematurity. Gradually, respiratory
      symptoms decreased and assisted ventilation with oxygen therapy was reduced. In
      the second phase, a significant worsening of respiratory signs and the appearance
      of apneic spells were observed. Chest X-ray showed hypoexpansion of the lungs and
      the prevalence of a fine reticular pattern. Chlamydia trachomatis was identified
      in this second phase in conjunctival and pharyngeal swabs and/or on tracheal
      aspirates. Our data suggest that in the very preterm infants, chlamydial
      infection shows different clinical and laboratory features if compared with
      Chlamydia trachomatis pneumonia of infants born at term.

PMID- 1421885
TI  - Transfer of specific IgG and IgG subclasses to herpes simplex virus across the
      blood-brain barrier and placenta in preterm and term newborns.
AB  - The kinetics of virus-specific IgG subclasses (IgG 1-4) among newborns and their
      mothers has not yet been determined. In this report, we examined anti-herpes
      simplex virus IgG activities (HSV-IgG) and its subclasses in CSF and serum of
      premature or term newborns without HSV infection and in the serum of their
      mothers using ELISA. We found that CSF/serum ratios of HSV-IgG and IgG subclasses
      (IgG 1-4) in newborns with a gestational age less than 38 weeks were higher than
      those of term newborns. These findings indicate that the blood-brain barrier
      against HSV-IgG and IgG subclasses is insufficient in newborns. Furthermore, we
      found that HSV-IgG subclasses, which were transferred across the placenta and
      later transferred across the blood-brain barrier had a tendency to be
      proportional to each of the maternal HSV-IgG subclasses.

PMID- 1421886
TI  - Neurological adaptation of infants delivered by emergency or elective cesarean
      section.
AB  - The effects of intrapartal asphyxia on neonatal neurological condition have been
      studied in 17 full-term infants delivered by emergency cesarean section and in 30
      full-term infants delivered by elective cesarean section used as controls. A
      neurological examination consisting of 31 items was performed on days 1, 2 and 5
      after birth. A tonus score, an excitability score as well as the number of
      optimal responses were calculated. A follow-up examination was done at six months
      of age with a standardized neurological and developmental examination. The
      results showed that infants born after emergency cesarean section were
      significantly more hypotone the first two days after delivery than the infants in
      the elective cesarean section group. In regard to individual neurological items,
      significant differences were found between the emergency and elective cesarean
      section in reaction to sound, rooting, patellar, Moro and stepping reflexes with
      weaker reactions in the elective cesarean section group. Growth, psychomotor
      development and neurological status at six months did not differ significantly
      between the groups. Our findings indicate that full-term infants born after
      emergency cesarean section due to mild intrapartal asphyxia have a delayed
      neurological adaptation as expressed by poor muscular tonus during their first
      days of life compared with infants born after elective cesarean section.

PMID- 1421887
TI  - Hyperbilirubinemia, hypocarbia and periventricular leukomalacia in preterm
      infants: relationship to cerebral palsy.
AB  - This study comprised 103 preterm infants with a gestational age less than 33
      weeks who were born in Tampere University Hospital and who were followed up to
      two years of age. Sixty-four perinatal variables were compared to ultrasound
      findings in the neonatal period and neurologic handicap at the age of two years.
      Duration of hypocarbia (PCO2 < or = 30 mmHg) during the first 72 h and
      hyperbilirubinemia (the mean level of serum total bilirubin) at three days of age
      were independently and significantly related to periventricular leukomalacia, but
      not directly to cerebral palsy. The only perinatal variables related
      independently and significantly to cerebral palsy at two years of age were
      periventricular leukomalacia and ventriculomegaly. According to these results,
      periventricular leukomalacia was the main predictor of cerebral palsy in preterm
      infants. In addition to hypocarbia, hyperbilirubinemia may also be involved in
      the pathogenesis of extensive (severe cystic) periventricular leukomalacia.

PMID- 1421888
TI  - Comparison between tape-recorded and amplitude-integrated EEG monitoring in sick
      newborn infants.
AB  - In 15 ill newborn infants a comparison between long-term multichannel and single
      channel recordings of simultaneously tape-recorded (Medilog system) and amplitude
      integrated EEG (Cerebral Function Monitor) was made. There was good agreement
      between the main type of background activity diagnosed with the tape-recorded and
      the amplitude-integrated EEG for all recordings. Two infants had repetitive
      subclinical and subtle seizure activity, lasting for several hours, which was
      detected by both techniques. Short, single seizures were diagnosed in the
      recordings of nine infants. When a single electrographic seizure appeared in an
      otherwise stable recording, it was identified by both the tape-recorded and the
      amplitude-integrated EEG. Very short (5-30 s) seizure patterns, which were
      diagnosed with the tape-recorded EEG, were not identified in the cerebral
      function monitor recordings. In the single-channel recordings of both the EEG and
      the cerebral function monitor there were, on some occasions, difficulties in
      distinguishing single seizures from interference due to external artefacts. In
      the multichannel recordings the diagnosis of seizure patterns was facilitated by
      comparison with the other channels. Both the Medilog EEG and the cerebral
      function monitor are feasible techniques for following cerebral electrical
      activity in sick neonates, although neither technique is specifically constructed
      for this purpose. For clinical use in the neonatal intensive care unit the
      advantage with the cerebral function monitor is the immediately available
      recording. The tape-recorded EEG offers possibilities of more channels and a
      higher reliability when diagnosing short subclinical seizures, however, only
      after offline analysis.

PMID- 1421889
TI  - Sister chromatid exchanges in peripheral lymphocytes in newborns treated with
      phototherapy and vitamin E.
AB  - A study was undertaken to determine whether blue fluorescent light might affect
      the sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency of peripheral lymphocytes in
      icteric newborns undergoing continuous phototherapy treatment (72 h). Also, the
      potential preventive effect of vitamin E on SCE frequency was studied in a
      subgroup of 11 preterm and 9 fullterm newborns after daily administration of
      vitamin E (46.44 mumol/kg/d, im). The results revealed that only the preterm
      icteric newborns showed an increase in mean SCE frequency of peripheral
      lymphocytes after phototherapy (9%, p = 0.02), but in no case did the highest
      SCEs/cell ratio exceed the normal values. No correlation was found between the
      average SCE rate and birth weight, gestational age or bilirubin levels. Also, no
      difference in SCEs was observed between newborns treated or untreated with
      vitamin E.

PMID- 1421890
TI  - Iron status in low-birth-weight infants, small and appropriate for gestational
      age. A follow-up study.
AB  - Iron nutrition was measured in 84 low-birth-weight infants. At birth, they were
      assigned to three groups: preterm infants appropriate for gestational age (n =
      29); preterm infants small for gestational age (n = 17); and full-term infants
      small for gestational age (n = 38). A sub-sample of infants was supplemented with
      iron 3 mg/kg from two to four months of age. At birth, preterm appropriate-for
      gestational-age infants had a lower hemoglobin concentration than full-term small
      for-gestational-age infants (p < 0.01) and a higher serum ferritin than preterm
      small-for-gestational-age infants (p < 0.05). In the non-supplemented group, full
      term small-for-gestational-age infants had significantly higher hemoglobin
      concentrations at four months of age. At this age, iron-supplemented preterm
      infants appropriate or small for gestational age had significantly higher
      hemoglobin levels than non-supplemented subjects, while iron supplementation did
      not have an effect on final hemoglobin concentration in full-term small-for
      gestational-age infants. We conclude that preterm infants, irrespective of their
      adequacy for gestational age, show evidence of iron deficiency before four months
      of age. Full-term infants do not develop iron deficiency up to this age.

PMID- 1421891
TI  - Relationship between neonatal behavior and subsequent temperament.
AB  - The validity of the neonatal behavioral assessment scale in predicting later
      infant temperament is of theoretical and clinical importance. The scale was
      administered to 47 full-term healthy neonates. Of these, 40 were followed and the
      infant characteristics questionnaire was given at four months of age. Significant
      correlations were revealed between the neonatal assessment items from the
      clusters of orientation and motor maturity and the temperament factors "fussy
      difficult" and "unpredictable". Items from the cluster of autonomic stability
      correlated with the temperament factor "unadaptable." These correlations possibly
      indicate that perceived temperament does reflect intrinsic infant qualities.

PMID- 1421892
TI  - Persistence of respiratory symptoms into the second year of life: predictive
      factors in infants born preterm.
AB  - Preterm infants frequently suffer from recurrent respiratory symptoms in the
      first year of life. Our aims were to assess if such respiratory morbidity
      persisted beyond the first year and to define the predictive factors. One hundred
      and seventeen infants (median gestational age 29 weeks) were followed
      prospectively for two years. Thirty-eight infants had symptoms only in the first
      year (group A) and in a further 20 infants, symptoms were present in both years
      (group B). Comparison of these two groups revealed no significant difference in
      birth weight or gestational age, but the duration of ventilation and increased
      inspired oxygen concentration were significantly longer in group B. Significantly
      more infants in group B had had an air leak in the neonatal period, and airways
      resistance at six months of age was also significantly higher in group B. We
      conclude that infants with severe neonatal respiratory distress are likely to
      have persisting respiratory morbidity and that respiratory function measurements
      at six months of age provide the most accurate predictor of chronic respiratory
      symptoms.

PMID- 1421893
TI  - Gestational age correction for height in preterm children to seven years of age.
AB  - Correction for gestational age continues to make a difference to the height SD
      score (SDS) to the age of seven years in very preterm babies. The height SDS for
      children born at 28 weeks' gestation increased by 0.25 SDS when postconceptual
      age was used instead of real age. Extrapolating from these results, the effect of
      correction would be an increase of approximately 0.32 SDS for a seven-year-old of
      24 weeks' gestation. Unsatisfactory growth may be masked by a steady or
      increasing real age SDS in a few children. The risks of stopping using
      postconceptual age at two or three years include both false confidence in genuine
      cases of growth retardation and misinterpretation of a decrease in height SDS as
      evidence of growth retardation. As the number of very preterm babies who survive
      increases so does the importance of these observations.

PMID- 1421894
TI  - High noise levels in infant incubators can be reduced.

PMID- 1421895
TI  - CSF ascorbic acid and lactate levels after neonatal asphyxia: preliminary
      results.

PMID- 1421896
TI  - Early hyponatraemia and neonatal drug withdrawal.

PMID- 1421897
TI  - Neonatal pericarditis as a presenting manifestation of chronic granulomatous
      disease.

PMID- 1421898
TI  - Hydrops fetalis associated with Ureaplasma urealyticum.
AB  - A hydroptic newborn was born at 32 weeks' gestation and at the age of 14 h died
      of post-asphyxial syndrome. Immunologic causes of hydrops fetalis were excluded,
      as were anomalies and chromosomal aberrations. Ureaplasma urealyticum was
      isolated in bronchial secretions, lung tissue and brain tissue of the newborn.
      Our findings suggest that U. urealyticum infection should be considered in the
      differential diagnosis of hydrops fetalis.

PMID- 1421899
TI  - A case of familial nesidioblastosis: prenatal diagnosis of foetal
      hyperinsulinism.
AB  - Persistent neonatal hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia due to nesidioblastosis is a
      rare condition probably transmitted by an autosomal recessive inheritance.
      Recurrent hypoglycaemic episodes become evident after birth and cause severe
      neurological damage without intensive treatment. The intrauterine detection of
      hypoglycaemia and hyperinsulinism in newborns subsequently diagnosed as affected
      by nesidioblastosis has not yet been reported. We describe a case of familial
      nesidioblastosis in which an intrauterine diagnosis could be suggested by high
      levels of insulin and C-peptide and low values of glucose in the amniotic fluid.

PMID- 1421900
TI  - Neonatal Salmonella panama infection with meningitis.
AB  - Three full-term neonates contracted a hospital infection with Salmonella panama
      derived from the mother of one. Two had bacteraemia and meningitis; one developed
      a brain abscess and the other recurrent meningitis at two months. The third
      neonate had gastroenteritis only. Six months later they had developed normally
      and two were still excreting salmonellae in the stools.

PMID- 1421901
TI  - Vitamin K prophylaxis and vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB) in early infancy.
AB  - The efficacy of vitamin K prophylaxis (1 mg im or sc, or 1-2 mg orally both given
      as a single dose at birth) in the prevention of vitamin K deficiency bleeding in
      early infancy was estimated in Germany during a 15-month period between 1988 and
      1989. Cases were identified by a survey of all paediatric hospitals and
      population denominators by a survey of all obstetric hospitals. Response rates
      were 85% and 68%, respectively. Thirteen cases of vitamin K deficiency bleeding
      in early infancy with confirmed prophylactic states were confirmed, seven of whom
      had intracranial haemorrhage. The estimated efficacy of single parenteral
      administration of vitamin K versus no prophylaxis was 96.7% (95% confidence
      interval: 74-99.6%) and for single oral administration versus no prophylaxis
      80.4% (9.1-95.6%). Single parenteral vitamin K prophylaxis gave substantial
      protection against vitamin K deficiency bleeding in early infancy. Single oral
      prophylaxis appeared to be less effective, although the difference was not
      significant, as indicated by the wide overlap of the respective 95% confidence
      intervals.

PMID- 1421902
TI  - Vitamin K status in cystic fibrosis.
AB  - Appearance of PIVKA-II (protein induced by vitamin K absence-II) in serum is a
      biochemical sign of insufficient vitamin K-dependent carboxylation of
      prothrombin. Plasma concentrations of PIVKA-II and vitamin K1 were determined in
      24 children with cystic fibrosis. Eight were supplemented with vitamin K1. The
      purpose of the study was to determine the occurrence of vitamin K deficiency in
      cystic fibrosis and to evaluate the effect of vitamin K supplementation. PIVKA-II
      was detectable in only one unsupplemented child. In this patient, the
      concentration of vitamin K1 was below the limit of detection of 60 ng/l. Vitamin
      K1 levels in the other unsupplemented children were normal (mean 476 ng/l = 1
      mmol/l). The supplemented patients showed extremely high levels of vitamin K1
      (mean 22445 ng/l = 50 nmol/l). In conclusion, vitamin K deficiency occurs
      infrequently in cystic fibrosis. Checking the coagulation system is advised, but
      routine vitamin K supplementation is not recommended. If additional vitamin K is
      needed, the starting dose should not exceed 1 mg daily.

PMID- 1421903
TI  - Neonatal polycythemia in appropriately grown infants of hypertensive mothers.
AB  - Neonatal polycythemia is a frequent finding after pregnancies complicated by
      diabetes and by maternal hypertension with intrauterine growth retardation
      (IUGR). It is still unclear if the association of polycythemia with hypertension
      is the result of IUGR or of hypertension per se. To establish the incidence of
      neonatal polycythemia in populations at risk, we analyzed the results of
      hematocrit values obtained from 1592 neonates born consecutively at the Hospital
      de Clinicas, Buenos Aires. Capillary hematocrit values were obtained by heel
      stick before 6 h of age. When the values were 65% or greater, new samples were
      obtained from an antecubital vein. The risk of polycythemia in appropriately
      grown infants of hypertensive mothers was 12.6-fold greater than the risk in the
      general population. These data show that maternal hypertension poses a
      significant risk for polycythemia, regardless of fetal growth. We suggest that,
      to prevent possible sequela, hematocrit is measured routinely in all infants of
      hypertensive mothers for prompt diagnosis and treatment.

PMID- 1421905
TI  - Atrial natriuretic peptide in the diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus.
AB  - The aim of this study was to measure plasma atrial natriuretic peptide in preterm
      infants with a patent ductus arteriosus before and after closure with
      indomethacin. Atrial natriuretic peptide was measured in 28 preterm infants with
      clinical and echocardiographic evidence of a patent ductus arteriosus and in
      eight preterm infants who did not develop clinical evidence of a patent ductus
      arteriosus. Plasma concentration of atrial natriuretic peptide was measured by
      radioimmunoassay. In 18 infants the patent ductus arteriosus closed after one
      course of indomethacin; atrial natriuretic peptide levels decreased from median
      1240 pg/ml (range 201-5483 pg/ml) to 266 pg/ml (range 62-1108 pg/ml). In four
      infants the patent ductus arteriosus closed after two courses of indomethacin and
      two infants had surgical ligation after indomethacin treatment failed. The patent
      ductus arteriosus closed spontaneously in four infants (atrial natriuretic
      peptide median level 152 pg/ml, range 61-495 pg/ml). In the eight infants without
      patent ductus arteriosus, atrial natriuretic peptide level was median 224 pg/ml
      (range 38-876 pg/ml). Measurement of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide
      concentration has a role in predicting when indomethacin treatment is indicated.

PMID- 1421904
TI  - Exogenous porcine surfactant (Curosurf) is inactivated by monoclonal antibody to
      the surfactant-associated hydrophobic protein SP-B.
AB  - A monoclonal antibody to the surfactant-associated hydrophobic protein SP-B was
      added at various concentrations to a standard preparation of porcine surfactant
      (Curosurf 10 mg/ml), and surface properties were evaluated with pulsating bubble.
      Retarded adsorption of surfactant was observed at antibody concentrations > or =
      0.5 mg/ml and significantly increased values for minimum surface tension were
      observed at antibody concentrations > or = 1 mg/ml. In vivo effects of the
      antibody were tested in immature newborn rabbits ventilated with a standardized
      sequence of insufflation pressures. Animals receiving 0.1 ml surfactant (80
      mg/ml) mixed with antibody at concentrations > or = 4 mg/ml had low tidal
      volumes, poor lung stability in pressure-volume recordings, poor alveolar
      expansion in histological sections and widespread epithelial necrosis in
      peripheral airways. Admixtures of IgG had no such effects. We conclude that this
      monoclonal antibody inactivates exogenous porcine surfactant, probably by
      preventing fast adsorption of surfactant lipids to the alveolar air-liquid
      interfaces.

PMID- 1421906
TI  - Circulating levels of endothelin and atrial natriuretic factor during postnatal
      life.
AB  - We determined plasma endothelin-1-like immunoreactivity and atrial natriuretic
      factor concentrations in preterm and full-term newborn infants during the first
      month of life. Plasma endothelin-1-like immunoreactivity levels were far greater
      than those of maternal blood in the newborn infants. The highest plasma
      endothelin-1-like immunoreactivity levels were observed on the first day of life
      (8.7 +/- 3.7 pmol/l) and gradually decreased with age. There was no significant
      difference in plasma endothelin-1-like immunoreactivity levels between preterm
      and full-term infants. A good correlation was observed between plasma endothelin
      1-like immunoreactivity levels and atrial natriuretic factor concentrations (p <
      0.01). These results suggest that circulating endothelin may regulate the
      cardiovascular system in the newborn period.

PMID- 1421907
TI  - Rapid decrease in tuberculin skin test reactivity at preschool age after newborn
      vaccination.
AB  - A study of tuberculin sensitivity was performed in 353 children aged 4-6 years,
      all vaccinated at birth with British BCG vaccine. Significant waning of
      tuberculin reactions with increasing age was found (p < 0.05). In the age group <
      4.5 years, the mean tuberculin reaction was 6.6 mm, in the age group 4.5-5.5
      years 5.2 mm and in the age group of > 5.5 years 3.5 mm. The number of children
      with positive reactions (> or = 5 mm) was 165 (40%) and those with strong
      reactions (> or = 10 mm) 49 (14%). None of the latter children had active
      tuberculosis during a follow-up period of 12 months. Eighty-three (24%) of the
      children had no reaction. The children who had been revaccinated with the MPR
      vaccine against measles, rubella and parotitis (n = 31) had significantly larger
      tuberculin reactions than the non-revaccinated children. Atopic dermatitis or
      infections during the preceding six months did not have any significant influence
      on reaction sizes. Our results demonstrate that the variation in size of
      tuberculin reactions after BCG vaccination at birth is large. We conclude that
      tuberculin sensitivity wanes rapidly by the age of 4.0-6.3 years.

PMID- 1421908
TI  - Treatment of hypercholesterolemia in children and adolescents.
AB  - In patients with severe genetic hypercholesterolemia, therapeutic reduction of
      elevated serum total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol should begin in early
      childhood to lower the risks of cardiovascular disease later in life. We
      evaluated the effects of outpatient therapy with diet alone and with combined
      diet and drug therapy in children and adolescents with hypercholesterolemia of
      apparent dominant inheritance. Serum lipid values before and during dietary
      treatment were available in 35 patients (mean age at start of treatment 7.9
      years, range 2.0-17.6 years) followed for an average duration of 17.5 months
      (range 4-70 months). A comparison between untreated state and combined therapy
      with diet and cholestyramine was possible in 14 patients (mean age 8.6 years,
      range 2.4-17.0 years) followed for 27.9 months (range 4-97 months). Dietary
      modification achieved by repeated counseling and training lowered serum total
      cholesterol by mean (+/- SE) 11.7 +/- 1.9% (p < 0.0001) and LDL cholesterol by
      17.3 +/- 3.5% (p < 0.0001). However, five of 35 patients did not show an
      appreciable effect of therapy (cholesterol reduction < 5%), possibly because of
      non-compliance. Diet combined with cholestyramine in an average dose of 0.36 g/kg
      body weight/day reduced total cholesterol by 33.0 +/- 2.4% (p < 0.0001) and LDL
      cholesterol by 37.5 +/- 4.3% (p < 0.0001) and was effective in all patients. Both
      forms of treatment had no effect on serum triglycerides and HLD cholesterol. No
      serious side effects were noted, and percentile values for weight and height
      remained unchanged in all but three obese children.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1421909
TI  - Growth and nutrition in 10 girls with Rett syndrome.
AB  - Cross-sectional and retrospective data on growth and anthropometric outcome,
      feeding problems and dietary intake are presented for 10 girls between three and
      16 years of age with Rett syndrome. All girls had birth weight and length within
      the normal range for gestational age and development was considered normal until
      six to 24 months of age. The girls presented a fall off in linear growth during
      the first two years of life and at the time of study, all but one had height
      and/or weight for height below the 2.5th percentile of healthy children. The
      girls had good appetite but could not eat by themselves and oral-motor
      dysfunctions were common. The mean energy intake was 66.9% of the US
      recommendations according to age and 107.8% of the recommendations according to
      body weight. The intakes of thiamin, vitamin D, calcium and iron were considered
      low. None was anaemic. Different nutritional intervention strategies should be
      investigated to reduce and, if possible, prevent malnutrition and wasting in
      girls with Rett syndrome.

PMID- 1421910
TI  - Does growth hormone treatment of patients with Turner's syndrome cause an
      abnormal body shape?
AB  - The effect of human growth hormone on the body shape of 51 patients with Turner's
      syndrome (aged 6-19 years) was evaluated. Biosynthetic growth hormone was given
      in a dose of 24 IU/m2 body surface/week for two years. Karyotype analysis on
      peripheral blood was performed. Patients older than 12 years also received 0.1
      microgram ethinyl oestradiol/kg body weight/day orally. Body shape was
      characterized by studying pairs of measurements expressed as SD scores (z
      scores). As reference data, our own locally obtained data from normal children
      were used. After two years of growth hormone therapy, height, sitting height, bi
      acromial and bi-iliac diameter increased from -3.7, -2.9, -1.7 and -1.2 to -1.3, 
      2.5, -0.6 and +0.5 z scores, respectively. The shape of the patients, expressed
      as height/bi-iliac diameter and also as sitting height/bi-iliac diameter became
      more abnormal. As no difference could be noted between the prepubertal and
      pubertal groups or between the XO and mosaic groups, it is suggested that growth
      hormone treatment causes a relatively wide pelvis in patients with Turner's
      syndrome.

PMID- 1421912
TI  - Selective growth hormone deficiency of hypothalamic origin following severe head
      injury.

PMID- 1421911
TI  - Single daily doses of trimethoprim/sulphadiazine for three or 10 days in urinary
      tract infections.
AB  - We conducted a prospective randomized study to evaluate the efficacy of a single
      daily dose of 4 mg/kg of trimethoprim coupled with 17.5 mg/kg of sulphadiazine
      for three (group 1) or 10 days (group 2) in the treatment of uncomplicated
      urinary tract infections in children. Forty patients (nine boys and 31 girls)
      aged 2.5-18 years, presenting with a urinary tract infection were allocated to
      one of the two groups. Patients were seen three, 10, and > or = 38 days after the
      initiation of treatment. Control urine cultures were negative in all patients at
      days 3 and 10. Two patients in group 1 and one patient in group 2 suffered a
      relapse within a month. Single doses of trimethoprim/sulphadiazine for three or
      10 days are effective in the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections
      in children.

PMID- 1421913
TI  - Zinc, copper and iron in serum and hair of newborns and their correlation with
      clinical data.

PMID- 1421914
TI  - Echo-Doppler abnormalities in mucopolysaccharide storage diseases.

PMID- 1421915
TI  - Acute renal failure in a neonate due to pelviureteric candidal bezoars
      successfully treated with long-term systemic fluconazole.
AB  - Systemic candidiasis with renal involvement is a rare but well-recognized
      complication during intensive care treatment in very-low-birth-weight infants. We
      report a term neonate who developed anuria associated with bilateral bezoar
      formation in the renal pelvis and candidemia. The treatment consisted of
      placement of a nephrostomy tube in the left kidney, short-term irrigation with
      amphotericin B and iv, and later, oral administration of fluconazole.

PMID- 1421916
TI  - Intracardiac rhabdomyomas in neonates: report of three cases.
AB  - Three cases of intracardiac rhabdomyomas in neonates are presented. All were
      diagnosed by ultrasound, one prenatally and two directly after birth. Two of the
      patients were operated on during the neonatal period. The operations were carried
      out on the ultrasound findings alone. One patient was considered inoperable and
      died at three weeks of age. The two surviving patients have no cardiac symptoms
      and involution of the tumors has taken place. Two of the three patients have
      shown signs of tuberous sclerosis.

PMID- 1421917
TI  - Anesthesia-induced rhabdomyolysis in infants with unsuspected Duchenne dystrophy.
AB  - Anesthesia-induced rhabdomyolysis in infancy may represent an unsuspected
      Duchenne dystrophy. In order to establish the diagnosis of this genetic disease
      more definitively, a dystrophin test is a requisite following the conventional
      creatine kinase test and light and electron microscopies of the muscle biopsy.

PMID- 1421918
TI  - Noma neonatorum: an unusual case of noma involving a full-term neonate.
AB  - Noma neonatorum is a gangrenous process that occurs in the oral, nasal or anal
      area and occasionally the eyelids and scrotum of the newborn. The disease is
      caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and usually affects premature ill babies during
      the first few weeks of life. A full-term neonate with nasal and scrotal noma is
      uncommon and is therefore reported.

PMID- 1421919
TI  - Shoshin beriberi in an infant of a thiamine-deficient mother.
AB  - The classical form of thiamine deficiency in children is comprised of peripheral
      neuropathy, encephalopathy and high-output cardiac failure, predominantly right
      sided. "Shoshin beriberi" cardiac failure has a different presentation, with
      vasoconstriction, hypotension and severe metabolic acidosis. A three-month breast
      fed infant developed these features (biochemical tests confirmed the diagnosis).
      His mother, although non-symptomatic, had biochemical evidence of thiamine
      deficiency.

PMID- 1421920
TI  - Miliary tuberculosis with acute respiratory failure and histiocytic
      hemophagocytosis. Successful treatment with extracorporeal lung support and
      epipodophyllotoxin VP 16-213.
AB  - A 14-year-old girl with high fever, dyspnea and bilateral miliary nodules on
      chest X-ray, developed a rapidly progressive respiratory failure associated with
      histiocytic hemophagocytosis. Histologic examination of bone marrow biopsy
      revealed tuberculous granulomas with caseating necrosis. We report a pediatric
      case in which treatment with extracorporeal lung support and epipodophyllotoxin
      VP 16-213 was successful.

PMID- 1421921
TI  - Late hemorrhagic disease of newborn: a case with increased vitamin K requirement.

PMID- 1421922
TI  - Erythema multiforme as a single manifestation of cow's milk intolerance.

PMID- 1421923
TI  - Role of cereal-based oral rehydration therapy in persistent diarrhoea in
      children.
AB  - A total of 2000 children aged under five and 12,500 diarrhoea episodes were
      studied prospectively for assessing the efficacies of R-ORS and G-ORS and for
      comparing them with that of a comparison area using drugs for treatment. Efficacy
      was evaluated in terms of ORS use rate, consumption of ORS per episode, duration
      of diarrhoea and rate of recovery. The data were analysed to compare the rate of
      persistent diarrhoea in the three areas. Mean ORS consumption was 946 +/- 576 and
      1236 +/- 766 ml per episode of watery diarrhoea in the R-ORS and G-ORS areas
      respectively. The mean durations of watery diarrhoea were 3.3 +/- 2.1, 5.4 +/-
      3.5 and 8.8 +/- 5.5 days in the R-ORS, G-ORS and comparison area, respectively.
      The median durations for dysentery were 7, 9 and 12 days in the three areas
      respectively. The incidences of persistent diarrhoea following water diarrhoea
      were 0.4, 3 and 12% in the R-ORS, G-ORS and comparison area respectively, and,
      following dysenteric episodes, 8, 18 and 40%. The results of the study suggest
      that R-ORS can hasten recovery from both watery diarrhoea and dysenteries, thus
      reducing the incidence of persistent diarrhoea.

PMID- 1421924
TI  - Is small bowel bacterial overgrowth of pathogenic significance in persistent
      diarrhea?
AB  - Bacterial overgrowth in the upper small intestine is postulated to cause
      persistent diarrhea. We compared the fecal and upper intestinal flora in 82
      patients with persistent diarrhea aged < or = 36 months and weight-for-length <
      or = 90% of National Center for Health Statistics standards (NCHS) and 39 non
      diarrheal children with age < or = 36 months, nutritionally matched with the
      patients and residing in the same environment. In the age groups < or = 12 months
      and > 12 months the duodenal fluid bacterial counts > or = 10(5)/ml were found
      with similar frequency in patients and controls for aerobic (p = 0.33; p = 0.1)
      and anaerobic (p = 1.0; p = 1.0) bacteria. However, the duodenal isolation rates
      of any aerobic bacteria (p < 0.05) without regard to counts and
      Enterobacteriaceae (p = 0.06) were higher in patients than in controls.
      Colonization with Enterobacteriaceae was directly correlated with increased stool
      weight over a 7-day observation period (p < 0.05; p < 0.01). One or more
      pathogens were isolated in the feces of 58% of the patients and 43.8% of the
      controls. Enteroadherent E. coli of the localized [EAEC-L] (p < 0.01) and
      aggregative [EAggEC] (p = 0.22) phenotypes were isolated more commonly from the
      feces of patients. The duodenal fluid detection rates for Klebsiella were
      significantly greater (p < 0.01) in patients, while Giardia lamblia was detected
      more commonly in the duodenal fluid of controls (p < 0.01). The presence of
      specific pathogens in the feces did not seem to be related to the extent of small
      bowel colonization.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421925
TI  - The role of the duodenal microflora as a determinant of persistent diarrhoea.
AB  - It has been suggested that proliferation of enterobacteriaceae and/or anaerobes
      in the duodenum of some children with acute diarrhoea determines whether the
      episode becomes persistent. A review of published studies and the comparison of
      cultures of duodenal aspirates from Peruvian children with acute and persistent
      diarrhoea and diarrhoea-free children did not support this hypothesis. Although
      many children had enterobacteriaceae and/or anaerobes cultured there was no
      correlation with clinical and nutritional outcome. Age, nutritional status, the
      environment and the aetiology of the episode were determinants of the duodenal
      microflora independent of diarrhoea. Culture of the duodenal aspirates did not
      increase the yield of enteropathogens which were isolated more frequently from
      stools than from the duodenum. Despite the presence of a single strain or
      serotype of enterobacteriaceae suggesting that these bacteria were colonizing the
      duodenum, we were unable to demonstrate any adherence mechanisms in the majority
      of them. Two of ten bacteria with no other evidence of virulence caused diarrhoea
      in the RITARD rabbit model.

PMID- 1421926
TI  - Persistent diarrhea as a cause of childhood mortality in rural Bangladesh.
AB  - To determine the importance of persistent diarrhea in childhood mortality a
      multiple-step verbal autopsy method was used to study 1934 deaths in Matlab,
      Bangladesh. We found that most of the deaths from acute watery diarrhea occurred
      in infancy, whereas the peak of non-watery diarrhea deaths was in children over
      12 months of age. Children suffering from persistent diarrhea and malnutrition
      were at highest risk of dying during their third year of life. Children with
      infectious diseases have a two to four times higher risk of dying if they are
      malnourished, and for diarrhea the risk is 17 times as high. Forty-nine percent
      of the diarrheal deaths were in children with malnutrition associated with
      persistent diarrhea. These results imply that fluid and dietary management are
      key aspects in the treatment of diarrhea, particularly for those episodes which
      persist. We conclude that attempts to reduce diarrhoeal deaths with vertical ORT
      programmes will not have major impact unless other interventions are directed to
      the persistent diarrhoea-malnutrition complex.

PMID- 1421927
TI  - Clinical aspects of acute vs persistent diarrhea in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
AB  - A retrospective clinical study of acute and persistent diarrhea in children
      younger than three years of age was conducted for 12 months (October 1989 to
      September 1990) in a Pediatric Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, South Vietnam. Most
      of the 3833 episodes of diarrhea identified were of short duration, with 77.7%
      lasting only 1-7 days. Only 5.3% of episodes lasted more than 14 days. Episodes
      of longer duration were associated with young age (0-5 months). Bloody stool was
      present in more than 40% of persistent episodes. Severe malnutrition was
      associated with persistent episodes that lasted 14-21 days (33%) or more than 22
      days (59%). It is important that all patients with diarrhea have appropriate
      dietary management in addition to fluid therapy, and that future analysis
      examines etiologic factors to determine the optimal treatment of bloody diarrhea.

PMID- 1421928
TI  - Persistent diarrhea in Vietnamese children: a preliminary report.
AB  - The clinical and laboratory features of persistent diarrhea were investigated in
      83 children under three years of age who were treated in the Gastroenterology
      Division of the Institute for the Protection of Children's Health, Hanoi from
      August 1988 to August 1989. The number of cases of diarrhea was highest in the
      children aged 4-5 months. The mean age of the children studied was 6.6 +/- 3.4
      months. The ratio of males to females was 2.6 and mean age of first episode of
      diarrhea was 4.3 +/- 3.4 months; persistent diarrhea was more common in children
      under six months of age than in older children. Persistent diarrhea occurred in
      the first diarrheal episode in 66.5% of cases. Recent nonenteric infections were
      found in 30% of the study group. Of the 83 children studied, 36% had stool
      specimens positive for enteric pathogens; 24% had enterotoxigenic Escherichia
      coli isolated, 8% had enteropathogenic E. coli, 5% rotavirus, 6% Candida, and 4%
      Giardia lamblia. The duration of diarrhea was longer in children who received
      antibiotics than in those who did not (p < 0.01).

PMID- 1421929
TI  - Determinants of dietary intake during childhood diarrhea and implications for
      appropriate nutritional therapy.
AB  - Diarrheal diseases have a well recognized negative effect on children's growth,
      probably due in part to reduced dietary intake during illness. Previous studies
      have shown that the effects of diarrhea on dietary intake are greater among
      hospitalized children than among those observed in their homes. Breast milk
      intake does not change during diarrhea, however, so breast-fed children are less
      likely to reduce their total energy and nutrient intakes. Recent analyses of
      clinical studies found that acidosis and dehydration were most closely associated
      with reduced dietary intake of hospitalized patients. The implications of these
      and other studies for the dietary management of patients during and after
      diarrhea are discussed.

PMID- 1421930
TI  - Lactose feeding during persistent diarrhoea.
AB  - Lactose intolerance is a recognized complication of some episodes of diarrhoea.
      Whereas it is of clinical importance in relatively few children with acute
      diarrhoea it seems to be a more common problem in children presenting with
      persistent diarrhoea, especially in malnourished children with severe diarrhoea.
      We describe a recent study which also demonstrated adverse clinical and
      nutritional consequences in the majority of children with mild but persistent
      diarrhoea consuming 6 g lactose/kg body weight/d. It is desirable to identify
      these children who need to reduce their lactose intake in order to limit
      unnecessary dietary changes which are expensive to implement and/or nutritionally
      disadvantageous. Admission clinical characteristics were analyzed for their
      ability to predict clinical outcome in a group of 33 children with persistent
      diarrhoea taking a lactose-containing diet. The results of tests of stool
      reducing substances and a lactose breath hydrogen test (LHBT) were analyzed in
      the same group whose clinical management had been independent of the test
      results. Eighty-nine percent of children who deteriorated had one of the
      following characteristics: age < 12 months, weight-for-height less than -2 SD
      below NCHS norms or fever > 37 degrees C. Children who unequivocally improved
      while continuing to take lactose could not be selected without the risk of
      including children who deteriorated. Neither tests of stool reducing substances
      nor the LBHT improved the predictive value of simple clinical
      parameters.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421931
TI  - Persistent diarrhoea: factors affecting absorption and clinical prognosis during
      management with a rice-based diet.
AB  - Twenty-six persistent diarrhoea patients aged 4 to 18 months were treated with a
      diet prepared with rice powder, soya oil, glucose, egg white and water.
      Absorption of macronutrients was estimated in a 72 h balance study and clinical
      response was examined during one week of dietary treatment. Nutrient absorption
      was compared with that of 25 healthy age-matched controls treated with the same
      diet. Twenty-one patients (81%) recovered from diarrhoea within seven days.
      Absorption of nutrients was significantly reduced among the persistent diarrhoea
      patients. More malnourished patients had a significantly reduced absorption of
      nutrients except carbohydrate and an increased severity and longer duration of
      diarrhoea. Total gut transit time had significant association with nutrient
      absorption in the persistent diarrhoea patients. The period of recovery
      negatively correlated with coefficient of absorption and positively with initial
      stool weight. Failure to recover was associated with severity of diarrhoea and
      systemic infection. The study indicates that nutrient absorption is significantly
      reduced in patients with persistent diarrhoea and nutritional status, and that
      initial purging rate and intestinal hurry are significantly related to the
      prognosis and nutrient absorption.

PMID- 1421932
TI  - Nutritional management of persistent diarrhea: factors predicting clinical
      outcome.
AB  - In a prospective study we randomized 102 male children (age 6-36 months) with
      persistent diarrhea to receive a traditional rice-lentil (Khitchri) diet and
      yogurt (K-Y) or a soy formula (alone for seven days and then in combination with
      K-Y for seven days). Of 73 children satisfying the study criteria, 66 were
      successfully treated and there were 7 treatment failures. There was poor
      concordance between parental accounts of severity of diarrhea or vomiting and
      that observed after admission. Significant risk factors associated with treatment
      failure included younger age (p < 0.005) and vomiting at presentation (p < 0.02).
      The greatest number of risk factors associated with delayed recovery (> 10 days)
      were identified during an initial evaluation period (the first 8 h after
      admission). These included greater severity of watery diarrhoea (p < 0.01) and
      increased ORS intake (p < 0.02). Our data suggest that an initial evaluation
      period, including objective observations, may identify children with persistent
      diarrhea who are at greatest need of hospitalization.

PMID- 1421933
TI  - Oral gentamicin is not effective treatment for persistent diarrhea.
AB  - We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trial of
      oral gentamicin (10 milligrams/kilogram body weight/day for five days) in
      treatment of unselected cases of persistent diarrhea (duration 14-18 days at
      initiation of treatment) among 3-36-month-old children in a rural Guatemalan
      community. Following random assignment of each child to a treatment group, the
      appropriate dose of gentamicin or placebo was administered to the child three
      times daily by a study nurse; this nurse also identified the presence or absence
      of diarrhea on each day of treatment and for the next two days. Cure was defined
      as cessation of diarrhea during the five-day treatment period, sustained through
      at least the two days after completion of treatment. Among 92 evaluable cases who
      entered the clinical trial, there was essentially no difference in cure rate
      between gentamicin and placebo treatment groups (42% versus 43%). Enteroadherent
      strains of Escherichia coli were identified in 46% of children tested in this
      trial; no significant difference existed between treatment groups in frequency of
      isolation of this or any other enteropathogen. Among 40 children having
      successful duodenal cultures immediately prior to beginning treatment, > or =
      10(4) aerobic organisms per milliliter of fluid were identified in 12 (30%);
      treatment groups did not differ substantially with respect to proportion of
      children identified with this level of duodenal microbial colonization. Failure
      of gentamicin treatment did not appear to be explained by emergence of
      resistance, although a small number of resistant enteropathogens were identified
      near the end of the study.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1421934
TI  - Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of acute and persistent diarrhoea in
      rural Bangladeshi children.
AB  - A community-based longitudinal study of acute and persistent diarrhoea in 705
      children less than five years old was carried out for a year in a rural area of
      Bangladesh. Diarrhoea morbidity data were collected from each study child every
      fourth day by home visit. Clinical features of diarrhoeal episodes and diarrhoeal
      management information were documented. The overall diarrhoeal incidence rate in
      the study children was 4.6 episodes per child per year. The incidence of
      persistent diarrhoea was 34/100 child-years. Persistent diarrhoea was positively
      associated with young age and more severe illness, characterized by the presence
      of clinical dehydration or blood in the stool in the first week. Use of ORT in
      the first week was positively associated and use of an antibiotic was negatively
      associated with the occurrence of persistent diarrhoea. Reduced breast-feeding
      and consumption of cow's milk at some time during the episode were also
      positively associated with persistence. This would suggest that appropriate fluid
      and dietary management for all episodes should be the goal. Children with more
      severe initial illness characterized by the presence of blood in the stool or
      clinical dehydration should have more careful follow-up to identify persistent
      episodes and adverse nutritional effects. Breastfeeding should be continued
      during acute diarrhoea, but the role of ORT, antibiotics and cow's milk deserves
      further investigation.

PMID- 1421935
TI  - Epidemiology of persistent diarrhea among Guatemalan rural children.
AB  - A prospective, longitudinal two-year study to determine the epidemiology of
      persistent (> or = 14 days' duration) diarrhea in rural children of Guatemala was
      undertaken. Three-hundred and twenty-one children aged 0-35 months were kept
      under surveillance by twice-a-week home visits. The overall incidence of diarrhea
      was 0.147 per child-week; the incidence of persistent diarrhea was 0.014 per
      child-week. The peak of persistent diarrhea was observed in infants below six
      months of age, with a continuous decline thereafter. This trend in incidence of
      persistent diarrhea was associated with a higher proportion (16%) of illnesses
      persisting for more than 13 days in children younger than six months of age as
      compared to children 30-35 months old (4%). Males had more diarrhea (0.156 per
      child-week) than females (0.139 per child week). Among children above 18 months
      of age, the proportion of episodes that lasted for more than 13 days was lower in
      females than in males.

PMID- 1421936
TI  - Epidemiology of persistent diarrhea and etiologic agents in Mirzapur, Bangladesh.
AB  - To determine the epidemiology and etiologic agents of persistent diarrhea we
      carried out an intensive diarrhea surveillance on children less than six years
      old in rural Bangladesh. From March 1987 to February 1989 we examined 363
      children through diarrhea recall interviews and analyzed stool samples of all
      diarrhea cases for potential pathogens. Results showed that children had an
      average of two episodes per year and the incidence rate of diarrheal episodes
      defined as acute (< 14 d) and persistent (> or = 14 d) varied similarly with age.
      The peak incidence (episodes/child/year) of acute diarrhea (2.8) and persistent
      diarrhea (0.8) occurred in the 6-11 months age group. The data showed that an
      episode tended to be prolonged if the stool was loose/mucoid or bloody at onset.
      Aggregative adherent Escherichia coli was found significantly more often at onset
      in persistent than in acute episodes, whereas Shigella, Aeromonas, Giardia and
      toxigenic E. coli were isolated with less frequency in persistent than acute
      episodes. This suggests that other factors might be more important in the
      development of persistent diarrhea than specific pathogens.

PMID- 1421937
TI  - Mortality associated with acute watery diarrhea, dysentery and persistent
      diarrhea in rural north India.
AB  - Mortality associated with diarrhea was investigated in a longitudinally followed
      cohort of children under six years of age in rural North India. During the follow
      up, 1663 episodes of diarrhea and 23 diarrhea related deaths were recorded in
      1467 children followed up for 20 months. The case fatality rate was 0.56% for
      acute watery diarrhea, 4.27% for dysentery and 11.94% for non-dysenteric
      persistent diarrhea. Most of the episodes lasted less than a week; 5.2% became
      persistent (duration > 14 days). The case fatality rate was similar in episodes
      of one and two weeks' duration (0.64% and 0.8%) and increased to 13.95% for
      persistent episodes. Of the total 86 persistent episodes, 22.1% were dysenteric;
      the case fatality rate for such dysenteric persistent episodes was 21.1% and for
      watery persistent diarrhea 11.4%. Diarrheal attack rates were similar among
      different nutritional groups, but diarrheal case fatality rates progressively
      increased with increasing severity of malnutrition, these were 24 times higher in
      children with severe malnutrition (7.48%) compared to those normally nourished
      (0.31%). With availability and use of oral rehydration therapy, dysentery and
      persistent diarrhea emerge as major causes of diarrhea related mortality, with
      underlying malnutrition as a key associated factor.

PMID- 1421939
TI  - Persistent diarrhea in northeast Brazil: etiologies and interactions with
      malnutrition.
AB  - With the improved control of acute diarrheal illness mortality with oral
      rehydration therapy, persistent diarrhea is now emerging as a major cause of
      childhood mortality in tropical developing areas like the impoverished
      populations in Brazil's Northeast. "Graveyard surveillance" in the rural
      community of Guaiuba in northeastern Brazil revealed fully half of the 70%
      diarrhea mortality was due to persistent diarrheal illnesses. Furthermore, 11% of
      14 or more diarrheal illnesses per child per year in an urban slum in Fortaleza
      persisted beyond 14 days, a definition that clearly identified the high risk
      children for heavy diarrhea burdens. Not only did heavy diarrhea burdens ablate
      the key "catch-up" growth seen in severely malnourished children and in children
      following previous diarrheal illnesses, but malnutrition significantly
      predisposed children to a greater incidence and duration of diarrhea as well as a
      greater incidence of persistent diarrhea. Etiologic studies of 37 children
      presenting with persistent diarrhea to Hospital das Clinicas in Fortaleza
      revealed that Cryptosporidium (in 13%) and enteroadherent E. coli (36% with
      aggregative, 29% with diffuse and 13% with localized adherence to HEp-2 cells)
      were the predominant potential pathogens found in the stool or upper small bowel.
      These findings suggest that persistent diarrhea is emerging as an important
      health problem in Brazil's Northeast, that it identifies a high risk child for
      heavy diarrhea burdens, that important interactions occur with malnutrition and
      that Cryptosporidium and enteroadherent E. coli warrant further study as
      potential etiologies of this major cause of morbidity and mortality.

PMID- 1421938
TI  - Etiologic agents in acute vs persistent diarrhea in children under three years of
      age in peri-urban Lima, Peru.
AB  - In a longitudinal study of acute and persistent diarrhea in 677 children less
      than three years old in a peri-urban community of Lima, Peru, during 27 months of
      surveillance, stools were cultured at the beginning of each diarrheal episode and
      on each subsequent week of illness. Analyzing stool cultures only from children
      who had not received antibiotic treatment in the 48 h prior to the culture, no
      association was found between any enteropathogen and persistent diarrhea. We did
      not find any increase in mixed infections in persistent diarrhea episodes as
      compared with acute diarrhea, controlling for age, season and anthropometric
      status. The isolation rate for any given enteropathogen was similar during the
      first, second, third or later week of illness, but when the presence of a
      specific enteropathogen was sought in sequential stools within a single episode,
      no evidence of persistent infection was found. This study shows that in
      developing countries with a high incidence of diarrheal diseases frequent re
      infections with enteropathogens prevalent in the population are one reason for
      prolonged illnesses. Host factors that increase susceptibility to infection or
      decrease recovery from illness may also play a role. Further studies of these
      factors, such as micronutrient deficiencies, are needed to identify a public
      health intervention to control persistent diarrhea, a condition associated with
      mortality in many developing countries.

PMID- 1421940
TI  - Persistent diarrhea associated with AIDS.
AB  - Chronic diarrhea and wasting are very common manifestations of AIDS in adults in
      developing countries. Etiologic studies show that protozoa (including
      Cryptosporidium parvum, Isospora belli, and Enterocytozoon bieniusi) and
      Mycobacterium avium-intracellulara are the most frequently identified pathogens.
      Limited data in children suggest that common enteric pathogens are equally as
      likely in HIV+ and HIV- babies. Preliminary analysis of an ongoing longitudinal
      study of 469 babies born to mothers with known HIV serostatus in Kinshasa, Zaire,
      reveals progression of acute to persistent diarrhea is six times greater in HIV+
      compared to HIV- babies, and 3.5 times greater in HIV- babies born of HIV+
      mothers in comparison to HIV- babies with HIV- mothers. HIV+ babies were also at
      greater risk than HIV- babies to have recurrent episodes of diarrhea (RR = 2.3).
      Fifty percent of the deaths were due to acute or persistent diarrhea, and were
      strongly associated with HIV infection. Efforts to improve child survival in AIDS
      infected populations will need to address HIV infections in both mothers and
      infants.

PMID- 1421941
TI  - Household behaviors in the management of diarrhea and their relevance for
      persistent diarrhea.
AB  - There has been a great deal of research in recent years on household behaviors
      related to diarrhea management. Most of the available data on household diarrhea
      management, however, pertains to acute diarrheal episodes. There is a dearth of
      knowledge concerning household and caretaker behaviors when the diarrhea is of
      longer duration. This paper briefly reviews some of what has been learned about
      household behaviors in the management of acute diarrhea and discusses its
      relevance for persistent diarrhea. Based upon what has been learned from
      anthropological studies of acute diarrhea and the little that is known about
      caretaker behavior during persistent diarrhea, a hypothetical model of the
      interactions among household behavior and characteristics of diarrheal episodes
      is presented. The model argues that maternal (or caretaker) concern increases
      with diarrheal duration, and that changes in behavior, both adaptive and
      maladaptive, are more likely to occur during an episode of persistent diarrhea,
      compared to acute. In some cases, these actions may directly influence the
      outcome of the episode. There is a need to better understand household case
      management behaviors through the continuum of diarrheal duration and the effect
      of these behavioral factors on episode outcome. This information is necessary in
      order to communicate effective messages to caretakers about what they should know
      and what they should do when persistent diarrhea occurs.

PMID- 1421942
TI  - The child's disease (Doenca de crianca): popular paradigm of persistent diarrhea?
AB  - According to popular report, the folk illness, Doenca de crianca (The Child's
      Disease) is the leading cause of infant and childhood death in Northeast Brazil;
      most health professionals, however, are unaware it exists. Doenca de crianca is
      described based on ethnographic interviews with 50 traditional healers and 50
      bereaved mothers whose children have died from the condition. Doenca de crianca
      is a sociocultural label developed by the popular medical system and applied to
      the end stages of severe childhood infectious diseases and malnutrition against a
      background of grinding poverty. Doenca de crianca is discussed as an analog to
      persistent diarrhea. Practical treatment and management implications of this
      relationship are presented. Doenca de crianca, most importantly, offers a new,
      holistic paradigm for the future study of persistent diarrhea.

PMID- 1421943
TI  - Association of indicators of hygiene behavior with persistent diarrhea of young
      children.
AB  - We examined the association between water and hygiene-related behaviors and
      persistent diarrhea (duration > or = 14 days) among children under age three
      years in an indigenous rural Guatemalan community. Behavior indicators were
      specific aspects of the appearance of the mother, study child, other children and
      household that could be observed using a spot observation technique. Thirty-four
      percent of children had one or more episodes of persistent diarrhea during the
      year of study. Bivariate analyses found that a higher proportion of observations
      in which the anti-hygienic condition was observed was significantly associated
      with persistent diarrhea for 11 of 26 behavior indicators; these 11 indicators
      were also strongly correlated with each other. In individual logistic regression
      models, which included overall rate of diarrhea and other child characteristics
      associated with persistent diarrhea, six behavior indicators maintained
      significant association with persistent diarrhea: presence of toy on the ground,
      presence of baby bottle on the ground, the hands of the mother being dirty,
      presence of a fecally soiled diaper on the ground in the household compound,
      presence of feces in the yard, and the study child wearing a fecally soiled
      diaper. Three additional indicators closely approached significant association
      with persistent diarrhea. Excluding the three soiled diaper indicators, which
      might be the result rather than the cause of diarrhea, we found the six other
      behavior indicators to demonstrate a significant dose-response effect in
      increasing risk of persistent diarrhea. These findings suggest that behaviors
      which promote increased exposure of young children to enteric pathogens increase
      risk of persistent diarrhea.

PMID- 1421945
TI  - Small intestinal mucosal histology in the syndrome of persistent diarrhoea and
      malnutrition: a review.
AB  - Prolonged injury to the small intestinal mucosa is probably the final common
      pathway by which a variety of noxious influences--nutritional, infective and
      possibly allergic--perpetuate the syndrome of persistent diarrhoea in children in
      developing countries. Animal studies have helped to separate the individual
      effects of malnutrition and diarrhoea on the gut in a way that is not possible in
      the clinical situation. Early studies in children provided somewhat subjective or
      semi-quantitative data on intestinal morphology. More recently, the application
      of computer-assisted quantitative morphological techniques to intestinal mucosae
      from children with persistent diarrhoea have revealed a spectrum of changes
      consistent with a cell-mediated immune form of damage. The nature of the antigens
      that provoke these responses remains to be elucidated. Several reports indicate
      that in children with persistent diarrhoea clinical severity and prognosis do not
      necessarily correlate with the degree of small intestinal mucosal damage.
      Nutritional rehabilitation can be shown to produce a demonstrable improvement in
      small intestinal crypt cell proliferative activity in children with persistent
      diarrhoea. It is not yet known for how long nutritional rehabilitation should be
      continued to ensure complete recovery of the intestinal damage following
      persistent diarrhoea.

PMID- 1421944
TI  - Deaths due to dysentery, acute and persistent diarrhoea among Brazilian infants.
AB  - In a population-based study, all infant deaths occurring in a one-year period in
      the metropolitan areas of Porto Alegre and Pelotas, in southern Brazil, were
      studied. There were 227 infants who presented diarrhoea during the fatal illness,
      and in 75% of these diarrhoea was considered to be the underlying cause of death.
      Acute diarrhoea (< 14 days' duration) accounted for 28% of the deaths, persistent
      diarrhoea for 62% and dysentery for a further 10%. Approximately one-half of the
      children with persistent diarrhoea were admitted to a hospital in the first two
      weeks of the episode. Hospital-acquired infections were likely to have
      contributed to one- to two-thirds of deaths due to dysentery and persistent
      diarrhoea. A comparison with neighbourhood controls showed that breast milk
      provided substantial protection against deaths due to either acute or persistent
      diarrhoea.

PMID- 1421946
TI  - Dietary protein sensitivity: is it an important risk factor for persistent
      diarrhea?
AB  - Although the causes of persistent diarrhea are largely unknown, dietary protein
      sensitivity has been identified as one possible mechanism. Since nutritional
      therapy appears to be an essential component of treatment for persistent
      diarrhea, a clearer understanding of the importance of dietary protein allergy is
      needed to provide optimal dietary recommendations. This paper reviews the current
      concepts of the pathophysiology, clinical features and criteria for diagnosis of
      dietary protein sensitivity. Evaluation of the results of several clinical
      studies indicates that dietary protein sensitivity does occur especially in young
      infants fed cows' milk but that it is an uncommon event, especially in older
      infants and children.

PMID- 1421947
TI  - Zinc and diarrhea.
AB  - Malnutrition is a major factor in the etiology, management and prognosis of
      persistent diarrhea in young children. Apart from inadequate energy intake,
      deficiencies of several specific nutrients have been implicated. Zinc is a
      micronutrient that appears to be of special interest, at least in some
      communities. Zinc deficiency has been documented in otherwise normal children.
      The risk of deficiency, however, is enhanced by diarrhea which is associated with
      variable but sometimes gross increases in zinc losses in the feces. These losses
      could contribute to a vicious circle, as there is now evidence that mild as well
      as severe zinc deficiency states can contribute to the duration and severity of
      diarrheal disease. During rehabilitation, impaired zinc nutriture could be
      responsible for slow growth, especially if the rehabilitation diet is high in
      phytate, a recognized inhibitor of zinc absorption. Research should be directed
      to a better understanding of zinc metabolism and homeostasis during diarrhea
      disease, to the consequences of zinc deficiency and to the benefits to be derived
      from zinc supplementation programs.

PMID- 1421948
TI  - Effect of milk-containing diets on the severity and duration of childhood
      diarrhea.
AB  - Individual components of milk from humans and other mammalian species may
      influence the severity, duration, and nutritional outcome of childhood diarrhea
      in different ways. Nonetheless, empirical data from clinical trials can be used
      to assess children's responses to specific milk-containing diets. Factors
      modifying the response to milk include its source, amount, frequency of feeding,
      type of processing, and accompanying foods, as well as the type and severity of
      enteric infection and specific characteristics of the host. Whereas breast-fed
      infants have less severe diarrhea when breast milk is continued rather than
      interrupted, infants and children fed with non-human milks tend to have more
      severe illness than those receiving milk-free or lactose-limited formulas or milk
      cereal mixtures. Fermentation of milk may reduce the severity of lactose
      malabsorption, but additional information regarding the efficacy of yogurt in
      acute, childhood diarrhea is still needed.

PMID- 1421949
TI  - Type of milk feeding during acute diarrhoea and the risk of persistent diarrhoea:
      a case control study.
AB  - The role of feeding breast milk, unmodified bovine milk or adapted infant formula
      during acute diarrhoea in protecting against or causing persistence of the
      episodes was investigated in a population-based case control study in an urban
      area of north India. After adjustment for confounding variables, exclusive breast
      feeding was associated with an odds ratio of 0.06 (95% CI 0.002-2.1), a 16.5
      times lower odds in favour of developing persistence of an episode. Infants fed
      unmodified bovine milk in addition to breast milk had an odds of 2.5 times (95%
      CI 1.0-9.9) in favour of developing persistence of acute diarrhoea (p = 0.04). In
      infants receiving unmodified bovine milk and no breast milk, this odds ratio was
      11.1 (95% CI 1.0-228.8) (p = 0.05). This study indicates that promoting exclusive
      breastfeeding may reduce the persistence of diarrhoea over and above its effect
      in decreasing the incidence of acute diarrhoea. In urban areas of the developing
      countries where working mothers often use milk supplementation beyond the age of
      three months, our findings suggest that use of adapted spray dried formula may be
      safer than unmodified bovine milk with respect to the risk of developing
      persistent diarrhoea.

PMID- 1421950
TI  - Feeding during acute diarrhea as a risk factor for persistent diarrhea.
AB  - Dietary intake during diarrhea in children less than three years of age was
      estimated from information recorded on illustrated dietary forms used by
      children's caretakers during the first week of illness in a prospective community
      based study of diarrheal diseases in Lima, Peru. The frequency of consumption and
      the amount consumed of food groups and selected commonly consumed foods were
      analyzed by the final duration of the diarrheal episode. Cereals were less
      frequently consumed during the acute phase of diarrheal episodes that ultimately
      became persistent (> 14 days' duration), apparently shortening the duration of
      the episode by one day (median duration of four days in children not consuming vs
      three days in children consuming cereals during diarrhea, p < 0.02 Kaplan-Meier
      log-rank test). Only roots and tubers (mainly potatoes) were consumed in greater
      quantity during episodes that became persistent. There was no evidence that
      consumption of breast milk or non-maternal milk was associated with an alteration
      in diarrheal duration. This study provides further evidence of the beneficial
      effects of continuing feeding during diarrhea using foods available at the home
      level, especially cereals, which are commonly used in the diet of young children.

PMID- 1421951
TI  - Management of extremely low-birth-weight infants.
AB  - Better health care of women during pregnancy and delivery, improvement in
      neonatal intensive therapy and technology have led to a decrease in neonatal
      mortality and morbidity and to lower limits of birth weight and gestational age
      for survival. This paper refers to the management protocol used in the Department
      of Perinatal Pathology of the Provincial Maternity Hospital of Milan for
      extremely low-birth-weight (ELBW) infants (birth weight < 1000 g). In this
      hospital, all newborn infants presenting evidence of life, irrespective of birth
      weight and gestational age, are resuscitated and transferred to the Neonatal
      Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for clinical management. After the introduction of
      this protocol the mortality rate of ELBW infants dropped from 71.4% in 1977-78 to
      48% in 1987-88. In a group of 72 ELBW infants with a mean birth weight of 850 g
      and a mean gestational age of 27 weeks, 80% presented a normal outcome, 12%
      presented a mild neurological impairment and 8% were affected by severe cerebral
      palsy at the age of two years. The intact survival of a newborn infant of 450 g
      at birth is also reported.

PMID- 1421952
TI  - Hospital care techniques resulting in intact survival of a 380-g infant.
AB  - Intact survival of infants delivered before completion of the 26th week of
      gestation or weighing less than 500 g is a well known phenomenon. We recently
      cared for an infant whose birth weight was 380 g, making her one of the smallest
      survivors in the United States. Her hospitalization (including expenses), the
      techniques of our minimal intervention protocol and her 20-month (corrected)
      follow-up are presented together with a discussion of the moral, economic and
      social implications involved in the care of such an infant.

PMID- 1421953
TI  - Intact survival of a 280-g infant: an extreme case of growth retardation with
      normal cognitive development at two years of age.
AB  - The care of infants born weighing less then 500 g is not only controversial but
      is also associated with medical uncertainties. We report the management of a
      growth retarded infant who weighed 280 g at birth after 26.9 weeks' gestation.
      The child not only survived but appears developmentally normal at two years of
      age. Although the infant is the smallest survivor reported, the case demonstrates
      the importance of gestational assessment in deciding delivery room management.

PMID- 1421954
TI  - The care of fetal babies: survival of a 390-g infant.
AB  - Infants with birth weight 750 g or less usually have a poor survival rate, and
      those who live have poor neurologic and intellectual outcome. With significant
      advances in perinatal care and meticulous neonatal support, the survival of these
      babies has improved in recent years and the long-term outcome can be as good as
      that of larger low-birth-weight infants. It is likely that the reported increase
      in survival of ELBW infants reflects a changing obstetrical approach to the
      extremely premature fetus along with an increased attitude among pediatricians
      and neonatologists to treating such babies. This posture is motivated and
      supported by a number of factors, including regional systems of perinatal care
      that encourage early maternal transport to tertiary centers, an increasing
      ability of neonatal intensive care technology to achieve survival, and more
      optimistic long-term neurodevelopmental outcome reports. Our experience is
      encouraging in this regard. This presentation reports the survival of an ELBW
      infant delivered in Switzerland before the completion of the 26th week of
      gestation and weighing 390 g at birth.

PMID- 1421956
TI  - Window of vulnerability of vaccinia virus-infected cells to natural killer (NK)
      cell-mediated cytolysis correlates with enhanced NK cell triggering and is
      concomitant with a decrease in H-2 class I antigen expression.
AB  - A time course study was performed in order to determine if vaccinia virus (VV)
      infected targets were more susceptible to murine natural killer (NK) cell
      mediated lysis during a discrete period of time postinfection. Activated NK cells
      were used in short-term (e.g. 4 h) assays in order to avoid a further in vitro
      activation of the NK cells by interferon (IFN) and to test the innate
      susceptibility of target cells to lysis. The sensitivity of VV-infected L929
      cells to lysis by NK cells increased as the infection progressed, reached a peak
      at approximately 24 h postinfection, and subsequently declined to levels lower
      than that of uninfected cells. This window of vulnerability was not due to an
      increase in the number of effector/target cell conjugates, which continually
      decreased as the VV infection progressed. Triggering of NK cells was measured by
      the influx of 45Ca2+. Target cells treated with IFN induced less 45Ca2+ uptake,
      whereas cycloheximide treatment of targets caused a greater influx of 45Ca2+ into
      the effector cells. When L929 cells were infected with VV for various time
      intervals and used in the triggering assays, an enhanced triggering of the
      effectors corresponding to the time of enhanced susceptibility of the target
      cells to lysis was detected. Quantitative decreases in H-2Kk and Dk class I
      antigens were observed following VV infection of target cells as measured by FACS
      analysis using alloantibodies. Qualitative changes in H-2 class I antigens were
      also observed, as detected by a loss in VV-infected target cell susceptibility to
      lysis by allospecific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) at a time when they were
      highly sensitive to killing by NK cells and VV-specific CTL. These results show
      that virus-infected targets may become innately more sensitive to lysis by NK
      cells at discrete time points after infection and that the susceptibility to
      lysis correlates with enhanced triggering of NK cells and reduced H-2 class I
      antigen expression.

PMID- 1421957
TI  - Nursing is not just the tasks nurses do.

PMID- 1421955
TI  - Tissue distribution of adoptively transferred adherent LAK cells: role of the
      route of administration.
AB  - The ability of LAK and adherent LAK (A-LAK) cells to migrate to and localize into
      tumors might be a limiting factor for the efficacy of adoptive immunotherapy.
      Employing different routes of inoculation of A-LAK cells labeled with 125IUdR, we
      have investigated how murine A-LAK cells circulate in the bloodstream and
      localize into various tissues. After intravenous injection, most of the A-LAK
      cells migrated to the lungs with less than 15% redistributing to other organs.
      Following left ventricular inoculation, after which the injected cells do not
      have to pass the lung capillaries before reaching other organs, higher numbers of
      A-LAK cells were found in liver, carcass, kidney and gut compared to intravenous
      injection. However, most of the A-LAK cells were cleared from these organs within
      24 h, and surprisingly at this time the overall survival of the injected A-LAK
      cells was not more than 10-20% regardless of the route of injection. We found
      that a substantial accumulation of A-LAK cells in the liver could be achieved
      only when the cells were injected directly into the portal vein. Following this
      route of administration, more than 40% of the injected A-LAK cells were still in
      the liver at 24 h, whereas only 3-5% had redistributed to other organs. Our data
      suggest that A-LAK cells circulate inefficiently and survive poorly following
      systemic administration. However, enhanced accumulation of these cells in a
      particular organ might be achieved by direct administration of the A-LAK cells
      into the vessels feeding the organ.

PMID- 1421958
TI  - The most important needs of parents of critically ill children: parents'
      perceptions.
AB  - Research studies have identified the needs of relatives when they have had an
      adult family member in the intensive care unit. However little similar work has
      been done within the paediatric setting. Therefore the aim of this study was to
      examine what parents considered to be their most important needs, when they have
      a child ill in the intensive care environment (PICU). A questionnaire was
      designed, and was distributed to parents of 30 children admitted into a PICU. The
      questionnaire identified needs items which may be important to parents of sick
      children. The parents were required to indicate how important each need was to
      them during the time of the child's stay in the PICU. Results obtained indicate
      that parents have a strong need for information and relief of anxieties that they
      may have about their child's condition. A conclusion reached in this study is
      that if the critical care staff can go some way to assess and meet the needs of
      parents of critically ill children, then these parents may be more able to become
      effective partners in care, which may have therapeutic effects upon the child's
      health recovery.

PMID- 1421959
TI  - The nurse's role in organ donation from a brainstem dead patient: management of
      the family.
AB  - This paper suggests ways in which the nurse in charge of a brainstem dead patient
      can help in the management of the patient's family so that they can more easily
      and effectively come to terms with his or her death and consider the possibility
      of organ donation. Many nurses, in spite of their basic training, are unprepared
      to assume such a role successfully, and three areas are preliminarily identified
      for closer study, i.e. 1) the preparation of the family for brainstem death, 2)
      the approach to the family for possible organ donation, and 3) the care of the
      family throughout the process of organ donation. Certain recommendations are
      suggested which might help to promote the necessary caring approach to the
      problem. Review of literature on the nurse's role in such a situation shows how
      important that role is thought to be. Guidelines are tentatively laid down for
      explaining brainstem death and preparing the family for it; and the importance of
      their acceptance of the finality of death is stressed, so that they can begin the
      essential grieving process. Emphasis is also laid on the need for the nurse to
      adopt a sensitive, caring and supportive attitude which will help the family in
      their bereavement and encourage them to accept the possibility of organ donation.
      In conclusion, it is recommended that nurses be provided with more detailed
      advice and guidance on managing the family in the many aspects of such a
      situation.

PMID- 1421960
TI  - The applicability of a new sedation scale for intensive care.
AB  - Experience of the sedation scale, which was in use for the assessment of
      ventilated patients, in an intensive care unit revealed a number of deficiencies.
      Discussion suggested that an ideal scale should be more straightforward and
      easily understood by all levels of staff. It should also relate closely to the
      behaviour of the ventilated patient, and allow an optimal level of sedation;
      where the patient receives the minimum level of medication to allow pain and
      stress-free ventilation. A scale was devised with explanations of each level, and
      was incorporated in a revised sedation policy. In practice this was found to be
      an improvement over the scale that had been used previously.

PMID- 1421961
TI  - Pain following coronary artery bypass grafting: an exploration of contributing
      factors.
AB  - Patients suffer pain and discomfort in ICU following coronary artery bypass
      grafting (CABG). While the surgical procedure causes pain, it is the
      psychological state of the individual which influences his perception of the
      pain. For the patient undergoing cardiac surgery, several stressors may influence
      his psychological state, including coronary heart disease (CHD) itself, impending
      surgery and the intensive care unit (ICU) environment. The types of pain caused
      by the surgical procedure are discussed. Each of these aspects are brought
      together in an attempt to gain a better understanding of the patient's
      perspective of cardiac surgery, and any pain experienced as a result. Given the
      major influence of the patient's mind in pain perception, there is a need for
      nurses to consider alternative methods of pain relief in addition to drug
      therapy.

PMID- 1421962
TI  - Inotropes--an overview.
AB  - It is essential that nurses understand the drugs they are using, and the
      measurements they are monitoring. Inotropes are powerful drugs with immediate
      action. The aim of this article is to give an overview of the inotropes used
      commonly in intensive care environments, plus some of those currently undergoing
      investigation.

PMID- 1421963
TI  - Retention of advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation knowledge by intensive care
      trained nurses.
AB  - The teaching and reinforcing of advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ACPR) is
      an important part of the role of an intensive care nurse manager. This study
      highlights the need for a structured training programme, as well as regular
      updates in ACPR. Current research shows poor retention of CPR skills amongst
      nursing staff. A small study was undertaken amongst intensive care trained nurses
      at The Middlesex Hospital intensive care unit (ICU). 18 nurses took part in the
      study, and were each interviewed with regard to their knowledge of ACPR in
      December 1990. The period of time since last trained in ACPR ranged from 2 months
      4 years. Those who had been recently updated in ACPR (up to 4 months prior to
      interview) scored higher than those who were updated more than 2 years ago. The
      results showed that most nurses interviewed were only able to answer correctly
      half the questions asked. These results indicate that the nurses in the study
      generally demonstrated a severe lack of knowledge of ACPR. This indicates the
      need for a structured training package in ACPR, followed by frequent
      reinforcement of ACPR knowledge and skills for nurses practising in an ICU
      environment.

PMID- 1421964
TI  - A literature review of recent advances in enteral feeding and the increased
      understanding of the gut.
AB  - This literature review focuses on recent advances in enteral feeding and
      increased understanding of the role of the gut. The gut is beginning to be seen
      as a reservoir for bacteria and a source which contributes to multi-organ failure
      (MOF) due to translocation of bacteria, in addition to its usual functions.
      Enteral feeding as discussed in this article is a method of feeding which
      frequently involves nurses at the bedside, yet so many seem unfamiliar with
      recent research on the topic. A simple change to intermittent enteral feeding
      could be more beneficial for patients than continuous feeding. Indeed, continuous
      feeding may even be harmful, and as Florence Nightingale stated in her book Notes
      on Hospitals in 1858, hospitals should do no harm to patients.

PMID- 1421966
TI  - Mutagenic activity of copper(II) chromate and dichromate complexes with
      polypyridines.
AB  - Copper(II) chromate and dichromate complexes with 2,2'-bipyridyl and 1,10
      phenathroline were tested for their mutagenic activity in the standard Ames test.
      All of six tested complexes exhibited markedly lower mutagenic activity than the
      reference compounds--potassium dichromate and sodium chromate. The blockage of
      Cr(VI) reduction capability in the presence of the complex Cu2+ ion and the
      competition between copper and chromium ions in the interaction with cellular
      components are discussed in the light of the results of our previous chemical
      study.

PMID- 1421967
TI  - Modulation of chromium(VI) toxicity by organic and inorganic sulfur species in
      yeasts from industrial wastes.
AB  - Two chromium(VI) resistant yeast strains (Candida sp. and Rhodosporidium sp.)
      were isolated from industrial wastes. Four different yeasts, three from the
      Industrial Yeast Collection and one of pharmaceutical origin, were also studied
      in relation to chromate toxicity and its alleviation by sulfur species. The
      growth of yeasts from industrial wastes was inhibited by 50% by high
      concentrations of Cr(VI): Candida sp. by 4 mM Cr(VI) and Rhodosporidium sp. by 10
      mM Cr(VI) in Sabouraud Broth medium. The other Cr(VI)-sensitive yeasts were
      inhibited by 0.1 mM Cr(VI). The general mechanism of chromium resistance in
      Candida sp. and Rhodosporidium sp. was due to reduced uptake of chromium, but not
      to biological reduction from Cr(VI) to Cr(III). In Cr(VI)-sensitive yeasts,
      chromium was accumulated as much as 10-fold, as in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
      Cr(VI) toxicity in Candida sp. was modulated from Cr(VI)-resistance to Cr(VI)
      hypersensitivity depending on the addition of methionine, cysteine, sulfate and
      djenkolic acid. If Candida sp. was grown in the presence of S-amino acids,
      especially methionine, it was more resistant than if the sulfur source was
      sulfate. When sulfate transport was enhanced by addition of djenkolic acid,
      Candida sp. became hypersensitive. Rhosporidium sp. was always resistant to
      Cr(VI) because sulfate transport was inefficient and it assimilated sulfur as S
      amino acids. Cr(VI)-sensitive yeasts required larger amounts of S-amino acids,
      especially methionine, to tolerate Cr(VI) toxicity. Cysteine was toxic for
      C.famata 6016 above 50 microM.

PMID- 1421965
TI  - An iron-sulfur cluster plays a novel regulatory role in the iron-responsive
      element binding protein.
AB  - Post-transcriptional regulation of genes important in iron metabolism, ferritin
      and the transferrin receptor (TfR), is achieved through regulated binding of a
      cytosolic protein, the iron-responsive element binding protein (IRE-BP), to RNA
      stem-loop motifs known as iron-responsive elements (IREs). Binding of the IRE-BP
      represses ferritin translation and represses degradation of the TfR mRNA. The IRE
      BP senses iron levels and accordingly modifies binding to IREs through a novel
      sensing mechanism. An iron-sulfur cluster of the IRE-BP reversibly binds iron;
      when cytosolic iron levels are depleted, the cluster becomes depleted of iron and
      the IRE-BP acquires the capacity to bind IREs. When cytosolic iron levels are
      replete, the IRE-BP loses RNA binding capacity, but acquires enzymatic activity
      as a functional aconitase. RNA binding and aconitase activity are mutually
      exclusive activities of the IRE-BP, and the state of the iron-sulfur cluster
      determines how the IRE-BP will function.

PMID- 1421969
TI  - [Exploration on English translation of basic theoretical term of traditional
      Chinese medicine].

PMID- 1421968
TI  - Analogous copper(I) coordination in metallothionein from yeast and the separate
      domains of the mammalian protein.
AB  - The three-dimensional structures of both vertebrate Cu12-metallothionein (class
      1) and yeast Cu8-thionein (class 2) are still unknown. The different
      copper:protein stoichiometry compared with that of the (ZnCd)7-metallothioneins
      was expected to alter the metal-thiolate cluster structure considerably. In order
      to avoid possible domain interactions in the hepatic rat metallothionein,
      separate chemically synthesized alpha- and beta-domains were used rather than the
      apoprotein. Apo yeast thionein, and the alpha- and beta-domains of rat liver
      metallothionein-2 were reconstituted by Cu(I) titration. Reconstitution steps
      were monitored using spectroscopic methods including luminescence emission and
      circular dichroism. Upon UV irradiation a linear increase in intensity of the
      orange-red luminescence was observed near 600 nm up to 6 Cu eq using either
      compound regardless of the different cysteine sulfer content (yeast thionein 12S,
      alpha-domain 11S, beta-domain 9S). The characteristic dichroic properties of the
      yeast copper-protein between 240 and 400 nm were in good agreement with those of
      the respective class 1 metallothionein domains. All observed Cotton bands were of
      similar shape and appeared in the same wavelength regions. However, the molar
      ellipticities were less pronounced in the alpha- and beta-fragments employed.
      There appears to be a striking similarity between the oligonuclear Cu(I) binding
      centers in all metallothionein species.

PMID- 1421970
TI  - [Clinical study of yi shen ning for treatment of kidney-yang deficiency after
      hormone withdrawal of primary nephrotic syndrome--clinical analysis of 100
      cases].
AB  - This paper reports that Yi Shen Ning (YSN) which acts as warming and tonifying
      Kidney-Yang was administrated on 100 cases of primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS)
      while adrenocortical hormone (ACTH) was diminished to half dosage. The results
      showed that to apply the integrated TCM and WM according to the different stage
      of PNS was quite effective to treat deficient syndrome of Kidney-Yang appeared
      after withdrawal of ACTH. This recipe not only could improve the symptoms, but
      also pick plasma cortisol up earlier than expected, which was inhibited by
      exogenous hormone. The total remission rate of YSN group was 68.75%, higher than
      that of ACTH group (P < 0.05), especially for the cases dependent on exogenous
      hormone, the re-acquired remission rate reached to 58.3%.

PMID- 1421972
TI  - [Effect of Cordyceps sinesis on T-lymphocyte subsets in chronic renal failure].
AB  - Synchronous measurements of renal function and T-cell subsets were taken in 51
      cases of chronic renal failure (CRF) patients. Cordyceps sinesis 3-5 g/d was
      given to 28 out of these 51 patients, which was considered as follow-up group.
      The results were stated as follows: (1) Obvious decrease of OKT3, OKT4, OKT4/OKT8
      was found in CRF (P < 0.01). (2) OKT4 and OKT4/OKT8 were proportional to plasma
      albumin and Hb levels (P < 0.05). (3) After administration of Cordyceps sinesis,
      improvement of renal function and OKT4, OKT4/OKT8 were confirmed. This study
      indicated that cellular immune function was decreased in CRF. Administration of
      Cordyceps sinesis might improve their renal function and as the same time enhance
      the cellular immune function in CRF.

PMID- 1421971
TI  - [Preliminary experimental and clinical study of the treatment of chronic renal
      insufficiency by granule of yi-qi bu-shen].
AB  - The effects of the granule of Yi-Qi Bu-Shen on the chronic renal insufficiency
      (CRI) was studied. 30 cases of CRI patients using the granule was compared with
      other 23 CRI patients by using Aldehyde-coating Oxidated Starch in same
      conditions. The effective rate of these 2 groups were 53, 3% and 42.9%
      respectively (P > 0.05). According to laboratory observation, the granule had the
      ability to reduce BUN, Scr, Ch, TG and increase Ccr, Hb. The granule also could
      relieve symptom of Kidney-deficiency. Animal experimental research suggested the
      granule had the function of reducing BUN, Scr and could improve pathological
      changes in rat kidneys. The conclusion were that the granule was effective on
      treating CRI and could postpone the progress of CRI.

PMID- 1421973
TI  - [Long-term effect of Schonlein-Henoch nephritis with nephritic-nephrotic syndrome
      in children by traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine].
AB  - 21 cases are fully agreed with the diagnosis standard of Schonlein-Henoch
      nephritis. Biopsy on the kidney of 5 cases with resistant duration was made and
      all were diagnosed as mesenteric hyperplastic glomerular nephritis, among them,
      one with segmental sclerosis, one with segmental sclerosis and crescents in some
      glomerulus. 13 cases were treated with prednisone, cyclophosphamide and
      Traditional Chinese herbs. 8 cases with wilfordine adding and/or traditional
      Chinese herbs. The results showed that 15 of 21 cases were cured, one case
      perfect remission, 4 cases part remission. All of the cases were followed-up from
      2 years and 10 months to 12 years and 4 months, average 7.34 years. The late
      results: Group A, 16 cases with symptom, physical exam, urine routine normal.
      Group B, 4 cases with microscopic hematuria and/or "a little-(+)" urinary
      protein. Group C, one case with "+2" urinary protein and/or hypertension, urinary
      creatinine clearance rate normal. Of 5 cases, whose biopsies of kidney were made,
      one with glomerular segmental sclerosis belonged to Group B. 13 of 21 cases had
      recurrence for 1-6 times, which was closed related with up respiratory tract
      infection.

PMID- 1421974
TI  - [Treatment of purpuric nephritis in children with Tripterygium wilfordii and
      radix Salviae miltiorrhizae].
AB  - This paper dealt with the data of Tripterygium wilfordii polyoglucoside (1
      mg/kg.d) combined with Radix Salvaie multiorrhizae (6-15 g/d) for treating
      purpuric nephritis (group-A), compared with the control group of using
      Tripterygium wilfordii polyoglucoside treatment only (group-B). The average time
      of edema-disappearing and blood pressure-resuming to normal range were 8.72 +/-
      3.07 and 7.44 +/- 5.17 days in group-A, which were much better than those in
      group-B (P < 0.05). The average time of blood urine-disappearing in group-A and
      group-B were 36.37 +/- 11.50 and 47.73 +/- 14.03 days respectively. The average
      time on C3 in the urine resumed to normal in groups A and B were 40.33 +/- 4.51
      and 50.00 +/- 5.30 days respectively (P < 0.01). The time of microcirculation of
      nail fold returned to normal after treatment in group-A and group-B were 39.00 +/
      11.03 and 66.00 +/- 9.01 days respectively (P < 0.001). These results indicated
      that the effect of group-A was much better than that of group-B.

PMID- 1421975
TI  - [Salvia miltiorrhizae in the treatment of the viral myocarditis].
AB  - In Order to evaluate the effect of Salvia miltiorrhizae (SM) on the acute viral
      myocarditis (AVM), 60 children with AVM were studied. The patients were divided
      in random into two groups, group 1 treated with vit. C, ATP, CoA (n = 30), group
      II with SM plus vit. C, ATP, CoA (n = 30). The levels of plasma lipid peroxide
      (LPO), erythrocyte membrane microviscosity (EMMV), LDH, CPK, GOT and ECG in each
      patient were determined before and after one course of treatments respectively.
      The results revealed that before treatment the levels of plasma LPO and EMMV in
      both groups increased significantly compared with those of normal controls (n =
      30, P < 0.01) respectively. There was a close correlation between LPO and EMMV (r
      = 0.6774, P < 0.01) and a close correlation between LPO and LDH (r = 0.5703, P <
      0.01). After one course, the levels of plasma LPO and EMMV in both groups
      decreased significantly (compared with those before treatment, P < 0.01,
      respectively). But the LPO level and EMMV in group I were much higher than those
      in normal controls yet (P < 0.05, respectively). And LDH, GOT and ECG in nearly
      half of the patients in group I did not recover after one course while most
      patients in group II recovered. The results suggested that free radical plays an
      important role in the pathogenesis of AVM. SM as a good antioxidant, could
      protect myocardium from repairing membrane damage and clearing away free radical.
      This provided a new approach to treatment of viral myocarditis.

PMID- 1421976
TI  - [Reduction of genotoxic damage in oral mucosa with myasthenia gravis by
      traditional Chinese medicine].
AB  - Micronucleated exfoliated cell (MEC) of oral mucosa of 40 patients with
      myasthenia gravis (MG) and 54 normal controls were observed by means of
      micronucleus test. The frequency of MEC of two groups were 9.56/1000 and
      2.55/1000 respectively, and their difference was remarkably significant (P <
      0.001). 22 cases were treated by TCM Qiang Ji Jian Li Capsule. The frequency of
      MEC after treatment fell from 14.38/1000 to 6.00/1000. The difference was
      significant (P < 0.002). The frequency of Spleen-asthenia group higher than that
      of non-Spleen-asthenia (P < 0.05). The results revealed that. The patients with
      MG had genotoxic damage. (2) The constitution with the Spleen-asthenia and the
      genotoxic damage was related. (3) Qiang Ji Jian Li Capsule of invigorating the
      Spleen and benefiting Qi could reduce the genotoxic damage.

PMID- 1421977
TI  - [Couch-netting operation for dislocation of adult lens].
AB  - Clinical data of 12 adult cases of dislocation of lens treated with couching
      netting operating were analysed, including cases of traumatic cataracts with
      complications of glaucoma and cataract couching surgical complication of
      phacolysis. The result was rather satisfactory. Eye sight was corrected, most of
      the corrective vision was over 0.5 level, intraocular pressure was controlled and
      no serious complication was found. According to the authors experience, couching
      netting was recommended as a simple and effective method for treating dislocation
      of adult lens.

PMID- 1421979
TI  - [Experimental study of preventing liver cirrhosis by using four kinds of Chinese
      herbs].
AB  - 55 rats were divided into six groups; (1) normal control, (2) cirrhosis control,
      (3-6) Chinese herbs groups, 2-6 groups were liver cirrhosis model caused by
      combined factor dominated by CCl4, and 3-6 groups were given Chinese herbs
      simultaneously until the end of sixth week. Radix Salviae miltlorrhizae (RSM)
      were used in group 3, Flos Carthami (FC) in group 4, Radix Angelicae sinensis
      (RAS) in group 5, Semen persicae (SP) in group 6. THE RESULTS: in group 2, 7 out
      of 9 rats developed into cirrhosis, the degree of fibrosis was 2.55+ and collagen
      protein content was 35.3 mg/g.liver, SGPT 387u. In group 3(RSM), no cirrhosis was
      found, the degree of the fibrosis was 0.43+ (compared with group 2, P < 0.01,
      collagen protein content was 16.7 mg/g.liver (P < 0.01), SGPT 132u (P < 0.01). In
      group 4(FC), 8 out of 9 rats did not develop into cirrhosis, collagen content
      21.1 mg/g.liver, compared with group 2, P < 0.05. In the group of 5 and 6, some
      rats were developed into cirrhosis. The result showed that RSM and FC possessed
      an inhibitory effect on fibrogenesis. The effect of RSM was remarkable. It could
      prevent experimental cirrhosis. The effect of RAS and SP were uncertain. This
      experiment predicted that RAM would become the promising drug to restrain chronic
      hepatic disease from developing into cirrhosis clinically.

PMID- 1421978
TI  - [Effect of radix Salviae miltiorrhizae on calcium, zinc, copper content in serum,
      callus and bony tissue in early stage of healing process in rat closed tibial
      fracture].
AB  - Changes of calcium, zinc, copper contents in serum, callus and bony tissue in the
      early stage of the healing process of rat closed tibial fracture, also the
      changes of them with radix Salviae miltiorrhizae (RSM) treatment were studied. It
      was found that calcium, zinc contents and Zn/Cu ratio increased significantly and
      the rise of serum copper content was inhibited by the administration of RSM after
      fracture. Zn/Cu ratio in fracture callus was correlated to the calcium content in
      fracture callus. These findings suggested that the effect of the promotion of RSM
      on fracture healing was related to the increased zinc content in serum, also
      related to the acceleration of mobilization of zinc in fractured bone, and to the
      acceleration of fracture callus formation and mineralization process by the
      increased zinc and Zn/Cu ratio in the callus of the fracture.

PMID- 1421980
TI  - [Experimental study of anisodamine on therapeutic effect of pulmonary edema in
      rats].
AB  - The pulmonary edema (PE) induced by adrenaline (AD) is similar to neurogenic
      pulmonary edema. Anisodamine (654-2) showed an apparent therapeutic effect on it.
      The pulmonary wedge arterial pressure (PAWP), carotid arterial pressure (CAP) and
      blood gases were measured. It was found that in PE group, PAWP was increased to
      four-fold compared with those from before AD administration (from 0.98 +/- 0.24
      to 4.04 +/- 0.53 kPa, mean +/- SD) rapidly. CAP was increased to one fold. The
      changes of PaO2,O2Sat and PaCO2 showed progressive hypoxia. The PaO2(kPa) was
      11.0 +/- 1.3, 6.1 +/- 1.7, 4.4 +/- 1.9 and 3.8 +/- 1.9, PaCO2(kPa) was 4.1 +/-
      2.1, 5.4 +/- 0.8, 9.7 +/- 2.9 and 10.3 +/- 3.4, O2 Sat(%) was 95.6 +/- 16.0, 69.2
      +/- 15.1, 48.9 +/- 22.0, and 33.7 +/- 25.9 in order before AD injection, 1, 5 min
      after AD injection and before death respectively. Blood pH value also decreased
      in apparent way. All of animal died within 15 min. While in 654-2 therapeutic
      group, the significant increased PAWP and CAP were decreased gradually to normal
      within 30 min. The abnormal blood gases and pH were approached to repair within
      20 min. All of animals survived.

PMID- 1421981
TI  - [In-depth research of the basic theory for the development of traditional Chinese
      medicine].

PMID- 1421982
TI  - [Immunopharmacology of Angelica sinensis].

PMID- 1421983
TI  - Limits to the criminal law in healthcare.

PMID- 1421984
TI  - Using humour as therapy in clinical practice.

PMID- 1421985
TI  - Suction therapy in the critically ill patient.
AB  - Caring for patients with inefficient airway function who need suctioning requires
      a great deal of nursing skill. This article outlines the methods of suction
      therapy currently available, the role of research in improving clinical practice
      and the way in which new technology may be used to benefit both patient and
      nurse.

PMID- 1421986
TI  - Minitracheostomy: the benefits for patient care.
AB  - Sputum retention is a potential complication following thoracic surgery. This
      article describes minitracheostomy, a technique that is commonly used in thoracic
      units to clear secretions, examines its advantages and disadvantages and
      recommends its more widespread use in district general hospitals.

PMID- 1421987
TI  - Caring for patients with enterocutaneous fistulae.
AB  - Fistulae are distressing for both patients and staff. The management of fistulae
      presents a challenge to the nurse in terms of providing care for the
      psychological and physiological needs of the patient. This article describes the
      causes of fistulae and examines the nursing priorities and how to achieve them.

PMID- 1421988
TI  - Caring for a homosexual man undergoing a colostomy formation.

PMID- 1421989
TI  - Implications of the theory/practice gap for Project 2000 students.
AB  - Nursing has frequently attempted to address the gap between theory and practice.
      This article explores their relationship and the implications of any
      theory/practice gap for emergent Project 2000 students.

PMID- 1421990
TI  - First aid: no longer an ephemeral feminine fashion.

PMID- 1421991
TI  - Rights to healthcare and the role of the nurse practitioner.
AB  - With the recent developments in healthcare now coming into effect, it is
      necessary to consider rights to healthcare, the balance of supply and demand and
      the role of the nurse practitioner as patient advocate.

PMID- 1421992
TI  - Career development in intensive care: 2.
AB  - In part 1 of this article, intensive care nursing and the career opportunities
      that are available were discussed. Part 2 will examine postregistration intensive
      care training and career progressions from grade D level to senior/specialist
      posts.

PMID- 1421993
TI  - Consumer satisfaction surveys in mental health.
AB  - Treating clients of mental health services as consumers is a relatively new
      concept in Britain. This article seeks to explain the development of consumer
      satisfaction surveys, reviews the literature, and identifies ways in which the
      approach can be used to improve services.

PMID- 1421994
TI  - Edema pattern of bones. Diagnosis and differential diagnosis in patients with
      knee pain.

PMID- 1421995
TI  - The evolution of post-traumatic osteoarthritis: its relationship to occult post
      traumatic subcortical fractures identified on MRI.

PMID- 1421996
TI  - MRI of the shoulder.
AB  - MR imaging of the shoulder has become an important imaging modality for that
      joint. Excellent soft tissue contrast and multiplanar acquisition provide optimal
      assessment of muscle, tendons, hyaline and fibrous cartilage, joint capsules,
      fat, bursae and bone marrow. The most common indications for shoulder MRI are
      suspected rotator cuff tear, shoulder instability, osteonecrosis, neoplasm and
      infection. In this article we describe MR technique, special anatomy of the
      shoulder, and diagnostic MR criteria of common pathologic conditions.

PMID- 1421997
TI  - [MRT of epiphyseolysis capitis femoris].
AB  - MR imaging provides exact measurement of the epiphyseal angle by drawing a
      ventral tangent to the femoral neck in parasagittal images along the femoral
      neck. The average MR imaging angle was 49.7 degrees in SCFE. Important
      information is provided about the activity of the slipping process (reattachment)
      and the contralateral epiphysis.

PMID- 1421998
TI  - The lumbar spine: postoperative magnetic resonance imaging.
AB  - Persistent low back pain after surgery can be a severe diagnostic and therapeutic
      problem. By using MRI many causes of this failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) can
      be disclosed. MRI is superior to other imaging modalities in this concern. In
      this article we describe the MR technique, normal and abnormal findings of the
      postoperative lumbar spine, such as persistent or recurrent disc herniation,
      epidural scar, spinal stenosis, pseudomeningocele, arachnoiditis, pseudarthrosis,
      hematoma, and infection.

PMID- 1422000
TI  - [MRT in osteomyelitis: detection of bone sequestration with Gd-DTPA].
AB  - In 4/12 patients with subacute or chronic osteomyelitis MRI was able to detect
      bone sequestrae by use of gadolinium DTPA. This method is of great advantage in
      cases of infections not originating from osteosynthetic material. In patients in
      whom osteosynthetic material was removed completely, invisible metallic residuals
      may lead to signal deterioration.

PMID- 1421999
TI  - MRI of spondylitis.
AB  - MRI of proven spondylitis was performed in 39 patients. Acute spondylitis
      appeared hypointense on T1-weighted and hyperintense on T2-weighted images.
      Following intravenous administration of Gd-DTPA, enhancement of the marrow and
      disc was seen. With progressive healing an increasing signal was seen on T1
      weighted images. This was caused by the presence of focal fat marrow representing
      the first sign of therapy response. As healing progressed, the T1-signal
      increased due to fatty marrow, while the T2-signal decreased as well as the
      enhancement following Gd-DTPA administration. Therefore, MR imaging can be
      recommended as the method of choice for early diagnosis of spondylitis and
      assessment of therapy response.

PMID- 1422001
TI  - MRI and MRS of the skeletal muscle.
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy were performed in several types of
      muscular disorders. In acute stages, 31P spectra showed remarkable changes
      compared with normals, and T2-weighted MR images were most sensitive in
      delineating the pathology. Fatty degeneration of muscle in chronic diseases
      yielded high contrast in T1-weighted MRI and could be quantified by 1H-MRS
      including the chemically selective determination of proton T1 values. In order to
      evaluate true abundance rations of phosphorus metabolites, 31P relaxation times
      T1 of muscle were measured by localized inversion recovery.

PMID- 1422002
TI  - [Digital documentation of image and findings].

PMID- 1422003
TI  - DNA sequencing with chain-terminating inhibitors. 1977.

PMID- 1422004
TI  - Immunological screening method to detect specific translation products. 1978.

PMID- 1422005
TI  - Colony hybridization: a method for the isolation of cloned DNAs that contain a
      specific gene. 1975.

PMID- 1422006
TI  - Detection of specific sequences among DNA fragments separated by gel
      electrophoresis. 1975.

PMID- 1422007
TI  - Use of synthetic oligonucleotides as hybridization probes: isolation of cloned
      cDNA sequences for human beta 2-microglobulin. 1981.

PMID- 1422008
TI  - Electrophoretic transfer of proteins from polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose
      sheets: procedure and some applications. 1979.

PMID- 1422009
TI  - Construction and characterization of new cloning vehicles. II. A multipurpose
      cloning system. 1977.

PMID- 1422010
TI  - Specific enzymatic amplification of DNA in vitro: the polymerase chain reaction.
      1986.

PMID- 1422011
TI  - Cloning of large segments of exogenous DNA into yeast by means of artificial
      chromosome vectors. 1987.

PMID- 1422012
TI  - A colony bank containing synthetic Col El hybrid plasmids representative of the
      entire E. coli genome. 1976.

PMID- 1422013
TI  - Construction of biologically functional bacterial plasmids in vitro. 1973.

PMID- 1422014
TI  - Cosmids: a type of plasmid gene-cloning vector that is packageable in vitro in
      bacteriophage lamda heads. 1978.

PMID- 1422015
TI  - Calcium-dependent bacteriophage DNA infection. 1970.

PMID- 1422016
TI  - A new pair of M13 vectors for selecting either DNA strand of double-digest
      restriction fragments. 1982.

PMID- 1422017
TI  - High-efficiency cloning of full-length cDNA. 1982.

PMID- 1422018
TI  - Construction of coliphage lambda charon vectors with BamH1 cloning sites. 1980.

PMID- 1422019
TI  - Insertion of a rabbit beta-globin gene sequence into an E. coli plasmid. 1975.

PMID- 1422020
TI  - Rat insulin genes: construction of plasmids containing the coding sequences.
      1977.

PMID- 1422021
TI  - The use of RNAs complementary to specific mRNAs to regulate the expression of
      individual bacterial genes. 1984.

PMID- 1422022
TI  - A technique for expressing eukaryotic genes in bacteria. 1980.

PMID- 1422024
TI  - A cDNA cloning vector that permits expression of cDNA inserts in mammalian cells.
      1983.

PMID- 1422023
TI  - Simple RNA enzymes with new and highly specific endoribonuclease activities.
      1988.

PMID- 1422025
TI  - A further study of the T4 ligase-catalyzed joining of DNA at base-paired ends.
      1972.

PMID- 1422026
TI  - A bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase/promoter system for controlled exclusive
      expression of specific genes. 1985.

PMID- 1422027
TI  - Characterization of the human factor VIII gene. 1984.

PMID- 1422028
TI  - Human growth hormone: complementary DNA cloning and expression in bacteria. 1979.

PMID- 1422029
TI  - Synthesis in E. coli of a polypeptide with human leukocyte interferon activity.
      1980.

PMID- 1422030
TI  - Structure and expression of a cloned cDNA for human interleukin-2. 1983.

PMID- 1422031
TI  - Molecular cloning of a cDNA encoding human antihaemophilic factor. 1984.

PMID- 1422032
TI  - A bacterial clone synthesizing proinsulin. 1978.

PMID- 1422033
TI  - Secretion of foreign proteins from Saccharomyces cerevisiae directed by alpha
      factor gene fusions. 1984.

PMID- 1422035
TI  - Transformation of yeast. 1978.

PMID- 1422034
TI  - Phenotypic expression in E. coli of a DNA sequence coding for mouse dihydrofolate
      reductase. 1978.

PMID- 1422036
TI  - Molecular cloning of the whole biosynthetic pathway of a Streptomyces antibiotic
      and its expression in a heterologous host. 1984.

PMID- 1422037
TI  - Secretion of Escherichia coli beta-lactamase from Bacillus subtilis by the aid of
      alpha-amylase signal sequence. 1982.

PMID- 1422038
TI  - Isolation and purification of protein granules from Escherichia coli cells
      overproducing bovine growth hormone. 1985.

PMID- 1422039
TI  - Functional genetic expression of eukaryotic DNA in Escherichia coli. 1976.

PMID- 1422040
TI  - Bacteria mature preproinsulin to proinsulin. 1980.

PMID- 1422041
TI  - A chimaeric antibiotic resistance gene as a selectable marker for plant cell
      transformation. 1983.

PMID- 1422042
TI  - Propagation of foreign DNA in plants using cauliflower mosaic virus as vector.
      1981.

PMID- 1422043
TI  - The Agrobacterium tumefaciens Ti plasmid as a host vector system for introducing
      foreign DNA in plant cells. 1980.

PMID- 1422044
TI  - Expression of chimaeric genes transferred into plant cells using a Ti-plasmid
      derived vector. 1983.

PMID- 1422045
TI  - Expression of Ti plasmid genes in monocotyledonous plants infected with
      Agrobacterium tumefaciens. 1984.

PMID- 1422046
TI  - High-velocity microprojectiles for delivering nucleic acids into living cells.
      1987.

PMID- 1422047
TI  - Direct gene transfer to plants. 1984.

PMID- 1422048
TI  - Selective multiplication of dihydrofolate reductase genes in methotrexate
      resistant variants of cultured murine cells. 1978.

PMID- 1422049
TI  - Production of human tissue plasminogen activator in transgenic mouse milk. 1987.

PMID- 1422050
TI  - Dramatic growth of mice that develop from eggs microinjected with metallothionein
      growth hormone fusion genes. 1982.

PMID- 1422051
TI  - Production of human beta interferon in insect cells infected with a baculovirus
      expression vector. 1983.

PMID- 1422052
TI  - Transformation of mammalian cells with genes from prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
      1979.

PMID- 1422053
TI  - Dystrophin: the protein product of the Duchene muscular dystrophy locus. 1987.

PMID- 1422054
TI  - Hypervariable 'minisatellite' regions in human DNA. 1985.

PMID- 1422055
TI  - Prenatal diagnosis of alpha-thalassemia clinical application of molecular
      hybridization. 1976.

PMID- 1422056
TI  - Enzymatic amplification of beta-globin genomic sequences and restriction site
      analysis for diagnosis of sickle cell anemia. 1985.

PMID- 1422057
TI  - Evolution of sickle variant gene. 1979.

PMID- 1422058
TI  - Synthesis of hepatitis B surface and core antigens in E. coli. 1981.

PMID- 1422060
TI  - Vaccinia virus: a selectable eukaryotic cloning and expression vector. 1982.

PMID- 1422059
TI  - Influenza antigenic determinants are expressed from haemagglutinin genes cloned
      in Escherichia coli. 1980.

PMID- 1422061
TI  - Human hepatitis B vaccine from recombinant yeast. 1984.

PMID- 1422062
TI  - Construction of poxviruses as cloning vectors: insertion of the thymidine kinase
      gene from herpes simplex virus into the DNA of infectious vaccinia virus. 1982.

PMID- 1422063
TI  - Protection from rabies by a vaccinia virus recombinant containing the rabies
      virus glycoprotein gene. 1984.

PMID- 1422064
TI  - Generation of a large combinatorial library of the immunoglobulin repertoire in
      phage lambda. 1989.

PMID- 1422065
TI  - Continuous cultures of fused cells secreting antibody of predefined specificity.
      1975.

PMID- 1422066
TI  - Cloning immunoglobulin variable domains for expression by the polymerase chain
      reaction. 1989.

PMID- 1422067
TI  - Microorganisms having multiple compatible degradative energy-generating plasmids
      and preparation thereof. 1980.

PMID- 1422068
TI  - Process for producing biologically functional molecular chimeras. 1979.

PMID- 1422069
TI  - Transgenic non-human mammals. 1984.

PMID- 1422070
TI  - The intervening sequence RNA of Tetrahymena is an enzyme. 1986.

PMID- 1422071
TI  - DNA sequencing with Thermus acquaticus DNA polymerase and direct sequencing of
      polymerase chain reaction-amplified DNA. 1988.

PMID- 1422072
TI  - Site-specific mutagenesis using synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotide primers: I.
      Optimum conditions and minimum oligodeoxyribonucleotide length. 1979.

PMID- 1422073
TI  - Synthesis of deoxyoligonucleotides on a polymer support. 1981.

PMID- 1422074
TI  - A new method for sequencing DNA. 1977.

PMID- 1422075
TI  - Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), aldosterone, angiotensin II and renin in the
      'low T3 syndrome' in organ donors.
AB  - The present prospective study was conducted in order to investigate the effect of
      an acute decrease in serum T3 levels on ANP, aldosterone, angiotensin II, renin
      and ADH. All patients showed a pathologic TRH stimulation test prior to organ
      harvesting. Our patients developed secondary T3 hypothyroidism of different
      severity dependent on intensive care unit (ICU) stay. T3 values in group 1 (ICU
      stay > or = 77 h) were smaller than 70 ng/dl, those of group 2 (ICU stay < or =
      53 h) were greater than 70 ng/dl. In both groups a severe elevation of plasma
      renin activity was measured, with almost high-normal values for ANP in group 1
      and slightly elevated values in group 2 [not significant (n.s.)]. Results
      demonstrate that, contrary to patients who are not critically ill, brain-dead
      patients develop a dissociation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone mechanism.
      No statistical significant difference was found between the groups in serum
      levels of ADH and aldosterone. This endocrine dissociation, however, seems to
      have no clinical significance with regard to organ function after transplantation
      in kidney recipients.

PMID- 1422076
TI  - Application of an automated plasma filtration device and a blood monitoring
      system for LDL apheresis.
AB  - This study describes the adaptation of a filtration separation device (AK 10 from
      Gambro, Munchen, FRG) and a blood monitor system (BTS 100 from Diamed, Koln, FRG)
      to the automated adsorption/desorption device for LDL apheresis. Plasma
      separation by filtration was performed by a hollow-fiber filter (OP5, Asahi
      Corp., Japan). In order to evaluate the quality of the plasma obtained by
      filtration, the platelet contamination, the activity of factors V and VIII and
      the concentration of the immunoglobulins IgG and IgM were determined. The
      following results were found: Platelet contamination of the plasma was
      2,740/microliters. As compared to the patient's pretreatment values, activity of
      factor V was 94%, activity of factor VIII was 104%, concentration of IgG was 96%,
      concentration of IgM was 94%. Ten LDL aphereses were evaluated: red cell counts,
      platelet counts, hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit were not changed
      significantly. Thus, this new combination system represents an improved
      alternative to previously performed centrifugation methods.

PMID- 1422077
TI  - Bedside monitoring of anti-coagulation under LDL apheresis by means of aPTT
      testing with a coagulation monitor.
AB  - Optimally adjusted anticoagulation under LDL apheresis is essential for
      successful treatment: Excessive anticoagulation exposes the outpatient to the
      risk of uncontrolled hemorrhage, insufficient anticoagulation may shorten the
      duration of utilization of the immune-adsorption columns. A new device
      (coagulation monitor 512, Ciba Corning) allows individual adaptation of dosage
      and timing of heparin application by modifying the standard schedule (5,000 IU
      intravenously before treatment, 2,000 IU/h continuously). APTT was measured
      before and after application of heparin and then at 30-min intervals both by the
      coagulation monitor and by conventional laboratory methods; the respective
      heparin concentration was determined in addition. The correlation coefficient
      between the heparin concentration and both the monitor-derived and the laboratory
      derived aPTT was 0.811 and 0.590, respectively. An explanation for this finding
      might be that the monitor avoids the influences induced by subsequent collection
      and testing of samples associated with laboratory procedures.

PMID- 1422078
TI  - [LDL cholesterol apheresis by adsorption to dextran sulfate].
AB  - Extracorporeal LDL cholesterol elimination may be the sole successful treatment
      in familial hypercholesterolemia. By treatment of 41 plasma both total
      cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were lowered by 69 +/- 1% and 78 +/- 1%,
      respectively. HDL cholesterol was decreased by 24 +/- 3%. This could be explained
      both by hemodilution (hematocrit was decreased by 9.3 +/- 2.8%) and unspecific
      adsorption of various plasma proteins (-15.3 +/- 3.7 g/l, i.e. -22 +/- 4%).
      Protein electrophoresis showed different affinities of the protein fractions.
      These data suggest that LDL apheresis by dextran sulfate is an effective method
      for the elimination of LDL cholesterol. However, other proteins besides
      apolipoprotein B are adsorbed to dextran sulfate.

PMID- 1422079
TI  - Platelet loss during plasma exchange is unaffected by in-line filters.
AB  - 15 patients underwent plasma exchange using a standard 170-microns in-line filter
      with or without an additional 40-microns microaggregate filter in the return
      circuit. The mean platelet count fall immediately after plasma exchange in 15
      patients was (54 +/- 6) x 10(9)/l and 48 h later was (23 +/- 8) x 10(9)/l
      representing a mean total platelet loss immediately after plasma exchange of (253
      +/- 31) x 10(9) with no difference in the 40-microns filtered procedures. The
      mean platelet loss in the discarded plasma was (60 +/- 8) x 10(9), and a mean of
      52 x 10(9) platelets were recovered from machine harness washings. The platelet
      loss in the removed plasma and in the harness therefore accounted for only 42-44%
      of the total loss of platelets. The inclusion of 40-microns microaggregate
      filters did not reduce platelet loss, and it is therefore unlikely that the
      thrombocytopenia is induced by reinfused microaggregates. It is likely that
      platelets are activated in the machine and sequestered in the spleen.

PMID- 1422080
TI  - The role of lipoproteins in the inactivation of endotoxin by serum.
AB  - The lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced release of cytokines from human monocytes
      can be prevented by previous interaction of serum with LPS. This inactivation is
      a function of lipoproteins. Here we show that LPS can be inactivated by low
      density lipoproteins (LDL) as well as by high-density lipoproteins (HDL). The
      effects of heparin and EDTA on LPS inactivation by serum are also described.

PMID- 1422081
TI  - Screening of blood donors and recipients for Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies: no
      evidence of B. burgdorferi infection transmitted by transfusion.
AB  - In the study presented here, the prevalence of antibodies against Borrelia
      burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme borreliosis, was determined in a group
      of blood donors from the Wurzburg area (Southern Germany). 13 of 472 donors
      (2.7%) tested were positive by immunoblotting (IB). These 13 donors were examined
      in more detail by physical examination, anamnesis and determination of
      inflammation parameters of the blood. All persons were asymptomatic for Lyme
      borreliosis. One of 5 who remembered a tick bite actually had suffered from an
      erythema chronicum migrans 5 years ago. Another one had been affected by fever,
      headaches and pain in the limbs, arthralgia and motoric disorder in both hands 6
      months before examination. Analysis of the blood did not provide any evidence of
      an acute infection. Moreover, each of the 472 serum samples was analyzed by a
      hemagglutination test (HAT). 26 (5.5%) showed a positive test result. In order to
      investigate whether a seroconversion of the recipients by transfusion of B.
      burgdorferi antibody-positive blood had taken place, 9 recipients of blood
      products originating from the 13 IB-positive donors were serologically
      reexamined. All samples taken proved to be antibody-negative. Consequently, the
      transfusion did not produce any seroconversion in the patients thus treated.

PMID- 1422082
TI  - [New possibilities in diagnosis of hemolytic diseases in newborns].
AB  - The diagnosis and management of the hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) rely
      on measurement of maternal anti-D, amniotic fluid analysis, and fetal blood
      sampling by cordocentesis. However, amniocentesis and cordocentesis have
      substantial risks of fetomaternal hemorrhage and subsequent increase in maternal
      anti-D potency. In addition to quantitation, the functional activity of maternal
      anti-D has been determined by measuring the interaction of red blood cells
      sensitized by maternal serum in monocyte-monolayer assays. We assessed the
      functional activity of anti-D by titration of the sensitized red blood cells
      using selected sera with rheumatoid factor (RF) as human anti-IgG. First
      experiments using monoclonal anti-D showed a good correlation between
      erythrophagocytosis and RF titers. The bilirubin/protein ratio in amniotic fluid
      may be of great value in predicting the severity of HDN, as shown in 94 cases
      with severe and 39 cases with moderate disease. Amniotic fluid analysis is
      complicated by the presence of hemoglobin; we developed a computer program to
      solve this problem. To improve the serological diagnosis of ABO incompatibility,
      we measured IgG-anti-A,B in 1,392 maternal and newborn sera applying a sensitive
      gel test with Coombs serum. Furthermore, we determined the hemolytic activity of
      anti-A,B by microscopic observation of the morphological changes of red blood
      cells.

PMID- 1422083
TI  - Analysis of oligonucleotide binding, internalization, and intracellular
      trafficking utilizing a novel radiolabeled crosslinker.
AB  - Although antisense oligonucleotides have been widely used to inhibit gene
      expression, their mechanism of entry into cells and their site of action are
      still in some doubt. In this report, we describe a novel technique for
      kinetically analyzing oligonucleotide association with living cells as well as
      intracellular compartmentalization. The technique utilizes a photoactivatable,
      radiolabeled crosslinker, the Denny-Jaffe reagent. Oligonucleotides containing
      pendant amine groups were conjugated to this reagent, added to HL60 cells in
      culture, and photocrosslinked to associated proteins, which were analyzed
      electrophoretically. We find that several proteins are labeled, predominantly a
      75 kD one that appears to be membrane-associated. Our results suggest that the
      majority of intracellular oligonucleotide is associated in vesicles with the same
      protein to which it bound on the cell surface, but only a small percentage of non
      protein-bound cytosolic oligonucleotide can be detected. Additionally,
      oligonucleotides are readily accumulated by nuclei, and by treating whole nuclei,
      a unique set of nuclear binding proteins is detected.

PMID- 1422084
TI  - Oligodeoxyribonucleotide phosphorothioate fluxes and localization in
      hematopoietic cells.
AB  - An antisense oligonucleotide phosphorothioate, previously shown to inhibit HIV-1
      viral expression in chronically infected H9 cells, was fluorescently labeled to
      study oligonucleotide fluxes and localization within living cells. Observations
      based on flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy show the following: within
      around 0.5-2 h, an apparent steady-state distribution of the oligonucleotide is
      achieved in which the intracellular oligonucleotide concentration is less than
      that present in the external medium; following oligonucleotide uptake and
      resuspension of the cells in oligonucleotide-free medium, an oligonucleotide
      efflux, with a time constant similar to that for uptake, is observed (although a
      significant fraction of the phosphorothioate remains within the cell); cellular
      uptake as a function of the external oligonucleotide concentration is nonlinear,
      being more efficient at lower concentrations (less than 2 microM); and a
      predominant oligonucleotide localization within the cell nucleus and perinuclear
      organelles is observed.

PMID- 1422085
TI  - Reversal of the malignant phenotype by an anti-ras ribozyme.
AB  - In this study a ribozyme (catalytic RNA) was designed to site specifically cleave
      the mRNA of the activated H-ras gene expressed in human bladder carcinoma EJ
      cells. The optimal conditions for catalytic cleavage by the ribozyme were
      demonstrated in vitro. A synthetic DNA encoding the ribozyme was cloned into a
      mammalian expression vector (pH beta APr-1) and transfected into EJ cells. The
      expressed ribozyme significantly altered the morphology and suppressed the growth
      of EJ cells in vitro. These cell lines were examined for their malignant
      potential in athymic (nude) mice by an orthotopic (transurethral) implantation
      model, which recapitulates the invasive potential of various bladder carcinomas.
      EJ tumors expressing the H-ras ribozyme were characterized by a marked reduction
      in tumor take and invasion compared to those formed by control EJ cells. These
      differences resulted in almost a twofold increase in survival of mice implanted
      with ribozyme-containing EJ cells. These results further elucidate the role of
      ras genes in tumorigenicity and invasion, as well as introduce ribozymes as a new
      class of anticancer agents.

PMID- 1422086
TI  - Lipofectin enhances cellular uptake of antisense DNA while inhibiting tumor cell
      growth.
AB  - A natural DNA oligomer (15-mer) was synthesized with a sequence complementary to
      the translation initiation codon region of the human TGF-alpha mRNA and mixed
      with Lipofectin to form unilamellar complexes. It was found that tumor cell
      growth was inhibited when HCT116 cells were treated with Lipofectin-DNA oligomer
      complexes or with Lipofectin alone. Uptake of 32P-labeled 15-mers into colon
      tumor cells was compared in the presence and absence of Lipofectin. The amount of
      labeled oligomer found in cells that received optimal ratios of Lipofectin to DNA
      was 4- to 10-fold higher than the amount found in cells that received 32P-labeled
      DNA alone. Although Lipofectin-antisense DNA oligomer treatment of HCT116 cells
      caused a dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth, there was a subsequent rise in
      target mRNA product. Because the mechanism of growth inhibition could not involve
      an inhibition of TGF-alpha expression, it was concluded that Lipofectin probably
      exerts a nonspecific, detergent-like effect upon the cell membrane, producing an
      enhancement of TGF-alpha processing and release.

PMID- 1422087
TI  - An indexed bibliography of antisense literature, 1991.

PMID- 1422088
TI  - Internal representations of movement in the cerebral cortex as revealed by the
      analysis of reaching.
AB  - Reaching movements have the well-defined goal of bringing the hand to the
      location of an object of interest. For neuroscientists a basic problem to be
      solved is how the nervous system transforms the visual information concerning the
      location of the object in space into a pattern of muscle activity necessary to
      bring the hand to it. According to Descartes, spirits passing from the eyes
      impinge on the pineal gland, causing it to lean in one direction or another; this
      leaning of the gland pulls on filaments (nerves) attached to the muscles. Modern
      treatments, instead, tend to decompose this process into sequences of
      transformations between informational representations. Such transformations lead
      from a description of the target in visual coordinates to an expression of the
      movement in muscle space by way of various internal representations. The
      organization of such internal representations has implications for the types of
      transformations actually performed in the brain. Recent psychophysical,
      neurophysiological, and computational approaches to study the cortical
      representations of reaching movements are yielding complementary data on this
      issue.

PMID- 1422089
TI  - Selective output-discriminative signals in the motor cortex of waking monkeys.
AB  - Monkeys and humans have similar capacities to discriminate between the
      frequencies of mechanical sinusoids delivered to the glabrous skin of their
      hands. Combined psychophysical-electrophysiological experiments in monkeys
      discriminating in the range of flutter provided evidence that this capacity
      depends upon differences in the cycle lengths in the sets of periodically
      entrained activity, evoked by the stimuli discriminated, in neurons of areas 3b
      and 1 of the (sensory) hemisphere opposite the stimulated hand. Identical
      experiments have now been made, in similarly trained and discriminating monkeys,
      in the motor cortex (area 4) of the hemisphere opposite the arm projecting
      selectively to one of two targets, to indicate discrimination (five hemispheres,
      1137 neurons studied). We observed a selective signal of the upcoming correct
      discrimination in about 25% of the neurons of area 4 active in the task. The
      neuronal discharge occurs selectively for stimuli either lower or higher in
      frequency than that of the base stimulus, and commonly begins within 200-300 msec
      after onset of the comparison stimulus. These neuronal discharges are aperiodic,
      with no sign of the stimulus frequencies. EMG recording during performance of the
      discrimination showed that the muscles of the arm opposite the side of recording
      were silent during the period of stimulus presentations. Recordings during trials
      in which the animal made errors showed most commonly that the output of the
      discrimination operation was itself in error, followed by an appropriate arm
      projection to the wrong target. We interpret the selective response during the
      comparison stimulus to be a postdiscrimination signal projected transcallosally
      from the sensory hemisphere to the motor area of the hemisphere controlling the
      responding arm. We obtained no evidence that the discrimination operation is
      localized to any particular area, and we surmise it to occur in the dynamic
      activity within the distributed system linking the sensory cortex of one
      hemisphere and the motor cortex of the other. One-third of the neurons of the
      motor cortex responded to indentation of the skin of the ipsilateral hand, at
      trial onset. These responses varied from those closely linked to that sensory
      stimulus to those linked to the upcoming movement of the contralateral hand.
      These onset responses did not occur when similar sequences of mechanical stimuli
      were delivered to alert but idling monkeys.

PMID- 1422090
TI  - Reentry and the problem of integrating multiple cortical areas: simulation of
      dynamic integration in the visual system.
AB  - Studies of the cerebral cortex, particularly those of the visual system,
      demonstrate the existence of multiple, anatomically segregated and functionally
      specialized cortical areas. There is no evidence that these areas, which are
      linked by a network of reciprocal connections, are coordinated by a higher-order
      center. The visual image that we perceive, however, seems to be unified and
      coherent. In this article, we address the problem of integration posed by these
      observations. In an extension of our previous work, we develop a dynamic model of
      reentry. Reentry is a process of parallel and recursive signaling along ordered
      anatomical connections that achieves integration by giving rise to constructive
      and correlative properties within and among maps. We present and test a computer
      model simulating nine functionally segregated visual areas organized into three
      streams for form, color, and motion. The model receives visual input consisting
      of camera images of objects of different shapes and colors. We show the
      specialized response properties of the areas in the three streams. A
      computational strategy involving a phase variable is introduced to represent
      explicitly the dynamics of short-term temporal correlations among thousands of
      units distributed across different areas. We then illustrate constructive and
      correlative consequences of reentry within a system of reciprocal intra- and
      interareal connections by two examples taken from psychophysics: generation of
      form from motion and motion capture. The model solves the so-called "binding
      problem" through short-term correlations, which serve to link similar object
      features within a simulated cortical area and to bind multiple attributes of one
      or more objects across several areas, including a nontopographic one. Integration
      emerges from cooperative effects within and among the specialized areas. These
      effects lead to a simple output, a simulated foveation response, that is used as
      a basis for conditioning. Reward is mediated by the activation of a saliency
      system that is modeled on diffuse projection systems in the brain. As a result,
      the visual cortical model carries out foveation responses to input stimuli that
      require the dynamic conjunction and discrimination of form, color, and location
      for successful performance.

PMID- 1422091
TI  - Emergence of connectivity in the embryonic rat parietal cortex.
AB  - In order to understand how cortical circuitry is put together, we examined the
      emergence of corticofugal projection cells and the arrival of subcortical
      afferents in the presumptive parietal cortex of the embryonic rat cerebrum.
      Afferent and efferent projections were selectively labeled by applications of the
      lipophilic tracers DiI and DiA in aldehyde-fixed brains of 12-18-d-old rat
      embryos (E12-E18; gestation: 21 d). On E12 and E13, the neocortical anlage
      consists of a ventricular zone and a preplate, with no extracortical connections.
      By E14, just prior to the appearance of the cortical plate, polymorphic cells
      located in the ventrolateral preplate of the telencephalic vesicle send out the
      first group of corticofugal axons toward the ganglionic eminence. Shortly
      thereafter, the cortical plate emerges as a dense band of radially oriented cells
      that also contribute to the corticofugal projection. By E15, axons of the early
      cortical projection cells cascade through the striatal primordium, the future
      site of the internal capsule. At the time of cortical plate formation and initial
      corticofugal axon outgrowth, ascending corticopetal axon systems have not yet
      arrived in the neocortex. Double-labeling experiments in which one dye is placed
      in the neocortex and the other in the ipsilateral dorsal thalamus reveal that
      cortical efferents encounter the first ascending wave of thalamofugal axons at
      the level of the striatum. Collectively, these two axonal systems bridge the
      necortex and the diencephalon. Upon their arrival in the neocortex on E16,
      thalamic axons follow a ventrolateral to dorsomedial course within the
      intermediate zone. Thalamic axons are the first subcortical afferent system to
      arrive in the neocortex. Other ascending afferent systems arising from the
      midbrain tegmentum enter the neocortex after E17. Comparison of thalamocortical
      and tegmentocortical projections in two halves of the same brain and across
      various embryonic ages clearly reveals that the two projection systems differ in
      their trajectories as well as in their time of arrival. Present observations
      challenge the view that the precocious arrival of subcortical axons provides the
      impetus for cortical maturation, and suggest that cortical plate differentiation
      and the initial organization of corticofugal projection patterns occur
      independent of ascending pathways.

PMID- 1422092
TI  - Varieties of functional deficits in prosopagnosia.
AB  - Prosopagnosia is a neurologically based deficit characterized by the inability to
      recognize faces of known individuals in the absence of severe intellectual,
      perceptual, and memory impairments. The nature of the underlying disturbance was
      investigated in three patients in an attempt to identify the structural and
      functional levels at which the processing of faces breaks down, the relation
      between prosopagnosia and associated deficits, and the specificity of the
      prosopagnosic disturbance. The breakdown of face processing resulted from
      unilateral damage in different cerebral structures of the right hemisphere in the
      three patients, and it involved different functional levels of face processing,
      but all three patients displayed perceptual impairments of unequal severity. In
      one patient (R.M.), the deficit encompassed all perceptual operations on faces,
      including matching identical views of the same faces, but it did not extend to
      all categories of objects characterized by a close similarity among their
      instances; the second patient (P.M.) exhibited a less severe perceptual
      impairment but was unable to derive the configurational properties from a facial
      representation and to extract its physiognomic invariants; the third patient
      (P.C.) had not lost the capacity to differentiate faces on the basis of their
      configurations but could not associate a facial representation with its pertinent
      memories. Associated deficits were present in each patient but differed depending
      on the anatomofunctional locus of the breakdown, although all patients were
      impaired at recognizing noncanonical views of objects that they readily
      recognized when shown from a conventional viewpoint. However, performance
      dissociation within patients and double dissociation between patients suggest
      that these associated deficits are not necessary concomitants of prosopagnosia.

PMID- 1422093
TI  - Implicit access to knowledge derived from unrecognized faces in prosopagnosia.
AB  - Prosopagnosia is an acquired neurological impairment characterized by an
      inability to experience a feeling of familiarity at the view of faces of known
      individuals and to identify these individuals. The inability of prosopagnosic
      patients to recognize faces does not entail that perceived faces go unprocessed
      in their brains, and there are indications that cognitive operations are still
      performed whereby a perceived face reactivates pertinent memories, but either
      these operations cannot be completed or their outcome fails to reach
      consciousness. A series of experiments were conducted on three severe
      prosopagnosic patients in an attempt to understand better this phenomenon known
      as covert face recognition, the conditions for its occurrence, and its functional
      locus. The capacity of the patients implicitly to access pertinent knowledge
      related to overtly unrecognized faces was inversely related to the severity of
      their perceptual deficit, suggesting that some preserved ability to extract the
      physiognomic invariants of a face is a necessary condition for the occurrence of
      the phenomenon. However, the results indicated that covert recognition does not
      take place at a perceptual or structural level although it is initiated at such a
      level, that it may have more than one underlying mechanism, and that it is
      achieved through the reactivation of specific information related to the
      individual's identity. Under special conditions that restricted the relevant
      knowledge that needed to be activated, transient overt recognition of faces was
      experienced by one of the prosopagnosic patients.

PMID- 1422095
TI  - Multiplicity of inputs in the afferent path to cat auditory cortex neurons
      revealed by tone-on-tone masking.
AB  - This report presents preliminary evidence on the effect of continuous tonal
      maskers on the responses of single primary auditory cortical neurons in
      anesthetized cats to tonal signals across their effective frequency ranges 10 dB
      above characteristic frequency threshold. Tonal maskers had three kinds of
      effects. In many cells, the masker produced a generalized suppression of
      responses to tones across the response area. In some neurons, typically those
      with monotonic intensity profiles, tonal maskers on one side of the response area
      produced a selective suppression of responses to tone signals on the same side as
      the masker. This differential sensitivity to the masker is evidence of
      independent inputs to those neurons on the high- and low-frequency sides of their
      excitatory response areas. Finally, in non-monotonic neurons, tonal maskers at
      the high-frequency edge of the excitatory response area produced enhanced
      responses to tonal signals on the same side of the response area as the masker.
      We interpret this as a release from the effect of an inhibitory input located at
      the high-frequency edge of the response area.

PMID- 1422094
TI  - In vivo myeloarchitectonic analysis of human striate and extrastriate cortex
      using magnetic resonance imaging.
AB  - A primary goal of investigations into the organization of human cerebral cortex
      is to determine the functional specificity of architectonic regions. This
      includes the correlation of neurobehavioral deficits with neuropathological data
      for clinical diagnosis and treatment, and the identification of active brain
      regions using functional neural imaging techniques, such as positron emission
      tomography, electroencephalographic and magnetoencephalographic (EEG and MEG)
      source localization algorithms, and direct cortical stimulation. Currently, the
      architectonic classification of a cortical region identified by these methods is
      inferred from the comparison of its cerebral topographic position to
      cytoarchitectonic brain atlases. However, substantial intersubject variability in
      the position of cytoarchitectonic regions with respect to cerebral topographic
      landmarks may lead to errors in this procedure. An alternative method is
      presented here, which uses magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to identify
      myeloarchitectonic regions of isocortex directly by estimating the relative
      concentration of myelin within cortical laminae. This high-resolution MR protocol
      is used to identify striate cortex (Brodmann's area 17) and extrastriate cortex
      in vivo. Correspondence of MR signal intensity with myeloarchitectonic data from
      a postmortem brain confirms this identification. As MR imaging technology
      improves, this noninvasive method has the potential to identify and discriminate
      among at least 50 cortical regions in the living human brain.

PMID- 1422096
TI  - Increased gut parasympathetic activity and chronic diarrhoea in a patient with
      the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
AB  - A 25-year-old homosexual man with a 2-year history of watery diarrhoea and a 20
      kg weight loss is described. He had been diagnosed HIV-1 antibody positive 6
      years previously. Investigations excluded opportunist pathogens and other known
      causes of diarrhoea. A range of anti-diarrhoeal medication had been unsuccessful.
      Plasma levels of gastrointestinal and pancreatic peptides were normal and
      treatment with the somatostatin analogue, octreotide, which inhibits release of
      pancreatic/gut peptides, did not provide any benefit. Cardiovascular autonomic
      function tests revealed blunted pressor responses but no other abnormalities.
      Gastric emptying studies with a technetium labelled meal indicated rapid gastric
      emptying time. This was slowed by the anticholinergic drug, atropine. This
      suggested increased parasympathetic activity to the gut. He was, therefore,
      treated with the anti-cholinergic agent, propantheline bromide, which reduced the
      frequency and volume of stools. He put on weight and has remained well since.
      This case highlights the diagnostic challenge in HIV-associated chronic
      diarrhoea, the case for investigations of autonomic function, and the need for a
      therapeutic trial of anticholinergic drugs, when other measures have failed.

PMID- 1422097
TI  - Effects of plasmapheresis on short-term variability of blood pressure in healthy
      donors.
AB  - The acute effect of mild central hypovolaemia induced by plasmapheresis on the
      short-term variability of blood pressure and heart rate was evaluated in ten
      healthy donors. Indirect finger blood pressure was measured by a non-invasive
      device (Finapres). Analogue-to-digital conversion of the blood pressure was used
      to determine systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure and heart rate every
      second. The equidistant sampling allowed a direct spectral analysis using a fast
      Fourier transform algorithm. Blood pressure and heart rate were maintained while
      an increased overall variability of blood pressure was observed after
      plasmapheresis. The increased total area under the curve of the systolic and
      diastolic blood pressure spectra was documented with the selective analysis of
      the three main components of the spectra: the increase in the oscillations of
      blood pressure following plasmapheresis predominated in the 66-129 mHz region,
      corresponding to Mayer waves. The spectral profile of HR was unaffected by
      plasmapheresis. The significant increase in the 10-s period oscillations of blood
      pressure after the mild central hypovolaemia could result from the unloading of
      cardiopulmonary (and arterial) baroreceptors which in turn could buffer the
      arterial pressure through sympathetic activation, detected on the systolic and
      diastolic pressure spectra in the low-frequency range.

PMID- 1422098
TI  - Elevation of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide occurs during adrenaline infusion
      in hypertensive but not normotensive subjects.
AB  - The levels of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide in response to graded adrenaline
      infusion were determined in six patients with essential hypertension and six
      healthy normotensive subjects (controls). Basal plasma adrenaline concentration
      was similar in both groups and rose progressively and to a similar level during
      adrenaline infusion. Plasma noradrenaline rose in both groups and to the same
      extent during the 26 and 39 ng/kg/min adrenaline infusion rates. Basal plasma
      atrial natriuretic peptide levels were higher in the hypertensives than in the
      controls. Graded adrenaline infusion had no effect on atrial natriuretic peptide
      levels in the controls but significantly raised atrial natriuretic peptide levels
      in the hypertensives. Systolic blood pressure rose progressively during
      adrenaline infusion at a lower infusion rate in the hypertensives than in the
      controls. Similarly, while heart rate rose during adrenaline infusion in both
      groups, there was a greater rise in the hypertensives. The increased
      cardiovascular responsiveness to adrenaline infusion in patients with essential
      hypertension may explain why plasma atrial natriuretic peptide levels rose only
      in this group and not the normotensive subjects.

PMID- 1422100
TI  - Time-frequency dynamics in neurally mediated syncope.
AB  - In this study, the responses during syncope were determined by noninvasive beat
      to-beat analysis during passive orthostasis. Twenty patients with recurrent
      unexplained syncope (13 men and seven women) and ten healthy aged-matched control
      subjects were studied during 80 degrees head-up tilt for 25 min. Time-frequency
      mapping of R-R intervals, systolic and diastolic pressures and respiration was
      used to determine the responses to tilt. The spectral estimation was based on a
      modified Wigner distribution and the frequency content was evaluated on a beat-to
      beat basis. Ten patients developed syncope (tilt-positive group) during tilt,
      while the remaining ten were asymptomatic (tilt-negative group). Control subjects
      reacted to tilt by the immediate shortening of R-R intervals to a plateau with an
      accompanying moderate increase in diastolic pressure. In the tilt-negative group
      the responses to tilt were similar, but of greater amplitude. In contrast, in the
      tilt-positive group, R-R intervals gradually and continuously decreased with tilt
      while systolic and diastolic pressures increased until shortly before syncope,
      when an abrupt fall in blood pressure followed by R-R intervals lengthening
      occurred. Furthermore, the R-R intervals fluctuations at both respiratory and
      nonrespiratory frequencies were the highest at rest as well as during tilt in the
      tilt-positive group. Nonrespiratory fluctuations in blood pressure increased more
      during tilt in both tilt-positive and negative groups compared to the control
      group. The nonrespiratory fluctuations in R-R intervals and blood pressure
      reached a maximum at syncope, simultaneously with hypotension and bradycardia.
      Time-frequency mapping has demonstrated that an elevated parasympathetic tone at
      rest which persists during orthostasis identifies patients prone to vasodepressor
      syncope. The counteracting sympathetic activation is not sustained and results in
      hypotension followed by cardioinhibition and loss of consciousness.

PMID- 1422099
TI  - Autonomic responses to carbohydrate ingestion and head-up tilt in elderly
      subjects with orthostatic hypotension.
AB  - To investigate the role of glucose and insulin in the development of hypotension
      following glucose ingestion in elderly subjects with orthostatic hypotension, the
      autonomic responses to glucose and xylose ingestion were studied in five elderly
      subjects with age related orthostatic hypotension (without autonomic failure),
      five elderly control subjects and three elderly subjects with evidence of
      autonomic failure. Heart rate, blood pressure, plasma noradrenaline and plasma
      arginine vasopressin responses to glucose ingestion and to xylose ingestion were
      investigated. All subjects were supine for 90 min following ingestion of each
      carbohydrate and were then tilted 45 degrees head-up for 10 min. Blood pressure
      was maintained in elderly control subjects following ingestion of both
      carbohydrates and during tilting. The elderly group with orthostatic hypotension,
      while supine had a fall in systolic blood pressure 60-90 min following both
      glucose and xylose ingestion. Diastolic blood pressure was lowered 60-90 min
      after glucose but not xylose. During tilting, blood pressure fell by similar
      levels following both carbohydrate ingestions; plasma noradrenaline levels after
      2 min and plasma arginine vasopressin levels after 10 min tilting were
      significantly less following glucose ingestion compared to xylose ingestion. The
      autonomic failure group while supine had a fall in systolic blood pressure 60-90
      min following both glucose and xylose ingestion. Diastolic blood pressure was
      lowered 60-90 min after glucose but not xylose. During tilting, blood pressure
      fell by similar levels following both carbohydrate ingestion. Plasma
      noradrenaline and arginine vasopressin levels were unchanged after ingestion of
      either carbohydrate, and during tilting.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422101
TI  - Portable infrared pupillometry using Pupilscan: relation to somatic and autonomic
      nerve function in diabetes mellitus.
AB  - The relationship between dynamic pupillary function and peripheral nerve function
      was studied in 85 randomly-selected diabetic patients and 67 age-matched normals
      using a portable infrared pupillometer (Pupilscan Version 5). Seven measurements
      were chosen to represent different components of the pupillary constriction
      redilatation curve after a standardized light stimulus. Constriction latency was
      significantly prolonged in diabetic patients (p = 0.05), as was time to 63%
      redilatation (p = 0.001). Thermal thresholds at the feet weakly correlated with
      relative reflex amplitude (warm: r = -0.22, p = 0.05; cool: r = -0.23, p = 0.05),
      but vibration perception thresholds were more strongly associated with
      constriction and redilatation velocity (r = -0.42, p = 0.001; r = -0.28, p =
      0.03). Among the cardiovascular autonomic function tests, only respiratory R-R
      variation correlated with constriction velocity (r = 0.47, p < 0.001), and
      Valsalva ratio with redilatation velocity (r = 0.25, p = 0.04), but postural
      systolic blood pressure change was also correlated with reflex amplitude and
      latency time (r = -0.42, p < 0.001; r = 0.41, p = 0.001). There were no
      significant associations with three measures of sweating function in the feet.
      Pupil measurements were abnormal in 4-11% of diabetic patients, while other
      neurological tests were abnormal in 8-35%, consistent with the length-dependence
      of diabetic neuropathy. Median coefficients of variation were 2.0-7.2% in
      diabetic patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422102
TI  - Suprasensitivity to calcitonin gene-related peptide but not vasoactive intestinal
      peptide in women with chronic pelvic pain.
AB  - Chronic pelvic pain in women is associated with radiological evidence of pelvic
      venous dilatation and reduced flow, termed 'pelvic congestion'. The aim of this
      study was to elucidate a possible role in this condition for vasoactive
      intestinal peptide and calcitonin gene-related peptide, both localized in
      perivascular nerves in the ovaries and uterus. Healthy volunteers and women with
      chronic pelvic pain and venous congestion received intravenous infusions of
      vasoactive intestinal peptide (n = 15), calcitonin gene-related peptide (n = 15)
      or a bland infusate (n = 7). Changes in the uterovaginal and skin blood flow were
      assessed by continuous measurement of vaginal, axillary, cheek and hand
      temperature. During calcitonin gene-related peptide infusion median hand
      temperature changes were +0.97 degrees C in women with pelvic pain and -0.03
      degrees C in healthy volunteers (p < 0.05). There were no differences between
      groups in hand and cheek temperature responses to vasoactive intestinal peptide
      infusion. Vasoactive intestinal peptide and calcitonin gene-related peptide
      appeared to dilate the uterovaginal vasculature in healthy subjects but not in
      those with pelvic pain. Vasoactive intestinal peptide and calcitonin gene-related
      peptide did not provoke pain in healthy subjects but in those with pelvic pain,
      symptoms were significantly exacerbated during calcitonin gene-related peptide
      infusion but not by vasoactive intestinal peptide. Changes in plasma follicle
      stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and oestradiol during either infusion
      were not significant. These findings indicate greater sensitivity to calcitonin
      gene-related peptide in women with pelvic pain and suggest a possible underlying
      neurovascular disorder.

PMID- 1422103
TI  - Endoscopic transthoracic sympathectomy for idiopathic upper limb hyperhidrosis.
AB  - A 5-year experience of 51 endoscopic transthoracic dorsal sympathectomies for
      idiopathic palmar hyperhidrosis in 26 patients is presented. Fifty-two percent
      complained of excessive sweating over their hands, 28% of axillary sweating and
      20% over both areas, with a mean duration of 10 years. The second, third and
      fourth thoracic ganglia and their interconnecting fibres on the affected side
      were ablated using diathermy cautery. Over a mean follow up time of 26 months,
      this procedure was successful in curing or improving intractable sweating in 92%.
      However, axillary sweating was less well controlled than in the palms with 20% of
      patients describing residual wetness in the axilla. Compensatory sweating (75%)
      and gustatory sweating (48%) were the commonest side effects; despite this, most
      patients were satisfied with the functional and cosmetic outcome. Other
      complications included a temporary Horner's syndrome in one patient, a
      pneumothorax in the immediate post-operative period in another and a unilateral
      non-infective reactionary pleural effusion in a third. Two patients developed
      recurrence of palmar hyperhidrosis within 6 months of surgery. One has been
      successfully treated by re-operation on the affected side. All patients
      complained of mild to moderate interscapular chest pain which was easily
      controlled by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, and resolved within 7-10
      days post-operatively. The technique of endoscope transthoracic sympathectomy is
      effective, relatively simple to perform and usually requires only an overnight
      stay. It is recommended as the surgical treatment of choice for upper limb
      hyperhidrosis unresponsive to conservative measures.

PMID- 1422104
TI  - Temazepam misuse in a group of injecting drug users.
AB  - It is well recognized that many injecting drug users are poly-drug users. The
      intravenous use of Temazepam has become popular recently. In response to the ease
      of misuse, the pharmaceutical industry produced a formulation that would be as
      'resistant' as possible to injecting. The preparation is a gel-filled
      formulation, one proprietary name being Temazepam Gelthix. General Practitioners
      have been encouraged to prescribe gel-filled capsules to potential drug misusers
      in order to reduce the harm Temazepam can cause by its misuse. This study of 23
      Temazepam injectors shows that the group still find the gel-filled preparation
      readily injectable. It appears to be more problematic in causing medical
      complications including superficial thrombophlebitis, abscesses and deep venous
      thrombosis. Temazepam misuse can cause drug users to become more chaotic. The
      study group recognize this and suggest there should be stricter control on the
      supply of Temazepam to drug dependents. General Practitioners, who are the main
      source of Temazepam prescribing, require additional training in prescribing to
      drug users.

PMID- 1422105
TI  - The prices of alcoholic beverages in the Nordic countries.
AB  - Apart from Denmark, all the Nordic countries have state-owned monopolies which
      handle all of the off-premise retail sales of wine and spirits. In some of the
      countries, the state monopoly also distributes strong and medium-strong beer.
      This paper discusses how the prices of beer, wine and spirits are set in the
      Nordic countries and compares the setting of prices in each. The paper shows that
      there are great differences both between the prices of alcoholic beverages in the
      Nordic countries and between the price-fixing mechanisms. The main part of the
      price differential is due to differences in taxation, but substantial
      discrepancies still exist when we look at prices exclusive of alcohol taxes. The
      reason for this is to be found in differences in profits and in the efficiency of
      producing and distributing alcoholic beverages. According to our data, it seems
      that some of the state monopolies are more effective than firms in the Danish
      market.

PMID- 1422106
TI  - Legislating responsible alcohol service: an inside view of the new Liquor Licence
      Act of Ontario.
AB  - The Ontario Government has recently passed a new Liquor Licence Act, based on the
      recommendations of a special advisory committee. This paper describes how the
      advisory committee framed the issues and arrived at a lengthy document detailing
      73 recommendations on issues such as licence classification, the control of
      special permit functions, days and hours of operation, legal drinking age,
      alcohol advertising, the civil liabilities of alcohol providers and server
      training. The key actors and considerations are discussed, as well as the
      subsequent Cabinet action on the report and the implementation process currently
      underway. The paper concludes with an assessment from both an administrative and
      a public health perspective, with particular attention to the limited role which
      research played in these policy decisions.

PMID- 1422107
TI  - The difference context makes: Americans' views on abstinence and impairment.
AB  - While it is acknowledged that social norms play a role in determining acceptable
      drinking levels, there has been little research on the factors that determine
      approved or prohibited consumption levels in particular social contexts. This
      paper investigates the factors that influence the choice of abstention or
      impairment (as compared to 'social drinking') through an analysis of the 1984
      survey of American drinking patterns using logistic regression, a method that
      allows the separate identification of social and demographic factors that
      encourage abstention or impairment. Results show that although the effects of
      drinking status variables (such as lifelong abstainer) are contextually neutral,
      most social and demographic characteristics have differential effects depending
      on the specific context and the choice of abstention or impairment.

PMID- 1422108
TI  - Tobacco smoking in Moscow school students.
AB  - A cross-sectional study on tobacco smoking prevalence and related socio
      psychological parameters in Moscow school students aged 10-17 was performed. Data
      from an anonymous self-report (n = 4802) on smoking prevalence was confirmed by
      special technique--expert assessment. Widespread smoking was found: among male
      5th graders (the youngest group) 14.4% are smokers (those who smoked at least 1
      cigarette over the past 3 months); among male 10th graders (oldest group) 53.2%
      smoke; among females these figures were 0.8% for the youngest students and 28.2%
      for the oldest ones. A significant difference in awareness of smoking health
      hazards and attitudes towards the habit was shown among school students with
      various smoking statuses. Complaints about cough and shortness of breath after
      light physical stress were significantly more prevalent in regular smokers as
      compared to non-smokers. The possible causal role of some psychological factors
      in early formation of smoking habit is discussed.

PMID- 1422109
TI  - Alcohol placebos: you can only fool some of the people all of the time.
AB  - Some data from three studies of the acute psychological effects of alcohol are
      presented. After blind administration subjects could often tell that they had
      consumed alcohol, presumably because of its physiological effects. About 50% of
      subjects who received placebo alcohol felt slightly drunk and guessed that they
      had received alcohol. But, subjects who had actually received alcohol rated
      themselves as more drunk and were much more likely to guess that they had
      received alcohol. Subjects could also approximately estimate how much alcohol
      they had drunk. These findings suggest that the effects of unblinding should be
      considered when alcohol is administered in placebo designs. True blind placebo
      administration may only be possible when achieved BAL is < 40 mg/100 ml.

PMID- 1422110
TI  - The prevalence of illicit drug use in six metropolitan areas in the United
      States: results from the 1991 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse.
AB  - National levels and trends of illicit drug use in the general population are well
      documented. However, little is known about how this phenomenon is distributed
      among various subnational areas such as state, metropolitan area, and other local
      areas. The sample design from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA)
      was recently expanded such that estimates from several large metropolitan areas
      could be produced with reasonable precision. The prevalence of illicit drug use
      is examined in six large metropolitan areas of the United States. These findings
      indicate that, in some cases, drug use varies considerably by metropolitan area.

PMID- 1422111
TI  - Opiate treatment for drug users: an incomplete picture. (Reply to letter
      appearing in the BJA (1991) 86, pp. 1355-1356)

PMID- 1422112
TI  - Alcohol placebos: you can only fool some of the people some of the time.

PMID- 1422114
TI  - Reconstituting animals from immortal precursors.
AB  - Several recent experiments have shown that immortal neural and muscle cells
      retain the specific temporal and spatial properties of their precursor cells in
      the animal. In addition, the immortal cells retain the ability to differentiate
      in vitro and, after transplantation, in vivo. The results of these experiments
      suggest that the use of precursor cell lines may lead to powerful approaches for
      understanding the mechanisms that generate the ordered distribution of cell types
      in mammals.

PMID- 1422113
TI  - Schwann cells: early lineage, regulation of proliferation and control of myelin
      formation.
AB  - This article reviews selected topics of particular relevance for understanding
      the process of Schwann cell development. It will discuss early commitment to the
      Schwann cell lineage and Schwann cell precursors, regulation of Schwann cell
      proliferation, and regulation of myelin formation.

PMID- 1422115
TI  - Cell adhesion molecules, second messengers and axonal growth.
AB  - Recent studies on NCAM-related molecules suggest that individual cell adhesion
      molecules might function to both promote axonal growth during development and
      maintain synaptic structure in the adult. Evidence that differential alternative
      splicing contributes to this apparent bifunctionality of cell adhesion molecules
      is discussed.

PMID- 1422116
TI  - Neuronal polarity.
AB  - The axonal and somatodendritic domains of neurons differ in their cytoskeletal
      and membrane composition, complement of organelles, and capacity for
      macromolecular synthesis. Recently there has been progress in elucidating the
      cellular mechanisms that underlie the establishment and maintenance of neuronal
      polarity, including microtubule organization and the sorting, transport, and
      anchoring of membrane proteins.

PMID- 1422118
TI  - Neuronal cytoskeleton and growth.
AB  - The involvement of the cytoskeleton in the expression of neuronal morphology is
      most obvious in its support of neurite extension and the motile activity of
      growth cones. Techniques permitting direct observation of the dynamics of
      proteins in living cells, along with attempts to assay protein function in vivo,
      are testing existing models for cytoskeletal function in neurons, as well as
      generating more detailed models at the molecular level.

PMID- 1422117
TI  - Membrane trafficking in neurons.
AB  - Neurons possess an unusually extensive Golgi apparatus and exhibit a variety of
      active endocytic-like processes. The Golgi apparatus and the endocytic phenomena
      both contribute, probably in multiple overlapping ways, to the genesis and fate
      of the membrane systems in axons and terminals.

PMID- 1422119
TI  - Phototransduction in Drosophila: a paradigm for the genetic dissection of sensory
      transduction cascades.
AB  - A combination of molecular, genetic and physiological studies is providing
      fundamental insight into the function and regulation of the phototransduction
      cascade. The availability of Drosophila mutants with defects in visual physiology
      allows for an in vivo dissection of this complex sensory signal transduction
      process.

PMID- 1422120
TI  - Natural and experimental prion diseases of humans and animals.
AB  - Prions cause transmissible and genetic neurodegenerative diseases. Infectious
      prion particles are composed largely, if not entirely, of an abnormal isoform of
      the prion protein (PrPSc), which is encoded by a chromosomal gene. Although the
      PrP gene is single copy, transgenic mice with both alleles of the PrP gene
      ablated develop normally. A post-translational process, as yet unidentified,
      converts the cellular prion protein (PrPC) into PrPSc. Scrapie incubation times,
      neuropathology and prion synthesis in transgenic mice are controlled by the PrP
      gene. Mutations in this gene are genetically linked to the development of
      neurodegeneration. Transgenic mice expressing mutant PrP spontaneously develop
      neurological dysfunction and spongiform neuropathology. Future investigations of
      prion diseases using molecular biological and genetic approaches promise to yield
      much new information about these once enigmatic disorders.

PMID- 1422121
TI  - Amyloidogenesis in Alzheimer's disease: basic biology and animal models.
AB  - A principal neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease is deposition of
      beta-amyloid, composed primarily of a 4 kD peptide, A beta. This peptide is
      derived from larger amyloid precursor proteins. The mechanisms that are
      responsible for A beta formation in vivo are unknown. Recently, transgenic
      strategies have been employed to test several hypothetical mechanisms in order to
      reproduce Alzheimer's disease-specific pathology in rodents.

PMID- 1422122
TI  - The disordered neuronal cytoskeleton in Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - Evidence continues to accrue in support of the notion that normal adult human tau
      is converted into the protein subunits of Alzheimer's disease paired helical
      filaments as a result of the abnormal phosphorylation of tau at aberrant sites.
      Although the biological consequences of the generation of these abnormal tau
      derivatives in neurons remain uncertain, it is plausible that this process could
      destabilize microtubules and have a deleterious effect on the function and
      survival of neurons. Recent studies that probe the mechanisms whereby normal tau,
      a component of the neuronal cytoskeleton, undergoes profound alterations to
      become paired helical filaments in the Alzheimer's diseased brain are discussed.

PMID- 1422123
TI  - Role of excitotoxicity in human neurological disease.
AB  - An increasing body of evidence has implicated excitoxicity as a mechanism of
      neuronal death in both acute and chronic neurological diseases. A major recent
      advance has been the successful cloning and expression of the non-NMDA, NMDA, and
      metabotropic glutamate receptors. The cellular mechanisms responsible for cell
      death following activation of these receptors are still being clarified. A recent
      advance in conceptualizing excitotoxicity is the notion that a slow excitotoxic
      process may occur as a consequence of either a receptor abnormality or an
      impairment of energy metabolism. It is possible that such a mechanism may occur
      in neurodegenerative illnesses. Recent therapeutic studies have focused on
      glycine site antagonists and on the efficacy of non-NMDA antagonists in ischemia.

PMID- 1422124
TI  - Cytokines in neural regeneration.
AB  - Growth factors with already established multiple effects on non-neural cells
      continue to be of considerable interest to researchers with regard to the nervous
      system, where regulation of cell maintenance and plasticity in relation to lesion
      and regeneration is part of their functional repertoire. Fibroblast growth
      factors, interleukins, and type beta transforming growth factors are prominent
      representatives of such proteins. Ciliary neurotrophic factor is another
      multifunctional neurokine. The proposed role of this molecule as a 'lesion
      factor', however, is still not firmly settled.

PMID- 1422125
TI  - Macrophages and nerve regeneration.
AB  - Macrophages are not only phagocytic cells but also secrete a plethora of growth
      factors that are potentially important for regeneration. This review will examine
      the emerging evidence of a likely contribution by macrophages to axonal
      regeneration.

PMID- 1422126
TI  - Dopaminergic transplants in experimental parkinsonism: cellular mechanisms of
      graft-induced functional recovery.
AB  - The ability of intrastriatal grafts of fetal mesencephalic dopamine neurons to
      ameliorate the symptoms of experimental and clinical parkinsonism has raised the
      question of the mechanisms underlying the transplant-induced functional effects.
      Recent studies have taken advantage of quantitative cytochemical and in situ
      hybridization techniques to study functional graft-host interactions at the
      cellular level in the rat Parkinson model. The results provide evidence that
      behaviorally functional grafts restore dopaminergic neurotransmission and
      normalize dopamine receptor function in the denervated striatum, and that these
      effects are likely to depend on both synaptic and extrasynaptic mechanisms.

PMID- 1422128
TI  - Disease, transplantation and regeneration.

PMID- 1422127
TI  - Neuronal and glial cell biology.

PMID- 1422129
TI  - Ganglioside GM1 and sphingolipid breakdown products in cellular proliferation and
      signal transduction pathways.

PMID- 1422130
TI  - Synthesis of O-glycopyranosyl-N-hydroxysuccinimides of glucose and lactose and
      their opening by nucleophiles into prespacer glycosides.
AB  - O-Glycopyranosyl-N-hydroxysuccinimides of glucose and lactose have been
      synthesized. Peracetylated sugars, acetobromo sugars and benzoylated thioethyl
      glycosides have been used as precursors. With boron trifluoride etherate in
      dichloromethane, peracetylated sugars gave predominantly the beta anomer.
      Trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate in nitromethane, however, gave
      predominantly the alpha anomer. Treatment of the acetylated O-glucopyranosyl-N
      hydroxysuccinimide with various nucleophiles (methoxide, hydroxide and
      pentylamine) gave the corresponding deacetylated N
      (succinyl)glucopyranosylhydroxylamines in almost quantitative yield. These
      derivatives are suitable for the formation of glycoconjugates or attachment of
      carbohydrates to solid phases using the opened succinimide as linking arm.

PMID- 1422131
TI  - Determination of sequence and linkage of tissue oligosaccharides in caprine beta
      mannosidosis by fast atom bombardment, collisionally activated dissociation
      tandem mass spectrometry.
AB  - Fast atom bombardment, collisionally activated dissociation tandem mass
      spectrometry (FAB-CAD-MS/MS), combined with p-aminobenzoic acid ethyl ester
      (ABEE) derivatization, were used to confirm the sequence and linkage pattern of
      subnanomolar amounts of the previously characterized three major thyroid gland
      oligosaccharides accumulated in caprine beta-mannosidosis. Positive ion FAB-CAD
      MS/MS of both the [M + H]+ and [M + Na]+ ions from the ABEE derivatized
      oligosaccharides produced product ions derived from cleavage of the glycosidic
      bonds which allowed the sequences to be determined. Several fragments resulting
      from cleavages across the sugar ring permitted the assignment, in some cases, of
      the linkage positions between the sugar residues. The natriated molecule yielded
      several fragments of this type which were not observed when the protonated
      molecule was selected as the precursor ion. Use of these techniques gave the
      complete sequence and linkage characterization of the disaccharide and complete
      sequence and partial linkage information for the two higher oligosaccharides.

PMID- 1422132
TI  - Fine sugar specificity of the Butea frondosa seed lectin.
AB  - Various monosaccharides and oligosaccharides were used to define the specificity
      of the Butea frondosa lectin using the hapten inhibition technique of human
      erythrocyte agglutination. Although B. frondosa lectin exhibited higher affinity
      for N-acetylgalactosamine, lactose and N-acetyllactosamine appeared to be
      relatively good inhibitors of haemagglutination. The behaviour of N
      acetyllactosamine-type oligosaccharides and glycopeptides on a column of B.
      frondosa lectin immobilized on Sepharose 4B showed that the sugar-binding
      specificity of the lectin is directed towards unmasked N-acetyllactosamine
      sequences. Substitution of these N-acetyllactosamine sequences by sialic acid
      residues completely abolished the affinity of the lectin for the saccharides. The
      presence of one or several alpha Fuc(1-3)GlcNAc groups completely inhibited the
      interaction between the glycopeptides and the lectin. Substitution of the core
      beta-mannose residue by an additional bisecting beta(1-4)GlcNAc residue decreases
      the affinity of the lectin for these structures as compared with the
      unsubstituted ones.

PMID- 1422133
TI  - Application of chemically desialylated and degalactosylated human glycophorin for
      induction and characterization of anti-Tn monoclonal antibodies.
AB  - Human erythrocyte glycophorin was desialylated by mild acid hydrolysis and
      degalactosylated by Smith degradation. Two monoclonal antibodies (Tn5 and Tn56)
      obtained by immunization of mice with this 'artificial' Tn antigen were
      characterized and compared in some experiments with two antibodies (BRIC111 and
      LM225) obtained in other laboratories by immunization with Tn erythrocytes. The
      specific binding of the antibodies to glycophorins desialylated and
      degalactosylated on the nitrocellulose blot and to asialo-agalactoglycophorin
      coated ELISA plates, and reactions with authentic Tn antigen served for
      identification of their anti-Tn specificity. The antibodies were further
      characterized in inhibition assay with various glycoproteins. The antibody Tn5
      (similar to BRIC111) was shown to be specific for human erythrocyte Tn antigen,
      whereas Tn56 reacted strongly with different glycoproteins carrying O-linked
      GalNAc alpha- residues, and was strongly bound to the murine adenocarcinoma cell
      line Ta3-Ha. The antibodies Tn5, Tn56 and BRIC111 were similarly inhibited by
      ovine submaxillary mucin (OSM) and asialoOSM, but the antibody LM225 showed a
      distinct preference in reaction with OSM (sialosyl-Tn antigen). The results show
      that Tn antigen, obtained by chemical modifications of human glycophorin, enables
      the preparation and characterization of anti-Tn monoclonal antibodies, without
      using rare Tn erythrocytes.

PMID- 1422134
TI  - Inositol acylation of glycosylphosphatidylinositol membrane anchors: what it is,
      and why it may be important.

PMID- 1422135
TI  - Use of resorufin-labelled N-glycopeptide in a high-performance liquid
      chromatography assay to monitor endoglycosidase activities during cultivation of
      Flavobacterium meningosepticum.
AB  - Peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl) asparagine amidase F (PNGase F) and endo
      beta-N-acetyl glucosaminidase F (Endo F) activities were monitored during
      cultivation of Flavobacterium meningosepticum using a new fluorescence-HPLC
      procedure based on a commercially available substrate. The PNGase F activity
      reached a maximum level at the end of the log phase and remained constant during
      the stationary phase, while Endo F continuously increased until late stationary
      phase. PNGase F obtained at the end of the log phase was less contaminated by
      other proteins compared with late stationary phase.

PMID- 1422136
TI  - Glycopeptidolipids--a new class of artificial antigens with carbohydrate
      determinants. Synthesis of artificial antigen with type-specific oligosaccharide
      hapten from Neisseria meningitidis group B.
AB  - Synthetic lipopeptide N-palmitoyltyrosyl-seryl-seryl-asparaginyl-alanine, an
      analogue of B-mitogenic tripalmitoyl-pentapeptide from Escherichia coli
      lipoprotein, was coupled with an oligosaccharide hapten from Neisseria
      meningitidis lipooligosaccharide to give a glycopeptidolipid conjugate--the
      artificial antigen of a new type processing the type-specific microbial
      determinant.

PMID- 1422137
TI  - Ion-spray mass spectrometric analysis of glycosaminoglycan oligosaccharides.
AB  - Oligosaccharides from hyaluronic acid and chondroitin 6-sulfate were prepared by
      digestion with testicular hyaluronidase and separated according to their degree
      of polymerization by gel-permeation chromatography. These materials were
      successively analyzed by negative-mode ion-spray mass spectrometry with an
      atmospheric-pressure ion source. An ion-spray interface was used to produce ions
      via the ion evaporation process, producing mass spectra containing a series of
      molecular species carrying multiple charges. Using two adjacent multiply charged
      molecular ions, the exact molecular weights up to the tetradecasaccharide were
      calculated with a precision of +/- 1 dalton. This type of mass spectrometry was
      also demonstrated to be feasible for the analysis of mixtures of
      oligosaccharides, including tetra-, hexa-, octa- and decasaccharides, from
      hyaluronic acid or chondroitin 6-sulfate without separation. Ion-spray mass
      spectrometry was thus shown to be applicable to the structural analysis of
      oligosaccharides from glycosaminoglycans.

PMID- 1422138
TI  - Control of glycoprotein synthesis: substrate specificity of rat liver UDP
      GlcNAc:Man alpha 3R beta 2-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I using synthetic
      substrate analogues.
AB  - UDP-GlcNAc: Man alpha 3R beta 2-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I (GlcNAc-T I; EC
      2.4.1.101) is the key enzyme in the synthesis of complex and hybrid N-glycans.
      Rat liver GlcNAc-T I has been purified more than 25,000-fold (M(r) 42,000). The
      Vmax for the pure enzyme with [Man alpha 6(Man alpha 3)Man alpha 6](Man alpha
      3)Man beta 4GlcNAc beta 4GlcNAc beta-Asn as substrate was 4.6 mumol min-1 mg-1.
      Structural analysis of the enzyme product by proton nuclear magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy proved that the enzyme adds an N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) residue
      in beta 1-2 linkage to the Man alpha 3Man beta-terminus of the substrate. Several
      derivatives of Man alpha 6(Man alpha 3)Man beta-R, a substrate for the enzyme,
      were synthesized and tested as substrates and inhibitors. An unsubstituted
      equatorial 4-hydroxyl and an axial 2-hydroxyl on the beta-linked mannose of Man
      alpha 6(Man alpha 3)Man beta-R are essential for GlcNAc-T I activity. Elimination
      of the 4-hydroxyl of the alpha 3-linked mannose (Man) of the substrate increases
      the KM 20-fold. Modifications on the alpha 6-linked mannose or on the core
      structure affect mainly the KM and to a lesser degree the Vmax, e.g.,
      substitutions of the Man alpha 6 residue at the 2-position by GlcNAc or at the 3-
      and 6-positions by mannose lower the KM, whereas various other substitutions at
      the 3-position increase the KM slightly. Man alpha 6(Man alpha 3)4-O-methyl-Man
      beta 4GlcNAc was found to be a weak inhibitor of GlcNAc-T I.

PMID- 1422139
TI  - Peptide-N4-(N-acetylglucosaminyl)asparagine amidase (PNGase) activity could
      explain the occurrence of extracellular xylomannosides in a plant cell
      suspension.
AB  - We have previously isolated mannoside and xylomannoside oligosaccharides with one
      or two terminal reducing N-acetylglucosamine residues from the extracellular
      medium of white campion (Silene alba) suspension culture. We have now
      demonstrated the presence of peptide-N4-(N-acetylglucosaminyl)asparagine amidase
      (PNGase) activity in cell extracts as well in the culture medium that could
      explain the production of those compounds. An additional xylomannoside,
      (GlcNAc)Man3(Xyl)GlcNAc(Fuc)GlcNAc, was characterized, and 1H- and 13C-NMR
      assignments for the oligosaccharide Man3(Xyl)GlcNAc(Fuc)GlcNAc were obtained
      using homonuclear and heteronuclear spectroscopy (COSY).

PMID- 1422140
TI  - Surface glycoprotein of human natural killer cells recognized by wheat germ
      agglutinin.
AB  - We analyzed surface glycoproteins of human natural killer (NK) cells by utilizing
      lectins. Among the lectins tested, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) was found to bind
      preferentially to CD16(Leu11)-positive lymphocytes as determined by two-colour
      flow cytometry. Analysis of glycoproteins in the lysate prepared from NK cells
      with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gel electrophoresis followed by Western
      blotting and 125I labeled WGA staining revealed that a glycoprotein with an M(r)
      of 65 kDa was strongly bound to the lectin, but no corresponding glycoprotein was
      detected in the lysate of T lymphocytes. This glycoprotein (GP65) gave several
      spots in the pI range 4.1-4.6 on 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Sialidase
      treatment of GP65 resulted in a single spot on the 2-dimensional gel, suggesting
      that GP65 is heterogeneous in the degree of sialylation. GP65 was shown to be
      exposed on the cell surface, since it was radiolabeled with 125I by the
      lactoperoxidase-catalyzed method. We next isolated GP65 from human peripheral
      blood lymphocytes by a combination of chromatography on a cation-exchange column
      and a WGA-agarose column and preparative SDS gel electrophoresis. It is suggested
      that GP65 is a novel surface glycoprotein on human NK cells.

PMID- 1422141
TI  - Specificity of Amaranthus leucocarpus lectin.
AB  - We have demonstrated that Amaranthus leucocarpus lectin hemagglutinating activity
      was powerfully inhibited by the T-antigen, containing Gal(beta 1-3)GalNAc(alpha 1
      3)Ser/Thr, and the Tn-antigen, which contains GalNAc(alpha 1-3)Ser/Thr. This
      suggests that the acetamido group at C-2 and the axial -OH at C-4 of the N-acetyl
      D-galactopyranosylamine ring are important for lectin binding. The
      hemagglutination assays also established that desialylated and Pronase-treated
      human type O erythrocytes with an M phenotype were better recognized than
      erythrocytes from all other blood groups. The recognition was dependent on pH and
      ionic strength.

PMID- 1422142
TI  - Comparison of the carbohydrate moieties of recombinant soluble Fc epsilon
      receptor (sFc epsilon RII/sCD23) expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and
      Chinese hamster ovary cells. Different O-glycosylation sites are used by yeast
      and mammalian cells.
AB  - Recombinant human soluble low affinity receptor for the Fc portion of IgE (sFc
      epsilon RII/sCD23) was produced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Chinese hamster
      ovary cells and subjected to carbohydrate analysis. Applied methods included
      analytical SDS-PAGE, reversed phase HPLC, methylation analysis and sequential
      degradation with exoglycosidases. The results revealed that sFc epsilon RII
      derived from Chinese hamster ovary cells is glycosylated exclusively at Ser-147,
      containing mainly the trisaccharide Sia(alpha 2-3)Gal(beta 1-3)GalNAc, whereas
      the yeast derived glycoprotein was glycosylated at Ser-167 and contained only
      alpha-mannosyl residues. It is shown here for the first time that different amino
      acids of a given protein can be O-glycosylated when expressed in yeast or Chinese
      hamster ovary cells.

PMID- 1422143
TI  - Comparison of the NMR solution structure with the X-ray crystal structure of the
      activation domain from procarboxypeptidase B.
AB  - The NMR solution structure of the activation domain isolated from porcine
      procarboxypeptidase B is compared with the X-ray crystal structure of the
      corresponding segment in the intact proenzyme. For the region of the polypeptide
      chain that has a well-defined three-dimensional structure in solution, i.e., the
      backbone atoms of residues 11-76 and 25 amino acid side chains in this segment
      that form a hydrophobic core in the activation domain, the root-mean-square
      distance between the two structures is 1.1.A. There are no significant
      differences in average atom positions between the two structures, but only the
      NMR structure shows increased structural disorder in three outlying loops located
      along the same edge of the activation domain. These regions of increased
      structural disorder in the free domain coincide only partially with the interface
      to the enzyme domain in the proenzyme.

PMID- 1422144
TI  - Improved resolution in three-dimensional constant-time triple resonance NMR
      spectroscopy of proteins.
AB  - Two new protocols for the three-dimensional, triple resonance, constant-time
      HCA(CO)N NMR experiment are presented that significantly increase the
      experimental resolution attainable in the C alpha frequency dimension.
      Experimental verification of the new experiments is provided by spectra of the
      IIA domain of glucose permease from Bacillus subtilis.

PMID- 1422145
TI  - Sampling and efficiency of metric matrix distance geometry: a novel partial
      metrization algorithm.

PMID- 1422146
TI  - Toxin III of the scorpion Androctonus australis Hector: proton nuclear magnetic
      resonance assignments and secondary structure.
AB  - 1H NMR has been applied to a 3.5 mM, pH 5.4, solution of toxin III (64 amino
      acids) from venom of the scorpion Androctonus australis Hector. The resonance
      assignment strategy began by applying a generalized main-chain directed method
      for rapid identification and resonance assignments of secondary structures. The
      remaining resonances were assigned by the sequential method. Major structural
      features include a helix of 2 1/2 turns (residues 20-28) which is linked by two
      disulfide bridges to the central strand of a triple-stranded anti-parallel beta
      sheet. Turns were identified at residues 15-17, 47-49 and also at residues 51-53.
      Numerous NOEs have been observed between hydrophobic residues which suggest the
      presence of a hydrophobic core; these include Leu37, Leu23, Val47, Tyr14, Trp45
      and Tyr5. The Trp45 and Tyr5 rings lie orthogonal to one another. No crystal
      structure has been solved for this AaH III toxin. Comparisons are made with other
      members of the scorpion toxin family.

PMID- 1422147
TI  - A 1H-15N NMR study of human c-Ha-ras protein: biosynthetic incorporation of 15N
      labeled amino acids.
AB  - A 1H-15N NMR study was performed on the GDP-bound form of a truncated human c-Ha
      ras oncogene product (171 amino acid residues). Resonance cross peaks of the
      backbone amide 1H-15N nuclei of a uniformly 15N-labeled protein were observed
      with heteronuclear single-quantum coherence spectroscopy (HSQC). In order to
      resolve overlapping cross peaks, selective 15N-labeling of one or two types of
      amino acid residues (Ala, Arg, Asx, Glx, Gly, His, Ile, Leu, Lys, Met, Phe, Ser,
      Thr, Tyr and/or Val) was carried out using appropriate E. coli mutant strains. By
      this procedure, all the backbone 1H-15N cross peaks were classified into amino
      acid types.

PMID- 1422148
TI  - The solution conformation of sialyl-alpha (2----6)-lactose studied by modern NMR
      techniques and Monte Carlo simulations.
AB  - We present a comprehensive strategy for detailed characterization of the solution
      conformations of oligosaccharides by NMR spectroscopy and force-field
      calculations. Our experimental strategy generates a number of interglycosidic
      spatial constraints that is sufficiently large to allow us to determine
      glycosidic linkage conformations with a precision heretofore unachievable. In
      addition to the commonly used [1H,1H] NOE contacts between aliphatic protons, our
      constraints are: (a) homonuclear NOEs of hydroxyl protons in H2O to other protons
      in the oligosaccharide, (b) heteronuclear [1H,13C] NOEs, (c) isotope effects of
      O1H/O2H hydroxyl groups on 13C chemical shifts, and (d) long-range heteronuclear
      scalar couplings across glycosidic bonds. We have used this approach to study the
      trisaccharide sialyl-alpha (2----6)-lactose in aqueous solution. The
      experimentally determined geometrical constraints were compared to results
      obtained from force-field calculations based on Metropolis Monte Carlo
      simulations. The molecule was found to exist in 2 families of conformers. The
      preferred conformations of the alpha (2----6)-linkage of the trisaccharide are
      best described by an equilibrium of 2 conformers with phi angles at -60 degrees
      or 180 degrees and of the 3 staggered rotamers of the omega angle with a
      predominant gt conformer. Three intramolecular hydrogen bonds, involving the
      hydroxyl protons on C8 and C7 of the sialic acid residue and on C3 of the
      reducing-end glucose residue, contribute significantly to the conformational
      stability of the trisaccharide in aqueous solution.

PMID- 1422149
TI  - Multidimensional 1H and 15N NMR investigation of glutamine-binding protein of
      Escherichia coli.
AB  - Specific and uniform 15N labelings along with site-directed mutagenesis of
      glutamine-binding protein have been utilized to obtain assignments of the His156,
      Trp32 and Trp220 residues. These assignments have been made not only to further
      study the importance of these 3 amino acid residues in protein-ligand and protein
      protein interactions associated with the active transport of L-glutamine across
      the cytoplasmic membrane of Escherichia coli, but also to serve as the starting
      points in the sequence-specific backbone assignment. The assignment of H epsilon
      2 of His156 refines the earlier model where this particular proton forms an
      intermolecular hydrogen bond to the delta-carbonyl of L-glutamine, while
      assignments of both Trp32 and Trp220 show the variation in local structures which
      ensure the specificity in ligand binding and protein-protein interaction. Using
      3D NOESY-HMQC NMR, amide connectivities can be traced along 8-9 amino acid
      residues at a time. This paper illustrates the usefulness of combining 15N
      isotopic labeling and multinuclear, multidimensional NMR techniques for a
      structural investigation of a protein with a molecular weight of 25,000.

PMID- 1422150
TI  - Sequence-specific resonance assignment and secondary structure of (1-71)
      bacterioopsin.
AB  - The conformation of chymotryptic fragment C2 of bacteriohodopsin (residues 1-71)
      was studied by 2D 1H NMR. The fragment was solubilized in a mixture of
      chloroform/methanol (1:1), 0.1 M LiClO4. Most of the resonances in 1H NMR spectra
      of fragment C2 were assigned using phase-sensitive DQF-COSY, TOCSY, and NOESY
      techniques. To simplify the assignment procedure for overlapping regions of NMR
      spectra, an analog of fragment C2 with leucines deuterated in beta-positions was
      used. Deuterium exchange rates for amide protons were measured in a series of
      TOCSY spectra. Two right-handed alpha-helical regions Pro8-Lys30 and Lys41-Leu62
      were identified on the basis of NOE connectivities and deuterium exchange rates.
      The N-terminal part of the fragment (Ala2-Gly6) adopts the helical conformation
      stabilized by 3 hydrogen bonds.

PMID- 1422151
TI  - The effect of selective deuteration on magnetization transfer in larger proteins.
AB  - The effects of selective deuteration on calculated NOESY intensities have been
      analyzed for the structure of the E. coli trp aporepressor, a 25 kDa protein. It
      is shown that selectively deuterated trp aporepressor proteins display larger
      calculated NOESY intensities than those for the same interproton distances in the
      natural abundance protein. The relatively larger magnetization transfer is
      demonstrated by a comparison of the NOE build-up curves for specific proton
      pairs, and for the calculated NOE intensities of short-range NOEs to backbone
      amide protons. This increase in intensity is especially pronounced for the NHi
      NHi+1 cross peaks in the alpha-helical regions, and particularly for amide
      protons of two sequential deuterated residues. The effect is shown to be further
      intensified for longer mixing times. It is also shown that in all cases, each
      amide proton exhibits stronger NOEs to its own side chain, with an enhanced
      effect for deuterated derivatives. This theoretical analysis demonstrates that an
      evaluation of the relative NOE intensities for different selectively deuterated
      analogs may be an important tool in assigning NMR spectra of large proteins.
      These results also serve as a guide for the interpretation of NOEs in terms of
      distances for structure calculations based on data using selectively deuterated
      proteins.

PMID- 1422152
TI  - A refocused and optimized HNCA: increased sensitivity and resolution in large
      macromolecules.
AB  - A 3D optimized, refocused HNCA experiment is described. It is demonstrated to
      yield a dramatic increase in sensitivity when applied to [13C, 15N]-labeled human
      carbonic anhydrase II, a 29-kDa protein. The reasons for the gain in sensitivity
      are discussed, and 3 distinct areas for further development are indicated.

PMID- 1422153
TI  - A new 3D HN(CA)HA experiment for obtaining fingerprint HN-Halpha peaks in 15N-
      and 13C-labeled proteins.
AB  - A new 3D 1H-15N-13C triple resonance experiment is presented that provides in
      phase absorptive cross peaks between amide protons and alpha-protons of the same
      and the sequentially preceding residue. The experiment yields similar
      connectivities as those described previously by Montelione and Wagner (1990a) (J.
      Magn. Reson., 87, 183-188) and Kay et al. (1991) (J. Magn. Reson., 91, 84-92).
      However, the pulse sequence was designed to minimize the time that transverse
      coherence of the 13Calpha nucleus is present, since this nucleus has the shortest
      transverse relaxation time of all the nuclei involved in these experiments. This
      is achieved by using a coherence transfer pathway from 1HN to 15N, 13Calpha,
      1Halpha and back to the 1HN. In the sequence described, transverse 13Calpha
      coherence is present only for a length of ca. 1/1J(Calpha-Halpha). This reduces
      loss of signal due to transverse relaxation. We tested the technique on uniformly
      15N- and 13C-enriched T4 lysozyme.

PMID- 1422154
TI  - Solution conformation of human big endothelin-1.
AB  - The solution conformation of human big endothelin-1, a 38-residue peptide which
      serves as the putative precursor to the potent vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 has
      been examined by 1H NMR. NOEs were utilized as distance restraints in the
      distance geometry program DSPACE to generate initial structures. Further
      refinement of these structures was accomplished through molecular
      mechanics/molecular dynamics in an iterative process involving the incorporation
      of stereospecific assignments of prochiral centers and the use of back
      calculation of NOESY spectra. A family of structures consisting of a type II beta
      turn for residues 5-8 and an alpha-helix extending from residues 9-16 constitute
      a well-defined region, as reflected by the atomic root-mean-square (RMS)
      difference of 1.56 A about the mean coordinate positions of the backbone atoms
      (N, C, C alpha and O). This core region (residues 1-15) is very similar to the
      core residues of endothelin-1 (Donlan, M. et al. (1991) J. Cell. Biochemistry,
      S15G, 85). While the evidence from NOESY and coupling constant data suggests that
      the C-terminal region, residues 17-34, is not a mixture of randomly distributed
      chain conformations, it is also not consistent with a single chain conformation.
      Under the conditions studied, residues 17-38 in human big endothelin-1 in water
      at pH 3.0 between 20-30 degrees C appear to be represented by a series of
      conformers in dynamic equilibrium.

PMID- 1422155
TI  - 1H and 15N resonance assignments and secondary structure of the human thioredoxin
      C62A, C69A, C73A mutant.
AB  - The complete assignment of 1H and 15N backbone resonances and near-complete 1H
      side-chain resonance assignments have been obtained for the reduced form of a
      mutant of human thioredoxin (105 residues) in which the three non-active site
      cysteines have been substituted by alanines: C62A, C69A, C73A. The assignments
      were made primarily on the basis of three-dimensional 15N-separated nuclear
      Overhauser and Hartmann-Hahn spectroscopy, in conjunction with two-dimensional
      homonuclear and heteronuclear correlation experiments. Based on comparisons of
      short-range and interstrand nuclear Overhauser effects, patterns of amide
      exchange, and chemical-shift differences, the structure appears essentially
      unchanged from that of the previously determined solution structure of the native
      protein [Forman-Kay, J.D. et al. (1991) Biochemistry, 30, 2685-2698]. An assay
      for thioredoxin shows that the C62A, C69A, C73A mutant retains activity. The
      assignment of the spectrum for this mutant of human thioredoxin constitutes the
      basis for future studies aimed at comparing the details of the active-site
      conformation in the reduced and oxidized forms of the protein.

PMID- 1422156
TI  - Simulation of NOESY spectra of DNA segments: a new scaling procedure for
      iterative comparison of calculated and experimental NOE intensities.
AB  - A new algorithm for simulation of two-dimensional NOESY spectra of DNA segments
      has been developed. For any given structure, NOE intensities are calculated using
      the relaxation matrix approach and a new realistic procedure is suggested for 1:1
      comparison of calculated and experimental intensities. The procedure involves a
      novel method for scaling of calculated NOE intensities to represent volumes of
      digitised cross peaks in NOESY spectra. A data base of fine structures of all the
      relevant cross peaks with Lorentzian line shapes and in-phase components, is
      generated in a digitised manner by two-dimensional Fourier transformation of
      simulated time domain data, assuming a total intensity of 1.0 for each of the
      cross peaks. With this procedure, it is shown that the integrated volumes of
      these digitised cross peaks above any given threshold scale exactly as the total
      intensity of the respective peaks. This procedure eliminates the repetitive
      generation of digitised cross peaks by two-dimensional Fourier transformation
      during the iterative process of structure alteration and NOE intensity
      calculation and thus enhances the speed of DNA structure optimization.
      Illustrative fits of experimental and calculated spectra obtained using the new
      procedure are shown.

PMID- 1422157
TI  - Quantitative comparison of experimental and simulated NOE intensities:
      correlation with accuracy of oligonucleotide structure determination.
AB  - The relation between the match of experimental and simulated NOE intensities with
      the accuracy of structure determination of oligonucleotides has been
      investigated. A hypothetical experimental spectrum of the oligonucleotide
      d(CCAACGTTGG) from its known X-ray crystallographic structure (Prive, G.G. et al.
      (1991) J. Mol. Biol., 217, 177-199) has been generated with simplifying
      assumptions of single correlation time, leakage rate etc., and this spectrum has
      been simulated imposing various constraints in a manner as one would do in a real
      case. The hypothetical spectrum represents the case of an infinitely good
      experimental spectrum and therefore the study of quality of fit against quality
      of structure represents the limiting case of real situations. It has been shown
      that even with a limited number of NOEs, it is possible to approach the correct
      structure of the molecule by demanding a highly accurate fit between experimental
      and simulated NOE intensities. Distance geometry calculations have been used to
      probe the extent of structural degeneracies in the NOE intensity matching
      exercise.

PMID- 1422158
TI  - Quantitative measurement of small through-hydrogen-bond and 'through-space' 1H
      113Cd and 1H-199Hg J couplings in metal-substituted rubredoxin from Pyrococcus
      furiosus.
AB  - A method is described for measurement of small unresolvable heteronuclear J
      couplings. The method is based on quantitative analysis of a phase-purged
      heteronuclear spin-echo difference spectrum, and is demonstrated for measuring 1H
      113Cd and 1H-199Hg J couplings in metal-substituted rubredoxin (M(r)
      approximately 5.4 kDa) from Pyrococcus furiosus. Couplings from cadmium to
      backbone amide protons that are hydrogen bonded to the Cys-S atoms directly
      bonded to Cd vary from smaller than 0.3 to 1.8 Hz; a 'through-space' coupling
      between Cd and the protons of an alanine methyl group was measured to be 0.3 Hz.
      Couplings to 199Hg are significantly larger and fall in the 0.4-4 Hz range.

PMID- 1422159
TI  - Activity patterns in elementary and high school students exposed to oxidant
      pollution.
AB  - We investigated activity patterns of 17 elementary school students aged 10-12,
      and 19 high school students aged 13-17, in suburban Los Angeles during the
      oxidant pollution season. Individuals' relationships between ventilation rate
      (VR) and heart rate (HR) were "calibrated" in supervised outdoor walking/jogging.
      Log VR was consistently proportional to HR; although "calibrations" were limited
      by a restricted range of exercise, and possibly by artifact due to mouthpiece
      breathing, which may cause overestimation of VR at rest. Each subject then
      recorded activities in diaries, and recorded HR once per minute by wearing Heart
      Watches, over 3 days (Saturday-Monday). For each activity the subject estimated a
      breathing rate--slow (like slow walking), medium (like fast walking), or fast
      (like running). VR ranges for each breathing rate and activity type were
      estimated from HR recordings. High-school students' diaries showed their
      aggregate distribution of waking hours as 68% slow inside, 8% slow outside, 10%
      medium inside, 9% medium outside, 1.5% fast inside, 1.5% fast outside. Elementary
      students' distribution was 47% slow inside, 15% slow outside, 20% medium inside,
      12% medium outside, 2.5% fast inside, 3.5% fast outside. Sleep occupied 38% of
      high-school students' and 40% of elementary students' time; HR were generally
      lower in sleep than in slow waking activity. High school students' mean VR
      estimates were 13 L/min for slow breathing, 18 for medium, and 23 for fast;
      elementary students' were 14 slow, 18 medium, and 19 fast. VR distributions were
      approximately lognormal. Maximum estimated VR were approximately 70 L/min in
      elementary and approximately 100 L/min in high school students. Compared to
      adults studied similarly, students reported more medium or fast breathing, and
      had equal or higher VR estimates during slow and medium breathing despite their
      smaller size. These results suggest that, relative to body size, young people
      inhale larger doses of outdoor air pollutants than adults.

PMID- 1422160
TI  - Measurement of personal exposure to NO2 in Sweden--evaluation of a passive
      sampler.
AB  - A passive (filter badge) sampler for personal NO2 exposure measurements was
      tested in a laboratory setting (exposure chamber), and in the field--outdoors,
      during periods of high relative humidity (mean 85%) and low temperature (-5 to
      +10 degrees C), and indoors, in an ice-hockey arena--using chemiluminescence as a
      reference method. Parallel measurements of NO2 in the exposure chamber
      (concentration range 100-825 micrograms NO2/m3) for 15, 30, and 60 min sampling
      periods, showed good agreement between methods. The concentrations obtained with
      passive samplers were 78 to 122% (mean 94%, SD +/- 11, N = 39) of those obtained
      with chemiluminescence, using a sampling rate (K'OG) of 0.14 cm/sec. The
      detection limits were 320, 160, and 80 micrograms NO2/m3 for 15, 30, and 60
      minutes of sampling, respectively. Outdoors (concentration range 15-102
      micrograms NO2/m3, concentrations obtained with passive samplers were
      consistently lower than concentrations obtained with chemiluminescence (mean 79%,
      SD +/- 9.3%, range 61-95%, N = 25), using the K'OG of 0.14 of cm/sec (Passive
      samplerNO2 = 0.67ChemilumNO2 + 4.5). A better agreement between concentrations
      obtained with passive samplers and chemiluminescence was achieved with a K'OG of
      0.11 cm/sec (mean 100%, SD +/- 12%, range 78-121%, Passive samplerNO2 = 0.84
      ChemilumNO2 + 6.4). Indoors (concentration range 210-3895 micrograms NO2/m3),
      concentrations obtained with passive samplers were 70 to 113% (mean 90%, SD +/-
      16%) of the concentrations obtained with chemiluminescence (Passive samplerNO2 =
      1.00ChemilumNO2 - 93) using a K'OG of 0.10 cm/sec. Duplicate samples collected
      indoors N = 18) and outdoors (N = 31) showed a variability (coefficient of
      variation, or CV) of less than 6%. It was concluded that the passive sampler is
      useful for measuring personal daily exposure as well as peak exposure. It is
      necessary to determine sampling rates for various environmental conditions.

PMID- 1422161
TI  - Assessment of exposure to radon decay products in realistic living conditions.
AB  - The development of an automated system for activity-weighted size distribution
      measurements now permits more complete exposure and dose assessment for indoor
      radon decay products. Exposures characterized by the semi-continuous measurement
      of activity-weighted size distributions of radon decay products were obtained
      over four test periods in three normally occupied houses, two of which were
      occupied by cigarette smokers. These measured activity size distributions were
      used to calculate exposure-dose conversion coefficients and the annual effective
      doses. These doses were found to be approximately two-fold higher than the values
      derived conventionally from the measured radon concentration, on the assumption
      that indoor exposure to 20 Bq m-3 radon gas concentration corresponds to an
      annual effective dose 1 mSv y-1. The degree to which aerosol-measurement-based
      dose estimates were higher than radon-gas-based estimates was found to be
      influenced if the study house occupant was a cigarette smoker. Reassessment of
      the measured PAEC-weighted radon progeny particle size distribution in terms of
      the classical "unattached" and "attached" modes yielded lower estimates of the
      exposure-effective dose conversion coefficient that were similar to the reference
      values derived from a recent study by the National Research Council. Thus, by not
      resolving the measured radon progeny PAEC that is associated with particles
      intermediate in size between the two classical radon progeny modes, the estimated
      annual effective doses were also found to be similar to the values derived
      conventionally from the measured radon gas concentration. It is concluded that
      the observed presence of 4 to 13% of the radon progeny PAEC in the size-range 1.5
      to 15 nm diameter is a dosimetrically significant factor that appears to be
      commonplace in various home environments.

PMID- 1422162
TI  - Human exposure to pollutants in Poland.
AB  - Serious environmental problems caused by decades of mismanagement of Poland's
      natural resources have been brought to light in recent years. All environmental
      media--air, water, food, and soil--have been burdened with toxic chemicals. Some
      environmental problems are so severe that the sources of pollution and the
      mitigation techniques needed are obvious, requiring no further research, but
      rather common sense, monies, and determination to implement the necessary
      controls and mitigation procedures. This paper will not address these obvious
      cases. Rather it will address that spectrum of environmental problems which
      requires a better understanding of public health risk in order to develop
      effective risk management strategies. Because these problems are numerous and
      monies limited, policy makers will need to set priorities both for research
      projects and control options. Using environmental concentration data presently
      available from Poland (especially for air), the paper will estimate human
      exposures, will point out research and monitoring needs, and hopefully, will lend
      credence to the concept that environmental policies and risk reduction strategies
      will be most effective if the Total Human Exposure Concept is used as the guiding
      scientific principle in risk assessment and management programs.

PMID- 1422163
TI  - Elimination kinetics of volatile organics in humans using breath measurements.
AB  - During the past decade significant strides have been made toward understanding
      the sources and factors which lead to volatile organic chemical (VOC) exposure in
      the general population. Less is known, however, about the impact of low-level
      environmental exposure on human health. Investigations are underway in a number
      of laboratories in an effort to determine the uptake, distribution, metabolism,
      and elimination kinetics for VOCs in humans. We examined the elimination kinetics
      for the third phase for ten VOCs--1,1,-trichloroethane, trichloroethylene,
      tetrachloroethylene, benzene, toluene, m,p-xylenes, o-xylene, ethylbenzene, p
      dichlorobenzene, and limonene--in human subjects. Subjects were exposed to a
      variety of common consumer products and breath samples were collected post
      exposure while the subjects spent up to 10 hr in a clean air environment. VOCs
      from breath samples were collected into canisters or onto Tenax GC cartridges and
      analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Exponential modeling of the
      decay data was performed to obtain kinetic parameters. The half-lives for
      trichloroethylene and 1,1,1-trichloroethane were approximately 5 to 8 hr for the
      four subjects. In general, the magnitude and range of variability was larger for
      toluene, limonene, and p-dichlorobenzene than for the other VOCs; the elimination
      rate spanning a few hours to a day or two. Thus, VOCs exhibit relatively short
      residence times in the body relative to other halo-carbons, such as
      polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins.

PMID- 1422164
TI  - Airborne asbestos levels in buildings: maintenance worker and occupant exposures.
AB  - A substantial number of air samples have been collected during the past few years
      to measure airborne asbestos levels in buildings with asbestos-containing
      materials (ACM). These samples fall into two categories: (i) samples collected to
      measure the exposure of workers while they were engaged in routine maintenance
      and repair activities; and (ii) samples collected during normal building activity
      to measure prevalent levels in buildings. The measurements derived from these
      samples have been compiled and summarized to provide estimates of the airborne
      asbestos exposure of workers engaged in routine maintenance and repair work and
      by other building occupants. These data indicate that maintenance and repair
      workers in buildings with ACM, after accounting for the frequency and duration of
      these types of activities, have annual exposure levels ranging from a median
      value of 0.002 fibers per cubic centimeter (f/cc) per year to 0.02 f/cc per year
      at the 90th percentile. Building occupants not involved in maintenance and repair
      work experience average exposure levels ranging from 0.00003 f/cc to 0.0005 f/cc.

PMID- 1422165
TI  - "Secondary" and drug-induced mood, anxiety, psychotic, catatonic, and personality
      disorders: a review of the literature.

PMID- 1422166
TI  - Anticonvulsants in the treatment of bipolar disorder.
AB  - In the last decade, a proliferation of research has emerged concerning the use of
      somatic treatments with anticonvulsant properties, e.g., carbamazepine,
      valproate, clonazepam, oxcarbazepine, and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), for
      patients with bipolar disorder. A sufficient number of controlled studies have
      been conducted to allow critical review of the evidence supporting the efficacy
      of these treatments for acute bipolar manic and depressive episodes, as well as
      for the prevention of subsequent episodes. Further research is needed to
      establish the prophylactic efficacy of anticonvulsants as maintenance therapies
      and, perhaps most importantly, to provide clinical and biological predictors of
      response.

PMID- 1422167
TI  - Regional cerebral glucose metabolism and attention in adults with a history of
      childhood autism.
AB  - Sixteen high-functioning adults with a history of childhood autism and 26 normal
      control subjects underwent [18F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron-emission
      tomography to assess regional cerebral glucose metabolic rate (GMR). Autistic
      patients had a left > right anterior rectal gyrus asymmetry, as opposed to the
      normal right > left asymmetry in that region. Patients also showed low GMR in the
      left posterior putamen and high GMR in the right posterior calcarine cortex.
      Brain regions with GMR > 3 SD from the normal mean were more prevalent in
      patients than in control subjects. This variable pattern of abnormal activity is
      consistent with heterogeneous neurophysiological etiology; group differences in
      striatum and cortex may represent a final common pathway.

PMID- 1422168
TI  - Neurologic outcome of patients with dorsolateral prefrontal leukotomy.
AB  - Few controlled studies of neurologic function in frontal leukotomy patients have
      been done. The authors compared neurologic examinations of patients who had
      bilateral leukotomies with those of psychiatric control subjects matched for age,
      diagnosis, and duration of illness. Cranial nerve dysfunction, abnormal
      involuntary movements, and primitive reflexes were common. No significant
      differences between the two patient groups were found. The leukotomized patients
      were less irritable than control subjects and had statistically higher seizure
      and death rates. Neurologic abnormalities are, thus, common in elderly chronic
      psychiatric patients. Surprisingly, patients with bilateral prefrontal leukotomy
      do not differ from well-matched psychiatric controls on most clinical tests of
      neurologic function.

PMID- 1422169
TI  - Visual perceptual dysfunction in patients with schizophrenic and affective
      disorders versus control subjects.
AB  - Visual perception was evaluated with standard tests for 26 hospitalized patients
      with schizophrenia, 23 hospitalized patients with affective disorders, and 60
      control subjects. Both patient groups differed significantly from the control
      group on low amplitude of accommodation, esophoria or exophoria, vergence duction
      suppression, and convergence and divergence recovery ductions. Only the affective
      group showed significantly reduced fusion at near distance, and only the
      schizophrenic group differed significantly from control subjects on disorganized
      left apex formation. These findings appear to confirm the presence of visual
      perceptual disorders that can cause disability in psychiatric patients, with
      important research and rehabilitation implications.

PMID- 1422170
TI  - Neuropsychological discriminators of long-term inpatient or outpatient status in
      chronic schizophrenia.
AB  - This study investigates specific neuropsychological functions discriminating
      schizophrenic patients with hospitalization beyond 18 months from patients
      residing in the community without rehospitalization beyond 3 years. Twenty-six
      Research Diagnostic Criteria-diagnosed chronic schizophrenic outpatients and 26
      inpatients matched for sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and chronicity
      completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery and responded to an
      inventory of psychopathology. Discriminant function analyses showed that measures
      of motor coordination, preservation, memory, and attention discriminated between
      patient groups. Bilateral simultaneous fine motor coordination was the most
      potent discriminator between patient groups, independent of psychopathology.
      Implications for treatment and research on course and outcome in schizophrenia
      are discussed.

PMID- 1422172
TI  - Pathological lying associated with thalamic dysfunction demonstrated by
      [99mTc]HMPAO SPECT.
AB  - The authors report a case in which pathological lying is associated with right
      hemithalamic dysfunction as shown by [99mTc]HMPAO SPECT brain scanning. This
      association has not been demonstrated previously and is noteworthy because it
      supports the hypothesized roles of the thalamus and associated brain regions in
      the modulation of behavior and cognition.

PMID- 1422171
TI  - Bipolar disorder in idiopathic dystonia: clinical features and possible
      neurobiology.
AB  - The authors report 5 patients with bipolar disorders in the context of primary
      idiopathic dystonia. Four patients had DSM-III-R bipolar disorder, mixed, and one
      had cyclothymic disorder as diagnosed using the Structured Clinical Interview for
      DSM-III-R (SCID). All cases of bipolar disorder manifested rapid cycling. Three
      patients with bipolar disorder experienced onset of this illness soon after the
      onset of cervicocranial dystonia (5 neck dystonia, 4 craniofacial, 2 brachial, 1
      vocal cord, 1 thoracic). These cases apparently represent a first report of
      bipolar disorders in dystonia. Clinical management, relevant literature, and
      putative neurobiology are reviewed.

PMID- 1422173
TI  - Neurologic signs in patients with paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenia.
AB  - Previous research found that both persons with schizophrenia and their unaffected
      relatives had significantly more neurologic signs than normal controls. As
      hypothesized, in this study neurologic signs were significantly greater in
      patients with nonparanoid than paranoid schizophrenia; the difference was
      greatest for "hard" signs.

PMID- 1422174
TI  - Dissociation of neurocognitive deficits in a monozygotic twin pair concordant for
      schizophrenia.
AB  - Cognitive impairment varies markedly among schizophrenic individuals, although
      the reason for this is unknown. A monozygotic twin pair concordant for
      schizophrenia was evaluated using electrophysiological and neurobehavioral
      measures. Each twin showed a distinctive pattern of deficits; furthermore,
      clinical course and electrophysiological activity were not consonant with social
      and neurobehavioral functioning. Results suggest complex interrelationships
      between neurocognitive functioning and clinical presentation in schizophrenia.

PMID- 1422175
TI  - Prolonged postictal encephalopathy in two patients with clozapine-induced
      seizures.
AB  - Two patients with prolonged postictal encephalopathy lasting 63 and 72 hours,
      respectively, following seizures with clozapine are reported. Clozapine alters
      the EEG in a majority of patients treated, with seizure frequency as high as 5
      10% in doses above 600 mg/d. Prolonged postictal encephalopathy following a
      clozapine-induced seizure has not been previously reported but may be an
      important side effect of this medication. Pharmacologic and clinical issues are
      discussed.

PMID- 1422177
TI  - Anticoagulant therapy for dementia: informed consent.

PMID- 1422176
TI  - Skeptics and enthusiasts in neuropsychiatry.

PMID- 1422178
TI  - The effect of adding Br or Zn supplements to the dialysate on the concentrations
      of Br and Zn in the blood of hemodialysed patients.
AB  - The effect of adding Br or Zn supplementation to the dialysate on the
      concentrations of Br and Zn in the blood of hemodialysed patients, is
      investigated. Patients with end-stage renal failure on hemodialysis show an
      abnormal trace element pattern. Our patients showed lowered serum Br and Zn
      concentrations. Four patients were subjected to dialysates with varying Br
      content. The impact on their serum and packed cells concentrations was evaluated.
      The supplementation resulted in an increase in the concentrations in serum and in
      packed cells. The Br concentration in serum and packed cells closely followed the
      dialysate content. In order to restore the Zn concentration to the normal level a
      ZnCl2 solution was added to the dialysate of 4 other patients. Zn accumulated in
      the patient as a consequence of its diffusion against the concentration gradient.

PMID- 1422179
TI  - Cadmium uptake by brush border membrane vesicles from the rabbit renal external
      cortex.
AB  - Brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) isolated from the rabbit renal external
      cortex were used to investigate inorganic cadmium (Cd) uptake. BBMV were
      incubated during 1 to 60 min in a buffered solution containing 10 to 200 mumol/L
      Cd (CdCl2), and uptake was determined using a rapid filtration technique. Cd
      uptake by BBMV was time-and concentration-dependent. At the lowest concentration
      (10 mumol/L), Cd uptake was nearly complete (70% of the plateau value, which was
      obtained after 10 min) within 1 min. At the highest concentration (200 mumol/L),
      the percentage of Cd uptake during the first minute was smaller (50%) and a
      slower component of uptake appeared. From additional experiments where Cd-loaded
      BBMV were submitted to an osmotic shock or to variations of extravesicular
      osmolality, it was concluded that the uptake of Cd by BBMV resulted essentially
      from membrane binding and not from intravesicular accumulation. The change in pH
      from 7.4 to 5.8 under iso- or hypotonic conditions removed about 40% of Cd bound
      to the BBMV, indicating that Cd binding to the membrane is pH sensitive. Thus,
      binding to the brush border membrane constitutes an initial step for inorganic Cd
      entry into renal epithelial cells.

PMID- 1422180
TI  - Zinc in lymphocytes--the assessment of zinc status in patients with Crohn's
      disease.
AB  - A group of 26 Crohn's disease patients was compared to a healthy control group
      with regard to their zinc status in plasma, urine, hair, and lymphocytes. A
      method for lymphocyte preparation, which was in part newly designed, was used; it
      proved to be very effective as to recovery and purity of the harvested cell
      fraction. Results of the study suggest that an accurate estimation of zinc status
      can be more reliably obtained by determination of lymphocyte zinc--provided the
      cell preparation described is used--than by using any other of the examined body
      compartments.

PMID- 1422181
TI  - Historical perspective on the identification of type I iodothyronine deiodinase
      as the second mammalian selenoenzyme.

PMID- 1422182
TI  - Health evaluation of an aerosol formed in the fumes from mild steel welding
      electrodes.
AB  - Welding is one of the processes which cause multivarious problems to health. It
      requires considerable attention because of its severe hazards. During welding
      very harmful fumes and heat are emitted which have adverse effects on the health
      of the welder and people working in his vicinity. In the present work microfibre
      glass filter paper (GF/A) was found to be the preferable media for sampling of
      the fumes from mild steel electric welding electrodes for the evaluation of the
      trace elemental composition of the fumes. Using neutron activation analysis
      considerable amounts of the most harmful elements such as Ba, Co, Cr, Sb, Rb, Sc,
      As and Fe were observed.

PMID- 1422183
TI  - Trace elements in hydatid disease.
AB  - The serum and cyst fluid levels of selenium, zinc and copper were investigated
      both in patients and sheep with hydatid cysts. Results were compared with those
      of healthy subjects in both species. The serum values of Se, Zn and Cu in healthy
      subjects were 60.24 +/- 1.96 micrograms/L, 0.59 +/- 0.07 mg/L, and 1.01 +/- 0.08
      mg/L, respectively. The corresponding serum values of the three trace elements in
      patients with hydatidosis were 41.30 +/- 1.94 micrograms/L, 1.27 +/- 0.08 mg/L,
      and 0.89 +/- 0.09 mg/L. These results show a decrease in Se and Zn, and a rise in
      Cu in sera of patients with hydatid disease. Similar results were obtained in
      infested sheep as related to the healthy control animals. Our results on the
      three trace elements were found to correlate well with the incidence of
      cirrhosis, malignant and infectious diseases and arthritis. Se was not detectable
      in cyst fluid, while Cu and Zn levels were found significantly lower than serum
      levels. Cu and Zn levels in cyst fluid showed no difference in both species.
      Variations in serum Cu, Zn and Se levels were insignificant with regard to the
      genus of the host and the fertile capacity of the hydatid cyst.

PMID- 1422184
TI  - Problems associated with the use of exclusion-diffusion chromatography for
      identification of zinc ligands in human milk.
AB  - The effect of operating conditions used in gel filtration, i.e. the type of gel
      and elution buffer, on the qualitative and quantitative distribution of zinc in
      human milk was studied. The gels used were Sephadex G10 and G15, Biogel P2 and
      Trisacryl GF05. The three elution buffers used were 0.05 M Tris-HCl, pH = 7.4,
      0.05 M Tris-acetate, pH = 7.4 and 0.1 M ammonium acetate, pH = 6.5.
      Ultrafiltration was used as an additional technique for the verification of a
      number of the results obtained. Zinc ligands in human milk are, possibly, serum
      albumin and citric acid. The results showed a gel effect, which was greater on
      the identification and quantitation of the low molecular-weight ligand (the
      percentage of zinc associated with citric acid was lower with Biogel P2). The
      elution buffer had a considerable effect, particularly when quantifying the
      protein-bound fraction. The percentage of zinc coeluted with proteins decreased
      when the elution buffer contained acetate ions. The combination of Sephadex G15
      and 0.05 M Tris-HCl, pH = 7.4 was found to be the best compromise. Zinc
      distribution with this system was 35-44% of zinc coeluted with proteins and 18
      22% with citric acid.

PMID- 1422186
TI  - Inhibitory effects of isolated inositol phosphates on zinc absorption in humans.
AB  - Inositol hexa phosphate (phytic acid) forms poorly soluble complexes with zinc,
      resulting in reduced absorption. During food preparation and processing phytate
      is partly hydrolyzed to lower inositol phosphates which have other binding
      properties. Zinc absorption in humans was measured in 18 women (22-37 a) by use
      of extrinsic labelling of meals with 65Zn and measurement of whole body
      retention. Inositol phosphates--400 mumol of the hexa phosphate form (IP-6), 200
      and 400 mumol of the penta phosphate form (IP-5) and 400 mumol of the tetra
      phosphate form (IP-4)--were added to white bread and served with 200 mL of milk.
      The zinc content of the meal was 22 mumol. The absorption of zinc (65Zn) from
      white bread with no detectable phytate content was 43.3 +/- 17.9% (mean +/- SD)
      and from the breads with added 400 mumol of IP-6: 14.3 +/- 3.2%; 200 mumol of IP
      5: 27.1 +/- 5.3%; 400 mumol of IP-5: 18.1 +/- 4.2%; and 400 mumol of IP-4: 41.5
      +/- 11.3%. The results indicate that IP-6 and IP-5 have zinc-absorption
      depressing properties, while IP-4 added in isolated form is relatively inert as
      regards zinc absorption. However, a comparison with earlier obtained results from
      zinc absorption studies indicate that results obtained with isolated inositol
      phosphates can not directly be extrapolated to the phytate contents of foods.

PMID- 1422185
TI  - Concentration changes of electrolytes in serum of chronic chagasic
      myocardiopathic patients. Sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, inorganic
      phosphorus and magnesium.
AB  - Sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, inorganic phosphorus (Pi) and magnesium
      contents in the serum of 75 myocardiopathic chagasic patients together with that
      in 29 healthy controls were determined. Blood samples were taken by
      catheterization from the superior cava vein (SCV), coronary sinus (CS), pulmonary
      artery (PA) and a peripheral artery, usually the femoral (FA). The results show
      that the average serum sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and PI were
      invariably different in most samples, except the levels of potassium in SCV and
      Pi levels in FA. The serum concentration of magnesium was significantly different
      only in the blood of CS. In general one can observe that in the chagasic patients
      the serum sodium, chloride and calcium tend to diminish while serum potassium, Pi
      and magnesium tend to increase, especially in CS blood. The coronary gradient
      indicates that sodium, chloride and calcium tend to deposit in heart tissues,
      whereas the other elements (potassium, magnesium and Pi) tend to be released from
      this tissue. The systemic and peripheric gradients suggest that the chemical
      elements under study tend either to deposit in/or be released from different
      tissues depending on the course of development of the chagasic myocardiopathy.

PMID- 1422187
TI  - Monocyte mediated cytotoxic activity against melanoma.
AB  - The appearance of macrophages in human tumours, the so called tumour-infiltrating
      or tumour-associated macrophages (TIM or TAM) has suggested a role for these
      cells in host defence mechanisms against cancer. In this review we discuss
      monocyte-mediated cytotoxic activity against melanoma, as reported by a number of
      different authors. Although most studies described in this review have used
      melanoma cell lines as targets for monocyte/macrophage cytotoxicity, it would be
      incomplete if cytotoxicity against other target cells such as K562 or WEHI-164 is
      not discussed. At least two distinct mechanisms of killing by
      monocytes/macrophages can be distinguished; direct recognition and cytotoxicity
      by the effector cells and antibody-mediated lysis of the tumour cells (antibody
      dependent cellular cytotoxicity, ADCC). Both types of cytotoxicity will be
      discussed.

PMID- 1422188
TI  - Glutathione content of human malignant melanoma cell lines: correlation of flow
      cytometric and biochemical assays, and application to human tumour aspirates.
AB  - We measured the glutathione content of a panel of human malignant melanoma cell
      lines by flow cytometry after staining with mercury orange, using visible light
      (488 nm) excitation, and compared the values obtained with those measured
      biochemically using a modified Tietze assay. Glutathione levels were depleted by
      culturing cells with various concentrations of buthionine sulphoximine to provide
      a suitable spread of glutathione concentrations. The two assays showed good
      correlation (r = 0.93). We found a number of technical factors to be critically
      important. In particular, the conditions of staining, cell number, and method of
      mixing media, cells and stain were responsible for wide variations in
      fluorescence intensity. We applied the flow cytometric technique to cell
      suspensions obtained by fine needle aspiration biopsy of human malignant melanoma
      deposits, and observed a proportion of cells with high glutathione levels in many
      samples. The results confirm the feasibility of measuring glutathione content by
      visible light flow cytometry, and raise the possibility of monitoring glutathione
      content as an indicator of drug resistance in clinical therapy of human malignant
      melanoma.

PMID- 1422189
TI  - A possible role for cysteine proteinase and its inhibitors in motility of
      malignant melanoma and other tumour cells.
AB  - The metastasis of malignant tumour cells depends on their rapid replication, and
      their ability to adhere to the matrix of a biological barrier such as basement
      membrane, to degrade the matrix, and to migrate through this more permeable
      barrier. Secreted enzymes, including the cysteine proteinases cathepsins B and L,
      are known to degrade basement membrane components. Using a barrier-free
      substratum we studied the possible role of cysteine proteinases in influencing
      the motility per se of metastatic cells. We found that stefins, the natural
      inhibitors of cysteine proteinases, markedly decreased the stimulated motility of
      both human melanoma cells and W256 carcinosarcoma cells at low concentrations
      (0.5 microM). A stefin also inhibited melanoma cell adherence, but to a lesser
      extent than motility. Additionally, synthetic inhibitors (E-64, diazomethyl
      ketones) of cysteine proteinases were found to depress stimulated motility of
      W256 cells. These results suggest that cysteine proteinases and their inhibitors
      may have a direct role in the development of a migratory response per se in
      tumour cells.

PMID- 1422190
TI  - Inactive cathepsin B-like enzyme in human melanoma culture medium.
AB  - An inactive cathepsin B-like enzyme with a molecular mass of 40 kD was found in a
      human melanoma culture medium. The inactive form of this enzyme was converted
      into an active form with a molecular mass of 28 kD by pepsin treatment. This
      activated cathepsin B-like enzyme had almost the same characteristics regarding
      molecular size, substrate specificity, dependence on chemical reagents, and Km
      values as intracellular cathepsin B. Sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis followed by electroblotting with an antiserum against cathepsin B
      yielded inactive cathepsin B-like enzyme fractions which showed two
      immunoreactive bands with molecular masses of 40 and 28 kD, respectively. On the
      other hand, alkali treatment of the inactive cathepsin B-like enzyme fractions
      released a cysteine proteinase inhibitor with a molecular mass of 12 kD. These
      data suggest that these inactive cathepsin B-like enzymes in melanoma culture
      medium are present not only in the precursor form, but that they are also present
      as enzyme-inhibitor complexes, both of which can be activated enzymatically in
      vitro.

PMID- 1422191
TI  - Isomers of a marine diterpene distinguish sublines of human melanoma cells on the
      basis of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and differentiation markers.
AB  - The action of the marine furanoditerpenes, spongiatriol (SP) and episopongiatriol
      (ESP), were compared in two sublines of human melanoma cells (MM96E and MM96L)
      derived from the same metastatic lesion. MM96E had higher tyrosinase activity and
      lower expression of alkaline phosphatase but was otherwise indistinguishable from
      MM96L. SP and ESP treatment of both cell lines for 72 h at cytostatic doses
      inhibited B8G3 expression and tyrosinase activity but had little effect on the
      expression of tyrosinase antigen. MM96L cells were affected more than MM96E. SP
      and ESP induced apoptosis in both cell lines, ESP causing dendritic morphology in
      a proportion of MM96L cells. SP induced a marked G2/M arrest in MM96E cells. SP
      and ESP together define subtle qualitative and quantitative differences in human
      melanoma phenoypes, possibly based on expression of a repertoire of
      neurotransmitter receptors.

PMID- 1422192
TI  - Regional distribution of common and dysplastic naevi in relation to melanoma site
      and sun exposure. A case-control study.
AB  - The frequency of melanoma (CMM), and of common and dysplastic naevi (CN and DN)
      in areas of skin chronically, intermittently and rarely exposed to UV light was
      investigated in 121 melanoma patients (30-50 years) and 310 controls. Both cases
      and controls had significantly more CN in intermittently exposed areas than in
      areas chronically or rarely exposed. The ratio of observed to expected number of
      CMM was also highest in intermittently exposed skin (1.3 compared to 0.8 in
      chronically exposed and 0.5 in rarely exposed areas). Thus, intermittent UV
      exposure seems to have the most potent 'naevogenic' as well as carcinogenic
      effect on melanocytes. Nineteen per cent of controls and 56% of cases had naevi
      fulfilling the clinical criteria for DN. The distribution pattern of DN was
      clearly different from that of CN and does not accord with the idea that UV light
      is a major aetiological factor for DN. The probability of CMM significantly
      increased with the degree of relative clustering of CN (p less than 0.05) and of
      DN (p less than 0.01). This co-variation of naevi and CMM over the body surface
      might be the result of the local insults to the melanocyte system caused by UV
      light and/or to the fact that naevi are precursor lesions of CMM.

PMID- 1422193
TI  - The usefulness of single and combined clinical characteristics for the diagnosis
      of dysplastic naevi.
AB  - A total of 761 melanocytic lesions were studied to elucidate the usefulness of
      clinical features for the diagnosis of dysplastic naevi. Characteristics
      associated with high (irregular border, irregular pigmentation), intermediate
      (black coloured areas, largest diameter greater than 0.5 cm, change of size,
      change of colour) and low diagnostic efficiency could be defined. Combinations of
      criteria had high sensitivities: at least one of the following four criteria was
      positive in 96% of the dysplastic naevi and in all melanomas with less pronounced
      clinical characteristics: irregular border, irregular pigmentation, greatest
      diameter greater than 0.5 cm, black coloured areas. A lesion is therefore
      unlikely to be a dysplastic naevus or a melanoma if all these criteria are
      absent. When change of size and change of colour were analysed in addition to the
      features mentioned above a sensitivity of 0.96 was found for at least two of
      these six criteria. At least three of these six criteria were observed in all
      melanomas with less pronounced clinical characteristics. However, a rather low
      specificity (0.19 for at least one of four positive criteria, 0.20 for at least
      two of six positive criteria) indicated that dysplastic and non-dysplastic naevi
      cannot be clinically differentiated with acceptable certainty. With less
      stringent histological criteria approximately twice as high specificities were
      found. Specificities were about twice as high in a subgroup of patients with at
      least one proven dysplastic naevus besides the lesion under diagnostic
      consideration. This facilitates the identification of individuals at risk of
      developing a melanoma.

PMID- 1422194
TI  - Outpatient surgical treatment of cutaneous melanoma.
AB  - From January 1988 to December 1989, 920 patients with pigmented cutaneous
      lesions, clinically diagnosed as suspected or certain cutaneous melanoma (CM),
      underwent excision under local anaesthesia as outpatients. Histological
      examination confirmed CM in 135 patients. Patients in this group whose initial
      excision was for biopsy purposes only (extending 1-2 mm beyond the lesion margin)
      underwent a subsequent radical excision (extending greater than or equal to 10 mm
      from the neoplastic margin). The second resection was carried out within 10 to 15
      days of the first, on an outpatient basis if the thickness of the CM was less
      than or equal to 2 mm, and in hospital if it was greater than 2 mm. The clinical
      diagnosis proved correct in 88 cases (65%) where exeresis was the definitive
      surgical treatment. Outpatient surgery seems to be the best method for easing a
      workload dominated by the need to examine a growing number of pigmented skin
      lesions, without altering the prognosis for CM.

PMID- 1422195
TI  - Uptake of [131I]thiouracil in tumours of patients with disseminated malignant
      melanoma. A pilot study.
AB  - Previous studies on mice carrying melanoma have shown that 5-iodo-2-thiouracil
      (ITU) is accumulated in the tumours due to its specific incorporation into
      melanin during its synthesis. ITU is also selectively localized in murine
      melanoma metastases and in cultured human melanoma cells. Progressive formation
      of melanin is, however, a prerequisite for the incorporation. Four patients with
      disseminated melanoma were injected intravenously with 39-62 MBq [131I]TU. Blood
      and urine samples were gradually collected, and 3-7 days postinjection tumours
      were biopsied and examined by impulse counting. The patients were scanned with a
      gamma camera over the total body daily for 3-4 days. The radioactivity was
      rapidly excreted. Poor melanin pigmentation of the tumours and low proliferation
      rate (possibly induced by chemotherapy) decreased the uptake of radioactivity by
      the tumors, and no imaging was possible. One of the patients, however, had
      clearly progressive disease with darkly pigmented metastases which contained
      considerably higher levels of radioactivity than the surrounding skin.
      Calculations indicated that a doubling of the radioiodine dose would probably
      make visualization of the tumours possible.

PMID- 1422196
TI  - Thermal neutron capture therapy of malignant melanoma using 10B-monoclonal
      antibodies: in vitro and in vivo analysis.
AB  - We have established methods of targeting a sufficient number of 10B atoms on
      human melanoma cells to allow selective destruction of the cancer cells by
      thermal neutron irradiation. Thermal neutron capture therapy (NCT)1-3 requires
      the presence of at least 10(9) 10B atoms on each target cell for specific killing
      of that cell without injuring normal tissues. In order to accumulate an adequate
      number of 10B atoms on target cells, we first created an effective compound
      containing 12 atoms of 10B per molecule (10B12-chlorpromazine) and 10B-dopa
      analogue (10B1-paraboronophenylalanine). In the present study, about three
      molecules of our newly synthesized 10B12-compound were conjugated to an avidin
      molecule. The resulting 10B38.5-avidin compound can be specifically directed to
      human melanoma cells by biotinated monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific for the
      cells. We were able to accumulate 2.6 x 10(8) 10B atoms on a melanoma cell using
      this method. Cultured human melanoma cells treated with 10B-avidin-biotin-MAb
      (10B-AB-MAb) were selectively damaged by thermal neutron irradiation in vitro.
      This is the first study to indicate that thermal neutrons selectively damage
      target cells boronated by MAbs.

PMID- 1422197
TI  - Multipoint linkage mapping of the Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy gene.
AB  - The clinical features to establish the diagnosis of X-linked Emery-Dreifuss
      muscular dystrophy (EMD) were recently redefined at the European EMD workshop in
      Baarn 1991. These criteria were used to select families from the literature and
      two new families for linkage analysis with the DNA markers F9, DX52, DXS15, F8C
      and DXS115. Recombinations are observed with the DNA markers F9, DXS52 and DXS15.
      No recombinations were found with F8C and DXS115. Multipoint linkage analysis
      indicates with a maximum location score of 73.9 that the EMD locus maps very
      close to F8C.

PMID- 1422198
TI  - A deletion including the brain promoter of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene
      is not associated with mental retardation.
AB  - A total of 161 unrelated Duchenne (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD)
      patients were screened for deletions in the brain promoter region of the
      dystrophin gene. Southern blot analysis using a probe for the brain promoter
      detected a deletion in this region in only one of the DMD families, in a patient
      with normal intelligence. This deletion also included the promoter of the muscle
      type dystrophin and the exons encoding the actin-binding and part of the spectrin
      like domains. Our data suggest that deletions in the brain promoter region are
      rare in DMD and are compatible with normal intelligence.

PMID- 1422199
TI  - Early onset autosomal dominant progressive muscular dystrophy presenting in
      childhood as a Becker phenotype--the importance of dystrophin and molecular
      genetic analysis.
AB  - We present two cases of autosomal dominant limb girdle muscular dystrophy in a
      father and son. Both presented in childhood with a classical Becker muscular
      dystrophy phenotype. The father had initially been informed that he would not
      have affected children. After the diagnosis of muscular dystrophy in the son,
      immunoblot analysis was performed on muscle and revealed normal dystrophin. The
      polymerase chain reaction did not show any deletions in the dystrophin gene, and
      the father's dystrophin gene was not passed to his son. These cases demonstrate
      that autosomal dominant muscular dystrophy may present in childhood, and that
      dystrophin and molecular genetic analyses should be performed when considering
      the diagnosis of childhood muscular dystrophy, even in the presence of a
      classical phenotype.

PMID- 1422200
TI  - Melas: an original case and clinical criteria for diagnosis.
AB  - We describe the full history and postmortem findings in one of the first
      identified cases of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with stroke-like episodes
      (MELAS). To clarify diagnostic criteria, we analyzed 69 reported cases. The
      syndrome should be suspected by the following three invariant criteria: (1)
      stroke-like episode before age 40 yr; (2) encephalopathy characterized by
      seizures, dementia, or both; and (3) lactic acidosis, ragged-red fibers (RRF), or
      both. The diagnosis may be considered secure if there are also at least two of
      the following: normal early development, recurrent headache, or recurrent
      vomiting. There are incomplete syndromes in relatives of patients with the full
      syndrome and incomplete syndromes might also be encountered in sporadic cases.
      Some MELAS patients have features of the Kearns-Sayre syndrome (KSS) or myoclonic
      epilepsy with ragged-red fibers (MERRF), but none had the full KSS syndrome. In
      partial or confusing cases, analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) may point to
      the correct diagnosis; however, not all patients with clinical MELAS have had the
      typical mtDNA point mutation and some patients with the mutation have clinical
      syndromes other than MELAS.

PMID- 1422201
TI  - Gene therapy: present situation and future prospects.
AB  - In this review, some of the most characteristic experimental approaches have been
      surveyed, using in vitro cultivated cell systems or animal models to achieve
      therapeutical gene treatment of severe monogenic diseases. Great advances have
      been made in the utilization of viral-mediated gene transfer as well as by direct
      DNA injection techniques to permit either stable insertion of a "correcting" gene
      into the chromosomes of a cell or a tissue or its penetration and activity as an
      episome. In most instances, long-term expression of the newly introduced genetic
      information could be obtained and certain genetic defects could be compensated
      for or corrected in cultivated cells or in vivo. Recent approvals on certain
      protocols concerning somatic gene therapy in humans indicate that the medical
      world is quite conscious of the importance of this new strategy. Certain ethical
      considerations are listed and discussed.

PMID- 1422202
TI  - Genetic counselling.

PMID- 1422203
TI  - Molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase in dystrophic (mdx) mouse tissues.
AB  - We analyzed the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and its molecular forms
      in the tissues of normal and dystrophic (mdx) mice, at different developmental
      stages. We studied the brain, the heart and the serum, in addition to four
      predominantly fast-twitch muscles (tibialis, plantaris, gastrocnemius and
      extensor digitorum longus (EDL)) and the slow-twitch, soleus muscle. We found no
      difference between mdx and control mice in the AChE activity of the brain and the
      heart. The skeletal muscles affected by the disease undergo active degeneration
      counterbalanced by regeneration between 3 and 14 weeks after birth. The
      distribution of AChE patches associated with neuromuscular junctions was
      abnormally scattered in mdx muscles, and in some cases (tibialis and soleus), the
      number of endplates was more than twice that of normal muscles. There were only
      minor differences in the concentration and pattern of AChE molecular forms during
      the acute phase of muscle degeneration and regeneration. After this period,
      however, we observed a marked deficit in the membrane-bound G4 molecular form of
      AChE in adult mdx tibialis, gastrocnemius and EDL but not in the plantaris or in
      the soleus, as compared with their normal counterparts. Whereas the amount of
      AChE markedly decreased in the serum of normal mice during the first weeks of
      life, it remained essentially unchanged in the serum of mdx mice. It is likely
      that this excess of AChE activity in serum originates from the muscles. A deficit
      in muscle G4 was also reported in other forms of muscular dystrophy in the mouse
      and chicken. Since it is not correlated to the acute phase of the disease in mdx
      and also occurs in genetically different dystrophies, it probably represents a
      secondary effect of the dystrophy.

PMID- 1422204
TI  - Dystrophin at the plasma membrane of human muscle fibers shows a costameric
      localization.
AB  - We studied the distribution of dystrophin at the sarcolemma of normal human
      muscle fibers using high resolution immunofluorescence and confocal laser
      scanning optical microscopy (CLSOM). We found that the dystrophin lattice is
      organized at the muscle plasma membrane in an array of thick bands interconnected
      by a finer network. The bands encircle the muscle fiber perpendicular to the long
      axis of the fiber and they matched the sites of attachment of the sarcomeres to
      the plasma membrane. Dystrophin co-localized with vinculin, and dystrophin and
      vinculin co-localized with alpha-actinin at the region of the I-band. Dystrophin
      may be one of the proteins involved in the linkage of the sarcomeres to the
      extracellular matrix.

PMID- 1422205
TI  - Purification of annexin I and annexin II from human placental membranes by high
      performance liquid chromatography.
AB  - Annexin I and annexin II were extracted from human placental membranes with
      ethylene glycol bis(beta-amino-ethyl ether)-N,N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) and
      purified by high-performance liquid chromatography by measuring their ability to
      inhibit phospholipase A2 activity in vitro. Neither protein was capable of
      binding to a DEAE-5PW HPLC column at neutral pH; however, they were resolved
      through binding to a Mono S column and passage through size-exclusion HPLC
      columns. Annexin I and its covalently linked dimer (36 and 66 kDa, respectively,
      by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-gel electrophoresis) reacted in one-dimensional
      immunoblots with monoclonal antibodies to annexin I and calpactin II, and with
      monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to lipocortin I, confirming that annexin I,
      calpactin II, and lipocortin I are the same or closely related proteins.
      Milligram amounts of monomeric annexin I containing negligible amounts of the
      cross-linked dimeric annexin I were selectively isolated from placental membranes
      by using buffers containing the sulfhydryl reagent iodoacetic acid. Milligram
      amounts of cross-linked annexin I were selectively isolated when placental
      membranes were initially treated with buffers that did not contain iodoacetic
      acid and then extracted with Triton X-100, suggesting that sulfhydryl-dependent
      transglutaminase activity contributes to the selective isolation of this protein.
      A third phospholipase A2-inhibitory protein (35 kDa by SDS-gel electrophoresis)
      that reacted in immunoblots with monoclonal antibodies to calpactin I and annexin
      II, indicating their similar identity, was isolated. The procedure employed
      allows the rapid purification of annexins I and II in milligram amounts from
      placental membranes within 2 days.

PMID- 1422206
TI  - Purification of recombinant human secretory phospholipase A2 (group II) produced
      in long-term immobilized cell culture.
AB  - Recombinant human secretory phospholipase A2 (Group II) was expressed in long
      term culture of immobilized Chinese hamster ovary cells utilizing a continuous
      perfusion airlift bioreactor. The bioreactor was continuously perfused with cell
      culture medium supplemented with 5% fetal calf serum at an average flow rate of 5
      liters/day for 30 days. Recombinant phospholipase A2, at concentrations ranging
      from 100 to 500 micrograms/liter, was purified to apparent homogeneity by an
      efficient two-step procedure involving a silica-based cation-exchange resin and
      hydrophobic interaction chromatography (greater than 65% recovery of
      phospholipase A2). The purified recombinant protein has an apparent molecular
      weight of 16 kDa, identical to that of purified human placental or synovial fluid
      phospholipase A2, as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis. Application of the purified protein onto several different gel
      filtration columns resulted in elution of the protein at molecular weights
      corresponding to 3.1-4.7 kDa, suggesting an interaction of the protein with the
      column resins. However, analytical ultracentrifugation experiments revealed that
      the protein behaves as a monomer (13.8-14.2 kDa) over a protein concentration
      range of approximately 10 micrograms/ml to 5 mg/ml. With autoclaved Escherichia
      coli membranes as substrate, the recombinant protein has catalytic properties (pH
      optimum, effects of bovine serum albumin, sodium chloride concentration, and
      requirement for calcium) similar to those of the protein purified from human
      placenta.

PMID- 1422207
TI  - Rice cystatin: bacterial expression, purification, cysteine proteinase inhibitory
      activity, and insect growth suppressing activity of a truncated form of the
      protein.
AB  - A cDNA clone that encodes oryzacystatin, a cysteine protease inhibitor from rice,
      was isolated and expressed in Escherichia coli BL-21 (DE3) using an expression
      plasmid under the control of a T7 RNA polymerase promoter. The construct pT7OC 9b
      encoded a fusion protein containing 11 amino acid residues of the NH2 terminus of
      the bacterial protein phi 10 and 79 residues of oryzacystatin lacking 23 NH2
      terminal residues of the wild-type protein. Recombinant oryzacystatin (ROC)
      constituted approximately 10% of the total bacterial protein mass and was
      purified in a single step by anion-exchange chromatography. The inhibitory
      activity of ROC toward papain (Ki = 3 x 10(-8) M) was comparable with that of the
      naturally occurring protein isolated from rice. Caseinolytic activity in midgut
      homogenates from seven species of stored product insects was inhibited from 18 to
      85% by ROC, whereas the same activity was inhibited from 14 to 69% by the serine
      proteinase inhibitor phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. Midguts of stored product
      insects apparently contain both cysteine proteinases and serine proteinases, but
      the relative amounts vary with the species. When fed to the red flour beetle,
      Tribolium castaneum, 10 wt% ROC in the diet suppressed growth approximately 35%
      relative to that of the control group of insects.

PMID- 1422208
TI  - A new series of trpE vectors that enable high expression of nonfusion proteins in
      bacteria.
AB  - Expression of recombinant proteins in bacteria has facilitated the
      characterization of many gene products. However, the biochemical characterization
      of recombinant proteins is limited since the bacterially expressed proteins are
      often synthesized as fusion polypeptides. The presence of bacterial sequences in
      fusion proteins further limits the use of these proteins for generating
      antibodies since the bacterial sequences are also antigenic. We describe two new
      bacterial expression vectors based on the pATH series of plasmids. These vectors
      were made by precisely deleting all of the trpE coding sequences found in pATH.
      The new vectors have enabled us to express eukaryotic genes as nonfusion
      polypeptides. These altered plasmids can be used to insert any DNA sequence of
      interest through a multiple cloning site located just 3' of an ATG start codon.
      Protein expression is still under the control of the trp operon and is carried
      out at great efficiency when the bacteria are tryptophan deprived. Studies
      presented here test the expression system with neurofilament subunits, NF-L and
      NF-H. Large amounts of recombinant nonfusion proteins were produced. Also, a time
      course of induction shows that the production of the nonfusion proteins was under
      the control of the trp operon which is readily inducible after tryptophan
      starvation and addition of indoleacrylic acid. These vectors may be useful for
      the overexpression of many proteins in a form closely approximating their native
      state.

PMID- 1422209
TI  - Overproduction and purification of Bacillus subtilis DNA polymerase III.
AB  - The objectives of this work were to engineer the cloned polC gene encoding
      Bacillus subtilis DNA polymerase III for controlled overexpression in Escherichia
      coli and to devise a facile purification scheme permitting the large-scale
      production of pure recombinant polymerase. The translational signals of polC were
      restructured by expression cassette PCR (MacFerrin et al., 1990, Proc. Natl.
      Acad. Sci. USA 87, 1937-1941), and the modified gene was inserted into the
      expression plasmid, pKC30 (Rosenberg et al., 1983, in "Methods in Enzymology,"
      Vol. 101, pp. 123-138, Academic Press, San Diego), under the strict control of
      the coliphage lambda pL promoter and its repressor, cI. When the system was
      derepressed at 32 degrees C, soluble DNA polymerase III accumulated at levels
      approximating 2% of total cellular protein. The recombinant protein was purified
      to greater than 99% purity by utilizing a tandem combination of Cibacron blue
      agarose, phenyl-Sepharose, and MonoQ FPLC chromatography. The properties of the
      purified recombinant protein were indistinguishable from those of native B.
      subtilis DNA polymerase III.

PMID- 1422211
TI  - The adenovirus E1A 243R protein purified from Escherichia coli under
      nondenaturing conditions is found in association with dnaK.
AB  - The adenovirus E1A 243R protein immortalizes primary cells in culture and induces
      part of the phenotypes required for transformation. It has also been shown to
      interact with a number of cellular polypeptides, including the product of the
      retinoblastoma gene. To understand more fully the molecular activities of the E1A
      243R protein in association with these proteins as well as its role in the
      processes of cellular growth, we have developed a method for rapidly purifying
      this protein from genetically engineered Escherichia coli under nondenaturing
      conditions. The plasmid-encoded E1A protein, when expressed in a protease
      deficient mutant, is found to have the same length and amino acid sequence as
      that which is produced in a mammalian cell. The procedure for purifying the E1A
      243R protein from bacteria relies primarily upon immunoaffinity chromatography
      and the use of a peptide comprising the epitope recognized by an E1A-specific
      antibody. Elution of the E1A protein under this condition allows for gentle
      isolation and a purity that ranges from 90 to 96%. However, without the addition
      of micromolar amounts of ATP prior to its elution from the antibody column, the
      E1A protein is found in association with an E. coli protein of 70 kDa. Immunoblot
      analysis with a specific antibody showed that this bacterial protein was the heat
      shock protein dnaK, which is known to have extensive homology with the hsp-hsc70
      family of proteins in mammalian cells. Recognition of E1A by the dnaK protein may
      very well reflect a situation that also occurs between the mammalian heat shock
      proteins and the E1A 243R protein after adenovirus infection.

PMID- 1422210
TI  - Purification of the medium-chain/long-chain (COT/CPT) carnitine acyltransferase
      of rat liver microsomes.
AB  - A procedure for the purification of the rat liver microsomal carnitine
      octanoyltransferase (COT) that catalyzes the reversible formation of medium-chain
      and long-chain acylcarnitines from acyl-coenzyme A is described. The K0.5 for L
      carnitine is 0.6 mM and the K0.5 for both decanoyl-CoA and palmitoyl-CoA is 0.6
      microM. The Vmax with decanoyl-CoA is approximately fourfold greater than the
      Vmax with palmitoyl-CoA. The enzyme is monomeric, sodium dodecyl sulfate
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gives a molecular weight of 50,100, and
      molecular sieving gives a molecular weight of 54,300. Purified COT does not cross
      react with either antimitochondrial carnitine palmitoyltransferase or
      antiperoxisomal COT antibodies. It also does not form a covalent adduct when
      incubated with etomoxiryl-CoA. Microsomal COT is a different protein than either
      mitochondrial carnitine palmitoyltransferase or peroxisomal COT.

PMID- 1422212
TI  - Resolution of brewer's yeast pyruvate decarboxylase into multiple isoforms with
      similar subunit structure and activity using high-performance liquid
      chromatography.
AB  - A method for the purification of brewer's yeast pyruvate decarboxylase (EC
      4.1.1.1) that resolves the enzyme into multiple active isoforms was developed.
      Seven activity fractions are resolved by DEAE HPLC chromatography. Among these
      fractions, three distinct subunit composition isoforms are apparent by sodium
      dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis: alpha 4, a homotetrameric
      holoenzyme consisting of the lower mass subunit; alpha 2 beta 2, a
      heterotetrameric holoenzyme consisting of lower and higher mass subunits; and
      beta 4, a homotetrameric holoenzyme consisting of the higher mass subunit. Beta 4
      is a heretofore unreported form which may represent the unproteolyzed form of the
      enzyme. The Km and Vmax for the alpha 4 and beta 4 isoforms are identical within
      the limits of experimental error, as is their behavior vis-a-vis the allosteric
      regulator pyruvamide. All active isoforms exist as tetramers according to gel
      filtration analysis under native conditions. The purification has been
      successfully applied to pyruvate decarboxylase isolated from two different
      species of yeast and therefore is likely to be of general utility for
      purification of this enzyme from other yeast sources. Conditions under which all
      three isoforms demonstrate exceptional stability, making them amenable to
      prolonged physicochemical studies at 4 degrees C and even at room temperature are
      reported.

PMID- 1422213
TI  - A modified vector for the controlled high-level overproduction of staphylococcal
      protein A fusion proteins in the periplasm of Escherichia coli.
AB  - A vector encoding the Staphylococcal protein A was modified by cloning the spa
      gene, including its signal peptide-encoding sequence, downstream of the
      translation initiation sites of the phage lambda cro gene and under the control
      of the temperature-inducible phage lambda pR promoter. The expression from this
      construct was studied using the Escherichia coli phoA gene as a reporter gene
      after fusion to the spa gene. Determination of alkaline phosphatase activity, 1 h
      after temperature induction of expression at 42 degrees C, revealed an 800-fold
      increase over host strain background level. The presence of the alternating
      selectable markers on the described vector, pHEMa153, which are essential for
      efficient oligonucleotide-directed construction of mutations by the gapped duplex
      DNA method, allows the construction of recombinant and mutated forms of
      Staphylococcal protein A fusion proteins and efficient expression of spa gene
      fusions without changing the vector system.

PMID- 1422214
TI  - Purification of pancreatic cholesterol esterase expressed in recombinant
      baculovirus-infected Sf9 cells.
AB  - A cDNA clone encoding the entire coding sequence of rat pancreatic cholesterol
      esterase (bile salt-stimulated lipase) was subcloned into the Baculovirus
      transfer vector pVL1392 and used to co-transfect Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9)
      insect cells with wild-type Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus
      (AcNPV) DNA. Two recombinant proteins (M(r) 74 kDa and 64 kDa) reactive with anti
      cholesterol esterase IgG were produced and secreted by the infected Sf9 cells in
      large quantities in a time-dependent manner. The 74-kDa protein was detectable in
      the cultured medium at the second day post-infection and increased progressively,
      reaching a level of 50 micrograms/ml of culture medium after 8 days. Amino
      terminal sequencing of this recombinant protein showed that the signal peptide of
      cholesterol esterase was correctly cleaved, resulting in the production of mature
      protein. The 64-kDa recombinant protein was not detected in the medium until Day
      5 post-infection and accumulated to a level of 25 micrograms/ml at Day 8. Both
      the 74- and the 64-kDa cholesterol esterases were biologically active and
      hydrolyzed the artificial substrate p-nitrophenyl butyrate. Results of this study
      demonstrated that Baculovirus-infected Sf9 cells can be used for high-level
      expression of pancreatic cholesterol esterase. The recombinant enzyme will be
      useful for further characterization of this protein.

PMID- 1422215
TI  - A large-scale preparative electrophoretic method for the purification of pyridine
      nucleotide-linked dehydrogenases.
AB  - A large-scale preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) method that
      uses a 1.5- or a 2.0-cm-thick slab gel has been developed for the purification of
      NAD-dependent dehydrogenases. With the 2.0-cm-thick gel, a maximum volume (up to
      about 160 ml) of enzyme sample was applied to a gel plate, resulting in the
      application of a large amount of protein and enzyme. After the electrophoretic
      run, the enzyme band on the gel was detected by activity staining and recovered
      from the gel by extraction with a fairly loose-fitting glass-Teflon homogenizer.
      NAD-dependent alanine dehydrogenase, leucine dehydrogenase, and glycerol
      dehydrogenase were purified in high yields (more than 80%) by the preparative
      PAGE method. The method can be carried out using a simple slab gel apparatus,
      which is modified from the conventional analytical apparatus for the purpose of
      preparative PAGE under conditions used for routine analytical runs. Thus, the
      method may be suitable for use in purifying NAD(P)-dependent dehydrogenases and
      many other enzymes after conventional chromatography such as dye-ligand affinity
      chromatography or ion-exchange chromatography.

PMID- 1422216
TI  - Purification of an active monomeric recombinant HIV-1 trans-activator.
AB  - A method for the purification of a truncated, biologically active human
      immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) trans-activator (rTAT) from recombinant
      Escherichia coli is reported here. The purification steps utilized include mild
      extraction (French press), concentration by ammonium sulfate precipitation,
      chromatography in 8 M urea on an S-Sepharose fast-protein liquid chromatography
      column, and finally, resolution by C-4 reverse-phase high-performance liquid
      chromatography. After the final step, the rTAT is dried and stored under salt
      free conditions. Amino acid compositional analysis and N-terminal sequence
      analysis confirm that the purified protein is rTAT. Unlike other methods reported
      for purification of recombinant HIV-1 trans-activator, our protocol uses urea
      instead of guanidine HCl. The rTAT is fully soluble in buffered solutions at
      concentrations exceeding 10 mg/ml, migrates as a single 14 kDa species on both
      sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and two
      dimensional PAGE gels with a pI of 9.3 +/- 0.3. Additionally, the rTAT migrates
      as a monomer on size-exclusion chromatography columns under native conditions.
      Finally, purified rTAT exhibits trans-activator activity when introduced into
      appropriate reporter cells. Since rTAT is monomeric when tested by gel
      filtration, and yet exhibits biological activity, we conclude that the method of
      purification we have utilized is distinct from all other methods reported to
      date.

PMID- 1422217
TI  - High-level production of human alpha- and beta-globins in insect cells.
AB  - High-level production of human alpha- and beta-globins in cultured Spodoptera
      frugiperda (Sf-9) cells infected with recombinant baculoviruses is described. The
      expressed globins are produced to 70-140 mg protein/liter of cell culture or 5
      10% of the total cellular protein. Two recombinant baculoviruses for alpha
      globin, H alpha and H beta alpha, differ in their construction in that the 5'
      untranslated region of the beta-globin gene is inserted 5' to the alpha-globin
      mRNA coding region in H beta alpha. This insertion results in a 40% increase in
      yield of alpha-globin over that of H alpha. Consistent with previous observations
      of the processing of recombinant proteins in Sf-9 cells, both alpha- and beta
      globins expressed in Sf-9 cells are correctly processed to remove the initiating
      methionine from the amino termini of the globins. Sequencing of the expressed
      globins in Sf-9 cells confirms their identity with globins purified from human
      normal adult hemoglobin.

PMID- 1422218
TI  - Expression and purification of the alpha and beta subunits of Drosophila casein
      kinase II using a baculovirus vector.
AB  - Two recombinant baculoviruses that express the alpha and beta subunits of
      Drosophila melanogaster casein kinase II, respectively, have been constructed.
      The expressed proteins are similar to the authentic Drosophila subunits in size
      and are recognized by antisera raised against the Drosophila holoenzyme. Extracts
      derived from cells infected with the alpha subunit-expressing virus display
      elevated casein kinase II activity in vitro. This activity is markedly enhanced
      in extracts of cells infected with both viruses, or when alpha and beta subunit
      containing extracts are mixed in vitro following lysis. Recombinant holoenzyme
      and the alpha subunit were purified to near homogeneity using phosphocellulose
      column chromatography. The specific activity of the purified recombinant
      holoenzyme was very similar to that of the native enzyme, and was fivefold higher
      than that of the purified free alpha subunit. The Stokes radius of the
      recombinant holoenzyme was estimated to be 50 A, a value similar to that reported
      for the native enzyme, whereas the alpha subunit demonstrated a Stokes radius of
      26.5 A. Studies using sucrose density gradient centrifugation showed that, under
      conditions of high ionic strength, the quaternary structure of the purified
      holoenzyme was tetrameric (like the native enzyme), whereas the structure of the
      alpha subunit was monomeric. At lower ionic strength the recombinant holoenzyme
      had a significantly higher sedimentation coefficient, characteristic of the
      formation of filaments found for the native enzyme. Interestingly, the purified
      catalytic subunit also displayed a higher S value under conditions of low ionic
      strength, revealing the formation of alpha subunit aggregates.

PMID- 1422219
TI  - Partial amino acid sequence of potato solanidine UDP-glucose glucosyltransferase
      purified by new anion-exchange and size exclusion media.
AB  - Solanidine UDP-glucose glucosyltransferase (SGT) is involved in the biosynthesis
      of steroidal glycoalkaloids in potatoes. This enzyme is present at an extremely
      low level, is inherently unstable, and copurifies with the major storage protein
      patatin during isolation. We describe an improved method for isolating SGT from
      greening potato peel using two new chromatographic supports, Macro-Prep 50 Q
      anion-exchange and Superdex 75HR size exclusion media, under medium-pressure
      conditions at room temperature. The enzyme preparation was further resolved by
      SDS-PAGE and the proteins transferred to PVDF membrane (Immobilon-P). Two protein
      bands corresponding to active forms of SGT (36 and 37 kDa) were excised and
      cleaved with cyanogen bromide in trifluoroacetic acid. The resultant peptide
      mixtures were then separated by Tricine-SDS-PAGE and transferred to a PVDF
      membrane (Pro-Blott). The two major peptide bands observed in both digests (17
      and 19 kDa) were sequenced. Identical N-terminal sequences were obtained from the
      19-kDa peptides from both digests.

PMID- 1422220
TI  - Purification and biochemical characterization of recombinant rat liver
      phenylalanine hydroxylase produced in Escherichia coli.
AB  - Phenylalanine hydroxylase, important in phenylalanine metabolism in mammals, is
      regulated through short-term (activation) and long-term (induction) mechanisms.
      To help elucidate the structure-function relationships involved in the activation
      of this enzyme, we have isolated and characterized full-length cDNA clones to rat
      phenylalanine hydroxylase. Recombinant rat phenylalanine hydroxylase was placed
      into an expression vector in Escherichia coli. The enzyme has been purified to
      homogeneity and its physical and catalytic properties have been characterized.
      The molecular weight and the fluorescence emission spectrum of the recombinant
      enzyme were identical to those of the native enzyme. The recombinant enzyme could
      be activated by incubation with phenylalanine or lysolecithin or by
      phosphorylation, as is the rat liver enzyme. The extent of activation is the same
      as that for the native enzyme in each case except for phenylalanine, which
      activates the recombinant enzyme only 5- to 10-fold rather than the 15- to 30
      fold activation observed with the native enzyme. The kinetic constants determined
      for the recombinant enzyme are also essentially the same as those reported for
      the native enzyme. We conclude that this enzyme is essentially identical to the
      native enzyme and should be very useful in the future study of this important
      hydroxylase.

PMID- 1422221
TI  - Immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography.
AB  - The introduction of immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography, directed
      toward specific protein side chains, has opened a new dimension in protein
      purification. This review covers the principles and practice of IMAC that can be
      performed under very mild, nondenaturing conditions. IMAC is particularly
      suitable for preparative group fractionation of complex extracts and biofluids,
      but can also be used in high-performance mode: "HP-IMAC." Single-step
      purifications of 1000-fold or more may allow isolation of a particular protein
      from crude extracts on a milligram or gram scale. With respect to separation
      efficiency, IMAC compares well with biospecific affinity chromatography, and the
      immobilized metal ion ligand complexes are more likely to withstand wear and tear
      than are antibodies or enzymes. The enormous potential of IMAC and related metal
      affinity techniques is only in the initial stages of being explored and
      exploited. Synthesis of IMA adsorbents, and various modes of performing IMAC are
      discussed and exemplified with selected applications. Advantages and
      disadvantages are listed. Effective means of counteracting the few undesirable
      effects that can occur are suggested.

PMID- 1422222
TI  - Purification of an active species of recombinant kappa-bungarotoxin.
AB  - The expression of kappa-bungarotoxin in Escherichia coli from a synthetic gene
      results in the production of multiple species of polypeptide. These include not
      only biologically active kappa-bungarotoxin but also a variety of inactive
      species, which include inactive monomers as well as disulfide-linked polymeric
      species. Identification of these species and their separation from the
      biologically active recombinant toxin is necessary for the use of the toxin in
      physiological and biochemical studies. This has been accomplished by a
      combination of ion-exchange and reverse-phase chromatography which results in a
      homogeneous toxin preparation. The active material produced is sufficient for
      many types of biological studies and for mutagenesis experiments directed at
      determining the structure function relationships of toxin interactions with the
      neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. In addition, the kappa-bungarotoxin
      produced in this manner has the distinct advantage over venom-purified kappa
      bungarotoxin of not being contaminated with other venom components which could
      potentially affect experimental observations.

PMID- 1422223
TI  - High-level expression and production of recombinant human interleukin-6 analogs.
AB  - We have constructed and analyzed different mutant forms of interleukin-6 (IL-6)
      expressed in Escherichia coli that can be divided into two groups. The first
      group contains four full-length IL-6 molecules that differ in the presence of
      cysteine residues involved in disulfide bridges. The second group contains 22 N
      terminal amino acid deletions in addition to the differences in the cysteine
      residues. The different IL-6 muteins were extracted and their expression levels
      and solubility were compared. We found that the production levels of IL-6 can be
      dramatically improved by deleting the first 22 N-terminal amino acids of the
      molecule. We have also found that the production of IL-6 containing the four
      cysteine residues is lower than the production of the mutant molecules that lack
      one or both pairs of cysteines. The yield of soluble and properly refolded IL-6
      was the highest when the disulfide bond between the cysteines at positions 74 and
      84 was present in the mutein form, which also lacked the 22 N-terminal amino
      acids.

PMID- 1422224
TI  - Expression and purification of the cytoplasmic tail of an endocytic receptor by
      fusion to a carbohydrate-recognition domain.
AB  - Gene fusion has been used to produce the cytoplasmic domain of an endocytic
      receptor. DNA sequences coding for the 52 COOH-terminal amino acids of the
      mannose receptor from human macrophages, including the 41-amino acid cytoplasmic
      tail, were fused to the codons specifying the carbohydrate-recognition domain
      (CRD) of rat mannose-binding protein. The fusion protein was expressed in
      Escherichia coli and purified in one step on mannose-Sepharose, making use of the
      carbohydrate-binding activity of the CRD. The tail peptide was released from the
      fusion protein using endoproteinase Arg-C. This method provides an alternative to
      chemical synthesis for the production of midlength peptides.

PMID- 1422225
TI  - Production, purification, and characterization of human recombinant IL-8 from the
      eucaryotic vector expression system baculovirus.
AB  - The cDNA for the human chemotactic interleukin, IL-8, was subcloned from a
      bacterial source into the eucaryotic vector expression system baculovirus.
      Recombinant human IL-8 (rhIL-8) was synthesized and secreted from Sf9 cells
      derived from Spodoptera frugiperda following infection of a recombinant virus
      harboring the full-length IL-8 structural gene. Infected Sf9 cells produced rhIL
      8 in a range from 0.5 to 2.0 mg of rhIL-8/liter of postinfection cell culture
      media. The recombinant interleukin was purified (greater than 600-fold) to
      homogeneity using preparative HPLC. rhIL-8 retained all of the physical,
      immunological, and biochemical properties observed for the natural product,
      monocyte-derived IL-8. rhIL-8 was assessed for biological efficacy by three
      criteria: (a) ability to induce chemotaxis in human neutrophils, (b) ability to
      induce oxygen burst metabolism, and (c) ability to be recognized by purified
      rabbit antibody generated against monocyte-derived IL-8. Antibody generated
      against monocyte-derived IL-8 recognized rhIL-8 isolated during all stages of the
      purification protocol. rhIL-8 was strongly chemotactic for human neutrophils and
      exhibited a chemotactic index comparable to that reported for other strong
      chemotactic peptides. rhIL-8 was identified following sodium dodecyl sulfate
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as a single silver-stained band having an
      estimated molecular weight of 9.2 kDa and displayed amino acid residue molar
      abundance homology predicted for the mature form of the interleukin. Baculovirus
      vector expression coupled to preparative HPLC proved to be a very efficient
      method for large-scale recombinant interleukin production.

PMID- 1422226
TI  - Expression and purification of recombinant and native calreticulin.
AB  - Calreticulin is a 60-kDa Ca(2+)-binding protein of the endo(sarco)plasmic
      reticulum membranes of a variety of cellular systems. The protein binds
      approximately 25 mol of Ca2+ with low affinity and approximately 1 mol of Ca2+
      with high affinity and is believed to be a site for Ca2+ binding/storage in the
      lumen of the endo(sarco)plasmic reticulum. In the present study, we describe
      purification procedures for the isolation of recombinant and native calreticulin.
      Recombinant calreticulin was expressed in Escherichia coli, using the glutathione
      S-transferase fusion protein system, and was purified to homogeneity on
      glutathione-Sepharose followed by Mono Q FPLC chromatography. A selective
      ammonium sulfate precipitation method was developed for the purification of
      native calreticulin. The protein was purified from ammonium sulfate precipitates
      by diethylaminoethyl-Sephadex and hydroxylapatite chromatography procedures,
      which eliminates the need to prepare membrane fractions. The purification
      procedures reported here for recombinant and native calreticulin yield
      homogeneous preparations of the proteins, as judged by the HPLC reverse-phase
      chromatography and by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
      Purified native and recombinant calreticulin were identified by their NH2
      terminal amino acid sequences, by their Ca2+ binding properties, and by their
      reactivity with anticalreticulin antibodies.

PMID- 1422227
TI  - Construction of a high-copy "ATG vector" for expression in Escherichia coli.
AB  - We report the construction of an inducible, high-copy plasmid for the expression
      of foreign proteins in Escherichia coli. This plasmid, pPB1, combines the trc
      promoter, beta-galactosidase translation start site, and polylinker of pKK233-2
      with the origin of replication region of pUC19. Replacement of the origin of
      replication of pKK233-2 results in a threefold increase in plasmid copy number of
      pPB1 compared with pKK233-2. Subclones of the cDNA for rabbit muscle fructose-1,6
      bisphosphate aldolase (E.C. 4.1.2.13) in the two expression plasmids exhibit a
      comparable difference in copy number. An increase in protein expression measured
      by SDS-PAGE and aldolase specific activities reflects the increased copy number.
      Specific activities of aldolases in bacterial extracts differ approximately
      sixfold between the two expression plasmids in E. coli JM83. Aldolase A can
      compose up to 40% of the total protein in E. coli JM83 when expressed in pPB1,
      from which more than 100 mg of purified enzyme can be obtained per liter culture.

PMID- 1422228
TI  - Overexpression and purification of the separate tryptophan synthase alpha and
      beta subunits from Salmonella typhimurium.
AB  - To obtain high levels of expression of the free alpha and beta subunits of
      tryptophan synthase from Salmonella typhimurium, we have used two plasmids
      (pStrpA and pStrpB) that carry the genes encoding the alpha and beta subunits,
      respectively. The expression of each plasmid in Escherichia coli CB149 results in
      overproduction of each subunit. We also report new and efficient methods for
      purifying the individual alpha and beta subunits. Microcrystals of the beta
      subunit are obtained by addition of polyethylene glycol 8000 and spermine to
      crude bacterial extracts. This crystallization procedure is similar to methods
      used previously to grow crystals of the S. typhimurium tryptophan synthase alpha
      2 beta 2 complex for X-ray crystallography and to purify this complex by
      crystallization from bacterial extracts. The results suggest that purification by
      crystallization may be useful for other overexpressed enzymes and multienzymes
      complexes. Purification of the alpha subunit utilizes ammonium sulfate
      fractionation, chromatography on diethylaminoethyl-Sephacel, and high-performance
      liquid chromatography on a Mono Q column. The purified alpha and beta subunits
      are more than 95% pure by the criterion of sodium dodecyl sulfate gel
      electrophoresis. The procedures developed can be applied to the expression and
      purification of mutant forms of the separate alpha and beta subunits. The
      purified alpha and beta subunits provide useful materials for studies of subunit
      association and for investigations of other properties of the separate subunits.

PMID- 1422229
TI  - Thyrotropin modulation of epidermal growth factor (EGF) binding to receptors on
      cultured thyroid cells.
AB  - Previous studies had shown that epidermal growth factor (EGF) will stimulate
      growth of cultured thyroid cells in vitro, and TSH will stimulate total assayable
      EGF receptor in cultured porcine thyroid cells. In this study, we report the
      effect of TSH on EGF binding to human thyroid cells. Addition of bTSH (1 mU/mL)
      in binding buffer during receptor assay stimulated specific EGF binding to cells,
      with an increase of 44% observed over the control after 1 h incubation at 37
      degrees C. Affinity crosslinking of the [125I]EGF-receptor complex showed a
      single labeled band with molecular size of 170 kD. No additional band was
      detected in the presence of TSH. Preincubation of cells with chloroquine, which
      inhibits lysosomal degradative enzyme activity, caused a continuous accumulation
      of bound EGF over a 4 h study period at 37 degrees C, and TSH stimulated an
      increase in internalized EGF. In the presence of chloroquine, total specific
      bound EGF was linearly correlated to incubation time up to 4 h and can be
      expressed as Bound = slope*time+intercept (time0) Addition of TSH during the
      binding assay significantly increased the value of the slope when compared to
      control (p < 0.002). The rate at which prebound [125I]EGF was released into
      medium was not affected by the presence of TSH, indicating that TSH-enhanced
      binding may not be attributed to a reduction in EGF degradation. Coincubation of
      thyroid cells with EGF at 0 and 1 ng/mL and increasing concentrations of TSH (0
      10 mU/mL) indicated that EGF stimulated thymidine incorporation, although TSH
      failed to synergistically enhance EGF-stimulated cell growth.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422230
TI  - Peroxidase and coupling activities of thyroid peroxidase in benign and malignant
      thyroid tumor tissues.
AB  - The coupling activity of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) in thyroid glands from patients
      with benign adenoma, papillary carcinoma, and diffuse goiter (Graves' disease)
      was measured for the first time, in addition to the peroxidase activity of these
      tissues. The peroxidase activity of TPO in the mitochondria-microsomes fraction
      was measured with guaiacol or iodide as the second substrate. In the case of
      papillary carcinoma, the mean protein-based specific activity obtained by the
      guaiacol assay was about 1/7 of that of diffuse goiter. The iodide oxidation
      activity of carcinoma was very low, about 1/25 [corrected] of that in diffuse
      goiter and 1/70 of that in adenoma. The peroxidase activity in adenoma was almost
      similar in the guaiacol oxidation assay and approximately one half in the iodide
      oxidation assay as compared with that in diffuse goiter. There was a close
      correlation between the guaiacol and iodide oxidation assays in individual
      patients with adenoma and diffuse goiter, but not in patients with papillary
      carcinoma. The coupling activity of TPO was measured with thyroglobulin purified
      from pooled toxic diffuse goiters and chemically iodinated to contain little
      additional T3 and T4. The specific coupling activity of TPO in mitochondria
      microsomes from carcinoma was significantly lower (about 1/5) than that of
      diffuse goiter, and the activity in adenoma was not significantly different
      (about 1/2) from that of diffuse goiter. The data of coupling activities has a
      close correlation with that of peroxidase activities in individual patients with
      adenoma but not in patients with carcinoma. Based on these findings, the
      qualitative abnormality of TPO and its relation to the cold 123I scintigram in
      thyroid tumors are discussed.

PMID- 1422232
TI  - Relapse of Graves' disease following development of a pheochromocytoma.
AB  - Catecholamines stimulate thyroid hormone synthesis as well as release of thyroid
      hormone and cause immunologic disturbances that possibly contribute to the
      manifestations of Graves' disease. This has led to repeated speculations about
      the possible role of catecholamines in the initiation and maintenance of
      hyperthyroidism. We describe a patient with Graves' disease who was treated with
      antithyroid drugs for 2 years. After withdrawal of antithyroid drugs, the patient
      was in remission for 5 years. After the antithyroid drug treatment and the long
      remission, the probability of relapse of Graves' disease was very low.
      Nonetheless, a relapse did occur. Two years after subtotal thyroid resection,
      further investigation because of persistent hypertension revealed a
      pheochromocytoma. Retrospective anamnestic data suggest that this
      pheochromocytoma had been present 2 years before the patient's relapse of Graves'
      disease. This sequence of diseases has not been described previously. The low
      probability for a Graves' disease relapse in this patient and the association of
      this patient's relapse with the manifestation of a pheochromocytoma suggest a
      possible etiologic role of excess catecholamine production in the relapse of
      Graves' disease.

PMID- 1422231
TI  - Significance of antibodies reactive with a 64 kDa eye muscle membrane antigen in
      patients with thyroid autoimmunity.
AB  - SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting for antibodies
      reactive with a 64 kDa protein in pig eye muscle membrane was carried out in
      patients with lid lag and retraction, but no other signs of ophthalmopathy,
      associated with thyroid disease or nonimmunologic goiter and in patients with
      Graves' hyperthyroidism without ophthalmopathy who were studied prospectively to
      determine the relationship of eye muscle antibodies to clinical features of the
      ophthalmopathy as they appeared in this group of predisposed patients. Seventy
      one percent of euthyroid patients with lid lag and retraction but no established
      ophthalmopathy had detectable serum antibodies to a 64 kDa eye muscle membrane
      protein. Much smaller proportions had antibodies to proteins of other MW. In
      normal subjects with previously detectable antibodies to a 64 kDa protein, serum
      titers, determined by carrying out immunoblotting at serum dilutions of 1:25
      1:6400, were low (< or = 1:100) in all cases tested. On the other hand, titers
      were higher (1:200-1:6400) in 16 of 22 patients with established ophthalmopathy
      and in 5 of 7 patients with lid lag and retraction tested. Titers tended to be
      lower in patients with ophthalmopathy of > or = 3 years duration than in those of
      < or = 1 year duration. Antibody titers were low (1:25) in 6 of 7 patients with
      Graves' hyperthyroidism without evident eye disease tested. Antibodies to a 64
      kDa eye muscle membrane protein were predictive of the development of
      ophthalmopathy in patients with Graves' hyperthyroidism studied prospectively for
      periods of 8-42 months.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422234
TI  - Diagnosis and management of Graves' disease in pregnancy.
AB  - Most of the hyperthyroidism seen in association with pregnancy is Graves'
      disease. The best treatment is prevention. For most patients there is an
      opportunity to treat the hyperthyroidism decisively with radioiodine or surgery
      before the patient becomes pregnant. Pregnancy complicated by hyperthyroidism is
      often a consequence of the conscious decision to treat hyperthyroidism in women
      in the childbearing years with antithyroid drugs. Propylthiouracil (PTU) is the
      preferred treatment for hyperthyroidism in pregnancy, but it does cross the
      placenta and can induce fetal goiter, with mental and physical retardation.
      Hence, the lowest possible PTU dose should be used. One should aim for high
      normal or slightly elevated thyroid function in the mother. Patients should be
      followed at 3-week intervals if progress is satisfactory, more often otherwise.
      Thyroid function should be monitored by the free T4 assay. PTU dosage should be
      reduced progressively in anticipation of the customary steady amelioration in the
      hyperthyroidism that occurs in later stages of pregnancy. Since pregnant
      hyperthyroid patients are sometimes irresponsible and continue PTU without
      supervision, PTU prescriptions should be limited to the amount required for the
      time until the next scheduled visit. For about one third of patients, PTU can be
      discontinued in the second half of the pregnancy. After the pregnancy is
      terminated, persistent or recurrent hyperthyroidism should be treated
      definitively to prevent another episode of pregnancy complicated by
      hyperthyroidism.

PMID- 1422233
TI  - Fetal thyroid function.
AB  - Cordocentesis has permitted the study of fetal thyroid function in utero. In
      normal fetuses, fetal TSH, TBG, and thyroid hormone concentrations increase
      progressively throughout intrauterine life. Fetal TSH concentrations are always
      high compared to nonpregnant adult values. TBG concentrations reach adult levels
      at term. TT4 and FT4 concentrations reach adult levels at approximately 36 weeks
      gestation, but TT3 and FT3 are always below adult concentrations. There are no
      significant associations between fetal and maternal concentrations of TSH, TBG,
      or thyroid hormones. The maternal administration of TRH from at least 25 weeks
      gestation stimulates the fetal pituitary gland to produce TSH. The response is
      rapid, unrelated to gestational age, and much greater than that of the mother.
      These findings suggest that in intrauterine life there is independent and
      autonomous maturation of the pituitary, thyroid, and liver. The fetal pituitary
      is able to respond to the maternal administration of TRH and appears to be more
      sensitive than in the adult. In small-for-gestational-age fetuses, the
      concentrations of TSH are higher and the concentrations of TT4 and FT4 are lower
      than in appropriately grown fetuses. The degrees of elevation of TSH and fall in
      thyroid hormones are significantly related to the degree of fetal hypoxemia and
      acidemia, respectively. Although the low concentrations of thyroid hormones may
      have some beneficial effects by reducing oxygen requirements, they may adversely
      affect brain development.

PMID- 1422235
TI  - The fetus in maternal hyperthyroidism.
AB  - A recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine reported the successful
      diagnosis and treatment of fetal goitrous hypothyroidism in a mother with Graves'
      disease. The fetus is being recognized as an important patient in its own right
      in terms of thyroid disease. The fetal thyroid system develops independently of
      the normal maternal thyroid axis. Presence of feedback suppression of TSH by T4
      has been demonstrated in a 35-week fetus. Information learned from congenital
      hypothyroidism suggests that lack of fetal thyroid hormones may have a negative
      impact on the developing fetal brain with lack of normal myelination. It is
      uncertain at what gestational age the fetus and the developing central nervous
      system become adversely affected by thyroid hormone deficiency. Since congenital
      hypothyroidism is sporadic and since there is no current method for easily
      screening all pregnancies for hypothyroidism, the thrust in fetal diagnosis and
      therapy has been in those pregnancies suspected of having a hypothyroid fetus
      when a fetal goiter is detected by ultrasonography or in a hyperthyroid mother
      who may be on antithyroid therapy. Intraamniotic injections of L-thyroxine have
      proven successful for fetal therapy. Amniotic fluid TSH may prove useful in the
      diagnosis and treatment of a hypothyroid fetus. Previous studies have suggested
      that the period of thyroxine dependency of the fetal central nervous system is
      limited predominantly to the last 4-8 weeks of gestation. Fetal hyperthyroidism
      due to transplacental transmission of thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulins may
      occur in a mother with a history of hyperthyroidism due to Graves'
      disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422236
TI  - Immunosuppressive treatment of Graves' ophthalmopathy.
AB  - Glucocorticoids and retrobulbar irradiation are the most employed
      immunosuppressive treatment modalities in Graves' ophthalmopathy. The response
      rate is approximately 60%. Efficacy is good for improvement of appearance and
      visual acuity, moderate for correction of extraocular muscle dysfunction, and
      poor for reduction of proptosis. Immunosuppression seldom cures the eye disease.
      Its main advantage is to stabilize the eye disease by inactivating the
      inflammation of orbital tissues, thereby permitting corrective eye surgery to be
      performed at an earlier time. Future developments in immunosuppression aim at
      reduction of side effects and enhancement of efficacy. Alternative treatment
      schedules (e.g., methylprednisolone pulses, intravenous immunoglobulin) may have
      equal efficacy but less side effects than classic high-dose oral steroids.
      Efficacy can be improved by restriction of immunosuppression to patients with
      active eye disease who are more likely to respond. Disease activity might well be
      the main determinant of therapeutic outcome of immunosuppression in Graves'
      ophthalmopathy.

PMID- 1422237
TI  - Classification of eye changes of Graves' disease.

PMID- 1422238
TI  - Variations in thyroid hormone transport proteins and their clinical implications.
AB  - Variations in major thyroid hormone transport proteins may be inherited or
      acquired and may be associated with changes in serum concentration of the
      proteins or their affinity for thyroid hormones. These variations most frequently
      involve thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG), but changes in transthyretin and
      albumin are also observed. The consequent alteration of thyroid hormone-binding
      capacity in serum is associated with variations in total thyroid hormone
      concentration. Increased serum total thyroid hormone levels are found in subjects
      with TBG excess, familial dysalbuminemic hyperthyroxinemia, and transthyretin
      associated hyperthyroxinemia. Conversely, diminished serum thyroid hormone values
      are observed in subjects with TBG deficiency, and decreased concentration or
      affinity of transthyretin and albumin is not associated with variations in serum
      concentrations of thyroid hormones. The transport protein-associated variations
      in serum total thyroid hormone concentrations do not reflect a change in thyroid
      status. Euthyroidism can be easily established in subjects with transport protein
      abnormalities by the normal free thyroid hormone and TSH concentrations. It is,
      however, crucial to select methods for free thyroid hormone measurement that are
      not affected by abnormalities of transport proteins. Some assays, such as the
      analog method, often provide artifactual and misleading results, which may lead
      to inappropriate and even detrimental treatments. The evolutionary advantage of
      TBG (and albumin) in terms of thyroid homeostasis still remains to be elucidated.

PMID- 1422239
TI  - Thyroid hormone suppressive therapy of sporadic nontoxic goiter.
AB  - Thyroid hormone has been used to reduce the size of sporadic nontoxic goiter
      since 1894. Noncontrolled clinical studies suggest that about two thirds of
      goiters respond to therapy, and a recent randomized clinical trial confirms the
      efficacy of suppressive therapy for sporadic nontoxic goiter. Efficacy is at
      least partly correlated with suppression of pituitary TSH production, response is
      usually evident by 3 months, relapse occurs when therapy is withdrawn, and
      nodular goiters may be less responsive than diffuse goiters. Some, but not all,
      series suggest that postoperative use of thyroid hormone suppressive therapy
      prevents recurrence of benign goiter. Three recent randomized trials suggest that
      thyroid hormone administered for 6 months to 3 years does not reduce the size of
      solitary thyroid nodules. About one third of nodules regressed in both treatment
      and placebo groups. Long-term studies are needed to define the effects of thyroid
      hormone suppressive therapy on the growth of goitrous lesions based on their
      underlying pathophysiology.

PMID- 1422240
TI  - Prenatal diagnosis and caring.
AB  - Although the science of prenatal diagnosis is rapidly expanding, the art of
      caring for these patients is poorly understood and taught. Prenatal diagnosis
      programs must acknowledge the psychosocial consequences of electing to undergo
      prenatal testing, receiving either normal or abnormal test results, and choosing
      to continue or terminate a pregnancy with an identified fetal defect. There are
      suggestions from the literature of interventions to assist families under these
      circumstances (Table 3). Prospective studies of patient adaptation are needed;
      however, on the basis of the retrospective studies and common sense, a reasonable
      plan for patient support and care can be established. Prenatal diagnosis programs
      must demand not only excellent medical knowledge and technical expertise but also
      compassionate and continued care for the patient, her partner, and family.

PMID- 1422241
TI  - Women's health care: rights and responsibilities.
AB  - We recently participated in efforts to implement community-based women's health
      programs in regions of the world that are undergoing broad reforms as one form of
      government is replaced by another. In the course of these activities, we have had
      reason to review the rich and voluminous literature on the pivotal contributions
      by patients, providers, and society that result in optimal health for women. This
      article reflects our perspective of that literature and a framework to achieve
      that goal.

PMID- 1422242
TI  - Specialists and generalists in obstetrics and gynecology: conflicts of interest
      in referral and an ethical alternative.
AB  - Referral patterns of physicians have a direct impact upon the care of patients,
      particularly in obstetrics and gynecology. The choice of referral is influenced
      by the history of specialization, physician altruism, and intricate patterns of
      financial conflicts of interest. The conflicts of interest are further obscured
      by the lack of clear definition of roles and responsibilities for generalist,
      specialist, and subspecialist. Alternate patterns for referral based on financial
      incentives or directed referral care plans are reviewed to examine the potential
      conflicts of interest. An ethics-based format for referral is outlined to address
      these conflicts of interest.

PMID- 1422243
TI  - Maternal mortality and morbidity in the developing world: personal reflections
      and a profession's commitment.

PMID- 1422244
TI  - The effects of woman abuse on health care utilization and health status: a
      literature review.
AB  - Estimates of the physical abuse of women by husbands or boyfriends in the United
      States range from 85 per 1000 couples to 113 per 1000 couples per year. Victims
      of abuse are much more likely than nonvictims to have poor health, chronic pain
      problems, depression, suicide attempts, addictions, and problem pregnancies.
      Abused women use a disproportionate amount of health care services, including
      emergency room visits, primary care, and community mental health center visits.
      Despite its high prevalence and the disproportionate use of health care services
      it causes, woman abuse is rarely recognized by health care providers. Even when
      the abuse is recognized, health care professionals often provide inappropriate or
      even harmful treatment. Because many abused women pass through the health care
      system, it is important that providers learn how to identify those who are
      abused, treat all the effects of the abuse, and make appropriate referrals.

PMID- 1422245
TI  - Premenstrual syndrome.

PMID- 1422247
TI  - Mammography lexicon.

PMID- 1422246
TI  - Disabled women.

PMID- 1422249
TI  - The case of Thomas Crane: recommendations in Ombudman's report.

PMID- 1422250
TI  - Elder abuse? Nurse abuse? Whose problem is this anyway?

PMID- 1422251
TI  - The rate of tonsillectomies in Saskatchewan.

PMID- 1422252
TI  - Living wills: a role in health care today?

PMID- 1422253
TI  - Ethical perspectives on client care.

PMID- 1422254
TI  - AIDS: essentials of AZT for nurses.

PMID- 1422255
TI  - Registered nurses: dispelling the myths.

PMID- 1422256
TI  - Regulation of interleukin 4 production and of interleukin 4-producing cells.
AB  - Interleukin 4 (IL-4) is a cytokine with a broad range of functions on immune
      cells including the stimulation of IgE synthesis by B cells. IL-4 is synthesized
      by freshly isolated T cells following appropriate stimulation with either lectins
      or antibodies against selected surface antigens. IL-4 production has also been
      observed by freshly isolated FceR+ non-T, non-B cells. With T cell clones, IL-4
      is produced by clones of the Th2 and Th0, but not of the Th1 type. The molecular
      basis for restricted cytokine production by such clones as well as the signals
      responsible for differentiation into either phenotype are only at the beginning
      to be understood.

PMID- 1422257
TI  - Human TH1 and TH2 subsets: regulation of differentiation and role in protection
      and immunopathology.
AB  - A large body of evidence has accumulated suggesting the existence of human TH1
      and TH2 subsets, reminiscent of those described for mouse T cells. Human TH1
      cells develop in response to intracellular bacteria and viruses, do not provide
      help for IgE synthesis and are cytolytic. Human TH2 cells develop in response to
      allergens and helminth components, provide help for IgM, IgG, IgA, and IgE
      synthesis and lack cytolytic potential. The cytokine profile of 'natural'
      immunity (high IFN-gamma and no IL-4 production) evoked by intracellular bacteria
      and viruses that activate both macrophages and NK cells, probably determines the
      phenotype of the subsequent specific TH1 response. Absence or low concentration
      of IFN-gamma and early production of IL-4 by non-T cells or by T cells
      themselves, that occur in response to allergens and helminth components, probably
      favor the development of TH2 cells. TH1 and TH2 cells play different roles not
      only in protection against exogenous offending agents, but also in
      immunopathology. TH1 cells are involved in contact dermatitis, organ-specific
      autoimmunity and allograft rejection. TH2 cells are responsible for the
      initiation of the allergic cascade.

PMID- 1422259
TI  - Effect of antigens from Nippostrongylus brasiliensis and cytokines on the ongoing
      IgE synthesis in vitro.
AB  - The modulation of an ongoing IgE-mediated immune response induced by the
      infection of mice with the nematode Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (N.b.) was
      investigated in vitro. In previous experiments antigens derived from the
      homogenate of adult worms (WH) and third stage larvae (LH) were characterized by
      immunoblotting. Our results demonstrate that only antigens of the WH were
      recognized by IgE antibodies. The effect of worm antigens and cytokines (IL-2, IL
      4, IL-5, IFN gamma) on the IgE and IgG synthesis in different culture systems was
      studied. The IgG synthesis of B cells was stimulated by WH or WH/cytokines. The
      IgE production of B cells was enhanced only by WH/cytokines or when T cells were
      present. Individual antigen fractions (WH 5, 8, 9, 10, 13) increased the IgE
      production, which was enhanced in the presence of IL-4 2- to 3.5-fold) but had no
      significant effects on the IgG production.

PMID- 1422258
TI  - Inflammatory cytokines and enzymes in synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid
      arthritis and other arthritides.
AB  - Cytokines and lysosomal enzymes, which are produced by inflammatory cells, play a
      role in inflammation. We have found that synovial fluid (SF) in rheumatoid and
      septic arthritis contained a large number of white blood cells (WBCs) and high
      levels of cytokines and enzymes, while in contrast the SF of osteoarthritis and
      traumatic arthritis did not contain significant amounts. Measurements of WBCs,
      cytokines and enzymes in SF are useful for evaluating clinical disease activity.
      Assays for WBCs and enzymes are simple and rapid when compared to those for
      cytokines.

PMID- 1422260
TI  - Immunochemical properties of anti-DNA antibodies in the sera of patients with
      Escherichia coli bacteremia.
AB  - To assess the role of infection in anti-DNA antibody production, the DNA-binding
      activity of sera from patients with Escherichia coli bacteremia was analyzed.
      Among 8 patients with bacteremia documented by blood culture, 5 demonstrated
      increased levels of antibodies to single-stranded DNA from E. coli as measured by
      enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Sera from these patients also reacted with
      single-stranded DNA from other bacterial and mammalian species as well as certain
      synthetic polynucleotides including poly-dT and poly-dC. The isotype distribution
      of these antibodies and their avidity as assessed by competition enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay resembled, moreover, responses of patients with systemic
      lupus erythematosus. These results suggest that, during the course of infection
      with E. coli, some patients may produce antibodies with immunochemical properties
      similar to those arising in systemic lupus erythematosus.

PMID- 1422261
TI  - Characteristics of long-term human thyroid peroxidase autoantibody secretion in
      scid mice transplanted with lymphocytes from patients with autoimmune
      thyroiditis.
AB  - We have explored scid mice as an in vivo model to study lymphocyte function and
      autoantibody production in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis and thyroid
      peroxidase (hTPO) autoantibodies. Patient's peripheral blood mononuclear cells
      (PBMC) were transplanted into scid mice via intraperitoneal injections and human
      immunoglobulin G (hIgG) and thyroid autoantibody levels in the murine sera were
      monitored for a minimum of 3 months after transplantation. Human IgG reached
      maximum serum levels of > 3,000 micrograms/ml (mean +/- SEM = 1,199 +/- 354
      micrograms/ml) after an average of 6.5 weeks. In reconstituted mice (hereafter
      named At-Scid-hu) substantial titers of anti-hTPO of up to 0.51 (ELISA index,
      normal range < 0.02) were observed over a period of 1-2 months, followed by a
      gradual decline. Immunization of AT-Scid-hu mice with immunogenic, recombinant
      human hTPO (rec-hTPO) failed to enhance hTPO-Ab levels. Furthermore, there was no
      correlation between the magnitude of human IgG in the murine serum and
      concomitant levels of anti-hTPO. Murine thyroid function was unaffected by the
      transplantation of PBMC, as evidenced by normal serum thyroxine (T4) levels, and
      lack of specific pathologic changes in the thyroid. These data indicate, for the
      first time, the potential for longer-term human thyroid autoantibody secretion in
      the scid mouse reconstitution model allowing for further investigation of the
      regulatory factors inpinging on the human B cells surviving in the murine
      environment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422262
TI  - Expression and thrombin cleavage of Poa p IX recombinant allergens fused to
      glutathione S-transferase.
AB  - The high-level expression and purification of Poa p IX recombinant grass pollen
      allergens were examined utilizing a modified pGEX plasmid, designated as pGEX 2T
      1. This vector permits frame-1 ligation of lambda gt11 cDNA inserts and cleavage
      of the recombinant allergenic protein from the fusion partner glutathione S
      transferase. The expression of the fusion proteins in water-soluble form varied
      among the transformants of the same bacterial strain and also between different
      host strains. Purification of the fusion proteins by affinity chromatography
      employing glutathione agarose gel revealed that proteases in the bacterial lysate
      bound to the gel and were co-eluted with the fusion proteins. These proteases,
      which specifically degraded the recombinant proteins to varying degrees, were
      inhibited by both of the inhibitors, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and aprotinin.
      Cleavage by thrombin of the fusion proteins indicated that the structure of the
      individual protein affected the thrombin accessibility to the cleavage site.
      Increased concentration of thrombin partly compensated this effect, but resulted
      in a broader specificity of the enzyme. By contrast, cleavage of the fusion
      protein when it was still attached to the glutathione gel was convenient and led
      to purification of the product devoid of proteolytic activity. Since almost all
      the recombinant allergens have been cloned in lambda gt11 vector, the pGEX 2T-1
      vector reported herein will facilitate the synthesis, purification of the
      corresponding allergenic proteins or their peptides in soluble and biologically
      active forms.

PMID- 1422263
TI  - Pharmacological modulation of the late eosinophilia induced by antigen in
      actively sensitized rats.
AB  - The intrathoracic injection of ovalbumin (12 micrograms/cavity) into actively
      sensitized rats led to a long-lasting eosinophil recruitment, which appeared 24 h
      after stimulation. In this study, pharmacological antagonists were used in order
      to evaluate the potential involvement of arachidonic acid metabolites and PAF
      acether in the pleural eosinophil accumulation by antigen. Administration of the
      cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (2 mg/kg, i.p.), 1 h before the antigen
      challenge, failed to modify the 24-hour eosinophilia. In contrast, the dual
      cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase inhibitor BW 755C and the more selective
      inhibitor BW A4C (5 and 10 micrograms/cavity, i.t.), injected 1 h before the
      antigen, were effective. Similarly, the PAF-acether antagonists BN 52021 and WEB
      2086 (20 mg/kg, i.p.) abrogated the eosinophil accumulation, which was also
      sensitive to the topical treatment with the glucocorticoid dexamethasone (5 and
      10 micrograms/cavity). Our findings suggest that the antigen-induced eosinophil
      mobilization is dependent on lipoxygenase derivatives and PAF-acether, but not on
      prostaglandins.

PMID- 1422264
TI  - Expression of birch pollen-specific IgE-binding activity in seeds and other plant
      parts of birch trees (Betula verrucosa Ehrh.).
AB  - Dot immunoblotting of crude extracts of various aerial parts of birch trees,
      using patient serum rich in birch pollen IgE, showed IgE-binding activity in
      leaves, buds, twigs, seeds, bark, and old male catkins. Seed extracts analysed by
      SDS-PAGE, electroblotting to nitrocellulose and immune detection using isotope
      conjugated anti-IgE verified the presence in seeds of an IgE-binding protein of
      an approximate molecular weight of 12 kD, distinct from the major allergen
      (molecular weight 17 kD) of Betula verrucosa pollen. The allergen of birch seeds
      was readily leachable from the seeds. Many of the birch plant part extracts were
      active in RAST inhibition using birch pollen RAST discs, but showed low potency
      relative to the allergenicity of birch pollen allergens.

PMID- 1422265
TI  - Differentiation of coeliac disease and other malabsorption diseases using
      specific serum antigliadin IgG subclass profiles and IgA1 levels.
AB  - The differential diagnostic potential of serum gliadin-specific IgG subclass
      antibodies was assessed by comparing the antigliadin IgG1, 2, 3, 4 profile at
      different stages of coeliac disease with that of gastro-intestinal infection and
      also conditions associated with increased intestinal permeability. The IgG
      subclass profile of untreated coeliac disease was found to be the same as in
      healthy controls (IgG1 approximately IgG2 > IgG3 > IgG4), with only the magnitude
      of the individual subclass responses being increased in coeliac patients. Coeliac
      adults and children on gluten-free diets had different antigliadin IgG subclass
      profiles with IgG2 being elevated. Increased intestinal permeability or recent
      gastro-intestinal infection did not alter the antigliadin subclass profile from
      that observed in healthy individuals. Assessment of the diagnostic potential of
      antigliadin IgA1 and IgG1-4 measurements in screening for coeliac disease
      demonstrated that measurement of subclasses of gliadin-specific IgA and IgG was
      less sensitive and specific compared with the combined use of total antigliadin
      IgA and IgG. Therefore it is suggested that IgG subclasses should not be used for
      routine screening for coeliac disease.

PMID- 1422266
TI  - SO2-induced enhancement of inhalative allergic sensitization: inhibition by anti
      inflammatory treatment.
AB  - Epidemiological studies have shown a relationship between air pollution and
      allergic airway disease. In a previous study we have found that exposure to SO2
      enhances allergic sensitization to inhaled ovalbumin (OA) in the guinea pig. We
      have now investigated the influence of pre-treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs
      on SO2-induced enhancement of allergic sensitization in this model. Four groups
      of 6 guinea pigs each were exposed to 5 ppm SO2 on 5 consecutive days over 8 h
      per day with intermittent inhalation of OA, while the air-control group was
      exposed to clean air and OA. During the period of SO2 exposure and sensitization
      three experimental groups were treated with indomethacin (group I),
      methylprednisolone (group M) and nebulized nedocromil sodium (group N), while the
      control group remained untreated. Guinea pigs were investigated for sensitization
      to OA by specific bronchial provocation tests using body plethysmographic
      measurement of compressed air (CA) and by measurement of specific antibody
      response in serum. While in the SO2-exposed control group 5 of 6 animals reacted
      to specific bronchial provocation testing (CA median 0.15 ml, range 0-0.175 ml),
      only 1 animal was sensitized in group M (CA 0 ml, 0-0.125, p < 0.05), whereas no
      bronchial reactions were seen in groups I and N (CA 0 ml, 0-0.05, p < 0.025).
      Specific IgG antibody titres increased in the control group (median 43 EU-->85
      EU), but not in the treatment groups (medians group I 35 EU-->35 EU, group M 30-
      >35 EU, group N 64-->50 EU).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422267
TI  - Mast-cell-derived mediators induce epidermal cell proliferation: clue for
      lichenified skin lesion formation in atopic dermatitis.
AB  - Mast-cell-derived mediators showed mitogenic activities on mouse-transformed
      epidermal cell line Pam 212 cells. These activities were eluted into the low
      molecular-weight fractions below a molecular weight of 10 kD on a high
      performance liquid chromatography TSK 2000G column, and were partially abrogated
      by antihistamines or anticytokine antibodies, including anti-IL1 alpha, -IL1 beta
      or IL6 antibodies. Pretreatment of mast cell lines with sodium butyrate enhanced
      the production of these factors. Calcium ionophore or Concanavalin A (ConA)
      stimulated mast cells to generate factor production. These results suggest that
      mast-cell-derived mediators might play some role in epidermal hyperplasia seen in
      lichenified lesions in atopic dermatitis.

PMID- 1422268
TI  - Heparin-containing mast cells in the jejunal mucosa of normal and parasitized
      Mongolian gerbils, Meriones unguiculatus.
AB  - Histochemical stainability of mast cells in the small intestine of Mongolian
      gerbils, Meriones unguiculatus, was examined before and after infection with
      Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, a well-known intestinal helminth inducing
      intestinal mastocytosis in rats and mice. Mast cells seen in the small intestine
      of Mongolian gerbils were exclusively formalin-resistant and were strongly
      stained by berberine sulfate, regardless of whether the animals were normal or
      infected with N. brasiliensis. Furthermore, they were, either normal or induced
      by infection, only seen in the lamina propria and submucosa but never seen in the
      jejunal epithelium. Such histochemical properties and distribution of intestinal
      mast cells of Mongolian gerbils were different from previously known
      characteristics of mast cells in the small intestine of rats and other animal
      species.

PMID- 1422269
TI  - [Quantitative and qualitative anomalies of sperm in African individuals infected
      with HIV].
AB  - Semen from 16 HIV1-infected african individuals (12 at stage II/CDC; 4 with pre
      AIDS) has been analyzed both quantitatively (volume; number of spermatozoa) and
      qualitatively (motility). 12 healthy HIV1-seronegative individuals were recruited
      as controls. The HIV1-infected patients showed generally abnormalities of the
      semen: oligospermia (7 cases), azoospermia (3 cases), or asthenospermia (10
      cases). These abnormalities were more marked in patients at advanced stages of
      the HIV infection. In comparison with the control group, the HIV1-infected
      individuals had more frequently a past history of sexually transmitted diseases.
      These abnormalities in the composition of the semen in HIV1-infected african
      individuals could affect the fertility of these men; that could indirectly
      restrict the risk of congenitally HIV contaminated child.

PMID- 1422270
TI  - [Cutaneous ulcer from Mycobacterium ulcerans. Apropos of 1 case in French
      Guiana].
AB  - Skin ulcer due to Mycobacterium ulcerans is presented. The patient come from East
      of French Guyana. Growth of this mycobacteria is obtained with diphasic
      Lowenstein medium at 30 degrees C. Diagnostic of M. ulcerans results from mycolic
      acids study.

PMID- 1422271
TI  - [Where is the diagnosis of anthrax?].
AB  - The large use of antibiotics entailed a dizzy fall of the bacteriological
      positivity in diagnosis of acute anthrax, from 98-100% to 25% in average. Common
      serological methods are of low sensitivity and not so confluent. The more
      sophisticated methods (ELISA, EITB) are of a much better sensitivity but their
      employment in field epidemiological investigations is difficult and does not be
      suitable for a retrospective diagnosis. These inconveniences can be successfully
      surmounted by use of the anthraxin skin test. This test allows to diagnose acute
      anthrax in 98-100% of cases, and retrospectively (from 45 days to 30 years after
      recovery) in an average of 86.2% of cases. This skin test is simple for use, and
      does not requires a special medical competence.

PMID- 1422272
TI  - [Stability and chemosensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine in 1990
      and 1991 in Ankazobe, a village in high plateau Madagascar].
AB  - The in vivo and in vitro response of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine was
      conducted in Ankazobe, a village located in the high plateau area. These studies
      confirmed the low level of chloroquine-resistance. The in vivo data indicate the
      absence of increase resistance during the 2 years study. Chloroquine is still the
      drug of choice for the treatment of malaria attack in this area.

PMID- 1422273
TI  - [Rapid diagnosis of malaria. The microwave furnace].
AB  - Thick blood is a well known method for malaria diagnosis, very faithful and
      sensitive, but it could not be used in emergency because it had to dry for many
      hours. Micro-wave over allows a quick drying (two minutes). Do it can now be used
      in emergency.

PMID- 1422274
TI  - [Acanthamoeba keratitis. Morphologic and isoenzymatic study of a strain isolated
      from a medically treated case].
AB  - We report here the third case of Acanthamoeba keratitis discovered in France in a
      30 year-old man wearing soft contact lenses. Amoebas of Acanthamoeba genus could
      be isolated twice from his corneal ulcer with simple ocular swabs. Owing to
      medical treatment alone, a successful healing of his eye was obtained. The
      isolated strain was studied morphologically and biochemically: the cysts observed
      microscopically after silver stain possessed less than six arms surrounded by a
      non reticulated ectocyst and belonged to group II defined by Pussard and Pons.
      But the isoenzymatic study of the ocular strain by isofocusing did not allow us
      to identify it with any one of the 18 reference strains used, although these
      represent 14 different described species.

PMID- 1422275
TI  - [Complement to the epidemiologic study of the focus of Schistosoma mansoni
      bilharziasis in Kara (northern Togo)].
AB  - The present study on the focus of schistosomiasis mansoni of Kara (Northern Togo)
      complements a report already published in the Bulletin de la Societe de
      Pathologie Exotique in 1988 (9). The following results were obtained through
      different experiments carried out with snails collected in Kara. According to the
      season, 3 to 15% of the Biomphalaria pfeifferi studied, were infected. The
      maximal release of cercariae was observed between 11 am and 1 pm. The survival of
      cercariae and their ability to infect mice were not superior to 16 hours. Data
      obtained with the chaetotaxy of miracidia of the Kara strain were compatible with
      those obtained with african strains by other authors. Moreover, B. pfeifferi from
      Kara was more susceptible to the Kara strain of Schistosoma mansoni than B.
      pfeifferi collected in the south of Togo or than B. glabrata from the new world.
      On the contrary, B. pfeifferi from Kara was susceptible to a strain of S. mansoni
      from Brazil and was able to produce infectious cercariae. In addition, the search
      for an animal reservoir was carried out; 3 of the 112 (2.7%) wild rodents
      captured around the river Kara, were infected. This relatively low number of
      infected rodents was compatible with the usual findings in Africa where the
      animal reservoir is considered from human origin and has no importance in the
      transmission of S. mansoni as it could have in South America and West Indies.

PMID- 1422276
TI  - [Measure and analysis of urinary bilharziasis incidence levels in the village of
      Douloumi (Cameroon)].
AB  - A study on urinary schistosomiasis was carried out in the village of Douloumi to
      evaluate the changes in transmission over a one year period. It showed a stable
      prevalence rate between 1987 and 1988. However close scrutiny of the different
      population groups showed this apparent stability was the result of several
      trends: 1) a high incidence among the resident cohort with increase of prevalence
      among the younger age groups; 2) a high prevalence among individuals emigrating
      and 3) a low prevalence among immigrants. Incidence is considered as a better
      tool to evaluate the recent transmission of schistosomiasis, however incidence
      evaluation depends on the sensitivity of the case ascertainment method. In this
      study, a comparison of prevalences among a resident cohort was a good substitute
      to incidence.

PMID- 1422277
TI  - [Alveolar echinococcosis in China: current data].
AB  - Very few information about alveolar echinococcosis in China is available outside
      the country. The aim of the authors is to give some precisions about the human
      cases and the infection in the natural animal hosts. It occurs in 3 distinct foci
      which comprise poor and remote rural areas. Approximately, 420 cases of human
      disease have been detected, and the most intense focus is Ningxia province in
      central China. In all areas, the adult tapeworm is frequently found in V. vulpes,
      V. corsac, and in the domestic dog. The intermediate hosts differ from an area to
      the others. Their infection rate is high in the central and the northern foci.
      More researches are needed for improving our knowledge about the epidemiology of
      the disease. But the actual major requirement is to apply control measures as
      health education and medical information.

PMID- 1422278
TI  - [Ivermectin and pregnancy in mass treatment in Mali].
AB  - During july 1989, we have done a retrospective study, in Koba's valley in a
      savanna onchocerciasis area of Mali, after a mass treatment in rural community
      with ivermectin. 435 women aged from 15 to 45 years, among 461 with can be
      submitted to ivermectin risk during their pregnancy period, was seen and
      overhauled. In 1987, the frequency of women who received ivermectin during their
      pregnancy period (treated by error), was 17.7%, and 17.3% in 1988. We have seen
      any difference, between exposed and not exposed women to this error ivermectin
      treatment, comparing their in utero-mortality, new born mortality an the level of
      malformations. In spite of careful clinical monitoring in the field, the risk to
      give ivermectin to pregnancy women in rural community, is very high during mass
      treatment. Because traditionally (taboos), pregnancy is a forbidden subject.
      Sociological and anthropological studies, pregnancy field laboratory test and
      health education, are needed in african rural community before mass treatment
      with ivermectin.

PMID- 1422279
TI  - [Therapeutic attitudes and malaria in Sanaga Basin (Cameroon)].
AB  - In order to evaluate malaria problems such as they are perceived by Sanaga Basin
      populations in Cameroon, authors appealed to a cluster sample survey on a
      population sample obtained from a 2 degree population poll in four representative
      sites. Malaria so defined represents the outstanding endemia by which the most
      usual therapeutic recourse makes self-medication interfere particularly by amino
      4-quinolines. It is convenient to verify the quality of treatment so administered
      to adapt possibly training objectives of the interested population. In the
      present context of the chemoresistance extension of plasmodial strains to usual
      antimalarials, setting up a surveillance system of efficiency is necessary.

PMID- 1422280
TI  - [The supernatural, health and community action in Black Africa].
AB  - Based on the experience of community participation for tsetse control in the
      Congo, the author attempts to enlarge the reflexion on general health problems in
      Black Africa. He desires to draw the attention of the readers unfamiliar with
      anthropology, 1) to the current existence and social importance in the African
      communities of a particular approach, grounded on belief in the supernatural,
      radically different from Western thinking, 2) the intrinsic ambiguousness and
      richness of these ways of thinking, 3) to its great influence in community
      participation in sanitation programs. The ethical problems involved in the
      intervention of mediators using traditional or confessional ways of thinking are
      raised and included in a psychosocial problematic.

PMID- 1422281
TI  - Iron disorders can mimic anything, so always test for them.
AB  - Routinely measuring iron status is necessary because not only are about 6% of
      Americans in significant negative iron balance, but about 1% have iron overload.
      Serum ferritin is in equilibrium with body iron stores, and is the only blood
      test that measures them. Barring inflammation, each one ng (0.0179 pmol)
      ferritin/ml of serum indicates approximately 10 mg (0.179 mmol) of body iron
      stores. Very early Stage I positive balance is best recognized by measuring
      saturation of iron binding capacity. Conversely, serum ferritin best recognizes
      early (Stage I and II) negative balance. Deviations from normal are: 1. Both
      stages of iron depletion (i.e. low stores, no dysfunction). Negative iron balance
      Stage I is reduced iron absorption producing moderately depleted iron stores.
      Stage II is severely depleted stores, without dysfunction. These stages include
      over half of all cases of negative iron balance. Treated with iron, they never
      progress to dysfunction, i.e. to disease. 2. Both stages of iron deficiency.
      Deficiency is inadequate iron for normal function, i.e. dysfunction, disease.
      Negative balance Stage III is dysfunction without anemia; Stage IV is with
      anemia. 3. Positive iron balance: Stage I is a multi-year period without
      dysfunction. Supplements of iron and/or vitamin C promote progression to
      dysfunction (disease). Iron removal prevents progression. Stage II is iron
      overload disease, encompassing years of insidiously progressive damage to tissues
      and organs from iron overload. Iron removal arrests progression.

PMID- 1422282
TI  - Detection and measurement of cytokines.
AB  - Accurate and sensitive methods for the measurement and detection of cytokines are
      an obvious pre-requisite for the study of cytokine biology, biochemistry and the
      possible involvement of these molecules in pathology. In this review, the various
      methods available for cytokine measurement and detection (bioassays, immunoassays
      and other procedures) are described and compared. A critical appraisal of the
      potential advantages and limitations of the techniques is included.

PMID- 1422283
TI  - Autocrine growth factors and leukaemic haemopoiesis.
AB  - Studies on the structure of haemopoiesis in acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML)
      has shown the presence of a small population of malignant cells with extensive
      proliferative and self-renewal properties which are features of stem cells. The
      requirements of these cells for proliferation have been studied both in
      clonogenic assays in semi-solid media and in liquid suspension culture. These
      have demonstrated that AML clonogenic cells from the majority of patients, can be
      stimulated to proliferate by colony-stimulating factors (GM-CSF, G-CSF and IL-3)
      as well as other cytokines including interleukin-1 and interleukin-6, all of
      which are known to stimulate normal haemopoietic progenitors. Unlike normal
      haemopoietic cells, leukaemic blasts from many patients with AML express
      transcripts for haemopoietic growth factors including GM-CSF, G-CSF and IL-1 but
      not IL-3, and secrete growth factor protein. When leukaemic cells are cultured at
      sufficiently high density to permit cell-cell interactions, autonomous growth of
      clonogenic cells can be seen. Autonomous growth is related to the autocrine
      secretion of haemopoietic growth factors including GM-CSF, G-CSF and IL-6. The
      degree of autonomous colony growth is variable but approximately 70% of AML
      samples exhibit either partial or totally autonomous growth; the remaining cells
      being absolutely dependent on exogenous CSF or fail to grow in the culture
      systems employed. Similar patterns of growth have been found in murine
      haemopoietic cells lines which have been transformed as the result of the
      retroviral insertion of genes for GM-CSF or IL-3.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1422284
TI  - Monoclonal antibody (MoAb) therapy in non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.
AB  - The advance of monoclonal antibody (MoAb) technology in recent years provides a
      further treatment modality for cancer therapy. In this review, we discussed the
      various strategies available for MoAb therapy. We also addressed the problems
      encountered so far in early clinical trials and suggested possible solutions. We
      finally reviewed some of the interesting clinical studies conducted so far on the
      use of MoAbs in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

PMID- 1422285
TI  - Mechanisms of action of, and modes of resistance to, alkylating agents used in
      the treatment of haematological malignancies.
AB  - Although the alkylating agents were amongst the first non-hormonal compounds to
      be shown to be active against malignant cells they still rank as some of the most
      valuable cytotoxic drugs available for the treatment of patients with leukaemia
      and lymphoma. Melphalan, chlorambucil, busulfan, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide and
      the nitrosoureas are all members of this class of drug, which are believed to
      exert their cytotoxic effects through the covalent linkage of alkyl groups to
      DNA. In the first report describing the use of alkylating agents in clinical
      practice the problem of drug resistance was recognised. In spite of this there is
      still comparatively little known about the mechanisms underlying the development
      of resistance as it occurs in patients. Studies using animal models and cell
      lines have suggested that both cellular and extracellular factors may be
      involved, but the precise relevance of these to the clinical setting is unclear.
      A greater understanding of the mode of action and mechanisms of resistance to
      alkylating agents should enable the development of modulators capable of the
      restoration of sensitivity to resistant cells, and the more effective use of
      these well established drugs.

PMID- 1422286
TI  - The practical management of haemophilia.
AB  - Haemophilia is a rare and complex disorder and its successful management will
      depend upon the establishment of a network of 'comprehensive care' including the
      services of haematologists, orthopaedic surgeons, rheumatologists, dental
      surgeons, physiotherapists, specialised nurses and counsellors. One of the major
      lessons to be learned from the HIV epidemic in haemophilia is that it is critical
      to strive to obtain the safest and purest forms of blood products for these
      patients. The advent of clinically available recombinant factor VIII is expected
      soon; in the meantime there is a move towards treating all patients with high
      purity products.

PMID- 1422287
TI  - Transligamentary anesthesia: a review.
AB  - Intraligamentary anesthesia or, as we prefer to call it, transligamentary
      anesthesia (TLA) is one of the more recent developments in the field of pain
      blockage in dentistry. This review article organizes the vast amount of
      information, both current as well as past, found in the dental literature. After
      a general historical introduction, indications for TLA use are explained. This is
      followed by a technical examination of the anesthesia, including the various
      syringes in use, the preferred injection technique, and the types and volume of
      anesthesia solutions used. Other aspects of TLA, including the rate of success,
      onset time, duration, and animal/laboratory studies, are then examined. The
      various advantages and disadvantages of TLA are discussed along with adverse
      reactions, limitations, and patient acceptance. The article closes with a look at
      the diagnostic possibilities of the injection as well as a call for future
      research on this important development.

PMID- 1422288
TI  - Effects of epinephrine and norepinephrine contained in 2% lidocaine on
      hemodynamics of the carotid and cerebral circulation in older and younger adults.
AB  - The effects of vasoconstrictor-containing local anesthetics on the carotid and
      cerebral circulation were investigated using an ultrasonic quantitative blood
      flow measurement system. Nineteen healthy adult volunteers were divided into two
      groups according to age. The local anesthetics used were 2% lidocaine containing
      1:80,000 epinephrine and 2% lidocaine containing 1:25,000 norepinephrine. One
      (1.8 mL) or two (3.6 mL) cartridges of each anesthetic were injected into
      unilateral or bilateral maxillary gingivae. Epinephrine-containing lidocaine had
      little effect on carotid and cerebral hemodynamics. Norepinephrine-containing
      lidocaine increased arterial blood pressure, decreased heart rate, and decreased
      carotid arterial blood flow and velocity, which caused increased cerebrovascular
      resistance and decreased cerebrovascular capacitance. The results suggest that
      norepinephrine may induce vasoconstriction of the cerebral blood vessels in both
      young and old adults in a dose-dependent manner. These changes appear to be
      greater in older people.

PMID- 1422289
TI  - Anesthesia for temporomandibular arthroplasty in a quadriplegic patient: a case
      report.
AB  - A 41-year-old male quadriplegic patient with bilateral TMJ ankylosis was admitted
      for surgery under general anesthesia. Preoperative tests showed abnormal lung
      function and a low total serum calcium level. Premedication consisted of diazepam
      10 mg orally and glycopyrrolate 0.2 mg intramuscularly 90 minutes before the
      start of the operation. Because of an inability to open the mouth more than 0.5
      cm, a nasal fiberoptic endoscopic intubation was done under sedation and local
      anesthesia. For maintenance of anesthesia the patient received nitrous oxide 50%
      in oxygen, halothane, and alfentanil. No muscle relaxant was administered. The 2
      hour operation was completed uneventfully and the patient needed no ventilatory
      support afterward. Major anesthetic problems of spinal injury patients can be
      compared to those with cervical cord transection. The stage that the condition
      has reached determines the dominant anesthetic problems. The chronic stage
      (greater than 3 months postinjury, as in this patient) is usually characterized
      by sympathetic overactivity. Anesthetic problems during this stage may include
      risk of hyperkalemia from succinylcholine, cardiovascular instability and
      autonomic hyperreflexia, impaired thermoregulation, anemia, chronic infections,
      risk of hypercalcemia, and alveolar hypoventilation. None of these problems was
      encountered in this patient. A surprising finding was that the low serum calcium
      concentration did not influence the anesthetic outcome.

PMID- 1422290
TI  - Experience with triazolam in preschool children.
AB  - Triazolam (0.125 to 0.25 mg) was administered preoperatively to 17 unmanageable
      children aged 22 to 65 months. The children were monitored visually and by pulse
      oximeter. No child experienced any airway obstruction and none had oxygen
      saturation below 90%. Older children had lower SaO2 values than younger children.
      There was no relationship between the mg/kg dose and SaO2 values.

PMID- 1422292
TI  - Emergency treatment in Australia.
AB  - This short communication describes the key points of the emergency medical
      treatment situation for dentists in Australia. Dental school training and
      postgraduate educational opportunities in emergency medicine, emergency equipment
      and drugs found in a typical dental office, and use of the EMS by dentists are
      covered.

PMID- 1422291
TI  - Effects of different lidocaine sprays for topical anesthesia on cardiovascular
      parameters and oxygen saturation.
AB  - The effects of three lidocaine-containing solutions with and without frigen
      (freon-113) as a propellant on cardiovascular parameters and oxygen saturation,
      after different waiting periods and with different dosages applied, were
      investigated in 130 outpatients undergoing dental treatment in the maxilla under
      local anesthesia. They were divided randomly into five groups: (A) Xylocaine
      spray with frigen, two applications (20 mg lidocaine); (B) Xylestesin spray with
      frigen, two applications (14 mg lidocaine); (C) Xylestesin spray with frigen,
      three applications (21 mg lidocaine); (D) Xylestesin pump spray without frigen,
      two applications (14 mg lidocaine); and (E) no topical anesthesia. They were
      further divided into 12 subgroups to evaluate the influence of waiting periods
      between the application of the local anesthetic and the injection (1, 2, or 3
      minutes). Without topical anesthesia and after the 1-minute waiting period,
      cardiovascular parameters increased immediately after the injection; after 2- and
      3-minute waiting periods the increases were far less pronounced. The mean oxygen
      saturations did not change during the observed period. The higher lidocaine
      dosage administered (21 mg) did not intensify the positive impact on the
      cardiovascular parameters compared to the lower dosage (14 mg). The new pump
      spray without frigen proved to be as effective as the traditional, ecologically
      harmful aerosol sprays.

PMID- 1422293
TI  - Physical evaluation of the patient.
AB  - The physical evaluation of the patient before and during anesthesia and sedation
      is assuming an ever greater importance with the advent of sophisticated and
      reliable monitoring devices. This paper reviews the possible methods of
      evaluation and describes the types of mechanical monitors most suited to the
      dental office.

PMID- 1422294
TI  - IFDAS Research Council Report 1988-91: Midazolam.

PMID- 1422295
TI  - Isolation of human tumor cells that produce cementum proteins in culture.
AB  - We have cultured cells from explants of a human cementum tumor. The cells
      obtained were multipolar, they formed network-like structures and they were
      alkaline-phosphatase positive. Immunostaining and Western blots using specific
      antibodies revealed that these cells produced bone sialoprotein and collagen
      types I and V, and they also mineralized in vitro. Conditioned medium was
      mitogenic to fibroblasts and mitogens present were separated by heparin-affinity
      chromatography. Based on affinity to heparin and antibody-inhibition studies, the
      heparin fractions were shown to contain cementum-derived growth factor, platelet
      derived growth factor and fibroblast growth factors. The cementum tumor cells,
      but not gingival fibroblasts, were stained positively by an antibody to cementum
      derived attachment protein. The attachment protein was separated by
      immunoaffinity chromatography, and Western blots revealed that the preparation
      contained 56-kDa and 43-kDa proteins as major bands. Cells pulse-labeled with
      radioactive amino acids contained a 43-kDa protein as the major component;
      however, this protein was absent after a cold chase in the presence of
      cycloheximide, but 56-kDa, 39-kDa and 26-kDa species became prominent. These data
      indicated that the 56-kDa cementum attachment protein is derived from a 43-kDa
      precursor. Our data show that the cells cultured from the cementum tumor
      represent cementum cells capable of synthesizing and secreting cementum proteins
      in culture.

PMID- 1422296
TI  - Chromogranin-A secretion from individual parathyroid cells: effects of 1,25-(OH)2
      vitamin D3 and calcium.
AB  - Chromogranin-A (CgA) is a 50-kDa protein located in and secreted by most
      endocrine and neuroendocrine cells along with native hormone. In the parathyroid
      gland, CgA is cosecreted with parathyroid hormone (PTH). Although these peptides
      are secreted together, recent evidence has suggested that they are processed
      differently in response to stimuli, such as 1,25-(OH)2 vitamin D3 and calcium. We
      have validated a reverse hemolytic plaque assay for studying CgA release from
      parathyroid cells. This assay allows for the detection of quantitative changes in
      hormone secretion from individual parathyroid cells. Bovine parathyroid cells
      were mixed with protein-A-linked ovine erythrocytes (oRBC) and plated in a
      monolayer in the presence of CgA antiserum. After incubation, complement was
      added to the cells to induce cell lysis. Lysis of oRBC around a parathyroid cell
      indicated the release of CgA from a cell. Results showed that plaque formation
      was dependent on assay reagents and that serial dilution of the antibody reduced
      plaque formation. CgA secretion was inhibited by increasing concentrations of
      calcium and stimulated by increasing concentrations of 1,25-(OH)2vitamin D3.

PMID- 1422297
TI  - Effects on cultured neonatal mouse calvaria of 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3,
      26,26,26,27,27,27-hexafluoro-1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and 26,26,26,27,27,27
      hexafluoro-1 alpha,23S,25-trihydroxyvitamin D3.
AB  - The potency of 26,26,26,27,27,27-hexafluoro-1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (26,27
      F6-1,25(OH)2D3) to enhance bone calcium (Ca) mobilization in vitro was higher
      than that of 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3). In a 48-h organ
      culture system using fetal rat limb bones, effects of 26,27-F6-1,25(OH)2D3 on
      bone resorption were similar to those of 1,25(OH)2D3. Thus, we attempted to
      clarify whether or not the potency of 26,27-F6-1,25(OH)2D3 in bone resorption in
      vitro would be higher than that of 1,25(OH)2D3. Calvarial bones from neonatal
      mice were used as explants and the culture period was extended to 144 from 48 h.
      In cultures of 0 to 48 h, both drugs increased the release of prelabeled 45Ca
      from cultured calvariae, in a dose-dependent manner. In cultures of 48 to 144 h,
      26,27-F6-1,25(OH)2D3 was much more effective than 1,25(OH)2D3 regarding indices
      of bone resorption. 26,26,26,27,27,27-F6-1 alpha,23S,25-trihydroxyvitamin D3
      (26,27-F6-1,23,25(OH)3D3), a main metabolite of 26,27-F6-1,25(OH)2D3 in rats,
      stimulated 45Ca release equipotently to 1,25(OH)2D3. In mouse bone marrow cells
      cultured for 7 days, the potency of 26,27-F6-1,25(OH)2D3 on osteoclast formation
      was much higher than 1,25(OH)2D3. These results suggest that the higher potency
      of 26,27-F6-1,25(OH)2D3 in bone resorption may be due at least in part to both
      the higher potency of 26,27-F6-1,25(OH)2D3 in osteoclast formation and the larger
      retention of 26,27-F6-1,23,25(OH)3D3 in calvariae.

PMID- 1422298
TI  - Preferential osteopenia in women with osteoporotic fractures.
AB  - One-hundred thirty-six women with spontaneous vertebral crush fractures had bone
      density measurements by photon absorptiometry. Their absolute and relative extent
      of osteopenia were expressed as Z scores with respect to values from normal white
      women. Absolute Z scores were used to express the mean bone mass of women with
      crush fractures vis-a-vis normal women at peak bone mass; relative Z scores were
      used to express the same means vis-a-vis age-matched controls. The skeletal sites
      measured included the distal radius, lumbar spine, and three sites on the femur
      (neck, Ward's triangle, and trochanter). The absolute deficit for the five sites
      ranged from -1.66 to -2.60. The relative deficit was close to 1 SD for all sites.
      A discriminant analysis revealed that the spine and femur were predictive for
      vertebral crush fractures but the radius was not. Comparison with a previously
      reported hip-fracture population (n = 31) showed that the low bone density of the
      spine separated the two fracture groups best. We propose the following: (a)
      vertebral-fracture patients have extensive generalized osteoporosis including the
      hip with a preferential deficit in the spine and (b) hip-fracture patients have
      generalized osteoporosis with preferential osteopenia of the hip and do not have
      a greater mineral deficit in the spine or radius than age-matched normal women.
      It may be that if a single site is to be selected for screening for spine and hip
      fractures, the greatest value would be in measurement of the femur, although
      ideally the skeletal site of interest would be measured. Prospective studies are
      needed to confirm the utility of measurements at the spine and hip in prediction
      of future fractures.

PMID- 1422301
TI  - Selected bibliography.

PMID- 1422299
TI  - Lack of deleterious effect of slow-release sodium fluoride treatment on cortical
      bone histology and quality in osteoporotic patients.
AB  - We evaluated the effects of intermittent slow-release sodium fluoride (SRNaF) and
      continuous calcium citrate therapy on cortical bone histology, reflection
      ultrasound velocity (material strength) and back-scattered electron image
      analysis (BEI) in 26 osteoporotic patients before and following therapy. All
      measurements were made on transiliac crest bone biopsies obtained before and
      following 2 years of therapy in each patient. For all 26 patients there were no
      significant changes in cortical bone histomorphometric parameters. In 15 patients
      in whom bone material quality was assessed by reflection ultrasound, there was no
      change in velocity (4000 +/- 227 SD to 4013 +/- 240 m/s). BEI disclosed no
      mineralization defects or the presence of woven bone. Mean atomic number
      (density) of bone increased slightly, but significantly (9.261 +/- 0.311 to 9.457
      +/- 0.223, P = 0.031). While these changes are less marked than those observed
      for cancellous bone, they indicate that this form of therapy does not adversely
      affect cortical bone remodelling.

PMID- 1422302
TI  - Trans-differentiation of hypertrophic chondrocytes into cells capable of
      producing a mineralized bone matrix.
AB  - Trans-differentiation of hypertrophic chondrocytes into bone-forming cells was
      observed when femurs from 14-day-old chick embryos were cut through the region of
      hypertrophic cartilage and the separated pieces were cultured for 2-18 days.
      Inside many chondrocytic lacunae a new matrix was present which had the staining
      characteristics of bone matrix including birefringence and the capacity to
      mineralize. The cells within the lacunae had the characteristics of osteoblasts,
      such as alkaline phosphatase activity and positive immunocytochemical staining
      for osteocalcin, osteonectin, osteopontin and type I collagen. Chondrocyte
      necrosis and empty lacunae were only observed immediately at the cut edge, and in
      that region no bone-forming cells were present inside the lacunae. Where bone
      matrix was present, the lacunae had remained intact, the cells were viable and no
      evidence of cell migration was observed. This suggested that the bone-forming
      cells had originated from the hypertrophic chondrocytes. The temporal sequence of
      events was followed closely. Two days following the cut only a few chondrocytes
      showed a positive reaction for osteocalcin, osteonectin, osteopontin and the type
      I collagen. At that time no such reaction product was observed in the
      chondrocytes of uncut femurs. Many hypertrophic chondrocytes divided, as shown by
      tritiated thymidine incorporation. The rate of cell division increased between 2
      6 days, when several smaller basophilic cells were present inside the lacuna
      instead of the single hypertrophic chondrocyte. These cells expressed alkaline
      phosphatase activity, were positive for fibronectin, the above non-collagenous
      bone proteins and type I collagen. The bone matrix that was observed after 6-18
      days was initially confined to the inside of the chondrocytic lacunae, but later
      spread beyond the lacunar confines. The bone proteins were still associated with
      the bone-forming cells, but fibronectin was absent when matrix formation was
      evident. Mineralization of the intra-lacunar osteoid took place after 12-18 days.
      It is speculated that the trans-differentiation was initiated by disruptions of
      the normal cell-cell associations.

PMID- 1422300
TI  - Comparison of single-photon and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry of the radius.
AB  - We compared dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for measurement of the radius
      with the conventional single-photon absorptiometry (SPA) method. To evaluate
      reproducibility, 34 healthy male and female subjects were measured twice each by
      both methods. While the instruments measured bone mineral content (BMC)
      similarly, projected area was consistently lower by SPA and therefore bone
      mineral density (BMD) was higher by an average of 10%. We report similar
      coefficients of variation for the two methods, which are 0.8% (SPA) and 0.7%
      (DXA) for BMC (P = 0.71) and 0.8% (SPA) and 1.4% (DXA) for BMD (P = 0.02). We
      also evaluated the relationship between the methods with data from 196 clinic
      patients who were measured once each on both instruments. The BMD measurements
      from the two instruments were highly correlated (r = 0.97) in these patients,
      which permits the conversion of databases from SPA to DXA-equivalents. We
      conclude that DXA can replace SPA for radial bone densitometry.

PMID- 1422303
TI  - The anabolic action of 17 beta-estradiol (E2) on rat trabecular bone is
      suppressed by (3-amino-1-hydroxypropylidene)-1-bisphosphonate (AHPrBP).
AB  - We have previously found that high doses of 17 beta-estradiol (E2), similar to
      those seen in late pregnancy, stimulate bone formation in adult rats. In this
      communication we tested the effects of a combination of E2 and (3-amino-1
      hydroxypropylidene)-1,1-bisphosphonate (AHPrBP) on bone formation and bone volume
      in rat bone. E2 (4 mg/kg/day subcutaneously for 17 days) stimulated the bone
      formation rate to 6 times that of control rats. This was reduced by a single
      administration of AHPrBP (0.3 mg/kg subcutaneously) to 3 times control levels,
      and by similar daily injections of AHPrBP to levels not significantly different
      from those of untreated rats. Suppression of bone formation was effected
      predominantly through a reduction in the percentage of double-labelled surfaces,
      consistent with reduced osteoblast recruitment. We found only relatively minor
      effects of AHPrBP on the mineral apposition rate, suggesting that AHPrBP affected
      osteoblast function less than osteoblast recruitment. Suppression of histodynamic
      parameters of bone formation by AHPrBP was associated with suppression of the
      increase in bone volume otherwise induced by E2. The suppression by AHPrBP of the
      effect of E2 on bone formation contrasted with its lack of effect on other target
      tissues for E2, since AHPrBP did not affect the E2-induced changes in
      longitudinal bone growth or uterine weight. These results suggest that AHPrBP
      inhibits the anabolic effect of estrogen on rat trabecular bone.

PMID- 1422304
TI  - Calcium ion transport kinetics during dentinogenesis: effects of disrupting
      odontoblast cellular transport systems.
AB  - Due to strongly discrepant results in the literature, controversy exists about
      the timing of the transport of Ca2+ ions to the mineralization front during
      dentinogenesis and the role of the odontoblasts in this transport. The present
      study gives evidence, by means of autoradiography as well as by a radiochemical
      technique, that the transport time for Ca2+ ions into the dentin mineral phase is
      about 10-15 min in the rat incisor. The results also show that technical factors,
      such as mode of tracer injection and the use of perfusion fixation, may influence
      the results more or less strongly. Finally, by disturbing odontoblast
      microtubules, involved in intracellular transport processes, and by blocking
      odontoblast calcium uptake channels by nifedipine and neomycin, the Ca2+ ion
      transport into dentin mineral was found to be strongly impaired. This may be
      taken as an indication that transcellular calcium transport mechanisms have a
      role during dentinogenesis.

PMID- 1422305
TI  - Prostaglandin E2 prevents ovariectomy-induced cancellous bone loss in rats.
AB  - The object of this study was to determine whether prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) can
      prevent ovariectomy-induced cancellous bone loss. Thirty-five 3-month-old female
      Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups. The rats in the first group
      were ovariectomized (OVX) while the others received sham operation (sham-OVX).
      The OVX group was further divided into three treatment groups. The daily doses
      for the three groups were 0, 1 and 6 mg PGE2/kg for 90 days. Bone
      histomorphometric analyses were performed on double-fluorescent-labeled
      undecalcified proximal tibial metaphysis (PTM). We confirmed that OVX induces
      massive cancellous bone loss (-80%) and a higher bone turnover (+143%). The new
      findings from the present study demonstrate that bone loss due to ovarian hormone
      deficiency can be prevented by a low-dose (1 mg) daily administration of PGE2.
      Furthermore, a higher-dose (6 mg) daily administration of PGE2 not only prevents
      bone loss but also adds extra bone to the proximal tibial metaphyses. PGE2 at the
      1-mg dose level significantly increased trabecular bone area, trabecular width,
      trabecular node density, density of node to node, ratio of node to free end, and
      thus significantly decreased trabecular separation from OVX controls. At this
      dose level, these same parameters did not differ significantly from sham-OVX
      controls. However, at the 6-mg dose level PGE2, there were significant increases
      in trabecular bone area, trabecular width, trabecular node density, density of
      node to node, and ratio of node to free end, while there was significant decrease
      in trabecular separation from both OVX and sham-operated controls. The changes in
      indices of trabecular bone microanatomical structure indicated that PGE2
      prevented bone loss as well as the disconnection of existing trabeculae. In
      summary, PGE2 administration to OVX rats decreased bone turnover and increased
      bone formation parameters resulting in a positive bone balance that prevented
      bone loss (in both lower and higher doses) and added extra bone to metaphyses of
      OVX rats (in higher dose). These findings support the strategy of the use of bone
      stimulation agents in the prevention of estrogen depletion bone loss
      (postmenopausal osteoporosis).

PMID- 1422306
TI  - Differential chemotactic responses of different populations of fetal rat calvaria
      cells to platelet-derived growth factor and transforming growth factor beta.
AB  - We tested the chemotactic response to platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and
      transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) of cells released enzymatically from
      fetal rat calvaria (RC). Both factors were chemotactic for RC cells, but the
      magnitude of the chemotactic response differed markedly between different
      populations and varied with time in culture of the cell populations. Cells
      released earlier from the calvaria showed a greater response than osteoblast
      enriched populations released later. The optimal concentration of PDGF was the
      same for both alkaline phosphatase (AP)-positive and AP-negative cells within the
      populations. However AP-positive cells showed two peaks of response to TGF beta;
      one peak coincided with the TGF beta concentration also maximally affecting AP
      negative cells, while the other occurred at a concentration 50-100 times higher.
      The results indicate that PDGF and TGF beta are chemotactic for both AP-positive
      and AP-negative cells in populations of cells derived from fetal calvariae, that
      chemotactic response declined with longer periods of time in culture, and that AP
      positive osteoblast-like cells respond to a concentration of TGF beta that does
      not affect the AP-negative cells in the population.

PMID- 1422307
TI  - The dose-dependency of alcohol-induced hypoparathyroidism, hypercalciuria, and
      hypermagnesuria.
AB  - Ingestion of alcohol evokes hypoparathyroidism, hypercalciuria, and
      hypermagnesuria. The dose-dependency of these changes has not been assessed
      before. We measured the serum concentrations of intact parathyroid hormone (PTH),
      and serum and urine calcium and magnesium in six normal men before and at
      intervals up to 6 h after the ingestion of fruit juice (control) and 0.5, 1.0 and
      1.3 g of alcohol per kg of body weight. As compared with the control experiment
      the maximum reductions in the mean PTH concentration were 31% (P = 0.19), 31% (P
      = 0.20) and 45% (P = 0.01) with the three alcohol doses, respectively. After
      stopping drinking, the urinary excretion of calcium was 85%, 142% and 207% higher
      during the three alcohol experiments than during the control session (P < 0.05, <
      0.01 and < 0.01, respectively), also urinary magnesium increased up to threefold.
      We conclude that in nonalcoholic subjects acute alcohol intake induces
      hypoparathyroidism, hypercalciuria, and hypermagnesuria, the latter two being
      dose-dependent. The direct renal effects of alcohol are the major mechanisms for
      hypercalciuria and hypermagnesuria, but hypoparathyroidism contributes to
      hypercalciuria at high levels of alcohol intoxication.

PMID- 1422308
TI  - Bone mineral density during puberty in western Canadian children.
AB  - To assess the influence of puberty and its associated changes in body weight and
      height on bone mineral density (BMD), lumbar spine (L2-L4) and femoral neck BMD
      were measured in 74 healthy, active children (9-16 years) using dual-photon
      absorptiometry. Competitive swimmers were recruited to minimize the potential
      effect variability in mechanical loading regime may have on bone density of the
      lumbar spine. Tanner staging was used to assess stage of puberty. Current dietary
      calcium intake was assessed by analysis of 6-day dietary records. Significant
      differences in spinal and femoral neck BMD occurred between early (Tanner 1 and
      2) and late stages of puberty (Tanner 4 and 5), P < 0.05. A significant
      correlation was found between bone density and dietary calcium intake. However
      stepwise regression analyses demonstrated stage of puberty or body weight were
      the only factors which significantly affected spinal BMD, accounting for 77% and
      68% of the variability respectively; while at the femoral neck, body weight
      accounted for 52% of the variability. These results demonstrate that when
      potential interacting factors are controlled for through regression analyses,
      differences in BMD occur mainly as a function of puberty and the associated gains
      in body weight.

PMID- 1422309
TI  - Acronyms in bone densitometry.

PMID- 1422310
TI  - Hormone responses of in vitro bone nodule cells: studies on changes of
      intracellular calcium and membrane potential in response to parathyroid hormone
      and calcitonin.
AB  - We used two techniques to study the responses of individual in vitro bone nodule
      cells to parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitonin (CT). These techniques are
      laser scanning confocal imaging with a fluorescent indicator to measure
      intracellular free [Ca2+], and microelectrode impalement to measure the
      electrical potential difference across the cell membrane. We applied these
      measurement techniques to cells in the top cellular layer of nodules that form in
      vitro in cultures of cells obtained from fetal rat calvaria. Our measurements
      showed a transient increase in intracellular free [Ca2+] following application of
      PTH or CT. The duration of the increase in fluorescent intensity following PTH
      application varied from about 100 to more than 300 s, and the duration following
      CT application was from 30 to 80 s. In some measurements we applied both hormones
      in sequence, and observed that some cells showed an intracellular [Ca2+] response
      to both hormones, while other cells apparently responded to only one or the other
      of the hormones, or to neither. We also observed membrane potential changes in
      response to PTH and to CT. The membrane potential response to CT was quite small.
      The time courses of these membrane potential changes consisted of a depolarizing
      phase lasting about 100 s (with both hormones) followed by a hyperpolarizing
      phase (with PTH). Control measurements using only the vehicle solutions were
      carried out with both techniques, producing negligible responses.

PMID- 1422311
TI  - The effect of rat parathyroid hormone (1-34) infusion on urinary 3
      hydroxypyridinium cross-link excretion in the rat.
AB  - The utility of measurement of the urinary excretion of the 3-hydroxypyridinium
      cross-links, pyridinoline (Pyr) and deoxypyridinoline (Dpyr) as indices of bone
      resorption in rats was investigated. Total Pyr and Dpyr excretion were measured
      in young rats treated by s.c. infusion with rat parathyroid hormone (1-34) (PTH)
      at 22-30 micrograms/kg/day or with diluent (controls) for 14 days. During
      infusion, average urinary excretion of both cross-links was significantly higher
      in PTH rats (Pyr: 11.77 +/- 0.44 nmol/day), Dpyr: 15.81 +/- 0.95 nmol/day) than
      in controls (Pyr: 10.17 +/- 0.35 nmol/day, Dpyr: 12.03 +/- 0.67 nmol/day). These
      results were consistent with the magnitude of the expected increase in bone
      resorption rate with this dose of PTH. The method appears to provide a sensitive
      measure of bone resorption for in vivo bone studies in rats.

PMID- 1422312
TI  - Decreased heterotopic osteogenesis in vitamin-D-deficient, but normocalcemic
      guinea pigs.
AB  - The effect of vitamin D deficiency unhampered by hypocalcemia on de novo bone
      formation was studied in guinea pigs. Heterotopic induction of osteogenesis was
      evaluated 4 weeks after intramuscular transplantation of allogenic urinary
      bladder transitional epithelium from vitamin-D-repleted (+D) donors into +D and 
      D recipients. In -D recipients the frequency of osteogenesis and the amount of
      induced bone were significantly diminished; induced bone was less mature, scantly
      cellular woven bone poorly repopulated with bone marrow. No effect of vitamin D
      deficiency on orthotopic bone growth and on mineralization of orthotopic and
      heterotopically induced bone was observed. It is proposed that in addition to
      inducing factors (BMPs, growth factors) which may be responsible for
      transformation of mesenchymal cells to osteoprogenitor cells, normal
      concentrations of 1,25-(OH)2D3 may be required for proliferation and further
      differentiation of these cells into osteoblasts and for expression of genes
      engaged in extracellular matrix formation and maturation.

PMID- 1422313
TI  - Familial idiopathic hyperphosphatasia (FIH): response to long-term treatment with
      pamidronate (APD).
AB  - A 5-year-old child suffering from familial idiopathic hyperphosphatasia (FIH) was
      treated by: (1) intravenous infusion of pamidronate (APD) (3 h) (0.75 mg/kg/day)
      for 5 days; and (2) oral administration of APD (8 mg/kg/day) for 1 year, in
      association with calcium (1 g/day) as calcium gluconate. A decrease of both serum
      calcium and phosphate, and a slight PTH increase were observed immediately after
      the IV treatment; serum alkaline phosphatase did not change, but a marked and
      rapid decline in the hydroxyprolinuria was observed: basal 659 +/- 207 during IV
      treatment 169 +/- 59 (mean +/- SD mg/24 h, P < 0.005). At the end of one year of
      oral APD treatment clinical and radiological findings showed a remarkable
      improvement. Serum calcium, phosphate and PTH returned to the initial values.
      Plasma alkaline phosphatase levels showed a 70% decrease: basal 1370 IU/l, 1 year
      410 IU/l whereas the hydroxyprolinuria values were similar to those determined at
      the end of the intravenous treatment (212 +/- 13 mg/24 h), but still
      significantly lower than the basal levels (P < 0.01). No side-effects were
      observed. APD appears to be a promising treatment for patients with FIH.

PMID- 1422314
TI  - Osteoporosis and calcification of the aorta.
AB  - In an age-stratified random sample of 200 Rochester, Minnesota women, the
      prevalence of aortic calcification rose with aging, as did the prevalence of
      vertebral fractures, while bone mass fell. The statistically significant positive
      association of aortic calcification with vertebral fractures and the negative
      associations with bone mass at six skeletal sites were mainly accounted for by
      age. After age-adjustment, the only association remaining was a negative one
      between calcified aortic plaques and bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar
      spine (P < 0.05). Aortic calcification was not associated with any measures of
      calcium metabolism, after adjusting for age, except for a slight negative
      association between linear aortic calcifications and 25(OH) vitamin D levels (P <
      0.05). BMD values of the lumbar spine were somewhat greater than predicted for
      age in women with severe aortic calcification, but similar findings were seen at
      other skeletal sites and none of the differences was statistically significant.
      While overestimation of bone mass was generally minimal, severe aortic
      calcification may distort lumbar spine assessments in a minority of
      postmenopausal women.

PMID- 1422315
TI  - Selected bibliography.

PMID- 1422316
TI  - Cytological and ultrastructural investigation on osteoblastic and preosteoclastic
      cells grown in vitro in the presence of ipriflavone: preliminary results.
AB  - The effects of ipriflavone on bone cells were studied in vitro on pre
      osteoclastic (FLG 29.1) and osteoblast-like (Saos-2) cells grown for 48 h either
      separately or in co-cultures, with or without the addition of PTH. Histological,
      ultrastructural and histochemical (TRAP-activity demonstration) methods were
      used. The main results show that ipriflavone reduces replication of FLG 29.1
      cells and inhibits TRAP production by these cells both in controls and in co
      cultures treated with PTH. Moreover, it has a moderate stimulatory effect on
      proliferation of osteoblast-like cells and reduces the PTH-induced degenerative
      changes of Saos-2 cells. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of
      ipriflavone on FLG 29.1 cells might be indirect and might be mediated by the
      osteoblast-like cells.

PMID- 1422317
TI  - Effects of ipriflavone on bone remodeling in primary hyperparathyroidism.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ipriflavone treatment on
      bone remodeling in primary hyperparathyroidism. Nine patients, 6 females and 3
      males (mean +/- SD age 56 +/- 12.5 years) were treated with 1200 mg/day of
      ipriflavone by oral administration divided in 3 daily doses. All patients were
      treated for 21 days; in 5 patients treatment was prolonged to 42 days. In all
      patients the main serum and urinary parameters of bone remodeling were evaluated.
      The results suggest that ipriflavone affects bone remodeling by inhibiting bone
      resorption without affecting bone formation. Ipriflavone is, therefore, indicated
      in the treatment of metabolic bone diseases characterized by a high bone
      turnover.

PMID- 1422318
TI  - Flavonoids: biochemical effects and therapeutic applications.

PMID- 1422319
TI  - Short-term treatment of Paget's disease of bone with ipriflavone.
AB  - Ipriflavone (IP), an isoflavone derivative, seems to prevent the loss of bone
      mass through the inhibition of bone resorption, mainly inhibiting the recruitment
      of osteoclasts. We investigated whether a brief course of treatment with IP can
      reduce biochemical parameters of accelerated bone turnover and bone pain in
      patients with active Paget's disease of bone. Sixteen patients (9 males and 7
      females) with active Paget's disease were randomly allocated to two different
      crossed-over dose regimens of treatment with IP (600 mg/day vs. 1200 mg/day).
      Each treatment course lasted 30 days and the wash-out period between the two
      sequences was 15 days. Serum alkaline phosphatase (Al.Ph.) and urinary
      hydroxyproline/creatinine excretion (HOP/Cr) were reduced after each sequence. At
      the end of the 600/1200 mg/day treatment sequence, serum Al.Ph. and HOP/Cr
      decreased with 32% and 25.6% respectively. At the end of the 1200/600 mg/day
      treatment sequence, serum Al.Ph. and HOP/Cr decreased with 33% (P < 0.01) and
      24.1% (P < 0.05) respectively. Furthermore, a significant decrease in bone pain
      was observed during the 1200/600 mg/day sequence (P < 0.01). Both treatment
      schedules were well tolerated and the patients' compliance resulted excellent.
      Our results indicate that short-term treatment with IP can reduce biochemical
      parameters of disease activity and bone pain in patients with active Paget's
      disease of bone.

PMID- 1422320
TI  - Effects of ipriflavone on bone mass and calcium metabolism in postmenopausal
      osteoporosis.
AB  - Recently it has been demonstrated that ipriflavone (IP), an isoflavone
      derivative, is able to increase bone mass in patients with established
      postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO). Here we present a preliminary report of a 2
      year multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study performed in
      order to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of IP in PMO. A large number of
      patients with PMO, referred to 12 Italian centers, was randomly divided into 2
      groups and treated with oral IP (600 mg/day) or placebo (Pl). All patients
      received an oral Ca supplement (1 g/day). One hundred and twenty six patients
      completed 1 year of the study. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the distal radius,
      measured by DPA, serum osteocalcin (BGP), and urinary hydroxyproline excretion
      (HOP/Cr), were measured before and after 12 months. After 12 months, a
      significant increase in BMD was observed in the IP-treated group (P < 0.05). IP
      determined a reduction of HOP/Cr, while in Pl-treated patients a significant
      increase of this index, as well as of BGP, was observed. After 12 months the
      difference between the two groups resulted significant (P < 0.05) for BGP. The
      drug was well tolerated and the patients' compliance to the oral treatment
      resulted excellent. The results of this study indicate that IP is able to
      increase bone mass in patients with PMO.

PMID- 1422321
TI  - Ipriflavone and low doses of estrogens in the prevention of bone mineral loss in
      climacterium.
AB  - Estrogen replacement therapy can counteract all postmenopausal symptoms. While
      low estrogen doses (0.15-0.30 mg of conjugated estrogens/day) can counteract
      neurovegetative and psychological symptoms, higher estrogen doses (at least 0.625
      mg of conjugated estrogens/day) are required to prevent bone mineral loss in
      postmenopausal women. However, if contra-indications to high estrogen doses
      exist, drugs other than estrogens can represent a suitable treatment for
      postmenopausal osteoporosis both alone or in combination with low estrogen doses.
      Experimental and clinical data have shown that ipriflavone is effective in the
      treatment of established postmenopausal osteoporosis. With the purpose of
      evaluating whether ipriflavone is able to enhance estrogen activity on bone
      metabolism, 133 postmenopausal women were randomly submitted to the treatment
      with: (1) placebo; (2) 0.15 mg/day of conjugated estrogens; (3) 0.30 mg/day of
      conjugated estrogens; (4) 0.15 mg/day of conjugated estrogens plus 600 mg/day of
      ipriflavone; (5) 0.30 mg/day of conjugated estrogens plus 600 mg/day of
      ipriflavone. One g/day of calcium supplementation was given to all women. In all
      subjects bone mineral density was measured before and after 6 and 12 months of
      treatment at the distal radius by dual-photon absorptiometry. A moderate decrease
      of bone mineral density was evidenced in women submitted to placebo or to
      estrogen therapy alone. By contrast, an increase of BMD was measured after 12
      months of treatment in the women treated with 0.15 (not significant) or 0.30
      mg/day (P < 0.01) of conjugated estrogens associated with ipriflavone. Both
      dosages of conjugated estrogens were able to induce a significant reduction of
      neurovegetative symptoms. The increase of bone density obtained with the
      combination of conjugated estrogens with ipriflavone demonstrates that this
      combination improves the effects of low estrogen doses on bone mass representing
      a satisfactory approach in the prevention and treatment of all symptoms related
      to the climacteric syndrome.

PMID- 1422322
TI  - Effect of ipriflavone on bone mass in elderly osteoporotic women.
AB  - A study in elderly osteoporotic women was performed to assess the effect of one
      year treatment with ipriflavone (IP) on bone mass and bone biomarkers. Twenty
      eight women aged over 65, with diagnosis of osteoporosis and X-ray evidence of at
      least one vertebral fracture, were treated with IP tablets (600 mg/day) or
      placebo (PL), according to a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group design. One
      g/day calcium supplementation was given to all patients. After 12 months a
      significant increase (+6%, P < 0.05) of bone mineral density (BMD) at the distal
      radius (DPA) was obtained in the IP-group. Serum osteocalcin (BGP) and urinary HO
      proline/creatinine (HOP/Cr) values were reduced in the same group. BMD values did
      not change (-0.3%) in the placebo group. One woman of the PL-group was withdrawn
      from treatment because of worsening of pain, due to new vertebral crushes. Side
      effects (mainly gastrointestinal) arose in 8 IP- and in 5 PL-treated women. The
      compliance to the oral administration was good.

PMID- 1422323
TI  - Rabies in Europe.

PMID- 1422324
TI  - On site medical services at major incidents.

PMID- 1422325
TI  - Radioiodine for hyperthyroidism.

PMID- 1422326
TI  - Euthanasia: time for a royal commission.

PMID- 1422328
TI  - Severity of imported falciparum malaria: effect of taking antimalarial
      prophylaxis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of antimalarial chemoprophylaxis and other
      variables on the severity of falciparum malaria. DESIGN: Review of consecutive
      malaria cases between 1987 and 1991. SETTING: The Hospital for Tropical Diseases,
      London. SUBJECTS: 250 consecutive cases of mild and 51 consecutive cases of
      severe falciparum malaria. RESULTS: Prophylaxis was taken in 52.4% (131/250) of
      the cases of mild malaria and 21.6% (11/51) of cases of severe malaria. Severe
      malaria was more common in white patients than in those of African origin and was
      also seen more commonly in people returning from central, southern, and east
      Africa than in those returning from west Africa. Patients with severe malaria
      presented sooner than patients with mild malaria. CONCLUSIONS: Prior
      chemoprophylaxis led to a reduction in the severity of falciparum malaria. Ethnic
      origin, time to presentation, and sex were also associated with the severity of
      malaria.

PMID- 1422327
TI  - Preliminary analysis of the care of injured patients in 33 British hospitals:
      first report of the United Kingdom major trauma outcome study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To measure the effectiveness of management of major trauma in the
      United Kingdom. DESIGN: Review of the care of all seriously injured patients seen
      over two years. SETTING: 33 hospitals which receive patients who have sustained
      major trauma. SUBJECTS: 14,648 injured patients admitted for more than three
      days, transferred or admitted into an intensive care bed, or dying from their
      injuries. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Death or survival in hospital within three months
      of the injury. RESULTS: 21% of seriously injured patients (1299) took longer than
      one hour to reach hospital. Time before arrival at hospital was not related to
      severity of injury. A senior house officer was in charge of initial hospital
      resuscitation in 57% (826/1445) of patients with an injury severity score > or =
      16. More senior staff were commonly responsible for definitive operations, but
      only 46% (165/355) of patients judged to require early operation arrived in
      theatre within two hours. Mortality for 6111 patients sustaining blunt trauma and
      treated in the 14 busiest hospitals was significantly higher (actual 408,
      predicted 295.6, p < 0.001) than in a comparable North American dataset. Large
      differences in the 14 hospitals assessed could not be explained by variations in
      case load or facilities. In contrast, the outcome of the 4.1% (597) of patients
      with penetrating injuries was better than that of a comparable group in the
      United States. Analysis of the 415 penetrating injuries with complete data showed
      that 15 patients died (19.3 predicted; p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The initial
      management of major trauma in the United Kingdom remains unsatisfactory. There
      are delays in providing experienced staff and timely operations. Mortality varies
      inexplicably between hospitals and, for blunt trauma, is generally higher than in
      the United States.

PMID- 1422329
TI  - Cost of urology: financial audit in a clinical department.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To cost a clinical unit over one month in 1991, to cost treatment of
      individual patients from audit data, and to compare this costing method with the
      hospital charging system. DESIGN: A financial breakdown was obtained for one
      month's work. Ward stay, operating time, investigations, and outpatient visits
      were costed and a formula (episode = days on ward+hours of
      operating+investigations+outpatient visits) was used to cost patient episodes
      from audit data. SETTING: The adult urology unit in a teaching hospital. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURES: Costs for each part of patients' treatment. RESULTS: Total cost
      was 147,796 pounds for 159 admissions, 738 inpatient days, 131 operations in 29
      operating lists, and 615 outpatient visits. An uncomplicated transurethral
      prostatectomy cost 1140 pounds but complications increased this to 1500 pounds in
      another patient. The costs of diagnostic cystoscopy were 130 pounds in
      outpatients, 240 pounds in day surgery, and 430 pounds in inpatients. Hospital
      charges do not reflect the individual costs of treatment, charges being greater
      than costs for some patients and lower than costs for others. CONCLUSIONS:
      Clinicians can produce a financial analysis of their work and cost their
      patients' treatment. Audit is strongly advocated as a resource planning tool.

PMID- 1422331
TI  - Arrangements for on scene medical care at major incidents.

PMID- 1422330
TI  - Outcome of breech delivery at term.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare neonatal mortality and morbidity in term infants presenting
      by the breech and delivered vaginally or by caesarean section. DESIGN: Population
      based comparison of outcomes. Data derived from the St Mary's maternity
      information system. SETTING: North West Thames Regional Health Authority, 1988
      90. SUBJECTS: 3447 singleton fetuses presenting by the breech at term. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURES: Intrapartum and neonatal mortality, low Apgar scores,
      intubation at birth, and admission to special care baby units. RESULTS: After the
      exclusion of babies with congenital anomalies the incidence of intrapartum and
      neonatal death associated with vaginal birth was 8/961 (0.83%) compared with
      1/2486 (0.03%) in babies born by caesarean section (relative risk 20, 95%
      confidence interval 2.5 to 163). The numbers of low Apgar scores and neonatal
      intubation were doubled in babies born vaginally or by emergency caesarean
      section compared with those delivered by elective operation. CONCLUSIONS: The
      good neonatal outcome associated with elective caesarean delivery of the term
      breech fetus may influence the decision of women and their obstetricians about
      mode of delivery.

PMID- 1422332
TI  - Conversation with New York's health commissioner. Interview by Fred B. Charatan.

PMID- 1422333
TI  - Pyruvate kinase deficiency. Association with G6PD deficiency.

PMID- 1422334
TI  - Psychosis with disulfiram prescribed under probation order.

PMID- 1422335
TI  - ABC of colorectal diseases. Colorectal disorders in elderly people.

PMID- 1422336
TI  - Antenatal screening for Down's syndrome.

PMID- 1422337
TI  - Antenatal screening for Down's syndrome.

PMID- 1422338
TI  - Antenatal screening for Down's syndrome.

PMID- 1422339
TI  - Antenatal screening for Down's syndrome.

PMID- 1422340
TI  - Antenatal screening for Down's syndrome.

PMID- 1422341
TI  - Antenatal screening for Down's syndrome.

PMID- 1422342
TI  - Antenatal screening for Down's syndrome.

PMID- 1422343
TI  - Antenatal screening for Down's syndrome.

PMID- 1422344
TI  - Antenatal screening for Down's syndrome.

PMID- 1422346
TI  - Heterosexual AIDs epidemic.

PMID- 1422345
TI  - Assisted conception on NHS.

PMID- 1422347
TI  - Low serum cholesterol and violent death.

PMID- 1422348
TI  - Low serum cholesterol and violent death.

PMID- 1422349
TI  - Site of injection for vaccination.

PMID- 1422350
TI  - Early treatment of meningococcal disease.

PMID- 1422351
TI  - Early treatment of meningococcal disease.

PMID- 1422352
TI  - Removal of central venous catheter and venous air embolism.

PMID- 1422353
TI  - Guidance on guidelines.

PMID- 1422354
TI  - Getting to grips with Archie Cochrane's agenda.

PMID- 1422356
TI  - Towards a separate adolescent medicine.

PMID- 1422355
TI  - Breast feeding and HIV infection.

PMID- 1422357
TI  - Delayed puberty.

PMID- 1422358
TI  - Can secular trends in child growth be estimated from a single cross sectional
      survey?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To formulate and evaluate a new method to measure secular trends in
      child growth based on the cross sectional collection of heights of children and
      young adults. DESIGN: Trends in child growth obtained from comparison of two
      national surveys made with an interval of 15 years were compared with estimates
      obtained from comparison of height deficits of children and young adults in the
      more recent survey. SETTING: Brazil. SUBJECTS: Random sample of children (6 and 7
      years old) and young adults (21 and 22 years old) living in Brazil in 1974 and
      1989 (a total of 23,271 subjects in 1974 and 5479 in 1989). MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: Increments in average heights of 6 and 7 year old children in a 15 year
      period. RESULTS: Mean height of 6 year old children increased 4.0 cm (boys) and
      3.3 cm (girls) from 1974 to 1989. Similar results were obtained by subtracting,
      in the 1989 survey, mean height deficits found at ages 21 and 6 (3.8 cm for males
      and 3.5 cm for females). Positive changes in the mean height of 7 year old
      children could also be predicted by subtracting, in the 1989 survey, height
      deficits found at ages 7 and 22. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of this study support the
      hypothesis that secular trends in child growth can be estimated by comparing
      height deficits observed in children and young adults.

PMID- 1422359
TI  - Effect of maintenance chemotherapy in childhood on numbers of melanocytic naevi.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: (a) To determine whether children given chemotherapy for
      haematological malignancy have significantly more melanocytic naevi than age
      matched children in the local population; (b) to establish whether any observed
      variation in naevus counts from normal is seen at the start of maintenance
      chemotherapy. DESIGN: Follow up of 29 consecutive children starting maintenance
      chemotherapy, with parental interview and count of all melanocytic naevi > or = 2
      mm on the child's skin. Assessment repeated three years later after completion of
      maintenance chemotherapy. Other dermatological problems identified at either
      visit were also recorded. SETTING: Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow.
      RESULTS: At the start of maintenance chemotherapy all children had total body
      counts of melanocytic naevi within the normal range established for age matched
      children in the local population. Three years later total body naevus counts were
      significantly increased, the median increase being 66 naevi per child (95%
      confidence interval 57 to 94). The only other problem noted in these children was
      relatively poor regrowth of scalp hair. CONCLUSION: Children on maintenance
      chemotherapy for haematological malignancies develop an excessive number of
      melanocytic naevi. Excessive numbers of melanocytic naevi are the most important
      risk factor for melanoma in the general population. These children should have
      periodic skin examinations at their follow up visits, and both child and parent
      should be educated about clinical features of early melanoma.

PMID- 1422360
TI  - Female streetworking prostitution and HIV infection in Glasgow.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To identify the extent of HIV infection and injecting drug use among
      female streetworking prostitutes in Glasgow; to estimate the size of the female
      streetworking prostitute population in the city; and to estimate the number of
      HIV positive women working as prostitutes on the streets in Glasgow. DESIGN:
      Observation and interviewing of female prostitutes over seven months in red light
      district; analysis of saliva samples for presence of antibodies to HIV; capture
      recapture approach to estimating the size of the female streetworking prostitute
      population. SETTING: Glasgow. SUBJECTS: 206 female streetworking prostitutes.
      MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of women with antibodies to HIV, self reported use
      of injecting drugs, history of contact with 206 women. RESULTS: Saliva samples
      were requested from 197 women; 159 (81%) provided samples. Four (2.5%, 95%
      confidence interval 0.7%-6.3%) of the samples were positive for HIV, all of which
      had been provided by women who injected drugs. Of the 206 streetworking women
      contacted 147 (71%) were injecting drug users. About 1150 women are estimated to
      work on the streets in Glasgow over a 12 month period. CONCLUSIONS: HIV is not as
      widespread among female prostitutes as many reports in the tabloid press suggest.
      A greater proportion of female streetworking prostitutes in Glasgow are injecting
      drugs than has been reported for other British cities.

PMID- 1422361
TI  - Referral patterns and diagnoses in women attending a urodynamic unit.

PMID- 1422362
TI  - Diarrhoea during treatment with clozapine: association with lymphocyte count.

PMID- 1422364
TI  - US health care. I: The access problem.

PMID- 1422365
TI  - How to implement a no smoking policy.

PMID- 1422363
TI  - Surgical correction of nearsightedness.

PMID- 1422366
TI  - Unexplained death in fit young people.

PMID- 1422367
TI  - Unexplained death in fit young people.

PMID- 1422368
TI  - Unexplained death in fit young people.

PMID- 1422369
TI  - Unexplained death in fit young people.

PMID- 1422371
TI  - Smoking accepted on death certificates.

PMID- 1422370
TI  - Emergency feeding programmes.

PMID- 1422372
TI  - Smoking accepted on death certificates.

PMID- 1422373
TI  - Smoking accepted on death certificates.

PMID- 1422374
TI  - Predicting preterm delivery.

PMID- 1422375
TI  - Bovine insulin.

PMID- 1422376
TI  - Practising intubation on cadavers.

PMID- 1422377
TI  - Practising intubation on cadavers.

PMID- 1422378
TI  - Drug resistant tuberculosis.

PMID- 1422379
TI  - Drug management of ulcerative colitis.

PMID- 1422380
TI  - Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

PMID- 1422381
TI  - Predicting mortality from cervical cancer.

PMID- 1422382
TI  - Predicting mortality from cervical cancer.

PMID- 1422383
TI  - Quality of life of cancer patients.

PMID- 1422384
TI  - Oesophageal achalasia mistaken for anorexia nervosa.

PMID- 1422385
TI  - Delays in thrombolysis.

PMID- 1422387
TI  - AIDS: guidelines for barbers.

PMID- 1422386
TI  - False positive salivary HIV test.

PMID- 1422388
TI  - Reaccrediting general practice.

PMID- 1422389
TI  - The Health of the Nation.

PMID- 1422390
TI  - Helmets for pedal cyclists.

PMID- 1422391
TI  - Transferring myoblasts in Duchenne dystrophy.

PMID- 1422392
TI  - Where are the guidelines for treating hypertension in elderly patients?

PMID- 1422393
TI  - Thrombolytic treatment for elderly patients.

PMID- 1422395
TI  - Learning from "the South".

PMID- 1422394
TI  - Treating psoriasis with calcipotriol.

PMID- 1422396
TI  - Magic leaves Bush's AIDS commission.

PMID- 1422397
TI  - Risk of prostate, ovarian, and endometrial cancer among relatives of women with
      breast cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk of prostate, ovarian, and endometrial cancer
      among relatives of patients with breast cancer. DESIGN: Cohort study of 947
      pedigrees in which the proband had breast cancer, linked with the Icelandic
      cancer registry. SETTING: Iceland. SUBJECTS: The 947 pedigrees included 29,725
      people, of whom 1539 had breast cancer, 467 had prostate cancer, 135 ovarian
      cancer, and 105 endometrial cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Risk of prostate,
      ovarian, and endometrial cancer among blood relatives of women with breast cancer
      compared with risk in spouses. RESULTS: The risk of prostate cancer was
      significantly raised for all relatives (1.5), first degree relatives (1.4), and
      second degree relatives (1.3) of women with breast cancer. Risk of ovarian cancer
      was raised for all relatives (1.9) and first degree relatives (1.9) and risk of
      endometrial cancer was raised for all relatives only (1.9). The risk of prostate
      cancer was raised if the proband with breast cancer had a first degree relative
      with prostate cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Coaggregation exists between breast cancer and
      cancers of the prostate, ovaries, and endometrium. This risk relation is probably
      based on genes which act by increasing the risk for cancer at these sites.
      Environmental factors that are common among relatives may also play a part.
      Continued research is required into pathophysiological mechanisms that could
      explain these observations.

PMID- 1422398
TI  - Cost implications of the British Pacing and Electrophysiology Group's
      recommendations for pacing.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare present pacing practice with the recommendations recently
      published by the British Pacing and Electrophysiology Group and to assess the
      increase in annual budget required to implement these recommendations in a
      regional cardiothoracic unit. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of pacemaker
      implantation for 1991 with calculation of the costs required to implement the
      group's recommendations based on average 1991 costs of the types of pacing
      generators and electrode leads used. SETTING: Regional cardiothoracic unit for
      South West Thames Health Authority. PATIENTS: 433 consecutive patients receiving
      permanent pacemaker generators: 76 (18%) with sinus node disease; 270 (62%) with
      atrioventricular block; 25 (6%) with both sinus node disease and atrioventricular
      block; 59 (14%) with chronic atrial fibrillation and atrioventricular block; and
      3 (1%) with carotid sinus or malignant vasovagal syndromes. RESULTS: Only 102
      (24%) patients received pacemaker generators recommended by the British Pacing
      and Electrophysiology Group; however, 355 (82%) patients were older than 65
      years, and 264 (61%) were aged 75 or over. The cost of hardware for pacing was
      462,885 pounds. Using generators as recommended would have cost 810,525 pounds
      for "optimal" systems (an increase of 75%) and 710,750 pounds for "alternative"
      systems (an increase of 54%). These increases would have been considerably
      reduced by limiting the use of sophisticated pacing to younger patients (aged
      under 75). Further savings could be made by using the least expensive pacing
      models available. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing these recommendations should reduce
      morbidity related to bradyarrhythmia but will lead to major increases in pacing
      costs. Age and patients' expected activity may be used to select simple pacing
      systems and thus to contain cost. More research is needed to determine which
      patient groups will benefit most from complex pacing systems.

PMID- 1422399
TI  - The role of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in acute liver injury.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between use of non-steroidal anti
      inflammatory drugs and serious, acute non-infectious liver injury. DESIGN:
      Retrospective cohort study, cross over design. SETTING: Health records from
      provincial database in Saskatchewan, Canada, 1982-6. SUBJECTS: 228,392 adults who
      contributed 645,456 person years. All were either using or had used non-steroidal
      anti-inflammatory drugs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number and type of prescriptions
      for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Admission to hospital for newly
      diagnosed acute liver injury. RESULTS: There were 34 admissions to hospital; 16
      among subjects currently using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and 18 among
      subjects who were not. The incidence rate among current users was 9 per 100,000
      person years (95% confidence interval 6 to 15 per 100,000 person years). Subjects
      currently using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs had twice the risk of newly
      diagnosed liver injury as those not currently taking these drugs (rate ratio 2.3;
      95% confidence interval 1.1 to 4.9) and an excess risk of 5 per 100,000 person
      years. The age and sex adjusted risk ratio was 1.7 (0.8 to 3.7). The strength of
      the association increased when only cases with no concomitant use of other
      hepatotoxic drugs were considered (4.0; 0.9 to 19.0). The rate ratio for people
      having received one to nine prescriptions was constant. There was no increased
      risk with long duration of treatment (1.0; 0.3 to 3.5). CONCLUSIONS: There is a
      small excess risk of serious, acute non-infectious liver injury associated with
      the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

PMID- 1422400
TI  - Generalised pustular psoriasis: response to topical calcipotriol.

PMID- 1422401
TI  - Angio-edema and urticaria associated with omeprazole.

PMID- 1422402
TI  - Beware of ciprofloxacin in acute otitis media.

PMID- 1422403
TI  - Intracoronary papaverine and complete atrioventricular block.

PMID- 1422404
TI  - Severe hypertension and bronchospasm during disulfiram-ethanol test reaction.

PMID- 1422405
TI  - Lifestyle advice in general practice: rates recalled by patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To document how often patients with varying cardiovascular risk levels
      reported receiving lifestyle advice from general practice. DESIGN: Cross
      sectional descriptive survey by postal questionnaire. SETTING: 5 general
      practices in Bedfordshire. SUBJECTS: 4941 people aged 35-64 years who had
      consulted a general practitioner at least once during the 12 months before
      completing the questionnaire and who subsequently attended for a health check as
      part of the OXCHECK trial. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Report of having received
      advice from a general practitioner or practice nurse about smoking, alcohol
      consumption, exercise, or diet during the 12 months before completing the
      questionnaire. Cardiovascular risk assessed by a nurse during structured health
      check. RESULTS: The overall reported rate of advice was 27% for smoking, 4.5% for
      exercise, 12% for diet, and 3% for alcohol consumption. Those with unhealthy
      behaviour profile or at increased cardiovascular risk received more advice--for
      example, 47% of smokers with a history of cardiovascular disease received advice
      on smoking. Among those at increased risk, men were more likely than women to
      receive advice about exercise (11% v 4%, p = 0.04) and alcohol consumption (10% v
      4%, p = 0.007), while women received more advice about weight (17% v 23%, p <
      0.001). The rate of receiving advice was unaffected by age, marital status, or
      social class. CONCLUSION: The low rate of lifestyle advice reported by patients
      implies that more preventive advice could be provided in primary care.

PMID- 1422406
TI  - US health care. II: The cost problem.

PMID- 1422407
TI  - Do cycle helmets prevent serious head injury? Cycling without helmets.

PMID- 1422408
TI  - The argument for helmets.

PMID- 1422409
TI  - Osteogenesis imperfecta and congenital dislocation of the hip.

PMID- 1422410
TI  - Osteogenesis imperfecta and congenital dislocation of the hip.

PMID- 1422411
TI  - Diagnosing congenital dislocation of the hip.

PMID- 1422412
TI  - Diagnosing congenital dislocation of the hip.

PMID- 1422413
TI  - Managing the persistent vegetative state.

PMID- 1422414
TI  - Specialist training and the EC.

PMID- 1422415
TI  - Specialist training and the EC.

PMID- 1422416
TI  - Specialist training and the EC.

PMID- 1422417
TI  - Specialist training and the EC.

PMID- 1422418
TI  - Asthma and open cast mining.

PMID- 1422419
TI  - Asthma and open cast mining.

PMID- 1422420
TI  - Asthma deaths in New Zealand.

PMID- 1422421
TI  - Asthma deaths in New Zealand.

PMID- 1422422
TI  - Coloured inhalers.

PMID- 1422423
TI  - Vitamin K and childhood cancer.

PMID- 1422424
TI  - Day surgery for cataracts.

PMID- 1422425
TI  - Exercising for health.

PMID- 1422426
TI  - Wernicke's encephalopathy and hyperemesis gravidarum.

PMID- 1422427
TI  - Day surgery for cataracts.

PMID- 1422428
TI  - Screening, ethics, and the law.

PMID- 1422429
TI  - Setting up a practice newsletter.

PMID- 1422430
TI  - Applying for disability living allowance.

PMID- 1422431
TI  - Developing a district diabetes register.

PMID- 1422432
TI  - Tobacco advertising.

PMID- 1422433
TI  - In memoriam of Gavriil A. Ilizarov.

PMID- 1422434
TI  - Intermetatarsal synostosis after treatment with Ilizarov apparatus: a case
      report.
AB  - A transmetatarsal pin was used as part of an Ilizarov apparatus to correct
      equinovarus deformity of a foot in a 7-year-old patient. The pin created
      synostosis between the metatarsal bones. The synostosis led to persistent
      flattening of the transverse arch of the foot, producing a painful gait. To avoid
      this problem, we recommend that the metatarsal wire be placed only through the
      first and fifth metatarsals rather than through the neighboring metatarsals.

PMID- 1422436
TI  - Noninvasive vascular monitoring during limb lengthening.
AB  - Transcutaneous wires and pins in wire-tension Ilizarov external fixators provide
      frame stability, transfix and transport bone segments, produce distraction, and
      stimulate transosseous osteogenesis. Vascular compromise by the transfixing pins
      and wires is nevertheless an ongoing possibility. Based on earlier studies of a
      two-phase method of measuring vascular blood blow, noninvasive vascular
      monitoring was performed on three patients undergoing Ilizarov method limb
      lengthening.

PMID- 1422435
TI  - Humeral lengthening and bone transport using the Ilizarov technique.
AB  - The authors present their results of Ilizarov treatment of eight humeral length
      deficits and bone defects in seven consecutive patients treated at the Hospital
      for Joint Diseases. The mean humeral lengthening achieved was 9.8 cm. The
      lengthening goal was completely achieved in six cases, while two cases achieved
      over 80% of the desired length. No permanent neurovascular or infectious
      complication occurred. The authors suggest that the Ilizarov technique is a
      viable method in treating severe humeral length deficits or bone defects.

PMID- 1422437
TI  - Pin care using the Ilizarov apparatus: recommended treatment plan in Kurgan,
      Russia.
AB  - Differences in the care of the pins used in association with the Ilizarov
      apparatus and technique are found in various countries and institutions. During a
      recent visit to the Ilizarov Institute in Russia, the methods of caring for the
      Ilizarov pins were extensively investigated and documented. The U.S. infection
      rate at pin sites has been reported to be nearly 10%. No specific infection rate
      has been reported from Russia. What constitutes an infection at the Ilizarov
      Center in Kurgan was investigated, as were methods of treatment. Our conclusion
      is that pin care in Russia is conducted under a more vigorous and stringent
      regimen, but less often, than in the United States. Soviet record keeping is
      different, and therefore the infection rates cannot be compared. In Kurgan,
      specific diligence is exercised in addressing the problems at each pin site.
      Treatment is directed toward alleviating these problems.

PMID- 1422438
TI  - Rigidity of half-pins for the Ilizarov external fixator.
AB  - The success of the Ilizarov technique is due to the combination of the
      biomechanics of its external fixator and the biology of distraction osteogenesis.
      The stability and stiffness of the conventional Ilizarov fixator is attributed to
      its use of a K-wire cross structure. The disadvantages of this structure include
      pain, and possible neurologic and vascular injuries when the wires are introduced
      into crucial neurovascular areas, as well as increased frame complexity and
      construction. Reducing the number of wires decreases these problems, but also
      decreases the stiffness of the system. Hybrid (wire and half-pins) Ilizarov
      fixators and half-pin fixators are also being used in an attempt to alleviate
      these problems. Half-pins have been described by Fleming et al. and Green as
      causing minimal transfixation of the surrounding soft tissues and capable of and
      being inserted into anatomically safe areas. The stiffnesses of the hybrid
      systems have not been measured. This study reports on the stiffness of different
      wire and half-pin systems that were biomechanically tested in axial loading,
      anterior-posterior bending, medial-lateral bending, and torsional loading. The
      results demonstrated that the conventional Ilizarov fixator with wires possesses
      a high axial stiffness, whereas the fixator with half-pins possesses higher
      stiffness under bending and torsional loads. To obtain adequate stability, the
      use of hybrid Ilizarov frames with one wire and two or more half-pins (5 or 6 mm
      in diameter), or larger half-pin frames (5 or 6 mm) with three pins is
      recommended.

PMID- 1422439
TI  - The theoretical application of inclined hinges with the Ilizarov external fixator
      for simultaneous angulation and rotation correction.
AB  - The mathematical concepts of single-cut osteotomies for simultaneous correction
      of angulation and rotation have been adapted and simplified for gradual
      distraction-osteogenic correction with the Ilizarov external fixator. Validation
      studies were performed analytically, using a solid modeling analysis, and
      experimentally with an Ilizarov external fixator mounted on a wood dowel. The
      resultant equations have been simplified and are easy to use. Starting from the
      hinge which would correct the angulation, the axis must be reoriented in the
      horizontal plane by half the rotation deformity (R/2) and given an inclination
      slope equal to the rotation divided by the angulation (R/A).

PMID- 1422440
TI  - Control of interfragmentary micromotion in Ilizarov distractional osteogenesis.
AB  - Growth of the regenerate is affected by various factors during the course of
      Ilizarov distractional osteogenesis. One of the chief biomechanical factors that
      influences the quality and rate of bone formation is fixator stiffness. A four
      ring Ilizarov apparatus was configured around a synthetic tibia. In a series of
      trials involving a uniform axial load, different transfixing wire tensions, and
      the separation of paired proximal and distal rings, fragment displacement was
      measured. Preliminary results suggest that the effect produced by the distraction
      of ring pairs on interfragmentary micromotion is as significant as pretensioning
      of the wires.

PMID- 1422441
TI  - 3rd annual meeting of the Association for the Study and Application of the
      Methods of Ilizarov. Charleston, South Carolina, October 4, 1991. Abstracts.

PMID- 1422442
TI  - Pelvic support femoral reconstruction using the method of Ilizarov: a case
      report.
AB  - A 15-year-old boy presented with a fixed, irreducible congenital dislocation of
      the hip associated with other multiple lower extremity growth disturbances
      secondary to neonatal multifocal osteomyelitis. The affected hip had very limited
      abduction, and the patient had a very severe Trendelenburg gait secondary to the
      dislocation. The hip was reconstructed according to the Ilizarov method, by a
      combination of maximum proximal femoral adduction osteotomy in the
      subtrochanteric region and distal femoral corticotomy, to permit the gradual
      realignment of the knee into the new weight-bearing axis produced by the proximal
      osteotomy. Total fixation time for the femoral reconstruction was two months.
      Five months after removal of the apparatus, the patient was returned to full
      function with a remarkably improved gait.

PMID- 1422443
TI  - [The effect of digoxin on the cerebral blood flow in rabbits].
AB  - Hydrogen clearance was used in chronic experiments on 10 unrestrained rabbits to
      study the influence of digoxin (0.1 mg/kg, i. v.) on the time course of changes
      in the local brain circulation in the sensorimotor, temporal and optic cortex. It
      has been revealed that digoxin is capable of exerting varying influence on
      circulation in the above-mentioned regions. Potential mechanisms of the data
      obtained are under discussion.

PMID- 1422444
TI  - [The effect of the antioxidant ionol as a liposome component on the function of
      the isolated and ischemic heart].
AB  - The anti-ischemic and toxic effects of different doses of the antioxidant ionol
      (butyl hydroxytoluene, BHT) introduced into the Krebs-Henseleit medium composed
      of monolayer liposomes of egg phospholipids before or 30 minutes after total
      ischemia of the heart were studied on a model of perfusion of isolated Wistar rat
      heart by the method of Langendorff-Fallen. It has been demonstrated that ionol,
      after its addition to the perfusate in the preischemic period, exerts an anti
      ischemic effect in concentrations of 10(-6), 3 x 10(-6) and 10(-5) M; in the
      postischemic period, in concentrations of 3 x 10(-6) and 10(-5); the protective
      effect of ionol in the postischemic period is less pronounced. In higher doses (3
      x 10(-5) and 10(-4) M) ionol produces a toxic action which is more remarkable and
      is less reversible in respect to the ischemized than to the nonischemized heart,
      and is realized rather through the dysfunction of heart muscle relaxation. The
      conclusion is drawn that there is a possibility of using ionol in doses of 10(-6)
      to 10(-5) M as a constituent of liposomes for addition to perfusion, conservant
      and cardioplegic solutions as an anti-ischemic remedy.

PMID- 1422445
TI  - [Calcium and calcium-channel blockers in the healing of an experimental
      myocardial infarct].
AB  - It has been shown in experiments on 36 dogs with experimental myocardial
      infarction (MI) that the effect of calcium and blockers of calcium channels
      largely depends on the initial condition of reactivity and is realized via
      changes in lipid peroxidation (LPO). In MI, calcium enhances necrotic processes
      whereby aggravating disorders in its healing in case of high reactivity and
      returns them to normal, thus contributing to optimization of its healing in
      animals with low reactivity. Calcium channels blockers attenuate necrotic
      processes associated with MI and lead to its better healing in the presence of
      high reactivity and aggravate disorders in its healing in animals with low
      reactivity. Consideration of the body reactivity, the differentiated use of
      calcium drugs and calcium channels blockers should be regarded as an effective
      approach to optimization of the healing of complicated forms of MI.

PMID- 1422446
TI  - [The effect of the surface-active substance proxanol on the ischemic myocardium].
AB  - The anti-ischemic effect of a 4% proxanol solution (intravenous injection in a
      dose of 10 ml/kg 60 min after occlusion) was compared with that of a salt
      solution in experimental acute ischemia of dog myocardium, induced by partial
      occlusion of the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery. Overall
      estimation of the effect of SAS infusion has demonstrated that this drug has a
      beneficial effect on hemorheology (decreases blood viscosity and vascular
      resistance, increases coronary blood flow), stabilizes oxygen supply of the
      myocardium and lowers the extent of its ischemia-induced damage (eliminates ST
      segment depression). However, the cardiodepressive action of proxanol does not
      allow for compensation of the ischemia-induced decrease in myocardial
      contractility and pump function of the heart.

PMID- 1422447
TI  - [The correlation of the catecholamine and electrolyte balance in vascular tissue
      in acute toxic hepatitis and its pharmacotherapy].

PMID- 1422448
TI  - [The interaction of the Ca2(+)-channel blocker verapamil with cardiac glycosides
      in the rat kidney].
AB  - Strophanthine (0.1 mg/kg, i. v.) and digoxin (0.1 mg/kg, i. v.) increase blood
      supply of the cortex and medullary layer of the kidneys of anesthetized rats and
      significantly raise excretion of water and sodium by the kidneys. Verapamil, a
      blocker of Ca(2+)-channels (0.25 mg/kg, i. v.) attenuates the increment of the
      blood flow in the internal zone of the cortex and external zone of the medullary
      layer but does not prevent the rise of diuresis and excretion of sodium with
      urine under the action of the above-indicated drugs. The conclusion is drawn that
      realization of the vasodilatory effect of cardiac glycosides in the kidneys is
      partially connected with a lowering of the content of Ca2+ in myofibrils whereas
      formation of their tubular effect does not depend on the changes in Ca2+
      concentration in nephron cells.

PMID- 1422449
TI  - [The effect of a new drug form for the intravenous administration of vitamin K1
      on the blood coagulation system].
AB  - In rabbits with experimental hypocoagulation induced by phenylin, the use of a
      new dosage form of vitamin K1 for intravenous injections in does of 1 and 5 mg/kg
      led, in contrast to vicasol in a dose of 0.4 mg/kg, to an increase of the
      prothrombin index after 2 hours and to its complete normalization after 4 hours.
      Intravenous injection of vitamin K1 into intact animals did not entail any
      changes in the activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin and prothrombin
      time, in the content of fibrinogen and products of its biotransformation,
      antithrombin III activity, and fibrinolytic activity or in the count of platelets
      and their aggregation capacity.

PMID- 1422450
TI  - [The effect of dibunol on lipid peroxidation and the alpha-tocopherol level in
      the lungs of rats with acute blood loss].
AB  - Experiments on linear male rats were made to study the pathophysiological
      mechanism of the synthetic antioxidant dibunol on the levels of primary and end
      products of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and of alpha-tocopherol (TP) in the lungs in
      acute hemorrhage. Dibunol in a dose of 120 mg/kg injected 5 min after the
      hemorrhage inhibited LPO to the level in intact animals and raised the content of
      TP to the level seen in operated animals without any hemorrhage. The conclusion
      is drawn about a possibility of using dibunol for correction of disturbed
      pulmonary metabolism in urgent conditions associated with blood loss.

PMID- 1422451
TI  - [The effect of solubilized alpha-tocopherol acetate on resistance to experimental
      physical loading].
AB  - A single intravenous injection of solubilized alpha-tocopherol acetate to Wistar
      male rats in doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg noticeably increased the animals'
      working capacity. The stimulation effect appeared 18 hours after the injection
      and was observable for two weeks. Utilization of glucose reserves in bioenergy
      supply of muscle activity has been shown. The maintenance of the action for such
      a long time may be accounted for by high metabolic stability of solubilized alpha
      tocopherol acetate.

PMID- 1422452
TI  - [The antioxidant activity of bis-quaternary ammonium compounds of the methylene
      series].
AB  - Experiments on albino rats were made to reveal antioxidant activity of
      bisquaternary ammonium compounds of the methylene series (ethonium, thionium and
      dodeconium). It is determined by the enhancement of superoxide anion radicals
      neutralization and splitting of lipoperoxides.

PMID- 1422453
TI  - [The mechanism of action of dimephosphon].
AB  - It has been established in experiments on rats that the 7-day administration of
      dimephosphon per os increases blood levels of total mercapto groups and
      glutathione, changing the correlation of its forms in favour of the oxidized
      ones. This course of dimephosphon administration reduces blood concentration of
      lipid peroxidation products. The significance of these mechanisms in realization
      of the pharmacological effects of dimephosphon is under discussion.

PMID- 1422454
TI  - [The comparative action of isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol on liver
      function].
AB  - It has been established in experiments on white rats that antituberculous drugs
      (isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol) given in toxic doses affect the liver, its
      membranes and organelles, inhibit bile production and bioenergy. This is
      supported by activation of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases, (ALT and
      AST), alkaline phosphatase in blood serum and acid phosphatase in the liver, by a
      decrease of the activity of Na(+)-, K(+)-ATPase, succinate dehydrogenase and
      cytochromoxidase in the liver, lowering of the rate of bile secretion, excretion
      of bile acids, bilirubin and cholesterol with bile. Provided the drugs are
      administered in combination, the hepatotoxicity rises, particularly in
      combination of isoniazid with rifampicin, and especially as isoniazid is combined
      with rifampicin and ethambutol.

PMID- 1422455
TI  - [The effect of ketoconazole on the cholesterol content of the blood serum
      lipoproteins and bile in experimental hypercholesterolemia].
AB  - Inclusion of ketonazole (in a daily dose of 400 mg/kg for 8 days) into the diet
      of intact and cholesterol-fed (5% dietary cholesterol) rats produced a respective
      20- and 30-percent lowering of cholesterol content in blood serum. In all the
      animals, the hypocholesterolemic effect of ketoconazole was realized via a
      decrease of the concentration of very low and low density lipoproteins.
      Ketoconazole also gave rise to a reduction of the concentration of cholesterol
      and bile acids in bile of the intact rats and of cholesterol in bile of the
      cholesterol-fed animals.

PMID- 1422456
TI  - [The cytogenetic effects of antitumor preparations with different mechanisms of
      action].
AB  - The cytogenetic effects of antitumor drugs with different action mechanism on the
      genetic structure of bone marrow hemopoietic cells were studied in experiments on
      CBA mice. It has been shown that single injections of doxorubicin (6 mg/kg),
      vinblastin (2.2 mg/kg), cyclophosphamide (250 mg/kg) and continuous
      administration of doxorubicin (0.95 mg/kg), vinblastin (0.24 mg/kg),
      cyclophosphamide (27 mg/kg) in 1/10 LD50 x 10 induce the formation of bone marrow
      cells with cytogenetic damage and peripheral red blood cells with micronuclei.
      The cytogenetic damage of hemopoietic tissue may be detectable 1-3 months after
      cytostatic influence.

PMID- 1422457
TI  - [The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of pentoxifylline (trental) in the
      third pregnancy trimester].
AB  - As a result of studies into the pharmacokinetics of pentoxyfillin, no significant
      differences were established in the magnitudes of its non-model parameters in
      normal pregnancy and chronic placental insufficiency. However, there were
      differences in the metabolite formation rate in the groups under study.
      Distinctions were detected in the antiaggregation effect of pentoxyfillin. They
      consisted in a slower recovery of platelet aggregation parameters to the initial
      values in the first group examined. There was no good agreement between the
      concentrations of pentoxyfillin, its major pharmacologically active metabolite in
      blood plasma of pregnant women and the antiaggregation effect, which reaffirms
      the indirect action of this drug on platelets.

PMID- 1422458
TI  - [The role of endogenous K+ in realizing the protective action of M-cholinolytics
      in chlorophos poisoning].
AB  - The protective effect of M-cholinolytics during the poisoning of mice with
      chlorophos or exogenous acetylcholine is characterized by certain specific
      features. An attempt to reproduce the cholinolytic effect during poisoning by
      organophosphorus compounds was successful in case where the intoxication by a
      direct cholinomimetic was carried out in the presence of KCl solution or where
      the animals' poisoning was preceded by administration of voltage-dependent K+
      channel blockers. The conclusion is made that the increased concentration of
      extracellular K+ occurring as the result of poisoning with organophosphorus
      compounds may play a role in the mechanism of the protective action of M
      cholinolytics in chlorophos poisoning.

PMID- 1422459
TI  - [The correction of disorders in the pharmacodynamics of drugs metabolized in the
      liver in the postnatal ontogeny of rats with acute hepatitis].
AB  - It has been established in experiments on 30 day albino rats that in acute
      hepatitis, the pharmacodynamics of the test drugs hexenal, amidopyrine and
      ethylmorphine metabolized in the liver is considerably potentiated. In contrast
      to silibor, phytin and zixorine, experimental therapy with benzonal brings about
      a complete recovery of the pharmacodynamics of the drugs under study. It is
      believed that benzonal holds promise in pediatrics as a remedy that restores the
      detoxifying potency of the liver.

PMID- 1422460
TI  - [The effect of antioxidants on the fast burst of Fe2(+)-induced
      chemiluminescence].
AB  - A new micromethod for measuring the intensity of free radical oxidation
      reactions, based on an analysis of "fast flash" of iron-induced chemiluminescence
      parameters has been designed. The optimal concentration parameters of the
      reaction system have been determined. The effects of the antioxidants mexidol,
      probucol sodium dibunat and fenoxan have been examined in vitro.

PMID- 1422461
TI  - [An electromyographic method for determining the antihypoxic activity of
      preparations].
AB  - To measure drug antihypoxic activity, an electromyographic method was worked out.
      The main idea of the method is to estimate the influence of these substances on
      the amplitude of slow electric waves of smooth muscles on an isolated strip of
      rat small intestine in situ. This parameter whose value directly depends on
      tissue pO2 was recorded under the conditions of artificial ischemia of the
      intestinal strip. Circulatory hypoxia was simulated by the clamping of mesentery
      vessels, and the time was determined, during which the amplitude of slow electric
      waves reduced to 1/3 of the initial value in control animals and rats treated
      beforehand with the drugs under study. Antihypoxic activity of the drugs was
      calculated as difference in these time intervals between experiment and control,
      given in per cent.

PMID- 1422462
TI  - [The pharmacological effect of nonsteroid anti-inflammatory agents and their
      interaction with blood plasma proteins].

PMID- 1422463
TI  - [The chronopharmacotherapy of diseases].

PMID- 1422464
TI  - [An assessment of the individual sensitivity of Wistar rats to the development of
      morphine dependence].
AB  - A search was made for behavioral and physiological indicators which could serve
      predictors of the individual sensitivity of Wistar rats to the development of
      physical morphine dependence. Animals with high sensitivity to the development of
      dependence initially demonstrated intensive ambulation and low motor rearing in
      the "open field" and had low nociception. Stable animals exhibited high
      ambulation and motor rearing with insignificant grooming activity as compared to
      other rats. It has been revealed that rats sensitive to the development of
      dependence demonstrate higher anxiety in the Vogel test as compared to the stable
      ones. The findings obtained allowed one to derive a number of equations to
      predict Wistar rats' individual sensitivity to the development of physical
      morphine dependence.

PMID- 1422465
TI  - Multiple cytogenetic aberrations in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and
      neck.
AB  - Chromosomal abnormalities in short term cultures have been investigated in 10
      squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. Of these tumours, three
      demonstrated clonal chromosomal abnormalities, two showed random abnormalities
      and 5 patients' tumours had normal karyotypes. The 5 patients with aberrant
      karyotypes were all from previously treated tumours, of these, 4 patients had
      received radiotherapy and 1 surgery. On analysis of the three clonal tumours, two
      were found to be polyclonal, each with five separate clones. 116 breakpoints were
      demonstrated from the clonal data of these tumours, and all of the chromosomes
      were involved, apart from number 18. In this study we found three or more
      breakpoints at sites 1p36, 9q32 and 11q23. 1 of the patients investigated showed
      a clonal abnormality involving a breakpoint at the 11q13 site, with a further 2
      patients having breakpoints at 1p22--sites previously reported to have marked
      clustering of cytogenetic abnormalities in oral cancer patients. Only further
      studies will demonstrate whether the breakpoints found are of clinical
      significance.

PMID- 1422466
TI  - Referral patterns of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma, Australia.
AB  - Early diagnosis is an important factor affecting the prognosis of patients with
      oral cancer. Delays in diagnosis have been variously reported as being linked to
      the patient, the clinician or both. The purpose of this study was to investigate
      the referral patterns of patients with oral cancer by medical and dental
      practitioners, in order to assess the delays in diagnosis and to establish the
      reasons for these delays. 51 consecutive patients diagnosed with oral mucous
      membrane squamous cell carcinoma were retrospectively reviewed. In this study it
      was found that over one-third of the patients (38%) delayed seeking professional
      advice for more than 3 months after first being aware of the lesion. Initial
      delays in diagnosis of oral cancer was identified in one-third of the cases (17
      patients), with antimicrobial medications prescribed and denture adjustments
      constituting the most frequently administered inappropriate therapy. General
      medical practitioners were more likely to encounter and refer patients with more
      advanced (T4) primary oral cancers than their dental colleagues. The findings of
      this study raise the concern that lack of patient awareness and inappropriate
      clinical management prevails in a community that should be better informed.

PMID- 1422467
TI  - Nass use, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and risk of oral and oesophageal
      precancer.
AB  - In a cross sectional study, conducted in Uzbekistan, an area with a high
      incidence of oral and oesophageal cancer, 1569 men were interviewed regarding use
      of nass quid, cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking. All subjects in the study
      had an oral examination, and oesophagoscopy was performed in 1344 men. Nass use
      and cigarette smoking emerged as independent risk factors for oral leukoplakia.
      The prevalence odds ratio (OR) for life-time nass intake equivalent rose from 1.0
      in never-users to 5.17 [95% confidence interval (CI), 3.10-8.61] in the highest
      category; for total pack-years of cigarettes smoked the risk rose from 1.0 in
      never-smokers to 10.03 (95% CI, 4.9-20.6) in the highest category. There was a
      significant trend in risk (P < 0.001), for both factors. In the group with oral
      leukoplakia, the effect of nass use and cigarette smoking appeared to be
      additive. Cigarette smoking was also found to be an independent risk factor for
      oesophageal lesions and was significantly associated with chronic oesophagitis.
      The risk of chronic oesophagitis in the group with the highest pack-years of
      cigarettes smoked was approximately double that among non-smokers [Odds ratio
      (OR) = 2.47; 95% CI 1.34-4.56]. There was a weak association between nass use and
      oesophageal pathology: the highest life-time intake equivalent was associated
      with an OR of 1.56 (95% CI 1.09-2.23). Alcohol intake was not found to be
      independently associated with the presence of oral and oesophageal precancerous
      lesions.

PMID- 1422468
TI  - Delay in diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma; a report from The
      Netherlands.
AB  - The referral pattern, patients' and doctors' delay of a limited number of 50
      patients suffering from oral squamous cell carcinoma have been investigated. The
      majority of the patients consulted the family doctor as the first source of help.
      The mean patients' and doctors' delay was 103 and 22 days, respectively the
      median being 35 and 11 days, respectively. The gender, dental status, site and
      tumour size did not show a significant correlation with the delay. Measures
      directed to the early detection of oral cancer should place special emphasis on
      the patients' delay.

PMID- 1422469
TI  - Hodgkin's disease involving the gingiva in AIDS.
AB  - Non-Hodgkin lymphomas are a recognised complication of AIDS and may involve the
      oral cavity. However, no case of Hodgkin's disease affecting the oral cavity in
      AIDS appears to have been recorded. We report a male homosexual with AIDS and
      Hodgkin's lymphoma, who presented with gingival involvement.

PMID- 1422470
TI  - Relationship of chemotherapy-induced mucositis and myelosuppression in hamsters.

PMID- 1422471
TI  - Screening for oral cancer and precancer.

PMID- 1422472
TI  - Viruses and oral squamous carcinoma.

PMID- 1422473
TI  - Recent papers related to oral oncology.

PMID- 1422474
TI  - Smoking, alcohol, dentition and diet in the epidemiology of oral cancer.
AB  - This matched case-control study was conducted in Western New York. The smoking,
      alcohol consumption, dental hygiene and diet of 290 cases were compared with
      those of 290 sex-, age-, and neighbourhood-matched controls. The results confirm
      earlier findings that cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption impart
      substantial risk of oral cancer. The results also confirm that poor oral hygiene
      increases the risk of oral cancer, although this effect is much smaller than
      those of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. The results suggest that, of
      macronutrients, intake of fat is more likely than those of protein or
      carbohydrate to be related to risk. Of micronutrients, calcium, sodium,
      riboflavin and retinol are associated with risk, while thiamin, niacin, and
      dietary fibre are associated with decreased risk. Although patterns of dietary
      effects are discernable, these effects are in general much weaker than are those
      of smoking and alcohol consumption.

PMID- 1422475
TI  - Hepatic veno-occlusive disease--liver toxicity syndrome after bone marrow
      transplantation.
AB  - Hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) is the most common life threatening
      complication of preparative-regimen-related toxicity for bone marrow
      transplantation (BMT). The frequency of VOD varies greatly, from 1-2% in centers
      performing pediatric BMT for thalassemia to over 50% in some centers doing BMT
      for hematologic malignancy. The term liver toxicity syndrome is a
      clinicopathologic definition which encompasses the range of histopathology within
      the hepatic venules and surrounding sinusoids and hepatocytes. These histologic
      abnormalities are statistically associated with a clinical syndrome of jaundice,
      ascites, and painful hepatomegaly developing early post-transplant. Newer
      modalities which may aid accuracy are transvenous liver biopsy along with
      determination of the gradient between the wedged and free hepatic venous
      pressures, and measurement of blood coagulatory components, particularly protein
      C levels. Analyses of clinical risk factors for VOD are confounded by lack of a
      clear hierarchy of risk when comparing heterogeneous patient populations, the
      methods of patient selection and choice of controls, and whether analysis is
      univariate or multivariate. Prospective multivariate analyses indicate that the
      risk of developing liver toxicity is independently correlated with intensity of
      conditioning therapy, pre-transplant viral hepatitis, use of antimicrobial
      therapy with acyclovir, amphotericin, or vancomycin (reflecting fever), and
      mismatched or unrelated allogeneic marrow grafts. These analyses plus morphologic
      and biochemical data support the hypothesis that VOD is caused by cytoreductive
      injury to hepatocytes and endothelium in zone three of the liver acinus, and in
      turn strongly influenced by factors which induce the release of tumor necrosis
      factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) leading to enhancement or activation of coagulation with
      obstruction of hepatic sinusoids and venules. Pharmacokinetic measurements of
      busulfan as a conditioning agent demonstrate a correlation between high steady
      state busulfan levels and liver toxicity and suggest that safer and/or more
      efficacious plasma busulfan concentrations can be obtained by making individual
      dose adjustments and by changing the schedule of administration. Conservative
      therapy of severe VOD, including the use of peritoneal-pleural shunts for relief
      of ascites, is unsatisfactory. Results from prophylactic studies aimed at
      preventing VOD by heparin or prostaglandin E1 indicate considerable differences
      with toxicity and efficacy. Use of the TNF-alpha blocker, pentoxifylline, has
      also shown promise in lessening VOD. A statistical model which predicts patients
      likely to have an unfavorable outcome from VOD has been used to select premorbid
      patients for promising new therapeutic modalities, such as recombinant tissue
      plasminogen activator.

PMID- 1422476
TI  - Antimitochondrial antibodies in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease.
AB  - Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC)
      have many clinical and laboratory features in common. These include scleroderma
      or lupus erythematosus-like skin lesions, a Sjogren-like sicca syndrome,
      cholestatic liver disease and a variety of serological autoimmune phenomena.
      Furthermore, liver histology in both diseases is characterized by lymphocytic
      infiltration of the portal fields and destruction of small bile ducts. We
      investigated whether there were also parallels between both diseases in incidence
      and characteristics of antimitochondrial (AMA) and other autoantibodies. Sera
      from patients with cGVHD (n = 11, group 1) were examined by immunofluorescence
      (IFL) and immunoblot (IBL), and the results were compared with sera from patients
      without cGVHD (n = 21, group 2) and after autologous BMT (n = 16, group 3). In
      group 1 AMA was detected by IFL in one and by IBL in nine of 11 (81%) patients.
      Group 2 and 3 patients were AMA-negative by IFL and AMA positive by IBL in
      statistically lower incidence of 19% and 6% (p less than 0.001), respectively.
      cGVHD-associated AMA recognized a spectrum of mitochondrial proteins, the most
      frequent being molecules of 63/60 kD and 22 kD. Follow-up studies showed a
      temporal correlation between the emergence of AMA and the clinical occurrence of
      cGVHD. We conclude that patients with cGVHD have a high incidence of AMA similar
      to patients with PBC, but the reaction pattern of AMA differs between the
      diseases. The presence of AMA in cGVHD further emphasizes the concept that both
      diseases may have a related pathogenetic background.

PMID- 1422477
TI  - Fractionated TBI and methotrexate-cyclosporin do not seem to increase relapses in
      BMT for first chronic phase CML patients: results of a single centre study.
AB  - Fractionated total body irradiation (FTBI) and methotrexate-cyclosporin A(MTX
      CSA) have been found useful in reducing interstitial pneumonia (IP) and acute
      graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) in bone marrow transplantation patients, but an
      increase in relapse rate has been observed by some authors when these strategies
      are used. To evaluate this relapse risk, we performed a retrospective analysis in
      24 consecutive first chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia patients who received
      an HLA-identical non-T cell-depleted graft in a single institution. All were
      conditioned with cyclophosphamide plus FTBI (12 Gy in six fractions delivered
      twice daily for 3 days) (CY-FTBI) and received MTX-CSA as GVHD prophylaxis.
      Serial hematologic and cytogenetic bone marrow analysis were performed at least
      three times (days +30, +100, +360) and at variable intervals thereafter in long
      term survivors. Actuarial probabilities of developing IP and acute GVHD greater
      than or equal to II were respectively 5.9% and 44.2%, with a GVHD-associated
      mortality of 33%. Four-year actuarial relapse and disease-free survival rates
      were 7.7% and 48.2% respectively. No exclusively cytogenetic relapses were
      observed. Our results suggest that CY-FTBI and MTX-CSA are not associated with an
      increase in relapse rate in 1CP-CML patients.

PMID- 1422478
TI  - TCR gamma/delta positive lymphocytes after allogeneic bone marrow
      transplantation.
AB  - Peripheral gamma/delta+ T cells were studied in patients following allogeneic
      bone marrow transplantation (BMT) by indirect immunofluorescence utilizing two
      monoclonal antibodies (G1 and A13) able to recognize the two major subpopulations
      (V delta 2+ and V delta 1+, respectively) of these cells. We found that the
      relative percentage of 'total' (gamma/delta+ T lymphocytes) (V delta 2 + V delta
      1 positive cells), and particularly of G1+ (V delta 2+) cells, in CD3+
      lymphocytes was higher in transplanted patients, and especially in those
      presenting with acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), than in normal controls.
      This finding was confirmed by the analysis of the V delta 2+/V delta 1+ cell
      ratio which was again significantly higher in patients with aGVHD as compared to
      controls. Similarly, the absolute number of 'total' gamma/delta+ and V delta 2+
      cells was also significantly increased in patients with aGVHD. TCR gamma/delta+ T
      cells increased as a function of time after BMT reaching a plateau value at about
      day 60 post-BMT. When patients were stratified for the presence or absence of
      aGVHD this correlation was maintained only for patients with aGVHD. Finally, most
      V delta 2+ cells expressed surface T cell activation markers such as CD25 (IL-2
      receptor) and DR (MHC class II) antigens. Our results suggest a possible
      involvement of gamma/delta+ T cells and particularly of V delta 2+ cells in the
      clinical and immunological events (aGVHD) occurring after allogeneic BMT.

PMID- 1422479
TI  - Host origin of bone marrow fibroblasts following allogeneic bone marrow
      transplantation for chronic myeloid leukemia.
AB  - We investigated the origin of the fibroblastic compartment of stromal
      hematopoietic microenvironment in eight chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients
      following allogeneic BMT. At the time of the study, all eight CML patients showed
      complete and long-lasting (14-87 months) engraftment of donor hematopoiesis and
      absence of clonal Ph-positive hematopoiesis. The study was carried out using in
      vitro amplification of informative DNA sequences: a Y chromosome specific DNA
      fragment in three patients who received a sex-mismatched allograft, and locus
      D1S80, a variable number of tandem repeats polymorphism, in five patients who
      received a sex-matched allograft. In all cases bone marrow fibroblasts were of
      recipient origin. These data indicate that with current BMT procedures the
      stromal compartment of hematopoiesis is not transplantable in humans.

PMID- 1422480
TI  - Predictive value of flow cytometric analyses of blast cells in assessing the
      phenotype of the leukemia colony-forming cell (L-CFC) population in acute myeloid
      leukemia.
AB  - Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) blast cells (BC) express antigens that are commonly
      found on their normal counterparts. The leukemia colony-forming cell (L-CFC)
      subpopulation, identified by its ability to form leukemia colonies in vitro, is
      thought to be the stem cell population that produces BC. To ascertain the
      association between myeloid antigens on the BC and the L-CFC from the same
      patient, we compared the expression of CD14, CD15, CD33, p124 and HLA class I
      from 17 cases of AML. These particular myeloid antigens were studied because they
      are suitable targets in purging bone marrow for autotransplantation. We found no
      significant difference in the expression of CD14, CD15, CD33, and HLA class I on
      the BC and L-CFC from the same patient, although we observed considerable
      heterogeneity among different AML cases. Analysis of the progenitor cell antigen
      p124 revealed significant within-patient differences on the BC and L-CFC (p =
      0.007), with a greater tendency for expression on the L-CFC. This heterogeneity
      may be due to differences in maturation stage of the L-CFC and BC. This
      information is important when L-CFC phenotype is used to determine the
      appropriate selection of antibodies for purging of residual disease in the
      context of auto-transplantation.

PMID- 1422481
TI  - Pneumocystis carinii pneumonitis following bone marrow transplantation.
AB  - Pneumocystis carinii pneumonitis (PCP) can occur in immunocompromised hosts,
      especially AIDS and cancer patients. Although recent research has focused on PCP
      in AIDS patients, few studies have described the clinical presentation of PCP in
      recipients of bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Between 1976 and 1991, of 1454
      BMT patients at the University of Minnesota, PCP was documented in only 19.
      Eighteen of these had not been receiving PCP prophylaxis. Patients presented with
      a brief period (2-10 days) of symptoms including dyspnea, cough, and fever in
      greater than 75% of patients, but had only scant abnormal physical findings.
      Chest X-rays showed bilateral infiltrates in 58% of all patients, though 15% had
      no or minimal X-ray findings. Bronchoscopic alveolar lavage confirmed the
      diagnosis most often, but 13% of lavages were negative and required biopsy for
      the diagnosis. High dose trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was the initial treatment
      for 84% of the patients though 25% of these patients were later switched to
      pentamidine due to poor response or hypersensitivity reactions. Despite prompt
      diagnosis and therapy, overall survival was poor, with only 37% of patients
      surviving pneumonitis. Patients developing PCP less than 6 months post-BMT had
      greater mortality (89%) versus only 40% in later onset PCP (p less than 0.0001).
      Despite this better survival in the late-onset PCP cohort, the development of
      pneumonitis in these patients underscores the necessity for continued PCP
      prophylaxis beyond 1 year in some patients. Ongoing immunocompromise and need for
      prophylaxis should be appreciated in patients with graft-versus-host
      disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422482
TI  - Bone marrow transplants using volunteer donors--recommendations and requirements
      for a standardized practice throughout the world. The Executive Committee of the
      World Marrow Donor Association.
AB  - The World Marrow Donor Association, originally designated the Collaborative
      Marrow Donor Program, was established in 1988 to address problems and to
      establish guidelines in relation to 'international' bone marrow transplants-
      transplants in which the donor is in one country and the patient in another
      country. This paper sets out recommendations and requirements governing clinical
      indications, ethical considerations, selection and counselling of donors,
      collection and transportation of marrow and financial and insurance related
      issues.

PMID- 1422483
TI  - Molecular remission occurring after donor leukocyte infusions for the treatment
      of relapsed chronic myelogenous leukemia after allogeneic bone marrow
      transplantation.
AB  - Donor leukocyte infusions were administered to a patient who had relapsed with
      chronic myelogenous leukemia after having failed two successive HLA-matched
      allogeneic bone marrow transplants. Serial cytogenetic, restriction fragment
      length polymorphism, and polymerase chain reaction studies of the patient's
      marrow and blood after receiving donor leukocyte infusions revealed disappearance
      of the leukemic clone and the establishment of complete donor chimerism. An
      antileukemic response in this patient occurred initially in the absence of
      clinically evident graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), but complete eradication of
      the leukemic clone did not occur until after the onset of GVHD. The patient is
      now 48 weeks post infusion and remains in complete remission. This case
      demonstrates that leukocyte infusions are an effective form of adoptive
      immunotherapy which can result in a sustained molecular remission.

PMID- 1422484
TI  - Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia as a complication of allogeneic
      bone marrow transplantation.
AB  - We report a patient who underwent two allogeneic bone marrow transplants for
      chronic myelogenous leukemia, initially in 1984 and again after relapse in 1990,
      who developed an identical pulmonary syndrome at a similar interval following
      each transplant. The patient presented with a non-productive cough, bilateral
      inspiratory crackles, and multiple patchy infiltrates on chest X-ray. Pulmonary
      function testing revealed a restrictive abnormality but no obstructive defects.
      The appearance of this pulmonary disorder after each transplant coincided with
      the development of chronic graft-versus-host disease. In both instances, this
      pulmonary syndrome completely reversed with corticosteroid therapy. The patient's
      chest computed tomographic scan and lung biopsy specimens were consistent with
      the diagnosis of bronchiolitis obliterans with organizing pneumonia (BOOP). While
      bronchiolitis obliterans has been reported following allogeneic transplant, BOOP
      has not previously been reported in this setting.

PMID- 1422486
TI  - On difficulties of interpreting cyclosporine blood levels.

PMID- 1422485
TI  - Complete recovery of sperm production following bone marrow transplantation for
      leukemia.

PMID- 1422487
TI  - Comparative cost of allogeneic or autologous bone marrow transplantation and
      chemotherapy in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia in first remission.
AB  - We compared the direct costs of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (Allo
      BMT), autologous bone marrow transplantation (Auto-BMT) and chemotherapy (Chemo)
      in 40 adult patients under the age of 55 years with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)
      in first complete remission (CR). Fourteen patients were treated with Allo-BMT,
      11 with Auto-BMT and 15 with Chemo. These patients, who were part of two
      cooperative consecutive trials enrolling a total of 196 patients (BGM 84 and BGMT
      87 studies), were those who were treated in the CHR Bordeaux and achieved CR
      after induction chemotherapy. Cost accounting extended over a maximum period of 5
      years. The average cost of the procedure for a mean follow-up of 2 years and
      excluding the cost of treatment after relapse which eventually occurred was
      significantly higher for the Allo-BMT group (FF 392,724) and the Auto-BMT group
      (FF 393,461) than for the group that received Chemo (FF 128,947) (p < 0.00001).
      The average cost for the treatment of relapse was estimated at FF 266,436,
      irrespective of the previous treatment. The total cost, including the estimated
      cost of relapse according to its probability of occurring calculated from the
      original population, was significantly higher for the Allo-BMT group (FF 424,696;
      p < 0.01) and the Auto-BMT group (FF 505,364; p < 0.0001) than for the Chemo
      group (FF 304,846).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422488
TI  - Clinical characteristics of chronic cutaneous graft-versus-host disease in
      Japanese leukemia patients after bone marrow transplantation: low incidence and
      mild manifestations of skin lesions.
AB  - We investigated the incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and
      skin and oral lesions in chronic GVHD in 90 Japanese leukemia patients surviving
      over 100 days after bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from HLA-compatible
      siblings. The clinical characteristics of chronic cutaneous GVHD occurring in
      eight of these patients are summarized. There were some differences from previous
      reports in the USA and Europe. The incidence (8/29: 28%) of skin lesions in
      chronic GVHD was low in contrast to the previously reported high incidence (79
      90%). Cutaneous manifestations in six out of eight patients with chronic GVHD
      tended to be mild, and lichen-planus-like eruptions in the skin and scleroderma
      like lesions, which are well known as representative cutaneous manifestations of
      chronic GVHD, were rare. Furthermore, our statistical analysis indicated that
      there was no relationship between pretransplant total body irradiation and GVHD
      prophylaxis or acute GVHD and the onset of chronic cutaneous GVHD. The present
      study suggests that the differences from previous reports in the USA and Europe
      concerning chronic cutaneous GVHD may be attributable to differing genetic
      backgrounds in Japanese and western populations.

PMID- 1422489
TI  - Urate metabolism during bone marrow transplantation.
AB  - We studied urate metabolism in 36 patients undergoing both allogeneic and
      autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT) without allopurinol. Most patients
      had low tumour burdens. Three different preparative regimens were used;
      busulphan/cyclophosphamide (BUCY); BCNU, etoposide, ara-C and melphalan (BEAM)
      and cyclophosphamide/total body irradiation (CY/TBI). Urate excretion rose during
      each of the regimens but the pattern of excretion varied with each regimen. Urate
      excretion remained elevated 72 h after completion of BEAM and BUCY, possibly
      reflecting the prolonged action of some of the agents used, e.g. melphalan,
      busulphan and etoposide. Urinary urate concentrations were unchanged compared
      with pre-chemotherapy levels reflecting the adequacy of the hydration protocol.
      No significant rise in creatinine was seen and no cases of tumour lysis syndrome
      occurred. Serum uric acid levels were a poor reflection of urate production,
      falling in most patients, and are an unreliable end-point for decisions regarding
      prophylaxis. BMT can be safely undertaken in patients with low tumour loads
      without allopurinol if an adequate urine volume is maintained. In this series,
      high levels of urate excretion often persisted for 72 h after the completion of
      conditioning and adequate hydration should be ensured during this period.

PMID- 1422490
TI  - Clonal imbalances of serum immunoglobulins after allogeneic bone marrow
      transplantation: an analysis by high-resolution two-dimensional gel
      electrophoresis.
AB  - The clonality pattern of immunoglobulins (Igs) produced after allogeneic bone
      marrow transplantation (BMT) was studied by high-resolution two-dimensional
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) of serum samples and purified Igs.
      With this technique, the light (L) chain of a monoclonal Ig usually appears as a
      single spot. Thus, the degree of clonal diversity of the functional B cells can
      be appreciated by the electrophoretic pattern of the serum L chains. Furthermore,
      2D-PAGE allows a semi-quantitative determination of prominent Ig clones according
      to the size of L chain spots. We found that serum electrophoretograms of 8/19
      patients after BMT (5-9 months) revealed L chain patterns which were similar to
      those of normal polyclonal Igs, that is, less than five distinguishable small
      spots among a cloud-like indiscrete L chain spots region ('polyclonal' pattern).
      A spectrum of clonal abnormalities was observed on the electrophoretograms of
      11/19 patients: in five patients, multiple small L chain spots (corresponding to
      Ig concentrations between 0.2 and 2 g/l) were detected ('oligoclonal' pattern),
      whereas in six others, 'typical' monoclonal Igs (Ig concentrations > 2 g/l) were
      observed with (3/19 patients) or without (3/19 patients) multiple small clonal
      components. Sequential analysis of serum obtained from patients at different
      times after BMT revealed that imbalanced clonal reconstitution was transient and
      evolved towards apparently normal polyclonal Ig production. Our observations show
      that the development of clonal 'gammopathies' after BMT is a frequent, but not
      obligatory phenomenon. It may reflect a transient restriction of the B cell
      repertoire either through a limited outgrowth of precursor cells or through
      selective antigenic pressures.

PMID- 1422491
TI  - High-dose methylprednisolone therapy for acute graft-versus-host disease
      associated with matched unrelated donor bone marrow transplantation.
AB  - Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a major barrier to successful bone
      marrow transplantation (BMT) with matched unrelated donors. Eight of eight
      recipients of matched unrelated donor BMT developed aGVHD. We used a regimen of
      high-dose methylprednisolone (5 mg/kg/day for 4 days with responders continuing
      on treatment, and dose escalation to 10 mg/kg/day for non-responders) as initial
      therapy of aGVHD. One patient died on the second day of steroid administration.
      Each of the seven remaining patients responded to methylprednisolone, five at the
      5 mg/kg/day dose and two at the 10 mg/kg/day dose. Three of five patients
      developed flare of aGVHD during reduction of the corticosteroid dosage and died
      with aGVHD and infection. Two patients have undergone reduction of
      methylprednisolone at a modified rate without a flare. Infectious complications
      during methylprednisolone treatment were very common and contributed to the death
      of the three patients with flare of aGVHD. Four patients in whom aGVHD was in
      remission survived serious systemic infections. High-dose methylprednisolone is
      effective initial therapy for aGVHD associated with matched unrelated BMT, but is
      associated with a high risk of serious infections.

PMID- 1422492
TI  - Evaluation of pulmonary complications after bone marrow transplantation: the role
      of pretransplant pulmonary function tests.
AB  - To determine whether an association exists between abnormal pulmonary function
      tests (PFT) before bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and the rate of pulmonary
      complications after BMT, we retrospectively reviewed all transplants performed in
      our center between March 1984 and December 1990. A total of 163 patients, 15
      years of age and older, with a hematologic malignancy or a solid tumor were
      treated with intensive therapy and autologous (118) or allogeneic (55) BMT. Sixty
      patients (37%) developed a pulmonary complication which contributed to patient
      death in 29 transplants (18%). Patients with pulmonary metastases, prior
      thoracotomy, or prior radiation to the chest had a higher frequency of abnormal
      PFT. By univariate analysis, patients with abnormal FVC, FEV1, or TLC before BMT
      had a significantly increased rate of pulmonary complications (p < 0.005). By
      multivariate analysis, the rate of pulmonary complications was significantly
      associated (p = 0.004) with abnormal FEV1 only: in the first 2 months after
      transplantation the rate was 65% in patients with FEV1 < 70% in contrast to 34%
      in patients with FEV1 > or = 70% (risk ratio = 1.9). There was no association,
      however, between abnormal pretransplant PFT and fatal pulmonary complications. We
      conclude that patients with pretransplant ventilatory defects have a higher risk
      of pulmonary complications after BMT, but the incidence of fatal complications
      was not significantly increased, although we cannot exclude a diminished study
      power due to the sample size. We believe that patients with abnormal PFT should
      not be excluded from transplantation if the anticipated anti-tumor effect is
      estimated to be substantial, but additional preventive measures may be necessary.

PMID- 1422493
TI  - Pilot trial of prophylactic ursodiol to decrease the incidence of veno-occlusive
      disease of the liver in allogeneic bone marrow transplant patients.
AB  - Ursodiol is a hydrophilic, non-hepatotoxic bile salt indicated for the medical
      treatment of cholesterol gallstones. This pilot study explored the use of
      prophylactic ursodiol in an attempt to decrease the incidence and severity of
      veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver following allogeneic bone marrow
      transplantation (BMT). Between February 1991 and January 1992, 22 consecutive
      patients undergoing BMT for hematologic malignancies received the BU(4)/CY(2)
      preparative regimen and CSA/MTX for GVHD prophylaxis. Ursodiol, 600-900 mg daily
      by mouth was begun at least 1 day prior to beginning the preparative regimen.
      Results for this pilot group were compared to a control group of 28 consecutive
      patients transplanted between June 1989 and January 1991 with the same regimen
      without ursodiol. There were no significant differences in disease or clinical
      status between the groups pretransplant. However, mean baseline AST levels were
      significantly higher in the ursodiol group, 28.0 U/l vs 18.1 U/l in the control
      group (p = 0.001). The median maximum bilirubin observed post-transplant was 2.35
      mg/dl (range 0.9-45) in the ursodiol group, and 5.05 mg/dl (range 0.7-29.4) in
      controls. The incidence of VOD was 2/22 (9.1%) in the ursodiol group and 18/28
      (64.3%) in controls (p = 0.0001). Death due to VOD occurred in 1/22 patients
      (4.5%) in the ursodiol group and in 6/28 (21.4%) controls (p = 0.12). Our data
      suggest that ursodiol may decrease the incidence of VOD in allogeneic BMT
      patients.

PMID- 1422494
TI  - Congenital sideroblastic anemia successfully treated by allogeneic bone marrow
      transplantation.
AB  - Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) was carried out on a 34-month-old
      boy with congenital sideroblastic anemia. The patient had been red blood cell
      transfusion dependent since the age of 7 weeks. He did not respond to therapy
      with pyridoxine and developed secondary progressive hemosiderosis. The
      preparatory regimen consisted of busulfan (3.5 mg/kg for 4 days) and
      cyclophosphamide (50 mg/kg for 4 days). Full engraftment of donor bone marrow was
      achieved and effective hemopoiesis is still maintained 3 years after BMT.

PMID- 1422495
TI  - Bullous pemphigoid associated with acute graft-versus-host disease after
      allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
AB  - A 47-year-old patient was treated with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation
      (BMT) for chronic myelogenous leukaemia in blast crisis. Three months after the
      procedure he developed bullous pemphigoid (BP) and symptoms suggestive of BP
      oesophageal involvement, associated with skin and liver acute graft-versus-host
      disease. The occurrence of BP is exceptional after BMT.

PMID- 1422496
TI  - Successful T cell-depleted allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in a child with
      recurrent multiple extramedullary plasmacytomas.
AB  - Multiple plasmacytomas with IgA paraproteinemia, a low grade lymphoid neoplasm of
      differentiated B cells rarely seen in the young, were encountered in a 10-year
      old child. T cell-depleted allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) was
      performed because of progressive disease despite chemotherapy. Donor T cells were
      infused after transplantation in gradually increasing numbers to achieve a graft
      versus-tumor effect. Complete eradication of all tumor masses was achieved
      following BMT with normalization of serum immunoglobulin levels. The patient
      remains in complete remission 4 years after BMT. Allogeneic BMT should be
      considered early in the course of low-grade lymphoid malignancy in the younger
      age group.

PMID- 1422497
TI  - Encephalopathy and seizures induced by intravesical alum irrigations.
AB  - Hemorrhagic cystitis is a significant toxic effect of cyclophosphamide therapy.
      Continuous bladder irrigation of a 1% alum solution is a simple and generally
      safe method of chemical cautery to treat the bleeding urothelium. We report four
      cases of encephalopathy coincident with elevated aluminum levels as well as one
      patient who developed seizures while receiving continuous bladder irrigations
      with alum. All patients had significant renal insufficiency. We recommend the
      cautious use of alum irrigation in patients with renal impairment and monitoring
      of serum aluminum levels to prevent excessive accumulation and toxicity.

PMID- 1422498
TI  - Relapse of acute leukemia presenting as acute cholecystitis following bone marrow
      transplantation.
AB  - Though included in the differential diagnosis of jaundice and abdominal pain,
      acute acalculous cholecystitis is an uncommon hepatobiliary complication of bone
      marrow transplantation. Leukemic infiltration of the gallbladder presenting as
      acute cholecystitis is rare. We describe two cases of acute cholecystitis
      following marrow transplantation that represented an unexpected relapse with
      leukemic infiltration of the gallbladder wall.

PMID- 1422499
TI  - Hematologic relapse of chronic myelogenous leukemia following allogeneic bone
      marrow transplantation: apparent graft-versus-leukemia effect following abrupt
      discontinuation of immunosuppression.
AB  - Two patients with hematologic relapse of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)
      following allogeneic BMT were treated by abrupt discontinuation of cyclosporine.
      Both patients rapidly attained complete hematologic and cytogenetic remission and
      remain free of disease with long follow-up. In the first patient, disappearance
      of CML was associated with the development of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
      In the second patient GVHD did not develop until after clearing of disease had
      been documented by cytogenetic analysis. Laboratory studies in the second patient
      disclosed the presence of lytic activity against both K562 and autologous CML
      cells that enhanced with IL2. Correlation with serial immunophenotyping data from
      this patient suggests that the effector for this graft-versus-leukemia (GVL)
      reaction could have been a T lymphocyte. Abrupt discontinuation of post
      transplant immunosuppression with cyclosporine may represent a therapeutic
      approach to CML which has recurred following BMT. Moreover, investigation of this
      clinical phenomenon in subsequent cases may permit direct study of the cellular
      mechanisms involved in the GVL effect.

PMID- 1422500
TI  - Development of hyperthyroidism in donor and recipient after allogeneic bone
      marrow transplantation.

PMID- 1422501
TI  - Syndrome--a changing concept.
AB  - Syndrome is one of the oldest terms in the medical vocabulary. Traditionally, the
      term has been used mainly as a designation for complex medical entities, such as
      multiple abnormalities, that are characterized by clusters of concurring
      symptoms, usually three or more. During the mid-twentieth century, the meaning
      and the use of the term were altered. First to take place was an attempt to
      eliminate physicians' names from syndrome nomenclature, resulting in a
      significant increase in the use of descriptive designations in proportion to
      eponyms. But the trend was counterbalanced by the creation of new classes of
      eponyms. Eponymous syndrome nomenclature now includes the names of literary
      characters, patients' surnames, subjects of famous paintings, famous persons,
      geographic locations, institutions, biblical figures, and mythological
      characters. This was followed by a relaxation in the scope of the definition of
      syndrome, wherein the term could also be used as a modifier indicating a special
      (sometimes unspecified) complexity of an already named pathological condition.
      Eventually syndrome changed from its original use as an exclusively medical term
      and came to mean anything unusual, abnormal, bizarre, or humorous, whether
      medical, social, behavioral, or cultural. This unrestrained use of the term is
      the principal cause of an enormous volume of the sometimes irrelevant syndrome
      literature cluttering databases in the MEDLARS system and of the deterioration of
      "SYNDROME" as a specific MeSH term and a useful search parameter.

PMID- 1422502
TI  - The characteristics of medical retraction notices.
AB  - During the past twenty years, more than ninety retraction notices have been
      published in biomedical journals. These retractions constitute a unique body of
      literature that biomedical researchers, bibliographers, and librarians must
      monitor to reduce scientific use of retracted, invalid papers. An analysis of
      medical retraction notices shows that very few are prominent in style, format, or
      placement, in spite of authoritative publication standards formulated by the
      International Council of Medical Journal Editors. Although researchers are
      ultimately responsible for the validity of the information they cite in their own
      publications, biomedical librarians are in a unique position to educate their
      patrons regarding retracted papers.

PMID- 1422503
TI  - Using BITNET to access the National Library of Medicine databases.
AB  - An ongoing developmental project is described that uses the National Library of
      Medicine (NLM) GRATEFUL MED software on the BITNET network to access the NLM
      databases. The objective of the project is to improve biomedical communication
      capabilities to support health professionals in countries where international
      telecommunication services are limited. After a successful demonstration of the
      concept, the system was assembled and tested by the University of Chile and NLM.
      The full impact of this project will be measured at a later time. This paper
      describes the concept and testing of the system in Latin American countries.

PMID- 1422504
TI  - Research in health sciences library and information science: a quantitative
      analysis.
AB  - A content analysis of research articles published between 1966 and 1990 in the
      Bulletin of the Medical Library Association was undertaken. Four specific
      questions were addressed: What subjects are of interest to health sciences
      librarians? Who is conducting this research? How do health sciences librarians
      conduct their research? Do health sciences librarians obtain funding for their
      research activities? Bibliometric characteristics of the research articles are
      described and compared to characteristics of research in library and information
      science as a whole in terms of subject and methodology. General findings were
      that most research in health sciences librarianship is conducted by librarians
      affiliated with academic health sciences libraries (51.8%); most deals with an
      applied (45.7%) or a theoretical (29.2%) topic; survey (41.0%) or observational
      (20.7%) research methodologies are used; descriptive quantitative analytical
      techniques are used (83.5%); and over 25% of research is funded. The average
      number of authors was 1.85, average article length was 7.25 pages, and average
      number of citations per article was 9.23. These findings are consistent with
      those reported in the general library and information science literature for the
      most part, although specific differences do exist in methodological and
      analytical areas.

PMID- 1422505
TI  - Total quality management (TQM) in a hospital library: identifying service
      benchmarks.
AB  - Hospitals are turning to total quality management (TQM) to lower costs of
      providing care. A hospital library in a TQM environment needs to embrace
      corporate goals while maintaining its accountability as a contributor to quality
      patient care. Alliant Health System (AHS) Library at Norton Hospital and Kosair
      Children's Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky, conducted a study to establish TQM
      benchmarks and to examine the significance of its role in clinical care. Using a
      methodology designed to allow both library user and nonuser to respond, 2,091
      surveys were distributed to physicians and nursing and allied health personnel.
      Areas surveyed included frequency of library use, impact of information received
      on clinical judgments, cognitive value of the information, and satisfaction with
      library products and services. Results confirm that the library has a substantial
      clinical role. Eighty-eight percent of reporting physicians agreed that
      information from the library contributed to higher quality care. Nursing and
      allied health were less convinced of the importance of the library's clinical
      role. Sixty-nine percent of nursing personnel and 58% of allied health personnel
      agreed that the library contributed to higher quality care. Nursing and allied
      health personnel also used the library less frequently than physicians. With
      these results as benchmarks, improving the clinical role of the library will take
      commitment to the TQM process and a willingness to change.

PMID- 1422506
TI  - Factors influencing research productivity among health sciences librarians.
AB  - Secondary analysis was performed of data collected in 1989 from a random sample
      of members of the Medical Library Association. Results show that about half the
      sample had at least one publication; academic health sciences librarians were
      much more likely than hospital librarians to have published. Almost half the
      sample had taken formal courses in research, but only a small percentage had
      taken continuing education (CE) courses in research. Institutional support
      services for research were most available in academic settings. The combination
      of institutional support, CE training, and research courses explained 31.1% of
      the variation in research productivity among academic librarians; these factors
      were less important in hospitals and other institutional settings. The authors
      suggest that health sciences librarians working outside academia should seek
      support for research from sources outside the employing institution.

PMID- 1422507
TI  - The landmark citation method: analysis of a citation pattern as a collection
      assessment method.
AB  - The landmark citation method is a new collection assessment method based on the
      citation record of a single landmark article. This citation record is developed
      by identifying sources which cite the landmark article. A bibliography, extracted
      from the citation record, is then used to complete an assessment of the
      collection. This method was developed and used to assess the biotechnology
      collection of the National Library of Medicine. The information gained from this
      study, in addition to demonstrating the technique, also provided insight into the
      evolution of the biotechnology literature.

PMID- 1422508
TI  - Computer database searching and professional malpractice: who cares?

PMID- 1422510
TI  - Physician retraining, lifelong learning, and the library.

PMID- 1422509
TI  - The Beijing Medical Library.

PMID- 1422511
TI  - Dial-in access to CD-ROM databases: beyond the local area network.
AB  - Although it has meant additional work, CDLink has enhanced the productivity and
      effectiveness of the library's public services program. CDLink enables the
      library to offer dial-in access to databases, either in CD-ROM or other MS-DOS
      formats. The VAX MS-DOS connection is a cost-effective way to combine the
      benefits of remote access and multiple simultaneous use. From the user's
      perspective, CDLink provides free, twenty-four-hour remote access to databases in
      a friendly, menu-driven environment. For the library staff, the CDLink service
      represents the achievement of a long-awaited goal.

PMID- 1422512
TI  - A decade of AIDS literature.
AB  - From 1983 through mid-1991, more than 200,000 MEDLINE entries were AIDS-related.
      Close to 60% of the journals indexed in MEDLINE published at least one article on
      AIDS during the past ten years. As reflected by a subset of 29,077 MEDLINE
      records, the literature of AIDS has grown to encompass 29 languages and 65
      countries. A bibliometric study of the medical literature helps to demonstrate
      the progression of AIDS as a world health problem and the concomitant expansion
      of the research effort underway to control it.

PMID- 1422513
TI  - The nature of PDQ.

PMID- 1422514
TI  - In support of research.

PMID- 1422515
TI  - Salaries and professional authority.

PMID- 1422516
TI  - [Academic elegy of Professor Jean-Jules Pasteels, titulary member].

PMID- 1422517
TI  - [Academic elegy for Professor Carl Stainier; titular member and former
      president].

PMID- 1422518
TI  - [Control of renal tubular regeneration].
AB  - Tubular necrosis induced by various drugs (aminoglycosides, platinum-based
      anticancer agents) elicits a process of renal tissue repair which involves an
      increase of cell turnover. The proliferative response remains commensurate with
      the degree of tubular injury and occurs primarily in the area of tubular
      epithelium which has suffered injury. After acute renal necrosis, tubular
      regeneration is associated with a transient dedifferentiation of epithelial
      cells. This tissue reaction is controlled and leads in most cases to a complete
      reepithelialization of injured tubules and consequently to a full restoration of
      normal kidney functions. Recent experimental evidences suggest that EGF
      (Epidermal growth factor) plays a prominent role in the control of this repair
      process. By immunocytochemical and biochemical methods we have observed in
      regenerating kidneys a diminution of the membrane-bound precursor of EGF (prepro
      EGF) in distal tubules. Concomitantly, by electron microscopy, EGF
      immunoreactivity is detected on basolateral membranes of proximal tubules. These
      experimental data suggest that EGF precursor might be converted into a low
      molecular weight diffusible factor. The latter is able to interact with the
      receptors localized on the basolateral membranes of proximal tubules and to
      induce the tissue repair process.

PMID- 1422519
TI  - [Postoperative irradiation in pulmonary cancer?].
AB  - Postoperative radiation remains a controversial issue in the management of lung
      cancer. Despite a better local control, a major concern is always the possible
      late lung effects induced by high doses of radiation required to achieve this
      benefit. In our works, we have been able to show that with an adequate technique
      and the use of CT-scan for treatment planning, such high doses can safely be
      delivered. Furthermore, several prognostic factors were identified including the
      degree of mediastinal lymph node involvement.

PMID- 1422520
TI  - The perversion of mothering: Munchausen syndrome by proxy.
AB  - Munchausen syndrome by proxy, in which a seemingly caring and concerned mother is
      simultaneously harming her child, can best be understood in terms of the mother's
      need for a relationship with a physician that is rooted in a profound sense of
      early abandonment. This understanding broadens the definition of perversions. The
      infant in this sadomasochistic interaction is dehumanized and is used as a
      fetishistic object to control the relationship. The author's literature review
      and case report provide the basis for his exploration of the historical,
      cultural, and psychological factors that both contribute to the development of
      the syndrome and conspire to deny its reality.

PMID- 1422521
TI  - Perceptions of family functioning and the occurrence of childhood sexual abuse.
AB  - The wide variety of sequelae attributed to childhood sexual abuse has led some
      authors to posit that it is the complex interaction between the object-relational
      developmental world of the child and the event and nature of the abuse that
      determines the enduring effects of the abusive experience. The authors addressed
      this hypothesis by examining the correlation between the occurrence of childhood
      sexual abuse and subjects' perceptions of the nature of their childhood family.
      Results revealed significant differences in the subjects' recollections of family
      functioning based on abuse status. Abused subjects recalled families that were
      isolative, rigidly ruled in an authoritarian style, and unable to foster the
      development of autonomy in family members. The authors discuss the study results
      in light of the interactions between memories of the childhood family and the
      experience of sexual abuse.

PMID- 1422522
TI  - Toward an experiential psychoanalytic approach to the Rorschach.
AB  - With a conceptual approach to the Rorschach, there is a strong tie between this
      test and a theory of personality that lies outside the test itself. Shifts in
      that personality theory can provide new concepts and formulations for
      understanding Rorschach data. Such shifts can also promote new and different ways
      of conceptualizing and using the test. The author contends that changes in
      psychoanalytic theory are currently facilitating a more experiential view of the
      Rorschach. He reviews the relationship between personality theory and Rorschach
      testing, discusses changes in psychoanalytic theory that are leading to a more
      experiential Rorschach psychology, and describes the meaning of an experiential
      approach to the Rorschach.

PMID- 1422523
TI  - Specialized extended hospital treatment for borderline patients.
AB  - The intensive psychoanalytically oriented hospital treatment described by the
      authors was developed specifically for borderline patients. This unique
      treatment, an integrated multimodal approach, is based on the theory that the
      disturbed behaviors and relationships of borderline patients are manifestations
      of intrapsychic impairment. The authors use a detailed case report to illustrate
      how the theory is transformed into technical precepts and applied to all aspects
      of the treatment.

PMID- 1422524
TI  - Distinguishing features of pseudocomplex partial seizures.
AB  - The authors identify common features in the clinical presentations of three
      patients whose pseudoseizures mimicked complex partial seizures. All three had
      suffered the recent traumatic loss of a significant love object, and all
      manifested unconscious feelings of guilt and the use of defense mechanisms of
      denial, dissociation, introjection, identification, and symbolization. The
      authors explore the diagnostic, treatment, and etiological implications of these
      findings.

PMID- 1422525
TI  - A psychodynamic approach to the master treatment plan.
AB  - Formulating master treatment plans for the hospital treatment of psychiatric
      patients is especially challenging to psychodynamically oriented clinicians
      unaccustomed to reducing complex intrapsychic and interpersonal phenomena to
      specific observable behaviors. In collaboration with a wide cross section of
      hospital staff members, the authors developed a conceptual framework for
      treatment plans compatible with psychodynamic thinking. They describe the
      treatment evaluation research from which the format of the treatment plan
      evolved, as well as the guide they developed to facilitate its implementation .

PMID- 1422526
TI  - The influence of religion on sexuality: implications for sex therapy.
AB  - Religious beliefs are among the many factors that determine whether sexually
      dysfunctional persons will seek out a sex therapist. These beliefs may also
      generate resistance to therapy or influence patients to drop out of treatment
      before it is complete. Therapists who are sensitive to patients' religious
      beliefs enhance the likelihood of a successful treatment process. The authors
      present six case examples from their practice in which religious beliefs played
      an important role. They urge sex therapists to become more aware of the religious
      dynamic and to help address the paucity of clinical case material in the
      literature.

PMID- 1422527
TI  - The grafting of plastic surgery.

PMID- 1422528
TI  - Is audit all hype?

PMID- 1422529
TI  - Software packages for audit.

PMID- 1422530
TI  - Radiological assessment of varicose veins.
AB  - Most patients with straightforward varicose veins only require a careful clinical
      examination combined with Doppler ultrasound scanning. When varicose veins are
      secondary to past deep venous thrombosis, recur after treatment or are associated
      with congenital anomalies, radiology is useful for diagnosis and management.

PMID- 1422531
TI  - Psychotherapy of schizophrenia.
AB  - Recent developments in the psychotherapy of schizophrenia have integrated
      educational methods, skills training, family-based stress management and specific
      cognitive-behavioural strategies with optimal pharmacotherapy. These approaches
      have demonstrated considerable promise in alleviating the impairments,
      disabilities and handicaps associated with schizophrenia.

PMID- 1422532
TI  - Clinical applications of flow cytometry.
AB  - Flow cytometers allow the rapid, sensitive and quantitative measurement of cells,
      cell surface markers and cell nuclear components for research and clinical
      laboratory use. They are producing new insights in many branches of clinical
      science.

PMID- 1422533
TI  - Breast cancer screening.

PMID- 1422534
TI  - Towards good audit.
AB  - All doctors are enjoined to audit, yet there is concern that many audits do not
      improve patient care. Despite the profusion of audit methods, good audits have
      many features in common. This paper identifies these essential features,
      facilitating the appraisal of proposed or completed studies.

PMID- 1422535
TI  - Cyclical Cushing's syndrome.

PMID- 1422536
TI  - Guide to postgraduate exams: Royal College exams.
AB  - Postgraduate exams are important milestones (or barriers) in specialist careers.
      However, there are several peculiar features in the Royal Colleges' exams, and
      considerable differences between them. This is the first of three articles aimed
      at helping candidates make appropriate preparations.

PMID- 1422537
TI  - Experts differ over diagnostic criteria for Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

PMID- 1422538
TI  - Optimistic response to NCEPOD--with provisos.

PMID- 1422539
TI  - Who benefits from lipid-screening programmes?

PMID- 1422540
TI  - Women in medicine.

PMID- 1422541
TI  - Application of urodynamics to incontinence.

PMID- 1422542
TI  - Cardiac rehabilitation: does it do any good?

PMID- 1422543
TI  - Sarcoidosis.
AB  - Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disorder of unknown cause characterized by non
      caseating granuloma formation and evidence of enhanced cellular immune response
      at the site of involvement. Although the majority of patients have a self
      limiting illness, a significant proportion develop severe chronic disability.

PMID- 1422544
TI  - Exercise: the best therapy for intermittent claudication?
AB  - The prophylactic value of physical activity for arteriosclerotic diseases is
      generally accepted. Regular exercise is also the most effective therapy for
      intermittent claudication although drug treatment is more popular in general
      practice. Recent findings show that exercise and drug treatments complement each
      other.

PMID- 1422545
TI  - Surgical treatment of urinary stress incontinence.
AB  - This article reviews traditional vaginal and suprapubic procedures as well as
      more recent advances such as urethral bulking agents and artificial sphincters.
      It illustrates how the chosen operation must be tailored to the individual
      patient and how the surgeon treating urinary incontinence requires a variety of
      procedures in his repertoire.

PMID- 1422546
TI  - Transport of the critically ill child.
AB  - The principles of stabilization before, and monitoring during, transportation are
      well established in adult intensive care practice but less so in paediatrics. The
      speed with which critically ill children deteriorate and the aggressiveness of
      treatment needed are often underestimated. A dedicated, fully funded and staffed
      transport service for each paediatric referral centre in the UK is urgently
      required.

PMID- 1422547
TI  - Causes and management of dysphasia.
AB  - Dysphasia comprises a wide-ranging complex of linguistic impairments.
      Comprehensive and individual description of the verbal and non-verbal aspects is
      required for the tailoring of an approach to therapy and management.

PMID- 1422548
TI  - Problem-based learning.
AB  - Problem-based learning is now a well-established approach to the design and
      implementation of undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing medical education.
      This article describes how it functions and examines how it contributes to more
      enjoyable and effective professional development.

PMID- 1422550
TI  - NHS to avoid the Oregon trail.

PMID- 1422549
TI  - Anaesthesia for the obstetric trainee.
AB  - The practice of obstetric anaesthesia and analgesia ranges from the sublime to
      the ridiculous. Try to contrast the satisfaction of having produced an effective
      epidural block with the agonizing personal loneliness of failing to intubate at
      emergency caesarean section, and you may begin to understand our position: we
      either love it or loathe it.

PMID- 1422551
TI  - Can adenosine help dispel misconceptions?

PMID- 1422552
TI  - Indications for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

PMID- 1422554
TI  - Teaching the public cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

PMID- 1422553
TI  - Rest or exercise in inflammatory arthritis?

PMID- 1422555
TI  - Vitamins and mental health.

PMID- 1422556
TI  - Screening for early ovarian cancer.
AB  - Transvaginal ultrasound scanning with colour Doppler imaging can be used to
      detect early ovarian cancer. About one in three women with a family history of
      the disease and a positive screening result (i.e. a persistent intraovarian mass
      with a characteristic blood supply) will have histological signs of primary
      cancer. A randomized controlled clinical trial should be undertaken to assess
      whether screening and immediate treatment of women from the general population
      will improve survival rates from the disease.

PMID- 1422558
TI  - Sex therapy: the successes, the failures, the future.
AB  - Sexual dissatisfaction or dysfunction occurs in one fifth to one third of the
      adult population. Although great advances have been made in the pharmacological
      treatment of impotence, psychological and relationship therapy remain the
      mainstay of the treatment of sexual problems within relationships.

PMID- 1422557
TI  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
AB  - The technique of laparoscopic cholecystectomy is probably the most significant
      major surgical advance of the last decade. It allows shorter hospitalization,
      rapid recovery and early return to work. Significant financial savings may be
      achieved over current conventional treatment. In this article the procedure is
      reviewed and its advantages and drawbacks are discussed.

PMID- 1422560
TI  - Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia.
AB  - Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) is a rare cause of pulmonary
      infiltration and breathlessness which is usually associated with systemic and
      constitutional ill health. Its aetiology is unclear. The importance of its
      recognition lies in the characteristic response of the condition to treatment
      with high-dose corticosteroids.

PMID- 1422559
TI  - Cyclosporin-induced nephrotoxicity and hypertension.
AB  - The use of cyclosporin in therapeutics is increasing. Unfortunately, cyclosporin
      has important detrimental effects on kidney function and blood pressure. Based on
      the pathogenesis of these side effects, different drug groups have been studied,
      but with variable success.

PMID- 1422561
TI  - Infections and intravascular devices.
AB  - Complications associated with intravascular devices include infections mainly
      caused by Staphylococcus epidermis and S. aureus. The reported incidence of these
      infections varies. Several factors influence the propensity for catheter
      infections. We recommend strategies for the prevention and treatment of catheter
      related sepsis.

PMID- 1422562
TI  - Antiphospholipid syndrome in pregnancy.

PMID- 1422563
TI  - Blunkett's tack hits a rich seam.

PMID- 1422564
TI  - Paraphrenia diagnosis.

PMID- 1422565
TI  - Testicular tumour.

PMID- 1422566
TI  - Cholesterol testing.

PMID- 1422567
TI  - Alteration of the L-type calcium current in guinea-pig single ventricular
      myocytes by heptaminol hydrochloride.
AB  - 1. The effects of heptaminol on calcium current amplitude and characteristics
      were studied in single ventricular myocytes of guinea-pig by use of the whole
      cell configuration of the patch clamp technique. 2. A concentration-dependent
      decrease in ICa amplitude was observed. At heptaminol concentration as low as 10(
      6) M, this effect was observed in only two cells (n = 6). At 10(-5) M the
      reduction of ICa was of 30 +/- 15% (n = 11). 3. The current recovery from
      inactivation at -40 mV holding potential (HP) seemed less sensitive to perfusion
      with heptaminol (greater than 10(-6) M). However, at -80 mV HP the overshoot of
      the recovery curve was decreased by heptaminol. 4. Both at -40 mV and -80 mV HP,
      heptaminol (10(-5) M) significantly increased the steady state inactivation of
      ICa. 5. As previously proposed by others to explain the effects of membrane
      active substances, the effects of heptaminol may result from alterations in cell
      membrane properties and possibly from an increase in intracellular free calcium
      ion concentration.

PMID- 1422568
TI  - Characterization of 8-OH-DPAT-induced hypothermia in mice as a 5-HT1A
      autoreceptor response and its evaluation as a model to selectively identify
      antidepressants.
AB  - 1. 8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) dose-dependently induced
      hypothermia in mice. 2. The 5-HT1A receptor partial agonists, buspirone, gepirone
      and ipsapirone, also dose-dependently induced hypothermia. 3. The 8-OH-DPAT
      temperature response was antagonized by the 5-HT1 receptor antagonists quipazine
      (2 mg kg-1, i.p.), (+/-)-propranolol (10 mg kg-1, i.p.). (+/-)-pindolol (5 mg kg
      1, i.p.), spiroxatrine (0.5 mg kg-1, i.p.) and metitepine (0.05 mg kg-1, i.p.),
      but not by 5-HT2 (ketanserin) or 5-HT3 (MDL 72222, GR 38032F) receptor
      antagonists. 4. The response was also antagonized by the dopamine D2 receptor
      antagonists, haloperidol and BRL 34778. No other catecholamine or muscarinic
      receptors were involved in mediating the response. 5. Destruction of 5
      hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-containing neurones with the neurotoxin, 5,7
      dihydroxytryptamine (75 micrograms, i.c.v.), abolished the response to 8-OH-DPAT
      indicating that the 5-HT1A receptors involved were located on 5-HT neurones. 6.
      Chronic antidepressant treatment down-regulated this 8-OH-DPAT response. In
      addition, chronic administration of anxiolytics and neuroleptics was also
      effective in this respect. Down-regulation was also observed following repeated
      administration of 8-OH-DPAT (0.5 mg kg-1, s.c.), (+/-)-pindolol (10 mg kg-1,
      i.p.) and ketanserin (0.5 mg kg-1, i.p.). 7. In conclusion, these data confirm
      that 8-OH-DPAT-induced hypothermia is mediated by 5-HT1A autoreceptors. They also
      indicate that the response involves D2 receptors.The present study also shows
      that a wide range of antidepressant drugs down-regulate this response although
      this property is not restricted to antidepressant treatments. Therefore, care
      should be exercised when interpreting data from this paradigm.

PMID- 1422569
TI  - Effects of cromakalim on the membrane potassium permeability of frog skeletal
      muscle in vitro.
AB  - 1. The effects of the potassium channel opener, cromakalim, and its active
      enantiomer, lemakalim, have been investigated in frog skeletal muscle. 2.
      Cromakalim (30-300 microM) increased 86Rb efflux from muscles loaded with the
      isotope, hyperpolarized the fibres and reduced membrane resistance. 3. These
      effects were inhibited by the sulphonylureas, glibenclamide and tolbutamide. The
      IC50 for glibenclamide inhibition of 86Rb efflux was ca. 8 nM. 4. Phentolamine
      (300 microM) (which blocks responses to cromakalim in smooth muscle and inhibits
      ATP-sensitive K+ channels in pancreatic beta-cells) had no effect on the
      reduction in membrane resistance caused by 100 microM lemakalim. 5. Diazoxide
      (600 microM) had no effect on 86Rb efflux. 6. The similarities of the K+ channel
      activated by cromakalim in frog skeletal muscle to the channel acted on in smooth
      muscle and to the ATP-sensitive K+ channel of beta-cells are discussed.

PMID- 1422570
TI  - Pharmacokinetic-EEG effect relationship of midazolam in aging BN/BiRij rats.
AB  - 1. The purpose of the present investigations was to determine the influence of
      increasing age on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of midazolam in male
      BN/BiRij rats as an animal model of aging. 2. Midazolam was administered
      intravenously at a dose of 2.5 mg kg-1 and its pharmacokinetics were determined
      on the basis of plasma concentrations as measured by high performance liquid
      chromatography (h.p.l.c.). Pharmacodynamics were studied using the midazolam
      induced changes in the electro-encephalogram (EEG) as a measure of the
      pharmacological effect. Results were evaluated on the basis of simultaneous
      pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling. In an attempt to differentiate between
      the effects of aging and of concurrent disease, an extensive clinical
      biochemical/pathological examination was conducted in individual rats by an
      independent pathologist. 3. The pharmacokinetics of midazolam were best
      characterized on the basis of a two exponential model. In the 4-month-old rats
      the values of the clearance, volume of distribution and elimination half-life
      were 104 +/- 13 ml min-1 kg-1 (mean +/- s.e. mean), 3.4 +/- 0.7 l kg-1 and 30 +/-
      3 min, respectively. With increasing age, no changes in the pharmacokinetics of
      midazolam were observed. 4. The pharmacodynamics of midazolam were determined on
      the basis of the sigmoidal Emax model. In the 4-month-old rats the values of the
      parameters relative maximum effect, midazolam concentration at half maximum
      effect and Hill factor were 106 +/- 10%, 50 +/- 6 micrograms l-1 and 1.6 +/- 0.3,
      respectively. In the group as a whole no significant changes in the
      pharmacodynamic parameters of midazolam were observed.4. The pharmacodynamics of
      midazolam were determined on the basis of the sigmoidal Emax model. In the 4
      month-old rats the values of the parameters relative maximum effect, midazolam
      concentration at half maximum effect and Hill factor were 106 +/- 10%, 50 +/-6 lg
      1' and 1.6 +/- 0.3, respectively. In the group as a whole no significant changes
      in the pharmacodynamic parameters of midazolam were observed. However, when
      diseased animals were excluded from the evaluation, a tendency towards a decrease
      in the midazolam concentration at half maximum effect to 25 +/- 14 pg 1-1 was
      observed in the 36-month-old rats.5. These findings suggest, that increasing age
      is associated with a tendency towards an increased brain sensitivity to
      midazolam, which is reflected in a parallel shift of the concentration vs. EEG
      effect relationship towards lower concentrations. However, it appears that
      factors other than age also contribute to interindividual variability in
      pharmacodynamics, considering the substantial interindividual variability within
      certain age groups.

PMID- 1422571
TI  - Effects of inhibition of the L-arginine/nitric oxide pathway in the rat lower
      urinary tract in vivo and in vitro.
AB  - 1. The present study was performed to investigate how blockade of the L
      arginine/nitric oxide (NO) pathway influences the function of the lower urinary
      tract in vivo, as studied by cystometry in conscious rats and in vitro, in
      isolated muscle preparations from the rat detrusor and urethra. 2. L-NG-nitro
      arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), 10 and 20 mg kg-1, administered intra-arterially,
      decreased micturition volume and bladder capacity, and increased spontaneous
      bladder contractions. D-NAME (20 mg kg-1) had no effect. No changes in the
      urodynamic parameters were recorded if L-NAME (20 mg kg-1) was administered in
      combination with L-arginine (200 mg kg-1). 3. Cystometries performed after intra
      arterial administration of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) (3 mg kg-1) and 3
      morpholino-sydnonimin hydrochloride (SIN-1, 2 mg kg-1) showed a decrease in
      bladder capacity, micturition volume and threshold pressure. SIN-1, but not SNP,
      induced spontaneous bladder contractions. 4. Isolated precontracted urethral
      preparations responded to electrical stimulation with a frequency-dependent
      tetrodotoxin-sensitive relaxation. L-NAME (10(-4) M), but not D-NAME, reduced the
      maximal relaxation to 31 +/- 8% (n = 8) of the response prior to drug
      administration. The inhibition induced by L-NAME was completely reversed by L
      arginine (10(-3) M). SNP (10(-8)-10(-4) M), SIN-1 (10(-6)-3 x 10(-4) M) and NO
      (10(-5)-10(-3) M; present in acidified solution of NaNO2), caused relaxation (93
      100%) of urethral preparations. L-NAME did not affect these relaxations.5.
      Detrusor strips contracted by carbachol or K' showed contractions in response to
      electrical stimulation, even when pretreated with a,p-methylene ATP and/or
      atropine. Small relaxations (14-41%) of detrusor strips were evoked by SNP (10-6
      10-4M), SIN-1 (10-5-3 x 10-4M) and NO (10-5-10-3M). Electrically (20 Hz) induced
      contractions of the detrusor muscle were unaffected by addition of L-NAME (10
      6_10-4 M) or L-arginine (10-3 M).6. The present results suggest that the L
      arginine/NO pathway is of functional importance for the bladder outlet region,
      but that its role in the detrusor is questionable. They also suggest that the
      site of action of L-NAME for inducing bladder hyperactivity in the rat is the
      outlet region rather than the detrusor muscle.

PMID- 1422572
TI  - Effect of nucleotides on the cytosolic free calcium activity and inositol
      phosphate formation in human glomerular epithelial cells.
AB  - 1. Glomerular epithelial cells (GEC) were cultured from human kidneys and
      immunologically characterized. 2. The effect of extracellular nucleotides on the
      cytosolic free calcium activity [Ca2+]i was investigated with the fura-2
      microfluorescence method. Extracellular UTP, UDP, UMP, ATP, adenosine 5'-O-(3
      thio)-trisphosphate (ATP-gamma-S), inosine-triphosphate (ITP), guanyltriphosphate
      (GTP), 2-methylthio-ATP, AMP, alpha,beta-methylene-ATP and adenosine led to a
      rapid, transient, concentration-dependent increase of [Ca2+]i, followed by a
      plateau above the baseline level. 3. In a calcium-free extracellular solution,
      the rapid increase of [Ca2+]i was still present, whereas the plateau level was
      abolished. 4. ATP and UTP (ED50 both: 10(-5) M) stimulated inositol trisphosphate
      (InsP3) formation in GEC. 5. The order of potency for the purine nucleotides in
      stimulating InsP3 formation was ATP = ATP-gamma-S greater than ADP greater than 2
      methylthio-ATP greater than AMP = a,beta methylene-ATP = adenosine. 6. The
      increase of InsP3 induced by ATP (10(-5) M) could be inhibited by the P2 receptor
      blocker suramin (greater than 10(-4) M). Reactive blue 2 exhibited a weak
      stimulating effect on the InsP3 formation and only a weak inhibitory effect at a
      concentration of 10(-3) M was observed. 7. Protein kinase C activation by
      preincubation of GEC with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA, 100 ng ml-1, 15
      min) abolished the effect of ATP (10(-5) M) on InsP3 formation. Downregulation of
      protein kinase C by long term incubation (18 h) with PMA had no significant
      effect on the phosphoinositol turnover induced by ATP.8. The results indicate
      that an increase of [Ca2+]i and inositol phosphate breakdown can be mediated via
      activation of a P2 receptor in human GEC.

PMID- 1422573
TI  - Elevation of cytosolic calcium by cholinoceptor agonists in SH-SY5Y human
      neuroblastoma cells: estimation of the contribution of voltage-dependent
      currents.
AB  - 1. Muscarinic but not nicotinic receptor stimulation in SH-SY5Y human
      neuroblastoma cells induces a concentration-dependent increase in [3H]-inositol
      phosphate formation and a biphasic increase in [Ca2+]i. The latter involves
      release from both an intracellular store and Ca2+ entry across the plasma
      membrane. Here we examine the possibility that this agonist-stimulated Ca2+ entry
      occurs indirectly, as a consequence of depolarization. 2. Electrophysiological
      characterization, by whole cell patch-clamp techniques revealed that SH-SY5Y
      cells possess a tetrodotoxin-sensitive inward sodium current, a dihydropyridine
      insensitive calcium current and an outward potassium current which was blocked by
      tetraethylammonium, 4-aminopyridine and intracellular caesium ions. The outward
      potassium current showed voltage-dependent activation and inactivation, similar
      to that seen for A-currents. 3. Application of nicotinic agonists evoked an
      inward current in cells voltage-clamped at negative holding potentials, but this
      current rectified, resulting in little or no outward current flow at positive
      potentials. The mean amplitude at a holding potential of -60 mV was -1.14 nA.
      Extrapolation of the current-voltage relation gave a reversal potential of +8 mV,
      indicative of a non-specific cationic permeability. 4. Application of muscarinic
      agonists had no detectable effect in most of the cells tested. However, in one
      third of cells studied, a small slowly activating inward current was observed.
      The mean amplitude of this current at a holding potential of -60 mV was -8.3
      pA.5. This study confirms that SH-SY5Y cells possess voltage-dependent sodium,
      potassium and calcium currents. In addition, these cells are strongly depolarized
      by nicotinic agonists, which produce little change in [Ca2t]1. On the other hand,
      muscarinic agonists produce profound changes in [Ca2+1J with only a small inward
      current (depolarization). The contrasting effects of these two cholinoceptor
      agonists strongly implies that the Ca2+ entry after muscarinic receptor
      activation is not primarily due to activation of voltage-dependent calcium
      channels.

PMID- 1422574
TI  - In vitro characterization of prostanoid FP-, DP-, IP- and TP-receptors on the non
      pregnant human myometrium.
AB  - 1. Prostaglandin F (PGF), PGD, PGI and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) receptors have been
      pharmacologically characterized on the non-pregnant human myometrium in vitro in
      accordance with the receptor classification proposed by Coleman et al. (1984).
      The tools for the classification include both natural prostanoids, synthetic,
      selective analogues and antagonists where available. 2. The potent excitatory
      actions of the natural FP-receptor prostanoid, PGF2 alpha, and the synthetic
      analogue, fluprostenol, indicate the presence of FP-receptors mediating
      contraction on the human myometrium. 3. PGD2 produced a biphasic response
      consisting of excitation followed by relaxation of spontaneous activity of the
      myometrium. The selective DP-receptor agonists, BW245C, produced purely
      inhibitory responses illustrating the presence of inhibitory DP-receptors in this
      tissue. The inhibitory responses of both PGD2 and BW245C were antagonized by the
      competitive DP-receptor antagonist, BWA 868C, providing conclusive evidence for
      the existence of DP-receptors. 4. PGI2 produced a biphasic response similar to
      PGD2. Iloprost, the EP1/IP-receptor agonist also produced a biphasic response,
      whilst the IP-receptor selective agonist, cicaprost, caused inhibition only,
      suggesting that inhibitory IP-receptors exist in the non-pregnant human
      myometrium. 5. The TXA2-mimetic, U46619, produced marked stimulation of the non
      pregnant human myometrium and was approximately equipotent to PGF2 alpha and
      fluprostenol in this effect. The actions of U46619 were competitively antagonized
      by the TP-receptor antagonist GR32191 showing that excitatory TP-receptors exist
      in this tissue.6. All prostanoids tested, both natural and synthetic, had
      activity on the non-pregnant human myometrium in vitro, supporting the existence
      of a heterogeneous population of prostanoid receptors in this tissue. If the
      results from the present study are combined with those previously reported for EP
      receptor agonists (Senior et al., 1991), it may be concluded that excitation may
      occur through FP-, TP-, EP3- and few EP,-receptors, whereas inhibition may occur
      through DP-, IP- and EP2-receptors.

PMID- 1422575
TI  - Evidence that 5-HT2 receptor activation decreases noradrenaline release in rat
      hippocampus in vivo.
AB  - 1. Recent electrophysiological studies have shown that 5-HT2/5-HT1C receptor
      agonists inhibit the electrical activity of noradrenergic neurones in the rat
      locus coeruleus. Here we examine the effect of various agonists and antagonists
      of 5-HT2/5-HT1C receptors on noradrenaline release in hippocampus of
      anaesthetized rats using microdialysis. 2. Subcutaneous administration of the 5
      HT2/5-HT1C receptor agonist, 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI:
      0.2 and 0.5 mg kg-1), caused a marked decrease (50% of pre-drug levels 60 min
      after injection) of noradrenaline in hippocampal dialysates which was long
      lasting (greater than 120 min). Noradrenaline output also decreased in response
      to administration of the structural analogue of DOI, 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4
      bromophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOB: 1 mg kg-1, s.c.). 3. The effect of DOI on
      noradrenaline output was prevented by pretreatment with the 5-HT2/5-HT1C receptor
      antagonist, ritanserin (0.4 mg kg-1, s.c.). Spiperone (0.2 and 1 mg kg-1, s.c.),
      a 5-HT2/dopamine D2 receptor antagonist which has low affinity for 5-HT1C
      receptors, also antagonized the effect of DOI (0.5 mg kg-1, s.c.). Sulpiride (50
      mg kg-1, s.c.), a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist did not alter the response to
      DOI (0.5 mg kg-1, s.c.). 4. Both the non-selective 5-HT receptor agonist,
      quipazine (1 mg kg-1, s.c.), and the 5-HT-releasing agent, p-chloroamphetamine (2
      mg kg-1, s.c.), decreased noradrenaline release in hippocampus and these effects
      were antagonized by pretreatment with ritanserin (0.4 mg kg-1, s.c.).5. Our data
      suggest that in vivo, noradrenaline release in hippocampus is inhibited by 5-HT2
      receptor activation. This effect is probably associated with a decrease in
      noradrenergic neuronal activity.

PMID- 1422576
TI  - Endogenous noradrenaline release from guinea-pig isolated trachea is inhibited by
      activation of M2 receptors.
AB  - Overflow of endogenous noradrenaline (NA) from guinea-pig isolated tracheae was
      evoked by electrical field stimulation (3 Hz, 540 pulses). The muscarinic
      receptor agonist oxotremorine inhibited the evoked overflow of NA in a
      concentration-dependent manner (EC50 84 nM). Methoctramine, pirenzepine and p
      fluoro-hexahydrosiladiphenidol (each 1 microM) shifted the concentration-response
      curves of oxotremorine to the right with apparent pA2 values of 7.60, 6.74 and
      6.18, respectively. It is concluded that sympathetic nerve terminals in the
      guinea-pig trachea are endowed with inhibitory muscarinic M2 receptors.

PMID- 1422577
TI  - Nucleotide-dependent activation of KATP channels by diazoxide in CRI-G1 insulin
      secreting cells.
AB  - 1. Patch-clamp recording techniques were used, to examine the effects of
      diazoxide on KATP currents in CRI-G1 insulin-secreting cells in the presence of
      non-hydrolysable nucleotides. 2. In the presence of non- or slowly-hydrolyzed ATP
      analogues, bathing the intracellular aspect of cell-free membrane patches
      diazoxide inhibited KATP channel activity. 3. Under whole-cell recording
      conditions, with various non-hydrolysable nucleotides present intracellularly
      (after dialysis), diazoxide induced KATP current activation. The largest
      activation occurred with Mg-adenylyl-(beta, gamma-methylene) diphosphate (Mg-AMP
      PCP) present in the dialysing solution. This activation was diazoxide- and
      nucleotide-concentration-dependent. 4. In the absence of Mg2+, or in the presence
      of manganese (Mn2+) ions intracellularly, diazoxide did not induce KATP current
      activation, regardless of the species of nucleotide present in the pipette. 5.
      Intracellularly applied trypsin prevented the activation of KATP currents by
      diazoxide in the presence of Mg-AMP-PCP, an effect reversed by co-application of
      intracellular polymethylsulphonyl fluoride with the trypsin. 6. The application,
      by dialysis, of a CRI-G1 cell lysate, with negligible Mg-ATP, resulted in a
      substantial activation of the KATP current by diazoxide. 7. It is concluded that
      diazoxide can activate KATP channel currents by two separate pathways, one
      requiring a phosphorylation process, the other the presence of an intracellular
      protein coupled with a Mg-purine nucleotide.

PMID- 1422578
TI  - Evidence for a 5-HT1-like receptor mediating the amplifying action of 5-HT in the
      rabbit ear artery.
AB  - 1. The nature of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors which amplify the
      vasoconstrictor effect of methoxamine was examined in the rabbit isolated
      perfused ear artery with intact endothelium. Indices of amplification were
      leftward shifts of methoxamine dose-response (DR) curves produced by 5-HT (0.3
      microM) (Method I), and the appearance of vasoconstrictor responses to 5-HT
      receptor agonists when methoxamine was present in a near-threshold concentration
      (Method II). 2. The amplifying effect of 5-HT (Method I) was unaffected by
      prazosin (0.08 microM), was partly depressed by 5-HT2-receptor antagonists in
      high concentrations (ketanserin 0.5 microM, LY53857, 1.0 microM), and was
      abolished by a non-selective antagonist of 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 receptors
      (methiothepin, 0.01 microM). 3. Amplifying potencies of agonists assessed by both
      Methods I and II were in the order 5-carbox-amidotryptamine (5-CT) greater than 5
      HT greater than alpha-methyl 5-HT. The potency of sumatriptan (assessed by Method
      II only) was intermediate between those of 5-HT and alpha-methyl 5-HT. 4.
      Ketanserin and LY53857 inhibited the amplifying action of 5-CT to about the same
      extent as that of 5-HT. 5. The amplifying potencies of the agonists are in marked
      contrast to the reported contractile potencies in the rabbit aorta where the
      receptor is 5-HT2, but are almost identical with reported contractile potencies
      in the dog saphenous vein where the receptor is 5-HT1-like. 6. It is concluded
      that a 5-HT,-like receptor mediates the amplifying interaction between 5-HT and
      methoxamine in the rabbit ear artery which can be weakly blocked by ketanserin
      and LY53857.7. Since 5-CT was equipotent when applied separately to the intimal
      and adventitial surfaces of the artery, it is suggested that the 5-HT,-like
      receptors are distributed uniformly across the artery wall.

PMID- 1422579
TI  - Differential effects of endothelin-1 on the vasorelaxant properties of benzopyran
      and non-benzopyran potassium channel openers.
AB  - 1. The effects of endothelin-1 (ET-1) on the vasorelaxant properties of
      structurally different potassium channel openers (PCOs), BRL-38227, Ro 31-6930,
      SDZ PCO 400, EMD-52692, RP-49356 and pinacidil, were studied. 2. All PCOs evoked
      concentration-related relaxations of ET-1 (10 nM) or KCl (20 mM) contracted rat
      isolated aortic rings denuded of endothelium. BRL-38227, EMD 52692, SDZ PCO 400
      and Ro 31-6930 were 11-42 times less potent in relaxing contractions to ET-1 than
      KCl. In contrast, this differential potency was not observed with RP-49356 or
      pinacidil. 3. BRL-38227 (0.06-3.0 microM), RP-49356 (0.3-3.0 microM) and
      pinacidil (0.3-3.0 microM) displaced KCl concentration-response curves to the
      right of controls, without modifying the maximum response. A subcontractile
      concentration of ET-1 (0.1 nM) prevented the inhibitory effects of low
      concentrations of BRL-38227 (0.06-0.1 microM) on KCl responses, but failed to
      modify those to RP-49356, pinacidil or high concentrations of BRL-38227 (0.3-3.0
      microM). The inhibitory effects of BRL-38227 (0.1 microM) were also not changed
      by ET-3 (1.0 nM) or angiotensin II (0.1 nM). 4. In anaesthetized spontaneously
      hypertensive rats (SHR), cumulative bolus intravenous administrations of BRL
      38227 (1-1000 micrograms kg-1, i.v.), Ro 31-6930 (1-1000 micrograms kg-1, i.v.),
      RP-49356 (10-1000 micrograms kg-1, i.v.) or nitrendipine (0.1-30 micrograms kg-1,
      i.v.) produced dose-dependent falls in diastolic blood pressure (DBP).ET-1 (i.v.)
      evoked a transient fall in DBP (1 pg kg- = 58 + 1 mmHg) which returnedto pre
      administration levels within 4 min.5. Pretreatment of anaesthetized SHR with ET-l
      (1 pg kg-', i.v.) significantly increased the ED,5 (dose to evoke a 15% fall in
      DBP) values for BRL-38227 and Ro 31-6930. However, ET-l failed to modify the ED,5
      values for RP-49356 or nitrendipine. The ED50 values for all of the vasodilators
      studied were not modified by ET-1.6. Infusion of BRL-38227 (2 pgkg-'min-', i.v.)
      or RP-49356 (4 pgkg-'min', i.v.) to anaesthetized SHR evoked dose-related falls
      in DBP, with a corresponding increase in descending aortic blood flow (DABF) and
      a decrease in total lower body vascular resistance (TLBVR). Pretreatment with ET
      1 (1 ptg kg-', i.v.) significantly attenuated the decreases in DBP and TLBVR
      observed with low doses of BRL-38227, but not RP-49356 or high doses of BRL
      38227. In contrast, ET-3 (3 pig kg-, i.v.) failed to modify the effects of BRL
      38227 on DBP or TLBVR.7. In conscious SHR, the fall in DBP to BRL-38227 (30 pgkg
      ', p.o.) was significantly reduced following ET-1 (1 pig kg-', i.a.) treatment.
      ET-1 (1 pg kg-', i.a.) pretreatment, however, failed to modify the decrease in
      DBP induced by an equieffective oral dose of RP-49356 (1001pgkg-1).8. In
      conclusion, ET-1 selectively attenuated the vasorelaxant effects of the potassium
      channel opener,BRL-38227 and other substituted benzopyrans. The results are
      compatible with the hypothesis that benzopyran PCOs and ET-1 have affinity for a
      site that does not recognise RP-49356 or pinacidil. Thus,ET-l can differentiate
      between structurally unrelated potassium channel openers. The cardiovascular
      effects of some, but not all, PCOs might be radically modified in the clinical
      setting by elevated endogenous levels of ET-1 associated with certain diseased
      states.

PMID- 1422580
TI  - Diazoxide-sensitivity of the adenosine 5'-triphosphate-dependent K+ channel in
      mouse pancreatic beta-cells.
AB  - 1. In mouse pancreatic beta-cells the regulation of the diazoxide-sensitivity of
      the adenosine 5'-triphosphate-dependent K+ channel (K-ATP-channel) was examined
      by use of the patch-clamp technique. 2. In intact beta-cells incubated at 37
      degrees C in the presence of 3 mM D-glucose, diazoxide did not affect the single
      channel conductance but stimulated channel-opening activity. Diazoxide produced
      half-maximal effects at 82 microM and 13 fold activation at maximally effective
      concentrations (300-400 microM). The response to diazoxide (300 microM) was not
      completely suppressed by saturating tolbutamide concentrations (1 or 5 mM). 3.
      Inside-out patch-clamp experiments were carried out using an experimental
      protocol favouring phosphorylation of membrane proteins. Under these conditions
      diazoxide was ineffective in the absence of any nucleotides, weakly effective in
      the presence of MgATP (26 or 87 microM) and strongly effective in the presence of
      the Mg complexes of adenosine 5'-diphosphate, 2'-deoxyadenosine 5'-diphosphate or
      guanosine 5'-diphosphate (MgADP, MgdADP or MgGDP). 4. In inside-out patches
      exposed to nucleotide-free solutions, saturating concentrations of tolbutamide
      did not cause complete block of K-ATP-channels. When the channels were activated
      by MgdADP (48 microM), tolbutamide was even less effective. Sensitization of
      MgdADP-induced channel activation by diazoxide further weakened the effects of
      tolbutamide. 5. Diazoxide (50 or 300 microM) prevented the complete channel block
      induced by saturating tolbutamide concentrations in the presence of Mg2+ and ADP
      (1 mM). 6. In the presence of Mg2", the K-ATP-channel-blocking potency of
      cytosolic ATP decreased in the order inside-out> outside-out> whole-cell
      configuration of the patch-clamp technique.7. It is concluded that the K-ATP
      channel is controlled via four separate binding sites for inhibitory nucleotides
      (e.g. free ATP and ADP), stimulatory nucleotides (MgADP, MgdADP, MgGDP),
      sulphonylureas and diazoxide. Strong inhibition of the channel openings by
      sulphonylureas results from occupation of both sites for nucleotides. Diazoxide
      is only effective when the site for stimulatory nucleotides is occupied.

PMID- 1422582
TI  - Effects of lignocaine and quinidine on the persistent sodium current in rat
      ventricular myocytes.
AB  - 1. The effects of the Class 1 antiarrhythmic agents lignocaine and quinidine on
      action potentials, and on sodium currents and potassium currents activated by
      depolarization, were examined in rat isolated ventricular myocytes by the whole
      cell, tight seal recording technique. 2. Tetrodotoxin and lignocaine shortened,
      whereas quinidine prolonged, the duration of the plateau phase of action
      potentials. 3. At low concentrations, lignocaine and quinidine blocked a
      persistent sodium current that was resistant to inactivation but they had only a
      small effect on the transient sodium current. At higher concentrations, they also
      blocked the transient sodium current. 4. Quinidine, but not tetrodotoxin or
      lignocaine, depressed potassium currents activated by depolarization and this
      could account for the prolongation of the plateau phase caused by quinidine. 5.
      It is suggested that block of the persistent sodium current may be responsible,
      at least in part, for the antiarrhythmic action of lignocaine and quinidine.

PMID- 1422581
TI  - Inhibition by adrenergic neurone blocking agents of the relaxation induced by BRL
      38227 in vascular, intestinal and uterine smooth muscle.
AB  - 1. The adrenergic neurone blocking agents, guanethidine and bretylium, have been
      tested for inhibitory activity against the actions of some relaxant drugs (BRL
      38227, noradrenaline, sodium nitroprusside, theophylline) in vascular, intestinal
      and uterine smooth muscle. 2. In guinea-pig isolated taenia caeci pre-contracted
      with KCl (25 mM), BRL 38227 (0.1-10 microM) and noradrenaline (10 nM-100 microM)
      each caused concentration-dependent relaxation. Guanethidine and bretylium (50
      microM) each antagonized the relaxation to BRL 38227 but not that to
      noradrenaline. At high concentration (500 microM), the adrenergic neurone
      blocking agents antagonized the action of BRL 38227 and, to some extent, that of
      noradrenaline. 3. In rat isolated aorta pre-contracted with noradrenaline (300
      nM), BRL 38227 (0.0125-3.2 microM) and sodium nitroprusside (0.3-100 nM) each
      produced concentration-dependent smooth muscle relaxation. Guanethidine and
      bretylium (5-500 microM) each antagonized the action of BRL 38227 without
      antagonizing that of sodium nitroprusside. 4. Rats were pretreated with 17-beta
      oestradiol benzoate. Tension waves were then induced from segments of isolated,
      oestrogen-dominated uterus by transmural electrical stimulation or by oxytocin
      (0.2 nM). These tension waves were inhibited by BRL 38227 (0.025-3.2 microM) or
      theophylline (0.05-0.8 mM) in a concentration-dependent manner. Guanethidine (50
      microM) antagonized the action of BRL 38227 in both the electrically- and
      oxytocin-driven tissues. In the electrically-driven tissues, guanethidine (50
      microM) did not antagonize the inhibition to theophylline. 5. In KCl (25 mM)
      treated guinea-pig taenia caeci, guanethidine (50 microM) inhibited the efflux of
      86Rb+ evoked by BRL 38227 (10 microM) but not that evoked by noradrenaline (10
      microM). In contrast, apamin(100 nM) reduced the efflux of 86Rb+ which was
      promoted by noradrenaline, but did not affect efflux induced by BRL 38227.6. It
      is concluded that the adrenergic neurone blocking agents, guanethidine and
      bretylium (each at 50 microM), selectively inhibit the relaxant action of BRL
      38227 in vascular, intestinal and uterine smooth muscle. If this inhibition
      reflects direct blockade of the K+-channel (KKCO) which is opened by BRL 38227,
      then the adrenergic neurone blocking agents act as inhibitors selective for KKCO
      as opposed to the small, apamin-sensitive (SKCa) and large (BKca) conductance,
      Ca2"-dependent K+-channels.

PMID- 1422583
TI  - A perfusion system for the long term study of macrophage activation.
AB  - 1. A closed system was developed for perfusing J774 macrophages in columns. The
      cells were perfused for up to 100 h, at which time they were still viable. 2.
      Stimulation with increasing concentrations (0.01-10 micrograms ml-1) of bacterial
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS) caused the cells to produce increasing amounts of
      nitrite in the perfusion medium. This production was time-dependent, reaching a
      plateau by 48-50 h. 3. The nitrite accumulation caused by 0.1 microgram ml-1 of
      LPS was augmented by priming the cells for 2 h with increasing amounts of
      interferon-gamma. The nitrite accumulation also reached a plateau under these
      conditions. 4. N-iminoethyl-L-ornithine (L-NIO, 30 microM) completely inhibited
      the accumulation of nitrite whereas dexamethasone (0.3 microM) caused 60-70%
      inhibition. 5. Perfusion of the cells without L-arginine prevented the nitrite
      accumulation. Replacement of this amino acid after 20 or 50 h of perfusion led to
      a rapid generation of nitrite, the levels of which continued to increase for the
      duration of the experiment. 6. Thus, the perfusion system can be used to study
      the kinetics of the activation of the NO synthase and most likely other
      parameters in J774 cells and probably other cells in culture. An observation
      already of interest is that the 'disappearance' of the NO synthase after its
      activation can be prevented or reduced by removal of L-arginine from the medium.

PMID- 1422585
TI  - Capsazepine reversal of the antinociceptive action of capsaicin in vivo.
AB  - 1. This study was designed to investigate the antinociceptive activity of
      capsaicin in acute and persistent nocifensor behavioural models and to determine
      whether this was mediated via a specific receptor interaction, by use of the
      antagonist, capsazepine. 2. Capsaicin administered systemically in low doses
      produced antinociception in the knee joint hyperalgesia, rat paw pressure, rat
      and mouse tail flick and mouse hot plate nocifensor models with similar efficacy
      in all tests. 3. The novel competitive capsaicin antagonist, capsazepine,
      prevented the capsaicin-induced antinociception when administered systemically in
      the range 50-100 mumol kg-1. 4. Capsazepine administered by itself had no
      antinociceptive actions. 5. These data describe a joint hyperalgesic model in the
      rat which does not rely on extreme nocifensor behavioural endpoints and it is
      suggested this is a useful model for investigating mechanisms in persistent pain.
      6. This is the first demonstration of antagonism by capsazepine of the
      behavioural antinociceptive properties of capsaicin and provides further evidence
      that capsaicin acts to reduce nociceptive thresholds via a specific receptor.

PMID- 1422584
TI  - Rabbit isolated renal artery contractions by some tryptamine derivatives,
      including 2-methyl-5-HT, are mediated by a 5-HT1-like receptor.
AB  - 1. Despite the fact that 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-induced contractions of the
      rabbit isolated renal artery are mediated by a receptor belonging to the
      heterogeneous 5-HT1-like category, we observed that the so-called selective 5-HT3
      receptor agonist, 2-methyl-5-HT, caused a concentration-dependent contraction of
      this vessel. This study was therefore undertaken to analyze the effects of 2
      methyl-5-HT in the renal artery segments, either quiescent or precontracted with
      U46619 (10(-7) M). alpha-Methyl-5-HT and 5-methoxytryptamine, which have high
      affinities for 5-HT2 and 5-HT4 receptors, respectively, were used for comparison.
      2. In the precontracted vessel segments, the maximum contractile responses
      obtained with 2-methyl-5-HT, alpha-methyl-5-HT, 5-methoxytryptamine and 5-HT were
      similar to those in the quiescent segments. However the pD2 values were higher in
      the precontracted segments, making them about 4-100 fold more sensitive. 3.
      Neither MDL 72222 (10(-6) M) nor tropisetron (3 x 10(-6) M) suppressed renal
      artery contractions elicited by 5-HT, 2-methyl-5-HT, alpha-methyl-5-HT or 5
      methoxytryptamine, thus ruling out the involvement of 5-HT3 as well as 5-HT4
      receptors. 4. On the other hand, both methiothepin (10(-8) and 10(-7) M) and
      ketanserin (10(-7) and 10(-6) M) caused a rightward shift of agonist
      concentration-effect curves.The two antagonists had similar pA2 values against
      the different agonists tested on either quiescent or precontracted vessels, but
      ketanserin (apparent pA2: 6.6 to 7.0) was between 20-100 fold less potent than
      methiothepin (apparent pA2: 8.4 to 8.8).5. The results of this functional study
      permit us to conclude that the contractile effects of 2-methyl-5-HT as well as ct
      methyl-5-HT and 5-methoxytryptamine on the rabbit isolated renal artery are
      mediated by a 5-HT1-like receptor. Since, in addition, the reported ligand
      binding affinity of 2-methyl-5-HT at 5-HT3 receptors is similar to both the
      ligand binding affinity and the functional pD2 at 5-HTI sites, this compound
      cannot be regarded as a selective 5-HT3 receptor agonist. Similarly, a-methyl-5
      HT and 5-methoxytryptamine have only a limited selectivity for 5-HT2 and 5-HT4
      receptors, respectively.

PMID- 1422586
TI  - Activation of P1- and P2Y-purinoceptors by ADP-ribose in the guinea-pig taenia
      coli, but not of P2X-purinoceptors in the vas deferens.
AB  - 1. The activity of adenosine 5'-diphosphoribose (ADP-ribose), a ribosylated
      purine nucleotide, was investigated on the carbachol-contracted taenia coli, a
      tissue possessing P1- (A2) and P2Y-purinoceptors and on the guinea-pig vas
      deferens which possesses P2X-purinoceptors. 2. In the vas deferens, where ATP (1
      microM-1 mM) produced concentration-dependent contractions, ADP-ribose was
      without effect at concentrations up to 1 mM. 3. In the taenia coli, ADP-ribose
      (0.1 microM-1 mM) produced concentration-dependent relaxations with a potency
      similar to that of adenosine, but less than that of ATP. The pD2 values for ADP
      ribose, adenosine and ATP were 4.5 +/- 0.07 (27), 4.4 +/- 0.10 (9) and 5.5 +/-
      0.14 (21), respectively. The time-course of the relaxations elicited by ADP
      ribose was found to be significantly longer than that for ATP and significantly
      shorter than that for adenosine. 4. The P1-purinoceptor antagonist, 8
      phenyltheophylline (5 microM), produced parallel rightward shifts in the
      concentration-response curves of the relaxations of the taenia coli elicited by
      ADP-ribose and adenosine but not ATP. 5. Dipyridamole (0.3 microM), a purine
      nucleoside uptake inhibitor, potentiated the responses to adenosine and ADP
      ribose in the taenia coli. These potentiations were sensitive to 8
      phenyltheophylline (5 microM). 6. Reactive blue 2, a P2Y-purinoceptor antagonist,
      antagonized the inhibitory responses of ADP-ribose and ATP in the taenia coli,
      without significantly altering the inhibitory responses of either adenosine or
      noradrenaline.7. In the presence of the potassium channel blocker, apamin (0.3
      microM), the inhibitory responses of ADP-ribose were severely attenuated, and the
      inhibitory responses of ATP in the taenia coli were converted to transient
      contractions. Further addition of 8-PT blocked the residual responses of
      ADPribose.8. The P2-purinoceptor antagonist, suramin (500 microM), antagonized
      responses to ATP and ADP-ribose,but not adenosine. Further addition of 8-PT
      antagonized the residual responses to ADP-ribose, but not to ATP.9. It is
      concluded that ADP-ribose has a mixed pharmacological profile, evoking both PI
      (A2)-purinoceptor-mediated responses and P2Y-purinoceptor-mediated responses,
      while being inert at P2Xpurinoceptors.It is suggested that ADP-ribose may provide
      a useful starting point for the generation of structural analogues which have
      specific activity at the P2Y-purinoceptor.

PMID- 1422587
TI  - Calmodulin antagonists inhibit endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization in the
      canine coronary artery.
AB  - 1. The effects of the calmodulin antagonists, calmidazolium and fendiline were
      investigated on endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization in the canine coronary
      artery. The membrane potential of vascular smooth muscle cells was measured with
      the microelectrode technique. 2. Smooth muscle cells of the canine coronary
      artery had a resting membrane potential of -50 mV. Bradykinin and the Ca(2+)
      ionophore, A23187, induced concentration- and endothelium-dependent
      hyperpolarization. The hyperpolarization induced by a supramaximal concentration
      of bradykinin (10(-6) M) reached approximately 20 mV. 3. Calmidazolium (10(-5) M)
      and fendiline (10(-4) M) inhibited hyperpolarization induced by bradykinin and
      A23187. By contrast, calmidazolium did not affect the hyperpolarization induced
      by lemakalim, an opener of ATP-sensitive K(+)-channels. 4. These observations
      suggest that calmodulin is involved in the generation of endothelium-dependent
      membrane hyperpolarization of vascular smooth muscle.

PMID- 1422588
TI  - Endothelium-dependent relaxation and noradrenaline sensitivity in mesenteric
      resistance arteries of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
AB  - 1. Noradrenaline sensitivity and acetylcholine-induced relaxation were
      investigated in mesenteric resistance arteries of control and streptozotocin
      induced diabetic rats. 2. The diabetic rats demonstrated enhanced vascular
      sensitivity to noradrenaline compared with age-matched controls (pEC50 5.99 +/-
      0.06 for diabetic rats, n = 25, versus 5.82 +/- 0.03 for controls, n = 45, P <
      0.05). 3. Significant impairment of acetylcholine-induced relaxation was observed
      in arteries from the diabetic animals compared with controls (pEC50 6.81 +/- 0.17
      for diabetic rats, n = 21, versus 7.54 +/- 0.17 for controls, n = 45, P < 0.001).
      4. The difference between acetylcholine-induced relaxation in diabetic and
      control arteries remained in the presence of 10 microM indomethacin (pEC50 6.41
      +/- 0.11 for diabetic rats, n = 16, versus 7.59 +/- 0.08 for controls, n = 20, P
      < 0.001). 5. The nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L
      NMMA, 1 mM) produced profound inhibition of acetylcholine-induced relaxation in
      diabetic arteries but partial inhibition in controls. The incomplete inhibition
      of acetylcholine-induced relaxation by L-NMMA in the control arteries was the
      result of ineffective inhibition of nitric oxide synthase since an alternative
      inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 0.1 mM), led to similar
      inhibition to that seen in the diabetic arteries with L-NMMA. The endothelium
      derived relaxing factor (EDRF)-mediated component of acetylcholine-induced
      relaxation determined by use of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitors was,
      therefore, apparently reduced in diabetic rats compared with control animals.6.
      In further experiments L-NAME was found to enhance the response to noradrenaline
      in control rats but not in diabetic animals, suggesting that the abnormal
      response to noradrenaline in the diabetic animals was also due to reduced EDRF
      release.7. Nitroprusside-induced relaxation (endothelium-independent) was similar
      in arteries from control anddiabetic rats (pEC5o 7.61 +/- 0.13 for diabetic
      arteries, n = 18, versus 7.68 +/- 0.15 in the controls, n = 20, P not
      significant).8. These results suggest that endothelial function is abnormal in
      mesenteric resistance arteries of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and that
      this is predominantly due to reduced EDRF release.

PMID- 1422589
TI  - Reduced relaxant potency of nitroprusside on pulmonary artery preparations taken
      from rats during the development of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.
AB  - 1. Relaxant responses to nitroprusside were examined on U46619-contracted
      pulmonary artery ring preparations from rats exposed to hypoxia, in chambers
      containing 10% oxygen, for 1, 3, or 14 days, or for 14 days followed by 12 days
      in room air. Control rats were housed in room air. 2. After 3 days of hypoxia
      (but not 1 day), rats had elevated pulmonary artery pressure, right ventricular
      hypertrophy and polycythemia. After 14 days of hypoxia there was, in addition,
      hypertrophy of the pulmonary artery. In rats returned to room air for 12 days
      after 14 days of hypoxia, there was still some right ventricular and vascular
      hypertrophy but no increase in pulmonary artery pressure or polycythemia. 3. The
      potency (neg log EC50) of nitroprusside on pulmonary arteries taken from rats
      after 3 or 14 days of hypoxia was significantly less than on preparations from
      control rats (3 and 11 fold, respectively). This was not seen after 1 day of
      hypoxia or after 14 days of hypoxia followed by 12 days in room air. Removal of
      the endothelium from the preparations had no effect on the potency of
      nitroprusside in control or hypoxic rats (14 days). 4. In preparations from
      hypoxic, but not control, rats (14 days), the maximum response to nitroprusside
      was > 100% (177% reversal of the U46619 contraction) in the absence, but not in
      the presence, of the endothelium, indicating that pulmonary arteries from hypoxic
      rats had inherent tone which could be counteracted by a relaxing factor from the
      endothelium. 5. Exposure of rats to hypoxia (14 days) did not affect the potency
      of nitroprusside on aorta or trachea.6. It is concluded that exposure of rats to
      hypoxia results in reversible desensitization of the vascular smooth muscle of
      pulmonary artery to nitroprusside. The time course of this desensitization
      suggests that it is probably associated with the elevated pulmonary artery
      pressure or maintained hypoxaemia rather than with the vascular hypertrophy.7. It
      is postulated that the increase in pulmonary artery pressure and/or the
      maintained hypoxaemia may cause chronic release of nitric oxide from the
      pulmonary vascular endothelium or smooth muscle resulting in desensitization of
      soluble guanylate cyclase to the action of nitroprusside.

PMID- 1422590
TI  - Effect of the thromboxane A2-mimetic U46619 on 5-HT1-like and 5-HT2 receptor
      mediated contraction of the rabbit isolated femoral artery.
AB  - 1. The influence of the thromboxane A2-mimetic U46619 (11 alpha, 9 alpha
      epoxymethano PGH2) on 5-hydroxy-tryptamine (5-HT)-induced contractions of the
      rabbit isolated femoral artery has been examined. 2. In the absence of U46619, 5
      HT responses were mediated predominantly by 5-HT2-receptors as judged by potent,
      surmountable antagonism by the selective 5-HT2 receptor antagonists, spiperone
      and ketanserin. Both antagonists unmasked a population of 5-HT1-like receptors
      which accounted for approximately 10-15% of the 5-HT maximum response. 3. In the
      presence of U46619 (3-10 nM), 5-HT-induced contractions were largely resistant to
      blockade by 5-HT2 receptor antagonists since 5-HT1-like receptor-mediated
      contraction now accounted for approximately 60% of the 5-HT maximum response. 4.
      These results show that activation of thromboxane A2 receptors in a tissue
      possessing both 5-HT2 and 5-HT1-like receptors can convert 5-HT-induced
      contraction from one mediated predominantly by 5-HT2 receptors to one which is
      mediated predominantly by 5-HT1-like receptors.

PMID- 1422591
TI  - Short-term desensitization of the histamine H1 receptor in human HeLa cells:
      involvement of protein kinase C dependent and independent pathways.
AB  - 1. In this study we have investigated the effects of short-term exposure of cells
      to histamine on the subsequent H1 receptor responsiveness in HeLa cells, using
      Ca2+ fluorescence microscopy and video digital imaging. 2. In HeLa cells,
      histamine (100 microM) induces an immediate H1 receptor-mediated biphasic
      elevation of the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) (basal [Ca2+]i: 81 +/
      30 nM, histamine-induced Ca2+ response: first phase: 1135 +/- 79 nM; second
      phase: 601 +/- 52 nM, n = 11). 3. The histamine H1 receptors on HeLa cells are
      readily susceptible to desensitization since repetitive exposure of the same
      group of cells to histamine (100 microM) markedly affected the release and influx
      component of the induced Ca2+ response (second application of histamine: first
      phase: 590 +/- 92 nM, second phase: 279 +/- 47 nM; third application of
      histamine: first phase: 454 +/- 127 nM, second phase: 240 +/- 45 nM, n = 6).
      Video digital imaging revealed an increase in the lag time between stimulation
      and monitoring of the Ca2+ response and a reduced increase in [Ca2+]i after
      desensitization with histamine. 4. Neither the release component of the ATP
      response (50 microM) nor the caffeine (3 mM)-induced Ca2+ release were found to
      be affected by desensitization with 100 microM histamine. However, the second
      phase of the ATP response was significantly reduced after desensitization with
      histamine (control cells: 516 +/- 33 nM; desensitized cells: 331 +/- 96 nM, n =
      4, P < 0.05).5. Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) by phorbol-12-myristate-1 3
      acetate was found to inhibit the histamine as well as ATP-induced Ca2" response
      in a dose-dependent manner.6. In PKC downregulated cells the second phase of the
      histamine-induced Ca2+ response was significantly elevated, indicating the
      involvement of PKC in the negative feedback on the Ca2+ influx(control cells:
      second phase: 601 +/- 52 nM (n = 11); PKC downregulated cells: second phase:890
      +/- 90nM, n = I0, P<0.05).7. Homologous desensitization of H, receptor
      responsiveness was still observed in PKC downregulated cells, implying the rapid
      activation of a regulatory mechanism other than PKC.8. Based on our experimental
      data we suggest that short-term desensitization of the histamine H,receptor
      evolves from two different processes: a selective reduction of the histamine
      induced Ca2+ release, mediated by a PKC-independent pathway, and a non-selective
      inhibition of the receptormediated Ca2+ influx activated by a PKC-dependent
      pathway.

PMID- 1422592
TI  - The effect of SK&F 95654, a novel phosphodiesterase inhibitor, on cardiovascular,
      respiratory and platelet function.
AB  - 1. SK&F 95654 inhibited the guanosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic GMP)
      inhibited phosphodiesterase (cGI-PDE) with an IC50 value of 0.7 microM. The IC50
      values were greater than 100 microM for the other four phosphodiesterase
      isoenzymes tested. The R-enantiomer of SK&F 95654 (IC50 = 0.35 microM) was a more
      potent inhibitor of cGI-PDE than was the S-enantiomer (IC50 = 5.3 microM). 2. In
      the guinea-pig working heart, SK&F 95654 produced a positive inotropic response
      without altering heart rate. 3. Oral administration of SK&F 95654 to conscious
      dogs caused dose-dependent increases in left ventricular dp/dtmax in the range 10
      50 micrograms kg-1. These positive inotropic responses were maintained for 3 h
      without simultaneous changes in heart rate or blood pressure. The peak effects on
      left ventricular dp/dtmax were similar for orally and intravenously administered
      compound, indicating good oral bioavailability. 4. SK&F 95654 caused a potent
      inhibition of U46619-induced aggregation in both a human washed platelet
      suspension (WPS) (IC50 = 70 nM) and in human platelet-rich plasma (PRP) (IC50 =
      60 nM), indicating that the compound shows negligible plasma binding. 5. The R
      enantiomer of SK&F 95654 was twenty fold more potent as an inhibitor of platelet
      aggregation than was the S-enantiomer. The similarity of this ratio to that
      obtained on the cGI-PDE suggests that SK&F 95654 inhibits platelet aggregation
      via its effects on cGI-PDE. This was also indicated by studies which showed that
      SK&F 95654 increased adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) levels and
      activated cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in human platelets. 6. Collagen
      induced aggregation of rat PRP was also inhibited by SK&F 95654 (ICso = 65 nM).
      The effects of SK&F 95654, administered intravenously, on ex vivo platelet
      aggregation were studied in the conscious rat. At 1 mg kg-', SK&F 95654 inhibited
      aggregation for at least 4 h post dose and was more potent than the two other cGI
      PDE inhibitors studied (siguazodan and SK&F 94120).7. In contrast to its potent
      effects on heart and platelets, SK&F 95654 caused only a modest relaxation of
      histamine- or U46619-induced bronchoconstriction in the anaesthetized, ventilated
      guinea-pig.8. Taken together, these results indicate that SK&F 95654 may be a
      suitable agent for the treatment of congestive heart failure.

PMID- 1422593
TI  - NG-hydroxy-L-arginine prevents the haemodynamic effects of nitric oxide synthesis
      inhibition in the anaesthetized rat.
AB  - 1. We have investigated the effects of L-hydroxy-L-arginine (L-HOArg), an
      intermediate in the biosynthesis of nitric oxide (NO) from L-arginine (L-Arg), on
      the haemodynamic effects (systemic blood pressure and renal blood flow) of the NO
      synthesis inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) in the
      anaesthetized rat. 2. L-Arg or L-HOArg (3 mg kg-1 min-1), but not D-arginine (D
      Arg) or NG-hydroxy-D-arginine (D-HOArg), elicited a slight but significant
      increase in total renal blood flow (RBF) of 11 +/- 2% and 11 +/- 1%. Since mean
      arterial blood pressure (MAP) did not change this dose of L-Arg or L-HOArg
      resulted in a reduced renal vascular resistance (RVR) of the same magnitude. 3.
      Bolus injections of L-NAME, at 0.3 or 1 mg kg-1 i.v., produced a significant fall
      in RBF of 11 +/- 2% and 32 +/- 5% and an increase in MAP of 7 +/- 3 mmHg and 22
      +/- 5 mmHg, respectively. Consequently, RVR was elevated by 21 +/- 5% and 52 +/-
      10%. 4. L-Arg or L-HOArg (3 mg kg-1 min-1) reduced the L-NAME-induced (0.3 or 1
      mg kg-1) falls in RBF and increases in RVR by more than 65%. Neither D-Arg nor D
      HOArg (3 mg kg-1 min-1) had any significant effect on the changes in RBF or RVR
      induced by L-NAME. 5. L-Arg or L-HOArg (3 mg kg-' min-') attenuated the pressor
      effect of L-NAME (3 mg kg-') by 73% and 64%, respectively, while neither the D
      isomer of arginine nor hydroxyarginine had any effect.6. These results
      demonstrate that L-HOArg antagonizes the haemodynamic effects of NO-biosynthesis
      inhibition in vivo, thus supporting the hypothesis that L-HOArg is an
      intermediate in the formation of NO from L-Arg.

PMID- 1422594
TI  - Cytosolic calcium increase in coronary endothelial cells after H2O2 exposure and
      the inhibitory effect of U78517F.
AB  - 1. Cytosolic calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]i) were determined with fura-2 on both
      resting (unstimulated) and A23187-stimulated coronary endothelial cells following
      injury by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). 2. Treatment of cells with H2O2 (10(-4) M)
      caused an increase in the resting [Ca2+]i, which reached a maximum of five fold
      after 3 h. 3. The increase in resting [Ca2+]i was significantly attenuated by
      treatment with U78517F, a potent inhibitor of lipid peroxidation, at a
      concentration of 10(-6) M or greater. Catalase (50 u ml-1) also markedly
      inhibited the H2O2-induced rise in [Ca2+]i. Pretreatment with verapamil (10(-5)
      M), nifedipine (10(-6) M) or diltiazem (10(-5) M) had no effect on the increase
      in [Ca2+]i following addition of H2O2. 4. A23187 produced a transient increase in
      [Ca2+]i followed by a sustained plateau. The initial peak and plateau phase
      responses to A23187 were augmented by H2O2. This augmentation of [Ca2+]i was
      suppressed by U78517F or catalase but not by Ca-entry blockers. 5. Thus, it is
      likely that lipid peroxidation plays a critical role in the sustained increase in
      [Ca2+]i that occurs following treatment with H2O2 and that this continues in the
      presence of agonists which stimulate the endothelium. Voltage-gated Ca2+ channels
      do not seem to be involved in the genesis of cellular damage associated with
      sustained large increases in [Ca2+]i.

PMID- 1422595
TI  - L-689,660, a novel cholinomimetic with functional selectivity for M1 and M3
      muscarinic receptors.
AB  - 1. L-689,660, 1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, 3-(6-chloropyrazinyl)maleate, a novel
      cholinomimetic, demonstrated high affinity binding (pKD (apparent) 7.42) at rat
      cerebral cortex muscarinic receptors. L-689,660 had a low ratio (34) of pKD
      (apparent) values for the displacement of binding of the antagonist ([3H]-N
      methylscopolamine ([3H]-NMS) compared with the displacement of the agonist [3H]
      oxotremorine-M ([3H]-Oxo-M), in rat cerebral cortex. Low NMS/Oxo-M ratios have
      been shown previously to be a characteristic of compounds that are low efficacy
      partial agonists with respect to stimulation of phosphatidyl inositol turnover in
      the cerebral cortex. 2. L-689,660 showed no muscarinic receptor subtype
      selectivity in radioligand binding assays but showed functional selectivity in
      pharmacological assays. At M1 muscarinic receptors in the rat superior cervical
      ganglion, L-689,660 was a potent (pEC50 7.3 +/- 0.2) full agonist in comparison
      with (+/-)-muscarine. At M3 receptors in the guinea-pig ileum myenteric plexus
      longitudinal muscle or in trachea, L-689,660 was again a potent agonist (pEC50
      7.5 +/- 0.2 and 7.7 +/- 0.3 respectively) but had a lower maximum response than
      carbachol. In contrast L-689,660 was an antagonist at M2 receptors in guinea-pig
      atria (pA2 7.2 (95% confidence limits 7, 7.4)) and at muscarinic autoreceptors in
      rat hippocampal slices. 3. The putative M1-selective muscarinic agonist, AF102B
      (cis-2-methylspiro-(1,3-oxathiolane 5,3')-quinuclidine hydrochloride) was found
      to have a profile similar to L-689,660 but had up to 100 times less affinity in
      binding and functional assays.RS-86 (2-ethyl-8-methyl-2,8-diazospiro[4,5]decan
      1,3-dionehydrochloride) also had lower affinity than L-689,660, and had no
      binding selectivity for muscarinic receptor subtypes. RS-86 had a higher NMS/Oxo
      M ratio than L-689,660 and was a full agonist at MI,M2 and M3 receptors in the
      functional pharmacological assays.4. The functional selectivity of L-689,660 in
      muscarinic pharmacological assays is consistent with the effects of a low
      efficacy partial agonist in tissues with different effective receptor reserves.

PMID- 1422596
TI  - Effects of long-term oral administration of amiodarone on the electromechanical
      performance of rabbit ventricular muscle.
AB  - 1. The effects of long-term administration of oral amiodarone on transmembrane
      action potential and contraction of ventricular muscle were investigated in
      rabbits. 2. ECGs of rabbits that received oral amiodarone 50 mg or 100 mg kg-1
      daily for 4 weeks, showed a significant prolongation of RR, QT and corrected QT
      (QTc) intervals, whereas PQ and QRS were unaffected. Serum and myocardial tissue
      amiodarone concentrations were 0.14-0.18 micrograms ml-1 and 1.47-3.63 micrograms
      g-1 wet wt. respectively. 3. Right ventricular papillary muscles isolated from
      treated rabbits were characterized by a moderate prolongation of action potential
      duration (APD) compared with controls. A slight decrease of the maximum upstroke
      velocity (Vmax) was also observed at the higher dose. The APD prolongation by
      chronic amiodarone, unlike acute effects of sotalol, E-4031, Cs+ and 4
      aminopyridine, did not show marked reverse use-dependence. 4. APD and Vmax
      restitution following slow basic stimuli (0.03 Hz) were unaffected by chronic
      treatment with amiodarone. 5. Acute application of amiodarone (10 microM) caused
      a significant decrease in APD and developed tension, as well as a marked use
      dependent Vmax inhibition with fast recovery kinetics. 6. These findings suggest
      that a major and consistent electro-physiological effect of chronic amiodarone is
      repolarization delay (Class-III action) showing minimal frequency-dependence.
      However, when amiodarone above a certain concentration is present in the
      extracellular space, a fast kinetic Class-I action would be added as an acute
      effect.

PMID- 1422597
TI  - Electrophysiological effects of CRE-1087 in guinea-pig ventricular muscles.
AB  - 1. The electrophysiological effects of CRE-1087, a new antiarrhythmic drug, were
      studied in guinea-pig papillary muscles. 2. CRE-1087 (10(-7) M-10(-4) M) produced
      a concentration-dependent decrease in the action potential amplitude and Vmax of
      the upstroke without altering the action potential duration or the resting
      membrane potential. 3. At 5 x 10(-6) M, CRE-1087 produced a 5.0 +/- 1.0% tonic
      Vmax block and this value was not modified at the different rates of stimulation
      tested. In the presence of CRE-1087, trains of stimuli at rates between 0.5 and 3
      Hz led to an exponential decline in Vmax (frequency-dependent Vmax block) which
      augmented at higher rates of stimulation. At 2 Hz the onset kinetics of the
      frequency-dependent Vmax block was fitted by a monoexponential function being the
      K value 0.099 +/- 0.012 AP-1. The time constant for the recovery of Vmax from the
      frequency-dependent block was prolonged to 18.3 +/- 1.5 s. 4. CRE-1087 (5 x 10(
      6) M) did not shift the membrane responsiveness curve. 5. CRE-1087 had no effect
      on the characteristics of the slow action potentials elicited by isoprenaline in
      ventricular fibres depolarized by 27 mM KCl, which suggested that CRE-1087 did
      not exhibit class IV (Ca antagonist) antiarrhythmic actions. 6. The slow onset
      and the slow offset kinetics of frequency-dependent Vmax block during repetitive
      activity suggested that in guinea-pig ventricular muscle fibres CRE-1087
      exhibited class Ic antiarrhythmic actions.

PMID- 1422598
TI  - Capsazepine: a competitive antagonist of the sensory neurone excitant capsaicin.
AB  - 1. Capsazepine is a synthetic analogue of the sensory neurone excitotoxin,
      capsaicin. The present study shows the capsazepine acts as a competitive
      antagonist of capsaicin. 2. Capsazepine (10 microM) reversibly reduced or
      abolished the current response to capsaicin (500 nM) of voltage-clamped dorsal
      root ganglion (DRG) neurones from rats. In contrast, the responses to 50 microM
      gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and 5 microM adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) were
      unaffected. 3. The effects of capsazepine were examined quantitatively with
      radioactive ion flux experiments. Capsazepine inhibited the capsaicin (500 nM)
      induced 45Ca2+ uptake in cultures of rat DRG neurones with an IC50 of 420 +/- 46
      nM (mean +/- s.e.mean, n = 6). The 45Ca2+ uptake evoked by resiniferatoxin (RTX),
      a potent capsaicin-like agonist was also inhibited. (Log concentration)-effect
      curves for RTX (0.3 nM-1 microM) were shifted in a competitive manner by
      capsazepine. The Schild plot of the data had a slope of 1.08 +/- 0.15 (s.e.) and
      gave an apparent Kd estimate for capsazepine of 220 nM (95% confidence limits, 57
      400 nM). 4. Capsazepine also inhibited the capsaicin- and RTX-evoked efflux of
      86Rb+ from cultured DRG neurones. The inhibition appeared to be competitive and
      Schild plots yielded apparent Kd estimates of 148 nM (95% confidence limits, 30
      332 nM) with capsaicin as the agonist and 107 nM (95% confidence limits, 49-162
      nM) with RTX as agonist. 5. A similar competitive inhibition by capsazepine was
      seen for capsaicin-induced [14C]-guanidinium efflux from segments of adult rat
      vagus nerves (apparent Kd = 690 nM; 95% confidence limits, 63 nM-1.45 microM). No
      significant difference was noted in the apparent Kd estimates for capsazepine in
      assays on cultured DRG neurones and vagus nerve as shown by the overlap in the
      95% confidence limits.6. Capsazepine, at concentrations up to 1O microM, had no
      significant effects on the efflux of 86Rb+ from cultured DRG neurones evoked
      either by depolarization with high (50 mM) K' solutions or by acidification of
      the external medium to pH 5.0-5.6. Similarly capsazepine had no significant
      effect on he depolarization (50 mM KCl)-induced efflux of [14C]-guanidinium from
      vagus nerve preparations.7. Ruthenium Red was also tested for antagonism against
      capsaicin evoked ['4C]-guanidinium release from vague nerves and capsaicin
      induced 45Ca2" uptake in cultures of DRG neurones. In contrast to capsazepine the
      inhibition by Ruthenium Red (10-500nM in DRG and 0.5-10microM in vagus nerve
      experiments) was not consistent with a competitive antagonism, but rather
      suggested a more complex,non-competitive inhibition.

PMID- 1422599
TI  - Inhibition by phosphoramidon of the regional haemodynamic effects of
      proendothelin-2 and -3 in conscious rats.
AB  - 1. Regional haemodynamic studies were carried out in conscious, Long Evans rats,
      chronically-instrumented with pulsed Doppler flow probes and intravascular
      catheters. 2. In the first experiment, proendothelin-2 and -3 (0.1 and 1.0 nmol
      kg-1, i.v. boluses) were found to cause dose-dependent pressor, bradycardic, and
      renal and, particularly, mesenteric vasoconstrictor effects. The hindquarters
      showed an initial vasodilatation (which was not dose-dependent) followed by a
      vasoconstriction (which was dose-related). The pressor and renal and mesenteric
      vasoconstrictor effects of proendothelin-3 were greater than those of
      proendothelin-2. 3. In the second experiment, it was demonstrated that
      phosphoramidon (10 mumol kg-1, i.v. bolus) abolished the pressor, bradycardiac,
      and hindquarters vasoconstrictor effects of proendothelin-2 (1.0 nmol kg-1), and
      inhibited significantly the renal and mesenteric vasoconstrictor actions of this
      peptide. Phosphoramidon had similar effects on the responses to proendothelin-3
      (1.0 nmol kg-1), although a slight pressor effect of this peptide remained in the
      presence of phosphoramidon. 4. In the third experiment, it was found that
      phosphoramidon had no significant effect on the pressor or vasoconstrictor
      responses to endothelin-2 or -3 (0.1 nmol kg-1). 5. Collectively, the results
      indicate that the haemodynamic effects of proendothelin-2 and -3 in vivo in
      conscious rats are probably due to their conversion to endothelin-2 and -3,
      respectively, by an enzyme(s) that is inhibited by phosphoramidon. There appears
      to be no obvious difference between proendothelin-2, proendothelin-3 and
      proendothelin-1 in this respect.

PMID- 1422600
TI  - 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) mediates potent relaxation in the sheep isolated
      pulmonary vein via activation of 5-HT4 receptors.
AB  - 1. We investigated the potent 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-mediated vasorelaxation
      of the sheep pulmonary vein. Here we present evidence that this response is due
      to activation of 5-HT4 receptors. 2. 5-HT (1-1000 nM) caused concentration
      dependent, maintained relaxations (pEC50 = 8.4 +/- 0.1) of isolated rings of
      sheep pulmonary vein pre-contracted with endothelin-1 (3 nM). 3. The relaxation
      response to 5-HT was unaffected by either removal of the endothelium or by
      inhibition of NO-synthase by NG-nitro-L-arginine (100 microM). 4. Ketanserin,
      methiothepin, methysergide and MDL 72222 at concentrations that selectively block
      5-HT2, 5-HT1-like and 5-HT3 receptors respectively, had no effect on the
      concentration-relaxation curve to 5-HT. 5. ICS 205-930 (1-10 microM)
      competitively antagonized the concentration-relaxation curve to 5-HT with a pA2
      of approximately 6.7. 6. Increasing the concentration of ICS 205-930 from 10 to
      30 microM did not cause a further rightward shift of the 5-HT concentration
      relaxation curve. The pEC50 of 6.50 for 5-HT in the presence of ICS 205-930 (30
      microM) was taken as an estimate of the affinity of 5-HT for 5-HT1-like receptors
      since methiothepin (10 nM) unmasked further competitive inhibition of 5-HT in the
      presence of this concentration of ICS 205-930. 7. Other 5-HT agonists including 5
      carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT), alpha-methyl-5-HT and BIMU 8 (but not 2-methyl-5
      HT) also relaxed the pulmonary vein.The response to 5-CT was inhibited by
      methiothepin (10 nM) and methysergide (100 nM) but unaffected by ICS 205-930 (30
      microM), whilst that toa-methyl-5-HT and BIMU 8 was unaffected by methiothepin
      (10 nM) but blocked by ICS 205-930(estimated pKB values of 6.4 and 6.9
      respectively). Relaxation curves to both 5-HT and BIMU 8 were unaffected by
      cocaine (6 microM).8. In conclusion, these results indicate that the sheep
      pulmonary vein possesses 5-HT4 receptors that mediate potent endothelium
      independent relaxation. 5-HT,-like relaxant receptors are also present in this
      tissue but 5-HT has a lower affinity at these receptors. This preparation may
      thus provide a robust and sensitive bioassay for future development of selective
      5-HT4 receptor agonists and antagonists.

PMID- 1422601
TI  - The role of endothelial cells in the relaxations induced by 13-hydroxy- and 13
      hydroperoxylinoleic acid in canine arteries.
AB  - 1. One of the major fatty acids in the arterial wall is linoleic acid. It has
      been shown that its 13-hydroxy metabolite (13-HODE) is generated in significant
      amounts by cultured endothelial cells. The aim of the present study was to
      investigate the relaxations to 13-HODE and its hydroperoxyprecursor (13-HPODE)
      and to examine the role of the endothelial cells. 2. Ring segments of canine
      circumflex and splenic artery were mounted in organ chambers for isometric
      tension recording. During contractions induced by prostaglandin F2 alpha or
      noradrenaline, 13-HODE and 13-HPODE evoked dose-dependent relaxations. Removal of
      the endothelial cells reduced the relaxations to 13-HODE, but had no effect on
      those elicited by 13-HPODE. 3. Indomethacin and meclofenamate (0.3 microM to 30
      microM) blocked the relaxations evoked by 13-HODE and 13-HPODE in endothelium
      denuded rings. In segments with endothelium, both cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors
      again abolished the relaxations to 13-HODE, but only diminished those to 13
      HPODE. 4. Prostacyclin biosynthesis, as measured by radioimmunoassay, increased
      upon incubation with 13-HODE and 13-HPODE (10 microM). Bioassay of the release of
      nitric oxide (NO) indicated that NO was not involved in the relaxations elicited
      by either metabolite. Moreover, L-NG-nitroarginine (100 microM), a specific
      inhibitor of NO synthesis, did not influence the relaxations to 13-HODE and 13
      HPODE. The responses to 13-HPODE were also not altered by superoxide dismutase.
      5. In the splenic artery 13-HPODE and 13-HODE induced contractions above 3 microM
      which were blocked by the thromboxane receptor antagonist, daltroban.In the
      circumflex artery contractile responses to high concentrations of 13-HODE could
      be observed only after inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase.6. We conclude that the
      vasodilatation induced by 13-HODE and 13-HPODE was due to stimulation of
      prostacyclin biosynthesis both in the endothelium and smooth muscle cells or
      other subendothelial structures. An additional, unidentified intermediate, which
      was neither NO nor a cyclo-oxygenase product nor superoxide anion, contributed to
      the relaxations to 13-HPODE in arteries with endothelium.

PMID- 1422602
TI  - In vitro denervation of the rat vas deferens through hypothermic storage.
AB  - 1. The rat vas deferens was excised, stored at 4-6 degrees C and tested after 24,
      48, 72 or 96 h for its contractile activity and for the presence of innervation.
      2. The maximal contractile capacity of the vas, tested through cumulative
      concentrations of barium chloride (3 x 10(-2) M) was progressively reduced from
      about 110 mm to about 63 mm after 72 h, without further decay after 96 h.
      Spontaneous rhythmic contractions were practically absent. 3. A loss of
      endogenous pools of catecholamines was indicated by four parameters: (a) a
      decline of about 80% after 24 h and of more than 95% after 48 h of the
      contractile effect of the indirect sympathomimetic agonist tyramine; (b) a fall
      of about 20%, 50% and 85% on the concentration of noradrenaline, respectively
      after 24, 48 and 72 h; (c) a fall of about 25% and 90% after respectively 24 and
      48 h, of the activity of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH); (d) a decline of
      noradrenaline-induced histofluorescence on cross sections of the vas. 4. A loss
      of neuronal uptake capacity was indicated by: (a) a progressive variation of the
      apparent affinity for adrenaline, expressed as pD2 values, that increased by
      about 1.5 log units (corresponding to a 30 fold potentiation) after 72 h, and (b)
      a reduction of the ability of cocaine to potentiate the contractile effects of
      adrenaline. 5. The pD2 values for barium chloride, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and
      histamine were not significantly changed, while the corresponding value for
      acetylcholine was slightly but significantly reduced by about 0.8 log units. 6.
      The maximal heights of concentration-response curves for noradrenaline,
      acetylcholine, histamine and 5-HT were reduced by 42-66% in relation to controls.
      However, when this reduction was measured in relation to the corresponding barium
      effect, by means of the relative responsiveness ratio (p), a small though
      significant increase was observed for noradrenaline, and a fall for the other
      drugs.7. It is concluded that: (1) the values for the various biochemical and
      pharmacological parameters decline at different rates, though revealing
      altogether that denervation is completed by at least 85% after 72 h of
      hypothermic storage; (2) two of the results, i.e., the lack of spontaneous
      rhythmic contractions and the lack of increased contractile effects for
      acetylcholine, 5-HT and histamine, indicate that in these conditions the vas is
      devoid of the so-called nonspecific signs of denervation.

PMID- 1422603
TI  - Endothelium-dependent modulation of resistance vessel contraction: studies with
      NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and NG-nitro-L-arginine.
AB  - 1. The effect of NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and NG-nitro-L
      arginine (L-NOARG) on noradrenaline (NA)-induced contractility and acetylcholine
      (ACh)-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation was studied in rat mesenteric
      resistance arteries. 2. Third order branches of mesenteric arteries were
      dissected and mounted on two forty micron wires in a Mulvany myograph. 3.
      Incubation with L-NAME and L-NOARG (10 microM) caused a time-dependent shift in
      the 50% response to NA (ED50) (0.01 microM-10 microM) but was not associated with
      an increase in the maximum contractile response. 4. L-NAME and L-NOARG (10
      microM) caused a time-dependent inhibition of ACh (1 microM)-induced relaxation
      with a maximum effect after 120 min. 5. Following endothelium removal, incubation
      with either L-NAME or L-NOARG caused no significant shift in the ED50, although
      the residual relaxation response to ACh (1 microM) was further attenuated. 6.
      Incubation with the cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, enhanced the
      relaxation to ACh and reduced the inhibitory effects of L-NAME and L-NOARG. 7. In
      conclusion, L-NAME and L-NOARG are potent inhibitors of acetylcholine-induced
      endothelium-dependent relaxation in mesenteric resistance arteries. The shift in
      ED50 associated with these inhibitors suggests a probable role for the
      endothelium in modulating the contractility of the resistance vasculature.

PMID- 1422604
TI  - Mental health services in transition: the United States and the United Kingdom.

PMID- 1422605
TI  - Sociology in the context of social psychiatry.

PMID- 1422606
TI  - The assessment of insight in psychosis.
AB  - An assessment schedule was used to determine the nature of insight in 91 mixed
      psychotic patients, and to examine its distribution and associations. While all
      the components of the schedule intercorrelated significantly, scores for
      compliance were only weakly related to those for ability to label psychotic
      phenomena as abnormal. Compliance and illness recognition were related to IQ.
      Total insight score was inversely correlated, moderately, with a global measure
      of psychopathology derived from the PSE, and was less in patients involuntarily
      committed. Age, sex, diagnosis, and the number of previous hospital admissions
      had little effect. The results support the notion that insight is not a unitary
      concept.

PMID- 1422607
TI  - The perception of emotion by schizophrenic patients.
AB  - Studies which have examined the perception of emotion by schizophrenic patients
      have produced conflicting results, an outcome which may, in part, be due to
      difficulties in presenting a realistic portrayal of emotion. This study exposed
      32 schizophrenic patients in remission and ten controls to five videotaped scenes
      of emotional situations played by actors. The schizophrenic patients were divided
      into three groups, namely those living with high-EE relatives, those living with
      low-EE relatives and those living alone, in order to test the hypothesis that
      patients in a high-EE environment are less able to identify emotionally charged
      situations. Measures of electrodermal activity and self-ratings of tension were
      recorded concomitantly. The schizophrenic patients in all groups were as adept at
      identifying emotions as were the controls. There was no difference between the
      groups in electrodermal activity and subjective tension for all video scenes,
      except for the one which portrayed the only pleasant interaction; the high-EE
      group was significantly more aroused on both measures, which were independent of
      each other.

PMID- 1422608
TI  - Positive and negative symptoms. Relation to familial transmission of
      schizophrenia.
AB  - The authors assessed the relevance of clinical symptoms to genetic research in
      schizophrenia in the nuclear families of 65 chronic schizophrenic probands. The
      morbidity risk for schizophrenia and schizotypal personality (a 'spectrum'
      disorder) was markedly reduced in first-degree relatives of probands with
      predominant negative symptoms, as compared with relatives of probands with other
      symptom patterns. The data support the notion that negative-symptom schizophrenia
      has an attenuated genetic component.

PMID- 1422609
TI  - Life events and schizophrenic relapse after withdrawal of medication.
AB  - Research with schizophrenic out-patients has shown that antipsychotic medication
      reduces relapse rates. This protective factor may operate partially by raising
      the threshold for relapse in the face of environmental stressors such as life
      events and high levels of familial expressed emotion. A prospective, longitudinal
      design was employed in the monthly collection of life-events data with 23 recent
      onset schizophrenic out-patients. In a between-subjects ANOVA, a significantly
      higher frequency of independent life events was found in the month prior to a
      relapse for ten patients on medication, as compared with the analogous month for
      13 drug-free patients. These findings suggest that neuroleptic medication may
      produce a prophylactic effect by raising a patient's threshold of vulnerability
      to relapse.

PMID- 1422610
TI  - The TAPS project. 6: New long-stay psychiatric patients and social deprivation.
AB  - The clinical and social characteristics of new long-stay (NLS) patients at Friern
      and Claybury hospitals are described, together with their accumulation rates
      within health districts in northeast London, and the associations between
      accumulation rates and social deprivation. There is a fourfold variation between
      local districts in annual accumulation rates of NLS patients (between 2.5 and 11
      per 100,000 population); 0.55 of this variation is accounted for by the Jarman
      scores of social deprivation, and 0.81 by local rates of unemployment. Other
      recent British studies support this finding that measures of social deprivation
      can statistically explain a large proportion of the variation in treated rates of
      psychiatric morbidity, and may be useful in predicting needs for psychiatric
      services.

PMID- 1422611
TI  - The influence of antidepressants in overdose on the increased suicide rate in
      Ireland between 1971 and 1988.
AB  - There has been almost a threefold increase in the incidence of suicide in Ireland
      during the past 20 years. When each case occurring between 1971 and 1988 was
      reviewed, the major causes of death were found to be drowning and hanging.
      Deliberate overdoses with tricyclic antidepressants accounted for less than 4% of
      all suicides, over the 17 years studied, and during this time, overdose with
      tricyclics has made a proportionately smaller contribution to the total number of
      suicides. Greater attention should be paid to identifying and treating the
      majority of suicidal patients who are at risk by other methods.

PMID- 1422612
TI  - Salivary testosterone levels and major depressive illness in men.
AB  - Studies of testosterone levels in patients with major depressive illness have
      produced varying results, plasma levels usually being reported. Saliva levels
      reflect 'free' plasma testosterone, and a pilot study of 11 men with major
      depression with melancholia, who underwent a standard dexamethasone suppression
      test, is described. There were no significant differences in testosterone levels
      compared with an age-matched control group. In the patient group, pre
      dexamethasone levels correlated significantly and negatively with depression
      ratings on the 21-item Hamilton and the Montgomery and Asberg depression scales,
      and also with state anxiety measured on the Spielberger scale.

PMID- 1422613
TI  - Can we predict the persistence of depression?
AB  - Fifty-five patients with primary major depression were followed up prospectively
      from time of onset of the index illness episode until recovery. The course of
      depression in hospital-treated patients was protracted, with a median length of
      episode of one year. Two factors significantly predicted persistence of symptoms:
      interval between onset and receipt of treatment, and premorbid neuroticism, which
      accounted for 55% of the variance in length of episode.

PMID- 1422614
TI  - Homogamy: the relationships and sexual partners of normal-weight bulimic women.
AB  - This study reports the demography, weight, and alcohol and psychiatric histories
      of the sexual partners of 112 consecutive patients with bulimia nervosa, all from
      an urban catchment area. Seventy-three patients (65%) had a current sexual
      partner. The partners were of similar social background, but slightly older. On
      average, partners were overweight (110% of MMPW) and over 27% reported having an
      eating or weight problem. A quarter of the partners had been treated for a
      psychiatric or emotional disorder. Nearly 40% drank more than 36 units of alcohol
      a week, and 14% had received treatment or consulted a doctor for alcohol-related
      problems. Heavy-drinking partners and multi-impulsive bulimics sought out each
      other. A quarter of partners had themselves been raised in a nuclear family in
      which a member had received psychiatric treatment; 12% had had a mother or sister
      with an eating disorder. Thirty-seven per cent of patients used a 'safe man',
      their fear of being hurt stemming from low self-esteem and a general sense of
      'failure', and for 11% the relationship was abusive.

PMID- 1422615
TI  - Factors associated with relapse among opiate addicts in an out-patient
      detoxification programme.
AB  - Relapse is a central problem in the treatment of addictive behaviour, and a
      specific problem in the out-patient treatment of the opiate withdrawal syndrome.
      This study investigated factors associated with relapse among 42 opiate addicts
      receiving out-patient detoxification treatment at a London drug-dependence
      clinic. All subjects completed a questionnaire about their social, psychological,
      and environmental circumstances in the week before interview, and were
      interviewed within the first two weeks of the programme. Forty per cent had
      lapsed to illicit heroin abuse within the previous week. Interpersonal factors
      and drug-related cues were associated with lapse to opiate use. Most subjects
      encountered a range of high-risk situations, such as regularly meeting other drug
      users and being offered drugs, and persistent negative mood states.

PMID- 1422616
TI  - Clomipramine versus phenelzine in obsessive-compulsive disorder. A controlled
      clinical trial.
AB  - A double-blind clinical trial of clomipramine versus phenelzine was carried out
      on 30 patients suffering from DSM-III obsessive-compulsive disorder. The study
      period was 12 weeks, and the maximum doses used (from the fifth week on) were 225
      mg/day for clomipramine (14 patients) and 75 mg/day for phenelzine (12 patients);
      four patients dropped out. Obsessive symptoms improved significantly in both drug
      groups, but there was no significant difference between groups. Depressive
      symptoms improved before obsessive ones.

PMID- 1422617
TI  - Differential rates of psychiatric disorders in adults with Down's syndrome
      compared with other mentally handicapped adults.
AB  - The total number of adults with Down's syndrome living in Leicestershire,
      ascertained by widespread enquiry, was found to be 378. Of these, 371 were
      matched with adults with mental handicap due to other pathologies, on the basis
      of age, sex, and type of residence. Those with Down's syndrome were found to have
      a different spectrum of mental disorders from those without the syndrome. In
      particular, Down's syndrome patients were more likely to have been diagnosed as
      having depression and dementia; the controls were more likely to have been
      diagnosed as suffering from conduct disorder, personality disorder, or
      schizophrenia/paranoid state. The same proportion of each group had been given a
      diagnosis of autism.

PMID- 1422618
TI  - The effect of age and residential placement on adaptive behaviour of adults with
      Down's syndrome.
AB  - Through widespread enquiry, the population of adults with Down's syndrome (aged
      over 18 years) in Leicestershire was estimated at 376. For 315 of these (83.8%),
      the immediate carer was invited to complete the Adaptive Behavior Scale (ABS).
      Completed ABS assessments were obtained on 81.9% of the adult population with
      Down's syndrome in the county. Additional information concerning residential
      history was obtained. When the sample was divided into five cohorts on the basis
      of age when the ABS assessment took place, an exponential decline in ability was
      observed. Deterioration in most domains of the ABS achieved statistical
      significance in the cohort aged 50-59, and in all domains in those aged 60 and
      over. The deterioration in global skills in older cohorts was attributed to
      ageing (and thereby probably Alzheimer's disease). Institutional placement was
      associated with low scores in younger groups only.

PMID- 1422619
TI  - Psychotic illness in multiple sclerosis. A clinical and magnetic resonance
      imaging study.
AB  - Ten patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and psychosis were assessed using the
      Present State Examination, and matched retrospectively with respect to age,
      disability, duration of symptoms, and disease type with 10 MS patients without
      psychosis. Both groups underwent MRI of the brain. There was a trend for the
      psychotic group to have a higher total lesion score, particularly around the
      periventricular areas. This reached statistical significance in the areas around
      the temporal horn. In all cases, neurological symptoms preceded the onset of
      psychosis. The psychotic group also had a later age of onset of psychosis than
      psychotic patients without brain disease. These results point to an aetiological
      association between the pathological process of MS and psychosis.

PMID- 1422620
TI  - Diagnoses are not diseases.
AB  - The psychiatric community seems determined to ground its medical legitimacy on
      principles that confuse diagnoses with disease. If mental illnesses are diseases
      of the CNS, they are diseases of the brain, not the mind. If mental illnesses are
      the names of (mis)behaviour, they are forms of behaviour, not diseases.
      Psychiatric metaphors have the same role in medicine as religious metaphors have
      in theology. Religion is, among other things, the institutionalised denial of a
      finite life. Psychiatry is, among other things, the institutionalised denial of
      the tragic nature of life: individuals who want to reject the reality of free
      will and responsibility can medicalise life, and entrust its management to health
      professionals. Psychiatrists have succeeded in persuading the scientific
      community, the courts, the media, and the general public that the conditions they
      call mental disorders are diseases, that is, phenomena independent of motivation
      or will. The more firmly psychiatrically based ideas take hold of the collective
      American mind, the more foolishness and injustice they generate. Long ago, the
      law makers agreed to let psychiatrists literalise the metaphor of mental
      illnesses. Thus, the Americans With Disabilities Act (AWDA), scheduled to be
      fully implemented by July 1992, covers claustrophobia, personality problems, and
      mental retardation, though unlike DSM-III-R it excludes kleptomania, pyromania,
      compulsive gambling, and transvestism. The literal language of psychiatry allows
      motivated actions to be called 'disease'. Other examples of behaviour for which
      psychiatrists have disease names, and which AWDA implicitly accepts as genuine
      diseases, include dysmorphophobia, multiple personality disorder, frotteurism,
      hypoactive sexual desire disorder, and fractitious disorder with physical
      symptoms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422621
TI  - Puerperal affective psychosis: is there a case for lithium prophylaxis?
AB  - It is well known that women with a history of manic-depressive or puerperal
      affective psychosis are at particularly high risk of relapse in the puerperium.
      This paper describes the use of lithium given during or after pregnancy to women
      with a history of bipolar illness or puerperal affective psychosis. The rate of
      puerperal relapse in these subjects was compared with that in a similar group of
      women not on lithium. The significantly better outcome of the treatment group
      highlights the need for a prospective controlled trial looking at the
      effectiveness of lithium in minimising puerperal bipolar relapse.

PMID- 1422622
TI  - Obsessive-compulsive disorder and paraphilia in a monozygotic twin pair.
AB  - We report OCD and paraphilia in two male members of triplets (the two males being
      monozygotic twins), and discuss the possible aetiological factors for this
      previously unreported occurrence. We suggest that patients presenting with
      paraphilia should be examined for OCD and that a detailed sexual history should
      be obtained in all patients with OCD.

PMID- 1422623
TI  - A transsexual male with 47,XYY karyotype.
AB  - Transsexuals are usually found to have a normal chromosome complement. The
      literature to date documents four transsexuals with 47,XYY pattern. This paper
      reports a fertile male with major cell line of 47,XYY and a gender identity
      disorder.

PMID- 1422624
TI  - Hyperkinetic syndrome and disruptive early experiences.
AB  - Five children aged 8-10 years presenting to child psychiatric clinics with
      hyperkinetic syndrome and severe disruptive early experiences are described. At
      referral all had been living in stable families for a minimum of four years.
      Biological risk factors were absent. It is proposed that the disruption of early
      attachments resulted in ill-regulated search and exploratory behaviour and that
      this had a continuing effect on the children's ability to focus and control
      attention skills and motor behaviour.

PMID- 1422625
TI  - Verbally mediated childhood post-traumatic stress disorder.
AB  - This report chronicles the verbally mediated traumatisation and subsequent PTSD
      in an 11-year-old girl. Information obtained from parental interviews, academic
      transcripts, anecdotal teacher comments, structured and unstructured interviews,
      and standardised anxiety, depression, and misconduct scales was used to highlight
      the unique distress of the patient.

PMID- 1422626
TI  - The clinical efficacy of maintenance electroconvulsive therapy in a patient with
      a mild mental handicap.
AB  - A 32-year-old chronically relapsing depressed male patient with a mild mental
      handicap had tried different forms of pharmacotherapy which were either not
      tolerated or failed to prevent recurrences of episodes of psychotic depression.
      The use of maintenance ECT as the mainstay of the therapeutic regime led to a
      marked consistent clinical improvement.

PMID- 1422627
TI  - Delusional parasitosis: folie a deux and attempted murder of a family doctor.
AB  - A 58-year-old woman suffering from delusional parasitosis tried to kill her
      general practitioner. Her husband shared in her beliefs but lost all delusional
      conviction after she was compulsorily admitted to a special hospital. The case
      illustrates the intractable nature and potential dangerousness of some of these
      cases, and their affinity to paranoia.

PMID- 1422628
TI  - Schizophrenia following prenatal exposure to influenza epidemics between 1939 and
      1960.

PMID- 1422629
TI  - Ventricle-brain ratio in schizophrenia.

PMID- 1422630
TI  - Cost-benefit analysis of the Daily Living Programme.

PMID- 1422631
TI  - Insight and illusion.

PMID- 1422632
TI  - ECT for young people.

PMID- 1422633
TI  - Community care and suicide.

PMID- 1422634
TI  - 5-HT2 receptors, hallucinations, and dementia.

PMID- 1422635
TI  - Clinical use of moclobemide in Kleine-Levin syndrome.

PMID- 1422636
TI  - Lay theories of schizophrenia.

PMID- 1422637
TI  - Probing dexfenfluramine.

PMID- 1422638
TI  - Longevity and Down's syndrome.

PMID- 1422639
TI  - Psychophysiological investigations of patients with unilateral symptoms in the
      hyperventilation syndrome.

PMID- 1422640
TI  - Neuroleptic malignant syndrome.

PMID- 1422641
TI  - Self videotaping during psychosis.

PMID- 1422642
TI  - Length of training, hostility and the martial arts: a comparison with other
      sporting groups.
AB  - Previous research has indicated that training in the martial arts leads to a
      reduction in levels of hostility. However, such research has only compared
      hostility within martial arts groups. The present research compares two martial
      arts groups and two other sporting groups on levels of assaultive, verbal and
      indirect hostility. Moderated multiple regression analyses revealed a significant
      interaction between length of training in the respondent's stated sport and
      whether that sport was a martial art in predicting assaultive and verbal
      hostility. The form of the interaction suggests that participation in the martial
      arts is associated, over time, with decreased feelings of assaultive and verbal
      hostility.

PMID- 1422644
TI  - Medical cover for 'The Open' golf championship.
AB  - A review of 10 years' provision of medical cover at a major golf championship is
      presented. The average consultation rate was approximately 1 in 200 of those
      attending of whom 3% required transfer to hospital, the majority to orthopaedic
      or general medical departments. Familiarity with acute resuscitation and
      musculoskeletal complaints is required of the medical attendants. The provision
      of physiotherapy and chiropody services is essential, especially for the
      participants' complaints, two-thirds of which affected the axial skeleton. Good
      communications and close liaison with the Chief Marshal, Police and Ambulance
      Services are vital.

PMID- 1422643
TI  - Aetiology of handball injuries: a case--control study.
AB  - This article presents the results of a case--control study regarding the
      background to handball injuries among players of 12 years and older. Data were
      collected by means of a written questionnaire on the nature, location and direct
      causes of the injuries as well as information on risk factors. Injured players (n
      = 130) are compared with non-injured players (n = 512). The response for the
      cases was 67% and for the controls 75%. These injuries are frequently located at
      the lower extremities (54% of injuries), especially the ankle, and the majority
      involve distortions (35%) and strains (26%). Players greater than 20 years have a
      significantly greater risk of injury than players less than 20 years (odds ratio
      1.9). Several factors seem to increase the injury risk, although not
      significantly: having greater than 5 years experience, not doing stretching
      exercises and not wearing tape or bandages. Another factor, not wearing elbow
      protectors, appears to decrease the injury risk significantly. It is advisable to
      interpret the results of this study with some caution, as selection and
      information bias might have influenced the validity to some extent. Furthermore,
      the reliability of the data is limited due to the relatively small number of
      injured players in the study. Some guidelines for future studies are formulated.

PMID- 1422645
TI  - Kenyan team care at the Special Olympics--1991.
AB  - The Kenyan team that competed at the International Summer Special Olympics
      comprised 38 athletes (both men and women) selected from all competitors at the
      national championships. The team was examined and a physiological fitness test
      carried out. The results enabled the organizers to arrange for treatment of
      prevailing illnesses, and the training programme was adjusted to the athletes'
      level. This team was voted the best team of the month of July, having won 33
      gold, three silver and two bronze medals. Sound medical care of athletes should
      be taken before and during competition. Such management should aim at minimizing
      injuries and enabling athletes to perform at their best.

PMID- 1422646
TI  - More ways than one to slip on a banana: unusual forms of water sport injuries.

PMID- 1422647
TI  - Controlled trial of an ankle support (Malleotrain) in acute ankle injuries.
AB  - A randomized, controlled parallel-group trial has assessed 14 days' use of a new
      ankle support (Malleotrain, Bauerfeind, Aldershot, UK) in 220 patients (118
      Malleotrain, 102 control group) with acute ankle injuries. Self-assessed pain
      levels were significantly lower in the group using Malleotrain at the end of the
      trial (P less than 0.05), as were median times taken for reduction of symptom
      scores to 10% (P less than 0.05) and total analgesic consumption during the trial
      (P less than 0.05). Overall clinical assessment scores were significantly
      superior in the Malleotrain group (P less than 0.02). Of those patients who
      received Malleotrain, 112 of 116 patients who commented (95% of all Malleotrain
      treated patients) did so positively and only one patient stopped wearing the
      support during the trial. Malleotrain is acceptable to patients with acute ankle
      injuries and its use increases the rate of alleviation of symptoms. Its use
      should therefore be considered in the management of all such patients.

PMID- 1422648
TI  - Fell walking injuries in Cumbria: a review.
AB  - An analysis of injuries sustained during fell walking in Cumbria and seen at the
      West Cumberland Hospital over a 3-year period is presented. There were 90
      patients, including 19 multiple injuries and four deaths. This report focuses
      attention on the seriousness and magnitude of injuries associated with a pastime
      often thought to be harmless and risk-free.

PMID- 1422649
TI  - Mood, mileage and the menstrual cycle.
AB  - Forty women took part in a study to determine the effects of high-intensity
      training and the menstrual cycle on mood states. Half of the sample were
      competitive distance runners following a training load of between 50 km and 130
      km running per week. Seven athletes were amenorrhoeic and 13 either eumenorrhoeic
      or oligomenorrhoeic. The remaining 20 subjects were inactive women who
      menstruated regularly. The mean age of all 40 subjects was 29 years. Each subject
      completed two identical Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaires. The 33
      menstruating subjects completed both a premenstrual and a midcycle form and the
      amenorrhoeic athletes completed the questionnaires at a 3-week interval, which
      acted as a control for the potential effects of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) among
      the menstruating females. Results showed highly significant differences in mood
      profiles among amenorrhoeic athletes, non-amenorrhoeic athletes and inactive
      women. The greatest difference was between premenstrual and midcycle measures for
      the inactive group. PMS appears to cause marked negative mood swings among
      menstruating women which the POMS inventory is sensitive in detecting. While the
      lower-intensity-training runners appeared to benefit psychologically from a
      training distance of approximately 50 km week-1, high-intensity training had an
      adverse effect on mood.

PMID- 1422650
TI  - Muscle power predicts freestyle swimming performance.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between non-invasive
      laboratory measures of 'muscle power' and swim performance over sprint (50 m) and
      middle-distance (400 m) events. Twenty-two swimmers performed an upper and lower
      body Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAT) and a maximal sustained power output test (MPO)
      for the upper body. Peak power (PP) and mean power (MP) were determined for the
      WAT, while peak sustained workload (WLpeak) was determined for the MPO. Timed
      swims over 50 m and 400 m were undertaken by all swimmers during which the number
      of arm strokes per length was recorded. Highly significant relationships were
      found between sprint-swim speed (S50) and mean power of the arms (MP(arms)) (r =
      0.63, P less than 0.01), between S50 and mean power of the legs (MP(legs)) (r =
      0.76, P less than 0.001) and between S50 and the distance covered with each arm
      stroke (DS) (r = 0.91, P less than 0.001). Multiple regression analyses revealed
      that WAT power indices for the legs did not significantly increase explained
      variance in S50 above that of the arms. The relationship between WL(peak) and
      S400 was highly significant (r = 0.70, P less than 0.001) and indicates the
      importance of arm power in the longer distance swim events.

PMID- 1422651
TI  - Bulimia nervosa symptomatology and body image disturbance associated with
      distance running and weight loss.
AB  - To investigate the hypothesis that problems characteristic of eating disorders
      may often be associated with distance running, 20 women who had lost weight
      through distance running were compared with a control group who did not exercise
      and had not lost weight and a comparison group of bulimia nervosa patients.
      Dependent variables were measures of depression, bulimia nervosa symptomatology,
      and body image disturbance. No differences were found between the runner group
      and the normal controls. Bulimics differed from runners and controls on most
      measures. Thus, the results did not support the proposition that weight loss
      through running leads to problems related to eating and body image. The failure
      to find disturbances in body image in runners suggests that body image
      disturbances are not a direct result of weight loss, as suggested by some
      theorists.

PMID- 1422652
TI  - Altitude-dependent changes of directional hearing in mountaineers.
AB  - This study demonstrates apparent deterioration in the ability to localize sound
      associated with acute exposure to high altitude in ten subjects on three
      mountaineering expeditions. Furthermore, the auditory localization errors
      improved to sea level values after a period of acclimatization. Occurring at
      altitudes where overt neurological symptoms are not usually seen, impairment of
      sensory perception may explain the increase in accidental deaths associated with
      altitude exposure due to disorientation and misjudgment but before hypoxia is
      evident.

PMID- 1422654
TI  - Society of Apothecaries diploma in sports medicine.
AB  - The Society of Apothecaries examination in Sports Medicine consists of four
      parts: a multiple-choice question paper; a written paper; a clinical section; and
      an oral section. The candidates must have experience in sports medicine and have
      to submit a dissertation and a case history book. The importance of an
      examination in sports medicine is discussed.

PMID- 1422653
TI  - Potential markers of heavy training in highly trained distance runners.
AB  - Markers of a heavy increase in training were examined in ten highly trained
      distance runners (mean(s.d.) age 29.8(1.7) years, maximal oxygen intake 65.3 ml
      kg-1 min-1, personal best 10-km time 31 min 4 s) who undertook a deliberate 38%
      increment of training over a 3-week period. Their running performance did not
      improve, and six of the ten subjects developed sustained fatigue, suggesting that
      training was excessive, although the full clinical picture of overtraining did
      not develop. The Profile of Mood States was the best single marker of disturbed
      function, indicating increased fatigue and decreased vigour. There were no useful
      changes of resting heart rate or perceived exertion during submaximal running,
      sleep was undisturbed, and there were no orthopaedic injuries. Two subjects
      developed rhinoviral infections following the heavy training, and a third
      complained of symptoms that were diagnosed 2 weeks later as exercise-induced
      asthma. The increase of serum cortisol normally induced by 30 min of submaximal
      exercise was no longer seen when the same acute exercise was performed after
      heavy training. Resting lymphocyte proliferation tended to increase in response
      to phytohaematoglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A), the ratio of helper to
      suppressor cells (H/S) decreased, and pokeweed mitogen induced smaller increases
      in IgG and IgM synthesis. Whereas before heavy training, PHA-stimulated
      lymphocyte proliferation was unchanged by 30 min of acute submaximal exercise,
      after 3 weeks of heavy training the same bout of exercise caused an 18%
      suppression of proliferation. Likewise, heavy training brought about a decrease
      of T-lymphocytes in response to acute submaximal exercise, but an abolition of
      the acute exercise-induced decrease in the H/S ratio. The previously observed
      exercise-induced decrease of IgG synthesis did not occur when the same acute bout
      of exercise was performed after heavy training. We conclude that such minor and
      transient changes of immune function may possibly be a warning that training is
      becoming excessive, but they have only a limited significance for overall immune
      function.

PMID- 1422655
TI  - Appearances of choroidal osteomas with diagnostic imaging.
AB  - The diagnostic imaging appearances of three choroidal osteomas (osseous
      choristomas) are presented. This rare, benign choroidal tumour is being
      recognized with increasing frequency, and is important to remember in the
      differential diagnosis of any unusual mass in the ocular fundus lest it be
      mistaken for a more sinister lesion. All three osteomas were demonstrated by
      ocular ultrasound (US), fluorescein angiography (FA) and computed tomography (CT)
      but none by plain radiography. None of the lesions was visible on magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI); the reason for this is probably the bony nature of the
      tumours. The appearances of choroidal osteomas on US, FA, plain radiography and
      CT are discussed. To our knowledge this is the first report of a series of
      choroidal osteomas investigated by MR.

PMID- 1422656
TI  - The role of hysterosalpingography in modern gynaecological practice.
AB  - A retrospective review of hysterosalpingography (HSG) in a major gynaecological
      centre was carried out. 324 patients attended (95%) for HSG out of 341 patients
      referred for this investigation. 189 examinations (58.3%) were abnormal. The
      requests and radiological findings were reviewed and the results compared with
      laparoscopy. HSG remains an integral part of gynaecological investigation and its
      value has not diminished in modern practice.

PMID- 1422657
TI  - Portable chest radiography in intensive care: a comparison of computed and
      conventional radiography.
AB  - A prospective study was performed comparing computed and conventional radiography
      for the detection and visibility of cardiovascular devices in intensive care unit
      patients. Computed images were obtained using a commercially available 2K x 2K,
      12-bit storage phosphor plate system. Image sets from 50 patients were assessed
      independently by three observers. A significant difference between the types of
      image was found for the detection of mediastinal drainage tubes and prosthetic
      valves. Computed images allowed greater confidence in the identification of
      courses and tips of lines. This advantage was most marked with edge-enhanced
      computed images.

PMID- 1422658
TI  - Doppler ultrasound scanning in the detection of renal artery stenosis in
      hypertensive patients.
AB  - The diagnostic accuracy of Doppler ultrasound in the detection of renal arterial
      disease has been assessed in a prospective study of 61 hypertensive patients. The
      findings of Doppler ultrasound were compared with the results of renal
      angiography. In 15 patients (24.5%) no accurate Doppler signs could be obtained
      and the Doppler ultrasound examination was considered a technical failure. Of the
      remaining 46 patients, 24 had renal artery stenosis. Nine of the stenoses were
      not detected by Doppler ultrasound and in three patients a false positive
      diagnosis of renal artery stenosis was made. The sensitivity of Doppler
      ultrasound was 62.5%, the specificity 86.4% and the overall diagnostic accuracy
      was 73.9%. By comparing the 15 patients in whom Doppler ultrasound failed with
      the 46 in whom it was successful, age appeared to be higher and creatinine
      clearance lower in the failure group. By comparing the 34 patients with true
      positive and true negative results with the 12 patients with false results, no
      significant differences were found. In a multivariate analysis, higher age showed
      a significant relation to failure of Doppler ultrasound. Doppler ultrasound has
      limited value in the screening of hypertensive patients for renal artery
      stenosis.

PMID- 1422659
TI  - Localized loss of the infrabronchial descending aortic interface as a normal
      variant.
AB  - Localized loss of the aortic interface may occur as a normal variant or may be
      due to an adjacent mass or opacification. The former category is divided into
      four types depending on position and length of loss of interface. The findings on
      conventional chest radiographs are correlated with computed tomographic findings.

PMID- 1422660
TI  - Pelvic phleboliths: is there an association with diverticulitis?
AB  - Pelvic phleboliths are familiar structures to radiologists although their
      pathogenesis is not fully understood. The literature suggests a relationship
      between the prevalence of phleboliths and diverticular disease, and with a low
      fibre diet. Phleboliths are said to be seen more frequently in women and on the
      left side in the pelvis. Their number seems to increase with advancing age. We
      have attempted to establish relations of phleboliths with diverticulitis,
      diverticulosis, sex, age and pelvic location. In this study the only
      statistically significant relation was an increase of the number of phleboliths
      with advancing age.

PMID- 1422661
TI  - A figure of merit for the assessment of image intensifier systems.
AB  - A dimensionless figure of merit (F), which combines key aspects of the
      performance of image intensifier systems, is derived. This figure is ideally
      independent of input air kerma rate and field size and relates to the fundamental
      characteristics of the image reception chain. In practice it is calculated from
      measurements of the threshold contrast (noise) and limiting resolution using the
      Leeds test objects and the input air kerma rate. Several practical examples
      illustrate its usefulness in simple performance assessment and quality assurance
      procedures. A comparison is made with the use of detection index diagrams.

PMID- 1422662
TI  - Radial diffusion coefficient mapping.
AB  - The two-dimensional mapping of the effective diffusion coefficient of water in
      tissues may provide a useful method of tissue characterization to complement T1
      and T2 relaxation time studies for diagnostic purposes. Current diffusion
      techniques rely on the application of large gradient strengths and long echo
      times to achieve the required sensitivity. This, in turn, limits the
      applicability of the technique to tissues having long T2s with rapid water
      diffusion. In addition, the inherent directionality of these methods results in
      only the partial encoding of diffusion information. A modified diffusion sequence
      is presented, radial diffusion mapping (RAD), which provides enhanced sensitivity
      diffusion maps by employing gradient sensitization in three orthogonal
      directions. Results in both phantoms and volunteers are presented, together with
      an investigation of the effects of T2 on the measurement accuracy. Using RAD, a
      two- to five-fold improvement in sensitivity was achieved, thus significantly
      enhancing the dynamic range of the method and allowing more accurate in vivo
      diffusion measurements to be carried out.

PMID- 1422663
TI  - Impact of hydration status on body composition as measured by dual energy X-ray
      absorptiometry in normal volunteers and patients on haemodialysis.
AB  - To evaluate the influence of hydration status on the estimation of body
      composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), six normal volunteers
      and seven patients on maintenance haemodialysis were investigated using two
      different DXA machines (Lunar DPX, Hologic QDR 1000/W). Normal volunteers were
      studied (Hologic QDR 1000/W) before and 1 h after ingestion of breakfast, lunch
      and dinner (drinking various amounts of liquids at each meal, 0.5-2.4 kg).
      Whereas bone mineral content and body fat mass did not change, lean body mass of
      the trunk increased as a consequence of the meals. Conversely in patients on
      haemodialysis (Lunar DPX), lean body mass decreased in all segments of the body
      as a consequence of removal of 0.9-4.4 kg of salt-containing fluid by
      haemodialysis (trunk 61%, legs 30%, arms 5.5% and rest of the body 3.5%), whereas
      bone mineral content and body fat mass remained unchanged. However, this
      finding(s) did not hold true in one particular patient with bilateral hip
      prostheses. Measurement of body composition in eight normal volunteers on the
      same day with both machines showed similar results for lean and fat mass, whereas
      bone mineral content was found to be 17% higher using the Lunar DPX. In summary,
      in centres where both machines are available, follow-up of one individual patient
      should always be performed using the same equipment. In addition, hydration
      status and food intake must be taken into account when repetitive measurements of
      lean body mass are performed in the same patient.

PMID- 1422664
TI  - Single- versus dual-energy quantitative computed tomography for spinal
      densitometry in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - Lumbar bone mineral density was measured by both single- and dual-energy
      quantitative computed tomography in 109 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The
      results were corrected for the age-related increase in vertebral fat content by
      converting them to percentages of expected densities, using sex and energy-level
      specific regression equations obtained in a normal reference population. The
      percentages of expected density are approximately 10% lower in the single- than
      in the dual-energy mode, both in the patients with and without prednisone
      therapy. This difference is statistically highly significant, and is positively
      correlated with the duration of the disease and with the degree of radiological
      joint destruction. The data suggest that the vertebral fat content may be
      increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, as a consequence of disease
      dependent mechanisms.

PMID- 1422665
TI  - Efficacy of low-dose iodine-131 ablation of post-operative thyroid remnants: a
      study of 69 cases.
AB  - Low-dose iodine-131 of mean activity 1117 MBq was used to ablate post-operative
      thyroid remnants in 69 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Successful
      ablation was defined as uptake of less than 1% at 48 h and absence of visible
      image on the post-ablation scan. Ablation by one dose was successful in 95% of
      patients after total or subtotal thyroidectomy, and 56% of patients after partial
      or hemithyroidectomy. All patients with uptake of 10% or less on the pre-ablation
      scan had successful ablation. The results are compared with other reports using
      low-dose radioiodine ablation and the significance of the findings discussed.

PMID- 1422666
TI  - Functional changes in the pig kidney following irradiation with fractionated
      doses of fast neutrons (42 MeVd-->Be).
AB  - The right kidney of female Large White pigs, approximately 14 weeks old, was
      irradiated with fractionated doses of fast neutrons (42 MeVd-->Be). The total
      doses used were 6.6-9.2 Gy. Changes in kidney function, assessed as the
      functional index (FI, where FI = irradiated kidney function/unirradiated kidney
      function) or as individual kidney glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and effective
      renal plasma flow (ERPF), were serially determined up to 104 weeks after
      irradiation using 99Tcm-DTPA and 131I-hippuran renography. The animals were then
      euthanized, the kidneys removed and weighed. A dose-dependent reduction in FI was
      seen within 13 weeks of irradiation. Measuring individual kidney function
      revealed a hyperaemic response in both irradiated and unirradiated kidney 4 weeks
      after irradiation. This was followed by a dose-dependent reduction in irradiated
      kidney GFR and particularly ERPF. The ED50 value for the impairment in ERPF,
      assessed as the percentage of irradiated kidneys exhibiting a > or = 50%
      reduction in ERPF, was significantly lower than that for GFR, i.e. 7.20 +/- 0.10
      Gy compared with 8.44 +/- 0.07 Gy (p < 0.001). A dose-related reduction in
      irradiated kidney weight was also observed. These fast neutron-induced changes in
      renal function and weight are qualitatively similar to those observed following
      photon irradiation of the pig kidney.

PMID- 1422667
TI  - Retrospective analysis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated during 1976-1985: late
      complications following megavoltage irradiation.
AB  - A retrospective analysis was undertaken of the late complications observed in
      4527 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated by megavoltage radiotherapy
      during the years 1976-1985. Unconventional fractionation schedules were used
      because of serious resource limitations. The median equivalent doses were 65 Gy
      to the nasopharyngeal region and 53 Gy to the cervical region. 707 patients had
      reirradiation for local recurrences and 250 for regional relapses. The 10-year
      actuarial cancer-specific survival was 47%, and the corresponding all
      complication-free and neurological-complication-free rates were 40% and 72%,
      respectively. Altogether, 1395 (31%) patients developed one or more late
      irradiation sequelae. The majority were mild soft-tissue damages, but 322 (7%)
      had significant functional disturbances, from which 62 (1%) died. Neurological
      damage that occurred in 450 (10%) patients constituted the major morbidity and
      accounted for all but three of the treatment mortalities. The cumulative
      incidence of the various complications is summarized, and the data recorded in
      the literature reviewed in order to give a proper perspective of the problem.
      Patients treated during 1981-1985 had a significantly higher actuarial
      encephalomyelopathy-free rate than those treated during 1976-1980, but the
      incidence-free rates for the other neurological complications remained
      unimproved, suggesting that the improvement could be mainly attributed to
      additional shielding for the brainstem rather than the reduction of dose from 3.8
      4.2 Gy to 2.5 Gy per fraction.

PMID- 1422668
TI  - Localization of impalpable breast lesions using the Hawkins needle.

PMID- 1422669
TI  - Second malignant neoplasm following treatment of Hodgkin's disease: a case
      report.

PMID- 1422670
TI  - Extradural paraganglioma with multiple skeletal metastases.

PMID- 1422671
TI  - Intrathoracic lymphadenopathy and HIV infection.

PMID- 1422672
TI  - Basal cell carcinomas do metastasize.

PMID- 1422673
TI  - A curious case of pelvic calcification.

PMID- 1422674
TI  - Visualization of the axillary vein during 99Tcm methoxy-isobutyl-isonitrile
      (MIBI) myocardial imaging.

PMID- 1422675
TI  - Radiation protection associated with well woman screening.

PMID- 1422676
TI  - Radiation protection associated with well woman breast cancer screening.

PMID- 1422677
TI  - Standards of radiation protection in mammographic screening.

PMID- 1422678
TI  - Radiation protection associated with well women breast cancer screening.

PMID- 1422679
TI  - Haemostasis in urology: mechanism and pharmacology.

PMID- 1422680
TI  - Acquired cystic disease of the kidney and renal carcinoma in haemodialysis
      patients: ultrasonographic evaluation.
AB  - Ultrasonography was performed in 661 dialysis patients and acquired cystic
      disease of the kidney was found in 156 (125 men and 31 women). A higher incidence
      of cystic disease was found in males. There was no significant difference between
      the patients with and those without acquired cystic disease in terms of average
      age, but the duration of haemodialysis in those with acquired cystic disease was
      significantly longer. There was an increased incidence of cystic disease in
      patients with glomerulonephritis and the duration of haemodialysis in these
      patients was significantly longer. This suggests that the increased incidence of
      acquired cystic disease of the kidneys in the patients with glomerulonephritis is
      simply related to the longer duration of treatment. Twelve patients with renal
      carcinoma were found in this study. The average age at diagnosis of renal
      carcinoma was not significantly different between the patients with and those
      without acquired cystic disease, but the duration of dialysis was significantly
      longer in renal carcinoma patients with acquired cystic disease. The incidence of
      renal carcinoma in dialysis patients with acquired cystic disease was 3.85% and
      in those without it was 1.19%. These rates are considerably higher than those
      found in the general population and indicate that the risk of renal carcinoma is
      higher in dialysis patients both with and without acquired cystic disease.

PMID- 1422681
TI  - Agglomeration of calcium oxalate monohydrate in synthetic urine.
AB  - The development of agglomerated particles of calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) on
      the semi-batch precipitation from a synthetic urine carried out at physiological
      conditions (37 degrees C, pH = 5.5) was studied by optical and electron scanning
      microscopy. COM agglomerates develop by primary and secondary agglomeration
      proceeding simultaneously; the latter mechanism is, however, less important than
      the former. Citrate ions modify slightly the COM crystal shape and inhibit
      primary agglomeration. Mucin particles serve as a substrate for preferential
      formation (nucleation) of new COM crystals. The structure of formed agglomerates
      closely resembles that of a certain type of COM renal calculi. A combination of
      primary agglomeration of crystals forming stones and nucleation of new crystals
      on a mucoprotein layer partially covering their surface constitutes the possible
      mechanism of such stone development. Experimental data support this mechanism.

PMID- 1422683
TI  - Management of impacted upper ureteric calculi: results of lithotripsy and
      percutaneous litholapaxy.
AB  - Despite the availability of lithotripsy and endourology, clear guidelines on the
      management of impacted upper ureteric calculi are lacking. In this study, 51
      upper ureteric calculi treated with in situ extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy
      (ESWL) were classified according to the degree of impaction as indicated by
      proximal back pressure changes. Patients with mild proximal hydronephrosis (or
      none at all) had a success rate of 93% but only 35% of those in the impacted
      group (moderate to severe hydronephrosis) had a successful outcome. A
      percutaneous antegrade approach to 29 impacted upper ureteric calculi resulted in
      total clearance in 23 cases; 4 other patients were rendered stone-free following
      additional procedures, an overall success rate of 93%. The only complication was
      a ureteric stricture in 1 patient. We recommend the percutaneous approach in the
      management of impacted upper ureteric calculi.

PMID- 1422682
TI  - Urological complications following live donor kidney transplantation: effect of
      urinary schistosomiasis.
AB  - Urological complications were studied in 310 live donor kidney transplants. All
      recipients and donors were investigated for urinary schistosomiasis by examining
      tissue obtained intra-operatively from the donor's ureter or the patient's
      bladder. Schistosomiasis was histologically documented in 76 cases (patient's
      bladder (46), donor's ureter (9), both (21)). The incidence of urological
      complications was 11/76 (15%) in the schistosomal group and 14/234 (6%) in the
      non-schistosomal group; this was statistically significant. Among the
      schistosomal patients, the site of infestation had no statistically significant
      effect on the incidence of urological complications. No deaths or graft losses
      were directly attributable either to these complications or to their surgical
      correction.

PMID- 1422684
TI  - Management of hydatid cysts of the urinary tract.
AB  - Eleven patients with hydatid disease of the urinary tract have been seen in the
      last 5 years. Seven patients had cysts of the kidneys and 4 had large
      retrovesical hydatids. Seven of the 8 patients with renal hydatids presented with
      loin pain and mass. Three patients with renal communicating hydatids also
      presented with haematuria which was due to passing "grape skin" (hydatid
      membrane) in the urine. Two patients with retrovesical hydatids had bladder
      outflow obstruction and 2 had bilateral ureteric obstruction leading to uraemia.
      Eight of 11 patients had associated hydatids of other organs such as the liver (4
      patients), peritoneal cavity (2) and lungs (1). Computed tomography was the most
      useful and specific investigation. In both renal and pelvic (retrovesical)
      hydatid cysts, endocystectomy with either partial excision or plication of the
      ectocyst is the standard treatment. In renal communicating hydatids the options
      are either nephrectomy (partial or total) or endocystectomy with closure of the
      communication. The use of cryocone and scolicidal agents is mandatory during
      surgery.

PMID- 1422685
TI  - The actions of extracellular magnesium on isolated human detrusor muscle
      function.
AB  - The effects of increasing the extracellular magnesium concentration ([Mg]) on the
      in vitro mechanical and electrophysiological properties of isolated human
      detrusor smooth muscle have been investigated. Raising extracellular Mg reduced
      the magnitude of the electrically-induced phasic contractions as well as
      spontaneous contractions. A similar increase in the [Mg] reduced the magnitude of
      the inward Ca2+ current associated with the action potential as well as shifting
      the activation curve to more positive potentials. Spontaneous oscillations of
      intracellular Ca2+ could be observed in some isolated cells and such activity was
      also abolished by raising the extracellular [Mg]. It is proposed that the
      contractile effects of raised extracellular Mg are mediated by an action on the
      inward Ca2+ current and that these observations suggest a means whereby normal
      and abnormal detrusor contractions might be effectively regulated.

PMID- 1422686
TI  - Vesica fellea--a new substitute for the bladder? An experimental study.
AB  - The urinary bladders of 8 dogs were removed and replaced with their own
      gallbladders using microvascular anastomoses. Post-operative assessment included
      measurement of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr), intravenous
      urography and histological examination of the autotransplanted gallbladders. The
      neobladders proved to be good reservoirs without urinary leakage. Renal function
      was well preserved in 6 dogs; post-operative BUN and Cr levels were raised in 2
      dogs and the concentrating ability of the kidneys was reduced. The neobladders
      were perfect histologically.

PMID- 1422688
TI  - Laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection.
AB  - The infiltration of pelvic lymph nodes by carcinoma of the prostate or carcinoma
      of the bladder is an important factor in disease staging. Until now, this could
      be accurately assessed only by means of open surgery, an undesirable option as an
      investigation. Recent advances in laparoscopic instruments and camera systems
      have allowed the performance of laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection. A
      series of dissections in 14 patients is reported.

PMID- 1422687
TI  - Outcome in carcinoma in situ of bladder treated with intravesical bacille
      Calmette-Guerin.
AB  - Fifty-three patients with carcinoma in situ of the bladder were treated with
      Evans strain BCG given intravesically. Complete remission was achieved after
      either one or two 6-weekly courses in 53% of patients. The median duration of
      remission was 32 months. Treatment-related bladder symptoms were minor during the
      first course, more severe during the second. There was no relation between
      severity of symptoms and likelihood of response. With a median follow-up of 32
      months, disease progression has occurred in 10% of complete responders, whereas
      failure to respond on either cystoscopic, histological or cytological grounds was
      associated with a 48% progression rate. Although intravesical BCG produces
      impressive responses in carcinoma in situ of the bladder, managed conservatively
      the condition remains a dangerous one.

PMID- 1422689
TI  - Treatment of advanced localised prostatic cancer by orchiectomy, radiotherapy, or
      combined treatment. A Medical Research Council Study. Urological Cancer Working
      Party--Subgroup on Prostatic Cancer.
AB  - A total of 277 patients with apparently localised prostatic cancer (T2-T4 NXMO)
      were allocated at random to receive radiotherapy alone (88), orchiectomy alone
      (90) and combined therapy (99) between 1980 and 1985. The main outcome measures
      were survival, time to appearance of metastases and treatment of local disease
      progression by further transurethral resection. Orchiectomy, whether alone or
      with radiotherapy, produced a significant delay in detection of metastases when
      compared with radiotherapy alone. There were no statistically significant
      differences between the 3 treatment groups in local disease control or in overall
      survival.

PMID- 1422690
TI  - Prostate cancer--the impact of irradiation on urinary outlet obstruction.
AB  - A series of 245 patients with prostate cancer treated by external irradiation was
      analysed to assess the impact of irradiation on urinary outlet obstruction. Prior
      to irradiation, obstruction was observed in 147/245 patients (60%). Irradiation
      either with or without hormonal therapy was as efficacious as transurethral
      resection of the prostate (TURP) in alleviating obstructive symptoms; 14/16
      patients treated by irradiation alone responded, as did 19/19 who received
      hormonal therapy and irradiation and 109/112 who underwent TURP and irradiation.
      Following irradiation, 41/245 patients developed post-irradiation obstruction,
      26/213 had post-irradiation strictures and 15/32 developed recurrent cancer.
      Surgical intervention was required less often for the management of recurrent
      obstruction caused by stricture as compared with recurrent cancer. TURP and
      urinary outlet obstruction acted as independent and additive variables to the
      development of post-irradiation stricture. Thus the avoidance of TURP in patients
      with obstructive symptoms reduced but did not eliminate the risk of developing a
      stricture.

PMID- 1422691
TI  - Screening for bacteriuria in urological patients using reagent strips.
AB  - A rapid and accurate ward-based method of diagnosing urinary infection would be
      of value in determining the prescription of antibiotics in pre-operative
      urological patients. This study describes the sensitivity and specificity of a
      screening technique based on commercially available reagent strips in the
      diagnosis of urinary infection. A total of 222 pre-operative samples and 83 post
      operative samples was studied to compare the results of formal urine culture and
      reagent strips. Using a definition of a positive nitrite or a positive leucocyte
      esterase on the reagent strips as being suggestive of infection, it was found
      that the strips had a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 85% compared with
      formal culture in pre-operative samples. The results from post-operative samples
      were less satisfactory, the strips having a sensitivity of only 71% and
      specificity of 55%. The strips were insensitive but specific in the
      identification of pyuria in pre-operative specimens. These results suggest that
      reagent strips can be used as a ward-based method to identify men at risk of
      infection before urological procedures, and may allow selectivity in the use of
      peri-operative antibiotics.

PMID- 1422692
TI  - Natural history of obstructed and pseudo-obstructed megaureters detected by
      prenatal ultrasonography.
AB  - In a series of 38 patients with non-refluxing megaureters detected by prenatal
      ultrasonography, 89% were males and 16% had associated ipsilateral or
      contralateral urinary anomalies. By renographic criteria, 36% of ureters were not
      obstructed; renal function was never impaired initially and, on follow-up,
      spontaneous resolution of dilatation was common. Infective urinary calculi
      developed in 3 of the boys. In ureters obstructed by renographic or pressure
      perfusion criteria, 79% exhibited normal renal function initially. Most such
      patients were managed expectantly; on follow-up, functional deterioration
      occurred in 2 patients, while in the remainder dilatation usually persists but
      without change in function.

PMID- 1422693
TI  - Unusual presentation of adult posterior urethral valve.

PMID- 1422694
TI  - Pelvic lipomatosis or pericystitis plastica?

PMID- 1422695
TI  - Mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis of the testis.

PMID- 1422696
TI  - Ureteric-anal canal fistula secondary to ureteric calculus.

PMID- 1422697
TI  - Leiomyoma of the renal pelvis.

PMID- 1422698
TI  - Ureterocolic fistula due to impacted ureteric stone.

PMID- 1422699
TI  - Choriocarcinoma arising in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

PMID- 1422700
TI  - Re: Effect of catheter material on the incidence of urethral strictures.

PMID- 1422701
TI  - Re: Idiopathic kidney stone formation--where and why?

PMID- 1422702
TI  - Re: Chronic testicular pain following vasectomy.

PMID- 1422703
TI  - Re: Conservative treatment of vesicovaginal fistulas by bladder drainage alone.

PMID- 1422704
TI  - Re: Cavernous haemangioma of the glans penis.

PMID- 1422705
TI  - Re: Ethics, logistics and a trial of transurethral versus open prostatectomy.

PMID- 1422706
TI  - The electronic information revolution and how to exploit it.
AB  - Medical information is increasingly stored in electronic format, enabling faster
      and more flexible access to the literature. Online, compact disc and floppy disc
      databases are widely available. The origins and development of these different
      database media are described. The strengths and weaknesses of each, and the ways
      in which they complement each other, are examined. Ease of access to medical
      information can result in data management problems; the role of bibliographic
      software in ensuring full exploitation of the electronic information revolution
      is therefore emphasized.

PMID- 1422707
TI  - Iliofemoral versus femorofemoral bypass: a 6-year audit.
AB  - Iliofemoral and femorofemoral crossover bypass operations performed over a 6-year
      period were reviewed. A total of 226 patients underwent 231 operations from 1984
      to 1990. Seventy-two patients had 75 iliofemoral grafts and 154 patients had 156
      femorofemoral grafts. The early mortality rate was 6 per cent for the iliofemoral
      group and 1.3 per cent for femorofemoral reconstruction. There was a higher
      reoperation rate in the iliofemoral group (31 versus 16.0 per cent). The
      cumulative patency rate at 6 years was 75 per cent for iliofemoral bypass and 92
      per cent for the femorofemoral procedure (P < 0.01), while the survival rates for
      the same period were 55 and 74 per cent respectively (P < 0.01). Hospital stay
      was significantly shorter for patients undergoing femorofemoral bypass (P <
      0.05).

PMID- 1422708
TI  - Synchronous aortic and gastrointestinal surgery.
AB  - The synchronous performance of aortic and gastrointestinal surgery may hold an
      increased risk of aortic graft infection. The experience of one surgeon who
      performed 32 such synchronous operations over a period of 11 years is reviewed.
      No graft infection occurred and it is concluded that such combined operations may
      be safer to perform than staged surgery in elderly patients.

PMID- 1422709
TI  - Vein compliance: a preoperative indicator of vein morphology and of veins at risk
      of vascular graft stenosis.
AB  - Compliance measurements of 53 long saphenous veins before femorodistal bypass
      have been performed using a duplex scanner with venous occlusion for distension.
      These have been compared with the histological features of the veins. There was
      significantly more moderate or severe focal hyperplasia and circular muscle
      hypertrophy in distal long saphenous vein than in its proximal counterpart (P <
      0.01 and P < 0.05 respectively). The mean (95 per cent confidence interval)
      compliance of distal vein with moderate or severe hyperplasia was 0.16 (0.13
      0.19) compared with 0.29 (0.22-0.36) for that with no, minimal or mild
      hyperplasia (P = 0.001). The mean compliance of distal vein with moderate or
      severe muscle hypertrophy was 0.19 (0.17-0.21) and of vein with no, minimal or
      mild hypertrophy 0.25 (0.21-0.29) (P = 0.14). The mean lowest compliance in seven
      patients who developed stenosis was 0.10 (0.07-0.13) compared with 0.21 (0.16
      0.26) in the rest (P < 0.001). Preoperative measurement of vein compliance can be
      used to identify vein with marked pre-existing intimal hyperplasia and as a
      predictor of future graft stenosis.

PMID- 1422710
TI  - Risk of rupture of postangiographic femoral false aneurysm.
AB  - The surgical management of 50 false aneurysms caused by transfemoral arterial
      catheterization was reviewed to document the incidence and effects of rupture
      before repair. Twelve false aneurysms ruptured, leading to shock in six patients,
      distal ischaemia in three and stroke in one. The mean(s.d.) time from
      catheterization to rupture was 2.8(1.7) (range 1-6) days. Postoperative
      complications occurred in seven patients with ruptured and eight with non
      ruptured aneurysms (P < 0.04). The mean(s.d.) age of patients with ruptured
      aneurysms was 67.2(6.3) (95 per cent confidence interval 63.5-70.8) years and
      those without 58.5(9.1) (95 per cent confidence interval 55.3-61.7) years (P <
      0.008). On multiple regression analysis, age, peripheral vascular disease and
      raised plasma liver enzyme levels on admission were found to be significant
      independent predictive variables for rupture (all P < 0.05). It is recommended
      that patients with these risk factors undergo urgent operative correction of
      femoral false aneurysm.

PMID- 1422711
TI  - Reperfusion injury in skeletal muscle: a prospective study in patients with acute
      limb ischaemia and claudicants treated by revascularization.
AB  - A study was carried out to document the occurrence of rhabdomyolysis and renal
      complications in patients undergoing vascular reconstruction. Indices of muscle
      damage and renal function were monitored before, during and for up to 10 days
      after vascular reconstruction for a variety of conditions ranging from
      intermittent claudication to acute ischaemia. Seven patients with acute limb
      ischaemia (group 1) and nine with intermittent claudication (group 2) were
      studied prospectively. In group 1, median creatine kinase (CK) and myoglobin
      levels were markedly raised 24-48 h after surgery (CK, 29,370 units/l; myoglobin,
      8.17 mg/l). Myoglobin reached its peak concentration and declined more quickly
      than CK, but both indices gave similar information about the extent of muscle
      damage. In contrast, patients undergoing elective surgery for claudication showed
      no significant departure from reference values for myoglobin or CK. All patients
      in group 1 underwent fasciotomy to relieve raised compartmental pressures and
      five were treated with alkali and mannitol to produce diuresis. Despite these
      measures, two patients suffered renal failure (peak creatinine levels 611 and 590
      mumol/l) after successful revascularization and subsequently required
      haemodialysis; these patients did not have diuresis. One of these patients died
      following a stroke 8 days after surgery; the other survived and was discharged
      with a normal limb and restored renal function. There was no evidence of muscle
      damage or renal complications in group 2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422712
TI  - Colour-coded duplex ultrasonography in the selection of patients for endovascular
      surgery.
AB  - Endovascular surgery using angioplasty or atherectomy may potentially relieve the
      symptoms of claudicants with minimal morbidity, but results are best when short
      stenoses are treated. In this study, colour-coded duplex ultrasonography has been
      compared with angiography. In aortoiliac segments duplex examination had a
      sensitivity of 88 per cent and a specificity of 100 per cent; in femoropopliteal
      disease the sensitivity was 100 per cent and duplex scanning identified more
      disease than angiography. Subsequently, 73 symptomatic limbs with femoropopliteal
      disease were scanned to assess their suitability for endovascular surgery. Of
      these limbs, 27 (37 per cent) had suitable lesions and the remaining 46 (63 per
      cent) were spared angiography. Colour-coded duplex ultrasonography can reliably
      be used to select patients for endovascular surgery.

PMID- 1422713
TI  - Prevalence of lower limb ulceration in an urban health district.
AB  - Before establishing a community leg ulcer programme, a survey was performed to
      assess the incidence and prevalence of lower limb ulceration in the Newcastle
      Health District. The prevalence was 1.9 per 1000 in patients over the age of 45
      years, and the annual incidence 3.5 per 1000 in the same age group. Recurrent
      ulcers represented 47 per cent of the total and 50 per cent of all ulcers had
      been present for > 6 months. District nurses spent 190 h per week in the
      community dressing leg ulcers, making a total number of 25,922 visits each year.
      In the treatment of leg ulcers 35 different types of dressing were used and only
      14 per cent of ulcerated limbs were treated by appropriate compression. Of all
      patients with leg ulcers, 35 per cent had been seen by a hospital specialist but
      only 7 per cent had been examined by a vascular surgeon at any time.

PMID- 1422714
TI  - Role of topical lignocaine during carotid endarterectomy.
AB  - Forty carotid endarterectomies were undertaken in 34 patients. Operations were
      prospectively randomized to periarterial application of either 1 per cent
      lignocaine (n = 19) or normal saline (n = 21), and detailed measurements taken of
      intraoperative pulse rate and blood pressure. Patients receiving lignocaine
      demonstrated a lower pulse rate, and lower systolic and mean blood pressures than
      those receiving placebo, with significance in relation to clamp application and
      shunt removal (P < 0.05). It was particularly noticeable that patients receiving
      lignocaine demonstrated less intraoperative variation in pulse rate and blood
      pressure. Topical lignocaine stabilizes pulse rate and blood pressure during
      carotid endarterectomy.

PMID- 1422715
TI  - Needle core biopsy of the breast with a spring-loaded device.
AB  - Over a 2-year period, 151 outpatients with a palpable breast lump requiring
      needle core biopsy were randomized to a Tru-Cut 14-G (T14), Bioptycut 14-G (B14)
      or Bioptycut 18-G (B18) needle. Use of a Biopty gun resulted in less pain than a
      Tru-Cut needle. An inadequate sample was obtained after two needle passes in 11
      of 49 (T14), none of 51 (B14) and two of 51 (B18) patients (chi 2 = 14.6, 2 d.f.,
      P = 0.0007). Tissue samples were assessed by a single pathologist for tissue
      volume and overall diagnostic value; the B14 group scored better than the B18 and
      T14 for both of these parameters (P < 0.003). The sensitivities were 68 (T14), 88
      (B14) and 96 (B18) per cent (overall chi 2 = 7.3, 2 d.f., P = 0.026). The Biopty
      gun with a 14-G needle results in a higher sampling success rate, greater
      diagnostic sensitivity and a better specimen quality than the Tru-Cut, and is
      much easier to use.

PMID- 1422716
TI  - Safety of fibreoptic endoscopy: analysis of cardiorespiratory events.
AB  - Cardiorespiratory function during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and
      colonoscopy was studied prospectively in 164 patients. Cardiorespiratory events,
      which were defined as oxygen saturation < 90 per cent, electrocardiographic
      changes, heart rate < 50 or > 100 beats/min and systolic blood pressure < 100
      mmHg, occurred in 111 patients. In 24 of these, changes were attributed solely to
      intravenous sedation. In the remaining 140 patients, events were noted in 34 (52
      per cent) of 66 upper gastrointestinal endoscopies and during 53 (72 per cent) of
      74 colonoscopies. One patient suffered a myocardial infarction during
      colonoscopy. Although cardiorespiratory events were common (111 of 164; 68 per
      cent), the actual morbidity rate was low (one of 164; 0.6 per cent).
      Cardiorespiratory events were significantly more common in patients with a
      history of cardiac disease for both upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and
      colonoscopy (overall chi 2 = 7.41, 1 d.f., P < 0.05) and more common for
      oesophageal dilatation than for diagnostic endoscopy (chi 2 = 5.56, 1 d.f., P <
      0.05). It is recommended that patients with a history of cardiac problems
      undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy or colonoscopy and all those
      requiring therapeutic endoscopy should be monitored carefully to allow early
      detection of cardiorespiratory events, and that oxygen should be administered
      routinely.

PMID- 1422717
TI  - Barrett's oesophagus: effect of antireflux surgery on symptom control and
      development of complications.
AB  - Forty-five patients with histologically proven Barrett's columnar-lined
      oesophagus (CLO) were treated in one unit over a 9-year period. Patients were
      studied prospectively as part of a surveillance programme; all initially received
      standard conservative treatment including high-dose H2-receptor antagonists. A
      satisfactory initial response was seen in 21 patients, but in 24 the symptoms
      were unchanged or progressed; 19 patients in the latter group were considered
      suitable for antireflux surgery and underwent fundoplication. Symptoms of
      heartburn or dysphagia persisted or recurred in 88 per cent of patients receiving
      medical treatment alone and complications developed in 38 per cent, including
      nine strictures and one adenocarcinoma. In patients undergoing antireflux
      surgery, symptoms persisted or recurred in 21 per cent and complications
      developed in 16 per cent (P < 0.01). Complete regression of Barrett's CLO
      occurred in two patients (11 per cent) after antireflux surgery. The results of
      this study suggest the superiority of antireflux surgery over pharmacological
      acid suppression in the control of symptoms and prevention of complications in
      patients with Barrett's CLO.

PMID- 1422718
TI  - Symptom index as a marker of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.
AB  - Forty per cent of patients with heartburn may have no evidence of oesophagitis or
      of abnormal oesophageal acid exposure. The symptom index correlates symptoms that
      occur during pH monitoring with episodes of acid reflux, being the number of
      symptoms during reflux divided by the total number occurring during monitoring.
      This index was assessed in 61 patients with heartburn. In 39 patients with
      endoscopic evidence of oesophagitis or abnormal acid exposure times on pH
      monitoring, the symptom index had a sensitivity of 90 per cent. Of the 22
      patients with no objective abnormality, the index was > or = 50 per cent in five
      (23 per cent) whose symptoms were presumably due to acid reflux despite results
      of other investigations being normal, suggesting an acid-sensitive oesophagus.
      The symptom index is a useful additional measure in the investigation of patients
      with suspected gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

PMID- 1422719
TI  - Ambulatory measurement of oesophageal function: clinical use of a new pH and
      motility recording system.
AB  - Conventional oesophageal manometric studies are open to criticism in that they
      take place on fasted immobile subjects in the artificial setting of a motility
      laboratory. A new 24-h pH and motility recording system combined with
      computerized data analysis was used to study patients with gastro-oesophageal
      reflux disease and oesophageal motor abnormalities under ambulant conditions.
      Acid reflux episodes were found to be precipitated by a variety of events with
      recognizable pressure patterns. Acid clearance abnormalities were demonstrated in
      patients with erosive oesophagitis but were confined to those with abnormal
      oesophageal motor function. Improved diagnostic accuracy was demonstrated in the
      recognition of oesophageal motor disorders.

PMID- 1422720
TI  - Physiological and metabolic responses to open and laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
AB  - This study examined respiratory function and metabolic and subjective responses
      in patients undergoing laparoscopic (n = 10) and open (n = 11) cholecystectomy
      for chronic cholecystitis and biliary colic. Patient groups were matched for age,
      sex, weight and height. The duration of operation was similar in both groups.
      Respiratory function tests (vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, peak
      flow and arterial blood gases), urinary cortisol, vanillylmandelic acid,
      metanephrines and nitrogen loss, serum complement component C3 and C-reactive
      protein (CRP), full blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and
      subjective responses as assessed on a pain analogue scale and by analgesic usage
      were determined for up to 48 h after surgery. Deterioration in perioperative
      respiratory function was significantly less for laparoscopic surgery. Arterial
      blood gas determinations indicated a greater perioperative decrease in arterial
      pH, with carbon dioxide retention in patients undergoing open cholecystectomy (P
      < 0.02), reflecting poorer respiratory performance. Hormonal profile changes
      demonstrated an increase in urinary vanillylmandelic acid in the laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy group (P < 0.04); no differences were detected in urinary
      cortisol, metanephrine or nitrogen excretion. Acute-phase responses were greatest
      in patients undergoing open cholecystectomy as determined by ESR and CRP level (P
      < 0.02 and P < 0.003, respectively). Pain and analgesic usage were significantly
      decreased in the laparoscopic cholecystectomy group (P < 0.0009) and P < 0.0001),
      which led to a decreased hospital stay after operation in these patients (P <
      0.0001). These data indicate improved respiratory and subjective responses and
      diminished acute-phase responses associated with laparoscopic surgery. Catabolic
      hormone release may, however, be increased.

PMID- 1422721
TI  - Psychomotor testing and the ability to perform an anastomosis in junior surgical
      trainees.
AB  - Ten junior surgical trainees underwent objective testing of manual dexterity and
      visuospatial ability and were required to carry out five consecutive anastomoses
      on fresh porcine jejunum. Anastomoses were scored by a single observer and a
      cumulative error score (CES) derived for each procedure. In the first anastomosis
      there was little correlation between the psychomotor test results and the
      anastomosis scores. In subsequent trials there were significant negative
      correlations between aspects of manual dexterity and the CES. Over the five
      anastomoses there were significant negative correlations between improvement and
      manual dexterity, but there was a positive correlation between improvement and
      visuospatial ability (rs = 0.76, P < 0.005). Visuospatial skills are more
      important than pure motor ability in predicting the capacity to perform an
      anastomosis and tests of manual dexterity may be misleading in this context.

PMID- 1422722
TI  - Prospective randomized trial comparing the Shouldice technique and plication darn
      for inguinal hernia.
AB  - The lowest recurrence rates after inguinal hernia repair have been achieved by
      specialized hernia clinics. The Shouldice repair achieves success through
      application of a meticulous standardized operation carried out by specialist
      hernia surgeons. In a trial designed to rule out surgeon-dependent variables, 322
      inguinal hernias were randomized prospectively to Shouldice repair or plication
      darn. Fifteen general surgeons operated on 322 patients. Fourteen surgeons in
      training not familiar with Shouldice repair received constant supervision for six
      repairs before independent operation. The mean (s.d.) patient age was 58.3(1.5)
      (range 20-84) years for Shouldice repair and 57.0(1.2) (range 18-85 years) for
      plication darn. The sex ratio (M:F) was 17:1 and right side to left side ratio
      1.8:1. Six-week complication rates for wound infection (Shouldice repair, 5 per
      cent; plication darn, 4 per cent) and haematoma (Shouldice repair, 7 per cent;
      plication darn, 5 per cent) were similar in both groups. There were a similar
      number of sliding hernias in the Shouldice repair (14) and plication darn (20)
      groups. After a mean follow-up of 30 (range 24-48) months there were seven
      recurrences in the Shouldice group and four in the plication darn group (P >
      0.05). The recurrences suggest that additional supervision of junior surgeons is
      required during the Shouldice repair learning period.

PMID- 1422723
TI  - Inguinal herniotomy in young infants.
AB  - Ninety-two consecutive infants aged up to 12 months underwent primary inguinal
      herniotomy over a 5-year period. All were treated in a district hospital
      paediatric surgical unit according to recommendations of the British Association
      of Paediatric Surgeons. After a mean follow-up of 45.8 months, one patient had a
      failed repair and four (4 per cent) a hernia recurrence. One infant developed a
      wound infection. Infantile hernia can be managed safely and efficiently in a
      district hospital.

PMID- 1422724
TI  - Comparative audit: an experimental study of 147,882 general surgical admissions
      during 1990.
AB  - In 1991, 1025 general surgical Fellows of The Royal College of Surgeons of
      England were circulated with a pro forma and asked to submit local audit results
      for admissions during 1990 to a confidential comparative audit service. The
      individual topics of cholecystectomy and colorectal resection were studied. Data
      returned by 160 surgeons concerned 147,882 admissions including 122,620
      operations. Overall mortality rates ranged from 0 to 5 per cent and morbidity
      rates from 0 to 22 per cent. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was associated with one
      quarter of the mortality rate and two-thirds the morbidity rate of open
      cholecystectomy. Of the 33 surgeons who responded to a survey after the
      presentation of results, all wished to continue the exercise in future years; 39
      per cent had been stimulated to perform further analyses and 15 per cent had
      changed practice habits as a result. Comparative audit involving large numbers of
      patients and surgeons is feasible and seems beneficial to participants.

PMID- 1422725
TI  - Small bowel transit time in patients with intra-abdominal adhesions.

PMID- 1422726
TI  - Presentation of abdominal tuberculosis to general surgeons.
AB  - Abdominal tuberculosis (TB) continues to give rise to diagnostic and therapeutic
      challenges. A total of 24 patients with abdominal TB who presented to general
      surgeons over a 9-year period have been reviewed. Most (92 per cent) of these
      patients were Asian; only one had a past history of pulmonary TB. The most common
      presenting complaint was abdominal pain in 21 patients (88 per cent) with the
      associated symptoms of weight loss in 18 (75 per cent), anorexia in 15 (62 per
      cent) and night sweats in 13 (54 per cent). A tissue diagnosis was obtained in 18
      patients (75 per cent) and 17 patients (71 per cent) underwent laparotomy. These
      results show that the diagnosis of abdominal TB is still difficult to establish,
      and that many patients undergo laparotomy despite the existence of less invasive
      diagnostic procedures.

PMID- 1422727
TI  - An improved means of faecal diversion: the trephine stoma.
AB  - Twenty-four patients in whom trephine stoma formation was performed over a 4-year
      period are described. This procedure permits the formation of an end ileostomy or
      colostomy without laparotomy. It is simple, rapid, safe and allows speedy
      recovery. It is widely applicable and previous abdominal surgery is no
      contraindication. The procedure was impossible in two patients who required
      laparotomy and in a third in whom a loop colostomy was created. Operation time
      was shorter and postoperative opiate requirements less than when laparotomy was
      undertaken for stoma formation. Follow-up (median 1 year) of 17 patients
      confirmed a low incidence of complications (two prolapses, one parastomal hernia)
      after trephine stoma formation. This procedure is recommended as the preferred
      method of ileostomy or colostomy formation when laparotomy is not otherwise
      indicated.

PMID- 1422728
TI  - Role of the rectum in the physiological and clinical results of coloanal and
      colorectal anastomosis after anterior resection for rectal carcinoma.
AB  - This study investigated the relationships between length of residual anorectum,
      anorectal physiological function and clinical outcome after anterior resection
      for rectal carcinoma. Thirty-four patients were studied a median of 13 (range 4
      100) months after anterior resection. They were compared with a control group of
      ten patients who had undergone sigmoid colectomy for carcinoma without rectal
      excision. Resting anal pressure was found to be lower after coloanal than after
      colorectal anastomosis, and the capacity of the (neo)rectum was less after
      coloanal than after colorectal anastomosis. The (neo)rectoanal inhibitory reflex
      was found to be present in each patient, but maximum anal pressure during this
      'sampling' reflex was significantly lower (P < 0.01) after coloanal than after
      colorectal anastomosis, and the volume required for maximal inhibition of the
      sphincter was also less (P < 0.01). At 1 year after operation, median bowel
      frequency was greater after coloanal (4 per day) than after colorectal (2 per
      day) anastomosis and the degree of urgency of defaecation was also greater (P <
      0.01). Quality of life in terms of anorectal function after anterior resection is
      thus significantly influenced by the length of rectum that is left. This, in
      turn, influences the functional capacity of the neorectum and the degree of
      inhibition of the anal sphincter during the neorectoanal inhibitory reflex.

PMID- 1422729
TI  - Prevention of cardiovascular effects of endotoxaemia by monoclonal antibodies
      specific for core endotoxin.
AB  - Passive immunization with antibody to the core region of endotoxin (core
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS)) has been reported to reduce mortality in severe sepsis.
      A rat model of endotoxaemia that reproduces the hyperdynamic cardiovascular state
      seen in early sepsis was developed to test monoclonal antibodies specific for
      core LPS. A thermodilution technique of measuring cardiac output was adapted for
      use in rats. Twenty-five animals were anaesthetized and mechanically ventilated
      with monitoring of central venous pressure and mean arterial pressure. Fluid
      replacement was adjusted to maintain the central venous pressure. Controls (n =
      10) and antibody-treated animals (n = 5) showed no significant change in cardiac
      output. Animals given 0.1 mg kg-1 R2 endotoxin over 1 h (n = 5) showed a
      significant rise in cardiac output of 65 per cent (P < 0.01). This was abolished
      in rats given both antibody and endotoxin (n = 5). This study provides evidence
      that a monoclonal antibody against core LPS abolishes the hyperdynamic state
      induced by endotoxin infusion.

PMID- 1422730
TI  - Prognostic significance of regional lymph node reaction after curative resection
      of advanced gastric cancer.
AB  - The prognosis of patients with advanced gastric cancer who undergo curative
      resection is still unsatisfactory. The relationship between prognosis and various
      factors such as stage, lymph node metastasis, serosal invasion and regional lymph
      node reaction (follicular hyperplasia and sinus histiocytosis) was evaluated. Of
      the factors studied, the only one that correlated well with survival was sinus
      histiocytosis. Lymph node metastasis was related weakly to prognosis. No
      correlation between prognosis and stage, serosal invasion or follicular
      hyperplasia was observed. Sinus histiocytosis may represent the morphological
      tumour-host immune reaction. Lymph node metastases or histological types were not
      related to regional lymph node reaction. These results suggest that sinus
      histiocytosis could be a useful prognostic factor for gastric cancer. Intensive
      postoperative follow-up for recurrence may be necessary even for patients with
      low-grade sinus histiocytosis in whom curative surgery is attempted.

PMID- 1422731
TI  - Perineal trauma from cassette tape boxes.

PMID- 1422732
TI  - Encephalopathy in patients with extrahepatic obstruction after lienorenal shunts.
AB  - Thirty patients with portal hypertension resulting from extrahepatic portal vein
      obstruction were studied. Evidence of postshunt encephalopathy was sought using
      neurological and psychometric tests and visual evoked potentials. Eleven patients
      were studied before and after lienorenal shunt operations and 19 at varying
      intervals, from 6 to 123 (median 26) months, after the same procedure. All the
      shunts were patent and none of the patients developed clinical or subclinical
      encephalopathy. In patients with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction, a
      lienorenal shunt does not appear to be associated with postshunt encephalopathy.

PMID- 1422733
TI  - Acute right iliac fossa pain in pregnancy: the role of fine-catheter peritoneal
      cytology.

PMID- 1422734
TI  - Physiological variation in rectal compliance.
AB  - The volume (V) of air inflated in a latex balloon placed in the rectum and the
      corresponding pressures (P) were measured in 48 subjects (24 men and 24 women) at
      three points: (1) earliest defaecation urge; (2) constant defaecation urge; and
      (3) maximum tolerable volume (MTV). The rectal pressures in all three cases were
      higher in men than in women. Woman aged over 60 years had higher rectal
      compliance (delta V/delta P) than men in the same age group, while no difference
      was found between men and women below the age of 60 years. Day-to-day variation
      of the measurements was tested in ten subjects. Reproducibility was good only for
      MTV (95 per cent confidence interval 57-183 per cent). Reproducibility of rectal
      compliance decreased with increasing values for this parameter. No such trend was
      found for the other parameters. In conclusion, MTV is a reproducible parameter
      and suitable for clinical use in evaluation of patients with faecal incontinence
      or constipation.

PMID- 1422735
TI  - Anterior resection without a defunctioning colostomy: questions of safety.

PMID- 1422736
TI  - Anterior resection without a defunctioning colostomy: questions of safety.

PMID- 1422737
TI  - Assessment of quality of life in surgery.

PMID- 1422738
TI  - Attitudes of cardiothoracic surgeons in the UK to human immunodeficiency virus.

PMID- 1422739
TI  - Laparoscopic operations in paediatric surgery.

PMID- 1422740
TI  - Tests of anorectal function.

PMID- 1422741
TI  - Endotoxin, septic shock and acute lung injury: neutrophils, macrophages and
      inflammatory mediators.
AB  - The treatment of septic shock remains a major problem in surgical practice.
      Current research on the pathogenesis of the sepsis syndrome focuses on the
      effects of the lipopolysaccharide constituents of bacterial endotoxin. Evidence
      suggests that endotoxin induces a whole-body inflammatory response that in turn
      mediates organ damage, eventually leading to multiorgan failure. The first organ
      in which failure is usually apparent is the lung, with the appearance of non
      cardiogenic pulmonary oedema as part of the adult respiratory distress syndrome.
      Inflammatory cells involved in lung injury include neutrophils and macrophages,
      which release mediators such as elastase, oxygen radicals and cytokines. This
      review summarizes current experimental work on how endotoxin leads to lung
      injury, based on its effects in animals and patients. Present knowledge suggests
      that future treatment of septic shock might involve inhibiting the body's
      inflammatory response to endotoxin. Possible ways of doing this are discussed.

PMID- 1422742
TI  - Unilateral parathyroid exploration.

PMID- 1422743
TI  - Surgical treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa.
AB  - The management of hidradenitis suppurativa is frequently unsatisfactory. No
      method satisfies all requirements for the ideal treatment--quick healing, no
      hospital admission, minimal patient inconvenience and low recurrence--but greater
      awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of existing methods should lead to
      improved management. Good reports of the relative cure rates of the different
      surgical options are scarce and controlled trials non-existent, but existing
      evidence is reviewed critically and summarized. The operation of choice in most
      instances is wide local excision and healing by secondary intention.

PMID- 1422744
TI  - Paediatric intussusception.
AB  - Intussusception is one of the commonest causes of intestinal obstruction in
      infants and accounts for about 700 hospital admissions each year in England and
      Wales. Improved results of treatment have followed recent technological
      developments, which include ultrasonographic imaging and pneumatic reduction
      techniques. Most intussusceptions can be reduced successfully without the need
      for operation but close cooperation between surgeon and radiologist is essential.
      Mortality and morbidity rates from the condition have progressively declined in
      recent decades but avoidable deaths still occur.

PMID- 1422746
TI  - Anatomy and function of the anal longitudinal muscle.
AB  - The longitudinal muscle in the intersphincteric space has received little
      attention despite an explosion of interest in anorectal physiology in the past
      decade. Its anatomy is contested and its function unknown. Speculation, however,
      gives it a role as a skeleton supporting and binding the rest of the internal and
      external sphincter complex together, as an aid during defaecation by everting the
      anus, as a support to the haemorrhoidal cushions, and as a determining factor in
      the ramification of sepsis.

PMID- 1422745
TI  - Perforated duodenal diverticulum.
AB  - Duodenal diverticula are present in up to 20 per cent of the population but few
      patients require surgery for acute complications. Perforation is the rarest of
      these complications; only 101 affected patients have been reported in the world
      literature. These reports of perforated duodenal diverticulum are reviewed and
      strategies for the diagnosis and management of this unusual condition are
      discussed.

PMID- 1422747
TI  - Assessment of stripping the long saphenous vein in the treatment of primary
      varicose veins.
AB  - Stripping of the long saphenous vein (LSV) may prevent recurrence of varices,
      although this has not been demonstrated using objective criteria. The aim of this
      study was to determine whether the addition of LSV stripping, from groin to upper
      calf, to saphenofemoral junction (SFJ) ligation prevents residual reflux, and
      whether LSV stripping to the upper calf results in greater neurological
      complications. Sixty-nine patients with primary varicose veins, LSV reflux and
      SFJ incompetence, confirmed by duplex ultrasonography and photoplethysmography,
      were studied. A total of 105 limbs were treated by SFJ ligation and avulsion of
      varices; patients were randomized to undergo stripping of the LSV to the upper
      calf (n = 49) or no additional treatment (n = 56). Three months after surgery all
      patients were examined clinically, by duplex ultrasonography and by
      photoplethysmographic tests of venous function, to establish the extent of
      persisting varices. Fewer persisting incompetent LSVs in the calf were found when
      the LSV was stripped (n = 9) than after SFJ ligation alone (n = 25) (P < 0.01).
      Photoplethysmographic refilling times were improved to a similar extent in both
      groups after surgery but were lower in those who had residual LSV reflux (P <
      0.05). Six limbs developed paraesthesia in the distribution of the saphenous
      nerve: two in the group that were stripped and four in those that were not. These
      data suggest that LSV reflux is more completely abolished by combining LSV
      stripping with SFJ ligation; stripping the LSV to the upper calf does not result
      in a higher incidence of injury to the saphenous nerve.

PMID- 1422748
TI  - Duplex ultrasonography and pulse-generated run-off in selecting claudicants for
      femoropopliteal angioplasty.
AB  - Non-invasive assessment of lower limb vasculature may avoid unnecessary
      angiography in claudicants. Colour duplex ultrasonography of the femoral and
      popliteal arteries was performed to assess patency and the presence of any
      stenoses, and pulse-generated run-off (PGR) was used to assess the distal
      vasculature. In 65 legs colour duplex scanning was successful, compared with
      angiography, in identifying the site and type of disease in the femoropopliteal
      segment and 23 lesions were correctly identified as suitable for angioplasty.
      More patent distal vessels were demonstrated by PGR than by angiography; no
      vessels patent on angiography were missed by PGR. The estimated cost of
      diagnostic angiography was 330 pounds per test compared with 52 pounds for non
      invasive assessment. By using duplex examination as a screening test, a potential
      saving of 8062 pounds could have been made in this series. Duplex ultrasonography
      offers a non-invasive and cost-effective alternative to diagnostic angiography
      for clinically suspected infrainguinal arterial disease presenting as
      claudication. PGR was not of clinical value in assessing suitability for
      angioplasty.

PMID- 1422749
TI  - Selection for screening for familial aortic aneurysms.
AB  - The reported familial clustering of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) indicates the
      possible rewards of family-based screening programmes with respect both to the
      number of asymptomatic aneurysms detected and to identifying associated genes.
      Ultrasonographic screening of 28 families (25 brothers and 28 sisters) was
      carried out together with collecting a history and a blood sample for analysis of
      the cholesterol level and genetic markers. Among the screened siblings six (11
      per cent), all > 60 years old, had an AAA > or = 3.0 cm in diameter. A further 11
      siblings (21 per cent), six of whom were < 60 years old, had a wide (2.5-2.9 cm)
      aorta. The presence of an aneurysmal or wide aorta was significantly associated
      with smoking (P = 0.027), male sex (P = 0.008) and a proband age of < 60 years (P
      = 0.031). Polymorphic genetic markers for type III collagen and haptoglobin were
      not informative in these families. These results indicate that the efficiency of
      screening siblings of patients with AAA could be improved by limiting it to
      brothers with a smoking history and/or siblings of younger patients. The familial
      component appears to be greatest in these younger patients.

PMID- 1422750
TI  - Storage of human pancreatic digest in University of Wisconsin solution
      significantly improves subsequent islet purification.
AB  - Density-gradient purification of human pancreatic islets from the collagenase
      digested pancreas relies on the exocrine tissue being denser than the islets.
      Cold storage of the pancreas before and after digestion causes cell swelling,
      which can decrease the density of pancreatic exocrine tissue and adversely affect
      subsequent purification. Using 14 human pancreata (seven perfused in situ with
      hyperosmolar citrate (HOC) and seven with University of Wisconsin solution (UW)),
      it is shown that storage of the pancreatic digest in UW significantly increases
      the density of pancreatic exocrine tissue compared with storage in minimal
      essential medium (MEM) (P = 0.009). This results in an improvement in islet
      purity (P = 0.036) for HOC- but not UW-perfused pancreata. Storage in UW for 1 h
      not only prevented the deterioration that occurred in MEM, but resulted in an
      improvement in islet purity for five of the seven HOC-perfused pancreata. Most
      pancreata in the UK are perfused with HOC, but storage of the digest in UW
      results in significantly better islet purity and, when islets cannot be purified
      immediately, a period of storage will often improve separation and allow islets
      to be purified.

PMID- 1422751
TI  - Randomized trial of loop ileostomy in restorative proctocolectomy.
AB  - A randomized controlled trial was performed to assess the role of loop ileostomy
      in totally stapled restorative proctocolectomy. Entry criteria included all
      patients who were not on corticosteroids in whom on-table testing revealed a
      watertight pouch with intact ileoanal anastomosis. Of 59 patients undergoing
      restorative proctocolectomy over 36 months, 45 were eligible and were randomized
      to loop ileostomy (n = 23) or no ileostomy (n = 22). The age and diagnosis of the
      groups were similar. There were no deaths; two ileoanal anastomotic leaks
      occurred, one in each group. Ileoanal stenosis occurred in five patients with and
      one without an ileostomy. The incidences of wound and pelvic sepsis, bowel
      obstruction and pouchitis were similar. Twelve patients (52 per cent) developed
      ileostomy-related complications. The median total hospital stay was 23 (range 13
      75) days with ileostomy and 13 (range 7-119) days without (P < 0.001). This study
      indicates that there is a low risk of pelvic sepsis which is not increased by
      avoiding a protective ileostomy. Loop ileostomy was associated with a high
      incidence of complications.

PMID- 1422752
TI  - Screening patients with claudication from femoropopliteal disease before
      angioplasty using Doppler colour flow imaging.
AB  - Time, expense, risk and discomfort are incurred by arteriography in patients with
      intermittent claudication who might be candidates for percutaneous transluminal
      angioplasty (PTA). A valid screening technique could reduce the need for
      arteriography in patients found to have lesions not amenable to PTA. Agreement
      between Doppler colour flow imaging (DCFI) and angiography for detecting
      haemodynamically significant lesions is high, but DCFI may not identify lesions
      suitable for angioplasty. A total of 36 limbs in 30 patients were studied using
      DCFI before angiography. Agreement between the two methods was excellent (kappa =
      0.91), and the predictive accuracy of DCFI for lesions amenable to PTA was good
      (kappa = 0.78, sensitivity 94 per cent, specificity 85 per cent, positive
      predictive value 83 per cent, negative predictive value 94 per cent, overall
      accuracy 89 per cent). DCFI is a useful screening process that may prevent
      unnecessary angiography, with consequent financial savings and clinical benefit.

PMID- 1422753
TI  - Radiation-induced acute femoral artery thrombosis treated by thrombolysis.

PMID- 1422754
TI  - Thromboembolic prophylaxis in total hip replacement: a comparison between the low
      molecular weight heparinoid Lomoparan and heparin-dihydroergotamine.
AB  - In a prospective, randomized, assessor-blind multicentre study two antithrombotic
      subcutaneous regimens were compared in patients undergoing total hip replacement.
      Group 1 (154 patients) received 750 anti-Xa units of a new low molecular weight
      heparinoid (Lomoparan) subcutaneously twice a day and group 2 (155 patients)
      received 5000 units heparin and 0.5 mg dihydroergotamine (heparin-DHE 5000) twice
      a day. The incidence of deep vein thrombosis, assessed by routine bilateral
      venography on day 10 (+/- 1), was 17 and 32 per cent in groups 1 and 2
      respectively (risk reduction 47 per cent; P = 0.007). One patient in each group
      developed a symptomatic pulmonary embolism confirmed by lung scanning. Major
      bleeding complications occurred in one patient in each group and no significant
      difference was observed between the two groups with respect to minor bleeding
      complications. Subcutaneous Lomoparan appears to be as safe as heparin-DHE 5000
      at the above doses with regard to bleeding complications, and is more efficacious
      with respect to venous thrombosis.

PMID- 1422755
TI  - Reduction of thrombus formation in vivo using a thrombolytic agent targeted at
      damaged endothelial cells.
AB  - Endothelial damage in saphenous vein harvested before coronary artery and
      peripheral vascular surgery has been well documented. Autogenous saphenous vein
      grafts are subject to early thrombotic occlusion, a process that is related to
      injury of this endothelial monolayer. A monoclonal antibody that binds to areas
      of endothelial damage (P14G11) and a non-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) have
      been linked to urokinase. These conjugates were investigated in vivo using a rat
      vena cava model. The P14G11-urokinase conjugate significantly reduced thrombus
      formation compared with controls and non-conjugated urokinase (P < 0.02). No
      reduction in thrombus formation was seen with the IgG-urokinase conjugate. This
      shows that thrombus formation after endothelial damage in an in vivo model can be
      reduced with a targeted thrombolytic agent. Conjugates such as this may have a
      role in preventing early thrombotic occlusion in vein grafts.

PMID- 1422756
TI  - Recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor in red blood cell ghosts accelerates
      incisional wound healing.
AB  - The pharmacological manipulation of wound healing with locally applied growth
      factors is now a practical possibility. The effect of topical applications of
      recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the strength and cellularity
      of healing incisional rat skin wounds was investigated. Applications of bFGF in a
      simple vector (either a collagen suspension or saline) were not associated with
      any positive effects on wound breaking load at 7 days after injury in comparison
      with vector-treated control wounds; at the highest dose of 50 micrograms per
      wound, breaking loads were significantly decreased from a mean(s.e.m.) of 287(22)
      g/cm2 in controls to 201(23) g/cm2 (P < 0.005). Increasing doses of applied
      peptide were paralleled by increasing wound cellularity. Delay of bFGF release at
      the site of application was achieved by encapsulation into red blood cell ghosts.
      Wounds treated with bFGF in such ghosts were 50 per cent stronger than paired
      control wounds (388(27) versus 256(28) g/cm2, P < 0.002) 7 days after injury.
      Treated wounds were significantly more cellular at 4 days than paired control
      wounds. Topical applications of bFGF applied at the time of injury exert a
      positive effect on incisional wound strength only when a vector that delays
      release is used.

PMID- 1422757
TI  - Results of the first year of breast cancer screening in a district hospital.
AB  - The Humberside Breast Screening Service completed 1 year of screening by October
      1990; 16,534 women were invited of whom 12,832 (77.6 per cent) attended. A group
      of 644 women (5.0 per cent) were called for further assessment and of these 134
      underwent 135 primary surgical procedures. After assessment 25 were shown before
      operation to have cancer. One hundred and nine women had suspicious lesions and
      proceeded to surgical biopsy; 50 lesions proved malignant (benign: malignant
      biopsy ratio 1.2:1). The 75 malignant lesions represented a prevalence of 5.8 per
      1000 of the screened population. Invasive cancer > 1 cm in diameter formed almost
      half of the malignant lesions. This service has cost 32 pounds per woman screened
      or 5533 pounds per cancer detected. The results are comparable to those of
      previous studies and suggest that a mammographic screening service can be
      successfully provided in a district hospital setting.

PMID- 1422758
TI  - Assessment of non-palpable mammographic abnormalities: comparison between
      screening and symptomatic clinics.
AB  - A retrospective study found that a breast screening clinic generated fewer
      localization biopsies for non-palpable mammographic abnormalities than a
      symptomatic clinic (3.36 versus 9.89 per 1000 mammograms, respectively) and that
      a greater proportion of such biopsies were malignant. This study determined the
      reason for this difference. There were 108 of 304 (35.5 per cent) and 17 of 130
      (13.1 per cent) carcinomas in women attending the screening and breast clinics
      respectively (relative risk 2.72 (95 per cent confidence interval 1.70-4.34)).
      This difference was regardless of age. The characteristics of the mammographic
      abnormality, the Wolfe pattern, a family history of breast carcinoma, parity and
      age at first pregnancy were similar in both groups. Women attending the screening
      clinic were referred for localization biopsy after assessment by clinicians and
      radiologists at a joint clinic; there was no joint assessment for patients
      attending the breast clinic. The same staff attended both clinics, although the
      proportion of time spent at each varied. This study suggests that all women with
      a non-palpable mammographic abnormality should be reviewed at a joint assessment
      clinic before localization biopsy is recommended.

PMID- 1422759
TI  - Disposable guarded trocar and cannula in laparoscopic surgery: a caveat.

PMID- 1422760
TI  - Smoking predisposes to parotid adenolymphoma.
AB  - Of 574 patients with previously untreated, unremarkable parotid lumps, 194 proved
      to have pleomorphic adenomas and 73 adenolymphomas. ABO blood group details were
      available in 59 and 85 per cent of patients respectively. Smoking details were
      available in 84 per cent of a randomly chosen 46 per cent subgroup of patients
      with pleomorphic adenomas and in 86 per cent of all those with adenolymphomas.
      The incidences of smoking and of the ABO blood groups in these two diagnoses were
      compared with standard sources. There was no evidence that either histological
      diagnosis of parotid tumours was linked to an abnormal pattern of ABO blood
      groups. However, there was a much greater incidence of smoking among the
      adenolymphoma than in the pleomorphic adenoma group: only one of 63 patients with
      adenolymphoma as opposed to 31 of 75 with pleomorphic adenoma had never smoked,
      while the mean number of cigarettes smoked by each patient with an adenolymphoma
      was estimated to be 300,000 as opposed to 80,000 for those with pleomorphic
      adenoma.

PMID- 1422761
TI  - Surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism performed under local anaesthesia.
AB  - Patients with primary hyperparathyroidism are often elderly with cardiovascular
      disease and in some an operation might be hazardous owing to anaesthetic
      complications. A technique for operation for primary hyperparathyroidism under
      local anaesthesia is described. The method uses a unilateral approach. Seventeen
      consecutive patients operated on under local anaesthesia were compared with a
      group of 15 patients undergoing surgery under general anaesthesia. Normocalcaemia
      was achieved in 14 patients in each group. There was no difference in the extent
      of pain or the overall well-being between the two groups as determined by a
      visual analogue scale. Patients receiving local anaesthesia, however, experienced
      significantly less nausea after operation (P < 0.01). There was more fluctuation
      in blood pressure and heart rate in the general anaesthesia group compared with
      the other group. Surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism can be performed safely
      under local anaesthesia, and could be offered to patients if general anaesthesia
      were not suitable or involved an increased perioperative risk. It should not be
      recommended for routine use in patients who are fit for general anaesthesia.

PMID- 1422762
TI  - Surgical resection for stage I cancer of the oesophagus and cardia.
AB  - A study was carried out to establish the long-term survival of patients with
      stage I carcinoma of the oesophagus and cardia, and to assess the influence of
      various factors on the 5-year survival rate. The study, which was partly
      prospective and partly retrospective, involved 60 patients with early (stage I)
      carcinoma of the oesophagus or cardia from a total of 811 consecutive patients
      with such carcinomas who were referred to one regional centre over a 15-year
      period, 425 of whom underwent resection. Survival at 5 years was taken as the
      main measure of outcome. Forty-two patients (70 per cent) were alive at 5 years.
      None of the factors studied (sex, age, site or histological type of tumour) had a
      significant effect on outcome.

PMID- 1422763
TI  - Oesophageal reflex responses: abnormalities of the enteric nervous system in
      patients with oesophageal symptoms.
AB  - An intraluminal balloon was used to study the peristaltic reflex, which is
      mediated by the intrinsic nerves of the oesophagus. Serial balloon distension was
      performed in nine asymptomatic volunteers and 133 patients with oesophageal
      symptoms. Eight of the volunteers had a normal response with proximal stimulation
      and distal inhibition of motility. Only 42 patients (31.6 per cent) had a normal
      response. The commonest abnormal response (39.1 per cent) was some form of
      failure of the distal inhibitory reflex. Other patterns of abnormality were an
      unresponsive oesophagus (15.8 per cent) with no motility change during balloon
      inflation, or spasm (13.5 per cent) proximal to the balloon. These alterations of
      secondary peristaltic activity suggest that there are abnormalities of the
      intrinsic (enteric) nerves of the oesophagus. Different abnormalities were found
      in patients with similar symptoms. Awareness of this difference might allow a
      more rational approach to treatment. This hypothesis was tested in a small pilot
      study treating functional dysphagia with cisapride. Three of nine patients had
      marked symptomatic improvement within 4 weeks and all three had an unresponsive
      oesophagus. The remaining six patients, who had failure of distal inhibition or a
      normal response, did not improve.

PMID- 1422764
TI  - Thoracoabdominal oesophageal duplication.

PMID- 1422765
TI  - Adequacy of paracardial dissection in subtotal versus total gastrectomy.
AB  - Right and left paracardial dissection represents an obligatory step in
      gastrectomy for gastric cancer of the lower half of the stomach because a second
      level lymphadenectomy is part of the radical surgery for malignancy at this site.
      Whereas right and left paracardial dissection is easily accomplished during total
      gastrectomy, there is doubt as to whether subtotal gastrectomy achieves the same
      radical clearance of these groups of lymph nodes. This study therefore compared
      the number of lymph nodes dissected and the frequency of metastases in these
      compartments in 14 patients undergoing total gastrectomy and 22 submitted to
      subtotal gastrectomy. The mean number of lymph nodes dissected in the right
      paracardial compartment was 7.1 per patient undergoing total gastrectomy and 6.7
      per patient in subtotal gastrectomy (P = 0.7). The mean numbers of left
      paracardial lymph nodes dissected in total and subtotal gastrectomy were 3.4 and
      4.1 per patient respectively (P = 0.3). These data show that the same degree of
      radical clearance can be achieved in these nodal compartments, irrespective of
      the extent of gastric resection.

PMID- 1422766
TI  - Place of routine operative cholangiography at cholecystectomy.

PMID- 1422767
TI  - Isolated hyperthermic liver perfusion with cytostatic-containing perfusate
      activates the complement cascade.
AB  - Eight patients with advanced liver malignancy undergoing isolated hyperthermic
      liver perfusion with melphalan and cisplatin were studied with regard to
      complement activation and formation of anaphylatoxins (C3a and C5a) and terminal
      C5b-9 complement complexes (TCCs). Blood samples for complement variables (C1
      INH, C3, C4, C5, C3a, C5a and TCCs) were taken before surgery, 1 min before the
      start of perfusion, 1, 2 and 3 h after the start of perfusion, and 24 h after
      operation. Samples were drawn from the perfusate 1 h after the start of
      perfusion. Activation of complement was observed during perfusion. Raised plasma
      concentrations of C3a and TCCs were recorded and high levels of C3a and TCCs were
      found in the perfusate. In vitro tests indicated that melphalan and cisplatin may
      activate complement. This activation occurred at 37 and 42 degrees C but was more
      pronounced at 42 degrees C.

PMID- 1422768
TI  - Fat-wrapping in Crohn's disease: pathological basis and relevance to surgical
      practice.
AB  - The connective tissue changes that accompany intestinal Crohn's disease have
      received little attention from pathologists. This is particularly so with fat
      hypertrophy, and yet surgeons have long recognized the phenomenon of fat-wrapping
      in the intestines and used it to delineate the extent of active disease. A
      consecutive, unselected series of 27 intestinal resections performed on 25
      patients for histologically confirmed Crohn's disease was studied to correlate
      fat-wrapping with other clinicopathological features. Fat-wrapping was identified
      in 12 of 16 ileal resections and in seven of 11 large bowel resections. It
      correlated closely with transmural inflammation and there was a relationship
      between fat-wrapping and other connective tissue changes including fibrosis,
      muscularization and stricture formation. Morphometry demonstrated that there was
      true hypertrophy and that fat-wrapping does not relate solely to bowel wall
      shrinkage. There was correlation with ulceration but in 11 cases macroscopic
      ulceration extended beyond the fat-wrapping and in six to surgical resection
      margins. The pathological features of 225 small intestinal resections were
      reviewed and fat-wrapping was seen only in Crohn's disease. Fat-wrapping
      correlates best with transmural inflammation and represents part of the
      connective tissue changes that accompany intestinal Crohn's disease. Findings
      also suggest that fat-wrapping alone should not be used as an accurate marker of
      disease extent at the time of surgery.

PMID- 1422769
TI  - Zinc-deficient diet impairs adaptive changes in the remaining intestine after
      massive small bowel resection in the rat.
AB  - An investigation was conducted on the influence of the presence of zinc in an
      elemental diet on the mucosa of residual intestine after massive small bowel
      resection. A total of 34 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups:
      control animals (n = 10) were killed after overnight fasting; a second group (n =
      14) underwent massive small bowel resection preserving 10 cm of terminal ileum,
      and the third group (n = 10) underwent sham operation. Animals in the second and
      third groups were fed either a commercially available elemental diet or a zinc
      deficient diet for 2 weeks; they were then killed. In animals receiving the zinc
      deficient diet, a significant decrease (P < 0.05) was noted in plasma zinc and
      total protein, and in mucosal wet weight (duodenum), thickness (duodenum and
      ileum), and protein (duodenum) and DNA (duodenum) content. Mucosal sucrase and
      maltase specific activities in the duodenum and ileum fell but diamine oxidase
      levels did not. These results suggest that zinc plays an important role in
      intestinal adaptation in the rat, and indicate that this trace element is
      essential for intestinal mucosal preservation in this animal.

PMID- 1422770
TI  - Exteriorization of an ovary: an unusual complication of abdominal drainage.

PMID- 1422771
TI  - Laparoscopy in developing countries in the management of patients with an acute
      abdomen.
AB  - Surgeons in developing countries see a need to improve diagnosis and decision
      making in patients with an acute abdomen. Without the benefit of diagnostic aids
      such as computers and high-resolution ultrasonography, the rate of unnecessary
      laparotomy is often unacceptably high. The laparoscope is usually available in a
      developing country and its use easily acquired. Using laparoscopy in doubtful
      situations the unnecessary laparotomy rate was significantly reduced from 14.0 to
      6 per cent (P < 0.05). Laparoscopy achieved a diagnostic accuracy of 86 per cent
      and prevented unnecessary laparotomy in 57 per cent of those in whom it was used.

PMID- 1422772
TI  - The missing appendix.

PMID- 1422773
TI  - Laparoscopic approach to Meckel's diverticulectomy.

PMID- 1422774
TI  - Quality of life after gastrectomy in patients with carcinoma of the stomach.

PMID- 1422775
TI  - Upper thoracic sympathectomy for primary palmar and axillary hyperhidrosis: long
      term follow up.

PMID- 1422776
TI  - Recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator is superior to streptokinase for
      local intra-arterial thrombolysis.

PMID- 1422777
TI  - Laparoscopic vagotomy: a new tool in the management of duodenal ulcer disease.

PMID- 1422779
TI  - The changing face of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) control.

PMID- 1422778
TI  - Predeposit autologous blood transfusion in patients with colorectal cancer: a
      feasibility study.

PMID- 1422780
TI  - Understanding the pathogenesis of equine osteoarthritis.

PMID- 1422781
TI  - Equine chondrocyte activation by a variety of stimuli.
AB  - There is increasing evidence that the chondrocyte is capable of considerable
      anabolic and catabolic activity. In the case of equine chondrocytes, this study
      demonstrates that a variety of factors involved in the pathogenesis of joint
      disease stimulate the production of prostaglandin E2. These include exposure to
      IL-1, bone fragments and LPS. In addition, an IL-1-like factor was shown to be
      produced by the chondrocyte itself, when stimulated by LPS, providing a possible
      mechanism for amplification of extra-cartilagenous signals and even autocrine
      control. Considered together with evidence of increased synthesis of proteoglycan
      molecules by chondrocytes in diseased cartilage, this offers the exciting
      possibility of development of therapeutic agents to assist cartilage repair.

PMID- 1422782
TI  - A study on the effects of the rapid intravenous infusion of hypertonic Na and K
      solutions into normal conscious sheep on some cardiac characteristics and blood
      analytes.
AB  - Five normal, conscious, aged Merino ewes were infused with 200 ml of an aqueous
      solution containing 5% NaCl and 0.25% KCl (HNaK) at a mean rate of 0.024 ml/kg/s
      and four similar sheep with 0.9% saline at a mean rate of 0.018 ml/kg/s. Five ECG
      tracings were obtained over a 6-h period--two (20 s each) before, one (continuous
      tracing) during the infusion, and two (20 s each) afterwards. The heart was
      auscultated during the infusion. Seven heparinized blood samples were obtained-
      three before the infusion (1.5 h, 1.0 h, and immediately before), and four
      afterwards (immediately, 2.5 h, 4.5 h, and 24 h after). Determinations were made
      of changes in mean PCV, red cell counts, mean corpuscular volumes, plasma Na, K,
      Ca and Mg, and of erythrocyte Na and K concentrations. Analysis of variance
      revealed increases in heart rate when the results from both groups were combined,
      but no significant effects on cardiac rhythm. Auscultation revealed marked
      fluctuations in cardiac intensity within individual sheep and marked differences
      between sheep, particularly in those infused with HNaK. In the HNaK group there
      were significant increases in erythrocyte and plasma Na, and erythrocyte K and
      decreases in plasma Ca during the infusion. Plasma K increased from the
      termination of the infusion to 2.5 h afterwards in the saline group but decreased
      unexpectedly during the same period in the group infused with HNaK [corrected].

PMID- 1422783
TI  - Blood pathophysiological changes in sheep following a prolonged (18-hour) period
      of hypocalcaemia induced by Na2EDTA solution.
AB  - Six aged Merino ewes were used in an experiment in which five were infused with
      4.7% Na2EDTA solution intravenously for 18 h at a rate designed to produce
      hypocalcaemia and maintain recumbency, and five with 0.9% sodium chloride
      solution at the same rate for the same period (four were infused at different
      times with both solutions). Blood samples were collected every 3 h and
      determinations made of plasma Ca, Na, K, Mg, and inorganic P (PiP), erythrocyte
      Na, K and Mg, and PCV. Three of the hypocalcaemic sheep took 36-64 h to regain
      their feet. Plasma Ca and K, and erythrocyte Na showed significant (all P less
      than 0.01) decreases in the group infused with Na2EDTA compared with the group
      infused with saline while PCVs were significantly (P less than 0.01) greater in
      the former group. The sheep model used could be suitable for the study of the
      effects of prolonged hypocalcaemia and recumbency in cows.

PMID- 1422784
TI  - Determination of the length and position of the lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS)
      by correlation of external measurements with combined radiographic and manometric
      estimations in the cat.
AB  - Fifty DSH cats were studied radiographically and a highly significant linear
      correlation was found between the length of the oesophagus measured to the
      diaphragmatic line on the radiographs and the externally measured distance from
      the lower jaw incisor teeth to the anterior border of the head of 10th rib. A
      subsequent manometric study utilizing this correlation in 40 cats suggests that
      the functional lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) is situated almost at the level
      of the diaphragm in the cat. Significant differences were found between the
      length of the LOS in cats anaesthetized with ketamine compared to alphaxalone
      alphadolone or xylazine-ketamine-atropine. The mean lengths of the LOS was 1.42
      +/- 0.3 cm. The findings of this study indicate that external measurements can be
      used to position catheters for accurate oesophageal manometry in the cat.

PMID- 1422785
TI  - The prevalence of Salmonella infections in camels (Camelus dromedarius) in the
      United Arab Emirates.
AB  - One hundred and eighty-seven salmonella strains were isolated from 4006 samples
      collected from camels in the United Arab Emirates between 1987 and 1991. One
      hundred and sixty-five (4.3%) strains were isolated from 3801 faecal and 22 from
      205 organ samples of 62 autopsied camels. In total, 28 different serotypes were
      identified with S. saintpaul being the most frequent (69), followed by S.
      frintrop (31) and S. hindmarsh (15). Salmonella typhimurium was isolated from
      only two faecal specimens. All salmonellas isolated from faecal samples
      originated from carrier camels, and those isolated from organs were secondary
      findings. The camels from which salmonella organisms were found died from
      diseases other than salmonellosis. Most of the S. saintpaul isolates originated
      from one herd suffering from Clostridium perfringens type A enterotoxaemia which
      suggests that salmonella infections may predispose camels to clostridial
      enterotoxaemias.

PMID- 1422786
TI  - Serial thyroid hormone concentrations in healthy euthyroid dogs, dogs with
      hypothyroidism, and euthyroid dogs with atopic dermatitis.
AB  - Serum thyroxine (T4) and 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations were
      determined every 3 h for 12 h beginning at 8 a.m. in 20 healthy euthyroid dogs,
      19 dogs with hypothyroidism, and 18 euthyroid dogs with atopic dermatitis. Status
      of thyroid function was based on history, physical findings, results of
      thyrotropin response testing, and requirement for thyroid hormone replacement
      therapy. Mean serum T4 and T3 concentrations did not vary significantly between
      blood samplings within each of the three groups of dogs. Between groups of dogs,
      mean serum T4 concentration was significantly (P less than 0.05) higher at each
      blood sampling time in healthy euthyroid dogs and euthyroid dogs with atopic
      dermatitis when compared to dogs with hypothyroidism. There was no significant
      difference in mean serum T4 concentration at any blood sampling time between
      healthy euthyroid dogs and euthyroid dogs with atopic dermatitis or in mean serum
      T3 concentrations at any blood sampling time between any of the three groups of
      dogs. Random fluctuation in serum T4 and T3 concentrations was found in dogs in
      all three groups. Random fluctuations were more common with serum T3 versus T4
      concentrations. Consequently, sensitivity (0.88 versus 0.52), specificity (0.73
      versus 0.45), predictive value for a positive test (0.75 versus 0.32), predictive
      value for a negative test (0.87 versus 0.65), and accuracy (0.80 versus 0.47)
      were better for serum T4 concentration than serum T3 concentration, respectively,
      when all blood samples were analysed. Measurement of serum T4 concentration was
      more accurate than serum T3 concentration in assessing the status of thyroid
      gland function.

PMID- 1422787
TI  - Oestradiol-17 beta in the milk of cows from 6 days before to 14 days after their
      insemination.
AB  - In artificially inseminated cows (AI on day 1) peak concentrations of oestradiol
      17 beta in defatted milk occurred at median times of day 0 during the pre
      ovulatory period, days -5 to 2, and day 6 during the post-ovulatory period, days
      2-15. Median peak concentrations during these periods were approximately 5 pg/ml
      and 3 pg/ml respectively. There were no significant differences in the timing or
      magnitude of oestradiol-17 beta concentrations between cows that became pregnant
      to the AI and those that entered normal length oestrus cycles immediately after
      AI.

PMID- 1422788
TI  - Quinolinic acid and kynurenine pathway metabolism in inflammatory and non
      inflammatory neurological disease.
AB  - Neurological dysfunction, seizures and brain atrophy occur in a broad spectrum of
      acute and chronic neurological diseases. In certain instances, over-stimulation
      of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors has been implicated. Quinolinic acid (QUIN) is
      an endogenous N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor agonist synthesized from L-tryptophan
      via the kynurenine pathway and thereby has the potential of mediating N-methyl-D
      aspartate neuronal damage and dysfunction. Conversely, the related metabolite,
      kynurenic acid, is an antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors and could
      modulate the neurotoxic effects of QUIN as well as disrupt excitatory amino acid
      neurotransmission. In the present study, markedly increased concentrations of
      QUIN were found in both lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and post-mortem brain
      tissue of patients with inflammatory diseases (bacterial, viral, fungal and
      parasitic infections, meningitis, autoimmune diseases and septicaemia)
      independent of breakdown of the blood-brain barrier. The concentrations of
      kynurenic acid were also increased, but generally to a lesser degree than the
      increases in QUIN. In contrast, no increases in CSF QUIN were found in chronic
      neurodegenerative disorders, depression or myoclonic seizure disorders, while CSF
      kynurenic acid concentrations were significantly lower in Huntington's disease
      and Alzheimer's disease. In inflammatory disease patients, proportional increases
      in CSF L-kynurenine and reduced L-tryptophan accompanied the increases in CSF
      QUIN and kynurenic acid. These responses are consistent with induction of
      indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase, the first enzyme of the kynurenine pathway which
      converts L-tryptophan to kynurenic acid and QUIN. Indeed, increases in both
      indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase activity and QUIN concentrations were observed in the
      cerebral cortex of macaques infected with retrovirus, particularly those with
      local inflammatory lesions. Correlations between CSF QUIN, kynurenic acid and L
      kynurenine with markers of immune stimulation (neopterin, white blood cell counts
      and IgG levels) indicate a relationship between accelerated kynurenine pathway
      metabolism and the degree of intracerebral immune stimulation. We conclude that
      inflammatory diseases are associated with accumulation of QUIN, kynurenic acid
      and L-kynurenine within the central nervous system, but that the available data
      do not support a role for QUIN in the aetiology of Huntington's disease or
      Alzheimer's disease. In conjunction with our previous reports that CSF QUIN
      concentrations are correlated to objective measures of neuropsychological
      deficits in HIV-1-infected patients, we hypothesize that QUIN and kynurenic acid
      are mediators of neuronal dysfunction and nerve cell death in inflammatory
      diseases. Therefore, strategies to attenuate the neurological effects of
      kynurenine pathway metabolites or attenuate the rate of their synthesis offer new
      approaches to therapy.

PMID- 1422790
TI  - Neurology of latent nystagmus.
AB  - We report eye movement findings in 30 patients with latent nystagmus and who were
      found to have a variety of associated oculomotor disorders. Latent nystagmus is
      defined clinically as nystagmus which appears on covering one eye and beats
      towards the uncovered eye. Recordings showed that the latent nystagmus in 28
      patients had slow phases with linear or exponentially decreasing velocity. This
      nystagmus is termed 'LN'. In 13 of these patients certain manoeuvres (e.g.
      pursuit) provoked nystagmus with exponentially increasing slow phase velocities
      characteristic of the congenital form of nystagmus termed 'CN' and we propose
      that this is a forme fruste of CN. In two patients the nystagmus provoked by
      cover was latent CN. Twenty-nine patients had a history of strabismus and one had
      a marked phoria. Some patients had amblyopia whilst others had normal vision in
      each eye. Although binocular vision was usually absent, six patients had varying
      degrees of stereopsis. A temporonasal predominance of monocularly elicited
      optokinetic response previously associated with LN, was present only in a
      minority of patients. Some responses were bidirectionally absent or of low
      velocity, possibly the result of a cortical impairment of visual motion
      detection. The most deranged responses had slow phases which were in the opposite
      direction to the stimulus as described in CN. The presence of 'forme fruste' CN
      in many of these patients suggests that some of the derangements of optokinetic
      responses are due to CN. The findings indicate a greater overlap between the
      incidences of LN and CN than previously estimated. Thirty percent of patients had
      large saccadic 'square wave' intrusions. These were not present when there was
      marked amblyopia. They are attributed to a competitive incongruence of visual
      fields and eye positions. Dissociations found between the presence and severity
      of strabismus, stereopsis, amblyopia and optokinetic abnormalities point to these
      features being relatively independent although associated in typical clusterings.
      This is evidence against the theory that strabismus and LN are directly caused by
      nasotemporal optokinetic imbalance which persists because of failure to develop
      binocular vision. The variability of findings favours the view that LN and CN
      arise from a genetic or acquired embryological disorder with various degrees and
      directions of expression.

PMID- 1422789
TI  - Motor nerve inexcitability in Guillain-Barre syndrome. The spectrum of distal
      conduction block and axonal degeneration.
AB  - We studied 34 patients with the Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) to clarify the
      clinical significance of inexcitable motor nerves and of low amplitude compound
      muscle action potentials (CMAPs). The patients were subdivided into two groups.
      Group 1 included eight patients who had electrically inexcitable motor nerves
      within 2 wks of the first symptom. (Two patients without extensive conduction
      studies had only one inexcitable motor nerve.) The outcome in this group at 1 yr
      varied from complete recovery (five patients) to severe motor sequelae (three
      patients). Group 2 included 26 patients who had two electrophysiological
      assessments, and in whom the serial changes in CMAP amplitudes were analysed and
      correlated to outcome. Fourteen of these 26 sets of serial studies were performed
      within 1 mth. Twelve of 26 patients in Group 2 showed decrease in the amplitude
      of CMAPs between serial studies; only six of these had a good outcome at 1 yr.
      Nine of 26 patients showed increase in CMAP amplitude between serial studies, of
      these eight had a good clinical outcome. Low-amplitude CMAPs or inexcitable motor
      nerves in the initial stages of GBS are due to distal pathology of the motor
      axons, either distal conduction block or axonal degeneration. The nature of these
      changes cannot be predicted by the results of the initial electrophysiological
      evaluation, including the presence or absence of active denervation. However,
      improvement of CMAP amplitude on sequential studies suggests a good outcome at 1
      yr. We believe that, in the absence of a biological marker for GBS,
      individualization of an 'axonal variant' of the syndrome is not warranted at the
      present time.

PMID- 1422791
TI  - Comparison of predictable smooth ocular and combined eye-head tracking behaviour
      in patients with lesions affecting the brainstem and cerebellum.
AB  - We compared the ability of eight normal subjects and 15 patients with brainstem
      or cerebellar disease to follow a moving visual stimulus smoothly with either the
      eyes alone or with combined eye-head tracking. The visual stimulus was either a
      laser spot (horizontal and vertical planes) or a large rotating disc (torsional
      plane), which moved at one sinusoidal frequency for each subject. The visually
      enhanced vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) was also measured in each plane. In the
      horizontal and vertical planes, we found that if tracking gain (gaze
      velocity/target velocity) for smooth pursuit was close to 1, the gain of combined
      eye-hand tracking was similar. If the tracking gain during smooth pursuit was
      less than about 0.7, combined eye-head tracking was usually superior. Most
      patients, irrespective of diagnosis, showed combined eye-head tracking that was
      superior to smooth pursuit; only two patients showed the converse. In the
      torsional plane, in which optokinetic responses were weak, combined eye-head
      tracking was much superior, and this was the case in both subjects and patients.
      We found that a linear model, in which an internal ocular tracking signal
      cancelled the VOR, could account for our findings in most normal subjects in the
      horizontal and vertical planes, but not in the torsional plane. The model failed
      to account for tracking behaviour in most patients in any plane, and suggested
      that the brain may use additional mechanisms to reduce the internal gain of the
      VOR during combined eye-head tracking. Our results confirm that certain patients
      who show impairment of smooth-pursuit eye movements preserve their ability to
      smoothly track a moving target with combined eye-head tracking.

PMID- 1422792
TI  - A quantitative study of eye and head movements during smooth pursuit in patients
      with cerebellar disease.
AB  - Eye and head movements were analysed during smooth pursuit in 16 patients with
      various forms of cerebellar disease. Smooth pursuit gain was reduced across all
      frequencies and velocities of target motion for the patient group as a whole,
      during both sinusoidal and pseudo-random target motion. The graded breakdown in
      the pursuit response, as pseudo-random target motion became less predictable, was
      of a similar magnitude in patients and controls, implying that the predictive
      pursuit mechanisms were intact in these patients. During head-free pursuit, when
      vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) suppression was necessary, performance was not
      significantly different from that observed during head-fixed pursuit in the
      patient group. This finding is similar to that noted in control subjects, and is
      consistent with the observation that the VOR gains associated with head movements
      in darkness were similar in the patient and control groups. The deficits in
      pursuit and VOR suppression in patients with cerebellar disease therefore
      represent a decrease in gain in the closed-loop visual feedback pathways with
      apparent sparing of the predictive pathways.

PMID- 1422793
TI  - Saccadic reaction times in patients with frontal and parietal lesions.
AB  - The effect of unilateral circumscribed lesions in different areas of the frontal
      and parietal cortex on the distributions of saccadic reaction times (SRTs) was
      investigated in 32 patients under four stimulus conditions: (i) gap-random: a
      target light appeared 200 ms after extinction of a central fixation light
      randomly at 8 degrees either left or right; (ii) overlap-random: like (i), but
      the fixation light remained on ('overlap'); (iii) gap-simultaneous: two
      peripheral lights appeared simultaneously left and right 200 ms after the
      extinction of the fixation light, one predesignated by instruction as saccadic
      target; (iv) overlap-simultaneous: like (iii), but the fixation light remained
      on. Depending on SRT and condition and based on the data of control subjects, we
      evaluated the percentages of anticipatory (SRT: 0-90 ms), express (91-157 ms) and
      regular (158-400 ms) saccades, of time (> 400 ms) and direction errors as well as
      the mean latencies and the standard deviations. These data were compared across
      control subjects, frontal lobe patients with a lesion in the region of the
      frontal eye field (FEF), and frontal patients with a lesion outside the FEF, as
      well as across control subjects, parietal lobe patients with a lesion in the
      dorsolateral region, and parietal patients with a lesion outside the dorsolateral
      region. (i) Frontal patients with a lesion in the FEF region showed an increased
      percentage of express saccades (gap-random condition), especially with saccades
      directed towards the side of the lesion (ipsilateral). If fixation was not
      interrupted prior to target appearance (overlap-random), express saccades were
      largely suppressed, similar to normals. All patients with a frontal lesion,
      whether in the region of the FEF or not, showed a decreased percentage of
      contralateral anticipatory saccades (gap-simultaneous), whereas the percentages
      of direction and time errors were in the normal range, even if more than one
      stimulus was presented (e.g. overlap-simultaneous condition). (ii) Patients with
      dorsolateral parietal lesions showed decomposed SRT patterns (high SRT
      variability, increased percentages of time and direction errors, decreased
      percentages of express and anticipatory saccades). The decomposition had a
      contralateral preponderance and increased if more than one stimulus was visible
      beside the saccadic target. Our results suggest that FEF lesions impair mainly
      the volitional control over visually triggered express or reflex-like saccades if
      fixation is disrupted, whereas dorsolateral parietal lesions impair mainly the
      selection of the visual targets.

PMID- 1422794
TI  - Saccadic dysmetria in a patient with a right frontoparietal lesion. The
      importance of corollary discharge for accurate spatial behaviour.
AB  - Double-step experiments have demonstrated that retinotopic coding is inadequate
      to explain the spatial performance of the saccadic system. In such experiments a
      subject is asked to make two successive saccades to fixate two sequentially
      flashed targets each of which disappears before the first saccade. Despite the
      dissonance thus created between the retinal location of the second target and the
      saccade necessary to acquire it, normal humans and monkeys perform the task
      perfectly well. Single unit recording in monkeys indicates that neurons in the
      superior colliculus, frontal eye fields and in parietal cortex generate a
      spatially accurate signal during the performance of double-step saccades, which
      is thought to be obtained by combining a retinotopic signal with a signal
      corollary to the previous saccadic eye movement. We studied saccadic eye
      movements in a patient with a right fronto-parietal lesion using single- and
      double-step tasks. Single saccades into the left (contralesional) hemifield had
      longer latency and were hypometric relative to those into the right
      (ipsilesional) hemifield. Varying the initial orbital position had no effect on
      the latency and accuracy of saccades to left and right retinal stimuli. When the
      patient was asked to do a double-step task with targets flashed first into the
      right field and then into the left field, she performed well. When she was asked
      to do the same task with a target flashed first into the left field and then into
      the right field she made the first saccade correctly but never acquired the
      second target, even though this required her to make a saccade in the normal
      direction to a stimulus that appeared in the normal field. Such a deficit
      therefore cannot be one of retinotopic or spatial coding, nor can it be one of
      generating a certain direction of saccade. We suggest that the deficit is a
      failure of corollary discharge, the inability to register the amplitude and
      direction of a saccade into the contralesional field, and use that information to
      update the representation of the location of the next saccade target.

PMID- 1422795
TI  - Acute optic neuritis. A cognitive and magnetic resonance imaging study.
AB  - Forty-two patients with acute optic neuritis (ON) (mean duration of symptoms 14.5
      d) were compared with a matched, normal control group on a battery of tests of
      attention and information processing speed. Approximately half the sample (55%)
      had brain abnormalities shown by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and were more
      impaired across a variety of tests compared with those patients without brain
      lesions or normal controls. There was no difference in psychometric performance
      other than the pegboard task between the normal control group and those ON
      patients without brain involvement. Significant correlations were found between
      total lesion area in the brain and some tests of attention. Results from the
      Symbol Digit-Substitution Test were particularly sensitive in this regard and
      could correctly identify 70% of the sample with brain lesions.

PMID- 1422796
TI  - The mechanism of facial sweating and cutaneous vascular responses to painful
      stimulation of the eye.
AB  - The vascular response in the forehead and cheeks to irritating the eye with soapy
      water was measured in 15 normal subjects. Electrodermal activity, which reflects
      sweating, was also measured from both sides of the forehead. The mechanism of the
      response was studied in 15 patients with a unilateral lesion of the facial nerve
      blocking parasympathetic outflow. Pulse amplitude usually increased briefly on
      both sides of the forehead after the soap was placed in the eye; the response
      persisted for several minutes on the ipsilateral side after the soap had been
      washed from the eye. A facial nerve lesion blocked the vascular response on the
      lesioned side to stimulation of either eye. No consistent change in pulse
      amplitude was recorded from the cheeks, although a response was observed in a few
      subjects. Electrodermal responses to ocular irritation were generally larger on
      the ipsilateral than contralateral side of the forehead; in patients with facial
      palsy, electrodermal responses were greater on the normally innervated side than
      on the lesioned side. The findings suggest that irritating the eye induces a
      trigeminal-parasympathetic vasodilator reflex and local sweating. The restricted
      distribution of the response indicates that separate parasympathetic vasodilator
      reflexes might operate for each division of the trigeminal nerve.

PMID- 1422797
TI  - Pathological sweating and flushing accompanying the trigeminal lacrimal reflex in
      patients with cluster headache and in patients with a confirmed site of cervical
      sympathetic deficit. Evidence for parasympathetic cross-innervation.
AB  - Electrodermal responses (as a measure of sweating) and vascular responses to
      irritation of the eye were investigated in 11 cluster headache patients and, for
      comparison, in another 24 patients with a confirmed site of lesion in the
      cervical sympathetic pathway. Seven of the cluster headache patients had ocular
      and thermoregulatory signs of a postganglionic sympathetic lesion. In these
      patients, and in six of seven patients with a postganglionic sympathetic lesion
      from some other cause, the electrodermal response to ocular stimulation was far
      greater on the denervated side of the forehead than on the sympathetically intact
      side. This pathological response can be explained by lacrimotor fibres branching
      into vacant sympathetic sudomotor pathways. The response could account for
      excessive forehead sweating during attacks of cluster headache, in spite of the
      presence of Horner's syndrome, because parasympathetic outflow to the lacrimal
      glands increases during attacks. In patients with diminished sympathetic
      vasomotor outflow, the vascular response to ocular irritation was also greater on
      the denervated side of the forehead than on the sympathetically intact side,
      irrespective of the site of the lesion. The excessive vascular response in
      sympathetically denervated skin could be caused by adaptive supersensitivity to
      peptides such as vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, which is known to be released
      from parasympathetic terminals. The same mechanism might augment vasodilatation
      during attacks of cluster headache.

PMID- 1422798
TI  - Processing of spatial contrast in peripheral vision in Parkinson's disease.
AB  - Two experiments were carried out to test the hypothesis, based on anatomical
      evidence, that contrast gain might be reduced in the retinal periphery in
      Parkinson's disease. In the first experiment, subjects set contrast thresholds
      before and after adaptation to a vertical grating of 2 cycles per degree (c/deg),
      either stationary or oscillating sideways through its spatial period at 8 Hz,
      presented either in central vision or 7 degrees peripherally. Threshold
      elevations were similar for central viewing in both patients and controls.
      However, for peripheral viewing, elevations were greater in the controls, but
      smaller in the patients, than for central viewing. In the second experiment, a
      staircase procedure was used to find the contrast of a peripherally viewed
      grating of either 4 or 1.2 c/deg which apparently matched that of a centrally
      viewed grating of the same spatial frequency. Patients needed more contrast
      (about 1.6 times, at both spatial frequencies) than controls for a match. These
      results suggest that contrast gain may be lowered in the peripheral retina in
      Parkinson's disease, perhaps because of an abnormality of dopamine amacrine
      cells, whose density peaks in the peripheral retina.

PMID- 1422799
TI  - Sequential arm movements in patients with Parkinson's disease, Huntington's
      disease and dystonia.
AB  - We studied the performance of sequential arm movements in 14 patients with
      Parkinson's disease, nine patients with Huntington's disease and seven patients
      with arm dystonia. The results were compared with those from normal subjects.
      Subjects had to perform each movement of the sequence as fast as possible,
      stopping as briefly as possible between two successive movements. In one set of
      experiments, patients with Parkinson's disease drew four different geometrical
      patterns in a counter-clockwise direction. The patterns consisted of two, three,
      four and five segments of identical length. In a second set, the subjects drew a
      pentagon in a counter-clockwise and a clockwise direction and each side of the
      pentagon singly in a counter-clockwise direction. All three groups of patients
      were slow in executing movements and in switching from one movement to the next.
      Only patients with Parkinson's disease took longer to perform the segments at the
      end of a sequence. In other words, their movement times lengthened progressively
      as the sequence progressed. This phenomenon could still be recognized when the
      direction and position of the segments were changed (pentagon drawn in the
      counter-clockwise and the clockwise direction) and when the extra-time needed,
      mainly due to the sequential nature of the task, was considered by computing the
      differences between movement times obtained during drawing of the pentagon and
      those obtained when each segment was traced singly. This study demonstrates that
      sequential movements are abnormal in Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease
      and dystonia and that in the performance of long motor sequences, the deficit in
      sequencing movements is exacerbated only in patients with Parkinson's disease.

PMID- 1422800
TI  - Anodal and cathodal stimulation of the upper-limb area of the human motor cortex.
AB  - In 18 neurologically normal subjects the corticofugal volleys evoked by anodal
      and cathodal electrical stimulation of the motor cortex were recorded using
      epidural electrodes at the high-thoracic and low-thoracic regions of the spinal
      cord during surgery for scoliosis. At and just above threshold, anodal and
      cathodal stimulation of the upper-limb area and motor cortex produced a D wave
      that propagated to the low-thoracic region. The stimulus intensity required to
      produce D waves was significantly lower with anodal stimulation. I waves were
      recorded at higher stimulus intensities than the D wave but not more readily with
      cathodal stimulation. There was no significant difference in the extent to which
      stimulus intensity had to be increased above D-wave threshold to produce I waves
      with the two stimulus polarities, and the number of I waves was the same when the
      stimulus was increased by the same amount above D-wave threshold. After
      withdrawal of isoflurane, I waves could not be recorded when the stimulus
      intensity was below D-wave threshold with either stimulus polarity. Anodal
      stimulation over the upper-limb area remained more effective than cathodal
      stimulation in producing both D and I waves. These results indicate that, at
      threshold, regardless of anaesthesia, anodal and cathodal stimuli access upper
      limb corticospinal neurons directly at a similar site, the anodal stimuli being
      more effective. In addition, the results suggest that some corticospinal neurons
      in the upper-limb area of motor cortex have projections to lumbar segments.

PMID- 1422801
TI  - Seizures involving secondary sensory and related areas.
AB  - Five patients with seizures involving the secondary sensory and/or related areas
      (SSRA) are presented. Four of five experienced ictal numbness and/or tingling
      bilaterally and/or axially; this involved fingertips (three patients), lips
      (two), tongue (two), and was diffuse in one. The fifth patient experienced
      bilateral ictal pain. Associated ictal symptoms implicating adjacent regions
      appeared in all five patients, including contralateral clonic movements (two
      patients), hypersalivation (two), taste (one), vocalization (two), dysphagia
      (one), and contralateral sensory march (one). Two patients had ictal symptoms
      suggestive of adjacent temporal lobe involvement. By history, the SSRA was
      involved at seizure onset in four and by spread in one. All five patients had
      electroencephalogram (EEG) or subdural EEG supportive evidence of SSRA
      involvement: ictal (three) and interictal (three). Three patients had lesions in
      this area shown by magnetic resonance imaging or computerized tomography and all
      three had histologically proven glial tumours. Relevant experimental
      physiological and anatomical data are reviewed.

PMID- 1422802
TI  - Morphometry of the Sylvian fissure and the corpus callosum, with emphasis on sex
      differences.
AB  - The relationship between anatomical asymmetries in the perisylvian region and the
      sizes of different regions of the corpus callosum was investigated post-mortem in
      40 brains of right-handed hospital admissions (20 males, 20 females) with no
      cortical involvement. There were no sex differences either in anatomical
      asymmetries or in regional size of the callosum. There was a negative correlation
      between the absolute value of Sylvian fissure (planum temporale) asymmetries and
      the size of the isthmus in males but not in females. Further, there was a
      significant negative correlation between the size of the Sylvian fissure (or
      planum temporale) and the size of the callosal mid-body in males but not in
      females. There was no correlation between the asymmetry of the planum temporale
      magnitude of left-right and total size of the planum (left+right). These findings
      constrain theories about the ontogenesis of hemispheric specialization through
      changes in callosal connectivity and about sex differences in interhemispheric
      organization.

PMID- 1422803
TI  - Changes in brain functional connectivity in Alzheimer-type and multi-infarct
      dementia.
AB  - Clinical and neuropathological evaluation of elderly subjects with dementia has
      traditionally concentrated upon the focal distribution of brain disease, ignoring
      changes in the complex connections that link brain areas and that are crucial for
      cognition. We examined subjects with the two most common forms of dementia in the
      elderly (dementia of the Alzheimer type or DAT, and multi-infarct dementia or
      MID); and used electroencephalographic (EEG) coherence to examine the effects of
      these illnesses on the functional connections between brain areas. We studied
      coherence between brain areas known to be linked by two different types of
      connections: (i) dense narrow bands of long corticocortical fibres; (ii) broad
      complex networks of corticocortical and corticosubcortical fibres. Areas that
      were linked by dense narrow bands of long corticocortical fibres showed greatly
      diminished coherence in subjects with DAT; among MID subjects, this coherence was
      not significantly affected. Areas that were linked by broad connective networks
      showed the largest decreases in coherence among MID subjects. These findings are
      consistent with neuropathological evidence that Alzheimer's disease is a
      neocortical 'disconnection syndrome' in which there is a loss of structural and
      functional integrity of long corticocortical tracts. The findings further suggest
      that the vascular disease of MID most prominently affects broad fibre networks
      that may be more vulnerable to diffuse subcortical vascular damage. A ratio of
      coherence from complex corticocortical-corticosubcortical networks divided by
      coherence from long corticocortical tracts correctly classified 76% of subjects
      into DAT and MID categories. Overall, these results indicate that EEG coherence
      detects basic pathophysiological differences between subjects with DAT and MID,
      and that these differences may be clinically useful.

PMID- 1422804
TI  - A critical appraisal of neuropsychological correlates of Japanese ideogram
      (kanji) and phonogram (kana) reading.
AB  - Owing to the Japanese language's unique writing system, which consists of
      phonograms and ideograms, reading impairments of Japanese brain-damaged patients
      have attracted the interest of many researchers. Past case reports as well as
      some widely accepted handbooks and textbooks have concluded that a specific
      aphasia type or lesion site is associated with a particular impairment pattern of
      phonograms and ideograms in reading. However, the methodology and analytical
      procedures in previous studies were inadequate for reliable generalizations to be
      made. First, the test materials were unspecified or inappropriate, or the number
      of test items was small. Secondly, the conclusions were presented without
      providing individual performance data to support them. Thirdly, in associating
      patterns of reading impairment with lesion sites, only single cases were
      reported. The present investigation was designed to overcome the omissions of
      previous studies, and examined the ability to read 46 single phonograms and 46
      single ideograms aloud in four groups of sufficiently large numbers of patients;
      namely, seven pure alexics, 23 Broca aphasics, 13 Wernicke aphasics, and seven
      patients with alexia and agraphia. Ours are the first data to demonstrate
      unequivocally no consistent linkage between aphasia type and the patterns of
      impairment of phonogram and ideogram reading. The impairment patterns were not
      uniform across patients even in the same aphasia group. A majority of the cases
      in each group showed that phonograms and ideograms were unselectively impaired.
      However, ideogram reading was more difficult in three cases in the pure alexia
      and Broca aphasia groups, respectively, and in one case in the Wernicke aphasia
      group. Phonogram reading was more severely disturbed in four cases among the
      Broca aphasics and in one case among the patients with alexia with agraphia. An
      apparent variability of impairment patterns characterized the Broca aphasic
      group. These dyslexic patterns did not appear to correlate with the site and
      extent of lesions identified by computerized tomography scans. Past reports
      linking a particular impairment pattern of phonogram and ideogram reading and a
      specific lesion site were studies of single cases, and their conclusions seem
      oversimplified. While sensory and motor dysfunctions can usually be
      neuroanatomically localized in individuals, impairments of certain high cortical
      functions, such as the reading of phonograms and ideograms, may not be correlated
      with damage to definite neuroanatomical structures.

PMID- 1422805
TI  - The influence of handedness on the distribution of muscular weakness of the arm
      in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.
AB  - The strength of 10 muscle groups in both arms was measured using hand-held
      myometry to determine the influence of handedness on left-right differences of
      muscle strength in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Two groups of
      subjects were studied: 24 healthy volunteers (19 right-handed), and 53 patients
      (42 right-handed) with autosomal dominant FSHD. An opposite left-right difference
      of strength of shoulder and arm muscles was found: right-handed volunteers were
      stronger on the right side, right-handed patients were stronger on the left side.
      This opposite left-right difference was statistically significant for the
      supraspinatus muscle, the wrist extensors and the shoulder internal rotators. The
      number of left-handed subjects was too small for statistical analysis. The
      relation between handedness and increased muscle weakness in right-handed FSHD
      patients suggests that mechanical factors may play a distinct role in the
      progression of muscle weakness in FSHD.

PMID- 1422806
TI  - The evolution of neural circuits controlling feeding behavior in frogs.
AB  - Our approach to understanding motor systems is a phylogenetic, 'outside-in'
      approach, the goal of which is to identify behavioral transitions during
      phylogenesis and elucidate their neurological basis. In this paper, we review the
      results of recent behavioral, biomechanical and neurological studies on frog
      feeding behavior. These studies show that highly protrusible tongues have evolved
      numerous times independently among frogs, and that the biomechanics and
      neuromuscular control of feeding behavior have been transformed repeatedly during
      frog evolution. Many of the independent lineages possess unique biomechanical
      mechanisms for protracting their tongues and unique neural mechanisms for
      coordinating feeding behavior. In frogs, there has been considerable evolution at
      the interface between reticular central pattern generators (CPGs) associated with
      feeding and sensory feedback circuits that modulate feeding motor output. In
      particular, the roles of hypoglossal and glossopharyngeal sensory feedback appear
      to have been relatively plastic in their evolution. Prey-type dependence of
      hypoglossal sensory feedback in Rana suggests that the interaction between
      descending visual control and sensory feedback also may be evolutionarily
      plastic. Comparative studies have found that motor systems sometimes evolve
      conservatively across morphological and behavioral transitions (i.e., the
      shoulder in birds) or, alternatively, they may be subject to considerably more
      evolutionary change than is reflected in morphological characteristics (i.e.,
      feeding in cichlids). We hypothesize that the CPG circuits for feeding behavior
      in the reticular formation may evolve conservatively because they are highly
      integrated, multifunctional networks which cannot be optimized for one function
      without compromising others. In contrast, the interfaces between the CPG, sensory
      feedback and descending control should be less constrained. When changes in motor
      patterns occur during evolution, it is likely that sensory feedback or descending
      control may be involved.

PMID- 1422807
TI  - Chromatophore systems in teleosts and cephalopods: a levels oriented analysis of
      convergent systems.
AB  - The neural control of chromatophore display in cephalopod mollusks and teleost
      fishes is reviewed in the context of convergence of functional-anatomical
      pathways and mechanisms at several levels of organization. The effector elements
      or chromatophores are different in origin and design in the two groups of
      animals. Major functional differences appear to be in the speed of response
      (greatest in cephalopods) and the magnitude of non-neural control mechanisms
      (greatest in teleosts). Despite the differences, the elements demonstrate
      striking overall functional similarity. Elements of different types form highly
      organized array patterns of similar general complexity. Innervation patterns in
      cephalopods and teleosts seem comparable, with control being unidirectional
      (albeit in opposite directions); some elements demonstrate polyaxonal
      innervation. Motor units in both groups are generally composed of many
      chromatophores. Packard's concept of 'cronological units' of similar age-classes
      of chromatophores being innervated by similar age-classes of motor neurons
      greatly simplifies the understanding of relationships between the static arrays
      and the physiological units that utilize them to produce chromatic displays. The
      lower motor control areas for both groups have been grossly identified.
      Chromatomotor neurons in cephalopods are mostly located in the chromatophore
      lobes of the subesophageal brain while comparable systems in teleosts are
      situated in sympathetic chain ganglia (preganglionics) and the rostral spinal
      cord (postganglionics). Chromatic components are the simplest visually detectable
      units of color display, e.g. vertical bands and fin spots. They combine to form
      more complex chromatic patterns, which, in turn, are integrated with components
      of skin texture, posture and movement to produce display behaviors. Complexity of
      such systems seems to be of the same order of magnitude in both cephalopods and
      teleosts. Areas of the CNS related to each of the categorical levels have not
      been clearly defined. Crude patterning may take place in the basal and, perhaps,
      peduncle lobes in cephalopods and in the lower and intermediate medulla in
      teleosts. In both groups, higher level control relates to areas involved in
      sensorimotor integration and mediation of agonistic, sexual, and, perhaps, other
      types of behavior: the peduncle and optic lobes in cephalopods and the
      hypothalamus, tegmentum, otic tectum, torus semicircularis, thalamus and
      telencephalon in fishes. The systems appear to parallel each other in being
      organized hierarchically, with similar levels of complexity. Some of the regions
      may be especially important for regulating color patterns in response to visual
      input. Overall, chromatomotor control systems in cephalopods and teleosts
      demonstrate many apparent convergent features. Possible factors responsible for
      the similarities are discussed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1422808
TI  - Muscle architecture and control demands.
AB  - Muscles effect locomotion, and their gross architecture still poses analytical
      problems. These problems involve the arrangement of myofibers and motor units
      within muscles and that of muscles around joints. The arrangement of fibers may
      involve a range of considerations from the equivalence or nonequivalence of
      sarcomeres to placement, attachment, and angulation of fascicles and entire
      muscles; consequently, these levels and their development and coordination
      overlap. Many problems at the macroscopic level require clarification of how an
      animal uses a compartment of suite of muscles and whether morphological
      differences reflect functional ones. The understanding of intermediate
      architecture, including issues of compartmentation, pinnation, and concatenation,
      remains more elusive, as some morphologically distinct muscles may be
      functionally equivalent. As yet we have inadequate appreciation of the
      opportunities or limitations provided to the control system by a particular
      arrangement of fibers, or vice versa. Exploration of the rules that govern these
      conditions provides abundant opportunities for cooperation among neurobiologists,
      developmental biologists, physiologists and morphologists.

PMID- 1422809
TI  - The spinal motor system in early vertebrates and some of its evolutionary
      changes.
AB  - Recent studies of the spinal motor systems of vertebrates allow us to begin to
      infer the organization of the motor apparatus of primitive vertebrates. This
      paper attempts to define some of the features of the motor system of early
      vertebrates based on studies of the motor systems in anamniotes and in
      Branchiostoma. It also deals with some changes in the primitive motor system
      during evolution. The primitive motor system consisted of myomeric axial muscles,
      with a functional subdivision of the musculature into non-spiking slow muscle
      fibers segregated in the myomeres from spiking fast ones. These fibers were
      innervated by two major classes of motoneurons in the cord-large motoneurons
      innervating faster fibers and small motoneurons innervating slow fibers. There
      was not a simple isomorphic mapping of the position of motoneurons in the motor
      column onto the location of the muscle fibers they innervated in the myomeres.
      Early vertebrates used these axial muscles to bend the body, and the different
      types of muscle fibers and motoneurons reflect the ability to produce slow
      swimming movements as well as very rapid bending associated with fast swimming or
      escapes. The premotor network producing bending was most likely a circuit
      composed of a class of descending interneurons (DIs) that provided excitation of
      ipsilateral motoneurons and other interneurons, and inhibitory commissural
      interneurons (CIs) that blocked contralateral activity and played an important
      role in generating the rhythmic alternating bending during swimming. This DI/CI
      network was retained in living anamniotes. At least two major descending systems
      linked the sensory systems in the head to these premotor networks in the spinal
      cord. The ability to turn on swimming by activation of DI/CI premotor networks in
      the cord resided at least in part in a midbrain locomotor region (MLR) that
      influenced spinal networks via projections to the reticular formation.
      Reticulospinal neurons were important not only for initiation of rhythmic
      swimming but also in the production of turning movements. The reticulospinal
      cells involved in turns produced their effects in part via monosynaptic
      connections with motor neurons and premotor interneurons, including some involved
      in rhythmic swimming. A prominent and powerful Mauthner cell was most likely
      present and important for rapid escape or startle movements. Some features of
      this primitive motor apparatus were conserved during the evolution of vertebrate
      motor systems, and others changed substantially. Many features of the early motor
      system were retained in living anamniotes; major changes occur among
      amniotes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1422810
TI  - Brainstem control of orienting movements: intrinsic coordinate systems and
      underlying circuitry.
AB  - A fundamental issue in the understanding of how the nervous system processes
      information is the way in which sensory information is used to initiate and guide
      movements. Recent progress has been made by taking an information processing
      approach in which information--for example, the spatial location of an object
      towards which an animal will orient--is tracked through the nervous system from
      sensory to motor levels. In this approach, neurally encoded information is
      characterized in terms of its representation within a neural or intrinsic
      coordinate system or set of neural coding parameters. For example, the retina
      codes spatial location in terms of the location of activity on the retinal
      surface, whereas motoneurons code spatial location in terms of the pulling
      directions of the muscles they activate. In between these two peripheral stages,
      the information passes through intermediate coordinate systems. These
      intermediate coordinate systems can be characterized by recording or altering the
      activity of small groups of neurons while an animal is performing a well-defined
      sensorimotor task. Spatial location information is used to guide orienting
      movements, those movements made by the eyes, ears, head, or body which function
      to center an object of interest in the animal's visual field. The optic tectum
      and forebrain, their connections to the medial mesencephalic and rhombencephalic
      brainstem tegmental cell groups, and subsequent connections to brainstem motor
      nuclei and spinal cord are employed to control fundamental aspects of this
      behavior. Studies reviewed herein indicate that following the retinotopic coding
      of spatial location in the retina and tectum, spatial location information
      appears to enter a different coordinate system at tegmental levels in which
      spatial aspects of orienting movement are coded in terms of their discrete
      horizontal and vertical components. This Cartesian coordinate system is an
      example of an abstract neural coordinate system, in that it is a simple, low
      dimensional representation of spatial location which differs greatly from both
      sensory and motor representations. Also, this Cartesian representation may be
      common to many orienting movements, yet it appears to differ from the coordinate
      systems controlling other movement types such as stabilization or phasic
      movements. This suggests an hypothesis in which coordinate systems, especially at
      intermediate levels of processing, may be organized according to behavioral task
      as opposed to being determined by the particular sensory or motor system involved
      in the behavior. Understanding the evolutionary heritage and computational
      function of abstract neural coordinate systems, and the relation between
      different coordinate systems and behavioral tasks may be useful in understanding
      general aspects of sensory information processing and motor control.

PMID- 1422811
TI  - p75 nerve growth factor receptor immunoreactivity in the human brainstem and
      spinal cord.
AB  - The distribution of nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR) immunoreactive profiles
      was investigated in the adult human brainstem and spinal cord using a monoclonal
      antibody directed against the primate low affinity (p75) NGFR. In the human
      brainstem, p75NGFR immunoreactive profiles were seen within the mesencephalic and
      descending nucleus of the trigeminal nerve, the nucleus and tractus solitarius,
      glossopharyngeal nerve, hypoglossal nucleus, nucleus subtrigeminalis, subnucleus
      ventralis of the central nucleus of the medulla, nucleus cuneatus and gracilis.
      At the level of the upper cervical spinal cord, p75NGFR immunoreactive profiles
      were also seen within the incoming dorsal roots, zone of Lissauer and substantia
      gelatanosa (lamina II). Virtually no immunoreactivity was associated with
      cervical spinal cord motor neurons. The demonstration of the p75NGFR in brainstem
      and spinal cord regions associated with the central transmission of peripheral
      sensory information suggests that these systems may be influenced by the trophic
      substance nerve growth factor.

PMID- 1422812
TI  - VIP-like immunoreactivity in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of a mutant anophthalmic
      mouse.
AB  - The suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of mutant anophthalmic (strain ZRDCT-An) and
      sighted control mice was examined using light microscopic methods for
      cytoarchitecture and immunocytochemistry for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide
      (VIP). The SCN of the anophthalmic mice were asymmetrical, and quite variable in
      cytoarchitecture. Immunocytochemistry for VIP revealed strong staining of cells
      and fibers. Within the SCN, the distribution of VIP-immunoreactive cells was more
      diffuse in anophthalmic mice than in the controls; immunoreactive neurons were
      frequently observed in ectopic locations in the mutant animals.

PMID- 1422813
TI  - The specific N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801 blocks U
      50,488, but not morphine antinociception.
AB  - The effect of the specific NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 on antinociception
      produced by the kappa opiate receptor agonist U-50,488 and the mu receptor
      agonist morphine was assessed using the tail-flick test in rats. MK-801 (0.05 and
      0.1 mg/kg) antagonized antinociception induced by all three doses of U-50,488
      (7.5, 15 and 30 mg/kg), and potentiated antinociception induced by the lower (1
      mg/kg) but not higher (5 mg/kg) dose of morphine. Naloxone at a dose of 1.0 but
      not 0.1 mg/kg blocked U-50,488 antinociception, indicating that MK-801 affects
      opiate antinociception. The present results are the first to suggest a critical
      role for the NMDA receptor in opiate antinociception involving the kappa
      receptor.

PMID- 1422814
TI  - Electrophysiology of nitrous oxide on cerebellar granule cells: a single-cell
      study.
AB  - We recorded 18 single cells in the granule cell layer of the cat. Each single
      cell was screened and identified as a granule cell based on a set of criteria
      derived from known electrophysiological properties of granule cells. We then
      monitored the effects of nitrous oxide on the spontaneous activities and the
      auditory responses of these cells. Nitrous oxide consistently caused a severe
      inhibition of spontaneous activities as well as responses to sound in these
      cells. Furthermore, the amplitudes of their action potentials decreased during
      the inhibition. Three of the 18 cells were subsequently injected intracellularly
      with HRP. All three were verified to be granule cells. In those granule cells we
      recorded intracellularly, nitrous oxide did not change the resting membrane
      potentials. The gradual decrease in the amplitudes of action potentials suggested
      that some of the mechanisms leading to the genesis of action potentials were
      being altered by nitrous oxide. It is also possible that nitrous oxide may act on
      synaptic transmission at a site located postsynaptically on the granule cells.

PMID- 1422815
TI  - Release of gamma-aminobutyric acid by visual stimulation in the kitten visual
      cortex.
AB  - Release of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was measured by brain microdialysis and
      high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in the visual cortex of
      anesthetized kitten. The basal level of endogenous GABA release was 0.25 +/- 0.02
      pmol/30 microliters dialysate (n = 8), which was near the lower limit of
      resolution of the present measuring system. When nipecotic acid, a GABA uptake
      inhibitor, was infused, release was increased 5-10 fold. The nipecotic acid
      induced GABA output was not affected by the infusion of tetrodotoxin (TTX), a
      sodium channel blocker. Visual stimulation presented to one eye led to a marked
      increase in GABA output over the basal level. This effect was completely
      suppressed by TTX administration. These results suggest that the increase in GABA
      output in response to visual stimulation is due to an increase in GABAergic
      neuronal activity in the kitten visual cortex.

PMID- 1422816
TI  - Peripheral origin of olfactory nerve fibers by-passing the olfactory bulb in
      Xenopus laevis.
AB  - After DiI injections into the diencephalon of Xenopus, two types of retrogradely
      labelled cells were found in the nasal area: (i) receptor cells in the olfactory
      epithelium and (ii) a small cell group located between the main olfactory
      epithelium and the vomeronasal system. These results reveal an extensive
      extrabulbar olfactory projection of olfactory receptor cells. Fibers of these
      cells do not terminate in the olfactory bulb but innervate targets in the
      diencephalon directly. The other type of retrogradely labelled cells, apparently,
      are not part of any epithelium. They resemble similar cell groups which have
      previously been regarded as part of the nervus terminalis system in other
      vertebrates.

PMID- 1422817
TI  - Hippocampal mossy fiber distribution does not correlate with two-way active
      avoidance performance in backcross lines derived from inbred mouse strains DBA/2
      and C3H.
AB  - To elucidate the relation of genetically induced variations in two-way active
      avoidance performance and the extent of the hippocampal infra/intrapyramidal
      mossy fiber system (IIP-Mf) in inbred mouse strains DBA/2 (high performance,
      small IIP-Mf) and C3H (low performance, large IIP-Mf) we investigated a backcross
      line containing the DBA/2-derived genetic determinants for high avoidance
      performance in a C3H background. In the seventh backcross generation variations
      in performance analogous to the original strains were observed whereas the extent
      of mossy fibers was nearly homogeneous. This result suggests that both variables
      are determined by separate genetic factors at least in these strains and that
      differences in mossy fiber distribution are not an essential prerequisite for
      different active avoidance performance.

PMID- 1422818
TI  - Olfactory ensheathing cells myelinate dorsal root ganglion neurites.
AB  - The objective of this study was to determine whether olfactory ensheathing cells
      (from E18 rat embryos) could myelinate dorsal root ganglion neurites in vitro. By
      four weeks many of the S100-positive ensheathing cells were Gal-C+ and MBP+ and
      had begun to myelinate the larger axons, as visualized with the electron
      microscope. We conclude that olfactory ensheathing cells can form a myelin sheath
      if given the opportunity to ensheath neurites of a proper size.

PMID- 1422819
TI  - Parvalbumin and calbindin D-28K in the human entorhinal cortex. An
      immunohistochemical study.
AB  - Research is here reported on the distribution of immunoreactivities of the
      calcium-binding proteins parvalbumin and calbindin D-28K in the entorhinal cortex
      of normal human brains. Topographically, parvalbumin immunoreactive neurons were
      only seen in the lateral portion of the rostral entorhinal cortex, in continuity
      with the adjacent perirhinal cortex. The intermediate and caudal portions gave
      positive results along the mediolateral extension of the entorhinal cortex. The
      laminar distribution of parvalbumin immunoreactive neurons was similar throughout
      the entorhinal cortex. Heavy immunostaining, largely coincident with cell
      islands, was observed in cells and fibers in layer II, being densest in the deep
      half of layer III and more sparsely distributed in layers V and VI. Calbindin D
      28K immunoreactivity was found throughout the entorhinal cortex. In contrast to
      parvalbumin immunoreactivity, calbindin D-28K was present from layer I up to
      upper layer III, the neurons being most numerous in the cell islands of layer II.
      These results show that rostromedial portions of the human entorhinal cortex
      contain calbindin immunoreactivity, but not parvalbumin, while the lateral,
      intermediate and caudal portions of the entorhinal cortex contain both calcium
      binding proteins. As it is known that these two proteins belong to a subset of
      GABAergic neurons, we suggest that a topographical diversity in some of the cells
      may be responsible for inhibitory effects in the human entorhinal cortex. This
      proposed diversity might be relevant to the processing of information that the
      entorhinal cortex conveys to the dentate gyrus and receives from various
      components of the hippocampus, the subicular complex and other cortical and
      subcortical sources.

PMID- 1422820
TI  - The basis and functional role of the late EMG activity in human forearm muscles
      following wrist displacement.
AB  - The present paper examines the hypothesis that the long latency EMG activity
      produced by muscle stretch is the result of long loop reflex pathways involved in
      the control of limb stiffness. We recorded the cerebral responses and late EMG
      activity in agonist and antagonist muscles following sudden stretch of the wrist
      extensor muscles under 4 experimental conditions in 11 subjects. In each
      experiment subjects held their right wrist extended isometrically against a
      constant force of 2.3 N and a trial was begun with a step increase in the force
      from 2.3 N to 18.4 N, to stretch the extensor muscle. In the first and second
      experiments the force change occurred unpredictably and subjects had to either
      oppose the perturbation (Unpredictable Oppose) or relax the forearm muscles once
      the increase in force was detected (Unpredictable Let-Go). In the third and
      fourth experiments the force change occurred predictably when subjects pressed a
      thumb switch with the left hand to cause it. As before, subjects were instructed
      to either oppose the perturbation (Predictable Oppose) or relax the forearm
      muscles (Predictable Let-Go). Responses were recorded from the flexor and
      extensor carpi radialis muscles and from the scalp. When the perturbing force
      occurred unpredictably, early latency EMG activity (the MI response) was seen in
      the stretched extensor muscle, and longer latency EMG activity was seen
      simultaneously in both extensor and flexor muscles. When the force change
      occurred predictably the late EMG activity was considerably attenuated,
      especially in the Predictable Let-Go condition. Cerebral responses similarly
      depended upon the predictability of the perturbation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1422821
TI  - Subcellular distribution of serotonin in the lamprey spinal cord.
AB  - The subcellular distribution of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) in the
      lamprey (Ichtyomyzon unicuspis, Lampetra fluviatilis) spinal cord was
      investigated by using ultracentrifugation on continuous density gradients
      combined with an electron microscopic analysis of the gradients and of
      immunostained tissue. Endogenous 5-HT was analyzed by high-performance liquid
      chromatography with electrochemical detection. After differential centrifugation,
      the highest levels of 5-HT were found in the particulate fractions. After
      ultracentrifugation of lysed synaptosomal fractions on continuous sucrose
      gradients and the subsequent sedimentation of the individual fractions, 5-HT
      showed a biphasic distribution in the gradient. The two peaks corresponded to
      0.30-0.40 M and 0.85-1.05 M sucrose. Electron microscopy of intact tissue showed
      that some of the boutons were strongly immunoreactive to 5-HT with dense
      precipitates over large granular vesicles. The area around these large vesicles,
      however, also showed reaction product. Large granular vesicles could be clearly
      distinguished in the immunostained axonal varicosities. In tissue not processed
      for 5-HT immunoreactivity it was seen that the varicosities contained not only
      large dense-cored vesicles, but also small agranular vesicles. An electron
      microscopical analysis of the subcellular fractions revealed that the fraction
      corresponding to the "light" 5-HT peak contained numerous vesicular structures,
      which in most cases were electron lucent. In the "heavy" fractions, nerve ending
      particles containing vesicles of various sizes were observed. The results suggest
      that 5-HT in the lamprey spinal cord may be distributed in more than one
      subcellular compartment which, apart from the cytosol, possibly corresponds to
      small and large synaptic vesicles.

PMID- 1422822
TI  - N-methyl-D-aspartate unilaterally injected into the dorsal striatum of rats
      produces contralateral circling: antagonism by 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid
      and cis-flupenthixol.
AB  - To evaluate the possible contribution of dorsal striatal glutamate receptors to
      motor behavior, circling responses were observed in rats following unilateral
      intrastriatal microinjections of the agonist, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) or the
      antagonist, 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid (APH). The role of dopamine (DA) in
      NMDA-produced circling also was evaluated. In experiment 1, an NMDA dose of 5.0
      micrograms (in 0.5 microliter), but not 0.5 or 0.05 microgram produced
      significant contraversive circling. In experiment 2, an APH dose of 10.0
      micrograms but not 1.0 or 0.1 microgram produced significant ipsiversive
      circling. In experiment 3, microinjection of the ineffective 0.1 microgram dose
      of APH or a dose (20 micrograms) of the DA antagonist, cis-flupenthixol, that did
      not produce circling when administered alone, significantly reduced the circling
      response produced by the 5.0 micrograms dose of NMDA. As NMDA produced circling
      in the same direction as that seen following similar unilateral injections of
      locomotion-stimulating DA agonists, the present results suggest that glutamate,
      acting via NMDA receptors in the dorsal striatum, may exert an excitatory
      influence on motor systems. The observation that a DA receptor blocker
      antagonized the NMDA response further suggests that the observed motor excitatory
      effect of glutamate at NMDA receptors requires concurrent stimulation of DA
      receptors in the same region of the striatum.

PMID- 1422823
TI  - 5-Hydroxytryptamine-3 receptors modulate synaptic activity in the rat nucleus
      tractus solitarius in vitro.
AB  - Whole-cell patch clamp recordings were made from neurons in the rat nucleus
      tractus solitarius (NTS) in transverse brainstem slices. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5
      HT, 100 microM) and the selective 5-HT3 receptor agonist 2-methyl-5-HT (2-CH3-5
      HT, 100 microM) depolarized 86% of NTS neurons at resting membrane potential
      (Vm). This response was resistant to tetrodotoxin (TTX) and Co2+ application. In
      addition, 2-CH3-5-HT (500 nM-100 microM) increased the amplitude and frequency of
      both excitatory and inhibitory spontaneous synaptic potentials. This effect was
      also TTX-resistant, but was abolished by Co2+. The effects of 2-CH3-5-HT on EPSPs
      and IPSPs evoked by electrical stimulation of the tractus solitarius (TS) were
      analyzed separately in the presence of bicuculline or 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline
      2,3-dione (CNQX), respectively. Concentrations of 2-CH3-5-HT between 500 nM and 1
      microM decreased the amplitude of evoked EPSPs and IPSPs with similar potency.
      The selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonists ICS 205-930 (10 nM) and MDL 72222 (10
      microM) reversibly blocked the effects of 2-CH3-5-HT at all doses examined. It is
      concluded that 5-HT3 receptors can mediate both pre- and postsynaptic responses
      in the NTS.

PMID- 1422824
TI  - Responses of globus pallidus neurons to cortical stimulation: intracellular study
      in the rat.
AB  - The responses of globus pallidus (GP) neurons to stimulation of the sensorimotor
      cortex, the neostriatum, and the subthalamic nucleus were intracellularly
      recorded in anesthetized rats. Stimulation of the cortex evoked a sequence of
      postsynaptic responses including an initial short EPSP, a short IPSP, and a late
      EPSP with multiple spikes in most of the repetitively firing GP neurons. The
      response pattern was very similar to those evoked by striatal stimulation, except
      that the latencies were longer. An acute knife cut placed immediately caudal to
      the substantia nigra caused no significant change in the responses to cortical
      and striatal stimulation. Stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus evoked a short
      latency EPSP overlapped with an IPSP. The polarity of all the IPSPs was reversed
      by a Cl- injection. A systemic injection of picrotoxin abolished all the IPSPs
      and unmasked large depolarizations with multiple spikes. An ibotenic acid lesion
      of the subthalamic nucleus eliminated both the initial short latency and late
      EPSPs to cortical and striatal stimulation and disclosed a prominent IPSP.
      Stimulation of the lesioned subthalamic nucleus also evoked large, short latency
      IPSPs without noticeable EPSPs. These results indicate that (i) the IPSPs evoked
      by cortical, striatal, and subthalamic stimulation were mediated by a GABAA
      receptor, (ii) both the initial and late EPSPs to cortical and striatal
      stimulation involved activation of the subthalamic nucleus but not brainstem
      nuclei, and (iii) cortically derived signals mediated through the neostriatum
      (i.e. long latency IPSPs) and the subthalamic nucleus (i.e. short latency EPSPs)
      converged on most GP neurons.

PMID- 1422825
TI  - Noradrenergic activation in the paraventricular nucleus during acute and chronic
      immobilization stress in rats: an in vivo microdialysis study.
AB  - In vivo microdialysis was used to study the effects of single (2 h) or repeated
      (2 h for 7 consecutive days) immobilization (IMMO) stress on extracellular fluid
      concentrations of norepinephrine (NE) and the deaminated metabolites of NE and
      dopamine, dihydroxyphenylglycol (DHPG) and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in
      the paraventricular nucleus of conscious rats. During IMMO, NE, DHPG, and DOPAC
      levels increased markedly, with similar peak values and time courses in the
      repeatedly stressed and previously unstressed groups. NE levels during a 2-h
      baseline period were lower in the repeatedly stressed group than in the
      unstressed group (99 +/- 9 pg/ml vs. 167 +/- 13 pg/ml, P less than 0.05), whereas
      DHPG (1,697 +/- 263 pg/ml vs. 1,424 +/- 194 pg/ml) and DOPAC (5,989 +/- 863 pg/ml
      vs. 4,428 +/- 1150 pg/ml) levels tended to be higher, so that the NE/DHPG ratio
      at baseline was significantly lower in the repeatedly stressed group (P less than
      0.05). The results indicate that IMMO stress enhances NE release, reuptake,
      metabolism, and synthesis in the PVN. Repeated exposure to IMMO may decrease the
      microdialysate NE/DHPG ratio by inhibiting exocytotic release or enhancing
      neuronal reuptake of NE. In either case, the results suggest that repeated
      exposure to stress alters the release and disposition of NE in the PVN of
      conscious animals.

PMID- 1422826
TI  - Excitatory effects of thyrotropin-releasing hormone on neurons within the nucleus
      ambiguus of adult guinea pigs.
AB  - The electrophysiological effects of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) on
      neurons within the nucleus ambiguus (NA) of adult guinea pigs were studied using
      an in vitro brain stem slice preparation. In 0.01-1.0 micron TRH, NA neurons
      depolarized (25/39), expressed enhanced postinhibitory rebound (8/8 tested), or
      exhibited oscillations of the membrane potential (17/39). Because the amplitude
      of postinhibitory rebound in tetrodotoxin (TTX) at various membrane potentials
      was not altered by TRH, it suggests that TRH enhanced postinhibitory rebound
      indirectly by depolarizing the cell membrane. The membrane potential oscillations
      in NA neurons were persistent in TTX and their frequency was dependent on the
      membrane potential, suggesting that these oscillations were due to intrinsic
      membrane properties and not to synaptic inputs. The excitation of NA neurons in
      vitro by TRH suggests that endogenous TRH may modulate the activity of neurons
      involved in the regulation of respiratory and autonomic function.

PMID- 1422827
TI  - Suppression of interictal bursting in hippocampus unleashes seizures in
      entorhinal cortex: a proepileptic effect of lowering [K+]o and raising [Ca2+]o.
AB  - The relation between interictal bursts (IIBs) and seizures in epilepsy is
      obscure. Results from some human and animal studies suggest that IIBs may
      actually suppress seizure activity. This appears particularly true in the zero
      magnesium in vitro seizure model. Here we provide new evidence in support of this
      and new insight into the mechanisms of seizure suppression in this model. Brain
      slices containing hippocampus and entorhinal cortex were bathed in zero magnesium
      medium. Electrographic seizures appeared, then were replaced by IIBs. Upon
      lowering [K+]o and raising [Ca2+]o the IIBs disappeared and the seizures
      reappeared. Repeated stimuli mimicking IIBs then suppressed seizures again.
      Selective knife cuts revealed that the IIBs originated in the hippocampus (area
      CA3) whereas the seizures originated in entorhinal cortex. These results confirm
      that IIBs suppress seizures in the zero magnesium model. They also show that an
      important aspect of the interaction between IIBs and seizures in this model is
      the anatomical segregation of their respective sites of origin. This may apply in
      other models and in human epilepsy as well. Finally, these results illustrate
      that one consequence of the anatomical segregation and mutual interaction of IIBs
      and seizures is that influences which are locally pro- or antiepileptic can have
      opposite effects in a broader region.

PMID- 1422828
TI  - Gamma-vinyl GABA prevents hippocampal and substantia nigra reticulata damage in
      repetitive transient forebrain ischemia.
AB  - GABAergic inhibitory mechanisms may offer protection to neurons after global
      ischemia. We tested the effects of gamma-vinyl GABA, a GABA-transaminase
      inhibitor, via continuous infusion in the third ventricle (Alza pumps) in a
      gerbil model of repetitive forebrain ischemia. We used two episodes of 3 min
      duration with a 'reperfusion' interval of 1 h between the insults. Histological
      analysis was done with silver staining 5 days after the insult. Our results show
      that there is significant protection of the hippocampus CA1 region and substantia
      nigra reticulata in treated animals compared to controls. An increase in GABA
      levels, decrease in glutamate, or mild hypothermia, may be potential mechanisms
      for this protection. GABAergic agents may prove useful agents in repetitive
      ischemia.

PMID- 1422829
TI  - Studies related to the use of colchicine as a neurotoxin in the septohippocampal
      cholinergic system.
AB  - Colchicine has been shown to be neurotoxic to cholinergic neurons in the medial
      septum 1 week following intracerebroventricular injections. The experiments
      described here were designed to examine the selectivity of this effect over a
      longer time course, and to examine the role of axoplasmic transport in the
      neurotoxic effect. As previously reported, 1 week after intracerebroventricular
      injections of colchicine, the numbers of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT)
      immunoreactive neurons in the medial septum-diagonal band complex (MSDB) were
      reduced to 38% of control; this reduction was stable 2 and 3 weeks post
      injection. Injections of colchicine placed into the body of the fornix produced
      similar results. GAD-immunoreactive somata, the other major population of neurons
      in the MSDB, were unaffected 3 weeks following colchicine, as previously reported
      1 week following similar injections. The normal AChE staining pattern in the
      hippocampus, particularly the dentate gyrus, was depleted following either ICV or
      intrafornical injections of colchicine. This depletion was more severe with
      longer survival times. Injections of lumicolchicine, an isomer of colchicine
      which does not bind tubulin, had no effect on ChAT-immunoreactive neurons in the
      MSDB or on AChE staining in the hippocampus. Injections of colchicine, but not of
      lumicolchicine, partially blocked the retrograde transport of the fluorescent dye
      Fluoro-Gold from the hippocampus to the MSDB. In addition, the content of NGF in
      the hippocampus rose 84% above control values 2 weeks following colchicine and
      remained elevated at three weeks. Together these results indicate that colchicine
      is selectively toxic for cholinergic neurons in the septohippocampal system, and
      suggest that the alkaloid's neurotoxic effects work via the blockade of
      axoplasmic transport.

PMID- 1422830
TI  - Electrophysiological effects of MK-801 on rat nigrostriatal and mesoaccumbal
      dopaminergic neurons.
AB  - The electrophysiological effects of the non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate
      (NMDA) antagonist (+)-MK-801 (MK-801) on nigrostriatal and mesoaccumbal
      dopaminergic (DA) neurons were evaluated in chloral hydrate-anesthetized rats. MK
      801 (0.05-3.2 mg/kg, i.v.) stimulated the firing rates of 14 (74%) of 19
      nigrostriatal DA (NSDA) neurons and all 16 mesoaccumbal DA (MADA) neurons tested.
      Stimulatory effects of the drug were more prominent on MADA neurons. Interspike
      interval analysis revealed that MK-801 also regularized DA neuronal firing
      pattern. Acute brain hemitransection between the midbrain and forebrain
      attenuated the stimulatory effects of MK-801 on firing rate and blocked the
      effects on firing pattern. Similar to MK-801, hemitransection itself increased
      NSDA and MADA cell firing rates and regularized firing pattern. Both i.v. and
      iontophoretic MK-801 blocked the excitatory effects of iontophoretic NMDA but did
      not affect excitations caused by the non-NMDA glutamatergic receptor agonists
      quisqualate and kainate. Iontophoretic MK-801 had no effect alone. These results
      suggest that the excitatory effects of i.v. MK-801 on DA neuronal activity are
      not due to direct actions on DA neurons. Glutamatergic projections originating
      anterior to the hemitransection appear to play a role in the effects of MK-801 on
      DA neuronal activity.

PMID- 1422831
TI  - Neurons of the chick brain and retina expressing both alpha-bungarotoxin
      sensitive and alpha-bungarotoxin-insensitive nicotinic acetylcholine receptors:
      an immunohistochemical analysis.
AB  - Immunohistochemical methods were used to study the possible co-localization of
      two alpha-bungarotoxin-sensitive (alpha 7 and alpha 8) and two alpha-bungarotoxin
      insensitive (beta 2 and alpha 3) subunits of the nicotinic acetylcholine
      receptors in neurons of the chick brain and retina. Several structures contained
      neurons that were doubly-labeled with antibodies against the alpha 7 subunit and
      the beta 2 subunit. These structures included, for example, the interpeduncular
      nucleus, nucleus spiriformis lateralis, optic tectum, pretectal visual nuclei,
      and the lateral hypothalamus. Double-labeling with antibodies against the alpha 7
      and alpha 8 subunits was also seen in several regions, which included the
      interpeduncular nucleus, visual pretectum, lateral hypothalamus, dorsal thalamus,
      and the habenular complex. In the retina, many cells in the inner nuclear layer
      were observed to contain alpha 8 and alpha 3 subunits, whereas neurons in the
      ganglion cell layer were seen to contain alpha 7 and alpha 8 or, less frequently,
      alpha 7 and alpha 3 subunits. These results indicate that alpha-bungarotoxin
      sensitive and alpha-bungarotoxin-insensitive subunits of the nicotinic receptors
      are co-expressed by neurons of the chick brain and retina.

PMID- 1422832
TI  - Transport, uptake, and metabolism of blood-borne vasopressin by the blood-brain
      barrier.
AB  - Transport, binding, and metabolism of [phenylalanyl-3,4,5,-3H(N)]arginine
      vasopressin (AVP) by the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was studied in adult guinea
      pigs by means of a novel vascular brain perfusion (VBP)/capillary depletion
      technique and HPLC. A time-dependent, progressive brain uptake of 3H
      radioactivity was measured over the 10 min period of VBP both in brain
      homogenates and in brain tissue depleted of cerebral microvessels. The
      unidirectional blood-to-brain transport constant, K(IN), estimated by multiple
      time tissue uptake analysis of the homogenate and postcapillary supernatant,
      indicated that the BBB transfer rate for [3H]AVP (K(IN) = 2.37 +/- 0.25
      microliters min-1 per gram brain homogenate) was almost 10 times higher than for
      simultaneously perfused [14C]sucrose, a cerebrovascular space marker. In contrast
      to homogenate and postcapillary supernatant, the [3H]radioactivity determined in
      the vascular pellet after dextran density centrifugation of the brain homogenate
      was very low and only somewhat higher than for [14C]sucrose. HPLC analysis of the
      perfused brain tissue revealed time-dependent degradation of the blood-borne
      neuropeptide. The percentage of intact [3H]AVP as determined in the postcapillary
      supernatant progressively declined during brain perfusion, from 49% at 1 min to
      11.9% at 10 min. The major detectable labeled metabolite was [3H]phenylalanine,
      the labeled amino acid residue of [3H]AVP. The aminopeptidase inhibitor bestatin
      (0.5 mM), perfused simultaneously with [3H]AVP by the VBP technique, did not
      alter tissue uptake of [3H]AVP, indicating that there was no significant
      hydrolysis of peptide by the luminal BBB surface.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1422833
TI  - Effect of subcutaneous administration of the chemical algogen formalin, on 5-HT
      metabolism in the nucleus raphe magnus and the medullary dorsal horn: a
      voltammetric study in freely moving rats.
AB  - The effect of subcutaneous administration of the chemical algogen formalin, on
      serotonin (5-HT) metabolism in the nucleus raphe magnus (NRM) and the medullary
      dorsal horn (MDH) has been investigated using in vivo 5-hydroxyindole
      electrochemical (peak '3') detection with treated, multi-carbon fiber electrodes
      and differential pulse, or normal pulse, voltammetry in freely moving rats. The
      subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of 50 microliters of 10% formalin in the left
      forepaw was followed, at the NRM level, by a significant increase in the
      voltammograms as compared to controls (50 microliters of saline 0.9% s.c. in left
      forepaw) for about 70 min after the injection, before a return to control values.
      At the MDH level, the formalin injection induced no significant effect on peak 3,
      as compared to controls, during the first 70 min. After that, the voltammograms
      significantly increased and remained above controls for up to 180 min. Thus, the
      time-courses of NRM and MDH effects appear markedly different. These findings
      suggest that, depending on the anatomical level (NRM or MDH) and/or the period of
      observation, one can measure differences in the time-course of the increase in 5
      HT metabolism in the NRM-dorsal horn serotonergic system by tonic noxious
      stimuli, such as the formalin test.

PMID- 1422834
TI  - Blood-brain barrier integrity and brain water and electrolytes during
      hypoxia/hypercapnia and hypotension in newborn piglets.
AB  - This study examines the effects of hypoxia/hypercapnia and hypoxia/hypercapnia
      with hypotension (hypotensive-hypoxia/hypercapnia) on blood-to-brain transfer
      constants (K1) for sodium and mannitol and brain water and electrolyte contents
      in newborn piglets. Hypoxia/hypercapnia was induced for 60 min with the piglets
      breathing a gas mixture of 15% carbon dioxide, 10-12% oxygen, and 73-75% nitrogen
      adjusted to achieve an arterial pH less than 7.15, pO2 less than 40, and pCo2
      greater than 60 mmHg and hypotension for 20 min by rapid phlebotomy to achieve a
      mean arterial blood pressure less than 40 mmHg. Piglets were studied during 1 h
      of, and 24 h after resuscitation from hypoxia/hypercapnia (arterial pH 6.9 +/-
      0.18, pO2 36 +/- 6 mmHg, pCO2 68 +/- 8 mmHg, mean +/- S.D.) and 10 min, and 24 h
      after resuscitation from hypotensive-hypoxia/hypercapnia (mean arterial blood
      pressure 28 +/- 10 mmHg, mean +/- S.D.). Values for K1 for sodium and mannitol,
      measured using the integral technique were 15.9 and 5.2 ml.g-1.min-1 x 10(4)
      respectively, in 2-4-day-old controls, suggesting that the barrier is fully
      developed in newborn piglets. Values were not different during or after
      hypoxia/hypercapnia or 24 h after hypotensive-hypoxia/hypercapnia. Ten to forty
      min after hypotensive-hypoxia/hypercapnia, there was a proportional decrease in
      the K1 for sodium and mannitol of about 40%. These results suggest that the
      newborn piglet is similar to the adult with respect to impermeability of the
      blood-brain barrier to ions and small molecules and resistance of this barrier to
      systemic hypoxia/hypercapnia and hypotension.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422835
TI  - Amastatin potentiates drinking elicited by osmotic stimuli: evidence for
      peptidergic mediation of intracellular dehydration-induced thirst.
AB  - Aminopeptidase inhibitors have been demonstrated to enhance the behavioral
      effects of both exogenously applied and endogenously released neuropeptides. In
      this study peptidase inhibitors were used as probes for involvement of central
      neuropeptides in osmotically-induced drinking behavior. Intracerebroventricular
      (i.c.v.) injections of amastatin, an aminopeptidase A inhibitor, potentiated
      water intake induced by subcutaneous injections of hypertonic saline. Drinking
      responses to i.c.v. infusions of hypertonic saline were also enhanced when
      amastatin was added to the infusions. The effect was not attenuated by the
      angiotensin receptor antagonist, [Sar1, Thr8]angiotensin II, which suggests that
      angiotensins do not play a role in the over-drinking. Drinking responses to
      centrally infused hypertonic saline were not enhanced by i.c.v. thiorphan, an
      endopeptidase inhibitor; this provides evidence that the effects of amastatin are
      specific for a particular class of peptidases. These results suggest that there
      is a role for an endogenous, non-angiotensinergic brain peptide in the mediation
      of osmotic thirst.

PMID- 1422836
TI  - Behavioral effects of mouse interferons-alpha and -gamma and human interferon
      alpha in mice.
AB  - Behavioral effects of murine interferon-alpha and -gamma were explored using a
      well-characterized system for detecting interferon effects. In addition, the
      effectiveness of human interferon-alpha was determined. Mouse gamma-interferon
      decreased activity and food-related behavior, effects that were similar to the
      effects of mouse alpha-interferon. Equivalent doses of the human preparation had
      little effect upon these measures in mice. Some common action of alpha- and gamma
      interferon is likely responsible for the similar effects seen for the two
      molecules. Low effectiveness of the human preparation in mice was predicted due
      to the differences in receptors between species.

PMID- 1422837
TI  - Pulse jitter retards kindling without affecting brain-stimulation reward.
AB  - Convulsions in rats bar-pressing for electrical stimulation of the brain can
      interfere with the behavioural evaluation of the properties of the reward
      substrate. If seizure activity involves the synchronous activation of populations
      of neurons, then the regular timing of pulses may be important in epileptogenesis
      produced by electrical stimulation. In the first experiment we found that
      behaviourally derived, charge-duration functions collected from three self
      stimulating rats with lateral hypothalamic electrodes were not affected by
      introducing a controlled, 50% jitter to the interpulse interval of self
      stimulation trains. In the second experiment, we kindled two groups of 6 rats
      with once-daily, 1.0 s bursts of either regularly timed or jittered pulses to the
      amygdala until full motor seizures developed. Although both groups eventually
      attained Class 5 convulsions, the time to first seizure was about two days longer
      with jittered pulses. Thus, while the circuitry that accumulates input from self
      stimulation is not affected by the irregularity of asynchronous pulses, the
      jitter does seem to retard the development of seizures.

PMID- 1422838
TI  - Subthalamic nucleus cell firing in the 6-OHDA-treated rat: basal activity and
      response to haloperidol.
AB  - Single unit recordings from neurons of the subthalamic nucleus were made in
      control and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-treated rats anesthetized with chloral
      hydrate. Subthalamic nucleus cells in this preparation exhibited a wide range of
      firing rates and three different firing patterns. These patterns were defined as
      'burst', 'normal', and 'mixed' based on comparisons of their interspike interval
      histograms. Four to 6 weeks after 6-OHDA treatment there was no change in the
      basal firing rates of subthalamic nucleus cells, but there was a significant
      shift in firing pattern, with a smaller proportion of cells exhibiting the
      'normal' firing pattern. The response of subthalamic nucleus neurons to acute
      administration of haloperidol was also altered in 6-OHDA-treated rats tested 4-6
      weeks post-lesion, with a significantly greater proportion of cells responding to
      doses of haloperidol as low as 0.2 mg/kg (i.v.) with increases in firing rate of
      20% or more. These results suggest that the subthalamic nucleus is probably not
      involved in the increases in basal levels of dopamine cell activity observed
      previously in the 6-OHDA-treated rat, but may play a role in the acute induction
      of depolarization block of dopamine cell firing in response to haloperidol
      administration in this model.

PMID- 1422839
TI  - Changes in D2 but not D1 receptor binding in the striatum following a selective
      lesion of striatopallidal neurons.
AB  - We have used the immunotoxin OX7/saporin, a suicide transport agent, to
      selectively lesion striatopallidal neurons. Following injection of OX7/saporin
      into the globus pallidus, in situ hybridization for preproenkephalin mRNA was
      examined in the striatum to confirm successful retrograde neurotoxicity.
      Comparison of D1 and D2 receptor binding in the striatum demonstrated that D2 but
      not D1 receptor binding sites are localized to striatopallidal neurons.

PMID- 1422840
TI  - Amelioration of ischemic spinal cord damage by postischemic treatment with
      propentofylline (HWA 285).
AB  - The effect of the xanthine derivative propentofylline (HWA 285) on metabolic and
      functional recovery in rabbit spinal cord after 20 and 30 min ischemia and 4 days
      of reperfusion was investigated. Pre-treatment with 20 mg/kg significantly
      improved recovery of the energy state in the spinal cord, however, without
      significant functional recovery of hindlimbs. In contrary, post-treatment with
      HWA 285 recovered the energy state to pre-ischemic value and also significantly
      improved functional recovery. These findings suggest that the neuroprotective
      mechanism of HWA 285 in the spinal cord is not associated with inhibition of
      glutamate release as supposed to operate in the gerbil brain.

PMID- 1422841
TI  - Optic nerve transection decreases 2-[125I]iodomelatonin binding in the chick
      optic tectum.
AB  - The distribution of specific 2-[125I]iodomelatonin binding sites in the various
      layers of the chick optic tectum was analyzed using quantitative receptor
      autoradiography. Following unilateral optic nerve transection, binding in the
      optic fiber layer and superficial retinorecipient layers of the contralateral
      tectum was significantly decreased at 7 and 14 days, but not at 1 day, following
      transection. The results are consistent with the presence of presynaptic
      melatonin receptors on axon terminals of retinotectal fibers.

PMID- 1422842
TI  - Preservation of energy metabolites by carnitine in the mouse brain under
      ischemia.
AB  - Ischemia (decapitation) caused marked changes of energy metabolites in the mouse
      brain. However, the changes were clearly less severe, when the mouse was pre
      treated with L-carnitine. This suggests that L-carnitine may protect the brain
      from the ischemic attack. Since D-carnitine showed a similar effect, the effects
      may be due to mechanism(s) other than the 'classical' function of carnitine.

PMID- 1422843
TI  - Pre-Botzinger complex in cats: respiratory neuronal discharge patterns.
AB  - Patterns of respiratory neuronal discharge in the pre-Botzinger complex,
      hypothesized as a brainstem site generating respiratory rhythm, are described in
      adult cats. Signals were recorded from neurons in the Botzinger complex, pre
      Botzinger complex and rostral ventral respiratory group (rVRG) of anesthetized
      adult cats. The pre-Botzinger complex, located caudal to expiratory-modulated
      Botzinger neurons, contained a mix of neurons with inspiratory-modulated,
      expiratory-modulated, or phase-spanning patterns of impulse activity, in contrast
      to the more homogenous neuronal distributions characteristic of adjacent
      Botzinger and rVRG regions.

PMID- 1422844
TI  - Comparison of the effects of NMDA antagonists on medial vestibular nucleus
      neurons in brainstem slices from labyrinthine-intact and chronically
      labyrinthectomized guinea pigs.
AB  - The responses of ipsilateral medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) neurons in brainstem
      slices from guinea pigs compensated for a unilateral labyrinthectomy (UL), to the
      N-methyl-D-asparate (NMDA) receptor/channel antagonists CPP and MK801, were
      compared with those of MVN neurons in brainstem slices from labyrinthine-intact
      guinea pigs observed in a previous study. The average resting activity of
      ipsilateral MVN neurons from compensated animals was significantly higher than
      that for MVN neurons from labyrinthine-intact animals; however, there were no
      significant differences in the average magnitude of the decrease in firing rate
      from baseline in response to CPP or MK801 and the only significant difference in
      the number of responses was to MK801, where fewer ipsilateral MVN neurons from
      compensated animals responded with a decrease in firing rate. These results
      suggest that vestibular compensation is not associated with an up-regulation or
      increased affinity of NMDA receptors in the MVN ipsilateral to the UL.

PMID- 1422845
TI  - Selective activation of mesoamygdaloid dopamine neurons by conditioned stress:
      attenuation by diazepam.
AB  - Populations of dopamine (DA) neurons in the rat brain are selectively activated
      by stress, and the response is attenuated by the administration of anxiolytics.
      Given the role of the component nuclei of the amygdaloid complex in conditioned
      associations, stress responses and the anxiolytic effects of benzodiazepines, we
      hypothesized that particular mesoamygdaloid DA projections might be especially
      sensitive to the effects of conditioned stress and to diazepam (DZ). We mapped
      the effect of a conditioned stressor on the concentration of the DA metabolite
      homovanillic acid (HVA) in distinct amygdaloid nuclei and other brain nuclei and
      areas and the effect of DZ (1 or 3 mg/kg) on the conditioned response in drug
      experienced subjects. The conditioned stress paradigm resulted in significant
      elevations in classical indices of stress, including serum corticosterone and
      plasma epinephrine. Conditioned stress-induced increases in the estimated
      activity of DA neurons were specific for DA neurons projecting to the central,
      basolateral and lateral amygdaloid nuclei, and for DA projections to the dorsal
      septal nucleus. Conditioned stress-induced increases in the HVA concentration of
      responsive amygdaloid nuclei were antagonized by low, anxiolytic doses of DZ.
      These results indicate a role for a subset of mesoamygdaloid DA projections in
      transducing the impact of perceived stressors on the output of the amygdaloid
      complex. A role for particular amygdaloid DA projections in the formation of
      conditioned fear or anticipatory anxiety and its modulation by anxiolytics is
      also suggested.

PMID- 1422846
TI  - Protective effects of serotonin reuptake inhibitors, citalopram and clomipramine,
      against hippocampal CA1 neuronal damage following transient ischemia in the
      gerbil.
AB  - To clarify the role of serotonin in cerebral ischemia, we examined the effects of
      selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, citalopram and clomipramine, on ischemic
      neuronal damage in the gerbil. Pretreatment with citalopram (40 mg/kg i.p.) and
      clomipramine (20 mg/kg i.p.) protected against neuronal destruction of
      hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells following 5 min of forebrain ischemia.
      Furthermore, microdialysis assays showed that a striking increase in
      extracellular excitatory amino acid levels during ischemia was significantly
      inhibited by pretreatment with citalopram and clomipramine. However, citalopram
      (40 mg/kg i.p.) did not alter the extracellular amino acid concentrations in
      normal gerbils. Thus, serotonin reuptake inhibitors have a protective effect
      against ischemic neuronal damage. Furthermore, the present result suggests that
      the protective effect is mediated through prevention of the accumulation of
      extracellular excitatory amino acids during and after ischemia.

PMID- 1422847
TI  - Immunocytochemical localization of 205 kDa microtubule-associated protein (205
      kDa MAP) in the guinea pig organ of Corti.
AB  - We have studied the immunocytochemical localization of microtubule-associated
      proteins (MAPs) in the guinea pig organ of Corti. Using immunological methods
      with antibodies against MAP1A, MAP1B, MAP2, tau and 205 kDa MAP, we have
      identified 205 kDa MAP as a major MAP of the sensory epithelium in the organ of
      Corti. Immunoperoxidase microscopic study has shown that both cochlear hair cells
      and supporting cells reacted with anti-205 kDa MAP antibody. Immunoelectron
      microscopy revealed that 205 kDa MAP was associated with most microtubules in the
      sensory epithelial cells. It was also associated with the microtubules of bundle
      structures within supporting cells, suggesting that this MAP might form a part of
      cross-bridges between microtubules and between microtubules and actin filaments
      in the bundle structure. In contrast, MAP1A, MAP1B and tau, which are known to be
      expressed in neuronal tissue, were localized only in nerve fibers in the organ of
      Corti, not in the sensory epithelium. MAP2, which is known to be localized in
      dendrites and soma of nerve cells, was not distributed in nerve fibers in the
      organ of Corti. These results suggest possible roles of the 205 kDa MAP in the
      formation and maintenance of the highly polarized morphology of the epithelial
      cells of the organ of Corti, through stabilization and modulation of microtubule
      networks of these cells.

PMID- 1422848
TI  - Changes of labile metabolites during anoxia in moderately hypo- and hyperthermic
      rats: correlation to membrane fluxes of K+.
AB  - The objective of this study was to assess the influence of temperature on the
      coupling among energy failure, depolarization, and ionic fluxes during anoxia. To
      that end, we induced anoxia by cardiac arrest in anesthetized rats maintained at
      a body temperature of either 34 degrees C or 40 degrees C, measured extracellular
      K+ concentration (K+e), and froze the neocortex through the exposed dura for
      measurements of phosphocreatine (PCr), creatine (Cr), ATP, ADP, and AMP, glucose,
      glycogen, pyruvate and lactate content after ischemic intervals of maximally 130
      s. Free ADP (ADPf) concentrations were derived from the creatine kinase
      equilibrium. Hypothermia reduced the initial rate of rise in K+e, and delayed the
      terminal depolarization; however, both hypo- and hyperthermic animals showed
      massive loss of ion homeostasis at a K+e of 10-15 mM. The initial rate of rise in
      K+e did not correlate to changes in ATP, or ATP/ADPf ratio, suggesting that
      temperature changes per se may control the degree of activation of K+
      conductances. The results clearly showed that, in both hyper- and hypothermic
      subjects, energy failure preceded the sudden activation of membrane conductances
      for ions. The results indicate that temperature primarily influences membrane
      permeability to ions like K+e (and Na+), and that cerebral energy state is
      secondarily affected. It is proposed that the higher rate of rise of K+e at high
      temperatures accelerates ATP hydrolysis primarily by enhancing metabolic rate in
      glial cells.

PMID- 1422849
TI  - Localization of the central antinociceptive effects of diclofenac in the rat.
AB  - The ethacrynic acid-induced writhing response (WR) in the rat was studied after
      microinjections of diclofenac 0.1 ng-1 microgram/0.5 microliter (0.32 pmol to 3.2
      nmol) into several brain regions involved in control of nociceptive behavior. The
      WR was inhibited after injections into the periaqueductal grey matter (PAG),
      ventromedial thalamus (VM), medial preoptic area (MPA) and the nucleus raphe
      magnus (NRM). Morphine 50 ng/0.5 microliter (0.16 nmol) was used as a positive
      control and vehicle injections were performed as negative reference. After
      diclofenac, there was a dose-dependent reduction of the WR with a threshold dose
      of approximately 1-10 ng in all brain areas studied except the nucleus
      reticularis paragigantocellularis interna (NRPGi). Naloxone 50 ng/0.5 microliter
      (0.15 nmol) administered into the same site 30 min after diclofenac injection,
      antagonized the diclofenac-induced inhibition of the WR almost completely in PAG
      and VM. Previous results demonstrate a central, naloxone-reversible component in
      the analgetic action of diclofenac. A qualitatively similar, centrally induced
      inhibition of the WR may be elicited after injections into PAG, VM and NRM. Thus,
      in addition to its peripheral mechanism of action, the non-steroidal anti
      inflammatory drug, diclofenac, has a central mechanism of action which directly
      or indirectly involves a central opioid component.

PMID- 1422850
TI  - Clorazepate synchronizes cultured rat C6 glioma in the early G1 phase of the cell
      cycle.
AB  - A water soluble benzodiazepine, clorazepate, has been used to establish the point
      of benzodiazepine proliferative arrest in the rat C6 glioma. Clorazepate
      inhibited C6 proliferation in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 280
      microM, as judged by a nuclei counting procedure. Release of cells from a 48 h
      exposure to 350 microM clorazepate, at which over 70% of the cells were arrested,
      resulted in a synchronous entry into S phase 8-9 h later, as evidenced by a sharp
      increase in the incorporation of [3H]thymidine. This restriction point was
      demonstrated to be 2-3 h into the G1 phase by measuring the length of G1 in
      synchronized populations of C6 cells obtained by selection of mitotic figures
      from an asynchronous culture. Synchronous arrest of C6 by clorazepate required an
      exposure period of 24-36 h, approximately twice the doubling time of the cell
      line. A morphological study confirmed an early G1 point of proliferative arrest.
      Clorazepate synchronized cells exhibited a uniform morphology with the majority
      of cells assuming a configuration representative of anchorage-dependent cells in
      an early phase of attachment. The majority of cells were somewhat rounded and
      attached to the substratum by cytoplasmic 'skirts' with punctate structures which
      may represent focal adhesion points.

PMID- 1422851
TI  - Neuropeptides and monoamines in the torus semicircularis of the carp (Cyprinus
      carpio).
AB  - The distribution of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, gastrin-releasing peptide,
      gamma-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, alpha-neo-endorphin, angiotensin II,
      cholecystokinin-8, serotonin, and tyrosine hydroxylase has been studied in the
      nuclei lateralis and centralis of the Cyprinus carpio torus semicircularis using
      an indirect immunoperoxidase technique. In both nuclei, we found vasoactive
      intestinal polypeptide, gastrin-releasing peptide, gamma-melanocyte-stimulating
      hormone, alpha-neo-endorphin, serotonin, and tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive
      fibers, whereas the torus semicircularis was not immunoreactive for
      cholecystokinin-8 and angiotensin II. Moreover, no immunoreactive cell bodies
      containing peptides or monoamines were observed. The presence of these peptides
      and monoamines in both the nuclei lateralis and centralis suggests that such
      substances might be involved in the control of the visual, auditive, and/or
      lateral line information systems.

PMID- 1422852
TI  - Binocularity and excitability loss in visual cortex cells of corpus callosum
      transected kittens and cats.
AB  - The contribution of the corpus callosum to binocularity of visual cortex cells
      and to their responsiveness was studied in cats. Electrophysiological recordings
      of the responses of single cells to visual stimulation was performed in the
      callosal projection zone, visual cortex area 17-18 boundary in callosotomized
      cats. Callosotomy was carried out by transection of the visual segment of the
      corpus callosum in 6-7-week-old kittens and in acute and chronic adult cats
      (postoperative recovery time: 11 days-39 months). While in our normal cats the
      common proportion of binocularly driven cells (79.8%) was found (66.3% in the
      sham controls), a remarkable diminution (29.7%) was found in the callosotomized
      kittens, in the acute (39.7%) and in the chronic (50.6%)-operated cats. We have
      also found a change in the amount of binocularity as function of postoperative
      recovery time. While the proportion of binocular cells was conceivable (60.7%) in
      the short- and intermediate-term callosotomized cats (postoperative time: 0.3-5.5
      months), it was diminished (36.9%) in the long-term (6.5-39 months) chronic cats.
      As to the responsiveness level, it was found that visual responsive cells
      constituted 88% of the cells in the normal and 80.3% in the sham controls. In
      comparison, they constituted 69.2% in the acute, 54.4% in the chronic and 52.8%
      in the callosotomized kittens. Furthermore, callosal transection had produced a
      symmetric effect in the two hemispheres, regarding binocularity and
      responsiveness. It has been thus concluded that the corpus callosum is essential
      for the mediation of binocular functions between the two hemispheres; in
      addition, cortical excitability has been also found to depend on callosal
      integrity.

PMID- 1422853
TI  - Protein kinase C activators stimulate beta-endorphin secretion from hypothalamic
      cells.
AB  - Relatively little is known about the regulation of secretion of hypothalamic beta
      endorphin, the potent opioid that is believed to play a variety of physiological
      roles in brain. Previous work has shown that arginine vasopressin (AVP), which
      acts in brain primarily via activation of the phosphoinositol (PI) second
      messenger system, stimulates secretion of hypothalamic beta-endorphin. To test
      the hypothesis that activators of protein kinase C (PKC), which is activated
      following PI hydrolysis, stimulates secretion of beta-endorphins from
      hypothalamus, we studied the separate effects of stimulators of PKC including
      phorbol ester 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) and 1-oleolyl-2-acetyl glycerol (OAG-
      a diacyl glycerol analogue) on secretion of immunoreactive (IR-) beta-endorphin
      (measured by RIA) from dissociated fetal rat hypothalamic cell cultures. We also
      studied AVP and angiotensin II (Ang II), hypothalamic peptides which activate the
      PI second messenger pathway, and interactions of PMA and forskolin (FSK), an
      activator of the cyclic AMP/protein kinase A (PKA) pathway. PMA, OAG, AVP, and
      Ang II stimulated IR-beta-endorphin secretion. The stimulatory effect of both PMA
      and FSK on IR-beta-endorphin secretion was greater than that of PMA or FSK alone
      and was essentially additive.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422854
TI  - Tyrosine pretreatment alleviates suppression of schedule-controlled responding
      produced by corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) in rats.
AB  - Disruption of performance observed when animals are exposed to physical stressors
      which deplete brain catecholamines can be alleviated by pretreatment with the
      catecholamine precursor tyrosine. Central administration of the stress hormone
      corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) has been shown to affect a variety of
      behaviors and also to potently increase the release of central catecholamines.
      Since CRF-induced disruption of behavior may involve CRF-induced depletion of
      brain catecholamines, the present study examined whether tyrosine would alleviate
      suppression of schedule-controlled responding in rats resulting from ICV
      administration of CRF. Administration of CRF (1.0 microgram-10 micrograms)
      produced dose-dependent suppression of response rate and total number of earned
      reinforcers in rats responding on a multiple fixed-interval 60 s/fixed-ratio 20
      schedule for food reinforcement. Pretreatment with 200 mg/kg tyrosine (IP)
      administered with ICV saline decreased response rate but did not lower total
      reinforcers, whereas 400 mg/kg of tyrosine decreased both. Injection of 400 mg/kg
      tyrosine reduced, but did not completely restore, CRF-induced suppression of
      behavior. The 200 mg/kg tyrosine dose was less effective in alleviating CRF
      induced suppression of performance. These data indicate that pretreatment with
      the catecholamine precursor tyrosine can partially ameliorate performance
      decrements resulting from CRF administration.

PMID- 1422855
TI  - Inhibitory inputs to the subfornical organ from the AV3V: involvement of GABA.
AB  - Action potentials were recorded extracellularly from single neurons in the
      subfornical organ (SFO) of the pentobarbital-anesthetized cat following
      stimulation of the regions surrounding the anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V).
      Of 328 SFO neurons studied, 103 were antidromically activated, showing direct
      projections from the SFO to the AV3V. However, the major effects of stimulations
      of the AV3V on SFO neurons were orthodromic inhibition; almost 30% of SFO neurons
      were inhibited by various sites in the AV3V, while a smaller proportion of cells
      were excited. Local application of bicuculline, an antagonist for GABA,
      attenuated the inhibitory responses induced by stimulation of the AV3V in seven
      out of eight neurons tested. Application of GABA inhibited 16 out of 24 neurons,
      while that of bicuculline alone excited 11 out of 26 neurons, suggesting the
      tonic inhibitory action of GABA on some SFO neurons. On the other hand,
      application of kynurenic acid, a nonspecific antagonist for the excitatory amino
      acids, did not affect the excitatory responses induced by stimulation of the
      AV3V, but kynurenic acid itself inhibited 6 out of 18 neurons tested. Application
      of glutamate excited most SFO neurons. This suggests that the excitatory amino
      acids may be the transmitter(s) of interneurons in the SFO but may not mediate
      the excitation from the AV3V.

PMID- 1422856
TI  - Induction of c-fos immunostaining in the rat brain after the systemic
      administration of nicotine.
AB  - To search for evidence of altered neuronal gene expression in response to
      exposure to the highly addictive drug nicotine, rat brains were examined by
      immunocytochemistry for the fos protein after the systemic administration of
      nicotine. The drug was administered as an IV infusion over 1 h At a dose of 2
      mg/kg, the most dramatic nicotine-induced fos nuclear immunostaining was seen in
      central visual pathways, including the superficial superior colliculus and the
      medial terminal nu. of the accessory optic tract, in the interpeduncular nu.
      Notably, many regions with high levels of nicotine binding sites, including the
      medial habenula, thalamus, substantia nigra, and ventral tegmental area, failed
      to express the c-fos gene with this schedule of nicotine administration. A
      minimal increase in fos immunostaining was seen after a nicotine dose of 0.5
      mg/kg, with a much greater response after 1 or 2 mg/kg. The response was seen as
      soon as 60 min after the beginning of the infusion, was maximal at 2-3 h, and
      declined thereafter. c-fos expression was substantially attenuated in the
      superficial gray layer of superior colliculus, medial terminal nucleus of the
      accessory optic tract, and the interpeduncular nucleus by pretreatment with the
      centrally acting nicotine antagonist mecamylamine, 5 mg/kg IP, but not with the
      peripherally acting antagonist hexamethonium, 4 mg/kg IP. These observations
      identify a subset of central nervous system neurons that respond to nicotine with
      altered expression of the immediate early gene c-fos. These neurons presumably
      undergo long-term changes in gene expression as a result of acute exposure to
      high doses of nicotine.

PMID- 1422857
TI  - Ethanol alters monoamines in specific mouse brain regions.
AB  - Ethanol (3.5 g/kg 60 min post-IP injection) produced the following changes in
      regional brain monoamine levels and in the respective metabolite/neurotransmitter
      ratios: for the noradrenergic system, MHPG was decreased in the amygdala and
      increased in the hypothalamus, while the MHPG/NE ratio was increased in the
      prefrontal cortex and the hypothalamus. For the dopaminergic system, DA was
      decreased in the olfactory tubercle, DOPAC was increased in the prefrontal cortex
      and septum, and DOPAC/DA was increased in the prefrontal cortex, septum,
      striatum, and hypothalamus. HVA was increased in the prefrontal cortex and
      septum, while HVA/DA was increased in the same regions plus the olfactory bulb.
      3MT was decreased in the olfactory tubercle and striatum. The serotonergic system
      was not altered. The results demonstrate that ETOH produces selective regional
      changes in the concentration and utilization of monoamines in mouse brain with a
      predominant influence on dopaminergic systems and a lesser effect on
      noradrenergic activity.

PMID- 1422859
TI  - Descending pain inhibitory system involved in acupuncture analgesia.
AB  - The descending pain inhibitory system (DPIS) associated with acupuncture
      analgesia (AA), caused by low frequency stimulation of an acupuncture point, was
      identified by the results of lesion and stimulation procedures previously
      determined to differentiate the afferent and efferent paths in rats. The DPIS
      starts in the posterior arcuate nucleus and descends to the hypothalamic
      ventromedian nucleus (HVM) from whence it divides into two pathways: one path,
      the serotonin mediated path, descends through the ventral periaqueductal central
      gray (V-PAG) and then to the raphe magnus (RM). The other, the noradrenaline
      mediated path, descends through the reticuloparagigantocellular nucleus (NRPG)
      and part of the reticulogigantocellular nucleus (NRGC). The afferent and efferent
      paths are both present in the RM and NRGC, and were separately identified by
      means of the analgesia (SPA) produced by stimulation of the separate regions in
      AA responders and nonresponders, because SPA of these regions in nonresponders
      produced only efferent pathway mediated analgesia.

PMID- 1422858
TI  - Eight-arm maze performance, neophobia, and hippocampal cholinergic alterations
      after prenatal oxazepam in mice.
AB  - Outbred CD-1 mice were exposed to oxazepam (15 mg/kg PO twice/day) on days 12-16
      of fetal life, i.e., at a critical ontogenetic stage of Type II benzodiazepine
      (BDZ) receptor increase, and fostered at birth to untreated dams. At adulthood,
      radial arm maze performance, activity-habituation test in an open-field arena
      (either single 15-min test or three 5-min sessions at 24-h intervals), approach
      to a novel stimulus object, and amphetamine or scopolamine effects thereon were
      assessed in male progeny. Overall, the oxazepam exposed (OX) mice were much less
      efficient in the radial arm maze task than the vehicle exposed (VEH) animals. Pre
      test scopolamine injection, but not amphetamine, significantly impaired the arm
      maze performance of OX mice when compared with the corresponding VEH-scopolamine
      animals. In separate nonlearned behavioral tasks, prenatal oxazepam did not
      affect either baseline activity levels in the open field or the response to the
      amphetamine and the scopolamine challenge, while it considerably increased the
      latency of first approach to a novel object and produced a deficit of habituation
      in the course of the subsequent exploratory period. Concomitant investigation at
      the neurochemical level showed that the adult OX animals had a significant
      increase in both Bmax and in the affinity (Kd) of cholinergic muscarinic
      receptors in the hippocampal formation when compared to the vehicle-exposed
      controls.

PMID- 1422860
TI  - Fate of septohippocampal neurons following intracerebroventricular injections of
      colchicine.
AB  - Injection of colchicine into the lateral ventricles (ICV) of rats results in a
      selective loss of neurons immunoreactive for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in
      the medial septum (MS) and a concomitant loss of acetylcholinesterase (AChE)
      positive fibers in the hippocampus. To determine if this loss of cholinergic
      cells is due to neuronal death, septohippocampal neurons were retrogradely
      labeled with fluoro-gold (FG) 1 week prior to the injection of colchicine.
      Numbers and sizes of FG-labeled and ChAT-immunoreactive neurons were assessed 3,
      6, and 10 weeks after ICV colchicine. In line with previous observations, numbers
      of ChAT-immunoreactive cells were reduced to fewer than 50% of control in the MS
      and to fewer than 60% of control in the vertical limb of the diagonal band (vDB).
      Three weeks after ICV colchicine, numbers of FG-labeled neurons were reduced to
      48% in the MS and 24% in the vDB. By 6 weeks, the number in the MS decreased
      further to 31% of control, whereas the number remained at 24% in the vDB. Ten
      weeks after colchicine, the numbers of retrogradely labeled cells in both the MS
      and vDB had decreased to 11% of control. The cells which remained were not
      reduced in cross-sectional area or in diameter. These data suggest that the
      selective loss of cholinergic neurons in the MS which occurs following ICV
      colchicine is due to neuronal death and not just loss of ChAT expression.

PMID- 1422861
TI  - Effects of medial septal lesions on an operant delayed go/no-go discrimination in
      rats.
AB  - Male hooded rats received either a medial septal lesion or a control operation.
      The rats were then tested on an operant go/no-go discrimination task, first
      without a delay contingency (20 days), followed by 25 days under an 8-s delay. A
      discrete trial procedure with symmetrical reinforcement was used. Each trial
      began with the operant chamber darkened, except for back illumination of a
      centrally located press panel. Depression of this panel extinguished the back
      light and initiated a random presentation of either the go stimulus (2800 Hz
      tone) or the no-go stimulus (10 Hz pulsing light) for 3 s. Stimulus termination
      initiated the appropriate delay contingency (0 s or 8 s), which was followed by
      the cued availability of a lever for 2 s. If the rat pressed the lever on go
      trials, or refrained from pressing the lever on no-go trials, a food pellet was
      delivered. The data (% correct responses) were averaged over 5-day blocks.
      Overall, the septal-lesioned rats performed significantly better than the control
      rats under both O-s delay (p < 0.025) and 8-s delay (p < 0.001) contingencies.
      Although there was not a significant difference between the groups during the
      last block of the O-s delay (septals 93% correct, controls 89% correct, p > 0.05)
      or the first block of the 8-s delay (septals 54% correct, controls 53% correct, p
      > 0.05), the septal-lesioned animals performed significantly better than the
      controls during all the remaining phases of the experiment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422862
TI  - Effects of hyperthermia on the effectiveness of MK-801 treatment in the gerbil
      hippocampus following transient forebrain ischemia.
AB  - The effects of dizocilipine maleate (MK-801), a noncompetitive N-methyl-D
      aspartate (NMDA) receptor/channel antagonist, were tested on the dysfunction of
      neurotransmitter and signal transduction systems and morphological damage 7 days
      after transient forebrain ischemia in gerbils. Neurotransmitter system (adenosine
      A1, muscarinic cholinergic receptor) and signal transduction system (inositol
      1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor: IP3, protein kinase C: PKC, L-type calcium
      channels) binding sites were mapped by in vitro quantitative receptor
      autoradiography. All ligands used in the present study decreased significantly in
      the CA1 subfield 7 days after ischemia. In normothermic animals, pretreatment
      with MK-801 failed to protect against decreased receptor binding in the
      hippocampus 7 days after ischemia. Moreover, in a morphological study, pre- and
      posttreatment of MK-801 failed to show protective effects against ischemic
      neuronal damage. On the other hand, pretreatment of MK-801, without maintaining
      body temperature, prevented the neuronal death of CA1 subfield 7 days after
      ischemia. These results weaken the hypothesis that NMDA receptor/channel may play
      a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of neuronal damage after transient forebrain
      ischemia.

PMID- 1422863
TI  - A detergent-solubilized nicotinic acetylcholine receptor of Caenorhabditis
      elegans.
AB  - We have used a spin column assay to study the detergent-solubilized levamisole
      receptor, a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor of the nematode Caenorhabditis
      elegans. The receptor can be successfully solubilized in detergent solutions of
      Triton X-100, Lubrol PX, or sodium cholate. Centrifugal gel filtration assay
      using the tritiated ligand [3H]meta-aminolevamisole ([3H]MAL) provides a greater
      signal and a better signal-to-noise ratio for soluble levamisole receptor binding
      than either polyethylene glycol precipitation or DEAE filter assay with the same
      ligand. As for membrane-bound receptor, the detergent-solubilized levamisole
      receptor consists of more than one affinity state. Detergent solubilization
      appears to increase the affinity of all states for [3H]MAL (Kd for the highest
      affinity solubilized [3H]MAL binding state, 41 +/- 5 pM). Data is presented on
      the equilibrium binding and the association and dissociation reaction rates of
      the receptor. The similar relative efficacy with which various compounds inhibit
      specific [3H]MAL binding and deficiencies in solubilizable high affinity specific
      [3H]MAL binding in two receptor mutants show that the solubilized receptor is the
      same nicotinic acetylcholine receptor that is detected by assaying membrane-bound
      specific [3H]MAL binding. The detergent-solubilized levamisole receptor is stable
      at 0 degree to 4 degrees C, making receptor purification feasible.

PMID- 1422865
TI  - Distribution of corticotropin-releasing hormone immunoreactivity in golden
      hamster brain.
AB  - The distribution of corticotropin-releasing hormone-immunoreactive (CRH-IR)
      neurons and fibers was observed in golden hamsters. CRH-IR neurons and fibers
      were observed within the hypothalamus, thalamus, amygdala, cortex, midbrain, and
      hindbrain. The largest numbers of CRH-IR neurons were seen within the magno- and
      parvocellular divisions of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and
      within the septum, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, preoptic area continuum.
      The highest density of immunoreactive fibers was observed in the external zone of
      the median eminence. In addition, many immunoreactive fibers were observed within
      the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the preoptic area. The distribution
      obtained in hamsters was compared with previously reported distributions from
      rats, and both were generally similar.

PMID- 1422864
TI  - Evidence for opiate-dopamine cross-sensitization in nucleus accumbens: studies of
      conditioned reward.
AB  - We investigated opiate-amphetamine interactions within the nucleus accumbens in
      responding for conditioned reward. Separate groups of animals received 4-day
      intra-accumbens treatment with either saline, morphine (0.5 microgram/0.5
      microliter), [D-Ala2 NMe-Phe4 Gly-ol5]-Enkephalin (DAMGO; 1.0 micrograms/0.5
      microliter), or [D-Pen2,5]-Enkephalin (DPEN; 2.0 micrograms/0.5 microliter). One
      two subsequent test days, these rats were given a challenge of d-amphetamine (2.0
      and 10.0 micrograms/0.5 microliter) and responding for conditioned reward was
      measured. In the conditioned reinforcement (CR) procedure, food-deprived animals
      were trained in an initial phase to associate a food reward (primary
      reinforcement) with a compound stimulus (light/click). In the next phase, a lever
      was introduced and responding on the lever produced the compound stimulus alone
      (secondary reinforcement). Previous evidence shows that psychostimulants but not
      opiates markedly potentiate responding for conditioned reward. In the present
      design, animals previously treated with either morphine or DAMGO (preferential mu
      agonists) showed potentiated lever responding following amphetamine challenges,
      relative to either DPEN- or saline-treated animals. These findings show that
      prior exposure of nucleus accumbens neurons to mu-selective opiates induces
      sensitization to the effects of amphetamine. The results are discussed in terms
      of opioid effects on dopamine transmission and second messenger systems.

PMID- 1422866
TI  - Hippocampal neuronal damage after transient forebrain ischemia in monkeys.
AB  - To investigate cerebral injury in the monkey due to transient ischemia, monkeys
      were each subjected to temporary occlusion of eight (bilateral common carotid,
      internal and external carotid, and vertebral) major arteries. After 0 (control),
      5, 10, 13, 15, and 18 min occlusion, blood flow was restored. The monkeys were
      sacrificed by perfusion fixation 5 days after the operation, and all brain
      regions were then histologically examined for ischemic neuronal changes induced
      by the occlusion. The amplitude of EEG signals from skull and scalp became almost
      isoelectric within 1-6 min after the onset of occlusion. The EEG signals from the
      hippocampus were markedly attenuated within 1-4 min, although they did not become
      completely isoelectric. Blood pressure was significantly increased after 10-min
      ischemia. Five-min occlusion produced no ischemic neuronal changes except a
      slight increment of glial cells in the striatum and III, V, and VI layers of the
      neocortices. After 10- to 15-min occlusion, there were ischemic cell changes
      restricted exclusively to the CA1 subfield of the hippocampus. Eighteen-min
      occlusion produced more prominent ischemic neuronal damage in the CA1 subfield of
      the hippocampus, but ischemic neuronal damage was no longer confined to the
      hippocampus. These results suggest that only the CA1 subfield of the monkey
      hippocampus could be damaged by mild ischemic insult. We demonstrate that the
      limited lesion of the hippocampus, especially the CA1 subfield, after 10- to 15
      min occlusion of eight arteries in the monkey, produces a model equivalent to
      human amnesia caused by transient ischemic insult.

PMID- 1422867
TI  - Vitamin E attenuates the toxic effects of 6-hydroxydopamine on free radical
      scavenging systems in rat brain.
AB  - Rats were divided into the following four groups namely (a) sham-operated
      control, (b) 6-OHDA-treated, (c) sham-operated vitamin E-fed and (d) Vitamin E
      fed treated with 6-OHDA. Total glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)
      were measured in brainstem (BS), striatum (ST), hippocampus, frontal cortex, and
      nucleus accumbens (N. Acc.). GSH and SOD levels were significantly decreased in
      all regions of 6-OHDA-treated rats compared to controls. Feeding of vitamin E
      resulted in a significant reduction of GSH in ST and N. Acc. but caused increases
      in SOD in BS, ST, and N. Acc. Pretreatment of rats with vitamin E caused
      significant attenuation of the effects of 6-OHDA on GSH and SOD in most of the
      brain regions. These results show that vitamin E can spare the scavenging systems
      from the injurious effects of 6-OHDA.

PMID- 1422868
TI  - [Contribution of a hematologic cytogenetic laboratory to the diagnosis,
      classification and prognosis of various hematologic malignancies].
AB  - The presence of an haematological cytogenetic laboratory into a clinical unit
      allowed to realize a close collaboration between clinicians and cytogeneticists,
      and to achieve a maximal exploitation of the results of the bone marrow
      cytogenetic studies in some haematological malignancies. It made it possible to
      perform sequential bone marrow karyotypes studies during the different phases of
      a disease: We could thus establish: The diagnostic value of cytogenetic findings
      for chronic myelocytic leukaemia, secondary acute leukaemia, but not for
      dysglobulinemias. The prognostic value of cytogenetic abnormalities in chronic
      myelocytic leukaemia where additional abnormalities to the Ph1 are a hallmark of
      blastic transformation; in primitive dysmyelopoiesis where they represent a bad
      prognostic factor; in dysglobulinemias, where they are a signal of terminal
      evolution. In all these diseases, only complex and multiple abnormalities have a
      prognostic significance pointing out the emergence of a malignant clone, where as
      rare and single abnormalities are of no significance. Nowadays, haematological
      cytogenetic must be bound to molecular biology.

PMID- 1422869
TI  - [Eulogy of Jean-Louis Parrot (1908-1991)].

PMID- 1422870
TI  - [Iatrogenic disease observed in a hospital setting. II. Analysis of causes and
      suggestions for novel preventive measures].
AB  - In a previous article, we reported the results of a survey of iatrogenic illness
      in teaching hospitals. In the second part of this study, we shall consider the
      origins of the 109 adverse events which occurred in a 24-hour period among 1733
      hospital patients in a total of 43 units (mean prevalence, 6.28%). In a total of
      89 cases (83 of which were drug-related and 6 of which were of various non
      instrumental causes), self-treatment and/or poor patient compliance appeared to
      be the main cause in 16 (18%); negligence or erroneous prescription (non-respect
      of a contraindication, wrong indication or dosage, excessive duration of
      treatment, inadequate monitoring, etc...) appeared to be responsible in 27 cases
      (30.3%). It may be that at least some of these cases of iatrogenic illness due to
      errors or negligence on the part of the patient and/or physician (48.3%) could be
      avoided in future by better training of health personnel and improved public
      health education. The human and financial costs of iatrogenic illness show that
      risk-prevention measures are required; we propose a number of strategies
      concerning both initial training in medical school and ongoing education in
      therapeutics, together with ways of improving the behaviour of both physicians
      and the pharmaceutical industry. The latter suggestions are addressed at the
      media and the health authorities; some concern legislation, while others are
      aimed at improving early public health education, an essential element in this
      setting.

PMID- 1422871
TI  - [Bronchial epithelium and asthma].
AB  - Asthma is a type of chronic desquamative bronchitis and, so far, the role of the
      bronchial epithelium in this disease has not been fully assessed. There are at
      least 3 ways by which bronchial epithelial cells may modulate the pathophysiology
      of asthma: 1. They are resident cells, capable of liberating pro-inflammatory
      mediators, which may be chemotactic for other cells such as neutrophils and
      eosinophils. 2. An asthmatic attack results in desquamation of the bronchial
      epithelium which may have multiple consequences. 3. A repair phase must follow
      the desquamation although the precise mechanisms underlying this phase are
      incompletely understood. The level of reparation is likely to play an important
      role in the prognosis of the disease.

PMID- 1422872
TI  - [Importance of hypergastrinemia in diagnosis of Biermer's disease in adults].
AB  - Achlorhydria that is due to antrum sparing atrophic gastritis is a characteristic
      finding in pernicious anemia. As a consequence of this achlorhydria serum gastrin
      level rise. Usually several signs are required for assessing a pernicious anemia:
      megaloblastic anemia, low serum cobalamin level, positivity of a Schilling test,
      low level of intrinsic factor in the gastric juice, existence of anti-intrinsic
      factor antibodies in plasma and/or in gastric juice. In this study the usefulness
      of the serum gastrin level is assessed. We report here the results in
      investigating sixteen patients with a pernicious anemia. All had: megaloblastic
      changes on bone marrow examination, serum cobalamin level lower than 150 pg/ml.
      For 14 patients the performed Schilling test was positive. For 2, no Schilling
      test was done, but anti-intrinsic factor antibodies were elevated. Serum gastrin
      levels were higher than 250 pg/ml (254 to 1770 pg/ml). In our patients with
      pernicious anemia, as a result of hypo or achlorhydria, serum gastrin increase
      was higher than in any other cause of hypochlohydria: anti-acid treatment,
      vagotomy... Measurement of serum gastrin is easy. High levels are simple to
      explain if found together with a sparing antrum atrophic gastritis and/or a low
      level of serum cobalamin. Serum gastrin measurement may be a cornerstone to rapid
      and reliable diagnosis of pernicious anemia.

PMID- 1422873
TI  - [Application of multifactorial statistical calculation searching for a
      correlation between fat soluble vitamins and cancer].
AB  - The aim of this work was to combine computer methodology applied to multi
      factorial statistical calculations with liquid chromatography results on the
      analyses of serum levels of retinol, beta-carotene and tocopherols in healthy
      subjects and in patients with various cancers associated with certain tumor
      markers. Our results show that the serum levels of the vitamins studied differed
      in cancer patients in comparison to healthy controls. These results also confirm
      published data showing that serum variations are generally not characteristic of
      a specific tumor localization, without indicating if these variations are a cause
      or an effect of tumor development. Computerized multifactorial analysis taking
      into account the levels of all vitamins and tumor markers chosen, however,
      enabled us to classify the different tumors in five groups: cancers of the
      nervous system, urogenital tract cancers, laryngo-pulmonary cancers and two
      groups of digestive system cancers. This new approach may lead to the
      constitution of a data bank on the localization of tumors, as well as a reference
      system for all analyses of serum levels of vitamins associated with tumor
      markers.

PMID- 1422874
TI  - [Demand for classification of the climate in the town of Blotzheim (Upper
      Rhine)].

PMID- 1422875
TI  - DIROM: an experimental design interactive system for directed mutagenesis and
      nucleic acids engineering.
AB  - A computer system DIROM for oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis and artificial
      gene design has been designed for better experimental planning and control. DIROM
      permits searching for optimal oligonucleotides with respect to certain important
      parameters, namely sufficient energy of oligonucleotide-target hybridization, the
      secondary structure of oligonucleotide and target DNA, the presence of alternate
      binding sites in the target DNA and terminal G/C pairs. It can also be used to
      plan polymerase chain reaction experiments, for optimal primer selection, in
      sequencing, etc. DIROM enables one to search for both existing and potential
      restriction sites, to perform vector + target sequence construction. The system
      consists of a set of original algorithms that formalize the empirical knowledge
      of oligonucleotide action as primers.

PMID- 1422876
TI  - First and second moment of counts of words in random texts generated by Markov
      chains.
AB  - An exact expression for the variance of random frequency that a given word has in
      text generated by a Markov chain is presented. The result is applied to periodic
      Markov chains, which describe the protein-coding DNA sequences better than simple
      Markov chains. A new solution to the problem of word overlap is proposed. It was
      found that the expected frequency and overlapping properties determine most of
      the variance. The expectation and variance of counts for triplets are compared
      with experimental counts in Escherichia coli coding sequences.

PMID- 1422877
TI  - METASIM: object-oriented modelling of cell regulation.
AB  - Enzymatic processes and substances are modelled as distinct objects, belonging to
      a limited number of classes. A set of class definitions in C++ is presented that
      constitutes an object-oriented programming platform. The latter supports
      'biological' data types and functions and facilitates simulation of metabolic and
      regulatory pathways in living cells. To compute the time-evolution, Euler or
      Runge-Kutta methods are used, though the latter method compromises a strict
      object-oriented philosophy. As an example, histone gene expression during
      embryogenesis of Xenopus laevis is modelled. This object-oriented programming
      system forms a modelling 'language' which is readily understood by both
      biochemists and programmers. It allows biological problems to be programmed more
      easily and correctly and brings the program closer to the biological reality,
      hence making it more meaningful to bioscientists. Moreover, it can readily be
      extended to new models by class derivation.

PMID- 1422878
TI  - ADSP--a new package for computational sequence analysis.
AB  - A new protein sequence analysis package, ADSP, is described, of which the SOMAP
      Screen-Oriented Multiple Alignment Procedure forms an integral part. ADSP
      (Algorithms and Data Structures for Protein sequence analysis) incorporates
      facilities to generate potent pattern-recognition discriminators and offers four
      algorithms with which to scan any NBRF format sequence database: the package has
      been designed, in particular, to interface with the OWL composite sequence
      database, one of the largest, distributed non-redundant sources of sequence data
      of its kind. The system incorporates a powerful method for compound feature
      analysis, which provides the basis for characterizing and predicting the
      occurrence of complete protein superfamilies and for pinpointing the emergence of
      related sub-families. Used iteratively, the approach allows diagnostic
      performance to be rigorously refined and its efficacy to be assessed both
      qualitatively and quantitatively, and results in the generation of refined
      structural or functional features suitable for entry into a database: this
      compilation of characteristic signatures is distinct from, but complementary to,
      widely used compendia of pattern templates such as PROSITE.

PMID- 1422879
TI  - Clustering cDNA sequences.
AB  - A set of programs has been written to quantify the similarities between large
      numbers of cDNA sequences. This information is used to cluster similar sequences
      together. The main program can cluster thousands of cDNA sequences per day using
      a novel, computationally inexpensive algorithm. The clustering information is
      kept in a small index file so that disk storage requirements are negligible.
      Using this index file, subsidiary programs create various views and statistical
      summaries of the entire cDNA sequence collection.

PMID- 1422881
TI  - Limitations of Augustinsson plots.
AB  - The Augustinsson plot transforms the Michaelis-Menten equation by graphing
      velocity, v, as a function of velocity/substrate, v/s. The plot is linear with a
      negative slope for a single class of saturable sites and curvilinear for multiple
      classes of sites. Statistically, Augustinsson plots suffer from the limitation
      that there is no true independent variable. Experimental errors form a Gaussian
      distribution that rests neither parallel to the v axis nor v/s axis, but rather
      along a line emanating from the origin. Widening the range of s values produces
      increasingly large errors in the calculated Km and Vm values, especially when
      multiple sites are present. Exact data containing no error produces accurate
      constants using either the Michaelis-Menten or Augustinsson equation. With Km and
      Vm constants previously derived by fitting data with the statistically valid
      Michaelis-Menten equation, the Augustinsson plot may be used accurately to
      display multiple site data.

PMID- 1422880
TI  - CMAP: contig mapping and analysis package, a relational database for chromosome
      reconstruction.
AB  - In the contig mapping and analysis package, CMAP, we provide a foundation for
      reverse genetics by organizing information about DNA fragments obtained from an
      organism's genome into a physical map. The user can store information about a
      particular segment of DNA. This information can be both descriptive, such as any
      genes contained in a particular DNA fragment, or experimental, such as
      hybridization profiles or restriction digest patterns for comparison with other
      fragments. The package can then be instructed to update the physical map or
      provide information on a DNA fragment within the map, such as its location. The
      user interface is designed to minimize the learning curve associated with
      database usage, while eliminating the possibility of entering data outside the
      ranges of fields through error-checking protocols. Queries are currently
      accomplished by the use of dynamic SQL (structured query language), which gives
      the user the ability to build queries based on any combination of the attributes
      contained within the database without requiring that all possible queries be
      permanently programmed within the query software. In order to eliminate the need
      for knowledge of SQL, an interface was designed to allow users to build queries
      by menu choices. Thus, CMAP is a software package supporting a database for both
      the production and storage of a physical map as well as being the first step
      toward the production of a physical mapping workstation.

PMID- 1422882
TI  - Aligning two sequences within a specified diagonal band.
AB  - We describe an algorithm for aligning two sequences within a diagonal band that
      requires only O(NW) computation time and O(N) space, where N is the length of the
      shorter of the two sequences and W is the width of the band. The basic algorithm
      can be used to calculate either local or global alignment scores. Local
      alignments are produced by finding the beginning and end of a best local
      alignment in the band, and then applying the global alignment algorithm between
      those points. This algorithm has been incorporated into the FASTA program
      package, where it has decreased the amount of memory required to calculate local
      alignments from O(NW) to O(N) and decreased the time required to calculate
      optimized scores for every sequence in a protein sequence database by 40%. On
      computers with limited memory, such as the IBM-PC, this improvement both allows
      longer sequences to be aligned and allows optimization within wider bands, which
      can include longer gaps.

PMID- 1422883
TI  - A finite-difference computer model of solute diffusion in bacterial films with
      simultaneous metabolism and chemical reaction.
AB  - This finite-difference computer model is designed to simulate complex
      diffusion/reaction events in bacterial films. It is modular, each module
      mirroring closely a particular physical, chemical or biochemical factor. It is
      capable of handling > 20 diffusing/reacting species, but can be easily expanded
      or simplified to match particular systems. It was originally designed for
      modelling the events in dental plaque leading to tooth decay, but should find
      application in other fields. It allows for ion-exchange interactions with, for
      example, fixed charges on bacterial surfaces, which can act as pH and cation
      buffer sites. pH-dependent utilization of substrate is modelled implicitly,
      combining Michaelis-Menten kinetics with diffusion in a single iterative
      procedure. Advantages are given for computing diffusion of all other species
      explicitly using single-species diffusion coefficients, with charge-coupling by
      means of the algorithm Q-COUPLE. Activity corrections and enzyme pH-dependence
      are included. Chemical equilibria and mineral deposition/dissolution are computed
      iteratively node by node. The program is tested against some problems having
      analytical solutions, and an example is given of its application to
      demineralization of teeth as a result of bacterial action in dental plaque.

PMID- 1422884
TI  - MATCH-BOX: a fundamentally new algorithm for the simultaneous alignment of
      several protein sequences.
AB  - Original algorithms for simultaneous alignment of protein sequences are
      presented, including sequence clustering and within- or between-groups multiple
      alignment. The way of matching similar regions is fundamentally new. Complete
      matches are formed by segments more similar than expected by random, according to
      a given probability limit. Any classic or user-defined score matrix can be used
      to express the similarity between the residues. The algorithm seeks for complete
      matches common to all the sequences without performing pairwise alignment and
      regardless of gap weighting. An automatic screening delineates all the similar
      regions (boxes) that may be defined for a given maximal shift between the
      sequences. The shift can be large enough to allow the matching of any region of a
      sequence with any region of another one. It can also be short and used to refine
      the alignment around anchor points. The algorithm provides the most likely
      optimal alignment and a comprehensive list of the alignment dilemma. Duality
      between automatism and interactivity is provided. Depending on the problem
      complexity, a final alignment is obtained fully automatically or requires some
      interactive handling to discriminate alternative pathways.

PMID- 1422885
TI  - Dynamic programming algorithms for restriction map comparison.
AB  - For most sequence comparison problems there is a corresponding map comparison
      algorithm. While map data may appear to be incompatible with dynamic programming,
      we show in this paper that the rigor and efficiency of dynamic programming
      algorithms carry over to the map comparison algorithms. We present algorithms for
      restriction map comparison that deal with two types of map errors: (i) closely
      spaced sites for different enzymes can be ordered incorrectly, and (ii) closely
      spaced sites for the same enzyme can be mapped as a single site. The new
      algorithms are a natural extension of a previous map comparison model. Dynamic
      programming algorithms for computing optimal global and local alignments under
      the new model are described. The new algorithms take about the same order of time
      as previous map comparison algorithms. Programs implementing some of the new
      algorithms are used to find similar regions within the Escherichia coli
      restriction map of Kohara et al.

PMID- 1422886
TI  - GCWIND: a microcomputer program for identifying open reading frames according to
      codon positional G+C content.
AB  - GCWIND is a microcomputer (IBM-PC compatible) program for the identification of
      protein-coding open reading frames. The program is similar to the FRAME program,
      but the latter has only been implemented for a specialized graphics package. The
      base compositions (%G+C) for each of the three possible reading phases through
      the DNA sequence are displayed separately, together with the positions of
      potential translation initiation and termination codons (on the leading and
      complementary strands), to provide an immediate representation of those regions
      within the sequence that have coding potential.

PMID- 1422887
TI  - ANAGEL: a personal computer program for evaluating DNA fragment lengths from
      distances migrated in an agarose gel.

PMID- 1422888
TI  - Cisplatinum in combination with 5-fluorouracil and citrovorum factor in the
      treatment of advanced colorectal carcinoma.
AB  - A phase II trial of citrovorum factor, 500 mg/m2/week, plus 5-fluorouracil, 400
      mg/m2/week on day 1, and cisplatin, 20 mg/m2/week on day 2, was carried out in a
      group of 40 patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma. A partial response
      with a mean duration of 8.4+ months was achieved in 24% of patients, a minimal
      response with a mean duration of 5.4 months was obtained in 6% of patients, and a
      stabilization of 6.2 months was achieved in 41%. Ten patients (29%) progressed. A
      38% partial response rate was seen in patients with advanced rectal carcinoma,
      whereas no response was obtained in patients with colon cancer. Interestingly, 5
      partial responses were seen in 12 patients pretreated with 5-fluorouracil. The
      overall survival was 9.8+ months. The mean survival of patients who achieved a
      partial response was 12.0+ months, whereas patients who progressed survived a
      mean of 6.6+ months. Patients with colon cancer had a mean survival of 8.1+
      months, and those with rectal cancer survived a mean of 11.1+ months. This
      difference was not statistically significant. The treatment was generally very
      well tolerated, with patients showing mostly grade 1-2 gastrointestinal and/or
      hematological toxicity.

PMID- 1422889
TI  - Efficacy of the combination of carboplatin and cyclophosphamide in the treatment
      of metastatic insulinoma.

PMID- 1422890
TI  - Immune senescence: mechanisms and clinical implications.
AB  - There are many changes in the immune response with age, most of which can be
      related to the involution of the thymus gland and alteration of the distribution
      and function of T lymphocytes. These changes indirectly influence B-cell
      function, which not only amplifies the immune deficits, but leads to the
      increased production of autoantibodies and monoclonal immunoglobulins with age.
      Thus, immune senescence is characterized by both an immune deficiency and an
      immune dysregulated state.

PMID- 1422891
TI  - Chemical radiosensitizers in cancer therapy.
AB  - The development of effective low-LET radiation therapy for cancer has been
      hindered by the lack of consistent differential responses to radiation between
      tumor and normal tissues. One major difference between many solid tumors and the
      surrounding normal stroma is the presence of hypoxic foci in solid tumors due to
      the inadequate supply of nutritional needs as a result of the breakdown of
      microvasculature. Consequently, failure of conventional radiotherapy and local
      recurrences are in part attributed to the radioresistant hypoxic cell
      populations, present in the tumor. Local cure/control rates of a tumor can be
      increased only by an effective increase in the radiation dose. At the same time,
      an increase in such a dose would damage the oxic normal stroma, more than the
      hypoxic tumor cells. Hence, specific modification of tumor radiosensitivity by
      the use of chemical radiosensitizers, in combination with conventional
      radiotherapy, is an attractive alternative. Many clinicians and radiotherapists
      are skeptical about the outcome of using radiosensitizers in patients.
      Nevertheless, a vast amount of information is currently available regarding the
      first- and second-generation radiosensitizers both in murine and in human tumors.
      As a result, it is hoped that eventually a radiosensitizing drug would be
      discovered/synthesized that will overcome the drawbacks so far encountered in
      their use in the clinic. In this article, the development of chemical
      radiosensitizers since the early sixties, the basis for their selection, their
      mechanism(s) of action, and the results obtained with the various groups of
      radiosensitizers are reviewed.

PMID- 1422892
TI  - Forensic DNA analysis: scientific, legal, and social issues.

PMID- 1422893
TI  - Nonsurgical approach in stage I and stage II breast cancer.

PMID- 1422894
TI  - Tamoxifen in axillary node--negative breast cancer: multisystem benefits and
      risks.
AB  - Adjuvant tamoxifen therapy is associated with modest improvement in disease-free
      and overall survival in women with invasive axillary node-negative breast cancer.
      The preponderance of data supporting these general conclusions are from trials in
      postmenopausal women; in premenopausal women data appear convincing regarding
      disease-free, but not overall, survival. Firm conclusions regarding magnitude of
      benefit related to presence of different prognostic factors cannot be drawn at
      present. In postmenopausal women tamoxifen appears to alter favorably some risk
      factors for cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis, which are the most common
      causes of mortality or morbidity in older American women. Adjuvant tamoxifen is
      associated with a significantly reduced risk of second primary breast cancer.
      Major serious risks of tamoxifen therapy include depression, and possibly
      thrombophlebitis and uterine endometrial cancer. Symptomatic vasomotor and
      gynecological side effects are frequent. Decision making with women should
      include assessment of these multisystem benefits and risks.

PMID- 1422895
TI  - Adjuvant chemotherapy for node-negative breast cancer.

PMID- 1422896
TI  - Best papers on ovarian cancer.

PMID- 1422897
TI  - Best papers on leukemia.

PMID- 1422898
TI  - Gene therapy and cancer: is it for everybody?

PMID- 1422899
TI  - [Transduction of the visual signal in retinal cells].
AB  - Transduction of a visual signal is a complex process. It involves photochemical,
      enzymatic and ionic reactions. An electrophysiological response is generated on
      absorption of a photon by a photoreceptor cell's pigment molecule, then
      propagates to the synapses. The first photochemical reaction, isomerization of
      retinal, in vertebrates occurs in the photoreceptor cells--rods and cones--of the
      retina, so changes conformation and activity of a pigment-bound protein,
      rhodopsin, in membranes of intracellular discs. Rhodopsin becomes enzymatically
      active and catalyses the activation by GTP of a great number of transducins,
      which in turn activate cGMP phosphodiesterase. This enzymatic chain propagates
      and greatly enhances hydrolysis of cytoplasmic cGMP. One photon incites
      hydrolysis of 10(5) cGMP molecules in 100 ms. Local cGMP decrease frees it from
      specific binding sites in cytoplasm occupied by proteinaceous canals in cell
      membrane around the activated disc. In darkness high cGMP concentration, hence
      binding, kept canals open, maintaining high cellular cation permeability,
      especially to Na+, and a strong cellular depolarization. Ca2+ influx, also
      allowed, balanced Na+ movement. Canal closure induces local hyperpolarization,
      the first electrophysiological response, which propagates through the cell to
      synaptic contacts. It also lowers intracellular Ca2+ concentration which
      initiates cGMP synthesis--from GTP by a guanylate cyclase controlled negatively
      by recoverin, a calcium-dependent protein--to restore cGMP towards at rest level.
      Although all macromolecules involved in this now fairly complete scheme have been
      isolated and characterized, cloned and sequenced, no three-dimensional structure
      has yet been established. The proteins are membrane-bound rather than in
      independent crystal form, which renders such structural studies
      difficult.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422900
TI  - Multi-enzyme complexes associated with receptors during signal transduction.

PMID- 1422901
TI  - Receptors for pituitary glycoprotein hormones.

PMID- 1422902
TI  - Mechanism of action of steroid hormones and anti-hormones. A 1991 mini-overview.

PMID- 1422903
TI  - The immunoglobulin superfamily in cell surface recognition.

PMID- 1422904
TI  - The T cell repertoire in response to foreign and self-antigens.

PMID- 1422905
TI  - The Non Obese Diabetic (NOD) mouse, as a model of T cell mediated autoimmune
      disease.

PMID- 1422906
TI  - Mechanisms of gene activation in early vertebrate development.

PMID- 1422907
TI  - Cellular interactions during the ontogeny of neural crest derivatives.

PMID- 1422908
TI  - Adhesion systems in the Xenopus blastula.

PMID- 1422909
TI  - Environmental factors and the stability of differentiation in mammalian
      development.

PMID- 1422910
TI  - Early signals in the action of neuropeptide growth factors.

PMID- 1422911
TI  - Electrical and chemical communication in the early nervous system.

PMID- 1422912
TI  - Kinetics of activation, deactivation and desensitization of the "NMDA" glutamate
      receptor.

PMID- 1422913
TI  - The quantal synaptic unit in the central nervous system: a template for neuronal
      plasticity.

PMID- 1422914
TI  - Roles and actions of neuropeptide messengers; insights from studies with
      FMRFamide-related peptides and molluscan neurones.

PMID- 1422915
TI  - Functional organisation of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor.

PMID- 1422916
TI  - [Activity of polar glycopeptidolipids from Mycobacterium chelonae in the reversal
      of chemically induced leukopenia in mice].
AB  - Intraperitoneal administration of polar glycopeptidolipids extracted from
      Mycobacterium chelonae (GPLp-Mc) has led to reversal of Doxorubicin-induced
      leucopenia in a manner comparable to that effected by GM-CSF administered in a
      dose of 100 IU (2.5 micrograms/kg). The mode of action and the toxicity of this
      product are being studied. Results obtained on the mouse indicate that it would
      be worthwhile to undertake tests in man aimed at studying the effect of GPLp-Mc
      on chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced leukopenias, once toxicological studies
      have been carried out.

PMID- 1422917
TI  - [Metabolic effects of phosphate receptors stimulating the ileal transport of
      calcium].
AB  - Several compounds, either metabolizable such as sorbitol and creatine or
      unmetabolizable such as L-xylose or ethyl-ethanolamine, increase ileal calcium
      transport, similarly to the well documented effect of lactose. These compounds
      increase the duration time but not the rate of calcium transport. They have no
      specific effect on intestinal calcium absorption but they prolong the presence of
      soluble calcium in the ileal loop, thus allowing the calcium absorption. This
      stimulating effect of these compounds on mineral absorption is associated with an
      increase of ileal mucosal ATP content.

PMID- 1422918
TI  - [Description of a tissue culture technique using tissue from mussel (Mytilus
      edulis) for the preparation of chromosomes].
AB  - Explants from mantle and foot tissues of adult mussel were grown in culture tubes
      containing a medium composed of Eagle's Basal Medium supplemented with salts,
      Hepes buffer, egg yolk and antibiotics. The cultures were maintained at 18
      degrees C and pH 7.50, without medium renewal. After 6-7 days, the cultures were
      stopped and harvested for slide preparation. Numerous metaphase spreads that were
      good enough for karyotyping were consistently obtained. This method may prove to
      be a reliable source of actively dividing cells that is a prerequisite for
      extensive chromosome structure analyses in the bivalves.

PMID- 1422919
TI  - [Mollicute Acholeplasma florum possesses a gene of phosphoenolpyruvate sugar
      phosphotransferase system and it uses UGA as tryptophan codon].
AB  - Acholeplasmas are mollicutes which do not require sterol for growth and do not
      possess a phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent sugar-phosphotransferase system. In
      contrast to spiroplasmas, mycoplasmas and ureaplasmas, they utilize UGA as a stop
      codon and not as a tryptophan codon. Acholeplasma florum, because of its
      metabolic properties and its close phylogenetic relationship to members of the
      genera Spiroplasma and Mycoplasma, does not seem to be an acholeplasma senso
      stricto. Here, we present molecular data to support this hypothesis. We have
      detected a gene coding for one of the components of the phosphotransferase system
      (PTS) in A. florum. In addition we demonstrate that the organism uses UGA as a
      tryptophan codon and not as a stop codon. These findings offer strong evidence,
      along with an earlier phylogenetic proposal, that A. florum is not a member of
      the genus Acholeplasma.

PMID- 1422920
TI  - [Spatial memory of Meriones libycus (Rodienta, Gerbillidae)].
AB  - Meriones libycus, a desert rodent with a large home range, has a good spatial
      memory over at least 90 days, which makes it able to travel for a long way and
      come back to its nest. Males have a better spatial memory than females.

PMID- 1422921
TI  - An enzymatic determination of hydrogen peroxide by using spectrophotometry.
AB  - A new spectrophotometric method for determining low hydrogen peroxide
      concentrations by using horseradish peroxidase in the presence of NADH at pH 7.5
      has been described. Both total NADH consumption and initial reaction rate may be
      used for the determination. Using the NADH consumption, a linear response with
      respect to hydrogen peroxide was observed in the concentration range 7 x 10(-8)
      2.5 x 10(-6) M. Due to the presence of superoxide dismutase, hydrogen peroxide is
      partly regenerated and an amplification of the signal results, which explains the
      sensitivity.

PMID- 1422922
TI  - [Respective role of mifepristone (RU486) binding to blood and tissue proteins in
      its quantitative distribution in the body].
AB  - In plasma, mifepristone (RU486)-alpha 1-glycoprotein acid (AGP) interaction
      follows a quickly saturable process within the range of therapeutic
      concentrations. The high affinity to AGP, Kap = 8 x 10(6) M-1, suggests that the
      tissue distribution of the drug is possibly impaired. Checking this hypothesis
      was done by simulating its body distribution between plasma proteins and tissues.
      Two methods were used. The first was to calculate the number of available binding
      sites in both plasma (Np) and tissues (NT), to measure the relevant association
      constants Kap and KaT, and to consider that mifepristone partitioned according to
      their ratios, expressed as [NpKap]/[NpKap + NTKaT] for the plasma and [NTKaT]/
      NpKap + NTKaT] for the tissues. The second method used equations relating the
      apparent volume of distribution and the plasma unbound fraction of mifepristone
      with volumes of physiologic spaces to calculate the percentage of drug located in
      plasma, extracellular and intracellular fluids. The results yielded by the two
      methods are close. They show that with AGP levels within a normal range (18.4
      microM), only 18% of mifepristone is bound to AGP and the remaining part 82% is
      located in tissues. By contrast, when AGP level dramatically increases (300
      microM) most of the dose (77%) is retained in plasma. These results suggested
      that when AGP concentration increases, the efficacy of therapeutic concentration
      of mifepristone may be partially decreased if only the unbound fraction of this
      synthetic hormone were biologically active.

PMID- 1422923
TI  - Inhibition of sulfur mustard-increased protease activity by niacinamide, N-acetyl
      L-cysteine or dexamethasone.
AB  - The pathologic mechanisms underlying sulfur mustard-induced skin vesication
      remain undefined. Papirmeister et al. (1985) have postulated a biochemical
      mechanism for sulfur mustard-induced cutaneous injury involving DNA alkylation,
      metabolic disruption, and enhanced proteolytic activity. We have previously
      utilized a chromogenic peptide substrate assay to establish that human peripheral
      blood lymphocytes exposed to sulfur mustard exhibited enhanced proteolytic
      activity. In this study, compounds known to alter the biochemical events
      associated with sulfur mustard exposure or to reduce protease activity were
      tested for their ability to block the sulfur mustard-increased proteolysis.
      Treatment of cells with niacinamide, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, or dexamethasone
      resulted in a decrease of sulfur mustard-increased protease activity. Complete
      inhibition of sulfur mustard-increased proteolysis was achieved by using protease
      inhibitors (antipain, leupeptin, and 4-(2-aminoethyl)-benzenesulfonylfluoride).
      These data suggest that therapeutic intervention in the biochemical pathways that
      culminate in protease activation or direct inhibition of proteolysis might serve
      as an approach to the treatment of sulfur mustard-induced pathology.

PMID- 1422927
TI  - Methods of postoperative pain control.

PMID- 1422926
TI  - Toxic effects of sulfur mustard on respiratory epithelial cells in culture.
AB  - Sulfur mustard (SM) is known to induce cutaneous injury and to cause acute damage
      to the respiratory tract. Although skin vesication has been demonstrated on human
      epidermal keratinocytes in culture, no study has been carried out to analyze the
      effects of SM on the ultrastructural and functional activity of surface
      respiratory epithelial cells. To evaluate this SM toxicity, we developed an in
      vitro model of respiratory epithelial cells in primary culture. The study was
      performed on surface epithelial cells from rabbit trachea cultured according to
      the explant-outgrowth technique. The functional activity of the cultures was
      evaluated by measuring the ciliary beating frequency (CBF) of the ciliated cells
      with a videomicroscopic method. The morphological aspects of the cells were
      analyzed by light and electron microscopy. Addition of 0.1 mM SM directly into
      the culture medium produced a sudden and irreversible CBF inhibition, first
      observed after 2 hr on the ciliated cells of the outgrowth periphery. The arrest
      of the ciliary beating progressively reached the whole surface of the outgrowth
      and was simultaneously observed with a detachment of the outgrowth cells. It
      began at the outgrowth border, leading to the exfoliation of cell sheets, and
      then to the whole culture after 48 hr. Morphological damage was expressed by
      intense vacuolisation and disorganization of cytoplasmic and nuclear structures.
      These findings suggest that the detachment of the respiratory epithelial cells
      from the matrix represents a major toxic effect of 0.1 mM SM. SM dramatically
      affects the viability of respiratory epithelial cells in culture. Moreover, the
      sudden CBF inhibition is more likely due to the death of the ciliated cells than
      to a specific ciliotoxic effect of SM.

PMID- 1422925
TI  - Comparison of in vivo acute lethal potency and in vitro cytotoxicity of 48
      chemicals.
AB  - The cytotoxicity of 48 compounds included in the MEIC (Multicenter Evaluation of
      In Vitro Cytotoxicity) list was determined in cultures of rat hepatocytes, McCoy,
      and MDBK cells. The average minimum concentration of each compound inducing
      cytotoxicity was measured in each cell type. The cytotoxicity values were then
      compared with published oral LD50 values for rats and mice. The logarithmic
      transformation of in vivo toxic doses and the corresponding in vitro cytotoxic
      concentrations showed a statistically significant correlation between the in
      vitro and in vivo values. The results show that an accurate in vivo LD50 dose
      could be predicted from in vitro data for at least 75% of the selected compounds.
      It is hoped that this finding will not only stimulate others to pursue in vitro
      technique but will eventually lead to elimination of the in vivo LD50 test.

PMID- 1422924
TI  - Expression of heat shock-regulated human growth hormone genes containing or
      lacking introns by NIH-3T3 and Wish cell lines.
AB  - A plasmid containing the complete genomic DNA of the human growth hormone (ghGH)
      comprising four introns and driven by the human promoter of the human gene of the
      70 kDa heat shock protein (hsp70) has been used to transfect mouse NIH-3T3 and
      human Wish cells. Selected cell lines were characterized for stable hGH
      secretion. Similarly in the same NIH-3T3 cells, the stable expression of the same
      plasmid construct, but containing the complementary DNA of the hGH gene (chGH),
      was compared in terms of the effect of introns on heterologous protein synthesis.
      Genomic hGH recombined cells synthetized, in a heat regulated fashion, matured
      hsp70/hGH hybrid mRNA able to drive the secretion of a 22 kDa polypeptide. Like
      the natural hGH, this polypeptide expressed the functional hormonal activity of
      prolactin on casein secretion by mammary cells. The time course of hGH secretion
      was prolonged in ghGH transcripts, while that of mRNA degradation appeared
      delayed, especially in Wish cells, as compared to chGH expression. In the human
      Wish cells the decay of endogenous hsp mRNA has been compared to that of
      recombinant hsp mRNA, demonstrating that this human hsp70/hGH hybrid mRNA was
      present in the cytoplasm during a longer period than the human endogenous hsp70
      mRNA. In conclusion, similar levels of expression and resulting gene products
      were expressed from the chGH or the ghGH gene in an inducible manner.

PMID- 1422928
TI  - [Famotidine does not modify the plasma levels of lidocaine for spinal anesthesia.
      A comparative study of famotidine and cimetidine].
AB  - H2 receptor antagonists are often used to reduce gastric acidity prior to general
      or regional anaesthesias. However cimetidine and ranitidine have been found to
      increase plasma levels of local anaesthetics such as lidocaine. This study aimed
      to compare famotidine--another H2 receptor antagonist--with cimetidine in this
      respect. 33 male patients 70 years old or more, scheduled for surgery under
      spinal anaesthesia and randomized into 3 groups, received either diazepam 0.15
      mg.kg-1 and famotidine 20 mg (group A) or diazepam and cimetidine 200 mg (group
      B) or diazepam only (group C) on the previous night and 90 minutes before spinal
      anaesthesia by hyperbaric lidocaine 5%, 3 ml. Arterial blood samples were taken 3
      minutes after spinal injection then every 15 minutes unto 90 minutes after the
      first sampling. Lidocaine plasma levels were measured by fluorescence
      polarization immunoassay and the results were statistically analyzed. In
      famotidine group lidocaine levels were intermediate between B and C groups
      levels, and the increase was of lesser duration than in B group. Elimination
      mechanism of lidocaine with and without H2 inhibitor is briefly discussed.
      Therefore famotidine would appear to be more convenient than other H2 receptor
      inhibitors whenever antacid protective effects are sought after prior to regional
      anaesthesia.

PMID- 1422929
TI  - [A comparative study of the cost of open-circuit as opposed to closed-circuit
      ventilation].
AB  - The authors compared two open randomized groups of patients undergoing surgery
      through general anaesthesia. Group 1 consisted of 54 patients ventilated by a
      Siemens 900 B ventilator in open circuit, and group 2, 56 patients ventilated by
      an ELSA de Gambro ventilator in a closed circuit. Comparative hour cost for
      nitrous oxide (N2O), oxygen (O2) and halogen gas, Enflurane, Isoflurane, was
      noted. All patients received the same regimen of anaesthesia and the two groups
      were identical in age, weight, surgery, respiratory volume and ventilation time.
      The evaluation of comparative hour cost included specific materials of close
      circuit ventilator: CO2 filter (Aridus), Lime. Were excluded maintenance and gas
      consumption expenditures before patient connected to the ventilator. The total
      hour cost (O2, N2O, specific materials for close circuit, without halogen gas)
      was 8.23 FF in closed circuit against 13.28 FF in open circuit, an economy of
      38.27%. Hence, for oxygen, the hour cost was 0.70 FF in open circuit against 0.27
      FF in closed circuit (gain of 65.3%). For nitrous oxide, the hour cost in open
      circuit was 12.50 FF against 2.44 FF in closed circuit (80.5%). For Isoflurane,
      the open circuit hour cost was 41.38 FF against 22.44 FF in closed circuit (47%).
      For Enflurane, the open circuit hour cost was 14.17 FF against 5.94 FF in closed
      circuit (58.1%). And, lastly for Enflurane, open circuit hour cost was 14.17 FF
      against 5.94 FF in close circuit, gain of 58.1%. These "modest" economy against
      those found in previous studies can be explained by the long-time duration of
      ventilation, saturating time in open circuit more or less long, depending on the
      physician, specific materials for closed circuit ventilation--lime, CO2 filter-
      in not taken into account, the hour cost of O2 + NO2 goes from 8.23 FF to 2.71
      FF, and the gain against the close circuit becomes 79.6%: reducing hour cost by 5
      times. In order to improve the effective cost of close circuit, the authors
      proposed: the use of closed circuit ventilation for more than 3 hours surgery,
      gas saturation in closed circuit after denitrogenation--which demands the use of
      halogen infjectors, and lime in containers cheaper than disposable cartridges.
      Respecting the above criteria, the total hour cost in close circuit fell to 4.90
      FF, gain of 63% against open circuit. For O2 et N2O, the hour cost goes from 1.34
      FF in close circuit to 13.28 FF in open circuit, 90% economy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422930
TI  - [Severely burned patients and atracurium: the train-of-four response].
AB  - Severely burned patients show a relative hyposensitivity to atracurium. The
      neuromuscular block obtained in 20 patients with major thermal injury after 0.75
      mg.kg-1 i.v. of atracurium, by muscular activity recording (train of four-TOF),
      was studied. The results confirmed the resistance to atracurium, which mechanism
      is unknown. Even the doses administered, 50% higher than clinical dose (0.3-0.5
      mg.kg-1), proved insufficient in order to obtain a complete neuromuscular block
      in severely burned patients.

PMID- 1422931
TI  - [The effect of the local anesthetic temperature on spinal anesthesia using 0.5%
      bupivacaine].
AB  - The aim of this study was to compare spinal anaesthesia with 0.5% bupivacaine at
      20 degrees C and 5 degrees C. One hundred two patients ASA I-II were randomized
      into two groups. After atropine and IV fluid administration, patients of group I
      received intrathecally at L3-L4 level 0.02 ml.cm-1 of plain 0.5% bupivacaine at
      20 degrees C, while patients of group II received the same solution and the same
      doses but at 5 degrees C. No significant difference was found between the times
      for installation of sensory and motor blocks nor between the durations of motor
      block in the two groups. On the other hand significant differences were found
      between the durations of sensory block in group I (283.33 min +/- 9.40 min) and
      group II (314.35 +/- 8.80 min) (P < 0.001) and all the more (P < 10(-9)) between
      the cephalad block extensions in group I (D 7.45 +/- 0.14) and group II (D 4.82
      +/- 0.20). Therefore plain bupivacaine 0.5%, isobaric at 20 degrees C, seems to
      get the properties of an hyperbaric solution when cooled at 5 degrees C.

PMID- 1422932
TI  - [The intravascular transfer of glycine during percutaneous kidney surgery].
AB  - Transurethral prostatic resection using a 1.5% glycine solution causes a well
      known clinical and metabolic syndrome called TURP-syndrome. Recent development of
      percutaneous renal surgery is responsible of several similar accidents. In a
      prospective study of 150 patients (mean age: 35 +/- 10) subjected to a
      percutaneous nephrolithotomy, the natremia and the amino acid content of the
      plasma were measured preoperatively and immediately postoperatively by
      chromatography. The study shows that there is a post-nephrolithotomy syndrome in
      two per cent. This syndrome contains a hemodilution with hyponatremia and
      reabsorption of irrigation fluid. Glycolemia, serinemia and threoninemia increase
      significantly. These modifications have a good correlation between them except
      for the natremia. Variability of results in this study and in the literature is
      explained by difficulty and duration of surgery, volume of glycol used,
      increasing intrarenal pressures and sudden opening of vessels peroperatively. The
      gravity of post-nephrolithotomy syndrome requires to change the irrigate solute
      and use normal saline solution when it is possible.

PMID- 1422933
TI  - [The importance of neurologic monitoring in anesthesiology].
AB  - Owing to the recent advances of bioelectric signals computerized treatment a real
      monitoring of anaesthesia is now possible, either by EEG or by classical or event
      related evoked potentials methods. Available methods and their indications and
      difficulties are discussed with the help of some clinical examples.

PMID- 1422934
TI  - [Practical aspects of the laryngeal mask].
AB  - The laryngeal mask (LM) is increasingly used. An overview is made: description,
      insertion, cardiovascular responses, advantages, LM and aspiration, LM as an aid
      to ventilation, indications, LM in difficult intubations, contra-indications,
      sterilization and cost.

PMID- 1422936
TI  - [Is it necessary to generalize the anesthesia record?].

PMID- 1422935
TI  - [Rupture of the diaphragm in a closed injury of the thorax. Reflections apropos
      of a case].

PMID- 1422937
TI  - [Renewal of qualifications in the United States].

PMID- 1422938
TI  - Pictorial keys for the identification of domestic mites.

PMID- 1422939
TI  - Paracetamol anaphylaxis.
AB  - We describe four cases of anaphylaxis to paracetamol without co-existing aspirin
      intolerance and review the Australian experience in paracetamol anaphylaxis.
      Paracetamol sensitivity may differ in the mechanism from sensitivity to aspirin
      and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as previously believed.

PMID- 1422940
TI  - Lability in complement receptor mobilization of granulocytes in patients with
      bronchial hyperreactivity.
AB  - The recruitment of activated granulocytes to bronchial mucosa seems to be
      involved in the prolonged inflammatory response observed in asthma and probably
      associated with bronchial hyperresponsiveness. We studied the patients with
      bronchial hyperresponsiveness with respect to the expression of complement
      receptor type 1 (CR1), its variability and readiness to become mobilized on
      peripheral granulocytes from patients with bronchial hyperresponsiveness. CR1
      expression and its hourly variation was significantly (P less than 0.02, P less
      than 0.01 respectively) higher in the patient group compared with the control
      group. In addition the ability to mobilize CR1 spontaneously at +37 degrees C
      correlated to the variation of CR1 expression that occurred during a 4 hr period.
      These findings indicate that granulocytes from patients with bronchial
      hyperresponsiveness have a higher degree of variation in CR1 expression that
      correlates to their ability to mobilize CR1 and may reflect a more pronounced
      lability.

PMID- 1422941
TI  - Longitudinal variability of skin prick test results.
AB  - The skin prick test (SPT) is a commonly used procedure for assessing a specific
      sensitization. The longitudinal variability of test results is of interest for
      clinical as well as epidemiological investigations. The sensitization to four
      common aeroallergens (grass pollen, birch pollen, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus,
      cat dander) is investigated within the framework of three consecutive SPTs at 11
      month intervals for a population of 587 schoolchildren. The prevalence of
      sensitization based on a weal diameter of at least 2 mm was between 12.9% (cat
      dander) and 23.9% (grass pollen) in the initial testing. The positive predictive
      values of the initial SPT were between 75.3% (birch pollen) and 88.2% (cat
      dander) for the two subsequent SPTs. In the case of initially negative tests with
      positive second and third SPTs the incidence ranged between 3.2% (cat dander) and
      4.3% (birch pollen) per year. A clear increase in the intensity of reaction in
      subsequent tests was observed in a number of probands testing positively in the
      initial SPT. In conclusion, our data indicate a high long-term stability of a
      specific sensitization to aeroallergens in SPT.

PMID- 1422942
TI  - Urinary excretion of angiotensin I, II, arginine vasopressin and oxytocin in
      patients with anaphylactoid reactions.
AB  - Human urine samples, purified on octadecasilyl-silica cartridges, contained
      immunoreactive angiotensin I, II, arginine vasopressin and oxytocin. The daily
      excretion of these peptides in healthy volunteers was 190.00 +/- 38.43 (n = 12),
      17.48 +/- 3.09 (n = 12), 63.43 +/- 14.84 (n = 8) and 13.52 +/- 1.42 (n = 7)
      pmol/24 hr, respectively (mean +/- s.e.m.). Patients with a history of
      anaphylactoid reactions to drugs or food additives showed clinical symptoms such
      as urticaria, flush, nausea, dizziness and hypotension after oral provocation
      with cyanocobalamine, propyphenazone, acetylsalicylic acid and sodium benzoate.
      In five of the seven patients, angiotensin I and II were increased several fold
      in the urine fractions after symptoms were reported. The average increase in the
      urine concentration of both peptides was fourfold and 5.5-fold. In three out of
      five patients, the mean excretion of arginine vasopressin and oxytocin
      immunoreactive material was also elevated by a factor of 5.7 and 4.4,
      respectively. Oral provocation with a placebo failed to elicit anaphylactoid
      symptoms or an increase in the urine levels of angiotensin I or angiotensin II.
      Angiotensin I and angiotensin II-like immunoreactivity could be characterized on
      HPLC as Ile5-angiotensin I, Ile5-angiotensin II and angiotensin II metabolites.
      HPLC characterization of immunoreactive arginine vasopressin and oxytocin in two
      different gradient systems showed retention times different than the retention
      times of the corresponding synthetic standard peptides indicating that both
      peptides are not authentic AVP and OXT. These results suggest that angiotensin I
      and angiotensin II may be involved in the clinical events observed during some
      forms of anaphylactoid reactions.

PMID- 1422943
TI  - Autologous bacteria induce chemotaxis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNC)
      from non-atopic asthmatics.
AB  - The chemotactic response of peripheral blood MNC from healthy subjects and non
      atopic asthmatics against the respective pathogen isolated and cultured from
      sputum of individual patients was investigated. We found that the wide range of
      concentrations of autologous bacteria induced chemotaxis of MNC from asthmatics
      but showed no influence on MNC from healthy subjects. This finding might explain
      the mechanism of lymphocyte accumulation in the lungs of non-atopic asthmatics.

PMID- 1422944
TI  - Can asthma be cured?

PMID- 1422945
TI  - The control of allergens of dust mites and domestic pets: a position paper.

PMID- 1422946
TI  - Allergy. Conventional and alternative concepts. A report of the Royal College of
      Physicians Committee on Clinical Immunology and Allergy.
AB  - Allergy is an exaggerated response of the immune system to external substances.
      It plays a role in a wide range of diseases. In some, such as summer hayfever,
      the symptoms are due entirely to allergy. In other conditions, particularly
      asthma, eczema and urticaria, allergy plays a part in some patients but not all.
      In these situations, allergy may have either a major role or provide just one of
      many triggers. In an individual patient's illness, the importance of allergy may
      change with time. The most common allergens (substances causing allergy) are
      grass and tree pollens, the house dust mite, products from pets and other
      animals, agents encountered in industry, wasp and bee venom, drugs, and certain
      foods. Food allergy presents a particularly difficult problem. Some individuals
      who react to food suffer from food allergy in its strict sense but in others
      there is no evidence of an alteration in the immune system. Here the term 'food
      intolerance' is preferable. Conventional doctors treat allergy by allergen
      avoidance--where this is possible--and drugs that relieve symptoms. In a few
      selected cases, in which other methods have failed, immunotherapy
      (desensitisation or hyposensitisation) is recommended. Although patients who
      consult practitioners of alternative allergy may do so by preference, it is often
      also because they are dissatisfied with the conventional approach to diagnosis
      and treatment, or because they have conditions which conventional doctors do not
      accept as having an allergic basis. There is a very wide range of alternative
      approaches to allergy, including the methods used by clinical ecologists and
      other treatments such as acupuncture and homoeopathy. Hypnosis may have a small
      role to play in helping the asthmatic and similar effects have been suggested for
      acupuncture. Furthermore, it is likely that there are still many active
      ingredients in medicinal plants used by herbalists but these need to be clearly
      identified and purified before their usefulness can be evaluated properly. Apart
      from these situations, we have yet to be convinced by substantial evidence that
      any of the other alternative methods of diagnosing or treating allergic disease
      are of proven value. There have, however, been many false and misleading claims
      and serious harm may be caused by misdiagnosis or delays in appropriate
      treatment. The public should be warned against costly methods of diagnosis and
      treatment which have not been validated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1422947
TI  - Secular trends in the incidence of postmenopausal vertebral fractures.
AB  - Several studies suggest secular increases in hip fracture incidence through this
      century, but little is known about such trends for vertebral fracture. We have
      examined changes in the incidence of clinically ascertained vertebral fractures
      among Rochester, Minnesota residents aged 35-69 years, that were first diagnosed
      between 1950 and 1989. Our results indicate no overall increase in incidence over
      the 40-year period. Categorization of fractures according to the level of
      preceding trauma, however, revealed a significant increase in the incidence of
      fractures following moderate trauma among women aged 60-69 years. This increase
      occurred between 1950 and 1964, and leveled off thereafter. Rates for severe
      trauma fractures among postmenopausal women, and for vertebral fractures from any
      cause among younger men and women, remained stable. The rise in moderate trauma
      fractures in postmenopausal women paralleled that for hip fractures in Rochester
      and began to plateau at around the same time. It might have resulted from
      increased diagnosis of vertebral fractures, but the increase in hip fracture
      incidence is inconsistent with this explanation. An increase in the prevalence of
      osteoporosis, however, might account for the trend in both types of fractures.

PMID- 1422949
TI  - Crystallographic lattice refinement of human bone.
AB  - X-ray diffraction studies on bone microsamples (human iliac crest of 87
      individuals aged 0-90 years) reveal that certain crystallographic parameters such
      as unit cell volume of bone apatite, and half-width of (002)-reflection are well
      correlated with age and with type of tissue (corticalis and spongiosa). Similar
      to inorganic apatite, the lattice parameters of bone apatite are intensely
      affected by ionic substitutions and vary mainly due to exchange of hydroxyl- and
      carbonate-apatite and, to a minor extent, of fluor- and chlorapatite.

PMID- 1422948
TI  - Annual injection of vitamin D and fractures of aged bones.
AB  - In order to investigate the effect of a supplementation of vitamin D in the
      prophylaxis of fractures of the bones of aged people, an annual intramuscular
      injection of ergocalciferol (150,000-300,000 IU) was given to two series of aged
      subjects: first to 199 (45 male) of 479 subjects (110 male) aged more than 85
      years who were living in their own home, and second to 142 (29 male) of 320 (58
      male) subjects aged 75-84 and living in a home for aged people. This prospective
      series was divided into treatment groups according to month of birth. These
      injections were given annually from September to December in the years 1985-1989,
      two to five times to each participant. The fracture rates, laboratory values,
      vitamin D levels, possible side effects, and mortality were followed until
      October 1990. A total of 56 fractures occurred in the 341 vitamin D recipients
      (16.4%) and 100 in 458 controls (21.8%) (P = 0.034). The fracture rate was about
      the same in both outpatient and municipal home series. Fractures of the upper
      limb were fewer in the vitamin D recipients, 10/341 = 2.9% (P = 0.025), than in
      the controls, 28/458 = 6.1%, during the follow-up. A similar result was obtained
      in fractures of ribs, 3/341 = 0.9% and 12/458 = 2.6%, respectively. Fractures of
      the lower limbs occurred almost as frequently, 31/341 = 9.1%, among the vitamin D
      recipients as among the controls, 49/458 = 10.7%. The fracture rate was higher in
      females (22.2%) than in males (9.5%). The fractures were fewer in the vitamin D
      recipients only in females.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422950
TI  - Antiidiotypic PTH antibodies as a cause of elevated immunoreactive parathyroid
      hormone in idiopathic hypoparathyroidism, a second case: another manifestation of
      autoimmune endocrine disease?
AB  - A 69-year-old man became hypocalcemic under medical observation. The hypocalcemia
      occurred in the presence of circulating immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (PTH).
      Common causes of secondary hyperparathyroidism were excluded, as was PTH
      resistance using PTH infusions. The immunoreactive PTH was examined in detail.
      PTH immunoreactivity (1) was not retained on a C18 SPE-column, suggesting unusual
      molecular or physicochemical properties, unlike bona fide PTH; (2) was
      precipitated with 15% PEG, indicating a molecular size far in excess of native
      PTH; (3) had an apparent molecular size similar to immunoglobulins on size
      exclusion chromatography; (4) was retained on affinity chromatography with both
      Protein A and anti-hIgG antibodies. These data lead us to conclude that the
      immunoreactive PTH was due to antiidiotypic PTH autoantibodies. No significant
      quantities of true PTH were found in the patient's serum suggesting that his
      hypoparathyroidism was a result of PTH deficiency. Autoimmunity might explain the
      occurrence of both processes if an arrested antiidiotypic antibody cascade is
      assumed.

PMID- 1422951
TI  - Incorporation of sodium fluoride into cortical bone does not impair the
      mechanical properties of the appendicular skeleton in rats.
AB  - Clinical studies on the use of sodium fluoride (NaF) in osteoporotic patients
      have demonstrated increased spinal bone mass without a reduction in vertebral
      fracture incidence, and a trend towards reduced appendicular bone mass with an
      increase in peripheral fracture incidence. As previous reports have suggested
      that NaF becomes incorporated into bone's crystal structure, possibly affecting
      bone strength, we sought to examine the relationship among bone fluoride content,
      bone mass, and skeletal fragility. Twenty-one-day-old female Sprague-Dawley rats
      were treated with four different doses of NaF. The tibiae were subjected to
      histomorphometric and biochemical analyses, and the femora were tested in torsion
      for the properties of strength, stiffness, energy storage capacity, and angular
      deformation. The results showed that over 50% of the skeleton in these rats was
      turned over in the presence of NaF. The four different doses resulted in a linear
      increase in bone F concentration and suggested excellent absorption and
      incorporation of this drug. No changes in histomorphometric indices of bone
      formation or turnover were found. Despite the large fraction of bone formed
      during NaF treatment, and the linear increase in bone fluoride content in
      relation to dose, there were no changes observed in any of the mechanical
      properties. These results suggest that, even extensive incorporation of fluoride
      into bone, in the absence of an effect on bone mass or remodeling, does not
      significantly alter its capacity to withstand mechanical loads.

PMID- 1422952
TI  - Cultured embryonic bone shafts show osteogenic responses to mechanical loading.
AB  - Pairs of 17-day embryonic chick tibiotarsi were removed and maintained in organ
      culture. One of each pair was subjected to a single 20-minute period of
      intermittent loading at 0.4 Hz, producing peak longitudinal compressive strains
      of 650 microstrain (mu epsilon). In the 18-hour culture period following loading,
      alkaline phosphatase levels in the osteoblasts of the loaded tibiotarsi were
      maintained whereas in controls they declined. In situ hybridization using a
      collagen type I cRNA riboprobe showed a substantial increase in expression of
      mRNA for collagen type I in the periosteal tissue of bones that were cultured for
      18 hours after loading compared with that in similarly cultured controls and
      bones cultured for 4 hours. These results demonstrate that appropriate loading of
      embryonic chick bones in organ culture elicits adaptive regulation of matrix
      synthesis as evidenced by increased expression of the gene for type I collagen
      and alkaline phosphatase activity. This model may be useful as it must contain
      all the obligatory steps between strain change in the matrix and modified
      osteogenic activity.

PMID- 1422953
TI  - Effect of a five-week swimming program on rat bone: a histomorphometric study.
AB  - To specify the exercise-induced changes on different skeletal sites, the effect
      of a 5-week endurance swim training was studied in rats. Eighteen Lyon strain
      (Sprague-Dawley) 5-week old female rats were divided into nine sedentary and nine
      swimming rats. Each swim training session was increased by 15 minutes from 2-6
      hours per day. A histomorphometric study was performed at the primary and
      secondary spongiosa of the distal femur and at the secondary spongiosa of lumbar
      and thoracic vertebral bodies. After training, bone loss was observed in the
      secondary spongiosa of lumbar vertebral bodies (24.7%) and in the primary
      spongiosa of distal femur (15.2%). A tendency to bone loss was also detected in
      the secondary spongiosa of distal femur (10.8%), whereas no change was detected
      in thoracic vertebral bodies. In secondary spongiosa, bone loss was accompanied
      with a thinning of trabeculae. Total eroded surfaces and osteoid surfaces were
      significantly decreased in the three studied skeletal sites, suggesting a
      decreased bone turnover. The decreased thickness of osteoid seams in both lumbar
      vertebrae and distal femur could mean that the osteoblastic activity has also
      been altered at the cell level, leading to thinning of trabeculae. Five-week swim
      training with such duration and intensity of exercise appears unable to increase
      bone volume in rats and, therefore, causes adverse effects. The three studied
      bones seemed to adapt differently to experimental conditions. The lack of ground
      reaction forces induced by water immersion might have contributed to the observed
      bone loss. "Normal" gravity would be an important cofactor in the osteogenic
      effects of exercise.

PMID- 1422954
TI  - Competitive adsorption of magnesium and calcium ions onto synthetic and
      biological apatites.
AB  - Magnesium (Mg) is a conspicuous constituent of hard tissues but its possible role
      in biomineralization is poorly understood. It is possible that Mg2+ adsorbed onto
      bioapatites may contribute to the modulation of crystal growth as such inhibitory
      activity has been reported for synthetic apatites. The present study was
      undertaken to determine the adsorption isotherms of Mg ions onto synthetic
      apatites and biominerals in tooth and bone tissues in the presence of other ions
      of natural occurrence. Synthetic crystals used as adsorbents were hydroxyapatite
      and, as a better prototype for the biomineral, Mg-containing carbonatoapatite.
      Human enamel and dentin materials were obtained from extracted, caries-free,
      permanent teeth. Porcine dentin materials at two developmental stages were
      obtained from erupted deciduous and unerupted permanent teeth of a 6-month-old
      slaughtered piglet. Porcine bone was obtained from the cortical portion of the
      mandible of the same animal. All biomineral samples were pulverized and then
      treated by plasma ashing (deproteination) at about 60 degrees C. Each of the
      powdered samples was equilibrated in solutions containing various initial
      concentrations of Mg2+, Ca2+, and Na+ (or K+) as nitrate salts. Following
      equilibration, concentrations (and activities) of magnesium and calcium ions in
      the experimental solution were determined. The pH values of the equilibrium
      solutions were in the range of 6.2-6.5. Experimental data of the Mg adsorption
      onto hydroxyapatite were interpreted on the basis of a Langmuir-type model for
      binary systems assuming competition of Mg2+ and Ca2+ for the same adsorption
      sites on the crystal surfaces of the apatites.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422955
TI  - An active neutral metalloproteinase bound to the insoluble collagen in the
      mineralized phase matrix of adult rat calvaria.
AB  - Two kinds of proteinases were found in the mineralized phase matrix of 24-week
      old rat calvaria by means of enzymography using gelatin as a substrate. One
      proteinase was a neutral thiol 58kD proteinase as shown in a previous paper [2].
      The other was a neutral metalloproteinase that had a molecular mass of 56kD and
      was detected only when calcium (Ca) ions were added to the incubation buffer. It
      is believed that the 56kD proteinase is bound to the insoluble collagen of the
      bone matrix, as it is solubilized by 4 M guanidine HC1 solution from the
      insoluble collagen fraction, when prepared by removing extractable proteins of
      the mineralized phase matrix. The insoluble collagen fraction could also be
      solubilized and prepared as gelatin by heating at 65 degrees C for 5 minutes. The
      gelatin was then incubated at 37 degrees C without further treatment and became
      degraded without an activation of 4-aminophenylmercuric acetate (APMA). This
      nonactivated degradation was enhanced by adding Ca ions. These results suggest
      that the 56kD metalloproteinase bound to the insoluble collagen of bone matrix is
      in an active form and may participate in the rapid degradation of collagen during
      bone resorption. As partially purified 56kD metalloproteinase degraded cartilage
      type proteoglycan, but not type I, IV, and V collagens, it is possibly related to
      the degradation of proteoglycans before it binds to collagen fibers during bone
      formation.

PMID- 1422956
TI  - Odontogenic tumors in mice carrying albumin-myc and albumin-rats transgenes.
AB  - Odontogenic tumors that produce abnormal tooth-like structures are repeatedly
      observed in mandibles of mice that carry both albumin-myc and albumin-ras
      transgenes. The earliest lesions appear among the periodontal ligament
      mesenchymal cells, but later lesions include an epithelial component. Subsequent
      tumor development recapitulates the process of normal tooth formation, which
      requires multiple sequential cell signals, and results in cell differentiation,
      matrix secretion, and mineralization. Tumor cells with epithelial morphology
      produce ras oncoprotein, consistent with an epithelial origin of these tumors. As
      albumin regulatory sequences direct oncogene expression in these mice, our
      findings also suggest that some of the albumin present in normal teeth may be
      locally produced and have a role in tooth mineral formation. The reproducibility
      of this phenotype makes these mice an excellent model for studies of both normal
      and neoplastic odontogenesis.

PMID- 1422957
TI  - Epidemiology and socioeconomic cost of osteoporotic fractures in Greece.

PMID- 1422958
TI  - Ability of vertebral dimensions from a single radiograph to identify fractures.
AB  - It has been proposed that vertebral dimensions be used to objectively identify
      vertebral fractures, permitting standardization of methodology for comparisons
      between studies. In this report, we evaluate the ability of various vertebral
      dimensions and ratios to identify "abnormal" vertebrae. As no "gold standard"
      exists for prevalent vertebral fractures, we examined the ability of cross
      sectional dimensions (at a single point in time) to detect fractured vertebrae
      that had been identified from changes in dimensions compared with previous
      radiographs. Theoretically, a cutoff of 3 SD below the mean will rarely
      misclassify normal vertebrae as fractured (specificity = 99.9%). However, we
      found that this cutoff correctly identified only about 70% of the incident
      fractures. A less stringent criterion (2 SD below the mean; theoretical
      specificity = 97.7%) identified about 85-90% of true fractures. Dividing by
      stature or other vertebral heights sometimes yielded marginal improvements in the
      ability of the anterior or posterior height dimensions to diagnose fractures. The
      results suggest that the true fracture prevalence may sometimes be substantially
      higher than suggested by cross-sectional vertebral measurements.

PMID- 1422959
TI  - The bone "quality" problem.

PMID- 1422961
TI  - Ultrasound attenuation of the calcaneus in the female population: normative data.
AB  - Broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) on the os calcis has been proposed as a
      safe and reliable technique for evaluating skeleted status. The present study
      provides preliminary normative BUA results on 93 female subjects divided into
      five age groups. These data can be used as a guide for comparing the results of
      individual studies. The diagnosis of osteoporosis was determined from lateral
      calcaneus and spine radiographs. Postmenopausal osteoporotic female subjects had
      significantly lower BUA values than normal women (P less than 0.001). There was a
      significant negative linear relationship between BUA and age in the
      postmenopausal subjects. No correlation was found between body size parameters
      (weight, height, and body mass index) and ultrasound attenuation. These results
      indicate that BUA may be a useful technique for detection of persons at risk.

PMID- 1422960
TI  - Menopausal bone loss is partially regulated by dietary intake of vitamin D.
AB  - Five years ago we reported results from a cross-sectional study of the effect of
      nutritional factors on calcium-regulating hormones and bone loss in
      perimenopausal women. We found an inverse correlation between serum 25
      hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (PTH), and we
      postulated that over time, women with lower 25OHD would lose more bone because of
      increased bone remodeling induced by secondary hyperparathyroidism. We have
      followed 38 of these women for 5 years. Twenty-two have gone through menopause
      and we are reporting observations on these 22 subjects. Bone mineral analysis was
      performed twice a year at the distal and mid-radius using single-photon
      absorptiometry. The slope of the bone mineral content curve was calculated by
      least squares. Bone loss increased within 6 months of the rise in serum follicle
      stimulating hormone (FSH) to greater than 40 mIU/ml. We continued to see a
      negative correlation between 25OHD and PTH (r = -0.450, P = 0.03). Premenopause,
      PTH was negatively correlated with the proximal bone mineral content (PBMC) slope
      (-0.604, P = 0.002). The distal bone mineral content (DBMC) 5-year slope was
      correlated with dietary vitamin D (r = 0.509, P = 0.02), the higher the intake,
      the less negative the slope. The 5-year PBMC slope was negatively correlated with
      serum osteocalcin (OC) levels (r = -0.382, P = 0.08). Before menopause, the
      change in PBMC was positively correlated with OC (r = 0.450, P = 0.03).
      Postmenopause, the correlation with DBMC slope was negative (r = -0.506, P =
      0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422962
TI  - Rectal salmon calcitonin for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.
AB  - In a 2-year study, we examined bone mass and calcium metabolism in 36 elderly
      women with moderate osteoporosis. The study period comprised 1 year of
      observation, during which the women received no treatment affecting calcium
      metabolism, and 1 year of treatment, during which all participants received daily
      salmon calcitonin (sCT) 100 IU rectally and calcium 500 mg. During the
      observational period a significant bone loss of 1.5% was seen in the forearm (P
      less than 0.01), whereas the spinal bone mass was virtually unchanged. After
      institution of treatment, the bone loss was arrested in the forearm and a
      significant increase of about 2% was seen in the spine (P less than 0.01). The
      net effect of treatment revealed a positive outcome in both bone compartments
      (1.9% and 2.9%, P less than 0.05-0.01). Correspondingly, the parameters of bone
      turnover (serum alkaline phosphatase, plasma bone Gla protein, and fasting
      urinary hydroxy-proline/creatinine) did not change during the observational
      period, but significantly declined, 10-30%, during sCT treatment (P less than
      0.01-0.001). Tolerance was generally good, although in one woman, anoscopy
      revealed irritative changes in the rectal mucosa. We conclude that, given
      rectally, sCT is well absorbed and well tolerated and that it has a beneficial
      effect on calcium metabolism in moderately osteoporotic women.

PMID- 1422963
TI  - Bone tissue response to four-month antiorthostatic bedrest: a bone
      histomorphometric study.
AB  - A histomorphometric analysis were made on iliac crest biopsies from eight healthy
      male volunteers submitted to a 4-month antiorthostatic bedrest. Bone mass and
      bone cell parameters, reflecting resorption and formation activities, were
      measured before and after the bedrest period. Trabecular bone volume and mean
      cortical thickness were not modified despite a decreased number of trabeculae and
      nonsignificant increase of the trabecular thickness; total and active resorption
      surfaces and the number of osteoclast per mm2 of trabecular surfaces do not vary
      significantly. Osteoid thickness does not vary but we found a reduced osteoid
      surface and a nonsignificant decreased osteoid volume. Our results suggest that
      bone architecture may be more affected by the reduction of mechanical forces than
      the bone mass. These modifications were supposed to be the result of an
      accelerated bone turnover in the early stage of immobilization. In this study, we
      failed to find disuse osteoporosis; however, we must point out that the new
      organization of the trabeculae could affect the bone mechanical properties.

PMID- 1422964
TI  - Hemopoietic functions of marrow-derived osteogenic cells.
AB  - Osteoblasts, members of the marrow stromal cellular network, may play an active
      role in the hemopoietic microenvironment as well as in bone remodeling. In this
      study, we examined the extent to which marrow-derived osteogenic cells (MBA-15)
      possess various stromal functions. This marrow stromal-derived cell line was
      shown by us to exhibit osteoblastic characteristics in culture and to form bone
      in vivo. These cells are shown here to constitutively produce and secrete
      cytokines identified as M-CSF, GM-CSF, and IL-6. MBA-15 cells modulate growth of
      normal and malignant myeloid and lymphoid cells as well as leukemia cell lines in
      vitro. Cell-cell interactions were studied in co-cultures with adherent MBA-15
      cells and the target hemopoietic cells. Growth inhibition effects, observed under
      various experimental conditions, can be attributed to the presence of different
      soluble and membrane-bound inhibitory activities produced by MBA-15 cells. Thus,
      MBA-15 cells spontaneously produce both stimulators and inhibitors that can
      affect myeloid and lymphoid cell growth. Marrow osteogenic cells may therefore
      participate in the stromal regulation of hemopoiesis.

PMID- 1422965
TI  - The localization and characterization of proteinases for the initial cleavage of
      porcine amelogenin.
AB  - In the outermost layer of porcine-developing enamel adjacent to the ameloblasts
      in the secretory stage, the activities of two proteinases having molecular masses
      of 76 and 78kDa were detected by enzymography using gelatin as a substrate. On
      the other hand, high activities of known 30 and 34kDa proteinases were localized
      in the inner layer of the enamel. The 76kDa proteinase cleaved the carboxyl
      terminal peptide of porcine 25kDa amelogenin to convert it to 20kDa amelogenin.
      The 78kDa proteinase also acted on the 25kDa amelogenin similarly, but its
      activity was weak. The results indicate that the 25kDa amelogenin synthesized and
      secreted by ameloblasts is converted to 20kDa amelogenin by the action of
      proteinase localized in the outermost layer of the secretory enamel, and then
      further degraded by the proteinases in the inner layer of the enamel associated
      with the increase of mineralization.

PMID- 1422966
TI  - The anabolic effect of estrogen on endosteal bone formation in the mouse is
      attenuated by ovariohysterectomy: a role for the uterus in the skeletal response
      to estrogen?
AB  - In the mouse, the anabolic effect of estrogen on the uterus and its stimulatory
      effect on endosteal bone formation are well documented. When these observations
      are coupled with the recent description of uterine-derived bone cell mitogens, it
      raises the possibility that uterine hypertrophy in response to estrogen might
      lead to the production and release of factors that participate in the skeleton's
      anabolic response to estrogen. To determine if the stimulatory effects of
      estrogen on endosteal bone formation and uterine tissue in the mouse are related,
      we have studied this specific skeletal response to ovariectomy (OVX) and
      ovariohysterectomy (OHTX), and to two levels of 17 beta-estradiol (17 beta-E2).
      To assess treatment effects, 48 Swiss-webster mice were assigned to six groups:
      OHTX/oil vehicle, OVX/oil vehicle, OHTX/150 micrograms 17 beta-E2, OHTX/300
      micrograms 17 beta-E2, OVX/150 micrograms 17 beta-E2, and OVX/300 micrograms 17
      beta-E2. Animals were treated once per week with vehicle or the respective 17
      beta-E2 dose. To quantitate bone formation, fluorochrome labels were administered
      at the beginning and end of the experimental period. At the conclusion of the 5
      week study, tibiae were processed undecalcified for embedding in methyl
      methacrylate plastic. Cross-sectional areal properties and bone formation rates
      were quantitated from 30 microns mid-diaphyseal sections using a Bioquant Bone
      Morphometry system. Compared with the vehicle-treated OVX and OHTX mice, 150
      micrograms of 17 beta-E2 administered once per week significantly increased
      cortical bone areas (P less than 0.05) but cortical bone widths and the ratio of
      cortical bone area to total bone area was increased only in estrogen-treated OVX
      mice (P less than 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422967
TI  - Experimental changes in mineral content of juvenile mouse femora.
AB  - Juvenile laboratory mice were exposed to hypergravity (8 g), burrowing exercise,
      swimming to exhaustion, an anabolic steroid, and swimming and an anabolic steroid
      for 30 days to determine the variability of skeletal mineralization during
      growth. Changes in mineralization were correlated with changes in bending
      strength. Experimental mouse femora were loaded to failure in a cantilever beam
      configuration to determine bending strength, and ashed to determine total mineral
      content. Between experimental groups, mineral content ranged from 66.0 to 71.2%
      with the greatest change from the control being a 4.7% decrease in mineralization
      in the male swimming exercise group (P less than 0.001). Within two age-matched
      experiments, the first showed that the group with the greatest decrease in
      mineralization also had the greatest reduction in bending strength (P less than
      0.001). The second age-matched experiment showed that the group with the greatest
      reduction in mineralization had bending strength greatly reduced (P less than
      0.001). However, in this experiment, the weakest femora were in the anabolic
      steroid group that did not have the mineral content reduced. We conclude that (1)
      mineralization of juvenile mouse femora is extremely variable given varied
      conditions of exercise or loading; (2) mineralization of normal bone is decreased
      more often and to a greater extent than increased from normal exercise controls;
      (3) the decrease in mineralization seen here can decrease bending strength; and
      (4) the decrease in mineralization seen was not caused by a decrease in a
      mechanical loading but was probably due to a corticosterone-mediated
      psychological stress response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422968
TI  - Sex differences in the acquisition of total bone mineral mass peak assessed
      through dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
AB  - Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry evaluation of total body bone mineral content
      (TBBM), total bone mineral density (TBMD), and regional bone mineral content
      (BMC) (head, trunk, arms, and legs) was carried out in order to assess sex
      differences of bone in 120 women and 121 men aged 15-29 years. Subjects from both
      sexes were divided into 5-year groups (15 through 19, 20 through 24, and 25
      through 29 years old, respectively). Significantly higher values for TBBM, TBMD,
      and regional BMC were observed in males compared with females in the 20 to 24 and
      25 to 29-year-old groups (P less than 0.001), but not in the group aged 15-19.
      After adjusting TBBM for lean body mass (LBM), we observed significantly lower
      values of TBBM/LBM in the males compared with females in all the age groups. A
      positive and significant correlation was observed between TBBM and age in the
      males of all the groups (r = 0.624, P less than 0.001), but not in the females.
      These data suggest that total bone mass peak acquisition takes place earlier in
      women than in men, leading to more reduced bone mass value, which in turn may be
      an osteoporosis predisposing factor.

PMID- 1422969
TI  - Reproducibility of lateral spine scans using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.
AB  - Reproducibility of lateral spine dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (LAT DEXA)
      scans using a Lunar DPX-L scanner was assessed in a cadaveric phantom and in
      patients. One hundred phantom measurements over 7 months demonstrated a
      longitudinal stability of 1.7% (coefficient of variation, CV). Additional scans
      were performed with the phantom rotated by up to 20 degrees in each of the three
      orthogonal planes to assess the effects of variable patient positioning.
      Horizontal and vertical rotation of the spine had little effect on the estimated
      bone mineral density (BMD), however, axial rotation of greater than 8 degrees led
      to errors in the BMD measurement. One hundred consecutive patients had two
      lateral scans performed within 1 month. BMD (range 0.10-1.6 g/cm2) was determined
      for each scan by one operator. Significant overlap from ribs and pelvis was often
      seen with L2 and L4 vertebrae but one vertebra (L3) could be measured in every
      case. Intraoperator and interoperator variability was assessed by three
      experienced operators, each analyzing 10 patients' scans on five separate
      occasions, and was found to be less than 1.1% for a single vertebra. BMD
      estimation of vertebral bodies and midslices by lateral DEXA scans (CV% of 3.8%
      and 4.6%) have a 95% confidence interval of 0.074 g/cm2 and 0.096 g/cm2,
      respectively for two vertebrae. This variability is due mainly to axial rotation,
      with operator variability, horizontal rotation, and vertical rotation having
      little effect on BMD estimation.

PMID- 1422970
TI  - Human amelogenesis. I: High resolution electron microscopy study of ribbon-like
      crystals.
AB  - Ribbon-like crystals, from developing enamel of human fetuses, were studied by
      high resolution electron microscopy. These crystals were classically described as
      the first organized mineral formed during amelogenesis. They were characterized
      by a mean width-to-thickness ratio (W.T-1) of 9.5, and 40% were bent. On lattice
      images we noted the presence of the central dark line (CDL) associated with white
      spots. Both structures were found in crystals with a minimum thickness of 8-10
      nm. CDLs were localized in the center of the crystals and seemed to be linked to
      the initial growth process, but their exact structure and function were not fully
      determined. We were able to study the structure of the ribbon-like crystals with
      a Scherzer resolution close to 0.2 nm. The good correspondence between
      experimental and computed images showed that their structure was related to
      hydroxyapatite (HA). In addition, the presence of ionic substitutions and
      deficiencies were also compatible with HA. In this study, about 50% of the
      crystals showed structural defects. Screw dislocations were the most often noted
      defects and were observed within crystals aligned along five different zone axes.
      Low- and high-angle boundaries were also detected. Low-angle boundaries, found in
      the center of the crystals, could thus be related to CDLs and be implicated in
      the nucleation step of crystal formation, whereas high-angle boundaries could
      result from the fusion of ribbon-like crystals. Such mechanisms could induce an
      acceleration of the growth in thickness of the crystal observed during the
      maturation stage of amelogenesis.

PMID- 1422971
TI  - Alterations of the mineralization profile and osteocalcin concentrations in
      osteoarthritic cortical iliac crest bone.
AB  - The relation between bone mineralization and osteocalcin content was investigated
      in iliac crest cortical bone obtained at necropsy in young females and in two
      groups of elderly women with and without osteoarthritis of the hands evaluated by
      X-ray. Using density fractionation technique, the bone was separated into
      fractions of increasing density from 1.72 to 2.30 g/ml. The mineralization
      profile revealed a significant shift to higher densities in the osteoarthritis
      cases compared with young adults (P less than 0.005) and age-sex-matched controls
      (P less than 0.001). The ash, calcium, and phosphorus content of the bone
      increased with increasing density of the fractions whereas collagen content,
      measured as hydroxyproline, decreased. The osteocalcin concentration of each
      fraction was determined in the supernatants obtained after EDTA-extraction in the
      presence of protease inhibitors. In the young control and osteoarthritis group,
      the osteocalcin content in the lowest density fractions was higher compared with
      the older non-osteoarthritic group. Osteocalcin content of the high density
      fractions, representing highly mineralized osteons, was the same in the three
      groups studied. These findings support the hypothesis that quality differences in
      bone may explain the inverse relationship between osteoarthritis and
      osteoporosis.

PMID- 1422972
TI  - Effects of a short course of oral phosphate treatment on serum parathyroid
      hormone(1-84) and biochemical markers of bone turnover: a dose-response study.
AB  - To investigate the possible use of oral phosphate as an activator of bone
      remodeling in coherence treatment of osteoporosis, 82 postmenopausal females,
      aged 50-75 years, were randomized to treatment with oral phosphate (750, 1500, or
      2550 mg/day) or placebo for 7 days and followed for 4 months thereafter. All
      patients had sustained at least one previous fracture of the distal forearm and
      had a bone mineral content of the contralateral forearm or bone mineral density
      of the lumbar spine lower than normal mean for age. Urinary phosphate/creatinine
      ratio increased in a dose-dependent fashion during treatment (P less than 0.001),
      whereas no significant changes were seen in serum phosphate or serum calcium.
      Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) rose significantly (P less than 0.05) during
      treatment to a maximum of 36 and 33% in the groups receiving 1500 and 2250
      mg/day, respectively, whereas serum 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol remained
      unchanged. In the group receiving 1500 mg/day, mean serum osteocalcin was
      increased in the period from day 1 to day 28 (P less than 0.05), but no
      significant changes were observed in urinary hydroxyproline/creatinine ratio, or
      serum bone alkaline phosphatase. We conclude that a short course of oral
      phosphate treatment increases serum PTH considerably. Furthermore, 1500 mg/day
      but not 2250 mg/day increases serum osteocalcin. No clear biochemical evidence,
      however, of increased activation of bone remodeling could be demonstrated in
      either group.

PMID- 1422973
TI  - Successful treatment of low turnover osteoporosis resulting from prolonged
      reserpine therapy with intermittent calcitonin and phosphate therapy.
AB  - Coherence therapy, popularly known by the acronym ADFR (Activate, Depress, Free,
      Repeat), was designed to increase bone mass in osteopenic patients. Accordingly,
      we report a case of a hypogonadal male with histologically proven low bone
      turnover osteoporosis and a progressive vertebral fracture syndrome, who
      responded favorably to ADFR treatment with the use of salmon calcitonin and
      inorganic phosphate. Dramatic increments in bone mass were observed during a 68
      month period of therapy. Serial quantitative computerized tomography demonstrated
      a 146% increase from baseline in bone mineral density for the first 30 months of
      treatment, and dual energy radiography yielded a 36.5% increase for the
      subsequent 31-68 months. Furthermore, no episode of fracture occurred since
      coherence therapy was initiated.

PMID- 1422974
TI  - Interactions between growth hormone and dexamethasone in skeletal growth and bone
      structure of the young mouse.
AB  - The present study investigated the interactions of growth hormone (GH) and
      glucocorticoid on skeletal growth and bone structure in young mice. The purpose
      of this study was to examine the possible prevention by GH of the damage
      inflicted by dexamethasone (Dex) at sites of skeletal growth and ossification.
      Dex (1 mg/kg) with or without rat GH (rGH) or bovine GH (bGH), 1 mg/kg, was given
      for 4 weeks, from age 3-7 weeks, to female ICR mice. Tibiae, humerus, and
      vertebrae were analyzed morphometrically and biochemically. Growth, as determined
      by the mouse weight, tibial length, and humerus protein content was found to be
      compromised by dexamethasone. This was prevented by rGH or bGH. The epiphyseal
      growth plate width, trabecular bone volume, cortical bone width, mineral bone
      content, and alkaline and acid phosphatase activity were decreased by
      dexamethasone. These were prevented by rGH or by bGH. The findings of the present
      study suggest that in the mouse, GH can decrease or even avoid some of the
      pathological features in growing bones inflicted by high-dose glucocorticoid
      treatment.

PMID- 1422975
TI  - Mechanism of action of beta-glycerophosphate on bone cell mineralization.
AB  - Experiments were performed to determine whether beta-glycerophosphate (beta-GP)
      promoted mineralization in vitro by modulating bone cell metabolic activity
      and/or serving as a local source of inorganic phosphate ions (Pi). Using MC3T3
      E1, ROS 17/2.8, and chick osteoblast-like cells in the presence of beta-GP or Pi,
      we examined mineral formation, lactate generation, alkaline phosphatase (AP)
      activity, and protein and phospholipid synthesis. Neither beta-GP nor Pi
      modulated any of the major biosynthetic activities of the bone cells. Thus, we
      found no change in the levels of phospholipids, and the total protein
      concentration remained constant. Measurement of lactate synthesis showed that
      beta-GP did not effect the rate of anaerobic glycolysis. Evaluation of medium Pi
      levels clearly indicated that beta-GP was hydrolyzed by bone cells; within 24
      hours, almost 80% of 10 mM beta-GP was hydrolyzed. It is likely that this local
      increase in medium Pi concentration promoted rapid mineral deposition. Chemical,
      energy dispersive X-ray, and Fourier transform infrared analysis of the mineral
      formed in the presence of beta-GP showed that it was nonapatitic; moreover,
      mineral particles were also seen in the culture medium itself. Experiments
      performed with a cell-free system indicated that mineral particles formed
      spontaneously in the presence of AP and beta-GP and were deposited into a
      collagen matrix. We conclude that medium supplementation with beta-GP or Pi
      should not exceed 2 mM. If this value is exceeded, then there will be
      nonphysiological mineral deposition in the bone cell culture.

PMID- 1422976
TI  - Avian osteoblast conditioned media stimulate bone resorption by targeting
      multinucleating osteoclast precursors.
AB  - Osteoblasts are thought to secrete factors that regulate the rate of osteoclastic
      bone resorption. We studied the effect of osteoblast conditioned medium on bone
      degradation by multinucleated osteoclast-like cells generated in vitro from
      mononuclear precursors and found that the medium stimulates bone degradation
      primarily through interactions with osteoclast precursors. The conditioned medium
      also stimulates expression of the osteoclast-specific antigen 121F. The increased
      bone degradation, but not increased 121F expression, is due to the conditioned
      medium maintaining activity of the osteoclast precursors. Although the osteoclast
      precursors exhibit the DNA fragmentation characteristic of apoptosis, the
      osteoblast conditioned medium does not prevent such fragmentation. Chicken
      macrophage growth factor neither mimics nor augments the ability of the
      conditioned medium to stimulate bone degradation. Studies of osteoclast
      generation or function should carefully consider whether the effects are
      dependent on the viability of the resorbing cells.

PMID- 1422977
TI  - Light and electron microscopic abnormalities in diastrophic dysplasia growth
      cartilage.
AB  - Light and electron microscopic studies of diastrophic dysplasia iliac crest
      growth cartilage performed on five occasions in two patients from 1 to 10 years
      of age reveal extensive cell and matrix abnormalities at each time period. Light
      microscopy shows atypical chondrocytes with extreme variation in size and shape,
      and premature cytoplasmic degeneration, and formation of target ghost cells.
      Prominent, densely staining fibrotic foci are present throughout the cartilage.
      Ultrastructure reveals some structurally intact chondrocytes with a single large
      fat inclusion, slightly dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum, and abundant
      glycogen. As early as 1 year of age cystic degeneration of chondrocyte cytoplasm
      is evident with indistinct organelles seen. The cartilage matrix demonstrates a
      general increase in fibrous tissue as well as the fibrotic foci. The collagen in
      these foci is remarkably abnormal. It is composed of short, extremely broad
      fibrils ranging from 150 to 950 nm in width which are separated at their terminal
      ends but fused to each other centrally in random fashion. On cross-section there
      are very few round fibrils but rather a marked irregularity in shape giving the
      appearance of having fibrils randomly added to others to form enlarged nonuniform
      fibril aggregates. On longitudinal sectioning, regular cross-banding across the
      entire fibril width is seen but fibril splitting and aggregation are highly
      irregular.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1422978
TI  - Effect of ipriflavone and estrogen on the differentiation and proliferation of
      osteogenic cells.
AB  - The effect of ipriflavone (IP) on the proliferation and differentiation of rat
      osteoblast-like (ROB) cells and human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPLF) was
      studied in the presence and absence of estrogen. ROB cells were isolated from
      newborn rat calvaria by sequential collagenase digestion and HPLF from the
      outgrowth of human periodontal ligament in culture. The alkaline phosphatase
      (ALP) activity, employed as a marker of bone cell differentiation, was
      significantly enhanced by IP in both cell types; however, the concentration at
      which IP had a maximal effect was lower in ROB cells than in HPLF (10(-10) versus
      10(-7) M, respectively). Cell proliferation judged by DNA content was either
      constant (ROB cells) or slightly increased (HPLF) by IP up to 10(-10) M, and
      decreased significantly above that concentration. In addition, the dose-dependent
      effect of estrogen on the growth and differentiation of each cell type in the
      presence and absence of IP was also tested. At the concentrations of IP which
      showed maximum effects in the induction of ALP, 10(-10) M for ROB cells and 10(
      7) M for HPLF, IP inhibited DNA increase in an estrogen-independent manner.
      Estradiol (10(-11)-10(-9) M) itself increased the growth rate of both cell types
      significantly in a dose-dependent manner. Regardless of the concentrations of
      estradiol tested, ALP activities of both ROB cells and HPLF were elevated by the
      addition of IP. The ratio of ALP in the presence and absence of IP was similar
      over the range of estradiol concentrations tested.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1422979
TI  - Stimulatory effect of ipriflavone on formation of bone-like tissue in rat bone
      marrow stromal cell culture.
AB  - The effects of ipriflavone (IP) (10(-5) M) on bone formation were studied in
      stromal cells from the femoral bone marrow of young adult rats cultured for 21
      days in the presence of beta-glycerophosphate and dexamethasone. Stereoscopic
      microscopy showed nodule formation after 14 days of culturing, and both the
      number and the size of the nodules increased with time. The alizarin-red-stained
      calcified area in the nodules in the IP group was nearly 4 times as large as that
      in the control after 21 days. Light and electron microscopy revealed the presence
      of many osteoblast-like cells with developed rough endoplasmic reticulum and
      Golgi apparatus in the nodules in the control group after 14 days, and a
      collagenous fibril network was seen among the cells. After 21 days, calcification
      of the dense collagenous fibril network and bone matrix-like tissue were observed
      in many nodules, resulting in the formation of bone-like tissue containing
      osteocyte-like cells. In the IP group, the collagenous fibril network area in the
      nodules was greater than that in the control after 14 days, and a further
      increase in both the dense collagenous fibril network area and calcified bone
      like tissue area was observed after 21 days. These findings indicate that IP
      stimulates bone-like tissue formation in the rat bone marrow stromal cell
      culture, suggesting that the promotion of collagen production by osteoblasts is
      involved in the stimulation of bone-like tissue formation by IP.

PMID- 1422980
TI  - Histochemical and fine structural study of bone of ipriflavone-treated rats.
AB  - Bone labeling, histochemical, and fine structural studies were performed in order
      to clarify the effects of ipriflavone (IP) on rat bone tissue in vivo and in
      vitro. Labeling experiments showed a slight increase in bone formation during 3
      days' administration. It was also noted that many osteoclasts detached from the
      bone surface at 1, 2, and 6 hours after administration in vivo. In addition,
      irregular localization of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACPase) activity
      was observed in osteoclasts. Fine structurally, IP-treated osteoclasts exhibited
      irregularity in their ruffled borders, as reported in calcitonin administration,
      and many enlarged rough endoplasmic reticuli and vacuoles were observed. However,
      osteoclasts at 12 hours after administration, as well as the control, indicated
      recovery features from the effect of IP. Osteoblast proliferation and
      differentiation led to increasing alkaline phosphatase activity (ALPase) with
      time as well as the development of rough endoplasmic reticuli and Golgi apparatus
      with well-developed fine structure. These findings imply active synthesis of bone
      matrix. In our in vitro experiment, osteoclasts and osteoblasts displayed
      histochemical and fine structural characteristics similar to those observed in
      our in vivo experiment. Moreover, fewer TRACP-positive mononuclear cells were
      observed after 24-hour culture with IP than with the control. These results
      suggest that IP inhibits directly and/or indirectly differentiation and activity
      of osteoclasts and also promotes differentiation of osteoblast-lineage cells and
      their bone-forming activity.

PMID- 1422982
TI  - Inhibitory effect of ipriflavone on pit formation in mouse unfractionated bone
      cells.
AB  - Effects of ipriflavone (7-isopropoxyisoflavone) on osteoclast-induced bone
      resorption were evaluated using an unfractionated bone cell culture system
      containing mature osteoclasts from the femur and tibia of newborn mice. When
      cells were cultured for 4 days on dentin slices in the presence of 5% fetal
      bovine serum and 10(-8) M 1 alpha, 25(OH)2D3, ipriflavone (3 x 10(-7) -3 x 10(-5)
      M) inhibited pit formation and caused a decrease in the number of tartrate
      resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive multinucleated cells (MNCs). The
      lowest significant effect was observed at a concentration of 10(-6) M. Unlike
      ipriflavone, calcitonin inhibited pit formation 4 days after the culture was
      started without affecting the number of TRAP-positive MNCs. Ipriflavone still
      inhibited pit formation when the culture period was 13 days, when new osteoclasts
      were expected to be formed. These findings suggest that ipriflavone inhibits new
      osteoclast formation and bone resorption at the cellular level.

PMID- 1422981
TI  - Effects of ipriflavone on calcitonin synthesis in C cells of the rat thyroid.
AB  - Ipriflavone is known to stimulate calcitonin (CT) secretion from the thyroid
      glands of female animals, but the exact mechanism of this action remains unknown.
      In the present study, an increase of CT production in thyroid C cells of female
      rats, but not of male rats, was proven immunohistochemically. Furthermore, the
      parallel increase of CT mRNA in those thyroid glands was confirmed by Northern
      blot analysis. These results proved that ipriflavone stimulates not only CT
      secretion but also CT synthesis in thyroid C cells and that the changes were
      gender dependent (greater in females). In order to investigate the effect of
      estrogen on the ipriflavone-induced increase of CT in female rat thyroid gland,
      CT and CT mRNA in the thyroid glands of untreated, ovariectomized, and estrone
      treated (postovariectomy) rats were examined by both immunohistochemistry and
      Northern blot technique. Serum levels of CT and calcium were also examined.
      Against expectation, estrone failed to produce any significant effect on the
      ability of ipriflavone to induce CT synthesis and secretion.

PMID- 1422983
TI  - Effect of ipriflavone on bone mineral density and calcium-related factors in
      elderly females.
AB  - The effects of ipriflavone (7-isopropoxy-3-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one) on bone
      mineral density (BMD) of the 3rd lumbar vertebra and on calcium (Ca)-related
      factors, including serum calcitonin (CT) levels before and after rapid calcium
      infusion (4 mg/kg for 5 minutes), were studied in 11 elderly female subjects (80
      +/- 2 years of age, mean +/- SE). Ipriflavone (IP) administration (600 mg/day, 7
      months) resulted in inhibition of BMD loss in 7 patients (responders, mean change
      of BMD value 2.2 +/- 2.3%), whereas 4 patients showed a loss of BMD
      (nonresponders, mean change of BMD value -13.1 +/- 2.6%) compared with
      pretreatment values. The responder group showed a significant increase in mean
      pretreatment serum CT levels (from 20 +/- 2 pg/ml to 42 +/- 7 pg/ml, P < 0.05)
      after treatment with IP, and a significant decrease in the mean basal serum level
      of corrected Ca (from 9.6 +/- 0.2 mg/dl to 8.7 +/- 0.1 mg/dl, P < 0.01) after
      treatment with IP; nonresponders did not show these changes. For responders, both
      the percentage of change and the maximal value of serum CT in response to Ca
      infusion were maintained at rather high levels, both before and after IP
      treatment; nonresponders showed almost no response to a stimulation test for CT.
      These findings suggest that IP inhibits bone loss in elderly female subjects
      possibly through the mechanism of increasing CT secretion.

PMID- 1422984
TI  - Ipriflavone inhibits murine osteoclast formation in vitro.
AB  - Ipriflavone, one of the isoflavone derivatives, is a therapeutic drug for
      osteoporosis. The mechanism is thought to be the inhibition of bone resorption.
      In the present paper, we report that ipriflavone inhibited formation of
      osteoclasts from murine spleen cells co-cultured with stromal cells cloned from
      murine bone marrow. In this system, ipriflavone inhibited osteoclast generation
      in a dose-dependent manner (10(-7)-10(-5) M). Ipriflavone also inhibited
      prostaglandin E2 production in MC3T3-E1 cells, which are widely employed as
      osteoblasts. Moreover, ipriflavone inhibited the proliferation of stromal cells
      (10(-6)-10(-5) M), but not osteoblastic cells. These results suggest that one
      mechanism for the inhibitory effects of ipriflavone on bone resorption is the
      inhibition of osteoclast formation through inhibiting prostaglandin E2 production
      in osteoblasts and thereby suppressing proliferation of stromal cells.

PMID- 1422985
TI  - High frequency of lipoprotein lipase deficiency in the Quebec population.

PMID- 1422986
TI  - Recycling and 'transplantation' of implantable electronic devices.

PMID- 1422987
TI  - Can we afford not to reuse cardiac pacemakers?

PMID- 1422988
TI  - Sex differences in the evolution of the electrocardiographic QT interval with
      age.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate sex differences in the evolution of the QT interval
      with age. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A community-based representative North American
      population sample of 14,379 children and adults aged from birth to 75 years. The
      measured QT intervals (QTm) were determined by a computer algorithm and QTm,
      corrected for heart rate (HR), was expressed as QT index: QTI = (QTm/Tp) x 100,
      where QTp is the predicted QT from the formula QTp (ms) = 656/(1 + HR/100). MAIN
      RESULTS: The QTI values of females were significantly longer than of males in all
      age groups from 15 to 50 years tested at yearly intervals. This difference was
      due to a 20 ms drop in rate-corrected QT values in adolescent males after
      puberty, whereas QT values of females remained unchanged throughout the growth,
      maturation and reproductive years. The new QT prediction formula explained 83% of
      total QT variance in females and 82% in males after adjustment for heart rate and
      for the observed significant influence of ventricular excitation time (QRS
      duration) on QT interval in both sexes and a correction for QT age trend in
      males. CONCLUSIONS: The sex difference in the QT interval is due to QT shortening
      in males after puberty rather than QT prolongation in women during reproductive
      years. The fact that QRS duration is a significant determinant of the QT interval
      has important theoretical implications for attempts to model the ventricular
      repolarization process and it indicates that the traditional concept of reverse
      sequence of ventricular repolarization is not universally valid in all myocardial
      regions.

PMID- 1422989
TI  - The reuse of cardiac pacemakers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To provide decision makers with a synthesis of the relevant
      information concerning the safety of pacemaker reuse, the ethical and legal
      issues which it raises and the extent of financial savings which may result. DATA
      SOURCES: Medline data bank and the bibliographies of review articles in English
      concerning refurbishment and reuse of cardiac pacemakers published up to June
      1991. DATA SYNTHESIS: Since 1978, reports of safe reuse of pacemakers have
      appeared in 11 countries. By 1984, review of nearly 2000 installations had
      produced no evidence of increased mortality or morbidity. The norms which must be
      respected to ensure safety are now well-known. The savings that might result from
      reuse can only be approximated. In Canada in 1989, 8684 pacemakers were
      installed. Assuming that 20% might be available for reuse, this practice might
      save approximately $4,000,000 per year to the Canadian health care system.
      CONCLUSIONS: Properly carried out, pacemakers can be reused at an acceptably low
      risk. Any institution contemplating pacemaker reuse should define and approve
      appropriate guidelines and protocols governing the process. A registry to
      document the reuse of pacemakers for the next few years is desirable.

PMID- 1422990
TI  - Directional coronary atherectomy at the Toronto and Mount Sinai Hospitals: report
      of the initial 120 procedures.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the procedural success and complication rates of the first
      120 directional coronary atherectomy cases performed at two Toronto hospitals.
      DESIGN AND SETTING: Case series in tertiary referral centres. PATIENTS: One
      hundred and thirteen patients in whom 120 atherectomy procedures were attempted
      between July 1990 and April 1992. INTERVENTION: Directional coronary atherectomy.
      MAIN RESULTS: Angiographic success was obtained in 115 of 120 procedures (96%)
      involving 117 of 123 lesions (95%). Procedural success (angiographic success
      without death, myocardial infarction or coronary bypass surgery) was obtained in
      110 of 120 procedures (92%). Adjunctive balloon angioplasty was required in 20
      procedures (17%). There was one death at 36 h in an elderly patient who underwent
      an emergency procedure while in cardiogenic shock. Periprocedural non-Q wave
      myocardial infarction occurred in five patients. There were no Q wave myocardial
      infarctions. Three patients required coronary bypass surgery prior to discharge
      and vascular complications occurred in five patients. CONCLUSIONS: Directional
      coronary atherectomy can be performed with procedural success and complication
      rates comparable to conventional balloon angioplasty. Randomized trials are
      underway to determine if atherectomy results in a lower restenosis rate.

PMID- 1422991
TI  - Reverse redistribution on exercise thallium scintigraphy: relationship to
      coronary patency and ventricular function after myocardial infarction.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To define prevalence, pathophysiology and relation to thrombolytic
      therapy of reverse redistribution (appearance of a new, or worsening of an
      existing, scintigraphic defect on 4 h delayed images compared with the stress
      thallium image). DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
      SETTING: Referral centre. PATIENTS: Sixty-three patients with acute myocardial
      infarction. INTERVENTIONS: Tomographic exercise thallium scintigraphy,
      radionuclide angiography, and quantitative coronary angiography. MAIN RESULTS:
      Tomographic exercise thallium scintigraphy performed at day 10 revealed fixed
      defects in 15 patients, reversible defects in 22 patients and reverse
      redistribution in 26 patients; no difference in treatment assignment (tissue
      plasminogen activator versus placebo) was found among the three groups. Left
      ventricular function was similar in patients with fixed or reversible defects and
      reverse redistribution; global ejection fraction was 48 +/- 14, 51 +/- 10 and 48
      +/- 5%, respectively, and regional infarct ejection fraction was 36 +/- 15, 40 +/
      13 and 37 +/- 18%, respectively. However, nitroglycerin administration resulted
      in a significantly greater improvement in regional ejection fraction in reverse
      redistribution patients (5 +/- 4%) than that in patients with fixed defect (2 +/-
      5%, P < 0.05) or reversible defects (3 +/- 5%, P < 0.05). The infarct-related
      artery had a greater cross-sectional area in reverse redistribution patients (1.5
      +/- 1.42 mm2) compared with those with reversible defects (0.50 +/- 0.26 mm2, P <
      0.05), but was similar to fixed defect patients (1.04 +/- 0.88). CONCLUSIONS:
      Reverse redistribution on tomographic thallium scintigraphy is a frequent
      phenomenon (occurring in 40% of patients following acute myocardial infarction)
      and is independent of thrombolytic therapy. Patients with reverse redistribution
      have a more widely patent infarct-related artery and similar ventricular
      function, but significantly greater functional improvement following
      nitroglycerin administration compared with those with reversible or fixed
      defects. These data suggest myocardial salvage within the infarct zone in some
      patients with reverse redistribution.

PMID- 1422992
TI  - Effect of atropine and isoproterenol on tachycardia induction in asymptomatic
      patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White electrocardiographic pattern.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine if pharmacological interventions aimed at altering
      autonomic tone would allow induction of orthodromic atrioventricular reentrant
      tachycardia in asymptomatic patients with the Wolff-Parkinson-White
      electrocardiographic pattern. DESIGN: Prospective interventional protocol in
      consecutive eligible patients. SETTINGS: University hospital. PATIENTS: Eighteen
      asymptomatic patients (13 male and five female) with the Wolff-Parkinson-White
      electrocardiographic pattern without inducible tachycardia in the drug-free
      state. INTERVENTION: Electrophysiological assessment was performed at baseline,
      after intravenous administration of atropine (0.03 mg/kg) and during
      isoproterenol infusion (0.5 to 2 micrograms/min). RESULTS: Orthodromic
      reciprocating tachycardia was not inducible at baseline because of absent
      retrograde accessory pathway conduction in seven patients. In five patients,
      orthodromic atrial echo beats could be induced (which blocked retrogradely in the
      accessory pathway in three patients and anterogradely in the atrioventricular
      node in two). In the remaining six patients, neither orthodromic echo beats nor
      reciprocating tachycardia could be induced despite intact retrograde accessory
      pathway conduction. Following atropine administration (mean dose 1.9 +/- 0.3 mg),
      anterograde and retrograde accessory pathway effective refractory periods
      decreased from 360 +/- 172 to 284 +/- 62 ms and from 340 +/- 38 to 296 +/- 32 ms,
      respectively (both P < 0.05 versus control). Orthodromic reciprocating
      tachycardia was induced in two patients (nonsustained in one). During
      isoproterenol infusion (mean dose 1.0 +/- 0.3 micrograms/min), anterograde and
      retrograde accessory pathway effective refractory periods decreased further to
      243 +/- 23 and 248 +/- 22 ms, respectively (both P < 0.05 versus after atropine);
      two further patients had inducible orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia
      (nonsustained in one). No patient with absent retrograde accessory pathway
      conduction developed retrograde accessory pathway conduction or reciprocating
      tachycardia with isoproterenol and/or atropine. CONCLUSIONS: Isoproterenol and/or
      atropine allowed tachycardia induction in four of 18 asymptomatic patients with
      the Wolff-Parkinson-White electrocardiographic pattern. In the majority of these
      patients, tachycardia is not inducible because of deficient retrograde accessory
      pathway conduction which does not improve with autonomic facilitation.

PMID- 1422993
TI  - Left main coronary artery dissection during cardiac catheterization.
AB  - A 70-year-old man with a downward sloping origin of the left main coronary artery
      developed left main dissection at coronary angiography and died despite emergency
      coronary by-pass surgery. Autopsy showed that the left main coronary artery had
      an acute angle take off and dissection had originated at the junction of the
      superior wall of the left main and the aorta. The combination of left main
      stenosis secondary to dissection and severe right coronary atherosclerosis had
      caused circumferential subendocardial left ventricular infarction. The left main
      coronary artery had mild atherosclerosis and lacked cystic medial necrosis. An
      angulated left main coronary artery may be a risk factor for dissection at
      angiography.

PMID- 1422994
TI  - Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare endocarditis causing rupture: replacement and
      repair with aortic homograft.
AB  - Aortic valve endocarditis with extension to the tricuspid annulus and ventricular
      septum in an intravenous drug abuser - with Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare
      identified as the offending organism - forms the basis of this report. The aortic
      root and ventricular septal defect were successfully repaired using an aortic
      cryopreserved homograft. This case is of particular interest because M avium
      intracellulare has not been recognized as a cause of endocarditis. The incidence
      of atypical organisms as a cause of endocarditis may increase in the future
      because of the rise of drug abuse and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome in
      North America.

PMID- 1422995
TI  - Anterior wall myocardial infarction in a 15-year-old diabetic female associated
      with spontaneously resolving coronary thrombosis.
AB  - Myocardial infarction is an uncommon event in childhood and adolescence, and only
      rarely is found to be due to atherosclerotic disease. This report describes a 15
      year-old diabetic female with an acute anterior wall myocardial infarction in
      whom initial coronary angiography showed a thrombus of the proximal anterior
      descending coronary artery which had resolved spontaneously by the time a follow
      up study was carried out six weeks later. None of the usual precipitating causes
      of myocardial infarction in childhood were found, and repeat angiography did not
      demonstrate any fixed coronary artery disease. The relevant literature is
      reviewed and it is speculated that endothelial dysfunction, coronary spasm and
      altered coagulability may have contributed to the formation of intraluminal
      thrombus and subsequent infarction in this patient.

PMID- 1422996
TI  - Use of transtelephonic electrocardiographic monitoring in children with suspected
      arrhythmias.
AB  - Arrhythmias in children can produce various symptoms and their assessment often
      is difficult with usual methods. Transtelephonic electrocardiographic monitoring
      was used in 136 symptomatic patients (palpitations [112], syncope [six], chest
      pain [18]) for a mean duration of 86 +/- 65 days; mean age was 11.1 +/- 4.8 years
      and 62% were female. Of 398 recordings sent (mean 2.9 per patient) 32 revealed
      significant arrhythmias (8%). Of the 67 patients reporting symptoms during the
      recording period, only 24 had documented arrhythmias - 23 supraventricular
      tachycardia and one junctional tachycardia. The negative predictive value is
      100%, compared with a low positive predictive value of 36%; sensitivity and
      specificity are, respectively, 100 and 62%. Of the 24 patients with documented
      arrhythmias, 54% were treated versus 13% of those with normal recordings (P <
      0.01). At the end of the follow-up (mean duration 1.6 +/- 1.2 years), 63% of the
      patients with negative recordings had not complained of further symptoms versus
      22% of those with documented arrhythmias (P = 0.001). Transtelephonic
      electrocardiographic monitoring is an important tool for documenting infrequent
      arrhythmias in children and even more for reassuring the patient and his or her
      family in the absence of significant arrhythmias.

PMID- 1422997
TI  - Time course of myocardial bloodflow changes during healing of myocardial infarct
      in pigs.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To define the time course of changes in bloodflow and microsphere
      content at intervals between one and 28 days after surgical ligation of the
      circumflex coronary artery. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: After the ligation, pigs were
      assigned to six groups; all pigs in a group were reanesthetized at either one,
      three, seven, 14, 21 or 28 days post ligation to determine myocardial bloodflow
      distribution using radionuclide-labelled (15 +/- 2 microns) microspheres.
      RESULTS: Bloodflow to the infarct zone, 10 mins post ligation, was 7.3 +/- 1.4%
      of the normal flow. At one and three days post occlusion, infarct bloodflow was
      about 50% of the 'normal', declining after day 7 to between 20 and 25%. Bloodflow
      in the noninfarct zone was significantly elevated during the initial 14 days,
      declining thereafter to within the normal range. Microspheres in the infarct zone
      injected prior to the occlusion became concentrated and were diluted in the
      noninfarct zone; the ratio of infarct:noninfarct microsphere content rose
      progressively, reaching a 2.5-fold rise by day 28. CONCLUSIONS: The initial
      stages of infarct healing are associated with a marked rise in bloodflow with a
      subsequent fall. A more prolonged augmentation of flow is evident in the
      noninfarct zone. Microspheres are useful in estimating the relative magnitude of
      changes in the myocardium accompanying the healing (shrinkage) of the infarct and
      hypertrophy occurring in the noninfarct zone after a coronary occlusion.

PMID- 1422998
TI  - Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiographic demonstration of mitral leaflet
      tear following resection of a subaortic membrane.
AB  - A patient developed a tear of the anterior mitral leaflet following surgical
      resection of a stenotic subaortic membrane. This complication was diagnosed by
      intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography leading to successful repair of
      the mitral leaflet tear.

PMID- 1422999
TI  - Successful treatment of severe heart failure caused by idiopathic giant cell
      myocarditis.
AB  - A 53-year-old woman presented with increasing dyspnea over one month and signs of
      severe heart failure. A right ventricular biopsy revealed giant cell myocarditis.
      She was treated with a combination of cyclosporine, imuran and prednisone and
      improved dramatically--left ventricular ejection fraction increased from 13 to
      66%. That such a response is possible has important implications with respect to
      both the etiology and treatment of this rare disorder.

PMID- 1423000
TI  - Thrombolytic therapy for right heart lesions.
AB  - Thrombolytic agents are accepted therapy for occlusion of coronary and peripheral
      arteries as well as for venous thromboses. Although the treatment of left heart
      prosthetic valve thrombosis has been evaluated, there are limited data showing
      the benefit of thrombolysis of right heart clots. Two patients with past
      histories of multiple cardiac operations were given fibrinolytic therapy for
      thrombosis involving right heart structures. The first patient had thrombosis of
      a prosthetic pulmonary valve. The second patient was a type IB tricuspid atresia
      who developed a Fontan duct stenosis and right atrial clot. Thrombolytic therapy
      may provide a safe alternative to surgical intervention for thrombosis of right
      heart structures and, even when incompletely effective, may provide additional
      time to prepare patients for surgical correction and possible protection against
      distal embolization during surgical intervention.

PMID- 1423001
TI  - Kallmann's syndrome and dilated cardiomyopathy.
AB  - A 52-year-old male previously known to have Kallmann's syndrome was admitted with
      congestive cardiac failure. He was found to have a dilated cardiomyopathy and
      died despite medical therapy. This report is the first known case of Kallmann's
      syndrome and dilated cardiomyopathy.

PMID- 1423002
TI  - Patients with symptomatic ischemia have larger thallium perfusion abnormalities
      and more adverse prognosis than patients with silent ischemia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the mechanism for silent ischemia and the effect on
      prognosis. DESIGN: To test the hypothesis that patients with silent (compared
      with symptomatic) ischemia have less severe ischemia and a more favorable
      prognosis, the authors prospectively evaluated 152 consecutive patients with a
      positive exercise electrocardiogram with exercise thallium scintigraphy and
      followed them for two years. SETTING: Tertiary care university-based hospital.
      RESULTS: Asymptomatic patients during the exercise test had a greater exercise
      duration (9.4 +/- 3.1 versus 6.3 +/- 2.5 mins, P < 0.01), maximal heart rate (155
      +/- 20 versus 136 +/- 20 beats/min, P < 0.01), systolic blood pressure (184 +/-
      21 versus 176 +/- 23 mmHg, P < 0.05) and double product than patients who were
      symptomatic with chest pain. Although there was no difference in the magnitude of
      ST depression, time to ST depression was greater in the asymptomatic (5.6 +/- 2.7
      mins), compared with symptomatic (4.6 +/- 2.6 mins), group (P < 0.01). Thallium
      ischemic score was smaller during asymptomatic ischemia (2.1 +/- 2.7) compared
      with symptomatic ischemia (3.9 +/- 3.1, P < 0.01). These findings were also
      demonstrated in a subgroup of 107 patients with both a positive exercise
      electrocardiogram and positive thallium scan. The patients with asymptomatic
      ischemia had a two-year cardiac event rate of 5.1% compared with 13.8% in the
      symptomatic patients (P = 0.065). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with asymptomatic
      ischemia have less severe myocardial ischemia and a better prognosis than
      patients with symptomatic myocardial ischemia during exercise testing.

PMID- 1423003
TI  - In vivo skeletal muscle metabolism during dynamic exercise and recovery:
      assessment by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to define temporally phosphorus
      metabolism and pH in the gastrocnemius muscles of 21 normal adult subjects during
      rest, dynamic exercise to exhaustion, and early and late recovery. METHODS: In
      vivo nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. RESULTS: At rest, the ratio of
      phosphocreatine to the alpha peak of ATP averaged 2.26 +/- 0.25, the inorganic
      phosphate to ATP ratio averaged 0.31 +/- 0.08 and pH averaged 7.10 +/- 0.04. The
      phosphorus metabolites exhibited immediate and progressive changes with exercise,
      reaching their minimum (phosphocreatine, 0.95 +/- 0.41) or maximum (inorganic
      phosphate, 1.95 +/- 0.75) values at exhaustion, after an average exercise of 11
      +/- 4 mins. In contrast, pH changed slowly during early exercise, but fell
      abruptly thereafter and averaged 6.76 +/- 0.17 at exhaustion. Phosphocreatine and
      inorganic phosphate began to return rapidly towards preexercise values
      immediately on cessation of exercise. However, pH declined further in the period
      immediately following cessation of exercise, reaching a nadir of 6.56 +/- 0.24 an
      average of 2 mins into recovery. Exercise duration did not correlate highly with
      any metabolic variable. CONCLUSIONS: The data support the concept that the
      metabolic physiology underlying physical exhaustion of dynamic exercising muscle
      is multifactorial. The post exercise drop in pH also suggests that normal
      subjects have a greater contribution to high energy phosphate production from
      glycolysis, as opposed to oxidative metabolism, in early recovery.

PMID- 1423004
TI  - Comparison of Doppler echocardiography and cardiac catheterization in patients
      requiring valve surgery: search for a 'gold standard'.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the sensitivities of Doppler echocardiography and cardiac
      catheterization in the diagnosis of severe valvular heart disease in patients
      requiring valve surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of Doppler
      echocardiograms and cardiac catheterizations. SETTING: Tertiary referral
      cardiovascular centre in a university setting. PATIENTS: Sixty-nine patients
      undergoing valve surgery between July 1988 and July 1990. RESULTS: The
      sensitivities of echocardiography and cardiac catheterization were 84 and 87%,
      respectively (P = 1.0) in 32 patients who underwent aortic valve surgery
      primarily for severe aortic stenosis; 83 and 67%, respectively (P = 1.0) in six
      patients with severe aortic regurgitation, and 100 and 85%, respectively (P =
      1.0) in seven patients with combined severe aortic stenosis and regurgitation.
      The sensitivities of echocardiography and cardiac catheterization in 11 patients
      who underwent mitral valve surgery for severe mitral stenosis were 73 and 91%,
      respectively (P = 0.6) and 69 and 92%, respectively (P = 0.3) in 13 patients with
      severe mitral regurgitation. Sensitivities of echocardiography and cardiac
      catheterization in the diagnosis of severe tricuspid regurgitation in five
      patients who had tricuspid valve repair were 100 and 80%, respectively (P = 1.0).
      Two patients with severe aortic stenosis by echocardiography, but not by
      catheterization, did not undergo aortic valve replacement during valvular
      surgery; both required aortic valve replacement within two years of initial
      surgery because of heart failure. Four patients with severe tricuspid
      regurgitation identified by echocardiography did not have tricuspid repair; three
      had pulmonary hypertension and these patients had resolution of tricuspid
      regurgitation on follow-up. One patient with severe tricuspid regurgitation and
      absence of pulmonary hypertension required reoperation for tricuspid valve repair
      10 months after initial operation. CONCLUSIONS: The sensitivity of
      echocardiography and cardiac catheterization in the detection of severe valvular
      lesions requiring surgery is similar. Discordant results should be reviewed
      carefully with knowledge of the inherent pitfalls of both techniques in order to
      ensure optimal patient outcome.

PMID- 1423005
TI  - HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors: a look back and a look ahead.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This review is a follow-up to the Vancouver Symposium on
      hydroxymethyl glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors held in May 1990
      (Can J Cardiol 1992;8 [Supplement A]: March 1992). The aim is to provide an
      update on the issues discussed at the time, focusing primarily on aspects of
      practical importance for the clinician and new developments. DATA SOURCES: The
      available literature on HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors from May 1990 to May 1991
      was systematically reviewed. DATA SELECTION: The review focuses especially on
      human studies which provide a better understanding of mechanisms of action,
      pharmacokinetics, efficacy, safety and tolerance, as well as structure-function
      relationships. CONCLUSIONS: A look back indicates that HMG-CoA reductase
      inhibitors, as a class, appear to be safe and effective for long term use and
      constitute a major drug addition for the control of hypercholesterolemia.
      Combination therapy may enhance effectiveness but close monitoring is needed when
      used in conjunction with fibrates and nicotinic acid because of potential muscle
      toxicity. A look ahead uncovers new properties that may be of potential benefit
      in the treatment of atherosclerosis, hypertension, cholelithiasis, mild renal
      disease and possibly thrombogenesis and cancer. In view of the fact that the
      magnitude of low density lipoprotein cholesterol lowering is commensurate with
      the degree of atherosclerosis regression, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors provide a
      unique tool for the control of aggressive atherosclerotic vascular disease and
      for secondary prevention of coronary artery disease.

PMID- 1423006
TI  - Reset of the osmotic threshold for vasopressin in rats fed a low NaCl, K-free
      diet.
AB  - Activation of the renin-angiotensin system induced by feeding a low NaCl, K-free
      (LS) diet is associated with polydipsia and a chronic reduction in effective
      plasma osmolality (efPosm). We have recently shown that converting enzyme
      inhibition with enalapril (EP) abolishes polydipsia. The present study was
      designed to test the hypothesis that the osmotic threshold for vasopressin is
      reset in rats fed the LS diet and to examine the effect of EP on ambient and
      osmotically stimulated plasma vasopressin levels (PAVP). Animals were fed the LS
      diet or a control salt diet and treated with vehicle or the lowest dose of EP
      sufficient to prevent polydipsia (7.5 mg.kg-1.day-1) in rats fed the LS diet.
      PAVP and efPosm were measured under ambient conditions and after osmotic loading.
      Urine osmolality (Uosm) was measured under ambient conditions and after water
      loading. The chronic reduction in efPosm in LS rats was associated with the
      excretion of a Uosm 1-2 times greater than the corresponding Posm, PAVP similar
      to controls (LS, 2.27 +/- 1.08 vs. control, 1.19 +/- 0.22 pg/mL) and the ability
      to excrete a water load. Following osmotic loading, efPosm and PAVP increased
      significantly and similarly in both LS and control rats. EP administration had no
      effect on water intake, ambient efPosm and PAVP, and the AVP response to osmotic
      loading in rats fed the control diet. EP prevented polydipsia in LS rats, however
      it had no significant effect on ambient or osmotically stimulated PAVP or
      efPosm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423007
TI  - Normal blood flow but lower oxygen tension in diabetes of young rats:
      microenvironment and the influence of sympathectomy.
AB  - Studies of rats with experimental streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes at 4
      months have identified sciatic nerve trunk oligemia and hypoxia, but it is
      uncertain how early these abnormalities develop or which develops first. We
      studied young (4-week-old) rats after 6 or 16 weeks of STZ-induced diabetes (or
      after citrate buffer injection in controls) by recording multi-fiber conduction
      in three different nerve territories and by measuring sciatic endoneurial blood
      flow (NBF) and oxygen tension (PnO2) at end point. To evaluate the impact of
      sympathectomy on this diabetic model, separate animal groups were treated for 5
      weeks with guanethidine monosulfate given at the onset of diabetes (group 1, end
      point 6 weeks) or after 6 weeks of diabetes (group 2, end point 16 weeks).
      Diabetes was associated with deficits in sensory and motor caudal conduction and
      increased resistance to ischemic conduction failure (RICF). NBF was comparable to
      control animals at both time points and was within the published normal range of
      NBF. In contrast, oxygen tensions were shifted to lower values in diabetic
      animals. Sympathectomy was associated with blunting of the RICF increase in group
      2 but worsened caudal sensory conduction despite evidence of modest improvement
      in sciatic nerve oxygenation. Our findings support the concept that neuropathy
      occurs early in diabetes and that hypoxia develops before oligemia. Sympathectomy
      did not benefit this diabetic model.

PMID- 1423008
TI  - Influence of pregnancy on mean systemic filling pressure and the cardiac function
      curve in guinea pigs.
AB  - To assess the degree of circulatory fullness and to evaluate the influence of
      peripheral and cardiac factors in the regulation of cardiac output during
      pregnancy, the following studies were conducted using pentobarbital-anesthetized,
      open-chest nonpregnant and late term pregnant guinea pigs. Mean circulatory
      filling pressure was taken as the equilibrium pressure when the pulmonary artery
      was constricted. Total vascular compliance was assessed by +/- 5-mL changes in
      blood volume performed while this constriction was maintained. A separate group
      of guinea pigs was prepared with a pulmonary artery electromagnetic flow probe
      and right atrial catheter. Rapid infusion of saline was used to increase right
      atrial pressure while the cardiac output was determined. Pregnancy was
      characterized by the following changes relative to nonpregnant controls: 51Cr
      labelled RBC blood volume increased from 55 +/- 3 to 67 +/- 3 mL/kg; mean
      circulatory filling pressure increased from 7.1 +/- 0.2 to 8.0 +/- 0.5 mmHg (1
      mmHg = 133.322 Pa); right atrial pressure decreased from 3.4 +/- 0.2 to 2.1 +/-
      0.3 mmHg; and cardiac output increased from 71.8 +/- 3.9 to 96.8 +/- 3.3 mL.min
      1.kg-1. Total vascular compliance was not changed (2.1 +/- 0.1 mL.kg-1.mmHg-1)
      and most of the expanded blood volume was accommodated as unstressed volume. The
      cardiac function curve was shifted upwards in pregnant animals. The resistance to
      venous return, as determined from the slope of the venous return curves, was not
      changed. These data suggest that the circulation of the pregnant guinea pig is
      slightly overfilled.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423010
TI  - Comparison of the release of vasoactive factors from venous and arterial bovine
      cultured endothelial cells.
AB  - The release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF), prostacyclin (PGI2),
      and endothelin-1 (ET-1) was measured from endothelial cells (EC) cultured from
      either bovine vena cava (BVCEC) or bovine aorta (BAEC). EDRF release was
      determined by using the superfusion bioassay technique, whereas ET-1 and PGI2
      were measured by specific radioimmunoassays. Bradykinin (BK) (0.05-30 pmol) given
      through columns of venous or arterial EC induced a dose-dependent release of
      EDRF. BK (0.05 pmol) evoked a release of EDRF from venous EC that was similar to
      the effect of a dose of 1 pmol from arterial EC. As with BAEC, infusions of NG
      monomethyl-L-arginine (30 microM) caused an inhibition of EDRF release from BVCEC
      that was partially reversed by coinfusions of L-arginine (L-Arg; 100 microM). BK
      also induced a dose-dependent release of PGI2 from BVCEC. BVCEC and BAEC produced
      PGI2 in equivalent amounts when arachidonic acid (9.2 and 32 pmol) was added to
      the Krebs' solution perfusing the cells. BVCEC and BAEC released detectable
      amounts of ET-1 (0.4 +/- 0.1 and 0.9 +/- 0.3 ng/mL, respectively), over a 4-h
      period, and the release of ET-1 was increased approximately twofold by
      coincubations with thrombin (0.05-1 U/mL). These findings demonstrate that venous
      EC have a similar capacity to arterial EC to release vasoactive factors, thus
      supporting the hypothesis that veins have a functional endothelium that may
      modulate venous tone and platelet function.

PMID- 1423009
TI  - Effect of omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic, on
      norepinephrine-induced contractions.
AB  - The relaxant responses of the rat thoracic aorta to omega-3 fatty acids,
      docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic, on norepinephrine- and potassium-induced
      contractions were investigated. Relaxation was enhanced in vessels contracted
      with norepinephrine. Docosahexaenoic acid at concentrations as low as 1, 3, and
      10 microM evoked significant relaxant responses (15, 23, 30%) in norepinephrine
      contracted vessels as compared with responses (5, 9, 12%) in potassium-contracted
      vessels. Results for eicosapentaenoic acid under similar conditions were 3, 8,
      and 19% in norepinephrine-contracted vessels and 3, 3, and 8% in potassium
      contracted vessels. Pretreatment with eicosapentaenoic (10 microM) or
      docosahexaenoic acids (1-10 microM) decreased the contractile response to
      physiologic concentrations of norepinephrine. In the presence of calcium-free
      medium, the omega-3 fatty acids (1-30 microM) significantly abolished sustained
      norepinephrine contractions but did not reduce the phasic contractions when
      incubated prior to norepinephrine contraction. Comparatively, the effects of
      docosahexaenoic acid were greater than eicosapentaenoic acid. These findings
      suggest that the relaxant effects of the omega-3 fatty acids are specific to the
      mode of contraction, i.e., alpha-adrenoceptor stimuli. This effect may be related
      to intracellular calcium mechanisms, since both fatty acids reversed
      norepinephrine-induced sustained contractions in the absence of extracellular
      calcium.

PMID- 1423011
TI  - Role of corticosteroids in distal acidification of amiloride-treated rats.
AB  - The role of amiloride-dependent sodium channels in the action of adrenal cortical
      steroids on urine-blood PCO2 (U-B PCO2) differences was studied in bicarbonate
      infused and amiloride-treated adrenalectomized rats. U-B PCO2 was significantly
      reduced by amiloride in bicarbonate-infused control rats. Adrenalectomy further
      reduced U-B PCO2 in amiloride-treated, bicarbonate-infused rats (from 27.9 +/-
      1.82 mmHg in sham-operated rats to 21.3 +/- 1.58 mmHg in adrenalectomized (ADX)
      rats) (1 mmHg = 133.322 Pa). Acute administration of corticosterone and 18
      hydroxycorticosterone (18-OH-B), but not of aldosterone, caused recovery of U-B
      PCO2 to the level of sham-operated animals treated with amiloride. Aldosterone
      did not affect U-B PCO2 in the presence of amiloride (21.9 mmHg ADX group vs.
      20.98 mmHg aldosterone group). Results are compatible with aldosterone affecting
      distal H ion secretion mostly by a sodium and potential difference dependent
      mechanism, while corticosterone and 18-OH-B should act by other mechanisms (e.g.,
      increased luminal buffer level).

PMID- 1423012
TI  - Hypertension during chronic exposure to cold: comparison between Sprague-Dawley
      and Long-Evans strains.
AB  - It is now well established that chronic exposure of rats to cold (5-6 degrees C)
      induces an elevation of systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressures and cardiac
      hypertrophy within 3 weeks. Since rats of the Long-Evans (LE) strain are known to
      be resistant to the induction of deoxycorticosterone salt induced hypertension,
      their cardiovascular responses to chronic exposure to cold were compared with
      those of rats of the Sprague-Dawley (SD) strain. The results of these studies
      revealed clear differences between the LE and SD strains of rats. Thus, rats of
      the SD strain had a significant elevation in their blood pressure; a
      significantly increased urinary output of norepinephrine and epinephrine; a
      significantly greater dipsogenic responsiveness to acute administration of
      angiotensin II, and significant increases in weights of the heart, kidneys,
      adrenals, and brown adipose tissue compared with their warm-adapted controls. All
      of these changes are characteristic of rats acclimated to cold. In contrast, rats
      of the LE strain appear to be less responsive to cold in that blood pressure
      failed to rise as sharply and to attain as high a level. Furthermore, urinary
      outputs of norepinephrine and epinephrine were significantly lower in cold
      treated rats of the LE strain compared with cold-treated rats of the SD strain,
      but dipsogenic responsiveness to angiotensin II was unchanged. Although increases
      in the weight of the previously mentioned organs were also observed in cold
      treated rats of the LE strain compared with their warm-adapted controls, weights
      of the heart and interscapular brown adipose tissue of both groups were
      significantly less than those of counterparts of the SD strain.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423013
TI  - Intratracheal injection of nickel chloride and copper-zinc superoxide dismutase
      activity in lung of rats.
AB  - Superoxide radical (O2-) is a free radical that may be involved in various toxic
      processes. Cu--Zn superoxide dismutase catalyses the dismutation of the
      superoxide free radical and protects cells from oxidative damage, and it has been
      used clinically. The concentration of Ni2+ and Cu--Zn superoxide dismutase
      activity were measured in lungs of rats at time intervals of 5, 12, 19, 26, 33,
      and 40 days following an intratracheal injection of 127 nmol of NiCl2. Nickel
      chloride increased nickel content and resulted in a significant increase of Cu-
      Zn superoxide dismutase activity in lungs. This elevation of Cu--Zn superoxide
      dismutase activity was highest on the 12th day (approximately threefold) and is
      at levels comparable to controls rats on day 40 onwards. Since Cu--Zn superoxide
      dismutase activity was increased in lung throughout our experimental period
      without corresponding increases of Cu2+ and Zn2+, we speculate that the elevation
      of Cu--Zn superoxide dismutase activity might be due to an increased half-life of
      the enzyme, induced by nickel.

PMID- 1423014
TI  - Competitive antagonism of pressor responses to angiotensin II and angiotensin III
      by the angiotensin II-1 receptor ligand losartan.
AB  - Losartan (DuP 753) and PD123177 are nonpeptide angiotensin (ANG) receptor ligands
      for subtypes of ANG II receptors ANG II-1 and ANG II-2, respectively. We examined
      the effects of losartan and PD123177 on dose - mean arterial pressure (MAP)
      response curves for ANG II and ANG III in eight groups (n = 6 each) of conscious
      rats. Saline (0.9% NaCl), losartan (1 x 10(-6) and 9 x 10(-6) mol/kg), and
      PD123177 (2 x 10(-5) mol/kg) were i.v. bolus injected 15 min before the
      construction of ANG II dose - response curves in groups I, II, III, and IV,
      respectively. Groups V-VIII were treated similarly to I-IV except that ANG III
      was given in place of ANG II. Losartan dose dependently shifted the dose-response
      curves of ANG II and ANG III to the right with similar dissociation constants (
      log KI of 6.6 +/- 0.7 and 6.6 +/- 0.1 mol/kg, respectively) and no change in the
      maxima. PD123177 affected neither maximum MAP nor ED50 values for ANG II or ANG
      III. Our results show that losartan but not PD123177 is a competitive antagonist
      of the MAP effects of ANG II and ANG III.

PMID- 1423015
TI  - Production of tumour necrosis factor by cells exposed to sulphonamide reactive
      metabolites.
AB  - Hypersensitivity reactions are the most common adverse events associated with
      therapy with the sulphonamide antibiotics. These reactions have been shown to
      occur among individuals with pharmacogenetically determined differences in the
      capacity of their cells to detoxify reactive products of oxidative metabolism of
      the sulphonamides. These reactions appear to be propagated by an inflammatory
      response by the immune system. To investigate the role of the cytokine tumour
      necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) in these reactions, we studied the production of TNF
      alpha by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) that had been incubated with
      sulfamethoxazole and murine microsomes in the presence and absence of a
      microsomal-activating system and TNF-alpha production by PBMCs in the presence
      and absence of the hydroxylamine derivative of sulfamethoxazole. The PBMCs showed
      a time-related increase in the production of TNF-alpha. There was no increase in
      TNF-alpha production seen during incubation with sulphonamide reactive
      metabolites; rather, there was a decrease in TNF-alpha elaboration that was most
      marked when PBMCs were incubated with the hydroxylamine of sulfamethoxazole.
      There is no evidence from these in vitro studies that TNF-alpha is involved as a
      mediator of the inflammatory response in sulphonamide hypersensitivity adverse
      drug reactions.

PMID- 1423016
TI  - Digitaloid pregnanes promote potassium-sparing diuresis in the guinea pig.
AB  - The synthesis of 17 alpha-acetoxy-3 beta-[(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)oxy]- 6 alpha
      methylpregn-4-en-20-one, the glucoside of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA-glu),
      is described. MPA-glu and 14-amino-20 beta-hydroxy-3 beta-[(alpha-L
      rhamnopyranosyl)oxy]-5 beta, 14 beta-pregnane (LND 623), pregnane glycosides that
      bind to the digitalis receptor, and digoxin, a cardiac glycoside, were infused
      intravenously into the anesthetized guinea pig. Each of the three steroids
      significantly enhanced urinary volume and sodium excretion without affecting
      blood pressure and creatinine clearance. Potassium excretion was markedly
      enhanced by digoxin but unaffected by MPA-glu or LND 623. These observations
      conform to previous work that demonstrated, in the rat, potassium-sparing
      diuresis by the glucoside of 14 beta-hydroxyprogesterone, a cardiotonic pregnane.
      There is a dissociation between potency to inhibit [3H]ouabain binding and the
      extra ATPase actions of the digitaloid pregnanes.

PMID- 1423017
TI  - Differential effects of blood insulin levels on microsomal enzyme activities from
      hepatic and extrahepatic tissues of male rats.
AB  - Microsomal glutathione S-transferase, UDP-glucuronyl transferase, and aniline
      hydroxylase activities were determined in liver, renal cortex, and small
      intestine of control, streptozotocin-diabetic, alloxan-diabetic, and untreated
      insulin-injected male Wistar rats. Renal microsomal glutathione S-transferase
      activity showed a direct linear relationship with insulin blood levels, in
      agreement with our previous report on cytosolic glutathione S-transferase. This
      result suggests a possible regulatory mechanism of insulin that needs to be
      further examined. The hepatic microsomal UDP-glucuronyl transferase was only
      decreased in streptozotocin-diabetic rats and was not restored by insulin
      treatment. Intestinal UDP-glucuronyl transferase exhibited an opposite response
      in streptozotocin-treated animals that was not normalized by the administration
      of insulin. Hepatic aniline hydroxylase showed the same behaviour as intestinal
      UDP-glucuronyl transferase. These results suggest that streptozotocin and (or)
      its metabolites have a direct effect on hepatic and intestinal UDP-glucuronyl
      transferase activity and on hepatic aniline hydroxylase activity. On the other
      hand, insulin regulation of enzyme activity varies from one organ to another.

PMID- 1423018
TI  - Anatomy of the renal innervation: intrarenal aspects and ganglia of origin.
AB  - The intrinsic innervation of the kidney is described based on studies using
      ultrastructural, fluorescent, immunocytochemical, and autoradiographic
      techniques. The efferent sympathetic innervation reaches all the segments of the
      renal vasculature and to a much lesser extent the tubular nephron. The afferent
      renal nerves are localized predominantly in the pelvic region, the major vessels,
      and the corticomedullary connective tissue. The pathways of the renal innervation
      to the corresponding ganglia, as reported from observations resulting from the
      combination of axonal transport labeling and immunocytochemical methods, are
      presented. In the rat the ganglia of origin of the sympathetic efferent
      innervation include T13-L1 ipsilateral and contralateral paravertebral ganglia
      and the prevertebral superior mesenteric and celiac ganglia. The sensory afferent
      innervation presents a different segmental distribution of the dorsal root
      ganglia for the right and left kidney. For the left kidney, the corresponding
      ganglia extend from T8 to L2 with the greatest numbers in T12 and T13. For the
      right kidney, ganglia as high as T6 and as low as L2 harbor neurons innervating
      the kidney. Current knowledge of the anatomical bases of the function of the
      renal nerves is discussed.

PMID- 1423019
TI  - Neuronal control of the kidney: contribution to hypertension.
AB  - The renal nerves contribute to hypertension in experimental models of the
      disease, and appear to play a role in human hypertension. Several lines of
      evidence indicate that both in spontaneously hypertensive rats and in
      deoxycorticosterone acetate--NaCl rats, the full development of hypertension is
      dependent on renal efferent nerves and their induction of excess sodium
      retention. Renal sensory (afferent nerve) feedback to the central nervous system
      does not contribute to either of these forms of hypertension. In contrast,
      renovascular hypertension in rats and aortic coarctation hypertension in dogs are
      mediated, at least in part, by overactivity of renal afferent nerves and a
      resultant increase in systemic sympathetic nervous system activity. These forms
      of hypertension are not associated with sodium retention, and selective sensory
      denervation of renal afferent nerves by dorsal rhizotomy and total renal
      denervation result in similar reductions in hypertension. Surprisingly, the renal
      nerves do not contribute to dietary NaCl exacerbated hypertension in the
      spontaneously hypertensive rat, dietary NaCl-induced hypertension in the Dahl
      NaCl-sensitive rat, or the chronic hypertensive and nephrotoxic effects of
      cyclosporine A therapy in the rat, despite the finding that in all three forms of
      hypertension, overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system is prominent.
      Clinical studies indicate that the renal afferent and efferent nerves contribute
      to hypertension of different etiologies. Together these data point to the complex
      role that the renal nerves likely play in human essential hypertension.

PMID- 1423020
TI  - Central peptidergic mechanisms controlling reproductive hormone secretion: novel
      methodology reveals a role for the natriuretic peptides.
AB  - A variety of neural factors can influence reproductive hormone secretion by
      neuromodulatory actions within the hypothalamus or neuroendocrine actions within
      the anterior pituitary gland. Passive immunoneutralization and antagonist
      administration protocols have suggested physiological roles for a number of these
      factors; however, both experimental approaches have severe technical limitations.
      We have developed novel methodology utilizing cytotoxin cell targeting with
      neuropeptides linked to the toxic A chain of the plant cytotoxin ricin. With this
      methodology we can target and destroy in vivo or in vitro cells bearing receptors
      for that peptide. Ricin A chain conjugated to atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), a
      neuropeptide known to pharmacologically inhibit luteinizing hormone-releasing
      hormone (LHRH) release, was injected into the cerebroventricular system of
      intact, cycling rats and ovariectomized rats. Cytotoxin conjugate treatment
      significantly lengthened the estrous cycle. In ovariectomized rats the
      luteinizing hormone surge induced by steroid priming was completely inhibited.
      LHRH content of the median eminences of these rats was not significantly altered.
      These data suggest that ANP binding to clearance receptors in the hypothalamus
      displaces the C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) from the shared clearance
      receptor, making more CNP available to inhibit LHRH release. In the absence of
      cells bearing the clearance receptor all available CNP binds to the ANPR-B
      receptor and exerts its effect via an inhibitory interneuron, since LHRH fibers
      are spared by this treatment.

PMID- 1423021
TI  - Central actions of angiotensin in cardiovascular control: multiple roles for a
      single peptide.
AB  - Angiotensin II (ANG II) acts peripherally as a hormone, with actions on the
      vasculature, adrenals, and kidney. In addition, certain actions of ANG II in the
      central nervous system are directed toward cardiovascular control and fluid
      volume homeostasis. Dense binding sites for ANG II are found at circumventricular
      organs, which apparently have the ability to relay information to cardiovascular
      centers via neural circuitry. Microinjection of ANG II into the subfornical organ
      (SFO) or area postrema (AP) produces site-specific increases in blood pressure.
      In addition, electrophysiological studies demonstrate profound effects of ANG II,
      acting at the SFO, on activity of neurohypophysial neurons and release of
      oxytocin and vasopressin, which can be antagonized by ANG II blockers or
      attenuated by SFO lesions. Evidence from microinjection, electrophysiological,
      and lesion studies indicate a complex interaction between central sites involved
      in mechanisms of cardiovascular control: the SFO, AP, organum vasculosum of the
      lamina terminalis, and paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus.
      Not only is ANG II a humoral messenger in this central scenario, but evidence
      suggests it acts as a neurotransmitter or neuroendocrine substance within
      specific CNS pathways, suggesting multiple roles for this peptide in central
      cardiovascular control.

PMID- 1423022
TI  - Central arginine vasopressin and endogenous antipyresis.
AB  - Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a centrally synthesized nonapeptide that exerts
      classical endocrine effects as well as a host of centrally mediated actions. A
      strong case can be argued in support of a neurotransmitter-neuromodulator role
      for AVP. Acting within the central nervous system (CNS), AVP has been
      demonstrated to be involved in the modulation of febrile body temperature.
      Because AVP acts to reduce pyrogen-induced fevers, but not normal body
      temperature, its actions are deemed to be antipyretic. However, to demonstrate an
      endogenous antipyretic function, AVP must be shown to be active during conditions
      where fever is naturally suppressed. This review will focus on five such
      conditions where the absence of pyrogen-induced fever can be linked to the
      endogenous activity of AVP within the brain. In the neonatal rat pup, the use of
      specific antagonists to the AVP receptor has revealed a role for CNS AVP in the
      absence of fever following peripheral injections of bacterial endotoxin. These
      results may help to explain a similar lack of fever in other newborn species. In
      parturient animals a reduced or absent febrile response has been linked to the
      increased presence of AVP within the septal area of the brain. The combined use
      of AVP receptor antagonism as well as immunohistochemistry has shown enhanced AVP
      activity within the ventral septal area of the rat and guinea pig brain during
      tolerance to intravenous pyrogens. These results suggest that the mechanism of
      fever suppression following repeated systemic injections of bacterial pyrogen
      includes centrally acting AVP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423023
TI  - Investigating the role of angiotensin II in thirst: interactions between arterial
      pressure and the control of drinking.
AB  - Several lines of evidence suggest that angiotensin II plays a physiological role
      in the control of thirst. Establishing that, however, has been surprisingly
      difficult, given our current knowledge about the renin-angiotensin systems in the
      circulation and the brain and the variety of techniques available to measure and
      manipulate them. A major problem is that stimulating or blocking the renin
      angiotensin system affects several physiological variables simultaneously. Since
      several of these variables also influence the controls of water intake directly
      or indirectly, the interpretation of the effect on drinking becomes more
      difficult. To illustrate the problem and recent developments, this paper
      describes some of the interactions between the effects of angiotensin II on
      arterial pressure and thirst, and it shows how they have contributed to the
      controversy over the physiological role of the peptide.

PMID- 1423024
TI  - Studies of the inhibitory activity of MK-0591 (3-[1-(4-chlorobenzyl)-3-(t
      butylthio)-5-(quinolin-2-yl-methoxy)-indol- 2-yl]-2,2-dimethyl propanoic acid) on
      arachidonic acid metabolism in human phagocytes.
AB  - We have investigated the inhibitory activity of compound MK-0591 (3-[1-(4
      chlorobenzyl)-3-(t-butylthio)-5-(quinolin-2-yl-methoxy)-i ndol-2- yl]-2,2
      dimethyl propanoic acid) on 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) product synthesis in various
      human phagocytes stimulated with either the ionophore A23187, opsonized zymosan
      (OPZ), platelet-activating factor (PAF), or formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine
      (fMLP). The lipoxygenase products were analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC. MK-0591
      inhibited the formation of 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, leukotriene (LT) B4,
      its omega-oxidation products, and 6-trans-isomers with IC50 values of 2.8-4.8 nM
      in A23187-stimulated neutrophils. In these conditions, arachidonic acid at a
      concentration of 10 microM had no effect on MK-0591 inhibitory activity. In
      neutrophils stimulated with OPZ, the synthesis of LTB4, its omega-oxidation
      products, and 6-trans-isomers was inhibited with IC50 values of 9.5-11.0 nM. MK
      0591 inhibited 5-LO product synthesis in A23187-stimulated blood monocytes,
      eosinophils, and alveolar macrophages with IC50 values of 0.3-0.9, 3.7-5.3, and
      8.5-17.3 nM, respectively. In neutrophils primed with granulocyte--macrophage
      colony-stimulating factor and stimulated with PAF, lipoxygenase product synthesis
      was inhibited with IC50 values of 7.7-8.7 nM. At the concentration of 1 microM,
      MK-0591 had no inhibitory effect on 15-lipoxygenase activity in human
      polymorphonuclear leukocytes, nor on human platelet 12-lipoxygenase and
      cyclooxygenase. In conclusion, MK-0591 is a very potent and specific inhibitor of
      5-LO product synthesis in various types of human phagocytes.

PMID- 1423025
TI  - Effects of torbafylline on muscle atrophy: prevention and recovery.
AB  - The effects of torbafylline on the prevention of and the recovery from 5 weeks of
      hindlimb suspension induced atrophy were analyzed in rat soleus and extensor
      digitorum longus muscles. Muscle alterations were investigated by determining a
      suite of electrophysiological, histochemical, and muscle ultrastructural
      characteristics. Administration of torbafylline during the suspension period was
      ineffective in preventing any of the observed muscle atrophic changes.
      Application of torbafylline during the recovery period resulted in a faster
      recovery of some soleus muscle structural and functional properties.
      Mitochondrial volume densities and capillary to fiber ratios returned towards
      baseline values earlier in the recovery process with torbafylline. Furthermore,
      the drug significantly improved soleus muscle fatigue resistance 4 weeks after
      cessation of hindlimb suspension.

PMID- 1423026
TI  - Monophasic and biphasic effects of angiotensin II and III on norepinephrine
      uptake and release in rat adrenal medulla.
AB  - Angiotensin II and III have hypertensive effects. They induce vascular smooth
      muscle constriction, increase sodium reabsorption by renal tubules, stimulate the
      anteroventral third ventricle area, increase vasopressin and aldosterone
      secretions, and modify catecholamine metabolism. In this work, angiotensin II and
      III effects on norepinephrine uptake and release in rat adrenal medulla were
      investigated. Both angiotensins decreased total and neuronal norepinephrine
      uptake. Angiotensin II showed a biphasic effect only on evoked neuronal
      norepinephrine release (an earlier decrease followed by a later increase), while
      increasing the spontaneous norepinephrine release only after 12 min. On the other
      hand, angiotensin III showed a biphasic effect on evoked and spontaneous neuronal
      norepinephrine release. Both angiotensins altered norepinephrine distribution
      into intracellular stores, concentrating the amine into the granular pool and
      decreasing the cytosolic store. The results suggest a physiological biphasic
      effect of angiotensin II as well as angiotensin III that may be involved in the
      modulation of sympathetic activity in the rat adrenal medulla.

PMID- 1423028
TI  - Ca2+ transport through the brush border membrane of human placenta
      syncytiotrophoblasts.
AB  - The calcium (Ca2+) uptake by brush border membrane vesicles isolated from fresh
      human placentas has been characterized. This process was saturable and time- and
      concentration-dependent. It exhibited a double Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with
      apparent Km values of 0.17 +/- 0.03 and 2.98 +/- 0.17 mM Ca2+, and Vmax values of
      0.9 +/- 0.13 and 2.51 +/- 0.45 pmol.micrograms-1.5 s-1. It was not influenced by
      the presence of Na+ or Mg2+ in the incubation medium. It was not increased by K+
      or anion diffusion potentials, inside negative. At a steady state of 1 mM Ca2+
      uptake, a large proportion (approximately 94%) of the Ca2+ was bound to the
      internal surface of the membranes. Preincubation of these membrane vesicles with
      voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel blockers (nifedipine and verapamil) had no
      influence on Ca2+ uptake. However, this uptake was very sensitive to pH. In the
      absence of a pH gradient, the Ca2+ uptake increased with alkalinity. When the
      intravesicular pH was kept constant while the pH of the incubation medium was
      increased, Ca2+ uptake was also stimulated by alkaline pH. In contrast, when the
      pH of the incubation medium was kept constant and the intravesicular pH was
      progressively increased, Ca2+ uptake was diminished with alkaline pH. Therefore,
      H+ gradient (H+ in trans-position greater than H+ in cis-position) favored Ca2+
      transport, suggesting a H+/Ca2+ exchange mechanism. Finally, in contrast to the
      basal plasma membrane, the brush border membrane did not show any ATP-dependent
      Ca2+ transport activity.

PMID- 1423027
TI  - Trophic regulation of action potential in bullfrog sympathetic neurones.
AB  - These experiments tested the hypothesis that the normal electrophysiological
      properties of mature bullfrog sympathetic ganglion (BFSG) neurones are maintained
      by the retrograde supply of nerve growth factor-like molecules from peripheral
      target tissues. Maintenance of these cells in explant culture in the absence of
      nerve growth factor (NGF) for up to 30 days produced electrophysiological changes
      that resemble those previously shown to accompany axotomy in vivo. These included
      (i) an increase in action potential (ap) duration (spike width), (ii) a decrease
      in the amplitude of the afterhyperpolarization (ahp), which follows the ap, and
      (iii) a rapidly developing decrease in ahp duration. When murine NGF (2.5 s; 50
      ng/mL) was included in the culture medium there was less attenuation of ahp
      amplitude. Inclusion of affinity-isolated sheep IgG antibodies (0.5
      micrograms/mL; raised against murine 2.5 s NGF) in the culture medium promoted a
      greater reduction in ahp amplitude than was seen in the "control" explants that
      were maintained in the absence of NGF. By contrast, the decrease in ahp duration
      that occurred in control explants was neither attenuated by exposure to NGF nor
      was it enhanced by NGF antibodies. Also, the increase in spike width that was
      seen in control explants was enhanced both by murine NGF and by NGF antibodies.
      Although some of the data support the hypothesis that factor(s) with some
      similarity to NGF may be synthesized by BFSG in vitro, loss of the retrograde
      transport of such factors does not explain all aspects of the
      electrophysiological response to target deprivation and (or) axotomy.

PMID- 1423029
TI  - Conserved charge of glomerular and mesangial cell proteoglycans: possible role of
      amino acid-derived sulphate.
AB  - Sulphation of proteoglycans was studied in isolated glomeruli and cultured rat
      mesangial cells. Both preparations produced heparan, dermatan, and chondroitin
      sulphates, recoverable both from the tissue layers and the conditioned media. The
      proportion of heparan sulphate made by mesangial cells was independent of the age
      of the culture, but declined in later passage. These preparations differed from
      several other nontransformed cell types studied to date in that the degree of
      proteoglycan sulphation was independent of the concentration of inorganic
      sulphate provided. Even when no exogenous sulphate was added, sulphation
      dependent charge density of newly synthesized proteoglycans was conserved. Both
      isolated glomeruli and cultured mesangial cells produced proteoglycans with 35S
      labelled sulphate esters when [35S]methionine was provided as the sole source of
      labelled sulphate. Conversion of methionine to cysteine and subsequent oxidation
      of organic sulphate via the sulphinyl pyruvate pathway is the only mechanism
      known in eukaryotic cells that can account for this observation. We conclude that
      facile oxidation of sulphur-containing amino acids can contribute to sulphation
      of glomerular proteoglycans and may serve to sustain the charge density of these
      multifunctional molecules when the supply of inorganic sulphate is otherwise
      compromised.

PMID- 1423030
TI  - Improved sensitivity of the mouse interstitial cell testosterone assay with the
      addition of forskolin.
AB  - Modification of the mouse interstitial cell testosterone assay by the addition of
      1.5 microM forskolin to the incubation medium has improved the sensitivity of
      this luteinizing hormone bioassay from approximately 100 to 3 pg/tube of NIH rLH
      RP-2. Luteinizing hormone can be clearly detected in 1 microL of serum from rats
      castrated 1 week previously and 5 microL of serum from intact rats. Parallelism
      was noted between dilution curves of serum from intact and castrated rats, and
      the luteinizing hormone standard curve. Luteinizing hormone detected in serum
      samples from 30 intact rats by the improved bioassay and by radioimmunoassay was
      significantly correlated (r = 0.85). Secretion patterns of circulating
      luteinizing hormone in individual rats were similar when detected by either
      bioassay or radioimmunoassay. Thus, with the addition of forskolin, the mouse
      interstitial cell testosterone assay has been improved so that luteinizing
      hormone can be detected in small volumes of serum or plasma from male rats.

PMID- 1423031
TI  - Vasodepressor reaction induced by inferior vena caval occlusion and
      isoproterenol.
AB  - Testing for the susceptibility for vasodepressor reaction in humans involves the
      combination of restriction of venous return by passive upright tilting and the
      administration of isoproterenol. To explore the basis of the vasodepressor test
      in humans, the present experiment examined whether a reduced cardiac volume
      coupled with adrenergic stimulation causes a vasodepressor reaction in rats.
      Vasodepressor reaction was defined as paradoxical heart rate slowing in
      conjunction with hypotension during inferior vena caval occlusion. Inferior vena
      caval occlusion was performed for 60 s and the maximum changes in R-R were
      measured during seven states as follows. (A) Under control conditions inferior
      vena caval occlusion alone accelerated the rate in 32 of 32 rats (delta R-R, 
      13.9 +/- 1.7 ms, p less than 0.001). (B) When inferior vena caval occlusion was
      performed during an infusion of isoproterenol (0.5-1.0 micrograms.min-1), a
      vasodepressor reaction was observed in all rats as the heart rate slowed (delta R
      R, +138.1 +/- 14.8 ms, p less than 0.001). The vasodepressor reaction was further
      examined during isoproterenol and inferior vena caval occlusion under five
      additional states. (C) After atropine the vasodepressor reaction was unchanged
      (delta R-R, +132.7 +/- 24.8 ms, p less than 0.001). (D) After bilateral vagotomy
      the paradoxical slowing was eliminated. (E) After intrapericardial lidocaine the
      paradoxic slowing was eliminated. (F) After bilateral stellectomy nonsignificant
      slowing was still present, but this was markedly reduced when compared with B (p
      less than 0.001). (G) Following chronic chemical sympathetic denervation with 6
      hydroxydopamine the paradoxic bradycardia was eliminated. CONCLUSIONS: (1)
      Reduced cardiac volume combined with adrenergic stimulation can stimulate a
      vasodepressor reaction; (2) the vasodepressor reaction requires signalling by the
      afferent but not efferent vagal fibers; (3) the bradycardia is mainly due to
      withdrawal of sympathetic efferent tone.

PMID- 1423032
TI  - Localization of the reflex pathway responsible for the vasodepressor reaction
      induced by inferior vena caval occlusion and isoproterenol.
AB  - Vasodepressor reactions were induced in 27 rats by a combination of inferior vena
      caval occlusion and an infusion of isoproterenol. A vasodepressor reaction was
      defined as paradoxical heart rate slowing during inferior vena caval occlusion.
      The R-R intervals were measured at 5-s intervals before, during, and after 60 s
      of inferior vena caval occlusion. The purpose of this study was to examine the
      role of the right and left vagus nerve and the right and left stellate ganglia in
      this reflex. Under control conditions inferior vena caval occlusion accelerated
      the rate (R-R, -15.9 +/- 0.9 ms). During an infusion of isoproterenol (0.5-1.0
      micrograms.min-1), inferior vena caval occlusion produced paradoxical rate
      slowing, i.e., a vasodepressor reaction (R-R, +75.0 +/- 2.2 ms). The
      vasodepressor reaction was examined during inferior vena caval occlusion and
      isoproterenol under the following additional states: atropine methyl bromide or
      right vagotomy did not alter the reaction; left vagotomy eliminated the reaction;
      and right or left stellectomy greatly reduced the vasodepressor reaction. We
      conclude the following: (1) left vagal afferents mediate the vasodepressor
      reaction; (2) cardiac sympathetic fibers participate in the vasodepressor
      reaction by withdrawing efferent tone through the right stellate ganglion, and by
      generating the afferent signal, which triggers the vasodepressor reaction through
      the left stellate ganglion.

PMID- 1423033
TI  - The effects of sympathetic denervation on spontaneous ventricular defibrillation
      in the rat.
AB  - Ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation was electrically induced in
      38 normal rats (group 1) and 24 sympathetically denervated rats (6
      hydroxydopamine) (group 2). The time for spontaneous reversion to sinus rhythm
      was measured during (1) control, (2) isoproterenol, and (3) the combination of
      isoproterenol and phenylephrine. The time for spontaneous reversion was the same
      in both groups in the three states. The reversion time was prolonged threefold by
      isoproterenol, and restored to control values when phenylephrine was added to the
      infusion of isoproterenol. The tachycardia duration and the refractory period
      were inversely related: log10 (tachycardia duration) = 3.466-0.091 (refractory
      period). Ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation induction was examined as follows:
      (i) Ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation was induced in 100% of normal rats
      (group 1), but only 42% of the denervated rats (group 2, p less than 0.001); (ii)
      during isoproterenol, ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation was induced in 100% of
      rats of both groups; and (iii) when phenylephrine was added to isoproterenol,
      ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation was induced in 100% of group 1 rats versus
      82% of group 2 rats, (p = NS). These observations suggest (1) the induction of
      ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation is highly dependent on intact sympathetic
      innervation, and (2) exogenous adrenergic agonists modulate the duration of
      ventricular fibrillation through their effects on ventricular refractory period,
      independent of sympathetic innervation.

PMID- 1423034
TI  - Exercise training has a heparin-like effect on lipoprotein lipase activity in
      muscle.
AB  - Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is anchored with high affinity to heparan sulphate
      proteoglycans on the luminal surface of the capillary endothelium. The levels of
      pre-heparin perfusate LPL activity increased from 16 +/- 1 to 145 +/- 6
      U/hindlimb (nine-fold increase) in hindlimb muscle of exercise-trained rats
      measured immediately after the last bout of work. At the same time, post-heparin
      perfusate LPL activity decreased from 63 +/- 2 to 13 +/- 1 U/hindlimb (p less
      than 0.001). These results provide evidence that exercise-training has a heparin
      like effect on capillary-bound LPL. The total amount of LPL (i.e., pre-heparin
      perfusate plus post-heparin perfusate) was twofold greater in the hindlimb of the
      trained animals versus the controls. The effect of exercise on muscle LPL
      activity appears to last for as long as 5 days after cessation of exercise. Serum
      triglycerides were reduced 38% and plasma free fatty acids increased fourfold.
      These results provide evidence that training increases the capacity to remove
      triglycerides from circulation.

PMID- 1423035
TI  - gamma-Aminobutyric acid activity in the olfactory bulb of the rat during the
      sexual cycle and response to olfactory stimuli.
AB  - Glutamic acid decarboxylase activity in the main and accessory olfactory bulbs
      throughout the sexual cycle of the rat was studied. The effect of male pheromonal
      secretion on enzyme activity during proestrus and estrus day was also tested. The
      enzyme activity showed circadian rhythm during the estrous cycle. This rhythm was
      disrupted during diestrus-2 afternoon in the main bulb and came back during
      proestrus afternoon. A different pattern of enzyme activity was present in the
      accessory bulb, since the circadian rhythm was altered during proestrus morning,
      returning during estrus afternoon. Male odor exposition did not change enzyme
      profile activity during proestrus day and during estrus morning in the main bulb.
      In contrast, in the accessory bulb the olfactory stimuli induced opposite changes
      to that found in rats from the vivarium during proestrus. Comparison of enzyme
      activity in olfactory stimuli-deprived rats with that of pheromone-stimulated
      rats during proestrus showed that male odor exposure specifically affects
      accessory bulb enzyme activity. It is concluded that the changes of the olfactory
      bulb GABAergic system during proestrus and estrus day, or that evoked by odor
      stimuli, demonstrate the discriminative response of this system between the
      accessory olfactory bulb and the main olfactory bulb.

PMID- 1423036
TI  - Reduced Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum
      at low pH.
AB  - The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of reduced pH on
      Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release (CICR) from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum
      (SR). Frog semitendinosus fiber bundles (1-3/bundle) were chemically skinned via
      saponin treatment (50 micrograms/mL, 20 min), which removes the sarcolemma and
      leaves the SR functional. The SR was first depleted of Ca2+ then loaded for 2 min
      at pCa (log free Ca2+ concentration) 6.6. CICR was then evoked by exposing the
      fibers to pCa 5-7 for 5-60 s. CICR was evoked both in the absence of ATP and Mg2+
      and in the presence of beta, gamma-methyleneadenosine-5'-triphosphate (AMPPCP, a
      nonhydrolyzable form of ATP) and Mg2+. Ca2+ remaining in the SR was then assayed
      via caffeine (25 mM) contracture. In all cases, CICR evoked at pH 6.5 resulted in
      larger caffeine contractures than that evoked at 7.0, suggesting that more Ca2+
      was released during CICR at the higher pH. Accordingly, rate constants for CICR
      were significantly greater at pH 7.0 than at pH 6.5. These results indicate that
      reduced pH depresses CICR from skeletal muscle SR.

PMID- 1423037
TI  - Electrolytes, protein, and lactate dehydrogenase isozymes of parotid saliva in
      mineralocorticoid-treated rats.
AB  - Small quantities of parotid saliva were obtained from 7 of 11 rats in which
      hypokalemia was induced by treatment with deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA).
      Thirst in the treated rats was indicated by an increase in water consumption. A
      decrease of 28% in plasma potassium levels indicated that the DOCA-treated rats
      had become hypokalemic; chloride decreased 6-7% while sodium was unchanged.
      Saliva showed significant increases in potassium and protein and a decrease in
      sodium; lactate dehydrogenase-2 and -4 bands appeared darker on the
      electrophoretic profile. These changes are relevant to the clinical
      manifestations and diagnosis of hypokalemia.

PMID- 1423038
TI  - Biotransformation of glyceryl trinitrate by rat brain homogenate.
AB  - Incubation of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) with 5% (w/v) rat brain homogenate (RBH)
      resulted in biotransformation of the organic nitrate vasodilator drug to a
      mixture of glyceryl-1,2-dinitrate (1,2-GDN) and glyceryl-1,3-dinitrate (1,3-GDN).
      Heating of the RBH at 100 degrees C for 5 min and (or) pretreatment with 5 mM N
      ethylmaleimide at 37 degrees C for 10 min demonstrated that about two-thirds of
      the GTN biotransformation activity was due to a sulfhydryl-dependent enzymatic
      process resulting in the predominant formation of 1,2-GDN, and that the remaining
      biotransformation activity was due to a sulfhydryl-dependent nonenzymatic process
      resulting in the selective formation of 1,3-GDN. In a preliminary experiment,
      nitric oxide formation was observed during the incubation of GTN with RBH under
      anaerobic conditions. These data support the idea that some of the therapeutic
      and adverse effects of GTN are mediated through its action in the central nervous
      system.

PMID- 1423039
TI  - Mechanism of cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage in monkeys.
AB  - This paper reviews our recent studies on the mechanism of cerebral vasospasm
      following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in monkeys. Middle cerebral artery (MCA)
      vasospasm was maximal at 7 days, resolving by 14 days, and absent at 28 days
      after SAH. Arterial fibrosis was not detected during vasospasm, although there
      was intimal hyperplasia with fibrosis 28 days after SAH. On scanning electron
      microscopy, smooth muscle cells from vasospastic arteries had corrugated cell
      membranes and appeared similar to cells contracted pharmacologically, suggesting
      that vasospastic smooth muscle is contracted. Morphometric analysis of arteries
      obtained 7 days after SAH showed no significant increases in arterial wall area
      of vasospastic arteries compared with normal MCAs. The results suggest vasospasm
      in monkeys is not due to hypertrophy, hyperplasia, or fibrosis in the arterial
      wall. Vasospasm may be mainly vascular smooth muscle contraction, which damages
      the arterial wall, leading to secondary structural changes in the arterial wall
      which occur after angiographic vasospasm.

PMID- 1423040
TI  - During repetitive forebrain ischemia, post-ischemic hypothermia protects neurons
      from damage.
AB  - In rodents damage from repetitive transient cerebral ischemia is more severe than
      that seen with a single ischemic insult of similar duration. Mild hypothermia has
      been shown to be very effective in protecting the brain during single ischemic
      insults. We tested the protective effects of hypothermia in repetitive ischemic
      insults. We used the gerbil model of repetitive ischemia (three minutes ischemia
      repeated at one hourly intervals three times) and histological evaluation was
      done using the silver staining technique. Our study reveals that a decrease in
      body and scalp temperature by 1-2 degrees Celsius can significantly reduce
      neuronal damage in the cerebral cortex, CA1 region of the hippocampus and
      substantia nigra reticulata during repetitive ischemia. As the hypothermia was
      induced after the initial insult, we believe this offers an opportunity for
      intervention in the clinical settings.

PMID- 1423041
TI  - The influence of indomethacin and guanethidine on experimental streptozotocin
      diabetic neuropathy.
AB  - In diabetic animals, reduced endoneurial perfusion and oxygen content have been
      linked to neuropathic abnormalities and might be amenable to pharmacological
      manipulation. In streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats, we studied the influence
      of guanethidine adrenergic sympathectomy, indomethacin treatment and a combined
      strategy on: serial in vivo motor and sensory conduction, resistance to ischemic
      conduction failure, in vitro myelinated and unmyelinated conduction, endoneurial
      perfusion and endoneurial oxygen tension. Unlike previous work diabetic animals
      had normal endoneurial perfusion but lower endoneurial oxygen tensions after six
      months of hyperglycemia. Guanethidine worsened sensory conduction despite lower
      microvascular resistance and an improvement in endoneurial oxygen tension. In
      contrast, indomethacin improved motor and sensory conduction but not oxygen
      tension. These studies do not support a linkage between conduction deficits and
      early endoneurial microangiopathy in experimental diabetes. Indomethacin, or
      related agents may offer a new therapeutic approach toward diabetic neuropathy
      through a mechanism independent of the endoneurial microvasculature.

PMID- 1423042
TI  - Absence of HTLV-I and HTLV-II proviral genome in the brains of patients with
      multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
AB  - Previous studies have failed to provide serological evidence to incriminate a
      retroviral infection in the cause of multiple sclerosis. Gene amplification
      techniques have also failed to identify retroviral footprints in DNA from
      peripheral blood leukocytes. Here we provide evidence that proviral DNA of HTLV-I
      and HTLV-II is not found in the central nervous system tissues of patients with
      multiple sclerosis, patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and controls.

PMID- 1423043
TI  - Excitatory amino acid receptor antagonist in murine motoneuron disease (the
      wobbler mouse).
AB  - Recent evidence has suggested a potential role for involvement of excitatory
      amino acids (EAA) in the pathogenesis of the neuron loss in motoneuron diseases.
      We have examined the ability of an antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)
      receptors to halt or retard the progression of neurological symptoms in a murine
      form of motoneuron disease. The wobbler mouse is an autosomal recessive mutant
      which develops progressive neurological symptoms secondary to motoneuron loss.
      Treatment of wobbler mice with the NMDA receptor antagonist (+)-5-methyl-10,11
      dihydro-5H-dibenzo(a,d)cyclohepten-5, 10-imine maleate (MK-801) did not retard
      neurological deterioration as assessed by a semiquantitative clinical scale. We
      conclude that NMDA receptor activation is probably not involved in the
      pathogenesis of motoneuron loss in the wobbler mouse.

PMID- 1423044
TI  - The increased susceptibility of women to multiple sclerosis.
AB  - Many diseases with an auto-immune etiology have a skewed sex distribution. In the
      majority of instances, women are affected more frequently than men. A review of
      population studies demonstrates that the preponderance of women in multiple
      sclerosis (MS) is almost constant. We show that this preponderance is further
      increased in early as well as in late-onset cases, in familial cases as well as
      in MS twin pairs and that the HLA-DR2 allele, which has been associated with MS
      in Caucasian populations, is significantly more frequent in women than in men
      with MS. "Rules" have been established for multifactorial diseases; MS
      contravenes most of those rules. The skewed sex distribution in MS could be
      attributed to the known hormonal and gender influences on the immune response, as
      well as to genetic influences.

PMID- 1423045
TI  - The neurology of cobalamin.
AB  - The following review indicates that the impact of cobalamin on neurologic disease
      extends far beyond the traditional myelopathy of classical pernicious anemia. The
      delineation of a broad spectrum of inherited disorders of cobalamin processing
      has served to illustrate and precisely define each step in the normal absorption,
      transport and intracellular metabolism of this essential vitamin. Recent clinical
      work has extended the boundaries of acquired cobalamin deficiency to encompass a
      variety of neuropsychiatric disturbances without identifiable concomitant
      hematologic derangements and emphasized the utility and sensitivity of new
      laboratory tests. These findings will demand increased vigilance from clinicians
      so that atypical and subtle cobalamin deficiency states will be readily
      diagnosed. The wide range of neurologic dysfunction observed in both inherited
      and acquired disorders of cobalamin metabolism challenges basic scientists to
      delineate cobalamin's presumed important role in the normal development and
      homeostasis of the nervous system.

PMID- 1423046
TI  - Gliomas in families.
AB  - This is a descriptive study of 19 families with glial tumors. Twelve were
      identified prospectively from 178 consecutive, unrelated adults and children with
      newly diagnosed gliomas seen at a regional cancer center between 01 Jan 89 and 31
      Mar 91 (6.7%). There were 45 affected members (42 confirmed); 30 males, 15
      females, ages 4 months-78 years (median, 44.5 years; mean, 38.9 years). Two
      families had four affected members, three families had three, and the others two.
      All confirmed tumors were supratentorial and all, save one, contained an
      astrocytic element. Three additional members of two families had other brain or
      neuroectodermal tumors. These families were not unusually cancer prone and did
      not appear to have neurofibromatosis, tuberous sclerosis, or colonic polyposis.
      There was no consistent pattern of inheritance.

PMID- 1423047
TI  - Symptomatic dystonia: clinical profile of 46 Brazilian patients.
AB  - Dystonia is a syndrome characterized by sustained muscle contraction, provoking
      twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures. It may be classified
      according to etiology, as idiopathic or symptomatic. We studied 122 Brazilian
      patients with a dystonic syndrome. Of these, 46 (37.7%) had symptomatic dystonia.
      The most frequent cause was tardive dystonia (34.8%) followed by perinatal
      cerebral injury (30.4%). Other causes were stroke (13.0%), encephalitis (6.5%)
      and Wilson's disease (4.3%). Cranial trauma, mitochondrial cytopathy and
      psychogenic, were the least frequent causes with one patient in each category.
      The etiology in two patients could not be established. Perinatal cerebral injury
      and postencephalitic dystonia were seen in the younger age group, while post
      stroke and tardive dystonia were seen in the older age group.

PMID- 1423048
TI  - The role of magnetic resonance imaging in acute transverse myelitis.
AB  - Eighteen adult patients presenting with acute transverse myelitis (ATM) were
      evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging. Only 7 had abnormal scans showing an
      area of increased signal intensity within the cord solely on T2 weighted images;
      T1 weighted images were normal. The MRI abnormality did not correlate with the
      cause of the transverse myelitis, the extent of maximum neurological deficit, or
      the prognosis. A scan performed more than 5 days after the onset of disease was
      most likely to be positive. Even though the prognostic value of MRI in ATM may be
      limited, it remains a valuable technique for ruling out other causes of
      noncompressive spinal cord lesions, such as hemorrhage, vascular malformation, or
      tumor.

PMID- 1423049
TI  - Monitoring children treated with carbamazepine.

PMID- 1423050
TI  - Re: Current status of radiosurgery for arteriovenous malformations.

PMID- 1423051
TI  - Consensus statement on physician training for the treatment of dystonia with
      botulinum toxin. The Canadian Movement Disorders Group.

PMID- 1423053
TI  - Age distribution of animals persistently infected with bovine virus diarrhea
      virus in twenty-two Danish dairy herds.
AB  - The objectives of this study were to compare the age distribution of animals
      persistently infected (PI) with bovine virus diarrhea virus (BVDV) in 12 herds
      with clinical BVD compared to ten herds without clinical BVD and to examine the
      incidence of PI calves born after the oldest PI animal. Blood samples from all
      animals were tested for bovine virus diarrhea virus and antibodies. In five
      herds, blood samples were obtained from calves born after the whole herd had been
      tested. All calves born by PI dams were also blood tested. In herds with clinical
      BVD the median age of PI animals was 248 days and in herds without clinical BVD
      the median age was 144 days. There was no significant difference between the age
      of PI animals in herds with clinical BVD compared to herds without clinical BVD
      (p = 0.48) suggesting similar epidemiology of the occurrences of PI animals in
      the two herd categories. Thereafter, all herds were used to study the incidence
      of PI animals. A total of 129 PI animals were found. In ten herds with 72 PI
      animals the age range of PI animals was more than six months. In these herds
      26.3% of the PI animals were born within the first two months after birth of the
      oldest PI animal, no PI animals were born 2- less than 6 months, 52.7% were born
      6- less than 14 months, 6.9% were born 14- less than 22 months and 13.9% (all
      born by PI dams) were born later than 22 months after the oldest PI
      animal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423052
TI  - Changes in the bacterial flora of the upper and lower respiratory tracts and
      bronchoalveolar lavage differential cell counts in feedlot calves treated for
      respiratory diseases.
AB  - Serial nasopharyngeal swab and bronchoalveolar lavage cultures were used to
      estimate changes in the bacterial flora of the respiratory tracts of calves
      during the first month after arrival in the feedlot. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)
      differential cell counts served to evaluate pulmonary inflammatory changes during
      this period. Two groups of calves were studied, one consisting of clinically
      normal controls (n = 60), the other, of cases (n = 59) which received treatment
      for respiratory disease (penicillin +/- trimethoprimsulfadoxine). A variety of
      organisms, including Pasteurella multocida, Pasteurella haemolytica, Haemophilus
      somnus, Mycoplasma bovis and Mycoplasma bovirhinis, were present in the upper and
      lower airways of both groups during the postarrival period. With the exception of
      M. bovis, an overall decline in the prevalence of these organisms was observed
      during the course of the study. In cases, there was a marked decrease in the
      number of Pasteurella spp. and H. somnus isolates immediately following
      treatment. For the Pasteurella spp., however, this effect was shortlived as they
      often appeared to recolonize the respiratory tract within eight days of
      terminating antimicrobial therapy. Treatment did not appear to affect the
      frequency of isolating M. bovis. Its prevalence, in both groups of calves,
      increased to levels approaching 100% during the course of the study. All
      Pasteurella spp. isolates were tested for susceptibility to several commonly used
      antimicrobials. Resistance was only evident among P. haemolytica isolated from
      cases and in every instance this was to a combination of penicillin, ampicillin
      and tetracycline. Significantly more isolates were resistant after treatment than
      before. There were BAL differential cell count abnormalities indicative of
      inflammation in both cases and controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423054
TI  - Effects of Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxic culture supernatant on bovine
      neutrophil aggregation.
AB  - Pasteurella haemolytica A1 leukotoxic culture supernatant was evaluated for its
      ability to cause aggregation of bovine peripheral neutrophils. Neutrophils were
      isolated by a hypotonic lysis method and incubated with zymosan-activated plasma
      (ZAP), leukotoxic culture supernatant, antileukotoxin serum, calcium and
      magnesium-free media, p-bromophenacyl bromide and protein kinase C inhibitors.
      Aggregation was evaluated by changes in infrared light transmittance. Leukotoxic
      culture supernatant caused neutrophils to aggregate, and this effect was
      significantly removed by preincubation with antileukotoxin serum. Aggregation to
      ZAP and leukotoxin was dependent on the presence of extra-cellular calcium.
      Activation of protein kinase C by phorbol myristate acetate induced aggregation
      which was reduced by staurosporine; however, aggregation to leukotoxin did not
      involve protein kinase C activation. Phospholipase A2 inhibition did not alter
      the aggregation response to ZAP or to leukotoxin. The in vitro measurement of
      neutrophil aggregation induced by the leukotoxin of P. haemolytica reflects
      cytoskeletal and other activation events that may contribute to the intense
      inflammatory process which this organism induces in the lungs of cattle.

PMID- 1423055
TI  - Relaxin is not associated with poor milk yield in the postpartum sow.
AB  - Porcine relaxin (pRXN) titers were measured in 109 plasma samples drawn between
      24 and 120 h post-partum from good (n = 34), and poor (n = 25) milking sows and
      from sows (n = 12) exhibiting overt signs of hypogalactia located on six swine
      farms in Ontario. Mean plasma pRXN titers among the three groups at 24 h post
      partum were not significantly different although there was considerable
      variation. By 48 h however, the pRXN titers had declined markedly in all groups
      and between 72 and 120 h, pRXN was cleared from the plasma of all sows examined
      except one hypogalactic animal that had a titer of 1.13 ng/mL at 96 h. These
      results suggest that, although pRXN may be identifiable in the corpora lutea
      during the puerperium, it does not contribute to either hypogalactia or poor
      lactational performance in sows. The data also encourage the view that pRXN could
      be used at farrowing without deleterious effects on suckling.

PMID- 1423056
TI  - Development of a model ribosomal RNA hybridization assay for the detection of
      Sarcocystis and other coccidia.
AB  - Two regions of the primary structure of the small subunit rRNA of Sarcocystis
      muris bradyzoites were compared with nucleotide sequences of S. gigantea,
      Toxoplasma gondii, Plasmodium berghei and Mus musculus and used to design genus-
      and species-specific probes for the detection and identification of coccidia.
      Total cellular RNA of purified S. muris, S. cruzi, T. gondii and Eimeria
      nieschulzi and coccidia-infected tissues of mouse, ox, sheep and pig, were
      assayed using twenty-base oligomers labelled with 32P. Hybridization occurred at
      temperatures ranging from 21 degrees C to 41 degrees C or 51 degrees C. One probe
      detected only S. muris and another successfully hybridized to several members of
      coccidia, including S. muris, S. cruzi, T. gondii and E. nieschulzi. One ng of
      total cellular RNA was sufficient to yield detectable hybrids in slot blot
      assays. The excellent sensitivity suggests that rRNA-based probes are capable of
      detecting individual parasites, and can assay low levels of coccidial infections
      not detectable by other methods. The results of this study show that it is
      possible to customize the specificity of rRNA-based probes for diagnostic,
      epidemiological or taxonomic purposes.

PMID- 1423057
TI  - The effect of dietary sodium on right ventricular failure-induced ascites, gain
      and fat deposition in meat-type chickens.
AB  - Experiments were carried out using various levels of sodium (Na+) from NaCl or
      NaHCO3 to determine: 1) the level of Na+ required to induce ascites alone or in
      combination with cold temperature and 2) the effect of Na+ on weight gain and fat
      deposition in broiler chickens. In experiment 1, there were no cases of ascites
      using levels of Na+, from NaCl at 0.14% to 0.44% in the feed from day 3 or using
      added Na+, from NaCl at 0.0% to 0.12% in the water from day 3 with a level of
      0.14% in the feed. There was no significant difference in 21 or 42 day body
      weight, feed conversion, or right ventricle:total ventricle (RV:TV) ratio between
      treatment groups. Day 3 to 4 body weight gains were significantly increased in
      all treatment groups with added Na+ (p less than 0.01). In experiment 2, with
      levels of added Na+, from NaCl, at 0.0% to 0.12% in the water with a level of
      0.20% in the feed there were two cases of ascites, one at day 7 and one at day 40
      at the 0.12% level. There were no significant differences in body weight at days
      21 or 42 or in the RV:TV ratios between groups. Feed conversions were improved (p
      less than 0.01) with the lowest and highest levels of Na+ and a significant
      increase in day 3 to 4 body weight gain, with increasing Na+ in all treatment
      groups, was observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423058
TI  - Epidemiological studies of congo red Escherichia coli in broiler chickens.
AB  - This prospective cohort study was designed to confirm the association between
      Congo red binding Escherichia coli (CREC) and E. coli air sacculitis in
      commercial broilers. It was also designed to evaluate CREC as an air sacculitis
      risk factor and to explore the CREC relationship to other air sacculitis risk
      factors (poultry house temperature, air-ammonia levels, and presence of other
      diseases). In addition, this study was used to assess a possible role of the
      broiler-breeder flocks and hatchers in the spread of CREC air sacculitis. Congo
      red E. coli-associated airsacculitis risk was based on CREC exposure of the
      chicks in the hatchers. Breeder flocks with greater than 30 CREC colonies/plate
      from hatcher air sampling tests were placed in the high risk group; flocks with
      less than five CREC colonies/plate were placed in the low risk group. Increased
      risks of death due to air sacculitis (RR = 2.26), and increased death rates due
      to CREC air sacculitis (RR = 9.45) in high-risk flocks, identified CREC as an
      important air sacculitis risk factor. The attributable risk percent of CREC
      airsacculitis from hatcher exposure of CREC was 89.4%, pointing to the hatcher as
      the source of CREC infection. The association of specific broiler-breeder flocks
      to high levels of CREC in the hatchers, and subsequent air sacculitis, suggests
      that the broiler-breeders are the ultimate source of CREC.

PMID- 1423059
TI  - Salmonella enteritidis and other Salmonella in laying hens and eggs from flocks
      with Salmonella in their environment.
AB  - Seven Canadian layer flocks with Salmonella enteritidis in their environment were
      investigated to determine the numbers of hens infected with S. enteritidis, the
      localization of S. enteritidis in organs of infected hens and the numbers of S.
      enteritidis-infected eggs produced by two affected flocks. By a
      microagglutination test (MAT) using S. pullorum antigens, these flocks had more
      seropositive hens (mean 51.9 +/- 16.9%) than two Salmonella-free flocks (mean
      13.0 +/- 4.2%). Culture of tissues of 580 hens (433 seropositive) from the seven
      flocks detected 26 (4.5%) S. enteritidis-infected hens from two flocks. In one
      flock, 2/150 hens were infected with S. enteritidis phage type (PT) 8, which was
      confined to the ceca, and no Salmonella spp. were isolated from 2520 eggs (one
      day's lay). In the second flock, where 24/150 hens were infected with S.
      enteritidis PT13, extraintestinal infection was found in nine hens and involved
      the ovaries and/or oviduct in two hens. Salmonella enteritidis PT13 was isolated
      from one sample of egg contents and from one sample of cracked shells from among
      14,040 eggs (one day's lay) from this flock. The overall prevalence of S.
      enteritidis-contaminated eggs from the two flocks with infected hens was less
      than 0.06%. Other Salmonella spp. isolated were S. heidelberg from 58 hens (10%),
      and S. hadar, S. mbandaka and S. typhimurium from one hen (0.2%) each. The MAT
      with antigens of S. pullorum had a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 24%
      for detecting S. enteritidis-infected hens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423060
TI  - Use of bacitracin in the prevention and treatment of experimentally-induced
      idiopathic colitis in horses.
AB  - Ten healthy ponies from a single herd were found by repeated fecal culture to be
      free of Salmonella species and Clostridium cadaveris. In a preliminary study,
      four ponies administered a single oral dose of 10 mg/kg lincomycin did not
      develop idiopathic colitis when the drug was administered alone. Four other
      ponies were administered 10 mg/kg lincomycin by stomach tube together with 0.45 L
      of colonic content from a horse with idiopathic colitis induced earlier by
      lincomycin alone. Two of the four ponies were treated with 25 g oral zinc
      bacitracin premix (110 g/kg active ingredient) 24 h later. Forty-two hours after
      inoculation the two untreated ponies had severe signs of idiopathic colitis and
      were euthanized. Postmortem findings were typical of idiopathic colitis. The two
      treated ponies had milder illness but the more severely affected was also
      euthanized; the other was retreated at 42 h with bacitracin pre-mix and again 12
      h later. Its illness and diarrhea resolved over the next 24 h. Clostridium
      cadaveris was isolated in large numbers from the cecum of the euthanized ponies
      and their cecal content contained mouse lethal and guinea pig dermonecrotic, but
      not cytotoxic, activity. Enterotoxins of Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium
      difficile could not be demonstrated. No toxin could be demonstrated in culture
      supernatants of C. cadaveris or in supernatants of cecal contents treated with
      ethanol prior to culturing in anaerobically incubated broth. No Salmonella spp.
      were isolated. A further two ponies were administered 10 mg/kg lincomycin orally
      with 0.45 L colonic content from a horse with idiopathic colitis, as
      described.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423061
TI  - Pathology of morbillivirus infection in striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba)
      from Valencia and Murcia, Spain.
AB  - During the summer and fall of 1990 hundreds of striped dolphins (Stenella
      coeruleoalba) died in the Spanish Mediterranean as a result of morbillivirus
      infection. A pathological investigation was carried out on dolphins from Valencia
      and Murcia which were among the first to die in the epizootic. The dolphins were
      in poor body condition and pneumonia was the main necropsy finding. Microscopic
      lung lesions characterized by necrosis of bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium
      and infiltration of alveoli with macrophages, lymphocytes, neutrophils and
      multinucleated syncytia were seen in most dolphins. Cytoplasmic and nuclear
      eosinophilic viral inclusions were present in bronchial and bronchiolar
      epithelium and in syncytia. Focal granulomatous inflammation associated with
      nematodes was also present. Brain lesions included diffuse degeneration and
      necrosis of neurons, microgliosis, perivascular cuffing, formation of syncytia
      and focal demyelination. Cytoplasmic and nuclear eosinophilic inclusions were
      present in neurons and glial cells. There was severe lymphoid necrosis and
      depletion of spleen and lymph nodes and syncytia also occurred in lymph nodes.
      Biliary and transitional epithelium contained nuclear and cytoplasmic
      eosinophilic inclusions. Immunoperoxidase staining using monoclonal antibodies to
      phocine distemper virus confirmed the presence of morbillivirus antigens in lung
      and brain. The distribution and severity of lesions in striped dolphins are
      similar to those of distemper in seals, harbor porpoises and terrestrial mammals.
      The formation of syncytia in the lung and brain may be a useful pathological
      indicator of morbillivirus infection and may be used in the investigation of
      pinniped and cetacean strandings in North America.

PMID- 1423062
TI  - Liposomes targeted to deliver antisecretory agents to jejunal mucosa.
AB  - The B subunit of cholera toxin has been covalently attached to the surface of
      liposomes made from a mixture of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine
      and cholesterol. Adenylate cyclase inhibitors and chloride conductance inhibitors
      were encapsulated within the liposomes. These "targeted" liposomes were used to
      study the combined effects of this novel delivery system, and a limited number of
      possible antisecretory agents, on net fluid flux into the pig jejunum. A state of
      net secretory fluid flux was induced in isolated jejunal loops in weanling pigs
      by adding theophylline or cholera toxin to the lumen of the isolated loops. There
      was no reduction in net fluid secretion when liposome suspensions without
      encapsulated secretory inhibitors were added to fluid in the lumen of loops
      treated with theophylline. There was also no reduction in net fluid secretion
      when miconazole, alpha-phenylcinnamate or 5 nitro-2-(3-phenethylamino)benzoate
      were encapsulated within targeted liposomes added to isolated jejunal loops. The
      net fluid flux induced by exposure of jejunal loops to theophylline was
      significantly reduced by adding targeted liposomes containing 2'-deoxy-3'-AMP.
      The reduction involved a reversal of net secretory fluid flux to an absorptive
      value. The net fluid secretory response to treatment of loops with cholera toxin
      was also inhibited by treating loops with targeted liposomes containing 2'-deoxy
      3'-AMP. However, the reversal of secretion was less complete for secretion
      induced by cholera toxin than for secretion induced by theophylline. The reduced
      antisecretory efficacy versus cholera toxin was not improved by encapsulating
      higher concentrations of 2'-deoxy-3'-AMP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423063
TI  - The effects of thiamin on lead metabolism: organ distribution of lead 203.
AB  - The effect of thiamin on the organ distribution of lead was evaluated in CD-1
      mice exposed intragastrically or intraperitoneally to a single dose of lead
      acetate (100 micrograms) containing 100 microCi lead 203. They were treated with
      either thiamin (25 or 50 mg/kg body weight), calcium ethylenediaminetetraacetic
      acid (CaEDTA) (50 mg/kg body weight), or combinations of thiamin and CaEDTA. The
      whole body retention and the organ distribution of lead 203 varied depending upon
      the route of lead administration, dose of thiamin and the specific treatment
      combination. Thiamin (25 or 50 mg/kg) treatment increased the whole body
      retention of both intragastric and intraperitoneal lead by approximately 10% in
      each instance. Calcium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, either alone or in
      combination with thiamin (50 mg/kg) reduced the whole body retention of lead by
      as much as 14% regardless of route of lead exposure. The relative retention of
      lead by the liver, kidney and spleen was greater in mice exposed to lead by the
      intragastric route. Regardless of route, CaEDTA in the combined treatment reduced
      the relative retention of lead in both the liver and kidney, whereas thiamin
      alone only reduced the retention of lead in the kidney. The results of this study
      indicate that thiamin in combination with CaEDTA alters the distribution and
      retention of lead in a manner which may have therapeutic application as it
      relates to chelation therapy.

PMID- 1423064
TI  - Enhanced adherence of Pasteurella multocida to porcine tracheal rings preinfected
      with Bordetella bronchiseptica.
AB  - Adherence of 25 isolates of Pasteurella multocida to porcine tracheal rings was
      evaluated. Results indicated that adherence was not related to the isolate's
      origin, capsular or somatic types, dermonecrotoxin production or hemagglutination
      activity. The effect of a preinfection with Bordetella bronchiseptica on the
      colonization by P. multocida was then studied. On rings infected with P.
      multocida alone, bacteria initially adhered to the epithelium, but within a few
      hours, the level of colonization decreased progressively. On rings preinfected
      with B. bronchiseptica, or pretreated with a cell-free B. bronchiseptica culture
      supernate (or filtrate), a high level of P. multocida colonization was maintained
      for at least 24 hours. Results indicate that B. bronchiseptica appears to
      facilitate upper respiratory tract colonization by P. multocida by a process
      which involves a low molecular weight (less than or equal to 1000) heat-stable
      substance, possibly the tracheal cytotoxin.

PMID- 1423065
TI  - Secretion of alpha-hemolysin by bovine mammary isolates of Staphylococcus aureus.
AB  - A total of 262 strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from the mammary gland
      of dairy cows were examined for the production of alpha-hemolysin. Strains were
      cultured in a liquid medium of casein hydrolysate and yeast extract in an
      atmosphere of 7% (v/v) CO2 in air. The assay consisted of a dot immunoblotting
      technique employing bacterial culture supernatants and a mouse monoclonal
      antibody specific for alpha-hemolysin. Ninety-four percent (247) of 262 strains
      were positive for alpha-hemolysin by this method, when cultured in the
      laboratory. This figure is compared with those obtained in previous studies which
      typically based their results on the hemolytic patterns of isolates on blood agar
      plates.

PMID- 1423066
TI  - Homeopathy treats people, not the soles of their feet.

PMID- 1423067
TI  - Public education about breast cancer.

PMID- 1423068
TI  - Public education about breast cancer.

PMID- 1423069
TI  - Public education about breast cancer.

PMID- 1423070
TI  - Reproductive hazards and the workplace.

PMID- 1423071
TI  - Reviewing physicians' practices.

PMID- 1423072
TI  - A survey of resuscitation training in Canadian undergraduate medical programs.

PMID- 1423073
TI  - A survey of resuscitation training in Canadian undergraduate medical programs.

PMID- 1423074
TI  - Physicians and the pharmaceutical industry.

PMID- 1423075
TI  - The quest for quality begins in medical school.

PMID- 1423076
TI  - When to use advance treatment directives.

PMID- 1423077
TI  - When to use advance treatment directives.

PMID- 1423078
TI  - Drug nomenclature suggestions for change.

PMID- 1423080
TI  - Medical training in the United States.

PMID- 1423079
TI  - Drug nomenclature: suggestions for change.

PMID- 1423081
TI  - Salicylate poisoning.

PMID- 1423082
TI  - The Civil War comes to Queen's.

PMID- 1423083
TI  - Improving the treatment of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

PMID- 1423084
TI  - The Canadian National Breast Screening Study: a clinician's perspective.

PMID- 1423085
TI  - Prevention of occupational disease: problems of data collection for adequate
      surveillance.

PMID- 1423086
TI  - Periodic health examination, 1992 update: 4. Prophylaxis for gonococcal and
      chlamydial ophthalmia neonatorum. Canadian Task Force on the Periodic Health
      Examination.

PMID- 1423087
TI  - Canadian National Breast Screening Study: 1. Breast cancer detection and death
      rates among women aged 40 to 49 years.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of the combination of annual screening with
      mammography, physical examination of the breasts and the teaching of breast self
      examination in reducing the rate of death from breast cancer among women aged 40
      to 49 years on entry. DESIGN: Individually randomized controlled trial. SETTING:
      Fifteen urban centres in Canada with expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of
      breast cancer. PARTICIPANTS: Women with no history of breast cancer and no
      mammography in the previous 12 months were randomly assigned to undergo either
      annual mammography and physical examination (MP group) or usual care after an
      initial physical examination (UC group). The 50,430 women enrolled from January
      1980 through March 1985 were followed for a mean of 8.5 years. DATA COLLECTION:
      Derived from the participants by initial and annual self-administered
      questionnaires, from the screening examinations, from the patients' physicians,
      from the provincial cancer registries and by record linkage to the Canadian
      National Mortality Data Base. Expert panels evaluated histologic and death data.
      MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Rates of referral from screening, rates of detection of
      breast cancer from screening and from community care, nodal status, tumour size,
      and rates of death from all causes and from breast cancer. RESULTS: Over 90% of
      the women in each group attended the screening sessions or returned the annual
      questionnaires, or both, over years 2 to 5. The characteristics of the women in
      the two groups were similar. Compared with the Canadian population, the
      participants were more likely to be married, have fewer children, have more
      education, be in a professional occupation, smoke less and have been born in
      North America. The rate of screen-detected breast cancer on first examination was
      3.89 per 1000 in the MP group and 2.46 per 1000 in the UC group; more node
      positive tumours were found in the MP group than in the UC group. During years 2
      through 5 the ratios of observed to expected cases of invasive breast cancer were
      1.26 in the MP group and 1.02 in the UC group. Of the women with invasive breast
      cancer through to 7 years, 191 and 157 women in the MP and UC groups respectively
      had no node involvement, 55 and 43 had one to three nodes involved, 47 and 23 had
      four or more nodes involved, and 38 and 49 had an unknown nodal status. There
      were 38 deaths from breast cancer in the MP group and 28 in the UC group. The
      ratio of the proportions of death from breast cancer in the MP group compared
      with those in the UC group was 1.36 (95% confidence interval 0.84 to 2.21). The
      survival rates were similar in the two groups. The highest survival rate occurred
      among women whose cancer had been detected by mammography alone. CONCLUSION: The
      study was internally valid, and there was no evidence of randomization bias.
      Screening with yearly mammography and physical examination of the breasts
      detected considerably more node-negative, small tumours than usual care, but it
      had no impact on the rate of death from breast cancer up to 7 years' follow-up
      from entry.

PMID- 1423088
TI  - Canadian National Breast Screening Study: 2. Breast cancer detection and death
      rates among women aged 50 to 59 years.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of annual mammography over and above annual
      physical examination of the breasts and the teaching of breast self-examination
      among women aged 50 to 59 on entry. DESIGN: Individually randomized controlled
      trial. SETTING: Fifteen urban centres in Canada with expertise in the diagnosis
      and treatment of breast cancer. PARTICIPANTS: Women with no history of breast
      cancer and no mammography in the previous 12 months were randomly assigned to
      undergo either annual mammography and physical examination (MP group) or annual
      physical examination only (PO group). The 39,405 women enrolled from January 1980
      through March 1985 were followed for a mean of 8.3 years. DATA COLLECTION:
      Derived from the participants by initial and annual self-administered
      questionnaires, from the screening examinations, from the patients' physicians,
      from the provincial cancer registries and by record linkage to the Canadian
      National Mortality Data Base. Expert panels evaluated histologic and death data.
      MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Rates of referral from screening, rates of detection of
      breast cancer from screening and from community care, nodal status, tumour size
      and rates of death from all causes and from breast cancer. RESULTS: Over 85% of
      the women in each group attended the screening sessions after screen 1. The
      characteristics of the women in the two groups were similar. Compared with the
      Canadian population the participants were more likely to be married, have fewer
      children, have more education, be in a professional occupation, smoke less and
      have been born in North America. The rate of screen-detected breast cancer on
      first examination was 7.20 per 1000 in the MP group and 3.45 per 1000 in the PO
      group, more node-positive tumours were found in the MP group than in the PO
      group. At subsequent screens the detection rates were a little less than half the
      rates at screen 1. During years 2 through 5 the ratios of observed to expected
      cases of invasive breast cancer were 1.28 in the MP group and 1.18 in the PO
      group. Of the women with invasive breast cancer through to 7 years, 217 in the MP
      group and 184 in the PO group had no node involvement, 66 and 56 had one to three
      nodes involved, 32 and 34 had four or more nodes involved, and 55 and 46 had an
      unknown nodal status. There were 38 deaths from breast cancer in the MP group and
      39 in the PO group. The ratio of the proportions of death from breast cancer in
      the MP group compared with those in the UC group was 0.97 (95% confidence
      interval 0.62 to 1.52). The survival rates were similar in the two groups. Women
      whose cancer had been detected by mammography alone had the highest survival
      rate. CONCLUSION: The study was internally valid, and there was no evidence of
      randomization bias. Screening with yearly mammography in addition to physical
      examination of the breasts detected considerably more node-negative, small
      tumours than screening with physical examination alone, but it had no impact on
      the rate of death from breast cancer up to 7 years' follow-up from entry.

PMID- 1423089
TI  - Prevalence of antibody to human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I/II in people of
      Caribbean origin in Toronto.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of antibody to human T-cell lymphotropic
      virus type I/II (anti-HTLV-I/II) in people from an HTLV-I/II-endemic area (the
      Caribbean) living in a nonendemic region (Canada). DESIGN: Cross-sectional
      household survey. SETTING: Households in Toronto in 1989. PARTICIPANTS: A
      modified quota sampling method was used to recruit subjects of Caribbean origin
      as well as other Canadians. Of 2900 people invited to participate in the study
      1323, 743 of Caribbean origin, were interviewed about their background and
      possible exposure to HTLV-I/II. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Blood samples were
      analysed for anti-HTLV-I/II by means of an enzyme-linked immunoassay, the result
      being confirmed by the Western blot technique and radioimmunoprecipitation assay.
      The samples were also analysed for antibody to human immunodeficiency virus (anti
      HIV) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and for surrogate markers of non-A,
      non-B hepatitis. RESULTS: A total of 853 blood samples (64.5%) were analysed, 483
      (56.6%) from subjects of Caribbean origin. The proportion of subjects who agreed
      to give a blood sample was similar for the Caribbean and non-Caribbean strata.
      Eleven subjects, all of Caribbean origin (2.3% of the Caribbean stratum), were
      confirmed to be positive for anti-HTLV-I/II. There were no significant
      differences between the antibody-positive and antibody-negative subjects with
      respect to sex, age, racial origin or residence in the Caribbean for at least 22
      years. All anti-HTLV-I/II-positive subjects were negative for anti-HIV and HBsAg,
      and four (36.4%) were positive for antibody to HBsAg and to hepatitis B core
      antigen. CONCLUSIONS: Except for origin, an association between antibody
      positivity and other factors could not be demonstrated. The findings suggest that
      blood donor screening might include place of origin in addition to the usual
      lifestyle or behavioural factors. However, the need to ensure safety of
      transfusion must be balanced against the need for participation of all groups in
      the blood transfusion program.

PMID- 1423090
TI  - The nature of essential hypertension.

PMID- 1423091
TI  - Bombing of Toronto abortion clinic raises stakes in bitter debate.

PMID- 1423092
TI  - Microchips versus stethoscopes: Calgary hospital, MDs face off over controversial
      computer system.

PMID- 1423093
TI  - Health care issues given short shrift in US election campaigns.

PMID- 1423094
TI  - Doctor on hot seat in UK euthanasia row.

PMID- 1423095
TI  - IRCM celebrates 25 years of fulfilling crucial role in medical research in
      Quebec.

PMID- 1423096
TI  - Threat of nuclear war subsides, but antiwar MDs say lots of work remains.

PMID- 1423097
TI  - Several medical schools have begun to tackle sexual harassment issue.

PMID- 1423098
TI  - Providing Olympic-class care aim of Canadian medical team.

PMID- 1423099
TI  - MDs should warn patients that an extended trek south may be expensive venture.

PMID- 1423100
TI  - Physicians should warn patients about nutrition-related scams, doctor advises.

PMID- 1423101
TI  - Preventing STDs: education that influences adolescents' behaviour is needed.

PMID- 1423102
TI  - Attitudes about cancer and knowledge of cancer prevention among junior high
      students in Calgary, Alberta.
AB  - Results from a survey of junior high students conducted in preparation of
      curriculum materials on cancer prevention are reported. Students in the survey (n
      = 246) consider cancer to be a serious disease, not particularly amenable to
      treatment, and caused by many things. About half the students mentioned avoiding
      tobacco use as important in preventing cancer. However, 27% were unable to
      identify any ways to avoid getting cancer. Specific knowledge of dietary
      practices recommended to reduce cancer risk was poor, with fewer than 10% of
      students mentioning high fibre or low fat as important dietary habits. Knowledge
      of factors related to skin cancer was better, with 53% of students mentioning
      avoiding sun exposure as a way to reduce the risk of skin cancer. The majority of
      students (71%) wanted more information about cancer. The results from the survey
      indicate a need for cancer-prevention materials in the school curriculum.

PMID- 1423103
TI  - Linking research activities with policy and program design.

PMID- 1423104
TI  - Rural high school students' knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to
      sexually transmitted diseases.
AB  - High school students are at high risk for contracting sexually transmitted
      diseases (STDs). A sample of 69 rural high school students from the province of
      Alberta, Canada were surveyed regarding their knowledge, attitudes and behaviours
      related to STDs to ascertain whether they differ from urban students. Results
      indicate that rural and urban high school students are similar in terms of
      knowledge about STDs, attitudes towards their prevention and also in terms of
      sexual behaviours. As with other studies, behaviours lagged behind knowledge and
      attitudes with reported condom use low. Sexual decision making was influenced
      mainly by the peer group. Males and females were mainly influenced by the same
      factors which include the willingness of their partner, the behaviours of their
      friends and family, concern about contracting a STD. These data emphasize the
      need to implement primary prevention programs for high school aged youth in rural
      as well as urban settings.

PMID- 1423105
TI  - Health behaviours in a Canadian community college sample: prevalence of drug use
      and interrelationships among behaviours.
AB  - This study investigated the prevalence of drug use among a Canadian college
      sample and the covariation of drug taking and other health-related behaviours. A
      representative sample of students at a community college in Alberta were
      interviewed using telephone surveys, mail-in questionnaires and face-to-face
      interviews. Data was collected on drug, alcohol and caffeine use, cigarette
      smoking, eating habits, sleep habits and exercise. While use of illicit drugs did
      not appear to be widespread, alcohol appeared to be a primary substance abuse
      problem for a minority of subjects. Factor analysis indicated that the various
      health habits did not form one dimension of health-related behaviours. Four
      separate factors emerged: abusive drinking, eating habits, a drug use factor
      (caffeine intake, smoking, cannabis and hallucinogen use), and exercise levels.
      Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for future research,
      treatment and intervention.

PMID- 1423106
TI  - Hospital response protocols for child sexual abuse and sexually transmitted
      diseases in children.
AB  - Hospitals are significant portals of entry to the health care system for children
      who have been sexually abused. Hospital staff have the opportunity to
      investigate, intervene in and prevent the cycle of abuse. Accordingly, several
      Canadian hospitals have standardized responses to meet the needs of the sexually
      abused child; however, the prevalence of protocols and the degree of
      standardization across the country have not been documented. A survey of
      hospitals in Canada indicated that 46% of hospitals that treated children had a
      response protocol for child sexual abuse and only 17% had a response protocol for
      sexually transmitted diseases in children. Protocols were more likely to be in
      place in hospitals that were accredited, specialized in paediatrics, were
      designated as teaching facilities for medicine, nursing and social work, and had
      more than 200 beds. In hospitals without protocols, staff were often not
      convinced of their need or desirability.

PMID- 1423107
TI  - Healthy communications: producing a health report (Infowatch) for monitoring and
      promoting health in local communities.
AB  - In order to bridge the gap between producers and users of community health data,
      we have developed a standardized format to provide a simple, comprehensive
      approach to the communication of epidemiologic data at the local level. Infowatch
      follows a series of format and style rules selected to enhance readability. The
      four-page format is divided into six sections: introduction and scope; "results"
      presented as charts, figures and text; policy implications (through consultation
      with community groups); methodological summary; references for self-study; and,
      invitation for reader feedback. An editorial committee comprising experts and
      representatives from local interest groups ensures that the data presented are
      relevant and of high quality. The content of each Infowatch issue varies
      depending on community priorities. Infowatch is distributed to 3,000 people,
      including representatives from health-related, academic, governmental and non
      governmental agencies. Five areas assess qualitatively the impact of Infowatch:
      reader, media, policy, education, and solicited responses. Overall, response from
      all categories has been favourable with evidence of infiltration into policy.

PMID- 1423108
TI  - Recent trends in morbidity and mortality rates for abdominal aortic aneurysms.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To examine recent trends in mortality and morbidity rates from aortic
      aneurysms among Canadian seniors. DESIGN: Retrospective study. PARTICIPANTS: Men
      and women age 65 years or older who were hospitalized in Canada with a primary
      diagnosis of aortic aneurysm or whose underlying cause of death was aortic
      aneurysm. MAIN RESULTS: Unlike other circulatory diseases which have shown marked
      declines, mortality and morbidity rates from aortic aneurysms have remained
      constant over the last 10 years. Risks for male seniors are 4-5 times greater
      than for females. CONCLUSIONS: Since mortality and morbidity from aortic
      aneurysms have not decreased and screening offers potential benefits, costs and
      benefits of screening need to be quantified.

PMID- 1423109
TI  - Preparing health professionals for a collaborative health promotion role.
AB  - Practitioners and educators must consider whether or not the curriculum offered
      in a university setting by our health professional schools prepares the potential
      practitioner for work in the multisectorial, interdisciplinary milieu that has
      been recommended by The Alma Ata Declaration, the Epp Health Promotion document
      and the Ottawa Charter. I describe a final-year course in Community Health
      Nursing that is being offered by Dalhousie University School of Nursing. The
      course is open to generic and post-registration nurses. The course, based on
      adult learning principles, used a collaborative community development approach.
      The curriculum was designed to give baccalaureate student nurses the experience
      of participating in collaborative health promotion directed towards the
      strengthening of a community. Student, faculty, preceptor and service-based
      coordinators' evaluation of the two-year implementation of the course is
      described in the paper.

PMID- 1423110
TI  - The hepatitis B immunization strategy in Nova Scotia: is it effective?
AB  - Since 1987, both hepatitis B disease and hepatitis B vaccine utilization have
      increased dramatically in Nova Scotia. We present a review of hepatitis B vaccine
      utilization relative to the occurrence of disease in Nova Scotia. In the two
      regions with the highest incidence rates, cases have been increasingly associated
      with lifestyle-related risk factors. Vaccine utilization was primarily for
      occupational risks. The current provincial hepatitis B immunization strategy is
      to recommend immunization to targeted high-risk groups. This strategy was judged
      to be ineffective. The cost of the vaccine is the most important deterrent for
      adopting an expanded or universal immunization strategy. The pooling of hepatitis
      B vaccine orders across Canada is suggested as a means to effect significant
      reductions in the cost of vaccine. Provincial programs would then be able to
      expand coverage to include populations at immediate risk and youngsters prior to
      the start of high-risk activity.

PMID- 1423111
TI  - [Organization of prehospital emergency care in Canada: Elements of international
      and interprovince comparisons].
AB  - Out of a comparative research conducted on the training of first respondents to
      car crash injuries, this paper identifies four major factors influencing the way
      in which a country designs its prehospital emergency system. The paper also
      discusses elements pertaining to the organization of these systems in Canada and
      presents relevant interprovincial variations.

PMID- 1423112
TI  - Diabetes-related lower extremity amputations in Ontario: 1987-88 experience.
AB  - Lower extremity amputee rates were estimated for diabetic persons living in
      Ontario. The rates were specified for age, sex and six Health Regions. The 1987
      88 Hospital Records Institute database supplied the information regarding the
      amputations and the prevalence of diabetes in Ontario was estimated from age/sex
      specific diabetic rates of the U.S. The crude amputee rate for Ontario is 40
      amputees/year/10,000 diabetics and the amputation rate is 44
      amputations/year/10,000. These rates are lower than the 101 amputees/year/10,000
      reported in the U.K. and are reasonably close to those of the U.S. (59.7
      amputations/year/10,000). Age and sex Standardized Morbidity Ratios indicated
      that Region 1 and 6 have significantly higher and Region 2 significantly lower
      amputee rates than the Province. There is an almost two-fold difference between
      the highest and the lowest DRLEA rates of the six regions. (Range: 60-30). These
      results should be interpreted with caution, since actual prevalence rates of
      diabetes are not available.

PMID- 1423113
TI  - Aspects of preventive health care for older persons.
AB  - Preventive health care for older persons is considered in terms of primary,
      secondary and tertiary prevention and examples of relevant services are provided
      both from Canada and from other countries. Three areas of concern are identified,
      namely communication, quality assurance and funding. It is suggested that various
      approaches used in other countries, such as Home Visitor Programs, be examined
      and more generally that comparisons with health care services in other countries
      be carried out, particularly with respect to evaluations and possible economic
      steering effects.

PMID- 1423114
TI  - Edmonton Board of Health celebrates 100 years--or more.

PMID- 1423116
TI  - Health status of Canadian-born and foreign-born residents.

PMID- 1423115
TI  - [Characteristics of non-responders to a mental health survey].

PMID- 1423117
TI  - Changing patterns of mortality and hospital morbidity among Canadians aged 85 and
      over.

PMID- 1423118
TI  - Health promotion through healthy public policy: the contribution of complementary
      research methods.
AB  - The focus of the "new public health" is moving from the level of individuals to
      the level of organizations, communities, and broader social policies. Traditional
      quantitative methods which are appropriate at the level of individual behaviour
      change, require adaptation and refinement when sociopolitical change becomes the
      mechanism for health promotion. Because of their training and experience, health
      services researchers and health educators, especially psychologists, are
      understandably resistant to making necessary methodologic changes. Well-designed
      and carefully conducted qualitative studies, using techniques such as
      ethnographic interviews, participant observation, case studies, or focus group
      activities, are required to complement quantitative approaches. These studies can
      fill gaps where quantitative techniques are suboptimal or even inappropriate.
      Hard qualitative techniques can also support soft quantitative methods. Their
      utility in process evaluation is now beyond dispute. Recent work at the New
      England Research Institute is used to illustrate the role of qualitative research
      in the evaluation of health promotion through planned sociopolitical change.

PMID- 1423119
TI  - Health promotion research with heart: keeping a people perspective.

PMID- 1423120
TI  - Building a methods bridge between public policy analysis and healthy public
      policy.
AB  - The literature has only begun to consider what research is needed to support the
      development and implementation of healthy public policy initiatives. To date, a
      consistent methodological approach is recommended: multiple methods (document
      analysis and key informant interviews supplemented by quantitative data) with an
      aim toward understanding the perspective of key policy stakeholders. Currently,
      these methods are not the mainstay of policy analysis which is often driven more
      by a preference for technique (e.g., cost-benefit analysis) than by underlying
      epistemology or theory. Yet the explicit values of healthy public policy
      (intersectoral policy-making, public participation, etc.) suggest the importance
      of paying greater attention to epistemological and theoretical principles when
      making methodological choices.

PMID- 1423121
TI  - Learning to 'walk our talk': the implications of sociological theory for research
      methodologies in health promotion.
AB  - In recent formulations of the concept of health promotion, such as Achieving
      Health for All and the Ottawa Charter, emphasis is clearly placed on
      comprehensivity and the integration of individual and social determinants of
      health, broadly defined. This paper is premised on the observation that despite
      evidence of a paradigm shift in the way we talk about health promotion at a
      conceptual level, we have yet to properly articulate a 'new' research methodology
      to accompany the 'new' health promotion. The paper has three main sections.
      First, some of the limitations and contradictions that separate the rhetoric of
      health promotion from its current operationalization in research practice are
      discussed. In asserting the inherent links between theory, methodology and
      method, the need for a new research paradigm is demonstrated. In the second
      section, seven key issues derived from the literature on sociological theory are
      identified and discussed in terms of their implications for choosing a new
      research methodology for health promotion. In the third section it is suggested
      that using these issue areas as a 'decision map' leads to the selection of a
      preferred strategy which brings together both interpretive and critical
      perspectives to bear on our understanding of social reality as it affects health.
      Elements of both of these approaches and the nature of their potential
      complimentarity are considered. Throughout these deliberations the reader is
      encouraged to consider the potentially conservative or activist orientations that
      alternate methodologies imply, and to critically evaluate how these mesh with the
      emerging rhetoric of fostering empowerment that is the cornerstone of the 'new'
      health promotion.

PMID- 1423122
TI  - Bureaucratic logic in new social movement clothing: the limits of health
      promotion research.
AB  - This paper discusses theoretical, methodological and political problems in the
      field of health promotion research. It argues that these problems result from a
      partial and contradictory appropriation of the discourse of new social movements.
      Politically, the health promotion movement is largely confined within the state,
      rather than the expression of a social movement against the state. The direction
      of health promotion research and policy is, therefore, caught in the bureaucratic
      logic of "trapped administrators", and results in contradictory emphases on
      problems like the development of "health promotion indicators", which show little
      result in informing a broader but coherent conceptualization of health, let alone
      in effecting change in health policy and outcomes. Such political problems
      reflect parallel confusions about theory and methodology. Theoretically, the
      field relies heavily on a critique of bio-medical science, but fails to move
      beyond a rhetorical outline of an alternative to systematic arguments about what
      promotes health. In this regard, the literature on health promotion remains
      unaware of important conceptual developments in the social sciences, relies on
      imprecise specifications of major constructs like community empowerment, and has
      no conception of the state. Methodologically, the literature is influenced by
      contradictory epistemological tendencies which reflect a positivist inspiration
      (as in the search for indicators) and an anti-positivist emphasis on agency and
      social change through the collective action and the discursive reconstitution of
      social identity, value and meaning. In regard to these questions, this paper is
      critical of observers who suggest that the way ahead is to embrace post-modern
      research strategies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423123
TI  - Feminist methods in health promotion research.
AB  - This paper describes and discusses the traditional social scientific approach to
      health promotion research, details some of its methods of data collection and
      analysis, outlines some of the principles of feminist methods of research
      particularly as these provide a critical analysis of traditional methods and
      concludes with a feminist critique of a typical and influential health promotion
      document, the Active Health Report (1985).

PMID- 1423124
TI  - Institutional ethnography: explicating the social organization of professional
      health practices intending client empowerment.
AB  - Institutional enthnography uses traditional ethnographic procedures grounded in
      an analytic approach for explicating the social organization of knowledge. I
      illustrate the theory and method by describing my experience and analysis-to-date
      in a study of the social organization of knowledge in mental health, day program
      occupational therapy in Atlantic Canada. I emphasize the research standpoint
      within everyday experience. From this point, the researcher explicates (through
      description) how (micro) social relations, i.e. everyday actions, speech and
      documentation, are embedded in the (macro) practices of "institutions" such as
      mental health services. I summarize data management procedures including use of
      ETHNOGRAPH. Analysis-to-date is showing how the organization of mental health day
      programs both constrains and creates potential for occupational therapists
      enabling client empowerment.

PMID- 1423125
TI  - Fourth generation evaluation, the paradigm revolution and health promotion.
AB  - The author argues that two events are inextricably linked:first, the increasing
      disenchantment with the conventional paradigm for conducting science, and second,
      the changing conceptions of health. With respect to the latter, medical
      professionals are increasingly moving away from disease as an indicator of health
      and moving toward conceptions of wellness, and away from a cure model and toward
      a prevention model. The paper demonstrates what the new inquiry paradigm looks
      like and what its synergisms are with newer constructions of human health, and
      finally concludes with additional problems which must be noted.

PMID- 1423126
TI  - Accessing community development research methodologies.
AB  - This paper is a perspective on the strengths and weaknesses of community
      development research offered to health promoters by a community development
      insider. The author provides her rationale for the opinion that no research
      paradigm other than the qualitative one satisfies the naturalistic context of
      either community development or health promotion, including inquiry into concepts
      such as community health, community wellbeing, community competence and community
      self-reliance. Attention is drawn to key aspects of the community development
      process with relevance to health promoters which are largely undertheorized,
      including clarity about the central issue of the nature of the interaction among
      learning, action and change. Finally, the paper specifies three implications of
      the naturalistic paradigm for either research or practice. These include academic
      prejudice against qualitative research from some quarters, the limitations of all
      research paradigms for some questions, and essential uncertainties of
      naturalistic inquiry.

PMID- 1423127
TI  - Program evaluation within a health promotion framework.
AB  - Program evaluation can assist in assessing the conceptualization, design,
      implementation and utility of health promotion action. Evaluation of health
      promotion, with multiple strategies combining individual, social and policy
      action, lends itself to an evaluation-as-politics paradigm. Consideration of the
      interests of all major stakeholders, use of a series of related studies, and a
      commitment to multiple methods and multiple perspectives characterize this
      paradigm. Simple, practical research that is adequate for answering relevant
      questions is required. The program evaluator is not a neutral, scientific
      observer--he/she is a participant in the political arena along with other
      stakeholder groups. A model of the areas of interest in evaluation of health
      promotion, some potential evaluation questions, and a health promotion impact
      evaluation model are presented to emphasize unique aspects involved in evaluation
      of health promotion action. The evaluator can take a proactive role and challenge
      problems in conception and implementation of health promotion action. He/she can
      advocate for health promotion.

PMID- 1423128
TI  - A critical perspective on research and knowledge development in health promotion.
AB  - The paper addresses four issues that pervaded conference deliberations: the
      relevance of qualitative approaches to research, the importance of community
      participation in the research process, the need to broaden the disciplinary base
      of health promotion, and the possibilities for a critical research perspective.
      The paper suggests why the idea of qualitative methods is so appealing to health
      promotion researchers, and what may prevent such methods from living up to the
      expectations held of them. The emphasis on community participation in research
      expresses an attempt to make research more relevant and accountable, but it also
      may inhibit the theoretical grounding of research, and create strain between
      pragmatic and scientific interests. The field of health promotion is inherently
      multidisciplinary, but it remains unclear if and how different disciplines can be
      effectively combined or integrated. The relative absence of critical thought at
      the conference is noted, and the authors argue that a critical perspective is
      needed in both "research of" and "research for" health promotion.

PMID- 1423129
TI  - Host resistance and the immune system.
AB  - Elderly persons are more susceptible and vulnerable to many infections compared
      with young adults. This phenomenon can be attributed to a decline in host defense
      mechanisms, particularly altered immune function. The effects of aging on T- and
      B-lymphocyte function; antigen-presenting cells, natural killer cells, and
      granulocytes; and organ-specific host resistance are discussed in this article.

PMID- 1423130
TI  - Infections in elderly persons. An altered clinical presentation.
AB  - The high prevalence, morbidity, and mortality of infectious diseases in the
      geriatric population mandates that clinicians caring for older patients become
      better acquainted and familiar with the special and unique characteristics and
      features of this common clinical problem. Only through such awareness and
      understanding will clinical outcomes, functional capacity, and quality of life be
      improved in the elderly population.

PMID- 1423131
TI  - Pneumonia.
AB  - Pneumonia is one of the most serious infections in elderly persons. For example,
      individuals with nursing-home acquired pneumonia requiring hospitalization have a
      mortality rate of approximately 40%. In the frail, elderly patient, the clinical
      manifestations may be very nonspecific and consist only of confusion and falls;
      these individuals often may not present with either fever or cough. Sputum is
      frequently not available for culture in this population, and chest radiography
      for pneumonia may be confounded by underlying pulmonary or cardiac disease.
      Antibiotic therapy for pneumonia in older patients must often be empirical.

PMID- 1423132
TI  - Vaccinations.
AB  - Tetanus-diphtheria toxoid, influenza virus vaccines, and pneumococcal vaccine are
      recommended for older persons in the United States by the Centers for Disease
      Control. But most high-risk older persons remain unvaccinated, despite
      experiencing relatively high rates of tetanus, influenza-related complications,
      and pneumococcal disease, and having available effective, safe, and low-cost
      vaccines. Strategies for improving these vaccination rates require an intensive
      approach focused on (1) identifying older persons with high-risk conditions, (2)
      improving the delivery of vaccines, (3) improving the acceptance of vaccines by
      older persons, and (4) establishing mandatory immunization programs.

PMID- 1423133
TI  - Tuberculosis.
AB  - In the United States, the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) is higher in elderly
      persons than in any other segment of the population, except in HIV-infected
      persons. The diagnosis of TB, however, is all too often not considered in
      geriatric patients. Although elderly nursing home residents are at a greater risk
      for TB than the aging population in the community setting, the majority (80%) of
      active TB cases in elderly persons occur in community dwellers. The diagnosis,
      treatment, and prevention of TB are reviewed in this article.

PMID- 1423134
TI  - Fungal infections.
AB  - Increased travel and outdoor leisure activities place the elderly individual at
      risk for infection with the endemic mycoses, histoplasmosis, blastomycosis,
      coccidioidomycoses, and sporotrichosis. Elderly patients who are immunosuppressed
      are at risk for infection with the opportunistic fungi such as Candida and
      Aspergillus. In this article, the clinical manifestations and the approach to
      diagnosis are discussed. The use of antifungal agents that are currently
      available to treat severe fungal infections also are reviewed.

PMID- 1423135
TI  - Urinary tract infection.
AB  - Urinary tract infections are the most common bacterial infections experienced by
      elderly patients. These infections are often asymptomatic, although on occasion
      they produce discomfort for selective older patients (particularly those with
      obstructive uropathy), and present a risk for bacteremia, septic shock, adult
      respiratory distress syndrome, and death. The limited available data suggest that
      there are major differences with regard to pathogenesis, microbiology, clinical
      features, laboratory abnormalities, and therapy between young and elderly women
      who develop symptomatic pyelonephritis. There is a need to provide a standard
      antibiotic prophylaxis program to those elderly patients with specific cardiac
      conditions who are scheduled to undergo urinary procedures.

PMID- 1423136
TI  - Catheter-associated bacteriuria.
AB  - Catheter-associated bacteriuria is the most common nosocomial infection in both
      acute and long-term care facilities. Complications include fever, bacteremia,
      acute pyelonephritis, urinary stones, chronic renal inflammation, and death.
      Catheter-associated bacteriuria can be postponed by maintaining the closed nature
      of the catheter system. Postponement may become prevention of bacteriuria if the
      catheter is removed as soon as possible.

PMID- 1423137
TI  - Infections in the nursing home.
AB  - Infections are a common cause of morbidity and mortality in nursing home
      patients. A variety of factors predispose these patients to infections.
      Infections commonly encountered among these patients include pneumonia, urinary
      tract infections, tuberculosis, and gastrointestinal and skin infections.
      Preventive measures and infection control techniques offer protection to both
      patients and employees.

PMID- 1423138
TI  - Infected pressure and diabetic ulcers.
AB  - Infected pressure and diabetic ulcers are encountered frequently by clinicians
      caring for the geriatric population. These infections are polymicrobial and are
      often complicated by sepsis syndrome and osteomyelitis. Together, these
      infections account for significant morbidity and mortality in elderly persons. A
      team approach to management is essential for the clinician, and efforts should
      focus primarily on prevention.

PMID- 1423140
TI  - Peritonitis.
AB  - Intraperitoneal infections or inflammatory disease in elderly patients are a
      diagnostic challenge that will be encountered with increasing frequency in the
      aging population of the United States. Diagnostic clues are not overt and
      frequently appear late in the course of the disease. Confusion and subtle changes
      in clinical status are important signals. A high index of suspicion is required
      to initiate diagnostic procedures. Therapy will frequently be modified not only
      to the disease process but also to the patient to incorporate concepts of
      minimally invasive procedures. The advent of laparoscopic surgery may be a great
      advance in the diagnosis and treatment of intra-abdominal crisis in geriatric
      patients. It also may make elective surgery conform more to the goals of the
      geriatric patient and thus prevent the high morbidity and mortality associated
      with emergency surgery in this age group.

PMID- 1423139
TI  - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection.
AB  - Elderly patients with chronic illnesses are at increased risk of becoming
      colonized or infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
      Therapeutic choices for the treatment of MRSA have been limited by the ever
      expanding resistance of organisms and drug toxicity. In hospitals, the MRSA
      carrier state has been associated with increased risk of infection and possible
      dissemination of the organism to other patients. The epidemiology of MRSA and its
      significance in long-term care have been less well defined. Isolation procedures
      and steps to contain or eradicate MRSA should be accommodated to the individual
      needs of the facility and its resources.

PMID- 1423141
TI  - Bacterial meningitis.
AB  - Meningitis remains a significant health problem for the older adult population.
      Although the overall incidence of this disease has decreased in the United
      States, the incidence of meningitis in the elderly population is increasing.
      Additionally, the recognition of meningitis in the older adult may be more
      difficult because the usual symptoms and signs are neither as specific nor as
      sensitive as they are in a younger population. Newer antibiotics have provided
      better therapeutic approaches to some of the organisms responsible for this
      disease, and newer methods of therapy beyond antibiotics hold the promise of
      altering the unacceptably high morbidity and mortality.

PMID- 1423142
TI  - Infective endocarditis.
AB  - This article examines the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of infective
      endocarditis in elderly persons. Special problems that cause complications and
      mortality to be higher in older patients than younger patients also are
      discussed. Areas of active debate and research are mentioned, including the use
      of diagnostic echocardiography, treatment of specific bacterial species, sources
      of iatrogenic endocarditis, and antibiotic prophylaxis.

PMID- 1423143
TI  - Sepsis.
AB  - Septic shock is associated with a very high mortality in elderly patients. This
      is likely due to the age-related anatomic and physiologic changes and the
      presence of comorbid diseases. Medical management of patients with septic shock
      consists of antibiotics, fluids, vasopressors, and careful monitoring. Judicious
      use of antiendotoxin monoclonal antibodies may be a beneficial adjunctive
      therapy.

PMID- 1423145
TI  - Guidelines for the evaluation and management of family violence.

PMID- 1423144
TI  - Antimicrobial therapy.
AB  - Antibiotic dosing is not influenced by age as much as by the weight loss and loss
      of renal function that occurs with advanced age. The chronic diseases that
      afflict the frail, elderly person, however, exert a profound influence on the
      types of infections and the variety of organisms that must be considered in
      empiric therapy choices. Safety, efficacy, and cost favor the choice of broad
      spectrum oral antimicrobials or the newer quinolones for initial treatment of
      moderately severe, urinary, respiratory, or skin and soft-tissue infections. When
      parenteral empiric therapy is needed, the third-generation cephalosporins are
      preferable to multi-drug or narrow-spectrum regimens. To avoid adverse reactions,
      the frail, elderly patient generally should be given somewhat lower doses at
      longer dose intervals compared with younger patients.

PMID- 1423146
TI  - Clozapine in the treatment of refractory schizophrenia: Canadian policies and
      clinical guidelines.
AB  - Clozapine is an atypical neuroleptic agent that has recently become available in
      Canada with potential clinical efficacy in the treatment of refractory
      schizophrenia, and in patients with schizophrenia neurologically intolerant to
      conventional neuroleptics. Although it causes few extra-pyramidal symptoms, the
      drug has a number of other adverse effects including a risk of agranulocytosis in
      one to two percent of all patients. Because of this, the use of the drug is
      permitted only if the white blood count is monitored weekly. The monitoring
      system, outlined in this article, requires a coordinated effort between clinical
      staff, pharmacy, laboratory and the Clozaril Support and Assistance Network.
      Clinical guidelines are proposed, detailing the indications and contraindications
      for treatment and the pharmacokinetics, dosing, adverse effects, and drug
      interactions with clozapine. In addition, the economics, government policies and
      implications for future research are considered. Although there are
      administrative and clinical difficulties associated with its use, clozapine
      represents an advance in therapeutic research. Patients and family members will
      be inquiring about the drug and may deserve a trial. This article aims to inform
      Canadian mental health professionals about the safe and beneficial use of
      clozapine.

PMID- 1423147
TI  - Victims of violence: aspects of the "victim-to-patient" process in women.
AB  - This paper is an overview of aspects of the victim-to-patient process which
      reflects the interrelationship between mental health and mental disorder,
      particularly of women who suffer the sexual assault, sexual abuse, or wife
      assault. Knowledge of the psychological processes and symptoms aids diagnosis,
      modifies treatment and the process of recovery following acts of violence.

PMID- 1423148
TI  - [Dysmorphophobia (body dysmorphic disorder)].
AB  - This article reviews the historical and terminological origins of dysmorphophobia
      from Herodotus to today. It explains the differences pointed out by many authors,
      including the DSM-III-R, between body dismorphic disorder and delusional disorder
      somatic type, which are referred to as monosymptomatic hypochondriacal psychoses
      in Europe. Epidemiological data, clinical characteristics and outcome are
      discussed. Explicative theories and neurobiological, developmental and analytical
      aspects of body image are presented. The association between body dismorphic
      disorder and other disorders is analyzed, and treatment possibilities are
      discussed. The authors suggest that body dismorphic disorder be classified with
      obsessive compulsive disorder, whatever the intensity of symptomatology, rather
      than with somatoform or delusional disorder, and treated with serotonin uptake
      inhibitors or neureptics that have been proven to be effective for the treatment
      of this disorder, such as pimozide.

PMID- 1423149
TI  - Social risk factors for borderline personality disorder: a review and hypothesis.
AB  - A number of behaviours associated with borderline personality disorder (including
      attempted suicide, suicide, substance abuse, and antisocial behaviour) are on the
      increase among the young. The common factor in these disorders is impulsiveness.
      Evidence is reviewed suggesting that social disintegration reduces the threshold
      of impulsive behaviours. It is proposed that this is the mechanism through which
      social risk factors effect the prevalence and morbidity of borderline
      personality. A number of ways of testing this hypothesis are suggested.

PMID- 1423150
TI  - Correlates of sexual abuse in women with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
AB  - Of 184 female outpatients meeting the DSM-III-R criteria, for anorexia nervosa,
      bulimia nervosa, or anorexia nervosa with bulimia, approximately 25% reported
      previous sexual abuse. Furthermore, previous sexual abuse was associated with
      greater psychological disturbance, measured by the Eating Disorder Inventory and
      Eating Attitudes Test. Sexual functioning did not differ among women who did or
      did not report sexual abuse. This finding suggests that sexual abuse or its
      correlates may affect severity rather than type of eating disorder.

PMID- 1423151
TI  - Intravenous clomipramine for OCD.

PMID- 1423152
TI  - Psychiatric services: a survey of nursing homes and homes for the aged in
      Ontario.
AB  - A survey was conducted to determine perceptions and attitudes of psychiatric
      services available to nursing homes and homes for the aged across Ontario. A
      questionnaire was sent by mail to medical and nursing directors separately.
      Thirty-six point eight percent of responders reported that the nursing home
      residents never receive psychiatric care, and 88.2% of responders estimated the
      total psychiatric care received by all of their residents per month was five
      hours or less. Almost three-quarters of the responders stated that they require
      more psychiatric services. Significantly more nursing directors than medical
      directors wanted more psychiatric services. Southwestern Ontario, followed by
      Northern Ontario, had the least perceived availability of a visiting
      psychiatrist. Perceived availability was greatest in larger urban areas and least
      in rural areas. The mean percentage of residents perceived to have psychiatric or
      behavioural problems was 30.5%, while the mean percentage perceived to require
      psychotropic medication was 37.4%. Physical aggression, wandering and agitation
      were identified as the behavioural problems of greatest concern to staff. When a
      visiting psychiatrist is not available, residents sometimes have to travel long
      distances for psychiatric evaluation. Planning is required to facilitate and
      encourage the development of efficient and effective psychiatric services for
      long term care facilities for the elderly.

PMID- 1423153
TI  - Assessing the "criminalization" of the mentally ill in Canada.
AB  - This paper is an overview of the conceptual and methodological problems
      encountered trying to assess the hypothesis that the mentally ill, as a
      consequence of deinstitutionalization, are being "criminalized". Generalizations
      are difficult to make, in large part because most of the studies are American and
      do not fit well into the Canadian scene. Relevant Canadian findings are reviewed
      and compared to the US data. There is some evidence that Canadian patients may be
      diverted from the criminal justice system more often than in the US, where there
      are fewer resources. However, this conclusion must be tempered by the fact that
      Canadian surveys have found high rates of mental disorder among prison and jail
      inmates.

PMID- 1423154
TI  - Depression and level of functioning in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - This study examined the degree to which depression is related to physical and
      psychosocial dysfunction. The Beck Depression Inventory and the Sickness Impact
      Profile were administered to 34 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Information
      on the demographic variables (age and employment status) and medical status
      variables (duration of disease and functional classification) were collected for
      each patient. Regression analyses revealed that depression was an important
      predictor of total, physical and psychosocial sickness-related behavioural
      dysfunction. The proportion of variance attributed to depression was moderate to
      large and was significant even after controlling for important demographic and
      medical status variables. These results suggest that depression is an important
      factor to be considered when evaluating the clinical significance of physical and
      psychosocial dysfunction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

PMID- 1423155
TI  - Adult children of alcoholics in treatment programs for anxiety disorders and
      substance abuse.
AB  - Studies of the first-degree relatives of patients with alcoholism and anxiety
      disorders have identified a significant overlap of these disorders. Forty percent
      of the patients in an outpatient anxiety disorder program were adult children of
      alcoholics (ACOA), a proportion similar to that found in the substance abuse
      program. The ACOAs in both programs were younger, had higher co-dependency scores
      and were younger when they had their first psychiatric contact than the controls.
      The adult children of alcoholics who had anxiety disorders were more likely to be
      female and their alcoholic parents were less likely to have had psychiatric
      antecedents to alcoholism. Aside from substance abuse, similarities in
      sociodemographic variables and the impact of the parents' alcoholism were noted,
      reinforcing the hypothesis that vulnerabilities to anxiety disorders and
      alcoholism overlap.

PMID- 1423156
TI  - Intensive early exposure to geriatric psychiatry in residency training: impact on
      career choice and practice.
AB  - The authors examined the impact of intensive early exposure to geriatric
      psychiatry on the career choice of trainees. All psychiatrists who had completed
      a six month inpatient rotation on a general hospital psychogeriatric unit as part
      of their first year of residency were interviewed three to 12 years later with a
      questionnaire designed to elicit practice patterns, prior interest in geriatrics,
      and the major influences of the rotation. Nine of 16 trainees had spent more than
      50% of their time since graduation treating elderly patients. Those surveyed who
      were not practicing geriatrics spontaneously reported positive influences of the
      rotation on psychiatry training in general. The nature of geriatric psychiatry
      and the clinical issues, as well as the supervisors and educational activities
      were rated as the most important influences of the rotation. Early experience in
      psychogeriatrics seems valuable for subspecialty recruitment as well as general
      psychiatry training.

PMID- 1423157
TI  - [Community services and quality of life: a study of the impact in a remote
      region].
AB  - This longitudinal study with a matched comparison group was conducted in Abitibi,
      an area in North-West Quebec. Its goal was to observe the impact of community
      support services on the quality of life of long term psychiatric patients living
      in a remote area. A cohort of 47 subjects, living in a small town with a
      comprehensive network of community support services, was compared with a similar
      group living in a neighbouring city with only outpatient services. The
      satisfaction with life domains scale developed by Andrews and Withey and adapted
      by Baker and Intagliata was used at four times during the study. According to the
      results, the subjective perception of the quality of life in the two groups is
      comparable, even though the objective conditions are less favorable for the group
      participating in the community support program. The highest ratings were given to
      the place of residence, the neighborhood and its commodities; the lowest ratings
      were given to their love life and financial situation. One can observe a
      stability of the measures of quality of life over time and for the two groups.
      The perceptions of the sample living in a remote area are much more favorable
      than the ones of a comparable group living in the Montreal area. These results
      are discussed in a double perspective: the role of community support services in
      the daily life of people who are having severe and persistent problems of mental
      health, and the interest of measures of quality of life.

PMID- 1423158
TI  - A treatment approach for patients in midlife.
AB  - A treatment concept is described based on phase of life developmental theory for
      certain middle-aged patients encountered in a general hospital setting that--of a
      midlife crisis unit. Theoretical considerations on the rationale for setting up a
      midlife crisis unit, a brief description of a pilot unit of this nature during
      its first year of operation and several clinical vignettes illustrating typical
      presenting situations are discussed.

PMID- 1423159
TI  - The management of a case of treatment-resistant paraphilia with a long-acting
      LHRH agonist.
AB  - A patient with multiple paraphilias who had been treated for several years with
      sex drive reducing agents (cyproterone acetate and medroxyprogesterone acetate)
      with little effect on sexual activity or fantasy was offered treatment with long
      acting leuprolide acetate, on LHRH agonist. This produced a marked decrease in
      all reported sexual thoughts and activities with no significant side-effects.

PMID- 1423161
TI  - Evolving misidentification syndromes and facial recognition deficits.
AB  - In this paper, the authors report the case of a 33 year old man with several
      misidentification delusions involving the self. Evidence suggests that one type
      of misidentification delusion may evolve into another type. Neuropsychological
      testing further suggests that misidentification delusions may be associated with
      subtle abnormalities in facial recognition abilities and with non dominant
      cerebral compromise.

PMID- 1423160
TI  - Are too many children being treated with methylphenidate?
AB  - A survey was conducted of the use of methylphenidate in British Columbia during a
      six month period to determine if a disproportionate number of children are being
      treated with methylphenidate for hyperactivity. The data obtained do not indicate
      a problem regarding the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in
      children. However, the data pertaining to adults indicate that the reasons stated
      for prescribing methylphenidate are controversial in a significant number of
      cases.

PMID- 1423162
TI  - Post-traumatic stress disorder: an overview.
AB  - An overview of post-traumatic stress disorder, including a brief historical
      survey, and its epidemiology, nosology, etiology, clinical presentation,
      treatment, prognosis as well as a short vignette, highlights the fact that this
      disorder prevails in times of war and peace. Early intervention is emphasized as
      the key to successful treatment. The timeliness for Canadian mental health
      professionals to review this disorder is also mentioned.

PMID- 1423163
TI  - Augmentation of valproate with lithium in a case of rapid cycling affective
      disorder.
AB  - Rapid cycling affective disorder is characteristically unresponsive to
      conventional interventions. In bipolar rapid cycling affective disorder, the
      manic episodes may be controlled with either neuroleptics or electroconvulsive
      therapy, but the depressive episodes are highly intractable. This report
      describes the successful treatment of a patient with a bipolar rapid cycling
      affective disorder using a combination of valproic acid and lithium carbonate.

PMID- 1423164
TI  - Clinical experience with valproic acid in 22 patients with refractory bipolar
      mood disorder.

PMID- 1423165
TI  - Interaction of fluoxetine and chloral hydrate.

PMID- 1423166
TI  - What is behaviour therapy?

PMID- 1423167
TI  - Antidepressants: which to use first?

PMID- 1423168
TI  - Computerized screening interviews.

PMID- 1423170
TI  - Long-term treatment results of postoperative radiation therapy for advanced stage
      oropharyngeal carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The authors report the long-term treatment results for advanced stage
      base of tongue (BOT) and tonsillar fossa (TF) carcinomas treated with surgery and
      postoperative radiation therapy (RT) at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
      METHODS: Between 1973 and 1986, 51 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the
      BOT (n = 31 patients) and TF (n = 20 patients) were treated with surgery plus RT.
      Indication(s) for RT included: advanced disease (Stage T3/T4, 34 patients [66%]);
      close or positive margins (33 patients, 64%) and multiple positive neck nodes (43
      patients, 84%). RESULTS: The 7-year actuarial local control rates for BOT and TF
      lesions were 81% and 83%, respectively. Local control was achieved in 17 of 18
      (94%) patients with T3 lesions, and 12 of 16 (75%) patients with T4 lesions.
      Among patients with positive or close margins who received postoperative doses of
      60 Gy or more, the long-term control rate was 93%. The presence of a treatment
      interruption had a negative effect on the local control rates. The actuarial
      control among patients who required a treatment break was 64%; for those not
      requiring interruption of their treatment, the actuarial control was 93% (P =
      0.05). At 7 years, the overall survival for all patients was 52%, and the disease
      free survival was 64%. The actuarial incidence of neck failure was 21% and 18%
      for BOT and TF, respectively. The likelihood of having distant metastasis at 7
      years for all patients was 30%. The actuarial incidence of having a second
      malignancy was 35% for patients with BOT disease. Second malignancy was not
      observed among patients with TF lesions. CONCLUSIONS: The authors conclude that
      surgery and postoperative RT can provide excellent long-term, disease-control
      rates for patients with advanced BOT and TF tumors. However, current strategies
      for BOT lesions have been directed at tongue preservation without surgery.

PMID- 1423169
TI  - Significance of glutathione S-transferase-pi as a tumor marker in patients with
      oral cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The authors analyzed the clinical usefulness of glutathione-S
      transferase-pi (GST-pi) as a tumor marker in patients with oral cancer. METHODS:
      GST-pi levels in plasma of 61 patients with oral squamous cell carcinomas, 65
      patients with benign oral diseases, and 78 healthy subjects were investigated
      with the sandwich enzyme-immunoassay (EIA) system. RESULTS: Elevated GST-pi
      levels in plasma were observed in patients with oral cancer, but patients with
      benign oral diseases had normal GST-pi levels. More than 70% of patients with
      Stage III or IV oral cancer and more than 50% of those with Stage I and II
      disease had elevated levels of GST-pi in plasma. Elevated levels of GST-pi in
      plasma were also discovered in most patients with tumor recurring after surgery
      before recurrence was detected clinically. GST-pi also was found to be a useful
      marker for evaluating the response to chemotherapy, for monitoring postoperative
      tumor resectability or tumor burden, and for predicting the recurrence of tumor
      in patients with oral cancer. CONCLUSIONS: GST-pi is considered to be a useful
      aid for early diagnosis, predicting tumor extent, and determining parameters of
      treatment efficacy and prognosis for oral cancer.

PMID- 1423171
TI  - Auditory brain stem responses in patients after radiation therapy for
      nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The study evaluated the incidence and severity of brain stem
      myelopathy occurring after radiation exposure in a cohort of patients who
      received external radiation exposure for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS:
      Brain stem function was investigated by auditory brain stem responses (ABR).
      RESULTS: Four of 21 patients who could be examined had aberrations in ABR. Three
      patients showed highly abnormal ABR, with no distinctive patterns or peaks. Two
      of these patients also showed clinical symptoms of brain stem dysfunction,
      including multiple palsies in cranial and peripheral nerves, whereas the third
      patient had no clinical signs of brain stem disorders. The fourth patient had
      minor conduction delays in ABR. The remaining group of 17 patients who could be
      examined had ABR latency and transmission times similar to those of the control
      group. None of these patients had neurologic symptoms. Dose-response analysis
      showed that patients who received radiation doses of 59 Gy or less to the brain
      stem had normal ABR, whereas four of six patients who received a dose of 68 Gy
      had manifest or subclinical brain stem dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: The results
      emphasize the importance of protecting the brain stem from high-dose radiation
      when possible. The results also demonstrate the usefulness of ABR as a supplement
      to the clinical examination of patients with possible myelopathy occurring after
      radiation exposure.

PMID- 1423172
TI  - Bone infarct-associated osteosarcoma.
AB  - Reported is a patient with an osteosarcoma arising in a medullary infarct of the
      humerus. Infarct-associated sarcoma (IAS) of bone is rare. In a collective review
      of 50 cases reported in the medical literature, only 37 were fully documented.
      Including our patient, 26 men and 12 women, ranging in age from 18 to 82 years
      (mean, 53.4 years) have been reported. Black patients appeared to be
      disproportionately represented, accounting for 36% of the group. In most
      patients, there was no known cause for the infarct, whereas in the remainder, the
      most common underlying condition was a prior dysbaric event or alcoholism.
      Approximately 75% of the patients had multiple bone infarcts. The femur was
      involved in 21 patients, the tibia in 14, the humerus in 2, and the radius in 1.
      Among 40 sarcomas in these patients, 7 (18.4%) were osteosarcomas, and 29 (72.5%)
      were malignant fibrous histiocytomas. The survival rate in patients with IAS is
      poor: 5 of the 7 patients with osteosarcoma (71%) and 20 of the 31 other patients
      (65%) died of tumor. Eight patients are alive and well, all for longer than 5
      years.

PMID- 1423173
TI  - The association of erythrocytosis and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
AB  - The authors report the clinical course of three patients with well-documented
      chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and concomitant erythrocytosis. Associated
      disorders included immune cytopenias, Hashimoto struma and Richter syndrome.
      Durable complete remissions of CLL have occurred in two patients. Inasmuch as a
      chance association of these two relatively rare hematologic disorders is
      unlikely, the available information suggests that a pluripotent stem cell with
      the capacity to differentiate into lymphoid and erythroid pathways is the most
      attractive hypothesis.

PMID- 1423174
TI  - Molecular genetic, cytogenetic, and immunohistochemical characterization of
      alveolar soft-part sarcoma. Implications for cell of origin.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Alveolar soft-part sarcoma is a rare tumor of uncertain histogenesis.
      METHODS: The authors report a patient who was studied using immunohistochemistry,
      cytogenetic analysis, and molecular probes for MyoD1 and MYCN (N-myc proto
      oncogene). RESULTS: By immunoperoxidase, the tumor was focally positive for
      vimentin, neuron-specific enolase, and S-100 protein but negative for muscle
      specific actin, desmin, and low-molecular-weight keratin. Direct chromosome
      analysis of primary tumor cells using G-banded preparations yielded two clonally
      abnormal lines: one demonstrated trisomy 47,XX+5; the other demonstrated 46,XX,1p
      ,17q+. Expression of the MYCN RNA was detectable at a low level, and MYCN was
      single copy at the DNA level. Expression of the myogenic molecular marker MyoD1
      was not detected by Northern blotting analysis. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first
      detailed study to address the molecular biology and tumor cytogenetics of
      alveolar soft-part sarcoma. The results of this study indicate a neurogenic
      origin for this unusual tumor and fail to provide support for the notion of a
      myogenic origin.

PMID- 1423176
TI  - Treatment plans for black and white women with stage II node-positive breast
      cancer. The National Cancer Institute Black/White Cancer Survival Study
      experience.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The National Cancer Institute Black/White Cancer Survival Study began
      patient accrual in 1985 and was designed to investigate factors that might
      contribute to the observed racial differences in survival for cancer of the
      breast, uterine corpus, colon, and bladder. METHODS: To determine whether there
      were racial differences in treatment in a clinically homogeneous set of patients,
      305 (25%) of the 1222 women in this study with Stage II node-positive (N+) breast
      cancer were evaluated. RESULTS: Patient characteristics for blacks and whites
      were similar for age, metropolitan area of residence, tumor size, extent of nodal
      involvement, and steroid receptors. Differences in histologic findings, tumor
      grade, and nuclear atypia were observed. Blacks had a higher frequency of
      comorbid conditions, especially hypertension (P < 0.00001). Fewer blacks
      underwent breast-conserving surgery (P = 0.004). In a multivariate analysis, race
      was no longer a significant factor in the selection of primary treatment, but
      education and metropolitan area of residence remained significant. Blacks and
      whites received similar postoperative systemic therapy, with combination
      chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil) and tamoxifen,
      the most common cytotoxic and endocrine therapies used. CONCLUSIONS: The National
      Cancer Institute consensus statement concerning adjuvant therapy for breast
      cancer was published in the middle of the 2-year period that study cases were
      accrued, and treatment plans in this study generally agreed with consensus
      guidelines. Should survival differences in black and white patients with Stage II
      N+ disease in this study be found, they are unlikely to be attributable to
      differences in initial or postoperative treatment.

PMID- 1423175
TI  - Primary non-Hodgkin malignant lymphoma of the breast. An immunohistochemical
      study of seven patients and literature review of 152 patients with breast
      lymphoma in Japan.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The breast is rarely a primary site for extranodal malignant
      lymphoma. Most reported primary non-Hodgkin malignant lymphomas of the breast
      (PBL) are of B-cell phenotype. METHODS: Histologic and immunohistochemical
      analyses of seven patients with PBL and a statistical analysis of 152 patients
      with PBL reported in the Japanese literature were performed. RESULTS: Malignant
      lymphoma could not be predicted preoperatively with clinical and radiologic
      findings; breast carcinoma, fibroadenoma, and phyllodes tumor were the
      preoperative diagnoses. All patients were women; they ranged in age from 31 to 80
      years (mean, 57.6 years). The right breast was involved initially in five
      patients. In four, only the breast was involved (Stage I), whereas in three, the
      ipsilateral axillary lymph nodes (Stage II) were involved at diagnosis. According
      to the Working Formulation, all patients belonged to the intermediate grade and
      were classified as having diffuse large cell (five patients) or mixed (two
      patients) lymphoma. Immunophenotypic analysis revealed that all patients had B
      cell lymphoma. No patients had lymphoepithelial lesions, which is the
      characteristic feature in categorizing a lymphoma as a mucosa-associated lymphoid
      tissue (MALT) lymphoma. A statistical analysis of the patient reported in the
      Japanese literature has divided PBL into two types: a bilateral type that affects
      younger women and a unilateral type that has a broad age distribution, but
      preponderantly occurs in older women. The age and stage at diagnosis were
      significant prognostic factors in predicting the survival time, but the location
      and size of the tumor at initial presentation, histopathologic type, terminal
      leukemic manifestation, and treatment modality were not. CONCLUSIONS: This study
      indicates that most PBL are diffuse large cell lymphoma of B-cell phenotype and
      that the age and stage at diagnosis are significant prognostic factors.

PMID- 1423177
TI  - Randomized adjuvant trial to evaluate the addition of tamoxifen and PSK to
      chemotherapy in patients with primary breast cancer. 5-Year results from the
      Nishi-Nippon Group of the Adjuvant Chemoendocrine Therapy for Breast Cancer
      Organization.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A randomized adjuvant trial was conducted from October 1982 to
      January 1985 to evaluate the addition of tamoxifen (TAM) to combination
      chemotherapy with perioperative mitomycin C (MMC) and ftorafur (FT) for patients
      with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors and the addition of PSK, a biologic
      response modifier, to MMC+FT chemotherapy for patients with ER-negative tumors in
      operable Stage IIA, IIB, and IIIA cancer. The doses used were 20 mg of oral TAM
      daily, 600 mg of oral FT daily, and 3 g of oral PSK daily for 2 years.
      Intravenous MMC (13 mg/m2) was given on the day of operation. METHODS: A total of
      967 patients were entered and randomized by stratification based on ER status and
      staging (1978 International Union Against Cancer [UICC] criteria at the time of
      trial execution). Of 967 patients, 914 (94.5%) were evaluable. At 5-year follow
      up, significant prolonged overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS)
      times were seen with the addition of TAM in patients with ER-positive and Stage
      IIIA T3N0 cancer (1987 UICC-American Joint Committee on Cancer [AJCC] criteria);
      however, no significant survival benefit from TAM was seen in patients with ER
      positive and Stage IIA T2N1 cancer. There was no significant difference between
      regimens, with or without PSK, in patients with ER-negative disease. RESULTS:
      Results of subset analyses suggested a benefit from TAM in postmenopausal
      patients with ER-positive and Stage IIA T2N1 cancer and a benefit from PSK in
      patients with node-negative, ER-negative, and Stage IIA T2N1 cancer. CONCLUSIONS:
      The 5-year results of the current trial showed a survival advantage by the
      addition of TAM to chemotherapy in patients with ER-positive and Stage IIIA T3N0
      cancer.

PMID- 1423178
TI  - Phase III trial of cyclophosphamide versus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and
      methotrexate in hormone-refractory prostatic cancer. A Hoosier Oncology Group
      study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Between August 1984 and November 1989, the Hoosier Oncology Group
      conducted a Phase III study comparing cyclophosphamide (CTX) with
      cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and methotrexate (CAM) in patients with hormone
      refractory metastatic prostatic cancer to determine whether the addition of
      doxorubicin and methotrexate to the cyclophosphamide regimen conferred any
      survival advantage. METHODS: One hundred three patients were registered and
      randomized, 99 were evaluable for response, and all were evaluable for survival
      results. All had histologically confirmed metastatic prostatic cancer and had not
      responded to hormonal therapy. Fifty-three patients received CTX alone, and 50
      received CAM. Seventy-one patients (69%) had evaluable disease, and 32 (31%) had
      measurable disease. RESULTS: There were no complete responses and only four (13%)
      partial responses in the patients with measurable disease. There was no
      difference in overall survival time between the two treatment arms in either
      patients with a Karnofsky performance status (KPS) of 80-100 (median survival,
      9.0 versus 9.5 months; P = 0.93) or in those with a KPS of 50-70 (median
      survival, 5.0 versus 6.0 months; P = 0.51). There was no difference in overall
      time to progression between the two treatment arms (median time to progression;
      4.4 versus 6.2 months; P = 0.07). Toxicity was tolerable in both regimens.
      CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that there was no survival advantage to CAM over
      CTX alone. New chemotherapeutic agents with greater activity against prostatic
      cancer must be identified.

PMID- 1423179
TI  - Lipid-associated sialic acid, squamous cell carcinoma antigen, carcinoembryonic
      antigen, and lactic dehydrogenase levels as tumor markers in squamous cell
      carcinoma of the head and neck.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Circulating tumor markers are valuable adjuncts in the management of
      several malignant lesions, including germ cell tumors and adenocarcinomas of the
      breast, colon, prostate, and ovary. However (to the authors' knowledge),
      currently, no serologic markers have been shown to have prognostic value for
      patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN). METHODS:
      Novel and existing markers were evaluated prospectively in patients with SCCHN:
      The levels of lipid-associated sialic acids (LASA), squamous cell carcinoma
      circulating antigen (SCC-Ag), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and lactic
      dehydrogenase (LDH) were evaluated in 52 patients: 42 with active measurable
      SCCHN and 10 with no clinical evidence of active disease after treatment (NED).
      RESULTS: In patients with active disease, LASA, SCC-Ag, CEA, and LDH were
      elevated in 71%, 33%, 27%, and 18%, respectively, and in seven patients with
      distant metastasis (M1) in 100%, 86%, 57%, and 33%, respectively. None of the
      markers were elevated in the NED group. The incidence and magnitude of LASA and
      SCC-Ag elevations correlated with the extent of disease (active disease versus
      NED, Stage III versus IV, T0-3 versus T4 primary lesions, M0 versus M1). LDH and
      CEA elevations correlated primarily with the presence of distant metastases.
      CONCLUSIONS: LASA appears to be a promising sensitive marker of SCCHN, followed
      in decreasing order of sensitivity by SCC-Ag, CEA, and LDH. Additional study to
      evaluate the specificity of LASA and its correlation with tumor response to
      therapy is warranted.

PMID- 1423180
TI  - "Locked-in syndrome" after intrathecal cytosine arabinoside therapy for malignant
      immunoblastic lymphoma.
AB  - A 22-year-old man with malignant immunoblastic lymphoma had "locked-in" syndrome
      within 48 hours of receiving a single (100 mg) dose of intrathecal cytosine
      arabinoside (ara-C) in conjunction with intravenous ara-C, cisplatin, and
      doxorubicin. Eight hours after therapy, the patient had central hypoventilation
      and blurred vision that progressed to blindness within 3 hours. During the next
      10 hours, he became completely quadriplegic but remained intermittently alert and
      was able to respond to commands by eye or head movements. Radiographic studies
      showed necrosis of the medulla and swelling of the entire spinal cord. The
      patient persisted in a locked-in state until his death 3 weeks later, after
      removal of life support systems. Autopsy confirmed extensive necrosis of the
      lower medulla, optic chiasm, cranial nerves I and IV, and spinal cord. This case
      was unusual for its severity. The temporal relationship to ara-C instillation
      favors a toxic idiosyncratic response to chemotherapy. The authors advocate
      caution when bolus intrathecal and intravenous ara-C are administered to a
      patient within a short time of each other.

PMID- 1423181
TI  - Phase III double-blind comparison of intravenous ondansetron and metoclopramide
      as antiemetic therapy for patients receiving multiple-day cisplatin-based
      chemotherapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Ondansetron hydrochloride is a selective serotonin subtype 3 (5HT3)
      receptor antagonist that has been shown to be an effective antiemetic in patients
      receiving cisplatin chemotherapy. METHODS: This double-blind study compared the
      safety and efficacy of intravenous ondansetron with metoclopramide in patients
      receiving a 4- or 5-day regimen of cisplatin (20-40 mg/m2/day) combination
      chemotherapy. Forty-five patients were enrolled, and efficacy of the drug therapy
      could be studied for all 45. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive
      three daily intravenous doses of either 0.15 mg/kg ondansetron or 1 mg/kg
      metoclopramide. All patients were monitored daily for the number of emetic
      episodes (vomiting or retching), severity of nausea, adverse events, and
      laboratory safety parameters. RESULTS: Seven (30%) patients who received
      ondansetron had no emetic episodes throughout the entire study period compared
      with two (9%) who received metoclopramide (P = 0.077). The greatest difference in
      antiemetic efficacy was seen on day 1, when 18 (78%) patients who received
      ondansetron had no emetic episodes compared with 3 (14%) patients who received
      metoclopramide (P < 0.001). Significantly fewer antiemetic treatment failures
      (more than five emetic episodes or withdrawal from the study) occurred with
      patients given ondansetron (9%) than with those given metoclopramide (50%) during
      the entire study period (P = 0.002). The most commonly reported adverse event
      associated with ondansetron therapy was headache (controlled with acetaminophen),
      whereas diarrhea and restlessness were the most commonly reported adverse events
      associated with metoclopramide therapy. Extrapyramidal symptoms were judged to
      have occurred in 13 patients who received metoclopramide and 1 patient who
      received ondansetron. However, the patient who received ondansetron subsequently
      was judged to have had an anxiety attack. In patients with low or normal baseline
      transaminase values, a greater percentage who received ondansetron had transient
      increases as great as twice the upper limit of normal in aspartate transaminase
      (5% versus 0%) and alanine transaminase (17% versus 6%) than those who received
      metoclopramide. CONCLUSIONS: Ondansetron is superior to metoclopramide as
      antiemetic therapy for multiple-day cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

PMID- 1423182
TI  - Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Preliminary observations on the
      influences of dose, schedule, and route of administration in patients receiving
      cyclophosphamide and carboplatin.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In an attempt to learn how best to administer granulocyte-macrophage
      colony-stimulating factor (GMCSF), the authors performed a Phase I study of this
      agent. They were interested in the influences of dose, schedule, and route of
      administration on the effects of GMCSF in patients receiving standardized 1-day
      regimens of cyclophosphamide (CYCLO) and carboplatin (CBDCA). METHODS: Between
      June 1988 and March 1991, 57 patients with advanced cancer received GMCSF in
      association with CYCLO 1 g/m2 plus CBDCA 225-700 mg/m2. After the first dose
      escalation to 300 mg/m2 of CBDCA, patients who had previously received
      chemotherapy or radiation therapy were excluded. GMCSF was administered in three
      different doses, five different schedules, and by two different routes.
      Altogether, 17 different treatment groups were observed. In addition, 24-hour
      GMCSF serum concentration curves were charted in four patients. RESULTS: Using
      four sequential groups of three patients each who had received myelosuppressive
      treatment, treatment with CYCLO 1 g/m2 and CBDCA 225 mg/m2, the apparent
      superiority of daily subcutaneous injection over 30-minute daily IV infusion of
      GMCSF was demonstrated graphically. Subsequently, the authors observed apparent
      enhancement of GMCSF effects beyond those produced by the initially selected 20
      day basic 10 micrograms/kg daily SC regimen beginning 2 days after chemotherapy.
      When administered SC every 12 hours for 14 days beginning the day after
      chemotherapy, GMCSF appeared to ameliorate the severity of both leukopenia and
      thrombocytopenia. These effects permitted escalation of the CBDCA dose to 700
      mg/m2 (with 1 g/m2 of CYCLO) before cytotoxic tolerance limits were reached.
      Graphic small group comparisons suggest that GMCSF given SC in doses of 5
      micrograms/kg twice daily may produce comparable leukocyte and platelet support
      after chemotherapy with lower toxicity than occurs from higher doses.
      Prechemotherapy priming with GMCSF twice daily for an additional 4 days (days -6
      to -3) seems to ameliorate postchemotherapy cytopenias further but at the cose of
      some increased risk of GMCSF toxicity. Although most of the toxic effects of
      moderate-dose GMCSF are controlled by antihistamines and ibuprofen, oral
      glucocorticoids (e.g., prednisone, 10 mg twice daily during the second week of
      GMCSF administration) may be required in patients with serositis, pulmonary
      infiltrates, or severe skin eruptions. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations suggest that
      GMCSF should be administered SC in doses of approximately 5 micrograms/kg every
      12 hours for 10-14 days beginning the day after chemotherapy. Prechemotherapy
      priming with these same doses for four additional days (days -6 to -3) may
      additionally ameliorate postchemotherapy leukopenia and thrombocytopenia, but
      with increased risk of toxicity.

PMID- 1423183
TI  - A phase II evaluation of ifosfamide and mesna in unresectable diffuse malignant
      mesothelioma. A Southwest Oncology Group study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Malignant mesothelioma is a highly treatment-resistant neoplasm. This
      study represents an attempt to define an effective form of systemic therapy.
      METHODS: Twenty-six patients with unresectable diffuse malignant mesothelioma
      were enrolled in Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) study 8731 and treated with
      ifosfamide, 2 g/m2 intravenously for 4 days, and mesna 2 g/m2 intravenously for 5
      days, every 3 weeks. Patients were either previously untreated with chemotherapy
      or had at most one prior systemic treatment. RESULTS: Two patients, or 8% (95%
      confidence interval, 1-25%), achieved partial response, with response durations
      of 4 and 6 months. One additional patient met criteria for tumor size reduction
      but not duration criteria. Thirteen (50%) patients had stable disease of 4
      months' median duration (range, 1-13 months). The median survival of the entire
      group was 6.5 months. The dose-limiting toxicity was granulocytopenia (11
      patients, < or = 250/microliters). CONCLUSIONS: Ifosfamide/mesna has modest
      activity in malignant mesothelioma. It could be tested using alternate dosage
      schedules and in combination with other agents in treating this highly resistant
      neoplasm.

PMID- 1423184
TI  - The prevalence of oral lesions in smokeless tobacco users and an evaluation of
      risk factors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The widespread use of smokeless tobacco (ST) has prompted concern in
      regard to the development of oral lesions in long-term users. METHODS: For
      inclusion in the current study, a subject must have used an ST product, either
      snuff or chewing tobacco, for at least 6 months. The subjects were recruited by
      advertising, and none was referred for the evaluation of an oral lesion. The
      following were performed on all subjects: assessment of exposure to ST,
      cigarettes, and alcohol; examination of the oral cavity; a biopsy, if an oral
      lesion was found; and analysis of a blood sample for beta-carotene. The dietary
      intake of most of the subjects was analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 347 ST users, all of
      whom were white male subjects, 45 (13.0%) had an oral lesion. Thirty-five of the
      lesions were hyperkeratosis and 10 were epithelial dysplasia. CONCLUSIONS: Snuff
      exposure was associated significantly with the presence of an oral lesion (P <
      0.0001). A decreased vitamin C intake also was found among the ST users with oral
      lesions (P < 0.01). The ST users with epithelial dysplasia, as compared with
      those with hyperkeratotic lesions, were slightly older, had a lower intake of
      vitamin C (P < 0.05), and were more likely to have used chewing tobacco than
      snuff.

PMID- 1423185
TI  - A flow cytometric analysis of DNA content in primary and metastatic lesions of
      esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: DNA content of malignant tumors has been considered a significant
      prognostic factor, but intratumor variations in DNA content and differences in
      DNA content between primary and metastatic lesions have been found in various
      tumors. METHODS: DNA indexes of multiple samples obtained from different sites in
      each tumor were determined by flow cytometry (FCM) in 27 esophageal squamous cell
      carcinomas. RESULTS: Intratumor variation in DNA indexes in primary lesions was
      found in 10 (37%) of the 27 specimens. Of the rest, all DNA indexes were diploid
      in 5 and all identically aneuploid in 12 samples. A DNA index differing from that
      of the metastatic lesion was found in four (50%) of eight primary lesions;
      however, a component of the DNA index identical to that of metastatic lesion was
      found in seven (88%) of eight primary lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Recurrence after a
      "curative" operation was frequent in patients with a tumor that had an aneuploid
      DNA index, with or without a variation in DNA indexes. There was no recurrence in
      the five patients with tumors that had only a diploid DNA index. These results
      suggest that differences in DNA content between primary and metastatic lesions
      reflect intratumor variation in DNA content in the primary lesions. The presence
      of a tumor cell population with an aneuploid DNA content, even when the DNA
      content varied in the primary lesion, may indicate an aggressive clinical course
      in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

PMID- 1423186
TI  - Malignant lymphoma of the stomach associated with systemic sarcoidosis.
AB  - The case of a patient with gastric malignant lymphoma associated with systemic
      sarcoidosis is reported. The patient's sarcoidosis was identified by the findings
      of bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy and secondary glaucoma. Biopsy of a cervical
      lymph node showed epithelioid cell granuloma; the sarcoidosis was diagnosed 15
      years previously. She had been treated with prednisolone for 5 years until 1979.
      Proximal gastrectomy, splenectomy, and lymph node dissection were done in 1989.
      The tumor was diagnosed as malignant lymphoma of the diffuse large cell type
      according to the Working Formulation. There was no infiltration of lymphoma cell
      in the 45 dissected lymph nodes, but sarcoid nodules were observed in all nodes.
      Only three cases of gastric malignant lymphoma complicating sarcoidosis have been
      reported to the authors' knowledge. Further study should be done in support of
      the concept of a sarcoidosis-lymphoma syndrome.

PMID- 1423187
TI  - Declining mortality rates for cancer of the rectum in the United States: 1940
      1985.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Age-standardized and age-specific mortality rates for
      cancer of the rectum and cancer of the colon were calculated according to race
      and gender for 1940-1985; age-standardized rates were calculated according to
      geographic region for 1950-1980. RESULTS: Mortality rates for cancer of the
      rectum decreased among white and black people of each gender, in most age
      categories and all regions of the country. Concurrent with this decline,
      mortality rates for cancer of the colon increased among all race-gender groups
      except white females, among whom it decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The decline in
      mortality rates for cancer of the rectum has been largely unappreciated. When
      deaths occurring from 1940 to 1985 from cancer of the rectum are combined with
      those from cancer of the colon, mortality rates are increased. However, this
      combination of sites obscures the divergent trends, which suggest that these
      cancers have causes that are at least somewhat different.

PMID- 1423188
TI  - Ki-67-determined growth fraction versus standard staging and grading parameters
      in colorectal carcinoma. A multivariate analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The antibody Ki-67 binds to nuclei in all cell cycle phases except GO
      and can be used to measure growth fraction. Because proliferative activity has
      been linked to prognosis in neoplasia, the authors analyzed 100 cases of
      colorectal carcinoma, each with 3 or more years of follow-up, using Ki-67
      immunostaining. METHODS: The Ki-67-positive nuclear area and total nuclear area
      of carcinoma cells in 20 microscopic fields were measured by computed
      morphometry. A Ki-67 score (percent positive nuclear area x 100) was calculated.
      The following characteristics also were recorded for each case: patient age and
      sex, tumor site and size, modified Dukes' stage, spread beyond bowel wall, lymph
      node status, tumor grade, histologic type, extramural venous spread, tumor growth
      pattern, fibrosis, lymphocytic infiltration, and mitotic rate. RESULTS: Ki-67
      scores ranged from 1 to 90 (mean, 34.6). Ki-67 scores were higher in Stage A
      disease (versus Stage B, C, and D disease) but were not associated with survival.
      Survival curves differed by stage, lymph node metastases, infiltrative growth
      pattern, lymphocytic infiltration, fibrosis, extramural venous spread, and tumor
      grade in a univariate analysis. The infiltrative growth pattern (P = 0.04) and
      lymphocytic infiltration (P = 0.003) were features associated independently with
      survival after adjusting for modified Dukes' stage. Furthermore, the lack of a
      significant lymphocytic infiltrate was associated with a death rate 3.4 times
      greater than that occurring in patients with Stage B disease with a significant
      infiltrate. CONCLUSIONS: The authors conclude that proliferative activity in
      colorectal carcinoma as measured by Ki-67 immunostaining was not associated with
      prognosis.

PMID- 1423189
TI  - Cytologic examination of pure pancreatic juice in the diagnosis of pancreatic
      carcinoma. The endoscopic retrograde intraductal catheter aspiration cytologic
      technique.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although cytologic examination of pure pancreatic juice obtained with
      a duodenofiberscope has been useful for the diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma,
      the rate of false-negative results is reported to be high. To eliminate these
      false-negative results, the authors developed a new technique, endoscopic
      retrograde intraductal catheter aspiration cytology, especially for an accurate
      cytologic diagnosis of carcinoma of the body or tail of the pancreas. METHODS:
      The accuracy of conventional cytologic examination of pure pancreatic juice was
      assessed in 25 patients with pancreatic carcinoma, 29 patients with pancreatitis,
      and 52 control subjects. Pure pancreatic juice was collected from the pancreatic
      duct by endoscopic cannulation using a videoimaging duodenoscope after
      intravenous administration of secretin. The new endoscopic retrograde intraductal
      catheter aspiration technique was used in four patients with carcinoma of the
      body or tail of the pancreas and five patients with localized pancreatitis in
      whom a correct diagnosis was not made by previous cytologic examination of pure
      pancreatic juice. RESULTS: Positive cytologic findings were obtained in 76% of
      the patients with pancreatic carcinoma. Positive cytologic results were more
      frequent in patients with carcinoma of the head of the pancreas than in those
      with carcinoma of the body or tail. By the new technique, positive cytologic
      results were obtained in all of the patients with pancreatic carcinoma. This
      technique caused no severe complications. CONCLUSIONS: This procedure of
      endoscopic retrograde intraductal catheter aspiration cytology seems useful for
      diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma.

PMID- 1423191
TI  - Interpleural analgesia through a DuPen catheter for lung cancer pain.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pain, one of the most frequent symptoms of lung cancer, is difficult
      to control at times, not only because of the many structures involved but also
      because of the paths through which the pain is conveyed. METHODS: When usual
      analgesic treatment did not alleviate pain after chemotherapy in a patient with
      lung adenocarcinoma, long-term interpleural analgesia was begun. A DuPen epidural
      catheter was inserted between the pleura parietalis and visceralis for the
      administration of bupivacaine in a bolus regimen every 6 hours. RESULTS: Thoracic
      pain thus was controlled until the patient died 130 days after placement.
      CONCLUSIONS: The long-term tunneled interpleural placement of DuPen catheters
      constitutes an alternative to systemic and spinal treatments for thoracic pain
      due to cancer.

PMID- 1423190
TI  - Potential impact on tumor control and organ preservation with cisplatin and 5
      fluorouracil for patients with advanced tumors of the paranasal sinuses and nasal
      fossa. A prospective pilot study.
AB  - METHODS: Twelve patients with advanced epithelial nonadenocarcinoma of the
      paranasal sinuses and nasal fossa were treated with three cycles of cisplatin
      (100 mg/m2, day 1) and 5-fluorouracil (1000 mg/m2/24 hours on days 1-5 by
      continuous infusion), followed by preoperative external radiation therapy of 48
      Gy and limited surgery, clearing the paranasal sinuses and nasal fossa. RESULTS:
      After chemotherapy, 11 of 12 patients were free of the previous symptoms of
      disease. Clinical response rates were different, however, with an overall
      response rate of approximately 70% with no complete responses. Histopathologic
      analysis of resected specimens showed no vital tumor in eight patients, minimal
      microscopic disease in three patients, and infiltrating tumor in one patient.
      Local control was achieved in 11 of 12 patients. Ten patients are alive with no
      evidence of disease (mean follow-up, 27 months). Surgical mutilation was avoided,
      with no functional or cosmetic loss. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this small pilot
      study seem to indicate a high chemosensitivity of carcinomas of the paranasal
      sinuses and nasal fossa, which, in this study, has meant significant relief of
      symptoms and an unusually high rate of local control (90%) without mutilation.

PMID- 1423192
TI  - Coagulation-fibrinolysis system and markers of collagen metabolism in lung
      cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that the fibrinolysis system and peritumoral
      connective tissue play important roles in tumor spread. METHODS: In this study,
      the authors evaluated the following parameters in 30 consecutive patients with
      lung cancer: thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), cross-linked fibrin split
      products D-dimer (DD), plasmin-alpha 2-antiplasmin inhibitor complex (PAP), and
      two antigens related to connective tissue, the aminoterminal propeptide of type
      III procollagen (PIIIP) and the 7S domain of type IV collagen (7S-collagen).
      RESULTS: Each parameter was increased significantly in the patients with cancer
      compared with the control subjects. Except for PIIIP, their concentration in
      blood was elevated to a significantly greater extent in the patients with distant
      metastases. The PAP concentration correlated well with the plasma concentration
      of TAT (r = 0.5; P < 0.01) and DD (r = 0.9; P < 0.0001). There was also a strong
      correlation between the serum concentrations of PIIIP and 7S-collagen (r = 0.7; P
      < 0.001). In patients with localized disease, DD levels were correlated
      significantly with those of PIIIP (Spearman rank-order correlation [rs] = 0.6; P
      < 0.025) and 7S-collagen (rs = 0.6; P < 0.01). In the group with disseminated
      metastases, there was a significant inverse relationship between serum PAP
      concentrations and serum concentrations of 7S-collagen (rs = -0.6; P < 0.025).
      CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm the presence of a subclinical chronic
      activation of the parameters of intravascular clotting-fibrinolysis and
      alterations in the extracellular matrix of patients with lung cancer. These
      parameters may be useful as indicators of the clinical progression of malignant
      disease, particularly of lung cancer.

PMID- 1423193
TI  - Outcome of clinical congestive heart failure induced by anthracycline
      chemotherapy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Anthracycline-induced congestive heart failure (A-CHF) is associated
      with a high reported incidence of morbidity and mortality. The long-term clinical
      outcome of patients with clinical A-CHF is less well defined. METHODS: A
      retrospective chart review was done of 19 patients with a clinical diagnosis of A
      CHF. RESULTS: In 19 patients, the mean anthracycline dose was 379 +/- 141 mg/m2
      (range, 120-570 mg/m2). The median time from the last dose of the drug to the
      onset of A-CHF was 4 weeks (range, 1-17 weeks). Seven patients (Group I) died of
      A-CHF within a median of 6 weeks (range, 1-15 weeks) from onset of disease to
      death. Twelve patients (Group II) had clinical recovery, three with a complete
      response, eight had partial improvement, and one had stable disease. Most
      importantly, four patients who had an intercurrent illness (two patients with
      infections and two with progression of their malignant lesions) had a relapse of
      clinical congestive heart failure that was fatal. CONCLUSIONS: Many (63%)
      patients recover from clinical A-CHF. However, the cardiac reserve of these
      patients is limited, and they may require careful medical management during other
      illnesses or surgical procedures.

PMID- 1423194
TI  - "Solid" variant of aneurysmal bone cyst (extragnathic giant cell reparative
      granuloma) in the axial skeleton and long bones. A study of its morphologic
      spectrum and distinction from allied giant cell lesions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Giant cell reparative granuloma is generally considered to be a
      benign tumor-like bone lesion. Its involvement of axial skeleton and long bones
      is rare. METHODS: Seven cases of extragnathic giant cell reparative granuloma
      (GCRG), which arose in the axial skeleton and long bones, were analyzed
      clinicopathologically and compared with allied lesions consisting of 31 cases of
      aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) and 83 cases of giant cell tumor of bone (GCT).
      RESULTS: These occurred in patients ranging in age from 8-36 years; two were in
      the vertebrae; two, in the clavicles; one, in a rib; one, in the humerus; and one
      in the tibia. None of the patients with GCRG had a recurrence despite incomplete
      resection. Its skeletal distribution and average associated patient age were
      similar to those of ABC. Histologically, they were characterized by florid
      fibroblastic proliferation with osteoclast-like giant cell-rich areas, stromal
      hemorrhage, and newly formed bone or osteoid trabeculae. The histologic features
      could be found around either the characteristic aneurysmal cysts or sinuses,
      although they were lacking any large blood-filled spaces. CONCLUSIONS: The
      overlapping clinical and histologic features between GCRG and ABC and their
      similar biologic behavior represent related responses to an intraosseous
      hemorrhage. The authors prefer to use the term "solid variant of aneurysmal bone
      cyst" to describe this lesion.

PMID- 1423195
TI  - Diagnosis and management of giant intrasacral schwannoma.
AB  - Giant intrasacral schwannoma is a rare cause of a retrorectal mass in an adult
      patient. Only 21 such tumors have been reported. The diagnosis of this
      intraosseous nerve sheath tumor is heralded by its minimal symptoms in relation
      to its often striking radiographic findings and is verified by its unique
      morphology. Surgical resection is complex because of its anatomic location and
      propensity for local recurrence. The need for adequate tumor removal must be
      balanced against the preservation of nerve function. The presentation, diagnosis,
      and management of intrasacral schwannomas are reviewed, as exemplified in this
      case presentation and literature review.

PMID- 1423196
TI  - Emphysematous cystitis due to Clostridium perfringens and Candida albicans in two
      patients with hematologic malignant conditions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fever, abdominal pain, and hematuria developed in two patients with
      hematologic malignant conditions (multiple myeloma and agnogenic myeloid
      metaplasia). Each patient was found to have emphysematous cystitis (EC),
      secondary to Clostridium perfringens and Candida albicans, respectively. Both
      patients had debilitated general medical conditions, compromised immune function,
      prior treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics and corticosteroids, bladder
      outlet obstruction, and indwelling Foley catheters as predisposing factors to EC.
      Neither was diabetic. METHODS: These cases provide an opportunity to review the
      related medical literature on the pathophysiology and management of this uncommon
      entity. RESULTS: Treatment consists of control of underlying diabetes (if
      present), administration of appropriate antibiotics, establishment of urinary
      drainage, provision of supportive general medical care, exclusion of the presence
      of a bladder fistula, and surgical debridement only when unavoidable.
      CONCLUSIONS: EC should be part of the differential diagnosis in patients with
      cancer who have fever, abdominal pain, and hematuria.

PMID- 1423197
TI  - A comparative study of DNA ploidy in 115 fresh-frozen breast carcinomas by image
      analysis versus flow cytometry.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of cellular DNA content may be
      clinically useful in the prognostic evaluation of certain types of malignant
      tumors, including breast carcinoma. Flow cytometric (FCM) analysis has been the
      most frequently used procedure for DNA analysis, but it requires a reasonably
      large tissue sample. Computer-based image analysis (IA) now allows imprint,
      cytospin, and needle aspiration smear preparations and other small tissue samples
      to be used. METHODS: To resolve concern about the diagnostic efficacy of small
      tissue samples in the use of IA, the authors performed a comparative study of FCM
      analysis and IA using 115 fresh-frozen breast carcinomas. Feulgen-stained imprint
      preparations for IA and single-cell suspensions from the same fresh-frozen tissue
      for FCM analysis were used, and the respective histograms were compared. RESULTS:
      The results were concordant in 90.4% (104 of 115) of the cases, but 11 specimens
      yielded discordant data. IA provided histograms with a somewhat lower resolution
      and a relatively high coefficient of variation for the G0/G1 peak, thus rendering
      occasional tumors, which were near-diploid aneuploid by FCM analysis (four
      cases), not amenable to diagnosis by aneuploid characterization. In three
      additional cases, FCM analysis showed aneuploid hyperdiploid (two cases) and
      multiploid (one case) histograms, but IA only demonstrated a diploid peak.
      Conversely, in four other cases, aneuploid peaks were recognized only by IA.
      CONCLUSIONS: Computerized IA has significant advantages over FCM analysis,
      including lower cost, the ability to analyze very small specimens, the capability
      of detecting rare high ploidy cells, the capacity to classify cellular
      populations according to specific morphologic type, and the fact that no
      destructive enzyme or chemical digestion is required for specimen preparation,
      thereby preserving the integrity of fragile cells.

PMID- 1423198
TI  - Immunolocalization of basic fibroblast growth factor to the microvasculature of
      human brain tumors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Microvascular proliferation, a prominent feature of tumors of the
      central nervous system, is a prime target for anti-cancer therapy. METHODS:
      Because basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plays a key role in the regulation
      of angiogenesis, surgical specimens from 52 human brain tumors were examined by
      immunocytochemical studies with a murine monoclonal antibody to bFGF. Sections
      from these tumors also were incubated with Ki-67 monoclonal antibody to measure
      the growth fraction. RESULTS: Immunostaining for bFGF was observed in 45 of 52
      (87%) neoplasms, reacting with 97% of the malignant brain tumors and 67% of
      benign tumors (P < 0.01). The nonreactive tumors were a medulloblastoma and 7 of
      21 (33%) benign, noninvasive, slow-growing neoplasms (1 acoustic schwannoma, 3
      meningiomas, 2 pituitary adenomas, and 1 cholesteatoma). The indices of
      proliferation (Ki-67 labeling) were lower for the 21 benign tumors (1.2 +/- 1.1%)
      than the 31 malignant tumors (10.3 +/- 10.5%; P < 0.001). The bFGF was
      immunolocalized in the tumor cell nuclei in 23 of 52 tumors (44%) and in the
      cytoplasm of 8 of 52 (15%) tumors. Immunostaining to bFGF was prominent in the
      microvascular endothelial compartment in 84% of the malignant tumors and only 52%
      of benign tumors (P < 0.01). Immunostaining was not present after preabsorption
      of the antibody with pure human recombinant bFGF. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of
      bFGF predominantly within the tumor microvasculature indicates a cellular depot
      for this potent growth factor that mediates angiogenesis and tumorigenesis. These
      data support a role for bFGF in the transition from the benign to the malignant
      phenotype.

PMID- 1423199
TI  - Heterotopic adrenocortical oncocytoma. A case report with light and electron
      microscopic studies.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The case of a benign oncocytoma arising in a patient from
      retroperitoneal heterotopic adrenocortical tissue is reported; this tumor was
      found in a 44-year-old man. METHODS: The tumor consisted of polygonal cells with
      granular eosinophilic cytoplasm packed with swollen mitochondria. RESULTS:
      Scattered tumor cells showed abundant smooth endoplasmic reticulum suggesting
      that the tumor was of adrenocortical origin.

PMID- 1423200
TI  - Concurrent radiation therapy, 5-fluorouracil, and cisplatin for stage II, III,
      and IV, node-negative, squamous cell head and neck cancer. Results and surgical
      implications.
AB  - METHODS: Between 1983 and 1989, 42 patients with Stage II, III, and IV, node
      negative, squamous cell head and neck cancer were treated with concurrent 5
      fluorouracil, cisplatin, and radiation therapy. Two courses of chemotherapy with
      30 Gy of concurrent radiation therapy were to be followed in all patients by
      definitive surgery and then an additional 30 Gy of radiation therapy and one to
      two courses of chemotherapy. The patients who achieved a complete response to the
      initial induction treatment, however, did not undergo surgery. RESULTS: After the
      completion of all therapy, 41 of the 42 patients (98%) were considered disease
      free. Only 4 of these 41 had relapses, for a projected Kaplan-Meier disease-free
      survival rate of 86%. Treatment failure occurred in no patients with Stage II, 1
      of 17 patients with Stage III, and 4 of 14 patients with Stage IV disease. Of the
      42 patients, 23 (55%) did not require surgery after achieving a complete response
      to induction therapy, and only 1 of these 23 patients subsequently had a relapse.
      CONCLUSIONS: Although the value of adding chemotherapy to conventional treatment
      remains unproven in squamous cell head and neck cancer, this treatment schedule
      appears promising in node-negative disease. Randomized trials will be necessary,
      however, to validate the efficacy of this approach and confirm the suggestion by
      the authors that surgery can be avoided in most patients with N0 disease.

PMID- 1423201
TI  - Impact of cyclophosphamide on long-term reduction in sperm count in men treated
      with combination chemotherapy for Ewing and soft tissue sarcomas.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Treatment of cancer with multiple-drug chemotherapy regimens or
      radiation therapy can cause either temporary azoospermia of various durations or
      permanent azoospermia in young men. METHODS: To identify which drugs in which
      doses contribute to long-term or permanent azoospermia, semen analyses were done
      on patients with Ewing and soft tissue sarcomas before, during, and after
      treatment with either CYADIC (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and dacarbazine), or
      CYVADIC (vincristine added to CYADIC). Some patients also received other drugs or
      radiation therapy. RESULTS: From pretreatment levels that were similar to those
      of control subjects, sperm production declined to azoospermia within 4 months of
      treatment. Sperm production returned in some patients after treatment; 40% of men
      recovered to normospermic levels by 5 years after treatment. Few patients showed
      continued recovery of sperm production after that time. The cumulative dose of
      cyclophosphamide was the most significant determinant of recovery to normospermic
      levels; approximately 70% of those who had received doses less than 7.5 g/m2
      (median, 4.1 g/m2) recovered, but only 10% recovered when doses exceeded 7.5
      g/m2. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, a risk of permanent sterility is associated with the use
      of the CYADIC and CYVADIC regimens in young men, especially when the cumulative
      dose of cyclophosphamide is greater than 7.5 mg/m2.

PMID- 1423202
TI  - Psychologic adaptation of survivors of childhood cancer.
AB  - When adult survivors of childhood cancer were compared with their peers,
      survivors were found to be at least as well adjusted. Indeed, some evidence was
      suggestive of survivors having adaptive advantages in everyday life. The
      survivors reported significantly more positive affect, less negative affect,
      higher intimacy motivation, more perceived personal control, and greater
      satisfaction with control in life situations. Despite these apparent strengths
      associated with surviving childhood cancer, several specific problems were
      documented. Survivors were more likely than peers to have repeated school grades,
      to be worried about issues of fertility, and to express dissatisfaction with
      important relationships. The latter finding was interpreted as reflecting the
      high expectations of survivors for relationships, based on their difficult yet
      interpersonally rewarding experiences during times of illness.

PMID- 1423203
TI  - Improved prognosis of children with osteosarcoma metastatic to the lung(s) at the
      time of diagnosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A poor outcome is traditionally ascribed to osteosarcoma metastatic
      to the lungs, but data have been unavailable regarding the outcome of such
      patients after systematic treatment on clinical trials. METHODS: The clinical
      course and outcome of 31 patients who had osteosarcoma metastatic to the lungs
      diagnosed between 1962 and 1990 at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital were
      reviewed to determine whether the use of increasingly aggressive multimodality
      therapy has improved their outcome. The patients were grouped by treatment eras,
      based on major changes in therapy (i.e., single-agent or two-agent era, 1962
      1972; standard multiagent era, 1972-1982; and intensive multiagent era, 1982
      1990). RESULTS: With increasingly intensive chemotherapy, more aggressive efforts
      to resect metastatic disease, and earlier detection of pulmonary metastases by
      computed tomography, the survival of these patients has improved significantly
      over the 28-year study period. Those treated since 1982 have a 50% estimated
      probability of survival at 3 years, whereas there were no survivors at 3 years in
      the two earlier eras. Survival for the former group reached a plateau of 30% at 4
      years. CONCLUSIONS: The use of aggressive multimodality therapy, coupled with
      modern pediatric imaging techniques to detect pulmonary disease, has improved the
      traditionally dismal outlook in pediatric patients with osteosarcoma and
      synchronous pulmonary metastases.

PMID- 1423204
TI  - White matter changes in children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Twenty-seven children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia
      (ALL) were studied by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging after central nervous
      system (CNS) treatment. The children were followed by clinical evaluations and
      computed tomographic (CT) brain scans. Two CNS treatment techniques were used.
      Eleven patients received intravenous and intrathecal methotrexate; 16 patients
      received 18-30 Gy of cranial radiation therapy in addition to systemic
      chemotherapy. The time interval between the CNS treatment and MR scans varied
      from 9 months to 4 years 8 months. RESULTS: Four of the 27 children (15%) showed
      white matter changes on the MR scans attributable to therapy, but only one had
      hypodensity on CT. Three of the 16 children (19%) receiving radiation therapy in
      addition to chemotherapy had white matter changes. One of the 11 patients (9%)
      from the group receiving only chemotherapy did so. The difference between the two
      treatment groups was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Radiation therapy or
      chemotherapy (alone or in combination) may have been responsible for the white
      matter changes. MR imaging is a sensitive detector of white matter changes in
      children with ALL, but its value and significance during follow-up should be
      assessed in well-designed longitudinal research studies.

PMID- 1423205
TI  - Does cancer survival differ for older patients?
AB  - The relation of age to 5-year relative survival rates was examined for leading
      sites of cancer resulting in death among 127,554 patients; data from 1978 to 1982
      were studied for four areas of the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results
      program of the National Cancer Institute. Overall and stage-stratified relative
      survival rates declined with advancing patient age for cancer of the lung,
      prostate, pancreas, bladder, oral cavity, uterus, cervix, ovary, and large bowel
      (women only). In men, this trend was not explained by age differences in stage of
      diagnosis, whereas, among women, age was associated with more advanced disease
      for most sites examined. Although overall survival rates were lower in black
      patients compared with white patients, the age-survival and age-stage trends were
      similar in the two racial groups.

PMID- 1423206
TI  - Does endoscopic follow-up improve the outcome of patients with benign gastric
      ulcers and gastric cancer?

PMID- 1423207
TI  - Is long-term survival possible with external beam irradiation for stage D1
      adenocarcinoma of the prostate?

PMID- 1423208
TI  - Ifosfamide extrapyramidal neurotoxicity.

PMID- 1423209
TI  - RNA-directed actions of 5-fluorouridine in hemin stimulated K-562 erythroleukemia
      cells.
AB  - The cytotoxic actions of 5-fluorouridine (FUrd) have been evaluated in K-562
      erythroleukemia cells, focussing on RNA-directed actions. FUrd was employed such
      that little DNA-directed cytotoxicity was seen. Substantial inhibition of
      cellular proliferation was observed at concentrations of FUrd which did not
      inhibit significantly the activity of thymidylate synthase and which were
      reversed by less than 10% by exogenous thymidine. In contrast, the syntheses of
      both poly A- and poly A+ RNAs were substantially reduced. The effects of FUrd on
      rRNA included reduction by greater than 90% of mature rRNA following a 2 h
      exposure to 1 microM FUrd, which persisted for at least 48 h, and the appearance
      of partially processed nuclear rRNA precursors incapable of being metabolized to
      mature rRNA. FUrd also decreased the levels of several mRNAs, including those for
      the proto-oncogenes c-myc and c-abl, and for gamma-globin, by 40 to 70%. In
      contrast to the effects of FUrd on rRNA, decreases in mRNA levels were
      reversible, and within 12 h following a 2 h exposure to 1 microM FUrd, mRNA
      levels for each of these three mRNAs were back to those present in untreated
      control cells. mRNAs did not respond in a connected fashion to FUrd. Thus, levels
      of beta-actin mRNA were unchanged and levels of ornithine decarboxylase mRNA were
      increased by exposure to FUrd. These findings demonstrate that FUrd acted in
      multifarious ways to alter mRNA synthesis and longevity. Inhibitors of individual
      RNA polymerases were used to analyze the degree to which the FUrd-induced
      inhibition of RNA metabolism was linked to cytotoxicity. Both actinomycin D,
      which specifically interfered with the incorporation of FUrd into rRNA
      transcripts, and alpha-amanitin, which specifically inhibited incorporation of
      FUrd into mRNA transcripts, decreased the cytotoxicity of FUrd, suggesting that
      incorporation of FUrd into both mRNA and rRNA precursors plays a role in the RNA
      directed cytotoxic actions of FUrd. However, the antagonism provided by
      actinomycin D was greater than that produced by alpha-amanitin, demonstrating
      that inhibition of rRNA synthesis is the predominant mechanism of cytotoxicity in
      K-562 cells exposed to FUrd.

PMID- 1423211
TI  - Modification of the effects of hyperthermia and neutron radiation on the activity
      of acid phosphatase in CaNT tumors.
AB  - Acid phosphatase activity was measured in implanted murine CaNT tumors of varying
      volumes. There is a clear monotonically increasing relation between acid
      phosphatase activity and tumor volume. Also the tumors were subjected to either
      induced artificial hypoxia or hyperthermia (41.0 degrees C) alone, or combined
      with neutron irradiation (3.8 Gy). Changes in the activity of this enzyme
      following radiation damage could reflect tissue damage associated with metabolic
      disturbances. The effect on enzyme activity after sequential hyperthermia and
      neutron irradiation is not synergistic, as is shown in the quantitative
      experimental data. This implies that the mechanisms of heat damage differ from
      that of neutron beam damage, as reflected by acid phosphatase activity. The CaNT
      tumor was also shown to be thermosensitive after administration of mitoxantrone.
      Finally, the role of exogenous ATP was shown to provide heat protection by
      modification of those thermal effects resulting in the activity of acid
      phosphatase. The augmentation of this hydrolytic enzyme probably represents
      initial metabolic damage in the tumor after different modalities of radiation
      alone, or combined with mitoxantrone and exogenous ATP.

PMID- 1423210
TI  - Protein synthetic activity and adenylate energy charge in Rhein-treated cultured
      human glioma cells.
AB  - The effect of Rhein (RH) on the protein synthetic activity and adenylate energy
      charge in human glioma cells cultured in vitro has been investigated. The results
      demonstrate that in RH-treated cells, the protein synthesis is strongly
      decreased, but no modifications in the qualitative pattern occur. The extent of
      inhibition is a function of the drug concentration as well as of the time of
      exposure. Such an inhibition must be ascribed mainly to a reduction of adenylate
      energy charge brought about by RH because of its effect on respiration and
      glycolysis. The correlation between the adenylate energy charge and cell
      viability, as well as the possibility of using rhein as a biochemical modulator
      to reduce or to reverse multidrug resistance, are also discussed.

PMID- 1423212
TI  - Pattern of sialoglycoproteins obtained by chromatofocusing of chicken liver and
      hepatoma Mc-29 microsomal preparations labelled in vivo with 3H-leucine and N
      acetyl-14C-mannosamine.
AB  - Chromatofocusing has been used for separation of chicken liver and virus-induced
      hepatoma Mc-29 microsomal glycoproteins double labelled in vivo with 3H-leucine
      and N-acetyl-14C-mannosamine. The sialoglycoprotein profile was obtained by
      plotting the pH-values, as well as the values of the calculated specific activity
      (SA-cpm/mg protein) in each fraction, in the graphs. Different patterns for liver
      and hepatoma sialoglycoproteins were detected. Unlike liver microsomes in which
      the highest labelled compounds were registered in the alkaline zone of the pH
      gradient, special feature for the hepatoma sialoglycoprotein pattern was the
      presence of highly labelled fraction eluted in the acidic zone of the pH
      gradient. A term named "sialylation rate" of a separated sialoglycoproteins was
      involved. It has been found that liver sialoglycoproteins are more or less
      uniformly sialylated, independently of the pI-values, while those from hepatoma
      with acidic pI were sialylated at a higher extent in comparison to the fractions
      with alkaline pI.

PMID- 1423213
TI  - Levels of cytochrome P-450, steroidogenesis and microsomal and cytosolic epoxide
      hydrolases in normal human adrenal tissue and corresponding tumors.
AB  - The levels of microsomal cytochrome P-450, steroidogenesis and microsomal and
      cytosolic epoxide hydrolase activities in normal human adrenal tissue (obtained
      from adult kidney transplant donors and autopsy material) and corresponding
      hyperplasia, adenomas and carcinomas (surgical biopsies) were determined. The
      increased steroid production demonstrated by most of the pathological tissue
      samples examined here was associated with either an unchanged or dramatically
      decreased specific microsomal content of cytochrome P-450. Furthermore, specific
      microsomal epoxide hydrolase activity was also found to be reduced in
      adrenocortical carcinomas, while the corresponding cytosolic activity was also
      decreased in at least two of these carcinomas. It is of interest to note in this
      connection that the level of microsomal epoxide hydrolase in slightly atropic
      adrenal cortex surrounding adrenocortical carcinomas was also found to be
      reduced. This would indicate that despite its appearance, this surrounding tissue
      is not normal in all respects. Thus, adrenocortical carcinomas fit into the
      common pattern in that their specific contents of microsomal cytochrome P-450 are
      dramatically decreased, but the simultaneous decrease in their microsomal epoxide
      hydrolase activity is more unusual.

PMID- 1423214
TI  - Dysregulation of strongyloidiasis: a new hypothesis.
AB  - Few other human parasites are associated with such a diverse spectrum of clinical
      manifestations as Strongyloides stercoralis, yet the basic biological behavior of
      this unusually versatile worm, particularly with respect to its ability to cause
      severe disseminated disease in certain hosts, is poorly understood. The current
      uncritical acceptance of the theory that cell-mediated immunity controls
      autoinfection has stifled research in other directions. After reviewing what is
      and is not known about the parasite's behavior in its host, this article explores
      some of the mechanisms that could be involved in the regulation of the parasite
      population. Taking the provocative viewpoint that the parasite, not the host, is
      mainly responsible for the maintenance of a balanced relationship between the
      two, I propose a new theory that corticosteroids may act on the intraintestinal
      larvae as molting hormones and directly promote the development of disseminated
      disease.

PMID- 1423216
TI  - Advances in nucleic acid-based detection methods.
AB  - Laboratory techniques based on nucleic acid methods have increased in popularity
      over the last decade with clinical microbiologists and other laboratory
      scientists who are concerned with the diagnosis of infectious agents. This
      increase in popularity is a result primarily of advances made in nucleic acid
      amplification and detection techniques. Polymerase chain reaction, the original
      nucleic acid amplification technique, changed the way many people viewed and used
      nucleic acid techniques in clinical settings. After the potential of polymerase
      chain reaction became apparent, other methods of nucleic acid amplification and
      detection were developed. These alternative nucleic acid amplification methods
      may become serious contenders for application to routine laboratory analyses.
      This review presents some background information on nucleic acid analyses that
      might be used in clinical and anatomical laboratories and describes some recent
      advances in the amplification and detection of nucleic acids.

PMID- 1423215
TI  - Amebiasis.
AB  - Entamoeba histolytica, the causative agent of amebiasis, was first described in
      1875. Although a large number of people throughout the world are infected with
      this organism, only a small percentage will develop clinical symptoms. Morbidity
      and mortality due to E. histolytica vary from area to area and person to person.
      Recent findings have suggested that there are pathogenic and nonpathogenic
      strains of E. histolytica that can be differentiated by isoenzyme (zymodeme)
      analysis, monoclonal antibodies, and DNA probes. Whether pathogenicity is a
      genotypic trait or can be changed by environmental influences has not been
      resolved. Exchange of genetic material between strains of amebae can influence
      zymodeme patterns. Currently, detection of E. histolytica infections depends on
      examinations for ova and parasites and on serologic tests; however, the
      development of monoclonal antibodies and DNA probes specific for pathogenic
      zymodemes may be beneficial for clinical laboratory testing and therapeutic
      decisions when approved tests become available. A better understanding of the
      mechanisms of pathogenicity at the molecular level is evolving and should promote
      the development of vaccines and better target selection for therapeutic agents.

PMID- 1423217
TI  - Bacterial resistance to tetracycline: mechanisms, transfer, and clinical
      significance.
AB  - Tetracycline has been a widely used antibiotic because of its low toxicity and
      broad spectrum of activity. However, its clinical usefulness has been declining
      because of the appearance of an increasing number of tetracycline-resistant
      isolates of clinically important bacteria. Two types of resistance mechanisms
      predominate: tetracycline efflux and ribosomal protection. A third mechanism of
      resistance, tetracycline modification, has been identified, but its clinical
      relevance is still unclear. For some tetracycline resistance genes, expression is
      regulated. In efflux genes found in gram-negative enteric bacteria, regulation is
      via a repressor that interacts with tetracycline. Gram-positive efflux genes
      appear to be regulated by an attenuation mechanism. Recently it was reported that
      at least one of the ribosome protection genes is regulated by attenuation.
      Tetracycline resistance genes are often found on transmissible elements. Efflux
      resistance genes are generally found on plasmids, whereas genes involved in
      ribosome protection have been found on both plasmids and self-transmissible
      chromosomal elements (conjugative transposons). One class of conjugative
      transposon, originally found in streptococci, can transfer itself from
      streptococci to a variety of recipients, including other gram-positive bacteria,
      gram-negative bacteria, and mycoplasmas. Another class of conjugative transposons
      has been found in the Bacteroides group. An unusual feature of the Bacteroides
      elements is that their transfer is enhanced by preexposure to tetracycline. Thus,
      tetracycline has the double effect of selecting for recipients that acquire a
      resistance gene and stimulating transfer of the gene.

PMID- 1423220
TI  - Genetics and cytogenetics of retinoblastoma.
AB  - Retinoblastoma tumor formation is initiated by loss of function of both alleles
      at the RB1 locus on chromosome 13. In nonhereditary retinoblastoma (60% of
      patients), both mutations occur during retinal development. In hereditary
      retinoblastoma (40% of patients), tumor formation is caused by one germline and
      one somatic mutation. The RB1 gene encodes a nuclear protein that arrests
      progression through the G1 phase of the cell cycle. In the absence of intact RB1
      protein, unscheduled cell proliferation occurs. Genes on chromosomes 1 and 6,
      which have not yet been identified, appear to be involved in later stages of
      tumorigenesis.

PMID- 1423221
TI  - Trisomy 7 in nonneoplastic focal steatosis of the liver.
AB  - Cytogenetic analysis of short-term cultures of a nonneoplastic focal steatosis of
      the liver showed trisomy 7 as the sole chromosomal change. This finding,
      especially when viewed in light of previous reports describing +7 in
      nonneoplastic tissues, strongly suggests that trisomy 7 cannot be considered a
      tumor-specific abnormality when it occurs as the only change. The cell type in
      which +7 is present is not yet known.

PMID- 1423222
TI  - Cytogenetic and molecular studies of a familial renal cell carcinoma.
AB  - In a previously studied family with inherited renal cell carcinoma (RCC), RCC was
      shown to segregate with a constitutional balanced t(3;8)(p14.2;q24.1). In
      addition, we recently showed that in a RCC tumor from this family the
      constitutional translocation became unbalanced, suggesting a genetic mechanism
      that may be associated with the primary genetic events of tumorigenesis. We now
      report that the RCC tumor cells from this case showed additional cytogenetic
      alterations, possibly related to tumor progression, which include an additional
      tumor-specific translocation involving band 14 of chromosome 13. Because this
      band contains the retinoblastoma (RB) gene, we examined the tumor for aberrations
      in the RB gene using DNA sequence polymorphism analysis and pulsed-field gel
      electrophoresis (PFGE), but did not detect alterations in the RB gene.

PMID- 1423223
TI  - Cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of breast
      fibroadenomas.
AB  - We report cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis
      findings in 7 patients with breast fibroadenomas (FA). Three patients were
      cytogenetically abnormal. One patient had a translocation t(3;5)(p22;q13), the
      second had trisomy 8, and the third two clones, 47, XX, +11 and 47,XX, +10.

PMID- 1423219
TI  - Tests for bactericidal effects of antimicrobial agents: technical performance and
      clinical relevance.
AB  - Bactericidal testing has been used for several decades as a guide for
      antimicrobial therapy of serious infections. Such testing is most frequently
      performed when bactericidal antimicrobial agent therapy is considered necessary
      (such as when treating infectious endocarditis or infection in an
      immunocompromised host). It has also been used to ensure that the infecting
      organism is killed by (not tolerant to) usually bactericidal compounds. However,
      few data are available to support the role of such tests in direct patient care.
      Several important variables affect the reproducibility of the test results;
      however, proposed reference methods are now available for performing the MBC
      test. With minor modifications, these can provide a standardized approach for
      laboratories that need to perform them. Currently, little evidence is available
      to support the routine use of such testing for the care of individual patients.
      However, testing of new (investigational) antimicrobial agents can be beneficial
      in determining their potential to provide bactericidal antimicrobial activity
      during clinical use. New methods to assess bactericidal activity are being
      developed, but as yet none have been rigorously tested in patient care settings;
      further, for most of these methods, little information is available as to which
      technical parameters affect their results. In clinical laboratories, all
      bactericidal tests must be performed with rigorously standardized techniques and
      adequate controls, bearing in mind the limitations of the currently available
      test procedures.

PMID- 1423224
TI  - t(9;11)(p22;q23) translocation in blastic phase of chronic myeloid leukemia.
AB  - A patient with chronic myeloid leukemia showed clonal karyotypic evolution, with
      the appearance of an i(17q) and t(9;11)(p22;q23). This case sheds light upon
      leukemogenic events related to t(9;11)(p22;q23). The presence of t(9;22) and
      t(9;11) in the same clone showed that t(9;11) may affect a pluripotent stem cell,
      thus accounting for t(9;11) in both lymphoid and monocytic leukemias. In this
      patient, t(9;11) could not be related to a prior cytotoxic exposure and was
      instead the result of natural evolution of chronic myeloid leukemia. Furthermore,
      this led us to assume that the phenotype of blast cells may be determined by a
      chromosome abnormality. A phenotypic conversion from myeloblastic to
      undifferentiated morphologic aspect was observed when t(9;11) was detected,
      suggesting that t(9;11) may have induced a loss in differentiation of blast cells
      affected by this change. This assumption is in agreement with the putative
      presence of genes activated in pluripotent progenitors by 11q23 rearrangements.

PMID- 1423225
TI  - Endometrial stromal sarcoma t(7;17)(p15-21;q12-21) is a nonrandom chromosome
      change.

PMID- 1423226
TI  - Cytogenetic findings in a breast stromal sarcoma. Application of fluorescence in
      situ hybridization to characterize the breakpoint regions in an 11;19
      translocation.
AB  - Cytogenetic analysis of a stromal breast sarcoma revealed a complex karyotype
      that included a reciprocal 11;19 translocation, along with multiple numerical
      changes, deletions, and other unbalanced structural rearrangements. Karyotypic
      abnormalities have not been reported previously in this rare neoplasm that arises
      from mesenchymal breast tissue, and the t(11;19) is of interest because various
      types of sarcoma are characterized by specific reciprocal translocations. Because
      of the pericentric nature of the breakpoints on chromosomes 11 and 19 in the
      t(11;19), classical cytogenetic banding could not reveal the centromeric origin
      of the translocation derivatives. Using nonisotopic in situ hybridization with
      chromosome 11 and 19 alpha-satellite probes, the centromere of each derivative
      chromosome was determined, and the rearrangement was interpreted as a balanced
      translocation, t(11;19)(q12 or q13.1;p12 or p13.1). This abnormality has not been
      described previously in any breast tumor.

PMID- 1423227
TI  - Complex translocation involving Ph chromosome in a patient with typical chronic
      myelogenous leukemia.
AB  - We report a cytogenetic study of a patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia
      (CML) who, while displaying a Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome, resulting from a
      standard t(9;22) at diagnosis, during the chronic phase (CP) showed disappearance
      of the Ph and occurrence of new chromosome changes, including a marker probably
      arising from a translocation involving chromosome 17 and the Ph. In situ
      hybridization confirmed the cytogenetic appearance and demonstrated that the
      breakpoint on the Ph marker occurred below the BCR-ABL fusion gene.

PMID- 1423218
TI  - Chagas' disease.
AB  - Chagas' disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is an important cause of morbidity
      in many countries in Latin America. The important modes of transmission are by
      the bite of the reduviid bug and blood transfusion. The organism exists in three
      morphological forms: trypomastigotes, amastigotes, and epimastigotes. The
      mechanism of transformation and differentiation is currently being explored, and
      signal transduction pathways of the parasites may be involved in this process.
      Parasite adherence to and invasion of host cells is a complex process involving
      complement, phospholipase, penetrin, neuraminidase, and hemolysin. Two clinical
      forms of the disease are recognized, acute and chronic. During the acute stage
      pathological damage is related to the presence of the parasite, whereas in the
      chronic stage few parasites are found. In recent years the roles of tumor
      necrosis factor, gamma interferon, and the interleukins in the pathogenesis of
      this infection have been reported. The common manifestations of chronic
      cardiomyopathy are arrhythmias and thromboembolic events. Autoimmune, neurogenic,
      and microvascular factors may be important in the pathogenesis of the
      cardiomyopathy. The gastrointestinal tract is another important target, and "mega
      syndromes" are common manifestations. The diagnosis and treatment of this
      infection are active areas of investigation. New serological and molecular
      biological techniques have improved the diagnosis of chronic infection.
      Exacerbations of T. cruzi infection have been reported for patients receiving
      immuno-suppressive therapy and for those with AIDS.

PMID- 1423228
TI  - Cytogenetic features of neonatal leukemias.
AB  - We reviewed a series of 41 neonatal leukemias (NL), including published cases
      karyotyped by banding techniques, but excluding Down syndrome-associated cases
      and analyzed distribution of cytogenetic anomalies with respect to other clinical
      variables and outcome. The most frequent chromosomal changes in this age group
      involve rearrangements of 11q23, which is correlated with high white blood cell
      (WBC) count at onset and type of leukemia. A discrete heterogeneity of
      cytogenetic abnormalities is also evident, however, possibly reflecting other
      specific pathways in NL development. With respect to prognosis, cytogenetic
      abnormalities are a strong indicator of poor prognosis.

PMID- 1423229
TI  - Application of fluorescence in situ hybridization in hematological disorders.
AB  - In the present study, chromosome changes in bone marrow (BM) or peripheral blood
      (PB) cells from 13 patients with malignant hematologic disorders were analyzed by
      classical cytogenetic techniques (G-banding) and fluorescence in situ
      hybridization (FISH) procedures using centromere specific probes for chromosomes
      1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 18, 13/21, and X, and a DNA probe specific for the long arm of
      chromosome Y. The cytogenetic data obtained with G-banding were in accord with
      those obtained by FISH to metaphase chromosomes. Most significantly, FISH to
      interphase nuclei offered reliable results and in some cases provided important
      information concerning crucial chromosome anomalies which were not or could not
      be completely detected by analyzing metaphase chromosomes. Our results indicate
      that FISH could be clinically valuable in five major areas: 1) marker chromosome
      identification; 2) identification of trisomy consistent with certain specific
      hematological neoplasms; 3) clonal evaluation post observation of a single cell
      with trisomy; 4) clonal evaluation post-sex-mismatched bone marrow
      transplantation (BMT); and 5) residual disease detection following clinical
      remission.

PMID- 1423230
TI  - Pentasomy 21 in leukemia complicating Diamond-Blackfan anemia.
AB  - We present the cytogenetic pattern of a leukemic infant with Diamond-Blackfan
      anemia (DBA). The karyotype was characterized by clonal evolution involving
      consecutive gains of chromosome 21 up to pentasomy. No chromosomal changes were
      present in normal lymphocytes. Such a karyotype evolution has been described in
      some cases of acute leukemia associated with Down Syndrome, but rarely in non
      Down cases.

PMID- 1423231
TI  - Cytogenetics of a case of cardiac myxoma.
AB  - The cytogenetic study of a case of cardiac myxoma revealed a 46,XY,der(7)t(7;17)
      (p21;p11),+der(10)t(10;?)(q22;?),+der(12)t(12;?)(p12;?),del(17)(p11) chromosomal
      pattern. This case adds a new example of chromosomal abnormalities in benign
      neoplasms.

PMID- 1423232
TI  - t(6;9)(p22;q34) associated with acute myeloblastic leukemia (M1)

PMID- 1423233
TI  - Meningeal hemangiopericytoma or hemangiopericytic meningioma? A cytogenetic and
      molecular analysis.

PMID- 1423234
TI  - Translocation (X;1)(p11.2;q21). A subtype of renal adenocarcinomas.

PMID- 1423235
TI  - Transcriptionally active chimeric gene derived from the fusion of the AML1 gene
      and a novel gene on chromosome 8 in t(8;21) leukemic cells.
AB  - In the t(8;21)(q22;q22) of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), the breakpoint on
      chromosome 21 disrupts the AML1 gene, generally in the intron between exons 5 and
      6. To isolate fusion transcripts of AML1, and an as yet unidentified gene on
      chromosome 8 involved in the rearrangement, we used rapid amplification of cDNA
      ends (RACE) and primers for AML1 exons 5 and 6. A fusion transcript was
      identified by 3' RACE in the RNA of t(8;21) leukemic cells that also express
      multiple normal AML1 transcripts. This result clearly indicates that at least one
      transcriptionally active chimeric gene is generated by the chromosome
      translocation. This gene on the 8q- derivative represents the fusion between the
      5' portion of the AML1 gene with the 3' portion of a chromosome 8 gene that
      contains a region of sequence homology with the cyclin D2 gene, here referred to
      as the CDR gene (cyclin D-related gene). The chimeric gene is probably
      responsible for the pathogenesis of the 8;21 AML. This finding makes it possible
      to detect the translocation at the molecular level, thus improving the diagnosis
      and monitoring of the disease in leukemic patients.

PMID- 1423236
TI  - del(5q) in acute lymphoblastic leukemia with biphenotypic and early progenitor
      phenotype.
AB  - We report three patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia with biphenotypic and
      early progenitor phenotype who had del(5q). In the first patient, the del(5q) was
      the sole abnormality; in the second patient, the del(5q) was interpreted as
      subclonal evolutionary event; while in the third patient, the rearrangement was
      transiently present 7 months following the diagnosis of Ph-positive ALL, while
      the patient was in clinical remission. Review of the literature indicates that
      del(5q) is rare in ALL. In contrast to its presence in AML, del(5q) in ALL is not
      an adverse prognostic indicator, and it appears to be more frequent in children.

PMID- 1423237
TI  - Pseudodiploid karyotypes in adenosquamous carcinomas of the lung.
AB  - Pseudodiploid karyotypes with clonal structural rearrangements were observed in
      short-term cultures from two adenosquamous carcinomas (ASC) of the lung, a tumor
      type hitherto virtually uncharacterized cytogenetically. The karyotypes were
      46,XX,der(1)t(1;14)(q44;q22),add(9)(q34) in the first tumor and 46,XX,i(17)(q10)
      in the second tumor. We suggest that ASC of the lung differ from other lung
      cancers by having pseudodiploid instead of massively aneuploid tumor stemlines.

PMID- 1423238
TI  - Abnormalities of chromosome 18 in myelodysplastic syndromes and secondary
      leukemia.
AB  - Monosomy 18 and partial deletion of 18q are nonrandom events in myelodysplastic
      syndromes (MDS) and secondary acute myeloblastic leukemia (sAML). They are part
      of complex chromosome abnormalities, as shown in the present study of six
      patients with MDS and sAML. We compared occurrence of chromosome 18 abnormalities
      in these syndromes with that in de novo AML.

PMID- 1423239
TI  - Partial characterization, progressive development and correlations of some
      neoplastic characters in 20-methylcholanthrene-induced transformed murine
      embryonal fibroblasts.
AB  - Non-trypsinized primary fibroblast cells from 20-day-old Swiss mouse embryo was
      transformed by 20-methylcholanthrene (MCA) and was designated as CNCI-PM-20. The
      progressive development of some transformation related characters such as
      morphological alterations, reduced population doubling time, increased saturation
      density, reduced serum requirement, increased plating efficiency, loss of density
      dependent growth inhibition, anchorage-independent growth and tumorigenicity in
      mice clearly demonstrated the multistep process of carcinogenesis as well as the
      neoplastic nature of the cell line. Furthermore, the association of reduced
      requirement of serum and loss of density-dependent growth inhibition with
      tumorigenicity were also observed. Finally, anchorage-independent growth, greater
      malignant nature of transformed foci and increased number of giant cells may be
      required for tumorigenicity of this cell line.

PMID- 1423240
TI  - Modulation of the anti-proliferative signal of interferon-alpha by tamoxifen in
      U937 cells.
AB  - Several clinical protocols are attempting to utilize the combined anti
      proliferative signal of interferon-alpha (INF-alpha) and tamoxifen on cancer
      cells. We demonstrated here that the effect of these two agents on the growth of
      the premacrophage U937 cells is antagonistic. This antagonistic effect is
      paralleled by the ability of tamoxifen to modulate the INF-alpha-induced
      hyperpolarization in these cells. INF-alpha-induced hyperpolarization was shown
      before to be an integral part of the anti-proliferative signal of this agent.
      Tamoxifen liberates Ca2+ from intracellular stores of U937 cells but this effect
      of the drug is not the cause of its antagonistic effect with the anti
      proliferative signal of IFN-alpha. We suggest therefore, that the combined effect
      of these two anti-cancer drugs could also be advantageous for macrophage
      proliferation.

PMID- 1423241
TI  - Carcinogenesis induced by a single administration of 1,2-diethylhydrazine in
      female rats of various ages.
AB  - Three- or fourteen-month-old female L10 rats were exposed to a single intravenous
      injection of 1,2-diethylhydrazine (SDEH) at 150 mg/kg of body weight. At the 95th
      week after carcinogen treatment when the experiment was stopped, 30.7% and 4.5%
      of rats from the younger and older groups survived, respectively. Total tumor
      incidences were 68.8% and 84.6%, respectively, in rats treated with SDEH at the
      age of 3 or 14 months vs. 18.2% and 34.5% in corresponding young and old controls
      (P < 0.01). Leukemias, thyroid adenomas, uterine tumors and mammary malignancies
      developed more frequently in animals exposed to carcinogens than in control
      groups. No age-related differences in tumor incidence or localization between
      rats exposed to SDEH at various ages were observed, but tumors developed earlier
      in older groups than in younger groups. The results supported the suggestion that
      the accumulation of initiated cells in some tissues during natural aging is a
      cause of the age-related increase in cancer incidence.

PMID- 1423242
TI  - Multiple effects of 3-aminobenzamide on DNA damage induced by cisplatin (DDP) in
      DDP-sensitive and -resistant rat ovarian tumor cell lines.
AB  - To investigate the mechanisms by which 3-aminobenzamide (3AB) reverses cisplatin
      (DDP) resistance in a rat ovarian tumor cell line, the effects of 3AB on DDP
      induced DNA damage and repair were kinetically determined over a post-exposure
      period of 48 h. DNA single strand breaks (SSB) occurred maximally 12 h and 24 h
      following DDP exposure in DDP-resistant (O-342/DDP) and -sensitive (O-342) rat
      ovarian tumor cells, respectively. 3AB, present during and after the exposure,
      significantly increased SSB formation by DDP at 24 h (P < 0.02) and 48 h (P <
      0.01) in O-342/DDP cells. To a lesser extent (P > 0.05), a similar tendency was
      also observed in O-342 cells. Formation of DNA interstrand cross-links (ISCL) by
      DDP reached a maximum by 12 h in either O-342 or O-342/DDP cells, but in the
      resistant cells they were both much lower and more rapidly removed. 3AB decreased
      ISCL in the sensitive cells at 12 h and thereafter with a maximum at 24 h (P <
      0.05), while in the resistant cells the same treatment decreased ISCL at 12 h,
      had no effect at 24 h and increased ISCL at 48 h following DDP treatment.
      Therefore, it is concluded that 3AB has multiple effects on DNA damage and repair
      induced by DDP in both cell lines and increase of DNA-ISCL by 3AB at 48 h after
      the exposure in O-342/DDP cells might be related to its chemosensitizing effect
      in this line.

PMID- 1423243
TI  - Expression of p43 in breast cancer tissue, correlation with prognostic
      parameters.
AB  - Placental isoferritin (PLF) and its unique superheavy chain p43 have been
      recently described as being synthesized by breast cancer cell lines but not by
      normal breast epithelial cells. Since previous reports have demonstrated a
      correlation between the content of 'normal' ferritin in breast cancer tissue and
      the degree of differentiation and prognosis, we have determined p43 in the
      cytosol of 122 breast cancer samples by use of the new monoclonal antibody CM-H
      9. The synthesis of p43 showed a significantly negative correlation with tumor
      size (P = 0.0001), histologic grading (P = 0.0038), nuclear pleomorphism (P =
      0.0019), rate of mitosis (P = 0.0002), lymphocytic reaction (P = 0.0001) and a
      significantly direct correlation with estrogen receptor status (P = 0.0009).
      Although patients with a higher p43 content showed a trend for a better outcome
      (median follow-up: 61.4 months), an independent influence of the cytosolic p43
      content on survival could not be confirmed by a multiple Cox model. Therefore it
      seems that p43's prognostic impact is linked to the highly significant
      correlation with features of differentiation although a statistical bias in the
      Cox model due to the limited number of patients must also be taken into account.
      On the other hand, the significant correlation of p43 expression with factors for
      good prognosis was striking and consistent and warrants further research of this
      tumor product.

PMID- 1423244
TI  - Detection of carcinoembryonic antigen in colonic effluent by specific anti-CEA
      monoclonal antibodies.
AB  - To characterize the CEA in colonic effluent, anti-CEA monoclonal antibody COL-4
      was used in a qualitative radioimmunoassay in both fractionated and
      unfractionated colonic effluent. Both effluent samples and tissue extracts, were
      subjected to Western blotting and tissue sections to immunohistochemistry.
      Quantitative levels of colonic effluent CEA were determined by a kit (Abbott
      EIA). Higher mean values of COL-4 binding activity were seen only in patients
      with a past history of polyps (P < 0.01). Quantitated CEA correlated with the
      presence of colorectal cancer (CRC) as compared to normal subjects, (1133 +/- 875
      vs. 459 ng/ml +/- 602, P < 0.05) but not when standardized for protein content.
      COL-4 reacted with an 180,000 M(r) CEA in the effluent and activity was
      associated with membrane fraction of the effluent, but bore no relation to the
      immunohistological staining. We conclude that CEA is detectable in colonic
      effluent and is membrane associated, but the overlapping values in effluent
      samples do not make this a useful test in the diagnosis of CRC.

PMID- 1423245
TI  - Evidence of hypothalamic involvement in the mechanism of transplacental
      carcinogenesis by diethylstilbestrol.
AB  - Disruption of hypothalamic sex differentiation in the fetus is one hypothesis to
      explain female reproductive system anomalies and cancer arising from prenatal
      exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES). To further test this hypothesis, breeding
      performance and behavior were monitored in a colony of mice exposed prenatally to
      DES, using a schedule previously shown to produce anomalies and cancer of the
      female reproductive system. Fertility decreased with age more rapidly in DES
      exposed females than in control females. DES-exposed females were less accepting
      of the male than control females. These observations support the hypothesis of
      abnormal hypothalamic sex differentiation as a basic mechanism in DES
      transplacental carcinogenesis.

PMID- 1423246
TI  - Adenoma-derived antibody, Adnab-9 recognizes a membrane-bound glycoprotein in
      colonic tissue and effluent material from patients with colorectal neoplasia.
AB  - The binding in pre-colonoscopic effluent of Adnab-9, a monoclonal antibody raised
      against colonic adenomas, was evaluated for specificity in the diagnosis of
      colorectal cancer. A heterogeneous group of 58 patients was evaluated by ELISA.
      Effluent samples and tissue extracts were subjected to Western blotting or ELISA
      to confirm specificity. Immunohistochemistry was performed on the cancer tissue
      sections. The proportion of positive effluent binding was higher in the cancer
      when compared to the normal group (P = 0.036). A dominant 87 M(r) band was found
      in adenoma extracts and some effluent samples. Adnab-9 binding in effluent
      samples predominated in membrane-bound fractions. Immunohistochemistry showed no
      specific staining in the cancer cells. The antigen recognised is a glycoprotein
      shown by effects of N-glycanase digestion and not cross-reactive with
      carcinoembryonic antigen. Non-gastro-intestinal tissue extracts did not bind
      Adnab-9. The major 87 M(r) adenoma-derived antigen may be found in effluent
      material, particularly in the membrane-bound fraction.

PMID- 1423247
TI  - C-ets-1 protooncogene expression alters the growth properties of immortalized rat
      fibroblasts.
AB  - Ets family genes have been cloned and characterized from a variety of species
      ranging from human to Drosophila. The ets proteins encode transcription factors
      that activate transcription via specific binding to GGAA core sequence present in
      various promoter/enhancers. To investigate the role of ets protooncogene
      expression on the growth properties of rat embryo fibroblasts (REF), we
      constructed and introduced ets expression vectors into primary, as well as
      immortalized REF cells. The transfected cells contained multiple copies of the
      vector DNA, and the Northern blot analysis demonstrated overexpression of the c
      ets-1-specific mRNA. Although the expression of the ets genes was unable to
      immortalize primary rat embryo fibroblasts, the expression of ets-1 in REF-1
      cells enabled their growth in serum-free medium and effected tumorigenic activity
      in nude mice.

PMID- 1423248
TI  - Immunosurveillance by T-lymphocytes in pretumoral stages of chemically induced
      pancreatic carcinogenesis.
AB  - Cellular immune-response during pancreatic carcinogenesis induced by N-nitroso
      bis(2-hydroxy-propyl)amine in Syrian Golden hamsters was studied using a mouse
      antiserum to hamster T-lymphocytes in indirect immunofluorescence. The chronology
      of lesions in this model is, acinar cell atypia, cystadenoma, ductal hyperplasia
      and adenocarcinoma. Lymphocyte infiltration began before microscopic lesions.
      Starting as an interstitial and interlobular migration, this earliest population
      was composed of various kind of mononuclear cells including T-cells. As
      pancreatic lesions proceeded, an abundant lymphocyte supply through newly formed
      capillaries (angiogenesis), gave rise to inter- and intralobular nodules composed
      almost exclusively of T-cells. Migrating from nodules, T-cells invaded and
      readily destroyed the exocrine tissue. Formation of hyperplasic ducts and of
      adenocarcinoma was accompanied by considerable accretion of the basal membrane
      (fibrosis). T-cells were located outside and around this basal membrane so that
      they never invaded the ductal epithelium. Our results suggest there is an
      effective immunosurveillance in the early stages of transformation that becomes
      ineffective at later stages as a consequence of T-cells' inability to pass
      through the basal membrane barrier surrounding the ductal epithelium in
      preneoplasic lesions (ductal hyperplasia) and in adenocarcinoma. Extending our
      observations to human pancreatic cancer could provide a new insight in cellular
      immunosurveillance and, as a consequence might, help cellular immunotherapeutic
      approaches for this almost fatal disease.

PMID- 1423249
TI  - Effects of dietary fat on hepatic microsomal and cytosolic mutagenic activation
      of 2-aminofluorene.
AB  - The present study was designed to examine the effects of different high fat diets
      on the liver microsomal and cytosolic mutagenic activation of 2-aminofluorene.
      Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a low fat (5% corn oil) or high fat
      (20%) diets containing either corn oil (CO), menhaden oil (MO) or beef tallow
      (BT). After 2 weeks on the test diets, animals from each group were placed on a
      protocol of weekly injection with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride (DMH) for
      10 weeks. Animals were given DMH injections i.p. and killed 3 h after injection
      following 5 and 10 DMH treatments. The metabolic activity of liver microsomes and
      cytosol was assessed by the Ames test using 2-aminofluorene as a standard
      mutagen. Beef tallow-fed rats had the highest microsomal mutagenic activation,
      followed by the basal diet. Decreased liver microsomal and cytosolic metabolism
      of the reference mutagen was detected in the MO and CO diets compared to basal or
      BT diets. However, there was an increased activity in MO and CO fed groups after
      week 10, while beef tallow showed a slightly decreased activation. These data
      indicate that type of dietary fat affects liver microsomal mutagenic activation
      of carcinogens.

PMID- 1423250
TI  - Nursing care for oral complications associated with chemotherapy. A survey among
      members of the Dutch Oncology Nursing Society.
AB  - The incidence of oral complications among adult cancer patients undergoing
      chemotherapy varies from 12% to 80%. Adequate oral hygiene has been shown to be
      important in prevention, and an essential role is reserved for the nursing staff.
      These considerations prompted the decision to survey, by means of a
      questionnaire, the nurses who give care to cancer patients. The questions were
      concerned with multidisciplinary treatment, inspection methods, nursing
      interventions, and nursing education. Data emerged regarding a shortage of
      dentists and dental hygienists, and knowledge of oral inspection and the
      appropriate interventions by nurses are insufficient. Extra attention to oral
      hygiene during training is warranted.

PMID- 1423251
TI  - Knowledge of colorectal cancer among older persons.
AB  - Cancer screening is a national health priority, especially for colorectal cancer,
      the second leading cause of death due to cancer in the United States. The
      researchers measured colorectal cancer knowledge among 211 older Americans. A
      quasiexperimental pretest-posttest two-by-two factorial design was used to test
      the effect of knowledge on participation in fecal occult blood screening. The
      American Cancer Society's colorectal cancer educational slide-tape presentation
      served as the basis for all of the educational programs. Hemoccult II kits were
      distributed at no cost to the participants. Descriptive statistics, chi 2, and
      logistic regressions were used to analyze data. One-half of the participants had
      incomes below the poverty level. Almost one-half the subjects in the study sample
      stated that they had not received any information about colorectal cancer within
      the past year. Caucasians had more knowledge of colorectal cancer than African
      Americans [F(1, 78) = 7.92, p < 0.01] and persons with higher income had more
      knowledge than persons with less income [F(2, 76) = 3.01, p = 0.05]. Subjects
      showed significant increases in colorectal cancer knowledge 6 days after the
      colorectal cancer education program [t(79) = 2.59, p = 0.01] and this increased
      knowledge was a predictor of participation in free fecal occult blood screening
      [chi 2(1, n = 164) = 5.34, p = 0.02].

PMID- 1423253
TI  - Cancer patients' interest in group support programs.
AB  - Extended periods of remission from cancer have led to an increasing number of
      patients coping with problems in day-to-day living. Attendance at group support
      programs that address these problems has been low, however, and only certain
      subgroups of cancer patients seem to be attracted to them. This study consisted
      of gathering qualitative and quantitative information from 73 cancer patients
      concerning factors that might influence participation in group support programs.
      Only 25% of the patients expressed an interest in group programs. The main reason
      for interest was the opportunity for mutual support and exchange of experiences.
      On the other hand, the most common reasons for lack of interest among the 75% who
      were not interested in group programs were doubts about the usefulness of patient
      groups and/or the impression that other kinds of support were more important. The
      ratio 1:3 (one person interested versus three persons not interested) was
      distributed across most of the analyzed sociodemographic and cancer-related
      variables. A logistic regression analysis showed that patients indicated
      significantly more interest in group programs when they had been diagnosed within
      the previous 14 weeks (p < 0.033). Less-educated individuals were more likely to
      be interested in groups (p < 0.055). Implications of the study findings are
      discussed with regard to the future design of support group programs.

PMID- 1423252
TI  - Pharmacological management of cancer pain. A guide for the health care
      professional.
AB  - Cancer pain continues to remain a significant problem for oncology patients
      treated in both the university and the community setting. Nursing knowledge
      regarding pain management has advanced significantly in recent years. This
      article provides health care professionals with current factual information on
      cancer pain management. The information focuses on the emotional aspects of
      cancer pain, specific principles of analgesic management, opioid equianalgesics,
      multiple approaches to opioid administration, management of unwanted side
      effects, and a description of inappropriate drug therapies.

PMID- 1423254
TI  - What do cancer patients' spouses know about the patients?
AB  - A large body of research shows that social support in general and of family
      members in particular plays an important role in determining cancer patients'
      quality of life. We assumed that the spouse's information about how the patient
      experiences the situation determines the spouse's ability to help. The present
      study was designed to examine how much the spouse knows about the attitudes and
      experiences of their husband or wife who is a cancer patient, and whether this
      knowledge depends on the questions' structure, disease duration, its severity, or
      level of patient's information about the disease and prognosis. A questionnaire
      with multiple-choice and open-ended questions assessing 13 domains (e.g., fears
      and worries concerning health, functioning in the family, and anxiety) was
      administered to patients and their partners. Subjects were 55 head-and-neck
      cancer patients, 40 men and 15 women, with disease stages I to IV, grade of
      tumors G1 to G3-4, and disease duration of 0.5 to 21 years. The results showed
      that correspondence between the patients' and their spouses' responses was very
      low, and was not affected by the structure of the questions or the disease's
      duration and severity. Correspondence was high only in patients informed about
      their disease. In the discussion, it was pointed out that when the patient is
      informed, communication channels in the family are opened and this brings about
      an increase in the spouses's information about the patient and hence in the
      spouse's ability to provide the patient the needed social support as a
      psychotherapeutic agent and a friend. The cancer nurse may play a crucial role in
      instituting the patient-spouse dialogue.

PMID- 1423255
TI  - Uncertainty and anxiety after mastectomy for breast cancer.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between uncertainty
      and anxiety in women after mastectomy for breast cancer and to describe women's
      responses to partial or complete mastectomy for breast cancer during the early
      rehabilitative phase after surgery. A theoretical framework for the study was
      derived from the Scott, Oberst, and Dropkin Stress-Coping Model and from a review
      of the literature. Major study variables and variable measures were uncertainty,
      measured by the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale (MUIS), and anxiety, measured
      by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Twenty-five women admitted to two
      acute-care teaching hospitals for their first partial or modified radical
      mastectomy made up the convenience sample of this study. Data were collected 1-2
      days before and 1-2 weeks after hospital discharge. From study findings, it was
      shown that only at the postdischarge testing was there a significant positive
      correlation between uncertainty and state anxiety. The development of appropriate
      interventions to assist breast cancer patients in dealing with the fears of
      recurrence and uncertainties regarding treatment effectiveness and sequelae has
      relevance for nursing practice.

PMID- 1423256
TI  - Constipation related to narcotic therapy. A protocol for nurses and patients.
AB  - Constipation is a well-known side effect of narcotics and can add to the total
      burden of pain of cancer patients in need of pain medication. There is little
      literature on this topic, and it has been suggested that one reason is that the
      definitions are vague and socially bound. It has also been suggested that some
      physicians consider constipation a trivial problem, resulting in a relative lack
      of attention to the subject. Although this article addresses narcotic-induced
      constipation, other types related to poor dietary and exercise habits and to
      disease are mentioned and may be contributing factors. There are a number of
      drugs and treatments available to treat the problem, but the emphasis of nursing
      care should be on prevention of constipation. Senna derivatives have been noted
      to reverse the major constipating effect of narcotics, i.e., the decrease in
      propulsive movements of the colon, and it is recommended they be given right
      along with narcotics as a preventive measure. A protocol that incorporates a
      schedule of drugs and dosages and specific patient and nursing guidelines for
      daily evaluation of bowel function, with education about dietary, fluid, and
      exercise requirements, will help nurses practice prevention and contribute to
      patients' comfort.

PMID- 1423257
TI  - Totally implantable venous access ports--the patients' point of view. A quality
      control study.
AB  - After implanting > 150 totally implantable venous catheters, 40 patients were
      interviewed about their experiences by telephone using a standard questionnaire.
      There were 25 women and 15 men, all having or having had chemotherapy for
      nonresectable advanced cancer, 26 of them by means of a portable pump. Almost all
      patients thought that the advantages of the Port-a-Cath (PAC) outweighed its
      disadvantages; they were not hindered in their daily activities, and none of the
      patients experienced problems with sexual intercourse because of the PAC.
      Drawbacks of the method are that 40% of the patients found the operation for
      insertion of the PAC to be more painful than they had expected. Although PAC
      reduced the fear of repeated peripheral vein puncture, puncture of the PAC was
      viewed as painful by 15 of the 40 patients. We conclude that a PAC seems to be
      preferable to an external catheter but that pre- and postoperative patient
      information needs to be improved.

PMID- 1423258
TI  - Mouse monoclonal antibodies which recognize a human (beta 1-4)galactosyl
      transferase associated with tumor in body fluids.
AB  - Mouse monoclonal antibodies against human (beta 1-4)galactosyl-transferase (GalT)
      purified from human ovarian tumor effusion fluids were prepared and
      characterized. GalT purified from normal human plasma showed a single diffused
      band in nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, but GalT purified from
      human ovarian tumor effusion fluids showed several oligomeric bands and a
      monomeric band in nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These
      oligomeric bands were dissociated into monomer by urea treatment and polymerized
      by a 2-mercaptoethanol treatment. Nine monoclonal antibodies (MAb) were prepared
      by immunization of purified GalT from human ovarian tumor effusion fluids and
      classified into three groups. Type I MAbs (MAb8611, MAb8913, and MAb8919) reacted
      only to the GalT monomer. Type II MAbs (MAb4880, MAb8507, and MAb8628) reacted to
      both the GalT monomer and the GalT polymer. Type III MAbs (MAb7907, MAb8513, and
      MAb8677) reacted only to the GalT polymer. These MAbs except MAb7907 could
      recover GalT enzyme activity from effusion fluids by immunoprecipitation. A
      fraction passed through MAb8513 affinity chromatography still showed reactivity
      to MAb8919, demonstrating that an epitope of MAb8513 resides on a minor part of
      GalT. A sandwich immunoassay (MAb8513-MAb8628HRP) was developed, and serum
      samples from ovarian cancer patients and benign ovarian patients were tested. The
      levels of sandwich immunoassay of serum samples from cancer were elevated
      significantly compared to those from benign and did not necessarily correlate to
      total GalT enzyme activity in serum samples. These results suggested that MAb8513
      (Type III) might recognize a unique GalT associated with tumor (GAT).

PMID- 1423259
TI  - Responses to retinoic acid of tamoxifen-sensitive and -resistant sublines of
      human breast cancer cell line MCF-7.
AB  - Growth of the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 is known to be inhibited both
      by antiestrogens such as 4-hydroxytamoxifen (OHTAM) and by retinoic acid (RA).
      Uncloned MCF-7 cells (UNC) and two cloned sublines, one sensitive to
      antiestrogens (E-3) and the other resistant to them (RR), were used in this
      study. Growth of UNC and E-3 was inhibited by either OHTAM (10(-7) M) or RA (10(
      6) M), and this inhibition could not be overcome by the simultaneous addition of
      estradiol. Subline RR, which was originally selected for resistance to tamoxifen,
      was resistant to both OHTAM and RA as measured by either growth in culture or
      colony forming ability. RR was resistant to RA at all concentrations tested
      between 10(-9) M and 10(-6) M. The inhibition of uncloned MCF-7 cells by RA was
      dose dependent between 10(-9) M and 10(-6) M. Subline E-3, however, exhibited a
      mixed response to RA. At 10(-9) M and 10(-8) M, growth was stimulated, but at 10(
      7) M and 10(-6) M it was inhibited. The level of estrogen receptor was measured
      in the same experiment by using a whole cell assay. In the uncloned MCF-7
      cultures and in both the RR and E-3 sublines the level of estrogen receptor was
      increased between 50 and 200% by RA. The production of plasminogen activator by
      MCF-7 cells is stimulated by estrogen. RA had a dual effect on plasminogen
      activator production. In the absence of estrogen, RA inhibited production below
      the unstimulated level, but in cells stimulated by estrogen, RA increased
      plasminogen activator production. The results reported here support possible
      interactions between the mechanisms by which cells respond to estrogen,
      antiestrogens, and retinoids.

PMID- 1423260
TI  - Intrathecal 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide: neurotoxicity, cerebrospinal fluid
      pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity in a rabbit model of VX2 leptomeningeal
      carcinomatosis.
AB  - Dissemination of tumor to the leptomeninges and cerebrospinal fluid represents a
      common pattern of metastasis for many cancers; however, few chemotherapeutic
      agents are available for intrathecal (i.t.) use and treatment results are often
      poor. We studied the neurotoxicity and pharmacokinetics of i.t. 4
      hydroperoxycyclophosphamide (4-HC) in the rabbit and the activity of i.t. 4-HC in
      a VX2 rabbit model of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis to evaluate the potential use
      of 4-HC in the treatment of leptomeningeal tumors. Toxicity studies examined 4-HC
      doses ranging from 0.5 to 6.0 mumol administered by intraventricular injection
      weekly for 4 to 8 weeks. Clinical or histological neurotoxicity was not observed
      in rabbits treated with < 1.0 mumol 4-HC for 4 weeks. Clinical toxicity,
      characterized by lethargy, weight loss, seizures, or death, was apparent at doses
      > 2.0 mumol. Vasculitis of superficial arteries was observed in rabbits treated
      with > 1.0 mumol 4-HC. In cerebrospinal fluid pharmacokinetic studies, the mean
      drug half-life after intraventricular or intralumbar administration was 24.3 and
      18.2 min. Regional inequities in drug exposure were apparent as area under the
      clearance curve values for cerebrospinal fluid distant from the injection site
      were lower than those of proximate sites (P < 0.001). Weekly intraventricular
      treatment of VX2 leptomeningeal tumor-bearing rabbits with 0.5 or 1.0 mumol of 4
      HC resulted in an increased life span of 22.5 and 35%, respectively. These
      results indicate that i.t. 4-HC, at doses lower than those producing
      neurotoxicity in the rabbit, is effective treatment for VX2 leptomeningeal
      carcinomatosis.

PMID- 1423261
TI  - Comparison of cellular accumulation and cytotoxicity of cisplatin with that of
      tetraplatin and amminedibutyratodichloro(cyclohexylamine)platinum(IV) (JM221) in
      human ovarian carcinoma cell lines.
AB  - We have compared the cellular accumulation and cytotoxicity of three platinum
      compounds in a panel of five human ovarian carcinoma cell lines. The cell lines,
      which were established from both untreated and pretreated patients, showed a wide
      range in sensitivity to cisplatin and other platinum drugs. The panel consisted
      of two sensitive (41M, CH1), one in vivo acquired resistant (PXN/94) with
      moderate sensitivity, and two intrinsically resistant (SKOV-3, HX/62) cell lines.
      The cisplatin 2-h concentration of drug required to inhibit cell growth by 50%
      compared with vehicle treated control cells (IC50 values) for these cell lines
      were in the following order: CH1 < 41M < PXN/94 < SKOV-3 < HX/62. None of the
      cell lines showed saturation of platinum accumulation (per mg protein) at 2 h
      after exposure to cisplatin concentrations of up to 500 microM. The highest
      cellular platinum accumulation was observed in the sensitive 41M cell line which
      was established from an untreated patient. The lowest accumulation was found in
      the intrinsically resistant HX/62 cell line. The rate of platinum accumulation at
      an equimolar concentration of cisplatin was 41M > SKOV-3 > CH1 > PXN/94 > HX/62.
      The relationship between drug accumulation and cytotoxicity was evaluated by
      comparing 2-h IC50 values with platinum accumulation following exposure to both
      equimolar and equitoxic doses of the agent. The results suggest that reduced drug
      accumulation may play a partial role in the mechanism of intrinsic resistance to
      cisplatin in one cell line (SKOV-3) and a major role in another (HX/62), where
      reduced accumulation is attributable to reduced uptake rather than enhanced
      efflux. Decreased drug accumulation may also contribute significantly to the
      lower sensitivity of the PXN/94 cell line to cisplatin. Interestingly, both the
      PXN/94 and the sensitive CH1 cell lines, which were established from patients
      pretreated with platinum drugs, showed reduced drug accumulation relative to the
      41M cell line. Cellular accumulation of tetraplatin and JM221
      [(ammine)dibutyratodichloro(cyclohexylamine)platinum(IV)], a novel platinum(IV)
      dicarboxylate complex exhibiting enhanced cytotoxicity compared to cisplatin, was
      also examined. Comparison with platinum accumulation from cisplatin suggests that
      the increased cytotoxicity of tetraplatin and JM221 may be related to their
      increased accumulation. Significantly both agents are more lipophilic than
      cisplatin, which may account partially for their improved uptake in cisplatin
      resistant cells.

PMID- 1423262
TI  - Mutation spectrum of the p53 gene in bone and soft tissue sarcomas.
AB  - We present here an analysis of the spectrum of mutations of the p53 gene seen in
      127 bone and soft tissue sarcomas of various histological classifications. Gross
      rearrangements were analyzed by Southern blotting using a complementary DNA probe
      from the p53 gene, and subtle alterations in the entire coding sequence (exons 2
      through 11) were identified by a combination of single-strand conformation
      polymorphism analysis and direct genomic sequencing. A total of 42 somatic
      alterations of the p53 gene were found, of which 21 were gross rearrangements and
      21 were subtle alterations. These included 17 cases of a single base
      substitution, 3 small deletions, and one single base insertion. In contrast to
      reported findings for other types of cancer, we found that mutations of the p53
      gene in sarcomas are quite heterogeneous both in their distribution throughout
      the gene and in the type of genetic alterations that result. All 13 missense
      mutations we found occurred at highly conserved residues, whereas 8 nonsense
      mutations occurred at sites that spanned the gene from codons 46 to 316.
      Surprisingly, approximately one-half of the osteosarcomas with allelic deletions
      on 17p did not have detectable alterations in the coding sequence of the p53
      gene.

PMID- 1423263
TI  - pH in human tumor xenografts and transplanted rat tumors: effect of insulin,
      inorganic phosphate, and m-iodobenzylguanidine.
AB  - Various strategies to improve the therapeutic index of anticancer agents aim at
      inducing, by stimulation of aerobic glycolysis, temporary pH differences between
      malignant and normal tissues which can be exploited to activate cytotoxic agents
      selectively in tumors. We have investigated whether the pH reduction induced by
      glucose, the "drug" commonly used to increase lactic acid production in malignant
      tissues, can be augmented by pharmacological manipulation of tumor cell
      glycolysis. At normal plasma glucose concentration (6 +/- 1 mM), inorganic
      phosphate, a modifier of hexokinase and phosphofructokinase activity, had no
      effect on pH in two transplanted rat tumors and a human tumor xenograft line
      (average pH, 6.80; range, 6.65-6.95). When plasma glucose concentration was
      raised to 30 +/- 3 mM by i.v. infusion of glucose, inorganic phosphate reduced
      the pH in those tumors which exhibited only a moderate pH response to glucose per
      se (mean pH, 6.60) to an average value of 6.20 (range, 6.05-6.35). In the same
      setting, insulin, continuously infused at dose rates up to 600 milliunits/kg body
      weight/min, did not result in acidification of tumor tissue exceeding that
      induced by glucose alone. However, the H+ ion activity in both transplanted rat
      tumors and human tumor xenografts was increased by m-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG),
      an inhibitor of mitochondrial respiration. For example, at normoglycemia, MIBG
      reduced the mean pH in a human mesothelioma xenograft from 6.90 to 6.70. This pH
      value was further reduced to 6.20 by simultaneous low-dose i.v. glucose infusion
      (plasma glucose concentration, 14 +/- 3 mM). The acidosis induced by inorganic
      phosphate and MIBG was tumor specific. Normal tissues of tumor-bearing hosts were
      only marginally sensitive to hyperphosphatemia or MIBG administration. These
      results indicate that the known stimulatory effect of exogenous glucose on lactic
      acid production in malignant tumors in vivo can be further accentuated or, as in
      the case of MIBG, partially replaced by pharmacological manipulation of aerobic
      glycolysis using clinically established drugs.

PMID- 1423264
TI  - Intra- and interindividual variability in systemic exposure in humans to 2-amino
      3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline and 2-amino-1-methyl- 6-phenylimidazo[4,5
      b]pyridine, carcinogens present in cooked beef.
AB  - During the cooking of beef, the genotoxic heterocyclic aromatic amines 2-amino
      3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5
      f]quinoxaline (DiMeIQx), and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine
      (PhIP) are formed. Little is known about the fate of these compounds in humans or
      the factors affecting it. We have developed assays based on capillary column gas
      chromatography-negative ion mass spectrometry capable of the simultaneous
      measurement of MeIQx, DiMeIQx, and PhIP in cooked meat and in human urine using
      stable isotope labeled analogues. Ten normal, healthy male volunteers were
      invited to consume a standard cooked meat meal (400-450 g lean beef, cooked as
      patties on a griddle hotplate) on four separate occasions over a period of 14
      months. Following consumption of the test meals, urine was collected from 0 to 8
      h, during which time all free amines were excreted and analyzed for MeIQx,
      DiMeIQx, and PhIP. Subjects ingested 240 +/- 9 (SEM) g cooked meat, which
      contained 2.2 +/- 0.2 ng MeIQx/g meat, 0.7 +/- 0.1 ng DiMeIQx/g meat, and 16.4 +/
      2.1 ng PhIP/g meat. The variability in relative systemic bioavailability was
      assessed from the percentage of ingested amine excreted unchanged in the urine.
      Subjects excreted 2.1 +/- 1.1% of MeIQx and 1.1 +/- 0.5% of PhIP ingested as
      unchanged amine in the urine. Levels of DiMeIQx in urine, if present, were below
      the sensitivity of our assay (20 pg/ml) and could not be detected in any of the
      samples analyzed. Irrespective of dose, urinary excretion of unchanged MeIQx or
      PhIP (expressed as a percentage of the ingested dose) remained constant for each
      individual subject. The intraindividual coefficients of variation for MeIQx
      (28.4%) and PhIP (23.7%) were low and the pooled interday (intrasubject)
      coefficients of variation for both compounds were only 19 and 3.4%, respectively.
      In contrast, inter-subject (intraday) variation was greater, with pooled
      coefficients of variation of 145% for MeIQx and 71% for PhIP. Based on these
      studies, it should be possible to use the percentage excretion of MeIQx and PhIP
      to assess the relative bioavailability of these compounds in humans.

PMID- 1423265
TI  - Clonal rearrangement of chromosome band 6p21 in the mesenchymal component of
      pulmonary chondroid hamartoma.
AB  - Pulmonary chondroid hamartomas (PCH) are biphasic benign tumors that contain both
      mesenchymal and epithelial populations. In this report we describe two PCH in
      which clonal translocations at chromosome band 6p21 were demonstrated in
      mesenchymal cells. One of these had a unique translocation, t(6;14)(p21;q24),
      that was also found in one of two PCH karyotyped previously. The t(6;14) has not
      been described in other varieties of benign or malignant neoplasia. The 6p21
      aberrations are of particular interest because break points in this chromosomal
      region appear to be characteristic of endometrial polyps. Endometrial polyps,
      like PCH, are biphasic benign tumors in which mesenchymal clonality has been
      demonstrated.

PMID- 1423266
TI  - Retroviral vector-mediated lymphokine gene transfer into human renal cancer
      cells.
AB  - Effective vaccination against cancer, either for prophylaxis or therapy, has been
      an elusive goal for years. Cytokine gene therapy offers a novel approach to
      generate immunogenic tumor cell vaccines. To examine the feasibility of cytokine
      gene transfer into human renal cancer (RC) cells, we introduced the cDNAs for
      human interleukin-2 (IL-2) or interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) into various RC cell
      lines with retroviral vectors. Using the NIH3T3 amplification assay, no
      replication competent retroviral particles were detectable in cell culture
      supernatants taken from gene-modified RC cell lines. Efficient expression of both
      lymphokines was achieved. Depending on the cell line and the vector construct
      used, lymphokine gene-modified human RC cell lines released 4 to 29 units/10(6)
      cells of IL-2, or up to 10 units/10(6) cells of IFN-gamma within 48 h.
      Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis of SK-RC-29 cells releasing IFN-gamma
      showed increased expression of major histocompatibility complex class I antigen,
      beta 2-microglobulin, and ICAM-1, as well as induction of major
      histocompatibility complex class II antigen expression [human leukocyte
      antigen(HLA)-DR, -DP], but no changes in these cell surface markers were observed
      with SK-RC-29 cells releasing IL-2. Following in vitro gamma-irradiation with
      5,000 or 10,000 rad, growth of lymphokine gene-modified RC cells was abrogated,
      but their capability to release lymphokine and express lymphokine-induced
      antigenic determinants, such as HLA-DR, was retained. Tumor formation by the
      human RC cell line SK-RC-29 in BALB/c nude mice was not affected by IFN-gamma
      secretion, but was inhibited by in vivo release of IL-2 from s.c. injected tumor
      cells. These studies demonstrate the feasibility of retroviral mediated
      lymphokine-gene transfer into human RC cells and suggest a means for generating
      autologous or HLA-matched allogeneic tumor cell vaccines for the treatment of
      patients with renal cell carcinoma.

PMID- 1423267
TI  - Cytochrome P-450 3A4 (nifedipine oxidase) is responsible for the C-oxidative
      metabolism of 1-nitropyrene in human liver microsomal samples.
AB  - The nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon 1-nitropyrene is a ubiquitous
      environmental pollutant. The role of cytochromes P-450 in the human metabolism of
      [3H]-1-nitropyrene was investigated using human liver microsomes. The range of
      microsomal metabolism from 16 individual liver specimens was 0.13 to 0.99
      nmol/min/mg protein. Using 3 microsomal samples exhibiting different maximal
      velocities, the Km of 1-nitropyrene metabolism was 3.3 +/- 0.5 microM, indicating
      that perhaps a single or similar cytochromes P-450 was involved in the metabolism
      of 1-nitropyrene in these samples. The P-450 3A inhibitor triacetyloleandomycin
      inhibited 86 +/- 8% of the microsomal metabolism of 1-nitropyrene. Further
      evidence for the role of P-450 3A in human microsomal metabolism of 1-nitropyrene
      was gained using inhibitory anti-P-450 3A antibodies. Using 3 separate microsomal
      samples, antibody conditions that inhibited approximately 90% of the metabolism
      of the P-450 3A4-specific substrate nifedipine inhibited approximately 60-70% of
      the metabolism of 1-nitropyrene. Human liver microsomes demonstrated a preference
      for 1-nitropyren-3-ol formation over 1-nitropyren-6-ol or 1-nitropyren-8-ol,
      which is in contrast to that noted in rodents where the 6-ol and 8-ol are
      preferentially formed over the 3-ol, yet in agreement with earlier studies on the
      metabolism of 1-nitropyrene using Vaccinia-expressed human cytochromes P-450.
      These results indicate that the human hepatic metabolism of 1-nitropyrene is
      carried out by at least two or more P-450s including those in the P-450 3A
      subfamily. These studies also suggest that the metabolism of this compound by
      humans may differ from that in rodents in both the cytochromes that are involved
      and the specific metabolites that are formed.

PMID- 1423268
TI  - Elevated uptake of low density lipoproteins by human lung cancer tissue in vivo.
AB  - In order to explore new treatment modalities for cancer, it is important to
      identify qualitative or quantitative differences in metabolic processes between
      normal and malignant cells. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that
      acute myelogenous leukemia cells have elevated receptor-mediated uptake of low
      density lipoproteins (LDL), compared to normal WBC. High receptor-mediated uptake
      of LDL by certain cancer cells in tissue culture and experimental tumors in
      animals in vivo has also been demonstrated. The present study was undertaken to
      compare the in vivo assimilation of LDL by human lung cancer tissue with that by
      surrounding lung tissue. Ten patients with newly diagnosed lung tumors, scheduled
      for surgery, received an i.v. injection of [14C]sucrose-labeled LDL. Following
      cellular uptake and degradation of the LDL particle, the radiolabeled sucrose
      moiety remains trapped in the lysosomal compartment, making this labeling
      technique useful for in vivo studies of tissue uptake of LDL. Radioactivity was
      determined in plasma and in tissue biopsies obtained at surgery 1-3 days after
      injection. The uptake of radioactivity in lung cancer tissue was elevated (1.5
      3.0-fold), compared to surrounding tissue, in 7 of 9 patients with primary lung
      cancer. The most rapid preoperative disappearance of radioactivity from plasma
      was found in 2 patients with large tumors exhibiting high LDL uptake, relative to
      normal lung tissue. These findings support the hypothesis that the selectivity of
      cytotoxic agents can be enhanced also in nonhematological malignancies by
      administering the drugs incorporated in LDL particles.

PMID- 1423269
TI  - An improved fluorometric assay for dosimetry of benzo(a)pyrene diol-epoxide-DNA
      adducts in smokers' lung: comparisons with total bulky adducts and aryl
      hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity.
AB  - An improved high-performance liquid chromatography/fluorometric assay has been
      established to quantitate the benzo(a)pyrene (BP) tetrols released after acid
      hydrolysis of lung DNA from lung cancer patients, so that the formation of
      benzo(a)pyrene diol-epoxide-DNA adducts can be measured. The r-7,c-10,t-8,t-9
      tetrahydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-BP isolated by high-performance liquid
      chromatography was determined by chromatography in two different solvent systems
      and fluorescence spectroscopy. This assay has a detection limit of 2 pg of r-7,c
      10,t-8,t-9-tetrahydroxy- 7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-BP, requires 100-500 micrograms of
      DNA, and can measure 1 adduct/10(8) unmodified nucleotides. As this assay does
      not use immunoaffinity chromatography or solvent extraction, it allows a > 90%
      recovery of benzo(a)pyrene diol-epoxide-DNA adducts. This procedure has been
      tested on 13 DNA samples prepared from nontumorous lung parenchyma taken from
      lung cancer patients at surgery and revealed the presence of DNA adducts of the
      anti-benzo(a)pyrene diol-epoxide in 9 of 11 samples from smokers and in 2 of 2 ex
      smokers. In only two samples from smokers the formation of adducts derived from
      syn-benzo(a)pyrene diol-epoxide was detected. A 15-fold variation in DNA adduct
      level was found in 11 of 13 DNA samples, with a range of 0.6-9.9 adducts of
      benzo(a)pyrene diol-epoxide/10(8) nucleotides. In samples containing both anti-
      and syn-benzo(a)pyrene diolepoxide-DNA adducts, the anti/syn adduct ratio is 2:1.
      A highly significant correlation was found between pulmonary microsomal aryl
      hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity and the level of benzo(a)pyrene diolepoxide-DNA
      adduct (r = 0.91; P < 0.001; n = 13). A crude linear correlation between the
      amounts of these adducts and those of bulky DNA adducts determined by 32P
      postlabeling assay was observed in the same samples (r = 0.78; P < 0.02; n = 13).
      Thus this highly sensitive and specific procedure is suitable for measuring
      benzo(a)pyrene diolepoxide-DNA adducts in human tissues from environmentally
      exposed subjects and could be adapted to measure polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
      other than BP.

PMID- 1423270
TI  - Eradication of hepatic metastases of carcinoma H-59 by combination
      chemoimmunotherapy with liposomal muramyl tripeptide, 5-fluorouracil, and
      leucovorin.
AB  - We have investigated the effect of a combined chemoimmunotherapy protocol with
      liposomal muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine (MTP-PE), 5-fluorouracil (5
      FU), and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate (leucovorin) on the growth of hepatic
      metastases using carcinoma H-59, a liver-homing subline of the Lewis lung
      carcinoma (P. Brodt, Cancer Res., 46: 2442-2448, 1986). C57BL/6 mice inoculated
      with the tumor cells via the intrasplenic route received three i.v. injections of
      liposomal MTP-PE, the first of which was administered 3 days prior to tumor cell
      inoculation. Chemotherapy with 5-FU and leucovorin at the maximal tolerated doses
      (30 mg/kg per injection) was initiated immediately after tumor inoculation and
      continued on alternate days for a total of 4 injections. The incidence of liver
      metastases in animals which received the combined therapy was compared to that in
      animals treated with chemotherapy or immunotherapy alone. We found that while the
      number of liver metastases was reduced in all of the treatment groups as compared
      to control untreated or placebo-treated animals, the combined effect of 5-FU
      leucovorin and liposomal MTP-PE was significantly better than that of
      chemotherapy or immunotherapy alone. This was reflected in a reduced incidence
      (70% as compared to 100% in all other groups) and in a significant reduction in
      the number and size of the liver nodules. Our results suggest that the efficacy
      of 5-FU and leucovorin in the treatment of hepatic metastases could be
      significantly augmented by the addition of the liposome-encapsulated
      immunoadjuvant MTP-PE.

PMID- 1423271
TI  - Endogenous tumor necrosis factor functions as a resistant factor against
      hyperthermic cytotoxicity.
AB  - One of the mechanisms of cytotoxicity by tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is the
      induction of reactive oxygen molecules. Cells producing endogenous tumor necrosis
      factor (enTNF) show resistance to the cytotoxicity of exogenous TNF by scavenging
      the reactive oxygen molecules. The intracellular hydroxyl radical production is
      also known to be involved in the heat-induced cytotoxicity. In the present study,
      we therefore examined the possibility that enTNF may act as a protective protein
      against the heat-induced cytotoxicity in a manner similar to that of exogenous
      TNF. Heat-sensitive L-M (mouse tumorigenic fibroblast) cells, originally
      expressing no enTNF, were transfected with a human TNF expression vector to
      produce enTNF. The stable transfectants showed apparent resistance to heat
      treatment. Conversely, when HeLa (human uterine cervical cancer) cells,
      originally producing an appreciable amount of enTNF, were transfected with an
      antisense TNF mRNA expression vector to inhibit enTNF synthesis, their heat
      sensitivity was enhanced. Furthermore, L-M cells which were transfected with
      nonsecretory human TNF expression vector also acquired resistance to heat
      treatment. In these cells, heat resistance correlated well with expression of
      enTNF and intracellular levels of manganous superoxide dismutase. These results
      indicate that enTNF exerts its intracellular protective effect against the heat
      induced cytotoxicity by scavenging reactive oxygen with induced manganous
      superoxide dismutase in a manner similar to that found in cells treated with
      exogenous TNF.

PMID- 1423272
TI  - Membrane lipid modification and sensitivity of leukemic cells to the thioether
      lipid analogue BM 41.440.
AB  - Since the ether lipid anticancer drugs are membrane targeted, we examined the
      effect of membrane lipid structural alteration on their cytotoxicity. Enrichment
      with docosahexaenoic acid increased the sensitivity to the thioether lipid BM
      41.440, compared to control cells enriched with oleic acid. The effect was
      dependent upon drug concentration, time, and the extent of cellular fatty acid
      enrichment. Other polyunsaturated fatty acids had a similar effect, which was
      proportional to the degree of unsaturation of the molecule inserted. Depletion of
      cellular glutathione with buthionine sulfoximine increased the sensitivity to
      ether lipid, but prooxidants such as Fe2+ and antioxidants such as vitamin E had
      little effect. The addition of serum to the incubation medium markedly diminished
      the cytotoxicity of ether lipids for cells modified with both docosahexaenoic
      acid and oleic acid, probably due to binding of the drug to serum components. The
      toxicity of another ether lipid, 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-methyl-rac-glycero-3
      phosphocholine, was not affected appreciably by membrane alteration. Drug uptake
      studies with a radiolabeled BM 41.440 analogue, 1-[3H]hexadecylthio-2-ethyl-rac-
      glycero-3-phosphocholine, demonstrated no difference in transport at early time
      points and no difference in accumulation up to 60 min. We conclude that increases
      in cellular and/or membrane fatty acid polyunsaturation heighten the cytotoxic
      effect of a membrane-active ether lipid. The effect is not due to a change in
      drug transport or accumulation. It may be related to a change in oxidative
      events. These observations provide further confirmation of the membrane being the
      target of ether lipid action, using biochemical rather than morphological
      techniques. Most importantly, this observation offers a potential innovative
      approach to therapy.

PMID- 1423273
TI  - Potentiation of the activity of 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine by the protein
      kinase C activator bryostatin 1 in HL-60 cells: association with enhanced
      fragmentation of mature DNA.
AB  - We have examined the interaction between 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara
      C) and the macrocyclic lactone protein kinase C activator bryostatin 1 in the
      human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60. Preexposure of cells to 10 nM
      bryostatin 1 for 24 h, followed by an additional 24-h incubation with 10 microM
      ara-C, resulted in greater than additive inhibitory effects toward clonogenic HL
      60 cells. In a series of alkaline elution assays, cells preincubated with
      bryostatin 1 and prelabeled with [3H]thymidine exhibited a significant increase
      in DNA fragmentation following exposure to ara-C in comparison to cells exposed
      to ara-C alone. This increase in DNA damage was apparent at both neutral and
      alkaline pH and was not protein associated. In contrast, studies using cells
      pulse-labeled with [3H]thymidine immediately before analysis suggested that
      bryostatin 1 pretreatment did not increase the ability of ara-C to interfere with
      DNA replicative intermediates. Additional studies demonstrated that the increase
      in DNA fragmentation induced by bryostatin 1 and ara-C preceded both loss of cell
      membrane integrity (as determined by trypan blue exclusion) as well as depletion
      of intracellular ATP and NAD pools. Furthermore, the enhanced inhibitory effects
      of bryostatin 1 and ara-C toward clonogenic HL-60 cells did not appear to result
      from the induction of cellular differentiation. Finally, agarose gel
      electrophoresis of DNA obtained from cells exposed to both bryostatin 1 and ara-C
      revealed a pattern of integer multiples of 180- to 200-base pair fragments
      commonly associated with endonucleolytic cleavage; the extent of this
      fragmentation was considerably greater than that observed in cells exposed to ara
      C alone. Taken together, these findings suggest that exposure of HL-60 cells to
      bryostatin 1 renders them more susceptible to ara-C-related DNA damage and that
      this phenomenon contributes to the cytotoxic effects of this drug combination.
      They also raise the possibility that bryostatin 1, perhaps through modulation of
      intracellular signaling events in leukemic cells, has the capacity to potentiate
      ara-C-related apoptosis or programmed cell death.

PMID- 1423274
TI  - Renal cell carcinoma and natural killer cells: studies in a novel rat model in
      vitro and in vivo.
AB  - The transplantable rat kidney carcinoma (RKC) provides an excellent experimental
      model for immunological and therapeutic studies of renal cell carcinoma. In this
      report, we define the biological characteristics of RKC and explore the
      interactions between RKC and natural killer (NK) cells. RKC, a transplantable
      tumor of spontaneous origin, grows progressively over a 12-week period and
      metastasizes to the lung when implanted orthotopically in the kidneys of female
      Lewis rats. Rats bearing RKC survived for an average of 10.5 +/- 1.5 (SD) weeks
      postimplantation. Lung metastases were visible between 7.5 and 8.5 weeks
      postimplantation, and by 9 to 10 weeks the incidence of metastases reached
      approximately 67%. Injection of the NK cell-specific monoclonal antibody 3.2.3
      depleted Lewis rats of their NK activity for up to 14 days. Adherent lymphokine
      activated killer cells generated from the spleens of 3.2.3-injected rats were
      significantly less lytic than those from control rats and contained a
      significantly lower percentage of 3.2.3+ cells when analyzed by flow cytometry.
      Groups of rats were implanted with RKC and received injections of 3.2.3 biweekly
      to maintain depletion of NK cells or of a control antibody, NK1.1, specific for
      mouse NK cells. At 10 weeks postimplantation, 3.2.3-injected rats had
      significantly (P < or = 0.005) larger tumors (104.4 +/- 20.1 g) than NK1.1
      injected rats (75.4 +/- 13.9 g). Spleen cells and peripheral blood cells from
      uninjected, tumor-bearing rats had a slight but nonsignificant decrease in NK
      activity against 51Cr-labeled YAC-1 targets over the course of RKC progression.
      The activity of adherent lymphokine-activated killer cells from tumor-bearing
      rats was lower than that from normal rats, but not significantly. Cultured RKC
      cells were killed by both splenic NK cells and adherent lymphokine-activated
      killer cells. These data demonstrate that RKC is NK sensitive and that tumor
      growth does not abrogate NK activity. The RKC tumor provides a model system for
      the analysis of immunological factors in renal cell carcinoma growth and presents
      opportunities for testing therapeutic interventions in a system that closely
      mimics the human disease.

PMID- 1423275
TI  - Tumors arising in SCID mice share enhanced radiation sensitivity of SCID normal
      tissues.
AB  - We addressed the question of whether cancers arising in an abnormally radiation
      sensitive normal tissue are also abnormally sensitive to ionizing irradiation.
      Germ line mutation-carrying mice with an enhanced radiation sensitivity of the
      normal tissue, the severe combined immunodeficient (SCID), and normally radiation
      sensitive mice (C3H) were used to study the sensitivity of normal and tumor
      tissues in vivo and in vitro. The lethal dose for 50% of the irradiated animals
      after single dose whole body irradiation was 2.6-fold higher in C3H compared to
      SCID mice. The dose for an isoeffective acute skin reaction after single dose
      irradiation was end point dependent 1.7 to 3.7 times higher in C3H than in SCID
      mice. Embryonic fibroblast and methylcholanthrene induced soft tissue sarcomas
      derived from C3H and SCID mice were established in vitro and colony-forming
      assays after single dose irradiation were carried out. Choosing mean inactivation
      dose as the end point, SCID fibroblast lines were 3.0-fold and SCID tumor cell
      lines 2.7-fold more radiation sensitive than C3H fibroblast lines and C3H tumor
      cell lines. Tumor control and growth delay assays for 110-mm3 tumors were used to
      compare the radiation sensitivity of SCID and C3H tumors in vivo. The doses for
      50% local tumor control and a growth delay of 40 days were 2.6 times higher in
      C3H tumors compared to SCID tumors. Tumors arising in an abnormally radiation
      sensitive normal tissue are also sensitive to irradiation. The difference in
      radiation sensitivity of normal tissues predicted the difference in tumor tissues
      in these two murine systems.

PMID- 1423276
TI  - Changes in growth and tumorigenicity following reconstitution of retinoblastoma
      gene function in various human cancer cell types by microcell transfer of
      chromosome 13.
AB  - Functional loss of the retinoblastoma (RB) gene has been implicated in the
      initiation or progression of several human tumor types including cancer of the
      eye, bone, bladder, and prostate. To examine the consequence of adding one RB
      allele containing its normal regulatory elements back into representative
      examples of each of these cancer types, as well as to compare the results to
      those previously reported using various RB complementary DNA constructs, a
      neomycin resistant marked 13 chromosome was transferred by microcell fusion.
      Several attempts to obtain RB positive osteosarcoma cells failed. In addition,
      only one RB positive retinoblastoma clone was isolated. This clone contained many
      large cells, could not be maintained in long-term culture, and produced only RB
      negative tumors. Three RB positive bladder cancer cell clones were obtained, all
      of which grew slower in culture than their RB negative parental counterpart and
      did not form colonies in soft agar. Tumorigenicity was markedly suppressed in
      these clones. One clone yielded no tumors, and the other 2 clones produced only
      one small tumor each, both of which were RB negative. In contrast, the 2 RB
      positive prostate cancer cell clones isolated had no differences in their cell
      culture growth properties, including growth in soft agar compared to the parental
      cells. One of the clones was nontumorigenic, while the other clone produced 4
      small tumors, all of which were RB positive. These results indicate that the
      transfer of one RB allele by microcell transfer produces different levels of
      growth inhibition as well as tumor suppression, depending on the cell type
      examined. In the case of prostate cancer, the function of the RB gene in tumor
      suppression appears to be independent from its growth regulatory function, since
      no growth inhibition in cell culture was noted in these cells, although tumor
      suppression was significant.

PMID- 1423277
TI  - Local administration of monoclonal antibody-drug conjugate: a new strategy to
      reduce the local recurrence of colorectal cancer.
AB  - This report investigates the application of monoclonal antibody A7 and its drug
      conjugate in locally controlling colorectal cancer. The experimental protocol
      consisted of local retention, lymphatic delivery, normal organ distribution,
      systemic toxicity, and tumoricidal effects. When 125I-labeled monoclonal antibody
      (Mab) A7 was injected into the pelvis and the thigh of Balb/c mice, a high local
      retention unrelated to antigen-antibody interaction was observed at the injected
      site for 24 h after injection. An analysis of local retension properties related
      to antigen-antibody interaction, conducted by intratumorally or peritumorally
      injecting 125I-Mab A7 into the tumor-bearing athymic nude mice, revealed a
      significantly higher tumor localization of Mab A7 in comparison to i.v.
      injection. 125I-Mab A7 accumulated to a great extent in the ipsilateral regional
      lymph node but not in the contralateral regional lymph node. Normal organ
      accumulation of Mab A7 was lower in the locally injected group than in the i.v.
      injected group. Intratumoral injection of Mab A7-neocarzinostatin (A7-NCS) led to
      the complete remission of established tumor in 5 of 6 antigen-positive xenograft
      bearing mice but exhibited a complete remission in only 1 of 6 antigen-negative
      xenograft-bearing mice. A single local injection of A7-NCS inhibited tumor
      development in 12 of 16 and 5 of 15 antigen-positive tumor-bearing mice and
      antigen-negative tumor-bearing mice, respectively, whereas neither a systemic
      injection of A7-NCS and NCS nor a local injection of NCS and saline had a notable
      inhibitory effect on tumor development. Systemic toxicity of NCS was markedly
      reduced when it was locally administered in the antibody-conjugated form. These
      findings indicate that local injection of immunoconjugate is a promising new
      field for controlling the local recurrence of colorectal cancer.

PMID- 1423278
TI  - Evidence that a novel human differentiation-inhibiting protein blocks the
      dimethyl sulfoxide-induced differentiation of erythroleukemia cells by inhibiting
      the activation of membrane protein kinase C.
AB  - We have previously reported (J. P. Durkin et al., Blood, 79: 1161-1171, 1992) the
      isolation of a human differentiation-inhibiting protein (DIP) which selectively
      inhibits and blocks the differentiation of erythroid burst-forming unit
      progenitor cells in bone marrow colony assay, and the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)
      induced differentiation of cultured murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells. DIP
      blocks MEL cell differentiation directly, without affecting the ability of the
      cells to proliferate. In the present study, DIP (at < 1 ng/ml) inhibited MEL cell
      differentiation only when added to the culture medium within 1 h after DMSO
      induction, indicating that it blocked an early, critical step in erythroleukemia
      cell differentiation. The protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor H-7 also maximally
      inhibited the differentiation of MEL cells during this same period following
      induction, suggesting that DIP may have blocked an early PKC-dependent process.
      Indeed, DIP was found to abolish a transient increase in membrane PKC activity
      which was triggered in MEL cells within 10-30 min after DMSO addition. This
      increase in membrane PKC activity resulted from the activation of an inactive
      pool of PKC residing on membranes, and not from the translocation of cytosolic
      PKC to membranes. DMSO also stimulated membrane PKC activity and differentiation
      in human erythroleukemia cells and HL-60 myeloid leukemia cells. As was the case
      with MEL cells, DIP prevented the early activation of PKC and the differentiation
      of human erythroleukemia cells. However, it did not inhibit the early increase in
      PKC activity in HL-60 cells or the subsequent differentiation of these cells.
      These results suggest that DIP blocks erythroleukemia cell differentiation by
      inhibiting an early and critical activation of inactive membrane PKC.

PMID- 1423279
TI  - Myelopoiesis-associated immune suppressor cells in mice bearing metastatic Lewis
      lung carcinoma tumors: gamma interferon plus tumor necrosis factor alpha
      synergistically reduces immune suppressor and tumor growth-promoting activities
      of bone marrow cells and diminishes tumor recurrence and metastasis.
AB  - Metastatic Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) tumors stimulate myelopoiesis and,
      consequently, induce bone marrow cells to become immune suppressive to T cell
      blastogenesis and macrophage activation for tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF
      alpha) secretion. The suppressor cells phenotypically resembled granulocytic
      monocytic progenitor cells. In order to diminish the presence of these immune
      suppressor cells, LLC-bearing mice were treated with low doses of gamma
      interferon (IFN-gamma) (100 units/mouse) plus TNF-alpha (10 units/mouse).
      Treatment of LLC-bearing mice with these low doses of IFN-gamma plus TNF-alpha
      diminished the suppressive activity of their bone marrow cells, as measured by
      the effect on normal macrophage activation to secrete TNF-alpha. In in vivo
      adoptive transfer studies, bone marrow from placebo-treated LLC-bearers
      stimulated tumor establishment and metastasis, while the bone marrow of IFN-gamma
      plus TNF-alpha-treated tumor-bearers diminished LLC establishment and metastasis.
      The effect of the low dose treatments with IFN-gamma and/or TNF-alpha on the
      recurrence of excised s.c. tumors was also assessed. Treatment of mice following
      tumor excision with either IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, or the combination of IFN-gamma
      plus TNF-alpha reduced recurrence. However, in the animals with recurring tumors
      only the combined IFN-gamma plus TNF-alpha treatment effectively diminished the
      development of lung metastases. These results demonstrate that low dose IFN-gamma
      plus TNF-alpha treatment diminishes the presence of suppressor and tumor growth
      promoting activities of bone marrow and reduces tumor recurrence and metastasis.

PMID- 1423280
TI  - Lipophilic cisplatin analogues entrapped in liposomes: role of intraliposomal
      drug activation in biological activity.
AB  - cis-Bis-neodecanoato-trans-R,R-1,2-diaminocyclohexane platinum (II) (NDDP), a
      lipophilic cisplatin analogue containing two branched leaving groups of 10 carbon
      atoms, is undergoing clinical evaluation in a liposomal formulation. In previous
      studies, NDDP entrapped in multilamellar vesicles composed of
      dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol (DMPG)
      at a 7:3 molar ratio was non-nephrotoxic in humans, not cross-resistant with
      cisplatin in different in vitro and in vivo systems, and more active than
      cisplatin against murine models of experimental liver metastases whereas free
      NDDP was devoid of in vivo antitumor activity at the optimal dose of L-NDDP and
      barely active at higher doses. To elucidate the mechanisms by which the liposomal
      carrier enhances the biological properties to this class of antitumor agents, we
      studied the effect of the liposome composition, size of the branched leaving
      groups of the platinum compound, and pH and composition of the aqueous phase on
      the entrapment efficiency, drug leakage, drug stability, and in vivo toxicity and
      antitumor activity of different liposomal formulations of these agents. In
      experiments using normal saline as aqueous phase, the presence of DMPG in the
      lipid bilayer resulted in a decreased stability and an increased biological
      activity of NDDP, whereas NDDP entrapped in liposomes composed of DMPC alone (not
      containing DMPG) was stable but devoid of antitumor activity. In studies with
      structurally related analogues with branched leaving groups of 5, 6, 7, and 9
      carbon atoms, similar trends were observed. In addition, the number of carbon
      atoms in the leaving groups was directly and inversely related to the entrapment
      efficiency and stability of the analogues, respectively, independently of lipid
      composition; increasing the size of the branched leaving groups resulted in an
      increased in situ degradation of the platinum compound and enhanced biological
      activity and potency. These results suggest that this class of platinum compounds
      exerts its biological activity through the formation of active intermediates in
      situ within the lipid bilayers and that the activation reaction is highly
      dependent on the presence of DMPG and the size of the lipophilic leaving group.

PMID- 1423281
TI  - Intrinsic radiosensitivity of normal human fibroblasts and lymphocytes after high
      and low-dose-rate irradiation.
AB  - The existence of heritable radiosensitivity syndromes and clinical observations
      in radiotherapy patients suggests that human cellular radiosensitivity differs
      among individuals. We report here an in vitro study of radiosensitivity in 30
      fibroblast and 29 lymphocyte cultures obtained from cancer patients and controls.
      In 25 cases, both fibroblasts and lymphocytes were obtained from the same donors.
      Fibroblasts were cultured from skin biopsy samples, and peripheral T-cell
      lymphocytes were cultured from blood. Clonogenic survival assays were performed
      by using high- and low-dose-rate irradiation; lymphocytes were in G0 phase and
      fibroblasts in confluent plateau phase. Various end points were calculated and
      compared (i.e., surviving fraction at 2 Gy, initial slope of the survival curve,
      and doses resulting in 10 and 1% survival, respectively). Depending on the end
      point, the coefficient of variation of the survival parameters ranged from 31 to
      68% for lymphocytes and 21 to 41% for fibroblasts following high-dose-rate
      irradiation. Similar ranges were obtained after low-dose-rate irradiation.
      Variance analysis performed on replicate assays in cultures derived from the same
      patient showed that variation due to technical or sampling errors was
      significantly lower than variation between individuals (P = 0.00034 and 0.014 for
      fibroblasts and lymphocytes, respectively). No correlation was observed between
      the radiosensitivity of lymphocyte and fibroblast cultures derived from the same
      donors. We conclude that there is significant variation in normal cell
      radiosensitivity among individuals. On the other hand, comparisons of lymphocyte
      and fibroblast radiosensitivities suggest that tissue-specific characteristics,
      such as differentiation status, may variably modulate radiosensitivity.

PMID- 1423282
TI  - In vivo effects of high-intensity ultrasound on prostatic adenocarcinoma Dunning
      R3327.
AB  - High-intensity ultrasound has been used to treat Dunning R3327 prostatic
      adenocarcinoma implanted s.c. in Fischer Copenhagen rats. Focused ultrasound was
      generated with a 1-MHz transducer and energy was provided by a 7.5-kW power
      amplifier. Seventy-four rats were treated using two different sublines of Dunning
      tumor. Study 1 dealt with 49 rats with the Mat-Ly-Lu subline, treated with
      acoustic intensities ranging from 300 to 2750 W/cm2. Of the 49 rats in Study 1,
      30 had complete tumor necrosis and 19 had no effect; of the 30 who had complete
      local tumor necrosis, 14 had local relapse, 9 had distance metastases to lung and
      nodes without local occurrence, and 7 remained free of tumor and were still alive
      12 months after treatment. In Study 2, 25 rats with AT2 subline were treated with
      an intensity of 820 W/cm2. Similarly for Study 2, there was complete local tumor
      necrosis in 24 of 25 animals, with local regrowth in 7 of 24 and no recurrence of
      metastasis in the remaining 16 after a follow-up of 3 months. These results
      suggested that high-intensity focused ultrasound could be useful for the
      treatment of small localized cancerous tumors such as low-grade prostate
      carcinoma.

PMID- 1423283
TI  - Interstitial hypertension in human breast and colorectal tumors.
AB  - The efficacy of present day antineoplastic regimens depends upon the delivery and
      penetration of therapeutic agents through the tumor vascular and interstitial
      spaces to the tumor cell target. The distribution of relevant molecules or cells
      in a solid tumor is often poor and heterogeneous and is believed to be due to a
      number of pathophysiological factors, including elevated interstitial fluid
      pressure (IFP). Using the wick-in-needle technique, IFP was measured in primary
      breast and colorectal carcinomas as well as their respective metastases to the
      lymph nodes and liver in a total of 17 patients. IFP was also measured in one
      recurrent renal cell carcinoma, one melanoma metastasis to the lymph nodes, and
      another melanoma metastasis to the lung. IFP varied from 4 to 50 mm Hg with a
      mean +/- SD of 20 +/- 13 mm Hg in the neoplasms (n = 41 measurements; n = 21
      tumors), while IFP in normal tissues had a mean of 2 +/- 4 mm Hg (n = 11). The
      mean IFPs for metastatic melanoma, primary breast carcinoma, and liver metastases
      from a colorectal primary were found to be 33 +/- 14, 15 +/- 9, and 21 +/- 12 mm
      Hg, respectively. In the renal cell carcinoma, the pressure was 38 mm Hg. These
      results agree with the findings of our 3 previous studies examining IFP in human
      superficial melanomas (14.3 +/- 12.5 mm Hg, n = 12), cervical carcinomas (15.7 +/
      5.7 mm Hg, n = 12), and head and neck tumors (13.2 +/- 8.8 mm Hg, n = 19), and
      indicate that in all types of human tumors studied to date, IFP was significantly
      elevated above that of normal tissue. This observation may be useful in
      localizing tumors during needle biopsy.

PMID- 1423284
TI  - Binding of human single-stranded DNA binding protein to DNA damaged by the
      anticancer drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II).
AB  - The chemotherapeutic drug cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) covalently binds to
      DNA resulting in a variety of adducts and cross-links which are thought to be
      responsible for the toxicity of the drug. We have used the gel mobility shift
      assay to detect proteins which bind to DNA treated in vitro with cis
      diamminedichloroplatinum (II) and have identified two complexes which bind with
      increased affinity to cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II)-damaged DNA. Using
      monoclonal antibodies we have shown that one complex, B1, contains human single
      stranded DNA binding protein, a protein known to be involved in the in vitro
      repair synthesis assay of mammalian excision repair.

PMID- 1423285
TI  - The immune response to p53 in breast cancer patients is directed against
      immunodominant epitopes unrelated to the mutational hot spot.
AB  - Alteration of the p53 gene is the most frequent genetic feature of human cancer
      and leads to overexpression of the altered protein in the tumor cell nucleus. Two
      diagnostic procedures are currently available to assess p53 mutations: (a)
      molecular analysis of the gene sequence; and (b) immunohistochemical analysis of
      p53 protein accumulation. We now report a third approach, serological analysis.
      Fifteen % of primary breast cancer patients were found to have circulating
      antibodies to p53 protein by immunoprecipitation or immunoblotting. We have found
      a close correlation between the presence of such antibodies and bad prognosis
      such as high histological grade and the absence of hormone receptors.
      Furthermore, we found that the B-cell response to p53 protein is induced by two
      immunodominant regions located at the carboxy and amino termini of the protein,
      outside the central mutational hot spot region. These findings suggest that
      serological analysis, combined with molecular and histochemical methods, may be
      suitable for assessing the state of the p53 gene in cancer patients.

PMID- 1423286
TI  - Mutations in the p53 gene in radiation-sensitive and -resistant human squamous
      carcinoma cells.
AB  - Five of six human squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cell lines characterized as
      radiation sensitive (SQ-38, SCC-9, SQ-9G) or radiation resistant (SQ-20B, SCC-35,
      JSQ-3) exhibited alterations of the p53 gene. The point mutations and a deletion
      were detected by using single-stranded conformational polymorphism analysis and
      polymerase chain reaction-direct sequencing. Interestingly, three of three
      radiation-sensitive and two of three radiation-resistant cell lines revealed
      mutations in the p53 gene. Point mutations were located in exons 4, 6, and 8 (at
      codons 72 and 298 in JSQ-3; 273 in SCC-35; 196 in SQ-38), and deletions consisted
      of 32 base pairs between codons 274 and 285 in SCC-9 and 1 base pair at codon 271
      in SQ-9G. Three mutations resulted in substitutions for an arginine residue.
      Immunocytochemical analysis confirmed p53 protein overexpression in SCC-35 cells
      which contained a missense mutation at codon 273. In contrast to previous studies
      which linked alterations in ras, myc, and raf expression with radiation
      resistance, this study indicates that mutations in the tumor suppressor gene,
      p53, do not directly correlate with such resistance.

PMID- 1423287
TI  - Induction of sister chromatid exchanges by extremely low doses of alpha
      particles.
AB  - The induction of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) was examined in Chinese hamster
      ovary cells irradiated in the G1 phase of the cell cycle with alpha-particles
      from a plutonium-238 source. A significant increase in the frequency of SCE
      occurred with doses as low as 0.31 mGy (31 millirads). Although 30% of the cells
      showed an increased frequency of SCE at this dose, less than 1% of cell nuclei
      were actually traversed by an alpha-particle. A dose of approximately 2.0 Gy was
      necessary to produce a similar increase in SCE by X-rays. These results indicate
      that genetic damage may be induced by low doses of alpha-radiation in cell nuclei
      not actually traversed by an alpha-particle. This phenomenon may have important
      implications in the estimation of risks of such exposures.

PMID- 1423288
TI  - Carcinogen-specific mutational pattern in the p53 gene in ultraviolet B radiation
      induced squamous cell carcinomas of mouse skin.
AB  - We have examined 35 epidermal tumors induced in mice of four different strains by
      chronic exposure to ultraviolet B radiation for the presence of aberrations in
      the p53 tumor suppressor gene. Polymerase chain reaction products from p53 exons
      5 to 8 were screened by single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and
      sequencing. Base substitutions were found in seven tumors (20%). All mutations
      occurred at dipyrimidine sequences; most frequent were C-->T single base and CC-
      >TT tandem transitions suggesting the involvement of UV radiation in the genesis
      of the mutations. Three base substitutions were located at codon 148, and all
      dipyrimidine-derived mutations occurred at sites where the sequence is present in
      the nontranscribed DNA strand, indicating some site and strand specificity of the
      ultraviolet B-induced p53 mutations.

PMID- 1423289
TI  - A comparison of human O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase promoter activity in
      Mer+ and Mer- cells.
AB  - The activity of the human O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene
      promoter was determined in eight human cell lines by measuring chloramphenicol
      acetyltransferase activity in a reporter gene system. MGMT promoter activities in
      cells that do not express MGMT (Mer-) fell within the range of activities seen in
      cells that do express MGMT (Mer+). The promoter region contains 11 potential
      binding sites for the transcription factor Sp1, but no correlation was seen
      between cellular Sp1 protein and MGMT promoter chloramphenicol acetyltransferase
      activity. Because Mer- cells are not deficient in the factors needed for
      transcription of MGMT, we suggest that at least two mechanisms regulate MGMT
      expression. One suppresses MGMT mRNA and protein in Mer- cells, and another
      regulates the levels of constitutive expression in Mer+ cells. Sp1 is not a
      limiting factor in MGMT expression.

PMID- 1423290
TI  - Differential metabolic patterns of iodinated versus radiometal chelated
      anticarcinoma single-chain Fv molecules.
AB  - Genetically engineered single-chain Fvs (sFv) are defined as recombinant proteins
      composed of a variable light chain amino acid sequence of an immunoglobulin
      tethered to a variable heavy chain sequence by a designed peptide. Previous
      studies using iodine-labeled sFv, derived from the anticarcinoma monoclonal
      antibody CC49, showed that the 125I-sFv could efficiently target antigen-positive
      tumors in a human tumor xenograft model while demonstrating rapid plasma
      clearance and minimal uptake in normal organs. One of the issues we raised in the
      analysis of the iodinated sFv metabolic studies was whether similar metabolic
      patterns would be observed if the sFv were labeled with a radiometal. In the
      studies reported here, 125I-CC49 sFv and 177Lu-CC49 sFv were co-injected in mice
      bearing antigen-positive carcinoma xenografts. Both sFv forms showed similar
      tumor targeting and plasma clearance pharmacokinetics. The 177Lu-sFv, however,
      showed a greater uptake in liver and spleen and a much higher uptake in kidney.
      These studies thus demonstrate that despite their small size (M(r) 27,000), the
      metal-chelated sFv shows a metabolic pattern very different than that of the
      iodinated sFv, which is most likely due to retention of the metal by organs
      metabolizing the sFv.

PMID- 1423291
TI  - Modulation of subcellular distribution of doxorubicin in multidrug-resistant
      P388/ADR mouse leukemia cells by the chemosensitizer ((2-isopropyl-1-(4-[3-N
      methyl-N-(3,4-dimethoxy-beta- phenethyl)amino]propyloxy)
      benzenesulfonyl))indolizine.
AB  - The impact of the novel chemosensitizer ((2-isopropyl-1-(4-[3-N-methyl-N-(3,4
      dimethoxy-beta- phenethyl)amino]propyloxy)benzenesulfonyl))indolizine (SR33557)
      on the intracellular distribution of doxorubicin (DOX) within the multidrug
      resistant murine P388/ADR leukemia cell line was studied by fluorescence
      microscopy. We found that under conditions which modulated multidrug-resistant
      (30 microM SR33557 for 1 h), P388/ADR cells presented an original sequestration
      of DOX in large intracellular vesicles, where SR33557 is itself sequestered, as
      seen by colocalization studies. Colocalization experiments with lysosomal and
      mitochondrial probes suggest that these vesicles are neither mitochondrial in
      nature nor functional lysosomes. To investigate the biochemical basis for this
      effect, we studied the impact of SR33557 on the sphingolipid metabolism of
      P388/ADR cells. We observed that although P388/ADR cells normally catabolized
      exogenous [3H]sphingomyelin, when pretreated with SR33557 they showed almost
      complete inhibition of sphingomyelin breakdown. Finally, in order to demonstrate
      that the inability of P388/ADR cells to degrade sphingomyelin in the presence of
      SR33557 (which is a potent inhibitor of acid lysosomal sphingomyelinase) leads to
      phospholipid accumulation, we performed electron microscopy where we observed
      laminated inclusions. These morphological modifications are similar to those
      observed in Niemann-Pick disease lymphoblastoid cell lines which are inherently
      deficient in acid sphingomyelinase activity. The observation that, in the absence
      of SR33557, these Niemann-Pick disease cell lines presented similar DOX
      sequestration to that of SR33557-treated P388/ADR cells strongly suggests that
      DOX accumulates in SR33557-induced myeloid bodies. The redistribution of DOX
      within these vesicles, perhaps by preventing its expulsion by P-glycoprotein, may
      be a key in discovering the mechanism of action of SR33557.

PMID- 1423292
TI  - Inhibition of cellular proliferation by peptide analogues of insulin-like growth
      factor 1.
AB  - The activation of the insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) receptor by its ligand
      plays a central role in the growth of most cell types. We have used the
      techniques of computational chemistry in order to design and synthesize several
      novel analogues of IGF-1. These analogues were able to inhibit the
      autophosphorylation of the IGF-1 receptor as well as the growth of several
      different cell types, including prostate carcinoma cells and SV40-transformed
      cells. Additionally, we have found that D-amino acid analogues of these peptides
      are apparently resistant to the proteolytic degradation that occurs in the
      presence of whole sera. Consequently, these analogues seem to show great
      potential both as probes of the structure/function activities of the IGF-1
      signalling pathway and as novel clinical strategies in controlling abnormal
      cellular growth.

PMID- 1423293
TI  - Effects of cancer immunotherapy with indomethacin and interleukin-2 on murine
      hemopoietic stem cells.
AB  - We examined: (a) whether in vitro-generated lymphocyte-activated killer (LAK)
      cells from normal mice and splenic killer cells from tumor-bearing mice subjected
      to interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy alone or in combination with chronic indomethacin
      therapy have any detrimental effects on the spleen colony-forming units (CFU-S)
      of the normal bone marrow (BM); and (b) the effects of these immunotherapy
      protocols on CFU-S numbers in host hemopoietic organs. Effects of in vitro
      generated LAK cells (normal C3H/HeN mouse splenocytes cultured with 1000 units IL
      2/10(6) cells for 72 h) on BM CFU-S were examined by incubating macrophage
      depleted BM cells with LAK cells at 1:2.5 and 1:5 BM:LAK cell ratios or with LAK
      cell supernatant for 4 h. The cells were washed and subsequently injected into
      irradiated mice. Irradiated mice were also reconstituted with BM cells or LAK
      cells incubated alone. Spleen colonies were scored macroscopically and
      microscopically on day 7 after reconstitution of lethally irradiated mice with
      the various cell combinations. A comparison of colony numbers produced by LAK and
      BM cell mixture revealed that LAK cells at either dose had no suppressive effect
      on the colony-forming ability of BM at the macroscopic and microscopic levels of
      analysis. The supernatant of cultured LAK cells had a minor suppressive effect on
      colony formation at the macroscopic but not the microscopic level of analysis,
      indicating the presence of one or more suppressive factors capable of mediating a
      short-term inhibitory effect. In the immunotherapy experiment, C3H/HeN mice
      transplanted s.c. with 5 x 10(5) C3L5 mammary adenocarcinoma cells received
      either vehicle alone (controls), IL-2 (1.5 x 10(4) Cetus units i.p. every 8 h on
      days 10-14 and days 20-25), or chronic indomethacin therapy (10 micrograms/ml in
      drinking water from day 5 onwards) plus IL-2 as above. Animals were killed 24-25
      days after tumor transplantation to examine: (a) the number of metastatic lung
      nodules; (b) the effects of co-incubating therapy-generated splenic effector
      cells with normal BM cells for 4 h on BM CFU-S, and (c) the CFU-S content of host
      BM and spleen. Results revealed a drop in spontaneous lung metastases from a mean
      of 50 in control mice to 18 with IL-2 therapy alone, and to 5 with chronic
      indomethacin therapy plus IL-2 therapy. Splenocytes from normal and tumor-bearing
      control or treated mice, when incubated with normal BM, had no effect on spleen
      colony formation at the macroscopic level.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1423294
TI  - Expression of the endogenous O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase protects
      Chinese hamster ovary cells from spontaneous G:C to A:T transitions.
AB  - We have investigated whether the presence of a DNA repair enzyme, O6
      methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT), affects the nature of spontaneous
      mutations in a mammalian cell line. We compared spontaneous mutations in the
      adenine phosphoribosyl transferase gene of a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell
      line that expressed 14,000 MGMT molecules/cell with those in the parental CHO
      cells lacking this DNA repair activity. The mutation rate/cell/generation of the
      two CHO cell lines did not differ significantly. However, DNA sequence analysis
      of spontaneous mutations in the MGMT-proficient CHO cell line revealed a complex
      picture. No significant difference from the parental CHO cells was found in the
      number or type of deletions, frameshifts, multiple substitutions, or insertions.
      The frequency of G:C to T:A transversions was elevated in MGMT-proficient CHO
      cells. Expression of the enzyme considerably reduced G:C to A:T transitions (25%
      versus 8.3%). This latter result is the first evidence that this protein is
      active on an endogenous source of O6-methylguanine that is normally responsible
      for spontaneous G:C to A:T transition mutations.

PMID- 1423295
TI  - Therapy with unlabeled and 131I-labeled pan-B-cell monoclonal antibodies in nude
      mice bearing Raji Burkitt's lymphoma xenografts.
AB  - Clinical trials of radioimmunotherapy (RIT) of lymphoma have produced frequent
      tumor regressions and remissions, but it has been difficult to determine to what
      extent these tumor responses have been due to antibody-specific targeted
      radiation, nontargeted radiation, and/or cytotoxicity mediated by the carrier
      monoclonal antibody (MoAb). In this report, RIT was studied in athymic nude mice
      bearing s.c. Raji human Burkitt's lymphoma xenografts using two different pan-B
      cell MoAbs, MB-1 (anti-CD37) and anti-B1 (anti-CD20), which differ in isotype
      (and thus the potential for interaction with host effector mechanisms) and
      isotype-matched control antibodies either in the unlabeled state or labeled with
      131I. When a single i.p. injection of 300 microCi 131I-labeled MB-1 (IgG1) was
      compared to treatment with unlabeled MB-1 or 300 microCi 131I-labeled MYS control
      IgG1 MoAb, an antibody-specific targeted radiation effect of RIT was seen. 131I
      labeled MB-1 produced a 44 +/- 19% (SEM) reduction in tumor size at 3 weeks
      posttreatment, while unlabeled MB-1 or 300 microCi 131I-labeled MYS control IgG1
      antibody treatment resulted in continued tumor growth over this period of time.
      In vitro studies demonstrated that MB-1 was incapable of mediating antibody
      dependent cellular cytotoxicity using Raji tumor cell targets and human
      peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Similar to the MB-1 studies, treatment with
      300 microCi 131I-labeled anti-B1 produced a 64% reduction in mean tumor size,
      while 300 microCi of control antibody resulted in a 58% increase in tumor size
      over the same 3-week period. In contrast to MB-1, however, unlabeled anti-B1 (an
      IgG2a MoAb which in vitro studies showed to be capable of antibody-dependent
      cellular cytotoxicity) also had a substantial antitumor effect. Indeed, 300
      microCi 131I-labeled anti-B1 and unlabeled anti-B1 treatment (using an equivalent
      amount of total protein in the treatment dose) produced a similar specific
      reduction in tumor size. Increasing the radionuclide dose of anti-B1 to 450
      microCi in another experiment did not produce a significant difference in tumor
      regression compared to a 300-microCi dose. These results suggest that the
      antitumor effects of 131I-labeled anti-B1 treatment were dominated by antibody
      mediated cytotoxicity mechanisms, such that an antibody-specific targeted
      radiation effect could not be distinguished. In contrast, antibody-specific
      targeting of radiation was the dominant mechanism of tumor killing with 131I
      labeled MB-1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1423296
TI  - Inhibition by 5-fluorouracil of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II)-induced DNA
      interstrand cross-link removal in a HST-1 human squamous carcinoma cell line.
AB  - To elucidate the mechanism of the synergistic cytotoxicity of 5-fluorouracil (5
      FU) and cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (CDDP), we studied the interaction of
      these agents using a human squamous carcinoma cell line (HST-1). Exposure to 5-FU
      for 24 h and to CDDP for 1 h produced a 50% inhibitory concentration of 1.0
      micrograms/ml (7.7 microM) and 2.5 micrograms/ml (8.3 microM), respectively. The
      cytotoxic action of CDDP was augmented, and a greater than additive effect was
      observed when the cells were exposed to 5-FU (1.0 micrograms/ml; 7.7 microM) for
      24 h before the CDDP treatment. This synergistic activity was maximal when the
      interval between 5-FU and CDDP exceeded 24 h. In contrast, the cytotoxicity of
      CDDP was attenuated when it preceded the exposure to 5-FU. Thymidine did not
      alter the 5-FU-CDDP interaction. Evaluation of the kinetics of the removal of DNA
      interstrand cross-links, measured by alkaline elution, showed a significant
      reduction of this removal in the cells exposed to 5-FU followed by CDDP with a
      drug-free interval of 48 h, as compared with cells exposed to CDDP alone, or to 5
      FU immediately followed by CDDP, although no differences were found in the
      formation of DNA interstrand cross-links by CDDP among these cells. No
      significant differences in the accumulation of intracellular platinum were
      detected by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. These findings suggest that 5-FU
      modulates the repair of platinum-DNA adducts, thereby potentiating the antitumor
      activity of CDDP.

PMID- 1423297
TI  - T-cell subset analysis of Lewis lung carcinoma tumor rejection: heterogeneity of
      effectors and evidence for negative regulatory lymphocytes correlating with
      metastasis.
AB  - We have analyzed the phenotypes of the T-cell subsets generated in response to
      Lewis lung carcinoma clones in C57BL/6J recipients. The metastatic derivative,
      which expresses low levels of H-2Kb gene, predominantly elicited CD8, V beta 8,
      and V beta 9+ T-cells. The nonmetastatic clone expressing high levels of H-Kb
      gene triggered a more heterogeneous response of V beta-5, -6, -8, -9, and -11
      CD8+ T-cells. Comparison of the T-cell receptor (TCR) expression of the T-cells
      infiltrating the tumor site with the lymphocytes in the periphery of tumor
      bearing animals revealed a pattern of homing of CD4+ T-cells bearing V beta-5, 
      6, and -11 TCR chains and CD8+ T-cells bearing V beta-5, -6, -9, and -11.
      Depletion of V beta 5 or V beta 6+ T-cells correlated with accelerated tumor
      growth, implying their protective role as tumor-specific effectors and consistent
      with the cytotoxicity of T-cells with this TCR phenotype. V beta 11 TCR
      expression in the tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes increased with the tumor size.
      Depletion of V beta 11+ T-cells enhanced resistance to primary tumor growth and
      conferred protection from metastasis in recipients cleared of V beta 5 and V beta
      6 T-cell subsets. Those results suggest that tumor-specific effectors as well as
      negative regulator T-cells home, infiltrate, and coexist in the tumor site.

PMID- 1423298
TI  - Induction of c-fos gene expression by exposure to a static magnetic field in
      HeLaS3 cells.
AB  - Effects of a static magnetic field on cell growth and c-fos oncogene expression
      were investigated. HeLaS3 cells exposed to the magnetic field of 0.18-0.2 T for 1
      6 days were not affected in the cell growth. Exposure to the magnetic field did
      not enhance the effects of X-rays or heat treatment which caused the transient
      cell growth delay. c-fos mRNA in the HeLaS3 cells was undetectable in untreated
      cells, but the expression was induced in cells by the magnetic field exposure for
      2-24 h. The amounts of the mRNA expression changed time dependently with a peak
      at a 6-h exposure. c-fos was expressed following the heat treatment at 45 degrees
      C for 10 and 15 min, and the expression was further enhanced by the treatment of
      cells with heating followed by 4 h of the magnetic field exposure. Exposure of
      the cells to a static magnetic field may affect some cellular metabolic events
      leading to the c-fos gene expression.

PMID- 1423299
TI  - Loss of heterozygosity involves multiple tumor suppressor genes in human
      esophageal cancers.
AB  - Loss of heterozygosity occurring on various chromosomes has been described in the
      majority of human tumors. The targets of frequent or consistent subchromosomal
      deletions are believed to be tumor suppressor genes. We examined 72 esophageal
      tumors (46 squamous cell carcinomas and 26 adenocarcinomas) for loss of
      heterozygosity at the p53, Rb, APC, MCC, and DCC loci. Inclusion of these tumor
      suppressor genes in the allelic deletions was directly ascertained by performing
      polymerase chain reaction at polymorphic sites within the genes. Loss of
      heterozygosity occurred in 55% of informative cases at p53, in 48% of informative
      cases at Rb, in 66% at APC, in 63% at MCC, and in 24% at DCC. Ninety-three % of
      tumors informative at all loci (fully informative) lost heterozygosity of at
      least one locus. A high percentage of fully informative tumors (71%) also lost
      heterozygosity at more than one locus. There were no significant differences
      among histological types in the prevalence of loss of heterozygosity at any
      locus. There were correlations of losses involving MCC versus DCC, Rb, and p53.
      These data suggest that (a) allelic deletions including these tumor suppressor
      genes are important in the formation and/or progression of most esophageal
      cancers; (b) allelic deletions involving MCC may not occur independently of
      deletions involving other tumor suppressor genes; and (c) the accumulation of
      multiple allelic deletions involving specific tumor suppressor genes may be
      important in most esophageal tumorigenesis or tumor evolution.

PMID- 1423300
TI  - Estrogenic potential of progestins in oral contraceptives to stimulate human
      breast cancer cell proliferation.
AB  - Most oral contraceptives (OC) contain a progestin in combination with an
      estrogen, and the progestin component in OC includes one of the following 19
      nortestosterone derivatives: norethynodrel; norethindrone; or norgestrel
      (levonorgestrel). It is well known that estrogens promote the growth of breast
      cancer. However, progestins have recently also been implicated in the development
      of breast cancer. We have compared and contrasted the ability of synthetic
      progestins to stimulate the proliferation of cultured human breast cancer cells
      and examined their possible mechanism of action. We found that some progestins
      used in OC were able to stimulate the growth of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+)
      MCF-7 and T47DA18 human breast cancer cells but not ER- MDA-MB-231, BT-20, and
      T47DC4 human breast cancer cells. However, two other progestins, MPA and R5020,
      which are not used in OC, were either not able to stimulate or only slightly
      stimulated growth. The potency of norethynodrel [median effective dose (EC50) = 4
      x 10(-8) M] and norethindrone (EC50 = 3 x 10(-8) M) was greater than norgestrel
      (EC50 = 2 x 10(-7) M) in MCF-7 cells. E2 (EC50 = 8 x 10(-13) M) was an even more
      potent stimulator of growth. More importantly, the progestin-induced growth
      stimulation was blocked by the antiestrogens 4-hydroxytamoxifen and ICI 164,384
      but not the antiprogestin 17 beta-hydroxy-11 beta-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)-17
      alpha-(1-propynyl)-estra-4, 9-dien-3-one (RU486). To determine whether the
      proliferative action of progestins was mediated through the ER, cells were
      transfected with a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene containing an
      estrogen response element derived from vitellogenin 2A gene. The progestins which
      stimulated the growth of breast cancer cells also increased chloramphenicol
      acetyltransferase activity. The induction of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase
      activity was blocked by the addition of the antiestrogens 4-hydroxytamoxifen and
      ICI 164,384 but not the antiprogestin RU486. This study provides direct evidence
      that the 19-nortestosterone derivatives in OC have estrogenic properties and
      suggests that activation of ER, but not progesterone receptor, is the growth
      stimulatory mechanism for these synthetic progestins. Our results may help to
      explain the conflicting evidence linking OC and breast cancer risk. A rigorous
      evaluation of the "total" estrogenic potential of OC might produce a better
      correlation with breast cancer risk.

PMID- 1423301
TI  - HLA association with response and toxicity in melanoma patients treated with
      interleukin 2-based immunotherapy.
AB  - Peripheral blood lymphocytes from 146 patients with metastatic melanoma
      undergoing interleukin 2 (IL-2)-based immunotherapy were characterized for HLA A,
      B, Cw, DR, DQw, and DRw specificities. Patients had been enrolled into sequential
      treatment protocols with either IL-2 alone (28) or in combination with tumor
      infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) (86), alpha-interferon (26), lymphokine-activated
      killer cells (16), radiation therapy (7), cyclophosphamide (3), tumor necrosis
      factor (1), and interleukin 4 (1) for a total of 168 courses of therapy. HLA
      phenotype was then correlated with response rate and toxicity to IL-2. We noted:
      (a) a significant difference in the frequency of A11 (20.5% versus 10.2%; P <
      0.05) allele between melanoma patients and the North American Caucasian
      population; (b) a significantly higher frequency of A11 phenotype among
      responders (40.5%) than in the melanoma patient population (20.5%; P < 0.01),
      which was even more obvious among patients responding to TIL therapy (47.4%
      versus 22.1%; P < 0.05); within TIL patients, responders also had an increased
      frequency of A19 (42.1% versus 25.6%; P < 0.05); (c) a correlation between the
      number of TILs received and response rate (P < 0.005); and (d) an association
      between DR4 haplotype and decreased tolerance to IL-2 among the patients
      receiving TILs (P = 0.01). These results suggest that, in melanoma patients, some
      HLA Class I specificities may predict for a greater likelihood of response to IL
      2-based therapy, while HLA Class II phenotype correlates with tolerance to the
      combination of TIL and IL-2 therapy.

PMID- 1423302
TI  - Comparison of mouse and human colon tumors with regard to phase I and phase II
      drug-metabolizing enzyme systems.
AB  - Since human colorectal tumors are insensitive to most chemotherapeutic agents,
      there is a need for the discovery of new drugs that would show activity against
      this disease. In an attempt to better appreciate the relevance of a widely used
      mouse colon tumor (colon adenocarcinoma Co38) as a screening model for human
      colorectal tumors, we compared the main phase I and phase II drug-metabolizing
      enzyme systems in both tumoral and nontumoral colon tissues. The following
      enzymes were assayed by Western blot: cytochromes P-450 (1A1/A2, 2B1/B2, 2C, 2E1,
      and 3A), epoxide hydrolase, and glutathione-S-transferases (GST-alpha, -mu, and 
      pi). The activities of the following enzymes or cofactors were determined by
      spectrophotometric or fluorometric assays: total cytochrome P-450, 1-chloro-2,4
      dinitrobenzene-GST, selenium-independent glutathione peroxidase, 3,4
      dichloronitrobenzene-GST, ethacrynic acid-GST, total glutathione, epoxide
      hydrolase, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase, beta-glucuronidase, sulfotransferase, and
      sulfatase. Results obtained by Western blot showed that mouse colon
      adenocarcinoma Co38 did not express any of the probed cytochromes P-450, whereas
      human colorectal tumors expressed only low levels of cytochrome P-450 3A. GST
      alpha and GST-pi were detected in all tumoral and nontumoral tissues of both
      species. The neutral GST-mu was expressed in all murine tissues investigated and
      was found to be polymorphic in human tissues. For human peritumoral and tumoral
      colorectal tissues there was no significant difference between GST isoenzyme
      levels, whereas mouse colon adenocarcinoma Co38 had a lower expression of GST-mu
      and GST-pi, compared to normal mouse colon. Enzymatic activities for glutathione
      peroxidase, 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene-GST, and ethacrynic acid-GST confirmed the
      Western blot results for GST-alpha, GST-mu, and GST-pi, respectively. Total GSH
      levels were similar between murine and human tumors but were 3-fold higher in
      human tumors than in peritumoral tissues, whereas they were 7-fold lower in mouse
      colon tumor Co38, compared to normal mouse colon. Epoxide hydrolase was not
      expressed in either mouse colon adenocarcinoma Co38 or normal mouse colon
      tissues, whereas it was expressed in human colon peritumoral and tumoral tissues
      at similar levels. No significant difference was observed between human tumors
      and peritumoral tissues for UDP-glucuronosyltransferase, beta-glucuronidase,
      sulfotransferase, and sulfatase. For murine colon tissues, the conjugation
      pathways (UDP-glucuronosyltransferase and sulfotransferase) were lower in colon
      adenocarcinoma Co38, whereas the converse was observed for the corresponding
      hydrolytic enzymes (beta-glucuronidase and sulfatase).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400
      WORDS)

PMID- 1423303
TI  - Potent preventive action of alpha-carotene against carcinogenesis: spontaneous
      liver carcinogenesis and promoting stage of lung and skin carcinogenesis in mice
      are suppressed more effectively by alpha-carotene than by beta-carotene.
AB  - Although beta-carotene has been considered to be a key cancer preventive agent in
      green and yellow vegetables, other types of carotenoids, such as alpha-carotene,
      may also contribute to anticarcinogenic action, since these carotenoids usually
      coexist with beta-carotene and are detectable in human blood and tissues. In this
      study, we compared the inhibitory effect of natural alpha-carotene, obtained from
      palm oil, with that of beta-carotene on spontaneous liver carcinogenesis in
      C3H/He male mice. The mean number of hepatomas per mouse was significantly
      decreased by alpha-carotene supplementation (per os administration in drinking
      water at a concentration of 0.05%, ad libitum) as compared with that in the
      control group (P < 0.001, Student's t test). On the other hand, beta-carotene, at
      the same dose as alpha-carotene, did not show any such significant difference
      from the control group. Furthermore, we also compared the antitumor-promoting
      activity of alpha-carotene with that of beta-carotene against two-stage mouse
      lung carcinogenesis (initiator, 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide; promoter, glycerol).
      alpha-Carotene, but not beta-carotene, reduced the number of lung tumors per
      mouse to about 30% of that in the control group (P < 0.001, Student's t test).
      The higher potency of the antitumor-promoting action of alpha-carotene compared
      to beta-carotene was confirmed in other experimental systems; e.g., alpha
      carotene was also found to have a stronger effect than beta-carotene in
      suppressing the promoting activity of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate on
      skin carcinogenesis in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-initiated mice. These
      results suggest that not only beta-carotene, but also other types of carotenoids,
      such as alpha-carotene, may play an important role in cancer prevention.

PMID- 1423304
TI  - Frequent p53 gene mutations in blast crisis of chronic myelogenous leukemia,
      especially in myeloid crisis harboring loss of a chromosome 17p.
AB  - We investigated chromosome alterations and mutations of the p53 gene in 118
      samples from 92 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia in various clinical
      phases, i.e., chronic phase, accelerated phase, and blast crisis (BC). Single
      strand conformation polymorphism analysis and subsequent nucleotide sequencing
      disclosed no alteration of the p53 gene in chronic phase (no mutation in 80
      samples), while five of 31 BC samples showed point mutations: four in myeloid and
      one in lymphoid crisis. One of seven accelerated phase samples also showed a p53
      gene mutation. Ten of 31 BC samples showed loss of one of the short arms of
      chromosome 17 (17p) through the formation of isochromosome 17q, i(17q), or
      unbalanced translocations. Loss of heterozygosity at the p53 locus in the
      accelerated phase and BC was detected only in two cases with i(17q) but not in
      seven cases with normal chromosome 17 homologues, suggesting that loss of one p53
      allele is rare without cytogenetically detectable loss of a 17p. Among those six
      samples with p53 gene mutations, five showed loss of a 17p cytogenetically, and
      only one lymphoid crisis case exhibited normal chromosome 17 homologues. Thus,
      mutations of the p53 gene were closely associated with myeloid crisis with loss
      of a 17p (four mutations in ten samples), in contrast to myeloid crisis with
      normal chromosome 17 homologues (zero in 13) or lymphoid crisis (one in seven).
      Our results also suggest that alterations of the p53 gene might occur after loss
      of a 17p during the course of chronic myelogenous leukemia.

PMID- 1423305
TI  - Clonal analysis of human breast cancer by means of the polymerase chain reaction.
AB  - Clonality of human breast cancer was analyzed in small DNA samples prepared from
      cryostat sections, by means of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The method
      used for clonal analysis was based on restriction fragment length polymorphism of
      X-chromosome-linked phosphoglycerokinase (PGK) gene and on the differential
      methylation of the PGK gene due to random inactivation of one of two X
      chromosomes by methylation in females. All the 20 breast cancer samples analyzed
      by the PCR-based method were monoclonal in origin and adjacent normal breast
      tissues were polyclonal. When DNA samples were prepared from widely separated
      sites of cancers, every sample was found to be monoclonal, always exhibiting
      inactivation of the same X-chromosome in each tumor. The study on sensitivity
      showed that the PCR-based method for clonal analysis can detect the presence of
      monoclonal cells against a polyclonal background when the monoclonal cell
      population is 50% or more. These results demonstrate that clonal analysis by
      means of PCR offers a good method for studying the clonality in small DNA samples
      prepared from cryostat sections of tumors. This method could be applied to
      distinguish between benign (polyclonal) and malignant (monoclonal) breast
      lesions.

PMID- 1423306
TI  - Phase I clinical and pharmacological study of chloroquinoxaline sulfonamide.
AB  - Chloroquinoxaline sulfonamide (CQS) is a halogenated heterocyclic sulfanilamide
      identified by the in vitro human tumor colony-forming assay as an active agent in
      a variety of human solid tumors. In this phase I study, 182 courses of CQS were
      administered intravenously every 28 days to 88 patients at doses ranging from 18
      to 4870 mg/m2. Hypoglycemia associated with hyperinsulinemia was the dose
      limiting adverse effect at 4870 mg/m2. Supraventricular tachyarrhythmias were
      observed at doses > 4000 mg/m2. Less common reactions included infusion site
      phlebitis, nausea, anemia, alopecia, perioral numbness, and diarrhea. Cumulative
      toxicity was not observed. Minor objective antitumor responses were noted in 7
      patients; 6 of the 7 responses occurred in patients with non-small cell lung
      cancer. Results of pharmacokinetic studies were consistent with the preclinical
      observations that CQS is highly bound to plasma protein. Plasma elimination
      followed a two-compartment model; the mean t 1/2 alpha was 2.7 +/- 0.3 h and the
      t 1/2 beta was 52 +/- 6 h (+/- SE). The total body clearance and the volume of
      distribution at steady state of CQS both increased with the dose (distribution at
      steady state, 3.7-10.5 liter/m2; total body clearance, 53-264 ml/h/m2 for doses
      of 18-4060 mg/m2) and may reflect saturation of the protein binding and "free"
      drug clearance. Although inactive against common animal tumors in preclinical
      screening systems both in vitro and in vivo, CQS has demonstrated definite
      activity in the human tumor stem cell colony-forming assays, as well as modest
      anticancer activity in this phase I study in patients with advanced solid tumors.
      The pharmacokinetic results and the limiting effect of transient hypoglycemia
      suggest that considerably higher cumulative doses of CQS could be administered
      using a more frequent dosing schedule.

PMID- 1423307
TI  - Polyethylene-glycol-mediated delivery of liposome-entrapped pigments into
      fibroblasts: experimental pigment cells as models for mutator phenotypes.
AB  - The role of epidermal melanin pigments in the development of skin cancer remains
      unclear. A new technique for the specific introduction of compartmentalized
      melanin into nonpigmented human fibroblasts through the use of liposomes and
      polyethylene glycol (PEG) is presented. The delivery of liposome-encapsulated
      material to cells was characterized by: (a) high efficiency of delivery through
      PEG-mediated endocytosis at 37 degrees C; (b) intracellular acidification of
      liposome entrapped pH-sensitive 8-hydroxypyrene-3,6,8-trisulfonic acid after
      delivery; (c) similar incorporation and acidification of apolipoprotein E
      associated liposomes into fibroblasts via the low-density lipoprotein-receptor
      pathway; and (d) discharge into the extracellular space after incorporation.
      Similar experiments were carried out with melanin-containing liposomes that were
      used to introduce compartmentalized melanin into fibroblasts, through PEG
      mediated delivery. These "artificial" melanocytes had functional analogies to
      genuine melanocytes in that (a) in both cell types melanin compartmentalization
      was at a lower pH; and (b) liposome contents were later expelled in analogy to
      the putative biological process of melanin expulsion from the melanocyte. The
      modified fibroblasts provided potential "mutator" phenotypes with specific
      melanin pigmentation, and established a new basis for studying the role of
      melanin pigmentation in cancer development.

PMID- 1423308
TI  - Deletion of chromosome 11p13-11p15.5 sequences in invasive human ovarian cancer
      is a subclonal progression factor.
AB  - In human ovarian cancer, multiple specific chromosomal deletions can be found by
      cytogenetic analysis or molecular techniques such as restriction fragment length
      polymorphism probing. This work confirms the loss of HRAS alleles in 1 out of 2
      cases of invasive ovarian cancer as determined in 32 samples or cell lines
      derived from 19 patients. Results with other polymorphic probes indicate that a
      consensus deletion probably includes 11p15.5-11p13. Tumor suppressor genes might
      be located in the deleted area, and deletion of the gene might then play a role
      in disease progression. Examination of DNA from distinct tumor sites of
      individual patients indicates clonal heterogeneity in the malignant cell
      population, indicating that loss of 11p sequences is a late event in the disease
      progression. Loss of alternate 11p alleles at different disease sites in one
      patient is inconsistent with the current model of tumor suppressor gene
      inactivation. The 11p deletion seems to be limited to ovarian cancers in younger
      patients. Eight novel permanent ovarian cancer cell lines, previously not
      described in the literature and derived from tumor sites from five patients, were
      included in the current analysis.

PMID- 1423309
TI  - Reduction of systemic exposure and toxicity of cisplatin by encapsulation in poly
      lactide-co-glycolide.
AB  - The tissue distribution and normal tissue toxicity of cisplatin (cDDP)
      administered as poly-lactide-co-glycolide (PLAGA) microspheres, developed for
      loco-regional administration of cDDP to the liver, were studied in Wag/Rij rats.
      Venoportal administration of this formulation resulted in a reduction in total
      systemic and renal toxicity, which correlated with a decrease in normal tissue
      exposure to cDDP while maintaining high liver platinum levels. Liver-to-kidney
      platinum level ratios were 28 times higher after 4 h and 19 times higher after 24
      h with PLAGA-cDDP microspheres than with free cDDP. Liver-to-blood platinum
      ratios at these times were 38 times and 36 times higher using PLAGA-cDDP. In a
      CC531 colon carcinoma liver micrometastases model, cytotoxicity of microsphere
      released cDDP was confirmed in vivo by equal inhibition of tumor growth by PLAGA
      cDDP and free cDDP over a period of 26 days. Free cDDP, however, caused
      significantly more histological renal damage and total body weight loss. The
      results were supported by the finding of higher plasma creatinine and urea
      concentrations 26 days after administration of free cDDP. Kidney platinum levels
      were 7 times lower when PLAGA-cDDP was used. These findings indicate a sparing
      effect on normal tissues when cDDP is targeted to the liver by formulation in
      PLAGA. PLAGA-cDDP microspheres may, therefore, be a useful and effective addition
      to current techniques of loco-regional chemotherapy for disseminated hepatic
      tumors.

PMID- 1423311
TI  - Effect of buthionine sulfoximine and ethacrynic acid on cytotoxic activity of
      mitomycin C analogues BMY 25282 and BMY 25067.
AB  - BMY 25282 and BMY 25067, analogues of mitomycin C (MMC), were synthesized in an
      attempt to increase the therapeutic potential of the parent drug. The present
      studies were undertaken to determine if the cytotoxicity of MMC or its analogues
      is affected by cellular glutathione (GSH) and/or GSH transferase (GST) levels by
      using sensitive (P388/S) and multidrug resistant (P388/R-84) mouse leukemia cells
      as a model. P388/R-84 cells were cross-resistant to all three drugs. BMY 25067
      was > 100 times more cytotoxic than MMC in both the cells. MMC and BMY 25282
      produced significantly lower DNA interstrand cross-links (ISC) in P388/R-84
      cells, whereas BMY 25067 induced ISC formation was comparable in these cells. GSH
      depletion with D,L-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine (BSO) increased sensitivity to MMC,
      BMY 25282, and BMY 25067 by 3.4-, 4.1-, and 1.8-fold, respectively, in the
      resistant cells. Pretreatment of P388/R-84 cells with a nontoxic concentration of
      ethacrynic acid (EA) (10 micrograms/ml for 1 h), an inhibitor of GST activity,
      also resulted in a significant increase in the cytotoxic activities of MMC and
      BMY 25282 (3.8- and 3.1-fold, respectively), but not of BMY 25067. Combined
      pretreatment of P388/R-84 cells with BSO and EA caused further increase in the
      cytotoxic activities of both MMC and BMY 25282. Potentiation of BMY 25067
      cytotoxicity by combined BSO and EA pretreatments was similar to that observed by
      BSO pretreatment alone. The ISC formation by MMC and BMY 25282 were also
      increased significantly by BSO or EA pretreatment in these cells. Whereas BSO
      treatment increased BMY 25067 induced ISC formation, it was not affected by EA
      pretreatment. These results suggest that (a) a potentiation of the cytotoxic
      activity of MMC or BMY 25282 can be achieved by GSH depletion and/or GST
      inhibition, (b) the enhanced cytotoxicity may be caused at least in part by the
      increased formation of drug-DNA cross-links, and (c) the mechanism of BMY 25067
      cytotoxicity may be different from the other two drugs. The results of the
      present study also suggest that BMY 25067 may be seriously considered for further
      clinical development because it is much more active than MMC, and unlike the
      parent drug cytotoxicity of BMY 25067 does not seem to be affected by GST levels,
      which have been suggested to play an important role in cellular resistance to
      several cancer chemotherapy drugs.

PMID- 1423310
TI  - Inhibitory effect of green tea on the growth of established skin papillomas in
      mice.
AB  - In 10 separate experiments, mice with established chemically induced or UV light
      induced skin papillomas were treated continuously with green tea in the drinking
      water or with i.p. injections of a green tea polyphenol fraction or (-)
      epigallocatechin gallate three times a week for 4-10 weeks. Partial tumor
      regression or > 90% inhibition of tumor growth, as measured by changes in tumor
      volume per mouse, was observed in 5 experiments, and marked inhibition of tumor
      growth (46-89%) was observed in 5 additional experiments. Treatment of the mice
      with green tea or green tea constituents had an inhibitory effect on body weight
      increases in several but not all of the studies. Examination of the data from all
      ten experiments revealed that complete tumor regression occurred in 14 of 346
      papilloma-bearing mice (4%) that were treated with green tea in the drinking
      water or with i.p. injections of green tea constituents, whereas none of the 220
      papilloma-bearing control mice treated with only vehicle exhibited complete tumor
      regression. These observations indicate that oral administration of green tea,
      i.p. administration of a green tea polyphenol fraction, or i.p. administration of
      (-)-epigallocatechin gallate inhibited the growth and/or caused the regression of
      established experimentally induced skin papillomas.

PMID- 1423312
TI  - Elevated expression of the ornithine decarboxylase gene in human esophageal
      cancer.
AB  - The mechanisms involved in sustaining the high levels of ornithine decarboxylase
      (ODC) activity in human cancers are not well defined. We examined the level of
      expression of ODC mRNA together with ODC activity in surgically excised human
      cancers, including esophagus, stomach, colon, and liver tumors, the objective
      being to determine whether the ODC mRNA level correlates with enhancement of ODC
      activity in these cancers. Among these tumors, the esophageal cancers had the
      highest ODC activity (120 +/- 43.9 pmol of CO2/h/mg of protein), compared with
      the stomach (37.6 +/- 13.7), colon (22.8 +/- 5.9), and liver (10.2 +/- 5.6)
      cancers. A remarkable increase in ODC mRNA was seen in all of the esophageal
      cancers. The ratio of ODC mRNA in the tumors, relative to the paired normal
      tissues, was 14.6 +/- 3.7. Some increase was noted in some of the stomach (2.9 +/
      0.9) and colon (2.1 +/- 0.9) cancers, but there was no increase in the liver
      tumors (0.9 +/- 0.2). A significant correlation was noted between ODC activity
      and mRNA expression in cancerous and noncancerous tissues of the esophagus,
      stomach, and colon, thereby suggesting that increased steady-state mRNA may be
      responsible for the high ODC activity in these tumors. Southern blot analysis of
      the DNA from the esophageal cancers revealed no amplification or significant
      rearrangement of the gene. Mechanisms sustaining high ODC mRNA levels in
      esophageal cancers may be an enhancement of the promoter activity of this gene or
      stabilization of the mRNA.

PMID- 1423313
TI  - Quercetin arrests human leukemic T-cells in late G1 phase of the cell cycle.
AB  - The effect of quercetin, a flavonoid found in many plants, on the proliferation
      of human leukemic T-cells was analyzed. Quercetin reversibly blocked the cell
      cycle at a point 3-6 h before the start of DNA synthesis. Expression of the
      growth-related genes histone H4, cyclin A and B, and p34cdc2 was suppressed in
      cells blocked with quercetin. Comparison of the quercetin arrest points with
      those of the cell cycle inhibitors aphidicolin and mimosine revealed a temporal
      order of arrest points in G1 of quercetin, mimosine, and aphidicolin. Mimosine
      and aphidicolin did not inhibit the expression of cyclin A or p34cdc2, whereas
      all three reagents inhibited expression of cyclin B. Low concentrations of the
      protein inhibitor cycloheximide inhibited release of the quercetin but not the
      mimosine or aphidicolin block. A [35S]methionine-labeled M(r) 60,000 protein
      disappeared in quercetin-treated cells and was rapidly synthesized after removal
      of quercetin, suggesting the possibility that the M(r) 60,000 protein induces DNA
      synthesis after the cell is released from a quercetin block. These results
      suggest the usefulness of quercetin in studies of the regulation of late G1
      phase.

PMID- 1423314
TI  - Fibroblasts transformed by different ras oncogenes show dissimilar patterns of
      protease gene expression and regulation.
AB  - NIH 3T3 cells transformed by different activated ras genes showed different
      patterns of protease gene expression, indicating the existence of least two
      pathways for NIH 3T3 transformation from mutated ras genes. In cells transformed
      by activated mammalian EJ-ras and chimeric EJ/vHa-ras, high constitutive levels
      of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) mRNA and/or phorbol-12-myristate-13
      acetate (PMA) inducibility of the uPA mRNA was observed. However, PMA did not
      induce cathepsin L (CL) mRNA levels in these same cell lines. In contrast, NIH
      3T3 cells transformed by homologous yeast RAS1Leu sequences showed low levels of
      uPA mRNA and a lack of PMA inducibility of uPA mRNA, but did show high
      constitutive levels of the mRNA for CL and/or PMA inducibility of CL mRNA
      expression. Based on their differences in PMA inducibility these two phenotypes
      are designated rasuPA+/CL- and rasCL+/uPA-, respectively. Run-on assays indicated
      the differences in the levels of CL and uPA mRNA with ras transformation and
      phorbol ester induction are due to changes in transcription rates. Based on the
      observation of the two ras-transformed phenotypes for protease expressions, we
      asked whether uPA and CL can substitute for each other in the promotion of
      experimental metastasis. Injection of in vitro antisense inhibited cells in nude
      mice showed an inhibition of lung colonization by anti-uPA only in the rasuPA+/CL
      phenotype and by anti-CL only in the rasCL+/uPA- phenotype. The data thus show
      the existence of two distinct activated ras-transformed metastatic phenotypes
      induced in the same parental cell line and that uPA or CL protease expressions
      alternatively facilitate the metastasis of cells with one ras phenotype and not
      with the other.

PMID- 1423315
TI  - Identification of the eleventh complementation group of UV-sensitive excision
      repair-defective rodent mutants.
AB  - The drug-sensitive mutant UVS1, isolated from the Chinese hamster cell line CHO9,
      was previously found to complement the UV sensitivity of the excision repair
      defective rodent mutants representative of groups 1 to 8 (Hata et al., Cancer
      Res., 51: 195-198, 1991; M. Numata et al., personal communication). Recently two
      new complementation groups of UV-sensitive CHO mutants, e.g., groups 9 and 10,
      have been identified (Stefanini et al., Cancer Res., 51: 3965-3971, 1991). In
      this paper we demonstrate that the repair defect in UVS1 cells is genetically
      different from those present in the mutants CHO7PV and CHO4PV, representing
      groups 9 and 10, respectively. Therefore, UVS1 represents a new complementation
      group of UV-sensitive rodent cell lines, the eleventh group.

PMID- 1423316
TI  - Frequent somatic mutations of the APC gene in human pancreatic cancer.
AB  - The APC (adenomatous polyposis coli) gene is responsible for familial adenomatous
      polyposis and is also associated with the development of sporadic tumors of the
      colon and stomach. To investigate whether or not mutations of APC play any role
      in tumors arising in other organs, we examined somatic mutations of this gene in
      sporadic (nonfamilial) renal cell carcinomas, hepatocellular carcinomas, and
      cancers of the lung and pancreas. DNAs isolated from tumors were examined by
      means of a RNase protection analysis, coupled with the polymerase chain reaction
      followed by DNA sequencing of the polymerase chain reaction products. By
      screening a part of the APC coding region, we detected somatic mutations in four
      of ten pancreatic cancers; each of these mutations would yield a truncated APC
      product due to a 1- or 5-base pair deletion. These results imply that mutations
      in APC contribute to carcinogenesis in the pancreas.

PMID- 1423317
TI  - Urinary excretion of O6-butylguanine after the administration of N-nitroso-N
      butylurea in rats.
AB  - O6-Butylguanine was detected in the urine of rats given the butylating agent N
      nitroso-N-butylurea. O6-Butylguanine contents in the 24-h rat urine samples after
      i.p. doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg N-nitroso-N-butylurea were 1.03 +/- 0.41
      (SE), 8.30 +/- 1.70, and 59.53 +/- 6.52 pmol, respectively. This suggests that O6
      butylguanine formation in nucleic acids might be repaired in vivo, possibly by
      base excision, besides other mechanisms. After i.v. doses of 0.1 and 1 mg/kg of
      O6-butylguanine to rats urinary excretion did not exceed 2% of the administered
      dose, suggesting that the amount of O6-butylguanine effectively released by base
      excision might be much larger than that detected in the urine after N-nitroso-N
      butylurea. Inhibition of the enzyme O6-alkyl-DNA transferase by N
      nitrosodimethylamine increased urinary O6-butylguanine resulting from exposure to
      N-nitroso-N-butylurea (100 mg/kg i.p.) up to four times, thus confirming an
      alternative DNA repair mechanism.

PMID- 1423318
TI  - Analysis of a metastasizing testicular mixed gonadal stromal tumor with
      osteosarcoma components suggests that a malignant tumor with the histology of
      osteosarcoma may develop without primary involvement of RB1 and TP53.
AB  - A malignant stromal tumor of the testis with an osteosarcoma component and five
      of its metastases mainly containing osteosarcoma have been analyzed for RB1 and
      TP53 abnormalities. Whereas in the primary tumor and in some of the metastases
      loss of heterozygosity could not be detected for RB1 or for the 17p13 region in
      which TP53 is located, other metastases showed such losses of heterozygosity. By
      polymerase chain reaction analysis an 18-base pair deletion from exon 5 of the
      TP53 gene was found in a small proportion of primary tumor cells and in one of
      the metastases, but not in the other metastases. Therefore, in this case neither
      RB1 nor TP53 seems to play an essential role in the initiation of osteosarcoma.

PMID- 1423319
TI  - Cytochrome P450IIE1 genetic polymorphisms, racial variation, and lung cancer
      risk.
AB  - Cytochrome P450IIE1 is responsible for the activation of carcinogenic N
      nitrosamines, benzene, urethane, and other low-molecular-weight compounds.
      Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PstI and RsaI restriction enzymes)
      have been identified in the cytochrome P450IIE1 transcription regulatory region
      that may affect expression. This study describes the PstI and RsaI polymorphisms
      in different racial populations and in a case-control study of lung cancer. The
      allelic frequencies were markedly different in Japanese, African-Americans, and
      Caucasians: the PstI rare allele was present at a frequency of 2% in Caucasians,
      5% in African-Americans, and 24% in Japanese (P < 0.05). For the RsaI rare
      allele, frequencies were 2% in Caucasians, 2% in African-Americans, and 27% in
      Japanese (P < 0.05). The assay was also applied to 128 individuals enrolled in a
      case-control study of lung cancer. Although limited in statistical power, the
      data indicate no evidence for an association in the aggregate of cytochrome
      P450IIE1 PstI [for which the odds ratio was 0.7 (95% confidence interval (C.I.) =
      0.2-2.8)] or RsaI [for which the odds ratio was 0.9 (95% C.I. = 0.2-5.4)]
      restriction fragment length polymorphisms with lung cancer in this U.S.
      population. When analyzed by race, the lung cancer odds ratio for the PstI mutant
      allele in African-Americans was 0.19 (95% C.I. = 0.03-1.38), and in Caucasians it
      was 4.13 (95% C.I. = 0.34-48.8). For the RsaI mutant allele, the odds ratios were
      0.20 (95% C.I. = 0.02-2.43) and 4.28 (95% C.I. = 0.35-50.6), respectively. The
      ethnic differences of these restriction fragment length polymorphisms might be
      related to genetic susceptibilities for lung cancer among Caucasians and for
      gastric or esophageal cancer among Japanese.

PMID- 1423320
TI  - The role of surface HLA-A,B,C molecules in tumour immunity.
AB  - It is well established that MHC class I molecules present peptides from
      endogenous proteins, such as virus or tumour antigens, to CD8+ T lymphocytes.
      This implies that expression of MHC class I molecules on tumours is also
      mandatory for an effective T cell response against neoplasias. Indeed, numerous
      murine models exist (such as IC9, 3LL, P815) in which the existence of MHC
      presented tumour antigens and a protective CTL response have been well documented
      (reviewed in Hammerling et al, 1987). However, the key question of whether
      cytolytic T cell attack has a role in human cancer remains unsolved. Similarly,
      the role of NK cells is unclear; these seem to lyse cells with low levels of MHC
      class I expression more efficiently. So far, human tumour specific antigens that
      can be presented by HLA molecules have not been identified on the molecular
      level. For a subpopulation of patients with malignant melanoma, the existence of
      tumour antigen can be deduced from the existence of tumour specific cytotoxic T
      cells isolated from TIL. However, for other epidemiologically more important
      tumours such as carcinomas of the colon, breast and lung, even indirect evidence
      is still missing. It is thus unknown how many tumours express tumour specific
      antigen at all and whether these putative antigens are of unique specificity or
      are shared by certain groups of (histologically related) neoplasias. Most reports
      agree that malignant cells in general have a more or less pronounced propensity
      to express class I molecules abnormally and often in the sense of hypoexpression
      or (sublocus selective) loss. Mechanisms inducing aberrant expression are
      numerous. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that an abnormal content in
      surface class I/beta 2m may be associated with other aspects of dedifferentiation
      of the tumour and hence may eventually correlate with biological signs of an
      increased grade of malignancy. Consequences of defective MHC class I expression
      for the survival of a malignant clone may theoretically consist of an escape from
      cytotoxic T cell attack or in an increased susceptibility for NK mediated lysis.
      In view of the fact that a particular antigen in a cell will be presented only by
      one or few HLA alleles on the cell, one would not expect that immunoselection
      would lead to a loss of all HLA alleles. It can be deduced from the few existing
      clinical studies on the prognostic impact of aberrant MHC class I expression that
      immunoselection by one way or the other is not a relevant mechanism in terms of
      tumour biology.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1423321
TI  - Immunity and metastasis: in situ activation of protective T cells by virus
      modified cancer vaccines.
AB  - Data from animal models and clinical observations from immunotherapy trials
      suggest that tumour reactive host T cells can have an important role in the
      control of metastasis and tumour rejection. If tumour cells express tumour
      associated antigens recognizable by T cells, their antigenicity/immunogenicity is
      usually weak, and accessory molecules are required to stabilize the T cell/tumour
      cell interaction and to deliver the antigen/T cell receptor (TCR) mediated signal
      (signal 1) together with costimulatory signals (signal 2). The sum of these
      intracellular signals received by the corresponding T cells with the fitting TCR
      may determine the intensity of the anti-tumour response. A deficiency of anti
      tumour T cell responsiveness in cancer patients could thus be due to a lack of
      signal 1 and/or signal 2 or to inappropriate timing between the two signals. A
      further point to consider is the distinction between primary and secondary T cell
      responses: between priming of virgin T cells and activation of primed memory T
      cells. Our experience with a metastasizing animal tumour suggests that the
      microenvironmental requirements for these two steps differ. This means that the
      site of a primary (or secondary) tumour may be good for one type of response (eg
      priming) but not for the other (eg memory response). One purpose of active
      immunotherapy could therefore consist of exposing the cancer patient's immune
      system to its own tumour cells in the context of a new microenvironment that may
      be well suited for activating memory type responses. On the basis of these
      considerations, we discuss the possibilities of immunological intervention and
      propose the use of a two-component cancer vaccine for active immunization and two
      signal stimulation of endogenous memory T cells in tumour bearing animals or
      cancer patients. As a specific component, we favour the use of intact, viable,
      radiation inactivated autologous tumour cells, which should represent the closest
      match to the patient's own cancer. If this is not possible, cells from allogeneic
      corresponding tumours or tumour cell lines could be used. On a longer time scale
      of treatment, one may consider an induction therapy with autologous vaccine
      followed by maintenance therapy (when autologous material has run out) with
      allogeneic material. As a second non-specific component, we favour and have good
      experience with a virus, NDV, which can easily attach to the cells of the vaccine
      and facilitate the delivery of costimulatory signals to tumour reactive T cells
      following postoperative vaccination of tumour bearing hosts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1423322
TI  - MHC loss in colorectal tumours: evidence for immunoselection?
AB  - The reason for MHC loss in colorectal tumours remains uncertain. Strong evidence
      that the downregulation is due to immunoselective pressure would be provided by
      the finding of deletions or mutations directly involving MHC heavy chain or beta
      2m genes. However, although in contrast to studies on cell lines (Brodsky et al,
      1979a; Travers et al, 1986; D'Urso et al, 1991), our findings are in agreement
      with other evidence (Doyle et al, 1985; Blanchet et al, 1990; Henseling et al,
      1990) that the most common mechanism of downregulation is regulatory, mostly at a
      transcriptional level. Does this imply that MHC loss in tumours can be
      incidental? The answer to this question will depend on the nature of the initial
      lesion identified. The existence of cis-acting regulatory mechanisms and dominant
      negative trans-acting mechanisms suggests that a single mutational event could
      result in transcriptional changes affecting a number of genes. Thus, selective
      pressure could result in tumour variants whose loss of MHC is due to
      transcriptional regulatory changes. As these mechanisms are unravelled, it may be
      possible to draw conclusions about the aetiology of MHC loss in colorectal
      tumours. Meanwhile, in the absence of demonstrated CTL to colorectal tumours, the
      case for immunoselective pressure remains unproven.

PMID- 1423323
TI  - T cell immune response to cancer in humans and its relevance for immunodiagnosis
      and therapy.
AB  - Review of the relationship between the degree of immunosuppression and malignancy
      in patients on immunosuppressive drugs or immunosuppressed by HIV infection,
      postoperative blood transfusion or pregnancy provides the most convincing
      evidence of the importance of intact T cell immunity in resistance to cancer.
      Defective HLA class I and II antigen expression on tumours arising in non
      immunosuppressed individuals and correlation of these changes with increased
      malignancy and diminished TIL provide the most convincing evidence that one
      factor necessary to ensure survival of most spontaneous tumours is mutation that
      enables tumour cells to escape rejection by cytotoxic T cells. These changes are
      less frequent in tumours in immunosuppressed patients, and preliminary data
      suggest that use of cytokine therapy is more successful in these tumours and the
      one in five spontaneous tumours demonstrating normal expression of HLA antigens
      and high levels of T cell infiltration. These observations suggest that future
      use of this therapy should be focused on these cases. All modalities of cancer
      therapy except hormone therapy (ie surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy)
      suppress immune responses. Defects of HLA antigen expression are less marked in
      early cancer. Combinations of immunotherapy with conventional treatment at
      presentation, including hormone therapy in view of data demonstrating
      regeneration of the thymus after castration, needs further investigation.
      Preliminary results from randomized trials involving nearly 300 individuals
      accidentally exposed to carcinogens demonstrated nearly 60% reduction of
      incidence of malignancy at 5 years in the arm receiving non-specific
      immunotherapy. If confirmed, such an approach might be more cost-effective as an
      approach for cancer prevention than organ specific cancer screening or
      vaccination against cancer associated viruses such as hepatitis B or
      papillomaviruses.

PMID- 1423324
TI  - Identification of tumour rejection antigens recognized by T lymphocytes.
AB  - On the basis of the results reviewed here, there are two major mechanisms whereby
      tumour rejection antigens may arise. The first mechanism is mutational. Point
      mutations occurring in a large variety of genes may produce new antigenic
      peptides, either by providing them with the ability to bind to MHC class I
      molecules or by providing them with a new epitope (Fig. 2). The second mechanism
      is the activation of a gene that is silent in normal tissues and for which no
      strong natural tolerance has been established. Plausible candidates for the
      mutational mechanism are the "tumour specific transplantation antigens" observed
      on methylcholanthrene induced tumours and tumours induced by ultraviolet light.
      The diversity of these antigens appears to be very large, like that of the tum-
      antigens. Moreover, these tumours have been obtained with high doses of
      carcinogens, which are proven mutagens. On the other hand, a P815 tumour
      rejection antigen appears to arise through the activation of a silent gene, and
      it may turn out that this is the rule for most tumour rejection antigens. It is
      our hope that other genes coding for mouse and human tumour rejection antigens
      will soon be identified, so that it will become clear whether the activational
      mechanism is the rule or the exception. In our view, this is a crucial issue.
      Insofar as tumour rejection antigens result from mutations, they may be highly
      specific for every individual tumour. The tumour specific nature of these
      antigens would then be easily ascertained. However, active immunization of cancer
      patients would require that a tumour cell line be obtained from each patient, a
      most unpractical prospect. If, on the other hand, production of tumour rejection
      antigens results from the activation of a normal gene, then there is a good
      probability that the same gene may be activated in many different tumours, being
      perhaps preferentially shared by tumours of the same histological type. This
      would probably not result in the expression of the same antigen in all these
      tumours, because the patients would differ in their presenting molecules, which
      are determined by their HLA haplotype. However, a subset of the tumours
      expressing the same "tumour rejection" gene should share the same class I
      restricting element, so that all of these patients could be immunized with a cell
      that would express the gene and carry the appropriate HLA molecule.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1423325
TI  - T cell responses to human malignant tumours.
AB  - The immunological and molecular mechanisms that govern T cell responses to human
      malignant tumours are just starting to be understood within a more complex
      framework of humoral, cellular and molecular interactions. The definition of
      multiple antigens simultaneously expressed on human melanoma, as detected with
      cytolytic T cells in immunoselection experiments, is a first step towards the
      molecular characterization of these antigens. Observations on the influence of
      expression of restriction elements of the major histocompatibility complex on the
      recognition of these tumour associated antigens have advanced our understanding
      of how the immune system responds to cancer cells in vivo. It is specificity that
      is tuning the immune system, not only in cancer. The molecular characterization
      of the first human cancer antigen recognized by CTL is now under way as outlined
      by Boon et al in this issue.

PMID- 1423326
TI  - Lessons from T cell responses to virus induced tumours for cancer eradication in
      general.
AB  - Immunotherapy of virus induced tumours by adoptive transfer of virus specific
      cytotoxic T cells (CTL) is now feasible in experimental murine systems. These CTL
      recognize viral peptide sequences of defined length presented in the groove of
      MHC class I molecules. Effective eradication of large tumour masses requires
      coadministration of IL-2. In essence, T cell immunity against virus induced
      tumours does not differ from anti-viral T cell immunity in general. Tumour escape
      strategies are numerous but, in various instances, can be counteracted by defined
      measures. Initiation of CTL responses against poorly immunogenic non-virus
      induced tumours (the majority of human cancer) requires novel strategies to
      overcome T cell inertia. Rather than waiting to see whether tumour specific CTL
      (against unknown antigens) can be cultured from TIL, we propose an alternative
      strategy in which CTL are raised against target molecules of choice, including
      differentiation antigens of restricted tissue distribution (autoantigens) or
      mutated/overexpressed oncogene products. The various steps proposed include: (a)
      identification of target molecules of choice; (b) identification in these target
      molecules of MHC allele specific peptide motifs involved in peptide binding to
      MHC molecules; (c) evaluation of actual binding of such peptides to specific MHC
      class I molecules; (d) in vitro CTL response induction by such peptides,
      presented either by highly efficient antigen presenting cells (such as processing
      defective cells, which carry empty MHC class I molecules) loaded with a single
      peptide or by dendritic cells, both cell types being capable of primary CTL
      response induction in vitro and (e) adoptive transfer of tumour specific CTL
      generated in vivo or, more conveniently, vaccination with immunodominant
      peptides. The latter possibility seems to be feasible because peptide vaccination
      with a single immunodominant viral peptide can install CTL memory and confer
      protection against lethal virus infection.

PMID- 1423327
TI  - The importance of steroid hormones in prostate cancer.
AB  - Steroid hormones have an important role in prostate biology. Androgens are
      crucial for the normal development of the prostate gland and in maintaining its
      functional state in the adult. It seems that the prolonged presence of androgens
      might also be an important factor in the development of prostate cancer. In
      addition, androgens and oestrogens appear to play some part in the development of
      benign prostatic hyperplasia, although the exact nature of their role has not
      been clearly defined. Stimulation of prostate cancer growth by androgens is well
      established, with androgen withdrawal therapy constituting the most effective
      therapy in men with prostate cancer. Additive steroid therapy of metastatic
      prostate cancer with oestrogens or progestins has also proven effective. The
      effects of androgens on prostate cancer cell growth might be mediated through
      modulation of growth factor expression and alteration of growth factor receptor
      levels. Androgen response can be modulated by the expression of mutated oncogenes
      such as ras. Androgen independence can occur through a loss of AR expression or
      mutation of the AR; however, the patterns of AR expression in normal prostatic
      tissue from development to adulthood and in cancer are now just beginning to be
      described. Other steroids, such as the retinoids, show promise as preventive
      agents, possibly through the modulation of growth factors.

PMID- 1423328
TI  - The importance of normal and abnormal oestrogen receptor in breast cancer.
AB  - We have used the screening techniques of CMC and SSCP of selected PCR fragments,
      and also gel retardation assays, to discover a number of ER variants in clinical
      breast cancer tissues. We have found base pair insertions, transitions, and
      deletions, and deletions of exons 3, 5 and 7. Using a yeast transactivation
      assay, we have discovered receptors with outlaw function consisting of both
      dominant positive receptors that were transcriptionally active in the absence of
      oestrogen and dominant negative receptors that were transcriptionally inactive
      themselves but prevented normal ER function. Future efforts should focus in
      particular on such dominant positive and dominant negative variants. With regard
      to positive variants, we should like to know whether they stimulate tumour growth
      and, if so, whether they can be turned off. With regard to dominant negative
      variants, we should like to determine whether they can inhibit tumour growth and,
      if so, whether they can be turned on.

PMID- 1423329
TI  - Cellular heterogeneity and mutant oestrogen receptors in hormone resistant breast
      cancer.
AB  - In summary, we propose that the molecular heterogeneity of ER in breast tumour
      cells, characterized by the presence of mutant receptor forms, generates the
      cellular heterogeneity evident when PR or DNA ploidy are analysed in cell
      subpopulations. Furthermore, it is likely that cellular heterogeneity leads to
      the lack of uniformity in response to tamoxifen that we have described. We find
      that heterogeneity of PR and DNA ploidy reflects the existence of mixed
      subpopulations of breast cancer cells that are substantially remodelled under the
      influence of tamoxifen. It appears likely that different subsets of cells, rather
      than being "resistant", can be inhibited or stimulated by tamoxifen and that
      their suppression or outgrowth alters the phenotype of the tumour. PR
      heterogeneity in solid tumours of patients may predict a mixed, and potentially
      dangerous, response to anti-oestrogen treatment. As we learn more about the
      heterogeneity of PR, ER and other proteins in tumours, we may be able to
      recognize such lethal subpopulations, which the flow cytometry immunoassay can
      simply and rapidly measure. Our data also suggest that the use of tamoxifen as a
      chemopreventant in women at high risk of developing breast cancer (Kiang, 1991)
      should be viewed with caution.

PMID- 1423330
TI  - Immunolocalization of steroid hormone receptors in normal and tumour cells:
      mechanisms of their cellular traffic.
AB  - Experimental conditions are described for the detection of steroid receptors in
      tissue sections or cells at the light microscope level. Current knowledge about
      the ultrastructural distribution of these receptors is summarized; the mechanisms
      of their nuclear localization are described. Karyophilic signals involved in
      nuclear translocation are characterized by means of in vitro mutagenesis of
      steroid receptor cDNAs. Studies analysing the subcellular distribution of various
      transfected receptor mutants in energy depleted cells together with fusion
      experiments provide evidence for nucleoplasmic shuttling of progesterone
      receptors. We conclude that the "nuclear" location of the wild type progesterone
      receptor reflects a dynamic equilibrium between active nuclear import and outward
      diffusion. We also describe the use of immunocytochemistry in pathology,
      especially for the detection of steroid receptors in hormone dependent tumours.

PMID- 1423331
TI  - A molecular strategy to control tamoxifen resistant breast cancer.
AB  - Our research goal is to develop possible strategies that could have therapeutic
      implications for the control of breast cancer. Although tamoxifen therapy is
      successful for some patients, it does not provide adequate benefit for the
      majority, who have ER negative disease. There is also both laboratory and
      clinical evidence to support the position that initially responsive tumours will
      eventually develop resistance to tamoxifen therapy. Since the ER mechanism is the
      key to the successful control of tumour growth with anti-oestrogens, we have
      taken the strategic step of determining whether the ER will reassert growth
      control in breast tumour cells. We have demonstrated that this is feasible, and
      it might now be appropriate to plan a "gene therapy" approach to cancer control
      that is based on reactivation of the ER or the development of a targeted vector.
      Since the concept of growth control in refractory breast cancer has become a
      reality, there can now be enthusiasm about developing a means to achieve this
      therapeutic goal. Indeed, the implications for cancer therapy could be enormous.
      There is every reason to suppose that other types of cancer cells transfected
      with steroid receptor genes will respond with growth suppression to the
      appropriate ligand. We have further broadened our studies of anti-oestrogens to
      describe a laboratory model to dissect the molecular pharmacology of hormone and
      anti-hormone action. In practical terms, the model has provided an insight into
      tamoxifen stimulated growth as a mechanism of tamoxifen resistance. The
      pharmacology of a model compound, fixed ring 4-hydroxytamoxifen, was changed by a
      mutant ER. It is possible to envisage the clonal selection of cells with mutated
      ER or ERE that will thrive on the partial agonist actions of tamoxifen. These
      cells would, as is observed in the MCF-7 TAM and EnCa101 laboratory models, also
      respond to oestradiol stimulation. Future studies of mutant receptors in the
      laboratory and clinic might provide support for a novel mechanism of tamoxifen
      resistance. What is most encouraging, though, is the finding that the
      pharmacology of new pure anti-oestrogens is not affected by the mutation in the
      ER and that the pure anti-oestrogens can control tamoxifen stimulated growth.
      These observations provide additional support for the development of pure anti
      oestrogens as a therapy for breast cancer. A clinically acceptable compound could
      be used as a therapy after tamoxifen failure or perhaps the compound may prevent
      the development of receptor mutants if it is used as a first line therapy.

PMID- 1423332
TI  - Steroid antagonists as nuclear receptor blockers.
AB  - Molecular analysis of sex steroid receptors, together with the availability of a
      range of ligands for these receptors that affect differentially the physiological
      actions of the ligand-receptor complex in the cell nucleus, is providing new
      insights into the processes that control transcriptional activation leading to
      cell growth. These studies serve to focus attention on the importance of other
      cell specific factors that are important in determining the transcriptional
      efficiency of the hormone-receptor complex. Elucidation of the nature and role of
      such factors may lead ultimately to hormonal or anti-hormonal agents targeted to
      modulate selected hormone mediated events in specific cells or organs. The sex
      steroid receptors are prototypes of a much larger family of proteins that control
      transcription, including proteins that bind to ligands known to be important
      physiologically, such as thyroid hormones and retinoids, as well as "orphan"
      receptors for which no ligands have been described. The established value of
      steroid antagonists in cancer therapy suggests that further developments in the
      understanding of new members of the steroid receptor superfamily may lead to the
      development of novel anti-cancer agents. The developing understanding of "cross
      talk" between steroid-receptor and growth factor-receptor mediated tumour growth
      stimulatory pathways may also provide previously unrecognized opportunities for
      tumour therapy.

PMID- 1423333
TI  - Perspectives on oestrogen receptor function: past and future.

PMID- 1423334
TI  - Androgen receptor mutants that affect normal growth and development.
AB  - The elucidation of the molecular structure of the human androgen receptor has
      facilitated the study of molecular defects associated with androgen
      insensitivity. In this overview, data are presented on the functional domain
      structure of the wild type human androgen receptor and on the molecular structure
      of the androgen receptor from different subjects with the complete form of
      androgen insensitivity. Mutational domain analysis of the human androgen receptor
      has revealed that a large carboxyterminal region constitutes the hormone binding
      domain and that DNA binding is associated with a central basic domain. In
      addition, separate domains that control trans-activation and nuclear
      translocation have been identified. Reports on androgen receptor gene structure
      in individuals with the complete and incomplete forms of androgen insensitivity
      indicate that gross deletions within the androgen receptor gene are uncommon. The
      locations of the different point mutations reported cannot be assigned to a
      single site but are spread throughout the ligand binding and DNA binding domains.
      A point mutation found in the ligand binding domain of the human androgen
      receptor in a prostate tumour cell line is the cause of the altered steroid
      binding specificity observed for the androgen receptor in these prostate tumour
      cells. A considerable variation in the length of one of the polyglutamine repeats
      has been reported in the aminoterminal transcription regulating domain of the
      wild type androgen receptor. Doubling of the length of this particular
      polyglutamine stretch is correlated with a progressive spinal/bulbar muscular
      atrophy in a small group of middle aged men.

PMID- 1423335
TI  - Clinical, immunopathologic, and therapeutic considerations of inflammatory
      myopathies.
AB  - The inflammatory myopathies encompass a group of heterogenous muscle diseases
      which have in common an acquired myopathy with histological signs of endomysial
      inflammation. We present evidence based on recently emerged clinical, histologic,
      immunopathologic, demographic and therapeutic observations that these myopathies
      comprise three major and distinct groups: polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis
      (DM), and inclusion-body myositis (IBM). Immune-mediated mechanisms
      characteristic for each group appear to play a primary role in the pathogenesis
      of these diseases. In DM there is an intramuscular microangiopathy mediated by
      the C5b-9 membranolytic attack complex, leading sequentially to loss of
      capillaries, muscle ischemia, muscle fiber necrosis and perifascicular atrophy.
      In contrast, in PM and IBM the muscle fiber injury is initiated by sensitized
      CD8+ cytotoxic T cells that recognize MHC-I restricted muscle antigens, leading
      to phagocytosis and fiber necrosis. Among the viruses implicated in the cause of
      inflammatory myopathies, only the retroviruses, HIV, HTLV-1 and simian
      retroviruses, have been convincingly associated with PM. Retroviruses, therefore,
      appear to be the leading group of viruses capable of triggering these diseases.
      The treatment of inflammatory myopathies has been largely empirical. A detailed
      therapeutic plan based on our experience with a large number of patients is
      presented. Patients with bona fide PM or DM respond to steroids to some degree
      and for some period of time. In contrast, patients with IBM do not respond to any
      therapy and the disease should be suspected when a patient with presumed PM has
      failed treatment. Methotrexate and cyclophosphamide are disappointing.
      Cyclosporine and Azathioprine are commonly used but they are of uncertain
      benefit. Plasmapheresis is ineffective. High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin is a
      promising new therapeutic modality.

PMID- 1423336
TI  - Pharmacodynamics of the hypotensive effect of levodopa in parkinsonian patients.
AB  - Blood pressure effects of i.v. levodopa were examined in parkinsonian patients
      with stable and fluctuating responses to levodopa. The magnitude of the
      hypotensive effect of levodopa was concentration dependent and was fit to an Emax
      model in fluctuating responders. Stable responders demonstrated a small
      hypotensive response. Baseline blood pressures were higher in fluctuating
      patients; a higher baseline blood pressure correlated with greater hypotensive
      effects. Antiparkinsonian effects of levodopa temporally correlated with blood
      pressure changes. Phenylalanine, a large neutral amino acid (LNAA) competing with
      levodopa for transport across the blood-brain barrier, reduced the hypotensive
      and antiparkinsonian effects of levodopa. We conclude that levodopa has a central
      hypotensive action that parallels the motor effects in fluctuating patients. The
      hypotensive effect appears to be related to the higher baseline blood pressure we
      observed in fluctuating patients relative to stable patients.

PMID- 1423337
TI  - Elevated plasma immunoreactive beta-endorphin in anorexia nervosa.
AB  - Basal morning plasma levels of immunoreactive-beta-endorphin (ir-beta-EP), and 17
      beta estradiol (E2) were assessed in 25 adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) in
      comparison to 24 healthy controls. All subjects were drug free for at least 6
      weeks. The mean plasma level of ir-beta-EP was significantly higher (84%) in the
      AN patients when compared with the control subjects. The elevated plasma ir-beta
      EP may be relevant to the suppression of appetite, tolerance of fasting, and to
      the hypothalamic hypogonadism in AN.

PMID- 1423338
TI  - Acetazolamide improves action myoclonus in Ramsay Hunt syndrome.
AB  - The myoclonus of two patients with Ramsay Hunt syndrome was only partially
      controlled under treatment with clonazepam, sodium valproate, primidone, and
      piracetam. Acetazolamide (200 mg daily) was added to these drugs, resulting in a
      dramatic improvement. Placebo substitution (one patient) and withdrawal of
      acetazolamide in the other patient resulted in marked aggravation of the
      myoclonus. The mechanism of action of acetazolamide in myoclonus is unknown.
      Acetazolamide may be an additional therapeutic possibility for patients with
      severe action myoclonus.

PMID- 1423340
TI  - Naloxone or haloperidol but not yohimbine reverse apomorphine-induced respiratory
      depression.
AB  - Intravenous injection of low doses of naloxone was found to reverse the
      respiratory depression induced by apomorphine in chloralose-anesthesized dogs.
      Similar results were obtained with haloperidol, whereas yohimbine remained
      ineffective. These data suggest that apomorphine depresses respiratory rate
      through a mechanism involving both dopamine and opiate mechanisms but not alpha 2
      adrenoceptors. Respiratory arrest induced by overdosages of apomorphine can be
      treated with naloxone.

PMID- 1423339
TI  - Amnestic syndrome associated with propranolol toxicity: a case report.
AB  - An elderly woman developed an Alzheimer-like subacute dementia as a result of
      propranolol toxicity. Analysis of the manifestations showed that severe
      impairment of memory accounted for virtually all of the abnormalities. There is
      evidence that cerebral reactions to drug toxicity can exhibit patterns that
      suggest highly selective involvement of functional subdivisions of the brain.

PMID- 1423341
TI  - Stereospecific 1,2-cis-glycosylation: a modified thiocyanate method.

PMID- 1423342
TI  - Conformational analysis of levanbiose by molecular mechanics.
AB  - A relaxed conformational energy map for levanbiose, O-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-(2--
      -6)-beta-D-fructofuranoside, was computed with the molecular mechanics program
      MM2(87). All torsion angles of the three linkage bonds were driven by 30 degrees
      increments while two primary alcohol groups were held at three staggered forms.
      The steric energy of all other parameters was optimized. The side groups were
      retained at the same relative positions on the two rings in this first part of
      the study so our results are directly applicable to the study of polymeric levan
      with identical repeating units. The low-energy dimers did not lead to viable
      polymers. The interresidue linkage torsion angles defined by C-6-O-2'-C-2'-C-1'
      (phi) and O-5-C-5-C-6-O-2' (omega) have minima at +60 degrees and -60 degrees,
      respectively, with accessible minima at other staggered forms. As observed in
      inulobiose, the preferred torsion angle at central linkage bond defined by C-5-C
      6-O-2'-C-2' (psi) was antiperiplanar. An analysis of all conformations of
      staggered side groups showed that the C-1 and C-1' groups had little effect but
      the C-6' group showed a preference for chi-6'(O-5'-C-5'-C-6'-O-6') = -60 degrees.
      The fructofuranose rings were started at the low-energy 4(3)T conformation (angle
      of pseudorotation, phi 2 = 265 degrees) that was retained except when the linkage
      conformations created severe inter-residue conflict.

PMID- 1423343
TI  - Synthesis of a phenyl beta-avobioside derivative of the disaccharide component of
      avoparcins.
AB  - The synthesis of the phenyl beta-glycoside of avobiose, a disaccharide fragment
      present in the antibiotic avoparcin, is reported. It is based on glycosylation of
      phenyl 3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside with 2,3,6-trideoxy-4-O-p
      nitrobenzoyl-3-trifluoroacetamido-L-ribo-hex- 1-enitol, a fully protected glycal
      of L-ristosamine, in the presence of trimethylsilyl triflate.

PMID- 1423344
TI  - The reaction of some dicarbonyl sugars with aminoguanidine.
AB  - The reactions of aminoguanidine (guanylhydrazine) with 3-deoxy-D-erythro-hexos-2
      ulose (1a), 3-deoxy-D-glycero-pentose-2-ulose (1b), D-erythro-hexos-2-ulose (1c),
      and D-glycero-pentose-2-ulose (1d) were examined at 37 degrees at a solution pH
      of 7.0 (phosphate buffer). For 1a and 1b, two major products were observed and
      shown respectively to be the 5- and 6-substituted 3-amino-1,2,4-triazine
      derivatives. The ratios of the products were independent of the amount of
      aminoguanidine present or the order of mixing the reagents prior to the
      experiments. For 1c and 1d, only the 5-substituted triazine derivatives were
      formed. No evidence for hydrazone or bishydrazone formation was observed.

PMID- 1423345
TI  - Immunochemical characterization of polyclonal and monoclonal Streptococcus group
      A antibodies by chemically defined glycoconjugates and synthetic
      oligosaccharides.
AB  - Synthetic oligosaccharides of increasing complexity that represent different
      epitopes of the Streptococcus Group A cell-wall polysaccharide were used as
      haptens and glycoconjugates of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and horse hemoglobin
      (HHb) to characterize polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. Rabbits were
      immunized with the BSA glycoconjugates of a linear trisaccharide, branched
      trisaccharide, and branched pentasaccharide. The binding specificities of the
      polyclonal antisera were determined by a series of inhibition ELISA studies in
      which disaccharide through pentasaccharide haptens were used as inhibitors of
      antibody-glycoconjugate binding. Monoclonal antibodies derived from mice
      immunized with a killed bacterial vaccine were selected for their binding to
      native polysaccharide antigen coupled to BSA and the BSA glycoconjugates of the
      di- and linear tri-saccharides. Polyclonal antibodies were moderately specific
      for the oligosaccharide epitope of the immunizing glycoconjugate and only those
      antibodies raised to the branched pentasaccharide antigen showed cross-reaction
      with the bacterial antigen. The behaviour of selected monoclonal antibodies
      parallels the binding profile of polyclonal antibodies in that the two highest
      titre antibodies were directed toward an epitope displayed by the branched
      pentasaccharide.

PMID- 1423347
TI  - Rearrangement of unsaturated 2,4-O-benzylidenehexitol derivatives into C
      glycosylbenzene derivatives.
AB  - Acetolysis of (Z)-1,3-di-O-acetyl-2,4-O-benzylidene-6-C-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-D
      xylo-he x- 5-enitol (3) afforded (E)-1,2,3,4-tetra-O-acetyl-6-C-(2,4
      dichlorophenyl)-D-xylo-hex-5-enit ol and 2-C-[(R)-acetoxy(2,4
      dichlorophenyl)methyl]-3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy- beta-L-galacto- and -beta-L
      gulo-hexopyranosylbenzene. The mechanism of this new rearrangement was studied by
      exchanging the substituents at C-1 and C-3 in 3 and those of the aromatic ring
      attached to C-6.

PMID- 1423346
TI  - Formation of oligosaccharides from lactitol by Aspergillus oryzae beta-D
      galactosidase.
AB  - Six oligosaccharides were first formed from lactitol by a transgalactosylation
      reaction catalyzed by Aspergillus oryzae beta-D-galactosidase. From the results
      of methylation analysis, MS, and 1H- and 13C-NMR studies, it was concluded that
      these oligosaccharides are O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1----4)-O-beta-D
      galactopyranosyl-(1----4)-D- glucitol, O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1----3)-O-beta
      D-galactopyranosyl-(1----4)-D- glucitol, O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1----4)-[O
      beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1----6)]- D- glucitol, O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1---
      6)-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1---4)- glucitol, O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1---
      4)-[O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl- (1----5)]-D-glucitol, and O-beta-D
      galactopyranosyl-(1----4)-[O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1----1)]- D-glucitol. The
      last three are newly observed oligosaccharides.

PMID- 1423348
TI  - Synthesis of 2-amino-1,2-dideoxy-D-galactitol hydrochloride and 5-amino-1,4
      anhydro-5,6-dideoxy-L-galactitol hydrochloride.

PMID- 1423349
TI  - The synthesis and characterisation of 2-O-(6-O-L-glycero-alpha,beta-D-manno
      heptopyranosyl-alpha-D-glucopyran osyl)-alpha,beta-D-glucopyranose.
AB  - The title compounds were synthesised, and appropriate derivatives were
      characterised by GLC, GLC-MS, and NMR spectroscopy. The GLC and GLC-MS data
      proved 2-O-(6-O-L-glycero-alpha-D-manno-heptopyranosyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)- D
      glucopyranose to be a constituent of the outer-core region of the
      lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli K-12, indicating the heptosyl residue to
      be linked to the terminal glucopyranose residue.

PMID- 1423350
TI  - Glucosylenamines as glycosyl acceptors: synthesis of gentiobiosylenamines.
AB  - The preparation of 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl- (3), 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl- (4), and 2,3,4
      tri-O-benzoyl-N-(2,2-diethoxycarbonylvinyl)-6-O-trityl-beta- D
      glucopyranosylamine (5) is described. The reaction of 3-5 with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O
      acetyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl bromide yields 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl- (9), 2,3,4-tri-O
      acetyl- (10), and 2,3,4-tri-O-benzoyl-N-(2,2-diethoxycarbonylvinyl)-6-O-(2,3,4,6
      tet ra-O- acetyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosylamine (11),
      respectively. 2,3,4-Tri-O-benzyl- (6), 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl- (7), and 2,3,4-tri-O-
      benzoyl-N-(2,2-diethoxycarbonylvinyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosylamine (8) are also
      described.

PMID- 1423351
TI  - Synthesis of the antibiotic cortalcerone from D-glucose using pyranose 2-oxidase
      and a novel fungal enzyme, aldos-2-ulose dehydratase.
AB  - Using two enzymes purified from the white-rot fungus, Polyporus obtusus, 5%
      solutions of D-glucose have been quantitatively converted in vitro into D-arabino
      hexos-2-ulose (D-glucosone) and subsequently into a compound having antimicrobial
      activity. The antibiotic has been shown by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass
      spectroscopy to be chemically identical to a previously described fungal
      metabolite known as cortalcerone. Based on kinetic analysis of the synthetic
      process, a pathway for the biosynthesis of cortalcerone is proposed, involving
      both chemical rearrangement and enzymically catalyzed steps. Two enzymes,
      pyranose 2-oxidase and a previously uncharacterized D-arabino-hexos-2-ulose
      utilizing enzyme, may be sufficient for the biosynthesis of cortalcerone from
      glucose in vivo. The D-arabino-hexos-2-ulose-utilizing enzyme dehydrates certain
      aldosuloses and has been named aldos-2-ulose dehydratase. The enzyme, which
      appears to be a dimer of 95-kDa subunits, has been purified 450-fold. Additional
      properties of aldos-2-ulose dehydratase are described, including its apparent
      ability to catalyze two different steps in the proposed biosynthetic pathway for
      cortalcerone.

PMID- 1423352
TI  - Studies of the interaction of the maltose-binding protein of Escherichia coli, a
      closed-groove binder, with 4,6-O-ethylidenemalto-oligosaccharides (dp 2-5) and
      its regioselective labelling with 3-azibutyl 1-thio-alpha-(6-3H)maltoside.
AB  - Four malto-oligosaccharides (dp 2-5), each with a 4,6-O-ethylidene group on the
      glucosyl unit at the non-reducing terminus, were synthesised and used to prove
      that the maltose-binding protein (MBP) of E. coli is a closed-groove binder.
      alpha-D-Glucosylation of 3-azibutyl 1-thio-alpha-D-(6-3H)glucopyranoside yielded
      a 3H-labelled, photolabile 1-thiomaltoside derivative that was used to chemically
      modify the binding site of MBP. The 3H-labelled peptide containing 83% of the
      total radioactivity, which was isolated after tryptic cleavage of the modified
      MBP and sequenced, is part of the closed end of the MBP groove.

PMID- 1423353
TI  - Synthesis of 4'-deoxy-4'-fluorokanamycin A and B.
AB  - 4'-Deoxy-4'-fluorokanamycins A (17) and B (25) have been prepared through
      fluorinative ring-opening of the D-galacto-3',4'-oxiranes (8 and 21) derived from
      kanamycin A and B with potassium hydrogenfluoride in ethane-1,2-diol. The
      mechanism of preponderant formation of the 4'-deoxy-4'-fluoro-D-gluco (9 and 22)
      over the 3'-deoxy-3'-fluoro-D-gulo derivatives was discussed. In the synthesis of
      25, the unusual 3',6'-epimine (23) was the main product along with the 4'-deoxy
      4'-fluoro derivative. The mechanism of this reaction is also discussed. Both 17
      and 25 were active against resistant bacteria producing aminoglycoside
      adenylylating enzymes for HO-4'.

PMID- 1423354
TI  - Crystal structure of lactitol (4-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-D-glucitol)
      trihydrate.
AB  - Lactitol trihydrate, C12H24O11.3H2O, crystallises in the orthorhombic space
      group, P2(1)2(1)2(1) with cell dimensions a = 8.306(2), b = 10.163(1), c =
      21.321(1) A, and V = 1799.8(5) A3; Z = 4, Dx = 1.47 Mg m-3, lambda(Cu-K alpha) =
      1.54178 A, mu = 1.14 mm-1, F(000) = 856, and T = 23 degrees. There are one intra-
      and thirteen inter-molecular hydrogen bonds in the structure. The bond lengths
      and angles agree well with the mean values of related structures. The
      galactopyranosyl ring has a chair conformation.

PMID- 1423355
TI  - The crystal structure and physicochemical properties of L-ascorbic acid 2
      glucoside.
AB  - The stable L-ascorbic acid glucoside produced by the action of the
      cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase, EC 2.4.1.19) from Bacillus
      stearothermophilus was crystallized from an aqueous solution. Determination of
      the molecular structure by single crystal X-ray analysis showed the compound to
      be 2-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid (AA-2G). The crystals are
      orthorhombic, space group P2(1)2(1)2(1), with unit-cell dimensions a = 11.929 A,
      b = 24.351 A, and c = 4.864 A. The D-glucopyranose residue has the 4C1
      conformation. These conclusions are in good agreement with those based on the 13C
      NMR spectrum. The general physicochemical properties of crystalline AA-2G are
      reported.

PMID- 1423356
TI  - Studies of the molecular recognition of synthetic methyl beta-lactoside analogues
      by Ricinus communis agglutinin.
AB  - The 2-, 3-, 6-, 2'-, 3'-, 4'-, and 6'-deoxy derivatives and the 3-O-methyl
      derivative of methyl beta-lactoside have been synthesised and their binding to
      the galactose-specific agglutinin from Ricinus communis (RCA-120) has been
      investigated. The results indicate that HO-3,4,6 of the beta-D-galactopyranose
      moiety are the key polar groups. The main difference from the closely related
      ricin lectin RCA-60 involves HO-6 of the D-glucopyranose moiety, which seems to
      contribute to the binding of the carbohydrate to RCA-60 but not to RCA-120.

PMID- 1423357
TI  - Investigation of the active site of Escherichia coli beta-D-galactosidase by
      photoaffinity labelling.
AB  - 3,7-Anhydro-2-azi-1,2-dideoxy-D-glycero-L-manno-(8-3H)octitol++ + (1a) and 3
      azibutyl 1-thio-beta-D-(6-3H)galactopyranoside (2a) were synthesised from the
      unlabelled compounds by reaction with galactose oxidase, then reduction with
      sodium borotritide. Whereas 1a was an efficient photoaffinity reagent for the
      beta-D-galactosidase from E. coli, 2a was ineffective. Three 3H-labelled peptides
      were isolated after digestion of the labelled enzyme with trypsin, one of which
      was an octapeptide (Trp 158 to Ser 165), which is remote from the segments
      detected as part of the active site of the enzyme.

PMID- 1423358
TI  - Oxazolidines from sugars: conformationally restricted derivatives of muramic
      acid.

PMID- 1423359
TI  - Redox glycosidation: the use of Nozaki-Takai methylenylation in a highly
      stereoselective synthesis of sucrose.
AB  - Sequential reaction of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-D-glucopyranose (7) with
      butyllithium and 2-[2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-4-O-(tert-butyldiphenylsilyl)-D-
      arabinonoyl]thio-3-nitropyridine (6) at -78 degrees gave 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl
      alpha-D-glucopyranosyl 2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-4-O-(tert-butyldiphenylsilyl)-D
      arabinonate+ ++ (8; 71%, alpha:beta greater than 50:1). Ester carbonyl
      methylenylation, desilylation, and iodoetherification in the presence of silica
      gave 3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-1-deoxy-1-iodo-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-
      glucopyranosyl)-beta-D-fructofuranoside (15; 44%, alpha:beta greater than 50:1).
      This neopentylic iodide 15 was converted into sucrose (1;80%) by free-radical
      substitution using TEMPO (24) followed by sodium-ammonia reduction, acetylation,
      and Zemplen methanolysis.

PMID- 1423360
TI  - Synthesis of 5-deoxy-5-fluoro and 5-deoxy-5,5-difluoro derivatives of kanamycin B
      and its analogs. Study on structure-toxicity relationships.
AB  - 5-Deoxy-5-fluoro- (1), 5.3'-dideoxy-5-fluoro- (2), and 5,3',4'-trideoxy-5-fluoro
      kanamycin B (3) have been prepared by treatment of 5-epihydroxyl precursors
      (prepared by the Mitsunobu reaction) with DAST as the key step. 5,3'-Dideoxy-5,5
      difluoro- (26) and 5,3',4'-trideoxy-5,5-difluoro-kanamycin B (27) were also
      prepared by treatment of the corresponding 5-oxo derivatives with DAST. These 5
      deoxy-5-fluoro and 5-deoxy-5,5-difluoro derivatives showed markedly decreased
      toxicity as compared with the parent compounds.

PMID- 1423361
TI  - Apple-fruit xyloglucans: a comparative study of enzyme digests of whole cell
      walls and of alkali-extracted xyloglucans.
AB  - Apple cell walls or alkali-extracted xyloglucans were digested with an endo
      glucanase from Trichoderma viride and the resulting oligosaccharides were
      isolated by chromatography on Bio-Gel P-4. Three main oligosaccharides were
      present in similar proportions, and their structures were shown to be [Xyl(Glc)]3
      Glc, [Xyl(Glc)]2-(FucGalXyl)Glc-Glc, and XylGlc-(GalXyP)Glc-(FucGalXyl)Glc-Glc.
      Each non-reducing-end Glc was 6-linked, each reducing-end Glc was 4-substituted,
      and each other Glc was 4,6-disubstituted. The Xyl was either terminal or 2
      substituted, the Fuc was terminal, and the Gal was either terminal or 2
      substituted. The 1H-NMR spectra of the oligosaccharides extracted directly from
      the cell wall showed that they are not acetylated. Other oligosaccharides,
      notably GalXyl3Glc4, Xyl2Glc4, and Xyl2Glc3, were present in smaller proportions
      in the digest of the cell walls.

PMID- 1423362
TI  - Conformational analysis of the trisaccharide components of the repeating units of
      the capsular polysaccharides of Streptococcus pneumoniae types 19F and 19A.

PMID- 1423363
TI  - Mechanism of the adsorption of pancreatic alpha-amylase onto starch crystallites.

PMID- 1423364
TI  - O-(3-butenyl), a stable blocking group removable by ozonolysis.

PMID- 1423365
TI  - [Better efficacy of K-strophanthidin versus digoxin in subjects with dilated
      cardiomyopathy and chronic heart insufficiency].
AB  - We evaluated the efficacy of K-strophanthidin and digoxin in 20 patients with
      stable, severe congestive heart failure. In this aim, we studied the left
      ventricular pump function at rest and following manipulation of the cardiac load
      (cold pressor test and nitroprusside infusion), the exercise performance
      (cardiopulmonary exercise test), and the level of circulating norepinephrine. The
      study was double-blind and cross-over and comprehended 4 periods of 1-week each
      during which patients received in random order: placebo (oral+intravenous), K
      strophanthidin (intravenous + oral placebo), digoxin (oral+intravenous placebo
      and, in 8 patients, intravenous + oral placebo). The efficacy of the various
      compounds was tested at the end of each period 1 and 10 hours after drug dosing.
      Comparable results were obtained by the 2 sets of measurements. Both digoxin and
      K-strophanthidin showed a positive inotropic effect. This is shown by an upward
      shift of the ejection fraction/end-systolic stress. In spite of this, only K
      strophanthidin significantly increased exercise performance: tolerance time (+153
      s), peak oxygen consumption (+1.2 ml/kg/min) and oxygen consumption at anaerobic
      threshold (+2.3 ml/kg/min). Norepinephrine plasma level at rest was significantly
      lowered only by K-strophanthidin. Results were comparable when digoxin was given
      intravenously. We conclude that both glycosides elicit an increase of the
      inotropic cardiac state but only K-strophanthidin improves exercise performance.

PMID- 1423366
TI  - [Importance of late reversibility in the identification of myocardial viability
      at risk after myocardial infarction].
AB  - The prevalence of late reversibility in single photon emission computed
      tomography (SPECT) thallium 201 stress/redistribution studies is still
      controversial. The aim of our work was to evaluate the prevalence of late
      reversibility at infarct site in an unselected population of patients with
      previous acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We studied by SPECT thallium 201 and
      pharmacologic stress with dipyridamole (DIP) as well as by two-dimensional
      echocardiography 58 consecutive patients with previous AMI (50 men of mean age 57
      years, range 40-73; 8 women of mean age 58 years, range 50-68). All the patients
      with perfusion defect at infarct site that was persistent at 4-hour study, were
      reimaged after 24 hours. Twenty-one (36%) of 58 patients complained about
      postinfarction angina. Following intravenous DIP (0.56 mg/kg), heart rate
      increased from 67 +/- 14 to 83 +/- 14 b/min (< 0.0001) and diastolic and systolic
      arterial pressures dropped from 86 +/- 12 and 139 +/- 25 mmHg to 79 +/- 14 and
      132 +/- 27 mmHg, respectively (< 0.0001; < 0.0005). Of 57 patients with stress
      perfusion defects at infarct site, 16 (28%) demonstrated reversibility after 4
      hours and 19 (33.4%) after 24 hours, with a total of 35 (61.4%) patients
      demonstrating reversibility by combined 4-hour and 24-hour imaging (< 0.0001
      versus reversibility at 4-hour imaging alone). Thus, of 41 patients with 4-hour
      persistent thallium defects at infarct site, 19 (46.3%) demonstrated late
      reversibility.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423367
TI  - [Early isovolumetric relaxation: correlation with the densitometric analysis of
      coronary stenosis].
AB  - Early relaxation is characterized by a segmental outward wall movement during
      isovolumic relaxation. There is still no general agreement as to its
      significance. Some Authors have considered the phenomenon to be a specific marker
      of isolated coronary narrowing, others have regarded it as a normal variation of
      left ventricular relaxation and still others concluded that it is a compensatory
      phenomenon to local ischemia in another region. We used a method of quantitative
      assessment of regional left ventricular function and a videodensitometric
      analysis of coronary stenosis. In our study we didn't observe an improved
      systolic function of the regions that presented early relaxation, but a slight
      non significant reduction. We did neither observe any correlation between early
      relaxation and ischemia provoked by stress test nor between early relaxation and
      coronary artery disease. The amplitude of early relaxation was not statistically
      different between patients with and without stenosis of left anterior descending
      artery. We conclude that early relaxation is a normal variation of left
      ventricular relaxation.

PMID- 1423368
TI  - [Lipids and serum apoproteins in subjects with slight or mild coronary
      atherosclerosis evaluated with angiography].
AB  - In this study 126 subjects (91 males and 35 females, range of age 43-65 years)
      were studied by coronary angiography. We considered positive for coronary
      atherosclerosis also patients showing mild or moderate stenosis (> or = 25%). In
      all subjects we have evaluated serum lipid and apoprotein A-I, B, C-II, C-III and
      E levels; therefore also cholesterol concentrations in all lipoprotein fractions,
      separated by sequential ultracentrifugation (VLDL d < 1.006, LDL d 1.006-1.063,
      HDL d > 1.063 g/ml) and apoprotein B in LDL have been measured. Subjects with
      coronary atherosclerosis have shown significantly higher levels of total
      cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol and LDL
      cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratios than controls. Therefore, a lower apo A-I/apo
      B ratio in males and a higher LDL-apo B levels in females has been found in
      subjects with coronary atherosclerosis in comparison with controls. The stepwise
      multiple analysis has demonstrated that LDL-cholesterol levels is the parameter
      that best correlates with the presence of coronary atherosclerosis. These data
      confirm the importance of the reduction of LDL-cholesterol levels in primary and
      secondary prevention of coronary heart disease.

PMID- 1423369
TI  - [The use of the inferior epigastric artery as alternative conduit for myocardial
      revascularization: our experience].
AB  - When complete revascularization can not be obtained with the internal mammary
      artery and saphenous veins, the inferior epigastric artery may be an excellent
      alternative conduit. We describe our experience with this conduit, review the
      anatomy of this artery, and present the evolution of our harvesting technique
      through a pararettal approach. Proximal anastomoses were made first with the aid
      of an oval cuff of the common femoral artery (5 cases, Group A). Two patients
      (40%) of this group studied postoperatively revealed a graft occlusion. In the
      last 13 cases (Group B) we tailored the proximal anastomoses directly to the
      aorta. All patients studied postoperatively showed patent inferior epigastric
      artery grafts. There were no hernias and no deaths. Inferior epigastric artery
      can be considered a good alternative conduit in myocardial revascularization.

PMID- 1423370
TI  - [Phase 3 and phase 4 bundle of branch block].
AB  - Intermittent left bundle branch blocks are present in the ECGs of 1 patient with
      mitral valve disease. By occurring either after short or long cycles they
      represent respectively phase 3 and phase 4 blocks. Such mechanisms emphasize the
      relationship between automatism and conduction. The occurrence of block and of
      normal conduction during cycles of the same length, its correlation with the
      conduction of the previous cycle, demonstrate the presence of a functional
      linking between successive impulses. This linking may occur every time a
      potential or active macroreentry circuit exist. In our case the circuit is formed
      by the 2 bundle branches which join distally in the ventricular septum.

PMID- 1423371
TI  - [Critical mitral stenosis in pregnancy: description of a case treated with
      percutaneous valvuloplasty].
AB  - We report the case of a 26-year-old woman who underwent mitral valvuloplasty
      during the 23rd week of gestation, following an episode of pulmonary edema.
      Dilation, performed without complications, increased mitral valve area from 0.9
      to 1.8 cm2, cardiac output from 4.8 to 5.9 l/min, and decreased mean
      transvalvular gradient from 13.2 to 5 mmHg. The patient delivered spontaneously a
      full-term normal baby. Echocardiographic evaluation at 6 months confirmed the
      persistency of procedure's good outcome. According to some Authors and to our
      results it can be inferred that mitral valvuloplasty is a feasible and effective
      treatment for critical mitral stenosis during pregnancy.

PMID- 1423372
TI  - [Mitochondrial myopathy and the heart. Kearns-Sayre syndrome].

PMID- 1423373
TI  - The invention and reinvention of cardiac pacing.
AB  - Two primitive pacemakers were invented between 1925 and 1932, demonstrating that
      adequate knowledge existed to pace the heart for brief periods. Heart specialists
      ignored these interesting inventions. In contrast, Zoll's announcement of
      external pacing in 1952 spurred intense interest and an outpouring of research.
      The reasons for the different response of heart specialists in the 1950s have to
      do with improved medical understanding of cardiac arrhythmias, growing confidence
      that cardiac resuscitation was possible, and the expansion of hospital-based
      medicine after World War II.

PMID- 1423375
TI  - Timing cycles of permanent pacemakers.
AB  - A clear understanding of the components of the pacemaker timing cycles is crucial
      to understanding and interpreting paced electrocardiograms. The information given
      in this article provides basic rules for timing cycles for pacing modes currently
      in use and pacing modes less frequently used but of importance in understanding
      current timing cycles. Although understanding basic timing cycles allows
      interpretation of most paced electrocardiograms, manufacturer-dependent
      variations of the timing cycle operation make it necessary to be intimately
      familiar with the design of each pacemaker to be interpreted.

PMID- 1423374
TI  - Cardiac pacing in special and complex situations. Indications and modes of
      stimulation.
AB  - This article reviews a variety of pacing options for those patients with special
      and complex situations. Syndromes and syncopes, cardiomyopathy, and coronary
      artery disease are reviewed. Pacing modes are also discussed.

PMID- 1423376
TI  - Cardiac pacing and atrial arrhythmias.
AB  - Pacemaker patients frequently have concomitant atrial tachyarrhythmias, most
      importantly atrial fibrillation, because numerous underlying electrical or
      structural diseases can potentiate both conditions. DDD pacing (or atrial)
      appears superior to VVI in limiting the occurrence of atrial fibrillation and its
      associated negative sequela. Sick sinus syndrome, a prior history of atrial
      fibrillation, and advanced age predispose patients with DDD devices to
      postimplant atrial fibrillation, yet the majority of these high-risk patients are
      manageable in DDD throughout their follow-up. DDD patients at significant risk
      for developing atrial arrhythmias require special attention regarding the
      selection and programming of their devices. Rate modulation, higher lower rate
      limits, special approaches toward upper rate limit management, and
      antitachycardia capabilities may all be important aspects in their management.
      The combined use of AV node ablation and ventricular or DDD pacing to manage
      patients with refractory atrial tachyarrhythmias is becoming an increasingly
      accepted therapeutic approach.

PMID- 1423377
TI  - Physiology of rate-responsive pacing.
AB  - The search for a pacemaker that accurately and easily mimics normal physiology is
      a continuing effort. There have been many achievements in the past, including
      sensing of the pacing chamber and programming of the pacing rate, sensitivity,
      and output. Present pacing developments include atrioventricular synchrony and
      rate adaptiveness. Results of studies on activation sequence and circadian
      variations will impact future pacing. The usefulness, cost effectiveness, and
      clinical value of some of the new pacing features remain unclear. Further
      clinical trials are necessary to clarify the value of new pacing techniques.

PMID- 1423378
TI  - Comparison of two activity-controlled rate-adaptive pacing principles:
      acceleration versus vibration.
AB  - Activity-guided rate-adaptive pacing is currently the most widely used principle
      for rate adaptation. Broad experience has been gathered from several hundred
      thousand pacemakers that adjust the pacing rate according to vibrational forces
      detected by a piezosensor bonded to the inner side of the pacemaker can. A new
      generation of accelerometer-based pacemakers has been introduced into clinical
      practice. The vibrational type detects vibration, pressure, and shock waves
      traveling through the body with physical stress and using the pacemaker can as a
      resonator. In contrast, the accelerometer is insulated from the pacemaker housing
      and is incorporated into electronic hybrid circuitry. The forces detected by an
      accelerometer are motion and acceleration of the body in an anterior-posterior
      direction. Clinical studies conducted to date have shown that the accelerometer
      to be superior to the conventional vibration activity pacemakers, as far as the
      discrimination of different workloads and rejection of unwanted environmental
      noise are concerned.

PMID- 1423379
TI  - Rate-responsive pacing using electrographic parameters as sensors.
AB  - The use of evoked QT-interval and ventricular depolarization gradient as sensors
      for rate-responsive pacing is described in this article. The QT interval has been
      used as a biosensor in implantable pacemakers since 1981, and recent refinements
      have improved the rate response characteristics and simplified the programming of
      this pacemaker. Recently, QT and activity sensing have been combined to produce a
      dual-sensor rate-responsive pacemaker that may offer advantages over single
      sensor devices. The ventricular depolarization gradient has been incorporated
      into a closed-loop rate-responsive pacing system and is undergoing clinical
      evaluation.

PMID- 1423380
TI  - Adaptive-rate pacemakers. Comparison of sensors and clinical experience.
AB  - Many types of artificial sensors for adaptive-rate pacing have appeared but as
      yet there is no single sensor that properly reflects metabolic demand under all
      circumstances. Several other types of sensors are currently evaluated.
      Combinations of different sensors in a single unit are very promising. At
      present, however, the only completely satisfactory sensor is the normal sinus
      node.

PMID- 1423381
TI  - Survival in patients with permanent pacemakers.
AB  - Atrioventricular block I has a benign natural course, and permanent pacing is not
      warranted. Second-degree AV block, including both type I and type II, can have an
      ominous course, especially in older patients with underlying heart disease. One
      study claims that the prognosis in patients with second-degree AV block,
      irrespective of type, is improved by permanent pacing. In spite of lack of
      controlled studies it has been convincingly shown that VVI pacing prolongs life
      in patients with high-grade AV block. Two studies suggest that atrial synchronous
      pacing in patients with congestive heart failure and high-grade AV block might
      improve their survival. Studies comparing survival with different pacing modes in
      patients with sinus node disease support the hypothesis that physiologic pacing
      can improve survival. Prophylactic pacemaker implantation even in symptomatic
      patients with chronic bifascicular block does not seem to protect them from
      sudden death.

PMID- 1423382
TI  - Exercise testing for chronotropic assessment.
AB  - Cardiac chronotropic analysis has only begun to develop into a clinically
      relevant science. In the past, formal exercise testing was usually relegated to
      the assessment of ischemia or cardiac rehabilitation. The establishment of rate
      responsive pacemakers as a potentially effective treatment for chronotropic
      incompetence forced the definition of cardiac chronotropism and assessment of the
      pacemaker response. Little is known about the normal chronotropic response and
      less has been established about patients with ventricular dysfunction or
      ischemia, but standards are being set and modern pacemakers have produced the
      ideal clinical laboratory for investigation. Advanced telemetry, including sensor
      and actual rate trends, histography and sensorgraphy produce previously
      unobtainable clinical data. Now scientific inquiry demands that chronotropic
      evaluations seek to match the pacemaker-augmented response of the
      chronotropically incompetent patient to the metabolic requirements of the body.
      Only with formal exercise testing will this goal be achieved.

PMID- 1423383
TI  - Strategies for mode selection in antibradyarrhythmia pacing.
AB  - A systematic technique is described for selecting an appropriate mode of
      antibradycardia pacing on the basis of 10 clinical criteria. A computer model of
      the selection process was developed with input from more than 41 implanting
      physicians, and implemented together with a database management system for
      keeping track of mode selections and identifying cases in which the modes
      selected by the implanters differed from those recommended by the model. The
      selection technique, which can be used without a computer, is presented in detail
      with a decision-tree representation of the model and an explanation of the
      rationale behind each of its 39 possible recommendations.

PMID- 1423384
TI  - Lead extraction. Indications and techniques.
AB  - Each of the extraction techniques and their ancillary tools was reported as used
      successfully; however, until now, no technique has been successful when used in
      more than a few isolated instances. The technique for intravascular
      countertraction and the associated tools described in this paper were devised and
      selected in an attempt to develop one technique to be used on all patients, with
      all types of leads, and with a very low complication rate. Its versatility
      permitted single or multiple lead extractions combined with the precision of
      selecting and extracting a specific lead. In our experience, as well as the
      experience of others, the techniques described in this paper have proved to be
      superior by minimizing the inherent risk and morbidity, allowing us to expand the
      indications for lead removal beyond septicemia and free-floating leads, to
      include infection, abandonment of pockets, and replacement of malfunctioning or
      fractured leads. Intravascular countertraction was a consistently safe and
      efficacious method of removing transvenous pacemaker leads regardless of the
      duration of the implant, thus permitting extractions in patients not considered
      candidates for a more extensive surgical procedure. Intravascular countertraction
      encompasses surgical and fluoroscopic techniques possessed by most physicians
      experienced in pacemaker and automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator
      implants. However, there is a learning curve, predicating caution for the
      inexperienced physician. In addition, advanced surgical skills may be needed in
      handling associated conditions such as debridement and primary closure of
      chronically inflamed tissues, especially in submuscular pockets and sinus tracts
      in the neck. Although the potential for a cardiovascular complication is small,
      it does exist, and cardiovascular surgical backup is a recommended precaution.

PMID- 1423385
TI  - Pediatric cardiac pacing.
AB  - Cardiac pacing in children has undergone many improvements in the last decade.
      The differences between adult and pediatric pacing have narrowed. Children are no
      longer being denied pacemakers because of size. This article discusses techniques
      for pacing pediatric patients successfully that will allow them to lead normal
      lives.

PMID- 1423386
TI  - Historical overview on the development and characteristics of stents and future
      outlooks.
AB  - The history and development of endovascular stents is described beginning with
      the Maass double helix spiral prosthesis, the first stent used in human clinical
      trials in the early 80s. This is followed by a description of the three main
      groups of stent techniques: the shape memory alloy stents, the balloon-expandable
      stents, and the self-expanding stainless steel stents. Requirements and new
      trends for improving clinical results in the future complete this text.

PMID- 1423387
TI  - Intravascular stenting: from basic research to clinical application.
AB  - Although the use of intravascular stents is approaching widespread clinical use,
      several questions remain regarding their safety and efficacy. Several factors
      have direct bearing on the immediate and long-term results of intravascular
      stenting. The technical results of stenting are dependent on the mechanical
      characteristics of the device and long-term patency is closely related to
      thrombogenicity and endothelialization. Although stents are used most frequently
      for the treatment of atherosclerotic disease there is no clear understanding of
      how they influence the atheromatous lesion.

PMID- 1423388
TI  - Stent placement in iliac arterial lesions: three years of clinical experience
      with the Wallstent.
AB  - Within a 3-year period, 125 patients with 63 iliac occlusions and 62 complex
      iliac stenoses underwent stent placement using self-expandable vascular
      endoprostheses. Early technical success rate was 98%, with a total complication
      rate of 4%. Major complications were seen in 1.6%. Early reobstruction occurred
      in 4 patients with previous occlusions. Late reobstruction due to a clinically
      relevant restenosis or reocclusion occurred in 10 patients and required 12 repeat
      interventional procedures. Cumulative patency, excluding early technical failure,
      was 100% at 6 months and 89.4% at 24 months. Stenting of iliac arteries using
      self-expandable endoprostheses is a safe and effective treatment of complex iliac
      lesions.

PMID- 1423389
TI  - Stenting of the iliac arteries with the Palmaz stent: experience from a
      multicenter trial.
AB  - Balloon-expandable, intraluminal stenting of the iliac arteries with the Palmaz
      stent was the subject of a multicenter study for 4 years. A total of 486 patients
      underwent 587 procedures. Four hundred and five patients had unilateral and 81
      had bilateral iliac stent placements. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 48 months (mean
      13.3 +/- 11 months). Sustained clinical benefit of the treated patients was
      obtained in 90.9% at 1 year, 84.1% at 2 years, and 68.6% at 43 months.
      Angiographic patency rate was 92%. Diabetes mellitus and poor runoff had
      significant negative influence on the clinical outcome. The 10% incidence of
      procedural complications was not altered by operator experience.

PMID- 1423390
TI  - The Strecker stent: indications and results in iliac and femoropopliteal
      arteries.
AB  - We have implanted more than 100 Strecker stents in the iliac and femoral
      arteries. In iliac arteries, follow-up is available from 8 to 48 months (mean 20
      months) and in peripheral arteries, from 8 to 32 months (mean 19 months). In
      iliac and proximal femoral arteries there was a patency rate of 98% (mean 20
      months after stent implantation) whereas in peripheral arteries the patency rate
      was 70.8% (mean 19 months after stent implantation). Besides careful selection of
      patients, anticoagulation is very important for successful stenting. Because of
      the excellent results of stents in iliac vessels there is a wide range of good
      indications, including primary stenting after recanalization of occlusions. In
      contrast, stent implantation in peripheral vessels should be restricted to
      special cases such as acute dissection or reocclusion after successful
      recanalization.

PMID- 1423391
TI  - A comparison study of self-expandable stents vs balloon angioplasty alone in
      femoropopliteal artery occlusions.
AB  - In a group of 26 patients percutaneous transluminal (balloon) angioplasty (PTA)
      and stents (Wallstents) were applied and in another 26 matched patients PTA alone
      was used as primary treatment for femoropopliteal occlusions of 3 cm or longer.
      Five patients with stents showed early thrombosis necessitating catheter
      thrombolysis and/or thrombus aspiration. Ten patients had recurrent stenoses
      within 12 months, mostly due to neointimal hyperplasia. Following three late
      catheter reinterventions, a cumulative secondary patency rate of 69% was achieved
      after 12 months. The group of patients treated by PTA alone showed a 12 months
      patency rate of 65% without reinterventions. In 8 other patients, stents were
      inserted for recurrent obstructive or PTA-resistant lesions, and similar results
      as with the stents above were obtained. Thus, these stents do not improve primary
      results of PTA in femoropopliteal occlusions but may be useful secondarily after
      unsuccessful PTA.

PMID- 1423393
TI  - Gianturco-Rosch expandable Z-stents in the treatment of superior vena cava
      syndrome.
AB  - Gianturco-Rosch expandable Z-stents were used in 22 patients with superior vena
      cava syndrome (SVCS). Stents were placed in all patients in the SVC and in 17
      patients, also into the innominate veins. Stent placement resulted in complete
      relief of symptoms in all patients. Twenty-one patients had no SVCS recurrence
      from 1 to 16 months, to their death, or to the present time. SVCS recurred only
      in 1 patient 9 months after stent placement due to tumor ingrowth and secondary
      thrombosis. Based on ours and on other reported experiences, expandable metallic
      stents are effective devices for treatment of the SVCS which is difficult to
      manage by other means.

PMID- 1423392
TI  - Midterm results of renal artery stenting.
AB  - Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) has become the treatment of choice
      for major renal artery stenosis. Nonetheless, about 10% of renal artery stenoses
      cannot be properly dilated, and among the patients successfully dilated, 10%-15%
      had a recurrence. Renal artery stenting was used in 21 patients in cases of
      insufficient results after PTA: persisting significant stenosis after a primary
      or several PTAs (15 cases), recurrences (9 cases). Follow-up in all patients was
      from 12 months to 4 years. Implantation was performed without any problems but
      the low radioopacity of the stent makes placement difficult in obese patients,
      particularly for ostial lesions. There was no major complication except occlusion
      of a segmental branch of the renal artery in 1 case. Radiological controls have
      shown a preserved patency in all cases except 2, which present restenosis inside
      the stent by intimal hyperplasia. A significant clinical improvement was obtained
      in 90% of cases. These results suggest that the endovascular prosthesis
      represents an important adjunct to renal PTA.

PMID- 1423394
TI  - Gianturco self-expanding stents: clinical experience in the vena cava and large
      veins.
AB  - Twenty-five patients with stenosis of the vena cava (21) and other large veins
      (4) have been treated with self-expanding Gianturco metallic stents. Eighteen
      patients had superior vena cava syndrome. In 17, the stricture was due to
      malignant superior vena cava compression recurrent after maximum tolerance
      radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. In 16 of these patients there was early
      symptomatic relief. In 1 patient with a benign posttraumatic superior vena cava
      stricture, the stenosis was not relieved, and occlusion occurred after 1 month.
      Stenoses associated with dialysis shunts were relieved in 2 other patients. Two
      malignant and one benign inferior vena cava stenoses were relieved either until
      death, or in the benign case, for 30 months. One malignant subclavian vein
      obstruction occluded after 24 h due to stent misplacement and another with
      extrinsic mediastinal compression remained patent until death, extensive thrombus
      having been lysed prior to stent placement. The results of this short series
      suggest that the Gianturco self-expanding stent in the vena cava and large veins
      is easy and safe to place, and in most cases produces almost immediate palliation
      of the distressing effects of venous obstruction, often in a preterminal and
      inoperable patient.

PMID- 1423395
TI  - Use of the Wallstent in the venous system including hemodialysis-related
      stenoses.
AB  - Eighteen patients with a total of 23 venous stenoses or occlusions were treated
      with the Wallstent. In 5 patients treated for malignant stenosis there was one
      primary failure due to insufficient stent expansion. The other 4 patients showed
      rapid relief of their inflow obstruction, all remaining asymptomatic despite
      later stent occlusion in 1 patient. Four patients were treated for benign
      postoperative stenoses of the iliac or femoral vein. All stents remained patent
      for a period of 6 weeks-58 months. Nine patients were treated for one or multiple
      stenoses along the venous outflow tract of hemodialysis fistulas. Of 14 lesions
      that were eventually stented, 12 are still patent after 3-27 months (mean 19).
      However, 10 secondary interventions (eight percutaneous transluminal angioplasty
      (PTA), two stents) and three additional stent procedures for new lesions were
      necessary. Although our experience is limited, we believe that patients with
      tumor compression or postoperative strictures of large veins benefit from
      treatment with stents. Stenting of venous outflow stenoses in hemodialysis
      fistulas can significantly prolong stent function, however, PTA should always be
      the first treatment of choice.

PMID- 1423397
TI  - A consultation.

PMID- 1423398
TI  - A permanently bondable matrix band for composite restorations.

PMID- 1423396
TI  - Morphologic and clinical results of the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic
      stent-shunt (TIPSS).
AB  - The concept of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-assisted shunt
      (TIPSS) using the Palmaz iliac stent has been successfully accomplished in 18 of
      24 patients representing a technical success rate of 75%. Fourteen were male, 4
      female with a mean age of 60 years (range 34-84 years). According to
      classification of Child's and Turcotte, 6 were in stage A, 6 in stage B, and 6 in
      stage C. Five patients were treated on an emergency basis because of massive
      active bleeding. In 10 patients the portosystemic tract was created between the
      middle hepatic vein and the right main stem of the portal vein in 8, and the left
      main stem in 2 patients. In 8 patients, the shunt was established between the
      right hepatic vein and the right main branch of the portal vein. The
      portosystemic gradient in 18 patients was 29.9 +/- 6 mm Hg and dropped to an
      average of 16.9 +/- 4 mm Hg after shunt establishment. Within the early
      postprocedural period of 30 days, 1 patient died of direct complications of the
      procedure. Because of catheter dislocation, embolization of the percutaneous
      transhepatic approach to the portal vein after successful shunt "creation" could
      not be done and was followed by intraabdominal exsanguination. One patient died
      of an ARDS after TIPSS. A third developed pulmonary infection. In 13 patients,
      because of hematomas at the puncture site of the transhepatic approach, only the
      transjugular approach was elected for establishing TIPSS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423399
TI  - Periodontal disease in the life stages of women.

PMID- 1423400
TI  - Diagnostic anesthesia for referred trigeminal pain: 1.

PMID- 1423401
TI  - Applications of oxidized regenerated cellulose in periodontal therapy: Part 1.

PMID- 1423402
TI  - Sequelae of occlusal rest loss: a case report.

PMID- 1423403
TI  - Differential diagnosis of localized soft-tissue tumefactions of the tongue.

PMID- 1423404
TI  - Electronic spreadsheets--tools for profit.

PMID- 1423405
TI  - Morphea: a localized scleroderma, with en coup de sabre.

PMID- 1423406
TI  - The top 20 prescription drugs and how they affect your dental practice.

PMID- 1423407
TI  - A clinical comparison of three overdenture anchors.

PMID- 1423408
TI  - Hepatitis B and hepatitis C: what you should know.

PMID- 1423409
TI  - Phenytoin-induced gingival overgrowth: a case report.

PMID- 1423410
TI  - A cost analysis for handpiece infection control: autoclave vs hydrogen peroxide
      vapor sterilization.

PMID- 1423411
TI  - The forensic dental report.

PMID- 1423412
TI  - Functional implications of spontaneous sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release in the
      heart.
AB  - The Cai oscillation generated by the sarcoplasmic reticulum in response to an
      action potential occurs relatively synchronously within and among cells. The
      sarcoplasmic reticulum can also generate spontaneous Cai oscillations (S-CaOs),
      ie, not triggered by sarcolemmal depolarisation. The local increase in Cai due to
      S-CaOs is equivalent to that induced by an action potential. Heterogeneity of
      diastolic Cai among cells within myocardial tissue caused by asynchronous S-CaOs
      leads to heterogeneous myofilament activation, the summation of which produces a
      Ca2+ dependent component to diastolic tone. The local increases in Cai due to S
      CaOs also cause oscillatory sarcolemmal depolarisations due to Ca2+ modulation of
      the Na-Ca exchanger and of non-specific cation channels. When local S-CaOs within
      a myocardial cell is sufficiently synchronised the resultant depolarisation
      summates and can be sufficient to trigger a spontaneous action potential.
      Inhomogeneous levels of diastolic Cai among cells may lead to heterogeneity in
      cell coupling and thus may also affect the impulse conduction in myocardial
      tissue. The magnitude of the S-CaOs induced diastolic tonus and depolarisation
      varies with the extent to which S-CaOs are synchronised; partially synchronised S
      CaOs following an action potential induced Ca2+ release produce an
      aftercontraction and afterdepolarisation. Inhomogeneity of diastolic sarcoplasmic
      reticulum Ca2+ loading and sarcomere lengths within individual cardiac cells due
      to S-CaOs leads to inhomogeneous systolic Cai levels and sarcomere
      inhomogeneities in response to a subsequent action potential, which compromise
      the systolic contraction amplitude. Heterogeneity of systolic Cai among cells due
      to diastolic S-CaOs also leads to heterogeneity of action potential
      repolarisation times, due to heterogeneous Cai modulation of the Na-Ca exchanger,
      the non-specific cation channel, the L type Ca2+ channel and, depending upon
      species, Ca2+ activated K+ channels. S-CaOs occurrence during a long action
      potential plateau may also modulate the removal of voltage inactivation of L type
      Ca2+ channels, and affects the likelihood of the occurrence of "early
      afterdepolarisations." Thus, as a single entity, S-CaOs may be implicated in
      diverse manifestation of heart failure--impaired systolic performance, increased
      diastolic tonus, and an increased probability for the occurrence of arrhythmias.

PMID- 1423413
TI  - Engineering and physiological approaches to the study of cardiovascular function:
      science and pseudoscience?

PMID- 1423414
TI  - Engineering and physiological approaches to the study of cardiovascular function:
      alternative or complementary?

PMID- 1423415
TI  - Differential effects of left anterior descending coronary occlusion on left and
      right ventricular anterior wall thickening in the conscious pig.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In humans, the left anterior descending coronary artery supplies the
      left ventricular wall, anterior septum and the paraseptal part of the right
      ventricular anterior wall. Our aim was to study the effects of acute left
      anterior descending coronary occlusion on wall thickening in the regions of the
      left and right ventricular anterior walls supplied by the artery, and in remote,
      non-ischaemic regions of both ventricles. METHODS: Systolic wall thickening
      (defined as percent thickening with respect to end diastolic wall thickness) was
      studied in eight conscious pigs every 15 s during 1 min of acute left anterior
      descending coronary occlusion by a cuff occluder, and every 30 s during 4 min of
      reperfusion. Pigs were instrumented with ultrasonic microcrystals measuring wall
      thickness in the anterior walls (left anterior descending artery territory) and
      lateral walls (left circumflex or right coronary artery territory) of both
      ventricles, and a left ventricular pressure microtransducer. RESULTS: During
      control and reperfusion, both anterior walls displayed similar systolic
      thickening. During coronary occlusion, the left ventricular anterior wall showed
      paradoxical systolic thinning (dyskinesia) whereas the right ventricular anterior
      wall showed only hypokinesia. CONCLUSIONS: In the presence of equal blood flow
      deprivation, the right ventricular anterior wall supplied by the left anterior
      descending coronary artery displays a significantly lesser degree of functional
      impairment than the left ventricular anterior wall supplied by the same artery.
      This differential effect may be due to mechanical unloading of the right
      ventricular anterior wall resulting from left ventricular anterior wall
      ischaemia. This afterload reduction due to decreased mechanical interaction
      between the two walls would allow the right ventricular anterior wall to express
      its contractile reserve in the form of systolic thickening.

PMID- 1423416
TI  - Cardioprotective effects of ischaemic preconditioning are not mediated by
      prostanoids.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Some reports have suggested that the mechanism of ischaemic
      "preconditioning" is mediated through prostacyclins. In this study the hypothesis
      that the cardioprotective effect of preconditioning is due to the synthesis and
      release of prostaglandin/prostacyclin was tested by assessing whether aspirin, an
      inhibitor of cyclo-oxygenase, could block or prevent the protective effect of
      preconditioning. METHODS: In protocol I, three groups of rats were studied. (1)
      CONTROL: rats received 90 min of coronary occlusion followed by 4.5 h of
      reperfusion (n = 8). (2) Preconditioning: hearts were preconditioned by three
      repeated episodes of 3 min of coronary occlusion and 5 min of reperfusion, and
      then subjected to 90 min of occlusion followed by 4 h of reperfusion (n = 9). (3)
      Aspirin + preconditioning: aspirin (10 mg.kg-1) was given 10 min prior to the
      preconditioning. Rats then underwent preconditioning and occlusion/reperfusion as
      in group 2 (n = 8). In protocol II, two groups were studied. (1) CONTROL: rats
      received 90 min of occlusion and 4.5 h of reperfusion (n = 6). (2) Aspirin +
      single occlusion: aspirin (10 mg.kg-1) was given 10 min prior to the 90 min
      occlusion, and then rats underwent occlusion/reperfusion as in controls (n = 6).
      Female Sprague-Dawley rats weighing between 235-500 g were used. Planimetry was
      used to measure area at risk (AR) following blue dye injection and area of
      necrosis (AN) after tetrazolium staining. RESULTS: Protocol I: all three groups
      had comparable AR. AN/AR was reduced significantly (p less than 0.05) in both the
      preconditioning group [29.6(SEM 7.6)%] and the aspirin + preconditioning group
      [29.6(8.7)%] compared with the control group [59.3(3.4)%]. The incidence of
      ventricular tachycardia and/or fibrillation was also reduced in both the
      preconditioning and the aspirin + preconditioning groups. Protocol II: the area
      at risk, area of necrosis, and the indicence of ventricular arrhythmia were not
      significantly different between aspirin + 90 min occlusion and control groups.
      CONCLUSIONS: Preconditioning both with and without aspirin significantly reduced
      infarct size and the incidence of ventricular tachycardia and/or fibrillation. As
      the effects of preconditioning were not prevented by aspirin, this suggests that
      the cardioprotective effects of preconditioning are not mediated by prostanoids
      in the rat model.

PMID- 1423417
TI  - Deleterious cardiac effects of captopril during acute myocardial ischaemia in the
      dog.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate the effects of the angiotensin converting
      enzyme inhibitor captopril on acute myocardial ischaemia. METHODS: Seventeen
      anaesthetised open chest dogs were randomised to 3 minute angioplasty balloon
      occlusions of the left circumflex coronary artery before and after intravenous
      infusion of captopril (n = 8) or placebo (n = 9). RESULTS: There was apparent
      worsening of ischaemia during balloon inflation after captopril infusion, when
      compared with control inflation, as suggested by further ST segment elevation of
      1.8 (SD 1.8) mm, p less than 0.03, and by further lowering of regional myocardial
      pH [-0.05(0.05), p = 0.06], and peak positive and peak negative dP/dt [
      439(337)mm Hg.s-1, p less than 0.008; -470(316) mm Hg.s-1, p less than 0.004,
      respectively]. The increase in ischaemia occurred despite reduced double product
      after captopril administration. Regional myocardial blood flow in the ischaemic
      artery distribution was lower during post captopril balloon occlusion [-0.1(0.06)
      ml.min-1.g-1, p less than 0.005] than during control balloon inflation, while
      coronary vascular resistance increased by 161(172)% (range 45 to 497%, p less
      than 0.04). There were no significant differences in ST segments, pH,
      haemodynamic variables, or blood flow during balloon inflations before and after
      saline infusion. CONCLUSIONS: Despite lower myocardial metabolic demands, acute
      intravenous administration of captopril was associated with increased ischaemia
      during transient coronary artery occlusion.

PMID- 1423418
TI  - Local activation variability during monomorphic ventricular tachycardia in the
      dog.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to determine the beat to beat variability in local
      activation time during sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia in a canine
      model of experimental myocardial infarction. METHODS: A digital template matching
      algorithm was developed for detecting subtle beat to beat variability in local
      activation timing at each of multiple ventricular sites. Ten electrically induced
      sustained ventricular tachycardia episodes, mean cycle length 211 (SD 40) ms,
      were endocardially and epicardially mapped in mongrel dogs weighing 15-20 kg.
      Digitised data were analysed for beat to beat local activation time variability.
      Similar data recorded during ventricular pacing at comparable rates and during
      sinus rhythm served as controls. RESULTS: The overall mean variability of local
      activation time for all 10 ventricular tachycardias was 3.2(1.6) ms, range
      1.8(1.1) ms to 4.7(2.8) ms, in contrast to the overall mean variability of
      0.2(0.4) ms (p = 0.0001) for ventricular pacing and 0.7(0.6) ms (p = 0.0001) for
      sinus rhythm. Oscillations in local activation time manifested alternans type
      periodicity during seven of 10 ventricular tachycardias independent of any
      alternans in local electrogram morphology. CONCLUSIONS: During sustained,
      monomorphic ventricular tachycardia, beat to beat variability and alternans type
      oscillations in local activation time are common and may be an intrinsic property
      of re-entry since they are negligibly small during ventricular pacing.

PMID- 1423419
TI  - Role of anisotropy in determining the selective action of antiarrhythmics in
      atrial flutter in the dog.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to clarify the electrophysiological and anatomical
      features of the preferential site of action of antiarrhythmic drugs in the re
      entrant circuit of canine atrial flutter. METHODS: Electrophysiological and
      anatomical findings were correlated in 17 anaesthetised adult mongrel dogs with
      atrial flutter associated with an intercaval anatomical obstacle, before and
      after intravenous administration of disopyramide (2 mg.kg-1) and flecainide (2
      mg.kg-1). RESULTS: Before drug injection, a rate dependent prolongation of
      conduction time occurred in the low right atrium where the conduction was slow
      during atrial flutter. Disopyramide (n = 8 dogs) and flecainide (n = 9 dogs)
      terminated atrial flutter, with conduction block occurring in this slow
      conduction area in the low right atrium. Although the degree of drug induced
      prolongation of refractoriness in this particular area was similar to those in
      other areas of the right atrium, conduction was depressed to a greater extent in
      this region. Anatomical study revealed that a thick pectinate muscle that
      branched from the crista or crista terminalis itself ran perpendicular to the
      wavefront of the pacing impulse and atrial flutter in this slow conduction area.
      CONCLUSIONS: These data indicated that slow conduction might be attributed, at
      least in part, to anisotropic conduction over the thick muscle bundle in the low
      right atrium, and that antiarrhythmic drugs preferentially produced conduction
      block in this area. Anisotropic conduction in the low right arium is an
      anatomical substrate for slow conduction in the re-entrant circuit and for the
      site preference of antiarrhythmic drugs in the present canine model.

PMID- 1423420
TI  - Effects of regional ischaemia, with or without reperfusion, on endothelium
      dependent coronary relaxation in the dog.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to establish whether the duration of coronary ischaemia
      and coronary ischaemia with reperfusion selectively reduced the magnitude of
      relaxation mediated by endothelium dependent relaxing factor (EDRF) in response
      to thrombin, compared with relaxation produced by acetylcholine and calcimycin.
      METHODS: Adult male dogs, anaesthetised with sodium pentobarbitone (30 mg.kg-1
      intravenously) were used. Coronary artery occlusions were maintained for either
      15 or 45 min; in half the dogs from each timepoint, occlusion was followed by 60
      min reperfusion. At the end of each in situ period, coronary arteries were
      removed from both ischaemic and non-ischaemic regions, cut into rings, and hung
      in isolated organ baths. Dose-response relationships to the EDRF dependent
      vasodilators thrombin, acetylcholine, and calcimycin, and to the EDRF independent
      vasodilator isoprenaline, were then established. RESULTS: Thrombin (0.003-0.3
      units.ml-1) caused dose dependent relaxation in all tissues. Relaxant responses
      (E(max)) in the non-ischaemic vessels from both 15 and 45 min treatment groups
      were used as control data for the responses in ischaemic vessels. Maximum
      responses were not different in the non-ischaemic groups from either 15 or 45 min
      studies, at 82.7 (SEM 3.7)% after 15 min, and 82.1(2.4)% after 45 min. There was
      a small but significant reduction in E(max) after 15 min and 45 min ischaemia, to
      74.4(3.2)% and 74.4(3.0)% respectively. Sixty minutes reperfusion provoked a
      further reduction in E(max) to 64.9(3.8)% after 45 min ischaemia, but not after
      15 min ischaemia [70.3(4.2)%]. Neither 15 nor 45 min interventions altered E(max)
      of relaxation to acetylcholine or calcimycin (greater than 88.0% in each group).
      Similarly there were no significant differences between groups to the relaxation
      stimulated by isoprenaline (E(max) greater than 90.0%). CONCLUSIONS: The data
      suggest that loss of EDRF dependent relaxation to thrombin is more sensitive to
      ischaemia than the relaxation produced by either acetylcholine or calcimycin, and
      appears to be manifested early in the onset of ischaemic injury.

PMID- 1423421
TI  - Nitric oxide does not mediate flow induced endothelium dependent arterial
      dilatation in the cat.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to determine whether the endothelium derived nitric oxide
      formed from L-arginine is the factor which mediates flow induced dilatation of
      conduit arteries. METHODS: Changes in diameter of feline femoral artery caused by
      blood flow rate increases, acetylcholine, and ATP were recorded during perfusion
      with blood in situ before and after the inhibition of endothelium derived nitric
      oxide synthesis by NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and NG-monomethyl-L-arginine.
      Fourteen anaesthetised cats of either sex, weight 2.6-3.9 kg, were used for the
      studies. RESULTS: Intravenous administration of NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester
      and NG-monoethyl-L-arginine in doses 10 and 30 mg.kg-1 evoked a rise in mean
      systemic arterial pressure, constriction of the femoral artery, and considerable
      decrease in acetylcholine and ATP induced dilatation. However, it did not affect
      the dilator response induced by increased blood flow rate. CONCLUSIONS: Flow
      induced endothelium dependent arterial dilatation is not mediated by nitric oxide
      or, if nitric oxide is still released in response to flow rate increase, it has a
      source distinct from L-arginine.

PMID- 1423422
TI  - Decreased hypothalamic and medullary GABA turnover in spontaneously hypertensive
      rats.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to assess whether Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurone
      activities in the central nervous system, especially in the hypothalamus and
      medulla oblangata, are altered in hypertension. METHODS: Central GABA content and
      turnover rate were measured in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and their
      normotensive Wistar Kyoto controls (WKY). GABA content was determined with high
      performance liquid chromatography, and in vivo GABA turnover rates were estimated
      by GABA accumulation after injection of amino-oxyacetic acid, a selective
      inhibitor of GABA degrading system. Two groups of nine week old male rats (32 SHR
      and 32 WKY) were used. RESULTS: GABA concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid were
      lower in SHR than in WKY. Since hypothalamus and medulla oblongata are the
      possible active sites of this system, basal GABA contents and in vivo GABA
      turnover rates were measured in hypothalamus and medulla oblongata. Basal GABA
      content in the medulla oblongata and hypothalamus was almost equal in SHR and
      WKY. On the other hand, GABA turnover rates were significantly lower in SHR than
      in WKY in both the hypothalamus and the medulla. CONCLUSIONS: Since it is known
      that GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and
      that it controls autonomic and cardiovascular activities, the findings suggest
      that the decreased hypothalamic and medullary GABAergic activities may permit
      sympathetic hyperactivity to contribute to the increase in blood pressure in SHR.

PMID- 1423423
TI  - Aortic input impedence and neurohormonal activation in patients with mild to
      moderate chronic congestive heart failure.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate the interrelation between pulsatile
      components (assessed by determination of aortic input impedance) and
      neurohormonal activation in chronic congestive heart failure. METHODS: Aortic
      input impedance, plasma noradrenaline, renin, atrial natriuretic factor, and
      arginine vasopressin were measured in 20 patients with mild to moderate chronic
      congestive heart failure (coronary artery disease n = 12, idiopathic dilated
      cardiomyopathy n = 8). RESULTS: Cardiac index [2.2(SEM 0.3) litre.min-1.m-2] and
      left ventricular ejection fraction [38(4)%] were reduced, and pulmonary wedge
      pressure was increased [21(2) mmHg]. Plasma concentrations of noradrenaline
      [462(62) pg.ml-1], renin [12(4) ng AI.ml.h-1], atrial natriuretic factor [408(64)
      pg.ml-1], and--to a slight degree--arginine vasopressin [1.1(0.3) pg.ml-1] were
      increased. Characteristic impedance Zc [80(6) dyne.s.cm-5) and relative
      oscillatory aortic input pressure power [10(1)%]--both reflecting the pulsatile
      components of left ventricular afterload--were within the normal range. There was
      no significant correlation between these variables and the degree of
      neurohormonal activation (r values: -0.05 to -0.35). CONCLUSIONS: The data show
      that in patients with mild to moderate chronic congestive heart failure there is
      no interrelationship between the degree of neurohormonal activation and pulsatile
      components of left ventricular afterload. This may indicate that in these stages
      of heart failure there are no trophic effects of stimulated neurohormonal systems
      on the physical properties of the great arteries.

PMID- 1423424
TI  - Compensatory subendocardial hyperkinesis in the cat is abolished during coronary
      insufficiency outside an acutely ischaemic region.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aims were to determine (1) whether acute coronary occlusion
      provoked uniform hyperkinesis in remote non-ischaemic myocardium, and (2) how
      subsequent coronary stenosis affected such hyperkinesis. METHODS: Two pairs of
      ultrasonic crystals were placed in the anterior left ventricular midwall of nine
      pentobarbitone anaesthetised open chest cats. One pair (longitudinal) ran
      parallel to subendocardial fibres; the other pair (circumferential) was aligned
      with subepicardial and mid-myocardial fibres. Following circumflex coronary
      occlusion, subsequent hypoperfusion of the anterior wall was established by
      controlled constriction of a shunt line from the right subclavian artery to the
      left main coronary artery in two discrete steps. RESULTS: Following circumflex
      occlusion maximum systolic shortening of segments aligned to subendocardial
      fibres increased from 6.7(SEM 0.9)% to 11.5(1.4)% (p less than 0.001), whereas
      circumferential segment shortening was unchanged, at 12.2(0.8)% v 14.1(1.1)%.
      During mild shunt stenosis [delta P = 42(2) mm Hg] subendocardial tissue blood
      flow in the anterior wall decreased by 42(10)% (p less than 0.001), and
      longitudinal segment shortening decreased from 11.5(1.4)% to 6.9(1.1)% (p less
      than 0.001). Corresponding shortening of circumferential segments did not change.
      During severe shunt stenosis [delta P = 52(3) mm Hg] subendocardial tissue blood
      flow decreased further, and shortening of longitudinal segments approached zero
      value (p less than 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Compensatory hyperkinesis of remote non
      ischaemic myocardium following an acute coronary occlusion may depend mostly on
      augmented subendocardial contraction.

PMID- 1423425
TI  - Dispersion of coronary artery thrombi by antagonism of platelet serotonin
      receptor in the dog.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Blockade of platelet 5HT2 receptors prevents coronary artery thrombi.
      This study explores the dispersal of established thrombus by such 5HT2
      antagonism. METHODS: Seven open chest anaesthetised beagles were used in a
      repeated measures study of the action of MDL 11,939 to remove the participation
      of platelet 5HT2 receptors in the natural history of intracoronary thrombosis
      with cyclic blood flow reduction. Endothelial damage and critical diameter
      constrictors were applied to the circumflex coronary artery, and systemic blood
      pressure and circumflex blood flow were measured continuously. RESULTS: Cyclic
      flow reductions, which were established by build up and embolisation of platelet
      thrombi, were completely abolished by the 5HT2 antagonist MDL 11,939. The dose
      given in the first two experiments was 0.5 mg.kg-1, reduced to 0.2 mg.kg-1 for
      the third. Subsequent animals received 0.1 mg.kg-1. Mean blood pressure rose
      slightly. Adrenaline infusion at 0.4 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 failed to restore
      cyclic flow reductions in any animal and caused a small flow increase without
      affecting mean blood pressure. The pattern of blood flow restitution after
      administration of MDL 11,939 was of great interest. In all the animals flow
      spontaneously increased in a stepwise fashion (a double step in five dogs). The
      step up was markedly different from the increase in flow seen during adrenaline
      infusion. CONCLUSIONS: (1) These results are further evidence of the importance
      of serotonin as a mediator of platelet thrombus in stenosed coronary arteries.
      (2) The apparent dissipation of thrombi by MDL 11,939 may be of importance.

PMID- 1423426
TI  - Engineering and physiological approaches to the study of cardiovascular function.

PMID- 1423427
TI  - Engineering and physiological approaches to the study of cardiovascular function.

PMID- 1423428
TI  - The oxygen free radical system: from equations through membrane-protein
      interactions to cardiovascular injury and protection.
AB  - Highly toxic oxygen radicals and their metabolites have been implicated in the
      pathogenesis of ischaemia/reperfusion injury. These reactive oxygen species
      include the superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical, and singlet
      oxygen. The central theme of this review is first to discuss the basic mechanisms
      of free radical generation from various potential sources, to point out and
      emphasise the growing importance of the role of singlet oxygen, and then to
      discuss in depth membrane-protein interactions that ultimately lead to myocardial
      damage and dysfunction. With this background, we highlight several novel
      therapeutic strategies aimed at interrupting the oxygen free radical mediated
      component of ischaemia/reperfusion injury. It is hoped that this thesis will then
      serve as a future impetus to challenge these hypotheses and further build on this
      truly unique system that has assumed such an important role in the
      pathophysiology of myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion and inflammation. "To those
      of us who are humbly exploring the mysteries of science, we must project our
      findings and model our systems. For if correct, we have made a small contribution
      and, if wrong, we have forced others to eventually think." A V Hill, on the
      occasion of the 50th anniversary of E H Starling's Linacre lecture (University
      College, London, 1968).

PMID- 1423429
TI  - Reperfusion injury: laboratory phenomenon or clinical reality?

PMID- 1423430
TI  - The L type calcium current in single hypertrophied cardiomyocytes isolated from
      the right ventricle of ferret heart.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to study L type calcium current alterations in relation to
      the action potential lengthening induced by hypertrophy in isolated
      cardiomyocytes from the right ventricle of ferret. METHODS: Chronic pulmonary
      artery constriction was established in adult male ferrets under anaesthesia. Sham
      operated animals were used as controls. Four to six weeks later the heart was
      excised and treated with a mixed collagenase-elastase solution to isolate the
      right ventricular myocytes. The calcium current was investigated in control and
      hypertrophied cells with the whole cell configuration of the patch clamp
      technique. The validity of the model was tested by analysis of the structural and
      passive electrical characteristics of the cells, which were enzymatically
      isolated from right ventricles previously overloaded (4 to 6 weeks) by clipping
      the pulmonary artery. RESULTS: Isolated cells from right ventricles submitted to
      a chronic pressure overload had well preserved cellular integrity suggesting the
      absence of myocardial failure. This compensated form of hypertrophy was
      characterised by a dilated transverse tubular system, which could explain the
      increased membrane capacity. Such cells developed a prolonged action potential
      with a less pronounced fast repolarisation phase inducing a higher plateau phase.
      When studied in physiological Tyrode solution the density and kinetics of the L
      type calcium current were not apparently modified, but a significant decrease in
      density was unmasked when sodium and potassium currents were suppressed by
      external and internal substitution of sodium and potassium by tetraethyl
      ammonium. CONCLUSIONS: The decrease in L type calcium current cannot be involved
      in the lengthening of action potential observed on hypertrophied myocytes, but it
      could account for the depressed contractile activity. A noticeable decrease of
      the transient outward current is suggested to explain the action potential
      alterations.

PMID- 1423431
TI  - Reactive and reparative myocardial fibrosis in arterial hypertension in the rat.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Myocardial fibrosis is an important determinant of pathological
      hypertrophy. In two experimental models of arterial hypertension the purpose of
      the study was (a) to determine total collagen volume fraction and relative
      contribution of scarring and perivascular/interstitial fibrosis; and (b) to
      assess the effects of the aldosterone receptor antagonist spironolactone on these
      patterns of fibrosis. METHODS: 76 eight week old Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 180
      to 200 g were used for the studies. Using videodensitometry total collagen volume
      fraction was separated into the various components for the left and right
      ventricles in the following experimental models: renovascular hypertension
      occurring following unilateral renal ischaemia; continuous aldosterone
      administration via osmotic minipumps with either high (AL) or low (ALLO) sodium
      diet; renovascular hypertension and AL after pretreatment and continuous
      treatment with either 20 or 200 mg.kg-1.d-1 subcutaneously of the competitive
      aldosterone receptor antagonist spironolactone. All groups were compared to age
      and sex matched controls. RESULTS: After eight weeks, systolic pressure was
      comparably increased in renovascular hypertension and AL and it remained raised
      with low dose spironolactone treatment in either model, but was normal with high
      dose spironolactone or low sodium diet. Left ventricular hypertrophy, expressed
      as a significant increase in left to right ventricular weight and left ventricle
      to body weight ratios, was present in renovascular hypertension, AL, and AL + low
      dose spironolactone compared to control (p < 0.005). In either ventricle: (1) the
      amount of interstitial/perivascular fibrosis and myocardial scarring was
      increased (p < 0.005) in renovascular hypertension and AL compared to control;
      (2) each was reduced (p < 0.005) with either dose of spironolactone; and (3) only
      scars were seen in ALLO. CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial fibrosis of either ventricle was
      comparable in renovascular hypertension and AL. Spironolactone was able largely
      to prevent the perivascular/interstitial fibrosis and scarring in either model
      irrespective of the development of left ventricular hypertrophy and arterial
      hypertension. Low sodium diet in hyperaldosteronism prevented hypertension and
      left ventricular hypertrophy, but not scarring. These findings suggest that a
      rise in plasma aldosterone, relative to sodium intake, may play a role in
      mediating collagen accumulation in the heart during the development of
      experimental arterial hypertension.

PMID- 1423432
TI  - Effect of transmural vagal stimulation on electrotonic current spread in the
      rabbit sinoatrial node.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The effect of vagal stimulation on the decay of electrotonic potential
      caused by intracellular current injection and on input resistance was measured in
      the sinoatrial node of isolated rabbit right atria. METHODS: Studies were
      performed on New Zealand White rabbits weighing approximately 2-3 kg. Vagal
      stimulation was achieved by transmural stimulation of intramural nerve fibres in
      the presence of propranolol. A K+ perfused suction electrode was used to inject
      hyperpolarising current pulses; input resistance was measured by means of a
      double barrel microelectrode. RESULTS: Vagal stimulation which caused a 14-20%
      increase of cycle length diminished electronic potential significantly by a
      decrease of membrane resistance. The input resistance of the sinoatrial node was
      not affected. Space constant values calculated by using either a one or a two
      dimensional model of electrotonic current spread were decreased on average by 13%
      and 14% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results from this study show that vagal
      stimulation which gave rise to a moderate negative chronotropic effect and marked
      changes in action potential configuration of nodal fibres affects the
      electrotonic interaction within the sinoatrial node. This may have consequences
      for the electrical activity and synchronisation of the sinoatrial nodal fibres.

PMID- 1423433
TI  - Postischaemic metabolic and functional recovery of rat heart after transient
      reperfusion with various low Ca2+ concentrations.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The effects of transient low Ca2+ reperfusion after ischaemia on
      metabolic and functional recovery were studied in isolated rat hearts. METHODS:
      31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was used to monitor creatine phosphate, ATP,
      intracellular inorganic phosphate (Pi), and intracellular pH during control
      perfusion (15 min), total ischaemia (30 min), and reperfusion (30 min). During
      early reperfusion (0-10 min) perfusate [Ca2+] amounted to 1.3 (control group),
      0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, or 0.7 mmol.litre-1. During late reperfusion (10-30
      min) perfusate [Ca2+] was 1.3 mmol.litre-1. Isolated rat hearts were used and
      perfused according to Langendorff. RESULTS: Recovery of creatine phosphate during
      early reperfusion was partly abolished during late reperfusion in the 0.1-0.4
      mmol.litre-1 groups (p < 0.01). In the 0.1 mmol.litre-1 group creatine phosphate
      content after 30 min reperfusion was lower (p < 0.05) than in the control group.
      Recovery of ATP during early reperfusion in the 0.3 mmol.litre-1 group was better
      than in the control group (p < 0.01). After 30 min reperfusion ATP recovery was
      better in the 0.3 mmol.litre-1 group (p < 0.01) and worse in the 0.1 mmol.litre-1
      group (p = 0.05) than in the control group. Decline of Pi during early
      reperfusion was more pronounced in the 0.2 and 0.3 mmol.litre-1 groups (p < 0.01)
      and in the 0.5 and 0.6 mmol.litre-1 groups (p < 0.05) than in the control group.
      In the 0.3 and 0.4 mmol.litre-1 groups, Pi after 30 min reperfusion was higher (p
      < 0.05) than after 10 min reperfusion. After 30 min reperfusion left ventricular
      developed pressure, measured with an intraventricular balloon, was lower in the
      0.1 mmol.litre-1 group (p < 0.01) than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The
      data show that under the experimental conditions used successive postischaemic
      reperfusion with 0.1 and 1.3 mmol.litre-1 Ca2+ resulted in poorer metabolic and
      functional recovery of the hearts than continuous reperfusion with 1.3 mmol.litre
      1 Ca2+. Postischaemic reperfusion with 0.1 mmol.litre-1 Ca2+ may predispose the
      heart to a mild calcium paradox. Successive reperfusion with 0.3 and 1.3
      mmol.litre-1 Ca2+ was optimal in terms of ATP recovery but did not result in an
      increased recovery of left ventricular developed pressure.

PMID- 1423434
TI  - Impairment of endothelium dependent responses in a rat model of chronic heart
      failure: effects of an exercise training protocol.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to document the response of aortic rings from a rat model
      of heart failure to endothelium dependent and endothelium independent
      vasodilating agents. The effects of an exercise training schedule upon these
      responses was studied. METHODS: Heart failure was produced in one group of female
      Wistar rats by coronary artery occlusion, and sham operations were performed in a
      matched group. The rats were allowed to recover for six weeks, following which
      half the rats with heart failure were started on a treadmill exercise schedule
      for a further six weeks. After this time the rats were killed, and rings of aorta
      were studied in an organ bath to measure the response to both endothelium
      dependent and endothelium independent vasoactive agents. RESULTS: The presence of
      heart failure was confirmed in both the non-trained (NT, n = 5) and trained rats
      (TR, n = 5), but not in the sham operated animals (SH, n = 6). The constrictor
      response to prostaglandin F2 alpha was similar in aortic rings from all the
      animals. The relaxation response to the endothelium dependent vasodilator
      acetylcholine (10(-7) and 10(-6) M) was impaired in the rats with heart failure
      compared to the sham operated animals (10% v 33% with 10(-7) M acetylcholine, p <
      0.005). The dilator response in the trained rats was not significantly greater
      than in the non-trained rats (TR 35% v NT 24% with 10(-6) M acetylcholine). There
      was no difference in the response to sodium nitroprusside (10(-7) and 10(-6) M)
      between the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic heart failure impairs the response
      of aortic rings to the endothelium dependent vasodilator acetylcholine in a rat
      model of heart failure. The response to sodium nitroprusside, an endothelium
      independent relaxing agent, is not impaired by heart failure. These findings may
      help to explain the raised systemic vascular resistance and the failure of
      vasodilatation in skeletal muscle vasculature which limits exercise capacity in
      subjects with heart failure.

PMID- 1423435
TI  - Spontaneous arrhythmias in various models of cardiac hypertrophy and senescence
      of rats. A Holter monitoring study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to define experimental models of spontaneous arrhythmias
      in various models of cardiac hypertrophy in rats. METHODS: Cardiac hypertrophy
      was induced by several methods and 24 h Holter monitoring was recorded in
      conscious rats to quantify spontaneous arrhythmias in hypertrophied hearts. Male
      Wistar rats were studied. A group of young controls 1-2 months old (n = 16) was
      compared to four groups of animals with cardiac hypertrophy: (1) thyrotoxic rats
      which received a daily intraperitoneal injection of L-thyroxine for 7 d (n = 6);
      (2) rats subjected to abdominal suprarenal aortic stenosis (n = 11); (3)
      senescent rats 22-24 month old (n = 6); and (4) S-DOCA-salt (senescent animals
      rendered hypertensive by uninephrectomy and DOCA-salt treatment, n = 8). RESULTS:
      (1) Thyroxine resulted in 20% cardiac hypertrophy, with normal arterial tension,
      sinus tachycardia, a shorter P wave length and PR interval, and frequent (5/6)
      atrioventricular block. No premature beats were seen. (2) In aortic stenosis,
      atria and left ventricle were hypertrophied by 53% and systolic carotid pressure
      increased by 63%. The incidence of supraventricular premature beats was increased
      [frequency = 0.70 (SEM 0.3) per 24 h in control v 99(61) in aortic stenosis, p <
      0.05]. Ventricular premature beats remained as rare as in control. (3) In
      senescent and S-DOCA-salt rats all types of spontaneous arrhythmias, but
      specially supraventricular arrhythmias and atrioventricular block, were frequent.
      Cardiac hypertrophy produced by DOCA-salt treatment in senescent rats had no
      effect on the incidence and nature of arrhythmias, but resulted in an increased
      QTc interval. CONCLUSIONS: Senescent rats and rats with aortic stenosis represent
      valid models of spontaneous arrhythmias occurring in the absence of ischaemia or
      toxic insult. Spontaneous arrhythmias in rats are mainly of supraventricular
      origin. Hyperthyroidism in rats is a model of atrioventricular block probably
      related to tachycardia. Holter monitoring in rats may have several potential
      pathophysiological and pharmacological applications.

PMID- 1423436
TI  - Cumene hydroperoxide induced changes in calcium homeostasis in cultured neonatal
      rat heart cells.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The relationship between oxidative stress induced cell necrosis and
      perturbation of intracellular calcium homeostasis was investigated in cultured
      myocytes. METHODS: Cultured neonatal rat heart cells were loaded with fura-2 AM
      to measure cytosolic free calcium ([Ca2+]i). Probenecid, an inhibitor of organic
      anion transport, was present during the experiment to reduce efflux of fura-2
      from the cytoplasm. Cells were exposed to cumene hydroperoxide, a toxic organic
      hydroperoxide that is known to induce oxidative stress in myocytes. The efficacy
      of the protective agents Trolox C (a vitamin E analogue) and chlorpromazine (a
      phospholipase inhibitor) on cumene hydroperoxide induced cell injury was
      determined. RESULTS: [Ca2+]i in control cells was constant (60 nM) during an
      incubation time of 45 min. Probenecid did not affect [Ca2+]i levels or cell
      viability under the experimental conditions. Cumene hydroperoxide caused a
      sustained rise in [Ca2+]i starting after 5-10 min, to a level of 1300 nM at 45
      min. After 20-25 min the viability of the heart cells started to decline and
      after 45 min 44% of the cells were irreversibly injured. The loss of cell
      viability was expressed as percentage decrease of the fluorescence at 360 nm (the
      calcium independent wavelength), since the percent release of cellular alpha
      hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (alpha-HBDH) activity equalled the percent decrease
      of the fluorescence at 360 nm. Trolox C and chlorpromazine almost completely
      prevented the cumene hydroperoxide induced alpha-HBDH release. The [Ca2+]i of
      myocytes incubated with cumene hydroperoxide in combination with Trolox C rose to
      1000 nM without affecting cell viability. The cumene hydroperoxide induced rise
      in [Ca2+]i was markedly reduced by chlorpromazine (at t = 45 min, [Ca2+]i = 360
      nM). Addition of Trolox C to untreated cells did not influence [Ca2+]i, whereas
      chlorpromazine alone induced a slight increase of [Ca2+]i up to 360 nM with
      complete preservation of cell viability. CONCLUSIONS: Trolox C and chlorpromazine
      are very effective inhibitors of cumene hydroperoxide induced perturbation of
      calcium homeostasis and subsequent cell death. A role for peroxidation of
      membrane phospholipids and activation of calcium dependent phospholipase in the
      cascade of events leading to irreversible injury is suggested.

PMID- 1423437
TI  - Neural regulation of heart rate variability in endurance athletes and sedentary
      controls.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine the cardiac autonomic responses to orthostatic
      stress and recovery from steady state exercise in endurance trained athletes and
      sedentary subjects. METHODS: The power spectrum of heart rate variability was
      measured before and after exercise in 10 male long distance runners and 14 male
      sedentary control subjects. Both groups were comparable in sex, age, and body
      mass index. Continuous ECG recordings were obtained during the following
      physiological manoeuvres: 45 min supine rest state; 10 min standing; 15 min
      steady state exercise at 50% maximum workload, and 15 min while supine during
      post-exercise recovery. The resting heart rate of athletes was lower than
      controls, at 52(SD 4.9) v 67(8.7) beats.min-1, p < 0.001. Power spectrum analysis
      was performed using autoregressive modelling. RESULTS: The resting high frequency
      (HF) vagal component was higher in athletes than controls, at 62 (10.7) v
      44(22.4) beats.min-1.Hz-1, p < 0.05. The resting low frequency (LF) peak power
      was significantly reduced in athletes, at 54(9.9) v 70(19.5) in control, p <
      0.05. Although no group differences were observed during upright posture or
      exercise, the LF:HF area ratio had already returned to pre-exercise levels within
      5 min of recovery in athletes. Conversely, it required up to 15 min of recovery
      before a noticeable decrease in the LF:HF area ratio was seen in controls.
      CONCLUSIONS: These data support the hypothesis that endurance training modifies
      heart rate control in whole or in part through neurocardiac mechanisms.

PMID- 1423438
TI  - Comparison of laser fluorescence and longitudinal microradiography for
      quantitative assessment of in vitro enamel caries.
AB  - A new quantitative, non-destructive method using laser-induced fluorescence (LAF)
      was compared with longitudinal microradiography (LMR) for assessment of mineral
      changes in enamel slices using an in vitro caries model. Ten enamel slices, cut
      longitudinally from sound natural smooth surfaces of human teeth, were exposed to
      de- and remineralization in a pH-cycling model. The enamel slices were subjected
      to LAF and LMR measurements before and at 2, 4, 7, and 9 days of
      demineralization. For LAF, the average fluorescence radiance decreased during the
      demineralization period with 11% by day 2 and 49% by day 9. For LMR, the
      corresponding average loss of mineral content changed with 0.01 and 0.10 kg.m-2
      over the same time period. The mineral losses in each individual enamel slice
      measured with the two techniques were strongly correlated, r = 0.97. The Spearman
      rank correlation coefficient for all LAF and LMR demineralization results was
      0.86. The precision (coefficient of variation) for LAF was 3.1%, corresponding to
      0.005 kg.m-2, and the repeatability error for LMR was 0.02 kg.m-2, indicating a
      lower discrimination threshold for LAF compared to LMR. It was concluded that the
      new, sensitive, non-destructive LAF method provides possibilities for further
      improvement in the quantification of initial caries lesions in natural smooth
      enamel surfaces for use in in vitro studies. Furthermore, it offers potential in
      in situ caries studies as well as a tool in the diagnosis of early enamel caries
      in vivo.

PMID- 1423439
TI  - High resolution fluoride profiles of artificial in vitro lesions treated with
      fluoride dentifrices and mouthrinses during pH cycling conditions.
AB  - A pH cycling model which incorporated a severe demineralization component was
      used to evaluate fluoride uptake and lesion progression for each of a NaF-based
      dentifrice, NaF-based mouthrinse and a monofluorophosphate (MFP)-based
      dentifrice. Simultaneous transverse fluoride and calcium profiles across the
      resulting artificial lesions were obtained using a proton microprobe technique
      with a resolution of approximately 10 microns. Longitudinal microhardness testing
      and proton microprobe calcium profiles were used to determine the extent of
      lesion progression (delta Z) with respect to untreated controls. Under the pH
      cycling conditions of the present study, the NaF dentifrice and mouthwash were
      observed to have a considerably higher uptake of fluoride in the lesion than the
      MFP dentifrice. Although the mineral content profiles of the lesions differed for
      treatments with each of the fluoride products, the differences were not
      significantly different in this model.

PMID- 1423440
TI  - Fluoride and calcium content of enamel organ, muscle, liver and plasma in rats.
AB  - Nine-day-old rats were given oral fluoride doses (0.5 micrograms F/g body
      weight). Plasma, enamel organ, muscle and liver samples were collected from
      nondosed pups (baseline) and 15, 30, 60 and 120 min after the dose. Samples were
      assayed for fluoride and calcium concentrations. Adult rats were given 20 ppm F
      water for 6 weeks, and the same tissues were sampled and assayed for fluoride
      concentrations only. In the first phase of the study, enamel organ had
      significantly higher fluoride and calcium content than liver and muscle. In adult
      rats the fluoride content of enamel organ was again significantly higher than for
      liver and muscle.

PMID- 1423441
TI  - Effect of slow-release chlorhexidine mouthguards on the levels of selected
      salivary bacteria.
AB  - This study evaluated the effect of an alternate delivery system for chlorhexidine
      on salivary levels of mutans streptococci (MS) and other selected oral bacteria.
      On the basis of salivary MS levels > or = 10(4) CFU/ml, 22 subjects were
      enrolled. All caries lesions were restored prior to treatment. Two pretreatment
      paraffin-stimulated saliva samples were obtained for culturing at least 1 week
      apart. Complete-arch vacuum-adapted mouthguards were individually fabricated and
      coated internally with a 3% w/v chlorhexidine varnish. Mouthguards were worn for
      an average of 7 h/night for 7 nights. Saliva samples were obtained immediately
      after treatment and 1 and 3 months later. There was no significant change in
      levels of any of the monitored bacteria between the two pretreatment samples. A
      significant and specific reduction in salivary MS levels was observed in the
      three after-treatment samples as compared with baseline values (p < 0.001, p <
      0.001, p < 0.05, respectively). The levels of Actinomyces viscosus were also
      measured, and there was a significant reduction immediately after treatment (p <
      0.05), a return to baseline values at 1 month, and a significant increase above
      baseline values at 3 months, (p < 0.001). There was no significant change in
      saliva volume, in total numbers of facultatively anaerobic bacteria, or in levels
      of lactobacilli or Streptococcus sanguis. This treatment system is capable of
      significant and specific suppression of MS levels for up to 3 months without
      retreatment.

PMID- 1423442
TI  - Effects of chlorhexidine-fluoride gel treatments in mothers on the establishment
      of mutans streptococci in primary teeth and the development of dental caries in
      children.
AB  - In a longitudinal 3-year study, 151 children were followed for the colonization
      of the primary dentition by mutans streptococci (MS) and for the development of
      dental caries. At the age of 1 year, the child-mother pairs were divided into
      three groups on the basis of the levels of MS in maternal saliva. In the
      experimental group, the mothers had MS levels higher than 10(5) CFU/ml, and they
      were given chlorhexidine (1%)-sodium fluoride (0.2%) gel treatments twice a year
      for 3 years. Two control groups were formed. In control group 1, the mothers also
      had high levels of MS, but no gel was given. In control group 2, the mothers had
      low (< 10(5) CFU/ml) baseline levels of salivary MS, and no chlorhexidine
      fluoride gel was used. In the total study population, 16, 42, and 54% of the
      children were colonized by MS by the age of 2, 3, and 4 years, respectively. Most
      children harbored only Streptococcus mutans, but 2 had both S. mutans and
      Streptococcus sobrinus, and 2 had only S. sobrinus. Twenty-eight percent of the
      MS-positive children developed caries by the age of 4 years, whereas 4 out of 27
      children with dental caries did not have any detectable MS in their plaque
      samples. Both the colonization by MS and the caries incidence were highest in
      control group 1 and lower in the experimental group and in control group 2. These
      observations suggest that the reduction of maternal salivary MS at the time of
      tooth emergence may delay, or perhaps even prevent, the colonization of MS in the
      children's primary dentition with a concomitant decline in caries incidence, even
      in a population with an already low prevalence of dental caries.

PMID- 1423443
TI  - Effect of delmopinol on the viscosity of extracellular glucans produced by
      Streptococcus mutans.
AB  - The surfactant delmopinol, which is a new antiplaque agent with a low anti
      microbial profile, was tested for its effects on the viscosity of bacterial
      extracellular glucans. Glucans were isolated from Streptococcus mutans broth
      supernatants incubated with 0.15 M sucrose in 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer at pH
      6. The viscosity was measured in a shear rate range from 15 to 230 reciprocal
      seconds. The viscosity of the water-soluble glucan was found to be independent of
      shear rate whereas the water-insoluble glucan showed a strong shear thinning. The
      addition of delmopinol to preformed glucans did not affect the viscosity nor the
      shear rate dependence of the glucans. However, when present during synthesis of
      the polysaccharides, delmopinol was found to reduce the viscosity of both water
      soluble and water-insoluble glucans by approximately 50% at the shear rates
      investigated. The reduction in viscosity for the water-soluble glucans was
      obtained at a delmopinol concentration of 0.32 mM (0.01%) and for the water
      insoluble glucans at 3.2 mM delmopinol. The observed reduction of viscosity of
      glucans indicates that the in vivo stability of plaque matrix after delmopinol
      treatment would be lowered, which may lead to a reduction of plaque cohesion and
      thus facilitate mechanical plaque removal.

PMID- 1423444
TI  - Effect of sugarcane chewing on plaque pH in rural Kenyan children.
AB  - In 5 rural Kenyan children, the effect of sugarcane chewing on plaque pH was
      compared with the effect of a mouthrinse with 10% sucrose at various intraoral
      sites. They all had poor oral hygiene and at least two carious cavities in
      occlusal surfaces of molars. pH measurements were conducted under field
      conditions using paladium touch microelectrodes connected to a battery-operated
      pH meter. There was a marked difference in pH response of non-carious approximal
      sites between maxilla and mandible, with the lowest values in the maxilla.
      However, the pH recovery following the instantaneous drop occurred in parallel
      even if most pH values had not returned to baseline values 30 min after the
      sucrose rinse. Following the sugarcane chewing, the pH fall was less pronounced
      on all sites, and within 5-10 min the values had returned to resting pH and even
      exceeded this. In carious cavities, a similar pattern was observed, although the
      acidity in these sites was more pronounced, also reflected in a lower resting
      mean pH. The main conclusion from this study is that sugarcane chewing yields a
      less pronounced pH drop and a quicker pH recovery in dental plaque than is seen
      following a mouthrinse with 10% sucrose. This difference probably results from
      stimulation of salivary flow associated with the chewing.

PMID- 1423445
TI  - Effect of hard cheese exposure, with and without fluoride prerinse, on the
      rehardening of softened human enamel.
AB  - The in situ rehardening effect was compared between Cheddar cheese consumption
      and saliva secretion with and without a fluoride pretreatment on softened human
      enamel. Ten volunteers wearing prostheses which held slices of human enamel
      participated in this study. Average microhardness of enamel was determined on the
      surface at baseline, after exposing to an acidic beverage, after exposing to
      saliva and mastication of cheese, with and without a mouth F prerinse (10 ml
      Meridol containing 0.025% F). The rehardening was increased in the groups
      consuming cheese compared to the saliva controls. The effect was increased by an
      F prerinse; the initial hardness of the intact enamel surface, however, was not
      reached.

PMID- 1423446
TI  - Effect of glutardialdehyde on secondary caries in situ.
AB  - In this paper the results are presented on the effect glutardialdehyde (GDA) on
      the in situ demineralization of human enamel and dentine around an artificial gap
      of 200 microns width. In this model secondary enamel and dentine caries is
      simulated in situ; the mineral loss was quantified. The results show that a 2-min
      application of a 2% acidic GDA solution reduces dentine demineralization
      substantially, but does not influence enamel demineralization. Microradiography
      showed a reduction of mineral loss values around the gap in dentine by about 30%.
      The beneficial effect of GDA on dentine is presumably a combined result of
      collagen fixation, the reduced diffusion of calcium and phosphate ions out of the
      dentine lesion, and antibacterial action. The results indicate that GDA might
      play a role in the future reduction or prevention of secondary dentine caries.

PMID- 1423447
TI  - Effect of oral care habits on caries in adolescents.
AB  - Data on toothbrushing habits were collected during a 3-year caries clinical trial
      of sodium monofluorophosphate toothpastes in Lanarkshire, Scotland, involving
      3,005 schoolchildren of mean age 12.5 years at baseline. Stated normal brushing
      frequency and oral rinsing method after brushing were recorded. Half the panel
      indicated they rinsed their mouths after toothbrushing using a beaker. The
      proportion of the panel brushing once per day or more increased during the trial.
      Differences in oral habits were observed between the sexes, with 42% of girls and
      52% of boys being non-beaker rinsers and 73% of girls, but only 44% of boys,
      brushing their teeth at least twice per day. Twice-a-day brushers had a
      consistently lower caries increment than less frequent brushers. This was also
      seen in the baseline prevalence data, but did not account for all incremental
      differences noted. Subjects using beakers had consistently higher increments than
      non-beaker rinsers. Again, this difference could not be explained by variations
      in baseline prevalence. Differences in the caries increment were also observed
      between boys and girls, these appearing to be linked both to the cumulative
      effect of male/female habit variations plus a difference in the baseline caries
      prevalence. A dose response to the three fluoride levels, i.e 1,000, 1,500, and
      2,500 ppm F, was seen for the different habit combinations which again could not
      be explained by differences in the baseline caries prevalence.

PMID- 1423448
TI  - Clinically undetected occlusal dentine caries: a radiographic comparison.
AB  - The occlusal bite-wing radiograph evaluations of 131 14-year-old and of 123 17-
      and 20-year-old Dutch persons were compared with the clinically collected
      observations. The clinical observations and the bite-wing radiographs were
      collected as part of a longitudinal epidemiological survey conducted in 1987 and
      1990. Comparison of the evaluations of the first and second molar teeth showed
      significantly more radiolucencies in all three age groups than expected
      clinically. Of the clinically judged 'sound' surfaces, 26% in the 14-, 37.5% in
      the 17- and 50% in the 20-year-old group showed a radiolucency on the bite-wing
      radiograph. In the 14-, 17- and 20-year-old age group a radiolucency was noticed
      on the bite-wing radiograph in 32, 44 and 58% of the sealed teeth, respectively.
      The radiolucencies below the occlusal enamel of sealed teeth were most likely due
      to the problems in diagnosing occlusal dentine lesions correctly with the
      clinical diagnostic methods. Therefore not only approximal but also occlusal bite
      wing radiograph judgement before sealant application seems to be advisable now.
      Because of the numbers of clinically undetected lesions it may be advisable to
      reconsider the criteria for occlusal diagnosis in epidemiological surveys and to
      judge not only the approximal but also the occlusal surfaces in epidemiological
      surveys when bite-wing radiographs are available.

PMID- 1423449
TI  - Class II amalgam restorations, glass-ionomer tunnel restorations, and caries
      development on adjacent tooth surfaces: a 3-year clinical study.
AB  - Eighteen caries-active adolescents, each having both a class II conventional
      amalgam (Dispersalloy) and a glass-ionomer (Ketac Silver) tunnel restoration of
      the same age placed on a contralateral tooth, were part of a 3-year clinical
      study. At the 1- and 2-year examinations all test restorations were assessed as
      acceptable in all patients. At the 3-year assessment three amalgam restorations
      failed due to recurrent caries, and one glass-ionomer restoration failed due to
      marginal ridge fracture. During the entire study period, the requirement of
      restorative therapy because of primary proximal caries was significantly reduced
      (p < 0.05) on tooth surfaces adjacent to the glass-ionomer restorations as
      compared with that on tooth surfaces adjacent to the amalgam restorations.

PMID- 1423450
TI  - Morphological characteristics of different types of neurons in the ventrooralis
      anterior, ventrooralis internus, and ventrooralis posterior nuclei in the human
      thalamus.
AB  - 1. Golgi-Kopsch preparations of the oral ventral nuclei of human thalamus were
      analyzed in an attempt to classify the neuronal types. 2. Three types of neurons
      are described for the first time in humans. Type I neurons are large or medium in
      size and bear dendrites with protrusions, spines, and short hair-like appendages.
      Some have a radiate dendritic arbor and others have dendrites grouped in tufts.
      The dendritic trees of these neurons are dense. 3. Type II neurons are medium or
      small in size with less dense dendritic trees. These cells have somatic as well
      as dendritic appendages of different forms. 4. Relatively rare is a type of very
      small neurons, type III, with few and sparsely branching dendrites.

PMID- 1423451
TI  - [Progression of chronic glomerulonephritis. Myths and facts].
AB  - Chronic glomerulonephritis is still the most frequent cause of irreversible renal
      failure. The aetiology of the majority of glomerulonephritis is unknown but it
      seems that they are genetically determined. In their genesis immunological
      factors participate but in their development and progression non-immunological
      factors are also involved. The author presents a review of contemporary
      therapeutic possibilities.

PMID- 1423452
TI  - [Evaluation of glomerular filtration in patients after renal transplantation and
      treatment with cyclosporin A].
AB  - According to some findings (Ross et al. 1987) the creatinine plasma concentration
      (Pcr) is an inaccurate indicator of glomerular filtration (GFR) in patients with
      a transplanted kidney, treated with cyclosporin A (CyA), who are in a stabilized
      state of renal function. In the submitted work the authors investigated whether
      the inaccuracy of the assessed GFR based on Pcr or creatinine clearance (Ccr) is
      greater than in patients with various chronic renal diseases who at the time of
      examination did not take any drugs. The investigation was made in 30 patients
      with a transplanted kidney treated with CyA as well as azathioprine and
      prednisone. The authors examined also 51 patients with various chronic renal
      diseases, mostly chronic glomerulonephritis or tubulo-interstitial nephritis. The
      GFR value was assessed on the basis of polyfructosan clearance (CPF). In subjects
      with a transplanted kidney a significant linear relationship was found between
      Ccr and CPF (r = 0.829, p < 0.001). A similar relationship was found in patients
      with chronic renal disease (r = 0.935, p < 0.001). The regression lines
      characterize this relationship in both groups and do not differ significantly.
      Between values of Pcr and CPF a significant relationship of a hyperbolic
      character was found in both groups (r = 0.693, p < 0.001 and r = 0.741, p < 0.001
      resp.). The hyperbolic relations found in the examined groups did not differ
      significantly. The findings confirm that a normal or only slightly elevated Pcr
      value can be associated with a markedly reduced GFR, in some instances to as much
      as one third of the normal values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423453
TI  - [Clinical study of biocompatibility of dialysis membranes made from non-modified
      and modified cellulose].
AB  - Basic biocompatibility parameters of dialysis membranes made of non-substituted
      regenerated cellulose (NRC) and cellulose membranes with hydroxyl groups
      substituted, to a higher (H) or lower (L) degree, by dl-ethyl-amino-ethyl groups
      (DEAE), or by acetate (CA) were investigated in a 16-week clinical study,
      involving 10 long-term haemodialysis patients. In the 15th minute of dialysis,
      the decrease in blood leukocyte count, while using NRC (0.24 +/- 0.03 of baseline
      value, arithmetic mean +/- SEM) was deeper compared with that seen in DEAE-L
      (0.88 +/- 0.10, p < 0.001), in DEAE-H (0.79 +/- 0.10, p < 0.01), and in CA (0.73
      +/- 0.05. p < 0.05). In the 15th minute of the procedure, C5a concentrations,
      reflecting complement activation, were higher in NRC (4.4 +/- 0.51 micrograms/L)
      than in DEAE-L (1.41 +/- 0.22, p < 0.001), in DEAE-H (1.68 +/- 0.47, p < 0.01),
      and in CA (1.68 +/- 0.22, p < 0.01). Activated clotting times were, in the 10th
      minute of the procedure, significantly longer in NRC (2.94 +/- 0.37 of baseline
      value) than in DEAE-H (1.74 +/- 0.10, p < 0.05) and, by the end of dialysis, the
      difference between these membranes (NRC: 1.47 +/- 0.21, DEAE-H: 0.85 +/- 0.08, p
      = 0.07) was close to the level of statistical significance. The authors conclude:
      1. Substitution of the hydroxyl groups of regenerated cellulose reduces the
      decrease in leukocyte count and complement activation in the initial phase of
      haemodialysis. 2. At the same time, substitution by DEAE groups may raise
      thrombogenicity, as indicated by the shorter activated clotting times.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423454
TI  - [Rapidly progressing glomerulonephritis with antibodies against cytoplasm of
      neutrophilic leukocytes].
AB  - The authors describe the clinical, laboratory and morphological findings, the
      clinical course and response to treatment in three patients with rapidly
      progressing glomerulonephritis where positive antibodies against the cytoplasm of
      neutrophil granulocytes (ANCA) were found. The authors confront their own
      clinical experience with data in the literature. Examination of ANCA is not only
      a significant contribution towards a more accurate diagnosis of renal vasculitis,
      but also an indicator of the activity of the disease and thus of the
      effectiveness of immunosuppressive treatment.

PMID- 1423455
TI  - [14 years of the peritoneal dialysis program at the internal medicine department
      in Strahov (1978-1991)].
AB  - The authors present an account of 14 years experience of the department as
      regards treatment of chronic renal failure by peritoneal dialysis. Initial
      experience revealed that this method is feasible as an alternative of
      haemodialyzation treatment even in case of limited technical possibilities (using
      the so-called bottle system) but treatment was associated with a high incidence
      of peritonitis. During the subsequent period the incidence of peritonitis was
      substantially reduced in conjunction with the elaboration of hygienic provisions,
      enlightment of patients and a change from the regime of continual exchanges in a
      home environment to a regime of intermittent peritoneal dialysis performed mostly
      in hospital. Experience assembled in the department was also important. The
      longest period of treatment is 60 months. In another 18 patients it is more than
      20 months. The most frequent cause of termination is loss of the ultrafiltration
      capacity of the peritoneum. Several patients had successful transplantations. The
      prolonged experience can be used at present when the so-called bag system is
      introduced.

PMID- 1423456
TI  - [Interesting urinary findings in acute intermittent porphyria].
AB  - The authors describe an uncommon case of a patient with acute intermittent
      porphyria whose urine on standing, when exposed to light and air, turned dark and
      eventually black. The reason was increased excretion of porphobilin. The urine
      continued moreover increased amounts of Thormahlen-positive substances, typical
      melanogens were not detected, however. The authors wish to draw attention to
      possible diagnostic errors which arise due to erroneous interpretation of
      laboratory results.

PMID- 1423458
TI  - [Infectious diseases--a threat to participants in "Operation Desert Storm"].

PMID- 1423457
TI  - [An ecological theme in the play "Enemy of the people" by H. Ibsen].

PMID- 1423459
TI  - [The need for medical science and research. I. The danger of provincialism].

PMID- 1423460
TI  - [Present views on classification of cerebrovascular diseases].
AB  - In conjunction with the declaration of the "brain decade" which was called for by
      the unfavourable position as regards early diagnosis and by inadequate treatment
      of cerebral diseases, the author reflects on the importance of classification of
      cerebrovascular diseases. He submits a historical review of different
      classifications of cerebrovascular diseases starting with the international
      classification of diseases introduced into practice as early in 1893, the
      clinical and research classification elaborated by Millikan in 1975--both are
      still used by WHO--to the most recent suggestions of Hachinski of 1990 and the
      Classification of spontaneous intracerebral haematoma by Mizukami elaborated in
      1985. The paper contains also the author's own modification of the clinical and
      research classification.

PMID- 1423461
TI  - [The effect of isometric loading on diastolic left ventricular filling in healthy
      individuals studied by the Doppler technic].
AB  - The authors examined by Doppler echocardiography 30 subjects aged 21-30 years,
      exposed during examination to an isometric load by using a manual balloon
      dynamometer. The authors investigated different indicators of left ventricular
      filling during diastole and their indexes which evaluate indirectly the left
      ventricular diastolic function. The assessed correlations of some indicators with
      the quantitative expression of the isometric load (double product) were as
      follows: peak speed E - r = 0.3671 (p < 0.05), peak speed A - r = 0.6098 (p <
      0.001), index of rations of peak speeds E/A - r = 0.6098 (p < 0.0001, sum of
      speed--time integrals TVIE + TVIA - r = 0.6469 (p < 0.001) and the time of
      retardation of the early filling phase of the left ventricle related to the heart
      rate DCT/TF - r = 0.7249 (p < 0.001). A statistically significant increase during
      the load was recorded in the peak speed A and a reduction of the E/A ratio (p <
      0.01). The time speed integral TVIE increased (p < 0.01), both indexes TVI E + A
      and TVI E/A declined (p < 0.05). The time of retardation of the early filling
      stage to the early filling time DCT/DFT increased (p < 0.05) and DCT in relation
      to the heart rate DCT/TF declined significantly (p < 0.01). There was an
      insignificant decline of the peak speed of early filling E and its time-speed
      integral, TVI E. The sum of time-speed integrals TVIE + A did not change
      significantly.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423462
TI  - [The character of left ventricular filling measured by pulsed Doppler
      echocardiography in patients with various degrees of arterial hypertension].
AB  - The authors assessed, using Doppler echocardiography under standard conditions,
      indicators of left ventricular filling in 95 patients, mean age 52 years, with
      arterial hypertension of varying severity. The patients were divided into four
      groups: Group I--Patients with severe hypertension and concentric hypertrophy of
      the left ventricle (LV). Group II--Patients with severe hypertension without
      organ changes. Group III--Patients with mild hypertension without organ changes.
      Group IV--Patients with severe hypertension, hypertrophy of the LV and signs of
      its failure grade II according to Killip's classification. The results were
      compared with findings in a group of 30 normal subjects of similar age. In all
      groups of patients statistically significant differences were found in the type
      of left ventricular filling, as compared with normal subjects. In less severe
      affection of left ventricular function, where impaired active relaxation of
      musculature predominates (groups I, II and III), the left ventricular filling
      during early diastole was reduced, slower and its main part was shifted to the
      late stage of diastole. The ratio of the late and early flow rate through the
      mitral orifice Av/Ev and the ration of time/rate integrals of these rates,
      TVIA/TVIE, were elevated, as compared with normal subjects, similarly as the time
      value of retardation of early diastolic flow through the mitral orifice corrected
      with regard to the heart rate, DT/TF. The value of maximal flow through the
      mitral orifice during early diastole, PFRB was reduced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1423464
TI  - [The status of children worldwide in 1991 through the eyes of the
      UNICEF/Children's Fund of the United Nations].

PMID- 1423463
TI  - [Functional determination of C1-inhibitors in human blood].
AB  - The author describes the method of assessment of the C1-inhibitor, the principle
      being activation of plasma prekallikrein by Hageman factor fragment (HFf) to the
      active enzyme kallikrein which splits the specific chromogenic substrate NO-Pro
      Phe-Arg-pNA. In the presence of acetone the influence of C1-INH is eliminated and
      the assessed amount of kallikrein corresponds to the prekallikrein plasma level.
      In a parallel estimation without acetone after formation of the C1-INH complex
      the residual amount of kallikrein is assessed. The difference between the two
      levels is proportional to the formed enzyme-inhibitor complex. The method was
      tested on plasma of healthy donors and the results were compared with assessment
      of C1-INH by a modification of Schapira's method (6) (correlation coefficient r =
      0.88) and with Cullmann's method (8) (r = 0.61). The advantage of the proposed
      method is that it does not require commercially unavailable enzyme preparations,
      that it uses as activating agent HFf concentrate, prepared in the laboratory and
      that along with the C1-INH level also the plasma level of prekallikrein is
      assessed.

PMID- 1423465
TI  - [The J.E. Purkinje Czechoslovak Medical Society, its past, present and future].

PMID- 1423466
TI  - [Present possibilities of use of intravascular ultrasound examinations].
AB  - Catheter intravascular imaging is currently used as an adjunct to contrast
      angiography and angioscopy in peripheral and coronary arteries. At present the
      smallest catheters are 3.0 F (1.0 mm). Frequencies used are from 10 to 40 Mz,
      which allow high resolution imaging of structures close to the transducer.
      Mechanical and phased array systems are used, introduced either on the wire or
      through fine plastic catheter. More recent is the monorail system improving the
      flexibility and tracking of the mechanical systems. The review presents current
      status of catheters and diagnostic possibilities. Normal arteries have typical
      three layered appearance (intima, media, adventitia). Ultrasound can be reliably
      used to distinguish abnormal vascular segments. Atherosclerotic plaques can be
      subclassified on the basis of plaque composition. Thrombus is characterized by
      granular appearance with varying sonographic gray levels. Dissection and intimal
      flaps are also visualized by intravascular ultrasound. Potential utility of
      intravascular ultrasound in the assessment of endovascular interventions and its
      limitations are discussed.

PMID- 1423467
TI  - [Energy expenditures in patients with acute and chronic catabolic conditions].
AB  - The authors investigated the energy expenditure and utilization of different
      nutrients by indirect calorimetry. They examined three groups of subjects:
      patients with acute febrile diarrhoeal diseases (n = 36), patients with subacute
      to chronic severe febrile diseases (n = 10) and healthy subjects (n = 21). The
      measurements were made three times a day. In all groups the energy requirements
      of the organism were met in the morning above all by fats, in the course of the
      day the ration of utilized carbohydrates increased markedly. The authors discuss
      the problem of optimal nutrition of patients in a critical condition from the
      quantitative and qualitative aspect.

PMID- 1423468
TI  - [Use of walking in the evaluation of aerobic fitness].
AB  - The reliability and validity of assessment of the maximal oxygen consumption as a
      criterion of aerobic fitness by the 2000 m walking test was established in 38
      students of the military secondary school (mean age 17.8 +/- 0.4 years). The
      reliability of the 2000 m walking test is very high, during repeated estimations
      in the course of one week we find a correlation coefficient of r = 0.82 (p <
      0.001). There is also a close correlation of 2000 m walking time and 2000 m
      running time (r = 0.67, p < 0.001). A group of 18 students selected at random
      from the above group was examined in the laboratory on a treadmill up to vita
      maxima. A close correlation was found between the results during walking and the
      maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max.kg-1) (r = -0.59 and -0.60) and also the 2000
      m running time and VO2max.kg-1 (r = 0.59), p < 0.01 in all instances. The
      standard error of the mean of the maximal oxygen consumption estimate from the
      2000 m walk is 3.44 ml.kg-1 x min-1 (5.7%) and from the running time of the same
      distance 3.49 ml.kg-1 x min-1 (5.8%). These results justify the conclusion that
      the 2000 m rapid walking test (normal style) is a simple alternative way for
      estimating the maximal oxygen consumption and thus also for evaluating the level
      of aerobic fitness with an accuracy which matches that, when running is used for
      the test.

PMID- 1423469
TI  - [Initial experience with the treatment of endobronchial lesions using the Nd:YAG
      laser].
AB  - Endobronchial treatment by means of a laser acquired during the past ten years a
      firm place in bronchology. In the submitted paper the authors present their
      initial experience with this treatment in patients of the Pneumological Clinic in
      Prague-Veleslavin. In the course of 12 months since when there is a Nd:YAG laser,
      Sharplan Co. at the clinic, 52 patients were treated by this method. Forty of
      them suffered from lung cancer. Three had other types of tumours. Eight patients
      suffered from benign cicatricial stenoses and one female patient aspirated a
      foreign body. A total of 124 bronchoscopies, using a laser, were performed, on
      average 2.4 per patient. In 75% of patients with lung cancer recanalization was
      achieved, the trachea was dilated in all patients with cicatricial stenoses,
      however, only in one quarter of them complete restitution of the lumen was
      achieved. Hitherto assembled experience confirms the value of laser treatment for
      improving the life and its prolongation in patients with lung cancer and its
      importance for treatment of other endotracheobronchial processes. Three serious
      haemorrhages during operation were recorded, one female patient died. The use of
      the laser is simple, its operation smooth.

PMID- 1423470
TI  - [One-stage surgery in concomitant heart and lung disease].
AB  - The authors evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of one-stage operations in
      concomitant cardiac and pulmonary diseases and define the optimal indications for
      this procedure. The justification of one-stage operations in selected patients is
      confirmed by the authors' own experience assembled in two patients. One suffered
      from lung cancer and ischaemic heart disease and the other one from a tuberculoma
      and ischaemic heart disease. The one-stage operation in both patients was without
      complications.

PMID- 1423471
TI  - [The role of ethics committees in evaluating the ethical aspects of clinical drug
      trials].

PMID- 1423472
TI  - Morphological analysis of the neurons in the area of the hypothalamic
      magnocellular dorsal nucleus of the guinea pig.
AB  - In the guinea-pig hypothalamus, a group of enkephalinergic cells forms a well
      circumscribed nuclear area called the magnocellular dorsal nucleus (MDN). This
      nucleus gives rise to a prominent projection to the lateral septum: the
      hypothalamo-septal enkephalinergic pathway. In the present study, MDN neurons
      visualized by Golgi impregnation were subjected to morphological analysis in
      order to define the potential segregation of cellular types within the MDN. This
      study was complemented by additional observations of MDN neurons intracellularly
      injected by Lucifer yellow (LY) or horseradish peroxidase (HRP) during the in
      vitro incubation of hypothalamic slices. The following results were obtained from
      the analysis of 200 neurons: 163 Golgi-impregnated cells plus 37 injected cells
      (LY = 14; HRP = 23). Thirteen HRP-injected cells were precisely located in the
      MDN and 10 were located in the perifornical area surrounding the MDN. Four
      different cellular types were identified. Type-I neurons (41%) displayed a
      globular perikaryon, a variable number of primary dendrites that were poorly
      ramified, no preferential orientation, and an axon emerging from the perikaryon.
      Type-II neurons (30.5%) had a triangular perikaryon, three well-ramified primary
      dendrites, an orientation perpendicular to the third ventricle, and an axon
      emerging from the perikaryon. Type-III neurons (22%) exhibited a spindle-shaped
      perikaryon, two opposed well-ramified primary dendrites, an orientation
      perpendicular to the third ventricle, and an axon emerging from a primary
      dendrite. Type-IV neurons (6.5%), showed a globular perikaryon, a variable number
      of primary dendrites, poorly ramified dendrites, an orientation parallel to the
      third ventricle, and an axon whose orientation could not be identified. Neurons
      labeled after intracellular injection belonged to the first three cellular types.

PMID- 1423473
TI  - Distribution of enteric nerve cells that project to the coeliac ganglion of the
      guinea-pig.
AB  - The digestive tract of the guinea-pig, from the esophagus to the rectum, was
      examined in detail to determine the distribution and relative abundances of
      neurons in these organs that project to the coeliac ganglion and the routes by
      which their axons reach the ganglion. A retrogradely transported neuronal marker,
      Fast Blue, was injected into the coeliac ganglion. The esophagus, stomach,
      gallbladder, pancreas, duodenum, small intestine, caecum, proximal colon, distal
      colon and rectum were analysed for labelled neurons. Retrogradely labelled
      neurons were found only in the myenteric plexus of these organs, and in the
      pancreas. No labelled neurons were found in the gallbladder or the fundus of the
      stomach, or in the submucous plexus of any region. A small number of labelled
      neurons was found in the gastric antrum. An increasing density of labelled
      neurons was found along the duodenum. Similarly, an increasing density of
      labelled neurons was found from proximal to distal along the jejuno-ileum.
      However, the greatest densities of labelled neurons were in the large intestine.
      Many labelled neurons were found in the caecum, including a high density
      underneath its taeniae. An increasing density of labelled neurons was found along
      the length of the proximal colon, and labelled neurons were found in the distal
      colon and rectum. In total, more labelled cell bodies occurred in the large
      intestine than in the small intestine. The routes taken by the axons of
      viscerofugal neurons were ascertained by lesioning the nerve bundles which
      accompany vessels supplying regions of the digestive tract. Viscerofugal neurons
      of the caecum project to the coeliac ganglion via the ileocaeco-colic nerves;
      neurons in the proximal colon project to the ganglion via the right colic nerves,
      and neurons in the distal colon project to the ganglion via the mid colic and
      intermesenteric nerves. Neurons in the rectum project to the coeliac ganglion via
      the intermesenteric nerves. These nerves (except for the intermesenterics) all
      join nerve bundles from the small intestine that follow the superior mesenteric
      artery. All viscerofugal neurons of the caecum were calbindin-immunoreactive
      (calb-IR) and 94% were immunoreactive for vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP-IR).
      In the proximal colon, 49% of labelled neurons were calb-IR and 85% were VIP-IR.
      In the distal colon, 80% of labelled neurons were calb-IR and 71% were VIP-IR.

PMID- 1423475
TI  - Immunocytochemical localization of Bombyx-PTTH-like molecules in neurosecretory
      cells of the brain of the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria. A comparison with
      neuroparsin and insulin-related peptide.
AB  - Using a monoclonal antibody directed against a synthetic pentadecapeptide
      corresponding to the N-terminus of the prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) of
      Bombyx mori, we report the presence of immunoreactive molecules in a large number
      of median neurosecretory cells of the pars intercerebralis of the migratory
      locust, Locusta migratoria. These cells correspond to the A1 cell type which we
      show to contain also neuroparsins, a family of predominant neurohormones of the
      migratory locust. In contrast, PTTH-like molecules are absent from A2 cells of
      the pars intercerebralis which contain Locusta insulin-related peptide (LIRP).
      Developmental studies show the presence of PTTH-related substances in
      neurosecretory cells of Locusta migratoria from late embryogenesis to adult
      development, including ageing vitellogenic female adults.

PMID- 1423476
TI  - Organization of cells and extracellular matrix in mesenteric arteries of
      spontaneously hypertensive rats.
AB  - Biochemical studies have been used to assess the quantitative changes in elastin
      and collagen in hypertensive vs. normotensive arteries. However, the relative
      distribution and organization of these fibrous proteins is likely to be equal in
      importance to their absolute amounts. In this study we have used scanning
      electron microscopy in association with selective digestion techniques to assess
      the organization of cellular and extracellular components of the tunica media of
      mesenteric arteries of spontaneously hypertensive rats. Superior and small
      mesenteric arteries were digested with acid, alkali, or bleach to exposure cells,
      collagen, or collagen and elastin, respectively. We observed that hypertension
      does not cause a qualitative change in the 3-dimensional arrangement of cells,
      collagen, or elastin in spontaneously hypertensive arteries when compared to
      normotensive arteries. However, cells in the superior artery are significantly
      different in overall shape and surface features when compared to cells of small
      arteries. These differences in surface morphology of cells are present in
      hypertensive and normotensive vessels and suggest that superior and small
      mesenteric artery cells transmit load to the isotropic matrix in different ways.
      In the elasto-muscular superior artery, force is transmitted across digitations
      throughout the cell surface. In the muscular small artery, force is transmitted
      across the tapered, smooth cell surface.

PMID- 1423474
TI  - Neuronal influence on B and H human blood-group antigen expression in rat
      cochlear cultures.
AB  - The presence of B and H human blood-group antigens was analyzed by
      immunocytochemistry in rat cochleas developing either in vivo or in vitro.
      Developing animals, on embryonic day (E) 18 and postnatal day (P) 3, were used
      for in vivo studies. For in vitro studies, cochleas were removed at E18 and
      placed for 3 or 8 days in organotypic culture either directly or after partial
      spiral ganglion removal. Results from epithelial regions from cochleas developing
      in vivo were similar to those observed in corresponding areas of direct
      organotypic cultures where the innervation from spiral ganglion neurons was
      present. Antibodies to human blood group antigens, anti B and anti AB,
      selectively labeled hair cells. The intensity of labeling was weak at E18, but
      increased at P3 in vivo or after 3-8 days in organotypic culture. Anti H
      antibodies showed weak labeling of the apical surface of hair cells and other
      epithelial cells at E18; this labeling also increased at P3 or after 3-8 days in
      culture. In contrast, the non-innervated regions from organotypic cultures, where
      ganglia were partially removed, exhibited an epithelial disorganization and no
      hair cell labeling with any of the antibodies studied. The present findings
      suggest that human blood-group antigen expression on developing cochlear hair
      cells of rats may be related to afferent nerve fiber influence.

PMID- 1423477
TI  - Immunohistochemical localisation of natriuretic peptides in the heart and brain
      of the gulf toadfish Opsanus beta.
AB  - The distribution of natriuretic peptide immunoreactivity was determined in the
      heart and brain of the gulf toadfish Opsanus beta using the avidin-biotin
      peroxidase technique. Four antisera were used: the first raised against porcine
      brain natriuretic peptide which cross-reacts with atrial natriuretic and C-type
      natriuretic peptides (termed natriuretic peptide-like immunoreactivity); the
      second raised against porcine brain natriuretic peptide which cross-reacts with C
      type natriuretic peptide but not with atrial natriuretic peptide (termed porcine
      brain natriuretic peptide-like immunoreactivity); the third raised against rat
      atrial natriuretic peptide; and the fourth raised against eel atrial natriuretic
      peptide. Natriuretic peptide- and porcine brain natriuretic peptide-like
      immunoreactivity was observed in all cardiac muscle cells of the atrium. In the
      ventricle, natriuretic peptide-like immunoreactivity was found in all cardiac
      muscle cells, however, porcine brain natriuretic peptide-like immunoreactivity
      was confined to muscle cells adjacent to the epicardium. There was no discernible
      difference in the distribution of natriuretic peptide-like immunoreactivity and
      porcine brain natriuretic peptide-like immunoreactivity in the brain.
      Immunoreactive perikarya were observed only in the preoptic region of the
      diencephalon, and many immunoreactive fibres were found in the telencephalon,
      preoptic area, and rostral hypothalamus, lateral to the thalamic region. There
      was no immunoreactivity in any region of the hypophysis. A pair of distinct
      immunoreactive fibre tracts ran caudally from the preoptic area to the thalamic
      region, from which fibres extended to the posterior commissure, area
      praetectalis, dorsolateral regions of the midbrain tegmentum, and
      tectum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423478
TI  - Cellular differences in the regeneration of murine skeletal muscle: a
      quantitative histological study in SJL/J and BALB/c mice.
AB  - Skeletal muscle regeneration in SJL/J and BALB/c mice subjected to identical
      crush injuries is markedly different: in SJL/J mice myotubes almost completely
      replace damaged myofibres, whereas BALB/c mice develop fibrotic scar tissue and
      few myotubes. To determine the cellular changes which contribute to these
      differential responses to injury, samples of crushed tibialis anterior muscles
      taken from SJL/J and BALB/c mice between 1 and 10 days after injury were analysed
      by light and electron microscopy, and by autoradiography. Longitudinal muscle
      sections revealed about a 2-fold greater total mononuclear cell density in SJL/J
      than BALB/c mice at 2 to 3 days after injury. Electron micrographs identified a
      similar proportion of cell types at 3 days after injury. Autoradiographic studies
      showed that the proportions of replicating mononuclear cells in both strains were
      similar: therefore greater absolute numbers of cells (including muscle precursors
      and macrophages) were proliferating in SJL/J muscle. Removal of necrotic muscle
      debris in SJL/J mice was rapid and extensive, and by 6 to 8 days multinucleated
      myotubes occupied a large part of the lesion. By contrast, phagocytosis was less
      effective in BALB/c mice, myotube formation was minimal, and fibrotic tissue
      conspicuous. These data indicate that the increased mononuclear cell density,
      more efficient removal of necrotic muscle, together with a greater capacity for
      myotube formation in SJL/J mice, contribute to the more successful muscle
      regeneration seen after injury.

PMID- 1423479
TI  - Cellular immunity in an annelid (Nereis diversicolor, Polychaeta): production of
      melanin by a subpopulation of granulocytes.
AB  - We attempted to identify the nature and origin of the pigment produced by the
      marine worm Nereis diversicolor in order to isolate, in inert brown capsules,
      foreign objects introduced into its body cavity. This brown pigment,
      characterized by cytochemical techniques, could be a melanin. The activity of the
      enzyme phenoloxidase responsible for melanin biosynthesis was detected by enzyme
      cytochemistry techniques in vacuoles and the Golgi apparatus of coelomocytes
      activated by the presence of foreign bodies. Morphological techniques combined
      with a monoclonal immunological probe enabled us to establish that the "G2"
      granulocytes contain both the precursor of the pigment in dense bodies and the
      capacity for phenoloxidase synthesis when activated to encapsulate foreign
      bodies. The "G2" granulocyte may therefore be compared to a melanocyte in which
      melanin is not stored as in mammals, but immediately extruded following synthesis
      in the form of a thick fluid.

PMID- 1423480
TI  - Differential expression of four genes encoding molluscan insulin-related peptides
      in the central nervous system of the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis.
AB  - In the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis, the growth regulating system consists of (1)
      about 200 neuroendocrine light green cells, located in four clusters in the
      cerebral ganglia, and (2) the paired canopy cells, located in the lateral lobes.
      These cells express genes encoding the molluscan insulin-related peptides (MIPs).
      Six MIP genes have previously been identified. Four of these (I, II, III and V)
      are expressed in the light green cells and the canopy cells. The MIP-VI gene is a
      pseudogene. In the present in situ hybridization study, using oligonucleotide
      probes specific to the transcripts of MIP-I, -II, -III, -IV and -V, no signal was
      obtained with the MIP-IV probe, indicating that gene IV is also a pseudogene.
      With the other four probes, two types of light green cells were distinguished.
      Type-A cells express all four MIP genes, whereas type-B cells do not (or only
      faintly) express the MIP-I gene. Gene III is relatively strongly expressed in
      type-B cells. Genes II and V are moderately expressed in both cell types. Type-A
      cells are mainly located in the periphery of the clusters, whereas type-B cells
      are present in the center. The canopy cell resembles type-A light green cells.
      The expression levels of the MIP-II and MIP-V genes are low in the canopy cell.
      The expression pattern of the MIP genes correlates with the staining pattern of
      the anti-MIP-C antibody, which has been raised to a synthetic C-fragment shared
      by MIP-I, -II and -V. Type-A cells stain more intensely with the antibody than
      type-B cells.

PMID- 1423481
TI  - The origin of the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) neurons in newts
      (Cynops pyrrhogaster): the effect of olfactory placode ablation.
AB  - Neurons containing luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) are first
      detected in newt embryos (Cynops pyrrhogaster) in the olfactory epithelium and
      ventromedial portion of the olfactory nerve, after which they sequentially appear
      in the intracerebral course of the terminal nerve at prometamorphosis, and in the
      septo-preoptic area at postmetamorphosis. In adults, however, LHRH-immunoreactive
      cells are rarely seen in the nasal region, and their distribution shifts into the
      brain, suggesting their migration. In order to ascertain the origin and possible
      migration route of these neurons in newt larvae, the effect of unilateral or
      bilateral olfactory placodectomy on the LHRH neuronal system has been studied.
      Removal of the olfactory placode results in the absence of LHRH-immunoreactive
      cells in the nasal and brain regions of the operated side, whereas the subsequent
      growth and the LHRH-immunoreactive cellular distribution in the contralateral
      side are identical to those of normal larvae. Following bilateral placodectomy,
      no LHRH immunoreactivity is detected on either side of the olfactory-brain axis.
      These results suggest that LHRH neurons of the newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster,
      originate in the olfactory placode and then migrate into the brain during
      embryonic development.

PMID- 1423482
TI  - Widespread tissue distribution of rabbit calreticulin, a non-muscle functional
      analogue of calsequestrin.
AB  - Calreticulin was identified in a variety of rabbit tissues by Western blot
      analysis. Indirect immunofluorescence studies on cultured cells or frozen
      sections from the corresponding tissues revealed that the protein was distributed
      to the endoplasmic reticulum or sarcoplasmic reticulum. Calreticulin was found to
      be an abundant calcium-binding protein in non-muscle and smooth muscle cells and
      a constituent calcium-binding protein in cardiac and skeletal muscle. From the
      immunoblot data, calreticulin may exist as an isoform in rabbit neural retina.
      The present study establishes the ubiquity of calreticulin in intracellular
      calcium binding.

PMID- 1423483
TI  - Morphogenesis of the photoreceptor outer segment during postnatal development in
      the mouse (BALB/c) retina.
AB  - Disc formation of rod photoreceptor cells in developing BALB/c mice retinas was
      studied by rapid freeze, freeze-substitution, freeze-etching,
      immunocytochemistry, and myosin S-1 decoration methods. Freeze-substituted
      photoreceptor cells contained variously shaped vesicles in the apical swelling of
      the connecting cilium or the base of the outer segment during postnatal
      development. Rapid freezing successfully arrested pinocytosis; the fusion of
      small vesicles to give large ones, and the compression of certain vesicles (0.3
      0.6 micron) appears to lead gradually to the formation of the so-called discs. We
      therefore propose that membranous discs are formed by the fusion of small
      pinocytotic vesicles and their subsequent compression. Discs formed in this way
      were partially stacked, but were ordered at random during the early developmental
      stages. During development, a partial stack of discs was progressively rearranged
      to a regular form as seen in mature outer segments. Cytoskeletal actin was
      expected to be involved in the disc formation; it was demonstrated in the distal
      axoneme of the connecting cilium during development and showed no change in its
      distribution. However, the polarity of the actin filaments, as revealed by myosin
      S-1 decoration in early developmental stages, was much more variable than in the
      adult. Barbed ends of actin filaments were associated with the plasma membrane or
      the membrane of vesicles. We also found actin filaments coiled up helically on
      ciliary microtubules.

PMID- 1423484
TI  - Smooth muscle cells in the walls of ovarian follicles in the Japanese quail.
AB  - The walls of pre-ovulatory follicles of the Japanese quail were examined at the
      ultrastructural level for the presence of cells displaying the typical
      morphological features of smooth muscle cells. These characteristics were found
      in the cells of the chordae, the tunica albuginea, and the theca externa. Small,
      elongated cells, containing microfilaments, were observed in the theca of
      prelampbrush follicles localized in the ovarian cortex. These thecal cells were
      considered as the putative precursors of the thecal smooth muscle cells of the
      pre-ovulatory follicle. The difference between the smooth muscle cells of the pre
      ovulatory follicle and those in the wall of the most recent post-ovulatory
      follicle is the contracted state of the latter, which is most evident in the
      cells of the theca externa. It can be concluded that the cells of the theca
      externa are smooth muscle cells which are mainly contracted during the ovulatory
      process. A comparison was made with other vertebrate species.

PMID- 1423485
TI  - Dye coupling in the corneal endothelium: effects of ouabain and extracellular
      calcium removal.
AB  - The effects of ouabain and extracellular calcium removal on gap junctional
      coupling of isolated rabbit corneal endothelium was examined using a modified dye
      spread technique. This technique is a modification of a microelectrode procedure
      that now utilizes patch electrodes connected to a current-clamp circuit for dye
      iontophoresis and a shuttering system in the excitation light path to reduce
      phototoxic effects in the monolayer. It was found that a significant degree of
      junctional uncoupling occurred after 45 min of exposure to ouabain, quantified as
      a reduction in the effective diffusion coefficient of injected Lucifer yellow CH:
      1.74 x 10(-7) cm2/s (control) versus 0.43 x 10(-7) cm2/s (ouabain-treated). It
      was also determined that no gap junctional uncoupling occurs after extended
      exposure (up to 3.5 h) to a calcium-free extracellular environment.

PMID- 1423486
TI  - Postembryonic development of leucokinin I-immunoreactive neurons innervating a
      neurohemal organ in the turnip moth Agrotis segetum.
AB  - In the abdominal ganglia of the turnip moth Agrotis segetum, an antibody against
      the cockroach neuropeptide leucokinin I recognizes neurons with varicose fibers
      and terminals innervating the perisympathetic neurohemal organs. In the larva,
      the abdominal perisympathetic organs consist of a segmental series of discrete
      neurohemal swellings on the dorsal unpaired nerve and the transverse nerves
      originating at its bifurcation. These neurohemal structures are innervated by
      varicose terminals of leucokinin I-immunoreactive (LKIR) fibers originating from
      neuronal cell bodies located in the preceding segment. In the adult, the
      abdominal segmental neurohemal units are more or less fused into a plexus that
      extends over almost the whole abdominal nerve cord. The adult plexus consists of
      peripheral nerve branches and superficial nerve fibers beneath the basal lamina
      of the neural sheath of the nerve cord. During metamorphosis, the LKIR fibers
      closely follow the restructuration of the perisympathetic organs. In both larvae
      and adults the LKIR fibers in the neurohemal structures originate from the same
      cell bodies, which are distributed as ventrolateral bilateral pairs in all
      abdominal ganglia. The transformation of the series of separated and relatively
      simple larval neurohemal organs into the larger, continuous and more complex
      adult neurohemal areas occurs during the first of the two weeks of pupal life.
      The efferent abdominal LKIR neurons of the moth Agrotis segetum thus belong to
      the class of larval neurons which persist into adult life with substantial
      peripheral reorganization occurring during metamorphosis.

PMID- 1423487
TI  - Postnatal development and testosterone-dependence of GP-83 and GP-49, two sperm
      maturation-related glycoproteins in BALB/c mouse epididymis.
AB  - The secretion of sperm maturation-related molecules by the epididymis is
      subjected to developmental and hormonal regulation. In the BALB/c mouse, we found
      that GP-83 and GP-49, two sperm maturation-related glycoproteins, were secreted
      by the epididymis. The present study investigated the postnatal development and
      testosterone-dependence of these two molecules. Histochemical localization in
      paraffin sections revealed that wheat-germ agglutinin (WGA)-binding sites were
      first present in the epididymis of 4-week-old mice. The distribution of WGA
      binding sites was the same as that of more mature mice, i.e., it was first found
      in the principal cells of the corpus epididymidis, and gradually appeared in the
      contents of epididymal tubules. On WGA blots, GP-83 and GP-49 were identified in
      the corpus, and GP-83 was identified in the cauda of the epididymis. In mice that
      had received unilateral orchiectomy at 4 weeks of age, GP-83 and GP-49 were
      present in both intact and orchiectomized epididymides 4 weeks after the
      operation. In the epididymides of mice that had received bilateral orchiectomy,
      GP-83 and GP-49 were barely identifiable. However, the presence of these two
      molecules was restored if testosterone was supplemented immediately after
      orchiectomy. These results indicate that GP-83 and GP-49 are secreted de novo in
      the epididymis, and that the secretion of these two molecules is developmentally
      regulated and androgen-dependent.

PMID- 1423488
TI  - Quantitative morphology of stimulation-induced damage in rabbit fast-twitch
      skeletal muscles.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to examine the contention that stimulation-induced
      damage, resulting in degeneration with subsequent regeneration, plays a major
      role in the transformation of fibre type brought about by chronic electrical
      stimulation. Data from histological and histochemical sections of 9-day
      stimulated rabbit fast-twitch muscles were analysed with multivariate statistical
      techniques. Fibre degeneration and regeneration varied non-systematically between
      sample areas at any given cross-sectional level. In the extensor digitorum longus
      muscle, but not in the tibialis anterior, there was more degeneration in proximal
      than in distal portions of the muscle. The extensor digitorum longus muscle
      consistently showed more degeneration than the tibialis anterior muscle.
      Degeneration was less extensive for an intermittent pattern of stimulation that
      delivered half the aggregate number of impulses of continuous stimulation.
      Degeneration and regeneration varied markedly between individual rabbits in each
      of the groups. Sections that revealed the most degeneration and regeneration also
      had more fibres that reacted positively with an anti-neonatal antibody. Rigorous
      analysis of different sources of variation has helped to explain apparent
      conflicts in the literature. The incidence of muscle fibre damage in the
      stimulated tibialis anterior muscle is low, showing that the contribution of
      degenerative-regenerative phenomena to fibre type conversion in this muscle is
      insignificant.

PMID- 1423489
TI  - Bromodeoxyuridine-immunohistochemistry on cellular differentiation and migration
      in the fundic gland of Xenopus laevis during development.
AB  - Cellular differentiation and migration in the fundic glands of adult and larval
      Xenopus laevis have been examined using bromodeoxyuridine-immunohistochemistry.
      In the adult fundic gland, cumulative labeling with bromodeoxyuridine revealed a
      proliferative cell zone between the surface mucous cells and mucous neck cells,
      in what is referred to as the neck portion of the gland. The labeling-index of
      mucous neck cells had rapidly increased by week-5. The labeling-index of
      oxynticopeptic cells showed a more delayed increase until week-7, coincident with
      the decrease in the labeling of mucous neck cells. In the immature fundic glands
      of larvae, the labeled proliferating cells were randomly distributed throughout
      the developing gastric mucosa. During metamorphosis, the labeling-index of
      immature epithelial cells was highest at stage 63. Following administration of
      bromodeoxyuridine at this stage, there was no significant loss of labeled
      epithelial cells during the metamorphosing period. Furthermore, there was no
      significant difference in the labeling-indices among the epithelial cells, such
      as surface mucous cells/generative cells, mucous neck cells, and oxynticopeptic
      cells, 7 days after administration. Cellular differentiation and migration
      pathways of epithelial cells in the fundic gland of adult X. laevis and its
      larvae are discussed.

PMID- 1423490
TI  - Immunolocalization of inhibin alpha-subunit in the human testis. A light- and
      electron-microscopy study.
AB  - The localization of inhibin alpha-subunit in the human testis was studied at the
      light- and electron-microscope level with immunostaining techniques. Antibodies
      against specific fragments of porcine and human inhibin alpha-subunits were
      utilized. At light microscopy, inhibin alpha-subunit immunoreactivity was
      detected in Sertoli cells, spermatocytes and in some Leydig cells. At electron
      microscopy, gold labeling was found in the cisternae of the Golgi apparatus and
      in the endoplasmic reticulum of Sertoli and Leydig cells. Gold labeling for
      inhibin was also found in coated vesicles in the cytoplasm of Sertoli cells as
      well as in coated pits and coated vesicles in the cytoplasm of some
      spermatocytes. The results of the present study suggest that, in the human
      testis, inhibin is produced by Sertoli and Leydig cells and is taken up by
      spermatocytes, on which it might act in a paracrine manner.

PMID- 1423491
TI  - In vivo effects of tunicamycin on chondrocytes of rat mandibular condyles as
      revealed by lectin cytochemistry.
AB  - The in vivo effects of tunicamycin on the glycosylation of proteoglycans and link
      protein in rat mandibular condylar chondrocytes were studied by ultrastructural
      lectin histochemistry. The binding of wheat-germ agglutinin was shown by using
      anti-lectin antibody followed by protein A-gold complex. In normal rats, wheat
      germ agglutinin labeling was restricted to trans cisternae and vacuoles of the
      Golgi complex, whereas it was observed in neither the cis region of the Golgi
      complex nor in the rough endoplasmic reticulum. By 3 h after the drug
      administration, wheat-germ agglutinin binding sites on the disorganized Golgi
      vacuoles were dramatically reduced in number. At 6 h after the drug
      administration, the lectin binding sites on the Golgi vacuoles were restored.
      These results demonstrate that the in vivo use of tunicamycin in combination with
      histochemical analysis using lectin probes is of significant value for the study
      of protein glycosylation in chondrocytes of the rat mandibular condyle.

PMID- 1423492
TI  - Neuropeptides regulate the cardiac activity of a prosobranch mollusc, Rapana
      thomasiana.
AB  - Involvement of neuropeptides in the regulation of cardiac activity in a
      prosobranch mollusc, Rapana thomasiana, was studied physiologically as well as
      immunohistochemically. A catch-relaxing peptide (CARP) showed strong inhibitory
      effects on the heart with a lower threshold than acetylcholine. The action of
      CARP was in contrast to that of another neuropeptide, FMRFamide, which has
      previously been shown to enhance the heart beat. Benzoquinonium blocked the
      effects of acetylcholine and stimulation of right cardiac nerves 1 and 3 b, but
      not those of CARP, suggesting that the effects of nerve stimulation are mainly
      due to the release of acetylcholine. Immunohistochemical examinations
      demonstrated that FMRFamide-like and CARP-like immunoreactive neurons are
      distributed in the visceral ganglia. Although a neuron appeared to show weak
      immunoreactivity to both antisera, evidence for the coexistence of peptides in a
      single neuron was not exhibited. Positive immunoreactivity to FMRFamide and CARP
      antisera also appeared in right cardiac nerves 1 and 3. In the heart, FMRFamide-
      and CARP-like immunoreactive fibers were restricted to the atrium and the aortic
      end of the ventricle, consistent with the morphological observation of
      innervation. The present results suggest that FMRFamide- and CARP-like peptides
      are involved in regulating the heart beat.

PMID- 1423493
TI  - Fine structure of the neurohemal sinus gland of the shore crab, Carcinus maenas,
      and immuno-electron-microscopic identification of neurosecretory endings
      according to their neuropeptide contents.
AB  - The sinus gland of the shore crab, Carcinus maenas, is a compact assembly of
      interdigitating neurosecretory axon endings abutting upon the thin basal lamina
      of a central hemolymph lacuna. Four types of axon endings are distinguishable by
      the size distribution, shape, electron density and core structure of their
      neurosecretory granules. One additional type of axon ending is characterized by
      electron-lucent vacuoles and vesicles. The axon profiles are surrounded by
      astrocyte-like glial cells. Various fixations followed by epoxy- or Lowicryl
      embedding were compared in order to optimize the preservation of the fine
      structure of the granule types and the antigenicity of their peptide hormone
      contents. By use of specific rabbit antisera, the crustacean hyperglycemic, molt
      inhibiting, pigment-dispersing, and red-pigment-concentrating hormones were
      assigned to the four distinct granule types which showed no overlap of
      immunostaining. Epi-polarization microscopy and ultrathin section analysis of
      immunogold-stained Lowicryl-embedded specimens revealed that immunoreactivity to
      Leu-enkephalin and proctolin is co-localized with molt-inhibiting hormone
      immunoreactivity in the same type of granule. The size and core structure of the
      immunocytochemically identified granule types vary little with the different
      pretreatments but, in some cases, to a statistically significant extent. The
      present results are compared with those from earlier studies of sinus glands in
      different crustaceans. The methods of granule identification used in this study
      supplement the classical approach in granule typing; they are easier to perform
      and more reliable for the analysis of release phenomena in identified secretory
      neurons supplying the neurohemal sinus gland.

PMID- 1423494
TI  - Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP): occurrence in rodent
      pancreas and effects on insulin and glucagon secretion in the mouse.
AB  - Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a neuropeptide that
      occurs in several tissues, e.g., in the gut. We have studied PACAP-like
      immunoreactivity in the pancreas of rat and mouse, and the effects of PACAP-38 on
      basal and stimulated insulin and glucagon secretion in the mouse.
      Immunofluorescence staining demonstrated the presence of PACAP-like
      immunoreactivity in nerve fibers in both the rat and mouse pancreas. The nerve
      fibers were seen in the exocrine pancreas and surrounding the islets.
      Occasionally, the nerve fibers occurred within the islets. Most PACAP-positive
      nerve fibers innervated the intrapancreatic ganglia, although no nerve cell
      bodies contained PACAP-like immunoreactivity. In-vivo experiments in mice
      revealed that basal plasma glucagon levels were increased by PACAP-38 injected
      intravenously at dose levels exceeding 1.8 nmol/kg. Furthermore, PACAP-38 (7
      nmol/kg) potentiated the plasma glucagon response to the cholinergic agonist
      carbachol (0.16 mumol/kg). This potentiation was reduced to simple addition by
      pretreatment with a combined alpha- and beta-adrenergic blockade by phentolamine
      (35 mumol/kg) and propranolol (8.5 mumol/kg). Moreover, PACAP-38 inhibited a
      carbachol-induced increase in the level of plasma insulin in the absence but not
      in the presence of adrenergic blockade. PACAP-38 increased basal plasma insulin
      levels and increased basal plasma glucose levels 6 min and 10 min, respectively,
      after injection of the peptide. We conclude that PACAP-like immunoreactivity
      exists in nerve fibers innervating the mouse and rat pancreas, particularly the
      intrapancreatic ganglia, and that PACAP-38 augments both basal and carbachol
      stimulated glucagon secretion in the mouse.

PMID- 1423495
TI  - The role of cell proliferation and migration in the development of a neo-intimal
      layer in veins grafted into arteries, in rats.
AB  - The development of a thickened (hyperplastic) fibro-cellular neo-intima is a
      significant event in the adaptation of a vein grafted into an artery. The
      histogenesis of tissues in vein grafts was explored in a rat model where the
      source of endothelial and smooth muscle cells was from the adjacent artery. Cell
      proliferation was assessed by the incorporation of tritiated thymidine and
      autoradiography, up to 18 months after grafting. Cell migration was detected by
      prelabelling in the first 5 days after grafting and sampling at later times. The
      proliferation of cells in the arterial media adjacent to the graft was elevated
      above control levels as early as 2 days after grafting; it was maximal at 3 days
      and returned to low levels by day 21. During the first week, prelabelled smooth
      muscle cells in the tunica media of the adjacent artery migrated to the
      subendothelial space, where they continued to proliferate to produce arterial
      intimal hyperplasia. The migration of endothelial and smooth muscle cells
      proceeded across the anastomosis to populate the vein graft neo-intima, where
      smooth muscle cells continued to proliferate until 28 days after grafting. Cell
      migration and proliferation were significant factors in the histogenesis of vein
      graft neo-intimal hyperplasia in this model. These processes were controlled,
      perhaps by local regulatory factors, to form a vein graft, the wall of which was
      similar in thickness and structure to that of the host artery.

PMID- 1423496
TI  - Calbindin D-28k-positive neurons in the rat olfactory bulb. An
      immunohistochemical study.
AB  - We have studied the distribution of calbindin D-28k immunoreactivity in the rat
      olfactory bulb using specific monoclonal antibodies and the avidin-biotin
      immunoperoxidase method. The largest number of positive neurons was located in
      the periglomerular layer. These neurons were identified as periglomerular cells;
      they have been described also by other authors as calbindin-positive elements.
      Close to these neurons, a second population of nerve cells was identified as
      superficial short-axon neurons. The remaining layers showed a smaller number of
      stained elements. Other labeled neurons were located along the external border of
      the external plexiform layer; the scarce neurons marking its internal border were
      identified as van Gehuchten cells. No immunoreactive structures were found in the
      mitral cell layer, although we observed another population of immuno-stained
      short-axon cells at its internal border. Some reactive structures, identified by
      us as horizontal and vertical cells of Cajal, were located in the boundary zone
      between the internal plexiform layer and the granule layer. In the white matter,
      we found a neuronal type characterized by its large size and oriented
      arborization of varicose dendrites.

PMID- 1423497
TI  - Glomerular bypass shunts and distribution of glomeruli in the kidney of the
      lesser spotted dogfish, Scyliorhinus caniculus.
AB  - Scanning electron microscopy of corroded resin casts of the renal vasculature of
      Scyliorhinus caniculus has revealed a novel vascular pathway arising from the
      afferent arteriole and bypassing the glomerulus. This glomerulus bypass shunt
      occurred in 36% of the glomerular casts examined. The shunt ran to join a
      peritubular network of capillaries and thereby offers the potential to vary the
      degree of glomerular perfusion and control the proportion of active glomeruli. In
      29% of glomeruli two efferent arterioles drained the capillary knot. Glomeruli
      were located close to the dorsal margin of the posterior mass of the kidney, and
      towards the lateral edge of the anterior lobes of the kidney of female dogfish.
      In male dogfish, glomeruli were evenly distributed through the posterior mass of
      kidney, while in female dogfish 89% of glomeruli occurred in the posterior mass
      and 11% of glomeruli were located within the small anterior lobes.

PMID- 1423498
TI  - Organization of the ciliary basal apparatus in embryonic cells of the sea urchin,
      Lytechinus pictus.
AB  - The basal apparatus of embryonic cells of the sea urchin Lytechinus pictus was
      examined by transmission electron microscopy and compared with the basal
      apparatus of other metazoan cells. The basal apparatus in these cells is
      associated with a specialized region of the apical cell surface that is encircled
      by a ring of microvilli. The basal apparatus includes several features that are
      common to all ciliated cells, including a basal body, basal foot, basal foot cap,
      and striated rootlet. However, a component not seen in the basal apparatus of
      other species has been observed in these cells. This structure is continuous with
      the striated rootlet, and its ultrastructure indicates that it is composed of the
      same components as the rootlet. This structure extends from the junction of the
      basal body and striated rootlet to the cortical region that surrounds the basal
      body. Based on its morphology and position, this structure is referred to as a
      striated side-arm. The striated side-arm is always aligned in the plane of the
      basal foot. Thus, both of these structures extend from the basal body in the
      plane of the effective stroke. It is suggested that the striated side-arm serves
      to stabilize the basal apparatus against force exerted by the cilium.

PMID- 1423499
TI  - Localization of calcitonin gene-related peptide and islet amyloid polypeptide in
      the rat and mouse pancreas.
AB  - It was previously demonstrated that the two chemically related peptides
      calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) both
      occur in the pancreas. We have now examined the cellular localization of CGRP and
      IAPP in the rat and the mouse pancreas. We found, in both the rat and the mouse
      pancreas, CGRP-immunoreactive nerve fibers throughout the parenchyma, including
      the islets, with particular association with blood vessels. CGRP-immunoreactive
      nerve fibers were regularly seen within the islets. In contrast, no IAPP
      immunoreactive nerve fibers were demonstrated in this location. Furthermore, in
      rat islets, CGRP immunoreactivity was demonstrated in peripherally located cells,
      constituting a major subpopulation of the somatostatin cells. Such cells were
      lacking in the mouse islets. IAPP-like immunoreactivity was demonstrated in rat
      and mouse islet insulin cells, and, in the rat, also in a few non-insulin cells
      in the islet periphery. These cells seemed to be identical with somatostatin/CGRP
      immunoreactive elements. In summary, the study shows (1) that CGRP, but not IAPP,
      is a pancreatic neuropeptide both in the mouse and the rat; (2) that a
      subpopulation of rat somatostatin cells contain CGRP; (3) that mouse islet
      endocrine cells do not contain CGRP; (4) that insulin cells in both the rat and
      the mouse contain IAPP; and (5) that in the rat, a non-insulin cell population
      apparently composed of somatostatin cells stores immunoreactive IAPP. We conclude
      that CGRP is a pancreatic neuropeptide and IAPP is an islet endocrine peptide in
      both the rat and the mouse, whereas CGRP is an islet endocrine peptide in the
      rat.

PMID- 1423500
TI  - Immunolocalization of synexin (annexin VII) in adrenal chromaffin granules and
      chromaffin cells: evidence for a dynamic role in the secretory process.
AB  - Synexin (annexin VII) is a Ca(2+)- and phospholipid-binding protein which has
      been proposed to play a role in Ca(2+)-dependent membrane fusion processes. Using
      a monoclonal antibody against synexin, Mab 10E7, and immunogold, we carried out a
      semiquantitative localization study of synexin in bovine adrenal medullary
      chromaffin granules, and in resting and nicotine-stimulated adrenal chromaffin
      cells. Isolated chromaffin granules contained very little synexin, whereas
      chromaffin granules aggregated with synexin (24 micrograms/mg) and Ca2+ (1 mM)
      clearly showed synexin-associated immunogold particles in the vicinity of the
      granule membrane (1.88 gold particles per granule profile). In isolated, cultured
      adrenal chromaffin cells, synexin was present in the nucleus (5.5
      particles/microns 2) and in the cytosol (5.3 particles/microns 2), but mainly
      around the granule membrane in the granular cell area (11.7 particles/microns 2).
      During the active phase of cholinergically stimulated catecholamine secretion,
      the amount of synexin label was reduced by 33% in the nucleus, by 23% in the
      cytosol, and by 51% in the granule area. The plasma membrane contained a small
      amount of synexin, which did not significantly change upon stimulation of the
      cells. We conclude that synexin is involved in the secretory process in
      chromaffin cells.

PMID- 1423501
TI  - Species variability in the expression of met- and leu-enkephalin-like
      immunoreactivity in mammalian Merkel cell dense-core granules. A light- and
      electron-microscopic immunohistochemical study.
AB  - Immunogold staining failed to show met-enkephalin immunoreactivity in the Merkel
      cell dense-core granules of rats when examined by electron microscopy, but showed
      gold particle staining in the Merkel cell dense-core granules of mice and nude
      mice. Merkel cells of hamster, guinea pig, rabbit, cat and dog were also examined
      using a similar method, and different antisera dilutions. Immunogold particles
      were consistently found in the dense-core granules of mice and nude mice at all
      antisera dilutions, but not in the other species, except in the dog, where a very
      low labelling response was encountered. Merkel cells from skin touch domes or
      sinus hair follicles, did not exhibit any difference in peptide expression as far
      as met-enkephalin immunoreactivity was concerned. In addition, all species
      studied, including mice and nude mice, did not show leu-enkephalin
      immunoreactivity in their Merkel cell dense-core granules. It is concluded that
      species variability in peptide expression occurs in the Merkel cell dense-core
      granules, and may be closely related to the different methodologies used.

PMID- 1423502
TI  - Some peptide-like colocalizations in endocrine cells of the pyloric caeca and the
      intestine of Oncorhynchus mykiss (Teleostei).
AB  - The coexistence of immunoreactivities to cholecystokinin, glucagon, glucagon-like
      peptide 1, salmon pancreatic polypeptide, neuropeptide tyrosine, and peptide
      tyrosine tyrosine was studied immunocytochemically, revealing for the first time
      in fish intestine the existence in the same cell of immunoreactivities to
      cholecystokinin-glucagon/glucagon-like peptide 1, cholecystokinin-salmon
      pancreatic polypeptide, glucagon/glucagon-like peptide 1-salmon pancreatic
      polypeptide, glucagon/glucagon-like peptide 1-neuropeptide tyrosine, salmon
      pancreatic polypeptide tyrosine tyrosine, and glucagon/glucagon-like peptide 1
      peptide tyrosine tyrosine. Colocalization of cholecystokinin-salmon pancreatic
      polypeptide was observed only in the pyloric caeca of the rainbow trout
      Oncorhynchus mykiss, while the other colocalizations also occurred in proximal
      and middle intestinal segments. In all cases, endocrine cells immunoreactive to
      only one of the paired antisera were detected except for anti-glucagon and anti
      glucagon-like peptide 1, which always immunostained the same cells.

PMID- 1423503
TI  - Dark and light zones of germinal centres of the human tonsil: an ultrastructural
      study with emphasis on heterogeneity of follicular dendritic cells.
AB  - The cellular composition of the dark and light zones of germinal centres in human
      tonsils was quantitatively determined by electron microscopy. In addition to the
      well known germinal-centre B-cells, we defined the cleaved blast as a new
      distinct cell type in the germinal centre. The dark and the light zones clearly
      differed in their content of lymphoid and non-lymphoid germinal-centre cells. The
      dark zone was characterized by higher frequencies of cleaved blasts and small
      centroblasts, a higher blast-centrocyte ratio and a higher incidence of mitotic
      figures. In contrast, the light zone had higher frequencies of centrocytes,
      centroplasmacytoid cells, lymphocytes and follicular dendritic cells (FDC) and an
      inverted blast-centrocyte ratio. Seven distinct appearances of FDC (FDC.1-FDC.7)
      could be recognized on the basis of their ultrastructure. The distribution
      pattern of these subtypes differed between the dark and light zone. The
      undifferentiated subtypes FDC.2 and FDC.3 predominated in the dark zone. In
      contrast, the highly differentiated subtypes FDC.4 and FDC.5 were present at a
      much higher density in the light zone. These findings suggest that the dark and
      light zones are different compartments with regard to proliferation and
      differentiation of germinal-centre B-cells and that both compartments have a
      specific microenvironment influenced by FDC.

PMID- 1423504
TI  - A novel neuropeptide, pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP),
      in human intestine: evidence for reduced content in Hirschsprung's disease.
AB  - A novel neuropeptide, pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP),
      exhibits sequence homology with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and
      occurs in the mammalian brain, lung and gut. The distribution of PACAP in
      ganglionic and aganglionic portions of the large intestine of patients with
      Hirschsprung's disease was examined by immunohistochemistry and radioimmunoassay.
      PACAP-immunoreactive nerve fibers were distributed in all layers of the
      ganglionic and aganglionic segments of the intestine, although they were less
      numerous in the latter, and PACAP-immunoreactive nerve cell bodies were seen in
      the ganglionic portion of the intestine. The concentration of immunoreactive
      PACAP was lower in the aganglionic than in the ganglionic segment of the
      intestinal wall. PACAP and VIP were found to coexist in both ganglionic and
      aganglionic segments of the intestine. Apparently, PACAP participates in the
      regulation of gut motility. The scarcer PACAP innervation of the aganglionic
      segment may contribute to the defect in intestinal relaxation seen in patients
      with Hirschsprung's disease.

PMID- 1423506
TI  - Ultrastructural evidence of indirect and direct autonomic innervation of human
      Leydig cells: comparison of neonatal, childhood and pubertal ages.
AB  - Recent physiological studies have indicated an autonomic influence on the
      secretion of testosterone from Leydig cells in humans and laboratory animals.
      Furthermore, a few studies have shown enhanced autonomic control of Leydig cell
      function in immature, relative to mature, laboratory animals. In the current
      ultrastructural study of the human testicular interstitium the morphology of
      autonomic components is described from neonatal, childhood and pubertal ages.
      Autonomic nerve fibers and varicosities with neurotransmitter vesicles are
      described in proximity to Leydig cells. The observed autonomic terminals are
      classified by vesicle morphology into three general types: (1) Type I with
      predominantly small agranular vesicles (30-60 nm) and occasional larger granular
      vesicles (100 nm). This type is morphologically consistent with being
      cholinergic. (2) Type II with predominantly small granular vesicles (30-60 nm),
      as well as sporadic large granular vesicles. These are morphologically consistent
      with adrenergic terminals. (3) Type III which exhibit numerous large granular
      vesicles of mixed size. Evidence of autonomic terminals is encountered most
      frequently in childhood biopsies, age 3 to 10 years. The neonatal specimen (4
      months) is noteworthy in that many of the Schwann cells appear immature and no
      adrenergic terminals are observed. In contrast, terminals morphologically
      consistent with being adrenergic are common in the childhood series of biopsies.
      Although the vast majority of the autonomic terminals are associated with Leydig
      cells indirectly as "boutons en passant", separated by approximately 150 nm to
      more than a micron, evidence of direct contact (20 nm) of autonomic terminals
      with Leydig cells is presented.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423505
TI  - Distribution of the alpha 2-macroglobulin receptor/low density lipoprotein
      receptor-related protein in human tissues.
AB  - The hepatic alpha 2-macroglobulin receptor (alpha 2MR)/low density lipoprotein
      receptor-related protein (LRP) binds and endocytoses alpha 2-macroglobulin
      proteinase complexes in plasma. In addition, it binds lipoproteins, a novel 40
      kDa protein, and complexes between plasminogen activators and plasminogen
      activator inhibitor type-1. This study shows, for the first time, the tissue
      distribution of alpha 2MR/LRP as determined by immunohistochemistry with specific
      monoclonal antibodies. The analysis revealed alpha 2MR/LRP-expression in a
      restricted spectrum of cell types, including neurons and astrocytes in the
      central nervous system, epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal tract, smooth
      muscle cells, fibroblasts, Leydig cells in testis, granulosa cells in ovary, and
      dendritic interstitial cells of kidney. Monocyte-derived cells displayed marked
      alpha 2MR/LRP expression in the phagocytes of liver, lung and lymphoid tissues,
      but no or low expression in antigen-presenting cells including Langerhans' cells
      of the skin. The high abundance of alpha 2MR/LRP in certain cell types of most
      organs suggests two main routes for alpha 2MR/LRP-mediated ligand clearance: (1)
      systemic removal in liver of circulating ligands, and (2) non-hepatic
      interstitial removal in different organs, including the brain.

PMID- 1423507
TI  - Histological distribution and developmental changes of tropomyosin isoforms in
      three chicken digestive organs.
AB  - Histological localization of tropomyosin isoforms in three digestive organs from
      embryonic and adult chickens was performed by using rabbit antisera against
      chicken skeletal muscle tropomyosin and against low-Mr-type tropomyosin from
      chicken small intestine mucosa. The former antiserum (named TM-SH) reacted with
      alpha, beta, and high-Mr-type isoforms, and the latter (named TM-HL) reacted with
      alpha, beta, high-Mr-type and low-Mr-type isoforms, alpha and beta Isoforms were
      detected in muscle cells of the muscular layer and the muscularis mucosa. Low-Mr
      type isoforms, however, were detected along the cell membrane and cytoplasm of
      almost all nonmuscle cells, especially in terminal webs of epithelial cells.
      Developmental changes of tropomyosin isoforms in digestive organs were studied by
      two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and image analysis. The relative amounts of
      alpha and beta isoforms increased in the course of development, but those of low
      Mr-type and high-Mr-type isoforms decreased.

PMID- 1423509
TI  - Electron microscopy of a double helical tubular filament in keyhole limpet
      (Megathura crenulata) hemolymph.
AB  - A approximately 25 nm hollow double helical filament has been detected
      ultrastructurally in the cell-free supernatant from hemolymph of the keyhole
      limpet Megathura crenulata (Gastropoda: Prosobranchia: Fissurellidae).
      Subsequently, much higher concentrations of this material were found in the cell
      pellet from hemolymph. Both negative staining and thin sectioning have been
      performed in an attempt to obtain a preliminary structural characterization of
      this new filament. It is proposed that the filaments are released or secreted
      from blood hemocytes in response to bleeding, but it has not been possible to
      define absolutely an intracellular organelle containing this material. It is
      shown that the hollow filaments, which have fine fibrillar surface extensions,
      are readily distinguishable from collagen fibrils and from tubular (multi
      decameric) keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH).

PMID- 1423508
TI  - Correlation of extracellular matrix components with the cytoarchitecture of mouse
      Peyer's patches.
AB  - The distribution patterns of extracellular matrix elements were determined to
      ascertain whether they play a role in the localization of lymphocytes in discrete
      T-cell, B-cell and dome antigen-processing domains within Peyer's patches.
      Antibodies against collagen types I, III and IV, laminin and fibronectin were
      applied to cryosections of mouse Peyer's patches and localized by direct or
      indirect immunoperoxidase methods. T-cell domains were identified with a
      monoclonal antibody against Thy-1.2. Labeled reticular fibers in distinctive
      patterns were more numerous in parafollicular and dome areas than within
      follicles. Germinal centers contained few such fibers. In parafollicular areas,
      fibers were oriented predominantly toward follicle domes; their distribution
      corresponded to T-cell zones and lymphocyte traffic areas, with their orientation
      being parallel to the migration pathways of lymphocytes from high endothelial
      venules to the antigen-processing domes. Subepithelial and subendothelial basal
      laminae were immunopositive for type-IV collagen, laminin and fibronectin. The
      dome subepithelial basal lamina had pore-like discontinuities through which
      lymphocytes migrated to and from the epithelium. The correspondence of the
      distribution patterns of extracellular matrix to specific functional domains of
      Peyer's patches suggests that this matrix provides a structural framework for
      lymphocyte migration and localization.

PMID- 1423510
TI  - Immunohistochemical localization and radioenzymatic measurements of serotonin (5
      hydroxytryptamine) in hearts of Aplysia and several bivalve mollusks.
AB  - Serotonin immunoreactivity was localized in hearts of the opisthobranch
      gastropod, Aplysia californica (sea hare) and several species of bivalve
      mollusks, the heterodonts, Mercenaria mercenaria (quahog or cherry stone clam),
      Protothaca staminea (little neck clam), and the pteriomorphs, Hinnites
      multirugosus (rock scallop), Crassostrea virginica (eastern oyster), Mytilus
      edulis (eastern mussel), and Geukensia demissa (ribbed mussel). In addition,
      serotonin was assayed in the ventricles, auricles and heart-associated tissues in
      A. californica, M. mercenaria, H. multirugosus, and G. demissa with a sensitive
      radioenzymatic assay. Serotonin concentrations and the density of innervation
      were significantly higher in members of the subclass Heterodonta compared to the
      subclass Pteriomorpha. Serotonin immunoreactivity was observed in all species
      surveyed except G. demissa, which also contained relatively low concentrations of
      serotonin. Varicose fibers presumably corresponding to release sites were
      localized in the ventricles, auricles, and the auricular-ventricular valves. We
      hypothesize that in the species where serotonin-immunoreactive fibers are
      present, serotonin serves to modulate cardiac myogenic activity. The significance
      of the observed distribution and concentration of serotonin to the physiological
      effects of serotonin on cardiac function in these species is discussed.

PMID- 1423511
TI  - Species differences in the immunoreactive patterns of calcitonin gene-related
      peptide in the pancreas.
AB  - In the pancreas, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunoreactivity has been
      described in nerve fibers and in distinct types of islet cells. This unique,
      apparently species-specific cell-type expression prompted the present
      investigation to clarify further the pattern of CGRP immunoreactivity in
      different mammalian species (i.e., different strains of rats, mice, guinea pigs,
      rabbits, cats, dogs, pigs, and humans) commonly used for functional and
      anatomical studies of the pancreas by means of immunohistochemistry using three
      different CGRP antibodies. In each species, CGRP-immunoreactive neurites
      innervate the exocrine and endocrine compartments, the vasculature, and the
      intrapancreatic ganglia, where they form dense networks encircling unstained cell
      bodies. The only exception is the pig pancreas, where the islets appear to be
      devoid of immunoreactive fibers. The overall density of immunoreactive pancreatic
      axons in different species is as follows: rat, mouse, and rabbit greater than
      guinea pig greater than or equal to pig and cat much greater than dog and human.
      CGRP-immunoreactive endocrine cells appear to be restricted to the rat pancreas,
      where they form a subpopulation of somatostatin-containing D cells. In contrast,
      in mouse, guinea pig, cat, dog, and human pancreas, a homogeneous staining of the
      core of the islets, where insulin-producing B cells are located, was visualized
      in sections incubated with the rabbit CGRP antiserum at 4 degrees C, but not at
      37 degrees C (an incubation temperature that does not affect the islet cell
      staining in the rat nor the fiber labeling in any species). Furthermore, the
      staining of islet B cells was not reproducible with all the CGRP antibodies used,
      all of which comparably stain nerve fibers in each species, and islet D cells in
      the rat. Immunoreactive islet cells were not visualized in pig and rabbit
      pancreas. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the expression of
      CGRP in nerve fibers is a common feature of mammalian pancreas, whereas its
      expression in endocrine cells appears to be restricted to the D cells of the rat
      pancreas.

PMID- 1423512
TI  - Segmental peptidergic innervation of abdominal targets in larval and adult
      dipteran insects revealed with an antiserum against leucokinin I.
AB  - An antiserum against the cockroach neuropeptide leucokinin I (LKI) was used to
      study peptidergic neurons and their innervation patterns in larvae and adults of
      three species of higher dipteran insects, the flies Drosophila melanogaster,
      Calliphora vomitoria, and Phormia terraenovae, as well as larvae of a primitive
      dipteran insect, the crane fly Phalacrocera replicata. In the larvae of the
      higher dipteran flies, the antiserum revealed three pairs of cells in the brain,
      three pairs of ventro-medial cells in the subesophageal ganglion, and seven pairs
      of ventro-lateral cells in the abdominal ganglia. Each of these 14 abdominal
      leucokinin-immunoreactive (LKIR) neurons innervates a single muscle of the
      abdominal body wall (muscle 8), which is known to degenerate shortly after adult
      emergence. Conventional electron microscopy demonstrates that this muscle is
      innervated by at least one axon containing clear vesicles and two axons
      containing dense-cored vesicles. Electron-microscopical immunocytochemistry shows
      that the LKIR axon is one of these two axons with dense-cored vesicles and that
      it forms terminals on the sarcolemma of its target muscle. The abdominal LKIR
      neurons appear to survive metamorphosis. In the adult fly, the efferent abdominal
      LKIR neurons innervate the spiracles, the heart, and neurohemal regions of the
      abdominal wall. In the crane fly larva, dorso-medial and ventrolateral LKIR cell
      bodies are located in both thoracic and abdominal ganglia of the ventral nerve
      cord. As in the larvae of the other flies, the abdominal ventrolateral LKIR
      neurons form efferent axons. However, in the crane fly larva there are two pairs
      of efferent LKIR neurons in each of the abdominal ganglia and their peripheral
      targets include neurohemal regions of the dorsal transverse nerves. An additional
      difference is that in the crane fly, a caudal pair of LKIR axons originating from
      the penultimate pair of dorso-median LKIR cells in the terminal ganglion
      innervate the hind-gut.

PMID- 1423513
TI  - Distribution of calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactivity in the central
      nervous system of the frog, Rana esculenta.
AB  - The distribution of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), immunoreactive
      structures in the central nervous system of the frog, Rana esculenta, was studied
      using the peroxidase immunohistochemical method. Immunoreactive perikarya were
      found in all major parts of the brain. In the forebrain, neurons of the
      septohippocampal formation, the amygdala, the ventromedial and posterocentral
      thalamic nuclei, and the cerebrospinal fluid contacting neurons in the
      diencephalic periventricular organ showed immunoreactivity. The pear-shaped
      neurons of the optic tectum, and perikarya of the oculomotor nucleus in the
      midbrain were also immunoreactive. In the hindbrain, neurons of the cranial nerve
      motor nuclei, neurons of the superior vestibular nucleus, giant cells of the
      reticular formation, and preganglionic parasympathetic neurons of the superior
      salivatory nucleus were stained. Motoneurons presented immunostaining also in the
      spinal cord. Immunoreactive fibers were shown to occur in the olfactory tract,
      the striatum, the tegmentum and the basis mesencephali, the descending tract of
      the trigeminal nerve, the solitary tract, Lissauer's tract, and the dorsal horn
      of spinal cord. A comparison of the distribution of CGRP immunoreactivity in the
      mammalian and amphibian central nervous system revealed that, in relation to the
      size of the brain, CGRP is more extensively distributed in the amphibian than in
      the mammalian limbic system.

PMID- 1423514
TI  - Tunicamycin, puromycin and brefeldin A influence the subcellular distribution of
      neuropeptides in hypothalamic magnocellular neurones of rat.
AB  - Magnocellular neurones in the supraoptic nuclei of normal Long Evans and
      homozygous Brattleboro rats were examined electron-microscopically after
      intracisternal injections of tunicamycin, puromycin, or brefeldin A. Moderate (50
      micrograms) or high (200 micrograms) doses of tunicamycin caused the formation of
      electron-dense filamentous accretions in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) cisterns
      of vasopressin neurones, but only the high dose of tunicamycin also caused
      accretions to form in the ER of some oxytocin neurones. Immunogold labelling of
      ultrathin sections from tunicamycin-treated rats revealed that, in about 5% of
      vasopressin neurones, the accretions could be immunogold-labelled for vasopressin
      and its associated neurophysin. However, in the majority of vasopressin neurones,
      the sections required trypsinisation before immunolabelling of the accretions
      could be detected. Small accretions in the ER of oxytocin neurones did not label
      for oxytocin or its neurophysin without prior trypsinisation, whereas larger
      accretions in other oxytocin cells could be labelled without prior trypsin
      treatment. Administration of puromycin resulted in the formation of small ER
      accretions in both vasopressin and oxytocin neurones. These accretions were
      immunolabelled with antisera, respectively, to vasopressin and oxytocin, but
      neurophysin-immunoreactivity was in most cases absent and was not revealed by
      treatment with trypsin, suggesting that neurophysin-immunoreactive epitopes were
      absent from truncated peptides forming the accretions. Brefeldin A caused
      dilatation of ER cisterns and disruption of the Golgi apparatus in both oxytocin
      and vasopressin neurones, but did not cause accretions to form in the ER.

PMID- 1423515
TI  - Immunogold labelling of the cytoplasmic estradiol receptor in resting porcine
      endometrium.
AB  - Serial sections of resting porcine endometrium were analyzed with the monoclonal
      antibody 13H2 using goat antimouse IgG/5 nm gold as secondary reagent or with
      either polyclonal antibodies from goat #402 or the rat monoclonal antibody H222,
      both in combination with protein G/12 nm gold. A modestly higher labelling of
      nuclei than of cytoplasm was seen only with the monoclonal antibody H222.
      Polyclonal #402 and monoclonal 13H2 showed fewer attachments over nuclear than
      over cytoplasmic areas. The highest densities of attachment and of predominantly
      cytoplasmic labelling were obtained with the monoclonal antibody 13H2. The
      results confirm the earlier assumption of a restricted accessibility of estradiol
      receptor in the cytoplasm of resting cells for immunoreagents.

PMID- 1423516
TI  - Ultrastructural and cytochemical studies of the effects of prolactin on the
      lateral prostate and the seminal vesicle of the castrated guinea pig.
AB  - Administration of ovine prolactin to castrated guinea pigs for 2 weeks induced
      hypertrophy of secretory cells in the lateral prostate when compared with the
      castrated controls. This was accompanied by an apparent increase in the number of
      profiles of granular endoplasmic reticulum and well developed Golgi complexes
      with dilated cisternae. An increase in the number of low-contrast electron-dense
      secretory granules was observed 4 weeks after prolactin treatment. In the seminal
      vesicle, dilatation and degranulation of granular endoplasmic reticulum and an
      apparent decrease in the number of secretory granules were observed 4 weeks after
      prolactin administration. Following castration and 2 weeks after prolactin
      treatment, thiamine pyrophosphatase (TPPase)-reaction product was mainly confined
      to 1-2 trans cisternae of the Golgi complexes in secretory cells of the lateral
      prostate and the seminal vesicle. In both glands, a reduction of TPPase activity
      was observed 2 weeks following prolactin administration, and the reaction product
      was totally absent after prolonged treatment for 4 weeks. The present study has
      provided morphological evidence that prolactin is capable of stimulating the
      secretory function of the lateral prostate while exerting some inhibitory effects
      on the seminal vesicle of the castrated guinea pig. In both glands, TPPase
      activity, and hence the process of glycosylation was inhibited after prolactin
      administration. The results from radioimmunoassay indicated that the action of
      prolactin on these glands could be a direct effect and not mediated through
      testosterone.

PMID- 1423517
TI  - Allatostatin-immunoreactive neurons projecting to the corpora allata of adult
      Diploptera punctata.
AB  - A monoclonal antibody against allatostatin I was used to demonstrate the
      allatostatin-immunoreactive pathways between the brain and the corpus cardiacum
      corpus allatum complex in the adult cockroach Diploptera punctata. The antibody
      was two to three orders of magnitude more sensitive to allatostatin I than to the
      other four known members of the allatostatin family. Whole and sectioned brains
      in which immunoreactivity was localized with horseradish peroxidase-H2O2
      diaminobenzidine reaction showed strongly immunoreactive cells in the pars
      lateralis of the brain with axons leading to and arborizing in the corpus
      cardiacum and the corpus allatum. Although many neurosecretory cells of the pars
      intercerebralis project to the corpora allata only, four strongly immunoreactive
      cells were evident here (two pairs on either side), and these did not project to
      the corpus cardiacum and corpus allatum but rather terminated within the
      protocerebrum in areas in which lateral cells also formed arborizations.
      Immunoreactivity was found in many other cells in the brain, especially in the
      tritocerebrum.

PMID- 1423518
TI  - Immuno-electron-microscopic localization of laminin and collagen type IV in
      normal and denervated tooth pulp of the cat.
AB  - The distribution of laminin-like immunoreactivity in adult normal and denervated
      cat mandibular tooth pulps was studied by the use of fluorescence microscopy and
      pre-embedding immunogold electron microscopy. Immunoreactivity to collagen IV was
      also assessed in order to distinguish basement membranes. In normal pulps, light
      microscope laminin-like immunoreactivity was strong along blood vessels and
      Schwann cell sheaths, and a faint immunoreactivity was seen also in the
      odontoblast layer. Electron microscopy confirmed the laminin-like
      immunoreactivity of endothelial and Schwann cell basement membranes at all pulpal
      levels. In the odontoblast layer and the predentine, nerve-like structures
      lacking basement membranes but possessing strong membrane laminin-like
      immunoreactivity were encountered. In addition, a clear-cut laminin-like
      immunoreactivity of plasma membranes of the somata and processes of odontoblasts
      was seen. Observations on denervated pulps as well as pulps in which nerve
      regeneration had taken place did not reveal any changes in the pattern of laminin
      immunoreactivity in basement membranes or odontoblasts. Distribution of collagen
      IV-like immunoreactivity was very similar to laminin-like immunoreactivity in
      basement membranes of blood vessels and Schwann cells, and appeared unaffected by
      denervation. The odontoblasts and nerve-like profiles in the odontoblast layer
      were devoid of collagen IV-like immunoreactivity. We propose that odontoblast
      associated laminin could be of significance as guidance for regenerating terminal
      pulpal nerve fibers to appropriate targets.

PMID- 1423519
TI  - The cytoarchitecture of the medial layer in rat thoracic aorta: a scanning
      electron-microscopic study.
AB  - The cytoarchitecture of the medial layer of rat thoracic aorta was examined by
      scanning electron microscopy after removal of the connective tissue. The
      outermost lamella showed a lattice-like structure of muscle bundles of closely
      apposed smooth muscle cells (SMCs), whereas the inner lamellae consisted of more
      or-less continuous muscle sheets of vaguely defined subgroups of parallel SMCs.
      Longitudinal rows of ridges ran along the adventitial surface of these muscle
      bundles and sheets. The SMCs of the outermost lamella, were 5.1 microns wide, and
      varied in shape, whereas those of the inner lamellae, were 52.7 microns long, 2.6
      microns wide and 4.1 microns thick, and were elongated, spindle-shaped cells with
      serrated outlines. These latter SMCs extended obliquely, and partially overlapped
      each other. The surface of the SMCs in the outermost lamella exhibited a rugged
      texture, with nodular protrusions and oblique and longitudinal laminar folds,
      while the inner lamellar cells showed longitudinal laminar folds and finger-like
      processes on both sides of the ridges, pointing in opposite directions to the
      ridges. The angle of deviation from the transverse axis of the vessel, of the
      muscle bundles and subgroups in the outermost lamella, was 33.6 degrees, in the
      second and third lamellae, 22.5 degrees, and in the innermost lamellae, 12.8
      degrees. The mean angle of the muscle bundle and subgroup arrangement, with
      respect to the long axis of the vessel, however, was basically 90 degrees in all
      lamellae.

PMID- 1423520
TI  - Differentiation of human skeletal muscle cells in culture: maturation as
      indicated by titin and desmin striation.
AB  - This report describes a phenotyping study of differentiating human skeletal
      muscle cells in tissue culture. Satellite cells (adult myoblasts), isolated from
      biopsy material, showed a proliferative behaviour in high-nutrition medium, but
      fused to form myotubes when grown in low-nutrition medium. The expression and
      structural organization of the intermediate filament proteins desmin and vimentin
      as well as the sarcomeric constituents alpha-actin, alpha-actinin, nebulin,
      myosin and especially titin during myofibrillogenesis in vitro, were studied by
      means of indirect immunofluorescence assays. The proliferating myoblasts
      contained both desmin and vimentin, alpha-actinin and the filamentous form of
      actin. Shortly after the change of medium, expression of titin, sarcomeric myosin
      and skeletal muscle alpha-actin was found in mononuclear cells in a diffuse,
      filamentous (titin, myosin, alpha-actin) or punctate (titin, myosin) pattern.
      Four to 10 days after the medium change, mature myotubes showed desmin, titin,
      alpha-actinin, nebulin, sarcomeric myosin and actin cross-striations, while
      vimentin was no longer detected. We conclude that human skeletal muscle cell
      cultures are an appropriate model system to study the molecular basis of
      myofibrillogenesis. Especially the presence of desmin in a striated fashion
      points to a high degree of maturation of the muscle cell cultures.

PMID- 1423521
TI  - Evidence for the coexistence of serotonin and calcitonin gene-related peptide at
      the subcellular level in neuroepithelial bodies in the lung of a marsupial,
      Isoodon macrourus.
AB  - The coexistence of serotonin and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in
      neuroepithelial bodies of the bandicoot, Isoodon macrourus, has been examined
      using immunocytochemistry at the light- and electron-microscope levels. The
      avidin-biotin technique of antigen localisation was used initially to identify
      serotonin-like and CGRP-like immunoreactivity (-LI). Serotonin-LI and CGRP-LI
      were found in neuroepithelial cells in the lungs of 30-day-old bandicoots. CGRP
      LI could also be demonstrated in nerve fibres associated with some
      neuroepithelial bodies. The protein A-gold technique of antigen localisation was
      used to label neuroepithelial cells and nerve fibres at the subcellular level.
      Serotonin-LI and CGRP-LI were observed in the same dense-cored vesicles of most
      neuroepithelial cells; however, some neuroepithelial cells were shown to possess
      serotonin-LI without CGRP-LI. Nerve fibres immediately adjacent to
      neuroepithelial bodies exhibited mainly CGRP-LI. These results show that
      serotonin-LI and CGRP-LI are present in neuroepithelial cells of the bandicoot in
      the same secretory vesicles. This pattern of co-localisation may reflect co
      ordinated or synergistic actions of these two neuroactive substances.

PMID- 1423522
TI  - Activity labeling patterns in the medulla of Drosophila melanogaster caused by
      motion stimuli.
AB  - We quantitatively describe 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) neuronal activity labeling
      patterns in the first and second visual neuropil regions of the Drosophila brain,
      the lamina and the medulla. Careful evaluation of activity patterns resulting
      from large-field motion stimulation shows that the stimulus-specific bands in the
      medulla correspond well to the layers found in a quantitative analysis of Golgi
      impregnated columnar neurons. A systematic analysis of autoradiograms of
      different intensities reveals a hierarchy of labeling in the medulla. Under
      certain conditions, only neurons of the lamina are labeled. Their characteristic
      terminals in the medulla are used to differentiate among the involved lamina
      monopolar cell types. The 2-DG banding pattern in the medulla marks layers M1 and
      M5, the input layers of pathway p1 (the L1 pathway). Therefore, activity labeling
      of L1 by motion stimuli is very likely. More heavily labeled autoradiograms
      display activated cells also in layers M2, M9, and M10. The circuitry involved in
      the processing of motion information thus concentrates on pathways p1 and p2.
      Layers M4 and M6 of the distal medulla hardly display any label under the
      stimulus conditions used. The functional significance of selective activity in
      the medulla is discussed.

PMID- 1423523
TI  - Total numbers of glomeruli and individual glomerular cell types in the normal rat
      kidney.
AB  - Alterations in numbers of glomeruli and glomerular cells occur in various renal
      disorders. Although values for these parameters have previously been reported for
      several species, the estimates have often been biased due to assumptions
      regarding glomerular and/or nuclear size and shape. Other studies have used
      tedious serial-section reconstruction methods. In the present study, unbiased
      stereological methods were used to estimate total numbers of glomeruli and
      individual glomerular cell types in normal rats. The kidneys of seven adult
      Sprague-Dawley rats were perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde and 1% glutaraldehyde
      in phosphate buffer and embedded in either glycol-methacrylate (for light
      microscopy, LM) or Epon/Araldite (for transmission electron microscopy, TEM).
      Total glomerular number was estimated using an LM physical disector/fractionator
      combination; the total number of cells per average glomerulus was estimated using
      an LM optical disector/Cavalieri combination; and TEM physical disectors were
      used to count individual cell types. The normal rat kidney was found to contain
      31,764 +/- 3667 (mean +/- SD) glomeruli. An average glomerulus contained 674 +/-
      129 cells, of which 181 +/- 53 were epithelial cells (podocytes), 248 +/- 53 were
      endothelial cells, and 245 +/- 45 were mesangial cells. An average renal
      corpuscle contained 117 +/- 27 parietal epithelial cells. Following sectioning
      and staining, less than 6.5 h was needed to obtain the above estimates for a
      single animal, with coefficients of variation (SD as a percent of the mean)
      ranging from 10% to 25%. The unbiased stereological methods used in the present
      study constitute an unbiased, precise and cost-efficient set of quantitative
      tools for assessing glomerular morphology in health and disease.

PMID- 1423524
TI  - Ultrastructural evidence for multiple mucous domains in frog olfactory
      epithelium.
AB  - This study showed that the olfactory mucus is a highly structured extracellular
      matrix. Several olfactory epithelial glycoconjugates in the frog Rana pipiens
      were localized ultrastructurally using rapid-freeze, freeze-substitution and post
      embedding (Lowicryl K11M) immunocytochemistry. Two of these conjugates were
      obtained from membrane preparations of olfactory cilia, the glycoproteins gp95
      and olfactomedin. The other conjugates have a carbohydrate group which in the
      olfactory bulb appears to be mostly on neural cell-adhesion molecules (N-CAMs);
      in the olfactory epithelium this carbohydrate is present on more molecules.
      Localization of the latter conjugates was determined with monoclonal antibodies 9
      OE and 5-OE. Ultrastructurally all antigens localized in secretory granules of
      apical regions of frog olfactory supporting cells and in the mucus overlying the
      epithelial surface, where they all had different, but partly overlapping,
      distributions. Monoclonal antibody 18.1, to gp95, labeled the mucus throughout,
      whereas poly- and monoclonal anti-olfactomedin labeled a deep mucous layer
      surrounding dendritic endings, proximal parts of cilia, and supporting cell
      microvilli. Labeling was absent in the superficial mucous layer, which contained
      the distal parts of the olfactory cilia. Monoclonal antibody 9-OE labeled rather
      distinct areas of mucus. These areas sometimes surrounded dendritic endings and
      olfactory cilia. Monoclonal antibody 5-OE labeled membranes of dendritic endings
      and cilia, and their glycocalyces, and also dendritic membranes.

PMID- 1423525
TI  - Quantitative changes in the frequency and distribution of the C-cell population
      in the rat thyroid gland with age.
AB  - The development of calcitonin cells (C-cells) was investigated in rat thyroid
      glands from birth to 120 days, using an immunoperoxidase technique and a point
      counting method. The proportion of C-cells to follicular cells was 4.5% on the
      day of birth and increased progressively to 10.4% by 120 days. The highest
      density of C-cells was noted in the mid-region of the lobes along a longitudinal
      axis. The caudal and cephalic regions of the lobes contained smaller numbers of C
      cells. The C-cells tended to be more numerous in the posterior aspects of the
      lobes. Although the numbers of C-cells in 120-day-old animal were markedly
      increased as compared to animals at the time of birth, the cell distributions
      within the glands were similar at all ages.

PMID- 1423527
TI  - Current bibliography of cell calcium prepared: by the University of Sheffield
      Biomedical Information Service.

PMID- 1423526
TI  - Immunohistochemical localization of the eosinophil major basic protein in the
      uterus horn and cervix of the rat at term and after parturition.
AB  - Distribution of the eosinophil major basic protein (MBP) was studied in the rat
      uterus horn and cervix by means of immunohistochemistry using an antiserum raised
      against rat MBP. Various hormonal contexts were investigated: pre- and post
      parturition, the estrous cycle, and ovariectomy followed by hormonal treatment or
      without treatment. MBP was detectable in the cervix as early as 12 h post-partum,
      appearing in the stroma close to the myometrium. The MBP had spread throughout
      the stroma toward the luminal epithelium after a few days. In contrast, no MBP
      was seen in sections of the corresponding pre- and post-partum uteri and in the
      pre-partum cervix. In cycling rats, MBP was distributed equally in the cervix and
      uterus and was more abundant during proestrus and estrus. In ovariectomized rats
      subsequently treated with progesterone, no MBP was detected in the cervix or
      uterus. In the cervix of ovariectomized rats treated with estradiol, MBP first
      appeared in the muscle layer situated between the two cervical lumina and then
      reached the stroma; within a few days only the stroma was stained. Inversely, in
      the uterus MBP-staining first appeared in the stroma. In conclusion, analysis of
      the distribution of MBP in rat uterus revealed a marked difference in the
      response of the cervix and horn to a hormonal environment.

PMID- 1423528
TI  - A novel principle for quantitation of fast intracellular calcium changes using
      Fura-2 and a modified image processing system--applications in studies of
      neutrophil motility and phagocytosis.
AB  - A new principle is described for imaging intracellular free calcium [Ca2+]i
      changes in single, living cells utilizing the fluorescent probe Fura-2. It is
      based upon video color mixing in real time and allows high-speed visualization,
      at maximum image resolution, of [Ca2+]i changes without digital image ratioing.
      The epifluorescence images produced by 340 and 380 nm excitations are stored in
      two memory buffers of a personal computer-based image processing system. Two
      video signals are generated independently from each buffer and connected to the
      red and green inputs of a video display. An image is this way created, in which
      [Ca2+]i shows up as a specific hue, whereas changes in dye concentration, light
      intensity, cell thickness show up as variations in brightness of the imaged
      cells. The method has advantages over conventional ratio imaging, notably
      simplicity and speed, since no calculations are made. Yet it can be combined with
      traditional digital image processing. The imaging technique allows monitoring of
      [Ca2+]i changes in rapidly moving cells, like neutrophils. It is demonstrated
      that during random locomotion on serum-coated glass surfaces, [Ca2+]i levels
      appeared to oscillate and that the frequency of the oscillations are related to
      locomotive activity. Furthermore, in Ca2+ free medium, the cells continue to move
      and phagocytose in the presence of Ca2+ ionophore (ionomycin) and 2 mM EGTA. In
      the presence of 1 mM extracellular Ca2+, ionomycin-treated cells were not able to
      move or phagocytose.

PMID- 1423529
TI  - Thapsigargin reveals evidence for fMLP-insensitive calcium pools in human
      leukocytes.
AB  - To investigate the relationship between different intracellular Ca2+ pools,
      cytosolic free calcium ([Ca2+]i) was surveyed by means of a Fura-2 fluorescence
      ratio method on single isolated human leukocytes. Both monocytes and neutrophilic
      granulocytes (PMN) displayed long lasting spontaneous [Ca2+]i transient changes
      (1-2 min). In PMN stimulated with the bacterial peptide fMLP we observed
      transients with shorter duration (10-30 s) and smaller amplitude often
      superimposed on the long lasting transients. The time course of changes in
      [Ca2+]i was recorded in a large number (149) of single leukocytes prestimulated
      for 5 min with fMLP and then challenged with thapsigargin (a blocker of Ca2+
      uptake in intracellular pools). Statistical analysis of [Ca2+]i responses
      revealed that fMLP-sensitive pools contributed to the long lasting [Ca2+]i
      transients seen in both leukocyte types. However, the existence of fMLP
      insensitive calcium pools may explain the superimposed transients seen in PMN.
      Thapsigargin was also added together with EGTA (to impede contribution from
      extracellular Ca2+) to 198 fMLP prestimulated and 153 unstimulated PMN. Based on
      Ca2+ registrations in these cells and a mathematical model (supposing two
      separate first order responses) the amount of Ca2+ stored in the various pools
      and their release kinetics were estimated. The results indicate that fMLP
      insensitive calcium pools exist in PMN but not in monocytes. Since the digital
      imaging technique also depicts cellular motility, an additional finding was that
      the leukocyte's ability to sequestrate the Ca2+ from the cytosol seemed important
      to locomotion.

PMID- 1423530
TI  - Mechanically induced electrical and intracellular calcium responses in normal and
      cancerous mammary cells.
AB  - Mechanically induced channel activities and increase of intracellular calcium
      ([Ca2+]i) in normal and cancerous murine mammary cells (MMT 060562) were
      investigated using the patch clamp technique and Fura-2 fluorescence. Both cell
      types showed similar properties. Upon mechanical stimulation, activation of the
      Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channel or outward membrane current was recorded in cells
      which were several cells distant from the stimulated cell. Mechanical stimulation
      also induced an increase of [Ca2+]i in the touched cell, and this increase of
      [Ca2+]i spread to the surrounding cells. The [Ca2+]i signal travelled a distance
      of 100-200 microns within 20-40 s and then diminished. The presence of cell-to
      cell communication between adjacent mammary cells through gap junction was
      indicated by injection of lucifer yellow and measurements of electrical coupling
      (coupling constant = 0.2-0.3). The mechanically induced increase of the [Ca2+]i
      signal spread to adjacent cells even when the stimulated cell had no physical
      contact with them. In the absence of fluid movement, the pattern of the spread of
      the [Ca2+]i signal was a concentric circle. However, in the presence of fluid
      movement, the pattern changed to elongate to the direction of the flow. These
      findings suggested that a certain factor was released from the mechanically
      stimulated cell to the extracellular space, and this factor induces the increase
      of [Ca2+]i in surrounding cells.

PMID- 1423531
TI  - The effects of halothane and isoflurane on intracellular Ca2+ regulation in
      cultured cells with characteristics of vascular smooth muscle.
AB  - The Ca(2+)-sensitive photoprotein aequorin was used to monitor changes in
      intracellular [Ca2+] within cultured cells with characteristics of vascular
      smooth muscle. Two cell lines were investigated: they were A10 cells, which are
      transformed cells originally derived from rat aorta, and BC3H1 cells obtained
      from mouse brain neoplasm. Transient increases in intracellular [Ca2+] were
      induced following exposure to two different volatile anaesthetics (halothane and
      isoflurane) and various vasoactive substances (acetylcholine, endothelin,
      histamine, serotonin and vasopressin). The amplitude of the transients induced by
      isoflurane were more dependent on the presence of extracellular Ca2+ than those
      induced by halothane, thus the modes and/or locations of action of these two
      anesthetics are somewhat different. The response of the two cell lines to the
      vasoactive substances are unique. Receptor activated changes in [Ca2+]i by
      various agonists were diminished in the presence and absence of either
      anesthetic. These data suggest that, although the receptor populations within
      each cell line were slightly different, the prior application of a volatile
      anesthetic in a clinically-relevant dose induced a transient increase in [Ca2+]i
      that could subsequently diminish agonist responses.

PMID- 1423532
TI  - Transient but not oscillating component of the calcium mobilizing response to
      gonadotropin-releasing hormone depends on calcium influx in pituitary
      gonadotrophs.
AB  - Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-stimulated changes in the cytosolic free
      Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) were studied in gonadotrophs cultured from 3-week
      ovariectomized rat pituitaries. One animal was used per cell preparation. [Ca2+]i
      was monitored in individual gonadotrophs by dual emission
      microspectrofluorimetry, using Indo-1 as the intracellular fluorescent Ca2+
      probe. A short stimulation with GnRH evoked a complex concentration-dependent
      Ca2+ response in individual gonadotrophs. 0.1-1 nM GnRH triggered a series of
      sinusoidal-like [Ca2+]i oscillations superimposed upon a modest slow [Ca2+]i rise
      -the oscillating response mode--while 10-100 nM GnRH caused a biphasic increase
      in [Ca2+]i consisting of a monophasic transient and oscillations--the
      transient/oscillating response mode. Despite the consistency of Ca2+ responses,
      an inter-preparation heterogeneity of [Ca2+]i oscillations frequency was noticed.
      Moreover, we observed that, within a given cell preparation, the frequency of
      [Ca2+]i oscillations was independent of GnRH concentration whereas both peak
      [Ca2+]i and area under the [Ca2+]i versus time curve were concentration
      dependent. Thus, in gonadotrophs, the presence of the GnRH signal would lead to
      [Ca2+]i oscillations, while the amplitude of the [Ca2+]i responses would code for
      the concentration of agonist. Both transient and oscillating components of GnRH
      responses depended on releasing activity of Ca(2+)-sequestering pools in as much
      as GnRH responses were unaffected by brief removal of external Ca2+, but
      suppressed by chelating intracellular free Ca2+ with BAPTA. However, prolonged
      exposure to a Ca(2+)-free medium suppressed the transient component while leaving
      the oscillating component unaffected. We therefore propose that gonadotrophs
      employ Ca(2+)-sequestering pools, whose maintenance depends on a slow Ca(2+)
      entry, to give an amplitude-coded Ca2+ rise in response to a short GnRH
      stimulation.

PMID- 1423533
TI  - [Multilocus enzyme electrophoretic types of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B
      and their epidemiologic significances].
AB  - In order to expand the epidemiologic relationships between the strains of
      Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B isolated from patients and carriers, 57 cases
      and 45 carrier isolates were collected in 11 provinces and 2 municipalities of
      China since the 1970s and their multilocus enzyme electrophoretic types and
      clonal population structures were studied by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis.
      It was primarily found that the above strains could be divided into 69
      electrophoretic types (ET) and 13 clones. Among others, the clone I was the most
      important one, because the clone I represented 63.7% of all strains tested and
      77.2% of the case isolates and its district distributions were quite wide since
      the 1970s. In addition, it was an obvious tendency that more and more of the case
      isolates gathered up the clone I since 1984 and the predominant ETs also occurred
      in the complex ET 1 and ET 24 of the clone I. As compared with the case isolates,
      the above carrier isolates displayed more heterogenetic types. Only 40% of all
      carrier isolates belonged to the above clone I and predominant ETs.

PMID- 1423534
TI  - [A study on the relationship between maximal titers of anti-HBs antibodies and
      persistence of protective level after vaccination].
AB  - 300 recipients with negative for HBsAg anti-HBs, anti-HBc were vaccinated by 3
      kinds of hepatitis B vaccine at 0, 1, 6 months. 266 students with maximal titers
      of anti-HBs detected after the 3rd immunization were divided into 4 groups: 10
      100, 101-500, 501-1,000, > 1000 mlU/ml. A study on the relationship between
      maximal titers of anti-HBs and the protective time was carried out. The results
      showed that in the 1st group the titers of anti-HBs of 52.6%, 84.2% and 94.7%
      recipients decreased to or below 10 mIU/ml when detected one, two and three years
      after vaccination respectively; the titers of 5.2%, 31% and 56.9% decreased to or
      below 10 mIU/ml when detected. 1, 2 and 3 years after vaccination respectively in
      the 2nd group, while the titers of only 0.7% recipients decreased to or below 10
      mIU/ml when detected 3 years after vaccination in the 1st group. The decreasing
      rate of titers of Anti-HBs was similar in 4 groups. The titers of anti-HBs were
      90% reduction after 1st immunization in the first 24 months. Then the decreasing
      rate became slower. Therefore, we suggested that peoples should be revaccinated
      according to their maximal titers of anti-HBs after completed course of
      vaccination.

PMID- 1423535
TI  - [A study on measles vaccination rate and its antibody level in children aged 12
      24 months in Guangxi, 1989].
AB  - This report described the measles vaccination rate (MVR) as well as its HI
      antibodies of 1842 children aged from 12 to 24 months. The MVR was 99.57% but HI
      positive rate was only 83.50%. HI of 298 target children still remained negative.
      Among them, 6 children were unvaccinated and others vaccinated. The HI negative
      rate reached 16.50% The HI positive rate was higher in the target children who
      lived in the area with convenient transportation and relatively low atmospheric
      temperature, and who received measles vaccine at the age of 8 months or more.
      Otherwise, the HI positive rate was lower. So some suggestions were proposed that
      the vaccination season, age of vaccine, increasing vaccine dosage should be
      considered carefully before measles vaccination session had arranged.

PMID- 1423536
TI  - [A study on the interference between smooth and rough species of brucella in
      mice].
AB  - Smooth-B. abortus 104M. B.melitensis Rev-1 and B.suis S2 mixed with rough-B.canis
      RM 6/66 respectively were injected into mice. The results demonstrated that s
      species of Brucella suppressed R-species of B.canis RM6/66 in mice. The
      epidemiological phenomenon that R-species of Brucella were difficulty isolated in
      focus of s-species should be explained on the bases of the study.

PMID- 1423537
TI  - [Use of Cox's model in long-term survival analysis of cerebrovascular disease].
AB  - A long-term survival study on 885 cases of cerebrovascular disease was carried
      out. The results showed that after follow-up for 3, 5, and 8 years, the survival
      rates were 86.98%, 75.70% and 64.26% respectively, and all were lower obviously
      than that of the general population in the same district. The results of Cox's
      model analysis showed that recurrence, hypertension and age were the risk factors
      influencing the long-term survival of cerebrovascular disease, and the relative
      risks were 3.29, 2.17 and 1.65 respectively.

PMID- 1423538
TI  - [Cluster and multiple regression analysis of leptospirosis epidemic factors].
AB  - Ten-year surveillance of Rice-field-typed leptospirosis was carried out in high
      infected foci. Twenty two parameters of epidemic data were divided into 3
      categories and cluster-analyzed. 5 typical variables were selected for multiple
      regression equation. The equation contained four factors, i.e. rodents density,
      carriage rates of main animal hosts, GMT of population antibody against
      leptospira and quantity of rainfall in August. The expected morbidity of
      leptospirosis calculated by the equation were roughly identical to the real
      morbidity.

PMID- 1423539
TI  - [A prospective study on the relationship between abnormal pregnant outcome and
      Toxoplasma gondii infection].
AB  - 2821 pregnant women were divided into three groups according to the phenomena of
      Toxoplasma gondii infection, and the pregnancy outcomes were followed up. Results
      show that the total incidence rates of spontaneous abortion, premature birth,
      still birth and congenital defects are 0.67%, 3.47%, 0.85% and 0.96%
      respectively. These four rates in the group serodiagnosed as recently or actively
      infected are significantly higher than that diagnosed as no evidence of
      infections and the relative risk estimates (ORmh) are 7.38, 3.52, 8.68 and 9.44
      respectively. Differences of the four rates between group diagnosed as past
      infection and that of no evidence of infection are not statistically significant.
      Analysis between the time of serodiagnosis and the incidence of abnormal pregnant
      outcome shows that congenital defects is statistically related with infection in
      the first trimester of gestation.

PMID- 1423540
TI  - [Hygienic epidemiological assessment of electrodialysis drinking water].
AB  - It is first reported the hygienic epidemiological assessment of electrodialysis
      drinking water with multidiscipline methods including environmental epidemiology,
      toxicology, chemistry and clinical medicine. The results showed that the
      occurrence of malignant tumours in residents drinking electrodialysis water did
      not directly associate with their drinking water, we also did not find that there
      was any influence of electrodialysis water on residents' liver and
      gastrointestinal function, and the rate of thyroid enlargement, prevalence rates
      of dental fluorosis and dental caries as well as the level of saliva lysozyme in
      children. However, the morbidity rate of hypertension in the residents drinking
      electrodialysis water was higher than that in those drinking non-electrodialysis
      water.

PMID- 1423541
TI  - [The economic loss of poliomyelitis outbreak in Pi County and economic beneficial
      analysis on EPI].
AB  - In 1989, there was a poliomyelitis outbreak in Pi county, Jiangsu province. The
      total case number was 597 in which 52 died. It caused the patients' families and
      national economic loss 2,713,107.32 yuan and lessened creating value of
      18,583,942.35 yuan for the country. The outbreak was mainly caused by the fact
      that many children did not set vaccination card, missed vaccination chance and
      lacked in immunity to polio. So the ratio of cost-benefit will be expected to
      reach 1:6.85, and the net benefit of 2,317,268.16 yuan can be gained if the task
      of EPI is implemented well to avoid the occurrence of outbreak.

PMID- 1423542
TI  - [The monitor method of immunization coverage].
AB  - A comprehensive monitor method of immunization coverage is suggested to be
      applied to the expanded program on immunization. The routine coverage reporting
      system should be set up combined with surveys in selected townships. The criteria
      for doing survey is expressed in the flow chart. Two sampling methods are
      presented based on the principle of lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) and
      coverage rate could be estimated after the surveys.

PMID- 1423543
TI  - [Chlamydia trachomatis and urogenital diseases].

PMID- 1423544
TI  - Stress and psychological disorders in Zimbabwe: a report on patients seen in
      private practice.
AB  - This report is based on the analysis of 326 case files of patients that I saw in
      part-time private practice over a period of five years. The aim of the
      investigation was to establish the stressful life events that are associated with
      psychological disorder. Thirteen categories of stressful events were identified.
      Statistical analyses revealed that these stresses were significantly associated
      with a number of demographic variables.

PMID- 1423545
TI  - The effects of established and gestational diabetes on pregnancy outcome at
      Harare Maternity Hospital.
AB  - A study was carried out to determine the effect of established and gestational
      diabetes on pregnancy outcome over a period of two years at Harare Maternity
      Hospital, Harare, Zimbabwe. During the period, 51 patients with established
      diabetes mellitus and 70 patients with gestational diabetes were treated. The
      perinatal mortality was higher among this group (124 per 1,000) compared with the
      rest of the total hospital population (44 per 1,000) who delivered during the
      same period.

PMID- 1423546
TI  - Reference values for glucose tolerance test in the urban Zimbabwean pregnant
      woman.
AB  - A 50 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed on normal pregnant urban
      Zimbabwean women at 26-28 weeks (n = 65) and 36-40 weeks (n = 72) gestation.
      Women with factors predisposing to impaired glucose tolerance were excluded. The
      fasting, one hour and two hours values were compared to the North American
      standards as proposed by O'Sullivan and Mahan which are currently in use. The
      mean fasting levels were significantly higher and those at one and two hours
      significantly lower than the standards. The study also failed to demonstrate
      impairment of glucose tolerance with advancing gestation. These may have
      implications in the screening for impaired glucose tolerance in our African
      population.

PMID- 1423547
TI  - Cancer of the oesophagus in Zimbabwe.
AB  - Data for oesophageal cancers were requested from the Cancer Registry of Zimbabwe
      for the three years 1986-1988. There were 437 cases notified compared with 783
      cases recorded in the Government's Statistical returns. There was a ratio of 6.9
      males to one female accounting for 13.2 pc of all reported cancers in males and
      1.7 pc of cancers in females. Prevalence increased with age to a rate of around
      83 per hundred thousand in men aged 55 and older and 19 per hundred thousand in
      women over 65 years old. Notifications are only received from the Central
      Hospitals in Harare and Bulawayo. Addresses were not available for 31 pc of
      patients so that geographical variations could not be determined accurately.
      However, higher rates occurred in Harare and in the Mashonaland Provinces. It is
      recommended that cancer notifications should be obtained from all Government,
      Mission and Private hospitals in Zimbabwe.

PMID- 1423548
TI  - Skin sensitivity patterns to inhalant allergens in Nigerian asthmatic patients.
AB  - The pattern of skin sensitivity response to inhalant allergens in 746 Nigerian
      asthmatics and 92 normal controls tested over 10 years period is reported.
      Significant differences in reactions were observed in seven of the 16 allergens
      routinely used in the study. House dust mite--dermatophagoides pteronyssinus-
      gave the highest incidence of positive skin reaction in 58 pc asthmatics and 4.3
      pc controls (P = 0.002). Other significant allergens were house dust, 51.7 pc,
      feathers; 24.4 pc, dog hair, 12.9 pc, cat fur, 11.9 pc; grass pollen, 6.8 pc and
      flower pollen, 6.3 pc. More males than females reacted to most of the allergens
      but this was statistically significant only for feathers (p less than 0.02).
      There was good apparent association between history and skin sensitivity for most
      allergens. Eighty-two comma three percent of patients with a positive skin test
      to D. pteronyssinus gave a positive history of dust induced asthmatic attacks.
      Similar results were obtained for pollens; (grass, 86.3 pc, flower, 83 pc and
      feathers 57.7 pc.) The association was, however, poor in respect of animal
      allergens (dog, 30.6 pc; cat, 36 pc). From the findings of this study, there may
      be no point in routinely testing patients with a battery of allergens most of
      which may have no importance in the tropics. Attempts are, however, underway to
      incorporate local substances in skin testing materials. It is hoped that the
      results of this study will assist doctors who may not have access to skin test
      reagents in management of their asthmatic patients.

PMID- 1423549
TI  - Evaluation of Pathstrips for semi-quantitative determination of proteinuria.
AB  - Pathstrips semi-quantitatively determine concentration of protein in urine. The
      Pathstrip has a protein detection limit of 0.3 g/l and is stable at high
      temperature (40 degrees Celsius). Pathstrip was found favourably comparable to
      currently available Reagent strips for protein detection in urine (e.g. Ames
      Reagent strips). The Pathstrip is easy to use and add in the range of reagent
      strips for detection of urine protein as a test near the patient. No significant
      difference was obtained in semi-quantitation of urine proteins between Pathstrips
      and other currently available Reagent strips (e.g. Ames and BM Test).

PMID- 1423550
TI  - The diminishing medical population (and other medical professionals)

PMID- 1423551
TI  - Carcinoma of the cervix and cervical cytology--short epidemiological review.
AB  - Carcinoma of the cervix is an important disease of well-documented epidemiology
      but uncertain cause. It causes appreciable morbidity and mortality in all
      countries, including Zimbabwe, with a significant load on curative services.
      Epidemiology and the role of cytology are reviewed. Cytology screening programmes
      have suffered from an inability to cover whole populations, particularly less
      affluent and/or socially disadvantaged groups, which are most at risk. Despite
      this difficulty, the magnitude of the problem makes it necessary to continue its
      study. In particular, efforts are needed in developing countries to study
      incidence, to better define high risk groups and to devise economical ways of
      detecting more cases in the earlier stages.

PMID- 1423552
TI  - Adult intussusception in northern Nigeria: a changing disease?
AB  - Intussusception in the tropics and sub-tropics had always been regarded as mainly
      a disease of adults. This paper reports on both a decrease in frequency of the
      disease in the adult as well as a reduction in the frequency of large bowel
      involvement. Sixteen adults were treated for intussusception in Ahmadu Bello
      University Teaching Hospital, Zaria in 10 years. The correct diagnosis was made
      in one patient prior to operation. Eight intussusceptions were of small
      intestinal origin and eight were colonic. One patient in the enteric group and
      three in the colonic group had benign tumours. One colonic tumour was malignant.
      Eleven intussusceptions were "idiopathic". Four patients in the enteric group had
      resection; one for neoplasm and three for irreducibility. Four patients in the
      colonic group had resection, all for neoplasm. Morbidity was minimal and there
      was no death. A treatment strategy at variance with that advocated in the Western
      world is suggested.

PMID- 1423553
TI  - Colostomy closure: basic errors.

PMID- 1423554
TI  - TCD and headache.

PMID- 1423555
TI  - Arterial head pain.

PMID- 1423556
TI  - Headache in ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Part I: Clinical features.
AB  - Headache is a common, although under-emphasized, feature of ischemic
      cerebrovascular disease. In this review, we summarize the literature on the
      clinical features of headache in ischemic cerebrovascular disease (Part I) and
      elaborate upon the underlying mechanisms of the head pain (Part II--December
      issue).

PMID- 1423557
TI  - Reduction of calcitonin gene-related peptide in jugular blood following
      electrical stimulation of rat greater occipital nerve.
AB  - Although it is known that pain in the forehead may be induced by neck
      abnormalities, the actual neck-head connections responsible for development of
      pain in trigeminal areas are poorly understood. Vasoactive neuropeptides released
      from sensory fibres, such as substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide
      (CGRP), have been considered as important elements in headache pathophysiology.
      The levels of CGRP-like immunoreactivity (LI) were measured bilaterally in the
      jugular blood (52 rats) and intraocular aspirates (66 rats) following electrical
      stimulation of the left greater occipital nerve, and in the jugular blood of 13
      control animals. One-third of the stimulated rats had varying combinations of
      conjunctival injection, tearing, diminished eye aperture and miosis or mydriasis
      on the stimulated side. The other two-thirds exhibited no ocular signs.
      Significantly lower levels of CGRP-LI were present in the jugular blood on the
      stimulated side in comparison with control rats. There was comparatively lower
      CGRP-LI on the non-stimulated side as well, but to a lesser extent. Significant
      differences between the stimulated and the non-stimulated side were present,
      particularly in the tearing/diminished eye cleft group. It is proposed that
      stimulation of the rat GON inhibits the trigeminal system (reduction of CGRP-LI)
      and possibly activates parasympathetic fibres (ocular changes).

PMID- 1423558
TI  - The influence of acetazolamide on cerebral low-flow regions in migraine--an
      interictal 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT study.
AB  - Acetazolamide, a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, has proved to be useful in the
      assessment of "vasodilatory capacity" in cerebrovascular disease. To obtain
      further information on the nature of interictal low-flow regions in migraine, we
      reinvestigated 20 asymptomatic patients suffering from migraine with aura (n =
      15) or without aura (n = 5) and who had either minor (n = 12) or marked (n = 8)
      regional hypoperfusion when examined in a previous 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT
      investigation. These patients received acetazolamide IV prior to tracer
      application. In 14/20 cases regional hypoperfusion resolved. Three patients with
      migraine with aura had less pronounced regional hypoperfusion compared to
      baseline. No change in baseline hypoperfusion was detectable in three older
      patients. No further decreases in flow were measured. In contrast to patients
      with cerebrovascular ischemia, in whom acetazolamide usually enhances low-flow
      regions, vasodilatory capacity appears intact in most migraine patients with
      interictal regional hypoperfusion. Thus, the "acetazolamide test" might be useful
      in the differential diagnosis of migraine with aura from transient
      cerebrovascular ischemia.

PMID- 1423559
TI  - The blink reflex in migraine.
AB  - The blink reflex is an objective and useful method to study the trigeminal
      system. It was recorded in 43 migraine patients and the findings compared with
      those of 31 healthy controls. The latencies of the R1 component were in the
      normal range in both groups. The R2 latencies ranged between 30 and 32 ms in the
      control group. In contrast, more than half of the patients with migraine had R2
      latencies between 32 and 35 ms in the migraine group. Some migraine patients had
      latencies above 35 ms. The R2 latency was statistically significantly different
      between controls and migraineurs (p < 0.0001). Our findings indicate that
      trigeminal afferents and/or polysynaptic pathway in brainstem may be altered in
      migraine.

PMID- 1423560
TI  - Transcranial Doppler ultrasonic features in episodic tension-type headache.
AB  - In a pilot study we used transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) to measure
      cerebral blood flow velocities in 21 headache-free episodic tension-type headache
      sufferers and in the same number of age- and sex-matched control subjects. We
      found increased blood flow velocities in the anterior, middle and posterior
      cerebral arteries and a decreased pulsality index in the middle and posterior
      cerebral arteries in tension-type headache sufferers compared to controls.
      Vascular bruits were significantly more frequent in the basal cerebral arteries
      of the patients compared to controls. There were no significant asymmetries of
      blood flow velocities in corresponding arteries. The findings suggest a
      multifactorial pathogenesis in episodic tension-type headache including vascular
      abnormalities.

PMID- 1423561
TI  - The optimal length of headache recording in juvenile migraine patients.
AB  - The representativeness of headache recording periods of one, two, three, four and
      five weeks for juvenile migraine was examined in 41 juvenile patients (suffering
      from migraine attacks at least twice a month). At pre-treatment and at follow-up,
      on average a three-week recording period was found to be adequate. On the basis
      of these findings a longer data-collection period is recommended for juvenile
      migraineurs than for adult migraine patients at follow-up.

PMID- 1423562
TI  - Headache and Chiari type I malformation: occurrence in female monozygotic twins
      and first-degree relatives.
AB  - The Chiari type I malformation has recently been reported in three generations of
      a family, including female monozygotic twins. Headache was the main symptom in
      several family members. Various headache patterns consistent with migraine
      without aura, cough headache, tension headache and hypoliquorrhoeic headache were
      present, and different patterns might coexist in the same patient. In the twins
      and their mother, who all had a headache consistent with migraine without aura,
      there were atypical features such as occipital pain location, lack of side-shift
      of the pain, lack of ergotamine effect and precipitation of attacks by Valsalva
      like manoeuvres. The headache was significantly relieved by operation in the one
      twin with major herniation and the most marked headache. We suggest that in these
      patients the migraine-like headache mimics true migraine but that there is a
      causal relationship between the different headache types reported and the
      malformation.

PMID- 1423563
TI  - Pain as the only manifestation of internal carotid artery dissection.
AB  - Internal carotid artery dissection is a major cause of ischemic stroke in the
      young. Pain is the leading symptom and is associated with other focal signs such
      as Horner's syndrome and painful tinnitus or with signs of cerebral or retinal
      ischemia. We report two patients with angiographically confirmed extracranial
      internal carotid artery dissection presenting with cephalic pain as the only
      manifestation. The first patient had a diffuse headache and a latero-cervical
      pain lasting for 12 days, reminiscent of carotidynia. The second patient
      experienced an exploding headache suggestive of subarachnoid hemorrhage, which
      was ruled out by computed tomography of the head and cerebrospinal fluid study.
      These patients demonstrate that recognition of carotid artery dissection as a
      cause of carotidynia and headache suggestive of subarachnoid hemorrhage may
      permit an earlier diagnosis and possibly the prevention of a stroke through the
      use of anticoagulation.

PMID- 1423565
TI  - Platelet size and volume distribution measured by automated platelet analyzer.
AB  - Thirty migraine without aura patients between attacks, 10 other during a migraine
      without aura attack and 30 normal subjects without headache were studied for
      platelet size and volume distribution using a new quantitative automated
      hematology analyzer (Coulter STKS). Platelet histograms, platelet counts and mean
      platelet volume were not significantly different in the three populations.

PMID- 1423564
TI  - Ipsilateral cluster headache and chronic paroxysmal hemicrania: two case reports.
AB  - We report two patients with ipsilateral attacks of cluster headache and chronic
      paroxysmal hemicrania. The first patient, a 33-year-old man, started having
      attacks of chronic cluster headache at the age of 27. At 33, they were replaced
      by typical attacks of ipsilateral chronic paroxysmal hemicrania which showed a
      dramatic improvement with indomethacin 150 mg daily. After two days of complete
      remission, cluster headache attacks reappeared and persisted until verapamil, 360
      mg a day, was added to indomethacin. The second patient, a 45-year-old man, first
      developed attacks of episodic cluster headache at the age of 35. At 44, he
      experienced ipsilateral typical attacks of chronic paroxysmal hemicrania, and two
      months later attacks of cluster headache. Under verapamil 240 mg daily, attacks
      of cluster headache disappeared, but those of chronic paroxysmal hemicrania
      increased in frequency until indomethacin 150 mg daily was added. These
      observations suggest a close relationship but not a similarity between cluster
      headache and chronic paraoxysmal hemicrania, and show the practical therapeutic
      interest of maintaining this distinction.

PMID- 1423566
TI  - A double-blind controlled study of nifedipine as an abortive treatment in acute
      attacks of migraine with aura.
AB  - Patients with migraine with aura treated each of six acute attacks with either
      nifedipine or vehicle administered in double-blind, randomized form. Two modes of
      administration were studied. Both increased the intensity of headaches compared
      to vehicle. We conclude that nifedipine is not useful as an abortive treatment of
      migraine with aura.

PMID- 1423567
TI  - Occipital nerve block in the management of headache and cervical pain.

PMID- 1423568
TI  - Chronic paroxysmal hemicrania which appears to arise from either third ventricle
      pathology or internal carotid artery pathology.

PMID- 1423569
TI  - Pressure pain detection (PPD) and tolerance (PPT) thresholds.

PMID- 1423570
TI  - The "coming out" of coronary balloon angioplasty.

PMID- 1423571
TI  - Salvage angioplasty: an alternative to high risk surgery for unstable angina?
AB  - This prospective, Human Subjects Committee and Ethics Committee approved
      investigation was performed to determine if coronary angioplasty (PTCA) might be
      a reasonable alternative revascularization method for unstable angina patients
      thought to be at high risk for operative (CABG) mortality. Between March 1990 and
      October 1991, thirty-four consecutive patients with medically refractory rest
      angina were deamed to have high risk of surgical mortality and underwent PTCA
      without surgical backup. Predicted operative mortality was calculated for each
      patient based upon the VA Surgical Risk Assessment model. Angioplasty of 52
      vessels was attempted. Reduction in lumenal narrowing to < 50% and improved
      angiographic flow was obtained in 47 vessels. There were four complicating
      infarctions. One death occurred in the lab, and three patients with unsuccessful
      angioplasty died within 30 days of pump failure. Relief of angina occurred in
      30/34. Thirty patients were discharged home. In follow-up from 1 to 12 months,
      there have been 2 late sudden deaths at 4 months and 9 months, 1 death from lung
      cancer; 4 patients have stable exertional angina; 2 are awaiting heart transplant
      but are pain free, and one patient who had PTCA during cardiogenic shock from
      acute myocardial infarction had elective coronary artery bypass surgery. There
      have been no late myocardial infarctions. The observed angioplasty 30-day
      mortality of 11.8% (95% confidence limit 1% to 22.6%) compares favorably with the
      predicted operative mortality of 23.8% for this group. This prospective but non
      randomized series supports the concept that balloon angioplasty may be a
      reasonable alternative to surgical intervention in some patients with unstable
      angina and high risk for surgery. A prospective randomized trial is warranted.

PMID- 1423572
TI  - Balloon catheter requirements during contemporary percutaneous transluminal
      coronary angioplasty.
AB  - In order to examine the outcome of utilizing multiple balloon catheters during
      the percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), 300 consecutive PTCAs
      were analyzed. PTCA was performed in a single lesion in 163 patients (54%), in
      multiple lesions in 52 patients (18%), and in multiple vessels in 85 patients
      (28%). A total of 488 balloon catheters were used (1.6/case, range 1-9) and in
      112 cases (37%) > or = 2 catheters were used. Multiple balloon catheters were
      needed in 27 single lesion (17%), 24 multilesion (48%), and 61 multivessel (72%)
      cases (p < .05). There was no difference in the angiographic success rate in
      cases completed with 1 balloon catheter (238/251, 95%) compared to those
      requiring > or = 2 catheters (260/274, 95%). Emergency bypass was required in 5
      patients (1.7%) and there were 2 deaths (0.6%). Thus, although contemporary PTCA
      frequently requires multiple balloon catheters for completion, success rates
      remain high and appear to offset the increased procedural expenses.

PMID- 1423573
TI  - Changing incidence and management of abrupt closure following coronary
      intervention in the new device era.
AB  - Abrupt closure of the dilated segment occurs in approximately 4 to 7% of cases
      following conventional percutaneous coronary angioplasty. Additional balloon
      angioplasty reverses roughly 40% of these closures, to yield an overall 1.6 to
      3.4% rate of emergent surgery. The impact of new devices on the incidence and
      reversal rate of abrupt closure has not been examined. Abrupt closure occurred in
      80 (4.2%) of 1,919 consecutive coronary angioplasties performed in our single
      center, 389 (20%) of which were performed using newer interventions (208 Palmaz
      Schatz stents, 170 directional coronary atherectomies, and 11 elective laser
      balloon angioplasties). Abrupt closure was less frequent following newer coronary
      interventions (1.8%) compared to standard balloon angioplasty (4.9%, P < 0.01),
      possibly reflecting case selection. When abrupt closure did occur, percutaneous
      rescue was successful in 53 (66%) patients, including 42 (53%) who were rescued
      using standard or perfusion balloon angioplasty, and 11 (13%) who were rescued
      using laser balloon balloon angioplasty after failure of additional angioplasty
      attempts. Medical therapy alone was used in 8 (10%), while emergent coronary
      bypass surgery was performed in 18 (23%), yielding an overall emergent surgery
      rate of 0.9%. Q-wave myocardial infarction was significantly less frequent (0.2%)
      following percutaneous rescue, compared to either medical therapy (25%) or
      emergent surgery (33%, P < 0.001). In our catheterization laboratory, use of
      these 3 new coronary interventional devices coincides with a trend towards a
      lower incidence of abrupt closure, a higher percutaneous rescue rate with reduced
      incidence of myocardial infarction, and a lower emergent bypass surgery rate.

PMID- 1423574
TI  - Coronary angioplasty of bifurcational lesions without protection of large side
      branches.
AB  - To assess the risk and clinical relevance of side branch (SB) occlusion during
      angioplasty (PTCA) we attempted PTCA of major branches (MB) without protection of
      lesion-associated large (> or = 1.8 mm) SBs in 67 patients (50 men). There were
      32 patients with unstable angina and 35 with stable angina. Their mean age was 55
      years (range 31-77). There were 69 SBs: 43 with severe ostium stenosis (type A);
      6 with severe non ostial stenosis (type B); and 20 with no or slight nonostial
      stenosis (type C). PTCA of the MB was successful in all but one patient who
      underwent acute bypass surgery. After MB PTCA occlusion occurred in 10 SBs (7A,
      1B, 2C) and was asymptomatic in 5. Recanalization and dilatation was successful
      in 4 out of 5 symptomatic SB occlusions. A single patient developed a non-q wave
      myocardial infarction. PTCA was also attempted in 21 diseased SBs and failed in
      one. 21 SBs remained severely stenotic and 6 occluded. During follow-up
      symptomatic MB restenosis occurred in 12 patients, associated with restenosis in
      4 out of 6 dilated SBs. Four patients underwent bypass surgery and 8 repeat
      successful PTCA. The SB was redilated in 2 cases and occluded silently in one.
      Angiography in 16 asymptomatic patients showed moderate MB restenosis in 3 and SB
      occlusion in 2. At 2.2 years follow-up 60 (89%) patients were asymptomatic with a
      normal exercise test and/or maintained angiographic result. Angioplasty of
      bifurcational lesions without SB protection can be effectively performed with a
      low rate of complications and a favourable long-term outcome.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423575
TI  - Measurements of central blood vessels in infants and children: normal values.
AB  - In order to provide physicians interpreting vascular radiographic studies with
      normal data regarding central blood vessel size in children and to facilitate the
      design and adaptation of intravascular devices for pediatric use, we measured
      lengths and diameters of central blood vessels in 141 radiographic studies in 136
      children. The diameters of the following vessels were determined: right and left
      internal jugular veins and common carotid arteries; the inferior vena cava and
      the descending thoracic aorta; right and left iliac veins; and right and left
      femoral veins and arteries. In addition, the lengths of the inferior vena cava
      and the descending aorta were also determined. Blood vessel dimensions were
      highly correlated with age, height, weight, and body surface area. The linear
      regression equations for each measured dimension against age, weight, height, and
      surface area are provided, along with a table of predicted vessel size as a
      function of age.

PMID- 1423576
TI  - Excimer laser ablation before autoperfusion balloon inflation: a novel
      therapeutic approach to high grade stenoses in vessels supplying substantial
      myocardium at risk.
AB  - The utility of a novel approach employing excimer laser ablation to form a
      channel for subsequent autoperfusion balloon angioplasty is presented. Two
      important advantages of this strategy are highlighted: (1) applicability to
      severe stenoses in vessels supplying substantial myocardium at risk and (2)
      ability to allow prolonged inflation time to minimize procedure related ischemia
      and optimize revascularization of the heart. We prospectively selected and
      studied five patients and performed excimer laser coronary angioplasty using
      either a 1.3 mm or 1.6 mm laser catheter followed by autoperfusion balloon
      dilatation. Procedural success was documented by a significant reduction in mean
      percent diameter stenosis from 89 +/- 4% (S.D.) to 53 +/- 4% after laser
      angioplasty (p < 0.0001) and subsequently to 20 +/- 4% after autoperfusion
      balloon angioplasty (p < 0.0001). Clinical success was attained and characterized
      by resolution of anginal symptoms for at least 4 weeks after hospital discharge.
      There were no major acute complications encountered; however, restenosis has
      occurred in 2 out of 5 patients. We therefore recommend this novel pre-dilation
      strategy with excimer laser followed by autoperfusion balloon angioplasty in
      selected patients with an extensive amount of myocardium at risk.

PMID- 1423577
TI  - Shearing of the plastic coating of a hydrophilic guide wire in a right
      femoropopliteal bypass graft: removal from the contralateral side.
AB  - The plastic coating of a hydrophilic guide wire tore off during introduction
      through a beveled single wall arterial entry needle in a 75 year old male. The
      sheared piece of coating got stuck in his femoropopliteal bypass. It was removed
      by means of a modified arterial filter set from the contralateral side. The
      technique of its removal is described.

PMID- 1423578
TI  - Budd-Chiari syndrome treated successfully by percutaneous transluminal balloon
      angioplasty: two cases followed-up for 6 years.
AB  - We report 2 cases of Budd-Chiari syndrome that are due to complete membranous
      obstruction between the junction of the inferior vena cava and the right atrium.
      Both cases were treated successfully by King's bioptome breakthrough followed by
      balloon dilatation of the membrane. The patients showed remarkable symptomatic
      improvement and promising hemodynamic and angiographic results immediately after
      the procedure and 6 years later. We conclude that balloon angioplasty is a safe
      and effective method for treating this rare disease in selected cases.

PMID- 1423579
TI  - Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery: direct
      assessment of anomalous and collateral coronary flow by pulsed Doppler
      echocardiography.
AB  - We directly assessed the anomalous and collateral coronary flow profiles of a 58
      year-old-man with Bland-White-Garland syndrome using pulsed Doppler
      echocardiography. Doppler recordings in this patient document the utility of
      pulsed Doppler echocardiography in the assessment of a cardiac shunt associated
      with a congenital coronary anomaly in an adult.

PMID- 1423580
TI  - Endomyocardial biopsy: advantages of adding a posterior bend to the bioptome.
AB  - A modification of the distal end of a flexible bioptome used for endomyocardial
      biopsy is described which facilitates the approach to the interventricular
      septum. Contact with the right ventricular free wall is avoided.

PMID- 1423581
TI  - Peripheral stent recovery after failed intracoronary delivery.
AB  - The Palmaz-Schatz stent can be successfully deployed in most patients. However,
      in a small percentage of instances a systemic embolism of the stent has been
      reported. In the present article we describe an easy and fast method of stent
      capture when detachment from the balloon has happened (pulling back the stent
      loaded balloon into the guiding catheter or femoral sheath). In this situation we
      propose the use of the coronary guide-wire "as a guide" to capture coaxially the
      lost stent. This method allows for continuing the procedure without removal of
      the femoral sheath.

PMID- 1423582
TI  - Long-tip guiding catheter: successful and safe for left coronary artery
      angioplasty.
AB  - A long-tip guiding catheter was designed for angioplasty of the left coronary
      artery. Principal factors of guiding catheter function were identified, and the
      catheter's shape was designed to utilize them efficiently. Emphasis was placed on
      an overbent secondary curve (150-180 degrees) for more precise catheter control.
      The distal tip of the catheter is 2 cm long in the 4.0 size and the primary bend
      is shallow, approximately 20%. A 1.5 cm long segment between the secondary and
      tertiary curves enhances stability and support. Catheter performance was studied
      during procedures on 90 patients; 89 patients underwent coronary artery
      angioplasty and one patient underwent diagnostic angiography. The success rate
      for angioplasty was 95% with no major complications. Mild pressure damping
      occurred in 18 patients, and mild catheter displacement from the left main
      coronary artery occurred in 24 patients. Catheter support was judged as excellent
      to very good in 82 patients. Judkins or Amplatz catheters were not required
      during this study. The observed disadvantages of the long-tip catheter were the
      risk of catheter buckling up during advancement into the left main coronary
      artery and, perhaps, a higher risk of pressure damping. Superselective engagement
      of the catheter in the left anterior descending or circumflex arteries may be a
      problem when the left main coronary artery is very short. This study showed the
      long-tip catheter to be safe and highly successful for angioplasty of the left
      coronary artery.

PMID- 1423583
TI  - Radio-opaque tipped Mullins sheath.

PMID- 1423584
TI  - Clinical use of disarticulated Palmaz-Schatz stents.

PMID- 1423585
TI  - Koch's postulates for cholesterol.

PMID- 1423586
TI  - TFIIB, an evolutionary link between the transcription machineries of
      archaebacteria and eukaryotes.

PMID- 1423587
TI  - Molecular signals in the interactions between plants and microbes.
AB  - The field of plant-microbe interactions has witnessed several recent
      breakthroughs, such as the molecular details of vir gene induction,
      identification of Nod factors, and the cloning and characterization of avr genes.
      Other breakthroughs, such as the cloning and characterization of R genes, appear
      imminent. Parallels to mammalian systems are emerging in the world of plant
      microbe interactions, for example, ion channels formed by Rhizobium proteins,
      similarities of hrp genes to pathogenicity genes of mammalian pathogens, and
      plant signal transduction via calcium and protein phosphorylation. We remain,
      however, largely ignorant of many facets of signaling in plant-microbe
      interactions. We know little about how microbial signals are perceived by plants
      or how subsequent signal transduction occurs within plant cells and are probably
      unaware of many of the microbe-generated signals to which plants respond or of
      plant-generated signals to which bacteria and fungi respond. Contributions from
      those working on the genetics, molecular biology, and physiology of bacteria,
      fungi, and plants will be required to address these questions. The many
      nonpathogenic plant-microbe interactions in addition to the Rhizobium-plant
      interaction remain relatively unexplored. Genetic and molecular approaches are
      being initiated to investigate the signaling that is likely to underlie
      interactions such as those between mycorrhizal fungi and plant roots and between
      epiphytic bacteria and plant leaf surfaces. The importance of these interactions
      to plant growth and development makes it likely that they will figure more
      prominently at future symposia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423588
TI  - Protein splicing in the maturation of M. tuberculosis recA protein: a mechanism
      for tolerating a novel class of intervening sequence.
AB  - The M. tuberculosis recA locus comprises an 85 kd open reading frame but produced
      38 kd RecA and 47 kd products in E. coli. No RNA processing was detected; rather,
      an 85 kd precursor protein was spliced, releasing a 47 kd spacer protein, and
      joining its terminal fragments to form mature RecA protein. "Spacer" protein was
      also produced in M. tuberculosis and from a hybrid spacer-LacZ alpha fusion
      molecule. Mutagenesis at codon wobble positions at one splice junction showed
      that protein rather than nucleotide sequence determined splicing activity. Other
      mutants defined additional regions needed for splicing and allowed processing to
      be followed. Splicing was essential for RecA activity in E. coli. The possibility
      that splicing is a manifestation of a novel class of genetic element is
      discussed.

PMID- 1423589
TI  - PCF4 encodes an RNA polymerase III transcription factor with homology to TFIIB.
AB  - A dominant mutation in the PCF4 gene of S. cerevisiae was isolated as a
      suppressor of a tRNA gene A block promoter mutation. In vitro studies indicate
      that PCF4 is a stoichiometrically-required RNA polymerase III (pol III)
      transcription initiation factor. We show that the PCF4-1 mutation increases the
      number of transcriptionally competent preinitiation complexes by affecting a
      limiting activity in yeast cell extracts that is squelched by excess TFIIIC. The
      PCF4 gene encodes a TFIIB homolog whose size, biochemical, and genetic properties
      are consistent with those of the 70 kd subunit of TFIIIB. The TFIIB homology of
      PCF4 suggests a means for determining the polymerase specificity of a gene.

PMID- 1423590
TI  - A suppressor of TBP mutations encodes an RNA polymerase III transcription factor
      with homology to TFIIB.
AB  - The TDS4 gene of S. cerevisiae was isolated as an allele-specific high copy
      suppressor of mutations within the basic region of the TATA-binding protein
      (TBP). The gene is essential for viability and encodes a 596 aa protein. The
      first 300 aa of the TDS4 protein exhibit significant sequence similarity to the
      RNA polymerase II transcription factor TFIIB. However, TDS4 is required for RNA
      polymerase III transcription in vivo and in vitro. Antibodies specific for TDS4
      or TBP react with the TFIIIB complex, indicating that both proteins are
      components of the RNA polymerase III initiation complex. These findings suggest
      that the RNA polymerase II and III initiation mechanisms are extremely similar,
      and they explain how the TATA-binding protein can function in both systems.

PMID- 1423591
TI  - A novel B cell-derived coactivator potentiates the activation of immunoglobulin
      promoters by octamer-binding transcription factors.
AB  - A novel B cell-restricted activity, required for high levels of octamer/Oct
      dependent transcription from an immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) promoter, was
      detected in an in vitro system consisting of HeLa cell-derived extracts
      complemented with fractionated B cell nuclear proteins. The factor responsible
      for this activity was designated Oct coactivator from B cells (OCA-B). OCA-B
      stimulates the transcription from an IgH promoter in conjunction with either Oct
      1 or Oct-2 but shows no significant effect on the octamer/Oct-dependent
      transcription of the ubiquitously expressed histone H2B promoter and the
      transcription of USF- and Sp1-regulated promoters. Taken together, our results
      suggest that OCA-B is a tissue-, promoter-, and factor-specific coactivator and
      that OCA-B may be a major determinant for B cell-specific activation of
      immunoglobulin promoters. In light of the evidence showing physical and
      functional interactions between Oct factors and OCA-B, we propose a mechanism of
      action for OCA-B and discuss the implications of OCA-B for the transcriptional
      regulation of other tissue-specific promoters.

PMID- 1423592
TI  - The precursor of NF-kappa B p50 has I kappa B-like functions.
AB  - The C-terminal half of the p105 precursor of the NF-kappa B p50 subunit contains
      ankyrin-like repeats similar to those in I kappa B molecules, which are known to
      retain NF-kappa B complexes in the cytoplasm. We demonstrate that in various cell
      lines p105 is found associated with either c-rel or p65 in the cytoplasm and
      serves I kappa B-like functions. p105 retains c-rel or p65 in the cytoplasm in
      cotransfection experiments in COS cells. It also inhibits DNA binding by c-rel in
      gel retardation assays. Stable interaction of p105 with c-rel or p65 requires the
      putative dimerization domain in the conserved rel homology region of p105, as
      well as a second contact with the I kappa B-related C-terminal part of p105.
      Pulse-chase experiments indicate that cytoplasmic complexes of p105 with c-rel or
      p65 give rise to cytoplasmic as well as nuclear p50-c-rel and p50-p65,
      respectively, probably through processing of p105. Thus, p105, like the I kappa
      Bs, controls the subcellular localization and hence the transcriptional activity
      of at least two other members of the rel/NF-kappa B family.

PMID- 1423593
TI  - The chromatin-associated protein H-NS interacts with curved DNA to influence DNA
      topology and gene expression.
AB  - H-NS is an abundant structural component of bacterial chromatin and influences
      many cellular processes, including recombination, transposition, and
      transcription. We have studied the mechanism of action of H-NS at the osmotically
      regulated proU promoter. The interaction of H-NS with a curved DNA element
      located downstream of the proU promoter is required for normal regulation of
      expression. Heterologous curved sequences can replace the regulatory role of the
      proU curve. Hence, the luxAB and lacZ reporter genes, which differ in the
      presence or absence of a curve, can indicate very different patterns of
      transcription. H-NS interacts preferentially with these curved DNA elements in
      vitro. Furthermore, in vivo the interaction of H-NS with curved DNA participates
      in the control of plasmid linking number. The data suggest that H-NS-dependent
      changes in DNA topology play a role in the osmoregulation of proU expression.

PMID- 1423594
TI  - The arrest of replication forks in the rDNA of yeast occurs independently of
      transcription.
AB  - Replication forks, moving opposite to the direction of transcription, are
      arrested at the 3' ends of the 35S transcription units in the rDNA locus of S.
      cerevisiae. Because of its position and polarity, we tested the hypothesis that
      this replication fork barrier (RFB) results from the act of transcription. Three
      results contradict this hypothesis. First, the RFB persists in a strain
      containing a disruption of the gene for the 135 kd subunit of RNA polymerase I.
      Second, the RFB causes a polar arrest of replication forks when transplanted to a
      plasmid. Third, transcription by RNA polymerase II of a plasmid copy of the 35S
      transcription unit lacking the RFB does not generate a barrier. We propose that
      replication forks are arrested in a directional manner through the binding of one
      or more proteins to two closely spaced sites in the RFB.

PMID- 1423595
TI  - Localization of nanos RNA controls embryonic polarity.
AB  - Anterior-posterior polarity of the Drosophila embryo is initiated during
      oogenesis through differential maternal RNA localization. The RNA of the anterior
      morphogen bicoid is localized to the anterior pole of the embryo, where bicoid
      protein controls head and thorax development. The RNA of the posterior morphogen
      nanos is localized to the posterior pole, where nanos protein is required for
      abdomen formation. Here we show that the nanos 3' untranslated region, like that
      of the bicoid RNA, is sufficient for RNA localization. We have used the bicoid
      RNA localization signal to mislocalize nanos, producing embryos with two sources
      of nanos protein. Such embryos form two abdomens with mirror image symmetry.
      Embryos with nanos RNA localized only to the anterior have greater nanos gene
      activity than embryos with nanos RNA localized posteriorly. We propose a role for
      RNA localization in regulating nanos activity.

PMID- 1423596
TI  - Cytotoxicity with target DNA breakdown by rat basophilic leukemia cells
      expressing both cytolysin and granzyme A.
AB  - The noncytotoxic rat mast cell tumor line RBL was transfected with genes for the
      cytotoxic lymphocyte granule proteins cytolysin (perforin) and granzyme A, giving
      transfectants with mRNA and protein expression levels comparable with cloned
      cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Both RBL-cytolysin and RBL-cytolysin-granzyme A
      transfectants showed extremely potent killing of red cell targets and lysed 20%
      60% of EL4 lymphoma targets at an effector-to-target ratio of 30. RBL
      transfectants expressing only granzyme A were not cytotoxic. Significant EL4 DNA
      breakdown accompanying lysis was observed only with RBL that was transfected with
      both cytolysin and granzyme A. These results support the granule-exocytosis model
      for lymphocyte cytotoxicity and show that effector granzyme A plays a role in
      target cell DNA breakdown.

PMID- 1423597
TI  - Identification and properties of an atypical catalytic subunit (p34PSK-J3/cdk4)
      for mammalian D type G1 cyclins.
AB  - Murine D type cyclins associate with a catalytic subunit (p34PSK-J3) with
      properties distinct from known cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks). Mouse p34PSK-J3
      shows less than 50% amino acid identity to p34cdc2, p33cdk2, and p36cdk3, lacks a
      PSTAIRE motif, and does not bind to p13suc1. Cyclin D1-p34PSK-J3 complexes
      accumulate in macrophages during G1 and decline in S phase, whereas complexes
      involving cyclins D2 and D3 form in proliferating T cells. Although histone H1
      kinase activity is not detected in cyclin D or PSK-J3 immunoprecipitates, cyclin
      D-p34PSK-J3 complexes assembled in vitro stably bind and phosphorylate the
      retinoblastoma gene product (pRb) and an Rb-like protein (p107) but do not
      interact with pRb mutants that are functionally inactive. Thus, p34PSK-J3 is a
      cyclin D-regulated catalytic subunit that acts as an Rb (but not H1) kinase.

PMID- 1423598
TI  - Severe hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient
      mice created by homologous recombination in ES cells.
AB  - apoE-deficient mice have been created by homologous recombination in ES cells. On
      a low fat, low cholesterol chow diet these animals have plasma cholesterol levels
      of 494 mg/dl compared with 60 mg/dl in control animals, and when challenged with
      a high fat Western-type diet, these animals have plasma cholesterol levels of
      1821 mg/dl compared with 132 mg/dl in controls. This marked hypercholesterolemia
      is primarily due to elevated levels of very low and intermediate density
      lipoproteins. At 10 weeks of age, apoE-deficient mice have already developed
      atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta and coronary and pulmonary arteries. apoE
      deficient mice are a promising small animal model to help understand the role of
      apoE in vivo and the genetic and environmental determinants of atherosclerosis.

PMID- 1423599
TI  - Invasion of the trophoblasts.

PMID- 1423600
TI  - SH2 and SH3 domains: from structure to function.

PMID- 1423601
TI  - A question of time: replication origins of eukaryotic chromosomes.

PMID- 1423602
TI  - Targeted inactivation of the muscle regulatory gene Myf-5 results in abnormal rib
      development and perinatal death.
AB  - The Myf-5 gene, a member of the myogenic basic HLH factor family, has been
      inactivated in mice after homologous recombination in ES cells. Mice lacking Myf
      5 were unable to breathe and died immediately after birth, owing to the absence
      of the major distal part of the ribs. Other skeletal abnormalities, except for
      complete ossification of the sternum, were not apparent. Histological examination
      of skeletal muscle from newborn mice revealed no morphological abnormalities.
      Northern blot analysis demonstrated normal levels of muscle-specific mRNAs
      including MyoD, myogenin, and Myf-6. However, the appearance of myotomal cells in
      early somites was delayed by several days. These results suggest that while Myf-5
      plays a crucial role in the formation of lateral sclerotome derivatives, Myf-5 is
      dispensable for the development of skeletal muscle, perhaps because other members
      of the myogenic HLH family substitute for Myf-5 activity.

PMID- 1423603
TI  - Fertility in mice requires X-Y pairing and a Y-chromosomal "spermiogenesis" gene
      mapping to the long arm.
AB  - There is accumulating evidence that the mammalian Y chromosome, in addition to
      its testis-determining function, may have other male limited functions,
      particularly in spermatogenesis. We have previously shown that the short arm of
      the mouse Y carries information needed for spermatogonial proliferation. This
      information, together with the testis-determining gene Sry, is contained within
      the Y-derived sex reversal factor Sxra. XO males carrying a copy of Sxra attached
      to the X chromosome are nevertheless sterile owing to an almost complete arrest
      during the meiotic metaphase stages. Here we show that this meiotic block can be
      overcome by providing a meiotic pairing partner (with no Y-specific DNA) for the
      XSxra chromosome. However, this does not restore fertility because the sperm
      produced all have abnormal heads. It is concluded that the Y-specific region of
      the mouse Y chromosome long arm includes information essential for the normal
      development of the sperm head.

PMID- 1423604
TI  - LDL receptor-related protein internalizes and degrades uPA-PAI-1 complexes and is
      essential for embryo implantation.
AB  - The low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) is a large
      multifunctional clearance receptor that has been implicated in the hepatic uptake
      of chylomicron remnants and in the removal of protease-inhibitor complexes from
      the circulation and from the extracellular space. Disruption of the LRP gene in
      mice blocks development of LRP-/- embryos around the implantation stage. The
      expression pattern of LRP in the postimplantation stage embryo is identical to
      that of urokinase, a plasminogen activator that confers invasive properties to
      migrating cells. We demonstrate that LRP mediates uptake and degradation of
      urokinase-type plasminogen activator-plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 complexes
      and propose that the inability of the giant cells to remove the inactive protease
      complexes from their surfaces interferes with implantation of the embryo.

PMID- 1423605
TI  - Differentiation of an immature T cell line: a model of thymic positive selection.
AB  - Thymocyte differentiation is dependent upon recognition of major
      histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules on thymic stroma, a process called
      positive selection. Here we describe an immature CD4+8+ T cell line derived from
      a TCR transgenic mouse that differentiates into CD4+8- cells in response to
      antigen and nonthymic antigen-presenting cells. When injected intrathymically,
      these cells differentiate in the absence of antigen. The ability of immature T
      cells to recognize MHC molecules in the absence of foreign antigen in the thymus
      can thus be attributed to a unique property of thymic antigen-presenting cells.
      These studies also demonstrate the phenotypic and functional changes associated
      with TCR-mediated T cell maturation and establish an in vitro model system of
      positive selection.

PMID- 1423606
TI  - Decapentaplegic acts as a morphogen to organize dorsal-ventral pattern in the
      Drosophila embryo.
AB  - Zygotic expression of the Drosophila TGF beta family member decapentaplegic (dpp)
      is required for the development of the dorsal embryonic structures. By injecting
      dpp transcripts into young embryos, we find that 2- to 4-fold increases in the
      concentration of injected RNA elicit progressively more dorsal cell fates: only
      low levels of dpp permit development of ventral ectoderm, intermediate dpp levels
      drive dorsal epidermal development, and high dpp levels drive cells to
      differentiate as the most dorsal pattern element, the amnioserosa. Localized dpp
      RNA injections into embryos that lack all known maternal and zygotic dorsal
      ventral polarity indicate that dpp can both define embryonic polarity and
      organize detailed patterning within the ectoderm. We infer that dpp acts as an
      extracellular morphogen and that the graded activity of dpp specifies the pattern
      of ectodermal cell fates in the Drosophila embryo.

PMID- 1423607
TI  - SHR3: a novel component of the secretory pathway specifically required for
      localization of amino acid permeases in yeast.
AB  - Mutations in SHR3 block amino acid uptake into yeast by reducing the levels of
      multiple amino acid permeases within the plasma membrane. SHR3 is a novel
      integral membrane protein component of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). shr3 null
      mutants specifically accumulate amino acid permeases in the ER; other plasma
      membrane proteins, secretory proteins, and vacuolar proteins are processed and
      targeted correctly. Our findings suggest that SHR3 interacts with a structural
      domain shared by amino acid permeases, an interaction required for permease
      specific processing and transport from the ER. Even in the presence of excess
      amino acids, shr3 mutants exhibit starvation responses. shr3 mutants
      constitutively express elevated levels of GCN4, and mutant shr3/shr3 diploids
      undergo dimorphic transitions that result in filamentous growth at enhanced
      frequencies.

PMID- 1423608
TI  - The reovirus cell attachment protein possesses two independently active
      trimerization domains: basis of dominant negative effects.
AB  - The reovirus cell attachment protein, sigma 1, is a homotrimer with an N-terminal
      fibrous tail and a C-terminal globular head. By cotranslating full-length and
      various truncated sigma 1 proteins in vitro, we show that the N- and C-terminal
      halves of sigma 1 possess independent trimerization and folding domains.
      Trimerization of sigma 1 is initiated at the N-terminus by the formation of a
      "loose," protease-sensitive, three-stranded, alpha-helical coiled coil. This
      serves to bring the three unfolded C-termini into close proximity to one another,
      facilitating their subsequent trimerization and cooperative folding. Concomitant
      with, but independent of, this latter process, the N-terminal fiber further
      matures into a more stable and protease-resistant structure. The coordinated
      folding of sigma 1 trimers exemplifies the dominant negative effects of mutant
      subunits in oligomeric complexes.

PMID- 1423609
TI  - A mammalian homolog of SEC61p and SECYp is associated with ribosomes and nascent
      polypeptides during translocation.
AB  - SEC61p is essential for protein translocation across the endoplasmic reticulum
      membrane of S. cerevisiae. We have found a mammalian homolog that shows more than
      50% sequence identity with the yeast protein. Moreover, several regions of SEC61p
      have significant similarities with corresponding ones of SecYp of bacteria,
      indicating a strong evolutionary conservation of the mechanism of protein
      translocation. Mammalian Sec61p, like the yeast protein, is located in the
      immediate vicinity of nascent polypeptides during their membrane passage. It is
      tightly associated with membrane-bound ribosomes, suggesting that the nascent
      chain passes directly from the ribosome into a protein-conducting channel. These
      results define Sec61p as a ubiquitous key component of the protein translocation
      apparatus.

PMID- 1423610
TI  - The product of the mouse Xist gene is a 15 kb inactive X-specific transcript
      containing no conserved ORF and located in the nucleus.
AB  - The Xist gene maps to the X inactivation center region in both mouse and human,
      and previous analysis of the 3' end of the gene has demonstrated inactive X
      specific expression, suggesting a possible role in X inactivation. We have now
      analyzed the entire mouse Xist gene. The mature inactive X-specific transcript is
      15 kb in length and contains no conserved ORF. The Xist sequence contains a
      number of regions comprised of tandem repeats. Comparison with the human XIST
      gene demonstrates significant conservation of sequence and gene structure. Xist
      RNA is not associated with the translational machinery of the cell and is located
      almost exclusively in the nucleus. Together with conservation of inactive X
      specific expression, these findings support a role for Xist in X inactivation,
      possibly as a functional RNA or as a chromatin organizer region.

PMID- 1423612
TI  - Defects in a cell cycle checkpoint may be responsible for the genomic instability
      of cancer cells.

PMID- 1423611
TI  - The human XIST gene: analysis of a 17 kb inactive X-specific RNA that contains
      conserved repeats and is highly localized within the nucleus.
AB  - X chromosome inactivation in mammalian females results in the cis-limited
      transcriptional inactivity of most of the genes on one X chromosome. The XIST
      gene is unique among X-linked genes in being expressed exclusively from the
      inactive X chromosome. Human XIST cDNAs containing at least eight exons and
      totaling 17 kb have been isolated and sequenced within the region on the X
      chromosome known to contain the X inactivation center. The XIST gene includes
      several tandem repeats, the most 5' of which are evolutionarily conserved. The
      gene does not contain any significant conserved ORFs and thus does not appear to
      encode a protein, suggesting that XIST may function as a structural RNA within
      the nucleus. Consistent with this, fluorescence in situ hybridization experiments
      demonstrate localization of XIST RNA within the nucleus to a position
      indistinguishable from the X inactivation-associated Barr body.

PMID- 1423613
TI  - Force and counterforce in the mitotic spindle.

PMID- 1423614
TI  - What's new with calcium?

PMID- 1423615
TI  - Pleiotropic effects of a null mutation in the c-fos proto-oncogene.
AB  - The c-fos proto-oncogene has been implicated as a central regulatory component of
      the nuclear response to mitogens and other extracellular stimuli. Embryonic stem
      cells targeted at the c-fos locus have been used to generate chimeric mice that
      have transmitted the mutated allele through the germline. Homozygous mutants show
      reduced placental and fetal weights and significant loss of viability at birth.
      Approximately 40% of the homozygous mutants survive and grow at normal rates
      until severe osteopetrosis, characterized by foreshortening of the long bones,
      ossification of the marrow space, and absence of tooth eruption, begins to
      develop at approximately 11 days. Among other abnormalities, these mice show
      delayed or absent gametogenesis, lymphopenia, and altered behavior. Despite these
      defects, many live as long as their wild-type or heterozygous littermates
      (currently 7 months). These data indicate that c-fos is not required for the
      growth of most cell types but is involved in the development and function of
      several distinct tissues.

PMID- 1423616
TI  - A mammalian cell cycle checkpoint pathway utilizing p53 and GADD45 is defective
      in ataxia-telangiectasia.
AB  - Cell cycle checkpoints can enhance cell survival and limit mutagenic events
      following DNA damage. Primary murine fibroblasts became deficient in a G1
      checkpoint activated by ionizing radiation (IR) when both wild-type p53 alleles
      were disrupted. In addition, cells from patients with the radiosensitive, cancer
      prone disease ataxia-telangiectasia (AT) lacked the IR-induced increase in p53
      protein levels seen in normal cells. Finally, IR induction of the human GADD45
      gene, an induction that is also defective in AT cells, was dependent on wild-type
      p53 function. Wild-type but not mutant p53 bound strongly to a conserved element
      in the GADD45 gene, and a p53-containing nuclear factor, which bound this
      element, was detected in extracts from irradiated cells. Thus, we identified
      three participants (AT gene(s), p53, and GADD45) in a signal transduction pathway
      that controls cell cycle arrest following DNA damage; abnormalities in this
      pathway probably contribute to tumor development.

PMID- 1423617
TI  - The ts41 mutation in Chinese hamster cells leads to successive S phases in the
      absence of intervening G2, M, and G1.
AB  - The ts41 mutation of Chinese hamster cells was first isolated and characterized
      by Hirschberg and Marcus (1982) who showed that at nonpermissive temperature,
      cells accumulate up to 16C equivalents of DNA. Here we show that the mutation is
      recessive and at nonpermissive temperature, cells replicate their genome
      normally, but instead of going on into G2, M, and G1, they pass directly into a
      second S phase. Entry into a second S phase does not require serum nor is it
      inhibited by G2 checkpoints or mitotic inhibitors. Temperature-shift experiments
      suggest that the ts41 gene product participates in two functions in the cell
      cycle: entry into mitosis and inhibition of entry into S phase. The ts41 mutation
      seems to define a class of cell cycle mutant that couples the sequential events
      of DNA replication and mitosis.

PMID- 1423618
TI  - cactus, a gene involved in dorsoventral pattern formation of Drosophila, is
      related to the I kappa B gene family of vertebrates.
AB  - Among the maternally active genes of Drosophila, cactus is the only one whose
      loss of function mutations specifically produce ventralized embryos. Its product
      inhibits nuclear translocation of the dorsal morphogen in the dorsal region of
      the embryo. Here we report the cloning of cactus and the sequencing of its
      maternal transcript. The identity of our clones was verified by induction of
      phenocopies with antisense RNA and rescue of the mutant phenotype with sense RNA.
      cactus is predicted to encode an acidic, cytoplasmic protein with seven ankyrin
      repeats. The sequence has similarity to the I kappa B proteins that inhibit the
      vertebrate transcription factor NF-kappa B. In analogy to results obtained with I
      kappa B and NF-kappa B, bacterially expressed cactus protein can inhibit DNA
      binding of dorsal protein in vitro.

PMID- 1423619
TI  - Characterization of the Drosophila cactus locus and analysis of interactions
      between cactus and dorsal proteins.
AB  - An oligonucleotide based on the cdc 10/SWI6 repeats of the Drosophila Notch
      protein was used to isolate other Drosophila genes with these repeats. One of
      these genes is the cactus locus, 1 of 11 genes required maternally for the
      establishment in embryos of a gradient of nuclear localization of dorsal protein,
      a rel-like transcription factor. Previous work showed that in cactus mutants more
      dorsal protein enters the nucleus in dorsal regions, resulting in a ventralized
      phenotype. It is now shown that the cactus locus produces two proteins that
      differ at their carboxy termini; both contain six cdc 10/SWI6 repeats that are
      sufficient for binding to dorsal and for inhibiting the ability of dorsal to bind
      DNA. The site on dorsal to which cactus binds was localized to the rel homology
      domain, where it overlaps with, or is adjacent to, the nuclear localization
      signal. In vivo the bulk of the cactus protein associated with dorsal is
      phosphorylated. This, or the association with dorsal, appears to stabilize the
      maternal cactus protein.

PMID- 1423620
TI  - Analysis of a spatially regulated phosphotyrosine phosphatase identifies tyrosine
      phosphorylation as a key regulatory pathway in Dictyostelium.
AB  - We have cloned a Dictyostelium phosphotyrosine phosphatase (PTP1) with a
      catalytic domain showing approximately 38%-50% amino acid identity to those of
      other PTPs. PTP1 contains an approximately 99 amino acid insert and bacterially
      produced PTP1 possesses PTP activity. PTP1 is expressed at a very low level in
      vegetative cells, induced by 4 hr, and maximally expressed at the tight aggregate
      stage. PTP1-lacZ studies indicate that PTP1 is spatially localized to prestalk
      and anterior-like cell types. PTP1 gene disruptants show accelerated development,
      whereas strains overexpressing PTP1 to a high level fail to aggregate. Strains
      overexpressing moderate levels exhibit severe morphological defects following
      aggregation, including multiply tipped aggregates and morphologically aberrant
      fruiting bodies. Western blot analysis using anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies
      shows specific changes in the mutant strains when compared with wild-type cells.
      The results indicate that reversible protein-tyrosine phosphorylation and PTP1
      play important regulatory roles during Dictyostelium development.

PMID- 1423621
TI  - ZAP-70: a 70 kd protein-tyrosine kinase that associates with the TCR zeta chain.
AB  - Protein-tyrosine kinases (PTKs) play an integral role in T cell activation.
      Stimulation of the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) results in tyrosine
      phosphorylation of a number of cellular substrates. One of these is the TCR zeta
      chain, which can mediate the transduction of extracellular stimuli into cellular
      effector functions. We have recently identified a 70 kd tyrosine phosphoprotein
      (ZAP-70) that associates with zeta and undergoes tyrosine phosphorylation
      following TCR stimulation. Here we report the isolation of a cDNA clone encoding
      ZAP-70. ZAP-70 represents a novel PTK and is expressed in T and natural killer
      cells. Moreover, tyrosine phosphorylation and association of ZAP-70 with zeta
      require the presence of src family PTKs and provide a potential mechanism by
      which the src family PTKs and ZAP-70 may interact to mediate TCR signal
      transduction.

PMID- 1423622
TI  - The three-dimensional structure of the tenth type III module of fibronectin: an
      insight into RGD-mediated interactions.
AB  - The solution structure of the tenth type III module of fibronectin has been
      determined using nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The molecule has a fold
      similar to that of immunoglobulin domains, with seven beta strands forming two
      antiparallel beta sheets, which pack against each other. Both beta sheets
      contribute conserved hydrophobic residues to a compact core. The topology is more
      similar to that of domain 2 of CD4, PapD, and the extracellular domain of the
      human growth hormone receptor than to that of immunoglobulin C domains. The
      module contains an Arg-Gly-Asp sequence known to be involved in cell adhesion.
      This tripeptide is solvent exposed and lies on a conformationally mobile loop
      between strands F and G, consistent with its cell adhesion function.

PMID- 1423623
TI  - RNA and DNA binding zinc fingers in Xenopus TFIIIA.
AB  - The nine tandem zinc finger repeats in the 5S gene-specific transcription factor
      IIIA (TFIIIA) from Xenopus mediate specific binding to 5S DNA as well as to 5S
      ribosomal RNA. A comparative functional analysis of a systematic set of TFIIIA
      zinc finger combinations reveals that most, if not all, participate in both DNA
      and RNA binding. Minimal sets of fingers sufficient for DNA and RNA recognition
      are different. In RNA binding, most finger elements are found to be functionally
      equivalent. However, the nonessential finger 6 exhibits RNA binding
      characteristics distinct from the other eight modules. The secondary/tertiary
      structure of the central domain in 5S RNA, not its primary sequence, is found to
      carry the essential structural information for TFIIIA binding in Xenopus oocytes.
      Taken together, our findings suggest that RNA and DNA binding are overlapping,
      though separable functions of the nine zinc finger elements in TFIIIA, occurring
      via fundamentally different molecular mechanisms.

PMID- 1423624
TI  - Involvement of a homolog of Drosophila trithorax by 11q23 chromosomal
      translocations in acute leukemias.
AB  - We have identified a human homolog of the Drosophila trithorax protein that is
      structurally altered by 11q23 translocations in acute leukemias. Human trithorax
      (HRX) is a predicted 431 kd protein containing two potential DNA-binding motifs
      consisting of zinc fingers conserved with the fly protein and nonconserved amino
      terminal "AT hook" motifs related to the DNA-binding motifs in HMG proteins.
      11q23 translocations disrupt the HRX gene between these two motifs, and in a
      t(11;19)-carrying cell line fusion transcripts are expressed from both derivative
      chromosomes. The more abundant derivative 11 transcript codes for a chimeric
      protein containing the AT hook motifs fused to a previously undescribed protein
      (ENL) from chromosome 19. These data suggest a novel role for a trithorax
      homologous protein in multilineage human leukemias that may be mediated by DNA
      binding within the minor groove at AT-rich sites, implicated to play an important
      role in bacterial IHF-, yeast datin-, and mammalian HMG-mediated gene activation.

PMID- 1423625
TI  - The t(4;11) chromosome translocation of human acute leukemias fuses the ALL-1
      gene, related to Drosophila trithorax, to the AF-4 gene.
AB  - The ALL-1 gene located at human chromosome 11 band q23 is rearranged in acute
      leukemias with interstitial deletions or reciprocal translocations between this
      region and chromosomes 1, 4, 6, 9, 10, or 19. The gene spans approximately 100 kb
      of DNA and contains at least 21 exons. It encodes a protein of more than 3910
      amino acids containing three regions with homology to sequences within the
      Drosophila trithorax gene, including cysteine-rich regions that can be folded
      into six zinc finger-like domains. The breakpoint cluster region within ALL-1
      spans 8 kb and encompasses several small exons, most of which begin in the same
      phase of the open reading frame. The t(4;11) chromosome translocation results in
      two reciprocal fusion products coding for chimeric proteins derived from ALL-1
      and from a gene on chromosome 4. This suggests that each 11q23 abnormality gives
      rise to a specific oncogenic fusion protein.

PMID- 1423626
TI  - Competence modifiers synergize with growth factors during mesoderm induction and
      patterning in Xenopus.

PMID- 1423627
TI  - The MARCKS brothers: a family of protein kinase C substrates.

PMID- 1423628
TI  - Responses of embryonic Xenopus cells to activin and FGF are separated by multiple
      dose thresholds and correspond to distinct axes of the mesoderm.
AB  - The potent mesoderm-inducing factors activin and FGF are present as maternally
      synthesized proteins in embryos of X. laevis. We show that activin can act on
      explanted blastomeres to induce at least five different cell states ranging from
      posterolateral mesoderm to dorsoanterior organizer mesoderm. Each state is
      induced in a narrow dose range bounded by sharp thresholds. By contrast, FGF
      induces only posterolateral markers and does so over relatively broad dose
      ranges. FGF can modulate the actions of activin, potentiating them and broadening
      the threshold-bounded dose windows. Our results indicate that orthogonal
      gradients of activin and FGF would be sufficient to specify the main elements of
      the body plan.

PMID- 1423629
TI  - Basolateral sorting of LDL receptor in MDCK cells: the cytoplasmic domain
      contains two tyrosine-dependent targeting determinants.
AB  - In MDCK cells, transport of membrane proteins to the basolateral plasma membrane
      has been shown to require a distinct cytoplasmic domain determinant. Although the
      determinant is often related to signals used for localization in clathrin-coated
      pits, inactivation of the coated pit domain in the human LDL receptor did not
      affect basolateral targeting. By expressing mutant and chimeric LDL receptors, we
      have now identified two independently acting signals that are individually
      sufficient for basolateral targeting. The two determinants mediate basolateral
      sorting with different efficiencies, but both contain tyrosine residues critical
      for activity. The first determinant was colinear with, but distinct from, the
      coated pit domain of the receptor. The second was found in the C-terminal region
      of the cytoplasmic domain of the receptor and, although tyrosine-dependent, did
      not mediate endocytosis. The results suggest that membrane proteins can have
      functionally redundant signals for basolateral transport and that a tyrosine
      containing motif may be a common feature of multiple intracellular sorting
      events.

PMID- 1423630
TI  - COP1, an Arabidopsis regulatory gene, encodes a protein with both a zinc-binding
      motif and a G beta homologous domain.
AB  - Plant seedling development is capable of following 1 of 2 distinct morphogenic
      pathways: skotomorphogenesis in darkness and photomorphogenesis in light. Dark
      grown Arabidopsis seedlings with recessive mutations at the constitutively
      photomorphogenic (COP1) locus indicate that the wild-type COP1 protein represses
      photomorphogenesis in darkness and that light reverses this repressive activity.
      Using a T-DNA-tagged mutant, we have cloned the COP1 locus. The amino-terminal
      half of the encoded protein contains a conserved zinc-binding motif, whereas the
      carboxyl-terminal half contains a domain homologous to the WD-40 repeat motif of
      G beta proteins. The presence of both a putative DNA-binding motif and a G
      protein-related domain in a single polypeptide suggests that COP1 may be the
      first of a new class of regulatory molecules. This novel structure could endow
      COP1 with the capacity to function as a negative transcriptional regulator
      capable of direct interaction with components of the G protein signaling pathway.

PMID- 1423631
TI  - A novel base-pairing interaction between U2 and U6 snRNAs suggests a mechanism
      for the catalytic activation of the spliceosome.
AB  - Prior to the chemical steps of mRNA splicing, the extensive base-pairing
      interaction between the U4 and U6 spliceosomal snRNAs is disrupted. Here, we use
      a mutational analysis in yeast to demonstrate a conserved base-pairing
      interaction between the U6 and U2 snRNAs that is mutually exclusive with the U4
      U6 interaction. In this novel pairing, conserved sequences in U6 interact with a
      sequence in U2 that is immediately upstream of the branch point recognition
      region. Remarkably, the residues in U6 that can be consequently juxtaposed with
      the intron substrate include those that have been proposed previously to be
      catalytic. Both the first and second steps of splicing are inhibited when this
      base-paired structure is mutated. These observations, together with the high
      conservation of the U2-U6 structure, lead us to propose that it might be a
      component of the spliceosomal active site.

PMID- 1423632
TI  - Mutational analysis of the yeast U2 snRNA suggests a structural similarity to the
      catalytic core of group I introns.
AB  - We have used an in vitro reconstitution system to determine the effects of a
      large number of mutations in the highly conserved 5' terminal domain of the yeast
      U2 snRNA on pre-mRNA splicing. Whereas many mutations have little or no
      functional consequence, base substitutions in two regions were found to have
      drastic effects on pre-mRNA splicing. A previously unrecognized function for the
      U2 snRNA in the second step of splicing was found by alteration of the absolutely
      conserved sequence AGA upstream of the branch point recognition sequence. The
      effects of these mutations suggest the formation of a structure involving the U2
      snRNA similar to the guanosine-binding site found in the catalytic core of group
      I introns.

PMID- 1423633
TI  - Nucleosome disruption at the yeast PHO5 promoter upon PHO5 induction occurs in
      the absence of DNA replication.
AB  - Activation of the PHO5 gene in S. cerevisiae by phosphate starvation was
      previously shown to be accompanied by the disappearance of four positioned
      nucleosomes from the promoter. To investigate the mechanism, we replaced the
      PHO80 gene, a negative regulator of PHO5, by a temperature-sensitive allele. As a
      consequence, PHO5 can be activated in the presence of phosphate by a temperature
      shift from 24 degrees C to 37 degrees C. Under these conditions, the promoter
      undergoes the same chromatin transition as in phosphate-starved cells. Disruption
      of the nucleosomes by the temperature shift also occurs when DNA replication is
      prevented. Nucleosomes re-form when the temperature is shifted from 37 degrees C
      back to 24 degrees C in nondividing cells. Glucose is required for the disruption
      of the nucleosomes during the temperature upshift, not for their re-formation
      during the temperature downshift. These experiments prove that DNA replication is
      not required for the transition between the nucleosomal and the non-nucleosomal
      state at the PHO5 promoter.

PMID- 1423634
TI  - A targeting sequence directs DNA methyltransferase to sites of DNA replication in
      mammalian nuclei.
AB  - Tissue-specific patterns of methylated deoxycytidine residues in the mammalian
      genome are preserved by postreplicative methylation of newly synthesized DNA. DNA
      methyltransferase (MTase) is here shown to associate with replication foci during
      S phase but to display a diffuse nucleoplasmic distribution in non-S phase cells.
      Analysis of DNA MTase-beta-galactosidase fusion proteins has shown that
      association with replication foci is mediated by a novel targeting sequence
      located near the N-terminus of DNA MTase. This sequence has the properties
      expected of a targeting sequence in that it is not required for enzymatic
      activity, prevents proper targeting when deleted, and, when fused to beta
      galactosidase, causes the fusion protein to associate with replication foci in a
      cell cycle-dependent manner.

PMID- 1423635
TI  - Regulation of the specific DNA binding function of p53.
AB  - The DNA binding activity of p53 is required for its tumor suppressor function; we
      show here that this activity is cryptic but can be activated by cellular factors
      acting on a C-terminal regulatory domain of p53. A gel mobility shift assay
      demonstrated that recombinant wild-type human p53 binds DNA sequence specifically
      only weakly, but a monoclonal antibody binding near the C terminus activated the
      cryptic DNA binding activity stoichiometrically. p53 DNA binding could be
      activated by a C-terminal deletion of p53, mild proteolysis of full-length p53,
      E. coli dnaK (which disrupts protein-protein complexes), or casein kinase II (and
      coincident phosphorylation of a C-terminal site on p53). Activation of p53 DNA
      binding may be critical in regulation of its ability to arrest cell growth and
      thus its tumor suppressor function.

PMID- 1423636
TI  - Casein kinase II is a negative regulator of c-Jun DNA binding and AP-1 activity.

PMID- 1423637
TI  - The impairment of natural killer function in the healthy aged is due to a
      postbinding deficient mechanism.
AB  - In order to study the fine mechanisms that underlie the impairment of non-MHC
      restricted cytolytic activity which occurs during human aging, we examined by
      multiparametric flow cytometry the binding and lytic activities of human natural
      killer cells. The flow analysis revealed a striking increase of the CD16+8-
      subset, together with a significant decrease of CD8bright cells and total T cells
      (CD3+). Aging had no influence on the CD8dim subset. The total lytic activity
      expressed by PBL as well as their binding efficiency to K562 targets were
      moderately but not significantly increased in the elderly. In contrast, the
      cytotoxicity of the single target-bound natural killer cell (i.e., lytic
      efficiency) was deeply impaired in aged subjects, suggesting that the NK
      functional impairment observed in aging is located at postbinding level.

PMID- 1423638
TI  - Synergistic enhancement of T cell responses and interleukin-1 receptor expression
      by interleukin-1 and heparin or dextran sulfate.
AB  - Heparin markedly enhances generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes against
      allogeneic cells and histocompatible tumors. In this study, we demonstrated a
      marked synergism between heparin and low concentrations of recombinant IL-1-alpha
      and IL-1-beta in enhancement of cytotoxic T cell responses in mice. Low molecular
      weight (8000 Da) dextran sulfate also enhanced the T cell responses and
      synergized with IL-1, whereas, de-N-sulfated heparin was devoid of both of these
      activities. The synergistic effect was selective for IL-1, because there was no
      synergism between heparin or dextran sulfate and other cytokines (tumor necrosis
      factor-alpha, IL-4, and, as shown previously, IL-2). Heparin did not increase the
      production of IL-1 (and IL-2, as shown before). Heparin did not bind to IL-1,
      despite significant amino acid homology between IL-1 and heparin-binding
      endothelial cell growth factors. Heparin enhanced the growth-promoting effect of
      IL-1 on the IL-1-dependent helper T cell clone, D10.G4.1, and enhanced IL-1
      receptor expression on these cells. These data indicate that heparin acts
      directly on the T cells and enhances their responsiveness to IL-1 by up
      regulating IL-1 receptor expression.

PMID- 1423639
TI  - Abnormal activation and loss of suppressor T cells in the spontaneously
      hypertensive rat.
AB  - Suppressor T cell function in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and
      normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats was analyzed using syngeneic mixed
      lymphocyte reaction (SMLR) and concanavalin A (Con A) activation. A depressed
      SMLR was found in adult SHR but not in adult WKY. IL-2 synthesized by SHR was 40
      fold lower than that of WKY, and the suppressor T cells generated in the SMLR
      were incapable of suppressing IgG synthesis. Precursors of cells that can be
      activated by Con A to become functional suppressor cells are reduced in adult
      SHR. Supernatant fluids derived from Con A-activated spleen cells from adult SHR
      failed to significantly inhibit IgG synthesis by cultures of syngeneic spleen
      cells compared to supernatant fluids from young SHR or WKY Con A-activated spleen
      cells. However, spleen cells from both adult SHR and WKY proliferated strongly
      and released equivalent amounts of IL-2 in response to Con A. Addition of
      exogenous IL-2 to the SMLR cultures in vitro restored the ability of SHR T cells
      to respond in the SMLR, with generation of cells capable of suppressing IgG
      synthesis. Administration of SHR with IL-2 in vivo also restored the suppressor T
      cell function in the SMLR. These results suggest a defective suppressor T cell
      activation and loss of suppressor T cell activity as the SHR age.

PMID- 1423640
TI  - Stress stimuli-induced lymphocyte activation.
AB  - Oxidants, heavy metals, and heat shock, collectively known as stress stimuli,
      induce the synthesis of a variety of proteins, termed stress proteins, and
      enhance glucose uptake. In this study, we have demonstrated that stress stimuli
      enhance protein tyrosine phosphorylation (PTyr-P), modulate protein tyrosine
      phosphatase (PTPase) activity, activate the src family protein tyrosine kinase
      (PTK), p56lck, and enhance glucose uptake in human peripheral blood mononuclear
      cells. The heavy metal Hg2+ and heat shock stimulated PTPase activity at an
      optimal dose, whereas the oxidant phenylarsine oxide (PAO) was only marginally
      stimulatory. Treatment of lymphocytes with stress stimuli at a dose which
      activated PTPase did not produce discernable PTyr-P using Western blotting
      techniques. PTyr-P was only seen at doses of stress stimuli which were associated
      with an inhibition of PTPase activity. We could demonstrate a correlation between
      the dose of stress stimuli effective in increasing PTPase activity and p56lck
      activation using heat shock and Hg2+ as stress stimuli. On the other hand, much
      lower concentrations of PAO were effective in activating PTPase than those
      effective in eliciting p56lck activation. We could not demonstrate a correlation
      between an effective dose inducing PTyr-P and glucose uptake. Our data do not
      permit us to draw a simple correlation between enhancement of PTPase activity,
      activation of p56lck, induction of PTyr-P, and induction of the biological
      response. It is possible that both stimulation and inhibition of PTPase could
      regulate PTyr-P by either activating the src family PTKs or preventing
      dephosphorylation of target proteins which are involved in the biological
      response. Our data may also provide the biochemical basis for the previously
      reported mitogenic effects of Hg2+ on lymphocytes.

PMID- 1423641
TI  - IL-1, IL-6, and PDGF mRNA expression in alveolar cells following stimulation with
      a tobacco-derived antigen.
AB  - To test the hypothesis that inflammatory cytokine production might be an early
      event in the development of the disease associated with smoking, we used alveolar
      cells from healthy nonsmokers stimulated with TGP as a model system. TGP, a
      phenol-rich glycoprotein which is present in tobacco leaves and cigarette smoke
      condensate, activates the immune system. It stimulates polyclonal B cell
      differentiation, induces primarily an IgE response, and activates human
      leukocytes to produce IL-1. Using in situ nucleic acid hybridization we show that
      the steady-state levels of IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, platelet-derived growth
      factor (PDGF)-A, and PDGF-B mRNAs are consistently elevated in the alveolar cells
      of all donors following TGP stimulation. The kinetics of mRNA expression suggest
      that IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta mRNAs are independently regulated in alveolar
      cells, while the regulation of PDGF-A and PDGF-B mRNA seems to be similar. The
      activated cells also synthesize elevated levels of IL-1 and IL-6. These findings
      lend support to the suggestion that some clinical consequences of smoking might
      be initiated and enhanced by the production of inflammatory cytokines. Moreover,
      IL-6 could also activate a polyclonal B cell response, which could lead to the
      synthesis of autoantibodies and thus cause immune-mediated tissue injury.

PMID- 1423642
TI  - The CD45RO (p180, UCHL1) marker: complexity of expression in peripheral blood.
AB  - Analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes by two- and three-colour high
      sensitivity staining with UCHL1 (CD45RO) and other markers shows that the
      expression of CD45RO on lymphocyte subsets is more complex than is generally
      supposed. In addition to the populations which express CD45RO and RA in a
      mutually exclusive manner, up to 30% of cells in adult blood express both
      markers, at low levels. This "intermediate" population includes CD4-positive
      cells, and a proportion of these cells express the p55 chain of the IL-2 receptor
      (CD25), suggesting that they are activated. In cord blood there are few RO-bright
      cells, but CD45RO is expressed at low intensity on a proportion of cells. Among
      the CD45RO-bright cells in adult blood at least two subsets can be detected by
      using MHC Class II and the homing receptor L-selectin as additional markers. This
      complexity suggests that memory cells are a subset of CD45RO-expressing cells,
      but that this marker is also found on cells that are activated but not
      irreversibly "switched" to memory cells.

PMID- 1423643
TI  - Glutathione influences the proliferation as well as the extent of mitochondrial
      activation in rat splenocytes.
AB  - The time-dependent changes of mitochondrial membrane potential and mass have been
      investigated on rat splenic lymphocytes stimulated with Con A in the presence and
      absence of reduced glutathione (GSH). Rhodamine-123 (Rh-123) and nonyl acridine
      orange (NAO) were used as specific dyes to monitor the membrane potential and
      mass of mitochondria, respectively. The percentage of cells showing blast
      transformation and the level of Rh-123 or NAO uptake were analyzed by flow
      cytometry. Present results demonstrate that a large number of cells showed
      activated mitochondria already at 24 hr after Con A stimulation and the
      activation of these organelles was not related to blast transformation. The
      addition of GSH into the culture medium increased the number of cells responding
      to mitogenic stimulation. In parallel it augmented the percentage of lymphocytes
      with activated mitochondria and also prevented their depolarization.

PMID- 1423644
TI  - Tight conjugate formation is not always required for natural killer cell-mediated
      lysis.
AB  - We have utilized several clonal cell lines, derived from the murine lymphoma
      ASL1w, to investigate the early events in NK-mediated lysis. The studies
      described here examine the relationship between NK recognition, NK cell:tumor
      cell conjugate formation, and NK-mediated lysis. The AW4F and AW4D tumor lines
      were susceptible to NK-mediated lysis and efficiently inhibited NK recognition in
      competitive inhibition assays, whereas the AW5J tumor, which is relatively
      resistant to NK-mediated lysis, did not. In contrast, the AW5E tumor was NK
      resistant but inhibited NK recognition almost as well as the NK-sensitive tumors,
      suggesting that it was deficient in a postbinding event required for NK-mediated
      lysis. These findings demonstrate a correlation, with one exception, between the
      susceptibility of the ASL1w-derived tumor lines to NK-mediated lysis and their
      ability to inhibit NK recognition. In contrast, there was no apparent correlation
      between tight conjugate formation, as assessed in three independent target
      binding assays, and the susceptibility of these tumors to NK-mediated lysis,
      showing that tight conjugate formation is not required for either efficient NK
      recognition or lysis.

PMID- 1423645
TI  - Introduction of the H-2Dk gene into a class I-negative tumor cell line confers
      interferon-gamma inducibility upon the silent endogenous H-2Kk gene.
AB  - Kgv cells do not constitutively express class I mRNA or protein. Interferon (IFN)
      gamma, but not IFN-alpha/beta, induces H-2Dk expression. IFN does not induce H
      2Kk expression. We examined constitutive and IFN-inducible class I expression on
      Kgv cells stably transfected with genomic clones of H-2Kk or H-2Dk and on somatic
      cell hybrid lines constructed between Kgv cells and constitutively class I
      positive cells of a distinguishable H-2 haplotype. Our results suggest that both
      the lack of constitutive class I expression and the inability of IFN-alpha/beta
      to induce class I expression on Kgv cells are primarily due to cis-regulatory
      mechanisms. However, stable introduction of the H-2Dk gene into Kgv cells
      conferred IFN-gamma inducibility upon the silent endogenous H-2Kk gene.
      Therefore, the failure of IFN-gamma to induce H-2Kk expression on Kgv cells is
      due, at least in part, to a trans-regulatory mechanism.

PMID- 1423646
TI  - Reduced binding activity of transcription factor NF-kappa B accounts for MHC
      class I repression in adenovirus type 12 E 1-transformed cells.
AB  - The early region 1 (E1) of human adenovirus (Ad) type 12 represses the expression
      of major histocompatibility (MHC) Class I genes in transformed primary rodent
      cells. In this paper we show that both NF-kappa B and KBF1 (p50 dimer) binding
      activity to the H2TF1 element in the Class I promoter is reduced in Ad12-13S-E1A
      transformed cells compared to Ad5E1- or Ad12-12S-E1A-transformed cells.
      Consistently, in Ad12E1A-13S-transformed cells the H2TF1 element does not
      contribute to transcriptional activity in transient expression assays, whereas it
      does contribute in Ad12E1A-12S-transformed cells. Therefore, the most likely
      explanation is that reduced binding of NF-kappa B and KBF1 to the H2TF1 element
      accounts for the down-regulation of MHC Class I expression in Ad12E1- and Ad12E1A
      13S-transformed cells.

PMID- 1423647
TI  - Generation of cytotoxicity with various MHC class I restrictions against
      autologous LCL by stimulating the lymphocytes with autologous and/or allogeneic
      LCLs sharing HLA alleles with the responder.
AB  - We exposed human blood lymphocytes to autologous and to allogeneic lymphoblastoid
      lines (LCLs), each alone or in combination, and analyzed the MHC Class I
      restriction pattern of the generated auto-LCL reactive cytotoxicity. In the
      cultures of two EBV-seropositive, HLA A11-positive individuals the majority of
      cytotoxic lymphocytes generated after repeated stimulation with autologous LCL
      were restricted by this molecule. One of the cultures was subjected to various
      stimulation strategies. A relatively low proportion of HLA A2- and HLA B7
      restricted cytotoxic T cells could be detected in the autostimulated cultures.
      Such cells were enriched at the expense of A11-restricted ones by stimulating
      with allogeneic LCLs which lacked HLA A11 but expressed A2 or B7. Interestingly,
      stimulation of the lymphocytes with only allogeneic LCL also generated
      autoreactive CTLs. Thus, by including or using exclusively allogeneic LCL
      stimulators, the CTL fractions represented by few cells could be enriched.

PMID- 1423648
TI  - Relative resistance of intermediate TCR cells to anti-CD3 mAb in mice in vivo and
      their partial functional characterization.
AB  - In addition to T cells differentiated in the thymus, T cells, possibly of
      extrathymic origin, were recently demonstrated in the liver of mice. These T
      cells are characterized by the expression of intermediate TCR and contain double
      negative CD4-8- cells. A further characterization of intermediate TCR cells was
      carried out. When mice were injected ip with anti-CD3 mAb, bright TCR cells
      (i.e., regular T cells) and intermediate TCR cells were reduced on Day 3,
      depending on the amount of mAb. Because of the resistance of intermediate TCR
      cells to treatment, injection of an appropriate dose of antibody (i.e., 100
      micrograms/mouse) eliminated most bright TCR cells, but not intermediate TCR
      cells. This dose revealed that a significant proportion of intermediate TCR cells
      also reside in the periphery. Hepatic and splenic mononuclear cells (MNC), in
      which intermediate TCR cells became abundant after treatment, showed a unique
      response to T cell mitogens and IL-2. Thus, the intermediate TCR cell-enriched
      population could not respond to a T cell mitogen, Con A, but responded well to a
      super antigen, staphylococcal enterotoxin B, and IL-2. MNC obtained from athymic
      nude mice, which comprise only intermediate TCR cells, responded in the same
      manner. These findings revealed that intermediate TCR cells are present not only
      in the liver but also in the periphery, and that they have a unique function
      distinct from regular T cells.

PMID- 1423649
TI  - Microbiological and biotechnological aspects of metabolism of carbamates and
      organophosphates.
AB  - Several carbamate and organophosphate compounds are used to control a wide
      variety of insect pests, weeds, and disease-transmitting vectors. These chemicals
      were introduced to replace the recalcitrant and hazardous chlorinated pesticides.
      Although newly introduced pesticides were considered to be biodegradable, some of
      them are highly toxic and their residues are found in certain environments. In
      addition, degradation of some of the carbamates generates metabolites that are
      also toxic. In general, hydrolysis of the carbamate and organophosphates yields
      less toxic metabolites compared with the metabolites produced from oxidation.
      Although microorganisms capable of degrading many of these pesticides have been
      isolated, knowledge about the biochemical pathways and respective genes involved
      in the degradation is sparse. Recently, a great deal of interest in the
      mechanisms of biodegradation of carbamate and organophosphate compounds has been
      shown because (1) an efficient mineralization of the pesticides used for insect
      control could eliminate the problems of environmental pollution, (2) a balance
      between degradation and efficacy of pesticides could result in safer application
      and effective insect control, and (3) knowledge about the mechanisms of
      biodegradation could help to deal with situations leading to the generation of
      toxic metabolites and bioremediation of polluted environments. In addition,
      advances in genetic engineering and biotechnology offer great potential to
      exploit the degradative properties of microorganisms in order to develop
      bioremediation strategies and novel applications such as development of economic
      plants tolerant to herbicides. In this review, recent advances in the biochemical
      and genetic aspects of microbial degradation of carbamate and organophosphates
      are discussed and areas in need of further investigation identified.

PMID- 1423650
TI  - Protein engineering of antibodies.
AB  - This article reviews the technical advances in antibody engineering and the
      clinical applications of these molecules. Recombinant DNA technology facilitates
      the construction and expression of engineered antibodies. These novel molecules
      are designed to meet specific applications. Although genomic and cDNA cloning
      have been used widely in the past to isolate the relevant antibody V domains, at
      present, the PCR-based cloning is the preferred system. Bacterial and mammalian
      expression systems are used commonly for the production of antibodies, antibody
      fragments, and antibody fusion proteins. A range of chimeric antibodies with
      murine V domains joined to C regions from human and other species have been
      produced and found to exhibit the expected binding characteristics and effector
      functions. Humanized antibodies have been developed to minimize the HAMA
      response, and bifunctional immunoglobulins are being used in tumor therapy and
      diagnosis. Single chain antibodies and fusion proteins with antibody
      specificities jointed to nonimmunoglobulin sequences provide a source of antibody
      like molecules with novel properties. The potential applications of minimal
      recognition units and antigenized antibodies are described. Combinatorial
      libraries produced in bacteriophage present an alternative to hybridomas for the
      production of antibodies with the desired antigen binding specificities. Future
      developments in this field are discussed also.

PMID- 1423651
TI  - The modulation of collagen synthesis in cultured arterial smooth muscle cells by
      platelet-derived growth factor.
AB  - Changes on collagen synthetic activity of cultured arterial smooth muscle cells
      of rabbits induced with purified platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) were
      examined. PDGF treatment (final concentration was 5 units/ml) decreased the total
      collagen synthesis per cell, while the rate of collagen synthesis against total
      protein synthesis was raised by PDGF. Type analysis of collagen revealed
      substantial reduction of type IV collagen and relative increase of type V
      collagen in the PDGF-treated cells. By immunofluorescence study using anti-type
      IV collagen antibody, the lacework fluorescence was decreased with PDGF
      supplement. These findings indicate that PDGF induces the decrease of type IV
      collagen synthesis with the simultaneous diminution of basement membrane
      formation probably in association with phenotypic modulation of smooth muscle
      cells.

PMID- 1423653
TI  - A low molecular weight calf pineal peptide with an inhibiting effect on the
      growth of L1210 and HL60 cells.
AB  - The peptide isolated by us from calf pineal gland causes a reduction of RNA
      synthesis in vitro in L1210 and HL60 tumoral cells. This peptide also causes
      inhibition of cell proliferation; the cell viability is not modified. The effects
      are dose-dependent and reversible.

PMID- 1423652
TI  - Subcellular distribution of hydralazine in rat single vascular muscle cells.
AB  - High specific activity (20 Ci/mmol) tritiated hydralazine (3Hyd) distribution in
      isolated, cultured vascular muscle cells was determined to identify the sites of
      Hyd binding. 3Hyd dose-dependently bound to extracellular protein and to the area
      of organelles which secrete these proteins. Increased extracellular binding after
      Hyd pre-exposure suggests new binding sites may be exacerbated as a result of Hyd
      interactions. These experiments suggest a potentially important feature of the
      mechanism of action of this directly acting vasodilator.

PMID- 1423654
TI  - Proliferation of the MAC-T bovine mammary epithelial cell line in the presence of
      mammary secretion whey proteins.
AB  - Development of the MAC-T bovine mammary epithelial cell line by stable
      transfection with simian virus-40 large T-antigen should greatly assist study of
      possible intrinsic (local) and extrinsic (systemic) factors regulating bovine
      mammary epithelial cell development, differentiation, and function. This study
      evaluated the influence of mammary secretion whey proteins alpha-lactalbumin
      (ALA), beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), lactoferrin (LF), transferrin (TF) and serum
      albumin (SA) on MAC-T cell proliferation in the absence and presence of 10% fetal
      bovine serum (FBS). Concentration of whey proteins in culture ranged from 0 to
      625 micrograms/ml. MAC-T cell proliferation in the absence of FBS was
      significantly lower than in the presence of 10% FBS. Alpha-lactalbumin and LF
      significantly decreased MAC-T proliferation in both the absence and presence of
      10% FBS. Transferrin significantly increased MAC-T cell proliferation only in the
      absence of FBS. There were no significant differences in MAC-T cell proliferation
      cultured in the presence of BLG or SA. These experiments illustrate the potential
      usefulness of MAC-T cells for the study of factors involved in mammary cell
      proliferation. Results identified ALA, LF and TF as possible intrinsic factors
      associated with regulation of mammary epithelial cell proliferation.

PMID- 1423655
TI  - Simple method for isolation of primordial germ cells from chick embryos.
AB  - A simple one step centrifugation method was developed for purification of
      primordial germ cells (PGCs) of chick embryos. PGCs, constituting less than 0.1%
      of the total blood cells of stage 13-14 embryos that contained a microliter
      amount of blood, were concentrated at the interface of a 6.3% (w/v) and 14.4%
      (w/v) Ficoll bilayer by centrifugation at 800 x g for 30 min. the purity of these
      PGCs was 86%, which was 22 times that obtained previously.

PMID- 1423656
TI  - De novo biosynthesis and localization of immunoreactive inhibin (10.7 kDa) in
      normal human stomach.
AB  - We have previously reported the occurrence of inhibin-like peptide in gastric
      juice of normal men. In the present investigation, normal gastric mucosa was
      shown to synthesize inhibin, in vitro, as measured by 3H-leucine incorporation
      (Maximum at 18 h). Furthermore, the immunohistochemical localization studies
      demonstrated its presence in the acid secreting parietal cells and basal region
      of foveolar epithelium of gastric mucosa. Surprisingly, the protein secreting
      zymogen cells remained unstained.

PMID- 1423657
TI  - The involvement of Ca2+ and myosin light chain kinase in collagen-induced
      platelet activation.
AB  - In this study we have used several complementary biochemical and immunological
      techniques to examine the involvement of Ca2+ and myosin light chain kinase in
      collagen-induced platelet activation. Our results indicate that collagen
      stimulates a rapid influx of external Ca2+ (within the first 1-5 min of
      treatment) which is followed by phosphorylation of myosin light chains (within 10
      min of treatment) and granule secretion (within 15 min of treatment). In
      addition, we have found that certain Ca2+ channel entry blockers (e.g. nifedipine
      and bepridil) or calmodulin antagonists (e.g. W-7) specifically inhibit collagen
      induced Ca2+ influx, myosin light chain phosphorylation and subsequent granule
      secretion. These data suggest that Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent myosin light chain
      kinase-mediated myosin light chain phosphorylation is necessary for regulating
      the actomyosin-related contractility required for normal platelet function.

PMID- 1423658
TI  - The effects of staurosporine and okadaic acid on baby hamster kidney fibroblast
      cell adhesion.
AB  - The effects of staurosporine, a potent protein kinase C inhibitor, and okadaic
      acid, a non-TPA tumour promoter, on the adhesion of BHK fibroblast were
      investigated. Staurosporine at 2.5 and 5 microM was found to stimulate a gradual
      increase in BHK cell adhesion as well as spreading in 3% serum-containing medium.
      An increase of approximately 27% over the control value was found at 5 microM
      concentration in 20 minutes. No such effect was seen in serum-free conditions.
      Staurosporine at 5 microM, enhanced BHK cell-cell adhesion in 3% serum and in
      serum-free conditions. Okadaic acid, a phosphatase inhibitor, at concentrations
      between 0.25 and 1 microgram/ml, was found to inhibit BHK cell-substratum
      adhesion and spreading. The inhibitory effect was time and concentration
      dependent. These findings suggest that protein kinase C might be involved in the
      mechanism(s) controlling BHK cell attachment.

PMID- 1423659
TI  - TGF-beta is a potent inhibitor of hepatocyte growth factor secretion by human
      fibroblasts.
AB  - Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) inhibited secretion of human
      hepatocyte growth factor (hHGF), which is also known as scatter factor or
      fibroblast-derived tumor cytotoxic factor, by MRC-5 cells. The effect was
      detectable at as little as 10 pg/ml and was more potent than that of
      dexamethasone. Complete inhibition was observed after 12 h in the presence of 5
      ng/ml of TGF-beta 1. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced secretion of hHGF
      from human skin fibroblasts was also suppressed by TGF-beta 1. TGF-beta 2
      inhibited hHGF secretion by MRC-5 cells to the same extent as TGF-beta 1, but
      other growth factors such as epidermal growth factor and acidic and basic
      fibroblast growth factors had only a slight or null inhibitory effect.

PMID- 1423660
TI  - The ERE-like sequence from the promoter region of the testis specific hsp70
      related gene is not estrogen responsive.
AB  - The 5'flanking region of the hsp70-related gene which is specifically expressed
      in rat and mouse spermatocytes contains the GGTCAnnnCGACC sequence closely
      resembling the palindromic consensus ERE (estrogen responsive element,
      GGTCAnnnTGACC). We used a transient expression assay to study whether this ERE
      like sequence can transfer estrogen responsiveness either to heterologous or
      homologous promoters linked to a reporter CAT gene. We found that the
      GGTCAnnnCGACC sequence either as an isolated element or in its natural sequence
      context does not respond to hormone stimulation in MCF-7 and Fe33 cells. This
      observation points to the importance of the T-nucleotide in a right half
      palindrome of ERE for ligand-dependent activation of transcription.

PMID- 1423661
TI  - Chromosome mal-orientation and reorientation during mitosis.
AB  - We argue that mal-orientation of mitotic chromosomes is not as rare as once
      believed. However, unlike bivalents during meiosis I, the reorientation of a mal
      oriented mitotic chromosome has yet to be observed. This appears to be due, in
      part, to the difficulty in differentiating mal-oriented chromosomes from mono
      oriented ones which are common during spindle formation in living mitotic cells.
      We assume that mitotic cells possess mechanisms for correcting chromosome mal
      orientations that are similar to those operating during meiosis. However, unlike
      meiosis, where reorientation appears to be triggered when tension on a K-fiber is
      relieved or reduced, other factors related to the close proximity of sister
      kinetochores may also induce reorientation in mal-oriented mitotic chromosomes.
      We favor a model in which the reorientation of a mitotic kinetochore depends on,
      and is initiated by, the kinetochore capturing MTs from the pole to which it is
      reorienting.

PMID- 1423662
TI  - Extension of filopodia by motor-dependent actin assembly.
AB  - A variety of mechanisms have been proposed to explain the forward extension of
      cytoplasm in advancing cells and axonal growth cones, including actin
      polymerization and osmotic swelling. Based on our observations of the filopodia
      of cultured neuronal growth cones, we propose a mechanism involving motor-induced
      extension and retraction. We observed that filopodia (actin-based protrusions 0.2
      0.5 mu in diameter) extend and retract from growth cone lamellae at the same
      rate. Further, force is generated at the tips of filopodia which is sufficient to
      produce compressive buckling of the proximal portion of the filopodium. From our
      analysis of these movements we suggest that a motor protein powers both the
      extension and retraction of filopodia.

PMID- 1423663
TI  - Amino acid alterations in the benA (beta-tubulin) gene of Aspergillus nidulans
      that confer benomyl resistance.
AB  - We report the cloning and sequencing of 18 mutant alleles of the benA, beta
      tubulin gene of Aspergillus nidulans that confer resistance to the benzimidazole
      antifungal, antimicrotubule compounds benomyl, carbendazim, nocodazole, and
      thiabendazole. In 12 cases, amino acid 6 was changed from histidine to tyrosine
      or leucine. In four cases, amino acid 198 was changed from glutamic acid to
      aspartic acid, glutamine, or lysine. In two cases, amino acid 200 was altered
      from phenylalanine to tyrosine. These data, along with previous data indicating
      that amino acid 165 is involved in the binding of the R2 group of these compounds
      [Jung and Oakley, 1990: Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 17:87-94], suggest that regions
      of beta-tubulin containing amino acids 6, 165, and 198-200 interact to form the
      binding site of benzimidazole antimicrotubule agents. These results also suggest
      that the presence of phenylalanine at amino acid 200 contributes to the great
      sensitivity of many fungi to benzimidazole antimicrotubule agents.

PMID- 1423664
TI  - Colchicine-sensitive and colchicine-insensitive intermediate filament systems
      distinguished by a new intermediate filament-associated protein, IFAP-70/280 kD.
AB  - A monoclonal antibody was produced, using as antigen a BHK-21 cytoskeletal
      preparation enriched in intermediate filaments (IF) and their associated
      proteins. This antibody reacted exclusively with a reproducible set of 70-280 kD
      polypeptides present in minor quantities in this preparation, as detected by
      immunoblot analysis. Based upon several criteria, this immunologically related
      group of polypeptides was designated as IFAP-70/280 kD (IF-Associated Protein):
      (1) it co-isolated with IF in vitro, (2) it co-localized (by both
      immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy) with IF in situ in all stages
      of cell spreading, and (3) it segregated in vitro with the 54/55 kD
      (desmin/vimentin) structural IF subunit proteins of BHK cells through two cycles
      of in vitro disassembly/assembly. Immunogold labeling further localized IFAP
      70/280 kD to regions of parallel or loosely bundled IF in situ, suggesting a role
      in regulating the supramolecular organization of IF. When this monoclonal
      antibody was used for double-label immunofluorescence observations of colchicine
      treated BHK cells, it demonstrated the presence of colchicine-sensitive and
      colchicine-insensitive IF. Anti-IFAP-70/280 kD localized entirely to the drug
      induced juxtanuclear IF cap, while a polyclonal antibody directed against the
      desmin/vimentin structural IF subunits and the previously characterized
      monoclonal anti-IFAP-300 kD [Yang et al., 1985; J. Cell Biol. 100:620] localized
      to both the juxtanuclear IF cap and a colchicine-insensitive IF network
      peripheral to the cap in the same cells. The colchicine-insensitive IF pattern
      often exhibited similarities to that observed for the actin-based stress fiber
      system, suggesting that stress fiber association may be an additional factor in
      IF organization.

PMID- 1423665
TI  - Ca(2+)-regulated actin and phospholipid binding protein (68 kD-protein) from
      bovine liver: identification as a homologue for annexin VI and intracellular
      localization.
AB  - An F-actin binding protein was purified from bovine liver by means of DNase I
      affinity, hydroxylapatite and DEAE-cellulose column chromatographies. It
      consisted of a single polypeptide chain having an apparent molecular weight of
      68,000 with a Stokes radius of 35 A. Electron microscopy of rotary shadowed
      specimens showed that the 68 kD protein is a globular protein. This protein
      showed a higher affinity for F-actin in the presence of Ca2+ than in its absence,
      which is opposite to the actin-binding property shown by nonmuscle alpha-actinin
      or fimbrin. The 68 kD protein had no F-actin severing and capping activity.
      Interestingly, the 68 kD protein was found to aggregate liposomes at micromolar
      Ca2+ concentrations. Immunoblot analysis and partial protein sequence data
      identified the 68 kD protein as an annexin VI (p68) homologue. Immunocytochemical
      studies showed that the 68 kD protein was localized along stress fibers as well
      as membrane ruffles, microspikes and focal contacts, raising the possibility that
      annexin VI may contribute to control membrane-microfilament interaction in the
      cell.

PMID- 1423666
TI  - Three-dimensional motility cycle in leukocytes.
AB  - A 3-dimensional dynamic image analyzing system (3D-DIAS) has been developed in
      which a translocating cell is optically sectioned in the z-axis within a 2 sec
      period; the perimeter of the cell in each section is digitized into the 3D-DIAS
      data file, and the digitized perimeters are wrapped in order to reconstruct the
      cell image in three dimensions. Using 3D-DIAS, we have obtained the first dynamic
      3-dimensional description of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN)
      translocating on a glass surface. A general behavior cycle has emerged which
      includes two phases. In the first, an ellipsoidal PMN with significant z-axis
      extends anteriorly and descends to the substratum. When the ventral surface of
      the anterior end contacts the substratum, there is rapid anterior expansion,
      which correlates with velocity peaks. In the second phase, the elongate PMN stops
      translocating along the substratum, the anterior end lifts off of the substratum,
      sometimes to heights greater than the length of the PMN at the substratum, and
      finally the PMN retracts into an ellipsoidal morphology still capable of random
      protrusions. During this second phase, which correlates with velocity troughs,
      turning usually occurs. The degree of turning is restricted by the continuous
      integrity of the posterior uropod. The period of the behavior cycle varies from
      roughly 0.5 to 2 min between PMNs, but is relatively constant within each
      individual PMN.

PMID- 1423667
TI  - Classification of temporomandibular joint osteoarthrosis and internal
      derangement. 2. Specific diagnostic criteria.
AB  - Separate entities of temporomandibular joint osteoarthrosis and internal
      derangement are operationally defined. Criteria are based on an analysis of the
      diagnostic significance of symptoms and signs, principles of synovial joint
      pathology in general, and on therapeutic considerations. The primary goal was to
      enable identification of characteristic stages of osteoarthrosis and internal
      derangement using diagnostic tools readily available in practice.

PMID- 1423668
TI  - Temporomandibular-related pressure thresholds: a model for establishing
      baselines.
AB  - The use of pressure threshold measurement to quantify tender spots and trigger
      points in muscles is well established. Its application to the field of
      temporomandibular disorders, however, has been more recent and less widely
      published. Pressure threshold measurement may be useful to define values for
      dysfunctional muscles or structures so that changes in muscle condition through a
      course of treatment can be quantified. Normal values for many muscles in the body
      have been established, but studies of this type in the masticatory system are
      limited and have often used a fixed, pre-determined pressure cutoff, rather than
      measuring thresholds across a number of patients. This pilot study seeks to
      determine whether normal values exist for the anterior temporalis muscles, the
      masseter muscles, and the lateral capsules of the temporomandibular joints.
      Intrarater and interrater reliability in measuring thresholds was also studied
      with the aim of contributing toward a methodological model for further study.

PMID- 1423669
TI  - Tinnitus of TMJ origin: a preliminary report.
AB  - Twenty patients whose chief complaint was tinnitus were examined. They were not
      known to have temporomandibular disorders. They did not have pain or dysfunction.
      They were examined by physicians for ear disorders and the results were
      considered negative. Each of these patients had a complete history and clinical
      temporomandibular joint examination. The clinical examination included muscle and
      joint palpation and stethoscopic examination of the joint. This examination also
      included selected computerized mandibular scans and electromyographic studies of
      selected facial muscles. Each subject had eight views of transcranial lateral
      oblique x-rays taken. It was determined that 19 of these individuals had one or
      more clinical, electromyographic, and radiographic indications of a
      temporomandibular disorder. From this study, it appears that individuals who have
      tinnitus with no apparent otologic basis for this symptom should have a careful
      evaluation of the temporomandibular apparatus. A temporomandibular disorder may
      be one of the primary causes of this symptom.

PMID- 1423670
TI  - Physical therapy post-arthroscopic TMJ management (update).
AB  - Arthroscopic surgery of the temporomandibular joint is now being widely used for
      therapeutic, rather than diagnostic, benefits. However, there still remains a
      void in the literature as to the various rehabilitative protocols used on those
      patients who have undergone arthroscopy. This article presents a revision of
      techniques and procedures in the treatment and postoperative management of
      arthroscopic cases. This revision has been written after five years of experience
      and the treatment of approximately 300 cases.

PMID- 1423671
TI  - Physical therapy evaluation of the craniomandibular pain and dysfunction patient.
AB  - This article offers an evaluation form to evaluate the craniomandibular pain and
      dysfunction patient. This form combines dental and physical therapy evaluation
      components in a two-page format that is quick and easy to use. By using this form
      physical therapists are able to determine the problem list, develop the treatment
      plan, and establish excellent communication between the patient, therapist, and
      dentist.

PMID- 1423672
TI  - Contribution of oral habits to dental disorders.
AB  - Oral habits or parafunction may contribute to dental, periodontal, or
      neuromuscular damage. Such habits, of which the patient is often unaware, may
      cause considerable damage. Habits may be occlusal or non-occlusal, and may affect
      the dentition and/or the oral soft tissues. Drawing a patient's attention to the
      damage caused by some habits of which he or she is unaware often leads to
      cessation, whereas with certain conscious habits, such as nail or finger biting,
      success is much more limited.

PMID- 1423673
TI  - A comparative study of three therapeutic modalities in a temporomandibular
      disorder (TMD) population.
AB  - A comparative study of three treatment modalities, pharmacologic, occlusal
      appliance, and their combined use, was conducted to test their therapeutic
      efficacy on 61 temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients. Alprazolam (Xanax) was
      used for the pharmacologic treatment; the occlusal appliance therapy consisted of
      a flat maxillary stabilization splint. Of the 61 patients, 19 received
      Alprazolam, 30 received occlusal appliance therapy, and 12 received combined
      therapy. Subjects were examined at two-week intervals for two months. Only 42
      patients attended all follow-up visits. Eight parameters were studied: severity
      of pain, periodicity of pain, self-evaluated stress, muscle sensitivity to
      palpation, joint sensitivity to palpation, joint noises, limitation of opening,
      and limitation of lateral movement. No significant difference was found between
      the treatment modalities for most of the parameters. All three proved to be
      effective. Alprazolam increased the restricted mandibular movement, was least
      effective on joint sensitivity to palpation, and had no effect on joint noises.
      The combined treatment approach not only failed to prove superior to the other
      treatments, but showed less improvement in some parameters, possibly due to the
      small sample.

PMID- 1423674
TI  - Organization and patient flow in an urban musculoskeletal dysfunction clinic.
AB  - A comprehensive clinic for treatment of a variety of musculoskeletal disorders is
      examined from several points of view. This clinic, affiliated with a
      comprehensive health sciences university and located in a tertiary medical
      center, affords efficient access to a variety of health care specialties and
      subspecialties. Patient sources, severity of dysfunction, and typical patient
      flow are analyzed in order to describe the clinic's functions.

PMID- 1423675
TI  - TMJ disorders--a perspective for the nineties.

PMID- 1423676
TI  - Multivariate analysis of craniomandibular disorders.
AB  - This article presents the clinical application of a special statistical method,
      the Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA), derived from data analysis and
      particularly suited to study a restricted population (here, 202 patients with
      temporomandibular joint [TMJ] disorders) whose characteristics are defined by a
      large number of modalities (140). Processing of a Burt-type data table, or
      Complete Disjunctive Table (CDT), provided a geometrical visualization of
      information, and permitted determination of the prevalent factor axes. Results
      showed a significant relationship between all the articular disorders, either
      peripheral or focal (TMJ), thus revealing the possibility of a yet, little known
      morphogenic influence on the genesis of TMJ disorders.

PMID- 1423677
TI  - Classification of temporomandibular joint osteoarthrosis and internal
      derangement. 1. Diagnostic significance of clinical and radiographic symptoms and
      signs.
AB  - In the clinical setting, diagnosis primarily depends on the history and present
      status of the patient, and on the examiner's expertise in physical examination
      and interpretation of conventional radiographs. In order to evaluate the
      diagnostic significance of clinical and radiographic variables, the authors used
      magnetic resonance imaging as the 'golden standard' for articular disk position.
      A total of 90 temporomandibular joints (TMJs) were available for the study. Group
      I (representing 'normal' disk position) comprised eight joints (8.9%); group II
      (representing reducing disk), 34 joints (37.8%); and group III (non-reducing
      disk), 48 joints (53.3%). Nine anamnestic, 15 clinical, and three radiographic
      variables obeyed pre-defined univariate selection criteria. Relatively high
      sensitivities were found for clicking-related variables in MR-group II, and for
      variables related to movement restriction in MR-group III. None of the symptoms
      or signs appeared to be pathognomonic for either one of the diagnostic groups.
      Principal component analysis revealed 13 factors that could be grouped into three
      major categories, representing impairment of joint mechanics, joint pain and
      tenderness, and radiographically detectable degenerative changes, respectively.
      Discriminant analyses showed that symptom combinations, which included clinical
      variables related to joint mechanics, appeared to provide the most useful
      diagnostic information. It is concluded that reducing and permanent disk
      displacement can be distinguished in many cases using clinical and radiographic
      variables. However, there is considerable variability within these groups. To
      establish a specific clinical diagnosis, a more detailed classification of
      osteoarthrosis and internal derangement is desirable.

PMID- 1423678
TI  - Physical therapy not modalities for craniomandibular disorders.

PMID- 1423679
TI  - Head posture and cervicovertebral and craniofacial morphology in patients with
      craniomandibular dysfunction.
AB  - A relationship between particular characteristics of dental occlusion and
      craniomandibular disorders (CMD) has been reported, while less attention has been
      focused on the possible effect of dysfunction of the masticatory system on head
      posture or cervicovertebral and craniofacial morphology. Natural head position
      roentgen-cephalograms of 16 young adults with complete dentition taken before and
      after stomatognathic treatment displayed an extended head posture, smaller size
      of the uppermost cervical vertebrae, decreased posterior to anterior face height
      ratio, and a flattened cranial base as compared with age- and sex-matched healthy
      controls. The lordosis of the cervical spine straightened after stomatognathic
      treatment. The results are an indication of the close interrelationship between
      the masticatory muscle system and the muscles supporting the head, and lead to
      speculation on the principles of treating craniomandibular disorders.

PMID- 1423680
TI  - Superficial vascularity of temporomandibular joint retrodiskal tissue: an element
      of the internal derangement process.
AB  - Superficial vascular changes in the retrodiskal tissue are an aspect of the
      remodeling process during progressive anterior displacement of the
      temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disk. The salient portion of the remodeled
      retrodiskal tissue (RRT) is contained in a 3 x 3 grid of arthroscopic fields in
      the superior joint space, plus the tympanic portion of the remodeled retrodiskal
      tissue. A four-level vascularity classification system gives a statistically
      significant association between superficial avascularity of the remodeled
      retrodiskal tissue and progressive stages of disk derangement. In particular,
      simultaneous avascularity in both the tympanic remodeled retrodiskal tissue and
      the central arthroscopic field occurs with severe disk displacement without
      reduction. Analyses are based on 16 microscopic studies, 25 magnetic resonance
      imaging and tomographic imaging studies, and 26 arthroscopic studies.

PMID- 1423681
TI  - Development of alloplastic materials for temporomandibular joint prosthesis: a
      historical perspective with clinical illustrations.
AB  - This paper gives the history of the development of alloplastic materials
      presently used in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). It discusses the evaluation
      of TMJ implants, from those being used primarily for ankylosis to the more varied
      and sophisticated implant designs used today. There is a discussion on the
      treatment of osteoarthritis with implants and also a discussion on the use of TMJ
      implants to repair skeletal and dental malrelationships, primarily anterior open
      bites. Included is a presentation of the latest research by Schellhas et al.,
      which establishes that previously undiagnosed organic disease in the joint proper
      is a common cause of skeletal and dental malrelationships and that TMJ disease
      can cause malocclusion.

PMID- 1423682
TI  - Surgical treatment of temporomandibular joints in patients with chronic arthritic
      disease: preoperative findings and one-year follow-up.
AB  - Twenty-nine temporomandibular joints (TMJs) in 19 patients with chronic arthritic
      disease were surgically treated. Nine patients had rheumatoid arthritis
      (including two with juvenile type), six had ankylosing spondylitis and four had
      psoriatic arthropathy. Using a preauricular approach, diskectomies with
      synovectomies were performed in 23 joints (14 patients) with chronic arthritic
      abnormalities. Diskectomies without synovectomies were performed in six joints
      (five patients), which proved to have internal derangements unrelated to their
      chronic arthritic disease. Joints with chronic arthritis showed considerable
      variation in inflammatory reactions, but were characterized by increased
      vascularization, synovial proliferation to the articulating surfaces and mostly
      pannus formation and bone resorption. A response in pain relief was seen in 85%
      of the patients three months postoperatively and in 79% of the patients 12 months
      postoperatively, indicating that diskectomy with synovectomy may be favorable in
      patients with severe TMJ problems due to involvement of chronic arthritic
      disease.

PMID- 1423683
TI  - Postoperative physical therapy in temporomandibular joint arthroplasty.
AB  - This article offers a revised physical therapy treatment approach for
      rehabilitating a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) following arthroplastic surgical
      intervention. Surgical repair is only advised in those chronic cases where
      refractory symptoms affect the quality of the patient's life and prevent patients
      from carrying out their normal daily activities. Previous nonsurgical and
      surgical management usually fails to correct the problem in these types of cases.
      Rehabilitation guidelines discussed include plication, diskectomy (with or
      without interpositional implant), costochondral graft, fossa implant, and total
      joint replacement.

PMID- 1423684
TI  - Temporomandibular joint osteoarthrosis and generalized joint hypermobility.
AB  - Peripheral joint mobility of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthrosis and
      internal derangement patients (n = 25) and of a control group (n = 29) was
      measured according to a rigidly standardized protocol, in order to study the
      relationships between TMJ osteoarthrosis and internal derangement and generalized
      joint hypermobility. No significant differences in peripheral joint mobility
      between the two groups were found. Therefore, generalized joint hypermobility
      cannot be considered as a predisposing factor for TMJ osteoarthrosis.

PMID- 1423685
TI  - A simple questionnaire and clinical examination to help identify possible non
      craniomandibular disorders that may influence a patient's CMD symptoms.
AB  - A patient with craniomandibular disorder (CMD) symptoms may have CMD, a local or
      systemic disorder that mimics CMD, or CMD superimposed with a local or systemic
      disorder that exacerbates the CMD symptoms. When evaluating a patient with CMD
      symptoms, the practitioner needs to determine whether local or systemic problems
      contribute to the patient's symptoms. The author presents a simple questionnaire
      that can help identify some non-CMD problems that may contribute to the patient's
      symptoms. A discussion of each question and examples of possible non-CMD
      disorders are provided. The author also describes a clinical examination that may
      be used in conjunction with the questionnaire to help identify some non-CMD
      conditions.

PMID- 1423686
TI  - Conservative and successful treatment of temporomandibular dysfunction in a
      private rural practice.
AB  - This clinical study of 382 patients with temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD)
      details how successful treatment can be achieved in a rural area without the
      support and services of specialized TMD clinics. Successful treatment is within
      the scope of the general dentist, provided the practitioner understands the
      patient's total problem and treatment options. The study spanned a 10-year
      period, including follow-up at one, five, and eight-year intervals.

PMID- 1423687
TI  - Musicians and temporomandibular disorders: prevalence and occupational etiologic
      considerations.
AB  - Temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) appears to be a significant problem affecting
      musicians. While the incidence of TMD symptoms for musicians is similar to that
      of the general population, these symptoms are activated and accentuated when
      performing or practicing. TMD symptoms appear to be significant in trombone,
      trumpet, tuba, violin, and viola musicians. It is the author's opinion that
      vocalists are also significantly affected by TMD. Preliminary results of a survey
      in progress relative to TMD and the singing voice are reported.

PMID- 1423688
TI  - Case report of trigeminal neuralgia presenting as odontalgia.
AB  - A case of trigeminal neuralgia presenting as odontalgia in a 47-year-old female
      is described. This case shows the difficulty of making a correct diagnosis and
      how patients can be subjected to unnecessary treatment and continued suffering
      when a correct diagnosis is not made.

PMID- 1423689
TI  - Facial skeleton remodeling due to temporomandibular joint degeneration: an
      imaging study of 100 patients.
AB  - One hundred patients with recently acquired, externally visible mandibular
      deformity and no history of previous extraarticular mandible fracture were
      selected for retrospective analysis. All had been investigated clinically and
      with radiography, tomography, and high-field surface-coil MR imaging to determine
      the presence or absence and extent of temporomandibular joint degeneration.
      Temporomandibular joint degeneration was found in either one or both joints of
      each patient studied. Chin deviation was always toward the smaller mandibular
      condyle or more diseased joint, and many patients either complained of or
      exhibited malocclusion, often manifested by unstable or fluctuating occlusion
      disturbances. Three radiologically distinct forms of degenerative vs adaptive
      osteocartilaginous processes--(1) osteoarthritis, (2) avascular necrosis, and (3)
      regressive remodeling--involving the mandibular condyle and temporal bone were
      identified in joints most often exhibiting meniscus derangement. Osteoarthritis
      and avascular necrosis of the mandibular condyle and temporal bone were generally
      associated with pain, mechanical joint symptoms, and occlusion disturbances.
      Regressive remodeling was less frequently associated with occlusion disturbances,
      despite remodeling of the facial skeleton, and appears to result from regional
      osteoporosis. Forty patients (52 joints) underwent open arthroplasty procedures,
      including either meniscectomy or microsurgical meniscus repair, at which time
      major radiologic diagnoses were confirmed. Surgical and pathologic findings
      included meniscus displacement, disk degeneration, synovitis, joint effusion,
      articular cartilage erosion, cartilage healing/fibrosis, cartilage hypertrophy,
      osseous sclerosis, osteophyte formation, osteochondritis dissecans, localized or
      extensive avascular necrosis, and decreased mandibular condyle mass and vertical
      dimension. We conclude that temporomandibular joint degeneration is the principal
      cause of both acquired facial skeleton remodeling and unstable occlusion in
      patients with intact dentition and without previous mandible fracture.

PMID- 1423690
TI  - Pharmacological treatment of facial pain.

PMID- 1423691
TI  - A commentary on methods in peptide neurobiology: focus on neurotensin.
AB  - Research into the identification and functional role of neuropeptides has taken a
      prominent place in the field of neurobiology within the past 15 years. The type
      of knowledge available concerning these compounds is, by necessity, limited by
      the experimental methods currently in use. In this manuscript, an overview is
      provided of several types of experimental procedures that have been used to study
      neuropeptide actions in the central nervous system (CNS) and details are
      presented of the specific application of these procedures as they have been used
      in the authors' laboratories to study the physiological role of the endogenous
      brain/gut tridecapeptide neurotensin. The methods were chosen to illustrate
      research strategies for examining various aspects of peptide neurobiology and
      include radioimmunoassay (peptide content), high-performance liquid
      chromatography (HPLC) (analysis of peptide and its fragments), protein
      phosphorylation (signal transduction), and behavior. Although by no means
      inclusive, it is the authors' hope that the reader may be able to apply these
      methods to their own research as well as gain an appreciation for the distance
      that yet remains on the journey into dissecting the function and physiology of
      CNS peptides.

PMID- 1423692
TI  - Vasopressin involvement in antipyresis, social communication, and social
      recognition: a synthesis.
AB  - This review concentrates on the sexually dimorphic neuronal cells and fibers that
      contain arginine-vasopressin (AVP) and are present in several extrahypothalamic
      brain areas besides the neurohypophyseal system. Of particular interest are the
      vasopressinergic neurons that project from the bed nucleus of the stria
      terminalis and the medial amygdala to the lateral septum because their content of
      vasopressin is a positive function of circulating levels of testosterone.
      Physiological and behavioral data suggest that androgen-dependent vasopressin
      plays an important role in antipyresis and social recognition. In addition, there
      is evidence that extrahypothalamic AVP-sensitive neurons and hypothalamic AVP
      containing neurons control scent marking, a form of social communication in
      hamsters, in a sex-dependent manner. The interrelationships of these different
      functions of brain vasopressin are discussed.

PMID- 1423693
TI  - The surgical treatment of tendinitis. Clinical rationale and biologic basis.
AB  - The rationale for surgical treatment of tendinitis is to induce a modulation of
      the tendon cell-matrix environment by either promoting a renewed wound repair
      cycle or by the removal of aberrant tissue. The adequacy of healing as a result
      of surgical tendon treatment has been poorly documented histologically; what
      evidence exists suggests normal tissue is not achieved. The clinical experience
      of the authors as well as preliminary analysis of wound healing patterns in a
      longitudinal internal tenotomy rabbit tendo-Achilles model are discussed.

PMID- 1423694
TI  - Overuse injuries to tendons and apophyses in children and adolescents.
AB  - Overuse injuries to tendons and apophyses are being seen with increasing
      frequency in children and adolescents as they increase their participation in
      organized sports, fitness, and dance activities. A retrospective review of 724
      overuse tendon and apophyseal injuries seen in the Sports Medicine Clinic at the
      Boston Children's Hospital suggested that growth and maturation constitute
      additional risk factors for injury occurrence. Diagnosis and treatment of these
      injuries is discussed in the context of sports participation.

PMID- 1423695
TI  - Complete Achilles tendon ruptures.
AB  - Achilles tendon ruptures can be treated nonsurgically in the nonathletic or low
      end recreational athletic patient, particularly those more than 50 years of age,
      provided the treating physician does not delay in the diagnosis and treatment
      (preferably less than 48 hrs and possibly less than 1 week). The patient should
      be advised of the higher incidence of re-rupture of the tendon when treated
      nonsurgically. Surgical treatment is recommended for patients who are young and
      athletic. This is particularly true because the major criticism of surgical
      treatment has been the complication rate, which has decreased to a low level and
      to a mild degree, usually not significantly affecting the repair over time.
      Surgical treatment in these individuals seems to be superior not only in regard
      to re-rupture but also in assuring the correct apposition of the tendon ends and
      in placing the necessary tension on the tendon to secure appropriate orientation
      of the collagen fibers. This in turn allows them to regain full strength, power,
      endurance, and an early return to sports. Surgery is also recommended for late
      diagnosed ruptures where there is significant lengthening of the tendon. Surgical
      technique should involve a medial incision to avoid the sural nerve, absorbable
      suture, and augmentation with fascia or tendon where there is a gap or late
      rupture. Postoperatively, the immobilization should be 7 to 10 days in a splint.
      A walking boot with early motion in plantar flexion or a short leg cast with the
      tendon under slight tension should thereafter be used for 4 to 5 weeks. An early
      and well-supervised rehabilitation program should be initiated to restore the
      patient to the preinjury activity level.

PMID- 1423696
TI  - Partial Achilles tendon tears.
AB  - Persistent pain in the Achilles tendon is often caused by partial ruptures
      leading to a hypoxic state in the tissues, insufficient healing, and a remaining,
      immature, and painful scar. The rupture is caused by overuse and conservatively
      treated with orthotic devices to reduce tendon load and physiotherapy to correct
      training errors and strength the muscle-tendon unit. Significant partial ruptures
      seem to respond poorly to conservative measures and do not improve with time.
      Surgical treatment with excision of degenerated tissue which leads to complete
      pain relief and full restoration of function with long-standing effects in most
      cases is why persistent Achilles tendon pain due to partial rupture preferably
      should be treated surgically.

PMID- 1423697
TI  - Achilles tendon overuse injuries.
AB  - Overuse injuries of the Achilles tendon are common in patients engaging in
      recreational athletics. Achilles tendon overuse injuries exist as a spectrum of
      diseases ranging from inflammation of the paratendinous tissue (paratenonitis),
      to structural degeneration of the tendon (tendinosis), and finally tendon
      rupture. Factors known to predispose patients to Achilles tendinitis include
      inadequate stretching, training errors, mechanical malalignment of the lower
      extremities, rigid training surfaces, and occasionally systemic disease.
      Treatment of the patient with paratenonitis and tendinosis is initially
      conservative, emphasizing passive stretching, concentric and eccentric
      strengthening, correction of training errors, and restoration of normal limb
      alignment. Patients resistant to this protocol often exhibit a more advanced
      degree of tendon change. A high percentage of these patients can benefit from
      surgical debridement of the involved tendon, and they can anticipate successful
      return to recreational athletics. Steroid injections should not be routinely used
      in patients with Achilles tendinitis. Rupture of the Achilles tendon following
      intratendinous injection has been reported.

PMID- 1423699
TI  - Patellar tendon injuries.
AB  - Patellar tendon injury secondary to overuse represents a failure of soft tissue
      healing that can lead to chronic symptoms. Clinical staging of this process is
      helpful in the initial management. Diagnostic imaging can help define the
      character of the injury as well as localized pathology. Initial treatment of
      clinical stages I, II, and III is conservative.

PMID- 1423698
TI  - Injuries at the myotendinous junction.
AB  - The complete role of the myotendinous junction is discussed in this article. The
      morphology and function of the junction, typical injuries occurring at this
      region, delayed-onset muscle soreness, and muscle strain injury are described.
      Muscle strain injury is covered in detail, including characterization, treatment,
      and prevention. Clinical information is conveyed as well as basic science study
      results pertinent to the clinical situation.

PMID- 1423700
TI  - Tendon and muscle injuries in the groin area.
AB  - Groin injuries in athletes are being recognized as one of the most difficult
      problems in sport. The symptoms associated with chronic groin injuries are often
      diffuse and uncharacteristic. These injuries usually constitute a major
      diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, the success of which depends on a correct
      diagnosis. It is necessary to establish a broad, differential background, and
      therefore, this article includes a broad description of groin injuries.

PMID- 1423701
TI  - Hand tendon injuries in athletics.
AB  - Hand tendon injuries may be caused by acute trauma or chronic overuse. Although
      these injuries are common in athletics, specific diagnoses can be difficult to
      make and are often delayed. Early diagnosis is the key to a good outcome. Most
      hand tendon injuries do well with nonoperative treatment when initiated early.
      Long-term disruption of the delicate balance of muscle forces in the hand will
      lead to secondary changes that are often difficult to correct. Delay in treatment
      of overuse injuries may produce chronic inflammation that does not respond to
      conservative care and requires operative management. A sound knowledge of hand
      anatomy, awareness of the differential diagnosis, and a high index of suspicion
      are needed for proper care of the athletic hand injury.

PMID- 1423702
TI  - Elbow tendinosis/tennis elbow.
AB  - The histology of pathologic tennis elbow tissue reveals noninflammatory tissue,
      thus the term angio-fibroblastic tendinosis. The goal of nonsurgical treatment is
      a revascularization and collagen repair of this pathologic tissue by
      rehabilitative exercise. In the event of rehabilitation failure, surgical
      correction by removal of this pathologic tissue is the surgical technique of
      choice.

PMID- 1423703
TI  - Shoulder tendinoses.
AB  - The most common source of shoulder pain is soft-tissue dysfunction. Although
      fractures of the humerus, scapula, and clavicle are common throughout life, most
      problems encountered between the ages of 15 and 60 are related to the ligaments,
      tendons, and muscles of the shoulder girdle. This article deals mainly with
      tendinitis and tendinosis as primary entities, and to a lesser extent with tendon
      problems attributable to a primarily bony or ligamentous dysfunction.

PMID- 1423704
TI  - [The status of children and family relations after successful in vitro
      fertilization and embryo transfer].
AB  - Using a retrospective questionnaire method, the authors evaluated the
      neuropsychologic status of 20 IVF children and the family relationships. The
      status of the children is favourable and in certain activities (composition of
      sentences) the children were better than their peers. According to the authors
      this is due to the increased care of mature parents after the arrival of the long
      expected child. The authors confirmed on their own material that the birth of an
      IVF child has a far reaching positive biological, psychological and social impact
      on both parents and training of their children. If the family environment was
      influenced by long lasting treatment of sterility, the arrival of an IVF child
      normalizes the situation.

PMID- 1423705
TI  - [Personal experience with colpoureteral suspension using the Burch method].
AB  - The objective of the work was to evaluate one approach of evaluation of the
      effect achieved by the mentioned corrective operation, i.e. the subjective
      evaluation by the patients themselves. In order to ensure comparability of
      evaluation at different time intervals, the authors used a questionnaire with 13
      questions focused on continence and changes of micturition as well as on sexual
      aspects and changes in the social sphere. Sixty-nine patients were at least one
      year after operation. Evaluation 6 weeks after operation was implemented in 105
      patients. The subjective sensation of complete recovery and satisfaction with
      treatment in 93.33% after six weeks and 94.20% after one year with minimal
      complaints regarding micturition indicates that the operation sec. Burch is a
      very good corrective operation, resolving stress incontinence of urine in women.

PMID- 1423706
TI  - [Evaluation of the analgesic effect of dolsin during labor].
AB  - The authors evaluate the analgetic action of 50 mg dolsin in parturient women
      during childbirth using a Slovak version of McGill's questionnaire on pain. The
      intensity of pain in women is evaluated before administration of dolsin and after
      its administration. The obtained data on the analgetic effect are compared with
      the total score of pain and individual components of pain by the paired t-test.
      Although the mean values of the total score of pain and the sensory components of
      pain declined after administration of dolsin, the change was not statistically
      significant. In the affective component of pain the mean value of PRI(A)
      increased after dolsin administration.

PMID- 1423707
TI  - [Vaginal adenosis and problems in its treatment].
AB  - The authors investigated four patients with suspected vaginal adenosis without
      prenatal exposure to DES. Adenosis was confirmed by histological examination in
      two instances. In one case the adenosis was formed by glands of the endometrial
      type. In the second case it was formed by glands of the endocervical type with
      atypical features. On check-up biopsy an adenocarcinoma was revealed (non-light
      cell) resembling morphologically a cervical adenocarcinoma. The authors discuss
      the embryogenesis, histogenesis, epidemiology and differential diagnosis of
      adenosis. At the same time the authors reflect on problems of its therapy.
      Finally the authors summarize some practical recommendations for diagnostic and
      therapeutic purposes.

PMID- 1423708
TI  - [Personal experience with surgical treatment of urinary incontinence in women].

PMID- 1423709
TI  - [Use of a pessary for bloodless cerclage for cervical insufficiency in pregnant
      women--25 years' experience].

PMID- 1423710
TI  - [An effective composite spasmo-analgesic, Algifen--results of a clinical trial in
      gynecology].

PMID- 1423711
TI  - [Radical surgery in endometrial carcinoma].

PMID- 1423712
TI  - [Effective prevention and therapy of premature labor].

PMID- 1423713
TI  - [Relation between diet and certain types of diseases in nations with high living
      standards--hormonal and biochemical mechanisms].

PMID- 1423714
TI  - [Additional effects of steroids and peptide hormones during pregnancy according
      to Hill].

PMID- 1423715
TI  - [History of maternal care in Czechoslovakia. I].

PMID- 1423716
TI  - A single amino-acid change in the iron-sulphur protein subunit of succinate
      dehydrogenase confers resistance to carboxin in Ustilago maydis.
AB  - The sequence of an allele encoding the iron-sulphur protein (Ip) subunit of
      succinate dehydrogenase (Sdh) was determined following PCR amplification of
      genomic DNA from a carboxin (Cbx)-sensitive Ustilago maydis strain. Comparison of
      this sequence with that of the Ip allele from a Cbx-resistant strain (IPr)
      revealed a two-base difference between the sequences. This mutation led to the
      substitution of a leucine residue for a histidine residue within the third
      cysteine-rich cluster of the deduced amino-acid sequence of the Ipr allele. This
      cluster, which is associated with the S3 iron-redox centre, is involved in the
      transport of electrons from succinate to ubiquinone (Q). Confirmation that this
      nucleotide change led to enhanced resistance to Cbx was obtained following
      mutagenesis of the sensitive Ip allele to the resistant form and expression of
      the mutated allele in U. maydis.

PMID- 1423717
TI  - Organization of ATPA coding and 3' flanking sequences associated with cytoplasmic
      male sterility in Phaseolus vulgaris L.
AB  - A region of the mitochondrial genome associated with cytoplasmic male sterility
      (CMS) in Phaseolus vulgaris was flanked by two different repeated sequences
      designated x and y. The DNA sequence of the CMS-unique region and a portion of
      each flanking repeat was determined. Repeat x contained a complete coding copy of
      the F1 ATPase subunit A (atpA) gene, as well as an open reading frame (orf)
      predicting a protein of 209 amino acids. The TGA termination codon of the atpA
      gene and the ATG initiation codon of orf209 were overlapping. These reading
      frames were oriented with their 3' ends proximal to the CMS-unique region. The
      CMS-unique region of 3736 nucleotides contained numerous orfs. The longest of
      these predicted proteins being of 239, 98 and 97 amino acids. The 3' coding and
      3' flanking regions of orf98 were derived from an internal region of the higher
      plant chloroplast tRNA alanine intron. The region of repeat y immediately
      adjacent to the CMS-unique region contained the 111 carboxy-terminal coding
      residues of the apocytochrome b (cob) gene. This segment was oriented with its 5'
      end proximal to the CMS-unique region, but cob gene sequences were not fused to
      an initiation codon within the unique region.

PMID- 1423718
TI  - Involvement of a large inverted repeated sequence in a recombinational
      rearrangement of the mitochondrial genome of the higher fungus Agrocybe aegerita.
AB  - Southern hybridization of the total DNA of Agrocybe aegerita with cloned
      mitochondrial (mt) probes revealed a sequence homology between two distant
      mitochondrial restriction fragments. From the mtDNA restriction map and the
      distribution of restriction sites on the cross-hybridizing mitochondrial
      fragments, two copies of a large inverted repeated sequence (IR) of 3 kbp were
      located on the mitochondrial genome. These IR sequences divided the 80 kbp mtDNA
      into two single-copy regions of 24 kbp (SSC) and 50 kbp (LSC). For the first time
      in higher fungi, this IR sequence has been shown to be involved in an
      intramolecular homologous recombinational event. Such a rearrangement led to an
      inversion of the orientation of the two unique-copy regions, without any change
      in mtDNA complexity. The location of the recombinational event was compared with
      previously reported plant and fungal mitochondrial rearrangements and the
      potential role of the IR sequence was discussed.

PMID- 1423719
TI  - Cell type determines plastid transmission in tomato intergeneric somatic hybrids.
AB  - Mesophyll (M)- and suspension culture (S)-derived protoplasts of both
      Lycopersicon esculentum, tomato, and its wild relative Solanum lycopersicoides
      were fused as S + M, M + M and S + S combinations, respectively, to resolve the
      role of parental cell types in determining cpDNA transmission to intergeneric
      somatic hybrid plants. The mesophyll cpDNA was preferentially transmitted to 96%
      of the plants, each regenerated from a separate callus, in M + S and S + M fusion
      combinations. In contrast, for the M + M combination there was an equable
      distribution of either tomato cpDNA or that of S. lycopersicoides among the 34
      hybrid plants. The number of plastids or proplastids in mesophyll or suspension
      protoplasts was not a factor regulating cpDNA transmission. Mesophyll or
      suspension protoplasts of both fusion partners had comparable frequencies of
      either plastid type with a mean of 23. The biased transmission of plastids from
      the mesophyll parent in somatic hybrid plants of S + M and M + S combinations
      appears to be due to differential multiplication of plastids, possibly
      conditioned by an unequal input of the nucleoids found in plastids versus
      proplastids. In the M + M fusion, plastid and nucleotide input and subsequent
      plastid multiplication are apparently equal, and when combined with random
      sorting out leads to an equal distribution of parental cpDNAs in the regenerated
      somatic hybrid plants. For the S+S combination, 22 somatic hybrid plants have
      exclusively tomato cpDNA, an outcome that is not readily explained by donor cell
      input.

PMID- 1423720
TI  - Rubisco spacer sequence divergence in the rhodophyte alga Gracilaria verrucosa
      and closely related species.

PMID- 1423721
TI  - DNA translocations contribute to chromosome length polymorphisms in Candida
      albicans.
AB  - Rotating-gel electrophoresis and DNA hybridization were used to compare the
      electrophoretic karyotype of six Candida albicans isolates. The hybridization
      pattern for 22 cloned sequences, including eight previously unmapped genes,
      indicates that there are eight pair of homologous chromosomes in each strain.
      However, since homologous chromosomes can differ in length, it is possible to
      resolve more than eight bands in some strains. The mapping data demonstrate that
      linkage groups are generally conserved suggesting that, in spite of gross
      karyotype differences, there is an underlying similarity in the genome
      organization of different isolates. The hybridization data also provide direct
      evidence that DNA translocations and reciprocal translocations contribute to
      chromosome length polymorphisms in C. albicans.

PMID- 1423723
TI  - Enhanced stability of YEp plasmids in lager brewing yeasts is related to lager
      brewing yeast 2-microns DNA.
AB  - YEp plasmid stability in the presence of either Saccharomyces cerevisiae
      laboratory strain 2-microns DNA, or lager brewing yeast 2-microns DNA in the same
      genetic background, was compared under non-selective culture conditions. It was
      found that YEp plasmids were more stably maintained in the presence of lager 2
      microns DNA under these conditions. By construction of laboratory-lager 2-microns
      DNA hybrid plasmids, an 867 bp StuI fragment of lager 2-microns DNA was shown to
      be responsible for the enhanced stability of the YEp plasmid. Nucleotide
      substitutions at two sites were found by sequencing this region. It was also
      confirmed that increasing cell ploidy enhanced YEp stability under non-selective
      conditions.

PMID- 1423722
TI  - Complementation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae acid phosphatase mutation by a
      genomic sequence from the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica identifies a new phosphatase.
AB  - A Yarrowia lipolytica gene library was constructed in vector YRp7 and transformed
      into a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain lacking both major acid phosphatase
      activities. A 2.18 kb genomic sequence restoring the ability to hydrolyze alpha
      naphthyl phosphate was isolated. Its sequencing revealed an ORF encoding 358
      amino acids without significant homology with any known phosphatase. A putative
      signal peptide and several possible sites for N-glycosylation were identified.
      Phosphate-regulated expression of the cloned gene was observed in Y. lipolytica.
      Disruption data favoured the hypothesis that it might encode a minor phosphatase
      species.

PMID- 1423724
TI  - Direct induction of tetraploids or homozygous diploids in the industrial yeast
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae by hydrostatic pressure.
AB  - Hydrostatic pressure and a dye plate method were used to investigate the direct
      induction of tetraploids or homozygous diploids from the industrial diploid or
      haploid yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Above 200 MPa, hydrostatic pressure
      greatly inactivated the strains HF399s1 (alpha haploid), P-540 (a/alpha diploid),
      and P-544 (a/alpha diploid). At the same time, when pressure-treated cells of
      these strains were spread on a dye plate, some of the visible colonies were
      stained red/blue or dark blue (variant colonies); the rest stained violet,
      similar to colonies originating from diploid cells or haploid cells that were not
      pressure-treated. In addition, above 100 MPa, the formation of variant colonies
      increased with increasing pressure, and maximized (1 x 10(-1)) at 200 and 250
      MPa, respectively. The size of almost all variant cells from P-544, P-540, and
      HF399s1 was visibly increased compared with that of untreated cells and the
      measured cellular DNA content of P-540 and HF399s1 was double that of untreated
      cells. Furthermore, based on random spore analysis and mass-matings, induced
      variants in the diploid strains were found to be tetraploid with an
      a/a/alpha/alpha genotype at the mating-type locus or, in the haploid strains,
      homozygous diploid with an alpha/alpha genotype. From these results we conclude
      that pressure treatment in combination with a dye plate is a useful method for
      strain improvement by direct induction of tetraploids or homozygous diploids from
      industrial strains whether diploid or haploid.

PMID- 1423725
TI  - Expression of a bacterial aspartase gene in Aspergillus nidulans: an efficient
      system for selecting multicopy transformants.
AB  - The Escherichia coli aspartase gene aspA has been expressed in the fungus
      Aspergillus nidulans using the powerful constitutive gpdA promoter and trpC
      terminator, both from A. nidulans. Multiple, but not single, copies of aspA
      overcome nutritional deficiencies resulting from the loss of catabolic NAD-linked
      glutamate dehydrogenase. They also circumvent certain nutritional deficiencies
      resulting from loss of the positive-acting regulatory gene product mediating
      nitrogen metabolite repression. Both of these cases of physiological suppression
      involve the aspartase-catalyzed catabolism of aspartate to ammonium plus
      fumarate. No physiological evidence for the opposite reaction leading to
      aspartate synthesis was obtained as multiple copies of aspA did not affect the
      phenotype resulting from the loss of anabolic NADP-linked glutamate
      dehydrogenase. The use of vectors containing aspA and recipients lacking NAD
      linked glutamate dehydrogenase is an efficient means of selecting multicopy
      transformants in A. nidulans and also offers the possibility to select strains
      having increased aspartase levels from original transformants.

PMID- 1423727
TI  - Transformation of Acremonium coenophialum, a protective fungal symbiont of the
      grass Festuca arundinacea.
AB  - Acremonium coenophialum is a mutualistic mycosymbiont and natural agent of
      biological protection of the widely distributed grass Festuca arundinacea (tall
      fescue). An electroporative transformation system was developed for A.
      coenophialum. Segments of DNA 5' to the beta-tubulin gene (tub2) of the closely
      related ascomycete Epichloe typhina, fused to the Escherichia coli hph gene
      encoding hygromycin B phosphotransferase, conferred hygromycin resistance when
      introduced into A. coenophialum by electroporation. The incorporation of the
      Emericella nidulans trpC terminator greatly increased protoplast germination on
      selective medium and improved transformation efficiencies 30-200% depending on
      the plasmid construct. Plasmid pCSN43, which incorporates the trpC controlling
      elements for hph expression, was also used to transform A. coenophialum. Southern
      blot analysis of ten pCSN43 transformants indicated the possibility of random
      integration of this vector into the genome.

PMID- 1423726
TI  - Genetic organization and structural features of maranhar, a senescence-inducing
      linear mitochondrial plasmid of Neurospora crassa.
AB  - The nucleotide sequence of maranhar, a senescence-inducing linear mitochondrial
      plasmid of Neurospora crassa, was determined. The termini of the 7-kb plasmid are
      349-bp inverted repeats (TIRs). Each DNA strand contains a long open reading
      frame (ORF) which begins within the TIR and extends toward the centre of the
      plasmid. ORF-1 codes for a single-subunit RNA polymerase that is not closely
      related to that encoded by another Neurospora plasmid, kalilo. The ORF-2 product
      may be a B-type DNA polymerase resembling those encoded by terminal protein
      linked linear genetic elements, including linear mitochondrial plasmids and
      linear bacteriophages. A separate coding sequence for the terminal protein could
      not be identified; however, the DNA polymerase of maranhar has an amino-terminal
      extension with features that are also present in the terminal proteins of linear
      bacteriophages. The N-terminal extensions of the DNA polymerases of other linear
      mitochondrial plasmids contain similar features, suggesting that the terminal
      proteins of linear plasmids may be comprised, at least in part, of these cryptic
      domains. The terminal protein-DNA bond of maranhar is resistant to mild alkaline
      hydrolysis, indicating that it might involve a tyrosine or a lysine residue.
      Although maranhar and the senescence-inducing kalilo plasmid of N. intermedia are
      structurally similar, and integrate into mitochondrial DNA by a mechanism thus
      far unique to these two plasmids, they are not closely related to each other and
      they do not have any nucleotide sequence features, or ORFs, that distinguish them
      clearly from mitochondrial plasmids which are not associated with senescence and
      most of which are apparently non-integrative.

PMID- 1423728
TI  - Genomic organization of a cellulase gene family in Phanerochaete chrysosporium.
AB  - Southern blot and nucleotide sequence analysis of Phanerochaete chrysosporium BKM
      F-1767 genomic clones indicate that this wood-degrading fungus contains at least
      six genes with significant homology to the Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase I
      gene (cbh1). Using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to separate P. chrysosporium
      chromosomes, the six cellulase genes were found to hybridize to at least three
      different chromosomes, one of which is dimorphic. The organization of these genes
      was similar in another P. chrysosporium strain, ME 446. It is clear that, unlike
      T. reesei, the most well-studied cellulolytic fungus, P. chrysosporium contains a
      complex, cbh1-like gene family.

PMID- 1423729
TI  - Length heterogeneity in ITS 2 and the methylation status of CCGG and GCGC sites
      in the rRNA genes of the genus Peronosclerospora.
AB  - The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used with primers complementary to
      conserved flanking sequences to amplify the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS 2)
      of the rDNA repeat units of five Peronoscleropora isolates, one each of P.
      sorghi, P. maydis, P. sacchari and two of P. zeae. In contrast to the situation
      found in most-fungi that have been examined, length heterogeneity was evident in
      each sample. The rDNA composition of the amplified bands was confirmed by
      Southern hybridizations using an ITS 2 amplified from P. sorghi and cloned rDNA
      from Neurospora crassa as probes. Length heterogeneity was also detected in
      genomic DNA digests using the same probes. In addition to one dominant fragment
      for each isolate, there were several less frequent fragments of different sizes,
      and the isolate(s) for each species had a unique banding pattern for ITS 2. The
      absence of 5-methylcytosine residues in CCGG and GCGC sequences in the ribosomal
      genes of these four Peronosclerospora species was demonstrated by the production
      of identical banding patterns with ribosomal DNA probes following digestion of
      genomic DNA with MspI and HpaII, and by complete digestion with CfoI.

PMID- 1423731
TI  - The electrophoretic banding pattern of the chromosomes of Pichia stipitis and
      Candida shehatae.
AB  - The electrophoretic karyotype of fu1ur strains of P. stipitis and five strains of
      C. shehatae were compared by means of OFAGE and TAFE techniques. Although the
      number of chromosomal bands was six in all cases except one, P. stipitis revealed
      a clearly distinct pattern in comparison to C. shehatae. Both yeasts showed
      remarkable chromosome length polymorphism.

PMID- 1423730
TI  - Identification of a chloroplast-encoded secA gene homologue in a chromophytic
      alga: possible role in chloroplast protein translocation.
AB  - SecA is one of seven Sec proteins that comprise the prokaryotic protein
      translocation apparatus. A chloroplast-encoded secA gene has been identified from
      the unicellular chromophytic alga Pavlova lutherii. The gene predicts a protein
      that is related to the SecA proteins of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis.
      The presence of secA, as well as the previously described secY and hsp70 genes,
      on the chloroplast genome of P. lutherii suggests that this eukaryotic organism
      utilises protein translocation mechanisms similar to those of bacterial cells.

PMID- 1423732
TI  - Structure of the Cochliobolus heterostrophus glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate
      dehydrogenase gene.

PMID- 1423733
TI  - Circadian rhythm of the endopeptidase 22.19 (EC 3.4.22.19) in the rat brain.
AB  - The endopeptidase 22.19 (EC 3.4.22.19) has been associated with the metabolism of
      neuropeptides by its ability to convert small enkephalin-containing peptides (8
      to 13 amino acids) into enkephalins. In addition, this enzyme cleaves the Arg8
      Arg9 bond of neurotensin and the Phe5-Ser6 bond of bradykinin. We analyzed the
      circadian variation of endopeptidase 22.19 in the whole and individual areas of
      the rat brain. Endopeptidase 22.19 activity was analyzed by high-performance
      liquid chromatography (HPLC) using bradykinin as an operative substrate.
      Enzymatic specific activities were analyzed by rhythmometric methods and indicate
      a circadian fluctuation of endopeptidase 22.19 specific activity (mU of enzyme/mg
      of protein) in the whole brain [p less than 0.001, mesor (M) = 7.62, amplitude
      (A) = 2.89, and acrophase (phi) = 23:08 h], striatum (p less than 0.001, M =
      2.92, A = 0.62, phi = 23:03 h), hypothalamus (p less than 0.001, M = 3.15, A =
      0.86, phi = 01:12 h), periaqueductal gray matter (p less than 0.005, M = 2.62, A
      = 0.34, phi = 22:35 h), and cerebellum (p less than 0.014, M = 4.27, A = 0.88,
      phi = 17:12 h). The circadian rhythmicity in endopeptidase 22.19 specific
      activity suggests that light may have an effect on the peptidase activity in
      whole brain and in areas of the central nervous system and may be essential for
      the mechanisms of circadian fluctuations of neuropeptides in the brain.

PMID- 1423734
TI  - Effects of indoleamines and short photoperiods on the encystment of Gonyaulax
      polyedra.
AB  - At a temperature of 15 degrees C, Gonyaulax polyedra responds to short days
      (light less than or equal to 10 h) by transition to the stage of a resting cyst.
      At 20 degrees C, even an light:dark (LD) cycle of 6:18 is incapable of inducing
      this process. In otherwise cyst-inducing conditions (15 degrees C; 10 h of light
      per day), an interruption of the scotophase by 2 h of light (LDLD 8:2:2:12 or
      2:2:8:12) prevented encystment. Cyst induction is, therefore, initiated by a
      photoperiodic mechanism rather than by light deficiency. In Gonyaulax,
      photoperiodism may be mediated by the action of indoleamines. Melatonin, which
      exhibits a circadian rhythmicity in this organism, leads to encystment when given
      1 h before lights-off in LD 11:13 at 15 degrees C, i.e., under otherwise
      noninducing conditions. Again, at 20 degrees C, melatonin is inefficient. Some
      analogues of melatonin, in particular, 5-methoxytryptamine and N,N-dimethyl-5
      methoxytryptamine, and, at high concentrations, their respective precursors,
      serotonin and bufotenin, are capable of inducing cyst formation at 20 degrees C
      and in LD 12:12, whereas N-acetyl-serotonin does not show this effect.

PMID- 1423735
TI  - A circadian rhythm in the activity of superoxide dismutase in the photosynthetic
      alga Gonyaulax polyedra.
AB  - The activity of superoxide dismutase in cell-free extracts of Gonyaulax made at
      different times of day and night was found to be three to four times higher
      during the day. This rhythm continued in cells kept in constant light, indicating
      that the regulation can be attributed to the cellular circadian clock.

PMID- 1423736
TI  - Effects of tetraethylammoniumchloride (TEA), vanadate, and alkali ions on the
      lateral leaflet movement rhythm of Desmodium motorium (Houtt.) Merr.
AB  - The period (approximately 3-5 min) of the ultradian rhythm of the lateral leaflet
      movement of Desmodium motorium is strongly lengthened (less than or equal to 30
      40%) by the K+ channel blocker tetraethylammoniumchloride (20, 30, and 40 mM) and
      vanadate (0.5 and 1 mM), which is an effective inhibitor of the plasma membrane
      bound H+ pump. The alkali ions K+, Na+, Rb+, and Cs+ (10-40 mM) shorten the
      period only slightly (less than or equal to 10-15%). Li+ (5-30 mM), however,
      increases the period of the leaflet rhythm drastically (less than or equal to
      80%). We concluded that the plasmalemma-H(+)-ATPase-driven K+ transport through
      K+ channels is an essential component of the ultradian oscillator of Desmodium,
      as has been proposed for the circadian oscillator.

PMID- 1423737
TI  - Behavioral and morphological studies of fetal neural transplants into SCN
      lesioned rats.
AB  - We have studied the effects of fetal neuronal grafts on the temporal pattern of
      drinking behavior of suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN)-lesioned adult rats.
      Additionally, in an independent set of animals, the immunohistochemical staining
      for vasopressin, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, and neuropeptide Y and the
      retinal connections to the hypothalamus were studied. The behavioral experiments
      indicate that anterior hypothalamic transplants induced reorganization of the
      temporal pattern of drinking behavior when placed in the third ventricle of adult
      hosts bearing complete SCN lesions, but not when placed in a cavity in the
      occipital cortex. Such rhythmicity persists only when the animals were recorded
      under constant darkness but not under constant light, indicating that the
      restored rhythmicity was generated endogenously but that the oscillator was
      extremely sensitive to light. Fetal occipital cortex induced reorganization of
      the temporal pattern of previously arrhythmic hosts, but it disappeared when the
      animals were recorded under constant light or constant darkness. It is clear that
      this rhythmicity was exogenous. In contrast to the cortical transplants, the
      hypothalamic transplants showed a morphological organization similar to that
      found in the normal hypothalamus regardless of their placement in the host brain.
      From these observations it is concluded that development of neocortex is more
      affected by environmental factors than that of the hypothalamus. Both
      hypothalamic and cortical transplants induced sprouting of retinal fibers into
      the anterior hypothalamus and the grafted tissue. It is possible that such fibers
      could be the neuroanatomical substrate by which rhythmicity is induced by
      cortical tissue.

PMID- 1423738
TI  - Pinealectomy decelerates the circadian food intake rhythm of cervically
      sympathectomized rabbits.
AB  - Long-term records of the free-running food intake rhythms were obtained from 26
      young adult blinded rabbits that were subjected in the course of recording to
      bilateral superior cervical ganglionectomy (sympathectomy). This always resulted
      in acceleration of the rhythm (mean delta tau = -0.35 h). Some 4 months
      afterwards, 12 rabbits were pinealectomized and after another 4 months sham
      pinealectomized also. In the other 14 animals, these operations were performed in
      the reverse order. It appeared that suctioning away part of the ventricular walls
      during sham pinealectomy was followed by a slight reduction in tau (mean = -0.07
      h) that could be largely attributed to the spontaneous gradual reduction of tau
      that occurred throughout all experiments. On the other hand, total pinealectomy
      in these already sympathectomized blinded rabbits always resulted in a
      substantial deceleration of the rhythms (mean delta tau = +0.23 h). These
      observations on blinded rabbits suggest that a sympathetically denervated pineal
      gland releases appreciable amounts of melatonin or of another hormone with a
      melatonin-like accelerating effect on the circadian pacemaker (SCN).

PMID- 1423739
TI  - Nocturnal headache-hypertension syndrome: a chronobiologic disorder.
AB  - The study of blood pressure (BP) monitoring in essential hypertensive patients
      recurrently suffering from nocturnal headache revealed a rhythmic elevation of
      sphygmomanometric values during the night. Such a finding was not detected in
      essential hypertensive patients suffering from occasional headache. The nocturnal
      elevation of BP was seen to be paralleled by the circadian peak of heart rate,
      suggesting that the disorder is a systemic phenomenon. Importantly, the headache
      episodes were seen to disappear after antihypertensive therapy that was adjusted
      to lower the nocturnal increase of BP. The therapeutic results suggested that the
      nocturnal headache was dependent on the phasic elevation of BP. The beneficial
      effects further suggested that the nocturnal headache and the nocturnal elevation
      of BP may represent a particular syndrome with a cause-effect relationship. The
      term "nocturnal headache-hypertension syndrome" is proposed.

PMID- 1423740
TI  - Some perturbations that disturb the circadian melatonin rhythm.
AB  - The circadian melatonin rhythm is highly reproducible and generally not easily
      altered. The few perturbations that are capable of significantly changing either
      the amplitude or the pattern of the 24-h melatonin rhythm are summarized herein.
      Aging alters cyclic melatonin production by decreasing the amplitude of the
      nocturnal melatonin peak in all species in which it has been studied. The best
      known acute suppressor of nocturnal melatonin is light exposure. The brightness
      of light required to acutely depress pineal melatonin production is species
      dependent; of the visible wavelengths, those in the blue range (approximately 500
      520 nm) seem most effective in suppressing melatonin production. Nonvisible,
      nonionizing radiation in the extremely low frequency range (e.g., 60 Hz) seems
      also capable of altering pineal melatonin synthesis. Hormones have relatively
      little influence on the circadian production of melatonin, although either
      adrenalectomy or hypophysectomy does attenuate the amplitude of the melatonin
      cycle. Exercise at the time of high melatonin production rapidly depresses pineal
      concentrations of the indole without influencing its synthesis; the mechanism of
      this suppression remains unknown.

PMID- 1423741
TI  - Fluorescence quenching studies on binding fluoreno-9-spiro-oxazolidinedione to
      human serum albumin.
AB  - Human serum albumin fluorescence quenching by fluorene-9-spiro-oxazolidinedione
      has been analyzed as a function of temperature. Such temperature dependence
      suggests that the mechanism of the quenching process is static in origin. This
      type of quenching implies that a non-fluorescent complex between oxazolidinedione
      and serum albumin has been formed and following the Stern-Volmer relationship we
      have calculated the binding constant. Thermodynamic parameters were also
      determined. The positive and large values of entropy and the negative value for
      enthalpy suggest that both hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions may play an
      important role in the stabilization of the complex. Finally, the irreversible
      changes in the spectral properties of HSA are interpreted in binding terms.

PMID- 1423742
TI  - Oat lipids-induced covalent DNA modifications (I-compounds) in female Sprague
      Dawley rats, as determined by 32P-postlabeling.
AB  - Previous studies have shown that the presence of oats in the diet contributes to
      formation of I-compounds (age-dependent covalent DNA modifications detected by
      32P-postlabeling assay) in female Sprague-Dawley rat liver DNA. The current study
      explored the possible ingredients in oats responsible for the observed effects on
      DNA. Feeding AIN-76A diet containing 5% oat lipids (obtained by methanol
      extraction and dissolved in trioctanoin) in place of corn oil for 2 months
      successfully induced the formation of 3 oats-specific (spots 2-4) and 4 natural
      ingredient diet-specific I-compounds (spots 6-9) in liver DNA. Barley, an oatlike
      cereal, induced 3 of these spots at very low intensities but not the 3 oats
      specific I-spots. Oral administration of oat lipids to weanling rats of both
      sexes for 7 days elicited trace amounts of the oats-specific spots and spot 9 in
      liver DNA. However, when oat lipids were given at 6 or 9 weeks of age, the oats
      specific spots were detected at high levels in female but not in male rats. These
      oats-related DNA modifications were also present in 6-week-old female rats which
      had received oat lipids p.o. for 2 or 3 days or i.p. for 4 days. Rats given
      trioctanoin or extracts from natural ingredient Wayne diet (lacking oats) did not
      show any of these spots. On the other hand, rats treated with extracts from an
      oats-containing Teklad diet displayed a trace amount of one of these I-compounds.
      Oat lipids did not induce any extra spots in rat kidney DNA. Feeding of AIN diet
      supplemented with oats to female Syrian hamsters did not elicit any renal or
      hepatic DNA alterations, as detected by 32P-postlabeling. Rats fed oat lipids
      supplemented AIN diet or Purina diet showed the highest levels of I-compounds
      overall in liver among all dietary groups and these two groups also had
      significantly higher hepatic DNA synthesis rates. Oat lipids enhanced kidney DNA
      synthesis also. The total hepatic or renal cytochrome P-450 contents were not
      significantly affected by different diets. These results demonstrate a novel link
      between a natural dietary ingredient and covalent DNA modifications and shed
      light on the origins of certain I-compounds.

PMID- 1423744
TI  - The involvement of primary and secondary metabolism in the covalent binding of
      1,2- and 1,4-dichlorobenzenes.
AB  - The microsomal oxidation of 1,2-[14C]- and 1,4-[14C]dichlorobenzene (DICB) was
      investigated with special attention for possible differences in biotransformation
      that might contribute to the isomer-specific hepatotoxicity. Major metabolites of
      both isomers were dichlorophenols (2,5-DICP for 1,4-DICB and 2,3- and 3,4-DICP
      for 1,2-DICB, respectively) and dichlorohydroquinones. The formation of polar
      dihydrodiols appeared to be a major route for 1,2-DICB but not 1,4-DICB. Both the
      hepatotoxic 1,2-DICB and the non-hepatotoxic 1,4-DICB were oxidized to
      metabolites that covalently interacted with protein and only to a small extent
      with DNA. Protein binding could be inhibited by the addition of the reducing
      agent ascorbic acid with a concomitant increase in the formation of hydroquinones
      and catechols, indicating the involvement of reactive benzoquinone metabolites in
      protein binding. However, in the presence of ascorbic acid, a substantial amount
      of protein-bound metabolites of 1,2-DICB was still observed, in contrast to 1,4
      DICB where binding was nearly completely inhibited. This latter effect was
      ascribed to the direct formation of reactive benzoquinone metabolites in a single
      P450-mediated oxidation of para-substituted dichlorophenols (such as 3,4-DICP) in
      the case of 1,2-DICB. In contrast, the major phenol isomer derived from 1,4-DICB
      (i.e. 2,5-DICP) is oxidized to its hydroquinone derivative, which needs prior
      oxidation in order to generate the reactive benzoquinone species. Residual
      protein binding in the presence of ascorbic acid could also indicate the
      involvement of reactive arene oxides in the protein binding of 1,2-DICB, but not
      of 1,4-DICB. However, MO computer calculations did not provide indications for
      differences in chemical reactivity and/or stability of the various arene
      oxide/oxepin tautomers that can be formed from either 1,2-DICB or 1,4-DICB. In
      conclusion, reactive intermediates in the secondary metabolism of 1,2-DICB lead
      to more covalent binding than those derived from 1,4-DICB, which correlates very
      well with their reported hepatotoxic potency.

PMID- 1423743
TI  - Differential toxicity of cocaine and its isomers, (+)-cocaine and (-)-psi
      cocaine, is associated with stereoselective hydrolysis by hepatic
      carboxylesterases in cultured rat hepatocytes.
AB  - Cocaine induces acute lethal cell injury in rat hepatocytes following N-oxidative
      metabolic activation by cytochrome P450-dependent and flavin-dependent
      monooxygenases. Beside this oxidative bioactivation pathway, hepatic
      carboxylesterases may cleave the carboxymethylester or the benzoylester linkage
      which leads to molecules found to be non-toxic in vivo. To elucidate the
      structural requirements of the cocaine molecule for its bioactivation and
      inactivation, the cytotoxic potential of the natural (-)-cocaine relative to two
      isomeric forms, (+)-cocaine* (the unnatural enantiomer) and (-)-psi-cocaine (the
      C2 epimer of the unnatural cocaine) were investigated. Primary short-term
      cultures of rat hepatocytes obtained from phenobarbital (PB)-pretreated rats were
      exposed to the drugs for up to 24 h. (-)-Cocaine produced marked time- and
      concentration-dependent release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) into the
      extracellular medium, whereas the other forms were not cytotoxic (0-1 mM).
      Furthermore, depletion of cellular glutathione (GSH) with diethylmaleate enhanced
      LDH release in (-)-cocaine-treated cells and caused marginal cytotoxicity in
      hepatocytes exposed to the other isomers. To investigate the mechanisms that
      could be responsible for these isomer-specific effects, the time-dependent
      metabolic degradation was determined both in cultured hepatocytes and in hepatic
      microsomes in the presence or absence of the serine carboxylesterase inhibitors,
      phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride (PMSF) or NaF. All three cocaine analogs were
      enzymatically degraded, but the rates of ester cleavage greatly varied among the
      stereoisomers. (-)-Cocaine was primarily N-oxidized via SKF-525A-sensitive
      pathways, whereas (+)-cocaine was predominantly hydrolyzed by PMSF-sensitive
      carboxylesterases. In contrast, (-)-psi-cocaine, which is very stable in the
      absence of cells at 37 degrees C and pH 7.4, was subject to extremely fast
      enzymatic ester cleavage. In conclusion, these results indicate that the isomer
      specific differential cytotoxicity of (-)-cocaine, (+)-cocaine and (-)-psi
      cocaine in hepatocytes may be related to stereoselective differences in the rates
      of hydrolytic inactivation by hepatic carboxylesterases and that the N-oxidative
      pathway, resulting in hepatocyte injury, may thus be relevant only for (-)
      cocaine.

PMID- 1423746
TI  - Carcinoma of the gall bladder--a disastrous diagnosis?

PMID- 1423745
TI  - Effect of caffeic acid esters on carcinogen-induced mutagenicity and human colon
      adenocarcinoma cell growth.
AB  - Propolis, a honey bee hive product, is thought to exhibit a broad spectrum of
      activities including antibiotic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and tumor growth
      inhibition; some of the observed biological activities may be due to caffeic acid
      (cinnamic acid) esters that are present in propolis. In the present study we
      synthesized three caffeic acid esters, namely methyl caffeate (MC), phenylethyl
      caffeate (PEC) and phenylethyl dimethylcaffeate (PEDMC) and tested them against
      the 3,2'-dimethyl-4-aminobiphenyl, (DMAB, a colon and mammary carcinogen)-induced
      mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA 98 and TA 100. Also, the effect
      of these agents on the growth of human colon adenocarcinoma, HT-29 cells and
      activities of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) was
      studied. Mutagenicity was induced in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA 98 and TA
      100 plus S9 activation using 5 and 10 micrograms DMAB and antimutagenic
      activities of 0-150 microM MC, 0-60 microM PEC and 0-80 microM PEDMC were
      determined. The results indicate that MC, PEC and PEDMC were not mutagenic in the
      Salmonella tester system. DMAB-induced mutagenicity was significantly inhibited
      with 150 microM MC, 40-60 microM PEC and 40-80 microM PEDMC in both tester
      systems. Treatment of HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma cells with > 150 microM MC, 30
      microM PEC and 20 microM PEDMC significantly inhibited the cell growth and
      syntheses of RNA, DNA and protein. ODC and PTK activities were also inhibited in
      HT-29 cells treated with different concentrations of MC, PEC and PEDMC. These
      results demonstrate that caffeic acid esters which are present in Propolis
      possess chemopreventive properties when tested in short-term assay systems.

PMID- 1423747
TI  - Is it possible to distinguish between complete and partial hydatidiform mole
      histologically?

PMID- 1423748
TI  - Cytological diagnosis of bronchial malignancies using the fibreoptic
      bronchoscope.
AB  - Bronchial brush and wash material were obtained by fibreoptic bronchoscopy in 200
      patients suspected of having bronchial carcinoma. Malignancy was diagnosed in 42,
      giving a diagnostic yield of 21%. Bronchial brush material showed the highest
      yield. Morphological cell typing was done on cytological material. Technical
      considerations, diagnostic criteria, diagnostic yield and accuracy are discussed.

PMID- 1423749
TI  - The epidemiology of infertility 1976-1988.

PMID- 1423750
TI  - An outbreak of measles in the Southern Province.
AB  - During an outbreak of measles in the Southern Province in 1990, 69 patients were
      admitted to the Professorial Paediatric Unit of Teaching Hospital Galle. Of
      these, 13 patients had received the measles vaccination. The commonest
      complication seen was bronchopneumonia. There were 3 deaths, 2 due to
      bronchopneumonia and 1 to encephalitis.

PMID- 1423751
TI  - An evaluation of the SAT in the diagnosis of typhoid.
AB  - Salmonella typhi O and H antibody titres were determined by the Standard
      Agglutination Test (SAT) in 85 patients with bacteriologically proven typhoid,
      102 patients with non-typhoidal febrile illnesses (control group 1), and 170
      healthy subjects (control group 2). An O antibody titre of 1/120 occurred in 93%
      of patients with typhoid fever (7% false negatives), and in 17% and 12% control
      groups 1 and 2 respectively. An H antibody titre of 1/120 was found only in 64%
      of patients with typhoid (false negatives in 36%). At titres other than 1/120,
      the proportion of false negatives or false positives increased ie. the
      sensitivity and specificity decreased. Although the SAT continues to be used in
      Sri Lanka as the main diagnostic test in typhoid, the sensitivity and specificity
      of this test fall below the requirements of a useful diagnostic test.

PMID- 1423752
TI  - Long term survival in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.
AB  - A case of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) with a long survival of 8
      years is reported. Long term survival in SSPE has not been previously reported
      from Sri Lanka.

PMID- 1423753
TI  - Accidental disc battery ingestion.

PMID- 1423754
TI  - Central retinal artery occlusion associated with migraine.
AB  - We report a case of central retinal artery occlusion associated with migraine.
      Although this association is rare, the importance of early diagnosis, and the
      long-term management of this form of complicated migraine are briefly discussed.

PMID- 1423755
TI  - Relations between the averaged 13C nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shift and
      the carcinogenic activity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
AB  - 13C Nuclear magnetic resonance (13C-NMR) spectra were measured for polycyclic
      aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) to examine the correlation between their chemical
      shift and carcinogenicity. We confirmed our previous proposition that the
      carcinogenicity of PAH molecules can be predicted from the value of the averaged
      13C-NMR chemical shift. It was also found, using the averaged chemical shift as a
      parameter, that several quantum chemical indices for the intermediate states of
      the metabolic transformation are correlated with the carcinogenic activity of
      PAH. This indicates that the averaged chemical shift can be applied to
      investigate the metabolic transformation of carcinogenicity.

PMID- 1423756
TI  - Indonesian medicinal plants. I. Chemical structures of calotroposides A and B,
      two new oxypregnane-oligoglycosides from the root of Calotropis gigantea
      (Asclepiadaceae).
AB  - Two new oxypregnane-oligoglycosides named calotroposides A (1) and B (2) have
      been isolated from the root of Calotropis gigantea (Asclepiadaceae), an
      Indonesian medicinal plant, and their chemical structures have been elucidated by
      chemical and spectroscopic methods as 12-O-benzoyllineolon 3-O-beta-D
      cymaropyranosyl(1----4)-beta-D-oleandropyranosyl( 1----4)- beta-D
      oleandropyranosyl(1----4)-beta-D-cymaropyranosyl(1--- -4)-beta-D-
      cymaropyranoside and 12-O-benzoyldeacetylmetaplexigenin 3-O-beta-D
      cymaropyranosyl(1---4)-beta-D-oleandropyranosyl(- ---4)- beta-D
      oleandropyranosyl(1----4)-beta-D-cymaropyranosyl(1--- -4)- beta-D
      cymaropyranoside, respectively.

PMID- 1423758
TI  - Synthesis and antihypertensive activity of 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives with a
      4-(disubstituted phenyl) ring and an aminoalkyl ester group: highly potent and
      long-lasting calcium antagonists.
AB  - New 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives bearing a 4-(disubstituted phenyl) ring and
      an aminoethyl ester or an amino-2,2-dimethyl-propyl ester were synthesized and
      their antihypertensive activities were examined in normotensive rats and
      spontaneously hypertensive rats. The effects of phenyl substituents and ester
      groups on the antihypertensive activity are discussed. Several compounds showed a
      more potent antihypertensive activity than nicardipine and most compounds had a
      longer duration of action. Among them, 7B.HCl (TC-81) showed highly potent and
      long-lasting activity and was selected as a candidate for further pharmacological
      investigations.

PMID- 1423757
TI  - Indonesian medicinal plants. II. Chemical structures of Pongapinones A and B, two
      new phenylpropanoids from the bark of Pongamia pinnata (Papilionaceae).
AB  - Two new phenylpropanoids named pongapinone A (1) and pongapinone B (2) were
      isolated from the bark of Pongamia pinnata (Papilionaceae), an Indonesian
      medicinal plant, and their chemical structures have been elucidated on the basis
      of their physicochemical properties. Pongapinone A (1) was found to inhibit
      interleukin-1 production.

PMID- 1423759
TI  - Synthesis and antihypertensive activity of 3-acetoxy-2,3-dihydro-5-[2-
      (dimethylamino)ethyl]-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,5-benzothiazepin-4(5H)-one
      (diltiazem) derivatives having substituents at the 8 position.
AB  - In order to improve the potency and duration of biological actions of diltiazem,
      a number of 1,5-benzothiazepine derivatives having the substituents at the 8
      position were prepared and evaluated for their antihypertensive activity in
      spontaneously hypertensive rats. The introduction of methyl, ethyl, isopropyl,
      benzyl, methoxy, ethoxy, phenoxy, and methylthio groups increased the
      antihypertensive activity and prolonged duration of action, whereas cyclohexyl,
      cyclopentoxy, tolyloxy, p-methoxyphenoxy and phenylthio derivatives were less
      active than diltiazem. Among them, the 8-benzyl and phenoxy derivatives showed
      the most potent and long-lasting antihypertensive action.

PMID- 1423760
TI  - Analgesic components from bornean medicinal plants, Tabernaemontana pauciflora
      Blume and Tabernaemontana pandacaqui Poir.
AB  - The analgesic components were isolated from a Bornean medicinal plant,
      Tabernaemontana pauciflora Blume (syn. Ervatamia blumeana Mark gr.), and the
      major components were identified as coronaridine and 3-(2-oxopropyl)coronaridine.
      Four minor components were estimated to be 5R- and 5S-(2-oxopropyl)coronaridine,
      3-(2-oxopropyl)voacangine and 3,3'-(oxopropyl)dicoronaridine, which might be
      produced during the isolation process. Voacangine was also isolated as a major
      component of T. pandacaqui Poir. Coronaridine and voacangine exhibited
      significant analgesic and hypothermic effects in mice at a dose of 25 mg/kg,
      p.o., while 3-(2-oxopropyl)coronaridine was less effective. The former two
      compounds also revealed a surface anesthesia.

PMID- 1423761
TI  - Purgative activity and principals of the fruits of Rosa multiflora and R.
      wichuraiana.
AB  - Pseudocarps or seeds of Rosa multiflora, crude drug "Eijitsu" have been used as
      purgative in Japanese traditional medicine. R. wichuraiana was generally thought
      to be able to substitute for the plant. The n-butanol fractions of both plant
      seeds were tested on purgative activities with mice, and the values of the 50%
      effective dose (ED50) were 5.6 g/kg as the seed weight for R. multiflora and 57
      g/kg as the seed weight for R. wichuraiana. From pseudocarps of R. multiflora, a
      new purgative compound, multinoside A acetate, was isolated, and its ED50 value
      was tested to be 150 mg/kg (77-291 mg/kg, 95% confidence limit). The other
      isolated compounds were three known quercetin glycosides, quercetin 3-O-xyloside,
      isoquercitrin and hyperin. From pseudocarps of R. wichuraiana, three quercetin
      glycosides, isoquercitrin, hyperin and quercetin 3-O-beta-D-glucuronide were
      isolated similarly, but no purgative components of R. multiflora were detected.

PMID- 1423762
TI  - Platelet aggregation inhibitors and inotropic constituents in Pyrolae herba.
AB  - The chloroform-soluble and n-butyl alcohol-soluble fractions of water extract of
      Pyrolae Herba inhibited platelet aggregation induced by arachidonic acid and
      showed a positive inotropic effect. A new naphthoquinone and a new tetralone
      derivative and known chimaphilin, acetovanillon, and toluhydroquinone were
      isolated as active constituents. Three new tetralone derivatives were also
      obtained from an active fraction. The structures of the new compounds were
      elucidated.

PMID- 1423763
TI  - Lignified materials as medicinal resources. V. Anti-HIV (human immunodeficiency
      virus) activity of some synthetic lignins.
AB  - A class of synthetic lignins (dehydrogenation polymers of p-coumaric acid,
      ferulic acid, and caffeic acid) inhibited cytopathogenicity of HIV-1 and HIV-2
      infection. The ratio of cytotoxic to anti-HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
      doses depended strongly on conditions during polymer preparation. The activity
      increased when polymers were treated with reducing agent NaBH4, whereas it
      decreased when treated with oxidizing agent ceric ammonium nitrate. The polymers
      inhibited expression of HIV-specific antigen in the infected cells and also
      inhibited HIV-binding to the cells, but not completely, even at doses that almost
      completely inhibited the HIV-induced cytopathogenic effect. These results suggest
      that lignin structure, regardless of whether synthetic or natural, may inhibit
      HIV replication by an unidentified process, and thus prove to be a new class of
      anti-HIV agents possibly effective in the treatment of AIDS (acquired
      immunodeficiency syndrome).

PMID- 1423764
TI  - Polysaccharides in fungi. XXX. Antitumor and immunomodulating activities of two
      polysaccharides from the fruiting bodies of Armillariella tabescens.
AB  - The effects of two polysaccharides, AT-HW and AT-AL obtained from the fruiting
      bodies of Armillariella tabescens on murine sarcoma 180 tumor and peritoneal
      macrophages were examined at intraperitoneal administration. AT-HW from the hot
      water extract and AT-AL from the alkaline extract significantly inhibited the
      tumor, and the results of different administration schedule and phagocytic system
      blockade suggested that the mechanism of AT-AL differed from that of AT-HW and
      branched (1----3)-beta-D-glucans. AT-HW and AT-AL showed reticuloendothelial
      system-potentiating activity, increased the number of peritoneal exudate cells,
      activated on macrophages (acid phosphatase activity, glucose consumption,
      superoxide anion production), and enhanced mitogenic reaction, although AT-HW did
      not produce superoxide anion in vitro.

PMID- 1423765
TI  - Effects of 3,3'-dihydroxy-alpha,beta-diethylstilbene and 3,3',4,5'
      tetrahydroxystilbene on microtubule assembly in vitro, aneuploidy induction, and
      cellular microtubule and actin networks.
AB  - We examined the inhibitory activities of 3,3'-dihydroxy-alpha,beta
      diethylstilbene (DDS) and 3,3',4,5'-tetrahydroxystilbene (THS) on microtubule
      assembly in vitro and their effects on chromosome number and cellular microtubule
      networks in Chinese hamster V79 cells. DDS showed half the inhibitory activity of
      diethylstilbestrol (DES) on microtubule assembly in vitro, while THS had none of
      the inhibitory activity. DDS induced tetraploid at 30 microM, whereas THS was
      found to be inactive. Furthermore, DDS disturbed cellular microtubule networks at
      100 microM. We also examined the effects of DES, DDS and THS on cellular actin
      networks in mouse BALB 3T3 cells. DES induced a change of actin stress fiber
      distribution and THS had similar activity, while DDS showed no activity.

PMID- 1423766
TI  - Intravenously administered (1----3)-beta-D-glucan, SSG, obtained from Sclerotinia
      sclerotiorum IFO 9395 augments murine peritoneal macrophage functions in vivo.
AB  - Effect of intravenously (i.v.) or intraperitoneally (i.p.) administered (1----3)
      beta-D-glucan, SSG, obtained from Sclerotinia sclerotiorum IFO 9395 on the murine
      peritoneal macrophage (PM) functions were examined. A single i.v. administration
      of SSG increased the number of PMs at a dose of 250 micrograms/mouse, and the
      peak appeared 4 d after administration. However, no special change was observed
      on peritoneal exude cell (PEC) populations. These PMs showed augmented lysosomal
      enzyme activity and the peaks appeared in 2 phases, on days 2 and 10. In
      contrast, SSG administered i.p. (250 micrograms/mouse) increased the number of
      PMs and enhanced the lysosomal enzyme activity of PMs from day 4, and a broad
      peak appeared until days 8--12. The populations of PECs were also changed by i.p.
      injection of SSG. Additionally, SSG administered i.v. enhanced phagocytic
      activity, H2O2 production and interleukin 1 (IL-1) production, and the kinetics
      of the activation differed depending on the activities. These data suggest that
      the effects of SSG on macrophage functions are different depending on
      administration routes, and there are some different mechanisms in the activation
      of macrophages in vivo by SSG.

PMID- 1423767
TI  - The core structure and immunological activities of glycyrrhizan UA, the main
      polysaccharide from the root of Glycyrrhiza uralensis.
AB  - The controlled Smith degradation and limited hydrolysis of glycyrrhizan UA, the
      main phagocytosis-activating polysaccharide isolated from the root of Glycyrrhiza
      uralensis FISCHER, was performed. The reticuloendothelial system-potentiating,
      anti-complementary and alkaline phosphatase-inducing activities of glycyrrhizan
      UA and its degradation products were investigated. Methylation analyses of
      primary, secondary and tertiary Smith degradation products and of the limited
      hydrolysis product indicated that the core structural features of glycyrrhizan UA
      include a backbone chain composed of beta-1,3-linked D-galactose. All of the
      galactose units in the backbone carry side chains composed of mainly alpha-1,5
      linked L-arabino-beta-1,6- or 1,3-linked D-galactose residues at position 6.
      Removal of the arabinosyl side chains caused a pronounced decrease in
      immunological activity.

PMID- 1423768
TI  - The study on phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C from Bacillus
      thuringiensis: synthesis of homogeneous substrates, substrate specificity and
      other properties.
AB  - The properties of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) from
      Bacillus thuringiensis were studied in detail. The enzyme was extremely
      thermostable in 0.1% bovine serum albumin and retained 73% of its activity at 100
      degrees C for 10 min, while it was labile in the absence of albumin. The
      enzymatic activity was inhibited by HgCl2 or p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonic acid
      and restored by dithiothreitol. The kinetic parameters (Km and Vmax) of PI-PLC
      were determined for the mixed micelle of yeast phosphatidylinositol (PI)/Triton X
      100 or sodium deoxycholate. Four PIs having different acyl chains:
      dilauroylphosphatidylinositol (DLPI), dimyristoylphosphatidylinositol (DMPI),
      dipalmitoylphosphatidylinositol (DPPI) and dioleoylphosphatidylinositol (DOPI)
      were synthesized from yeast PI through the processes of deacylation and
      reacylation, identified by infrared (IR) and Fourier transform nuclear magnetic
      resonance (FT-NMR) spectra, and subjected to the action of PI-PLC. All the
      synthetic PIs were hydrolyzed by this enzyme, with DLPI and DMPI being the best
      substrates. PI-PLC did not catalyze the hydrolysis of the phosphatidylnucleosides
      5'-phosphatidylcytidine, 5'-phosphatidyluridine, 5'-phosphatidylthymidine, 5'
      phosphatidyladenosine and 5'-phosphatidyl-2'-deoxyadenosine.

PMID- 1423770
TI  - Effect of glutathione on lambda deoxyribonucleic acid strand breaks in the
      reaction system of glutathione-alloxan in the presence of Fe(3+)
      ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.
AB  - Alkaline sucrose density gradient and agarose gel electrophoresis methods were
      used to observe lambda deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) strand breaks by the reaction
      system of reduced glutathione (GSH) with alloxan in the presence of Fe(3+)
      ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). When DNA was incubated in the reaction
      system for 10 min, DNA strand breaks were easily induced. The increasing
      concentrations of GSH up to 1.0 mM in the reaction system in the presence of 1.0
      mM alloxan caused DNA strand breaks in a concentration-dependent fashion and GSH
      beyond 2.0 mM caused in the strand breaks of DNA by which the fragments with
      multiple ranges of molecular weight were produced. The strand breaks of DNA in
      the reaction system containing low concentrations of GSH were protected by
      catalase and hydroxyl radical (HO.) scavengers but superoxide dismutase (SOD) did
      not, indicating that such breaks were induced by HO.generated from the Fenton
      reaction. On the other hand, the strand breaks of DNA at high concentrations of
      GSH were protected by ethanol and desferrioxamine, but not effectively by SOD and
      HO.scavengers, suggesting the possible participation of some oxidizing species of
      iron rather than HO.. These results indicate that HO.or oxidizing species of iron
      generated in the GSH-alloxan system depending on the concentration of GSH attacks
      DNA to produce strand breaks.

PMID- 1423769
TI  - Purification and characterization of adenosine diphosphatase from human umbilical
      vessels.
AB  - Adenosine diphosphatase (ADPase) activity was solubilized with a non-ionic
      detergent, Tween 20, from human umbilical vessels and purified to homogeneity by
      diethylaminoethyl-Sepharose CL-6B, adenosine 5'-monophosphate-Sepharose 4B, and
      concanavalin A-Sepharose chromatography. The apparent molecular mass was 75 kDa.
      The purified enzyme hydrolyzed pyrophosphate bonds of nucleoside di- and
      triphosphates in the presence of calcium ion. It was insensitive to the adenosine
      triphosphatase (ATPase) inhibitors, oligomycin and ouabain, and sensitive to
      sodium azide. Therefore, we concluded that the ADPase activity in human umbilical
      vessels does not derive from ADPase degrading only ADP but from ATP
      diphosphohydrolase (EC 3.6.1.5). The broad substrate specificity and the
      sensitivity to various inhibitors and calcium ion are common to ATP
      diphosphohydrolase from bovine aorta. However, there might exist some structural
      difference around the active site, because the antiserum raised in rabbit against
      the bovine aorta enzyme scarcely inhibited the human umbilical enzyme.

PMID- 1423771
TI  - New application of human tumor clonogenic assay to in vitro evaluation of tumor
      targeting efficiency of immunoconjugates.
AB  - This report proposes an efficient in vitro method for the evaluation of drug
      targeting with monoclonal antibody as a carrier to tumor cells. Monoclonal
      antibody (35G; IgG2a) selectively binding to alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) from human
      hepatoma cells (HuH-7) was conjugated with an anticancer drug, vindesine (VDS).
      Human tumor clonogenic assay (HTCA) with some modifications was applied to
      estimate the targeting efficiency of a conjugate (VDS-35G) for the first time. In
      this assay, VDS-35G was cytotoxically active against HuH-7 cells at a lower
      concentration (0.5 ng/ml) and for a shorter contact time than VDS (50 ng/ml),
      while 35G and VDS-normal mouse immunoglobulin conjugate (VDS-n-IgG) were not
      active against the cells. Both VDS-35G and VDS-n-IgG were inactive against HuH-13
      cells established from a human hepatocellular carcinoma producing no AFP. In the
      conventional monolayer culture assay (MCA), VDS-35G showed little effect on HuH-7
      cells at the concentration effective in HTCA. The cytotoxic activity of VDS in
      MCA was similar to that in HTCA but the cytotoxic activity of VDS-35G in MCA was
      considerably different from that in HTCA. This discrepancy could be explained by
      the hypothesis that VDS-35G was directed at stem cells of the HuH-7 cell
      population sensitively and selectively. HTCA was shown to be a useful in vitro
      evaluation method for drug targeting.

PMID- 1423772
TI  - Enhancement of bioavailability of dopamine via nasal route in beagle dogs.
AB  - Dopamine (DA), which is ineffective by oral administration due to first pass
      metabolism and is usually injected, was administered to dogs via rectal, dermal,
      buccal and nasal routes. The nasal route had the highest bioavailability and best
      avoided first pass metabolism. The effects of the addition of hydroxypropyl
      cellulose (HPC), sodium deoxycholate, POE (6) hydrogenated caster oil (HCO-60)
      and Azone on the nasal absorption increased bioavailability from 11.7% (control)
      to about 20%, 35%, 25% and 68%, respectively. Further, with a combination of 2%
      HPC and 5% Azone, bioavailability was increased to almost the same level as with
      i.v. administration. At the same time, plasma concentrations were maintained at a
      high level for more than 7 h. The increase in bioavailability is presumed to be
      caused by an enhancement in absorption and prolongation of the time DA is
      retained in the nasal cavity due to Azone and HPC, respectively.

PMID- 1423773
TI  - Computer simulation of agglomeration in the Wurster process.
AB  - A simplified model for computer simulation of agglomeration in the Wurster
      coating process was constructed using droplet size distribution and the relation
      between the size of agglomerates and the number of primary particles composing
      them experimentally determined. Computer simulations were applied to the cases
      where a 2.5% aqueous solution of hydroxypropyl cellulose (containing sodium
      carboxymethyl cellulose of 10% on a dry basis) was sprayed on four kinds of
      sharply fractionized lactose powders between 32 and 75 microns. With cores larger
      than 53 microns, the agitation exerted on particles strongly suppressed the
      growth of agglomerates, but the fraction of produced agglomerates reached about
      50%. The smallest droplet size that was contributable to agglomeration (critical
      droplet size) was estimated to be 37.1-49.0 microns, increasing with core size,
      and the weight fraction of droplets larger than this critical size was only 0.5
      2.7%, decreasing with increase in core size. The production of even such a minor
      amount of coarse droplets could be responsible for significant agglomeration.

PMID- 1423774
TI  - A novel prodrug of salicylic acid, salicylic acid-glutamic acid conjugate
      utilizing hydrolysis in rabbit intestinal microorganisms.
AB  - The fate of salicylic acid-glutamic acid conjugate (salicyl-glutamic acid)
      following oral, intravenous, intracecal and rectal administration (60, 10, 5 and
      5 mg/kg, respectively: salicylic acid equivalent) was examined in rabbits.
      Salicylic acid was detected in the blood 2 h after oral administration of salicyl
      glutamic acid and it reached the maximum level (69.4 micrograms/ml) at 18 h after
      the dose. A high blood concentration of salicylic acid (24.8 micrograms/ml) was
      observed up to 36 h. But only a small amount of salicyl-glutamic acid was
      detected in the blood (less than 2.5 micrograms/ml, as salicylic acid). In
      contrast, unchanged salicyl-glutamic acid was found mainly in the blood following
      intravenous administration of salicyl-glutamic acid, suggesting that presystemic
      de-conjugation of salicyl-glutamic acid predominantly occurred. The intestinal
      mucosal de-conjugation of salicyl-glutamic acid was negligible in the in situ
      intestinal sac preparation with complete mesenteric venous blood collection.
      Immediate and very extensive salicylic acid formation in the cecum was found
      following intracecal administration of salicyl-glutamic acid. After oral
      pretreatment of rabbits with kanamycin sulfate (6 x 400 mg), a significant
      inhibition of salicylic acid formation following intracecal administration of
      salicyl-glutamic acid was observed, indicating that the intestinal microorganisms
      were responsible for the biotransformation of salicyl-glutamic acid. Also, in
      vitro incubation of salicyl-glutamic acid with gut contents showed that the
      primary location of hydrolysis was the hind gut.

PMID- 1423775
TI  - Esterase-like activity of human serum albumin. VIII. Reaction with amino acid p
      nitrophenyl esters.
AB  - The reactions of human serum albumin (HSA) with optically active amino acid p
      nitrophenyl esters (substrate, S) were examined kinetically at 25 degrees C. The
      rate data were analyzed in terms of a mechanism involving 1:1 complexing (S.HSA)
      between S and HSA. The dissociation constant (Ks in M) and the catalytic rate
      constant (k2 in s-1) of S.HSA were determined. Among ten substrates examined, the
      reactions with N-carbobenzoxy-D(L)-alanine p-nitrophenyl esters (N-CBZ-D(L)
      AlaNP) were most accelerated by HSA. Results of the reaction in the presence of
      excess N-CBZ-D(L)-AlaNP over HSA indicated the existence of one strong reactive
      site on HSA. The effects of the reversible binding of the site-specific drug and
      the chemical modification by site-specific reagents on the HSA activity showed
      that the reactive site towards N-CBZ-D(L)-AlaNP is the R site located near
      tyrosine-411 residue of HSA.

PMID- 1423776
TI  - In vitro percutaneous absorption of thiamine disulfide through rat skin from a
      mixture of propylene glycol and fatty acid or its analog.
AB  - Percutaneous absorption of thiamine disulfide, (TDS), a lipophilic derivative of
      thiamine, from a mixture of propylene glycol (PG) and fatty acid (FA) or its
      analog through rat skin was tested in vitro. Lauric acid (12:0) enhanced the
      absorption depending on its concentration in PG and showed a maximal enhancement
      at 10% w/w. At 10% w/v, lauryl alcohol also enhanced the absorption, but less
      than 12:0, which lauric acid methyl ester suppressed the absorption. The flux of
      TDS did not depend on the solubility of TDS in the vehicle, but on the
      permeability coefficient. From these results, it is suggested that FA increases
      the permeability coefficient not only because FA increases TDS diffusion by
      disrupting lipid packing in the stratum corneum but also, FA increases TDS
      partition to lipid phase by interacting with TDS.

PMID- 1423777
TI  - Effect of methotrexate treatment on the onset of autoimmune kidney disease in
      lupus mice.
AB  - In the present study, we examined the effects of methotrexate (MTX) on the
      development of autoimmune kidney disease in three kinds of autoimmune prone mice,
      NZB/NZW F1 (BWF1) mice, MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr (MRL/lpr) mice and NZW/BXSB F1 (WBF1)
      mice. The results showed that MTX delayed the appearance of proteinuria and
      prolonged survival of both BWF1 and MRL/lpr mice and inhibited the elevation of
      blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels which accompanies the development of lupus
      nephritis. However, MTX treatment did not affect these in WBF1 mice. Furthermore,
      MTX could not suppress immunoglobulin G (IgG) class anti-deoxyribonucleic acid
      (DNA) and anti-trinitrophenol (TNP) antibody production in any variety of mice.
      These suggest that the therapeutic effect of MTX on BWF1 and MRL/lpr mice does
      not result in the suppression of IgG autoantibody production.

PMID- 1423778
TI  - Sensitivity to antitumor drugs and vinblastine binding to membrane in rat ascites
      hepatoma AH66 cells.
AB  - Rat ascites hepatoma AH66 cells have lower sensitivity to Vinca alkaloids and
      anthracycline antibiotics than AH66F cells, a subline of AH66 cells. AH66 cells
      expressed P-glycoprotein, while the protein was not detectable in AH66F cells.
      There are two affinity sites for [3H]vinblastine binding in the AH66 cell
      membrane, while AH66F cells have only one affinity site. The high affinity
      [3H]vinblastine binding in AH66 cells was inhibited by Adriamycin, verapamil,
      nicardipine, and reserpine. The high affinity site of the binding may be the
      multidrug transporter, P-glycoprotein. [3H]Vinblastine binding was not influenced
      by adenosine 3'-5'-monophosphate (AMP), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), or
      guanosine triphosphate (GTP). The multidrug resistance in AH66 cells may depend
      on P-glycoprotein which is not modulated by nucleotide.

PMID- 1423779
TI  - Platelet aggregation inhibitors from Populus sieboldii Miquel.
AB  - The water extract of Populus sieboldii Miquel (Salicaceae) inhibited arachidonic
      acid-induced platelet aggregation. Pyrocatechol and salicyl alcohol were isolated
      as active constituents. Pyrocatechol showed an inhibitory effect on platelet
      aggregation induced by arachidonic acid with IC100 value of 4 microM, which was
      25 times more potent than aspirin.

PMID- 1423780
TI  - Determination of ornithine conjugates of some carboxylic acids in birds by high
      performance liquid chromatography.
AB  - A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the determination of
      ornithine conjugation of some carboxylic acids in vitro has been developed. The
      ornithine conjugates of benzoic acid, p-nitrobenzoic acid, furancarboxylic acid
      and phenylacetic acid in an incubation mixture with kidney mitochondria were well
      separated on a reversed-phase C18 column using a mixture of 10 mM ammonium
      acetate buffer and methanol as the mobile phase. In addition, by varying the pH
      of the mobile phase and utilizing the absorption wavelengths (nm) of the
      conjugates it was possible to resolve and specifically detect each conjugate. The
      calibration curves were linear in the range of 0.2-16 micrograms/ml for all
      compounds and the detection limits were about 50 ng/ml except for the ornithine
      conjugate of phenyl acetic acid (S/N = 2). The ornithine conjugation of some
      carboxylic acids with chicken kidney mitochondria were determined by this assay
      method. The activity of ornithine conjugation of benzoic acid, furancarboxylic
      acid, p-nitrobenzoic acid and phenylacetic acid were 14.5, 5.5, 0.5 and 6.9
      nmol/mg of protein, respectively. Moreover, the ornithine conjugation and the
      glycine conjugation of benzoic acid were examined in birds and rodents. The
      ornithine conjugation was observed only in chicken (14.5 nmol/mg of protein) and
      mallard (0.99 nmol/mg of protein).

PMID- 1423781
TI  - Enzyme immunoassay of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH).
AB  - A sensitive and specific double-antibody enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for a
      thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH)-like immunoreactive substance has been
      developed. In order to synthesize TRH-labeled beta-D-galactosidase (beta-gal), a
      newly devised TRH derivative, pGlu-His-Pro-NH-(CH2)6-NH2 (TRH-Hex), was employed.
      TRH-Hex was linked to beta-gal by the N-(epsilon-maleimidocaproyloxy) succinimide
      coupling procedure. For competitive reactions, the TRH antibody was incubated
      with standard TRH and TRH-Hex-beta-gal (delayed addition). Free and antibody
      bound enzyme hapten were separated by using an anti-rabbit immunoglobulin G
      coated immunoplate. Activity of the enzyme on the plate was fluorometrically
      determined. The present immunoassay allows detection of 0.8 to 100 pmol/well of
      TRH.

PMID- 1423782
TI  - Determination of 2',3'-dideoxyinosine and 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine in rat plasma by
      high-performance liquid chromatography with precolumn fluorescence
      derivatization.
AB  - A high-performance liquid chromatographic method with precolumn fluorescence
      derivatization using 2-(5-chlorocarbonyl-2-oxazolyl)-5,6-methylenedioxybenzofu
      ran is described for the quantification of 2',3'-dideoxyinosine, a therapeutic
      drug for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine, an anti
      human-immunodeficiency-viral agent, in rat plasma. The dideoxyribonucleosides and
      3'-deoxythymidine (internal standard) in rat plasma (0.1 ml) are cleaned up by a
      solid-phase extraction technique using an octadecyl silica (ODS) cartridge,
      Toyopak ODS M, and the dideoxyribonucleosides in the eluate are reacted with the
      reagent to produce the corresponding fluorescent esters. The esters are separated
      by chromatography on a reversed phase column, TSKgel ODS-80TM. The detection
      limits (signal-to-noise ratio = 3) for the dideoxyribonucleosides are 1.3-5.4
      pmol on column. Plasma concentrations of 2',3'-dideoxyinosine after intra-jugular
      venous administration to rat can be monitored by this method.

PMID- 1423783
TI  - Studies on thermophile products. IV. Structural elucidation of cytotoxic
      substance, BS-1, derived from Bacillus stearothermophilus.
AB  - A new cytotoxic substance designated as BS-1 was isolated from the autolysate and
      culture filtrate of Bacillus stearothermophilus UK563. On the basis of spectral
      data, the structure of BS-1 was determined as bis(2-hydroxyethyl) trisulfide and
      confirmed by direct comparison with the synthetic compound. BS-1 exhibited potent
      cytotoxicity against leukemia P388-D1, leukemia P388, mastocytoma P815, lymphoma
      EL4 and lymphoma MOLT4.

PMID- 1423784
TI  - Polysaccharides in fungi. XXIX. Structural features of two antitumor
      polysaccharides from the fruiting bodies of Armillariella tabescens.
AB  - An antitumor polysaccharide containing peptide moieties AT-HW ([alpha]D + 31
      degrees in water) and an antitumor polysaccharide AT-AL ([alpha]D + 209 degrees
      in 1 M sodium hydroxide) were isolated from hot-water extract and the alkaline
      extract of the fruiting bodies of Armillariella tabescens, respectively. Chemical
      structures of AT-HW and AT-AL were investigated by a combination of chemical and
      spectroscopic methods. The results indicate that the major constituent of AT-HW
      (molecular weight, 105000), a heteroglycan, is composed primarily of beta-(1---
      6)-linked D-glucopyranosyl and D-galactopyranosyl residues, and contains their
      branched residues and terminal sugar (gluco-, manno-, and fucopyranose) residues,
      in addition to beta-(1----3)-linked D-glucopyranosyl residues, while AT-AL
      (molecular weight, 93000) is chiefly composed of alpha-(1----3)-linked D
      glucopyranosyl residues.

PMID- 1423785
TI  - Physicochemical characteristics and antitumor activities of a highly branched
      fungal (1----3)-beta-D-glucan, OL-2, isolated from Omphalia lapidescens.
AB  - Physicochemical properties and antitumor activities of a fungal (1----3)-beta-D
      glucan, OL-2, isolated from Leiwan (Omphalia lapidescens) were examined. OL-2
      showed sharp signals on carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum in
      dimethylsulfoxide-d6 as a solvent, and these signals were significantly reduced
      by the addition of distilled water to the concentration of 20%. This phenomenon
      is consistent with the general property of the gel forming (1----3)-beta-D
      glucan. Binding of OL-2 to Congo red induced a significant change of lambda max
      to a longer wavelength, and the concentration to induce gel to sol transition was
      about 0.7 N; in contrast, the concentration was about 0.2 N in the cases of SPG
      and curdlan. These observations suggested that the gel structure would be
      significantly stabilized in the case of OL-2. OL-2 showed no or low antitumor
      activity against the solid form of Sarcoma 180 by intraperitoneal and
      intralesional administrations; however, it was effective on the ascites form of
      Sarcoma 180. Of interest, OL-2 also showed significant antitumor activity against
      the ascites form of MH-134 when administered with 5-fluorouracil. These results
      indicated that OL-2 showed characteristic features regarding its physicochemical
      properties and antitumor activity.

PMID- 1423786
TI  - Constituents of the seed of Malva verticillata. VIII. Smith degradation of MVS
      VI, the major acidic polysaccharide, and anti-complementary activity of products.
AB  - The controlled Smith degradation of MVS-VI, the major acidic polysaccharide
      having remarkable anti-complementary activity isolated from the seeds of Malva
      verticillata L., was performed. Methylation analysis of both the primary and the
      secondary Smith degradation products indicated that the core structural features
      of MVS-VI include a backbone chain composed of beta-1,3-linked D-galactose
      residues. The majority of galactose units in the backbone carry side chains
      composed of beta-1,3- and beta-1,6-linked D-galactosyl residues at position 6.
      The controlled Smith degradation products showed considerable anti-complementary
      activity.

PMID- 1423787
TI  - Influence of melatonin on reproductive behavior in male rats.
AB  - The influence of melatonin on reproductive behavior was examined by administering
      it to pinealectomized male rats for 30 consecutive days. After the 30-d
      administration of melatonin or vehicle, each male rat was introduced into a
      female rat's cage on the day of proestrus and allowed to mate overnight. All rats
      administered the vehicle and the pinealectomized rats copulated; five of the
      twelve melatonin (8.0 mg/kg)-treated rats did not copulate. These findings
      suggest that melatonin inhibits the reproductive behavior of male rats.

PMID- 1423788
TI  - Antitumor effect of pluronic F-127 gel containing mitomycin C on sarcoma-180
      ascites tumor in mice.
AB  - Pluronic F-127 (PLF-127) gels were evaluated as a sustained-release vehicle for
      intraperitoneal administration of mitomycin C (MMC) in order to enhance the
      therapeutic effects of MMC against a Sarcoma-180 ascites tumor in mice. Tumor
      cell injections were made on day 0 and injections of MMC in 25% (w/w) PLF-127 on
      day 1, both intraperitoneally. A prolongation of the life span of tumor-bearing
      mice following injection of therapeutic PLF-127 was noted, and PLF-127 containing
      MMC was therapeutically more active than free drug. The high chemotherapeutic
      efficiency of MMC in PLF-127 was striking at high doses, which would be toxic in
      the case of the drug alone. PLF-127 gels exhibit reverse thermal behavior and are
      fluid at refrigerator temperature, but are soft gels at body temperature. The in
      vitro release experiments indicated that Pluronic gel might serve as a rate
      controlling barrier and be useful as a vehicle for sustained-release preparations
      of MMC to be administered intraperitoneally. These results suggest that sustained
      release occurs in the peritoneum and that effective drug concentrations can be
      maintained by the preparation.

PMID- 1423789
TI  - New method of detecting nitric oxide production.
AB  - Nitric oxide (NO) reacts with H2O2 to produce a rise in potent luminol-dependent
      chemiluminescence under neutral pH conditions. We applied this reaction to the
      continuous detection of NO released from the rat isolated perfused kidney with
      simultaneous pressure changes. Acetylcholine increased NO release dose
      dependently with the pressure reduction. An NO synthesis inhibitor, NG-monomethyl
      L-arginine, abolished the release. This inhibition was reversed by the addition
      of L-arginine.

PMID- 1423791
TI  - 6-Gingesulfonic acid, a new anti-ulcer principle, and gingerglycolipids A, B, and
      C, three new monoacyldigalactosylglycerols, from zingiberis rhizoma originating
      in Taiwan.
AB  - By monitoring the effects on HCl/ethanol-induced gastric lesions in rats, a new
      antiulcer principle named 6-gingesulfonic acid was isolated from Zingiberis
      Rhizoma, the dried rhizome of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (cultivated and
      processed in Taiwan) together with three new monoacyldigalactosylglycerols named
      gingerglycolipids A, B and C. Their chemical structures were elucidated on the
      basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence. 6-Gingesulfonic acid showed more
      potent anti-ulcer activity than 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol.

PMID- 1423790
TI  - 3-anilino-L-alanine, structural determination of UV-5, a contaminant in EMS
      associated L-tryptophan samples.
AB  - An aniline derivative which corresponds to UV-5 in the preceding paper was
      isolated from the case L-tryptophan sample associated with eosinophilia-myalgia
      syndrome (EMS). By spectroscopic analyses, the structure was identified as 3
      anilinoalanine. The compound was optically active, and the stereochemistry of
      alanine moiety was determined as L, by comparing the specific rotation with a
      synthesized 3-anilino-L-alanine.

PMID- 1423792
TI  - Rapid increase of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate content in isolated rat adipose
      tissue by vanadate.

PMID- 1423793
TI  - Relation between monocytes in peripheral blood and development of atherosclerosis
      in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.
AB  - The relation among circulating monocytes, serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol
      in manifestation of atherosclerosis was investigated in hypercholesterolemic
      rabbits. Serum cholesterol increased sharply and reached a plateau at 12 weeks
      after the start of cholesterol diet feeding; LDL cholesterol gradually increased
      until 24 weeks, and the number of monocytes in blood started to decrease abruptly
      around 12 weeks and resulted in less than 1% total white blood cells at 24 weeks,
      as reflected by a severe progression of atheroma formation. This result indicated
      that the decrement of monocyte number in blood was predictive of the presence of
      severe atherosclerotic plaques.

PMID- 1423794
TI  - Galloyl-oxypaeoniflorin, suffruticosides A, B, C, and D, five new antioxidative
      glycosides, and suffruticoside E, A paeonol glycoside, from Chinese moutan
      cortex.
AB  - Five new antioxidative glycosides named galloyl-oxypaeoniflorin, suffruticosides
      A, B, C, and D, and a new paeonol glycoside named suffruticoside E have been
      isolated from Chinese Moutan Cortex, the root cortex of Paeonia suffruticosa
      ANDREWS, together with antioxidative galloyl-paeoniflorin. Their structures were
      elucidated on the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidences. Galloyl
      oxypaeoniflorin, galloyl-paeoniflorin, suffruticosides A, B, C, and D showed more
      potent radical scavenging and antioxidative effects than alpha-tocopherol.

PMID- 1423796
TI  - [Clinical study of the biliary tract pressure in post-operative cholelithiasis].

PMID- 1423795
TI  - Kynostatin (KNI)-227 and -272, highly potent anti-HIV agents: conformationally
      constrained tripeptide inhibitors of HIV protease containing
      allophenylnorstatine.
AB  - Selective and potent HIV protease inhibitors containing allophenylnorstatine
      [Apns; (2S, 3S)-3-amino-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid] as a transition-state
      mimic were designed and synthesized. Among them, conformationally constrained
      tripeptide derivatives, kynostatin (KNI)-227 and -272 (Fig. 1), exhibited highly
      potent antiviral activities against a wide spectrum of HIV isolates. Ready
      availability due to the simple synthetic procedure and the excellent antiviral
      properties indicate that KNI-227 and KNI-272 are promising candidates as
      selective anti-AIDS drugs.

PMID- 1423798
TI  - [Nursing care of plasma exchange/lymphoplasmapheresis in patients with systemic
      lupus erythematosis].

PMID- 1423797
TI  - [Enhancement of administrative management to raise the hospital nursing quality].

PMID- 1423799
TI  - [Development of hospices and hospice care].

PMID- 1423800
TI  - The role of the ganglioside lipid moiety in the process of ganglioside-cell
      interactions.
AB  - The role of the ceramide moiety of gangliosides, together with the deriving
      aggregative properties of ganglioside in solution, in the process of ganglioside
      cell interactions was studied. The natural GM1(stearoyl) and the synthetic
      GM1(acetyl), containing the stearoyl and acetyl groups as the acyl moiety,
      respectively, were used in binding experiments to rat cerebellar granule cells.
      Regardless of the cell culture conditions, such as the presence of absence of
      fetal calf serum, the association of GM1(acetyl) to the cells was much greater
      than that of GM1(stearoyl). GM1(acetyl) was present in the incubation medium as
      monomers. After incubation, a large part of the total GM1(acetyl) associated to
      cells, 76-93% depending on the experimental conditions, was removed by washing
      with protein solutions. The remaining associated ganglioside was not removed by
      repeating washing with protein solutions or trypsin treatments and was considered
      as a component of the membrane. The cell association of GM1(stearoyl), present in
      solution as monomers as well as micelles, could be classified as serum-labile,
      trypsin-labile and trypsin-stable. The trypsin-stable form of association,
      corresponding to the molecules stably inserted into the membrane, was
      proportionally higher, the proportions varying with increasing incubation time
      and decreasing ganglioside concentration. This form of association was
      particularly high when incubation was performed in the presence of fetal calf
      serum. Incubation experiments performed with a mixture of GM1(stearoyl) and
      GM1(acetyl) in a molar ratio which allowed their presence in the medium as
      monomers as well as mixed micelles, led to a ganglioside association suggesting
      that besides the aggregative properties of the molecule other ganglioside
      properties are involved in the ganglioside-cell interaction process.

PMID- 1423802
TI  - Conformations of dibucaine and tetracaine in small unilamellar
      phosphatidylcholine vesicles as studied by nuclear Overhauser effects in 1H
      nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
AB  - Conformations of dibucaine and tetracaine in small unilamellar
      phosphatidylcholine vesicles have been investigated by nuclear Overhauser effects
      (NOEs) in 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Two-dimensional NOE and
      chemical exchange correlated spectroscopy (NOESY) and rotating frame NOE
      spectroscopy (ROESY) methods have been applied for obtaining the NOEs. In the
      NOESY spectra, NOEs between protons within the drug were overwhelmed by spin
      diffusion even at a short mixing time. This observation reduced the usefulness of
      the NOESY method on the one hand, however, on the other hand it facilitated
      remarkably in revealing signals due to the drug, hidden in the broad resonances
      of the membranes. In the ROESY spectra, the spin diffusion phenomena were less
      effective; accordingly the conformations of the drugs interacting with membranes
      were determined by the ROESY method. The observed NOE data showed that dibucaine
      takes more than two conformations and that both dibucaine and tetracaine are
      present as a dimer in the membranes. Molecular dynamics calculations supported
      these findings.

PMID- 1423801
TI  - Activation energy and entropy for intramolecular excimer formation in a
      dipyrenylphosphatidylcholine probe in lamellar and hexagonal lipid phases.
AB  - Intramolecular excimer formation in pyrene-labeled phosphatidylcholine was used
      as a tool to determine thermodynamic characteristics of the lamellar to hexagonal
      phase transitions in a binary lipid system dilinoleoylphosphatidylethanolamine
      (DLPE)/palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC). Upon an L alpha/HII phase
      transition, the activation energy Ea for excimer formation increased from 5.6 +/-
      0.2 kcal/mol to 6.3 +/- 0.2 kcal/mol, while the activation entropy delta S
      decreased from -40.0 +/- 0.8 cal/K.mol to -38.4 +/- 0.8 cal/K.mol. The results
      are consistent with the idea of molecular splaying of the acyl chains in the
      hexagonal phase. It is estimated that the molecular area at the terminal carbon
      of the lipid acyl chains increases by a factor of 2.2 upon the L alpha HII
      transition in DLPE/POPC.

PMID- 1423803
TI  - Inhibitors of sterol synthesis. Chemical synthesis of 7 alpha-ethyl and 16 alpha
      ethyl derivatives of delta 8(14)-15-oxygenated sterols and their effects on 3
      hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase in CHO-K1 cells.
AB  - The enolate of 3 beta-hydroxy-5 alpha-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one (II), formed upon
      treatment of II with potassium tert-butoxide in tert-butanol, was alkylated with
      ethyl iodide. In addition to the major products, 3 beta-hydroxy-14 alpha-ethyl-5
      alpha-cholest-7-en-15-one and its 3 beta-ethyl ether, small amounts of 3 beta
      hydroxy-7 alpha-ethyl-5 alpha-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one (V), 3 beta-hydroxy-16
      alpha-ethyl-5 alpha-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one (VI) and the 3 beta-ethyl ether of VI
      were isolated. When the enolate of II was formed by treatment with lithium
      diisopropylamide in tetrahydrofuran, the same alkylation furnished VI as the
      major product. Reduction of VI with lithium aluminum hydride gave 16 alpha-ethyl
      5 alpha-cholest-8(14)-ene-3 beta, 15 alpha-diol (IX) and its 15 beta epimer X,
      which were separated by column chromatography. Full 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic
      resonance (NMR) assignments, augmented by nuclear Overhauser effect difference
      spectra for VI, established the stereochemistry of these diols at C-15 and C-16.
      The NMR results indicate that the 16 alpha-ethyl group affects the side-chain
      conformation. The effects of II, V, VI, IX and X on the levels of 3-hydroxy-3
      methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase activity were studied in CHO-K1
      cells. With the exception of IX, each of the compounds reduced the levels of HMG
      CoA reductase activity. The order of potency with respect to suppression of the
      elevated levels of HMG-CoA reductase activity induced by transfer of the cells to
      lipid-deficient medium, was II greater than V greater than VI greater than X.

PMID- 1423804
TI  - Methylation effects on the microdomain structures of phosphatidylethanolamine
      monolayers.
AB  - Increasing methylation of the headgroup in DPPE results in an increase of minimum
      area per molecule in highly compressed monolayers at the air-water interface. The
      shape of solid domains, as observed by epifluorescence microscopy, also exhibits
      marked changes upon increasing headgroup methylation. Branching domains are
      observed in DPPE and DP(Me)PE, whereas U-shaped or round domains are observed in
      DP(Me)2PE and DPPC under our experimental conditions. The domain shape is
      determined more by the headgroup methylatin than by the corresponding shift in
      critical temperatures, as shown by the study of PCs of different acyl chain
      moieties. In mixed lipid monolayers, PC (phosphatidylcholine) and PE
      (phosphatidylethanolamine) do not mix ideally, as indicated by the non-linear
      variation of the average area per molecule with composition, and by distinct
      domain shapes in LE/LC (liquid expanded/liquid condensed) coexisting phases
      representing PE-enriched or PC-enriched domains in those mixed monolayers.

PMID- 1423805
TI  - The influence of the molar ratio of cholesteryl
      hemisuccinate/dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine on 'liposome' formation after lipid
      film hydration.
AB  - The morphology of the structures formed after hydration of lipid films of
      cholesteryl hemisuccinate/dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (CHEMS/DPPC) was
      investigated in low ionic strength solutions. The importance of addition of a
      charge inducing agent/geometrical structure such as CHEMS for the formation of
      stable vesicle dispersions upon hydration was demonstrated. The encapsulated
      volume measured for CHEMS/DPPC ratios below 1:50 was low. For a ratio of
      CHEMS/DPPC of 1:30 EM micrographs showed mainly small unilamellar vesicles, with
      particle sizes between 0.07 and 0.3 microns, together with a small number of much
      larger vesicles. For ratios of CHEMS/DPPC above 0.1 only unilamellar vesicles and
      no bilayer stacks were found. The results confirm the hypothesis by Hauser
      (Biochim. Biophys. Acta 772 (1984) 37-50), that the structures formed upon
      hydration of charged phospholipid films are unilamellar vesicles, while for
      neutral phospholipid films upon hydration bilayer stacks and multilamellar
      vesicles are formed. The effect of CHEMS on the liposome bilayer structure can be
      mainly ascribed to its charge inducing properties and presumably to a minor
      extent to its molecular geometry, or to a combination of both.

PMID- 1423806
TI  - The effect of aging on the physical stability of liposome dispersions.
AB  - In this study, the effect of aging, in terms of hydrolytic decomposition of the
      bilayer forming (phospho)lipids, on the physical stability of aqueous liposome
      dispersion was investigated in partially hydrogenated egg phosphatidylcholine
      (PHEPC) and egg phosphatidylglycerol (EPG) containing liposomes with or without
      cholesterol. The physical stability of the liposome dispersions was assessed by
      measuring the leak-in rate of a non-bilayer interacting hydrophilic marker
      molecule, calcein and changes in the particle size and its distribution in time.
      Additionally, permeability of either partially hydrolysed phospholipids or
      exogenous lyso-phosphatidylcholine(LPC) containing bilayers was calculated. The
      experiments were performed at 40 degrees C. Liposome dispersions were aged
      artificially by storing at 60 degrees C. The size of the liposomes and
      polydispersity index of the dispersions, in general, did not change
      significantly. The leak-in rate of calcein in externally added LPC containing
      liposomes was increased relative to the incorporated LPC concentration. The
      higher the LPC content of the bilayers, the higher the leak-in rate of calcein
      into liposomes. The leak-in rate of calcein, however, decreased first in
      partially hydrolysed phospholipids containing liposomes up to around 10% of
      hydrolysis and, afterwards, it started to increase. The leak-in rate was always
      lower in partially hydrolysed phospholipids containing liposomes than externally
      added LPC containing ones. Furthermore, the permeability of cholesterol
      containing bilayers was also always lower than the bilayers without cholesterol.
      In conclusion, addition of LPC into liposomal bilayers increases the permeability
      of bilayer. However, bilayers containing the hydrolysis products of
      phospholipids, both lyso-phospholipids and free fatty acids, did not show any
      enhanced permeability up to around 15% hydrolysis. Bilayer permeability is
      enhanced above 15% hydrolysis.

PMID- 1423807
TI  - Interaction of antioxidants with depth-dependent fluorescence quenchers and
      energy transfer probes in lipid bilayers.
AB  - Three fluorescent, lipophilic, heterocyclic antioxidants were incorporated into
      lipid bilayers and exposed to depth-dependent nitroxyl fatty acid quenchers. The
      Stern-Volmer plots curved upward at low quencher concentrations. Quantitative
      analysis of the results showed that this behavior is consistent with complex
      formation between quencher and fluorescent antioxidant, where the complex is 2-3
      times more fluorescent than the parent fluorophore. At higher quencher
      concentrations, both free antioxidant and 'bright complex' are quenched
      dynamically, albeit quenching of the latter is less efficient. The complex
      probably results from ionic, hydrogen bond and pi-pi interactions. Formation of
      such a 'bright complex' is also observable in a homogeneous solution of the
      reactants in cyclohexane. Additional evidence for the complexation of these
      antioxidants with fatty acids in lipid bilayers is provided by the fact that
      energy transfer from the antioxidants to anthroyloxy fatty acids occurs at
      surface concentrations where radiative energy transfer between free molecules
      should be not be efficient. For directly probing the relative depths of these
      fluorophores in lipid bilayers we used the aqueous quenchers acrylamide and
      iodide. They showed that in terms of increasing depth in the bilayer, the order
      was U-78, 517f < U-78,518e < U-75,412e. Our results, in toto, demonstrate that
      the Lazaroid antioxidants are incorporated into the lipid bilayer where they
      occupy strictly defined positions and orientations. Complexation with fatty acyl
      chains should be mechanistically relevant, since it may enhance antioxidant
      activity by hindering free radical chain propagation.

PMID- 1423809
TI  - Growth rate of myelin figures for phosphatidylcholine and
      phosphatidylethanolamine.
AB  - The growth length of myelin figures (or myelin tubes) was measured for several
      kinds of phospholipids using optical microscopy. The measurements were done for
      myelin figures with various thickness of tube wall. In spite of remarkable
      differences in morphology between the myelin figures of phosphatidylcholine and
      those of phosphatidylethanolamine, the growth rates for both were adapted to the
      expression proposed previously. The initial rate and the damping factor of the
      growth were inversely proportional to the wall thickness of myelin tubes.

PMID- 1423808
TI  - Interactions of aminoglycoside antibiotics with phospholipids. A deuterium
      nuclear magnetic resonance study.
AB  - The effect of several aminoglycoside (AG) antibiotics on aqueous multilamellar
      dispersions of mixtures of phosphatidylinositol (PI) and deuterated
      phosphatidylcholine (PC) has been studied by deuterium (2H) NMR. Isepamicin and
      amikacin gave rise to no significant changes in 2H-NMR lineshape relative to that
      of the lipid mixture without antibiotic. Both kanamycin A and B, which have a
      greater affinity for PI than the other two antibiotics examined in this study,
      induced temperature-dependent changes in 2H-NMR lineshapes and associated
      spectral moments. The results are consistent with an antibiotic-induced lateral
      phase separation giving rise to PC-enriched domains free of drug and PI-AG
      domains. These effects are correlated with the inhibitory potency of
      aminoglycosides towards PC degradation.

PMID- 1423810
TI  - A histological study of changes in the lingual papillae of streptozotocin-induced
      diabetic rats.
AB  - This study examined the effect of experimental diabetes mellitus on the dorsal
      tongue of rats which were made diabetic by tail-vein injections of streptozotocin
      (50 mg/kg) and then raised for either 5 or 10 months. Lingual papillae were
      observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy.
      Morphological changes in lingual mucosal capillaries in 10-month diabetic rats
      were observed by electron microscopy (TEM). In the study of cellular movement in
      the lingual dorsal epithelium, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was applied as a tracer
      for studying DNA replication. In diabetic rats, lingual papillae showed
      morphological atrophic changes. The lingual mucosal capillaries' alterations
      included endothelial cells with numerous cell projections into the lumen,
      degenerated cell organs, increased basement membrane width, and narrowed
      capillary lumen. BrdU labeling index among the basal cells was reduced in
      diabetic rats which indicates a possible retardation of their epithelial-tissue
      activity. In diabetes mellitus, direct metabolic disturbances to the epithelia
      because of insulin deficiency first occurred, successively diabetic
      microangiopathy appeared on the lingual mucosal capillaries. The appearance of
      diabetic microangiopathy caused tissue hypoxia, which induced atrophic changes to
      the epithelia.

PMID- 1423811
TI  - Bradykinin-induced responses in hamster submandibular ganglion cells.

PMID- 1423812
TI  - Hyperpolarization in hamster submandibular ganglion cell mediated by dopamine D2
      receptors.

PMID- 1423813
TI  - Osteogenic activity of cells from dental pulp, periodontal ligament, bone marrow
      and muscle in vitro: an ultrastructural study and alkaline-phosphatase activity.
AB  - Dental pulp, periodontal ligament, bone marrow and muscle tissue from the same
      rat were cultured in vitro in order to investigate their osteogenic activity by
      transmission electron microscope. Immunohistochemical methods with various
      antibodies were utilized and alkaline-phosphatase (ALPase) activities of these
      cells were also measured biochemically. Dental pulp cells were stellate in shape,
      showed an intense ALPase reaction, and had lipid-like droplets. Periodontal
      ligament cells were composed of spindle fibroblasts and epithelial cells. The
      former revealed a positive reaction for ALPase and possessed microfilaments. Bone
      marrow cells were spindle shaped, resembling fibroblasts, but some of them were
      similar to osteoblasts. Muscle cells were long, slender in shape, and showed no
      positive reaction for ALPase. The cells from pulp tissue showed the highest
      activity of ALPase, followed by periodontal ligament and bone marrow; there was
      no activity in muscle tissue. All the cells except the epithelial-like cells of
      the periodontal ligament and muscle cells were positive in reaction with ALPase
      which is a marker for osteogenic cells, and vimentin which is a marker of
      fibroblastic characteristics. Osteogenic activity and cellular differentiation of
      these cells were discussed.

PMID- 1423814
TI  - Hemostasis and malignancy: an overview.

PMID- 1423815
TI  - Biomechanical interactions of cancer cells with the microvasculature during
      hematogenous metastasis.
AB  - Different aspects of hematogenous metastasis are discussed from the viewpoint of
      biomechanics. The processes considered include the role of primary tumor
      pressure, cell locomotor forces and degradation, in invasion of tissues and
      intravasation by cancer cells. Consideration of the fluid dynamics of cancer cell
      movement along capillaries lead to the view that in vivo, arrest is primarily due
      to mechanical trapping of cancer cells, and that the pathobiologic role of so
      called adhesion molecules is not mainly in the arrest and adhesion of cancer
      cells, but rather in stimulating their proliferation by signal induction. As a
      consequence of deformation from spherical-to-cylindrical shape in the
      microvasculature, demands for increased surface membrane area leads to increases
      in surface membrane tension above critical levels for rupture, and the cancer
      cells are rapidly and lethally damaged. The possibility is briefly discussed of
      increasing the susceptibility of circulating cancer cells to mechanical trauma,
      as a form of anti-metastatic therapy.

PMID- 1423816
TI  - Hemostatic alterations in cancer patients.
AB  - Nearly all patients with cancer manifest laboratory evidence of
      hypercoagulability and some develop clinical thromboembolic disease (TED).
      Routine laboratory studies of blood coagulation have been performed in several
      large, prospective trials of the use of anticoagulant drugs in cancer treatment.
      The results of these studies, as well as data from several smaller studies of
      more sensitive tests of hypercoagulability [e.g. fibrinopeptide A (FPA); thrombin
      antithrombin (TAT) complexes; prothrombin fragment F1 + 2)], indicate that the
      levels of some clotting proteins parallel disease activity. However, no studies
      of sound methodologic design have yet been performed to indicate that any of
      these tests of blood coagulation can serve as adequate predictors of TED in
      patients with cancer. In addition to the important role played by tumor-related
      procoagulants, several other mechanisms may be involved in the pathogenesis of
      thromboembolic events in patients with cancer, including stasis and endothelial
      damage. Considerable variability in the relative importance of these mechanisms
      in the pathogenesis of TED may exist among patients with different types of
      cancer. The risk for TED associated with surgical procedures in cancer patients
      is substantial and prophylactic antithrombotic therapy should be considered for
      most of these patients. Chemotherapy and hormonal therapy of cancer probably
      increases the likelihood of TED, particularly in those subjects with indwelling
      venous catheters. This risk has been particularly well-studied in patients with
      breast cancer treated with tamoxifen plus cytotoxic drugs. The pathogenic
      mechanisms may be complex but vascular injury is likely as a proximate cause of
      venous access catheter thrombosis and can be prevented with low dose coumadin
      therapy. The utility of low dose coumadin anticoagulation in reducing the risk
      for TED during breast cancer treatment is unknown but is currently being tested
      in a large, multiinstitutional study. Since chronic coumadin anticoagulation of
      cancer patients, and single pulse dose heparin prior to intravenous chemotherapy,
      both prevent thrombin generation, these agents may be of use in reducing the risk
      of chemotherapy-associated thrombosis. Prophylactic anticoagulation should be
      considered for high risk patients.

PMID- 1423817
TI  - Tissue factor as a tumor procoagulant.
AB  - Tissue factor is a cell surface glycoprotein responsible for initiating the
      extrinsic pathway of coagulation. Many tumor cell homogenates and intact tumor
      cells have been shown to contain tissue factor activity. Immunohistochemical
      studies show that many tumors associated with Trousseau's syndrome express tissue
      factor on their cell surfaces. Tumor cells shed membrane fragments which carry
      tissue factor that can account for the activation of the clotting system. Tumor
      cells also produce soluble substances that can induce tissue factor expression on
      host cells, such as endothelium and monocytes, at sites distant from the tumor.
      Although, all the functional TF molecules are localized on the outer cell
      membrane in many tumor cells, the procoagulant activity on the intact cell
      surface is largely dormant and can be greatly enhanced upon cell injury or
      damage. Tissue factor procoagulant activity on the cell surface can be modulated
      by alterations in the plasma membrane without loss of cell viability. Tissue
      factor activity on cell surfaces is largely regulated by a plasma inhibitor,
      tissue factor pathway inhibitor. This inhibitor binds to both functional and non
      functional tissue factor/VIIa complexes on the cell surface and prevents non
      functional tissue factor/VIIa complexes from becoming functional after cell
      injury or lysis. Heparin, but not warfarin, therapy is effective in preventing
      the occurrence of devastating thrombotic events in patients with Trousseau's
      syndrome and the reason(s) for this are still unknown.

PMID- 1423818
TI  - Non-tissue factor procoagulants in cancer cells.

PMID- 1423819
TI  - The role of fibrin in tumor metastasis.
AB  - A volume of data that has accumulated for over a century has suggested that
      fibrin may facilitate the persistence and progression of malignancy. Techniques
      that have been developed recently have shown that fibrin is indeed a component of
      the connective tissue stroma in human malignancy but in only a few tumor types.
      However, therapeutic intervention studies with drugs that limit thrombin activity
      or enhance fibrinolysis have shown favorable clinical effects in at least one
      such tumor type. These favorable findings affirm the concept that cause-and
      effect relationships do, in fact, exist between thrombin generation with fibrin
      formation and tumor progression, and suggest that a rational basis exists for the
      design of future drug intervention trials that target reactions relevant to
      specific tumor types. These findings also provide a basis for the design of
      experiments capable of defining further the role of fibrin in the integrity of
      these tumor types. Because fibrinogen is found much more commonly than fibrin in
      the connective tissue of a variety of human malignancies, attention might
      reassumably be directed to determining the possible contribution of this molecule
      as well as of fibrin to tumor progression.

PMID- 1423820
TI  - The plasminogen-plasmin system in malignancy.
AB  - The study of the plasminogen-plasmin system has, in the past, contributed much to
      the understanding of fibrinolysis and thrombolysis. Attention is now focused on
      the role of the components of this system in many biologic functions. Findings of
      uPA, its receptor and its inhibitor in many tumor tissues and tumor cell lines,
      strongly implicate their involvement in tumor invasion, tumor cell proliferation
      and metastasis. The characteristics of the plasminogen activators, the uPA
      receptor and the plasminogen activator inhibitors as well as their expression and
      regulation in tumors and tumor cell lines are reviewed.

PMID- 1423821
TI  - Platelets and cancer metastasis: a causal relationship?
AB  - Cancer metastasis is a highly coordinated and dynamic multistep process in which
      cancer cells undergo extensive interactions with various host cells before they
      establish a secondary metastatic colony. Ample morphological studies have
      documented the close association of circulating tumor cells with host platelets.
      Several lines of evidence provide strong support for the concept that tumor cell
      platelet interactions (i.e., TCIPA) significantly contribute to hematogenous
      metastasis. Clinically, cancer patients with advanced diseases are characterized
      by a variety of thromboembolic disorders including thrombocytosis.
      Pharmacologically, various anti-platelet agents/anticoagulants have demonstrated
      potent inhibitory effects on tumor cell-platelet interactions as well as
      spontaneous or experimental metastasis. Experimentally, interference with many of
      the intermediate steps of tumor cell-platelet interactions has resulted in
      diminished platelet aggregation induced by tumor cells and blocked cancer
      metastasis. Platelet interaction with tumor cells is a sequential process which
      involves two general types of mediators, i.e., membrane-bound molecules (adhesion
      molecules) and soluble release products. alpha IIb beta 3 integrin receptors
      present on both platelets as well as on tumor cells and 12(S)-HETE, a 12
      lipoxygenase metabolite of arachidonic acid, are prototypical examples of each
      category. Mechanistically, platelets may contribute to metastasis by: (1)
      stabilizing tumor cell arrest in the vasculature, (2) stimulating tumor cell
      proliferation, (3) promoting tumor cells extravasation by potentiating tumor cell
      induced endothelial cell retraction, and (4) enhancing tumor cell interaction
      with the extracellular matrix.

PMID- 1423822
TI  - Adhesion molecules and tumor cell interaction with endothelium and subendothelial
      matrix.
AB  - Cancer metastasis poses the greatest challenge to the eradication of malignancy.
      The majority of clinical and experimental evidence indicates that metastasis is a
      non-random, organ-specific process. Tumor cell interaction with endothelium and
      subendothelial matrix constitutes the most crucial factor in determining the
      organ preference of metastasis. A plethora of cell surface adhesion molecules,
      which encompass four major families (i.e., integrins, cadherins, immunoglobulins
      and selectins) and many other unclassified molecules, mediate tumor-host
      interactions. Adhesion molecules and adhesion processes are involved in most, if
      not all, of the intermediate steps of the metastatic cascade. Decreased E
      cadherin expression and increased CD44 expression are clearly correlated with the
      acquisition of the invasive capacity of primary tumor cells. Similarly, altered
      expression pattern of many other adhesion molecules such as upregulated
      expression of the laminin receptors and depressed expression of fibronectin
      receptors (alpha 5 beta 1) appears to be involved in tumor cell invasion into the
      subendothelial matrix. Tumor cell-endothelium interactions involve several well
      defined sequential steps that can be analyzed by the 'Docking and Locking'
      hypothesis at the molecular level. Tumor cell-matrix interactions are determined
      by the repertoire of adhesion receptors of tumor cells and the unique composition
      of organ-specific matrices. Our experimental data, together with others', suggest
      that the integrin alpha IIb beta 3 is one of the major players in these tumor
      host interactions. Tumor-host interaction is a dynamic process which is
      constantly modulated by a host of factors including various cytokines, growth
      factors and arachidonate metabolites such as 12(S)-HETE. Delineation of the
      molecular mechanisms of tumor-host interactions may provide additional means to
      intervene in the metastatic process.

PMID- 1423823
TI  - Cancer cell interactions with injured or activated endothelium.
AB  - Blood vessels and lymphatics are the most important pathways for dissemination of
      cancer cells but the entry and exit of these cells into and from the vasculature
      requires that they pass through barriers formed by the endothelium and its
      basement membrane. This review summarizes evidence that this step in metastasis
      can be regulated by microenvironmental influences which alter the properties of
      this barrier. These phenomena can be attributed to both 'passive' and 'active'
      responses of the endothelium. The microvasculature is susceptible to perturbation
      from environmental agents, host cells and cancer cells. There is clinical and
      experimental evidence that this can upregulate the metastatic process. Using
      established animal models of pulmonary microvascular injury it has been shown
      that endothelial damage promotes the localization and metastasis of circulating
      cancer cells to the lung and that this effect is lost after endothelial repair.
      Oxidative stress is an effector of vascular damage in several of the experimental
      models. While endothelial cells appear to be directly susceptible to free radical
      attack, basement membranes are not. However, oxidative injury of endothelial
      cells causes release of proteases which can then degrade the basement membrane.
      This event is associated with generation of tumor cell chemoattractants and
      enhances cancer cell invasion of vascular basement membranes in vitro. Vascular
      endothelial cells are also susceptible to stimulation by systemic mediators
      including cytokines, thrombin, or endotoxin which induce a series of active
      responses in the vessel wall. These perturbed endothelial cells synthesize and
      express cell surface adhesion molecules which can interact with cancer cells.
      They also release chemoattractants which stimulate cancer cell motility. We
      postulate that such responses endow the vessel wall with the potential to act as
      a determinant of metastatic rate.

PMID- 1423824
TI  - Fatty acid modulation of tumor cell-platelet-vessel wall interaction.
AB  - Prostaglandins and other eicosanoids have been studied extensively in their
      physical, biochemical, biophysical and pharmacological aspects. However, studies
      on their role in tumor progression, especially metastases are relatively recent.
      Following a brief overview of the history of discovery and metabolism of
      eicosanoids and other fatty acids, we discuss the functions of these fatty acids
      (with emphasis on prostacyclin, thromboxane A2, 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid
      and 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid) in cell transformation, tumor promotion and
      particularly in tumor cell metastasis. The relation between these monohydroxy
      fatty acids and tumor cell metastasis is discussed from three different
      perspectives, i.e., their effects on tumor cells, on platelets and on endothelial
      cells. The mechanism of these effects are then addressed at cell adhesion
      molecule, motility, protease, cell cytoskeleton, protein kinase and eicosanoid
      receptor levels. Finally, regulation of three key enzymes which generate
      eicosanoids (phospholipase, prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase and lipoxygenase)
      is explored.

PMID- 1423826
TI  - Clinical trials with anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapies.
AB  - Clinical trials of drugs that influence coagulation and fibrinolysis pathways
      have been undertaken in patients with malignancy because these pathways are
      capable of influencing malignant progression. The validity of this concept was
      originally confirmed in experimental animal models of malignancy. Earlier pilot
      studies in human disease have been succeeded by definitive prospective randomized
      clinical trials that have revealed heterogeneity of responsiveness to
      anticoagulant and fibrinolytic agents that may be attributable to differences in
      mechanisms of interaction of the tumor cells of various types of malignancy with
      these pathways in vivo. In certain tumor types studied thus far, increased tumor
      response rates and prolongation of survival have been observed that suggest the
      possibility that substantial benefit may be realized from this treatment approach
      in patients with malignancy. In addition, the availability of newer and
      potentially more effective therapeutic agents holds promise for even greater
      gains in previously tested tumor types. The ability to design treatment regimens
      that correspond to defined mechanisms that pertain to specific tumor types should
      permit future studies to be designed rationally. Current data suggest that
      anticoagulant and fibrinolytic agents might reasonably be tested in tumor types
      characterized by the existence of a tumor cell-associated coagulation pathway
      with thrombin generation and conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin (such as small
      cell carcinoma of the lung). By contrast, protease inhibitors might reasonably be
      tested in tumor types characterized by expression of tumor cell plasminogen
      activators. Expansion of current views on the possible role of antithrombic drugs
      in cancer therapy is justified. For example, antithrombotic drugs classified as
      non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents may inhibit carcinogenesis while
      polyanionic drugs with anticoagulant properties, such as suramin and heparin, may
      inhibit growth factor interactions with cells. Intriguing new opportunities
      clearly exist for interactions between clinical and basic investigators that may
      provide both novel biologic insights and improved patient care.

PMID- 1423825
TI  - Clinical significance of prostacyclin and thromboxane in cancer of the female
      breast and genital tract.
AB  - Studies investigating the role of thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin in cancer of
      the female breast and genital tract are reviewed. Whereas thromboxane A2 was
      found to promote the tumour growth and metastasis, prostacyclin exerted a
      protective effect in maintaining vascular and platelet homeostasis. Thus,
      monitoring of prostacyclin and thromboxane levels in plasma and urine of cancer
      patients may be essential for the evaluation of tumour growth and metastasis. Of
      all modulators of thromboxane and prostacyclin biosynthesis, nafazatrom was found
      to exhibit promising results for the treatment of advanced breast cancer,
      although its use in the routine therapy is questionable at this stage.

PMID- 1423827
TI  - Plasmacytomagenesis in mice: model of neoplastic development dependent upon
      chromosomal translocations.
AB  - Three model systems of plasmacytomagenesis that are associated with mutations
      that affect c-myc transcription were discussed. Plasmacytoma induction by chronic
      peritoneal irritation induced by non-metabolized paraffin oils or plastic objects
      is strongly influenced by the immune status of the host. BALB/cAn mice must be
      exposed to natural environmental antigens to develop a high incidence of
      plasmacytomas. This may be related to T-cell priming. BALB/cAn mice raised under
      strict SPF conditions are refractory to plasmacytoma induction by pristane. The
      genotype of the mouse plays an important role in the chronic peritoneal
      irritation model of plasmacytomagenesis in mice. Only a few of the standard
      inbred strains are susceptible, notably BALB/cAn and NZB/B1. The genetic basis of
      susceptibility and resistance has been studied in crosses and congenic strains
      involving the susceptible BALB/cAn and resistant DBA/2 strains. While several
      genes play a role in determining resistance at least one resistance gene located
      on the distal end of Chr 4 reduces the incidence by at least 50% as determined in
      the BALB/cAn.DBA/2 Fv-1n/n congenic strain. The action of susceptibility and
      resistance genes is not known; hypothetically these genes could play a role in
      plasmacytomagenesis by increasing the probabilities of illegitimate exchanges
      between genes or by influencing the formation of mutations in genes that regulate
      mitotic cycling. Plasmacytomas appear to develop in the chronic inflammatory
      tissues induced by these agents. Fundamental unanswered questions are whether
      these inflammatory tissues provide products such as oxidants in vivo that damage
      DNA and promote mutagenesis. In the mouse there is a resident self-renewing B
      cell population that is CD5+. These B cells, which are known to be precursors of
      normal lamina propria IgA-secreting plasma cells, are directly in contact with
      the chronic inflammatory process induced by pristane; they may be targets in
      plasmacytomagenesis. The plasmacytomas that develop by the peritoneal mode of
      induction all have chromosomal translocations that directly or indirectly
      activate c-myc. The predominant MACTR found in 90% of these tumors is T(12;15) in
      which a heavy-chain switch region sequence is joined to the 5' region of c-myc.
      The evidence strongly suggests that the translocation develops in a late mature B
      cell that is in the process of isotype switching. An unanswered question is
      whether the switching associated T(12;15) takes place in a B cell that is exposed
      to the inflammatory microenvironment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1423828
TI  - Sulfation of hydroxylamines and hydroxamic acids in liver cytosol from male and
      female rats and purified aryl sulfotransferase IV.
AB  - Sulfation activity towards hydroxamic acids and hydroxylamines was determined in
      liver cytosols for juvenile and adult males and female rats, as well as in
      purified rat liver aryl sulfotransferase IV preparations. Sulfation activity
      towards the hydroxamic acids N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene, N-hydroxy-2
      acetylaminophenanthrene, N-hydroxy-4-acetylaminobiphenyl, N-hydroxy-4'-fluoro-4
      acetylaminobiphenyl, N-hydroxy-2-acetylamino-5-phenylpyridine, was higher in
      cytosols derived from adult males (two or three times) than in those from adult
      females and juveniles (both sexes). N-Hydroxy-2-acetylamino-3-methyl-5
      phenylpyridine (N-OH-2AAMPP), however, was poorly sulfated by any of the
      cytosols. Sulfation activity towards the hydroxylamines N-hydroxy-2
      aminofluorene, N-hydroxy-2-aminophenanthrene, N-hydroxy-4-aminobiphenyl, N
      hydroxy-4'-fluoro-4-aminobiphenyl was much lower. N-Hydroxy-2-amino-5
      phenylpyridine (N-OH-2APP), however, was sulfated much better than the other
      hydroxylamines. No higher sulfation activity in adult male cytosols for
      hydroxylamines was found, except for N-OH-2APP and N-hydroxy-2-amino-3-methyl-5
      phenylpyridine (N-OH-2AMPP). Purified aryl sulfotransferase IV (AST IV) converted
      all hydroxamic acids; N-OH-2AAMPP was a poor substrate. Of the hydroxylamines
      only N-OH-2APP and N-OH-2AMPP were conjugated. These results suggest that
      hydroxylamines and hydroxamic acids are converted by different sulfotransferases
      in the rat in vivo. They also indicate that AST IV may be the major enzyme
      responsible for sulfation of a variety of aromatic hydroxamic acids in the male
      rat liver. The results presented here are discussed in relation to the
      carcinogenic effects of some of these compounds.

PMID- 1423830
TI  - The role of the human acetylation polymorphism in the metabolic activation of the
      food carcinogen 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ).
AB  - The metabolic activation of the heterocyclic food carcinogen 2-amino-3
      methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) by two human cytochrome P450 monoxygenases
      (P4501A1 and P4501A2) and two human N-acetyltransferases (NAT1 and NAT2) was
      investigated. Various combinations of these enzymes were functionally expressed
      in COS-1 cells. DNA adducts resulting from the activation of IQ were assayed
      quantitatively by the 32P-postlabeling procedure. The highest adduct frequency
      was observed in cells expressing both CYP1A2 and NAT2. CYP1A2 in combination with
      NAT1 was 3-6 times less active. When expressed alone these enzymes gave rise to
      low adduct frequencies. Experiments with N-acetyl-IQ as substrate suggest that
      NAT1 and NAT2 in addition to their known role in N-acetylation display
      arylhydroxamic acid N, O-acetyltransferase (AHAT) activity. Quantitative
      differences in adduct formation between IQ and N-acetyl-IQ indicated that
      metabolic activation of these arylamines preferentially occurs by P4501A2
      catalyzed N-hydroxylation followed by O-acetylation mediated through NAT1 and/or
      NAT2. These data, in combination with the known genetic polymorphism of NAT2, may
      explain the clinical observation that the acetylation polymorphism constitutes a
      risk factor in the carcinogenic activation of environmental mutagens.

PMID- 1423829
TI  - Microsome-mediated transacetylation and binding of N-hydroxy-4-aminobiphenyl to
      nucleic acids by hepatic and bladder tissues from dog.
AB  - Microsome-mediated metabolism of [3H]4-aminobiphenyl (ABP) and binding of [3H]N
      hydroxy-4-aminobiphenyl (N-OH-ABP) to nucleic acids by dog hepatic and bladder
      microsomes were investigated. HPLC analysis of the ethyl acetate extracts of
      hepatic microsomal incubates of [3H]ABP in the presence of 4-acetylaminobiphenyl
      (AABP), N-hydroxy-4-acetylaminobiphenyl (N-OH-AABP), or acetyl coenzyme A (AcCoA)
      as acetyl donors showed the formation of [3H]AABP, suggesting that microsomes
      catalyze N-acetylation of ABP involving transacetylation. Dog hepatic microsomes
      also catalyzed the binding of [3H]N-OH-ABP to RNA in the presence of AABP, N-OH
      AABP or AcCoA, and the binding was blocked by paraoxon, an inhibitor of
      microsomal deacetylases. Binding of [3H]N-OH-ABP to DNA was catalyzed also by dog
      hepatic microsomes, and the extent of binding was 266, 156 and 135 pmol/mg DNA
      for AABP, N-OH-AABP and AcCoA as acetyl donors respectively. HPLC analyses of the
      DNA hydrolysates showed that the major adduct formed was N-(deoxyguanosine-8-yl)
      4-aminobiphenyl, based on mobility of the adduct in comparison with the synthetic
      standard. The acetyl adduct N-(deoxyguanosine-8-yl)-4-acetylaminobiphenyl was not
      detected in the DNA hydrolysates. Adduct profiles obtained from 32P-postlabeling
      of DNA samples from the microsome-mediated binding of [3H]N-OH-ABP showed
      similarities to the profile obtained previously from the chemical interaction of
      N-OH-ABP with DNA under acidic conditions, suggesting that the microsome-mediated
      binding of N-OH-ABP may proceed via formation of aryl nitrenium ions as the
      ultimate electrophilic species. Microsomes from dog bladder also catalyzed the
      binding of [3H]N-OH-ABP to RNA and DNA in the presence of AABP, N-OH-AABP or
      AcCoA as acetyl donors, though the levels of binding were less than those
      observed with hepatic microsomes. The prevalence of these acetyl transferases in
      the target organs for ABP and AABP carcinogenesis raises the possibility that
      metabolic activation of the proximate metabolite N-OH-ABP could occur directly in
      these tissues and these reactions could play a critical role in the initiation of
      cancers.

PMID- 1423831
TI  - DNA adducts and induction of sister chromatid exchanges in the rat following
      benzo[b]fluoranthene administration.
AB  - Benzo[b]fluoranthene (B[b]F) was administered (100 mg/kg by i.p. injection) to
      male Sprague--Dawley rats. Lungs, livers and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs)
      were harvested 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 28 and 56 days after treatment. Several DNA
      adducts were observed in each tissue, with maximal levels occurring at
      approximately 7 days after treatment. Lung DNA exhibited consistently higher
      adduct levels than liver or PBL DNA. At 56 days after B[b]F administration, the
      adducts in liver and PBL DNA were present at < 10 amol/microgram DNA, while in
      lung there were 100 amoles/microgram DNA. No significant differences were
      observed between tissues in the types of adducts produced. Co-chromatography with
      synthetic standards showed that only a minor adduct produced in vivo is derived
      from trans-9,10-dihydro-9,10-dihydroxybenzo[b]fluoranthene-11,12-oxide. Sister
      chromatid exchanges (SCEs) from whole blood cultures were significantly increased
      relative to concurrent controls between 1 and 14 days after B[b]F administration,
      with maximum levels at 14 days. By 28 days after treatment, SCEs had essentially
      returned to control levels. SCE induction did not correlate with the amount of
      B[b]F--DNA adducts remaining in the PBLs at harvest time.

PMID- 1423832
TI  - Effect of varying the type of fat in a semi-purified AIN-76A diet on cellular
      proliferation in the mammary gland and intestinal crypts in female Swiss Webster
      mice.
AB  - Young virgin female Swiss Webster mice were fed AIN-76A semi-purified diets
      containing equal weights of different fats for approximately 30 days. Using
      [3H]thymidine radioautography, it was established that mice fed 100% lard or high
      levels of fish oils (menhaden oil or cod liver oil) developed elevated cellular
      proliferation in the duct cells of the mammary gland and an increased number of
      labeled cells/crypt in the crypts of the colo-rectum accompanied by an increase
      in the size of the proliferative compartment. A possible inverse correlation
      between the level of [3H]thymidine labeling in the mammary gland, but not in the
      colo-rectum, and the linoleic acid content of individual diets may help to
      explain the significance of these observations. The effect of adding an
      antioxidant mixture to these diets was to reduce the excess proliferation induced
      in the intestinal crypts by lard or fish oil to the level induced by soybean oil,
      but only partially so in the duct cells of the mammary gland.

PMID- 1423833
TI  - Depletion of O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase by O6-benzylguanine in three
      dimensional collagen cultures of normal human breast epithelial cells.
AB  - O6-Alkylguanine--DNA alkyltransferase (AGT) is a protein which removes the
      promutagenic O6-alkylguanine lesion induced in DNA by alkylating agents. Our
      results demonstrate that freshly isolated organoids from reduction mammoplasty
      specimens contain significant levels of AGT activity. AGT activity in breast
      epithelial cells shows interindividual variation. Constitutive levels of AGT
      activity remain unchanged during short-term serum-free culture of breast
      epithelial cells inside three-dimensional rat-tail collagen gel matrix. In the
      present study, we optimized conditions for depleting AGT activity in human breast
      epithelial cells cultured in three-dimensional collagen gel matrix using O6
      methylguanine and O6-benzylguanine which are substrates for AGT. AGT activity was
      efficiently inactivated by exposure of cells to O6-methylguanine or O6
      benzylguanine. Inactivation with O6-benzylguanine was more rapid, of greater
      magnitude and consistency and occurred at lower concentrations than with O6
      methylguanine. Near-complete inactivation (> 99.5%) of AGT activity was
      reproducibly achieved with 50 microM O6-benzylguanine. In contrast, 500 microM O6
      methylguanine was needed to obtain a maximal effect and this reduced AGT activity
      by only 53-93% of control. Within 30 min of adding the free base, 50 microM O6
      benzylguanine depleted 95% of the levels of AGT compared to 30% inhibition with
      500 microM O6-methylguanine. The profile for restoration of AGT activity was
      different following a 24 h incubation and subsequent removal of each of the
      guanine derivatives. AGT activity levels remained undetectable for at least 2
      days after removal of 50 microM O6-benzylguanine from the medium and recovered to
      only 53% of control values after an additional 3 days. AGT activity levels
      remained undetectable for at least 2 days after removal of 50 microM O6
      benzylguanine from the medium and recovered to only 53% of control values after
      an additional 3 days. In contrast, following removal of 500 microM O6
      methylguanine, the activity was restored from its nadir of 16% of control values
      reaching pretreatment levels after 5 days. These results suggest that treatment
      with O6-benzylguanine may be used to modulate the incidence of transforming
      mutations in cultured human breast epithelial cells treated with chemical
      carcinogens which give rise to O6-alkylguanine adducts.

PMID- 1423834
TI  - Peroxisome proliferation and resistance to hydrogen peroxide in rat hepatocytes:
      is development of resistance an adaptation to cytotoxicity?
AB  - In this work the resistance of peroxisome-proliferated hepatocytes to hydrogen
      peroxide (H2O2) has been studied. The question has been raised as to whether this
      resistance is a response to cytotoxicity. In an initial series of experiments,
      hepatocytes were isolated from rats that had been treated with nafenopin (NAF
      hepatocytes). Isolated cells were exposed to a H2O2-generating system or to H2O2
      in pulses. The ability to attach to collagen was used as a toxicological
      endpoint. Loss of attachment was found to be correlated to glutathione (GSH)
      depletion, and NAF-hepatocytes were more resistant to GSH depletion and to loss
      of attachment induced by H2O2 than were control hepatocytes. NAF-hepatocytes were
      not resistant to hydroquinone or to adriamycin. It was also indicated that this
      resistance was related to an altered metabolism of H2O2, less dependent on GSH.
      In a second series of experiments, hepatocytes from altered hepatic foci-bearing
      rats, treated with nafenopin or di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), were used. This
      model was used in an attempt to monitor the development of resistance in
      different subpopulations of hepatocytes. It was found that the majority of
      hepatocytes developed resistance towards H2O2, and that, for example, foci marker
      positive hepatocytes were as resistant as marker-negative cells. In control
      experiments with this model, it was found that marker-positive cells were more
      resistant towards diethyl maleate (DEM) or phorone than were marker-negative
      cells. In addition to demonstrating the validity of the model, these control
      experiments indicate an increased steady-state level of H2O2 in cells from
      peroxisome proliferator-treated rats. Other control experiments suggested that a
      low GSH-peroxidase activity protected from, rather than aggravated, the effect of
      peroxisome proliferation on marker-negative and GSH-depleted cells. It is
      concluded that H2O2 metabolism may affect the function of collagen receptors, but
      that a shift in H2O2 metabolism, so that it becomes less dependent on GSH,
      conferred resistance to this effect. The apparent non-focal induction of
      resistance to peroxisome proliferators, as opposed to the focal induction of
      resistance induced by most liver carcinogens, may explain the lack of development
      of gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase-positive foci in peroxisome proliferator-treated
      rats.

PMID- 1423835
TI  - Analysis of residual amino acid--DNA crosslinks induced in intact cells by nickel
      and chromium compounds.
AB  - Chinese hamster ovary cells were incubated with radioactive amino acids, the DNA
      was isolated by standard proteinase K/phenol/chloroform extraction and residual
      amino acids complexed to the DNA were examined as an index of metal induced DNA
      protein crosslinks. Using this method, both chromate and nickel caused residual
      histidine and cysteine to be complexed with the DNA isolated from metal-treated
      cells. In the case of chromate, a number of amino acids were studied and Tyr, Thr
      and Cys were found to be complexed to DNA at a level (above the untreated
      control) that was statistically significant. Stability studies indicated that
      some of the chromate-induced DNA-protein complexes were mediated by direct
      participation of chromium(III), whereas others that were resistant to
      dissociation by EDTA and mercaptoethanol did not seem to involve direct
      chromium(III) participation. A significant portion of the cysteine complexed to
      DNA by chromate was believed to involve glutathione since treatment of cells with
      cycloheximide did not decrease chromate-induced cysteine-DNA crosslinks. In the
      case of nickel, most of the stable DNA-protein crosslinks did not involve direct
      metal participation and were probably oxidatively mediated by Ni(II)/Ni(III)
      redox cycling. These findings present new methodology for analysis of DNA-protein
      crosslinks by examination of residual amino acids associated with the DNA. This
      method should be highly sensitive and will yield important information about the
      mechanism of metal-induced DNA-protein crosslinks.

PMID- 1423836
TI  - Expression of O6-methylguanine--DNA methyltransferase and uracil--DNA glycosylase
      in human placentae from smokers and non-smokers.
AB  - DNA repair capacity is likely to be a critical factor in mutagenesis and
      carcinogenesis, as well as for the response to some cytostatics. We have studied
      inter- and intra-individual variation in the activities of O6-methylguanine--DNA
      methyltransferase (O6-MT) and uracil--DNA glycosylase (UDG) in 35 placentae from
      smokers and non-smokers. The maximum interindividual variation in the activities
      of O6-MT and UDG were 8.3- and 7.7-fold, respectively. The corresponding
      intraindividual variations were 2.7- and 3.3-fold. Generally, a high level of O6
      MT activity was accompanied by a high O6-MT mRNA level, but no such correlation
      was seen for UDG. These results were not due to degradation of the enzymes or
      mRNAs after delivery. No correlation between the activities of O6-MT and UDG was
      observed, indicating that they are differentially regulated. A 1.4-fold (P < or =
      0.05) higher activity of O6-MT was observed in smokers as compared to non
      smokers, indicating a small, but statistically significant difference. No
      significant difference was observed for UDG. Our results demonstrate that DNA
      repair capacities vary largely between different individuals, and that
      environmental factors may modulate the expression of DNA repair enzymes.

PMID- 1423837
TI  - 11-Methylbenzo[a]pyrene: bay region distortions.
AB  - Substitution of a methyl group in the 11-position of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P)
      enhances its carcinogenicity. An X-ray crystallographic determination of the
      three-dimensional structure of 11-methylbenzo[a]pyrene (11-MeB[a]P) shows that
      steric overcrowding in the bay region is relieved somewhat by distortions of the
      bay-region bond angles in the plane of the ring system. A comparison with the
      structure of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), which shows out-of-plane
      distortions to relieve such strain, shows that, in general, H...H intramolecular
      interactions between neighboring rings in a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon are
      the primary determinants of the nature of the molecular distortions as a result
      of steric overcrowding (mainly in-plane for 11-MeB[a]P and mainly out-of-plane
      for DMBA). The 11-MeB[a]P molecule exhibits considerable flexibility as evidenced
      by slightly different conformations in the two molecules found in the asymmetric
      unit of the crystal. One molecule is fairly flat with bond angle distortions in
      the bay region, while the other is slightly buckled as a result of some twist (15
      degrees) in the bay region. Computer modeling indicates that steric overcrowding
      as a result of the bay-region 11-methyl group may affect the conformation of the
      ring that bears the diol and epoxide groups in the anti-diolepoxide. The nature
      of this distortion may, in turn, provide a clue to the reason for the greater
      carcinogenicity of B[a]P when methylated at the 11-position in the non-benzo bay
      region site. In addition, the 11-methyl group, because of its bulk, may affect
      the orientation of the polycyclic hydrocarbon as it lies between the nucleic-acid
      bases when covalently bound to DNA.

PMID- 1423838
TI  - Copper-dependent site-specific mutagenesis by benzoyl peroxide in the supF gene
      of the mutation reporter plasmid pS189.
AB  - Benzoyl peroxide (BzPO) enhances tumor promotion and malignant conversion in
      mouse epidermis. DNA damage may contribute to these processes. BzPO reacts with
      Cu(I) to produce the benzoyloxyl radical, which in turn causes strand breaks in
      plasmid DNA. In this study we investigated whether BzPO with or without Cu(I)
      caused promutagenic DNA damage in the supF gene of the mutation reporter plasmid
      pS189 replicating in human Ad293 cells. Exposure of pS189 in vitro to BzPO (0.1-1
      mM) inhibited plasmid replication; however, addition of Cu(I) (0.1 mM) did not
      augment BzPO-induced plasmid toxicity. Exposure to BzPO with or without 0.1 mM
      Cu(I) was also associated with a concentration-dependent increase in mutation
      frequency, up to > 100-fold above the spontaneous mutation frequency.
      Supplemental Cu(I) was not required for mutagenesis; however, it both raised the
      maximal mutation frequency observed and lowered the threshold concentration of
      BzPO necessary to discern mutagenesis above the spontaneous background. Neither
      the hydroxyl radical scavengers mannitol or DMSO, the spin trap N-tert-butyl
      alpha-phenylnitrone, nor reduced glutathione altered BzPO/Cu(I)-induced
      mutagenesis; however, mutagenesis was suppressed by the chelator EDTA. Twenty
      four of 32 individual BzPO/Cu(I)-induced mutants characterized by sequencing
      contained point mutations; 22/25 point mutations occurred at G-C base pairs.
      There were five large deletions and four small deletions. Three additional BzPO
      induced mutants contained four point mutations, all occurring at G-C base pairs.
      Two BzPO/Cu(I)-induced mutational clusters at d(pGGG)-d(pCCC) sites were
      observed. These data suggest that BzPO may interact with Cu(I) bound to G-C base
      pairs in DNA to produce site-specific promutagenic DNA damage.

PMID- 1423839
TI  - Cytochrome P450 2E1 and 2A6 enzymes as major catalysts for metabolic activation
      of N-nitrosodialkylamines and tobacco-related nitrosamines in human liver
      microsomes.
AB  - An acetyltransferase-overexpressing strain of Salmonella typhimurium (NM2009) has
      been used to investigate roles of human liver microsomal cytochrome P450 (P450)
      enzymes in the activation of carcinogenic nitrosamine derivatives, including N
      nitrosodialkylamines and tobacco-smoke-related nitrosamines, to genotoxic
      products. Studies employing correlation of activities with several P450-dependent
      monooxygenase reactions in different human liver samples, inhibition of
      microsomal activities by antibodies raised against human P450 enzymes and by
      specific P450 inhibitors, and reconstitution of activities with purified P450
      enzymes suggest that the tobacco-smoke-related nitrosamines 4-(methylnitrosamino)
      1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol
      (NNAL) and N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) as well as N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)
      and N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) are oxidized to genotoxic products by different
      P450 enzymes, particularly P450 2E1 and 2A6. The activation of NDMA and NNN by
      liver microsomes was suggested to be catalyzed more actively by P450 2E1 than by
      other P450 enzymes because the activities were well correlated with NDMA N
      demethylation and aniline p-hydroxylation in different human samples, and
      purified P450 2E1 had the highest activities in reconstituted monooxygenase
      systems. The relatively high contribution of P450 2A6 to the activation of NDEA
      and NNK was supported by the correlation seen with coumarin 7-hydroxylation in
      human liver microsomes, and antibodies raised against P450 2A6 inhibited both
      activities by approximately 50%. P450 3A4, 2D6 and 2C enzymes appear not to be
      extensively involved in the activation of these nitrosamines as judged by several
      criteria examined. Thus, this work indicates that several P450 enzymes,
      particularly P450 2E1 and 2A6, catalyze metabolic activation of nitrosamine
      derivatives including N-nitrosodialkylamines and tobacco-smoke-related
      nitrosamines in human liver microsomes.

PMID- 1423840
TI  - Identification and quantitative detection of isomeric benzo[a]pyrene diolepoxide-
      DNA adducts by low-temperature conventional fluorescence methods.
AB  - The pyrene-like fluorescence of adducts derived from the covalent binding of (+/
      )-trans-7,8-dihydroxy-anti-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9, 10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene [+/-]
      anti-BPDE] to DNA increases in intensity by factors of 20 or more as the
      temperature is lowered from ambient to approximately 100 K. This effect is
      primarily associated with the strong quenching of the pyrene-like fluorescence of
      BPDE-deoxyguanosyl adducts at room temperature, and the suppression of the
      electron-transfer quenching mechanism at 100 K. In contrast, the fluorescence of
      BPDE-deoxyadenosyl adducts is not quenched at ambient temperatures, and the
      fluorescence yields of (+/-)-anti-BPDE-poly(dA-dT).(dA-dT) adducts increases by
      only a factor of 2 in this same temperature range. Utilizing an internal
      fluorescein fluorescence standard to correct for differences in light scattering
      and variations in instrumental factors, a fluorescence method is described for
      quantitatively determining the levels of benzo[a]pyrene diolepoxide derivatives
      covalently bound to cellular DNA at 100 K. The method is illustrated with (+/-)
      reverse-BPDE [(+/-)-trans-9,10-dihydroxy-anti-7, 8-epoxy-7,8,9,10
      tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene]. Adduct levels as low as 10 pmol in a 400 microliters
      sample volume can be detected and identified from their excitation and
      fluorescence emission spectra using a conventional and commercially available
      fluorometer. In the case of modified DNA extracted from BPDE-treated Chinese
      hamster ovary cells or from mouse skin (approximately 1 BPDE residue/20,000
      bases), such an analysis requires only 100 micrograms of DNA. Conformationally
      different adducts derived from the binding of the isomeric (+/-)-anti-BPDE, (+/-)
      reverse-BPDE or (+/-)-syn-BPDE to cellular DNA can be distinguished by their low
      temperature fluorescence excitation spectra. Specifically, the quasi-intercalated
      site I BPDE adducts (believed to be associated with cis-addition stereochemistry)
      can be distinguished from site II adducts situated at external BPDE binding sites
      (trans-addition stereochemistry). These results suggest that the fates of these
      conformationally different BPDE-DNA adducts, e.g. due to enzymatic repair, can be
      monitored as a function of time in DNA extracted from intact, functioning cells.

PMID- 1423842
TI  - Detection and quantitation of dG-AAI and dA-AAI adducts by 32P-postlabeling
      methods in urothelium and exfoliated cells in urine of rats treated with
      aristolochic acid I.
AB  - Analysis of aristolochic acid I (AAI)-DNA adducts in exfoliated cells in urine,
      urothelium and entire urinary bladder were studied after oral administration of
      five daily doses (10 mg/kg body wt) AAI for 3 months to rats. The two major
      adducts excreted in urine are presumably identical to the two main adducts formed
      in vitro and in vivo in different organs in the rat, which have previously been
      characterized in vitro as 7(-deoxyguanosin-N2-yl)-aristolactam I and 7(
      deoxyadenosin-N6-yl)-aristolactam I. Urine samples were collected on dry-ice,
      subsequently pooled and purified according to the protocol of Kadlubar and co
      workers. DNA was isolated, digested and AAI-DNA adducts of exfoliated cells in
      urine and urothelium of rats were detected and quantitated by enhancement methods
      of the 32P-postlabeling assay, namely nuclease P1 enrichment or butanol
      extraction. Autoradiograms indicated that adduct patterns in DNA derived from
      exfoliated cells in urine were very similar to those obtained from DNA isolated
      from tissues. Quantitative analysis of adducts revealed adduct levels declining
      for both adducts from DNA isolated from urothelium to DNA isolated from the
      entire urinary bladder to DNA isolated from exfoliated cells in urine. In
      general, count rates of two predominant AAI adducts were enhanced by butanol
      extraction approximately 3- to 8-fold when compared with the nuclease P1
      digestion technique. The identity of the two major adducts was confirmed by co
      chromatography with eluted spots from in vivo adducts by comparing mobilities on
      poly-(ethyleneimine)-cellulose plates. Microbiological investigations of the
      urine revealed no gross contamination with bacteria, so that the isolated DNA
      supposedly originated from exfoliated urothelial cells. This study indicates that
      32P-postlabeling analysis can be used to monitor non-invasively the formation of
      carcinogen-DNA adducts in animals or humans exposed to carcinogens.

PMID- 1423841
TI  - Influence of caffeic acid and other o-dihydroxybenzene derivatives on N-methyl-N'
      nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine-initiated rat forestomach carcinogenesis.
AB  - Promotion effects of the o-dihydroxybenzene derivatives, protocatechuic acid
      (PCA), dopamine hydrochloride (DAH), dl-dopa and caffeic acid on forestomach and
      glandular stomach carcinogenesis were investigated in rats pretreated with N
      methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). Groups of 20 male F344 rats were given
      a single intragastric administration of 150 mg/kg body wt MNNG and starting 1
      week later than received diet containing 1.5% PCA, 1.5% DAH, 1.5% dl-dopa or 1%
      caffeic acid or basal diet alone for 51 weeks and then killed. Other groups of 10
      15 rats were given PCA, DAH, dl-dopa or basal diet alone without the MNNG
      pretreatment. On histological assessment, the incidences of forestomach
      papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas were significantly enhanced in the group
      treated with caffeic acid (95 and 100%) as compared with the control values (35
      and 10%). Although the incidence was not different, the number of papillomas per
      rat in the group given DAH (0.79 +/- 0.79) was also significantly increased (0.35
      +/- 0.49). PCA and dl-dopa treatments did not modify the development of
      neoplastic lesions in the forestomach epithelium to any significant extent. None
      of the four chemicals enhanced glandular stomach carcinogenesis. The results thus
      demonstrated that whereas caffeic acid and DAH respectively, exert strong and
      weak promotion activity for rat forestomach carcinogenesis this promotion
      potential is not shared by all dihydroxybenzene derivatives. An influence of
      substituents in the para position in addition to the o-dihydroxy moiety is
      indicated.

PMID- 1423843
TI  - Inhibition of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced mammary tumors and DNA
      adducts by garlic powder.
AB  - The present studies determined the influence of dietary supplements of garlic
      powder (0, 1, 2 or 4%) on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary
      tumors and on the in vivo occurrence of mammary DMBA-DNA adducts in rats. Diets
      were offered 2 weeks before and 2 weeks following DMBA treatment (25 mg/kg body
      wt). An additional group was fed the 2% garlic powder diet throughout the 20 week
      study. Although food intake and weight gain were not influenced, dietary garlic
      powder supplementation did significantly delay the onset of first tumors (P <
      0.01) and did reduce the final mammary tumor incidence (P < 0.01). Consumption of
      garlic powder also significantly depressed the in vivo binding of DMBA to mammary
      cell DNA. Binding of both anti- and syn-dihydrodiol epoxides to DNA was depressed
      in rats fed supplemental garlic powder. The activity of glutathione S-transferase
      (GST) in mammary and liver tissue from rats fed 2% dietary garlic powder was
      higher than observed in tissues from rats fed the basal diet. No further increase
      in GST activity occurred when the dietary garlic content was increased from 2 to
      4%. Final mammary tumor incidence was found to correlate positively with total
      DMBA-DNA binding and the quantities of individual DMBA-DNA adducts. The present
      studies demonstrate that garlic powder is effective in inhibiting DMBA-induced
      mammary tumors, possibly by reducing DMBA-DNA binding.

PMID- 1423844
TI  - Effect of dietary protein level on aflatoxin B1 actions in the liver of weanling
      rats.
AB  - The hepatocarcinogenic responses of rats to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) are believed to
      depend on microsomal activation of the toxin, followed by macromolecular binding.
      Dietary protein insufficiency is reported to reduce the level of microsomal
      metabolism, and therefore would be expected to reduce the AFB1-induced
      carcinogenicity. Indeed, diminished hepatocarcinogenicity in low-protein diet fed
      weanling rats that had received AFB1 has been reported. In the present study,
      carcinogenicity and other toxic effects of AFB1 (0.5 p.p.m.) fed to weanling male
      Fischer F344 rats on a low-protein diet (5%) or normal-protein (20%) diet for up
      to 8 weeks were examined. In our study, in contrast with the previous report, all
      animals that had survived some initial toxicity were found to have developed
      hepatic tumors or hyperplastic gamma-glutamyltransferase-positive foci a year
      later. The low-protein diet also produced sub-acute toxicity after AFB1 exposure
      in the weanling rats, leading to severe histological changes, and the death of
      about half the animals after 3-4 weeks of exposure. Animals fed an AFB1
      containing normal-protein diet also exhibited AFB1-induced hepatocarcinogenicity,
      but not the sub-acute toxicity. The levels of hepatic enzymes involved in AFB1
      metabolism were examined in animals fed the low- or normal-protein diets in the
      absence of AFB1. The low-protein diet, fed to 3 week weanlings for the subsequent
      5 weeks, decreased hepatic cytochrome P450 levels, as well as the in vitro
      capacity of microsomal fractions to form AFB1-8,9-dihydrodiol, an index of AFB1
      8,9-epoxide formation. Rats on a normal-protein diet did not show these changes.
      This discrepancy between the observed increase in sub-acute toxicity and decrease
      in microsomal activities in the low-protein fed animals implies that the toxic
      effects observed in these rats were not directly related to metabolic activation
      of the toxin. In contrast to the diminished microsomal in vitro AFB1 activation,
      however, in vivo AFB1-DNA adduct formation ability in rats receiving the low
      protein diet in the absence of AFB1 was found to become elevated more rapidly
      during the 5 week experimental feeding period, compared with animals receiving
      the normal-protein diet. This was accompanied by a more rapid fall in the levels
      of AFB1-glutathione S-transferase isozyme activity in the low-protein fed
      animals. The results of this study on weanling rats support the importance of
      AFB1-GSH in protecting against the carcinogenic responses to AFB1, and probably
      also the sub-acute toxicity of the latter.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1423846
TI  - Expression of ras oncogene mRNA and protein in aberrant crypt foci.
AB  - The expression of the ras oncogene in aberrant crypt foci was studied by both in
      situ hybridization and immunohistochemical approaches. Aberrant crypt foci are
      hypothesized to represent the earliest identifiable microscopic lesions of colon
      cancer in rodent colons. Sprague-Dawley male rats were injected with azoxymethane
      (20 mg/kg s.c.) once. Twelve weeks later, aberrant crypt foci were identified
      topographically, microdissected and processed for histology. In situ
      hybridization with an antisense oligomer of c-ras demonstrated increased
      expression of ras-specific RNA in aberrant crypts compared to normal crypts. A
      low amount of non-specific hybridization was obtained with the corresponding
      sense oligomer. The percentage of cells with grains (labeling index) was
      calculated in early and advanced aberrant crypt foci. This index was also
      calculated in normal appearing crypts. The labeling indices for the early and
      advanced aberrant crypt foci were significantly greater than that of normal
      crypts (18.0 and 25.0 versus 11.9). In the same tissue specimens,
      immunohistochemical staining for ras p21 with the monoclonal antibody (Y13-259)
      revealed strong staining intensity in early aberrant crypts (15/22) and advanced
      aberrant crypts (22/30) compared to normal crypts (3/50). The immunohistochemical
      results demonstrate the presence of elevated levels of ras p21 in the same tissue
      as increased levels of ras-specific message. This investigation provides the
      earliest demonstration of increased expression of the ras oncogene in precursor
      lesions of colon cancer possessing dysplastic features.

PMID- 1423845
TI  - Carba-prostacyclin inhibits 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced
      transformation in sensitive murine epidermal JB6 cells.
AB  - The ability of carba-prostacyclin (cPGI2), a stable analog of prostacyclin
      (PGI2), to inhibit 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced
      transformation of JB6 cells was investigated. JB6 cells sensitive (P+) and
      resistant (P-) to TPA-induced transformation to anchorage-independent growth were
      plated in soft agar in the presence or absence of cPGI2 for 14-21 days.
      Transformation frequencies were determined by recording colony numbers. cPGI2 was
      found to inhibit TPA-induced transformation of P+ cells in a dose-dependent
      fashion with 1 microM cPGI2 producing approximately 50% inhibition of colonies in
      soft agar. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that TPA-induced
      transformation in JB6 cell variants is mediated by PGI2 via regulation of
      adenylate cyclase activity and cAMP accumulation, with resultant inhibition of
      expression of the transformed phenotype, reflected in anchorage-independent
      growth.

PMID- 1423848
TI  - Expression of alpha, mu and pi class glutathione S-transferases in oval and
      ductal cells in liver of rats placed on a choline-deficient, ethionine
      supplemented diet.
AB  - Expression of the alpha, mu and pi class glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) in
      hepatocytes, oval cells and ductal cells derived from the livers of rats placed
      on a choline-deficient, ethionine-supplemented (CDE) diet for 5 weeks was
      investigated. An overall decrease in the expression of alpha and mu class GSTs
      and an over-expression of pi class GST was observed in the liver after CDE
      treatment as indicated by Northern blotting analysis. Massive disruption of the
      liver with oval cell infiltration in the sinusoids throughout the lobule occurred
      after 5 weeks CDE treatment. 'Duct-like' structures consisting of oval-like cells
      (ductal cells) with rounder nuclei and more cytoplasm than oval cells within the
      sinusoids were also apparent. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed that the
      altered expression of GST in the whole liver is attributed to a differential
      expression of alpha, mu and pi class GSTs in the different cell types in the
      liver, including hepatocytes, oval cells around the portal region and among the
      sinusoids, and oval-like cells (ductal cells) in the 'duct-like' structures. In
      vitro studies using purified oval-ductal cells and hepatocyte populations
      confirmed the differential expression of GSTs in the varying cell populations in
      situ. The expression of the alpha and mu class GSTs in hepatocytes does not
      appear to be altered by the CDE diet. Heterogeneity in distribution of pi class
      GST was observed in the hepatocyte population, some hepatocytes were stained
      strongly while no staining was observed in others. Oval and ductal cells
      represent two distinct populations displaying different expression of GSTs. Pi
      class GST was detected in the majority of oval and ductal cells. Alpha class GST
      was detected in < 5% of the oval cell population and was found in > 50% of the
      ductal cell population. In contrast, mu class GST was absent in ductal cells and
      was present in 24% of oval cells around the portal region. This supports the view
      that ductal cells are not of bile ductal origin since mu GST is present in normal
      bile duct epithelial cells. Furthermore the change in expression of GSTs in the
      liver after CDE treatment is attributed to the large increase in oval and ductal
      cell populations.

PMID- 1423847
TI  - Adaptation and selection as factors in the spontaneous transformation of NIH-3T3
      cells.
AB  - The effect of calf serum (CS) concentration on the spontaneous transformation of
      NIH-3T3 cells was investigated. Maintenance of NIH-3T3 cell populations in media
      containing a low concentration of calf serum (2% CS) increased the proportion of
      spontaneously transformed cells appearing within a population. Higher CS
      concentration (10% CS) decreased the proportion of transformed cells in the
      population. In searching for the reasons for the effect of serum concentration on
      transformation frequency, three conclusions were reached. (i) Non-focus-forming
      NIH-3T3 cells exhibit heterogeneity in progression toward transformation. (ii)
      Low serum concentration can increase the frequency of focus-forming cells within
      an NIH-3T3 population by decreasing the proliferation of non-focus-forming cells
      relative to focus-forming cells. (iii) The reproductive selection described in
      (ii) cannot completely account for the focus-enhancing effects of low serum.
      Evidence for point (iii) is drawn from focus-forming assays, in 2% CS, for a
      clone of cells maintained in 10% CS before assay. Cells from this clone made no
      foci in 50 assays, performed on 5 x 10(6) cells, over a 21 week period. However,
      maintenance of those same cells in 2% CS for as little as 2 days before assay
      caused these consistent non-focus formers to make foci. We conclude that the
      basis for this progression to the focus-forming phenotype is an adaptation to the
      metabolically constraining 2% CS environment. We propose that this adaptation
      results from progressive selection of physiological states.

PMID- 1423849
TI  - DNA adduct levels in congenic rapid and slow acetylator mouse strains following
      chronic administration of 4-aminobiphenyl.
AB  - 4-Aminobiphenyl (4-ABP) is a human and mouse bladder carcinogen. Epidemiological
      studies have shown that individuals with a slow acetylator phenotype, especially
      those exposed to high levels of carcinogenic aromatic amines, show an increased
      susceptibility to bladder cancer. In order to determine if a slow acetylator
      phenotype results in increased DNA damage, congenic mouse strains C57BL/6J and
      B6.A-Nat(s), which differ genetically at the acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.5) locus
      as homozygous rapid (Natr/Natr) and homozygous slow (Nat(s)/Nat(s)) acetylators
      respectively, were continuously administered 4-ABP.HCl (55-300 p.p.m.) in their
      drinking water for 28 days. The levels of covalently bound N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)
      4-ABP-DNA adducts, which are believed to be critical for the initiation of
      tumors, were quantitated in the liver and bladder by 32P-postlabeling analysis.
      The levels of the hepatic DNA adduct increased with dose in both sexes, but were
      independent of the mouse acetylator genotype. At comparable doses, however, the
      levels of DNA adducts were 2-fold higher in the liver of the female as compared
      to the male animals. The DNA adducts also increased with dose in bladder of the
      male mice, but in contrast to the liver, the adduct levels were approximately 2
      fold lower in the bladder DNA of the female mice. Also in contrast to the liver,
      the levels of bladder DNA adducts were significantly higher (P < or = 0.03) in
      the phenotypic rapid acetylator females compared to the slow acetylators at both
      75 and 150 p.p.m. doses; the median levels of adducts were 10-20% higher in the
      phenotypic slow acetylator male bladders compared to their rapid acetylator
      counterparts. The results of these studies are consistent with the increased
      carcinogenicity of 4-ABP to the liver of female mice and the bladder of male
      mice. They further suggest that factors other than acetylator phenotype limit the
      extent of DNA adduct formation from 4-ABP in these mice.

PMID- 1423850
TI  - Absence of mutations in the functional parts of the p120-GAP gene in carcinogen
      induced mouse liver tumors.
AB  - The GTPase activating proteins (GAP) stimulate the intrinsic GTPase activity of
      ras-p21 thus converting the protein into its inactive form. We have now analyzed
      carcinogen-induced mouse liver tumors for the possible occurrence of mutational
      changes in one of the two known GAP genes, namely p120-GAP. RNA from a total of
      21 tumors was reverse transcribed by use of GAP-specific primers, amplified by
      PCR and sequenced. All known functional domains of p120-GAP were included into
      the analysis. None of the liver tumors analyzed was found to be mutated within
      these regions of the gene. Moreover, Southern blot analysis of the gene did not
      reveal any structural changes. However, at five positions we discovered
      deviations from the published mouse fibroblast sequence, including two mouse
      strain-specific sequence polymorphisms.

PMID- 1423851
TI  - Tumour promoting phorbol esters activate phospholipase D in mouse skin.
AB  - Phospholipase D catalyses a transphosphatidylation reaction in the presence of
      primary alcohols, resulting in the formation of phosphatidylalcohol derivatives.
      In the present work we show that application of phorbol esters and butanol to
      mouse skin causes the rapid accumulation of phosphatidylbutanol (PBol),
      indicating the activation of phospholipase D. A similar accumulation of PBol was
      observed when the skin was treated with phorbol esters in vivo and skin pieces
      incubated with butanol in vitro. PBol formation was stimulated by the active
      tumour promoters 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), mezerein and phorbol
      12,13-didecanoate (PDD) but not by the inactive promoter 4 alpha-PDD.
      Accumulation of PBol was not observed 24 h after application of TPA, a treatment
      which has been shown to deplete epidermal protein kinase C activity.

PMID- 1423852
TI  - Formation of 7-(4-oxobutyl)guanine in hepatic DNA of rats treated with N
      nitrosopyrrolidine.
AB  - We have reported previously the formation of two structurally distinct exocyclic
      guanine adducts (adducts 1 and 6) in liver DNA of F344 rats treated with N
      nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR). In this study, we detected and characterized a
      previously unidentified guanine adduct in liver DNA of NPYR-treated rats. The
      structure of this adduct was established as 7-(4-oxobutyl)guanine (adduct 2) by
      comparison with the synthetic standard and confirmed by NaBH4 reduction to 7-(4
      hydroxybutyl)guanine. The level of adduct 2 in liver DNA of F344 rats treated
      with 450 mg/kg of NPYR by i.p. administration was 643 +/- 9 mumol/mol guanine,
      approximately one-third of the level of adduct 1. This study is the first to
      demonstrate the in vivo formation of a formylalkyl-substituted guanine adduct by
      a nitrosamine.

PMID- 1423853
TI  - Cell-transforming potential of low-density lipoproteins.
AB  - Arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation is thought to be essential for the
      development of atherosclerotic lesions. The monoclonal hypothesis of
      atherogenesis proposes that the proliferative smooth muscle cells are derived
      from a stable transformed cell population. The present study demonstrates for the
      first time evidence that, in addition to carcinogens such as 3-methylcholanthrene
      (MCA), 'atherogenic' low-density lipoproteins (LDL) also possess cell
      transforming potential. LDL caused dose-dependent cytotoxicity and transformation
      of C3H/10T1/2 cells of type II and type III morphology of up to six transformed
      cell clones per 10(4) survivors in the concentration range of 50-200 micrograms
      cholesterol/ml after 72 h treatments. MCA (0.1 micrograms/ml) induced
      morphological transformation of 2.6 foci per 10(4) survivors. In a two-stage in
      vitro transformation assay LDL (5-25 micrograms cholesterol/ml) enhanced MCA
      induced cell transformation 2- to 2.4-fold in a dose-dependent way. 'Non
      atherogenic' high-density lipoproteins did not induce cell transformation by
      themselves or in an initiation-promotion model. These results show that LDL could
      act as (co)carcinogens.

PMID- 1423854
TI  - Search for Ha-ras codon 61 mutations in liver tumours caused by hexachlorobenzene
      and Aroclor 1254 in C57BL/10ScSn mice with iron overload.
AB  - C57BL/10ScSn mice administered iron--dextran and fed the environmental pollutants
      hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) develop hepatic
      nodules and carcinomas within 18 months. A range of lesions from the livers were
      analysed for the presence of mutations in the Ha-ras proto-oncogene at codon 61
      using the polymerase chain reaction to amplify DNA from formalin-fixed sections,
      followed by oligonucleotide hybridization. Only two mutations from 23
      preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions induced by HCB were detected (a focus of
      altered cells and a trabecular cell carcinoma). With Aroclor 1254 no mutations
      were detected in 28 areas at various stages of carcinogenesis analysed.
      Sequencing of the two mutations generated by HCB showed a C-->T transversion at
      the first base of codon 61 (carcinoma) and an A-->T transversion at the second
      base (proliferative focus). Thus, in marked contrast to some other systems of
      mouse liver tumour induction, hepatocarcinogenesis caused by HCB and PCBs in
      C57BL/10ScSn mice is an example of carcinogenesis which does not involve a high
      frequency of Ha-ras gene mutation at codon 61.

PMID- 1423855
TI  - Inhibition of benzo[a]pyrene-induced tumorigenesis by myristicin, a volatile
      aroma constituent of parsley leaf oil.
AB  - Glutathione S-transferase (GST) assay-guided fractionation of parsley leaf oil
      from the edible plant Petroselinum sativum Hoffm. (Umbelliferae) led to the
      isolation of myristicin. Myristicin showed high activity as an inducer of the
      detoxifying enzyme GST in the liver and small intestinal mucosa of female A/J
      mice. Reduction of myristicin yielded dihydromyristicin that retained the GST
      inducing activity. Myristicin and dihydromyristicin were tested for their
      capacity to inhibit benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P)-induced tumor formation in female A/J
      mice. A 65% inhibition of the tumor multiplicity in the lung was observed as the
      result of treatment of myristicin. Dihydromyristicin produced small or
      insignificant reduction of lung tumor formation. In the forestomach, myristicin
      showed a 31% inhibition of tumor formation; while dihydromyristicin exhibited a
      27% inhibition. Comparison of the structures and activities indicated that the
      saturation of the isolated double bond in myristicin resulted in a significant
      decrease in the inhibitory activity against B[a]P-induced tumorigenesis. The
      present results showed that myristicin, an active inducer of GST activity, is an
      effective inhibitor of B[a]P-induced tumorigenesis in mice. Stimulation of GST
      activity by myristicin could be a major mechanism for its inhibition of B[a]P or
      other carcinogens that may be detoxified in the same manner. As a culinary herb
      parsley is regularly consumed by humans. Parsley leaf oil is also used
      extensively for garnishing and seasoning. The results of this study indicate that
      as a major volatile aroma constituent of parsley myristicin may be an effective
      cancer chemopreventive agent.

PMID- 1423856
TI  - Reversal of food restriction-induced inhibition of mouse skin tumor promotion by
      adrenalectomy.
AB  - Restricting the food intake of laboratory mice and rats markedly reduces the
      incidence of spontaneous and experimentally induced cancers. Using the two-stage
      skin tumorigenesis model in CD-1 mice, we report now that food restriction
      suppresses 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) stimulation of epidermal
      [3H]thymidine incorporation as well as TPA promotion of skin papillomas, whereas
      adrenalectomy completely reverses the inhibition in [3H]thymidine incorporation
      and tumor development. These results suggest that the adrenal gland may play an
      important role in mediating the tumor inhibitory effect of food restriction.

PMID- 1423857
TI  - Mechanisms of the enhanced liver carcinogenesis by choline in female rats: delay
      in liver growth after partial hepatectomy and stimulation of 2-AAF
      mitoinhibition.
AB  - Choline given to female rats resulted in an enhanced growth of focal lesions
      induced by the Solt-Farber model [diethylnitrosamine (DEN) as initiator and 2
      acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) associated with partial hepatectomy (PH) as promoter]
      when it was administered during promotion, but not during DEN treatment. Based on
      these data, the mechanisms by which choline might interfere with 2-AAF-PH
      promotion have been investigated. Compensatory liver growth after PH was faster
      in females than in males as shown by the restoration of both liver weight and
      protein content in rats fed a basal diet or a 2-AAF diet. The [3H]thymidine
      incorporation into DNA occurred a few hours earlier in females than in males.
      Choline administered to normal females delayed the peak of liver regeneration, by
      inhibiting [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA and the mitotic index, resulting
      in later restoration of liver mass. 2-AAF feeding for 1 week markedly depressed
      the incorporation of precursor into DNA following PH in both sexes but at greater
      extent in males. Choline enhanced the mitoinhibition of 2-AAF only in females. No
      effect of choline was observed in male rats either with or without 2-AAF. The
      differential effect of choline between sexes in the development of focal lesions
      appeared to be related to the sexual dimorphism in the 2-AAF mitoinhibition and
      in the liver proliferation after PH.

PMID- 1423859
TI  - Peroxidative activation of o-phenylhydroquinone leads to the formation of DNA
      adducts in HL-60 cells.
AB  - Using 32P-postlabeling we studied DNA adduct formation in HL-60 cells treated
      with the o-phenylphenol metabolites o-phenylhydroquinone (o-PHQ) and o
      phenylbenzoquinone (o-PBQ). Treatment with 25-500 microM o-PHQ for 8 h produced
      one principal and three minor adducts with a relative distribution of 80, 10, 6
      and 4%. The relative adduct levels from these treatments were 0.26-2.31
      adducts/10(7) nucleotides. Treatment with 25-250 microM o-PBQ for 2 h resulted in
      a similar level of DNA modification and adduct distribution. Reaction of purified
      calf thymus DNA with o-PBQ produced one DNA adduct, which did not correspond to
      the major adduct produced in HL-60 cells. These results show that o-PHQ and o-PBQ
      can form DNA adducts. Peroxidase activation of o-phenylphenol may therefore play
      a role in the carcinogenic effect of this compound.

PMID- 1423858
TI  - Mammary carcinoma suppressor and susceptibility genes in the Wistar-Kyoto rat.
AB  - The Copenhagen (Cop) rat carries a homozygous mammary carcinoma suppressor (MCS)
      gene that prevents both spontaneous and induced mammary cancer. Here we identify
      an additional rat strain, the Wistar-Kyoto (WKy), that is resistant to the
      development of mammary carcinomas. This rat strain is similar to Cop in having
      one homozygous copy of a mammary suppressor gene. The Cop MCS gene and the gene
      responsible for mammary cancer resistance in the WKy were found to be very
      closely linked genetically and thus are likely to be the same gene. It was found
      that, unlike the Cop strain, the WKy strain also carries multiple copies of a
      susceptibility gene(s). This is analogous to the susceptible Wistar-Furth strain,
      which carries three copies of dominant susceptibility genes. The MCS gene is
      epistatic in regard to these susceptibility genes. The availability of the WKy
      rat strain carrying MCS on a background independent of the Cop strain will aid
      both mechanistic studies and the molecular cloning of MCS.

PMID- 1423860
TI  - High expression of manganese superoxide dismutase in 7,12
      dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced ovarian cancer and increased serum levels in
      the tumor-bearing rats.
AB  - Manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) is strongly expressed in human ovarian
      cancer, and the serum level of the enzyme is a useful marker for the diagnosis
      and monitoring of human ovarian cancer. In the present study we found that Mn-SOD
      was highly expressed in primary and transplanted ovarian cancers in rats induced
      by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), as judged by enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay as well as by Northern blot analysis. The serum levels of Mn
      SOD in the tumor-bearing rats were also higher than those in control rats. The
      antibody strongly reacted with rat ovarian carcinoma tissues. These data suggest
      that DMBA-induced ovarian cancer in rats is a good experimental model for human
      ovarian cancer, and that Mn-SOD is also a good marker for disease in the animal
      model.

PMID- 1423861
TI  - 7-Methylguanine levels in DNA of smokers' and non-smokers' total white blood
      cells, granulocytes and lymphocytes.
AB  - The effect of smoking was investigated on the formation of 7-methylguanines in
      human peripheral white blood cells. DNA was isolated from total white blood
      cells, granulocytes and lymphocytes from 10 smokers and 10 non-smokers. 32P
      Postlabeling was performed by using anion-exchange chromatography enrichment of
      adducts. In smokers the mean DNA adduct levels were 6.9, 4.7 and 23.6 7
      methylguanine residues/10(7) nucleotides in total white blood cells, granulocytes
      and lymphocytes respectively. The corresponding values in non-smokers were 3.4,
      2.8 and 13.5 adducts/10(7) nucleotides. The mean adduct level was significantly
      higher in lymphocytes than in total white blood cells or granulocytes both in
      smokers and in non-smokers. The mean adduct levels differed significantly between
      smokers and non-smokers.

PMID- 1423862
TI  - A study of tobacco carcinogenesis XLVIII. Carcinogenicity of N'
      nitrosonornicotine in mink (Mustela vison).
AB  - During tobacco processing and smoking, nicotine and nornicotine give rise to N'
      nitrosonornicotine (NNN), a highly abundant, strong carcinogen. NNN is known to
      exert carcinogenic activity in mice, rats and hamsters. Major target organs for
      NNN carcinogenicity in the rat are the esophagus and the nasal mucosa, and in the
      Syrian golden hamster trachea and nasal mucosa. In comparison with the rat, the
      mink (Mustela vison) has a markedly expanded nasal mucosa. Therefore, we explored
      in this study whether the mink could serve as a non-rodent model for nasal
      carcinogenesis using NNN as the carcinogen. Twenty random-bred mink, beginning at
      the age of 3 weeks, received twice weekly s.c. injections of NNN, a total dose of
      11.9 mM per animal over a 38 week period. All of the 19 mink at risk developed
      malignant tumors of both the respiratory and the olfactory region of the nose
      within 3.5 years. In most animals the malignant tumors, primarily
      esthesioneuroepithelioma, invaded the brain. Remarkably, NNN induced no other
      tumors in the mink. None of the control animals developed nasal tumors nor tumors
      at other sites during the 3.5 years of the assay. The historical data from the
      farm did not reveal any spontaneous occurrence of nasal tumors in mink at any
      age. This study supports the concept that NNN is a proven carcinogen for multiple
      species of mammals and that the mink can serve as a non-rodent, non-inbred animal
      model for nasal carcinogenesis, especially since NNN induces only tumors in the
      nasal cavity in this species and not at other sites, as it does in mice, rats and
      hamsters.

PMID- 1423863
TI  - Biliary excretion of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone in the rat.
AB  - The tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone
      (NNK) is a potent pancreas carcinogen in rats. The biliary excretion of NNK was
      therefore studied in anesthetized female Sprague-Dawley rats following i.p.
      administration of 0.7 mumol/kg [carbonyl-14C]NNK. The concentration of
      radioactivity peaked within 30 min and decreased thereafter exponentially.
      Cumulative excretion of radioactivity reached a plateau at 6-9% of the total
      dose. HPLC analysis revealed the presence of 4-hydroxy-4-(3-pyridyl)butyric acid
      (hydroxy acid), 4-oxo-4-(3-pyridyl)-butyric acid (keto acid), 4
      (methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butyl beta-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid (NNAL
      Glu), 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) and NNK. NNAL Glu was
      the major metabolite contributing 34 +/- 4% of total radioactivity in bile at 30
      min and 58 +/- 4% at 5 h. The percentage of acidic metabolites remained constant
      at approximately 20%. In contrast, the percentage of NNK and NNAL decreased
      within the first 2 h to < 5% and < 10% respectively. The elimination kinetics of
      NNK and its metabolites fitted into a one-compartment model with a half-life of
      37 min for NNK, 52 min for NNAL and 110 min for NNAL Glu and acidic metabolites.
      In three rats dosed with 240 mumol/kg NNK i.p., the concentration of
      radioactivity peaked after 1-2 h and decreased very slowly thereafter. After 5-8
      h a total of 12-17% of the dose has been excreted in the bile with no indication
      of a plateau. At all time points NNAL Glu was the major metabolite contributing
      up to 95% of total radioactivity in bile. The percentage of acidic metabolites
      was < 5% throughout the experiment. Whereas NNK contributed one-third of the
      radioactivity at 30 min and decreased rapidly, the percentage of NNAL in bile
      remained rather constant at approximately 5-10%. In conclusion, the detection of
      NNK, NNAL and NNAL Glu gives support to the hypothesis that tobacco-specific
      carcinogens could reach the pancreas retrograde from the bile, especially at high
      NNK concentrations.

PMID- 1423864
TI  - Repair of mitochondrial DNA after various types of DNA damage in Chinese hamster
      ovary cells.
AB  - Using methodology recently developed to assess gene-specific DNA repair, we have
      demonstrated that it is possible not only to study mitochondrial DNA repair, but
      also directly to compare mitochondrial and nuclear DNA repair in the same
      biological sample. Complex enzymatic mechanisms recognize and repair nuclear DNA
      damage, but it has long been thought that there was no DNA repair in
      mitochondria. Therefore, in an attempt to delineate more clearly which DNA repair
      mechanisms, if any, are functioning in mitochondria, we have investigated the
      repair of several specific DNA lesions in mitochondrial DNA. They include
      cyclobutane dimers, cisplatin intrastrand adducts, cisplatin interstrand
      crosslinks and alkali-labile sites. We find that pyrimidine dimers and complex
      alkylation damage are not repaired in mitochondrial DNA, and that there is
      minimal repair of cisplatin intrastrand crosslinks. In contrast, there is
      efficient repair of cisplatin interstrand crosslinks as evidenced by
      approximately 70% of the lesions being removed by 24 h. Additionally, there is
      efficient repair of N-methylpurines following exposure to methylnitrosourea with
      approximately 70% of the lesions being removed by 24 h. The results of these
      studies reveal that repair capacity of mitochondrial DNA damage depends upon the
      type of lesion produced by the damaging agent. We speculate that a process
      similar to the base excision mechanism for nuclear DNA exists for mitochondrial
      DNA but that there is no nucleotide excision repair mechanism to remove more
      bulky lesions in this organelle.

PMID- 1423865
TI  - Preferential and strand-specific DNA repair of (6-4) photoproducts detected by a
      photochemical method in the hamster DHFR gene.
AB  - A non-enzymatic method that was previously shown to create single-strand DNA
      breaks at the location of (6-4) photoproducts in the overall genome was adapted
      to measure (6-4) photoproducts at the level of the gene. This approach employs a
      photoisomerization step that converts the (6-4) photoproduct into the Dewar
      valence photoisomer, which is more alkaline labile and allows for the creation of
      a single-strand DNA break at this site. These strand breaks were quantified via
      Southern analysis and the DNA repair of (6-4) photoproducts was measured over 2,
      4 and 8 h after a UV dose of 40 J/m2. A comparison of repair efficiency in the
      actively transcribed dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene, a transcriptionally
      inactive genomic region and the overall genome (as measured by radioimmunoassay)
      showed preferential repair of the active gene. The active DHFR gene showed 59%
      repair by 8 h compared to 33% repair in the inactive downstream region. Analysis
      of (6-4) photoproduct repair in the transcribed and non-transcribed strands of
      the DHFR gene indicate some strand specificity with 62% repair in the transcribed
      strand at 8 h compared with 43% repair in the non-transcribed strand. However,
      this strand bias is much less distinct than has been reported for the major UV
      photoproduct, the cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer.

PMID- 1423867
TI  - Selective redistribution of protein kinase C isozymes by thapsigargin and
      staurosporine.
AB  - Protein kinase C (PKC) is the major cellular receptor for tumor promoting phorbol
      esters. Phorbol esters activate alpha-, beta-, delta- and epsilon-PKCs in GH4C1
      rat pituitary cells and cause their redistribution from a soluble to a
      particulate fraction. We have now characterized the effect of several non-phorbol
      ester tumor promoters on PKC isozyme distribution in GH4C1 cells. The incomplete
      tumor promoter mezerein caused redistribution of alpha-, beta-, delta- and
      epsilon-PKCs. Thus, it did not display partial agonist activity. The phosphatase
      inhibitor okadaic acid did not cause redistribution of any isozyme. The calcium
      ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin and the ser/thr kinase inhibitor staurosporine
      caused redistribution of epsilon-PKC and, to a lesser extent, delta-PKC. Although
      the mechanism of the selective effect on delta- and epsilon-PKCs is not yet
      known, these data clearly demonstrate that their subcellular distribution can be
      regulated by a pathway that does not influence alpha- and beta-PKCs. Phorbol
      ester activation of epsilon-PKC was associated with appearance of a more slowly
      migrating immunoreactive band in the particulate fraction. Both epsilon-PKC forms
      accumulated phosphate during phorbol ester treatment. The phosphorylated forms of
      epsilon-PKC were preferentially recovered in the particulate fraction. Although
      staurosporine caused redistribution, it prevented the phorbol dibutyrate (PDBu)
      mediated appearance of the upper band of the doublet and the increased
      phosphorylation of both bands. The PDBu-mediated redistribution of alpha- and
      beta-PKCs was not inhibited by staurosporine, even though staurosporine
      effectively inhibited PKC catalytic activity. Therefore, catalytic activity is
      not required for redistribution.

PMID- 1423866
TI  - Overexpression of human DNA repair protein N-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase results
      in the increased removal of N-methylpurines in DNA without a concomitant increase
      in resistance to alkylating agents in Chinese hamster ovary cells.
AB  - N-Alkylpurines induced in DNA by simple monofunctional alkylating agents are
      known to be cytotoxic and possibly indirectly mutagenic. These adducts are
      removed by the ubiquitous N-methylpurine-DNA glycosylase (MPG) in a multistep
      repair pathway. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell clones expressing 2- to 16-fold
      enhanced levels of MPG activity were isolated from cells stably transfected with
      human MPG cDNA expression plasmids. The in vivo removal of 3-methyladenine and 7
      methylguanine from some of these lines was analyzed and was observed to reflect
      their MPG levels. These cell lines did not develop increased resistance, as
      compared to the control, in regards to cytotoxic, mutagenic and sister chromatid
      exchange inducing effects of the alkylating agents that induce 3-alkyladenine and
      7-alkylguanine as the major alkyl adducts in DNA. These results suggest that the
      MPG activity is not limiting in the multi-step repair pathway of N-alkylpurines
      in CHO cells.

PMID- 1423869
TI  - 32P-postlabeling analysis of the formation and persistence of DNA adducts in
      mammary glands of parous and nulliparous mice treated with benzo[a]pyrene.
AB  - The susceptibility of the rodent mammary gland to known chemical carcinogens can
      vary with the stage of gland development. Full-term pregnancy (parity) can confer
      permanent structural and functional changes in the gland that are associated with
      decreased breast cancer risk in humans and protection from mammary carcinogenesis
      in rodents. In this study, the formation and persistence of benzo[a]pyrene
      (B[a]P)-derived DNA adducts in vivo was determined in the abdominal mammary
      organs of adult nulliparous and parous BALB/c mice treated orally with the
      carcinogen. Mammary DNA isolated from animals in both groups revealed only one
      major adduct on TLC maps by P1-nuclease 32P-postlabeling analysis. The major
      adduct co-migrated with the (+)-enantiomer of anti-BPDE-dGp. Much lower levels of
      the (-)-enantiomer were detected. Most of the adduct quantitated was probably
      contributed by cells of the stromal compartment, since the gland-free organ
      (cleared fat pad) generated essentially equivalent profiles and level of adduct
      by 32P-postlabeling. Comparable levels of the B[a]P-derived adduct were observed
      in the intact mammary organ of both nulliparous and parous mice during a time
      course from 1 to 28 days after treatment. In both cases, adduct removal occurred
      exponentially with a half-life of approximately 16 days. The capacity for de novo
      formation of reactive metabolites by the mammary organ was demonstrated in vitro:
      digests of DNA from mammary mince exposed to B[a]P generated an adduct on TLC
      maps that also co-migrated with the (+)-anti-BPDE-dGp standard. Thus, our
      cumulative findings confirm the capacity of mammary cells to form potentially
      carcinogenic DNA adducts; however, the functional changes that occur in the mouse
      mammary gland as a result of parity did not influence the profile, level or
      persistence of adduct following exposure to a known carcinogen. Other factors,
      such as changes in mammary cell cycle kinetics or responsiveness to promotional
      stimuli may be more causally related to reduction in incidence of neoplasia
      observed in parous animals.

PMID- 1423868
TI  - Formation of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine within DNA of mouse keratinocytes exposed in
      culture to UVB and H2O2.
AB  - Exposure to UV light contributes to the development of skin cancer. The
      importance of reactive oxygen species in UV-radiation carcinogenesis has been
      recognized for some time and several associated DNA base modifications have been
      identified. In particular, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) has been well studied
      as an indicator of oxidative damage to calf thymus DNA exposed to a variety of
      oxygen-generating systems, including UV light. However, to date, few studies of 8
      OHdG have been conducted in cell or animal systems and those in vitro
      investigations that studied UV exposure have used UVC (< 290 nm), not the UVB
      (290-320 nm) or UVA (320-400 nm) ranges to which organisms are exposed through
      sunlight. The objective of this study was to measure 8-OHdG formation in the DNA
      of cultured mouse keratinocytes exposed to UVB. Using HPLC with electrochemical
      detection, background levels of 8-OHdG were approximately 6 fmol/micrograms DNA
      in DNA isolated and digested to the nucleoside level. UVB induced 8-OHdG up to
      100% above that for mock-treated cells at a dose of 630 mJ/cm2 (dose-response
      range: 210-630 mJ/cm2). UVB exposure at 630 mJ/cm2 combined with 5 mM H2O2
      elevated 8-OHdG formation up to 280% above that in control cells, whereas H2O2
      alone had no effect. These results suggest that factors which increase the
      generation of reactive oxygen species by UV light may be potent cofactors of UV
      radiation carcinogenesis.

PMID- 1423870
TI  - Purification and characterization of rat hepatic microsomal N,O-acyltransferases.
AB  - Hepatic microsomes of female F344 rats were capable of N,O-acyltransfer of N
      hydroxy-N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene (N-OH-AAF) and N-hydroxy-N-formyl-2
      aminofluorene (N-OH-FAF), N-deacetylation of N-OH-AAF and N-acetyl-2
      aminofluorene (2-AAF), and O-deacetylation of 4-nitrophenyl acetate (NPA). The
      activity for N,O-acyltransfer of N-OH-FAF was approximately 20 times greater than
      that of N-OH-AAF. These microsomal activities were inducible by phenobarbital and
      were inhibitible by paraoxon. Four distinct N,O-acyltransferases were purified
      from solubilized hepatic microsomes of phenobarbital pretreated rats. These
      enzymes were purified to homogeneity, as judged by SDS-PAGE and analytical IEF.
      Their pIs were approximately 5.0, 5.5, 6.0 and 6.5 and their mol. wts were
      approximately 60, 61, 180 (a homotrimer of 59 kDa) and 60 kDa respectively. All
      the enzymes catalyzed the N,O-acyltransfer of N-OH-FAF, the N-deacetylation of N
      OH-AAF and 2-AAF and the O-deacetylation of NPA. Among these four enzymes, the
      hydrolysis of NPA was best catalyzed by pI 6.5 protein, of 2-AAF by the pI 5.5
      protein, and of N-OH-AAF by the pI 5.0 protein. The pI 5.5 and pI 6.5 proteins
      were equally active for N,O-acyltransferase and were more active than the other
      enzymes. The present study demonstrates that rat hepatic microsomal activities of
      N,O-acyltransfer, N-deacetylation and O-deacetylation are attributable to the
      same enzymes.

PMID- 1423871
TI  - Transformation of non-tumorigenic osteoblast-like human osteosarcoma cells by
      hexavalent chromates: alteration of morphology, induction of anchorage
      independence and proteolytic function.
AB  - Soluble chromium (VI) compounds either alone or in combination with 3
      methylcholanthrene (MC) were used to transform non-tumorigenic osteoblast-like
      human osteosarcoma cells (HOS TE85). The Cr(VI) compounds were highly toxic to
      these cells with LC50 values in the range of approximately 0.5-1.0 microM.
      Continuous passaging of the treated cells resulted in sustained increase in
      anchorage-independent (AI) colony formation. Treatment with Cr(VI) and MC
      resulted in substantial increase in AI growth. At the XVth passage, a number of
      individual AI colonies were expanded in culture and used for further studies. The
      cells are refractory in appearance and grow as 'nests' rather than as monolayers.
      The cell lines have relatively high plating efficiency (PE) in soft agar and
      respond to promotional effect of phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate by an increase
      in PE and in the size and number of AI colonies. While the isolated cells are not
      tumorigenic when tested in athymic nude mice, most of the lines possess higher
      levels of plasminogen activator (PA) activity, considered as one of the markers
      of transformation. This is also reflected in the increase in the steady state
      level of urokinase type PA mRNA. These results show that Cr(VI) compounds are
      capable of promoting human cells to an altered phenotype characteristic of a
      stage in the carcinogenesis cascade.

PMID- 1423872
TI  - Aflatoxin toxicity in cultured human epidermal cells: stimulation by 2,3,7,8
      tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.
AB  - Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) at 1 microgram/ml was markedly toxic to human epidermal cells
      grown in the Rheinwald-Green 3T3 feeder layer system. At 0.1 microgram/ml, the
      toxicity was barely evident, as assessed by colony expansion during a 2 week
      exposure, but it was dramatically stimulated by 5 nM 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p
      dioxin (TCDD), which was non-toxic alone. Neither AFB1-dihydrodiol nor AFB2 were
      toxic in the presence or absence of TCDD, indicating that metabolism to the 8,9
      epoxide was responsible for the AFB1 toxicity. Stimulation of AFB1 epoxidation by
      TCDD was also indicated by the > 20-fold increase in DNA adduct formation in
      cultures exposed to [14C]AFB1 and TCDD for 4 days as compared to AFB1 alone.
      Analysis of free metabolites in culture medium by reverse-phase HPLC revealed
      that confluent epidermal cultures metabolized AFB1 to AFM1, AFB2a and
      aflatoxicol. In the presence of TCDD, the levels of AFM1 were higher (14 versus
      3% of dose) as were those of AFB2a (3 versus 0.5% of dose), while aflatoxicol
      levels were lower (0.8 versus 2% of dose). In the absence of irradiated 3T3, the
      toxicities of AFB1, AFB2, AFM1 and aflatoxicol to cells in serum-free medium
      (0.15 mM Ca2+) were similar to those in the feeder layer system. Although this
      moderately low calcium concentration appeared quite satisfactory for observing
      toxicity, the response was attenuated at a lower calcium concentration (0.09 mM
      Ca2+).

PMID- 1423875
TI  - Mutational specificity of chromium(VI) compounds in the hprt locus of Chinese
      hamster ovary-K1 cells.
AB  - Chromium(VI) compounds exert their genotoxicity and mutagenicity by complex
      metabolic reducing pathways that generate a variety of reactive forms of chromium
      and free radicals. To investigate the molecular nature of chromium-induced
      mutations, we characterized the entire coding region of the hypoxanthine
      (guanine) phosphoribosyltransferase (hprt) gene of 27 independent mutants derived
      from chromium(VI) oxide (CrO3)-treated Chinese hamster ovary-K1 cells, by direct
      sequencing of PCR-amplified cDNA. Among these mutants, 10 consisted of single
      base substitutions, five contained two base substitutions, one had four base
      substitutions, six were splicing mutations, and five exhibited single base pair
      insertions or deletions. All of the base substitutions and most of the frameshift
      mutations observed were located at A/T-rich sequences. More than 90% of the base
      substitutions (22/24) occurred in A.T base pairs. Among them, T-->A and T-->G
      transversions (18/22) predominated. The mutational hotspots for single and double
      base substitutions were the 3' thymidine of 5'PuT and thymidines of 5'ATTT
      sequences respectively. This mutational specificity was also observed in CHO-K1
      cells treated with two other chromium(VI) compounds, namely K2Cr2O7 and PbCrO4.
      Strand bias was noticed in chromium mutagenicity, since 77% of T base
      substitutions occurred on the non-transcribed strand. This highly sequence
      specific mutation spectrum suggests that a particular form of chromium may
      directly interact with DNA at these hotspot sequences.

PMID- 1423873
TI  - Cigarette smoking related polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-DNA adducts in
      peripheral mononuclear cells.
AB  - Studies on cigarette smoking related polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-DNA adducts
      in blood have produced conflicting results. To determine whether a subset of
      specific white blood cells is a useful marker for monitoring exposure to
      cigarette smoke, blood was obtained from 63 heavy smokers and 27 non-smokers.
      Adduct levels were determined by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
      with a polyclonal antiserum recognizing benzo[a]pyrene and structurally related
      diolepoxide-DNA adducts. Analysis of the lymphocyte plus monocyte fraction from
      smokers indicated 70% had detectable adducts with a mean of 4.38 +/- 4.29
      adducts/10(8) nucleotides, while in non-smokers the corresponding values were 22%
      and 1.35 +/- 0.78/10(8) (P < 0.001). Plasma cotinine levels differed
      significantly in smokers (286 +/- 90 micrograms/l) compared to non-smokers (4.4
      +/- 3.3 micrograms/l) (P < 0.001). However, cotinine was not correlated with self
      reported smoking history in these heavy smokers. Nor were DNA adducts in smokers
      correlated with cigarettes per day, pack-years and plasma cotinine, indicating
      large interindividual variation in DNA adduct formation. These data demonstrate
      lymphocytes plus monocytes from smokers have elevated levels of polycyclic
      aromatic hydrocarbon diolepoxide-DNA adduct levels compared to non-smokers.

PMID- 1423874
TI  - Promoting effects of both dietary cholesterol and cholestyramine on pancreatic
      carcinogenesis initiated by N-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine in Syrian golden
      hamsters.
AB  - The effects of dietary cholesterol and cholestyramine on pancreatic
      carcinogenesis initiated with N-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl)amine (BOP) were
      investigated in 120 female Syrian golden hamsters. BOP (70 mg/kg body weight) was
      injected s.c. once at the beginning of the experiment. Starting 2 weeks later,
      the animals were then maintained on basal diet or diets containing either 0.5%
      cholesterol or 1% cholestyramine for a further 16 weeks. All surviving hamsters
      were killed at week 18, and the pancreas tissues examined histologically. The
      incidences of pancreatic carcinomas in hamsters fed cholesterol and the
      cholestyramine supplement were 40.0 and 30.0% respectively; in both cases
      significantly higher than the 6.9% incidence in the basal diet group. Cholesterol
      contents of the serum, pancreas and liver were significantly increased by
      cholesterol feeding and significantly decreased by the cholestyramine diet. The
      cholesterol diet also significantly increased pancreatic protein and DNA
      contents, and the concentration of total bile acids and the level of lithocholic
      acid in gallbladder bile. The cholestyramine diet significantly increased total
      pancreatic DNA and protein contents, and pancreatic weight. The results thus
      indicated that both dietary cholesterol and cholestyramine can enhance BOP
      initiated pancreatic carcinogenesis in hamsters.

PMID- 1423877
TI  - Molecular dynamics of alkylated DNA.
AB  - The effect of methylation of the O4 atom of thymine in two oligonucleotide
      sequences is investigated by molecular dynamics simulations. Three types of
      environments are considered including: (i) in vacuo calculation, with a distance
      dependent dielectric function and unhydrated counter-ions; (ii) in vacuo
      calculation, with a distance-dependent dielectric constant and hydrated counter
      ions; and (iii) with a 9 A thick explicit water layer and counter-ions. In all
      environments, the oligonucleotide sequence containing the chemically modified
      thymine paired with guanine is more stable than the oligonucleotide sequence in
      which the modified thymine is paired with adenine. The methyl group attached to
      the O4 atom of thymine is found in a syn configuration with respect to the N3
      atom. The best fit between the experimental NMR results and the molecular
      dynamics simulations is obtained using the environment with hydrated counter
      ions.

PMID- 1423876
TI  - Response of the ke test to NCI/NTP-screened chemicals. III. Complementary value
      of ke in screening for carcinogens.
AB  - The value of using a physico-chemical carcinogen-screening test, the ke test, in
      conjunction with the Salmonella typhimurium/microsome assay (the Ames test)
      and/or structural alerts of reactivity (the S/A test), is analyzed on the basis
      of the response of the three tests to 171 chemicals of known rodent
      carcinogenicity. The Ames test is widely used to screen chemicals for potential
      carcinogenicity; however, its relatively low sensitivity (proportion of true
      positives among carcinogens tested) has prompted a search for complementary tests
      that increase sensitivity without an unacceptable decrease in specificity
      (proportion of true negatives among non-carcinogens tested). The S/A test is a
      structural analysis based on recognition of chemicals groups likely to react with
      DNA. The S/A test does not complement the Ames test well, because of the high
      similarity of responses (dependence) between these two tests. The ke test
      measures the affinity of a test chemical for electrons, and has a sensitivity and
      specificity comparable to the Ames test. The ke test is shown in this work to
      complement both the Ames test and the S/A test. Addition of the ke test to either
      the Ames test or the S/A test results in a substantial decrease in false
      negatives and an approximately equal increase in false positives, which is a
      trade-off that would be desirable in all but the least risk averse situations.
      The S/A and ke battery has a sensitivity of > 0.9, and could be applied to
      untested chemicals without any biological testing. In view of these observations,
      it is proposed that the ke test be considered in developing future strategies to
      optimize the screening of potential carcinogens in the most cost-effective
      manner.

PMID- 1423878
TI  - Inhibition of mouse skin tumorigenesis by dexamethasone occurs through a Ha-ras
      independent mechanism.
AB  - The Ha-ras oncogene has been shown to be point-mutated and overexpressed in
      papillomas induced by the two-stage skin tumorigenesis regimen of 7,12
      dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and promotion with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13
      acetate (TPA). Glucocorticoids inhibit mouse skin tumorigenesis when applied with
      the initiation agent or with the promoting agent. We have extended these studies
      to evaluate whether dexamethasone (Dex) treatment could inhibit development of
      already established tumors. An additional objective of this study was to
      investigate whether glucocorticoids directly inhibit Ha-ras gene expression at
      the level of transcription during skin tumorigenesis. In this report we
      demonstrate that topical Dex treatments significantly suppressed the formation of
      additional tumors relative to the acetone control group. However, Northern blot
      analysis of total RNA isolated from representative tumors during a series of
      sequential weeks of promotion indicated that Dex did not have a direct effect on
      Ha-ras steady-state mRNA levels despite the decrease in additional tumor numbers
      in the Dex-treated groups. We also investigated short-term effects of Dex on
      endogenous Ha-ras expression in normal mouse epidermis. Topical Dex
      administration had no effect on endogenous Ha-ras steady-state mRNA levels in
      normal skin after 2 or 24 h. To ensure that endogenous corticosterone levels in
      the SENCAR mouse were not influencing our results, Ha-ras mRNA levels in
      epidermis from SENCAR mice adrenalectomized 48 h prior to being killed were
      compared to Ha-ras levels in normal epidermis by Northern blot analysis. The data
      from this analysis revealed that bilateral adrenalectomy had no effect on Ha-ras
      steady-state mRNA levels in epidermis compared to ras levels in normal mouse
      epidermis. In summary, our results demonstrate that although Dex can inhibit
      further tumor development in DMBA/TPA-treated mouse epidermis, it does not do so
      by directly effecting Ha-ras gene expression in mouse epidermis.

PMID- 1423879
TI  - Evidence for a ras gene mutation in azoxymethane-induced colonic aberrant crypts
      in Sprague-Dawley rats: earliest recognizable precursor lesions of experimental
      colon cancer.
AB  - The main objective of the present investigation was to understand the molecular
      events involved in the genesis of aberrant crypt foci. Aberrant crypt foci were
      induced in Sprague-Dawley rats with a single injection of azoxymethane. Aberrant
      crypts have been identified topographically in the colon and are hypothesized to
      represent preneoplastic lesions. In order to understand the molecular events
      involved in the early stages of colon cancer, PCR-amplified DNA from aberrant
      crypts was hybridized with oligonucleotide probes specific for the detection of
      point mutations in codon 12 of K-ras. The mutation identified was a G to A
      transition resulting in the substitution of the amino acid aspartic acid (asp)
      for glycine (gly). This mutation was present in 6/19 (32%) of aberrant crypts
      examined. The identical mutation was also identified in adenomacarcinoma tissue
      while no mutation could be detected in normal intestinal mucosa. For further
      confirmation of these results, the presence of the mutated ras protein (rasAsp
      12) was detected in aberrant crypts by immunohistochemistry. This investigation
      provides the first identification of a ras point mutation in aberrant crypt foci.

PMID- 1423881
TI  - Reaction kinetics of DNA-histone crosslinking by vinyl acetate and acetaldehyde.
AB  - The formation and stability of DNA-protein crosslinks (DPXLs) formed by
      incubation of pUC13 plasmid DNA and calf thymus histones with 1-100 mM
      acetaldehyde was studied using a filter binding assay. DPXLs were formed at a
      rate of 127 DPXLs/plasmid molecule/mmol acetaldehyde in a reaction containing 1
      microgram of histones and 0.33 microgram of DNA at 37 degrees C for 1 h.
      Acetaldehyde-induced DPXLs were unstable at 37 degrees C, with loss of up to 75%
      by 8 h. Crosslink formation was significantly higher at lower pH, with 3- and 2
      fold higher levels at pH 5 and 6 respectively than at pH 7.5. Induction of DPXL
      formation by 1-100 mM vinyl acetate in the presence of rat liver microsomes was
      observed at 37 degrees C over 3 h. DPXL accumulation followed S-phase enzymatic
      kinetics, with a rate of formation of 1.1 DPXLs/plasmid molecule/mmol vinyl
      acetate/microgram microsomal protein/microgram DNA. Vinyl acetate was unable to
      cause formation of DPXLs in the absence of microsomes. A carboxylesterase
      inhibitor, bis-(p-nitrophenyl) phosphate, was able to block DPXL formation by
      vinyl acetate and microsomes. This work supports the hypothesis that DPXL
      formation by vinyl acetate requires microsomal metabolism to acetaldehyde, which
      is the active crosslinking agent.

PMID- 1423880
TI  - Mechanism of formation of the thioether conjugate of the bladder carcinogen 2
      amino-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-thiazole (ANFT).
AB  - The formation of thioether conjugates is an important pathway for inactivation of
      certain carcinogens. This study assessed the mechanism by which the bladder
      carcinogen 2-amino-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-thiazole (ANFT) forms a glutathione
      conjugate (ANFT-SG). Peroxidatic metabolism of ANFT, in the presence of
      glutathione, results in ANFT-SG formation. Both prostaglandin H synthase and
      horseradish peroxidase can catalyze this reaction. Metabolism of the reducing co
      substrates ANFT, phenol, and aminopyrine elicit increases in oxidized glutathione
      (GSSG). ANFT-SG formation is potentiated by phenol and aminopyrine. tert
      Nitrosobutane (tNB), a thiyl radical trap, prevented increases in both GSSG and
      ANFT-SG. Increasing concentrations of ANFT elicited corresponding increases in
      both GSSG and ANFT-SG. Peroxidatic metabolism of ANFT in the presence of
      glutathione, but not in the absence of glutathione, resulted in oxygen uptake.
      The formation of GSSG and oxygen uptake are consistent with the presence of thiyl
      radicals during ANFT metabolism. 5,5-Dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide, a thiyl
      radical trap, was not as effective as tNB in inhibiting the formation of ANFT-SG
      and GSSG. Ascorbic acid, a reducing cosubstrate and antioxidant, was very
      effective in preventing ANFT-SG and GSSG formation, while the strong nucleophile
      methionine was ineffective. To clarify effects of different test agents, their
      effects on aminopyrine cation radical formation were assessed. Results are
      consistent with ANFT reacting with thiyl radicals to form ANFT-SG. ANFT appears
      to be a thiyl radical trap. Peroxidatic metabolism of ANFT probably results in
      the formation of a cation radical rather than a carbon-centered radical.

PMID- 1423882
TI  - Accumulation of O6- and 7-methylguanine in DNA of N-nitroso-N-methylbenzylamine
      treated rats is restricted to non-target organs for N-nitroso-N-methylbenzylamine
      induced carcinogenesis.
AB  - The distribution and accumulation of O6-methylguanine (O6-meGua) and 7
      methylguanine (7-meGua) was investigated immunocytochemically in target and non
      target tissues of rats injected twice weekly with 0.5 mg N-nitroso-N
      methylbenzylamine (NMBzA)/kg for 16.5 weeks. Seventy two hours after every two or
      three doses, two NMBzA-treated rats and one control rat were killed. Tissue
      specific cell proliferation was investigated after two injections of
      bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) to rats unexposed to NMBzA. Neither O6-meGua- nor 7
      meGua-specific immunostaining could be observed in the target tissues for tumor
      induction, i.e. esophagus, tongue and forestomach. Accumulation of both O6-meGua
      and 7-meGua was found, however, in nasal, tracheal and bronchiolar epithelia and
      glands--tissues for which tumor induction by NMBzA has not been reported. An
      explanation for this phenomenon might be the relatively low levels of cellular
      proliferation we observed in the latter epithelia. The present results support
      the hypothesis that the tumorigenic organotropism of NMBzA is determined both by
      the level of DNA methylation and the proliferative capacity of the methylated
      cells.

PMID- 1423883
TI  - Characterization of ethanol's enhancement of tumorigenesis by N
      nitrosodimethylamine in mice.
AB  - The concentration-, time- and route-dependent effects of ethanol co
      administration on tumorigenesis by N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) were
      characterized in strain A male mice. With drinking-water administration, 1%
      ethanol was as effective as 5 or 10% in effecting a 4-fold enhancement of lung
      tumorigenesis by 5 p.p.m. NDMA. In a study of cumulative effects over time, 10%
      ethanol given with 1 p.p.m. NDMA resulted in a progressive increase in lung
      tumors from 16 to 72 weeks. In addition, at 72 weeks, the ethanol co-treatment
      resulted in a significant increase in kidney adenomas and possibly in vascular
      tumors of liver. A single i.g. dose of 5 mg/kg NDMA was significantly tumorigenic
      for lung, and the effect was dose-dependently increased by inclusion of ethanol,
      for up to a 9-fold enhancement with 20% ethanol. When 10% ethanol was given in
      the drinking water while NDMA was administered as 20 1 mg/kg doses by other
      routes--i.g., i.p., s.c. or i.v.--the ethanol treatment was without effect on
      lung tumor numbers. Collectively, the results provide strong support for
      inhibition of hepatic first-pass clearance of NDMA by cytochrome P450 2E1 as the
      mechanism of ethanol's effect, and suggest that several other possible mechanisms
      are unlikely. They also illustrate that a moderate dose of ethanol cumulatively
      increases tumor risk from a low dose of NDMA given over most of the lifetime of
      the animal.

PMID- 1423884
TI  - Proliferative dependent regulation of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate
      dehydrogenase/uracil DNA glycosylase gene in human cells.
AB  - The relationship between the proliferative dependent expression of the
      glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH)/uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG)
      gene and the induction of uracil DNA glycosylase activity was examined in human
      cells. Three different cell types were studied to determine whether the growth
      dependent regulation of this multifunctional gene was a common characteristic of
      human cells. These included WI-38 normal embryonic lung fibroblasts, a Japanese
      Bloom's syndrome non-transformed skin fibroblast cell strain (GM-05289) and a
      lymphoblastoid cell line transformed by the Epstein-Barr virus. The Japanese
      Bloom's syndrome cells displayed the altered immunoreactivity with marker
      monoclonal antibody 40.10.09 which characterizes cells from this human genetic
      disorder. In noncycling human cells Northern blot analysis using a plasmid (pChug
      20.1) which contained the human GAPDH/UDG cDNA revealed a single 1.6 kb
      transcript. In each case, the expression of this gene was increased during cell
      proliferation. This increase in GAPDH/UDG gene expression was identical to that
      observed for UDG enzyme activity. Further, using anti-human UDG monoclonal
      antibodies, there was a growth-dependent rise in immunoreactivity suggesting an
      increase in the level of antigenic protein. These results demonstrate that: (i)
      the expression of the GAPDH/UDG gene was dependent on the proliferative state of
      the cell; and (ii) a correlation existed between the transcription of this gene
      and the level of uracil DNA glycosylase enzyme activity.

PMID- 1423885
TI  - Lack of correlation between DNA methylation and hepatocarcinogenesis in rats and
      hamsters treated with 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone.
AB  - Previous studies have demonstrated that the tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4
      (methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) induced liver tumors in F344
      rats but not in Syrian golden hamsters. The aim of this study was to determine
      whether there was a correlation between the persistence of O6-methylguanine (O6
      mGua) adducts and the rate of recovery of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase
      (O6-mGuaT) after depletion in the liver and susceptibility to NNK in F344 rat and
      Syrian golden hamster injected s.c. with NNK (80 mg/kg). The levels of both 7
      methylguanine and O6-mGua reached a maximum 24 h after NNK treatment. O6-mGua in
      NNK-treated rat liver was undetectable after 48 h. In the rat, the depletion of
      O6-mGuaT activity occurred within 4 h following NNK treatment. A subsequent rapid
      recovery of enzyme activity was observed 36 h after NNK exposure. In contrast,
      high levels of O6-mGua persisted in hamster liver DNA and no O6-mGuaT activity
      was detected up to 336 h after NNK injection. Thus, the persistence of O6-mGua in
      hamster liver is most likely related to a lack of recovery of the O6-mGuaT. These
      results suggested that factors other than O6-mGua may be determining NNK-induced
      hepatocarcinogenesis in rats. An aldehyde generated by alpha-hydroxylation of
      NNK, 4-oxo-4-(3-pyridyl)butanal, inhibited O6-mGuaT activity in rat hepatocytes,
      suggesting that this aldehyde contributes to the carcinogenicity of NNK by
      inhibiting this repair enzyme.

PMID- 1423887
TI  - Activity of diverse tumor promoters in a keratinocyte co-culture model of
      initiated epidermis.
AB  - The suppression of focal growth of initiated mouse keratinocytes by co-culture
      with normal keratinocytes can be overcome by treatment of co-cultures with the
      phorbol ester tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). This
      keratinocyte co-culture model was developed as an analog of initiated mouse
      epidermis to facilitate the study of tumor promotion in cell culture. A number of
      promoters of TPA-type [those with protein kinase C (PKC) as receptor] were
      compared to non-TPA-type promoters for activity in the keratinocyte co-culture
      model. The TPA-type promoters teleocidin and aplysiatoxin show comparable
      activity to that of TPA. Exposure of co-cultures to oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol, a
      diacylglycerol activator of PKC, also induces focal outgrowth of initiated cells,
      suggesting that PKC is likely to be involved in the mechanism of action of these
      compounds. However, the involvement of alternative pathways (not involving PKC
      directly) for clonal selection are evident since the non-TPA-type promoters
      okadaic acid, staurosporine and thapsigargin are also active in the assay. Thus,
      the keratinocyte co-culture model differs from fibroblast models of normal and
      neoplastic co-cultures in which only TPA-type promoters are active. In further
      contrast to certain fibroblast co-cultures, TPA does not inhibit cell-cell
      communication under conditions that suppress focus formation. Taken together with
      previous data, we conclude that the keratinocyte co-culture model may have broad
      application for detecting skin tumor promoters, and may be useful for dissecting
      the mechanism by which normal epidermal cells suppress the growth of initiated
      cells.

PMID- 1423886
TI  - Metabolism of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), a tobacco
      specific carcinogen, by rabbit nasal microsomes and cytochrome P450s NMa and NMb.
AB  - Rabbit nasal olfactory and respiratory microsomes were found to catalyze the
      alpha-hydroxylation of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) with
      specific activities of 262 and 136 pmol/min/mg protein in the formation of keto
      aldehyde, and of 318 and 190 pmol/min/mg protein in the formation of keto alcohol
      respectively. The formation of NNK-N-oxide was observed in experiments with
      rabbit olfactory and respiratory microsomes, but not with rat nasal microsomes.
      However, the rat nasal microsomes had higher activity in catalyzing the alpha
      hydroxylation of NNK. In a reconstituted system, rabbit P450NMa, a major
      constitutive P450 isozyme in nasal microsomes, displayed high activities in the
      formation of the keto aldehyde and the keto alcohol with apparent Km values of 15
      and 9 microM respectively. In comparison, rabbit olfactory specific P450NMb had a
      low activity in catalyzing the formation of keto aldehyde (Km = 186 microM) and
      no activity in the formation of keto alcohol. The P450NMa-catalyzed oxidation of
      NNK was inhibited by nicotine and diallyl sulfide. Kinetic studies indicated that
      nicotine is a competitive inhibitor. These results demonstrate that enzymes in
      rabbit nasal microsomes, especially P450NMa, efficiently catalyze the
      bioactivation of NNK.

PMID- 1423888
TI  - DNA adduct dosimetry and DNA repair in rats and pigs given repeated doses of
      procarbazine under conditions of carcinogenicity and human cancer chemotherapy
      respectively.
AB  - Procarbazine (PCZ), an antineoplastic agent that produces methylated bases in DNA
      after metabolic activation, has been implicated in the development of secondary
      cancers in patients treated for a primary neoplasm. The repair of the important
      promutagenic lesion, O6-methylguanine (O6-meG) by O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyl
      transferase (AGT) is believed to be crucial for the stability of O6-meG and for
      the tumorigenic outcome after exposure to methylating carcinogens. Using two
      different animal models, we investigated methyl DNA adduct dosimetry and DNA
      repair in (i) female rats given repeated doses of PCZ for 20 weeks under
      conditions of carcinogenicity, and (ii) female pigs administered repeated doses
      of PCZ for 4 weeks according to a regimen comparable to that given to human
      subjects undergoing cancer chemotherapy. After each successive week, four rats
      and three pigs were killed and tissues including blood, liver, mammary gland,
      spleen, thymus and lymph node were taken. The levels of O6-meG, 7-methylguanine
      (7-meG) in DNA and of AGT were determined in these tissues. In the rat, O6-meG in
      the liver DNA, and to a lesser degree in the spleen was efficiently removed
      throughout the 20 week dosing period, as indicated by the O6-meG/7-meG ratio
      being much less than 0.11. In the target organs, accumulation of O6-meG began in
      the mammary gland after 9 weeks, and in the lymph node and thymus after 3 weeks
      of dosing. Interestingly, the accumulation of O6-meG in the mammary gland
      correlates well with a concomitant decrease in AGT level as from week 10 and may
      be related to the induction of mammary gland tumors, first detected in two
      animals at week 10. In pigs, after a total dose of 750-4000 mg of PCZ, the range
      of 7-meG detected in leukocyte DNA was 21-66 mumol/mol G, which compares well
      with recent findings in cancer patients treated with PCZ. Similar levels of 7-meG
      were detected in the pig liver, thymus and lymph node. O6-MeG was only detectable
      in leukocyte DNA at week 4 with our present method. Compared with control pig
      tissues, a depressed AGT level was found in the leukocyte, lymph node and brain
      of the treated animals.

PMID- 1423890
TI  - Expression of cytochrome P450 in yeast after different chemical treatments.
AB  - In Saccharomyces cerevisiae a number of chemical agents induce synthesis of
      cytochrome P450. A cytochrome P450 gene has been well characterized in this
      yeast: CYP51, which codes for a constitutive enzyme involved in the 14 alpha
      demethylation of lanosterol, a key step in the biosynthesis of ergosterol. In
      this work, we have analysed the level of transcription of the CYP51 gene in
      correlation with cytochrome P450 enzymatic activity after treatment with several
      chemical agents known to interact with cytochrome P450. Using as a probe a DNA
      fragment whose identity to the CYP51 gene was established by sequence analysis
      and mapping on chromosome VIII, a unique RNA species was observed in all
      treatment samples. The increased level found for this transcript in cells treated
      with ethanol, 20% glucose, phenobarbital or 5-methoxypsoralen correlates with the
      levels of induction in cytochrome P450 enzymatic activity measured in cells grown
      under the same conditions, indicating that induction of cytochrome P450 by these
      treatments is regulated at the transcriptional level.

PMID- 1423889
TI  - The influence of ventral UVA exposure on subsequent tumorigenesis in mice by UVA
      or UVB irradiation.
AB  - Exposure to ultraviolet-B radiation (UVB: 280-315 nm) can result in a decreased
      immune response. This immune suppression can be restricted to the exposed skin
      site (local immune suppression) but may also be systemic. To investigate whether
      ultraviolet-A radiation (UVA: 315-400 nm) could also exert such a systemic
      effect, we performed the present investigation. The study consisted of two parts.
      Experiment I: 24 albino hairless mice (SKH:HRI) were ventrally exposed to UVA
      radiation for 300 days (glass-filtered Philips TLK09 fluorescent tubes, daily
      dose: 350 kJ/m2), while 24 control mice were left unexposed. After this period
      the control animals were still tumour free, but 60% of the exposed animals had
      developed abdominal tumours. Subsequently ventral exposures were stopped and both
      groups were dorsally exposed to identical UVB regimens (Westinghouse FS40, daily
      dose: 900 J/m2). Experiment II: this was virtually the same as experiment I, but
      here the mice were dorsally exposed to UVA radiation (glass-filtered Philips
      TLK09, daily dose: 290 kJ/m2) instead of UVB radiation. If we look at all tumours
      induced dorsally, we find no significant influence of pre-exposures to UVA
      radiation. This holds for dorsal UVB as well as for dorsal UVA exposures. In
      contrast to UVB, however, the UVA radiation induced many papillomas. Excluding
      the papillomas from the analysis we find that the induction of non-papillomas
      (mainly squamous cell carcinomas) under dorsal UVA exposure, is slightly enhanced
      in the ventrally pre-exposed group (difference significant at the P < 0.05
      level). This suggests that UVA radiation induced only a weak systemic effect.
      Ventral UVA pre-exposure did not appear to affect dorsal skin irritation as
      expressed by scratch marks. The induction period for hyperkeratosis, however, was
      significantly shortened by the ventral UVA pre-exposure; this applied to dorsal
      UVB as well as dorsal UVA exposures.

PMID- 1423891
TI  - Inhibitory effects of curcumin on tumor initiation by benzo[a]pyrene and 7,12
      dimethylbenz[a]anthracene.
AB  - The effects of topical administration of curcumin on the formation of
      benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P)-DNA adducts and the tumorigenic activities of B[a]P and
      7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) in epidermis were evaluated in female CD-1
      mice. Topical application of 3 or 10 mumol curcumin 5 min prior to the
      application of 20 nmol [3H]B[a]P inhibited the formation of [3H]B[a]P-DNA adducts
      in epidermis by 39 or 61% respectively. In a two-stage skin tumorigenesis model,
      topical application of 20 nmol B[a]P to the backs of mice once weekly for 10
      weeks followed a week later by promotion with 15 nmol 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol
      13-acetate (TPA) twice weekly for 21 weeks resulted in the formation of 7.1 skin
      tumors per mouse, and 100% of the mice had tumors. In a parallel group of mice,
      in which the animals were treated with 3 or 10 mumol curcumin 5 min prior to each
      application of B[a]P, the number of tumors per mouse was decreased by 58 or 62%
      respectively. The percentage of tumor-bearing mice was decreased by 18-25%. In an
      additional study, topical application of 3 or 10 mumol curcumin 5 min prior to
      each application of 2 nmol DMBA once weekly for 10 weeks followed a week later by
      promotion with 15 nmol TPA twice weekly for 15 weeks decreased the number of
      tumors per mouse by 37 or 41% respectively.

PMID- 1423892
TI  - Chemoprevention of smoke-related DNA adduct formation in rat lung and heart.
AB  - The formation of smoke-related DNA adducts and their chemoprevention were
      investigated in tissues of male Sprague-Dawley rats, by testing a total of 132
      DNA samples by synchronous fluorescence spectrophotometry (SFS), which mainly
      detects benzo[a]pyrene diolepoxide (BPDE)-DNA adducts. Groups of six animals each
      were exposed whole-body to mainstream cigarette smoke, once daily, for up to 40
      consecutive days. No adduct was revealed in liver DNA, whereas smoke-related DNA
      adducts were detectable in the lung from the 8th day of exposure and continued to
      increase until the 40th day. Adducts to heart DNA, which were monitored after 28
      and 40 days of exposure, attained even higher levels than those detected in the
      lungs of the same animals. A high correlation existed between the amounts of
      smoke-related DNA adducts measured in these two organs. The daily administration
      by gavage of the thiol N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), an effective mutation and
      cancer chemopreventive agent, which had been previously shown to inhibit the
      formation of SFS-positive DNA adducts in rats receiving intratracheal
      instillations of benzo[a]pyrene, significantly prevented occurrence of the same
      adducts in both heart and lungs of smoke-exposed rats. No fluorescence signal was
      observed in liver, lung, or heart DNA of sham-exposed animals. The findings of
      this molecular dosimetry study complement the results of parallel
      histopathologic, cytogenetic, biochemical and metabolic analyses of tissues and
      cells from the same rats, providing evidence for a variety of significant
      alterations produced by exposure to cigarette smoke and for the specific
      protective role of NAC.

PMID- 1423893
TI  - Investigations of the frequency of DNA strand breakage and cross-linking and of
      sister chromatid exchange frequency in the lymphocytes of patients with multiple
      myeloma undergoing cytostatic therapy with melphalan and prednisone.
AB  - An investigation was made of 17 patients with multiple myeloma using the method
      of alkaline filter elution for the detection of DNA damage and the determination
      of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency in peripheral lymphocytes during a
      course of chemotherapy with melphalan and prednisone. We were able to detect
      elevated SCE frequencies in pretreated patients that approximately doubled during
      the therapeutic cycle. An appreciable level of DNA cross-linking was detected by
      alkaline filter elution; DNA cross-linking scarcely increased during a course of
      chemotherapy. The increase in the SCE frequency during the first therapy cycle
      was even greater in the case of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myelomas.
      The results obtained by alkaline filter elution and measuring SCE frequencies
      suggest that these techniques are suitable as methods in molecular epidemiology,
      especially if applied to persons who are chronically exposed to cytostatic drugs.
      Whether or not the methods could be valuable in evaluating therapy response needs
      further investigation.

PMID- 1423895
TI  - Plant peroxisomes: recent studies on function and biosynthesis.

PMID- 1423894
TI  - Role of peroxisomes in mammalian metabolism.

PMID- 1423896
TI  - Biogenesis of peroxisomes in mammals.

PMID- 1423898
TI  - Peroxisome biogenesis and function in Hansenula polymorpha.

PMID- 1423897
TI  - A genetic approach to the biogenesis of peroxisomes in the yeast Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae.

PMID- 1423899
TI  - Transcriptional regulation of genes encoding proteins involved in biogenesis of
      peroxisomes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PMID- 1423900
TI  - Targeting signals for protein import into peroxisomes.

PMID- 1423901
TI  - Peroxisomal disorders in man.

PMID- 1423902
TI  - Modifications of adhesion properties and proteoglycan structure in rat embryo
      fibroblast cultures with increasing passages.
AB  - Adhesion properties of rat embryo fibroblast cultures and proteoglycans (PGs)
      produced both in the growth medium and in the cell layer were investigated with
      increasing passages. Both cell-cell and cell-substrate adhesion increased with
      increasing subculture number. Cell adhesion properties were improved by cell
      treatment with chondroitinase ABC. The increase in subculture number was coupled
      with a constant increase of PG molecular size, which was particularly evident in
      cell layer extracts. The ratio HS-PGs/DS-PGs increased with increasing passages.
      PG modifications are likely to represent evidence of changes in extracellular
      matrix organization and could play a role in the increase of cell adhesion
      properties.

PMID- 1423903
TI  - Treatment of childhood encopresis--a review.
AB  - Children with encopresis may present to a number of different professionals. The
      literature on different treatment methods is reviewed. The roles of verbal
      psychotherapy, physical treatment, behaviour therapy and mixed treatment
      programmes are discussed.

PMID- 1423904
TI  - Child development: what do parents expect?
AB  - Expectations of future development were assessed in parents of non-disabled
      children (n = 240) using the Predictive Adaptive Ability Questionnaire (PAAQ).
      The reliability estimate for the overall PAAQ was 0.90, with a test-retest
      reliability of 0.99 and an interrater reliability of 0.83. Parental expectations
      did not significantly differ from normal adaptive ability developmental
      standards. Longitudinal examination of parental expectations and their influence
      on child development and the impact of chronic illness on such expectations is
      recommended.

PMID- 1423907
TI  - Sleep clinics with health visitors: a 2-year evaluation.
AB  - This study was undertaken to evaluate a service for sleep clinics over a time
      span of 2 years. The service was operated jointly by health visitors and clinical
      psychologists and based on a previous model run by the same team of psychologists
      and child development advisors. The outcome was not supportive of this type of
      service in terms of referral rates over a period of time, improvement rate,
      continued existence or cost-effectiveness of such a service. The reasons for the
      difficulties of such clinics are discussed.

PMID- 1423905
TI  - Training of head control in the sitting and semi-prone positions.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to compare the semi-prone (SP) and sitting (SIT)
      training positions with respect to head control in children with cerebral palsy,
      before and after 5 weeks biofeedback training using a head position trainer
      (HPT). Four children were randomly assigned to each of two training groups: (a)
      SP on a prone board inclined 45 degrees above the horizontal and (b) SIT in their
      personal wheelchair and orthotic device. The HPT, secured to the child's head,
      controlled a video-cassette player, turning it off when the head deviated beyond
      25 degrees from the vertical (termed an error). The time in error and the number
      of errors during test periods of 3 minutes, without feedback and completed in
      both the SP and the SIT positions, were determined immediately before and after,
      and at 16 weeks after training. The SIT trained group performed significantly
      better immediately post-training in three of four comparisons (P < 0.01), but the
      groups performed similarly in the other eight comparisons--four immediately pre
      training and four at 16 weeks post-training (P > 0.05). Post-training scores for
      the total group (n = 8) were significantly improved over pre-training scores,
      regardless of the test position or the criterion measurement (P < 0.05).
      Biofeedback training with a HPT can be effective in either the SIT or the SP
      positions, with improvement lasting at least 16 weeks after training is
      discontinued.

PMID- 1423908
TI  - Endotoxin stimulates interleukin-6 production by human Kupffer cells.
AB  - Interleukin-6 (IL-6) induces acute-phase protein synthesis in human hepatocytes.
      We evaluated whether the contiguous hepatic macrophages, human Kupffer cells
      (HKC), produce IL-6 in response to an inflammatory stimulus. HKC were harvested
      from collagenase-digested normal liver biopsies and purified (greater than 95% by
      phagocytosis) by adherence. Following overnight culture, 5 x 10(5) HKC were
      repleted with fresh media with or without 2.5 micrograms/ml of endotoxin (LPS).
      Parallel cultures contained polymyxin-B (10 micrograms/ml) or antihuman-IL-6
      antibody (4 units/ml). Timed supernatants were collected and IL-6 levels (ng/ml)
      measured (B9.9 proliferative bioassay). Data analysis was by the paired Student's
      t test. Unstimulated HKC produced negligible IL-6 levels (less than 0.150 ng/ml).
      Endotoxin invoked early and sustained HKC production of IL-6, which was
      completely (P less than 0.001) abrogated by the addition of the anti-IL-6
      antibody. Polymyxin B, an LPS-inhibitor, also blocked (P less than 0.001) IL-6
      production, indicating the specificity of the response to the inflammatory
      stimulus. This is the first evidence that HKC can produce IL-6 in response to
      LPS. Local intrahepatic production of IL-6 may provide a necessary paracrine
      signal for HKC to amplify directly neighboring hepatocyte acute-phase responses
      during inflammation in man.

PMID- 1423906
TI  - Portage guide to early intervention: cross-cultural aspects and intra-cultural
      variability.
AB  - The issues arising from implementing an early intervention service, developed in
      the rural United States in the late 1960s in a range of different cultural
      contexts over a period of a quarter of a century, are explained. Services from
      India, Bangladesh, Jamaica and the United Kingdom are compared. As well as
      considering cross-cultural aspects of Portage, variability within one country,
      the United Kingdom, is considered by comparing one service in an inner-city area
      and one in a rural area.

PMID- 1423909
TI  - Effect of positive end-expiratory pressure on pulmonary vascular pressure-flow
      characteristics in canine endotoxin shock.
AB  - The vascular pulmonary pressure-flow (P-Q degree) relationships were studied in
      anesthetized dogs in order to characterize the distribution of total resistance
      in the pulmonary bed with respect to incremental resistance and critical closure
      prior to and after endotoxin insult. Incremental resistance was computed as the
      slope of the P-Q degree relation, whereas critical closure was referred to as the
      extrapolated pressure intercept at zero flow. P-Q degree coordinates were
      obtained by varying Q degree through graded inflation of right atrial balloon.
      The gradients across the arterial segment (Pa = Ppa - Pc) and across the venous
      segment (Pv = Pc - Pw) of the pulmonary vasculature were defined by the
      computation of effective capillary pressure (Pc) obtained from the analysis of
      the transient decay of pulmonary artery pressure (Ppa) toward wedge pressure (Pw)
      after arterial occlusion. Six group E dogs were infused with endotoxin at a rate
      of 0.25 microgram/kg min, while six additional animals served as control (group
      C). Endotoxin induced increases in flow resistance from 0.056 to 0.096 mm
      Hg/ml/min/kg due to arterial vasoconstriction and increases in critical closure
      from 2.3 to 8.4 mm Hg due to a venous waterfall. Before and after endotoxin
      insult, we assessed effects of each of three levels of static lung inflation
      (PEEP) on P-Q degree relationships.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423910
TI  - Hepatic insulin resistance during chronic hyperdynamic sepsis.
AB  - Disturbances in normal glucose metabolism and homeostasis which manifest as
      hyperglycemia and glucose intolerance are often observed during clinical sepsis.
      Skeletal and myocardial muscle as well as whole body insulin resistance have been
      demonstrated in this laboratory and others during experimental and clinical
      sepsis. The existence of hepatic insulin resistance in sepsis has yet to be fully
      elucidated. This study was undertaken to assess hepatic insulin resistance during
      chronic hyperdynamic sepsis. Animals were randomly assigned to a septic (n = 7),
      sham (n = 7), or control (n = 7) group. Sepsis was induced in anesthetized dogs
      via a midline laparotomy whereby a fecal-soaked gauze sponge was placed amid the
      intestines. Sham animals underwent a laparotomy with mechanical manipulation of
      the intestines but no fecal implant. Control animals had no previous surgery.
      Sham and control dogs were pair-fed with the septic dogs. On postoperative day 7,
      after an overnight fast, animals were anesthetized, intubated, and ventilated.
      Via a left subcostal laparotomy, electromagnetic flow probes were placed to
      measure hepatic arterial and portal venous blood flows. Cannulae were placed in
      femoral, portal, and hepatic veins and femoral artery and used to calculate
      hepatic outputs of glucose, lactate, and oxygen during a basal period and
      hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps which used intravenous insulin infusions which
      ranged from 0.4 to 4,000 mU/min. Mean arterial blood pressure decreased with
      increasing insulin concentrations in septic animals while no change was seen in
      control or sham animals. In control and sham animals, net hepatic glucose output
      (NHGO) decreased in response to increasing insulin levels. Septic animals showed
      no such inverse relationship and, moreover, showed no change in glucose output
      response to any insulin infusion, i.e., hepatic insulin unresponsiveness during
      sepsis. Net hepatic lactate output during basal pre-insulin period during sepsis
      was negative. This was in contrast to the positive outputs in control and sham
      animals. Glucose infusion rates (GIR) increased during insulin infusion but were
      not different between groups at any insulin infusion rate. These data
      demonstrated a hepatic insulin resistance (unresponsiveness) during chronic
      hyperdynamic, hypermetabolic sepsis.

PMID- 1423911
TI  - Role of extracellular Ca2+ in ischemia-reperfusion injury in the isolated
      perfused rat liver.
AB  - The influx of extracellular Ca2+ has been postulated to be one of the mediators
      of ischemia-reperfusion injury. A possible link between Ca2+ influx and oxygen
      radical generation has also been suggested. In the present study, using the
      isolated perfused rat liver, we evaluated the role of extracellular Ca2+ on
      oxygen radical generation, liver damage, and lipid peroxidation during 30 min
      ischemia and 60 min of reperfusion. Oxygen radical generation in the liver was
      continuously monitored by lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence. Liver damage and
      lipid peroxidation were evaluated by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and
      thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) release into the effusate,
      respectively. In the absence of extracellular Ca2+ (much less than 30 microM)
      oxygen radical generation from the liver increased gradually over 2 hr and there
      were concomitant increases in LDH and TBARS release. When livers were made
      ischemic and then reperfused, oxygen radical generation increased at the onset of
      reperfusion and then decreased over 30 min of reperfusion. After 30 min of
      reperfusion, livers reperfused with low Ca2+ buffer showed a linear increase in
      oxygen radical generation as well as progressive increases in LDH and TBARS
      release. On the other hand, livers reperfused with Ca2+ containing (1.25 mM)
      buffer showed no further increase in oxygen radical generation and no evidence of
      progressive liver damage and lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that Ca2+
      overload is not a primary cause of liver ischemia-reperfusion injury and that the
      presence of extracellular Ca2+ during reperfusion is necessary to maintain normal
      liver function.

PMID- 1423912
TI  - Acute hemodynamic effects of hypertonic (7.5%) saline infusion in patients with
      cardiogenic shock due to right ventricular infarction.
AB  - The hemodynamic effects, after infusion of 4 ml/kg of hypertonic (7.5%) saline
      solution (HS), were evaluated in six patients (mean age = 56.6 years) with
      cardiogenic shock (CS) due to right ventricular infarction (RVI). Basal condition
      data (mean +/- SEM) were as follows: cardiac index (CI) = 1.9 +/- 0.1 1/min/m2,
      arterial pressure (AP) = 66.5 +/- 0.9 mmHg, and systemic vascular resistance
      (SVR) = 31.3 +/- 1.0 mmHg/1/min/m2. Five- and 240-minute post-HS infusion data
      (respectively) revealed: CI = 3.3 +/- 0.1* and 2.9 +/- 0.1* 1/min/m2, AP = 87.7
      +/- 1.6* and 80.7 +/- 2.2* mmHg, and SVR = 22.5 +/- 0.6* and 24.5 +/- 1.1*
      mmHg/1/min/m2 (*P less than 0.05 compared to baseline values). These data suggest
      that small-volume infusion of HS induced an important acute and sustained
      hemodynamic improvement in these patients with CS due to RVI.

PMID- 1423914
TI  - Continuous measurement of lactate concentration in skeletal muscle and liver
      interstitium using a microdialysis method after acute hemorrhage in anesthetized
      rats.
AB  - Interstitial lactate concentration in rat skeletal muscle was continuously
      measured using a microdialysis method following an acute hemorrhage. For
      comparison, similar measurements were also performed for liver. Normal lactate
      levels of skeletal muscle and liver interstitium were 0.58 +/- 0.10 mM and 1.23
      +/- 0.04 mM, respectively. After withdrawal of 30% of the estimated total blood
      volume within 3 min, a constant high blood lactate level was achieved. The
      lactate concentrations in muscle and liver interstitium also increased to 270 and
      210% of the basal levels, respectively, but they did not exceed the blood level.
      These findings led us to hypothesize that skeletal muscle as well as liver
      functions as a lactate consumer rather than a producer after acute hemorrhage.

PMID- 1423913
TI  - Low dose calcium administration increases mortality during septic peritonitis in
      rats.
AB  - Calcium is essential for normal cellular function. However, increases in cell
      calcium are also involved in cellular dysfunction and death by activating
      destructive enzymatic processes such as proteases, nucleases, and lipases. Since
      ionized hypocalcemia is common during sepsis, calcium is often administered in an
      attempt to normalize circulating levels. Previous studies using endotoxin and
      large amounts of calcium demonstrated increased mortality in calcium-treated
      animals. This study extends these preliminary data to endogenous sepsis (cecal
      ligation) and low dose calcium therapy. Sprague Dawley rats (n = 9 per group) had
      jugular catheters placed and their cecums ligated. They were randomized to an
      infusion of D5W at 1 ml/hr, calcium chloride at 4 mg/ml/hr (Low Ca), or calcium
      chloride at 6 mg/ml/hr (High Ca) for 24 hr. An additional group of animals
      received calcium chloride at 6 mg/ml/hr but had no surgery. Animals were followed
      for 24 hr survival. A separate group of animals (n = 6 per group) was prepared in
      a similar manner. Blood was obtained 6 hr following cecal ligation for
      circulating endotoxin concentrations, and animals were sacrificed. Calcium
      infusion increased ionized calcium levels slightly (low Ca, 1.12 +/- .06 to 1.21
      +/- .09; high Ca, 1.06 +/- .04 to 1.16 +/- .05; P less than 0.05). Survival (24
      hr) was 100% in the nonseptic controls and D5W septic animals, 67% in the low Ca
      septic group, and 44% (P less than 0.05) in the high Ca septic group.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423915
TI  - Passive immunization with antibodies against tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha)
      protects from the lethality of splanchnic artery occlusion shock.
AB  - Splanchnic artery occlusion shock was induced in anesthetized rats by clamping
      splanchnic arteries for 45 min. Survival rate, serum and macrophage tumor
      necrosis factor (TNF-alpha), peritoneal macrophage phagocytosis, and killing
      activities were evaluated. Shocked rats died within 2 hr, whilst all sham-shocked
      rats survived more than 6 hr. Serum and macrophage TNF-alpha was undetectable in
      sham-shocked rats while shocked rats exhibited increased serum (110 +/- 5 U/ml 90
      min after release of occlusion) and macrophage levels (122 +/- 4.5 U/ml 90 min
      after release of occlusion) of TNF-alpha. Furthermore, splanchnic artery
      occlusion shock produced cardiovascular changes, reduced macrophage phagocytosis
      (23 +/- 4.6%) and killing (6 +/- 1.1%) activities, and induced a massive necrosis
      of the ileum. A passive immunization with a hyperimmune serum containing
      antibodies against murine TNF-alpha significantly protected rats from the lethal
      effects of splanchnic artery occlusion shock, lowered serum TNF-alpha (6 +/- 2.1
      U/ml), and completely reverted the impairment in peritoneal macrophage
      phagocytosis (48 +/- 4.8%) and killing (13 +/- 1.5%) activities. In addition
      passive immunization had beneficial effects on the cardiovascular changes
      occurring during splanchnic artery occlusion shock and prevented necrosis of the
      ileum induced by this model of shock. By contrast, pretreatment with polymyxin B,
      an "antiendotoxin" antibiotic, did not modify the lethal effects and the TNF
      alpha production induced by splanchnic artery occlusion shock. Furthermore,
      endotoxin was undetectable in the blood of splanchnic artery occlusion shocked
      rats. These findings are consistent with the involvement of TNF-alpha in
      splanchnic artery occlusion shock and suggest that the cytokine represents an
      important mediator of non-septic shock.

PMID- 1423916
TI  - Kupffer cell exacerbation of hepatocyte hypoxia/reoxygenation injury.
AB  - In order to examine the possible contribution of the Kupffer cell to the
      generation of hypoxia/reoxygenation injury in the liver, primary cultures of
      hepatocytes, either alone or in coculture with Kupffer cells, were exposed to 90
      min of sublethal hypoxia followed by 120 min of reoxygenation. Prolonged
      incubation of cocultured hepatocytes and Kupffer cells resulted in increased
      release of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) indicating cell injury even under normoxic
      conditions. LDH release was further increased by the presence of Kupffer cells
      during hypoxia/reoxygenation. To determine whether or not this effect of Kupffer
      cells might be the result of oxygen-derived free radical production, we assessed
      the efficacy of the enzymatic scavengers superoxide dismutase (SOD) + catalase in
      ameliorating the Kupffer cell mediated injury. SOD + catalase was effective in
      preventing free radical injury generated by hypoxanthine + xanthine oxidase.
      However, SOD + catalase did not ameliorate hepatocyte injury caused by Kupffer
      cells. Thus, activation of Kupffer cells may be an important factor in the
      genesis of liver injury, but the mediator of Kupffer cell exacerbation of
      hepatocyte injury appears to be a mechanism other than free radicals released
      into the medium. These results indicate that chemical substances from the
      activated Kupffer cells may cause hepatocyte damage, which cannot be blocked by
      SOD + catalase, and suggest that these substances at reflow may be important for
      the genesis of reperfusion injury in vivo.

PMID- 1423917
TI  - Cardiovascular effects of thyrotropin-releasing hormone in normotensive and
      hypotensive rats: role of rostral ventrolateral medulla.
AB  - To ascertain the central mechanism of the effects of thyrotropin-releasing
      hormone (TRH) on the cardiovascular system, we evaluated the effects of this
      neuropeptide on unit fires in the rostral ventro-lateral medulla (RVL), mean
      arterial pressure (MAP), and heart rate (HR) in normotensive and hypotensive
      rats. Intracerebroventricular injection (i.c.v.) of 10 micrograms TRH
      significantly increased MAP and HR in both normotensive and hypotensive rats. No
      similar effects were observed after saline injection. If electrolytic lesions of
      bilateral RVL were made, the cardiovascular effects of TRH i.c.v. failed to
      occur. TRH i.c.v. markedly increased the firing frequency of most units in the
      RVL. In particular, TRH i.c.v. increased the firing frequency of most units
      excitatory to a fall in MAP and decreased the firing frequency of most units
      inhibitory to a fall in MAP in normotensive rats. Moreover, a drop of MAP as low
      as 40 mmHg for 10 min resulted in an increase of the firing frequency of most
      units. The effect of TRH i.c.v. on the RVL units in the hypotensive rats was
      similar to that in the normotensive rats. Our findings suggest that TRH is able
      to intensify the cardiovascular activities and the RVL plays a key role in the
      effects of TRH on the cardiovascular system in both normotensive and hypotensive
      rats.

PMID- 1423918
TI  - Increase in renal magnesium overflow following aortotomy-induced hemorrhage in
      pigs.
AB  - Hemorrhage causes an increase in plasma Mg++ levels. This article identifies some
      of the tissues contributing to the hemorrhage induced increase in plasma Mg++.
      Anesthetized, splenectomized pigs were subjected to a 5 mm aortotomy. Blood
      samples from the abdominal aorta, inferior vena cava, pulmonary artery, hepatic
      portal vein, and renal vein were sampled for Mg++ changes caused by this
      uncontrolled hemorrhage. Aortotomy produced a rapid drop in arterial pressure and
      cardiac output, both of which remained depressed for the following 120 minutes (P
      less than 0.05). By 120 minutes, 6 of the 8 pigs survived, but three of the six
      survivors showed signs of cardiovascular decompensation. A significant increase
      in arterial plasma Mg++ was indicated by a paired t-test (P less than 0.05).
      Analysis of the venous samples also revealed a significant increase during the
      post-aortotomy period. Renal venous and hepatic portal venous plasmas both showed
      increases greater than that in the arterial plasma. The renal and splanchnic
      tissues, then, were partly responsible for the increase in the arterial Mg++
      which follows hemorrhage.

PMID- 1423919
TI  - The cardiovascular effects of gamma-hydroxybutyrate following hemorrhage.
AB  - We have previously shown that gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) protects the small
      intestine against ischemia/reperfusion injury. This study examined the effects of
      GHB on cardiovascular function and intestinal microcirculation following
      hemorrhage. Hypotension was induced in control group of hamsters by controlled
      hemorrhage to a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 40 mm Hg. Following 60 minutes of
      hypovolemia the shed blood was returned. This procedure resulted in complete
      intestinal mucosal microvascular stasis 2 hours following the return of shed
      blood. A second group of animals was treated with GHB (600 mg/kg body weight)
      and, despite the loss of 37% of total blood volume, GHB treatment completely
      prevented the microcirculatory stasis, following the reinfusion of shed blood. In
      male Wistar rats treated with GHB (200 mg/kg) after the induction of hemorrhage,
      blood pressure rapidly increased to pre-hemorrhage levels following treatment,
      even though the shed blood was not returned. Cardiac output (CO) also increased
      to pre-hemorrhage levels. Sodium chloride solution, in the same molar
      concentration as GHB (23% NaCl), produced much smaller, but statistically
      significant, increases in MAP and CO. In animals given an equal volume of normal
      saline, a gradual increase in MAP was observed, reaching statistical significance
      at 75 minutes following treatment. Three hours following hemorrhage, serum levels
      of creatine kinase were 3-fold higher, whereas aspartate aminotransaminase and
      alanine aminotransferase levels were 2-fold higher in both normal saline and
      hypertonic saline-treated animals than in GHB-treated animals. These experiments
      suggest that GHB can prevent ischemic complications following a hypovolemic
      episode and may improve survival following severe hemorrhage.

PMID- 1423920
TI  - Favourable effect of defibrotide in lipid A-induced shock in pigs.
AB  - Defibrotide (DEF), a compound previously found to stimulate vascular prostacyclin
      (PGI2) formation, has been investigated in an experimental model of septic shock.
      Anesthetized pigs were subjected to i.v. infusion of lipid A (1.5 mg/kg per hr
      for 4 hr). DEF (50 mg/kg per hr) or vehicle were infused i.v. throughout the
      experiments, starting 1 hr prior to lipid A. Two out of 7 pigs receiving vehicle
      survived lipid A infusion for 4 hr, whereas 6 out of 7 DEF treated animals
      survived this period (P less than 0.05). DEF delayed the shock-induced depression
      of platelet count and preserved platelet secretory function (collagen-induced ATP
      secretion). DEF increased plasma PGI2 by 45% (P less than 0.05) during lipid A
      infusion and tended to reduce thromboxane levels. DEF did not change eicosanoid
      formation in sham-shock pigs (n = 4 per group). In vivo treatment with DEF
      significantly increased the stimulatory effect of bradykinin (1 microM) and
      arachidonic acid (100 microM) on PGI2 formation ex vivo of mesenteric and iliac
      artery segments. The improvement of survival in lipid A-induced shock by DEF may
      be related to an enhancement of vascular PGI2 generation, potentially due to a
      reduction of shock-induced platelet activation and microcirculatory dysfunction.

PMID- 1423922
TI  - Production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 in mice infected with
      group B streptococci.
AB  - Group B streptococci (GBS) are a leading cause of sepsis and meningitis in
      neonates. Since cytokines are thought to play an important role in septic shock,
      we have studied serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) and
      interleukin-6 (IL-6) in BALB/c mice infected with type III GBS. TNF alpha and IL
      6 were detected by the L929 cytotoxicity and the B9 proliferation assays,
      respectively, in serial serum samples obtained after infection. After i.p.
      challenge with an LD50, serum TNF alpha rose above baseline values as early as 3
      hr, peaked at 7 hr, and returned to baseline values at 20 hr. IL-6 serum levels
      rose concomitantly with TNF alpha, peaking 8 hr after challenge. No serum TNF
      alpha activity was detected in the course of sublethal infections. However, a
      transient rise in TNF alpha levels was observed after i.v. inoculation of high
      numbers (greater than or equal to 1 x 10(8) of heat-killed GBS. When groups of
      mice were injected i.v. with a single dose of anti-TNF alpha rabbit serum 2 hr
      before challenge with an LD90 or LD30, no effect was noted in terms of survival,
      although the serum TNF alpha peak was completely abrogated. Serum TNF alpha does
      not seem to play an obligatory role in GBS-induced lethality of adult mice.
      However, further studies are needed to assess better the role of this cytokine in
      the pathogenesis of GBS sepsis.

PMID- 1423921
TI  - Protective effect of platelet-activating factor antagonist on hepatic energy
      metabolism following transient hepatic inflow occlusion in rabbits.
AB  - To investigate whether or not platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a mediator of
      the liver injury resulting from transient hepatic inflow occlusion (Pringle's
      maneuver), the effect of pretreatment with a potent PAF antagonist (CV6209) on
      hepatic energy metabolism was evaluated following 30 min of inflow occlusion in
      rabbits. At 60 min after declamping, the arterial ketone body ratio (AKBR;
      acetoacetate/3-hydroxybutyrate), reflecting hepatic mitochondrial redox state
      (NAD+/NADH), increased to 1.10 +/- 0.05 (mean +/- SEM) in the CV6209 (5 mg/kg)
      pretreated group (group 1, n = 5) compared with 0.72 +/- 0.06 (P less than 0.01)
      in the untreated group (group 2, n = 5). Hepatic energy charge at 60 min after
      declamping was significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (0.871 +/- 0.010
      vs. 0.800 +/- 0.023; P less than 0.05). Pretreatment with CV6209 had no
      significant influence on these parameters in sham-operated animals. The present
      study demonstrates that pretreatment with CV6209 has a protective effect against
      the impairment of hepatic energy metabolism following transient hepatic inflow
      occlusion.

PMID- 1423923
TI  - Circulating cytokines: the tip of the iceberg?
AB  - Circulating cytokines, particularly TNF alpha, IL-1, IL-6 and IL-8, can be
      detected during severe infections consecutively to an exacerbate release by
      activated cells. The presence or absence of cytokines within biological fluids
      reflects a rather complex balance between enhancing and inhibitory signals acting
      on producer cells, between production and catabolism, and between their binding
      to the target cells and the modulation of their receptors on the cell surface.
      Furthermore, their presence does not necessarily parallel their activity and a
      possible interplay between the cytokines and their corresponding inhibitors
      should be considered. On the contrary, the absence of detectable circulating
      cytokines does not indicate an absence of production by activated cells. We
      discuss the concept that circulating cytokines represent the tip of the iceberg.

PMID- 1423924
TI  - Efficacy of monoclonal antibody against tumor necrosis factor alpha in an
      endotoxemic baboon model.
AB  - Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) has been described as a primary mediator of the
      pathophysiology associated with bacterial sepsis/endotoxemia. We tested the
      efficacy and possible mechanisms of protection of a monoclonal antibody against
      TNF (TNF Mab) in a low mortality (29%), endotoxemic baboon model. A number of
      parameters were monitored at days 0, 1, 2 and 5-7 after challenge with 2 mg E.
      coli endotoxin/kg. TNF Mab pretreatment (15 mg/kg) prevented the increase in
      detectable serum TNF and the early perturbations in cardiovascular function which
      occurred in the control group. Early metabolic dysfunction was delayed in the TNF
      MAb group and was attenuated thereafter. Dysfunction of the kidney, liver, and
      coagulation systems and the increased IL-6 levels were significantly attenuated
      in the TNF MAb group; neutrophil activation was not affected by TNF MAb. No
      deaths occurred in the TNF MAb group. These results support the hypothesis that
      TNF plays a central role in the pathophysiology of endotoxic shock.

PMID- 1423925
TI  - Polymyxin-B suppresses endotoxin-induced insulin hypersecretion in pancreatic
      islets.
AB  - Endotoxin induces insulin hypersecretion in vivo, which results in
      hyperinsulinemia and glucose dyshomeostasis. Polymyxin-B (PMX-B), an inhibitor of
      protein kinase C (PKC), has been shown to ameliorate the consequences of
      endotoxin-induced hyperinsulinemia in vivo. To explore the mechanism for this
      effect in vitro, this study determined whether PMX-B could alter endotoxin
      induced insulin hypersecretion in isolated pancreatic islets of Langerhans.
      Pancreases were obtained from fasted, male, Sprague-Dawley rats treated with
      either saline (control) or endotoxin (S. enteritidis B, 16.7 mg/kg, i.v.). Three
      hours after the experimental treatment, islets were isolated by collagenase
      digestion and then incubated for 1 hr in Krebs Ringer bicarbonate buffer
      containing 0.5% bovine albumin, 10 mM HEPES, 300 mg/dl D-glucose, phorbol 12
      myristate 13-acetate (PMA, 1 microM when present), and PMX-B (1 or 10 mM when
      present). In the absence of PMA and PMX-B, "endotoxic" islets hypersecreted
      immunoreactive insulin (IRI) relative to control islets. PMA, the prototypical
      PKC activator, significantly increased IRI secretion from both control and
      "endotoxic" islets. The additional inclusion of PMX-B (1 mM or 10 mM) in the
      incubation media significantly reduced insulin secretion from both control and
      "endotoxic" islets and suppressed the insulin hypersecretion observed in
      "endotoxic" islets. Since insulin secretion occurs at least partially through
      mechanisms dependent on PKC activation, the ability of PMX-B to suppress insulin
      hypersecretion in "endotoxic" islets suggests that activation of PKC within
      pancreatic beta-cells may play a role in the excess insulin secretion and
      hyperinsulinemia associated with endotoxicosis.

PMID- 1423926
TI  - Regulation of glucose metabolism by free fatty acid availability in septic and
      nonseptic rats.
AB  - An inhibitory effect of fatty acid oxidation on glucose uptake and oxidation has
      been demonstrated in heart and skeletal muscle under certain experimental
      conditions. This reciprocal relationship has been termed the glucose-fatty acid
      cycle. The purpose of the present study was to determine under in vivo conditions
      whether this interaction was operational in various nonmuscle tissues, and
      whether infection altered the activity of this cycle. Oral administration of
      alpha-methylpalmoxirate (MPA; 75 mg/kg), a known inhibitor of long-chain fatty
      acid oxidation, suppressed hepatic glucose production by 54% and increased whole
      body glucose disappearance by 15% in nonseptic rats. In contrast, MPA produced a
      larger reduction of glucose output in septic rats, but did not enhance glucose
      disposal. In vivo glucose uptake (Rg) by individual tissues was determined using
      the tracer 2-deoxyglucose technique. In nonseptic animals, MPA increased Rg in
      "working" muscles (heart and diaphragm; 12-fold and two-fold respectively), but
      not in "resting" skeletal muscles. MPA increased the Rg of heart and diaphragm to
      the same level in septic animals. Inhibition of fatty acid oxidation in nonseptic
      rats also enhanced Rg in liver (174%), spleen (158%), lung (153%), ileum (52%),
      skin (28%), kidney (115%), and epididymal fat (135%). In septic rats, MPA only
      increased Rg in the ileum (23%) and kidney (50%). This increased glucose uptake
      was independent of increases in plasma glucose and insulin concentrations. The
      infusion of heparin and intralipid, which increased circulating levels of fatty
      acids, failed to produce consistent changes in either the whole body glucose
      turnover or glucose uptake by individual tissues. We conclude that under basal in
      vivo conditions the inhibition of fatty acid oxidation suppresses glucose
      production and increases peripheral glucose disposal in nonseptic animals. These
      data support the presence of the glucose-fatty acid cycle in nonmuscle tissues
      and emphasizes its importance in whole body glucose homeostasis in situations
      where fatty acid oxidation is impaired. Infection increases glucose uptake by
      nonmuscle tissues which, for the most part, cannot be further enhanced by the
      inhibition of lipid oxidation.

PMID- 1423927
TI  - Regulation of platelet-derived growth factor ligand and receptor gene expression
      by alpha-thrombin in vascular smooth muscle cells.
AB  - Since the expression of genes for platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-A and
      PDGF beta-receptor are reciprocally regulated in vascular wall cells after
      balloon injury, we have investigated the ability of specific vasoactive molecules
      or growth factors to reproduce the injury pattern of gene expression in cultured
      rat smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and assessed the effect of inactivating alpha
      thrombin on injury-induced expression of PDGF-A mRNA by vascular wall cells in
      vivo. The molecules investigated, to which vascular SMCs may be locally exposed
      after mechanical injury, included vasoactive factors (alpha- and beta-adrenergic
      agonists, serotonin, histamine, angiotensin II, and endothelin) and growth
      factors (PDGF-AA, PDGF-BB, basic fibroblast growth factor, insulin-like growth
      factor, epidermal growth factor, and alpha-thrombin). In cultured rat SMCs, only
      alpha-thrombin (0.1-100 nM), among these compounds, produced the pattern of
      transiently increased PDGF-A and decreased PDGF beta-receptor mRNA. PDGF-B chain
      mRNA levels remained undetectable in these cultured SMCs. The dependence of these
      changes in gene expression on the proteolytic activity of alpha-thrombin was
      shown by the interruption of altered gene expression or DNA synthesis after
      incubating the cultured SMCs with covalently inactivated alpha-thrombin using D
      Phe-Pro-Arg chloromethyl ketone, a synthetic direct active-site irreversible
      inhibitor of alpha-thrombin. Continuous intravenous infusion of this synthetic
      antithrombin into baboons for 6 hours (100 nmol/kg per minute maintaining
      constant plasma levels of 3.0 +/- 0.5 microns/ml) after inducing balloon-catheter
      arterial injury also prevented the threefold increase in expression of PDGF-A
      mRNA characteristically exhibited by untreated mechanically injured
      vessels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423929
TI  - HCO3(-)-dependent intracellular pH regulation in the premature myocardium.
AB  - This study investigated developmental changes in Na(+)-H+ exchange and HCO3(-)-Cl
      exchange activities in newborn and adult rabbit hearts. pHi was measured using
      the fluorescent dye 2',7'-bis(2-carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein in isolated
      myocytes. Myocardial mechanical function was measured in the isolated ventricular
      preparation. Intracellular acidosis with normal pHo was induced by an NH4Cl (10
      mM) prepulse technique. Upon removal of NH4Cl, pHi fell transiently and then
      recovered toward the control level. In the HCO3-/CO2-buffered solution, the rate
      of recovery of pHi in the newborn was greater than in the adult. In the HCO3-/CO2
      buffered solution, 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl)amiloride (EIPA), an inhibitor of Na(+)
      H+ exchange, inhibited the recovery of pHi completely in the adult. In the
      newborn, however, significant recovery of pHi was observed in the presence of
      EIPA. In the presence of both EIPA and 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene
      2',2'-disulfonic acid (SITS), an inhibitor of HCO3(-)-Cl- exchange, the recovery
      of pHi was not observed in the two age groups. In the HEPES-buffered solution
      that did not contain HCO3-/CO2, the rate of recovery of pHi after NH4Cl removal
      was similar in the two age groups. In the HEPES-buffered solution, the recovery
      of pHi was completely inhibited by EIPA in the two age groups. In the presence of
      EIPA in the HCO3-/CO2-buffered solution, contractile function decreased during
      acidosis after NH4Cl removal and did not recover in the adult. In the newborn,
      significant recovery of contractile function was observed after NH4Cl removal in
      the presence of EIPA. The recovery of mechanical function observed in the
      presence of EIPA in the newborn was inhibited by SITS. These data suggest that,
      although there is no developmental change in the Na(+)-H+ exchange activity,
      HCO3(-)-Cl- exchange is more active in the premature myocardium. The presence of
      the HCO3(-)-Cl- exchanger is important in maintaining myocardial contractile
      function during acidosis, especially when Na(+)-H+ exchange is inhibited and may
      partly explain the greater resistance of the premature myocardium to acidosis.

PMID- 1423928
TI  - Effects of serotonin on intracellular pH and contraction in vascular smooth
      muscle.
AB  - Serotonin (5-HT) and other contractile agonists stimulate Na(+)-H+ exchange in
      vascular smooth muscle. Since intracellular alkalinization, per se, stimulates
      contraction, we tested whether 5-HT-induced contraction was associated with an
      increased pHi. In HCO3(-)-free buffer (pHo 7.4), 5-HT (10(-5) M) increased pHi,
      as measured by 2',7'-bis(2-carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein fluorescence,
      from 7.10 +/- 0.03 to 7.34 +/- 0.03 (p < 0.01) in primary cultures of canine
      femoral artery vascular smooth muscle cells grown to confluence in the presence
      of 10% fetal calf serum. In HCO3- buffer (24 mM, pHo 7.4), resting pHi was 7.26
      +/- 0.04 (p < 0.01 versus HCO3(-)-free buffer) but was not altered by 5-HT. In
      both types of buffer, 5-HT stimulated 5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl)amiloride-sensitive
      22Na+ uptake (Na(+)-H+ exchange). In HCO3- buffer and in Na(+)- and HCO3(-)-free
      buffer, 5-HT increased 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid-sensitive
      36Cl- uptake, suggesting that 5-HT stimulated Na(+)-independent Cl(-)-HCO3- and
      Cl(-)-Cl- exchange activities, respectively. Individual vascular smooth muscle
      cells were then cultured on rat tail tendon collagen gels in the presence of 0.5%
      fetal calf serum, and cell length and pHi were measured by video and
      epifluorescence microscopy. 5-HT contracted cells in a dose-dependent,
      reversible, and ketanserin-inhibitable manner. These cells, like cells grown in
      10% fetal calf serum, exhibited Na(+)-H+ and Na(+)-independent Cl(-)-HCO3-
      exchange. In HCO3- buffer, 5-HT contracted cells without an associated change in
      pHi. We concluded the following: 1) 5-HT stimulated both Na(+)-H+ and Na(+)
      independent Cl(-)-HCO3- exchange activities in cultured vascular smooth muscle
      cells in parallel. 2) As a result of enhanced H+ and HCO3- efflux, pHi was not
      altered. 3) In the presence of HCO3-, 5-HT-induced contraction was not associated
      with a change in pHi.

PMID- 1423932
TI  - Age-related changes in fibronectin expression in spontaneously hypertensive,
      Wistar-Kyoto, and Wistar rat hearts.
AB  - The effects of age and blood pressure on fibronectin expression in the rat heart
      were studied in the normotensive Wistar and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) strains and in the
      spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). Fibronectin mRNA expression decreased
      threefold between 10 and 40 weeks of age in Wistar hearts, with changes of
      similar magnitude occurring between 6 and 24 weeks in WKY rats. In contrast, no
      decrease in fibronectin mRNA was observed in SHR hearts during this time span.
      These results are in contrast to changes observed previously in the aorta, where
      an increase in fibronectin mRNA occurred with age in all three rat strains.
      Ribonuclease protection analysis showed a small age-specific increase in the
      relative content of EIIIA+ fibronectin mRNA isoforms in hearts from Wistar rats,
      whereas no change was found in the relative amount of either EIIIA or EIIIB
      isoforms in SHR hearts. Changes similar to those observed for fibronectin mRNA,
      although of different magnitudes, were observed in mRNA levels for collagen alpha
      1(III) and beta 1 integrin. In Wistar hearts, collagen alpha 1(III) mRNA levels
      decreased fivefold to sixfold between 10 and 40 weeks of age, whereas a twofold
      to threefold decrease in beta 1 integrin was observed in WKY hearts between 6 and
      24 weeks of age. Western blot analysis revealed a positive correlation between
      fibronectin mRNA and protein for age-dependent changes in ventricular tissue but
      not in the atria, suggesting that the regulation of fibronectin expression during
      the changes common to both aging and hypertrophy could involve both
      transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms.

PMID- 1423931
TI  - Decreased myofilament responsiveness in myocardial stunning follows transient
      calcium overload during ischemia and reperfusion.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that abnormal intracellular
      calcium handling characterizes myocardial stunning. Isolated, isovolumic, buffer
      perfused ferret hearts were loaded with the bioluminescent calcium indicator
      aequorin for simultaneous measurement of individual calcium transients and left
      ventricular pressure. After 15 minutes of global ischemia and 20 minutes of
      reperfusion, left ventricular developed pressure was significantly reduced (75 +/
      7 versus 93 +/- 6 mm Hg, p < 0.05). During ischemia, [Ca2+]i levels were
      significantly elevated compared with preischemic levels, both during systole
      (1.38 +/- 0.31 versus 0.88 +/- 0.2 microM, p < 0.05) and end diastole (0.85 +/-
      0.16 versus 0.38 +/- 0.13 microM, p < 0.05). Early during reperfusion, [Ca2+]i
      was also significantly elevated during systole (1.63 +/- 0.44 versus 0.88 +/-
      0.20 microM, p < 0.05) and end diastole (0.75 +/- 0.15 versus 0.38 +/- 0.13
      microM, p < 0.05). After 20 minutes of reperfusion, myocardial stunning occurred,
      but [Ca2+]i was not significantly different from preischemic levels. Thus,
      myocardial stunning does not result from decreased levels of activator calcium.
      The force-pCa relation generated by the stunned hearts was shifted downward
      compared with that generated by the control hearts, consistent with a decrease in
      maximum calcium-activated force (Fmax). At steady state during tetanus, the
      decrease in Fmax was confirmed, but there was no significant difference in the
      slope of the force-pCa relation of the stunned hearts versus controls. Thus, we
      conclude that stunned myocardium is characterized by decreased Fmax without
      desensitization of the myofilaments to [Ca2+]i.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423933
TI  - Body surface mapping of ectopic left ventricular activation. QRS spectrum in
      patients with prior myocardial infarction.
AB  - To improve electrocardiographic localization of the site of origin of ectopic
      left ventricular (LV) impulse formation in the heart with prior myocardial
      infarction, 62-lead body surface QRS integral maps were studied during LV pacing
      at a total of 221 endocardial sites in 14 patients with previous anterior (AMI),
      inferior (IMI), lateral (LMI), or anterior and inferior (AMI/IMI) myocardial
      infarction. The anatomic location of each pacing site was computed using
      digitized biplane fluoroscopic images and plotted on standardized LV endocardial
      polar projections. A data base of characteristic AMI and IMI mean QRS integral
      maps was developed after visually selecting subgroups with nearly identical QRS
      integral morphology from the ectopic activation sequences produced at 110 sites
      in eight patients with AMI and at 66 sites in four patients with IMI.
      Intrasubgroup pattern uniformity and intersubgroup pattern variability were
      statistically verified. The endocardial pacing site locations belonging to each
      AMI and IMI subgroup were depicted as segments on the respective LV polar
      projections. In patients with AMI, a total of 18 typical mean QRS integral
      patterns were obtained, whereas 22 different mean total QRS integral patterns
      showing more substantial intersubgroup variation were acquired in patients with
      IMI. Posterolateral regions exhibited a relatively low electrocardiographic
      sensitivity (six AMI and five IMI patterns) as compared with anteroseptal regions
      (12 AMI and 17 IMI patterns). Total QRS integral patterns obtained at 24 sites in
      one patient with LMI were largely compatible with the IMI mean total QRS integral
      patterns, whereas the majority of total QRS integral patterns acquired at 21
      sites in one patient with AMI/IMI corresponded with the AMI mean total QRS
      integral patterns. The results show that total body surface QRS integral maps
      generated during LV pacing in patients with prior myocardial infarction cluster
      by pattern and that each QRS integral pattern is related to a circumscribed
      endocardial segment of ectopic impulse formation. The relation between a given
      QRS integral pattern and the position and size of the corresponding paced segment
      is dependent on infarct location. The present infarct-specific data base of
      characteristic total body surface QRS integral patterns provides a clinical tool
      to obtain detailed electrocardiographic localization of ventricular arrhythmias
      in patients with previous myocardial infarction.

PMID- 1423930
TI  - Activation of ATP-sensitive K+ channels by cromakalim. Effects on cellular K+
      loss and cardiac function in ischemic and reperfused mammalian ventricle.
AB  - Pharmacological modulation of [K+]o accumulation and action potential changes
      during acute myocardial ischemia is under evaluation as a promising new
      antiarrhythmic and cardioprotective strategy during myocardial ischemia and
      reperfusion. We studied the effects of cromakalim, a K+ channel opener that
      activates ATP-sensitive K+ channels, in isolated arterially perfused rabbit
      interventricular septa subjected to ischemia and reperfusion and, through use of
      the patch clamp technique, in inside-out membrane patches excised from guinea pig
      ventricular myocytes. During aerobic perfusion, 5 microM cromakalim shortened
      action potential duration (APD) from 217 +/- 7 to 201 +/- 10 msec, had no effect
      on [K+]o, and reduced tension by 17 +/- 3% (n = 11). During ischemia,
      pretreatment with 5 microM cromakalim resulted in 1) more rapid APD shortening
      (71 +/- 9 versus 166 +/- 7 msec at 10 minutes and 63 +/- 12 versus 122 +/- 8 msec
      at 30 minutes), 2) similar [K+]o accumulation after 10 minutes (8.9 +/- 0.3
      versus 9.6 +/- 0.5 mM) but a trend toward increased [K+]o accumulation after 30
      minutes (11.0 +/- 1.7 versus 9.6 +/- 1.0 mM), and 3) similar times for tension to
      decline to 50% of control (2.14 +/- 0.16 versus 2.14 +/- 0.19 minutes) but
      shorter time to fall to 20% of control (4.34 +/- 0.33 versus 4.90 +/- 0.22
      minutes; p = 0.003). After 60 minutes of reperfusion following 30 minutes of
      ischemia, recovery of function was similar, with a trend toward better recovery
      of developed tension (to 58 +/- 9% versus 39 +/- 10% of control; p = 0.18) and
      tissue ATP levels in cromakalim-treated hearts but no differences in APD or rest
      tension. Thus, 5 microM cromakalim had mild effects in normal heart but greatly
      accelerated APD shortening during ischemia without markedly increasing [K+]o
      accumulation, possibly because the more rapid APD shortening reduced the time
      averaged driving force for K+ efflux through ATP-sensitive K+ channels. A
      significant cardioprotective effect during 30 minutes of ischemia plus 60 minutes
      of reperfusion could not be demonstrated in this model. In excised membrane
      patches studied at room temperature, the ability of cromakalim to activate ATP
      sensitive K+ channels was significantly potentiated by 100 microM but not 15
      microM cytosolic ADP, suggesting that in addition to the modest fall in cytosolic
      ATP during early ischemia, the rapid increases in cytosolic ADP may further
      sensitize cardiac ATP-sensitive K+ channels to activation by cromakalim.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1423934
TI  - Ventricular loading is coupled with DNA synthesis in adult cardiac myocytes after
      acute and chronic myocardial infarction in rats.
AB  - To determine whether the overload associated with myocardial infarction and
      ventricular failure in rats is coupled with activation of DNA synthesis in the
      remaining left and right ventricular myocytes, flow cytometric analysis was
      performed on myocyte nuclei prepared from both ventricles 7 and 30 days after
      coronary occlusion. In addition, oral captopril was administered in separate
      groups of control and experimental rats to establish whether a relation existed
      between attenuation of ventricular loading and magnitude of DNA synthesis in
      myocytes. Results demonstrated that left ventricular failure and right
      ventricular dysfunction at 7 days after infarction were biventricularly
      associated with marked increases in the number of myocyte nuclei in the G2M phase
      of the cell cycle. In contrast, the fraction of nuclei in the G0+G1 phase
      decreased. In comparison with the earlier time point, the 30-day interval was
      characterized by a significant magnitude of cardiac hypertrophy, a moderate
      amelioration of ventricular pump function, and a decrease in the percentage of
      myocyte nuclei in the G2M phase in both ventricles. However, 30 days after
      infarction, the number of right ventricular myocyte nuclei in the S and G2M
      phases remained elevated with respect to control animals. Captopril therapy
      reduced the extent of ventricular loading and the population of myocyte nuclei in
      the cell cycle at 7 days. In conclusion, DNA synthesis in myocyte nuclei may
      represent an important adaptive component of the myocardial response to
      infarction.

PMID- 1423935
TI  - Age-related appearance of outward currents may contribute to developmental
      differences in ventricular repolarization.
AB  - Ventricular repolarization significantly influences contractility,
      refractoriness, and ion channel state. Factors affecting repolarization will thus
      affect these secondary phenomena. To understand the influence of age on
      ventricular repolarization, we studied neonatal, young, and adult dogs using
      electrocardiogram, action potential, and whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings from
      single epicardial myocytes. Hearts of neonatal and 57-58-day-old dogs require a
      significantly longer time for repolarization than those of adult dogs, as
      determined by analysis of rate-corrected QT and JT (QT minus QRS) intervals.
      Epicardial action potentials of neonates are significantly longer than those of
      adults, as determined by measurements of duration at 50% and 90% repolarization.
      The adult action potential is characterized by a large phase 1 notch that is
      absent from neonatal recordings. This notch develops between 58 and 64 days of
      age, and by 64-68 days of age, it is equal to that in adults. In addition, action
      potentials recorded from adult and young epicardial muscle are more greatly
      affected by rapid pacing and superfusion of 2 mM 4-aminopyridine than are
      potentials recorded from neonatal tissue. Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings
      reveal a 4-aminopyridine-sensitive transient outward current in adult myocytes
      that is absent from neonatal myocytes. The correlation between developmental
      changes in the 4-aminopyridine-sensitive current, the action potential, and the
      QT interval suggests that the transient outward current may be an important
      determinant in the relation between age and repolarization.

PMID- 1423936
TI  - Accumulation and assembly of myosin in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with the 403
      Arg to Gln beta-myosin heavy chain mutation.
AB  - The sarcomeric proteins and organization of cardiac myofibrils appeared intact in
      multiple unrelated patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In two subjects
      demonstrating the missense mutation at position 403 (Arg to Gln) in the beta
      myosin heavy chain gene, total myosin and immunoreactive beta-myosin heavy chain
      levels were similar to those found in other patients with hypertrophic
      cardiomyopathy and various disease control subjects. No alteration in expression
      of the cardiac alpha-myosin heavy chain gene was observed. These results are
      consistent with the examined myosin heavy chain mutation, permitting proper
      accumulation and assembly of myosin while primarily impairing contractile
      function. The characteristic myocyte disarray would appear likely to be a
      secondary consequence of the mutations.

PMID- 1423937
TI  - Lysophosphatidylcholine inhibits surface receptor-mediated intracellular signals
      in endothelial cells by a pathway involving protein kinase C activation.
AB  - Lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC) transferred from oxidatively modified low
      density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) to the endothelial surface membrane has been shown
      to produce a selective unresponsiveness to cell surface receptor-regulated
      endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR) in the rabbit aorta. To determine its
      mechanism we examined the effects of lysoPC on endothelial surface receptor
      mediated transmembrane signals. Incubation for 1 minute with palmitoyl lysoPC (5
      10 microM) decreased thrombin (Th, 2 units/ml)- or histamine (His, 0.1 mM)
      stimulated inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) production in primary cultures of
      human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). LysoPC also decreased Th- or His
      induced intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i, fura 2) elevation. Pretreatment with
      protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors staurosporine (100 nM) or H-7 (50 microM)
      prevented the inhibitory actions of lysoPC, but HA-1004 had no effect. Incubation
      for 5 minutes with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA, 100 nM) produced the
      inhibitory actions on the Th- or His-induced intracellular signals, which closely
      mimic those exhibited by lysoPC. However, the inhibitory effect of lysoPC was
      lost in cells that were depleted of PKC by pretreatment for 24 hours with 100 nM
      PMA. Furthermore, incubation of the cells for 1 minute with lysoPC stimulated PKC
      activity in the membrane fraction. In organ chamber experiments with porcine
      coronary artery rings, pretreatment with staurosporine (20 nM) attenuated lysoPC
      induced impairment of EDR in response to Th. These results indicate that lysoPC,
      which accumulates in Ox-LDL and atherosclerotic arterial walls, inhibits the
      early transmembrane signaling pathway in endothelial cells, and PKC activation
      could at least partially be involved in the negative regulation by
      lysoPC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423938
TI  - Endothelium-derived relaxing factor modulates platelet aggregation in an in vivo
      model of recurrent platelet activation.
AB  - It has been shown that endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) may inhibit
      platelet aggregation in vitro through activation of platelet-soluble guanylate
      cyclase. To assess whether EDRF may also affect platelet function in vivo,
      intravascular platelet aggregation was initiated by placing an external
      constrictor around endothelially injured rabbit carotid arteries. Carotid blood
      flow velocity was measured continuously by a Doppler flow probe placed proximal
      to the constrictor. After placement of the constrictor, cyclic flow reductions
      (CFRs), due to recurrent platelet aggregation, developed at the site of the
      stenosis. After CFRs were observed for 30 minutes, a solution of authentic nitric
      oxide (NO, n = 10) was infused into the carotid artery via a small catheter
      placed proximally to the stenosis. Before infusion of NO, CFR frequency averaged
      18.3 +/- 2.9 cycles per hour, and CFR severity (lowest carotid blood flow as
      percentage of baseline values) was 6 +/- 1%. NO completely inhibited CFRs in all
      animals, as shown by the normal and constant pattern of carotid blood flow (CFR
      frequency, 0 cycles per hour, p < 0.001; carotid blood flow, 92 +/- 5%, p = NS
      versus baseline). These effects were transient; CFRs were restored spontaneously
      within 10 minutes after cessation of NO infusion. After CFRs returned, S-nitroso
      cysteine (S-NO-cys), a proposed form of EDRF, was infused into the carotid
      artery. S-NO-cys also abolished CFRs in all animals but at a significantly lower
      dose than NO (0.3 +/- 0.1 versus 12 +/- 4 nmol/min). The role of endogenously
      released EDRF in modulating in vivo platelet function was then tested in
      additional experiments. In 10 animals, endogenous release of EDRF was stimulated
      by infusing acetylcholine into the aortic root during CFRs. Infusion of
      acetylcholine was also associated with a complete inhibition of CFRs, similar to
      that observed during exogenous infusion of NO or S-NO-cys. These antithrombotic
      effects of acetylcholine were completely lost when EDRF synthesis was prevented
      by administration of the L-arginine analogue NG-monomethyl L-arginine (L-NMMA).
      Furthermore, in six additional rabbits the basal release of EDRF was blocked by L
      NMMA after CFRs had been previously abolished with aspirin or the combination of
      aspirin and ketanserin, a serotonin S2 receptor antagonist. L-NMMA caused
      restoration of CFRs in all animals, indicating that even the basal release of
      EDRF is important in modulating platelet reactivity in vivo. Taken together, the
      data of the present study demonstrate that endogenous EDRF might importantly
      contribute to the modulation of platelet function in vivo.

PMID- 1423939
TI  - Coronary blood flow after the regression of pressure-overload left ventricular
      hypertrophy.
AB  - Abnormal coronary blood flow (CBF) in long-standing left ventricular (LV)
      pressure-overload hypertrophy has been associated with ischemia and LV
      dysfunction. Thus, goals of therapy in pressure overload are not only the relief
      of the overload itself but also regression in hypertrophy and subsequent
      improvement in CBF. However, little is known about CBF in humans or in large
      mammals after the relief of pressure overload, when the hypertrophy has
      regressed. This study was performed to test the hypothesis that, even 6 months
      after the relief of pressure overload in the dog, CBF would still be abnormal.
      Three groups of dogs were studied: 1) normal control dogs (NL group), 2) dogs
      with LV pressure-overload hypertrophy (LVH group), and 3) dogs that had developed
      LV pressure-overload hypertrophy but in whom the pressure overload was relieved 6
      months before the final study (LVH Reg group). CBF was studied in conscious dogs
      by use of the radiolabeled microsphere technique at rest, during rapid atrial
      pacing, and during maximum coronary vasodilation produced by adenosine infusion.
      The ratio of LV weight (g) to body weight (kg) (LVBW) was 4.2 +/- 0.3 in the NL
      group, 7.1 +/- 0.6 in the LVH group, and 7.7 +/- 0.5 in the LVH Reg group before
      pressure-overload relief (p = NS, LVH versus LVH Reg). Six months after removal
      of the pressure overload, the LVBW in the LVH Reg group had fallen to 5.5 +/- 0.3
      (p < 0.05), but this LVBW was still greater than that in the NL group (p < 0.05).
      During rapid atrial pacing, endocardial and epicardial CBF rose significantly in
      NL dogs. However, during rapid atrial pacing, endocardial CBF fell from 1.18 +/-
      0.22 to 0.7 +/- 0.20 ml/min per gram in the LVH group (p < 0.05) and did not rise
      in the LVH Reg group. During adenosine infusion, endocardial blood flow increased
      in NL dogs from 1.63 +/- 0.13 to 4.0 +/- 0.3 ml/min per gram and increased to a
      similar level in the LVH Reg group. Although CBF increased during adenosine
      infusion in the LVH group, the increase was less than that in the NL or LVH Reg
      group (p < 0.05). Minimum coronary vascular resistance was similar in NL dogs (14
      +/- 2 units) and LVH Reg dogs (18 +/- 3 units, p = NS) but was significantly
      elevated (32 +/- 10 units) in LVH dogs (p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400
      WORDS)

PMID- 1423940
TI  - Characterization of angiotensin II receptor subtypes in rat heart.
AB  - Angiotensin II exerts positive inotropic and chronotropic effects on the
      mammalian heart by binding to specific membrane receptors. Recently, two subtypes
      of angiotensin II receptors (AT1 and AT2) have been distinguished by using the
      nonpeptide antagonists losartan (previously known as DuP 753) and PD123177. To
      evaluate the tissue distribution and subtypes of angiotensin II receptors in rat
      heart, we performed a 125I-[Sar1,Ile8]angiotensin II in situ binding assay on
      tissue sections obtained from adult Sprague-Dawley rats (10 and 14 weeks old).
      Binding specificity was verified by competition with unlabeled [Sar1]angiotensin
      II. Distribution of AT1 and AT2 receptors was determined by competition with
      losartan and PD123177, respectively, and the density of the receptors was
      quantified by emulsion autoradiography. Angiotensin II receptors were widely
      distributed throughout the heart, with each receptor subtype accounting for
      approximately 50% of the specific binding. Binding density was comparable in the
      atria, right and left ventricles, intraventricular septum, and sinoatrial node,
      whereas it was significantly greater in the atrioventricular node. The AT1
      receptor appears to interact with guanidine nucleotide regulatory proteins,
      because GTP-gamma-S causes dissociation of the radioligand from this receptor. In
      contrast, the AT2 receptor does not appear to directly interact with guanine
      nucleotide regulatory proteins, inasmuch as radioligand dissociation from this
      receptor subtype is not affected by GTP-gamma-S. Because angiotensin II has been
      reported to have growth-potentiating effects in several tissues, we examined
      angiotensin II receptors in fetal (embryonic days 16 and 19) and neonatal (1-, 2
      , 3-, and 10-day-old) rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423942
TI  - Effect of inhibition of endopeptidase 24.11 on responses to angiotensin II in
      human volunteers.
AB  - The effects of endopeptidase 24.11 inhibition on angiotensin-induced changes in
      plasma angiotensin II, aldosterone, and atrial natriuretic factor concentrations
      and blood pressure were assessed in normal volunteers. Two groups, each
      consisting of eight normal volunteers, received stepwise infusions of angiotensin
      II (2, 4, and 8 ng/kg per minute) on day 5 of dose administration with 25 mg
      every 12 hours (group 1) or 100 mg every 12 hours (group 2) of an oral inhibitor
      of endopeptidase 24.11 (UK 79300, candoxatril) or placebo in balanced randomized,
      double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover studies. Both doses of candoxatril
      significantly enhanced achieved plasma angiotensin II concentrations during
      infusions (group 1, p < 0.001; group 2, p < 0.01; overall treatment effect for
      combined data, p < 0.001). This effect was most pronounced at the highest dose of
      angiotensin II (treatment-time interaction, p < 0.0001 for combined data) and
      tended to be more marked with the higher dose of candoxatril (treatment-group
      interaction, p = 0.08). The pressor response to angiotensin II was clearly
      enhanced by the lower dose of candoxatril; peak systolic and diastolic pressures
      exceeded placebo values by approximately 10 mm Hg (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05 for
      systolic and diastolic pressures, respectively). This effect of candoxatril was
      absent in group 2, which (unlike group 1) had exhibited a modest natriuretic
      response (sustained cumulative negative sodium balance, -70 +/- 21 mmol; p <
      0.01) to the higher dose of inhibitor. Baseline plasma aldosterone concentrations
      and the incremental aldosterone response to angiotensin II infusions were not
      significantly altered by low-dose (group 1) candoxatril.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423941
TI  - Coronary collateral development in swine after coronary artery occlusion.
AB  - We have quantified the development of the coronary collateral circulation in the
      pig. The collateral circulation was induced to grow by placing an ameroid
      occluder on the left circumflex coronary artery. Two to 16 weeks after ameroid
      placement, the coronary collateral circulation was identified after the injection
      of several colors of a silicone polymer into the coronary arteries and the aorta.
      We identified intercoronary and extracardiac collaterals and quantified their
      number, location, size, and wall thickness. Intercoronary collaterals grew to a
      level that represents a 14-fold increase in normal collateral blood flow under
      resting conditions compared with the values in an animal not subjected to
      coronary artery occlusion. Extracardiac collaterals could potentially supply
      approximately 30% of resting flow. The sources of the extracardiac collaterals
      were the bronchial and internal mammary arteries. Coronary collateral morphometry
      and DNA synthesis in the pig heart also were examined. Coronary collaterals had
      significantly less smooth muscle than did normal arterioles. This may account, in
      part, for the reduced response of the coronary collaterals to vasodilators. We
      observed intense DNA synthesis in endothelial and smooth muscle cells in the
      first 2 or 3 weeks of ischemia. However, DNA synthesis rapidly ceased after this
      time, coincident with coronary collateral reserve values (ischemic/nonischemic
      regional blood flow ratios during maximal vasodilation) reaching their maximum
      level. This suggests that failure of the vessels to continue proliferating
      accounts for the occurrence of the plateau in blood flow levels.

PMID- 1423943
TI  - Optimization of retroviral vector-mediated gene transfer into endothelial cells
      in vitro.
AB  - Retroviral vector-mediated gene transfer into endothelial cells is relatively
      inefficient with transduction rates as low as 1-2% in vitro and even lower in
      vivo. To increase the efficiency of gene transfer into endothelial cells, we used
      retroviral vectors expressing beta-galactosidase and urokinase and measured
      endothelial cell transduction efficiencies with quantitative assays for beta
      galactosidase and urokinase protein. We evaluated several techniques reported to
      improve the efficiency of retroviral transduction in vitro, including 1) extended
      periods of exposure to vector, 2) repeated exposures to vector, 3) maximization
      of the ratio of vector particles to endothelial cells by increasing the volume
      and concentration of vector particles or by decreasing the number of endothelial
      cells exposed, 4) cocultivation of endothelial cells with vector-producing cells,
      and 5) variation of the type and concentration of polycation used with the
      retroviral vector. Only the use of more concentrated (higher titer) vector
      containing supernatant and the use of the polycation DEAE-dextran improved the
      efficiency of gene transfer into endothelial cells in vitro. In an optimized
      transduction protocol, a 60-second exposure to 1 mg/ml DEAE-dextran followed by a
      single 6-hour exposure to supernatant of a titer of 10(5)-10(6) colony-forming
      units/ml resulted in transduction efficiencies of 50-90% with both vectors.
      Decreasing the time of the supernatant exposure to 15 minutes permitted
      transduction efficiencies of 15-20% while significantly minimizing the duration
      of the transduction. Therefore, the optimized protocol allows high efficiency in
      vitro gene transfer into endothelial cells within several hours. The briefer
      protocol may prove useful for in vivo gene transfer in which the time of exposure
      to the supernatant is limited.

PMID- 1423944
TI  - Kinetics of C5a release in cardiac lymph of dogs experiencing coronary artery
      ischemia-reperfusion injury.
AB  - Previous studies of myocardial ischemia suggest that complement activation may
      play a central role in the inflammatory response during reperfusion. Our previous
      work has demonstrated neutrophil chemotactic activity to be present in
      reperfusion canine cardiac lymph after myocardial ischemia and infarction. To
      evaluate the contribution of the complement-dependent anaphylatoxin C5a to this
      neutrophil chemotactic activity, rabbit antiserum to canine C5a was prepared. At
      dilutions > 1:500 but < 1:2,000, the antiserum abolished the ability of zymosan
      activated dog serum to induce a ruffled, bipolar morphology in isolated
      neutrophils used as a bioassay of chemotactic stimulation. This antiserum did not
      affect similar morphological changes in neutrophils exposed to platelet
      activating factor (10(-7)-10(-6) M) or recombinant human interleukin-8 (10(-9)
      10(-8) M); thus, we deemed it functionally specific for canine C5a. In a pattern
      similar to what we previously reported, cardiac lymph collected before a 1-hour
      ligation of the left circumflex coronary artery had little ability to alter the
      morphology of canine neutrophils (shape change index, 11.3 +/- 4.6, mean +/- SEM;
      n = 7), but by 1 hour of reperfusion, lymph activated neutrophils significantly
      in five of seven dogs (mean shape change index, 72.6 +/- 17.7; p < 0.01). At 2
      hours of reperfusion, neutrophil activation by lymph occurred in six of seven
      dogs (mean shape change index, 103.1 +/- 22.2). At 3 hours of reperfusion,
      cardiac lymph of only three of six dogs caused neutrophil activation, and at 4
      hours of reperfusion, this activity was evident in lymph from only two of five
      dogs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423946
TI  - Active skeletal muscle mass and cardiopulmonary reserve. Failure to attain peak
      aerobic capacity during maximal bicycle exercise in patients with severe
      congestive heart failure.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In addition to depressed cardiac reserve, peripheral factors may
      contribute to limit maximal exercise capacity in patients with congestive heart
      failure (CHF). To investigate the role of reduced active skeletal muscle mass,
      peak oxygen uptake (VO2, milligrams per kilogram per minute) was determined
      during maximal symptom-limited exercise involving the lower limbs (LL) alone and
      the lower limbs and upper limbs (LL+UL) combined in patients with CHF and in
      normal subjects of similar age and sex. METHODS AND RESULTS: LL bicycle exercise
      was performed upright with a ramp protocol and continuous expired gas analysis.
      When respiratory exchange ratio (RER) reached 1.0, UL exercise was initiated at
      constant load with the use of a cranking device positioned at shoulder level. LL
      exercise alone and combined LL+UL exercise were performed on separate days in
      randomized order by 24 patients with CHF and seven normal subjects. In patients
      with CHF, peak VO2 was greater during combined LL+UL exercise than during LL
      exercise alone, i.e., 15.8 +/- 0.8 versus 14.2 +/- 0.9 ml.kg-1.min-1 (p < 0.001),
      whereas in normal subjects, maximal VO2 was similar during the two tests, i.e.,
      26.7 versus 26.2 ml.kg-1.min-1 (NS). The increase in peak VO2 during combined
      LL+UL exercise relative to LL exercise alone was almost exclusively observed in
      patients with peak VO2 < 15 ml.kg-1.min-1 (mean increase, 21.7 +/- 4.1%). Peak
      VO2 during combined LL and UL exercise did not increase relative to LL exercise
      alone in patients with peak VO2 > 15 ml.kg-1.min-1 and in normal subjects of
      similar age and sex, i.e., 0.1 +/- 4.0% and 2.0 +/- 2.3% respectively.
      CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to normal subjects and patients with moderate CHF,
      patients with severe CHF do not exhaust their cardiopulmonary reserve during
      symptom-limited maximal LL exercise on a bicycle.

PMID- 1423945
TI  - Platelet-derived growth factor-BB-induced suppression of smooth muscle cell
      differentiation.
AB  - Previously, we demonstrated that treatment of postconfluent quiescent rat aortic
      smooth muscle cells (SMCs) with platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB
      dramatically reduced smooth muscle (SM) alpha-actin synthesis. In the present
      studies, we focused on the expression of two other SM-specific proteins, SM
      myosin heavy chain (SM-MHC) and SM alpha-tropomyosin (SM-alpha TM), to determine
      whether the actions of PDGF-BB were specific to SM alpha-actin or represented a
      global ability of PDGF-BB to inhibit expression of cell-specific proteins
      characteristic of differentiated SMCs. SM-MHC and SM-alpha TM expression were
      assessed by one- or two-dimensional gel electrophoretic analysis of proteins from
      cells labeled with [35S]methionine, as well as by Northern analysis of mRNA
      levels. Synthesis of both SM-specific proteins was decreased by 50-70% in PDGF-BB
      -treated cells as compared with cells treated with PDGF vehicle. Treatment of
      cells with 10% fetal bovine serum, which produced a mitogenic effect equivalent
      to that of PDGF-BB, decreased SM-MHC synthesis by 40% but increased SM-alpha TM
      synthesis. SM-MHC and SM-alpha TM mRNA expression was decreased by 80% at 24
      hours in PDGF-BB--treated postconfluent SMCs, whereas treatment with 10% fetal
      bovine serum did not decrease the expression of SM-alpha TM mRNA but did inhibit
      SM-MHC mRNA expression by 36%. Consistent with the absence of detectable PDGF
      alpha-receptors on these cells, PDGF-AA had no effect on either mitogenesis or
      expression of SM-MHC or SM-alpha TM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1423947
TI  - Positron emission tomography detects metabolic viability in myocardium with
      persistent 24-hour single-photon emission computed tomography 201Tl defects.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Four-hour 201Tl redistribution images underestimate myocardial
      viability in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Because 4-hour defects
      often redistribute late, delayed imaging may enhance assessment of tissue
      viability. Myocardial metabolic activity was therefore assessed with positron
      emission tomography (PET) in 26 CAD patients with impaired ventricular function
      (ejection fraction, 32.1 +/- 13.9%) and 24-hour single-photon emission computed
      tomography (SPECT) 201Tl defects. METHODS AND RESULTS: On circumferential profile
      analysis, PET ischemia was defined by preserved glucose metabolism in
      hypoperfused myocardium, and PET infarction was defined by concordant reductions
      in perfusion and metabolism. On 19 stress-redistribution and seven rest
      redistribution SPECT studies, four observers visually scored 201Tl activity in
      eight segments on a scale from 0 (normal) to 3 (complete defect). Using an
      improvement in visual score > or = 0.75 to define redistribution, there were 100
      fixed, 17 partially reversible, and 12 completely reversible defects. PET
      identified tissue metabolic activity in 51 (51%) segments with fixed defects (21
      PET ischemia, 30 PET normal) and nine (53%) segments with partially reversible
      defects (five PET ischemia, four PET normal). When grouped by 24-hour score, the
      proportion of fixed defects with metabolic activity varied from 84% (scores < or
      = 1.4) to 15% (scores > 2.6). For partially reversible defects, only 53% with
      scores < 2.0 and one of two with scores > or = 2.0 were considered metabolically
      viable on PET. Of 12 completely reversible defects, six (50%) were normal, five
      (42%) had PET ischemia, and one (8%) had PET infarction. The proportion of fixed
      defects with metabolic activity did not depend on whether a rest or stress study
      was performed or on the change in visual score used to define 201Tl
      redistribution (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00). CONCLUSIONS: In CAD patients, PET
      identifies glucose metabolic activity in the majority of fixed 24-hour 201Tl
      defects. However, very severe (near-complete) 24-hour 201Tl defects are less
      likely to exhibit metabolic activity on PET imaging than are defects with less
      pronounced reductions in segmental 201Tl activity.

PMID- 1423948
TI  - Highly variable anticoagulant response after subcutaneous administration of high
      dose (12,500 IU) heparin in patients with myocardial infarction and healthy
      volunteers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In this study, the anticoagulant response of 12,500 IU heparin s.c.
      was investigated in patients with myocardial infarction and healthy volunteers to
      determine variabilities in response and modifying factors. METHODS AND RESULTS:
      On the fourth day after thrombolytic therapy, blood samples were taken before and
      at frequent intervals until 10 hours after the injection of 12,500 IU heparin
      s.c. Plasma anti-Xa activity, anti-IIa activity, and the activated partial
      thromboplastin time (APTT) were measured in addition to body weight and thickness
      of the abdominal subcutaneous fat layer. Contrary to expectations, the increase
      of anti-Xa activity, anti-IIa activity, and APTT compared with baseline (predrug)
      levels was very small, with an average maximal APTT of 42.6 seconds (SD, 12.4
      seconds; range, 30.4-70.7 seconds). Subsequently, the influence of the length of
      the injection needle on the anticoagulant effect of 12,500 IU heparin s.c. was
      studied in 10 healthy volunteers to find a factor that could be responsible for
      the poor response in the patients. The length of the injection needle did not
      influence the anticoagulant effect of heparin. Large interindividual and
      intraindividual variabilities were seen in the volunteers. The majority of
      volunteers had minimal prolongation of the APTT, but very strong prolongation was
      also seen (maximal APTT, 163 seconds). There was no correlation between the
      abdominal skinfold thickness and anti-Xa activity, anti-IIa activity, or APTT (p
      > 0.05), but in the patient study, there was a correlation between weight and
      anti-Xa activity and anti-IIa activity (p < 0.05), and in the volunteer study,
      there was a correlation between weight and anti-Xa activity and APTT (p < 0.05).
      CONCLUSIONS: Subcutaneous administration of heparin in a fixed dose for
      prophylactic and therapeutic purposes may be inadequate because of the large
      interindividual and intraindividual variations in anticoagulant effect.

PMID- 1423950
TI  - Intravascular ultrasound evaluation of the effect of rotational atherectomy in
      obstructive atherosclerotic coronary artery disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: High-speed rotational atherectomy uses a diamond-coated, elliptical
      burr to abrade occlusive atherosclerosis, especially noncompliant calcified
      plaque. METHODS AND RESULTS: Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) was used to analyze
      28 patients after atherectomy. Arteries treated and imaged were left main
      (three), left anterior descending (12), left circumflex (five), right coronary
      (seven), and saphenous vein graft (one). Twenty patients had adjunct balloon
      angioplasty. Twenty-two (79%) target lesions were calcified; the intimal arc of
      calcium was 160 +/- 126 degrees (range, 0-360 degrees). After atherectomy, the
      intima-lumen interface was unusually distinct and circular. The lumen was larger
      than the largest burr used for both stand-alone (1.19 +/- 0.19-fold the largest
      burr size) and adjunct balloon procedures (1.30 +/- 0.15-fold the largest burr).
      Three-dimensional reconstruction of the ultrasound images showed a smooth lumen,
      especially in calcified plaque. Deviations from cylindrical geometry occurred
      only in areas of soft plaque or superficial tissue disruption of calcified
      plaque. Five patients were studied before and after rotational atherectomy. IVUS
      showed an increase in lumen size, a decrease in plaque-plus-media area and in arc
      of target lesion calcification, and no change in target lesion external elastic
      membrane cross-sectional area. CONCLUSIONS: Rotational atherectomy causes
      atheroablation with only moderate evidence of barotrauma in heavily calcified
      arteries, even after adjunct balloon angioplasty. The lumen is cylindrical,
      especially in areas of calcified plaque, and somewhat larger than the largest
      burr tip used.

PMID- 1423949
TI  - Precordial QT interval dispersion as a marker of torsade de pointes. Disparate
      effects of class Ia antiarrhythmic drugs and amiodarone.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with a history of class Ia drug-induced torsade de pointes
      have been treated with chronic amiodarone without recurrence of torsade de
      pointes despite comparable prolongation of the QT interval. We hypothesized that
      in such patients, class Ia drugs cause nonhomogeneous prolongation of cardiac
      repolarization times, whereas amiodarone causes homogeneous prolongation of
      cardiac repolarization times. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-eight consecutive
      patients who received both class Ia drug therapy and chronic amiodarone therapy
      were evaluated. Standard 12-lead ECGs at baseline and during each therapy were
      used to calculate precordial QT interval dispersion (maximum QT in leads V1
      through V6 minus minimum QT leads V1 through V6) as a measure of regional
      variabilities in ventricular repolarization times. Nine of these patients had
      torsade de pointes during class Ia drug therapy. In these nine patients, class Ia
      drug therapy and amiodarone significantly prolonged the maximum QT interval to
      comparable extents. However, class Ia drug therapy but not amiodarone therapy
      significantly increased precordial QT interval dispersion (101 +/- 37 versus 49
      +/- 26 msec; baseline, 44 +/- 12 msec; p = 0.002). In the 29 patients without
      class Ia drug-induced torsade de pointes, neither class Ia drug therapy nor
      amiodarone therapy significantly increased QT interval dispersion (50 +/- 6
      versus 69 +/- 7 msec; baseline, 54 +/- 5 msec). None of the patients with class
      Ia drug-induced torsade de pointes had recurrent torsade de pointes during
      chronic amiodarone therapy. CONCLUSIONS: An increase in regional QT interval
      dispersion during class Ia antiarrhythmic drug therapy is associated with torsade
      de pointes. Chronic amiodarone therapy in patients with a history of class Ia
      drug-induced torsade de pointes produces comparable maximum QT interval
      prolongation but does not increase QT interval dispersion. This characteristic
      may explain its apparent safe use in patients with a history of class Ia drug
      induced torsade de pointes.

PMID- 1423951
TI  - Restenosis after directional coronary atherectomy. Effects of luminal diameter
      and deep wall excision.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Deep wall excision during directional atherectomy has been reported
      in one study to increase the risk of subsequent restenosis. On the other hand, we
      have observed that the probability of late (6-month) restenosis is reduced by
      maximizing postprocedure luminal diameter. Although such maximal luminal
      enlargement by directional atherectomy has not increased procedural complications
      in our experience, it might well increase the incidence of subintimal (deep wall
      component) recovery. We performed this study to evaluate the relative influences
      of luminal enlargement and deep wall component excision on postatherectomy
      restenosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Atherectomy resulted in a 7 +/- 15% residual
      stenosis with < 0.5% incidence of angiographic vessel perforation. The minimal
      luminal diameter of each lesion was measured before and after intervention in 413
      lesions, 389 (94%) of which had histological analysis of the excised specimens.
      Specimens were categorized by the deepest layer retrieved: type I (recovery of
      intima alone, n = 141), type II (recovery of media, n = 79), and type III
      (recovery of adventitia, n = 65). Repeat angiographic measurement of minimal
      luminal diameter was available for 329 (80%) segments 6 months after atherectomy.
      Compared with the 32% restenosis rate for type I excision, there was no increase
      in restenosis (stenosis > 50%) for type II, type III, or types II+III (p = 0.86).
      Stratification by vessel characteristics also failed to show any association
      between restenosis and deep wall component recovery in any subgroup, including
      native coronary (p = 0.85), left anterior descending coronary artery (p = 0.70),
      right coronary artery (p = 0.51), saphenous graft (p = 0.78), or prior restenosis
      lesions (p = 0.98). Paradoxically, the recovery of adventitia (type III excision)
      was associated with a lower late percent stenosis (p = 0.03) and a trend toward
      less restenosis (p = 0.11) compared with type I excisions. A multiple logistic
      regression model was constructed that demonstrated immediate postprocedure
      luminal diameter (p = 0.02) to be an independent determinant of restenosis. In
      this model, the presence of deep wall components (type II+III) did not adversely
      affect (p = 0.86) restenosis, but the recovery of adventitia was associated with
      an independent trend toward reduced restenosis (p = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS: The
      immediate goal of directional atherectomy should be to safely provide the largest
      lumen possible in order to reduce restenosis. The recovery of deep wall
      components does not appear to jeopardize the beneficial effect that obtaining a
      large immediate postprocedure lumen diameter has on reducing the incidence of
      late restenosis.

PMID- 1423952
TI  - Randomized trial of late elective angioplasty versus conservative management for
      patients with residual stenoses after thrombolytic treatment of myocardial
      infarction. Treatment of Post-Thrombolytic Stenoses (TOPS) Study Group.
AB  - BACKGROUND: After thrombolytic therapy for patients with acute myocardial
      infarction (MI), percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is
      frequently performed because of the presence of a "significant" infarct vessel
      stenosis demonstrated at predischarge coronary angiography. Several studies have
      shown PTCA performed early after thrombolysis to be unnecessary or even harmful.
      However, PTCA in these trials was generally performed 1-3 days after MI, when the
      milieu in the infarct artery may be unsuited for PTCA, and the incidence of major
      ischemic complications was high. To date, no trial has assessed whether delayed
      PTCA (4-14 days) should be performed in patients without evidence of ischemia on
      stress testing. METHODS AND RESULTS: To test the hypothesis that delayed PTCA
      might provide clinical benefit compared with medical therapy alone, 87 patients
      treated within 6 hours of chest pain onset with thrombolytic therapy and with
      negative functional test were randomized between PTCA to be performed 4-14 days
      after MI versus no PTCA. Both groups received medical therapy. Patients with
      postinfarct angina or prior Q wave infarction in the infarct distribution were
      excluded. The primary study end point was increase in left ventricular ejection
      fraction with exercise measured by radionuclide studies 6 weeks after MI, a
      parameter known from other studies to correlate inversely with future ischemic
      events. Clinical outcome was also monitored for 12 months. There were no
      differences between the study groups for any prerandomization variable recorded.
      Mean age was 57 +/- 10 years, 84% of patients were male, 21% had prior MI, 36%
      had anterior MI, 7% had multivessel disease, and the infarct stenosis measured 70
      +/- 17% before randomization. PTCA was successful in 38 of 42 patients (88%) but
      resulted in non-Q wave MI due to acute closure of the treated site in three of 42
      (9.5%). There was no difference in 6-week resting ejection fraction or increase
      in ejection fraction with exercise between the two groups (47 +/- 12% and 6 +/-
      8%, respectively, in the PTCA group; 49 +/- 10% and 5 +/- 9% in the no-PTCA
      group; p = NS for both.) There were no deaths in either group. Actuarial 12-month
      infarct-free survival was 97.8% in the no-PTCA group and 90.5% in the PTCA group
      (p = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: There was no functional or clinical benefit from routine
      late PTCA after MI treated with thrombolytic therapy in this relatively low-risk
      cohort of patients. These data strongly suggest that patients with an
      uncomplicated MI after thrombolytic therapy, even if they have a "significant"
      residual stenosis of the infarct vessel, should be treated medically if they are
      without evidence of ischemia on stress testing before hospital discharge.

PMID- 1423953
TI  - Randomized trial of thrombolysis versus heparin in unstable angina.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The clinical usefulness of intravenous thrombolytic therapy in
      unstable angina is currently unknown, despite the pathogenetic similarity of this
      entity to acute myocardial infarction, for which thrombolysis has enjoyed great
      success. To compare the clinical benefit of intravenous urokinase with that of
      conventional antithrombotic therapy in preventing the progression of unstable
      angina to new myocardial infarction, intractable angina, or death within the
      first 96 hours after hospitalization, 149 patients with unstable angina were
      randomized to one of two intravenous thrombolytic strategies. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: Forty-nine patients received 3 million units urokinase i.v. over 90
      minutes plus intravenous heparin (group A); 47 patients received unblinded 3
      million units urokinase i.v. plus 325 mg aspirin p.o. daily (group B); and 53
      patients received placebo thrombolytic infusion plus full-dose heparin (group C).
      The primary end point of this trial was 96-hour clinical status. There were no
      significant differences in the baseline characteristics (age, sex, previous
      myocardial infarction, hypertension prevalence, diabetes, tobacco use, or
      previous revascularization) among the three groups. Despite an excess of minor
      untoward reactions for the urokinase groups (chills, 26.5% and 23.4% for groups A
      and B versus 0% for group C; p < 0.01), there was no significant difference with
      respect to major bleeds (two, none, and two for groups A, B, and C, respectively;
      p = NS). At 96 hours after presentation, no significant difference emerged in the
      incidence of new cardiac events: new myocardial infarctions developed in 10.2% of
      group A, 6.4% of group B, and 3.8% of group C (p = NS); intractable angina
      occurred in 6.1% of group A, 10.6% of group B, and 9.4% of group C (p = NS).
      There were no deaths. All three groups encountered a similar incidence of overall
      cardiac events: 16.3%, 17.0%, and 13.2% for groups A, B, and C, respectively (p =
      NS). Although trial enrollment was to extend to 600 patients, interim analysis
      led to early cessation of enrollment due to a negative trend in respect to
      outcome after thrombolysis. CONCLUSIONS: High-dose intravenous urokinase followed
      by either heparin or aspirin can be safely administered to a broad, unselected
      group of patients with unstable angina. However, this study suggests that no
      clinical advantage is conferred by urokinase, with either adjunctive
      antithrombotic therapy over standard heparin therapy alone, when given relatively
      late (mean, 8.7 hours) after admission for unstable angina. A possible
      detrimental effect cannot be excluded.

PMID- 1423954
TI  - A randomized comparison of external and internal cardioversion of chronic atrial
      fibrillation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Delivery of shocks within the right atrium has been reported to be
      more effective than conventional external shocks in converting atrial
      fibrillation (AF), but these two cardioversion techniques have never been
      compared prospectively. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacies
      of external and internal cardioversion in patients with chronic AF unresponsive
      to prior attempts at electrical and/or pharmacological cardioversion. Low-dose
      amiodarone was used in all patients after cardioversion to suppress recurrences
      of AF. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred twelve patients with AF of at least 1
      month in duration were randomly assigned to undergo external cardioversion with
      300-360-J shocks or internal cardioversion with 200-300-J shocks delivered
      through a standard electrode catheter within the right atrium. The patients were
      treated with amiodarone (200 mg/day 5-7 days/week) for 1 month before electrical
      cardioversion and afterward if the cardioversion was successful. The patients
      were evaluated at regular intervals during 1 year of follow-up. The efficacy of
      internal cardioversion was significantly greater than that of external
      cardioversion (91% versus 67%, p = 0.002). The only variable that was associated
      with the outcome of cardioversion was body weight. Among patients in whom sinus
      rhythm was restored, AF recurred as often after internal and external
      cardioversion; at 1 year of follow-up, 37% of patients in whom external or
      internal cardioversion had been effective were still in sinus rhythm. Patients
      who had undergone an attempt at electrical cardioversion before entry into this
      study were less likely to remain in sinus rhythm after cardioversion. The only
      complications of cardioversion were one instance of cerebral thromboembolism
      after external cardioversion and one instance of transient pulmonary edema after
      internal cardioversion. Therapy with amiodarone was discontinued because of an
      adverse drug effect in only three patients. CONCLUSIONS: Internal cardioversion
      is more effective than external cardioversion in restoring sinus rhythm and is as
      safe as external cardioversion in patients with chronic AF. The recurrence rate
      of AF is the same after both types of cardioversion. If conventional electrical
      cardioversion is ineffective, internal cardioversion should be attempted. The
      combination of low-dose amiodarone and external or internal cardioversion may
      result in maintaining sinus rhythm long-term in patients with refractory AF.

PMID- 1423956
TI  - Dynamic intraventricular obstruction during dobutamine stress echocardiography. A
      new observation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The implications of hypotension occurring during dobutamine stress
      echocardiography have not been elucidated. We observed in some patients that
      hyperdynamic left ventricular function developed during dobutamine stress
      echocardiography and hypothesized that intracavitary obstruction was occurring
      and might account for hypotension in some patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty
      seven consecutive patients undergoing dobutamine stress echocardiography
      underwent pulsed-wave and continuous-wave Doppler examination of the left
      ventricular cavity at rest and at peak dobutamine infusion. The development of an
      intraventricular gradient with dobutamine stress was defined as a late-peaking
      left ventricular Doppler velocity profile that exceeded basal velocity by at
      least 1 m/sec. During dobutamine stress testing, left ventricular outflow
      velocity or intracavitary velocity increased in all patients. Obstruction
      occurred in 12 patients (21%, group 1). Group 2 was the remaining 45 patients.
      Peak velocities in group 1 ranged from 2.0 to 5.0 m/sec (mean, 3.5 m/sec), and
      the mean increase from velocity at rest was 2.3 m/sec. The mean change in
      systolic blood pressure was significantly lower in patients in group 1 (-15
      versus 4 mm Hg, p = 0.02). When the 18 patients with an ischemic response to
      stress testing (evidenced by new or worsening wall motion abnormalities) were
      excluded from analysis, systolic blood pressure response was still significantly
      different for the two groups (-19 versus 2 mm Hg, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic
      left ventricular obstruction is a new observation; it may develop frequently in
      patients undergoing dobutamine stress echocardiography. Obstruction rather than
      ischemia may explain a decrease in blood pressure during dobutamine stress
      echocardiography.

PMID- 1423955
TI  - Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of intravenous diltiazem in patients with
      atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diltiazem, a calcium channel blocker, has been shown to be safe and
      effective in the treatment of patients in atrial fibrillation and/or atrial
      flutter. However, there have been no pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies of
      diltiazem in these patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: The pharmacokinetics and
      pharmacodynamics of intravenous diltiazem were determined in 32 patients with
      atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter (mean +/- SD age, 66 +/- 7 years; mean
      baseline heart rate, 131 +/- 10 beats per minute) after 20 mg or 20 mg followed
      by 25-mg bolus doses and a 10 and 15 mg/hr infusion for 24 hours. After the 10
      and 15 mg/hr infusions of diltiazem, mean +/- SD elimination half-life was 6.8 +/
      1.8 and 6.9 +/- 1.5 hours, volume of distribution was 411 +/- 151.8 and 299 +/-
      70.8 I, and systemic clearance was 42 +/- 12.4 and 31 +/- 8.3 l/hr, respectively.
      Percentages of the plasma concentrations of the principal metabolites
      desacetyldiltiazem and N-desmethyldiltiazem to diltiazem were < 15% and < 10%,
      respectively. Thirty of 32 patients maintained response throughout the 24-hour
      infusion of diltiazem. Using a sigmoidal Emax pharmacodynamic model, a strong
      relation (mean +/- SD r2, 0.78 +/- 0.2) was observed between plasma diltiazem
      concentration and percent heart rate reduction. Mean +/- SD Emax (maximum percent
      reduction in heart rate from baseline) and EC50 (plasma diltiazem concentration
      that achieves half Emax) were 52 +/- 17% and 110 +/- 84 ng/ml, respectively. The
      model predicts that mean plasma diltiazem concentration of 79, 172, and 294 ng/ml
      are required to produce a 20%, 30%, and 40% reduction in heart rate,
      respectively. A relation between plasma diltiazem concentration and percent
      change in systolic blood pressure (SBP) or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) from
      baseline was not observed (mean +/- SD r2, SBP/DBP: 0.35 +/- 0.24/0.36 +/- 0.2).
      There were no untoward side effects observed. CONCLUSIONS: First, the
      pharmacokinetics of diltiazem in patients with atrial fibrillation or atrial
      flutter is nonlinear with an apparent dose-dependent decrease in systemic
      clearance with increasing infusion rate. Second, using a sigmoidal Emax model,
      there is a strong relation between plasma diltiazem concentration and percent
      heart rate reduction. Third, the plasma concentrations of the principal
      metabolites desacetyldiltiazem and N-desmethyldiltiazem are low and are not
      expected to contribute significantly to the pharmacodynamics of intravenous
      diltiazem in these patients.

PMID- 1423957
TI  - Real-time NMR beam-directed velocity mapping. V-mode NMR.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Currently available noninvasive techniques for measuring blood flow
      velocities are constrained by limited view orientations (Doppler ultrasound) or
      limited time resolution (magnetic resonance imaging, MRI). We describe an MRI
      technique for measuring flow velocities in real time at arbitrary orientations
      within a cylindrical volume or "beam": V-mode nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).
      METHODS AND RESULTS: The technique was implemented on a standard 1.5-T clinical
      NMR imager with no special hardware and was tested on phantoms and human
      volunteers. The beam can be fired at rates up to 60 times per second, allowing
      measurements on a time scale that is appropriate for ungated cardiac studies. In
      phantoms, steady flow velocities were measured with the beam aligned along the
      direction of flow, and the measured velocities correlated well with the actual
      velocities (r > 0.99). The radial distribution of velocities in phantoms under
      constant flow conditions was also determined. In humans, flow of blood in the
      descending aortas of normal and aortic insufficiency subjects was measured.
      Distinctive backflow of blood because of aortic insufficiency was readily
      apparent. CONCLUSIONS: The V-mode NMR technique is capable of acquiring
      clinically relevant real-time blood flow information from any desired angle of
      view with no attenuation at bone or air-tissue interfaces.

PMID- 1423958
TI  - Impaired circadian modulation of sympathovagal activity in diabetes. A possible
      explanation for altered temporal onset of cardiovascular disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diabetic subjects have a high incidence of cardiovascular accidents,
      with an altered circadian distribution. Abnormalities in the circadian rhythm of
      autonomic tone may be responsible for this altered temporal onset of
      cardiovascular disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: To assess circadian changes of
      sympathovagal balance in diabetes, we performed 24-hour power spectral analysis
      of RR interval fluctuations in 54 diabetic subjects (age, 44 +/- 2 years) with
      either normal autonomic function or mild to severe autonomic neuropathy and in 54
      age-matched control subjects. The power in the low-frequency (LF, 0.03-0.15 Hz)
      and high-frequency (HF, 0.18-0.40 Hz) bands was considered an index of relative
      sympathetic and vagal activity, respectively. Diabetic subjects with autonomic
      abnormalities showed a reduction in LF compared with control subjects (5.95 +/-
      0.12 In-msec2 versus 6.73 +/- 0.11, p < 0.001) and an even greater reduction in
      LF, particularly during the night and the first hours after awakening (5.11 +/-
      0.18 In-msec2 versus 6.52 +/- 0.14, p < 0.001). Day-night rhythm in sympathovagal
      balance was reduced or absent in diabetic subjects compared with control
      subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetic subjects with or without signs of autonomic
      neuropathy have a decreased vagal activity (and hence a relatively higher
      sympathetic activity) during night hours and at the same time of the day, during
      which a higher frequency of cardiovascular accidents has been reported. These
      observations may provide insight into the increased cardiac risk of diabetic
      patients, particularly if autonomic neuropathy is present.

PMID- 1423960
TI  - Radiofrequency catheter ablation of left lateral accessory pathways via the
      coronary sinus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to describe a new technique for
      catheter ablation of left lateral accessory pathways (APs) by radiofrequency
      energy applied at the epicardium through the coronary sinus wall using a unipolar
      configuration. METHODS AND RESULTS: In an overall group of 212 patients with left
      lateral APs, multiple endocardial ablation attempts of the AP were unsuccessful
      in eight patients. The mean +/- SD cumulative duration of previous attempts was
      12 +/- 9 hours, using DC shocks and/or radiofrequency energy applied both at the
      atrial and/or ventricular AP insertions. Epicardial AP insertion was determined
      by bipolar and unipolar unfiltered distal electrograms by scanning the coronary
      sinus with a steerable 6F or 7F catheter with a 4-mm distal electrode. The local
      atrial to ventricular electrogram amplitude ratio was 0.3-1.6. At the ablation
      site, the catheter tip was slightly deflected toward the annulus to increase both
      the ventricular component of electrograms and contact with the epicardium. In
      four patients, epicardial electrogram timings were earlier than endocardial ones.
      The AP was ablated in seven of the eight patients with 20-30 W applied for 10-60
      seconds. No complications occurred except a marked nonspecific pain during
      radiofrequency energy application; however, the catheter remained adherent to the
      coronary sinus wall, and its withdrawal was performed during a new radiofrequency
      application to decrease the risk of coronary sinus rupture. After ablation,
      echocardiograms, coronary artery angiograms, and levophase coronary sinus
      angiograms showed no abnormality in all patients except two who had a probable
      mural thrombus in the coronary sinus. AP conduction remained abolished for 1-10
      months of follow-up in seven patients. CONCLUSIONS: Radiofrequency catheter
      ablation of left lateral APs can be achieved effectively and relatively safely
      via the mid or distal coronary sinus when endocardial approaches are
      unsuccessful.

PMID- 1423959
TI  - Abnormal neuroendocrine responses during exercise in heart transplant recipients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Osmotic and neural factors stimulate neuroendocrine activity during
      exercise. In contrast to excitatory mechanisms, afferent information from cardiac
      mechanoreceptors inhibits integrative centers in the hypothalamus and medula
      oblongata, which serves to buffer neuroendocrine activity. Orthotopic cardiac
      transplantation results in the loss of afferent information from cardiac
      mechanoreceptors. Thus, transplantation possibly results in exaggerated
      neuroendocrine responses when patients are physically active. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: We measured the neuroendocrine response to moderate and strenuous
      exercise performed at the same relative intensity in 11 heart transplant
      recipients (50 +/- 14 years old) 18 +/- 12 months after transplantation and 11
      control subjects matched with respect to sex, age, and body size. Plasma levels
      of norepinephrine, vasopressin, renin activity, atrial natriuretic peptide,
      angiotensin II, and aldosterone were measured at rest, during a maximal graded
      exercise test, and during submaximal exercise at 40% and 70% of peak power output
      on a cycle ergometer (W). Plasma renin activity and atrial natriuretic peptide
      were elevated at rest in heart transplant recipients (p < or = 0.05). Heart rate
      (%HRmax reserve), rating of perceived exertion, and reductions in plasma volume
      (% delta from rest) at the conclusion of the three exercise conditions did not
      differ between heart transplant recipients and control (p > or = 0.05). Relative
      changes in neuroendocrine hormones were similar (p > or = 0.05) in heart
      transplant recipients and control during exercise at 40% of peak power output.
      Relative changes in plasma norepinephrine, vasopressin, atrial natriuretic
      peptide, and plasma renin activity were greater (p < or = 0.05) in heart
      transplant recipients during exercise at 70% of peak power output and the graded
      exercise test. CONCLUSIONS: We interpret these data as a possible indication of
      ablation of cardiac mechanoreceptor afferents and unopposed neuroendocrine
      stimulation in heart transplant recipients. Furthermore, chronic neuroendocrine
      hyperactivity is likely in ambulatory heart transplant recipients. Although
      cyclosporine nephrotoxicity is implicated in the development of hypertension, our
      data suggest that chronic neuroendocrine hyperactivity, which alters renal volume
      regulation, also contributes to the incidence and severity of hypertension in
      heart transplant recipients.

PMID- 1423961
TI  - Temperature monitoring during radiofrequency catheter ablation of accessory
      pathways.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Animal studies have suggested that the temperature of the electrode
      tissue interface during radiofrequency catheter ablation accurately predicts
      lesion size. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the utility of
      continuous temperature monitoring during radiofrequency catheter ablation in
      patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty
      patients with manifest preexcitation were included in the study. The ablation
      catheter was positioned on the ventricular side of the mitral annulus for left
      sided accessory pathways and on the atrial side of the tricuspid annulus for
      right-sided and septal accessory pathways. A thermistor imbedded in the distal
      electrode of the ablation catheter allowed continuous temperature monitoring
      during each energy application. To define the relation between power and
      temperature, radiofrequency current was applied several times at each site using
      outputs of 20, 30, 40, and 50 W. The accessory pathways were successfully ablated
      in each of the 20 patients. Because of marked variability in the efficiency of
      heating between sites, power output did not predict temperature. However, at any
      given site, there was a positive dose-response relation between power and
      temperature. Radiofrequency energy applications on the atrial side of the
      tricuspid annulus produced lower temperatures than did applications on the
      ventricular side of the mitral annulus (49 +/- 7 versus 60 +/- 16 degrees C, p =
      0.0001). Transient block in the accessory pathways occurred at a mean of 50 +/- 8
      degrees C, whereas permanent block was seen at a mean of 62 +/- 15 degrees C (p =
      0.0001). Less than half of the applications at outputs < or = 40 W produced
      temperatures adequate to interrupt accessory pathway conduction. An abrupt rise
      in impedance caused by coagulum formation occurred only at temperatures between
      95 and 100 degrees C. CONCLUSIONS: Temperature monitoring may facilitate
      radiofrequency catheter ablation of accessory pathways. By adjusting power output
      to ensure that adequate but not excessive temperatures have been achieved, a rise
      in impedance can be avoided and the total number of energy applications and
      procedure duration may be reduced.

PMID- 1423962
TI  - Identification of patients with coronary disease at high risk for loss of
      employment. A prospective validation study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Work disability is common in patients with coronary artery disease
      and adversely affects both economic well-being and quality of life. The purpose
      of this study was to construct a model to predict premature departure from the
      work force of patients with coronary disease and to validate this model
      prospectively in an independent cohort of patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: We
      enrolled 1,252 coronary disease patients referred for diagnostic cardiac
      catheterization who were less than age 65, employed, and without prior coronary
      angioplasty or coronary bypass surgery. Medical, functional, psychological,
      economic, and job-related variables were measured at the time of baseline
      diagnostic cardiac catheterization, and all patients were followed for 1 year.
      Three hundred twelve patients underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary
      angioplasty (PTCA) within 60 days of catheterization, and 449 had coronary artery
      bypass graft surgery (CABG) within 60 days of catheterization. The remaining 491
      patients were treated with initial medical therapy. Logistic regression was used
      to develop a multivariable model for predicting 1-year work status in the
      training sample patients (872 patients enrolled between March 1986 and February
      1989). This model was then validated in the independent prospective test sample
      (380 patients enrolled between March 1989 and June 1990). Eight factors were
      independent predictors of departure from the work force: lower initial functional
      status (as assessed by the Duke Activity Status Index), followed by older age,
      black race, presence of congestive heart failure, lower education level, presence
      of extracardiac vascular disease, poorer psychological status, and lower job
      classification. Standard clinical variables provided only 20% of the total
      predictive information available from the model about follow-up work outcomes,
      whereas functional measures provided 27%, and demographic and socioeconomic
      measures provided 45%. In the test sample, the area under the receiver operating
      characteristic curve for the model predictions was 0.74, compared with 0.80 in
      the training sample, and model predictions agreed well with observed prevalences
      of return to work. After adjustment for baseline imbalances, there was no
      significant difference in 1-year return-to-work rates among the patients
      receiving initial PTCA or CABG therapy versus initial medical therapy.
      CONCLUSIONS: Patients with coronary disease who are at high risk for premature
      departure from the work force can be accurately identified from a combination of
      medical and nonmedical risk factors. The model developed in this study provides a
      tool to identify patients at high risk for premature loss from the work force.
      Such patients may benefit from special multidimensional intervention programs
      designed to preserve work status. Our data show that revascularization with
      either PTCA or CABG is not, by itself, sufficient to accomplish this goal.

PMID- 1423963
TI  - Tobacco use and urinary excretion of thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin metabolites
      in women stratified by age.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Activated platelets have been implicated in both acute thrombus
      formation and atherogenesis. Because smoking is a risk factor for cardiovascular
      disease in men and women and male smokers have biochemical evidence of increased
      platelet activation, we found it of interest to study whether smoking augments
      platelet activity in women as well. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data on smoking habits
      and a urinary sample were obtained from 125 healthy female nonsmokers and an
      equal number of smokers, stratified by age in five groups from 18 to 59 years
      old. Urinary samples were analyzed with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for
      the 2,3-dinormetabolites of thromboxane A2 (Tx-M), reflecting platelet activity,
      and prostacyclin (PGI-M), representing platelet/vessel wall interaction. Urinary
      Tx-M in smokers was higher than in nonsmokers (p < 0.001), increasing with the
      number of cigarettes smoked per day and with age. In nonsmokers, there was no
      difference in Tx-M between the age groups. Urinary PGI-M in smokers was higher
      than that in nonsmokers (p < 0.001) and decreased with age in nonsmokers but not
      in smokers. There was no difference in Tx-M between previous smokers and lifelong
      nonsmokers. CONCLUSIONS: The elevated Tx-M in women who smoke cigarettes
      indicates an increased platelet activity that is dependent on smoking intensity.
      In parallel, PGI-M is augmented, suggesting that platelet/vessel wall interaction
      is stimulated. Quitting smoking is an effective means to restore platelet
      function. We propose that the observed increase in platelet activity in women who
      smoke cigarettes may be related to subsequent development of cardiovascular
      disease and that quitting smoking should be considered a high-priority medical
      target also in this sex.

PMID- 1423964
TI  - Clinical outcomes after the arterial switch operation for transposition. Patient,
      support, procedural, and institutional risk factors. Congenital Heart Surgeons
      Society.
AB  - BACKGROUND: As the probability increases that the arterial switch operation is
      optimal treatment for transposition, detailed information about outcomes and the
      circumstances in which they are suboptimal becomes important. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: A multi-institutional prospective study with annual detailed follow-up
      included 513 neonates with simple transposition or transposition and ventricular
      septal defect entering for diagnosis and treatment at < 15 days of age and
      undergoing an arterial switch repair. The 1-month and 1- and 5-year survivals
      were 84%, 82%, and 82%, respectively. The hazard function for death had a rapidly
      declining single phase that approached zero by 12 months after surgery. Among the
      eight patients who died > or = 3 months after the operation, four had severe
      ventricular dysfunction, probably related to imperfect coronary arterial
      transfer. Coexisting single ventricular septal defect was not a risk factor for
      death. Origin of the left main coronary artery or only the left anterior
      descending or the circumflex artery from the right posterior sinus (sinus 2) was
      a risk factor that was even stronger when an intramural course was present;
      multiplicity of ventricular septal defects was a risk factor. Longer global
      myocardial ischemic time and total circulatory arrest time were risk factors.
      Certain institutions were shown to be risk factors for death; the results in some
      improved with increasing experience, in some they did not, and in some they
      worsened. CONCLUSIONS: Good early and intermediate-term clinical outcomes can be
      obtained in neonates with simple transposition and transposition and ventricular
      septal defect by use of the arterial switch operation. Certain coronary artery
      patterns and certain institutions lessen the goodness of outcome.

PMID- 1423965
TI  - Diagnosis and management of right ventricle-dependent coronary circulation in
      pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Coronary artery anomalies including 1) right ventricle (RV)-to
      coronary artery fistulas, 2) coronary artery stenoses, and 3) coronary occlusions
      occur in patients with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA-IVS).
      In some, a large part of the coronary blood supply may depend on the RV. This RV
      dependent coronary circulation may determine survival after right ventricular
      decompression (RVD): RVD may cause RV "steal" in the presence of fistulas alone
      and ischemia, coronary isolation, or myocardial infarction in the presence of
      coronary stenoses. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eighty-two patients with PA-IVS who
      presented between January 1979 and January 1990 were reviewed; 26 (32%) had RV-to
      coronary artery fistulas. Of these 26, 23 had adequate preoperative coronary
      angiograms for analysis. RVD was achieved in 16. Seven of 16 had fistulas only;
      each survived RVD. Six of 16 had stenosis of a single coronary artery [left
      anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), four; right coronary artery (RCA),
      two]; four of six survived RVD. Three of 16 had stenoses and/or occlusion of both
      the RCA and LAD; all three died shortly after RVD of acute left ventricular
      dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: 1) Potential RV steal alone does not preclude
      successful RVD. 2) Fistulas with stenoses to a single coronary artery may not
      preclude successful RVD. 3) RVD appears to be contraindicated in the presence of
      stenoses and/or occlusion involving both the right and left coronary systems.
      Nonsurvival after RVD seems to depend on the amount of the left ventricular
      myocardium at risk, i.e., that which is distal to coronary artery stenoses,
      especially when involvement of both coronary arteries limits effective
      collateralization. Precise definition of coronary arterial anatomy is mandatory
      in neonates with PA-IVS.

PMID- 1423966
TI  - Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, incidence of myocardial infarction, and extent of
      atherosclerosis in men.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Antiatherogenic effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and
      dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) have been suspected for more than 30
      years, yet the available evidence to support or refute such effects in humans is
      inconclusive. The hypothesis has not been adequately tested in large-scale
      epidemiological studies. METHODS AND RESULTS: The present study used a cohort of
      men initially free of clinically detectable coronary heart disease, stroke, and
      cancer to compare DHEAS levels measured in sera obtained in 1968-1971 between 238
      cases who had definite coronary heart disease during the subsequent 18 years and
      476 age-matched controls who survived the follow-up period and remained free of
      clinically detectable coronary heart disease. In a separate study, the relation
      of DHEAS levels to extent of atherosclerosis was examined among 82 cohort men who
      died during the follow-up period and had protocol autopsies. Age-adjusted DHEAS
      levels were lower among fatal cases of coronary heart disease than among controls
      (94.7 versus 106.9 micrograms/dl, respectively; p < 0.05). After adjustment for
      eight coronary risk factors, the odds ratio for fatal coronary heart disease
      comparing a 100-micrograms/dl difference in DHEAS level was 0.46 (95% confidence
      intervals, 0.19-1.07). In contrast, age-adjusted DHEAS levels did not
      significantly differ between nonfatal cases of myocardial infarction and controls
      (107.2 versus 106.9 micrograms/dl, respectively). Furthermore, DHEAS levels were
      not related to extent of atherosclerosis at autopsy. CONCLUSIONS: These findings
      do not support a role of DHEAS in the development of nonfatal myocardial
      infarction or the progression of atherosclerosis. The association of DHEAS with
      fatal coronary heart disease and possibly with death from all causes merits
      further investigation. These findings suggest continued skepticism that DHEAS has
      an important role in coronary disease etiology or prevention.

PMID- 1423967
TI  - Effect of chronic subcutaneous or intramural administration of heparin on femoral
      artery restenosis after balloon angioplasty in hypercholesterolemic rabbits. A
      quantitative angiographic and histopathological study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Heparin is known to have antithrombotic, anticoagulant, and
      antiproliferative effects. We hypothesized that chronic subcutaneous and/or
      direct intramural administration of heparin would reduce restenosis and inhibit
      plaque growth after balloon angioplasty. METHODS AND RESULTS: Focal
      atherosclerosis was induced bilaterally in the femoral arteries of 59 rabbits by
      air desiccation intimal injury and a 2% cholesterol diet. After angioplasty, the
      rabbits were assigned to one of four treatment groups. Control arteries (n = 21)
      received no additional heparin. A second group of 20 arteries was treated with a
      porous balloon that delivered heparin (1,500 units) directly into the arterial
      wall. A third group (n = 29) received subcutaneous heparin (350 units.kg-1.day-1)
      for 28 days, and a fourth group (n = 23) was treated with subcutaneous and
      intramural heparin. Quantitative angiography showed a modest reduction in
      restenosis (defined as the change in minimal luminal diameter from immediately
      after angioplasty to 28 days) with subcutaneous heparin compared with control
      arteries (0.32 +/- 0.18 versus 0.58 +/- 0.34 mm, p < 0.01); however, luminal
      diameter was not improved at 28 days compared with before angioplasty. Intramural
      delivery of heparin by the porous balloon catheter was confirmed by use of
      fluoresceinated heparin in one animal. Angiographic restenosis was not reduced in
      arteries treated with intramural heparin versus controls (0.61 +/- 0.54 versus
      0.58 +/- 0.34 mm, p = NS). Blinded planimetric analysis of histological sections
      showed no differences in luminal cross-sectional area narrowing by
      atherosclerotic plaque, in plaque area, or in plaque/media ratio at 28 days among
      the four treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic subcutaneous heparin after
      balloon angioplasty results in a modest reduction in angiographic restenosis in
      this model; however, the absolute luminal diameter is not improved compared with
      before angioplasty, and plaque area and percent luminal narrowing by plaque were
      not different among the four treatment groups. Heparin can be delivered into an
      atherosclerotic plaque by a porous balloon, but this treatment does not reduce
      restenosis after angioplasty in this model.

PMID- 1423968
TI  - Spatial and temporal linking of epicardial activation directions during
      ventricular fibrillation in dogs. Evidence for underlying organization.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It remains controversial as to whether electrical activation during
      ventricular fibrillation (VF) is organized. To detect the presence of
      organization in VF, the direction of epicardial activation (EA) at multiple sites
      was examined by using vector mapping. If VF is not a random process, EA direction
      at a given site should be related to adjacent sites and prior beats. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: Thirteen dogs with healing myocardial infarction (MI) and four dogs
      without MI had VF induced by programmed stimulation. Using a plaque electrode
      array with a 2.5-mm interelectrode distance, 91 vector loops were created for
      each "beat" of VF. Direction of maximum EA was determined at each site for the
      first 10 consecutive beats of VF and for 10 consecutive beats recorded 5 seconds
      after VF was established. Spatial and temporal linking of EA directions was
      evaluated by the ability of activation direction at a given site to be predicted
      by activation directions at eight adjacent sites for the index beat and at eight
      adjacent sites and the site of interest for the preceding beat using stepwise
      linear regression. The strength of the model as reflected by the correlation
      coefficient (r) indicated the degree of linking. We determined 1) changes in the
      degree of linking over time during a given episode of VF (using a paired
      difference t test), 2) differences in the degree of linking between the anterior
      and posterolateral walls in animals with (n = 4) and without (n = 4) MI (using
      two-way ANOVA), and 3) the effect of repeated inductions (n = 10) on the degree
      of linking (using one-way ANOVA with repeated measures). During 57 episodes of
      VF, r for each model ranged from 0.64 to 0.88 during the transition to VF to 0.39
      0.78 during established VF (p < 0.0001 for the difference). The presence of MI,
      the site of recording, and repeated inductions did not affect the degree of
      linking. For each episode, spatial linking was more prominent than temporal
      linking. CONCLUSIONS: Electrical activation during VF is organized. The degree of
      linking of EA directions during VF is not affected by the presence of MI, the
      site of recording, or repeated inductions of VF. During the first 5 seconds of
      VF, the degree of linking decreases.

PMID- 1423969
TI  - Serotonin selectively aggravates subendocardial ischemia distal to a coronary
      artery stenosis during exercise.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The coronary circulation has been shown to remain responsive to
      vasodilator and vasoconstrictor stimuli during myocardial ischemia. Because
      serotonin possesses both vasodilator and vasoconstrictor properties, we examined
      its effect in the coronary circulation distal to an arterial stenosis that
      resulted in myocardial hypoperfusion during exercise. METHODS AND RESULTS: Seven
      chronically instrumented dogs were studied during treadmill exercise in the
      presence of a stenosis that reduced distal left circumflex coronary artery
      perfusion pressure to 42 +/- 1 mm Hg. Myocardial blood flow was assessed with
      radioactive microspheres during exercise before and during intracoronary infusion
      of 0.4 and 2.0 micrograms/kg-1.min-1 serotonin. The stenosis was adjusted to
      maintain distal coronary pressure constant during control exercise and with the
      two doses of serotonin. In seven dogs, the effect of serotonin (2.0 micrograms/kg
      1.min-1) was also studied during exercise with normal arterial inflow. During
      control exercise, the stenosis decreased mean myocardial blood flow to 45% of
      flow in the normally perfused region. This decrease was most pronounced in the
      subendocardium (endocardial/epicardial ratio 0.36 +/- 0.06 versus 1.46 +/- 0.14
      in the control region; p < 0.01). With no change in pressure distal to the
      stenosis, serotonin decreased subendocardial flow from 0.51 +/- 0.09 ml/min-1.g-1
      to 0.41 +/- 0.12 (p < 0.05) and then to 0.35 +/- 0.08 ml/min-1.g-1 (p < 0.05) and
      tended to increase subepicardial flow from 1.47 +/- 0.17 to 1.91 +/- 0.23 and
      1.85 +/- 0.21 ml/min-1.g-1 (p = 0.08) during infusions of 0.5 and 2.0
      micrograms/kg-1.min-1, respectively, with no change in total arterial inflow. In
      contrast, in the absence of a stenosis, serotonin (2.0 micrograms/kg-1.min-1)
      increased subendocardial flow from 2.43 +/- 0.25 to 3.73 +/- 0.25 ml/min-1.g-1 (p
      < 0.01) and subepicardial flow from 1.88 +/- 0.20 to 5.29 +/- 0.38 ml/min-1.g-1
      (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: During normal arterial inflow, serotonin dilated
      coronary resistance vessels and increased flow to all myocardial layers. During
      hypoperfusion, a vasodilator response was still present in the subepicardium, but
      vasoconstriction was then observed in the subendocardium. Our data suggest that
      serotonin constricts the intramural penetrating arteries, thereby selectively
      increasing resistance to subendocardial blood flow.

PMID- 1423970
TI  - Vascular injury and time course of smooth muscle cell proliferation after
      experimental holmium laser angioplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In vitro experiments have shown that holmium laser energy can
      effectively ablate even calcified plaque in human arterial vessels. Because high
      energy densities from holmium lasers can easily be transmitted through quartz
      fibers, this solid-state laser has been suggested as an alternative intraluminal
      treatment of atherosclerotic plaque. METHODS AND RESULTS: To develop an intimal
      plaque, 35 New Zealand White rabbits underwent electrical stimulation of their
      right carotid artery for 28 days. Subsequently, in 25 rabbits, holmium laser
      angioplasty (wavelength, 2.12 microns; pulse duration, 150 microseconds; energy
      density, 350 mJ/mm2) was performed. To study the morphological results, the
      vessels were excised after 7, 14, 28, and 42 days. Cross sections were analyzed
      in regard to laser-specific injury. Staining of alpha-actin was used to identify
      smooth muscle cells (SMCs). After bromodeoxyuridine labeling, the extent of
      proliferation (number of cells undergoing DNA synthesis) was determined by using
      a monoclonal antibody. Holmium laser ablation resulted in an initial decrease of
      the numbers of intimal cell layers in the early group (7 days after treatment: 5
      +/- 1 cell layers with 76 +/- 39 microns; control: 13 +/- 3 cell layers with 144
      +/- 44 microns). Quantification of SMCs undergoing DNA synthesis in the intima
      (control: 51 +/- 19 cells/mm2) showed a significant increase of labeled cells
      after 7 (216 +/- 74 cells/mm2, p = 0.003) and 14 days (281 +/- 139 cells/mm2, p =
      0.011). Integrity of the internal elastic lamina was disrupted in all animals
      after intervention. Seven and 14 days after treatment, a considerable reduction
      of medial cell nuclei was found in 10 of 12 animals. SMC proliferation in the
      medial layer was increased within the first 2 weeks after laser ablation (168 +/-
      113 cells/mm2; control: 8 +/- 4 cells/mm2; p = 0.023). Six weeks after holmium
      laser angioplasty, SMC proliferation had returned to control levels in the intima
      and remained increased in the medial layer. This proliferative response resulted
      in a significant increase of intimal thickening within 6 weeks after laser
      ablation (30 +/- 6 cell layers, 375 +/- 97 microns resp.; p = 0.001 each).
      CONCLUSIONS: Holmium laser treatment leads to considerable vessel wall injury and
      results in SMC proliferation in the intimal and medial layer with a maximum of
      proliferative activity within the first 2 weeks. Subsequently, this results in
      considerable intimal and medial hyperplasia within 6 weeks after treatment.

PMID- 1423971
TI  - Percutaneous polymeric stents in porcine coronary arteries. Initial experience
      with polyethylene terephthalate stents.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To test the feasibility of percutaneous deployment of intracoronary
      polymeric stents, a prototype polyethylene terephthalate (PET) stent and a
      catheter-based delivery system were developed. METHODS AND RESULTS: Polymeric
      stents were deployed in the coronary arteries of 11 Yucatan swine: six stents
      were placed in the left anterior descending coronary artery, four stents were
      placed in the circumflex artery, and one stent was placed in the right coronary
      artery. Stent deployment was achieved by withdrawal of an outer delivery sheath,
      thus allowing the PET stent to self-expand to a preformed configuration. Two
      animals died during surgery, one during stent placement and the other several
      hours after implantation due to intracoronary thrombus formation. Two animals
      were electively sacrificed within 24 hours of stent implant to examine the
      adequacy of stent deployment within the coronary vessel. The remaining seven
      animals survived until the termination of the study 4-6 weeks later. Light
      microscopic examination of the stented vessels showed an extensive neointimal
      proliferative response with vessel occlusion in all animals who survived initial
      stent placement. There were two distinct types of histological responses to the
      PET stent--a chronic foreign body inflammatory response around the stent tines
      and a neointimal proliferative response in the center of the occluded vessel
      lumen. The histological response seen in the central area of the vessel was
      morphologically similar to that seen in patients with restenosis after successful
      percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, whereas the morphological
      response seen at the periphery of the stent tine was similar to that exhibited by
      a chronic foreign body reaction and was not typical of that seen in a restenosis
      lesion. A ventricular aneurysm also developed in the area of myocardium that was
      previously supplied by the occluded vessel. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates
      that percutaneous deployment of polymeric stents in the coronary arteries is
      technically feasible. The use of PET polymer was associated with an intense
      proliferative neointimal response that resulted in complete vessel occlusion.
      Histological examination of the stented segments of the vessel revealed no
      evidence that dissection of the vessel wall had occurred at the time of initial
      stent deployment. Although the PET polymer was of similar quality to that used in
      the manufacture of balloon angioplasty catheters, a toxic chemical or contaminant
      effect cannot be completely excluded as the stimulus to intimal proliferation.
      This finding may have relevance to the selection of materials for use as
      intravascular devices.

PMID- 1423972
TI  - Changes in pericardial pressure during the perinatal period.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To determine how the tissues that surround the heart affect diastolic
      and systolic function during the perinatal period, we studied the pressure
      diameter relation of the left ventricle in partially delivered fetal lambs.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: We anesthetized (1.5-2.0% halothane, balance O2) and
      ventilated six pregnant ewes (142-144 days of gestation) and then partially
      delivered each lamb by cesarean section. Each lamb was instrumented to record
      left ventricular anteroposterior diameters (endocardial ultrasonic transducers),
      pericardial pressure (liquid-containing balloon), and left ventricular pressure
      (transducer-tipped catheter). Left ventricular pressure-diameter relations were
      recorded under three conditions: initially, with a closed chest and closed
      pericardium (before ventilation); second, after interruption of the umbilical
      circulation and 1 hour of ventilation; and finally, when the lungs and the
      pericardium were retracted from the heart. Pericardial pressure (recorded at a
      common diameter, i.e., the maximal end-diastolic diameter recorded before
      ventilation) decreased by 48% after 1 hour of ventilation (p < 0.05). After
      ventilation, left ventricular anteroposterior diameters were 4-5% greater (p <
      0.05) at each end-diastolic pressure compared (12.5, 15.0, 17.5, and 20 mm Hg).
      Thus, ventilation appeared to increase left ventricular diastolic compliance.
      Contractility also appeared to increase after ventilation when evaluated using
      ventricular stroke work as a function of end-diastolic pressure as preload. When
      we used a more appropriate measure of preload (i.e., transmural end-diastolic
      pressure), ventilation did not change left ventricular diastolic compliance or
      contractility. Thus, left ventricular systolic function increased because of an
      increase in preload. CONCLUSIONS: The tissues surrounding the fetal heart
      significantly augment pericardial pressure and limit left ventricular preload.
      The initiation of ventilation reduces pericardial pressure, increases left
      ventricular preload, and increases left ventricular systolic function. At birth,
      a decrease in pericardial pressure and the resulting increase in preload may help
      increase left ventricular output through the Frank-Starling mechanism.

PMID- 1423973
TI  - Assignment of patients into the classification of cardiomyopathies.
AB  - The original classifications of the cardiomyopathies based on anatomic criteria
      from radiographic and necropsy studies, as well as hemodynamic criteria from
      clinical and catheterization data, have been supplemented in recent years by
      information from noninvasive techniques. Echocardiography, radionuclide methods,
      and ambulatory ECG, in particular, have facilitated the ethical screening of
      family members and those less symptomatic than patients on whom the original
      classification was based. These powerful methods show a broad spectrum of anatomy
      and ventricular physiology along the natural history of and within the
      traditional categories of the cardiomyopathies. They also provide data on the
      effect of ventricular loading conditions affecting a range of diastolic filling
      patterns. This review has attempted to point out the areas of overlap among
      and/or controversy about the categories that have led us to a feeling of
      frustration when trying to neatly classify individual patients. The addition of
      filling patterns from Doppler echocardiography and nuclear angiography to the
      standard methods has been reviewed and hopefully will lend more perspective to
      the range of physiology seen in these conditions. The categories of
      cardiomyopathy should not be seen as excluding patients with the newly recognized
      variations in anatomy and ventricular filling patterns. Rather, the
      classification provides a framework on which to build and expand our
      understanding of these important conditions.

PMID- 1423974
TI  - Ensuring automatic detection of ventricular fibrillation.

PMID- 1423975
TI  - Subcutaneous heparin during coronary thrombolysis. Too little, too late.

PMID- 1423976
TI  - Conjunctive heparin therapy. Limitations of subcutaneous administration.

PMID- 1423977
TI  - Is thrombolytic therapy striking out in unstable angina?

PMID- 1423978
TI  - Temperature response in radiofrequency catheter ablation.

PMID- 1423980
TI  - Heparin. Will it control intimal thickening after angioplasty?

PMID- 1423979
TI  - Evolution of therapy for D-transposition of the great arteries.

PMID- 1423981
TI  - Anitschkow cells in experimental autoimmune myocarditis.

PMID- 1423982
TI  - Defibrillators and ventricular dysfunction.

PMID- 1423983
TI  - Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 plasma levels and coronary restenosis.

PMID- 1423984
TI  - Statement on smoking and cardiovascular disease for health care professionals.
      American Heart Association.

PMID- 1423985
TI  - Outcome of Stanford type B acute aortic dissection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The optimal timing of surgery in patients with Stanford type B aortic
      dissection remains controversial. This report reviews retrospectively early and
      long-term outcomes of patients with Stanford type B acute aortic dissections at
      our institute. METHODS AND RESULTS: From April 1979 through January 1991, 75
      patients were diagnosed with Stanford type B aortic dissection, and 58 of them
      were hospitalized within 2 weeks from onset. They were treated initially as
      follows: emergent surgery was performed in 13 patients for rupture or impending
      rupture, and the remaining 45 were treated medically. In the former group, nine
      patients (69%) died; in the latter, eight (18%) needed surgery because of
      enlargement or rupture of the aneurysm in the follow-up period, and only one of
      these (13%) died. Of the other 37 patients treated medically, three (8%) died
      within 2 weeks and seven died (19%) in the chronic phase, four of them from
      rupture. Among 42 discharged patients initially treated medically, rupture
      occurred in 11.9% (five of 42). CONCLUSIONS: In acute-phase cases, surgical
      mortality is so high that medical treatment is preferable unless there are major
      complications. However, even in patients who had undergone successful initial
      medical treatment, expansion of the aneurysm, requiring surgery, often occurred.
      If careful observation reveals any sign of expansion, because elective surgery
      can be performed at low risk, it should be considered as soon as possible before
      a rupture develops.

PMID- 1423986
TI  - Modified Fontan procedure in patients less than 4 years of age.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Initial experience with the modified Fontan procedure in patients < 4
      years of age has met with variable success, with early reports showing a high
      mortality. More recently, improved results with the modified Fontan procedure in
      younger patients have been achieved. Important advantages of an early Fontan
      include protection of the pulmonary vascular bed and preservation of ventricular
      function by reduction in ventricular volume overload and chronic hypoxemia.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: From 1982 through May 1991, 90 patients < 4 years of age
      underwent a modified Fontan procedure. The average age was 29 months (range, 7-48
      months), and 30 patients were < 2 years of age. Diagnoses included tricuspid
      atresia in 36, single ventricle in 45, pulmonary atresia intact septum in seven,
      and hypoplastic left heart syndrome in two patients. An adjustable ASD was placed
      in 21. Early mortality was 8.9% (eight of 90), which is only slightly higher than
      our overall Fontan early mortality of 7.4% in 242 patients. The early mortality
      in the 30 patients < 2 years of age was 6.7% (two of 30). In a mean follow-up of
      38 months (range, 7-89 months), there have been three late deaths (3.7%), and one
      patient has undergone cardiac transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Early Fontan should
      be undertaken in patients > 6 months old who present with increasing cyanosis
      provided good hemodynamics are present. A modified Fontan procedure can be
      performed safely with good clinical results in patients < 4 years old.

PMID- 1423987
TI  - Late functional status of survivors of the Fontan procedure performed during the
      1970s.
AB  - BACKGROUND: During the 1970s (1973-1979), 41 patients with tricuspid atresia and
      25 patients with double-inlet left ventricle had a Fontan procedure performed at
      the Mayo Clinic. In the tricuspid atresia group, there were seven hospital deaths
      and six late deaths, leaving 28 survivors 11-16 years after surgery. In the
      double-inlet left ventricle group, there were six hospital deaths and six late
      deaths, leaving 13 survivors 11-13 years after surgery. METHODS AND RESULTS: The
      present status of 38 of the 41 long-term survivors was recently (September 1990)
      determined. Of these 38 patients contacted, 34 felt they were in excellent or
      good condition, three considered themselves in fair condition, and one was in
      poor condition. Nineteen of the 38 (50%) were receiving no cardiovascular
      medications. Twenty-eight (76%) were employed full-time or were full-time
      students with three others working part-time. Only four patients (11%) felt
      physically incapable of working or attending school. Seven patients have
      graduated from college since their Fontan procedure with three others presently
      enrolled. Present occupations include architect, lawyer, industrial manager with
      a master's degree, policeman, truck driver, horseback riding instructor, and
      artist. Nine patients are married, and one woman tolerated a pregnancy without
      difficulty. The most troublesome late problems requiring medical therapy were
      atrial dysrhythmia in seven patients (18%) and protein-losing enteropathy in two
      patients (5%). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical mortality of the Fontan procedure for
      tricuspid atresia and double-inlet left ventricle is now less than 10%, and that,
      plus these late results, justify continued application of this operation in
      patients with these lesions.

PMID- 1423988
TI  - Total extracardiac right heart bypass.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Total cavopulmonary connection has been proposed as a rational
      alternative to atriopulmonary connection for complex Fontan operations. In
      addition to fluid dynamic advantages proposed by de Leval, total right heart
      bypass may address an emerging important issue after repair of single ventricle:
      late atrial arrhythmias. The purpose of this study is to document the
      postoperative hemodynamic findings in 22 consecutive patients who received a
      total extracardiac right heart bypass with an inferior vena cava-to-pulmonary
      artery extracardiac Dacron conduit with a modified Glenn anastomosis (superior
      vena cava-to-pulmonary artery anastomosis). METHODS AND RESULTS: Twenty-eight
      patients with complex congenital heart disease underwent this surgical procedure.
      One patient died (early mortality, 3.5%). Mean follow-up was 13.9 months.
      Postoperative cardiac catheterization and echo Doppler studies were performed in
      22 of the 27 survivors. In 18 of 22 patients, hemodynamic data were satisfactory;
      a preferential direction of caval flows to both lungs was observed. Echo Doppler
      assessments show that forward cavopulmonary flow appears as a predominant early
      diastolic event, in contrast to what occurs in atriopulmonary connections. This
      hemodynamic model emphasizes the possible role of the diastolic ventricular
      performance (as a "suction pump") in Fontan circulation. Early postoperative
      atrial arrhythmias were observed in two of the survivors. CONCLUSIONS: The
      technical advantages and the hemodynamic benefits of this form of right heart
      bypass are encouraging. Although the use of artificial material in this procedure
      is extensive, none of the survivors showed thromboembolic complications or peel
      formations with narrowing and/or obstruction. Further investigations during a
      longer follow-up are needed to confirm the early and intermediate results,
      especially the reduction of late atrial arrhythmias.

PMID- 1423989
TI  - Factors associated with choreoathetosis after cardiopulmonary bypass in children
      with congenital heart disease.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Choreoathetosis (CHO) after congenital heart surgery has been
      described since 1960. Risk factors and patient outcome have not been well
      defined. METHODS AND RESULTS: As our complexity of cases increased and management
      of pH on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) evolved, we noted the appearance of CHO
      among patients beginning in 1986. We reviewed the hospital course and follow-up
      of all 19 affected children, including eight younger patients (median age, 4.3
      months) who developed a mild transient form of CHO, all of whom survived and had
      complete resolution of CHO; seven of these eight patients had deep hypothermic
      circulatory arrest (DHCA). Eleven older patients (median age, 16.8 months)
      developed severe persistent CHO; 11 had DHCA, 10 were cyanotic, seven had
      anatomic pulmonary atresia, and three others were physiologically analogous with
      a systemic to pulmonary artery shunt-dependent circulation. Five of six patients
      who had pertinent preoperative angiography had systemic to pulmonary collateral
      vessels arising from the head and neck arteries. Mortality in severe patients was
      36% (four of 11); the seven survivors showed improvement, but only one had a
      normal neurological examination after 60 months of follow-up. When severe CHO
      patients were compared with 17 age- and diagnosis-matched patients without
      neurological complications, no differences were found in CPB or DHCA times,
      arterial blood gases, or hematocrits. Time from onset of CPB to onset of DHCA
      (time to shutoff) was shorter in the severe persistent CHO group than for
      comparison patients (22 +/- 7 versus 40 +/- 29 minutes, p = 0.053). CONCLUSIONS:
      Factors that may be associated with the development of severe persistent CHO
      include 1) age beyond early infancy, 2) cyanotic heart disease with systemic to
      pulmonary collaterals, particularly those arising from the head and neck vessels,
      and 3) the duration of the cooling period used in conjunction with deep
      hypothermic circulatory arrest. We advocate earlier reparative surgery, precise
      preoperative diagnosis and preoperative or intraoperative control of systemic to
      pulmonary artery collaterals, and further study of pH effects during CPB on
      development of CHO.

PMID- 1423990
TI  - High-frequency jet ventilation for respiratory failure after congenital heart
      surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is considered when
      respiratory failure (RF) persists despite increasing conventional mechanical
      ventilation (CMV). High-frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) can improve ventilation
      with comparable mean airway pressure (PAW) to that found on CMV. This study was
      undertaken to determine whether HFJV is an effective treatment and alternative to
      ECMO for RF after congenital heart surgery. METHODS AND RESULTS: HFJV was
      instituted in nine patients ranging in age from 6 days to 3.3 years with
      congenital heart disease meeting pulmonary criteria for ECMO. Indications for
      HFJV were pulmonary hypertension (six), adult-type respiratory distress syndrome
      (two), and pneumonitis (one). Seven patients (77%) were placed on HFJV within 24
      hours of operation, and two patients required HFJV 2 weeks after operation. HFJV
      resulted in resolution of RF in eight of nine patients (89%). After 1 hour of
      HFJV, the arterial pH increased from 7.40 +/- 0.1 to 7.56 +/- 0.1 (p < 0.05) and
      the PaCO2 decreased from 44 +/- 15 to 29 +/- 12 mm Hg (p < 0.05). During HFJV
      there was no change in PaO2, although the FIO2 decreased from 0.99 +/- 0.0 to
      0.73 +/- 0.2 (p < 0.05). There was no change in PAW, peak inspiratory pressures,
      positive end-expiratory pressures, heart rate, or mean arterial blood pressure
      during HFJV when compared with CMV. Mean duration of HFJV was 43 hours. Four
      patients were extubated and discharged from the hospital. Two patients were
      extubated but died from sepsis. Two patients had resolution of RF, but one died
      at reoperation and one from multisystem organ failure. The patient who failed
      HFJV therapy was placed on ECMO and died. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that
      HFJV improves ventilation and is an alternative to ECMO in patients with RF after
      surgery for congenital heart disease.

PMID- 1423991
TI  - Surgical management of late right ventricular failure after Mustard or Senning
      repair.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Information on surgical management and outcome in patients who
      develop symptomatic right ventricular failure after prior Mustard or Senning
      operations is limited. METHODS AND RESULTS: From March 1987 to March 1991, 10
      patients 3.6-23.5 years old (median, 7.0 years) with transposition of the great
      arteries and prior Mustard (six patients) or Senning (four patients) repairs
      (performed at ages 2 months to 5 years; median, 6 months) underwent surgical
      intervention for symptomatic right ventricular failure. In five of 10 patients,
      anatomic correction with either an arterial switch operation (three patients) or
      a pulmonary artery-to-aorta anastomosis and right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery
      conduit (two patients) was performed. Before anatomic correction in these five
      patients, four of five patients had a pulmonary artery band to prepare the left
      ventricle. The interval between preparation and correction ranged from 8 days to
      12 months (median, 2 months). One patient died after an arterial switch
      operation. In the remaining five patients, coexisting left ventricular
      dysfunction precluded anatomic correction; all five patients survived cardiac
      transplantation. Survival for the entire group of 10 patients is 90%, and the
      median postoperative hospital stay was 17 days. During follow-up (12-62 months;
      median, 27 months), there were no deaths. Neoaortic insufficiency after anatomic
      correction was common (mild in one patient, moderate in two patients, and severe
      in one patient who required aortic valve replacement 4 months after surgery). In
      the transplantation group, one patient developed lymphoma 3 months after
      transplantation but is currently in remission after reduction of
      immunosuppression. CONCLUSIONS: In patients who develop late right ventricular
      failure after Mustard or Senning repair, surgical intervention with either
      anatomic correction or cardiac transplantation can be done with acceptable
      morbidity and low mortality. Neoaortic valve insufficiency demands close follow
      up after anatomic correction.

PMID- 1423992
TI  - Failure of cryopreserved homograft valved conduits in the pulmonary circulation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study evaluates our experience with the cryopreserved homograft
      valved conduit used for reconstruction of the pulmonary circulation in patients
      with congenital heart disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between July 1, 1985, and
      December 31, 1990, 219 patients had cryopreserved homograft extracardiac valved
      conduits placed in the pulmonary circuit. Average age at operation was 7.2 years.
      Of these, 132 patients had a pulmonary homograft, and 87 had an aortic homograft.
      Twenty-four patients (11%) died in hospital. Hospital survivors (n = 195) have
      been followed an average of 29.8 months (SD, +/- 18.4 months). Fourteen patients
      died during follow-up, almost all related to the complexity of their original
      cardiac malformation. Thirty-two patients (15%) have required reoperation for
      conduit-related problems. Actuarial freedom from conduit reoperation is 55 +/-
      12% at 5 years. The most common indication for reoperation was calcific stenosis
      (n = 27). Other indications for reoperation were pseudoaneurysm (n = 2), conduit
      infection (n = 2), and pulmonary insufficiency (n = 1). Reoperation rate for
      patients with aortic homografts (16 of 87) compared with that for pulmonary
      homografts (16 of 132) was not significantly different by the actuarial method.
      CONCLUSIONS: Long-term function of cryopreserved homograft valved conduits in the
      pulmonary circulation is disappointing.

PMID- 1423993
TI  - Surgical connections from ventricle to pulmonary artery. Comparison of four types
      of valved implants.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Four types of valved conduits used to correct venous ventricle to
      pulmonary artery (V-PA) discontinuity were compared. METHODS AND RESULTS: Four
      hundred fifty-seven patients with congenital heart defects requiring a V-PA
      connection during the past 25 years were reviewed. Age at implant varied from 1
      day to 64 years (mean, 9.1 years). Four types of valved prostheses were used: 1)
      homograft conduit (HC, n = 178), 2) valved Dacron conduit (VDC, n = 126), 3)
      polystan conduit (PC, n = 47), and 4) orthotopic pulmonary valve implant (PVI, n
      = 106). There were 83 early deaths (18.2%) and 34 late deaths (8.5%). Follow-up
      ranged from 1 month to 22 years (mean, 3.5 years). One hundred eight conduit
      replacements were performed in 93 patients (21%). The overall patient survival
      was 73 +/- 2.3%, 67 +/- 3.2%, and 56 +/- 6.8% at 5, 10, and 15 years,
      respectively. Factors predictive of patient survival were diagnosis (p < 0.001)
      and valve size (p < 0.001). Age at operation (p < 0.001) and type of valve (p <
      0.001) were the only risk factors for valve survival. At 5 years, survival of PVI
      (89 +/- 5%) and VDC (89 +/- 4%) was significantly better than survival of HC (46
      +/- 13%) or PC (57 +/- 9%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who survived the initial
      construction of a V-PA conduit had a reasonable long-term survival. A PVI was the
      most durable prosthesis. A Dacron porcine-valved conduit had significantly better
      durability than either a cryopreserved homograft or a PC.

PMID- 1423994
TI  - Partial biventricular repair of pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum.
      Use of an adjustable atrial septal defect.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Repair of pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA-IVS)
      is one of the more challenging problems in congenital heart surgery. The
      hypertrophied but hypoplastic right ventricle is suddenly presented with an
      increased volume load as the right-to-left shunt is abolished by closure of the
      atrial septal defect (ASD) as part of definitive repair. We have proposed that a
      restrictive, adjustable ASD that allows a controlled right-to-left shunt may
      prevent excessive venous hypertension and allow adequate left-sided filling after
      biventricular repair of PA-IVS. METHODS AND RESULTS: From 1982 through 1991, 39
      patients presented for definitive repair of PA-IVS. Nineteen of these patients
      were thought to be suitable candidates for biventricular repair, and the other 20
      underwent a modified Fontan procedure. An adjustable ASD was used in 12 of the 19
      patients undergoing biventricular repair. Mean age was 24 months (age range, 5-66
      months). Two patients had their ASD snared closed in the operating room after
      coming off bypass. In the other 10 patients, closure of the ASD could not be
      tolerated at the time of surgery as evidenced by elevation of right atrial
      pressures by > 15 mm Hg and decreased blood pressure when closure was attempted.
      Seven patients had their open ASDs closed by the snare device, and one patient
      had his ASD narrowed in the early postoperative period. One patient underwent
      delayed closure 16 months after surgery. There was one hospital death.
      CONCLUSIONS: The snare-controlled adjustable ASD allows partial biventricular
      repair of PA-IVS, reducing the risk of low cardiac output and severe venous
      hypertension in the postoperative period.

PMID- 1423995
TI  - Left ventricular mechanics and myocyte function after correction of experimental
      chronic mitral regurgitation by combined mitral valve replacement and
      preservation of the native mitral valve apparatus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Contractile function improves after correction of experimental mitral
      regurgitation, but ejection performance becomes depressed when mitral valve
      replacement involves chordal transection. A role for chordal transection in
      producing the depressed ejection performance was suspected but uncertain.
      Therefore, in this study, we tested two specific hypotheses: 1) that contractile
      function would improve and, in conjunction with chordal preservation, would allow
      for preserved ejection performance and 2) that improved left ventricular
      contractile function after surgery would be reflected in the function of myocytes
      isolated from the affected left ventricles. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined
      ventricular contractile function and ejection performance and isolated myocyte
      function after correction of experimental mitral regurgitation (chordal rupture)
      with mitral valve replacement that involved chordal preservation. After 3 months
      of chronic mitral regurgitation, the average regurgitant fraction of seven dogs
      was 0.77 +/- 0.04. End-diastolic volume had increased from 79 +/- 5 to 132 +/- 10
      cm3 (p < 0.05). At that time, all indexes of left ventricular contractile
      function were depressed. Three months after mitral valve replacement with chordal
      preservation, end-diastolic volume fell to 100 +/- 4 cm3 (p < 0.05). At this
      time, all indexes of contractile function had returned to normal. End-systolic
      stress and ejection fraction after mitral valve replacement were similar to their
      baseline levels. Viscosity-velocity curves (analogous to force-velocity curves)
      of myocytes isolated from the affected left ventricles were similar to those of
      myocytes isolated from normal left ventricles. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that
      mitral valve replacement with chordal preservation allows ventricular contractile
      function to return to normal. Normal global ventricular function, in turn, is
      associated with normal function of the individual myocytes that compose the left
      ventricular chamber. Further, chordal preservation allowed for loading and
      ejection performance to return to premorbid levels.

PMID- 1423997
TI  - Preoperative risk factors that predict hospital length of stay in coronary artery
      bypass patients > 60 years old.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The ability to predict prolonged length of stay (LOS) is essential to
      control escalating hospital costs. Operative mortality is a poor predictor of
      LOS; morbidity as defined by hospitalization for > 14 days after coronary artery
      bypass graft surgery (CABG), appears to be responsible for increasing costs. The
      purpose of this study was to measure preoperative predictive indicators of
      increased LOS with an eventual plan to offer alternative cost-benefit therapeutic
      options. METHODS AND RESULTS: Nine hundred twenty-four consecutive patients (age,
      60-86 years) undergoing CABG were retrospectively studied by means of the Cox
      proportional hazards model. Seventeen variables, excluding death, were analyzed
      and quantified as to importance, and point totals were calculated for each
      patient. Scores were 12 for congestive heart failure and intra-aortic balloon
      assist device; 10, creatinine > 2; 6, intra-aortic balloon assist device only; 5,
      congestive heart failure only; 3, obesity; 6, age > 75 years; 3, age 70-75 years;
      and 2, 65-69 years. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing index score directly correlated with
      an exponential increase in LOS. These data substantiate the hypothesis that a
      mathematical model can predict LOS in CABG patients and may offer rational
      alternative strategies in delivering cost-effective health care.

PMID- 1423996
TI  - Aortoventriculoplasty in infants and children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: When aortic valve replacement is required in infants or small
      children with complex left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) or
      aortic incompetence (AI), the diameter of the annulus may limit the size of the
      prosthesis that can be safely inserted, and aortoventriculoplasty (AVP) may be
      required. To assess the results of this procedure in the pediatric age group, we
      reviewed our results in 19 patients who underwent AVP from May 1986 to April
      1991. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patient age ranged from 1 day to 18 years (mean, 5.9
      years), with six patients < 2 years of age and 13 patients younger than 5 years.
      Operative indications included complex LVOTO after aortic valvotomy and/or
      subaortic resection (six), severe AI after valvotomy or aortic valve replacement
      (four), severe AI with bacterial endocarditis (one), truncus arteriosus with
      truncal insufficiency (three), failure of an apical-aortic conduit (three), and
      combined aortic stenosis and mitral stenosis (two). In all patients, valve
      insertion was performed after patch enlargement of the annulus and septum.
      Associated procedures included coronary artery reimplantation in five patients
      and mitral valve replacement in two. Mechanical valve prostheses were used in 15
      patients and allografts in four. There were three hospital deaths (16%; 70%
      confidence limit, 9-26%), two in patients with severe pulmonary vascular disease,
      and no late deaths. Actuarial survival was 84 +/- 8% at 1 month and beyond (mean
      follow-up, 2.5 years). Complications have included complete heart block (one),
      residual ventricular septal defect (one), and early postoperative peripheral
      embolus (one). No late thromboembolic events have occurred. No patient has
      clinical or echocardiographic evidence of significant residual LVOTO or AI.
      CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that AVP may be performed at low risk and that
      it is an effective procedure for complex LVOTO or AI in infants and small
      children.

PMID- 1423998
TI  - Interaction of age and preoperative risk factors in predicting operative
      mortality for coronary bypass surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Models for predicting operative mortality for coronary bypass surgery
      assume that preoperative risk factors affect mortality to the same extent in all
      patients groups. METHODS AND RESULTS: To determine whether certain preoperative
      risk factors disproportionately increase operative mortality in the elderly, 663
      consecutive elderly patients (age 75 years or older) and 1,464 younger patients
      (age 65 or younger) undergoing isolated coronary bypass surgery between 1982 and
      1990 were studied. Hospital mortality was significantly greater in the elderly
      patients than in younger patients (7.5% versus 1.8%; relative risk, 4.5).
      Univariate analysis identified age, prior coronary artery bypass grafting,
      congestive heart failure, left main disease, New York Heart Association
      functional class, hypertension, prior myocardial infarction (MI), and
      preoperative atrial fibrillation as associated with mortality. Multivariate
      analysis was then used to construct a model to describe the risk of operative
      mortality in terms of selected risk factors. However, comparison of observed
      mortality rates with those predicted by the model revealed problems with the
      model's goodness of fit. Further testing revealed that young patients without
      prior MI had a mortality rate lower by an order of magnitude than either younger
      patients with prior MI or elderly patient groups with and without MI. Two
      separate models were therefore constructed stratifying by the presence of prior
      MI. This resulted in a significant improvement in the fit of the models to the
      observed data. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the impact of risk factors
      on the elderly may be significantly different from the effect of these risk
      factors on younger patients. Models for predicting outcome after bypass surgery
      should be tested for potential interactions between age and risk factors.

PMID- 1423999
TI  - Survival analysis of octogenarian patients with coronary artery disease managed
      by elective coronary artery bypass surgery versus conventional medical treatment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In view of the increasing age of the U.S. population, the use of
      coronary artery bypass surgery in the management of the elderly patients with
      coronary artery disease needs to be better defined. METHODS AND RESULTS: To
      evaluate the effects of medical and surgical therapy on octogenarian patients
      with coronary artery disease in our institution, we retrospectively reviewed 177
      consecutive octogenarians who underwent cardiac catheterization over a 5-year
      period. Sixty-five of these patients were found to have significant coronary
      artery disease without severe valvular disease. Elective coronary artery bypass
      surgery was performed in 36 patients, whereas 29 patients were continued on
      maximization of medical therapy and not referred to the surgical service. Left
      ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF) were similar for the two groups, whereas
      the surgical patients had slightly higher average number of diseased coronary
      vessels and slightly higher levels of angina. Univariate survival analysis of 20
      variables, including the choice of medical versus surgical treatment and the
      associated conditions, was performed by Mantel-Cox testing of the paired Kaplan
      Meier product limit survival curves stratified by the subgroups of each variable.
      The variables found to be significant were then included in a multivariate
      survival analysis using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. The
      treatment choice, LVEF, level of angina, and presence of any aortic and/or mitral
      valvular disease at the time of cardiac catheterization were found to be
      independent prognostic indicators of survival in the follow-up period of 26 +/-
      16 months. The 3-year probability of survival rates for the surgical patients and
      medical patients were 77.4% and 55.2%, respectively (p = 0.0294). The New York
      Heart Association functional class of the surgical group decreased significantly
      from a mean preoperative level of 3.4 +/- 0.5 to a mean level of 1.2 +/- 0.6 at
      the follow-up interview (p < 0.01), whereas it did not significantly change for
      the medical group from a baseline mean level of 2.8 +/- 1.3 to a mean follow-up
      level of 2.5 +/- 1.0. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that coronary artery bypass
      surgery provided improved long-term survival and functional benefit compared with
      conventional medical treatment in a small group of octogenarian patients in our
      institution.

PMID- 1424000
TI  - Observational comparison of event-free survival with medical and surgical therapy
      in patients with coronary artery disease. 20 years of follow-up.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to describe the long-term event-free
      survival patterns of patients with significant coronary artery disease treated
      medically versus patterns of those treated surgically and to evaluate the factors
      associated with improved event-free survival. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied the
      results of 5,824 patients undergoing medical and surgical therapy for ischemic
      heart disease from 1969 to 1984, with follow-up to 1991. Events considered for
      this evaluation were nonfatal myocardial infarction or cardiovascular death. The
      Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine factors differentially
      affecting surgical event-free survival. The survival benefits previously reported
      for bypass surgery in this population were largely preserved when event-free
      survival was examined. The two factors associated with significant event-free
      survival benefits for surgically treated patients were more severe coronary
      artery disease and a more recent surgery data. Patients with more severe coronary
      obstruction had a greater relative improvement with surgery in event-free
      survival than did patients with less severe anatomic disease. Event-free survival
      with surgery progressively improved over the period of the study and, by 1984,
      was significantly better than medical therapy for most patient subgroups.
      Patients with poor prognosis because of risk factors such as older age, severe
      angina, or left ventricular dysfunction had a risk reduction with surgery
      proportional to their overall risk under medical therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Higher
      risk patients with more severe disease (due to either coronary disease or other
      risk factors and age) should be considered for coronary revascularization because
      it is in these patients that coronary artery bypass graft surgery has the
      greatest impact in reducing future cardiovascular events.

PMID- 1424002
TI  - Vasomotor response to ergometrine and nitrates of saphenous vein grafts, internal
      mammary artery grafts, and grafted coronary arteries late after bypass surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In vitro studies have shown that the vasomotor response of internal
      mammary artery to vasoactive agents differs from that of saphenous vein. METHODS
      AND RESULTS: To assess whether the response in vivo to methylergometrine and to
      nitrates differs in saphenous vein grafts, internal mammary artery grafts, and
      coronary arteries, 25 patients were studied more than 6 months (range, 6-96
      months) after surgery. Angiograms of saphenous vein grafts (n = 11) or mammary
      artery grafts (n = 14) were obtained in basal conditions, after intravenous
      infusion of 0.4 mg methylergometrine, and after intragraft infusion of 1 mg
      isosorbide dinitrate. Computerized quantitative angiography was used to assess
      the changes in luminal diameter of the bypass graft and of the grafted coronary
      artery (n = 11). Methylergometrine reduced the diameter of saphenous vein grafts
      by 6.9 +/- 7.4%, from 3.26 +/- 0.71 to 3.05 +/- 0.76 mm (p < 0.01), and that of
      grafted coronary arteries by 9.3 +/- 7.2% (NS compared with saphenous vein
      grafts), from 2.08 +/- 0.49 to 1.89 +/- 0.49 mm (p < 0.005). The diameter of
      internal mammary artery grafts did not change significantly, from 3.27 +/- 0.42
      to 3.25 +/- 0.44 mm (-0.3 +/- 5.1%, p < 0.02 compared with saphenous vein grafts
      and p < 0.002 compared with coronary arteries). After isosorbide dinitrate, the
      diameter of both grafted coronary arteries and mammary artery grafts increased
      significantly (respectively to 2.46 +/- 0.62 mm and 3.44 +/- 0.43 mm), the
      vasodilatation being greater (p < 0.002) in coronary arteries (+17.8 +/- 9.8% in
      proportion to basal diameter, p < 0.001) than in mammary grafts (+5.5 +/- 3.3%, p
      < 0.001). The diameter of saphenous vein grafts returned to control values (3.28
      +/- 0.70 mm, NS compared with basal); the changes in luminal diameter after
      nitrates (+0.7 +/- 3.1%, NS) were significantly smaller than for mammary artery
      grafts (p < 0.01) and for grafted coronary arteries (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:
      Unlike internal mammary artery grafts, saphenous vein grafts constrict in
      response to methylergometrine and do not dilate in response to nitrates. These
      differences in vasomotor response could reflect heterogeneity in the sensitivity
      of vascular smooth muscle to these agents or differences in the basal level of
      vasomotor tone.

PMID- 1424001
TI  - Differences in vasomotor control between human gastroepiploic and left internal
      mammary artery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Internal mammary artery grafts have a greater long-term patency rate
      than do saphenous vein grafts. This has in part been attributed to the difference
      in endothelial function of arterial and venous vessels. The use of the
      gastroepiploic artery in coronary artery bypass grafting has become popular
      recently because of its similarity to internal mammary artery. In this study, we
      compared the endothelial responses of gastroepiploic and left internal mammary
      arteries to vasoactive substances. METHODS AND RESULTS: Gastroepiploic and left
      internal mammary arteries were obtained during surgery from patients undergoing
      elective coronary artery bypass surgery. Vascular rings of both graft types were
      studied in organ bath experiments. Relaxation responses to metacholine and sodium
      nitrite were similar in rings of both arteries. In contrast, bradykinin induced
      potent relaxations in rings of the gastroepiploic artery but not in rings of the
      left internal mammary artery. Furthermore, there was a inverse correlation of
      maximal metacholine-induced relaxations with increasing age. CONCLUSIONS: The
      resemblance of relaxations induced by metacholine and sodium nitrite in both
      gastroepiploic and left internal mammary arteries suggests a similar activation
      and behavior of the L-arginine pathway in both arteries. The difference in
      bradykinin-induced relaxations may reflect a prostaglandin metabolism in the
      gastroepiploic artery different from that in the left internal mammary artery.
      Furthermore, maximal metacholine-induced relaxation in rings of the left internal
      mammary artery shows an age dependency that was not observed in rings of the
      gastroepiploic artery.

PMID- 1424003
TI  - Physiological and pharmacological responses of arterial graft flow after coronary
      artery bypass grafting measured with an implantable ultrasonic Doppler miniprobe.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The present study was designed to investigate physiological and
      pharmacological responses of the arterial graft flow measured by the directly
      implanted ultrasonic pulsed Doppler miniprobe after coronary artery bypass
      grafting (CABG). METHODS AND RESULTS: Our original 5-MHz, 5-mm-diameter, Doppler
      mini-flow probe catheter, which has four silicone brims in front to facilitate
      its fixation onto the graft without direct suture, was attached onto internal
      thoracic artery (ITA) and gastroepiploic artery (GEA) grafts during CABG in 10
      patients. Approximately 2 weeks postoperatively, when the patient's condition was
      quite stable without medication, changes of flow velocity in those grafts induced
      by catecholamine, exercise, taking meals, and coronary vasodilating drugs were
      measured. Dobutamine significantly increased both ITA and GEA graft flow velocity
      (p < 0.01), whereas dopamine had no distinct positive effect. Upon the patient
      taking meals, the GEA graft showed an 83% increase of the flow velocity (p <
      0.05), whereas the ITA graft showed no significant change. Walking exercise for 6
      minutes increased both grafts' flow velocity up to two times that of control
      values (p < 0.01). Oral intake of coronary vasodilating drugs showed no
      significant effect. After the investigation was completed, the probe was removed
      easily at bedside without difficulty. CONCLUSIONS: Using this implantable Doppler
      miniprobe, postoperative function in the individual coronary bypass graft under
      various conditions was effectively investigated.

PMID- 1424005
TI  - Effects of dynamic cardiomyoplasty on regional wall motion, ejection fraction,
      and geometry of left ventricle.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Dynamic cardiomyoplasty may provide functional and hemodynamic
      improvement in patients with heart failure. The purpose of this study was to
      investigate the effects of cardiomyoplasty on global ejection fraction, regional
      wall motion, and geometry of the left ventricle. METHODS AND RESULTS: These
      parameters were determined in 10 patients submitted to cardiomyoplasty for
      treatment of refractory heart failure by left ventricular (LV) angiography. The
      studies were performed before and 16.5 +/- 4.8 months after cardiomyoplasty with
      the myostimulator turned on. They were repeated 24 +/- 1 hours with the
      myostimulator turned off in eight patients. LV ejection fractions were determined
      by the area-length method, and the centerline method was used for assessment of
      regional wall motion. LV geometry was studied by LV major-to-minor axis ratio and
      sphericity index. A LV ejection fraction improvement from 15 +/- 8% to 30.9 +/-
      8.3% (p < 0.01) was demonstrated with the myostimulator turned on after
      cardiomyoplasty. The values with the myostimulator turned off were 23 +/- 13%,
      remaining higher than the values observed before surgery (p < 0.05). Regional
      wall motion analysis showed an improvement in all studied regions. Regarding the
      LV shape, the left ventricle became markedly more spheric in the diastole.
      CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic cardiomyoplasty may improve LV function in selected
      patients. The analysis of LV wall motion corroborated these results, and these
      changes were associated with modifications in the LV geometry.

PMID- 1424004
TI  - Modeling distribution of donor hearts to maximize early candidate survival.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Priority for cardiac transplantation should reflect the relative
      waiting list mortality and operative mortality of outpatient candidates and
      critical candidates. METHODS AND RESULTS: To determine how to distribute donor
      hearts for maximal overall survival, a Markov model of eight states was
      constructed from current statistics for outpatient sudden death, deterioration to
      critical status, operative mortality for outpatients, and operative mortality for
      critical candidates. Because the fraction of hearts offered to critical
      candidates varied, expected survival at 1 year was calculated. To determine the
      factors most critical in determining priority policy, current conditions were
      then varied over a fourfold range. Priority for critical candidates maximized
      overall candidate survival (with and without transplantation), increasing 1-year
      survival to 78% compared with 66% if hearts were offered only to outpatients. The
      benefit of giving priority to critical patients persisted when current group
      mortality rates were individually halved or doubled because these rates were
      still small compared with the 100% expected mortality of critical patients
      without transplantation. If the outpatient sudden death rate and the operative
      mortality for critical patients were doubled simultaneously, however, there was a
      slight negative impact on survival if critical candidates received priority.
      Regardless of changes in subgroup outcomes, the distribution of donor hearts had
      a relatively modest impact on survival because of the large excess of candidates.
      CONCLUSIONS: Critical candidates for transplantation should continue to receive
      priority even if their operative mortality increases above current levels.
      However, postoperative outcomes must be assessed in relation to changing
      pretransplantation risks. Distribution of donor hearts will be most beneficial
      when it is possible to identify the waiting patients at greatest risk for sudden
      death and deterioration without transplantation.

PMID- 1424006
TI  - Rejection after cardiac transplantation. A time-related risk factor analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The determinants of early and repeated episodes of acute rejection
      after cardiac transplantation remain elusive. METHODS AND RESULTS: To gain
      insight into this phenomenon, a multivariate analysis for repeated events was
      applied to 229 patients receiving 249 transplanted hearts between 1981 and July
      1, 1991 (595 rejection episodes). The mean frequency of rejection per patient
      after initial cardiac transplantation was 1.2 at 3 months, 1.8 at 1 year, and 2.8
      at 5 years. The pattern of rejection was characterized by an early period of
      higher risk (greatest during the first month) followed by a low constant risk
      that continued throughout the period of follow-up (maximum, 9.5 years). By
      multivariate analysis, risk factors were identified for the likelihood of
      subsequent rejection after a previous rejection episode (or time of
      transplantation). Triple-drug immunosuppression plus induction therapy yielded a
      higher risk of early subsequent rejection compared with other baseline
      immunotherapy protocols, but it also provided the greatest freedom (95%) from
      rejection-related death during the first year. Risk factors in the constant phase
      of hazard included younger age at transplant, female donor and/or recipient,
      longer donor ischemic time, greater HLA donor-recipient mismatch, and an
      increased number of previous rejection episodes. CONCLUSIONS: Immunologic and
      other patient-specific characteristics as well as rejection history predict the
      likelihood of future rejection events. The value of any antirejection protocol
      must be evaluated both in terms of rejection episodes and rejection-related
      deaths. Future analyses may identify specific high- and low-risk patient subsets
      for rejection, which may provide a more rational basis for altering the amount of
      chronic immunosuppressive therapy.

PMID- 1424008
TI  - Imaging of pulmonary artery and vein anastomoses by transesophageal
      echocardiography after lung transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In patients after isolated lung transplantation, the postoperative
      course may be complicated by dysfunction of the pulmonary artery and vein
      anastomoses. METHODS AND RESULTS: Pulmonary artery and vein anastomoses in 11
      transplanted lungs (four left, four right, and three bilateral lungs) in 10
      patients were studied 1 day to 11 months after operation by transesophageal
      echocardiography (TEE). All 14 pulmonary vein anastomoses, all seven right (100%)
      and five of seven (71%) left pulmonary artery anastomoses could be visualized by
      TEE. Thrombosis of a left pulmonary vein anastomosis could be identified by TEE
      and successfully treated by thrombolysis. TEE detected a significant stenosis in
      one right and one left pulmonary artery anastomosis; anastomoses dysfunction were
      confirmed by cardiac catheterization and pulmonary angiography and successfully
      treated by surgical correction in both cases. CONCLUSIONS: Function and
      morphology of pulmonary artery and vein anastomoses in patients after isolated
      lung transplantation can reliably be assessed by TEE. In patients with suspected
      dysfunction of an anastomosis, TEE may be considered the diagnostic technique of
      choice.

PMID- 1424007
TI  - Photopheresis versus corticosteroids in the therapy of heart transplant
      rejection. Preliminary clinical report.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Photopheresis is a technique in which reinfusion of mononuclear cells
      exposed to UV-A light ex vivo after in vivo treatment with 8-methoxypsoralen
      initiates host-immunosuppressive responses. METHODS AND RESULTS: To determine if
      photopheresis safely reverses International Society for Heart and Lung
      Transplantation (ISHLT) rejection grades 2, 3A, and 3B without hemodynamic
      compromise, 16 heart transplant patients with ISHLT rejection grades 2, 3A, and
      3B were randomized to photopheresis or corticosteroid therapy. The average number
      of mononuclear cells treated with each photopheresis procedure was 9.8 +/- 9.1 x
      10(9) (mean +/- SD). Photopheresis and corticosteroids reversed eight of nine and
      seven of seven episodes of rejection, respectively. The median time from
      initiation of treatment to rejection reversal was 25 days (range, 6-67 days) in
      the photopheresis group and 17 days (range, 8-33 days) in the corticosteroid
      group. Hemodynamics were normal before either treatment and did not change after
      reversal of rejection. No adverse reactions occurred with photopheresis, and all
      patients in either treatment group are alive. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary,
      short-term results in prospectively randomized patients indicate that
      photopheresis may be as effective as corticosteroids for treating ISHLT rejection
      grades 2, 3A, and 3B. The apparently low toxicity and potential efficacy of
      photopheresis warrant further analysis of its role in the prevention and
      treatment of heart transplant rejection.

PMID- 1424009
TI  - Doppler examination of superior vena caval flow for the detection of acute
      cardiac rejection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Doppler echocardiographic studies have previously documented
      abnormalities of mitral flow during acute rejection similar to those seen in
      patients with "restrictive" physiology. As central venous flow is known to be
      abnormal in such patients, it was proposed that examination of superior vena
      caval flow with Doppler echocardiography might be useful for the detection of
      acute cardiac rejection. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty orthotopic cardiac
      transplant patients, 15 of whom had acute cardiac rejection diagnosed by
      endomyocardial biopsy, were studied within 36 hours of biopsy. Superior vena
      caval Doppler flow velocities as well as mitral and tricuspid flow velocities
      were recorded using a Hewlett-Packard Sonos 500/1000 echocardiograph system.
      Examinations were performed blinded to the biopsy result. Mitral and tricuspid
      peak early flow velocities in the nonrejector group were similar to those seen in
      normal subjects (mitral, 70 +/- 5 cm/sec; tricuspid midexpiratory apnea, 50 +/-
      11 cm/sec). Superior vena caval flow was abnormal with 13 of 15 patients
      demonstrating a biphasic pattern of forward flow with dominant diastolic flow. In
      the 15 patients with acute cardiac rejection, both mitral and tricuspid flow
      velocities developed a "restrictive"-type pattern with increased peak early flow
      velocities (mitral, 89 +/- 24 cm/sec; tricuspid midexpiratory apnea, 63 +/- 19
      cm/sec; p < or = 0.05 versus nonrejectors) and decreased mitral early flow
      velocity deceleration times (rejectors, 97 +/- 26 msec; nonrejectors, 144 +/- 41
      msec; p < or = 0.05). The pattern of superior vena caval flow became markedly
      abnormal with a virtually complete loss of forward systolic flow (rejectors, 4.4
      +/- 6.6 cm/sec; nonrejectors, 26.1 +/- 8.8 cm/sec at midexpiratory apnea; p < or
      = 0.0001). In 10 of 15 patients, systolic forward flow was absent. If acute
      rejection was defined as forward systolic flow < or = 17 cm/sec, then sensitivity
      was 100%, specificity was 80%, and predictive accuracy was 90%. CONCLUSIONS:
      During acute cardiac rejection, forward systolic superior vena caval flow is
      markedly diminished compared with nonrejectors. This is accompanied by other
      Doppler echocardiographic features consistent with the development of
      "restrictive" physiology. It is postulated that the loss of forward systolic flow
      in the superior vena cava is due to diminished long-axis shortening of the right
      ventricle associated with acute cardiac rejection.

PMID- 1424010
TI  - Rigid ring fixation of the mitral annulus does not impair left ventricular
      systolic function in the normal canine heart.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest that rigid fixation of the mitral annulus
      with an annuloplasty ring may impair left ventricular (LV) systolic performance.
      We used load-insensitive indexes of global and regional LV contractile mechanics
      to test the hypothesis that rigid fixation of the mitral annulus alters LV
      systolic function. METHODS AND RESULTS: Global and regional LV systolic mechanics
      were compared in 10 dogs during two mitral annular conditions: rigidly fixed and
      freely mobile. Carpentier-Edwards annuloplasty rings (20-24 mm) were inserted
      using a special buttressing suture technique that permitted alternate cinching of
      the ring down onto the annulus and subsequent removal away from the annulus.
      Aortic flow was measured with an electromagnetic flow probe, LV pressure by a
      micromanometer, and LV wall thickness and three near-orthogonal LV endocardial
      chamber dimensions using piezoelectric crystals during four sequential ring
      conditions: 1) down, 2) away, 3) down, and 4) away. The following parameters were
      analyzed during each ring condition to assess global LV systolic function: end
      systolic chamber elastance (end-systolic pressure-volume relation), fiber
      elastance (end-systolic stress-volume relation), preload recruitable stroke work,
      and myocardial stress-strain relation. Additionally, regional LV systolic
      performance was assessed using the end-systolic pressure-diameter relation and a
      regional analog of preload recruitable stroke work. No significant differences in
      any of these measurements of LV systolic mechanics were observed between the two
      mitral annular conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Rigid fixation of the mitral annulus
      alters neither global nor regional LV systolic function in anesthetized, open
      chest dogs with normal ventricles.

PMID- 1424011
TI  - Clinical significance of mild rejection of the cardiac allograft.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The clinical status of heart transplant patients during mild
      rejection (lymphocytic infiltrate without myocyte necrosis) has not been
      previously reported. This study examined the frequency and outcome of mild
      rejection associated with allograft dysfunction sufficient in magnitude to be
      evident on clinical exam (two or more abnormal findings) and/or two-dimensional
      echocardiography. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study population consisted of 59
      patients, 50 men and nine women 14-61 years old (mean, 1.7 +/- 0.8 years) with a
      mean follow-up of 1.7 +/- 0.8 years after transplant. All were receiving
      cyclosporine, azathioprine, and prednisone. A total of 108 episodes of mild
      rejection were detected (frequency, 1.8 episodes per patient). Detailed records
      of clinical findings were available for 94 episodes. Thirty-five (37%) of these
      94 mild rejections were associated with allograft dysfunction: hypotension, n =
      4; elevated jugular venous pressure, n = 14; S3, n = 13; rales, n = 10; sinus
      rate > or = 110 beats per minute, n = 25; atrial fibrillation, n = 5; bradycardia
      < 60, n = 1; and systolic dysfunction on echo, n = 14. Treatment with high-dose
      steroids was clinically indicated in eight mild rejection episodes (9%) with
      allograft dysfunction. Of the remaining 86 untreated episodes, eight (30%) of 27
      with allograft dysfunction versus six (10%) of 53 without allograft dysfunction
      progressed to moderate rejection on subsequent biopsy (chi 2 = 5.15, p = 0.02).
      Episodes with allograft dysfunction occurred earlier than those without
      dysfunction (15.4 +/- 2.8 weeks versus 34.4 +/- 5.5 weeks, p = 0.01) when
      baseline immunosuppression was higher. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that 1)
      mild rejection is frequently associated with cardiac allograft dysfunction; 2)
      nine percent of mild rejection episodes may be accompanied by severe allograft
      dysfunction or arrhythmias, requiring aggressive treatment; 3) mild rejection
      associated with allograft dysfunction occurs earlier than that without allograft
      rejection; 4) untreated, mild rejection episodes with allograft dysfunction
      progress to moderate rejection more frequently than those without allograft
      dysfunction. These episodes require increased surveillance for progression.

PMID- 1424012
TI  - Ventricular volume growth after cardiac transplantation in infants and children.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Intermediate-term survival after pediatric cardiac transplantation
      continues to improve. However, little is known about cardiac function and
      especially ventricular growth in young patients after cardiac transplantation.
      The purpose of this study was to evaluate serially the hemodynamics, left
      ventricular (LV) volume, and ventricular function after cardiac transplantation
      in infants and children. METHODS AND RESULTS: Indications for cardiac
      transplantation were dilated cardiomyopathy (eight patients), hypoplastic left
      heart syndrome (six patients), and postoperative structural congenital heart
      disease (three patients). The age at time of transplant ranged from 7 days to 15
      years (median, 3.5 years). The mean follow-up was 30.3 months (range, 13-46
      months). Serial annual cardiac catheterizations were performed 1 year (17), 2
      years (15), and 3 years (seven) after transplant. Measurements included right and
      left heart pressures, cardiac index, and LV volume and ejection fraction (Lange).
      Cumulative results (expressed as mean +/- SD) were pulmonary artery pressure,
      14.9 +/- 3.2 mm Hg; LV end-diastolic pressure, 7.7 +/- 2.6 mm Hg; cardiac index,
      3.5 +/- 0.52 l/min.m-2; and pulmonary vascular resistance, 2.02 +/- 0.76
      units/m2. LV end-diastolic volume increased as patients grew, so that left
      ventricular end-diastolic volume remained 90 +/- 14% of that predicted for body
      surface area. The ejection fraction was 99 +/- 6% of that predicted. There was no
      evidence of chronic rejection by endomyocardial biopsy. No accelerated coronary
      artery atherosclerosis was identified. CONCLUSIONS: Serial studies in these young
      patients demonstrate normal hemodynamics and LV function after cardiac
      transplantation. Cardiac transplantation is associated with normal LV volume
      growth despite immunosuppression and denervation.

PMID- 1424013
TI  - The implantable defibrillator: an electronic bridge to cardiac transplantation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is common among patients awaiting heart
      transplantation. Medical management of SCD may fail due to lack of efficacy or
      adverse side effects. The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) may extend
      patient survival until a donor heart is available. METHODS AND RESULTS: We
      reviewed 16 patients listed for transplantation between November 1988 and October
      1991 who underwent ICD implantation for ventricular arrhythmias refractory to
      medical management. Mean age was 51.4 +/- 11.4 years (range, 19-66 years), mean
      ejection fraction was 15.4 +/- 3.0% (range, 10-21%), and underlying
      cardiomyopathy was ischemic (12 patients), valvular (one patient), or dilated
      (three patients). There was no mortality from ICD insertion. Fourteen patients
      were discharged before transplantation, and two patients remained in the hospital
      until transplantation. Twelve patients underwent transplantation after a mean of
      155.7 +/- 113.7 days (range, 3-319) on the transplant list. The ICD delivered
      shocks for tachyarrhythmia associated with near syncope in 15 of 16 patients. ICD
      shocks numbered > 10 in five patients, 5-9 in three patients, and 1-4 in seven
      patients. There was no morbidity or mortality attributed to patch electrode
      removal. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the ICD can be implanted with minimal
      morbidity in transplant candidates, allowing the patients to be ambulatory and to
      leave the hospital while awaiting heart transplantation. In patients at risk of
      SCD, the ICD is an effective electronic bridge to transplantation.

PMID- 1424014
TI  - Detrimental effects of temperature on the efficacy of the University of Wisconsin
      solution when used for cardioplegia at moderate hypothermia. Comparison with the
      St. Thomas Hospital solution at 4 degrees C and 20 degrees C.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We have previously reported the superior protective properties of the
      University of Wisconsin (UW) solution compared with the St. Thomas solution (ST)
      in the rat heart subjected to the deep hypothermia (4 degrees C), thus
      demonstrating its possible use in cardiac transplantation. We thought it was
      important to evaluate the potential of the UW solution as a cardioplegic solution
      under the moderately hypothermic (20 degrees C) conditions of routine
      intraoperative myocardial protection. METHODS AND RESULTS: Isolated rat hearts
      were subjected to 60 minutes of ischemia at 4 degrees C or 30 (or 60) minutes of
      ischemia at 20 degrees C with UW, ST, and ST plus 100 mM K (ST + 100) solutions.
      Coronary flow, mechanical function, endothelial function, and ultrastructure were
      observed. Mean time (seconds) to infuse 10 ml of cardioplegic solution under
      constant pressure, a measure of coronary vascular resistance at 4 degrees C and
      20 degrees C, respectively, for each solution were ST, 69.2 +/- 6.9 and 64.7 +/-
      3.8; UW, 142.2 +/- 8.8 and 187.2 +/- 10.0 (p < 0.01); and ST + 100, 78.2 +/- 8.0
      and 176 +/- 8.1 (p < 0.001). Mean recovery values of cardiac output (expressed as
      percentage of its preischemic value) after 60 minutes of ischemia at 4 degrees C
      were ST, 95.5 +/- 2.1%; UW, 93.0 +/- 2.4%; and ST + 100, 96.5 +/- 1.5%. After 30
      minutes of ischemia at 20 degrees C, values were ST, 88.0 +/- 1.3%; UW, 72.2 +/-
      3.6% (p < 0.005 versus ST); and ST + 100, 53.3 +/- 1.8% (p < 0.001 versus ST).
      CONCLUSIONS: The efficacies of UW and severely hyperkalemic cardioplegic
      solutions are affected by the degree of hypothermia under which they are used.
      Under moderate hypothermia (20 degrees C), severe hyperkalemia induces a marked
      increase in coronary vascular resistance that is associated with impaired
      myocardial protection. These studies discourage the use of UW for routine
      intraoperative cardioplegic arrest where the degree of hypothermia cannot be
      readily controlled. The ST solution does not share this constraint.

PMID- 1424015
TI  - In vitro assessment of the effects of glucose added to the University of
      Wisconsin solution on myocyte preservation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: University of Wisconsin solution (UWS) has been successfully used for
      liver transplantation and may be beneficial for hypothermic cardiac storage. The
      addition of glucose may enhance myocardial preservation. METHODS AND RESULTS:
      Cultured human ventricular myocytes (eight dishes per group) were stored at 0
      degree C for 12 hours in either unmodified UWS or UWS with glucose (1, 3, 10, 30,
      or 100 mmol/l). Cells were assayed for protein by spectrofluorometry and adenine
      nucleotides by high performance liquid chromatography after storage. Protein
      recovery, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and total
      adenine nucleotides (ATP+ADP+AMP) were all depleted after storage (p < 0.0001 by
      ANOVA). Protein recovery (p < 0.005), ATP (p < 0.05), and ADP (p < 0.05) were
      increased with glucose administration compared with unmodified UWS. Improvement
      was maximal using 30 mmol/l (protein, 0 mmol/l = 0.48 +/- 0.14 and 30 mmol/l =
      0.65 +/- 0.11 mg per dish; ATP, 0 mmol/l = 3.08 +/- 0.63 and 30 mmol/l = 4.32 +/-
      0.90 nmol/mg protein; ADP, 0 mmol/l = 3.76 +/- 0.80 and 30 mmol/l = 4.63 +/- 0.38
      nmol/mg protein, mean +/- SD). Total adenine nucleotides tended to increase at
      any glucose concentration (p = 0.07 by ANOVA) and were significantly better with
      30 mmol/l glucose (0 mmol/l = 7.61 +/- 1.58 and 30 mmol/l = 9.62 +/- 1.08 nmol/mg
      protein). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing the glucose concentration from 0 to 30 mmol/l
      improved adenine nucleotide and cellular protein preservation in this in vitro
      assessment.

PMID- 1424016
TI  - Effects of in vivo cyclosporine administration on endothelium-dependent responses
      in isolated vascular rings.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although in vitro studies suggest that cyclosporine (CSA) reduces
      endothelium-dependent relaxation (EDR), controversy still remains regarding the
      effects of in vivo CSA treatment. The lack of correlation between CSA dosages and
      therapeutic efficacy has led to an increased emphasis on the monitoring of CSA
      blood levels in clinical immunosuppression. We therefore studied the effects of
      in vivo administration to rats of a therapeutic level of CSA on endothelium
      dependent vascular reactivity using isolated vascular rings obtained from these
      animals. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thoracic aorta vascular rings from adult Sprague
      Dawley rats treated with subcutaneous injections of CSA (5 mg/kg/day) for 7 and
      21 days were suspended in Krebs buffer containing indomethacin and tested for EDR
      to methacholine (1 x 10(-7) to 5 x 10(-5) M) and for endothelium-independent
      relaxation (EIR) to nitroprusside (5 x 10(-6) M). Mean whole blood CSA trough
      levels were 978 +/- 287 and 2,865 +/- 379 ng/ml for the 7- and 21-day groups,
      respectively. No differences were noted in both EDR and EIR between untreated
      control rats and the treated groups. Maximal EDR (mean +/- SEM) was 83 +/- 3%, 79
      +/- 2%, and 81 +/- 3% for control rats and 7- and 21-day treatment groups,
      respectively. Relative developed tension (grams) to 5 x 10(-6) M phenylephrine
      was significantly (p < 0.05) increased in the CSA-treated groups (1.03 +/- 0.01
      and 1.08 +/- 0.01 g at 7 and 21 days, respectively, versus 0.73 +/- 0.01 g (p =
      NS) for untreated controls). Minimal endothelial disruption was evident on
      scanning electron microscopy in the CSA-treated animals. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude
      that CSA-induced vascular dysfunction may be in part a result of an increased
      sensitivity to direct vasoconstriction rather than of an attenuation of
      endothelium-dependent relaxation.

PMID- 1424017
TI  - Extracorporeal membrane oxygenator rescue in children during cardiac arrest after
      cardiac surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for cardiac arrest
      after open-heart surgery in children is often unsuccessful despite the ability to
      perform open-chest massage. The purpose of this study was to review our results
      with mechanical support as rescue therapy in children with sudden circulatory
      arrest after cardiac surgery. METHODS AND RESULTS: From 1981 through 1991, we
      have used mechanical support with an extracorporeal membrane oxygenator (ECMO)
      circuit for cardiac support in 33 children. Eleven of the 33 patients (age, 15 +/
      7 months) suffered cardiac arrest intractable to conventional open-chest massage
      39 +/- 15 hours after an open-heart procedure. The mean duration of CPR was 65 +/
      9 minutes until ECMO flow was started. ECMO support was continued for 112 +/- 8
      hours. One patient had ECMO discontinued due to bleeding (survived); three were
      discontinued from ECMO and died from neurological complications; and one died of
      cardiac dysfunction. Sepsis on ECMO was seen in one patient (survived). Overall
      early survival was seven of 11 (64%) with one patient requiring heart
      transplantation due to irreversible cardiac dysfunction. One child died late (1
      month) after ECMO support. There were no long-term sequelae in the survivors.
      CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that ECMO rescue in children with postcardiotomy cardiac
      arrest is a feasible option in selected patients even after prolonged CPR (as
      long as 60 minutes).

PMID- 1424018
TI  - Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in children after cardiac surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: From August 1982 to May 1991, 65 children (32 boys), 1 day to 14
      years old, received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) 0-50 hours after
      cardiac surgery. Forty-four (67.7%) were weaned, with 23 (35.4%) survivors.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: Analysis of 29 pre-ECMO factors including diagnosis, age,
      sex, blood gas data, systemic pressures, atrial pressures, ventricular function,
      and renal function was performed. Preoperative systemic ventricular shortening
      fraction was statistically less in survivors. The need for dialysis and length of
      support were predictors of survival once ECMO was initiated. There were five late
      deaths 6 days to 5 years after discharge; none were related to ECMO. The
      remaining 18 patients have been followed for a mean of 37.5 months (range, 1-85
      months). Seventeen are New York Heart Association functional class I, with one
      patient still hospitalized. CONCLUSIONS: ECMO allows for myocardial recovery in
      the majority of patients with refractory postcardiotomy failure and permits some
      patients to survive who would not have otherwise.

PMID- 1424019
TI  - Survival prediction in staged heart transplantation using Jarvik-7 artificial
      heart.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Because mechanical circulatory assist as a bridge to heart
      transplantation places a further strain on current donor shortage as well as on
      medical cost containment, safe and effective use of the device is essential.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: To predict survival before undertaking staged heart
      transplantation with the Jarvik-7 artificial heart, our 58 attempts were reviewed
      retrospectively. Scores of 1-4 were given for six preoperative factors based on
      results obtained by univariate and multivariate analyses between survivors and
      nonsurvivors of staged heart transplantation: transplant rejection (scored 4: S4)
      or postoperative heart failure (S3) as the indication, recipient height < 175 cm
      (S3), body surface area < 1.8 m2 (S3), hyperbilirubinemia > 24 microM/l (S2),
      weight < 60 kg (S2), and age > 40 years (S1). Of 14 survivors, 13 had a total
      score < 4 (sensitivity, 93%), with an average score of 1.6 in contrast to 5.5 for
      44 nonsurvivors (p < 0.001). Among 26 patients scored < 4, 21 had heart
      transplantation, of whom 13 left the hospital. Of 32 patients scored > or = 4,
      only four could be discharged after transplantation (specificity, 70%).
      CONCLUSIONS: Multiple preoperative factors successfully predicted
      transplantability and survival in staged heart transplantation. The results
      underscore the importance of preoperative condition and patient selection to
      achieve successful and effective use of Jarvik-7 as a bridge to heart
      transplantation.

PMID- 1424020
TI  - Right ventricular/arterial coupling in the patient with left ventricular
      assistance.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Improvements are known to occur in right ventricular (RV) ejection
      fraction after the use of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD); less is known,
      however, about the mechanism of this improvement. The concept of
      ventricular/arterial coupling was applied to investigate whether systolic pump
      function or afterload reduction was the major contributing factor leading to the
      improvement in RV ejection fraction. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eight consecutive
      patients who underwent Novacor LVAD implantation as a bridge to transplantation
      were studied intraoperatively with transesophageal echocardiogram and a catheter
      tip manometer to examine the RV end-systolic pressure-area relation (ESPAR)
      before and after LVAD implantation. Fractional area change (FAC) obtained by
      echocardiogram was used as an approximation of ejection fraction. End-systolic
      elastance (Ees), area axis intercept of ESPAR (A0), maximal area (Amax), and
      pulmonary effective arterial elastance (Ea) were obtained. RV FAC improved from
      0.20 +/- 0.09 to 0.29 +/- 0.13 (p < 0.05). There was a decrease in Ea from 12.06
      +/- 5.79 to 4.92 +/- 2.51 mm Hg/cm2 (p < 0.01), which indicated a reduction in RV
      afterload. A0 increased from -0.14 +/- 7.81 to 6.83 +/- 9.42 cm2 (p < 0.05),
      which implied impaired systolic pump function. There was no difference in Ees and
      Amax. CONCLUSIONS: The concept of ventricular/arterial coupling predicts that an
      increase of A0 (reduced RV systolic mechanics) decreases FAC, whereas a reduction
      in Ea improves FAC. The improvement in RV FAC (improved RV pump performance) may
      result from the effect of reduced Ea (afterload reduction) overwhelming the
      effect of increased A0. Afterload reduction is the most likely mechanism by which
      RV ejection fraction improves after LVAD implantation.

PMID- 1424021
TI  - Compositional analysis of a modified University of Wisconsin solution for
      extended myocardial preservation. A study of the left ventricular pressure-volume
      relation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The University of Wisconsin solution (UW) has been shown to be
      superior to the use of traditional types of simple crystalloids in extended heart
      preservation. This study was designed to determine the necessity of four
      potentially redundant components in UW. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty canine
      hearts (n = 8 in each group) were preserved for 6 hours under hypothermic (1-2
      degrees C), nonperfused conditions in unmodified UW, UW with an extracellular or
      reversed composition of sodium and potassium (UW-E), UW with chloride instead of
      lactobionate (UW-L), UW without raffinose (UW-R), and UW without hydroxyethyl
      starch (UW-HS). The left ventricular functions were assessed in an isolated heart
      preparation equipped with a computerized servo-volume pump to measure the
      pressure-volume relation. The systolic function was expressed in elastance
      derived from the end-systolic pressure-volume relation, and total ventricular
      performance was expressed in preload recruitable stroke work area derived from
      the stroke work-end-diastolic volume relation. Diastolic compliance was derived
      from the end-diastolic pressure-volume pressure relation. The results were
      compared with a control group with no ischemia. There was no significant
      deterioration in left ventricular systolic contractile functions as demonstrated
      by the analysis of elastance and the preload recruitable stroke work area in any
      of the modifications of UW. However, significant deterioration in the diastolic
      compliance occurred in the UW-E and UW-HS groups. A similar trend was found in
      the UW-L group, although it was not statistically significant, whereas the
      diastolic compliance was preserved in the UW-R group. CONCLUSIONS: The
      intracellular electrolyte composition and the hydroxyethyl starch are important
      in the preservation of left ventricular diastolic function, whereas the omission
      of raffinose was inconsequential. The replacement of lactobionate by chloride had
      less untoward functional effects compared with studies of other solid organ
      preservation.

PMID- 1424022
TI  - Assessment of function, perfusion, metabolism, and histology in hearts preserved
      with University of Wisconsin solution.
AB  - BACKGROUND: University of Wisconsin solution has shown promise for prolonged
      cardiac preservation. This study compared the effects of 24-hour cold storage and
      perfusion preservation techniques by assessment of function, perfusion,
      metabolism, and histological changes. METHODS AND RESULTS: Three groups of rabbit
      hearts (n = 6 each) were evaluated: 1) control with immediate reperfusion, 2)
      continuous perfusion preservation, and 3) cold storage. Hearts were reperfused
      for 30 minutes, and left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) was measured by
      isovolumetric balloon (LVEDP, 20 mm Hg). We used 201Tl to assess perfusion and
      14C-acetate to assess metabolism by macroautoradiography. LVSP was similar for
      controls and hearts preserved with continuous perfusion (134.8 +/- 2.1 versus
      112.2 +/- 6.0 mm Hg, respectively). Hearts preserved with cold storage techniques
      were significantly worse (36.7 +/- 6.0 versus 134.4 +/- 8.2 mm Hg, p < 0.001).
      Controls showed homogeneous perfusion and metabolism, whereas hearts in the
      continuous perfusion group showed mild hypoperfusion and histological damage
      (26.4 +/- 2.7% of left ventricular cross section). Hearts in the cold storage
      group had 51.7 +/- 1.2% of the left ventricle hypoperfused and damaged. Histology
      in the control group was normal; in the perfused group, there were only mild
      changes; and in the cold storage group, there were extensive derangements of
      cellular architecture. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous perfusion of the heart with 4
      degrees C modified University of Wisconsin solution provided function comparable
      to that of control. Conversely, cold storage showed extremely poor return of
      function. Autoradiography confirmed mild perfusion and metabolism abnormalities
      in control and continuous perfusion hearts, whereas there was marked derangement
      of cellular architecture, perfusion, and metabolism in the cold storage hearts.

PMID- 1424023
TI  - Oxyhemoglobin dissociation during hypothermic blood cardioplegia arrest.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Coronary sinus effluent contains desaturated blood during the first
      few seconds of hypothermic cardioplegia infusion in humans. This occurs despite
      the high affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen at a low temperature and alkaline pH.
      The present study quantitates oxyhemoglobin dissociation during hypothermic
      cardioplegic arrest. METHODS AND RESULTS: Three infusions of a 4 degrees C
      alkalotic blood cardioplegia solution were given into the cross-clamped aortic
      root during 1 hour of cardioplegic arrest. Paired aortic root and coronary sinus
      blood samples were obtained before and shortly after initiating cardiopulmonary
      bypass and at t = 5 seconds and 30 seconds during each cardioplegia infusion.
      Throughout the study, the hemoglobin saturation in the aortic root samples was
      100%. The mean coronary sinus hemoglobin saturation at t = 5 seconds during
      hypothermic cardioplegia infusion ranged from 63.0% to 66.5% (p < 0.05 coronary
      sinus compared with aortic root samples). The coronary sinus hemoglobin
      saturation approximated the aortic root hemoglobin saturation at t = 30 seconds
      during hypothermic cardioplegia infusion. The mean PO2 of the aortic root samples
      ranged from 214 to 307 mm Hg during hypothermic cardioplegia infusion. The mean
      PO2 of the t = 5 seconds coronary sinus samples ranged from 31 to 39 mm Hg,
      whereas the mean PO2 of the t = 30 seconds coronary sinus samples ranged from 85
      to 119 mm Hg during cardioplegia infusion (p < 0.05 coronary sinus compared with
      aortic root samples). CONCLUSIONS: Oxygen dissociates from hemoglobin contained
      in a hypothermic, alkalotic blood cardioplegia solution during the nonperfused
      phase of cardioplegic arrest. However, the only oxygen delivered to the
      myocardium during the infusion of a hypothermic alkalotic blood cardioplegia
      solution is oxygen physically dissolved in the solution.

PMID- 1424024
TI  - Coronary endothelial injury by cold crystalloid cardioplegic solution in neonatal
      lambs.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hypothermic cardioplegia generally improves the recovery of the
      mechanical function of the heart after ischemia, but some components of cold
      cardioplegia may produce endothelial injury that can offset the protective
      effects of cardioplegia. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of
      extremely hypothermic cardioplegia on the recovery of coronary endothelial and
      cardiac mechanical function after ischemia in the immature heart. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: Three groups of eight isolated, blood-perfused, neonatal lamb hearts
      each had myocardial temperature maintained at 10 degrees C during 2 hours of
      global ischemia but received hourly doses of crystalloid cardioplegic solution at
      temperatures of 10 degrees C (group A), 4 degrees C (group B), and 2 degrees C
      (group C). The percent recovery of isovolumic left ventricular maximum developed
      pressure in groups A (86.6 +/- 7.7) and B (90.5 +/- 7.5) was higher than in group
      C (78.6 +/- 6.3), and maximum dP/dt in groups A (89.6 +/- 8.6) and B (89.5 +/-
      5.7) was higher than in group C (79.4 +/- 9.0) at 30 minutes of reperfusion (p <
      0.05). Groups A (136.8 +/- 20.9) and B (142.8 +/- 27.7) achieved higher recovery
      of coronary blood flow (as percentage of baseline) at 15-minute reperfusion than
      group C (108.5 +/- 26.2), and myocardial oxygen consumption was higher in groups
      A (68.3 +/- 14.6, 92.1 +/- 21.1) and B (68.8 +/- 19.9, 85.3 +/- 25.5) than in
      group C (46.3 +/- 14.7, 57.2 +/- 14.2) at 15 and 30 minutes of reperfusion,
      respectively (p < 0.05). Percent recovery of the coronary vascular resistance
      responses to 10(-7) M concentration of an endothelium-dependent vasodilator
      (acetylcholine) in groups A (71.9 +/- 9.0) and B (66.2 +/- 23.1) was higher than
      in group C (24.2 +/- 14.3) (p < 0.05), whereas responses to 3 x 10(-5) M
      concentration of endothelium-independent vasodilator (nitroglycerin) were the
      same. CONCLUSIONS: Excessively cold cardioplegic solution may cause endothelial
      dysfunction (reduced acetylcholine response) and reduced recovery of mechanical
      function in the neonatal heart.

PMID- 1424025
TI  - Heat shock. A new approach for myocardial preservation in cardiac surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent studies have indicated that heat shock (HS) induces protective
      genes and HS protein (HSP) expression, which enhances cellular tolerance to
      ischemic injury. The present study sought to determine if 42 degrees C blood
      cardioplegia could be used to induce HSP expression and improved myocardial
      salvage after 2 hours of cardioplegic arrest. METHODS AND RESULTS: To study this,
      pig hearts (n = 6) on cardiopulmonary bypass were subjected to HS by continuous
      infusion to the globally arrested heart of warm blood cardioplegia (K+ = 30
      meq/l) at 42 degrees C for 15 minutes followed by 2 hours of intermittent
      hypothermic (4-6 degrees C) hyperkalemic (30 meq/l) crystalloid cardioplegic
      arrest and 1 hour of reperfusion (heat shock group). The control group (n = 6)
      was subjected to only 2 hours of hypothermic crystalloid cardioplegic arrest
      followed by 1 hour of reperfusion without HS. Left ventricular performance,
      coronary blood flow, and creatine kinase release were determined before arrest
      and during reperfusion. Prearrest control biopsies were taken in a separate group
      of pigs (n = 6) for both HSP and superoxide dismutase activity. Additional
      biopsies were taken for the same measurements in both control and HS groups at
      the completion of reperfusion. In a single additional pig in both the control and
      HS groups, biopsies were taken during the study to estimate changes in HSP
      expression. The cytosolic protein of ventricular tissue was subjected to sodium
      dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the HSP70 family protein
      was examined by Western blot analysis using monoclonal antibodies. HSP was found
      to be increasingly expressed from control levels after 15 minutes of HS
      pretreatment, increasing progressively to a level significantly above the non-HS
      group. Associated with this increased expression of HSP was a significant
      increase in superoxide dismutase activity in the HS animals and significant
      improvement in both global and regional functions and reduced creatine kinase
      release. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that preconditioning the heart with HS
      improves postischemic ventricular performance and attenuates cellular injury. HS
      induces a change in cellular metabolism, prompting the expression of HSP and
      improving antioxidant activity, leading to improved function and reduced tissue
      injury during ischemia and reperfusion.

PMID- 1424026
TI  - Effect of aging on intracellular Ca2+, pHi, and contractility during ischemia and
      reperfusion.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To investigate the effect of aging on myocardial ischemic and
      reperfusion injury, cytosolic calcium (Ca2+), intracellular pH (pHi), and
      mechanical performance were measured in isolated perfused rabbit hearts. METHODS
      AND RESULTS: Hearts of mature (4-5-month-old) and aged (28-38-month-old) rabbits
      were loaded with 10 microM of fura-2 or 2',7'-bis(2-carboxyethyl)-5(6)
      carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) and subjected to 30 minutes of normothermic ischemia
      and reperfusion. Cytosolic Ca2+ levels ([Ca2+]) during the nonbeating ischemic
      period and end-diastolic Ca2+ levels ([EDCa2+]) during reperfusion were
      determined from the fura-2 fluorescence ratio of emission at 510 nm during
      excitation at 340 and 380 nm. pHi was obtained from the ratio of emission at 530
      nm during excitation at 450 and 490 nm. [Ca2+] of the mature group (n = 8)
      increased from 188 +/- 19 nM (mean +/- SEM) to 373 +/- 32 nM during ischemia, and
      that of the aged group (n = 7) increased from 242 +/- 17 to 465 +/- 20 nM. The
      rise of [Ca2+] of the aged group was significantly greater (p < 0.05) than that
      of the mature group. Immediately after reperfusion, [EDCa2+] in both groups
      returned to the preischemic level. pHi decreased to the same extent (from 7.2 to
      6.7) during ischemia and returned to preischemic values during reperfusion. The
      mature group recovered 84 +/- 3% of left ventricular peak pressure after
      ischemia, whereas the aged group recovered only 55 +/- 3% (p < 0.005). Functional
      recovery was inversely correlated to the increase of [Ca2+] during ischemia (r =
      0.66). CONCLUSIONS: Aged hearts exhibit greater accumulation of [Ca2+] during
      ischemia and less functional recovery after ischemia than mature hearts. The
      greater rise of [Ca2+] in aged hearts is not a result of the difference of
      buffering capacity for ischemia-induced acidosis.

PMID- 1424027
TI  - Alternative techniques of cardioplegia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although normothermic cardioplegia has been used with acceptable
      clinical results, no studies have previously been performed to determine the
      metabolic consequences of these various techniques of myocardial protection.
      Therefore, we have performed a randomized clinical trial to assess the effects of
      three cardioplegic techniques on myocardial metabolic recovery. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: Seventy-four patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery
      were randomized to receive normothermic antegrade blood cardioplegia (n = 25),
      normothermic retrograde blood cardioplegia (n = 23), or intermittent cold
      antegrade blood cardioplegia (n = 26). Myocardial oxygen consumption and lactate
      production, adenine nucleotides, and adenine nucleotide degradation products were
      measured during the operation, and cardiac creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB)
      release was assessed after surgery. Warm antegrade cardioplegia maximized
      myocardial oxygen consumption during cardioplegic delivery. Postoperative CK-MB
      release was less after warm antegrade cardioplegia, but the difference was not
      statistically significant. Warm retrograde cardioplegia resulted in the greatest
      degree of anaerobic lactate production but did not increase morbidity and
      mortality. Perioperative myocardial infarctions and postoperative low-output
      syndrome were most common after cold cardioplegia, but this trend was not
      statistically significant. During warm antegrade cardioplegia, adenosine
      triphosphate (ATP) was metabolized to diffusible precursors, which were washed
      out during cardioplegic infusion. Warm retrograde cardioplegia produced a
      breakdown of ATP to inosine and hypoxanthine, small molecules that accumulated
      during the cross-clamp period and were not washed out, perhaps because of
      inadequate perfusion with retrograde delivery. During cold cardioplegia, ATP was
      dephosphorylated, and adenosine diphosphate, adenosine monophosphate, and
      adenosine accumulated. These compounds were not regenerated to ATP but were not
      washed out of myocytes because they are large anionic molecules. CONCLUSIONS:
      Intermittent cold cardioplegia inhibited mitochondrial function but prevented the
      degradation of adenine nucleotides. Warm antegrade cardioplegia had the greatest
      myocardial oxygen consumption, and warm retrograde cardioplegia had the greatest
      anaerobic lactate production. There were no differences in clinical outcomes
      between cardioplegic groups.

PMID- 1424028
TI  - Effect of normothermic blood cardioplegia on postoperative conduction
      abnormalities and supraventricular arrhythmias.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Conduction defects and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) are common
      after myocardial revascularization using current methods of cold hyperkalemic
      blood or crystalloid cardioplegia. The current retrospective study was undertaken
      to assess the influence of normothermic blood cardioplegia on conduction defects
      and SVT. METHODS AND RESULTS: The initial 92 patients underwent cardiopulmonary
      bypass (CPB) at 28 degrees C and blood cardioplegia at 6-8 degrees C. The
      subsequent 120 patients underwent CPB and blood cardioplegia at 37 degrees C. In
      all patients, cardioplegia was initially given by a combined antegrade/retrograde
      technique. The incidence of new postoperative conduction disturbances was
      significantly less in the normothermic group (p < 0.001): 27.5% versus 57.6%
      immediately after surgery; 9.2% versus 41.3% 1 day after surgery; 4.2% versus
      32.6% 2 days after surgery; 1.7% versus 19.6% on hospital discharge; and 1.7%
      versus 17.4% on late follow-up. The incidence of supraventricular arrhythmias was
      not statistically different: 40.0% warm versus 42.4% cold. The groups were
      identical except that mean cross-clamp times were significantly longer (73.8
      versus 60.1 minutes), mean number of grafts were significantly higher (3.7 versus
      3.4), and mean cardioplegia volume was significantly greater (5,627 versus 3,710
      ml) in the warm group (p < 0.05). In addition, the warm group had a higher
      incidence of prior transmural anterior myocardial infarctions (35% versus 9.8%, p
      < 0.001) and emergency operation (16.7% versus 6.5%, p < 0.05). Creatine kinase
      (CK) MB release was significantly less in the warm group immediately after
      operation (24.9 versus 60.9 units/l) and on POD1 (19.2 versus 46.5 units/l) (p <
      0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Normothermic cardioplegia is associated with a marked
      decrease in new and permanent conduction disturbances and postoperative CK-MB
      release. This suggests that a significant factor in the pathogenesis of
      conduction blocks is cold-related injury. Supraventricular arrhythmias were not
      affected by the type of cardioplegia given.

PMID- 1424029
TI  - Global left ventricular performance and regional systolic function after suture
      annuloplasty for chronic mitral regurgitation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In surgery for chronic mitral regurgitation, the mitral subvalvular
      apparatus, including annulus, may play an important role in preserving left
      ventricular (LV) performance. The suture annuloplasty for mitral regurgitation
      allows annular contraction of the mitral valve. The potential effects of suture
      annuloplasty on the postoperative LV performance have not been fully defined.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: Global and regional LV function in 12 patients with suture
      annuloplasty were compared with 12 patients with conventional mitral valve
      replacement (MVR). Cineangiography and echocardiography were obtained before and
      10.8 months after surgery. End-diastolic volume index and end-systolic volume
      index decreased significantly in both groups after surgery (p < 0.01). Ejection
      fraction remained unchanged in the suture annuloplasty group, whereas it
      decreased significantly in the MVR group after surgery (p < 0.01). There was a
      significant inverse relation between ejection fraction and end-systolic wall
      stress in the two groups after surgery (suture annuloplasty group, r = -0.69, p =
      0.01; MVR group, r = -0.60, p = 0.04). The intercept on the y axis was
      significantly (p < 0.005) higher in the suture annuloplasty group than in the MVR
      group. In the suture annuloplasty group, cross-sectional area ejection fraction
      at the mitral valve level and at the papillary muscle level by LV two-dimensional
      echocardiography remained unchanged after surgery. In the MVR group, they
      decreased significantly after surgery (p < 0.01). There was a significant
      correlation between the cross-sectional area ejection fraction and the global
      ejection fraction at both levels after surgery. Therefore, the improvement of the
      regional wall motion can be attributed to the improvement of the global LV
      performance after suture annuloplasty. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that
      suture annuloplasty can provide more desirable postoperative LV systolic
      performance than conventional MVR by preserving both the contraction of the
      mitral annulus and the mitral valvular-ventricular interaction.

PMID- 1424030
TI  - Retrograde is superior to antegrade continuous warm blood cardioplegia for acute
      cardiac ischemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Theoretically, the efficacy of continuous warm blood cardioplegia may
      be improved when administered retrogradely (RCWBC) rather than antegradely
      (ACWBC) in the setting of acute regional ischemia because of enhanced oxygen and
      substrate delivery to myocardial tissue distal to an acute coronary artery
      occlusion. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eighteen Yorkshire swine were instrumented for
      quantification of global left ventricular systolic, diastolic, and regional left
      anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) zone mechanics before and after 10
      minutes of mid-LAD occlusion, followed by 60 minutes of cardiac arrest using
      continuous warm blood cardioplegia. Initially, 20 ml/kg of 37 degrees C
      oxygenated blood cardioplegia (hematocrit, 22 +/- 0.6%) was infused antegradely,
      followed by maintenance of 75 ml/min ACWBC (n = 9) or 60-100 ml/min of RCWBC (n =
      9). LAD occlusion was released 20 minutes after cardiac arrest (30 minutes total
      LAD ischemia), simulating surgical revascularization. Postischemic recovery of
      global preload recruitable stroke work was nearly complete with RCWBC but
      significantly depressed with ACWBC (84.9 +/- 9.5% versus 52.4 +/- 5.1%,
      respectively; p < 0.01). LAD regional stroke work was also well preserved
      postischemically with RCWBC but showed no functional recovery and systolic
      bulging after ACWBC (87.4 +/- 13.7% versus -11.36 +/- 7.46% of control values; p
      < 0.01). Global diastolic stiffness calculated using the beta-coefficient of an
      exponential end-diastolic pressure-versus-volume relation was unchanged with
      ACWBC but increased significantly after RCWBC (from 0.027 +/- 0.002 to 0.028 +/-
      0.003 mm Hg/ml and from 0.028 +/- 0.003 to 0.036 +/- 0.004 mm Hg/ml,
      respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that with acute regional ischemia,
      both global and ischemic zone regional systolic function are depressed by ACWBC,
      whereas RCWBC affords adequate protection of contractile performance. However, a
      loss of diastolic compliance may result as a consequence of warm retrograde
      delivery.

PMID- 1424031
TI  - Protection of platelets during long-term extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in
      sheep with a single dose of a disintegrin.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Both short- and long-term extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
      causes platelet loss and dysfunction. Bitistatin is a reversible inhibitor of the
      platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor. This study tests the hypothesis that
      inhibition of platelets by bitistatin during initial contact with the perfusion
      circuit preserves platelet number and function during long-term ECMO in sheep.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: Bitistatin, purified from crude snake venom, was tested for
      its effect on platelet count, responsiveness to ADP, release of platelet factor
      4, and prevention of surface-adsorbed glycoprotein IIIa in vitro and during 24
      hours of ECMO in nine splenectomized sheep. During simulated extracorporeal
      circulation, 0.5-1.0 microgram/ml bitistatin significantly prevented platelet
      adhesion, attenuated release of sheep platelet factor 4, and preserved platelet
      responsiveness to ADP. During ECMO at 1.8 l/min for 24 hours, a single dose of
      bitistatin (200 micrograms/kg) (n = 4) produced higher platelet counts (p =
      0.0002) and suppressed release of platelet factor 4 (p = 0.035) for 16 hours
      compared with five control animals. This dose of bitistatin caused an immediate
      inhibition of platelet aggregation; however, between 4 and 24 hours of perfusion,
      platelets of bitistatin-treated animals were more responsive to ADP (p < 0.0001)
      compared with platelets in control animals. The amount of glycoprotein IIIa
      antigen extracted by Triton X-100 from the perfusion circuits was reduced in
      bitistatin-treated sheep. CONCLUSIONS: A single dose of bitistatin given before
      blood contact with the ECMO circuit briefly inhibits platelet adhesion and
      aggregation but thereafter preserves platelet numbers and function and suppresses
      alpha-granule release for 12-16 hours of ECMO.

PMID- 1424032
TI  - Effect of human recombinant erythropoietin on reduction of homologous blood
      transfusion in open-heart surgery. A Japanese Multicenter study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recombinant human erythropoietin (EPOCH) has been shown to increase
      erythropoiesis; therefore, EPOCH has been used in conjunction with autologous
      blood predonation (ABP) before surgery. However, the administration methods of
      EPOCH to obtain an adequate volume of ABP before open-heart surgery have not been
      determined. METHODS AND RESULTS: The effects of EPOCH on harvesting ABP and
      decreasing homologous blood transfusion (HBT) in open-heart surgery were examined
      prospectively in 205 patients treated in a 29-institute multicenter study. Single
      dose of 3,000, 6,000, or 9,000 IU of EPOCH were administered for 2 weeks (two or
      three times per week) without ABP (group 1, n = 69) or for 3 weeks (two or three
      times per week) with ABP (group 2, n = 97) and compared with control subjects (n
      = 39). Preoperative blood hemoglobin increase (delta Hb[g/dl]) was < 1.0 g/dl in
      group 1. When EPOCH was given three times a week, the delta Hb in each subgroup
      of group 2 was 0.6 +/- 1.1 (control), 2.1 +/- 1.3 (3,000 IU), 2.4 +/- 1.4 (6,000
      IU), and 2.8 +/- 1.5 (9,000 IU), which was significantly higher than the control
      (p < 0.05) and was dose dependent. The HBT rates in patients with a moderate
      perioperative blood loss of between 15 and 50 ml/kg were 75.0% (control), 35.7%
      (3,000 IU), 52.9% (6,000 IU), and 66.7% (9,000 IU) in group 1, and respective
      volumes in group 2 were 40.0% (control), 20.0% (3,000 IU), 26.9% (6,000 IU), and
      12.5% (9,000 IU). The overall HBT rate of EPOCH-treated patients with a moderate
      blood loss was 50% (20 of 40) in group 1 and 21% (13 of 62) in group 2. The HBT
      rate was significantly reduced by combination of preoperative EPOCH treatment
      (three times per week) and ABP (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Dose-dependent increase
      of blood hemoglobin level was observed by EPOCH treatment with ABP; combination
      of EPOCH treatment and ABP can reduce HBT during open-heart surgery.

PMID- 1424033
TI  - Comparative efficacy of ring and suture annuloplasty for ischemic mitral
      regurgitation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR) represent a
      therapeutic challenge, and results after combined valve replacement and
      revascularization have been poor. Valve repair is a promising approach, but the
      optimal method of repair is not known. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 60 patients with
      coronary artery disease and 3+ or 4+ MR, we used intraoperative Doppler
      echocardiography to study the efficacy of Carpentier-Edwards ring (n = 27) and
      commissural suture (n = 33) annuloplasty. Patients with ruptured papillary
      muscles, torn chordae, and ballooning or scalloping of the leaflets were
      excluded. Ring and suture groups were similar in preoperative ejection fraction
      (35 +/- 14% and 34 +/- 17%), MR grade (3.5 +/- 0.5 and 3.4 +/- 0.6), and acuity
      of MR (41% and 33% acute) (p = NS). Postoperatively, the ring group achieved a
      lower residual MR grade than the suture group (0.5 +/- 0.5 versus 1.5 +/- 1.1; p
      < 0.001), and the mitral annular diameter was reduced to a greater extent in the
      ring group (by 1.5 +/- 0.5 cm versus 0.5 +/- 0.4 cm; p < 0.001). Success (> or =
      2 grade MR reduction) was more frequent in the ring than in the suture group (96%
      versus 67%, p < 0.01). One-year survival was similar (74 +/- 9% ring, 71 +/- 8%
      suture). Follow-up Doppler studies showed a higher mean gradient (4.0 +/- 1.2 mm
      Hg) and smaller valve area (2.1 +/- 0.5 cm2) in the ring group, but the
      postoperative New York Heart Association class was similar in both groups (83%
      versus 74% class I-II). CONCLUSIONS: Ring annuloplasty provides a more effective
      reduction of ischemic MR and a higher success rate than the suture technique.
      This may be related to uniform rather than localized shortening of the annulus
      and a greater reduction in annulus diameter.

PMID- 1424034
TI  - Mitral valve repair using Carpentier techniques in patients more than 70 years
      old. Early and late results.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Mitral valve incompetence in elderly patients raises the problem of
      whether to replace or to repair the mitral valve. The purpose of this study is to
      review our experience with mitral valve repair in patients > 70 years old.
      METHODS AND RESULTS: Between 1986 and 1991, 79 consecutive patients > 70 years
      old underwent mitral valve repair by Carpentier techniques. The most frequent
      cause was degenerative valve disease (65 of 79). Preoperative echocardiography
      showed that 6% of the patients had type I, 88% type II, and 5% type III mitral
      valve dysfunction. Anatomic lesions encountered at surgery confirmed the
      preoperative echocardiographic findings, with 88% of the patients with a leaflet
      prolapse either of the posterior leaflet (56%) or of both the anterior and
      posterior leaflets (32%). Multiple surgical procedures were required in each
      patient. Posterior leaflet resection was the most common technique used (76%).
      Prosthetic ring annuloplasty was used in 96% of patients. Associated procedures
      were performed in 21.5% of cases. Three patients died, for an operative mortality
      of 3.8%. One patient (1.3%) required reoperation for residual mitral
      insufficiency. Nonfatal complications related to the patients' preoperative
      condition were noted in more than half of the patients. Echocardiography obtained
      before discharge revealed absent or minimal mitral insufficiency in 91% of
      patients and mild mitral insufficiency (2+/4+) in 9%. Follow-up was available for
      74 of 76 patients (97.3%) and ranged from 3 months to 6 years (mean, 22 months).
      Two patients (2.6%) were lost to follow-up. Sixty patients (89%) were in New York
      Heart Association functional class I or II. Seven patients died and one required
      reoperation. Actuarial analysis of the results showed overall survival at 5 years
      81 +/- 11%; freedom from thromboembolism, hemorrhage, and reoperation 97 +/- 5%,
      97 +/- 5%, and 98 +/- 4%, respectively. Color-coded echo Doppler studies obtained
      in 67 patients at the time of follow-up showed absent or minimal MI (91%) (n =
      61), and mild MI in 9% (n = 6). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that mitral valve
      repair using Carpentier techniques should now be considered as the procedure of
      choice in patients of any age referred for mitral insufficiency.

PMID- 1424035
TI  - Initial results of combined anterior mitral leaflet plication and ventricular
      septal myotomy-myectomy for relief of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction
      in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Several operations (most commonly ventricular septal myotomy-myectomy
      and also mitral valve replacement) have been performed to relieve symptoms and
      obstruction to left ventricular outflow in patients with hypertrophic
      cardiomyopathy (HCM). METHODS AND RESULTS: In an effort to establish an
      alternative to mitral valve replacement, combined septal myotomy-myectomy and
      suture plication of the anterior mitral valve leaflet was performed in a subgroup
      of 36 severely symptomatic patients with obstructive HCM. These patients were
      selected primarily because the mitral leaflets were judged morphologically at the
      time of operation to be of sufficient size relative to that of the outflow tract
      to represent a risk for residual systolic septal contact and outflow obstruction.
      The effects of operation were assessed in 34 patients; of the 33 with
      preoperative symptoms, 28 (85%) reported substantial functional improvement after
      surgery over an average follow-up of 2.2 years. Of 29 patients with complete
      hemodynamic data, basal outflow gradient was obliterated or reduced substantially
      by surgery (to < or = 35 mm Hg) in 26 patients (90%) and for the group from 81 +/
      42 to 16 +/- 24 mm Hg (p < 0.001); provocable gradient with isoproterenol
      infusion also decreased considerably (from 109 +/- 50 to 47 +/- 25 mm Hg; p <
      0.001). Echocardiographic studies showed that plication limited the systolic
      anterior motion of anterior mitral leaflet. There was no hemodynamic evidence of
      mitral stenosis, and in only one patient did mitral regurgitation increase after
      surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Mitral valve plication combined with myotomy-myectomy in
      obstructive HCM 1) can be performed safely and does not adversely alter mitral
      valve function, 2) relieves symptoms and outflow obstruction under basal and
      provocable conditions, and 3) may represent an alternative to mitral valve
      replacement in selected patients with elongated and enlarged mitral leaflets.

PMID- 1424036
TI  - Acute bacterial endocarditis. Optimizing surgical results.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Acute bacterial endocarditis continues to be a condition with high
      morbidity. Although the majority of patients are treated by high-dose
      antibiotics, a high-risk patient group requires surgical intervention, which is
      the subject of this article. METHODS AND RESULTS: From 1972 to 1991, 3,820
      patients underwent heart valve replacement at the Brigham and Women's Hospital,
      Boston. Of this group, 158 patients underwent surgery for acute bacterial
      endocarditis: 109 had native valve endocarditis (NVE), and 49 had prosthetic
      valve endocarditis (PVE). There were 108 men and 50 women with a mean age of 49
      years (range, 16-79 years); 64% were New York Heart Association functional class
      IV before surgery, and 12% of the group had a history of intravenous drug abuse.
      In both NVE and PVE groups, Streptococcus was the predominant infecting agent.
      Uncontrolled sepsis, progressive congestive failure, peripheral emboli, and
      echocardiographically demonstrated vegetations were the most common indications
      for surgery. Eighty-five percent of patients had a single-valve procedure, 15%
      had a multivalve procedure, and 34 patients had other associated major cardiac
      procedures. The operative mortality was 6% in NVE and 22% in PVE. Long-term
      survival at 10 years was 66% for NVE and 29% for PVE. Freedom from recurrent
      endocarditis at 10 years was 85% for NVE and 82% for PVE. The main factors
      associated with decreased survival overall were PVE and nonstreptococcal
      infection. CONCLUSIONS: The morbidity and mortality after surgical treatment of
      acute endocarditis depend on the site, the severity, and the subject infected.
      Early aggressive surgical intervention is indicated to optimize surgical results,
      especially in patients with nonstreptococcal infection or PVE.

PMID- 1424037
TI  - Spontaneous host endothelial growth on bioprostheses. Influence of fixation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Neither homografts nor bioprostheses have previously been seen to
      acquire a host endothelium. We previously reported a direct relation between
      aldehyde tanning and bioprosthesis calcification and the absence of calcification
      in the absence of aldehyde. METHODS AND RESULTS: Bovine pericardium was 1)
      treated with 0.625% glutaraldehyde and stored in 4% formaldehyde, 2) treated with
      99.5% glycerol, and 3) treated with 99.5% glycerol and stored in formaldehyde
      (0.25-4%). The treated pericardium was used to construct stentless mitral valve
      prostheses (of a single pattern) that were implanted in weanling sheep. After the
      animals were killed, a strip of anterior cusp from annulus to papillary muscle
      was processed and examined by scanning electron microscopy for the presence of
      host endothelial growth. Avoidance of aldehyde allowed host endothelial growth in
      all cases (six of six), and pure aldehyde treatment inhibited growth in five of
      six animals. Exposure to aldehyde after glycerol treatment interfered with
      endothelialization significantly; after longer periods of implantation, however,
      endothelial growth occurred almost invariably in this group (12 of 13 implanted
      longer than 200 days). For this group, there was a statistically significant
      difference for duration of implantation between the valves that grew endothelium
      and those that did not (218.4 +/- 61.9 versus 128.5 +/- 65.4 days). CONCLUSIONS:
      Aldehyde treatment inhibits endothelial growth. With glycerol treatment, growth
      is uniformly present. Limited exposure to aldehydes after glycerol treatment
      inhibits endothelial growth, but this effect was ameliorated by prolonged
      implantation. The possibility of host endothelium-covered, noncalcifying
      bioprostheses is now real.

PMID- 1424038
TI  - Mechanical cardiac valve thrombosis. Is fibrinolysis justified?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Thrombosis is a serious complication of heart valve replacement, and
      management is often difficult. In recent years, thrombolytic therapy has been
      used as the primary technique by some investigators. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sixty
      four consecutive patients presenting with 75 instances of prosthetic heart valve
      thrombosis (41 mitral, 33 aortic, one tricuspid) were treated with fibrinolytic
      agents. Obstructed prosthetic valves comprised 39 tilting disc and 36 bileaflet
      valves. The time interval between valve replacement and obstruction ranged from
      15 days to 192 months (mean, 38 months). Fibrinolytic agents used were
      streptokinase (42 patients), urokinase (27 patients), or recombinant tissue-type
      plasminogen activator (six patients). Immediate results of fibrinolytic treatment
      were 1) full success after one or several consecutive fibrinolytic regimens in 55
      cases (73%), 2) incomplete improvement in two cases, and 3) failure in 18 cases,
      leading to an emergency surgery in nine cases. Nine patients died (four strokes,
      four cardiac arrests, one hemorrhage). Only one severe hemorrhagic complication
      was observed, but 11 cases of embolism occurred during fibrinolytic treatment
      (14.6%) (four major cerebral embolisms with death). The immediate efficacy was
      better for thrombosed aortic prosthesis than with the mitral prosthesis (85%
      versus 63%). CONCLUSIONS: Fibrinolytic treatment appears to be an attractive
      nonsurgical alternative for prosthetic heart valve thrombosis, but because of the
      risk of cerebral embolism, its use should be reserved for tricuspid valve
      thrombosis or critically ill patients with mitral or aortic valve thrombosis. The
      use of a fibrinolytic agent in cases of small, nonobstructive paravalvular
      thrombosis demonstrated with transesophageal echocardiography needs further
      studies.

PMID- 1424039
TI  - From Glenn to Fontan. A continuing evolution.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Aristotle's and Galen's erroneous understanding of the circulation
      eventually was rectified, mostly by Colombo and Harvey, who in the 16th and 17th
      centuries, respectively, provided the foundation to our present knowledge of the
      pulmonary and systemic circulation. The "indispensability" of the right ventricle
      was not questioned until the 20th century. Rodbard, in 1948, for the first time
      successfully bypassed the canine right ventricle by anastomosing the right atrial
      appendage to the proximally ligated main pulmonary artery. This important
      experiment triggered a number of other studies that eventually led to the
      clinical introduction of the Glenn operation in 1959 and the Fontan operation in
      1968. METHODS AND RESULTS: Clinical experience with modifications of the original
      Fontan operation at The Children's Hospital in Boston included 1) direct atrial
      to-pulmonary artery connection (without valves), 2) cavocaval baffle-to-pulmonary
      artery connection, 3) bidirectional cavopulmonary artery anastomosis, and 4)
      fenestrated Fontan approach. The original surgical mortality of 20% has been
      reduced in 1990-1991 to 4%, including patients with complex pathology other than
      tricuspid atresia. The incidence of prolonged pleural effusions has also
      decreased from an earlier 40% to < 5% after bidirectional cavopulmonary artery
      anastomosis and to 11% after the fenestrated Fontan operation. CONCLUSIONS: Much
      progress has been made since Dr. Glenn's and Dr. Fontan's epic contributions.
      Ideally, a more appropriate selection of patients and some of the modifications
      of the original Fontan operation will have a more favorable impact on early and
      long-term results.

PMID- 1424040
TI  - Fenestrated Fontan with delayed catheter closure. Effects of volume loading and
      baffle fenestration on cardiac index and oxygen delivery.
AB  - BACKGROUND. The fenestrated Fontan operation has been applied to high-risk
      patients with univentricular hearts, resulting in improved survival. The purpose
      of this study was to determine the hemodynamic factors responsible for these
      improved results. METHODS AND RESULTS. We performed the fenestrated Fontan
      operation in 17 high-risk patients with univentricular hearts (median age, 3
      years; age range, 1.2-25 years). High-risk characteristics were depressed
      ventricular function and/or hypertrophy (n = 12), atrioventricular valve
      insufficiency (n = 5), pulmonary artery distortion (n = 6), elevated pulmonary
      vascular resistance (> 2 units/m2) (n = 4), previously failed Fontan operation (n
      = 2), or associated Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (n = 1). Intraoperative
      hemodynamic measurements (n = 8) included cardiac index (by aortic flow probe),
      peripheral arterial O2 saturations, and left and right atrial pressures during
      inflow occlusion, followed by volume loading with open versus closed
      fenestration. Mean baffle fenestration was 3.5 mm (range, 2.7-5.0 mm). Multiple
      regression analysis (cardiac index versus atrial pressure) revealed cardiac index
      was greater with open than with closed fenestration (p < 0.001) during volume
      loading. Oxygen delivery (cardiac index multiplied by oxygen content) was also
      greater with open than with closed fenestration (p < 0.001). Survival was 100%
      with a mean follow-up of 10.4 months; pleural drainage was high in two patients.
      Subsequent transcatheter fenestration closure resulted in increased O2 saturation
      (87 +/- 1% to 96 +/- 0.3%, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS. The fenestrated Fontan
      operation improves survival in high-risk patients by increasing cardiac index and
      maintaining oxygen delivery, despite mild arterial O2 desaturation. Subsequent
      transcatheter fenestration closure can be performed after hemodynamic assessment.

PMID- 1424041
TI  - Abolishment of chronic volume overload. Implications for diastolic function of
      the systemic ventricle immediately after Fontan repair.
AB  - BACKGROUND: In patients with a univentricular heart, the chronic ventricular
      volume overload is acutely abolished by the creation of a Fontan circuit. This
      results in an immediate reduction of the ventricular cavity size but also in an
      inappropriate degree of ventricular wall thickness, at least in the early
      postoperative period. The implications for the diastolic properties of the
      ventricle are poorly understood. METHODS AND RESULTS: A chronic volume overload
      through a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt was created in 10 mongrel dogs. Six
      weeks later, the shunt was occluded percutaneously with a detachable balloon. The
      left ventricular end-diastolic dimension and posterior wall thickness were
      measured with transcutaneous echocardiography. Digitized high-fidelity pressure
      tracings were used to determine the time constant of isovolumic pressure decay,
      tau. The isovolumic relaxation time (A2-MVO) and time to minimal left ventricular
      pressure (A2-LVPmin) were recorded. All variables were followed up to 1 month
      after occlusion of the shunt. One hour after occlusion, there was an incomplete
      return to baseline values of the echocardiographic left ventricular dimension
      (+12 +/- 8% of baseline value, p < 0.01). Despite a 31 +/- 14% (p < 0.001)
      increase of the posterior wall thickness after removal of the volume overload,
      tau or ventricular relaxation showed no change from control values. In contrast,
      the early filling wave was blunted, suggesting diminished ventricular suction. A2
      MVO (p < 0.01) and A2-LVPmin (p < 0.05) lengthened well above baseline values for
      up to 1 week after occlusion of the shunt. Over the following month, the volume
      induced hypertrophy regressed, and indexes of early ventricular filling resumed
      control values. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that early after removal of a chronic
      volume overload, the resultant increase of wall thickness is not associated with
      impaired relaxation but that viscosity and inertia caused by the increased mass
      to-volume ratio will impair early ventricular filling.

PMID- 1424042
TI  - Clinical-pathological correlations of coronary disease progression and
      regression.
AB  - The initiation of atherosclerosis may result from blood flow oscillatory shear
      stress in certain vascular sites (bending points, bifurcations, etc.) producing
      chronic minimal injury resulting in functional alteration of the arterial
      endothelium type I injury; experimentally, this is potentiated by atherogenic
      risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, immunocomplexes, viral
      infections, and tobacco smoke. Such minimal injury leads to accumulation of lipid
      and monocytes (macrophages), and subsequently, toxic products released by the
      macrophages produce damage of the intimal surface with denuding endothelium type
      II injury or damage, which attracts platelets; all of these cells release growth
      factors, prompting migration and proliferation of smooth muscle cells and
      producing a "fibro-intimal lesion" or the outside of the capsule of a predominant
      "lipid lesion." The lipid lesions surrounded by a thin capsule tend to be small
      and rupture easily, causing type III injury or damage; that is, they are soft and
      weak, contain large numbers of macrophages, which may release collagenase and
      elastase to form abscesses, and by their location, are under the effect of flow
      shear forces. After plaque disruption there is thrombus formation; when thrombi
      are small, they can become organized and contribute to the growth of the
      atherosclerotic plaque; when thrombi are large and occlusive, they lead to the
      acute coronary syndromes. New data suggest that, at the time of plaque
      disruption, certain "thrombogenic" risk factors modulate the degree of
      thrombogenicity and, thereby, the growth of the plaque versus the various acute
      coronary syndromes. Aside from the need for better understanding of the basic
      biology of atherogenesis, emphasis on identifying and modifying the primary
      atherogenic and thrombogenic risk factors should continue for primary prevention.
      Also, new approaches should focus on the identification, stabilization, and
      regression of the small "lipid plaques" prone to rupture (these are not
      necessarily angiographically apparent), as well as on the use of better and safer
      antithrombotic agents for prevention of progression.

PMID- 1424044
TI  - Interventions that beneficially influence the evolution of coronary
      atherosclerosis. The case for calcium channel blockers.
AB  - Calcium channel blockers have been shown to retard the development of
      atherosclerosis in rabbits fed cholesterol-rich diets. The mechanism accounting
      for this effect is controversial but may be by stimulation of cholesteryl ester
      hydrolase activity in smooth muscle cells, by amelioration of
      hypercholesterolemia-induced endothelial dysfunction, or by inhibition of smooth
      muscle cell proliferation and migration. The effect of calcium channel blockers
      on the evolution of coronary atherosclerosis in humans has been assessed in two
      clinical trials. In the Montreal Heart Institute trial, nicardipine did not
      influence the overall rate of progression and regression; however, nicardipine
      treated patients experienced significantly less progression of minimal lesions,
      defined as stenoses of < or = 20% severity. In the International Nifedipine Trial
      on Antiatherosclerotic Therapy, nifedipine had no effect on overall progression
      and regression but reduced the rate of appearance of new coronary lesions. These
      studies constitute a potentially important new approach to the management of
      coronary atherosclerosis.

PMID- 1424043
TI  - Antithrombotic therapy and progression of coronary artery disease. Antiplatelet
      versus antithrombins.
AB  - Coronary artery disease develops and progresses over decades with lipid
      incorporation and coalescence into the arterial wall, leading to recurrent plaque
      disruption, thrombosis, and organization into fibromuscular lesions. The role of
      thrombin in arterial thrombosis is documented by observations that specific
      thrombin inhibition can completely prevent intraluminal mural thrombus in vivo,
      even though other factors that activate platelets are not inhibited. Platelet
      rich thrombi associated with deep injury have a high thrombin content and require
      blood levels of specific thrombin inhibition with hirudin that are eight to 10
      times those required to prevent thrombi associated with lesser injury or stasis.
      Total prevention of mural thrombus in deeply injured arteries is impossible with
      aspirin or conventional antithrombotic therapy, which can reduce occlusive
      thrombus. Thus, conventional antithrombotic therapies can reduce clinical events
      but are not effective in reducing progression of coronary artery disease. Whether
      newer antithrombins that can totally prevent mural thrombus after deep injury can
      be developed and administered orally and chronically without high risk of
      bleeding and will be able to reduce progression of coronary artery disease is
      unknown. Lesion growth, vascular injury, acute coronary syndromes, and principles
      of thrombus formation on ruptured plaque are discussed elsewhere in this issue.
      This article extends these findings and discusses the prevention and treatment of
      mural thrombosis, the pivotal role of thrombin in arterial thrombosis, and
      antithrombotic therapy for the prevention and the progression of coronary artery
      disease.

PMID- 1424045
TI  - Atherosclerosis. Potential targets for stabilization and regression.
AB  - Reviewed are various aspects of atherosclerotic plaque stabilization and
      regression in humans and experimental animals. Plaque regression is a function of
      the dynamic balance among initiation, progression, stabilization, and removal of
      plaque constituents. Pseudoregression, the result of the triad thrombolysis, age-
      or lesion-dependent arterial dilatation, and relaxation of vasospasm, may readily
      give rise to angiographic misinterpretation. Although lowering of plasma
      cholesterol and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol has demonstrated significant
      clinical benefits in a number of clinical trials, the magnitude of angiographic
      regressive changes is relatively small despite aggressive lipid-lowering
      regimens. The emerging need for alternative or complementary therapeutic
      interventions has been emphasized. In particular, they should be targeted to
      pivotal cellular or molecular mechanisms in initiation, progression, or
      stabilization. Potentially important therapeutic targets include the use of
      antioxidants or free radical scavengers such as Probucol or its analogues,
      butylated hydroxytoluene, tocopherols, and possibly the tocotrienols. Other
      therapeutic targets include intimal monocyte-macrophage recruitment, macrophage
      cholesterol acyltransferase inhibition, stimulation of the high density
      lipoprotein-mediated reverse cholesterol transport system, smooth muscle cell
      migration to and proliferation in the arterial intima, and intimal connective
      tissue synthesis. Whether the isoprenylated proteins associated with the
      cholesterol biosynthetic pathway will give rise to compounds regulating smooth
      muscle cell growth has yet to be determined. Because of the importance of
      thrombosis in the pathogenesis and progression of lesions, the need to develop
      interventional strategies targeted at endothelial cell thromboresistance and
      thromboregulation must assume a high priority in future research and development.
      Other areas of therapeutic promise include the calcium channel blockers and
      angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1424046
TI  - Intact and altered endothelium in regulation of vasomotion.
AB  - The endothelium possesses the ability to modulate vascular tone by the release of
      vasodilator and vasoconstrictor substances, among them endothelium-derived
      relaxing factor (EDRF) and endothelin. Abnormalities in EDRF generation were
      demonstrated in various cardiovascular pathophysiological states, specifically
      atherosclerotic vascular disease, congestive heart failure, and essential and
      pulmonary hypertension. Moreover, increases in plasma endothelin concentration
      have been reported as well in these disease states. When these observations are
      taken together, these states may be characterized by an attenuated release of
      EDRF, whereas the release of endothelin is augmented. An imbalance between EDRF
      and endothelin may contribute to the alteration in vascular tone characteristic
      of cardiovascular disease. The following review summarizes the present knowledge
      of the role of EDRF and endothelin in such disease processes.

PMID- 1424047
TI  - Mechanisms in intimal monocyte-macrophage recruitment. A special role for
      monocyte chemotactic protein-1.
AB  - This article briefly addresses the role of the monocyte-macrophage in
      atherogenesis and the potential mechanisms participating in intimal blood
      monocyte recruitment. The obligatory components of the recruitment process, i.e.,
      contact with the vascular endothelium, attachment, and migration into the
      subendothelial space, are addressed with reference to the influence of blood
      flow, plasma proteins (particularly low density lipoprotein), and inflammatory
      mediators and cytokines. The potentially important role of monocyte chemotactic
      protein-1 in regulating monocyte recruitment in plaque pathogenesis is discussed.

PMID- 1424048
TI  - von Willebrand factor as a target for antithrombotic intervention.
AB  - The adhesive protein von Willebrand factor is essential for the formation of
      platelet thrombi under flow conditions characterized by high shear stress. This
      function requires the interaction with two distinct platelet receptors, the
      glycoprotein complexes Ib-IX-V and IIb-IIIa. Interaction with the former results
      in platelet activation, a necessary step for binding to the latter and supporting
      stable aggregation. The inhibition of von Willebrand factor binding to
      glycoprotein Ib can be achieved with small recombinant fragments containing the
      specific functional domain of the molecule that interacts with this platelet
      receptor. Such fragments may provide a new selective approach to antithrombotic
      therapy.

PMID- 1424049
TI  - Why do plaques rupture?
AB  - Rupture of the plaque surface, often with thrombosis superimposed, occurs
      frequently during the evolution of coronary atherosclerotic lesions. It is
      probably the most important mechanism underlying the sudden, rapid plaque
      progression responsible for acute coronary syndromes. The risk of plaque rupture
      depends on plaque type (composition) rather than plaque size (volume), because
      only plaques rich in soft extracellular lipids are vulnerable (rupture-prone).
      Most ruptures are tiny, occurring at the periphery of the fibrous cap that covers
      the lipid-rich core--points where the cap is usually thinnest and most heavily
      infiltrated by macrophage foam cells. Compared with intact caps, ruptured ones
      usually have less tensile strength and are more extensible, containing less
      collagen and glycosaminoglycans, more extracellular lipid, fewer smooth muscle
      cells, and more macrophages. Progressive extracellular lipid accumulation (lipid
      core formation) and cap weakening (macrophage related?) predispose the plaque to
      rupture and determine the actual vulnerability, which may change with time.
      Luckily, the plaque components responsible for vulnerability (soft lipid and
      probably macrophages) are apparently most likely to regress with treatment. The
      dynamic interplay between the actual plaque vulnerability and external stresses
      ("triggers") probably determines the particular moment and point of rupture, if
      this occurs. Vulnerability probably plays a more important role in rupture than
      triggers, because exercise stress testing of patients with advanced coronary
      artery disease rarely triggers a rupture/thrombus-related acute heart attack. A
      prerequisite is the presence of a vulnerable plaque.

PMID- 1424050
TI  - Factors controlling the development of arterial lesions after injury.
AB  - This review discusses the role of growth factors on the proliferation of smooth
      muscle cells (SMCs) in injured arteries. We have used a variety of procedures to
      injure rat carotid arteries and noted that removal of endothelium followed by
      platelet adherence does not always initiate SMC replication. Furthermore,
      thrombocytopenia did not reduce the early SMC replication induced by balloon
      catheter injury. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) has been found to exert
      little effect on SMC replication but markedly influences the ability of SMCs to
      migrate to the intima. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is a potent mitogen
      for SMCs in denuded arteries while having no effect on cells in control uninjured
      arteries. We have hypothesized that arterial injury leads to release of bFGF from
      injured SMCs and so stimulates cell replication. Rats were treated with
      antibodies to bFGF immediately before balloon injury, and this significantly
      reduced the SMC replication. These findings suggest that in vivo bFGF is an
      important mitogen for initiating SMC replication and that PDGF is important as a
      chemotactic for SMCs.

PMID- 1424051
TI  - A cascade model for restenosis. A special case of atherosclerosis progression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Restenosis presently limits the long-term success of percutaneous
      transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) and allied treatments of atheroma.
      Current views of the pathophysiology of restenosis fail to explain certain
      important clinical features: Thrombosis, often invoked as a cause of smooth
      muscle proliferation, wanes before intimal thickening peaks. Prolonged
      antithrombotic therapy does not eliminate restenosis after PTCA. Furthermore,
      only a minority of angioplastied lesions develop clinically significant
      restenosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We propose a cytokine-growth factor cascade
      mechanism of restenosis pathobiology that could explain these features of human
      restenosis. According to this model, PTCA would produce acute local thrombosis
      and/or mechanical injury that triggers cytokine/growth factor gene expression by
      resident macrophages and smooth muscle cells. This early acute generation of
      cytokines could evoke a secondary growth factor and cytokine response that might
      establish a positive, self-stimulatory autocrine and paracrine feedback loop that
      would serve to amplify and sustain the proliferative response. This multistage
      schema would account for the lag between injury and restenosis and the failure of
      chronic antithrombotic therapy to prevent this process. Human atheromata contain
      variable numbers of macrophages. The macrophage content of a particular lesion
      could determine in part propensity to develop restenosis after angioplasty,
      explaining why all lesions do not develop this process. CONCLUSIONS: Several
      experimental observations support this novel mechanistic model. Leukocytes and
      smooth muscle cells express genes for cytokines and growth factors, and products
      of coagulation and thrombosis can activate mononuclear phagocytes. Cytokines and
      growth factors often augment their own gene expression and induce one another,
      providing a potential intralesional amplification loop. Experimental atheroma and
      advanced human atherosclerotic lesions do not express high levels of growth
      stimulatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 or tumor necrosis factor in the basal
      state but exhibit inducible expression in response to an injurious stimulus.
      Thus, cascades of autocrine or paracrine mediators whose expression is triggered
      by vascular injury might contribute to deranged smooth muscle behavior during
      restenosis.

PMID- 1424052
TI  - Induction of PDGF-responsive genes in vascular smooth muscle. Implications for
      the early response to vessel injury.
AB  - Arterial injury induces vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) to modulate from a
      quiescent to a proliferative state characterized by cell division, migration, and
      secretion of matrix. These changes have been implicated in the development of
      intimal hyperplasia after balloon angioplasty. The transition of VSMC to a
      proliferative state is preceded by the accumulation of platelets and leukocytes,
      which may release growth factors and cytokines at the site of injury. Platelet
      derived growth factor (PDGF) is secreted by platelets and a variety of cellular
      elements associated with the vessel wall and, as a VSMC mitogen and
      chemoattractant, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of intimal hyperplasia.
      We have found that, in addition to its effects on VSMC growth and migration, PDGF
      induces the expression in VSMC of the JE and KC genes, which encode monocyte and
      neutrophil chemoattractants, respectively. The induction of JE and KC by PDGF in
      VSMC culture involves several distinct transmembrane signaling pathways. In
      addition to their induction in VSMC culture, JE and KC messenger RNA accumulates
      rapidly and transiently in adult rabbit aorta after balloon dilatation,
      suggesting a role for these chemoattractants in the early vascular response to
      injury in vivo. The VSMC may therefore play a dual role in vessel injury, both as
      a mediator of the inflammatory response through chemoattractant release and as an
      effector of the hyperplastic response through proliferation.

PMID- 1424053
TI  - Thrombus formation on ruptured atherosclerotic plaques and rethrombosis on
      evolving thrombi.
AB  - Angiography in patients with unstable angina or myocardial infarction with
      subtotal coronary occlusion often reveals eccentric stenoses with irregular
      borders, suggesting ruptured atherosclerotic plaques and thrombosis, as
      documented by angioscopy and at autopsy. We have simulated and studied these
      processes in an ex vivo perfusion chamber and in an in vivo swine model. Our
      results suggest that specific local factors at the time of plaque disruption
      influence the degree of thrombogenicity, the stability of the growing thrombus,
      and, therefore, possibly also the various clinical syndromes. These factors can
      be divided into two groups: local vessel wall-related factors and systemic
      factors with local action at the area of risk. These factors include the
      following. 1) Exposed substrate-related effects: Plaque rupture produces a rough
      surface and stimulates the development of occlusive thrombus in proportion to the
      degree of damage. 2) Fluid dynamics-related factors: The more severe the stenotic
      lesion after plaque rupture, the higher the local shear rate, resulting in
      enhanced platelet deposition and thrombus formation. 3) Vasoconstrictive effects:
      Vasospasm is an important contributor to the pathogenesis of ischemic heart
      disease. 4) Systemic factors: There is clinical and experimental evidence to
      suggest that various systemic factors at the time of plaque rupture may enhance
      thrombogenicity (i.e., levels of epinephrine, levels of serum cholesterol,
      impaired fibrinolysis). We have investigated the role of residual thrombus on the
      process of rethrombosis and found that a residual thrombus is a very thrombogenic
      surface that may significantly contribute to reocclusion even in heparinized
      blood. Using recombinant hirudin as a pharmacological tool in our flow studies,
      we observed that rethrombosis is partially caused by thrombin bound to fibrin in
      the original thrombus, because the effect is abolished by the specific thrombin
      inhibitor.

PMID- 1424054
TI  - Role of high density lipoproteins in the regression of atherosclerosis.
AB  - Atherosclerosis is a slowly progressive disease characterized by the accumulation
      of cholesterol within the vessel wall. Plasma lipoproteins are particles of
      complex lipid and protein composition that transport lipids in blood. Low density
      lipoproteins (LDL) and high density lipoproteins (HDL) are the major cholesterol
      carrier lipoproteins. LDL seem to be responsible for the delivery of lipids
      (cholesterol) from the liver to the tissues. Compelling evidence supports the
      concept that the lipids deposited in the arteriosclerotic lesions are derived
      primarily from plasma LDL. The term "reverse cholesterol transport" describes the
      transport of cholesterol from extrahepatic tissues to the liver, where it may be
      metabolized. Reverse cholesterol transport seems to be the major route for
      removal of the exchangeable cholesterol deposited in the extrahepatic tissue. It
      has been postulated that a major role of the plasma HDL particle is to act as a
      scavenger of tissue cholesterol. The hypothesis that high levels of plasma HDL
      are protective against coronary artery disease (CAD) was initially proposed by
      Barr et al in the early 1950s, but it was overlooked until confirmed by the
      Tromso and Framingham studies in 1977, which showed an inverse relation between
      HDL plasma levels and incidence of CAD. Similar observations have been made in 15
      major experimental studies including eight countries.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1424055
TI  - The relation between atherosclerosis and thrombosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The relation between atherosclerosis and thrombosis has been
      recognized for over a century. Until very recently, however, this
      pathophysiological association has been largely based on observation with little
      information available to dissect molecular and cellular mechanism. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: The known associations between the principal determinants of thrombosis
      (platelets, fibrin and its proteolytic degradation products, and fibrinolytic
      enzymes) and atherosclerosis; the regulation of thrombotic determinants by
      cytokines and growth factors important in atherogenesis; and the modulation of
      thrombotic determinants by atherogenic lipoproteins, especially lipoprotein(a),
      are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Within this conceptual framework, clear molecular and
      cellular mechanisms emerge, and a better basic understanding of the thrombotic
      determinants of atherogenesis can be developed.

PMID- 1424056
TI  - A retrospective study of disposable extended wear lenses in 100 patients: year 2.
AB  - We present the results of the second year of follow-up of 100 patients wearing
      disposable contact lenses on an extended wear basis. Thirty-seven males and 63
      females participated in the study (mean age: 41.1 years +/- 13.88 (mean +/- 1
      standard deviation); and the mean patient follow-up time was 26 months +/- 4.9).
      A total of 13 patients were lost to follow-up. Seventeen patients discontinued
      extended wear yet continued to wear soft lenses on a daily wear basis--the
      reasons for this finding are discussed. A significant decrease in the number of
      events defined as complications (32 events) was noted when compared to the first
      year of follow-up (136 events). Seven corneal infiltrates occurred during the
      second year, compared to 6 such events during the first year of the study.
      Additional complications included: giant papillary conjunctivitis (6 cases),
      corneal staining (5 cases), and corneal abrasions (4 cases). Disposable extended
      wear soft contact lenses offer a reasonable means of vision correction in the
      properly selected patient. At the same time, caution should be exercised in the
      fitting and wear of these lenses.

PMID- 1424058
TI  - A clinical evaluation of two multifocal soft contact lenses.
AB  - We fit two multifocal soft contact lenses, Bausch & Lomb's Bi-Tech and the
      Unilens contact lens from Unilens Corporation, in two separate populations of
      presbyopes. Most patients (24/42, 57%) had no prior contact lens experience.
      Patients were evaluated at 6 and 12 months for comfort, visual acuity, lens fit,
      and corneal findings. Both distance and near vision were found to be slightly
      decreased with each contact lens when compared to best corrected visual acuity
      with spectacles. Seventy-seven percent (14/18) of the Unilens wearers and 67%
      (16/24) of the Bi-Tech wearers continued to wear their lenses for at least 1
      year. Those who discontinued lens wear did so because they were dissatisfied with
      their vision. Presbyopes who seek correction with soft contact lenses appear to
      be more tolerant of a decrease in distance vision than a decrease in near vision.
      Both lenses were comfortable and no corneal pathology was induced. Our results
      suggest that the Unilens (simultaneous vision design) provides more predictable
      correction of presbyopic symptoms than the Bi-Tech (alternating vision design)
      because it is independent of lower lid position and translation. Both of these
      lenses are viable options for the correction of presbyopic symptoms.

PMID- 1424057
TI  - A European fitting philosophy for aspheric, high-Dk RGP contact lenses.
AB  - Microbial keratitis, the most serious complication of contact lens wear, is most
      frequently associated with soft contact lenses. Rigid gas permeable (RGP) lens
      wearers are less often affected. Increased use of high-Dk RGP lenses could reduce
      the number of cases of microbial keratitis. In Europe, aspheric high-Dk RGP
      lenses are very popular. This article presents practical guidelines for computer
      aided fitting of aspheric RGP lenses. Base curve selection using the keratometer
      to determine the corneal topography is described. This method, which is
      inexpensive and time-saving, is suitable for fitting cosmetic contact lenses or
      lenses used in treating such corneal pathology as keratoconus.

PMID- 1424059
TI  - Microbial contamination of hydrophilic contact lenses. Part II: Quantitation of
      microbes after patient handling and after aseptic removal from the eye.
AB  - We cultured Soflens (polymacon) contact lenses to determine the number of
      microorganisms present after patient handling and the number present after
      patient handling and 5 hours of lens wear. Twenty adapted contact lens patients
      were each dispensed two pairs of new sterile Soflens contact lenses. Both pairs
      of lenses were handled by the patients during a single experimental session.
      Prior to handling lenses, patients were instructed to wash their hands with soap
      and water, rinse with tap water, and dry with a paper towel. One pair (handled
      only) was cultured immediately after handling. The second pair (handled-and-worn)
      was placed on the eyes by the patient, removed aseptically following 5 hours of
      wear, and then cultured. All 40 handled-only lenses had viable microorganisms
      associated with them (mean: 653 colony forming units (CFU) per lens). Bacteria
      were isolated on all of these lenses and fungi were detected on six. The mean
      bacterial count for the handled-and-worn lenses was 30 CFU/lens; fewer than half
      exhibited handled-and-worn lenses was 30 CFU/lens; fewer than half exhibited
      bacteria and no fungi were isolated. These data suggest that patient handling is
      a highly significant source of microbial contamination of hydrophilic contact
      lenses. Also, the number of microorganisms on lenses is significantly reduced (P
      < 0.0001) after the lens has been worn on the eye.

PMID- 1424060
TI  - Collagen shields containing tobramycin for sustained therapy (24 hours) of
      experimental Pseudomonas keratitis.
AB  - We compared collagen shields hydrated in 1.36% tobramycin with topical 1.36%
      tobramycin for sustained treatment of experimental Pseudomonas keratitis in
      rabbits. Antibiotic therapy for a total of 24 hours was initiated 14 hours after
      an intrastromal injection of 10(3) logarithmic phase Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
      Seven groups were treated as follows: groups 1-3, collagen shields hydrated in
      tobramycin supplemented with topical 1.36% tobramycin drops at 4, 6, or 8 hour
      intervals; group 4, collagen shields hydrated in tobramycin without any further
      topical supplementation; group 5, topical tobramycin therapy, initially every
      half-hour for 4 hours, then hourly; group 6, collagen shields hydrated in
      balanced saline solution; and group 7, no treatment. Each group contained four
      eyes. The groups treated with collagen shields supplemented every 4 or 6 hours
      with topical tobramycin had significantly fewer colony forming units (CFU) than
      those receiving topical or collagen shield therapy alone (P < 0.001). The group
      treated with collagen shields hydrated in sterile saline had 10(7) CFU per
      cornea, which was not significantly different from the untreated group (P > 0.2).
      Collagen shields hydrated in tobramycin and supplemented with topical tobramycin
      were effective in sustained treatment of experimental Pseudomonas keratitis.

PMID- 1424061
TI  - Practical aspects of a corneal topography system.
AB  - We used the EyeSys Corneal Topography System to examine several issues relating
      to corneal topography systems and the interpretation of their results.
      Interferometry measurements of EyeSys calibration spheres indicated that they
      deviated from suggested values by 0.05 +/- 0.13 D (mean +/- 1 standard
      deviation). The EyeSys unit reliably determined the calibration spheres to be
      spherical with differences between the flat and steep axis of 0.10 +/- 0.09 D.
      The data for the 3 mm chord circle was the least reliable. The spherical
      equivalent values for the calibration spheres were constantly greater than the
      0.25 D reproducibility suggested by the manufacturer. Furthermore, the precision
      of the outputted values (0.01 D) is beyond the capability of the instrument. This
      gives the impression that the topography unit cannot consistently reproduce
      measurements of the calibration objects or chrome plated steel spheres. Image
      centralization and focus were found to be critical in obtaining accurate results.
      A target off center by more than 0.25 mm resulted in unreliable data; increasing
      the focal distance by greater than 1 mm beyond the focal point resulted in a
      sharp decrease in accuracy (a decrease in the focal distance was even more
      critical). When measuring aspheric contact lenses, it was found that the
      keratometer and EyeSys unit provided a close approximation of the surface
      characteristics of the lenses. A realistic view of the limitations of the
      topography system being used is critical for proper interpretation of the data.

PMID- 1424062
TI  - The effect of pregnancy on corneal curvature.
AB  - Even though they had been successful contact lens wearers previously, many women
      develop contact lens intolerance while pregnant. We prospectively followed 24
      women during pregnancy, postpartum, and after cessation of breastfeeding. Six
      women (25%) developed contact lens intolerance during the study period. There
      were no changes observed in refraction, corneal sensitivity, corneal thickness,
      or intraocular pressure. However, there was a statistically significant (P <
      0.05) increase in corneal curvature during the second and third trimester which
      resolved postpartum or after the cessation of breastfeeding. We discuss the
      clinical importance of this finding.

PMID- 1424063
TI  - A quantitative method for LDH, MDH and albumin levels in tears with ocular
      surface toxicity scored by Draize criteria in rabbit eyes.
AB  - We have established a quantitative method for evaluation of ocular surface
      lesions on the basis of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, malate
      dehydrogenase (MDH) activity, and albumin levels in rabbit tears. Lesions were
      produced with solutions of 0.005-0.02% benzalkonium chloride (BAK), 0.01-0.03%
      chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX), and 0.01-0.03% polyhexamethylene biguanide
      hydrochloride (PHMB), all of which are widely used in topical ophthalmic
      preparations. Two drops of test solution were instilled 15 times into rabbit eyes
      at 5 minute intervals. Sixty minutes after 0.02% BAK instillation, tear LDH
      activity increased from 1,840 U/L (without instillation) to 26,100 U/L, and
      concomitantly tear albumin levels rose from 0.11 mg/mL (without instillation) to
      9.48 mg/mL. Instillation of 0.03% CHX and 0.03% PHMB caused smaller increases in
      LDH and MDH activity and albumin tear levels. LDH activity and albumin levels in
      tears were significantly correlated with the degree of total ocular surface
      lesions in both cornea and conjunctiva as observed by slit lamp biomicroscopy
      quantified using a modified Draize score. Based on the results of this study, we
      believe that LDH activity and albumin level in tears can be used as objective
      indicators for the quantitative evaluation of ocular surface lesions on both
      cornea and conjunctiva following application of topical ophthalmic preparations
      containing cytotoxic preservatives in animals and man.

PMID- 1424064
TI  - Everett Kinsey Lecture. The enigma of the corneal contour.

PMID- 1424065
TI  - New technology in the catheterization lab.

PMID- 1424066
TI  - A checklist of common oral manifestations of HIV infection.

PMID- 1424067
TI  - Risk factors for HIV infection in homosexual men: the Cleveland men's study of
      risks in a low-prevalence area.
AB  - Detailed questionnaires concerning alcohol and drug use, sexual practices, and
      medical history were completed by 301 homosexual men living in the Cleveland
      metropolitan area. Their sera were subsequently tested for antibodies to the
      human immunodeficiency virus. Fifty-six (18.6%) were seropositive. In a
      univariate analysis, age, drug use, and four specific sexual practices were
      associated with seropositivity. In a multiple logistic regression analysis,
      intravenous drug use and receptive anal-genital sex remained independent
      predictors of seropositivity.

PMID- 1424068
TI  - Ordering respiratory care services for hospitalized patients: practices of
      overuse and underuse.
AB  - Because of recent concerns about misallocation of respiratory care services and
      analyses suggesting that limiting services to comply with established guidelines
      reduces unneeded therapies without compromising quality of care, the authors
      audited the records of 170 patients newly ordered to receive at least one of five
      respiratory therapies (oxygen therapy, incentive spirometry, bronchopulmonary
      hygiene, aerosolized bronchodilator therapy, or intermittent positive pressure
      breathing) at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. In reviewing whether the therapies
      that were ordered complied with published guidelines for these services, we found
      that 25.2% were "not indicated." This over-ordering incurred unnecessary total
      charges of $11,937 ($206.16 per patient) and occupied therapist time that could
      have been better allocated to other services. These costs were offset by the
      finding that 10.5% of the patients were not ordered to receive indicated
      respiratory therapies. Our proposed strategy of initiating protocols for ordering
      and providing respiratory care services (ie, via a respiratory care consult
      service) is an appealing means to address this misallocation, but it requires
      further evaluation.

PMID- 1424069
TI  - Adults with congenital complete heart block: 25-year follow-up.
AB  - Complete congenital heart block has been recognized since 1846, yet the prognosis
      of the disease has not been determined by comprehensive long-term studies. We
      reviewed 14 cases of complete congenital heart block at The Cleveland Clinic
      Foundation. The patients were followed for a mean of 25 years (range, 20 to 32
      years). Ten patients had structurally normal hearts, and 4 had varying degrees of
      congenital heart disease. The patients were evaluated with regard to symptoms,
      and indications for permanent pacemaker implantation were studied. Seven patients
      received permanent pacemakers. Ages at the time of pacemaker implantation ranged
      from 15 to 38 years (mean, 25 years). Overall, the patients in our study tended
      to lead normal productive lives. The main indications for pacemaker implantation
      were symptoms alone. Guidelines for prophylactic pacemaker implantation have yet
      to be determined, and the development of these guidelines is difficult due to
      small numbers of patients at isolated centers. A large international study is
      needed to set these guidelines.

PMID- 1424070
TI  - The effect of do-not-resuscitate orders on length of stay.
AB  - In 1988, a new do-not-resuscitate policy aimed at assisting professional staff,
      nurses, patients, and families in end-of-life choices replaced the existing
      policy at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. We conducted a retrospective chart
      review to examine the effects of the new policy on length of stay. Data were
      collected on demographics, clinical information, length of stay, and the
      frequency of do-not-resuscitate orders for expired Medicare patients in 1987 (n =
      125) and 1989 (n = 135). Length of stay for patients who received a do-not
      resuscitate order was significantly reduced in 1989 compared with 1987, partly
      because the orders were issued earlier in patients' stays in 1989. The number of
      days from writing the order until death did not change significantly from 1987 to
      1989. We conclude that a well-defined do-not-resuscitate policy can reduce length
      of stay.

PMID- 1424071
TI  - Adjuvant therapy for colorectal cancer.
AB  - The search for effective adjuvant therapy for colorectal cancer has been long
      and, until recently, largely unrewarding. Surgery alone is inadequate therapy in
      as many as 50% of patients. But recent studies demonstrate significant
      improvement in disease-free survival and overall survival for patients with
      advanced colon and rectal cancer who receive adjuvant therapy. Postoperative
      chemotherapy with fluorouracil and levamisole is the standard of care for
      patients with stage III colon cancer, and postoperative high-dose pelvic
      radiation combined with fluorouracil is the standard regimen for patients with
      stage II and III rectal cancer.

PMID- 1424072
TI  - New strategies in nonantibiotic treatment of gram-negative sepsis.
AB  - Gram-negative bacterial infections are difficult to control and often lead to
      septic shock or septic syndrome. Many physiologic changes in sepsis are due to
      bacterial triggering of host responses. Improved understanding of these
      mechanisms has led to new treatment modalities that aim to block the runaway
      inflammatory process of sepsis. New therapeutic agents are currently being
      evaluated in animal and human studies. By combining these advances with adequate
      antibiotic therapy, it may be possible to improve overall survival in patients
      with gram-negative sepsis.

PMID- 1424073
TI  - Cytokines and the pathogenesis of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
AB  - Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is an autoimmune phenomenon in humans. At
      onset, the diabetic pancreas shows a well-characterized insulitis. The
      inflammatory cells are specifically directed toward beta cells of the pancreatic
      islets. Several hypotheses link genetic susceptibility for diabetes to
      immunologic mechanisms. The cytokines interferon gamma and interleukin-6 have
      essential roles in the progressive destruction of beta cells. Studies with
      experimental models may improve definition of the pathogenesis of insulin
      dependent diabetes mellitus. Combining genetic studies that detect susceptibility
      to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with future therapies aimed at
      interrupting cytokine production or cytokine receptor expression may lead to
      prevention of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

PMID- 1424074
TI  - The effect of sleep position on the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea: a word
      of caution.
AB  - Sleeping in the supine position exacerbates obstructive sleep apnea. Patients
      sleeping off their backs during a polysomnographic study might have a normal
      study in spite of having a history of severe obstructive sleep apnea. This might
      be shown by repeating the study with the patients spending most of the study time
      sleeping on their backs. We report three patients illustrating this point and
      discuss the importance of monitoring sleep position while performing
      polysomnography. The effect of position in interpreting different therapeutic
      modes for obstructive sleep apnea should be considered.

PMID- 1424075
TI  - Renal pseudoenlargement secondary to retroperitoneal liposarcoma.
AB  - A case of renal pseudoenlargement caused by a large retroperitoneal mass is
      reported. An intravenous urogram showed apparent enlargement of the right kidney
      and a normal left kidney. Computed tomography showed a normal-sized right kidney.
      The discrepancy was due to magnification produced by marked anterior displacement
      of the right kidney by a retroperitoneal liposarcoma.

PMID- 1424076
TI  - Syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone after infusional
      vincristine.
AB  - A 77-year-old woman with refractory multiple myeloma was treated with a 4-day
      continuous intravenous infusion of vincristine and doxorubicin and 4 days of oral
      dexamethasone. Nine days after her second cycle she presented with lethargy and
      weakness associated with hyponatremia. Evaluation revealed the syndrome of
      inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone, which was attributed to the
      vincristine infusion. After normal serum sodium levels returned, further
      doxorubicin and dexamethasone chemotherapy without vincristine did not produce
      this complication.

PMID- 1424077
TI  - Squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder in a patient on intermittent self
      catheterization.
AB  - Squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder has been associated with exstrophy,
      defunctionalized bladders, chronic infection, cystolithiasis, and chronic
      indwelling catheters. We report a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder
      in a woman performing intermittent self-catheterization for the previous 14
      years.

PMID- 1424078
TI  - Obstacles to HIV prevention.

PMID- 1424079
TI  - Clinical ethics and cost containment: promises and pitfalls.

PMID- 1424080
TI  - Expansile tibial lesion in a 23-year-old man.

PMID- 1424081
TI  - Immunoreactive vasotocin in the zebra finch brain (Taeniopygia guttata).
AB  - The distribution of vasotocin (VT)-immunoreactive cells and fibers in the zebra
      finch brain was studied with immunocytochemical techniques. A large number of VT
      immunoreactive cells was found in the nucleus preopticus anterior and nucleus
      paraventricularis. In the lateral parts of the hypothalamus diffusely organized
      VT-immunoreactive cells were present. Some of these cells were found close to and
      embedded in the optic tract. An extra-hypothalamic parvocellular cell group was
      found at the level of the anterior commissure in the dorsal diencephalon. VT
      immunoreactive fibers and varicosities were present in a number of
      extrahypothalamic regions i.e. the septum, the area ventralis of Tsai, the
      lateral habenula, the optic tectum, the substantia grisea centralis, the nucleus
      tractus solitarii, the lateral medulla, the nucleus intercollicularis and in the
      archistriatum surrounding the nucleus robustus archistriatalis. The VT
      immunostaining in the lateral septum and dorsal diencephalon showed no sex
      differences and can not be influenced by testosterone administration. IN
      CONCLUSION: the topography of the central VT-immunoreactive network is similar to
      that in another song bird i.e. the canary; but seasonal and testosterone
      dependent changes in VT-immunostaining in the lateral septum and dorsal
      diencephalon are only observed in the canary.

PMID- 1424082
TI  - Large serotonin-like immunoreactive amacrine cells in the retina of developing
      Xenopus laevis.
AB  - The earliest appearance of serotonin-like immunoreactivity (SLI) in different
      cell types and the development of large SLI amacrine cells were studied in the
      retina of Xenopus laevis from stage 33/34 to adult. Intense SLI was first found
      in the somas of large amacrine cells at stage 39. The somas of small amacrine
      cells showed weak SLI at stage 41, followed by bipolar cells at stage 43. The
      number of large SLI amacrine cells in the inner nuclear layer of the retina
      increased from 57 at stage 40 to 774 in adult. Over the same period, retinal area
      increased from 0.19 mm2 to 24.57 mm2 with an accompanying decrease of cell
      density from 301/mm2 to 32/mm2. in adult animals large SLI amacrine cells were
      non-uniformly distributed. Peak cell density of 50-60/mm2 was located in the
      center of the ventrotemporal quadrant and a trough of 8-15/mm2 in the dorsal
      periphery of the retina. Peak cell density region of the adult retina
      corresponded to part of the retina formed at early developmental stages where the
      rate of cell generation of large SLI amacrine cells was higher. These
      observations indicate that (1) SLI is expressed first by large amacrine cells,
      followed by small amacrine and bipolar cells; (2) large SLI amacrine cells are
      generated continuously throughout life, (3) the non-uniform retinal distribution
      of large cells results from a spatio-temporally differential cell generation at
      the ciliary margin.

PMID- 1424083
TI  - Brain grafts of migratory GnRH cells induce gonadal recovery in hypogonadal (hpg)
      mice.
AB  - Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons are derived from the olfactory
      placode and migrate into the CNS during embryogenesis. During this migration the
      GnRH neuronal population follows a very specific pathway through the nasal septum
      and forebrain with individual neurons 'stopping' at various points along the way.
      Following migration GnRH neurons elaborate axonal projections, the major one to
      the median eminence. The function of this neurosecretory connection can then be
      assessed by activation of the pituitary-gonadal axis. In previous experiments we
      had demonstrated that grafted post-migratory GnRH neurons could send axons to the
      median eminence and initiate gonadal development in hypogonadal (hpg) mice that
      lack GnRH. In the present experiment, grafts derived from the embryonic nasal
      septum, which contains the migratory population of GnRH neurons, were used to
      determine if the transplanted GnRH neurons could (1) continue their migration in
      the adult host brain, (2) elaborate axons to their normal target in the host and
      (3) stimulate the host pituitary-gonadal axis to induce gonadal development.
      Nasal tissue from normal mouse embryos was implanted into the preoptic area (n =
      8), anterior hypothalamus (n = 3) or third ventricle (n = 1) of adult hpg males.
      Following survival of 10 days to 10 weeks, the distribution of GnRH
      immunoreactive elements was assessed and testicular weight recorded. Surviving
      GnRH neurons were few in number and were found within the graft (n = 3), the host
      brain (n = 2) or both (n = 1). Four grafts resulted in specific outgrowth of GnRH
      axons through the host parenchyma to the median eminence.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1424084
TI  - Alterations of nerve-muscle interaction during postnatal development influence
      motoneurone survival in rats.
AB  - The effect of temporary paralysis of rat soleus muscles shortly after birth on
      motoneurone survival was studied using retrograde labelling with HRP. Following a
      single application of alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-BTX) at birth the muscles were
      paralysed for 24-48 h. The number of HRP-labelled motoneurones in the treated
      ventral horn of the spinal cord in 10-week-old rats decreased to 63.7% (+/- 2.7
      S.E.M.) of the control ventral horn. This motoneurone loss occurs relatively late
      after alpha-BTX application, for in animals examined at 3-4 weeks of age, the
      number of labelled motoneurones in the treated ventral horn was not reduced. When
      paralysis of the soleus muscles was extended to 6-8 days by application of an
      additional alpha-BTX implant, then by 10 weeks of age only 34.7% (+/- 1.5 S.E.M.)
      of soleus motoneurones were present. Thus, prolonging the duration of paralysis
      reduced the number of surviving motoneurones. Furthermore, the mean area of
      motoneurones that survived alpha-BTX treatment was smaller than that of controls.
      There was also a shift in the size distribution of the motoneurones in that there
      was a relative increase in the proportion of small motoneurones. This finding is
      similar to observations on motoneurone sizes after neonatal nerve injury. Thus,
      interruption of neuromuscular interaction during early postnatal development
      causes many motoneurones to die, and in addition alters the size distribution of
      the remaining cells.

PMID- 1424085
TI  - A molecular recognizing system of serotonin in rat fetal axonal growth cones:
      uptake and high affinity binding.
AB  - Axonal growth cone particles (AGCP) isolated from prenatal and postnatal rat
      brain had different high-affinity 5-HT uptake characteristics. In postnatal AGCP
      the uptake behaves as in the adult rat brain, while in the prenatal AGCP the
      uptake characteristics seem to be in a transitional stage. Also in prenatal AGCP
      we observed specific, high-affinity 5-HT binding sites. These results support the
      idea of an important role for 5-HT during axogenesis.

PMID- 1424086
TI  - Hyperactivity and altered amphetamine sensitivity in premature juvenile rats.
AB  - 'Premature' rats that were delivered by cesarean section on day 21 of gestation
      and 'normal' rats that were delivered spontaneously on day 22 of gestation were
      tested for basal locomotor activity and locomotor stimulation in response to D
      amphetamine at 19-21 days of age. Compared to normal rats, premature rats had
      increased basal levels of locomotor activity and showed enhanced sensitivity to
      the locomotor stimulant effects of D-amphetamine. Cesarean-delivered premature
      rats may be a useful animal model for investigating mechanisms of neurobehavioral
      deficits associated with premature birth in humans.

PMID- 1424087
TI  - Serotonin 1B receptors form a transient vibrissa-related pattern in the primary
      somatosensory cortex of the developing rat.
AB  - Serotonin (5-HT)-immunoreactive axons have a patterned distribution in the
      primary sensory cortices of developing rodents. This distribution becomes
      apparent shortly after birth and disappears around the end of the second
      postnatal week. We employed binding of [125I]cyanopindolol in the presence of
      isoproterenol to determine whether 5-HT1B receptors have a similar transient
      spatiotemporal distribution. In rats killed on postnatal day (P-) 8, 5-HT1B
      receptors have a distribution closely matching that of 5-HT-immunoreactivity. The
      receptors are very dense in lamina IV of both the primary visual and
      somatosensory cortices and, like 5-HT immunoreactive axons within the
      somatosensory cortex, form patches matching the distribution of the mystacial
      vibrissae. In adult animals, the density of these receptors in lamina IV and the
      supragranular layers of the visual and somatosensory cortices is reduced relative
      to that in the surrounding cortex. Autoradiograms of the flattened cortices of
      adult rats yield a 'negative image' of the pattern observed in perinatal animals.
      Thus, one subclass of 5-HT receptors, the 5-HT1B receptor, has a spatial
      distribution in cortex which changes in development much like that for
      serotoninergic axons.

PMID- 1424088
TI  - Aging reverts to juvenile conditions the synaptic connectivity of cerebral
      cortical pyramidal shafts.
AB  - Quantitative analysis of the total number and distribution of dendritic spines
      along the apical shafts of layer V cerebral cortical pyramids has been performed
      on aging rats (90-120 to 1,135 days old) and on rats during the period of early
      and late development (10-80 days). As expected from previous work, present
      results show that the total number of dendritic spines along the shafts increase
      from 10 to 80 days, after which it starts to gradually decrease until the last
      age studied (1,135 days). The quantitative analysis of the effect of aging on the
      relative decrease of dendritic spines shows that this decrease starts being
      homogeneous along the whole length of the apical shafts and that from a certain
      age onwards, estimated according to present results in 400 days, this effect is
      significantly more pronounced in layers IV and III-II than in deep layers.
      Furthermore, the comparison made between the distribution of dendritic spines
      along the apical shafts of pyramidal neurons of old and young animals has shown
      that aging produces a regression of this distribution to juvenile conditions.

PMID- 1424089
TI  - Effect of cocaine, ethanol or nicotine on ornithine decarboxylase activity in
      early chick embryo brain.
AB  - Fetal drug exposure causes multiple deficits in the developing child. For both
      humans and animal models, the single most common drug-related problem is fetal
      growth suppression. This defect is associated with significant perinatal
      morbidity and mortality and may also be related to significant behavioral
      problems appearing later in life. Studies focussed on the molecular mechanism of
      fetal drug effects in placental models are complicated by multiple interactions
      of the drug with mother, placenta and fetus. Using early (76-168 h) chick embryos
      as a non-placental model, and three common drugs of abuse (nicotine, ethanol and
      cocaine) it was found that each drug suppressed the peak in fetal brain ornithine
      decarboxylase (ODC) activity that normally occurs at 120 h of development. For
      each drug, the decrease in ODC activity at 120 h was followed by a small but
      significant increase in ODC. Thus, although the drug-treated embryos were smaller
      in size, they appeared to be undergoing compensatory growth and, in fact, became
      equal in weight to the vehicle-treated animals, if allowed to hatch.

PMID- 1424091
TI  - Interendothelial junctions during blood-brain barrier development in the rat:
      morphological changes at the level of individual tight junctional contacts.
AB  - The endothelium of brain capillaries represents the structural basis for the
      blood-brain barrier in vertebrates. Individual endothelial cells are linked by a
      continuous belt of complex tight junctions (zonulae occludentes). Hydrophilic
      solutes and macromolecules are believed to cross the barrier through specific
      carrier mechanisms. Unspecific paracellular ionic leak is thought to be very low.
      In rats the blood-brain barrier is not fully developed until postnatal day 24. We
      investigated the ultrastructure of the developing blood-brain barrier at 5
      developmental stages between embryonic day 17 and young adults. The use of high
      power goniometric tilting of ultrathin sections allows one to gather information
      about the exact relationship between two opposing membranes throughout the entire
      length of the cleft. Our results suggest that the maturation of blood--brain
      barrier interendothelial clefts is accompanied by the establishment of a
      characteristic ratio of 'narrow zone' (complex tight junctions) to 'wide zone'
      (15-20 nm), and of a typical cleft length. Membrane separation larger than 20 nm
      disappear and individual tight junctional contacts undergo structural changes.

PMID- 1424090
TI  - Development of cerebral arterial innervation: synchronous development of
      neuropeptide Y (NPY)- and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-containing
      fibers and some observations on growth cones.
AB  - The pre- and postnatal development of sympathetic fibers containing neuropeptide
      Y (NPY) and parasympathetic fibers containing vasoactive intestinal polypeptide
      (VIP) supplying the cerebral arteries were studied with immunohistochemistry in
      rats. The innervation patterns and densities of NPY and VIP fibers were similar
      at all stages of development and similar to that previously reported for
      norepinephrine (NE). There was a striking reorganization of the innervation
      pattern of all three fiber systems between the first and second postnatal weeks.
      At all stages of development prior to the first postnatal week, growth cones were
      present on individual fibers at the distal part of major cerebral arteries and
      the middle segment of the basilar artery. The growth cones had a range of shapes
      from blunt to stellate, lanceolate or filiform. NPY and VIP immunoreactive
      granules were commonly present. The present results taken with our earlier
      developmental study of NE fibers (J. Comp. Neurol., 271 (1988) 435-444),
      demonstrate that: (1) both sympathetic and parasympathetic perivascular nerves on
      immature cerebral vessels develop with similar sequences: first longitudinal
      fibers and fiber bundles are present; these transform to a meshwork pattern and
      finally transform again into the mature, predominantly circumferential pattern;
      (2) both the classical (NE) and peptidergic transmitters (NPY) within the
      sympathetic system appear to develop identically in terms of time of appearance,
      innervation patterns, densities and reorganization.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1424092
TI  - Axotomized frog sciatic nerve releases diffusible neurite-promoting factors.
AB  - Using the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and its sciatic
      nerve (ScN) as a model system, we have previously described neuronal and non
      neuronal molecular changes associated with the early regenerative response of DRG
      neurons to axotomy. Since diffusible molecular factors, released by axotomized
      ScN, might function to stimulate axon regrowth, we have assayed the ability of
      ScN-conditioned bath to promote in vitro neurite outgrowth from PC-12 cells.
      Diffusible ScN proteins were collected by incubating segments of normal or
      axotomized ScN in a small volume of RPMI media for 4 h (nerve bath). The nerve
      baths, supplemented with serum, were then added to PC-12 cell cultures to assay
      for the presence of neurite growth factors released by ScN. Results showed that
      nerve baths, collected from sham-operated or axotomized ScN, could not induce the
      differentiation of PC-12 into neurite-bearing cells. Therefore, in all subsequent
      neurite growth assay experiments, an exogenous source of nerve growth factor
      (NGF) (50 ng/ml) was added to the nerve baths or unconditioned media to generate
      and maintain PC-12 neuritic structure. We found that nerve baths, collected from
      previously axotomized (at least 3 days post-injury) nerve, contained diffusible
      factors which enhanced PC-12 neurite growth, relative to unconditioned media. No
      neurite growth factors were observed to be released by sham-operated ScN or 1-day
      post-axotomized ScN. Further experiments were conducted to identify the
      diffusible neurite growth factors released from axotomized ScN. We showed that
      the release (if any) of endogenous diffusible NGF or laminin from axotomized
      nerve could not have accounted for the facilitation of neurite growth. Analysis
      of radiolabelled ScN proteins by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel could not
      have accounted for the facilitation of neurite growth. Analysis of radiolabelled
      ScN proteins by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE)
      showed that the relative abundance of two diffusible proteins (M(r) approximately
      35 and 70 kDa) in the nerve bath was directly correlated with the ability of the
      nerve bath to facilitate PC-12 neurite growth.

PMID- 1424093
TI  - A PCR analysis of rhodopsin gene transcription in rat pineal photoreceptor
      differentiation.
AB  - A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was used to detect rhodopsin transcripts
      in rat pineals both in vivo and in vitro. Only very low levels of transcripts
      were detected in preparations from adult rat pineal tissue, but fairly large
      amounts were detected in cDNA preparations from cultures of newborn rat pineals.
      The transcript level was reduced significantly if the cells had been cultured in
      the presence of 10 microM norepinephrine (NE). This concentration of NE had
      previously been shown to abolish almost completely the rhodopsin immunoreactivity
      normally seen in such cultures. The present work indicates that part, but not
      all, of the effect of NE is probably at the level of translation.

PMID- 1424094
TI  - Thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) and its analog, RGH-2202, accelerate
      maturation of cerebellar neurons in vitro.
AB  - We have studied the "trophic" action of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) in
      cultured cerebellar granule cells, a pure and homogeneous population of
      glutamatergic neurons. As an index of neuronal maturation, we have measured the
      uptake of D-[3H]aspartate (a non-metabolizable analog of glutamate) at different
      days of maturation in vitro (DIV). In control cultures, D-[3H]Aspartate increased
      linearly during maturation reaching plateau values between 7 and 9 DIV; daily
      addition of TRH tartrate (TRH-t) or RGH-2202 (a TRH analog) accelerated in a
      concentration-dependent manner the maturation profile of D-[3H]aspartate uptake.
      This effect was more pronounced for RGH-2202: in cultures treated daily with RGH
      2202, D-[3H]aspartate uptake was fully expressed after 3 DIV. Neither TRH-t nor
      RGH-2202 significantly increased D-[3H]aspartate uptake in mature cells,
      excluding a direct action on the glutamate transport system. Both compounds
      specifically potentiated the increase in [3H]inositol monophosphate formation
      (but not the stimulation of 45Ca2+ influx) induced by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)
      receptor agonists, without affecting the stimulation of inositol phospholipid
      hydrolysis by quisqualate or carbamylcholine. We suggest that, in cultured
      cerebellar granule cells, TRH and RGH-2202 enhance the trophic action of
      endogenous glutamate by amplifying some of the intracellular events that follow
      the influx of extracellular Ca2+ through NMDA-gated ion channels.

PMID- 1424095
TI  - Sex differences in cortical thickness and the dendritic tree in the monocular and
      binocular subfields of the rat visual cortex at weaning age.
AB  - The visual cortex of adult rats is sexually dimorphic at both the gross size and
      dendritic levels [Brain Res., 295 (1984) 27-34; J. Comp. Neurol., in press]. In
      addition, sex differences in the dendritic tree are dynamic and can be altered by
      environmental conditions imposed at weaning [Brain Res., 295 (1984) 27-34]. The
      present study examines sex differences in cortical thickness and in the dendritic
      tree of the monocular (Oc1M) and binocular (Oc1B) subfields in littermate male
      and female pairs of Long-Evans rats at weaning age (25 days). From Nissl-stained
      tissue, it was found that the whole cortex and layer II-IV of Oc1B was thicker in
      males than females. No sex differences were found in the thickness of Oc1M. Golgi
      Cox-stained pyramidal neurons in layer III from the Oc1M and Oc1B regions were
      quantified in 7 littermate pairs of weaning-age rats. There were no sex
      differences in the basilar tree, while the apical oblique branches were sexually
      dimorphic, especially in the monocular region. Females had greater total
      dendritic length and longer terminal branches in Oc1M compared to males. Females
      also had longer bifurcating branches in both Oc1M and Oc1B than males. The
      present study found that sex differences at weaning age do not completely mirror
      the dimorphisms found in the visual cortex of the adult rat. This study also
      indicates that related subfields can differ in their morphology and should be
      examined separately.

PMID- 1424096
TI  - Laminin selectively enhances axonal growth and accelerates the development of
      polarity by hippocampal neurons in culture.
AB  - We have examined the effects of laminin on the morphological development of
      embryonic rat hippocampal neurons maintained in tissue culture. Forty-eight hours
      after plating, neurons grown on a polylysine-coated substrate had become
      polarized, typically having one long axon and 4 or 5 minor processes. Adsorption
      of laminin to the substrate did not cause changes in the number of axons extended
      by hippocampal neurons but did cause significant increases in the length of the
      axonal plexus and in axonal branching. In contrast to its effects on axons,
      laminin did not influence the number, length, or branching of the minor processes
      that eventually become dendrites or the morphology of definite dendrites as
      assessed after 7 days in culture. In addition to selectively enhancing axonal
      growth, laminin greatly increased the rate of polarization of hippocampal neurons
      such that most became polarized within 18 h. Analysis of the time course of
      laminin's effects revealed that the acceleration of polarization was not
      associated with a change in the time of initial process formation, but rather
      with a selective stimulation of the growth of the longest process at all times
      from the 12th through the 48th h in vitro. These data suggest that even though
      the basic shape of hippocampal neurons may be intrinsically programmed, critical
      aspects of their morphological development may be modulated by extracellular
      matrix molecules such as laminin.

PMID- 1424097
TI  - Alterations in septohippocampal cholinergic innervations and related behaviors
      after early exposure to heroin and phencyclidine.
AB  - Mice were exposed to diacetylmorphine (heroin) or phencyclidine (PCP) prenatally
      or neonatally. At a later age, they were tested for hippocampus-related
      behavioral deficits and concomitant alterations in the septohippocampal
      cholinergic innervations. Actually, this is an application of the previously
      established phenobarbital neuroteratogenicity model to heroin and PCP. Prenatal
      exposure was accomplished transplacentally by injecting the mother 10 mg/kg
      heroin or PCP on gestation days 9-18. Neonatal administrations were applied
      directly by injections of 10 mg/kg of either drug to the pups between neonatal
      days 2-21. At the age of 50 days, mice exposed to heroin and PCP prenatally
      exhibited a 107% and 159% increase in their muscarinic cholinergic receptors
      Bmax, respectively. Neonatal exposure to heroin or PCP caused an 83% and 76%
      increase in the receptors respectively. On the behavioral level, both prenatal
      and neonatal exposure to heroin or PCP reduced performance in the hippocampus
      related eight-arm maze and Morris mazes. Depending on the drug, the test and the
      period of drug administration, the reduction ranged between 10% and 75%. The
      results suggest that heroin and PCP induce alterations in the septohippocampal
      cholinergic innervations and in related behavioral performance. Further studies
      are necessary in order to connect the biochemical and behavioral events in causal
      relationships.

PMID- 1424098
TI  - Characterization of a novel set of membrane antigens associated with axonal
      growth. II. Expression in the chick central nervous system.
AB  - In the preceding paper (Dev. Brain Res., 69 (1992) 215-223), a polyclonal
      antiserum ('3070') and several monoclonal antibodies (MAbs 4 and 199) were used
      to define a novel set of laminin-binding membrane antigens in chick brain. These
      MAbs specifically inhibited attachment of NG108-15 cells to low, but not high
      amounts of laminin. Here, the immunocytochemical localization of MAb 4 and 3070
      antigens was examined in frozen sections of E3-P21 chick brain, with particular
      reference to retina, optic tectum, cerebellum and spinal cord. Growing axons and
      migrating nascent neurons were stained transiently, while projection neurons were
      intensely labelled at all stages. Some interneurons and glial cells were stained
      faintly; others, apparently not at all. Finally, 3070 antiserum stained neuropil
      regions in mature brain. Cells in the CNS expressing high levels of MAb 4
      antigens corresponded to those which, in rodents, are known to migrate in
      response to laminin or to synthesize forms of laminin themselves. These data,
      together with evidence presented elsewhere (J. Comp. Neurol., 313 (1991) 625-642)
      and in the next paper in this series (Dev. Brain Res., 69 (1992) 277-282),
      suggest that MAb 4 and 3070 antigens are important in neural development by
      mediating at least some of the responses of neural cells to laminin--for example,
      by acting as a laminin receptor guiding axonal outgrowth and neuronal migration,
      or by involvement in the transport and binding of laminin to the surface of
      neurons and reactive glial cells.

PMID- 1424099
TI  - An experimental model of generalized seizures for the measurement of local
      cerebral glucose utilization in the immature rat. I. Behavioral characterization
      and determination of lumped constant.
AB  - An experimental model of status epilepticus has been developed in the immature
      rat by administration of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) using repetitive, timed
      intraperitoneal injections of subconvulsive doses. The pattern of behavioral
      signs has been well characterized in each age group, i.e. 10 (P10), 14 (P14), 17
      (P17) and 21 postnatal days (P21). In this model, the dose of convulsant could be
      adjusted as a function of interindividual sensitivity and status epilepticus
      lated for quite a long duration to allow the measurement of local cerebral
      metabolic rates for glucose (LCMRglc) by means of the [14C]2-deoxyglucose method
      [J. Neurochem., 28 (1977) 897-916]. To estimate LCMRglc during status
      epilepticus, the lumped constant (LC) was re-calculated in controls and PTZ
      treated rats. The control LC was 0.54 at P10 and 0.50-0.51 at the three older
      ages studied (P14, P17 and P21). During status epilepticus, it increased to 0.64
      in P10 rats and decreased to 0.42 and 0.40, respectively, in P17 and P21 animals.
      At P14, LC was not affected by seizures. The measurements of brain lactate levels
      showed a large 4.5-10-fold increase in PTZ-treated rats as compared to controls
      at all ages. The results of the present study show that the immature brain
      responds to sustained seizure activity in a specific way according to its
      postnatal age. Moreover, our results underscore the necessity of re-calculation
      of LC to the quantification of LCMRglc in such pathological states, particularly
      in immature animals.

PMID- 1424100
TI  - An experimental model of generalized seizures for the measurement of local
      cerebral glucose utilization in the immature rat. II. Mapping of brain metabolism
      using the quantitative [14C]2-deoxyglucose technique.
AB  - The quantitative autoradiographic [14C]2-deoxyglucose technique (2DG) was applied
      to measure the effects of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced status epilepticus (SE)
      on local cerebral metabolic rates for glucose (LCMRglc) in 10 (P10)-, 14 (P14)-,
      17 (P17)- and 21 (P21)-day-old rats. To produce long-lasting SE (55 min), the
      animals received repetitive, timed intraperitoneal injections of subconvulsive
      doses of PTZ until SE was reached. At P10 and P14, SE induced a marked increase
      in LCMRglc which affected 66 of the 76 structures studied. Increases were
      especially high (200-400%) in limbic and motor cortices at P10 and in some
      brainstem areas at these 2 ages. At P17 and P21, average brain glucose
      utilization was similar in seizing and control rats, but in PTZ-treated rats
      reflected a redistribution in local metabolic rates with increases in brainstem,
      midbrain, hypothalamus and septum, decreases in cortex, hippocampus, some sensory
      areas and white matter and no change in many motor and limbic structures. In a
      few cerebral regions, such as hippocampus, dentate gyrus and mammillary body,
      LCMRglc did not increase at P10 and P14 and decreased at P17 and P21 in PTZ- vs.
      saline-treated rats. The results of the present study show that the immature
      brain responds to sustained seizure activity in a specific way according to its
      maturational state. Moreover, these data allow the mapping of the vulnerability
      of cerebral structures to seizures, according to their metabolic response to
      convulsions.

PMID- 1424101
TI  - Distribution and relative density of p75 nerve growth factor receptors in the rat
      spinal cord as a function of age and treatment with antibodies to nerve growth
      factor.
AB  - It has been postulated that nerve growth factor (NGF) binding to the low-affinity
      fast-dissociating NGF receptor (p75 NGFR) on Schwann cells and growing neurites
      is involved with the molecular feedback necessary for continued neurite extension
      during development and regeneration. Since central projections of somatosensory
      fibers sprout into the spinal cord after daily neonatal injections of antibodies
      to NGF (ANTI-NGF) for a one month period, it is of interest to determine if the
      distribution of p75 NGFR correlates with the occurrence of sprouting. Spinal
      cords from three groups of rats: untreated, preimmune sera treated and ANTI-NGF
      treated were examined on postnatal days (PD) 0, 14 and 30. The p75 NGFR
      distribution was determined using the monoclonal antibody 192 with standard
      immunohistochemical techniques and the optical density of the immunoreaction
      product was quantified using an Amersham image analysis system. The 192
      immunoreaction product was localized to laminae I-IV, the dorsal columns, the
      dorsolateral funiculus, Lissauer's tract (LT) and the ventral horn on PD 0; to
      laminae I-III and medial IV and LT on PD 14; and laminae I-II and LT on PD 30.
      The untreated and preimmune sera treated groups show no difference in
      distribution. In the ANTI-NGF treated group, the 192 immunoreaction product was
      localized to laminae I-V and LT on PD 14 and to laminae I-III and medial IV and
      LT on PD 30. Similarly, the optical density of the ANTI-NGF treated group was
      significantly greater than same aged untreated and preimmune sera treated groups,
      but was not statistically different from these two groups examined 14 days
      earlier. Thus, ANTI-NGF treatment interferes with the postnatal downregulation of
      p75 NGFR in the dorsal horn and may provide for continued neurite growth.

PMID- 1424102
TI  - Effects of the subcutaneous administration of enkephalins on tail-flick response
      and righting reflex of developing rats.
AB  - The s.c. administration of [Met5]-enkephalin to 10-day-old rats pretreated with
      the mixture of 3 peptidase inhibitors, amastatin, captopril and phosphoramidon,
      produced the inhibition of tail-flick response and loss of righting reflex. When
      infant rats were pretreated with the mixture of any combination of two peptidase
      inhibitors, however, the change in both the response and the reflex were not
      produced at all by enkephalin injection, indicating that 3 kinds of enzymes,
      amastatin-sensitive aminopeptidase(s), captopril-sensitive peptidyl dipeptidase A
      and phosphoramidon-sensitive endopeptidase 24.11, played an important role in the
      inactivation of enkephalin after its systemic administration. Additionally, the
      fact that the two enkephalin-induced effects were more effectively antagonized by
      naloxone, a relatively selective mu-opioid antagonist, than by naltrindole, a
      specific delta-antagonist, or by nor-binaltorphimine, a specific kappa
      antagonist, showed that these two effects were produced by the interaction of
      enkephalin with mu receptors. Moreover the involvement of mu receptors in the
      production of these two effects was shown by the fact that the s.c.
      administration of [D-Ala2,N-Me-Phe4,Gly5-ol]-enkephalin, a selective mu agonist,
      also produced these two effects which were more effectively antagonized by
      naloxone than by naltrindole or nor-binaltorphimine. Since the magnitude of the
      two effects induced by enkephalins in 15-day-old rats was significantly lower
      than that in 10-day-old rats, and the two enkephalin-induced effects were not
      produced at all in 20-day-old rats, a maturation-induced decrease in the
      permeability of the blood-brain barrier against opioid peptides was indicated.

PMID- 1424103
TI  - Characterization of novel set of membrane antigens associated with axonal growth.
      III: Expression in the regenerating goldfish optic nerve and tectum.
AB  - In the preceding two papers in this series, a polyclonal antiserum (3070) and
      several monoclonal antibodies (MAbs 4 and 199) were used to define a novel set of
      laminin-binding membrane antigens in chick brain. In chick brain, 3070 and MAb 4
      antigens stained growing axons and migrating nascent neurons transiently; though
      projection neurons were intensely labelled at all stages, normal glial cells were
      stained faintly or not at all. To learn if these antigens are associated more
      generally with active states of nerve growth, the present paper examined the
      expression of 3070 and MAb 4 antigens during regeneration of the goldfish optic
      nerve. Only a few optic fibers or glial cells were stained by 3070 antiserum in
      the resting (uninjured) optic nerve, but 10 days following a unilateral nerve
      crush, when the growth response is maximal in these fish, distal regenerating
      neuritic sprouts and glial cell bodies and processes were profusely labelled. The
      intensity of labelling was diminished by 135 days post-crush, when most active
      growth was completed. Since 3070/MAb 4 antigens exhibit properties expected for
      functional laminin receptors, these findings suggest several possible roles that
      they could play to aid nerve regeneration.

PMID- 1424105
TI  - Clinical utility of zinc protoporphyrin.

PMID- 1424104
TI  - Fetal nicotine exposure ablates the ability of postnatal nicotine challenge to
      release norepinephrine from rat brain regions.
AB  - Exposure of the fetus to nicotine is known to affect the function of
      noradrenergic pathways in the central nervous system. In the current study,
      synaptic mechanisms underlying the functional defects were evaluated in the
      offspring of pregnant rats given nicotine infusions of 2 mg/kg/day throughout
      gestation, administered by osmotic minipumps. At 30 days postpartum,
      norepinephrine levels in brain regions of the offspring were significantly
      reduced. More importantly, acute challenge with either 0.1 mg/kg or 0.3 mg/kg of
      nicotine evoked significant norepinephrine release from brain regions of control
      animals, but failed to do so in the fetal nicotine cohort. These results suggest
      that prenatal exposure to nicotine produces a deficit in subsequent noradrenergic
      responsiveness, deficits which may participate in behavioral and neuroendocrine
      abnormalities.

PMID- 1424106
TI  - New biochemical marker for bone disease: is it a breakthrough?

PMID- 1424107
TI  - Parathyroid hormone-related protein: structure, function, and measurement.
AB  - Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHRP) is a 139- to 173-amino-acid protein
      with N-terminal homology to parathyroid hormone (PTH). Initially isolated from
      tumors from patients with humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy, PTHRP appears to
      be of far more widespread physiological importance. Its complex gene is expressed
      in a surprising diversity of tissues. The primary amino acid sequences of both
      the PTH-like and non-PTH-like regions of the protein are highly conserved across
      species. In addition to classical and nonclassical PTH-like activities of the N
      terminal region, other biological functions have been ascribed, including
      augmentation of calcium transport by midregion PTHRP and potent inhibition of
      bone resorption by a C-terminal peptide. There is emerging evidence that the
      protein undergoes extensive processing, including glycosylation and defined
      proteolytic cleavages. Several region-specific immunoassays are now capable of
      measuring circulating concentrations of PTHRP in patients with humoral
      hypercalcemia of malignancy. Molar concentrations of different regions may differ
      by more than an order of magnitude, reflecting diversity in processing and (or)
      metabolism. By analyzing the results of these assays, taking into account the
      specificities of known endoproteases, one can hypothesize about some of the
      endoproteolytic cleavages that occur in PTHRP metabolism. Clinically, selected
      PTHRP assays can be very helpful in diagnosing PTHRP-mediated hypercalcemia, but
      are not yet sufficiently sensitive to accurately measure normal concentrations of
      the protein.

PMID- 1424108
TI  - Washing erythrocytes to remove interferents in measurements of zinc
      protoporphyrin by front-face hematofluorometry.
AB  - Zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) is determined by hematofluorometry of whole blood to
      detect iron deficiency in blood donors. In hospitalized patients, ZPP did not
      correlate with established markers of iron status. We performed 4500 ZPP
      measurements with the Aviv front-face hematofluorometer in samples from 475
      patients and measured ferritin, transferrin saturation, hemoglobin, and
      erythrocyte indices. We found that the fluorometric determination is affected by
      substances dissolved in plasma but that this interference can be eliminated by
      using washed erythrocytes. In validation tests the within-day variation was <
      3.5%; the day-to-day variation was < 6.8%. In 130 healthy persons without iron
      deficiency, ZPP was < or = 40 mumol/mol heme, which we consider a normal value.
      Mean ZPP in 46 iron-deficient patients was 256 (SD 105) mumol/mol heme
      (correlation with ferritin: -0.73; with hemoglobin: -0.85; P < 0.001). When
      washed erythrocytes are used, the hematofluorometric determination of ZPP is
      sensitive and specific for detecting iron deficiency in otherwise healthy
      individuals and hospitalized patients.

PMID- 1424109
TI  - Influence of obesity on plasma fructosamine concentration.
AB  - The influence of obesity on plasma fructosamine concentration was studied in 68
      diabetic and 1335 nondiabetic subjects from a Chinese community. Obese
      nondiabetic men (body mass index > 25 kg/m2) had lower fructosamine
      concentrations than nonobese nondiabetic men (body mass index < or = 25 kg/m2);
      the pattern was similar for diabetic women. Stepwise multiple-regression analysis
      showed that, apart from known factors (total protein, albumin, and indices of
      glycemic control), fructosamine was also associated with body mass index and
      plasma fasting triglycerides. However, the contribution of these were small
      except in diabetic women. We conclude that the effect of obesity on fructosamine
      is small.

PMID- 1424110
TI  - Specific assay of serum lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme 1 by proteolysis with
      alpha-chymotrypsin and protein denaturation.
AB  - We devised a method for assaying serum lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme 1 (LD-1)
      activity specifically by preincubation with alpha-chymotrypsin and guanidine.
      Cleavage of phenylalanine bonds in the loop of A and B subunits of LD-3, LD-4,
      and LD-5 isoenzymes (residues 117-119) by incubation with alpha-chymotrypsin for
      a short time completely inactivated these isoenzymes and partially inactivated LD
      2. Addition of guanidine (0.50 mol/L, pH 7.8) to the incubation mixture
      containing the chymotrypsin completed the inactivation of LD-2. As much as 4000
      U/L of LD-2, LD-3, LD-4, and LD-5 were inactivated, whereas LD-1 was affected
      only slightly. Results by this method (y) correlated well with those by the Roche
      Isomune immunochemical LD-1 method (x): y = 0.98 x -0.11, r = 0.99 (n = 60).
      Within-run CVs were 0.5-2.5%. Several common interferents had no effect. In 500
      healthy people, serum LD-1 ranged between 66 and 130 U/L, with a mean +/- SD of
      88 +/- 15 U/L.

PMID- 1424111
TI  - Using 16O35Cl to correct for chloride interference improves accuracy of urine
      arsenic determinations by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.
AB  - We have observed inaccurate urine arsenic values with the method of isobaric
      fractionation, which was designed to correct for the 40Ar35Cl interference with
      75As quantitation by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Isobaric
      fractionation, which is based on ion intensities at m/z 77 and 82, consistently
      underestimates the 40Ar35Cl interference and overestimates urine arsenic. We
      present an improved method for identifying the argon-chloride interference. We
      observed that signal intensities for the species 16O35Cl and 40Ar35Cl are
      proportional (I75 = 0.0295 x I51 - 14.7, r2 = 0.998; where Ix is the normalized
      ion intensity at m/z X) in water and urine, over a broad range of chloride
      concentrations (0-800 mmol/L). The proportionality constant is remarkably stable
      within a run (mean and SD, 0.0295 +/- 0.0023, based on 10 replicates of five
      chloride calibrators, 0, 100, 200, 400, and 800 mmol/L). Increased sensitivity
      (50-fold) for detecting the 40Ar35Cl interference provides improved accuracy for
      urine arsenic quantitation as demonstrated by a split-sample comparison with
      graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

PMID- 1424112
TI  - Development of monoclonal antibodies for an assay of cardiac troponin-I and
      preliminary results in suspected cases of myocardial infarction.
AB  - To improve the specificity of biochemical markers of myocardial infarction (MI),
      we have developed a double monoclonal "sandwich" enzyme immunoassay to measure
      cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) in serum. We produced eight IgG monoclonal antibodies
      against human cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) and tested them against human and animal
      (canine, bovine, and rabbit) troponins. Five antibodies were cardiac-specific;
      none of the antibodies were species-specific. Two of the five cTnI-specific
      monoclonal antibodies were utilized in an immunoassay. Standards were made by
      adding purified human cTnI to affinity-stripped cTnI-free human sera to cover the
      range 0-100 micrograms/L for cTnI. The dose-response curve was nonlinear but
      reproducible. Total assay imprecision (CV) varied between 11% and 21%. The upper
      limit of the reference range (nonparametric 95% interval) was established as 3.1
      micrograms/L by measuring cTnI concentration in sera of 159 hospitalized patients
      without evidence of cardiac disease. Purified human skeletal TnI up to 10,000
      micrograms/L did not affect the assay (calculated cross-reactivity < 0.1%).
      Diagnostic sensitivities of creatine kinase MB isoenzyme (CK-MB) and cTnI were
      evaluated retrospectively in 49 consecutive patients with proven MI. In the 30
      patients for whom sufficient information was available to establish an accurate
      time course, CK-MB was more sensitive during the first 4 h after the onset of
      chest pain, but thereafter the sensitivities were similar up to 48 h. However,
      cTnI is more cardiac-specific than is CK-MB and remains increased longer than
      does CK-MB.

PMID- 1424113
TI  - Automated analysis for free and short-chain acylcarnitine in plasma with a
      centrifugal analyzer.
AB  - We describe a fully automated, spectrophotometric assay of free and total
      carnitine in plasma ultrafiltrates. The method, suitable for routine application
      in most hospital laboratories, incorporates the hydrolysis of acylcarnitines to
      free carnitine within the program of a Cobas Fara II centrifugal analyzer. The
      hydrolysis is monitored and calibrated with standard solutions containing
      octanoylcarnitine. Results correlated well with those from a reference isotope
      dilution mass spectrometric assay. The ability to analyze a batch of samples for
      both free and total carnitine within 90 min enables analysis of > or = 100
      samples per day. Used in conjunction with acylcarnitine species identification by
      mass spectrometry, the Cobas assay facilitates the diagnosis of carnitine
      deficiency syndromes and specific metabolic disorders.

PMID- 1424114
TI  - Simple method for correcting total protein in plasma for actual fibrinogen
      content.
AB  - Using plasma instead of serum for routine chemistry analyses has many advantages.
      To overcome the disadvantage of inclusively measuring fibrinogen in the plasma
      total protein assay without changing the clinical significance of the total
      protein assay, we investigated the possibility of subtracting the actual amount
      of fibrinogen from the plasma total protein. The correlation between serum and
      plasma total protein was excellent (plasma total protein = 0.989 x serum total
      protein + 6.7 g/L; r = 0.969; n = 131; mean difference = 5.55 g/L; P < 0.001).
      When the plasma total protein was corrected for the actual amount of fibrinogen,
      the correlation with serum total protein was equally good but the intercept was
      practically eliminated (corrected plasma total protein = 1.009 x serum total
      protein + 0.25 g/L; r = 0.985; n = 131; mean difference = 0.78 g/L; P = 0.47).
      The mean concentration of fibrinogen was 2.5 g/L (range: 1.38-3.62 g/L; n = 404)
      for blood donors, 3.6 g/L (n = 2707) for patients from the outpatient department,
      4.6 g/L (n = 2023) for patients admitted to the hospital, and 6.6 g/L (n = 219)
      for patients whose concentration of C-reactive protein was > 50 mg/L. We conclude
      that the plasma total protein result should be corrected for the actual amount of
      fibrinogen.

PMID- 1424115
TI  - Ratio of creatine kinase 2 mass concentration to total creatine kinase activity
      not altered by heavy physical exercise.
AB  - Serum creatine kinase isoenzyme 2 concentrations (CK 2 mass) were measured in
      marathon runners during training and 1 and 2 days after a race and compared with
      values from 36 acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients whose total CK and (or)
      CK 2 activities were similar to those of runners in the basal state. During
      training, runners had CK and CK 2 activities 53% and 43% above reference values,
      respectively, and 36% had CK 2 activity > 5% of total CK. Nine runners (26%)
      showed CK 2 mass values > 6 micrograms/L but < or = 10 micrograms/L; 35 of the
      AMI subjects, despite having CK activities similar to those of runners, had
      values > 10 micrograms/L. The ratio of CK 2 mass to total CK activity was
      significantly (P < 0.0002) different between sexes for runners. At 1 and 2 days
      after racing, 100% of CK and CK 2 activities and 71% and 57% of the percentages
      of CK 2 activity, respectively, were abnormally high; 57% and 43% of CK 2 mass
      values were > 10 micrograms/L, being comparable with those observed for the AMI
      group. Basal CK 2 mass values of the runners appeared only slightly higher than
      that for sedentary subjects, but after exercise half the subjects presented
      increased values similar to those observed for AMI subjects. The ratio of CK 2
      mass to total CK activity appeared unaltered by exercise in all but one of the
      samples assayed, indicating its utility in evaluating CK 2 mass increases
      originating in skeletal muscle.

PMID- 1424116
TI  - Cross-reactivity of anti-digoxin antibodies with digitoxin depends on tracer
      structure.
AB  - The most common methods for measuring digoxin concentrations in serum are
      immunoassays. The prerequisite for exact determination of the digoxin value is an
      antibody that specifically binds digoxin. Because digitoxin differs from digoxin
      only in the C-12 hydroxy group, it is difficult to obtain anti-digoxin antibodies
      that do not cross-react with this compound. During the development of a
      fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) for digoxin, we investigated digoxin
      tracers with different structures. We found that in FPIA the digitoxin cross
      reactivity of an antibody could be reduced by varying the structure of the tracer
      molecule.

PMID- 1424117
TI  - Sandwich immunoassay for intact human osteocalcin.
AB  - To overcome the problems of limited-region specificity associated with
      conventional radioimmunoassay (RIA), we developed a sandwich enzyme immunoassay
      (EIA) for intact human osteocalcin (hOC). For this EIA we used antibodies to the
      N- and C-terminal regions of hOC that were raised against an N-terminal 20
      residue peptide and a C-terminal 7-residue peptide, both synthetic. Immunoassay
      profiles of tryptic digests of hOC and serum from patients with renal failure,
      fractionated by reversed-phase HPLC, facilitated direct demonstration of the
      region specificity of this method. A preliminary study of serum osteocalcin
      concentrations in patients with renal failure further confirmed this specificity,
      showing lower positive rates obtained by this method than by conventional RIA.
      The cross-reactivity data of hOC with bovine and rat osteocalcins by the sandwich
      method indicated its species specificity. These studies demonstrate the superior
      specificity of this sandwich EIA compared with conventional RIA and thus confirm
      its potential diagnostic superiority.

PMID- 1424118
TI  - Apolipoprotein(a) is present in urine and its excretion is decreased in patients
      with renal failure.
AB  - To investigate the relation between renal function and concentrations of
      lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] in serum, we measured Lp(a) in samples of serum and urine
      from patients with diabetes mellitus and in samples sent to a laboratory center
      for measurements of creatinine clearance. Serum Lp(a) concentrations were
      significantly increased in subjects with obvious renal dysfunction (serum
      creatinine > or = 176.8 mumol/L) compared with normal control subjects. Urinary
      Lp(a) excretion was decreased in subjects with obvious renal dysfunction compared
      with subjects without obvious renal dysfunction (serum creatinine < or = 88.4
      mumol/L) and was negatively and positively correlated with serum creatinine and
      creatinine clearance, respectively. More than 80% of urinary Lp(a) was recovered
      in the d > 1.21 kg/L fraction. At least six bands for apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)]
      fragments, which were smaller than native apo(a) in serum, were observed in urine
      by immunoblotting, and some of these were also detected in serum. Degraded apo(a)
      fragments are probably present in urine, and their excretion decreases in
      parallel with decreases in the glomerular filtration rate.

PMID- 1424120
TI  - Analytical goal-setting for monitoring patients when two analytical methods are
      used.
AB  - Serial results from an individual are often obtained using more than one method.
      Results should be transferable over time and locale. Every method has inherent
      analytical error, and goals are required to delineate the maximum allowable
      random (imprecision) and systematic (inaccuracy, bias) errors to facilitate
      optimal patient care. Based on Harris's proposal [Am J Clin Pathol 1979;72:374
      82] that desirable imprecision should be less than or equal to one-half the
      within-subject biological variation, if the methods have negligible imprecision,
      then the maximum allowable bias between two methods used for monitoring is one
      third of the within-subject biological variation. A more general model has been
      developed that relates the analytical imprecisions of two methods, and the bias
      between them, to biological variation. Applying the general formula derived in
      specific clinical monitoring situations in which a known change in serial results
      (occurring at a stated probability) stimulates clinical action allows goals for
      the imprecisions of the two methods and allows the difference in bias between
      them to be determined quantitatively.

PMID- 1424119
TI  - Rapid nonradioactive tracer method for detecting carriers of the major Ashkenazi
      Jewish Tay-Sachs disease mutations.
AB  - Tay-Sachs disease (TSD, GM2 gangliosidosis, Type I) is an autosomal recessive
      lysosomal storage disease caused by deficiency of beta-hexosaminidase A (Hex A)
      resulting from mutations in the gene (HEXA) encoding the alpha-subunit of the
      enzyme. Three mutations, in exons 7 and 11 and at the exon 12-intron 12 junction,
      account for > 90% of alleles identified in obligate Ashkenazi Jewish carriers.
      Mutation analysis requires amplification of available DNA by separate polymerase
      chain reactions (PCRs) and either restriction digestion and gel electrophoresis
      or 32P-labeled allele-specific oligonucleotide (ASO) probes. We developed a
      simple, nonradioisotopic method for rapidly identifying TSD carriers by a triplex
      PCR reaction followed by dot-blot analysis, using three wild-type and three
      mutant ASOs end-labeled with digoxigenin-dUTP (dig-ASO). Hybridization was
      demonstrated immunologically by reaction with an anti-digoxigenin-alkaline
      phosphatase conjugate followed by colorimetric demonstration of phosphatase
      activity. The results of analyses by the dig-ASO method of 65 carriers identified
      by serum enzyme activity and of 6 high-risk fetuses in prenatal testing were the
      same as those obtained by more conventional restriction analysis. Dig-ASO testing
      correctly reclassified 10 individuals who had tested inconclusively on analysis
      for leukocyte beta-hexosaminidase A activity; 3 were identified as carriers and 7
      as noncarriers. The simplicity of the assay and the avoidance of the
      radioisotopes make this a potentially useful method for TSD carrier detection by
      mutation analysis in Ashkenazi Jews from populations in whom the identity and
      frequencies of the common TSD mutations are known.

PMID- 1424121
TI  - Plasma lipoprotein(a) values and severity of coronary artery disease in a large
      population of patients undergoing coronary angiography.
AB  - To determine possible associations between lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] and the
      severity of coronary artery lesions, we measured lipid, apolipoprotein, and Lp(a)
      in a large population of Belgian patients (n = 1054) undergoing coronary
      angiography. In both women and men, univariate analysis demonstrated significant
      differences in the Lp(a) concentrations according to the severity of the coronary
      stenosis. However, after adjustment for possible confounding factors, many of
      these differences were attenuated, indicating that other variables that
      differentiate patients from control subjects also influence Lp(a) distribution.
      Differences in lipid, apolipoprotein, and Lp(a) concentrations between male and
      female patients are discussed.

PMID- 1424122
TI  - Immunoluminometric assay of chromogranin A in serum with commercially available
      reagents.
AB  - Chromogranin A (Cg A) is a useful marker of neuroendocrine neoplasia in humans.
      Here we describe an immunoluminometric assay (ILMA) for measuring Cg A in serum,
      with use of a new tube as a solid phase. The new tube has a large surface area
      and is coated with a polyclonal antibody. Optimized coating conditions provide a
      high IgG adsorption to the polystyrene wall. Serum is added to the coated tube
      and incubated for 2 h or overnight. After washing the tubes, acridinium ester
      labeled monoclonal antibody against Cg A is added and incubation is continued for
      2 h. The tubes are washed again and the bound luminescence is measured. The assay
      is very sensitive (detection limit 1 microgram/L, if 25 microL of serum is used),
      is specific for human Cg A, and offers a wide dynamic range (1-1000
      micrograms/L). The range in healthy humans is 10-53 micrograms/L (median 30
      micrograms/L). The correlation of serum Cg A to creatinine and parathyroid
      hormone is described. We also report the influence of intravenous calcium
      injection on Cg A concentrations in serum.

PMID- 1424123
TI  - Pre-beta high-density lipoprotein determined by immunoblotting with
      chemiluminescent detection.
AB  - We describe a novel assay of pre-beta high-density lipoprotein (HDL), a unique
      apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I)-containing lipoprotein particle. The pre-beta and
      alpha lipoproteins are separated by electrophoresis in agarose and transferred
      onto a membrane by capillary blotting. The membrane blot is sequentially
      incubated with sheep anti-human apo A-I antiserum and then with a conjugate of
      rabbit anti-sheep immunoglobulin and horseradish peroxidase. Chemiluminescence
      formed by the peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of luminol in the presence of an
      enhancer is captured on photographic film, and the pre-beta HDL band is
      quantified by transmission densitometry. The assay is calibrated with standards
      prepared from a reference serum diluted in 9 mol/L urea. Within-batch precision
      (CV) at pre-beta HDL concentrations of 22.1 and 44.3 mg/L was 7% and 4.9%
      respectively. Pre-beta HDL contained 1.6% (0.65-2.6%, mean and range) of total
      serum apo A-I in 30 normolipidemic subjects.

PMID- 1424124
TI  - Pitfalls in the measurement of plasma osmolality pertinent to research in
      vasopressin and water metabolism.
AB  - The reliability of measurements of plasma osmolality is known to be biased by
      technical artifacts, such as the anticoagulant and the osmometric technique used;
      the resulting measurement errors therefore may cause errors in interpretation of
      data. In assessing the potential biasing influence of procedural variables, we
      found that the temperature at which fresh plasma samples were stored, the
      duration of storage, and the freezing and thawing of samples appeared to
      significantly (P < 0.01) affect osmolality values around the narrow physiological
      range. These factors should be considered in the interpretation of studies on the
      osmoregulation of vasopressin secretion. In particular, the results suggest that
      data obtained for any but fresh samples, whether frozen-thawed samples or samples
      stored at room temperature, are unreliable.

PMID- 1424125
TI  - Abbott IMx and serono MAIAclone assays compared for lutropin determinations in
      urine.
AB  - The urinary lutropin (luteinizing hormone; LH) profiles of 20 patients were
      determined in 10 consecutive urine samples (n = 200) with a manual technique
      (MAIAclone, Serono; y) and a fully automated (Abbott IMx; x) technique. For 132
      single determinations within the range of detection, the regression line was y =
      1.39 x - 0.07 (r = 0.85). Retrospective analysis of the LH profiles obtained by
      the IMx yielded the classification "not pregnant" (negative) in 14 cases, of
      which 13 were correctly classified; 6 profiles were classified as "pregnant"
      (positive), which correlated with the clinical findings in 4 cases. Nine of the
      LH profiles analyzed with the MAIAclone method were classified as negative, which
      was correct in seven cases. Retrospective analysis of 11 LH profiles established
      with the MAIAclone assay gave positive results, which agreed with the clinical
      outcome in three cases. The diagnostic sensitivity of the IMx and MAIAclone
      methods was 87% and 47%, respectively; diagnostic specificity was 80% and 60%,
      respectively. In smaller series (< or = 40 samples), the IMx method has
      considerable advantages over the MAIAclone method in cost and convenience,
      because standard curves can be stored and assays can be performed as single
      determinations.

PMID- 1424126
TI  - Investigation of N-methyl-D-glucamine buffer for assay of alkaline phosphatase in
      serum.
AB  - We evaluated N-methyl-D-glucamine (MEG) as a buffer for assay of alkaline
      phosphatase (ALP; EC 3.1.3.1) and compared the MEG-based assay with the current
      International Federation of Clinical Chemistry Reference Method for ALP
      (IFCC/RM/ALP), in which 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) is the pH buffer. The
      ALP assay in MEG at 30 and 37 degrees C shows excellent correlation with the
      IFCC/RM/ALP at 30 degrees C, but yields proportionately higher ALP activities
      (8.2% at 30 degrees C and 57% at 37 degrees C). ALP is unstable in both MEG and
      AMP at 37 degrees C. Serum incubated in MEG undergoes a pH-dependent biphasic
      loss of ALP activity: an initial rapid 5% loss after 1 min of incubation and a
      10% loss per hour thereafter. A similar pattern was seen for incubation with AMP.
      The use of a serum-initiated reaction (no preincubation of enzyme with buffer)
      eliminated the early loss in activity. The addition of the metal ion buffer N
      hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid, along with low concentrations of Zn
      and Mg, as used in the IFCC/RM/ALP, reduced the slow loss in activity over time,
      as did decreasing the reaction temperature to 30 degrees C, but had no effect on
      the early rapid decay in activity seen in the first minute. Moderate
      transphosphorylation (45%) and nonenzymatic hydrolysis (3.3 U/L) were observed
      with MEG under the conditions of the assay (37 degrees C). A comparison of
      different lots of MEG from two manufacturers showed no significant difference in
      ALP activities.

PMID- 1424127
TI  - Decreases in albumin/creatinine and N-acetylglucosaminidase/creatinine ratios in
      urine samples stored at -20 degrees C.
AB  - The effects of storage for 6 months or 2 years at -20 degrees C were studied in
      urine samples from Type II diabetic patients by assaying albumin by
      immunoturbidity, N-acetylglucosaminidase (EC 3.2.1.30) by methoxynitrovinylphenol
      release, and creatinine by the Jaffe method. There were significant decreases (P
      < 0.001) in albumin/creatinine ratios from 1.14 (0.63-2.98) to 0.83 (0.32-2.12)
      g/mol (median + interquartile ranges) after 6 months (n = 97), and from 1.64
      (0.74-5.72) to 1.00 (0.37-4.54) g/mol after 2 years (n = 89). The percentage of
      samples with results below the detection limit of the albumin assay (2 mg/L)
      increased from 5% to 21% after 6 months and from 0% to 34% after 2 years. N
      Acetylglucosaminidase/creatinine ratios decreased (P < 0.001) from 520 (358-832)
      to 380 (263-695) U/mol after 6 months and from 520 (330-865) to 258 (82-462)
      U/mol after 2 years. The effect of storage was greater in samples with
      concentrations in the normal range (< 2.5 g/mol for albumin/creatinine, < 500
      U/mol for N-acetylglucosaminidase/creatinine). Samples with albumin
      concentrations more than twice the normal range were still detected as abnormal
      after storage at -20 degrees C; e.g., 18% were > 5 g/mol (albumin/creatinine)
      initially, with 17% > 5 g/mol after 6 months of storage. We therefore recommend
      storage of urine samples at 4 degrees C for no longer than 7 days before assay.

PMID- 1424128
TI  - Measurement of cyclosporine by liquid chromatography and three immunoassays in
      blood from liver, cardiac, and renal transplant recipients.
AB  - In an effort to replace HPLC for whole-blood determination of cyclosporine (CsA),
      we compared HPLC with radioimmunoassay (RIA; INCSTAR, Cyclo-Trac SP assay),
      fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA; Abbott TDx), and in-house modified
      enzyme-multiplied immunoassay technique (EMIT; Syva Co.). For blood samples from
      200 various transplant recipients, RIA = 1.262 (HPLC) - 8.16, r = 0.983; FPIA =
      1.200 (HPLC) + 19.90, r = 0.981; and EMIT = 1.038 (HPLC) + 11.28, r = 0.985. For
      segregation by transplant type, RIA, FPIA, and EMIT demonstrated positive biases
      of 27%, 12%, and 3%, respectively, for liver transplant recipients (n = 50) when
      compared with HPLC. Heart transplant recipients (n = 50) gave positive bias
      values of 23%, 14%, and 4% for RIA, FPIA, and EMIT, respectively. Adult renal
      transplant recipients (n = 50) demonstrated positive bias values of 30%, 31%, and
      0% for RIA, FPIA, and EMIT, respectively. For pediatric renal transplant
      recipients (n = 50), positive biases of 40%, 31%, and 9% were obtained for RIA,
      FPIA, and EMIT, respectively. We conclude that the modified EMIT represents the
      best replacement for HPLC.

PMID- 1424129
TI  - Bone-resorption markers galactosyl hydroxylysine, pyridinium crosslinks, and
      hydroxyproline compared.
AB  - We compared the clinical performances of four bone-resorption (BR) assays
      (hydroxyproline, HYP; galactosyl hydroxylysine, GHYL; deoxypyridinoline, DPD; and
      pyridinoline, PYD) in subjects with different BR rates: normal (adult men and
      premenopausal women), mildly increased (postmenopausal osteoporotic women), high
      (Paget disease patients), and very high (children). The discrimination power (Z
      score) and the accuracy (estimated by receiver-operating characteristic analysis)
      for GHYL, DPD, and PYD were compared with those for HYP. Discrimination power and
      accuracy were similar for high- and very-high-BR groups for all four assays.
      However in the mildly increased-BR group, DPD, GHYL, and PYD showed a higher
      discrimination power and accuracy than did HYP. The clinical performances of HYP,
      DPD, GHYL, and PYD are comparable for large changes in BR. For modest changes,
      DPD, GHYL, and PYD are more accurate and have a higher discrimination power than
      does HYP.

PMID- 1424130
TI  - Determination of creatinine in serum by capillary zone electrophoresis.

PMID- 1424131
TI  - Rapid quantification of quinidine in porcine serum by microbore HPLC with
      fluorescence detection.

PMID- 1424132
TI  - A new case of IgE myeloma.
AB  - We report a case of IgE myeloma in a 78-year-old woman who presented with bone
      pain in the shoulder and hip and progressive weakness. Except for hypercalcemia,
      routine chemistry values were within normal limits. Hemoglobin was decreased and
      the leukocyte count slightly increased. Plasma cells were not observed in the
      peripheral blood. Serum protein electrophoresis showed a monoclonal protein in
      the beta-globulin fraction. Immunofixation confirmed the presence of an IgE kappa
      monoclonal protein. A bone marrow biopsy revealed an interstitial and nodular
      infiltration of abnormal plasma cells comprising 60% of nucleated cells present.
      Skeletal roentgenograms and bone scans of this patient showed osteolytic lesions
      and osteopenia of the thoracic and lumbar spine and osteolytic destruction of the
      right half of the sacrum. Flow-cytometric analysis of mononuclear cells isolated
      from peripheral blood showed that 15% of the lymphocytes bound IgE. Using cell
      surface markers, we identified 45% of the IgE-positive cells as natural killer
      cells. Similar results have been found in other diseases marked by increased IgE.
      The clinical, radiological, and laboratory findings for this patient are compared
      with previously reported cases of IgE and other types of myeloma.

PMID- 1424133
TI  - External quality control for radioimmunoassay of urinary albumin in diabetic
      subjects: a one-year experience.

PMID- 1424134
TI  - Nongaussian distribution of second-trimester results for serum free estriol.

PMID- 1424135
TI  - Performance of a modified HPLC method to determine total hydroxyprolinuria in 2-h
      urine samples.

PMID- 1424136
TI  - Cellular phosphate shifts during oral glucose loading.

PMID- 1424137
TI  - Plasma vitamin E, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B
      in diabetic patients.

PMID- 1424138
TI  - Effect of pyridoxal 5-phosphate on the stability of alanine aminotransferase.

PMID- 1424139
TI  - Urinary glycosaminoglycans in active Graves ophthalmopathy.

PMID- 1424140
TI  - Estimating the prevalence of xanthinuria by laboratory screening.

PMID- 1424141
TI  - Heterogeneity of lipoprotein A-I.

PMID- 1424142
TI  - Validity of intact plasma parathyrin measurements in chronic renal failure as
      determined by two-site immunoradiometric assays with N- or C-terminal capture
      antibodies.

PMID- 1424143
TI  - Interference in the Allegro immunoassay system when blood is collected in
      silicone-coated tubes.

PMID- 1424144
TI  - Chromogranin A concentrations in plasma of physically active men after acute
      exercise.

PMID- 1424145
TI  - REMEDi drug profiling system readily distinguishes between cyclobenzaprine and
      amitriptyline in emergency toxicology urine specimens.

PMID- 1424146
TI  - No time-dependent change in cytochrome P-450 2D6 phenotyping results during HPLC
      analysis.

PMID- 1424147
TI  - Impact of revised NIDA guidelines for methamphetamine testing in urine.

PMID- 1424148
TI  - Inaccuracy of dispensing sample and reagent volume by the Cobas-Bio analyzer.

PMID- 1424149
TI  - Abnormal lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme pattern in serum of a patient with a
      testicular tumor.

PMID- 1424150
TI  - One-step, labeled-antibody assay for measuring free thyroxine. 1. Assay
      development and validation.

PMID- 1424151
TI  - Finally! Automated microanalysis of ammonia in arterial blood.

PMID- 1424152
TI  - A hyaluronan-loading test applied to patients with liver and joint diseases.
AB  - The serum hyaluronan disappearance data, after an intravenous bolus injection of
      hyaluronan, were evaluated in terms of model-based parameters. The loading test
      was performed in 10 healthy persons (basal serum hyaluronan concentration, C0,
      24.9 +/- 8.9 micrograms/l [mean +/- S.D.]), 6 patients with joint disease (62.3
      +/- 41.1 micrograms/l) and 19 patients with liver disease (206 +/- 214
      micrograms/l). The highest maximum Michaelis-Menten elimination rate (Vmax = 287
      +/- 86 micrograms/min) was found in patients with joint disease, significantly
      higher than in healthy persons (Vmax = 179 +/- 16, P = 0.0015) and in patients
      with liver disease (Vmax = 149 +/- 59, P = 0.0002). C0 and Vmax were evaluated as
      discriminants for assessment of residual liver function. In patients with liver
      disease C0 correlated with liver function score (r = 0.875, P < 0.0001) and serum
      albumin concentration (r = -0.813, P < 0.0001). The Vmax parameter did not
      correlate with conventional liver function tests or with the liver score but a
      significantly negative correlation of Vmax with C0 was found in patients with
      liver disease. A combination of the C0 level and the Vmax parameter was found to
      discriminate between healthy persons, patients with joint disease and patients
      with liver disease and should be of benefit in separating patients, with or
      without elevated serum hyaluronan levels, into groups having increased influx or
      reduced elimination, respectively, of circulating hyaluronan.

PMID- 1424154
TI  - Pregnancy-associated alpha 2-glycoprotein in children with acute lymphocytic
      leukemia, Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

PMID- 1424153
TI  - Cellulose acetate electrophoretic determination of bone alkaline phosphatase
      activity in healthy subjects and diabetic patients with and without osteopenia.
AB  - We adapted the electrophoretic method of bone alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
      determination using neuraminidase from Vibrio cholerae to separate bone and liver
      ALP on cellulose acetate membrane. Treatment of separator plus serum (1:8,
      neuraminidase 111 U/l in final) for 10 min at room temperature (25 +/- 1 degree
      C) and subsequent electrophoresis made it possible to quantify bone ALP activity
      simply and rapidly. The precision of the data was at the level of CV of 1.6%
      (within-day) and 4.7% (day-to-day), with recovery rates of 97-103%. The normal
      range of bone ALP activity depended on age and sex. Seventy-eight diabetes
      mellitus (DM) patients, excluding those with renal failure, were divided into two
      groups of those with and without osteopenia with matching of age (+/- 3 years)
      and sex. Bone ALP (P < 0.001) and total ALP (P < 0.05) activities and urine
      calcium/creatinine ratio (P < 0.05) were significantly higher in DM with
      osteopenia than in DM without osteopenia. Therefore, bone formation and
      absorption may be accelerated in DM with osteopenia in comparison with DM without
      osteopenia.

PMID- 1424155
TI  - PAF acetylhydrolase activities in human systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus
      prone mice.

PMID- 1424156
TI  - CA 19-9 in non-neoplastic liver diseases. A clinical and laboratory study.
AB  - CA 19-9 is a tumor marker with frequent false-positive results in pancreatic and
      hepatobiliary diseases. This study was carried out to evaluate the behaviour of
      CA 19-9 in 159 patients with benign diffuse hepatic disease, 85 cirrhotics and 74
      non-cirrhotics, who underwent a thorough clinical and laboratory evaluation. CA
      19-9 was correlated with numerous clinical and biochemical features of liver
      diseases: bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase activity were the most reliable
      predictors of the CA 19-9 concentrations. There were abnormal concentrations of
      CA 19-9 in 34.6% of the 159 patients and in 47.1% of the 85 cirrhotics. Because
      of the large number of abnormal values and the high concentrations attained in
      some of them, the cut-off used in patients with diffuse hepatic disease needs to
      be set at more than twice the basal level, thus allows only 10% of false
      positives. Even higher values are required for cirrhotic or icteric patients. The
      results indicate that cholestasis plays an important role in causing the raised
      CA 19-9 in these patients, although there were also abnormal concentrations in
      normobilirubinemic patients.

PMID- 1424157
TI  - A rapid method for blood ammonia determination using the new blood ammonia
      checker (BAC) II.

PMID- 1424158
TI  - Arginase, a new marker of mammary carcinoma.
AB  - Activities of arginase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and
      alkaline phosphatase were determined in sera obtained in a group of healthy
      women, women with verified carcinoma of the breast, benign mastopathy, a group of
      patients with carcinoma of various organs and a group of patients with acute
      viral hepatitis. Preoperative values of serum arginase activity in patients with
      breast carcinoma were up to 4-fold those found in healthy women. Sensitivity of
      the test was 86%. After the surgery, the activity decreased abruptly during the
      first week and normalised within 15-30 days. In benign diseases of the breast,
      the activity of arginase was normal. Serum arginase activity is raised in both
      benign and malignant liver diseases, however, the quotients alanine
      aminotransferase/arginase, aspartate aminotransferase/arginase and alkaline
      phosphatase/arginase differ significantly. Thus, use of alanine
      aminotransferase/arginase quotient implies a high degree of confidence in
      differentiating between increased arginase activity in mammary carcinoma (alanine
      aminotransferase/arginase = 0.572 +/- 0.278) and high arginase activity in
      hepatitis (alanine aminotransferase/arginase = 12.226 +/- 1.822).

PMID- 1424159
TI  - Identification of urinary metabolites of (+/-)-2-(p-isobutylphenyl)propionic acid
      (Ibuprofen) by routine organic acid screening.
AB  - Ibuprofen [(+/-)-2-(p-isobutylphenyl)propionic acid] has recently been introduced
      as a pediatric anti-inflammatory agent. To determine how this agent interferes
      with urine organic acid analysis, an important pediatric investigation, we have
      analyzed urine from two subjects pre- and post-Ibuprofen dosage and two subjects
      on chronic Ibuprofen therapy. A distinctive pattern of drug interference on the
      organic acid profile was detected. There were three major components,
      corresponding to unmetabolized Ibuprofen and to the oxidation products hydroxy
      Ibuprofen and carboxy Ibuprofen. Therefore, the major mechanism of Ibuprofen
      metabolism appears to be microsomal, although mitochondrial and peroxisomal
      routes cannot be excluded. Laboratories carrying out routine organic acid
      analysis should be aware of the nature and magnitude of the organic aciduria
      caused by Ibuprofen.

PMID- 1424160
TI  - Intestinal type alkaline phosphatase hyperphosphatasemia associated with liver
      cirrhosis.
AB  - Hyperphosphatasemia due to increased intestinal type serum alkaline phosphatase
      was noted in a 48-year-old male who had asymptomatic liver cirrhosis. The
      alkaline phosphatase activity in the serum was 828 U/l (our reference range in
      adults: 57-194 U/l), 94% of which was of the intestinal type as measured by an
      immunoprecipitation method. The intestinal component of alkaline phosphatase was
      separated into two major and some minor components using electrophoresis and
      isoelectrofocusing. One of the major components had similar mobility to that of a
      standard intestinal enzyme purified from adult intestine. The components were
      heat-labile and neuraminidase-resistant. Serial lectin affinity chromatography,
      however, indicated that sugar chain compositions of the alkaline phosphatase were
      different from those of the standard tissue intestinal enzyme. These results and
      further enzymological studies suggest that the patient's serum alkaline
      phosphatase basically consisted of several intestine-like isoforms.

PMID- 1424161
TI  - Purification of electron transfer flavoprotein from pig liver mitochondria and
      its application to the diagnosis of deficiencies of acyl-CoA dehydrogenases in
      human fibroblasts.
AB  - Medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) and long chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase
      (LCAD) deficiency are defects of mitochondrial beta-oxidation. The method of
      choice to measure specifically acyl-CoA dehydrogenase activity in human tissues
      uses purified electron transfer flavoprotein (ETF). We describe a simple and
      optimized method of purification allowing isolation of ETF with a degree of
      purity never reported so far. An assay for acyl-CoA dehydrogenase activity in
      cultured skin fibroblasts was developed using microquantities of electron
      transfer flavoprotein and substrate. MCAD deficiency was demonstrated in
      fibroblasts from nine patients and LCAD deficiency in fibroblasts from two
      patients.

PMID- 1424162
TI  - Autoimmune thyroiditis: predisposition and pathogenesis.

PMID- 1424163
TI  - Primary hyperparathyroidism: aggressive or conservative treatment?

PMID- 1424164
TI  - Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of pituitary microadenomas.

PMID- 1424165
TI  - The evaluation of patients with a suspected pituitary microadenoma: computer
      tomography compared to magnetic resonance imaging.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To perform a prospective study to compare the ability of magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI) and computer assisted tomography (CT) to predict the
      position of a tumour within the pituitary fossa and to assess the clarity of the
      image generated by the two modalities in patients with suspected pituitary
      microadenomas. DESIGN: Nineteen patients were investigated with CT and MRI scans
      and underwent trans-sphenoidal exploration of the pituitary fossa. Both scans
      were assessed blind and independently by three neuroradiologists, A, B, and C; A
      and B examined the CT scans and B and C the MRI scans. The predicted site was
      then compared to the size and position of the tumour at surgery. PATIENTS: Twenty
      five patients were recruited and had both CT and MRI scans, 19 subsequently
      underwent trans-sphenoidal exploration of the pituitary fossa and formed the
      study population. RESULTS: The joint opinions of A and B of the CT scans were
      correct in 10/19, and those of B and C of the MRI scans were correct in 17/19
      cases, P = 0.008. Observer agreement was used to assess the clarity of the image.
      A and B agreed about the site of the tumour on the CT scan in 14 of 19 cases
      (Kappa statistic 0.556); B and C agreed on the MRI scans in 19/19 cases (Kappa
      statistic 1), P = 0.025. After the exclusion of five cases found to be
      macroadenomas at surgery, the joint opinions of A and B of the CT scans were
      correct in 8/14, and those of B and C of the MRI scans were correct in 12/14
      cases, P = 0.133. A and B agreed about the site of the tumour on the CT scan in
      12/14 cases (Kappa statistic 0.653), B and C agreed on the MRI scans in 14/14
      cases (Kappa statistic 1, no significant difference). CONCLUSIONS: In the
      assessment of suspected pituitary microadenomas MRI is the imaging technique of
      choice in view both of its greater diagnostic accuracy and the avoidance of
      radiation exposure.

PMID- 1424166
TI  - Age related changes in follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone,
      oestradiol and immunoreactive inhibin in women of reproductive age.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In women over the age of 45 years with continuing regular menstrual
      cycles, follicular phase FSH levels rise without an accompanying change in LH. We
      determined the effect of increasing age in women with regular cycles on the serum
      levels of FSH, LH, immunoreactive inhibin, progesterone and oestradiol. DESIGN:
      Single blood samples were taken during the early follicular phase (days 4-7) and
      again in the midluteal phase (3-12 days before the next menses) of the menstrual
      cycle. PATIENTS: Regularly cycling women aged 21-49 years participated in the
      study (and were grouped into four groups: 20-29, 30-39, 40-44 and 45-49 years in
      the follicular phase and three groups: 20-29, 30-39 and 40-49 years in the luteal
      phase. MEASUREMENTS: Serum levels of FSH, LH, oestradiol, progesterone and
      immunoreactive inhibin were measured from the blood samples obtained. RESULTS:
      Follicular phase Mean follicular phase levels of immunoreactive inhibin were
      significantly lower in the 45-49 year age group (P less than 0.05) than in the
      younger age groups (128 U/l in the 45-49 year age group vs 239, 235 and 207 U/l
      in the 20-29, 30-39, 40-44 year age groups respectively), while mean FSH levels
      were significantly higher in the 45-49 year age group (P less than 0.05, 13.0
      IU/l in the 45-49, 4.9, 5.5 and 5.2 IU/l in the 20-29, 30-39 and 40-44 year age
      groups respectively). Mean oestradiol levels in the 45-49 year age group were
      significantly lower only when compared to age group 30-39 years (P less than
      0.05, 130 vs 210 pmol/l). There was no significant difference in oestradiol
      levels between the 45-49 year age group and the 20-29 and 40-44 year age groups.
      LH levels did not differ significantly across age groups. There was also a
      significant negative correlation between serum immunoreactive inhibin and FSH (r
      = -0.45, P less than 0.05) and between oestradiol and FSH (r = -0.35, P less than
      0.05). There was a significant negative relationship between immunoreactive
      inhibin and age (r = -0.46, P less than 0.05). For every 10-year increase in age,
      average immunoreactive inhibin decreased by an estimated 49.3 U/l. As age
      increased, average FSH levels exhibited a two-phase linear increase with the
      change-point estimated at 42.97 (1.42) (estimate (SE)) years. Prior to 42.97
      years, FSH barely changed; after 42.97 years there was a significant (P less than
      0.05) increase in FSH as age increased. Oestradiol levels did not change
      significantly until an estimated 37.9 years of age, but then decreased
      significantly (P less than 0.05) with increasing age. Luteal phase Levels of FSH,
      LH, serum immunoreactive inhibin, oestradiol and progesterone fell slowly with
      increasing age. There was a significant correlation between serum immunoreactive
      inhibin with progesterone (r = 0.41, P less than 0.05) but there was no
      correlation between serum immunoreactive inhibin LH or FSH. CONCLUSION: The
      results are consistent with a role for serum immunoreactive inhibin, in addition
      to oestradiol, in the regulation of FSH during the follicular phase of the
      menstrual cycle as a function of increasing age. This is postulated to reflect
      diminished folliculogenesis as age progresses with the known decline in the
      numbers of primordial follicles in the ovary as the menopause approaches.

PMID- 1424167
TI  - Growth hormone binding protein in Werner's syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: GH and growth hormone binding protein in Werner's syndrome were
      investigated to elucidate their relation to the short stature. DESIGN: The levels
      of GH binding protein and GH response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia were
      determined. GH binding protein levels and its Scatchard analysis in Werner's
      syndrome were compared with those in normal subjects. PATIENTS: Three patients
      with Werner's syndrome (one man aged 45 years and two women aged 39 and 38 years)
      and 41 normal subjects (18 men and 23 women aged 39.3 +/- 5.5 years, mean +/- SD)
      were studied. MEASUREMENTS: GH binding protein levels were determined using an
      Ultrogel AcA44 minicolumn and GH levels were measured by a highly sensitive
      enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: Two out of three patients with Werner's syndrome had
      GH binding protein levels above the mean +/- 2SD value in normal subjects. GH
      secretion was impaired in Werner's syndrome as judged by the low GH response to
      insulin-induced hypoglycaemia. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated GH binding protein levels
      may lead to an increase in the bound form of GH, which is probably less
      bioactive, resulting in growth failure in association with the impaired GH
      secretion in Werner's syndrome.

PMID- 1424168
TI  - Preserved thyroidal secretion of thyroxine in acromegalic patients with
      suppressed hypophyseal secretion of thyrotrophin.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We have assessed the mechanisms which maintain euthyroidism in
      acromegalic patients despite the suppression of thyrotrophin (TSH) secretion.
      MATERIALS: Fourteen untreated patients with acromegaly were analysed. Ten
      patients were also studied after pituitary surgery. METHODS: Thyroid hormones,
      growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and thyroidal uptake of
      radioactive iodine, thyrotrophin releasing hormone (TRH) test and basal metabolic
      rate (BMR) were measured before and after pituitary surgery. RESULTS: Nine
      patients had palpable goitres. The TSH response to TRH stimulation was suppressed
      in eight patients, who maintained normal serum levels of total T3, T4 and free
      T4. The patients with normal TSH response had lower levels of free and total T4
      than controls. The response of TSH to TRH correlated inversely with the serum
      level of total and free T4, and also with the plasma level of IGF-I (r = -0.74, P
      less than 0.05, n = 9). After pituitary surgery, the serum levels of total and
      free T4 were elevated for at least up to 6 months, with a decrease in the T3/T4
      ratio and the BMR. CONCLUSION: GH may have a direct stimulatory action on the
      thyroid secretion of T4 possibly via increased IGF-I, despite suppressed TSH
      secretion. The post-operative elevation of serum T4 suggests the persistent
      secretion of T4 from the thyroid gland, in spite of instantaneous normalization
      of the accelerated conversion of T4 to T3, even after reduction of excess GH
      secretion.

PMID- 1424169
TI  - Failure of somatostatin analogue to control Cushing's syndrome in two cases of
      ACTH-producing carcinoid tumours.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of somatostatin analogue (octreotide)
      in controlling hypercortisolism in two patients with ectopic ACTH-producing
      carcinoid tumours, and to review the literature. DESIGN: The two patients were
      treated with octreotide administered by subcutaneous injection, for 5 days with
      150 micrograms three times daily and for 7 days with 100 micrograms three times
      daily respectively. They were subsequently treated with oral metyrapone 250 mg
      three times daily. PATIENTS: Patient 1 had a metastatic carcinoid tumour but the
      primary was not identified. Patient 2 had a pulmonary carcinoid. Cushing's
      syndrome due to ectopic ACTH syndrome was established by demonstration of failure
      of cortisol suppression by dexamethasone, elevated ACTH levels, and
      immunoperoxidase staining for ACTH within the tumours. MEASUREMENTS: Urinary free
      cortisol (UFC) was measured on consecutive days during treatment with octreotide.
      Serum cortisol and ACTH levels were taken daily in patient 2, and on days 0 and 3
      in patient 1. RESULTS: Patient 1 had a baseline 24-hour urinary free cortisol of
      5340 nmol/24 h, serum cortisol of 915 nmol/l, and serum ACTH of 163 ng/l (ACTH
      ng/l x 0.23 = pmol/l). After 3 days of octreotide, serum cortisol was 782 nmol/l
      and ACTH 164 ng/l. Twenty-four hour urinary free cortisol was 4136 nmol/24 h
      after 7 days of treatment. Metyrapone, however, resulted in a rapid fall in
      urinary free cortisol to 290 nmol/24 h, with marked clinical improvement. Patient
      2 had a baseline 24-hour urinary free cortisol of 2520 nmol/24 h, serum cortisol
      of 747 nmol/l, and ACTH of 103 ng/l. Urinary free cortisol rose to 2970 nmol/24 h
      on day 6 of treatment with octreotide. Serum cortisol and ACTH levels fell
      slightly to 611 nmol/l and 70 ng/l respectively. On changing to metyrapone, the
      urinary free cortisol fell to 821 nmol/24 h in 4 days. CONCLUSIONS: Octreotide
      failed to significantly reduce 24-hour urinary free cortisol, serum cortisol and
      ACTH in the two patients reported. We conclude that it should probably not be
      regarded as primary treatment for control of hypercotisolism in patients with
      ACTH-producing carcinoids, but reserved as adjunctive therapy.

PMID- 1424170
TI  - Efficacy of a new long-acting injectable form of bromocriptine in
      hyperprolactinaemic patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the relationship of
      different doses of a long-acting bromocriptine preparation (Parlodel LAR) to the
      degree and duration of PRL suppression. We also measured circulating
      bromocriptine levels and altered tolerability of the drug. DESIGN: A double-blind
      randomized study of three different doses 25, 50 and 100 mg of Parlodel LAR.
      PATIENTS: Twenty-one female patients (seven patients/dose) with both tumoral and
      non-tumoral hyperprolactinaemia. MEASUREMENTS: After a single injection of
      Parlodel LAR 25, 50 or 100 mg, serum PRL and plasma bromocriptine levels were
      assessed during a follow-up of 60 days together with changes in clinical symptoms
      and signs of hyperprolactinaemia. RESULTS: Serum PRL levels normalized in 19 of
      21 patients. The suppression of PRL secretion lasted 28 days in four of seven
      patients treated with either 25 or 50 mg Parlodel LAR and in five of seven
      patients who received Parlodel LAR 100 mg. In five of seven patients treated with
      the 100 mg dose, serum PRL levels were still within the normal range on day 60.
      Plasma bromocriptine levels remained therapeutically active for 28 days in all
      three groups. On day 60 they were within the therapeutic range only in the 100 mg
      group. Clinical data show a rapid disappearance of symptoms and signs of
      hyperprolactinaemia. Adverse events were mostly mild and transient. CONCLUSIONS:
      These data support the excellent efficacy and good tolerability of Parlodel LAR
      in patients with hyperprolactinaemia.

PMID- 1424171
TI  - Age-related changes in bone density, serum parathyroid hormone, calcium
      absorption and other indices of bone metabolism in Chinese women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the age-related changes in bone density, serum parathyroid
      hormone, calcium absorption and other indices of calcium metabolism in Chinese
      women who habitually have a low calcium intake. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.
      SUBJECTS: One hundred and fifty-six healthy Chinese women aged 20-83 years. None
      were on any medication or vitamin supplements. Subjects over the age of 60 years
      were all living in a hostel; younger subjects were nurses or subjects attending a
      family clinic for minor illnesses. MEASUREMENTS: Fasting blood and urine samples
      were collected for biochemical measurements and calcium absorption was measured
      using 45Ca by the method of Marshall and Nordin. Bone density was measured by
      dual energy X-ray densitometry (Norland X R20 X-ray bone densitometer) at the
      left hip and lumbar spine. Serum parathyroid hormone was measured by a
      chemiluminometric assay. RESULTS: Plasma ionized calcium concentration, alkaline
      phosphatase, bicarbonate, plasma creatinine and serum B2 microglobulin were
      significantly higher in the elderly than in the young, whereas plasma phosphate
      and the anion gap were higher in the young. Urinary excretion of calcium,
      phosphate and hydroxyproline were all higher in older women. Plasma parathyroid
      hormone concentration was positively correlated with age even after taking into
      account the decline in renal function (as indicated by the rise in B2
      microglobulin (r = 0.506, P less than 0.001). Serum concentrations of 25
      hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D were not lower in the older women.
      Fractional calcium absorption from an oral load of radiolabelled calcium was
      significantly lower in the older women and 37% of the older women were below the
      2.5 percentile found in the younger women. Bone density measured by dual energy X
      ray densitometry was also significantly lower in the elderly. CONCLUSION: In
      Chinese women there is an increase in PTH and a decrease in calcium absorption
      with age in spite of the presence of normal vitamin D metabolites.

PMID- 1424172
TI  - Circulating immunoreactive inhibin and testosterone levels in men with critical
      illness.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to concurrently characterize serial changes in circulating
      immunoreactive inhibin (irINH) and testosterone (T) as reflections of Sertoli and
      Leydig cell responses to acute critical illness in man. DESIGN: Blood samples
      were drawn within 24 hours of admission to an Intensive Care Unit and at weekly
      intervals thereafter for up to 4 weeks while the patient remained in Intensive
      Care Unit or after discharge to a general ward. PATIENTS: We studied 13 male
      subjects with critical illness requiring intensive therapy. MEASUREMENTS: Plasma
      levels of irINH, T, LH, FSH and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were analysed
      in relation to (i) the severity of illness as indicated by a sepsis score, acute
      physiology and chronic health evaluation score, and reverse triiodothyronine
      (rT3) levels and (ii) the outcome of illness as determined by discharge from
      Intensive Care Unit and the two-month mortality. RESULTS: Overall irINH levels
      remained normal and correlated negatively with rT3 (r = -0.63, P = 0.001) but not
      with sepsis, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation score, or
      gonadotrophin levels. Neither admission nor serial irINH levels significantly
      distinguished between the different clinical outcomes. In contrast, T levels were
      depressed and inversely correlated with both sepsis and acute physiology and
      chronic health evaluation scores (P less than 0.02), and positively with
      gonadotrophins (P less than 0.01), but not rT3 levels. Men eventually discharged
      from the Intensive Care Unit showed a rise, while those remaining showed a fall,
      in T levels (P = 0.02, time-course interaction). Similarly, T levels were lower
      in patients who died than in survivors, despite the comparable T levels on
      admission (P = 0.02, time-course interaction). Despite the fall in T levels,
      gonadotrophin levels remained inappropriately in the eugonadal range but higher
      in men who were discharged from Intensive Care Unit (P = 0.02, time-course
      interaction). FSH but not LH levels were correlated with sepsis score (P = 0.02)
      but not acute physiology and chronic health evaluation score or rT3. CONCLUSIONS:
      Sertoli cell function as judged by circulating irINH levels is much less affected
      by acute critical illness than is Leydig cell function as judged by circulating T
      levels. The suppressive effect of acute critical illness on Leydig cell function
      is consistent with a hypothalamic-pituitary lesion.

PMID- 1424173
TI  - Social, educational and vocational status of 48 young adult females with gonadal
      dysgenesis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the educational, vocational
      and social function of young adults with gonadal dysgenesis. DESIGN: Forty-eight
      female patients with gonadal dysgenesis (17, 45XO; 26, 45XO/46XX or other
      mosaics; and five pure gonadal dysgenesis) followed by our multidisciplinary team
      from childhood, were re-evaluated in adult age. RESULTS: Mean age +/- SD at
      diagnosis was 11.4 +/- 5.0 years and mean age at the time of survey was 29.6 +/-
      6.3 years. The mean final height for the patients was 145.5 +/- 8.3 cm (range 134
      170 cm). Mean verbal IQ (WISC-R) for the 39 subjects tested was 101.4 +/- 20.7
      and mean performance IQ was 86.8 +/- 17.7. No difference in verbal IQ levels was
      found between the various karyotype groups. Twenty-five had an academic
      education. All were employed except for one housewife; 37 work in white collar
      professions. A significant correlation was found between verbal IQ and education
      (P = 0.005) and between verbal IQ and profession (P = 0.005). Twenty-three served
      in the army. Fourteen are married: three have an adopted child and two a child
      born after in vitro fertilization (IVF); others are waiting for IVF or adoption.
      Five patients had some form of psychiatric problem that required psychiatric or
      psychological treatment in the past (two had transitory anorexia nervosa and
      three behavioural problems). Sixty-three per cent reported having wide and
      satisfactory social relations but limited to female friends. CONCLUSION: Positive
      adjustment in the professional area and fair adjustment in the social area were
      not related to physical stigmata or to any other independent variable tested, but
      rather to intellectual ability and a high degree of achievement motivation.

PMID- 1424174
TI  - Changes in growth hormone concentrations during puberty in adolescents with
      insulin dependent diabetes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To document the changes in pulsatile growth hormone secretion in
      diabetic adolescents during puberty, and to investigate their relationship to
      both metabolic control and stature. DESIGN: Auxological parameters, overnight
      growth hormone secretion, fasting IGF-I, hourly glucose and metabolic control
      were assessed in a group of adolescents with diabetes. PATIENTS: Fifty-two
      diabetic adolescents (28 males and 24 females) at different pubertal stages and
      with varying degrees of metabolic control were studied. Ten of those with poor
      diabetic control were studied on two occasions. MEASUREMENTS: Height and weight
      measurements, pubertal staging, growth velocity data and bone age estimation were
      obtained on all the patients. Overnight growth hormone profiles (Pulsar program
      analysis), glycosylated haemoglobin and fasting IGF-I were performed on all the
      subjects. Hourly overnight glucose measurements were also obtained on the ten
      subjects who had two overnight growth hormone studies. RESULTS: For the whole
      diabetic growth, GH area under curve (AUC) was maximal in late puberty (pubertal
      stage 4), and was paralleled by maximal GH peak amplitude. No relationship
      between GH-AUC and metabolic control was demonstrated. No difference in GH
      parameters was demonstrated between the male and female subgroups. The
      relationship between growth hormone secretory parameters and stature was not
      significant. However, GH-AUC was significantly correlated with growth velocity in
      the males but not the females. CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of GH secretion in
      adolescents with diabetes parallels that seen in normal adolescents during
      puberty, with increases in GH concentration associated with increased GH pulse
      amplitude. The degree of metabolic control had no effect on this pattern and
      there was no relationship between GH secretory parameters and stature.

PMID- 1424175
TI  - Abnormalities of intermediary metabolism following a gestational diabetic
      pregnancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare intermediary metabolism in
      glucose tolerant women with previous gestational diabetes and control women
      without a history of gestational diabetes. SUBJECTS: Fifteen women with previous
      gestational diabetes and 15 controls individually matched for race, age and body
      mass index were included. Only subjects with normal glucose tolerance were
      included in this study. METHODS: Plasma glycerol, 3-OH butyrate, non-esterified
      fatty acids (NEFA), glucose and insulin were measured fasting and following a 75
      g oral glucose load. RESULTS: The women with previous gestational diabetes and
      their matched controls were of similar racial origin, age and body mass index.
      There was no difference between those with previous gestational diabetes and
      controls in fasting glycerol, 3-OH butyrate, NEFA, glucose or insulin
      concentrations. Following the oral glucose load, glycerol, 3-OH butyrate and NEFA
      concentrations fell in both groups. However, compared with controls at 120
      minutes, those with previous gestational diabetes had significantly higher
      concentrations of glycerol (median 57, range 24-216 vs 27, range 8-89 mumols/l, P
      less than 0.005) and 3-OH butyrate (9, range 1-18 vs 5, range 2-11 mumols/l, P
      less than 0.01). NEFA concentrations were similar in the two groups. Despite
      similar glucose concentrations during the oral glucose tolerance test the insulin
      response during the first 60 minutes following oral glucose was significantly
      reduced in the subjects with previous gestational diabetes when compared with
      controls (insulin area, 0-60 minutes; 2172, range 788-4767 vs 2830, range 996
      4784 pmol min/l, P less than 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Women with a previous history of
      gestational diabetes, despite having normal glucose tolerance, have defective
      insulin release with resultant abnormalities of intermediary metabolism.

PMID- 1424176
TI  - The importance of adequate serum ferritin levels during oral cyproterone acetate
      and ethinyl oestradiol treatment of diffuse androgen-dependent alopecia in women.
AB  - OBJECT: To evaluate the treatment with cyproterone acetate and ethinyl oestradiol
      of diffuse androgen-dependent alopecia in women. DESIGN: Twenty women were
      treated for a period of 12 months in a reverse sequential regimen employing
      cyproterone acetate (CPA, 50 mg once daily from Day 5 to Day 15) and ethinyl
      oestradiol (EE2, 30 micrograms once daily from Day 5 to Day 24 of the menstrual
      cycle), and 20 were left untreated and acted as controls. Half of each group had
      serum ferritin concentrations above or below 40 micrograms/l. PATIENTS: Forty
      Caucasian premenopausal women aged between 18 and 47 years, presenting with
      diffuse androgen-dependent alopecia, were enrolled into this study. MEASUREMENTS:
      Hair variables were assessed initially by the unit area trichogram and again in
      the same sites 12 months later. Biochemical investigations were performed before
      treatment and after 3, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS: In the treated group, a
      significant (P less than 0.01) mean increase in total hair density (hair/cm2) and
      meaningful hair density (non-vellus hair/cm2) was found in patients in whom the
      serum ferritin was above, but not below 40 micrograms/l. However, in the control
      group a significant (P less than 0.05) mean decrease in total hair density and
      meaningful hair density was observed after 12 months. No correlation between
      serum ferritin levels and the degree of hair loss within this group could be
      established. CONCLUSION: Patients treated with the anti-androgen cyproterone
      acetate and ethinyl oestradiol respond best when serum ferritin is above 40
      micrograms/l.

PMID- 1424177
TI  - Nelson's syndrome following partial pituitary microadenomectomy and pregnancy.
AB  - We report for the first time the development of Nelson's syndrome in a patient
      who had previously undergone unsuccessful pituitary microadenomectomy and
      subsequently bilateral adrenalectomy. The removal of a 3-mm portion of a
      microadenoma did not protect against the development of Nelson's syndrome within
      3 years which was closely related to pregnancy, a previously noted association.
      This report suggests that the development of Nelson's syndrome depends not on the
      size of the initial pituitary tumour but rather on its individual potential for
      proliferating once free of the inhibitory effects of glucocorticoid excess.

PMID- 1424178
TI  - Post-prandial thermogenesis and insulin sensitivity in the polycystic ovary
      syndrome.

PMID- 1424179
TI  - Postprandial thermogenesis is reduced in polycystic ovary syndrome and is
      associated with increased insulin resistance.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In order to investigate the possible causes and effects of obesity in
      polycystic ovary syndrome resting energy expenditure, postprandial thermogenesis
      and insulin resistance were measured in 14 polycystic ovary syndrome subjects and
      in 14 controls. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of a selected group of patients
      was performed. PATIENTS: Seven of the PCOS subjects were obese and seven lean.
      Controls were individually matched for age, race, weight, body mass index (BMI)
      lean body mass and percentage fat. The obese, but not lean, polycystic ovary
      syndrome subjects had a greater waist:hip ratio than controls (median (range)
      obese PCOS 0.865 (0.823-0.960) vs obese control 0.804 (0.823-0.940), P less than
      0.025). MEASUREMENTS: Metabolic rate was measured by continuous indirect
      calorimetry and insulin sensitivity was assessed by a short insulin tolerance
      test. RESULTS: The resting energy expenditure (REE) was similar in PCOS subjects
      and controls (median (range), 6796 (5489-7774) vs 6833 (4893-8492) kJ/day). REE
      correlated with LBM in the PCOS group (r = 0.83, P less than 0.00) and the
      control group (r = 0.82, P less than 0.001). Postprandial thermogenesis was
      reduced in polycystic ovary syndrome (obese: median 45.4 (range 33.6-100.0) vs
      86.5 (67.2-109.2) kJ (P less than 0.05); lean: 79.4 (73.5-108.4) vs 89.9 (76.0
      109.2) kJ (P less than 0.05). Fasting insulin (9.7 +/- 3.6 vs 4.4 +/- 0.8 mU/l, P
      less than 0.05) and postprandial incremental insulin rise (163 +/- 31 vs 116 +/-
      15 mU/l, P less than 0.025) were higher in polycystic ovary syndrome. Insulin
      sensitivity was reduced in polycystic ovary syndrome (obese: median 136 (range 92
      169) vs 173 (109-225) mumol/l/min (P less than 0.05); lean: 161 (138-225) vs 194
      (161-253) mumol/l/min (P less than 0.05)). The reduction in insulin sensitivity
      correlated with the reduced postprandial thermogenesis in the polycystic ovary
      syndrome group (r = 0.75, P less than 0.01). CONCLUSION: These results confirm
      previous reports of hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance in polycystic ovary
      syndrome. Furthermore, polycystic ovary syndrome subjects have a reduced
      postprandial thermogenesis which is related statistically to the reduced insulin
      sensitivity. The decreased postprandial thermogenesis may predispose women with
      polycystic ovary syndrome to weight gain.

PMID- 1424180
TI  - Increased free testosterone but normal 5 alpha-reduced testosterone metabolites
      in obese premenopausal women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate whether the absence of
      increased 5 alpha-reductase activity explained the absence of hirsutism in
      premenopausal obese women with increased free testosterone (FT) levels. DESIGN:
      As in hyperandrogenicity there generally exists evidence for increased 5 alpha
      reductase activity, we measured, as parameters of 5 alpha-reductase activity,
      plasma levels of 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol glucuronide (ADG) and
      androsterone glucuronide (ADTG) as well as their precursor levels in obese women
      without hirsutism, obese hirsute women, non-obese hirsute women, and non-obese,
      non-hirsute women. PATIENTS: Eighty-two premenopausal women (20-45 years old)
      were studied, in four age matched groups: 39 controls, 18 obese without
      hirsutism, 11 non-obese hirsute and 14 obese hirsute women. MEASUREMENTS: Blood
      samples were taken between days 5 and 7 of the menstrual cycle. Steroid hormone
      levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. Free testosterone levels were measured
      by equilibrium dialysis. RESULTS: Compared to controls, mean free testosterone
      levels were increased (P less than 0.01) in obese, obese hirsute and hirsute
      patients, whereas mean DHEAS levels were increased in hirsute and obese hirsute
      (P less than 0.01), but not in obese, women. Mean androstanediol glucuronide
      levels were markedly increased in hirsute and obese hirsute patients (P less than
      0.01), but not in obese women. Plasma androsterone glucuronide levels were
      increased in hirsute (P less than 0.01), in the normal range in obese hirsute,
      and decreased in obese women (P less than 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These results show
      that, despite the presence of higher free testosterone levels, neither 5 alpha
      reductase activity (as suggested by normal androstanediol glucuronide levels) nor
      adrenal androgen precursor levels (DHEAS) are increased in obese women without
      hirsutism.

PMID- 1424181
TI  - 17 beta-Oestradiol, androstenedione and inhibin levels in fluid from individual
      follicles of normal and polycystic ovaries, and in ovaries from androgen treated
      female to male transsexuals.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to monitor carefully follicular growth arrest in
      polycystic ovaries by assay of hormones in individual follicles. DESIGN AND
      PATIENTS: Fluid from follicles less than or equal to 10 mm was obtained from
      ovaries of 16 regularly cycling women between days 1 and 12 of the follicular
      phase (controls, n = 120 follicles), polycystic ovaries of five women with
      polycystic ovary syndrome (n = 43), and polycystic ovaries from 14 long-term
      testosterone treated female to male transsexuals (n = 120). MEASUREMENTS: Fluid
      was assayed for oestradiol, androstenedione, and immunoactive inhibin.
      Luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone levels were
      estimated in serum. RESULTS: Median serum LH was lower in transsexuals than in
      controls (P less than 0.05), and in polycystic ovary syndrome (P less than 0.01).
      Median serum testosterone was not significantly different between polycystic
      ovary syndrome and transsexuals, and was elevated in both groups as compared to
      controls (P less than 0.01). Oestradiol was present in all follicles obtained
      from polycystic ovaries of polycystic and transsexual patients, in which no
      follicle greater than 10 mm could be detected. In the three groups, between
      patient differences in mean oestradiol, androstenedione, inhibin, and
      androstenedione/oestradiol ratio were significantly larger than expected in view
      of the variation between follicles within individuals. Taking into account this
      between-patient difference, no significant differences could be established
      between the three groups for all endocrine parameters. The percentage of presumed
      healthy follicles (androstenedione/oestradiol ratio less than or equal to 4) was
      12% in controls, 17% in polycystics, and 14% in transsexuals, and was not
      significantly different between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results may indicate
      that (1) abnormally high circulating androgen concentrations with or without
      elevated LH levels disturb the process of selection, and could therefore play a
      role in the pathogenesis of polycystic ovaries; (2) in polycystic ovaries from
      polycystic ovary syndrome and transsexual patients, aromatase activity is present
      in vivo in small antral follicles, and the proportion of presumed healthy
      follicles is not different from that encountered in normal ovaries; (3)
      oestradiol levels are not different between non-dominant follicles of normal and
      polycystic ovaries, suggesting that only enhancement of aromatase activity by FSH
      may be disrupted in polycystic ovaries, (4) because androstenedione levels are
      not different comparing follicles of normal and polycystic ovaries,
      hyperandrogenaemia in the syndrome seems to originate from the abnormally high
      number of cystic atretic follicles generally observed in polycystic ovaries; (5)
      marked variation in the endocrine follicular microenvironment within and between
      women precludes pooling fluid from several follicles.

PMID- 1424182
TI  - The effect of iodide on serum thyroid hormone levels in normal persons, in
      hyperthyroid patients, and in hypothyroid patients on thyroxine replacement.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To clarify the duration and the extent of the antithyroid effect of
      iodides in hyperthyroidism, and to investigate whether iodides have an additional
      peripheral effect on the metabolism of thyroid hormones, as has been reported for
      some organic iodine compounds. DESIGN: The effect on the peripheral thyroid
      hormone levels of 150 mg of potassium iodide daily (equivalent to 114 mg of
      iodide) for 3-7 weeks was compared in 21 hyperthyroid patients and 12 healthy
      controls. A possible effect of iodide on the peripheral metabolism of thyroid
      hormones was investigated by assessing the serum levels of thyroid hormone in 12
      hypothyroid patients on thyroxine replacement for 2 weeks. PATIENTS: There were
      21 thyrotoxic patients, 12 healthy hospital controls, and 12 patients with
      complete or near-complete hypothyroidism, on thyroxine replacement. MEASUREMENTS:
      The following were measured before and at weekly intervals after iodide
      administration: (1) pulse rate, (2) serum T4, (3) serum T3, (4) serum TSH, (5)
      serum thyroxine-binding capacity (TBC), (6) serum rT3, (7) serum thyroxine
      binding globulin (TBG), (8) the free-T4 Index, calculated as T4/TBC. RESULTS: In
      the hyperthyroid patients serum T4, T3 and rT3 decreased, whereas serum thyroxine
      binding globulin and thyroxine binding capacity increased. Serum T3, however, did
      not become completely normal in all cases. After 21 days, serum T4 and T3 started
      increasing again in some cases, but other patients remained euthyroid even after
      6 weeks. In the normal controls there was a small but significant and consistent
      decrease in serum T4, T3 and rT3 and an increase in serum TSH. Finally, in the T4
      treated hypothyroid patients there was no consistent change, except for an
      increase of serum T4 at 1 and 14 days and a decrease of serum TSH the first day.
      CONCLUSION: Iodides in hyperthyroidism have a variable and unpredictable
      intensity and duration of antithyroid effect. Their antithyroid effect is smaller
      in normal controls. They have no important effect on the peripheral metabolism of
      thyroid hormones.

PMID- 1424183
TI  - Effect of selenium supplementation on thyroid hormone metabolism in an iodine and
      selenium deficient population.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Severe selenium deficiency has been documented in northern Zaire,
      already known as one of the most iodine deficient regions in the world and
      characterized by a predominance of the myxoedematous form of cretinism. This has
      been attributed to the double deficiency of essential trace elements. A short
      selenium supplementation programme was conducted in this area to evaluate the
      effects of a selenium supplementation on thyroid diseases. DESIGN: Placebo or
      selenium 50 micrograms as selenomethionine was administered once daily for 2
      months. Blood and urine samples were collected before and after supplementation.
      PATIENTS: Fifty-two healthy schoolchildren from northern Zaire. MEASUREMENT:
      Selenium status, thyroid function and urinary iodide were determined. RESULTS:
      After 2 months of selenium supplementation, mean +/- SD serum T4 decreased from
      73.1 +/- 45.4 to 48.3 +/- 23.7 nmol/l (P less than 0.001), serum FT4 from 11.8 +/
      6.7 to 8.4 +/- 4.1 pmol/l (P less than 0.01), and serum rT3 from 124 +/- 115 to
      90 +/- 72 pmol/l (P less than 0.05), without significant change in serum T3 and
      serum TSH. CONCLUSION: Deiodinase type I which has been shown to be a seleno
      enzyme could account for the changes in thyroid hormones in our subjects. Our
      data show that selenium plays a definite role in thyroid hormone metabolism in
      humans. Selenium could be an important cofactor in the clinical picture of iodine
      deficiency in Central Africa and could be involved in the aetiology of both forms
      of cretinism.

PMID- 1424184
TI  - Pulsatile growth hormone release in normal women during the menstrual cycle.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We sought to characterize pulsatile growth hormone (GH) release in
      normal women during the menstrual cycle and to document possible relationships
      between such characteristics and concentrations of 17 beta-oestradiol and
      progesterone. SUBJECTS: Fifteen women with ostensibly normal menstrual function
      were studied during the early follicular phase, 15 during the late follicular
      phase and 15 during the mid-luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. DESIGN: The
      phase of the menstrual cycle having been documented, blood samples were obtained
      from each woman every 10 minutes for 24 hours. MEASUREMENTS: Serum GH was
      measured in each sample by immunoradiometric assay. Pulsatile GH release was
      appraised utilizing the objective, statistically-based pulse detection algorithm
      Cluster. RESULTS: The mean (+/- SEM) integrated serum GH concentration (mU/l min)
      in late follicular phase women (5335 +/- 848) was higher than that observed in
      early follicular phase women (3156 +/- 322; P = 0.032). The integrated GH
      concentration calculated for mid-luteal phase women (3853 +/- 788) was
      intermediate between but not statistically different from that observed in early
      follicular (P = 0.48) and late follicular (P = 0.14) phase women. No differences
      in GH pulse frequency (pulses/24 hours) were found among early follicular (8.27
      +/- 0.55), late follicular (7.93 +/- 0.91) or mid-luteal (8.47 +/- 0.66) phase
      women. Mean maximal GH pulse amplitude (mU/l) was higher in late follicular phase
      (8.93 +/- 1.00) than early follicular phase (5.74 +/- 0.67; P = 0.008) and mid
      luteal phase (5.76 +/- 0.74; P = 0.008) women. Similarly, incremental GH pulse
      amplitude (mU/l) was higher in late follicular phase (7.33 +/- 0.83) than early
      follicular phase (4.68 +/- 0.58; P = 0.005) and mid-luteal phase (4.36 +/- 0.39;
      P = 0.002) women. No differences in mean pulse widths or in the interpeak valley
      mean GH concentrations were found among the groups. Multiple regression of each
      pulse parameter against serum concentrations of testosterone, 17 beta-oestradiol
      and progesterone revealed a significant (P = 0.045) positive correlation between
      maximum GH pulse amplitude and oestradiol and a significant (P = 0.04) negative
      correlation between maximal GH pulse amplitude and progesterone (r = 0.41).
      CONCLUSION: These results suggest that late follicular phase concentrations of
      oestradiol may enhance circulating GH via an amplitude-modulated rather than a
      frequency-modulated effect on the endogenous GH pulse. Progesterone may blunt
      this oestrogen-associated effect, thus resulting in the observed mid-luteal phase
      concentrations of GH. Whether these gonadal hormones act primarily at the
      hypothalamus and/or anterior pituitary gland remains to be clarified, but the
      present observations indicate that pulsatile GH release throughout the normal
      menstrual cycle is significantly amplitude regulated.

PMID- 1424186
TI  - Acromegaly and its treatment in the McCune-Albright syndrome.
AB  - The McCune-Albright syndrome, comprising polyostotic fibrous dysplasia, cutaneous
      pigmentation and endocrine hyperfunction, is occasionally complicated by
      acromegaly due to a pituitary adenoma. We report a patient with the McCune
      Albright syndrome and acromegaly, who developed secondary hypothyroidism and
      hypoadrenalism, in whom surgical removal of the pituitary tumour was technically
      difficult. A combination of a long-acting somatostatin analogue ('Sandostatin')
      and external irradiation were therefore used as treatment.

PMID- 1424185
TI  - Expression of the neuroendocrine cell marker 7B2 in human ACTH secreting tumours.
AB  - OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: Pro-opiomelanocortin gene expression is a ubiquitous
      phenomenon which takes place not only in the pituitary but also in many normal
      and tumoral non-pituitary tissues. However, the clinical features of the ectopic
      ACTH syndrome are rarely encountered. To further investigate this problem we
      examined series of normal human pituitaries and endocrine tumours evaluating the
      tissue content of pro-opiomelanocortin peptides, and the state of neuroendocrine
      differentiation as indicated by the biochemical marker 7B2. PATIENTS AND
      MEASUREMENTS: Tissue concentration of 7B2, pro-opiomelanocortin products (joining
      peptide and beta-endorphin) were measured in 13 pituitary corticotrophic adenomas
      and 13 non-pituitary tumours associated with the ectopic ACTH syndrome (five out
      of 20 bronchial carcinoid tumours, two out of 19 phaeochromocytomas, one out of
      11 medullary thyroid carcinomas, three pancreatic and two thymic carcinoid
      tumours). Molecular weight forms of immunoreactive 7B2 and 7B2 RNA messenger were
      determined using Western and Northern blot analysis respectively. RESULTS: In all
      tissues examined, concentrations of immunoreactive beta-endorphin (fmol/mg tissue
      wet weight) showed widely distributed values from less than 0.7 to 1,340,000,
      which were correlated (r = 0.975, P less than 0.01) with that of immunoreactive
      joining peptide, another pro-opiomelanocortin fragment. In the 13 non-pituitary
      tumours associated with the ectopic ACTH syndrome, immunoreactive beta-endorphin
      concentrations ranged from 8.6 to 548,000, whereas in normal and tumoral
      pituitaries they varied from 16,600 to 364,800, and 5000 to 1,340,000,
      respectively. Immunoreactive 7B2 was detected in 67 of 68 neuroendocrine tumours.
      Tissue concentrations (fmol/mg tissue wet weight) of immunoreactive 7B2 varied
      from 135 to 1787 in pituitary tumours; from less than 0.5 to 555 in bronchial
      carcinoids; from 21.7 to 793 in phaeochromocytomas; from less than 1.6 to 948 in
      medullary thyroid carcinomas. Western blot analysis showed a predominant
      molecular weight form of immunoreactive 7B2 at 22 kDa. Northern blot analysis of
      RNA extracted from ACTH secreting pituitary and non-pituitary tumours showed a
      predominant signal hybridizing at 1.5 kb with a 7B2 probe. CONCLUSION: These
      results show that all ACTH secreting tumours have biochemical markers for
      neuroendocrine differentiation. Tissue concentrations of pro-opiomelanocortin
      peptides are variable, being extremely high in the most benign tumours and low in
      those with an aggressive growing pattern, and are not correlated with the
      biochemical neuroendocrine markers.

PMID- 1424187
TI  - The therapeutic potential of recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-I.

PMID- 1424188
TI  - The role of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in the mechanism of acquired vitamin D
      deficiency.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We wished to assess the effect of changes in the plasma concentration
      of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D on the plasma elimination half-time for 25
      hydroxyvitamin D in man. DESIGN: The turnover of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in plasma
      was investigated after intravenous doses of the radioactively labelled metabolite
      had been given to a group of patients (n = 17) with disorders of bone and mineral
      metabolism before and after oral treatment with calcium or 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin
      D. PATIENTS: Seven patients with post-menopausal osteoporosis, five with
      hypoparathyroidism, three with hypophosphataemic osteomalacia, one with renal
      osteodystrophy and one patient with coeliac disease were studied. MEASUREMENTS:
      Intravenous injections of 3H-labelled 25-hydroxyvitamin D were given and plasma
      elimination half-time assessed over periods of 4-14 days during which frequent
      measurements of plasma calcium, phosphate, parathyroid hormone, 25-hydroxyvitamin
      D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D were made. Changes in the plasma elimination half
      time for 3H-25-hydroxyvitamin D before and after treatment with calcium and 1,25
      dihydroxyvitamin D were evaluated by non-parametric statistical analysis.
      RESULTS: The elimination half-time for 3H-25-hydroxyvitamin D in plasma was
      significantly shortened by raising the circulating concentration of 1,25
      dihydroxyvitamin D. Conversely, in a patient with intestinal malabsorption of
      calcium, the metabolic clearance of 3H-25-hydroxyvitamin D was prolonged when the
      concentration of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in plasma was decreased by suppressing
      secondary hyperparathyroidism with large calcium supplements. In the longer-term
      studies (n = 10) there was a highly significant inverse relation (r = -0.88, P <
      0.001) between the change in the plasma concentration of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D
      and the induced change in the elimination half-time of 3H-25-hydroxyvitamin D.
      There was also a significant correlation (r = 0.66, p < 0.0025) between the
      observed fall in the plasma concentration of unlabelled 25-hydroxyvitamin D and
      the predicted fall calculated from the measured value for the half-time of the 3H
      labelled metabolite. In acute studies in patients with post-menopausal
      osteoporosis (n = 7), enhanced metabolic inactivation of 3H-25-hydroxyvitamin D
      was detectable within 24 hours of oral administration of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.
      CONCLUSIONS: The effect of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D on the catabolism of 25
      hydroxyvitamin D can contribute to the development of vitamin D deficiency in
      many clinical disorders. When the natural supply of vitamin D is limited by
      sunlight deprivation, a sustained increase in the plasma concentration of 1,25
      dihydroxyvitamin D due to primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism will lead to
      accelerated depletion of vitamin D stores.

PMID- 1424189
TI  - Cardiac conduction in patients with hypercalcaemia due to primary
      hyperparathyroidism.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess whether hypercalcaemia due to primary hyperparathyroidism is
      associated with significant cardiac arrhythmias. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: The
      prevalence of cardiac arrhythmias and conduction disturbances was evaluated by 12
      lead ECG and 24-hour long-term ECG during pre-surgical hypercalcaemia and after
      post-surgical normalization of serum calcium values in 20 patients with primary
      hyperparathyroidism. RESULTS: After surgery, mean +/- SD calcium levels decreased
      from 2.85 +/- 0.1 to 2.40 +/- 0.1 mmol/l (P < 0.001). There was a significant
      increase in QT-intervals (0.36 +/- 0.05 vs 0.39 +/- 0.05) and QTc-intervals (0.38
      +/- 0.04 vs 0.42 +/- 0.03) after surgery (P < 0.01). Long-term ECG showed no
      change in the minimal heart rate 47 +/- 8 vs 48 +/- 7 beats/min or in the longest
      RR interval 1.6 +/- 0.5 vs 1.6 +/- 0.5 s (P NS). There was no difference in the
      prevalence of supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias. No episode of high
      grade AV-block was observed before surgery. Circadian heart rate rhythm did not
      change between investigations. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that moderate
      hypercalcaemia, in spite of causing a shortening of the repolarization phase (QT
      interval), has no clinically significant effect on cardiac conduction.

PMID- 1424190
TI  - Peripheral bone density in women with untreated multinodular goitre.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We wished to determine whether women with multinodular goitre and
      spontaneous subclinical hyperthyroidism have decreased bone density. DESIGN AND
      SUBJECTS: Bone density was measured at the distal and proximal forearm. Data were
      expressed as Z-scores relative to the mean values out of 125 control subjects
      matched for age and menopause. The Z-scores of 23 women with subclinical
      hyperthyroid goitre (TSH < 0.1 mU/l and normal values for FT4 and total T3) and
      of 54 women with euthyroid goitre were compared. MEASUREMENTS: Bone density was
      measured by single photon absorptiometry. TSH was measured by IRMA, FT4 by RIA.
      RESULTS: Relative to the euthyroid goitre subjects the mean +/- SEM Z-scores of
      both the distal and proximal forearm density were lower (-0.69 +/- 0.17 vs -0.1
      +/- 0.18, P < 0.05 and -0.5 +/- 0.18 vs 0.07 +/- 0.18, P < 0.05, respectively).
      Median (range) FT4 in the subclinical hyperthyroid goitre subjects was
      significantly higher than euthyroid goitre subjects (15.6 (11-23.2) pmol/l vs
      11.9 (8.3-18.3) pmol/l, P < 0.001) although still within the normal range. FT4
      correlated inversely with Z-scores of both distal and proximal forearm bone
      density in the subjects with subclinical hyperthyroidism (r = -0.42, P < 0.05 and
      r = -0.43, P < 0.05, respectively), but not in the euthyroid goitre subjects.
      CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that women with untreated multinodular goitre
      and subclinical hyperthyroidism have reduced bone density in the forearm.

PMID- 1424191
TI  - Comparison of methods for the determination of unbound triiodothyronine in
      pregnancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the changes in unbound T3 concentration in the first
      trimester of pregnancy. DESIGN: We measured serum unbound T3 concentration before
      and after termination of pregnancy. PATIENTS: Twenty-six clinically euthyroid
      women. MEASUREMENTS: We used one non-analogue assay (Sclavo) and three analogue
      assays (Amersham, Becton Dickinson and Diagnostic Products Corporation). RESULTS:
      Regression analysis did not show any significant agreement between the analogue
      and non-analogue assays. After termination of pregnancy, unbound T3 concentration
      as measured by Sclavo and Amersham assays did not change whereas unbound T3
      concentration increased and decreased as measured by Becton Dickinson and
      Diagnostic Products assays respectively. Changes were not directly related to
      albumin or thyroid binding globulin. CONCLUSION: We believe unbound T3
      concentrations as measured by the analogue assays used in this study are due to a
      balance of errors and cannot be used to determine true physiological changes in
      pregnancy.

PMID- 1424192
TI  - Effect of menopause and hormone replacement therapy on urinary excretion of
      pyridinium cross-links: a longitudinal and cross-sectional study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study longitudinally the effect of the menopause and hormone
      replacement therapy on the new markers of bone resorption: urinary excretion of
      pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: Urinary pyridinoline and
      deoxypyridinoline were measured every 3 months for 2-3 years in 15 healthy women
      aged 45-54 years. Nine remained premenopausal and six became post-menopausal
      during the study. Urinary pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline were also measured
      before and after 3 months of either placebo or hormone replacement therapy in 65
      post-menopausal women, aged 45-54 years, who were participating in a double-blind
      study. MEASUREMENTS: Urinary pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline were measured in
      fasting urine samples by spectrofluorometry after high performance liquid
      chromatography and corrected for creatinine excretion. RESULTS: Urinary
      pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline remained almost constant during the
      premenopausal period. Both started to increase 6 months after the last menstrual
      bleeding and the mean post-menopausal values were 30-50% higher than the
      premenopausal values in the same subjects (values in nmol/mmol creatinine given
      as mean +/- SEM: urinary pyridinoline (premenopausal) = 29 +/- 2 vs urinary
      pyridinoline (post-menopausal) = 38 +/- 6, P < 0.05; urinary deoxypyridinoline
      (premenopausal) = 8 +/- 1 vs urinary deoxypyridinoline (post-menopausal) = 12 +/-
      1, P < 0.05). Three months of post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy
      decreased (P < 0.001) both to premenopausal levels. CONCLUSION: Urinary
      pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline, new markers of bone resorption, remain fairly
      constant in the years before the menopause and start to increase about 6 months
      after the last menstrual bleeding. This increase is reversed by hormone
      replacement therapy.

PMID- 1424193
TI  - Regulation by glucocorticoids of interferon gamma-induced HLA-DR antigen
      expression in cultured human orbital fibroblasts.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether glucocorticoids can
      block the induction of HLA-DR antigen expression by interferon gamma in human
      fibroblasts in culture. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: Confluent cultures of fibroblasts
      derived from the orbit or the skin of patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy or
      from normal subjects were treated with interferon gamma (100 U/ml) without or
      with graded concentrations of steroids. MEASUREMENTS: Cultures were analysed for
      HLA-DR expression using quantitative immunoblotting and indirect
      immunofluorescence. RESULTS: Glucocorticoids could block HLA-DR induction in a
      dose-dependent manner. At 10(-6) mol/l, the steroids dexamethasone and RU 28362
      inhibited expression by 70% (P < 0.004) and 56% (P < 0.002) respectively. RU
      38486, a glucocorticoid antagonist, could reverse the effect of both
      glucocorticoids, an action that was also dose dependent. At 10(-5) mol/l, RU
      38486 blocked virtually the entire glucocorticoid effect. CONCLUSIONS: These
      results suggest that glucocorticoids can regulate HLA-DR induction by interferon
      gamma at physiological concentrations, an action which is stereospecific and
      mediated through the glucocorticoid receptor.

PMID- 1424194
TI  - Frequency of prolactin pulsatile release in normal men and in agonadal patients
      is neither coupled to LH release nor influenced by androgen modulation.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We wished to examine and characterize the prolactin pulsatile
      secretory pattern in both normal and agonadal males in order to assess whether
      there was any concordance with LH secretion. DESIGN: Patients were sampled every
      5 minutes for 12 hours. PATIENTS: We studied five normal and four agonadal men,
      the latter group before and on testosterone enanthate (TE) (200 mg i.m. every 15
      days) treatment. MEASUREMENTS: Prolactin and luteinizing hormone plasma levels
      were determined using commercial RIA systems. Pulse detection was performed using
      the DETECT program and the degree of concordance between luteinizing hormone and
      prolactin was established computing the specific concordance index. RESULTS: We
      demonstrated the presence of a frequent PRL secretory pattern in normal men (22.8
      +/- 1.8 peaks/12h; mean +/- SEM) and in agonadal patients, both in basal
      conditions and during testosterone treatment (20.5 +/- 2.8 and 18 +/- 1.6
      peaks/12h, respectively). The testosterone treatment in agonadal men
      significantly reduced luteinizing hormone pulse frequency (baseline: 27.5 +/- 2,
      testosterone administration: 18 +/- 1.3 peaks/12h, P < 0.01) but did not affect
      pulsatile prolactin release. Using a 10 and 15 minute sampling protocol, we
      observed that prolactin pulse frequency significantly decreased (P < 0.01) and
      was similar to the frequencies estimated in previous reports. When luteinizing
      hormone and prolactin time series were studied to evaluate the possible presence
      of a specific concordance (SC) between the secretory events of the two hormones,
      no significant degree of concomitancy was observed neither using the specific
      concordance index or the cross-correlation analysis. CONCLUSIONS: This report
      demonstrates (a) the presence of frequent pulsatile release of prolactin in both
      controls and agonadal patients (baseline and on testosterone enanthate), (b) the
      use of an appropriate sampling interval (5 minutes) to unmask the prolactin
      pulsatile release, (c) that in men, luteinizing hormone secretory events are not
      temporally linked to prolactin secretion, and (d) that androgens, even if
      reducing luteinizing hormone pulse frequency in agonadal patients, do not
      significantly affect prolactin pulsatile secretion, suggesting that testosterone
      and its metabolites do not affect lactotroph activity.

PMID- 1424195
TI  - Luteinizing hormone response to clomiphene citrate in central precocious puberty.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to determine the LH response to
      clomiphene citrate administration in children with central precocious puberty and
      different bone ages to gain insight into the hypothalamic maturation mechanism.
      PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twelve children with untreated central precocious puberty
      were studied. Five had central nervous system lesions and seven had idiopathic
      central precocious puberty. Their chronological and bone ages ranged from 1.7 to
      8.8 years and 3.5 to 13.5 years, respectively. Clomiphene citrate (3 mg/kg/day)
      was administered orally for 7 days. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 6 and
      8. LH and FSH were determined by RIA. The results were compared with GnRH
      responses or with bone age. RESULTS: No increase over basal LH levels was
      detected in four patients, but increased LH levels were detected in the remaining
      eight during clomiphene administration. The shift from negative to positive
      responses was around 8-9 years bone age. The sum of LH responses (days 6 and 8)
      to clomiphene citrate, and particularly the 8th-day LH levels, were significantly
      correlated with their respective bone age (r = 0.83). However, the LH responses
      to GnRH were not significantly correlated with bone age or with LH responses to
      clomiphene. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the LH responsiveness to
      clomiphene citrate in central precocious puberty increases with skeletal
      maturation, indicating that the activation of the hypothalamic pubertal mechanism
      in central precocious puberty may progress in a gradual sequence. These changes
      in LH response to clomiphene in central precocious puberty mimic those observed
      with the development of normal puberty, but occur at a much earlier age.

PMID- 1424196
TI  - The effect of growth hormone administration in growth hormone deficient adults on
      bone, protein, carbohydrate and lipid homeostasis, as well as on body
      composition.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The effect on bone, protein, carbohydrate and lipid homeostasis as
      well as body composition of the administration of growth hormone to adult
      patients with growth hormone deficiency was studied. DESIGN: Growth hormone was
      administered at a dose of 25 micrograms/kg/day with a maximum of 1.48 mg (4 IU) a
      day, for 6 months in eight adults. Studies were done before the start and at 1, 3
      and 6 months during therapy, as well as 3 months after treatment had been
      stopped. RESULTS: Subjective well-being as assessed by a short psychological
      tests showed an improvement in six and no change in two patients. Body
      composition, as assessed by body impedance assessment and D2O dilution, both
      showed an increase in lean body mass of 4 kg (5% of body weight), accompanied by
      a decrease in mean fat mass of 3 kg. Nitrogen turnover studies showed a transient
      increase in fed state nitrogen balance due to an increase in the rate of protein
      synthesis, which exceeded a smaller increase in the protein degradation rate.
      Growth hormone treatment did not affect the circulating levels of 25(OH)-vitD or
      PTH 1-84, while 1,25(OH)2-vitD had significantly increased after 6 months, as
      well as 3 months after treatment ended. Osteocalcin, procollagen I levels, as
      well as 24-hour urinary excretion of hydroxyproline and calcium rose during
      growth hormone administration but subsequently decreased rapidly after
      administration had been stopped, while the increase in alkaline phosphatase
      persisted. This increase in markers of both bone resorption and bone formation
      indicates an activation of bone remodelling, but this was not reflected by an
      increase in bone density. Glucose levels, measured before and during a normal
      breakfast, increased during growth hormone treatment, but serum insulin levels
      did not. Total cholesterol levels decreased by 0.5 mmol/l. Levels of T4 and free
      T4 as well as rT3 decreased, while T3 increased during growth hormone treatment.
      CONCLUSION: Therapy with growth hormone for 6 months in a dose varying between 6
      and 25 micrograms/kg/day increased lean body mass and decreased fat mass. The
      sense of general well-being improved in most patients. Furthermore, growth
      hormone treatment increased bone turnover without a measurable increase in bone
      density, caused some minor changes in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, and
      increased the metabolism of thyroxine to T3.

PMID- 1424197
TI  - The use of the polymerase chain reaction in prenatal diagnosis of growth hormone
      gene deletions.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Familial isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD) type IA is
      characterized by a complete absence of human growth hormone (hGH) resulting in
      most cases from either a 6.7 or 7.7 kb deletion of DNA containing the hGH-1 gene.
      These patients have a strong initial anabolic response to exogenous recombinant
      hGH (r-hGH) therapy, frequently associated with the development of immune
      intolerance to r-hGH which causes an arrest of response to r-hGH replacement.
      This disorder is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. PATIENTS AND DESIGN:
      In two pregnancies at risk, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was applied as a
      method for identifying hGH-1 gene deletions in DNA obtained by chorionic villus
      sampling (CVS) in the first trimester. RESULTS: Homozygotes for the 6.7kb
      deletion of DNA containing the hGH-1 gene were easily and conclusively detected
      by the absence of 1900, 761 and 712bp fragments after SmaI digestion of the
      polymerase chain reaction products. In contrast, the pattern found in
      heterozygotes for the hGH-1 gene deletion was difficult to distinguish from the
      pattern found in normal homozygotes. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the polymerase
      chain reaction method is valuable for diagnosing individuals who are homozygous
      for hGH-1 gene deletions, while heterozygotes and normal individuals may be
      difficult to distinguish from each other. We suggest that, in these cases,
      Southern blotting remains the analysis to perform.

PMID- 1424198
TI  - Endocrine dysfunction in Kearns-Sayre syndrome.
AB  - Kearns-Sayre syndrome (KSS) is a form of mitochondrial myopathy in which specific
      clinical features, namely progressive external ophthalmoplegia, pigmentary
      retinal degeneration and cardiac conduction defects, occur. KSS has also been
      associated with a variety of endocrine and metabolic disorders, in particular
      short stature, gonadal failure, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease,
      hyperaldosteronism, hypomagnesaemia, and bone, tooth and calcification
      abnormalities. A case is described exhibiting all of these features. A survey of
      the literature was conducted to determine the prevalence of these conditions
      among reported cases. Cases with hypoparathyroidism were considered separately to
      see if they constituted a distinct subgroup with multiple endocrine dysfunction.
      Short stature was common, being documented in 38% of cases. Gonadal dysfunction
      before or after puberty was also common (20% of cases) and affected both sexes
      equally. Diabetes mellitus was recorded in 13% of cases, half of which required
      insulin. Thyroid disease, hyperaldosteronism and hypomagnesaemia were uncommon
      but were probably not looked for in many cases. Bone or tooth abnormalities and
      calcification of the basal ganglia were found both in those with and without
      hypoparathyroidism. While endocrine and metabolic dysfunction was found more
      commonly in those with hypoparathyroidism this is likely to be due to increased
      recognition rather than increased prevalence. No evidence of an autoimmune
      polyendocrine syndrome including hypoparathyroidism was found.

PMID- 1424199
TI  - Oestrogen therapy for girls with tall stature.

PMID- 1424200
TI  - Molecular genetics, hypogonadism and luteinizing hormone.

PMID- 1424201
TI  - High serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in premature thelarche.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We determined serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), serum
      dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, serum oestradiol and serum testosterone and its
      fractions in girls with premature thelarche. DESIGN: Blood was drawn from girls
      with recently diagnosed (3-12 weeks) premature thelarche. Serum was kept frozen
      for at least one year before hormonal determination to exclude precocious puberty
      by clinical evaluation. PATIENTS: Seventeen girls with premature thelarche aged
      0.83-7.16 years were studied, and compared with a group of 22 normal prepubertal
      girls. MEASUREMENTS: SHBG was measured by saturation analysis and serum
      dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, serum total oestradiol and serum total
      testosterone were determined by radioimmunoassay. Non-SHBG-bound testosterone and
      free testosterone were calculated from an equation derived from the law of mass
      action. RESULTS: Median serum SHBG in premature thelarche was 137 nmol/l (range
      64-221), significantly higher than in normal controls, 93.7 (32-172) (P < 0.05)
      non-parametric test of medians. Serum SHBG decreased significantly with age in
      controls but not in premature thelarche. No difference was found in serum
      dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate. Median serum total testosterone (0.34 nmol/l,
      0.17-0.97), median serum non-SHBG-bound testosterone (0.04 nmol/l, 0.02-0.10) and
      median free testosterone (2.2 pmol/l, 1.0-4.5) were significantly lower in
      premature thelarche than in control (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Serum SHBG is high
      and bioavailable T is low in girls with premature thelarche. This might alter the
      oestrogen/androgen ratio in the breast.

PMID- 1424202
TI  - Effects of oral testosterone undecanoate on growth, body composition, strength
      and energy expenditure of adolescent boys.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We determined the effect of 3 months of daily, 40 mg oral testosterone
      undecanoate on growth, body composition, hand grip and quadriceps muscle
      strength, and total free-living daily energy expenditure in boys with
      constitutionally delayed puberty. DESIGN: Double blind, placebo controlled study.
      PATIENTS: Eighteen boys with constitutionally delayed puberty, mean (SD) age 13.2
      (1.6) years. MEASUREMENTS: Body composition measurements were made by skinfold
      thickness, bioelectrical impedance and stable isotope dilution (H2(18)O) methods.
      Energy expenditure was assessed by the doubly-labelled water (2H2(18)O)
      technique. RESULTS: Height velocity increased from 5.4 (0.8) to 8.1 (0.6) cm/year
      (P < 0.05) in the 3 months after active therapy. Fat-free mass increased more
      with therapy (2.7 (0.3) kg) over the 6-month study period than with placebo (1.7
      (0.4) kg, P < 0.5). Height velocity increases correlated with daily increases in
      fat-free mass (r = 0.68, P = 0.005) in the study group as a whole. Energy
      expenditure and muscle strength increased similarly in both groups. Predicted
      adult height decreased in the group which was treated with testosterone
      undecanoate. CONCLUSIONS: Testosterone undecanoate (40 mg daily for 3 months)
      significantly increased height velocity and fat-free mass velocities after 6
      months but not muscle strength, endurance or total daily energy expenditure.

PMID- 1424203
TI  - Point mutations detected in the androgen receptor gene of three men with partial
      androgen insensitivity syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Determine the sequence of the androgen receptor gene in men with
      impaired responsiveness to androgens in order to identify the molecular basis of
      their under-virilization. DESIGN: Blood samples were used as the source of
      genomic DNA. Portions of the androgen receptor gene were amplified by polymerase
      chain reaction and sequenced. PATIENTS: Samples were obtained from three patients
      and five normal fertile controls. Patients were all 46 XY and were undervirilized
      with ambiguous external genitalia, gynaecomastia and infertility. MEASUREMENTS:
      Total cellular DNA was purified from peripheral blood leucocytes. Pairs of
      oligonucleotide primers designed to flank the individual exons of the androgen
      receptor gene were synthesized. The specific regions of the androgen receptor
      were amplified from the samples of cellular DNA by polymerase chain reaction.
      Amplified DNA was purified, sequenced and compared to the published sequence.
      RESULTS: In all three patients point mutations in the androgen receptor gene were
      detected but no defects were detected in samples from normal controls. In two of
      the patients, an identical single nucleotide change from G to T was detected.
      This nucleotide was within the codon for amino acid 866 and would change it from
      valine to leucine. Amino acid 866 is found within an area of the steroid binding
      domain thought to be involved in receptor dimerization. Within the repetitive
      sequence of exon I patient 1 had 21 glutamine residues and patient 2 had 25. In
      the third patient a single change of G to A would result in incorporation of
      lysine in place of a conserved arginine residue at position 607 within the second
      zinc finger of the DNA binding domain. The sequence of the androgen receptor gene
      of the mother of the third patient revealed her to be heterozygous for the same
      defect. CONCLUSION: Patients 1 and 2 are unrelated although they have an
      identical point mutation in their androgen receptor gene. A patient with complete
      androgen insensitivity syndrome has been reported to have a defect at the same
      position causing the amino acid substitution of methionine for valine. Therefore
      we confirm that the nature of the amino acid change in the peptide sequence of
      the androgen receptor as well as its location within the protein, can have a
      profound effect on the phenotypic severity of androgen resistance. Studies on
      mutated receptors from individuals with a wide range of degrees of androgen
      resistance may enable us to construct a map of the key amino acids in the
      different domains of the protein.

PMID- 1424204
TI  - Oestrogen secreting Leydig cell tumour and GnRH agonist in-vivo and in-vitro
      studies.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The purposes of our study concerning two patients with oestrogen
      secreting Leydig cell tumour were to determine whether endogenous LH levels are
      involved in testicular tumour steroidogenesis and whether aromatase activity of
      oestrogen secreting Leydig cell tumours is directly or indirectly dependent on LH
      levels. MEASUREMENTS: E2 and T were evaluated after hCG injection (5000 IU)
      during 96 hours. Bio and immuno LH, T, E2, were determined at the basal state and
      after administration of D-Trp-6-GnRH agonist (3.75 mg) every 3 weeks. The
      abnormal testis was removed after the third injection and testicular venous blood
      was collected during the operation. Testicular tumour was incubated with 4-14C-T.
      RESULTS: Oestradiol (E2) response to hCG injection (5000 IU) was prolonged and
      exaggerated while that of testosterone (T) was similar to that of the controls.
      The aromatase index (E2/T) remained elevated even 96 hours after hCG.
      Intramuscular injection of the GnRH agonist, D-Trp-6-GnRH (3.75 mg) resulted in a
      reduction of immunoreactive and bioactive LH. T was decreased to about 10% of
      baseline levels and E2 fell from 240 to 36 pmol/l. In the blood of the spermatic
      veins collected in the course of surgery, E2 levels were found to be lower in
      comparison with the controls. E2 was found to be twofold higher in the spermatic
      vein draining the tumoral side than in that of the contralateral testis.
      Incubation of the testicular tumours with 4-14C-T, displayed a reduced aromatase
      activity (conversion of T to E2: 0.3 and 0.1% in patients 1 and 2 respectively).
      CONCLUSIONS: The kinetics of E2 response to hCG administration would suggest a
      modification of the regulation of the aromatase activity in this type of
      oestrogen secreting tumour. A certain endogenous LH level may be necessary to
      supply a sufficient quantity of T substrate, and to maintain aromatase activity
      of such Leydig cell tumours secreting oestrogens. These tumours seem to be
      responsive to endogenous LH levels.

PMID- 1424205
TI  - Prevalence of gastritis in patients with acromegaly: untreated and during
      treatment with octreotide.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: It has previously been suggested that acromegalic patients treated
      with the somatostatin analogue octreotide invariably have chronic gastritis. We
      have examined the prevalence of gastritis in a large group of acromegalic
      patients, untreated and during treatment with octreotide. DESIGN: We studied
      three groups of acromegalic patients: (A) untreated; (B) octreotide-treated; (C)
      a subgroup of these studied both before and during octreotide therapy. PATIENTS:
      Forty-eight patients, grouped as above, with active acromegaly were examined for
      the presence of gastritis. MEASUREMENTS: Gastroscopy and histological examination
      of gastric biopsies for the presence of gastritis and Helicobacter organisms were
      undertaken. The principal outcome was quantification of the prevalence of
      gastritis in the various study groups. RESULTS: Group A: 10 of the 33 patients
      (30%) had gastritis before any therapy with octreotide. Group B: 17 of 36
      patients (47%) on octreotide treatment for 6-59 months (mean 20.5) had gastritis,
      and this was present in five out of the sub-group of eight patients (62%) treated
      for over 3 years. Group C: three of 21 patients (14%) developed gastritis during
      treatment with octreotide for between 6 and 23 months (mean 12.4). There was a
      highly significant association between the presence of gastritis and the presence
      of Helicobacter pylori organisms. CONCLUSIONS: Octreotide therapy of acromegaly
      may predispose to the development of gastritis, but this remains statistically
      unproven. Certainly, gastritis is not an invariable consequence of octreotide
      therapy, even after prolonged periods of treatment. The presence of gastritis is
      associated with H. pylori infection.

PMID- 1424206
TI  - Long-term in-vitro treatment of human growth hormone (GH)-secreting pituitary
      adenoma cells with octreotide causes accumulation of intracellular GH and GH mRNA
      levels.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We studied the effects of long-term in-vitro exposure of human GH
      secreting pituitary adenoma cells to octreotide on GH release, intracellular GH
      concentrations and GH messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels. DESIGN: Human GH
      secreting pituitary adenoma cells were cultured for periods from 4 days up to 3
      weeks without or with octreotide (10 nM) and/or bromocriptine (10 nM). The
      effects of these drugs were measured on GH release, intracellular GH
      concentrations and intracellular GH mRNA levels. PATIENTS: Thirteen patients with
      GH-secreting pituitary adenomas were studied. Twelve patients were untreated, one
      had been pretreated with octreotide (12 weeks, 3 x 100 micrograms daily).
      MEASUREMENTS: GH, PRL, alpha-subunit and IGF-I concentrations in plasma, media
      and cell extracts were determined by immunoradiometric or radioimmuno-assays. GH
      mRNA levels were determined by automatic quantification of grain numbers in
      individual adenoma cells. RESULTS: Incubation of the adenoma cells for 4 days
      with 10 nM octreotide induced a dose-dependent inhibition of GH release and a
      parallel increase (increase varying between 124 and 617% of control) in the
      intracellular GH levels was observed in six of seven adenomas. In addition,
      bromocriptine, when effective in inhibiting GH release by the adenomas, also
      induced an increase in intracellular GH levels. Even after 3 weeks of exposure to
      10 nM octreotide in vitro there was a statistically significant increase in
      intracellular GH levels (between 191 and 923% of control). Withdrawal of
      octreotide after 6 days of incubation resulted in a lowering of intracellular GH
      levels to control values, showing that the octreotide-induced increase in
      intracellular GH is reversible. In a 96-hour incubation with 10 nM octreotide, GH
      mRNA levels were increased in two, and slightly decreased in one of the three
      adenomas tested. This effect was time dependent in that there was no significant
      effect of 10 nM octreotide on GH mRNA levels in a 24-hour incubation.
      CONCLUSIONS: (1) Long-term in-vitro exposure of GH-adenoma cells to octreotide
      causes an increase in intracellular GH levels in the majority of the adenomas,
      probably because of an increase in GH mRNA levels in the adenoma cells; and (2)
      this considerable increase in intracellular GH levels may be one of the
      explanations for the relatively poor effect of octreotide on tumour shrinkage in
      patients with GH-secreting pituitary adenomas.

PMID- 1424207
TI  - Effect of growth hormone on the low level of growth hormone binding protein in
      idiopathic short stature.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Growth hormone receptor status was assessed in children with
      idiopathic short stature by evaluating plasma growth hormone-binding protein
      before and under GH therapy. DESIGN: Among 22 children presenting idiopathic
      short stature, 15 were randomly selected to be treated with GH (1.2 IU/kg/week);
      they were studied before and under GH therapy. Untreated patients served as a
      control group for age and GH effect. PATIENTS: Twenty-two prepubertal children,
      aged 5-11 years, were studied. They presented growth retardation of -2.8 +/- 0.1
      SDS (mean +/- SEM). All had normal GH secretion and their mean IGF-I plasma level
      was normal. MEASUREMENT: Growth hormone-binding protein was measured using high
      pressure liquid chromatography gel filtration. The specific binding of 125I-hGH
      to the growth hormone-binding protein was expressed as a percentage of the total
      radioactivity. RESULTS: Specific binding of 125I-hGH to the high affinity growth
      hormone-binding protein was low with a mean +/- SEM value of 11.1 +/- 0.9% of
      radioactivity. In the treated group, growth hormone-binding protein increased
      significantly after 3 months of treatment; it reached 21.1 +/- 1.0% of
      radioactivity (mean +/- SEM) in the eight children who have been treated for 18
      months. In the seven untreated children, the growth hormone-binding protein value
      increased to 16.2 +/- 1.1% after 18 months; this value is significantly lower
      than that found in the GH-treated children, demonstrating that the GH effect is
      greater than the age-related increase in the growth hormone-binding protein. A
      positive correlation was found between IGF-I plasma levels and growth hormone
      binding protein and also between growth velocity and growth hormone-binding
      protein. CONCLUSIONS: The low growth hormone-binding protein and the response to
      high doses of GH suggest partial GH resistance at the receptor level, in this
      group of children with idiopathic short stature.

PMID- 1424208
TI  - Pituitary histology in Cushing's disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We assessed pituitary histology in patients with Cushing's disease.
      DESIGN: Systematic histological assessment of pituitary tissue removed at
      surgery. PATIENTS: Thirty-six consecutive patients cured from Cushing's disease
      by transsphenoidal neurosurgery. MEASUREMENTS: Microscopical examination of all
      available tissue removed at operation. RESULTS: After selective removal of tissue
      supposed to represent an adenoma in 25 patients this could be histologically
      verified in 18. In the 11 patients who had undergone a total hypophysectomy an
      adenoma could be demonstrated in three patients only, despite a systematic search
      of the entire pituitary gland. Only in 21 of the 36 cured patients (58%) could an
      adenoma be verified. CONCLUSIONS: Combining the present results with previous
      reports there is strong reason to believe that in some patients with Cushing's
      disease no histological lesion in the pituitary is verifiable.

PMID- 1424209
TI  - Usefulness of thyroglobulin antibody detected by ultrasensitive enzyme
      immunoassay: a good parameter for immune surveillance in healthy subjects and for
      prediction of post-partum thyroid dysfunction.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Using newly developed ultrasensitive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for
      thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), we have evaluated physiological and pathological
      implications of the antibody in healthy subjects as well as in autoimmune thyroid
      diseases. MEASUREMENTS: This EIA was based on the immune complex transfer method,
      and was 10(4)-fold more sensitive compared with the conventional
      haemagglutination assay (HA); the detection limit was 0.1 micrograms IgG/I, and
      the specificity of the assay was confirmed from the unequivocal decrease in the
      fluorescence intensity by the preincubation of test serum with Tg and/or inactive
      beta-D-galactosidase which blocks antibodies to the enzyme. RESULTS: TgAb was
      detectable in 159 (91%) of 175 healthy subjects aged 3rd to 7th decade (96 men
      and 79 women), and did not exhibit age or sex-associated change. In nine healthy
      women, the TgAb level significantly decreased as pregnancy progressed but
      increased transiently after delivery. TgAb was detectable in 52 (98%) of 53
      patients with Graves' disease and all (100%) of 107 patients with chronic
      thyroiditis. Abnormal high TgAb values (> 40 micrograms/I), determined from the
      95th percentile in healthy subjects, were shown in 40 (75%) with the former
      disease and 94 (88%) with the latter disease. Moreover, in 14 goitrous patients
      with biopsy-proved chronic thyroiditis with negative HA results, 12 (86%) showed
      abnormal high TgAb levels. In 69 patients with post-partum thyrotoxicosis in
      Graves' disease, 15 (79%) of 19 patients with the TgAb level of more than 2 x
      10(3) micrograms/I in early pregnancy showed destructive thyrotoxicosis and 46
      (92%) of 50 with less than this level showed stimulative thyrotoxicosis. This
      TgAb test could discriminate the two types of thyrotoxicosis more clearly than
      could the conventional TGHA test. In chronic thyroiditis, the mean TgAb value in
      early pregnancy was significantly higher in patients with postpartum
      hypothyroidism than in those without thyroid dysfunction. Hypothyroidism
      developed in 80% of the patients with a TgAb value of more than 10(3)
      micrograms/I. CONCLUSIONS: The ultrasensitive TgAb EIA was useful for detecting
      the physiological changes in autoantibody formation in healthy subjects and the
      TgAb value was useful for predicting post-partum thyroid dysfunction in
      autoimmune thyroid diseases. This EIA is useful for the evaluation of the immune
      surveillance in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases as well as in healthy
      subjects.

PMID- 1424210
TI  - Thyroid cells in Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis stimulate allogeneic
      T cells when pretreated with phorbol ester.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the capacity of thyroid follicular cells to function as
      antigen presenting cells, we have examined their ability to stimulate allogeneic
      T cells. DESIGN: Thyroid follicular cells were pretreated with interferon-gamma
      or phorbol myristate acetate, washed thoroughly, and their capacity to induce
      allogeneic T cell proliferation was determined. PATIENTS: Thyroid cells were
      prepared using thyroidectomy specimens from eight patients with Graves' disease,
      one with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and two with non-toxic multinodular goitre.
      MEASUREMENTS: T cell 3H-thymidine incorporation was measured after a 16-hour
      incubation period with the isotope, 3 days after co-culture of T cells and
      thyroid cells. RESULTS: Four of the eight thyroid cell preparations from thyroid
      autoimmunity patients failed to stimulate T cells, although there was a
      significant, weak stimulation for the whole group (P < 0.05): interferon-gamma
      pretreatment had no effect on this. Phorbol myristate acetate pretreatment
      significantly increased the ability of thyroid cells (from both autoimmune and
      multinodular glands) to stimulate T cells (P < 0.05); this was time and
      concentration dependent. Cell fixation after PMA treatment did not abolish this
      stimulatory activity, which could be transferred by supernatants from unfixed
      cells; exogenous interleukin-1 did not mimic the activity. CONCLUSIONS: Thyroid
      cells expressing major histocompatibility complex class II molecules only weakly
      and inconsistently stimulate allogeneic T cells, compared to thyroid cells
      pretreated with phorbol myristate acetate, a difference which may be due to the
      expression of an unidentified co-stimulatory signal induced by phorbol ester.

PMID- 1424211
TI  - Treatment of osteoporosis with parathyroid peptide (hPTH 1-34) and oestrogen:
      increase in volumetric density of iliac cancellous bone may depend on reduced
      trabecular spacing as well as increased thickness of packets of newly formed
      bone.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We wished to determine whether treatment of vertebral osteoporosis
      with human parathyroid peptide 1-34 (hPTH 1-34), given as a daily injection with
      supplementary treatment with hormone replacement therapy (HRT), increases
      cancellous bone area in the ilium by increasing the size of packets of new bone.
      DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS: The width of packets of cancellous bone (wall width) was
      measured at random intercepts and mean values calculated. Cancellous bone area
      and perimeter were also measured. Indices of trabecular separation and the
      complementary quantity trabecular number were derived according to Parfitt's
      method, as well as trabecular width. Patients were used as their own controls and
      changes in these indices calculated. Correlations were calculated for data
      obtained from independent measurements. PATIENTS: We studied eleven women with
      post-menopausal osteoporosis, diagnosed by fractures after exclusion of causes of
      secondary osteoporosis. RESULTS: One woman did not comply with her HRT therapy.
      In the others, treatment with hPTH 1-34 + HRT restored the characteristically
      depressed pre-treatment values of wall width to normal. Trabecular width
      increased approximately four times more than wall width. Changes in wall width
      correlated with changes in cancellous bone area; however, bone area increased
      considerably more than could be accounted for statistically by changes in wall
      width. A decrease in trabecular separation was found to account for the
      additional increase in bone area (P = 0.056). CONCLUSION: hPTH 1-34 + oestrogen
      and progestagen therapy increases the width of packets of new cancellous bone
      with consequent increases in the width of trabecular plates.

PMID- 1424212
TI  - Circulating levels of midregional parathyroid hormone-related protein in
      hypercalcaemia of malignancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We have developed and evaluated a sensitive radioimmunoassay directed
      against the midregional part of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP),
      which is involved in the syndrome of humoral hypercalcaemia of malignancy.
      PATIENTS: Midregional PTHrP levels were studied in 41 consecutive inpatients with
      malignancy and hypercalcaemia, 32 normocalcaemic patients with malignancy, 21
      patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, 34 patients with renal failure, and 87
      normals. MEASUREMENTS: The assay used an antiserum against the midregional amino
      acid residues 53-84 of PTHrP and PTHrP(1-86) as label and standard. Midregional
      PTHrP was stable in serum and plasma and could be measured directly without
      sample extraction. RESULTS: Normal plasma concentrations ranged from undetectable
      (< 5 pmol/l) to 21 pmol/l. In renal failure, PTHrP was positively correlated with
      serum creatinine, but PTHrP elevations of up to 30 pmol/l were found only in
      severe renal dysfunction with creatinine > 850 mumol/l. In hypercalcaemia caused
      by solid tumours, midregional PTHrP was elevated in 81% (22 of 27) of patients,
      ranging from undetectable to 203 pmol/l (median: 40 pmol/l). In these patients
      serum calcium correlated positively with PTHrP (P < 0.01). Mean PTHrP levels were
      indistinguishable in subgroups with and without metastatic skeletal disease. The
      mechanism of hypercalcaemia in 14 patients with haematological malignancy was
      apparently different, since all but one had normal or only marginally elevated
      PTHrP levels. In 21 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism midregional PTHrP
      was normal in 20. The assay was therefore especially useful in distinguishing the
      latter condition from humoral hypercalcaemia of malignancy as the second major
      cause of hypercalcaemia. PTHrP was normal in all 32 patients with normocalcaemic
      malignancy. CONCLUSION: This radioimmunoassay of midregional PTHrP provides high
      diagnostic sensitivity in the identification of humoral hypercalcaemia of
      malignancy caused by solid tumours. The assay should therefore be useful in the
      differential diagnosis of hypercalcaemia.

PMID- 1424213
TI  - Post-pregnancy osteoporosis associated with hypercalcaemia.
AB  - A lactating 31-year-old woman who developed four vertebral fractures 1-2 months
      after the delivery of her first child is described. She was hypercalcaemic (serum
      calcium up to 2.99 mmol/l), and urinary excretion of both calcium and
      hydroxyproline (an index of bone resorption) were markedly elevated. Serum levels
      of parathyroid hormone and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D were suppressed, but
      parathyroid hormone-related peptide was above normal. There was severe axial
      osteopenia, as assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The biochemical
      abnormalities were reversed within 2 weeks of weaning, with the exception of the
      parathyroid hormone-related peptide concentration, which declined more gradually.
      This appears to be the first description of the abnormalities in calcium
      metabolism and bone density from early in the course of post-pregnancy
      osteoporosis and it indicates that this condition is associated with high levels
      of osteolysis which return to normal after weaning. This rapid reversal of the
      metabolic abnormalities accounts for the inconclusive nature of previous
      descriptions of post-pregnancy osteoporosis, in which investigations were more
      delayed. It also emphasizes the importance of weaning in the management of women
      presenting with this condition. A possible aetiological role for parathyroid
      hormone-related peptide is discussed.

PMID- 1424214
TI  - Phaeochromocytomas as a cause of hypotension.
AB  - A patient presented with apparent septicaemic shock. Full invasive cardiovascular
      monitoring revealed systemic hypotension, high normal cardiac output, and a low
      systemic vascular resistance. Maintenance of systemic vascular resistance and
      blood pressure was shown to be highly dependent on noradrenaline. Subsequent
      investigation revealed the presence of a phaeochromocytoma producing adrenaline.
      The mechanisms by which phaeochromocytomas may produce hypotension are discussed.

PMID- 1424215
TI  - Effects on renal function and digoxin-like immunoreactivity produced by
      methimazole in low-renal mass hypertension.
AB  - This study evaluates the effects of methimazole, an antithyroid drug, on blood
      pressure, digoxin-like immunoreactive factor (DLIF) production and other
      variables related to salt and water metabolism in low-renal mass (LRM)
      hypertension. Drinking administration of methimazole (0.025%) from replacement of
      water by the 1% NaCl solution maintained the blood pressure of low-renal mass
      rats at normal levels during four weeks after hypertension induction. Serum and
      urinary excretion of DLIF were significantly increased in LRM rats with respect
      to controls; in all tests, the highest values of DLIF were found in LRM
      methimazole treated (LRM-M) rats. Urinary excretion of DLIF showed positive
      correlations with diuresis and natriuresis in all three groups (control, LRM and
      LRM-M rats). However, the correlation between DLIF and sodium disappeared when
      both factors were expressed as a function of their concentrations. These results
      indicate that methimazole prevents LRM hypertension and suggest that DLIF might
      not represent the putative natriuretic hormone. Other findings were that
      methimazole-treatment reduced renal compensatory hypertrophy subsequent to
      subtotal nephrectomy, and did not modify the characteristic polyuria-polydypsia
      in this type of hypertension.

PMID- 1424217
TI  - Definitions and characteristics of salt-sensitivity and resistance of blood
      pressure: should the diagnosis depend on diastolic blood pressure?
AB  - To elucidate the importance of diastolic blood pressure in the definition of salt
      sensitive hypertension, we studied 54 male subjects, 36 of whom had untreated,
      mild essential hypertension. The subjects received a 120 mmol/d Na (as the
      chloride salt) diet for six days. Thereafter they received a 10 mmol/d Na diet
      for eight days followed by a 400 mmol/d Na diet for another 8 days. Blood
      pressure was measured hourly "around the clock" on the last day of each diet; the
      averaged systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure values were compared. In 22
      subjects diastolic blood pressure increased, when salt intake was increased from
      10 to 400 mmol/d. In 18 of these 22 subjects systolic blood pressure increased as
      well. In 20 subjects, systolic blood pressure increased with salt loading while
      diastolic blood pressure decreased. In 13 subjects both systolic and diastolic
      blood pressure decreased with increased salt intake. We defined those subjects
      showing an increase in diastolic blood pressure as salt-sensitive. If mean blood
      pressure were used to define salt-sensitivity, 8 of our subjects would have been
      labeled as salt-sensitive who actually decreased their diastolic blood pressure
      with salt loading. We suggest that consideration of systolic and diastolic blood
      pressure responses gives better insight into identifying volume and resistance
      related phenomena in salt-sensitive hypertension, than does the consideration of
      mean blood pressure alone. The definition of salt-sensitivity may require
      reassessment.

PMID- 1424216
TI  - Calcium suppresses central angiotensin II pressor response less in SHR.
AB  - To determine whether calcium alters central cardiovascular regulation,
      cardiovascular responses to intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of calcium
      were recorded in conscious Wistar rats. Calcium injection consistently produced
      dose-dependent decreases in mean parterial pressure and heart rate. Pretreatment
      with a calcium channel blocker, diltiazem, attenuated cardiovascular responses to
      calcium. Decreases in plasma norepinephrine indicated the contribution of
      sympatho-inhibition to vasodepression by calcium. Preceding calcium injection
      reduced pressor responses to ICV-injected angiotensin II. These findings suggest
      that there is a pharmacological interaction between calcium and angiotensin II in
      the central nervous system. In spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR),
      cardiovascular responses to calcium was larger than Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). By
      contrast, calcium reduced pressor responses to angiotensin II only in WKY but not
      in SHR. Because the central interaction between calcium and angiotensin II has
      been different in SHR, our results imply that this difference may be related to
      the maintenance of high blood pressure in SHR.

PMID- 1424218
TI  - Cardiovascular responses to centrally applied sodium chloride solution.
AB  - In conscious and anaesthetized rats the baroreceptor heart reflex (BHR) was
      checked before and after i.c.v. application of isotonic or hypertonic (0.6 M; 1.0
      M) NaCl solution, artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) and 1.0 M mannitol
      solution. The BHR was tested by evaluating the alteration of the inter-beat
      interval (IBI) in response to an artificial BP rise or drop which had been evoked
      by i.v. bolus injection of either phenylephrine or sodium nitroprusside. The
      slope of the correlation function was taken to index the reflex sensitivity. In
      anaesthetized rats the mean sensitivity of the BHR was 0.6 ms/mm Hg
      (phenylephrine). l.c.v. administration of isotonic NaCl solution did not change
      BP, IBI or the BHR sensitivity, whilst i.c.v. infusion of hypertonic NaCl
      solution increased BP and shortened IBI. The BHR sensitivity was impaired only
      when 1.0 M NaCl solution was i.c.v. infused by 0.23 ms/mm Hg. In conscious rats
      the mean sensitivity of the BHR was 1.14 ms/mm Hg (phenylephrine) and 1.35 ms/mm
      Hg (sodium nitroprusside). In the conscious rats i.c.v. bolus injection of
      hypertonic NaCl solution increased BP as in anaesthetized rats, however, the IBI
      was prolonged, whilst 1.0 M mannitol solution and aCSF were without any influence
      on BP, IBI and BHR. l.c.v. administration of hypertonic NaCl solution reduced the
      BHR sensitivity by approximately 0.6 ms/mm Hg.

PMID- 1424219
TI  - White blood cell and lymphocyte populations following interleukin-2
      administration in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.
AB  - The immune system has been linked to the pathogenesis of hypertension in the
      spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). Recently interleukin-2 has been reported to
      inhibit the development of hypertension in the SHR, but no measures of different
      lymphocyte populations were made. To test the effect of interleukin-2 we repeated
      the protocol in the report by injecting forty two day old, male SHR and WKY rats,
      and in addition, analyzed lymphocyte subpopulations. Untreated, age matched rats
      of the same strain were used as a control. At three and four months of age blood
      was drawn from all animals. Monoclonal antibodies were used to fluorescently
      label different lymphocyte subpopulations. The populations examined were the
      total T-cells, T-nonhelper cells, T-helper cells and B-cells. Total numbers of
      lymphocytes and white blood cells were also examined. Blood pressures were
      measured in conscious, restrained animals at two and four months of age. The
      results showed no attenuation of blood pressure in the interleukin-2 treated SHR
      at either age. The interleukin-2 treated SHR had a decrease in the percentage of
      B-cells and an increase in the percentage of T-nonhelper cells relative to the
      control SHR. Both treated and untreated SHR had increased numbers of white blood
      cells and lymphocytes compared to both groups of WKY. We conclude that the
      interleukin-2 used was active but failed to have any effect on blood pressure or
      absolute numbers of white blood cells and lymphocytes in the treated animals.

PMID- 1424220
TI  - Relaxation of non-contracted smooth muscle by atrial natriuretic peptide.
AB  - Atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-hANP-99-126), 1 x 10(-8) to 5 x 10(-10) M was
      able to further relax the non-contracted aortic smooth muscle of rabbit after
      complete recovery from a previous challenge with human angiotensin II (AII), 1 x
      10(-6) M. The relaxation was directly proportional to the response of the ring or
      strip to the previous challenge with AII. ANP does not have effect on basal
      tension in isolated strips or rings of the rabbit aorta not previously exposed to
      AII. Norepinephrine (NE), 10(-7) M was less potent in inducing reactivity of the
      vessel to ANP, ie, only a small relaxant effect on basal tension could be
      observed. A similar vasorelaxant effect of ANP on basal tension could be obtained
      in the absence of extracellular calcium: Ca(2+)-free Ringers' solution containing
      2 mM ethylene-glycol-bis (beta-aminoethyl ether)N',N' tetraacetic acid (EGTA
      Ringer). In contrast, sodium nitroprusside 10(-8) M does not affect basal
      tension. Present results demonstrate the role of the physiological state of the
      vessel in the reactivity to ANP.

PMID- 1424221
TI  - Circadian blood pressure variation in patients with renovascular hypertension or
      primary aldosteronism.
AB  - Circadian blood pressure (BP) variation were studied in patients with
      renovascular hypertension (RVH) and primary aldosteronism (PA). Ambulatory BP
      (ABP) was monitored every 5 min for 24 hrs in a ward setting in 23 patients with
      PA and 17 patients with RVH (13 patients with unilateral renal arterial stenosis
      and 4 with bilateral stenosis). In patients with RVH, ABP was monitored before
      and after treatment with a converting enzyme inhibitor or percutaneous
      transluminal angioplasty. Plasma renin activity (PRA) was high before
      percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in almost all patients with RVH and low in
      those with PA. Ordinary circadian BP variation, i.e. nocturnal fall and diurnal
      rise in BP, was confirmed in the patients with unilateral or bilateral renal
      artery stenosis. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty successfully normalized
      both BP and PRA in those with RVH. Normal circadian BP variation was observed in
      those with RVH before the treatment with a converting enzyme inhibitor or
      percutaneous transluminal angioplasty as well as during treatment with the former
      and after treatment with the latter. Circadian BP variation in the patients with
      RVH was affected by the pathogenesis of renal artery stenosis alone, i.e,
      fibromuscular hyperplasia and atherosclerosis; with fibromuscular hyperplasia
      normal circadian BP variation was observed, while with atherosclerosis, nocturnal
      BP fall was restricted or eliminated. Circadian BP variation in those with PA
      before and after excision of adrenal adenoma was essentially similar to that in
      normal subjects and essential hypertensive patients. From these it seems that in
      patients with RVH or PA, circadian BP variation is not affected by hypertension
      per se or by pathogenesis of hypertension.

PMID- 1424222
TI  - Stimulation of renal dopamine production during acute volume expansion requires
      the presence of intact vagi but not renal nerves.
AB  - We have previously reported that acute volume expansion (VE) with isotonic saline
      stimulates the production of renal dopamine (DA) which in turn contributes to the
      accompanying diuresis and natriuresis via activation of renal tubular DA-1
      receptors. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the presence
      of vagi and/or renal nerves is essential in order to activate the renal
      dopaminergic system during acute VE. Acute VE (6% body weight) with isotonic
      saline was performed in two groups of anesthetized rats, one of which served as
      sham control whereas the other was subjected to bilateral cervical vagotomy. The
      diuretic and natriuretic responses to acute VE did not differ between the sham
      control and vagotomized groups. However, urinary DA excretion (UDAV) was
      significantly increased in the sham control but not vagotomized group.
      Pretreatment with SCH 23390, a selective DA-1 receptor antagonist led to
      significant attenuation of the diuretic and natriuretic response to acute VE in
      the sham control but not vagotomized group. In another group of animals, the
      diuretic and natriuretic response to acute VE was studied in rats subjected to
      acute unilateral renal denervation. Basal UDAV was not significantly different
      between the denervated (DNX) kidney and the contralateral innervated (INX)
      kidney. Acute VE evoked diuresis and natriuresis in both kidneys, the response in
      the DNX kidney being significantly greater when compared to that in the INX
      kidney. UDAV increased significantly and to similar levels in both kidneys.
      Pretreatment with SCH 23390 led to attenuation of the diuretic and natriuretic
      response to acute VE in the DNX but not INX kidney. After DA-1 receptor blockade,
      the residual renal response to volume expansion in the DNX kidney did not differ
      significantly from that in the INX kidney. The results of this study suggest that
      1) afferent vagal pathways appear to mediate the VE induced stimulation of renal
      DA production; 2) the increase in UDAV during acute VE occurs primarily through a
      mechanism which is independent of renal noradrenergic and putative dopaminergic
      nerves.

PMID- 1424224
TI  - Efficacy and safety of felodipine, a new dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker,
      in elderly hypertensive patients.
AB  - Felodipine is a new dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker with a number of
      properties that enhance its suitability as a first-line antihypertensive drug for
      the elderly. Felodipine has a 100-fold selectivity for inhibiting the
      contribution of vascular smooth muscle compared with cardiac muscle. Negative
      inotropic action appears minimal while selectivity appears to increase with age.
      Felodipine has a minimal effect on smooth muscle of venous capacitance vessels,
      thereby greatly reducing the likelihood of orthostatic hypotension. Renal effects
      are favorable; the glomerular filtration rate is increased in some patients. The
      extended-release formulation of felodipine produces a smooth 24-hour plasma
      concentration curve and is effective when prescribed once daily. Felodipine
      appears to lower blood pressure effectively in the elderly patient with few,
      generally mild, adverse effects.

PMID- 1424223
TI  - Intracellular Mg2+, Ca2+, Na2+ and K+ in platelets and erythrocytes of essential
      hypertension patients: relation to blood pressure.
AB  - Alterations in intracellular cation metabolism have been implicated in the
      pathophysiology of essential hypertension. Total magnesium, calcium, sodium and
      potassium levels were studied in serum erythrocytes and platelets, from 154
      subjects (76 hypertensive and 78 normotensives; 104 blacks and 50 whites). In the
      combined black and white hypertensive group, platelet sodium and calcium and
      erythrocyte calcium were elevated and serum potassium, serum magnesium and
      platelet magnesium decreased. In the black hypertensive patients, platelet sodium
      and calcium and erythrocyte calcium were increased, whereas serum magnesium,
      serum potassium, platelet magnesium and erythrocyte magnesium were decreased. In
      the white hypertensive group, platelet sodium and erythrocyte calcium were raised
      and platelet magnesium was decreased. In the black hypertensive patients, serum
      and platelet magnesium and serum calcium were negatively and erythrocyte and
      platelet calcium positively correlated with mean arterial pressure. In the white
      hypertensive patients platelet sodium was directly related to mean arterial
      pressure. These results suggest that intracellular sodium and calcium overload
      and magnesium depletion may be important in the pathophysiology of hypertension.
      Magnesium disturbances are more consistent and widespread in black hypertensive
      patients than in white hypertensive patients.

PMID- 1424225
TI  - Age-related decrease of neurogenic release of calcitonin gene-related peptide
      from perivascular nerves in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
AB  - Changes in the neurogenic release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) by
      perivascular nerve stimulation (PNS) were investigated in perfused mesenteric
      vascular beds isolated from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and
      normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). CGRP-like immunoreactivity (CGRP-LI) in the
      perfusate was examined by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and identified to be CGRP itself
      by combined analysis with radioimmunoassay and HPLC. In SHR and WKY preparations,
      PNS (4 and 8 Hz) evoked a frequency-dependent increase of CGRP-LI in the
      perfusate, which was abolished by 500 nM tetrodotoxin and the removal of Ca2+
      from the medium. In young SHR and WKY (8-week-old), there was no significant
      difference in the release of CGRP-LI induced by PNS, whereas the release in the
      15-week-old SHR was significantly less than in the 15-week-old WKY and in 8-week
      old SHR. These results suggest that neural release of CGRP from perivascular
      nerves in mesenteric resistance vessels of SHR decreases with age.

PMID- 1424226
TI  - Intestinal failure--the clinical problem.
AB  - Intestinal failure can be the end result of a wide variety of disease processes
      that impair the ability of the gut to adequately digest and absorb food. Patients
      with established intestinal failure may require parenteral nutrition support
      and/or abdominal surgery to reverse the disease process involved. Selected
      patients with irreversible intestinal failure can be managed in experienced units
      by home parenteral nutrition.

PMID- 1424227
TI  - Small bowel transplantation: past, present and future.
AB  - As techniques for immune suppression improve, the clinical utility of small bowel
      transplantation will increase. Recent reports of long-term (over 1 year) survival
      with totally enteral nutrition following bowel transplantation have increased
      interest in this area and prompted the present review of the state of the art of
      small bowel transplantation. Background methodology is emphasized, in order to
      allow for more critical review of reported models, and to provide a framework for
      comparing results. The functional capacity of bowel following transplantation,
      and the effects of immune suppression on bowel function are reviewed in detail.
      Prospects for future direction in basic and clinical research are discussed.

PMID- 1424228
TI  - Joint manifestations in gastrointestinal diseases. 1. Pathophysiological aspects,
      ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
AB  - The many unique structural and functional features of the intestine may offer
      explanations to the well-established association between arthritis and
      inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). In ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease
      (CD) some 6-8% of cases develop peripheral joint disease which frequently
      correlates with the activity and extent of the underlying bowel disorder.
      Ankylosing spondylitis is also found rather frequently in UC and CD, but is
      apparently not related to the severity of colitis. The occurrence of rheumatic
      manifestations in these two IBD is reviewed in detail.

PMID- 1424229
TI  - Structural abnormalities of the Y-chromosome and craniosynostosis.

PMID- 1424230
TI  - EEC syndrome (ectrodactyly, ectodermal dysplasia and cleft lip/palate) is on
      7p11.2-q21.3.

PMID- 1424231
TI  - MASA syndrome.

PMID- 1424232
TI  - Association of haptoglobin types with serum lipids and apolipoproteins in a
      Chinese population.
AB  - Association of haptoglobin types with serum lipids and apolipoprotein levels was
      investigated in a healthy Chinese population of both sexes (n = 679) in
      Singapore. The frequency of Hp1 and Hp2 was found to be 0.30 and 0.70,
      respectively. The distribution of haptoglobin phenotypes was at Hardy-Weinberg
      equilibrium in this population. There was an excess of Hp2 in individuals with
      the upper two quartiles of serum total cholesterol levels compared to those with
      the lower two quartiles in both sexes (X1(2): 11.84; P less than 0.001). Subjects
      with Hp 2-2 had significantly higher serum total and LDL cholesterol levels
      (243.8 +/- 2.83 and 165.9 +/- 2.48 mg/dl) compared to those in other haptoglobin
      types (230.7 +/- 2.58 and 154.9 +/- 2.49 mg/dl), respectively (P less than 0.001
      and 0.002) after adjustments for age, sex and BMI. No other lipid (HDL
      cholesterol and triglyceride) and apolipoprotein (apo A-I, A-II and B) traits
      were associated with haptoglobin types. ANOVA statistics using age, sex and BMI
      as covariates showed that 1.8% of total variability of serum total cholesterol
      and 2.1% of serum LDL cholesterol could be explained by haptoglobin types (P
      0.008 and 0.003, respectively). It is concluded that haptoglobin polymorphism is
      significantly associated with serum total and LDL cholesterol levels in this
      Chinese population.

PMID- 1424233
TI  - A novel truncated apolipoprotein B (apo B55) in a patient with familial
      hypobetalipoproteinemia and atypical retinitis pigmentosa.
AB  - We have identified an apolipoprotein (apo) B mutation in a patient with an
      atypical form of retinitis pigmentosa (RP). In the family the eye disease is
      characterised by late age of onset and autosomal dominant inheritance. In
      addition to RP, the proband has low total cholesterol (4.5 mmol/l) and LDL
      cholesterol (2.0 mmol/l) levels characteristic of the autosomal codominant
      apolipoprotein (apo) B deficiency disease hypobetalipoproteinemia (HBL). Using a
      monoclonal antibody directly against apo B and immunoblots of SDS polyacrylamide
      gel separated plasma, a normal apo B100 and a truncated apo B species with an
      estimated size of apo B54 was identified in the proband and his RP-affected
      sister. The location of the mutation in the apo B gene was identified using
      chemical cleavage of mismatch and this was confirmed by direct sequencing of an
      amplified fragment of DNA spanning the estimated site of the mutation. The
      mutation is a C----T transition at nucleotide 7692 which changes the CGA
      arginine2495 codon to a STOP codon resulting in the premature termination of apo
      B100. The truncated apo B protein is 2494 amino acids long with a predicted size
      of apo B55. Using allele specific oligonucleotides and oligonucleotide melting
      techniques, the proband, his sister and two other relatives out of a total of 20
      family members, screened for the presence of the apo B55 mutation, were
      heterozygous for the mutation. The segregation of the apo B55 allele was
      confirmed in the family using the 3' variable number of tandem repeats of the apo
      B gene.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1424234
TI  - Ring Y chromosome: cytogenetic and molecular characterization.
AB  - A female patient with Turner syndrome and the karyotype mos45,X/46,X,r(Y)/46,XY
      is described. Physical mapping of the ring chromosome by Y-specific single-copy
      and moderately repeated DNA sequences as molecular probes showed that, in
      addition to the heterochromatic part of Yq, a considerable portion of the Yp has
      also been lost in the course of the rearrangement. Thus, molecular findings
      provide independent support that this structurally abnormal sex chromosome is a
      ring Y and agree with the generally accepted model of ring formation requiring
      breaks in both chromosome arms. Clinical consequences of Y chromosome mosaicism
      in patients with Turner syndrome are discussed.

PMID- 1424235
TI  - Y-derived sequence detected in minute chromosomes by polymerase chain reaction
      and in situ hybridization.
AB  - A 10-year-old girl and a 10-month-old girl, both with ambiguous genitalia, were
      found to have 45,X/46,X,mar and 45,X/46,X,r(?) mosaicism. The marker chromosomes
      in both girls were very small. Polymerase chain reaction, with synthetic
      oligonucleotide primers from Y-specific DNA sequences pY-80 and pY53.3 containing
      the sex-determining region Y(SRY), proved the marker chromosomes to contain the Y
      short arm material. In situ hybridization with probe pY-80 confirmed that the
      marker chromosomes included the Y short arms. These findings, together with
      ambiguous genitalia in the girls, indicate that the marker chromosomes include
      the testis-determining factor gene.

PMID- 1424236
TI  - A study of ten small supernumerary (marker) chromosomes identified by
      fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).
AB  - In seven cases additional minute chromosomes studied by FISH were identified as
      no. 3, 11, 15, 18, 21 and X. Findings were unexpected except for partial trisomy
      21 in an adolescent with minor features of Down's syndrome. Moreover, an i(18p)
      in a mentally retarded dysmorphic child and an idic(15) in a child with Fallot
      tetralogy was confirmed. In a child with r(21), a supernumerary marker was shown
      to be derived from no. 21, while in the mother an additional marker idic(22) was
      noted.

PMID- 1424237
TI  - Typical and partial cat eye syndrome: identification of the marker chromosome by
      FISH.
AB  - Three children are reported with typical cat eye syndrome (CES) and three more
      children with partial CES because of absence of coloboma, in which the
      supernumerary marker chromosome was studied by FISH. Using a genomic library, and
      also a centromeric and particularly a cosmid probe of 22q11, partial tetrasomy
      was shown in all cases.

PMID- 1424238
TI  - Occipital scalp defect associated with valvular pulmonary stenosis. A new entity?
AB  - We present a 6-month-old, developmentally retarded male with a congenital scalp
      defect and associated valvular pulmonary stenosis. Review of the literature
      revealed one other report on a newborn with the same apparently unique
      association.

PMID- 1424239
TI  - The Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome: perceptions of disability and projected use of
      DNA diagnostic tests.
AB  - The Charcot-Marie-Tooth group of disorders cause significant morbidity in a
      proportion of the individuals affected. We have shown that there is a significant
      correlation between the objective neurological assessment of their dysfunction
      and the individual's subjective perception of their disability. We have also
      documented the observation that individuals expressing an intention to use
      prenatal DNA diagnostic services and terminate an "affected" fetus are more
      severely affected by their disorder than those who would not, or who were unsure
      about their use of molecular genetic testing.

PMID- 1424240
TI  - Ring chromosome 22 and neurofibromatosis.
AB  - Variable constitutional mosaicism, mos45,XY,-22/46,XY,-22,+mar/46,XY,
      22,+r(22)/47,XY,-22,+r(22)+mar/ 47, XY,-22,+r(22)*2, was found in PHA-stimulated
      peripheral blood, in a lymphoblastoid cell line and in cultured skin fibroblasts
      from a mentally retarded patient with neurofibromatosis. Both the ring chromosome
      and the small extra marker chromosome stained positively by in situ hybridization
      with a chromosome 14/22-specific alphoid repeat probe. DNA dosage analysis showed
      constitutional loss of one copy of the arylsulfatase A gene (ARSA), consistent
      with its terminal location on 22q. There was no evidence of constitutional loss
      of D22S1 or D22S28 which flank the neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) locus. Analysis
      of two DNA samples from a skin neurofibroma indicated retainment of two copies of
      D22S1, whereas the results were ambiguous with respect to tumor-specific loss of
      one copy of D22S28. It is suggested that the development of neurofibromatosis of
      unclear type in two r(22) carriers might be associated with somatic mutation of
      the NF2 locus due to instability of the ring chromosome(s), and in analogy, that
      somatic mutation of either NF1 or NF2 may account for some cases of
      neurofibromatosis which do not meet the criteria of either NF1 or NF2. The
      occurrence of seminoma in the proband may be fortuitous, but could also be due to
      the presence of a seminoma-associated locus on chromosome 22.

PMID- 1424241
TI  - Partial trisomy 8q. Two case reports with maternal translocation and inverted
      insertion: phenotype analyses and reflections on the risk.
AB  - Partial trisomy 8qter-->q23 or q24.1 has been reported in 15 literature cases. We
      add two further case reports here. Patient 1 inherited the derivative (2) of a
      balanced maternal reciprocal translocation t(2;8)(qter;q2300) after 2:2
      disjunction and adjacent-1 segregation, and is trisomic for the segment 8qter-
      >q2300. Patient 2 inherited a recombinant (8) of a balanced maternal inverted
      insertion inv ins(8)(q1300;q2300q24.2) and is trisomic for the segment 8q24.2-
      >q2300. The phenotype of both patients is described and compared to the spectrum
      of symptoms established from the 15 literature cases. This spectrum contains all
      features observed with a frequency of > = 50%. Patient 1 had 35% of the features
      of this spectrum; Patient 2 had 47%. The intrauterine survival probability of
      unbalanced offspring is assumed to be the same in both cases, as nearly the same
      segments are trisomic. The pedigrees indicate that the inversion carrier may have
      a reduced production probability of unbalanced gametes and therefore a reduced
      risk compared to the translocation carrier.

PMID- 1424242
TI  - DNA probe technology: implications for service planning in Britain.
AB  - For certain genetic conditions DNA testing identifies carriers and determines the
      risk status of foetuses, thus helping parents to make more informed prenatal
      decisions. Data, collected from three genetic centres in England and Wales from
      August 1986 to July 1990, are used to describe trends in demand for DNA testing,
      the impact of DNA tests on carrier risk assessment, and the use of DNA tests in
      relation to pregnancy outcome. Altogether the data include 23,388 subjects and
      681 pregnancies in 8738 families divided into five cohorts by year of entry and
      referral. The most frequent gene disorders referred to the genetic centres are
      currently being tested or will soon be tested. For these disorders the initial
      high level of activity has declined and may have reached steady state. Demand for
      DNA services is high for cystic fibrosis and Duchenne muscular dystrophy,
      intermediate for Huntington's disease, and low for adult polycystic kidney
      disease, phenylketonuria and tuberous sclerosis. Based on these findings we
      suggest that demand for DNA tests will be high in serious, untreatable and slow
      progressing conditions with early onset; intermediate for conditions affecting
      intellect and neurological integrity with later onset; and low for treatable,
      late-onset conditions, or those for which there is evidence of heterogeneity, and
      variable penetrance. It would be helpful to assess the extent to which this view
      of demand is confirmed when the new disorders being DNA tested are considered and
      for the pattern of activity of DNA testing for some types of cancer. Since no DNA
      centre could offer a fully comprehensive testing service, it is recommended that
      a structure is created to audit overall activity, assist in policy formulation,
      and influence supraregional service organisation, in order that the spread of DNA
      services be planned as effectively as possible. This structure would facilitate
      monitoring of the evolution of contract specifications agreed by commissioners
      and providers on a regional basis.

PMID- 1424243
TI  - Digito-reno-cerebral syndrome: confirmation of Eronen syndrome.
AB  - In 1985, Eronen et al. described a new autosomal recessive syndrome with absence
      of the distal phalanges of the toes and fingers, renal defect and cerebral
      anomalies (dilated ventricles or seizures). Two unrelated children affected by
      this syndrome enable us to accept its autonomy and delineate its nosology.
      Variability of the expression of the renal and cerebral manifestations is
      emphasized.

PMID- 1424244
TI  - Autosomal inheritance of "senile" retinitis pigmentosa. A report of a family with
      consanguinity.
AB  - We describe two sisters affected with retinitis pigmentosa of late onset. Night
      blindness and progressive visual field loss occurred after 50 years of age in
      both cases. The parents of affected individuals were first cousins and there was
      no known history of other similar cases in previous generations. Autosomal
      recessive inheritance is suggested for such senile retinitis pigmentosa.

PMID- 1424245
TI  - Clinical, cytogenetic and molecular investigations in three patients with Wolf
      Hirschhorn syndrome.
AB  - Clinical, cytogenetic and molecular studies were performed in three patients with
      Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS). In all cases the altered chromosome 4 appeared to
      be the result of a de novo deletion. Cytogenetic investigations located the
      breakpoint at 4p15.3 and 4p13. With cytogenetic methods it was not possible to
      decide whether these deletions were terminal or interstitial. DNA methods also
      failed to define a distal breakpoint within the 4p16.3 region which might have
      indicated an interstitial deletion. According to the literature, the paternal
      chromosome 4 is preferentially deleted in most patients with WHS. DNA analysis
      with polymorphic markers out of the 4p16.3 region revealed that in two of the
      cases reported here the deleted segment was of paternal and in one case of
      maternal origin.

PMID- 1424246
TI  - Aminoacidopathies among institutionalised mentally retarded in Kuwait.

PMID- 1424247
TI  - Spondylar dysplasia (SD)/brachyolmia (BO), type I: search for qualitative
      anomalies in glycosaminoglycans (GAG)

PMID- 1424248
TI  - Prenatal prediction of cystic fibrosis in a mother homozygous for the delta F508
      mutation.

PMID- 1424249
TI  - Practical use of a disability index in the routine management of acne.
AB  - We describe a brief questionnaire designed to assess the disability caused by
      acne. The questionnaire adds a patient-orientated dimension to medical records,
      high-lights patients with unusually high levels of disability, and increases the
      relevant information on which we base therapeutic decisions.

PMID- 1424250
TI  - Accumulation of membrane-bound melanosomes occurs in Langerhans cells of patients
      with the Leopard syndrome.
AB  - The Langerhans cells in the lentigines of four patients with the Leopard syndrome
      contained large membrane bound accumulations of melanin granules. Giant
      melanosomes were only seen in two patients. The patients had no immune-based
      symptoms relating to their lentigines. The Leopard Syndrome, also known as
      multiple lentigines syndrome, progressive cardiomyopathic lentiginosis,
      lentiginosis profusa syndrome and the cardiocutaneous syndrome, refers to an
      inherited abnormality of the skin, often associated with cardiomyopathy. The
      aetiology of the condition is so far unknown and the penetrance is variable. Here
      we describe electron microscopical findings of large accumulations of melanin
      within Langerhans cells.

PMID- 1424251
TI  - How to improve the risk-benefit ratio of cyclosporin therapy for psoriasis.
AB  - CsA therapy for psoriasis is hampered by side-effects. Topical CsA therapy is not
      effective. Therefore improvement of the risk-benefit ratio must be achieved by
      improvement of dose-regimens, combination therapy of CsA with another therapy for
      psoriasis or combination therapy of CsA with a therapy that may influence the
      pathogenesis of the most serious side-effect(s) of CsA. It seems that only
      therapies that influence the pathogenesis of CsA-induced acute renal-impairment,
      like oral fish oil or perhaps thromboxane synthesis inhibitors, may be
      beneficial. However, further studies are warranted to validate these findings.

PMID- 1424252
TI  - Lymphocyte adenosine deaminase activity (L-ADA) in leprosy, during and after
      treatment of reactions.
AB  - Twenty-five patients with type 1 (lepra) and type 2 (E.N.L.) leprosy reactions
      were studied for lymphocyte adenosine deaminase activity (L-ADA), during and
      after treatment of the reactions, using a standard technique, in order to
      establish its pattern and if possible, its value in assessing the course of
      reactions. The results were compared with those from 30 control subjects,
      comprising 10 normal healthy adults, 10 patients with borderline tuberculoid (BT)
      leprosy, four patients with borderline lepromatous (BL) leprosy and six patients
      with lepromatous (LL) leprosy. The level of L-ADA in the leprosy controls was
      higher than that of normal healthy subjects. The L-ADA values in patients with
      different types of reactions were about 10-fold higher than those obtained from
      leprosy controls, emphasizing a possible role in assessing reactions in leprosy.
      However, there was no significant variation in L-ADA levels, either between the
      various leprosy controls or reaction groups, before and after treatment.

PMID- 1424253
TI  - Histopathological study of focal dermal hypoplasia (Goltz syndrome).
AB  - We report a case of focal dermal hypoplasia, or Golz syndrome in a 13-year-old
      girl. The patient presented with a variety of cutaneous defects, including
      atrophy-like depressions, striations, a verrucous papilloma, and lipomas.
      Histopathological examination showed deposits of fat cells or adipose tissue in
      the dermis, which were subepidermal, mid-dermal, perivascular, or involved the
      whole dermis. These findings indicate that the adipose tissue in the dermis is a
      result of dermal dysplasia and not hypoplasia.

PMID- 1424254
TI  - Effect of platelet-poor plasma from patients with neurofibromatosis on the growth
      of cultured neurofibroma-derived fibroblast-like cells.
AB  - The effect of platelet-poor plasma from patients with von Recklinghausen's
      disease (neurofibromatosis, NF) on the cell growth of cultured neurofibroma
      derived fibroblast-like cells (NF fibroblast-like cells grown from explant
      cultures of cutaneous neurofibromas) was examined. Platelet-poor plasma and sera
      from nine NF patients and nine control individuals were examined. When comparing
      platelet-poor plasma from patients with NF with control individuals, the former
      stimulated the proliferation of fibroblast-like cells derived from neurofibromas,
      not that of normal fibroblasts.

PMID- 1424255
TI  - Generalized elastosis perforans serpiginosa in Down's syndrome.
AB  - Elastosis perforans serpiginosa is a rare disorder of epidermal perforation
      characterized by the extrusion of dermal elastic tissue through the epidermis.
      Its aetiology is unknown, but there is histological and biochemical evidence of
      an abnormality of elastic tissue. Three forms of elastosis perforans serpiginosa
      exist. It may be either idiopathic, iatrogenic, or, in approximately one quarter
      of cases, associated with certain genetically determined disorders of connective
      tissue. Cutaneous lesions appear between the ages of 6 and 20 years, and persist
      for 6 months to 5 years. They may be confined to one anatomic area, or less
      frequently are disseminated. We review the case of a 28-year-old woman with
      recent onset of unusually extensive elastosis perforans serpiginosa with co
      existing Down's syndrome and (secondary) sclerosing cholangitis.

PMID- 1424256
TI  - Multiple glomus cell tumours--treatment by infra-red coagulation.
AB  - This report describes the successful use of infra-red coagulation in the
      treatment of multiple glomus tumours. Glomus cell tumours are usually solitary
      and an excisional diagnostic biopsy therefore provides effective treatment. Such
      an approach is, however, impractical in the rarer condition of multiple glomus
      cell tumours where up to 400 lesions have been described in one patient. We
      describe a case of multiple glomus cell tumours in which more than 30 tumours
      were treated quickly and effectively by infra-red coagulation.

PMID- 1424257
TI  - HIV seropositivity in association with pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis
      acuta.
AB  - We describe a case of PLEVA in an asymptomatic, human immunodeficiency virus
      (HIV) positive patient. This association has not been previously described. The
      possible mechanisms involved are discussed.

PMID- 1424258
TI  - Chronic actinic dermatitis with vitiligo-like depigmentation.
AB  - This report describes two patients suffering from severe chronic actinic
      dermatitis. Unusual widespread vitiligo-like depigmentation occurred during the
      course of the disease. The progression of these lesions was triggered by the
      chronic actinic dermatitis. Loss of pigment and complete absence of tyrosinase
      positive melanocytes were found in depigmented skin of both cases.
      Immunohistological investigation of the inflammatory infiltrate in case 2
      revealed a predominance of CD-8 positive cytotoxic/-suppressor lymphocytes.
      Analysing the adjacent pigmented epidermis of progressive depigmenting lesions a
      dense exocytosis of CD-8 T-cells was notable. This distribution suggests
      cytotoxic destruction of melanocytes as the cause for the vitiligo-like
      depigmentation.

PMID- 1424259
TI  - Livedo vasculitis: vasculitis or thrombotic vasculopathy?
AB  - Elevated fibrinopeptide A levels, suggestive of a thrombogenic state, were
      observed in six patients with livedo vasculitis. Serological studies demonstrated
      normal complement levels, and circulating immune complexes were not identified by
      standard assays. Morphological studies showed no evidence of immune complex
      deposition or a neutrophilic vascular reaction. These results support
      classification of this disorder as a thrombogenic vasculopathy rather than as a
      small vessel vasculitis. Further investigations into the thrombotic abnormalities
      underlying this entity are warranted.

PMID- 1424260
TI  - Bullous secondary syphilis.
AB  - An earlier standard syphilology textbook states that 'If vesicles are an
      essential part of an eruption in an adult, the lesions are not due to secondary
      syphilis'. However, vesicular and bullous eruptions do occur in congenital
      syphilis and rare reports of both vesicular and pustular eruptions in adults with
      secondary syphilis have been published. We describe a patient with a bullous
      pemphigoid-like eruption and a positive VDRL in whom treatment with a course of
      procaine penicillin resulted in rapid permanent resolution of the eruption.

PMID- 1424261
TI  - Sarcoidosis of the tongue.
AB  - A 43-year-old man with an 8-month history of swelling of the tongue is described.
      Biopsy of the tongue revealed numerous epithelioid cell granulomata. A positive
      Kveim test, elevated angiotensin converting enzyme level and bilateral hilar
      lymphadenopathy confirmed the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis presenting in
      the tongue is extremely rare.

PMID- 1424262
TI  - Recalcitrant pyoderma gangrenosum--two cases successfully treated with
      cyclosporin A.
AB  - The successful use of cyclosporin A (CSA) in organ transplantation is now well
      established. In recent years its usefulness has extended to the treatment of
      cutaneous autoimmune disorders, including pyoderma gangrenosum (P.G.). We report
      two further cases of recalcitrant P.G., both associated with rheumatoid arthritis
      (R.A.) which responded to low dose CSA.

PMID- 1424263
TI  - Systemic lupus erythematosus presenting with 'rheumatoid nodules'.
AB  - A patient with systemic lupus erythematosus who presented with subcutaneous
      nodules over the flexor aspect of the fingers in association with arthritis and
      Raynaud's phenomenon is described. Histopathological examination of the nodules
      showed appearances consistent with rheumatoid nodules. Further investigations
      revealed leucopenia and circulating anti-nuclear antibody but negative rheumatoid
      factor. Immunofluorescence studies of normal non-light exposed skin showed the
      presence of IgM deposits at the dermo-epidermal junction consistent with systemic
      lupus erythematosus. The nodules almost disappeared following treatment with
      hydroxychloroquine. Rheumatoid-like nodules have been reported in systemic lupus
      erythematosus, although rarely. However, the distribution of the nodules and the
      patient's clinical course differ from the few cases previously reported in the
      literature.

PMID- 1424264
TI  - Angiokeratoma corporis diffusum in a patient with normal enzyme activities and
      Turner's syndrome.
AB  - A case of angiokeratoma corporis diffusum (ACD) involving the skin of a 26-year
      old patient with Turner's syndrome presenting with normal physical and mental
      development is reported. The unusual nature of this association confirms the
      theory that ACD presenting with skin lesions alone is a rare but specific
      clinical entity which differs from the hereditary sphingolipidoses like Fabry's
      disease.

PMID- 1424265
TI  - Disseminated granuloma annulare as a presentation of acquired immunodeficiency
      syndrome (AIDS).
AB  - Localized granuloma annulare is the commonest form of a granulomatous dermatosis
      characterized by flesh coloured or violaceous papules often arranged in rings.
      Several rare atypical variants are also reported including disseminated or
      generalized, subcutaneous and perforating types. There is a predilection for
      females and a documented association with diabetes mellitus in some cases.
      Recently it has been suggested that atypical variants of granuloma annulare might
      be associated with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). We describe a
      patient presenting with extensive generalized granuloma annulare in whom an
      underlying diagnosis of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) disease was confirmed.

PMID- 1424266
TI  - Knobbly granuloma annulare (GA) of the fingers of a milkman--a possible
      relationship to his work.
AB  - We report a case of an unusual presentation of granuloma annulare involving the
      fingers of both hands. The configuration and site is probably related to the
      particular nature of the man's work as a milkman.

PMID- 1424267
TI  - Onycholysis in a case of atopic eczema treated with PUVA photochemotherapy.
AB  - Onycholysis following the ingestion of psoralens and subsequent exposure to
      natural sunlight has been reported on several occasions and was first reported
      following photochemotherapy in 1978 by Ortonne and Baran from France and in 1979
      by Mackie from Scotland. Mackie commented that she hoped to stimulate further
      reports of onycholysis induced by PUVA photochemotherapy in order to establish
      whether or not it was a definite complication of such treatment. Since then,
      there has been a dearth of similar reports. We describe a patient with severe
      atopic eczema and alopecia totalis who developed onycholysis of all finger nails
      and a toe nail during PUVA photochemotherapy.

PMID- 1424268
TI  - Cutaneous manifestation of X-linked genes escaping inactivation.

PMID- 1424269
TI  - Topical application of 13-cis-retinoic acid in the treatment of chronic plaque
      psoriasis.
AB  - Topical retinoids are of potential value in the treatment of psoriasis. The aim
      of the present study was to find out whether topical application of 13-cis
      retinoic acid (13-cis-RA) has an antipsoriatic effect. Nine patients participated
      in the investigation. In each patient, two comparable psoriatic lesions (5 x 5 cm
      or more) were selected for treatment with either 13-cis-RA in a 0.1% cream base
      or with the vehicle only (placebo), using a double-blind approach. The
      investigation was a left-right within-subject comparison. The lesions were
      recorded for clinical scores 4 weeks before and after the investigation. Punch
      biopsies were taken from eight patients before and after treatment and examined
      using immunohistochemical methods to assess epidermal proliferation and
      keratinization, and to assess inflammation. Thirteen-cis-RA treatment resulted in
      a mild decrease of scaling and induration. Erythema however increased. No
      statistically significant difference in biological effects was achieved between
      13-cis-RA and placebo treated lesions and no changes in expression of the
      immunohistochemical markers were seen.

PMID- 1424270
TI  - A gp120 HIV peptide with high similarity to HLA class II beta chains enhances PPD
      specific and autoreactive T cell activation.
AB  - The recent report that anti-gp120 antibodies can be induced by allogeneic stimuli
      in experimental animals in the absence of HIV, has focused attention on the
      structural similarities between gp120 and MHC. Here we report that some HIV+
      individuals develop antibodies which similarly react with the gp120 HIV sequence
      (aa 254-263) and with the HLA-DR beta chains (aa 142-151). As these two peptides
      share a high level of similarity, we have investigated the role of this gp120
      region on HLA class II mediated T cell recognition. The synthetic peptide
      corresponding to the gp120 HIV sequence aa 254-263 has been tested on T cell line
      (TCL) activation. Both the PPD-specific and the self-HLA reactive TCL
      proliferation increased in the presence of this peptide. Prepulsing experiments
      indicate that this enhancing effect carried out by HIV peptide is exerted at the
      level of antigen presentation. Moreover, the specificity of this interaction is
      supported by the fact that a MoAb specific for this HIV peptide blocked the
      autoreactive TCL proliferation, similarly to the inhibition carried out by
      anticlass II antibody. These data support the hypothesis that the functional
      homology between the HIV peptide and the HLA beta chain described may be involved
      in the pathogenesis of AIDS.

PMID- 1424271
TI  - Increased expression of IgG Fc receptor type I on neutrophils and monocytes from
      HIV-infected subjects.
AB  - Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) induces de novo expression of IgG Fc receptor type I
      (FcRI) on neutrophils and significantly raises the level of these receptors on
      monocytes. Since increased concentrations of IFN-gamma have been observed in sera
      from patients with HIV infection, FcRI expression might also be increased on
      these subjects' phagocytes. FcRI expression was assessed by indirect
      immunofluorescence staining of phagocytes in whole blood from 40 healthy controls
      and 55 HIV+ subjects, 24 belonging to CDC class III and 31 to CDC class IV; 42
      were intravenous drug abusers (IVDA) and 13 were homosexual men. Plasma levels of
      IFN-gamma were measured using a modified immunoradiometric assay. The mean linear
      fluorescence intensity, used as a relative measure of receptor expression, was
      significantly higher on unseparated neutrophils from HIV+ subjects in CDC classes
      III (P < 0.001) and IV (P < 0.0001) than from controls. Similar changes in FcRI
      expression were observed on monocytes from HIV+ subjects. While no differences
      were observed between IVDA and homosexual HIV+ patients, there was a significant
      association between FcRI expression and the patients' CDC stage, those in class
      IV having the highest FcRI levels. Plasma IFN-gamma concentrations were
      significantly higher in HIV+ patients than in controls and a positive correlation
      with the stages of HIV infection was again observed. FcRI expression was also
      increased on freshly purified neutrophils from five HIV+ patients in CDC class IV
      but did not increase further after 18 h incubation with IFN-gamma, a treatment
      that up-regulated FcRI expression on control neutrophils. These data suggest
      that: (i) FcRI evaluation may be a sensitive marker for the biological activity
      of IFN-gamma in vivo; (ii) phagocytes from HIV+ subjects are activated in vivo by
      IFN-gamma, expressing increased levels of FcRI; (iii) these IFN-gamma-activated
      cells may play a role in the pathogenesis of AIDS.

PMID- 1424272
TI  - Natural killer (NK) cell activity during HIV infection: a decrease in NK activity
      is observed at the clonal level and is not restored after in vitro long-term
      culture of NK cells.
AB  - NK cell activity is impaired in HIV-infected patients. The mechanisms behind the
      altered NK functions are not clear, and conflicting data concerning NK and
      antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity have been reported. In
      order to investigate whether this impairment is also observed at the clonal level
      and whether it is related to a defect at the target cell binding and/or the post
      binding level, we evaluated highly purified NK cell lines and cloned NK cells
      obtained from 22 HIV-infected patients at different stages of disease and
      compared them with normal controls for their ability to: (i) kill K-562 and U-937
      cell lines using a 51Cr release assay; (ii) bind and kill K-562 and U-937 cells
      at the single cell binding level; (iii) release NK cytotoxic factor (NKCF),
      tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma); (iv)
      kill anti-IgM preincubated Daudi cell line (ADCC activity). This study with
      cloned NK cells or NK cell lines from HIV-infected individuals showed: (i) a
      decrease in their lytic capability against target cell lines; (ii) a low ability
      to form conjugates with K-562 and U-937 cell lines with respect to controls;
      (iii) a decreased ability to kill bound target cells; (iv) low levels of released
      NKCF, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma after incubation with U-937 cells. Taken together,
      these findings suggest that the impaired NK cell function during HIV infection is
      also observed at the clonal level and is related to defects both at the target
      and post-binding levels. However, the precise mechanisms remain to be determined.
      The inability to restore normal NK activity after long-term culture in the
      presence of high levels of recombinant IL-2 is in agreement with the hypothesis
      of a 'general anergic process' during HIV infection.

PMID- 1424274
TI  - Immune response to hepatitis B virus surface antigen peptides during HBV
      infection.
AB  - Antibody responses of patients with acute (n = 73), fulminant (n = 30) and
      chronic (n = 51) hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection as well as recovered
      individuals (n = 7) were studied against three synthetic peptides, Pre-S1 amino
      acids (aa. 12-32), Pre-S2 amino acids (aa. 120-145), and S amino acids (aa. 124
      147) of the envelope region (HBsAg). T cell blastogenic response was investigated
      in a proportion of the patients (27 acute, nine fulminant, 13 chronic hepatitis
      and seven recovered individuals) along with seven HBV vaccinated and three normal
      individuals. The presence of T cell response against S peptide was observed in
      all the cases (9/9, 100%) during early acute hepatitis. This was suppressed
      during late stages (8/18, 44%) followed by partial reversal during recovery (5/7,
      71%). T cell response and antibodies to Pre-S1 and Pre-S2 peptides were present
      only in one-third of the patients throughout these periods. The T cell
      blastogenic response as well as antibody reactivity against these peptides were
      absent and minimal in chronic hepatitis. Immune response against envelope protein
      appears to play a major role in acute hepatic injury due to HBV infection and
      help in virus clearance.

PMID- 1424273
TI  - Selection of a muramyl peptide based on its lack of activation of nuclear factor
      kappa B as a potential adjuvant for AIDS vaccines.
AB  - Activation of the cellular transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa
      B) by cytokines and other immunostimulants has been tightly linked with enhanced
      replication of human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 (HIV-1) in infected cells.
      Various immunomodulators are currently being examined in animal and human trials
      for their suitability as adjuvants in potential vaccines against acquired
      immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It may prove to be beneficial to select
      adjuvants that do not induce NF-kappa B activation and particularly if the
      vaccines are to be aimed at seropositive individuals. We have examined a battery
      of synthetic immunostimulants of the muramyl peptide family for their ability to
      activate NF-kappa B in human and mouse cell lines. In this report, we demonstrate
      selective activation of NF-kappa B in different cell lines and by different
      muramyl peptides possessing immunostimulatory activities. The mechanism of such
      activation is apparently via production of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI)
      since pretreatment of cells with antioxidants blocked subsequent activation of NF
      kappa B. However, among all the molecules tested only one lipophilic, non
      pyrogenic adjuvant active muramyl peptide showed a complete lack of NF-kappa B
      activation in all cell lines tested. This molecule could well become the adjuvant
      of choice in future AIDS vaccines.

PMID- 1424275
TI  - Immunoglobulin allotypes and IgG subclass antibody response to Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa antigens in chronically infected cystic fibrosis patients.
AB  - Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection is the leading cause of death in
      patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Poor prognosis correlates with a high number
      of anti-pseudomonas precipitins and with high levels of IgG2 and IgG3 anti
      pseudomonas antibodies. Reports of several highly significant associations
      between certain Gm (genetic markers of IgG on human chromosome 14) and Km (k-type
      light chain determinants on chromosome 2) phenotypes and immune responsiveness to
      various antigens suggest that allotype-linked immune response genes do exist in
      man. Furthermore correlation between Gm types and IgG subclass levels has been
      reported. A group of 143 CF patients were investigated (31 non-infected and 112
      chronic infected). The IgG subclass antibodies to three different P. aeruginosa
      antigens (P. aeruginosa standard antigen (St-Ag), alginate and LPS) were
      determined. Immunoglobulin allotypes were determined by haemagglutination
      inhibition. Samples were typed for G1m(1,2,3, and 17), G2m(23), G3m(5,21), and
      Km(1,3). Statistical analysis of our data demonstrate that IgG3 anti-pseudomonas
      antibody levels and Gm markers are related. IgG3 antibody levels to all
      investigated P. aeruginosa antigens are significantly higher in sera homozygous
      for Gm(3;5), somewhat lower in heterozygous sera, and significantly lower in sera
      homozygous for Gm(1,2,17;21). We suggest that genetic differences between the
      patients may explain the present differences in subclass patterns.

PMID- 1424276
TI  - Cellular immunity in tuberculous pleural effusions: evidence of spontaneous
      lymphocyte proliferation and antigen-specific accelerated responses to purified
      protein derivative (PPD).
AB  - The kinetics of in vitro cellular proliferation against a PPD of Mycobacterium
      tuberculosis or streptococcal antigen (streptokinase-streptodornase) was
      evaluated in pleural fluid and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from
      patients with tuberculous and non-tuberculous pleuritis. The peak proliferative
      response to PPD by mononuclear cells from pleural fluid occurred earlier (day 3)
      in 65% of patients with tuberculosis, a finding not seen in non-tuberculous
      effusions. Spontaneous lymphocyte proliferation of both peripheral blood
      lymphocytes and pleural effusion lymphocytes was frequently observed,
      irrespective of etiology. However, 20 of 21 tuberculous patients manifesting
      spontaneous lymphocyte proliferation had accelerated kinetics of proliferation to
      PPD, which was antigen-specific. These results suggest that spontaneous
      lymphocyte proliferation occurs as a response to antigen stimulation at the site
      of disease, and is not a non-specific response to inflammation. Furthermore,
      enhanced reactivity against mycobacterial antigen, manifested by accelerated
      kinetics of proliferation, has diagnostic potential in patients with pleural
      effusions.

PMID- 1424277
TI  - The significance of serum soluble IL-2 receptor as a marker for active visceral
      leishmaniasis in Sicilian patients.
AB  - Sera from nine Sicilian patients with confirmed visceral leishmaniasis
      (Leishmania donovani infantum; VL), at the moment of the diagnosis, during the
      course of the disease and after clinical recovery, were analysed for the
      concentration of soluble IL-2 receptor (sIL-2R). The results show that sIL-2R is
      a marker of disease activity, since it is in high concentration at the beginning
      of infection and returns to the normal range following successful chemotherapy.
      At the same time of serum analysis for sIL-2R, peripheral blood mononuclear cells
      (PBMC) of VL patients were stimulated with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) or antigen
      and supernatant tested for IL-2 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production. Data
      demonstrate that there is an inverse relation between concentration of IL-2 and
      IFN-gamma in the supernatants and sIL-2R secretion in the sera.

PMID- 1424278
TI  - Cellular changes in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of pigs, following
      immunization by the enteral or respiratory route.
AB  - Normal young pigs were immunized by the oral or aerogenic route with the viable
      or inactivated lung-pathogenic bacterium Actinobacillus (Haemophilus)
      pleuropneumoniae. Three weeks later the cellular composition as well as the
      lymphocyte subset composition of the bronchoalveolar space were examined by BAL.
      Lymphocytes in the lavage increased significantly, including CD4+ and CD8+ T
      cells. After oral immunization a dramatic increase of plasma cells and lymphoid
      blasts was found. Among immunoglobulin-positive lymphocytes IgG+ cells showed the
      most pronounced increase. For most lymphocyte subsets there was no difference
      between viable and inactivated bacteria. Oral immunization with a lung-pathogenic
      bacterium results in increased numbers of lymphocytes in the bronchoalveolar
      space and might play a critical role in protection against lower respiratory
      tract infections.

PMID- 1424279
TI  - Activation of normal neutrophils by anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibodies.
AB  - Anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibodies (ANCA) are markers of systemic vasculitis
      for which a pathogenetic role has been postulated. We have examined the effect of
      these autoantibodies on the function of normal human neutrophils in vitro. In the
      presence of ANCA positive sera luminol-amplified chemiluminescence was
      significantly increased compared to the values seen in the presence of normal or
      anti-double stranded DNA positive sera (P < 0.01). Five of six ANCA positive
      F(ab)2 preparations also produced significant neutrophil activation as
      demonstrated by the chemiluminescence response. This response was totally
      abrogated by the addition of neutrophil cytoplasm extract, containing the ANCA
      antigen. Addition of inhibitors to the chemiluminescence system demonstrated that
      the chemiluminescence response was inhibited by azide and salicylhydroxamic acid
      and reduced by histidine, suggesting that the chemiluminescence response was due
      to activation of myeloperoxidase, with generation of singlet oxygen. The
      chemotactic response to f-Met-Leu-Phe, a bacterial chemotactic peptide, was
      significantly augmented in the presence of ANCA. Chemotaxis to zymosan-activated
      serum and chemokinesis was not affected. Phagocytosis was also unaffected. We
      propose that neutrophil activation and modulation of neutrophil migration by ANCA
      may be of pathogenetic significance in systemic vasculitis.

PMID- 1424280
TI  - T lymphocyte expression of complement receptor 2 (CR2/CD21): a role in adhesive
      cell-cell interactions and dysregulation in a patient with systemic lupus
      erythematosus (SLE).
AB  - Complement receptor 2 (CR2, CD21), the receptor for both the C3d,g portion of
      human complement component C3 and the Epstein-Barr virus, has been recently
      described on peripheral T cells. By using dual stain flow cytometric analysis, we
      have also observed that a peripheral T lymphocyte subpopulation of normal healthy
      donors bears CR2 in a range varying from 1.1 to 23.2% (mean 12.6%) of total CD3+
      cells. T lymphocytes from nine patients with inactive SLE expressed CR2 in a
      similar range. Three patients with active SLE were also studied. One of them,
      having neuropathy and glomerulonephritis, displayed an expansion of the CR2 T
      cell subpopulation which reached as much as 89% of total CD3+ cells. To examine
      potential functional roles of T cell CR2, cells from a Jurkat-derived CR2
      expressing T cell line were found to bind in vitro to human CR2-, complement
      coated K562 cell targets in a CR2- and complement-dependent fashion. Based on
      these studies, we hypothesize that CR2 might act to increase adherence of T cells
      to nucleated target cells bearing C3d,g, a function which may be relevant to
      cytotoxicity or other T cell activities requiring cell-cell interaction.

PMID- 1424281
TI  - In vitro induction of IgG anti-DNA antibody from high density B cells of systemic
      lupus erythematosus patients by an HLA DR-restricted T cell clone.
AB  - An HLA-DR restricted T cell clone (26G11) which recognized a lymphoid cell
      derived autoantigen associated with DR4 molecule was shown to induce not only
      autologous but also allogenic DR4+ B cells to produce large amounts of antibodies
      of the IgG and IgM classes. Using the helper activity of this clone, we
      investigated the mechanism of anti-DNA antibody production in DR-matched patients
      with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). When cultured with 26G11 cells, B cells
      from DR-matched normal control subjects produced large amounts of IgM anti-DNA
      antibody, but did not produce IgG anti-DNA antibody which is thought to have a
      pathological role in SLE. In contrast, B cells from DR-matched patients with
      active SLE spontaneously produced a fairly large amount of IgG anti-DNA antibody,
      and the production was augmented by the T cell clone. Little IgG anti-DNA
      antibody was produced by the B cells of patients with inactive SLE in either the
      presence or absence of T cell clone. We next fractionated B cells into low
      density B (LD-B) and high density B (HD-B) cells by centrifugation on
      discontinuous Percoll density gradients. IgG anti-DNA antibody was spontaneously
      produced by LD-B cells of active SLE patients but not by those either of inactive
      SLE patients or normal controls. On the other hand, although IgG anti-DNA
      antibody was not spontaneously produced by the HD-B cells of both active and
      inactive SLE patients, it could easily be induced by their culture with the T
      cell clone. Our results clearly show the existence of IgG anti-DNA antibody
      producing B cells in the peripheral blood of SLE patients irrespective of their
      disease activity and suggest that autoreactive T cells may play a pathogenic role
      in SLE through the induction of autoantibody production.

PMID- 1424282
TI  - Detection and characterization of immunoconglutinins in patients with systemic
      lupus erythematosus (SLE): serial analysis in relation to disease course.
AB  - The levels of IgA, IgG and IgM immunoconglutinins (IK) were assessed in sera from
      20 patients with SLE which were followed for 8-month periods. At the time of the
      exacerbation, IgG IKs were significantly increased to 226 +/- 90 arbitrary units
      (mean +/- s.e.m.) compared with both the minimum value of 75 +/- 28 in the SLE
      patients and with 31 +/- 2 in healthy controls (P < 0.05). There was no
      difference between SLE patients and controls in the levels of IgM and IgA IKs.
      Most of the SLE patients in this material showed maximal IgG IK levels before
      exacerbation, but there was no correlation between the clinical disease index and
      the levels of IgG IK. The specificity of IgG IKs showed a broad diversity for
      microtitre-fixed C3b, iC3b, C3c and C3dg. The antibodies were of IgG1, IgG3 and
      in two patients, IgG4 subclass. IgG IKs were correlated to the C3d/C3 ratio which
      suggested that the IK responses were secondary to C3 activation. In summary,
      unlike other conditions associated with complement activation where elevated IgM
      IKs are common, an increase in IgG IK levels was observed. It is possible that
      this diverging IK response contributes to the pathophysiology of the disease.

PMID- 1424283
TI  - IgA rheumatoid factor in mucosal fluids and serum of patients with rheumatoid
      arthritis: immunological aspects and clinical significance.
AB  - In order to gain insight into the production and clinical significance of IgA
      rheumatoid factor (IgA-RF) in mucosal fluids of patients with rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA), we examined tear fluid, saliva and serum from 80 patients with
      RA. Significant correlations were found between IgA-RF levels in tear fluid and
      saliva (P = 0.002, r = 0.57), saliva and serum (P < 0.001, r = 0.79), and serum
      and tear fluid (P < 0.001, r = 0.31). No significant correlations were found
      between total IgA levels in these fluids. Comparison between circulating and
      mucosal IgA-RF levels after correction for total IgA, revealed that mucosal IgA
      RF levels are on average 2.5 times higher than circulating IgA-RF levels.
      Analysis of IgA-RF specificity showed that lacrimal and salivary IgA-RF
      reactivity with various IgG subclasses is similar and differs from serum IgA-RF
      specificity. These results indicate local production of IgA-RF in salivary and
      lacrimal glands and support the view of a common origin of IgA-RF producing B
      cells present in mucosal tissues. Mucosal and circulating levels of IgA and IgA
      RF were not associated with tests that quantify tear fluid production. This
      indicates that mucosal and circulating levels of IgA and IgA-RF in patients with
      RA cannot be regarded as markers for the development of secondary Sjogren's
      syndrome.

PMID- 1424284
TI  - Suppression of spontaneous murine lupus by inducing graft-versus-host reaction
      with CD8+ cells.
AB  - Splenic CD8+ (Lyt-2+) cells of C57BL/6 mice were injected into semiallogeneic
      (NZB x BXSB)F1 mice, which spontaneously develop lupus nephritis, in order to
      examine whether the disease was somehow modified by the occurrence of graft
      versus-host reaction. The development of lupus nephritis in the F1 recipients was
      strongly inhibited and immunopathological parameters such as anti-DNA antibodies,
      circulating immune complexes (CIC) and splenic immunoglobulin-producing cells
      (IgPC) were markedly reduced. The injection of CD4+ (L3T4+) T cells into F1
      recipients did not result in similar effects. These findings suggest that the
      development of autoimmune disease could be ameliorated by CD8+ cells responding
      to MHC class I antigens. The significance of the data is discussed in terms of
      the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

PMID- 1424285
TI  - The putative role of cytokines in the induction of primary anti-phospholipid
      syndrome in mice.
AB  - Antiphospholipid syndrome (APLS) is characterized by thrombocytopenia,
      thromboembolic phenomena and recurrent fetal loss, associated with anti
      cardiolipin antibodies (ACA) and/or lupus anticoagulant. The syndrome may be
      primary or may be associated with other conditions such as systemic lupus
      erythematosus (SLE). In this study we induced primary APLS following immunization
      of BALB/c mice with a human monoclonal ACA (H-3). Analysis of the cytokine
      profile of the mice with experimental APLS indicated low production of IL-2, IL-3
      and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) by concanavalin A
      (Con A)-stimulated splenocytes of H-3 immunized mice. It seems that the low
      levels of IL-3 and GM-CSF have a potential role in the fetal loss of the APLS.
      Whatever the mechanism of IL-3 and GM-CSF in preventing fetal loss, these results
      may have therapeutic bearing on the reproductive outcome in women and other
      species with APLS.

PMID- 1424286
TI  - Circulating antibodies to heat-shock protein 60 in Crohn's disease and ulcerative
      colitis.
AB  - Heat-shock proteins (HSPs) are highly conserved immunogenic intracellular
      molecules that are induced by inflammatory mediators and may induce autoimmune
      phenomena in vivo. We have recently demonstrated the increased expression of HSP
      60 in the colonocytes of patients with ulcerative colitis. To study further the
      role of HSP-60 in inflammatory bowel disease, we have now measured antibodies to
      recombinant mycobacterial HSP-65 (a member of the HSP-60 family) in patients with
      Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, healthy volunteers and, as disease controls,
      patients with confirmed bacterial diarrhoea. In comparison with healthy controls
      (n = 20; median level of 89 ELISA units; range 24-292), serum IgA HSP-60
      antibodies were elevated in Crohn's disease (n = 21; 157; 57-364; P < 0.05) and
      active ulcerative colitis (n = 16; 188; 58-373; P < 0.01) but not bacterial
      diarrhoea (n = 10; 106; 51-285). Increased IgA HSP-60 antibody levels in patients
      with inflammatory bowel disease may occur as the result of HSP release from
      injured gut epithelium; alternatively, increased intestinal permeability could
      facilitate mucosal access of luminal antigens and the generation of cross
      reactive anti-bacterial HSP antibodies.

PMID- 1424287
TI  - Expression of T cell receptors alpha beta and gamma delta in the ileal mucosa of
      patients with Crohn's disease and with spondylarthropathy.
AB  - The expression of the alpha beta and gamma delta heterodimer of the T cell
      receptor (TCR) was studied in normal human ileal mucosa or in ileal biopsies
      featuring Crohn's disease or acute and chronic spondylarthropathy-related gut
      inflammation. With an immunohistochemical technique we demonstrated that the
      increase of mucosal lymphocytes per mm mucosa in Crohn's disease and
      spondylarthropathy-related ileitis is exclusively due to expansion of the alpha
      beta + T cell compartment. In Crohn's disease and chronic ileitis observed in
      some spondylarthropathy patients the alpha beta + T cells were increased amongst
      intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL). The lamina propria lymphocytes (LPL) were
      augmented in all studied inflammatory conditions. The gamma delta + T cells
      showed no changes in IEL or LPL and their proportions were not altered. They were
      evenly dispersed throughout the ileal mucosa and did not seem to participate in
      the inflammatory process. This study confirms that gamma delta T cells are a
      distinct subset in the intestinal mucosa. The increase in alpha beta + T cells
      suggests augmented mucosal antigen handling and involvement of the major
      histocompatibility complex in the pathogenesis of spondylarthropathy-related gut
      inflammation and Crohn's disease.

PMID- 1424288
TI  - The role of T cells and the effect of hydrocortisone on interleukin-4-induced IgE
      synthesis by non-T cells.
AB  - The role of T cells for IL-4-induced IgE synthesis by peripheral blood
      mononuclear cells (PBMC) was investigated. The removal of monocytes from PBMC
      abolished IL-4-induced IgE synthesis. When PBMC were separated into T and non-T
      cells, non-T cells alone were not able to secrete significant amounts of IgE in
      the presence of IL-4. Depending on the separation procedure, the reconstitution
      of non-T cells with T cells prepared by rosetting did not restore IgE secretion,
      whereas T cells obtained by the use of anti-CD3 antibodies could co-induce IgE
      formation. However, when the T cells were first irradiated, large amounts of IgE
      were produced, which strongly exceeded those found in unseparated PBMC cultures.
      IL-4-induced IgE synthesis was also obtained in co-cultures of formaldehyde-fixed
      T cells with non-T cells. Furthermore, not only autologous but also allogeneic T
      cells, which have been irradiated or fixed, could provide the costimulatory
      effect on IgE formation by non-T cells in the presence of IL-4. Mitogenically pre
      activated T cells, however, were not able to support IgE synthesis.
      Hydrocortisone (HC) potentiated the IL-4-induced IgE synthesis by PBMC and
      enabled non-T cells to secrete IgE in the presence of IL-4. Adding both HC and T
      cells led to a marked synergistic effect on IL-4-induced IgE production. We
      conclude that monocytes are required for the induction of IgE synthesis in PBMC
      in addition to T cells and IL-4. Our results support the view that the T cell
      signal is delivered via cognate and non-cognate T/B cell membrane interaction.
      Furthermore, active and proliferating T cells rather suppress IgE synthesis.
      Finally, HC appears to be a potent alternative stimulus, which bypasses the
      necessity for T cells in IL-4-induced IgE formation.

PMID- 1424289
TI  - Production of serum amyloid A and C-reactive protein by HepG2 cells stimulated
      with combinations of cytokines or monocyte conditioned media: the effects of
      prednisolone.
AB  - The hepatic production of the acute phase proteins in response to inflammatory
      cytokines, and the interaction of corticosteroids within this response, has been
      the subject of considerable recent research. In this study we have examined the
      effects of the corticosteroid prednisolone on the production of IL-1 alpha and IL
      1 beta by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated monocytes, and the ability of the
      monocyte conditioned media (MOCM) obtained under these conditions to induce human
      hepatoma HepG2 cells to produce serum amyloid A (SAA) and C-reactive protein
      (CRP). We also examined the production of SAA and CRP by HepG2 cells exposed to
      different combinations and concentrations of recombinant human (rh) IL-1 alpha,
      rhIL-1 beta, rhIL-6, recombinant human tumour necrosis factor-alpha (rhTNF-alpha)
      and prednisolone. The findings indicate: (i) prednisolone substantially inhibits
      the production of both IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta by LPS-stimulated monocytes. The
      MOCM from prednisolone-treated monocytes induced less SAA and CRP production by
      HepG2 cells; (ii) IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta both induced CRP and SAA synthesis by
      HepG2 cells, but only in the presence of IL-6. IL-1 beta was the more potent
      inducer for SAA production, but for CRP production IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta were
      equivalent; (iii) prednisolone enhances the production of SAA by HepG2 cells, but
      does not enhance the production of CRP; (iv) TNF-alpha in the presence or absence
      of IL-6 and/or prednisolone did not induce the production of SAA or CRP by HepG2
      cells. These findings offer a tenable solution to a disparate production of SAA
      compared with CRP in corticosteroid-treated cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.

PMID- 1424290
TI  - Secretory IgA are elevated in both saliva and serum of patients with various
      types of primary glomerulonephritis.
AB  - Secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA) was determined by means of an enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay (using as capture antibody an MoAb specific for secretory
      component) in saliva and serum from 46 patients with IgA mesangial nephritis
      (IgAGN), 36 with an idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS), 30 with an idiopathic
      membranous nephropathy (MGN) and 40 healthy controls. Secretory IgA levels were
      elevated in both saliva and serum of patients with primary glomerulonephritis (P
      < 0.05; Mann-Whitney test) regardless of the histological type of the primary
      glomerulonephritis. Salivary IgA1 and IgA2 levels were increased in the saliva of
      patients with IgAGN, INS and MGN (P < 0.05; Mann-Whitney test). The
      monomeric/total IgA ratio, and interferon-gamma and soluble IL-2 receptor levels,
      in saliva did not differ between the patients and controls (P > 0.05; Mann
      Whitney test). We conclude that the mucosal immune system is activated in forms
      of glomerulonephritis other than IgAGN.

PMID- 1424292
TI  - Urinary excretion of nitrite and nitrate in experimental glomerulonephritis
      reflects systemic immune activation and not glomerular synthesis.
AB  - In immune-induced glomerulonephritis (gn), glomeruli (gl) synthesize nitric oxide
      (NO), and urinary nitrite (NO2-) excretion is increased. In mammals on a low
      nitrate (NO3-) diet, urinary NO3- is a measure of endogenous NO3- synthesis.
      Excretion is increased after administration of macrophage activators, reflecting
      induction of NO production. To determine whether increased urinary NO2- gn is due
      to glomerular synthesis we studied urinary NO2-/NO3- in accelerated nephrotoxic
      nephritis induced by preimmunization with rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG), followed
      by rabbit anti-rat nephrotoxic globulin, and in control rats similarly
      preimmunized with rabbit IgG, but followed by normal rabbit serum. Both urinary
      NO2- and NO3- were increased by i.p. preimmunization with rabbit IgG (peak 463 +/
      171 nmol NO2-/60.3 +/- 9.4 nmol NO3-/24 h, P < 0.001 for both NO2- and NO3-
      compared with preimmunization levels). Repeat immunization with i.v. rabbit anti
      rat nephrotoxic globulin (nephritic rats) or normal rabbit globulin (control
      rats) again increased urinary NO2- and NO3-. There was no statistically
      significant difference in urinary NO2- and NO3- levels between nephritic rats
      where globulin had nephrotoxic activity and the control rats injected with normal
      rabbit globulin, despite increased NO2- synthesis in ex vivo nephritic glomeruli
      after nephrotoxic globulin (7.9 +/- 1.9 nmol/2000 gl/48 h; controls 3.2 +/- 1.0
      nmol/2000 gl/48 h). Thus neither urinary NO2- nor NO3- levels reflect local
      activation of the NO pathway in glomeruli. As reported for other stimulants, we
      show here that systemic stimulation with foreign antigen increased NO synthesis.

PMID- 1424291
TI  - Isolation and characterization of the tubular basement membrane antigen
      associated with human tubulo-interstitial nephritis.
AB  - The target antigen, a 54-kD glycoprotein (gp54), reactive with sera from patients
      with anti-tubular basement membrane (anti-TBM) nephritis, was isolated from
      collagenase-digested (CD) bovine TBM. The purified gp54 was shown to be non
      collagenous by amino acid analysis, and to be a unique basement membrane
      component by amino-terminal sequencing. The nephritogenicity of gp54 was
      demonstrated by immunizing strain XIII guineapigs with purified gp54, and
      producing anti-gp54 antibody and tubulo-interstitial nephritis. Anti-gp54
      antibody, affinity-purified from sera of patients with anti-TBM nephritis, bound
      by immunoblotting to 54-kD and, to a lesser extent, 48-kD components of partially
      purified human CD-TBM. Indirect immunofluorescence showed that gp54 was present
      in the basement membrane of proximal tubules of the kidneys of normal human, cow,
      rabbit, guineapig and Brown-Norway rat but not in Lewis rat. Immunoelectron
      microscopy revealed localization of gp54 along the interstitial side of the TBM
      and its association with interstitial collagen fibres. These results indicate
      that gp54 is the nephritogenic antigen involved in tubulo-interstitial nephritis,
      and is unique in chemical characteristics and localization in the kidney.

PMID- 1424293
TI  - Immunohistochemical characterization of infiltrating mononuclear cells in the rat
      heart with experimental autoimmune giant cell myocarditis.
AB  - The pathogenesis of giant cell myocarditis remains unclear. Subsets of
      inflammatory infiltrating cells may reflect the pathogenesis and etiology of the
      disease. Therefore, we examined subsets of infiltrating mononuclear cells in the
      heart of the rat with experimental giant cell myocarditis. Lewis rats were
      immunized with cardiac myosin in Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA). Severe
      myocarditis characterized by congestive heart failure and multinucleated giant
      cells were elicited. The lesions were composed of predominant mononuclear cells,
      polymorphonuclear neutrophils and fragments of degenerated myocardial fibres. The
      subsets of infiltrating mononuclear cells were investigated using MoAbs against
      rat CD4+ T cell (W3/25), CD8+ T cell (CX8), B cell (OX33) and macrophage (OX42).
      By serial examination, bound immunoglobulin could only be found on degenerated
      myocardial fibres. In this model, most infiltrating mononuclear cells were
      composed of macrophages and CD4+ T cells. The frequencies of macrophages and CD4+
      T cells were 73.7% and 13.8%, respectively. CD8+ T cells were scarce and B cells
      were rare in the lesions. The frequencies of CD8+ T cells and B cells were 4.5%
      and 0.4%, respectively. The dominance of macrophages and CD4+ T cells was the
      constant finding among the sites of the lesions and throughout the course of the
      disease. These characteristic subsets of infiltrating cells were in contrast to
      those of murine viral myocarditis which were mainly composed of natural killer
      (NK) cells and CD8+ T cells. Clarifying the subsets of infiltrating cells in
      myocarditis may contribute to differential diagnosis of myocarditis between viral
      and autoimmune types. From this study, the pathogenesis of experimental
      autoimmune giant cell myocarditis seemed to be closely related to CD4+ T cells
      and macrophages.

PMID- 1424295
TI  - Origin of urinary epidermal growth factor in humans: excretion of endogenous EGF
      and infused [131I]-human EGF and kidney histochemistry.
AB  - 1. This study examined (i) whether blood-infused epidermal growth factor (EGF)
      can pass into urine; (ii) whether infused labelled EGF behaves like endogenous
      plasma immunoreactive EGF; and (iii) which parts of the human nephron show
      morphological evidence of EGF synthesis? 2. We infused human [131I]-EGF into a
      volunteer. After 6 min, only 66% of the plasma counts represented intact EGF. At
      the end of infusion, the T1/2 of EGF was calculated to be 1.6 min. The tail of
      the curve lasted for at least another 2 h. The total excretion of the labelled
      EGF was 2.45% of the infused dose and was proportional to the urine volume. 3.
      After a water load, the excretion of endogenous EGF was, on the contrary,
      inversely related to urine volume. 4. Immunohistochemically, human kidneys were
      not stained by monoclonal anti-EGF antibodies but showed positive in situ
      hybridization for EGF mRNA in the nuclei of glomerular mesangial cells, distal
      convoluted tubules and collecting tubules. 5. We conclude that human kidneys
      synthesize EGF and release it into urine. Plasma-derived EGF constitutes under
      normal conditions only a small part of the urinary EGF. Contrasting volume
      dependency of the excretion of endogenous and [131I]-EGF requires further study
      and cautions against extrapolating results obtained with labelled EGF to
      physiological conditions.

PMID- 1424294
TI  - Changes in circulating B cells and immunoglobulin classes and subclasses in a
      healthy aged population.
AB  - The study of 87 adults of different ages, including 15 centenarians, selected for
      their healthy status, showed that profound changes of humoral immunity occur
      throughout life. In particular, a statistically significant age-related increase
      of the serum level of immunoglobulin classes (IgG and IgA but not IgM) and IgG
      subclasses (IgG1, 2 and 3, but not IgG4) was detected. A parallel age-related
      decrease of circulating B cells was also observed. The hypothesis of a complex
      derangement of B cell function and/or compartmentalization with age is put
      forward, together with the proposal that healthy centenarians (as representative
      of successful ageing) may be helpful in identifying the physiological age-related
      modifications of the immune system.

PMID- 1424296
TI  - Endothelin-3-induced microvascular incompetence and mitochondrial damage in rat
      myocardium.
AB  - 1. To determine the possible role of an endothelin in the development of
      postischaemic microvascular incompetence, isolated buffer-perfused rat hearts
      were perfused with endothelin-3 (ET-3) in phosphate buffer. 2. ET-3 produced a
      reduction in coronary flow rate, heart rate and arrhythmia. There was a marked
      reduction in the density of competent capillaries, and the myocytes showed
      vacuolation and mitochondrial damage in regions where microvascular incompetence
      was most severe. 3. These results indicate that ET-3 can substantially reduce
      microvascular perfusion in the heart and can also cause damage to the myocyte.

PMID- 1424297
TI  - Arachidonic acid metabolism in nicotine-treated rats and nicotine-incubated
      rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells.
AB  - 1. The changes in plasma levels of thromboxane-B2 (TXB2) and 6-keto-prostaglandin
      F1 alpha (6-keto-PGF1 alpha) were examined in rats given 5, 25, 50 or 100
      micrograms/mL nicotine in drinking water for 10 days. 2. The effect of nicotine
      on prostacyclin (PGI2) synthesis from endogenous arachidonic acid by cultured
      rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells was also studied. 3. Plasma levels of TXB2 were
      increased dose-dependently by treatment for 10 day with nicotine. 4. 6-Keto-PGF1
      alpha values were lowered dose-dependently, both in the plasma of nicotine
      treated rats and in rabbit aortic smooth muscle cells incubated with the
      alkaloid. 5. The results suggest that endogenous synthesis of thromboxane-A2 and
      PGI2, as reflected by TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha levels, respectively, is
      influenced by nicotine treatment. These findings may be related to cardiovascular
      diseases associated with cigarette smoking, but further studies are needed.

PMID- 1424298
TI  - Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition causes deterioration in renal function
      in one-kidney Goldblatt hypertensive rats with and without renal arterial
      stenosis.
AB  - 1. The renal and hypotensive effects of a new angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)
      inhibitor, cilazapril, were evaluated in 18 one-kidney, one-clip Goldblatt
      hypertensive rats (1K1C), 10 one-kidney normotensive rats (1K) and eight 1K1C
      rats with acute unclipping (1KU). Cilazapril was infused intravenously (25
      micrograms/kg per min) into anaesthetized rats, and the arterial blood pressure
      (BP) and renal clearance of rats were measured. 2. In 1K rats, cilazapril reduced
      BP from 123 +/- 4 to 117 +/- 4 mmHg (P < 0.05), and produced diuresis,
      natriuresis and kaliuresis without significantly changing glomerular filtration
      rate (GFR). 3. In 1K1C rats, cilazapril significantly reduced BP (from 157 +/- 5
      to 143 +/- 6 mmHg; P < 0.05), GFR (14.4 +/- 6.7%), urine flow (27.1 +/- 8.5%) and
      sodium excretion (39.4 +/- 7.4%). Mechanically graded reductions of renal
      arterial pressure alone also produced parallel decreases in GFR and renal
      excretory function. 4. In 1KU rats, removal of the renal arterial clip
      significantly decreased BP and increased renal function. Subsequent infusion of
      cilazapril further reduced BP and urinary excretions of sodium and water but did
      not significantly change GFR. 5. These results suggest that the renal function of
      the 1K1C hypertensive model is pressure-dependent, and that ACE inhibitor exerts
      a mild antihypertensive effect but causes a pressure associated reduction in
      renal function. Furthermore, the detrimental effect of ACE inhibitor on the
      residual kidney persists after acute surgical correction of the stenosis.

PMID- 1424299
TI  - Response of plasma renin-angiotensin system to a single captopril administration
      in patients receiving long-term treatment with captopril.
AB  - 1. The responses of angiotensin II (AII), AIII, aldosterone and plasma renin
      activity (PRA) to a single dose of captopril were investigated in hypertensive
      patients receiving long-term (more than 1 year) captopril therapy (CT patients)
      and compared with those of non-treated hypertensive patients (NT patients). 2.
      Baseline levels of AII and aldosterone were significantly lower in CT patients
      than in NT patients. AIII tended to be lower and PRA was slightly higher in CT
      than in NT patients, but these differences were not significant. 3. A single
      administration of captopril (50 mg orally) significantly decreased plasma levels
      of AII, AIII and aldosterone as well as blood pressure in both CT and NT
      patients. 4. These results demonstrate that chronically repeated administration
      of captopril to hypertensive patients effectively reduces the daily blood
      pressure and concomitantly the plasma AII level to acceptable levels in patients
      with no experience of ACE inhibition.

PMID- 1424300
TI  - In vivo and in vitro effects of atrial natriuretic peptide on renin release.
AB  - 1. This study investigated the effect of atrial natriuretic peptide on renin
      release from the kidney. The in vitro direct effect was examined in the animal
      experiment using renal cortical slices of rat, and the in vivo effect was
      observed in the human infusion study. 2. In the in vitro experiments, alpha-human
      atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-hANP) ranging 10(-9) to 10(-6) mol/L did not
      change the basal renin release rate from the renal cortical slices (-9% at 10(-6)
      mol/L, NS). Isoproterenol (10(-6) mol/L) increased renin release by 40% (P <
      0.001), whereas angiotensin II (10(-6) mol/L) suppressed it by 48% (P < 0.001).
      However, alpha-hANP did not affect the stimulative effect of isoproterenol or the
      inhibitory effect of angiotensin II. 3. Also in the human study, infusion of 25
      ng/kg per min alpha-hANP failed to change the plasma renin activity in
      normotensive subjects (-4%) or patients with essential hypertension (+5%), or
      even in patients with raised renin levels such as renovascular hypertension
      (+10%) or congestive heart failure (-13%). 4. These results put forth negative
      views on the direct involvement of atrial natriuretic peptide in renin release
      from the juxtaglomerular apparatus.

PMID- 1424301
TI  - Mechanism and prevention of chronic colonic inflammation with trinitrobenzene
      sulfonic acid in rats.
AB  - 1. The role of prostanoids in experimental colitis with trinitrobenzene sulfonic
      acid (TNBS) in rats was investigated. The effects of cyclosporine A (CsA) on the
      development of experimental colitis were also examined. 2. Five kinds of
      prostanoids were detected in rat colonic tissue by high performance liquid
      chromatography. These were 6-keto-prostaglandin (PG) F1 alpha, PGF2 alpha, PGE2,
      PGD2 and thromboxane B2. 3. In TNBS-induced experimental colitis, all prostanoid
      concentrations except PGD2 increased, although the time courses differed from
      each other. 4. Medication with indomethacin markedly reduced prostanoid
      concentrations in TNBS-induced colitis. However, indomethacin did not show any
      effect on damage scores. 5. Cyclosporine A reduced damage scores 14 days after
      TNBS treatment, and the protective effects were observed, whereas CsA did not
      affect colonic tissue prostanoid concentrations. 6. Prostanoids might be produced
      secondarily in the genesis of TNBS-induced colitis, although they may attenuate
      the inflammatory response. It was also suggested that CsA was likely to have
      therapeutic effects on experimental colitis by inhibiting the immune reaction
      with TNBS, which induced the chronic inflammation.

PMID- 1424302
TI  - Different biventricular remodelling of myosin and collagen in pulmonary
      hypertension.
AB  - 1. To clarify the metabolism of contractile and non-contractile proteins of the
      ventricles during the development of right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and
      accompanying congestive heart failure (CHF) in response to a pressure overload,
      monocrotaline was injected subcutaneously into Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Myosin
      isoenzymes (MIE) were analysed by pyrophosphate gel electrophoresis under non
      dissociating conditions. Acid-soluble collagens were analysed by an improved,
      noninterrupted sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS
      PAGE). Tissue collagen content was also measured after the estimation of
      hydroxyproline concentration in tissues. 2. Monocrotaline induced RVH, but not
      left ventricular hypertrophy, at 2 weeks after the injection of monocrotaline,
      with severe RVH with CHF present at 4 weeks. In the right ventricles (RV) treated
      with monocrotaline, MIE shifted significantly from V1 to V3 at 2 weeks. The shift
      of MIE was more pronounced at 4 weeks. The proportion of type III collagen
      increased significantly compared with controls at 2 weeks. At 4 weeks, the
      proportion of types III and V collagens increased significantly compared with
      controls. 3. In left ventricles (LV) treated with monocrotaline, a similar but
      less remarkable shift of MIE was observed without remodelling of collagen types
      at 2 and 4 weeks. The concentration of collagen in either the RV or LV treated
      with monocrotaline showed no significant changes at 2 and 4 weeks compared with
      controls. 4. These results demonstrate a remodelling of the contractile and non
      contractile proteins during the development of RVH and accompanying CHF, and
      provide evidence for changes in protein metabolism of the counterpart of RV (i.e.
      the LV). These results may provide important insights into the pathophysiology of
      adaptive or non-adaptive cardiac hypertrophy in response to a pressure overload.

PMID- 1424303
TI  - Soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels in lupus nephritis.
AB  - Soluble interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) levels were measured and correlated
      prospectively with clinical, histologic and serologic findings over a 9-month
      period in 62 lupus patients. Initially, 39 patients had clinical nephritis and 23
      patients did not have nephritis. The 62 lupus patients has significantly higher
      IL-2R than 15 normal controls, most of this difference attributable to patients
      with nephritis. During lupus nephritis flare 9 of 10 patients showed significant
      elevations of IL-2R while only 6 of the 10 patients showed either elevation of
      anti-DNA antibody or decrease in CH50. During disease remission or stable
      clinical activity changes in IL-2R levels paralleled changes in anti-DNA antibody
      and CH50. Nephritis patients with cellular proliferative histology had
      significantly higher IL-2R levels than those with membranous or mesangial
      nephropathy. IL-2R correlated strongly with histologic activity and chronicity
      indices, IgG and C3 deposition whereas anti-DNA antibody and CH50 levels did not.
      IL-2R levels did not correlate with serum creatinine suggesting that elevations
      of IL-2R were not simply due to decreased clearance. These observations suggest
      that serum IL-2R level is a useful marker of disease activity in lupus nephritis
      and may serve as a helpful adjunct in management of this disorder.

PMID- 1424304
TI  - Detection and clinical usefulness of urinary interleukin-6 in the diseases of the
      kidney and the urinary tract.
AB  - Interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a key role in inflammatory and immune responses in the
      host. In the present study, the IL-6 activity in urine from patients with various
      renal diseases was examined to elucidate the pathological and clinical
      significance of urinary IL-6. In patients with mesangial proliferative
      glomerulonephritis (mes-PGN) including, IgA nephropathy, the urinary IL-6
      activity tended to increase with the progression of mesangial hypercellularity.
      In four patients with IgA nephropathy, urinary IL-6 activity increased markedly
      but transiently during episodes of acute exacerbation associated with upper
      respiratory tract infection. In addition, it was demonstrated that urine from
      patients with other types of PGN such as poststreptococcal acute
      glomerulonephritis and membrano-proliferative glomerulonephritis contained large
      quantities of IL-6. However, the levels of urinary IL-6 activity were almost
      within the normal range in non-proliferative glomerular diseases such as
      membranous nephropathy, minimal change nephrotic syndrome and lupus nephritis
      (WHO class I and V), non-glomerular bleeding and orthostatic proteinuria. It
      should be noted that a marked increase in urinary IL-6 was often observed in the
      patients with urinary tract infection. These results indicated that IL-6 in urine
      might be derived from various types of cells participating in inflammatory
      reactions not only in the renal parenchyma but also in the urinary tract.

PMID- 1424306
TI  - Traumatic rupture of the urinary tract in a patient presenting nephrogenic
      diabetes insipidus associated with hydronephrosis and chronic renal failure: case
      report and review of the literature.
AB  - We report the case of a 34-year-old Japanese man suffering from a nephrogenic
      diabetes insipidus (NDI) associated with bilateral hydronephrosis, hydroureters
      and enlarged trabeculated bladder without obstruction. He also presented with
      chronic renal failure which has rarely occurred in similar cases. The patient was
      admitted after a traumatic rupture of the left urinary tract which had never been
      described until now in NDI. He was treated successfully by transient peritoneal
      and vesical drainages. This paper focuses on the very rare complication of
      chronic renal failure secondary to hydronephrosis in cases of NDI. The literature
      of this association is reviewed.

PMID- 1424305
TI  - A prospective study of urine and serum myoglobin levels in patients with acute
      rhabdomyolysis.
AB  - Serum and urine myoglobin levels, measured by radioimmunoassay, were determined
      prospectively in eight patients with acute rhabdomyolysis, within 24 hours of
      admission. Five patients had urine myoglobin concentrations greater than 1,000
      ng/ml (normal < 5 ng/ml); four of these patients subsequently developed acute
      renal failure. In three patients whose urinary myoglobin levels ranged from 19 to
      275 ng/ml, acute renal failure did not occur. This difference in the occurrence
      of acute renal failure between the two patient groups was statistically
      significant (p < 0.05). Mean peak serum creatinine was significantly higher in
      the patients with high urine myoglobin (6.4 +/- 1.3 mg/dl) compared to those with
      low urine myoglobin (2.2 +/- 0.3 mg/dl), p < 0.02. There was no statistical
      correlation between level of serum creatine phosphokinase and serum or urine
      myoglobin, although the serum and urine myoglobin levels correlated well with
      each other. These findings suggests that among other factors, urine myoglobin may
      need to reach a critical level in order for myoglobinuric renal failure to ensue.

PMID- 1424307
TI  - Circulating and excreted forms of atrial natriuretic peptide in healthy subjects
      and patients with renal diseases.
AB  - The immunoreactivity of plasma and urine atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was
      measured in patients with renal disease and in healthy volunteers. The molecular
      forms of ANP in these subjects were estimated by gel permeation chromatography
      and reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. No significant increase
      in plasma ANP was observed in patients with nephrotic syndrome or non-oliguric
      chronic renal failure compared to healthy volunteers. However, plasma ANP levels
      were significantly increased in patients on hemodialysis (normal 18.6 +/- 11.4
      fmol/ml; hemodialysis 91.2 +/- 69.9 fmol/ml, p < 0.01). Chromatographic analyses
      revealed that plasma ANP consisted of only alpha-ANP or combined alpha- and gamma
      ANP in healthy volunteers and in nephrotic patients, whereas beta-ANP frequently
      appeared in the plasma of both dialyzed and non-dialyzed chronic renal failure
      patients. Excreted forms, except in subjects free from renal disease where gamma
      ANP may serve as a potential marker of glomerular injury in humans.

PMID- 1424308
TI  - Thyrotropin-releasing hormone: pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties in
      chronic renal failure.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) were determined
      following a single i.v. administration in ten patients with chronic renal failure
      (CRF) maintained on chronic hemodialysis and in six normal subjects. A TRH-test
      (200 micrograms) was performed in all subjects on nondialysis days and was
      followed by sequential venous blood sampling at 0, 2, 5, 10, 20, 30 and 60 min.
      Plasma TRH and serum concentrations of TSH, T4, FT4 and T3 were measured by
      specific and sensitive RIA's. Serum thyroid hormone concentrations were lower in
      the hemodialysis patients than in the normals (p < 0.001). Basal TRH and TSH
      levels were similar in patients and in controls, however, a blunted response of
      TSH to TRH in CRF (3.8 +/- 2.4 vs. 11.2 +/- 2.6 mU/l, p < 0.001) was observed.
      Mean peak TRH concentrations (Cmax) were 34.445 (11.085, SD) fmoles/ml in CRF and
      only (13,400 (1.020) in the normals 2 min after TRH administration (tmax). The
      mean elimination half-life (t1/2) of TRH was 16 min in CRF and 6.5 min in normals
      (p < 0.001). The metabolic clearance rate (MCR) was markedly lowered in CRF, 58.3
      (19.1) compared to normals (82.2 [15.3] l/m2/day, p < 0.001). The area under the
      plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) was 57.529 (28.562) fmoles.ml-1.min in CRF
      and 37.339 (5.026) (p < 0.005) in normals. These findings indicate that the
      pharmacokinetic properties of TRH are impaired in CRF. The kidney might be an
      important catabolic organ for exogenous TRH. Dosing schedules of TRH require
      possible adaptation to renal function.

PMID- 1424309
TI  - Impact of dialysis modality on body composition in patients with end-stage renal
      disease.
AB  - Loss of muscle mass and altered body fat distribution (i.e. increased central fat
      stores in the presence of normal peripheral fat stores) have been reported in
      patients on hemodialysis (HD), when compared to normal volunteers. Whether
      treatment of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) with continuous ambulatory peritoneal
      dialysis (CAPD) would alter body composition in a different manner than HD is
      unknown. To answer this question, two groups (n = 11 each) of male patients with
      ESRD (matched for age, residual renal function, body weight and body height as
      well as physical activity) were studied. Muscle mass and body fat distribution
      were assessed using computed tomography. Mid-thigh muscle area, peripheral and
      central fat stores were similar between the two groups of dialysis patients. In
      both patient groups muscle mass and fat stores were independent of duration of
      dialysis, age, daily protein intake and residual renal function. In CAPD-patients
      mid-thigh muscle area was correlated with plasma albumin (r = 0.56, p < 0.05),
      while serum cholesterol level was correlated with mediastinal fat area (r = 0.81,
      p < 0.01). The present results indicate that both treatment modalities of ESRD
      (HD vs CAPD) result in similar changes of body composition. Despite continuous
      glucose loading in CAPD-patients, neither central nor peripheral fat stores are
      increased in these subjects compared with HD treated patients.

PMID- 1424310
TI  - Surgical treatment of hemodialysis-related shoulder arthropathy.
AB  - Thirteen patients with hemodialysis-related shoulder arthropathy were treated
      either with arthroscopic synovectomy or with open surgery. Arthroscopic
      synovectomy was performed in eight patients who had shoulder pain, shoulder
      immobility or both but did not have cystic bone lesions. The therapy was
      effective for pain relief and improvement of shoulder function for six months but
      in 12 months the shoulder pain reappeared in most of the patients. Open surgery
      was done in 5 patients who, in addition to shoulder pain and immobility, had
      humeral head bone cysts. Resection of the deposited mass on the biceps tendon
      sheath, of hypertrophied synovium and bursa as well as curettage of cysts and
      calcium hydroxyapatite ceramic implantation were performed. The therapy was
      effective for pain relief throughout the follow-up period (12 months). No adverse
      effects were noted for either procedure. Resected specimens of the synovia
      contained amyloid as indicated by a positive Congo-red stain by light microscopy
      and the presence of amyloid fibrils by electron microscopy. Deposition of amyloid
      in the biceps tendon sheath, synovium and bursa and invasion of the humeral head
      by amyloid were observed upon open surgery. The results suggest that the
      resection of deposited material induces the improvement of the shoulder
      arthropathy.

PMID- 1424311
TI  - Propafenone pharmacokinetics in uremic patients treated by peritoneal dialysis.

PMID- 1424312
TI  - Importance of nosocomial transmission of hepatitis C virus infection in dialysis
      units.

PMID- 1424313
TI  - Focal glomerular sclerosis (FGS)-like lesions are not rare in preeclampsia.

PMID- 1424314
TI  - Diabetic nephropathy: eleven-year survival on hemodialysis with good quality of
      life.

PMID- 1424315
TI  - Sequential clinical and immunological follow-up shows similar evolution during
      the first trimester after renal transplantation in patients receiving
      azathioprine or not.

PMID- 1424316
TI  - Diuretics potentiate the angiotensin converting-enzyme inhibitor-associated acute
      renal dysfunction.

PMID- 1424317
TI  - Production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha by glomerular macrophages in
      nephrotoxic serum nephritis.

PMID- 1424318
TI  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a patient on continuous ambulatory peritoneal
      dialysis.

PMID- 1424319
TI  - Non-Alzheimer non-Pick dementia with Fahr's syndrome.
AB  - Five patients with non-Alzheimer non-Pick dementia combined with Fahr's syndrome
      were studied. Atypical clinical pictures emerged from an evaluation of these
      cases. Their symptoms and signs could be attributed neither to Alzheimer's
      disease nor to Pick's disease but to a partial mixture of both. The
      neuropathological changes were characteristic, and the common findings were as
      follows: 1) the absence of senile (neuritic) plaques, 2) the widespread presence
      of numerous neurofibrillary tangles throughout the neocortex, 3) a calcareous
      deposition of Fahr's type, 4) a circumscribed cerebral atrophy in the temporal
      or/and frontal lobes, 5) a moderate or severe demyelination and fibrous gliosis
      in the white matter of the atrophied areas and 6) a mild or moderate neuronal
      loss in the nucleus basalis of Meynert. These neuropathological changes were not
      due to Alzheimer's disease nor to Pick's disease. Similar cases reported
      previously were reviewed.

PMID- 1424320
TI  - Trimethyltin poisoning: report of a case with postmortem examination.
AB  - A 48-year old woman died six days after intake of an unknown amount of
      trimethyltin (TMT). Early clinical features were tinnitus, lightheadedness,
      aggression and episodes of unresponsiveness. She gradually developed coma and
      died of multiorgan failure. The main pathologic findings were confined to the
      nervous system which revealed generalized chromatolysis of the neurons in the
      brain, spinal cord and spinal ganglia. Recent neuronal necrosis, which probably
      was caused by toxic effect of TMT, was present in the fascia dentata of the
      hippocampus and in the spinal ganglia. Recent necrosis was also present in the
      pyramidal cell layer of the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, basal ganglia and
      Purkinje cell layer of the cerebellum, but some of these changes could have been
      caused by an anoxic episode shortly before death. Electron microscopy revealed
      marked accumulation of lysosomal dense bodies and disorganization of the granular
      endoplasmic reticulum in the neurons. The findings were similar to those
      described in experimental TMT intoxications. Cytoplasmic zebra bodies, which were
      described in a previous human case of TMT intoxication, were not observed in the
      present case.

PMID- 1424321
TI  - Patient selection for assisted reproduction.
AB  - Patient selection is a critical factor in influencing results in assisted
      reproduction. Patients should be assessed individually in terms of all relevant
      fertility factors including age, duration and aetiology of infertility and psycho
      social attitudes so that an approximate prognosis of their management can be
      made. Restrictive criteria for patient selection will enhance a programme's
      results but at the expense of depriving some couples of their only chance of
      conception. The best overall management of each individual infertile couple
      should always remain the main criteria for selection into a particular assisted
      reproduction programme.

PMID- 1424322
TI  - In vitro fertilization in the natural cycle.
AB  - In vitro fertilization in the natural or spontaneous reproductive cycle was first
      described by Edwards and his colleagues in 1980 following the birth of their
      first natural cycle IVF baby 2 years earlier. Many groups attempted to follow
      their lead but it was almost ten years later that the next publication of success
      appeared (Foulot et al, 1989). The concept of IVF in the natural cycle is
      particularly attractive and so in 1987 our group also started evaluating the
      technique. Initial success in the patients with tubal lesions was not translated
      to patients with other infertility indications. Unfortunately the technique as
      initially developed was relatively inefficient with significant procedural losses
      at each stage. Over the succeeding four years a number of changes have been
      introduced and the efficiency considerably improved. Although these changes have
      improved take-home baby rates, overall pregnancy rates per embryo have not
      altered and are still lower than spontaneous in vivo pregnancy rates. It is
      likely that in the future, with current developments in culture techniques and
      greater understanding of gamete biology, this situation will change
      significantly.

PMID- 1424323
TI  - GnRH agonists and antagonists in assisted reproduction.

PMID- 1424324
TI  - The role of treatment with growth hormone in infertile patients.
AB  - The reality of the interaction of GH and its mediator, IGF-I, with gonadotrophins
      is now established. The results of these studies and others have obvious
      implications, both physiologically and clinically. Co-treatment with GH augments
      the gonadal response to gonadotrophins, and it seems to be of particular value in
      patients who are poor responders to gonadotrophin treatment and who have
      pituitary hypofunction induced surgically, idiopathically (hypogonadotrophic
      hypogonadism) or medically (treatment with GnRH analogues). There is conflicting
      evidence as to whether the observed effect of GH is exerted directly on the ovary
      or mediated through IGF-I. Treatment with GH causes a distinct increase in serum
      IGF-I concentrations, which correlate with, but are always higher than,
      follicular fluid levels, suggesting that GH stimulates hepatic production of IGF
      I and that the effect on the ovary is endocrine. Further research will,
      hopefully, clearly define the precise therapeutic role of GH in the induction of
      ovulation, the selection of the most appropriate group of patients to be treated,
      and the minimum dose of GH needed to sensitize the ovary. Further studies are
      also needed to explore the action of GH and to define the role of IGF-I in the
      process of follicular development.

PMID- 1424325
TI  - Vaginal ultrasound in assisted reproduction.
AB  - Vaginal scanning of the ovaries and the uterus is a diagnostic and monitoring
      tool of utmost importance in assisted conception. Although the value of
      ultrasound for monitoring follicular growth has been questioned, few groups
      working on assisted conception do not use it. Follicle aspiration under the
      guidance of vaginal sonography is the method of choice. With such a simple and
      safe technique available, using laparoscopy for retrieving oocytes for assisted
      conception cannot be justified. The introduction of ultrasound-guided
      transvaginal retrograde tubal catheterization has meant that laparoscopic GIFT
      and ZIFT procedures will probably soon be unnecessary. Vaginal sonography is one
      of the most clinically important diagnostic instruments in assisted conception.

PMID- 1424326
TI  - Advances in methodologies aimed at enhancing the viability of in vitro cultured
      human embryos.

PMID- 1424327
TI  - Cryopreservation of human embryos.
AB  - This chapter describes general cryobiological principles and the different
      methods for cryopreservation of supernumerary human embryos obtained after
      several procedures for medically assisted procreation. Different factors that
      influence the performance of freezing and thawing of human embryos are reviewed:
      the data from international and national surveys of results, the cryopreservation
      procedures, the stages of embryonic development, the morphological appearance of
      the cryopreserved embryos, the numbers of embryos transferred, the storage times
      of embryos in liquid nitrogen, the ovarian stimulation protocols in the IVF cycle
      and the replacement cycles of cryopreserved embryos. Cryopreservation of embryos
      circumvents the difficult problem of synchrony between the ovarian cycles of
      donor and acceptor patients in an oocyte donation programme.

PMID- 1424328
TI  - Viability of preimplantation embryos.
AB  - Only about 10% of embryos obtained after in vitro fertilization (IVF) are able to
      implant after transfer in utero. Detecting the viable embryos is therefore the
      prerequisite condition to increase the overall efficiency of the technique.
      Zygote and embryo morphology is partly related to their viability. Indeed,
      fertilized oocytes with a timely fertilization and pronuclear growth, leading to
      embryos with equally sized blastomeres reaching at least the 4-cell stage about
      42 h after insemination, have the best chance of implanting. The metabolic
      approach, although requiring sensitive microassays, seems promising. Indeed, in a
      small series 100% of the pregnancies were predicted when the level of interleukin
      1-alpha was > 60 pg/ml and the suppressive level (antiproliferative activity
      using tumour cell lines) was > 20% in the supernatant of transferred embryos.
      Lastly, invasive assessment of the chromosome status of embryos should allow us
      in future to discard severely abnormal embryos, thus increasing the success rate
      of IVF.

PMID- 1424329
TI  - Gamete intrauterine transfer.
AB  - Gamete intrauterine transfer has been performed at a very limited scale until
      now. The main target group of patients for such a treatment would be women with
      infertility due to the tubal factor, but other infertile patients could benefit
      also, as the procedures reduce incubation time in the laboratory and implies
      fertilization in vivo. Few studies have been reported from 1982 to 1990 on the
      transfer of oocytes and spermatozoa directly to the uterus, and only five
      clinical pregnancies have been achieved. Transfer of oocytes and spermatozoa
      inside a biodegradable capsule has only been performed in one study comprising 26
      cycles with no ensuing pregnancies. A critical evaluation and a status is carried
      out.

PMID- 1424330
TI  - The implantation window.
AB  - The implantation window is defined as that period when the uterus is receptive
      for implantation of the free-lying blastocyst. This period of receptivity is
      short and results from the programmed sequence of the action of oestrogen and
      progesterone on the endometrium. Implantation itself is a process that commences
      with apposition, continues through attachment to trophoblast outgrowth and
      decidualization. For maximal effectiveness of assisted reproductive technologies
      in women, it is important to know the optimal time for embryo transfer which
      implies a need to predict the period of uterine receptivity. At present there are
      no good markers of, or for prediction of, uterine receptivity. In cycles where
      endogenous hormonal activity is suppressed or absent, the optimal time for embryo
      transfer can be easily defined and lies between luteal days +3 to +5, where
      luteal day +1 is the first day of exogenous progesterone treatment. In the human,
      it is suggested that blastocyst apposition begins about LH day +6 and is complete
      by LH +10. Human embryos survive in vitro manipulation well, and the stage of
      development at which they are placed in the uterus seems less critical than in
      other species, provided they are at an earlier stage of development than that of
      the endometrium.

PMID- 1424331
TI  - Indications and outcomes of assisted reproduction.
AB  - Since 1978 many healthy children have been born after in vitro fertilization and
      embryo transfer, fulfilling the wishes of many previously childless couples. In
      vitro fertilization and subsequently developed methods (GIFT, intratubal embryo
      transfer) have contributed to progress in the diagnosis and treatment of unwanted
      childlessness. Furthermore these techniques have improved knowledge of ovarian
      function, fertilization and early embryo development.

PMID- 1424332
TI  - [Movement-related cortical potential in patients with cerebellar dentate
      degeneration].
AB  - We reported movement-related cortical potentials (MRCPs) in 11 patients with
      lesion of the dentate nucleus (Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) 7 cases, dentato
      rubro-pallido-luysian atrophy (DRPLA)1, myoclonus epilepsy associated with ragged
      red fibers (MERRF)1, dyssynergia cerebellaris myoclonica (DCM) 2), and compared
      with those of 7 cases of multiple system atrophy (MSA) who were postulated to
      have mild dentate lesions (striato-nigral degeneration 2 cases, Shy-Drager
      syndrome 2, sporadic olivo-ponto-cerebellar atrophy 3), and 7 control subjects
      without any neurological findings. Further we classified the diseases into the
      following two groups based on the lesion of the dentate nucleus. One was MJD
      group that had normal or slightly abnormal electroencephalogram (EEG), and the
      other was DN group (DRPLA, MERRF, DCM) that had markedly abnormal EEG. One of the
      main findings from this study was smaller slope of the Ns' in the MJD and DN
      group and normal slope of BP. There was no significant difference in the slope of
      Ns' between MJD patients and DN patients. This result shows EEG abnormalities
      have no influence on MRCP recordings. These results suggest that Ns' component
      may reflect the function in the cerebellar dentate nucleus, and that MRCP is a
      useful diagnostic method in patients with cerebellar ataxia.

PMID- 1424333
TI  - [Central nervous system disorders in myotonic dystrophy--with special reference
      to neuron-specific enolase, S-100b protein and creatine kinase BB isoenzyme
      levels in CSF].
AB  - In order to evaluate central nervous system disorders in myotonic dystrophy
      (MyD), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), S-100b protein and creatine kinase BB (CK
      BB) isoenzyme were measured using enzyme immunoassay in MyD. Intelligence
      quotient (IQ) test (WAIS, 17 cases), electro-encephalography (17 cases) and brain
      computed tomography (18 cases) were examined. In patients with MyD, NSE level was
      significantly elevated in comparison with 25 age-sex matched control subjects. In
      some cases of MyD levels of S-100b protein and CK-BB in CSF were elevated. IQ
      test disclosed intellectual impairment in 70.6% of the patients examined and EEG
      study demonstrated slowing of basic rhythm in the majority of the cases. On brain
      CT both enlarged ventricles and dilated sulci were commonly found. The results of
      the present study suggest that in MyD the CNS is involved not only functionally
      but structurally as well. Since NSE, S-100b and CK-BB are localized in neuronal
      and glia cells, their elevated levels in CSF indicate existence of organic
      lesions in the central nervous tissue in patients with MyD.

PMID- 1424334
TI  - [The role of interleukin-6 in Crow-Fukase syndrome].
AB  - We measured serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in 14 patients with Crow-Fukase
      syndrome. Five out of 14 patients with Crow-Fukase syndrome showed high serum IL
      6 levels above 10 pg/ml, which was statistically significant in comparison with
      control subjects with other neurological diseases. Serial studies of serum IL-6
      levels in two patients revealed the increase before the exacerbation of clinical
      symptoms of edema, and pleural or cardiac effusion, and the fall after the
      treatment by high dose pulsed methylprednisolone. We suggest that serum IL-6
      level appears to be a useful marker to predict its exacerbation. Also we
      performed immunohistochemical study on cutaneous angioma from three Crow-Fukase
      syndrome patients using anti-IL-6 antibody. The cytoplasm of endothelial cells of
      cutaneous angioma from two patients was positively stained, which might imply the
      abnormality of endothelial cells in Crow-Fukase syndrome.

PMID- 1424335
TI  - [Central nervous system disorders in patients with myotonic dystrophy--in
      relation to respiratory dysfunction].
AB  - Although central nervous system (CNS) involvement, such as intellectual
      impairment simulating dementia, in myotonic dystrophy (MyD) has been well
      documented, the cause of this condition remains unclear. In has been reported
      that the progressive cases of MyD are often accompanied with respiratory
      disturbance and sleep apnea syndrome (SAS). We studied the relation between CNS
      involvement and respiratory disorders in 15 MyD patients. They consisted of 10
      males and 5 females with ages ranging from 21 to 58 years (average 46 +/- 8.4
      years old). Arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis, respiratory function test, and
      monitoring of arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) during sleep were carried out. In
      some cases abnormal respiration during sleep was analyzed with polysomnography.
      For an assessment of CNS involvement the following examinations were performed;
      intelligence quotient (WAIS-IQ); electroencephalography (EEG); brain computed
      tomography (CT); and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of neuron-specific enolase
      (NSE), S-100b and creatine kinase BB isoenzyme (CK-BB) which were estimated by
      using enzyme immunoassay. ABG analysis demonstrated the presence of hypercapnia
      (PaCO2 > 45 torr) during wakefulness in MyD patients. During sleep 14 of the 15
      patients showed frequent desaturation phenomenon (SaO2 < 90%), indicating the
      episodic hypoxemia. Polysomnographic study revealed the occurrence of SAS of both
      obstructive and central types in all the cases examined. IQ test disclosed
      intellectual impairment in 80% of the 15 patients, and EEG showed slowing of
      basic rhythm in the majority of the cases. On brain CT both enlarged ventricles
      and dilated sulci were commonly observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1424336
TI  - [Alteration of atrial natriuretic peptide in progressive muscular dystrophy with
      congestive heart failure].
AB  - We measured plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in 9 patients of
      Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and 3 patients of Becker muscular dystrophy
      with congestive heart failure (CHF). Administration of digitalis, catecholamine
      and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor resulted in decrease of ANP levels as
      well as improvement of clinical symptoms of CHF and cardiomegaly. Four DMD
      patients whose ANP levels were more than 200 pg/ml after the treatment of CHF
      showed poor prognosis. These results suggest that ANP is a useful marker for the
      treatment of CHF in progressive muscular dystrophy.

PMID- 1424337
TI  - [Clinical and neuroradiological studies on orbital myositis and Tolosa-Hunt
      syndrome].
AB  - Tolosa-Hunt syndrome and orbital myositis have common features such as ocular
      pain, ophthalmoplegia and exophthalmos. Both syndromes are thought to be caused
      by a granulomatous inflammation involving the cavernous sinus area in the former
      and the orbital cavity in the latter. The question whether these two conditions
      represent different presentations of a single disease, or they belong to
      different entities has not been settled. To address this question, we reviewed
      our cases having clinical diagnosis of either Tolosa-Hunt syndrome or orbital
      myositis. Six cases were diagnosed as Tolosa-Hunt syndrome, and 7 orbital
      myositis. In the thin-slice enlarged orbital CT, hypertrophic and high-density
      changes of at least one of the extraocular muscles were found in all cases with
      orbital myositis, but in none of the patients with Tolosa-Hunt syndrome. The age
      of onset was younger and the duration of the disease before admission was shorter
      in Tolosa-Hunt syndrome. They responded to steroid therapy better than those with
      orbital myositis. These findings lead us to conclude that Tolosa-Hunt syndrome
      and orbital myositis belong to different syndromes, although clinical
      manifestations have many similarities. Then we studied the relationship between
      the hypertrophic change of the extraocular muscle and the direction of the
      oculomotor restriction. For this purpose four additional cases with dysthyroid
      ophthalmopathy were also studied. We found that the presence of hypertrophic
      change was frequently associated with the restriction of ocular movement to the
      direction not only of the hypertrophic muscle but also of the opposite
      muscle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1424338
TI  - [A case of adrenoleukodystrophy having progressed from the frontal lobes].
AB  - A 12-year-old boy was admitted to our hospital in May 1990. Since two years
      previously, he became restless and could not adapt himself to his new school
      mates and teacher. He came to refuse going to school, and his intellectual
      performance rapidly deteriorated, thereafter. During the following two years, he
      gradually became mutic and incontinent with dystonic involuntary movements, and
      was admitted to our hospital. Examination revealed melanoderma, mutism, dementia
      and grossly normal visual and auditory system except for bilateral optic atrophy.
      Volitional movements were severely limited because of marked truncal and extreme
      dystonia and spastic paresis. Urinary 17-KS and 17-OHCS were decreased. Serum
      cortisol did not increase normally on rapid ACTH test. Very-long-chain fatty
      acids in serum were increased. Serial CTs and MRI demonstrated marked ventricular
      dilatation and diffuse white-matter lesions involving the frontal lobes, corpus
      callosum, internal capsules, and less markedly parieto-occipital regions with
      slight calcification in the optic radiations. Those in the frontal lobes had been
      visualised in CTs taken 18 months after the onset. School refusal, the initial
      symptoms of the patient, is one of serious socioeducational problems in Japan.
      While the majority of children with school refusal might be of non-organic
      affections, those with apparent mental deterioration and behavioral abnormalities
      should undergo non-invasive CT or MRI evaluation during the early stage of the
      disorder. And if diffuse white matter lesions is suggested even in the frontal
      lobe, the possibility of adrenoleuko-dystrophy should be considered.

PMID- 1424339
TI  - [A case of progressive supranuclear palsy dramatically improved with L-threo-3,4
      dihydroxyphenylserine].
AB  - We report a 67-year-old female with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) who
      dramatically improved when given L-threo-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine (L-DOPS). This
      patient developed dysarthria, lack of facial expression, and slowness at age 64.
      She was admitted to a local hospital, diagnosed as having parkinsonism and
      treated with antiparkinsonian drugs. Despite this treatment, she had difficulty
      in turning over in bed and standing up from a seat, and began to fall backward at
      age 65. One year later, she had trouble in walking due to frequent falls and
      became bedridden. The patient was admitted to our hospital in July 1991 under
      treatment with 20 mg/200 mg of carbidopa/L-dopa and 4 mg of trihexyphenydyl
      hydrochloride per day. Neurological examination revealed masked face,
      pseudobulbar palsy, and dystonic rigidity of the neck and upper trunk. Eye
      movements were normal except for impaired vertical saccades and convergence
      inability. Deep tendon reflexes were generally brisk and the plantar responses
      were flexor bilaterally. Tests of pulsion showed that her postural reflex was
      markedly disturbed, especially in retropulsion. Her gait showed severe
      unsteadiness. Neuropsychological tests showed intellectual impairment, frontal
      lobe dysfunction, and memory disturbance. Computed tomography showed an atrophic
      midbrain with prominent enlargement of ambient and quadrigeminal plate cisterns.
      Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using 123-I-isopropyl
      iodoamphetamine demonstrated marked frontal hypoperfusion. L-DOPS was
      administered at a dose of 100 mg per day and gradually increased up to 600 mg per
      day over a period of five weeks, while carbidopa/L-dopa and trihexyphenidyl
      hydrochloride were continued as on admission.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1424340
TI  - [A case of "syndrome of progressive muscle spasm, alopecia, and diarrhea
      (Satoyoshi)" treated with steroid pulse therapy].
AB  - A 20-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of generalized muscle
      cramp with pain. At the age of 12 years, he began to have painful muscle cramps
      in calf muscles, which gradually extended to all limb and truncal muscles and
      became more severe and frequent. He also had diarrhea and mild hair loss. On
      admission he had mild baldness, left shoulder deformity, and hypertrophic
      muscles. Muscle cramps were observed especially in the extremities. Routine
      laboratory studies revealed moderately high serum CK and low IgG levels. He had
      been treated with several muscle relaxants and antiepileptic drugs, but with no
      favorable effect. During his admission he received high-dose intravenous
      methylprednisone of 1000 mg/day for three days, followed by oral prednisolone
      tapered over 4 weeks. Soon after the initiation of the treatment, painful muscle
      cramps were gradually decreased and his activity of daily life apparently
      improved. In conclusion steroid pulse therapy is a useful treatment for patients
      who are not responsive to dantrolene sodium administration, and the effectiveness
      suggests that a certain autoimmune mechanism plays a role in pathogenetic
      mechanism.

PMID- 1424341
TI  - [Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy--an electrophysiological and
      histological study of the ulnar nerve from a case with intractable persistent
      conduction block].
AB  - We report a 71-year-old male with CIDP, in whom complete motor conduction block
      persisted for more than several years. Corticosteroid and plasma therapy showed
      little effect to his weakness. He died of pneumonia. The ulnar nerve in which
      complete conduction block had persisted was taken out immediately after death and
      studied with conventional histological and morphometrical techniques. In the
      transverse section, many thinly-myelinated fibers and some cluster formations
      were confirmed. Active axonal degeneration was scarce. Myelinated fiber density
      was 7,417/sgmm. Fiber diameter histogram showed a two-peaked normal distribution.
      It is thus concluded that demyelination with little axonal degeneration can be
      the main pathological process causing intractable weakness and poor prognosis of
      CIDP. Low CMAPs should not lead to therapeutic nihilism, because it may simply be
      caused by demyelination without exonal degeneration in CIDP.

PMID- 1424342
TI  - [Necrotic plaque formation in a case of frontal lobe multiple sclerosis].
AB  - We reported an unusual case of multiple sclerosis (MS), clinical manifestations
      and neuroimagings of which were restricted to the frontal lobes and Gd-enhancing
      plaques on MRI later changed to necrotic lesions. A 36-year-old previously
      healthy man developed behavioral changes without any other neurological
      manifestations in a few weeks. Findings of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
      together with visual evoked potentials pointed to MS and corticosteroid pulse
      dose therapy was initiated. Despite fairly uneventful, but rather delayed
      clinical recovery, repeated MRI disclosed rows of multiple, periventricular
      plaques localized to the bilateral frontal white matter and indicated the
      majority of lesions were not those of demyelination but necrosis. Frontal lobe
      syndrome is rarely encountered as a sole manifestation and rates only a few
      percent of MS cases in the literature. We speculated on the pathogenesis of
      necrotic plaques in this particular case; tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1
      and other cytokines that are known to be accompaniments of inflammatory cell
      infiltrates and activated glia in MS may ultimately destroy the CNS tissue, if
      the inflammation is not readily controlled. It is not certain, however, that what
      are determinants of demyelination and what drives further to the devastating
      tissue necrosis. Despite the uncertainty, this case indicates a necessity of
      immediate institution of adequate immunosuppressive therapy when neuroimaging
      study indicates active inflammation and openings of the blood-brain barrier in
      demyelinating plaques.

PMID- 1424343
TI  - [Unusual pathological ocular movement caused by dysfunction of the saccade
      generation mechanism].
AB  - We describe a patient with abnormal ocular movement, probably due to dysfunction
      of saccade generation mechanism in the lower pons involving the omnipause neuron
      and a feed-back circuit. A 26-year-old man had fever, mild headache and sore
      throat for a few days and also noted unstable gait and diplopia. These symptoms
      subsided, but he noticed oscillopsia about 2 months later. On admission in our
      hospital, the neurological examination revealed no abnormalities except for
      abnormal eye movements, which were induced by voluntary or involuntary ocular
      movement and lasted for a few minutes. The abnormal ocular movement was irregular
      in direction, amplitude and rhythmicity, and the voluntary and involuntary ocular
      movements could not be elicited during the period of this abnormal ocular
      movement. The abnormal ocular movement completely disappeared for about 1 hour by
      intravenous injection of TRH. At this time bilateral mild abducens palsy was
      demonstrated by EOG examination. The abnormal ocular movement in this patient,
      which has nerve been reported in the literature, was considered to be due to a
      disinhibition of excitatory burst neuron (EBN) caused by the dysfunction of
      omnipause neuron, and possibly due to a delay of feed-back information of saccade
      to the EBN.

PMID- 1424344
TI  - [Spinal cord sarcoidosis--diagnostic value of Gd-enhanced MRI].
AB  - A 50-year-old man was admitted because of slowly progressive myelopathy for the
      last ten months without a correct diagnosis. The CSF showed mild pleocytosis
      (predominantly mononuclear cells) together with elevated protein content. MRI
      findings after administration of Gd-DTPA were characteristic: diffuse swelling of
      the lower cervical and upper thoracic cord, multiple patchy enhanced areas in the
      cord parenchyma adjacent to meninges, and linear meningeal enhancement. Based on
      these observations, a scalene node biopsy was performed, yielding a pathological
      diagnosis of sarcoidosis. The clinical neurological signs as well as the abnormal
      MRI findings of myelopathy were considerably improved after prednisolone therapy.
      An early diagnosis of spinal cord involvement in sarcoidosis should be
      established, because it is treatable in the earlier stage. Mild inflammatory
      evidence in CSF and Gd-enhanced MRI findings may be the cardinal clues to the
      diagnosis.

PMID- 1424345
TI  - [Botulinum toxin trial for spasticity].
AB  - We treated three patients with spastic paraparesis with botulinum toxin (BTX).
      Two of them had scissors gait reflecting the hypertonus of adductors. In both, an
      injection of BTX to the responsible muscles improved gait, albeit transiently.
      The effect was shortlived, probably because increased tonus in non-injected
      portions compensated for the weakness of injected portions. In the third patient
      with no abnormality in tonus of the adductors, BTX injection in quadriceps caused
      a weakness with exacerbation of gait disturbance. We concluded that, in selected
      cases, BTX therapy is useful for spastic paraparesis to alleviate hypertonicity
      of the adductors.

PMID- 1424346
TI  - [Transverse myelopathy in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus associated
      with positive anticardiolipin antibody--a case report].
AB  - A 52-year-old woman who developed acute transverse myelopathy following systemic
      lupus erythematosus (SLE) was reported. At the age of 46, she was diagnosed as
      having atypical psychosis. Neurological examination revealed mild depressive
      state, paraparesis, diffuse hyperreflexia, hypesthesia below the breasts, and
      urinary disturbance. Gait was slightly ataxic and Romberg sign was positive.
      Laboratory study disclosed lymphocytopenia, positive antinuclear antigen, false
      positive Venereal Disease Research Laboratories flocculation test and prolonged
      activated partial thromboplastin time. IgG anticardiolipin antibody (aCLA) was
      positive, whereas IgM aCLA was negative. Cerebrospinal fluid was normal except
      the elevation of %IgG. Nerve conduction studies were normal and no abnormality
      was detected in the brain and spinal cord by MRI and CT. We treated her by two
      series of steroid pulse therapy, which resulted in marked improvement of symptoms
      and disappearance of aCLA. Before and after the pulse therapy, symptoms were
      fluctuated in parallel with the levels of aCLA. These findings suggest the
      relation of aCLA to the transverse myelopathy in SLE. This is the first case
      report of a good prognosis of myelopathy in a SLE patient who was treated by
      steroid pulse therapy with the aim of disappearance of aCLA.

PMID- 1424347
TI  - [Chlamydia trachomatis infection with symptoms and signs of the central nervous
      system damage--a case report].
AB  - A 32-year-old woman developed myalgia, fever, consciousness disturbance, mental
      disorder, pyramidal tract signs and meningeal irritation signs at about 2 months
      after a normal labor. Laboratory examination showed hypopituitarism (decreased
      ACTH, TSH), renal dysfunction and hypercalcemia. A variety of antibiotics,
      acyclovir and gamma-globulin failed to improve her symptoms. A diagnosis of
      Chlamydia trachomatis infection was considered from the elevated antibody titers.
      In this case, minocycline was very effective. Rarely Chlamydia trachomatis
      infection involved general organs, including the central nervous system. It was
      interesting that she had endocrine disorders. We must take a look for Chlamydia
      trachomatis infection because this infection infrequently involves general
      organs, including the central nervous system and minocycline is very effective
      for this infection.

PMID- 1424348
TI  - [Strongly succinate dehydrogenase-reactive blood vessels (SSV) in various
      neuromuscular diseases].
AB  - The strongly succinate dehydrogenase-reactive blood vessels (SSV) are shown to
      have increased numbers of enlarged mitochondria in smooth muscle cells of the
      vessel wall on electron microscopy. They are seen in biopsied skeletal muscles
      from patients with mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and
      stroke-like episodes (MELAS) at high frequency. The present study was done to
      examine the incidence of SSV in biopsied muscles from various neuromuscular
      diseases. Among 107 patients with mitochondrial encephalomyopathies (MEM)
      including 50 with chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO), 7 with
      myoclonus epilepsy with ragged-red fibers (MERRF), and 50 with MELAS, SSV were
      seen in nearly a half of the patients, and comprised approximately 24% of small
      arteries. On the other hand, SSV in 100 patients with various neuromuscular
      diseases other than MEM were exceptional, and only one of 8 patients with
      myotonic dystrophy had SSV. These findings suggest that the SSV are induced by
      functional abnormality of mitochondria in smooth muscle cells, and that an
      identification of the SSV is an additional crucial evidence to make a
      pathological diagnosis of MEM.

PMID- 1424349
TI  - [Surface anatomy scanning image by MRI in herpes simplex encephalitis].
AB  - We present surface anatomy scanning (SAS) image by weighted-summation technique
      using MRI images in herpes simplex encephalitis. Recently, SAS has been developed
      as a technique that visualizes brain surface structures. This patient was a 64
      year-old male who suffered from aphasia and memory disturbance after herpes
      simplex encephalitis. He was transferred to our hospital for rehabilitation.
      Neuropsychological tests showed Wernicke's aphasia and memory impairment. SAS was
      performed for the purpose of analyzing these neuropsychological deficits,
      especially the Wernicke's aphasia. In SAS image, sulci were enhanced and gyri
      were easy to identify clearly. The affected structures disclosed low intensity
      areas in the entire left temporal lobe, including the superior temporal gyrus. It
      was clarified that the damage to the left superior temporal gyrus resulted in his
      Wernicke's aphasia. We think that SAS is very useful for cortical lesion
      analysis, not only in encephalitis but also in other disorders presenting higher
      brain dysfunctions.

PMID- 1424350
TI  - Laparoscopic versus conventional cholecystectomy. Use of biliary scintigraphy.
AB  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become a popular alternative to traditional open
      cholecystectomy for uncomplicated, acute cholecystitis. At some centers,
      laparoscopic cholecystectomy is already the more frequently performed procedure.
      The presence or suspicion of common bile duct (CBD) stones or obstruction may
      necessitate conventional surgery or additional procedures. This report describes
      a patient with acute cholecystitis for whom the surgical management changed based
      on biliary scintigraphy. The demonstration of an unsuspected CBD obstruction by
      biliary imaging allowed the surgeon to change the initial plan for laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy to conventional open surgery. Stones in the common bile duct were
      removed.

PMID- 1424351
TI  - Comparison of gallbladder ejection fraction with histopathologic changes in
      acalculous biliary disease.
AB  - This selective retrospective study was undertaken to establish whether the
      gallbladder contraction (ejection fraction) calculated during cholescintigraphy
      correlates with the histopathologic changes in the surgical specimen. The medical
      records of 243 patients who underwent hepatobiliary scintigraphy were reviewed.
      Of these, 215 patients had cholecystokinin cholescintigraphy and 100 went on to
      cholecystectomy. The original histologic slides from 67 gallbladders were
      available and reviewed by a pathologist who graded each specimen based on
      presence and severity of changes associated with "chronic" cholecystitis. There
      was no significant correlation between the severity of histopathologic change and
      cholecystokinin-induced gallbladder emptying.

PMID- 1424352
TI  - Tc-99m albumin scintigraphy in the localization of protein loss in the gut.
AB  - Scintigraphic localization of gastrointestinal protein loss has been recently
      reported. A noninvasive method for the localization of protein loss in the gut
      using Tc-99m labeled albumin seems encouraging and is described here. In six
      patients studied for protein-losing enteropathy, scintigraphic results of four
      were positive.

PMID- 1424353
TI  - Intraperitoneal bleeding demonstrated by Tc-99m labeled red blood cell
      scintigraphy.
AB  - Tc-99m RBC scintigraphy is known to be useful for the evaluation of
      gastrointestinal bleeding. The authors describe a patient with a posttraumatic
      peritoneal tap in whom Tc-99m RBC imaging showed bleeding into the
      gastrointestinal wall and into the ascitic fluid.

PMID- 1424354
TI  - Combined Ga-67 and In-111 leukocyte scintigraphy to characterize a liver mass in
      a patient with lymphoma.
AB  - A 32-year old man with Hodgkin's disease was admitted to the hospital with a
      liver mass. The primary diagnostic possibilities, infection and lymphoma, require
      markedly different therapy. The combination of Ga-67 and In-111 white blood cell
      imaging correctly diagnosed the mass as lymphoma.

PMID- 1424355
TI  - Occult aortic arch mycotic aneurysm diagnosed by radiogallium scintigraphy.
AB  - Aortic arch mycotic aneurysm, an uncommon cause of sepsis, carries a grave
      prognosis. Clinical presentations as well as laboratory and radiologic
      examinations may be noncontributory and often misleading. In a patient with a
      fever of unknown origin, only the radiogallium study could enable an accurate
      diagnosis and pinpoint the anatomic localization of the mycotic aneurysm as the
      cause of fever.

PMID- 1424356
TI  - Brain SPECT imaging in progressive aphasia.
AB  - Progressive aphasia without dementia is a relatively uncommon neurobehavioral
      syndrome. The initial presentation of progressive aphasia without cognitive
      impairment may pose a diagnostic dilemma. The authors report a patient with
      progressive aphasia. The initial neuro-imaging studies (MRI, CT) were not
      diagnostically helpful. However, brain SPECT imaging with Tc-99m HMPAO clearly
      demonstrated a left temporal lobe abnormality. This report discusses the
      potential clinical usefulness of brain SPECT imaging in the evaluation of
      neurobehavioral disorders.

PMID- 1424357
TI  - Ga-67 citrate accumulation in adenomatous goiter.
AB  - An elderly woman with a diffusely enlarged goiter and multiple miliary nodular
      lesions on chest x-ray showed Ga-67 accumulation in the right thyroid lobe.
      Histologic findings obtained after total thyroidectomy and open lung biopsy
      revealed papillary carcinoma in the left lobe with pulmonary metastases and
      adenomatous nodules in the right lobe. This is the first report of Ga-67
      accumulation in adenomatous goiter.

PMID- 1424358
TI  - Early and delayed imaging of Tc-99m HMPAO versus Tl-201 in benign and malignant
      thyroid tumors. Similar uptake but different retention.
AB  - The authors performed both Tc-99m HMPAO and Tl-201 scintigraphy in 30 patients
      with thyroid tumors (21 papillary adenocarcinoma, three solid follicular adenoma,
      six adenomatous goiter with cystic degeneration). Increased accumulation of both
      Tc-99m HMPAO and Tl-201 was seen in 14 patients with papillary adenocarcinoma and
      three with solid follicular adenoma, whereas two patients with papillar
      adenocarcinoma had low accumulation of both tracers. Of the six patients with
      adenomatous goiter with cystic degeneration, four had low accumulation of both Tc
      99m HMPAO and Tl-201, and one patient had low accumulation of Tc-99m HMPAO only.
      Iso accumulation (same accumulation as the normal thyroid) of Tc-99m HMPAO was
      seen in five patients with papillary adenocarcinoma and one with adenomatous
      goiter. The distribution of Tc-99m HMPAO in the thyroid tumors and normal thyroid
      tissue was independent of time from 2 to 120 minutes after injection. The results
      of dynamic studies using Tc-99m HMPAO suggested that the accumulation of Tc-99m
      HMPAO in thyroid tumors reflected mainly tumor blood flow. The resultant Tc-99m
      HMPAO images were essentially similar to the Tl-201 images obtained 10 minutes
      after injection. Tc-99m HMPAO imaging can be a suitable substitute for Tl-201
      imaging, and it may possibly be used to estimate tumor blood flow in patients
      with thyroid tumors.

PMID- 1424359
TI  - Localization of Tc-99m DTPA in a chordoma.
AB  - The authors report a patient with chordoma that was demonstrated as a photopenic
      region on Tc-99m MDP bone imaging but that localized Tc-99m DTPA intensely. An
      explanation for the discrepancy is discussed. Complementary Tc-99m DTPA imaging
      in the preoperative evaluation of sacral tumors is suggested.

PMID- 1424360
TI  - Fracture of the laryngeal cartilage. An incidental finding on bone scintigraphy.
AB  - A patient complaining of headaches and bone pain at multiple sites had Tc-99m MDP
      scintigraphy performed for possible bone trauma after a motor vehicle accident.
      Bone imaging revealed a small focal increase in tracer uptake in the area of the
      laryngeal cartilage. There was some reluctance to place a label on this
      abnormality because the findings were so unusual. The initial diagnosis was a
      probable fracture of the laryngeal cartilage. Computed tomography of the neck
      also demonstrated a fracture but correctly localized it to the thyroid cartilage.

PMID- 1424361
TI  - Lung perfusion imaging in electromechanical dissociation from massive pulmonary
      embolization.

PMID- 1424362
TI  - Tc-99m MIBI uptake in the sternum.

PMID- 1424364
TI  - Splenic infarction. Detection by In-111 leukocyte scintigraphy.

PMID- 1424363
TI  - Seemingly isolated hepatic tissue.

PMID- 1424365
TI  - Lyme carditis. Evaluation by Ga-67 and MRI.

PMID- 1424366
TI  - Scintigraphic pitfall in a patient with steatopygia.

PMID- 1424367
TI  - Accumulation of In-111 labeled white blood cells in a wound dressing. A potential
      cause of false-positive results.

PMID- 1424368
TI  - Potential false-positive urinary leak from vesico-duodenal reflux in a combined
      renal-pancreatic transplant.

PMID- 1424369
TI  - Gallstone simulating renal lesion on skeletal scintigraphy.

PMID- 1424370
TI  - Bilateral ectopic pelvic kidneys incidentally demonstrated by radioisotope
      angiography.

PMID- 1424371
TI  - Detection of renal artery stenosis by means of captopril renal scintigraphy in
      patients with multiple renal arteries.
AB  - Both captopril renal scintigraphy (CRS) and conventional arteriography were
      retrospectively evaluated in 64 patients to study CRS efficacy in hypertensive
      patients with multiple renal arteries (MRA). The presence of MRA was
      angiographically demonstrated in 9 patients, 7 unilaterally and 2 bilaterally,
      with a total of 11 kidneys supplied by 2 or more arteries. Overall, 25 MRA were
      identified and 7 were affected by stenosis of > 50%, causing a reduction of
      arterial supply in 5 of 11 kidneys. CRS correctly diagnosed all five ischemic
      kidneys (true positives) and five of six nonischemic kidneys (true negatives); in
      one case in which perfusion was not reduced, the CRS diagnosis was falsely
      positive. In the presence of MRA, CRS proved effective in identifying renal
      artery stenosis of > 50%, involving either one or all the MRA. This study shows
      that the presence of MRA is not a drawback in the evaluation of renal artery
      stenosis by means of CRS.

PMID- 1424372
TI  - Ga-67 lung uptake in patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome.
      Association with lung infection and patients' prognosis.
AB  - Nine patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were studied with
      Ga-67 imaging in search for a site of infection. Different degrees and two
      patterns of Ga-67 lung uptake scoring in comparison with liver uptake were
      demonstrated. All patients had diffuse lung uptake, whereas five of them also
      showed additional focal lung activity. In only one patient was an abdominal focal
      uptake detected. Chest radiographs of all patients revealed diffuse and focal
      lung infiltrates that correlated with the Ga-67 uptake patterns. Therefore, Ga-67
      imaging was unhelpful in differentiating patients with ARDS with lung infection
      from patients without lung infection. The intensity of Ga-67 uptake, as expressed
      by Ga-67 scoring, correlated with the course and outcome of ARDS. Patients
      exhibiting a high Ga-67 score had long periods of hospitalization and eventually
      died (four patients), whereas those who had low Ga-67 scores had a short disease
      course and survived (five patients). It is concluded that Ga-67 imaging in ARDS
      patients is unable to detect lung infection; however, it may be useful in the
      assessment of patients' prognosis.

PMID- 1424373
TI  - Osteitis pubis, Tc-99m MDP, and professional hockey players.
AB  - Three cases of osteitis pubis detected by bone scanning with Tc-99m MDP in
      professional ice hockey players are presented. This entity is related to
      mechanical stress and aggravated by forceful contraction of the adductor and
      rectus abdominis muscles. The signs, symptoms, and laboratory data are relatively
      nonspecific, as are radiographic findings in the early stage (pubic symphysitis).
      The use of bone scanning in the appropriate clinical setting aids in diagnosis.

PMID- 1424374
TI  - Diffuse liver and splenic activity with Tc-99m MDP associated with iohexol
      injection. A case report.

PMID- 1424375
TI  - Portal vein aneurysm demonstrated by blood pool SPECT.
AB  - Portal vein aneurysms are rare and are occasionally suggested by ultrasound and
      usually confirmed by invasive angiography. Such a case was diagnosed by
      scintigraphic studies, most importantly blood pool SPECT, which clearly separates
      it from hepatic cysts.

PMID- 1424376
TI  - Pulmonary scintigraphic findings in children with pectus excavatum by the
      comparison of chest radiograph indices.
AB  - Pulmonary scintigraphy, including Xe-133 ventilation combined with Tc-99m MAA
      perfusion scans, was performed in 23 children (3 girls, 20 boys, ages: 2-9 years)
      with pectus excavatum, and the indices from lateral chest radiography were used
      for comparison. The findings of pulmonary scintigraphy were analyzed as 1)
      ventilation fractions (VF), and 2) perfusion fractions (PF) between bilateral
      lungs; and 3) ventilation-perfusion ratios (V/Q ratio) of both lungs. The results
      showed that 6 of 23 cases had impaired VF, 11 of 23 cases had impaired PF, and 7
      of 23 cases had an impaired V/Q ratio in the right and left lung, respectively.
      The severity of sternal depression in pectus excavatum was shown as certain
      indices that were obtained on routine lateral chest radiographs. However, no
      significant correlations existed between the differences in the fractions and the
      indices. Our results suggest that pulmonary scintigraphy is not necessary for
      children with pectus excavatum to predict the severity of sternal depression and
      pulmonary function, because 1) pulmonary scintigraphy is very difficult to
      perform in children; 2) unnecessary radiation exposure should be avoided; and 3)
      it is not well correlated with the severity of the depressed sternum.

PMID- 1424377
TI  - Regional cerebral blood flow measured with I-123 IMP SPECT in a case of
      subcortical arteriosclerotic encephalopathy (Binswanger's disease).
AB  - N-isopropyl-p-[I-123] iodoamphetamine (I-123 IMP) SPECT studies were performed on
      a 75-year-old patient who could be clinically classified as subcortical
      arteriosclerotic encephalopathy (Binswanger's disease). Regional cerebral blood
      flow (rCBF) was quantitatively measured by a microsphere model, and was diffusely
      decreased in the whole brain (mean rCBF: 36 ml/100 g/minute). After a
      ventriculoperitoneal shunt operation, his clinical symptoms were markedly
      improved, and the improvement was validated by a 32% increase of mean rCBF.
      However, MRI and CT images showed no significant interval changes before and
      after the shunt operation. Regional rCBF measurement by I-123 IMP SPECT should be
      performed and plays an important role in the evaluation of Binswanger's disease.

PMID- 1424378
TI  - Portacaval graft patency demonstrated by scintigraphic calculation of portal
      contribution to hepatic blood flow.
AB  - The case presented refers to a cirrhotic patient with portal hypertension in whom
      a portacaval graft bypass was surgically implanted. The calculation of the portal
      contribution to hepatic blood flow helped to demonstrate the patency of the
      graft.

PMID- 1424380
TI  - Circumflex masquerade.

PMID- 1424379
TI  - Clinical value of lung scintigraphy with Tc-99m gluconate in distinguishing
      benign from malignant lung diseases.
AB  - One hundred patients were studied with three-phase lung scintigraphy with Tc-99m
      gluconate. The results showed that there were statistically significant
      differences between benign and malignant lung lesions in the intensity of
      accumulation, the blood supply index ratio, and the radioactive uptake ratio.
      However, no difference was observed between the benign lung lesions and the
      healthy lungs. Analysis of false negatives and false positives revealed that
      false negatives had something to do with the cell types of the malignancies, in
      addition to the relatively small size of the lesions; the false positives were
      mostly caused by acute inflammation, for which obstructive pneumonitis might be
      responsible in part. It is concluded that Tc-99m gluconate is tumor-avid and can
      be used as an agent for positive imaging of lung cancer, because quantitative
      parameters, blood supply index ratio, and radioactive uptake ratio are more
      objective in distinguishing malignant lung lesions from benign ones, and are of
      relatively higher sensitivity and specificity. Thus, lung scintigraphy with Tc
      99m gluconate provides an efficient supplementary measure for differentiating
      between malignant and benign lung lesions.

PMID- 1424381
TI  - Osteoid osteoma involving body of right rib. Preoperative localization and
      postoperative confirmation.

PMID- 1424382
TI  - Gallium-67 uptake after breast and hip augmentation with silicone.

PMID- 1424383
TI  - Extrapulmonary uptake in the spleen during lung perfusion with Tc-99m MAA.

PMID- 1424384
TI  - Pigmented villonodular synovitis of the knee demonstrated on bone scan.
      Correlation with US, CT, and MRI.

PMID- 1424385
TI  - Uptake of in-111 leukocytes in soft tissue metastases from adenocarcinoma of
      lung.

PMID- 1424386
TI  - Marine-Lenhart syndrome. Graves' disease with poorly functioning nodules.

PMID- 1424387
TI  - Uptake of Tc-99m HMDP in an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

PMID- 1424389
TI  - Incidental finding of pulmonary sarcoidosis during stress thallium imaging.

PMID- 1424388
TI  - Marked soft tissue uptake of bone tracer in a patient with amyloidosis and
      multiple myeloma.

PMID- 1424390
TI  - Incidental identification of hepatic metastasis during gated cardiac imaging.

PMID- 1424391
TI  - Explanations and therapies for penicillin failure in streptococcal pharyngitis.
AB  - A disturbing trend toward penicillin failure has developed in the treatment of
      streptococcal pharyngitis in some parts of the United States and abroad. A
      variety of explanations has been proposed to account for these penicillin
      treatment failures. With the resurgence of serious complications from
      streptococcal infection, successful bacteriologic eradication has regained
      importance. In communities with a high incidence of penicillin failures,
      alternative antimicrobials should be considered. Cephalosporins,
      amoxicillin/clavulanate, and the extended-spectrum macrolides represent logical
      options under such clinical circumstances.

PMID- 1424392
TI  - Cholelithiasis in infants with Down syndrome. Three cases and literature review.
AB  - Only four cases of cholelithiasis have been reported in patients with Down
      syndrome and none in Down syndrome infants. The cases of three Down syndrome
      infants (all males) with cholelithiasis are reported. Each exhibited different
      fetal complications, and in each, Down syndrome was diagnosed at birth.
      Gallstones apparently were congenital (a rarity) in one infant, since they were
      detected on the first day of life. Cholelithiasis was an incidental finding in
      another of the infants when, at 12 weeks old, he had renal ultrasonography
      because of a urinary tract infection. The third infant was 4 months old when
      sonographic studies revealed a gallstone. Despite the confirmation of
      cholelithiasis in all three infants, none has since had any signs or symptoms
      that suggest the need for intervention. Cholelithiasis is probably more common in
      Down syndrome infants than has been supposed, but whether Down syndrome infants
      with gastrointestinal (GI) malformations are more likely to have gallstones than
      are children with similar GI malformations but with normal karyotypes is unknown.

PMID- 1424393
TI  - Fractures in the under-3-year-old age cohort.
AB  - One hundred twenty-four urban children under 3 years of age admitted for
      fractures were retrospectively reviewed to determine the frequency of accidental
      and nonaccidental causes in this population. The fractures were categorized
      according to their mechanisms: motor-vehicle passenger or pedestrian accident,
      other accidents, or child abuse. There were no differences in the frequency of
      fractures by race, date of birth, or season in which the injury occurred. Skull
      fractures were most frequent (62%), followed by femur fractures (11%). There was
      a 26% increase in fractures between 1987 and 1989, especially in the non-motor
      vehicle cohort. Caretaker ignorance and/or carelessness was a common cause of
      fractures in the infant and toddler age group. Injuries were still occurring in
      spite of infant care seat use. The American public must be educated in preventive
      medicine and safety to decrease the senseless morbidity of our greatest resource.

PMID- 1424394
TI  - Screening for psychosocial dysfunction in pediatric practice. A naturalistic
      study of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist.
AB  - This study examined the routine implementation of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist
      (PSC), a brief questionnaire which screens for psychosocial dysfunction in school
      aged children in an outpatient pediatric practice. Results indicated that the PSC
      was well-accepted by parents and adequately tolerated by busy clinic staff. When
      the PSC was included as part of the standard procedure for well-child visits, the
      referral rate for psychosocial problems due to positive PSC scores rose to 12%
      from the clinic baseline referral rate of 1.5%, a significant increase (P < .01).
      Half of the children who screened positive on the PSC had not been previously
      identified by their pediatricians as having psychosocial problems, and more than
      half had never received any psychological treatment. When implementation of the
      PSC was discontinued, the referral rate fell to 2%, a rate similar to baseline.
      The findings suggest that it is possible to incorporate the PSC into routine
      pediatric practice and that the PSC can help pediatricians identify and better
      serve children experiencing psychosocial difficulties. The study also suggests
      that further work is needed to understand the barriers to ongoing implementation.

PMID- 1424395
TI  - Regional anesthesia in the preterm neonate.
AB  - The physiologic immaturity of respiratory musculature and central respiratory
      control centers leads to an increased risk of apnea and respiratory complications
      following general anesthesia in the neonate. Regional anesthetic techniques, such
      as spinal and caudal epidural anesthesia, may obviate the need for general
      anesthesia and lessen the risks of perioperative morbidity. Although these
      techniques have been previously described in infants, most reports focus on
      regional anesthesia in the former preterm infant outside the actual neonatal
      period. There is relatively little or no information concerning regional
      anesthesia in neonates during the first week of life. We present four neonates
      (weight, 1.07 to 2.8 kg; gestational age, 27 to 35 weeks) who required anesthetic
      care during the first week of life for various surgical procedures, including
      vesicostomy placement, gastroschisis closure, and debridement of a lower
      extremity wound. Either caudal epidural or spinal anesthesia was successfully
      used in the four neonates. Regional anesthesia was used as the sole technique
      without supplementation with intravenous or inhalational agents in three of the
      four neonates. The advantages, risks, and applications of regional anesthesia in
      the neonate are discussed.

PMID- 1424397
TI  - Behavioral aspects of asthma in children.

PMID- 1424396
TI  - Taking it to the streets. Helmet use and bicycle safety as components of inner
      city youth development.
AB  - A three-week bicycle safety module (BSM) featuring helmet use was developed for
      an inner-city, comprehensive youth development program in East Wheeling, West
      Virginia. Prior to BSM intervention, no helmet use had been observed in the test
      neighborhood. After a three-week program focusing on safety behaviors and helmet
      use, students demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge, a positive
      relationship between skill and knowledge, and nearly 100 percent helmet usage
      rates. Unfortunately, neighborhood helmet use rates fell to nearly zero after the
      summer camp was over. The data suggest that helmet use and improved knowledge and
      skills could become the norm in an inner-city day-camp context, but periodic,
      model-oriented reinforcement of the BSM is recommended for maintenance of
      observed knowledge and usage improvements.

PMID- 1424398
TI  - Diabetes in cystic fibrosis.

PMID- 1424399
TI  - Respiratory syncytial virus infections.

PMID- 1424400
TI  - Choreiform movements observed in an 8-year-old child following use of an oral
      theophylline preparation.

PMID- 1424401
TI  - Hypocalcemia in nonwhite breast-fed infants. Vitamin D deficiency revisited.

PMID- 1424402
TI  - Leuconostoc species bacteremia in a child with acquired immunodeficiency
      syndrome.

PMID- 1424403
TI  - Albuterol dosage and acute asthma.

PMID- 1424404
TI  - A question on nail-biting.

PMID- 1424405
TI  - HIV status in varicella pneumonia.

PMID- 1424406
TI  - Protein-losing enteropathy associated with rubella.

PMID- 1424407
TI  - Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of intravenous meperidine in neonates and
      infants.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of meperidine (pethidine) was studied in 21 infants who
      received a single intravenous dose of 1 mg/kg after surgery (n = 18) or during
      mechanical ventilation because of respiratory distress (n = 3). Eleven patients
      were younger than 1 week old, 10 patients were aged from 3 weeks to 5 months, and
      five of the patients were premature. The pharmacokinetics of meperidine varied
      greatly between the subjects, with a median elimination half-life of 10.7 hours
      (range, 3.3 to 59.4 hours), median clearance of 8.0 ml/kg/min (range, 1.8 to 34.9
      ml/kg/min), median volume of the central compartment of 2.4 L/kg (range, 0.5 to
      4.8 L/kg), and median steady-state volume of distribution 7.2 L/kg (range, 3.3 to
      11.0). The great interindividual variability in meperidine pharmacokinetics
      should be taken into consideration when meperidine is administered to neonates.
      Although no life-threatening or serious side effects were observed in this study,
      appropriate care should be exercised when prescribing meperidine for this age
      group.

PMID- 1424409
TI  - Classic conditioning and placebo effects in crossover studies.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To find evidence of classically conditioned placebo effects in a
      placebo-controlled crossover drug study. Specifically, we tested a prediction of
      the conditioning model that the placebo response will be greater after drug
      exposure than before. METHODS: Twenty-four patients with mild to moderate
      essential hypertension and no contraindications to atenolol participated in the
      study. The study design required randomized assignment to one of three groups:
      placebo followed by 50 mg atenolol daily, followed by no treatment, each for 1
      week; atenolol followed by placebo; and atenolol followed by nothing (to show
      residual drug effects). Twice-daily blood pressure measurements were made by
      patients at home; once-weekly measurements of blood pressure and heart rate were
      made by a research nurse. RESULTS: Before drug treatment, there were no
      differences in the antihypertensive responses of patients taking placebo and
      patients taking nothing (difference, 0.98 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval, -0.98
      to 2.93). After atenolol treatment, placebo treatment produced a significantly
      greater antihypertensive response than no treatment (difference, -6.09 mm Hg; 95%
      confidence interval, -11.81 to -0.38). Thus the placebo response after atenolol
      administration was more than a residual drug effect. Similar patterns were
      observed for heart rate but not for blood pressure readings taken in the office.
      CONCLUSIONS: These observations are consistent with a conditioning model of
      placebo effects. These findings warrant further investigation in larger studies
      and in other disease models.

PMID- 1424408
TI  - Enantioselective amitriptyline metabolism in patients phenotyped for two
      cytochrome P450 isozymes.
AB  - In 26 hospitalized patients with depression, a combined pharmacogenetic test with
      dextromethorphan, a substrate of cytochrome P450IID6, and mephenytoin, the S-form
      of which is hydroxylated by a P450IIC isozyme, was carried out before
      amitriptyline therapy. Metabolites were determined in 24-hour urine samples
      collected on treatment day 8, and the contributions of individual compounds,
      including the four isomers of 10-hydroxyamitriptyline and 10-hydroxynortriptyline
      to total excretion were calculated. Formation of (-)-E-10-hydroxyamitriptyline
      and (-)-E-10-hydroxynortriptyline apparently depends on the activity of
      cytochrome P450IID6 because negative correlations existed between the log
      metabolic ratio of dextromethorphan and the relative quantities of these
      enantiomers. In contrast, correlations were positive for nortriptyline, (+)-E-10
      hydroxynortriptyline, (-)-Z-10-hydroxynortriptyline, and (+)-Z-10
      hydroxynortriptyline. The mephenytoin hydroxylase seems to participate in side
      chain demethylation to the secondary and primary amines, because the log
      metabolic ratio of mephenytoin correlated negatively with the relative quantity
      of E-10-hydroxydidesmethylamitriptyline and positively with that of amitriptyline
      and its N-glucuronide.

PMID- 1424410
TI  - Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interaction between toloxatone, a new
      reversible monoamine oxidase-A inhibitor, and oral tyramine in healthy subjects.
AB  - We examined the influence of toloxatone, a new reversible monoamine oxidase-A
      inhibitor used in the treatment of depression, on tyramine-induced pressor effect
      in healthy volunteers. The maximum increase in systolic blood pressure produced
      by four single oral doses of tyramine administered during a meal and ranging from
      100 mg to 800 mg was compared during repeated (3 to 5 days) administration of
      placebo, 200 mg toloxatone three times a day and 400 mg toloxatone three times a
      day in a single-blind, three-period crossover study. Toloxatone by itself had no
      significant influence on blood pressure. During administration of toloxatone, no
      significant increase in tyramine-induced increase in systolic blood pressure was
      observed for tyramine doses of 200 mg or less that are consistently higher than
      those associated with normal food intake. However, toloxatone increased the
      tyramine-induced increase in blood pressure after 400 mg tyramine (400 mg
      toloxatone three times a day) and 800 mg tyramine (200 mg toloxatone three times
      a day and 400 mg toloxatone three times a day). This pharmacodynamic interaction
      could be explained by an increase in tyramine systemic bioavailability in the
      presence of toloxatone. It is concluded that interaction between tyramine in
      meals and toloxatone is unlikely to occur in patients after long-term
      administration of the drug at therapeutic dosages.

PMID- 1424411
TI  - Hemodynamic effects of the use of oral snuff.
AB  - The hemodynamic effects during rest and exercise of oral snuff were investigated
      in an open, placebo-controlled study of nine habitual users of oral snuff. Blood
      pressure, heart rate, and central hemodynamics were measured noninvasively.
      Plasma concentrations of nicotine, cotinine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, as
      well as neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity were measured before and after snuff
      intake during rest and exercise. Snuff intake induced a significant increase in
      heart rate and blood pressure and a decrease in stroke volume during rest.
      Hemodynamic changes were unrelated to nicotine or cotinine concentrations.
      Resting levels of norepinephrine and neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity were
      similar with or without snuff, whereas epinephrine was slightly increased 30
      minutes after snuff intake. The exercise-induced increase in norepinephrine and
      neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity did not differ between the days subjects
      received snuff and the days they received placebo. In contrast, maximum work load
      was associated with a slight increase in circulating epinephrine after snuff
      intake. The findings suggest that snuff intake is associated with significant
      hemodynamic effects during rest but not during exercise. These effects could not
      be readily explained by activation of the sympathetic nervous system.

PMID- 1424412
TI  - Effects of temazepam on saccadic eye movements: concentration-effect
      relationships in individual volunteers.
AB  - Saccadic eye movements were analyzed after single oral doses of 20 mg temazepam
      and placebo in a randomized, double-blind crossover study in eight healthy
      volunteers. For an optimal evaluation of concentration-effect relationships, 18
      blood samples and 43 effect measures were obtained over 33 1/2 hours. After
      placebo, saccadic peak velocity decreased within the first hour, with average
      values remaining 6.2% to 12.1% below baseline up to 15 hours after intake. After
      temazepam, significant changes in peak velocity occurred for 5 hours, with
      maximum decreases averaging 29.2% (95% confidence interval, 10.0 to 37.2). The
      apparent duration of effects ranged from 3 to 9 hours in individual subjects.
      Linear concentration-effect relationships were demonstrated for peak velocity,
      with individual slopes ranging from -0.11 to -0.46 deg/sec.(ng/ml)-1 (average r =
      -0.82, all p < 0.01). Differences in protein binding of temazepam did not account
      for the approximate fourfold variability in individual sensitivities to
      temazepam. By increasing the frequency of measurements, the accuracy of
      pharmacodynamic evaluations was clearly enhanced in this study.

PMID- 1424413
TI  - Pharmacodynamics and tolerability of L-654,066, a steroid 5 alpha-reductase
      inhibitor, in men.
AB  - A four-period, two-panel single rising-dose study (0.1 to 100 mg) was conducted
      in healthy men to investigate the pharmacodynamics and tolerability of L-654,066,
      a steroid 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor. Within each panel, six subjects received L
      654,066 and two subjects received placebo at each dose level; the placebo
      subjects changed between periods so that each subject received placebo once.
      Testosterone and dihydrotestosterone were measured in serum at 0, 4, 24, and 48
      hours after each treatment. L-654,066 was associated with a significant reduction
      in serum dihydrotestosterone concentrations, which was maximal at 48 hours after
      dose. Forty-eight hours after treatment, mean percentage of inhibition was 24%
      and 39% for the 0.1 and 0.5 mg doses, respectively, and ranged from 50% to 65% at
      doses from 1 to 25 mg and from 70% to 75% at doses from 50 to 100 mg.
      Testosterone serum levels did not show any significant difference between the
      various treatments, including placebo.

PMID- 1424415
TI  - Prediction of sotalol-induced maximum steady-state QTc prolongation from single
      dose administration in healthy volunteers.
AB  - The relationship between racemic sotalol plasma concentrations and QTc interval
      prolongation after both single-dose and repeated administration of three sotalol
      oral doses was studied in a randomized crossover protocol performed in 10 healthy
      volunteers. QTc interval increase was significant after the three single-dose
      sotalol administrations and was significantly related to the administered dose (p
      < 0.0001). In 21 of 30 analyses, QTc interval was linearly correlated with
      sotalol plasma concentrations. After the 320 mg dose, the linear model was a best
      fit for 90% of the cases, and no hysteresis was observed. After repeated sotalol
      administration, 69 of 87 QTc interval measurements at steady state could be
      predicted from the plasma concentration versus effect relationship established
      after single-dose 320 mg administration. Seventeen of 18 errors (94%)
      corresponded to QTc intervals that were significantly lower than predicted. These
      findings suggest that a short-term individual linear model determined after a 320
      mg test dose of sotalol allows a good prediction of expected maximal increase in
      QTc duration in healthy subjects.

PMID- 1424414
TI  - Protection against aspirin-induced gastric lesions by lansoprazole: simultaneous
      evaluation of functional and morphologic responses.
AB  - The protective effect of lansoprazole, a new proton pump inhibitor, against
      aspirin-induced gastric lesions was studied in a double-blind crossover trial
      with a simultaneous measure of the functional capacities of the mucosal barrier
      (by a recording of the gastric potential difference) and of the morphologic
      changes in the mucosa (by gastric endoscopy). After 1 week of treatment with
      lansoprazole (30 mg per day) or placebo, each healthy volunteer received 1 gm
      aspirin by mouth. Recording of the gastric potential difference lasted for 3
      hours and was followed by gastric endoscopy. Morphologic lesions induced by
      aspirin were effectively prevented by lansoprazole: Lanza score was 0.67 +/- 0.98
      (mean +/- SD) versus 2.25 +/- 1.1 with placebo (p < 0.005, ANOVA). Conversely,
      the decrease in the gastric potential difference was similar. The inhibition of
      acid secretion induced by lansoprazole was therefore sufficient to prevent
      aspirin-induced mucosal lesions without reinforcing the defense capacities of the
      mucosa. This simple pharmacologic model makes it possible to simultaneously
      evaluate the functional and morphologic effects of aspirin intake on the gastric
      mucosa.

PMID- 1424416
TI  - Fluvoxamine does not interact with alcohol or potentiate alcohol-related
      impairment of cognitive function.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess whether fluvoxamine alters the pharmacokinetics of alcohol
      or potentiates alcohol-related impairment of cognitive function. METHODS: The
      study design required partially "blinded" balanced crossover studies, each
      involving 12 healthy male volunteers who each received a 40 gm dose of
      intravenous or oral alcohol after single and multiple doses of 50 mg fluvoxamine.
      Main outcome measures for pharmacokinetics were venous blood alcohol and plasma
      fluvoxamine. Main outcome measures for pharmacodynamics were word recall, simple
      and choice reaction time, number vigilance, memory scanning, and word
      recognition. RESULTS: The pharmacokinetics of intravenous alcohol were not
      affected by concomitant administration of fluvoxamine. Compared with placebo
      alcohol, alcohol slightly increased the rate of fluvoxamine absorption, but the
      area under the plasma concentration-time curve from 0 to 12 hours at steady state
      was unchanged. As expected, alcohol significantly impaired cognitive function in
      volunteers. However, fluvoxamine did not potentiate the effects of alcohol and in
      some instances appeared to reverse the effects or reduce their duration.
      Fluvoxamine was well tolerated: only mild adverse effects were reported, and none
      of those required intervention. CONCLUSION: Fluvoxamine does not interact
      significantly with alcohol or potentiate alcohol-related impairment of cognitive
      function.

PMID- 1424417
TI  - Comparison of intravenous ketorolac with morphine for postoperative pain in
      children.
AB  - Ninety-two children from 3 to 12 years of age were given intravenous morphine or
      ketorolac by titration, or ketorolac by bolus injection for moderate or severe
      postsurgical pain in a double-blind randomized parallel-group study. Pain scores
      were assessed every 5 minutes until pain relief was complete, and then every 15
      minutes for 8 hours or until pain returned. Twenty-nine of 30 patients receiving
      morphine and 25 of 30 patients in each group receiving ketorolac achieved pain
      relief. The subjects in the morphine group required statistically fewer doses for
      analgesia than the subjects in the ketorolac groups. The sums of pain intensity
      differences calculated from the start of the study numerically favored morphine,
      but the sum of pain intensity differences from pain relief until 50% withdrew
      were significantly better in the ketorolac groups. Median durations of analgesia
      from initial drug administration were 170, 190, and 225 minutes in the morphine,
      ketorolac titration, and ketorolac bolus groups, respectively. The most common
      side effect was injection site pain. Analgesia after intravenous ketorolac
      developed more slowly but was sustained better than morphine.

PMID- 1424418
TI  - Bioavailability of cyclosporine with concomitant rifampin administration is
      markedly less than predicted by hepatic enzyme induction.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of cyclosporine was studied in six healthy volunteers after
      administration of the drug orally (10 mg/kg) and intravenously (3 mg/kg) with and
      without concomitant rifampin administration. Both blood and plasma (separated at
      37 degrees C) samples were analyzed for cyclosporine concentration. For blood and
      plasma, respectively, clearances of cyclosporine were calculated to be 0.30 and
      0.55 L/hr/kg, values for volume of distribution at steady state were 1.31 and
      1.68 L/kg, and bioavailabilities were 27% and 33% during the pre-rifampin phase.
      Post-rifampin phase clearances of cyclosporine were 0.42 and 0.79 L/hr/kg, values
      for volume of distribution at steady state were 1.36 and 1.35 L/kg, and
      bioavailabilities were 10% and 9% for blood and plasma, respectively. Rifampin
      not only induces the hepatic metabolism of cyclosporine but also decreases its
      bioavailability to a greater extent than would be predicted by the increased
      metabolism. The decreased bioavailability most probably can be explained by an
      induction of intestinal cytochrome P450 enzymes, which appears to be markedly
      greater than the induction of hepatic metabolism.

PMID- 1424419
TI  - Influence of lansoprazole treatment on diazepam plasma concentrations.
AB  - The possible influence of long-term treatment with lansoprazole on the single
      dose pharmacokinetics of diazepam was investigated in 12 healthy male volunteers.
      In this double-blind randomized crossover study, 60 mg lansoprazole or placebo
      was administered once daily for 10 days. One hour after administration on day 7,
      0.1 mg/kg diazepam was administered intravenously, and blood was collected up to
      96 hours after the injection for plasma diazepam and desmethyldiazepam
      measurement. During the placebo session, the plasma elimination half-life,
      clearance, and volume of distribution of diazepam were 26.0 +/- 1.6 hours, 22.5
      +/- 1.1 ml/hr/kg, and 0.82 +/- 0.04 L/kg, respectively. These parameters were not
      significantly different during the lansoprazole session. The mean plasma
      concentrations of desmethyldiazepam were similar in both sessions. These findings
      illustrate that long-term treatment with a therapeutic dose of lansoprazole does
      not interfere with the metabolism of diazepam.

PMID- 1424420
TI  - Evaluation of the in vivo effect of naproxen on zidovudine pharmacokinetics in
      patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine if therapeutic doses of naproxen affect the in vivo
      disposition of zidovudine. METHODS: This was designed as a randomized, two
      period, two-treatment, crossover study. The patients were 12 men infected with
      human immunodeficiency virus who had acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or
      AIDS-related complex. On two separate occasions 14 days apart, patients received
      either zidovudine alone (200 mg every 4 hours while awake) or zidovudine (200 mg
      every 4 hours while awake) and naproxen (500 mg every 12 hours for 4 days). On
      the morning of the fifth day, each patient received the final dose of each
      regimen and blood and urine were serially collected for 8 hours. Pharmacokinetic
      parameters (area under the serum concentration-time curve [AUC], maximum plasma
      concentration, terminal half-life, renal clearance, and urinary recovery) were
      assessed for zidovudine and its glucuronide metabolite. MAIN RESULTS: Naproxen
      had no significant effect (< 10% difference between treatment means, p > 0.15,
      ANOVA) on the above pharmacokinetic parameters for both zidovudine and its
      metabolite. Although the power of the study to detect these small differences was
      < 80% at the 5% significance level, differences ranging from 12.6% for AUC to
      38.8% for urinary recovery could be detected with 80% power. CONCLUSION:
      Therapeutic doses of naproxen do not significantly affect the pharmacokinetic
      disposition of zidovudine.

PMID- 1424421
TI  - Erythromycin breath test predicts oral clearance of cyclosporine in kidney
      transplant recipients.
AB  - It has been shown recently that cyclosporine is largely metabolized by P450IIIA
      (CYP3A), an enzyme whose catalytic activity varies significantly among patients.
      To determine whether heterogeneity in P450IIIA activity contributes to
      interpatient differences in cyclosporine dosing requirements, the oral
      pharmacokinetics of the drug were determined in 20 stable kidney transplant
      recipients. P450IIIA activity was then measured in each patient by use of the
      erythromycin breath test. In the 16 patients who were at steady state, the
      logarithm of the apparent oral clearance of cyclosporine correlated significantly
      with the rate of 14CO2 exhaled in breath after intravenous administration of [14C
      N-methyl]erythromycin (r = 0.55, p = 0.03). No significant correlations existed
      between apparent oral clearance and age, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol or
      low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or hematocrit in these patients. We conclude
      that heterogeneity in P450IIIA activity significantly contributes to interpatient
      differences in dosing requirements of cyclosporine in kidney transplant patients.

PMID- 1424422
TI  - Fluoxetine impairs clearance of alprazolam but not of clonazepam.
AB  - Volunteer male subjects received single 1.0 mg oral doses of alprazolam and of
      clonazepam on two occasions, during coadministration of 40 mg/day fluoxetine or
      of placebo. When the sequence of trials was placebo first and fluoxetine second,
      fluoxetine coadministration significantly prolonged alprazolam half-life (20
      versus 17 hours) and reduced clearance (48 versus 61 ml/min). No effect of
      fluoxetine was seen when fluoxetine was given first and placebo second, because
      norfluoxetine persisted into the placebo phase even though fluoxetine had been
      discontinued 2 weeks earlier. Fluoxetine had no significant effects on clonazepam
      elimination half-life or clearance regardless of the sequence of fluoxetine and
      placebo administration. In the fluoxetine-placebo sequence, fluoxetine
      significantly increased the rate of clonazepam absorption. Thus fluoxetine
      appears to impair clearance of alprazolam by way of microsomal oxidation but does
      not alter clearance of clonazepam by way of nitroreduction. The very slow
      elimination of norfluoxetine should be considered in the design of clinical or
      pharmacokinetic studies that involve fluoxetine.

PMID- 1424423
TI  - Single-dose and steady-state pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of oxycodone
      in patients with cancer.
AB  - The single-dose and steady-state pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of
      oxycodone have been determined in patients with moderate to severe cancer pain.
      The mean +/- SD elimination half-life after single-dose administration of
      intravenous (4.6 mg to 9.1 mg) and oral (9.1 mg) oxycodone was 3.01 +/- 1.37
      hours and 3.51 +/- 1.43 hours, respectively. After intravenous administration,
      the mean +/- SD volume of distribution was 211.9 +/- 186.6 L, and the mean +/- SD
      total plasma clearance was 48.6 +/- 26.5 L/hr. The mean absolute oral
      bioavailability of oxycodone was 87%, and the mean +/- SD volume of distribution
      after oral administration was 249.1 +/- 204.3 L. When administered orally as 10
      mg oxycodone hydrochloride every 4 hours, there was no accumulation of oxycodone
      at steady state and the mean +/- SD steady-state concentration was 34.6 +/- 10.3
      micrograms/L. Intravenous oxycodone produced a faster onset of pain relief than
      oxycodone tablets, but the duration of analgesia was approximately the same (4
      hours). However, the incidence of side effects and their severity were
      significantly higher (p < 0.05) for intravenous oxycodone than for oxycodone
      tablets. The marked interindividual variation observed in the pharmacokinetics
      and pharmacodynamics of oxycodone in this study supports the need for
      individualized dosing regimens.

PMID- 1424425
TI  - Time course of tolerance to apomorphine in parkinsonism.
AB  - We sought to determine if tolerance developed to the antiparkinsonian effects of
      apomorphine and, if so, what temporal factors influenced its development. Seven
      patients with parkinsonism and motor fluctuations received short (6-hour) and
      long (22- to 31-hour) apomorphine infusions. Tolerance was evaluated by
      comparison of the responses to test doses of apomorphine that were administered
      before and after each infusion. The responses to the test doses that followed
      either infusion were reduced by 35% after the short infusion and by 68% after the
      long infusion, although plasma apomorphine levels were similar to or higher than
      levels achieved with preinfusion test doses. The duration of improvement in
      parkinsonism after discontinuation of the long infusion was briefer than that
      after the short infusion. We conclude that tolerance to apomorphine occurs in
      parkinsonism, and the loss of response is greater after longer periods of drug
      administration.

PMID- 1424424
TI  - Clinical pharmacology of nicorandil in patients with congestive heart failure.
AB  - Nicorandil is a nicotinamide derivative with a potential role in human
      therapeutics because of its potent vasodilating properties. The pharmacokinetics
      of oral nicorandil administration and the relationships between plasma nicorandil
      concentration and hemodynamic responses were examined in 25 patients with
      moderate to severe congestive heart failure. The dose range from 10 to 60 mg was
      studied. Elimination half-life for this dose range was substantially longer than
      that previously reported in normal volunteers. Total area under the curve
      increased in a curvilinear fashion with progressive dose increments, indicating a
      disproportionate increase in systemically available drug at higher doses.
      Hemodynamic responses generally correlated well with plasma nicorandil
      concentration, with rapid loss of cardiovascular activity corresponding to the
      efficient clearance of nicorandil.

PMID- 1424426
TI  - Paradoxical pharmacodynamic effect of atropine on parasympathetic control: a
      study by spectral analysis of heart rate fluctuations.
AB  - The power spectrum of instantaneous heart rate fluctuations was used to determine
      the optimal doses of atropine that induce a maximal vagolytic or vagomimetic
      effect. In a crossover placebo controlled study, eight volunteers received
      increasing bolus doses of intravenous atropine (0.1 to 2.3 mg per subject) or
      placebo, and frequency bands of the power spectrum were integrated. During
      atropine administration a significant bimodal dose dependence was observed for
      the respiratory peak (0.2 to 0.4 Hz, p = 0.0006), the midfrequency band (0.09 to
      0.15 Hz, p = 0.0035), and mean heart rate (p < 0.0001). Low doses (< 0.4 mg per
      subject) increased the respiratory and midfrequency band power, with maximal
      response at 0.2 mg per subject. Larger doses of atropine, 0.5 to 2.3 mg per
      subject, markedly reduced the power in all frequency bands in a dose-dependent
      way. The corresponding changes in mean heart rate were simultaneous, but in the
      opposite direction. We suggest that the respiratory peak of the power spectrum
      can be used to optimize drug effects on cardiac parasympathetic control.

PMID- 1424427
TI  - Population pharmacodynamics of doxacurium.
AB  - The nonlinear mixed-effects modeling (NONMEM) computer program was used to
      investigate the variability in the duration of doxacurium-induced neuromuscular
      block in 408 patients enrolled in phase II and phase III clinical trials of
      doxacurium. Spontaneous recovery data in the 10% to 90% block range from all
      patients were pooled and fitted to a linear model. Two parameters were estimated:
      (1) the slope, which is related to the pharmacokinetics and to the steepness of
      the dose-response curve, and (2) the intercept, which is linearly related to dose
      but has no physiologic meaning. The primary goal was to determine the factors
      affecting the slope by use of univariate and multivariate analyses techniques.
      Estimates of the slope ranged from 0.67% to 1.1% block/min (interindividual
      variability, 39%). Factors with clinically significant effects on the slope
      included the following: age, obesity, and anesthesia type. Thus these factors
      influence the time course of doxacurium-induced block and may require
      individualization of dose.

PMID- 1424428
TI  - The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram relieves the symptoms of
      diabetic neuropathy.
AB  - The effect of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram on diabetic
      neuropathy symptoms was examined in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover
      study for two 3-week periods. Citalopram was given as a fixed dose of 40 mg/day.
      Data from 15 patients could be included in the statistical analysis. Citalopram
      significantly relieved the symptoms of neuropathy as measured by both observer-
      and self-rating in comparison with placebo. The steady-state plasma concentration
      of citalopram was 10 to 890 nmol/L. There was no significant relationship between
      the plasma concentration of citalopram and the effect of treatment as measured by
      observer- or self-rating. Two of 17 patients, both receiving citalopram, left the
      study because of side effects (nausea and vomiting or gastric upset and
      diarrhea). Side-effect ratings were significantly higher during administration of
      citalopram than during administration of placebo, but citalopram was generally
      well tolerated. Compared with earlier results obtained with imipramine
      administered on the basis of plasma level monitoring, citalopram appeared to be
      less effective, but seemed to be better tolerated.

PMID- 1424429
TI  - Pharmacologic maintenance of abstinence in patients with alcoholism: no efficacy
      of 5-hydroxytryptophan or levodopa.
AB  - Pharmacologic enhancement of central nervous system serotonin and dopamine
      functions has been postulated to improve maintenance of abstinence in patients
      with alcoholism. To test this hypothesis, patients with alcoholism who completed
      a 42-day inpatient treatment program were randomized to be administered, in a
      double-blind fashion, either 5-hydroxytryptophan and carbidopa, levodopa and
      carbidopa, or placebo for 1 year. Eight of 31 patients who entered the analysis
      remained abstinent from alcohol for 1 year; however, there was no significant
      effect of the treatment condition on maintenance of abstinence. Baseline
      psychologic measures showed that patients who abstained from alcohol had more
      education and higher scores on memory function tests. Measures of cerebrospinal
      fluid obtained before the start of the study indicated that all patients who had
      higher concentrations of the dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid relapsed,
      suggesting that further research is needed to elucidate the role of dopamine in
      alcoholism.

PMID- 1424430
TI  - Enantioselective pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of dl-threo
      methylphenidate in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
AB  - Nine boys with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder took part in a study in
      which d-methylphenidate, l-methylphenidate, dl-methylphenidate, or placebo were
      administered in a double-blind, four-way, randomized, crossover design. Plasma
      levels of the isomers of methylphenidate were monitored by means of an
      enantioselective assay method. The ability of the children to perform tasks that
      required sustained attention was monitored by a battery of computer tests. There
      was no evidence of interconversion between the enantiomers in vivo, although the
      presence of the d-isomer significantly altered the pharmacokinetics of the l
      antipode. The presence of the l-isomer did not affect the pharmacokinetics of d
      methylphenidate. The computer tests revealed a drug-induced improvement in
      sustained attention that was entirely attributable to the d-enantiomer. There was
      no evidence to suggest that the effectiveness of d-methylphenidate was in any way
      compromised by the presence of its antipode.

PMID- 1424431
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of fosinopril.

PMID- 1424432
TI  - Vancomycin levels and acute renal failure.

PMID- 1424433
TI  - Biosynthesis and distribution of fibronectin in normal and osteoarthritic human
      cartilage.
AB  - The biosynthesis of fibronectin was determined in explants from normal and
      osteoarthritic human cartilage after metabolic labeling and immunoprecipitation.
      Each sample of osteoarthritic cartilage was divided into three regions taken at
      different distances from the eburnated bone area. Only full depth cartilage
      samples were taken into consideration. We could detect a low level of fibronectin
      biosynthesis in normal cartilage. In osteoarthritic cartilage increased synthesis
      of fibronectin was demonstrated, the most important in the region close to the
      eburnated area. Increased synthesis, although to a lower extent, was also
      demonstrated in the two other regions at increasing distances from the eburnated
      areas. Immuno-histological examinations performed on tissue samples and similar
      studies on articular chondrocyte cell cultures confirmed the accumulation of
      newly synthesized fibronectin in pathological conditions.

PMID- 1424435
TI  - Non-invasive assessments of compliance of the aortic wind-kessel in man derived
      from pulse pressure/storage volume ratio and from pulse wave velocity.
AB  - Two noninvasive methods for assessment of the compliance (1/E') of the aortic
      windkessel in man are presented and were tested for their ability to detect
      increases in stiffness of the aorta induced by atropine (0.012 and 0.024 mg/kg
      sequentially) in the presence and absence of a beta-blockade with propranolol 240
      mg (n = 9). Method A, based on the calculation of the relation between pulse
      pressure and systolic storage volume of the aorta, requires measurement of blood
      pressure, systolic and diastolic time intervals and stroke volume. Method B,
      based on measurement of pulse wave velocity along the aorta also requires several
      anthropometric data (body surface area, age). Both methods were able to detect a
      dose-dependent increase in E' following atropine injections; method A has greater
      relative changes than method B. The average maximal increases were 90 and 40
      percent of the baseline before atropine. The daily baselines of E' averaged 0.6
      Torr x cm-3 for method A and 0.9 Torr x cm-3 for method B. Propranolol itself did
      not influence E' but dampened the atropine effects. The results from method A and
      B were correlated with r = 0.70 and 0.60 resp. (p < 0.01). The results suggest
      the use of these relatively simple techniques for evaluation of aortic compliance
      under influence of varying pathophysiological conditions or/and pharmacological
      interventions.

PMID- 1424434
TI  - Myocardial creatine kinase-MB concentration in normal and explanted human hearts
      and released from hearts of patients with acute myocardial infarction.
AB  - Using an enzyme immunoassay of creatine kinase (CK)-MB concentration commercially
      available for diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), we studied CK-MB
      concentrations in myocardium of subjects who died from noncardiac causes and in
      cardiac explants of patients with either coronary heart disease or cardiomyopathy
      who underwent cardiac transplantation. Secondly, CK-MB concentrations were
      measured in serial plasma samples of 93 patients with AMI. By calculation of
      cumulatively released amounts of CK-MB and cumulatively released activities of
      CK, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alpha-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase
      (HBDH), we obtained values of the proportions in which these quantities were
      released from the myocardium. Taking a myocardial HBDH activity of 152 U/g as a
      reference value, the released activities of CK and AST, and the released mass of
      CK-MB per gram of myocardium were calculated. These values were compared to the
      corresponding quantities in myocardium of normal hearts and in explanted
      myocardium. Normal hearts differ from explanted myocardium and from "infarcted"
      hearts with respect to CK-MB concentration, but not with respect to CK, AST and
      HBDH activities. The wide range of CK-MB concentrations in normal hearts (1-515
      micrograms/g) suggests variable expression of the CK-MB gene. The presence of CK
      MB is not confined to cardiac tissue. CK-MB concentration in 12 samples of human
      skeletal muscle equalled 27 +/- 1 micrograms/g (2.1 +/- 0.5% of total CK
      activity). In conclusion, the mean concentration of CK-MB in normal hearts is low
      (139 micrograms/g) with a high variation coefficient (127%), but is high (369
      micrograms/g) with a small variation coefficient (31%) in explanted
      hearts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1424436
TI  - Anticholinergic influences of biperidene on the EEG effects of haloperidol.
AB  - 15 normal volunteers demonstrated after 14 days of haloperidol (HA) medication (3
      mg/day) a higher mean power density (mpd) in all frequency bands of the EEG power
      spectra combined with a higher theta and a lower alpha center frequency (cf).
      After further 7 days of HA medication together with the additionally applied
      anticholinergic biperidene (BI) (6 mg/day) the HA effects were antagonized
      especially in the theta cf and the alpha mpd. The higher delta and theta mpd were
      not antagonized. The EEG spectra of the pre- and posttreatment condition did not
      differ. There was a significant effect of HA on the "Adjective Mood Scale" and on
      the "Complaint List", which disappeared during the additional BI medication. The
      reaction times were prolonged with HA and decreased with BI. Blocked dopaminergic
      impulses on the cholinergic EEG mechanisms possibly produce higher amplitudes
      during HA medication. Schizophrenic patients treated with neuroleptic drugs
      showed similar EEG spectra in previous studies during rest but not during motor
      activation.

PMID- 1424437
TI  - Differential effects of transition metal ions on in vitro lipid peroxidation of
      human serum and protein precipitated from serum.
AB  - Elevated concentrations of lipid peroxidation products in serum have been
      documented in some common human diseases. In addition, several reports indicate
      that peroxidative damage of tissues in laboratory animals are enhanced in acute
      toxicity from transition metal ions. We studied the effects of four commonly
      encountered transition metal ions in human acute toxicity: copper, iron, mercury
      and lead on in vitro lipid peroxidation of human sera. Cupric and ferric ions
      caused a significant increase in lipid peroxidation products while mercuric and
      lead ions had no effects. Lipid peroxidation products in sera incubated with 1 mM
      cupric ion were increased by 210-248% following 24 h of incubation and 340-480%
      after 48 h of incubation, while the increases were significantly lower in the
      aliquots of same serum pools supplemented with same molar concentration of ferric
      ions (110-115% after 24 h and 137-141% following 48 h). On the other hand the
      effects were reversed when lipoproteins coprecipitated with other serum proteins
      were incubated with cupric and ferric ions. Under such conditions increases of
      lipid peroxidation products were significantly higher with ferric ions (240%
      after 24 h and 600% after 48 h) compared to cupric ions (20% following 24 h and
      25% following 48 h). Such differential behavior of cupric and ferric ions in
      promoting lipid peroxidation can be explained with a different degree of binding
      of such ions with serum proteins.

PMID- 1424438
TI  - Molecular analysis of the fragile X syndrome.
AB  - Carriers of the fragile X mutation possess more than the normal number of copies
      of a trinucleotide repeat (CGG) within the coding region of a gene designated as
      FMR-1 in Xq27. The clinical phenotype is determined by the number of copies of
      the CGG repeat. DNA-based methods for the detection of the fragile X mutation are
      now available which greatly assist in the genetic diagnosis of this disorder.
      Direct detection of the mutation enables the identification of fragile X negative
      normal transmitting males and fragile X negative carrier females.

PMID- 1424439
TI  - Primary immunodeficiencies in the USSR: update of a nine-year study.
AB  - During the period January 1982-January 1991, 372 patients with primary
      immunodeficiencies from all the regions of the USSR were detected in a
      specialized unit. Incidence of main clinical manifestations and death rates are
      reported. Differences with other national registries are discussed.

PMID- 1424440
TI  - Quality improvement in the modern clinical laboratory: the regulatory and
      accreditation perspective.

PMID- 1424441
TI  - Allele-specific methylation in the 5'-regulatory region of class II DQ beta genes
      in the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC): relationship to autoimmune
      disease susceptibility.
AB  - The DNA methylation state of the 5'-regulatory region of human HLA-DQ beta genes
      was examined. Two restriction enzymes were utilized to detect methylated (meCG)
      dinucleotides in the 5'-regulatory region of the DQ-beta genes: the restriction
      enzyme Msp I, which recognizes CCGG and CmeCGG, and Hpa II recognizes only the
      unmethylated CG sequence. DNA samples were prepared from 95 HLA-typed individuals
      including 40 B-lymphoblastoid cell lines and peripheral blood leukocytes of 55
      individuals. Of these samples, 20 were from parents of individuals with insulin
      dependent diabetes. Allele specific methylation was observed in particular DR
      associated DQ-beta gene alleles. The DQw8 (DQw3.2) allele, most DQw7 (DQw3.1)
      alleles, and the DR3-associated DQw2 allele were all unmethylated. The parental
      methylation state was stably transmitted to offspring. Because these DQ alleles
      are highly associated with several autoimmune diseases, our results raise the
      possibility that the regulation of expression of these particular DQ-beta alleles
      might be different from that of other alleles, and that the 5'-regulatory DNA
      sequences of these particular DQ beta alleles may be responsible for, or
      contribute to, susceptibility to autoimmune diseases.

PMID- 1424442
TI  - Staging prostatic cancer.

PMID- 1424443
TI  - High-resolution computed tomography of drug-induced lung disease.
AB  - In order to determine the potential clinical utility of high-resolution CT (HRCT)
      in the assessment of drug-induced lung disease, we reviewed the chest radiographs
      and HRCT scans of 23 patients and five normal controls. The radiographs and HRCT
      scans were reviewed separately in random order by two independent observers who
      were not aware of the relative numbers of patients and controls. Abnormal
      findings were detected in the affected patients in 17/23 radiographs compared to
      23/23 HRCT scans. The patients included five cases of bleomycin toxicity, five
      cases of nitrofurantoin toxicity, two cases each of penicillamine, busulphan,
      BCNU and amiodarone toxicity, and one case each of cyclophosphamide,
      procainamide, mitomycin and methotrexate toxicity. The HRCT appearances could be
      grouped into four categories according to their dominant pattern and distribution
      of disease. These include fibrosis with or without consolidation (n = 12), ground
      glass opacities (n = 7), widespread bilateral consolidation (n = 2), and
      bronchial wall thickening with areas of decreased attenuation (n = 2). The
      results of this study indicate that HRCT is more sensitive than the radiograph in
      the detection of drug-induced lung disease. The appearances demonstrated by HRCT
      reflect the pathological mechanisms of drug-induced lung disease.

PMID- 1424444
TI  - Imaging of orbitofrontal cholesterol granuloma.
AB  - The radiological findings in 31 patients with a histologically proven
      orbitofrontal cholesterol granuloma are presented. Plain films and computed
      tomography (CT) both show a characteristic lytic lesion allowing a reasonably
      confident diagnosis to be made preoperatively, thus facilitating appropriate
      surgery. The most important differential diagnoses on clinico-radiological
      grounds are lacrimal gland carcinoma and dermoid cyst. On plain films cholesterol
      granulomas typically show constancy of site, lysis of the superior orbital
      margin, frequent extension into the frontozygomatic process and absent or minimal
      surrounding sclerosis. On CT ragged bone destruction with a soft tissue mass no
      denser than brain extending extraperiosteally into the orbit are the most typical
      features. MRI and other imaging modalities are discussed.

PMID- 1424445
TI  - Tongue cancer treated with irradiation: assessment with MR imaging.
AB  - We examined the usefulness of MRI in differentiating post-radiation scar tissue
      from the residual tumour. Ten consecutive patients who underwent MR imaging
      before and after radiation therapy were assessed prospectively. T1- and T2
      weighted images using a 1.5 unit were obtained in 10 patients (3 T1, 6 T2, 1 T3)
      at 1 week before irradiation, and 2 weeks, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months and every
      6 months thereafter following completion of radiation. Although all T2 and T3
      tumours demonstrated high signal intensity compared to muscle on T2-weighted
      images, the T1 tumour could be demonstrated in only one of three patients. Six
      patients in whom the primary tumour clinically disappeared demonstrated low
      signal intensity on T2-weighted images until 4 months after completion of
      radiation therapy (range 1 week to 4 months). This study suggests that MRI can
      detect primary tumours larger than T2 (2 cm), and may be useful in assessing the
      effectiveness of therapy for tongue cancer.

PMID- 1424446
TI  - Benign mimics of soft tissue sarcomas.
AB  - We reviewed all new patients referred for treatment to the Sarcoma Unit at the
      Royal Marsden Hospital with a clinical diagnosis of soft tissue sarcoma (STS)
      during the course of 1 year (1989-1990). Of 118 patients, 65 (55.1%) had primary
      STS, 26 (22.0%) had recurrent STS, 19 (16.1%) had benign soft tissue tumours and
      eight (6.8%) had malignant tumours other than STS involving soft tissues and
      presenting clinically as soft tissue tumours. All patients underwent CT scanning
      which was used to assist diagnosis, assess operability or for radiotherapy
      planning. The CT findings of the benign lesions, all clinically suspicious of
      sarcoma, are discussed. The role of CT in the identification and management of
      these cases is emphasized.

PMID- 1424447
TI  - Imaging of alveolar soft part sarcoma.
AB  - The imaging investigations in six patients with alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS)
      are reviewed. Five patients presented with a pelvic or lower limb mass and one
      with haemoptysis from pulmonary metastases. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CT,
      Doppler US and angiography studies demonstrated the highly vascular nature of
      this rare tumour and the frequent occurrence of pulmonary and intracranial
      metastases. Previously unreported Doppler US and MR evidence of multiple enlarged
      vessels and high blood flow within primary and secondary ASPS tumours is
      emphasized. Imaging is of considerable importance both for pre-operative
      localization and long term surveillance of this slow growing but invariably
      disseminating tumour.

PMID- 1424448
TI  - Gas-containing ganglia of the hip.
AB  - Three cases of ganglia related to the hip containing gas are presented. Gas may
      be shown by conventional radiography, linear tomography or computed tomography.
      All three cases had advanced degenerative disease of the joint. In degenerative
      disease, ganglia form through a pathway which allows the transfer of intra
      articular gas into the ganglion. It is important to differentiate this phenomenon
      from overlying bowel gas and other causes of gas within soft tissues. It is the
      most specific radiological feature of ganglia around the hip.

PMID- 1424449
TI  - The accessory navicular--an important cause of medial foot pain.
AB  - The accessory navicular is a commonly occurring accessory ossicle of the foot. In
      most instances this is an incidental finding. In some patients, the accessory
      navicular is the direct cause of foot pain. We present 10 such cases. The typical
      clinical picture is of a young female patient who presents with chronic or acute
      on chronic medial foot pain centered over the medial side of the navicular. The
      patient is usually physically active on her feet and localizes the pain
      accurately. Plain radiography reveals an accessory navicular united to the
      navicular by a synchondrosis (Type II). The diagnosis can be confirmed by showing
      increased localized uptake of isotope on a technetium 99m MDP bone scan. In some
      cases, the accessory navicular is mistaken for a fracture. Awareness of this
      accessory ossicle causing such symptoms should lead to the correct diagnosis.

PMID- 1424450
TI  - Renal transplant sonography: correlation of Doppler and biopsy results in
      cellular rejection.
AB  - Seventy-one patients with allograft dysfunction had concomitant Doppler
      sonography and percutaneous biopsy. Forty-one had biopsy proven acute cellular
      rejection and eight had acute cellular rejection in combination with acute
      tubular necrosis. Real time ultrasonic appearance and various parameters of
      Doppler waveform were studied and compared with 30 controls who had a long period
      of stable function with no previous episodes of rejection or acute tubular
      necrosis (ATN). Morphological appearances were unhelpful in diagnosing rejection.
      A resistive index greater than 0.8 in the study group was highly specific for
      dysfunction but could not differentiate between acute rejection and ATN. However,
      two patients in the control group of normal transplants had a resistive index of
      0.83. An early to mid diastolic notch was highly specific for acute rejection but
      of low sensitivity. It may be the only Doppler indication of cellular rejection
      and may be present when the resistive index is in the normal range.

PMID- 1424451
TI  - Renal artery embolization with ethanol and gelfoam for the treatment of ureteric
      fistulae with one year follow-up.
AB  - Two patients with ureteric fistulae who were unfit for reconstructive surgery
      were treated by renal ablation using intra-arterial ethanol, gelfoam fragments
      and in one case coils. In both cases the fistulae dried-up on the same day and
      both patients are well and normotensive a year later. Our conclusion is that
      renal ablation by arterial embolization with ethanol can be a valuable
      alternative to surgery to treat ureteric fistulae in patients who are poor
      surgical risks.

PMID- 1424452
TI  - The acute contrast enema in suspected large bowel obstruction: value and
      technique.
AB  - In order to determine the value of the acute contrast enema (ACE) as compared to
      the plain abdominal film for the diagnosis of colonic obstruction and to
      determine the optimal technique for performing this examination, we reviewed 140
      cases performed over a 4 year period. The study shows that when provided with the
      case history and the plain abdominal films of patients referred for an ACE the
      diagnosis of colonic obstruction can be made with a sensitivity of 84% and a
      specificity of 72%, whereas the ACE has a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of
      98%. The ACE resulted in two false negatives, one false positive and one
      technical failure, analysis of which has enabled an optimal technique for the
      performance of this examination to be recommended.

PMID- 1424453
TI  - Clinico-radiological meetings: are they worthwhile?
AB  - The proceedings of 22 clinico-radiological meetings were analysed in order to
      assess some aspects of their benefits and cost. The mean duration of each meeting
      was 30.4 min. On average, the clinical and radiological details of eight patients
      were discussed at each meeting. The mean number of changes in the leading
      diagnosis was 1.6 per meeting, and a mean of 1.9 management decisions were made.
      A mean of 1.6 further radiological tests were recommended, offset by a mean of
      0.7 scheduled investigations which were deemed no longer necessary. The cost of
      the salaries of the staff attending each meeting amounted to 73.82 pounds. Thus
      the cost of a revised leading diagnosis was calculated at 46.14 pounds whilst
      that of a management decision came to 38.85 pounds. The assumed educational
      benefits of these meetings and inevitable lost opportunity costs were not
      analysed.

PMID- 1424454
TI  - Case report: chronic spinal cord compression from extramedullary haematopoiesis
      in thalassaemia--MRI findings.
AB  - A 27-year-old-man with beta-thalassaemia/HbE presented with signs and symptoms of
      spinal cord compression due to epidural extramedullary haematopoiesis. Magnetic
      resonance images demonstrated spinal cord constriction and atrophy suggesting
      that the disease process was long-standing. On transverse T2-weighted images,
      high signal intensity was observed within the spinal cord suggestive of post
      compressive spinal cord myelomalacia or gliosis.

PMID- 1424455
TI  - Case report: selective occipital lobe hydrocephalus and agenesis of the left lobe
      of the liver in congenital myotonic dystrophy.
AB  - Myotonic dystrophy (Steinert's disease) is an uncommon familial autosomal
      dominant disease, characterized by progressive muscular atrophy and myotonia.
      Mental retardation, frontal baldness, cortical lenticular opacities and
      testicular atrophy are other prominent features of a disease that involves
      predominantly striated muscle. There is little information regarding this disease
      in the radiological literature. The present report introduces two additional
      findings involving the skull and the liver.

PMID- 1424456
TI  - Case report: small bowel volvulus presenting during pregnancy.
AB  - The diagnostic use of ionizing radiation during pregnancy is to be avoided
      whenever possible due to the risk to the unborn child. However, vomiting
      presenting after the first trimester of pregnancy is unusual, and if severe or
      persistent, requires investigation. We present a case where reluctance to expose
      the fetus to radiation could have resulted in a potentially serious delay in the
      diagnosis of maternal small bowel volvulus.

PMID- 1424457
TI  - Case report: CT diagnosis of nonobstructive left paraduodenal hernia.
AB  - The preoperative diagnosis of paraduodenal hernias (PH) can only be made
      radiologically. PH are seldom diagnosed preoperatively unless they cause bowel
      obstruction. We report an unusual case of a nonobstructive left PH diagnosed
      preoperatively by computed tomography (CT). The CT findings of internal hernias
      are discussed.

PMID- 1424458
TI  - Case report: diagnosis of metastatic leptomeningeal melanoma by contrast enhanced
      MRI.
AB  - A case of leptomeningeal melanoma metastases with a confusing clinical picture is
      presented. Despite repeated cytological examinations of the cerebrospinal fluid
      proving negative, the diagnosis was eventually made by magnetic resonance imaging
      with gadolinium DTPA enhancement.

PMID- 1424459
TI  - Case report: complete lung collapse--an unusual presentation of cryptococcosis.
AB  - Cryptococcosis presenting as an intrabronchial mass is not a recognized cause of
      complete lung collapse. This case report illustrates this extremely rare
      manifestation of pulmonary cryptococcosis, which mimicked primary pulmonary
      carcinoma clinically, radiologically and bronchoscopically.

PMID- 1424460
TI  - Just how harmful are diagnostic X-rays? The College response.

PMID- 1424461
TI  - The radiological investigation of oropharyngeal dysphagia.

PMID- 1424462
TI  - Health care reform. Questions for patients, physicians and society.

PMID- 1424463
TI  - Colorado health care reform. Prepared by CMS Board of Directors, August 21, 1992,
      approved by the CMS House of Delegates, September 13, 1992.

PMID- 1424464
TI  - Parent-professional partnership in Fremont County.

PMID- 1424465
TI  - Better communication.

PMID- 1424466
TI  - Bloodborne pathogen regs, tips on compliance.

PMID- 1424467
TI  - Medical records figure prominently in malpractice cases. A closed liability
      claims analysis.

PMID- 1424468
TI  - Special AMA report: (NDBRA). National Data Bank Response Association.

PMID- 1424469
TI  - Pedioscopy: the time has come.

PMID- 1424470
TI  - Diagnosis and management of hearing loss.

PMID- 1424471
TI  - Magnetocardiography.

PMID- 1424472
TI  - A miniature silicon diode matrix detector for in vivo measurement of 133Xe
      disappearance following local tissue injection.
AB  - A variety of biological processes can be studied from the washout of compounds
      labelled with a gamma emitter. Conventional systems for measurement of gamma
      radiation can detect count rates at both the low and high energy range of the
      indicator in question, 133Xe. However, silicon (Si) photodiodes have the
      capability of measuring the lowest energies (25-40 keV) of gamma and x-ray
      emitters with sufficient efficiency when applied on the skin surface and close to
      the indicator depot. The purpose of the present study was firstly to evaluate a
      portable Si photodiode matrix detector system, composed of 16 photodiodes, for in
      vivo measurement of disappearance rate constants of 133Xe following injection
      into subcutaneous (SC) or skeletal muscle (SM) tissues as compared with a
      stationary sodium iodide single crystal detector. Secondly, from these results,
      to evaluate the contribution from intra-tissue indicator diffusion and indicate
      means of avoiding influence from local diffusion in the washout curve of 133Xe.
      From the recorded 133Xe distribution in the depot proper, Si photodiodes in the
      matrix were selected for calculation of the washout. The Si matrix detector was
      reliable with a constant linearity and sensitivity within the range 20-38 degrees
      C and calibrated to +/- 1% between diodes. The in vivo investigations comprised
      two SC injections on humans with four measuring periods for comparison, and four
      SC and five SM injections on dogs, resulting in eight and five measuring periods
      for comparison. Only when the results obtained from the Si photodiodes at the
      position just above the count rate maximum were selected, was the contribution
      from diffusion significant. The ability to detect geometry changes is
      advantageous in studies with potential motion artefacts, such as during exercise.

PMID- 1424474
TI  - Non-invasive determination of systolic blood pressure by heart sound pattern
      analysis.
AB  - A new concept of non-invasive blood pressure measurement by heart sound pattern
      analysis is described. The known diagnostic criterion of the 'accentuated' second
      heart sound of a hypertensive patient is here converted into a computer-aided
      pattern-recognition process for the second heart sound, applicable over the
      entire scale of blood pressure. After a 'learning phase', during which the second
      heart sound is recorded, analysed and correlated with a set of systolic blood
      pressure values of the individual patient, the computer is able to determine
      systolic blood pressure of the same patient from the acoustic spectrum of the
      second heart sound with sufficient precision. The method is in principle suited
      for automatically repeated blood pressure measurements, but further development
      is still needed for conversion into a widely practicable procedure.

PMID- 1424473
TI  - A miniaturised force-torque sensor with six degrees of freedom for dental
      measurements.
AB  - Force-torque sensor systems capable of simultaneously measuring all six spatial
      degrees of freedom on solid bodies are not very widespread in the medical field,
      particularly because of the hitherto unacceptably large external dimensions. A
      sensor based on the strain gauge technique has been developed with a diameter of
      only 32.5 mm and height of 29 mm. The miniaturised supporting framework for the
      strain gauges has been cast in a single piece from a wax-plastic model by the one
      way mould principle. A sensitivity of 10 mN with an upper limit of 50 N is
      attained.

PMID- 1424475
TI  - Conductance studies of rat renal medulla for rapid estimation of extracellular
      electrolyte concentration.
AB  - A method is described for estimation of tissue extracellular electrolytes in
      fresh excised rat renal medulla on the basis of its electrical conductance. The
      inner medulla was placed between two standard flat electrodes and the conductance
      was measured at a frequency of 3.5 kHz. The data were corrected for the surface
      area and thickness of the tissue fragment. The standard conductance so determined
      clearly correlated with total electrolyte concentration, and Na+ and 2(Na+ + K+)
      concentrations in the whole tissue (r = 0.84, 0.81 and 0.77, respectively; P <
      0.001). The method enables a rapid and simple estimation of medullary
      extracellular electrolytes, a variable that is physiologically more meaningful
      than whole tissue electrolyte concentration.

PMID- 1424476
TI  - Use of an oxygen multiwire surface electrode for the direct measurement of the
      distribution of alveolar PO2 at different inspired oxygen concentrations.
AB  - Experiments were performed in six anaesthetised, mechanically ventilated rabbits.
      After thoracotomy, a multiwire surface PO2 electrode was placed at the pleural
      surface by means of a special holder. The local distribution of PO2 was
      investigated at different values of inspired oxygen concentration (FIO2). The
      data were analysed in order to establish (a) whether the PO2 values measured at
      the lung surface reflect intra-alveolar PO2 and (b) that the distribution of
      these values represent real physiological differences between alveoli. The mean
      PO2 values were related to the calculated mean alveolar PO2 (PAO2) values (r =
      0.97) indicating that it is possible to study PAO2 by local measurements. It can
      therefore be concluded that the technique used allows the study of the influence
      of different FIO2 values on the distribution of PAO2. Each local PAO2 value is
      the result of the corresponding local ventilation/perfusion ratio (VA/Q)
      therefore the distribution of PAO2 values represents the distribution of VA/Q. An
      increasing FIO2 causes an increasing heterogeneity of PAO2 and thus VA/Q leading
      to a concomitant increase in the alveolo-arterial oxygen difference. At the
      moment it is not possible to decide if this heterogeneity is primarily caused by
      heterogeneities in perfusion or ventilation. The results could throw fresh light
      on the effect of different ventilation procedures.

PMID- 1424477
TI  - Validation of a method of treating menorrhagia by endometrial ablation.
AB  - Menstrual blood loss was measured by intravenous injection of radioactive iron
      (59Fe) and whole-body counting in 19 women complaining of menorrhagia due to
      dysfunctional bleeding. Fifteen patients were then treated by radiofrequency
      endometrial ablation, after which blood loss was re-measured. The majority of the
      patients were bleeding excessively before treatment (mean 281 (SD 156) ml per
      cycle averaged over two cycles, range 49-665 ml, n = 19). In the 15 treated
      patients, average blood loss was reduced to 52 (SD 39) ml per cycle and the mean
      reduction in blood loss was highly significant (P < 0.001). These quantitative
      data correlate well with the patients' subjective reports.

PMID- 1424478
TI  - Mechanical parameters of human hair: possible application in the diagnosis and
      follow-up of hair disorders.
AB  - Mechanical analysis of human hair may provide the dermatologists with several
      markers of considerable diagnostic importance. In the present paper, using a new
      computerised experimental system, attempts were made firstly to interpret the
      curves of the elastic and viscous components of the mechanical behavior of human
      hair and secondly to determine characteristic parameters which correlate well
      with its structural features. In order to overcome methodological problems due to
      the inhomogeneous structure of human hair, mechanical parameters were defined
      which either depend on the cortical microstructure or correlate well with the
      size of hair medulla.

PMID- 1424479
TI  - Early exercise thallium-201 single photon emission computed tomography in
      unstable angina: a prospective study.
AB  - To evaluate the safety and diagnostic value of early symptom-limited exercise
      electrocardiography (ECG) and exercise thallium-201 single photon emission
      computed tomography (SPECT) in unstable angina (UA), 39 patients were studied
      prospectively soon after stabilization on medical treatment. No patient had a
      history of myocardial infarction (MI) or revascularization and patients with left
      bundle branch block were excluded. Exercise ECG and exercise thallium-201 SPECT
      were performed 8 +/- 4 days and 11 +/- 6 days respectively after admission to
      hospital. Seventeen out of 39 patients (44%) had positive exercise ECGs and 22
      (56%) negative or inconclusive ones. Exercise thallium-201 SPECT was positive in
      26 patients (67%) and negative in 13 patients (33%). Thirty-one patients
      underwent coronary arteriography and 24 of them proved to have significant
      coronary artery disease (CAD). The sensitivity, specificity and positive
      predictive value of exercise ECG in detecting CAD are 62%, 86%, and 94%
      respectively while the corresponding results are 96%, 100%, and 100% for exercise
      thallium-201 SPECT. Therefore, it is concluded that the early symptom-limited
      exercise test is safe in medically stabilized patients with UA. Early exercise
      thallium-201 SPECT is highly sensitive and predictive of the presence of
      significant CAD among patients in the early recovery phase of UA and can be used
      in selecting this group of patients for coronary angiography and other
      therapeutic strategies.

PMID- 1424480
TI  - Use of non-invasive finger blood pressure monitoring in the estimation of aortic
      pressure at rest and during the Mueller manoeuvre.
AB  - The aim of this investigation was to evaluate whether reliable estimates of
      aortic pressure can be derived using non-invasive finger blood pressure
      monitoring. Finger blood pressure (Ohmeda 2300 Finapres device; Finapres,
      Englewood, CO) was compared with simultaneous ascending aortic pressure measured
      with a catheter-transducer system both at rest and during acute negative
      intrathoracic pressure (the Mueller manoeuvre). Thirty-eight patients aged 17-73
      years were studied. All were undergoing routine diagnostic or therapeutic cardiac
      catheterization. Beat-to-beat values of systolic, diastolic and mean non-invasive
      finger and invasive aortic blood pressure were measured at rest and factors which
      might have an influence on the difference between methods were examined. The mean
      finger-aortic difference was +5 +/- 14 mmHg for systolic, -2 +/- 7 mmHg for
      diastolic, -5 +/- 8 mmHg for mean and +6 +/- 13 mmHg for pulse pressure. In
      multivariate linear regression analysis, the difference in systolic pressure was
      related to aortic systolic pressure (standardized coefficient beta = -0.33, P =
      0.01), heart rate (beta = 0.49, P < 0.000), age (beta = -0.29, P < 0.025) and
      height (beta = 0.40, P < 0.005). The linear regression equations to derive
      resting aortic pressures from the non-invasive finger pressure readings had
      correlation coefficients between 0.83 and 0.87 and standard errors of estimate
      between 6 and 14 mmHg. During the Mueller manoeuvre, Finapres reproduced average
      pressure changes reliably compared with intra-aortic pressure. Due to moderate
      inter-individual variation in the finger-aortic differences the correlation
      coefficients ranged from 0.83 to 0.93 and the standard errors of estimate from 3
      to 6 mmHg. Non-invasive finger blood pressure monitoring could be used to
      estimate central aortic mean and diastolic blood pressure fairly reliably at
      rest, but with respect to systolic pressure the variance in finger-aortic
      difference was marked. The average intra-aortic pressure changes caused by the
      Mueller manoeuvre were reliably reproduced by the Finapres device.

PMID- 1424481
TI  - Thigh composition in young and elderly men determined by computed tomography.
AB  - Computed tomography (CT) was used to quantify components of the thigh in young (n
      = 13) and elderly (n = 11) men. Cross-sectional areas (CSA) of the total limb,
      total muscle plus bone, quadriceps compartment, hamstring compartment and bone
      were measured at each of five scan sites along the length of the thigh. Non
      muscle tissue (NMT) areas within the muscle compartments were measured using
      changes in density based on Hounsfield units. Skin plus subcutaneous fat areas
      and quadriceps and hamstring lean muscle areas were calculated by subtraction.
      Geometric formulae were used to calculate related volumes for each thigh
      component. Volumes were also predicted from regression equations employing thigh
      length and component CSA from single mid-limb CT scans. The results showed that
      while total thigh CSA was not different in elderly men, they had significantly
      smaller total muscle plus bone (13.0%), and quadriceps (26.4%), and hamstring
      (17.9%) muscle areas. The elderly men also had significantly greater CSA for skin
      plus subcutaneous fat (37.6%), and for NMT in the quadriceps (59.4%) and
      hamstring (127.3%) muscle compartments. These results suggest that comparisons of
      relative leg muscle strength between young and elderly men may be misleading due
      to the decrease in actual muscle tissue associated with ageing. Appropriate
      quantification of muscle size and CSA must be carried out before such comparisons
      can be meaningful.

PMID- 1424482
TI  - Plasma endothelin-1 during central hypovolaemia in man.
AB  - Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoconstricting peptide with effect on
      resistance as well as capacitance vessels. We followed ET-1 in arterial plasma
      together with heart rate (HR), central venous pressure (CVP), mean arterial
      pressure (MAP), and thoracic electrical impedance (TI) in seven men during
      central hypovolaemia induced by 50 degrees head-up tilt. During tilting plasma ET
      1 increased from 1.1 +/- 0.2 to 1.4 +/- 0.3 pmol l-1 (mean +/- SE) concomitant
      with an increase in total peripheral resistance (TPR) (from 15 +/- 2 to 25 +/- 3
      mmHg min l-1) (P < 0.01), and HR (from 67 +/- 2 to 94 +/- 5 beats min-1) (P <
      0.01) while MAP remained unchanged. CVP decreased (from 1.8 +/- 0.9 to -1.6 +/-
      1.0 mmHg) (P < 0.01) during tilting and remained unchanged during sustained tilt
      despite further reduction of central blood volume as recorded by TI. Presyncopal
      symptoms occurred after 28 +/- 6 min associated with decreases in HR (to 70 +/- 6
      beats min-1), MAP (from 90 +/- 3 to 52 +/- 4 mmHg) and TPR (to 11 +/- 2 mmHg min
      l-1) (P < 0.01). At this time plasma ET-1 reached its highest level of 1.6 +/-
      0.3 pmol l-1 (P < 0.01). Data show that head-up tilt is associated with increased
      plasma concentrations of ET-1 which may play a role in maintaining vascular tone
      in situations with a reduced central blood volume.

PMID- 1424483
TI  - Heart rate during haemorrhagic shock.
AB  - In a prospective study, heart rate and mean arterial pressure were related to
      estimated blood loss in 34 consecutive patients aged 23-92 years during
      resuscitation from haemorrhagic shock. Eighteen patients with a blood loss of
      less than 31 (1.9 [0.9-3.0] l) (median and range), corresponding to 34 (16-46) %
      of estimated blood volume, had a heart rate of 83 (60-160) beats min-1 and a mean
      arterial pressure of 62 (35-73) mmHg. In 16 patients with a blood loss of more
      than 3 l (4.0 [3.3-5.0] l) corresponding to 89 (35-100) % of the estimated blood
      volume, heart rate was 120 (110-160) beats min-1 (P < 0.05) and mean arterial
      pressure 52 (0-70) mmHg (P < 0.05). Six patients died due to severe bleeding (3.1
      [2.5-5.0] l) with a heart rate of 129 (110-160) beats min-1 and a mean arterial
      pressure of 40 (0-70) mmHg. It is concluded that reversible hypovolaemic shock is
      associated with a relatively low heart rate (approximately 80 beats min-1) and
      that tachycardia (approximately 120 beats min-1) is associated with profound
      bleeding. Hypovolaemic shock with tachycardia may represent a transition to an
      irreversible stage.

PMID- 1424484
TI  - Relationship between hyperglycaemia and aerobic power in men with newly diagnosed
      type 2 (non insulin-dependent) diabetes.
AB  - The aim of the study described here was to evaluate aerobic function during
      exercise and its determinants in middle-aged men with newly diagnosed Type 2 (non
      insulin-dependent) diabetes. Using breath-by-breath technique, we measured O2
      uptake at anaerobic (ventilatory) threshold and at peak exercise in a group of
      diabetic men (n = 19; fasting blood glucose 8.6 +/- 0.7 mmol l-1, mean +/- SEM)
      without any disease or medication that could have had an influence on exercise
      performance, and compared the results to those observed in non-diabetic healthy
      control men (n = 18). There were no differences in physical activity or smoking
      habits between the groups. Oxygen uptake was lower in the diabetic men than in
      the control men both at anaerobic threshold (15.0 +/- 0.8 vs. 18.8 +/- 1.0 ml min
      1 kg-1, P < 0.01) and at peak exercise (25.3 +/- 1.5 vs. 31.1 +/- 1.4 ml min-1 kg
      1, P < 0.01). In the diabetic men peak O2 uptake showed an inverse linear
      correlation with age (r = -0.71, P < or = 0.001), fasting blood glucose (r = 
      0.49, P < 0.05) and glucose response in an oral glucose tolerance test (r = 
      0.43, P < 0.05). In addition, long-term smoking was associated with impaired peak
      O2 uptake. In a stepwise multiple regression procedure 75% of the total variance
      of peak O2 uptake in the diabetic men was explained by age, post-load blood
      glucose response and smoking history. Thus, in addition to ageing and smoking,
      hyperglycaemia is correlated with impaired aerobic power in men with newly
      diagnosed Type 2 diabetes.

PMID- 1424485
TI  - Myocardial reperfusion in thrombolysis A 99Tcm-Sestamibi SPECT study in patients
      with acute myocardial infarction.
AB  - This study presents the outcome of myocardial scintigraphy performed before and
      after thrombolytic treatment in 16 patients with acute myocardial infarction
      using 99Tcm-Sestamibi (Cardiolite, Du Pont Scandinavia AB, Kista, Sweden). The
      patients were given 99Tcm-Sestamibi intravenously as soon as possible after the
      decision to give thrombolytic treatment. When the patients were in a clinically
      stable state after the thrombolytic treatment, myocardial perfusion was analysed
      with the gamma camera using single photon emission computerized tomography
      (SPECT). A second 99Tcm-Sestamibi tomography was carried out on the second to
      fourth day after the myocardial infarction. Data reconstruction was done with the
      'Bull's eye technique'. Nine patients received thrombolysis < 3 h from the onset
      of pain. In this group six patients (66%) improved their myocardial perfusion by
      > 10% after treatment, while all seven patients who received treatment > or = 3 h
      after the onset of pain improved their myocardial perfusion by < 10%. This study
      emphasises the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of patients with acute
      myocardial infarction in order to salvage myocardium.

PMID- 1424486
TI  - [Thrombolytic therapy in acute myocardial infarct].
AB  - The benefits, main pharmacological characteristics, indications, side effects and
      time limits for use of thrombolytic agents in acute myocardial infarction are
      reviewed. The authors also point out the strategies to follow in patients after
      thrombolytic therapy.

PMID- 1424487
TI  - [Irritable colon. Physiopathologic and therapeutic aspects].
AB  - The authors review the pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in bowel motility and
      in its alterations. Several symptoms are present in a form of bowel disease
      usually defined as "irritable bowel", in which a lot of polymorphic aspects
      appear to coincide. The first part of the paper is concerned with the symptoms
      and suggested pathophysiology and pathogenesis of the disorder while the latter
      part deals with the non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic treatment options.

PMID- 1424488
TI  - [Short-term perioperative antibacterial prophylaxis using imipenem-cilastatin
      versus acylureide penicillins in pacemaker implantation. A 30-month follow-up].
AB  - The authors have evaluated the efficacy of short term treatment with an imipenem
      cilastatin combination in a selected group of 72 patients undergoing implant or
      substitution of a pacemaker and with associated pathology potentially increasing
      the risk of infection. After 30 months' follow-up, the authors underline the
      efficacy and advantages of this treatment.

PMID- 1424489
TI  - [Odontostomatological changes induced by drugs. I].
AB  - The purpose of the present review is to describe the unwanted effects of drugs or
      chemicals in the orofacial region. The authors take into consideration the
      alterations of salivation such as xerostomia and ptyalism, disturbances of sense
      of taste, halitosis and pain and swelling of the salivary glands. The dental
      surgeon who suspects that an oral alteration might be a drug reaction can play an
      important role in preventing the development of more severe toxic effects. All
      this points to the importance of the knowledge of pharmacology for dental
      practitioners.

PMID- 1424490
TI  - [Proposals for ambulatory care of obesity].

PMID- 1424491
TI  - [Pulmonary aging. Meeting at the Istituto Superiore di Sanita in Rome].

PMID- 1424493
TI  - Categorical perception of facial expressions.
AB  - People universally recognize facial expressions of happiness, sadness, fear,
      anger, disgust, and perhaps, surprise, suggesting a perceptual mechanism tuned to
      the facial configuration displaying each emotion. Sets of drawings were generated
      by computer, each consisting of a series of faces differing by constant physical
      amounts, running from one emotional expression to another (or from one emotional
      expression to a neutral face). Subjects discriminated pairs of faces, then, in a
      separate task, categorized the emotion displayed by each. Faces within a category
      were discriminated more poorly than faces in different categories that differed
      by an equal physical amount. Thus emotional expressions, like colors and speech
      sounds, are perceived categorically, not as a direct reflection of their
      continuous physical properties.

PMID- 1424492
TI  - On the evolution of language and generativity.
AB  - One of the properties that most conspicuously distinguishes human language from
      any other form of animal communication is generativity. Language with this
      property therefore presumably evolved with the Homo line somewhere between H.
      habilis and H. sapiens sapiens. Some have suggested that it emerged relatively
      suddenly and completely with H. sapiens sapiens, and this view is consistent with
      (a) linguistic estimates as to when vocal language emerged, (b) the relatively
      late "explosion" of manufacture and cultural artifacts such as body ornamentation
      and cave drawings, and (c) evidence on changes in the vocal apparatus. However,
      evidence on brain size and developmental patterns of growth suggests an earlier
      origin and a more continuous evolution. I propose that these scenarios can be
      reconciled if it is supposed that generative language evolved, perhaps from H.
      habilis on, as a system of manual gestures, but switched to a predominantly vocal
      system with H. sapiens sapiens. The subsequent "cultural explosion" can then be
      attributed to the freeing of the hands from primary involvement in language, so
      that they could be exploited, along with generativity, for manufacture, art, and
      other activities.

PMID- 1424494
TI  - Probing the cognitive representation of musical time: structural constraints on
      the perception of timing perturbations.
AB  - To determine whether structural factors interact with the perception of musical
      time, musically literate listeners were presented repeatedly with eight-bar
      musical excerpts, realized with physically regular timing on an electronic piano.
      On each trial, one or two randomly chosen time intervals were lengthened by a
      small amount, and the score. The resulting detection accuracy profile across all
      positions in each musical excerpt showed pronounced dips in places where
      lengthening would typically occur in an expressive (temporally modulated)
      performance. False alarm percentages indicated that certain tones seemed longer a
      priori, and these were among the ones whose actual lengthening was easiest to
      detect. The detection accuracy and false alarm profiles were significantly
      correlated with each other and with the temporal microstructure of expert
      performances, as measured from sound recordings by famous artists. Thus the
      detection task apparently tapped into listeners' musical thought and revealed
      their expectations about the temporal microstructure of music performance. These
      expectations, like the timing patterns of actual performances, derive from the
      cognitive representation of musical structure, as cued by a variety of systemic
      factors (grouping, meter, harmonic progression) and their acoustic correlates. No
      simple psycho-acoustic explanation of the detection accuracy profiles was
      evident. The results suggest that the perception of musical time is not veridical
      but "warped" by the structural representation. This warping may provide a natural
      basis for performance evaluation: expected timing patterns sound more or less
      regular, unexpected ones irregular. Parallels to language performance and
      perception are noted.

PMID- 1424495
TI  - A theory of the child's theory of mind.

PMID- 1424496
TI  - Children's judgments in theory choice tasks: scientific rationality in childhood.
AB  - The current research examined whether children could use certain metaconceptual
      criteria such as the range of explanation, non-ad hocness of explanation,
      empirical consistency, and logical consistency to choose between competing
      accounts of physical phenomena. The tasks were constructed so that the conceptual
      content of the explanations to be evaluated was either consistent, inconsistent,
      or neutral with regard to children's prior knowledge. It was found that even 7
      year-olds could use metaconceptual criteria such as the range, empirical
      consistency, and logical consistency of theories when the theories did not
      violate their beliefs. However only older children (11-year-olds) showed a
      systematic preference for non-ad hoc theories over ad hoc ones. The findings are
      consistent with recent work in the philosophy of science showing that, in
      evaluating theoretical alternatives, scientists are influenced by their prior
      beliefs about the domain being considered. This research demonstrates that even
      young children share some of the cognitive underpinnings of scientific
      rationality that scientists do.

PMID- 1424497
TI  - Perception, ontology, and word meaning.

PMID- 1424498
TI  - Lexical access in the production of noun phrases.
AB  - In order to encode an event or a thought into language, the speaker has to access
      words from the mental lexicon and order them according to the rules of syntax.
      The present study taps into these components of language production as they
      proceed in time. The utterances investigated were Dutch noun phrases with a
      prenominal adjective (e.g., het groene huis--the green house). The results of two
      picture--word interference experiments showed interference effects from
      semantically related noun distractors, extending findings from production of
      single words to the production of phrases. In addition, the syntactic format of
      the noun phrase had an influence on the size and the time course of the semantic
      interference effect. On the basis of the results of these two experiments, a
      working model of the processes involved in the production of noun phrases is
      proposed.

PMID- 1424499
TI  - The tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon: do experimenter-presented interlopers have any
      effect?
AB  - When a person is in a tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) state, they will sometimes recall a
      word that is similar in sound to the word they are attempting to retrieve.
      Woodworth (1929) argued that these interloper words both cause and sustain TOT
      states, whereas Brown and McNeill (1966) suggested that they are part of the
      process that leads to TOT resolution. Jones and Langford (1987) and Jones (1989)
      explicitly presented interloper words along with definitions of words that
      subjects were asked to recall. They reported that interlopers that were
      phonologically related to the target word increased the incidence of TOTs and
      concluded that this supported Woodworth's position. In three experiments, we
      adopted the interloper paradigm, but also included a control group who heard the
      definitions without interloper words. In Experiment 1, the definitions that Jones
      used with phonological interlopers created more TOTs even when no interlopers
      were presented. In Experiments 2a and 2b, we matched definitions for the number
      of TOTs they produced in the absence of interlopers. Under these circumstances we
      found no effect of interloper words at all. We conclude that there is no evidence
      from this paradigm to support the idea that interloper words are involved in
      either the causation or resolution of TOTs.

PMID- 1424500
TI  - What sort of innate structure is needed to "bootstrap" into syntax?
AB  - The paper starts from Pinker's theory of the acquisition of phrase structure; it
      shows that it is possible to drop all the assumptions about innate syntactic
      structure from this theory. These assumptions can be replaced by assumptions
      about the basic structure of semantic representation available at the outset of
      language acquisition, without penalizing the acquisition of basic phrase
      structure rules. Essentially, the role played by X-bar theory in Pinker's model
      would be played by the (presumably innate) structure of the language of thought
      in the revised parallel model. Bootstrapping and semantic assimilation theories
      are shown to be formally very similar, though making different primitive
      assumptions. In their primitives, semantic assimilation theories have the
      advantage that they can offer an account of the origin of syntactic categories
      instead of postulating them as primitive. Ways of improving on the semantic
      assimilation version of Pinker's theory are considered, including a way of
      deriving the NP-VP constituent division that appears to have a better fit than
      Pinker's to evidence on language variation.

PMID- 1424501
TI  - Evaluation of C. diff.-CUBE test for detection of Clostridium difficile
      associated diarrhea.
AB  - The toxin B assay was used to evaluate C. diff.-CUBE, a new dot-immunobinding
      assay (DIA) for the laboratory diagnosis of Clostridium difficile-associated
      diarrhea. The widely used latex agglutination test was also included for
      comparison. Stools from 100 patients suspected of having C. difficile-associated
      diarrhea were tested. The toxin B assay, latex agglutination, and DIA tests were
      positive for 12%, 9%, and 22% of the specimens, respectively. The sensitivity,
      specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the DIA test were
      67%, 84%, 36%, and 95%, respectively, compared with the toxin B assay. The
      specificity (98%) and positive predictive value (78%) for the latex agglutination
      test were significantly higher than those of the DIA test. Of 13 specimens solely
      positive by the DIA test, 11 were cultured and none were positive. Clinical
      assessment supported only two of the 13 positive DIA results. When clinical
      assessment was included in the analysis, the DIA positive predictive value rose
      to 45%. Although the sensitivity and negative predictive values of the DIA test
      are comparable to the latex agglutination test, the low specificity and positive
      predictive values of the DIA test make it an inappropriate method to use for
      screening in a population with a low prevalence of true positives.

PMID- 1424502
TI  - Comparison of standard and quantitative blood cultures in the evaluation of
      children with suspected central venous line sepsis.
AB  - We reviewed our experience with paired quantitative and standard blood cultures
      in the evaluation of children with suspected central-line sepsis with the
      hypothesis that by employing both systems we would increase our yield of
      pathogenic isolates. A total of 913 paired cultures were reviewed, representing
      267 pathogenic isolates and 58 individual episodes of sepsis. The isolates were
      analyzed for recovery rates for each system and by combining both systems. The
      Isolator system proved to be equal to the BACTEC system for the recovery of all
      groups of pathogenic isolates. The combined use of both the quantitative and the
      standard culture systems demonstrated a statistically significant advantage (p
      less than 0.001) for the recovery of pathogens as compared with either system
      alone. The use of either system alone would have missed 15% of the total
      pathogenic isolates. Quantitative colony counts were helpful in identifying the
      line as the source of infection in 35 to 58 episodes of sepsis and were often
      beneficial in the clinical management central venous line infection. We recommend
      the use of the Isolator 1.5 ml combined with a conventional broth-bottle system
      in selected pediatric patients to enhance the recovery of pathogenic organisms.

PMID- 1424503
TI  - Evaluation of three different STb assays and comparison of enterotoxin pattern
      over a five-year period in Swedish porcine Escherichia coli.
AB  - The pig intestinal loop (PIL) assay, inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
      (ELISA), and DNA hybridization assay were compared for analysis of Escherichia
      coli heat-stable enterotoxin b (STb) on 201 porcine E. coli strains. The DNA
      hybridization had a 95% correlation with the STb ELISA and was therefore chosen
      as the method for subsequent screening of enterotoxin genes: heat labile (LT),
      heat-stable a (STa), and/or STb. In contrast to the PIL assay, both the STb ELISA
      and DNA hybridization assays were more sensitive, reliable, reproducible, and
      showed good correlation with each other. Consequently, the STb ELISA is
      preferable for analysis of toxin preparations and screening of E. coli, whereas
      the DNA hybridization is better for large-scale epidemiologic screening.
      Escherichia coli strains (n = 437) associated with porcine diarrhea isolated in
      Sweden during 1989 were investigated. Of the strains, 135 (31%) were positive for
      at least one of these toxins and, therefore, designated enterotoxigenic E. coli
      (ETEC). Our results were compared with the enterotoxin pattern found in earlier
      studies of Swedish porcine strains. The only change in occurrence of toxins was
      found in strains isolated from piglets less than 1 week of age. LT- and STb
      producing ETEC had decreased, and STa-producing ETEC had increased in prevalence.
      The occurrence of STb among ETEC of weaned pigs was 93%. This toxin was also
      found to be more common than STa when strains from all age groups were
      considered.

PMID- 1424504
TI  - Rapid identification of motile Aeromonas.
AB  - The clinical relevance and taxonomy of motile Aeromonas species are areas of
      current controversy. Strains of motile Aeromonas isolates (n = 60) from various
      sources were identified to species level using the following tests (all incubated
      at 30 degrees and 37 degrees C): esculin hydrolysis; formation of gas from
      glucose; production of acetoin; production of acid from mannitol and arabinose;
      decarboxylation of lysine and ornithine, dihydrolation of arginine; and
      pyrazinamide hydrolysis in a semisolid medium. The tests' results were similar at
      incubation temperatures of 30 degrees and 37 degrees C. Of the strains, 59 (98%)
      of 60 were identified to species level by the full battery of tests: 25 as A.
      hydrophila, 18 as A. caviae, 14 as A. sobria, one as A. veronii, and one as A.
      schubertii. (The only A. veronii and A. schubertii isolates identified were ATCC
      strains). All (25 of 25) strains of A. hydrophila and 17 (94%) of 18 of A. caviae
      hydrolyzed pyrazinamide in less than 24 hr, whereas all strains of A. sobria
      showed no pyrazinamidase activity. Absence of pyrazinamidase was, thus, a
      convenient phenotypic marker for A. sobria. Four additional tests (esculin
      hydrolysis, acetoin production, lysine decarboxylation, and gas production from
      glucose) identified within 24 hr all examples of the three common species of
      Aeromonas. Recently proposed species did not contribute to our ability to
      discriminate among stool, other clinical, and environmental isolates of Aeromonas
      spp.

PMID- 1424505
TI  - High pentamidine levels associated with hypoglycemia and azotemia in a patient
      with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.
AB  - We report on a patient who presented with a Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.
      Intravenous pentamidine (4 mg/kg/day) was given for 14 days without the
      occurrence of adverse effects. During this treatment, the mean (+/- SD) serum
      pentamidine trough concentration was 94 +/- 16 ng/ml. Three days later, the
      patient was admitted because of fever, and pentamidine (4 mg/kg/day) was again
      started. Fasting hypoglycemia and azotemia then occurred; the mean serum trough
      pentamidine level was 190 +/- 10 ng/ml during this week of treatment. We conclude
      that the occurrence of hypoglycemia and azotemia during pentamidine therapy may
      not be idiosyncrasic, but seemed associated in our patient with high levels of
      serum pentamidine.

PMID- 1424506
TI  - Acquisition of coccidioidomycosis at necropsy by inhalation of coccidioidal
      endospores.
AB  - Coccidioidomycosis is accepted as being noncontagious because the infectious
      arthroconidial form of Coccidioides immitis is not produced in humans and other
      mammalian hosts. However, disseminated coccidioidomycosis developed in a
      veterinarian who autopsied a horse with disseminated disease but without draining
      lesions or productive cough. We postulate transmission occurred by inhalation of
      tissue-phase endospores aerosolized in the course of dissection.

PMID- 1424507
TI  - Cefdinir (FK482), an orally administered cephalosporin in vitro activity
      comparison against recent clinical isolates from five medical centers and
      determination of MIC quality control guidelines.
AB  - Cefdinir, a new oral cephalosporin, was compared to cefaclor, cefadroxil,
      cefixime, and cefuroxime against greater than 5000 recent aerobic clinical
      isolates. This multicenter study revealed broad-spectrum cefdinir activity
      against all Enterobacteriaceae (MIC50s, 0.06-2 micrograms/ml) except Enterobacter
      cloacae, Morganella morganii, Proteus vulgaris, and Serratia marcescens (MIC50s,
      greater than or equal to 4 micrograms/ml). Oxacillin-susceptible staphylococci
      (MIC90s, 0.5-2 micrograms/ml), beta-hemolytic Streptococcus group B (MIC90, 0.06
      micrograms/ml), and Acinetobacter lwoffii were also susceptible to cefdinir. The
      activity of cefdinir was similar to that of cefixime and cefuroxime against Gram
      negative organisms and superior to all tested oral cephems when tested against
      Gram-positive cocci. None of the cephalosporins were active against oxacillin
      resistant Staphylococcus spp., enterococci, Pseudomonas spp., or Xanthomonas
      maltophilia. MIC quality control range guidelines were established for the
      strains recommended by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards
      documents.

PMID- 1424508
TI  - Persistence of the same Candida albicans strain despite fluconazole therapy.
      Documentation by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.
AB  - Candida albicans and other Candida species have emerged as major nosocomial
      pathogens associated with a high mortality. Therapeutic options for fungal
      infections are limited. Amphotericin B has been the mainstay of treatment for
      serious systemic candidal infections, but it is relatively toxic and associated
      with a variety of side effects. Fluconazole has been proposed as alternative
      therapy for the treatment of systemic candidiasis including candidemia. We report
      the case of a patient with fungemia in whom fluconazole failed to eradicate C.
      albicans and C. tropicalis. These pathogens were recovered from sputum and urine
      cultures, respectively, on day 12 of intravenous fluconazole therapy. Molecular
      epidemiologic techniques employing pulsed-field gel electrophoresis confirmed the
      persistence of the same C. albicans strain. Susceptibility studies showed a
      marked change in MICs of fluconazole between 24 and 48 hr, with an increase from
      less than or equal to 1.25 to greater than 80 micrograms/ml. Controlled trials
      will be needed to delineate the role of fluconazole in the treatment of
      disseminated candidiasis and its efficacy in comparison with amphotericin B.
      Amphotericin B should remain the drug of choice for such infections until data
      from controlled trials are available.

PMID- 1424509
TI  - The activity of metal compounds against aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.
AB  - We evaluated the antimicrobial activity of two metal compounds, JM-1397
      (OsO2[xylyl]2) and JM-2469 (AuCl[S2CPEt3]). Both inhibited methicillin
      susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus at concentrations of
      0.5-2 micrograms/ml, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC90) of 1
      microgram/ml for JM-1397 and 0.5 microgram/ml for JM-2469. Similar concentrations
      inhibited methicillin-susceptible and -resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci
      (S. epidermidis, S. haemolyticus, and S. saprophyticus). JM-2469 inhibited group
      A, B, C, F, and G beta-hemolytic streptococci and viridans group streptococci at
      1-8 micrograms/ml (MIC90 4 micrograms/ml) but Enterococcus faecalis and E.
      faecium had MICs of 8-16 micrograms/ml. JM-1397 had MICs for these organisms of
      greater than 64 micrograms/ml. Bacteroides fragilis, other Bacteroides, and
      Clostridium species were inhibited by less than or equal to 0.12-4 micrograms/ml
      (MIC90, 0.5 microgram/ml). MICs of both compounds for Enterobacteriaceae and
      Pseudomonas spp. were greater than 64 micrograms/ml. These studies show that
      osmium and gold compounds have potential as topical agents against Gram-positive
      and anaerobic species.

PMID- 1424510
TI  - Vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1. Prognostic value of
      IgA antibody to HIV-1 polypeptides during pregnancy.
AB  - In a retrospective study of 31 pregnant women infected with human
      immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), nine (29%) infants presented unequivocal
      signs of HIV-1 infection (persistent p24 antigenemia and/or positive virus
      isolation). All serum samples obtained from the others, during pregnancy and on
      delivery, were studied for specific antibody (IgA) production by immunoblotting
      analysis to establish a possible link between the presence of a defined antibody
      class and mother-to-child viral transmission. The majority (16 of 22) of HIV-1
      seropositive mothers who delivered uninfected children showed IgA antibody to low
      molecular-weight HIV-1 polypeptides during pregnancy. Among those who delivered
      infected babies, only one showed a weak IgA reactivity to HIV-1 during pregnancy.
      Thus, our results suggest that immunoblotting study of IgA may be a diagnostic
      adjunct to predict the risk of mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission.

PMID- 1424511
TI  - Copepods associated with a perirectal abscess and copepod pseudo-outbreaks in
      stools for ova and parasite examinations.
AB  - We observed copepods, an intermediate host for several human parasites, in
      material obtained from a perirectal abscess of a 22-year-old man with Crohn's
      disease. We subsequently noted copepod "outbreaks" in stool specimens submitted
      for ova and parasite examination. Copepods in the hospital tap water supply were
      the source for one "outbreak".

PMID- 1424512
TI  - Evaluation of an improved DNA probe for diagnosis of pertussis.
AB  - A Bordetella pertussis specific subclone, pRZ61, of a Bordetella genus-specific
      clone, pB23, was evaluated on nasopharyngeal aspirates of 179 patients with
      suspected pertussis. Hybridization was performed directly after spotting or after
      1-3 days of preculture of the nylon membranes on solid culture medium. A direct
      comparison of the two probes was obtained by reprobing with the subclone the same
      membranes that had been hybridized with the parent probe. pRZ61 detected 50% of
      the serologically defined cases of pertussis, that is, had the same sensitivity
      as standard culture. Specificity as compared with serology was close to 100%. The
      increasing sensitivity and the corresponding decreasing specificity after
      preculture noted for pB23 was not seen with the subclone. The study showed that
      the improved probe represents a rapid diagnostic method in pertussis.

PMID- 1424513
TI  - Catheter-related bacteremia and fungemia. Reliability of two methods for catheter
      culture.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to analyze 98 febrile patients with suspected
      catheter-related bacteremia (CRB) or fungemia (CRF) and compare two different
      methods, one semiquantitative (SQ) (Maki's method) and the other quantitative (Q)
      (modification of Brun-Buisson method) to determine each ability for diagnosing
      CRB. Twelve patients had CRB or CRF. The sensitivity, specificity, positive, and
      negative predictive values, and efficiency using the Maki method were 83%, 84%,
      42%, 97%, and 83%, respectively. The same parameters using the other method were
      as follows: 92%, 84%, 44%, 99%, and 84%, respectively. Although the diagnostic
      reliability in each method was similar, the Maki method was quicker and easier to
      perform in clinical microbiology laboratories.

PMID- 1424514
TI  - Evaluation of two ELISA's for detecting Chlamydia trachomatis from endocervical
      swabs.
AB  - Two enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) detecting Chlamydia trachomatis from endocervical
      swabs, Syva MicroTrak (MT) and Abbott Chlamydiazyme (CZ), were compared with a
      tissue culture (TC) standard. Initially, 8% (100 of 1250) of specimens were TC
      positive, yielding sensitivities of 94% (94 of 100) for MT and 79% (79 of 100)
      for CZ with identical 98% specificities (1129 of 1150 for MT and 1130 of 1150 for
      CZ). Discrepant specimens were retested by both EIAs and assayed for elementary
      bodies (EBs) by a fluorescent antibody test. After discrepancy analysis, 9.5%
      (118) of 1240 patients were either TC or EB positive, yielding sensitivities of
      94.1% for MT (111 of 118) and 79.7% for CZ (94 of 118) with identical
      specificities of 100% (1122 of 1122). These results indicate that the MT is
      significantly more sensitive (p less than 0.05, McNemar test) than CZ in
      detecting C. trachomatis from endocervical swabs.

PMID- 1424515
TI  - Performance characteristics of a commercial antibody-capture enzyme immunoassay
      for detection of Toxoplasma-specific IgM antibodies.
AB  - Antibody-capture enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the detection of Toxoplasma
      specific IgM has been shown to provide significantly higher specificity than the
      indirect IgM EIA. A new commercially available antibody-capture EIA (PLATELIA
      Toxo IgM EIA) converted 99 out of 100 false-positive Toxo-plasma IgM
      determinations to true negative. Experiments using Toxoplasma IgM calibrators
      demonstrated the antibody-capture EIA is approximately eightfold more sensitive
      than a new automated microparticle EIA for Toxoplasma IgM antibodies (IMX Toxo
      IgM EIA), and approximately equal in sensitivity to the indirect
      immunofluorescence assay. Precision studies of the antibody capture EIA using
      low, medium, and high calibrators gave coefficients of variation ranging from
      3.0%-4.5% for within-run and 5.2%-11.4% for run-to-run variation experiments.
      Interference from high levels of bilirubin, albumin, hemoglobin, and lipid was
      not detected. Sera from patients with inflammatory or infectious disorders were
      tested for interference in the antibody-capture EIA. False-positive Toxoplasma
      IgM results were not observed, but low-level negative interference was detectable
      when patient sera was mixed with Toxoplasma-positive sera. Preparations of
      purified human IgM also produced negative interference in the antibody-capture
      EIA for Toxoplasma IgM.

PMID- 1424516
TI  - Lack of predictability of cefotetan in vitro susceptibility tests against
      cefotetan-resistant anaerobic bacteria in determining clinical and bacteriologic
      efficacies.
AB  - Interpretive criteria for cefotetan in vitro susceptibility testing appear to be
      clinically relevant when applied to aerobic bacteria. To determine whether the
      same was true for anaerobic bacteria, we conducted a retrospective analysis of
      intraabdominal, gynecologic, and skin and skin structure infections treated with
      cefotetan. Of the infections, 202 contained at least one anaerobe isolate. Of the
      51 patients, 47 (92.9%) from whom one or more cefotetan-resistant anaerobes were
      isolated were clinically cured or showed improvement. Similarly, cefotetan was
      efficacious for 95.4% of the patients harboring only cefotetan-susceptible
      anaerobes. Favorable bacteriologic responses were observed in 94.1% and 97.4% of
      these patient groups, respectively. The data suggests that the therapeutic
      utility of cefotetan against anaerobic bacteria cannot be accurately predicted on
      the basis of in vitro susceptibility test results alone but may be explained by a
      variety of factors, as discussed in this report.

PMID- 1424517
TI  - The rapid emergence of fluoroquinolone-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
      aureus infections in a community hospital. An in vitro look at alternative
      antimicrobial agents.
AB  - The introduction of ciprofloxacin on an unrestricted basis into a 900-bed
      community hospital resulted in the emergence of high-level fluoroquinolone
      resistance among methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) during the
      subsequent 18 months. Susceptibility testing revealed several old and new
      compounds to which all the S. aureus strains were susceptible. When an MRSA
      strain became resistant to ciprofloxacin it also exhibited high-level resistance
      to ofloxacin, fleroxacin, norfloxacin, and enoxacin. Two new experimental
      fluoroquinolones, WIN 57273 and CI-960, exhibited good activity against all test
      strains. Among the glycopeptide compounds, mupirocin and teicoplanin were
      approximately fourfold more active than vancomycin and ramoplanin. Rifampin and
      trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMZ) showed good activity against most strains
      as did imipenem. For clindamycin, gentamicin, and tetracycline susceptibilities
      exhibited a bimodal distribution with at least 10% of strains having resistant
      MIC values. Surprisingly, the addition of sulbactam potentiated the activity of
      ampicillin against the ciprofloxacin-resistant MRSA strains, however, sulbactam
      had little effect on cefoperazone activity against these same strains. Time-kill
      kinetic studies of selected antimicrobials against ciprofloxacin-resistant
      strains indicated good killing by vancomycin, ampicillin-sulbactam, and TMP/SMZ.
      Teicoplanin was less bactericidal than vancomycin while these same strains
      rapidly developed resistance to rifampin even at concentrations 8 x MIC. These
      data indicate certain alternative compounds within our study warrant further
      investigation, especially in vivo, against multiply-resistant staphylococci.

PMID- 1424518
TI  - Evaluation of the teicoplanin broth microdilution and disk diffusion
      susceptibility tests and recommended interpretive criteria.
AB  - Comparative teicoplanin in vitro susceptibility data were generated for 1201 Gram
      positive US clinical trial isolates using standardized broth microdilution and
      disk diffusion techniques. Based on the results of this study, the following
      interpretive criteria for teicoplanin are recommended: for MIC tests, less than
      or equal to 8 micrograms/ml = susceptible, 16 micrograms/ml = moderately
      susceptible, and greater than or equal to 32 micrograms/ml = resistant; and for
      disk (30 micrograms) tests, greater than or equal to 14 mm = susceptible, 11-13
      mm = intermediate, and less than or equal to 10 mm = resistant.

PMID- 1424519
TI  - Antibacterial oxazolidinones. In vitro activity of a new analogue, E3709.
AB  - The oxazolidinone compound E3709, which contains a 4-pyridyl group, was found to
      be more active in vitro than other members of this series, such as DuP 721. MIC90
      for staphylococci(including methicillin-resistant isolates), streptococci
      (including Enterococcus faecalis), Clostridia, and diphtheroids was less than 0.5
      micrograms/ml. Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Bacteroides
      fragilis were less susceptible, with an MIC90 between 2 and 8 micrograms/ml.
      E3709 MICs of Gram-negative species ranged from 100 to greater than 1000
      micrograms/ml. At a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml, E3709 was bactericidal for
      selected Gram-positive species. A postantibiotic effect of 3 hr was observed
      against staphylococci. Resistance to E3709 was not detected.

PMID- 1424520
TI  - Cefmetazole and trospectomycin in vitro susceptibility testing interpretive
      criteria and quality control guidelines for Neisseria gonorrheae.
AB  - Cefmetazole and trospectomycin were tested in a multilaboratory trial to
      establish Neisseria gonorrhoeae susceptibility testing criteria and quality
      control (QC) guidelines. Cefmetazole was active against the penicillinase
      producing isolates and has an MIC90 of 16 micrograms/ml, the breakpoint MIC
      previously used for nonfastidious species. However, a single-dose gonorrhea
      regimen (1 g i.m.) would require a lower less than or equal to 2 micrograms/ml
      breakpoint with a correlate zone (greater than or equal to 33 mm) consistent with
      similarly used cephamycins (cefoxitin and cefotetan). An intermediate category
      was proposed for MICs greater than 2-4 micrograms/m (28-32 mm) pending more
      clinical experience with higher and/or prolonged cefmetazole dosing regimens.
      Trospectomycin was active (MIC90, 8 micrograms/ml) against all spectinomycin
      susceptible gonococci. A susceptible breakpoint MIC of less than or equal to 16
      micrograms trospectomycin per milliliter was proposed with a correlate zone
      diameter of greater than or equal to 17 mm. An intermediate category was also
      suggested for trospectomycin at 32 micrograms/ml (14-16 mm). QC guidelines were
      established for 30-micrograms cefmetazole and 30-micrograms trospectomycin disk
      diffusion tests and the GC agar base MICs using a multilaboratory study design
      consistent with National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) M23
      T guidelines. Both drugs were stable in GC agar plates for 21 days stored at 2
      degrees-5 degrees C.

PMID- 1424521
TI  - In vitro activity of cefprozil (BMY 28100) and cefepime (BMY 28142) against
      Streptococcus pneumoniae, Branhamella catarrhalis, and Haemophilus influenzae,
      and provisional interpretive criteria for disk diffusion and dilution
      susceptibility tests with Haemophilus influenzae.
AB  - The in vitro activities of two new cephalosporins, an oral agent, cefprozil and a
      parenteral compound, cefepime, were assessed against recent clinical isolates of
      Streptococcus pneumoniae, Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis, and Haemophilus
      influenzae. In general, both cefprozil and cefepime MICs were higher for beta
      lactamase-producing strains of M. catarrhalis in comparison to strains that
      lacked beta-lactamase. By contrast, beta-lactamase-positive and -negative strains
      of H. influenzae had similar cefprozil and cefepime minimum inhibitory
      concentrations (MICs). The MIC90 values for cefprozil were 0.12, 32, 4.0, and 0.5
      micrograms/ml versus S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, and beta-lactamase-positive
      and negative strains of M. catarrhalis, respectively. In comparison to three
      other oral cephalosporins included in this study, cefaclor, cefuroxime axetil,
      and cefixime, cefprozil was the most active agent against S. pneumoniae, the
      least active against B. catarrhalis, and equivalent in activity to cefaclor
      against H. influenzae. The cefepime MIC values against S. pneumoniae, H.
      influenzae, and beta-lactamase-positive and negative strains of M. catarrhalis
      were 0.03, 0.25, 2.0, and 0.5 micrograms/ml, respectively. Cefepime was less
      active than ceftriaxone for all three organism groups, however, was in all cases
      more active than cefixime, cefuroxime, cefaclor, and cefprozil.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1424522
TI  - In vitro activity of mersacidin (M87-1551), an investigational peptide antibiotic
      tested against gram-positive bloodstream isolates.
AB  - We measured the in vitro activity of mersacidin (formerly M87-1551) against 183
      clinical isolates (vancomycin susceptible) and 12 additional vancomycin-resistant
      strains of Gram-positive bacteria. The activity for mersacidin increased an
      average twofold (range, 1.7- to 7.6-fold) in a calcium-enriched medium. The
      minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)90 for mersacidin was 8-32 times higher
      than vancomycin for staphylococci, 4-64 times higher for enterococci, and up to
      32 times higher for other organisms tested. The MIC90 for MDL 62873, a comparison
      compound, was less than or equal to 0.5 micrograms/ml for all species except
      Staphylococcus haemolyticus (MIC90, 4 micrograms/ml), and it was greater than or
      equal to 4-fold more active than vancomycin. Against selected vancomycin
      resistant strains, mersacidin had MICs greater than or equal to 16 micrograms/ml
      for enterococci, 4-32 micrograms/ml for Pediococcus, and less than or equal to 2
      micrograms/ml for Leuconostoc species. Mersacidin may have some clinical utility
      in documented infections caused by staphylococci, nonenteric streptococci,
      Pediococcus, and Leuconostoc.

PMID- 1424524
TI  - Cardiac transplantation: future directions.

PMID- 1424523
TI  - Ventricular/vascular interaction in health and heart failure.
AB  - In summary, the concept of aortic input impedance, which has been examined in
      detail, requires evaluation of the flow and pressure pulsations within the
      ascending aorta to determine an input impedance spectrum. This function describes
      the load imposed on the ejecting left ventricle by the systemic vasculature in
      terms of pulsatile and steady-flow components and is independent of changes in
      ventricular performance. The components contain information about the mechanical
      properties of the large vessels (elastance), arteriolar bed (resistance), and
      waves reflected (reflectance) within the arterial system. Our investigations
      indicate that in health the mechanical characteristics of the vasculature appear
      to minimize pulsatile and steady-flow loading components. The optimal loading
      pattern is influenced by aging and hypertension so that elastance is increased.
      This alteration increases the pulsatile flow component of loading, which has the
      potential to limit left ventricular responses to exercise. In patients with heart
      failure, the vascular system presents an increase in pulsatile and steady-flow
      load to the diseased left ventricle. Here the altered loading pattern is due to
      increased resistance, elastance, and reflectance. The left ventricle has a
      markedly diminished response to power output in the face of this altered vascular
      load. With vasorelaxation, all components of vascular loading decrease and result
      in markedly improved generation of left ventricular power and cardiac output.
      Recent evidence suggests that agents inducing vasorelaxation can influence
      various regions of the aorta and large vascular beds in a different manner. This
      would result in the ability to alter elastance, resistance, and reflectance
      selectively to affect pulsatile and steady-flow components of load.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1424526
TI  - Renovascular hypertension: pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapeutic options.

PMID- 1424525
TI  - Acute myocardial infarction: early diagnosis and indications for thrombolysis.

PMID- 1424527
TI  - Percutaneous balloon valvotomy for mitral stenosis.

PMID- 1424529
TI  - Cushing's syndrome.

PMID- 1424528
TI  - Risk factors in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease.

PMID- 1424530
TI  - Evaluation and treatment of swallowing disorders.

PMID- 1424531
TI  - Inflammatory bowel disease: family patterns and risk factors.

PMID- 1424532
TI  - Evaluation of patients for liver transplantation.

PMID- 1424533
TI  - Short gut syndrome--options for management.

PMID- 1424534
TI  - Tretinoin (Retin-A) therapy of photoaged skin.

PMID- 1424535
TI  - Clinical evaluation of generalized pruritus.

PMID- 1424536
TI  - Sports related skin problems.

PMID- 1424537
TI  - Behcet's disease: now you see it, now you don't.

PMID- 1424538
TI  - Applications of lasers for skin disorders.

PMID- 1424539
TI  - Cutaneous manifestations of systemic diseases.

PMID- 1424540
TI  - Use of fluoride tablets and effect on prevalence of dental caries and dental
      fluorosis.
AB  - A study was executed to investigate the relation between the use of fluoride
      tablets by children in the age period 1.5-6 yr on the one hand and the caries
      experience at the age of 6 and 15 yr and the prevalence of fluorosis at the age
      of 15 yr on the other hand. The year of birth of the child, the motivation of the
      mother to engage in preventive dental behavior, the level of her school education
      and her place of birth were taken into account as possible confounding factors. A
      significant relation was found between the use of fluoride tablets and the
      prevalence of fluorosis. The most important predicting factor for the caries
      experience of the child was the mother's motivation to engage in preventive
      dental behavior. An effect of fluoride tablets on the caries experience could not
      be demonstrated.

PMID- 1424541
TI  - Decline in caries prevalence in 6-14-year-old schoolchildren during 1975-85 in
      Shizuoka, Japan.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to examine changes in caries prevalence during 1975
      85 in Japanese schoolchildren who did not have an apparent change in fluoride
      exposure. A total of 2872 schoolchildren aged 6-14 yr in two primary schools and
      one junior high school in Shizuoka city, Japan, were examined in 1985. The caries
      prevalence in 1985 was then compared with data which had been collected in a
      longitudinal survey on schoolchildren in the same primary and junior high schools
      by Katayama in 1970-75. The results indicated that DMFT and DMFS indices in 1985
      were significantly lower than those in 1970-75 in all the examined ages (P <
      0.01). The DMFT indices at age 12 were 3.60 in 1985 and 5.47 in 1970-75.
      Remarkable decreases in DMFT at age 12 were observed in maxillary incisors (50%),
      followed by maxillary molars (24%) and mandibular molars (22%). The decline in
      caries prevalence in the examined area may be mainly attributed to several
      factors other than use of fluoride, such as changes in dietary pattern, an
      increasing dental awareness and promotion of dental health care. But the
      percentage decrease per annum of DMFT index at age of 12 in the examined
      population was relatively low (-4.1%) in comparison with other industrial
      countries. Comparing the results with data from national dental surveys, it can
      be considered that rural areas in Japan do not exhibit a similar decline of
      caries prevalence as in Shizuoka city, but there will be a lot of districts
      exhibiting significant reduction in caries prevalence in the near future.

PMID- 1424542
TI  - Prevalence of non-cavitated and cavitated carious lesions in a random sample of 7
      9-year-old schoolchildren in Montreal, Quebec.
AB  - This report describes the prevalence of non-cavitated and cavitated carious
      lesions in 911 randomly selected children in grades one through three on the
      Island of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The criteria for diagnosis were developed for
      a longitudinal epidemiological study of restorative treatment decisions by
      dentists practising under a provincial dental insurance program for children. The
      intra- and inter-examiner reliability correlation coefficients of the two
      examiners were excellent (Kappa > or = 0.80). The most frequent carious lesion
      found in the examined children were non-cavitated carious lesions (incipient)
      within 1.5 of the gingival line on smooth tooth surfaces, and stained or non
      cavitated carious lesions on pits and fissures. Out of 911 children in the study,
      19.6% had sealants. Children whose parents completed a university education had a
      significantly lower prevalence of non-cavitated and cavitated carious lesions and
      fillings, and a significantly higher mean number of sealants than children whose
      parents had only primary school education. Education status of the parents was a
      significant risk marker of children with high caries experience and these
      children had a significantly higher mean number of non-cavitated carious lesions.
      This study has found that non-cavitated carious lesions are significantly more
      prevalent than cavitated carious lesions in children.

PMID- 1424543
TI  - Risk indicators and potential risk factors for caries in 5-year-olds of different
      ethnic groups in Amsterdam.
AB  - The aim of this study was threefold: first, to assess the oral health of Turkish,
      Moroccan, Surinamese, Dutch and "other" 5-yr-old children living in Amsterdam;
      second, to identify risk indicators for caries, in addition to ethnicity; and
      third, to identify potential risk factors related to differences in caries
      experience in these children. Results showed the mean dmfs scores of Turkish and
      Moroccan children to be much higher than that of the Dutch and Surinamese
      children; 8.1 and 8.2 versus 3.6 and 3.4, respectively. The educational level of
      the parents and the gender of the children were important risk indicators, in
      addition to ethnicity. The age of the child at which the parents had started to
      brush their child's teeth, the use of fluoride tablets and the regularity of the
      brushing behavior in the past could be identified as potential risk factors.

PMID- 1424544
TI  - Relationship of microbial and salivary parameters with dental caries in Brazilian
      pre-school children.
AB  - Caries examination and collection of paraffin wax-stimulated saliva samples were
      performed in 37 children, 3-6 years old, in a child-care facility at the Vidigal
      slum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The levels of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli
      in saliva were estimated by the Cariescreen and by the Dentocult tests and the
      saliva secretion rate was determined. Statistical analysis was performed on
      surface-based and patient-based caries prevalence rates (SBCPR and PBCPR), and
      related to bacterial and salivary parameters. The results show that 31 of the 37
      children were caries active. The SBCPR for the primary dentition was 6.7% +/-
      1.0%. Occlusal surfaces were the most affected by decay. Regression analysis
      revealed that mutans streptococci salivary levels were significantly associated
      with the SBCPR (P = 0.0001). Similarly, lactobacilli salivary levels were
      significantly associated with the SBCPR (P = 0.0001). No significant association
      could be found between the saliva secretion rate and the SBCPR. When regression
      analysis was used to model dependence of the SBCPR on both organisms, the mutans
      streptococci and lactobacilli salivary levels were significantly associated with
      the SBCPRs (P = 0.0021 and 0.0118, respectively), and salivary levels of these
      organisms accounted for 57% of the SBCPR variability. These findings indicate
      that the levels of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli in saliva are
      significantly related to the SBCPRs on the primary dentition of these children.

PMID- 1424545
TI  - Restorative treatment thresholds and agreement in treatment decision-making.
AB  - It has been recognised for many years that treatment decision-making among
      dentists often shows wide variation. This study sought to examine the effect of
      dentists' stated treatment thresholds as a source of variation between them.
      Twenty dentists made 360 treatment decisions about the approximal surface of
      extracted teeth seen in simulated bitewing radiographs. They also stated their
      personal treatment thresholds, i.e. the depth of lesion which they intended to
      restore. One hundred and ninety pairwise comparisons of treatment decisions
      showed that only 16% of the dentist pairs showed substantial agreement. Dentist
      pairs who reported that they held the same interventive threshold achieved
      exactly the same mean level of agreement in treatment decision-making as dentist
      pairs who disagreed about the appropriate threshold for restorative intervention.
      The study suggests that restorative thresholds which are reported to be used by
      dentists may be poorly correlated with the number of positive treatment decisions
      actually made.

PMID- 1424546
TI  - Assessment of dental health state utilities.
AB  - The term "health state utility" implies the assigning of a numerical value to a
      state of health. Assessment of the success of health care procedures, using
      health state utilities, enables evaluation of available treatments and procedures
      in terms of differing health outcomes and therefore facilitates cost-benefit
      analyses. Although measurement of general health state utilities has become
      increasingly common in medicine using a variety of techniques, few attempts have
      as yet been made in dentistry to place valuations on different dental health
      states. The absence of tried and tested methods for measuring tooth quality make
      the benefits gained from preventive and restorative dental programmes difficult
      to quantify. The aim of this study was to assess the average utility values, held
      by a group of dentists and a group of members of the general public, for four
      different tooth states which it was hypothesised would have different values.
      These were 1) a decayed and painful posterior tooth; 2) a decayed and non-painful
      posterior tooth; 3) a posterior tooth which had been restored and would need
      further restorative treatment and 4) a permanently restored posterior tooth. A
      standard gamble questionnaire was used to elicit the utility values which were
      then substituted as "weightings" in a modified version of the "T-health" index
      (1). The results show that it is possible to assess dental health state utility
      values using the standard gamble method and that the average utility values of
      the dentists in the study were consistently higher than those of the general
      public.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1424547
TI  - A new Norwegian index of orthodontic treatment need related to orthodontic
      concern among 11-year-olds and their parents.
AB  - A new index of orthodontic treatment need was introduced in Norway in 1990. On a
      morphologic and functional basis the four groups very great (A), great (B),
      obvious (C) and little/no (D) need were defined for social insurance refunding.
      The purpose of the present study was to investigate to what extent the new index
      corresponded with orthodontic concern among potential orthodontic patients and
      their parents. Of 104 randomly selected fourth grade children, 99 (48 girls, 51
      boys, mean age 10.7 yr) presented themselves for clinical examination and
      interview. One parent was asked to accompany the child, and 93 parents attended.
      On the basis of clinical examination, morphologic measurements on study casts,
      and X-rays, the children were allocated to one of the four groups defined by the
      index. In separate questionnaires the children and the parents were asked to
      assess satisfaction with own/child's dental arrangement and desire for
      orthodontic treatment. The interview data were transformed into a composite
      measure representing orthodontic concern. The results indicated that orthodontic
      concern was significantly related to index group. For the individuals who
      expressed concern the new index seemed to be meaningful for allocation of public
      subsidies, as most individuals (85%) who expressed concern exhibited
      malocclusions fulfilling the criteria for receiving public subsidies of treatment
      costs. However, more than 50% of the individuals allocated to group B (great
      need) did not experience a need for treatment.

PMID- 1424548
TI  - A method to compare cost-effectiveness of dental treatments: adhesive bridges
      compared to conventional bridges.
AB  - The cost-effectiveness of a dental restoration depends primarily on the
      durability and the cost of the restoration. In this report a method is described
      to compare the cost-effectiveness using the durability data of adhesive bridges
      and conventional bridges. The study shows that, for the situation in the
      Netherlands, the breakeven point for equal cost-effectiveness compared to
      conventional bridges is achieved when the 50% survival for adhesive bridges is
      approximately 6.5 yr. Clinical data indicate a higher cost-effectiveness for
      anterior adhesive bridges. The method described in this report is considered to
      be useful for comparing cost-effectiveness of dental restorations in different
      situations.

PMID- 1424549
TI  - Coefficients of relationship by isonymy among oral cancer registrations in
      Scottish males.
AB  - The role of inherited susceptibility to oral cancers was studied by comparing
      groups of cancer patients and controls in terms of the coefficient of
      relationship by isonymy (Ri), both within and between Regions of mainland
      Scotland. Surname distributions for 3658 male cancer cases were derived from the
      Scottish Cancer Register for the years 1959-85. Control distributions were
      derived from a total of 32,468 male deaths in Scotland for 1976. For cancer of
      the floor of mouth, there was no evidence for increased isonymy in patients
      compared to controls and therefore no indication that familial factors contribute
      to cancer at this site. For cancer of the tongue there was a suggestion of
      increased isonymy within but not between Regions, perhaps reflecting
      environmental risk factors common to members of the same family. For cancers of
      the lip and salivary gland there was evidence of increased isonymy both within
      and to a lesser extent between Regions, suggesting a genetic contribution. There
      is corroborative evidence from other sources for a heritable component in
      salivary gland cancer but the reasons for the similar pattern of results in
      cancer of the lip are less clear.

PMID- 1424550
TI  - Incidence and severity of phenytoin-induced gingival overgrowth in epileptic
      patients in general medical practice.
AB  - This investigation examines the incidence of phenytoin-induced gingival
      overgrowth in a population of epileptic patients who attend General Medical
      Practices for treatment of their epilepsy and compares the gingival changes with
      an otherwise healthy group of patients. The plaque score, gingival index, and
      gingival overgrowth did not differ significantly between the two groups (P >
      0.05). A significant correlation was observed between plaque score and gingival
      overgrowth in the phenytoin-treated patient, but in this group there was no
      correlation between gingival overgrowth and salivary concentration of the drug.
      The overall incidence of clinically significant overgrowth (13%) is considerably
      less than in other studies.

PMID- 1424551
TI  - Remaining teeth, oral dryness and dental health habits in middle-aged Norwegian
      rheumatoid arthritis patients.
AB  - The aim of the study was to assess the effect of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) upon
      dental health. A questionnaire was mailed to all seropositive rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA) patients aged 44-56 yr in the files of the two main departments of
      rheumatology in South Eastern Norway. Data were obtained from 125 patients,
      constituting 91% of the target group. The number of remaining teeth in these
      patients was not related to disease duration or physical dysfunction, whereas a
      relationship to prolonged use of medication for pain relief was indicated.
      Factors known to affect tooth loss in the general population, such as smoking
      habits, dental attendance, interdental cleaning habits, previous dental disease,
      and place of residence were found to be important in RA patients as well. The RA
      patients from Oslo had a mean number of 25 remaining teeth, which is the same as
      reported for the general Oslo population at this age. Oral dryness was reported
      by more than 50% of the RA patients, but was not related to the number of teeth.
      The conclusion is that serious and long lasting rheumatoid arthritis had little
      influence on the number of remaining teeth in this middle-aged group of
      Norwegians.

PMID- 1424552
TI  - Oral health conditions and denture treatment needs in institutionalized elderly
      people in Japan.
AB  - Oral health conditions, including dental conditions, temporomandibular joint
      (TMJ) conditions, denture status, and oral hygiene status, were assessed on 1908
      institutionalized elderly people 65 yr of age and older at 29 of the 30 existing
      institutions in the city of Kitakyushu, Japan. The percentage of edentulous
      people was 27% in the 65-74-yr-old group, and increased with age to 56% in the 85
      yr and older group. In dentate persons, the mean number of remaining teeth and DF
      teeth were 13.4 and 8.6, 9.5 and 6.8, and 8.4 and 6.5 in the groups aged 65-74 yr
      old, 75-84 yr old, and 85 yr and older, respectively. 81% of all the persons
      examined had no unusual symptoms in their TMJ. A clicking sound was the most
      frequent symptom (17%). Hygiene of both their teeth and dentures was very poor.
      Of all the subjects, 36% needed new full and/or partial denture(s), and 41%
      needed only repair. When the institutionalized elderly people were compared
      according to their general health condition, no clear differences were observed
      in percentage of edentulousness, mean number of remaining teeth and DF teeth, and
      TMJ conditions. However, a higher level of both untreated teeth and denture
      treatment needs, and poorer oral hygiene, was found in elderly people having poor
      general health than was observed in those with better health.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1424553
TI  - Prognosis of overdenture abutments in the aged: effect of denture wearing habits.
AB  - The effect of denture wearing habits was studied in 35 overdenture wearers (20
      day-and-night wearers, 15 day-wearers) during a period of 3 yr with controlled
      oral hygiene. Prior to prosthetic treatment intensive instruction and motivation
      in oral hygiene were carried out and the patients were recalled 2-4 times yearly
      during the study period. Before treatment mean Plaque Index (PlI) and Gingival
      Index (GI) were 1.5 and 1.6, respectively, in both groups of patients. At day 0,
      1 yr, 2 yr and 3 yr mean PlI and GI were 0.3-0.5 and 0.6-0.8, respectively, in
      the group of day-wearers and 0.5-1.0 and 1.0-1.2, respectively, in the group of
      day-and-night wearers. This difference was statistically significant.
      Furthermore, during the study period 16% of the abutment tooth surfaces showed
      attachment loss (1-4 mm) in the group of day-and-night wearers against 7% of the
      tooth surfaces in the group of day-wearers. This difference was statistically
      significant. During the 3 yr 36 carious lesions developed in the group of day-and
      night wearers, but none in the group of day-wearers. The results of this study
      have shown that day-and-night wearing of dentures is a major periodontitis and
      caries risk factor in complete overdenture wearers with controlled oral hygiene.

PMID- 1424554
TI  - Joint epidemiological survey on dental health of 12-year-old school children in
      Dublin and Glasgow.

PMID- 1424555
TI  - Trends of caries prevalence and experience in children in Chengdu City, West
      China, 1982-1990.

PMID- 1424556
TI  - Periodontal treatment need of the Dutch 15-74-year-old population.

PMID- 1424557
TI  - Prevalence of recurrent caries in three adult communities in Poland.

PMID- 1424558
TI  - Observations on production of hemolysin, heat-labile enterotoxin and
      antimicrobial drug resistance among enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli from pigs.
AB  - A total of 52 isolates of Escherichia coli belonging to enterotoxigenic serotypes
      from piglets with diarrhea were examined for hemolysis, production of cholera
      like enterotoxin (LT) and susceptibility to 10 antimicrobial drugs. A strong
      association between production of LT and hemolysis was seen. Ninety percent of 29
      hemolylic isolates were LT+ whereas 100% of 23 nonhemolytic isolates were LT- in
      a commercial latex agglutination assay. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests
      employing disc diffusion showed that resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole
      (TMS), neomycin and tetracycline was significantly less among LT+ isolates
      compared to LT- ones. Enrofloxacin was the only antimicrobial drug to which all
      the 52 isolates were susceptible.

PMID- 1424559
TI  - Epidemiology of an outbreak of leptospirosis in man and dog.
AB  - An outbreak of leptospirosis in man and dog occurred during the monsoon in Madras
      city, India. 48 (50.5%) of the 95 human sera tested were positive for
      leptospirosis. Of these, 32 showed the presence of agglutinin to serovar
      icterohaemorrhagiae. 20 (21.3%) of the 94 canine sera tested were positive for
      leptospirosis. Of these, 10 had agglutinins to serovar icterohaemorrhagiae and 9
      to serovar canicola. Among murine reservoirs, 8 (25%) of 32 rat sera and 10
      (41.6%) of 24 bandicoot sera were positive. Bandicoot and rat sera contained 70
      and 50% of agglutinins to serovar icterohaemorrhagiae, respectively. Urine
      culture lead to isolate a icterohaemorrhagiae strain from a patient and a
      canicola one from a dog. The changing trends of epidemiology in the transmission
      of leptospirosis to man and dog has been discussed.

PMID- 1424560
TI  - Change in interleukin 2 production by lymphocytes during maturation of young
      cats.
AB  - Lymphocytes from four specific-pathogen free cats were tested for their
      interleukin 2 activity every week beginning when the cats were 12 weeks old and
      ending when they were 26 weeks old. Lymphocytes from cats > or = 20 weeks old
      released significantly more interleukin 2 than those obtained from these cats at
      earlier ages when stimulated with calcium ionophore A23187 and phorbol myristate
      acetate. The change of interleukin 2 levels with maturation of young cats may
      represent an important difference in their level of defense to infections with
      various pathogens.

PMID- 1424561
TI  - A cytotonic, cholera toxin-like protein produced by Campylobacter jejuni.
AB  - 1. Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of gastroenteric infection. 2. This
      organism appears to produce both cytotonic and cytotoxic virulence factors. 3. We
      report here that culture filtrates of some clinical isolates of C. jejuni induce
      elongation of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in vitro but do not cause
      inhibition of fluid absorption in the rat ileum. 4. These culture filtrates
      contain low levels of a protein which cross-reacts immunologically with the
      cholera toxin. 5. The cholera toxin-like protein of C. jejuni behaved identically
      to cholera toxin on non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. 6. Under
      denaturing conditions, however, this protein displayed no subunit structure and a
      molecular weight of approximately 50 kDa with many higher molecular weight
      aggregates. 7. In conclusion, isolates of C. jejuni produced small amounts of
      enterotoxin when grown in vitro. 8. The toxin cross-reacted immunologically with
      cholera toxin and has a similar native structure, but does not appear to possess
      subunits.

PMID- 1424562
TI  - Isolation of lactose-binding lectins from axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum).
AB  - 1. Lactose-inhibitable hemagglutination activity was identified in extracts of
      axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) larvae. 2. Two types of lectin were isolated from
      extracts by affinity chromatography on lactose-Sepharose. 3. A thiol-independent
      lectin of subunit mol. wt 15 kDa and a thiol-dependent lectin of subunit mol. wt
      18 kDa were identified. 4. The 15 kDa and a 18 kDa polypeptides were weakly
      reactive with polyclonal anti-human galaptin serum.

PMID- 1424563
TI  - Enzymological studies of melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) and related
      analogues.
AB  - 1. Salmon melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) is a cyclic heptadecapeptide
      possessing the following primary structure: Asp-Thr-Met-Arg-Cys-Met-Val-Gly-Arg
      Val-Tyr-Arg-Pro-Cys-Trp-Glu-Val. 2. In the fish, Synbranchus marmoratus, skin
      bioassay MCH5-15 is equipotent to MCH whereas MCH5-14, which comprises only the
      ring structure, is about 100-fold less active. 3. MCH and two fragment analogues,
      MCH5-15 and MCH5-14, were studied to determine their relative stability in the
      presence of fish serum and purified proteolytic enzymes, trypsin and alpha
      chymotrypsin. 4. After 4 hr incubation in fish serum, MCH5-15 retained 1/100,
      MCH5-14 1/1000 and MCH only 6/1000 of the potency of the native hormone. 5. The
      three peptides were also very resistant to degradation by purified proteolytic
      enzymes involving the following relative order of resistance: MCH5-14 > MCH5-15 >
      MCH. MCH5-14 potency was not altered after a 1 hr incubation in either enzyme
      whereas MCH retained 1/10 and 4/100 of its original potency, and MCH5-15 retained
      1/10 and 8/10 of its original potency, after 1 hr in trypsin and alpha
      chymotrypsin, respectively.

PMID- 1424564
TI  - Inhibitory effect of sulfhydryl group on Ca(2+)-ATPase activity in the plasma
      membrane-rich fraction from bovine parotid gland.
AB  - 1. The present study demonstrated that the Ca(2+)-ATPase activity of the plasma
      membrane-rich fraction from bovine parotid gland was decreased by the addition of
      reducing agents. 2. Ca(2+)-ATPase activity staining on SDS-PAGE gels was lost in
      the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. 3. Among all the reducing agents tested, GSH
      was the most effective in inhibiting Ca(2+)-ATPase. 4. The Ca(2+)-ATPase activity
      decreased by the GSH was restored by the addition of an oxidizing reagent.
      However, oxidation with an oxidizing reagent subsequent to alkylation of the
      reduced enzyme with iodoacetamide resulted in no restoration of activity. 5. The
      decrease of Ca(2+)-ATPase activity by GSH is due to a decrease in the Vmax of the
      enzyme. 6. These results suggest that the disulfide bond in this enzyme protein
      is necessary to maintain the activity of this enzyme.

PMID- 1424565
TI  - Presence of D-aspartate oxidase and free D-aspartate in amphibian (Xenopus
      laevis, Cynops pyrrhogaster) tissues.
AB  - 1. This paper is the first report on the presence of D-aspartate oxidase activity
      and free D-aspartate in the amphibian tissues. 2. The presence of D-aspartate
      oxidase activity in tissues of clawed toad (Xenopus laevis) and Japanese newt
      (Cynops pyrrhogaster) was demonstrated by requirements for enzyme activity,
      selective inhibition with meso-tartrate and substrate specificity. 3. In each
      animal, the highest activity was found in kidney, followed by liver and brain,
      and no gender difference in the specific activity was observed in each tissue. 4.
      A small but significant amount of D-aspartate was detected in liver and kidney,
      irrespective of species. 5. In the newt, there was a gender difference in the
      hepatic and renal content of D-aspartate and not in the D-/D+L-aspartate ratio.

PMID- 1424566
TI  - Differential expression of the platelet-derived growth factor-A and -B genes
      during maturation of monocytes to macrophages.
AB  - 1. Regulation of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-A and -B gene expression
      was studied using resting monocytes, in vitro matured monocytes and alveolar
      macrophages. 2. Resting monocytes constitutively transcribed both PDGF-A and -B
      genes. When monocytes matured to macrophages in vitro, the transcription rates of
      both genes increased markedly. 3. Consistent with the transcription rates,
      resting monocytes constitutively expressed both PDGF-A and -B mRNAs.
      Interestingly, the PDGF-B mRNA levels increased markedly after the maturation,
      whereas the PDGF-A mRNA did not change. 4. Alveolar macrophages constitutively
      transcribed both PDGF-A and -B genes at almost the same rates. However, these
      cells contained 5-fold more PDGF-B mRNA than PDGF-A mRNA. 5. Immunohistochemical
      study using anti-PDGF-AA and anti-PDGF-BB antibodies suggested that PDGF-BB
      homodimers were more abundant than -AA homodimers or -AB heterodimers in alveolar
      macrophages and in vitro matured monocytes. 6. Together these observations
      indicate that in vitro matured monocytes and alveolar macrophages preferentially
      express PDGF-B mRNA and produce PDGF-BB homodimers, despite the equal
      transcription rates for both PDGF-A and -B genes.

PMID- 1424567
TI  - Arginase distribution in tissues of domestic animals.
AB  - 1. A new colorimetric method was used for determination of arginase in different
      tissues of some domestic animals. 2. In all species studied liver was the richest
      source of arginase. 3. Significant differences were observed in the specific
      activity of arginase in livers from different species. 4. In all species, besides
      liver, kidney and brain also contained significant levels of arginase. 5. In the
      dog, in addition to the three organs mentioned above, lung, heart, spleen and
      skeletal muscle showed some arginase activity. 6. In sheep and cattle significant
      arginase activity was observed in the rumen. No differences were observed between
      epithelial and muscular layers of different parts of digestive system in all
      species studied. 7. These results are discussed in terms of the possible role of
      arginase in different tissues of animals.

PMID- 1424568
TI  - Comparison of sex steroid hormone-dependent induction of chick oviduct delta
      aminolaevulinic acid dehydratase during primary and secondary stimulation.
AB  - 1. A comparative study on primary and secondary stimulation of oviduct delta
      aminolaevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) (EC 4.2.1.24) was carried out with
      oestradiol-17 beta and/or testosterone administration in immature female chickens
      during 15-day-primary stimulation, 20-day-withdrawal and 15-day-secondary
      stimulation periods. 2. Compared with primary stimulation in oestrogenized birds,
      synthesis and degradation rates of oviduct ALAD molecule during secondary
      stimulation increased 3.4- and 1.8-fold respectively, resulting in a rapid
      induction of the enzyme. 3. Specific activity of oviduct ALAD in oestradiol-plus
      testosterone treated birds became significantly higher than that of oestradiol
      alone during secondary stimulation, whereas no significant changes were observed
      during primary stimulation.

PMID- 1424569
TI  - Effect of adenine metabolites on survival of Drosophila melanogaster of low
      xanthine dehydrogenase activity.
AB  - 1. Low xanthine dehydrogenase (LXD) mutant Drosophila melanogaster were fed 0.2%
      adenine for 7 generations, no adenine for the next 2 generations (relaxed) and
      0.2% adenine again for the next 3 generations (rechallenged) to obtain adenine
      resistant lines of Drosophila (LXD-adenine). Flies grown without adenine served
      as LXD-controls. 2. Purines ranked as follows; adenine > adenosine > AMP >
      inosine > IMP in decreasing order of toxicity to LXD-adenine flies. 3. Addition
      of ribose to 9N position, or phosphate or carboxy to 6C position of the purine
      ring alleviated the toxicity. 4. More LXD-adenine offspring survived than did LXD
      control offspring rechallenged with adenine.

PMID- 1424570
TI  - Postnatal development of hepatic xanthine oxidase in baby pigs and turnover of
      purine catabolites at reduced ambient temperature.
AB  - 1. The activity of xanthine oxidase in liver samples of baby pigs up to 4 weeks
      of age was investigated. On the 3rd day of life the turnover of hypoxanthine and
      of uric acid were measured after intravenous injection of 3H- and 14C-labelled
      tracers into animals kept at normal (32 degrees C) and reduced (20 degrees C)
      ambient temperature. 2. Hepatic xanthine oxidase activity increased progressively
      from 2 to 28 days of age (r = 0.689; P < 0.001). The increase of Vmax and of KM
      within 3-4 weeks was about 4.5-fold. 3. In 3-day-old baby pigs kept at normal
      temperature, pool size and turnover was about 10-fold higher for hypoxanthine
      than for uric acid. 4. At reduced ambient temperature, the pool size of uric acid
      increased 3.9-fold (P < 0.01) and turnover 1.6-fold (P < 0.05). For hypoxanthine
      the increases were insignificant.

PMID- 1424571
TI  - Effects of a new calf thymus protein on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase
      activity in rat (Rattus bubalus) hepatocyte cells (BRL-3A).
AB  - 1. In a previous paper we described the purification steps of a new calf thymus
      protein able to activate the LDL receptor catabolism. 2. In this paper we examine
      the modulatory effect of this new calf thymus protein on 3HMG-CoA reductase
      activity in rat hepatocyte cells to better clarify the role of this protein on
      cholesterol metabolism. 3. The results obtained show that the calf thymus protein
      inhibits the HMG-CoA reductase, and support the hypothesis that the activation of
      LDL receptor catabolism is mediated by a decreased amount of cellular cholesterol
      following HMG-CoA reductase inhibition.

PMID- 1424572
TI  - Evidence for melanogenesis in the retinal pigment epithelium of adult cattle and
      golden hamster.
AB  - 1. The ultrastructure of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of adult Syrian
      golden hamsters and cattle was examined with respect to pigment granules and
      phagosomes involved in degradation of disk membranes from rod outer segments. 2.
      In the RPE of cattle, phagosomes were found that contained an electron-dense
      melanin-like material that was not autofluorescent and therefore not lipofuscin.
      3. Disk membranes of rods are about 4 nm thick and become enlarged (7-20 nm) and
      electron-dense during degradation in the RPE. 4. Additionally electron-dense
      vesiculo-globular bodies (10-100 nm) were found in phagosomes during disk
      membrane degradation and in mature melanin granules. 5. In the RPE of adult
      hamsters that had been exposed to intense light, premelanosomes containing
      unmelanised filaments with a striated periodicity were found in the cytoplasm or
      in association with mature melanin granules. Early and late stage melanosomes
      were also present. Phagosomes in the RPE contained degraded disk membranes,
      melanin-like material and melanofilaments. 6. Dopa oxidase was detected
      ultrastructurally within shed disk membranes that were in close contact with the
      microvilli of the RPE. 7. The possibility of melanogenesis within phagosomes
      during disk membrane degradation is discussed.

PMID- 1424573
TI  - Physical studies of the hemocyanin of the marine gastropod, Kelletia kelleti
      (Forbes).
AB  - 1. The hemocyanin of the Californian whelk, Kelletia kelleti, investigated at pH
      and ionic conditions close to physiological, has a molecular weight close to 9.0
      x 10(6) and a sedimentation constant of 114S, characteristic of the di-decameric
      structure of molluscan hemocyanins. Light-scattering measurements at pH 8.0, 0.05
      M Mg2+, 0.01 M Ca2+ gave a molecular weight of 9.0 +/- 0.6 x 10(6), and scanning
      transmission electron microscopy produced nearly the same particle mass of 9.22
      +/- 0.50 x 10(6) daltons (Da). 2. Light-scattering measurements on the fully
      dissociated monomers in the presence of 8.0 M urea and at pHs 10.6 and 11.0 gave
      molecular weights of 4.50 x 10(5)-4.91 x 10(5), that are close to one-twentieth
      of the mass of the parent di-decameric hemocyanin assembly. 3. Changes in pH
      produced a bell-shaped molecular weight profile, with molecular weights close to
      9.0 x 10(6) in the pH region of about 5.5-8.0, and progressive dissociation to
      4.5 x 10(5) Da monomers in the region below pH 4.0 and above pH 9.0 or 10,
      depending on the absence or presence of stabilizing Mg2+ ions (0.01 M). 4. In the
      absence of divalent ions some aggregation of hemocyanin was found at pHs close to
      5.0, with observed molecular weights above 10 x 10(6) (investigated at a
      hemocyanin concentration of 0.10 g/l). The early studies of Condie and Langer
      (Science 144, 1138-1140, 1964) had shown that Kelletia kelleti hemocynanin
      aggregates at acidic pHs close to the isoelectric point, forming linear polymers
      of the hemocyanin di-decamers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1424574
TI  - Seasonal changes in the activity of rhodanese in frog (Rana temporaria) liver.
AB  - 1. The investigators studied annual changes in rhodanese activity in mitochondria
      and cytosol of frog liver cells (Rana temporaria) and found that the value of the
      enzyme-specific activity was higher in mitochondria than in cytosol, showing
      significant seasonal fluctuations. 2. The character of changes in the rhodanese
      activity in mitochondria, regardless of the sex of the studied animal, was
      demonstrated to be dependent upon the seasonal changes in frog thyroid gland
      function. 3. In the supernatant fraction of R. temporaria liver homogenate,
      seasonal changes of rhodanese specific activity seemed to be related to changes
      in hepatic function.

PMID- 1424575
TI  - Preparation of unsaturated disaccharides by eliminative cleavage of heparin and
      heparan sulfate with heparitinases.
AB  - 1. Six kinds of unsaturated disaccharides were prepared by enzymatic digestion of
      heparin and heparan sulfate with heparitinases I0 and IV, and subsequent column
      chromatography. They were identified by HPLC showing good separation from each
      other. 2. The content of each unsaturated disaccharide fraction was determined
      colorimetrically, and found to range from 130.7 to 722.3 mumol. 3. Molecular
      extinction coefficient of each unsaturated disaccharide was calculated from
      absorbance at a wavelength of around 230 nm where a peak appeared on the
      ultraviolet spectrum of each disaccharide solution at pH 2. The values varied
      from 6000 to 6600.

PMID- 1424576
TI  - A network thermodynamic model of the concentrating properties of the rabbit/rat
      kidney in the steady state using the electronic network simulation program SPICE.
AB  - A model for the simulation of the diluting and concentrating properties of the
      rabbit and rat kidney is developed. Translation of the physical model into an
      electronic one brings the model into a form that can be handled by the electronic
      network simulation program SPICE. The steady state responses of both kidneys to
      various inputs are calculated under certain conditions.

PMID- 1424578
TI  - Real-time abdominal fetal ECG recording using a hardware correlator.
AB  - A real-time fetal ECG monitoring system using abdominal recording is presented.
      The system is based on an IBM AT compatible personal computer. The computer lacks
      the performance required for real-time analysis. Therefore, a new design of a
      fast hardware correlator board was developed to enhance the computer throughput.
      The technique is based on a cross-correlation procedure. An averaged maternal ECG
      waveform is derived using the cross-correlation function for the waveform's
      alignment. With this procedure a template signal corresponding to one complete
      maternal ECG is obtained. The averaged maternal ECG is then subtracted from the
      abdominal signals. Thus, it is possible to detect all the fetal ORS complexes in
      spite of their coincidence with the maternal ECG. An average fetal ECG is then
      extracted to improve the signal-to-noise ratio, making it possible to recognize
      fetal P and T waves.

PMID- 1424577
TI  - A computer model for the study of electrical current flow in the human thorax.
AB  - Electrocardiography has played an important role in the detection and
      characterization of heart function, both in normal and abnormal states. In this
      paper we present an inhomogeneous, anisotropic computer model of the human thorax
      for use in electrocardiography with emphasis on the calculation of transthoracic
      potential and current distributions. Knowledge of the current pathways in the
      thorax has many applications in electrocardiography and has direct utility in
      studies pertaining to cardiac defibrillation, forward and inverse problems,
      impedance tomography, and electrode placement in electrocardiography.

PMID- 1424579
TI  - Treatment time for Amersham caesium-137 manual afterloading system.
AB  - Currently, the Amersham caesium-137 afterloading system is widely used for
      gynecological treatment of tumors in uterine cervix. This paper introduces an
      expert system to determine the time of exposure of an Amersham afterloading
      system based on different combinations of applicator sources. The efficiency of
      the expert system achieves 93% of the clinical decisions taken by physicians. It
      is evaluated by both the experimental results and the actual clinical decisions.

PMID- 1424580
TI  - Simple SAS macros for the calculation of exact binomial and Poisson confidence
      limits.
AB  - Statistical analysis using confidence intervals is now a preferred approach in
      the medical literature, and confidence limits for binomial proportions and
      Poisson counts are commonly required. Normal approximations of varying accuracy
      are often used in such situations and it is not generally realised that non
      iterative exact solutions are available. This paper shows that the exact binomial
      and Poisson confidence limits can be expressed very simply in terms of the
      inverse beta and inverse gamma distributions, and describes two macros in the SAS
      programming language to perform the computations. The exact solutions are
      compared with some approximations and further applications of the techniques are
      described.

PMID- 1424581
TI  - Reuleaux triangle somatocharts.
AB  - The three-numeral somatotype index to quantitatively represent human body type
      has gained general acceptance since being proposed in 1940. The two-dimensional
      Reuleaux triangle somatochart has been a customary format for graphically
      representing three-dimensional somatotype data. This paper presents the
      traditional, quick plot somatochart, the rationale for development of the Health
      Carter 1980 somatochart with scaled axes and, based on that rationale, a proposal
      for a somatochart utilizing a traditional x, y-coordinate axis system. Two
      completed somatocharts are presented; one showing mean somatotypes of collegiate
      rugby, football and soccer players, and another depicting phenotypic changes in
      somatotype after diet and exercise.

PMID- 1424582
TI  - Evaluating agreement between two methods for measuring the same quantity: a
      response.
AB  - A method comparison study is typically concerned with evaluating the agreement
      between a "new" method against an "established" method for measuring the same
      quantity. Various statistical indices have been advocated for measuring the
      extent to which two methods give identical readings, that is, absolute method
      agreement. This article scrutinizes two contending statistical indices, the
      intraclass correlation and the "limits of agreement", for measuring absolute
      method agreement, and found neither index to be without deficiency.
      Notwithstanding, each index can serve a useful role in quantitating method
      agreement in carefully considered situations.

PMID- 1424583
TI  - An on-line data acquisition microcomputer: system for monitoring physiological
      variables during rest and exercise.

PMID- 1424584
TI  - Clinical, immunological and bacteriological evaluation of adverse reactions to
      skin-penetrating titanium implants in the head and neck region.
AB  - Between 1977 and October 1989, 445 patients have been treated with bone-anchored
      skin-penetrating titanium implants for anchorage of facial prostheses or bone
      conducting hearing aids, at the Ear, Nose and Throat Department at Sahlgren's
      Hospital in Gothenburg. The majority of patients had no adverse skin reactions,
      while a few patients were responsible for the majority of the adverse reactions.
      The aim of our study was to analyse differences between these groups. We started
      a clinical study on 9 patients with a clinical history of adverse skin reactions
      around the titanium implants and 9 patients without adverse skin reactions were
      used as controls. None of the patients had delayed hypersensitivity to titanium.
      Microbiological analyses showed that when there was clinical irritation,
      Staphylococcus aureus could be isolated.

PMID- 1424585
TI  - Contact dermatitis from telefax paper.
AB  - A nonatopic female secretary developed hand dermatitis after 1 year of full-time
      work with telefax paper. Her dermatitis improved on sick leave and vacation and
      relapsed at work. Patch testing showed allergic reactions to several fragrances,
      balsam of Peru, colophony and neomycin. In 3 patch test sessions, her own telefax
      papers gave a doubtful reaction which persisted for 4 days, but it could not be
      determined whether the reactions were allergic or irritant. The colophony content
      of the telefax paper was about 1%, and it was possible that colophony in the
      telefax paper was responsible for the weak path test reactions. Accordingly, the
      contact dermatitis would have been allergic. The patient has now been relocated,
      does not handle telefax paper, and is symptomless. We concluded that our patient
      had an occupational hand contact dermatitis induced by telefax paper and possibly
      caused by colophony allergy.

PMID- 1424586
TI  - Study of dose-response relationship in contact sensitivity using an in vitro
      assay.
AB  - Dose-response relationships in contact sensitivity were evaluated in guinea pigs
      using an in vitro assay. Guinea pigs were sensitized with different doses of 1
      chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB) and challenged with DNCB and 2,4-dinitrobenzene
      sulfonic salt (DNBS). Lymph node cells from sensitized and control guinea pigs
      were cultured in the presence of different doses of DNCB and DNBS at 8 x 10(5)
      cells/well, respectively. The sensitivity was evaluated by the lymphocyte
      transformation test (LTT), which was assessed by uptake of 3H-thymidine. The
      results indicated that there were significant correlations between the doses of
      sensitizers and the values of LTT in both phases of induction and challenge.
      Thus, the presence of higher numbers of LTT-reactive lymphocytes in the
      circulation may well correlate with the sensitizing doses. The values examined by
      in vitro assay correlated well with patch test readings (r = 0.653), indicating
      that following the increment of degree of patch test reactions, the values of SI
      were also increased. The in vitro LTT may discriminate between positive patch
      test reactions and negative or doubtful reactions, but not between weak positive
      and strong positive reactions. The in vitro assay reproduced the cross-reaction
      between DNCB and DNBS which was confirmed in vivo.

PMID- 1424587
TI  - Sensitization to azo dyes: negative patch tests to yellow and red azo dyes in
      printed paper.
AB  - An over 2 x fold increase in para-aminoazobenzene allergy was observed in
      patients with allergic contact dermatitis during the years 1990-1991. Presuming
      that an increase in colour-printed newspapers might be a new unrecognized source
      of clinical allergy to azo dyes, patch tests were performed in 32 patients with
      an established p-aminoazobenzene allergy using a series of important azo dyes
      used in offset printing ink (Pigment Yellow 12, Pigment Yellow 13, Pigment Red
      53, Pigment Red 57), as well as with dye-containing inks and specimens of colour
      printed newspaper containing these azo dyes. In 25 out of the 32 patients (78%),
      positive patch tests were seen to textile azo dyes, in particular to Disperse
      Orange 3 (24 patients). In none of the 32 patients were reactions observed to the
      azo dyes used in printing ink, to the inks used or to the colour-printed paper
      specimens, indicating that these products were apparently not a cause of contact
      dermatitis in our group of patients with azo dye sensitization.

PMID- 1424589
TI  - Electrical impedance applied to non-invasive detection of irritation in skin.
AB  - Healthy volunteers were subjected to irritation by sodium lauryl sulphate at
      concentrations in the range 0.002% to 5.0% applied in Finn Chambers for 24 h.
      Test sites were visually assessed 1 h and 24 h after cessation of exposure. At
      the same times electrical impedance was measured with a new impedance device
      which allows non-invasive local measurements to a controlled depth. Close
      agreement between concentration and an irritation index calculated from
      electrical impedance parameters was found over the whole concentration range for
      most test persons. At concentrations below 0.2%, visual scores were zero. These
      results suggest that electrical impedance can be used as an objective tool to
      record irritation, and further that electrical impedance might be a more
      sensitive method than the commonly used visual readings.

PMID- 1424588
TI  - Allergic contact dermatitis from formaldehyde. A case study focussing on sources
      of formaldehyde exposure.
AB  - Formaldehyde is a common contact allergen. The prognosis of formaldehyde
      sensitive patients is generally considered to be bad because of widespread
      exposure to formaldehyde. 11 patients with eczema and a positive patch test to
      formaldehyde were interviewed by a dermatologist and a toxicologist/chemist and
      instructed to fill in a questionnaire on exposure to chemical products. The
      content of formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers in such products was examined
      using the database of the Danish Product Register (PROBAS) and by supplemental
      inquiries of manufacturers or importers. All the patients used one or more
      products containing formaldehyde or formaldehyde releasers. Sources of exposure
      were cosmetics and personal care products, dishwashing liquids, water-based
      paints, photographic products, etc. Patients were advised to use alternatives to
      those products containing formaldehyde or formaldehyde releasers. The status of
      10 out of the 11 patients' eczema at follow-up was about 1/3 healed, 1/3 improved
      and in 1/3 no change. When the relevance of positive patch test reactions to
      formaldehyde was based on information obtained on exposure, a very high rate of
      current relevance was found. Computerized data on product composition allows the
      screening of products for contact allergens and also generates lists of contact
      allergens indicated for patch testing, based on the patients' own products.

PMID- 1424590
TI  - Contact sensitivity to flavourings and perfumes in atopic dermatitis.
AB  - 16 children with atopic dermatitis and 4 nonatopics were skin tested with
      flavourings and perfumes. Immediate reactions to balsam of Peru and fragrance-mix
      were found in 9 atopics, and none among nonatopics. An irritant is more probable
      than an immunologic mechanism. Allergen solutions should probably be assayed at a
      lower concentration in atopic patients. This study points to a possible
      aggravating factor from perfumes and flavourings ingested, inhaled, or used as
      cosmetics.

PMID- 1424591
TI  - Oscar Wilde's skin disease: allergic contact dermatitis?
AB  - During the last years of his life, Oscar Wilde (1856-1900) suffered from a
      suppurating otitis media as well as from an unidentified skin disease. The
      eruption was localized to his face, arms, chest and back and itched severely. A
      new theory is suggested, based on the fact that Wilde almost certainly used a dye
      to conceal his rapidly graying hair. He sensitized himself to p-phenylenediamine
      and developed a stubborn allergic contact dermatitis. Patch testing, the only
      proof of such a diagnosis, had not yet been devised.

PMID- 1424592
TI  - Photocontact dermatitis from ketoprofen with cross-reactivity to ibuproxam.

PMID- 1424593
TI  - Allergic contact dermatitis from coal tar.

PMID- 1424594
TI  - Contact sensitization due to isophoronediamine.

PMID- 1424595
TI  - Allergic contact dermatitis due to phenol-formaldehyde resins in a knee-guard.

PMID- 1424596
TI  - A survey of skin problems in day-care workers.

PMID- 1424597
TI  - Occupational dermatitis in a ewe milker.

PMID- 1424598
TI  - Contact allergy to budesonide in a nasal spray.

PMID- 1424599
TI  - Systemic contact allergy from occupational contact with ethyl ethoxymethylene
      cyanoacetate.

PMID- 1424600
TI  - Contact dermatitis from crotamiton.

PMID- 1424601
TI  - Studies of the quenching phenomenon.

PMID- 1424602
TI  - Erythema induced by organic solvents: in vivo evaluation of oxygenized and
      deoxygenized haemoglobin by reflectance spectroscopy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: (i) using a new non-invasive technique capable of evaluating
      quantitatively and qualitatively the haemoglobin content of the skin (ii) to
      evaluate delipidization induced by organic solvents. PATIENTS: 11 Caucasians
      treated for 1 min in a randomized manner on the volar forearm with a mixture of
      chloroform/methanol (2:1) (CM) and ether/acetone (1:1) (EA) to delipidize the
      skin. METHOD: erythema was evaluated by computerized remittance spectroscopy
      immediately after delipidization and hourly for 2 h. RESULTS: only CM application
      induced subjectively observed and objectively quantified erythema. Erythema was
      related to a significant increase in oxygenized haemoglobin content due to
      dilatation of arterioles in the subpapillary plexus (P less than 0.01). The
      increased blood flow induced a significant (P less than 0.01) reduction in de
      oxygenized haemoglobin in venous vessels immediately after CM application.
      CONCLUSION: short contact with certain potent solvent mixtures causes erythema,
      possibly due to massive lipid extraction and damage of the skin barrier. Using
      computerized remittance spectroscopy the visible erythema was composed of an
      increase in oxygenized haemoglobin and a relative decrease in deoxygenized
      haemoglobin.

PMID- 1424603
TI  - Clinical manifestations and antibiotic treatment of Lyme disease.
AB  - As the incidence of Lyme disease increases in Connecticut and world-wide,
      considerable attention has been given to its prompt diagnosis and treatment.
      Creating further interest in this infection is the awareness that inappropriate
      therapy may result in significant disabling sequelae many years later. In this
      review, we focus mainly on current treatment options, but stress that the
      recommendations may change appreciably, as more information appears on the
      efficacy of new antibiotics.

PMID- 1424604
TI  - Pulmonary carcinosarcoma: report of a case with unusual histologic features.
AB  - An unusual case of a 56-year-old male with carcinosarcoma of the lung containing
      three malignant mesenchymal elements is reported. The clinical, radiographic,
      gross, and immunohistochemical findings are presented. The theories addressing
      the histogenesis of carcinosarcoma are discussed with special emphasis on the
      findings in this case.

PMID- 1424606
TI  - A country doctor in Connecticut medicine and politics: William L. Higgins. 1867
      1951.

PMID- 1424605
TI  - Repeat coronary artery bypass: a seven-year experience.
AB  - Repeat coronary artery bypass (RCAB) procedures were performed on 323 patients
      from March 1984 through December 1990. The mean interval between bypass
      operations was 7.8 years. The operative mortality rate was 4.6%; six of the 15
      deaths (40%) occurred in the operating room. Fourteen of the 15 operative deaths
      (93.3%) were cardiac, all but one of which were due to ventricular failure.
      Follow-up data for 83 of 91 (91.2%) patients at least five years following RCAB
      show that 64 (77.1%) are still alive, 39 (60.9%) of whom remain free of cardiac
      symptoms. Findings in this report, which are notably consistent with those of
      previous reports, are a significantly higher operative mortality rate and higher
      risk of death in the operating room in patients undergoing repeat bypass compared
      with those having initial coronary artery bypass. The challenge of reducing the
      mortality risk following coronary reoperation is discussed in this report.

PMID- 1424607
TI  - The realities of health care reform.

PMID- 1424608
TI  - Confidentiality and the HIV-positive patient.

PMID- 1424609
TI  - Financial aspects of the provision of care to AIDS patients at Hartford Hospital.
AB  - Data on the provision of care to persons with AIDS at Hartford Hospital are
      presented for the years 1988 and 1989. Approximately 2% of the total operating
      loss from uncompensated care at the hospital was due to patients with AIDS during
      both of those years. While the hospital continues to show a net surplus of
      revenues over expenses, the operating loss incurred by the hospital for the
      provision of care to hospitalized case-definition AIDS patients increased by
      88.1% between 1988 and 1989.

PMID- 1424610
TI  - Hageman factor deficiency presentation and implications for management.
AB  - One of the more fascinating aspects of patient management arises when dealing
      with coagulation disorders. Factor XII deficiency, first described by Ratnoff in
      1968, is one such coagulation disorder which provides some interesting challenges
      in management. Factor XII deficiency has been shown to be an inherited autosomal
      recessive disorder. The presence of Hageman factor abnormality trait can be
      clinically suspected in a patient with a prolonged activated partial
      thromboplastin time (APTT), normal prothrombin time (PT), normal bleeding time,
      and no clinical history of bleeding. Once suspected, the deficiency can be
      confirmed by normalization of partial thromboplastin time (PTT) with normal aged
      plasma and by factor assay. The importance of understanding the mechanism of
      factor XII deficiency has clinical significance when attempts are made to
      heparinize individuals who have this deficiency. Three methods can be used to
      monitor therapy: the chromogenic heparin assay, the citrated thrombin time, and
      the recalcified thrombin time. Two cases are presented.

PMID- 1424611
TI  - Risk management alert: a summary of perinatal cases.
AB  - Connecticut Medical Insurance Company (CMIC) cases related to obstetrical care
      and the newborn represent the single most costly exposure to the Company. CMIC
      undertook the review of its perinatal cases, open and closed, to identify common
      elements that increased the liability exposure of individual physicians as well
      as the overall exposure to the Company.

PMID- 1424612
TI  - Euthanasia, mercy-killing, or killing?

PMID- 1424613
TI  - Psychiatry as a basic medical science. 1942.

PMID- 1424614
TI  - De senectute: who's in charge here?

PMID- 1424615
TI  - Abortion 1992: the boundaries of regulation.

PMID- 1424616
TI  - A system to honor individualism?

PMID- 1424617
TI  - Cumulative stress death.

PMID- 1424618
TI  - A randomized clinical trial of mifepristone (RU486) for induction of delayed
      menses: efficacy and acceptability.
AB  - Mifepristone (RU486) should be useful for inducing menstrual bleeding in women
      with menses delayed up to 10 days. We evaluated this potential use for "menstrual
      regulation" in a randomized clinical trial with 16 women, half of whom received a
      single 600 mg dose and half of whom received a placebo. Four of eight women in
      each treatment group proved to be pregnant. Seven of eight who received
      mifepristone were not pregnant at two-week follow-up, in contrast to four of
      eight who received the placebo (p = 0.15). Mifepristone may hold promise for
      "menstrual regulation" for women who do not have access to medical confirmation
      of pregnancy or who choose not to have this determination made.

PMID- 1424619
TI  - A study of gemeprost alone, dilapan or mifepristone in combination with gemeprost
      for the termination of second trimester pregnancy.
AB  - It is well established that abortion can be induced successfully in midtrimester
      of pregnancy by gemeprost vaginal pessaries. A randomised study was carried out
      to determine the efficacy of mifepristone and dilapan in combination with
      gemeprost for second trimester termination between 12-18 weeks' gestation. A
      contemporary group of women treated with gemeprost alone was used as a control
      group. A single course of 4 x 1 mg gemeprost pessaries was administered every six
      hours. If abortion had not occurred after 24 hours, a further course of 5 x 1 mg
      pessaries was administered every three hours over the next 24 hours. In the first
      twenty hours after administration of gemeprost, 95%, 85% and 72% of women aborted
      in the mifepristone, dilapan and the control group, respectively. The median
      induction-abortion interval in the mifepristone group (6.6h) was significantly
      shorter than the other two groups and fewer pessaries were required to induce
      abortion. The incidence of diarrhoea and vomiting was lower in the mifepristone
      than the other two study groups. This study demonstrated the efficacy of
      mifepristone in combination with gemeprost and this regimen is associated with
      fewer gastrointestinal side effects.

PMID- 1424620
TI  - Triphasic combination of ethinyl estradiol and gestodene. Long-term clinical
      trial.
AB  - A triphasic oral contraceptive containing ethinyl estradiol and gestodene was
      used by 1933 women for up to 36 cycles in order to evaluate contraceptive
      efficacy, general tolerance and cycle control. Altogether, 30,763 treatment
      cycles were recorded. Two pregnancies were seen, both of them classified as user
      failure. The rates of spotting and breakthrough bleeding fell below the rates of
      the pre-treatment cycle after the first three months of treatment. Adverse events
      were mostly minor with breast tension and headaches the most common complaints.
      After the first three cycles, the incidence of most complaints was the same as or
      even lower than in the pre-treatment cycle. Blood pressure and body weight
      remained practically unchanged. The trial preparation provided reliable
      contraception with good general tolerance and cycle control when taken for up to
      three years.

PMID- 1424621
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of gestodene in 12 women who received a single oral dose of
      0.075 mg gestodene and, after a wash-out phase, the same dose during one
      treatment cycle.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of gestodene (GEST) was determined in 12 healthy women (age
      22 to 34 years), following single dose administration of 0.075 mg GEST. The same
      preparation was also administered during one treatment cycle after a wash-out
      phase of 1 week. After single dose administration, maximum concentrations of GEST
      in the serum were 4.9 +/- 2.5 ng/ml. Post maximum drug levels declined
      biphasically with half-lives of 0.2 +/- 0.2 h and 14.9 +/- 6.7 h, respectively.
      The apparent clearance was calculated to be 0.8 +/- 0.4 ml x min-1 x kg-1. The
      free fraction of GEST was 1.3 +/- 0.3% and the fractions bound to SHBG and
      albumin were 64.3 +/- 10.7% and 34.4 +/- 10.4%, respectively. The results showed
      that there was a gradual decrease in serum trough levels of GEST during the
      cycle, due to a concomitant and equally high decrease in SHBG concentrations in
      the serum of about 26%. At the end of one treatment cycle, the free fraction of
      GEST increased to 1.8 +/- 0.5%, the SHBG-bound fraction decreased to 57.0 +/-
      10.2% and the albumin-bound fraction increased to 41.3 +/- 9.9%. Total serum
      clearance increased during the same time period from a mean value of 0.8 to about
      1.2 ml x min-1 x kg-1. The clearance of unbound GEST, however, remained
      unchanged. An examination of the free GEST concentrations revealed the same time
      course of GEST trough levels during the cycle as the simulated curve. This was
      derived from the pharmacokinetic parameters which were obtained after single dose
      administration. Thus, the present study showed that the pharmacokinetics of GEST
      can be fully explained on the basis of single dose pharmacokinetics and the
      changes in serum protein binding which were caused by a reduction of SHBG levels
      in the serum during chronic treatment with GEST. There was no evidence of GEST
      inhibiting its own metabolism.

PMID- 1424622
TI  - Use of injectable progestin (medroxyprogesterone acetate) in adolescent health
      care.
AB  - To assess medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) prescription practices in adolescent
      health care practices, an anonymous questionnaire was distributed to 160 American
      and Canadian physicians attending the 1991 meetings of either the Society for
      Adolescent Medicine or the North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent
      Gynecology. Of 54 (33.7%) physicians who responded, 33 (61.1%) reported prior
      prescription of an injectable progestin (DMPA) as a form of birth control. Of
      those, 15 (45.5%) had prescribed it to 10 or more adolescents. Twelve (57%)
      pediatricians but only 3 (25%) gynecologists reported prescribing DMPA to 10 or
      more adolescents (p = 0.074). Female physicians were more likely to have
      prescribed DMPA to adolescents than male physicians (p = 0.009). Mental
      retardation was considered the strongest "potential indication" for DMPA
      administration by 48 physicians responding to a 5-point Likert scale. The study
      suggests that physicians with interest or expertise in Adolescent Medicine are
      using DMPA as a form of birth control for selected young women in spite of the
      lack of Food and Drug Administration approval. A centralized DMPA registry is
      suggested to monitor adverse outcomes in users.

PMID- 1424623
TI  - Long-term use of depot-norethisterone enanthate: effect on blood lipid fractions.
AB  - This is the third report of a metabolic study on 56 long-term users (24 for 2-5
      yr; 32 for over 5 yr) of the injectable contraceptive norethisterone enanthate
      (Net-En) and deals with the effects on the blood levels of lipoprotein fractions.
      There was no significant difference between this group and a group of 30 non
      users in serum concentrations of triglycerides, total cholesterol, low density
      and very low density lipoproteins. There was a significant reduction in mean high
      density lipoprotein levels between the controls and the user groups (16% for the
      intermediate duration and 12% for the longer duration). Age, ethnic group, body
      mass index and a close family history of cardiovascular disease were taken into
      account, as were various lifestyle factors: diet, exercise, alcohol consumption
      and smoking. In a smaller group, levels of apoproteins A and B were also assayed.
      There was a significant reduction in apoprotein A between controls and all users,
      but the significance was lost on adjusting for confounding variables.
      Consideration was given to the ratio of total cholesterol to high density
      lipoprotein cholesterol as an index of coronary risk. There were no significant
      differences in the total cholesterol:HDL-C ratio between controls and user
      groups. There was a significant interaction with ethnic group (Caucasian or Afro
      Caribbean) in the response to duration of use.

PMID- 1424624
TI  - Carbohydrate metabolism before and after Norplant removal.
AB  - Changes in carbohydrate metabolism, measured by oral glucose tolerance test, were
      studied in Norplant users before and after removal. The mean area under the
      glucose curve rose from 24.7 min mmol/L before Norplant insertion to 35.1 min
      mmol/L before removal and decreased to 26.1 min mmol/L four weeks after Norplant
      removal. The areas before insertion and after removal were not statistically
      different (95% confidence interval -3.3 to 0.56, P = 0.16). The mean areas under
      the insulin curves before insertion (53.14 min uU/L) and after removal (59.46 min
      uU/L), however, were significantly different (95% confidence interval -7.64 to 
      5.0, P less than 0.0001). We conclude that changes in carbohydrate metabolism
      induced by Norplant are reversible once the implants are removed. While the
      changes in glucose induced by Norplant returned to pre-insertion levels within 4
      weeks after removal, insulin changes were slower to return to pre-insertion
      values.

PMID- 1424625
TI  - Effect of Norplant-2 rods on haemostatic function.
AB  - A longitudinal study on one-hundred Singaporean women using Norplant-2 rod
      implant for contraception and their effects on the haemostatic function was
      carried out. There was a decrease in vitamin K-dependent Factors II, VII and a
      tendency towards lowered fibrinolytic activity after prolong use of Norplant-2
      rods. The results indicate that the Norplant-2 rod implant system does not
      contribute towards hypercoagulable state but increased platelets and accelerated
      platelet aggregation observed will require further study to ascertain whether
      there is a concomitant increase in platelet activation.

PMID- 1424626
TI  - Influence of different progestogens on blood pressure of non-anaesthetized male
      spontaneously hypertensive rats.
AB  - The aim of the study was to find out if synthetic progestins with significant
      antimineralocorticoid activity would have a beneficial effect on blood pressure.
      Male spontaneously hypertensive rats were treated daily for four weeks with
      different progestogens by subcutaneous injection. Arterial pressure of the
      conscious animals was measured at three-day intervals. Progestogens were dosed on
      the basis of their progestogenic activity, whereby the dosages corresponded to
      the 10-fold effective dose for inhibition of ovulation in rats. For comparison,
      spironolactone as well as progesterone itself were included in the study. After
      four weeks' treatment, plasma volume, extracellular fluid volume (ECFV) and the
      sodium and potassium concentrations in the plasma were measured. In control
      animals, there was a slight decrease in blood pressure over the four-week
      experimental period. Progesterone and spironolactone similarly influenced blood
      pressure. A new progestin with significant antialdosterone activity,
      dihydrospirorenone (code No. ZK 30.595), slightly but significantly decreased the
      ECFV, plasma sodium concentration and slightly but insignificantly decreased
      blood pressure as compared to vehicle-treated controls. Synthetic progestins
      lacking this antimineralocorticoid activity did not decrease blood pressure, but
      rather induced a slight increase in this animal model. The results clearly
      support the hypothesis that synthetic progestins, like endogenous progesterone,
      all of them with inherent antialdosterone activity, decrease the ECFV and so
      might have an impact on extracellular fluid hemostasis as well as blood pressure
      regulation.

PMID- 1424627
TI  - The challenge for equine exercise physiology.

PMID- 1424628
TI  - The Olafson Medal. William J. Hadlow.

PMID- 1424629
TI  - The Olafson Medal. Hans-Jorgen Hansen.

PMID- 1424630
TI  - The Olafson Medal. William J. Hartley.

PMID- 1424631
TI  - Bacteria and yeast on the surface and within non-inflamed hair follicles of skin
      biopsies from cats with non-neoplastic dermatoses.
AB  - Coccoid bacteria and/or yeasts were found in the surface keratin or exudate or,
      rarely, the pilar canal of non-inflamed hair follicles upon light microscopic
      examination of skin biopsies from 57 of 338 cats (16.9%) with non-neoplastic skin
      disorders. The presence of these microorganisms did not appear to suggest a
      specific dermatosis, nor the existence of a clinically relevant infection in the
      majority of cases.

PMID- 1424632
TI  - Bacteria and yeast on the surface and within non-inflamed hair follicles of skin
      biopsies from dogs with non-neoplastic dermatoses.
AB  - Coccoid bacteria and/or yeasts were found in the surface keratin or exudate
      and/or in the pilar canal of non-inflamed hair follicles upon light microscopic
      examination of skin biopsies from 191 of 3,387 dogs (5.6%) with non-neoplastic
      skin disorders. The presence of surface cocci and/or yeast did not appear to
      suggest a specific dermatosis, nor the existence of a clinically relevant
      infection in the majority of cases. However, follicular cocci and/or yeast almost
      always indicated the presence of a clinically relevant infection.

PMID- 1424633
TI  - Microscopic anatomy of the skin of the woodchuck (Marmota monax): comparison of
      woodchuck hepatitis virus-infected and non-infected animals.
AB  - Thirty-three woodchucks were used in this study. Seventeen animals were healthy
      adults, not infected with woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV); 10 were healthy adults
      infected with WHV; 4 were noninfected neonates; 2 were infected neonates. Within
      the 4 groups of woodchucks, no histologic differences were detected on the basis
      of sex or age. Neither were histologic findings different between infected and
      noninfected woodchucks of similar ages. The average thickness of skin (as
      measured from the skin surface to the inner limit of the dermis) from the general
      haired body area was 2394 microns. The skin was thickest on dorsal body areas,
      and gradually became thinner on ventral body and medial limb areas. The epidermis
      consisted of 4 layers: stratum basale, stratum spinosum, stratum granulosum, and
      stratum corneum. A stratum lucidum was present only in the epidermis of the
      footpads. There was no clear distinction between the superficial dermis and the
      deep dermis, except for the subtle differences in arrangement and size of
      collagen fibers. Elastic fibers were seen throughout the dermis, being more
      prominent in the superficial portion. Both compound and simple hair follicle
      arrangements were seen, with compound being more common. The arrectores pilorum
      muscles were largest in the skin over the dorsal body areas. Sebaceous glands
      were present either within the outer root sheath of hair follicles or in the
      dense connective tissue surrounding hair follicles. No apocrine sweat glands were
      found. However, there were abundant eccrine sweat glands in the subcutaneous fat
      of the footpads.

PMID- 1424634
TI  - Skin disorders of the laboratory woodchuck (Marmota monax): a retrospective study
      of 113 cases (1980-1990).
AB  - An 11-year retrospective study was conducted on the dermatoses occurring in 113
      woodchucks from a colony at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell
      University. Bacterial dermatitis was the most common dermatologic disorder,
      accounting for 70.2% of the cases. The highest incidence of bacterial dermatitis
      occurred in September/October prior to hibernation and in February/March during
      the breeding season. Other dermatoses observed during the study period included
      Taenia crassiceps infection, microfilarial dermatitis, telogen defluxion, various
      neoplastic and hyperplastic lesions, and various neonatal conditions associated
      with trauma and/or bacterial infection. No association was found between any of
      these dermatoses and the presence of woodchuck hepatitis virus infection.

PMID- 1424635
TI  - The use of retrievable electrodes for recording gastric myoelectric activity
      after spontaneous gastric dilatation volvulus in dogs.
AB  - Gastric myoelectric activity was measured in 10 dogs with spontaneous gastric
      dilatation-volvulus (GDV). Myoelectric activity was recorded with temporary,
      retrievable wire electrodes placed on the serosal surface of the stomach after
      derotation and tube gastrostomy. Gastric myoelectric activity was recorded for 1
      hour daily, beginning with the day of surgery (less than 24 hours), 24, 48, 72,
      96, 120, 144, and 168 hours after surgery. Recordings were also obtained for 1
      hour daily after feeding, beginning 24 hours after surgery. Bradygastria was the
      predominate dysrhythmia immediately after surgery and at hour 24. The mean slow
      wave frequency was more than normal at hours 48 to 168 due to an increase in
      tachygastria and arrhythmias. The slow wave frequency significantly decreased
      after feeding at hours 120 and 144. The overall mean percentage of dysrhythmias
      was significantly decreased after feeding at hour 72 only. The mean percentage of
      spike activity ranged from 37.7 +/- 12.5 to 75.7 +/- 6.2 throughout the 8-day
      study period. Thus, gastric myoelectric activity was disrupted in these dogs with
      spontaneous GDV and subsequent tube gastrostomy. Feeding did not greatly diminish
      these dysrhythmias.

PMID- 1424636
TI  - Secretion of tumor necrosis factor by endotoxin-treated equine mammary exudate
      macrophages: effect of dexamethasone and pentoxifylline.
AB  - Secretion of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) by equine mammary exudate macrophages
      (MEM phi) exposed to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was dose-dependent and
      was maximal (216.5 +/- 51.9 U/ml) at 100 micrograms LPS/ml, the highest
      concentration tested. All concentrations of dexamethasone tested (10(-8) to 10(
      4) M) significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) inhibited TNF production by
      MEM phi when the agent was added 1 hour before LPS. Pretreatment with
      pentoxifylline at concentrations greater than 3 micrograms/ml also significantly
      (P less than or equal to 0.05) reduced secretion of TNF by MEM phi. The
      inhibitory effect of dexamethasone (10(-4) M) was observed when the agent was
      added to MEM phi from 30 minutes before until 4 hours after LPS. Pentoxifylline
      (100 micrograms/ml) significantly (P less than or equal to 0.05) suppressed TNF
      when added from 2 hours before until 2 hours after LPS; however, when
      pentoxifylline addition was delayed until 8 hours post-LPS, TNF production was
      enhanced. These apparent inhibitory effects of dexamethasone and pentoxifylline
      were not due to reduced macrophage viability or to interfering effects of the
      agents at the level of the TNF bioassay.

PMID- 1424637
TI  - Primary pulmonary chondrosarcoma in a dog.
AB  - Extraosseous chondrosarcomas are uncommon in the dog, and those originating in
      the lung are rare. This report presents a 9-year-old Beagle dog with a pulmonary
      mass which caused depression, fever, tachypnea, cough, and laboratory
      abnormalities. The mass was composed predominantly of chondroid tissue, and was
      histologically diagnosed as chondrosarcoma.

PMID- 1424638
TI  - Daily variability of equine fecal strongyle egg counts.
AB  - Fecal egg counts often are used for diagnosing equine strongyle infections and
      estimating the number of eggs shed in the feces. An individual egg count should
      be interpreted in view of the normal fluctuation of egg numbers in an individual
      horse. In this study, the daily variability of strongyle fecal egg counts from
      horses was investigated. The Cornell-McMaster egg-counting technique was used to
      estimate the eggs per gram of feces in repeated daily fecal samples from 39
      horses. The variation of the daily egg counts across 4 days was greater than
      would be expected if a consistent number of eggs were produced and dispersed
      randomly in the feces. The means and variances of the daily counts from each
      horse had a logarithmic relationship. For practical purposes, however, the
      fluctuation of egg counts is low enough for the fecal egg count to be used to
      identify horses for treatment, to estimate pasture contamination, or to assess
      response to therapy.

PMID- 1424639
TI  - Preoperative and postoperative hemostatic profiles of dogs undergoing
      ovariohysterectomy.
AB  - Hemostatic profiles were evaluated in 15 healthy dogs immediately before and 24
      hours after celiotomy for routine ovariohysterectomy. Prothrombin time, activated
      partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen, fibrin degradation products,
      antithrombin III activity, platelet count, and hemogram were measured. There were
      no significant changes in prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin
      time, fibrin degradation products, antithrombin III activity, or platelet count.
      Fibrinogen concentration was significantly higher following surgery.
      Postoperative leukocyte differential counts were typical of stress leukograms,
      and were characterized by leukocytosis, neutrophilia, lymphopenia and
      eosinopenia. Mild decreases in packed cell volume, red blood cell count and
      hemoglobin concentration were consistent with minor blood loss during surgery or
      fluid retention and hemodilution postoperatively. It was concluded that celiotomy
      and routine ovariohysterectomy in healthy dogs did not alter hemostatic profiles
      24 hours after surgery. Abnormal postoperative hemostatic profiles should not be
      attributed to surgery alone; other causes of abnormal hemostatic profiles should
      be investigated.

PMID- 1424640
TI  - Metabolic fate of FCE 22716, a new antihypertensive agent, and of its N-oxide
      (FCE 24220) in the rat.
AB  - [3H]-FCE 22716 and [3H]-FCE 24220 were given both orally and intravenously to the
      rat. Radioactivity was mainly eliminated by the faecal route after oral
      administration in both cases. After intravenous administration, renal excretion
      was twice the faecal one in the case of FCE 22716, whereas for FCE 24220 the two
      routes were equal. In urine FCE 22716 was eliminated almost completely unchanged
      after both oral and intravenous administration. FCE 24220 was extensively reduced
      to FCE 22716 after oral administration, whereas after intravenous treatment, this
      reduction, although important, was not complete.

PMID- 1424641
TI  - Excretion balance and urinary metabolic pattern of [3H]cabergoline in man.
AB  - After oral administration of [3H]cabergoline to man at a single nominal dose of
      0.6 mg/subject radioactivity is mainly eliminated by the faecal route (72% of the
      dose after 10 days). Urine contains 18% of the dose after the same period. The
      unchanged drug and metabolites present in urine were identified by comparison
      with reference compounds and quantified by radio-TLC analysis. Cabergoline is
      extensively metabolized. Unchanged drug in 0-24 h urine represents less than 14%
      of urinary radioactivity, reaching 20% in 0-96 h urine. The acid derivative FCE
      21589 is the main metabolite, amounting to 38% and 30% of the urinary
      radioactivity in 0-24 h and 0-96 h urine, respectively. The amide derivative FCE
      21590 appears to be present in only a small amount, accounting for no more than
      4% of the urinary radioactivity in the urine of the first 24 hours after
      administration and increasing to about 8% in the 0-96 h urine.

PMID- 1424642
TI  - The effect of antacid on aspirin pharmacokinetics in healthy Thai volunteers.
AB  - The effect of antacid on aspirin pharmacokinetics and bioavailability was
      determined in 10 healthy adult male and female volunteers, aged 20-45 years old.
      Each subject received 650 mg of aspirin orally after an overnight fast. The wash
      out period was 14 days and then all subjects were given 650 mg of aspirin 10
      minutes after antacid (aluminium hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide). Plasma
      aspirin, salicylate and salicyluric acid levels were determined by a specific
      high performance liquid chromatographic analysis. Individual plasma profiles were
      analysed using compartmental and non-compartmental methods. The results show that
      antacid affected the relative bioavailability of aspirin since the mean peak
      concentration (Cmax) of aspirin was significantly higher when antacid was given.
      However, the time to reach peak concentration (Tmax) and the area under the
      plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) showed no significant difference between
      the two treatments. It was, therefore, not possible to conclude that the non
      bioequivalence was caused by a difference in rate or amount of aspirin
      absorption, or both. No significant difference was observed in Cmax, Tmax, AUC,
      t1/2, Ka, Kel of salicylate and salicyluric acid. However, the rate of total
      salicylate absorption was increased since the absorption rate constant (Ka) was
      higher when antacid was given. This may provide a more rapid effect of the drug.

PMID- 1424643
TI  - A comparison of metronidazole distribution following intravenous metronidazole
      and metronidazole phosphate disodium in mice.
AB  - The distribution of metronidazole following intravenous metronidazole (MTZ) and
      metronidazole phosphate disodium (MNP) in mice was investigated by HPLC. The
      results showed no significant differences in the metronidazole concentrations of
      liver, kidney, heart, spleen, fat, brain, lung, stomach, jejunum, skeletal
      muscle, ovary, testis and epididymis (P greater than 0.05). It can be concluded
      that using MNP as a water-soluble substitute for MTZ should not influence the
      distribution of metronidazole in mice.

PMID- 1424644
TI  - Biochemical basis of cytotoxic activity of some new N'-oxides of N',N'
      dimethylaminoalkylamides of dodecanoic acid.
AB  - The objective of the present investigation was to screen a series of new N'
      oxides of N',N'-dimethylaminoalkylamides of dodecanoic acid for activity in vitro
      and to investigate the biochemical mode of action. On the basis of primary
      screening, one of the most active compounds, namely the N'-oxide of 10-(N',N'
      dimethylaminodecyl)amide of dodecanoic acid (n = 10) was chosen for detailed
      biochemical study. This compound inhibited the incorporation of 14C-precursors
      (adenine, valine, thymidine, uridine) into appropriate macromolecules of P388
      murine leukemia and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells. The amine oxide also
      interfered with energy-yielding processes (aerobic glycolysis, endogenous
      respiration). Cytotoxicity is a consequence of the cytolytic activity of the
      compounds mentioned above. Membranous effects were demonstrated by the measuring
      of the release of cytoplasmic materials absorbing at 260 and 280 nm, marker
      enzyme activities (LDH, MDH), release of protein from the cells into the culture
      medium, as well as by morphological examination. It is evident that the site of
      action of the amine oxides investigated was the biological membrane which, after
      interaction with the amine oxides, showed changes in molecular organization and
      osmotic and permeability characteristics.

PMID- 1424645
TI  - Accuracy of intraocular pressure measurements with two different tonometers
      through bandage contact lenses.
AB  - The intraocular pressure (IOP) of nine cadaver eyes was set by a manometer at 10
      mm Hg increments from 10 to 50 mm Hg. Pressure measurements at each of these
      settings were taken using the Digilab Pneumatonometer and Tono-Pen to determine
      the accuracy of these instruments. In addition, four brands of therapeutic
      contact lenses were placed on the eyes, and IOPs were measured through them to
      determine whether or not comparable IOPs could be obtained through a range of
      bandage contact lenses. We found a significant difference (p < or = 0.0000)
      between the measurements obtained by the two instruments at a given manometric
      setting. Digilab Pneumatonometer's pressures correlated well with manometric
      pressures. Tono-Pen consistently underestimated manometric pressures. At 50 mm
      Hg, Digilab Pneumatonometer's mean measurement was 47.5 mm Hg, whereas Tono-Pen's
      mean was only 38.9 mm Hg. IOPs assessed through all contact lenses were
      comparable to the measurements without lenses. Multiple regression of score
      showed that the measured pressure was explained by manometric pressure (81%), the
      choice of instrument used (5.5%), and the lens thickness (0.09%). The Pierson
      correlation coefficient was 0.93. This study showed that Pneumatonometer could
      accurately measure IOP with and without a therapeutic contact lens, but Tono-Pen
      was equally inaccurate with and without lenses, giving false low measurements.

PMID- 1424646
TI  - Effects of increasing Dk with rigid contact lens extended wear on rabbit corneal
      epithelium using confocal microscopy.
AB  - The effects of 24-h wear of various Dk-rigid gas-permeable (RGP) contact lenses
      on the rabbit corneal epithelium were studied by in vivo tandem scanning confocal
      microscopy (TSCM), and confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Lenses
      used were polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) (Dk/L = 0), RGP experimental A lens
      (siloxanylmethacrylate-fluoromethacrylate-methylmethacrylate , 33), experimental
      B (siloxanylmethacrylate-fluoromethacrylate, 56), and experimental C
      (siloxanylstyrene-fluoromethacrylate copolymer, 64 x 10(-9)) (cm/s) (ml O2/ml mm
      Hg) with 0.15-mm thickness (Dk/L measured by polarograph including boundary layer
      effect). After 24-h PMMA lens wear, TSCM showed no superficial epithelial cells
      but only exposed, underlying wing cells. The cornea with experimental A showed
      partial superficial epithelial desquamation. With experimental B wear, slight
      superficial epithelial cell swelling and desquamation were observed on the
      surface of the cornea. No changes were observed for the eye with experimental C
      and control. The observed severity of desquamation of superficial epithelial
      cells was dependent on the oxygen transmissibility (Dk/L) of RGP lenses worn. All
      in vivo findings were confirmed by SEM observations. Based on the results of this
      study, we conclude that (a) although Dk/L = 56 lens B shows no residual overnight
      corneal swelling, surface damage is still produced; (b) Dk/L = 64 lens C is best
      for epithelium showing the same corneal images as control; and (c) TSCM is a good
      way to evaluate the contact lens safety and efficacy in vivo at the cellular
      level noninvasively.

PMID- 1424648
TI  - Unpreserved carboxymethylcellulose artificial tears evaluated in patients with
      keratoconjunctivitis sicca.
AB  - In order to evaluate the therapeutic value of an unpreserved
      carboxymethylcellulose-based artificial tear in treatment of keratoconjunctivitis
      sicca (KCS), 56 patients with severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca were enrolled, at
      a single study center, in a randomized, double-masked, 8-week comparison with a
      preserved hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HMC)-based artificial tear. Patients
      treated with the carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)-based tear showed significant
      improvement in fluorescein staining, symptoms, and impression cytology grades.
      Patients treated with HMC-based tears showed minimal improvement in a few
      variables. Impression cytology specimens were analyzed by a modified technique
      that maps the distribution of the various grades present on the specimen. With
      this technique, improvement in the cytology grades was noted in the group of
      patients using CMC-based tears. The improvement correlated with observed
      decreases in symptoms of discomfort and with scores for superficial punctate
      staining. This study supports the observed therapeutic value of unpreserved CMC
      based artificial tears and suggests the possible reversal of squamous metaplasia
      in patients with KCS. Further studies are required to separate the benefit of the
      CMC formulation from the benefits of preservative elimination.

PMID- 1424647
TI  - Ocular surface residence times of artificial tear solutions.
AB  - Solutions of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are
      widely used as artificial tears. However, their usefulness is limited by the
      short duration of their effect. Dilute sodium hyaluronate (SH) solutions exhibit
      non-Newtonian rheology with high viscosities at low shear rates, which would be
      expected to enhance their ocular surface residence time. Using quantitative gamma
      scintigraphy, estimates of the ocular surface residence times of 0.3% HPMC, 1.4%
      PVA, and 0.2% SH were made in six patients with keratoconjunctivitis sicca. The
      sodium hyaluronate solution had a mean half-life on the ocular surface of 321 s,
      significantly longer than hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (44 s; p = 0.012) and
      polyvinyl alcohol (39 s; p = 0.013).

PMID- 1424649
TI  - Deep corneal scarring in pellucid marginal corneal degeneration.
AB  - Crescent-shaped, deep corneal scars were observed in seven (39%) of 18 patients
      with pellucid marginal corneal degeneration. The scars most likely represent a
      degenerative change related to the precipitous alteration in curvature of the
      cornea in that area.

PMID- 1424650
TI  - Epidermal growth factor and corneal wound healing. A multicenter study.
AB  - A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial was
      conducted in five centers to assess safety, ocular tolerance, and efficacy of an
      ophthalmic solution of epidermal growth factor (EGF) for the treatment of
      traumatic corneal epithelial defects. One hundred four patients completed the
      study: 47 received EGF and 57 placebo (the drug vehicle). Mean epithelial healing
      time was significantly enhanced in the EGF-treated group (44.17 h) compared with
      the placebo-treated treated group (61.05 h) (p < 0.01). The number of epithelial
      defects completely healed at 24, 48, and 72 h after the onset of treatment was
      significantly greater in the EGF-treated group. Local tolerance was adequate in
      both groups. These results indicated that topical EGF is well tolerated and may
      be a significant addition to the ophthalmologist's armamentarium for treating
      corneal epithelial defects.

PMID- 1424651
TI  - Two-dimensional gel electrophoretic comparison of endothelial cell-Descemet's
      membrane proteins in Fuchs' dystrophy and normal corneas.
AB  - Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used to compare the
      proteins isolated from the combined corneal endothelial cell-Descemet's membrane
      complex of three pairs of corneas with Fuchs' dystrophy with three pairs of
      normal corneas. Normal or Fuchs' dystrophy endothelium and Descemet's membrane
      was documented by pathologic analysis of each cornea. Proteins were separated by
      isoelectric point in the first dimension and molecular weight in the second
      dimension. Over 300 proteins were resolved from each sample, and similar patterns
      were noted in both groups. No consistent differences were detected between the
      corneas with Fuchs' dystrophy and the normal corneas. Allelic variations of some
      proteins were detected in both groups.

PMID- 1424652
TI  - Reversible endothelial changes in the monkey cornea.
AB  - As part of a study examining the effects of contact lens extended wear in monkeys
      (Macaca fascicularis), reversible endothelial changes were observed in the cornea
      with slit lamp biomicroscopy and contact specular microscopy. These changes were
      associated with anterior eye inflammation in four monkeys (as occurs in humans).
      However, in two monkeys no obvious cause for these changes other than the
      presence of a contact lens on the cornea was apparent. In these two monkeys the
      endothelium displayed features similar to the transient endothelial bleb
      response, which has been observed only in humans. The monkey (M fascicularis) may
      thus be an appropriate model for further investigation of the endothelial
      response during anterior eye inflammation and the transient endothelial bleb
      response.

PMID- 1424653
TI  - Current practices in the prevention and treatment of corneal graft rejection.
AB  - Three hundred fourteen members of the Castroviejo Society were surveyed to
      determine current practices in the prevention and treatment of corneal graft
      rejection. One hundred thirty-seven responses were received and tabulated for
      routine postoperative prophylactic immunosuppression as well as treatment of
      epithelial rejection, endothelial rejection (three patterns), subepithelial
      infiltrates, acutely and progressively opacifying grafts without inflammation,
      and photophobia. All respondents applied topical steroids in the postoperative
      period, while about half also administered steroids subconjunctivally. For the
      treatment of obvious endothelial rejection, 100% of respondents used topical
      steroids, 57% used subconjunctival steroids, and 37% used systemic steroids.
      Prednisolone acetate, 1%, was the preferred topical preparation for all
      conditions (55-68% of respondents). Individual responses to the questionnaire
      showed a surprisingly wide variation in treatment preferences.

PMID- 1424654
TI  - Intraocular penetration of ketoconazole in rabbits.
AB  - We studied penetration of the antifungal agent ketoconazole into the cornea,
      aqueous humor, and vitreous of rabbits after topical, subconjunctival, and oral
      administration. The effect of debridement of corneal epithelium on penetration
      was also investigated. Ketoconazole levels in the cornea and aqueous humor were
      high after topical or subconjunctival administration, and increased markedly
      (especially in the cornea) if the corneal epithelium had been debrided before
      administration of the drug. For example, concentration of ketoconazole in the
      cornea 1 h after topical drug administration with or without complete corneal
      epithelial debridement was 44.0 +/- 10.1 and 1,391.5 +/- 130.0 micrograms/g,
      respectively. Drug levels in the vitreous were not detectable after topical or
      subconjunctival drug administration, but were improved slightly by prior
      epithelial debridement (8.3 and 0.12 micrograms/mL after 1 h, respectively).
      Orally administered ketoconazole resulted in high corneal concentrations (45.0 +/
      7.6 micrograms/g after 1 h) that were still substantial 24 h later (55.0 +/- 7.0
      micrograms/g); levels in the aqueous were low.

PMID- 1424655
TI  - Age-related morphological changes in lid margin and meibomian gland anatomy.
AB  - Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is responsible for recurrent irritative
      symptoms. Attempts to characterize MGD have largely concentrated on microbial and
      lipid abnormalities in meibomian gland secretions. Few reports describe
      histological abnormalities in this disease, and fewer still morphological
      changes. This article follows a previous study that established a classification
      for MGD. This was based on morphological changes in the meibomian gland and lid
      margin. Using this classification, we studied the age-related changes in 80
      subjects, between 5 and 87 years of age without ocular disease. The lid margin
      became thicker after childhood. Lid margin vascularity and cutaneous
      hyperkeratinization increased with age in both lids, whereas, telangiectasia
      increased with age in the lower lid and squamous blepharitis and posterior lid
      margin rounding were more common after 50 years of age in the upper lid. Multiple
      rows of meibomian gland orifices occurred more frequently in the upper than lower
      lid, and orifice narrowing and pouting increased with age. No age-related changes
      in the shape or form of the mucocutaneous function, gland ducts, or acini were
      found. Meibomian gland secretions were less easily expressed in the elderly. We
      have attempted to define a normal range of lid morphology in healthy children and
      adults that we believe to be important for the subsequent definition of lid
      disease, and in particular, posterior blepharitis.

PMID- 1424656
TI  - Keratoconus and bilateral lattice-granular corneal dystrophies.
AB  - The occurrence of lattice and granular corneal dystrophies in the same eye has
      been reported in individuals who trace their families to the province of Avellino
      in Italy. We present the first histopathologic report of keratoconus and
      bilateral lattice-granular corneal dystrophies occurring in the same patient.
      This individual's family also originated in Avellino, Italy.

PMID- 1424657
TI  - Corneal topography of posterior keratoconus.
AB  - Posterior keratoconus is an unusual abnormality of the cornea generally
      classified as one of the anterior chamber cleavage anomalies. It is characterized
      clinically by the presence of a circumscribed or generalized corneal thinning
      with posterior depression of the cornea and is considered distinct from
      keratoconus. Although patients with posterior keratoconus may have visual
      complaints clearly related to their abnormal corneas, the surface topography of
      these corneas has not been studied in detail. Keratometry and photokeratoscopy
      provide an incomplete picture of the surface geometry of posterior keratoconus.
      We utilized computer assisted topographic analysis to study the cornea of a
      patient with posterior keratoconus. The Topographic Modeling System demonstrated
      that the patient's cornea showed a central steepened "cone" coincident with the
      area of circumscribed posterior keratoconus as well as paracentral flattening.
      This report documents the topographic abnormality in this rare disorder.

PMID- 1424658
TI  - Bacterial keratitis associated with vernal keratoconjunctivitis.
AB  - We cared for two patients with longstanding vernal keratoconjunctivitis who had
      bacterial corneal ulcers in each eye. Both patients were young, black, and had
      histories of atopy. The patients came for treatment with acute symptoms of pain,
      redness, and reduced vision in the affected eye. On examination in each case we
      found an epithelial defect associated with dense stromal infiltration, a calcific
      plaque in the bed of the ulcer, and a severe anterior chamber reaction, including
      a hypopyon in two cases. Cultures of corneal scrapings from all four eyes were
      positive for Staphylococcus aureus, and three of the four infections were
      polymicrobial. All four eyes responded rapidly to intensive topical antibiotic
      therapy, debridement of the calcific plaque, and subsequent treatment with
      topical corticosteroids and/or cromolyn sodium. Bacterial keratitis can occur in
      patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis, especially those with vernal corneal
      ulcers. The abnormalities of ocular immune mechanisms found in patients with
      vernal keratoconjunctivitis may predispose them to bacterial keratitis.

PMID- 1424659
TI  - Persistent superficial punctate keratitis after resolution of chlamydial
      follicular conjunctivitis.
AB  - Two cases of follicular conjunctivitis due to Chlamydia trachomatis followed by
      punctate epithelial keratitis are described. Both cases were initially treated
      with either oral tetracycline or doxycycline with resolution of the follicles.
      These two patients subsequently had recurrent, bilateral grayish lesions at
      various levels in the corneal epithelium that stained in a punctate fashion with
      fluorescein. There was anterior stromal edema associated with some of these
      lesions in one case. The lesions were confined mostly to the central cornea.
      These recurrent lesions were unassociated with a conjunctival reaction, were
      unresponsive to oral tetracycline, but were exquisitely responsive to low doses
      of topical steroids. Chlamydial conjunctivitis and the associated keratitis
      typically shows no response or actual exacerbation of symptoms with topical
      steroids, and the keratitis shows a predilection for the upper half of the
      cornea. These patients demonstrate that chlamydial keratoconjunctivitis might
      result in a clinical appearance consistent with Thygeson's superficial punctate
      keratitis.

PMID- 1424660
TI  - Fixation forceps for corneal sections in cataract surgery.

PMID- 1424661
TI  - Ocular cicatricial pemphigoid in a twelve-year-old boy.

PMID- 1424663
TI  - Corneal toxicity study of two perfluorocarbon liquids in rabbit eyes.
AB  - Perfluorocarbon liquids are fully fluorinated, synthetic, transparent compounds
      with a high specific gravity. These compounds are being increasingly used as an
      intraoperative tool for repair of complicated retinal detachments. A potential
      complication of their use, however, is liquid entering the anterior chamber in
      aphakic patients. In the study described herein we evaluated the effects of two
      of these liquids when placed in the anterior chamber of the rabbit eye. Sixteen
      rabbit eyes underwent anterior chamber injection of 0.05 ml of either
      perfluoroctane, perfluoropolyether, or balanced salt solution (control eyes).
      Animals were monitored clinically by biomicroscopy and external photography for
      up to 14 days, after which they were sacrificed and the corneas processed for
      light and for scanning electron microscopy. The animals injected with
      perfluoropolyether showed more intense stromal inflammation and corneal
      vascularization (p less than 0.02) than did those that received perfluoroctane.
      However, the perfluoroctane group showed more of the "fish-egging" phenomenon (p
      less than 0.03). Loss of endothelial cells was similar in the two groups, as
      determined by light and scanning electron microscopy. These results suggest that
      the corneal toxicity of these two perfluorocarbon liquids is such that their use
      as vitreous substitutes should be limited to short-term replacement.

PMID- 1424662
TI  - Corneal storage medium preservation with defensins.
AB  - We used a synthetic defensin (rabbit neutrophil peptide-1; NP-1) as a microbicide
      in a corneal storage medium, Optisol without antimicrobial compounds. We
      established growth curves in Optisol for Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus
      pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Each organism was evaluated separately at
      4 degrees C, 23 degrees C, and 37 degrees C in Optisol with NP-1 at each of four
      different concentrations including 1, 10, 100, and 200 micrograms/ml. When the
      three organisms were evaluated in Optisol containing NP-1, we found that a
      concentration of 200 micrograms/ml of NP-1 successfully killed 99.9% (the limits
      of our assay) of all three organisms at all temperatures tested. We conclude that
      NP-1 exhibits promise as a nonantibiotic preservative agent in corneal storage
      media, since it was effective in killing organisms at all temperatures, including
      4 degrees C.

PMID- 1424664
TI  - Effect of Harderian gland-derived growth factor on the growth of cornea stromal
      cells.
AB  - To investigate the physiological role of Harderian gland-derived growth factor
      (HGDGF), the effects of HGDGF and various other growth factors on the growth of
      cultured guinea pig cornea stromal cells were examined. HGDGF increased the
      incorporation of [3H]thymidine to 150% of the control (5% fetal calf serum). The
      combination of HGDGF with fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) or platelet-derived
      growth factor enhanced the cell growth over that of either growth factor alone,
      increasing the incorporation of [3H]thymidine to 180 and 190% of the control,
      respectively. The combination of HGDGF with transforming growth factor (TGF-beta)
      decreased the growth to 60% of the control, and epidermal growth factor had no
      effect on the activity of HGDGF. The growth-stimulating activity of HGDGF was
      inhibited by suramin in a different manner from that of FGFs. These findings
      suggest that HGDGF binds a specific cell-surface receptor and plays a role in the
      repair of injured parts of the cornea and in the maintenance of the cornea
      stromal cells.

PMID- 1424665
TI  - Isoelectric focusing pattern of human corneal aldehyde dehydrogenase.
AB  - The major soluble protein in the bovine cornea (BCP 54) has recently been
      identified as a class 3 aldehyde dehydrogenase. An enzymatic and even a possible
      structural role of this protein in the mammalian cornea has been proposed.
      Earlier we showed that the human cornea contains the same enzyme but with a
      different substrate specificity, compared to the bovine. Moreover, the enzymatic
      activity was harbored in the dimeric 88-kD species. Genetic variants have been
      found for several mammalian ocular aldehyde dehydrogenases. In this study we
      investigated whether such variants were also present in the human cornea by using
      a zymography technique for aldehyde dehydrogenase activity and immunoblotting
      with rabbit anti-BCP 54 and lectin staining after isoelectric focusing (IEF) and
      sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. We investigated 50
      individual human corneal epithelial extracts and found one common IEF variant (n
      = 47) and two "rare" IEF variants in three individuals. Analysis of these
      patterns indicates that the observed IEF profiles may be caused by
      posttranslational events.

PMID- 1424666
TI  - Fibrin-enmeshed tobramycin liposomes: single application topical therapy of
      Pseudomonas keratitis.
AB  - Treatment of bacterial keratitis requires frequent application of topical
      antibiotics. We studied the efficacy of a single topical administration of
      tobramycin incorporated in large multivesicular liposomes and enmeshed in a
      fibrin sealant on rabbit corneas infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. One cornea
      each of 25 New Zealand albino rabbits was infected with P. aeruginosa. Twenty
      four hours later, the animals were randomly divided into five groups of five.
      Group A received single hourly drops (50 microliters) of fortified tobramycin
      (14.5 mg/ml, total of 17.4 mg). Group B received a single topical application of
      3.5 mg tobramycin, in 0.1 ml multivesicular liposomes, enmeshed in a fibrin
      sealant with an overlaying bandage contact lens. Group C was treated in the same
      manner as group B without the addition of fibrin sealant. Groups D and E served
      as nondrug-treated controls, with group D receiving topical fibrin-enmeshed
      liposomes devoid of tobramycin and group E receiving hourly topical balanced salt
      solution (BSS) drops. All animals were killed 24 h after initiation of therapy.
      Significantly fewer colonies of Pseudomonas were present in corneas of all three
      treated groups, as compared with the two nondrug-treated control groups (p less
      than 0.02). There were significantly fewer colonies of Pseudomonas in groups A
      and B as compared with group C (p less than 0.02). No significant difference was
      noted between a single administration of topical fibrinen-meshed tobramycin
      encapsulated liposomes (group B) and 24 doses of hourly fortified topical
      tobramycin (group A, p greater than 0.05). Tobramycin-encapsulated megaliposomes
      may serve as a useful adjunct in treatment of Pseudomonas keratitis.

PMID- 1424667
TI  - Anti-inflammatory therapy and outcome in a guinea pig model of Pseudomonas
      keratitis.
AB  - Corneal scarring as a consequence of bacterial keratitis is an important cause of
      visual loss and a major indication for penetrating keratoplasty. Anti
      inflammatory agents might be useful in this condition for limiting corneal
      damage, but benefit from adjunctive anti-inflammatory therapy has never been
      demonstrated. In this limited pilot study, we compared the effect on clinical
      outcome of treating Pseudomonas keratitis in guinea pigs with prednisolone (a
      corticosteroid), flurbiprofen (a cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor), nordihydroguaiaretic
      acid (a lipoxygenase inhibitor), and a leukotriene antagonist, SKF104353 [R-(R*,
      S*)]-beta-[(2-carboxyethyl) thio-alpha-hydroxy-2-(8-phenyloctyl) benzenepropanoic
      acid, zinc salt]. None of the anti-inflammatory agents prevented sterilization of
      ulcers with antibiotic (ofloxacin) therapy. Therapy with the leukotriene
      antagonist appeared to reduce infiltrate size more quickly and produce a more
      rapid reduction in lesion size, but the differences were not statistically
      significant. Sample size calculations suggest that very large numbers of animals
      would be required to prove efficacy. The role of anti-inflammatory agents in
      reducing the stromal destruction caused by bacterial keratitis remains
      controversial.

PMID- 1424668
TI  - Recurrence of microbial keratitis concomitant with antiinflammatory treatment in
      an animal model.
AB  - Recurrence of Pseudomonas keratitis during treatment with corticosteroids has
      been reported previously in humans. Rabbits with keratitis due to Pseudomonas
      aeruginosa or Streptococcus pneumoniae were treated with antibiotics and either
      vehicle, methylprednisolone acetate, flurbiprofen, or nordihydroguaiaretic acid
      (NDGA). Cultures performed after 7 days were negative, and antibiotics were
      discontinued. Two weeks later, Pseudomonas keratitis recurred in 6 of 7 (85.7%)
      steroid-treated rabbits, 1 of 8 (12.5%) flurbiprofen-treated rabbits, 1 of 8
      (12.5%) NDGA-treated rabbits, and none of 8 vehicle-treated rabbits. None of the
      31 rabbits infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae experienced recurrence. These
      data confirm the clinical observation that Pseudomonas keratitis may recur if
      antibiotic therapy is discontinued and corticosteroids are administered; the risk
      of recurrence appears to be much less with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents.

PMID- 1424669
TI  - Subconjunctival injection of purified blood mononuclear cells into alkali-injured
      rabbit eyes.
AB  - Monocytes transform into tissue macrophages that scavenge necrotic debris from
      wounds but also release substances stimulatory to fibroblasts. In an effort to
      encourage the healing process, monocytes, purified from rabbit blood, were
      injected subconjunctivally 1 or 2 days and 6 or 7 days after alkali injury to the
      rabbit eye. The injected monocytes failed to alter the course of the alkali
      injured eyes. Specifically, the incidence of corneal ulceration in the
      experimental group was not statistically different from that of the control
      group. A byproduct of this study was a presentation of the technique to purify
      platelet-free mononuclear leukocytes from rabbit peripheral blood.

PMID- 1424670
TI  - Inhibition of human corneal epithelium with immunotoxin 454A12-rRA.
AB  - We examined the effects of the immunotoxin 454A12-rRa on proliferating and
      confluent human corneal epithelium (HCE) in vitro. Proliferating HCE was
      sensitive to 454A12-rRA in a dose-dependent fashion. At immunotoxin
      concentrations of 1,000 ng/ml for 7 days we observed an 86% reduction in cell
      counts. Confluent HCE was not sensitive to 454A12-rRA at equivalent
      concentrations of immunotoxin. These data confirm previous observations regarding
      selective sensitivity of proliferating ocular tissue to immunotoxin, but suggest
      that HCE is less sensitive to 454A12-rRA than other ocular cell types.

PMID- 1424671
TI  - Cytologic evaluation of conjunctival epithelium after cataract surgery.
AB  - Although numerous studies have examined corneal epithelial wound healing, few
      reports describe conjunctival wound healing. Thus, we evaluated the conjunctival
      epithelium by brush cytology, in which a miniature brush was used to collect many
      cells relatively noninvasively. The temporal and superior conjunctivae were
      examined before and after cataract extraction on the first, third, seventh, and
      fourteenth days and then the first, second, and third months postoperatively, in
      a group of 20 patients (9 men and 11 women with a mean age of 69 years 3 months
      +/- 10 years). The cells collected were stained by the Papanicolaou method. Each
      postoperative specimen contained keratinized, polygonal, round, columnar,
      elongated, and inflammatory cells, as well as cells with nuclear alterations. No
      keratinized, elongated, or inflammatory cells were observed preoperatively. In
      contrast, columnar cells, which were present preoperatively, decreased during the
      wound healing process. Such nuclear changes as chromatin formation or the
      appearance of snake-like figures were observed in several patients
      postoperatively. These cellular changes may represent altered differentiation
      during the healing process. However, the conjunctival epithelium returned to
      normal within 2 months postoperatively in all patients.

PMID- 1424672
TI  - Risk factors for the development of postkeratoplasty glaucoma.
AB  - From a database of 1,122 penetrating keratoplasties performed under the care of
      the surgeons of the Corneal Clinic, Moorfields Eye Hospital (London, U.K.), 153
      (14%) were identified as being complicated by postkeratoplasty glaucoma. The
      relative risk for its development varied with the indication for keratoplasty.
      Keratoconus had the lowest incidence along with some dystrophies, such as macular
      or granular dystrophy, and these were taken as the baseline for comparison.
      Anterior chamber dysgenesis syndromes had the highest risk among the indications
      for keratoplasty. Combined cataract or lens implant surgery was also found to be
      a risk factor, with anterior vitrectomy, anterior segment revision, and anterior
      chamber lens implant removal representing a greater risk than extracapsular
      extraction and posterior chamber lens implantation. Postkeratoplasty glaucoma was
      also strongly associated with peripheral anterior synechiae formation seen after
      keratoplasty.

PMID- 1424673
TI  - Ultrastructural effect of L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate on cultured keratocytes.
AB  - I studied the effect of L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (P-Asc), a long-acting
      derivative of L-ascorbic acid, on the fine structures of cultured rabbit
      keratocytes. The results showed that cells cultured with 0.1 mM P-Asc for 30 days
      were more markedly multilayered than those grown without P-Asc. Dilation of the
      cisternae of the endoplasmic reticulum in the control cells indicated an
      accumulation of protein (probably procollagen). In addition, many lysosome-like
      structures, which may degrade underhydroxylated procollagen, were observed in the
      cytoplasm of the control cells. A slight increment of free ribosomes was also
      found within the control cells. P-Asc enhanced the multilayerization of cultured
      keratocytes. We conclude that the changes seen in the cytoplasm are due to the
      effect of P-Asc acting as vitamin C.

PMID- 1424674
TI  - Improved detection of disease progression in ocular cicatricial pemphigoid.
AB  - Cicatricial pemphigoid is an autoimmune systemic disease characterized by chronic
      conjunctival cicatrization. The natural history is one of variable degrees of
      progressive scarring of the ocular surface and visual loss. Previous reports have
      shown systemic chemotherapy to be efficacious in halting cicatrization in
      progressive cases. This observation makes it of critical importance to be able to
      detect progression of the disease as early as possible so as to allow for earlier
      institution of treatment. Our experience in previous studies has led us to
      believe that disease staging systems currently in use are relatively insensitive
      in detecting disease progression. We present a revised staging system that
      combines the strengths of the staging systems in use today and extends their
      sensitivity.

PMID- 1424675
TI  - A fish-eye disease-like familial condition with massive corneal clouding and
      dyslipoproteinemia. Report of clinical, histologic, electron microscopic, and
      biochemical features.
AB  - Fish-eye disease (FED) is a rare familial condition characterized by progressive
      bilateral corneal clouding and dyslipoproteinemia previously described in one
      family and an unrelated woman of Swedish descent. Biochemical studies have
      clearly demonstrated the existence of this entity as a unique dyslipoproteinemia.
      We present a non-Swedish family of Mediterranean ancestry afflicted with
      bilateral corneal clouding and lipoprotein analysis consistent with FED-like
      state. This family's biochemical profile, corneal button histology, and electron
      microscopy of one member are reviewed. Other dyslipoproteinemias causing corneal
      changes are considered. Corneal tissue and familial biochemical analyses differed
      significantly from previous descriptions. On the basis of these findings,
      explanation of pathologic deposition and disease mechanism is proposed.

PMID- 1424676
TI  - Corneal topographic changes over time after radial keratotomy.
AB  - Radial keratotomy flattens the cornea, but in a nonuniform fashion. We used
      computer-assisted topographic analysis to examine curvature changes in different
      regions of the cornea. Within 45 days after surgery in human eyes, the central
      and midperipheral cornea flattens and the periphery steepens. Shortly after
      surgery, the central cornea (within 1-1.5 mm of the corneal light reflex) is
      steeper than the adjacent midperipheral cornea (1.5-3 mm peripheral to the light
      reflex). With time, however, the central cornea flattens more than the
      midperiphery, such that it is no longer relatively steeper. This regional
      variability in corneal curvature after radial keratotomy helps explain phenomena
      such as multifocal lens effect after radial keratotomy, and the changes with time
      account for the conflicting results observed clinically in human corneas and
      experimentally in human eye bank eyes.

PMID- 1424677
TI  - Endothelial decompensation in a schizophrenic patient receiving long-term
      treatment with tranquilizers.
AB  - Bilateral corneal edema occurred in a schizophrenic patient receiving
      tranquilizers. This particular corneal edema was rapidly resolved after
      tranquilizer discontinuation. Specular microscopic examination disclosed marked
      enlargement of the corneal endothelium. This endothelial impairment may have been
      due to long-term administration of tranquilizers.

PMID- 1424678
TI  - Infectious crystalline keratopathy with ring opacity.
AB  - A 41-year-old physician was treated for 3 months with antiviral medications,
      antibiotics, and steroids for presumed herpetic keratitis. When seen by us, an
      annular infiltrate was observed, along with crystalline-like opacities in the
      superficial one third of the stroma. Cultures of scrapings and of subsequent
      biopsies were positive for Streptococcus mitis of the viridans group;
      histopathology demonstrated large aggregates of cocci between the stroma
      lamellae. Tapering of topical corticosteroids and treatment with topical
      penicillin resulted in resolution of the infiltrates. The clinical appearance and
      findings in this patient suggest that infectious crystalline keratitis can
      produce an annular infiltrate. Injection of the organism into rabbit corneas
      produced a crystalline infiltrate, but no annular opacity was observed.
      Corticosteroids altered the clinical and histopathologic appearance of the
      lesions in rabbits.

PMID- 1424680
TI  - Congenital hereditary corneal dystrophy: histologic and ultrastructural
      assessment of a peculiar polymorphic recessive form.

PMID- 1424679
TI  - Effects of viscoelastic solutions on neutrophil function and the release of
      neutrophil chemotactic factors from isolated bovine corneas.

PMID- 1424681
TI  - Mathematical analysis for rotating autokeratoplasty.

PMID- 1424682
TI  - Explanation.

PMID- 1424683
TI  - Grand challenges in biomedical computing.
AB  - Advances in computing technology (both algorithms and hardware) over the next
      several years promise to make increasingly sophisticated computer modeling of
      biomedical phenomena a routine part of biomedical research. Improvements in both
      the absolute speed of processors and in their programming and graphics interfaces
      will allow nonexpert users to bring computing power equivalent to the
      supercomputers of a few years ago to bear on routine research problems and to
      display complex data in understandable ways (visualization). Although biomedical
      applications have traditionally not driven the leading edge of computing and
      supercomputing, such applications are increasingly being ported to advanced
      parallel and vector processors. This paper summarizes the current state of
      biomedical computing, citing examples of the best practice in research today. A
      number of projects enabled by advanced computing from various subdisciplines are
      described. Trends in technology for both inexpensive (workstation) and high-end
      computing (vector supercomputers and parallel processors) are cited; the
      implications of these for biomedical computing are discussed. "Grand challenges"
      in biomedical computing, i.e., computational problems of major scientific
      importance that are beyond our current capabilities but that might be achieved in
      a 5-year time frame, are outlined.

PMID- 1424684
TI  - Skeletal muscle grids for assessing current distributions from defibrillation
      shocks.
AB  - This paper utilizes a structured and an unstructured grid representation of a
      torso with an anisotropic skeletal muscle to assess current distributions from
      defibrillation shocks. The results show that a finite-element solution on an
      unstructured grid of 400,000 elements (60,000 nodes) achieves comparable current
      distributions with a finite-difference solution on a structured grid that uses
      approximately the same number of nodes. Moreover, a finite-element solution on a
      65,000-element (10,500 nodes) unstructured grid yielded fractional percent
      current results within 5% of the finer grids. The structured and unstructured
      grid models are used to investigate recent interpretations of experimental data
      that concluded that more than 80% of the total defibrillation current is shunted
      by the anisotropic skeletal muscle thoracic cage. It is concluded that these
      interpretations, which were based on a one-dimensional resistive network
      representation of the three-dimensional defibrillation situation, overestimate by
      25% the current shunted by the anisotropic thoracic cage.

PMID- 1424685
TI  - The electrocardiographic inverse problem.
AB  - Using the boundary element method in conjunction with Tikhonov zero-order
      regularization, we have computed epicardial potentials from body surface
      potential data in a realistic geometry heart-torso system. The inverse
      reconstructed epicardial potentials were compared to the actual measured
      potentials throughout a normal cardiac cycle. Potential features (maxima, minima)
      were recovered with an accuracy better than 1 cm in their location. In this
      chapter, we use these data to illustrate and discuss computational issues related
      to the inverse-reconstruction procedure. These include the boundary element
      method, the choice of a regularization scheme to stabilize the inversion, and the
      effects of incorporating a priori information on the accuracy of the solution. In
      particular, emphasis is on the use of temporal information in the regularization
      procedure. The sensitivity of the solution to geometrical errors and to the
      spatial and temporal resolution of the data is discussed.

PMID- 1424686
TI  - Generalized approach to inverse problems in tomography: image reconstruction for
      spatially variant systems using natural pixels.
AB  - A major limitation in tomographic inverse problems is inadequate computation
      speed, which frequently impedes the application of engineering ideas and
      principles in medical science more than in the physical and engineering sciences.
      Medical problems are computationally taxing because a minimum description of the
      system often involves 5 dimensions (3 space, 1 energy, 1 time), with the range of
      each space coordinate requiring up to 512 samples. The computational tasks for
      this problem can be simply expressed by posing the problem as one in which the
      tomograph system response function is spatially invariant, and the noise is
      additive and Gaussian. Under these assumptions, a number of reconstruction
      methods have been implemented with generally satisfactory results for general
      medical imaging purposes. However, if the system response function of the
      tomograph is assumed more realistically to be spatially variant and the noise to
      be Poisson, the computational problem becomes much more difficult. Some of the
      algorithms being studied to compensate for position-dependent resolution and
      statistical fluctuations in the data acquisition process, when expressed in
      canonical form, are not practical for clinical applications because the number of
      computations necessary exceeds the capabilities of high-performance computer
      systems currently available. Reconstruction methods based on natural pixels,
      specifically orthonormal natural pixels, preserve symmetries in the data
      acquisition process. Fast implementations of orthonormal natural pixel algorithms
      can achieve orders of magnitude speedup relative to general implementations.
      Thus, specialized thought in algorithm development can lead to more significant
      increases in performance than can be achieved through hardware improvements
      alone.

PMID- 1424687
TI  - Structured and unstructured grid generation.
AB  - Current techniques in composite-block-structured grid generation and unstructured
      grid generation for general 3D geometries are summarized, including both
      algebraic and elliptic generation procedures for the former and Delaunay
      tessellations for the latter. Citations of relevant theory are given. Examples of
      applications for several geometries are included.

PMID- 1424688
TI  - Early increased gut permeability after burns.

PMID- 1424689
TI  - Undergraduate education in critical care medicine.

PMID- 1424690
TI  - Fulminant hepatic failure treated with anti-endotoxin antibody.

PMID- 1424691
TI  - Increased gut permeability early after burns correlates with the extent of burn
      injury.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine if increased gut permeability within 48 hrs after burn
      injury correlates with the extent of injury, before sepsis and pulmonary
      disorders have complicated the clinical course. DESIGN: Nonrandomized, controlled
      study. PATIENTS: Consecutive patients admitted with burn injuries on > 20% of
      body surface area. INTERVENTIONS: Intestinal absorption and renal excretion of
      polyethylene glycol 3350 was used as the macromolecule to determine gut
      permeability; polyethylene glycol 400 intestinal absorption was used as an
      internal control for abnormal motility and malabsorption. Polyethylene glycol
      3350 (40 g) and polyethylene glycol 400 (5 g) were administered enterally.
      MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Gut permeability was significantly increased early
      after the injury. The patients excreted 0.56 +/- 0.34% (n = 11) of polyethylene
      glycol 3350, compared with the amount (0.12 +/- 0.04%) (p < .05) previously
      reported in normal volunteers. There was no significant difference in the
      excretion of polyethylene glycol 400 in the patients (27.0 +/- 4.6%, n = 11) vs.
      the normal volunteers previously reported (26.3 +/- 5.1%, n = 12), suggesting
      normal intestinal motility and absorption. The percentage of excretion of
      polyethylene glycol 3350 correlated with the percentage body surface burned;
      patients with smaller injuries excreted 0.32 +/- 0.17% (n = 6), which was greater
      than normal and less than those values from patients with larger injuries, 0.84
      +/- 0.25% (n = 5) (p < .001 by Turkey test). CONCLUSIONS: Using our newly
      developed method to separate and quantify polyethylene glycols in urine, gut
      permeability was found to be increased early after burn injury, which confirms a
      previous study using lactulose as the permeability probe. Furthermore, this
      increased gut permeability to polyethylene glycol 3350 correlated with the extent
      of the burn injury.

PMID- 1424692
TI  - Value of postprocedural chest radiographs in the adult intensive care unit.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the necessity for postprocedural chest radiographs after
      catheterization of central veins, insertion of pulmonary artery catheters, and
      placement of endotracheal tubes. DESIGN: Prospective, controlled study. SETTING:
      Two academic tertiary adult ICUs. PATIENTS: Consecutive patients (n = 316)
      requiring central vein cannulation or endotracheal intubation in the ICUs.
      INTERVENTION: After each invasive procedure, the physician was instructed to
      complete a detailed evaluation sheet. Criteria based on the details of the
      procedure and immediate postprocedural clinical evaluation of the patient were
      used to determine the likelihood of a radiologically detectable complication.
      Actual radiologic findings were subsequently compared against clinical
      predictions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Ability of housestaff to correctly
      predict the absence of radiologically detectable postprocedural complications
      (predictive negatives). RESULTS: Ability to predict the absence of complications
      after cordis catheter insertions via the subclavian vein or internal jugular vein
      was very high (151/152; p < .001). Unsuspected complications were more frequent
      with central vein multilumen catheter insertions (3/24; p < .001). Ability to
      predict uncomplicated pulmonary artery catheterization was also high (110/111; p
      < .001). Physicians were unable to predict the majority of complications
      associated with endotracheal intubations (28/32; p > .50). CONCLUSIONS: The use
      of a protocol that includes an evaluation of the characteristics of the procedure
      and postprocedural physical examination can greatly reduce the need for routine
      chest radiographs after subclavian and internal jugular vein cordis
      catheterizations and pulmonary artery catheter placement. Chest radiographs
      should be performed after endotracheal intubation and multilumen catheter
      insertion.

PMID- 1424693
TI  - Prevalence of, and risk factors for, upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding in
      critically ill pediatric patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the occurrence of, and risk factors for, the development
      of upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract bleeding in critically ill pediatric
      patients. DESIGN: Prospective, descriptive, comparative study. SETTING: ICU in a
      tertiary care pediatric hospital affiliated with a university. PATIENTS: All
      patients < 19 yrs of age who were admitted to the ICU for a 4-month period (n =
      429) were eligible for inclusion. A total of 221 patients were excluded for
      reasons listed below. Thus, 208 patients were studied. INTERVENTION: None.
      MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patients were evaluated for overt upper GI
      bleeding as indicated by coffee ground material or bright red blood in gastric
      aspirates or black, tarry stools. Excluded were patients who were transferred out
      of the ICU within 24 hrs of admission, were receiving medications that would
      alter their risk for upper GI bleeding, or had a GI tract surgical procedure.
      Patients were categorized by diagnoses and analyzed for relative risk for upper
      GI bleeding. Of the 208 patients included, 25% had evidence of upper GI bleeding.
      There was no association between upper GI bleeding and age, weight, race, or sex.
      Diagnoses independently associated with an increased risk for upper GI bleeding
      were: circulatory shock, an operative procedure > or = 3 hrs in duration, and
      trauma. No clinically important sequelae were directly attributable to upper GI
      bleeding in this group of patients; however, intervention with antacids and
      histamine-2 receptor (H-2) antagonists likely decreased the progression of GI
      bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Overt evidence of upper GI bleeding is not uncommon in
      critically ill pediatric patients. Certain diagnoses or risk factors may
      predispose these patients to develop upper GI bleeding.

PMID- 1424694
TI  - Thermodilution right ventricular ejection fraction measurement reproducibility--a
      study in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of heart rate, right ventricular systolic
      performance (ejection fraction), chamber dimensions, and flow rate (cardiac
      index) on the reproducibility of algorithm-derived triplicate thermodilution
      right ventricular ejection fraction measurements. DESIGN: Prospective study;
      combined hemodynamic and echocardiographic clinical evaluation. SETTING:
      Operating room in a university hospital. PATIENTS: Twenty-one coronary artery
      bypass graft patients. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The right atrial delivery
      site was positioned by analysis of transduced pressure waveform and
      echocardiographic imaging of tracer agitated saline cavitations. Measurement
      reproducibility was quantified by determining the variation (standard deviation)
      within 101 triplicate thermodilution measurement sets. There was no significant
      relationship between measurement reproducibility and estimates of right atrial
      area (21.6 +/- 6.9 cm2), diameter (5.1 +/- 0.8 cm) and supero-inferior length
      (5.1 +/- 0.9 cm) and right ventricular maximal minor axis diastolic diameter
      (4.21 +/- 1.05 cm). Reproducibility was also unrelated to right ventricular end
      diastolic volume index (97.9 +/- 32.7 mL/m2) and cardiac index (2.9 +/- 0.9
      L/min/m2). Measurement reproducibility was directly related to mean right
      ventricular ejection fraction (0.39 +/- 0.14) and inversely related to heart rate
      (80.8 +/- 18.6 beats/min) (p < .01 and < .001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS:
      Thermodilution-derived right ventricular ejection fraction measurement
      reproducibility was unrelated to estimates of right atrial and ventricular
      dimensions and cardiac index. Measurement reproducibility was a direct function
      of right ventricular systolic performance and an indirect function of heart rate.
      Measurement should be interpreted with these constraints in mind.

PMID- 1424695
TI  - Right ventricular systolic time intervals determined by means of a pulmonary
      artery catheter.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the right ventricular systolic time interval as an index
      of right ventricular function and also to ascertain whether the right ventricular
      ejection fraction may be determined by means of a conventional pulmonary artery
      catheter. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Intensive care unit. PATIENTS:
      Eight, consecutive critically ill adult patients. METHODS: Simultaneous blind
      measurements, performed by two investigators, of the right ventricular systolic
      time interval and right ventricular ejection fraction, determined by means of a
      pulmonary artery catheter. Two studies, separated by an interval of 24 hrs, per
      patient. Linear regression analysis. Multiple regression test. RESULTS: Of the 16
      studies performed, two determinations of right ventricular systolic time
      intervals were technically inadequate. In the remaining 14 valid studies, we
      found one close linear correlation between the right ventricular ejection
      fraction and the preejection period/ejection time quotient measured using the
      simultaneous display of the electrocardiogram (EKG) and pulmonary arterial
      pressure curve (r2 = .90, p < .001, right ventricular ejection fraction = 68.96
      60.59 x [right ventricular preejection period/right ventricular ejection time]).
      The method proved to be simple, very accurate, with little interobserver
      variation (8.09 +/- 10.6% interobserver variation for right ventricular
      preejection period/right ventricular ejection time) and provided adequate
      information regarding situations in which the performance of the right ventricle
      is modified in a given patient. The right ventricular preejection period/right
      ventricular ejection time quotient was the only variable that displayed a
      significant relationship with the right ventricular ejection fraction in the
      multivariate analysis (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Right ventricular systolic time
      intervals, measured using the simultaneous display of the pulmonary artery
      catheter curve and EKG, provide adequate information regarding right ventricle
      performance in critically ill patients. The close linear correlation between the
      right ventricular preejection period/right ventricular ejection time quotient and
      the right ventricular ejection fraction enables the investigator to estimate,
      with a high degree of accuracy, the right ventricular ejection fraction and the
      values derived from the preload of the right ventricle, without the need for a
      modified pulmonary artery catheter.

PMID- 1424696
TI  - Experience with hemoperfusion for organophosphate poisoning.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of extracorporeal clearance techniques in
      the treatment of organophosphate poisoning, particularly hemoperfusion. DESIGN:
      Retrospective study. SETTING: An ICU of a general hospital. PATIENTS: Ten
      patients with organophosphate poisoning initially received classic treatment with
      gastric lavage and washing of the whole skin surface, as well as the
      administration of cathartics, activated charcoal, atropine, and obidoxime or
      pralidoxime. All patients underwent one to three hemoperfusions. MEASUREMENTS AND
      MAIN RESULTS: Plasma insecticide concentrations and cholinesterase activity were
      determined daily. Two to three biopsies of fat tissue were carried out at 1- to 2
      wk intervals. The amount of the insecticide removed during hemoperfusions was
      also determined. Five patients presented with a prolonged nicotinic syndrome. Two
      of these patients showed sequelae of delayed neurotoxicity. Another two of the
      five patients died and the remaining patient recovered without sequelae. In none
      of the patients could > 0.1% of the total absorbed poison be removed by
      hemoperfusion. No changes in symptoms were observed after these procedures. Fat
      tissue concentrations of the insecticide were 20 to 50 times higher than the
      concentrations in plasma. Atropine decreased the intestinal transit time, and 10
      days after poisoning, a powerful cathartic treatment indicated the persistence of
      gut content, which probably caused prolonged absorption of the toxin.
      CONCLUSIONS: Extracorporeal cleansing mechanisms did not remove any clinically
      important amount of insecticide from our patients due to the high lipid
      solubility of these agents and no changes in symptoms were observed after these
      methods. The use of atropine decreases bowel peristalsis. Early use of powerful
      cathartics could avoid protracted absorption of the poison stored in the gut,
      although the potential benefits of this therapy require confirmation by the
      performance of prospective, controlled investigations.

PMID- 1424697
TI  - Bacterial and fungal colonization of endotracheal tubes in children: a
      prospective study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate both the frequency and route of endotracheal colonization
      of intubated children by pathogens and to assess the usefulness of Pediatric Risk
      of Mortality scoring and measurement of gastric pH in predicting this
      colonization. DESIGN: Prospective data collection. SETTING: A multidisciplinary
      pediatric ICU. PATIENTS: Nineteen children with medical/surgical problems who
      were intubated for at least 4 days. INTERVENTIONS: Buccal mucosa, and
      endotracheal and gastric aspirates were cultured for pathogens immediately after
      endotracheal intubation and daily for 4 to 5 days. Pediatric Risk of Mortality
      scores were calculated at the time of endotracheal intubation; gastric pH was
      measured each time that the cultures were obtained. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN
      RESULTS: The buccal mucosae of ten (53%) of 19 children were colonized with
      Candida species at the time of endotracheal intubation. This colonization
      correlated with the degree of physiologic instability as measured by Pediatric
      Risk of Mortality scores (12.9 +/- 2.8 SEM for those patients colonized vs. 4.9
      +/- 1.0 for those patients not colonized; p = .01), but not with preintubation
      antibiotic therapy. Eleven (58%) children acquired 27 endotracheal pathogens
      after the day of intubation. The buccal mucosa was the initial site of
      colonization of 19 (70%) of 27 of the acquired pathogens. A gastric pH of > 3.0
      at the time of intubation correctly predicted colonization in nine of 11 children
      (p < .025, Fisher's exact test); a Pediatric Risk of Mortality score of > 8 at
      the time of endotracheal intubation correctly predicted colonization in eight of
      11 patients (p < .05, Fisher's exact test). CONCLUSIONS: Colonization of the
      buccal mucosa appears to be the crucial antecedent to endotracheal colonization
      in children. In children, gastric pH and Pediatric Risk of Mortality scores at
      the time of endotracheal intubation can predict pathogenic endotracheal
      colonization within 4 days of intubation. Selective decontamination regimes may
      be appropriate for these patients, especially those regimes that are directed to
      the buccal mucosa.

PMID- 1424698
TI  - Oxygen consumption, energy expenditure, and substrate utilization after cardiac
      surgery in children.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the oxygen consumption (VO2), resting energy expenditure,
      and substrate utilization after cardiac surgery in children. DESIGN: Prospective,
      observational, cross-sectional study with factorial design. SETTING: Pediatric
      ICU at a university hospital. PATIENTS: Twenty-six consecutive children during
      the first 3 days after open-heart surgery. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were
      mechanically ventilated and received routine therapeutic interventions.
      MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: VO2, resting energy expenditure, and substrate
      utilization were determined by indirect calorimetry. Cardiac index was calculated
      using the Fick equation from the measured VO2 and the arterial-mixed venous
      oxygen content difference, and this cardiac index value was compared with a
      simultaneous cardiac index value that was measured by thermodilution whenever
      possible. There were excellent correlation and agreement between cardiac index
      measurements by Fick equation and thermodilution, indicating accurate VO2
      measurements. VO2 was consistent with predicted values in healthy resting
      children. Resting energy expenditure was consistent with the predicted basal
      metabolic rate. The mean caloric intake was 19% of the mean energy expenditure.
      The respiratory quotient was 0.74 +/- 0.05. The substrate utilization showed a
      shift toward fat oxidation and either gluconeogenesis or impaired carbohydrate
      utilization. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular surgery in children does not
      significantly alter resting energy expenditure but influences the substrate
      utilization. Perioperative hormonal stress responses and therapeutically
      administered catecholamines may explain the shift toward fat oxidation.

PMID- 1424699
TI  - Intensive care treatment of patients with bleeding esophageal varices: results,
      predictors of mortality, and predictors of the adult respiratory distress
      syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine the factors predicting mortality from bleeding
      esophageal varices and to examine the possibility of an association between the
      development of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and the use of
      ethanolamine oleate as an esophageal variceal sclerosant. DESIGN: Retrospective
      review. SETTING: ICU in a teaching hospital. PATIENTS: A total of 101 patients
      with endoscopically confirmed bleeding esophageal varices were admitted on 124
      occasions from 1985 to 1990. Mean age was 50 +/- 13.5 (SD) yrs. There were 62
      males and 39 females. Using the Child-Pugh classification, 21.8% patients were
      class A, 38.6% class B, and 39.6% class C. Mean ICU and hospital lengths of stay
      were 5.4 +/- 5.1 and 19.6 +/- 16.1 days, respectively. Mean Acute Physiology and
      Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) score on admission was 16.5 +/- 7.6.
      INTERVENTIONS: Endoscopic variceal sclerotherapy was performed in 99 (79.8%) of
      124 ICU admissions in the 101 patients. Esophageal balloon tamponade was
      performed in 64 (51.6%) and a vasopressin infusion was administered in 47 (37.9%)
      of the 124 ICU admissions. A variety of factors was studied to find predictors of
      mortality and the development of ARDS. RESULTS: Forty-eight (48.5%) of the 101
      patients died during the hospital stay. Independent predictors of mortality (by
      stepdown logistic regression) were total volume of ethanolamine oleate injected
      during sclerotherapy, multiple blood transfusions, Glasgow Coma Scale score,
      International normalized ratio for prothrombin test, and the presence of
      circulatory shock on ICU admission. Age, sex, Child-Pugh score, APACHE II score,
      serum bilirubin, albumin, and creatinine concentrations, use of esophageal
      balloon tamponade or vasopressin infusion, sepsis, pneumonia, congestive cardiac
      failure, aspiration, and ARDS were not statistically independent predictors of
      outcome. There was no difference in the mortality rates for the various causes of
      liver disease. Pulmonary complications occurred in 44 (43.6%) patients; sepsis
      occurred in 31 (25%) patients. ARDS developed in 14 patients (11.3% admissions,
      13.9% patients). Statistically independent predictors of ARDS were sepsis, low
      plasma albumin concentration, use of esophageal balloon tamponade, and more than
      one sclerotherapy session. The volume and type of sclerosant used were not
      statistically independent predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Outcome is poor for patients
      with bleeding esophageal varices requiring ICU admission and is related to the
      severity of liver failure, the degree of blood loss, and failure of therapy to
      stop the bleeding. The findings do not support an association between the use of
      the sclerosant ethanolamine and the development of ARDS.

PMID- 1424700
TI  - Bulk diffusion apnea test in the diagnosis of brain death.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of bulk diffusion in maintaining oxygenation
      during apnea testing for brain death. DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: ICU in a
      primary care hospital. PATIENTS: Twenty-four consecutive patients with suspected
      brain death. Most patients suffered cerebral trauma from vehicular accidents.
      INTERVENTION: Patients were preoxygenated with an FIO2 of 1.0 and were maintained
      during apnea testing with bulk flow of an FIO2 of 1.0 at 40 to 60 L/min in adults
      and 15 L/min in children. The pre-apnea PaCO2 was between 35 to 45 torr (4.7 to
      6.0 kPa) in all patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Twenty-three patients completed
      the test. Five patients had a PaO2 < 100 torr (< 13 kPa) during the 10-min
      ventilator withdrawal time period. MAIN RESULTS: No patient breathed
      spontaneously during the apnea test. Twenty-two patients achieved a PaCO2 > 60
      torr (> 8 kPa). One patient had a postapnea PaCO2 of 59 torr (7.8 kPa). The test
      was stopped in one patient who became hypotensive. CONCLUSIONS: The bulk
      diffusion technique has several advantages, including ease of performance over
      other methods of supplying oxygen during apnea testing, but this method does not
      prevent hypoxemia in patients with lung disease.

PMID- 1424701
TI  - Nitric oxide synthesis serves to reduce hepatic damage during acute murine
      endotoxemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Nitric oxide synthesis occurs both in vitro and in vivo
      in response to inflammatory stimuli and can have profound effects on the local
      cellular environment. Hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, and endothelial cells produce
      nitric oxide in vitro, but the in vivo role of this reactive mediator in the
      liver is unknown. We assessed the role of nitric oxide synthesis during
      endotoxemia in mice by inhibiting its synthesis with NG-monomethyl-L-arginine
      after lipopolysaccharide injection and by determining the effects of this
      inhibition on hepatic damage. RESULTS: Injection of lipopolysaccharide in mice
      increased plasma nitrite and nitrate concentrations, the stable end products of
      nitric oxide metabolism, and caused mild hepatic damage as measured by increased
      circulating hepatocellular enzyme levels. NG-monomethyl-L-arginine decreased
      plasma nitrite and nitrate values, but increased the lipopolysaccharide-induced
      hepatic injury. NG-monomethyl-L-arginine caused no hepatic damage when given
      without lipopolysaccharide. The extent of hepatic damage with NG-monomethyl-L
      arginine was proportional to the dose of lipopolysaccharide used and could be
      reduced with concurrent administration of L-arginine but not D-arginine.
      CONCLUSIONS: Nitric oxide synthesis provides a protective function against
      lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury that increases in importance as the
      degree of endotoxemia increases. The production of nitric oxide is, therefore, an
      important part of the liver's response to a systemic inflammatory stimulus.

PMID- 1424702
TI  - Effect of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation on cerebral hemodynamics in newborn
      lambs.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Neurologic injury caused by changes in cerebral blood
      flow is a concern in infants treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
      (ECMO). To investigate the hypothesis that cerebral hemodynamics would be
      influenced by bypass flow rates, eight ketamine anesthetized lambs (age range 1
      to 8 days) had measurements of cerebral hemodynamics before and after institution
      of venoarterial bypass. METHODS: Cerebral blood flow (whole brain and regional)
      were measured using the radiolabeled microsphere technique. A left carotid artery
      catheter (placed without sacrificing the vessel) reference sample was used for
      calculation of brain blood flows. Arterial and venous (sagittal sinus) oxygen
      contents and blood gases were measured across the cerebral circulation. Cerebral
      oxygen consumption, oxygen delivery, and fractional oxygen extraction were
      calculated. Measurements were made pre-ECMO and after placement on venoarterial
      ECMO at flow rates of 50 and 100 mL/kg/min. In addition, four other lambs were
      studied at a flow rate of 150 mL/kg/min, and seven additional animals were used
      to address methodologic issues with the microsphere technique in this model.
      RESULTS: Cerebral blood flow and oxygen delivery significantly decreased,
      compared with control at both flow rates of 100 and 50 mL/kg/min (87.8 +/- 5.2
      vs. 36.4 +/- 6.2; and 35.1 +/- 5.8 mL/100 g/min; 5.82 +/- 0.37 vs. 2.14 +/- 0.35;
      and 2.19 +/- 0.39 microM/100 g/min, respectively). Cerebral fractional oxygen
      extraction increased significantly at a flow of 50 mL/kg, and cerebral oxygen
      consumption decreased significantly at a flow of 100 mL/kg. At a flow rate of 150
      mL/kg/min, cerebral hemodynamic variables did not differ from control
      measurements. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that changes in cerebral
      blood flow and cerebral oxygen metabolism can occur in the newborn lamb with the
      initiation of ECMO, and that these changes are dependent on bypass flow rate.

PMID- 1424703
TI  - Epinephrine blood concentrations after peripheral bronchial versus endotracheal
      administration of epinephrine in dogs.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Emergency endotracheal drug administration has become an
      acceptable route for drug delivery during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The
      purpose of the present study was to determine whether the site of endotracheal
      epinephrine injection is an important factor in its absorption. Epinephrine
      (1:1000), in a dose of 0.02 mg/kg diluted in 2 mL of saline, was given to ten
      anesthetized mongrel dogs. Each dog was studied twice: once when the epinephrine
      was injected into the endotracheal tube, and on another day, through the
      endotracheal tube via a flexible catheter wedged into a peripheral bronchus.
      Arterial blood samples for plasma epinephrine concentration determinations were
      collected, before and at 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, and 30 mins after each intratracheal
      drug administration. RESULTS: Both routes of epinephrine administration
      significantly increased plasma concentrations within 1 min of injection. Higher
      plasma epinephrine concentrations were achieved after peripheral bronchial
      epinephrine administration (maximal concentration 8.9 +/- 3.2 vs. 2.0 +/- 0.4
      ng/mL), and the total dose absorbed was significantly (76.5 +/- 13.5 vs. 36.7 +/-
      6.5 ng/min/mL, p < .05) higher. The time interval to reach maximal concentration
      was significantly shorter with the peripheral bronchial dosing than with the
      endotracheal route (1.3 +/- 0.2 vs. 2.7 +/- 0.5 min, p < .05). Neither group
      demonstrated a significant change in heart rate, and both had similar, minor
      decreases in BP for > 2 to 5 mins. There were no significant differences between
      the arterial blood gases of the two groups at various stages of the experiment.
      CONCLUSIONS: In dogs, epinephrine administered via the peripheral bronchial route
      has a clear pharmacologic advantage over the endotracheal route. This advantage
      may be more important during cardiopulmonary resuscitation conditions and other
      low flow states, and may account for the failure observed with the endotracheal
      route in recently published clinical reports.

PMID- 1424704
TI  - Hyperbaric oxygen therapy accelerates neurologic recovery after 15-minute
      complete global cerebral ischemia in dogs.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Although hyperbaric oxygen therapy is clinically used for
      the treatment of several types of ischemic brain injury, few basic animal studies
      are available that provide a rationale for this therapy for complete global brain
      ischemia. Therefore, we investigated the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on
      neurologic recovery after 15-min complete global cerebral ischemia in a canine
      model. Complete global ischemia was induced in 19 dogs by occlusion of the
      ascending aorta and the caval veins. Nine dogs were randomized to treatment with
      hyperbaric oxygenation (3 atmospheres absolute, 100% oxygen for 1 hr) at 3, 24,
      and 29 hrs after ischemia under spontaneous respiration, while the other ten dogs
      served as the control group without hyperbaric oxygen therapy (group C).
      Neurologic recovery was evaluated based on the electroencephalogram (EEG)
      activity score (1 = normal; 5 = isoelectric) and the neurologic recovery score
      (100 = normal; 0 = brain death) over a 14-day postischemic period. RESULTS: The
      survival rates were 3/10 (30%) in the control group vs. 7/9 (78%) in the group
      treated with hyperbaric oxygen (p < .05). Over the 14-day postischemic period,
      the best (lowest) EEG scores of each dog were significantly (1.7 +/- 0.2 vs. 2.9
      +/- 0.3; mean +/- SE, p < .01) lower in the hyperbaric oxygen-treated group. The
      best neurologic recovery scores of each dog were significantly (69 +/- 6 vs. 48
      +/- 5; mean +/- SE, p < .05) higher in the treated animals. The number of dogs
      that recovered to a neurologic recovery score of > 65 (assessed as a slight
      disability) were 1/10 in the control group and 6/9 in the group treated with
      hyperbaric oxygen (p < .02). CONCLUSIONS: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy performed in
      the early postischemic period accelerated neurologic recovery and improved the
      survival rate in dogs after 15-mins of complete global cerebral ischemia.

PMID- 1424705
TI  - Undergraduate education in critical care medicine.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review the current status and future needs of medical students with
      respect to education in critical care medicine. DATA SOURCES: Literature review
      and questionnaire administered at the 1990 Educational and Scientific Symposium
      of the Society of Critical Care Medicine. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Medical
      students are presently not required to master even the basic aspects of critical
      care medicine before licensing. The results of the questionnaire demonstrated
      that critical care medicine professionals believe a critical care core curriculum
      should be established and its completion should be made a requirement for
      graduation from medical school. A reference set of critical care medicine
      learning objectives and a strategy for their implementation are presented.
      CONCLUSIONS: There is a gap between what student physicians are required to learn
      and what they need to know to effectively initiate critical care interventions
      and to appropriately refer patients to ICUs. This gap can and should be remedied
      with wide implementation of a critical care core curriculum.

PMID- 1424706
TI  - Mean airway pressure: physiologic determinants and clinical importance--Part 2:
      Clinical implications.
AB  - PURPOSES: To discuss the theoretical relationship of mean alveolar pressure to
      its most easily measured analog, mean airway pressure, and to describe the key
      determinants, measurement considerations, and clinical implications of this
      index. DATA SOURCES: Relevant articles from the medical and physiological
      literature, as well as mathematical arguments developed in this article from
      first principles. STUDY SELECTION: Theoretical, experimental, and clinical
      information that elucidates the physiologic importance, measurement, or adverse
      consequences of mean airway pressure. DATA EXTRACTION: Mathematical models were
      used in conjunction with data from the published literature to develop a unified
      description of the physiological and clinical relevance of mean airway pressure.
      SYNTHESIS: Geometrical and mathematical analyses demonstrate that shared elements
      comprise mean airway pressure and mean alveolar pressure, two variables that are
      related by the formula: mean alveolar pressure = mean airway pressure + (VE/60) x
      (RE - RI), where VE, RE, and RI are minute ventilation and expiratory and
      inspiratory resistances, respectively. Clear guidelines can be developed for
      selecting the site of mean airway pressure determination, for specifying
      technical requirements for mean airway pressure measurement, and for delineating
      clinical options to adjust the level of mean airway pressure. Problems in viewing
      mean airway pressure as a reflection of mean alveolar pressure can be interpreted
      against the theoretical basis of their interrelationship. In certain settings,
      mean airway pressure closely relates to levels of ventilation, arterial
      oxygenation, cardiovascular function, and barotrauma. Because mean airway
      pressure is associated with both beneficial and adverse actions, a thorough
      understanding of its theoretical and practical basis is integral to formulating
      an effective pressure-targeted strategy of ventilatory support. CONCLUSIONS: Mean
      airway pressure closely reflects mean alveolar pressure, except when flow
      resistive pressure losses differ greatly for the inspiratory and expiratory
      phases of the ventilatory cycle. Under conditions of passive inflation, mean
      airway pressure correlates with alveolar ventilation, arterial oxygenation,
      hemodynamic performance, and barotrauma. We encourage wider use of this index,
      appropriately measured and interpreted, as well as its incorporation into
      rational strategies for the ventilatory management of critical illness.

PMID- 1424707
TI  - Fulminant hepatic failure treated with anti-endotoxin antibody.

PMID- 1424708
TI  - Patient-controlled analgesia masking pulmonary embolus in a postoperative
      patient.

PMID- 1424709
TI  - Lethal catatonia and neuroleptic malignant syndrome.

PMID- 1424710
TI  - Prolonged paralysis after long-term vecuronium infusion.

PMID- 1424711
TI  - Effects of storage temperature on viable bioprosthetic heart valves.
AB  - Long-term in vivo success of bioprosthetic allografts is dependent upon retention
      of cellular functions, such as protein synthesis. The purpose of the experiments
      presented in this report was to determine the storage conditions necessary for
      retention of protein synthetic functions in human allograft heart valve leaflets.
      Tissue viability was assessed by measurement of tritiated-glycine incorporation
      into proteins. Comparison of short-term (less than 3 month)- and long-term (1 and
      2 years)-cryopreserved heart valve leaflet storage in a liquid nitrogen freezer
      below -135 degrees C demonstrated preservation of fibroblast protein synthesis.
      In contrast, storage in a mechanical freezer at -80 degrees C resulted in a time
      dependent loss of fibroblast protein synthesis. There was no statistically
      significant effect on protein synthesis in leaflets stored for 1 week at 4
      degrees C compared to control cryopreserved liquid nitrogen-stored leaflets.
      After 2 weeks of 4 degrees C storage leaflet protein synthesis declined
      significantly to 15% that of cryopreserved controls. These results demonstrate
      that liquid nitrogen storage of valve bioprostheses is required for long-term
      preservation of cellular functions.

PMID- 1424712
TI  - Parthenogenetic activation pattern and microtubular organization of the mouse
      oocyte after exposure to 1,2-propanediol.
AB  - We have studied the effect of 1,2-propanediol (PROH) on cumulus-oocyte complexes
      from the mouse. We determined the morphological survival rate, the pattern of
      parthenogenetic activation, and the microtubular and chromosomal organization.
      Cumulus-oocyte complexes were collected at 16 h post hCG from superovulated
      female hybrid mice. These cumulus-intact oocytes were exposed to 1.5 or 3 M PROH
      for 6, 12, or 18 min at 0, 22, or 37 degrees C. The cryoprotectant was diluted
      out in a 1 M sucrose solution at 22 degrees C. After 5-6 h at 37 degrees C,
      oocytes were denuded and examined under Nomarski optics. The results show that
      PROH can induce degeneration and parthenogenetic activation in the mouse oocyte
      in a concentration, temperature, and time-dependent way. As the activation
      stimulus was strengthened, an increasing proportion of oocytes shifted from
      parthenogenetic activation with polar body extrusion to parthenogenetic
      activation with polar body retention and even to immediate cleavage. Nontoxic and
      nonactivating conditions involved mainly exposure to 1.5 M PROH at 0 degrees C.
      Spindle integrity and chromosomal organization were analyzed for exposure to 1.5
      and 3 M PROH for 12 min at 0 degrees C. The separate effect of cooling and
      exposure to 1 M sucrose were also evaluated. Microtubules were visualized by
      monoclonal anti-alpha-tubulin labeling followed by immunogold-silver staining.
      Cooling and exposure to 1 M sucrose or to 1.5 M PROH did not induce major
      abnormalities in the microtubular or chromosomal organization. On the other hand,
      a significant percentage of deformities such as spindle size reduction and loss
      of bipolarity were observed after exposure to 3 M PROH. The results of the
      present study demonstrate that the use of PROH as a single cryoprotectant for the
      freezing of mature unfertilized oocytes cannot be recommended in procedures
      involving ambient temperature or concentrations exceeding 1.5 M PROH. On the
      other hand, the potential beneficial effect of low temperatures may outweigh the
      effect of concentration at subzero temperatures and could be explored further in
      the tailoring of conditions for slow controlled freezing.

PMID- 1424713
TI  - Rheological measurements of the influence of 1,2-propanediol on actin/alpha
      actinin gel structure: the effects of temperature and protein concentrations.
AB  - In previous studies, we demonstrated that 1,2-propanediol induces shortening and
      bundling of actin filaments, both in vitro and in vivo, and that it enhances
      actin/alpha-actinin interaction, especially at low temperature. 1,2-Propanediol
      also promotes homogeneous microporous networks which can be vitrified by rapid
      cooling. In the present study, dynamical rheological measurements were performed
      under various sets of experimental conditions including temperature (4 or 20
      degrees C), protein concentrations (actin and alpha-actinin), and 1,2-propanediol
      presence or absence. Gelation kinetics were monitored, and the resulting actin
      mechanical properties investigated, in order to untangle the respective effects
      of the experimental parameters. Whether in the presence or absence of solvent,
      low temperature brings about a rigidification of the sample, as does high protein
      concentration, as expected. However, 1,2-propanediol itself involves either
      softening of the sample (at high temperature and low protein concentration or at
      low temperature and high protein concentration) or rigidification in the case of
      low temperature and low protein concentration. These effects result from the
      competition between actin/alpha-actinin affinity (enhanced by both low
      temperature and 1,2-propanediol), bundling of filaments (fostered by alpha
      actinin for alpha-actinin/actin ratios used), rate of actin polymerization
      (higher at high temperature), shortening effect of 1,2-propanediol on actin
      filaments, and chain mobility (lower at high protein concentration). As
      discussed, only the combination of low temperature and low protein concentration
      induces full crosslinking of the system into a viscoelastic solid under the
      influence of 1,2-propanediol.

PMID- 1424714
TI  - Leakage of a trapped fluorescent marker from liposomes: effects of eutectic
      crystallization of NaCl and internal freezing.
AB  - Leakage of trapped carboxyfluorescein from DL-alpha
      dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine multilamellar liposomes (diameter 1-2 microns) in
      NaCl solutions was measured after rapid freezing to temperatures between -15 and 
      55 degrees C. Leakage was low after freezing between -15 and -35 degrees C, but
      increased steeply between -35 and -45 degrees C. From DSC measurements it was
      found that the increase in leakage was associated with two crystallization
      processes: Eutectic crystallization of NaCl and freezing of undercooled solvent
      trapped in the interior of the liposomes ("internal freezing"). Damage caused by
      the former process could effectively be prevented by small amounts of trehalose
      (1% less than or equal to w less than or equal to 1.5%). Trehalose in these
      concentration also decreased damage due to internal freezing, but to a minor
      degree. In addition to these damaging transitions, a time-dependent process was
      found to cause leakage from the liposomes at -25 degrees C. The association
      between leakage and thermal activity suggests that DSC supplements cryomicroscopy
      and leakage measurements in the characterization of cryostability of liposomes.

PMID- 1424715
TI  - Critical cooling rates for aqueous cryoprotectants in the presence of sugars and
      polysaccharides.
AB  - The technique of isothermal emulsion differential scanning calorimetry was used
      to determine time-temperature-transformation (TTT) curves for aqueous glycerol
      and butane-2,3-diol in the presence of various polysaccharides and sugars. The
      critical cooling rate required to avoid the crystallization of ice in these
      solutions was then calculated from the experimental TTT curves. The
      polysaccharides used in this study included starch hydrolysis products and
      dextrans of various molecular weights. The sugars used here were sucrose,
      glucose, trehalose, and raffinose. The results show that the critical cooling
      rates of butane-2,3-diol and glycerol are reduced by varying amounts by the
      addition of such materials but that the reduction is not as great as is achieved
      by the addition of polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 400.

PMID- 1424716
TI  - Hydration of oligosaccharides: anomalous hydration ability of trehalose.
AB  - The disaccharide trehalose extensively exists in anhydrobiotic organism and is
      considered to play an important role in preserving the integrity of biomembrane.
      However, the preserving mechanism remains unclear. In this report, we examine the
      hydration abilities of trehalose and several oligosaccharides composed of alpha-D
      glucopyranosyl residues. The unfrozen water fraction per molecule was determined
      from differential scanning calorimetry measurements of their aqueous solutions.
      Further, the NMR relaxation time of the natural abundance 17O of water is
      measured for several saccharide solutions. These results indicate that trehalose
      has the highest hydration ability among the saccharides studied. In other words,
      trehalose can effectively lower the mobility of water molecules hydrogen-bonded
      with saccharides. It is thus reasonable that, among the disaccharides studied,
      trehalose exhibits the maximum stabilizing effect on the bilayer structure of
      lipid whose acyl chains are bonded with each other by the apolar interaction,
      because the apolar interaction is strengthened with the stabilization of the
      surrounding water structure.

PMID- 1424717
TI  - Hibernation alters the frog's immune system.
AB  - The lymphomyeloid organs and blood leukocyte populations of the leopard frog,
      Rana pipiens, undergo conspicuous changes during hibernation at 4 degrees C.
      Within the blood, spleen, thymus, jugular bodies, and bone marrow there was a
      progressive loss of hemopoietic populations resulting in a marked lymphocyte
      depletion. Termination of the 135-day hibernation period resulted in the
      restoration of all hemopoietic elements in the blood and lymphomyeloid organs
      within 30 days. Frogs subjected to experimental hibernation and immunized showed
      weakened immune responses when brought from the hibernaculum. Plaque-forming
      cells (PFC) were lower in spleen, jugular bodies, and bone marrow, and serum
      antibody titers were also lower. Although the kinetics of the primary responses
      were essentially the same, the secondary responses differed suggesting major
      rearrangements with respect to the numbers of cells and their function in
      secreting antibody. The apparent lymphocyte aplasia may contribute to the absence
      of immunological responsiveness during periods of hibernation.

PMID- 1424718
TI  - The influence of basic fibroblast growth factor on cat corneal endothelial wound
      healing in vivo.
AB  - Using standardized freeze wounds in cat corneas, we tested the efficacy of basic
      Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF) solubilized in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) to
      promote endothelial healing when injected intraocularly at doses ranging from
      0.01 microgram to 10 micrograms. After 6 days, animals were humanely sacrificed
      and corneal tissues were fixed and stained for light microscopy and computation
      of remaining wound areas. A significant dose-response relationship was found
      between the dosages of 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 microgram of bFGF/eye and the
      stimulation of more completely healed endothelium six days after transcorneal
      freeze wounding. Significantly larger endothelial wounds were present six days
      after wounding when the eyes were treated with 10 micrograms of bFGF/eye compared
      with controls treated with PBS only.

PMID- 1424719
TI  - Systemic and topical protection studies using Pseudomonas aeruginosa flagella in
      an ocular model of infection.
AB  - Purified flagella from P. aeruginosa ATCC 19660 were used for active, passive, or
      topical immunization prior to corneal challenge with strain 19660. At 30 days
      post-infection, a significant number of mice actively or passively immunized with
      flagella and infected with the homologous bacterial strain were protected from
      ocular disease when compared to control animals. In topical immunization studies,
      premixing of 19660 flagella with the bacterial inoculum prior to ocular challenge
      with strain 19660, provided results similar to those of the active or passive
      immunization studies. A reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS:1 E.U./mg) flagella
      preparation was also produced and used similarly. Again, significant protection
      was achieved in mice immunized by flagella regardless of the immunization route.
      An in vitro adherence assay also was performed to examine quantitatively the
      effect of exogenously applied flagella, or an antiflagella monoclonal antibody
      (MAb) on bacterial adhesion. Premixing of the bacterial inoculum with flagella or
      the MAb prior to applying it topically to corneas in organ culture all
      significantly inhibited bacterial binding. These results strongly suggest that
      significant ocular protection is achieved with either active or passive
      immunization, or premixing of the bacterial inoculum with flagella from strain
      19660 prior to ocular challenge with the homologous bacterial strain. They also
      indicate that topical application of flagella or antiflagella MAb provide
      protection against ocular disease by decreasing bacterial adhesion to cornea.

PMID- 1424720
TI  - Examination of a lens 'native' plasma membrane fraction and its associated
      crystallins.
AB  - A bovine lens "native" plasma membrane fraction containing its full compliment of
      extrinsic proteins was prepared by sucrose density centrifugation of the water
      insoluble fraction. The major membrane fraction was found at the 25/45% sucrose
      interface. This fraction contained 73% of the total water insoluble phospholipid,
      74% of the total water insoluble cholesterol and 58% of the total urea-insoluble
      protein. Only 9% of the total urea-soluble protein was membrane associated
      (extrinsic protein), most (75%) was recovered from the pellet. The major
      intrinsic protein (8 M-urea-insoluble) of the membrane fraction was MIP28, with
      lesser amounts of MP17. Extrinsic proteins (8 M-urea-soluble) were examined by
      SDS-PAGE, isoelectric focusing, immunoblotting and amino acid composition
      analysis. Approximately 70% of the total extrinsic protein appeared to be alpha A
      crystallins and modified alpha A-crystallins. About 20% of the extrinsic protein
      was apparently beta- and gamma-crystallins. The remainder contained presumed
      cytoskeletal proteins and perhaps other unidentified polypeptides. The native
      plasma membrane was found distributed throughout the lens with only minor
      differences in the quantitative composition of the membrane fraction. We have
      concluded that the native membrane fraction represents the lens plasma membrane
      with its extrinsic proteins which exist in vivo. These extrinsic proteins
      appeared to be primarily acidic alpha-crystallin polypeptides with minor amounts
      of beta- and gamma-crystallins, and presumed cytoskeletal elements. We speculate
      that these extrinsic proteins may serve as a nucleation site for the association
      of other water insoluble protein through protein-protein interactions such as
      those found in the non-membrane associated urea-soluble protein. Together, these
      interactions may form a structured cytoplasmic matrix important for the
      maintenance of lens transparency.

PMID- 1424721
TI  - Proteoglycan synthesis by scleral chondrocytes is modulated by a vision dependent
      mechanism.
AB  - Proteoglycan synthesis was measured in chick sclera at the onset of form
      deprivation myopia, as well as in the period immediately following removal of the
      occluder. Two day-old chicks were monocularly form vision deprived for periods
      from one to ten days and proteoglycan synthesis was determined after placing
      posterior scleral buttons in organ culture and measuring 35SO4 incorporation into
      glycosaminoglycans. Following 24 hrs of form-deprivation, proteoglycan synthesis
      was 33% higher in myopic eyes as compared with paired control eyes. The rate of
      proteoglycan synthesis further increased to levels 83% higher than controls after
      four days of form-deprivation and remained elevated throughout the ten day period
      of deprivation. Removal of the occluder after 10 days of form-deprivation
      resulted in a rapid drop in the rate of proteoglycan synthesis to control levels
      within 24 hrs. Proteoglycan synthesis was also measured in scleral chondrocytes
      isolated from control and myopic eyes after 10 days of form-deprivation.
      Proteoglycan synthesis by chondrocytes from myopic eyes did not return to control
      levels until 48 hrs after plating. Since the rate of proteoglycan synthesis
      returns to control levels more quickly during the recovery period ex vivo than
      when scleral chondrocytes from myopic eyes are placed in cell culture, we suggest
      that a mechanism is present within the eye which rapidly lowers the rate of
      proteoglycan synthesis in response to form vision.

PMID- 1424722
TI  - Enrichment of polyunsaturated fatty acids from rat retinal pigment epithelium to
      rod outer segments.
AB  - Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n
      3), are enriched in phospholipids of vertebrate rod outer segments (ROS). Retinal
      ROS can incorporate 22 carbon (C-22) PUFA from the plasma pool where C-20 PUFA
      are predominant. In this study, we analyzed the fatty acid composition of retinal
      pigment epithelium (RPE) and ROS from rats fed different fatty acid supplements
      to determine whether this enrichment is at the photoreceptor-RPE boundary or the
      RPE-choriocapillaris boundary. Long Evans rats were raised from birth for 13-14
      weeks on a diet supplemented with 10% (wt/wt) hydrogenated coconut oil (COC; 0.2%
      18:2n-6, no 18:3n-3), safflower oil (SAF; 73.8% 18:2n-6, 0.1% 18:3n-3), or
      linseed oil (LIN; 16.4% 18:2n-6, 52.2% 18:3n-3). These diets were chosen because
      they increased plasma levels of 20:3n-9, 20:4n-6, and 20:5n-3, respectively.
      These three fatty acids served as metabolic markers. Plasma levels of 22:6n-3
      were reduced by the COC and SAF diets. The RPE incorporated 20:3n-9, 20:4n-6, and
      20:5n-3 from the plasma. However, the levels of 20:3n-9 and 20:5n-3 were very low
      in ROS and 20:4n-6 was not significantly elevated in the ROS of the SAF diet
      group. The relative amount of total C-20 PUFA in phospholipids in RPE was similar
      to that found in plasma and was about 4-16 times (depending on different lipid
      classes) that in the ROS. In contrast, C-22 PUFA (22:6n-3 and 22:5n-6) showed a
      step-wise, average 3-5 fold increase in concentration from the plasma to the RPE
      to the ROS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1424723
TI  - Lipids of frog retinal pigment epithelium: comparison with rod outer segments,
      retina, plasma and red blood cells.
AB  - The glycerolipid and fatty acid compositions of frog retinal pigment epithelium
      (RPE) were determined and compared with rod outer segments (ROS), retina, plasma,
      and red blood cells (RBC). The glycerolipid class composition of RPE was similar
      to RBC and ROS or retina, with phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine
      being the major components. The fatty acid composition of RPE differed
      substantially from that of plasma or RBC; the former contained much higher levels
      of C-20 and C-22 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as 20:4n-6 and 22:6n
      3, but less C-18 mono-, dienoic, and trienoic acids. The difference between RPE
      and ROS or retina with respect to fatty acid profile was also dramatic; RPE had
      relatively less 22:6n-3, but more 20:4n-6 and 18:2n-6, than ROS or retina. These
      results suggest that frog RPE cells may selectively take up C-20 and C-22 PUFAs
      from the circulation, but preferentially deliver 22:6n-3 to the ROS and retina.
      Fatty acid analyses show that 20:4n-6 and 22:6n-3 were unevenly distributed among
      RPE glycerolipids; phosphatidic acid, diglyceride, triglyceride, and
      phosphatidylserine are relatively more enriched in 22:6n-3 compared with 20:4n-6.
      This information might imply that these two PUFAs are metabolized differently
      inside the frog RPE cells.

PMID- 1424724
TI  - Selective association of crystallins with lens 'native' membrane during dynamic
      cataractogenesis.
AB  - Plasma membrane with its associated extrinsic proteins was isolated from normal
      and cataractous rat lenses by centrifugation of the total water insoluble
      fraction from homogenized lenses on a discontinuous sucrose gradient. Membrane,
      which we call "native" membrane, was recovered mainly from the 25/45% sucrose
      interface. Development of the experimental U18666A cataract resulted in plasma
      membrane shifting to higher density (the 50/55% sucrose fraction) and great
      increases in the urea soluble protein content of the lens. At early stages of
      cataract development, most of the increased urea soluble protein was membrane
      associated, presumably as extrinsic protein. With advancing cataract, most of the
      urea soluble protein appeared in an essentially membrane-free pellet fraction.
      The urea soluble protein associated with the cataract membrane was shown by
      combined IEF, SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, amino acid compositional analysis and
      protein sequence determinations to be mainly composed of modified alpha- and beta
      crystallins. Alpha A-crystallin truncated by not more than 27 residues from the
      carboxyl terminus plus beta b1 crystallin truncated by 49 residues from the amino
      terminus were conclusively identified. In addition to beta b1, a population of
      six alpha-crystallin derived polypeptides were specifically enriched in the
      cataract membrane fraction. Four of these six alpha-crystallins appear to be
      truncated from their carboxyl terminus, a modification which should have
      increased their hydrophobicity. The pellet fraction, which accumulated in the
      lens nucleus as the cataract advanced, was enriched in urea soluble gamma
      crystallin derived polypeptides. We suggest that protein insolubilization in this
      experimental cataract involves the selective and tight association of principally
      modified alpha-crystallins to the fiber cell plasma membrane.

PMID- 1424725
TI  - The ability of lens alpha crystallin to protect against heat-induced aggregation
      is age-dependent.
AB  - Alpha crystallin was prepared from newborn and aged bovine lenses. SDS-PAGE and
      tryptic peptide mapping demonstrated that both preparations contained only the
      alpha-A and alpha-B chains, with no significant contamination of other
      crystallins. Compared with alpha crystallin from the aged lens, alpha crystallin
      from the newborn lens was much more effective in the inhibition of beta L
      crystallin denaturation and precipitation induced in vitro by heat. Together,
      these results demonstrate that during the aging process, the alpha crystallins
      lose their ability to protect against protein denaturation, consistent with the
      hypothesis that the alpha crystallins play an important role in the maintenance
      of protein native structure in the intact lens.

PMID- 1424727
TI  - The effect of chlorpromazine on endotoxin-induced uveitis in the Lewis rat.
AB  - Chlorpromazine (CPZ) has been used extensively in the treatment of psychiatric
      disorders, and has recently been shown to possess systemic anti-inflammatory
      properties as well. To investigate the potential effects of CPZ on ocular
      inflammation, we evaluated its action on endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in Lewis
      rats. At three different dosage levels, CPZ produced highly significant
      reductions in the mean aqueous aspirate inflammatory cell counts and histological
      inflammatory scores as compared to controls treated with vehicle only. Analysis
      of aqueous fluid demonstrated a similar decrease in protein concentration and
      phospholipase A2 (PLA-2) activity in the treated animals. The ability of CPZ to
      inhibit the development of EIU may be related to its properties as a calcium
      channel blocker and inhibitor of the enzyme phospholipase A2.

PMID- 1424726
TI  - Glycation of lens membrane intrinsic proteins.
AB  - Changes occurring at the membrane are believed to be the decisive factors in the
      initiation of diabetic cataract. During diabetic hyperglycemia lens crystallins
      were shown to undergo glycation. Several studies indicated that glycation brings
      about protein conformational changes thus implicated in cataractogenesis. Since
      the membrane proteins are the first targets for glycation, in this study we
      measured the glycation of alkali washed urea-insoluble membrane proteins from
      control and diabetic rats by two different methods, phenyl-boronate affinity
      chromatography and [3H]NaBH4 reduction, and confirmed by amino acid analysis.
      There was a significant increase in the glycation of membrane proteins in
      diabetic cataract lenses when compared to controls. It appears that lysine is the
      major site of glycation. Concomitant to early glycation, there was an increase in
      non-tryptophan fluorescence (Ex: 350 nm/Em: 440 nm) in the diabetic lens membrane
      proteins suggesting the presence of advanced glycation mediated protein cross
      links. In order to identify whether the major membrane intrinsic protein, MIP26,
      undergoes glycation, we isolated MIP26 along with its degradatory product MIP22
      as one peak on molecular sieve HPLC. HPLC isolated MIP26/MIP22 was further
      separated on SDS-PAGE followed by slicing and counting. This analysis revealed
      that MIP26 and MIP22 were more or less equally glycated in controls, however, in
      diabetic rats glycation of MIP22 was glycated slightly higher than MIP26.
      Moreover, the proportion of MIP22 increased by about 2-fold in diabetic lenses
      compared to controls. Thus it appears that major glycation sites are still
      retained in MIP22 in diabetic rat lenses. In vitro glycation studies with bovine
      lens membranes were also done using 14C glucose, followed by SDS-PAGE and
      autoradiography. The major protein glycated in vitro also seems to be MIP26.
      Interestingly, MIP22 was less glycated than MIP26 in vitro.

PMID- 1424728
TI  - Collagenolytic/gelatinolytic metalloproteinases in normal and keratoconus
      corneas.
AB  - Cells of keratoconus corneas have been reported to produce higher levels of
      collagenolytic/gelatinolytic enzymatic activities than do cells of normal
      corneas. The current study investigates the contribution of 1) specific enzyme
      gene products, and 2) the degree to which these proteins are present in the
      activated forms, to the increased enzymatic activities. We demonstrate that two
      neutral gelatinolytic enzymes, a 66/59 kD form and a 92 kD form, can be directly
      extracted from both normal and keratoconus corneas. These enzymes are identified
      as the pro- and activated forms of MMP-2 and as the pro-form of MMP-9, specific
      members of the matrix metalloproteinase family. Normal and keratoconus corneas
      show no significant differences in amounts or types of extractable neutral
      gelatinases, nor in the amounts or types that they synthesize in culture.
      Furthermore, in both the normal and keratoconus corneas, gelatinases are found
      primarily in the inactive form. These studies suggest the possible importance of
      changes in proteinase inhibitor levels to the characteristic biochemical features
      of keratoconus corneas.

PMID- 1424729
TI  - The retinal pigment epithelium induces fenestration of endothelial cells in vivo.
AB  - Rodent photoreceptor dystrophies are characterized by late stage ingrowth of
      retinal blood vessels into the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) where they
      proliferate. Some of these vessels develop the fenestrated phenotype of the
      choriocapillaris (CC). To determine if development of fenestrae in these
      endothelial cells is a function of the duration of time the endothelial cell had
      been encapsulated by the RPE, we did an ultrastructural morphometric study of
      these vessels in urethane induced photoreceptor degeneration in Long-Evans rats.
      Retinas of animals aged 20, 24, 40 and 56 weeks were studied. The fraction of
      vessel profiles within the RPE that had fenestrated endothelial cells increased
      from 10% to 90% between 20 to 56 weeks. The average number of fenestrae per
      vessel increased approximately 25 fold between 20 and 24 weeks but stabilized
      after that, despite a decrease in the number of vessels present at 56 weeks. A
      large number of degenerated retinal vessel profiles were seen in the RPE at 40
      weeks. These facts support the idea that the presence of the RPE induces
      endothelial cell fenestrae, and also show that a complex process of remodelling
      including proliferation and degeneration is occurring in these vessels. Analogies
      between the basic cell biology of neovascularization occurring in these rodent
      models and that of proliferative diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular
      degeneration are discussed.

PMID- 1424730
TI  - Retinyl ester hydrolysis in the rabbit lacrimal gland.
AB  - The lacrimal gland stores retinyl esters which are synthesized by the enzyme acyl
      CoA:retinyl acyl transferase. Retinol is released from retinyl ester reserves by
      retinyl ester hydrolase (REH). Since the lacrimal gland secretes retinol, this
      gland should also contain this enzyme. To identify bile salt-dependent REH
      activity, rabbit lacrimal glands were homogenized in 0.05 M Trismaleate buffer,
      and enzyme activity was determined in the tissue homogenate, in the membrane
      fraction and in the cytosolic fraction by measurement of production of retinol
      from retinyl palmitate (nmol retinol produced/mg protein/h). In the lacrimal
      gland, production of retinol was optimal in the presence of 200 mM CHAPS at pH 7.
      The REH activity in the presence of 1000 microM retinyl palmitate was 2.38 +/-
      0.18 nmol/mg/h in the homogenate, 1.13 +/- 0.16/nmol/mg/h in membranes and 3.25
      +/- 0.26 nmol/mg/h in cytosol. By comparison, REH activity in rabbit liver was
      6.58 +/- 0.75 nmol/mg/h. The REH activity in lacrimal gland was not affected by
      vitamin A deficiency. These data are consistent with the presence of retinyl
      ester hydrolase activity in the lacrimal gland and provide further evidence that
      this gland is adapted for metabolism and secretion of retinol.

PMID- 1424731
TI  - The 53kDa polypeptide component of the bovine fibre cell cytoskeleton is derived
      from the 115kDa beaded filament protein: evidence for a fibre cell specific
      intermediate filament protein.
AB  - The 115kDa protein found enriched in the PMCC (plasma membrane-cytoskeleton
      complex) fraction of the cortex in bovine lens fibre cells is proteolytically
      processed to a stable 53kDa product. The 115 kDa protein and the 53kDa
      polypeptide have been purified by a combination of ion exchange and
      hydroxyapatite chromatography. Tryptic peptide mapping using reverse phase HPLC
      and subsequent peptide sequencing confirmed that the 53kDa polypeptide is derived
      from the 115kDa protein. The 53kDa fragment is also a component of the PMCC as
      well as being a major component of the urea soluble fraction of lens plasma
      membranes which have been extracted with buffers containing 1M KC1. The 53kDa
      polypeptide has escaped identification as a breakdown product of the 115kDa
      protein because it is not recognised by a commonly used monoclonal antibody,
      R2D2, specific for the bovine 115kDa protein. This result suggests that
      proteolysis is important in determining the function(s) of the 115kDa protein,
      and that part of this function is satisfied by the 53kDa protein core. Both the
      purified 115kDa protein and the 53kDa polypeptide were unable to form either
      beaded or intermediate filaments on their own but they were able to form short
      10nm rods indicative of an intermediate stage in intermediate filament assembly.
      Comparison ot the assembly properties of the 53 and 115kDa proteins indicate that
      there are sequences in the 115kDa protein which inhibit in vitro assembly. This
      is similar to the situation with neurofilament proteins. We suggest that the
      115kDa protein is a lens-specific intermediate filament protein.

PMID- 1424732
TI  - Cell-specific expression of LBP-32 mRNA in retina and other locations of newborn
      mouse eye as revealed by in situ hybridization.
AB  - LBP-32 is a cell surface and cytoplasmic protein which is thought to both mediate
      cell attachment to laminin and play a role in translation initiation. In the
      present study, antisense RNA for LBP-32 was used to document its cellular mRNA
      expression pattern in newborn mouse eye. In situ hybridization revealed that LBP
      32 was distributed uniformly through the retina as well as over anterior oblique
      muscle, in corneal and lens epithelial cells and in capillary endothelial cells
      of the choroid. This unique cell-specific expression raises interesting questions
      of the role of LBP-32 in eye development.

PMID- 1424733
TI  - Binding of actin to lens alpha crystallins.
AB  - Actin has been coupled to a cyanogen bromide-activated Sepharose 4B column, then
      tested for binding to alpha, beta, and gamma crystallin preparations from the
      bovine lens. Alpha, but not beta or gamma, crystallins bound to the actin
      affinity column in a time dependent and saturable manner. Subfractionation of the
      alpha crystallin preparation into the alpha-A and alpha-B species, followed by
      incubation with the affinity column, demonstrated that both species bound
      approximately the same. Together, these studies demonstrate a specific and
      saturable binding of lens alpha-A and alpha-B with actin.

PMID- 1424734
TI  - The epidemiology and genetics of endogenous uveitis: a review.
AB  - Epidemiology is frequently neglected in the study of uveitis. Little is known on
      the incidence and prevalence of this disease. This review presents data on the
      subject from the literature and from the uveitis clinic at Rotterdam. The
      distribution of uveitis varies in different parts of the world and these
      differences might be attributed to geographic, alimentary or genetic factors. The
      discovery of associations of certain types of uveitis and HLA antigen subclasses
      provided at least part of an explanation for racial and genetic factors. These
      associations are dealt with in more detail.

PMID- 1424735
TI  - Adoptive transfer of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis in HgCl2 injected
      rats.
AB  - We previously demonstrated that mercuric chloride (HgCl2) injected-(Lewis x Brown
      Norway) F1 rats are protected against experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU)
      induced by active immunization with the retinal S-antigen (S-Ag). To better
      understand the mechanisms of the protection promoted by HgCl2, we studied the
      effect of HgCl2-induced autoimmune disease on transferred EAU. We demonstrate
      herein that HgCl2 has no effect on adoptively transferred EAU. Therefore, the
      HgCl2-induced autoimmune disease does not affect effector S-Ag specific T cells
      activated in vitro but acts at an earlier stage.

PMID- 1424736
TI  - Induction of experimental autoimmune uveitis by the retinal photoreceptor cell
      protein, phosducin.
AB  - Experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) and experimental autoimmune pinealitis
      (EAP) are CD4+ T cell mediated inflammatory diseases of the retina and uveal
      tract of the eye and the pineal gland respectively. They can be induced in
      experimental animals by immunization with several well characterized retinal
      autoantigens. We induced a mild to moderate EAU and EAP in Lewis rats by
      immunization with phosducin, a 33K retinal phosphoprotein which is involved in
      the phototransduction of vision. In contrast to the severe EAU induced by other
      retinal antigens like S-antigen (SAg) or interstitial retinoid binding protein
      (IRBP), the clinical disease was late in onset, low grade in severity and
      predominantly affected the posterior segment of the eye. Our study demonstrates
      that another photoreceptor cell protein, phosducin, is capable of eliciting EAU
      and EAP.

PMID- 1424737
TI  - Pathogenicity and immunogenicity of recombinant human retinal S-antigen fusion
      protein.
AB  - A full-length cDNA clone to human S-antigen (HS-ag) was isolated from lambda gt
      10 human retinal library and expressed as a fusion protein with glutathione S
      transferase (GST) in E. Coli. Uveitogenicity and immunogenicity of recombinant
      GST-HS-ag fusion protein and native HS-ag were compared in EAU-susceptible Lewis
      rats. Recombinant HS-ag was found less uveitogenic than native HS-ag. Animals
      inoculated with recombinant HS-ag developed EAU on day 17, three days later than
      those inoculated with native HS-ag, the incidence of the disease was reduced from
      80% to 58% and the score of clinical severity reduced from 2.2 to 1.3 points
      respectively. In contrast, rGST-HS-ag was more immunogenic than native HS-ag as
      it elicited four times higher levels of antibodies which reacted specifically
      with both antigens.

PMID- 1424738
TI  - Interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein induced experimental autoimmune
      uveitis: an immunophenotypic analysis using alkaline phosphatase anti-alkaline
      phosphatase staining, dual immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy.
AB  - Using a Lewis rat model of IRBP induced EAU, we have examined the progress of
      leucocytes infiltrating the uveitic eye. APAAP and dual immunofluorescence were
      used to show that ED7 and 8 (CD11b/CD18) positive monocytes, W3/25 and OX8 (CD4
      and CD8) lymphocytes were prominent in the initial inflammatory exudate around
      the retinal vessels and in the choroid. ED1 positive monocytes were also observed
      in the choroid. As disease progressed, these cells moved into the inner retina,
      vitreous and ROS. ED8 positive cells were the first to appear in the ROS. This
      was followed by the later appearance of ED2 tissue macrophages in the vitreous
      and ED3 inflammatory macrophages in the vitreous and ROS.

PMID- 1424739
TI  - Suppression of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis by prazosin, an alpha 1
      adrenergic receptor antagonist.
AB  - S-antigen (S-Ag)-induced experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) was
      suppressed in Lewis and PVG rats by treatment beginning 4 days post immunization
      with prazosin, a specific alpha 1-adrenergic receptor antagonist. A significant
      suppression of EAU was observed at clinical and histological levels in both
      treated groups compared to a severe EAU which developed in controls. Fluorescein
      angiography showed no leakage of dye from the optic disc of a treated PVG rat
      presenting no ocular inflammation by clinical examination. The treatment had no
      effect on the titer of anti-S-Ag antibodies. Perivascular infiltrates of T
      lymphocytes and macrophages together with alterations of blood-retinal barrier
      permeability are early events in EAU. Prazosin, by acting on the vascular alpha 1
      adrenoreceptors, inhibits vasospasm, preserves blood-retinal-barrier integrity
      and prevents vascular edema and early inflammatory cell infiltration observed in
      EAU.

PMID- 1424740
TI  - Pinealitis coincident with recurrent uveitis: immunohistochemical studies.
AB  - Although experimental models of autoimmune uveitis predict pinealitis coincident
      with uveitis, there is no direct evidence of pineal pathology accompanying a
      human uveitis. Horses with naturally occurring uveitis are a potential source of
      eye and pineal tissues that are not available from human patients with active
      uveitis. We have observed pinealitis in a mare with equine recurrent uveitis. By
      immunohistochemistry we demonstrated immunoglobulin and MHC Class II antigen on
      infiltrating and resident cells of eye and pineal gland. These results support
      the relevance of the animal models and suggest that pinealitis may be coincident
      with some human uveitides.

PMID- 1424741
TI  - Adhesion molecules are expressed in the human retina and choroid.
AB  - Immunoperoxidase staining of samples of normal human retina and choroid was
      performed to demonstrate selected adhesion molecules in vivo. Intercellular
      adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), lymphocyte function-associated antigen-3 (LFA-3)
      and endothelial leucocyte adhesion molecule-1 (ELAM-1) were expressed on retinal
      vascular endothelium and ICAM-1 and ELAM-1 in the region of the external limiting
      membrane. The very late antigen-2 (VLA-2) was found around the retinal ganglion
      cells and in the inner and outer fibre layers. The endothelium on the
      choriocapillaris showed moderate staining of ICAM-1, and slight staining of LFA-3
      and ELAM-1. The presence of these molecules in this distribution strongly
      suggests they have an important role in the pathogenesis of immunologically
      mediated ocular conditions.

PMID- 1424742
TI  - Production of interleukin-6 by human retinal pigment epithelium in vitro and its
      regulation by other cytokines.
AB  - Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine which produces uveitis if
      administered intraocularly. It has been demonstrated in the aqueous of patients
      with various uveitis entities. We have investigated the ability of human retinal
      pigment epithelium (RPE) to produce IL-6 in vitro, both unstimulated, and in the
      presence of interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF), interferon
      (IFN) gamma, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Five human RPE cell lines were
      cultured over a 6-day period, both unstimulated and in the presence of these
      cyokines. IL-6 in the supernatants was measured using an ELISA assay.
      Unstimulated RPE produced small amounts of IL-6. IL-1 at 100 or 10 U/ml markedly
      upregulated IL-6 production, and TNF at 1000, 100 or 10 U/ml did so to a lesser
      extent. Neither IFN gamma or LPS alone increased IL-6 expression, but together
      gave significant upregulation. Thus human RPE can produce IL-6 and may be the
      source of this cytokine in ocular inflammatory states.

PMID- 1424743
TI  - Analysis of IL-6 levels in human vitreous fluid obtained from uveitis patients,
      patients with proliferative intraocular disorders and eye bank eyes.
AB  - Several studies suggest a role for IL-6 in the pathogenesis of uveitis. Earlier
      we have shown that aqueous humour obtained from patients with uveitis contained
      raised levels of IL-6. In the study described here we investigated the IL-6
      levels in vitreous fluid samples obtained from 75 uveitis patients with different
      uveitis entities. Vitreous samples from 14 patients with proliferative
      intraocular disorders (PID) and 29 eye bank eyes were used as controls. All the
      samples were tested in the IL-6 B9 bioassay as well as in a sensitive ELISA for
      IL-6. Raised IL-6 levels were detected in the vitreous fluid of uveitis patients
      as well as patients with PID, implicating IL-6 as a common inflammatory mediator.
      The highest mean level of IL-6 was found in the vitreous fluid of patients with
      acute retinal necrosis. The mean IL-6 levels measured by the ELISA were higher
      compared to the levels measured by the B9 bioassay. This may be caused by the
      presence of B9 bioassay inhibitory factors in the vitreous fluid of these
      patients.

PMID- 1424744
TI  - Cytokines in human intraocular inflammation.
AB  - The presence of interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 1 (IL-1), interleukin 2 (IL-2)
      and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) was investigated in vitreous and aqueous
      aspirates from eyes undergoing vitrectomy for the treatment of different
      inflammatory conditions. Cadaveric vitreous from 10 normal subjects were used as
      controls. IL-6 was observed in 5 specimens from eyes with idiopathic uveitis
      (range = 26-264 pg/ml), in 2 specimens from eyes with uveitis complicated with
      retinal detachment (28 and 279 pg/ml, respectively), in 6 samples from eyes with
      diabetic retinopathy (range = 5-480 pg/ml), in one sample from an eye with
      phacolytic glaucoma (1190 pg/ml) and in one specimen from an eye with Behcet's
      disease (366 pg/ml). Although IL-1 was detected in 80% of all the samples
      investigated, concentrations of this cytokine greater than 3 pg/ml were only
      observed in 2 specimens from eyes with uveitis (5 and 20 pg/ml, respectively) and
      2 samples from eyes with diabetic retinopathy (3 and 31 pg/ml, respectively). TNF
      was present in 3 specimens from eyes with uveitis (range = 2-24 pg/ml) and 1
      sample from eyes with diabetic retinopathy (4 pg/ml), but was not detected in the
      eyes with phacolytic glaucoma or Behcet's disease. IL-2 (less than 0.1 U/ml) was
      detected in one sample from an eye with uveitis, one specimen from an eye with
      uveitis complicated with retinal detachment and 2 samples from eyes with diabetic
      retinopathy. None of the cytokines measured were detected in any of the control
      vitreous. The present observations suggest that cytokines, particularly IL-6 and
      IL-1, may act as local amplification signals in pathological processes associated
      with chronic eye inflammation.

PMID- 1424745
TI  - Soluble interleukin-2 receptors in retinal vasculitis.
AB  - Soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels were measured in the serum of 27
      patients with retinal vasculitis, 16 with vasculitis purely isolated to the eye
      (RV) and 11 with vasculitis associated with a systemic inflammatory disease
      (RV+SID). Levels of sIL-2R were statistically significantly increased (mu 986, SD
      845 U/ml, p = 0.013) only in the RV+SID group as compared to healthy controls.
      The highest levels being found in patients with sarcoidosis (mu 1436, SD 1083
      U/ml). There was no correlation with disease activity or with systemic
      corticosteroid therapy. Serum sIL-2R measurements appear to be of limited use in
      the management of patients with retinal vasculitis, but may be of value in those
      patients with sarcoidosis. Longitudinal measurements with larger numbers of
      patients are required to confirm this. Serum sIL-2R levels were also
      statistically significantly increased (mu 843, SD 171 U/ml, p less than 0.0001)
      in 21 patients with Fuchs' heterochromic cyclitis. As this is a chronic condition
      with mild inflammatory activity and no associated systemic disease, the
      explanation for this finding is unknown.

PMID- 1424746
TI  - Anti-endothelial cell antibodies in retinal vasculitis.
AB  - Auto-antibodies to endothelial cells are found in a variety of vasculitic
      disorders including two diseases associated with retinal vasculitis: Behcet's
      disease and multiple sclerosis. In this study we have examined the prevalence of
      anti-endothelial cell antibodies [AECA] in 15 patients with retinal vasculitis
      [RV] associated with Behcet's disease, multiple sclerosis or sarcoidosis and 20
      patients with idiopathic retinal vasculitis. 47% of patients with RV associated
      with systemic disease and 35% of patients with idiopathic RV had AECA, compared
      to 1% of 70 normal controls. The mean levels of AECA were similar in both groups
      of patients, and comparable to levels found in other systemic vasculitides.

PMID- 1424747
TI  - Anticardiolipin antibodies in uveitis.
AB  - Anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA) have been described in association with
      thrombosis and several vascular diseases and may be involved in retinal
      vasculitis. To investigate this question we tested sera from 86 patients with
      posterior uveitis and 100 healthy controls for the presence of anticardiolipin
      antibodies. The antibody was present in 15 patients: in 7 of the patients with
      acute retinal necrosis (n = 24), in 4 with idiopathic retinal vasculitis (n =
      10), 3 with syphilis (n = 6) and in one SLE patient with retinal vasculitis. Ten
      patients had IgA-type anticardiolipin antibodies, 6 had IgM-type and 4 had IgG
      type anticardiolipin antibodies. Anticardiolipin antibodies could not be detected
      in sera from uveitis patients with Behcet's disease (n = 10), sarcoid (n = 9),
      toxoplasmosis (n = 7), multiple sclerosis (n = 3) or Birdshot chorioretinopathy
      (n = 10). Ten of the healthy controls had cardiolipin antibodies of the IgM
      class. The exact role of these auto-antibodies in the pathogenesis of retinal
      vasculitis remains to be resolved.

PMID- 1424748
TI  - The use of lithium clearance studies in the early detection of cyclosporin A
      (CsA) nephrotoxicity: a protocol of renal function assessment with CsA therapy.
AB  - Cyclosporin A nephrotoxicity was studied with the use of lithium and creatinine
      clearance tests in 18 patients with chronic intraocular inflammation (duration of
      treatment 3-48 months). In 11 patients lithium clearance and fractional excretion
      of lithium were significantly reduced (compared with pretreatment levels) within
      the first six months of treatment. There was no significant change in either
      serum creatinine or creatinine clearance within this period. In 14/18 patients
      there was a significant reduction in lithium clearance and fractional excretion
      of lithium during the treatment period. 7 patients whose therapy was stopped
      because of continuing nephrotoxicity despite dose reduction, demonstrated some
      reversibility of renal function on cessation of cyclosporin A. We propose a
      protocol for the assessment of renal function in these patients so that with dose
      modulation the changes in these parameters can be minimised, reducing the risk of
      renal impairment, whilst maximising immunosuppressive treatment.

PMID- 1424749
TI  - The blood-retinal barrier in experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU): a
      review.
AB  - The blood-retinal barrier (BRB) is believed to play an important part in the
      pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU). Central to the
      disease process is the recruitment of inflammatory cells from the circulation, a
      mechanism that is controlled in part by the BRB. As the disease progresses the
      BRB becomes disrupted first to small and then to large molecular weight tracers.
      In these two respects EAU shares many similarities with experimental autoimmune
      encephalomyelitis (EAE) in which there is dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier
      (BBB). In EAU, however, the differential roles played by the two barrier sites
      that comprise the BRB are not clear although some evidence would suggest that it
      is the retinal endothelium that is initially involved. BRB breakdown in EAU has
      been found to occur concomitantly with lymphocyte infiltration by mechanisms that
      remain to be elucidated.

PMID- 1424750
TI  - Eye-derived cytokines and the immunosuppressive intraocular microenvironment: a
      review.
AB  - The normal aqueous humor contains a variety of soluble immunosuppressive factors,
      including transforming growth factor-beta, alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone,
      and vasoactive intestinal peptide. These factors are largely the secretory
      products of parenchymal cells of the iris and ciliary body. TGF beta has recently
      been shown to alter the functional capacity of intraocular antigen presenting
      cells, such that they are capable of inducing Anterior Chamber Associated Immune
      Deviation (ACAID). This deviant systemic immune response is characterized by an
      impaired capacity to mount an effective cell-mediated immune attack directed at
      antigens that are placed in, or arise within, the eye. A second property of
      immunosuppressive factors in aqueous humor is to suppress directly the expression
      of delayed hypersensitivity in the anterior chamber. In fact, even when the
      intraocular microenvironment is disturbed by local instillation of gamma
      interferon, making it possible for limited expression of cell-mediated immunity
      in the eye, the microenvironment of the anterior chamber remains profoundly
      immunosuppressive. In this latter instance, prostaglandins replace TGF beta as
      the major molecular mediators of suppression in the aqueous humor. In the
      aggregate, factors present in the normal (or perturbed) intraocular
      microenvironment have the capacity to modify both the afferent and efferent limbs
      of the systemic immune response, and this accounts for the longstanding
      observation that the anterior chamber is an immunologically privileged site.
      Since evidence suggests that the eye can mobilize more than one molecular
      mechanism in its effort to limit the sight-destroying potential of immunogenic
      inflammation, we believe that elucidation of intraocular cytokines and factors
      that create and maintain an immunosuppressive microenvironment will contribute to
      a better understanding of the pathogenesis of the acute and chronic uveitides,
      especially those of autoimmune and infectious etiology.

PMID- 1424751
TI  - Antigen processing and presentation in the eye: a review.
AB  - The recognition event between self-antigen, the MHC and the T cell receptor has
      become the target for potential immunotherapy of T cell mediated autoimmune
      disease. For this approach to succeed in uveoretinitis, uniformity in T cell
      receptor usage, restricted MHC usage and limited epitope recognition by
      individuals would be required. In this study we have shown that despite clonal
      heterogeneity of response to multideterminate retinal extract antigens,
      proliferation to the antigens tested was restricted by the IA MHC class II
      molecule. Different patterns of reactivity to retinal antigens in the presence of
      various protease inhibitors was observed. Natural processing of IRBP appears to
      be complex, requiring a number of enzymes to generate immunogenic fragments, in
      contrast, for S-antigen, plasmin alone may suffice. The RPE cells which are
      potential processors and presenters of retinal antigens produce PGE2 and may act
      as suppressors of ocular inflammation.

PMID- 1424752
TI  - Epitopes and idiotypes in experimental autoimmune uveitis: a review.
AB  - Retinal S-antigen (SAg) and interphotoreceptor retinol-binding protein (IRBP)
      induced experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) and experimental autoimmune
      pinealitis (EAP) are good models for studying the mechanisms involved in
      autoimmune diseases. Many immunogenetically active epitopes have been identified
      in these proteins but immunodominance of one or more epitopes in vivo, has not
      yet been established. In this paper we present and discuss some experiments that
      led to the discovery of a dominant "tolerogenic" epitope in SAg. We also
      demonstrate the presence of cross reactive epitopes in the two potent retinal
      antigens, SAg and IRBP and finally introduce early data on a unique anti S2.4.c5
      idiotypic (Id) monoclonal antibody (MAb) which appears to be a site non
      associated antibody that binds not only to s2.4.c5 but also to SAg.

PMID- 1424753
TI  - Macrophages in experimental autoimmune diseases in the rat: a review.
AB  - In the pathogenesis of most experimental autoimmune diseases T lymphocytes play a
      crucial role in the initiation, whereas macrophages are essential in the effector
      phase. This review deals with several methods to elucidate the exact role
      macrophages play in different stages of autoimmune models in the rat. By using
      monoclonal antibodies an inventory has been made on the different macrophage
      subsets that are present in the infiltrates of the affected tissues. That
      macrophages play a decisive role in provoking the clinical signs has been shown
      by several macrophage elimination studies. The severe tissue damage caused by
      macrophages is brought about by the release of inflammatory mediators. Especially
      interference with the production or action of these products could provide new
      therapeutical means.

PMID- 1424755
TI  - Use of ACAID to suppress interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein-induced
      experimental autoimmune uveitis.
AB  - Experimental Autoimmune Uveitis (EAU) was induced by immunization with bovine
      interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein (IRBP) in B10.A mice. The experiments
      were performed to evaluate whether Anterior Chamber Associated Immune Deviation
      (ACAID) can be induced by IRBP when injected intracamerally. The results indicate
      that anterior chamber (AC) injection of IRBP impaired the development of IRBP
      specific delayed hypersensitivity and prevented the expression of EAU following
      immunization with IRBP-CFA. Adoptive transfer of spleen cells obtained from mice
      that received IRBP into AC suppressed EAU, whether administered prior to or after
      the uveitogenic regimen. Most important, IRBP-specific suppressor cells from AC
      IRBP treated mice when injected into IRBP-EAU mice suppressed and eliminated
      already established intraocular inflammation. IRBP-specific, ACAID-inducing
      suppressor T cells act on the efferent limb of the immune response, and represent
      ideal modalities for treating already established EAU.

PMID- 1424754
TI  - Genetic factors in susceptibility and resistance to experimental autoimmune
      uveoretinitis.
AB  - Experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU) can be induced in susceptible stains
      of rats and mice by immunization with purified retinal antigens, and serves as a
      model for human uveitis. Because strong HLA associations have been noted in a
      number of human uveitic diseases, we investigated the role of major
      histocompatibility complex (MHC) vs. non-MHC genes in the control of
      susceptibility to ocular autoimmunity, using the mouse and the rat EAU models. It
      was shown that EAU expression in mice requires both a susceptible MHC haplotype
      and a "permissive" genetic background. MHC control of susceptibility was
      tentatively mapped to the I-A subregion in H-2k. I-Ek expression appeared to have
      an ameliorating effect on disease. Susceptible H-2 haplotypes exhibited highest
      disease scores on the B10 background, and disease was reduced, or even absent, on
      some other (nonpermissive) backgrounds. Factors which may determine
      "permissiveness" or "nonpermissiveness" of a particular genetic background, as
      studied in mice and rats, may include diverse genetic mechanisms spanning
      regulation of cytokines, hormones, vascular effects and the T cell repertoire.
      Taken together, the data suggest that, in individuals susceptible to uveitis by
      virtue of their MHC, the final expression of disease will be determined by the
      genetic background.

PMID- 1424756
TI  - Recent progress in the use of intravenous immunoglobulin.

PMID- 1424757
TI  - Retinopathy of prematurity.
AB  - ROP is a common disorder among extremely low-birth-weight premature infant
      survivors and may cause total vision loss in as many as 2% to 4% of those
      weighing less than 2 lb (1 kg) at birth. Regular examinations begun in the
      intensive care unit permit early detection and treatment of progressive ROP,
      reducing visual impairment. Ongoing research into antioxidants, angiogenesis,
      light exposure, and newer surgical techniques may offer new approaches for
      preventing and treating established ROP. Infants who have had ROP that regressed
      should continue regular ophthalmologic follow-up to detect and treat myopia,
      strabismus, and if they have cicatricial sequelae, late retinal detachments as
      teens or adults. Infants who develop retinal detachments should be referred for
      early intervention and special education programs and remain in regular
      ophthalmologic follow-up for the detection and treatment of further ophthalmic
      complications.

PMID- 1424759
TI  - Coronary artery bypass surgery.

PMID- 1424758
TI  - Lumbosacral spine imaging: physioanatomic method.
AB  - Noninvasive evaluation of low back and leg pain has progressed rapidly over the
      past decade. The development of computed tomography, single-photon emission
      computed tomographic bone scan, and magnetic resonance imaging has markedly
      increased diagnostic accuracy in detecting pathologic conditions. With this
      increased accuracy has come recognition of a 50% prevalence of underlying
      abnormalities in patients between 20 and 60 years old who have no symptoms. When
      such patients have a back injury, subsequent imaging will show in half of the
      population studied abnormalities that are not related to an acute injury.
      Degeneration of the spine progresses in all patients throughout their lifetime,
      and nearly all of the population will have back discomfort at some time.
      Political- and judicial-based compensation for back injuries related to accidents
      and on-the-job injuries provides an incentive for patients not to improve on
      therapy and to exaggerate symptoms, further complicating the clinical evaluation
      of their condition. The goal of physioanatomic noninvasive and invasive imaging
      evaluation presented in the following chapters is to increase specificity by
      differentiating pain generators from asymptomatic underlying pathologic
      conditions. When used with intensive conservative management and psychologic
      testing, this physioanatomic approach has resulted in much better treatment
      outcomes in our experience. The physioanatomic approach is quite simple,
      consisting of rigorous correlation of pathologic changes demonstrated by
      noninvasive imaging modalities (computed tomography, single-photon emission
      computed tomographic bone scan, and magnetic resonance), or invasive modalities
      (diskography-enhanced computed tomography, nerve root block and facet block) with
      the patient's symptoms to evaluate whether the symptoms and the pathologic lesion
      are concordant or discordant. Patient symptoms and history are evaluated by use
      of a pain drawing and information sheet. The patient's pain pattern is
      categorized into a nonspecific pattern or into one of four recognizable pathway
      patterns (radicular, dorsal ramus, polyneuropathy, and sympathetic). Because each
      spinal lesion is typically manifested primarily via one of the four symptom
      pathways, the distribution of expected symptoms from each pathologic feature can
      be compared with the patient's pain drawing, and an assessment of the
      significance of imaged lesions can be made. The patient's presenting symptoms are
      also used to determine the most cost-effective and efficacious use of initial
      diagnostic imaging evaluation. In a minority of patients the findings on
      noninvasive imaging either will not correlate with the patient's symptoms or will
      demonstrate multiple abnormalities that could account for the patient's symptoms.
      In these patients, invasive techniques are extremely helpful in defining a pain
      generator or pain generators.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1424760
TI  - The biology and practice of surgical drains. Part II.

PMID- 1424761
TI  - Determination to flower in Nicotiana.

PMID- 1424762
TI  - Role of cell rearrangement in axial morphogenesis.

PMID- 1424763
TI  - Mechanisms underlying the development of pattern in marsupial embryos.

PMID- 1424764
TI  - Experimental chimeras: current concepts and controversies in normal development
      and pathogenesis.

PMID- 1424766
TI  - Transcription factors and mammalian development.

PMID- 1424765
TI  - Genetic analysis of cell division in Drosophila.

PMID- 1424767
TI  - Cellular basis of amphibian gastrulation.

PMID- 1424769
TI  - Membrane defenses against attack by complement and perforins.

PMID- 1424768
TI  - Role of the extracellular matrix in amphibian gastrulation.

PMID- 1424770
TI  - Regulation of complement by membrane proteins: an overview.

PMID- 1424771
TI  - Effects of the membrane attack complex of complement on nucleated cells.

PMID- 1424772
TI  - Glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol anchoring of membrane proteins.

PMID- 1424773
TI  - Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

PMID- 1424774
TI  - Perforin: structure, function, and regulation.

PMID- 1424775
TI  - Complement receptor type 1.

PMID- 1424776
TI  - Membrane cofactor protein.
AB  - MCP serves to down-regulate the activation of complement on host tissue. It
      performs this function by serving as a cofactor for the factor I-mediated
      cleavage of C3b and C4b. MCP is most likely an intrinsic regulator, i.e., it
      primarily protects its home cell. The wide tissue distribution of MCP mirrors
      this critical function of host cell protection. With the exception of
      erythrocytes, every cell and tissue examined expresses this protein. MCP is
      represented as two broad heterogeneous bands on SDS-PAGE with M(r)s of 51,000
      58,000 and 59,000-68,000. The quantity of each form expressed is inherited in an
      autosomal codominant fashion. In most cells and cell lines, four isoforms of MCP
      predominate and arise by alternative splicing of a single MCP gene. All forms
      possess four repeating modules of--60 aminoacids, an area enriched in serines,
      threonines, and prolines [(STP), probable site of O-linked glycosylation], a
      short area of unknown function, a transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic tail.
      The isoforms differ, however, in the length and composition of the STP region and
      in the cytoplasmic tail. Alternative splicing of a single exon within the STP
      region determines the protein phenotype. Alternative splicing at the
      COOH_terminus gives rise to two distinct cytoplasmic tails. The biological
      significance of these structural variations in the STP and cytoplasmic tail
      regions is being investigated.

PMID- 1424777
TI  - Homologous restriction factor.

PMID- 1424778
TI  - Antigen markers of macrophage differentiation in murine tissues.

PMID- 1424779
TI  - The biology of CSF-1 and its receptor.

PMID- 1424780
TI  - The role of myristoylated protein kinase C substrates in intracellular signaling
      pathways in macrophages.

PMID- 1424781
TI  - Ribosomal RNA metabolism in macrophages.

PMID- 1424782
TI  - Mononuclear phagocytes as targets, tissue reservoirs, and immunoregulatory cells
      in human immunodeficiency virus disease.
AB  - We have presented evidence in this review for the following: 1. Macrophages are
      likely the first cell infected by HIV. Studies document recovery of HIV into
      macrophages in the early stages of infection in which virus isolation in T cells
      is unsuccessful and detectable levels of antibodies against HIV are absent. 2.
      Macrophages are major tissue reservoirs for HIV during all stages of infection.
      Unlike the lytic infection of T cells, many HIV-infected macrophages show little
      or no virus-induced cytopathic effects. HIV-infected macrophages persist in
      tissue for extended periods of time (months) with large numbers of infectious
      particles contained within intracytoplasmic vacuoles. 3. Macrophages are a vector
      for the spread of infection to different tissues within the patient and between
      individuals. Several studies suggest a "Trojan horse" role for HIV-infected
      macrophages in dissemination of infectious particles. The predominant cell in
      most bodily fluids (alveolar fluid, colostrum, semen, vaginal secretions) is the
      macrophage. In semen, for example, the numbers of macrophages exceed those of
      lymphocytes by more than 20-fold (Wolf and Anderson 1988). 4. Macrophages are
      major regulatory cells that control the pace and intensity of disease progression
      in HIV infection. Macrophage secretory products are implicated in the
      pathogenesis of CNS disease and in control of viral latency in HIV-infected T
      cells. This litany of events in which macrophages participate in HIV infection in
      man parallels similar observations in such animal lentivirus infections as visna
      maedi or caprine arthritis-encephalitis viruses. HIV interacts with monocytes
      differently than with T cells. Understanding this interaction may more clearly
      define both the pathogenesis of HIV disease and strategies for therapeutic
      intervention.

PMID- 1424783
TI  - Interactions between macrophages and Legionella pneumophila.

PMID- 1424784
TI  - Chronic granulomatous disease: an update and a paradigm for the use of interferon
      gamma as adjunct immunotherapy in infectious diseases.

PMID- 1424785
TI  - Macrophages in the uterus and placenta.

PMID- 1424787
TI  - The American Academy of Dermatology's Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and
      Prevention Program.

PMID- 1424786
TI  - Macrophage-derived growth factors.

PMID- 1424788
TI  - Sunscreen dermatitis: Part II--The cinnamates.

PMID- 1424789
TI  - A dermatologic diary. Portrait of a practice.

PMID- 1424790
TI  - Genital psoriasis.
AB  - Psoriasis of the genitalia occurs in all age groups from infancy to the elderly.
      Approximately one-quarter to one-half of various epidemiologic studies report
      that genital psoriasis occurs with a higher frequency in males than in females.
      Therapeutic modalities for management of psoriasis in this site underscore the
      need for caution in not irritating the sensitive genital skin. Preventive
      measures include avoiding tight under- and outer-garments that provoke penile or
      vulvar psoriasis as well as maintaining cleanliness of the genital area.

PMID- 1424791
TI  - Majocchi's granuloma.

PMID- 1424792
TI  - Persistent painful plaque due to a brown recluse spider bite.
AB  - The bite of the arthropod Loxosceles is known to cause subdermal hemorrhage,
      dermal-epidermal separation, inflammatory infiltrates, as well as occlusion and
      necrosis of small arterioles. We report a case of a brown recluse spider bite
      that presented as a chronic painful skin plaque, with the unusual histologic
      findings of a cutaneous and deep subcutaneous hyalinizing panniculitis and
      myonecrosis.

PMID- 1424793
TI  - Tongue and cheek: oral lesions in pityriasis rosea.
AB  - Fifty-one consecutive patients with clinical findings and history consistent with
      pityriasis rosea underwent a complete oral examination to search for any
      concomitant oral lesions. One case was omitted from the statistical analysis
      because the results of a rapid plasma reagin test were positive. Of the fifty
      remaining cases, eight patients (16 percent) were noted to have various oral
      lesions, all of which were asymptomatic. These findings suggest that the actual
      incidence of oral lesions in pityriasis rosea may be higher than previously
      reported. A complete oral examination in a patient presenting with a
      papulosquamous eruption may be helpful in ascertaining the diagnosis of
      pityriasis rosea.

PMID- 1424794
TI  - Fixed drug eruption to Tylenol: report of two cases and review of the literature.
AB  - Fixed drug eruptions due to Tylenol (paracetamol, acetaminophen) are very rare.
      The authors report two additional cases and review the literature.

PMID- 1424795
TI  - Aquagenic urticaria.
AB  - Aquagenic urticaria is a rare form of physical urticaria characterized by small
      follicular wheals with an erythematous flare upon exposure to water. We describe
      typical lesions in a seven-year-old boy with aquagenic urticaria, cholinergic
      urticaria, and symptomatic dermatographism, who responded to treatment with
      ultraviolet B and oral antihistamines.

PMID- 1424796
TI  - Multiple pilomatricomas: report of two cases and review of the association with
      myotonic dystrophy.
AB  - Two patients are reported who experienced multiple pilomatricomas beginning in
      childhood. Although one patient had no evidence of associated diseases, the
      second patient was diagnosed with myotonic dystrophy subsequent to the onset of
      the pilomatricomas. Previous reports of multiple pilomatricomas and the
      association with myotonic dystrophy are reviewed.

PMID- 1424797
TI  - Cutaneous pleomorphic large cell lymphoma.
AB  - The case of a primary cutaneous pleomorphic large cell lymphoma occurring in a
      twenty-one-year-old woman who presented with a blue-reddish nodule on her left
      cheek of three months' duration is presented. The tumor consisted of pleomorphic
      blast cells showing high mitotic activity. On immunohistochemical examination,
      the majority of the tumor cells expressed CD 3 (Leu-4), CD 4 (Leu-3), HLA-DR CD
      30 (Ki-1/Ber-H 2), and CD 25 (IL2 receptor). Twenty-two months after excision of
      the tumor there is no detectable systemic spread of the lymphoma. This case
      provides further evidence for recent observations that primary cutaneous Ki-1
      positive large cell lymphomas without lymph node involvement may have a favorable
      prognosis after local treatment despite showing histologic pattern of malignancy.

PMID- 1424798
TI  - Cutaneous nocardiosis associated with insect bites.
AB  - We report the first case of cutaneous nocardiosis associated with insect bites.
      The patient received these insect bites while camping a few days before he
      presented to the emergency room. The patient was a healthy twenty-six-year-old
      man, who was asplenic as a result of a motor vehicle accident. He presented to
      the emergency room with fever, multiple insect bites to his left lower extremity
      with pustules, lymphangitis, and left inguinal adenopathy. He was hospitalized
      but his condition failed to improve despite treatment with intravenous nafcillin
      for three days. Wound and blood cultures subsequently grew Nocardia brasiliensis.
      Treatment with intravenous amikacin (5 mg/kg every eight hours) was instituted
      along with oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole double strength twice a day. The
      patient recovered with minimal scarring of the extremity. The amikacin was
      stopped after seven days and the patient was discharged to receive oral
      trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. This disease should be kept in mind when cutaneous
      infections do not respond to standard antibiotics, especially in the southwestern
      United States.

PMID- 1424800
TI  - Eyewear, cataracts, and periorbital basal cell carcinoma.
AB  - Ultraviolet exposure is an important risk factor for basal cell carcinoma. Since
      eyewear may have a photoprotective effect, this study evaluated the use of
      prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses in patients with periorbital basal cell
      carcinoma compared with other facial sites. There was no difference in
      prescription eyewear use between the groups, and only four patients in each group
      had regularly worn glasses since childhood. There was an increased occurrence of
      cataracts and cataract surgery in the group of patients with periorbital tumors,
      which may indicate a greater cumulative ultraviolet exposure to the orbital and
      periorbital sites in these patients.

PMID- 1424799
TI  - Salicylate intoxication after use of topical salicylic acid ointment by a patient
      with psoriasis.
AB  - The authors describe a therapeutically well managed case of severe salicylate
      intoxication in a patient with psoriasis who treated himself with 40 percent
      salicylic ointment applied to approximately 41 percent of his body surface.
      Nineteen hours after the application of salicylic acid, his blood level of the
      agent was 6.04 mmol/liter. The patient underwent hemodialysis and was discharged
      after fourteen days in good general health.

PMID- 1424801
TI  - Report of the first international workshop on human chromosome 15 mapping.

PMID- 1424802
TI  - Molecular and cytogenetic characterization of radiation hybrids specific for
      human chromosome 16.
AB  - Two hundred and twenty-three radiation hybrids retaining random fragments of
      human chromosome 16 were isolated during two successive experiments in HAT medium
      and screened with a total of 38 DNA probes, corresponding to anonymous DNA or
      gene sequences localized on chromosome 16. The presence of single or multiple
      human chromosomal fragments in a small subset of these hybrids was determined
      using in situ hybridization with total human DNA. The results confirm that
      individual radiation hybrids are often heterogeneous with respect to the
      retention and distribution of human fragments, as already suggested by their
      characterization with DNA probes. A number of these 223 radiation hybrids, whose
      detailed characterization has not been previously reported, represent a resource
      for the rapid isolation of new DNA markers or coding sequences from specific
      regions of chromosome 16 where human disease genes are already known to map.

PMID- 1424803
TI  - Fluorescence in situ mapping of the human nuclear NAD+ ADP-ribosyltransferase
      gene (ADPRT) and two secondary sites to human chromosomal bands 1q42, 13q34, and
      14q24.
AB  - A 3.5-kb cDNA probe containing the 23 exons from the coding sequence of human
      nuclear NAD+ ADP-ribosyltransferase (poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase [ADPRT],
      E.C.2.4.2.30) was used to map the gene and two additional sites by nonisotopic in
      situ chromosomal hybridization. The previous localization of the structural gene
      on 1q42 was confirmed. Two other hybridization peaks on 13q34 and 14q24 suggested
      the presence of ADPRT pseudogenes.

PMID- 1424804
TI  - Localization of the human GM-CSF receptor beta chain gene (CSF2RB) to chromosome
      22q12.2-->q13.1.
AB  - The gene for the beta-chain of the human GM-CSF receptor (CSF2RB) has been mapped
      to chromosome 22 by PCR analysis of a series of human x rodent somatic cell
      hybrids. In situ hybridization to normal human chromosomes and two translocations
      involving chromosome 22 and the chromosome expressing the rare fragile site
      FRA22A place the gene in the region 22q12.2-->q13.1, proximal to the fragile
      site.

PMID- 1424805
TI  - Regional localization of the gene for clusterin (SP-40,40; gene symbol CLI) to
      human chromosome 8p12-->p21.
AB  - The human clusterin (SP-40,40) gene, designated CLI (complement lysis inhibitor)
      by the Human Gene Nomenclature Committee, has previously been assigned to
      chromosome 8. In situ hybridization allowed us to map the locus at 8p12-->p21.

PMID- 1424806
TI  - Localization of the beta A4-crystallin gene (CRYBA4) on human chromosome 22 in
      the region q11.2-->q13.1.
AB  - The chromosomal localization of the human gene (CRYBA4) coding for the eye lens
      protein beta A4-crystallin has been carried out using a nearly full-length cDNA
      clone encoding bovine beta A4-crystallin. A panel of 21 human-mouse or human
      hamster hybrid cell lines derived from different parental combinations was
      characterized with respect to the human chromosomal content and the presence of
      well established human chromosome-specific markers. These panels were screened
      for the presence of CRYBA4 using the bovine cDNA clone as a probe. A 100 percent
      concordance was observed between the presence or absence of the CRYBA4 and human
      chromosome 22 indicating that the gene resides on this chromosome. By using cell
      hybrids containing translocated chromosome 22 segments, the localization could be
      refined to the region 22q11.2-->q13.1.

PMID- 1424807
TI  - Chromosomal localization of the mouse prealbumin gene (Ttr) by in situ
      hybridization.
AB  - Prealbumin is a serum protein which plays an important role in plasma transport
      of retinol and thyroxine. The accumulation of a variant prealbumin is associated
      with a hereditary disorder, familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP). In situ
      hybridization with a mouse prealbumin gene cDNA probe was carried out in mouse
      fibroblasts. Analysis of 114 R-banded metaphases showed that 13% of the total
      grains were located on chromosome 4 and 46% of the grains on this chromosome were
      in the region C6-D1. Linkage and syntenic group analysis showed that the
      prealbumin gene (Ttr) is located between two syntenic groups on mouse chromosome
      4, which corresponded to two syntenic groups present on human chromosomes 1 and
      9.

PMID- 1424808
TI  - Mapping of repetitive bovine DNA sequences on cattle Y chromosomes.
AB  - Three male-specific PCR products of the sequences BC1.2, lambda ES6.0, and BRY.1
      were used as probes for Southern blot analyses. Each of these probes generated a
      complex male-specific band pattern, which showed some quantitative variations
      among bulls. Hybridization patterns obtained with the BC1.2 and lambda ES6.0 PCR
      products were interrelated. Chromosomal locations of these repeats were
      determined by hybridizing the tritiated PCR products in situ to male metaphase
      spreads. The BC1.2 and lambda ES6.0 PCR products hybridized to Yp13-->p12,
      whereas the BRY.1 PCR product hybridized over the entire Y chromosome. In
      addition, the BC1.2 and lambda ES6.0 PCR products hybridized to the distal half
      of the acrocentric Y chromosome of Bos indicus, indicating that the short arm of
      the B. taurus Y chromosome is homologous with the telomeric end of the B. indicus
      Y and supporting the notion that the Y chromosomes of these two species differ by
      a pericentric inversion.

PMID- 1424810
TI  - Synaptonemal complex analysis of an autosomal trisomy in the horse.
AB  - Synaptonemal complex analysis by electron microscopy of a trisomy 28 in a male
      horse demonstrated a trivalent or a bivalent plus a univalent in primary
      spermatocytes. Two of the chromosomes making up the trivalent were, most often,
      completely paired with each other and only partially paired or associated with
      the third one. Half of the spermatocytes analysed demonstrated heterologous
      pairing or association between the free axis of the trivalent and the sex
      bivalent. The pairings remained, to a large extent, into diakinesis-metaphase I.
      In most pachytene cells one autosomal bivalent showed proximal asynapsis and
      paired often, heterologously, with the trivalent or the sex bivalent. The horse
      demonstrated azoospermy, which was due, at least in part, to degeneration at both
      the spermatocyte and spermatid levels.

PMID- 1424809
TI  - Synaptonemal complex analysis of a three-breakpoint translocation in a subfertile
      bull.
AB  - Somatic chromosome analysis of a subfertile Brown Swiss bull demonstrated a three
      breakpoint translocation involving chromosomes 1, 8, and 9 in G- and R-banded
      karyotypes. Based on standard bovine chromosome nomenclature, the translocation
      was defined as t(1;8;9)(q43;q13;q26). Synaptonemal complex analysis of the
      chromosome aberration by electron microscopy revealed a hexavalent configuration
      in 52 of 53 pachytene cells. Twenty-seven cells (51%) had a completely paired
      hexavalent configuration showing distinctly nonhomologous pairings between normal
      and/or translocated chromosomes involved in the exchanges. Thirteen cells showed
      a hexavalent configuration with centrally unpaired chromosome segments but with
      completely paired terminal arms. In 13 cells (including one at zygotene) the
      translocation chromosomes formed an open hexavalent, and in one cell there were
      two completely paired trivalents. Thirty-two cells at diakinesis-MI demonstrated
      28 configurations, including one large hexavalent. Testicular histology, testis
      size, and seminal characteristics were normal.

PMID- 1424811
TI  - Assignment of the rabbit genes for alpha (PHKA) and beta (PHKB) phosphorylase
      kinase subunits.
AB  - The chromosomal locations of the rabbit genes for the alpha and beta subunits of
      phosphorylase kinase (PHKA and PHKB) were determined by in situ hybridization
      using rabbit cDNA probes. Our results localize PHKA to the X chromosome at the
      proximal end of the long arm, near the centromere, and PHKB to the same location
      on chromosome 5. These assignments support previously reported homoeologies of
      rabbit and human chromosomes.

PMID- 1424812
TI  - Male meiosis and gametogenesis in wild house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) from
      a chromosomal hybrid zone; a comparison between "simple" Robertsonian
      heterozygotes and homozygotes.
AB  - Wild male house mice Mus musculus domesticus were collected from the hybrid zone
      between the John o'Groats race (2n = 32) and the standard race (2n = 40) in
      northern Scotland. Meiosis in both homozygotes (2n = 32, 36, and 40) and single
      Robertsonian heterozygotes (2n = 33, 35, and 37) was found to be orderly. At
      prophase/metaphase I in heterozygotes, a trivalent was formed from the
      metacentric and two homologous acrocentrics. At pachytene, this trivalent usually
      had a single side arm at the position of the centromeres, as a result of
      nonhomologous pairing of the acrocentrics. This side arm persisted into
      diplotene. Generally only a single chiasma was formed between each acrocentric
      and the metacentric. Anaphase I nondisjunction frequencies were estimated as 1.5%
      for the homozygotes and 2.7% for the heterozygotes. The extent of germ cell death
      between the pachytene and round spermatid stages was 18% greater in heterozygotes
      than in homozygotes. Our results concur with previous studies which indicate that
      single Robertsonian heterozygotes in wild house mice have near-normal fertility.

PMID- 1424813
TI  - Chromosome painting using chromosome-specific probes from flow-sorted pig
      chromosomes.
AB  - Biotinylated chromosome-specific probes were prepared from flow-sorted pig
      chromosomes 1, 13, 18, X, and Y using the degenerate oligonucleotide-primed
      polymerase chain reaction. Probes prepared in this way can be used to confirm the
      identity of chromosomes in the bivariate pig flow karyotype and in pig x mouse
      somatic cell hybrids.

PMID- 1424814
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy of the bone marrow in vivo--with
      special attention to the possibilities for tissue characterization in patients
      with leukemia.

PMID- 1424815
TI  - The pupil of the eye in diabetes mellitus, an indicator of autonomic nervous
      dysfunction.

PMID- 1424816
TI  - Prognostic factors in Hodgkin's disease.

PMID- 1424817
TI  - Cardiac function in hospital survivors of acute myocardial infarction. Evaluation
      by radionuclide ventriculography.

PMID- 1424818
TI  - C-peptide used in the estimation of islet beta-cell function in diabetes.

PMID- 1424819
TI  - Prognosis and prognostic factors in adenocarcinoma of the lung.

PMID- 1424820
TI  - Epidemiology of pain requiring strong analgesics outside hospital in a
      geographically defined population in Denmark.
AB  - Based on obligatory notifications from pharmacies to the National Board of Health
      about prescription of strong analgesics as well as questionnaires to the
      prescribing doctors, the occurrence and causes of pain requiring strong
      analgesics outside hospitals were analysed over a period of one month in Denmark
      in a limited population (480,000), corresponding to nearly 10% of the Danish
      population. During one month, strong analgesics were prescribed to 0.2 per cent
      of the population. The commonest acute conditions were back pain (23%) and trauma
      (17%). The commonest recurrent acute conditions were headache (25%) and angina
      pectoris (17%). The commonest chronic non-malignant conditions were back pain
      (29%) and pancreatitis (7%). The commonest malignant conditions were lung cancer
      (20%) and colorectal cancer (14%). The commonest conditions indicated under the
      chronic pain syndrome were headache (33%) and back pain (13%). Conditions
      requiring strong analgesics reflect to some extent the distribution of painful
      conditions in the general population.

PMID- 1424821
TI  - Recording of postoperative wound infections in Denmark. Implementation, surgeons
      attitude, status and recommendations.
AB  - PURPOSE: To evaluate the state of the surveillance of surgical infections in
      Denmark. To investigate whether a negative attitude to infection registration on
      the part of the chief surgeon is correlated to departments with no plans of
      recording their infections. DESIGN: Questionnaire sent to all surgical and
      gynaecological departments in Denmark. PLACE: The National Centre for Hospital
      Hygiene, Statens Seruminstitut, Copenhagen, Spring 1991. MATERIAL: 73 general, 34
      orthopaedic, eight thoracic and vascular surgical departments, seven
      reconstructive, five neurosurgical, and 31 gynaecological departments. VARIABLES:
      Kind of specialty, attitudes to infection registration, do register, plan to
      register, no plans to register, type of program, year of start of registration,
      satisfaction, problems and suggestive improvements. RESULTS: Out of 170 possible
      units, 65 were already recording their infection rates, 59 had plans to start
      registration, 34 had no plans to start, five did not state whether they had any
      plans to start, and seven units did not respond. The units which were recording
      their infections had a more positive attitude towards surveillance systems.
      CONCLUSIONS: We found that the Danish public health service had a high degree of
      concern about infection surveillance without any legislative or other regulative
      pressures, and the process of implementing surveillance is still ongoing. The
      adoption of a common minimal data set is recommended in order to make a national
      and international comparison of infection surveillance data possible. Enlarging
      the infection control team may result in a better wound infection surveillance in
      hospitalised patients. More intensive studies are needed to examine how
      effectively surveillance prevents postoperative infections.

PMID- 1424822
TI  - Esophageal manometry in the evaluation of esophageal symptoms.

PMID- 1424823
TI  - Scintigraphic quantification of pharyngeal retention following deglutition.
AB  - A procedure is described for quantifying the amount of bolus material retained in
      the pharynx after completion of a swallow, using radionuclide swallow techniques.
      Data are derived from scintigraphic time-activity curves. The procedure takes
      into consideration the differential attenuation of radioactivity through various
      regions in the body, and expresses the result as a percentage of the total
      radioactivity in the ingested bolus. Illustrative examples are provided for
      swallows by normal individuals and patients with head and neck cancer.

PMID- 1424824
TI  - Viscosity measurements of barium sulfate mixtures for use in motility studies of
      the pharynx and esophagus.
AB  - Detailed viscosity measurements have been made of barium sulfate mixtures over a
      wide range of viscosities for use in radiography of the esophagus, stomach, and
      duodenum. A new methodology was developed for more accurate estimation of
      viscosity in non-Newtonian fluids in conventional cylinder-type viscometers. As
      base cases, the variation of viscosity with shear rate was measured for standard
      commercial mixes of e.z.hd (250% w/v) and a diluted mixture of liquid e.z.paque
      (40% w/v). These suspensions are strongly shear thinning at low shear rates.
      Above about 3s-1 the viscosity is nearly constant, but relatively low. To
      increase the viscosity of the barium sulfate mixture, Knott's strawberry syrup
      was mixed to different proportions with e.z.hd powder. In this way viscosity was
      systematically increased to values 130,000 times that of water. For these
      mixtures the variation of viscosity with temperature, and the change in mixture
      density with powder-syrup ratio are documented. From least-square fits through
      the data, simple mathematical formulas are derived for approximate calculation of
      viscosity as a function of mixture ratio and temperature. These empirical
      formulas should be useful in the design of "test kits" for systematic study for
      pharyngeal and esophageal motility, and clinical analysis of motility disorders
      as they relate to bolus consistency.

PMID- 1424825
TI  - Esophageal motor disorders in patients evaluated for dysphagia and/or noncardiac
      chest pain.
AB  - During the period January, 1983-October, 1990, 429 subjects were referred for
      functional evaluation of dysphagia and/or noncardiac chest pain. Of these, 304
      (70.8%) were shown to have some kind of esophageal motor abnormality. The most
      frequent motor abnormality of the esophagus was represented by nonspecific motor
      disorders (31%), followed by achalasia (13%), whereas the other dysfunctions
      accounted for a smaller percentage. In particular, diffuse esophageal spasm was
      shown to be quite rare. It is concluded that esophageal manometry may provide a
      high diagnostic yield in patients presenting with dysphagia and/or noncardiac
      chest pain.

PMID- 1424827
TI  - The Johns Hopkins Swallowing Center database.
AB  - A special database has been constructed for faculty working in the Swallowing
      Center of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The database supports
      the clinical, research, and publication needs of the Center. This database on
      swallowing disorders includes over 6000 references to the literature dating from
      the mid-1960s. The system operates on microcomputer technology and uses
      relatively inexpensive and intuitive software programs. Monthly updates keep
      members informed of the latest developments in a multidisciplinary literature.

PMID- 1424826
TI  - Laryngologic aspects of bolus asphyxiation-bolus death.
AB  - Among 12,982 forensic autopsies, 78 cases of cafe coronary due to bolus impaction
      in the larynx (bolus death) were observed from 1947 to 1988. In all cases bolus
      material occluded the entry to the larynx; only once was a singular occlusion of
      the glottis observed. The bolus frequently extended into the mouth, trachea, and
      bronchial tree or esophagus. In all cases small amounts of aspirated material
      were observed in the deeper parts of the bronchial tree. The most commonly
      observed bolus was not masticated meat or a meat product. In adults and the
      elderly the bolus was often too large to pass the physiological narrowings of the
      hypopharynx. It was commonly lodged above the arytenoid cartilages. Forty-five of
      the bolus events were observed by bystanders. In 43 of the victims vital
      reactions were observed by bystanders or at the autopsy. This justifies the hope
      that many lives could have been saved had the right diagnosis and immediate
      therapy been initiated. The first step should be manual extraction or use of the
      Heimlich maneuver; in cases of failure of both attempts, immediate tracheotomy
      followed by hospitalization and bronchial lavage are indicated.

PMID- 1424828
TI  - Swallowing problems after excision of tumors of the skull base: diagnosis and
      management in 12 patients.
AB  - Acute-onset dysphagia can be a debilitating complication of operative
      intervention in skull base surgery. A retrospective study performed at Baptist
      Hospital investigated the oropharyngeal deficits, compensatory swallow
      techniques, and diet modifications of 12 patients who had undergone excision of
      skull base tumors. Oropharyngeal dysfunction, reduced laryngeal elevation, and
      copious pharyngeal retention were the most prominent swallowing deficits.
      Aspiration occurred in 75% of the patients studied. The most frequently employed
      compensatory swallow techniques were head turns to the affected side,
      supraglottic swallow, double swallows, alternating liquids and solids, carbonated
      beverage swallows, and small bolus size. Approximately 2 weeks following skull
      base surgery, 58% of the patients were able to tolerate oral intake with the aid
      of compensatory swallow techniques and diet modifications. Only 1 patient in this
      group remained unable to tolerate food by mouth. This paper focuses on
      identification of the disordered components of the swallow and the therapeutic
      management techniques characteristic of the patient who has undergone excision of
      a skull base tumor.

PMID- 1424829
TI  - Scintigraphic detection of salivary aspiration: description of a new diagnostic
      technique and case reports.
AB  - Pneumonia is the feared consequence of persistent aspiration of saliva. Although
      some persons with impaired protection of the laryngeal airway are thought to be
      at risk, it is not known with certainty which factors are important. Some
      patients receive tracheostomies to enhance airway safety, often without clear
      evidence of aspiration of oropharyngeal secretions. A simple, readily available
      technique is described by which oral secretions are scintigraphically labeled
      with technetium-99m sulfur colloid via slow intraoral infusion. Subsequent
      sequential chest imaging with a gamma camera allows detection and tracking of the
      aspirated material. Three persons are described in whom this technique was used.
      In one, the scintigraphic analysis was instrumental in implicating infected
      saliva as the likely source of recurrent pulmonary infections. Although the
      method is useful in detecting aspiration of saliva in high risk persons, more
      study is needed to equate the degree of aspiration visualized with the risk of
      pulmonary disease.

PMID- 1424830
TI  - Multiple swallows and piecemeal deglutition; observations from normal adults and
      patients with head and neck cancer.
AB  - The incidence of multiple swallows for liquid and paste, and the time delay
      between multiple swallows, was determined from videofluoroscopic records of
      modified barium swallow tests. In a comparison of liquid and paste, the overall
      incidence of multiple swallows did not differ, for either patients with head and
      neck cancer or normal controls. However, for liquid swallows the incidence in
      patients with cancer was abnormally high, predominantly in patients with
      pharyngeal cancer.

PMID- 1424831
TI  - Impact of the diagnostic procedure on outcome measures of swallowing
      rehabilitation in head and neck cancer patients.
AB  - This study was designed to determine whether swallow rehabilitation outcomes were
      affected by the type of evaluation procedure utilized by the clinician. The two
      evaluation techniques compared were the bedside examination and videofluoroscopy
      (the modified barium swallow). Ten institutions participated in this study,
      enrolling a total of 103 partial laryngectomized patients, 21 in the bedside arm
      and 82 in the videofluoroscopy arm. Data on recovery of oral intake were
      collected weekly. All patients received an X-ray study of swallow at 3 months
      after the operation. Mean time to oral intake of food was significantly lower in
      patients assessed with bedside examination. Overall swallow measures of transit
      times and swallow efficiencies after 3 months revealed significantly better
      function in the videofluoroscopy group. Results are discussed in terms of the
      visibility of swallow physiology with the two assessment techniques, the accuracy
      of therapy planning with the bedside examination versus videofluoroscopy and the
      ability of head and neck cancer patients to tolerate some aspiration without
      developing aspiration pneumonia.

PMID- 1424832
TI  - Perendoscopic pneumatic dilatation in achalasia: assessment of outcome using
      esophageal scintigraphy.
AB  - Sixteen patients (nine male) underwent perendoscopic pneumatic dilatation for
      achalasia. The Witzel dilator was chosen as it allows placement of the balloon
      under endoscopic vision. Its efficacy was assessed using esophageal scintigraphy.
      Symptom score and esophageal transit values at 100 s and after a drink of water
      all improved significantly (P less than or equal to 0.014) after dilatation and
      there was a significant correlation between the improved symptom score and the
      change in transit values after 100 s (r = 0.586, P = 0.017). At follow-up at 8 (3
      16) months [mean (range)], 15 of 16 patients (94%) are symptom free. The Witzel
      dilator is effective in the treatment of achalasia. Esophageal scintigraphy
      offers a quantitative assessment of esophageal function, helping the clinical
      investigator evaluate new forms of therapy.

PMID- 1424833
TI  - Clinical and demographic data in 75 patients with near-fatal choking episodes.
AB  - The clinical background and circumstances of 75 patients who had survived a near
      fatal choking episode, i.e., had undergone a Heimlich maneuver, oropharyngeal
      suctioning, or intubation, is reported. Sixty had choked on a solid bolus (often
      of a complex texture like sandwiches and chicken soup). Four patients had choked
      on mashed banana. In 30 patients neurologic disease (such as cerebrovascular
      disease, Parkinson disease, or dementia) was present. Choking occurred during
      breakfast (16 patients), lunch (21), dinner (26), and snacks (12). Twenty-five
      choked at home, 18 in nursing homes, 14 in hospitals, nine in restaurants, and
      nine in drinking establishments. Twelve were being fed at the time of choking.
      Fifty-eight of the individuals had oral, pharyngeal, or esophageal abnormalities
      on radiographic examination that could explain the choking episode. Fourteen
      patients who were able to vocalize during the choking episode had probably
      suffered from esophageal impaction. Our study indicates that elderly individuals
      and those with neurogenic dysphagia are at risk for choking. Dysphagia diet
      (semisolids) may actually contribute to the risk in these patients. Young adults
      may also be at risk during episodes of consumption of alcohol and snacks.

PMID- 1424834
TI  - Dysphagia in cerebral palsy: a comparative study of the Exeter Dysphagia
      Assessment Technique and a multidisciplinary assessment.
AB  - Eighteen children with cerebral palsy in a special school, most of whom had
      feeding difficulties, were studied to compare the diagnostic value of the Exeter
      Dysphagia Assessment Technique (EDAT) with an exhaustive clinical assessment
      undertaken by a multidisciplinary team experienced in the diagnosis and treatment
      of dysphagia of neurological origin. Four feeding skills were assessed by each
      method independently, viz. anticipation, intraoral sensory perception, oral-motor
      efficiency, and pharyngeal triggering. Comparison of the two sets of results
      showed agreement in at least 78% of the assessed skills. The possible reasons for
      the few discrepancies are discussed. The noninvasive EDAT equipment was easy to
      use with the children, who had a range of type and severity of cerebral palsy.
      The test was undertaken in their familiar surroundings and took 15 to 20 min per
      child. Interpretation of the results showed that EDAT provided a rapid, reliable
      diagnostic aid which assisted in the assessment of the degree of feeding
      impairment within each of the four feeding skills tested.

PMID- 1424835
TI  - Foreign body entrapment in the esophagus of healthy subjects--a manometric and
      scintigraphic study.
AB  - Foreign body entrapment and mucosal injury caused by oral medications are
      increasingly reported to occur in the upper esophagus in apparently normal
      subjects. We performed esophageal manometry in 40 normal volunteers to determine
      whether a unique motility pattern in the upper third of the esophagus predisposes
      to entrapment of foreign bodies at this site; 18 normal volunteers also had
      transit scintigraphy of a gelatin capsule filled with a radionuclide. The
      esophageal body was divided into five consecutive segments starting proximally,
      with each segment corresponding to 20% of the total length. Amplitude, slope, and
      velocity of the esophageal contraction were markedly decreased in the second
      segment compared with the other segments. Entrapment and dissolution of a gelatin
      capsule occurred in 39% of volunteers in the proximal esophagus correlating to
      the second segment, i.e., the segment with the lowest amplitude, slope, and
      velocity of esophageal contractions. The observation that wet swallows have
      greater amplitudes (P less than 0.01) and steeper slopes (P less than 0.05) than
      dry swallows explains why the occurrence of pill entrapment was reduced when
      taken with sufficient water. However, even with a water chaser of 120 mL, pill
      entrapment occurred at the second segment of the esophagus in 1 of 18 volunteers.
      The observed motility pattern in the proximal esophagus provides a better
      explanation for the entrapment of foreign bodies at this site than compression of
      the esophagus by the left main stem bronchus, aortic arch, or left atrium as
      suggested by other investigators.

PMID- 1424836
TI  - Velar activity and timing of eustachian tube function in swallowing.
AB  - Velar motion for dry and liquid swallows was investigated. as well as velar
      activity in speech, based on X-ray microbeam pellet tracking data.
      Electromyographic recordings for tensor and levator veli palatini were obtained
      simultaneously. Velar pellet trajectories for swallowing were more complex than
      for speech, since there was a high-velocity anterior component in swallowing. For
      some swallows this anterior component was integrated with velar elevation
      (especially in liquid swallows), but in other cases initial velar elevation
      occurred considerably earlier (chiefly in dry swallows). The burst of tensor and
      levator veli palatini activity characteristic of swallowing was associated with
      the anterior component of velar pellet motion, but not consistently with velar
      elevation per se. The conventional view on timing of tensor veli palatini
      contraction in a swallow, which governs Eustachian tube opening, is that this is
      associated with velar closure. The X-ray microbeam data suggest rather that
      Eustachian tube ventilation is more closely associated in time to the onset of
      pharyngeal peristalsis, which may or may not coincide with initial velar
      elevation.

PMID- 1424837
TI  - Oral dysfunction following Nissen fundoplication.
AB  - In this case report we describe a child with mild neurologic impairment who
      developed debilitating gagging and retching, and severe oral-motor dysfunction
      following Nissen fundoplication and gastrostomy tube placement. All oral intake
      ceased after the operation. Evaluation for postoperative dumping syndrome was
      negative, and the child's symptoms failed to improve despite numerous medical and
      surgical measures. However, immediately following reversal of the Nissen
      fundoplication, the child's gagging and retching ceased, and his oral-motor
      function began to improve. This is a previously undescribed complication of
      Nissen fundoplication, a surgical procedure commonly employed in children with
      neurologic impairment.

PMID- 1424838
TI  - Postoperative pleural and pulmonary abnormalities in patients undergoing coronary
      artery bypass grafts.

PMID- 1424839
TI  - Photodynamic therapy for early stage lung cancer. Preferable to resection?

PMID- 1424841
TI  - Management of acute empyema.

PMID- 1424840
TI  - The prognostic value of sputum cytology.

PMID- 1424842
TI  - Smoke-free hospitals. A time for universal action.

PMID- 1424843
TI  - Photodynamic therapy in the management of early superficial squamous cell
      carcinoma as an alternative to surgical resection.
AB  - Photodynamic therapy has been used since 1980 at our institution for the
      management of cancer of the tracheobronchial tree. We identified 13 patients (14
      cancers) who were thought to be surgical candidates but who elected to have
      photodynamic therapy. Thirteen cancers (93 percent) had a complete response to
      hematoporphyrin-derivative phototherapy. Ten cancers (71 percent) showed a
      complete response after single treatment, and three (21 percent) required a
      second course of therapy to achieve a complete response. Ten (77 percent) of 13
      cancers have shown no local recurrence. Three patients with persistent cancer
      underwent surgical resection and were found not to have nodal involvement. We
      concluded that photodynamic therapy is an alternative to surgical resection in
      the management of early superficial squamous cell carcinoma.

PMID- 1424844
TI  - Bronchoalveolar lavage in trauma patients for diagnosis of fat embolism syndrome.
AB  - Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a rare but serious complication occurring after
      long bone fractures. Presence of fat droplets in cells obtained by
      bronchoalveolar lavage has been proposed as a specific tool for FES diagnosis in
      trauma patients. We evaluated this technique over a 15-month period in 85
      patients. Twenty-eight patients were excluded. The remaining 57 patients were
      divided into three groups: group 1, 26 patients without trauma as control; group
      2, 22 patients with trauma but without evidence of FES; and group 3, nine
      patients with trauma and evidence of FES. Six of 26 patients in group 1 and nine
      of 22 patients in group 2 exhibited fat droplets in alveolar macrophages, whereas
      three of nine patients of group 3 had not. This study suggests that (1) presence
      of fat droplets in alveolar macrophages is not a reliable method for diagnosis of
      FES after long bone trauma, and (2) many conditions are associated with fat
      droplets in alveolar macrophages.

PMID- 1424845
TI  - Sputum cytology-positive, bronchoscopically negative adenocarcinoma of the lung.
AB  - Among a total of 114 cases of resected lung adenocarcinoma that were examined by
      sputum cytologic study before bronchoscopy, 17 were sputum cytology-positive, but
      had no abnormal bronchoscopic findings. In most of these cases, the reason for
      detection was sputum and bloody sputum (58.8 percent). Pathologically, many cases
      were classified as stage III A or more (82.4 percent) due to mediastinal lymph
      node metastases. More than 70 percent of the cases showed vascular invasion. The
      proportion of well-differentiated cases was also high (52.9 percent). The
      prognosis of these cases was worse than sputum cytology-negative adenocarcinoma
      without abnormal bronchoscopic findings and better than sputum cytology-positive
      adenocarcinoma with abnormal bronchoscopic findings. There was no significant
      difference between these cases and sputum cytology-negative adenocarcinoma with
      abnormal bronchoscopic findings. Combined with the bronchoscopic findings, sputum
      cytologic study is useful for preoperative evaluation of lymph node metastasis
      and prognosis. This combined approach can provide information necessary to
      perform sufficient dissection of mediastinal lymph nodes and proper adjuvant
      therapy in sputum cytology-positive adenocarcinoma cases, even though there are
      no abnormal bronchoscopic findings.

PMID- 1424846
TI  - Relationship between pleural changes after myocardial revascularization and
      pulmonary mechanics.
AB  - It is known that coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) results in impairment of
      postoperative pulmonary function. There is also a high incidence of pleural
      changes (pleural effusion or pleural thickening) after CABG. We hypothesized that
      those patients with pleural changes in the postoperative period would have a
      greater decrease in pulmonary function test (PFTs) results. The present study
      reports the results of 110 male patients who underwent CABG. The chest films and
      the PFT results obtained preoperatively and on the sixth postoperative day were
      reviewed. The relationship between pleural changes and PFTs was analyzed in
      patients who received saphenous vein graft alone (SVG group: 50 patients) or in
      combination with internal mammary artery grafting (IMA group: 60 patients). In
      the IMA group, the patients who had pleural changes had significantly greater
      decreases in their pulmonary function than did the patients without pleural
      changes. The decrease in the FVC, TLC and FEV1 in the patients with pleural
      effusions (37.6, 27.8 and 36.8 percent) was similar to that in patients with
      pleural thickening (34.6, 28.3 and 35.0 percent) and both were significantly
      greater (p < 0.05) than the changes in the patients with a normal radiograph
      (26.1, 17.6 and 26.9 percent). In the SVG group, the presence of pleural changes
      was not significantly related to the decrement in pulmonary function. The values
      of RV, FRC, Cst, and blood gases were not affected in the SVG or IMA group by the
      presence of pleural changes. We conclude that the presence of pleural changes on
      the chest radiograph is associated with a larger decrement of pulmonary function
      after CABG in the IMA group. This larger decrease probably reflects added
      thoracic trauma and is not due to the presence of pleural changes per se.

PMID- 1424847
TI  - Arterial blood gases after coronary artery bypass surgery.
AB  - Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery adversely affects arterial blood gas
      (ABG) determinations. The purposes of this study were to assess serial changes in
      ABGs following bypass surgery and identify factors that may influence these
      changes. Room air ABGs were obtained preoperatively and on days 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8
      postoperatively on 125 patients undergoing bypass surgery. Fifty-five patients
      (saphenous vein grafting [SVG] group) had only SVG grafting while 70 (internal
      mammary artery [IMA] group) received one (60 patients) or two (10 patients) IMA
      grafts in addition to the SVG grafts and were subjected to pleurotomy. The mean
      preoperative values (+/- SD) were as follows: PaO2, 75.1 +/- 7.7 mm Hg, P(A-a)O2,
      20.9 +/- 7.5 mm Hg; PaCO2, 33.6 +/- 4.1 mm Hg; pH, 7.43 +/- 0.04; hemoglobin,
      14.8 +/- 1.4 g/dl; and hematocrit, 44.2 +/- 3.9 percent. There was a large
      decrease in the PaO2 postoperatively. The nadir for the PaO2 (55.7 +/- 6.6 mm Hg)
      occurred on the second postoperative day. Eight days postoperatively, there were
      still significant abnormalities; the PaO2 was 65.7 +/- 7.3 mm Hg, the P(A-a)O2
      was 33.2 +/- 8.8 mm Hg; the hemoglobin was 10.5 +/- 1.4 g/dl; and the hematocrit
      was 31.7 +/- 4.0 percent. The decrease in the PaO2 was particularly noteworthy
      given the large decrease in the hemoglobin and hematocrit. The changes in the
      PaO2 were not significantly correlated with the age, number of grafts, pump time,
      length of anesthesia, or endotracheal intubation or smoking history. Immediately
      postoperatively, changes were similar in both groups (p > 0.05); on the second
      postoperative day, the PaO2 had decreased 26.9 percent in the SVG group and 25.5
      percent in the IMA group. However, the postoperative abnormalities resolved more
      slowly in the IMA group (p < 0.05). These observations suggest that the
      additional trauma to the lungs and chest wall in the IMA group (pleurotomy, the
      placing of pleural drains, etc) will result in a longer recovery time in the IMA
      group than in SVG group.

PMID- 1424848
TI  - An evaluation of severity-modulated compliance with q.i.d. dosing of inhaled
      beclomethasone.
AB  - Although the asthmatic subject's compliance with a regimen of inhaled
      corticosteroids is often poor, it has been suggested this may improve during
      periods of increased severity. To test this, we measured daily peak expiratory
      flow rates (PEFRs), asthma symptoms, and the use of an albuterol inhaler over
      nine weeks period in ten patients with moderately severe asthma. The effect of
      changes in these severity indices on compliance with a q.i.d. regimen of inhaled
      beclomethasone was evaluated. The PEFR was measured in the morning before
      bronchodilator administration, and symptoms were graded on a scale of 4 to 16,
      while albuterol and beclomethasone inhalations were electronically recorded.
      Three measures of compliance with the beclomethasone regimen were used: (1) mean
      daily compliance ([number of inhalations/number of prescribed inhalations] x
      100); (2) underuse, ie, the percentage of days with less than the prescribed
      number of inhalations; and (3) overuse, ie, the percentage of days with greater
      than the prescribed number of inhalations. Mean daily compliance was 67 +/- 36
      percent, while underuse was observed in 69 percent and overuse in 11 percent of
      the days. Despite clinical exacerbations in six of the ten patients and
      considerable variation in the severity indices, no significant relationship was
      found between the change in asthma severity and compliance with the
      beclomethasone regimen. These findings do not support the concept of severity
      modulated compliance with inhaled corticosteroids.

PMID- 1424849
TI  - Performance evaluation of three vaporizing humidifiers and two heat and moisture
      exchangers in patients with minute ventilation > 10 L/min.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the thermal and humidification capacity of three
      heated hot water systems (HHWSs) and two heat and moisture exchangers (HMEs) in
      ICU patients submitted to minute ventilation > 10 L/min. DESIGN: Prospective,
      controlled, randomized, not blinded study. SETTING: ICU of a university hospital.
      PATIENTS: ICU patients requiring controlled mechanical ventilation with minute
      ventilation > 10 L/min. Patients had to be sedated and paralyzed and had to
      require ventilation for more than four days. INTERVENTIONS: Following a
      randomized order, the patients were ventilated for 24-h periods with three HHWSs
      (Bennett Cascade 2 humidifier, Fisher-Paykel MR 460 and MR 600) and two HMEs
      (Pall Ultipor and Hygrobac filter). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: In each patient and
      for each 24-h period, absolute humidity, (AH), relative humidity (RH) of inspired
      gases, and tracheal temperature were obtained. Two HHWSs (Bennett and Fisher
      Paykel MR 460) had a better thermal and humidification capacity than any other
      systems (p < 0.001). The hydrophobic HME (Pall filter) had a poor thermal and
      humidification capacity (RH: 79 +/- 8.7 percent; AH: 20.6 +/- 2.3 mg H2O/L). The
      hygroscopic filter (Hygrobac filter) had better thermal and humidification
      capacity than the Pall filter (RH: 92.5 +/- 3.6 percent; AH: 29.1 +/- 1.8 mg
      H2O/L; p < 0.001). Tracheal temperature was well preserved by all systems. The
      thermic and humidification capability of the Hygrobac filter declined over 24 h.
      Since the Pall filter could not achieve an AH > 25 mg H2O/L in any patient, it
      was not studied beyond the first measurement. CONCLUSIONS: The Hygrobac filter
      had a thermal and humidification capability closed to the two HHWSs (81 to 97
      percent) but the capability declines over 24 h. The Pall filter had a poor
      capability (54 to 74 percent of that of HHWSs).

PMID- 1424850
TI  - Inspiratory muscle training combined with general exercise reconditioning in
      patients with COPD.
AB  - We compared, in a controlled clinical trial, the effect of specific inspiratory
      muscle training combined with general exercise reconditioning, for six months,
      with that of general exercise reconditioning alone on inspiratory muscle
      strength, endurance, and exercise performance in patients with COPD. Thirty-six
      patients were recruited into three groups; 12 patients received specific
      inspiratory muscle training combined with general exercise reconditioning, 12
      patients underwent general exercise reconditioning alone, and the remaining 12
      patients received no training. Specific inspiratory muscle training, for six
      months, improved the inspiratory muscle strength and endurance in patients with
      COPD. This training combined with general exercise reconditioning also provided
      improvement in exercise tolerance, and this improvement was significantly greater
      than that of general exercise reconditioning alone.

PMID- 1424851
TI  - Inspiratory muscle training in patients with bronchial asthma.
AB  - In patients with asthma, the respiratory muscles have to overcome the increased
      resistance while they become progressively disadvantaged by hyperinflation. We
      hypothesized that increasing respiratory muscle strength and endurance with
      specific inspiratory muscle training (SIMT) would result in improvement in asthma
      symptoms in patients with asthma. Thirty patients with moderate to severe asthma
      were recruited into 2 groups; 15 patients received SIMT (group A) and 15 patients
      were assigned to the control group (group B) and got sham training in a double
      blind group-comparative trial. The training was performed using a threshold
      inspiratory muscle trainer. Subjects of both groups trained five times a week,
      each session consisted of 1/2-h training, for six months. Inspiratory muscle
      strength, as expressed by the PImax at RV, increased significantly, from 84.0 +/-
      4.3 to 107.0 +/- 4.8 cm H2O (p < 0.0001) and the respiratory muscle endurance, as
      expressed by the relationship between Pmpeak and PImax from 67.5 +/- 3.1 percent
      to 93.1 +/- 1.2 percent (p < 0.0001), in patients of group A, but not in patients
      of group B. This improvement was associated with significant improvements
      compared with baseline for asthma symptoms (nighttime asthma, p < 0.05; morning
      tightness, p < 0.05; daytime asthma, p < 0.01; cough, p < 0.005), inhaled B2
      usage (p < 0.05), and the number of hospital (p < 0.05) and sick-leave (p < 0.05)
      days due to asthma. Five patients were able to stop taking oral/IM
      corticosteroids while on training and one in the placebo group. We conclude that
      SIMT, for six months, improves the inspiratory muscle strength and endurance, and
      results in improvement in asthma symptoms, hospitalizations for asthma, emergency
      department contact, absence from school or work, and medication consumption in
      patients with asthma.

PMID- 1424852
TI  - Quantitative assessment of dyspnea during exercise before and after bullectomy
      for giant bulla.
AB  - Incremental exercise testing using a cycle ergometer was performed in eight
      patients with giant bulla before and after bullectomy to assess dyspnea. There
      was a significant positive linear relationship between dyspnea expressed in the
      Borg scale (BS) and oxygen consumption (VO2) during exercise in all subjects.
      From these correlations, we introduced the following three new parameters for
      quantitative assessment of dyspnea: the Borg scale slope (BSS); the threshold
      load of dyspnea (TLD); and the breakpoint load of dyspnea (BLD), representing the
      slope of the regression line, onset of dyspnea on the regression line, and the
      maximum oxygen consumption before the subjects interrupted exercise,
      respectively. After surgery, the BSS showed marked decrease, and the TLD and BLD
      showed significant increase. Therefore, the reduction in the dyspnea with peak
      exercise after surgery was thought to be, at least in part, based on the delay of
      dyspnea onset, the decrease in dyspnea sensitivity, and the improvement in
      exercise capacity. The improvement in dyspnea during exercise in patients with
      giant bulla after surgery was extensively evaluated by newly introduced
      parameters based on BS-VO2 regression line.

PMID- 1424853
TI  - Pulse oximetry in the postoperative care of cardiac surgical patients. A
      randomized controlled trail.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the utility of pulse oximetry in detecting
      clinically unapparent episodes of arterial desaturation in postoperative cardiac
      surgical patients and to evaluate the effect of pulse oximetry on ordering
      arterial blood gas analyses. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, partially blinded
      comparison. SETTING: Cardiothoracic surgical intensive care unit. PATIENTS: 35
      patients following elective cardiac surgical procedures. INTERVENTIONS: All
      patients were monitored continuously with pulse oximetry throughout their ICU
      course. In group 1 patients, the SpO2 data were available at the bedside. In
      group 2 patients, the SpO2 data were masked at the bedside and monitored at a
      remote location. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Utilization of pulse oximetry allowed
      a significant reduction in arterial blood gas utilization in group 1 (group 1:
      12.4 +/- 7.5 blood gas analyses per ICU admission vs group 2: 23.1 +/- 8.8; p =
      0.0007) without adverse events. Clinically unapparent desaturations were detected
      in 7 of 15 patients in group 2. CONCLUSIONS: Pulse oximetry improves patient
      safety through the detection of clinically unapparent episodes of desaturation
      and can allow a reduction in the number of blood gas analyses utilized without
      adverse effects to the patient. This may allow a potential cost savings to the
      patient.

PMID- 1424854
TI  - Cardiovascular risk factors in snorers. A cross-sectional study of 3,323 men aged
      54 to 74 years: the Copenhagen Male Study.
AB  - Former studies on the association between snoring and cardiovascular disease
      (CVD) have only partly taken established CVD risk factors into consideration. In
      the Copenhagen Male Study, 3,323 men aged 54 to 74 years were classified
      according to self-reported snoring habits. Eleven CVD risk factors were examined.
      The prevalence of snoring decreased with age, with a 50 percent higher frequency
      of snorers among the youngest quintile than among the oldest (p < 0.00001).
      Snoring, age adjusted, was positively associated with tobacco smoking (p <
      0.001), alcohol consumption (p < 0.001), body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.0001),
      serum triglyceride level (p < 0.01), systolic blood pressure (p < 0.05) and
      nearly significantly associated with diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.07). Snorers
      were less physically active in leisure time than others (p < 0.01). The
      association between self-reported snoring and blood pressure disappeared when
      other factors, including BMI, were taken into consideration. No significant
      associations were found between snoring and social class, snoring and low- or
      high-density lipoprotein or between snoring and hypertension. We conclude that
      snoring is associated with major cardiovascular risk factors. Accordingly, it is
      evident that in studies on snoring and CVD, proper controlling for the influence
      of potential confounders is a sine qua non.

PMID- 1424855
TI  - Measurement of mucociliary transport velocity in ventilated patients. Short-term
      effect of general anesthesia on mucociliary transport.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to evaluate a method for measuring
      BTV in ventilated patients and to study the short-term effect of general
      anesthesia with midazolam, Fentanyl, pancuronium and O2:N2O on BTV. DESIGN: The
      study included phantom measurements on a bronchoscopy model and the determination
      of BTV in patients in a convenience sample trial. SETTING: The study took place
      in a university hospital. PATIENTS: Fourteen patients undergoing major abdominal
      surgery with planned postoperative mechanical ventilation were included in the
      study. All patients gave their written informed consent to participate in the
      study. INTERVENTIONS: Bronchial mucus transport velocity was measured with a
      small volume (0.05 to 0.08 ml) of technetium 99m-labeled albumin microspheres
      with an activity of 3 MBq. The radiolabeled bolus was deposited on the dorsal
      mucosal surface at the distal end of the right and left main bronchus via
      flexible bronchoscopy. The movement of the microspheres toward the trachea was
      visualized and recorded using a scintillation camera; quantitative evaluation
      utilized the condensed image. MAIN MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The technique was
      validated in a bronchoscopy model and in an intubated patient by moving a
      radioactive drop in a catheter through the main bronchi at velocities from 0 to
      20 mm/min. The velocities determined by the image processing technique correlated
      well with the data by the model and patient determination (right bronchus, r =
      1.0; left bronchus, r = 1.0). In seven ventilated patients, mechanical irritation
      by the fiberscope produced no significant effect on BTV. The BTV was measured
      preoperatively in seven conscious patients one day before surgery while they
      received local anesthesia with 10 ml of 1 percent lidocaine and postoperatively
      while they received intubation anesthesia. The preoperative and postoperative BTV
      values showed no significant differences (10.5; 5.7 to 13.7 mm/min; vs 9.7 (3.7
      to 15.3) (median with range). CONCLUSION: By this method, bronchial transport
      velocity can be determined in a relatively short time in ventilated patients.
      General anesthesia with midazolam, Fentanyl, pancuronium and O2:N2O does not
      influence BTV.

PMID- 1424857
TI  - Inpatient management of status asthmaticus.
AB  - We examined physician management of patients hospitalized for status asthmaticus
      at a university hospital. A retrospective review of consecutive admissions for
      status asthmaticus covering a 13-month period yielded 130 charts for review. We
      found that practice patterns with respect to documentation of severity of
      illness, medications, and documentation of efficacy of therapy fell short of the
      current state of knowledge with respect to treatment of asthma. Asthma is a
      treatable disease, and physician education needs to bridge the gap between
      current practice patterns and standards of optimal therapy as defined in the
      literature.

PMID- 1424856
TI  - Two-year bronchodilator treatment in patients with mild airflow obstruction.
      Contradictory effects on lung function and quality of life.
AB  - In a two-year randomized controlled study, we studied the effects of
      bronchodilator treatment on the lung function and the quality of life in patients
      with mild airflow obstruction. The patients were randomly divided to receive
      either continuous or symptomatic bronchodilator treatment. Within these treatment
      groups, they received salbutamol in the first year and ipratropium bromide in the
      second or vice versa. In addition, the quality of life of the patients was
      compared to that of the general population. One hundred and forty-four patients
      completed the study. When compared to the general population, these patients
      showed a serious impairment in quality of life. No differences between the two
      drugs were found, but the results indicated that FEV1 decline in the continuously
      treated group was significantly larger than in the symptomatically treated group.
      However, this was not reflected in a significant deterioration of the quality of
      life in the continuous group as measured by means of the Nottingham Health
      Profile and the Inventory of Subjective Health. Decline in FEV1 showed no
      correlation with changes in quality of life scores. This may be due to a
      relatively rapid adjustment of the patients to a decline in FEV1, as a result of
      which it has no direct effect on the experienced quality of life. Another reason
      may be that continuous bronchodilation masks the worsening of the disease. This
      lack of awareness might in turn be caused by the continuous symptom relief of
      bronchodilators.

PMID- 1424858
TI  - Effect of nasal continuous positive airway pressure on cardiac output and oxygen
      delivery in patients with congestive heart failure.
AB  - We studied the acute hemodynamic effects of increasing nasal continuous positive
      airway pressure (CPAP) in 13 patients with acute decompensation of congestive
      heart failure. Heart rate, respiratory rate, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure,
      right atrial pressure, systemic blood pressure, and thermodilution cardiac
      outputs were measured at baseline, during, and after application of nasal CPAP at
      increasing pressures of 5, 10, and 15 cm H2O. Cardiac index, stroke volume, and
      oxygen delivery were calculated. Based on a significant change in cardiac output
      greater than or equal to 400 ml, seven patients were classified as responders,
      whereas six patients were considered to be nonresponders. In responders,
      significant increases were noted in cardiac index (2.5 +/- 0.7 to 2.9 +/- 0.9
      L/min/m2), stroke volume (49 +/- 15 to 57 +/- 16 ml), and oxygen delivery (10.3
      +/- 5.1 to 12.3 +/- 6.0 ml/min/kg) without a change in pulmonary capillary wedge
      pressure. In contrast, the nonresponders showed no significant change in any of
      the hemodynamic parameters. Improvement in cardiac output could not be predicted
      by any of the baseline hemodynamic or clinical variables, nor was it related to
      random variations since all variables returned to baseline after cessation of
      CPAP. Increase in stroke volume without a change in pulmonary capillary wedge
      pressure (preload) suggests either improved inotropic function of the left
      ventricle or reduced left ventricular afterload with CPAP. Thus, CPAP may offer a
      new noninvasive adjunct to improving left ventricular function and augmenting
      cardiac performance in a subset of patients with congestive heart failure.

PMID- 1424859
TI  - Intracranial hemodynamics in sleep apnea.
AB  - Intracranial pressure changes and poor cerebral perfusion have been reported in
      sleep apnea syndrome (SAS), but such studies have been limited due to lack of a
      reliable noninvasive study method. We determined the systolic (VS), diastolic
      (VD), and mean (VM) cerebral blood flow velocities of the middle cerebral artery
      in 23 individuals (12 severe SAS patients and 11 control subjects) using
      transcranial Doppler sonography before sleep, during sleep (NREM and REM) and
      upon awakening. All three velocities (VS = 87.4 cm/s compared to 104.7 cm/s, VD =
      41.6 cm/s compared to 47.7 cm/s, and VM = 57.0 cm/s compared to 67.0 cm/s) were
      decreased in patients with SAS and VS and VM were significantly lower than in
      control subjects (p = 0.005 and p = 0.033, respectively). The end-tidal CO2
      (PETCO2) in the SAS patients (47.3 mm Hg) compared to the control subjects (41.8
      mm Hg) was significantly higher (p = 0.003). When the VM was adjusted to
      normalized CO2 using the Markwalder's equation, the reduction in velocity in
      patients with SAS (47.5 cm/s) compared to control subjects (63.0 cm/s) became
      more significant (p = 0.005). This study shows that cerebral blood flow
      velocities are lower in patients with SAS compared to control subjects and that
      transcranial Doppler sonography may be useful in such evaluations.

PMID- 1424860
TI  - Short- and long-term hemodynamic effects of captopril in patients with pulmonary
      hypertension and selected connective tissue disease.
AB  - To assess the pulmonary and systemic hemodynamic effects of oral captopril in
      patients with connective tissue disease and pulmonary hypertension, we performed
      right heart catheterization in eight patients with diffuse systemic sclerosis,
      the CREST syndrome, or mixed connective tissue diseases prior to and immediately
      following administration of captopril (dose range 12.5 to 50.0 mg, short-term
      study). Four of these patients underwent repeat right heart catheterization after
      three to six months of oral captopril therapy (long-term study). In the short
      term study, oral captopril produced a significant decrease in mean pulmonary
      vascular resistance from 6.2 +/- 3.6 to 4.6 +/- 3.8 units (p < 0.01). This was
      accompanied by a significant decrease in mean pulmonary artery pressure, mean
      blood pressure, mean systemic vascular resistance and a significant increase in
      cardiac output. Similar changes in pulmonary hemodynamics were noted in the long
      term study. Thus, oral captopril is capable of producing an acute and sustained
      reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance in patients with pulmonary
      hypertension associated with the aforementioned connective tissue diseases.

PMID- 1424861
TI  - Clinical experience and physiologic results with an implantable intratracheal
      oxygen catheter.
AB  - Ten patients with chronic lung disease received an implanted ITOC. Seven patients
      continue to use their catheters after a mean period of 14.75 months. Four
      catheters were removed, 2 at 1 month, 1 after 10 months and 1 after 13 months.
      One patient requested a second catheter. Three patients experienced mucus plug
      formation; this was transient in two patients, but led to removal of the catheter
      in the third. To determine the degree of oxygen-saving afforded by the ITOC, SaO2
      was measured at rest and during exercise for eight of the ten subjects using a
      double-blind technique. The calculated oxygen savings were around 40 percent both
      at rest and during exercise. The ITOCs were well received by the majority of our
      patients and were shown to produce a useful saving of oxygen which is of benefit
      to patients using portable systems and those who require high oxygen flow rates.

PMID- 1424862
TI  - A discriminant analysis applied to methacholine bronchoprovocation testing
      improves classification of patients as normal, asthma, or COPD.
AB  - Two discriminant functions, incorporating baseline measurements of pulmonary
      function and measures of airway responsiveness, were developed to improve patient
      classification into groups of normal, asthma, or COPD. Accuracy of group
      classification was compared between the usual laboratory method (single
      discriminating cut-off) and these new mathematically developed functions. Forty
      five normal subjects, 27 asthmatic patients, and ten well-defined COPD patients
      were entered into the analysis. Measurements of airway responsiveness were
      determined by measurement of both specific airway conductance (SGaw) and
      spirometry (FEV1) after sequential inhalation of methacholine. RESULTS: A single
      discriminant cut-off using measures of SGaw (PD35) or FEV1 (PD20) does not
      sufficiently discriminate asthma from groups that contain normal and COPD
      subjects (67 to 71 percent predictive value). On the other hand, our discriminant
      functions demonstrated improved patient classification (positive predictive
      value, 88 to 89 percent). We conclude that bronchoprovocation tests used to
      evaluate the diagnosis of asthma should incorporate measures of baseline lung
      function into the analysis. This, we believe, is especially necessary when
      baseline lung function demonstrates minimal airflow obstruction and the
      possibility of other causes of airway disease exist.

PMID- 1424863
TI  - Prevention and treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. A pathogenetic
      perspective.
AB  - Since the discovery of cortisol and the synthesis of related compounds, these
      potent pharmacologic agents have been progressively more widely utilized in
      allergic, pulmonary, and rheumatologic conditions. Organ transplantation
      represents a new group of patients added to the already large pool of subjects
      receiving glucocorticoids. However, glucocorticoids cause major side effects
      involving several organ systems, including the cardiovascular, endocrine,
      gastrointestinal, ophthalmologic, and musculoskeletal systems. Among the most
      dramatic side effects is the development of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.
      Glucocorticoid use in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
      accounts for the majority of male patients with osteoporosis seen in our mineral
      metabolism clinic. This article focuses on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in
      the adult with an emphasis on the clinical aspects of this condition. It is
      intended not as an extensive review on the subject but as a practical guide to
      help clinicians prevent and treat this condition in adult patients.

PMID- 1424864
TI  - The usefulness of step sectioning of transbronchial lung biopsy specimen in
      diagnosing sarcoidosis.
AB  - To evaluate the usefulness of step sectioning of the transbronchial lung biopsy
      (TBLB) specimens obtained from patients with suspected sarcoidosis, we examined
      all TBLB specimens obtained from 132 patients who were diagnosed clinically as
      having sarcoidosis at our institute. When routine sections of TBLB specimens did
      not show sarcoid granuloma, we prepared additional serial sections from each
      block and stained every fifth section with hematoxylineosin (step sectioning).
      All step sections were examined histologically. With the aid of step sectioning,
      the diagnostic yield of sarcoidosis increased from 38 percent (18/47) to 47
      percent (22/47) in stage 1 patients, and from 57 percent (37/65) to 82 percent
      (53/65) in stage 2 patients. All of the newly detected granulomas were identified
      between the first and seventh sections. We conclude that step sectioning is
      useful method in diagnosing sarcoidosis.

PMID- 1424865
TI  - Long-term outcome of pediatric sarcoidosis with emphasis on pulmonary status.
AB  - Sixty-one pediatric and adolescent patients (age < or = 16 years) with
      sarcoidosis proved by biopsy specimen were identified during the period 1957 to
      1976; 19 patients with elapsed time from diagnosis of 8 to 35 years (mean, 21
      years) were reexamined in 1985. Age at onset of disease ranged from 4 to 16 years
      (mean, 12.5 years). Sex distribution was equal; 68 percent of individuals were
      black. At follow-up, clinical evaluation, chest roentgenograms, pulmonary
      function tests, electrocardiograms (ECGs), echocardiograms (ECHO), and
      angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity were performed on each subject. In
      addition, complete blood cell counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rates, serum
      calcium, immunoglobulin levels, B- and T-cell enumerations, and intradermal skin
      tests for delayed hypersensitivity were also obtained. Although all initial
      pediatric chest roentgenograms were abnormal, at follow-up only 37 percent were
      abnormal. Pulmonary function test results were available for ten children, and 90
      percent were decreased. In 1985, 68 percent of the adults had abnormal lung
      function; furthermore, eight patients had reduced diffusing capacities, one had
      hypoxemia, and two had elevated ACE activity. Specific abnormalities were noted
      on two ECGs and 12 ECHOs. One individual had an elevated sedimentation rate,
      while another had an increased serum calcium level. Six patients had elevated IgA
      values, two had elevated IgM values, and two had depressed IgM values; IgG values
      were normal in all subjects. B- and T-cell percentages were unremarkable in all
      patients tested. Four individuals were anergic to skin test antigens. Long-term
      pulmonary morbidity was observed in four patients; in addition, one of these and
      four others suffered nonpulmonary sequelae. These results are in agreement with
      those of other investigators, but insufficient data still exist on the long-term
      effects of sarcoidosis on the pediatric host.

PMID- 1424866
TI  - Thoracoscopic resection of pulmonary metastases.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of thoracoscopic techniques to achieve parenchymal
      sparing wedge resection of peripheral lung lesions in patients with a history of
      malignancy, and to describe the morbidity, mortality, and hospital course
      associated with this approach. DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: University hospital.
      PARTICIPANTS: Patients with a history of malignancy and lesions on computerized
      tomography in the outer one third of the lung parenchyma. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASUREMENTS: Histologic analysis of resected lung lesions, operative findings,
      operative time, duration of chest tube drainage and hospital stay, operative
      morbidity, and mortality. RESULTS: Twenty-one thoracoscopic resections of
      pulmonary parenchymal lesions were performed on 15 patients. All peripheral
      lesions identified by computerized tomography were found at thoracoscopy and
      successfully resected with the Nd:YAG laser (n = 7), an endoscopic stapler (n =
      10), or both (n = 4). The mean diameter of the lesions was 0.8 cm (range 0.2 to
      1.5 cm). Histologic analysis revealed metastatic disease in 13 patients and
      benign disease in 2 patients. All resection margins were free of tumor. The mean
      duration of chest tube drainage and postoperative hospital stay were 1.8 +/- 0.1
      and 3.3 +/- 0.1 days, respectively. Mean operative time was 111 min (range 45 to
      155 min). One patient who underwent a right thoracoscopic resection developed a
      transient left vocal cord paresis. There were no other complications and no
      deaths. CONCLUSION: Thoracoscopy was successful in identifying peripheral lung
      lesions and allowed for parenchymal sparing resection identical in extent to that
      performed with open approaches. For select patients with peripheral lung nodules
      felt to be metastases, thoracoscopic resection may result in reduced morbidity,
      cost, hospital stay and allow for more rapid institution of therapy for the
      primary disease.

PMID- 1424867
TI  - Mycobacterium kansasii infection following primary pulmonary malignancy.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine whether any of the Mycobacterium
      kansasii cases were the consequences of primary lung malignancy. The records and
      chest x-ray films of 295 patients with M kansasii pulmonary infection were
      reviewed. The infection was found to complicate the primary lung neoplasm in four
      cases. Three patients had had treatment for malignancy: one patient with small
      cell carcinoma received chemotherapy, steroids and radiation; one with
      adenocarcinoma underwent a lobectomy and radiation; and the third patient had a
      lobectomy and radiation for malignant fibrohistiocytoma. The fourth patient
      developed the infection three years after lung malignancy manifested itself,
      which was only a few months before the clinical evidence of distant metastasis
      with adenocarcinoma was detected. We suggest that this infection be considered in
      patients from M kansasii endemic areas, especially after they have received
      radiation treatment for lung malignancy. This association has never been
      described before.

PMID- 1424868
TI  - Role of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in the development of
      bronchiectasis.
AB  - To understand the role of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in the development of
      bronchiectasis, we investigated by CT the presence of bronchiectasis in two
      groups of chronic bronchitis patients and in a control group. There were no
      differences in clinical or laboratory findings between groups A and B. Three
      observers without any knowledge of these patients reported bronchiectasis on a
      scale of 0 to 3 and bronchial wall thickness on a scale of 0 to 3 in each lobe of
      both lungs. Bronchiectasis and wall thickness scores in group A (chronic
      bronchitis with P aeruginosa infection) were significantly higher than
      bronchiectasis scores and wall thickness in group B (chronic bronchitis without P
      aeruginosa infection). Both scores in group B were higher than those in group C
      (control group). These findings support the idea that chronic P aeruginosa
      infection plays a role in the development of bronchiectasis.

PMID- 1424869
TI  - Immunosuppressive acidic protein in patients with lung cancer.
AB  - Using a single radial immunodiffusion method, serum immunosuppressive acidic
      protein (IAP) was determined in 117 patients with primary lung cancer, 34
      patients with benign lung disease, and 45 healthy control subjects. The mean
      value of IAP for patients with lung cancer was significantly higher than that of
      normal control subjects. There were no significant differences in IAP levels
      among different histologic types and among different stages of lung cancer. It
      was concluded that serum IAP level was elevated in patients with lung cancer,
      especially during the early postoperative period, and serial measurements of
      serum IAP were of value in monitoring lung cancer patients.

PMID- 1424870
TI  - Long-term effects of hormone replacement therapy on Doppler-derived parameters of
      aortic flow in postmenopausal women.
AB  - Eighteen postmenopausal women were examined by Doppler echocardiography before
      initiation of HRT (T1), then after ten weeks (T2) and one year (T3). This study
      group was compared with another in which HRT was not used. Flow velocity
      integral, which correlates with SV, and MA, an indicator of cardiac
      contractility, were calculated. In the study group, PFV was 107 +/- 18 cm/s at T1
      and increased significantly at T2 and T3. Ejection time, which was prolonged at
      T2 compared to T1, returned to its basal value at T3. Flow velocity integral
      increased at T2, but this change was only partially sustained at T3. Mean
      acceleration maintained its increase throughout T2 to T3. None of the Doppler
      parameters showed a significant change in the controls from T1 to T3. Our results
      suggest that the peripheral hemodynamic effects of HRT, such as vasodilatation,
      are transient, whereas the central effects (increased inotropism) are long
      lasting.

PMID- 1424871
TI  - Clinical risk assessment after first myocardial infarction--is additional
      noninvasive testing necessary?
AB  - In order to assess whether the outcome of MI can be predicted by clinical data
      alone or whether and how much noninvasive testing is necessary to predict cardiac
      events or death, 361 patients were prospectively evaluated and followed for up to
      five years. A recursive partitioning analysis indicated that high-risk patients
      can be identified clinically after MI with a high degree of accuracy; to separate
      low-risk patients who need no further investigation or therapy, however, one
      additional noninvasive test is necessary which allows quantification of
      myocardial damage as well as exercise-induced ischemia. Additional tests added
      little to this risk prediction, indicating that multiple noninvasive testing
      should not be performed.

PMID- 1424872
TI  - Rapid left ventricular filling in untreated hypertensive subjects with or without
      left ventricular hypertrophy.
AB  - In this study, independent contribution of age, HR, BMI, casual and ambulatory
      blood pressure, LVM and LVEF in evaluating diastolic filling have been
      investigated in 34 never-treated hypertensive patients and in 15 healthy
      normotensive subjects. All the subjects were free from coronary artery disease,
      valvular disease, heart failure, renal disease and psychiatric problems. All the
      hypertensive subjects (never treated) were subgrouped according to presence or
      absence of LVH. The PFR decreased significantly and tPFR increased significantly
      in hypertensive patients in comparison with normotensive subjects and they did
      not change in the presence vs absence of LVH. The PFR was inversely correlated
      with BMI, age, 24-h mean SBP and with 24-h DBP. In multiple regression analysis,
      PFR decreased with BMI, age, 24-h mean SBP and DBP but not with LVMI. These
      results suggest that BMI, age and 24-h mean blood pressure were the major
      determinants of PFR abnormalities in hypertensive patients.

PMID- 1424874
TI  - Rhodotorula rubra contamination in fiberoptic bronchoscopy.
AB  - Rhodotorula rubra was recovered in 18 bronchoscopic specimens from 15 patients
      from May to November 1987. One hundred and twenty-one bronchoscopies were
      performed during that period by two bronchoscopists (W. W.; R.D.) at Letterman
      Army Medical Center in San Francisco. Isolation of R rubra occurred in 11
      bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens, four bronchial washes, and three
      transbronchial biopsies. Clinical infection was not present in any of these
      patients, although five were immunocompromised hosts. After a stepwise infection
      control review of the laboratory, the bronchoscopy suite, bronchoscopists, and
      the fiberoptic bronchoscope failed to recover the organism, a systematic
      evaluation of the cleaning procedure was undertaken. We discovered that
      replacement of the suction valve and the rubber biopsy valve on the biopsy
      channel immediately after cleaning allowed moisture to accumulate in these areas.
      Removal of both the suction valve and biopsy valve during periods of nonuse
      resulted in adequate drying of the biopsy channel and eradication of
      contamination from December 1987 to May 1990 (350 bronchoscopies). Epidemiologic
      and infection control surveillance is critical for bronchoscopy, especially when
      possible pathogens are recovered by BAL in the immunocompromised patient.

PMID- 1424873
TI  - Accuracy of capnography in nonintubated surgical patients.
AB  - Previous studies have reported mixed results when correlating etCO2 and PaCO2 in
      mechanically ventilated patients with underlying respiratory disease. However,
      the utility and accuracy of capnography in nonintubated patients, without chronic
      pulmonary disease, has received little attention. We studied 25 nonintubated
      surgical patients to (1) examine the correlation between PaCO2 and etCO2 and (2)
      describe the relationship between dead space (VD/VT), venous admixture and P(a
      et)CO2. End tidal CO2 was lower than PaCO2 by an average of 3.6 mm Hg. Regression
      analysis found a close correlation between dead space and the P(a-et)CO2 gradient
      (r = 0.77, p < 0.001), while venous admixture was of lesser importance (r =
      0.47). Capnographic estimates of PaCO2 can be useful for continuously monitoring
      the respiratory status of nonintubated spontaneously breathing patients weaned
      from mechanical ventilation. This may be of particular value in trauma victims
      and in selected surgical patients without underlying respiratory disease in whom
      other injuries require continued critical care.

PMID- 1424875
TI  - Cardiac isoenzymes following heart transplantation.
AB  - Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) isoenzymes are commonly obtained after heart
      transplantation (HT) to assess myocardial injury of the donor heart. This
      investigation retrospectively evaluated the utility of this practice. Fifty-six
      recipients of orthotopic heart transplants had at least two daily CPK-MB studies
      following HT. All patients were followed up for at least one year (or until
      death). Nineteen patients had entirely negative CPK-MB determinations (NEG).
      Eighteen patients had a single positive CPK-MB determination, and were considered
      to be equivocal (EQUIV). Nineteen patients had more than one daily positive CPK
      MB determination (POS). To evaluate the influence of positive CPK-MB
      determinations on the outcome of HT, we compared the results in the NEG and POS
      groups. There was no difference in the donor organ ischemic times between the two
      groups. The duration of follow-up for the two groups was also similar (1,192 days
      vs 1,020 days). The NEG and POS groups had no significant difference in: 1 year
      survival (84 percent vs 74 percent); freedom from treated rejection episodes in 3
      months (39 percent vs 42 percent); and freedom from coronary artery disease (CAD)
      at 3 years (83 percent vs 86 percent). Additionally, the ejection fractions of
      the donor hearts were similar at 1 year post-transplant for the 2 groups (64
      percent vs 59 percent). We conclude that myocardial injury, as reflected by post
      transplant CPK-MB levels, does not predict one-year mortality, predisposition to
      rejection, predisposition to coronary artery disease, or ultimate graft
      dysfunction. In an effort to perform HT more economically, we no longer obtain
      CPK-MB levels following HT.

PMID- 1424876
TI  - Preoperative corticosteroids. A contraindication to lung transplantation?
AB  - Regular preoperative application of corticosteroids has been considered as a
      contraindication to lung transplantation for fear of an increased risk of
      postoperative morbidity and mortality. Recently, however, we have accepted
      patients for transplantation in whom treatment with steroid medication could not
      be terminated preoperatively. Up to February 1991, 27 unilateral and bilateral
      transplantations in 26 patients were analyzed. Corticosteroid therapy was
      discontinued at least three months prior to transplantation in 13 patients (group
      1), whereas in 14 cases, the patients continued their daily corticosteroid
      therapy to the time of transplantation (prednisolone, 0.1 to 0.3 mg/kg/day; group
      2). There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to sex,
      age, diagnosis, or type of transplantation. One limited bronchial dehiscence
      occurred; the incidence of postoperative bronchial stenosis was identical in both
      cohorts; one patient died in each group. In conclusion, no increased morbidity or
      mortality could be found following lung transplantation with regular preoperative
      administration of prednisolone up to 0.3 mg/kg/day. Thus, patients who cannot be
      weaned from their steroid medication but who otherwise are acceptable candidates
      should not be excluded from lung transplantation.

PMID- 1424877
TI  - Safety of interventional rigid bronchoscopy using intravenous anesthesia and
      spontaneous assisted ventilation. A prospective study.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety of total intravenous anesthesia and
      spontaneous assisted ventilation during interventional rigid bronchoscopy (IRB).
      DESIGN: Prospective, noncomparative study. SETTING: A university hospital
      thoracic endoscopy and laser center. PATIENTS: Eighty-three patients underwent a
      total of 124 procedures (including Nd:Yag laser therapy, stent insertions,
      transbronchial biopsies/bronchoalveolar lavages (TBB/BALs) in transplant patients
      and others). Results of preanesthesia consultation, endoscopic and anesthesia
      intervention, perioperative complications, and time spent in recovery room were
      recorded prospectively. RESULTS: Respiratory complications occurred in 22
      procedures (18 percent) and included severe intraoperative or postoperative
      oxyhemoglobin desaturations (19 cases), bronchospasms/laryngospasms (two cases),
      and one recurrent pneumothorax. These complications were mostly related to the
      endobronchial surgical procedure. Respiratory complications occurred more
      frequently in patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) 3 and 4
      status (p < 0.005) and in patients with a karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) below
      70 (p < 0.05). No cardiac complications were noted, although 13 patients had
      significant underlying heart disease. Propofol was used in 121 procedures.
      Etomidate was used 15 times for induction and three times for both induction and
      maintenance in patients with ASA status 4 or low blood pressure before induction.
      CONCLUSION: Total intravenous anesthesia and spontaneous assisted ventilation is
      a well-suited technique for IRB. Severe hypoxemia, however, may occur in
      approximately 15 percent of patients. This complication is usually related to the
      procedure itself and is easy to reverse. Propofol is well tolerated in the
      majority of patients but it must be used with care in patients with poor
      functional or cardiovascular status.

PMID- 1424878
TI  - Effects of the implementation of a smoke-free policy in a medical center.
AB  - The implementation of a smoke-free policy in this medical center was associated
      with a decrease in the prevalence of regular cigarette smoking from 16.7 percent
      to 13.8 percent and a smoking cessation rate of 22.5 percent among regular
      smokers over the 2 1/2 years since the policy was announced. This decrease in
      prevalence is the result of both smoking cessation among existing employees and
      less frequent regular smoking among new employees. At two-year follow-up, the
      policy was overwhelmingly endorsed by medical center staff overall but was viewed
      less favorably by those who continued to smoke. Nevertheless, over the 2 1/2
      years, many of these smokers have been in the action stage of cessation (37.1
      percent made a serious attempt to stop smoking, 20.7 percent had used nicotine
      polacrilex in a smoking-cessation effort, and 13.8 percent had attended a formal
      cessation program). The implementation of a smoke-free policy has made a
      significant contribution toward providing a healthful work environment and toward
      encouraging nonsmoking behavior in staff and patients.

PMID- 1424879
TI  - Unimodal distribution of bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine in
      asthmatic patients.
AB  - Distribution of bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine was assessed in 791
      consecutive patients who were referred to the outpatient clinic of the pulmonary
      department due to asthmatic or persistent lower airway symptoms. Bronchial asthma
      was diagnosed in 319 patients. Clinical sensitivity of methacholine challenge for
      the disease was 89 percent and specificity, 76 percent. The degree of bronchial
      hyperresponsiveness in the entire group of asthmatic patients was unimodally log
      normal distributed. Of the 82 patients with allergic rhinitis without concurrent
      asthma, 27 percent had bronchial hyperresponsiveness, but of a markedly lesser
      degree than in the hyperresponsive asthmatic patients. In 49 patients with
      chronic bronchitis, 22 percent had hyperresponsiveness. The present data indicate
      that the degree of bronchial hyperresponsiveness in asthmatic patients is
      unimodally distributed, supporting the view that both genetic and environmental
      factors have an impact upon its development. Although the degree of bronchial
      hyperresponsiveness in asthma is more pronounced than in allergic rhinitis or in
      chronic bronchitis, a marked overlap exists.

PMID- 1424880
TI  - Formoterol suspension aerosol. Comparison with formoterol solution aerosol for 12
      weeks in asthmatic patients.
AB  - Formoterol solution aerosol has proved to be a fast and long-acting beta 2
      sympathicomimetic drug in many clinical trials. The physical stability, however,
      was such that storage needed to be at 4 degrees C to 8 degrees C before first
      use; afterwards, the aerosol could be used for another three months at room
      temperature. To improve the stability, new ways have been investigated to
      formulate ann aerosol with improved shelf life and thus more convenient storage
      conditions, which was reached with a formoterol suspension aerosol. Equivalent
      single doses between the two formulations revealed no differences in onset or
      duration of action. In a double-blind, randomized parallel group multicenter
      study, organized in the Netherlands, 186 patients with stable asthma and
      reversible airway obstruction were treated either with one puff of 12 micrograms
      twice daily of formoterol metered dose inhaler (MDI) supension (SP) or a same
      dose of solution (SL) aerosol for 12 weeks to study the efficacy and tolerability
      of both presentations after a longer period of use. The following criteria of
      effectiveness were used: the FEV1 values on the mornings of the control days at
      0, +4, +8, and + 12 weeks, the peak flow values (PEF) in the mornings and in the
      evenings before, and 1/2 to 1 h after treatment, the number of asthma attacks at
      night and during the day, the number of extra puffs at night and during day, and
      the subjective impression of patients and investigator. RESULT: No statistically
      significant differences between the two formoterol preparations were found. There
      was no indication of tachyphylaxis. CONCLUSION: The results are consistent with
      the hypothesis that the biologic effects of formoterol when delivered from MDI
      containing the two different formulations of the drug are equivalent.

PMID- 1424882
TI  - Who should perform thoracoscopy?

PMID- 1424881
TI  - Pathogenesis of the lung in restrictive defects of Klinefelter's syndrome.
AB  - Patients with Klinefelter's syndrome show a high incidence of restrictive lung
      defects, the pathogenesis of which is not clear yet. We investigated the
      respiratory muscle force (PImax) and lung compliance in 13 patients with
      Klinefelter's syndrome who had not been receiving hormonal therapy for at least
      one year prior to being studied. Eleven were smokers and two were nonsmokers.
      None showed abnormalities of the chest wall. Five had normal lung volumes and
      eight showed a restrictive defect (TLC < 80 percent, VC < 85 percent, FEV1/FVC
      percent within normal values); DCOSB and arterial blood gases were within normal
      limits. PImax was similar in restricted (-115.9 +/- 26.7 cm H2O) and not
      restricted patients (-115.4 +/- 20.3 cm H2O), all within reference values. Lung
      compliance, however, was significantly decreased in the four patients studied
      (0.13 +/- 0.08 cm H2O-1) compared with five normal control subjects (0.29 +/-
      0.05 cm H2O-1). We conclude that the likely cause of the lung restriction is a
      decrease of compliance of the lung matrix, probably related to the absence of
      testosterone.

PMID- 1424883
TI  - Who should perform thoracoscopy?

PMID- 1424884
TI  - Who should perform thoracoscopy?

PMID- 1424885
TI  - Who should perform thoracoscopy?

PMID- 1424886
TI  - Who should perform thoracoscopy?

PMID- 1424887
TI  - Who should perform thoracoscopy?

PMID- 1424888
TI  - Who should perform thoracoscopy?

PMID- 1424889
TI  - Effects of inverse ratio ventilation on cardiorespiratory parameters in severe
      respiratory failure.
AB  - Inverse ratio ventilation, with prolonged inspiratory times, appears to improve
      gas exchange and arterial oxygenation in patients with severe respiratory
      failure; however, in previous studies, pressure-controlled inverse ratio
      ventilation (PC-IRV), which uses a rapidly decelerating inspiratory flow pattern,
      was compared to conventional volume-controlled ventilation, which uses a constant
      inspiratory flow rate. Pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV), with a decelerating
      inspiratory flow pattern and conventional inspiratory-to-expiratory (I/E) ratios,
      also has been shown to produce improvement in PaO2 when compared to volume
      controlled ventilation. It therefore is unknown if the potentially beneficial
      effects of PC-IRV are due to the reversal of I/E ratios or to the use of the
      rapidly decelerating inspiratory flow pattern. In order to investigate this
      issue, cardiorespiratory values were measured in ten patients with severe
      respiratory failure ventilated first with PCV, then PC-IRV, and finally with a
      second period of PCV. Tidal volume, respiratory rate, end-expiratory pressure,
      and fraction of oxygen in inspired gas (FIO2) were maintained at the same value
      for both ventilatory modalities. The PC-IRV was associated with significant
      increases in PaO2, arterial pH, and mean airway pressure. Significant decreases
      in pulmonary shunt fraction, PaCO2, and cardiac index were found with PC-IRV. No
      significant changes in tissue oxygen delivery or consumption occurred with either
      PCV or PC-IRV. These results demonstrate that inversion of conventional I/E
      ratios produces no significant improvement in the overall cardiorespiratory
      profile of critically ill patients. This study also suggests that the clinical
      utility of PC-IRV is limited except in the setting of the adult respiratory
      distress syndrome with hypoxemia or hypercapnia refractory to other therapeutic
      options.

PMID- 1424890
TI  - Pneumonia due to Haemophilus influenzae among mechanically ventilated patients.
      Incidence, outcome, and risk factors.
AB  - Incidence and potential risk factors for pneumonia due to Haemophilus influenzae
      in adults treated with mechanical ventilation in a medical-surgical ICU were
      investigated. Diagnosis was established in 91 episodes and H influenzae was
      isolated in 20 of them. Mean onset of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) due
      to H influenzae was 10.8 days after intubation. Six patients with H influenzae
      VAP died in the ICU. Of 13 risk factors for developing VAP due to H influenzae,
      an absence of prior antibiotic treatment was the only variable which had
      statistical significance (p < 0.001). In these mechanically ventilated patients,
      Haemophilus influenzae was a common causative agent for VAP, frequently
      associated with Gram-positive cocci. Episodes of H influenzae VAP were associated
      with a lower mortality compared with other etiologies. The epidemiologic and
      clinical findings indicate that patients without a prior antimicrobial treatment
      have increased susceptibility to infections of the airway by H influenzae.

PMID- 1424891
TI  - Assessing hypermetabolism and hypometabolism in the postoperative critically ill
      patient.
AB  - To determine whether a patient is hypermetabolic or hypometabolic, measured
      resting energy expenditure is compared with estimated (or predicted) energy
      expenditure. The latter is calculated using equations derived from measurements
      made in groups of healthy individuals. Body weight or body surface area are among
      the variables used in these equations. Yet, in critically ill patients, body
      weight often rises because of fluid resuscitation. This study examined the
      differences between using preoperative, postoperative, and ideal body weights on
      the determination of hypermetabolism and hypometabolism in mechanically
      ventilated, critically ill patients. When the elevated postoperative weights were
      used instead of the preoperative ones to predict energy expenditure, the degree
      of hypermetabolism was underestimated. Subtracting the weight of the cumulative
      net fluid balance from the postoperative weight was found to accurately reflect
      preoperative weight. The influence of various predictive equations on the
      magnitude of hypermetabolism was also explored. In conclusion, it is important,
      when determining hypermetabolism or hypometabolism, to consider the influence of
      the specific predictive equation used and the effect of resuscitation fluid.

PMID- 1424892
TI  - The Organ Donation Committee. An ethically responsible approach to increasing the
      organ donation rate.

PMID- 1424893
TI  - Thrombocytopenia, cutaneous necrosis, and gangrene of the upper and lower
      extremities in a 35-year-old man.

PMID- 1424894
TI  - Acute respiratory failure associated with a motor vehicle accident.

PMID- 1424895
TI  - Anomalous systemic arterial supply to normal basilar segments of the lower lobe
      of the left lung.
AB  - A 38-year-old man with an anomalous systemic arterial supply from the descending
      thoracic aorta to the normal basilar segments of the left lower lobe experienced
      symptoms of progressive exertional dyspnea. Although the pulmonary parenchyma was
      normal, there was no pulmonary arterial supply to the basilar segments of the
      left lower lobe. Left lower lobectomy was performed because of worsening left-to
      left shunt. Aortography and pulmonary arteriography form the cornerstone for
      diagnosis, but a less invasive diagnostic method with less patient suffering is
      high-resolution computed tomography, which might replace bronchography for
      accurate evaluation of the distribution and patency of the bronchial tree and
      delineation of the characteristic "Medusa's hair"-like anomalous vascular supply
      penetrating into the nearly normal pulmonary parenchyma.

PMID- 1424896
TI  - Transmission of Legionella by respiratory equipment and aerosol generating
      devices.

PMID- 1424897
TI  - Experimental polyacrylamide-induced acute injury in rat lung.
AB  - We recently reported the first case of accidental aspiration of polyacrylamide
      occurring in a 26-year-old man. The patient developed severe airway obstruction
      and parenchymal lung damage and died. Autopsy revealed numerous polyacrylamide
      particles in his lungs, as well as extensive bronchiolar and alveolar damage. Gas
      chromatographic and mass spectrometric assessment of the lung tissue failed to
      reveal polyacrylamide activity, although assessment of the suspending solvent of
      the polyacrylamide showed a pattern characteristic of an aliphatic hydrocarbon
      mixture with a prominent dodecane peak. This experimental study was performed to
      determine the nature and extent of damage to rat bronchial and alveolar epithelia
      following endotracheal instillation of polyacrylamide, hydrocarbon mixture
      (petroleum distillate), dodecane (C12H26), or normal saline. The rat lungs were
      examined grossly and microscopically 10 min and 24, 72, and 96 h after
      endotracheal instillation, following inflation and fixation with 10 percent
      buffered formaldehyde. Gross examination revealed congested, mottled visceral
      pleural surfaces in the rats treated with polyacrylamide and dodecane. There were
      no pleural exudates or effusions. Microscopically, vascular engorgement,
      bronchiolitis, and focal pneumonia were observed. Vascular engorgement was most
      pronounced at 72 to 96 h in rat lungs treated with polyacrylamide and dodecane
      and was moderate at 24 h in rats treated with petroleum distillate. Focal
      organizing pneumonia was marked at 96 h in rats treated with petroleum
      distillate, at 72 h in those treated with polyacrylamide, and at 24 h in those
      treated with dodecane. The saline-treated control animals showed no change. Our
      findings suggest that polyacrylamide, dodecane, and petroleum distillate are
      strong irritants to the airways. However, a direct obstructive/mechanical effect
      of the polyacrylamide upon the airway has not been excluded. Airway exposure to
      polyacrylamide may result in lung injury secondary to the polyacrylamide itself,
      its suspending agents, or both.

PMID- 1424898
TI  - Propylthiouracil-induced hypersensitivity vasculitis presenting as respiratory
      failure.
AB  - Hypersensitivity vasculitis associated with propylthiouracil therapy is a well
      documented clinical entity. Although any organ system may be involved, it is most
      unusual for pulmonary manifestations to be the cardinal presenting features. We
      report a 72-year-old woman presenting with respiratory failure and hemoptysis
      following initiation of propylthiouracil therapy for Graves' disease. She had
      cutaneous stigmata of hypersensitivity vasculitis and diffuse pulmonary
      infiltrates. The infiltrates improved dramatically after discontinuation of the
      propylthiouracil therapy and initiation of intravenous corticosteroid therapy.

PMID- 1424899
TI  - Pulmonary amyloidoma. Histologic proof yielded by transthoracic coaxial fine
      needle biopsy.
AB  - Nodular pulmonary amyloidosis was diagnosed by percutaneous transthoracic fine
      needle biopsy specimen in an 88-year-old woman. Congo red staining should be
      performed whenever band-like hyalinized material is obtained on aspiration of a
      solitary nodule. Dense calcifications can occur in pulmonary amyloidomas. In
      selected cases, fine needle biopsy appears to be preferable to transbronchial
      forceps biopsy since the risk of a possibly life-threatening pulmonary hemorrhage
      may be lower.

PMID- 1424900
TI  - Thrombosed prosthetic valve in tricuspid position. Successful therapy with
      intravenous streptokinase.
AB  - The successful use of streptokinase therapy in a child with chronic thrombosis of
      a prosthetic valve (Carbomedics) in the tricuspid position is presented.

PMID- 1424901
TI  - Isolation of Legionella pneumophila serogroup 5 from empyema following esophageal
      perforation. Source of the organism and mode of transmission.
AB  - A patient undergoing esophageal dilatation for carcinoma of the esophagus
      suffered esophageal perforation and development of an empyema. Culture of pleural
      fluid yielded multiple organisms, including Legionella pneumophila serogroup 5.
      Epidemiologic investigation showed that the source of L pneumophila was a tap
      used by the nursing personnel to fill patients' water pitchers. Whole-cell
      restriction endonuclease analysis of DNA from the clinical and environmental
      isolates of L pneumophila serogroup 5 yielded identical patterns. Our findings
      suggest that L pneumophila was acquired by the patient at least 12 h prior to the
      procedure causing the esophageal perforation and empyema, suggesting that the
      organism can persist in an infectious form in the upper aerodigestive tract.

PMID- 1424902
TI  - Tuberculosis of the thymus.
AB  - Tuberculosis is increasing in prevalence in North America, mainly due to HIV
      infection. We describe an unusual case of TB of the thymus in a HIV sero-negative
      Filipino immigrant who preoperatively was thought to have a thymoma. We describe
      the clinical, radiologic and pathologic findings and review the literature on TB
      of the thymus.

PMID- 1424903
TI  - Christmas candy maker's asthma. IgG4-mediated pectin allergy.
AB  - We evaluated a 29-year-old candy maker with no history of asthma who developed
      asthma after exposure to pectin, a compound manufactured from fruits and fruit
      rinds. Following eight years of employment during which he added pectin to a
      recipe for Christmas candies, the candymaker developed acute respiratory
      symptoms. Challenge testing with the pectin mixture caused a 40 percent decrease
      in FEV1. Skin prick testing was positive to the pectin extract. Total IgE was
      normal and pectin-specific IgE antibodies were not detected. A strongly positive
      pectin-specific IgG4 antibody response was present that was not detected in a
      control serum and could be inhibited by the addition of pectin. Antigen-specific
      IgG4 should be sought in IgE negative cases of occupational asthma.

PMID- 1424904
TI  - Pulmonary diffuse amyloidosis and ankylosing spondylitis. A rare association.
AB  - We report herein the association of primary pulmonary amyloidosis and ankylosing
      spondylitis. To our knowledge, this rare association has never been reported.
      This case reemphasizes that not all pulmonary complications that appear in the
      course of ankylosing spondylitis are related to the seronegative
      spondyloarthropathy. Primary pulmonary amyloidosis should be considered in
      patients with interstitial pulmonary disease.

PMID- 1424905
TI  - Early congestive heart failure due to origin of the right coronary artery from
      the pulmonary artery.
AB  - We describe a two-month-old infant with early congestive heart failure due to
      anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery. The
      diagnosis was made by two-dimensional and color flow Doppler echocardiography,
      confirmed by angiocardiography, and the case was successfully corrected at
      surgery. As opposed to the more frequent anomalous origin of the left coronary
      artery from the pulmonary trunk, this anomaly generally does not cause any
      typical clinical finding, often becoming an autoptic or surgical surprise after
      infancy or in adult age.

PMID- 1424906
TI  - Empyema following percutaneous catheter drainage of upper abdominal abscess.
AB  - Percutaneous catheter drainage is a standard therapy for management of selected
      intra-abdominal abscesses. We describe three patients in whom this technique
      caused complicated thoracic empyemas. All patients required thoracotomy for
      decortication despite initial thoracostomy tube drainage. In each case, the
      percutaneously placed drainage catheter was found traversing the costophrenic
      angle, leading to direct communication between the pleural space and the abscess
      cavity. Review of the anatomic relationships of the inferior pleural margin to
      the lower ribs may help prevent this technical error.

PMID- 1424907
TI  - Extensive diffuse pulmonary ossification.
AB  - Diffuse lung injury can either heal normally or progress to fibrosis.
      Calcification in the setting of fibrosis is common. The appearance of mature
      woven bone is not. We report a patient with extensive diffuse pulmonary
      ossification and discuss some of the theories relating to the development of this
      phenomenon.

PMID- 1424908
TI  - Ultrastructurally normal and motile spermatozoa in a fertile man with
      Kartagener's syndrome.
AB  - The findings in a 40-year-old man with Kartagener's triad (sinusitis,
      bronchiectasis, and situs inversus) and corrected transposition of the great
      vessels are presented. Electron microscopy revealed normal ultrastructure of the
      axoneme in both respiratory cilia and sperm tails. Light microscopic evaluation
      of the spermatozoa showed 50 percent motility, suggesting normal fertility. This
      assumption is confirmed, as the patient has two children. We suggest that an
      abnormal, uncoordinated motility pattern of the ultrastructurally normal
      respiratory cilia results in improper mucociliary clearance. This coordination is
      not needed in swimming spermatozoa, which could explain the apparent paradox
      between bronchopulmonary symptoms and normal fertility in our patient.

PMID- 1424909
TI  - Dynamic left ventricular outflow obstruction related to atrial fibrillation.
AB  - A 48-year-old male patient underwent mitral annuloplasty for severe mitral
      regurgitation secondary to myxomatous degeneration of the mitral valve, with
      ruptured chordae. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography showed
      satisfactory repair. The patient developed postoperative atrial fibrillation and
      clinical and echocardiographic evidence of left ventricular outflow obstruction.
      Following conversion to sinus rhythm, the evidence for left ventricular outflow
      obstruction markedly improved. We suggest that postoperative atrial fibrillation
      may precipitate dynamic left ventricular outflow obstruction following mitral
      annuloplasty.

PMID- 1424910
TI  - Successful medical therapy of Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in a patient with HIV
      infection.
AB  - A 34-year-old HIV-infected man was successfully treated with antimicrobial
      therapy alone for Rhodococcus equi pneumonia and has survived longer than six
      months. In the current literature, only two of seven HIV-infected patients so
      treated have survived as long as six months. Based on our experience and the
      available literature, it seems reasonable to treat HIV-infected patients with R
      equi pneumonia who do not require surgical intervention with prolonged
      intravenous therapy followed by long-term oral therapy with at least two
      effective antibiotics. The optimal choice and duration of antibiotic therapy need
      to be determined.

PMID- 1424911
TI  - Clearance of theophylline by hemodialysis in one patient with chronic renal
      failure.
AB  - The clearance of theophylline by hemodialysis was determined in one patient who
      had polycystic kidney with chronic renal failure and bronchial asthma. The serum
      levels of theophylline were determined by enzymatic immunoassay on two
      consecutive days, once on a dialysis day and again on a nondialysis day.
      Clearance of theophylline by hemodialysis was 119 ml/min, and the extraction
      efficiency was 0.56. The elimination half-life of theophylline shortened from 5.7
      h to 1.6 h during hemodialysis. The dialysis rate constant (Kd) was 0.32/h, and
      79 percent of the total body store of the drug was removed during a 4-h dialysis.
      Patients receiving theophylline who are maintained on hemodialysis should be
      closely monitored for bronchospasm during and after the hemodialysis procedure.
      Measurement of serum concentrations of theophylline should be employed to
      facilitate increases in dosage during hemodialysis.

PMID- 1424912
TI  - Imaging of multiple coronary artery fistulas to right ventricle by transthoracic
      and transesophageal echocardiography.
AB  - A 20-year-old woman presented with extremely rare multiple coronary artery
      fistulas with left circumflex and right coronary arteries as the feeding vessels
      and two distinct sites of drainage into the posterior wall of the right ventricle
      near the apex in close proximity. The large left fistula was well depicted by
      transthoracic echocardiography, whereas the transesophageal approach better
      delineated part of the smaller right fistula.

PMID- 1424913
TI  - Positive pressure mechanical ventilation augments left ventricular function in
      acute mitral regurgitation.
AB  - Although inconclusively established, positive pressure ventilation may augment
      cardiac function in congestive cardiomyopathies. We report a patient with acute
      mitral regurgitation who experienced enhanced myocardial performance and
      resolution of large pulmonary artery v waves during mechanical ventilation. This
      observation supports the existence of a cardiac booster effect from positive
      pressure ventilation.

PMID- 1424914
TI  - The advantage of d-sotalol over dl-sotalol in a patient with ventricular
      arrhythmias and comorbid bronchospasm.
AB  - The anti-arrhythmic agent sotalol, a racemic mixture of d- and l-isomers, has
      inherent beta-adrenoceptor blocking activity due to the l-isomer form. For
      patients with contraindications to beta-adrenoreceptor blockade, dl-sotalol has
      potentially untoward effects that may limit its usefulness. The case of a man
      with resistant life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias who responded favorably
      to dl-sotalol, but developed worsening of underlying bronchospastic lung disease,
      is presented. A change in therapy to the d-isomer form of sotalol, d-sotalol, was
      effective in suppressing his ventricular arrhythmias without further aggravation
      of bronchospasm.

PMID- 1424915
TI  - Right coronary artery-right atrium fistula in primary angiosarcoma of the heart.
AB  - We report a case of angiosarcoma of the heart, manifested as a continuous murmur.
      Right coronary arteriography disclosed a paracardiac mass with fistulas from the
      coronary vessel to the right atrium. Histologic study revealed this to be an
      angiosarcoma with sinusoidal pattern. To our knowledge, this is the first case of
      this kind of cardiac tumor presenting as a fistula from a coronary artery to the
      right atrium.

PMID- 1424916
TI  - Diagnostic value of mononuclear cell infiltration in subpleural adipose tissue.

PMID- 1424917
TI  - Traumatic coronary artery-atrioventricular fistula. A 26-year follow-up with
      application of transesophageal echocardiography.

PMID- 1424918
TI  - Thromboembolism associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

PMID- 1424919
TI  - Pulmonary intubation with nasogastric tubes.

PMID- 1424920
TI  - Inadvertent pericardiacophrenic vein catheterization.

PMID- 1424922
TI  - Variability in aerosol output of the DeVilbiss 646 jet nebulizer.

PMID- 1424921
TI  - Diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion by the detection of tuberculostearic
      acid in pleural aspirates.

PMID- 1424923
TI  - Volume adjustment of maximal expiratory flow rates of flow-volume loops.

PMID- 1424924
TI  - Chronic cough caused by endobronchial sutures.

PMID- 1424925
TI  - Bronchoscopy in North America. The ACCP survey.

PMID- 1424926
TI  - Bronchoscopy in North America. The ACCP survey.

PMID- 1424927
TI  - Bronchoscopy in North America. The ACCP survey.

PMID- 1424928
TI  - International Consensus Conference: clinical investigation of ventilator
      associated pneumonia. Introduction.

PMID- 1424929
TI  - Patient selection for clinical investigation of ventilator-associated pneumonia.
      Criteria for evaluating diagnostic techniques.

PMID- 1424930
TI  - The standardization of bronchoscopic techniques for ventilator-associated
      pneumonia.

PMID- 1424931
TI  - Guidelines for reading and interpreting chest radiographs in patients receiving
      mechanical ventilation.

PMID- 1424932
TI  - The standardization of criteria for processing and interpreting laboratory
      specimens in patients with suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia.

PMID- 1424933
TI  - Methodology for clinical investigation of ventilator-associated pneumonia.
      Epidemiology and therapeutic intervention.

PMID- 1424934
TI  - Pathogenesis and management of cardiogenic shock and postoperative shock.
      Introduction.

PMID- 1424935
TI  - Pathogenesis of low output in right ventricular myocardial infarction.

PMID- 1424936
TI  - Nonpharmacologic management of cardiac arrest and cardiogenic shock.

PMID- 1424937
TI  - Hemodynamic and oxygen transport patterns for outcome prediction, therapeutic
      goals, and clinical algorithms to improve outcome. Feasibility of artificial
      intelligence to customize algorithms.
AB  - A generalized decision tree or clinical algorithm for treatment of high-risk
      elective surgical patients was developed from a physiologic model based on
      empirical data. First, a large data bank was used to do the following: (1)
      describe temporal hemodynamic and oxygen transport patterns that interrelate
      cardiac, pulmonary, and tissue perfusion functions in survivors and nonsurvivors;
      (2) define optimal therapeutic goals based on the supranormal oxygen transport
      values of high-risk postoperative survivors; (3) compare the relative
      effectiveness of alternative therapies in a wide variety of clinical and
      physiologic conditions; and (4) to develop criteria for titration of therapy to
      the endpoints of the supranormal optimal goals using cardiac index (CI), oxygen
      delivery (DO2), and oxygen consumption (VO2) as proxy outcome measures. Second, a
      general purpose algorithm was generated from these data and tested in
      preoperatively randomized clinical trials of high-risk surgical patients.
      Improved outcome was demonstrated with this generalized algorithm. The concept
      that the supranormal values represent compensations that have survival value has
      been corroborated by several other groups. We now propose a unique approach to
      refine the generalized algorithm to develop customized algorithms and
      individualized decision analysis for each patient's unique problems. The present
      article describes a preliminary evaluation of the feasibility of artificial
      intelligence techniques to accomplish individualized algorithms that may further
      improve patient care and outcome.

PMID- 1424938
TI  - Pathogenesis and management of acute heart failure and cardiogenic shock: role of
      inotropic therapy.
AB  - Patients with acute heart failure or cardiogenic shock following myocardial
      infarction have a high mortality. The first priority is to salvage any remaining
      viable myocardium, either by thrombolytic agents or, if necessary, by coronary
      angioplasty. A mechanical cause for the heart failure or shock needs to be
      excluded. Thereafter, the optimal therapeutic regimen needs to be chosen on the
      basis of each patient's hemodynamic profile. Patients can be broadly classified
      into three groups: (1) patients with a high left ventricular filling pressure (>
      18 mm Hg) and a cardiac index < 2.2 L/min/m2 but systolic arterial pressure > 100
      mm Hg; (2) patients with a systolic arterial pressure < 90 mm Hg, left
      ventricular filling pressure > 18 mm Hg, and cardiac index < 2.2 L/min/m2; and
      (3) patients with an elevated right ventricular filling pressure (> 10 mm Hg) and
      cardiac index < 2.2 L/min/m2 and a systolic arterial pressure < 100 mm Hg.
      Patients in the first subset usually require the use of vasodilator therapy
      and/or dobutamine. The choice of inotropic agent in patients in the second
      hemodynamic subset depends on the degree of systemic hypotension; dopamine is
      usually preferred initially because it increases arterial pressure in addition to
      improving cardiac output. Once the systemic blood pressure has been stabilized,
      dobutamine can be substituted for superior augmentation of cardiac output and its
      additional beneficial effects on the left ventricular filling pressure.
      Norepinephrine may be indicated in cases of severe systemic hypotension. Patients
      in hemodynamic subset 3, ie, right ventricular infarction, are treated with
      volume expansion and dobutamine. Use of nonpharmacologic means of circulatory
      support, eg, intra-aortic balloon pump or left ventricular assist device may also
      be required in any of these subsets.

PMID- 1424939
TI  - Cognitive therapy with young children.
AB  - This paper discusses the common cognitive features characterizing children's most
      frequently referred problems, with an emphasis on the difficulties' prevalence,
      gender ratio, and family incidence. The efficacy of cognitive treatments is
      examined in terms of dropping-out, regression, and generalization. In view of
      Piaget's notion on the concrete thinking of children, it is suggested that
      cognitive therapy be adopted for children by translating abstract, holistic
      concepts into concrete examples and by relating to day-to-day events which
      children can use, relate to and understand. Two cases studies are presented to
      illustrate the cognitive therapeutic process with young children.

PMID- 1424940
TI  - PTSD in physically and sexually abused psychiatrically hospitalized children.
AB  - The history of sexual and physical abuse and the diagnosis of PTSD were examined
      in 98 psychiatrically hospitalized children. Relative to past studies, there was
      an increased incidence of abuse and of prevalence of PTSD. Specific instruments
      for assessing abuse and PTSD are suggested.

PMID- 1424942
TI  - The relationship of suicidality and psychiatric diagnosis in hospitalized pre
      adolescent children.
AB  - Two structured interview measures of suicidal behavior were administered to 43
      child psychiatric inpatients between the ages of 7 and 11 and their parents. DSM
      III-R diagnoses were assigned to the children, with twenty-six Axis I and Axis II
      diagnostic categories represented. Generally, the interview measures of suicidal
      behavior were found to be unrelated to psychiatric diagnosis. The results suggest
      that to better understand pre-adolescent suicidal behaviors, it may be more
      useful to examine associations between these behaviors and the biopsychosocial
      dimensions that underlie the diagnostic categories.

PMID- 1424941
TI  - Emotional disorders in learning disabled adolescents.
AB  - We retrospectively reviewed patients discharged from the psychiatric inpatient
      adolescent service and correlated neuropsychological subtypes with the patient's
      psychiatric diagnoses. Depressed learning disabled patients had visual memory and
      processing deficits. Conduct or behaviorally disordered patients had expressive
      language deficits. Learning disability subtypes may affect psychotherapy and
      therefore should be known when planning psychotherapy.

PMID- 1424943
TI  - Are children who steal different from those who are aggressive?
AB  - Data on 2181 children referred to a child psychiatry service were analyzed to
      determine if there were specific correlates for aggressive behavior and for
      stealing behavior. Compared with stealers, aggressive children tended to be
      younger and more immature males, and to come from stressed families with a
      history of mental illness. These findings support the notion that there are
      biological and reactive components to aggression.

PMID- 1424944
TI  - Characteristics of effective, harm-free environments for children in out-of-home
      care.
AB  - The history of out-of-home care is replete with documented examples of abusive
      and neglectful practices. Some scholars express concern that out-of-home care is
      de facto abusive. Certain elements, however, can foster effective and harm-free
      out-of-home care, such as caregiver support, a model of care, a focus on positive
      behavior, a consumer orientation, training, program evaluation, and an internal
      program audit. These elements work together to increase program effectiveness and
      reduce negative outcomes such as staff burnout. Furthermore, programs that use
      these elements can be cost efficient.

PMID- 1424945
TI  - Policy and practice for response to foster families when child abuse or neglect
      is reported.
AB  - For reasons discussed in this article, it is in the nature of family foster care
      that allegations of abuse and/or neglect in foster homes will arise. How an
      agency acts before, during, and after these eventualities has long-lasting
      implications for the well-being of foster children and of foster parents and
      their own children, as well as for foster home recruitment.

PMID- 1424946
TI  - Integrating special-needs adoption with residential treatment.
AB  - Current estimates indicate that 76% of Iowa children whose parents' rights have
      been terminated and who are listed on the adoption exchange are older children
      with emotional/behavioral disabilities. Residential treatment can play a
      significant role in preparing difficult-to-place children (e.g., seven- to 14
      year-olds with moderate to severe emotional or behavioral problems) for adoptive
      placement [Powers and Powell 1982]. The SATT model offers the opportunity to
      effectively manage the risks in adoptive placement for these children.

PMID- 1424947
TI  - Gay and no place to go: assessing the needs of gay and lesbian adolescents in out
      of-home care settings.
AB  - Gay and lesbian adolescents, whether self-declared or in the throes of sexual
      identity struggles, are and have been in out-of-home care settings. Their
      placements are often negative experiences because their feelings of difference
      are frequently aggravated by the attitudes of those around them, including other
      children and some staff members. This article discusses factors that can help
      make placement a positive experience for these youths.

PMID- 1424948
TI  - Cognitive-behavioral-expressive interventions with aggressive and resistant
      youths.
AB  - Research into the nature of aggressive behavior in youths has demonstrated that
      these youths are often the victims of abuse, exhibit aggressive behavior in early
      childhood, and remain aggressive into young adulthood. The treatment approach
      described in this article is a modification of Monahan's [1981] model of the
      prediction of violent behavior and the anger-management approach of Novaco
      [1985], and integrates the developmental models of Piaget [1963] and Erikson
      [1959]. The program is a combination of cognitive, behavioral, and expressive
      therapies and is targeted to the reduction of dysfunctional cognitive, affective,
      behavioral, and problem-solving patterns of aggressive youths. As referrals of
      such aggressive clients are often involuntary, interventions with unwilling and
      resistant clients are also presented.

PMID- 1424949
TI  - Fostering homeless children and their parents too: the emergence of whole-family
      foster care.
AB  - Children should not be placed in out-of-home care simply because their families
      lack the means to provide for their basic needs, yet this practice continues
      nationwide. A new program based in St. Paul, MN, gives county social service
      departments the placement option of whole-family foster care. The target
      population is adult parents and minor children without stable residences, where
      the children are at risk of placement in out-of-home care. Although the parents
      and children may have special needs, there are no safety risks that would
      necessitate separating children and parents. The program's design is described
      and policy questions discussed.

PMID- 1424950
TI  - Junior life skills: an innovation for latency-age children in out-of-home care.
AB  - Children age seven to 13 in out-of-home care should be given instruction in basic
      life skills, just as their older counterparts are prepared for independent
      living. One program that provides such instruction is detailed here.

PMID- 1424951
TI  - Different effects of estradiol and progesterone on the secretion of calcitonin in
      ovariectomized rats.
AB  - The basal and calcium-stimulated secretion of calcitonin (CT) was studied in
      ovarian steroid hormone-injected ovariectomized (Ovx) rats. Ovx rats were
      injected subcutaneously once daily for 3 days with estradiol benzoate (EB, 25
      micrograms/kg), progesterone (P, 50 mg/kg), EB and P, or sesame oil. All rats
      were then infused with 10% CaCl2 at a rate of 2 ml/h for 30 min via a femoral
      vein catheter connected to a peristaltic pump. Blood samples (0.5 ml each) were
      collected from the right jugular vein at 0, 30, 60, and 120 min. The
      concentration of plasma CT was measured by a human calcitonin radioimmunoassay.
      The level of plasma calcium was determined by an automatic calcium analyzer. The
      basal plasma CT level was significantly higher (p less than 0.01) in Ovx rats
      injected with P and the combination of EB and P than that in rats injected with
      oil. Ovarian steroid hormones injection did not alter plasma CT concentrations at
      30 and 60 min following calcium infusion when compared with those injected with
      oil. Ninety min following termination of calcium infusion, plasma CT levels were
      higher (p less than 0.01) in EB- and both EB and P-injected Ovx rats than in oil
      injected animals. EB or P injection had no effect on the basal plasma calcium
      concentration. Plasma calcium concentration at 30 min following calcium challenge
      was higher (p less than 0.01) in EB-injected Ovx rats than in control (oil
      injected). These results suggest that (1) progesterone stimulates the basal
      secretion of CT, and (2) CT secretion in response to calcium infusion is
      stimulated in estradiol-treated ovariectomized rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1424952
TI  - Preliminary studies of duration and intensity of ultrasonic treatments on
      fracture repair.
AB  - Bone formation of fractured fibulae stimulated by ultrasound was evaluated with
      roentgenography and fluorochromes labelling. The fibulae of male New Zealand
      rabbits were fractured to create a 3 mm-gap. Ultrasounds at 0.5 or 1.0 W/cm2 were
      applied for various durations, 5, 15, and 25 min/day for 4 weeks. Ultrasonic
      treatments at 0.5 W/cm2, 1.5 MHz significantly accelerated bone formation at the
      fracture site for all durations, whereas the higher intensity at 1.0 W/cm2
      suppressed the bone formation of the treated fractured fibula. Ultrasounds at 0.5
      W/cm2 were stimulatory to fracture repair, if given for 15 min/day, and were
      recommended for future clinical trials. However, ultrasounds at the intensity of
      1.0 W/cm2 were deleterious to the treated fracture and not recommended for
      clinical trials.

PMID- 1424953
TI  - Ultrasonic effect on fracture repair and prostaglandin E2 production.
AB  - Ultrasound has been recently recognized of its potential in promoting fracture
      healing. However, its effects on bone healing remain unclarified. The present
      study was initiated to compare the effects of frequency on fracture healing and
      the possible role of endogenous prostaglandin E2 in fracture healing stimulated
      by ultrasound. Histologic evaluation of callus formation with labelled
      fluorochromes indicated that the use of ultrasound at 1.5 MHz was most effective
      in accelerating bone healing. In addition, at this frequency, the endogenous PGE2
      level was significantly elevated, which paralleled the accelerated bone healing.
      It is suggested that bone healing stimulated by ultrasound may be mediated via
      the production of PGE2.

PMID- 1424954
TI  - The effects of heavy eccentric contractions on serum creatine kinase levels.
AB  - Post-exercise serum creatine kinase (CK) has been frequently used to evaluate
      muscle damage. The purpose of present study was to examine the effects of 45
      eccentric contraction on serum creatine kinase levels during laboratory tests.
      Using a Lido isokinetic dynamometer, thirteen subjects (five distance runners and
      eight PE students), average age = 24.0 (yrs), height = 172.5 (cm), weight = 66.5
      (kg), and percent body fat = 15.3 (%), completed 5 and 40 eccentric contractions
      at speed of 60 degrees C/s and 120 degrees/s, respectively. Blood sample was
      drawn before and 18, 42, 66, 90 hours after exercise protocol. Result indicated
      that PE students have a significant increase in serum CK levels post-exercise 18
      hours (p less than 0.05) only. Both groups in absolute muscular strength or
      corrected strength have found non-significant difference (p greater than 0.05).
      Resulting findings showed that training effect may be an important factor for CK
      leakage rather than lean body mass. In the light of results, it is seem safe to
      say that the exercise protocol for distance runners using by this study would not
      contribute to severe CK elevations in blood. This testing protocol can be
      recommended as an appropriate test for students and distance runners with similar
      fitness level. Due to large variations occurred during CK testing, follow-up
      study should try to establish baseline serum CK level by repeated enzyme tests.

PMID- 1424955
TI  - Drug effects on the ischemia- and reperfusion-induced arrhythmias in the
      conscious rats.
AB  - A simple model of coronary occlusion and reperfusion in conscious rat was used to
      test the effects of various drugs on the arrhythmias. Blood pressure and ECG were
      monitored on a Grass polygraph. Intravenous infusion of test agents started
      before coronary occlusion and continued through the periods of occlusion and
      reperfusion. The free radical scavengers (allopurinol 12.3 mg/kg, mannitol 33.0
      mg/kg, N-2-mercapto-propionyl glycine 8.6 mg/kg and adenosine 10.0 mg/kg), class
      1-4 antiarrhythmic drugs (lidocaine 10.2 mg/kg, quinidine 12.3 mg/kg, propranolol
      4.9 mg/kg, amiodarone 5.6 mg/kg and verapamil 1.1 mg/kg), aspirin 24.5 mg/kg and
      benadryl 3.7 mg/kg reduced the incidence of ventricular fibrillation and
      shortened the duration of arrhythmias during occlusion and reperfusion.
      Cimetidine 6.9 mg/kg was ineffective to exert the antiarrhythmic action. These
      results implicate that multiple factors, such as ionic channels (Na, K and Ca),
      free radicals, arachidonate metabolites and histamine release may play
      significant roles in genesis of arrhythmias during myocardial ischemia and
      reperfusion.

PMID- 1424956
TI  - The treatment of congenital hip dislocation between the ages of 1 and 3.
AB  - A total of 81 patients (103 hips) with a diagnosis of congenital hip dislocation
      were reviewed, who had been treated between one and three years of age. All of
      the patients were initially treated with adhesive band traction prior to non
      surgical reduction, which was performed under general anesthesia using gentle
      reduction maneuvers followed by immobilization in plaster. Non-surgical reduction
      was performed in 69 hips (67%), surgical in the remaining 34 (33%). A total of 91
      associated surgical procedures were performed for the treatment of residual
      subluxation. Average follow-up was 12 years (minimum 5, maximum 19). The clinical
      results of the non-surgical reductions were excellent in 75% of the cases.
      Radiographically, 48% are hips which have a normal aspect, while 42% have a
      moderate degree of residual dysplasia or deformity of the femoral epiphysis and
      of the acetabulum. Hips that were initially classified as grade III dislocations
      show fair results. Hips treated non-surgically included 11 cases of avascular
      necrosis (16%); recovery was adequate. Hips treated surgically included 14 cases
      of avascular necrosis (30%), which was more accentuated in those hips that had
      initially been treated elsewhere, and in those classified as grade III. The
      clinical and radiographic results obtained for the hips treated surgically
      demonstrate poor results in 17% of the cases (6 out of 34), as a consequence of
      types III and IV osteochondrosis. It may be concluded that in this age group
      congenital hip dislocation is best treated by non-surgical reduction, possibly
      followed by surgery of the femur and acetabulum. Surgical reduction was only
      indicated when conservative methods failed.

PMID- 1424957
TI  - Treatment of the sequelae of septic osteoarthritis of the hip during pediatric
      age.
AB  - A total of 69 cases (73 hips) of the sequelae of septic osteoarthritis of the hip
      are studied. The sequelae are classified based on whether or not the femoral
      epiphysis is present, and on stability of the joint according to Hunka (1982).
      Three of the hips were treated non-surgically. All of the others were submitted
      to from a minimum of 2 to maximum of 5 operations with the purpose of re
      establishing joint relationships. The results were: good: 50 hips (72.5%); fair
      12 (17.4%); poor: 11 (16%). The most significant sequelae were hip instability,
      joint function limitation, and shortening of the limb.

PMID- 1424958
TI  - Traumatic lesions of the triradiate cartilage.
AB  - Traumatic lesions of the triradiate cartilage (TC) are a rare occurrence and at a
      high risk for premature closure with consequent acetabular dysplasia and
      subdislocation of the femoral epiphysis. Based on their experience (5 cases: 2
      type II and 3 type V according to the Salter-Harris classification system) and on
      the literature, the authors affirm that the most significant prognostic factors
      of this acetabular dysplasia are the age of the patient (under 10 years) and the
      type of lesion (Salter-Harris type V). After emphasizing how difficult it is to
      make a diagnosis (which is often made later on), the authors take into
      consideration some traumatic lesions of the pelvis and hip which by means of
      different mechanisms may influence the TC: fracture of the ilio- and ischio-pubic
      branches, fracture of the neck and detachment of the proximal epiphysis of the
      femur, traumatic dislocation of the hip. These lesions are often the only
      indirect sign of lesion, even severe ones, of the TC, and require accurate
      diagnostic testing (ultrasonography, CAT, MRI).

PMID- 1424960
TI  - Arthroscopic arthrolysis of intra-articular knee stiffness.
AB  - The authors report 15 cases of intra-articular knee stiffness treated by
      arthroscopic arthrolysis with or without section of the alar ligaments. The
      advantages to using this type of treatment as compared to mobilization in
      narcosis or arthrotomic arthrolysis are emphasized.

PMID- 1424959
TI  - Primary osteonecrosis in the knee evaluated by histopathology and specimen
      scintimetry related to clinical radiography, scintimetry and MR.
AB  - Arthroplasty for primary osteonecrosis of the femoral condyle of the knee was
      performed in 5 patients and the resected pieces of bone were studied
      histologically. The patients had been given 99 mm-Tc-MDP preoperatively and the
      scintimetric uptake in the resected bone pieces was determined. All patients had
      changes typical for osteonecrosis preoperatively on radiographs and scintimetry.
      In one case MRI investigation was performed. The histological investigation
      showed necrotic bone with empty lacunae and fatty degeneration corresponding to
      the osteonecrosis center. A reparative bone formation, osteoblastic activity,
      cartilage formation and bands of fibrovascular granulation tissue were observed
      at the borders to intact bone. The scintimetric uptake of the resected bone
      pieces showed a high uptake corresponding to the osteonecrosis center. The MR
      examination showed a well demarcated osteonecrotic region. The findings emphasize
      the localized nature of the osteonecrosis disease.

PMID- 1424961
TI  - A method used to evaluate knee osteoarthritis secondary to ligament
      reconstruction.
AB  - Serious ligament injuries of the knee always involve early secondary arthritic
      lesion. Surgical reconstruction of the injured ligaments can partially prevent
      the degenerative process. Nonetheless, surgical trauma may, in turn, cause
      articular lesion. The authors suggest and discuss a new method used to evaluate
      knee osteoarthritis occurring after ligament reconstruction, which may be of use
      to an objective opinion based on long-term results. What makes this method
      original is that it is based on a comparison of radiographic parameters observed
      during examinations of the injured knee at the time of surgery and at follow-up.

PMID- 1424962
TI  - Autoplastic grafting from the iliac wing: surgical technique, indications and
      complications.
AB  - The authors describe the surgical technique used to obtain (by anterior and
      posterior access) autoplastic bone from the ilium in 186 oncological cases.
      Indications, the results obtained and the principal causes of complications are
      discussed.

PMID- 1424963
TI  - Pulsing electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) in spinal fusion: preliminary clinical
      results.
AB  - Pulsing electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) were used during the postoperative
      management of 31 patients submitted to lumbosacral posterolateral fusion (PLF).
      The fusions were stimulated with PEMFs during the first 2 of the 4 months of
      postoperative immobilization. Consolidation of PLF was obtained in 20 of the 31
      patients after 2 months of stimulation, thus, healing time was cut in half. After
      4 months, fusion was observed in 30 out of the 31 cases submitted to stimulation
      (96%).

PMID- 1424964
TI  - Avulsion of the long head of the triceps in kidney transplant.
AB  - The authors describe a case of avulsion of the long head of the triceps in a
      patient with kidney transplant. An analysis of the case and a review of the
      literature suggest weakening of the osteotendinous junction due to the associated
      action of renal osteodystrophy and cortisone therapy.

PMID- 1424965
TI  - One case of fracture of the tibial tuberosity in the adult.
AB  - The authors report a case of fracture of the anterior tibial tuberosity in an
      adult. The discussion involves the etiopathogenetic differences of fractures
      occurring in the adult, as compared to avulsion-fracture in the young patient.
      The individual features of an unusual direct trauma of the knee could explain the
      rareness of the clinical case presented.

PMID- 1424966
TI  - Epiphyseal plate fracture-separation of the olecranon: description of one case.
AB  - A rare case of traumatic olecranal epiphyseal plate fracture-separation in a
      patient aged 14 years is described. Non-surgical treatment was not capable of
      guaranteeing fracture reduction. Thus, internal fixation with tension band wire
      method, like in fracture of the same type in the adult, was used.

PMID- 1424967
TI  - [Continuing education in surgery].

PMID- 1424968
TI  - [Advance consent and guardianship in consent for medical intervention].

PMID- 1424969
TI  - [The geriatric amputee after release from successful rehabilitation].

PMID- 1424970
TI  - [Endoscopic approaches to the thorax and abdomen].

PMID- 1424971
TI  - [The thoracic-mediastinal approaches].

PMID- 1424972
TI  - [Abdominal and retroperitoneal approaches].

PMID- 1424973
TI  - [Surgical approaches to important arterial blood vessels].

PMID- 1424974
TI  - [Lung embolisms in a surgical patient sample. A retrospective study over 9
      years].
AB  - In a retrospective study of surgical patients during a period of 9 years 296
      cases of pulmonary embolism were recorded by analysing autopsy findings and
      perfusion pulmonary scans. The frequency of pulmonary embolism among patients who
      underwent a surgical procedure was 0.55%, the frequency of lethal pulmonary
      embolism was 0.15%. In autopsy disseminated micro-pulmonary embolism were often
      found (n = 129, 44%). With regard on the preceding operation a high frequency of
      pulmonary embolism after septic abdominal surgery (1.5%) and vascular surgery
      (0.9%) became obvious, especially after operations on the abdominal or thoracic
      aorta (2.1 resp. 4.8%). In 198 cases venous thrombosis were found. 104 (52%) of
      these were located in the cranial venous system and in 46 patients there was a
      connection to the site of central venous lines.

PMID- 1424975
TI  - [Incidence of carcinoma in follicular neoplasia of the thyroid gland].
AB  - Within four years 1376 thyroid operations were performed. In 152 = 11% a
      follicular or oncocytic tumor was found, 20 = 13% of these were classified as
      carcinoma. Seven of these were of the grossly invading type, raising suspicion of
      malignancy already pre- and intraoperatively while 13 encapsulated tumors were
      found by the pathologist only. If preoperatively a cold nodule or a nodular
      goitre was described, the carcinoma incidence was about 16%, while warm or hot
      nodes showed a carcinoma in 2%. Besides tumors of < 1 cm in diameter where we
      found no carcinoma the size of follicular tumors had no influence on the
      incidence of carcinomas.

PMID- 1424976
TI  - [Electromyography findings of pelvic floor muscles in patients with anorectal
      incontinence].
AB  - In the presented study the electromyographical signs of the sphincter muscle of
      14 patients with incontinence of the faeces are described and compared with those
      of a group of continent controls. We found significant differences in the
      duration of the action potential, the average amplitude, the frequency of
      polarity turns and the integral of the curves. The application of automatic EMG
      analysers allows exact differentiation between neurogenic and myogenic
      disturbances as well as conclusions about the functional integrity of the m.
      sphincter ani externus and m. puborectalis. The electromyography as a dynamic
      diagnostic method is a valuable enrichment of the equipment for diagnostic
      evaluation of the diseases of the pelvic floor. It will be of increasing
      importance in the differential diagnosis of the incontinence of the faeces and of
      pudendus nerve lesions as well as in any disease in which a denervation of the
      parietal or visceral muscles of the pelvic floor is involved.

PMID- 1424977
TI  - [Necrotizing fasciitis. Case report and review of the literature].

PMID- 1424978
TI  - [Necrotizing fasciitis. Case report and review of the literature].
AB  - The necrotizing fasciitis is an infection with no or only a small trauma. It is a
      rapidly progressing process especially with necrosis and edema of subcutaneous
      fat and adjacent fascia underlined by systemic toxicity but spearing of skin and
      muscle by the initial process. Late recognition and lack of immediate aggressive
      surgical treatment contribute to the distressingly high mortality. Early and
      complete debridement offers the best chance for cure.

PMID- 1424979
TI  - [Transformation of a fistula into Kaposi's sarcoma of the rectum. A clinical
      follow-up over 7 years].

PMID- 1424980
TI  - [Inversion of Meckel's diverticulum with consecutive small intestine invagination
      -a rare cause of ileus].

PMID- 1424981
TI  - [Streptococcal infection after herniotomy: a rare, life-threatening
      complication].

PMID- 1424982
TI  - Code domains in tandem repetitive DNA sequence structures.
AB  - Traditionally, many people doing research in molecular biology attribute coding
      properties to a given DNA sequence if this sequence contains an open reading
      frame for translation into a sequence of amino acids. This protein coding
      capability of DNA was detected about 30 years ago. The underlying genetic code is
      highly conserved and present in every biological species studied so far. Today,
      it is obvious that DNA has a much larger coding potential for other important
      tasks. Apart from coding for specific RNA molecules such as rRNA, snRNA and tRNA
      molecules, specific structural and sequence patterns of the DNA chain itself
      express distinct codes for the regulation and expression of its genetic activity.
      A chromatin code has been defined for phasing of the histone-octamer protein
      complex in the nucleosome. A translation frame code has been shown to exist that
      determines correct triplet counting at the ribosome during protein synthesis. A
      loop code seems to organize the single stranded interaction of the nascent RNA
      chain with proteins during the splicing process, and a splicing code phases
      successive 5' and 3' splicing sites. Most of these DNA codes are not exclusively
      based on the primary DNA sequence itself, but also seem to include specific
      features of the corresponding higher order structures. Based on the view that
      these various DNA codes are genetically instructive for specific molecular
      interactions or processes, important in the nucleus during interphase and during
      cell division, the coding capability of tandem repetitive DNA sequences has
      recently been reconsidered.

PMID- 1424983
TI  - Meiotic chromosome condensation and pairing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae studied
      by chromosome painting.
AB  - Non-isotopic high resolution in situ hybridization was applied to cytological
      preparations of sporulating yeast cells. Ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and chromosome V
      specific recombinant lambda clones were used to tag individual chromosomes and
      chromosome subregions. This allowed the study of chromosome behaviour during
      early meiotic prophase. It was found that chromatin becomes condensed and
      homologous DNA sequences then appear to become aligned prior to synaptonemal
      complex formation.

PMID- 1424984
TI  - Gene mapping studies confirm the homology between the platypus X and echidna X1
      chromosomes and identify a conserved ancestral monotreme X chromosome.
AB  - The identification of the sex chromosomes in the three extant species of
      Prototherian mammals (the monotremes) is complicated by their involvement in a
      multivalent translocation chain at the first division of male meiosis. The
      platypus X chromosome, identified by the presence of two copies in females and
      one in males, has been found to possess a suite of genes that have been mapped to
      the X chromosomes of all eutherian and metatherian mammals. We have extended gene
      mapping studies to a member of the only other extant monotreme family, the
      echidna, which has a G-band equivalent X1 chromosome, as well as a smaller X2. We
      find that the five human X-linked genes (G6PD, GDX, F9, AR and MCF2) map to the
      echidna X1 chromosome in locations equivalent to those on the platypus X. These
      results confirm that the echidna X1 is the original X chromosome in this species,
      and identify a conserved ancestral monotreme X chromosome.

PMID- 1424985
TI  - Identification of human satellite DNA sequences associated with chemically
      resistant nonhistone polypeptide adducts.
AB  - A fraction of DNA fragments of highly purified and completely unfolded eukaryotic
      DNA inevitably remains associated with chemically resistant nonhistone DNA
      polypeptide complexes. This fraction can be isolated by nitrocellulose filtration
      because the polypeptide-associated DNA fragments are retained on nitrocellulose
      filters while bulk DNA passes through the filters. The fraction of AluI
      fragmented DNA from human placenta retained on filters as a result of the binding
      factors (R-DNA, approximately 12%) represents a subset of genomic sequences with
      a sequence complexity different from unfractionated DNA and DNA recovered in the
      filtrate (F-DNA). DNA sequences prevalent in the retained fraction were detected
      by differential plaque hybridization of a recombinant lambda gt10 library with
      radiolabeled F- and R-DNA fractions. Several recombinant phages showing much
      stronger hybridization signals with the R-DNA probe than with the F-DNA probe
      were selected, plaque-purified and analyzed. Analysis of the inserts of such
      clones showed that repetitive DNA sequences of the alphoid dimeric and tetrameric
      family, satellite III and satellite III-like sequences are highly enriched in the
      retained fraction, which indicates that these sequences specifically attract the
      polypeptides involved in the tightly bound and resistant complexes. This property
      of repetitive sequences is of interest since tandemly repetitive sequences have
      been suggested to code for locus-specific fixation and stabilization of the
      chromatin fiber in the cell nucleus.

PMID- 1424987
TI  - MSA-36: a chromosomal and mitotic spindle-associated protein.
AB  - We have identified a novel M(r) 36,000 protein (MSA-36) that has a complex cell
      cycle dependent distribution. This protein is first detected in interphase nuclei
      just prior to the onset of chromosome condensation. MSA-36 is found along
      condensing chromosomes and is a component of the centromere through metaphase. At
      anaphase, this protein is no longer detected in association with the chromosomes
      but appears at the forming stembodies and subsequently within the intercellular
      bridge at either side of the midbody. At the completion of cell division, the
      amount of MSA-36 in the bridge appears to decline concurrent with the appearance
      of this protein briefly within the reforming nucleus. To investigate whether MSA
      36 is an active component of the chromosome or a passive passenger protein, we
      studied the behaviour of this protein in cells exhibiting premature chromosome
      condensation and in cells during and following recovery from mitotic arrest.
      These studies suggest that MSA-36 is not essential for a variety of major
      chromosome-associated events.

PMID- 1424986
TI  - A cDNA clone for a novel nuclear protein with DNA binding activity.
AB  - In an effort to identify trans-acting factors regulating specific genes, we
      cloned a novel human gene, DBP-5. The cDNA clone contains a predicted open
      reading frame coding for a potential 1,179 amino acid protein. The mRNA
      corresponding to DBP-5 is ubiquitously distributed, and the gene is
      phylogenetically conserved. Immunofluorescence analyses with several cell lines
      indicate that the protein is localized to the nucleus. Sequence analysis revealed
      unusual features of the predicted protein structure, including four completely
      conserved repeats. The phylogenetic conservation of DBP-5, the ubiquity of its
      expression, its nuclear localization, and its ability to bind DNA sequences,
      raise the possibility that DBP-5 may play a role in the organization of
      interphase chromatin and/or in transcriptional regulation.

PMID- 1424988
TI  - Chromosome ends in Chironomus pallidivittatus contain different subfamilies of
      telomere-associated repeats.
AB  - Tandemly repeated 340 bp sequences, TA repeats, are present in seven of the eight
      pairs of chromosome ends in Chironomus pallidivittatus, being absent from the
      telocentric left end of chromosome four. We have previously shown that the family
      of TA repeats consists of four main subfamilies. One subfamily is composed of a
      master unit and the other three contain derived units, each of which has a small
      region where the master sequence is highly mutated. Here we find that there are
      considerable variations in numbers of TA repeats between animals and for the same
      telomere in different animals. We also show that the seven telomere pairs
      containing TA repeats differ with regard to the content of derived subfamilies.
      The master unit is probably present in all seven pairs. Two of the derived units
      are exclusively present in two telomere pairs. The third derived unit shows a
      more irregular distribution. Some of the telomeres have highly variable contents
      of such units among animals. Subfamilies thus have different behaviour as
      reflected in their stable and variable patterns of distribution between
      individual telomeres.

PMID- 1424989
TI  - The DNA fragments produced by AluI and BstNI digestion of fixed mouse
      chromosomes.
AB  - AluI and BstNI restriction endonucleases were used to study cytological and
      biochemical effects on centromere DNA in fixed mouse chromosomes. These enzymes
      were employed, as it is known that AluI is incapable of attacking major satellite
      DNA, contrary to BstNI that is known to cut this DNA fraction into monomers of
      234 bp. After digestion in situ, electrophoretic analysis was carried out to
      characterize the DNA purified (1) from the material remaining on the chromosomes
      and (2) from the material solubilized from chromosomes. The DNA was then
      transferred to a nylon filter and 32P-labelled major satellite DNA was used as a
      probe for hybridization experiments. Other preparations were simply stained with
      Giemsa after digestion in situ with AluI and BstNI. Our results show that
      although restriction endonuclease cleavage primarily depends on DNA base
      sequence, this factor is not always sufficient to explain nuclease-induced
      cytological effects. In fact, the structural organization of peculiar regions
      such as the centromeres of mouse chromosomes might affect cleavage efficiency
      when restriction enzyme digestion is performed in situ.

PMID- 1424990
TI  - Chromosoma Prize 1992.

PMID- 1424991
TI  - Distribution of XhoI and EcoRI family repetitive DNA sequences into separate
      domains in the chicken W chromosome.
AB  - Fluorescence in situ hybridization using as probes three biotinylated or
      digoxigenin-labeled chicken W chromosome-specific repeating DNA units (0.7 and
      1.1 kb XhoI family and 1.2 kb EcoRI family units) suggested that a large fraction
      of one arm of the W chromosome was occupied by the EcoRI family sequences and
      that pericentromeric regions were widely occupied by the XhoI family sequences. A
      minor fraction of the EcoRI family was also present in a narrow region in the
      proximal half of the other arm. There was a region in the distal half of the
      latter arm where sequences from neither family hybridized. Evolutionary aspects
      of the presence of different domains occupied by different repetitive families
      and the significance of the unhybridized distal region are discussed.

PMID- 1424993
TI  - Involvement of chromatid cohesiveness at the centromere and chromosome arms in
      meiotic chromosome segregation: a cytological approach.
AB  - Kinetochores and chromatid cores of meiotic chromosomes of the grasshopper
      species Arcyptera fusca and Eyprepocnemis plorans were differentially silver
      stained to analyse the possible involvement of both structures in chromatid
      cohesiveness and meiotic chromosome segregation. Special attention was paid to
      the behaviour of these structures in the univalent sex chromosome, and in B
      univalents with different orientations during the first meiotic division. It was
      observed that while sister chromatids of univalents are associated at metaphase
      I, chromatid cores are individualised independently of their orientation. We
      think that cohesive proteins on the inner surface of sister chromatids, and not
      the chromatid cores, are involved in the chromatid cohesiveness that maintains
      associated sister chromatids of bivalents and univalents until anaphase I. At
      anaphase I sister chromatids of amphitelically oriented B univalents or
      spontaneous autosomal univalents separate but do not reach the poles because they
      remain connected at the centromere by a long strand which can be visualized by
      silver staining, that joins stretched sister kinetochores. This strand is
      normally observed between sister kinetochores of half-bivalents at metaphase II
      and early anaphase II. We suggest that certain centromere proteins that form the
      silver-stainable strand assure chromosome integrity until metaphase II. These
      cohesive centromere proteins would be released or modified during anaphase II to
      allow normal chromatid segregation. Failure of this process during the first
      meiotic division could lead to the lagging of amphitelically oriented univalents.
      Based on our results we propose a model of meiotic chromosome segregation. During
      mitosis the cohesive proteins located at the centromere and chromosome arms are
      released during the same cellular division.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1424992
TI  - Deficiency of X and Y chromosomal pairing at meiotic prophase in spermatocytes of
      sterile interspecific hybrids between laboratory mice (Mus domesticus) and Mus
      spretus.
AB  - The normal association between the X and Y chromosomes at metaphase I of meiosis,
      as seen in air-dried light microscope preparations of mouse spermatocytes, is
      frequently lacking in the spermatocytes of the sterile interspecific hybrid
      between the laboratory mouse strains C57BL/6 and Mus spretus. The purpose of this
      work is to determine whether the separate X and Y chromosomes in the hybrid are
      asynaptic, caused by failure to pair, or desynaptic, caused by precocious
      dissociation. Unpaired X-Y chromosomes were observed in air-dried preparations at
      diakinesis, just prior to metaphase I. Furthermore, immunocytology and electron
      microscopy studies of surface-spread pachytene spermatocytes indicate that the X
      and Y chromosomes frequently fail to initiate synapsis as judged by the failure
      to form a synaptonemal complex between the pairing regions of the X and Y
      chromosomes. Several additional chromosomal abnormalities were observed in the
      hybrid. These include fold-backs of the unpaired X or Y cores, associations
      between the autosome and sex chromosome cores, and autosomal univalents. The
      occurrence of abnormal autosomal and XY-autosomal associations was also
      correlated with cell degeneration during meiotic prophase. The primary breakdown
      in hybrid spermatogenesis occurs at metaphase I (MI), with the appearance of
      degenerated cells at late MI. In those cells, the X and Y are decondensed rather
      than condensed as they are in normal mouse MI spermatocytes. These results, in
      combination with the previous genetic analysis of spermatogenesis in hybrids and
      backcrosses with fertile female hybrids, suggest that the spermatogenic breakdown
      in the interspecific hybrid is primarily correlated with the failure of XY
      pairing at meiotic prophase, asynapsis, followed by the degeneration of
      spermatocytes at metaphase I. Secondarily, the failure of XY pairing can be
      accompanied by failure of autosomal pairing, which appears to involve an abnormal
      sex vesicle and degeneration at pachytene or diplotene.

PMID- 1424994
TI  - The ultrastructure of the chromosome periphery in human cell lines. An in situ
      study using cryomethods in electron microscopy.
AB  - We studied the chromosome periphery in human HeLa and TG cells using cryomethods
      in electron microscopy. A contrasted layer of peripheral chromosomal material
      (PCM) was visible in cryo-ultrathin sections of mitotic cells. This PCM was
      composed of closely packed fibrils associated with granules. The PCM did not
      cover the entire chromosome surface but was found around most of the chromosomes
      and even between two chromatids. The organization of the PCM was not affected by
      colchicine treatment of mitotic cells. In cells prepared by quick-freezing, the
      PCM appeared to be a fibrous material at the chromosome periphery, and was also
      associated with granules that resembled inter-chromatin granules in size and
      shape. At higher magnification, direct contacts between the chromosomes and the
      fibrils of the PCM were observed. The cryotechniques used are known to preserve
      the native organization of cells. Therefore, the architecture of the
      perichromosomal region analysed presumably corresponds to that in vivo during
      mitosis. These observations show that in HeLa and TG cells, a particular
      structure present at the chromosome periphery in the form of PCM is persistent
      and ubiquitous. In addition, we showed by immunolabelling that the PCM is the
      specific site of accumulation of nucleolar antigens during mitosis. These two
      results, i.e. the identification of specific morphological structures and the
      compartmentation of proteins, indicate that this layer is a specific region of
      mitotic cells.

PMID- 1424995
TI  - Male and female segregation distortion for heterochromatic supernumerary segments
      on the S8 chromosome of the grasshopper Chorthippus jacobsi.
AB  - The mode of inheritance of supernumerary segments located on three different
      chromosome pairs was investigated in controlled crosses with specimens of the
      grasshopper Chorthippus jacobsi. While extra segments located on chromosomes M5
      and M6 showed Mendelian inheritance, that on S8 did not. Thus, the two
      supernumerary heterochromatic chromosome segments located distally on the S8
      chromosome accumulated through non-Mendelian transmission through both sexes. The
      observed transmission patterns may be explained by gametic selection for
      spermatozoa carrying segmented S8 chromosomes, in addition to meiotic drive for
      segmented S8 chromosomes in heterozygous females. The significance of these
      findings for the maintenance of these polymorphisms in natural populations is
      discussed.

PMID- 1424996
TI  - The Drosophila nuclear protein Bx42, which is found in many puffs on polytene
      chromosomes, is highly charged.
AB  - The Drosophila nuclear protein Bx42 is present in a set of transcriptionally
      active puffs on polytene chromosomes. cDNA clones coding for this protein were
      isolated from a lambda gt11 expression library. The two Bx42 transcripts are
      ubiquitously expressed and are already detectable in early stages of development.
      The corresponding genomic region, in 8C7-8, was isolated and sequenced. Both
      transcripts direct the production of the same basic, highly charged 547 amino
      acid protein with a calculated 61.1 kDa molecular weight.

PMID- 1424997
TI  - [A study of the effect of fish oils on the risk factors of cardiovascular and
      cerebrovascular diseases].
AB  - In this study 22 normotensive (NT) and 12 essential hypertensive (EHT) subjects
      were included to test the possibility that fish oils might influence the blood
      pressure, plasma lipids and fibrinogen as well as the erythrocytic membrane lipid
      composition and pump activity. Each EHT subject was given capsules containing
      fish oils (6 g/d) for 18 days. At the end of the study, SBP fell (P < 0.05) and
      plasma fibrinogen level decreased (P < 0.05), while DBP, TG, TC, and HDL-C showed
      no significant change. The fatty acid composition of erythrocyte phosphatidyl
      ethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidyl choline (PC) showed the following changes: in
      PE, C22:6, C20:5 increased (P < 0.05; P < 0.01), CI18:1 decreased (P < 0.01); in
      PC C22:6, C22:4 increased (P < 0.05; P < 0.01). The activity of Na+, Ca2+ max,
      CaM-stimulated Ca2+ pumps increased (P < 0.05; P < 0.01; P < 0.01). As compared
      to NT, EHT subjects had higher C20:4 in both PE (P < 0.05) and PC (P < 0.01) and
      lower C18:2 in PC. It is also shown in this study that EHT subjects have higher
      C20:4 in both PE (P < 0.05) and PC (P < 0.01) and lower C18:2 in PC as compared
      to NT ones.

PMID- 1424998
TI  - [Prognosis and factors predicting the long-term prognosis of myocardial
      infarction].
AB  - 200 cases of consecutively admitted acute myocardial infarction (AMI), who had
      survived for at least 2 weeks, were studied prospectively. 193 cases were
      followed-up for 0.5-27 (average 15) months; 41 of them (21.2%) had cardiac
      events, including 3 sudden cardiac death (1.6%) and 35 obvious cardiac failure
      (18.1%). 11 patients died of heart failure and 4 of reinfarction. Before
      discharge, noninvasive tests were done: LVEF < or = 40%, age > or = 60, maximum
      value of creatinine-phosphokinase > or = 1000 IU/dl and positive ventricular late
      potential were the 4 factors of high risk. Patients with 3 or 4 positive risk
      factors had poorer prognosis, if they were compared with those with one or none.

PMID- 1424999
TI  - [Evaluation of head-chest lead ECG in the diagnosis of acute right ventricular
      infarction].
AB  - The clinical features, hemodynamic parameters, Wilson's lead and head-chest (H-C)
      lead ECG of 23 cases with acute right ventricular infarction (ARVI) were
      analyzed. Results showed that 13 cases revealed clinical right heart failure, but
      10 of them had clear lung fields. 11 cases showed hypotension. 20 cases had mean
      right atrial pressure (MRAP) > or = 10 mmHg. The remaining 3 cases had MRAP
      between 8 mmHg and 10 mmHg, but it was > or = 10 mmHg after volume loading. The
      ratio of MRAP to pulmonary wedge pressure was > 0.65 and the right ventricular
      stroke work index < 5.0 g.m/m2 in all the 23 cases. ST elevation > or = 1 mm in
      V3R to V6R was found in 12 cases (52%), while ST elevation > or = 1 mm in HV3R to
      HV8R in 20 cases (87%). The results showed that the diagnostic accuracy for ARVI
      with H-C lead (right chest) ECG is higher than that with Wilson's lead. H-C ECG
      is better correlated with hemodynamics in patients with ARVI.

PMID- 1425000
TI  - [A study of measuring cardiac output in patients during mechanical ventilation
      with CO2 rebreathing method].
AB  - Measurement of cardiac output with CO2 rebreathing method and thermodilution
      method was carried out in seven COPD patients undergoing mechanical ventilation.
      Mixed venous PCO2 could be measured reasonably well with CO2 rebreathing method.
      There was a very significant positive correlation between the CO2 method and
      thermodilution method for measuring cardiac output (r = 0.9130, P < 0.01). The
      change of cardiac output before and after infusion of sodium nitroprusside could
      be reflected by CO2 rebreathing method. We conclude that the cardiac output in
      COPD patients undergoing mechanical ventilation could be measured reasonably well
      with CO2 rebreathing method.

PMID- 1425002
TI  - [24-hour esophageal pH monitoring. An analysis of 21 cases].
AB  - Esophageal pH monitoring was carried out with self-made portable pH recorder in
      21 subjects for 24 hours under normal conditions. The results were as follows:
      the number of physiological gastroesophageal reflux (GER, pH < 4) was less than
      23 times; the percentage of GER duration calculated by dividing the cumulative
      time of pH less than 4 by the total monitoring time was less than 1.4; the
      percentage was about 2 in upright position and less than 0.2 in lying position;
      the duration of the longest reflux episode was less than 5 minutes; the
      physiological gastroesophageal reflux occurred more often in upright position;
      while the pathological GER took place both in upright and lying position. Our
      study also indicated that the degree of esophagitis had no relation with the type
      of GER.

PMID- 1425001
TI  - [Renal lesions of post-hepatitis cirrhosis].
AB  - There have been many reports on renal lesions of alcoholic cirrhosis, but not on
      those of post-hepatitis cirrhosis (PHC) up to present. A clinical and
      pathological observation on PHC was carried out prospectively in 18 and
      retrospectively in 34 cases. Renal specimens were examined with light and
      electron microscopy and immunopathological methods (immunofluorescence and
      peroxidase anti-peroxidase). Clinically, recurrent gross hematuria was observed
      in 2 and wild urinary abnormality in 17 cases. One case developed renal failure
      and the remaining 32 cases had no clinical evidence of renal involvement. Light
      microscopy showed wild mesangial lesions in 44 cases and glomerular basement
      membrane (GBM) thickening with segmental splitting in 29 and diffuse splitting in
      2 cases. Massive protein deposition was found in the GBM, mesangium (Ms) and
      tubular basement membrane as well as the epithelium and endothelium.
      Immunopathological examination showed massive deposition of various
      immunoglobulins and complements in GBM and Ms, with IgG dominant in 8, IgM
      dominant in 7, IgA dominant in 6 and "full house" in 11 cases. HBsAg was
      detectable in GBM and Ms in 5 cases (9.6%) and HBcAg in one. Focal interstitial
      fibrosis and lymphocytic infiltration were found in 15 (28.3%). Our data revealed
      that renal lesions of post-hepatitis cirrhosis are different from those of the so
      called "cirrhotic glomerulonephritis" in certain aspects. They are characterized
      by definite GBM involvement and massive deposition of immunoglobulins and
      complements. Its pathogenesis may be more complicated than that of other types of
      liver cirrhosis.

PMID- 1425003
TI  - [Analysis of 59 cases of non-traumatic sudden death in various neurological
      diseases].
AB  - Sudden death is a common complication of myocardial infarction, necrotic
      pancreatitis and other diseases. Physicians usually neglect the possibility of
      neurological disorders. 59 cases of sudden death among 314 autopsied cases with
      neurological diseases were analyzed. The most frequent cause of neurological
      sudden death was cerebrovascular disease (CVD). It was present in 53 (89.9%)
      cases. 48 of them had hemorrhagic CVD. 37 of these 48 cases were due to
      hypothalamic lesions. In 37 cases general autopsy was performed; pathological
      abnormalities of heart, lungs, stomach etc, were found in 28 of them. In
      conclusion, the size and location of the lesion correlated with the prognosis of
      the disease. Concomitant multiple organ damage may deteriorate the lesion.
      Awareness of sudden death resulting from CVD may elevate the rate of correct
      diagnosis.

PMID- 1425004
TI  - [A comparative trial of levo-praziquantel and praziquantel in the treatment of
      human Clonorchis sinensis infection].
AB  - Seventy patients with clonorchis sinensis infection were divided randomly into
      two groups and treated with levo-praziquantel and praziquantel in the same dosage
      of 12.5 mg/kg twice a day for two consecutive days (total dosage of 75 mg/kg).
      Follow-up stool examination three and six months after treatment showed that the
      egg negative conversion rates with levo-praziquantel group were 92.86% and
      92.59%, while those of praziquantel group were 58.62% and 53.57% respectively.
      The results showed that levo-praziquantel was significantly superior to
      praziquantel (P < 0.001). The side reactions in both group were mild and
      transient.

PMID- 1425005
TI  - [A laboratory and clinical study of induced differentiation therapy by all trans
      retinoic acid in acute promyelocytic leukemia].
AB  - According to investigations, it was shown that peripheral blood WBC count
      increased, percentage of promyelocytes increased, differentiation features
      emerged, protein kinase C (PK-C) activity elevated, intracellular lysozyme
      content increased, CFU-F productivity increased and typical t (15; 17)
      disappeared, when induced differentiation therapy with all trans-retinoic acid
      (RA) was carried out in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Comparison
      between RA group and RA+Harringtonin/Ara-C group showed no significant difference
      in most of the parameters; the curative effect was same in both groups. Complete
      remission (CR) rate was achieved in 92.6% (25/27 cases) of the patients in the
      entire group. In order to increase CR rate, prevention and treatment for
      haemorrhagic complications are critical. Patients with hyperleukocytosis (WBC >
      or = 100 x 10(9)/L) should be treated with intensive combined therapy as well as
      aggressive prevention of haemorrhage and pathological changes of lung and brain.

PMID- 1425006
TI  - [Rethrombosis after coronary thrombolysis].

PMID- 1425007
TI  - Polyfunctional cytokines: IL-6 and LIF. Introduction.

PMID- 1425008
TI  - The action of interleukin 6 and leukaemia inhibitory factor on liver cells.
AB  - The hepatic action of cytokines has generally been analysed in terms of the acute
      phase response of the liver. The qualitative and quantitative changes in the
      expression of plasma proteins serve as defining criteria for cytokine function.
      Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) are representatives of
      a group of cytokines which display strikingly similar effects in both human and
      rodent liver cells. Hallmarks of the action of these cytokines are the
      stimulation of type 2 acute-phase plasma proteins and enhancement of the effect
      of interleukin 1 (IL-1) or tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) on type 1
      acute-phase plasma proteins. The transcriptional activation of the various acute
      phase plasma protein genes involves common cis-acting regulatory elements whose
      sequences and location relative to the transcription start site vary from gene to
      gene. The activity of the IL-6- and LIF-responsive genes depends in part on
      transcription factors including several members of the C/EBP family, JunB and the
      glucocorticoid receptor. The expression of these transcription factors is in turn
      under cytokine-specific control. In a few cases, expression is temporally
      correlated with the activation of 'late' acute-phase protein genes. The finding
      that structurally distinct cytokines interact with separate receptors but elicit
      an almost identical liver cell response demands a reassessment of the
      contribution of each factor to the in vivo acute-phase response.

PMID- 1425009
TI  - Further studies of the distribution of CDF/LIF mRNA.
AB  - Differentiation choices in the haemopoietic and nervous systems are controlled in
      part by instructive factors. The cholinergic differentiation factor (CDF, also
      known as leukaemia inhibitory factor, LIF) affects the development of cultured
      cells from both systems. To understand the role of CDF/LIF during normal
      development in vivo, we have begun to localize its mRNA in the late fetal and
      postnatal rat. Application of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and
      RNase protection methods reveals that CDF/LIF mRNA levels are developmentally
      modulated in both haemopoietic and neural tissues. A target tissue of cholinergic
      sympathetic neurons, the footpads that contain the sweat glands, express high
      levels of this mRNA (relative to mRNA for actin and beta 2-microglobulin). Levels
      in targets of noradrenergic neurons are lower, but do undergo significant changes
      during development. Signals are also detected in selective regions of the adult
      brain, and in embryonic skeletal muscle. This finding in muscle may be
      significant for motor neurons, because CDF/LIF is a trophic factor for these
      neurons in culture. Embryonic liver, neonatal thymus and postnatal spleen express
      CDF/LIF mRNA, and expression in gut is the highest of all tissues examined. The
      selective tissue distribution and developmental modulation of CDF/LIF mRNA
      expression support a role for this factor in the normal development of several
      organ systems.

PMID- 1425010
TI  - Leukaemia inhibitory factor and bone cell function.
AB  - A bone-resorbing product of mouse spleen cells found to have differentiation
      inducing activity was most probably leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF). This
      revealed that LIF is a cytokine active on bone, in addition to its several other
      sites of action. In organ culture of newborn mouse bone, recombinant LIF promoted
      bone resorption by a prostaglandin-dependent process. Resorption by isolated rat
      osteoclasts was also promoted by LIF through an initial action on osteoblasts
      which was receptor-mediated. Incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA was
      increased by LIF in cells (most probably osteoblasts) of the newborn mouse bones.
      Osteoblasts have been shown to produce LIF, and the amount is increased by
      treatment with retinoic acid or TNF-alpha. LIF also acts directly on osteoblasts
      to inhibit plasminogen activator activity, by stimulating the synthesis of
      plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 mRNA and protein. The latter actions are very
      similar to those of TGF-beta. Again like TGF-beta, LIF was ineffective in
      promoting bone resorption in vitro in fetal rat long bones. These results,
      together with the in vivo data showing that high circulating levels of LIF in the
      mouse are accompanied by a substantial increase in trabecular bone mass, indicate
      that LIF is another cytokine with potent actions on bone and potentially
      important interactions with other osteotrophic factors.

PMID- 1425011
TI  - The role of interleukin 6 in megakaryocyte formation, megakaryocyte development
      and platelet production.
AB  - Megakaryocytopoiesis is the cellular amplification and differentiation of
      precursors into immature megakaryocytes, and the cytoplasmic maturation of these
      megakaryocytes, a process terminating in the release of platelets into the
      circulation. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) stimulates megakaryocytopoiesis in the bone
      marrow, increasing platelet numbers in the circulation. IL-6 alone is poorly
      active on the growth of stem cell populations, but acts in synergy with stem cell
      factor (c-kit ligand) to expand the committed myeloid progenitor compartments but
      not the megakaryocyte progenitors. IL-6 has a direct action on megakaryocyte
      progenitors but only in synergy with low doses of interleukin 3 (IL-3),
      increasing the number of immature megakaryocytes and enhancing the processes of
      development into mature megakaryocytes. IL-6 is about 10 times more active on
      megakaryocytes than on megakaryocyte progenitors in cell culture. It is active
      alone and will stimulate increases in cell size and DNA content. IL-6 does not
      appear to stimulate the process of platelet release. IL-6 is found in bone
      marrow, in both macrophage subsets and megakaryocytes, indicating that it may be
      an important physiological regulator of both paracrinal (microenvironmental) and
      autocrinal mechanisms controlling megakaryocyte development in bone marrow.

PMID- 1425012
TI  - Actions of leukaemia inhibitory factor on megakaryocyte and platelet formation.
AB  - Leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is able to potentiate megakaryocyte colony
      formation in cultures of mouse bone marrow cells in the presence of multi-CSF
      (interleukin 3). Membrane receptors for LIF are present on mouse megakaryocytes
      and receptor numbers increase with increasing maturation of the cells. When
      injected into normal mice at doses of 0.2-2 micrograms two to three times daily,
      LIF induced a rise in platelet numbers, which reached up to twice normal values
      during the second week of injections. This rise was preceded by a rise first in
      megakaryocyte progenitor numbers, then in mature megakaryocytes in the bone
      marrow and spleen. Injections of LIF also marginally accelerated platelet
      regeneration in mice pre-injected with 5-fluorouracil or subjected to whole-body
      irradiation and transplantation of marrow cells. In view of similar responses to
      LIF in parallel studies in primates, clinical trial of LIF in patients with
      thrombocytopenia is warranted.

PMID- 1425013
TI  - The role of interleukin 6 in plasmacytomagenesis.
AB  - Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a polyfunctional cytokine which regulates the immune
      response, the acute-phase reaction and haemopoiesis. IL-6 plays a critical role
      in differentiation of B cells into plasma cells, and is a potent growth factor
      for plasmacytomas and myelomas. A relationship between IL-6 and polyclonal plasma
      cell abnormalities has been demonstrated. Abnormal production of IL-6 was first
      suggested to be related to hypergammaglobulinaemia with autoantibody production
      in patients with cardiac myxoma. A role of IL-6 in the generation of plasmacytoma
      has also been indicated. In support of these clinical and experimental
      observations, we demonstrated that transgenic C57BL/6 mice carrying the human IL
      6 gene showed a massive polyclonal plasmacytosis with production of
      autoantibodies. However, the tumour was not transplantable to syngeneic animals.
      Susceptibility to pristane-induced plasmacytomagenesis is genetically determined-
      pristane can induce plasmacytomas in BALB/c but not in C57BL/6 mice. IL-6
      transgenic C57BL/6 mice were backcrossed to BALB/c mice to elucidate the genetic
      influence on plasmacytomagenesis. Transplantable monoclonal plasmacytoma with a
      t(12;15) chromosomal translocation was generated in some of the backcrossed mice,
      indicating that IL-6 plays a key role in the multistep oncogenesis of plasma cell
      neoplasia.

PMID- 1425014
TI  - Interleukin 6 determination in the detection of microbial invasion of the
      amniotic cavity.
AB  - A growing body of evidence suggests a role for cytokines in the mechanisms
      responsible for preterm parturition associated with intrauterine infection.
      Interleukin 6, a polyfunctional cytokine that is secreted by tissues in the feto
      maternal interface in response to microbial products, has been implicated in the
      host response to intrauterine infection. The purpose of this study was to
      establish whether measurement of amniotic fluid concentrations of interleukin 6
      could be of value in the diagnosis of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity.
      Fluid was obtained by transabdominal amniocentesis from patients with preterm
      labour and intact chorioamniotic membranes and cultured for aerobic and anaerobic
      bacteria and mycoplasmas. Interleukin 6 concentrations were determined by an
      ELISA validated for human amniotic fluid. An interleukin 6 concentration above
      11.2 ng/ml had a 93.7% sensitivity and a 92.3% specificity in the diagnosis of
      intra-amniotic infection. Moreover, patients with an amniotic fluid interleukin 6
      level above 11.2 ng/ml and a negative amniotic fluid culture failed to respond to
      tocolysis, delivered a preterm infant and showed histological evidence of
      chorioamnionitis, and their neonates were at risk for congenital infections.

PMID- 1425015
TI  - Distribution and binding properties of receptors for leukaemia inhibitory factor.
AB  - The pleiotropic biological actions of leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) on
      haemopoietic cells (macrophages and megakaryocytes), hepatocytes, osteoblasts,
      pre-adipocytes, embryonic stem cells, myoblasts and neuronal cells must be
      mediated through the interactions of LIF with specific cellular receptors. The
      demonstration by equilibrium binding analysis and autoradiography of LIF
      receptors on all of the above cells and cell lines suggests that each of these
      pleiotropic effects of LIF is mediated by direct interactions with the responding
      cells rather than by the indirect release of secondary cytokines. Despite the
      differing biological effects of LIF on these cells, equilibrium binding, kinetic
      analyses and receptor internalization studies have all suggested that these cells
      display essentially identical high affinity LIF receptors. Nevertheless, there is
      evidence on some cell types (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM
      CSF] transgenic peritoneal cells and F9 embryonal carcinoma cells) for a second
      class of low affinity LIF receptors (Kd = 1.5 nM versus Kd = 30 pM for high
      affinity receptors) which, LIF receptors (Kd = 1.5 nM versus Kd = 30 pM for high
      affinity receptors) which differ from the high affinity receptors only in kinetic
      dissociation rate. Moreover, the evidence suggests that low and high affinity
      receptors are structurally related and interconvertible, because detergent
      solubilization of LIF receptors from any cell type results in the quantitative
      conversion of high affinity receptors into low affinity receptors. As is the case
      for other related cytokine receptors, these data suggest that high affinity LIF
      receptors may be composed of two protein subunits--one responsible for LIF
      specific low affinity binding and the other responsible for affinity conversion
      and cell signalling by the receptor. Such a model provides a possible explanation
      for the pleiotropy of LIF's biological actions.

PMID- 1425016
TI  - Molecular biology of the leukaemia inhibitory factor gene.
AB  - Leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a polyfunctional cytokine that has been
      identified and characterized in several laboratories by virtue of a number of
      different biological activities. LIF is encoded by a unique gene located at 11A1
      in the mouse and at 22q12 in man. However, loci related to sequences in the 3'
      untranslated region of the mRNA have been detected and located elsewhere in the
      genome. The LIF gene from four mammalian species has been cloned and sequenced;
      the sequences are highly conserved within the coding regions and largely non
      conserved within the non-coding regions. However, a number of non-coding segments
      displaying high interspecies similarity are evident; these are candidate control
      regions. Intriguingly, an exon corresponding to the 5' end of a variant LIF
      transcript in the mouse that encodes a potentially matrix-associated form of LIF
      is not conserved in the human, ovine and porcine genes. The promoter region of
      the LIF gene contains four well-conserved TATA elements, and two start sites of
      transcription have been identified. Three regions within the 5' flanking region
      have been identified as important for the function of the LIF promoter, including
      a candidate repressor sequence. The LIF gene is transcribed at only very low
      levels in normal tissues, but its expression can be increased by various stimuli.

PMID- 1425017
TI  - Reconstitution of high affinity leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) receptors in
      haemopoietic cells transfected with the cloned human LIF receptor.
AB  - cDNA clones encoding the human leukaemia inhibitory factor (hLIF) receptor were
      isolated by screening a placental cDNA expression library in COS-7 cells with
      125I-hLIF. The cloned LIF receptor is a member of the haemopoietin receptor
      family and comprises a signal sequence (44 amino acids), an extracellular region
      of two haemopoietin receptor domains and three fibronectin type III domains (789
      amino acids), a transmembrane domain (26 amino acids) and a cytoplasmic domain
      (238 amino acids). The LIF receptor is expressed in COS-7 cells as a 190 kDa
      glycoprotein that specifically binds human LIF with low affinity, but does not
      bind mouse LIF. Clones encoding a soluble form of the homologous mouse LIF
      receptor have been isolated, suggesting complex interactions between the various
      forms of LIF ligand and receptor in vivo. The LIF receptor is most related to the
      gp130 signal-transducing component of the IL-6 receptor, a feature that may
      provide a molecular basis for the intertwined biologies of LIF and IL-6 in the
      absence of obvious structural similarly between the ligands. Mouse B9
      plasmacytoma cells transfected with the human LIF receptor display novel high
      affinity LIF receptors that are presumed to consist of transfected receptors in
      association with endogenous mouse high affinity-converting subunits. Unlike the
      low affinity human LIF receptor, the mixed species high affinity receptor is
      capable of binding mouse LIF.

PMID- 1425019
TI  - The action of interleukin 6 on lymphoid populations.
AB  - We have analysed the role of IL-6 in activation of human lymphocytes isolated
      from peripheral blood. We found little effect of IL-6 on proliferation of T
      cells. IL-6 did stimulate production of IgM by B cells. However, it did not
      behave as a terminal differentiation factor and was required only during the
      first two days of the culture. Under most conventional stimulation conditions T
      cells themselves produce little or no IL-6. High IL-6 production could be induced
      by stimulating the cells with a combination of phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate
      (PMA) and anti-CD28 antibodies.

PMID- 1425018
TI  - The molecular biology of interleukin 6 and its receptor.
AB  - Functional pleiotropy and redundancy are characteristic features of cytokines.
      Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a typical example: IL-6 induces cellular differentiation
      or expression of tissue-specific genes; it is involved in processes such as
      antibody production in B cells, acute-phase protein synthesis in hepatocytes,
      megakaryocyte maturation, cytotoxic T cell differentiation, and neural
      differentiation of PC12 (pheochromocytoma) cells. It promotes growth of
      myeloma/plasmacytoma cells, T cells, keratinocytes and renal mesangial cells, and
      it inhibits growth of myeloid leukaemic cell lines and certain carcinoma cell
      lines. The IL-6 receptor consists of two polypeptide chains, a ligand-binding
      chain (IL-6R) and a non-ligand-binding, signal-transducing chain (gp130).
      Interaction of IL-6 with IL-6R triggers the association of gp130 and IL-6R, and
      the signal can be transduced through gp130. Association of gp130 with IL-6R is
      involved in the formation of high affinity binding sites. This two-chain model
      has been shown to be applicable to receptor systems for several other cytokines,
      such as granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), IL-3, IL-5 and
      nerve growth factor (NGF). The pleiotropy and redundancy of cytokines may be
      explained on the basis of this unique receptor system.

PMID- 1425020
TI  - Regulation of leukaemic cells by interleukin 6 and leukaemia inhibitory factor.
AB  - Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) can have pleiotropic
      effects on different cell types. M1 myeloid leukaemic cells respond to IL-6 with
      activation of a terminal differentiation programme which includes activation of
      genes for certain haemopoietic regulatory proteins (IL-6, IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta,
      granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM-CSF], M-CSF, tumour necrosis
      factor and transforming growth factor [TGF] beta 1) and for receptors for some of
      these proteins, thus establishing a network of positive and negative regulatory
      cytokines. IL-6 and some other cytokines also induce during differentiation
      sustained levels of transcription factors that can regulate and maintain gene
      expression in the differentiation programme. M1 leukaemic cells induced to
      differentiate with IL-6 undergo programmed cell death (apoptosis) on withdrawal
      of IL-6, and can be rescued from apoptosis by IL-6, IL-3, M-CSF, G-CSF or IL-1,
      but not by GM-CSF. These differentiating leukaemic cells can also be rescued from
      apoptosis by the tumour promoter TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate) but
      not by the non-tumour-promoting isomer 4-alpha-TPA, and rescue from apoptosis can
      be achieved by different pathways. Apoptosis can also be induced in
      undifferentiated M1 leukaemic cells by expression of the wild-type form of the
      tumour suppressor p53 protein and IL-6 can rescue the cells from this wild-type
      p53-mediated apoptosis. There are clones of M1 cells that differentiate with IL-6
      but not with LIF and another M1 clone that differentiates with either IL-6 or
      LIF. Differentiation induced by IL-6 or LIF is inhibited by TGF-beta 1. The
      pleiotropic effects of LIF, like those of IL-6, are presumably also in a network
      of interacting regulatory proteins.

PMID- 1425021
TI  - Regulation of gene expression in the hypothalamus: hybridization histochemical
      studies.
AB  - Hybridization histochemistry has bridged molecular biology and neuroanatomy to
      provide nearly dynamic views of gene expression in the brain--perhaps especially
      in the hypothalamus. These snapshots of transcript levels with precise anatomical
      localization have revealed new insights into gene regulation in the hypothalamus
      under specific conditions. Magnocellular neurons in the paraventricular and
      supraoptic nuclei produce vasopressin and oxytocin. Transcript levels for these
      hormones are affected by hyperosmolality, as are those for many other
      neuropeptides. Patterns of gene expression in the magnocellular neurons in these
      nuclei during development and under different physiological conditions have been
      studied less extensively. The parvocellular neurons of the paraventricular
      nucleus produce corticotropin-releasing factor and thyrotropin-releasing hormone.
      Expression of the corticotropin-releasing factor gene is regulated by
      glucocorticoids. Physiological stresses, which activate the hypothalamo-pituitary
      adrenal axis, also affect gene expression in the parvocellular paraventricular
      nucleus. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone is synthesized in a different set of
      parvocellular neurons in the paraventricular nucleus and in other neurons of the
      hypothalamus. Expression of the thyrotropin-releasing hormone gene is regulated
      by thyroid hormone. The suprachiasmatic nucleus contains neurons that produce
      vasopressin or vasoactive intestinal polypeptide in a circadian rhythm. Future
      studies using combinations of classical neuroanatomical techniques, hybridization
      histochemistry and immunohistochemistry will further our understanding of
      hypothalamic responses to various stimuli.

PMID- 1425022
TI  - Feedback regulation of thyrotropin-releasing hormone gene expression by thyroid
      hormone in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus.
AB  - Hypothyroidism caused by chemical or surgical thyroidectomy or hypophysectomy
      causes a substantial increase in the content of thyrotropin-releasing hormone
      (TRH) mRNA and proTRH exclusively in cells of the medial and periventricular
      paravocellular subdivisions of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN).
      This response may be important to raise the anterior pituitary thyrostat to
      promote increased secretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and to induce
      the secretion of a more biologically active TSH. The increase in TRH mRNA can be
      obliterated by stereotaxic implants of hormonally active L-triiodothyronine (T3)
      placed into the anterior hypothalamus but not by implants of the hormonally
      inactive 3,5'-diiodo-L-thyronine (T2); we therefore suggested that T3 has a
      direct action on TRH-containing cells of the PVN. Ablation of brainstem
      catecholaminergic projection fields to the PVN (known to stimulate TRH secretion)
      has no effect on TRH mRNA expression; beta 1 thyroid hormone receptor mRNA is
      present in extracts of the PVN. Euthyroid levels of serum T3 in hypothyroid
      animals achieved via intraperitoneally implanted osmotic minipumps are not
      associated with a return of PVN levels of TRH mRNA to normal unless circulating
      T3 levels are raised into the hyperthyroid range (1.7 times normal). This
      requirement is similar to that needed to normalize nuclear thyroid hormone
      receptor levels in the anterior pituitary of hypothyroid animals, suggesting that
      in addition to circulating T3 monodeiodination of T4 to T3 within the brain must
      also contribute to feedback inhibition of TRH mRNA. As Type II deiodinase
      activity is absent or very low in the PVN and does not rise with hypothyroidism,
      we propose that an alternative source for T4 monodeiodination exists within the
      central nervous system.

PMID- 1425023
TI  - Co-localization of neuroactive substances in the endocrine hypothalamus.
AB  - In addition to their characterizing secretory products, both magnocellular and
      parvocellular neurosecretory neurons are now known to express other neuroactive
      substances. Parvocellular neurons that make corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)
      for example are capable of synthesizing at least seven neuropeptides. Some of
      these, like arginine vasopressin (AVP), interact with CRF at the level of the
      anterior pituitary to promote corticotropin secretion, and, like CRF, are
      regulated negatively by glucocorticoids and positively by at least some
      stressors. others are inert in these two contexts but are responsive to various
      challenges. Magnocellular neurosecretory oxytocin- and AVP-containing neurons are
      capable of producing similarly broad and distinctive complements of neuroactive
      principles. These are typically expressed at levels far lower than those of the
      nonapeptides, suggesting local modulatory effects on oxytocin and/or AVP
      secretion at the level of the posterior lobe. Differential regulation of
      coexisting molecules within magnocellular neurons by systemic challenges and
      steroid hormones has also been described. Secretory products of magnocellular
      neurons may gain access to the anterior pituitary via exocytotic release at the
      level of the median eminence or through vascular links between the posterior and
      anterior lobes, suggesting another form of 'co-localization' by which the two
      neurosecretory cell types may interact in the control of stress and perhaps other
      pituitary-mediated responses.

PMID- 1425024
TI  - Gene memory in neuroendocrine and behavioural systems.
AB  - Several examples of sex steroid hormone actions on rat brain and behaviour show
      that initial hormone exposures may be followed by enduring neuronal alterations,
      apparent long after the hormone itself has disappeared. Precedents from non
      neuronal systems led to the concept of 'gene memory'. We are studying genomic
      structural alterations in rat hypothalamic neurons to account for these effects.
      The preproenkephalin gene is turned on by oestradiol in rat brain neurons in a
      tissue-specific and genetic sex-specific manner. Levels of preproenkephalin mRNA
      in the ventromedial hypothalamus correlate tightly with oestradiol-dependent
      reproductive behaviour. Our results indicate a tissue-specific pattern of DNA
      methylation in the enkephalin promoter. Putative binding sites for several
      transcription factors have been described in the preproenkephalin gene promoter;
      a role for some of these factors in regulating expression of the gene has been
      demonstrated.

PMID- 1425025
TI  - Neuronal-glial and synaptic remodelling in the adult hypothalamus in response to
      physiological stimuli.
AB  - Activation of certain neurosecretory systems of the mammalian hypothalamus
      induces remodelling of the conformation of their neurons and glial cells. During
      stimulation of the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system, astrocytic coverage of
      oxytocinergic somata and dendrites diminishes and their surfaces become
      extensively juxtaposed. In the neurohypophysis and median eminence, stimulation
      evokes a retraction of glial processes and an increase in the contact area
      between neurosecretory terminals and the perivascular space. These changes are
      reversible and glial coverage returns to normal upon cessation of stimulation.
      Neuronal-astrocytic rearrangements also occur in the arcuate nucleus in response
      to changes in sex steroid levels. The significance of such modifications is a
      matter of speculation. In the hypothalamic nuclei they may permit synaptic
      remodelling that takes place concurrently; in the neurohaemal structures they may
      facilitate neuropeptide release. We know little about the cellular mechanisms
      involved but glia and neurons of these systems express certain molecules
      implicated in cell-cell interactions in the developing central nervous system,
      such as the polysialylated isoform of the neural cell adhesion molecule; this may
      allow them to manifest their capacity for morphological plasticity in adulthood.
      The factors inducing the changes vary in the different structures: while
      oxytocin, in synergy with steroids, appears essential to the induction of the
      changes in the oxytocinergic system, oestrogen alone is critical in the arcuate
      nucleus; in the neurohypophysis noradrenaline appears important.

PMID- 1425026
TI  - Neural control of the synthesis and release of luteinizing hormone-releasing
      hormone.
AB  - Preovulatory surges of luteinizing hormone (LH) depend upon neurotransmitter
      activation of neurons that secrete LH-releasing hormone (LHRH, gonadotropin
      releasing hormone GnRH) and noradrenaline plays a pivotal role in this critical
      event. The interaction is amongst noradrenaline and other neurotransmitters such
      as GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), opiates, serotonin and excitatory amino acids
      (N-methyl-D-aspartate, NMDA) on LHRH neuronal activity are complex. GABA and
      opiates suppress the presynaptic release of noradrenaline but only GABA also
      directly affects the responsiveness of LHRH neurons to noradrenaline. Morphine
      induces the release of serotonin which either directly or indirectly via other
      neurotransmitters (e.g. dopamine) sensitizes LHRH neurons to the stimulatory
      effects of noradrenaline. NMDA rapidly induces LH release but whether this drug
      directly affects the activity of LHRH neurons is not known. The neuronal release
      of LHRH is modulated by the action of oestrogen on these various neurotransmitter
      systems. Antioestrogens, when placed into the medial preoptic area of otherwise
      completely oestrogenized rats, block LH surges; LHRH mRNA levels in such animals
      resemble those in 9-day castrated rats. Normally, LHRH message levels increase
      about the time of increased noradrenaline secretion just before the LH surge.
      NMDA rapidly releases LH and LHRH mRNA levels are significantly raised within 15
      minutes and remain so over the next 45 minutes. Thus, it seems that stimuli which
      evoke LHRH release also increase LHRH mRNA transcription to replenish the hormone
      released during the LH surge.

PMID- 1425027
TI  - The neurobiology of primate puberty.
AB  - In higher primates the protracted prepubertal phase of development is occasioned
      by a mechanism that suppresses pulsatile hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing
      hormone (GnRH) secretion from late infancy until the onset of puberty and thereby
      guarantees, in the juvenile, the quiescence of the pituitary-gonadal axis.
      Studies from our laboratory have employed the rhesus monkey, a representative
      higher primate, as an experimental paradigm. GnRH release has been measured using
      luteinizing hormone secretion by the in situ pituitary as a bioassay for the
      hypothalamic hormone. The nature of the prepubertal brake on pulsatile GnRH
      release in the monkey has been probed using physiological, neuroanatomical and
      neuropharmacological approaches. Such studies have led to the view that the
      prepubertal hiatus in pulsatile GnRH release results from a withdrawal in late
      infancy of a synchronized frequency-facilitated afferent neural input to the GnRH
      network, which in all other respects appears to exhibit properties identical to
      those in the postpubertal animal. The mechanism timing the onset of puberty, i.e.
      that responsible for the reactivation of synchronous activity in the GnRH
      network, is posited to be under the control of a central neural time- or growth
      tracking device.

PMID- 1425028
TI  - Hypothalamic transplantation.
AB  - Tissue transplantation aided in formulating the neurohumoral hypothesis of
      anterior pituitary function. The concept of a hypophysiotropic region within the
      hypothalamus stemmed from experiments in which pituitary tissue was transplanted
      into the brain. Restoration of aberrant function of the central nervous system by
      transplants has been reported in two neuroendocrine models: the antidiuretic
      hormone-deficient Brattleboro rat and the gonadotropin-releasing hormone
      deficient hypogonadal mouse. Neural transplants into the Brattleboro rat result
      in the survival of axons containing antidiuretic hormone but reversal of the
      physiological defect has not been confirmed. In the hypogonadal mouse grafts of
      preoptic area tissue into the third ventricle have restored pituitary hormone
      synthesis and secretion and gonadal activity, leading to nearly normal
      reproductive function. The gonadotropin-releasing hormone axons specifically
      innervate the median eminence of the hypothalamus, their normal target, which
      raises interesting questions of neurobiological graft/host interactions. The hpg
      model has been used to investigate factors affecting graft survival; by suitable
      immunosuppression it has been possible to reverse the hypogonadism with grafts of
      rat preoptic area tissue. Perhaps the most dramatic recent development has been
      the restoration of circadian rhythmicity to suprachiasmatic nucleus-lesioned
      hamsters by grafts of similar tissue. The rhythmicity restored is typical of the
      donor tissue.

PMID- 1425029
TI  - Regulation of prolactin transformation in the rat pituitary.
AB  - We have investigated the mechanisms involved in the inhibition by dopamine of the
      transformation of prolactin within the anterior pituitary of the lactating rat.
      The degree of inhibition depends on the intracellular age of prolactin, being
      greater in newly synthesized (<1 hour) and in older (>12 hours since
      biosynthesis) hormone and lesser in prolactin synthesized 4-8 hours earlier.
      Transformation occurs in prolactin granules and involves an increase in
      oligomeric forms of prolactin at the expense of the monomeric form. A reversible
      disulphide-linked mechanism may be involved in dopamine inhibition of prolactin
      transformation; it is dependent upon the intracellular and/or intragranular pH
      via a Na+/H+ exchange mechanism. Transient suppression of dopamine inhibition may
      lower the intracellular/intragranular pH and subsequently cause transformation of
      the hormone. Developmentally, dopamine secretion by tuberoinfundibular neurons is
      seriously impaired and the response of pituitary lactotrophs to dopamine is
      reduced in adult rats deprived of milk prolactin during Days 2-5 post partum.
      These results suggest milk prolactin ingested during a critical post partum
      period may exert an organizational effect upon dopamine secretion and its
      function on the pituitary lactotroph during adulthood.

PMID- 1425030
TI  - What can we learn from sampling hypophysial portal blood?
AB  - Since it has become possible to sample hypophysial portal blood from sheep
      without totally compromising pituitary function, several important features of
      the secretion of hypothalamic hormones have been elucidated. The secretion of
      gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) has been detailed most thoroughly with the
      important observation that each pulsatile discharge of luteinizing hormone (LH)
      is the direct result of a large secretory episode of GnRH from the hypothalamus.
      There is high fidelity in the GnRH relationship in terms of frequency and
      amplitude. During the LH surge, additional factors such as an alteration in the
      degree of enzymic degradation of GnRH may be important physiological mechanisms.
      The secretion of factors that control the release of growth hormone (GH),
      prolactin and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) have also been studied.
      Hypothalamic factors controlling GH and ACTH release do not bear such an explicit
      relationship to the secretory episodes of pituitary hormone as seen with the
      GnRH/LH axis. The factor involved in the acute stress-induced release of
      prolactin has not yet been identified in sheep.

PMID- 1425032
TI  - [An epidemiological survey of blindness and low vision in Hebei Province].
AB  - Following the national unified criteria and methods, an epidemiological survey of
      blindness and low vision was carried out in Hebei Province from April to June,
      1987. In 77,948 persons examined, there were 291 cases of bilateral blindness,
      representing a prevalence of 0.37% (male 0.29%, female 0.45%, urban areas 0.19%,
      plain areas 0.42%, and mountainous areas 0.36%). The prevalences of monocular
      blindness, bilateral and monocular low vision were 0.72%, 0.57% and 0.30%
      respectively. Subjects over 60 years of age had significantly higher prevalences
      of bilateral blindness and low vision. The chief blinding diseases were cataract,
      trachoma complications, corneal disease and glaucoma, in order of importance.

PMID- 1425031
TI  - [A morphological study of retinal damages by intraocular lead].
AB  - The morphological changes in the retina were observed by light and electron
      microscopy at intervals after implantation of lead into the vitreous of rabbit
      eyes. The results revealed progressive structural disorders under both modalities
      of examination, indicating that lead had toxic effects on the retina.

PMID- 1425033
TI  - [A microdialmeter for measurement of the anterior chamber depth].
AB  - A microdialmeter is designed to measure the anterior chamber depth by determining
      the distance advanced by the slitlamp that is focused first on the posterior
      surface of the cornea and then on the anterior surface of the lens. An isosceles
      right triangular block is fixed onto the slitlamp to transform its anterior
      posterior movement into the transverse direction to be measured conveniently by
      the microdial with a precision of 0.01 mm.

PMID- 1425034
TI  - [Genetic segregation analysis of retinitis pigmentosa].
AB  - Comprehensive genetic segregation analysis performed in 150 pedigree of retinitis
      pigmentosa (RP) showed that the disease manifested genetic heterogeneity.
      Families of the mating type Affected x Normal were autosomal dominant (AD), with
      80% of penetrance and no sporadic cases. Families of the mating type Normal x
      Normal were 80% autosomal recessive (AR), with 20% of sporadic cases. In the
      present series, the RP pedigrees were AD in 13.3%, X-linked in 2.7%, AR in 67.3%
      and sporadic in 16.7%, and most sporadic cases were nongenetic. It was also
      demonstrated that, with the conventional mode of pedigree analysis, the
      proportions of AR and AD cases were underestimated, and the proportion of
      sporadic RP was overestimated.

PMID- 1425035
TI  - [Genetic predisposition to retinoblastoma(Rb)].

PMID- 1425036
TI  - [Parafoveal retinal telangiectasis and changes of the capillary free zone in non
      diabetic patients].
AB  - Microaneurysms, hard exudates, hemorrhages and/or edema in the macular region
      were observed in 10 eyes of 10 non-diabetic patients. By fluorescein angiography,
      parafoveal retinal telangiectasis was found in all cases. Deformation,
      enlargement and boundary disruption of the foveolar avascular zone were
      discernible in most cases, as were unevenness of capillary spacing, small areas
      of non-perfusion and leakage of dye in some cases. Analysis and calculations of
      the foveolar avascular zone were done with the Model-970 Quantmet computerized
      image analysis system. The data showed that the values of circumference, vertical
      diameter and roundness of the avascular zone differed significantly from those of
      the 10 normal control eyes.

PMID- 1425037
TI  - [Exudative retinal detachment in the pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome].
AB  - 22 cases of pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome with exudative retinal
      detachment were studied. Fluorescein angiography performed in 5 patients 7-14
      days post-parturition revealed choroidal circulatory disturbances and retinal
      pigment epithelial damages, while the retinal capillaries also showed damages of
      varying degrees. The authors regarded the former as the primary pathological
      basis for the retinal detachment, with the latter also playing a pathogenic role.
      The incidence and the source of fluid of the retinal detachment in relation to
      general edema, proteinuria, and hypertension were discussed.

PMID- 1425038
TI  - [Vitrectomy plus air tamponade for treatment of retinal detachment with
      proliferative vitreoretinopathy].
AB  - Closed vitrectomy, membrane peeling, intraocular air tamponade and scleral
      encircling were performed for 35 consecutive cases of retinal detachment with
      proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), comprising 2 cases of grade C2, 4 cases of
      grade C3, 6 cases of grade D1, 17 cases of grade D2, and 6 cases of grade D3. 21
      eyes (60%) attained anatomic retinal reattachment with improved visual acuity in
      20 eyes. The authors believed that vitrectomy combined with membrane peeling was
      a logical approach to the treatment of retinal detachment with PVR. The surgical
      success was related to the extent of membrane peeling, and intraocular air
      tamponade was a simple and effective adjunctive measure.

PMID- 1425039
TI  - [Vitrectomy of vitreal cryoextraction for treatment of intravitreal
      cysticercosis].
AB  - Thirteen (13) patients of intravitreal cysticercosis were treated by vitrectomy
      (10 patients) or vitreal cryoextraction (3 patients) with successful removal of
      the parasites. The surgical procedure was described with discussions. Vitrectomy
      was especially advantageous to late cases of the disease.

PMID- 1425040
TI  - [Clinical analysis of radiation optic neuropathy].
AB  - As a result of enhanced cure rate and survival time of patients with
      nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated by radiotherapy, sequelae of radiation
      injury to the optic nerve are becoming important, of which the authors report 5
      cases (6 eyes) observed in the past 2 years. The diagnoses were based on rapid
      visual deterioration or blindness in one or both eyes, with visual field defects,
      signs of papillary ischemic optic atrophy under fluorescein angiography, normal
      ERG but reduced amplitude and prolonged latency or even extinction of VEP, onset
      of the malady within 7 years after the initial session of radiotherapy, and
      survival of the patient over 1 year with no signs of NPC recurrence or
      metastasis. Good vision was saved in 2 eyes treated with hyperbaric oxygen.

PMID- 1425041
TI  - [An image analysis system for optic disc in glaucoma].
AB  - An image analysis system for glaucomatous optic disc was developed. The key for
      optic disc measurement was to trace accurately the boundaries of the optic cup
      and disc. The 2-dimension measurement modality adopted was the heuristic boundary
      tracing method, and the 3-dimension measurement was performed by observation of
      the photographs, arbitrary selection of points, and automatic plotting and
      calculation. In order to measure accurately the optic disc in glaucoma follow-up,
      the authors made use of the cross correlation line by line scanning method, after
      proper correction of the photographs, to detect any positional shift in two
      photographs. By clinical verification, the 95% confidence criterion of normal
      optic cup boundary shifting was 1.7 pixels. The optic disc diameter of the disc
      images was over 200 pixels, and any shift over 2 pixels (1%) would have clinical
      significance, which was a high degree of precision.

PMID- 1425042
TI  - [Analysis of penetrating corneal regrafting in 29 cases].
AB  - Repeated penetrating keratoplasty was retrospectively analyzed in 29 cases
      followed up 1-4 years postoperatively. The regraft remained clear in 10 eyes
      (34.5%). The major causes of regrafting failure were similar to those of the
      initial keratoplasty, i.e. immunologic rejection, postoperative angle-closure
      glaucoma, and donor graft failure.

PMID- 1425043
TI  - [The effect of horizontal strabismus surgery on the refractive status in
      children].
AB  - The refractive changes in 84 children (155 eyes) following horizontal strabismus
      surgery and in 97 children (181 eyes) without surgical intervention were studied.
      The results indicated that the spherical refraction and axis of astigmatism were
      not significantly affected by the operation, especially when both recession and
      resection were done on the same eye; however, the cylindrical refraction changed
      markedly within 6 weeks of surgery. These changes would be minimized and become
      stable 6 weeks after the operation, suggesting that the proper time for a
      cycloplegic refraction was 6 weeks after a horizontal strabismus surgery.

PMID- 1425044
TI  - [The purification of bovine IRBP and its uveitogenic action].
AB  - The interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein, IRBP, shuttles the retinoid
      between photoreceptor cells and the pigment epithelium. It also induces
      experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU). The authors first purified IRBP in
      China by Con A Sepharose affinity chromatography in conjunction with the
      purification of bovine retinal S-antigen by ion-exchange chromatography. EAU was
      successfully induced by injection of emulsified IRBP 50 micrograms with Freund's
      complete adjuvant into the footpad of Lewis rats. It was characterized by
      panophthalmia with severe damage to the posterior retina, and lymphocytes
      predominated the inflammatory infiltration that included mononuclear and
      polymorphonuclear cells.

PMID- 1425045
TI  - Balloon expulsion test facilitates diagnosis of pelvic floor outlet obstruction
      due to nonrelaxing puborectalis muscle.
AB  - We compared balloon expulsion, defecography, colonic transit times, anal
      manometry, and electromyography in 21 patients with severe constipation.
      Defecography demonstrated nonrelaxation of the sphincter during straining in all
      patients. Only 12 patients were unable to expel a balloon. Colonic transit was
      normal (five) or showed rectosigmoid delay (seven). All 12 patients were offered
      biofeedback. The nine patients able to expel a balloon had normal colonic transit
      (six) or colonic inertia (two). Rectosigmoid delay was due to severe
      intussusception in one patient. Anal manometry and pudendal nerve latencies
      revealed no difference between those who could and those who could not expel a
      balloon. Balloon expulsion seems to be a more reliable way to diagnose pelvic
      floor outlet obstruction due to nonrelaxation of the puborectalis muscle.
      Nonrelaxation of the sphincter on defecography should be correlated with balloon
      expulsion and colonic transit studies.

PMID- 1425046
TI  - Internal rectal intussusception: results of surgical repair.
AB  - Twenty-four patients with obstructed defecation due to rectal intussusception
      diagnosed by defecography were treated with rectopexy either by the Wells
      technique (9 patients) or by Orr's operation (15 patients). After follow-up from
      one to eight years, defecography demonstrated disappearance of the
      intussusception in 22 patients. None of the patients were completely relieved of
      their symptoms. Nine (41 percent; 95 percent confidence limits: 21-64) were
      improved and 13 were unchanged (59 percent; 95 percent confidence limits: 36-79),
      with no difference between the two procedures. One patient with solitary rectal
      ulcer was improved, and the ulcer disappeared. Four patients with moderate
      preoperative incontinence became continent postoperatively, but obstructed
      defecation was only improved in two of these patients. It is concluded that
      rectal intussusception is probably a secondary phenomenon in patients with
      obstructed defecation and that a conservative attitude toward surgery should be
      adopted.

PMID- 1425047
TI  - Combined anorectal manometry and defecography in 50 consecutive adults with fecal
      incontinence.
AB  - Fifty consecutive patients presenting with fecal incontinence were evaluated
      prospectively with anorectal manometry, defecography, and other tests of
      anorectal function to assess the clinical utility of defecography in fecal
      incontinence. Leakage of contrast at rest and failure to narrow the anorectal
      angle with pelvic squeezing were specific but not sensitive predictors of
      decreased sphincter pressures as determined by manometry. Thus, after manometry,
      defecography provided no additional information regarding sphincter strength.
      Retention of contrast in large rectoceles or incomplete rectal evacuation at
      defecography had excellent correlation with the presence of clinical symptoms of
      outlet obstruction constipation (present concurrently with incontinence) and
      indicated an etiology of outlet obstruction symptoms. Defecography may provide
      useful information in incontinent patients with outlet obstruction constipation
      symptoms but has little additive value to anorectal manometry in incontinent
      patients without such symptoms.

PMID- 1425048
TI  - Prognostic significance of location of lymph node metastases in colorectal
      cancer.
AB  - The prognostic value of stage of lymph node metastases was evaluated in 357
      patients who underwent curative resection for colorectal cancer. Subdivision of
      Dukes C patients according to the number of positive nodes revealed that the five
      year disease-free survival rate (5DFS) was 63 percent in the patients with one to
      three nodes and 53 percent in those with four or more nodes (not significantly
      different). Classification according to the location revealed that 5DFS was 70
      percent in those who had only local node metastases (n1+), compared with 40
      percent in those who had distant node metastases along the major vessels (n2+) (P
      < 0.001). Twelve of 38 n2+ patients had only one distant node metastasis with no
      local node involvement (skip metastasis). They had lower 5DFS than the n1+
      patients who had three or more positive local nodes (35 percent vs. 57 percent).
      We conclude that the location, rather than the number, of nodal metastases has a
      higher impact on prognosis in colorectal cancer patients.

PMID- 1425049
TI  - Retained mucosa after double-stapled ileal reservoir and ileoanal anastomosis.
AB  - A study was undertaken to assess the incidence of inflammation and dysplasia in
      retained mucosa after double-stapled ileoanal reservoir (IAR) for mucosal
      ulcerative colitis (MUC). Between September 1988 and February 1992, 56 patients
      with MUC underwent an IAR. Forty-five patients had a double-stapled IAR (DS-IAR),
      seven patients had a transanal pursestring stapled IAR (PS-IAR), and four
      patients had a PS-IAR with mucosectomy. Distal donuts obtained from the stapled
      IAR were submitted for pathologic review in 55 patients. Nine patients had only
      small bowel, connective tissue, and/or muscle noted on review. Mucosa was
      qualified as squamous epithelium (SE), transitional epithelium (TE), or columnar
      epithelium (CE). All samples were examined for evidence of inflammation and
      dysplasia. Four patients had SE only, one patient had TE, and 18 had CE. In
      addition, three patients had SE and CE, seven patients had SE and TE, two
      patients had CE and TE, and nine patients had all three types. The distance from
      the dentate line to the anastomosis ranged from 0 to 2.5 cm (mean, 1 cm). In 19
      patients (35 percent), the distal donut revealed MUC. Of these 19 patients, six
      had persistent MUC (43 percent) at the time of subsequent biopsy. An additional
      four patients had MUC evident on follow-up biopsy but not on distal donuts; two
      of these four patients had no mucosa in their distal donuts. Only one of the
      patients with evidence of MUC on donuts and/or biopsy experienced any symptoms
      referable to active MUC (1.8 percent). None of the specimens examined had any
      evidence of dysplasia. In 31 patients, no MUC was present in the initial donuts
      or follow-up biopsies. Although the double-stapled technique appears safe,
      periodic monitoring is suggested.

PMID- 1425050
TI  - Postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy in Astler-Coller stages B2 and C rectal
      cancer.
AB  - Between 1979 and 1983, 127 patients with Stages B2 or C rectal cancer treated
      with surgery plus postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy (RT group) and 122 patients
      treated with surgery alone (S group) were compared to evaluate the effect of
      postoperative radiotherapy on survival and disease recurrence. Each group was
      stratified into subgroups according to stage and tumor differentiation as
      follows: Subgroups BW (Stage B2 and well-differentiated tumor), BM (Stage B2 and
      moderately differentiated tumor), CW (Stage C and well-differentiated tumor), CM
      (Stage C and moderately differentiated tumor), and P (poorly differentiated
      tumor). Ninety-five percent of the patients were followed until death or, if
      alive, to five years after surgery. Postoperative radiotherapy was associated
      with a reduced five-year survival rate in Subgroup BW (67 vs. 87 percent; P =
      0.02). In the remaining subgroups of the RT group, there was a statistically
      insignificant trend toward a worse survival rate (56 vs. 65 percent, 47 vs. 64
      percent, 41 vs. 46 percent, and 50 vs. 36 percent for Subgroups BM, CW, CM, and
      P, respectively). The local failure rates for the S group and RT group were 10
      vs. 23 percent (P = 0.15) in Subgroup BW, 32 vs. 21 percent (P = 0.4) in Subgroup
      BM, 24 vs. 25 percent (P = 0.6) in Subgroup CW, and 18 vs. 18 percent (P = 0.6)
      in Subgroup CM, respectively. Eight percent (9/127) had severe or life
      threatening radiation-related complications. Postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy
      alone did not improve the survival of patients with Stages B2 or C rectal
      cancers. It may have led to worsened survival in the subgroup of patients with
      well-differentiated Stage B2 rectal cancer.

PMID- 1425051
TI  - Outcome of ileorectal anastomosis for Crohn's colitis.
AB  - One hundred thirty-one patients underwent ileorectal anastomosis (IRA) for
      Crohn's colitis. Preoperatively, 84 patients (63 percent) were found to have mild
      or moderate proctitis and 47 (37 percent) had rectal sparing. Sixty-eight (52
      percent) had associated small bowel disease, and 20 (15 percent) had perianal
      disease. Sixty-five IRAs were performed at the time of subtotal colectomy, while
      56 were done after previous surgery. Anastomotic leaks occurred in four patients.
      There were no operative deaths. Thirteen patients (10 percent) with protecting
      stomas never underwent closure. Among the remaining 118 patients with functioning
      IRAs, 30 (23 percent) required later proctectomy and 16 (13 percent) required
      proximal diversion, with the mean period with a functioning IRA in these 46
      patients being 4.1 years (range, 6.2 months-12.7 years). An additional 13
      patients required preanastomotic resection and neo-IRA, and 11 required proximal
      small bowel resection. The mean duration of function of all 118 IRAs was 9.2
      years. At the time of review, after a mean follow-up of 9.5 years, 72 patients
      (61 percent) retained a functioning IRA, with 44 being free of disease, while 28
      were being treated with steroids or antidiarrheal medication. The mean stool
      frequency was 4.7 per day. In patients with Crohn's colitis, IRA should be
      considered as an alternative to proctocolectomy if the rectum is not severely
      diseased and sphincter function is not compromised.

PMID- 1425052
TI  - Incidence, outcome, and proposed management of isolated abscesses complicating
      acute left-sided colonic diverticulitis. A prospective study of 140 patients.
AB  - In a prospective evaluation of 140 consecutive patients with acute left-sided
      colonic diverticulitis demonstrated by computerized tomography (CT) in all cases,
      22 (16 percent) were found to have an associated abscess without peritonitis.
      Thirteen of these 22 required surgery (seven during the first stay and six from 2
      to 11 months after the acute episode; median, three months). Nine patients were
      treated conservatively, eight of whom are now totally asymptomatic 24 months
      after the initial attack (range, 10-47 months). There were 10 mesocolic abscesses
      (seven treated with antibiotics alone), nine pelvic abscesses (seven requiring
      surgery), and three intra-abdominal abscesses, all operated upon. These results
      suggest that mesocolic abscesses can usually be managed conservatively without
      drainage; should surgery be necessary, en bloc resection with immediate
      anastomosis can usually be safely performed. Pelvic and intraabdominal abscesses
      behave more aggressively and usually require a two-stage surgical procedure when
      initial percutaneous drainage cannot be performed or is felt to be hazardous.

PMID- 1425053
TI  - Sonography in acute colonic diverticulitis. A prospective study.
AB  - The clinical value of high-resolution real-time sonography for the diagnosis of
      acute and complicated colonic diverticulitis was prospectively studied in 130
      consecutive patients with abdominal complaints, because of which the disease
      entered into differential consideration. The results of ultrasound investigation
      were compared with those of clinical examination on admission. Regarding history
      and initial clinical evaluation, diverticulitis was graded as "highly suspected"
      in 19 (36.5 percent) out of a total of 52 patients with later proven colonic
      diverticulitis (prevalence 40 percent), as "possible but equivocal" in 24 (46.2
      percent), and as "very unlikely" in the remaining nine (17.3 percent) patients.
      Ultrasonography enabled the diagnosis of diverticulitis with an overall accuracy
      of 97.7 percent, a sensitivity of 98.1 percent, and a specificity of 97.5
      percent. The predictive values of positive and negative ultrasound examinations
      were 96.2 percent and 98.5 percent, respectively. The echomorphologic features of
      acute diverticulitis include visualization of a colon segment presenting with
      local tenderness on gradual compression, which showed hypoechogenic thickening of
      the wall and a targetlike appearance in transverse view due to inflammatory
      changes and muscular thickening. Sonographic signs of peridiverticulitis
      (hyperechoic halo) were found in 96 percent of patients, echogenic diverticula in
      86 percent. Twelve (92 percent) of 13 abdominal abscesses were detected on
      initial ultrasound examination and could be treated by percutaneous drainage in
      seven cases, while six required surgical intervention. These results indicate
      that high-resolution sonography with graded compression is highly sensitive and
      specific for the imaging diagnoses of acute colonic diverticulitis and
      complicating abscess.

PMID- 1425054
TI  - Clinical trial of oral diosmin (Daflon) in the treatment of hemorrhoids.
AB  - A double-blind, comparative, controlled study on the effectiveness of the
      addition of oral diosmin (Daflon; Lab. Servier, Orleans, France) and placebo to a
      conservative regimen of bulk laxative in the treatment of acute symptoms of first
      degree and second-degree internal hemorrhoids was undertaken in 100 patients. The
      diosmin and placebo groups, with 50 patients each, were comparable in age, sex,
      symptoms, and the severity of the underlying hemorrhoids. During the first four
      days, the patients received 12 tablets in three divided doses, and then they
      received two tablets twice daily for another 10 days. Subjective and objective
      changes were assessed at the 4th and 14th days of treatment. The diosmin group
      showed statistically significant objective improvement (P < 0.01) without
      accompanying subjective improvement on the fourth day. However, at day 14, there
      was no significant difference in either subjective or objective improvement
      between the two groups. Two cases in the placebo group were taken out of the
      trial on the fourth day owing to clinical deterioration. No side effect of
      diosmin was detected in this study.

PMID- 1425056
TI  - Open sesame: tips for traversing the anal canal.
AB  - The key points for a minimally traumatic and pain-free anal intubation are an
      informed patient, gentle technique, plenty of lubricant, a relaxed, supportive
      atmosphere, and gradual inward pressure on the instrument or finger. Also
      important are knowledge of the direction of the anal canal, sideways introduction
      of the flexible endoscope, and the technique of gaining anal relaxation by asking
      the patient to push down.

PMID- 1425055
TI  - Extensive varices of ileocecum. Report of a case.
AB  - A man was admitted to our hospital because of intestinal reddish bleeding.
      Colonic varices were found at the cecum by colonoscopy. Angiography of the
      superior mesenteric artery showed that blood vessels were scant from the end of
      the ileum to the ascending colon. An operative view revealed the varices, but
      there was no trace of the ileocecal vein. This case, presenting a deficit of the
      ileocecal vein, indicated that the blood flow could not return via the ileocecal
      vein, and therefore there was an outflow through the varices to the surrounding
      intestine or abdominal veins. Such a case is probably unrepresented in the
      literature because it was caused by the total deficiency of the ileocecal vein
      and it was in the right colon.

PMID- 1425058
TI  - Rectal procidentia--an unresolved surgical problem.

PMID- 1425057
TI  - The present role of colostomy in the management of trauma.
AB  - The role of colostomy in the treatment of abdominal trauma has changed over the
      past several decades. Primarily as a result of its successful use in military
      settings, colostomy initially was the mainstay of treatment for penetrating
      injury to the colon, rectal injury, and some forms of blunt trauma. Subsequent
      civilian experience with the techniques of primary repair of penetrating colon
      injury resulted in a decrease in the number of colostomies performed. Coupled
      with this experience, early data on adverse outcome from colostomy closure tended
      to support the trend of the ever-diminishing place of colostomy for trauma.
      Colostomy has always been used for two purposes in trauma care: prevention or
      arrest of fecal contamination of the peritoneal cavity and diversion of the fecal
      stream. Despite the decreased need for colostomy in some forms of penetrating
      colon injury, there are several conditions that still utilize colostomy to
      accomplish one or both of these purposes. Indications for colostomy can now be
      regarded as absolute or relative depending upon the need for diversion or the
      requirement to prevent contamination. There are relatively few contraindications
      to colostomy use. Present results of colostomy closure do not represent excessive
      risk to the patient and should not impact negatively on the decision to perform a
      colostomy for trauma.

PMID- 1425060
TI  - Hemorrhoidectomy with self-retaining retraction.

PMID- 1425059
TI  - Colorectal anastomosis in second stage Hartmann's procedure using the CEEA
      Stapler--no enterotomy, no pursestring.

PMID- 1425061
TI  - Irrigation of the rectal stump decreases the chance of exfoliated cells on
      staplers.

PMID- 1425062
TI  - Effects of antiviral agents on chronic hepatitis B. Analysis using Cox
      proportional hazard model.
AB  - Two hundred fifteen courses of antiviral treatment including interferon with or
      without steroid withdrawal, adenine arabinoside with steroid withdrawal, and
      steroid withdrawal alone were given to 175 patients with HBe-antigen positive
      chronic hepatitis B. The effectiveness was judged on loss of HBe antigen and
      formation of anti-HBe, and was compared with 80 controls. According to cumulative
      HBe seronegative and seroconversion rates as analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method,
      interferon with steroid withdrawal increased both the cumulative HBe seronegative
      and seroconversion rates significantly (P < 0.0001). Adenine arabinoside with
      steroid withdrawal and interferon alone increased the cumulative HBe seronegative
      rate only (P < 0.001). The Cox proportional hazard regression model was fitted to
      the data of 188 cases whose pretreatment liver biopsy specimens were obtained.
      Among treatment protocols, interferon with steroid withdrawal shortened both the
      HBeAg-positive period and the duration until anti-HBe becomes reactive
      significantly (P < 0.0001). Interferon without steroid withdrawal and adenine
      arabinoside with steroid withdrawal shortened the HBeAg positive interval only (P
      < 0.05). Among patients' characteristics, female and advanced liver histology
      were favorable factors. Effects of treatment protocols were analyzed after
      averaging each parameter of the patients' characteristics. Interferon and adenine
      arabinoside with steroid withdrawal shortened the HBeAg-positive interval
      significantly (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.05, respectively), and interferon alone
      showed a tendency to shorten the interval. In particular, interferon with steroid
      withdrawal increased the chance of losing HBeAg 7.3 times more than control. The
      effectiveness of antiviral treatment on chronic hepatitis B, especially the
      priority of interferon with steroid withdrawal, was thought to be established
      through this study.

PMID- 1425064
TI  - Effects of gastric inhibitory polypeptide and glucagon on portal venous and
      hepatic arterial flow in conscious dogs.
AB  - Gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) has considerable structural homology with
      glucagon, which is known to increase liver blood flow. We compared the effects of
      GIP on portal venous and hepatic arterial flow with those of glucagon in
      conscious dogs. Injection of GIP significantly increased portal venous flow in a
      dose-related manner (by 7%, 15%, and 46% at doses of 1, 100, and 500 pmol/kg,
      respectively). The increase in portal venous flow induced by GIP and glucagon was
      comparable; however, the increase in portal venous flow after GIP injection
      reached its peak significantly earlier than that after glucagon injection.
      Hepatic arterial flow decreased after GIP injection (by 17%, 21%, and 35% at
      doses of 1, 100, and 500 pmol/kg, respectively), whereas it was not altered by
      glucagon. Thus, GIP causes significant changes in both portal venous and hepatic
      arterial flow in conscious dogs. Although structurally related, GIP and glucagon
      may influence liver blood flow through different mechanisms.

PMID- 1425063
TI  - Evaluation of [14C]aminopyrine breath test, peripheral clearance of [99mTc]EHIDA,
      and serum bile acid levels in liver function and disease.
AB  - The purpose of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic value of the following
      tests in the assessment of patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) and
      cholestatic syndrome (CS): (1) aminopyrine breath test, measuring 14CO2 excretion
      in the expired air, (2) peripheral clearance of [99mTc]EHIDA, and (3)
      postprandial levels of glycocholic acid (GCA) and glycochenodeoxycholic acid
      (GCDCA). The results indicate that: (1) 14CO2 2-hr excretion rate is a specific
      and sensitive marker of liver function, with good correlation with postprandial
      bile acid levels, [99mTc]EHIDA retention, and the conventional tests of serum
      albumin and prothrombin time. (2) Peripheral clearance and retention of
      [99mTc]EHIDA increased in both groups of CLD and CS vs controls, but it does not
      discriminate between the two. (3) Postprandial bile acids were elevated in CLD,
      particularly those of GCDCA, whereas GCA levels were significantly elevated in CS
      compared with CLD. This may be due to increased synthesis and entry into the
      blood. (4) The combination of [14C]aminopyrine breath test and postprandial
      levels of GCDCA enhance the diagnostic value, specificity, and sensitivity in the
      assessment of patients with CLD.

PMID- 1425065
TI  - Effect of erythromycin on gallbladder emptying in diabetic patients with and
      without autonomic neuropathy and high levels of motilin.
AB  - A reduction of gallbladder emptying in response to neural or hormonal stimulation
      has been reported in patients with diabetes mellitus. Decreased gallbladder
      emptying may be a key factor in the pathogenesis of gallbladder stones. Few
      drugs, if any, are able to stimulate gallbladder emptying. However, in a previous
      study we demonstrated that erythromycin, a macrolide antibiotic, stimulates
      gallbladder emptying and motilin release in healthy human subjects by an atropine
      sensitive pathway. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the
      effect of erythromycin on gallbladder emptying and motilin release in diabetic
      patients with or without cardiac autonomic neuropathy (AN). Thirteen diabetic
      patients, six with AN, and 10 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study
      protocol. Gallbladder emptying was determined by sonography after ingestion of a
      standard meal and during infusion of erythromycin alone or together with 6
      micrograms/kg/hr atropine. We found that 100 mg/hr erythromycin caused a
      significant reduction in gallbladder volume in both healthy subjects and diabetic
      patients. The ejection fraction (mean +/- SE) of 45.3 +/- 8.2% and 37.3 +/- 5.0%
      was similar. The presence of AN had no influence on gallbladder emptying induced
      by erythromycin. Basal motilin plasma levels were 111.5 +/- 14.5 pmol/liter in
      diabetic patients and 63.3 +/- 6.0 pmol/liter in healthy subjects (P < 0.01).
      However, patients with AN had higher (130.0 +/- 11.9 pmol/liter) motilin plasma
      levels than patients without (74.0 +/- 9.4 pmol/liter, P < 0.01). Erythromycin
      administration caused an approximately twofold increase in plasma motilin
      concentrations in healthy subject and patients without AN, but did not stimulate
      motilin release in neuropathic patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425066
TI  - Postprandial gallbladder motility and plasma cholecystokinin at regular time
      intervals after injection of octreotide in acromegalics on long-term treatment.
AB  - The increased risk of gallstone formation in acromegalics treated with the
      somatostatin analog octreotide has been related to an impaired gallbladder
      emptying. To determine the duration of these inhibitory effects, meal-stimulated
      gallbladder motility, plasma cholecystokinin (CCK), and pancreatic polypeptide
      (PP) were measured in five acromegalics treated for 6-32 months with 200-300
      micrograms octreotide daily. Meal tests were performed 45 min, 8 hr and two weeks
      after the last 100-micrograms subcutaneous dose. Results were compared with those
      in normal subjects. Integrated postprandial gallbladder contraction (-125 +/- 194
      cm3/120 min) and integrated PP secretion (-0.1 +/- 0.2 nmol/liter/120 min) were
      completely suppressed in the 45-min study, but significantly improved (P < 0.05)
      when measured 8 hr (1376 +/- 322 cm3/120 min and 3.0 +/- 1.0 nmol/liter/120 min)
      and two weeks (1437 +/- 263 cm3/120 min and 10.6 +/- 1.6 nmol/liter/120 min)
      after the last dose of octreotide. The integrated gallbladder contraction in
      acromegalics at 8 hr was comparable to that at two weeks and to that in normal
      subjects, but the integrated PP response at 8 hr was significantly smaller (P <
      0.05 vs two weeks and vs normals). Integrated plasma CCK secretion at 45 min
      (0.13 +/- 0.06 nmol/liter/120 min) was not statistically significantly different
      from the response at 8 hr (0.15 +/- 0.02 nmol/liter/120 min) and from that in
      normal subjects, but it was significantly increased at two weeks after cessation
      of octreotide (P < 0.05 vs 45 min and 8 hr).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425067
TI  - Penetration of ceftriaxone and cefoperazone into bile and gallbladder tissue in
      patients with acute cholecystitis.
AB  - The penetration of ceftriaxone and cefoperazone into bile and gallbladder tissue
      was prospectively studied in 21 adult patients undergoing early surgery for acute
      cholecystitis. Comparable tissue, bile, and serum concentrations of the drugs
      were demonstrable; however, significantly fewer preoperative doses of ceftriaxone
      were required for adequate perioperative treatment. In view of its higher serum
      half-life and superior antibacterial activity toward common biliary pathogens,
      ceftriaxone appears to be a useful drug for the perioperative management of acute
      cholecystitis.

PMID- 1425068
TI  - Gastric surgery and bezoars.
AB  - We present a series of 56 patients with gastrointestinal bezoar following
      previous gastric surgery for gastroduodenal peptic ulcer. The following
      parameters were studied: factors predisposing to bezoar formation (type of
      previous surgery, alimentation, and mastication), form of clinical presentation,
      diagnostic tests, and treatment. A bilateral truncal vagotomy plus pyloroplasty
      had been performed previously on 84% of patients, 44% revealed excessive intake
      of vegetable fiber, and 30% presented with bad dentition. The most frequent
      clinical presentation was intestinal obstruction (80%). This was diagnosed mainly
      by clinical data and simple abdominal radiology. The main exploratory technique
      for diagnosing cases of gastric bezoar was endoscopy. Surgery is necessary for
      treating the intestinal forms, and one should always attempt to fragment the
      bezoar and milk it to the cecum, reserving enterotomy and extraction for cases
      where this is not possible. The small intestine and stomach should always be
      explored for retained bezoars. Gastric bezoars should always receive conservative
      treatment, endoscopic extraction, and/or enzymatic dissolution; gastrotomy and
      extraction should be performed when this fails.

PMID- 1425070
TI  - Mucosal damage during intestinal anaphylaxis in the rat. Effect of betamethasone
      and disodium cromoglycate.
AB  - In this study, two antiallergic compounds, betamethasone and disodium
      cromoglycate were tested in an animal model of intestinal anaphylaxis. Rats,
      immunized with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, were challenged intravenously with
      whole worm antigen or saline. Antigen challenge resulted in significant
      abnormalities: epithelial damage with shorter villi, decreased activity of
      digestive enzymes, decreased levels of mucosal histamine, a mast cell mediator,
      and increased blood uptake of [51Cr]EDTA from the lumen. Low-dose betamethasone,
      24 and 48 hr before antigen, was not effective in preventing the effects: villus
      damage and increased [51Cr]EDTA uptake were seen, although mucosal mast cell
      numbers were significantly reduced by the drug. High-dose betamethasone
      completely prevented intestinal anaphylaxis: villus height, digestive function,
      and [51Cr]EDTA recovery in antigen-challenged animals were not significantly
      different from controls. Mucosal histamine levels and mast cells were
      significantly reduced in the high dose betamethasone group. Oral disodium
      cromoglycate did not prevent the abnormalities but provided a slight beneficial
      effect.

PMID- 1425069
TI  - Effect of Aeromonas hydrophila enterotoxins on function of mouse phagocytes.
AB  - Two enterotoxins produced by Aeromonas hydrophila isolate SSU have been
      characterized in this laboratory. One is a cholera toxin cross-reactive cytolytic
      enterotoxin (CTC toxin) and the other is a non-cholera toxin cross-reactive
      cytotonic enterotoxin (non-CTC toxin). The two enterotoxins are capable of
      causing fluid accumulation in animal models; however, only the CTC toxin is
      lethal to mice and expresses hemolytic as well as cytotoxic activities. In this
      study, we have investigated the effects of these two toxins on mouse phagocytes.
      Four hours after intraperitoneal injection of a sublethal dose (460 micrograms/kg
      of body weight) of CTC toxin, the chemiluminescence (CL) response of phagocytes
      in mouse blood was depressed significantly when compared with that observed for
      controls (intraperitoneal injection of only Hanks' balance salt solution, non-CTC
      toxin or before treatment with CTC toxin). When fresh whole blood was incubated
      with various concentrations (2.3, 11.5, 23, 230, 2300 ng/ml) of CTC toxin for 1.5
      hr at 37 degrees C, the CL response of blood phagocytes was reduced strikingly in
      a dose-dependent fashion; however, non-CTC toxin did not inhibit the CL response.
      The inhibitory effect induced by CTC toxin of the phagocytic function not only
      was abolished completely, but phagocytosis was enhanced in the presence of
      interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). In addition, IFN-gamma alone induced the largest
      enhancement of the CL response in mouse phagocytes. These results demonstrated
      that CTC toxin inhibits the phagocytic ability of phagocytes either in vivo or in
      vitro and that IFN-gamma pretreatment can overcome this toxic effect.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425071
TI  - Prostaglandin- and theophylline-induced C1 secretion in rat distal colon is
      inhibited by microtubule inhibitors.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to examine the possible role of microtubules in
      chloride secretion by distal rat colon stimulated by prostaglandin (PGE2) and
      theophylline. Distal colonic tissue from male rats was mounted in Ussing
      chambers, and short-circuit current (Isc) was measured to assess chloride
      secretion. Three microtubule inhibitors, colchicine, nocodazole, and taxol, all
      inhibited the stimulated Isc and reduced the 60-min integrated secretory response
      to PGE2 and theophylline (integral of Iscdt) by 39-52%, whereas the inactive
      colchicine analog lumicolchicine did not. Atropine and tetrodotoxin had no effect
      on stimulated chloride secretion. To confirm the source of Isc, unidirectional
      22Na+ and 36Cl- fluxes were measured in tissues exposed to lumicolchicine
      (control) or colchicine. Control tissues absorbed both chloride [5.0 (1.1-8.6)
      (median and 95% confidence interval) mueq/cm2/hr] and sodium [2.8 (0.9-7.2)
      mueq/cm2/hr], and this net absorption was reduced by 96% and 79%, respectively,
      by treatment with PGE2 and theophylline due to an increase in serosal-to-mucosal
      chloride and sodium movement. Colchicine-treated tissues exhibited similar net
      basal chloride and sodium absorption that was reduced by 71% and 75%,
      respectively, by treatment with PGE2 and theophylline. Thus the PGE2- and
      theophylline-induced increase in chloride secretion was significantly reduced by
      colchicine (P < 0.05 by Wilcoxon rank-sum test), whereas colchicine had no effect
      on PGE2- and theophylline-induced changes in sodium fluxes. Furthermore, the
      colchicine-related changes in stimulated chloride secretion were numerically
      similar to colchicine-related changes in stimulated Isc.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425072
TI  - Rectal mucosal ornithine decarboxylase activity is not a useful marker of risk
      for colorectal neoplasia.
AB  - Rectal mucosal ornithine decarboxylase activity has been reported to distinguish
      patients with adenomas from normal controls. In order to further explore this
      association, we assayed biopsy samples from 119 unselected individuals undergoing
      routine colonoscopic examinations. The overall mean ODC activity was 127.4 (+/-
      93.1 SD) pmol/mg protein/hr. There were no differences by age, sex, or race.
      Tissue handling and storage influenced ODC activity. Specimens collected and
      transported on Dry Ice had higher ODC activity than specimens initially frozen in
      a -20 degrees C freezer. After adjusting for storage and collection method, the
      activity was similar in subjects with adenomas (126.3 pmol/mg/hr) compared to
      those without adenomas (128.8 pmol/mg/hr). We conclude that variations in assay
      technique make comparisons between laboratories difficult. Patients with large
      bowel adenomas do not necessarily have higher ODC activity in uninvolved rectal
      mucosa. Further study of the environmental and genetic factors that influence
      rectal mucosal proliferation may improve our understanding of carcinogenesis in
      the large bowel.

PMID- 1425073
TI  - Phenotypic characterization of isolated intraepithelial lymphocytes in patients
      with ulcerative colitis and normal controls.
AB  - A method was developed to isolate colonic intraepithelial lymphocytes in patients
      with ulcerative colitis (N = 8) and normal controls (N = 13) in order to
      characterize their phenotype using a panel of monoclonal antibodies and flow
      cytometry. In both groups, the majority of the cells are of the CD3+CD8+
      phenotype associated with cytotoxic/suppressor function. The CD4/CD8 ratios were
      similar. Virtually no B cells or macrophages were found. An increase in cells
      coexpressing the CD3 and HLA-DR molecules and a decrease in natural killer cells
      (CD3, CD16+CD56+) were found in ulcerative colitis, but this was not significant.
      There were no differences in the proportions of CD8+ and CD4+ cells expressing
      the Leu8 antigen between ulcerative colitis and controls. Thus a population of
      colonic intraepithelial lymphocytes has been isolated and, although they may be
      functionally different in ulcerative colitis compared with controls, this cannot
      be explained in terms of phenotypic characteristics.

PMID- 1425074
TI  - Changes of colonic vasoactive intestinal peptide and cholinergic activity in rats
      with chemical colitis.
AB  - The vasoactive intestinal peptide concentration was examined in the colonic wall
      and portal venous plasma of rats with chemical colitis by radioimmunoassay, and
      the colonic localization was determined with immunocytochemistry. Colonic
      acetylcholine esterase activity was also measured, and the response of vasoactive
      intestinal peptide to acetylcholine administration was determined. Colitis was
      induced by administration of dextran sulfate for three months. The chemical
      colitis was histologically similar to active human ulcerative colitis. We
      observed a significant increase of immunostained neurons and nerve fibers and a
      significant rise in the colonic wall vasoactive intestinal peptide content in
      chemical colitis rats, while plasma concentrations of the peptide did not change
      significantly. Colonic acetylcholine esterase activity was significantly elevated
      in colitis rats compared with control rats. Systemic administration of
      acetylcholine significantly increased the colonic and plasma vasoactive
      intestinal peptide concentrations in colitis rats. These findings demonstrated a
      positive association between colitis activity and an increase of vasoactive
      intestinal peptide and suggested that increased vagal tone promoted the peptide's
      release.

PMID- 1425075
TI  - Motility of rabbit proximal colon. Relevance of cholinergic pathways and role of
      different muscarinic receptor subtypes.
AB  - To better define the physiologic relevance of the cholinergic muscarinic input to
      the rabbit colon and the role of different muscarinic receptor subtypes, we
      studied the effects of atropine, telenzepine (MI antagonist) and DF594 (M3
      antagonist) on colonic motility in eight conscious rabbits fitted with bipolar
      electrodes and strain gauges along the proximal colon. In some experiments, the
      chronotropic and mydriatic effect of the pharmacological agents were also
      assessed. Two main patterns of spike activity were identified: short spike bursts
      (SSBs), which were usually stationary, and long spike bursts (LSBs), which were
      usually propagated. Both myoelectrical patterns were dose-dependently inhibited
      by atropine (0.06-4 mumol/kg). Atropine, at the doses of 2-4 mumol/kg, abolished
      both myoelectrical and mechanical activity. Telenzepine (0.008-0.125 mumol/kg)
      dose-dependently inhibited migrating LSBs without significant effect on SSBs.
      Higher doses (0.25-0.5 mumol/kg) inhibited both LSBs and SSBs. DF594 (0.06-2
      mumol/kg) dose-dependently inhibited both migrating LSBs and SSBs. The three
      antimuscarinic agents, at doses that inhibited colonic spike activity by
      approximately 80% (equiactive doses), behaved as follows on heart rate and pupil
      diameter: atropine induced tachycardia and mydriasis, telenzepine had no effect,
      and DF594 induced slight mydriasis with no effect on heart rate. We conclude that
      spontaneous motility in the rabbit proximal colon depends on a muscarinic
      excitatory input. M3 receptors are involved in the control of both LSBs and SSBs,
      while M1 receptors play an important role in the regulation of LSBs. The
      development of selective antimuscarinic drugs, acting on a given motility pattern
      and with minimal side effects, may offer new perspectives in the treatment of
      functional bowel motor disorders.

PMID- 1425076
TI  - Hyperammoniemic coma in a patient with ureterosigmoidostomy and normal liver
      function.
AB  - Hyperammoniemic encephalopathy has been reported after ureterosigmoidostomy. Its
      development is related to a problem of bacterial overgrowth and, most often, is
      favored by the presence of an underlying liver dysfunction. We report the case of
      a 43-year-old woman with a ureterosigmoidostomy done 28 years earlier who
      developed hyperammoniemic coma induced by an acute rectocolitis and in the
      absence of any detectable liver dysfunction. Neither administration of Lactilol
      and neomycin nor rectal tube drainage were effective; systemic antimicrobial
      therapy effective against the urease-producing gram-negative bacilli was required
      and led to a decrease in serum ammonia levels and a dramatic clinical
      improvement.

PMID- 1425077
TI  - Interferon therapy is effective in treatment of hepatitis B-induced
      polyarthritis.
AB  - A patient with acute hepatitis B developed significant polyarthritis. After 10
      months of observation he had not cleared the virus and continued to have
      symptomatic joint problems, with migratory polyarthralgia, tenosynovitis of the
      left wrist, and a large knee effusion. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and
      hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels were measured in the synovial fluid and were
      found to be virtually identical to serum levels, indicating the potential
      infectivity of this fluid. The patient was treated with 14 weeks of thrice-weekly
      lymphoblastoid interferon and cleared all markers of viral replication. The
      arthritis resolved with the disappearance of measurable HBsAg. Interferon may be
      effective therapy for this disorder.

PMID- 1425078
TI  - Acquired intrahepatic portal vein aneurysm.

PMID- 1425079
TI  - Acalculous acute cholecystitis due to Salmonella typhi.

PMID- 1425082
TI  - Esophageal ulcer due to ingestion of melted copper.
AB  - We report a patient with esophageal stricture as a result of the accidental
      swallowing of melted copper by a 49-year-old male. As a result, esophagogastric
      ulcers developed and left a cicatrical stricture. The patient could only manage
      to swallow liquid food. Radiology of the upper gastrointestinal tract showed
      marked stricture of the esophagus from the middle thoracic portion to the
      esophagogastric junction and shortening of the lesser curvature of the stomach.
      The patient underwent a single-session total gastrectomy, and excision of the
      thoracic esophagus and construction of anterior thoracic esophagocolic and
      duodenocolic anastomoses were performed by right thoracotomy and laparotomy,
      respectively. Macroscopic findings of the surgical specimens showed extensive
      circular ulcers at the esophagus, and microscopic findings showed deep ulcers
      extending to the muscle layer with marked fibrosis. The postoperative course was
      uneventful.

PMID- 1425080
TI  - Peritoneal sarcoidosis. An unrecognized cause of sclerosing peritonitis.
AB  - In a Caucasian woman with a history of ocular and pulmonary sarcoidosis, the
      occurrence of sclerosing peritonitis with exudative ascites but without any of
      the well-known causes of this syndrome prompts us to consider that sclerosing
      peritonitis is a manifestation of sarcoidosis. The dramatic improvement that
      occurred on corticosteroid therapy adds credibility to this previously unreported
      association.

PMID- 1425081
TI  - Reversible achalasia-like motor pattern of esophageal body secondary to
      postoperative stricture of gastroesophageal junction.
AB  - Two cases are presented of benign stenosis of the cardia secondary to fibrosis
      following antireflux surgery in which the patients developed a motor alteration
      in the esophageal body similar to that of achalasia of the cardia. There was a
      complete absence of contractions in one patient, which had developed over a long
      period of time, and a vigorous pattern in the other patient, which had evolved
      over a short period. In both cases, after surgical treatment of the stenosis,
      normal motility in the esophageal body returned.

PMID- 1425083
TI  - Hyperfibrinogenemia. An important risk factor for vascular complications in
      diabetes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the determinants of elevated fibrinogen levels and the
      impact of hyperfibrinogenemia on vascular complications in diabetes. RESEARCH
      DESIGN AND METHODS: Plasma fibrinogen, glucose, HbA1, and lipids were measured in
      116 ambulatory type I and type II diabetic patients with (n = 59) or without (n =
      57) clinical evidence of micro- or macrovascular complications. In 56 of these
      patients, factor VII activity and CRP also were measured. Univariate and
      multivariate data analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Overall mean +/- SE
      fibrinogen levels in patients (339 +/- 7.3 mg/dl) were elevated markedly compared
      with control subjects (248 +/- 9.1 mg/dl). Fibrinogen levels were elevated
      disproportionately in patients with type II diabetes (P less than 0.0001),
      hypertension (P = 0.0001), obesity (P less than 0.0001), and vascular
      complications (P less than 0.0001). Fibrinogen was correlated significantly with
      age (P less than 0.001), cholesterol (P = 0.002), CRP (P less than 0.001), and
      factor VII activity (P = 0.032), but not with plasma glucose, triglycerides, HDL
      cholesterol, or disease duration. Stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed
      that type II diabetes and presence of vascular complications were major
      determinants of fibrinogen. For vascular complications, fibrinogen emerged as one
      of only three independent predictors, the other two being diabetes duration and
      hypertension.

PMID- 1425084
TI  - Relationship of fetal macrosomia to maternal postprandial glucose control during
      pregnancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the gestational ages at which maternal hyperglycemia is
      most closely related to fetal macrosomia; to determine whether macrosomia is
      related to elevations of fasting glucose, postprandial glucose, or both; and to
      assess the relationship of macrosomia to maternal insulin dose and caloric
      intake. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: One hundred eleven consecutive pregnant
      women with Class B through RF diabetes were studied longitudinally from 13 to 36
      wk gestation. Macrosomia was defined by birthweight greater than 90th percentile
      for gestational age based on California norms. Women who delivered macrosomic
      infants were compared with those without macrosomic infants on pre- and
      postprandial blood glucose, GHb, insulin dose, macronutrient intake, and several
      other maternal variables. RESULTS: Macrosomia occurred in 32 (29%) cases,
      although several measures indicated reasonable glycemic control throughout
      pregnancy. Women delivering macrosomic infants did not differ from those without
      macrosomic infants in maternal age, prepregnant weight, duration of diabetes,
      White class, macronutrient intake, GHb, or fasting glucose. Macrosomia was
      associated with higher postprandial glucose levels up to 32 wk gestation and
      lower insulin doses from 29 to 36 wk gestation. In multiple logistic regression,
      macrosomia was significantly associated with postprandial glucose only between 29
      and 32 wk gestation. Postprandial glucose values less than 7.3 mM (less than 130
      mg/dl) were associated with a higher risk of small-for-gestational-age infants
      (18%) compared with values above this level (1%). CONCLUSIONS: Because macrosomia
      was related to postprandial glucose but not fasting glucose, we conclude that
      postprandial glucose measurement should be a part of routine care for diabetes in
      pregnancy. A target 1-h postprandial glucose value of 7.3 mM (130 mg/dl) may be
      the level that optimally reduces the incidence of macrosomia without increasing
      the incidence of small-for-gestational-age infants.

PMID- 1425085
TI  - Effect of insulin therapy on blood pressure in NIDDM patients with secondary
      failure.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of insulin therapy on blood pressure in NIDDM
      patients with secondary failure. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The influence of
      insulin treatment on blood pressure was assessed retrospectively in a group of 80
      NIDDM patients with secondary failure to diet and maximum doses of oral
      hypoglycemic agents. Weight, blood glucose, and blood pressure were recorded over
      a 3-mo period before and after the initiation of insulin therapy. RESULTS: There
      was a significant rise in systolic (131.8 +/- 1.7 to 148 +/- 1.9 mmHg, P less
      than 0.05) and diastolic (80.9 +/- 0.9 to 89.2 +/- 1.0 mmHg, P less than 0.02)
      blood pressures with insulin treatment. Insulin treatment was associated with a
      significant decrease in blood glucose (18.36 +/- 0.28 to 10.4 +/- 0.34 mM, P less
      than 0.01) and an increase in weight (72.1 +/- 1.6 to 78 +/- 1.7 kg, P = 0.01). A
      control group of 80 NIDDM patients matched for age, weight, BMI, and duration of
      diabetes demonstrated no significant change in blood pressure over a matched
      period of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This study has shown that insulin therapy is
      associated with significant elevation of both systolic and diastolic blood
      pressures.

PMID- 1425086
TI  - Lack of effects of hypoglycemia on glucose absorption in healthy men.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of hypoglycemia on glucose absorption by
      examining the systemic appearance of 3-OMG (a glucose analogue that is
      transported by the same mechanism as glucose) after oral administration. RESEARCH
      DESIGN AND METHODS: Six healthy males 22-31 yr of age were studied during a
      hypoglycemic (50 mg [2.7 mM]/100 ml) and a euglycemic (90 mg [5.0 mM]/100 ml)
      glucose clamp. At 50 min after exposure to insulin, an oral glucose load
      containing 20 g of glucose and 4.5 g of 3-OMG dissolved in 300 ml of tap water
      was administered. Insulin administration was interrupted 30 min after oral
      glucose administration. RESULTS: Plasma glucose was clamped at 88 +/- 1.3 mg (4.9
      +/- 0.1 mM)/100 ml during euglycemia and at 50 +/- 1.9 mg (2.7 +/- 0.1 mM)/100 ml
      during hypoglycemia. Concentrations of glucagon, growth hormone, cortisol, and
      epinephrine were significantly elevated during hypoglycemia. After 60 min,
      circulating 3-OMG concentrations increased to zeniths of 11.4 +/- 0.2 mg (585 +/-
      10.0 mM)/100 ml (hypoglycemia) and 11.6 +/- 1.1 mg (585 +/- 56.0 microM)/100 ml
      (euglycemia; P = 0.95). Absorption of 3-OMG was evident between 15 and 20 min
      after administrations in both situations. Serum insulin was significantly lower
      during hypoglycemia compared with the control situation (345 +/- 50 microM
      [hypoglycemia], 445 +/- 50 microM [euglycemia], P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: We
      conclude that hypoglycemia does not seem to affect intestinal absorption of
      glucose as judged by systemic appearance of 3-OMG.

PMID- 1425087
TI  - Physical activity and proliferative retinopathy in people diagnosed with diabetes
      before age 30 yr.
AB  - OBJECTIVE--To examine the relationships of past and current physical activity to
      the prevalence of PDR. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS--Individuals diagnosed with
      diabetes less than 30 yr of age (n = 818), who were participants in the
      population-based Wisconsin Epidemiologic Study of Diabetic Retinopathy, were
      examined during 1984-1986. Stereoscopic fundus photographs were graded for
      presence of PDR. Physical activity was assessed by an interviewer-administered
      standardized questionnaire. RESULTS--Women diagnosed with diabetes less than 14
      yr of age who reported a history of participation in team sports in high school
      or college were less likely to have PDR at examination (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.23,
      0.93). Those women who reported current strenuous activity levels were less
      likely to have PDR (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.13, 0.87). There were no significant
      associations between past or current physical activity and PDR in men. Current
      levels of energy expenditure were not related to PDR in either sex. CONCLUSIONS-
      Higher levels of physical activity may be associated with a reduced risk of
      having PDR in women. However, the lack of similar findings in men suggests that
      physical activity may be a relatively unimportant factor in the etiology of PDR.

PMID- 1425088
TI  - Permanent diabetes without serological evidence of autoimmunity after transient
      neonatal diabetes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To describe a probable association between TNDM and subsequent
      permanent IDDM. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A longitudinal follow-up of a single
      case from birth to 12 yr of age was conducted analyzing sequential OGTTs, ICAs,
      AIAs, anti-GAD antibodies, and other organ-specific and nonspecific antibodies.
      RESULTS: A small-for-gestational-age infant developed hyperglycemia at 20 h of
      age and required insulin therapy for the 1st 14 wk of life (TNDM). Transient
      hyperglycemia and ketonuria were noted again at age 2 yr 10 mo during an
      intercurrent illness, but OGTT was normal; and ICA, AIA, anti-GAD65 and anti
      GAD67 antibodies, antithyroid microsomal, anti-gastric parietal cell,
      antiadrenal, antisteroidal, and antinuclear antibodies were negative 3 wk later.
      At age 9 yr, hyperglycemia returned and persisted in the setting of
      hypoinsulinemia; ICA, AIA, anti-GAD65 and anti-GAD67 antibodies, and other organ
      specific and nonspecific antibodies were again negative. Insulin therapy was
      initiated and has been maintained over 3 yr of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Our case
      is the fifth reported with permanent diabetes occurring after resolution of TNDM.
      The etiology of permanent diabetes in this setting is unknown but, unlike
      classical IDDM, appears unrelated to autoimmunity in our patient. The true
      frequency of this association remains unknown.

PMID- 1425089
TI  - Greater effect of glycemia on incidence of hypertension in women than in men.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: In subjects with NIDDM, diabetic women have a greater relative excess
      of CHD relative to nondiabetic women than do diabetic men relative to nondiabetic
      men. This excess in diabetic women is explained partially by the particularly
      atherogenic pattern of lipoproteins in this group. We hypothesize that diabetic
      women also may have a higher incidence of hypertension than diabetic men.
      RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We examined the effect of NIDDM and IGT relative to
      NGT on the incidence of hypertension separately in men (n = 844) and women (n =
      618) in the 8-yr follow-up of the San Antonio Heart Study, a population-based
      study of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. RESULTS: Women had a greater risk
      of hypertension with worsening glucose tolerance (RR NIDDM/NGT = 2.65 and RR
      IGT/NGT = 1.94) compared with men (RR NIDDM/NGT = 1.61 and RR IGT/NGT = 0.91).
      Controlling for other possible confounding variables such as age, obesity, body
      fat distribution, and fasting insulin concentration did not alter the interaction
      of sex and glycemia on incidence of hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: The especially
      increased risk of hypertension in women with abnormal glucose tolerance may
      explain partly the high risk of CHD in this group.

PMID- 1425090
TI  - Dyslipidemias among normoglycemic members of familial NIDDM pedigrees.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the hypothesis that hyperinsulinemia among relatives of
      NIDDM probands will increase the prevalence of DLPs, we measured insulin levels
      and examined the frequency of DLPs among NIDDM pedigree members. RESEARCH DESIGN
      AND METHODS: We performed 2-h 75-g OGTTs and measured lipid and insulin levels of
      287 family members and 86 spouses from 16 large Utah pedigrees ascertained for
      greater than or equal to 2 siblings with NIDDM. RESULTS: One-hour insulin levels
      were higher among 206 family members with NGT than among 65 NGT spouses (483.3
      vs. 361.7 pM, P = 0.05). Among the NGT family members, 32% had cholesterol levels
      at or above the age- and sex-specific 90th percentile level defined by the LRC
      studies, 33% had HDL levels less than or equal to 10th percentile, and 20% had
      triglyceride levels greater than or equal to 90th percentile. DLP (any of the
      three abnormalities) was found among 58% of NGT family members, which was
      significantly higher than the expected 27% (P less than 0.00001) and the
      prevalence among spouses of 45% (P less than 0.05). By NCEP criteria for
      hyperlipidemia, 40% of family members met criteria for diet and/or
      pharmacological therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Normoglycemic members of NIDDM pedigrees
      have a high prevalence of DLPs, which approaches the prevalence in patients with
      NIDDM. Our data suggest that members of NIDDM pedigrees should be screened
      carefully for lipid abnormalities.

PMID- 1425091
TI  - Prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis in diabetic patients. Ultrasound high
      resolution B-mode imaging on carotid arteries.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To quantitatively assess atherosclerosis of the carotid artery in
      subjects with and without diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Ultrasound high
      resolution B-mode imaging of carotid arteries was conducted on 71 nondiabetic
      subjects without hyperlipidemia or hypertension and 295 diabetic patients to
      determine IMT of the arterial wall. RESULTS: IMT was linearly related with age in
      nondiabetic (IMT = [0.0087 x age] + 0.3318) and diabetic subjects (IMT = [0.0155
      x age] + 0.32450). The regression coefficient for age was significantly greater
      in diabetic than nondiabetic subjects. IMT (mean +/- SD) of diabetic subjects
      aged 20-29 was significantly greater than that of nondiabetic subjects aged 20-29
      (0.73 +/- 0.27 vs. 0.52 +/- 0.07 mm, P less than 0.01). Multivariate regression
      analysis of 275 NIDDM patients indicated smoking, hyperlipidemia, duration of
      diabetes, hypertension, and age were factors determining thickness of the carotid
      arterial wall. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes, along with age, hyperlipidemia, smoking,
      and hypertension, aggravates carotid atherosclerosis.

PMID- 1425092
TI  - Insulin action in black Americans with NIDDM.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the influences that obesity and hyperglycemia have on
      insulin action in black NIDDM patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Thirty-nine
      subjects were studied who had normal GHb levels and/or FPG less than 6.4 mM and
      who had not taken pharmacological agents for 2-91 mo before the study. Insulin
      action was studied using the euglycemic insulin clamp with a D-[3-3H]glucose
      infusion. Degree of obesity was assessed with BMI. During carefully monitored
      follow-up, 9 patients relapsed into a hyperglycemic state, and insulin action was
      restudied after acute reregulation of their plasma glucose. RESULTS: Insulin
      action was related to the degree of obesity at the extremes of BMI: 7 of 8
      patients (87.5%) with a BMI less than 24.0 kg/m2 were insulin sensitive, and 8 of
      9 patients (88.9%) with a BMI greater than 28.5 kg/m2 were insulin resistant. In
      the midrange BMI (24.0-28.5 kg/m2), patients were equally likely to be insulin
      resistant or insulin sensitive. A plot of frequency versus glucose disposal in
      those patients was compatible with a bimodal distribution (P less than 0.025): 12
      of 22 patients were normally insulin sensitive (glucose disposal 6.1-9.4 mg.kg
      1.min-1), and 10 were insulin resistant (glucose disposal 2.4-4.8 mg.kg-1.min-1).
      Analysis of this midrange BMI group showed that in the insulin-sensitive group,
      an inverse relationship existed between BMI and glucose disposal (r = -0.64, P
      less than 0.05), whereas no such relationship was found in the insulin-resistant
      group. The clinical characteristics of the midrange BMI group indicated that
      fasting plasma insulin, total cholesterol, and triglycerides were higher; whereas
      BMI, age, and FPG were not different in the insulin-resistant compared with the
      insulin-sensitive group. With the development of hyperglycemia, insulin action in
      the insulin-sensitive group. With the development of hyperglycemia, insulin
      action in the insulin-sensitive group was decreased, independent of obesity,
      whereas it was unchanged in the insulin-resistant group. CONCLUSIONS: Insulin
      resistance exists in only approximately 50% of black NIDDM patients. The
      relationship between obesity and insulin resistance is not a simple one. The data
      can be explained by one of two hypotheses: 1) insulin resistance in black NIDDM
      patients is an acquired defect related to the development of obesity and is
      modulated by hyperglycemia, or 2) NIDDM exists as two variants, one with primary
      insulin resistance and one with normal insulin sensitivity, and that insulin
      resistance causes central and/or generalized obesity.

PMID- 1425094
TI  - Prevalence and clinical picture of IDDM in Nigerian Igbo schoolchildren.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence and clinical picture of IDDM in Nigerian
      Igbo schoolchildren born and living in continental Africa. RESEARCH DESIGN AND
      METHODS: In three school districts (Ezza, Ishielu, Ohaukwu), 77,862
      schoolchildren aged 5-17 yr answered our questionnaires on age, sex, known
      disease, drugs being taken, family history, and diabetic symptoms like polyuria,
      polydipsia, polyphagia, and weight loss. Positive respondents were given
      glucosuric tests, and glucosuric subjects had hyperglycemic tests. Diagnosis of
      IDDM was established in hyperglycemic patients by referred hospital clinicians
      based on insulin requirements. RESULTS: Twelve new cases of IDDM were found in
      addition to 14 previously diagnosed cases, giving a CPR of 0.33/1000. Ishielu had
      a CPR of 0.46/1000 compared with 0.25 (P less than 0.01) for Ohaukwu. Boys had a
      CPR of 0.38/1000 compared with 0.25/1000 (P less than 0.06) for girls. Boy-to
      girl prevalence ratio was approximately 3:1. CONCLUSIONS: The relatively high
      prevalence of IDDM in this poor African population, despite potential deaths
      caused by minimal medical attention, may be because of long-term protein
      malnutrition and endemic childhood infections, which have been implicated in the
      etiology of IDDM in similar malnourished populations.

PMID- 1425093
TI  - Clinical characteristics of IDDM in Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites. Little
      evidence of heterogeneity by ethnicity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical characteristics of IDDM in HD and NHWD
      subjects in order to evaluate potential heterogeneity of IDDM by ethnicity.
      RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: HD subjects (n = 73) and NHWD subjects (n = 97) were
      recruited from the Colorado IDDM Registry. The registry included individuals who
      were Colorado residents, less than 18 yr old at diagnosis, placed on insulin
      within 2 wk of diagnosis, and had diabetes not secondary to other conditions.
      Residual beta-cell function was measured as the 1-h C-peptide response to a
      Sustacal challenge. RESULTS: HD subjects were similar to NHWD subjects in insulin
      dose, HbA1, HLA-DR antigens, ICAs, and family history of IDDM. HD subjects were
      more likely to have a family history of NIDDM than NHWD subjects (11 vs. 3%, P =
      0.03). HD girls had higher C-peptide levels (0.27 vs. 0.11 nm/L [0.83 vs. 0.33
      ng/ml], P = 0.01), BMI (22.7 vs. 20.9 kg/m2 P = 0.04), subscapular skinfold
      thickness (18.9 vs. 15.0 mm, P = 0.04), and WHR (0.81 vs. 0.77, P = 0.03) than
      NHWD females. After controlling for diabetes duration, BMI, sex, and family
      history of NIDDM, residual beta-cell function was associated significantly with
      Hispanic ethnicity, although the term accounted for just 3% of the overall
      variability in C-peptide levels. CONCLUSIONS: Little evidence of heterogeneity by
      ethnicity of IDDM patients in the Colorado IDDM Registry was found. Ethnic
      differences in C-peptide levels may be related to differences in body fat
      distribution in females rather than heterogeneity of the disease.

PMID- 1425095
TI  - Standardization of IVGTT to predict IDDM.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To review current practice in centers that use the IVGTT for
      prediction of IDDM. To establish consensus protocol for performance of the test.
      RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Postal questionnaires were delivered to 12 centers.
      RESULTS: Eleven centers used a glucose dose of 0.5 g/kg and 1 used 0.3 g/kg; the
      dosage in adults was limited to a maximum of 25-50 g in some centers but others
      applied no upper limit. The glucose concentration of the infusate varied between
      20 and 66%. Eight centers injected glucose manually, two used a syringe pump, and
      two used gravity infusion. The period of infusion ranged from 30 +/- 10 s to 4 +/
      2 min, and time zero was taken as the start (1 center), middle (1 center), or
      end (10 centers) of the infusion. The potential range in timing of the +1-min
      sample varied between 1 and 7 min from the start of the infusion. Quality
      assurance standards for the insulin assays used were not always appropriate for
      the fasting and low stimulated range of insulin levels. CONCLUSIONS: The first
      phase insulin response to the IVGTT is widely measured as an index of risk of
      progression to IDDM. We established that methodology varies widely. Because of
      this, a new standard protocol for use in prediction of IDDM was agreed by an
      ICARUS working group and is described herein.

PMID- 1425096
TI  - High incidence rate of IDDM in Sardinia. Sardinian Collaborative Group for
      Epidemiology of IDDM.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To provide reliable data on the incidence of IDDM in Sardinia and
      contribute to a better understanding of its geographical variability throughout
      Europe. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: All newly diagnosed cases of IDDM with onset
      less than 30 yr of age between 1 January 1989 and 31 December 1990 among
      residents in Sardinia were recorded. Primary ascertainment was based on
      notification by all Sardinian hospitals, outpatient clinics, family doctors, and
      pediatricians. The local IDDM patient association served as the secondary and
      independent source. RESULTS: The completeness of ascertainment was 92.8%. The
      annual incidence rate of IDDM (per 100,000) over the 2-yr period was 30.7 in the
      0-14-yr-old age-group and 24.1 in the entire 0-29-yr-old range, respectively,
      with no significant differences between the two groups. Male/female ratios were
      1.25 and 1.55, respectively. No significant seasonal variation in incidence was
      observed. CONCLUSIONS: Sardinia appears to have the second-highest IDDM incidence
      rate in Europe after Finland, and the island contradicts the generally accepted
      rule of a south-to-north incidence gradient.

PMID- 1425097
TI  - Insulin requirements in insulin-dependent and insulin-requiring GDM women during
      final month of pregnancy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the significance of falling insulin requirements after
      the 36th wk of gestation in insulin-requiring pregnant women. RESEARCH DESIGN AND
      METHODS: Insulin requirements of women with IDDM and IRGDM were assessed from the
      36th wk of pregnancy, with evaluation of maternal characteristics and fetal
      outcomes. RESULTS: In 32 pregnancies of women with IDDM, there was a 5 +/- 2%
      decrease in insulin requirements, and in 19 pregnancies of women with IRGDM,
      there was a 28 +/- 10% increase. Of the 62% of women whose insulin requirements
      declined, the decrement was 12 +/- 2% and was associated with longer duration of
      diabetes (12 +/- 2 vs. 6 +/- 1 yr, P less than 0.05) but not with age,
      prepregnancy BMI, weight gain, or maternal or fetal complications. Only 3
      pregnancies in IRGDM women were associated with a decrease in insulin
      requirements. Although maternal parameters were no different from those with
      IDDM, infants born to women with IRGDM were smaller (3531 +/- 123 vs. 3874 +/- 94
      g, P less than 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Insulin requirements from the 36th wk of
      gestation commonly decreased in women with IDDM, associated with longer duration
      of diabetes but did not carry any adverse prognostic indication for the infants.
      Women with IRGDM experienced a continual increase in insulin requirements over
      the final weeks of pregnancy.

PMID- 1425098
TI  - Relationship of postload plasma glucose to mortality with 19-yr follow-up.
      Comparison of one versus two plasma glucose measurements in the Chicago Peoples
      Gas Company Study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship of one versus two postload plasma glucose
      measurements to 19-yr mortality in men in the Chicago Peoples Gas Company Study.
      RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: One-hour postload plasma glucose was measured twice
      (1.4 yr apart, 1965-1967) for 873 nondiabetic men 34-65 yr of age. Serum
      cholesterol, blood pressure, height, and weight were measured. Data on smoking
      habits were obtained. Mortality follow-up was complete through July 1986, 19 yr
      after second glucose load. RESULTS: In prospective analyses, with each of three
      glucose values--first, second, and mean of first and second--coronary,
      cardiovascular, and all-cause age-adjusted mortality rates were higher in
      quintiles 3, 4, and 5 compared with quintile 1, with a significant linear trend.
      Multivariate analyses with glycemia as a continuous variable confirmed a positive
      independent association between plasma glucose and mortality endpoints with first
      measurement and mean of two values but not with second. With dichotomization of
      plasma glucose (greater than or equal to 11.2 mM [greater than or equal to 200
      mg/dl]) for 30 men hyperglycemic both times, CHD and CVD death rates were
      significantly higher (odds ratios 2.3-2.7) compared with those for 758 men
      consistently nonhyperglycemic. In contrast, for those hyperglycemic once only,
      death rates were not significantly higher. Results of multivariate analyses were
      consistent with these findings. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate a significant
      relationship of asymptomatic hyperglycemia on repeat examinations to coronary and
      cardiovascular mortality independent of other factors measured in the study.

PMID- 1425099
TI  - C-peptide response to meal challenge in nondiabetic and diabetic adults living in
      Wadena, Minnesota.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The goal of the study was to provide cross-sectional descriptive data
      on the response of C-peptide to a vigorous meal stimulus in a population-based
      sample of nondiabetic adults compared with a population-based sample of adults
      with NIDDM. Available information is scanty, especially in subjects greater than
      50 yr old. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The group under study included 377 adults
      without previously known diabetes randomly chosen from the population of the city
      of Wadena, Minnesota, almost all of northern European background, and 88 adults
      with known diabetes. PCP was measured 90 min after ingestion of 480 ml liquid
      meal Ensure-Plus, which includes 95 g dextrose, 26 g protein, and 25 g fat. C
      peptide also was measured in a 260-min urine collection after the meal challenge.
      Novo antibody M1221 was used for C-peptide assay throughout the study.
      Participants whose medical record indicated insulin-dependent diabetes with a
      history of acetone production were excluded from analyses. RESULTS: The
      distribution of UCP and PCP in this group of subjects appears very broad. Both
      the highest and lowest values for C-peptide were observed in individuals with
      diabetic glucose tolerance. The mean and median values in the nondiabetic group
      are higher than in previously published reports. After statistical adjustment for
      age, sex, BMI, and concomitant plasma glucose, participants with IGT produced
      significantly more C-peptide than the group with NGT (3.48 vs. 2.96 nM PCP, P
      less than 0.05). Participants with diabetic glucose tolerance and who were not
      taking insulin produced as much or more C-peptide than either the NGT or IGT
      groups, depending on the statistical model used for adjusting for plasma glucose.
      Diabetic participants who were taking insulin produced significantly lower
      amounts of C-peptide than any of the non-insulin-taking groups (approximately 30%
      of the C-peptide produced by the non-insulin-taking diabetic participants). A
      decline in PCP production with increasing years since diagnosis (5.7%/yr) was
      observed exclusively in the insulin-taking NIDDM participants. Effect
      modification by glucose tolerance classification was observed on the relationship
      between plasma glucose and PCP: PCP increased with increasing plasma glucose in
      NGT and IGT groups, but a nonsignificant negative relationship was exhibited in
      diabetic participants. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that two forms of NIDDM may
      exist, crudely distinguished by the clinical decision to use insulin to control
      blood glucose levels. The insulin-taking diabetic individuals may experience a
      greater likelihood of pancreatic failure, whereas non-insulin-taking diabetic
      individuals probably experience stable pancreatic function over the course of
      their disease. Longitudinal observation of the Wadena cohort will provide more
      insight into this possibility.

PMID- 1425100
TI  - Prevalence of glucose intolerance in Asian Indians. Urban-rural difference and
      significance of upper body adiposity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of NIDDM and IGT in the urban and rural
      areas in southern India. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Two populations of the same
      ethnic background, but different socioeconomic background were chosen for this
      study. Nine-hundred urban people and 1038 rural subjects were studied. Fasting
      and 2-h post-glucose capillary blood samples after a 75 g oral glucose load (WHO
      criteria) were obtained in these randomly selected adults (greater than or equal
      to 20 yr of age). RESULTS: Using the WHO criteria, the prevalence of NIDDM,
      adjusted to the age of the respective general population, was 8.2% in the urban
      and 2.4% in the rural populations. The prevalence was 8.4 and 7.9%, respectively,
      in urban men and women, and 2.6 and 1.6% in rural men and women. The age-adjusted
      prevalence of IGT was 8.7 and 7.8% in the urban and rural areas, respectively.
      The prevalence of IGT was 8.8% in urban men and 8.3% in women; the corresponding
      values for rural men and women were 8.7 and 6.4%. The prevalence of NIDDM
      increased with age, markedly so in the urban people. The urban-rural difference
      was significant for NIDDM (chi 2 = 29.4, P less than 0.001) but not for IGT. In
      the urban population, 65% of the NIDDM patients were known cases, whereas in the
      rural area, the known cases accounted for only 24%. Bivariate analysis showed an
      association of BMI, STR, and WHR with prevalence of NIDDM plus IGT. In the
      multiple logistic regression analysis, age, BMI, STR, and WHR were associated
      significantly with glucose intolerance in the urban population, whereas only age
      was significant in the rural population. The best predictors of NIDDM were age,
      BMI, WHR, and urbanization. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed a high prevalence of
      NIDDM in the urban southern Indian population. The prevalence of NIDDM in the
      same ethnic group in rural areas was significantly lower. The prevalence of IGT
      was similar in both populations. Upper body adiposity was a significant predictor
      of NIDDM in this population with low rates of obesity.

PMID- 1425101
TI  - Eating disorders in adolescents with IDDM. A controlled study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of clinical eating disorders and lesser
      degrees of disturbed eating in adolescents with IDDM and a matched sample of
      nondiabetic control subjects. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional
      survey of eating habits and attitudes conducted in 76 adolescents with IDDM, and
      age- and sex-matched nondiabetic control subjects. Eating disorder features were
      assessed by standardized research interview adapted for use with patients with
      diabetes (EDE). Glycemic control was assessed by GHb assay. RESULTS: Adolescent
      girls with IDDM were heavier than nondiabetic female control subjects and were
      dieting more intensively to control their shape and weight. However, clinical
      eating disorders were no more common among adolescent girls with IDDM than among
      nondiabetic control subjects. Nine percent of the IDDM girls met diagnostic
      criteria for an operational version of "Eating disorder not otherwise specified."
      Fifteen percent had omitted or reduced their dose of insulin to influence their
      shape and weight. Eating disorder features and insulin misuse for shape and
      weight control were not found in IDDM or nondiabetic boys, and these two groups
      did not differ in their body weight. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent girls with IDDM are
      heavier than their nondiabetic counterparts and diet more intensively to control
      their shape and weight. Disordered eating habits and weight control behavior are
      common, but no more so in IDDM than in nondiabetic subjects. Insulin misuse for
      the purpose of shape and weight control is not restricted to subjects with a
      clinical eating disorder. Disordered eating is associated with impaired glycemic
      control.

PMID- 1425102
TI  - Prevalence of eating disorder symptoms in preadolescent and adolescent girls with
      IDDM.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess attitudinal and behavioral symptoms of eating disorders in
      preadolescent and adolescent girls with IDDM and a matched sample of nondiabetic
      subjects, and to explore the relationship between the perceived impact of IDDM
      and eating disorder symptoms. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: All eligible IDDM
      patients (girls, age 8-18 yr) from the case register of the Yale Children's
      Diabetes Clinic were recruited for this study. Of 49 eligible patients, 46
      participated in the study. Control subjects were recruited among students in
      several local schools; 46 girls, individually age and race-matched with IDDM
      patients, and group-matched by father's socioeconomic status, were included in
      this study. All subjects participated in an investigator-based clinical interview
      (EDE) and completed a self-report measure of eating-related psychopathology
      (EDI). IDDM subjects completed the DQOL measure to determine the perceived impact
      of diabetes on patients' lives. RESULTS: IDDM patients reported significantly
      more regular consumption of meals and snacks than did nondiabetic subjects. No
      group differences were found on measures of symptoms of eating disorders: both
      groups reported minimal levels of symptoms. Among adolescent IDDM patients,
      eating disorder symptoms were related significantly to patients' dissatisfaction
      with the illness and its impact on their lives. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that when
      applying stringent diagnostic procedures and matching criteria, IDDM girls do not
      evidence an elevated prevalence of eating disorder symptoms. However, those IDDM
      patients who did report symptoms may be a high-risk group for the development of
      an eating disorder and should be followed prospectively.

PMID- 1425103
TI  - Cost-effectiveness of alternative methods for diabetic retinopathy screening.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess from the perspectives of a government delivery system and
      patients, the cost-effectiveness of the 45-degrees retinal camera compared to the
      standard ophthalmologist's exam and an ophthalmic exam by a physician's assistant
      or nurse practitioner technician, for detecting nonproliferative and
      proliferative diabetic retinopathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Comparison of 45
      degrees fundus photographs with and without pharmacological pupil dilation taken
      by technicians and interpreted by experts, direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy by
      ophthalmologists, and direct ophthalmoscopy by technicians with seven-field
      stereoscopic fundus photography (reference standard). Costs were estimated from
      market prices and actual resource use. The study included 352 patients attending
      outpatient diabetes and general-medicine clinics at VA and DOD facilities.
      RESULTS: Medical system costs per true positive were: 45-degrees photos with
      dilation, $295; 45-degrees photos without dilation, $378; ophthalmologist, $390;
      and technician, $794. Patient costs per true positive were: 45-degrees photos
      with dilation, $139; 45-degrees photos without dilation, $171; ophthalmologist,
      $306; and technician, $1009. Cost-effectiveness is sensitive to program size due
      to high fixed cost of the camera methods but not to prevalence. Cost
      effectiveness of the technician exam is strongly affected by its sensitivity.
      CONCLUSIONS: Primary-care screening with retinal photographs through
      pharmacologically dilated pupils for diabetic retinopathy is an appropriate and
      cost-effective alternative to screening by an ophthalmologist in this setting.
      Ophthalmologists are scarce, primary-care physicians are extremely busy, and
      large clinics allow fixed equipment costs to be spread across many patients.

PMID- 1425104
TI  - Diabetes is not caused by cassava toxicity. A study in a Tanzanian community.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that consumption of cassava with liberation of
      cyanide causes diabetes in malnourished individuals. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS:
      Glucose tolerance was assessed in two rural communities in Tanzania; in one
      (Nyambori), the main source of calories was cassava; and in the other (Uswaa),
      cassava was rarely eaten. Undernutrition was prevalent in both communities. The
      people of Nyambori were known to have high dietary cyanide exposure for many
      years from consumption of insufficiently processed cassava. Of the 1435 people in
      Nyambori greater than or equal to 15 yr old, 1067 (74%) were surveyed, and 1429
      of 1472 (97%) eligible subjects in Uswaa were surveyed. All had 75-g oral glucose
      tolerance tests and measurement of BMI. Plasma and urine thiocyanate and blood
      cyanide also were measured in some subjects. RESULTS: Mean +/- SD plasma and
      urine thiocyanate levels in Nyambori were 296 +/- 190 and 497 +/- 457 microM (n =
      204), respectively, compared with 30 +/- 37 and 9 +/- 13 microM, respectively, in
      Uswaa (n = 92) (P less than 0.001 for all differences). The mean blood cyanide
      level in Nyambori was elevated (1.4 [range 0.1-30.2] microM; n = 91). The
      prevalence of diabetes in the cassava village (Nyambori) was 0.5% compared with
      0.9% in Uswaa (NS). The prevalence of IGT was similar in the two villages in the
      15- to 34- and the 34- to 54-yr-old age-groups; but in those greater than or
      equal to 55 yr old, IGT was higher in Nyambori (17.4 vs 7.2%, P = 0.029). Mean
      fasting and 2-h blood glucose levels were slightly higher in Nyambori village
      after adjusting for age, sex, and BMI (4.5 vs. 4.2 and 5.0 vs. 4.4 mM,
      respectively). CONCLUSIONS: High dietary cyanide exposure was not found to have
      had a significant effect on the prevalence of diabetes in an undernourished
      population in Tanzania. Cassava consumption is thus highly unlikely to be a major
      etiological factor in so-called MRDM, at least in East Africa.

PMID- 1425105
TI  - Identifying diabetic patients at high risk for lower-extremity amputation in a
      primary health care setting. A prospective evaluation of simple screening
      criteria.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate prospectively a risk categorization scheme for lower
      extremity problems that incorporates the Semmes-Weinstein 5.07 monofilament and a
      simple exam to stratify patients who were followed in a primary-care setting into
      risk groups for plantar ulceration and lower-extremity amputation. RESEARCH
      DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients with diabetes in a well-defined American-Indian
      population were stratified into four risk categories based on sensation status to
      the 5.07 monofilament, the presence of foot deformity, and a history of lower
      extremity events (amputation or ulceration): category 0, sensate; category 1,
      insensate; category 2, insensate with deformity; and category 3, history of lower
      extremity events. Patients were followed prospectively for lower extremity events
      and changes in sensation status. RESULTS: We gave screening exams to 358 (88%) of
      406 individuals with diabetes in the community. The distribution of patients for
      risk categories 0, 1, 2, and 3 was 74.3, 8.4, 4.5, and 13%, respectively. Over a
      32-mo follow-up period, 41 patients developed ulcerations, and incidence rates
      correlated positively with increasing risk category (P less than 0.00001). All 14
      amputations occurred in risk groups 2 and 3. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that
      the risk categorization described here may have a role in identifying patients at
      risk for lower extremity events who are followed in a primary-care setting.

PMID- 1425106
TI  - Diabetes mellitus in Alaskan Yup'ik Eskimos and Athabascan Indians after 25 yr.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and overweight in two
      populations of Alaska Natives and to compare the results with previous data.
      RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Participants' heights, weights, and random plasma
      glucose levels were determined. Those with a glucose of greater than or equal to
      6.72 mM received a follow-up glucose-tolerance test, interpreted by WHO criteria.
      Overweight was defined by National Center for Health Statistics criteria and also
      by criteria used in previous studies. The subjects were Eskimo and Athabascan
      residents greater than or equal to 40 yr of age in 15 villages in southwestern
      Alaska. RESULTS: Diabetes prevalence was 4.7% for Eskimos and 10.0% for Indians.
      Among Eskimo men and women, the prevalence of overweight was 34 and 56%,
      respectively, among Indian men and women, it was 29 and 55%, respectively.
      Comparisons with past data indicate that the prevalence of diabetes has increased
      from 1.7% in 1962 for Eskimos and 1.8% in 1969 for Indians. CONCLUSIONS: The
      prevalence of diabetes appears to have increased among Eskimos and Indians in
      Alaska. Overweight appears to be a significant problem in both groups.

PMID- 1425107
TI  - Growth of children before onset of diabetes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the growth of children before the onset of diabetes.
      RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Heights before diagnosis, expressed as SDS, of each
      diabetic child identified from the diabetes register and of two age- and sex
      matched control subjects were obtained from records of routine examinations
      performed at 3.5, 6, 11, and 13 yr. The heights of their siblings, with control
      subjects, also were obtained. RESULTS: Diabetic children were considerably taller
      than control subjects before diagnosis (0-1 yr before diagnosis SDS 0.82 +/- 0.26
      vs. 0.16 +/- 0.14, P less than 0.05, n = 24; 1-2 yr before diagnosis SDS 1.02 +/-
      0.17 vs. 0.16 +/- 0.14, P less than 0.001, n = 30; 2-3 yr before diagnosis SDS
      0.97 +/- 0.23 vs. 0.04 +/- 0.20, P less than 0.005, n = 16). At more than 3 yr
      before diagnosis, the diabetic children were not significantly taller than
      control subjects (SDS 0.8 +/- 0.2 vs. 0.27 +/- 0.13, respectively; n = 33). The
      siblings of the diabetic children were no taller than control subjects.
      CONCLUSIONS: Diabetic children, but not their siblings, were taller than control
      subjects before diagnosis, suggesting growth-inducing metabolic changes may
      precede the onset of clinical diabetes by at least 3 yr.

PMID- 1425108
TI  - Increased plasma endothelin in NIDDM patients with retinopathy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the significance of ET in diabetic microvascular disease.
      RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We determined plasma levels of ir-ET-1 in 25 NIDDM
      patients without hypertension and/or renal dysfunction. RESULTS: The plasma
      levels of ir-ET-1 in NIDDM patients with simple (n = 8) and proliferative (n = 8)
      retinopathy were 0.58 +/- 0.04 pM and 0.60 +/- 0.04 pM, respectively, which were
      significantly higher than those in normal, nondiabetic subjects (0.24 +/- 0.02 pM
      [n = 31]) and NIDDM patients without retinopathy (0.30 +/- 0.05 pM [n = 9]).
      CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that plasma ET-1 is related to diabetic
      microvascular disease.

PMID- 1425109
TI  - Eating disorders and IDDM. A problematic association.
AB  - IDDM and eating disorders are common conditions in young women. Whether a
      specific association exists between these two disorders remains controversial.
      Some studies have suggested an increased incidence of eating disorders in young
      women with IDDM, whereas others have not detected such an increase. These
      differences may be attributable, at least in part, to methodological issues in
      study design, measurement tools, and relatively small sample sizes. Whether the
      prevalence of eating disorders in IDDM is increased will be resolved only by
      larger studies that use standardized diagnostic interviews. We suspect that
      certain aspects of IDDM and its management may trigger the expression of an
      eating disorder in susceptible individuals. Required dietary restraint and weight
      gain related to diabetes management are the factors most likely to be implicated.
      Eating disorders are relatively common in young women with IDDM and may
      contribute to impaired metabolic control with hypoglycemia and DKA, and to long
      term microvascular complications of diabetes. Omission or reduction of required
      insulin, an extremely common means of weight control in these young women, is
      likely an important factor in this regard. Further research is required to
      determine more precisely the relationship between IDDM and eating disorders, and
      the effects of eating disorders on metabolic control and chronic complications of
      IDDM.

PMID- 1425110
TI  - Stress and diabetes mellitus.
AB  - Stress is a potential contributor to chronic hyperglycemia in diabetes. Stress
      has long been shown to have major effects on metabolic activity. Energy
      mobilization is a primary result of the fight or flight response. Stress
      stimulates the release of various hormones, which can result in elevated blood
      glucose levels. Although this is of adaptive importance in a healthy organism, in
      diabetes, as a result of the relative or absolute lack of insulin, stress-induced
      increases in glucose cannot be metabolized properly. Furthermore, regulation of
      these stress hormones may be abnormal in diabetes. However, evidence
      characterizing the effects of stress in type I diabetes is contradictory.
      Although some retrospective human studies have suggested that stress can
      precipitate type I diabetes, animal studies have shown that stressors of various
      kinds can precipitate--or prevent--various experimental models of the disease.
      Human studies have shown that stress can stimulate hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia,
      or have no affect at all on glycemic status in established diabetes. Much of this
      confusion may be attributable to the presence of autonomic neuropathy, common in
      type I diabetes. In contrast, more consistent evidence supports the role of
      stress in type II diabetes. Although human studies on the role of stress in the
      onset and course of type II diabetes are few, a large body of animal study
      supports the notion that stress reliably produces hyperglycemia in this form of
      the disease. Furthermore, there is mounting evidence of autonomic contributions
      to the pathophysiology of this condition in both animals and humans.

PMID- 1425111
TI  - Evaluating diabetes education. Are we measuring the most important outcomes?
AB  - This article reviews the published literature on diabetes education evaluations
      and makes recommendations for outcome measures to be used in future research. We
      conclude that program evaluations to date have focused too narrowly on assessing
      knowledge and GHb outcomes to the exclusion of other important variables. To
      reflect the changing emphasis and conceptual basis of diabetes education, we
      recommend that future evaluations do the following: 1) report on the program's
      target population, recruitment methods, and representativeness of participants;
      2) collect measures of self-efficacy and patient-provider interaction; 3) include
      quality of life and patient-functioning outcomes; and 4) use more standardized
      and objective measures of diabetes management behaviors. We close by providing
      practical examples of feasible collection measures for most settings and
      references to studies that have done so.

PMID- 1425112
TI  - Response to "Topical phenytoin in diabetic foot ulcers".

PMID- 1425113
TI  - Measuring subjective symptoms.

PMID- 1425114
TI  - Semantics of plasma glucose thresholds for counterregulatory responses.

PMID- 1425115
TI  - Difference between islet cell antibodies and autoantibodies to glutamic acid
      decarboxylase-containing Purkinje cells in IDDM.

PMID- 1425116
TI  - Glycemic index versus glycemic response. Nonsynonymous terms.

PMID- 1425118
TI  - Isolated fatty change of liver as marker of glucose intolerance.

PMID- 1425117
TI  - Hazard of glucagon test in diabetic patients. Hypertensive crisis in asymptomatic
      pheochromocytoma.

PMID- 1425119
TI  - Screening for prediabetes at diabetes camp.

PMID- 1425120
TI  - Discussing the role of glucagonlike peptide-I.

PMID- 1425121
TI  - Lp(a) serum concentrations and metabolic control.

PMID- 1425122
TI  - Perspectives in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy.

PMID- 1425123
TI  - Islet amyloid: an enigma of type 2 diabetes.

PMID- 1425124
TI  - Glutamic acid decarboxylase in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

PMID- 1425125
TI  - Gut hormones and diabetes mellitus.

PMID- 1425126
TI  - Glucose toxicity in the vascular complications of diabetes: the cellular
      perspective.

PMID- 1425127
TI  - Central retinal vein occlusion in young people.
AB  - In a study performed on 20 subjects with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO)
      aged 40 years or less we found the ischemic form in 20%. Disc edema was a common
      finding at the onset, while macular edema was less frequently seen. Systemic or
      ocular disorders that could be related with the development of the CRVO were
      often found; a patient was affected with myasthenia gravis and another with
      Sturge-Weber syndrome: these two diseases were not previously reported in
      association with CRVO. In only two of the 11 patients followed-up the visual
      acuity improved. The visual prognosis in CRVO of young people is often poor; the
      more frequent cause of the reduced visual acuity is chronic cystoid macular
      edema.

PMID- 1425128
TI  - Cyclosporine effects on optic nerve and retinal vasculitis in Behcet's disease.
AB  - In a prospective, open clinical trial, we studied long-term effects of
      cyclosporine (CsA) on the optic nerve and retinal vasculitis in 14 Behcet's
      disease patients. Patients were treated with CsA and corticosteroids for a mean
      period of 42 months, with a range of 36 to 52 months. They received an initial
      CsA dosage of 7 mg/kg/day for three days, followed by 5 mg/kg/day, and prednisone
      1 mg/kg/day for three to five days, tapered to 0.4 mg/kg/day. CsA was tapered
      when clinical response was noted. Improvement occurred in visual acuity and
      visual field defects secondary to papillitis, optic neuritis, macular
      neuroretinitis, and retinal phlebitis, but not with retinal arteritis. Despite a
      12/14 (85%) exacerbation rate, no permanent liver or renal lab tests
      abnormalities were noted. Intermittent, low-dose CsA therapy may be considered in
      treatment of acute retinal and optic nerve vasculitis assisted with Behcet's
      disease.

PMID- 1425129
TI  - Steady-state accommodation and ocular biometry in late-onset myopia.
AB  - The steady-state accommodative responses of emmetropes and late-onset myopes was
      measured for an array of numbers located at -1, -3 and -5 dioptres using an
      objective infra-red optometer. Responses were compared for passive (reading
      numbers) and active (adding numbers) conditions. For the passive condition, the
      late-onset myopes showed a significantly lower accommodative response than the
      emmetropic group. No significant differences were found between the two groups
      for the active condition. Ocular biometric characteristics were also measured in
      emmetropes, late-onset myopes and early-onset myopes using keratometry and
      ultrasonography. No significant differences in corneal curvature, anterior
      chamber depth and crystalline lens thickness were found between the groups. Late
      onset myopes exhibited significantly deeper vitreous chambers than emmetropes,
      which more than accounted for the difference in refractive error between the two
      refractive groups. We conclude that, while significant differences exist in the
      accommodative responses of late-onset myopes and emmetropes, late-onset myopia is
      due predominantly to elongation of the vitreous chamber.

PMID- 1425130
TI  - Postcataract against-the-rule astigmatism after phacoemulsification procedure.
      Characteristic changes over time.
AB  - To further determine whether postoperative astigmatism is related to the amount
      of preoperative astigmatism, we analyzed two types of against-the-rule (AR)
      astigmatism induced by phacoemulsification and aspiration (PEA) procedures. The
      operations all utilized 10-0 polyester (Mersilene) in double running fashion for
      the closure of the corneoscleral incisions. The induction and spontaneous
      regression of several types of astigmatism were analyzed over 6 months. Surgery
      was all done by one surgeon, with the same surgical procedure and the same number
      of sutures. In postoperative AR astigmatism less than 0.7 D at 6 months, although
      the amount of the astigmatism 1 week postoperatively was remarkably increased
      (2.66 +/- 0.17 D), postoperative astigmatism was decreased 6 months following
      surgery. On the other hand, in postoperative AR astigmatism greater than 1.5 D at
      6 months, the power of the astigmatism 1 week postoperatively (2.12 +/- 0.13 D)
      was not much higher than the preoperative level (1.38 +/- 0.08 D), but tended to
      continue increasing even 6 months after surgery. There was no difference in the
      power of astigmatism between 1 and 3 months postoperatively. The eyes with
      preoperative astigmatism (e.g. 1.38 +/- 0.08 D) and especially preoperative AR
      astigmatism (e.g. 1.60 +/- 0.11 D), showed an increase of their astigmatism after
      the PEA procedure. We discussed some risk factors which may induce greater
      postoperative AR astigmatism.

PMID- 1425131
TI  - Postoperative necrotizing sclerokeratitis.
AB  - The postoperative necrotizing sclerokeratitis is a rare condition occurring
      shortly after surgical procedures, mainly following cataract extractions. After
      several exacerbations and remissions spontaneous scleral perforation may occur.
      In the described case the conservative treatment/topical antibiotics,
      corticosteroids/failed, therefore the damaged scleral surface was covered with
      lyophilized dura and the condition came to a standstill.

PMID- 1425132
TI  - Visual evoked cortical potentials from transient dark and bright stimuli.
      Selective 'on' and 'off-pathway' testing?
AB  - The superior hemifields of five normal left eyes were stimulated by novel equal
      and opposite contrast pattern onset stimuli which were generated on a cathode ray
      tube. Patterns consisted of 144 discs, each subtending 60 min arc at the viewing
      distance of 40 cm and were separated by a distance equal to their diameter. Equal
      and opposite light changes were created by presenting the disc patterns with
      different luminance values on a uniform constant background (20 cd/m2). Transient
      visual evoked cortical potentials to the appearance and disappearance of the
      patterns were recorded separately and analysed. Significant amplitude differences
      between the responses to bright and dark stimuli were observed with light
      increment responses being 36-53% larger than the light decrement responses for
      pattern on-set and 54-80% larger for pattern off-set respectively. This finding
      is attributed to the difference in the input to the ON and OFF Parallel Pathways
      which are known to carry light increment and decrement information respectively,
      as well as differences in the metabolic and discharge rates of these pathways.

PMID- 1425133
TI  - Effect of morphological abnormalities on blood retinal barrier permeability in
      diabetic retinopathy.
AB  - The morphological base for the impaired function of the blood retinal barrier was
      studied in 50 eyes of 10 insulin dependent and 21 non-insulin dependent patients
      with various levels of diabetic retinopathy. The permeability of the blood
      retinal barrier (PBRB) was determined by vitreous fluorophotometry with
      correction for autofluorescence, lens transmission and non-protein bound plasma
      fluorescein concentration. Morphological abnormalities of diabetic retinopathy
      assessed by fundus photography and fluorescein angiography were individually
      scored on a decimal scale and related to the PBRB by multiple regression
      analysis. The PBRB was not correlated to morphological abnormalities of non
      proliferative retinopathy [(1) microaneurysms, (2) hard exudates, (3) soft
      exudates, (4) intraretinal hemorrhages, (5) fluorescein leakage, and (6)
      capillary closure, p greater than 0.3]. The PBRB was correlated to morphological
      abnormalities of (pre)proliferative retinopathy [(1) intraretinal microvascular
      abnormalities (SIRMA) and (2) new vessels (Sneo): PBRB = A+B.SIRMA + C.Sneo with
      PBRB in nm/sec, A = 1.5 +/- 0.5, B = 0.9 +/- 0.2 and C = 1.7 +/- 0.4, R2 = 0.65,
      p less than 0.0001]. It can be concluded that the increased blood retinal barrier
      permeability in diabetic patients is mainly due to (pre)proliferative
      abnormalities and not to non-proliferative abnormalities.

PMID- 1425134
TI  - Some characteristics of saccadic eye movements in children of primary school age.
AB  - The characteristics of saccadic eye movements have been extensively studied in
      adults; researches have also been devoted to the saccades of preschool age
      children. On the contrary, for primary school-age children no data exist; we
      investigate the eye movements (recorded utilizing an infrared technique) of six
      children 7 to 11 years old. The main results indicate that the values of some
      parameters (for example the saccadic latency and duration) are in the same range
      as the values of the correspondent parameters in adults, while the values of
      other parameters (in particular peak velocity and mean velocity/peak velocity
      ratio) are distinctly different from the ones measured in adult subjects.

PMID- 1425135
TI  - The current management of herpetic eye disease.
AB  - Herpes simplex disciform keratitis is a difficult condition. The general feeling
      is that it is an immune disease, mediated by the virus, possibly located in the
      endothelial cells. It is frequently combined with inflammation in the trabecular
      meshwork and with uveitis. There is some controversy in relation to treatment and
      it has been suggested that anti-virals will control herpetic disciform keratitis,
      particularly if the patient has never had steroids previously. The authors of
      this paper have, in the past, published data which showed that Acyclovir, with
      corticosteroid, was necessary in the management of disciform keratitis. The data
      suggested that Acyclovir on its own was not effective. It remained to be answered
      whether Acyclovir on its own would be effective in patients who never had
      steroids for any reason previously. This paper demonstrates clearly that it is
      necessary, irrespective of whether patients have had steroids in the past or not,
      to combine corticosteroids with Acyclovir in the management of herpetic disciform
      keratitis. Acyclovir, on its own, is shown to be ineffective. It has also been
      suggested that Acyclovir is non-toxic. In a general way this is true, but the
      authors suggest that Acyclovir ointment does produce a punctate keratitis in
      patients with tear film disease, and that oral Acyclovir is preferable in such
      patients.

PMID- 1425136
TI  - Hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis in experimental insulinopenic diabetic
      monkeys.
AB  - Chronic insulinopenic diabetes was induced by i.v. streptozotocin in the non
      human primate Macaca fuscata. Five diabetic monkeys were kept for 8-19 months and
      nine for 24-48 months without any insulin treatment. Hyperglycemia (241 +/- 22
      mg/dl, M +/- SE less than or equal to 1 year) progressed to 376 +/- 34 mg/dl
      (greater than 2 years) and ketosis to 3.5 mM (greater than 2 years) during the
      course of diabetes; this was roughly inversely proportional to hypoinsulinemia
      (3.4 microU/ml, 2 years). Serum cholesterol increased from 184 +/- 11 (less than
      or equal to 1 year) to 328 +/- 66 mg/dl (greater than 2 years) with the major
      increase in LDL-cholesterol (2.7-fold over control, greater than 2 years). HDL
      cholesterol did not change at all throughout the experimental period. TG
      increased from 144 +/- 25 (less than or equal to 1 year) to 676 +/- 116 (greater
      than 2 years) with a major increase in the VLDL fraction (15-fold over control,
      greater than 2 years). Serum levels of apo B increased to 141 +/- 16 (less than
      or equal to 2 years) and 223 +/- 8 mg/dl (greater than 2 years) in contrast to
      control, 73 +/- 2. Morphologically, lipid deposition in the intima and fatty
      streaks have been observed in the abdominal aorta of all the diabetic monkeys
      with duration of more than 2 years. In six of the diabetic monkeys atheromatous
      changes such as intimal and medial thickening with smooth muscle cell
      proliferation were observed with foam cell formation. Similar atherosclerotic
      lesions were observed in renal and coronary arteries in at least six of these
      monkeys. In diabetic monkeys with duration of less than 2 years, mild
      atherosclerotic lesions were observed in two out of five. The results indicate
      that long standing insulinopenia leads to metabolic derangements characterized by
      hyperglycemia, ketonemia and hyperlipidemia. Elevation of LDL-cholesterol and
      VLDL TG with an increase of apo B is a characteristic of lipoprotein disorder.
      Morphologically, early to moderately advanced lesions of atherosclerosis were
      observed in aorta, renal and coronary arteries as a result of metabolic
      derangement due to insulin deficiency.

PMID- 1425137
TI  - Comparison of subcutaneously administered soluble insulin and des-(B26-B30)
      insulin-B25-amide in rabbit, pig and healthy man.
AB  - Subcutaneous injections of soluble human insulin and of the monomeric insulin
      analogue des-(B26-B30)-insulin-B25-amide were given to fasted rabbits, pigs and
      healthy man. The time course of blood glucose decline and the rate of appearance
      of the hormones in the peripheral circulation were studied for doses of 0.35 and
      0.7 nmol/kg. In rabbits an identical time course with early glucose nadirs
      between 45 and 60 min and hormone peaks at about 20 min were observed for both
      hormones. Similar results were obtained for insulin and the analogue in pigs.
      When injected into humans, slightly earlier peaks of the analogue at 30 to 45 min
      were measured compared to insulin peaks at 60 min. In addition, a trend towards
      faster decline in blood glucose could be demonstrated after analogue injection.
      In contrast to monomeric insulin analogues produced by recombinant DNA
      technology, s.c. injections of des-(B26-B30)-insulin-B25-amide do not appear to
      meet mealtime insulin requirements better than soluble insulin.

PMID- 1425138
TI  - The dawn phenomenon and diabetes control in treated NIDDM and IDDM patients.
AB  - The effect of glycaemic control on the early morning plasma glucose rise, 'the
      dawn phenomenon', was assessed in two matching diabetic patient groups each
      comprising five NIDDM and two IDDM patients per group, who were otherwise
      considered to be in poor (HbA1 = 11.2 +/- 0.6%) or good (HbA1 = 7.6 +/- 0.2%)
      glycaemic control. Hourly plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin, glucagon,
      cortisol, and growth hormone were measured between 03.00 and 09.00 h. In all the
      poorly controlled diabetic patients the mean rise in plasma glucose between 06.00
      08.00 and 03.00 h was greater than or equal to 1.0 mmol/l. In contrast, the
      plasma glucose increment was less than 1.0 mmol/l in the well controlled
      diabetics. The overnight mean insulin levels in the poor and well controlled
      patient groups were 19.3 +/- 0.5 and 25.0 +/- 0.6 mU/l (P less than 0.001)
      respectively. Glucagon, cortisol, and growth hormone levels in the early morning
      showed no significant differences between the two groups. The decline in plasma
      insulin from 03.00 to 08.00 h and mean cortisol level between 03.00 and 06.00 h
      were both significantly correlated with the increase in plasma glucose between
      03.00 and 08.00 h. We concluded that an increase of 1.0 mmol/l or more in plasma
      glucose during the early morning is of clinical importance.

PMID- 1425139
TI  - Profound vasoconstrictive effect of cigarette smoking in diabetics with autonomic
      neuropathy.
AB  - Changes in leg skin temperature during and after cigarette smoking were examined
      in 25 diabetics with autonomic neuropathy (au-neuropathy) (mean age 52 +/- 2
      years) and 23 without (mean age 49 +/- 2 years), and 15 normal controls (mean age
      49 +/- 2 years) using a Thermoviewer JTG 3300. All subjects were habitual
      smokers. Japanese Seven Star cigarettes (each containing 1.2 mg nicotine) were
      used for the test. Tender brand cigarettes (0.3 mg) were used additionally to
      compare the effect of nicotine content on the results. The smoking-stimulated
      thermographic pattern in the control group was rather flat, with a slight
      decrease in temperature followed by a slight increase before returning to the
      baseline level 15-20 min after smoking. The frequency of the typical temperature
      decreasing pattern, characterized by a profound decrease and gradual return to
      the baseline level in about 1 h, was significantly higher in the diabetic group
      than in the control group (33/48 vs 1/15; P less than 0.005). A comparison of the
      two diabetic subgroups revealed that the frequency was considerably higher in the
      subgroup with au-neuropathy (23/25 vs 10/23). These results suggest that au
      neuropathy affects smoking-induced vasoconstriction in diabetic subjects. The
      maximum temperature decreases recorded were 1.5 +/- 2.0 and 2.69 +/- 0.24 degrees
      C in the controls and diabetics with au-neuropathy, respectively. The effect of
      Tender cigarettes with a low nicotine content was much weaker than that of Seven
      Star, which further suggests that smoking-induced vasoconstriction was also
      nicotine-dependent.

PMID- 1425140
TI  - Retrospective analysis of daily glucose profile in type 1 diabetic patients with
      continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII).
AB  - A retrospective analysis of blood glucose control was performed in 17 type 1
      diabetic patients who regularly monitored their blood glucose concentration by
      visual strips over a period of 3-83 months. Analysis was performed by a patient
      management software loaded on a personal computer. In this cohort of patients the
      average daily blood glucose reading was 1.6 +/- 0.3. Blood glucose readings were
      collected more frequently following meal ingestion (40.3%) than in the post
      absorptive state (24.6%; P less than 0.05). Blood glucose concentration
      fluctuated from a basal level of 146 +/- 5 mg/dl to 167 +/- 4 mg/dl in the post
      prandial phases with an average daily value of 156 +/- 2 mg/dl. Blood glucose
      values below 80 mg/dl were evenly distributed throughout the day, while
      hyperglycemia (greater than 300 mg/dl) occurred more commonly after meals (42%).
      Daily blood glucose was higher during weekends (164 +/- 5 mg/dl) than during
      weekdays (155 +/- 2 mg/dl; P less than 0.05). A weak correlation was found
      between the number of blood glucose readings/day and daily blood glucose level.
      These results suggest that long-term maintenance of satisfactory metabolic
      control is attainable in type 1 diabetic patients and that this is mainly
      dependent upon subject self awareness.

PMID- 1425141
TI  - Is the reuse of needles for insulin injection systems associated with a higher
      risk of cutaneous complications?
AB  - Twenty diabetic patients participated in a study to assess if multiple use of
      needles for insulin injection systems (Pens) is safe under normal daily
      conditions. The previous mean duration of Pen therapy was 16.3 months. During
      this time, the 20 patients carried out altogether more than 33,000 injections
      without any sign of local infection despite needle reuse. Patients were told to
      use needles if possible for 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 injections before bacteriological
      assessment. Bacteriological investigation of these needles showed no
      contamination, except with one needle used three times, which was colonized with
      coagulase negative Staphylococcus. In contrast, half of the needles' plastic
      ground points which touched the skin were contaminated. No signs of infection
      were observed at the injection sites throughout the study. We conclude that,
      based on the bacteriostatic effects of commercially formulated insulin and on the
      siliconisation of needles' surfaces, bacterial growth is sufficiently prevented.
      Therefore, we can recommend the reuse of pen needles as a simple, safe and cost
      beneficial procedure.

PMID- 1425142
TI  - An algorithm for tight glycaemic control in diabetic infarct survivors.
AB  - An algorithm has been developed to provide predictable control of blood glucose
      for 48 h following acute myocardial infarction. In 29 diabetic patients
      intravenous infusion of soluble insulin was started upon admission to hospital
      and the rate adjusted hourly on the basis of bedside capillary glucose
      estimations. Insulin infusion rates related to glycaemia were higher in obese
      patients and those with severe cardiac failure. For all patients mean admission
      glucose levels were reduced from 18.3 +/- 5.9 mmol l-1 to 9.1 +/- 3.3 mmol l-1 at
      4 h and to 8.8 +/- 2.5 mmol l-1 at 6 h. Mean glucose concentrations for 48 h
      after admission were 8.2 +/- 1.3 mmol l-1 for all patients. Admission glucose
      levels were slightly higher in patients with severe, compared to those without or
      mild, cardiac failure (P less than 0.1), but levels over the following 48 h were
      similar. Doubling insulin infusion rates before meals did not achieve tighter
      glycaemic control. Hypoglycaemia (glucose less than 3 mmol l-1) occurred on 11
      occasions in six patients; only two episodes were symptomatic and only two
      episodes occurred when the insulin rates were doubled before meals. This
      algorithm produced tighter glycaemic control than previously published protocols,
      particularly in patients with severe cardiac failure. Hypoglycaemia is uncommon
      and the algorithm easy to administer by nursing staff.

PMID- 1425143
TI  - The relationship between the development and progression of microalbuminuria and
      arterial blood pressure in type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: to investigate the association between urinary albumin excretion and
      arterial blood pressure in type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN
      AND METHODS: urinary albumin excretion and blood pressures were followed
      prospectively for a mean period of 26 months (range 18-29 months) in 46 young
      type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic subjects without overt nephropathy. Supine
      blood pressures (BP) were measured by a single observer using a random zero
      sphygmomanometer. Albumin excretion was assessed at baseline by a timed clinic
      excretion rate (AER; microalbuminuria = AER greater than 33 micrograms/min), and
      at follow-up in at least two urine specimens by the albumin/creatinine (A/Cr)
      ratio (micro-albuminuria = A/Cr greater than 3.7 mg/mmol). RESULTS: 39 subjects
      initially had normal AERs. Seven had developed microalbuminuria at follow-up:
      their mean BP rose from 114 +/- 13/62 +/- 13 to 119 +/- 7/77 +/- 5 mmHg (for
      diastolic BP, P less than 0.05), while there was no change in the mean BP in the
      remaining 32 patients. A rise in diastolic BP of greater than 10 mmHg occurred in
      five of the seven subjects who developed microalbuminuria, and in only seven of
      32 who did not (P = 0.02). In the seven patients in whom microalbuminuria
      persisted (n = 3) or progressed to overt proteinuria (n = 4), BP increased from
      123 +/- 12/70 +/- 14 to 139 +/- 12/88 +/- 10 mmHg (P less than 0.02 for both).
      CONCLUSIONS: this study has shown that BP is normal before the onset of
      microalbuminuria, and that a rise in diastolic BP accompanies the development or
      progression of microalbuminuria. The rate of rise in BP may be more important
      than the absolute level in defining 'hypertension' in young diabetic patients
      with microalbuminuria.

PMID- 1425144
TI  - Possible participation of a prostaglandin E1 analogue in the aggravation of
      diabetic nephropathy.
AB  - A relation between the progression of diabetic nephropathy and glomerular
      hyperfiltration has been speculated. We describe two cases of non-insulin
      dependent diabetic males aged 55 and 59 years in whom diabetic nephropathy was
      aggravated during the administration of limaprost, a a prostaglandin E1 analogue
      with a vasodilatory action. We also observed a short-term effect of limaprost on
      renal hemodynamics in three cases with diabetic nephropathy. In case 1, one year
      after limaprost administration the serum albumin level fell from 3.6 to 2.6 g/dl
      and the serum creatinine level rose from 1.0 to 1.6 mg/dl. In case 2, 9 months
      after limaprost administration the serum albumin level fell from 3.6 to 2.9 g/dl
      and the serum creatinine level rose from 1.8 to 2.3 mg/dl. In the latter stages
      of limaprost administration, the downslopes of reciprocal serum creatinine
      against time appeared to be augmented in the two cases. After the 3-day
      administration of limaprost, the peripheral and renal blood flows, and the
      glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were observed to rise, but the filtration
      fraction (FF) and urinary protein output were elevated. Keeping in mind the pre
      existing renal damage, the increases in GFR and FF suggested acceleration of
      compensatory glomerular hyperfiltration in less damaged surviving glomeruli. The
      sustained acceleration of hyperfiltration with long-term administration of
      limaprost as an exogenous vasodilatory prostaglandin was assumed to eventuate in
      the aggravation of diabetic nephropathy. Attention should be paid to drugs which
      increase GFR in patients with established diabetic nephropathy.

PMID- 1425145
TI  - A comparison of the relationships of the glucose tolerance test and the glycated
      haemoglobin assay with diabetic vascular disease in the community. The Islington
      Diabetes Survey.
AB  - We have compared the relationships of fasting and 2 h blood-glucose during a 75 g
      oral glucose tolerance test, and those of an affinity chromatography assay of
      glycated haemoglobin, with the presence of vascular complications of diabetes
      mellitus in 223 subjects without known diabetes aged over 40 years selected from
      a community screening study population. The subjects included 15 (6.9%) with
      newly diagnosed diabetes and 52 (24.1%) with impaired glucose tolerance.
      Employing receiver operating characteristic analysis, the tests were similar in
      their relationship with three cases of retinopathy, 19 of microalbuminuria and
      six of peripheral neuropathy. The prevalence of coronary heart disease, defined
      as angina, myocardial infarction, or electrocardiographic changes of ischaemia,
      increased linearly across all four quartiles of both 2 h blood glucose and
      glycated haemoglobin concentration, but using logistic regression analysis, 2 h
      blood glucose was a better predictor of coronary heart disease than glycated
      haemoglobin. Receiver operating characteristic analysis also showed that 2 h
      blood glucose generally performed better than any of four assays of glycated
      haemoglobin in classifying those subjects with coronary heart disease.

PMID- 1425146
TI  - Influence of sympatho-adrenal system on insulin sensitivity using the euglycemic
      clamp technique.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to further investigate the role of the
      adrenergic system on insulin action using the euglycemic clamp technique. Whole
      body glucose metabolism (GM) was calculated as the glucose infusion rate for
      maintaining euglycemia under insulin infusion and used as an indicator of insulin
      sensitivity. Euglycemic clamps were performed in adrenodemedullated, epinephrine
      treated, phentolamine-treated (alpha-blockade), propranolol-treated (beta
      blockade), and epinephrine plus phentolamine and/or propranolol-treated rats. The
      following results were obtained at an insulin level of approximately 80 mU/l. GM
      in adrenodemedullated rats (13.97 +/- 0.98 mg/kg/min) was significantly higher
      than that of the control rats (10.26 +/- 0.50 mg/kg/min, P less than 0.01). GM in
      epinephrine-treated rats (1.7 mg/kg body weight/h) was 2.12 +/- 0.49 mg/kg/min (P
      less than 0.001 vs. control). Dose-response curves for phentolamine and
      propranolol established maximally effective doses (3.0 mg and 12 mg/kg body
      weight/h, respectively). Using these doses, GM in epinephrine plus phentolamine
      treated rats (4.90 +/- 0.39 mg/kg/min) was significantly higher than that of
      epinephrine alone and GM in epinephrine and propranolol-treated rats (4.49 +/-
      0.47 mg/kg/min) was also significantly higher than that of the epinephrine alone.
      GM in the epinephrine plus both propranolol and phentolamine (5.94 +/- 0.45
      mg/kg/min) was significantly higher than that of the epinephrine alone, but not
      different from either treatment alone and was not additive. Neither phentolamine
      alone (9.48 +/- 1.45 mg/kg/min), propranolol alone (10.36 +/- 0.55 mg/kg/min) or
      the combination of blockades (11.14 +/- 0.65 mg/kg/min) had any effect on
      GM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425147
TI  - An aid for insulin needle destruction for people with failing eyesight.
AB  - Patients with diabetic retinopathy and failing eyesight have problems in cutting
      off the needle after insulin injection. We have developed a new aid for
      attachment to a Becton Dickinson Destruclip needle cutter to simplify needle
      destruction and make safer handling possible, and studied its effectiveness. The
      performance time of 10 healthy blindfolded subjects to destroy a needle was
      compared with and without the aid. The risk of needlestick was also compared.
      When no aid was used, the time to destroy a needle was on an average: first trial
      54 s, second trial 33 s, and third trial 11 s, while with the aid the time was on
      an average: first trial 16 s, second trial 7 s, and third trial 6 s; thus, the
      use of the aid shortened the time. Furthermore, without the aid, the frequency of
      needlestick injury was 1 in 15. With the aid it never occurred. This shows that
      the new aid for the needle cutter is effective and reduces related injuries.

PMID- 1425148
TI  - Segmental gut transit in diabetes mellitus: effect of cisapride.
AB  - Gut transit using radiopaque markers was assessed in 5 healthy subjects and 24
      diabetic patients. In the diabetics, various parameters including duration of the
      disease and diabetic complications, such as neuropathy, retinopathy and
      nephropathy, were determined, and the relationships between gut transit times and
      these complications were evaluated. The effect of cisapride on gut transit was
      studied in 10 diabetic patients. Large intestinal, descending colon, distal
      colon, and whole gut transit times were delayed in diabetics with autonomic
      neuropathy compared to controls and to diabetics without autonomic neuropathy (P
      less than 0.01). There was no difference in proximal colon transit times among
      them. An inverse correlation was observed between CVRR and the transit times for
      descending colon, distal colon, large intestine and whole gut. Large intestinal
      and whole-gut transit times were delayed in diabetics with retinopathy or with
      nephropathy compared to diabetics without those complications (P less than 0.01).
      In the diabetics, oral administration of 7.5 mg/day of cisapride for 2 weeks
      significantly accelerated descending colon transit (P less than 0.05) and
      partially accelerated distal colon, large intestinal and whole-gut transit. It is
      concluded that diabetics with autonomic neuropathy have delayed transits for the
      whole gut and that this finding is apparent to some extent in the distal colon
      but not in the proximal colon. Chronic oral administration of cisapride, a
      gastrointestinal prokinetic drug, was effective to improve these gastrointestinal
      motility disorders in diabetics with autonomic neuropathy.

PMID- 1425149
TI  - Audit of multiple insulin injection regimens in a large outpatient diabetic
      population.
AB  - One hundred out-patients treated by multiple insulin injection regimens underwent
      clinical audit by retrospective analysis of their case-notes. Patients had been
      on multiple insulin injection therapy (MIIT) for 1.0-4.5 years (median, 3.6
      years) and had had diabetes for 2 months-33 years (median, 8.7 years) at the time
      of starting pen therapy. Median daily insulin dose per patient did not differ
      significantly following stabilisation on MIIT or at latest follow-up. The median
      glycated haemoglobin did not change during each of the 4 years of follow-up.
      During the year prior to commencing MIIT the patients showed no significant
      alteration in body weight. Patients' weights rose significantly during each
      subsequent year. Median weight gains were 0.9 kg (P less than 0.005) during the
      first year, 1.4 kg (P less than 0.005) during the second year, 0.9 kg (P less
      than 0.05) during the third year and 1.4 kg (P less than 0.05) during year 4. No
      such weight gain was recorded in a control group of 30 patients matched for age
      and duration of diabetes and treated by twice daily insulin injections. Multiple
      insulin injection regimens used over prolonged periods in a routine clinic
      setting do not alter metabolic control. However, continuing weight gain appears
      to occur despite similar daily insulin doses.

PMID- 1425150
TI  - An immunopotentiator of beta-1,6;1,3 D-glucan prevents diabetes and insulitis in
      BB rats.
AB  - The preventive effect of an immunopotentiator, beta-1,6;1,3 D-glucan, on the
      development of diabetes and insulitis was studied in BB rats. The intravenous
      administration of 1 mg kg-1 week-1 of beta-1,6;1,3 D-glucan from the age of 4
      weeks decreased the cumulative incidence of diabetes from 43.3% (13/30) to 6.7%
      (2/30) (P less than 0.005) and also the incidence of insulitis from 82.4% (14/17)
      to 26.3% (5/19) at the age of 20 weeks (P less than 0.002). Eight of nine rats
      were free from diabetes for 5 weeks after stopping beta-1,6;1,3 D-glucan at the
      age of 20 weeks. The total numbers of leukocytes in the peripheral blood and
      spleen of the rats were increased by beta-1,6;1,3 D-glucan treatment (P less than
      0.05), whereas their T lymphocytes subsets were not changed. These data indicate
      that immunopotentiators could modulate the autoimmune mechanisms directed to
      pancreatic islets and inhibit the development of diabetes in BB rats.

PMID- 1425151
TI  - Viscosity modulates blood glucose response to nutrient solutions in dogs.
AB  - The relationship between postprandial blood glucose levels and meal viscosity was
      studied by adding various combinations of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose to glucose
      solutions and administering them to female mongrel dogs. Glucose was administered
      as 5% or 20% solutions in water. Hydroxypropyl-methylcellulose was dissolved in
      the glucose solutions to yield low (5000 cP measured at 37 degrees C and 1 s-1),
      medium (15,000 cP) or high (30,000 cP) viscosities. High viscosity
      hydroxypropylmethylcellulose significantly reduced the maximum blood glucose
      concentration, Cmax, by 60% (5% glucose meal) and 40% (20% glucose meal) while
      reducing the area under the blood level vs. time curve (AUC0-3 h) by 40-50%.
      Medium viscosity hydroxypropylmethylcellulose reduced the Cmax at both glucose
      levels, but reduced the AUC only for the 5% glucose meal. Low viscosity HPMC
      lowered the Cmax only after the 5% glucose meal, and had no significant effect on
      the AUC at either glucose level. The average time to reach maximum concentration,
      Tmax, was prolonged two- to three-fold at all viscosity levels for the 5% glucose
      solutions, but was not affected when 20% glucose solutions were administered. It
      was concluded that hydroxypropylmethylcellulose can effectively retard the
      absorption of glucose from the gastrointestinal tract, and that the extent of
      this effect is related to the viscosity of the solution administered.

PMID- 1425152
TI  - Short- and long-term gliclazide effects on pancreatic islet cell function and
      hepatic insulin extraction in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
AB  - Nine non-obese males with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) were
      evaluated before and after 3 and 12 months (6 patients) treatment with the second
      generation hypoglycemic sulfonylurea: gliclazide. They underwent an oral glucose
      tolerance test, intravenous glucose and arginine tests measuring plasma insulin
      and C-peptide responses. Pre-hepatic insulin production and insulin delivery to
      peripheral tissues were calculated by deconvolution techniques and hepatic
      extraction of insulin estimated. An improvement was observed in the beta-cell
      function of the patients on gliclazide treatment: reduction of fasting plasma
      glucose associated with a progressive increase in C-peptide level but insulin
      levels decreased at 12 months, suggesting an increase in hepatic insulin
      extraction at this time. In the same way, while plasma glucose values after oral
      and i.v. glucose were greatly reduced at 3 and 12 months treatment, insulin did
      not change but C-peptide levels increased significantly at 12 month treatment.
      While the prehepatic insulin secretion rate increased progressively on gliclazide
      during all glucose challenges, the fractional hepatic insulin extraction fell
      after 3 and increased at 12 month treatment, with opposite changes in insulin
      delivered to peripheral tissues. Thus the insulinogenic effect of gliclazide
      could be masked during long-term administration by a concomitant effect of
      gliclazide which increases hepatic extraction of insulin. The maintenance of the
      responsiveness to the non-glucose secretagogue, arginine, as evaluated by the C
      peptide levels, before and after correction of hyperglycemia, suggested
      improvement of beta-cell sensitivity to glucose after sulfonylurea
      treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425153
TI  - The association of waist-hip ratio and risk factors for development of IDDM
      complications in an IDDM adult population.
AB  - The role of waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in the metabolic disturbance of IDDM has not
      been widely explored. Cross-sectional data from the Epidemiology of Diabetes
      Complications Study were used to examine the associations between WHR and risk
      factors for IDDM complications such as lipid or lipoprotein levels, blood
      pressure and fibrinogen. A total of 586 adults (greater than or equal to 18 years
      of age) were examined. WHR was calculated as the mean of duplicate waist
      circumference measurements made at mid-point between the iliac crest and the
      lower costal margin in mid-axillary line divided by the mean of duplicate maximum
      hip measures. WHR was positively correlated with total cholesterol, LDL
      cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and fibrinogen
      univariately for both sexes. WHR was negatively correlated with HDL-cholesterol.
      These correlations remained significant after adjustment for age among females
      and became less strong, although still significant, for males. The independent
      effects of WHR to these IDDM risk factors, assessed by multiple linear
      regression, indicated WHR was related to adverse lipid and lipoprotein levels,
      but not to fibrinogen or blood pressure. These findings underscore the importance
      of targeting intervention to IDDM individuals who have a high WHR to reduce known
      risk factors for IDDM complications especially those for cardiovascular disease,
      and is consistent with the hypothesis that insulin resistance may have a role to
      play in IDDM complications.

PMID- 1425154
TI  - The response of glycated albumin to blood glucose change in the circulation in
      streptozotocin-diabetic rats--comparison of theoretical values with experimental
      data.
AB  - The contribution of the preceding blood glucose level to glycated protein was
      theoretically analyzed using a linear kinetic model and was compared with
      experiments using streptozotocin-diabetic rats. We assumed that the glycation
      process can be described by one irreversible step and that the fraction of
      glycated protein is small. A formula based on these two assumptions showed that
      the level of glycated protein was proportional to the weighted mean blood glucose
      concentration in the preceding period and that the weight function was determined
      by the metabolic characteristics of each protein. For assessing the usefulness of
      the present formula, the value calculated for the response of glycated albumin
      (GA) to acute blood glucose change in streptozotocin-diabetic rats was compared
      with the data obtained under three experimental conditions. The calculated
      responses of GA showed a little more retardation than the observed data, but
      showed enough agreement with them.

PMID- 1425155
TI  - Teratogenic effects of tolbutamide on early-somite mouse embryos in vitro.
AB  - The present study investigated the teratogenicity of the oral hypoglycemic agent,
      tolbutamide, using an in vitro approach, and evaluated the role of its main
      metabolic effect, hypoglycemia. Teratogenesis was evaluated by culturing early
      somite mouse embryos for 24 h in serum from rats treated with tolbutamide (79-117
      micrograms/ml) or normal rat serum supplemented with tolbutamide (110-152
      micrograms/ml). Tolbutamide-treated serum was then supplemented with glucose to
      control for potential effects of hypoglycemia. Mouse embryos demonstrated high
      malformation rates following exposure to serum from tolbutamide-treated rats
      (79%) or normal rat serum supplemented with tolbutamide (85%) compared with
      controls (4%), and defects included cardiac, ocular, neural tube, and somite
      abnormalities. Overall growth was reduced in treated embryos and yolk sacs, as
      determined by total protein contents. Embryonic growth and malformation rates
      were not improved by glucose supplementation of hypoglycemic tolbutamide-treated
      serum. Thus, tolbutamide produces malformation in mouse embryos in vitro at
      concentrations comparable to those in human serum, and the effects do not appear
      to be mediated by hypoglycemia. The potential risk of tolbutamide on the
      developing embryo must be considered in the therapy of pregnant diabetic
      patients.

PMID- 1425156
TI  - The effects of superphysiologic hyperinsulinemia on glucose and lipid metabolism
      in glucose-tolerant offspring of patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes
      mellitus (NIDDM).
AB  - First-degree relatives of patients with NIDDM manifest severe insulin resistance
      despite normal glucose tolerance test. To examine the mechanisms underlying the
      normal glucose tolerance, we evaluated the serum glucose/C-peptide/insulin
      dynamics and free fatty acid (FFA) as well as substrate oxidation rates and
      energy expenditure (EE) (indirect calorimetry) in nine young offspring of NIDDM
      patients (mean +/- SEM age 30 +/- 2.3 years, body mass index 24.2 +/- 1.2 kg/m2).
      Nine age-, sex- and weight-matched, normal subjects with no family history of
      diabetes served as the controls. Metabolic parameters were measured before,
      during and after a two-step glucose infusion (2 and 4 mg/kg.min) for 120 min.
      Mean basal serum glucose, insulin and C-peptide levels were similar in both
      groups. During 2 mg/kg.min glucose infusion, mean serum insulin and C-peptide
      rose to significantly (P less than 0.05-0.02) greater levels in the offspring vs.
      controls, while serum glucose levels were similar. With the 4 mg/kg.min glucose
      infusion, mean serum glucose, insulin and C-peptide levels were significantly (P
      less than 0.02-0.001) greater in the offspring at 100-120 min. Isotopically
      derived (D[3-3H]glucose), basal hepatic glucose output (HGO) was not
      significantly different between the offspring vs. controls (1.86 +/- 0.30 vs.
      1.78 +/- 0.06 mg/kg.min). During glucose infusion, basal HGO was partially
      suppressed by 66% at 60 min and by 100% at 120 min in the offspring. In contrast,
      HGO was completely (100%) suppressed at both times in the controls. Following
      cessation of glucose infusion, HGO rose to 1.64 +/- 0.12 mg/kg.min in the
      offspring and 1.46 +/- 0.05 mg/kg.min in the controls (P less than 0.05) between
      200 and 240 min. These were 88% and 82% of the respective basal HGO values. At
      low glucose infusion (t = 0-60 min), the mean absolute, non-oxidative glucose
      disposal remained 1.5-fold greater in the offspring while at higher glucose
      infusion, nonoxidative glucose metabolism was not different in both groups.
      Throughout the study period, oxidative glucose disposal rate was not
      significantly different in both groups. The mean basal FFA was significantly
      greater in the offspring vs. controls (865 +/- 57 vs. 642 +/- 45 microEq/l). It
      was appropriately suppressed during glucose infusion to a similar nadir in both
      groups (395 +/- 24 vs. 375 +/- 33 microEq/l). The mean basal lipid oxidation was
      also significantly greater in the offspring than controls (1.06 +/- 0.05 vs. 0.75
      +/- 0.04 mg/kg.min, P less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1425157
TI  - Antireticulin antibodies in sera of children with insulin-dependent diabetes
      mellitus.
AB  - Sera from 125 children (mean age 9.5 +/- 3.9; range 0.5-18 years) with newly
      diagnosed insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus were examined for the presence of
      antireticulin antibodies (ARA). Fifty-four of these children were followed up
      over a period of 150-400 days after the onset of the disease with respect to
      their serum ARA. The indirect immunofluorescence method on human and rat tissue
      was used to detect autoantibodies. In each serum, the level of islet cell
      antibodies (ICA) was determined. The prevalence of ARA in our diabetic children
      (16%) was significantly higher than in normal population (P less than 0.05). In
      sera of newly diagnosed ICA-negative children, ARA were more frequent than in ICA
      positive patients (P less than 0.025). The difference in ARA prevalence was even
      higher when patients were divided into two groups one with less and one with more
      than 30 JDFu (P less than 0.005). On the contrary, sera sampled 150-400 days
      after the manifestation of IDDM revealed neither a positive nor a negative
      association between ICA and ARA. Thus, the negative association of ARA with ICA
      in the early stages of IDDM may suggest the role of an autoimmune response to
      reticulin in part of the IDDM patients, and gives further evidence to the
      heterogeneity of IDDM.

PMID- 1425158
TI  - Comparative effects of captopril versus nifedipine on proteinuria and renal
      function of type 2 diabetic patients.
AB  - Our study compared the effects of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor
      (captopril) versus a calcium antagonist (nifedipine) on proteinuria and renal
      function in patients with diabetic nephropathy. A randomized follow-up study was
      designed. Type 2 diabetic patients, with established diabetic nephropathy
      (proteinuria greater than 0.5 g/24 h), were treated with nifedipine (10 patients,
      group A) or captopril (10 patients, group B) for 6 months. Arterial blood
      pressure, metabolic parameters, proteinuria and renal function were measured and
      compared. Mean percentage differences for glomerular filtration rate, renal
      plasma flow and filtration fraction between the two groups were calculated. No
      significant differences were observed in serum glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin
      (hemoglobin A1c), Na+, K+ or albumin in either group or between groups. Blood
      pressure decreased significantly with both treatments and mean blood pressure was
      significantly lower in group A compared with group B at 6 months (Mann-Whitney U
      test, P = 0.03). Proteinuria was similar in both groups at randomization, but
      after 3 and 6 months of treatment significant reductions were observed only in
      the group treated with captopril (P less than 0.01). A significant decrease in
      filtration fraction was observed in group B with an increase in group A (Mann
      Whitney U-test, P = 0.03). Multiple regression analysis identified the
      therapeutic agent administered as an independent variable for decrease in
      proteinuria. It is concluded that antihypertensive treatment with captopril, but
      not with nifedipine, reduced proteinuria in patients with diabetic nephropathy,
      although a better mean blood pressure was obtained with nifedipine.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425159
TI  - The value of glycosylated haemoglobin as a substitute for the oral glucose
      tolerance test in the detection of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).
AB  - In a prospective study of South African Indian subjects with IGT, glycosylated
      hemoglobin [specifically HbA1 (HbA1(a+b+c)] and its relationship to the oral
      glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was studied in 128 study subjects who were
      classified IGT a year previously (Year 0 of study) and in 64 control subjects. At
      Year 1 of the study, the standard 75-g OGTT was performed on all subjects; study
      subjects were further divided into three groups based on World Health
      Organisation criteria [Normal (N), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), diabetes
      mellitus (D)]. HbA1, a glycosylated hemoglobin (GHb), was measured by a cation
      exchange microchromatographic method. Based on OGTT results, 47 of the 128 study
      subjects were classified IGT, 41 diabetes (newly-diagnosed diabetes) and 40
      subjects had normal glucose tolerance. Mean GHb was significantly higher in the D
      group (7.61 +/- 1.76%) compared to the control group (6.99 +/- 1.22%) and the N
      group (6.9 +/- 1.12%), respectively (P less than 0.05); there was no significant
      difference between the IGT group (7.48 +/- 1.44%) and each of the other three
      groups. Compared to the OGTT, GHb was relatively insensitive in the diagnosis of
      IGT or diabetes mellitus: only 17% of the IGT group and 26.8% of the D group has
      elevated GHb values; the specificity of GHb as a measure of normal glucose
      tolerance was 85.9%. The majority of subjects, irrespective of the category of
      glucose tolerance, had GHb levels within the normal range and there was marked
      overlap between the four groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425160
TI  - Effect of insulin on serum amino-terminal propeptide of type III procollagen in
      non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
AB  - The effect of insulin on the serum levels of the amino-terminal propeptide of
      type III procollagen (PIIINP) was investigated in patients with non-insulin
      dependent diabetes mellitus, whose disease was unsatisfactorily controlled by
      oral drugs. Before insulin therapy the PIIINP values of the patients (3.2 +/- 1.3
      micrograms/l, n = 38) varied within the range of healthy subjects (3.1 +/- 0.6
      micrograms/l, n = 50, NS). Insulin therapy (6-20 IU at bedtime plus the oral
      drugs) improved the glycemic control and increased the serum PIIINP during a 4
      week (3.1 +/- 0.9 to 3.8 +/- 1.1 micrograms/l, P less than 0.01, n = 8) and an 8
      week period (3.2 +/- 1.3 to 3.8 +/- 1.6 micrograms/l, P less than 0.001, n = 22).
      The values were still elevated after 6 months on insulin (3.5 +/- 1.5 to 4.0 +/-
      1.7 micrograms/l, P less than 0.01, n = 12). Placebo-insulin did not alter the
      concentration of PIIINP (3.1 +/- 0.6 to 2.8 +/- 0.6 micrograms/l, NS, n = 8)
      whereas the glycemic control improved and body weight decreased. The PIIINP
      values correlated with fasting insulin before (r = 0.403, P less than 0.05, n =
      30) and after the therapy (r = 0.452, P less than 0.001, n = 60). Insulin
      therapy, while correcting the hormone deficiency and restoring glucose and
      protein metabolism, seems to activate the synthesis of type III procollagen in
      patients with NIDDM. This may promote the atherosclerotic process.

PMID- 1425161
TI  - Identification of early metabolic defects in diabetes-prone Australian
      aborigines.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to identify in young, diabetes-prone subjects
      the early abnormalities which may predispose to the development of type 2
      diabetes. We studied 10 full-blood Australian Aborigines all of whom had a family
      history of diabetes and who were from an urbanised community with a high
      prevalence of this disorder. They were compared to 10 age- and body-mass-index
      matched Caucasian controls with no family history of diabetes. Glucose kinetics
      were measured basally and following an oral glucose load. Fasting plasma glucose
      was equal in the two groups, but 2 h following the 75 g glucose load, the
      Aboriginal subjects had higher glycaemia than the controls (P less than 0.01).
      Insulinaemia was higher in the Aborigines both basally and following the glucose
      drink (P less than 0.05). Despite the hyperinsulinaemia, hepatic glucose
      production was higher in the Aboriginal subjects (P less than 0.01), while
      metabolic clearance rate was lower. It is concluded that in young Australian
      Aborigines with a strong family history of type 2 diabetes, both hepatic and
      peripheral insulin resistance are early abnormalities.

PMID- 1425162
TI  - Prevalence of childhood diabetes in an urban population in south India.
AB  - The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of insulin-dependent
      diabetes in children less than or equal to 15 years in an urban area in south
      India, by a population study. Three zones from the northeastern part of the city
      demarcated by the Directorate of Census were chosen. Ascertainment of the cases
      from these zones was made (a) by collecting data from the major hospitals and
      diabetes clinics by personal visit; (b) by questionnaire sent to medical
      practitioners in the area; and (c) from the chemists and druggists who sell
      insulin. Recommendations of the Diabetes Epidemiology Research International
      Registry Group were used. Thirty children with insulin-dependent diabetes with
      age at diagnosis less than or equal to 15 years were identified. The prevalence
      was 0.26/1000. The peak age at diagnosis was 12 years. This first population
      based study of prevalence of insulin-dependent diabetes in south India shows that
      insulin-dependent diabetes is not rare. It is higher than reported from many
      other Asian countries.

PMID- 1425163
TI  - [Biological activity of N,N'-bis(3-triethoxysilylpropyl)thiocarbamide].

PMID- 1425164
TI  - [Hypnosis in Macaca rhesus].

PMID- 1425165
TI  - [Priming of resident macrophages with immunopeptides].

PMID- 1425166
TI  - [Mechanism of the bacteriocidal action of iodine and its compounds].

PMID- 1425167
TI  - [Effect of taurine on the ultrastructure of synapses from parallel fibers to
      Purkinje cells in the frog cerebellum].

PMID- 1425168
TI  - [Identification of DNA-binding proteins of the intracellular virion of the
      vaccinia virus].

PMID- 1425169
TI  - [Frequency resolution of dolphin hearing].

PMID- 1425170
TI  - [Fractal structure of microorganism colonies].

PMID- 1425171
TI  - [Formation of pH-waves caused by expansion of a bacterial population in agar
      culture media].

PMID- 1425172
TI  - [Interaction between hair surface and bacteria during a change in the mammalian
      physical state].

PMID- 1425173
TI  - [Various features of the bacteriocidal mechanism of heavy metals].

PMID- 1425174
TI  - [Selectivity of squirrel striatal cortex neurons (frontal and peripheral field of
      vision) on the rate of movement of visual stimuli].

PMID- 1425175
TI  - [Microsymbionts of the Galliformes digestive tract].

PMID- 1425176
TI  - [Effect of cytochalasin D, diphtheria toxin, and ricin on the localization of
      eukaryotic elongation factor 2 along actin filament bundles in fibroblasts].

PMID- 1425177
TI  - [The process of RNA secondary structure folding. Computer modeling at genes 219
      and 1146 of tRNA].

PMID- 1425178
TI  - [Model of the spatial structure of the C-terminal fragment Thr-Thr-Asn-Tyr-Thr of
      peptide T, inhibiting the reproduction of the human immunodeficiency virus].

PMID- 1425179
TI  - [Study of the tissue specific Ca2+-dependent regulation of mitochondrial
      processes with thermostable comuton from rat liver].

PMID- 1425180
TI  - [Localization of elongation factor 2 in murine embryonal fibroblasts by
      immunoelectron microscopic data].

PMID- 1425181
TI  - [Ultrastructure of dermal melanophores of Xenopus laevis larvae in mitosis].

PMID- 1425182
TI  - [Functional morphogenesis in organ cultures of the middle abdominal specific skin
      gland of the Djungarian hamster (Phodopus campbelli, Rodentia, Mammalia)].

PMID- 1425183
TI  - [Detection of extended parallel complementary sequences in genomes of various
      organisms].

PMID- 1425184
TI  - [The role of structural elements of the 5'-untranslated sequence of potato X
      virus RNA (alpha-beta-leader) in determining its activity as a translational
      enhancer].

PMID- 1425185
TI  - [The effect of ecdysterone on carbachol contracture of ureteral smooth muscle and
      Mg2+,ATP-dependent transport of Ca2+ through the sarcolemma].

PMID- 1425186
TI  - [Synthesis of biologically active recombinant human interleukin-1alpha in
      Escherichia coli cells].

PMID- 1425187
TI  - [Group of acid soluble brain proteins including two forms of GAP43 neuronal
      proteins].

PMID- 1425188
TI  - [Possibility of compensating for programmed regulation of fine movements after
      damage to the ventrolateral nucleus of the thalamus].

PMID- 1425189
TI  - [Analysis of spontaneous and diazepam-induced differences in the EEG and conflict
      behavior of C57Bl/6 and BALB/c mice].

PMID- 1425190
TI  - [Social conflict and tumor growth].

PMID- 1425191
TI  - [Preparation of a highly purified recombinant conjugate of beta-galactosidase
      beta-interferon for immunoenzyme analysis].

PMID- 1425193
TI  - [Duodenase--a new serine proteinase with unusual specificity].

PMID- 1425192
TI  - [Aberrant phenotypes of the Ldh-B locus in hybrid populations of the Rana
      esculenta complex (Amphibia, Ranidae)].

PMID- 1425195
TI  - [Evolutionary logic of functional brain asymmetry].

PMID- 1425194
TI  - [Various behavior features of adult prenatally irradiated rats].

PMID- 1425196
TI  - [Comparative study of flavin adenine dinucleotide binding of glycogen
      phosphorylase b with protein-glycogen particles].

PMID- 1425197
TI  - [Interaction of Oct-binding transcription factors with a large series of
      "noncanonical" oct-sequences. Primary sequence of murine Oct-2B cDNA].

PMID- 1425198
TI  - [Specific aminoacylation of oligo U-CCA lysyl-tRNA-synthetase molecules].

PMID- 1425199
TI  - [Delayed conformational changes of muscle glycogen phosphorylase b, caused by
      recording the rate of digestion of the enzyme by trypsin].

PMID- 1425200
TI  - [Double system of super instability in Drosophila melanogaster as a model for
      studying genetic recombination processes].

PMID- 1425201
TI  - [Photochemical modification of nitrogen bases and spatial organization of
      lyotropic DNA liquid crystals].

PMID- 1425202
TI  - [Physico-chemical and catalytic properties of recombinant horseradish peroxidase,
      synthesized in Escherichia coli].

PMID- 1425203
TI  - [Induction of the posture asymmetry factor activity in the spinal cord of spinal
      rats caused by unilateral electrical stimulation of the hind extremities].

PMID- 1425204
TI  - [Extracellular mechanism of the anti-tumor manifestation of LAK-supernatants].

PMID- 1425205
TI  - The influence of seaprose on erythromycin penetration into bronchial mucus in
      bronchopulmonary infections.
AB  - In bronchopulmonary infections antibiotics can be combined with other drugs,
      called mucoactive drugs, that act to reduce the abnormal viscoelasticity of the
      mucus enabling a deeper penetration of more antibiotic into the mucus. Seaprose
      is a protease that interacts with the polymeric fibrillar structure of the
      bronchial mucus to shorten the long chains of mucoproteins, DNA and other
      macromolecules, thus reducing the viscosity of the mucus. In order to assess
      whether the combination of seaprose (60 mg/8 h) plus erythromycin (500 mg/8 h)
      allows higher antibiotic levels in sputum than erythromycin (500 mg/8 h) plus
      placebo, the pharmacokinetic behaviour in sputum and in blood of these two
      treatments was investigated in a double-blind study in two groups of twenty
      patients each with bronchopulmonary infections. Serum and sputum levels were
      determined for each patient at the first and seventh day of the two drug
      regimens. Statistically significant differences for peak, AUC and MRT, were
      observed for erythromycin between the first and last dose in the group of
      patients treated with seaprose plus erythromycin; moreover significant
      differences for these parameters were observed between the two groups. These
      findings indicate the presence of a pharmacokinetic synergism between seaprose
      and erythromycin which allows erythromycin to penetrate bronchial secretion more
      easily and in higher amounts, performing a sterilizing action with therapeutic
      advantages.

PMID- 1425206
TI  - Protective effect of levodropropizine against cough induced by inhalation of
      nebulized distilled water in patients with obstructive lung disease.
AB  - Levodropropizine is a recently developed, peripherally active antitussive agent
      which is widely used in clinical practice. In order to obtain further information
      on the spectrum of activity of this compound in experimental clinical models, a
      double-blind controlled study was carried out to evaluate the potential effect of
      the drug against cough and bronchoconstriction induced by inhalation of an
      ultrasonically nebulized solution of distilled water in patients with obstructive
      lung disease. Twenty patients were randomly divided into two groups, which
      received levodropropizine (60 mg t.i.d.) or placebo respectively for 7
      consecutive days. Parameters evaluated at baseline and on the last day of
      treatment included (i) results of respiratory function tests (FEV1, IVC, FVC,
      TIFF, PEF, MEF75, MEF50, MEF25) performed before the stimulation test with
      nebulized water; (ii) total number of coughs during a 2-hour period after the
      stimulation test; (iii) bronchial responsiveness, quantified by calculating the
      volume of nebulized water required to induce a 20% reduction of FEV1 below the
      basal level. At pretreatment, the tussive response was very similar in the two
      groups. A significant decrease in number of coughs (from 34.4 +/- 8.4 at baseline
      to 15.6 +/- 4.9 post-treatment, p less than 0.01) was observed after
      administration of levodropropizine, whereas placebo treatment produced no
      significant effect (number of coughs: 29.6 +/- 4.9 at baseline vs 24.8 +/- 9.6
      post-treatment, N.S.). Bronchial responsiveness decreased significantly (compared
      to baseline) in both treatment groups, without any significant difference between
      drug and placebo. Respiratory function tests were not significantly affected by
      either treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425207
TI  - Effects of macrolides on ultrastructure of Staphylococcus aureus during
      postantibiotic phase.
AB  - The postantibiotic effects (PAEs) of macrolide antibiotics, such as midecamycin
      acetate (Miocamycin, MOM), erythromycin (EM), josamycin (JM) and clarithromycin
      (CAM), on Staphylococcus aureus and the ultrastructure of the pathogen during the
      postantibiotic phase were investigated. After exposure to 2 x MIC for 2 h, MOM
      showed the longest PAE of 3.9 h, while EM, JM and CAM showed PAE durations 1.2,
      2.5 and 1.9 h, respectively. On examining the serum levels of these agents in
      man, the longest PAE of 2.4 h was induced by exposure to MOM. JM and CAM induced
      PAEs for durations of 1.4 and 1.3 h, but EM hardly induced the PAE. The
      ultrastructure was examined by transmission electron microscopy, and thick cell
      walls with an undulating outer layer and a multiple thick cross-section were
      observed for 4 h after exposure to 2 x MIC of MOM for 2 h. After exposure to 2 x
      MIC of EM, JM and CAM for 2 h, ultrastructural changes were observed for 1, 2 and
      2 h, respectively. The size of these cells was about 1.5 to 2 times larger than
      the normal cells. Ultrastructural changes in S. aureus were observed during the
      PAE phase of each macrolide.

PMID- 1425208
TI  - Efficacy of tosufloxacin in the treatment of experimentally induced intra
      abdominal infections in rats.
AB  - A reproducible experimental model of intra-abdominal infections in rats has been
      devised in order to simulate intra-abdominal sepsis in patients. Preoperatively,
      the rats were fed with lean ground beef for two weeks in order to change the
      intestinal flora to one similar to that of humans. A 1-cm segment of ileum was
      isolated on its vascular pedicle. The intestine was then divided at each end of
      the segment and intestinal continuity was reestablished by an end-to-end
      anastomosis. The segment of ileum was then returned to the abdominal cavity. This
      experimental model was used to compare the efficacy of tosufloxacin alone and in
      combination with metronidazole, with the combination gentamicin and metronidazole
      in the treatment of intra-abdominal infections. Eighty per cent of the untreated
      animals died within three days. Within three days 20% of the animals receiving
      tosufloxacin died. Animals treated with tosufloxacin plus metronidazole or
      gentamicin plus metronidazole had a significantly decreased mortality and
      increased cure rates during the experimental period. Only 5% of these animals
      died. Thus the combination of tosufloxacin and metronidazole seems to be as
      successful as gentamicin plus metronidazole in the treatment of intra-abdominal
      infections.

PMID- 1425209
TI  - Compared kinetics of 2-(2,3-dihydro-5-acetoxy-4,6,7-trimethylbenzofuranyl) acetic
      acid (IRFI 016) and its active metabolite 2-(2,3-dihydro-5-hydroxy-4,6,7
      trimethylbenzofuranyl) acetic acid (IRFI 005) in plasma and bronchial alveolar
      liquid in mice.
AB  - The concentration of 2-(2,3-dihydro-5-acetoxy-4,6,7-trimethylbenzofuranyl) acetic
      acid (IRFI 016) and its active metabolite 2-(2,3-dihydro-5-hydroxy-4,6,7
      trimethylbenzofuranyl) acetic acid (IRFI 005) in bronchial alveolar liquid (BAL)
      and plasma of mice were studied. IRFI 016 and its active metabolite IRFI 005 are
      both present in BAL and plasma after oral administration of IRFI 016. In BAL no
      delay times were noted, in comparison with plasma, regarding Cmax time nor
      significant variation of t1/2 and the elimination constant (Kel). IRFI 016,
      orally administered, is very rapidly absorbed and, both in unaltered form and as
      its active metabolite, reaches the anatomic site where it carries out its
      principal pharmacological activity, according to the same kinetic course observed
      in plasma.

PMID- 1425210
TI  - Tetracycline inhibition identifies the cellular sources of collagenase in
      gingival crevicular fluid in different forms of periodontal diseases.
AB  - Tetracyclines have recently been shown to inhibit the activity of mammalian
      matrix metalloproteinases, i.e. type I collagenase (MMP-1) and type IV
      collagenase/gelatinase (MMP-2). The specificity of this effect, however, has not
      been examined in detail. In the present study, doxycycline (a clinically widely
      used commercial tetracycline) and 4-de-dimethylaminotetracycline (CMT-1, a
      chemically modified non-antimicrobial tetracycline) were tested, at a wide range
      of concentrations, for their ability to inhibit human neutrophil and fibroblast
      interstitial collagenases, which are distinct gene products, as well as
      collagenase in human gingival crevicular fluid (an inflammatory exudate in
      periodontal lesions) obtained from adult, juvenile and diabetic adult
      periodontitis patients. The concentrations of these two tetracyclines, required
      to inhibit 50% of the collagenase activity (IC50), were found to be 15-30 microM
      for purified human neutrophil collagenase as well as collagenase in gingival
      crevicular fluid of adult periodontitis patients and diabetic adult periodontitis
      patients, thus approximating in vivo therapeutic tetracycline levels. In
      contrast, the fibroblast collagenase and collagenase in gingival crevicular fluid
      of patients with juvenile periodontitis were relatively resistant to tetracycline
      inhibition: the IC50 for doxycycline and CMT-1 were 280 and 500 microM,
      respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425211
TI  - First effects of warning labels on alcoholic beverage containers.
AB  - Health warning labels are now required on alcoholic beverage containers in the
      United States. This study addresses who has seen these labels and respondents'
      reported changes in relevant knowledge, attitudes and behavior. Random samples of
      adults in the general population of the United States were interviewed by
      telephone 6 months prior to and 6 months after the enactment in November 1989 of
      the warning label law (N = 2006 and 2000, respectively). Six months after
      introduction of warning labels, over one fifth of the respondents reported having
      seen the labels. Greater proportions of key target groups, such as heavy drinkers
      and young men at risk for drunk driving, reported seeing the warnings. No
      statistically significant changes in knowledge of the health risks included on
      the labels were detected, but we found that knowledge levels for two non-included
      potential warnings had declined somewhat. After controlling for demographics and
      alcohol consumption, respondents who probably saw the warning labels were
      significantly more likely to report several behaviors indicative of heightened
      awareness of, and caution regarding, the hazard of drinking and driving and of
      drinking during pregnancy, hazards that are both included on the warning labels.

PMID- 1425212
TI  - Alcohol consumption and rates of personal violence in Australia.
AB  - A time-series analysis of suicide and homicide rates in Australia from 1966 to
      1985 revealed that suicide rates were lower and homicide rates higher in years
      when more alcohol was consumed per capita. The association of alcohol consumption
      with homicide was expected, but the association with suicide was opposite to that
      predicted.

PMID- 1425213
TI  - Attitude towards alcohol, church attendance and denominational identity.
AB  - This paper describes the development of a 16-item Likert scale of attitude
      towards alcohol. Data derived from 315 individuals, concerned with various forms
      of youth work in England, demonstrate that both denominational affiliation and
      frequency of church attendance are significant determinants of attitudes towards
      alcohol. Membership of the Free Churches and frequent church attendance are
      associated with less liberal attitudes. These conclusions are discussed against
      the background of previous discrepant findings relating religiosity with alcohol
      use and abuse and contemporary sociological theories regarding the
      compartmentalisation of religious beliefs.

PMID- 1425214
TI  - Unidimensionality of alcohol dependence syndrome?
AB  - To evaluate the coherence of Alcohol Dependence Syndrome (ADS), as per DSM-III-R
      criteria, 72 and 223 subjects with alcohol dependence disorder from Hospital and
      Community settings, respectively, were interviewed. Nine DSM-III-R criteria
      assessing the dependence syndrome were factor-analysed. A single factor model
      provides an adequate description of the interrelationship among the nine criteria
      and supports the coherence of the dependence syndrome for the hospital sample but
      not for the community. A two factor model, namely 'withdrawal' and 'social', fits
      the community data. When the criteria were combined into cumulative scales, they
      formed good approximations of unidimensional Guttman scales for both the hospital
      and community settings. For hospital data, preoccupation was the highly central
      criterion (lambda = 0.95) in defining the dependence syndrome while 'can't stop'
      (v = 0.11) measured the most severe level of dependence. In the community the
      'socially dysfunctional use' identified as a separate secondary factor measured
      the most severe level of dependence.

PMID- 1425216
TI  - Psychiatric symptoms in drug abusing adolescents.
AB  - Psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial variables were investigated in 46
      adolescent drug abusers referred to a psychiatric clinic. There were high rates
      of behavioural symptoms (mostly oppositional and delinquent), emotional symptoms
      (mostly depressive) and an abundance of adverse life events and family dynamics.
      When compared to a control group of non-abusing adolescents, drug users were only
      more behaviourally disturbed. Cluster analysis of the drug abusing adolescents
      showed that they fell into three distinct groups of (1) behavioural dysfunction
      (76%); (2) family dysfunction (16%); and (3) emotional dysfunction (8). The
      clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

PMID- 1425215
TI  - Effects of ethanol and toluene on fixed-ratio performance in short sleep and long
      sleep mice.
AB  - This study examined the effects of ethanol (EtOH) and toluene on fixed-ratio (FR)
      responding in mice selectively bred for sensitivity to the effects of EtOH on
      sleep time. Although the more sensitive long sleep (LS) mice showed greater EtOH
      induced impairment in a motor performance task than did the less sensitive short
      sleep (SS) mice, changes in FR performance in the two lines did not differ in
      response to EtOH, regardless of route (oral or intraperitoneal) or time (40 vs.
      60 min pre-session) of administration. These results emphasize the importance of
      considering task variables in determination of the behavior of different
      genotypes. In contrast to results with EtOH, the volatile inhalant toluene
      produced different effects on FR responding in the selected lines, with SS mice
      being more sensitive than LS mice.

PMID- 1425217
TI  - Adolescent drug use, health and personality.
AB  - Four factors have confounded the association between drug use and morbidity: (a)
      known drug users may be less healthy than unknown drug users; (b) drug users are
      rarely compared to control subjects; (c) the socio-economic status of drug users
      predisposes them to ill-health; (d) the personality of drug users predisposes
      them to ill-health. Here, controlling for these confounds, in a study of 210
      adolescent drug users it was found that subjective ill-health was more strongly
      related to drug use than was objective ill-health. Drug use was related to
      neuroticism and psychopathic deviance. Controlling for personality, drug use
      accounted for little additional variance in health. It is concluded that drug use
      and health are not strongly related amongst adolescent drug users, although,
      because of their personalities, drug users tend not to feel well. Implications
      are discussed for the self-treatment explanation of drug use and for the design
      of preventative programmes.

PMID- 1425218
TI  - Cyclical breast pain--what works and what doesn't.

PMID- 1425219
TI  - Pen injectors for insulin.

PMID- 1425220
TI  - How to anticoagulate.

PMID- 1425222
TI  - Laying foundations for sound health care.

PMID- 1425221
TI  - Nimodipine for delayed cerebral ischaemia after subarachnoid haemorrhage.

PMID- 1425223
TI  - [Activating care. Theory and practice in community nursing].

PMID- 1425224
TI  - [Does the patient always always have to take center stage?].

PMID- 1425225
TI  - [Nursing opinion. Presented by the work group "Ambulatory Care" of the Baden
      Wurttemberg federation of the German Professional Association for the nursing
      professions].

PMID- 1425226
TI  - [Continuing education towards nursing administration for deaconess' social work.
      Situation and perspectives].

PMID- 1425227
TI  - [Modified rules for working time in the social work office. Flexibility of
      working time as an instrument for the attraction of qualified nursing personnel].

PMID- 1425228
TI  - [Transformation of working time flexibility in a hospital ward].

PMID- 1425229
TI  - [Improvement of care for the elderly, sick and those needing care. Report on the
      results of the model trial of the Baden-Wurttemberg province from the viewpoint
      of the participating city of Ostfildern].

PMID- 1425230
TI  - [Home short-term care].

PMID- 1425231
TI  - [Care of severely ill tumor patients during the border time between hospital care
      and ambulatory care].

PMID- 1425232
TI  - [Organization of pediatric nursing at home in Stuttgard].

PMID- 1425233
TI  - [Primary care in home nursing].

PMID- 1425234
TI  - [The new nursing contract for the wards of the Deaconess' work in Wurttemberg].

PMID- 1425235
TI  - [Nursing--a profession with open borders].

PMID- 1425237
TI  - [Learning to lead without suffering. A Bavarian pilot project].

PMID- 1425236
TI  - [The septic patient].

PMID- 1425238
TI  - [Requirements on the qualification of teachers in the nursing professions--from
      the viewpoint of the program "Health for all in the year 2000"].

PMID- 1425239
TI  - [Requirements for the qualification of teachers in the nursing professions--with
      a view on the European domestic market after 1992].

PMID- 1425240
TI  - [Position of the federal committee].

PMID- 1425241
TI  - [Qualification of teachers in nursing schools. The situation in Germany. 1.
      Models, problems and perspectives in the training of nursing teachers].

PMID- 1425242
TI  - [2. Course of studies in medicapedagogy and nursing pedagogy in Berlin].

PMID- 1425244
TI  - [Course of studies in medical pedagogy and nursing pedagogy. The situation in
      Switzerland].

PMID- 1425245
TI  - [20 years of federal commission 1972-1992--development and perspectives].

PMID- 1425243
TI  - [Course of studies in medical pedagogy and nursing pedagogy. The situation in
      Austria].

PMID- 1425246
TI  - [Need for security of the nursing personnel from the view point of nursing
      administration].

PMID- 1425247
TI  - [The carriers of legislated accident insurance as partners of health services in
      labor protection and accident prevention].

PMID- 1425248
TI  - [The security aide. Tasks and possibilities in workers' protection].

PMID- 1425249
TI  - [Work safety. Danger potential for personnel on ward duty].

PMID- 1425250
TI  - [Stab wounds from canulas--a crucial accident in the hospital].

PMID- 1425251
TI  - [Prevention of back injuries in nurses].

PMID- 1425252
TI  - [Medical equipment regulation].

PMID- 1425253
TI  - [Cancer--a disease that changes family life].

PMID- 1425254
TI  - [Pastoral care of families with children who have cancer].

PMID- 1425255
TI  - [Care of children with cancer].

PMID- 1425256
TI  - [The Tubingen sibling house].

PMID- 1425257
TI  - [The current status of nursing science].

PMID- 1425258
TI  - [Nursing examination--the practical part].

PMID- 1425259
TI  - [Structures for the qualification in the nursing professions].

PMID- 1425260
TI  - [Physical exercise tolerance in chronic obstructive emphysematous bronchitis and
      coronary heart disease under antiobstructive therapy].
AB  - 19 consecutive patients (18 men, one woman, mean age 61.4 [49-73]years) with
      chronic obstructive airways disease (bronchitis and emphysema) together with
      angiographically confirmed coronary heart disease were studied to investigate
      their cardiopulmonary exercise tolerance and the effects of bronchodilators on
      their myocardial ischaemia. Because they were receiving drug therapy for angina
      or because they had previously undergone aortocoronary bypass operation or
      balloon dilatation, the patients were symptom-free. In three cases slight
      ischaemia was demonstrable during maximal exertion. Aerobic and anaerobic
      exercise capacity was determined by spiroergometry after inhalation of salbutamol
      (S, 0.2 mg) alone or in combination with oxitropium bromide (O, 0.2 mg). The
      supplementary effect of oral theophylline (T, 15 mg/kg.day) was studied in 13
      patients. In terms of maximal aerobic exercise tolerance the following
      improvements were noted: energy output (watts): S: + 6.3%; S and O: + 12.3% (P <
      0.05); S, O and T: + 14.0% (P < 0.01). Oxygen uptake (ml/min): S: + 8.2% (P <
      0.05); S and O: + 18.2% (P < 0.01); S, O and T: + 35.4% (P < 0.01). Maximum
      exercise capacity was not significantly improved, although maximum oxygen uptake
      was significantly increased by the two-drug combination by 16.9% (P < 0.05) and
      by the three-drug combination by 19.2% (P < 0.05). Maximum minute volume and
      tidal volume rose significantly, though respiratory rate was unchanged. Heart
      rate and blood pressure remained practically unaffected by the treatment, both at
      rest and during exertion. There was no evidence of significant aggravation of
      ventricular arrhythmias or of ischaemia during ergometric testing.

PMID- 1425261
TI  - [Regional hyperthermic fibrinolytic perfusion in postoperative deep venous
      thrombosis of the leg].
AB  - Four days after an operation for fusion of lumbar and sacral vertebrae a 30-year
      old man developed bilateral deep-vein thrombosis in the legs, extending on the
      left from the fibular group of veins to the popliteal vein. On the right all deep
      veins of the lower leg were occluded, including the confluence of the popliteal
      vein. As systemic fibrinolysis was contraindicated, surgical thrombectomy was
      undertaken. After incomplete removal of the thrombi, regional hyperthermic
      perfusion with streptokinase was performed using a heart-lung machine. After a
      compression bandage had been applied to the right leg above the veins the leg was
      perfused via the common femoral vein at 40 degrees C from the heart-lung machine,
      at a flow rate of 600-800 ml/min, for 60 min with a solution containing 1 million
      IU streptokinase. Measurement of various components in the perfusate indicated
      marked fibrinolysis (fibrinogen: not measurable; fibrinogen breakdown products: >
      80 micrograms; streptokinase: 100 FU/ml after 30 min, 62 FU/ml after 60 min). At
      the same time there was no demonstrable fibrinolytic activity in the systemic
      circulation. Fibrinogen concentration fell from 340 mg/dl 30 min before the onset
      of perfusion to 245 mg/dl 90 min after it. After 60 min of perfusion the blood
      from the right leg was discarded and the leg flushed through with 1.5 l of an
      electrolyte solution and then filled up with previously obtained and stored
      patient's own blood concentrate. Subsequent phlebography and venous occlusion
      plethysmography demonstrated complete recanalization of the deep-vein system with
      normal venous valve function.

PMID- 1425262
TI  - [Hyponatremia in heart failure].

PMID- 1425263
TI  - [The surgical indications in bacterial endocarditis].

PMID- 1425264
TI  - [Juvenile stroke and protein S deficiency].

PMID- 1425265
TI  - [Nephrocalcinosis in idiopathic hypercalciuria].

PMID- 1425266
TI  - [EEG changes in anorexia nervosa].

PMID- 1425267
TI  - [The surgical indications in abdominal aortic aneurysms--from the internal
      medicine viewpoint].

PMID- 1425268
TI  - [Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis and low-malignancy MALT lymphoma].

PMID- 1425270
TI  - [Helicobacter pylori: the local IgA response of the gastric mucosa].

PMID- 1425269
TI  - [Multiple myeloma with plasma-cell pericardial tamponade and terminal plasma-cell
      leukemia].

PMID- 1425271
TI  - [Carbohydrate and lipid metabolism following heart bypass operations. The effect
      of the intravenous hypocaloric administration of glucose versus glucose xylitol
      (1:1)].
AB  - The effect of glucose-xylitol infusion on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism was
      investigated in 18 metabolically normal men (mean age 56.1 [35-65] years) with
      coronary heart disease after they had undergone a coronary artery bypass
      operation. During the first postoperative hours, group I (n = 6) received glucose
      only (2 mg/kg.min), group II (n = 6) glucose+xylitol (1 mg/kg.min each), and
      group II a glucose-containing electrolyte solution (0.83 mg/kg.min glucose).
      Blood glucose and insulin concentrations during the infusion period were
      significantly (P < 0.05) lower in groups II and III than I (glucose after 6 h:
      group I 21.5 [15.3-26.8] mmol/l; group II 14.2 [11.2-18.1] mmol/l; group III 12.6
      [6.8-16.0] mmol/l). The highest lactate concentrations were reached in group I, 6
      hours after the operation. Palmitine and stearine, as well as oleic and linoleic
      acid concentrations were significantly lower 12 hours postoperatively in group I
      than groups II and III (P < 0.05). These data indicate that energy-ineffective
      high glucose concentrations were avoided and endogenous lactate production
      reduced by the postoperative infusion of glucose+xylitol. In addition, it
      achieved a higher supply of free fatty acids as energy source to the myocardium
      without reaching toxic concentrations in the postischaemic myocardium.

PMID- 1425272
TI  - [The color Doppler-guided compression therapy of a large false aneurysm of the
      femoral artery following left heart catheterization].
AB  - A ventrally located false aneurysm (7 x 5.2 x 3.4 cm) of the right common femoral
      artery occurred, after left-heart catheterization by the Judkins technique via
      this artery, in an 83-year-old woman with aortic valve stenosis. Colour Doppler
      sonography demonstrated a puncture canal (neck of the aneurysm) filling in both
      systole and diastole, as well as turbulent flow within the aneurysm. Flow into
      the aneurysm was considerably reduced when the transducer head compressed the
      aneurysm, while flow continued in the femoral artery and vein. This compression,
      maintained for 25 min, completely thrombosed the puncture canal and aneurysm so
      that no vascular surgery was required.

PMID- 1425273
TI  - [The clinical picture and diagnosis of pulmonary mycoses].

PMID- 1425274
TI  - [The individualized therapy of tumors].

PMID- 1425275
TI  - [The authorization of hospital physicians on referrals by established colleagues.
      The judgement of the State Higher Social Court of Rheinland-Pfalz of 19 December
      1991].

PMID- 1425276
TI  - [The assessment of arrhythmia risks: programmed ventricular stimulation and (or)
      the detection of ventricular late potentials?].

PMID- 1425277
TI  - [Drug-induced cholelitholysis].

PMID- 1425278
TI  - [Focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver].

PMID- 1425279
TI  - [Therapy-refractory lambliasis in gallbladder involvement].

PMID- 1425280
TI  - [The planned extension of MTA training to 3 years].

PMID- 1425281
TI  - [Contact lenses and bacterial keratitis].

PMID- 1425282
TI  - [Arterial hypertension in older people].

PMID- 1425283
TI  - [Morbidity and mortality in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus after the
      diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy].
AB  - One to ten years after laser coagulation for diabetic retinopathy, 229 type I
      diabetics (mean age 44.3 years) and 157 type II diabetics (mean age 65 years)
      were re-studied for morbidity and mortality (progression of late damage, duration
      of survival, cause of death). The duration of diabetes at the first laser
      coagulation averaged 23.1 years for type I diabetics (15.9 years for type II).
      Average period from the first laser coagulation to the re-examination was 6.5
      years for type I, 5.1 for type II diabetics. Of those patients still alive 6.7%
      had gone blind (type II: 7.3%). 2.1% and 4.6%, respectively, were receiving
      dialysis treatment, while renal transplantation had been performed in 3.1 and
      1.8%, respectively. Stroke was the most frequent macrovascular complications (8.4
      and 16.5%), followed by leg amputation (3.6 and 14.7%) and myocardial infarction
      (3.7 and 18.3%). 83 patients had died: 35 (15.3%) type I and 48 (30.6%) type II
      diabetics. Causes of death were septicaemia 14.3% (0%), uraemia 11.4% (8.3%),
      myocardial infarction 14.3% (33.3%), heart failure 8.6% (29.2%) and stroke 5.7%
      (6.3%). 10.7% (24.2%) had died within the first 5 years after laser coagulation.
      Despite a lower incidence of blindness in patients with diabetic retinopathy, the
      vascular disease progresses in other vascular regions so that a large proportion
      of diabetics will develop renal failure or die early from macrovascular
      complications.

PMID- 1425284
TI  - [Pheochromocytoma as dominant manifestation of v. Hippel-Lindau syndrome].
AB  - A diagnosis of von Hippel-Lindau syndrome was made in two families originating
      from the same part of the Black Forest but apparently unrelated. Nine affected
      persons (seven males and two females) had a total of 17 tumours: retinal angioma
      (4), haemangioblastoma of the CNS (1), and phaeochromocytoma (12). Three of the
      affected persons and eight of the tumours (six phaeochromocytomas, two retinal
      angiomas) were diagnosed by family screening. Phaeochromocytoma was diagnosed in
      eight persons; in four it was the only symptomatic lesion. After extensive
      diagnostic tests the phaeochromocytoma was the sole tumour in four. Despite
      severe symptoms the diagnosis of von Hippel-Lindau syndrome had not been made
      prior to the screening examinations because either the common aetiology of the
      tumour was not known or there was insufficient exchange of information between
      the two families.--It is recommended that in each case of phaeochromocytoma von
      Hippel-Lindau syndrome should be excluded so that lesions can be discovered early
      in other organs and in other affected family members. If the syndrome is present,
      annual examinations are indicated because of asynchronous and multi-focal tumour
      growth.

PMID- 1425285
TI  - [Nephropathy in type 1 diabetes mellitus. Current experimental and clinical
      aspects].

PMID- 1425286
TI  - [Misuse of misoprostol in abortion induction].

PMID- 1425287
TI  - [Ergotamine-induced heart valve fibrosis and coronary microangiopathy?].

PMID- 1425288
TI  - [Johann Gregor Mendel].

PMID- 1425289
TI  - [Gold therapy in chronic polyarthritis].

PMID- 1425290
TI  - [By-products of alcoholic fermentation in must production].

PMID- 1425291
TI  - [Local lysis therapy in renal artery thrombosis].

PMID- 1425292
TI  - [Long-term follow-up after partial resection of a single kidney].

PMID- 1425293
TI  - [Mercury concentration in the mouth mucosa of patients with amalgam fillings].
AB  - Mercury concentrations were measured in specimens of oral mucosa taken during
      oral surgery from 90 patients (53 men, 37 women, mean age 42 +/- 16 years); 30 of
      the patients had no amalgam fillings. All the mucosal specimens extended for at
      least 2-3 mm from the epithelium of the gingival margin and were clinically and
      radiologically normal. Thirteen patients without metallic fillings of any kind
      had mercury concentrations of 118.4 +/- 83.7 ng/g tissue, and in 17 patients with
      precious metal fillings but no amalgam the mean mercury concentrations were 144
      +/- 290 ng/g tissue. Seventeen patients with 1-3 amalgam fillings had an average
      of 1975 +/- 4300 ng/g tissue and in 26 patients with 3-6 amalgam fillings the
      average concentration was 1158 +/- 2500 ng/g tissue. In 17 patients with more
      than six amalgam fillings the mean mercury concentration was 2302 +/- 5600 ng/g
      tissue. Although these results demonstrate a considerable degree of transfer of
      mercury from the amalgam fillings to the oral mucosa, it had not resulted in any
      clinically detectable mucosal lesions.

PMID- 1425294
TI  - [Recurrent renal colic with passing of horny lamellae. A rare differential
      diagnosis of renal calculi].
AB  - A 64-year-old man reported left-sided renal colics recurring regularly every 5-10
      months for the past 25 years. After a typical colic urinary sediment was found to
      contain brownish, flaky elastic material which histologically consisted of
      nucleus-free keratoid lamellae. Calcium concentration in serum and urine was
      normal, as were the serum parathormone (215 pg/l) and inorganic phosphate levels.
      The intravenous pyelogram revealed a polycyclicly circumscribed filling defect
      (15 x 20 mm) in the left renal pelvis. At ureteroscopy a lamellar brown-grey
      tumour was identified which arose from the medial wall of the pelvis.
      Histological examination demonstrated hyper- and parakeratotic hornified squamous
      epithelium without malignant degeneration. This finding suggested a cholesteatoma
      originating from squamous epithelial metaplasia. The tumour was removed
      endoscopically and the renal wall coagulated by laser, a procedure repeated after
      3 months. The patient has been free of symptoms for 3 years.

PMID- 1425295
TI  - [Leishmaniasis with multiple cutaneous nodules].
AB  - Six weeks after a holiday trip to Yugoslavia, a previously well 48-year-old man
      developed a reddish-livid, firm nodule, 0.5 cm in diameter, on the proximal joint
      of the right thumb. A similar nodule appeared nearby, as well as over the left
      patella. Eleven additional nodules occurred over the next 4 months. His general
      health remained good and physical examination merely noted the liver edge
      palpable 3 cm below the costal margin. The histology of one of the nodules showed
      a tuberculoid, plasma-rich inflammatory reaction reminiscent of leishmaniasis or
      brucellosis. No organisms were seen. Immunohistochemistry of a frozen section
      demonstrated Leishmania-associated antigens, and the Western-blot test was
      characteristic for leishmaniasis. No systemic treatment was undertaken because of
      likely alcoholic toxic liver damage. On local treatment with paromomycin
      containing ointment the cutaneous nodules healed without scar within 3 months.

PMID- 1425296
TI  - [Prostaglandin derivatives and antacids in the treatment and prevention of
      gastroduodenal lesions].

PMID- 1425298
TI  - [Settlement questions: Remuneration after outside procedures and radioimmunologic
      examinations without appropriate procedure approval. Decision of the County
      Court, Munich, 3/l2/1992].

PMID- 1425297
TI  - [New perspectives in immunotherapy: adhesion molecules, superantigens, heat-shock
      proteins and cytokine antagonists].

PMID- 1425299
TI  - [Digitalis intoxication].

PMID- 1425300
TI  - [Digitalis intoxication].

PMID- 1425301
TI  - [Respiratory and systemic allergies].

PMID- 1425302
TI  - [Helicobacter pylori and gastric carcinoma].

PMID- 1425303
TI  - [Organ-preserving therapy in invasive bladder carcinoma].
AB  - With the aim of organ preservation, transurethral resection with subsequent
      radiotherapy (until 1985) or combined radio- and chemotherapy (since 1986) was
      undertaken as part of a prospective trial in 175 consecutive patients (137 men,
      38 women; mean age 65 [31-90] years) with invasive bladder carcinoma, tumour
      stage T1-4 N0-3 M0. All patients had a transurethral resection, followed 2-6
      weeks later by definitive radiotherapy at a dose of 50.4 Gy to the bladder in 28
      fractions. 85 patients simultaneously with the radiotherapy received chemotherapy
      with cisplatin (25 mg/m2 daily) or carboplatin (65-75 mg/m2 daily) in the first
      and fifth weeks of radiotherapy. The 5-year survival rate for the whole group
      (including inoperable cases) was 50%. The survival rate as related to the T
      category was 53% for T1 (n = 26), 68% for T2 (n = 34), 45% for T3 (n = 94) and
      22% for T4 (n = 17). 139 patients (79%) were left with a normally functioning
      bladder. Cystectomy was performed in 36 patients because of remaining tumour or
      recurrence after radiotherapy. Combined radio- and chemotherapy improved the
      histological remission rate, compared with an earlier control group with
      radiotherapy only, but it did not affect the survival rate. These data indicate
      that in advanced bladder carcinoma organ-preserving treatment with transurethral
      resection and definitive radiotherapy or combined radio- and chemotherapy can be
      successful.

PMID- 1425304
TI  - [Complicated aneurysm of the splenic artery].
AB  - For 2 1/2 years after sustaining blunt trauma to the abdomen a 51-year-old woman
      had experienced episodes of pain, recently with throbbing, in the left upper
      quadrant. A smooth, circumscribed, painless tumour filling the left upper and mid
      abdomen was palpable under the left costal margin. Ultrasound revealed a 12 x 11
      cm space-occupying mass with cystic-fluid components, at first interpreted as a
      blood-containing pseudocyst. Computed tomography demonstrated a connection with
      the splenic artery. Digital subtraction angiography established the diagnosis of
      an aneurysm of the splenic artery arising immediately beyond its origin from the
      coeliac trunk. Splenectomy and resection of the aneurysm were performed. Total
      removal of the aneurysm was not undertaken because the dorsal aspect of the
      aneurysm wall was very thick and fused with the retroperitoneum. The
      postoperative course was unremarkable. The genesis of splenic aneurysm often
      remains unexplained. Its occurrence after blunt abdominal trauma is exceedingly
      rare.

PMID- 1425305
TI  - [Cholera epidemic in Stettin in the autumn of 1892. Dtsch. med. Wschr. 18 (1892),
      1128].

PMID- 1425306
TI  - [Perimyocarditis caused by Yersinia enterocolitica serotype 0:3].
AB  - Three days after the end of a bout of diarrhoea of 3 days' duration, a 19-year
      old patient developed severe nocturnal thoracic pain unresponsive to isosorbitol
      dinitrate. There were no abnormal findings on physical examination, except a
      sweaty skin. SGOT (38 U/l), creatinine kinase (291 U/l, CK-MB 29 U/l) and lactate
      dehydrogenase (246 U/l) were all elevated. The ECG showed ST segment elevations
      in leads I, II, III, aVF and V1-V6 as well as negative terminal T waves in I, II,
      aVL, AVF and V3-V6, changes suggesting peri- and myocarditis. The Widal test gave
      a raised antibody titre (1:800) against Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O:3.
      Seven days later the immunoblot test demonstrated antibodies against the same
      organism, which was finally isolated from stool after 11 days. Treatment
      consisted of ciprofloxacin (500 mg twice daily for 14 days). All symptoms, as
      well as the biochemical and ECG abnormalities, quickly improved. The patient was
      discharged free of symptoms after 34 days.

PMID- 1425307
TI  - [Decompression sickness as differential diagnosis in internal medicine emergency
      admissions].
AB  - Two men (aged 37 years--patient 1, and 26 years--patient 2), both in good health,
      had dived as a sport to a depth of 40 and 45 m, respectively, reportedly keeping
      to the prescribed decompression times on their ascent. Patient 1 immediately
      developed shortness of breath and pain in the chest, later neurological deficits
      in both legs, as well as faecal and urinary incontinence. Examination 60 h later
      revealed paraparesis, increased leg proprioceptor reflexes and paraesthesia below
      the 10th thoracic vertebra, with abnormal posterior column function. After
      recompression (hyperbaric oxygenation, 6 treatment sessions of 4 h each over 8
      days, as prescribed in US Navy Table No. 6) the signs improved and two months
      later there were no deficits. Patient 2 developed 30 min after a similar dive
      painful, doughy swellings and redness over the upper ventral half of the thorax
      and both upper arms. All signs and symptoms disappeared after recompression
      treatment (hyperbaric oxygenation for 3 h), begun 28 h after the dive. Previously
      elevated levels for haemoglobin (18.5 g/dl), haematocrit (0.56) and red blood
      corpuscles (5.98 x 10(6)/microliters) returned to normal. The described
      neurological abnormalities are typical for type II, redness and joint pains for
      type I decompression sickness.

PMID- 1425308
TI  - [Clinical features and therapy of persistent ductus arteriosus in adults].

PMID- 1425309
TI  - [Diagnosis and prognosis of gonadal damage after chemotherapy and irradiation].

PMID- 1425310
TI  - [Organ-preserving therapy of muscle-invasive bladder carcinoma].

PMID- 1425311
TI  - [Thrombolytic therapy also in soon occurring second infarct?].

PMID- 1425312
TI  - [Congenital giant cell nevus].

PMID- 1425313
TI  - [Ondansetron in carcinoid syndrome].

PMID- 1425314
TI  - [The pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of acepromazine in the plasma of dogs].
AB  - Acepromazine is extensively used in veterinary practice. In dogs, it is used
      mainly as a preanaesthetic and sedative agent, without the knowledge of
      pharmacokinetic data in this species. We studied the disposition both after oral
      and intravenous administration. It was shown, that the sedative effect after an
      oral dose of 1.3-1.5 mg/kg lasted for about 4 hours. The elimination was slower
      after oral administration (half-life 15.9 h) than after i. v. injection (half
      life 7.1 h). The bioavailability of the orally administered drug formulation
      averaged 20%. The calculation of the pharmacokinetic parameters was performed
      computer-aided, using conventional compartmental analysis and non-compartmental
      statistical moment analysis and the results were compared.

PMID- 1425315
TI  - [In vitro studies of intestinal absorption and biotransformation of
      furazolidone].
AB  - The intestinal biotransformation and absorption of the nitrofuran furazolidone
      were investigated in isolated gut cells and in the isolated perfused gut. In case
      of inhibiting furazolidone metabolism by high oxygen tension almost equal
      concentrations of the parent compound were measured on the mucosal and serosal
      side of the perfused gut segments. Lowering oxygen supply in order to adjust it
      to physiological conditions caused a complete degradation of furazolidone in
      isolated gut cells. Accordingly, hardly any unchanged furazolidone was detected
      on the serosal side of the isolated perfused gut. An open-chain cyanometabolite
      was formed in both systems indicating a reductive metabolic process which induces
      highly reactive intermediates. This metabolite also reached the serosal side of
      the gut representing the systemic circuit. Thus, the low systemic bioavailability
      is due to the considerable intestinal metabolism rather than a limited
      absorption. Unknown metabolites will reach the systemic circuit, the toxic
      potential of which is still obscure. Independent of its metabolic degradation,
      thus probably due to its redox cycle furazolidone inhibited intestinal functions
      as e. g. the flow of water and the transport of sodium.

PMID- 1425316
TI  - Atypical reactions to halothane in a subgroup of homozygous malignant
      hyperthermia(MH)-susceptible pigs: indication of a heterogenous genetic basis for
      the porcine syndrome.
AB  - Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a pharmacogenetic disorder of skeletal muscle. In
      genetically susceptible pigs, MH can be induced by volatile, halogenated
      anaesthetics such as halothane. Within a series of pharmacological
      investigations, a fulminant MH could be induced in 59 of 66 homozygous halothane
      susceptible pigs by a challenge with 3% halothane for 15 minutes. The typical MH
      was characterized by sudden appearance of tachycardia, muscle rigidity with
      typical extension of the hindlimbs, increase of body temperature, acidosis-caused
      by rapid increase of CO2 and lactate production-, hyperkalaemia and increased
      activity of creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate transaminase (AST). In seven
      homozygous MH-susceptible pigs, this typical MH could not be induced by
      halothane. These animals responded with sudden appearance of bradyarrhythmia and
      decrease of arterial pressure. In these MH-atypical pigs (MHA) neither the
      typical extension of hindlimbs nor a hyperthermia occurred. Compared to a group
      of 6 MH-susceptible pigs with typical reactions to halothane (MHS), the
      biochemical alterations were significantly retarded in MHA-pigs. These atypical
      reactions to halothane could be the effect of decreased cardiac output.
      Concerning the atypical reactions, we observed a familiar predisposition in MH
      susceptible pigs. Although atypical reactions were not found in a group of
      homozygous halothane-nonsusceptible pigs (MHN), a possible explanation for
      atypical reactions could be a MH-independent halothane-susceptibility of the
      myocardium+ in MHA-pigs. On the other side the data may indicate that a primary
      defect in both the skeletal muscle and also the myocardium is involved in MH. The
      different reactions to halothane in MH-susceptible pigs could point to a genetic
      heterogeneity.

PMID- 1425317
TI  - [Insufficient success in the treatment of epilepsy--mistakes in therapy or
      resistance to therapy?].
AB  - Frequently either no results or inadequate results are obtained in the therapy of
      canine and feline epilepsy. This is often not due to a primary resistance to
      therapy, but rather, caused by other factors and, above all, by mistakes made in
      therapeutic management. The possible causes of a faulty or insufficient treatment
      and the most common mistakes made in therapeutic regime are described. At the
      same time suggestions for an optimal course of therapy are given.

PMID- 1425318
TI  - Acetylsalicylic acid and blood coagulation in the horse.
AB  - Equine blood may contain salicylic acid (SA) taken up as free acid or represents
      the metabolite of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). To obtain information of SA in race
      horses we screened blood samples of trotting-horses routinely drawn to be
      analyzed for doping substances. The individual values determined followed a
      Gaussian distribution displaying a geometric mean of 19 ng SA per ml serum. A
      probit analysis revealed linear relationship (r = 0.995). Additional studies
      examined the antithrombotic efficacy of ASA in the horse. An oral dose of 300 mg
      ASA considerably elevated the bleeding time for more than 2 hours with
      concomitant SA serum levels between 800 and 1000 ng/ml. It is concluded that
      salicylate levels even below 1 microgram/ml serum bring about considerable
      pharmacologic effects such as prolongation of bleeding time, decrease in blood
      viscosity and possibly dilatation of blood vessels. These effects may improve the
      tissue supply with blood including oxygen.

PMID- 1425319
TI  - [The loop diuretic bumetanide as a tool in physiology and pharmacology].
AB  - Loop diuretics are derivatives of 4-sulfamoylbenzoic acid, which derived
      originally from sulfonamides. Their diuretic effect is due to the inhibition of
      the Na-K-Cl-cotransport system in the distal part of Henle's loop. The compounds
      react with different affinity with the chloride binding site of the transporter.
      Bumetanide is among the most potent blockers with an IC50 of 0.2 microM. The
      compound was developed by P. W. FEIT, 1971; the saluretic response was described
      first by H. H. FREY 1972. Bumetanide has outgrown to become a tool for
      physiologists and pharmacologists in renal transport research. The compound has
      essentially contributed to the elucidation of the mechanisms of volume regulation
      of cells. Bumetanide is taken up into tubule cells and hepatocytes by active
      transport. The uptake in tubule cells ist mediated by an organic anion
      transporter, which is involved in the renal secretion of drugs. In the liver
      bumetanide is transporter by the bile acid carrier. The carrier is a
      multispecific drug transporter, too. It is not yet known, whether both drug
      transport systems contain identical membrane proteins. For this purpose
      bumetanide is currently used to investigate by photoaffinity labeling and
      functional expression cloning molecular principles of the drug elimination in
      kidney and liver.

PMID- 1425320
TI  - [The metabolism of albendazole in the isolated perfused intestine of rats].
AB  - Pharmacokinetic studies on Albendazole after peroral administration demonstrate a
      rapid and complete biotransformation. The major metabolites Albendazole
      sulphoxide and -sulphone were detected in the plasma; the parent compound was
      only found sporadically at very low levels. These results indicate removal by the
      liver and/or the gut at first pass. After evidence is found that the liver has
      the capacity to sulphoxidize and to sulphonize Albendazole, biotransformation of
      the gut was examined using an isolated perfused rat gut model. A high-performance
      liquid chromatography method was used to simultaneously determinate Albendazole, 
      sulphoxide and -sulphone. Albendazole was biotransformed partly to Albendazole
      sulphoxide by the gut, whereby the metabolite but not the parent compound was
      absorbed. It is concluded, that the gut has the capacity to biotransform
      Albendazole. However, biotransformation is limited to the first step, the
      sulphoxidation.

PMID- 1425322
TI  - [The problems of the so-called Arteria carotis externa (= ventralis) of the
      Anamniota. I. Comparative literature analysis].
AB  - The study discusses problems as related to the existence of a so-called A.
      carotis externa (= ventralis) in the Anamnia, and is based on the analysis of old
      and new literature. The facts presented are illustrated by several figures,
      demonstrating the organization pattern of branchial arteries and their various
      branches in adult animals as well as during the development of all types of
      branchial vessels. Summarizing the aspects involved, it can be concluded that an
      A. carotis ventralis does not exist, neither in reality nor as the first stage of
      an A. carotis externa. All of the efferent vessels coming from the 6 original
      branchial arteries, always arise from the respective A. branchialis efferens and
      contain oxygenated blood. As A. hypobranchialis lateralis and medialis these
      vessels supply the entire hypobranchial region, the floor of the mouth, and the
      heart. Moreover, a rostral prolongation of the Aorta ventralis is also not proven
      to exist during the ontogenesis of branchial arches.

PMID- 1425321
TI  - [Effect of etretinate on the activity of intestinal disaccharidases].
AB  - The retinoid etretinate influences the proliferation and differentiation of
      epithelial cells. Therefore, the activity of disaccharidases maltase and sucrase
      was measured in duodenum and jejunum after oral retinoid application to female
      mice. The enzymes are localized in the brush border of differentiating mucosal
      cells. The etretinate dose ranged from 0.1 to 1 mg/kg. The treatment with
      etretinate induced a decrease of the duodenal and jejunal disaccharidase
      activity. A correlation between the influence in intestinal enzyme activity and
      undesired gastrointestinal side effects which were described by GOLD et al.
      (1988) is supposed.

PMID- 1425323
TI  - [Electrophoretic studies of serum protein fractions in horses with laminitis].
AB  - The spectrum of serum proteins was evaluated in 46 horses affected with
      spontaneous laminitis and correlations between the severity of the disease and
      changes of the protein pattern were analyzed. The investigation was made in two
      groups; group A consisted of 21 horses of various breeds (warmblood,
      thoroughbred, standardbred) and group B of 25 ponys. Each group was subdivided
      according to the severity of the disease, using the OBEL-grade (OG)
      classification system. Serum proteins were separated by different one- and two
      dimensional electrophoretic methods. Sera analysed by cellulose acetate
      electrophoresis showed a significant difference in the alpha 1-globulin fraction
      between OG II and OG IV affected horses. An increasing severity of the disease
      was correlated with a decrease of the alpha 1-globulins. The other protein
      fractions didn't show a uniform tendency. In group B there was a significant
      difference in the alpha 1-globulin fractions of OG II and OG III and in the beta
      2-globulin fractions of OG I and OG II affected ponys. The acute phase proteins
      C3c, C4, Hp and fibronectin could be determined in a preliminary study in horse
      serum using the cross-reactivity of antibodies against the homologous human
      proteins.

PMID- 1425324
TI  - [Biology, pathogenicity, diagnosis and control of Ancylostoma caninum].
AB  - Infections with Ancylostoma caninum are transmitted orally or percutaneously. The
      transmission of infectious stages with the milk of particular importance for the
      distribution of the species. It occurs during the dissemination of larvae that
      follows every infection as well as after reactivation of resting somatic larvae
      in the bitch at the end of the pregnancy. The galactogenic transmission of larvae
      occurs even when, due to existing immunity, no patent infections develop in the
      bitch. Immunity does not or only to a low extent influence impatient infections
      or the migration of reactivated somatic larvae. It also allows a limited
      reestablishment of a deposit of larvae in the bitch. Following percutaneous
      infection dermatitis occurs in the area of larval penetration and the lung is
      affected by migrating larvae. Intestinal stages of Ancylostoma caninum damage the
      host by ingestion of the mucosa of the small intestine and withdrawal of blood.
      Main symptoms of ancylostomiasis are a mucous haemorrhagic diarrhoea and anaemia,
      that become visible 8 to 10 days post infection. The examination for impatient
      infections with Ancylostoma caninum can be done by immunofluorescence and ELISA.
      With both methods antibodies against third stage larvae can be detected from the
      first or second week post infection onward. Patent infections with Ancylostoma
      caninum can easily be detected by faecal examination for the presence of the
      characteristic oval, thin-walled eggs containing few blastomeres. Galactogenic
      infections with Ancylostoma caninum can be prevented or reduced by a regular
      treatment of the bitch with albendazole, fenbendazole or oxfendazole during the
      activation of larvae in the last third of the pregnancy or by repeated treatment
      with ivermectin shortly before and after birth. To prevent patent infections,
      galactogenic infected puppies have to be treated early and repeatedly.

PMID- 1425325
TI  - [Toxic effects in rabbits after immunization against the pyrrolizidine alkaloid
      retrorsine].
AB  - Six rabbits were immunized against the pyrrolizidine alkaloid retrorsin,
      conjugated to bovine serum albumin. Seven i.v. inoculations were distributed over
      a period of half a year. The total antigen dose differed between animals. Towards
      the end of the experiment all animals (except 2 receiving the lowest antigen
      dose) suffered from apathy, anorexia and loss of body weight. Pathologically
      these symptoms correlated well with liver cirrhosis, gradually dependent on the
      total antigen dose. Blood-chemical parameters were disparate and contradictory.

PMID- 1425326
TI  - [Husbandry factors causing morphologic abnormalities in poultry meat (broilers)].
AB  - Zootechnical events affect the state of slaughtered poultry. Data from the
      literature are compiled. From this point of view monitoring of environmental
      parameters and morphological findings observed in the slaughterhouse can help in
      detecting faults in the fattening period. An approach like this would contribute
      to quality control in broiler meat production.

PMID- 1425327
TI  - [The immunization of pheasants against Newcastle disease].
AB  - ND-Adsorbatvakzine "Dessau" and Lasovak are well effective and tolerated in
      pheasants as immuno-prophylactic methods against Newcastle disease infection.
      Lasovak produces higher titres of antibodies and better rates of protection. The
      antibodies are created quicker too and reduced more slowly. There is no
      correlation between the average of antibody level and rate of protection after
      experimental infection. Even if antibodies are not demonstrable in
      hemagglutination inhibition test there is still existing a satisfactory
      protection. After two vaccinations in the age of chickens in 3 to 4 weeks
      interval and repetition after always 16 weeks pheasants can be protected
      effectively for the rearing and breeding seasons.

PMID- 1425328
TI  - [Effects of lowest levels of drugs--a contribution to homeopathy research].
AB  - After oral administration of homoeopathically prepared low-dose-amounts of Conium
      and Mercury phosphate to male Wistar rats enzymatic parameters were investigated
      in three subcellular compartments of the liver under blind conditions. 1. After
      seven single application of the substance amount referring to a D8 potency a
      maximum effect could be detected for both agents. 2. The relation between agent
      and magnitude of the provoked effect is not linear. 3. The importance of these
      results is discussed and integrated into a general context.

PMID- 1425329
TI  - [Evaluation from a food regulatory aspect of tuberculous slaughtered cattle at
      the end of the 18th century--together with a study of the position of the
      veterinarian in public service at that time].
AB  - A decree of the Hannoverian sovereign GEORGE III passed in 1787 regarding the
      treatment of slaughtering cattle affected with tuberculous changes of the pleura
      is presented. Special emphasis is placed on the practice of food hygiene at that
      time and on the fact that the veterinarian was regarded an equal expert compared
      to the physician.

PMID- 1425330
TI  - [Short report: rinderpest in Turkey 1991/92].

PMID- 1425331
TI  - Asymmetrical retinoic acid synthesis in the dorsoventral axis of the retina.
AB  - An aldehyde dehydrogenase present at high levels in the dorsal retina of the
      embryonic and adult mouse was identified as the isoform AHD-2 known to oxidize
      retinaldehyde to retinoic acid. Comparative estimates of retinoic acid levels
      with a reporter cell line placed the retinas among the richest tissues in the
      entire body of the early embryo; levels in ventral retina, however, exceeded
      dorsal levels. Retinoic acid synthesis from retinaldehyde in the dorsal pathway
      was less effective than the ventral pathway at low substrate levels and more
      effective at high levels. The dorsal pathway was preferentially inhibited by
      disulfiram, while ventral synthesis was preferentially inhibited by p
      hydroxymercuribenzoate. When protein fractions separated by isoelectric focusing
      were analyzed for retinoic acid synthesizing capacity by a zymography-bioassay,
      most of the synthesis in dorsal retina was found to be mediated by AHD-2, and
      ventral synthesis was mediated by dehydrogenase activities distinct in charge
      from AHD-2. Postnatally, levels of highest retinoic acid synthesis shifted from
      ventral to dorsal retina. In the adult retina, the dorsal pathway persisted, but
      the preferential ventral pathway was no longer detectable. Our observations raise
      the possibility that retinoic acid plays a role in the determination and
      maintenance of the dorsoventral axis of the retina, and that the
      morphogenetically significant asymmetry here lies in the spatial arrangement of
      synthetic pathways.

PMID- 1425332
TI  - beta-D xyloside alters dermatan sulfate proteoglycan synthesis and the
      organization of the developing avian corneal stroma.
AB  - Corneal transparency is dependent upon the development of an organized
      extracellular matrix containing small diameter collagen fibrils with regular
      spacing, organized as orthogonal lamellae. Proteoglycan-collagen interactions
      have been implicated in the regulation of collagen fibrillogenesis and matrix
      assembly. To determine the role of dermatan sulfate proteoglycan in the
      development and organization of the secondary corneal stroma, its synthesis was
      disrupted using beta-D xyloside. The secondary corneal stroma contains two
      different proteoglycans, dermatan sulfate and keratan sulfate proteoglycan. beta
      D xyloside interferes with xylose-mediated O-linked proteoglycan synthesis, and
      thus disrupts dermatan sulfate proteoglycan synthesis. Corneal keratan sulfate
      proteoglycan, a mannose-mediated N-linked proteoglycan, should not be altered.
      Biochemical analysis of corneas treated both in vitro and in ovo revealed a
      reduced synthesis of normally glycosylated dermatan sulfate proteoglycans and an
      increased synthesis of free xyloside-dermatan sulfate glycosaminoglycans. Keratan
      sulfate proteoglycan synthesis was unaltered in both cases. Corneal stromas were
      studied using histochemistry and electron microscopy after in ovo treatment with
      beta-D xyloside. The observed biochemical alterations in dermatan sulfate
      proteoglycans translated into disruptions in the organization of beta-D xyloside
      treated stromas. There was a reduction in the histochemical staining of
      proteoglycans, but no alteration in collagen fibril diameter. In addition, focal
      alterations in collagen fibril packing, and a disruption of lamellar organization
      were observed in beta-D xyloside-treated corneas. These data suggest that
      dermatan sulfate proteoglycans are not involved in the regulation of corneal
      collagen fibril diameter, but are important in the fibril-fibril spacing as well
      as in lamellar organization, and cohesiveness.

PMID- 1425333
TI  - A transgene containing lacZ is expressed in primary sensory neurons in zebrafish.
AB  - In order to screen for developmentally active chromosomal domains during
      zebrafish embryogenesis, we generated transgenic fish by microinjecting two
      different lacZ reporter constructs into fertilized eggs. Transgenic fish were
      screened among the progeny of injected fish (F0) crossed to non-injected fish.
      Groups of 15 to 20 progeny of each cross were tested for lacZ expression and/or
      transmission of injected sequences using PCR and Southern hybridizations. Progeny
      from 2 of 102 fish injected with supercoiled constructs containing Rous sarcoma
      virus promoter sequences showed apparently spatially regulated beta-galactosidase
      (beta-Gal) activity. However, we were not able to detect this reporter construct
      in DNA from fins of F1 fish. Injections of a linear reporter construct containing
      mouse heat-shock promoter sequences revealed transmission of injected sequences
      to F1 progeny in about 6% of cases (8 of 129 fish, tested with PCR). We found one
      lacZ-expressing line that showed a spatially and temporally restricted expression
      of lacZ and, therefore, features typical characteristics of "enhancer trap"
      lines. In this line, lacZ expression starts at 16 hours post-fertilization in
      trigeminal ganglion cells. At about 24 hours lacZ expression can be detected in
      trigeminal ganglion neurons and Rohon-Beard neurons, indicating that the
      development of these two cell types shows common features. The reporter gene has
      integrated as a single copy. The founder fish was mosaic: 19% of its offspring (3
      of 16 tested animals) carried the reporter construct in their fins; about 51% (13
      of 27 tested animals) of the progeny of F1 fish were beta-Gal positive indicating
      full hemizygosity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425335
TI  - Analysis of Xwnt-4 in embryos of Xenopus laevis: a Wnt family member expressed in
      the brain and floor plate.
AB  - This study characterizes the temporal and spatial expression during early Xenopus
      development of Xwnt-4, a member of the Wnt gene family. The Xwnt-4 protein
      contains all of the sequence motifs that are hallmarks of the Wnt gene family and
      is 84% identical to the mouse homolog, Wnt-4. The highest level of Xwnt-4
      expression occurs during the early neurula stage of development although its
      expression persists throughout embryogenesis and can be found in the adult
      testis, brain and epithelium. Consistent with its localization to head and dorsal
      regions of microdissected embryos, the expression of Xwnt-4 is enhanced in
      anterodorsalized embryos resulting from treatment with LiCl, and the expression
      of Xwnt-4 is suppressed in UV-ventralized embryos that lack anterior neural
      tissue. These results suggested that expression of Xwnt-4 is dependent on the
      induction of neural tissue. This idea was tested using induction experiments with
      dorsal or ventral ectoderm from a stage 10 embryo, recombined with dorsal
      marginal zone mesoderm from the same embryo. Recombinant tissue and ectoderm
      alone were cultured until stage 14, when Xwnt-4 expression was assayed using
      Northern analysis. In the recombinant assay, Xwnt-4 expression does not occur in
      the uninduced ectoderm but is expressed in both the dorsal and ventral
      recombinants. Xwnt-4 expression in neural ectoderm was confirmed in isolated,
      induced neural ectoderm, dissected away from the dorsal mesoderm, in a stage 12.5
      embryo. Whole-mount in situ hybridization confirmed the dissection studies and
      demonstrated that Xwnt-4 transcripts are expressed in the dorsal midline of the
      midbrain, hindbrain and the floor plate of the neural tube. Collectively, the
      data indicate that Xwnt-4 is a unique member of the Wnt family whose expression
      is dependent on neural induction. The specific pattern of expression following
      neural induction suggests that Xwnt-4 plays a role in the early patterning events
      responsible in the formation of the nervous system in Xenopus.

PMID- 1425334
TI  - Spatial and temporal expression of an epithelial mucin, Muc-1, during mouse
      development.
AB  - The Muc-1 mucin is found as a transmembrane protein in the apical surface of
      glandular epithelia. To provide insight into possible functions, we have assessed
      the timing of expression and the distribution of the Muc-1 protein during mouse
      embryogenesis using three different techniques: RT-PCR, northern blots and
      immunohistochemistry. Our results indicate that Muc-1 expression correlates with
      epithelial differentiation in stomach, pancreas, lung, trachea, kidney and
      salivary glands. Once started, Muc-1 synthesis continually increases with time,
      mainly due to epithelial area growth. Our data suggest that expression of the Muc
      1 gene is under spatial and temporal control during organogenesis. Although Muc-1
      is present in different organs, its expression is not induced systemically, but
      according to the particular onset of epithelial polarization and branching
      morphogenesis of each individual organ. It is of particular interest that Muc-1
      protein can be detected lining the apical surfaces of the developing lumens when
      the epithelium of these organs is still undergoing folding and branching, and
      glandular activity has not yet started. We speculate that Muc-1 may participate
      in epithelial sheet differentiation/lumen formation during early development of
      the organs known to express it. This speculation is based on: (1) the detection
      of Muc-1 expression early during organogenesis, (2) the defined apical
      localization in different epithelia, (3) the decrease in cell-cell interactions
      when Muc-1 protein is highly expressed and (4) the possible interaction of its
      cytoplasmic tail with the actin cytoskeleton. However, it remains to be
      established using in vitro systems, whether the temporal and local expression of
      the Muc-1 gene coincident with the morphogenetic events described here is
      relevant for the process.

PMID- 1425336
TI  - Isolation and expression of two novel Wnt/wingless gene homologues in Drosophila.
AB  - Wingless (wg), the Drosophila homologue of the mouse Wnt-1 proto-oncogene, is a
      segment polarity gene essential in each segment for normal Drosophila
      development. We here report the isolation of two novel Drosophila Wnt homologues,
      DWnt-2 and DWnt-3, and thus the existence of a Wnt/wingless gene family in
      Drosophila. DWnt-2 and DWnt-3 map to chromosome 2 position 45E and chromosome X
      position 17A/B, respectively. DWnt-2 and DWnt-3, like the other known Wnt genes,
      encode amino-terminal signal peptides suggesting that the gene products are
      secreted proteins. The putative translation product of DWnt-2 and the carboxy
      terminal half of the deduced DWnt-3 product are both rich in conserved cysteine
      residues. In comparison with other Wnt gene products, mostly about 40 x 10(3)
      relative molecular mass, the DWnt-3 protein has an extended amino terminus and a
      long internal insert, and its predicted relative molecular mass is 113 x 10(3).
      The expression patterns of these two Wnt/wg homologues are dynamic during
      Drosophila embryogenesis. The distribution of DWnt-2 transcripts is predominantly
      segmented, with the additional presence of transcripts in the presumptive gonads.
      Transcripts of both DWnt-2 and DWnt-3 appear to be associated with limb primordia
      in the embryo and may therefore specify limb development. DWnt-3 is also
      expressed in mesodermal and neurogenic regions. The distribution of DWnt-3
      transcripts in cells of the central nervous system (CNS) during Drosophila
      embryogenesis suggests that DWnt-3 could be involved in CNS development.

PMID- 1425337
TI  - Analysis of glia cell differentiation in the developing chick peripheral nervous
      system: sensory and sympathetic satellite cells express different cell surface
      antigens.
AB  - To identify and analyse precursor cells of neuronal and glial cell lineages
      during the early development of the chick peripheral nervous system, monoclonal
      antibodies were raised against a population of undifferentiated cells of E6
      dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Non-neuronal cells of E6 DRG express surface antigens
      that are recognized by four monoclonal antibodies, G1, G2, GLI 1 and GLI 2. The
      proportion of non-neuronal cells in DRG that express the GLI 1 antigen is very
      high during ganglion formation (80% at E4) and decreases during later development
      (15% at E14). GLI 2 antigen is expressed only on a minority of the cells at E6
      and increases with development. The G1 and G2 antigens are expressed on about 60
      80% of the cells between E6 and E14. All cells that express the established glia
      marker O4 are also positive for the new antigens. In addition, it was
      demonstrated that GLI 1-positive cells from early DRG, which are devoid of O4
      antigen, could be induced in vitro to express the O4 antigen. Thus, the antigen
      positive cells are considered as glial cells or glial precursor cells.
      Surprisingly, the antigen expression by satellite cells of peripheral ganglia is
      dependent on the type of ganglion: antigens G1, G2 and GLI 1 were not detectable
      on glial cells of lumbosacral sympathetic ganglia and GLI 2 was expressed only by
      a small subpopulation. These results demonstrate an early immunological
      difference between satellite cells of sensory DRG and sympathetic
      ganglia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425338
TI  - Gynandromorphs of Drosophila suggest one common primordium for the somatic cells
      of the female and male gonads in the region of abdominal segments 4 and 5.
AB  - In mosaic gonads of gynandromorphs of Drosophila, the amount of female and the
      amount of male somatic tissues add up to roughly one unit. This suggests that the
      somatic component of the gonads in males and females derives from a single common
      primordium, i.e. testes and ovaries appear to be homologous. Fate-mapping places
      this primordium ventrally of the sternites into the mesodermal region of the
      fourth and fifth abdominal segment. This location is corroborated by the
      observation that defects in and around abdominal segment 4 and absence of the
      gonads are strongly correlated in animals damaged by the mutation osk301. Gonads
      were mosaic with a frequency of 10.5% which indicates that the gonadal primordium
      originates from about 10 progenitor cells, and together with other evidence,
      suggests that these progenitor cells are located within a single segment (or
      parasegment).

PMID- 1425339
TI  - PDGF receptors in the rat CNS: during late neurogenesis, PDGF alpha-receptor
      expression appears to be restricted to glial cells of the oligodendrocyte
      lineage.
AB  - Using in situ hybridization, we have visualized cells in the rat central nervous
      system (CNS) that contain mRNA encoding the platelet-derived growth factor alpha
      receptor (PDGF-alpha R). After embryonic day 16 (E16), PDGF-alpha R mRNA appears
      to be expressed by a subset of glial cells, but not by neurons. The temporal and
      spatial distribution of PDGF-alpha R+ cells, together with 125I-PDGF binding
      studies on subsets of glial cells in vitro, suggests that PDGF-alpha R may be
      expressed predominantly, or exclusively, by cells of the oligodendrocyte-type-2
      astrocyte (O-2A) lineage. This conclusion is supported by the fact that the
      numbers of PDGF-alpha R+ cells in developing and adult optic nerves correlate
      well with independent estimates of the number of O-2A progenitor cells in the
      nerve at equivalent ages. Small numbers of PDGF-alpha R+ cells are present in the
      brain at E16, at which time they are found outside the subventricular germinal
      zones, suggesting that these cells do not express PDGF-alpha R until after, or
      shortly before they start to migrate away from the subventricular layer towards
      their final destinations. Reduced numbers of PDGF-alpha R+ cells persist in the
      adult CNS. PDGF-alpha R is also expressed strongly in the meningeal membranes and
      choroid plexus, and in the inner limiting membrane of the retina.

PMID- 1425340
TI  - Bone morphogenetic protein 4: a ventralizing factor in early Xenopus development.
AB  - The mesoderm of amphibian embryos such as Xenopus laevis arises through an
      inductive interaction in which cells of the vegetal hemisphere of the embryo act
      on overlying equatorial and animal pole cells. Three classes of 'mesoderm
      inducing factor' (MIF) that might be responsible for this interaction in vivo
      have been discovered. These are members of the transforming growth factor type
      beta (TGF-beta), fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and Wnt families. Among the most
      potent MIFs are the activins, members of the TGF-beta family, but RNA for activin
      A and B is not detectable in the Xenopus embryo until neurula and late blastula
      stages, respectively, and this is probably too late for the molecules to act as
      natural inducers. In this paper, we use the polymerase chain reaction to clone
      additional members of the TGF-beta family that might possess mesoderm-inducing
      activity. We show that transcripts encoding Xenopus bone morphogenetic protein 4
      (XBMP-4) are detectable in the unfertilized egg, and that injection of XBMP-4 RNA
      into the animal hemisphere of Xenopus eggs causes animal caps isolated from the
      resulting blastulae to express mesoderm-specific markers. Surprisingly, however,
      XBMP-4 preferentially induces ventral mesoderm, whereas the closely related
      activin induces axial tissues. Furthermore, the action of XBMP-4 is 'dominant'
      over that of activin. In this respect, XBMP-4 differs from basic FGF, another
      ventral inducer, where simultaneous treatment with FGF and activin results in
      activin-like responses. The dominance of XBMP-4 over activin may account for the
      ability of injected XBMP-4 RNA to 'ventralize' whole Xenopus embryos. It is
      interesting, however, that blastopore formation in such embryos can occur
      perfectly normally. This contrasts with embryos ventralized by UV-irradiation and
      suggests that XBMP-4-induced ventralization occurs after the onset of
      gastrulation.

PMID- 1425341
TI  - Cultured dermal papilla cells induce follicle formation and hair growth by
      transdifferentiation of an adult epidermis.
AB  - Adult rat pelage follicle dermal papilla cells induced follicle neogenesis and
      external hair growth when associated with adult footpad skin epidermis. They thus
      demonstrated a capacity to completely change the structural arrangement and gene
      expression of adult epidermis--an ability previously undocumented for cultured
      adult cells. Isolation chambers ensured that de novo follicle formation must have
      occurred by eliminating the possibility of cellular contributions, and/or
      inductive influences, from local skin follicles. These findings argue against
      previous suggestions of vibrissa follicle specificity, and imply that the
      potential for hair follicle induction may be common to all adult papilla cells.

PMID- 1425342
TI  - Activation of the easter zymogen is regulated by five other genes to define
      dorsal-ventral polarity in the Drosophila embryo.
AB  - The product of the Drosophila easter gene, a member of the trypsin family of
      serine proteases, must be more active ventrally than dorsally to promote normal
      embryonic polarity. The majority of the easter protein in the embryo is present
      in the unprocessed zymogen form and appears to be evenly distributed in the
      extracellular space, indicating that the asymmetric activity of wild-type easter
      must arise post-translationally. A dominant mutant form of easter that does not
      require cleavage of the zymogen for activity (ea delta N) is active both dorsally
      and ventrally. The ea delta N mutant bypasses the requirement for five other
      maternal effect genes, indicating that these five genes exert their effects on
      dorsal-ventral patterning solely by controlling the activation of the easter
      zymogen. We propose that dorsal-ventral asymmetry is initiated by a ventrally
      localized molecule in the vitelline membrane that nucleates an easter zymogen
      activation complex, leading to the production of ventrally active easter enzyme.

PMID- 1425343
TI  - DVR-4 (bone morphogenetic protein-4) as a posterior-ventralizing factor in
      Xenopus mesoderm induction.
AB  - Establishment of mesodermal tissues in the amphibian body involves a series of
      inductive interactions probably elicited by a variety of peptide growth factors.
      Results reported here suggest that mesodermal patterning involves an array of
      signalling molecules including DVR-4, a TGF-beta-like molecule. We show that
      ectopic expression of DVR-4 causes embryos to develop with an overall posterior
      and/or ventral character, and that DVR-4 induces ventral types of mesoderm in
      animal cap explants. Moreover, DVR-4 overrides the dorsalizing effects of
      activin. DVR-4 is therefore the first molecule reported both to induce
      posteroventral mesoderm and to counteract dorsalizing signals such as activin.
      Possible interactions between these molecules resulting in establishment of the
      embryonic body plan are discussed.

PMID- 1425344
TI  - A maternal factor, OZ-1, activates embryonic transcription of the Xenopus laevis
      GS17 gene.
AB  - We describe the identification of an enhancer sequence and a sequence-specific
      DNA-binding protein required for developmental expression of the Xenopus laevis
      GS17 gene. Using microinjection of recombinant plasmids into fertilized frog
      eggs, we have shown that a 14 base pair CT-rich sequence element, normally
      located about 700 bases upstream of the GS17 promoter, is sufficient to activate
      transcription of a heterologous reporter gene in gastrula stage embryos. This
      regulatory element has been called the OZ sequence. Sequences closely related to
      OZ are located in the promoter regions of several other genes expressed during
      Xenopus development. Extracts prepared from Xenopus embryos show the presence of
      a DNA-binding factor, OZ-1, that specifically recognizes the OZ sequence.
      Mutations within the OZ element that abolish OZ-1 binding also abolish enhancer
      activity. The OZ-1 factor contains at least two proteins of approximate M(r) 76 x
      10(3) and 100 x 10(3). The sequence-specific binding activity accumulates during
      oogenesis and remains present at approximately constant levels throughout early
      development.

PMID- 1425345
TI  - The neural tube/notochord complex is necessary for vertebral but not limb and
      body wall striated muscle differentiation.
AB  - The aim of this work was to investigate the role played by the axial organs,
      neural tube and notochord, on the differentiation of muscle cells from the
      somites in the avian embryo. Two of us have previously shown that neuralectomy
      and notochordectomy is followed by necrosis of the somites and consecutive
      absence of vertebrae and of most muscle cells derived from the myotomes while the
      limbs develop normally with muscles. Here we have focused our attention on muscle
      cell differentiation by using the 13F4 mAb that recognizes a cytoplasmic antigen
      specific of all types of muscle cells. We show that differentiation of muscle
      cells of myotomes can occur in the absence of notochord and neural tube provided
      that the somites from which they are derived have been in contact with the axial
      organs for a defined period of time, about 10 hours for the first somites formed
      at the cervical level, a duration that progressively reduces caudalward (i.e. for
      thoracic and lumbar somites). Either one or the other of the two axial organs,
      the neural tube or the notochord can prevent somitic cell death and fulfill the
      requirements for myotomal muscle cell differentiation. Separation of the neural
      tube/notochord complex from the somites by a surgical slit on one side of the
      embryo gave the same results as extirpation of these organs and provided a
      perfect control on the non-operated side. A striking finding was that limb and
      body wall muscles, although derived from the somites, differentiated in the
      absence of the axial organs. However, limb muscles that develop after excision of
      the neural tube started to degenerate from E10 onward due to lack of innervation.
      In vitro explantation of somites from different axial levels confirmed and
      defined precisely the chronology of muscle cell commitment in the myotomes as
      revealed by the in vivo experiments.

PMID- 1425346
TI  - Synaptic basal lamina contains a signal for synapse-specific transcription.
AB  - Nuclei in the synaptic region of multinucleated skeletal myofibers are
      transcriptionally distinct, since acetylcholine receptor genes are transcribed at
      a high rate by these nuclei, but not by nuclei elsewhere in the myofiber.
      Although this spatially restricted transcription pattern is presumably imposed by
      the motor nerve, the continuous presence of the nerve is not required, since
      synapse-specific transcription persists after denervation. These results suggest
      either that a transcriptional signal persists at synaptic sites after nerve
      terminals have degenerated, or that a transcriptional pattern in the myofiber,
      once established, is stable in the absence of a nerve-derived signal. To
      distinguish between these possibilities, we denervated muscle and damaged the
      myofibers and specialized cells located near synaptic sites, and then studied
      transcription of an acetylcholine receptor gene in myofibers that regenerated in
      their original basal lamina sheaths, but remained denervated. We show that
      synapse-specific transcription is re-induced in these regenerated myofibers, and
      we conclude that a signal for synapse-specific transcription is stably maintained
      in the synaptic basal lamina.

PMID- 1425347
TI  - Ventral ectoderm of Xenopus forms neural tissue, including hindbrain, in response
      to activin.
AB  - The peptide growth factor Activin A has been shown to induce complete axial
      structures in explanted blastula animal caps. However, it is not understood how
      much this response to activin depends upon early signals that prepattern the
      ectoderm. We have therefore asked what tissues can be induced in blastula animal
      caps by activin in the absence of early dorsal signals. Using whole-mount in situ
      hybridization, we compare the expression of three neural markers, N-CAM, En-2 and
      Krox-20 in activin-treated ectoderm from control and ventralized embryos. In
      response to activin, both normal and ventralized animal caps frequently form
      neural tissue (and express N-CAM) and express the hindbrain marker Krox-20.
      However, the more anterior marker, En-2, is expressed in only a small fraction of
      normal animal caps and rarely in ventralized animal caps; the frequency of
      expression does not increase with higher doses of activin. In all cases En-2 and
      Krox-20 are expressed in coherent patches or stripes in the induced caps.
      Although mesoderm is induced in both control and ventralized animal caps,
      notochord is found in response to activin at moderate frequency in control caps,
      but rarely in ventralized animal caps. These results support the idea that in the
      absence of other signals, activin treatment elicits hindbrain but not notochord
      or anterior neural tissue; and thus, the anterior and dorsal extent of tissues
      formed in response to activin depends on a prior prepatterning or previous
      inductions.

PMID- 1425348
TI  - Activin can generate ectopic axial structures in chick blastoderm explants.
AB  - We have recently shown that activin can induce the formation of axial structures
      from chick blastulae and that activin beta-B is transcribed, in the hypoblast of
      the chick, at the same stage that axial mesoderm is being induced. It was not
      clear, however, whether activin was merely allowing the central epiblastic cells
      to express a differentiated phenotype for which they were already prepared. This
      report shows that activin-containing medium (ACM) can act as an instructive
      inductor, which can change the fate of competent cells and bring about the
      formation of an ectopic embryonic axis. Furthermore, we show data that suggest
      that during normal development only one axis is obtained as a result of a
      carefully controlled inhibitory process.

PMID- 1425349
TI  - Developmental expression of the Xenopus int-2 (FGF-3) gene: activation by
      mesodermal and neural induction.
AB  - We have used a probe specific for the Xenopus homologue of the mammalian proto
      oncogene int-2 (FGF-3) to examine the temporal and spatial expression pattern of
      the gene during Xenopus development. int-2 is expressed from just before the
      onset of gastrulation through to prelarval stages. In the early gastrula, it is
      expressed around the blastopore lip. This is maintained in the posterior third of
      the prospective mesoderm and neuroectoderm in the neurula. A second expression
      domain in the anterior third of the neuroectoderm alone appears in the late
      gastrula, which later resolves into the optic vesicles, hypothalamus and midbrain
      hindbrain junction region. Further domains of expression arise in tailbud to
      prelarval embryos, including the stomodeal mesenchyme, the endoderm of the
      pharyngeal pouches and the cranial ganglia flanking the otocyst. It is shown, by
      treatment of blastula ectoderm with bFGF and activin, that int-2 can be expressed
      in response to mesoderm induction. By heterotypic grafting of gastrula ectoderm
      into axolotl neural plate, we have also demonstrated that int-2 can be expressed
      in response to neural induction. These results suggest that int-2 has multiple
      functions in development, including an early role in patterning of the
      anteroposterior body axis and a later role in the development of the tail, brain
      derived structures and other epithelia.

PMID- 1425350
TI  - The somitogenetic potential of cells in the primitive streak and the tail bud of
      the organogenesis-stage mouse embryo.
AB  - The developmental potency of cells isolated from the primitive streak and the
      tail bud of 8.5- to 13.5-day-old mouse embryos was examined by analyzing the
      pattern of tissue colonization after transplanting these cells to the primitive
      streak of 8.5-day embryos. Cells derived from these progenitor tissues
      contributed predominantly to tissues of the paraxial and lateral mesoderm. Cells
      isolated from older embryos could alter their segmental fate and participated in
      the formation of anterior somites after transplantation to the primitive streak
      of 8.5-day host embryo. There was, however, a developmental lag in the
      recruitment of the transplanted cells to the paraxial mesoderm and this lag
      increased with the extent of mismatch of developmental ages between donor and
      host embryos. It is postulated that certain forms of cell-cell or cell-matrix
      interaction are involved in the specification of segmental units and that there
      may be age-related variations in the interactive capability of the somitic
      progenitor cells during development. Tail bud mesenchyme isolated from 13.5-day
      embryos, in which somite formation will shortly cease, was still capable of
      somite formation after transplantation to 8.5-day embryos. The cessation of
      somite formation is therefore likely to result from a change in the tissue
      environment in the tail bud rather than a loss of cellular somitogenetic potency.

PMID- 1425352
TI  - Expression pattern of Motch, a mouse homolog of Drosophila Notch, suggests an
      important role in early postimplantation mouse development.
AB  - The Notch gene of Drosophila encodes a large transmembrane protein involved in
      cell-cell interactions and cell fate decisions in the Drosophila embryo. To
      determine if a gene homologous to Drosophila Notch plays a role in early mouse
      development, we screened a mouse embryo cDNA library with probes from the Xenopus
      Notch homolog, Xotch. A partial cDNA clone encoding the mouse Notch homolog,
      which we have termed Motch, was used to analyze expression of the Motch gene.
      Motch transcripts were detected in a wide variety of adult tissues, which
      included derivatives of all three germ layers. Differentiation of P19 embryonal
      carcinoma cells into neuronal cell types resulted in increased expression of
      Motch RNA. In the postimplantation mouse embryo Motch transcripts were first
      detected in mesoderm at 7.5 days post coitum (dpc). By 8.5 dpc, transcript levels
      were highest in presomitic mesoderm, mesenchyme and endothelial cells, while much
      lower levels were detected in neuroepithelium. In contrast, at 9.5 dpc,
      neuroepithelium was a major site of Motch expression. Transcripts were also
      abundant in cell types derived from neural crest. These data suggest that the
      Motch gene plays multiple roles in patterning and differentiation of the early
      postimplantation mouse embryo.

PMID- 1425351
TI  - Developmental regulation of villin gene expression in the epithelial cell
      lineages of mouse digestive and urogenital tracts.
AB  - The expression of villin, an actin-binding protein and major structural component
      of the brush border of specialized absorptive cells, was studied during mouse
      embryogenesis. We show that the ontogeny of villin expression is limited to the
      epithelial cell lineages of the digestive and uro-genital tracts and accounts for
      the tissue-specific expression observed in adult mice. This spatiotemporal
      pattern of villin expression is distinctive in sequence, intensity, regional
      distribution and polarization. During the development of the primitive gut,
      villin is faintly and discontinuously expressed in the invaginating foregut but
      it is expressed in every cell bordering the hindgut pocket. Later, villin
      expression increases along the developing intestine and concentrates in the brush
      border of the epithelium bordering the villi. In gut derivatives, villin is
      present in liver and pancreas primordia but only biliary and pancreatic cells
      maintain a faint villin expression as observed in adults. In the urogenital
      tract, mesonephric tubules are the first mesodermal derived structures to express
      villin. This expression is maintained in the ductuli efferents, paradidymis and
      epoophoron. Villin then appears in the proximal metanephric tubules and later
      increases and concentrates in the brush border of the renal proximal tubular
      epithelial cells. Thus villin expression can be considered as an early marker of
      the endodermal cell lineage during the development of the digestive system.
      Conversely, during the development of the excretory and genital system, villin is
      only expressed after the mesenchyme/epithelium conversion following the
      appearance of tubular structures. These observations emphasize the multiple
      levels of regulation of villin gene activity that occur during mouse
      embryogenesis and account for the strict pattern of tissue-specific expression
      observed in adults. In the future, regulatory elements of the villin gene may be
      used to target the early expression of oncogenes to the digestive and urogenital
      tracts of transgenic mice.

PMID- 1425353
TI  - Ectopic sensory neurons in mutant cockroaches compete with normal cells for
      central targets.
AB  - The cercus of the first instar cockroach, Periplaneta americana, bears two
      filiform hairs, lateral (L) and medial (M), each of which is innervated by a
      single sensory neuron. These project into the terminal ganglion of the CNS where
      they make synaptic connections with a number of ascending interneurons. We have
      discovered mutant animals that have more hairs on the cercus; the most typical
      phenotype, called "Space Invader" (SI), has an extra filiform hair in a proximo
      lateral position on one of the cerci. The afferent neuron of this supernumerary
      hair (SIN) "invades the space" occupied by L in the CNS and makes similar
      synaptic connections to giant interneurons (GIs). SIN and L compete for these
      synaptic targets: the size of the L EPSP in a target interneuron GI3 is
      significantly reduced in the presence of SIN. Morphometric analysis of the L
      afferent in the presence or absence of SIN shows no anatomical concomitant of
      competition. Ablation of L afferent allows SIN to increase the size of its
      synaptic input to GI3. Less frequently in the mutant population, we find animals
      with a supernumerary medical (SuM) sensillum. Its afferent projects to the same
      neuropilar region as the M afferent, makes the same set of synaptic connections
      to GIs, and competes with M for these synaptic targets. The study of these
      competitive interactions between identified afferents and identified target
      interneurons reveals some of the dynamic processes that go on in normal
      development to shape the nervous system.

PMID- 1425354
TI  - Developmental regulation of chromatin composition during mouse embryogenesis:
      somatic histone H1 is first detectable at the 4-cell stage.
AB  - We have examined the distribution of histone H1 in oocytes and preimplantation
      embryos of the mouse, using a polyclonal antibody raised against the histone H1
      subtypes present in somatic cells. Immunofluorescence and immunoblotting analyses
      failed to detect somatic histone H1 in germinal vesicle (GV)-stage oocytes. In
      contrast, somatic histone H1 was detectable by immunofluorescence in the nuclei
      of GV oocytes previously injected with histone H1 as well as the nuclei of
      ovarian granulosa cells, and by immunoblotting in 8-cell embryos. 1- and 2-cell
      embryos examined by immunofluorescence did not contain detectable somatic histone
      H1. At the early 4-cell stage (54-56 hours post-hCG), 5 of 52 embryos contained
      somatic histone H1 in one or more nuclei. By the late 4-cell stage (66-68 hours
      post-hCG), however, 58 of 62 embryos contained somatic histone H1. In 8-cell
      embryos, morulae and blastocysts, all nuclei contained somatic histone H1 in
      every case. When embryos were exposed to the transcriptional inhibitor, alpha
      amanitin, beginning at the late 2-cell stage, they cleaved to the 4-cell stage
      but fewer than 10% developed histone H1 immunoreactivity. When treatment began at
      the early 4-cell stage, the embryos that remained at the 4-cell stage in the
      presence of the drug developed histone H1 immunoreactivity in half of the cases.
      Embryos that reached the 5- to 8-cell stage in the presence of the drug developed
      histone H1 immunoreactivity in every case.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425355
TI  - orthodenticle activity is required for the development of medial structures in
      the larval and adult epidermis of Drosophila.
AB  - Lethal alleles of orthodenticle (= otd) cause abnormalities in the embryonic head
      that reflect an early role in anterior pattern formation. In addition, otd
      activity is required for the development of the larval and adult epidermis.
      Clonal analysis of both viable and lethal alleles shows that the adult
      requirement for otd is restricted to medial regions of certain discs. When otd
      activity is reduced or removed, some medial precursor cells produce bristles and
      cuticle characteristic of more lateral structures. Similar medial defects are
      observed in the larval epidermis of embryos homozygous for lethal otd alleles.
      Antibodies to otd recognize a nuclear protein found at high levels in the medial
      region of the eye antennal discs, the leg discs, the genital discs and along the
      ventral midline of the ventral epidermis of the embryo. These results suggest
      that the otd gene product is required to specify medial cell fates in both the
      larval and adult epidermis.

PMID- 1425356
TI  - Platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) stimulates development of bovine embryos
      during the fourth cell cycle.
AB  - In vitro produced, 2-cell bovine embryos were cultured in serum-free medium
      supplemented with various combinations of growth factors to test the hypothesis
      that these polypeptide factors are able to signal preimplantation development.
      The developmental arrest that occurs during the 8-cell stage with typical culture
      methods might be relieved by a growth factor-dependent mechanism that would
      stimulate expression of the embryonic genome, thereby mimicking events that occur
      in vivo in the oviduct during the fourth cell cycle (8- to 16-cell stage).
      Subsequently, other growth factors might promote compaction and blastulation,
      processes which normally occur in the uterus. The effects of growth factors on
      early embryos were evaluated using phase contrast microscopy to monitor
      progression to the 8-cell stage, completion and duration of the fourth cell
      cycle, and blastocyst formation. Platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) promoted
      development beyond the 16-cell stage in 39.1% of the 2-cell embryos examined in
      all experiments. The duration of the fourth cell cycle among these embryos was
      approximately 26 hours. During development after the 16-cell stage, PDGF reduced
      the proportion of embryos bastulating from 12.7% to 5.8%; in contrast,
      transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha), acting during the same
      developmental time period, increased the proportion of embryos blastulating from
      8.6% to 40.6%. These results, using serum-free medium, indicated that PDGF
      signalled completion of the fourth cell cycle. TGF alpha, and perhaps basic
      fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), promoted blastulation of 16-cell embryos during
      subsequent culture.

PMID- 1425357
TI  - Differential expression of gap junction mRNAs and proteins in the developing
      murine kidney and in experimentally induced nephric mesenchymes.
AB  - The expression of three gap junction (GJ) proteins, alpha 1 (Cx43), beta 1
      (Cx32), and beta 2 (Cx26), and their transcripts were examined during the
      ontogeny of the mouse and rat kidney. These proteins were expressed in two non
      overlapping patterns. The alpha 1 GJ protein was first observed in mesenchymal
      cells in the 12-day mouse kidney. By day 14 and thereafter, the alpha 1 protein
      was detected in the transient S-shaped bodies, but not in the podocytes of the
      maturing glomeruli. After birth the antigen was retained in a small subset of
      secretory tubules. The beta 1 and beta 2 GJ proteins were similar in their
      developmental patterns. They were first detected in a small subset of secretory
      tubules in the subcortical zone of day 17 embryos. These tubules were identified
      by immunohistochemical markers to be proximal. At birth, practically all proximal
      tubules expressed the two antigens. This analysis of GJ proteins was consistent
      with the results of S1 nuclease protection assays showing that, while the alpha 1
      mRNA appeared early during kidney development and declined around birth, the two
      beta mRNAs appeared later and became intensified during the last days of
      intrauterine development. In experimentally induced metanephric mesenchymes, a
      transient expression of the alpha 1 GJ protein was seen during the segregation of
      the tubular anlagen. beta 1 and beta 2 GJ proteins were not detected in such
      induced mesenchymes cultivated up to 7 days. These observations provide evidence
      for the cell-specific utilization of different GJ genes during different stages
      of kidney organogenesis. The alpha 1 gene is activated during the early
      segregation of the secretory tubule and might contribute to its
      compartmentalization, while the beta 1 and beta 2 gene products are not detected
      until advanced stages of development. The latter gene products might be
      correlated with the physiological activity of the proximal tubules in vivo, as
      they are not expressed in experimentally induced tubules detectable with markers
      for proximal tubules.

PMID- 1425358
TI  - The torpedo (DER) receptor tyrosine kinase is required at multiple times during
      Drosophila embryogenesis.
AB  - The torpedo (DER) gene of Drosophila, which encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase of
      the EGF receptor subfamily, is essential for oogenesis, embryogenesis and
      imaginal disc development. To gain insight into the nature of the signals
      transduced by the torpedo product, we have characterized the gene's loss-of
      function phenotype in the embryo. Through the induction of germline clones, we
      provide a genetic demonstration that maternal torpedo product does not contribute
      to zygotic development. Thus, the embryonic lethal phenotypes examined accurately
      reflect the consequences of eliminating all gene activity from the zygote.
      Temperature-shift experiments with the conditional allele topIF26 show that
      torpedo is required at two distinct times during embryonic development: the gene
      is first needed for germband retraction and for the production of anterior,
      posterior and ventral cuticle, then later for the secretion of ventral denticles.
      Since denticle formation can be severely disrupted in topIF26 animals without
      affecting cuticle production, the early and late requirements for torpedo appear
      to be functionally unrelated. torpedo, therefore, is required at multiple times
      in the development of the ventral epidermis, and may transduce qualitatively
      different signals. Since the early requirement for torpedo correlates with the
      first visible defect in embryonic development, increased cell death in the
      amnioserosa, cephalic ectoderm and ventral epidermis, the abnormalities in
      cuticle production and germband shortening seen in the mutant may be secondary
      consequences of a primary defect in cell viability. Given that the onset of cell
      death in torpedo embryos is not preceded by any obvious defects in mitogenesis,
      the establishment of cell identities or the maintenance of gene expression, it is
      possible that torpedo transduces a signal necessary for cell survival per se
      during early embryogenesis. During late embryogenesis, torpedo may mediate the
      reception of a second signal which regulates ventral epidermal cell
      differentiation.

PMID- 1425359
TI  - A developmentally regulated switch in neuronal responsiveness to NCAM and N
      cadherin in the rat hippocampus.
AB  - Monolayers of control 3T3 fibroblasts and 3T3 cells expressing transfected NCAM
      or N-cadherin have been used as a culture substratum for rat hippocampal neurons.
      Both NCAM and N-cadherin are expressed in the hippocampus through embryonic day
      17 (E17) to postnatal day 4 (PND4); however, whereas E17 neurons responded to
      transfected NCAM by extending considerably longer neurites, PND4 neurons
      responded very poorly. The converse was true for responsiveness to N-cadherin.
      These data demonstrate a switch in neuronal responsiveness to NCAM and N-cadherin
      in the developing hippocampus. NCAM-dependent neurite outgrowth from E17 neurons
      was largely dependent on the presence of alpha 2-8-linked polysialic acid (PSA)
      on neuronal NCAM. NCAM-dependent neurite outgrowth could be fully inhibited by
      pertussis toxin or a combination of L- and N-type calcium channel antagonists
      thus providing direct evidence concerning the nature of the second messenger
      pathway activated in primary neurons by cell adhesion molecules (CAMs).

PMID- 1425360
TI  - Use of the accelerating rotarod for assessment of motor performance decrement
      induced by potential anticonvulsant compounds in nerve agent poisoning.
AB  - The accelerating rotarod was used to assess motor performance decrement in rats
      after administration of candidate anticonvulsant compounds (acetazolamide,
      amitriptyline, chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, diazepam-lysine, lorazepam,
      loprazolam, midazolam, phenobarbital and scopolamine) against nerve agent
      poisoning. All compounds were tested as the commercially available injectable
      preparation except for diazepam-lysine and loprazolam, which are not FDA
      approved. A peak effect time, as well as a dose to decrease performance time by
      50% from control (PDD50), was determined. The calculated PDD50 (mumol/kg) values
      and peak effect times were midazolam, 1.16 at 15 min; loprazolam, 1.17 at 15 min;
      diazepam-lysine, 4.17 at 30 min; lorazepam, 4.98 at 15 min; diazepam, 5.27 at 15
      min; phenobarbital, 101.49 at 45 min; chlordiazepoxide, 159.21 at 30 min;
      scopolamine, amitriptyline and acetazolamide did not demonstrate a performance
      decrement at any of the doses tested. The PDD50 values were compared with doses
      which have been utilized against nerve agent-induced convulsions or published
      ED50 values from standard anticonvulsant screening tests (maximal electroshock
      [MES] and subcutaneous pentylenetetrazol [scMET]). The results suggest that at
      anticonvulsant doses against nerve agents, all the benzodiazepines and
      phenobarbital have the potential to cause a performance decrement, whereas
      candidate anticonvulsants of the non-benzodiazepine or non-barbiturate type would
      not be expected to demonstrate this effect on motor performance. It is concluded
      that compounds such as acetazolamide, amitriptyline and scopolamine offer
      alternatives to the highly decrementing benzodiazepines and phenobarbital and
      should be further tested as anticonvulsant candidates against nerve agent
      intoxication.

PMID- 1425362
TI  - Altered activity of hepatic mixed function oxidase, cytochrome P-450 and
      glutathione-S-transferase by styrene in rat fetal liver.
AB  - The effect of in utero exposure to styrene 200 or 400 mg/kg/day orally was
      studied on mixed function oxidase activities, cytochrome P-450 and glutathione
      contents and on the glutathione-S-transferase activity in rat fetal liver.
      Activities of aminopyrene-N-demethylase, aniline hydroxylase, aryl hydrocarbon
      hydroxylase and the cytochrome P-450 contents were significantly decreased in the
      fetal liver. A significant decrease in the glutathione contents and the
      glutathione-S-transferase activity was also observed in the liver of the fetuses
      of styrene exposed animals. The current data show that prenatal exposure to
      styrene could adversely affect the developing biotransformation process.

PMID- 1425361
TI  - Ninety-day toxicity study of chloral hydrate in the Sprague-Dawley rat.
AB  - Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were administered drinking water containing
      300, 600, 1200, or 2400 mg/L chloral hydrate for 90 days. A control group
      received distilled water only. No animals died during the study and no
      differences were observed in body weight gain or food and water consumption,
      except for males at the highest-dose level. Minor treatment-related effects were
      observed for organ weights and hematological parameters and these did not appear
      to be of toxicological significance. Some indications of toxicity were evident in
      the 2400 mg/L male group (equivalent to 168 mg/kg-day) including a significant
      decrease in food and water consumption and in weight gain. In addition,
      histopathological examination of these animals revealed an apparent increase in
      the incidence of focal hepatocellular necrosis. Increases in AST, ALT, and LDH,
      which occurred at several dose levels in males, but particularly at 200 mg/L, are
      consistent with the hepatocellular necrosis of minimal to mild severity diagnosed
      by microscopic examination. These liver changes, except for sporadic enzyme
      changes, were not seen in the female rats which actually consumed higher doses of
      chloral hydrate (e.g., 288 mg/kg-day at 2400 mg/L). On the basis of the mild
      liver toxicity (histopathological and clinical) observed in males at the highest
      doses (168 mg/kg-day), the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) for oral
      exposure of rats to chloral hydrate for 90 days is considered to be 96 mg/kg-day
      (600 mg/L).

PMID- 1425363
TI  - 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid action on in vitro protein synthesis and its
      relation to polyamines.
AB  - The effect of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on the in vitro synthesis of
      proteins was studied in Chinese hamster ovary cells. A remarkable inhibition of
      the synthesis of proteins was observed when cells grew for 24 h in presence of 1
      mM 2,4-D. This effect was reversed by adding 0.1 mM of the three polyamines
      (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) to the cultured cells. The mRNA is not
      altered, indicating that the 2,4-D action is located at a different locus, which
      may be the ribosomes. From these studies, one can speculate that the alterations
      in the protein synthesis may be a consequence of the effect of 2,4-D on the
      polyamine metabolism.

PMID- 1425364
TI  - Effect of preperfusion of lead and aminophylline on digoxin cardiotoxicity.
AB  - An attempt has been made to investigate the cardiotoxicity of an interaction of
      Lead acetate (LA), Aminophylline (APH) and Digoxin (DGN), employing an isolated
      frog heart preparation. While DGN-Cardiotoxicity was potentiated by LA
      preperfusion, it was antagonized by APH-preperfusion as revealed by data
      reflecting the mean DGN perfusion time (Sec) and mean DGN exposure (microgram/10
      mg heart weight) for cardiac arrest. In an experimental group involving
      interaction of LA, DGN and APH, preperfusion of APH has significantly diminished
      but not fully abolished LA-induced potentiation of DGN-cardiotoxicity. On the
      other hand, perfusion of APH after LA resulted not only in annulment of LA
      induced potentiation but also in an eventual residual protective effect of APH.
      It was striking that simultaneous preperfusion of APH and LA led to exacerbation
      of LA-induced potentiation. The results of this interaction study involving two
      widely prescribed cardioactive drugs, are considered to be of immense pharmaco
      toxicological interest.

PMID- 1425365
TI  - Certificates of added qualification (CAQ): a new beginning or the end?

PMID- 1425366
TI  - How to really use patient/client financing to get new prospects and gain
      commitments.

PMID- 1425367
TI  - Limiting the use of the quinolones--ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin.

PMID- 1425368
TI  - Congenital hearing loss.

PMID- 1425369
TI  - Craniofacial morphogenesis.

PMID- 1425370
TI  - Practical approach to diagnosis and management of hereditary hearing impairment
      (HHI).

PMID- 1425372
TI  - Infant hearing screening.

PMID- 1425371
TI  - Histopathology of deafness.

PMID- 1425373
TI  - Alport's syndrome.

PMID- 1425374
TI  - The neurofibromatoses.

PMID- 1425375
TI  - Communication intervention.

PMID- 1425377
TI  - Incidence of acoustic neuromas.
AB  - The annual incidence of diagnosed acoustic neuromas in Denmark during two 7-year
      periods from June 1976 to June 1990 was compared, collecting all operated and non
      operated tumors from the entire country. During the first period 278 tumors were
      diagnosed with an annual incidence of 38 tumors or 7.8 tumors per million per
      year. During the second period the annual incidence rose to 48 tumors and 9.4
      tumors per million per year. There was a significant decrease of extrameatal
      tumor size from 33 to 26 mm and diminishing of giant tumors.

PMID- 1425376
TI  - Special drug communication teleconference. August 7, 1992.

PMID- 1425378
TI  - Otitis media and chronic middle ear effusion in the asthmatic pediatric patient.
AB  - In a retrospective study, a high incidence of otitis media and chronic middle ear
      effusion was recognized in pediatric patients with allergies, in particular,
      asthma. Five hundred and nineteen cases were examined to see if significant
      correlations could be made between asthma and 1) the development of otitis media,
      2) the placement of multiple tubes, and 3) the incidence of mucoid otitis media,
      or "glue ear." The results of this preliminary report indicate that otitis media
      in the asthmatic patient seems to be a reflection of a disease affecting the
      entire mucociliary system in the respiratory tract and that this information
      should be used when making a prognosis for an asthmatic patient.

PMID- 1425379
TI  - Medullary hemorrhage causing vertigo and gaze nystagmus.
AB  - Brainstem hematomas carry a poor prognosis. There are rare reports of excellent
      outcome with hemorrhages in the midbrain. We report a 43-year-old woman with
      vertigo and minimal neurological symptoms, whose symptoms were initially mistaken
      for "inner ear disease," but subsequent investigations revealed a medullary
      hemorrhage. Recovery was complete within two weeks. While rare, medullary
      hemorrhage should be considered in the differential diagnosis of vertigo.

PMID- 1425380
TI  - The external rhinoplasty approach for rhinologic surgery.
AB  - The technique of external rhinoplasty has enjoyed a renaissance over the last ten
      years, primarily for cosmetic and functional septorhinoplasty, and we have found
      this to be an effective method for nasal reconstruction. Moreover, we have
      recognized the versatility of this approach for a variety of rhinologic problems
      and have utilized it for transsphenoidal hypophysectomy, sphenoidotomy,
      unilateral choanal atresia, septal perforation, nasal valvuloplasty and
      rhinophyma. We describe our technique and the rationale for employing it. We
      conclude that the enhanced exposure provided by the cutaneous decortication of
      the nose facilitates surgery of both the soft tissues and the supportive
      architecture of the nose.

PMID- 1425381
TI  - False-positive cytologic findings in Warthin's tumor: a report of two cases.
AB  - In two adults who smoked cigarettes, fine needle aspiration of a neck mass
      suggested squamous cell carcinoma. However, both lesions proved to be benign
      Warthin's tumor with metaplasia of the epithelial lining mimicking squamous cell
      carcinoma. Several clinical and histologic features can alert the physician to
      this finding. Awareness of the possibility of a false-positive cytologic report
      with Warthin's tumor is important for all physicians treating tumors of the head
      and neck.

PMID- 1425382
TI  - Head and neck manifestations of Wegener's granulomatosis.
AB  - Sixteen of 17 patients with Wegener's granulomatosis were found to have head and
      neck involvement. Rhinitis and/or nasal obstruction were the most common
      presenting symptoms. On initial clinical examination, paranasal sinus involvement
      was observed in 11 patients, ear involvement in 7 and subglottic stenosis in 2
      patients. One patient presented with a large and rapidly widening ulcer on the
      lateral pharyngeal wall. Diagnosis was often difficult and severe delay in
      diagnosis occurred in 7 patients. In recent years tests for ANCA appeared to be
      extremely useful.

PMID- 1425383
TI  - Peer review--an alternative approach.

PMID- 1425384
TI  - Granular cell tumor of the larynx: report of two pediatric cases.
AB  - Granular cell tumors are uncommon neoplasms of the head and neck that usually
      involve the tongue. The larynx is an atypical site of involvement in adults and a
      rare site in children. We report two cases of subglottic granular cell tumors,
      one in a 10-year-old boy and the other in a 6-year-old girl. Although both were
      initially misdiagnosed as having asthma, radiologic, laryngoscopic, and
      histologic evaluation of the obstructions eventually furnished the correct
      diagnosis. The patients were successfully treated by surgical excision of their
      subglottic masses. The history, presentation, pathologic findings, management,
      and prognosis of this rare pediatric laryngeal tumor are explored.

PMID- 1425385
TI  - Selecting an oral broad-spectrum antibiotic.

PMID- 1425386
TI  - [Quantitative topographic characterization of the myoelectric activity
      distribution of the masseter muscle: mapping of spectral EMG parameters].
AB  - A new method for quantitative characterization of myoelectrical masseter activity
      distribution by mapping of spectral EMG-parameters is described. The surface
      electromyograms of M. masseter were monopolarly recorded (16 channels). On the
      basis of registered EMG intervals (512 ms) the spectral EMG power of several
      frequency bands was calculated (Fast Fourier Transformation). The spectral EMG
      parameters between the 16 electrode positions were estimated by linear
      interpolation (4-nearest neighbours algorithm). Afterwards the spectral EMG
      parameters were fitted in a grey-tone or colour scale with 10 intervals. The so
      obtained EMG activity maps ("EMG-Maps") permit a quantitative-topographic
      characterization of myoelectrical masseter activity during different functional
      load procedures. The frequency range which is to consider in masseter surface-EMG
      investigations encloses frequencies between 15 and 500 Hz. The topography of EMG
      activation pattern of M. masseter is only described in a comprehensive manner
      when the electrode array consists of 16 electrodes and more. During defined motor
      tasks like clenching with controlled forces the reproducibility of EMG-Maps which
      respect to the topography of EMG activity pattern is very high. The absolute
      values of spectral EMG power as well as power changes of selected band ranges
      during clenching correlate to the extent of chewing forces.

PMID- 1425387
TI  - [Mapping spectral EMG parameters of the masseter muscle in normal probands under
      defined loads].
AB  - In 20 healthy volunteers 16-channel surface electromyograms were monopolarly
      recorded from the right and left masseter muscle during defined functional
      conditions (force-constant bite, right and left hand side, 196, 333, 530 N
      chewing force, during a compensation of a load directed from a frontal or a
      lateral position to the mandible (20, 49, 69 N), during rest position of the
      mandible). The EMG curves were quantified by the calculation of spectral EMG
      parameters (FFT). With respect to the muscle a topographic oriented
      representation of the myoelectrical activity was realised by a mapping of
      spectral EMG-parameters. The monopolarly recorded EMG activities significantly
      differed between the 16 electrode positions (topographic EMG distribution
      pattern). During the several examination conditions of the masseter muscle
      different topographic distribution pattern of the myoelectrical activity were
      found. Moreover, the total EMG power between the muscle functions differed too.
      The level of the load influenced the spectral EMG power as well as, partly, the
      topographic EMG distribution pattern.

PMID- 1425388
TI  - [Computer-assisted analysis of the electromyogram for routine clinical use].
AB  - A computerized EMG analysis system implemented on an MS-DOS computer was
      developed explicitly for clinical routine usage. It incorporates analysis of
      interference pattern as well as of motor unit action potentials (MUAPs). Key
      features of MUAP analysis are the automatic segmentation and parameterization of
      the EMG signal and the automatic assignment of MUAPs to motor units.
      Determination of muscle activity is based on threshold detection of the signal's
      first derivative, leading to the definition of a MUAPs central component. Its
      parameters (length, amplitude, maximal steepness, area between curve and base
      line, area between first derivative and base-line, number of turns etc.) are used
      when comparing MUAPs. The automatic assignment of MUAPs to motor units was
      implemented as an iterative procedure. MUAPs are compared to a reference MUAP and
      eventually assigned to it if their parameters are sufficiently similar. For such
      a group of MUAPs the most representative MUAP is determined which is then used as
      new reference MUAP in the next iteration step. Most important for clinical
      routine usage are simple handling, speed and the clearly arranged presentation of
      results. The system allows for interactive modification of MUAP assignment as
      well as start and end points of every MUAP. Analysis results may be displayed on
      the screen and printed, giving the user a quick impression of the muscle under
      study. Thus this method meets basic requirements for computer assisted decision
      making in differential diagnosis.

PMID- 1425389
TI  - [A comparative study of the sensory conduction velocity of the sural nerve using
      surface and needle electrodes].
AB  - In 18 healthy persons aged 22-71 years and 17 patients suffering from clinically
      defined polyneuropathy the NCV of the sural nerve was measured both by antidromic
      technic recorded by surface electrodes and by orthodromic technique recorded by
      needle electrodes. Stimulation was done by bipolar surface electrodes in all
      cases. The skin temperature was warmed up to the minimum of 35 degrees C. The
      results showed in both groups a highly significant correlation of the NCV
      measured by antidromic and orthodromic technique. With increasing age the NCV
      decreased, but this was not significant. In all healthy persons sensory nerve
      potentials could be recorded with both techniques. In polyneuropathy missing of
      sensory potentials was higher in patients investigated by the antidromic
      technique than by orthodromic. For clinical practice measurement of NCV in sural
      nerve using antidromic technique should be preferred because of its simpler and
      faster achieving, its lower discomfort for the patient and avoiding risk of
      infection. However in case of missing nerve potentials, orthodromic investigation
      using needle electrodes for recording should be added.

PMID- 1425390
TI  - [Is the origin of the F-wave dependent on the magnitude of the motor unit?].
AB  - It is still unknown why only few motor units (MUs) generate F-waves in response
      to supramaximal stimulation of a motor nerve. Therefore we investigated whether
      the F wave production might depend on MU-size. According to the size principle of
      Henneman we used the twitch force as indirect measure of MU-size. MU twitch force
      was determined applying the technique of intramuscular microstimulation of single
      motor axons. 127 MUs were analysed in 16 normal subjects. F-waves were observed
      in 35 MUs (27%). It was found that MUs of different sizes produced F-waves with
      approximately the same probability. Obviously size is not a relevant factor for
      the capability of a MU to produce F-waves. Only the few very large MUs of a pool
      may have an increased tendency to produce F-waves because four of five MUs with
      extremely large twitch forces (> 70 mN) generated F-waves.

PMID- 1425391
TI  - [Evoked potentials following cerebral ischemia in the rat: the effect of the
      stimulus frequency].
AB  - EEG and somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded in anesthetized rats before
      and up to 24 h after 30 min of global forebrain ischemia. Before ischemia, SEP
      (sweep time 1000 ms) included primary (N25P50) components and late potentials of
      low amplitude. During ischemia, SEP and EEG were isoelectric. During postischemic
      recirculation SEP evoked by stimulation at 1.0 Hz remained severely suppressed
      for 24 h, although long-latency potentials (> 100 ms) recovered. Using a very low
      stimulation frequency of 0.1 Hz, late components strongly increased in amplitude
      and the overall evoked activity in the averaged post-stimulus-EEG reached 90% of
      control. These results demonstrate that the SEP evoked at very low stimulation
      frequency may serve as an early indicator of functional brain recovery after
      prolonged cerebro-circulatory arrest.

PMID- 1425393
TI  - [Automatic (computer-assisted) EEG analysis in comparison with visual EEG
      analysis in patients following minor cranio-cerebral trauma (a follow-up study)].
AB  - The study was designed to examine the clinical applicability and use of computer
      assisted EEG-analysis in comparison to visual EEG-analysis in patients with minor
      head injuries. For this in 31 patients the following examinations were performed
      within the first 24 hours, one, three and eight weeks after traumatization: EEG,
      neurological examination and standardized evaluation of subjective complaints.
      The EEG was analysed visually as well as computer-assisted. The results were
      compared to the neurological findings and subjective complaints. Reversible
      posttraumatic EEG-changes were observed in 50% of all patients. The results of
      computer-analysis and visual analysis were equivalent in respect to baseline
      activity (as one of the main characteristic EEG-features). Furthermore, based on
      computer-assisted analysis a discriminant function is provided, which is of
      diagnostic and prognostic value in the single patient. We conclude that the
      computer-assisted EEG-analysis can be a useful alternative in EEG-routine
      diagnosis after minor head injuries.

PMID- 1425392
TI  - [Electroencephalography and cranial computed tomography in a posterior infarct].
AB  - In this study we interpreted the electroencephalograms of 50 patients, all
      suffering from a cerebral infarction occurred in the circulation area of A.
      cerebri posterior with or without involvement of thalamic structures. The
      diagnosis was established by clinical findings and via CT-examinations. Besides
      the EEG-findings which always occurred in the occipital region we found
      alterations which exceeded the above mentioned posterior disorder of the brain
      function. In most cases these have been bilateral paroxysmal disorders projected
      into the temporal regions but lateralized to the region of the existing posterior
      infarction. If we had CT-examinations of cerebral infarctions in the circulation
      area of A. cerebri posterior without an involvement of thalamic structures, there
      was no projected activity which exceeded the posterior disorder in EEG. In all
      cases with the additional affection of thalamic structures in CT the bilateral
      paroxysmal EEG disorders into the temporal region were found.

PMID- 1425394
TI  - [Dextrose and vigilance: the effect of dextrose on the spectro-analytic
      parameters of pharmaco-EEG].
AB  - In a randomized single-blind cross-over-design the effect of 15 g dextrose was
      investigated against placebo with 48 healthy subjects at two different days each.
      The quantitative pharmaco-EEG was recorded occipitocentral at the left side (O1
      Cz) under vigilance controlled conditions and then under resting conditions
      (three minutes each). Having measured its baseline it was repeated six times
      every 20 minutes starting 10 minutes after the application of the substance.
      After the administration of dextrose a stabilization of vigilance could be seen
      in the EEG by the following differences of statistical significance (p < = 0.05)
      between dextrose and placebo under resting recording conditions: In the first
      control (14.-16. minute post) there was a significant decrease of the relative
      power in the delta and in the theta range combined with an increase of alpha 2.
      In the second control (34.-36. minute post) there was a significant decrease of
      relative power in the theta range and significant increase in the alpha 1 range.
      In the third control (54.-56. minute post) and later on no effects of dextrose
      were left in the pharmaco-EEG. The significant differences in the first and
      second control have to be interpreted as follows: After the administration of
      dextrose the level of vigilance was increased compared to the placebo group.

PMID- 1425395
TI  - Current and future trends in wound healing.
AB  - New adjuncts to outpatient wound care focus on diminishing infection rates and
      improving the speed and effectiveness of laceration repair. This article provides
      an overview of growth factors, proteolytic enzymes, topical antimicrobial agents,
      and new materials that facilitate wound closure. Also, the pathophysiology of
      surface wound repair is summarized.

PMID- 1425396
TI  - Wound evaluation and cleansing.
AB  - The approach to wound management in the Emergency Department does not differ from
      that used in evaluating other complaints. This consists of a problem-directed
      history and physical examination. The history should probe for host and wound
      factors that increase the risk of a poor outcome. The examination should
      emphasize a search for the involvement of underlying structures. Appropriate
      cleansing remains the foundation for good wound management. Until a rapid
      inexpensive test is available to identify wounds with low bacterial counts, the
      clinician should assume that all wounds have bacterial loads capable of causing
      infection. Therefore, most wounds should be cleansed by irrigation with at least
      200 mL of normal saline. Larger quantities or 1% povidone-iodine solution may be
      used in wounds that have high wound or host risk factors. Wound exploration
      should occur in a well-lit environment and combine good hemostasis with
      appropriate analgesia and anesthesia.

PMID- 1425397
TI  - Suture materials and mechanical after care.
AB  - Proper wound closure necessitates a familiarity with the various types of
      materials and the indications and contraindications of the many techniques
      available. Proper wound dressing and after-care instruction ensure optimal
      results and help minimize complications.

PMID- 1425398
TI  - Sedation and analgesia.
AB  - The control of pain and the alleviation of anxiety are integral components in the
      management of soft tissue injuries in the Emergency Department. Pharmacologic
      agents utilized for analgesia and sedation must possess properties favorable for
      emergency department use. This article reviews the pharmacologic approach to
      patients who require sedation and/or analgesia for the management of a soft
      tissue injury in the Emergency Department.

PMID- 1425399
TI  - Local anesthetics.
AB  - Emergency physicians often rely on the use of local anesthetic agents to relieve
      patient discomfort, and research continues in an effort to develop new agents
      with improved anesthetic qualities. Eventually, a nontoxic, rapidly acting agent
      may become available that could provide profound anesthesia of long duration when
      applied topically to intact skin or wounds. Until the "perfect" agent is
      developed, physicians can help the patient by making knowledgeable choices
      regarding local anesthetic techniques. By choosing topical agents when
      appropriate and buffering agents to be infiltrated, using courteous techniques of
      injection, and being cognizant of potential adverse reactions, the physician can
      turn a potentially unpleasant and frightening situation for the patient into a
      positive experience that promotes satisfaction and cooperation.

PMID- 1425400
TI  - Emergency management of dog and cat bite wounds.
AB  - Most dog and cat bite injuries are minor wounds that require only local wound
      care as well a patient evaluation for tetanus and rabies postexposure
      immunoprophylaxis. For larger wounds, primary or delayed primary closure can be
      performed safely where indicated. When antimicrobial agents are necessary,
      inexpensive penicillins or cephalosporins are adequate for initial therapy. Large
      scale, prospective, controlled clinical studies are needed to define further the
      role of prophylactic antimicrobial therapy for uninfected wounds.

PMID- 1425401
TI  - Soft tissue infections.
AB  - Infections in soft tissues present with one or more of the cardinal signs of
      infections; however, presence of these signs may indicate manifestation of a deep
      systemic infection or of a noninfectious process. One of the earliest
      determinations to be made is whether the problem is likely to require patient
      admission or referral to another specialty. Only then is the primary management
      clear.

PMID- 1425402
TI  - The rational use of antimicrobial agents in simple wounds.
AB  - The wounds in most patients presenting to the Emergency Department will heal
      uneventfully and do not require the use of antimicrobial agents. Specific
      indications for antimicrobial use include simple wounds in patients with
      lymphedema, orthopedic prostheses, or in those patients prone to bacterial
      endocarditis. Relative indications include high-risk wounds in compromised hosts,
      wounds contaminated with feces, saliva, or vaginal secretions, or wounds
      clinically infected at the time of presentation. More important than
      antimicrobial administration is the commitment to aggressive, timely wound care.
      Pitfalls in therapy center around the injudicious use of antimicrobial agents.
      Such therapy does not give the physician permission to close wounds that should
      be left open or to give less than optimal wound care. Physicians should be keenly
      aware of the fact that antimicrobial use is not innocuous. The economic burden
      and potential for adverse side effects must be weighed against the fact that the
      wounds in 90% to 95% of patients presenting to the Emergency Department will heal
      without the use of antimicrobial agents.

PMID- 1425403
TI  - Detection and management of foreign bodies in soft tissue.
AB  - The discovery and management of foreign bodies in soft tissue are challenging
      problems for emergency physicians. History, physical examination, and thorough
      wound exploration serve as the screening test for the presence of foreign bodies.
      Various radiographic studies can be performed to confirm the diagnosis, to
      identify the object's composition and shape, and to determine its approximate
      location in the tissues. Once the object is discovered, the clinician must weigh
      the potential harm of the foreign body in its current location against the risks
      of attempting removal.

PMID- 1425404
TI  - The mangled extremity. Compartment syndrome and amputations.
AB  - Injuries that amputate, crush, or otherwise mangle an extremity are devastating.
      The possibilities of medical and psychologic disability, multiple operations, and
      protracted rehabilitation loom before these patients. Fortunately, expert care
      given by the emergency department physician maximizes the opportunity for success
      should the limb be replanted or revascularized. The first priority for the
      emergency department staff is the efficient and aggressive resuscitation of the
      patient. Only after this has been carried out and other life-threatening injuries
      addressed can attention be directed toward the injured limb. It is in the
      patient's best interest if the emergency department staff assumes that a mangled
      extremity will be replanted or revascularized. Advances in microsurgical
      technique and equipment have enabled surgeons to achieve salvage rates greater
      than 90%. Continued improvements in technique, equipment, rehabilitation, and
      patient selection will enable more patients to benefit from limb salvage
      procedures.

PMID- 1425405
TI  - Chronic skin ulcers.
AB  - Chronic skin ulceration is a common complication of diabetes, peripheral vascular
      disease, and disorders that decrease mobility. Local ulcer care will be
      successful only if the underlying cause is correctly identified and steps are
      taken to reverse it. This article reviews the emergency department assessment and
      management of the patient with chronic skin ulceration.

PMID- 1425406
TI  - Hyperbaric medicine for outpatient wound care.
AB  - After proper cleansing, debridement, and appropriate antibiotic and closure
      decisions, some wounds will fail to heal properly or may develop serious
      complications. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy offers a relatively safe noninvasive
      method of improving wound healing by enhancing tissue oxygenation and decreasing
      edema formation. Recommendation for the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in
      outpatient wound care is reviewed and the rationale behind the benefits is
      discussed.

PMID- 1425407
TI  - The development of the role of hormones in development--a double remembrance.

PMID- 1425408
TI  - Remembrance: growing up with the pineal gland: early recollections.

PMID- 1425409
TI  - FOS expression in gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons: enhancement by steroid
      treatment and mating.
AB  - Expression of the protooncoprotein FOS is now widely believed to be a marker for
      neuronal activation. In female rats, a steroid-induced LH surge is accompanied by
      an increase in FOS-positive GnRH neurons, especially in the region of the organum
      vasculosum of the lamina terminalis. The present study, conducted in mice, has
      examined the effects of both steroid hormone treatment and sexual behavior on the
      expression of FOS in GnRH neurons and their distribution in the central nervous
      system. Thirty-three ovariectomized mice, each bearing a sc priming capsule of 17
      beta-estradiol, were divided into five groups, four of which were treated
      sequentially with estradiol benzoate (1 microgram) and progesterone (500
      micrograms). In females maintained on 17 beta-estradiol only and killed between
      1400-1530 h, only 1.3 +/- 0.7% of GnRH neurons contained FOS, while treatment
      with estradiol benzoate/progesterone increased FOS expression significantly to
      31.7 +/- 8.5% in the same time period. In animals killed at 1530-1700 h, FOS
      expression declined in the absence of a male (13.8 +/- 2.2%) or when the male
      present in the cage displayed some sexual behavior but did not ejaculate (13.0 +/
      8.6%). Interestingly, the expression of FOS was maintained at a high level (42.3
      +/- 11.4%) into the late afternoon in females paired with a reproductively
      successful (ejaculating) male. There was a positive correlation (r2 = 0.65; P <
      0.01) between the level of LH and the number of FOS-positive GnRH neurons. Hence,
      the expression of FOS in GnRH neurons was enhanced by both a steroid regimen
      leading to a LH surge and an intense level of mating behavior. Mapping of the
      GnRH neurons indicates that in animals with the highest level of FOS expression,
      FOS-positive GnRH neurons were not confined to the region of the organum
      vasculosum of the lamina terminalis, but were found more widely distributed along
      the entire rostro-caudal axis of these cells.

PMID- 1425410
TI  - Role of luteinizing hormone in the expression of cholesterol side-chain cleavage
      cytochrome P450 and 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, delta 5-4 isomerase
      messenger ribonucleic acids in the primate corpus luteum.
AB  - It is well established that LH has an obligatory role in the acute production of
      progesterone by the primate corpus luteum in vivo because interruption of LH
      support to the corpus luteum at any time during the luteal phase is accompanied
      by an immediate and sustained fall in serum progesterone concentrations. However,
      recent studies have demonstrated that maximal steroidogenic capacity of cultured
      human luteal cells and maximal levels of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) for cholesterol
      side chain cleavage cytochrome P450 (P450scc) and 3 beta-hydroxysteroid
      dehydrogenase, delta 5-4 isomerase (3 beta-HSD) in luteal tissue are observed
      shortly after luteinization and decline thereafter throughout the remainder of
      the luteal phase. These findings would suggest that the role of LH in the acute
      regulation of progesterone production may differ from its role in the expression
      of mRNAs for steroidogenic enzymes. We initiated the current studies to define
      the role of LH upon the expression of mRNAs for P450scc and 3 beta-HSD by the
      primate corpus luteum. For this purpose, we treated cynomolgus monkeys with a
      potent GnRH antagonist for 1, 2, and 3 days during the luteal phase of the
      menstrual cycle and measured levels of mRNAs for P450scc and 3 beta-HSD in
      corpora lutea. Treatment of monkeys with the GnRH antagonist reduced bioactive LH
      concentrations to less than 5 ng/ml by 48 h of treatment, and LH concentrations
      remained less than 5 ng/ml thereafter. Serum progesterone concentrations were
      reduced by 74% after 1 day of antagonist treatment, 88% after 2 days of
      antagonist treatment, and by more than 95% after 3 days of GnRH antagonist
      treatment. Although progesterone secretion was markedly diminished after 24 h of
      antagonist treatment, there were no differences in mRNAs for P450scc and 3 beta
      HSD between antagonist-treated and control animals. However, mRNAs for P450scc
      and 3 beta-HSD were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced after 2 days of antagonist
      treatment and were nearly nondetectable after 3 days of antagonist treatment.
      These results demonstrate a temporal dissociation of the effects of LH on the
      acute regulation of progesterone secretion and the maintenance of specific mRNAs
      involved in progesterone production. Nonetheless, the results clearly show that
      LH is required for the continued expression of mRNAs for P450scc and 3 beta-HSD
      by the primate corpus luteum.

PMID- 1425411
TI  - Pituitary adenomas in mice transgenic for growth hormone-releasing hormone.
AB  - It has been shown that mice transgenic for human GH-releasing hormone (GRH)
      develop hyperplasia of pituitary somatotrophs, lactotrophs, and
      mammosomatotrophs, cells capable of producing both GH and PRL, by 8 months of
      age. We now report that GRH transgenic mice 10-24 months of age develop pituitary
      adenomas, which we characterized by histology, immunohistochemistry, in situ
      hybridization, and electron microscopy. Of 13 animals examined, all developed GH
      immunoreactive neoplasms that had diffuse positivity for GH mRNA by in situ
      hybridization. Eleven also contained PRL immunoreactivity; in situ hybridization
      demonstrated focal PRL mRNA in 3 of 5 immunohistochemically positive tumors.
      Alpha-Subunit was positive by immunohistochemistry in 8 adenomas, and TSH beta
      was localized in tumor cells of 5 adenomas. The adenomas had variable
      ultrastructural appearances, ranging from cells that resembled somatotrophs or
      mammosomatotrophs to cells with features of the glycoprotein hormone cell line.
      These findings provide conclusive evidence that protracted GRH stimulation of
      secretory activity can result in proliferation, hyperplasia, and adenoma of
      adenohypophysial cells.

PMID- 1425413
TI  - Progesterone control of fibronectin secretion in guinea pig endometrium.
AB  - Immunohistochemistry with a polyclonal antibody raised against human plasma
      fibronectin (Fn) was used to determine the localization of Fn in endometrial
      sections of guinea pig uteri isolated at the first, fourth, sixth, or tenth day
      of the estrous cycle. Immunoreactive Fn was constantly visualized in the
      endometrial stroma but absent from the epithelial layer. Fn was detected in the
      uterine lumen on the first or fourth day of the estrous cycle and was absent from
      the other sections. To determine the origin of this luminal Fn the ability of
      subcultured endometrial cells to produce Fn was tested, and the hormonal
      regulation of Fn secretion was studied. Cells were treated by estradiol alone or
      in association with progesterone, progesterone alone, or untreated. Whatever the
      hormonal treatment, stromal cells constantly secreted immunoreactive Fn into the
      culture medium. In the same way, the amount of Fn synthesized and basally
      secreted by epithelial cells was not affected by any hormonal treatments.
      However, Fn was found in the apical secretions of the untreated or estradiol
      treated epithelial cells but was undetectable in the apical compartment when the
      epithelial cells were treated by progesterone alone or in association with
      estradiol. These results indicate that Fn is constitutively secreted by stromal
      cells and that subcultured epithelial cells of guinea pig endometrium secrete Fn
      from both their basal and apical membrane domains. However, the apical secretion
      of Fn is specifically suppressed by progesterone.

PMID- 1425412
TI  - Cloning of an ovine 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase complementary
      deoxyribonucleic acid: tissue and temporal distribution of its messenger
      ribonucleic acid during fetal and neonatal development.
AB  - Glucocorticoids promote the development of many organ systems vital for
      extrauterine survival, and fetal cortisol provides the trigger for birth in
      sheep. The activity of glucocorticoids may be influenced at a cellular level by
      11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11 beta-HSD), which is responsible for the
      interconversion of cortisol and cortisone. To examine 11 beta-HSD gene expression
      during fetal development, two overlapping clones which yield a 1.4 kilobase (kb)
      complementary DNA encoding sheep 11 beta-HSD from a liver library were isolated
      by using a rat 11 beta-HSD cDNA as the probe. This cDNA contains a 879 base pair
      open reading frame for a protein of 292 amino acids that has more than 70%
      sequence identity to rat and human 11 beta-HSDs. To define the tissue
      distribution of 11 beta-HSD messenger RNA in sheep, selected tissues were
      collected from one fetus at day 130 and term (approximately 145 days), and from a
      nonpregnant ewe. Cellular RNA was extracted and subjected to Northern blot
      analysis, and a single 1.8 kb transcript was detected in the fetal and adult
      liver, lung, hypothalamus, anterior pituitary, and placenta. This was
      undetectable in adrenals and kidneys, but a smaller (1.5 kb) transcript was
      present in fetal and adult kidney RNA. The relative abundance of 11 beta-HSD mRNA
      was greatest in fetal and adult livers, and it was much higher in adult liver,
      lung, and kidney than in the corresponding fetal tissues. To examine whether 11
      beta-HSD gene expression is developmentally regulated in the fetal sheep, liver,
      lung, and kidney tissues were taken from fetuses at day 60-70, day 100-110, day
      125-130, at term, and from newborn lambs (24-48 h old). In the lung and kidney,
      the relative abundance of 11 beta-HSD mRNA did not change from day 60 to term but
      increased in the lungs of newborn lambs. In contrast, 11 beta-HSD mRNA levels in
      the liver increased between day 125 and term and rose further in the newborn.
      Collectively, these results demonstrate that 11 beta-HSD gene expression in sheep
      is regulated in a tissue-specific and developmentally programmed manner.

PMID- 1425414
TI  - Continuous infusion of interleukin-1 beta induces a nonthyroidal illness syndrome
      in the rat.
AB  - We studied the effects of continuous administration of recombinant human
      interleukin-1 beta (IL-1) on pituitary-thyroid function. Rats were equipped with
      minipumps loaded with either IL-1 (delivery rate, 0.5, 2.0, or 4.0
      micrograms/day, ip, for 1 week) or saline. Infusion of 2.0 and 4.0 micrograms IL
      1/day caused a significant decrease in plasma free T4 levels during the first 2-4
      days, whereas plasma total T4 levels and T4 binding were significantly lowered
      throughout the week of the study. The infusion of 0.5 micrograms IL-1/day did not
      significantly change plasma TSH or total and free T4 levels. During the infusion
      of 2.0 micrograms IL-1/day, the decrease in plasma free T4 levels was paralleled
      by a significant decline in plasma TSH values and an impaired TSH responsiveness
      to TRH administration on the second day of infusion. IL-1 (2.0 micrograms/day)
      treatment significantly lowered plasma levels of T4-binding prealbumin, whereas
      it did not influence the plasma T3/T4 ratio or hepatic 5'-deiodinase activity.
      Plasma rT3 levels remained undetectable in both control and IL-1-treated rats.
      Chronic infusion of rats with 4.0 micrograms IL-1/day induced prolonged fever,
      whereas at the lower doses of IL-1, temperatures were elevated only on the first
      2 days. IL-1 at doses of 2.0 and 4.0 micrograms/day induced a transient decrease
      in food intake and a suppression of body weight gain. Restriction of food
      consumption to the level observed in the 2.0 micrograms IL-1 experiment caused
      small decreases in T3, total and free T4, and TSH levels compared to those in ad
      libitum fed rats, but had no effects on T4 binding. We conclude that 1)
      continuous infusion of rats with 2.0 and 4.0 micrograms IL-1/day induces changes
      in thyroid economy commonly seen during infectious diseases and other systemic
      illnesses in rats [decreased plasma levels of TSH, T3, and (free) T4; diminished
      T4 binding; and decreased plasma T4-binding prealbumin levels], 2) the decrease
      in food intake during IL-1 treatment cannot completely explain the observed
      changes in thyroid hormone and TSH levels; and 3) it is highly unlikely that the
      decrease in thyroid hormone binding during chronic IL-1 infusion is caused by
      decreased food intake. Further studies are needed to clarify whether the observed
      alterations in thyroid economy during IL-1 infusion reflect direct effects of IL
      1 per se or indirect effects caused by the mild illness induced by the cytokine.

PMID- 1425415
TI  - Rat somatotroph insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) signaling: role of the IGF
      I receptor.
AB  - The anterior pituitary contains insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) and
      expresses abundant IGF-II-binding sites, but the IGF-II signaling pathway in the
      pituitary has not been defined. We, therefore, tested the effects of recombinant
      human IGF-II on pituitary function by assessing the GH responsiveness of the
      primary rat somatotroph to IGF-II. IGF-II (3.3 nM) suppressed GH secretion by
      50%, similar to the effect elicited by equimolar doses of IGF-I. In contrast, a
      low concentration of IGF-II (0.2 nM) did not attenuate GH secretion, while a
      similar IGF-I dose was sufficient to produce 50% inhibition of basal GH
      secretion. Fifty percent competition for [125I]IGF-I binding by IGF-I and IGF-II
      in GC rat pituitary cells demonstrated a 14-fold lesser affinity of the IGF-II
      ligand for the IGF-I receptor compared to IGF-I; therefore, the binding affinity
      of IGF-II for the IGF-I receptor correlates with the concentration of IGF-II
      required for 50% GH inhibition. Transfected GH-secreting cell lines derived from
      GC cells overexpressing intact human IGF-I receptors exhibited enhanced
      responsiveness to IGF-II. In contrast, cells transfected with a truncated IGF-I
      receptor cDNA lacking the cytoplasmic receptor beta-subunit (952STOP) failed to
      transduce the IGF-II signal, indicating that functional IGF-I receptors are
      required for IGF-II signaling. In addition, a mutant IGF ligand, [Leu27]IGF-II,
      which selectively exhibits high affinity for the type II receptor, but only
      minimal binding to the IGF-I receptor, did not attenuate GH secretion. However,
      the analog [Arg54,Arg55]IGF-II, which exhibits high affinity to the IGF-I
      receptor, but no binding to the type II receptor, appropriately suppressed GH
      secretion. This unique model of somatotroph signaling provides evidence for IGF
      II regulation of polypeptide hormone secretion mediated by the IGF-I receptor.

PMID- 1425416
TI  - Estradiol increases prolactin synthesis and prolactin messenger ribonucleic acid
      in selected brain regions in the hypophysectomized female rat.
AB  - Immunoreactive PRL which is not of pituitary origin, has been identified in many
      regions of the rat brain. We have previously demonstrated that estradiol
      increases hypothalamic immunoreactive PRL content in hypophysectomized female
      rats. To determine if estradiol stimulates PRL synthesis, we examined the effect
      of estradiol on the in vivo production of PRL, and on the expression of PRL
      messenger RNA (mRNA) in the hypothalamus, pons, and cerebral cortex. To examine
      the effect of estradiol on the in vivo production of PRL, [35S] methionine was
      injected into the lateral ventricle and its incorporation into immunoprecipitable
      PRL was determined by immunoprecipitation and sodium dodecyl sulfate
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In estradiol, but not vehicle-treated
      hypophysectomized rats, a 24,000 M(r) immunoprecipitable PRL protein was detected
      in the hypothalamus and pons-medulla, 2 and 4 h after methionine administration.
      No immunoprecipitable PRL proteins were detected in the amygdala, hippocampus,
      cortex, or serum at either time point. In addition, in the hypothalamus, but not
      the pons-medulla, a second PRL band was detected with an apparent mol wt of
      16,000K. To determine if estradiol increased the expression of PRL mRNA, copy DNA
      was obtained by reverse transcription of poly(A+) mRNA prepared from intact and
      vehicle or estradiol-treated hypophysectomized rats and analyzed by polymerase
      chain reaction amplification. In tissues from hypophysectomized rats, there was
      little, or no, detectable levels of PRL mRNA. In contrast, in estradiol-treated
      hypophysectomized rats PRL mRNA was easily detected in the hypothalamus and pons
      medulla by polymerase chain reaction amplification. These data suggest that
      estradiol increases the PRL content in the hypothalamus and pons-medulla by
      increasing PRL gene expression, in a manner similar to that reported in the
      pituitary.

PMID- 1425417
TI  - Interleukin-1 inhibits Leydig cell steroidogenesis primarily by decreasing 17
      alpha-hydroxylase/C17-20 lyase cytochrome P450 expression.
AB  - Macrophage-secreted cytokines, such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), have been shown to
      modulate Leydig cell function. The present study examined the effect of
      recombinant murine IL-1 alpha on Leydig cell steroidogenesis and its mechanism of
      action. Addition of IL-1 to macrophage-depleted primary cultures of mouse Leydig
      cells caused a dose-dependent decrease in cAMP-dependent testosterone production
      and 17 alpha-hydroxylase/C17-20 lyase (P450c17) mRNA levels. Chronic treatment
      (48 h) of Leydig cells in culture with 50 microM 8-bromo-cAMP (8-Br-cAMP)
      resulted in a 60-fold increase in testosterone production. Treatment with 8-Br
      cAMP plus 0.2 and 2 U/ml IL-1 decreased testosterone production to 63 +/- 14% and
      41 +/- 19%, respectively, while 5, 10, and 20 U/ml IL-1 decreased testosterone
      production to less than 5% that of cells treated with 8-Br-cAMP alone. Chronic
      treatment with IL-1 plus 8-Br-cAMP caused a shift in steroid production from
      testosterone to progesterone, but total steroid production (the sum of
      testosterone plus progesterone) was unaffected by IL-1 treatment. Treatment with
      8-Br-cAMP alone caused a marked increase in P450c17 mRNA levels compared to that
      in control cultures, where P450c17 mRNA was undetectable. IL-1 caused a dose
      dependent decrease in 8-Br-cAMP-stimulated P450c17 levels (0.2 U/ml by 31 +/- 9%,
      2 U/ml by 82 +/- 12%, and 10 or 20 U/ml by 100% compared to that in cells treated
      with 8-Br-cAMP alone). In contrast to the effect on P450c17 mRNA, only the
      highest concentrations of IL-1 (10 and 20 U/ml) had any effect on cholesterol
      side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) mRNA levels (53 +/- 16% and 38 +/- 20%
      decreases, respectively). The inhibitory effect of IL-1 on 8-Br-cAMP-stimulated
      P450c17 expression was reversible. Within 12 h after the removal of IL-1, P450c17
      mRNA was restored to 24%; after 24 h, to 36%; after 36 h, to 65%; and after 48 h,
      to 84% of that with 8-Br-cAMP alone. P450c17 expression was more sensitive to IL
      1-mediated inhibition than P450scc; therefore, inhibition of P450c17 is most
      likely primarily responsible for the observed inhibitory effects of IL-1 on
      Leydig cell testosterone production.

PMID- 1425418
TI  - Differential capacity for cholesterol transport and processing in large and small
      rat luteal cells.
AB  - The aim of this investigation was to determine whether a specific luteal
      subpopulation is responsible for the hypertrophic development of the corpus
      luteum at midpregnancy in the rat and to determine whether there was an
      underlying cellular basis for the differential production of steroids by the
      luteal cell subtypes. To examine this, we have dispersed and separated rat luteal
      steroidogenic cell populations into small (< 20 microns) and large (> 30 microns)
      cell types by elutriation. Luteal cells were examined at early (day 3) and
      midpregnancy (day 14) for differences in protein content and for differential
      expression of proteins required for steroid production. Specific proteins
      examined include the P450side chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), adrenodoxin and
      adrenodoxin reductase, proteins required for cholesterol conversion to
      progestagens in the corpus luteum, and sterol carrier protein-2 (SCP2), a protein
      thought to be involved in intracellular cholesterol transport. The cytochrome
      P450(17)alpha hydroxylase (P450(17)alpha), a key enzyme responsible for androgen
      biosynthesis was also examined in the isolated luteal cells. The large luteal
      cell population displayed an increase in total cellular protein content while the
      small cell type did not change with luteal development. In addition, the large
      luteal cells expressed proteins unique to or elevated in that cell type. Analysis
      by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that the large
      cell-specific proteins had molecular masses of 23 K and 32 K and that a 14
      kilodalton (kDa) protein was elevated in the large cell type relative to the
      small cells. The small luteal cell on day 3 of pregnancy expressed a 36 kDa
      protein which was barely detectable in the large cell. Immunocytochemical and
      Western analysis indicated that the large luteal cells contain 5.3-fold more SCP2
      (P < 0.05) and 5.6-fold more P450scc (P < 0.001) relative to the small cell type.
      Immunocytochemical staining of adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase indicate
      these proteins were elevated in the large cell as well. Human CG administration
      stimulated P450(17)alpha expression mainly in the large luteal cell population.
      The results of this investigation indicate, for the first time, that the large
      luteal cell of the rat, in contrast to the small cell type, undergoes a dramatic
      increase in protein content with luteal development, and that with this increase
      in cell size there is a concomitant increase in the large cell capacity to
      produce steroids. This occurs as a direct result of the enhanced expression of
      SCP2, P450scc, adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin reductase, proteins specifically
      required to transport and process cholesterol for steroid production in the large
      luteal cell.

PMID- 1425419
TI  - Hormonal and immunological characterization of the 32 kilodalton ovarian-specific
      protein.
AB  - Recent studies from this laboratory have shown that the large luteal cell of the
      pregnant rat contains an abundant 32 kilodalton (32K) phosphoprotein which is up
      regulated by estradiol. In order to assess the potential importance of this
      protein and to more fully understand its function, a specific polyclonal antibody
      was produced against the 32K and was used to examine its intraovarian
      localization, its tissue specificity, and its developmental regulation.
      Immunocytochemical localization of the 32K in the ovary of the pregnant rat found
      this protein to be selectively and abundantly expressed in the corpus luteum.
      Immunofluorescence study of small and large luteal cell populations clearly
      revealed an extensive localization of the 32K in the large luteal cells. Western
      blot analysis revealed that the 32K was absent from all steroidogenic and
      nonsteroidogenic tissues. Whereas this protein was absent from all other tissues
      examined in the rat, it was clearly expressed in corpora lutea of different
      animal species, including the mouse, hamster, cow, human, and pig. Although
      undetectable by immunohistochemistry, Western blot analysis showed this protein
      to be present in the follicle but at levels markedly lower than in the corpus
      luteum. Analysis of theca and granulosa cells revealed the presence of the 32K in
      both cell types. To further examine the developmental expression of this protein
      throughout gestation, Western blot analysis of microsomal fractions isolated from
      rat corpora lutea on days 3-21 of pregnancy was performed. The 32K was detected
      at low levels in early pregnancy, increased markedly on day 11, reached a peak on
      days 14-15, and remained elevated through day 21. Treatment with estradiol and
      PRL increased the content of the 32K in the corpus luteum. Human CG, known to
      cause follicular development to the preovulatory stage and to enhance luteal
      estradiol synthesis, also increased levels of the 32K in the corpus luteum, while
      it concomitantly decreased this protein in the follicle. In summary, the presence
      of a unique ovarian-specific 32 kilodalton protein has been established. This
      protein, which is present in low abundance in theca and granulosa cells, is
      localized to the large luteal cell and becomes abundantly expressed during
      midpregnancy, a time when there is a remarkable increase in luteal cell size and
      activity. Results of this study also demonstrate a multihormonal regulation of
      the 32K by tropic hormones. Thus, because of its apparent uniqueness and its
      timely and highly regionalized expression, the 32K may play a central role in the
      regulation of corpus luteum growth and function.

PMID- 1425420
TI  - Expression of Fos-like proteins in gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons of
      Syrian hamsters: effects of estrous cycles and metabolic fuels.
AB  - In female mammals, reproduction is sensitive to the availability of metabolic
      fuels, and food deprivation has been shown to suppress pulsatile LH secretion,
      attenuate the preovulatory LH surge, and prevent ovulation. It has been suggested
      that food deprivation impairs fertility by reducing the secretion of GnRH by GnRH
      producing neurons in the forebrain. A series of experiments tested this
      hypothesis by examining the effects of estrous cycles and manipulations of
      metabolic fuel availability on the expression of Fos-like proteins (Fos-IR) in
      GnRH-immunoreactive (GnRH-IR) neurons in the forebrain of Syrian hamsters. GnRH
      IR neurons were detected in several areas, including the diagonal band of Broca
      (DBB), medial septum (MS), rostral medial preoptic area (mPOA), and caudal POA.
      In the more rostral regions (DBB and MS/mPOA), GnRH-IR neurons expressed Fos-IR
      almost exclusively on day 4 of the cycle, just after the preovulatory LH surge.
      However, in the caudal POA, GnRH-IR neurons expressed Fos-IR across the entire
      cycle, including days 1-3, when LH secretion is pulsatile. Food deprivation on
      days 1 and 2 of the cycle, which attenuates the LH surge and blocks ovulation in
      hamsters, significantly reduced the proportion of GnRH-IR neurons that expressed
      Fos-IR on days 2 and 4 (caudal POA) or only on day 4 (DBB and MS/mPOA).
      Suppression of fuel availability with insulin or 2-deoxy-D-glucose on day 1 of
      the cycle mimicked the effects of food deprivation and reduced the proportion of
      caudal POA GnRH-IR neurons that expressed Fos-IR. The results of these
      experiments suggest that in Syrian hamsters, there are separate populations of
      GnRH-IR neurons associated with pulsatile and surge modes of LH secretion. In
      addition, the fact that manipulations of metabolic fuel availability cause
      changes in the expression of Fos-IR in both populations of GnRH-IR neurons
      provides strong support for the hypothesis that nutritional infertility is due in
      part to decreased GnRH secretion.

PMID- 1425421
TI  - Evidence for an autocrine/paracrine role for interleukin-6 in bone resorption by
      giant cells from giant cell tumors of bone.
AB  - Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine whose role in osteoclastic
      bone resorption has not been clearly defined. Therefore, we have used giant
      cells, which express many features of osteoclasts, from giant cell tumors of bone
      as a model to examine the role that IL-6 may play in human osteoclastic bone
      resorption. We found that conditioned medium from 24-h cultures of highly
      purified giant cells (10(6)/ml) contained large amounts of IL-6 (37.9 +/- 8.8
      ng/ml), similar to the amount of IL-6 produced by tumor stromal cells (29.8 +/-
      11.5 ng/ml). Giant cells and stromal cells from giant cell tumors expressed IL-6
      mRNA, as indicated by polymerase chain reaction analysis and in situ
      hybridization studies, and immunohistochemical techniques demonstrated that the
      giant cells expressed IL-6 receptors. The addition of a neutralizing antibody to
      IL-6 significantly decreased the area of dentine resorbed by purified giant cells
      in a dose-dependent manner, and the addition of IL-6 to cultures of purified
      giant cells pretreated with anti-IL-6 restored the resorbing capacity of the
      giant cells. These data suggest that IL-6 may act as both an autocrine and a
      paracrine factor for human osteoclasts and play an important role in the bone
      resorbing capacity of these cells.

PMID- 1425422
TI  - Ca(2+)-independent induction of acrosome reaction by protein kinase C in human
      sperm.
AB  - We report that activated protein kinase C (PKC) can induce acrosome reaction
      independently of elevated Ca2+. Addition of 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate
      or the membrane-permeable diacylglycerol analog 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol to
      ejaculated human sperm resulted in stimulation of acrosomal reaction (2- to 3
      fold), provided the sperm underwent capacitation. Induction of acrosome reaction
      by 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate was blocked by the PKC inhibitor
      staurosporine or by down-regulation of endogenous PKC, but not by removal of
      extracellular Ca2+. Acrosome reaction was also enhanced by the Ca2+ ionophore
      ionomycin in a Ca(2+)-dependent, PKC-independent fashion. Immunohistochemical
      analysis with type-specific PKC antibodies revealed the presence of PKC alpha and
      PKC beta II in the equatorial segment, whereas PKC beta I and PKC epsilon
      staining was found in the principal piece of the tail. Acrosome reaction, thus
      far believed to be induced only by elevated Ca2+, can therefore be triggered by
      activated PKC in a Ca(2+)-independent fashion. The PKC subtypes potentially
      involved in acrosome reaction are most likely alpha and beta II, whereas the beta
      I- and epsilon-subspecies might be involved in regulation of flagellar motility
      of human sperm.

PMID- 1425423
TI  - Expression of type I insulin-like growth factor receptors on human peripheral
      blood mononuclear cells.
AB  - Insulin-like growth factor-I and -II (IGF-I and IGF-II), both of which bind to
      type I IGF receptors, can modulate certain functions of the immune system. We,
      therefore, studied the expression of type I IGF receptors on purified
      subpopulations of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Using two-color flow
      cytometry, specific binding of a monoclonal antibody directed against the type I
      IGF receptor (alpha IR3) was found in every subpopulation. Relatively high
      numbers of receptors were detected on monocytes, natural killer cells, and CD4+ T
      helper cells, an intermediate number of receptors on CD8+ suppressor/cytotoxic T
      cells, and a relatively low number of receptors on B-cells. The presence of these
      receptors was confirmed by specific binding of [125I] IGF-I to purified
      subpopulations. alpha IR3 inhibited the binding of [125I] IGF-I. The specific
      binding of [125I]IGF-I to monocytes could be completely inhibited by IGF-II and
      insulin, but higher doses of these peptides were needed than of IGF-I. Scatchard
      analysis revealed the presence of 734 +/- 426 receptors/monocyte, with a Kd of
      0.23 +/- 0.05 nM. A lower number of receptors (230 +/- 52), but with a higher
      affinity (Kd = 0.05 +/- 0.02 nM), was found on purified T-cells. The positive
      effect of IGF-I on natural killer cell cytotoxicity indicates that the type I IGF
      receptors on this cell type are functional. The possibility that IGF-I mediates
      hormonal effects on the immune system is discussed.

PMID- 1425424
TI  - Set-point for parathyroid hormone release increases with postmaturational aging
      in the rat.
AB  - The plasma concentration of immunoreactive PTH (iPTH) increases with
      postmaturational aging in both humans and animals. In the present study we
      determined the basal, maximally stimulated, and maximally suppressed levels of
      iPTH and the concentration of whole blood ionized calcium sufficient to produce
      half-maximal suppression of the plasma concentration of iPTH (set-point for PTH
      release) in male Fischer 344 rats aged 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 28 months. Basal
      iPTH increased 2.3-fold from 3 to 28 months of age, whereas basal blood ionized
      calcium remained unchanged. The set-point for PTH release increased steadily and
      significantly (P < 0.001) from 1.19 +/- 0.09 mM at 3 months to 1.37 +/- 0.13 mM
      at 24 months and then declined slightly to 1.32 +/- 0.11 mM at 28 months of age.
      Basal iPTH correlated significantly with set-point. Neither maximally stimulated
      nor maximally suppressed iPTH levels showed any significant change with advancing
      age. These results suggest that the age-related increase in basal plasma iPTH in
      the rat may be in part a consequence of an increase in the set-point for PTH
      release.

PMID- 1425425
TI  - Progesterone regulation of a pregnancy-specific transcription repressor to beta
      casein gene promoter in mouse mammary gland.
AB  - Progesterone inhibits casein gene expression in the mammary gland during
      pregnancy. A pregnancy-specific mammary nuclear factor (PMF) is a transcriptional
      repressor that binds to the two separate sites of the beta-casein promoter region
      and mediates the inhibition of mouse beta-casein gene expression by progesterone.
      PMF has been detected in mouse mammary tissue during pregnancy, but not during
      the virginal or lactational periods. Southwestern hybridization showed that the
      PMF-binding sequence (TGAT/ATCA) bound a protein with a mol wt of 65 kilodaltons
      from mammary nuclear extract from pregnant mice, but not that from lactating
      animals. In this study the hormonal regulation of binding activity of PMF and its
      relationship to casein gene expression were also examined in vivo using
      ovariectomy of pregnant mice. Ovariectomy rapidly reduces the circulating
      progesterone and estrogen levels and induces lactogenesis in the mammary tissue
      of pregnant mice. After ovariectomy, the binding activity of PMF in the mammary
      gland was reduced to a very low level (< 5% of the sham-operated level) at 24 h,
      whereas the binding activity of another nuclear protein, octamer-like binding
      factor, was not altered 24 h after the operation. Progesterone injection at the
      time of ovariectomy inhibited the loss of PMF-binding activity, and the level of
      its activity was maintained at about 66% the level of sham-operated pregnant
      animals 24 h after steroid administration. The ability of progesterone to prevent
      the ovariectomy-mediated decrease in PMF-binding activity was specific, since
      other steroid hormones, such as estrogen, hydrocortisone, or testosterone, were
      incapable of doing so. In contrast to PMF, ovariectomy increased the level of
      beta-casein mRNA in mammary tissue, and this increase was inhibited by
      concomitant administration of progesterone, suggesting that the extent of beta
      casein gene expression was inversely related to PMF-binding activity in mammary
      tissue. These results are consistent with the view that PMF plays a role in the
      regulation of casein gene expression by mediating the inhibitory action of
      progesterone.

PMID- 1425426
TI  - Suramin inhibits bone resorption and reduces osteoblast number in a neonatal
      mouse calvarial bone resorption assay.
AB  - The antineoplastic properties of suramin, a polyanionic agent with demonstrated
      antigrowth factor activity, are under evaluation in vitro, in vivo, and in
      clinical trials. Suramin has been shown to have antitumor activity in patients
      with advanced, hormone refractory prostate cancer. During these trials,
      significant resolution of osseous pain was observed in nearly three quarters of
      the patients treated with suramin. To evaluate the effect of suramin on bone
      cells, we studied the effect of suramin on bone resorption in a neonatal mouse
      calvarial assay. Suramin inhibited bone-resorbing activity in a dose-related
      fashion and had an additive effect with calcitonin. Calvaria pretreated with
      suramin had less bone-resorbing activity, fewer attached osteoblasts, and less
      medium alkaline phosphatase activity than control calvaria. Suramin also
      inhibited osteoclastic release of tritiated proline from labeled bone in a dose
      dependent fashion. The effect of metastatic prostate carcinoma on bone is
      incompletely understood, but may be moderated by tumor-produced factors and/or
      cytokines. The effects of several such agents, therefore, were examined in
      combination with suramin. Bone resorption induced by PTH, epidermal growth
      factor, tumor necrosis factor, and a tumor-produced factor, PTH related-protein,
      was blocked by suramin. The ability of suramin to inhibit the bone-resorbing
      effects of several cytokines suggests that its mechanism may involve direct
      action on bone metabolism. Autoradiography performed on calvaria treated with
      labeled suramin demonstrated heavy deposition of suramin on the outer surface of
      the matrix, adjacent to osteoblasts and osteoclasts lining the outer table,
      suggesting that bone cells may be subject to high local concentrations of the
      drug, in keeping with this hypothesis.

PMID- 1425427
TI  - Posttranslational processing of proenkephalin in AtT-20 cells: evidence for
      cleavage at a Lys-Lys site.
AB  - Proteolytic processing of proenkephalin was examined in several subclones of AtT
      20 cells stably transfected with rat proenkephalin cDNA (AT/PE cells).
      Proenkephalin is synthesized in both N-glycosylated and unglycosylated forms, as
      demonstrated by treatment with tunicamycin. RIAs and Western blot studies showed
      that AT/PE clones process proenkephalin at some, but not all, Lys-Arg sequences
      in a limited processing profile reminiscent of bovine adrenal chromaffin cells.
      Pulse-chase studies using Met5-enkephalin-Arg-Gly-Leu antiserum demonstrated that
      50% of the precursor is processed within 1 h, and processing is complete after
      2.5 h with the production of the 5.3-kilodalton (kDa) peptide. Further cleavage
      to the octapeptide Met5-enkephalin-Arg-Gly-Leu is minimal. Radiosequencing
      results verified the efficient cleavage of a Lys-Lys site within proenkephalin
      that resulted in the production of the 5.3-kDa peptide. Proenkephalin cleavage
      products stored within cells, which included the 5.3-kDa peptide, could be
      released upon stimulation of cells with BaCl2 (2-fold above basal levels), 8
      bromo-cAMP or CRF (7- and 8-fold above basal levels, respectively), and a mixture
      of BaCl2 and 8-bromo-cAMP (20-fold above basal levels). An important difference
      between the processing of proenkephalin and the ACTH/endorphin precursor (POMC)
      in AtT-20 cells is efficient cleavage of a Lys-Lys site in proenkephalin and not
      in POMC. The ability of AT/PE to process proenkephalin in a natural manner makes
      it a suitable model system to investigate elements involved in the processing of
      proenkephalin at Lys-Lys sites.

PMID- 1425428
TI  - Interleukin-1 stimulates release of insulin-like growth factor-I from neonatal
      mouse calvaria by a prostaglandin synthesis-dependent mechanism.
AB  - Interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) and IL-1 beta are cytokines produced by cells of
      the immune system and nonimmune cells, such as osteoblasts. IL-1 alpha and IL-1
      beta have potent stimulatory effects on bone resorption and also have mixed
      effects on bone formation, suggesting that they play an important role in local
      regulation of bone turnover. The present study examined paracrine mechanisms
      underlying effects of IL-1 on bone formation. Bone formation is regulated at the
      local level by polypeptide growth factors such as insulin-like growth factor-I
      (IGF-I). IGF-I is a relatively abundant growth factor in bone matrix, is produced
      by osteoblasts, and stimulates osteoblastic cell proliferation and bone matrix
      synthesis. Recent evidence suggests that IGF-I also stimulates osteoclast
      formation and bone resorption. To determine whether increased or decreased IGF-I
      production in bone might mediate some of the effects of IL-1 on bone turnover,
      the effects of IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta on IGF-I release from neonatal mouse
      calvaria in organ culture were examined. IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta stimulated
      resorption and increased the release of IGF-I into the medium during 6 days of
      culture. Maximal stimulation of resorption occurred at lower concentrations of IL
      1 alpha and IL-1 beta (1 pM) than were required for maximum stimulation of IGF-I
      release (10 pM). IL-1 beta also increased steady state levels of 7.5- and 0.9
      kilobase IGF-I mRNA transcripts in total RNA extracted from cultured calvaria at
      24 h. The cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (1 microM) inhibited IL-1 beta
      induced prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production and inhibited resorption and release
      of IGF-I from calvaria. Indomethacin had a smaller effect on PTH-induced IGF-I
      release and had no significant effect on PTH-induced resorption. These results
      suggest that the effects of IL-1 on resorption and release of IGF-I may be
      mediated in part by a prostaglandin-dependent mechanism. Consistent with this
      hypothesis, PGE1 and PGE2 stimulated resorption and release of IGF-I. The dose
      responses for PGE2 stimulation of resorption and stimulation of IGF-I release
      were equivalent. The results are consistent with the hypotheses that 1) IL-1
      stimulates IGF-I production by bone cells, in part by PG-dependent mechanisms; 2)
      the effects of IL-1 and PGs on bone formation and resorption may be mediated by
      locally induced secretion of IGF-I and other growth factors in bone.

PMID- 1425429
TI  - Ontogeny of aromatase messenger ribonucleic acid in mouse brain: fluorometrical
      quantitation by polymerase chain reaction.
AB  - A sensitive method was developed for the determination of trace amounts of
      aromatase mRNA in various tissues. Aromatase mRNA was quantitated by subjecting
      it to reverse transcription in the presence of an internal standard RNA and then
      amplifying the resulting cDNA by polymerase chain reaction with a fluorescent
      primer. The tissue distribution of aromatase mRNA in mice was examined by this
      polymerase chain reaction method. Results showed that aromatase mRNA is expressed
      in the brain, testis, and ovary, but scarcely at all in other tissues, including
      the placenta. In mouse brain, aromatase is mainly located in the forebrain,
      especially the diencephalon. In adult male and female diencephala, aromatase mRNA
      levels were 0.022 +/- 0.004 and 0.014 +/- 0.003 attomoles/micrograms total RNA,
      respectively. Aromatase in the diencephalon is known to participate in brain
      differentiation and sexual behavior, so changes in its mRNA levels in the brain
      during development were examined. Aromatase mRNA was first detected in the 12-day
      old fetus and was found to increase rapidly during the fetal and neonatal
      periods. Its mRNA levels in male and female brains reached maxima of 0.068 +/-
      0.008 and 0.059 +/- 0.006 attomoles/micrograms total RNA, respectively, 3-4 days
      after birth and then gradually decreased to adult levels. These observations are
      consistent with previous data indicating that the marginal period of neonatal
      imprinting of sexual differences is within a week after birth and suggest that
      brain aromatase may be important in sexual differentiation and behavior.

PMID- 1425430
TI  - Potential involvement of the carboxy-terminus of the Glut 1 transporter in
      glucose transport.
AB  - The role of the carboxy-terminal domain of the Glut 1 glucose transporter was
      investigated using an antipeptide antibody to the C-terminal part of the
      molecule. The study was performed in fibroblasts transfected with the cDNA coding
      for the human insulin receptor. These cells acutely respond to insulin for
      glucose transport. Using antipeptide antibodies to Glut 1 and Glut 4, we first
      established that these cells expressed only Glut 1. Then, to define the role of
      the C-terminal part of Glut 1 in glucose transport, the antibodies were loaded
      into the cells by electroporation. When anti-Glut 1 immunoglobulins were
      introduced into the cells, a 60% increase in basal deoxyglucose and 3-O
      methylglucose transport was observed compared to that in cells electroporated
      with nonimmune immunoglobulins. The stimulatory action of the antipeptide was not
      due to an increase in the total amount of transporters. It was found only at low
      glucose concentrations, suggesting that the affinity of the transporter, rather
      than its maximal capacity, was changed. Finally, the effect of antibody was
      additive to that of insulin. The interaction between the anti-Glut 1 antibody and
      the carboxy-tail of the transporter seems to lead to an increase in the intrinsic
      activity of the transporter, suggesting that this part of the molecule could be
      implicated in the regulation of glucose uptake.

PMID- 1425431
TI  - The carboxy-terminus of parathyroid hormone is essential for hormone processing
      and secretion.
AB  - The biological function of the carboxy-terminal portion of the PTH molecule is
      unknown. We hypothesized that the carboxy-terminus of PTH may be essential for
      hormone processing and secretion. To ascertain the potential role of the carboxy
      terminus in transport through the secretory pathway, we constructed a series of
      carboxy-terminally deleted mutants of human preproPTH. PreproPTH and these
      truncated peptides were expressed in cell-free extracts and in acutely
      transfected COS 7 cells. Intact preproPTH(1-84) (115 residues) was processed to
      proPTH(1-84); the PTH was secreted very efficiently. In contrast, translocation
      across the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum and signal sequence cleavage
      were mildly impaired for PTH(1-52) (83 residues), moderately impaired for PTH(1
      40) (71 residues), and dramatically impaired for PTH(1-34) (65 residues).
      Subsequent cleavage of the prosequence and secretion from intact cells were also
      dramatically impaired for PTH(1-52) and undetectable for PTH(1-40) and PTH(1-34).
      We conclude that more than 65 residues are needed to cross the endoplasmic
      reticulum and that more than 83 residues are needed for efficient prosequence
      cleavage and secretion. Perhaps similar requirements for full transport through
      the secretory pathway explains why most secreted peptides are synthesized as long
      propeptides of at least 80 residues.

PMID- 1425432
TI  - Selective removal of glycosylation sites from sex hormone-binding globulin by
      site-directed mutagenesis.
AB  - Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is a homodimeric plasma glycoprotein with
      high affinity for sex steroid hormones. It contains two N-linked carbohydrate
      chains and one O-linked oligosaccharide per subunit, but their functional
      significance is not known. Site-directed mutagenesis of a human SHBG cDNA has
      enabled us to selectively disrupt the known glycosylation sites individually and
      in various combinations. The mutant cDNAs were expressed in Chinese hamster ovary
      (CHO) cells, and it was found that the presence of carbohydrates is not an
      absolute requirement for the secretion of SHBG from these cells, but the absence
      of both N-linked oligosaccharides reduced the amount of SHBG in the culture
      medium. In addition, the affinity and specificity of SHBG for steroid ligands was
      unaffected by the lack of one or more carbohydrate chains. Proportionally greater
      amounts (26-31%) of the mutants lacking a single N-linked carbohydrate chain
      failed to interact with Concanavalin-A. (Con-A) compared to normal SHBG produced
      by CHO cells (15%). Western analysis demonstrated that both consensus sites for N
      glycosylation are used and that the typical heavy [mol wt (M(r)), approximately
      51,000] and light (M(r), approximately 47,000) subunit size-heterogeneity was
      maintained regardless of the absence of an O-linked carbohydrate at residue 7.
      Furthermore, the SHBG mutants containing only one N-linked oligosaccharide
      comprise only a single subunit with a M(r) of approximately 47,000. This suggests
      that the heavy subunit contains two N-linked oligosaccharides, while only one of
      these sites is used on the light subunit. The M(r) of the various SHBG mutants
      were also examined by gel filtration, and this indicated that they are all
      produced as homodimers and that carbohydrates are not involved in subunit
      association.

PMID- 1425433
TI  - Diminished insulinotropic effects of gastrin-releasing peptide in pregnant sheep
      are reproduced by progesterone treatment of nonpregnant animals.
AB  - Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) is insulinotropic in several species, but
      possible alterations in this action during pregnancy have not been explored.
      Therefore, changes in plasma insulin and glucagon concentrations were examined in
      response to exogenous GRP in nonpregnant and pregnant sheep that were feed
      restricted, fed ad libitum, or infused with glucose. Administered GRP provoked
      insulin and glucagon release in pregnant and nonpregnant fed animals. This effect
      was reduced with feed restriction and potentiated in the presence of glucose. The
      responses were less in pregnant than in nonpregnant animals. Interpretation of
      this result, however, was confounded by lower plasma immunoreactive
      concentrations of GRP achieved in pregnant than in nonpregnant sheep in response
      to the same infusion rate (picomoles per kg BW) of exogenous GRP. Therefore,
      nonpregnant ovariectomized sheep were treated with estradiol (E2) or E2 plus
      progesterone (P4), given to reproduce circulating steroid levels in pregnancy, in
      order to examine insulinotropic responses to GRP in the absence or presence of
      concurrent glucose administration. Similar plasma GRP and glucose concentrations
      were achieved by exogenous infusions in the different groups of nonpregnant
      animals treated with steroids and in control animals not receiving steroids. E2
      alone did not alter the insulin response to GRP compared to control, but E2 plus
      P4 treatment attenuated these responses to values similar to those in pregnant
      animals. We conclude that GRP is insulinotropic in sheep, and this action is
      modulated by the circulating glucose concentration. The response to GRP is less
      in pregnant than in nonpregnant animals, and this attenuation is mimicked in
      nonpregnant animals treated with E2 plus P4. We suggest that in species such as
      sheep, GRP is a potentiator of glucose-stimulated insulin release. This action is
      diminished in response to the altered endocrine environment of pregnancy and may
      contribute to the metabolic changes that occur at this time.

PMID- 1425434
TI  - Insulin-like growth factors selectively stimulate spermatogonial, but not
      meiotic, deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis during rat spermatogenesis.
AB  - The in vitro effects of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), insulin-like growth
      factor-II (IGF-II), truncated IGF-I, insulin, and human GH (hGH) on premitotic
      and premeiotic DNA synthesis of adult rat germ cells in vitro were investigated.
      Two-millimeter segments of seminiferous tubules from four different stages
      containing type A4-spermatogonia (stage I), type B spermatogonia (stage V),
      resting preleptotene spermatocytes (stage VIIa), and preleptotene spermatocytes
      in the S-phase (stage VIII-IX), respectively, were isolated by transillumination
      assisted microdissection. They were cultured in serum-free medium at 34 or 37 C
      with and without growth factors, labeled for 4 h with tritiated thymidine, and
      harvested at 24, 48, and 72 h. Spontaneous progression of spermatogenesis was
      noted at both incubation temperatures, with a more rapid rate at 37 C. IGF-I
      significantly stimulated [3H]thymidine uptake in originally stage I and stage V
      tubule segments (type A4 and B spermatogonia, respectively) after 48 h of culture
      at 37 C. Improved maintenance of the DNA synthesis of stage VIII-IX tubules was
      found after 48 h at 37 C and 72 h at 34 C. Truncated IGF-I produced a similar
      response, but was more potent. IGF-II showed slight stimulation of stage V
      tubules after 72 h at both 34 and 37 C and maintenance of stage VIII-IX tubules
      after 48 h at 37 C and 72 h at 34 C. hGH was effective only at 34 C, showing
      slight stimulation of stage I tubule segments after 48 and 72 h of incubation.
      Insulin at high concentrations was effective only at 37 C and stimulated DNA
      synthesis in stages I, V, and VIIa after 48 h and stages V and VIIa after 72 h of
      incubation. It is concluded that IGFs stimulate premitotic DNA synthesis of rat
      germ cells in vitro and may also maintain premeiotic DNA synthesis. Whether the
      slight response to hGH is mediated via local production of IGF-I by the tissue
      cultures remains to be investigated. As IGF-I and IGF-II are locally produced in
      the testis, the present results suggest that these factors have a selective
      paracrine or autocrine role in the regulation of spermatogonial proliferation
      during spermatogenesis.

PMID- 1425435
TI  - Interaction between activin and follicle-stimulating hormone-suppressing
      protein/follistatin in the regulation of basal inhibin production by cultured rat
      granulosa cells.
AB  - There is evidence that FSH-suppressing protein (FSP) antagonizes the action of
      activin on the differentiation of rat granulosa cells by binding activin in
      vitro. We tested the interaction of activin and FSP in this in vitro system by
      examining the effects of FSP on activin dose-related stimulation of
      immunoreactive inhibin release by rat granulosa cells. Granulosa cells (2 x 10(5)
      viable cells/well) from diethylstilbestrol-treated immature rats were cultured
      for 48 h in McCoy's 5a serum-free medium with additives and increasing doses of
      bovine FSP (0-30 nM) and human recombinant activin (0-20 nM). Inhibin was
      measured in the medium by RIA. Activin caused a dose-related increase in basal
      inhibin production, which was maximal between 4-10 nM activin (ED50, 0.6 nM).
      With the addition of FSP, an apparent increase in the ED50 of the activin dose
      response curves was observed, but there were no changes in the maximum response.
      This pattern closely resembled that of chemical antagonism of an agonist by an
      agent that binds with relatively high affinity to form a biologically inactive
      complex. Based on this premise, apparent high affinity activin binding to FSP was
      determined by Scatchard analysis to have a Kd of 0.13 +/- 0.07 nM (mean +/- SD)
      and to occur in a 2:1 or greater FSP/activin molar ratio. These data support the
      proposition that the antagonistic effect of FSP on activin is due to the
      formation of an inactive complex.

PMID- 1425436
TI  - The stimulation of liver angiotensinogen by glucocorticoids depends on the type
      of steroid and its mode of administration.
AB  - Glucocorticoids are well known inducers of transcription of the liver
      angiotensinogen (AOG) gene. However, the doses and the conditions under which
      they exert this effect in vivo are not known. To investigate this question, we
      have implanted rats with wax pellets containing 80% corticosterone (B). These
      pellets increased plasma B and induced clear signs of hypercorticism. However,
      they did not stimulate plasma AOG, whereas acute injections of dexamethasone
      (DEX) had a robust effect. In additional experiments, we have determined that: 1)
      chronic exposure to DEX was less effective than acute DEX in stimulating the
      production of liver AOG in rats and AOG secretion by rat hepatoma cells; 2) at
      maximally effective doses, B stimulated the production of AOG by hepatoma cells
      less effectively than DEX; and 3) DEX had less effect on AOG secretion than on
      AOG messenger RNA concentration, both in vivo and in vitro. All three mechanisms
      may have contributed concomitantly to the absence of response of plasma AOG to
      mild and chronic elevations of plasma B. These results suggest that
      glucocorticoids are unlikely to be primary regulators of liver AOG.

PMID- 1425438
TI  - Insulin-like growth factor-I reverses the impairment of wound healing induced by
      corticosteroids in rats.
AB  - Corticosteroids are widely used therapeutic agents that have as a major side
      effect the impairment of wound healing. Two hypotheses were tested: 1) that
      antiinflammatory corticosteroids decrease the local insulin-like growth factor-I
      (IGF-I) response to injury; and 2) that locally administered IGF-I would overcome
      methylprednisolone-mediated suppression of healing. The IGF-I concentration was
      measured in fluid from wire mesh cylinder wounds in rats given saline or
      methylprednisolone im. Rats receiving 8 and 16 mg had decreased wound IGF-I
      levels of 32% and 56%, respectively, compared to the saline-injected controls.
      IGF-I was infused (15 micrograms/day) by osmotic minipumps into wire mesh
      cylinder wound chambers of methylprednisolone (8 mg)-treated rats for 7 and 14
      days. Methylprednisolone decreased wound DNA to 21%, hydroxyproline to 30%, and
      total protein to 5% of the values found in saline-infused controls. A 14-day
      treatment with IGF-I completely reversed the effect of methylprednisolone and
      increased DNA, hydroxyproline, and total protein to 216%, 109%, and 96% of saline
      control values, respectively. In conclusion, corticosteroids depressed wound IGF
      I concentrations in rats, and an infusion of IGF-I into wound chambers reversed
      the corticosteroid-induced impairment of wound healing, as determined by the DNA,
      hydroxyproline, and total protein contents in wound chambers.

PMID- 1425437
TI  - Opposite effects of insulin-like growth factor-I on the formation of trabecular
      and cortical bone in adult female rats.
AB  - We have previously found that in intact adult female rats, 17 beta-estradiol (E2)
      stimulates trabecular bone formation, which can be detected by triple
      fluorochrome labeling within a few days of commencing E2 treatment. We have also
      observed that E2 stimulates trabecular bone formation in ovariectomised (Ovx)
      rats given 3-amino-1-hydroxypropylidene bisphosphonate (AHPrBP). This anabolic
      action of E2 is presumably mediated through the local release of growth factors,
      of which insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is a strong contender. To assess
      the role of IGF-I as mediator of the anabolic action of E2 on rat trabecular
      bone, we examined the effect of daily sc administration of IGF-I (200
      micrograms/kg) for 17 days on trabecular bone formation at the proximal tibial
      metaphysis in experiments using the above two models. Intact animals received
      fluorochrome labels on days 1, 8, and 15 of IGF-I treatment, and Ovx animals
      received AHPrBP (0.3 mg/kg) on days 1, 8, and 15 and fluorochrome labels on days
      8 and 15. Trabecular surfaces covered by first and second labels only (termed
      arrested surfaces), second and third labels only (induction surfaces), and all
      three labels (persisting surfaces) were assessed in intact animals; double
      labeled surfaces were assessed in Ovx animals. We found that IGF-I increased the
      longitudinal growth rate in both intact rats and Ovx animals given AHPrBP.
      However, to our surprise, we found that IGF-I inhibited trabecular bone formation
      in intact animals, reducing both arrested and persisting trabecular surfaces by
      approximately 50%. This was associated with a doubling of periosteal bone
      formation, as measured at the tibial diaphysis. In Ovx animals given AHPrBP, the
      AHPrBP markedly inhibited trabecular bone formation compared with that in Ovx
      controls, and IGF-I was without effect. We conclude that, in contrast to E2, IGF
      I acts to increase the length and circumference of long bones and, perhaps
      through reactive mechanisms such as mechanical compensation, reduces rather than
      stimulates trabecular bone formation.

PMID- 1425439
TI  - Thyroid hormone-dependent redistribution of the 55-kilodalton monomer of protein
      disulfide isomerase in cultured glial cells.
AB  - In addition to the effects of thyroid hormone that are mediated through
      interaction with chromatin-associated receptors, T4 modulates the activity of the
      cellular content of the membrane-associated protein type II iodothyronine 5'
      deiodinase (5'D-II) by regulating its degradation through an actin-dependent
      extranuclear mechanism. Under the influence of thyroid hormone, the substrate
      binding subunit of 5'D-II is translocated from the plasma membrane to an
      intracellular microfilament-associated pool. In glial cells, a 55-kilodalton
      (kDa) protein (glial-p55), which was shown to be identical to the 55-kDa monomer
      of protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) also demonstrates a similar T4-dependent
      association to the F-actin microfilaments. To explore the role of glial-p55 in
      the extranuclear effect of thyroid hormone in glial cells, the effects of thyroid
      hormone on the subcellular localization of glial-p55 were further examined. The
      current study demonstrates the presence of two pools of glial-p55. While the
      majority of glial-p55 is associated with endoplasmic reticulum and represents
      PDI, approximately 25% of glial-p55 is cytosolic in the absence of thyroid
      hormone. Cytosolic glial-p55 is lost from the cells after mild permeabilization
      with saponin, and treatment of cells with T4 causes the shift of glial-p55 from
      the cytosolic pool to the subcellular fractions that contain the actin
      cytoskeleton. Crude microsomal preparations were prepared which contain
      membranes, microfilaments, and other particulate cell structures. In the absence
      of thyroid hormone, glial cells lack an intact actin cytoskeleton, and glial-p55
      is easily removed from these preparations by conditions that remove extrinsic
      membrane proteins like PDI, such as alkaline pH and detergent extraction. In
      contrast, glial-p55 is not removed from the crude microsomes prepared from
      thyroid hormone-replete glial cells that contain an intact actin cytoskeleton.
      Since previous work in our laboratory indicated that glial-p55 becomes actin
      associated in a thyroid-dependent manner along with the substrate-binding subunit
      of 5'D-II, this study suggests that the 55-kDa monomer of PDI may play a role in
      the thyroid hormone-dependent regulation of actin polymerization and the
      degradation of 5'D-II.

PMID- 1425440
TI  - Antipeptide polyclonal antibodies specifically recognize each human thyroid
      hormone receptor isoform.
AB  - We characterized four antipeptide polyclonal antibodies (abs) able to
      specifically recognize each thyroid hormone receptor (TR) isoform. The abs
      immunoprecipitated both the in vitro synthesized receptor and the receptor
      expressed in E. coli and their specificity was confirmed by competition studies
      and immunohistochemistry. Ab activity measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay decreased after preabsorption of each ab with the immunizing peptide or the
      specific receptor protein expressed in E. coli. No specific activity was
      detectable in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, no nuclear staining was observed
      after affinity column immunoabsorption, and the specific bands obtained in
      Western blot analysis disappeared after preabsorption with the specific TR
      isoform expressed in E. coli. By immunohistochemical studies we detected
      coordinate expression of each receptor isoform in most tissues examined. However,
      in heart and muscle, the beta-isoform is expressed at a very low level compared
      to the alpha-isoform in spite of the significant TR beta mRNA levels previously
      demonstrated by Northern blot analysis. We also demonstrated a different pattern
      of distribution of alpha- and beta-isoforms in rat testis. In this tissue the TR
      alpha is significantly expressed in spermatogonia nuclei, but in spermatids the
      beta-isoform is predominant, and only the TR beta is detectable in mature
      spermatozoa.

PMID- 1425441
TI  - Carbohydrate moiety of follitropin receptor is not required for high affinity
      hormone-binding or for functional coupling between receptor and guanine
      nucleotide-binding protein in bovine calf testis membranes.
AB  - Previously, we have extensively studied FSH-receptor interactions using bovine
      calf testis membranes, and demonstrated that the high-affinity FSH binding to
      receptors and coupling of FSH receptors with guanine nucleotide-binding protein
      (Gs protein) in a GTP-sensitive state are important initial events in FSH action.
      In this study, using the same plasma membrane system, we examined the
      glycoprotein nature of the FSH receptor and determined the contribution of
      carbohydrate moieties to these functions of the FSH receptor. Our approach
      involved enzymic deglycosylation of FSH receptors present in calf testis plasma
      membranes and then removal of incompletely deglycosylated FSH receptors by lectin
      affinity chromatography. Following treatment of testis membranes with peptide N
      glycosidase, the receptor, as identified by ligand-blot analysis, had a higher
      electrophoretic mobility indicating a decrease in M(r) from 240-200K. Treatment
      of testis membranes with neuraminidase caused a reduction (to approximately 225K)
      in the size of the receptor consistent with desialylation. However, digestion
      with O-glycosidase (endo-alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase) did not affect the
      mobility of the FSH receptor. These results suggest that bovine testis FSH
      receptor contains predominantly N-linked oligosaccharide chains, a finding which
      is consistent with recent predictions that N-linked glycosylation, but not O
      linked glycosylation sites are present in cloned FSH receptor from rat testis.
      Moreover, calf testis membranes after treatment with peptide N-glycosidase F,
      were solubilized with Triton X-100 under optimum conditions that preserve the
      physical and functional coupling of FSH receptors with guanine nucleotide-binding
      protein, and then subjected to lectin affinity chromatography. Scatchard analysis
      indicated that intact and deglycosylated FSH receptors bound 125I-human FSH with
      similar affinities. In the presence of GTP, the binding of 125I-human FSH to
      intact and deglycosylated receptors decreased similarly and in a noncompetitive
      manner. Treatment of testis membranes with NAD plus cholera toxin, but not NAD
      plus pertussis toxin, eliminated the GTP effect on FSH binding to enzymic
      deglycosylated as well as intact receptors, suggesting that the guanine
      nucleotide binding protein mediating GTP regulation of FSH binding in these
      membranes is probably Gs protein. Our results suggest that the bovine testis FSH
      receptor contains predominantly N-linked oligosaccharide chains consistent with
      recently predicted N-linked glycosylation sites of cloned FSH receptor of rat
      testis. The bovine testis FSH receptor does not require N-linked carbohydrate for
      high-affinity hormone binding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1425442
TI  - Luteal control of endometrial receptivity and its modification by progesterone
      antagonists.
AB  - The objective of this study was to determine preimplantational effects of
      progesterone antagonists (PA) on the cell biology of the endometrium, on corpus
      luteum (CL) function and on the complex interactions between these two organs.
      The PA onapristone (ZK 98.299) or lilopristone (ZK 98.734) was given to
      pseudopregnant rabbits at days 5, 6, and 7 p.hCG. Three treatment protocols were
      investigated: Exp I, onapristone or lilopristone treatment only; Exp II,
      onapristone treatment after hysterectomy at day 1 p.hCG; Exp III, onapristone
      treatment together with 17 beta-estradiol, which represents the ultimate
      luteotropic hormone in the rabbit. In Exp I, onapristone and lilopristone gave
      rise to endometrial regression (inhibition of epithelial proliferation and
      differentiation, increase of apoptosis). Simultaneous addition of 17 beta
      estradiol in Exp III did not alter these findings. A rapid luteolysis was found
      in Exp I. In Exp II and III, however, onapristone was unable to impair luteal
      development and function. Due to the unaffected CL in Exp III and due to the 17
      beta-estradiol substitution, the endometrium was capable of starting a new
      transformation, which met all requirements for receptivity at day 12 p.hCG.
      Transfers of day 4 p.c. blastocysts from untreated donors into such delayed
      secretion recipient rabbits at days 12 p.hCG resulted in normal implantations and
      normal embryonic development. Contrary to Exp III, the missing of any luteotropic
      substitutions in Exp I resulted in a complete inhibition of further uterine
      transformation. The present findings suggest that PA can exert a direct
      inhibitory effect on the endometrium, which is followed by an indirect luteolytic
      effect via endometrial mediators. The simultaneous addition of a proper
      luteotropic signal to the PA protocol results in survival of CL. Furthermore,
      this prolongation of the CL life span can be interpreted as a functional
      dissociation of the endometrium from the CL.

PMID- 1425443
TI  - Neuropeptide-Y innervation of beta-endorphin-containing cells in the rat
      mediobasal hypothalamus: a light and electron microscopic double immunostaining
      analysis.
AB  - Central administration of neuropeptide-Y (NPY) inhibits pituitary LH release in
      ovariectomized rats and stimulates LH release in intact and ovariectomized rats
      pretreated with ovarian steroids. Although the precise neural mechanism of this
      dual effect of NPY is not known, experimental evidence suggests an underlying
      interaction between hypothalamic NPY and the inhibitory beta-endorphin (beta END)
      systems in the neuroendocrine regulation of pituitary LH release in the rat. The
      present study was undertaken to examine the morphological basis of the
      interaction between these two peptidergic systems in the hypothalamus. Sections
      of the mediobasal hypothalamus of colchicine-pretreated female rats were double
      immunostained for NPY and beta END and examined by light and electron microscopy.
      The light brown diaminobenzidine reaction was used to visualize beta END cells,
      while NPY neurons were labeled with a dark blue nickel ammonium sulfate
      intensified diaminobenzidine reaction. Under the light microscope, a dense
      network of NPY-immunoreactive axons and axon terminals was observed in close
      apposition with beta END-immunoreactive neurons throughout the medial basal
      hypothalamus. Electron microscopic examination revealed that NPY-immunoreactive
      boutons formed axosomatic and axo-dendritic synaptic connections with beta END
      cells. A majority of these synaptic membrane specializations appeared
      asymmetrical [corrected]. In light of the previous evidence of excitatory and
      inhibitory effects on LH release and the existence of direct synaptic connections
      between NPY and LHRH neurons in the hypothalamus, the current results imply that
      the dual effects of NPY on LH secretion may involve modulation of LHRH secretion,
      both by the direct route and indirectly through the hypothalamic beta END system.

PMID- 1425444
TI  - 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 regulates in vivo production of the third
      component of complement (C3) in bone.
AB  - We previously reported that 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3]
      specifically stimulates production of the third component of complement (C3) by
      murine osteoblastic cells and marrow-derived stromal cells (ST2) in vitro. In the
      present study we examined tissue-specific production of C3 in vivo in vitamin D
      deficient mice, some of which received supplemental 1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3. Western
      blot analysis indicated that the C3 protein band in bone was undetectable in
      vitamin D-deficient mice, but became distinct 48 h after 1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3
      administration. The mRNA expression of C3 in bone was also undetectable in
      vitamin D-deficient mice and appeared as early as 24 h after 1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3
      administration. mRNA expression apparently preceded the appearance of C3 protein.
      In contrast, there was no significant difference in the expression of hepatic C3
      mRNA among normal mice fed laboratory chow and vitamin D-deficient mice with and
      without 1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3 administration. The serum concentration of C3 in
      vitamin D-deficient mice was almost identical to that in normal mice and was
      unchanged after 1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3 administration. 1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3 receptor
      (VDR) mRNAs were detected in the kidney and intestine, whereas no appreciable
      mRNA expression of VDR occurred in the liver. Osteopontin mRNA was expressed in
      response to 1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3 in the kidney, but not in the intestine.
      Immunohistochemical studies showed that in normal mice, the C3 protein was
      located mainly in the periosteal regions of calvaria and on the surfaces of bone
      trabeculae in the tibial metaphyses. These results demonstrate that 1 alpha,25
      (OH)2D3 tissue-specifically regulates in vivo production of C3 in bone. The
      production of bone C3 cannot be attributed to the presence of VDR alone, and we
      speculate that other tissue-specific factors are required.

PMID- 1425446
TI  - Vitamin E protects hypothalamic beta-endorphin neurons from estradiol
      neurotoxicity.
AB  - Estradiol valerate (EV) treatment has been shown to result in the destruction of
      60% of beta-endorphin neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus. Evidence
      suggests that the mechanism of EV-induced neurotoxicity involves the conversion
      of estradiol to catechol estrogen and subsequent oxidation to free radicals in
      local peroxidase-positive astrocytes. In this study, we examined whether
      treatment with the antioxidant, vitamin E, protects beta-endorphin neurons from
      the neurotoxic action of estradiol. Our results demonstrate that chronic vitamin
      E treatment prevents the decrement in hypothalamic beta-endorphin concentrations
      resulting from arcuate beta-endorphin cell loss, suggesting that the latter is
      mediated by free radicals. Vitamin E treatment also prevented the onset of
      persistent vaginal cornification and polycystic ovarian condition which have been
      shown to result from the EV-induced hypothalamic pathology.

PMID- 1425445
TI  - Endothelin-1 as a luteinization inhibitor: inhibition of rat granulosa cell
      progesterone accumulation via selective modulation of key steroidogenic steps
      affecting both progesterone formation and degradation.
AB  - Endothelin (ET)-1, is a 21 amino acid vasoactive peptide subject to regulation by
      cellular oxygen tension. However, an increasing body of information now suggests
      that ET-1 is a multifunctional peptidergic regulator the actions of which are not
      limited to the vascular system. Although ET-1 has been shown to inhibit the
      gonadotropin-supported accumulation of progesterone by cultured granulosa cells,
      the precise cellular mechanism(s) involved remain unknown. It was therefore the
      objective of this study to examine in greater detail the effects of ET-1 on
      progestin economy in cultured granulosa cells from immature rats. Treatment with
      ET-1 was inhibitory to the FSH-supported accumulation of progesterone in a dose
      dependent manner, an action characterized by a median inhibitory dose of 2 x 10(
      11) M and a maximal inhibitory effect of 90%. This inhibitory action of ET-1 was
      reversible following extensive washing and could not be accounted for by a
      decrease in the viable cell mass. Evaluation of the activities of progesterone
      forming enzymes revealed ET-1 to be a potent (P < 0.01) inhibitor of cholesterol
      side-chain cleavage and 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD)/isomerase (76.1
      +/- 1.2% and 47.3 +/- 8.6% inhibition, respectively). Cellular radiolabeling with
      [3H]pregnenolone confirmed an ET-1-induced inhibition of the FSH-supported
      accumulation of radiolabeled progesterone. However, this effect was concomitant
      with enhancement of the accumulation of more distal metabolites, i.e. 20 alpha
      dihydroprogesterone, 5 alpha-pregnane-3 alpha, 20 alpha-diol, and 5 alpha
      pregnane-3 alpha-ol-20-one. Analysis of the FSH-supported activities of the
      progesterone-degrading enzymes revealed ET-1 as a potent (P < 0.05) stimulator of
      20 alpha-HSD and 5 alpha-reductase (3.6 +/- 1.0 and 1.7 +/- 0.3-fold, stimulation
      respectively). In contrast, no significant changes were observed in 3 alpha-HSD
      activity. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the ET-1 induced
      inhibition of gonadotropin-supported progesterone accumulation constitutes a
      complex phenomenon wherein ET-1 inhibits the activities of steroidogenic enzymes
      concerned with progesterone formation while enhancing the activities of enzymes
      concerned with progesterone degradation. We speculate that ET-1, possibly of
      intraovarian origin, acts as a luteinization-inhibitor to suppress premature
      luteinization at a time when continued preovulatory expression of ET-1 (in the
      intact but not ruptured follicle) may be contingent upon relative intrafollicular
      hypoxia.

PMID- 1425447
TI  - Reversion of thyrotoxic atrial fibrillation in hypothyroid state after
      radioiodine treatment.
AB  - Twenty patients with thyrotoxic Basedow's disease complicated by atrial
      fibrillation lasting more than one month despite treatment with antithyroidal
      drugs were treated with radioiodine supplemented with an antithyroidal drug or
      inorganic iodine. We classified the 20 patients on the basis of atrial
      fibrillation reversion into two groups, one with reversion (group I) and the
      other without reversion (group II). In all 12 patients in group I, T4 and T3
      decreased to hypothyroid levels in 3.2 +/- 1.3 months, and one month later all
      patients had their sinus rhythm restored while T4 and T3 remained below normal
      (2.6 +/- 1.1 micrograms/dl and 77.9 +/- 34.4 ng/dl, respectively). Although T4
      and T3 also decreased within 3.5 +/- 1.8 months in all 8 patients in group II,
      one month later, atrial fibrillation persisted while T4 and T3 (10.4 +/- 5.3
      micrograms/dl and 157.7 +/- 67.5 ng/dl, respectively) rose significantly compared
      to those in group I (P less than 0.001 and P less than 0.01, respectively). For
      reversion of atrial fibrillation it is important that the onset of hypothyroidism
      is rapidly induced by radioiodine and that hypothyroidism continues for at least
      one month.

PMID- 1425448
TI  - Possible role of cingulate cortex in regulating sexual behavior in male rats:
      effects of lesions and cuts.
AB  - The role of the cingulate cortex in regulating male sexual behavior was studied
      in testosterone propionate-treated castrated male rats. Males with lesions in the
      anterior part of the cingulate cortex showed lower levels of mount, intromission
      and ejaculation activities than sham-operated control males and males with
      lesions in the posterior part of the cingulate cortex or the frontal cortex. In
      male rats in which lateral connections of the anterior cingulate cortex were
      bilaterally interrupted by sagittal cuts, the sexual activity was much lower than
      in the control rats, being comparable to that of the anterior cingulate cortex
      lesion group, but transection of the anterior connections by a transverse cut
      made in the anterior part of the anterior cingulate had no effect. These results
      suggest that the anterior cingulate cortex and its lateral connections are
      critical in regulating male sexual behavior in male rats.

PMID- 1425449
TI  - Regulation of androgen receptor by androgen and epidermal growth factor in a
      human prostatic cancer cell line, LNCaP.
AB  - The effects of androgen and epidermal growth factor (EGF) on cell proliferation
      and the expression of mRNA and protein of androgen receptor (AR) were examined in
      an androgen-sensitive human prostatic cancer cell line, LNCaP, by Northern and
      Western blot analyses. The addition of 1 nM dihydrotestosterone (DHT), at which
      the proliferation of the cells was most stimulated, did not change the level of
      AR mRNA but increased the level of AR protein by reducing the turnover rate of
      the AR protein. EGF also stimulated the proliferation of the cells but repressed
      the expression of AR mRNA and protein. This repression was found to be exerted
      primarily at the level of transcription. When DHT and EGF were added
      simultaneously to the cells, the level of AR mRNA was reduced to the same degree
      as was accomplished by the addition of EGF alone. On the other hand, the level of
      AR protein increased but this increase was about 70% of that attained following
      the addition of DHT alone. The stimulatory effects of EGF and DHT on cell
      proliferation were found to be additive. These results indicate that EGF down
      regulates the level of AR mRNA and thereby also that of AR protein irrespective
      of the presence of DHT, and that EGF stimulates the proliferation of LNCaP cells
      through a different pathway from that of DHT.

PMID- 1425450
TI  - A case of hypothyroidism with simultaneous presence of stimulating type anti
      thyrotropin (TSH) receptor antibodies and anti-thyroxine (T4) autoantibodies.
AB  - We have examined a hypothyroid patient with stimulating type anti-thyrotropin
      (TSH) receptor antibodies and without blocking type anti-TSH receptor antibodies.
      Although she had high serum TSH (240 microU/ml) and low free triiodothyronine
      (FT3, 0.49 pg/ml) concentrations, which agree with physical findings of
      hypothyroidism, she had an unusually high free thyroxine (FT4) concentration
      (3.56 ng/dl). Incubation of her serum with 125I-T4, followed by precipitation
      with 12.5% polyethylene glycol (PEG) disclosed a higher binding of 125I-T4
      (34.4%) than in normal controls, being 5-7%. In addition, binding of 125I-T4 to
      her serum gamma-globulin was completely displaced by the addition of unlabelled
      T4. From these results it was concluded that her serum contained anti-T4
      autoantibodies. Treatment with synthetic T4 was begun and her thyroid function
      was monitored by sensitive TSH radioimmunoassay (RIA) and RIA of FT4 after PEG
      treatment. Since both sensitive TSH RIA and FT4 RIA results after PEG treatment
      give results concordant with the physical findings, it was concluded that both of
      the RIA results are useful for the evaluation of thyroid function in patients
      with thyroid hormone autoantibodies.

PMID- 1425451
TI  - A child with pituitary gigantism and precocious adrenarche: does GH and/or PRL
      advance the onset of adrenarche?
AB  - We describe a female child with pituitary gigantism and precocious adrenarche.
      From two years of age she showed unusual overgrowth, and at 5 years old she was
      133.5 cm (+ 5.5 SD) tall and weighed 40.5 kg. Her precocious manifestations were
      public hair, acne vulgaris, hirsutism, and advanced bone age. Endocrinological
      examination revealed markedly increased serum growth hormone (GH) and prolactin
      (PRL), which responded paradoxically to a TRH test. In addition, the
      concentrations of serum dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) and its sulfate (DHAS) were
      increased to adult levels, moving in accordance with changes in ACTH, which
      suggested that these androgens were secreted from the adrenal glands
      functionally. These androgens seemed to be responsible for her partial precocity.
      Prior reports have suggested that GH and/or PRL overproduction might have played
      a role in the induction of adrenarche. Also, in previous reports of 9 gigantism
      patients under 10 years old, the manifestation of precocious adrenarche was
      suggested in 8. Further investigation of the influence of GH and PRL on adrenal
      androgen production in children with pituitary gigantism is required. On the
      other hand, in short children with normal GH secretion, attention should be paid
      to whether or not the GH therapy in early childhood induces precocious
      adrenarche.

PMID- 1425452
TI  - Synergistic actions of cytokines and growth factors in enhancing porcine
      granulosa cell growth.
AB  - In our studies of the growth-promoting effect of a cytokine, interleukin-1 (IL
      1), on cultured porcine granulosa cells, we found that the potency of IL-1 action
      correlated with the serum concentration in the culture medium and that IL-1 acted
      synergistically with insulin to increase the number of cells in the presence of
      low serum concentrations (0.1-1%). With granulosa cells maintained in a quiescent
      state under serum-free conditions, we therefore examined the effects of combined
      treatment with IL-1 and peptide growth factors, including insulin, on
      [3H]thymidine incorporation by these cells. IL-1 by itself enhanced [3H]thymidine
      incorporation in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, IL-1 acted
      synergistically with insulin, epidermal growth factor (EGF), or fibroblast growth
      factor (FGF) to enhance [3H]thymidine incorporation. Combinations of maximally
      effective concentrations of insulin (1 micrograms/ml), EGF (1 ng/ml), or FGF (50
      ng/ml) with the maximally effective concentration of IL-1 (10 ng/ml) increased
      the levels of [3H]thymidine incorporation to 10-, 22-, and 20-fold, respectively,
      over the control values. Whereas IL-2 (0.1-100 ng/ml) did not affect
      [3H]thymidine incorporation, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) stimulated
      [3H]thymidine incorporation by itself and reproduced the actions of IL-1 to act
      synergistically with insulin, EGF, or FGF. When IL-1 and TNF alpha were added
      together in relatively low concentrations (1 ng/ml each), the combination had
      synergistic effects in enhancing [3H]thymidine incorporation. The present study
      demonstrates that cytokines and peptide growth factors act synergistically to
      markedly enhance porcine granulosa cell growth in vitro.

PMID- 1425453
TI  - Paracrine effect of folliculo-stellate cells on the growth factor-like action of
      activin A in anterior pituitary cultures.
AB  - Several studies have shown that pituitary folliculo-stellate (FS) cells exhibit
      local functions within the pituitary gland. On the other hand, we have shown
      previously that activin A increases the number of FSH-producing gonadotropes in
      cultured rat anterior pituitary cells. In this study, we investigated whether FS
      cells exert an influence on the action of activin A. FS cells were prepared by
      culturing the dispersed rat anterior pituitary cells in media containing 15%
      fetal calf serum and 6 mM glutamine for 15 days. Most cells had the morphological
      characteristics of FS cells and S-100 protein immunoreactivity, a specific marker
      of FS cells. The number of FSH cells, which was higher in activin A-treated than
      in control cultures, was reduced to the control level by incubation with activin
      A plus conditioned media from FS cell-enriched cultures (FSCM). This inhibitory
      effect of FSCM was neutralized by a follistatin antibody, but not by anti-S-100
      protein or anti-basic fibroblast growth factor. Furthermore, follistatin
      suppressed activin A stimulated increases in the number of FSH cells in a similar
      inhibitory pattern to that of FSCM. Meanwhile, the number of FSH cells was not
      affected by FSCM or follistatin in the absence of activin A. These results
      suggest that FS cells are involved in the regulation of the function and/or the
      morphogenesis of the FSH cell-lineage by affecting the action of activin A, and
      that this paracrine effect of FS cells is mediated by follistatin.

PMID- 1425454
TI  - Inhibition by epidermal growth factor (EGF) of epidermal DNA synthesis in
      cultured chick embryonic skin pretreated with retinol and/or hydrocortisone:
      specific increment in EGF binding activity in both retinol- and hydrocortisone
      pretreated epidermis without correlation to EGF-mediated inhibition of cell
      growth.
AB  - When tarsometatarsal skin of 13-day-old chick embryos that had been cultured in
      medium containing 5% delipidized FCS with or without retinol (20 microM) and/or
      hydrocortisone (20 nM) for 1 day was cultured in a chemically defined medium
      without either the hormone or retinol for 1 day, epidermal DNA synthesis of
      hydrocortisone- and/or retinol-pretreated skin was inhibited when compared to
      that of control skin. The addition of epidermal growth factor (EGF, 10 ng/ml) to
      retinol- or hydrocortisone-pretreated skin further inhibited the epidermal DNA
      synthesis. Epidermal DNA synthesis in retinol- and hydrocortisone-pretreated skin
      was more strongly inhibited than in retinol- or hydrocortisone-pretreated skin,
      but was not further inhibited by EGF. In epidermis which was induced to
      differentiation toward keratinization by hydrocortisone or mucous metaplasia by
      retinol, EGF inhibited DNA synthesis. The extent of [125I]-EGF binding to the
      epidermis of retinol- and hydrocortisone-pretreated skin was 160-180% that in
      control skin, with no change in affinity. Hence there is no correlation between
      EGF-binding and the mitogenic activity of EGF.

PMID- 1425455
TI  - A case of autoimmune insulin antibody syndrome associated with polymyositis,
      empty sella and apparent high urinary output of immunoreactive insulin.
AB  - Patients with autoimmune insulin antibody are characterized by hypoglycemic
      attacks and antibodies to insulin in serum without prior insulin administration.
      In the present report, a patient with hypoglycemia due to autoimmune insulin
      antibody associated with primary empty sella syndrome and polymyositis appeared
      to have high urinary immunoreactive insulin (IRI) in the face of normal urinary C
      peptide. Consequently, the urinary IRI/C peptide ratio was apparently high. The
      amelioration of hypoglycemic attacks and polymyositis by prednisolone treatment
      was accompanied by the disappearance of the antibodies and complete normalization
      of the urinary IRI and IRI/C peptide ratio. No comparable rise in the urinary IRI
      and IRI/C peptide ratio was observed in the patients with other disorders
      studied. Glucose clamp and glucose tolerance study showed decreased sensitivity
      to exogenous or newly secreted insulin, prolonged half disappearance time of
      serum insulin, and normal disappearance of blood glucose. These results were
      consistent with the idea that autoantibodies buffered the effect of exogenous or
      newly secreted insulin and maintained a relatively constant level of serum free
      insulin which was not high enough when a large amount of glucose was loaded, but
      was too high after prolonged fasting, which eventually caused hypoglycemic
      attacks.

PMID- 1425456
TI  - Comparison of the incidence of association of periodic paralysis and
      hyperthyroidism in Japan in 1957 and 1991.
AB  - Periodic paralysis has been known to be associated with thyrotoxicosis in Japan.
      The incidence was 8.6% among male and 0.4% among female thyrotoxic patients
      according to a survey performed in the three major thyroid clinics in Japan in
      1957. To determine the changes in the incidence during the intervening 34 years,
      the same type of survey was carried out again in 1991 at the same three major
      thyroid clinics previously involved. The incidence of paralysis in 1991 was 4.3%
      among male and 0.04% among female thyrotoxic patients, indicating more than a 40%
      decrease in the incidence. The possible cause of the decrease is related to the
      changes in food consumption, namely, to the fact that less carbohydrate and more
      potassium were taken in 1991 than in 1957.

PMID- 1425457
TI  - Diagnostic laparoscopy 1992: time for a new look.

PMID- 1425458
TI  - Indications and contraindications of diagnostic laparoscopy.

PMID- 1425459
TI  - Diagnostic laparoscopy in liver and biliary disease.

PMID- 1425460
TI  - Laparoscopy for cancer staging.

PMID- 1425461
TI  - Value of laparoscopy in investigating fever of unexplained origin.

PMID- 1425462
TI  - Diagnostic laparoscopy in focal parenchymal disease of the liver.

PMID- 1425463
TI  - Complications of laparoscopy.

PMID- 1425464
TI  - A clinical decision analysis to assess the value of laparoscopic cholecystectomy
      in the treatment of gallstone disease.
AB  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been introduced for gallstone therapy and its
      use appears currently to be spreading very rapidly. A clinical decision analysis
      was performed to assess this new technique by quantitative comparison with other
      therapeutic modalities. A decision tree-based state transition model implemented
      to simulate a five-year period of follow-up was constructed. Non-surgical
      treatments were superior to surgical treatments in enhancing both life expectancy
      and quality-adjusted life expectancy on the basis of the optimal indications; one
      radiolucent stone < 2 cm for extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy and multiple
      floating stones for oral dissolution therapy respectively, especially in the
      elderly. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was superior to open cholecystectomy in
      enhancing the quality of life for all eligible patients. Sensitivity analysis
      revealed that a higher incidence of the bile duct injury resulting from
      laparoscopic cholecystectomy would result in a poorer quality-adjusted life
      expectancy. The results of the analysis suggest the following. Nonsurgical
      treatments are acceptable alternatives to surgery on the basis of their optimal
      indications. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has an advantage over open
      cholecystectomy in enhancing the patient's utility, and appears to be an
      attractive therapeutic modality. A proper training program is necessary to ensure
      the quality of this procedure in order to maintain its advantage.

PMID- 1425465
TI  - Evaluation of laparoscopic cholecystotomy in the treatment of gallbladder stones.
AB  - Laparoscopic cholecystotomy (LCT) was attempted in 34 patients with biliary type
      symptoms; 33 patients suffered from gallbladder stones and one patient from
      gallbladder polyps. In one patient the gallbladder was not accessible with the
      laparoscope due to extensive adhesions. In the other patients endoscopic removal
      of stones and polyps was possible in all cases. In the first five patients the
      gallbladder was drained with a Foley type catheter at the end of the procedure;
      in the other patients the incision of the gallbladder was closed primarily with
      clips and fibrin glue. At the beginning of the series two cases of complications
      were observed: balloon catheter deflation due to material defect and
      postoperative bleeding into the gallbladder; after conventional cholecystectomy
      the two patients made an uneventful recovery. LCT is a one-session procedure
      suitable for removal of symptomatic stones in well functioning gallbladders with
      no restrictions concerning the composition, number or size of the stones.

PMID- 1425466
TI  - Preliminary experience using an ultrasonic aspirator for laparoscopic
      cholecystectomy.
AB  - An ultrasonic aspirator (Olympus) specially designed for laparoscopic surgery,
      which also includes cautery and suction-irrigation systems, was evaluated in 40
      patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The generating power of each
      system is controlled by hand or foot switches, and most operating procedures
      could easily be performed through a 10 mm trocar inserted through the abdominal
      wall. The ultrasonic aspirator successfully fragmented and aspirated soft tissue,
      allowing a precise differentiation between the cystic duct and artery, small
      vessels, lymphatics and fibrous tissue. Removal of the gallbladder could be
      performed successfully using the cautery and ultrasonic aspirator, whereby parts
      of cauterization or division could easily be identified. Identification of the
      cystic duct and artery, course of the cystic duct and Hartmann's pouch in the
      same field of vision was possible which is important for avoiding major
      complications such as injury of the common bile duct. No complications were seen
      during or after surgery in any of the patients.

PMID- 1425467
TI  - Management of complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

PMID- 1425468
TI  - Comparison of open and laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

PMID- 1425469
TI  - Candida albicans infection complicating percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.

PMID- 1425470
TI  - The needs and wishes of outpatients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

PMID- 1425471
TI  - Apparent spontaneous regression of primary malignant lymphoma of the stomach.

PMID- 1425473
TI  - The effect of organic cryosolvents on actin structure: studies by small angle X
      ray scattering.
AB  - Small-angle X-ray scattering was used to probe the structure of actin in the
      presence of cryosolvents: 1,2-propanediol, glycerol, or a mixture of both
      solvents. In media devoid of polymerizing salts, a radius of gyration of 23 A is
      measured, as expected from the literature. In the presence of 1,2-propanediol
      alone, the scattering pattern begins to exhibit the characteristic slope of
      elongated objects with a non-negligible thickness, such as actin filaments
      polymerized in 40 mM KCl and 1 mM MgCl2. However, only short fragments (radius of
      gyration 40 A) are generated. We infer that in a medium of low ionic strength
      containing 15% 1,2-propanediol, actin assumes a structure closer to that of
      filamentous actin. 1,2-propanediol apparently induces nucleation of oligomers, as
      with polymerizing salts, but no propagation occurs. Glycerol and/or propanediol
      induce no alteration in the structure of individual salt-polymerized actin
      filaments. Aggregation occurs with propanediol, even in the presence of glycerol.
      Glycerol alone has no such effect. No shortening is detected within the scale
      covered, with either solvent, although 1,2-propanediol is known to shorten actin
      filaments. We suggest that in the absence of salts, 1,2-propanediol induces a
      conformational change in monomeric actin that is necessary for nucleation. This
      could correlate with a conformational change of actin promoters within
      microfilaments observed in the presence of 1,2-propanediol by other authors using
      different techniques.

PMID- 1425472
TI  - Thermal stability of bovine-brain myelin membrane.
AB  - The thermal behaviour of bovine-brain myelin membrane has been studied by high
      sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier-transform infrared
      spectroscopy and thermal gel analysis. Spectroscopic results indicate that
      protein transitions take place between 60 degrees C and 90 degrees C, while
      thermal gel analysis has provided the thermal denaturation profiles of myelin
      proteolipid, DM-20 protein and the Wolfgram Fraction. An irreversible
      calorimetric transition centred at 80.3 +/- 0.2 degrees C with a specific
      enthalpy of 4.7 +/- 0.6 J/g of total protein has been assigned to the thermal
      denaturation of myelin proteolipid and DM-20 protein. The effects of the myelin
      storage conditions, scan rate, ionic strength and pH on this calorimetric
      transition have also been investigated. The thermal transition of the proteolipid
      practically disappears after treatment of the myelin with different amounts of
      chloroform-methanol 2:1 (v/v), a treatment which is generally used in proteolipid
      purification. On the other hand, the addition of several detergents to myelin
      only causes minor modifications to this transition, which then occurs at about 70
      degrees C, with a specific enthalpy of between 2.5 and 3.6 J/g of total protein.
      These results appear to show that detergents preserve the native conformation of
      the proteolipid far more than do organic solvents. Hence the use of detergents
      would seem to be the appropriate method for proteolipid purification.

PMID- 1425474
TI  - Expression of a genomic clone encoding a brain potassium channel in mammalian
      cells using lipofection.
AB  - A genomic clone encoding a mouse brain K+ channel (MBK1) was isolated,
      characterized and expressed in COS cells using the lipofection technique.
      Transfected COS cells expressed voltage-dependent K+ currents that activated
      within 20 ms at 0 mV and showed less than 10% inactivation during 250 ms
      depolarizing pulses at 60 mV. Expressed K+ currents were reversibly blocked by 4
      aminopyridine and tetraethylammonium, and were moderately sensitive to
      dendrotoxin, but insensitive to charybdotoxin. Thus MBK1, expressed transiently
      in a mammalian cell line, exhibits features characteristic of non-inactivating K+
      channels with a conspicuous insensitivity to charybdotoxin. Lipofection is,
      therefore, a valuable strategy for expression of channel proteins in mammalian
      cells.

PMID- 1425475
TI  - Structure-function relationship for the highly toxic crotoxin from Crotalus
      durissus terrificus.
AB  - The three-dimensional structure of the highly toxic crotoxin from Crotalus
      durissus terrificus was modelled based on sequence analysis and the refined
      structure of calcium-free phospholipase of Crotalus atrox venom. Small-angle x
      ray scattering experiments were performed on aqueous solutions of crotoxin. The
      radial distribution function derived from these scattering experiments and the
      one calculated from the model structure are in good agreement. Crotoxin consists
      of a basic and an acidic subunit. The model strongly suggests that the overall
      folding motif of phospholipases has been preserved in both subunits. The basic
      domain has an intact active site. The residues that are expected to contact the
      lipid tails of the phospholipid are different from other phospholipases, but they
      are all hydrophobic. The acidic domain consists of three independent chains
      interconnected by disulfide bonds. Compared to other phospholipases the active
      site for the greater part has been preserved in this domain, but it is not very
      well shielded from solvent. Most residues normally in contact with the lipid
      tails of the phospholipid are missing, which might explain the acidic subunit's
      lack of phospholipase activity. A homology between the third chain of the acidic
      domain and neurophysins suggests that the acidic domain may act as a chaperone
      for the basic domain.

PMID- 1425476
TI  - Urea exchange across the human erythrocyte membrane measured using 13C NMR
      lineshape analysis.
AB  - The 13C NMR spectrum of 13C-urea in a suspension of human red cells of reduced
      mean cell volume was observed to contain partially resolved resonances arising
      from the intra- and extracellular populations of the compound. It was shown that
      at 25 degrees C and a magnetic field strength of 9.4 T, the rate of exchange of
      urea between the intra- and extracellular populations was such that the NMR
      lineshape was sensitive to a change in the rate of 13C-urea exchange, induced
      either by the addition of the urea transport inhibitor phloretin, or by the
      addition of 12C-urea. Total lineshape analysis of 13C NMR spectra of 13C-urea in
      red cell suspensions containing different concentrations of 12C-urea resulted in
      a weighted mean estimate for the Km and Vmax for urea equilibrium exchange from
      three experiments of 44 +/- 18 mM and 3.1 +/- 0.6 x 10(-8) mol cm-2 s-1,
      respectively (the errors denote the weighted mean standard deviations). These
      estimates of Km and Vmax were significantly lower than previous values reported
      in the literature and determined using other techniques.

PMID- 1425477
TI  - MNDO study of the mechanism of the inhibition of cysteine proteinases by
      diazomethyl ketones.
AB  - Diazomethyl ketones are one of the most effective irreversible inhibitors of
      cysteine proteinases and are therefore very important in drug design. In the
      present study a mechanism of inactivation is proposed based on the results of
      model MNDO calculations of the possible pathways. It was found that the
      mercaptide nucleophile, on approaching the carbonyl carbon as in the catalytic
      reaction path, binds to the inner diazo nitrogen. The intermediate thus formed
      can rearrange giving a stable product, beta-thioketone, and molecular nitrogen,
      with a considerable energy gain. The energy barrier to this process is equal to
      36.9 kcal/mol, and corresponds to a pyramidal transition state with the vertex at
      the methylene carbon and the base formed by the carbonyl, thiol, and diazo
      groups. The energy barrier can be lowered on deprotonation of the intermediate.
      Based on the results obtained it was concluded that good irreversible inhibitors
      of cysteine proteases must fulfil two structural requirements: i) the dimensions
      and charge distribution must be similar to those of the peptide bond and ii) a
      second electrophilic center must be present in the neighbourhood of the carbonyl
      carbon. These are requirements which are satisfied by other strong cysteine
      proteinase inhibitors: beta-chloroketones and beta-ketooxiranes.

PMID- 1425478
TI  - The elastic deformability of closed multilayered membranes is the same as that of
      a bilayer membrane.
AB  - The elastic behavior of closed multilayered membranes is analyzed with the
      assumption that the constituent layers are in close contact but are unconnected
      in the sense that they are free to slide by one another. The system exhibits
      three independent elastic deformation modes for any number of the constituent
      layers equal to or larger than two. These are the area expansivity of the
      membrane neutral surface, and the local and non-local membrane bending. The
      corresponding elastic moduli are expressed in terms of the elastic moduli of the
      constituent layers, their areas, and distances between their neutral surfaces.
      Closed multilayered membranes only differ from a closed bilayer membrane in that
      for any of their shapes some of the constituent layers are expanded and some
      compressed.

PMID- 1425479
TI  - Direct spectroscopic determination of functional sulphydryl groups on intact cell
      surfaces by surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering.
AB  - Semi-quantitative and direct determination of labelled sulphydryl groups on the
      surface of intact erythrocytes has been accomplished for the first time with
      surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS). The method, which involves
      the use of citrate-reduced silver colloids, is sensitive and selective. A 10(-8)
      M effective concentration of picomole quantities of sulphydryl groups was
      determined in the presence of the normally overwhelming signal from haemoglobin.
      This seminal study suggests that SERRS may be applied to other in situ, site
      directed labelling experiments.

PMID- 1425480
TI  - Investigation of the inhibition pathway of glucosamine synthase by N3-(4
      methoxyfumaroyl)-L-2,3-diaminopropanoic acid by semiempirical quantum mechanical
      and molecular mechanics methods.
AB  - Glucosamine synthase (E.C. 2.6.1.16) is a promising target in antifungal drug
      design. It has been reported that its potent inhibitor, N3-(4-methoxyfumaroyl)-L
      2,3-diaminopropanoic acid (FMDP), inactivates the enzyme by the Michael addition
      of the S-H group to the FMDP molecule followed by cyclisation reactions. In this
      study we have investigated, by means of semiempirical MNDO, PM3 and molecular
      mechanics methods, the energetics and kinetic possibility of the formation of
      various stereoisomers of the products of cyclisation of the Michael addition
      products detected experimentally. It was found that the substituted 1,4-thiazin-3
      one can be formed in one step under alkaline conditions; the stereoisomers of
      this compound predicted to be the most stable on the basis of theoretical
      calculations are also the dominant ones in reality.

PMID- 1425481
TI  - Differential sensitivity of cardiac K+(ATP) channels to guanine nucleotides-
      evidence for a heterogeneous channel population.
AB  - In cell-free patches from cultured neonatal rat cardiocytes, the cytosolic
      presence of GTP-gamma-S (100 mumol/l) or GDP-beta-S (100 mumol/l) activated
      K+(ATP) channels. GTP-gamma-S required cytosolic Mg++, suggesting that an
      activated G-protein causes the increase in open probability. The great variations
      of the channel response to GTP-gamma-S and GDP-beta-S indicates that cardiac
      K+(ATP) channels represent a heterogeneous family.

PMID- 1425482
TI  - Insulin in the brain: a hormonal regulator of energy balance.

PMID- 1425483
TI  - Glucose toxicity.

PMID- 1425484
TI  - Intracellular signaling in the gonads.
AB  - The regulation of steroidogenesis in both the ovary and testis involves a complex
      interaction of a diversity of hormones and intracellular signaling pathways. The
      recent cloning of LH and FSH receptors has paved the way for an increased
      understanding of the mechanisms of receptor conformation, ligand-receptor
      interaction, and facilitation of post-receptor activity. The dominant role played
      by LH in the regulation of steroid production appears to be mediated by more than
      one intracellular signaling pathway. In addition to the stimulation of the
      adenylate cyclase-cAMP pathway, also known to be stimulated by FSH, the actions
      of LH may be additionally mediated by other intracellular messengers, such as
      those derived from the PLC pathway. Steroidogenesis in the gonads appears to be
      modulated by a variety of factors in addition to the gonadotropins. In this
      review, those factors of intracellular signaling mechanisms of which we have some
      understanding have been discussed. These include GnRH, PGF2 alpha, Ang II, VIP,
      GHRH, TNF alpha, CRF, EGF, and TGF alpha. Many of these factors have been shown
      to be locally synthesized, and specific receptors have been identified in the
      gonads. Many gonadal factors have the capacity to exert effects on
      steroidogenesis independent of the gonadotropins. Alternately, they have been
      demonstrated to alter the gonadal response to the gonadotropins via autocrine,
      paracrine, and intracrine mechanisms. As yet, our understanding of the
      intracellular signaling mechanisms used by novel gonadal regulators is limited.
      The involvement of the PLC, PLA2, and PLD pathways in this regard has been
      reviewed. It is becoming apparent that multiple signaling pathways may be
      stimulated by a single hormone, as in the case of GnRH, PGF2 alpha, and LH. The
      complexity of intracellular signal transduction in the gonads is enhanced by the
      potential cross-talk at numerous steps in the signaling cascades.

PMID- 1425485
TI  - Secretion of peptides and proteins lacking hydrophobic signal sequences: the role
      of adenosine triphosphate-driven membrane translocators.
AB  - In this review, we will emphasize the role of ATP-dependent membrane transporters
      in protein export and intracellular protein trafficking in prokaryotic and
      eukaryotic cells. ATP-binding-cassette (ABC)-transport proteins, also termed
      "traffic ATPases," belong to a superfamily of ubiquitous ATP-driven membrane
      transporters that share extensive sequence similarity and highly conserved domain
      organization. They are implicated in a remarkable variety of transmembrane
      transport processes, including the transport of ions, heavy metals, sugars,
      anticancer drugs, amino acids, oligopeptides, and proteins. Bacterial ABC
      proteins include the well-characterized periplasmic permeases involved in
      nutrient uptake, but also include protein secretion systems, such as the exporter
      for the Escherichia coli enterotoxin hemolysin A. Prominent eukaryotic members of
      this superfamily include the human P-glycoprotein (which is associated with the
      phenomenon of multiple drug resistance in tumor cells), the product of the cystic
      fibrosis gene (CFTR), the gene (pfmdr) implicated in chloroquine resistance of
      the malarial parasite, putative peptide transporters encoded at the locus for the
      class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC), and the yeast Ste6 transporter
      which mediates export of a peptide hormone that lacks a classical hydrophobic
      signal peptide. The well-established function of prokaryotic ABC-transporters in
      the secretion of proteins without typical signal sequences, and the example set
      by the Ste6 transporter, have led to the reasonable hypothesis that certain ABC
      proteins in animal cells may be operating by a similar mechanism to mediate the
      export of a new class of secretory proteins, those lacking a classical
      hydrophobic signal peptide.

PMID- 1425486
TI  - Interleukin-1 and beta-cell function: more than one second messenger?
AB  - Cytokines, in particular IL-1, released mainly by infiltrating macrophages, can
      be one of the key mediators of immune-induced beta-cell destruction in IDDM. IL-1
      is able to induce suppression of insulin release and biosynthesis in cultured rat
      pancreatic islets. In addition, the cytokine shows clear cytotoxic effects
      leading to beta-cell death. The proposed mechanisms of action of IL-1 after
      binding to the beta-cell receptors are varied. Concerning the cytotoxic effects
      of the cytokine, the role of oxygen free radicals, mainly derived from
      arachidonate metabolism (see Fig. 1) is clear, and possibly potentiated by a
      cytosolic Na(+)-mediated alkalinization of the beta-cell exposed to the cytokine.
      In fact, an increased influx of Na+ may explain some of the cytotoxicity since it
      results in concomitant water uptake leading to swelling of the endoplasmic
      reticulum. NO formation also seems to be related to the cytokine-induced
      cytotoxicity since inhibition of the NO synthase abolishes the effects of the
      cytokine (see Fig. 1). In relation to the inhibitory effects of the cytokine on
      the beta-cell, different studies point toward almost all known second messenger
      systems already described for several hormones, such as cAMP formation, increased
      phospholipase C activity, changes in cytosolic Ca++, and altered gene
      transcription (see Fig. 1). Of particular interest is the protease activation
      associated with IL-1 (a serine protease) that seems to be clearly connected with
      the effects of the cytokine upon the beta-cell. In conclusion, the different
      studies devoted to the problem of IL-1 signal transduction on the beta-cell seem
      to indicate that the action of the cytokine on the pancreatic insulin-secreting
      cells is not associated with an individual second messenger system but rather
      seems to be related to a plurifactorial transduction system.

PMID- 1425487
TI  - Analysis of the mechanism of steroid hormone receptor-dependent gene activation
      in cell-free systems.

PMID- 1425488
TI  - Receptor-effector coupling by G proteins: implications for normal and abnormal
      signal transduction.

PMID- 1425489
TI  - The thyrotropin receptor and the regulation of thyrocyte function and growth.

PMID- 1425491
TI  - Merritt-Putnam: the legacy.

PMID- 1425490
TI  - Status epilepticus in children, adults, and the elderly.
AB  - Status epilepticus (SE) is a major neurological and medical emergency associated
      with a high morbidity and mortality. Retrospective and prospective studies from
      the Medical College of Virginia Epilepsy Research Center have been utilized to
      investigate several clinical and epidemiological factors associated with SE.
      Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis of predictive indicators
      in patients with SE indicated that seizure duration, certain specific etiologies,
      and age were predictors of mortality. Sex, race, and certain other etiologies
      were not found to be factors that significantly affect mortality. These findings
      demonstrate that specific indicators are important in predicting mortality in SE.
      Preliminary prospective epidemiological data from Richmond, Virginia suggested
      that more than 250,000 cases of SE may occur annually in the United States with a
      mortality greater than 55,000 individuals. Studies comparing community and
      university hospitals in Richmond indicate that the mortality and clinical
      variables associated with SE in these two hospital populations are essentially
      identical. Further investigations employing prospective population-based studies
      are essential in evaluating the epidemiology and mortality of SE.

PMID- 1425492
TI  - Metabolism of antiepileptic medication: newborn to elderly.
AB  - Epilepsy affects individuals of all ages. Regimens of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs)
      and side-effect profiles differ for infants, children, adults, and the elderly.
      Thus, the epileptologist must be familiar with the specific changes of AED
      metabolism with age. In general, metabolic rates are fastest in children;
      therefore, AED half-lives are shortest in this group. Rates of AED elimination
      are slowest in neonates, infants, and children. Thus, children need larger
      dosages, on a mg/kg basis, than adults. The usual phenytoin (PHT) dosage in
      adults is 4-6 mg/kg per day, but children may need a dosage three to five times
      higher. On the other hand, the PHT dosages in the elderly may need to be 3-4
      mg/kg per day to achieve therapeutic levels. Likewise, the half-life of
      carbamazepine (CBZ) is shortest in children and the elderly. Profiles of
      metabolites may also be age-specific, a difference of particular importance for
      valproate (VPA). The relative amount of VPA metabolized to 4-ene is more than
      twofold less in adults than in children, which may explain the different profile
      of hepatotoxicity seen by age. The elderly may be more vulnerable to adverse
      effects of AEDs. Many elderly have neurologic deficits that may render them more
      vulnerable to neurotoxic effects such as ataxia and cognitive disturbances. Also,
      low serum albumin concentrations, which result in decreased binding, may mask
      high serum AED concentrations. The hyponatremia associated with CBZ may be a
      particular concern in the elderly. Gingival hyperplasia, a concern in children,
      may not be a problem in the elderly.

PMID- 1425493
TI  - Pregnancy and the risk of teratogenicity.
AB  - One in every 250 newborns is exposed to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in utero.
      Various studies have attributed a teratogenic effect to these AEDs, mainly
      consisting of major malformations, minor anomalies, intrauterine or postnatal
      growth failure, and psychomotor retardation. Prospective studies confirm the
      increased risk of major malformations. The absolute risk of 7-10% is about 3-5%
      higher than that in the general population. Barbiturates and phenytoin (PHT) are
      particularly associated with congenital heart malformations, facial clefts, and
      some other malformations. Valproate (VPA) and carbamazepine (CBZ) are associated
      predominantly with spina bifida aperta (1-2 and 0.5-1.0% risk, respectively) and
      hypospadias. Bilateral radial aplasia is a rare but specific effect of VPA.
      Several studies identified additional risk factors, i.e., high daily AED dosage,
      high maternal serum AED concentrations, low folate levels, or polytherapy
      [phenobarbital (PB) plus primidone (PRM) plus PHT or CBZ plus VPA plus PB with or
      without PHT]. The few prospective studies controlled for socioeconomic factors or
      that considered parental findings indicate that risk of specific cognitive
      defects rather than risk of overall mental retardation may be increased, that
      early growth retardation is followed by a catch-up growth to normal, and that
      ocular hypertelorism and nail hypoplasia are the only minor anomalies causally
      related to PHT exposure. However, no final conclusions can be made. Genetic
      predisposition to the teratogenic side effects of AEDs plays a role,
      codetermining the recurrence risk if the woman has previously given birth to a
      child with a major malformation. The molecular genetic basis of this
      predisposition is unclear.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425494
TI  - Hormones and epilepsy through the lifetime.
AB  - Hormones influence brain function from gestation throughout life and may affect
      the seizure threshold by altering neuronal excitability. Estrogen enhances and
      progesterone diminishes neuronal excitability experimentally, whereas
      testosterone and corticosteroids have less consistent effects. Hormonal effects
      in the CNS also depend on the region of brain in which the hormone acts. Sites of
      action for most steroid hormones include the hypothalamus and limbic cortex,
      providing a mechanism for modulating behavior and endocrine function. Seizure
      patterns may change at certain life stages, perhaps as a result of alterations in
      hormones. At puberty, epilepsy and benign rolandic epilepsy often remit, while
      juvenile myoclonic and photosensitive epilepsy may arise. Other types of epilepsy
      do not respond predictably to events in the reproductive life or to advancing
      age. In some women, fluctuations in hormones over the menstrual cycle appear to
      increase seizure vulnerability, probably reflecting changes in relative amounts
      of estrogen and progesterone. Seizure patterns can be altered, for better or
      worse, during pregnancy. Whether this reflects the effects of hormones or changes
      in levels of antiepileptic drugs is not resolved. More information is needed
      about changes in established epilepsy at menopause and in the elderly. Better
      understanding of endocrine effects on seizures over a lifetime should lead to
      more effective epilepsy therapies.

PMID- 1425495
TI  - Seizure disorders: the changes with age.
AB  - Age has a profound influence on our approach to the convulsive disorders. Age is
      a variable which is an important determinant for risk factors for epilepsy. Age,
      as a surrogate of brain maturation, is a determinant of the specific
      characteristics of the seizure disorder in those with epilepsy, and age-related
      changes in these manifestations can be identified. Age is a determinant for the
      occurrence of acute symptomatic seizures in several types of metabolic or central
      nervous system insults. Age is a determinant for prognosis, whether one considers
      remission, medication withdrawal in those entering remission, relapse following
      prolonged remission, or mortality. Last, age per se seems to be a risk factor for
      epilepsy independent of other factors. This seems particularly true for partial
      seizures.

PMID- 1425496
TI  - Effects of high-dose gamma-vinyl GABA (vigabatrin) administration on visual and
      somatosensory evoked potentials in dogs.
AB  - gamma-Vinyl GABA (GVG, vigabatrin) is a GABA transaminase-inhibiting
      antiepileptic agent. In dogs, chronic GVG administration produces reversible
      microvacuolation (intramyelinic edema) in discrete brain regions and slowing in
      central afferent transmission as measured by somatosensory evoked potentials
      (SEPs). Because this microvacuolation is especially prominent in the optic tract,
      this study tested the sensitivity of visual evoked potentials (VEPs) to GVG
      induced changes in conduction. We also replicated the earlier SEP findings. Eight
      beagles received daily oral vigabatrin at the maximum tolerated dose (300
      mg/kg/day); four were placebo controls. Cortical VEPs and SEPs were recorded
      using scalp needle electrodes at baseline and every 2 weeks throughout treatment.
      One treatment dog died at 2 weeks. The remainder showed an increase in central
      latencies beginning at 6 weeks, attaining significance (p < 0.05) at 8 and 10
      weeks for SEPs and VEPs, respectively. No changes occurred in peripheral or
      spinal conduction in treated dogs, or in any measure in control dogs. Three GVG
      and two control dogs were followed after drug was withdrawn; both VEP and SEP
      measures returned to baseline values within 5 weeks. These findings support the
      use of VEPs and SEPs to monitor patients receiving vigabatrin therapy.

PMID- 1425497
TI  - Treatment of pediatric epilepsies with gamma-vinyl GABA (vigabatrin).
AB  - Three large studies, all including more than 60 children, on the efficacy on
      gamma-vinyl GABA (vigabatrin, GVG) in the treatment of childhood epilepsy have
      been reviewed. On the basis of these and other studies, we conclude that (a) GVG
      is a promising drug for the treatment of childhood epilepsy, (b) GVG is effective
      both in partial and generalized epilepsies, (c) GVG seems to be effective in the
      treatment of symptomatic infantile spasms, (d) no clear dose-response
      relationship has been demonstrated, (e) a dose of 40-80 mg/kg/day is recommended,
      and (f) although tolerance is excellent, hyperactivity seems to occur more
      frequently in children than in adults.

PMID- 1425498
TI  - Gamma-vinyl GABA (vigabatrin): clinical experience in adult and adolescent
      patients with intractable epilepsy.
AB  - Clinical experience with gamma-vinyl GABA (GVG, vigabatrin) has accumulated
      mainly in Europe, where the drug has been licensed in several countries since
      1989. Short-term efficacy studies in adolescent and adult patients with
      intractable drug-resistant epilepsy have shown that approximately 50% exhibit a
      reduction in seizure frequency of one-half or more but rarely complete seizure
      control. The best results are in patients with partial seizures with or without
      secondarily generalization. GVG responders have been followed for periods of up
      to 5 years, and overall 10-20% may exhibit subsequent seizure breakthrough, as
      probably occurs with any drug in such chronic patients. The most common side
      effect is drowsiness. Reversible behavior disorders, psychoses, and depression
      rarely occur in predisposed individuals. No new long-term side effects have been
      reported but vigilance is necessary. Studies of GVG as a first-line drug in newly
      diagnosed epileptic patients are proceeding.

PMID- 1425499
TI  - A special issue dedicated to the memory of I. J. Selikoff.

PMID- 1425500
TI  - Hidden assumptions in environmental research.
AB  - A major challenge in both the design of epidemiologic studies of exposure to
      toxic agents and the interpretation of the findings is to recognize and to
      accommodate the complex biologic assumptions that underlie population-based
      research. Environmental health research is grounded on a scientific foundation
      that blends toxicology with epidemiology. Toxicology without human population
      studies often leads to findings uninterpretable for purposes of risk assessment.
      Epidemiologic studies are often less helpful than they could be because the
      variation in response is seldom addressed, the effects under study are often
      small in magnitude and easily confounded, and exposure estimates are crude. The
      net bias is to reduce the risk estimate, perhaps substantially. Biological
      variation has usually been treated as "noise" in the system but it is a more
      basic problem that lends itself to investigation and quantification. Improved
      modeling of the biological determinants of response is needed if results are to
      be generalizable and interpretable in mechanistic terms.

PMID- 1425501
TI  - Environmental health in the journals.
AB  - The environmental health aspects of general medical practice have attracted the
      attention of many professional organizations in the past few years, including the
      American College of Physicians, the Institute of Medicine, and the American
      College of Occupational Medicine. To assess the degree of emphasis placed on
      environmental health issues in professional journals, a survey of representative
      specialty and general medical journals was conducted through a Medline literature
      search. Over the past 15-year period (1976-1990) specialty journals demonstrated
      a dramatic and consistent increase in published articles that were indexed under
      the headings environmental pollution, environmental pollutants, and environmental
      cancer. General medical journals also demonstrated continued increases in the
      rate of published articles addressing these environmental health topics. Within
      the environmental categories, air pollution, especially that due to dusts, was
      the most heavily indexed topic, followed by water pollution, especially that due
      to chemical contamination. This study supports the notion that environmental
      health issues are assuming more importance in general medical practice,
      especially within the specialty of occupational medicine.

PMID- 1425502
TI  - Challenges of worker notification in neurotoxic studies of the central nervous
      system.
AB  - Researchers who study the central nervous system (CNS) face special challenges in
      notifying study participants about the research results. There are human research
      guidelines regarding the communication of information to subjects at the outset
      of a CNS research study. Yet there are few guidelines on how to communicate to
      the subject the research findings and the interpretation of individual results at
      the study's conclusion. The research subjects may desire detailed information,
      unequivocal conclusions, understandable interpretations, and clear suggestions
      about what to do next. Fulfilling these needs, however, is not a simple task for
      the researcher because outcomes are predicated on statistical uncertainty and the
      research tests may not be appropriate for individual assessment. We describe
      methods we have used to communicate with research subjects in two CNS neurotoxic
      field studies. We suggest that further research examine this important
      notification process.

PMID- 1425503
TI  - What is a specialist? The role of board certification in occupational medicine.
AB  - A shortage of occupational medicine physicians exists for which a number of
      solutions have been proposed. The lack of board-certified specialists to address
      the increasingly complex issues encountered in this area of medicine has
      contributed to a credibility and identity crisis within the occupational medicine
      community. This article will review the significance of board certification and
      its importance for enhancing and preserving the specialty of occupational
      medicine.

PMID- 1425504
TI  - Occupational and environmental hazards in art.
AB  - Artists and craftspeople, art teachers, hobbyists, and children often use art
      materials containing toxic chemicals without suitable precautions and often
      without the knowledge that their art materials are hazardous. The Center for
      Safety in the Arts, a national clearinghouse for research and education on
      hazards in the visual and performing arts, answers telephoned and written
      inquiries on art hazards, distributes publications, publishes a newsletter, and
      offers educational programs and consultative services to arts organizations.

PMID- 1425505
TI  - Expiratory flows decreased in Los Angeles children from 1984 to 1987: is this
      evidence of effects of air pollution?
AB  - To estimate the effects of air pollution we measured expiratory flows and vital
      capacities in 556 Mexican-American Los Angeles children in 1984 and 251 in 1987.
      They included 106 who were measured in 1984 and 1987 and 145 measured only in
      1987. Pulmonary function values were standardized for growth be expressing them
      as percentages of predicted (% pred) based on sex and height. In 1987 mean values
      for FEV1 and FEF25-75 were lower by 4.5% pred and 13.6% pred respectively (P <
      0.001), while vital capacities were not different in 213 children tested as fifth
      graders in 1984 and 251 fifth grade children in 1987. For the 106 children tested
      at both sessions (in second grade in 1984 and in fifth grade in 1987) FVC was
      also not different but FEV1 was 2.0% pred lower (P < 0.06) and FEF25-75 was 7.0%
      pred lower (P < 0.001). For the 450 children tested only in 1984 and the 106
      retested in 1987 there were no significant differences in mean values for FVC,
      FEV1, and FEF 25-75. Similarly there were no significant differences between the
      1987 mean values for 145 children who were studied longitudinally were not
      different from the 1984 and 1987 cross-sectional cohorts. Across this interval
      FEV1 and midflows diminished but vital capacities did not. Airways obstruction
      worsened during children's residence in Los Angeles from 1984 to 1987 and this is
      probably due to air pollution.

PMID- 1425506
TI  - A radiographic survey of public school building maintenance and custodial
      employees.
AB  - Analyses of radiographs from a cohort of 457 school maintenance and custodial
      workers (90 had no employment other than at a school) demonstrated an increased
      prevalence of abnormalities consistent with asbestos-caused disease. Pleural
      abnormalities predominated (24 of 29). The abnormalities could not be explained
      by occupational asbestos exposures which may have occurred prior to school
      employment. Abnormality prevalence ranged from 1.7% among those with less than 10
      years to 37% among those with 30 or more years of public school employment.
      Laborers and skilled tradesmen with more than 20 years of school employment had a
      higher prevalence of abnormality (40 and 28%) than the building engineers (14%).
      In order to ensure that future asbestos exposure and disease risk is minimized in
      buildings constructed with asbestos-containing materials (ACM), implementation of
      asbestos hazard identification and abatement must include a rigorous operations
      and maintenance program. Control of asbestos exposure from in-place ACM is a
      public health priority.

PMID- 1425507
TI  - Asbestos-related hazards in developing countries.

PMID- 1425508
TI  - Chronic liver injury in phenoxy herbicide-exposed Vietnam veterans.
AB  - Reports of hepatotoxic injury in Vietnam veterans exposed to phenoxy herbicides
      (mainly, 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T) initiated a retrospective cohort study of veterans
      self-reporting exposure to Agent Orange (AO) while serving in Vietnam from 1962
      to 1971. Historical, medical, and laboratory information was obtained in a
      subcohort of 100 randomly selected veterans from a pool of 350 registrants. An
      occupational work exposure ranking system was designed to estimate individual
      exposure to phenoxy herbicide and its contaminant, dioxin (TCDD). Job
      classifications were determined by military job codes. Military application of
      the herbicides used in Vietnam were derived from the National Research Council
      Report based on the Herbs tapes. Health examination included tests of body
      systems affected by TCDD and similar agents, e.g., hemopoietic system,
      cholesterol/lipid metabolism, hepatic function, and skin lesions. Skin rash was
      utilized as a marker disease, since no case of true chloracne was found among the
      cohort. The cohort was divided into those with (R) and without (NR) a reported
      rash during or after the Vietnam tour. The R group had higher frequency (31%) of
      abnormal liver studies of all types than the NR group (18%). Of the 14 Vietnam
      veterans with persistent serum transaminase elevations, 86% reported a rash.
      Abnormal liver functions correlated with herbicide exposure index in both groups,
      but was more prominent in the R group. Study of the exposure index components
      showed that the liver abnormalities were related to the months of exposure and
      not to job classification or exposure rank. Viral hepatitis and alcoholism among
      both groups accounted for the association between liver abnormalities and
      cumulative exposure to AO. These data provide strong supportive evidence that
      chronic liver abnormalities among Vietnam veterans applying to the AO Registry
      are mainly due to viral or alcoholic causality and not to herbicides and their
      TCDD contaminant.

PMID- 1425509
TI  - Fish consumption and reproductive outcomes in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
AB  - Prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and reproductive outcome
      was determined in a population of 1112 women during 1987-1989. The women studied
      were from the Green Bay, Wisconsin area, thereby providing a population with
      potential PCB exposure from Lake Michigan sport fish consumption. All women with
      positive pregnancy tests from two Green Bay prenatal clinics were asked to
      complete a self-administered questionnaire on fish consumption, health and
      reproductive history, and other relevant issues and to provide blood samples for
      PCB analysis. A positive correlation was found between the amount of Lake
      Michigan fish mothers claimed to consume and their PCB serum levels. After the
      pregnancy period, reproductive outcome measures (fetal wastage; stillbirths; and
      birth weight, birth length, head circumference, ponderal index, and birth weight
      percentiles for live births) were abstracted from hospital labor reports. Typical
      negative associations between birth size measures and consumption of caffeine,
      smoking, and alcohol were found. Birth size was positively associated with
      gestational age, birth order, weight gain during pregnancy, male babies, and
      rural residence. Birth size was also associated with PCB exposure; however
      contrary to expectations, a positive association was found (P < 0.044) for most
      mothers (the exception being those mothers who gained more than 34 lb during
      their pregnancy). PCB exposures were lower than the other studies that found that
      birth size was negatively associated with PCB exposure.

PMID- 1425510
TI  - Changes in PCB serum concentrations among capacitor manufacturing workers.
AB  - To assess the elimination of PCBs in humans, PCB concentrations in serum from 165
      capacitor manufacturing workers were measured twice within a 46-month interval
      (March 1976-December 1979). Use of PCBs at the facility was entirely eliminated
      in 1977. PCB congeners with lower chlorination (LPCBs--mainly tri- and
      tetrachlorobiphenyls) had decreased in concentration, with six of the LPCB 7
      peaks observed by packed column GC showing average reductions of 25-90%. Higher
      chlorinated PCBs did not decrease significantly as a whole, although three of the
      six constituent congener peaks showed some decline (15-25%). As expected,
      decreases in PCB congener concentrations were associated with chlorine
      substitution configurations known to be amenable to metabolism.

PMID- 1425511
TI  - Neuropsychological performance among agricultural pesticide applicators.
AB  - To assess the potential effects on neuropsychiatric performance of chronic
      occupational exposure to organophosphate insecticides, we performed a prospective
      longitudinal study of a cohort of apple orchard pesticide applicators and a
      comparison cohort of beef slaughter-house workers. The study group consisted of
      49 applicators and 40 comparison subjects who completed both an initial
      evaluation (preseason) prior to the onset of the approximately 6-month pesticide
      spraying season and a follow-up evaluation (postseason) about 1 month following
      the end of spraying season. The applicator cohort had a greater number (n = 22,
      45%) of individuals who identified primary preference for Spanish-language
      testing than did the comparison cohort (n = 5, 13%). Stratification by language
      preference revealed no significant differences in background characteristics
      between the two cohorts, except for fewer years of education in the Spanish
      language preference applicators versus control subgroups (5.0 +/- 3.1 vs 7.8 +/-
      3.7 years, respectively). After controlling for language preference, there were
      no statistically significant differences between the applicators and control
      cohorts on neuropsychological subtests of the computerized test battery.
      Preseason baseline performance on individual tests was a significant predictor of
      postseason test performance. After controlling for baseline performance, the only
      statistically significant exposure related across-season changes in
      neuropsychological performance was for one subtest (Symbol Digit Substitution)
      and was confined to the Spanish language preference subgroups, with worse
      adjusted postseason performance among applicators versus controls (P = 0.001).
      This study found no clear evidence of clinically significant decrements in
      neuropsychological performance following one 6-month season of pesticide exposure
      in a cohort of applicators who were felt to have generally low, intermittent, and
      well-controlled organophosphate exposures.

PMID- 1425512
TI  - Organophosphate pesticide exposure in a group of Washington State orchard
      applicators.
AB  - As part of a study to investigate the potential for organophosphates to cause
      chronic neurologic sequelae, we assessed the pesticide exposure experience of a
      group of Washington State apple orchard applicators. Seasonal monitoring of
      cholinesterase activity for 48 regular organophosphate applicators and a control
      group of 40 slaughterhouse workers was performed. A subset of the pesticide
      applicators participated in an in-depth exposure assessment. This involved
      observation of spraying activities during 1 spray day, as well as cholinesterase
      monitoring and dermal exposure assessment using a fluorescent tracer in the
      pesticide formulation. Comparison of seasonal red blood cell cholinesterase
      change in pesticide workers according to exposure level, characterized by
      frequency of pesticide spraying and protective equipment use, showed lower
      cholinesterase levels among higher exposed groups compared to lesser exposed
      groups. In-depth exposure assessment revealed exposure primarily on the head and
      hand regions. Subclinical changes (less than 15% inhibition) in red cell
      cholinesterase correlated well with dermal exposure calculations. This study
      suggests that cholinesterase monitoring may be a useful biological marker for
      even subclinical organophosphate pesticide effects.

PMID- 1425513
TI  - Some hidden history of occupational medicine.

PMID- 1425514
TI  - Dangerous and cancer-causing properties of products and chemicals in the oil
      refining and petrochemical industry. VIII. Health effects of motor fuels:
      carcinogenicity of gasoline--scientific update.
AB  - 1. Significant increases in tumors of kidney, liver, and other tissues and organs
      following exposure to gasoline provide sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity. 2.
      Benzene, a significant component of gasoline, has been established without
      question as a human carcinogen by IARC, EPA, and WHO. 3. 1,3-Butadiene, a
      component of gasoline, is a powerful carcinogen in both animals and humans. 4.
      Sufficient evidence for the carcinogenicity of alkyl benzenes, very significant
      components of gasoline, has also been established. 5. Human epidemiologic studies
      show important increases in cancers of the kidney, stomach, brain, pancreas,
      prostate, lung, and skin as well as hematopoietic and lymphatic leukemias as a
      result of exposure to gasoline, its components, and its vapors. 6. Stage 2
      controls are being implemented to reduce exposure of the human population to
      gasoline vapors.

PMID- 1425515
TI  - Morphologic, biochemical, and cytogenetic studies of bone marrow and circulating
      blood cells in painters exposed to ethylene glycol ethers.
AB  - In a previous cross-sectional survey, up to 15% of shipyard painters were found
      to have mild anemia or granulocytopenia, mostly acquired since employment.
      Environmental studies had suggested a possible etiologic role for ethylene glycol
      ethers, solvents to which the men were heavily exposed and which have established
      myelotoxic potential. To exclude alternative hypotheses, examine possible common
      patterns of injury, and identify potential risk factors and markers for such an
      effect, the affected painters were further studied. The painters were matched
      with two groups of controls: exposed painters without evidence of hematologic
      abnormality on the previous survey and unexposed controls. Altogether 25 subjects
      were studied by histopathologic examination of bone marrow, cytogenetic studies
      of marrow cells, and peripheral lymphocytes and peripheral red cell studies of
      membrane and metabolic function. Except for an unexpected finding of a race
      associated effect on marrow histology, insignificant differences were seen among
      the groups in terms of marrow morphology and cellularity, stem cell growth
      kinetics, and marrow or peripheral cytogenetics. Two metabolic abnormalities of
      peripheral red cells related to exposure or clinical status of the subjects were
      found. Pyruvate kinase, an established marker of acquired myelodysplasia, was
      significantly depressed in the subjects with previously abnormal counts. Although
      reduced glutathione levels and holoenzyme activities of glutathione reductase
      (GSHR) did not differ among groups, exposed subjects had decreased saturation of
      GSHR with flavin adenine dinucleotide which could be restored in vitro,
      suggesting riboflavin deficiency or impaired riboflavin metabolism. Thus,
      although a unique pattern of bone marrow injury by histologic or genetic assay
      attributable to ethylene glycol ethers was not defined, biochemical effects of
      possible mechanistic importance were identified. The relevance of these findings
      as subclinical disease markers remains to be established.

PMID- 1425516
TI  - Blood lead levels in incinerator workers.
AB  - Questions have been raised concerning the safety of mass burn incineration and
      its role in solid waste management. In 1989, the New York City Office of
      Occupational Safety and Health examined air levels of metals in New York City
      incinerators and found that workers were exposed to air lead levels as high as
      2500 micrograms/m3 while cleaning the electrostatic precipitators in the plant.
      In order to determine the biologic significance of these exposures to the
      workers, blood samples were taken from 56 incinerator workers and 25 controls and
      analyzed for lead and erythrocyte protoporphyrin levels. Incinerator workers were
      found to have a mean blood lead of 11.0 micrograms/dl as compared to the control
      group level of 7.4 micrograms/dl. Risk factors for increased blood lead levels
      were analyzed using multiple regression analyses. Wearing a personal protective
      device "always" or not and the interaction of smoking and cleaning the
      precipitator more than seven times in the past year were found to be significant
      predictors for blood lead. These results indicate that lead in municipal
      incinerator ash from electrostatic precipitators is bioavailable and that the
      effects of such exposure can be minimized by wearing personal protective devices,
      not smoking, and rotating the work force to minimize precipitator ash contact.

PMID- 1425517
TI  - A retrospective mortality cohort study of chrysotile asbestos products workers in
      Tianjin 1972-1987.
AB  - The mortality rate of a cohort of asbestos workers was investigated in Tianjin,
      China, between January 1, 1972, and December 31, 1987. The cohort consisted of
      662 males and 510 females, employed in asbestos textiles, friction material, and
      asbestos cement manufacturing. A statistically significant excess mortality was
      observed for lung cancer in both males and females (SMR 278 and 427,
      respectively). An increasing trend in SMR was observed with increasing intervals
      of exposure as well as with increasing exposure level. A synergistic effect was
      seen between asbestos exposure and cigarette smoking regarding lung cancer. The
      ratio of smoking and nonsmoking lung cancer death rates was virtually the same in
      asbestos and in nonasbestos workers. This ratio was approximately 1.6, a value
      much less than that reported in other countries. This low ratio appears to
      reflect the fact that many nonsmokers were in fact passive cigarette smokers.
      Second, it reflects the fact that most smokers smoked hand-rolled tobacco, since
      manufactured cigarettes did not become popular in China until 1965. These data
      confirm the hazards of asbestos exposure in developing countries.

PMID- 1425518
TI  - The first hundred years of radiation research: what have they taught us?

PMID- 1425519
TI  - Comparative quantitative evaluation of pleural fibrosis and its effects on
      pulmonary function in two large asbestos-exposed occupational groups--insulators
      and sheet metal workers.
AB  - Two large (N = 1584 and N = 1330) population groups of workers exposed to
      asbestos as insulators (I) or sheet metal workers (SM) were compared. Prevalence
      rates of radiographic changes including pleural fibrosis (circumscribed and
      diffuse) were found to be much higher in I than SM. An integrative index of
      pleural fibrosis (INDEX) showed similar distribution patterns in the two groups;
      the effect of INDEX on FVC% predicted was more marked in insulators. Factors that
      could contribute to this difference are thought to be the higher prevalence of
      interstitial pulmonary fibrosis (probably including that which is not yet
      radiologically detectable) in I than in SM, the possibility of more extensive
      pleural fibrosis in areas not accessible to the standard chest X ray (and thus
      not affecting INDEX) and a higher proportion of diffuse pleural fibrosis in the I
      group.

PMID- 1425520
TI  - Medical surveillance and screening in the workplace: complementary preventive
      strategies.
AB  - The terms medical surveillance and medical screening have sometimes been used
      interchangeably in the occupational medicine literature. Recently attempts have
      been made to redefine these as mutually exclusive, by nesting surveillance under
      screening or vice versa, by subsuming both under medical monitoring or periodic
      examinations, or by eliminating use of the term medical surveillance altogether.
      In this paper I argue that medical surveillance and medical screening represent
      discrete concepts and approaches and should be viewed as distinct and
      complementary secondary preventive components of an occupational health program.
      Medical surveillance refers to the periodic examination of putatively exposed
      workers, and is therefore a longitudinal approach. Medical screening refers to
      the cross-sectional testing or evaluation of a group of workers. Biological
      monitoring, whether defined narrowly or broadly, focuses on exposure to
      particular toxicants and should serve as a component of medical surveillance (or
      of medical screening), not as an independent complement to environmental
      monitoring. Medical surveillance must function in the context of a comprehensive
      occupational health program that includes industrial hygiene and education and
      does not in itself suffice as a comprehensive occupational health program. It is
      useful to clarify these terms because some of the ethical issues as well as
      medical controversies over their utility arise from a misunderstanding of what
      constitutes medical surveillance and how it should be applied.

PMID- 1425521
TI  - Surveillance around hazardous waste sites: geographic information systems and
      reproductive outcomes.
AB  - The purpose of this paper is to discuss the potential for integrating
      surveillance techniques in reproductive epidemiology with geographic information
      system technology in order to identify populations at risk around hazardous waste
      sites. Environmental epidemiologic studies have had problems with estimating or
      measuring exposures to individuals, and of detecting effects when the exposure is
      low, but continuous. In addition, exposures around hazardous waste sites are
      complex and frequently involve chemical mixtures. The birth weight of human
      babies has been reported to be sensitive to many environmental influences. Birth
      weight can be analyzed as a continuous variable or as a dichotomous one using the
      standard cutpoint of 2500 g or less to indicate low birth weight. It has the
      potential to be a powerful surveillance tool since exposures to the fetus reflect
      maternal and paternal exposures. The advent of recent environmental regulations
      pertaining to hazardous waste sites has greatly increased the availability of
      environmental data for many sites. The major problem with incorporating these
      data into epidemiologic studies has been with the logistics of data management
      and analysis. Computer-assisted geographic information systems hold promise in
      providing capabilities needed to address the data management and analysis
      requirements for effective epidemiologic studies around to hazardous waste sites.

PMID- 1425522
TI  - Sentinel pathophysiologic conditions: an adjunct to teaching occupational and
      environmental disease recognition and history taking.
AB  - Primary care physicians have an increasingly important role in identifying
      occupational and environmental (O/E) disease. However, the basic skills in O/E
      history taking, diagnosis, and management have not been adequately incorporated
      into traditional American medical education or practice. Reasons for these
      educational barriers are discussed. A new approach to O/E history taking, based
      on a modified list of occupational sentinel health events, is described. This
      list will give medical students and residents a practical, directed approach to
      recognizing O/E conditions and evaluating exposures in formulating a differential
      diagnosis. Through improved detection and assessment on the part of primary care
      physicians, appropriate referrals to occupational health specialists can be made
      for further investigation and public health surveillance.

PMID- 1425523
TI  - Dietary treatment of uraemia and the relation to lipoprotein metabolism.

PMID- 1425524
TI  - Effect of zinc on lean tissue synthesis during recovery from malnutrition.
AB  - During recovery from severe wasting, malnourished children gain weight at greatly
      accelerated rates. To determine if additional zinc added to their basal
      therapeutic diets increased the retention of lean tissue and stimulated protein
      metabolism, we studied three groups of children taking either the basal diet
      alone or the basal diet supplemented with either 76 mumol (5 mg) or 153 mumol (10
      mg) Zn/kg diet. The zinc-supplemented children gained similar weight and consumed
      the same amount of diet as the unsupplemented children. Zinc supplementation
      resulted in a greater net absorption of nitrogen and a higher rate of protein
      turnover, as estimated from urinary ammonia 15N enrichment after oral
      [15N]glycine. We conclude that additional zinc affected the composition of newly
      synthesized tissue and intermediary nitrogen metabolism.

PMID- 1425525
TI  - Changing from a mixed diet to a Scandinavian vegetarian diet: effects on nutrient
      intake, food choice, meal pattern and cooking methods.
AB  - Twenty healthy, non-smoking, normal-weight omnivores volunteered for a nutrition
      counselling programme and changed from a mixed to a Scandinavian lactovegetarian
      diet. Dietary surveys were performed before and 3, 6 and 12 months after the
      dietary shift. The major trends when changing from a mixed diet to a
      lactovegetarian diet included an increase in the consumption of fruits, berries,
      vegetables, herbal tea and dairy products, and a decrease in the intake of
      biscuits and buns, sweets, alcoholic beverages, coffee and tea. There was a total
      absence of fish, eggs and meat products at 3 and 6 months after the dietary
      shift. At 12 months after the dietary shift two subjects ate small amounts of
      these animal products. The energy intake decreased throughout the study. The
      nutrient intake showed the greatest change between the period before and 3 months
      after the dietary shift. Between 3, 6 and 12 months after the dietary shift there
      were only minor changes. The observed change in meal pattern is associated with
      the change in consumption of various food items, the change in nutrient intake
      and the change in food preparation methods. Further studies should try to clarify
      the relationship between meal pattern and food intake, nutrient intake and food
      preparation methods, because counselling on meal pattern most certainly is more
      rapid and more easily understood than counselling on food and nutrient intake.

PMID- 1425526
TI  - Reproducibility and validity of 7-day food records.
AB  - The reproducibility of the 7-day food record method, as used in The Glostrup
      Population Studies, has been tested by 40 adult volunteers, mainly hospital
      staff, recording their dietary intakes in two 7-day periods. To validate the
      calculated protein intake a 24-h urine specimen was collected from all
      participants in period II, but for various reasons urine specimens were only
      obtained from 31 in period I. There were significant differences in the intakes
      of energy, protein and some vitamins and minerals between the two periods, but
      the nutrient densities, except for vitamin A, were equal. The mean energy
      distributions in the diet showed no significant differences between the two
      periods. The weekly variance ratio (S2within/S2between) was between 0.25 and 0.80
      for most nutrients. The only ratios above 1.0 were found for vitamin A, vitamin
      C, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and chromium, selenium and sodium. The weekly
      coefficients of variance (CV) were for most nutrients less than 30%. In period II
      the mean protein intake estimated from the urine samples was 74.7 (+/- 15.9 SD)
      g/day, whereas the protein intake calculated from the diet records was 70.6 (+/-
      18.4) g/day. The average estimated protein intake for the 31 people who collected
      urine in period I was 72.1 (+/- 18.3) g/day, whereas the calculated intake was
      78.0 (+/- 22.7) g/day. In neither period were the mean differences significant.

PMID- 1425527
TI  - Who completes seven-day food records?
AB  - This study is an attempt to characterize a group of people who volunteered to
      complete 7-day food record forms. The group was an age- and sex-stratified random
      sample, comprising 4807 men and women, born in 1922, 1932, 1942 and 1952, drawn
      from the Civil Registration System. They all received an invitation to the
      Glostrup Population Studies in 1982-1984. A total of 49.2% completed a 7-day
      record form. The percentage of respondents was highest in the older age groups.
      Women were more willing to participate. There was no difference between the
      groups regarding body mass index. Marital status had some influence, but school
      education and vocational training had minor importance. A higher percentage of
      participants, who had never smoked or had quit smoking, completed the records.
      The male respondents had a lower weekly consumption of beer. No significant
      differences could be found between the dietary values of the respondents' and non
      respondents' food consumption according to a food frequency questionnaire.

PMID- 1425528
TI  - A seven-year follow-up of a weight reduction programme in Finnish primary health
      care.
AB  - The study was carried out to assess the short- and long-term effects of a Finnish
      Social Insurance Institution (SII) weight reduction programme in overweight
      primary health care clients and the suitability of the programme for use in
      health centres. The treatment group consisted of 22 men and 71 women, mean body
      mass index (BMI) 34.3, divided into 8 subgroups. These subjects participated in a
      6-week weight reduction course led by public health nurses. Afterwards, there
      were six follow-up sessions and weight measurements at about 2-month intervals. A
      control group of 20 men and 76 women, mean BMI 33.5, received no weight reduction
      instruction during the 1 year that they served as controls. The weights, serum
      and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels as well as blood pressures
      of the subjects in both groups were measured at entry to the study and at the end
      of the 1-year period. At that time the treatment group showed a weight reduction
      of 10.9 kg in men and 5.4 kg in women. The control group showed a mean weight
      gain of 0.9 kg in men and 0.2 kg in women. HDL cholesterol increased in the
      treatment group. The blood pressure decreased significantly in the category of
      subjects with a weight loss exceeding 4 kg weight. At the end of the 7-year
      follow-up period the mean weight reduction in the treatment group was 8.7 kg in
      men and 3.5 kg in women. Of men 53% and of women 21% still weighed over 10 kg
      less than at baseline. Both the clients and public health nurses found the weight
      reduction programme useful and applicable to health centres, preferably with
      extended time. The programme has now been adopted nationwide in the Finnish
      primary health care system.

PMID- 1425529
TI  - Interpretation of erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation test values for
      assessing riboflavin status.
AB  - The erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation test (EGR-AC) is considered to
      be the best method to assess riboflavin nutritional status. Riboflavin
      supplementation studies carried out in India have raised doubts about the
      validity of currently available interpretive guidelines for interpreting the EGR
      AC test. Changes in EGR-AC values in response to graded doses of riboflavin
      supplementation were investigated in schoolchildren, aged 7-11 years, belonging
      to the low-income group. For comparison, unsupplemented well-to-do schoolchildren
      of similar age group were also examined. The results of the study based on the
      measurement of EGR-AC by the procedure of Bayoumi and Rosalki (Clinical
      Chemistry, 1976, Vol. 22, pp. 327-335) with an incubation period of 15 min
      suggest that the cut-off value for EGR-AC to discriminate between riboflavin
      deficient and normal children cannot be less than 1.5.

PMID- 1425530
TI  - Protein restriction and progression of chronic renal failure.

PMID- 1425531
TI  - A comparison of four methods of estimating the body composition of male endurance
      athletes.
AB  - Comparisons were effected of the following four methods of estimating the percent
      body fat (%BF) of 12 highly trained male endurance athletes (mean +/- SD = 2.20
      +/- 4.9 years, 176.8 +/- 5.9 cm 64.2 +/- 6.4 kg): underwater weighing (UWW),
      total body water (TBW), total body potassium (TBK) and dual-energy X-ray
      absorptiometry (DEXA). The DEXA mean of 6.8% BF was significantly less (P < 0.05)
      than those estimated via UWW: 9.7% BF; TBW: 10.6% BF (fat-free mass of FFM =
      72.0% H2O); and TBK: 9.7% BF (FFM = 66.6 mmol K.kg-1). Nevertheless, the DEXA %
      BF correlated 0.746 and 0.737 (both P < 0.01) with those from UWW and TBW,
      respectively; these were the only correlation coefficients to attain statistical
      significance (P < or = 0.05). Despite the similar means for UWW, TBW and TBK, 12
      of the 36 individual differences between these three methods ranged from 3.2 to
      10.4% BF. A critical assumption of UWW, which is regarded by many as the
      criterion method for the estimation of % BF, is that the FFM has a density of
      1.100 g.cm-3. Use of in vivo-measured TBW and bone mineral (via DEXA) for the
      computation of FFM densities for our subjects, while assuming that the two other
      components of the FFM (protein and non-bone mineral) remained constant, resulted
      in scores ranging from 1.09541 to 1.10246 g.cm-3 (mean +/- SD = 1.09881 +/-
      0.00254 g.cm-3). FFM and % BF differences between use of a constant FFM density
      of 1.100 g.cm-3 and the individual values ranged from -1.02 to 0.57 kg (mean +/-
      SD = -0.28 +/- 0.60 kg) and from -0.9 to 1.7% BF (mean +/- SD = 0.5 +/- 0.9% BF),
      respectively. It may be concluded that with young male athletes: (1) use of
      constants based on normal male cadavers yielded similar group means for % BF
      determined by UWW, TBW and TBK but the DEXA % BF correlated significantly with
      those from UWW and TBW; and (2) in vivo measurements of individual differences in
      TBW and bone mineral support the use of conventional UWW for the estimation of %
      BF.

PMID- 1425532
TI  - Predictors of weight reduction in obese children.
AB  - The characteristics of successful and unsuccessful weight losers were studied in
      48 obese children (relative weight > 120%) aged 6-15 years who were treated for 1
      year and observed for another. Successful weight loss was defined as a decrease
      in relative weight of > or = 0.8 in the standard deviation score (SDS) at the end
      of the study. Thirty-two children were treated intensively, 16 with individual
      counselling and 16 in group therapy, while the remaining 16 children were treated
      conventionally in a school health care setting. Three children dropped out of the
      study. In 2 years, the relative body weight decreased by 1.7 SDS in those who
      were successful weight losers (n = 21, 47%), but remained unchanged in those who
      had been unsuccessful (n = 24). At baseline there were no differences between the
      two groups. At 1 year, the successful weight losers had lower body weight (P <
      0.05), less lean body mass (0.05) and lower fasting concentrations of circulating
      insulin (P < 0.01) than the unsuccessful children did. A decrease in mothers'
      body mass index (BMI) and in documented energy intake over the first year as well
      as energy intake at 1 year were significant predictors of success at 2 years. The
      combination of these three predictors resulted in correct classification of about
      3/4 of the cases as successful or unsuccessful weight losers. It appears,
      however, difficult to develop a clinically useful model for predicting the
      treatment outcome in obese children.

PMID- 1425533
TI  - Diet of adults living in houses in multiple occupation.
AB  - This study describes the diet and lifestyle of people living in houses in
      multiple occupation (HMO). A census was taken from a random sample of 400 HMOs in
      Southampton. Interviews were carried out with a random sample of 73 adult
      residents from the HMOs. A group of 34 people recently rehoused by the local
      council were interviewed for comparison. The HMO group had a lack of adequate
      cooking facilities compared to the council group. A kitchen was used to cook a
      meal every day by only 53% of the HMO and 77% of the council group. The HMO group
      spent more money on rent and food than the council group. Women in the HMO group
      had lower intakes of protein, fat and calcium than women in the council group.
      Housing conditions appeared to have some influence on nutrient intake. However,
      the HMO and council groups behaved in a similar way for a number of dietary
      habits. In low-income groups such as those studied here, factors other than
      housing conditions appear to influence food intake.

PMID- 1425534
TI  - Blood vitamin and lipid levels in overweight and obese women.
AB  - The study was carried out on 102 obese and overweight women, average age 41.5
      years, and 33 control non-obese women matched for age. Fasting venous blood
      vitamins (ascorbic acid, tocopherol, retinol, carotenes, thiamin, riboflavin,
      folic acid, pyridoxine), lipids (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein
      cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, total lipids)
      and haematological indices were determined. Significantly lower serum antioxidant
      vitamin levels and a higher prevalence of vitamin deficiency were found in the
      study group. The study confirmed the high risk of dyslipoproteinaemia and the
      high frequency of elevated blood pressure in obese women. A correlation between
      ascorbic acid status, degree of obesity and the incidence of elevated blood
      pressure was demonstrated.

PMID- 1425535
TI  - Accuracy of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire applied in elderly
      Norwegian women.
AB  - The accuracy (reproducibility and relative validity) of a self-administered
      quantitative food frequency questionnaire including 180 food items was evaluated.
      A total of 38 elderly women kept multiple weighed diet records for a total of 14
      days over a 6-week period and filled in the questionnaire both before and after
      this period. Spearman rank correlations between the nutrient intakes from the two
      questionnaires varied from 0.43 for carbohydrate to 0.88 for energy percentage
      from alcohol. The median correlation was 0.70. Seven women whose recorded average
      energy intake was less than 1.17 times their measured basal metabolic rate were
      excluded from the analysis comparing the questionnaire and the diet records. The
      first questionnaire gave on the average 10% higher nutrient median values than
      the records, while the second questionnaire did not in general produce higher
      values. Unadjusted correlation coefficients comparing intakes measured by the two
      methods ranged from 0.31 for vitamin C to 0.79 for energy percentage from
      carbohydrate, the median coefficient being 0.61. On the average 77% of the
      subjects were classified in the same (+/- 1) quintile in the first food frequency
      questionnaire and the diet records. The present study indicates that the self
      administered quantitative food frequency questionnaire is useful for measuring
      individual or group intakes for a variety of nutrients.

PMID- 1425536
TI  - Platelet phospholipid fatty acid composition and function in vegans compared with
      age- and sex-matched omnivore controls.
AB  - Platelet function and phospholipid composition, plasma lipids and dietary intakes
      were assessed in 20 vegan subjects and 20 age- and sex-matched omnivore controls.
      The intakes of saturated fat were lower in the vegans and those of linoleic and
      linolenic acids were greater. Eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids were
      absent from the diets of the vegans. Plasma total cholesterol and low-density
      lipoprotein concentrations were lower in the male vegan subjects and those of
      carotene were greater compared with their controls. The platelet phospholipids of
      the vegans contained higher proportions of linoleic (18:2n-6) and adrenic (22:4n
      6) acids and lower proportions of arachidonic (20:4n-6), eicosapentaenoic (20:5n
      3), docosapentaenoic (22:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic (22:6n-3) acids. Template
      bleeding times, platelet aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate, compound
      U44619 and collagen were similar in both groups.

PMID- 1425537
TI  - Decreased food intake in children with severe dysentery due to Shigella
      dysenteriae 1 infection.
AB  - Factors that affect food intake in acute shigellosis were studied in 82 children
      aged 24-59 months. Children were offered an energy-dense milk-cereal-oil-based
      diet every 2 h. Food intake was compared between children with Shigella
      dysenteriae 1 infection and those infected with other Shigella spp (predominantly
      S. flexneri). Mean energy intake in the first 48 h was 435 kJ/kg.d in children
      infected with S. dysenteriae 1 and 536 kJ/kg.d in children infected with other
      Shigella spp (P < 0.001). Febrile children ate significantly (P < 0.05) less food
      than afebrile ones (469 vs 517 kJ/kg.d). Food intake remained significantly (P <
      0.001) less in children infected with S. dysenteriae 1 after controlling for the
      effect of fever. The results show that food intake is significantly reduced in
      dysentery due to S. dysenteriae 1 infection compared to that of other Shigella
      species; however, adequate calorie intake can be maintained by providing frequent
      energy-dense meals despite anorexia, fever, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.

PMID- 1425538
TI  - Resistant Starch. Proceedings for the 2nd plenary meeting of EURESTA: European
      FLAIR Concerted Action No. 11 on physiological implications of the consumption of
      resistant starch in man. Crete, 29 May-2 June 1991.

PMID- 1425539
TI  - Acetate in venous blood for determination of carbohydrate malabsorption.

PMID- 1425540
TI  - COMA dietary reference values and the elderly.

PMID- 1425541
TI  - Energy expenditure in the elderly.

PMID- 1425542
TI  - Micronutrients: how important in old age?

PMID- 1425543
TI  - The fetal origins of diseases of old age.

PMID- 1425544
TI  - Are we pushing the limits of public health interventions for smoking cessation?
AB  - The phenomenon of smoking cessation that takes place outside formal programs,
      which serve a small proportion of smokers, is an important public health issue.
      Self-help strategies represent an approach to potentially cost-effective smoking
      intervention that can be conveniently used by large groups of smokers. In this
      issue of Health Psychology, Gritz, Berman, Bastani, and Wu (1992) demonstrate
      that the mailing of self-help smoking cessation materials to nonvolunteer women
      in a health maintenance organization, without any personal contact, produces
      little behavior change beyond what occurs in the environment without such
      distribution. This outcome is not surprising and does not illiminate the
      possibility of efficacious use of self-help materials with a nonvolunteer
      population. An essential question is: Could these materials have been distributed
      in such a way as to increase their use and eventual efficacy? Efforts to attract
      more smokers to use existing materials are an essential element of self-help
      strategies. An effective public health approach is a comprehensive one that
      successfully engages the individual and, through multiple channels in the
      community, provides reinforcement, supports, and norms for not smoking.

PMID- 1425545
TI  - A randomized trial of a self-help smoking cessation intervention in a
      nonvolunteer female population: testing the limits of the public health model.
AB  - Reaching nonvolunteer female smokers with effective smoking cessation programs is
      a critical public health challenge. Smokers (N = 2,786) among 15,004 female
      members of a health maintenance organization who completed a routine needs
      assessment were invited into the "UCLA Preventive Health Behavior Study,"
      consisting of five telephone interviews over 2 years assessing health practices.
      Participants (N = 1,396) were randomized into experimental or control conditions
      of an unsolicited, mailed, self-help smoking cessation program. Subjects were not
      alerted to the link between the program and the health study. Smoking status was
      assessed at 1, 6, 12, and 18 months. Across all subjects, point prevalence at 18
      months was 18.62, and continuous abstinence was 2.71%. No difference was found
      between treatment and control groups regarding smoking status or readiness to
      stop smoking--raising questions about the value of mailing cessation materials to
      nonvolunteers. Quit rates increased over the 18-month follow-up; those still
      smoking at 18 months reported increased readiness to quit. Predictors at each
      follow-up point were examined multivariately.

PMID- 1425546
TI  - Smoking prevention among urban minority youth: assessing effects on outcome and
      mediating variables.
AB  - We tested the effectiveness of a social resistance/competence enhancement
      approach to smoking prevention among predominantly Hispanic seventh graders (N =
      3,153) from 47 New York City schools. After blocking on school type (public and
      parochial) and ethnic composition (percent Hispanic), schools were randomly
      assigned either to receive the 15-session prevention program or to serve as no
      contact controls. Using the school as the unit of analysis, significant program
      effects were found for cigarette smoking, normative expectations concerning peer
      and adult smoking, smoking prevalence knowledge, social acceptability knowledge,
      and knowledge of smoking consequences. Using structural modeling techniques, a
      significant relation was found between the normative expectation and knowledge
      variables affected by the intervention and posttest smoking, suggesting that
      changes on these variables mediated the impact of the intervention on cigarette
      smoking. This study extends the results of previous prevention research and
      demonstrates the generalizability of this approach to predominantly Hispanic
      urban minority students.

PMID- 1425547
TI  - Self-disclosure of HIV infection: preliminary results from a sample of Hispanic
      men.
AB  - We examined self-disclosure of HIV infection among 101 seropositive Hispanic men
      residing in Los Angeles. Results indicated that disclosure was highly selective
      and presumably influenced by the social, psychological, and material consequences
      of informing others about one's medical condition. Subjects tended to inform
      significant others such as parents, friends, and lovers than less significant
      others such as employers, landlords, and religious leaders. There was a
      relatively high rate of disclosure (75%) to doctors/dentists who were not
      treating subjects for HIV infection. Gay and bisexual subjects (89% of the
      sample) were more inclined to disclose their HIV serostatus to homosexual or
      bisexual others than to heterosexuals and to inform those who were aware of their
      sexual orientation. Disclosure increased with severity of disease independently
      of length of time since testing seropositive. Self-rated negative changes in
      appearance correlated with disclosure to less significant others. The role of
      cultural attitudes and values in self-disclosure of HIV infection is discussed.

PMID- 1425548
TI  - High school students' perceptions of AIDS risk: realistic appraisal or motivated
      denial?
AB  - We examined perceptions of risk for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in
      296 high school students living in or near a major urban center. We hypothesized
      that students with a dispositional tendency to deny threat would be more likely
      to misperceive their risk of contracting AIDS. Results indicated that study
      participants, overall, used their behaviors as a basis for assessing personal
      risk in the sense that they perceived higher risk when their behavior was in fact
      riskier. However, this relation did not hold for those students classified as
      repressors on a repression-sensitization scale; repressors' perceptions of
      absolute (but not comparative) risk were negatively correlated with degree of
      behavioral risk. In a secondary analysis, perceived absolute risk was found to be
      a significant predictor of intention to change AIDS-risk behaviors. This study
      provides support for a motivational interpretation of perceived invulnerability
      and has implications for the development of models of health behavior change.

PMID- 1425550
TI  - Improving adherence to fluid restrictions in male hemodialysis patients: a
      comparison of cognitive and behavioral approaches.
AB  - A cognitive intervention and a behavioral intervention were compared to determine
      their relative effectiveness in reducing interdialytic weight gain (IWG) among
      eight adult male hemodialysis patients. The behavioral model consisted of
      positive reinforcement, shaping, and self-monitoring. The cognitive model
      consisted of a counseling intervention designed to modify health beliefs. Three
      small-sample experimental studies showed that both interventions produced
      immediate reductions in IWG. However, the behavioral intervention was superior to
      the cognitive intervention in producing maintenance of reduced weight gain.
      Combining the interventions resulted in no improvement over the behavioral
      intervention alone. Continuation of self-monitoring procedures produced
      maintenance of improvements up to 2 months posttreatment. Repeated-measures
      analysis of variance showed changes for only the "barriers" dimension of the
      health belief model (Hartman & Becker, 1978) (p < .001), and this occurred only
      following or concurrent with adherence behavior change. Suggestions for treatment
      and future research are offered.

PMID- 1425549
TI  - Influence of age, sex, and family on Type A and hostile attitudes and behaviors.
AB  - We describe the influence of age, sex, and family on Type A and hostility indices
      that have been related to rates of coronary heart disease (CHD). The sample
      consisted of 120 girls and 95 boys (ages 6 to 18 years) and 141 women and 120 men
      (ages 31 to 62 years) from 142 families residing in an upper middle class
      community. Results showed little familial aggregation of Type A and hostility.
      Adults had higher Structured Interview (SI) Potential for Hostility ratings than
      did children, whereas children had higher Minnesota Multiphasic Personality
      Inventory (MMPI)-derived Hostility scores and SI Anger-In ratings than did
      adults. Male adults and male children had higher SI Potential for Hostility
      ratings and MMPI-derived Hostility scores than did their female counterparts. The
      heightened hostility of males may account, in part, for their heightened risk of
      CHD relative to females'.

PMID- 1425552
TI  - Hardiness: a review of theory and research.
AB  - Although a large body of research on hardiness (a personality construct with
      dimensions of commitment, control, and challenge) has accumulated, several
      fundamental issues remain unresolved. Although there are several hardiness
      scales, the properties of these scales have not been compared. There is debate as
      to whether hardiness is one or several characteristics. Research studying the
      pathways through which hardiness exerts its effects has not been comprehensively
      evaluated. Whereas critics have argued that hardiness does not buffer stress,
      others have suggested that hardiness buffers for working adults, for males, and
      in prospective analyses. There is also growing concern that hardiness is related
      to neuroticism. A review of the literature supports the following conclusions:
      The Dispositional Resilience Scale (DRS) has several advantages over alternative
      scales; DRS items form three factors that are consistent with hardiness theory;
      hardiness dimensions generally show low to moderate intercorrelations; the most
      common way of categorizing subjects as high or low in hardiness is not consistent
      with hardiness theory; hardiness does not buffer stress, and it does not buffer
      stress for working adults, for males, or in prospective analyses; both old and
      new hardiness scales inadvertently measure neuroticism. Recommendations for
      future research are provided.

PMID- 1425551
TI  - Smoking cessation among self-quitters.
AB  - We examined cessation among 630 smokers who quit abruptly on their own.
      Continuous, complete abstinence rates were 33% at 2 days, 24% at 7 days, 22% at
      14 days, 19% at 1 month, 11% at 3 months, 8% at 6 months postcessation, and 3% at
      6 months with biochemical verification. Slipping (smoking an average of less than
      1 cigarette/day) was common (9% to 15% of subjects) and was a strong predictor of
      relapse; however, 23% of long-term abstainers slipped at some point. These
      results challenge beliefs that most smokers can initially stop smoking and that
      most relapse occurs later on postcessation.

PMID- 1425553
TI  - Classification of crossed immunoelectrophoretic patterns using digital image
      processing and artificial neural networks.
AB  - A method is presented which makes it possible to present crossed
      immunoelectrophoretic patterns to an artificial neural network. The
      electrophoretic patterns are presented for the artificial neural network as three
      dimensional vectors and it is shown that it is possible with this representation
      to train the network to learn the patterns and classify them. It was found that
      the ability to generalize was substantially increased by the addition of noise to
      the input patterns during training. Furthermore, the addition of noise decreased
      the number of presentations needed to reach the predetermined error level. The
      trained neural network was able to classify all distorted patterns correctly
      within an error range of 1%.

PMID- 1425554
TI  - Electrophoretic study of conformational changes of a human soluble beta-D
      galactoside-binding lectin upon storage.
AB  - Human brain lectin (HBL), a beta-galactoside specific soluble lectin, was
      purified by affinity chromatography. An alkylated derivative of this lectin was
      also prepared. Both native and modified molecules were conserved at -20 degrees C
      in the presence or absence of beta-mercaptoethanol, a reducing agent which was
      described to maintain the lectin activity in vitro or in the presence of beta
      mercaptoethanol and lactose. The impact of storage conditions, over one year, on
      the native and derivated lectins, was analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing and titration curve,
      using the PhastSystem (Pharmacia). Western-blot analysis using an anti-HBL
      antibody and size-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography were used to
      complete the study. The subunit M(r)s were estimated before freezing (T0) and
      after three and twelve months (T3, T12). They were comparable for all
      preparations. In all samples tested, isoelectric focusing demonstrated the
      existence of at least three acidic proteins, with the pI ranging between 4.7-4.9.
      Titration curves clearly showed pH-dependent conformational changes, resulting in
      a panel of differently charged molecular species, some of which may be related to
      different oxidative states of the cysteine residues. We concluded that lectin can
      be stored at -20 degrees C for at least one year before use as a reagent since
      the modifications revealed by electrophoretic analysis do not alter the
      hemagglutination activity and carbohydrate binding properties. The
      immunoreactivity also remained unchanged.

PMID- 1425555
TI  - Purification of serum amyloid A and its isoforms from human plasma by hydrophobic
      interaction chromatography and preparative isoelectric focusing.
AB  - The present work was aimed at isolating human serum amyloid A, (SAA), an acute
      phase protein mainly complexed to high density lipoproteins, directly from human
      plasma without sequential ultracentrifugation of lipoproteins and subsequent
      delipidation of the apolipoprotein moiety. Hydrophobic-interaction fast-protein
      liquid chromatography on Octylsepharose, using stepwise gradient elution profiles
      under dissociating conditions, followed by fast-protein liquid-gel permeation
      chromatography on a Superdex TM75 column revealed a higher than 95% purity of
      isolated SAA. Further purification of SAA from coeluting apolipoproteins C and A
      II was achieved by preparative isoelectric focusing between pH5-7 using a Rotofor
      apparatus. Separation of the main SAA isoforms, SAA1 (pI 6.5) and SAA1 des-Arg
      (pI 6.0, lacking the N-terminal arginine), was achieved by anion-exchange fast
      protein liquid chromatography on a Fractogel EMD DEAE 650-S column. The purity of
      the SAA1 and SAA1 des-Arg isoforms, thus isolated, was checked by immunochemical
      techniques and amino acid analysis. With the described method various SAA
      isoforms can be isolated, purified and separated directly from human plasma/serum
      without prior ultracentrifugation.

PMID- 1425556
TI  - A comparison between low background silver diammine and silver nitrate protein
      stains.
AB  - Several methods of silver staining of proteins after sodium dodecyl sulfate
      electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels were compared. The most rapid methods were
      found to be less sensitive than more time-consuming methods. Among the long
      methods, those using glutaraldehyde treatment of the gel and silver diammine
      complex as the silvering agent were found to be the most sensitive, at the
      expense of the use of a modified polyacrylamide matrix and higher silver
      concentrations.

PMID- 1425557
TI  - Two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis of immunoglobulin patterns in monoclonal
      gammopathies.
AB  - Two-dimensional (2-D) electrophoresis was performed on 24 serum samples from
      patients diagnosed with monoclonal gammopathies. These samples had been shown to
      have a homogeneous immunoglobulin (M component) by zone electrophoresis and
      immunofixation. Using 2-D electrophoresis, the nature of this aberrant protein
      was further analyzed. It has been presumed that the sharp, dark stained band
      identified by immunofixation was the production of a monoclonal immunoglobulin.
      The increased resolution afforded by 2-D methodology reveals several different
      patterns. On 2-D electrophoresis, a monoclonal antibody has a unique pattern. It
      consists of 3 to 6 strong, restricted heavy chain bands and a single distorted
      light chain spot. The 3-6 bands are microheterogeneity of the isoelectric point,
      attributed to posttranslational glycosylation and/or amidation/deamidation.
      Analysis by 2-D electrophoresis indicated only 5 samples with a true monoclonal
      pattern. All but 2 of the samples clearly had aberrant immunoglobulin, but
      interpretation of the pattern would suggest the protein is other than a fully
      synthesized monoclonal antibody. The samples showed the following: a monoclonal
      heavy chain pattern with multiple distorted light chain spots, only an aberrant
      light chain area, only an aberrant heavy chain, and only a polyclonal increase.
      Several IgG gammopathies had, in addition, concentrations of gamma heavy chain at
      a reduced size (34 kDa).

PMID- 1425558
TI  - Rapid high resolution two-dimensional electrophoresis of human sperm proteins.
AB  - An improved protocol has been developed for two-dimensional gel analysis of human
      sperm proteins through the application of recent technical advances. Advantages
      of this protocol consist of increased resolving power, reduced processing time,
      enhanced reproducibility of staining patterns, and applicability to small
      quantities of protein. Technical improvements include determination of optimal
      protein loading (20 micrograms/gel), development of a reliable tube gel casting
      system, and application of minigel technology. In this study over 500 proteins
      were resolved with molecular weights ranging from 12,000 to 105,000 and
      isoelectric points from 5.0 to 8.5. This is a three-fold improvement in
      resolution over earlier results. A single operator was able to generate two
      dimensional gels of multiple samples in less than one day. This rapid high
      resolution technique should facilitate further investigation of human sperm
      proteins under normal and pathologic conditions.

PMID- 1425559
TI  - Two-dimensional electrophoresis of cat sera: protein identification by cross
      reacting antibodies against human serum proteins.
AB  - After two-dimensional electrophoresis of cat serum, individual proteins were
      identified by means of cross reacting antibodies against the human protein
      homologues. Testing by cross reactivities seemed the method of choice because
      immunoreagents for cat proteins are not easily available.

PMID- 1425560
TI  - High resolution two-dimensional mapping of tissue-specific polypeptides in the
      desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria.
AB  - High resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) using immobilized pH
      gradients was used to map the tissue-specific polypeptides of the desert locust,
      Schistocerca gregaria. Highly specific comprehensive 2-DE reference maps ("master
      gels") were developed for the brain, corpus cardiacum, subesophageal ganglion,
      and hemolymph. The polypeptides were well resolved within the pH 4-7 range in the
      first dimension and within the 14-94 kDa molecular mass range in the second
      dimension.

PMID- 1425561
TI  - Selective influencing of the migration time of SO4(2-) by forming neutral species
      with Pb2+ in capillary zone electrophoresis.
AB  - Organic and inorganic anions are analyzed using capillary zone electrophoresis
      with indirect fluorescence detection. As electrolyte 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid is
      used. By adding Pb2+ to the electrolyte the migration time of SO4(2-) can be
      selectively influenced and the separation of Cl- and SO4(2-) considerably
      improved. The fluorescence intensity of 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid increases in
      the presence of Pb2+ up to a concentration of 6*10(-4) mol/L Pb2+. Limits of
      detection in the lower mumol/L range were obtained.

PMID- 1425562
TI  - Elimination of sample diffusion and lateral band spreading in isoelectric
      focusing employing ready-made immobilized pH gradient gels.
AB  - A simple procedure for the elimination of lateral sample as well as band
      spreading in precast, ready-made immobilized pH gradient gels is described. Round
      or rectangular holes are punched in the dry polyacrylamide gels prior to
      rehydration. The generated wells proved suitable for application of samples
      containing surfactants such as Nonidet P-40 or 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)
      dimethylammonio]-1- propane-sulfonate (CHAPS). Lateral band spreading and
      precipitation of samples containing up to 9.5 M urea could be completely
      eliminated by this method.

PMID- 1425563
TI  - Etienne Grandjean.

PMID- 1425564
TI  - Alteration of circadian rhythm in shift-working ambulance personnel. Monitoring
      of salivary cortisol rhythm.
AB  - In order to investigate the relationship between internal desynchronization and
      clinical intolerance to shift work, a set of circadian rhythms including salivary
      cortisol rhythm were monitored in seven shift-working ambulance personnel. Oral
      temperature, grip strength of both hands, subjective assessment of drowsiness,
      fatigue and attention were recorded approximately every four hours except during
      sleep, for seven days. Self-sampling of salivary cortisol, which was suitable
      evaluation of endocrine rhythm in field studies, was also tried in this study.
      cosinor (cosine curve fitting) method and power spectral analysis were used for
      time series data analysis. The internal desynchronizations between rhythms of
      physiological variables and sleep-wake cycle were observed in shift-working
      ambulance personnel. The incidence of internal desynchronization seemed to be
      higher in intolerant subjects, although the difference between tolerant and
      intolerant subjects did not reach a statistically significant level. The peak
      time of salivary cortisol rhythm during a twenty-four hour shift was phase
      advanced as intolerant to shift work showed apparently an atypical circadian
      pattern of salivary cortisol with an abnormal peak at 21.00 h. In this subject,
      the clinical intolerance to shift work seemed to be associated with internal
      desynchronization of circadian rhythms. The present study confirmed the internal
      desynchronization of the circadian rhythm in physiological rhythms like oral
      temperature and grip strengths, and was in favour of the hypothesis of an
      internal desynchronization and clinical intolerance to shift work. The clinical
      implication of impairment of salivary cortisol rhythm remains to be further
      investigated.

PMID- 1425565
TI  - Electromyographic fatigue in neck/shoulder muscles and endurance in women with
      repetitive work.
AB  - EMG was recorded with surface electrodes from the trapezius and deltoid muscles
      during a static endurance test at approximately 20% of maximal voluntary
      contraction. Objective parameters for localized muscular fatigue were derived
      from the time course of the root mean square (RMS) and mean power frequency (MPF)
      of the EMG recordings. Isotonic regression is introduced as a tool for assessment
      of such parameters. The most pronounced sign of fatigue for trapezius was an
      increase in the RMS values, while for deltoid it was a decrease in the MPF
      values. This could be explained by the different functions of the two muscles.
      The endurance time for a group of 11 women in industrial work with repetitive
      short-cycled work tasks who were diagnosed with neck/shoulder disorders (tension
      neck) was significantly shorter (p less than 0.05) than for a group with the same
      work, but without neck/shoulder disorders (n = 11), and shorter than for a
      control group (n = 11). Regarding the EMG fatigue measures, there were no
      significant differences between the three groups. We did not find any
      relationships between endurance time and the EMG parameters. The results indicate
      that neck/shoulder disorders were not associated with divergent mechanisms for
      developing fatigue in the muscles, as recorded with surface EMG.

PMID- 1425566
TI  - Reducing back stress to nursing personnel: an ergonomic intervention in a nursing
      home.
AB  - A prospective epidemiologic study was conducted in two units (140 beds and 57
      nursing assistants) of a nursing home to demonstrate the efficacy of an ergonomic
      intervention strategy to reduce back stress to nursing personnel. The total
      programme involved the following: determining patient handling tasks perceived to
      be most stressful by the nursing assistants (NAs); performing an ergonomic
      evaluation of these tasks; and conducting a laboratory study to select patient
      transferring devices perceived to produce less physical stress than existing
      manual patient-handling methods. The intervention phase included training NAs in
      the use of these devices, modifying toilets and shower rooms, and applying
      techniques to patient care. Immediately after completing the intervention
      programme, a post-intervention analysis (which lasted eight months in unit 1 and
      four months in unit 2) was performed. A biomechanical evaluation of the physical
      demands required to perform stressful patient-handling tasks showed that the mean
      compressive force on the L5/S1 disc, the mean hand force required to make a
      transfer, and the strength requirements (expressed as percentage female
      population capable) were 1964 N, 122 N, and 83% after intervention as compared to
      4751 N, 312 N, and 41% before intervention. Subjectively, the mean rating of
      perceived exertion was less than 'very light' after intervention as compared to
      between 'somewhat hard' and 'hard' before intervention. Overall, the mean
      acceptability rates for the walking belt and the mechanical hoist were 81% and
      87% for patient transfers. The incidence rate for back injuries prior to the
      intervention, 83 per 200,000 work-hours, decreased to 47 per 200,000 work-hours
      after the intervention. There were no injuries resulting in lost or restricted
      work days during the last four months of the post-intervention. It is concluded
      that an appropriate ergonomic intervention programme offers great promise in
      reducing physical stress and risk of low-back pain to nursing personnel. However,
      large-scale studies in different nursing homes are needed to confirm the above
      findings.

PMID- 1425567
TI  - The effects of armrests and high seat heights on lower-limb joint load and
      muscular activity during sitting and rising.
AB  - The loading moment of force on the hip, knee, and ankle joints of nine healthy
      men rising from four different types of stools were compared, together with the
      levels of myoelectrical activity (EMG) in four leg muscles. Two types of stool
      (stand stools) had higher seats than a normal chair. The other two were of
      ordinary seat height, but one also had armrests. The bodyweight carried by the
      different stools when sitting was also measured, and the subject estimated the
      effort required for each trial. The mean maximum knee moment was over 60% lower
      when rising from the high stool than from 'ordinary' seat height. The difference
      between the high and low stand stool was also significant (p less than 0.001).
      Using the high stool or help of the arms reduced the mean maximum hip moment by
      about 50%. The mean maximum ankle moment was only marginally influenced by the
      different stools. Knee moment was influenced more by seat height than was hip
      moment. Vastus lateralis activity was significantly higher when subjects rose
      from 'ordinary' height than when rising from either stand stool (p less than
      0.001). The rectus femoris muscle was little activated and the semitendinosus
      muscle was activated earlier when rising from higher seat heights. All subjects
      estimated the effort of rising from the higher stand stool to be lower than from
      the lower stand stool or from 'ordinary' height without arm rests. It was
      concluded that stand stools are good alternatives for workers who change
      frequently between sitting and standing work.

PMID- 1425568
TI  - Anthropometry of south Indian industrial workmen.
AB  - This paper presents the results of an anthropometric survey conducted on South
      Indian male workers in the electronic industry. The data were collected as part
      of a project to modify work stations that utilized equipment from other
      countries. A set of 27 body dimensions were taken from a sample of 128 workmen
      (aged 18-35 years). The anthropometric measurements are compared with those of
      Indian men from Central, Western, and Northern parts of India and with those of
      the American, German, and Japanese men. The results indicate that in general the
      South Indian man is smaller than Central, Western, and Northern Indian men, as
      well as smaller than men in America, Germany, Japan, and Africa. This difference
      needs to be allowed for when considering buying and subsequently using imported
      equipment for the electronics industry in South India.

PMID- 1425569
TI  - Structural and functional studies on platelet-derived growth factor.

PMID- 1425570
TI  - Structure of recombinant N-terminal globule of type VI collagen alpha 3 chain and
      its binding to heparin and hyaluronan.
AB  - A large portion of the N-terminal globule of human collagen VI was prepared from
      the culture medium of stably transfected human embryonic kidney cell clones. The
      recombinant product corresponds to sequence positions 1-1586 of the alpha 3 (VI)
      chain that consists of eight homologous approximately 200 residue motifs (N9 to
      N2) being similar to the A domain motif of von Willebrand factor. By
      ultracentrifugation fragment N9-N2 showed a molecular mass of 180 kDa and an
      asymmetric shape. Elongated structures that consist of eight small globes
      (diameter approximately 5 nm) were demonstrated by electron microscopy. The data
      indicate that each A domain motif represents a separate folding unit which are
      connected to each other by short protease-sensitive peptide segments. Circular
      dichroism studies demonstrated about 38% alpha helix, 14% beta sheets and 17%
      beta turns. Fragment N9-N2 showed binding to heparin which could be abolished by
      moderate salt concentrations. Heparin binding was assigned to domains N9, N6 and
      N3 which were obtained after partial proteolysis. Domains N7, N5 and N4 lacked
      affinity for heparin. In addition, N9-N2 showed strong binding to hyaluronan that
      required exposure to 6 M urea for full dissociation. Ligand binding studies
      indicated some affinity of N9-N2 for the triple helical region of collagen VI
      suggesting a role of the N-terminal globule in the self-assembly of microfibrils.
      No or only little binding was, however, observed to fibril-forming collagens I
      and III, several basement membrane proteins and other extracellular proteins.
      Fragment N9-N2 was also an inactive substrate for cell adhesion.

PMID- 1425571
TI  - What limits affinity maturation of antibodies in Xenopus--the rate of somatic
      mutation or the ability to select mutants?
AB  - Although the Xenopus immunoglobulin heavy chain locus is structurally and
      functionally similar to mammalian IgH loci, Xenopus antibodies are limited in
      heterogeneity, and they mature only slightly in affinity during immune responses.
      During the antibody response of isogenic frogs to DNP-KLH, mu and upsilon cDNA
      sequences using elements of the VH1 family were cloned, sequenced and compared
      with germline counterparts. There were zero to four mutations per sequence,
      mostly single base substitutions, in the framework and CDRs 1 and 2 of VH. No
      mutations were found in JH. Since the point mutation rate was only 4- to 7-fold
      lower than that calculated for mice, affinity maturation does not seem to be
      limited by mutant availability. Because of a relatively low ratio of replacement
      to silent mutations in the CDRs and a very high ratio of GC to AT base pairs
      altered by mutation, it is suggested that the problem results from the absence of
      an effective mechanism for selecting mutants, which in turn might be related to
      the absence of germinal centers in Xenopus.

PMID- 1425572
TI  - Emergence of committed B lymphoid progenitors in the developing chicken embryo.
AB  - The formation of B lymphoid restricted progenitors was followed during chicken
      embryonic development by monitoring the appearance of the various Ig gene
      rearrangements (DJH, VHDJH, V lambda J lambda), as a sensitivity that allows the
      detection of a single rearranged cell. By quantifying the DJH committed
      progenitor populations, we describe their evolution in different compartments at
      different developmental stages. The yolk sac is the first site where DJH-positive
      cells are observed (at days 5-6 of development); via the general circulation,
      they then seed the various organs while undergoing VHDJH and V lambda J lambda
      rearrangements, which occur simultaneously but lag behind DJH by one to several
      days. These progenitor populations decline with time in most lymphoid sites and
      only expand in the bursa. RAG-1 expression is observed in the bursa in the
      absence of ongoing rearrangement activity and thus appears to be an improper
      marker of rearrangement in the chicken. Commitment to the B cell lineage seems to
      result from an intrinsic cell program, but the survival and expansion of the
      committed B progenitors require the specific microenvironment of the bursa.

PMID- 1425573
TI  - Hemin uptake system of Yersinia enterocolitica: similarities with other TonB
      dependent systems in gram-negative bacteria.
AB  - The hemin receptor HemR of Yersinia enterocolitica was identified as a 78 kDa
      iron regulated outer membrane protein. Cells devoid of the HemR receptor as well
      as cells mutated in the tonB gene were unable to take up hemin as an iron source.
      The hemin uptake operon from Y. enterocolitica was cloned in Escherichia coli K12
      and was shown to encode four proteins: HemP (6.5 kDa), HemR (78 kDa), HemS (42
      kDa) and HemT (27 kDa). When expressed in E.coli hemA aroB, a plasmid carrying
      genes for HemP and HemR allowed growth on hemin as a porphyrin source. Presence
      of genes for HemP, HemR and HemS was necessary to allow E.coli hemA aroB cells to
      use hemin as an iron source. The nucleotide sequence of the hemR gene and its
      promoter region was determined and the amino acid sequence of the HemR receptor
      deduced. HemR has a signal peptide of 28 amino acids and a typical TonB box at
      its amino-terminus. Upstream of the first gene in the operon (hemP), a well
      conserved Fur box was found which is in accordance with the iron-regulated
      expression of HemR.

PMID- 1425574
TI  - Reversible phosphorylation--dephosphorylation determines the localization of rab4
      during the cell cycle.
AB  - The ras-like GTP binding protein rab4 is the only known rab protein on endosomes
      that is phosphorylated during mitosis. Since a large fraction of rab4 accumulates
      in the cytosol in mitotic cells, we investigated the molecular mechanism
      controlling membrane association of rab4. We first show that human rab4 is
      phosphorylated by recombinant mammalian p34cdc2 kinase in vitro. Next, the actual
      site of phosphorylation and its functional significance were determined using
      stably transfected CHO cell lines producing high levels of wild type rab4 or rab4
      mutants bearing alterations at Ser196, which occurs within a consensus site for
      p34cdc2 kinase phosphorylation (S196PRR). Mutation of Ser196 to glutamine or
      aspartic acid completely prevented rab4 phosphorylation in mitotic cells and also
      blocked its appearance in the cytosol. Neither C-terminal isoprenylation nor
      carboxymethylation of rab4 was affected by the mutations or by phosphorylation.
      Finally, dephosphorylation and reassociation of soluble rab4 with membranes
      occurred upon exit of cells from mitosis. Thus, phosphorylation of Ser196 is
      directly responsible for the reversible translocation of rab4 into the cytosol of
      mitotic cells.

PMID- 1425575
TI  - The internalization signal in the cytoplasmic tail of lysosomal acid phosphatase
      consists of the hexapeptide PGYRHV.
AB  - Lysosomal acid phosphatase (LAP) is rapidly internalized from the cell surface
      due to a tyrosine-containing internalization signal in its 19 amino acid
      cytoplasmic tail. Measuring the internalization of a series of LAP cytoplasmic
      tail truncation and substitution mutants revealed that the N-terminal 12 amino
      acids of the cytoplasmic tail are sufficient for rapid endocytosis and that the
      hexapeptide 411-PGYRHV-416 is the tyrosine-containing internalization signal.
      Truncation and substitution mutants of amino acid residues following Val416 can
      prevent internalization even though these residues do not belong to the
      internalization signal. It was shown recently that part of the LAP cytoplasmic
      tail peptide corresponding to 410-PPGY-413 forms a well-ordered beta turn
      structure in solution. Two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy of two modified LAP tail
      peptides, in which the single tyrosine was substituted either by phenylalanine or
      by alanine, revealed that the tendency to form a beta turn is reduced by 25% in
      the phenylalanine-containing peptide and by approximately 50% in the alanine
      containing mutant peptide. Our results suggest, that in the short cytoplasmic
      tail of LAP tyrosine is required for stabilization of the right turn and that the
      aromatic ring system of the tyrosine residue is a contact point to the putative
      cytoplasmic receptor.

PMID- 1425576
TI  - Cytoplasmic delivery of ribozymes leads to efficient reduction in alpha
      lactalbumin mRNA levels in C127I mouse cells.
AB  - Ribozymes targeted to five sites along the alpha-lactalbumin (alpha-lac) mRNA
      were delivered to the cytoplasm of mouse C127I mammary cells using the T7
      vaccinia virus delivery system and the amount of alpha-lac mRNA was monitored 24
      48 h post-transfection. Three target sites were selected in the alpha-lac coding
      region (nucleotides 15, 145 and 361) and two were located in the 3' non-coding
      region (nucleotides 442 and 694). Acting in trans and at a target:ribozyme ratio
      of 1:1000, ribozymes targeting sites 361 and 694 reduced alpha-lac mRNA by > 80%;
      another two ribozymes (targeting nucleotides 442 and 145) reduced mRNA levels by
      80 and 60% respectively; the fifth ribozyme (targeting nucleotide 15, near the
      AUG) was largely ineffective. The kinetic activity (kcat) of each ribozyme in
      vitro was somewhat predictive of the activity of the two ribozymes that targeted
      nucleotides 361 and 694, but was not predictive of the in vivo activity of the
      other three ribozymes. Down-regulation of the intracellular levels of alpha-lac
      paralleled the ribozyme-dependent reduction achieved for mRNA. For site 442, the
      reduction in both mRNA and protein was attributed to the catalytic activity of
      the ribozyme rather than to the antisense effects of the flanking arms, because
      delivery of an engineered (catalytically-inactive) variant had no effect on mRNA
      levels and a minimal effect on the level of alpha-lac present in the cell.

PMID- 1425577
TI  - Activation of HIV-1 pre-mRNA 3' processing in vitro requires both an upstream
      element and TAR.
AB  - The architecture of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genome
      presents an intriguing dilemma for the 3' processing of viral transcripts--to
      disregard a canonical 'core' poly(A) site processing signal present at the 5' end
      of the transcript and yet to utilize efficiently an identical signal that resides
      at the 3' end of the message. The choice of processing sites in HIV-1 appears to
      be influenced by two factors: (i) proximity to the cap site, and (ii) sequences
      upstream of the core poly(A) site. We now demonstrate that an in vivo-defined
      upstream element that resides within the U3 region, 76 nucleotides upstream of
      the AAUAAA hexamer, acts specifically to enhance 3' processing at the HIV-1 core
      poly(A) site in vitro. We furthermore show that efficient in vitro 3' processing
      requires the RNA stem-loop structure of TAR, which serves to juxtapose spatially
      the upstream element and the core poly(A) site. An analysis of the stability of
      3' processing complexes formed at the HIV-1 poly(A) site in vitro suggests that
      the upstream element may function by increasing processing complex stability at
      the core poly(A) site.

PMID- 1425579
TI  - High plasticity of multispecific DNA methyltransferases in the region carrying
      DNA target recognizing enzyme modules.
AB  - Multispecific cytosine C5 DNA methyltransferases (MTases) methylate more than one
      specific DNA target. This is due to the presence of several target recognizing
      domains (TRDs) in these enzymes. Such TRDs form part of a variable centre in the
      MTase primary sequence, which separates conserved enzyme core sequences
      responsible for general steps in the methylation reaction. By deleting,
      rearranging and exchanging several TRDs of multispecific MTases, we demonstrate
      their modular character; they mediate target recognition independent of a
      particular TRD or core sequence context. We show also that multispecific MTases
      can accommodate inert material of non-MTase origin within their variable region
      without losing their activity. The remarkable plasticity with respect to the
      material that can be integrated into this region suggests that the enzyme core
      sequences preceding or following it form separable functional domains. In spite
      of the documented flexibility multispecific MTases could not be endowed with
      novel specificities by integration of putative TRDs of monospecific MTases,
      pointing to differences between multi- and monospecific MTases in the way their
      core and TRD sequences interact.

PMID- 1425580
TI  - Epimutation of repeated genes in Ascobolus immersus.
AB  - Ascobolus immersus artificial gene repeats were shown previously to be subject
      premeiotically to both cytosine methylation and inactivation. We studied sexual
      progenies of strains harbouring two wild type copies of the endogenous met2 gene
      lying either in tandem array or at ectopic unlinked positions, by (i)
      investigating the methylation status, (ii) searching for mutations and (iii)
      analysing the inheritance of inactivation both in mitotic and sexual offspring.
      100% of the 'tandem' progeny and 64% of the 'ectopic' progeny had methylated
      repeats and displayed gene inactivation. Similar methylation patterns involving
      all or most of the cytosine residues within the repeats were observed in both
      arrangements. The inactivated met2 copies were totally devoid of mutation, as
      deduced from: (i) extensive restriction site analysis and DNA sequencing; (ii)
      the finding that all the Met- derivatives tested reverted to prototrophy in
      selective conditions; and (iii) the finding that an inactivated copy of met2
      stripped of its methylation through amplification in Escherichia coli regained
      activity when reintroduced in A.immersus. In the absence of selection, gene
      silencing and methylation were faithfully maintained through mitotic divisions
      and through five successive sexual cycles. Altogether, these data show the
      epimutational nature of this methylation induced premeiotically (MIP) process.

PMID- 1425578
TI  - Expression of the E.coli 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase I gene in mammalian
      cells reduces the toxic and mutagenic effects of methylating agents.
AB  - In order to investigate the importance of 3-methyladenine in cellular sensitivity
      to chemical methylating agents we have constructed retroviral vectors for the
      integration and expression of the Escherichia coli tag gene in mammalian cells.
      The tag gene encodes 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase-1 which specifically removes
      3-alkyladenines from DNA. The constructs were introduced into Chinese hamster V79
      cells by liposome mediated transfection or into murine haemopoietic stem cells by
      cocultivation with a lipofected, virus-packaging cell line. In both cases, stable
      transfectants were selected for resistance to the antibiotic, G418, conferred by
      expression of the neo gene carried by the vector. Measurements of 3-methyladenine
      DNA glycosylase activity in cell extracts showed an up to 10-fold increase in
      cell lines with stably integrated tag gene sequences. These cell lines were
      significantly more resistant to the cytotoxic effects of methylmethanesulfonate
      and N-methyl-N-nitrosourea than their parent cell lines, indicating that 3
      methyladenine repair is a limiting factor in cellular resistance to these
      methylating agents. Furthermore, the mutation frequency induced by
      methylmethanesulfonate was reduced to 50% of normal by expression of 3
      methyladenine I activity in the Chinese hamster cells, indicating that m3A is not
      only a cytotoxic but also a premutagenic lesion in mammalian cells. It is
      concluded that an alkylation repair gene function of a type only thought to be
      present in bacteria can yield a hyperresistant phenotype when transferred to
      mammalian cells.

PMID- 1425581
TI  - Cell lineage-specific expression of modulo, a dose-dependent modifier of
      variegation in Drosophila.
AB  - Variegation in Drosophila is a manifest illustration of the important role played
      by chromatin structure in gene expression. We have isolated mutants of modulo
      (mod) and shown that this gene is a dominant suppressor of variegation. Null
      mutants are recessive lethal with a melanotic tumour phenotype. The mod protein
      directly binds DNA, which indicates that it may serve to anchor multimeric
      complexes promoting chromatin compaction and silencing. Using a specific
      monoclonal antibody we examined by immunocytochemistry the accumulation pattern
      of mod protein during embryogenesis. The protein is first detected before the
      blastoderm cellularization in all somatic nuclei, precisely when pericentromeric
      heterochromatin becomes visible. After the first cell division, mod protein is
      expressed in lineages of specific embryonic primordia. Based on its dominant
      phenotype, expression pattern and DNA-binding activity of its product, we propose
      that mod regulates chromatin structure and activity in specific cell lineages.

PMID- 1425582
TI  - Mapping of the in vivo start site for leading strand DNA synthesis in plasmid R1.
AB  - We have previously constructed Escherichia coli strains in which an R1 plasmid is
      integrated into the origin of chromosome replication, oriC. In such intR1
      strains, oriC is inactive and initiation of chromosome replication instead takes
      place at the integrated R1 origin. Due to the large size of the chromosome,
      replication intermediates generated at the R1 origin in these strains are
      considerably more long-lived than those in unintegrated R1 plasmids. We have
      taken advantage of this and performed primer extensions on total DNA isolated
      from intR1 strains, and mapped the free 5' DNA ends that were generated as
      replication intermediates during R1 replication in vivo. The sensitivity of the
      mapping was considerably improved by the use of a repeated primer extension
      method (RPE). The free DNA ends were assumed to represent normal in vivo start
      sites for leading strand DNA synthesis in plasmid R1. The ends were mapped to a
      short region approximately 380 bp away from the R1 minimal origin, and the
      positions agreed well with previous in vitro mappings. The same start positions
      were also utilized in the absence of the DnaA protein, indicating that DnaA is
      not required for determination of the position at which DNA synthesis starts
      during initiation of replication at the R1 origin.

PMID- 1425583
TI  - HU, the major histone-like protein of E. coli, modulates the binding of IHF to
      oriC.
AB  - HU is one of the most abundant DNA binding proteins of bacteria. Unlike IHF,
      integration host factor of Escherichia coli, with which HU shares many
      properties, including a strong sequence homology and similar predicted structure,
      HU seems to bind non-specifically to DNA whereas IHF binds to specific sites. In
      this work we compare the binding characteristics of HU and IHF to a DNA fragment
      containing the minimal origin of replication of E. coli (oriC) and we analyse the
      effect of HU on the binding capacity of IHF to this oriC fragment. We show that
      HU interacts randomly and non-specifically with oriC as opposed to the specific
      binding of IHF to this same DNA sequence. In addition, we show that HU can
      modulate the binding of IHF to its specific oriC site. Depending on the relative
      concentrations of HU and IHF, HU is able either to activate or to inhibit the
      binding of IHF to oriC.

PMID- 1425585
TI  - Determination of the base recognition positions of zinc fingers from sequence
      analysis.
AB  - The CC/HH zinc finger is a small independently folded DNA recognition motif found
      in many eukaryotic proteins, which ligates zinc through two cysteine and two
      histidine ligands. A database of 1340 zinc fingers from 221 proteins has been
      constructed and a program for analysis of aligned sequences written. This paper
      describes sequence analysis aimed at determining the amino acid positions that
      recognize the DNA bases, by comparing two types of sequence variation. Using the
      idea that long runs of adjacent zinc fingers have arisen from internal gene
      duplication, the conservation of each position of the finger within the runs was
      calculated. The conservation of each position of the finger between homologous
      proteins from different species was also noted. A correlation of the two types of
      conservation showed clusters of related amino acids. One cluster of three
      positions was found to be especially variable within long runs, but highly
      conserved between corresponding fingers of homologous proteins; these positions
      are predicted to be the base contact positions. They match the amino acid
      positions that contact the bases in the co-crystal structure determined by
      Pavletich and Pabo [Science, 240, 809-817 (1991)]. An adjacent cluster of four
      positions on the plot may also be associated with DNA binding. This analysis
      shows that the base recognition positions can be identified even in the absence
      of a known structure for a zinc finger. These results are applicable to zinc
      fingers where the structure of the complex is unknown, in particular suggesting
      that the individual finger--DNA interaction seen in the Zif268--DNA structure has
      been conserved in many zinc finger--DNA interactions.

PMID- 1425584
TI  - SRY, like HMG1, recognizes sharp angles in DNA.
AB  - HMG boxes are DNA binding domains present in chromatin proteins, general
      transcription factors for nucleolar and mitochondrial RNA polymerases, and gene-
      and tissue-specific transcriptional regulators. The HMG boxes of HMG1, an
      abundant component of chromatin, interact specifically with four-way junctions,
      DNA structures that are cross-shaped and contain angles of approximately 60 and
      120 degrees between their arms. We show here also that the HMG box of SRY, the
      protein that determines the expression of male-specific genes in humans,
      recognizes four-way junction DNAs irrespective of their sequence. In addition,
      when SRY binds to linear duplex DNA containing its specific target AACAAAG, it
      produces a sharp bend. Therefore, the interaction between HMG boxes and DNA
      appears to be predominantly structure-specific. The production of the recognition
      of a kink in DNA can serve several distinct functions, such as the repair of DNA
      lesions, the folding of DNA segments with bound transcriptional factors into
      productive complexes or the wrapping of DNA in chromatin.

PMID- 1425586
TI  - Laminin A chain: expression during Drosophila development and genomic sequence.
AB  - A Drosophila laminin A chain gene was characterized as a 14 kb genomic nucleotide
      sequence which encodes an open reading frame of 3712 amino acids in 15 exons.
      Overall, this A chain is similar to its vertebrate counterparts, especially in
      its N- and C-terminal globular domains, but the sequence that forms the laminin A
      short arm is quite different and larger. Laminin messages appear in newly formed
      mesoderm and are later prominently expressed in hemocytes, which also synthesize
      basement membrane collagen IV. The composition of Drosophila basement membranes
      changes with development. A novel method of tandemly fused RNA probes showed that
      developmental increases of laminin mRNAs were primarily associated with periods
      of morphogenesis, and preceded those of collagen IV, a protein strongly expressed
      during growth. The ratio of A:B1:B2 mRNAs varied little during embryogenesis,
      with less mRNA for A than B chains. Staining of embryos with antibodies confirmed
      and extended the information provided by in situ hybridization. Homologs of the G
      subdomains of this A chain, which occur in interacting regions of agrin,
      perlecan, laminin and sex steroid binding protein, may be involved in protein
      associations.

PMID- 1425587
TI  - Neuronal specificity of the alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor promoter
      develops during morphogenesis of the central nervous system.
AB  - A transient transfection assay has been developed to analyse promoter activity in
      neuronal cells freshly dissociated from the chick central nervous system. The
      assay enabled us to identify cis-acting regulatory elements within the 5'
      flanking region of the alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene. In
      differentiated retina, regulatory elements direct reporter gene expression to a
      small subset of neurons which has been identified as ganglion cells, i.e. to the
      population of neurons in which alpha 7 transcripts were localized by in situ
      hybridization. However, these promoter elements exhibit ubiquitous activity in
      undifferentiated neural cells and in mesodermal stem cells. Our study supports
      the idea that alpha 7 regulatory elements acquire their neuronal specificity in
      the course of embryogenesis.

PMID- 1425588
TI  - Regulatory pathways governing modulation of fungal gene expression by a virulence
      attenuating mycovirus.
AB  - A viral double-stranded RNA associated with virulence attenuation (hypovirulence)
      in the chestnut blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica) has been shown by DNA
      mediated transformation to be responsible for transmissible hypovirulence. In
      addition to reduced virulence, the fungal strain harboring this virus exhibits a
      diverse array of characteristics, termed hypovirulence-associated traits, which
      distinguish it from an isogenic virus-free strain. We have investigated one of
      these traits, suppressed lac-1 (laccase) transcript accumulation. Two different
      and opposing regulatory pathways appear to govern lac-1 transcript levels in the
      virus-free strain: a stimulatory pathway was found to be dependent on the
      inositol trisphosphate (IP3) and calcium second messenger systems. A second
      pathway limiting transcript accumulation was shown to require ongoing protein
      synthesis. Additionally, changes in the level of lac-1 transcript accumulation
      were found to be related to modulation of promoter activity and this activity was
      shown to be suppressed in the virus-containing strain. We conclude that this
      hypovirulence-associated virus interferes with transduction of an IP3-calcium
      dependent signal that is required for stimulation of lac-1 transcription. The
      perturbation of such signal transduction pathways by hypovirulence-associated
      viruses may account for the manifold symptoms associated with transmissible
      hypovirulence.

PMID- 1425589
TI  - p21ras mediates control of IL-2 gene promoter function in T cell activation.
AB  - It has been shown previously in T cells that stimulation of protein kinase C or
      the T cell antigen receptor leads to a rapid and persistent activation of p21ras
      as measured by a dramatic increase in the amount of bound GTP. These stimuli are
      also known to induce the expression of the T lymphocyte growth factor,
      interleukin-2 (IL-2), an essential growth factor for the immune system. Receptor
      induced activation of p21ras has been demonstrated in several cell types but
      involvement of protein kinase C as an upstream activator of p21ras appears to be
      unique to T cells. In this study we show that p21ras acts as a component of the
      protein kinase C and T cell antigen receptor downstream signalling pathway
      controlling IL-2 gene expression. In the murine T cell line EL4, constitutively
      active p21ras greatly potentiates the phorbol ester and T cell receptor agonist
      induced production of IL-2 as measured both by biological assay for the cytokine
      and by the use of a reporter construct. Active p21ras also partially replaces the
      requirement for protein kinase C activation in synergizing with a calcium
      ionophore to induce production of IL-2. Furthermore, using a dominant negative
      mutant of ras, Ha-rasN17, we show that endogenous ras function is essential for
      induction of IL-2 expression in response to protein kinase C or T cell receptor
      stimulation. Activation of ras proteins is thus a necessary but not sufficient
      event in the induction of IL-2 synthesis. Ras proteins are therefore pivotal
      signalling molecules in T cell activation.

PMID- 1425590
TI  - Analysis of the human alpha globin upstream regulatory element (HS-40) in
      transgenic mice.
AB  - We have analysed the effect of a 1.4 kb segment of DNA containing the upstream
      alpha globin regulatory element (HS-40) on human alpha globin gene expression in
      fetal mice and lines of transgenic mice. High levels of tissue-specific, human
      alpha mRNA expression were seen in all transgenic animals and in this sense
      expression was position independent. However, the level of human alpha mRNA
      expression per integrated gene copy decreased during development and was
      inversely related to copy number. The limitation in expression with increasing
      gene copy number was shown to be in cis since homozygotes for the transgene
      produced twice as much human alpha mRNA as hemizygotes. In many respects HS -40
      appears similar to single elements within the previously described beta globin
      locus control region and in cross breeding experiments we have shown that HS -40
      behaves in a similar manner to such elements in transgenic mice.

PMID- 1425591
TI  - Sequence-specific initiator elements focus initiation of transcription to
      distinct sites in the yeast TRP4 promoter.
AB  - Transcription from the yeast TRP4 promoter initiates at two basal (i127 and i76)
      and three GCN4 dependent (i31, i25 and i12) initiator elements. All of these
      elements contain not more than one deviation from the earlier proposed initiator
      consensus sequence PuPuPyPuPu, a pyrimidine nucleotide flanked on either side by
      two purine nucleotides. A point mutation analysis of these elements in various
      combinations was performed and revealed that the central pyrimidine nucleotide
      and at least one of the 3' flanking purine nucleotides of the PuPuPyPuPu
      consensus sequence are essential but alone not sufficient to define a functional
      initiator element. Multiple cryptic transcription start sites, which function
      independently whether they are located on the coding or the non-coding strand,
      can replace the function of mutated initiator elements and therefore the overall
      level of transcription initiation is not affected. The sequence specificity is
      identical for basal and GCN4 dependent initiator elements demonstrating that they
      are functionally homologous. These findings imply that the role of initiator
      elements is to 'focus' the start point(s) of transcription to distinct sites
      located in the region between the site(s) of the assembly of the transcriptional
      complex and the start codon of translation.

PMID- 1425592
TI  - A novel downstream regulatory element of the mouse H-2Kb class I major
      histocompatibility gene.
AB  - The H-2Kb gene equipped with a minimal promoter (5' deletion up to -61) was fully
      expressed in transfected fibroblasts, but inactive in transfected embryonal
      carcinoma cells. A strong transcriptional regulatory element (H2DRE) was
      identified when a fragment spanning the second exon and second intron was used to
      activate transient expression of the reporter chloramphenicol acetyltransferase
      (CAT) gene in mouse Ltk- or NIH3T3 fibroblasts. Its activity was twice that of a
      construct where the CAT gene was driven by the H-2Kb 5' enhancer region
      (H2TF1/KBF1 site) and comparable to that of pRSVCAT construct carrying the strong
      Rous sarcoma virus LTR enhancer. In accord with regulated transcriptional
      activity of the intact H-2Kb gene, the H2DRE did not activate the CAT expression
      in P19 mouse embryonal carcinoma cells. The H2DRE did not function as a typical
      enhancer since its activity was strongly position dependent. Consistent with its
      anticipated role in transcription regulation, H2DRE displayed more than five
      target sites for specifically interacting nuclear factors, two of them being
      present in H-2 positive fibroblasts, but not in H-2 negative teratocarcinoma
      cells. None of them was cross-competed by sequences of the 5' enhancer. The
      results of deletion experiments show that H2DRE is the only regulatory region
      that can activate transcription from the 5' enhancerless H-2Kb gene in mouse L
      fibroblasts.

PMID- 1425593
TI  - Functional antagonism between members of the myb family: B-myb inhibits v-myb
      induced gene activation.
AB  - The oncogene v-myb and its cellular progenitor c-myb encode nuclear, DNA binding
      phosphoproteins that control the expression of certain target genes in immature
      hematopoietic cells. Here, we report the isolation of a myb-related chicken gene,
      chicken B-myb. We show that expression of B-myb, unlike that of c-myb, is not
      restricted to hematopoietic cells, suggesting that B-myb functions in a broader
      spectrum of cell types than c-myb. We have identified the authentic chicken B-myb
      protein as a nuclear protein of approximately 110 kDa. We show that the B-myb
      protein specifically recognizes v-myb binding sites in vitro and that binding is
      mediated by an N-terminally located DNA binding domain. Although B-myb protein
      recognizes myb binding sites, B-myb fails to transactivate several myb-responsive
      gene constructs as well as the endogenous myb-responsive gene mim-1. Instead, we
      find that B-myb represses v-myb- and c-myb-mediated activation of the mim-1 gene,
      most likely by competing with other myb proteins for binding sites. Our results
      raise the possibility that B-myb is an inhibitory member of the myb family.

PMID- 1425594
TI  - Spatial flexibility in ternary complexes between SRF and its accessory proteins.
AB  - We investigated the sequence requirements for ternary complex formation by the
      transcription factor SRF and its Ets domain accessory factors Elk-1 and SAP-1.
      Ternary complex formation is specified by an SRF consensus site CC(A/T)6GG and a
      neighbouring Ets motif (C/A)(C/A)GGA(A/T), which is contacted by Elk-1/SAP-1.
      Both the spacing of these sequences and their relative orientation can be
      substantially altered with little effect on the efficiency of ternary complex
      formation. Efficient ternary complex formation by Elk-1 is mediated by the B box,
      a conserved 21 amino acid region located 50 residues C-terminal to the Ets
      domain, which also acts to inhibit autonomous DNA binding. Binding studies with
      the isolated Ets domains indicate that ternary complex formation compensates for
      low affinity Ets domain-DNA interactions. Several naturally occurring SREs
      containing Ets motifs at different locations to that in the human c-fos SRE allow
      SAP-1 and Elk-1 recruitment in vitro. We discuss the mechanism of ternary complex
      formation.

PMID- 1425597
TI  - Proteolysis is a key process in virus replication.
AB  - Proteases were amongst the first enzymes to be isolated and crystallized, and the
      discovery of their existence in viruses and the realization of the vital role
      they play has given a new lease of life to one of the oldest topics in
      biochemistry. Already we have seen the discovery of new variations on well
      studied reaction mechanisms and there is the promise of others to come that may
      be totally novel. When this is allied to the prospect of developing the knowledge
      which is beginning to accrue into a much needed antiviral therapy, it is clear
      that viral proteases and their key role in viral replication will be an
      increasing focus of attention for some time to come.

PMID- 1425596
TI  - A system to study transcription by yeast RNA polymerase I within the chromosomal
      context: functional analysis of the ribosomal DNA enhancer and the RBP1/REB1
      binding sites.
AB  - We have developed a novel system to study transcription by yeast RNA polymerase I
      (Pol I) of mutated rDNA units within the chromosomal context. For this, complete
      rDNA units carrying specific oligonucleotide tags in both the 17S and 26S rRNA
      genes were integrated into the chromosomal rDNA locus. Using this novel system,
      we analysed the action of the rDNA enhancer in stimulating transcription within
      the chromosomal context. We found that the enhancer acts as a stimulatory element
      in both directions, mainly on its two most proximal rRNA operons. Deletion of the
      sequences between the enhancer and the Pol I promoter in the tagged, integrated
      unit indicated that this part of the intergenic spacer contains no other
      transcriptional regulatory elements for Pol I. We also applied the system to
      study the function of the rDNA binding protein RBP1/REB1. For this purpose, we
      analysed tagged units in which either one or both of the binding sites for this
      protein have been inactivated. We found that mutations of both binding sites
      strongly diminish the transcription of the adjacent operon. The protein is
      hypothesized to play a crucial role in keeping the chromosomal rDNA units in an
      optimal spatial configuration by anchoring consecutive enhancers and promoters to
      the nucle(ol)ar matrix.

PMID- 1425598
TI  - Cell death in Parkinson's disease.

PMID- 1425595
TI  - Hormone-regulated v-rel estrogen receptor fusion protein: reversible induction of
      cell transformation and cellular gene expression.
AB  - We describe the construction of a v-rel estrogen receptor fusion protein (v
      relER) which allows the regulation of v-rel oncoprotein activity by hormone. In
      the presence of estrogen, v-relER readily transformed primary chicken fibroblasts
      and bone marrow cells in vitro. In both cell types, v-rel-specific transformation
      was critically dependent on the presence of estrogen or the estrogen agonist 4
      hydroxytamoxifen (OHT). Withdrawal of estrogen or application of an estrogen
      antagonist, ICI164,384 (ICI) caused a reversal of the transformed phenotype. We
      also demonstrate that the v-relER protein binds to NF-kappa B sites in an
      estrogen-dependent manner, thereby showing that sequence-specific DNA binding of
      v-relER is critical for the activation of its transforming capacity. In transient
      transfection experiments, we failed to demonstrate a clear repressor or activator
      function of the v-rel moiety in v-relER. However, in v-relER-transformed bone
      marrow cells, estrogen and OHT induced elevated mRNA levels of two cellular genes
      whose expression is constitutive and high in v-rel-transformed cells. These
      results suggest that v-rel might exert part of its activity as an activator of
      rel-responsive genes.

PMID- 1425599
TI  - Towards an understanding of C3-C4 photosynthesis.

PMID- 1425600
TI  - Biosensors: principles and practice.

PMID- 1425601
TI  - How groups of proteins titrate--a new approach.

PMID- 1425602
TI  - The biochemistry of blood clotting: the digestion of a liquid to form a solid.

PMID- 1425603
TI  - The collagen superfamily--diverse structures and assemblies.

PMID- 1425604
TI  - The repair of DNA alkylation damage by methyltransferases and glycosylases.

PMID- 1425605
TI  - Endothelins.

PMID- 1425607
TI  - Characteristics of spontaneous and induced specific-locus mutation in the ad-3
      region of Neurospora crassa: utilization in genetic risk assessment.
AB  - Data from experiments on the induction of specific-locus mutations in model
      systems are utilized in genetic risk assessment to estimate potential adverse
      effects in the human population. In such assessments with radiation or chemical
      mutagens, the following information is required: (1) spontaneous and induced
      forward-mutation frequencies, (2) dose-response curves for the overall induction
      of specific-locus mutations, (3) genetic characterization of spontaneous and
      induced mutations, and (4) dose-response curves for the different genotypic
      classes. Specific-locus assays in most eukaryote assay systems provide only
      portions of the information required for genetic risk assessment. In recognition
      of the need for a more comprehensive data base, a model system was developed for
      specific-locus studies in Neurospora crassa. The adenine-3 (ad-3) specific-locus
      assay was modeled after the 2 gene, morphological specific-locus assay in the
      dilute-short-ear region of the mouse, and it detects forward-mutations at two
      closely linked loci: ad-3A and ad-3B. The ad-3 assay system has provided precise
      dose-response curves not only for inactivation, but also the overall induction of
      ad-3 mutations. The utilization of this assay in experiments with radiation or
      chemical mutagens has provided a data base on the induction and genetic
      characterization of specific-locus mutations that is unique among eukaryotic
      organisms. In this assay, gene/point mutations, multilocus deletion mutations,
      and 3 different classes of multiple-locus mutations can be identified. The latter
      consist of specific-locus mutations associated with recessive lethal mutations
      located either closely linked to the ad-3 region or elsewhere in the genome. The
      overall data base on the heterozygous effects of X-ray-induced ad-3 mutations
      demonstrates that such effects are allele specific, genotype specific, and locus
      specific. There are probably a variety of mechanisms by which the heterozygous
      effects of individual allelic mutations at different genetic loci can be
      affected. In conclusion, unless the frequencies of all of the different classes
      of induced specific-locus mutations are determined, and utilized in genetic risk
      assessment exercises, the risk of human exposure to environmental mutagens may be
      grossly underestimated.

PMID- 1425606
TI  - Development of a specific-locus assay in the ad-3 region of two-component
      heterokaryons of Neurospora: a review.
AB  - In recognition of the need for a more comprehensive data base for genetic risk
      assessment of human exposure to mutagenic agents in the environment, a model
      system was developed for specific-locus studies in Neurospora crassa. This lower
      eukaryotic organism permits the utilization of microbial techniques for recovery
      of large numbers of specific-locus mutations at two closely linked loci as well
      as their subsequent genetic analysis. In particular, this assay makes possible
      exploratory experiments with different environmental mutagens to obtain data on a
      wide variety of experimental conditions. Such data make it possible to study
      induction kinetics and mutational spectra in a manner that is not as yet feasible
      in higher eukaryotic organisms. The adenine-3 (ad-3) specific-locus assay was
      modeled after the 2-gene, morphological specific-locus assay in the dilute-short
      ear region of the mouse, and it also detects forward-mutations at two closely
      linked loci, namely, ad-3A and ad-3B. Because ad-3 mutations are recovered by a
      direct method, based on the accumulation of a reddish-purple pigment in the
      vacuoles of the mycelium rather than their requirement for adenine, this system
      is both a morphological and biochemical specific-locus assay. The use of the ad-3
      assay system in experiments with different environmental mutagens has provided
      precise dose-response curves not only for inactivation, but also the overall
      induction of ad-3 mutations. Genetic characterization of these ad-3 mutations by
      a series of 3 rapid and simple genetic tests permits the identification of 18
      subclasses of gene/point mutations, and 12 subclasses of multilocus deletion
      mutations. These subclasses also include 3 different classes of multiple-locus
      mutations with separate sites of recessive lethal damage either in the
      immediately adjacent regions or elsewhere in the genome. In summary, this
      specific-locus assay provides a capability that is unique among eukaryotic
      organisms for the recovery and analysis of genetic damage at 2 closely linked
      loci.

PMID- 1425608
TI  - Mechanisms for dominance: Adh heterodimer formation in heterozygotes between ENU
      or X-ray induced null alleles and normal alleles in Drosophila melanogaster.
AB  - To study mechanisms for dominance of phenotype, eight ENU- and four X-ray-induced
      mutations at the alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh) locus were analyzed for partial
      dominance in their interaction with normal alleles. All ENU and one of the X-ray
      mutations were single base substitutions; the other three X-ray mutations were 9
      21 base deletions. All but one of the 12 mutant alleles were selected for this
      study because they produced detectable mutant polypeptides, but seven of the 11
      producing a peptide could not form dimers with the normal peptide and the enzyme
      activity of heterozygotes was about half that of normal homozygotes. Four
      mutations formed dimers with a decreased catalytic efficiency and two of these
      were near the limit of detectability; these two also inhibited the formation of
      normal homodimers. The mutant alleles therefore show multiple mechanisms leading
      to partial enzyme expression in heterozygotes and a wide range of dominance
      ranging from almost complete recessive to nearly dominant. All amino acid changes
      in mutant peptides that form dimers are located between amino acids 182 and 194,
      so this region is not critical for dimerization. It may, however, be an important
      surface domain for catalyzation.

PMID- 1425609
TI  - Assessment of oxidative DNA damage in the oxyR-deficient SOS chromotest strain
      Escherichia coli PQ300.
AB  - The SOS chromotest is a simple short-term genotoxicity assay measuring the
      induction of gene sfiA in Escherichia coli K-12. The recent availability of SOS
      tester strains with additional mutations in DNA repair or protection systems
      allows testing of DNA damaging compounds for genotoxic specificity. E. coli PQ300
      differs from the standard SOS tester strain PQ37 in that it contains an
      additional mutation in gene oxyR that renders it more sensitive to oxidative
      genotoxins. The generation of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) by
      hydroperoxides (H2O2, t-butyl hydroperoxide, cumene hydroperoxide), gamma
      radiation, glucose oxidase, and xanthine oxidase resulted in a more vigorous SOS
      response in strain PQ300 compared to strain PQ37. PQ300 was also more sensitive
      than PQ37 for the detection of reducing agents such as ascorbic acid, cysteine,
      and glutathione, which also alter the redox status of the bacterial cells.
      However, intercalating agents (adriamycin, bleomycin, and mitomycin C) and the UV
      and radiomimetic compound 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide whose DNA damaging potential
      are known also to involve ROI did not show significant differences between
      strains PQ37 and PQ300. It is concluded that the oxyR-deficient strain PQ300 is
      useful for detecting certain classes of genotoxins that change the
      oxidative/antioxidative balance of tester bacteria in the SOS chromotest.

PMID- 1425610
TI  - Mutagenicity and antimutagenicity of hispidulin and hortensin, the flavonoids
      from Millingtonia hortensis L.
AB  - Studies of the mutagenicity and antimutagenicity of hispidulin and hortensin, the
      flavonoids from Millingtonia hortensis L. (Bignoniaceae), were performed using
      the liquid preincubation method of the Salmonella/microsome test. At the highest
      dose tested, 100 micrograms/plate, both compounds showed no mutagenicity and no
      cytotoxicity toward S. typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100 either in the presence
      or absence of S9 mix. However, these substances were antimutagens toward 2
      aminoanthracene, aflatoxin B1 (in TA98), and dimethylnitrosamine (in TA100); but
      neither substance inhibited the direct mutagenic activity of 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5
      nitro-2-furyl) acrylamide nor that of sodium azide in strains TA98 and TA100,
      respectively.

PMID- 1425611
TI  - DNA adduct formation in mice following dermal application of smoke condensates
      from cigarettes that burn or heat tobacco.
AB  - A prototype cigarette that heats tobacco (test cigarette), developed by R.J.
      Reynolds Tobacco Company, has yielded consistently negative results in several in
      vivo and in vitro genetic toxicology tests. The objective of the present study
      was to evaluate the potential of cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) from the test
      cigarette to induce DNA adducts in mouse tissues and compare the results with
      those obtained with CSC from a reference tobacco-burning cigarette (1R4F). CD-1
      mice were skin-painted with CSC from reference and test cigarettes three times a
      week for 4 weeks. The highest mass of CSC applied was 180 mg "tar" per week per
      animal for both reference and test cigarette. DNA adducts were analyzed in skin
      and lung tissues using the 32P-postlabeling method with the P1 nuclease
      modification. Distinct diagonal radioactive zones (DRZ) were observed in the DNA
      from both skin and lung tissues of animals dosed with reference CSC, whereas no
      corresponding DRZ were observed from the DNA of animals dosed with either test
      CSC or acetone (solvent control). The relative adduct labeling (RAL) values of
      skin and lung DNA from reference CSC-treated animals were significantly greater
      than those of the test CSC-treated animals. The RAL values of the test CSC
      treated animals were no greater than those of solvent controls. The negative
      results in DNA adduct assays with test CSC are consistent with all previous
      results of in vivo and in vitro genetic toxicology testing on this cigarette and
      provide additional evidence that smoke condensate from the test cigarette is not
      genotoxic.

PMID- 1425612
TI  - Adrenaline: relationship between infusion rate, plasma concentration, metabolic
      and haemodynamic effects in volunteers.
AB  - The present study investigated the relationship between supraphysiological plasma
      concentrations of adrenaline and the resulting haemodynamic and metabolic
      effects. Adrenaline was administered at five infusion rates (0.01-0.2 micrograms
      kg-1 min-1) in an escalating sequence to eight volunteers. The arterial plasma
      concentration of adrenaline increased from 53 +/- 44 to 4349 +/- 818 ng litre-1
      during the highest infusion rate. Typical haemodynamic responses, such as
      increase in blood pressure and heart rate, were seen. The plasma concentrations
      of glucose and lactate increased from 5.2 +/- 0.4 to 13.7 +/- 1.3 mmol litre-1
      and from 0.9 +/- 0.3 to 4.7 +/- 2.6 mmol litre-1, respectively, during the
      highest infusion rate without a significant increase in insulin concentration.
      Non-esterified fatty acids increased from 379 +/- 97 to 1114 +/- 331 mumol litre
      1 during the 0.06 microgram kg-1 min-1 infusion rate. Adrenaline had no selective
      haemodynamic effect. If similar metabolic effects occur in patients during
      treatment with adrenaline or other sympathomimetics, they may further increase
      breakdown of energy stores in a situation of increased catabolism, and impair
      utilization of parenteral nutrition.

PMID- 1425613
TI  - Comparative effects of halothane associated with verapamil and ischaemia on
      myocardial metabolism in isolated perfused rat hearts.
AB  - The association of verapamil with halothane causes ischaemic-like myocardial
      dysfunction. Using an isolated rat heart model perfused with a radiolabelled
      fatty acid (123I-labelled iodohexadecenoic acid) as a sensitive marker of
      ischaemia this study investigated whether or not this dysfunction is of ischaemic
      origin. Hearts were perfused with a control solution or with solutions containing
      either 1% of halothane or 150 ng ml-1 of verapamil or the association of 0.75%
      halothane + 120 ng ml-1 verapamil. The ischaemic group was perfused at a reduced
      perfusion rate (-50%). Intracellular fate of IHA was assessed, and its
      esterification ratio computed. Ischaemia and the drugs induced a similar
      depression of haemodynamics. The esterification ratio in the ischaemic group was
      significantly higher (0.723 +/- 0.04) than in controls (0.0526 +/- 0.03) and than
      in the treated groups: halothane (0.533 +/- 0.06), verapamil (0.411 +/- 0.027) or
      the association halothane+verapamil (0.408 +/- 0.05), suggesting a non-ischaemic
      origin for the dysfunction caused by halothane-verapamil.

PMID- 1425614
TI  - Leucocyte migration: effects of in vitro exposure to anaesthetic agents: possible
      potentiation of effects by adrenaline.
AB  - The effect on in vitro migration of leucocytes and lymphocytes of various drugs
      used in anaesthesia have been determined in the concentration range 10(-2) to 10(
      6) M. The drugs included, thiopentone, bupivacaine, lignocaine, adrenaline,
      noradrenaline, hydrocortisone, morphine (with and without preservative),
      lorazepam, suxamethonium, pancuronium and atropine. Toxicity and effect on random
      mobility after incubation for 1 and 18 h were also determined. Thiopentone
      depressed leucocyte function at a concentration of 10(-5) M which is comparable
      to clinical plasma concentrations. Increasing the duration of exposure of the
      cells to the drugs significantly lowered the concentrations at which depression
      of function was observed. At concentrations used during local infiltration in
      clinical practice, bupivacaine and lignocaine were toxic to both leucocytes and
      lymphocytes. Adrenaline, whilst having no direct effect on cell function,
      potentiated the effect of lignocaine. Morphine showed no effect at 10(-4) M, a
      level 1,000 times greater than the reported toxic plasma levels. However, this
      level falls within the range reported for drug addicts. No effects were found for
      the other drugs.

PMID- 1425615
TI  - Fentanyl increases cerebrospinal fluid pressure in normocapnic volunteers.
AB  - In a double blind randomized study, the effect of fentanyl 1 microgram kg-1 i.v.
      or placebo on mean lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP), mean arterial
      pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure, transcutaneous PCO2 and heart rate was
      studied in 10 spontaneously breathing volunteers in the lateral decubitus
      position via a 22-gauge spinal needle inserted into the subarachnoidal space at
      level L3/L4. Fentanyl increased mean CSFP (+/- SD) from 12.4 +/- 2.7 mmHg to 16.0
      +/- 2.3 mmHg (P < 0.05) without significant changes in the other variables. No
      significant changes in any of the measured variables were seen after
      administration of placebo. Cerebral perfusion pressure decreased significantly
      after fentanyl (P < 0.05).

PMID- 1425616
TI  - Art and anaesthesia.

PMID- 1425617
TI  - Sufentanil decreases cerebral blood flow velocity in patients with elevated
      intracranial pressure.
AB  - Recent investigations revealed that sufentanil increases cerebral blood flow
      (CBF) and intracranial pressure (ICP) in dogs and man. The aim of our study was
      to evaluate the impact of sufentanil on cerebral blood flow velocity and ICP in
      neurosurgical patients. Eight neurosurgical ICU patients with elevated ICP (> 20
      mmHg) were examined. Sufentanil was given in incremental doses of 0.5, 1.0 and
      2.0 micrograms kg-1. Cerebral blood flow velocity decreased significantly from 54
      +/- 4 cm s-1 to 48 +/- 3 cm s-1 with the dose of 1.0 microgram kg-1 sufentanil
      and 47 +/- 3 cm s-1 with 2.0 micrograms kg-1, respectively (mean +/- SEM). ICP
      values did not increase with any of the doses studied. Thus, changes of mean
      arterial pressure which fell with 1.0 microgram kg-1 and 2.0 micrograms kg-1
      reflect cerebral perfusion pressure alterations. Although changes of cerebral
      blood flow velocity revealed changes in vascular tone, ICP remained unaltered.

PMID- 1425618
TI  - Local cerebral blood flow and CO2 reactivity during prostaglandin E1-induced
      hypotension in patients undergoing cerebral aneurysm surgery.
AB  - The effects of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) on local cerebral blood flow and CO2
      reactivity were studied in 30 patients undergoing cerebral aneurysm surgery in
      eight of whom the aneurysm had not ruptured and was an incidental finding. The
      aneurysms were clipped at various intervals depending upon clinical conditions.
      Blood flow on the open brain surface was measured with a thermal gradient blood
      flow-meter. Hypotension was initially induced with 0.1 microgram kg-1 min-1 of
      PGE1 and subsequently adjusted to maintain the mean arterial blood pressure at
      about 70 mmHg. Local cerebral blood flow and CO2 reactivity were studied during
      and after PGE1 administration. Both were preserved, but CO2 reactivity values
      were lower in patients in whom the aneurysm had ruptured than in those in whom it
      had not ruptured. PGE1 may be an appropriate drug with which to induce
      hypotension during cerebral aneurysm surgery because cerebral blood flow and CO2
      reactivity is preserved.

PMID- 1425619
TI  - Somatosensory evoked potentials in cerebral aneurysm surgery.
AB  - Monitoring of median nerve somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) during surgery
      for a basilar artery aneurysm under moderate hypothermia revealed an unexpected
      loss of the first cortical peak. This was due to compression of the middle
      cerebral artery under the retractor during the surgical approach to the aneurysm
      and would have continued unnoticed for some time in the absence of monitoring,
      possibly resulting in infarction in the territory of the middle cerebral artery.
      When the surgeon was alerted the artery was released and the evoked potential
      returned within about 24 min. There was no new focal neurological deficit
      postoperatively.

PMID- 1425620
TI  - Clinical pharmacology of ondansetron in postoperative nausea and vomiting.
AB  - Ondansetron is a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist which is effective and well tolerated
      as an antiemetic for emesis induced by cancer chemotherapy and radiation therapy,
      and in the prevention and treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting.
      Ondansetron is rapidly absorbed after oral administration (tmax 1.9 h) with an
      absolute bioavailability of around 60%. Its terminal elimination half-life is 3.5
      h and it is extensively hepatically metabolized. Plasma clearance is 0.38 litre h
      1 kg-1 and volume of distribution is 1.8 litre kg-1. Plasma clearance is reduced
      by age (31% reduction) and hepatic failure (80% reduction in severe failure). In
      patients undergoing general anaesthesia there is a slight prolongation of
      terminal half-life, which is not of clinical significance. Ondansetron is very
      well tolerated in volunteer studies. Headache, mild abdominal pain, and
      constipation occur infrequently. There is no evidence for effects of ondansetron
      on cardiac function (electrocardiogram, cardiac output, blood pressure and heart
      rate), and haemostatic function in volunteers and patients. Respiratory
      depression induced during general anaesthesia is not potentiated by ondansetron.
      No drug interactions have been noted with temazepam, atracurium, alfentanil and
      alcohol in man. There are also no interactions seen in animal studies using
      pentobarbitone, morphine, neostigmine, prednisolone and diazepam.

PMID- 1425621
TI  - Experience with ondansetron in chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced emesis.
AB  - Nausea and vomiting are frequent and severe side-effects of cancer chemotherapy
      and radiotherapy, and are ranked by patients as one of the worst consequences of
      such therapy. Ondansetron prevents emesis by blocking the 5-HT3 receptors
      associated with the vomiting reflex. It has been studied in patients receiving
      highly emetogenic (cisplatin) chemotherapy, less emetogenic (non-cisplatin)
      chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. In all studies in these indications, ondansetron
      was found to be superior to metoclopramide in the control of nausea and emesis
      over the first 24 h following treatment, when these side-effects are normally
      most severe. Ondansetron has also been shown to be effective in children and the
      elderly in the control of cytotoxic-induced emesis. Additional studies have
      demonstrated that a single intravenous dose of ondansetron (8 mg or 32 mg) is as
      effective as a continuous infusion schedule, and an 8 mg twice-daily oral
      schedule is as effective as an 8 mg three times daily oral schedule.

PMID- 1425622
TI  - Incidence and aetiology of postoperative nausea and vomiting.
AB  - The reported incidence of emetic symptoms in surgical patients varies from 8-92%.
      Intractable postoperative nausea and vomiting remains one of the most unpleasant
      side-effects experienced by patients postoperatively, both in ambulatory and non
      ambulatory care, and has potential risks for severe postoperative complications.
      Multiple factors are associated with an increased risk of developing
      postoperative nausea and vomiting: age, gender, pre-existing disease,
      premedication, operative procedure, anaesthetic and analgesic drugs, anaesthetic
      procedure, and postoperative symptoms. Prophylactic use of anti-emetic
      premedication is not currently routine practice because not all patients are at
      serious risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting, and currently available anti
      emetics carry undesirable side-effects. However, anti-emetic prophylaxis is very
      valuable for patients at increased risk. If symptoms do develop in the recovery
      room, several factors need to be considered in order for anti-emetic treatment to
      be successful. Adequate hydration and pain control should be ensured, tight
      fitting oxygen masks avoided, and patients should be encouraged to take slow,
      deep breaths to decrease the sensation of nausea. To avoid side-effects, anti
      emetics should be administered in minimally effective doses. If the
      administration of anti-emetics is initially unsuccessful, it may be useful to try
      a combination of anti-emetic drugs with different mechanisms of action.

PMID- 1425623
TI  - Pharmacology of ondansetron.
AB  - Ondansetron is a highly potent and selective antagonist at 5-HT3 receptors. Its
      anti-emetic actions were first revealed by its ability to antagonize retching and
      vomiting induced by chemotherapy and radiotherapy in animals and man.
      Subsequently, the availability of labelled 5-HT3 receptor ligands allowed
      identification of 5-HT3 receptors, located at highest densities in the area
      postrema, nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), in other areas of the brain, and on
      afferent terminals of the vagus nerve. Postoperative nausea and vomiting may be
      caused by various factors: the anaesthetic, associated drugs, the surgical
      procedure, movement of the patient, sex, weight and pain. These factors mediate
      their effects via the higher brain circuits, the vestibular nuclei, the
      chemoreceptor trigger zone in the area postrema, or the upper gastrointestinal
      tract via the vagus nerve, influencing motor and visceral emetic outputs in the
      hind-brain. It is hypothesized that ondansetron blocks nausea and vomiting by 5
      HT3 receptor antagonism at two specific sites: (i) centrally, in the area
      postrema/NTS; and (ii) peripherally on vagus nerve terminals. The absence of
      other pharmacological effects of ondansetron ensures an absence of side-effects.

PMID- 1425624
TI  - The clinical development of ondansetron for use in the prevention and treatment
      of postoperative nausea and vomiting.
AB  - An international clinical trial programme has been established to assess the
      efficacy and safety of ondansetron in the prevention and treatment of
      postoperative nausea and vomiting. The programme included nine pilot studies and
      six key placebo-controlled studies. These studies have evaluated both oral and
      intravenous formulations of ondansetron in the prevention of postoperative nausea
      and vomiting, and intravenously administered ondansetron in the treatment of
      established symptoms. Most patients included in the trials were adult women, less
      than 50 years of age, receiving anaesthesia for gynaecological surgery. The
      primary efficacy analysis for emesis was based on the assessment of complete
      response (i.e. absence of emetic episodes or nausea in the first 24 h
      postoperatively). These trials clearly demonstrated the anti-emetic efficacy of
      ondansetron in the prevention and treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting.

PMID- 1425625
TI  - Prophylactic intravenous ondansetron in female outpatients undergoing
      gynaecological surgery: a multicentre dose-comparison study.
AB  - The efficacy and safety of prophylactic intravenous ondansetron in preventing
      postoperative nausea and vomiting was investigated in a randomized, stratified,
      double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-comparison study of 580 ASA physical class
      I and II female outpatients undergoing gynaecological surgery and receiving
      general anaesthesia. Patients received either ondansetron 1, 4 or 8 mg, or
      placebo i.v. immediately prior to a standardized technique for induction and
      maintenance of anaesthesia. All patients were intubated and received nitrous
      oxide and a narcotic. All doses of ondansetron were significantly more effective
      than placebo in preventing emesis over the 24 h postoperative period. Ondansetron
      significantly decreased nausea and emesis scores over 24 h postoperatively
      without causing sedation. No changes in laboratory parameters (haematology, blood
      chemistry, and liver enzymes) or vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure, and
      respiratory rate) were observed. Headache and dizziness were the most common side
      effects; however, their incidence was the same as with placebo. Ondansetron was
      generally well tolerated, as evidenced by an adverse event, laboratory safety,
      and vital sign profile similar to placebo. Ondansetron 4 mg was found to be the
      optimal prophylactic i.v. dose for female outpatients over the entire 24 h
      postoperative period. Higher doses may offer an added benefit in some patients,
      such as those with a history of nausea and vomiting following general
      anaesthesia.

PMID- 1425626
TI  - Ondansetron in the treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting in ambulatory
      outpatients: a dose-comparative, stratified, multicentre study.
AB  - The safety and efficacy of ondansetron were evaluated in the treatment of
      postoperative nausea and vomiting. Five hundred patients who experienced nausea
      or vomiting in the Post-Anaesthesia Care Unit within the first 2 h of recovery
      were randomized to receive either 1, 4, or 8 mg of ondansetron, or placebo. All
      patients had undergone ambulatory surgery with general endotracheal anaesthesia.
      Episodes of emesis, nausea scores, adverse events, vital signs, and laboratory
      values were assessed before and during the 24 h after study drug administration.
      Patients were evaluated for the first 2 h in the Post-Anaesthesia Care Unit then
      followed up for the next 22 h. Complete response was defined as no emetic
      episodes, no nausea or no rescue anti-emetic medication. For the 0-24 h study
      period, complete response occurred in only 15% of the placebo group compared to
      41%, 47%, and 47% in the 1, 4, and 8 mg ondansetron groups, respectively. Mean
      nausea scores (scale of 0-10) during the initial observation period (0-2 h) were
      significantly lower for all doses of ondansetron [2.2 (1 mg), 1.7 (4 mg), and 2.1
      (8 mg)] compared to placebo (3.0). The optimal dose of ondansetron for the
      treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting was found to be 4 mg. All doses of
      ondansetron were well tolerated. No clinically significant increases in
      laboratory parameters or alterations in haemodynamic stability occurred in the
      ondansetron groups compared to placebo.

PMID- 1425627
TI  - Safety of ondansetron.
AB  - Ondansetron is a novel 5-HT3 receptor antagonist used for the treatment of
      cytotoxic-induced emesis and postoperative nausea and vomiting. Safety data from
      volunteer studies, non-emesis development studies, studies in the treatment of
      cytotoxic-induced emesis and postoperative nausea and vomiting, and spontaneous
      case reports, all indicate that ondansetron is well tolerated and has an
      excellent safety profile. There are no known interactions of ondansetron with
      other drugs, and no interference with postoperative recovery.

PMID- 1425628
TI  - Transient and steady-state cardiopulmonary responses to combined rhythmic and
      isometric exercise.
AB  - The transient and steady-state cardiopulmonary responses to combined rhythmic (R)
      and isometric (I) exercise were examined in nine subjects. Isometric exercise at
      30% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) was started 1.5 min prior to either a 50%
      or 75% maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) cycle ride and continued for 1.5 min into
      the 10-min R. Systolic (Pas) and diastolic (P(ad)) blood pressure, heart rate
      (fc), inspired ventilation volumes (VI), and oxygen uptake (VO2) were recorded
      every 30 s throughout each experiment. Responses to I effort alone were recorded
      for comparison with experiments in which the combined exercises were performed
      during the first 1.5 min when R had not yet begun. Pas responses in the first 1.5
      min of I (no R) showed the typical rapid linear increase. Addition of the R
      effort further increased Pas to levels which remained nearly constant (steady
      state) throughout R. R alone produced a slower Pas increase to approximately the
      same steady-state levels as those of the combined R and I exercise. For P(ad),
      the linear increase which occurred during the first 1.5 min of I was attenuated
      with the superimposition of R. Following cessation of I, P(ad) fell rapidly
      during continued R to levels not different from experiments with R alone. The fc
      during I alone increased slightly. As I continued, the onset of the R induced a
      further rapid increase in fc to levels not different from R alone. The VI showed
      a similar response to fc. VO2 during I alone did not change
      significantly.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425630
TI  - Age and training effects on the lactate kinetics of master athletes during
      maximal exercise.
AB  - To study the effects of age and training on lactate production in older trained
      subjects, the lactate kinetics of highly trained cyclists [HT, n = 7; 65 (SEM
      1.2) years] and control subjects with low training (LT, n = 7) and of similar age
      were compared to those of young athletes [YA, n = 7; 26 (SEM 0.7) years], during
      an incremental exercise test to maximum power. The results showed that the
      lactacidaemia at maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) was lower for HT than for LT (P <
      0.05) and, in both cases, lower than that of YA (P < 0.001). The respective
      values were HT: 3.9 (SEM 0.51), LT: 5.36 (SEM 1.12), and YA: 10.3 (SEM 0.63)
      mmol.l-1. At submaximal powers, however, the difference in lactacidaemia was not
      significant between HT and YA, although the values for lactacidaemia at VO2max
      calculated per watt and per watt normalized by body mass were significantly lower
      for HT (P < 0.001) and LT (P < 0.02). These results would indicate that the
      decline in power with age induced a decline in lactacidaemia. Yet this loss in
      power was not the only causative factor; indeed, our results indicated a
      complementary metabolic influence. In the older subjects training decreased
      significantly the lactacidaemia for the same submaximal power (P < 0.01) and from
      60% of VO2max onwards (P < 0.05); as for YA it postponed the increase and
      accumulation of lactates. The lactate increase threshold (Thla-,1) was found at
      46% VO2max for LT and at 56% VO2max for HT.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425629
TI  - Plasma volume, osmolarity, total protein and electrolytes during treadmill
      running and cycle ergometer exercise.
AB  - While haemoconcentration due to loss of plasma volume is well established during
      cycling, the existence of similar changes during running remains contentious.
      This study compared the changes in plasma volume and associated blood indices
      during 60 min of running and cycling at the same relative intensity
      (approximately 65% VO2max), with all changes referenced to blood indices obtained
      after 30 min seated at rest on a cycle ergometer. Plasma osmolarity increased
      similarly with both forms of exercise but was less than predicted for water loss
      alone, such that there was a net loss of sodium during exercise and of potassium
      postexercise, with essentially no loss of protein. Plasma volume decreased
      similarly (approximately 6.5%) in both exercise trials, but while that with
      cycling was initiated by exercise itself and was essentially maximal within 5
      min, the reduction in plasma volume in the running trial was induced by adopting
      the upright posture and was complete before exercise began. These data would
      indicate that different mechanisms are responsible for the changes in plasma
      volume induced by running and cycling, while the similarity of change would
      suggest that there is a lower limit to any reduction in plasma volume, regardless
      of mechanism. Furthermore, the observation that the changes in plasma volume were
      complete before or early in exercise, would imply that oral water ingestion
      during prolonged exercise, which is essential for thermoregulation, may be more
      concerned with homeostasis of extravascular water rather than plasma volume.

PMID- 1425631
TI  - Adaptations to training at the individual anaerobic threshold.
AB  - The individual anaerobic threshold (Th(an)) is the highest metabolic rate at
      which blood lactate concentrations can be maintained at a steady-state during
      prolonged exercise. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that
      training at the Th(an) would cause a greater change in indicators of training
      adaptation than would training "around" the Th(an). Three groups of subjects were
      evaluated before, and again after 4 and 8 weeks of training: a control group, a
      group which trained continuously for 30 min at the Th(an) intensity (SS), and a
      group (NSS) which divided the 30 min of training into 7.5-min blocks at
      intensities which alternated between being below the Th(an) [Th(an) -30% of the
      difference between Th(an) and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max)] and above the
      Th(an) (Th(an) +30% of the difference between Th(an) and VO2max). The VO2max
      increased significantly from 4.06 to 4.27 l.min-1 in SS and from 3.89 to 4.06
      l.min-1 in NSS. The power output (W) at Th(an) increased from 70.5 to 79.8%
      VO2max in SS and from 71.1 to 80.7% VO2max in NSS. The magnitude of change in
      VO2max, W at Th(an), % VO2max at Th(an) and in exercise time to exhaustion at the
      pretraining Th(an) was similar in both trained groups. Vastus lateralis citrate
      synthase and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase activities increased to the same
      extent in both trained groups. While all of these training-induced adaptations
      were statistically significant (P < 0.05), there were no significant changes in
      any of these variables for the control subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425632
TI  - Cardiovascular reflexes during sustained handgrip exercise: role of muscle fibre
      composition, potassium and lactate.
AB  - Six healthy men performed sustained static handgrip exercise for 2 min at 40%
      maximal voluntary contraction followed by a 6-min recovery period. Heart rate
      (fc), arterial blood pressures, and forearm blood flow were measured during rest,
      exercise, and recovery. Potassium ([K+]) and lactate concentrations in blood from
      a deep forearm vein were analysed at rest and during recovery. Mean arterial
      pressure (MAP) and fc declined immediately after exercise and had returned to
      control levels about 2 min into recovery. The time course of the changes in MAP
      observed during recovery closely paralleled the changes in [K+] (r = 0.800, P <
      0.01), whereas the lactate concentration remained elevated throughout the
      recovery period. The close relationship between MAP and [K+] was also confirmed
      by experiments in which a 3-min arterial occlusion period was applied during
      recovery to the exercised arm by an upper arm cuff. The arterial occlusion
      affected MAP while fc recovered at almost the same rate as in the control
      experiment. Muscle biopsies were taken from the brachioradialis muscle and
      analysed for fibre composition and capillary supply. The MAP at the end of static
      contraction and the [K+] appearing in the effluent blood immediately after
      contraction were positively correlated to the relative content of fast twitch (%
      FT) fibres (r = 0.886 for MAP vs % FT fibres, P < 0.05 and r = 0.878 for [K+] vs
      % FT fibres, P < 0.05). Capillary to fibre ratio showed an inverse correlation to
      % FT fibres (r = -0.979, P < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425633
TI  - Active and inactive renin after exercise.
AB  - The effects of graded exercise on plasma concentrations of active and inactive
      renin were studied in seven healthy men. Exercise was performed on a cycle
      ergometer at four different exercise intensities (corresponding to 30%, 50%, 80%
      and 87% of VO2max) for 10 min each. Concentrations of active renin and total
      renin after activation by trypsin were measured by direct immunoradiometric
      assay. Non-trypsin-activated renin concentration (inactive) was obtained by
      subtraction. Active renin concentrations at 30%, 50%, 80% and 87% of VO2max were
      1.2, 1.9, 3.1 and 4.6 times higher than the control concentration, respectively.
      Similar increases in plasma renin concentration, determined by conventional
      enzymatic assay, were observed at every stage. In contrast, changes in inactive
      renin concentration were not significant at any stage. Significant increases in
      noradrenaline concentration were found at every exercise stage, but adrenaline,
      aldosterone and lactate concentrations were significantly elevated only after
      exercise at 50%, 80% and 87% of VO2max. The similarity between the changes in
      concentration of active renin and noradrenaline would suggest that sympathetic
      nerve activity may have been responsible either for the release of active renin
      or for the conversion of inactive renin to its active form in the kidney.

PMID- 1425634
TI  - Relationship between muscle fatigue and oxygen uptake during cycle ergometer
      exercise with different ramp slope increments.
AB  - The surface electromyogram (EMG) from active muscle and oxygen uptake (VO2) were
      studied simultaneously to examine changes of motor unit (MU) activity during
      exercise tests with different ramp increments. Six male subjects performed four
      exhausting cycle exercises with different ramp slopes of 10, 20, 30 and 40 W.min
      1 on different days. The EMG signals taken from the vastus lateralis muscle were
      stored on a digital data recorder and converted to obtain the integrated EMG
      (iEMG). The VO2 was measured, with 20-s intervals, by the mixing chamber method.
      A non-linear increase in iEMG against work load was observed for each exercise in
      all subjects. The break point of the linear relationship of iEMG was determined
      by the crossing point of the two regression lines (iEMGbp). Significant
      differences were obtained in the exercise intensities corresponding to maximal
      oxygen uptake (VO2max) and the iEMGbp between 10 and 30, and 10 and 40 W.min-1
      ramp exercises (P < 0.05). However, no significant differences were obtained in
      VO2max and VO2 corresponding to the iEMGbp during the four ramp exercises. With
      respect to the relationship between VO2 and exercise intensity during the ramp
      increments, the VO2-exercise intensity slope showed significant differences only
      for the upper half (i.e. above iEMGbp). These results demonstrated that the
      VO2max and VO2 at which a nonlinear increase in iEMG was observed were not varied
      by the change of ramp slopes but by the exercise intensity corresponding to
      VO2max and the iEMGbp was varied by the change of ramp slopes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425635
TI  - The respiratory system as an exercise limiting factor in normal trained subjects.
AB  - Recently, we have shown that an untrained respiratory system does limit the
      endurance of submaximal exercise (64% peak oxygen consumption) in normal
      sedentary subjects. These subjects were able to increase breathing endurance by
      almost 300% and cycle endurance by 50% after isolated respiratory training. The
      aim of the present study was to find out if normal, endurance trained subjects
      would also benefit from respiratory training. Breathing and cycle endurance as
      well as maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) and anaerobic threshold were measured
      in eight subjects. Subsequently, the subjects trained their respiratory muscles
      for 4 weeks by breathing 85-160 l.min-1 for 30 min daily. Otherwise they
      continued their habitual endurance training. After respiratory training, the
      performance tests made at the beginning of the study were repeated. Respiratory
      training increased breathing endurance from 6.1 (SD 1.8) min to about 40 min.
      Cycle endurance at the anaerobic threshold [77 (SD 6) %VO2max] was improved from
      22.8 (SD 8.3) min to 31.5 (SD 12.6) min while VO2max and the anaerobic threshold
      remained essentially the same. Therefore, the endurance of respiratory muscles
      can be improved remarkably even in trained subjects. Respiratory muscle fatigue
      induced hyperventilation which limited cycle performance at the anaerobic
      threshold. After respiratory training, minute ventilation for a given exercise
      intensity was reduced and cycle performance at the anaerobic threshold was
      prolonged. These results would indicate the respiratory system to be an exercise
      limiting factor in normal, endurance trained subjects.

PMID- 1425636
TI  - Brisk walking improves endurance fitness without changing body fatness in
      previously sedentary women.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of brisk walking on
      endurance fitness and the amount and distribution of body fat in previously
      sedentary women. Twenty eight women [mean age (SEM): 44.9 (1.5) years] followed
      the walking programme for 1 year, whilst 16 acted as controls [age 44.4 (2.3)
      years]. Changes in endurance fitness were evaluated by measuring the oxygen
      uptake (VO2) at a reference blood lactate concentration of 2 mmol.l-1. Two 1.61
      km field tests of walking were completed, one at maximal speed and one at a
      "brisk" speed, as well as a 1.61-km walk on a motorised treadmill. The amount and
      distribution of body fat was determined by hydrostatic weighing and anthropometry
      and energy intake was evaluated using the 7-day weighed food intake method.
      Walkers completed an average of 157 min.week-1 of brisk walking over the year.
      The following were increased in walkers, relative to controls: brisk walking
      speed [walkers 1.73 (0.05) m.s-1 vs 1.88 (0.07) m.s-1; controls 1.69 (0.05) m.s-1
      vs 1.70 (0.05) m.s-1 at baseline and 12 months respectively, P < 0.01], maximal
      walking speed and VO2 at 2 mmol.l-1. In addition, brisk walking reduced heart
      rate and blood lactate concentration during stepping as well as during standard,
      submaximal treadmill walking. It did not modify either the amount or the
      distribution of body fat, despite an unchanged energy intake.

PMID- 1425637
TI  - Effect of exercise to rest ratio on plasma lactate concentration at work rates
      above and below maximum oxygen uptake.
AB  - The metabolic and physiological responses to different exercise to rest ratios
      (E:R) (2:1, 1:1, 1:2) of eight subjects exercising at work rates approximately
      10% above and below maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) were assessed. Each of the six
      protocols consisted of 15 1-min-long E:R intervals. Total work (kJ), oxygen
      uptake (VO2), heart rate (fc) and plasma lactate concentrations were monitored.
      With increases in either E:R or work rate, VO2 and fc increased (P < 0.05). The
      average (15 min) VO2 and fc ranged from 40 to 81%, and from 62 to 91% of maximum,
      respectively. Plasma lactate concentrations nearly doubled at each E:R when work
      rate was increased from 90 to 110% of VO2max and ranged from a low of 1.8 mmol.l
      1 (1:2-90) to a high of 10.7 mmol.l-1 (2:1-110). The 2:1-110 protocol elicited
      plasma lactate concentrations which were approximately 15 times greater than that
      of rest. These data suggest that plasma lactate concentrations during
      intermittent exercise are very sensitive to both work rate and exercise duration.

PMID- 1425638
TI  - Effects of isokinetic training of the knee extensors on isometric strength and
      peak power output during cycling.
AB  - Isokinetic training of right and left quadriceps femoris was undertaken three
      times per week for 16 weeks. One group of subjects (n = 13) trained at an angular
      velocity of 4.19 rad.s-1 and a second group (n = 10) at 1.05 rad.s-1. A control
      group (n = 10) performed no training. Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of the
      quadriceps, and peak pedal velocity nu p,peak) and peak power output (Wpeak)
      during all-out cycling (against loads equivalent to 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14%
      MVC) were assessed before and after training. The two training groups did not
      differ significantly from each other in their training response to any of the
      performance variables (P > 0.05). No significant difference in MVC was observed
      for any group after the 16-week period (P = 0.167). The post-training increases
      in average Wpeak (7%) and nu p,peak (6%) during the cycle tests were each
      significantly different from the control group response (P = 0.018 and P = 0.008,
      respectively). It is concluded that 16 weeks of isokinetic strength training of
      the knee extensors is able to significantly improve nu p, peak and Wpeak during
      spring cycling, an activity which demands considerable involvement of the trained
      muscle group but with its own distinct pattern of coordination.

PMID- 1425639
TI  - Effects of isolated and combined exposures to whole-body vibration and noise on
      auditory-event related brain potentials and psychophysical assessment.
AB  - Auditory event-related brain potentials (ERP) in response to two different tone
      stimuli (1.1 kHz or 1 kHz, 80 dB, 50 ms; given by headphones at a regular
      interstimulus interval of 5 s with a probability distribution of 70:30) were
      recorded from 12 healthy male subjects (Ss) during four different conditions with
      two repetitions: A-60 dBA white noise (wN), no whole-body vibration (WBV); B-60
      dBA wN plus sinusoidal WBV in the az-direction with a frequency of 2.01 Hz and
      acceleration of 2 m.s-2 root mean square; C-80 dBA wN, no WBV; D-80 dBA wN plus
      WBV. Each condition consisted of two runs of about 11 min interrupted by a break
      of 4 min. During the break with continuing exposure, but without auditory
      stimuli, Ss judged the difficulty of the tone-detection task and intensity of
      noise by means of cross-modality matching (CMM). Vibration-synchronous activity
      in the electrocardiogram was eliminated by a subtraction-technique. Noise caused
      an attenuation of the N1 and P2 amplitudes and prolongation of P3 latencies. The
      WBV did not cause systematic ERP effects. Condition B was associated with higher
      N1 and smaller P3 amplitudes. The factor "condition" had a significant effect on
      the peak latencies of P3 to target stimuli and the task difficulty judged by CMM.
      Both effects exhibited significant linear increases in the sequence of conditions
      A, B, C, D. For the evaluation of exposure conditions at work, it can be
      suggested that noise has a strong systematic effect which can be enhanced by
      WBV.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425640
TI  - Response of the trunk muscles to training assessed by magnetic resonance imaging
      and muscle strength.
AB  - A group of 12 sedentary medical students (1 man and 11 women aged 21-27 years)
      participated in a strength training programme for the trunk muscles lasting 18
      weeks. The maximal isometric flexion and extension forces of the trunk muscles
      were measured before the training and at 18 weeks by dynamometer. The cross
      sectional area of the back muscles, i.e. erector spinae, multifidus and psoas
      muscles, was measured from magnetic resonance images (spin echo sequence TR/TE
      1500/80, slice thickness 10 mm) obtained at the L4-L5 disc level before the
      training, at 11 and 18 weeks. During training, no significant change in the body
      mass or body fat content was found. Muscle forces or muscle cross-sectional area
      were not related to body mass. There was a significant increase in both trunk
      muscle cross-sectional area (psoas muscle P < 0.001 and back muscles P < 0.01)
      and trunk muscle forces (flexion and extension forces P < 0.01) during the
      training but no direct association between the muscle cross-sectional area and
      strength of the flexors and extensors was detected before or after the training.

PMID- 1425641
TI  - Changes in the fibrinolytic system associated with physical conditioning.
AB  - The effects of physical conditioning on plasma fibrinolytic activity were studied
      in two groups of subjects. Volunteers not engaged in any sport were compared with
      individuals having been subjected to aerobic conditioning (middle-distance
      runners, defined as men running more than 80 km per week). Plasma concentrations
      of the different components of the fibrinolytic system were evaluated before and
      immediately after a maximal effort treadmill protocol. Comparison of the resting
      parameters revealed that under basal conditions for plasma concentrations of
      plasminogen, fibrinogen, alpha 2-antiplasmin, protein C and protein S there were
      no differences between the two groups. Concentrations of the fibrin degradation
      products (FbDP) and fibrinogen degradation products (FgDP) were significantly
      higher in the runners than in the control group, indicating an increased
      fibrinolytic potential that seemed to be a consequence of the reduced formation
      of tissue plasminogen activator-plasminogen activator inhibitor (t-PA-PAI)
      complexes. Acute maximal exercise resulted in pronounced fibrinolysis, evidenced
      by the elevation of FbDP and FgDP concentrations, in both groups of subjects. The
      acceleration of the fibrinolytic activity was larger in conditioned individuals,
      which could be accounted for by a higher t-PA release and reduced formation of t
      PA-PAI complexes when compared to the untrained subjects.

PMID- 1425642
TI  - Branched-chain amino acid supplementation during trekking at high altitude. The
      effects on loss of body mass, body composition, and muscle power.
AB  - To investigate the influence of a branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)
      supplementation on chronic hypoxia-related loss of body mass and muscle loss, 16
      subjects [age 35.8 (SD 5.6) years] participating in a 21-day trek at a mean
      altitude of 3,255 (SD 458) m, were divided in two age-, sex- and fitness-matched
      groups and took either a dietary supplementation of BCAA (5.76, 2.88 and 2.88 g
      per day of leucine, isoleucine and valine, respectively) or a placebo (PLAC) in a
      controlled double-blind manner. Daily energy intake at altitude decreased by 4%
      in both groups compared with sea level. After altitude exposure both groups
      showed a significant loss of body mass, 1.7% and 2.8% for BCAA and PLAC,
      respectively. Fat mass had decreased significantly by 11.7% for BCAA and 10.3%
      for PLAC, whereas BCAA showed a significantly increased lean mass of 1.5%, as
      opposed to no change in PLAC. Arm muscle cross-sectional area tended to increase
      in BCAA, whereas there was a significant decrease of 6.8% in PLAC (P < 0.05
      between groups). The same tendency, although not significant, was observed for
      the thigh muscle cross-sectional area. On the whole it seemed that PLAC had been
      catabolizing whereas BCAA had been synthesizing muscle tissue. Single jump height
      from a squatted position showed a similar tendency to increase in both groups.
      Lower limb maximal power decreased less in BCAA than in PLAC (2.4% vs 7.8%, P <
      0.05). We concluded that BCAA supplementation may prevent muscle loss during
      chronic hypobaric hypoxia.

PMID- 1425643
TI  - Serum cortisol concentration and testosterone to cortisol ratio in elite
      prepubescent male gymnasts during training.
AB  - Serum cortisol concentrations and testosterone:cortisol concentration ratios of
      eight prepubescent elite male gymnasts (mean age 10 years 11 months) and 11
      controls (mean age 11 years 1 month) were examined during 5 consecutive training
      days. During this period, the gymnasts trained 3 h each day with moderate
      intensity mobility, strength and skill exercises while the controls were
      relatively sedentary. Blood samples were taken from all the boys in both groups
      before (1630 hours) and 30 min after (2000 hours) training on 4 days. Serum
      cortisol concentrations of the gymnasts were not significantly different from
      those of the controls throughout the experiment. Serum cortisol concentrations of
      both groups were significantly larger (P < 0.05) at 1630 hours than at 2000
      hours, indicating that cortisol secretion followed the typical adult circadian
      change, seemingly unaltered by training. However, there was a significant
      decrease (P < 0.05) in the testosterone:cortisol ratio of the gymnasts when
      compared with controls from day 1 to day 3. After a rest on day 4 the
      testosterone: cortisol ratio of the gymnasts significantly increased (P < 0.05)
      but the ratio of the control group also increased indicating that there may have
      been some day-to-day change by factor(s) other than training. The most obvious
      factor which may have accounted for the unresponsiveness of serum cortisol
      concentration to the gymnastics training was that the exercise intensity was too
      low. However, several days of the training seemed to reduce the anabolic to
      catabolic balance but further experiments are needed to confirm this finding.

PMID- 1425644
TI  - Age variation in the upper limit of hearing.
AB  - The upper limit of hearing was measured in 6105 otologically normal ears of
      subjects ranging in age from 5 to 89 years. The results are as follows: in each
      age group from 5 to 59 years in both sexes, the upper limit of hearing showed an
      approximately normal distribution if a logarithmic scale was used for the upper
      limit of hearing axis. The mode of the distribution shifted to a lower frequency
      with increasing age. Over age 60 years, the distribution became much wider.
      Standard upper limit age curves were established by calculating 10th, 25th, 50th,
      75th and 90th percentiles for each age group. From early childhood where no age
      variation was recognized in conventional audiometry, deterioration of the upper
      limit of hearing was already in progress. This deterioration was slight between
      ages 25 and 39 but at ages over 40 it was accelerated and led to so-called
      presbycousis. The upper limit of hearing was found to be one of the best
      parameters for showing the quantitative age-related changes in hearing.

PMID- 1425645
TI  - Reliability of measurement of oxygen uptake by a portable telemetric system.
AB  - The purpose of the present study was to check the reliability of measurements of
      oxygen uptake (VO2) using a newly developed portable telemetry system. This
      system (K2) consisted of a face mask, a flow meter, a gas analyser with a
      transmitter, and a receiver. The total mass for the subject to carry was about
      850 g. Three experiments were carried out, firstly to check the reliability and
      reproducibility of the flow meter and the K2 gas analyser, secondly to check the
      accuracy of K2 by comparing it with the Douglas bag method (DB), and thirdly to
      apply K2 to sports activities. In the first experiment, the flow meter was highly
      accurate up to 180 l.min-1 with good reproducibility. The measurement error of
      the gas analyser was less than 2%. In the second experiment, there was no
      significant difference in the calculated ventilation between K2 and DB. The VO2
      showed no significant difference between K2 and DB with some exceptions. In the
      third experiment, we succeeded in the measurement of VO2 during rowing on water.
      The measurement of VO2 during running and playing soccer was also possible. It
      would seem that the present system could well be a powerful tool in the field
      measurement of VO2 during various sports activities.

PMID- 1425646
TI  - A test of the maximum-power stimulus theory for strength.
AB  - The main purpose was to test the hypothesis that the true force and power in
      weightlifting were related significantly to the strengthening stimulus. Secondary
      hypotheses were (a) slower, heavier weight training for strength would increase
      strength, not maximum power, (b) faster, lighter weight training for maximum
      power would increase maximum power, not strength and (c) there would be no
      significant difference between force = mass (F = m) and true force = mass
      multiplied by acceleration (F = ma) for arm weightlifting. Using an optical
      encoder, digital recorder and a data-logging computer on an arm weightlifting
      machine, F = m and F = ma were significantly different between 25% and 94%,
      contrary to published reports, but not at 100% of strength. A second-order
      polynomial equation predicted force, F = ma, as a multiple of the weight lifted,
      from the velocity of the lift with R2 = 0.997. A group was trained for strength
      and a matched group was trained for maximum power. The strength group gained
      significantly in maximum power and the power group gained significantly in
      strength and maximum power. Both groups gained significantly in velocity, but not
      force, at maximum power. The correlations between strength and maximum power were
      high (r = 0.95-0.98, P < 0.02), consistent (before and after training) and valid
      (gain in standard error of estimate of 6 N or 2% of strength). The evidence
      suggested that maximum power was the strength stimulus. The maximum-power
      stimulus theory may unify and simplify theories of response and adaptation of
      structure and function induced by muscle.

PMID- 1425647
TI  - Oxygen consumption following exercise of moderate intensity and duration.
AB  - To study the effects of exercise intensity and duration on excess postexercise
      oxygen consumption (EPOC), 8 men [age = 27.6 (SD 3.8) years, VO2max = 46.1 (SD
      8.5) ml min-1 kg-1] performed four randomly assigned cycle-ergometer tests (20
      min at 60% VO2max, 40 min at 60% VO2max, 20 min at 70% VO2max, and 40 min at 70%
      VO2max). O2 uptake, heart rate and rectal temperature were measured before,
      during, and for 1 h following the exercise tests. Blood for plasma lactate
      measurements was obtained via cannulae before, and at selected times, during and
      following exercise. VO2 rapidly declined to preexercise levels following each of
      the four testing sessions, and there were no differences in EPOC between the
      sessions. Blood lactate and rectal temperature increased (P < 0.05) with
      exercise, but had returned to preexercise levels by 40 min of recovery. The
      results indicate that VO2 returned to resting levels within 40 min after the end
      of exercise, regardless of the intensity (60% and 70% VO2max) or duration (20 min
      and 40 min) of the exercise, in men with a moderate aerobic fitness level.

PMID- 1425648
TI  - Rewarming of feet by lower and upper body exercise.
AB  - The capacity of different types of exercise to rewarm the body, especially the
      feet, was studied. Six healthy male subjects wearing winter clothing (2.4 clo,
      0.37 degrees C.m2.W-1) were exposed on three occasions to -15 degrees C for 120
      min. For the first 60 min the subjects were cooled while sitting motionless and
      for the latter 60 min they were submitted to cycle ergometer exercise (CE), arm
      ergometer exercise (AE) or step exercise (ST). The rate of work in CE (about 350
      W) served as a reference value for AE and ST. The cooling resulted in an average
      1.7 (SEM 0.03) degrees C decrease in mean body temperature (Tb) corresponding to
      a 425 (SEM 9) kJ heat debt. The ST increased most effectively mean skin, rectal
      and lower body skin temperatures as well as dry heat loss. The ST increased Tb by
      0.83 (SEM 0.16) degrees C, CE by 0.10 (SEM 0.11) degrees C and AE by only 0.07
      (SEM 0.12) degrees C. At the end of the exercise the foot temperature was
      approximately 6 degrees C higher in ST than in CE. The superior rewarming by ST
      was apparently due to its low mechanical efficiency. Because the increase in Tb
      could not explain all the changes in foot temperatures, increased circulation and
      metabolism of the feet would also appear to have been involved.

PMID- 1425649
TI  - Measurement of fibre pennation using ultrasound in the human quadriceps in vivo.
AB  - Real-time ultrasound scanning was used to measure the angles of fibre pennation
      of vastus lateralis (VL) and vastus intermedius (VI) of the human quadriceps (n =
      12) in vivo. The maximum isometric force and cross-sectional area of the
      quadriceps were also measured. With the knee at right-angles the mean fibre
      angles for VL and VI respectively were 0.133 (0.021) rad [7.6 degrees (1.2
      degrees)] and 0.143 (0.028) rad [8.2 degrees (1.6 degrees)] [mean (SD)], which is
      within the range of angles measured on cadavers. The mean angle decreased in
      going from the contracted [VL, 0.244 rad (14 degrees); VI, 0.279 rad (16
      degrees)] to the stretched [VL, 0.105 rad (6 degrees); VI, 0.122 rad (7 degrees)]
      position. There was a significant positive correlation between fibre angle and
      muscle cross-sectional area but no relationship between fibre angle and force per
      cross-sectional area. No increase in fibre angle was detected after 3 months
      strength training. We conclude that ultrasound can be used to measure pennation
      angles of superficial muscle groups but we could not demonstrate a relationship
      between pennation and force-generating capacity.

PMID- 1425650
TI  - Assessment of human knee extensor muscles stress from in vivo physiological cross
      sectional area and strength measurements.
AB  - The physiological cross-sectional areas (CSAp) of the vastus lateralis (VL),
      vastus intermedius (VI), vastus medialis (VM) and rectus femoris (RF) were
      obtained, in vivo, from the reconstructed muscle volumes, angles of pennation and
      distance between tendons of six healthy male volunteers by nuclear magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI). In all subjects, the isometric maximum voluntary
      contraction strength (MVC) was measured at the optimum angle at which peak force
      occurred. The MVC developed at the ankle was 746.0 (SD 141.8) N and its tendon
      component (Ft), given by a mechanical advantage of 0.117 (SD 0.010), was 6.367
      (SD 1.113) kN. To calculate the force acting along the fibres (Ff) of each
      muscle, Ft was divided by the cosine of the angle of pennation and multiplied for
      (CSAp.sigma CSAp-1), where sigma CSAp was the sum of CSAp of the four muscles.
      The resulting Ff values of VL, VI, VM and RF were: 1.452 (SD 0.531) kN, 1.997 (SD
      0.187) kN, 1.914 (SD 0.827) kN, and 1.601 (SD 0.306) kN, respectively. The stress
      of each muscle was obtained by dividing these forces for the respective CSAp
      which was: 6.24 x 10(-3) (SD 2.54 x 10(-3)) m2 for VL, 8.35 x 10(-3) (SD 1.17 x
      10(-3)) m2 for VI, 6.80 x 10(-3) (SD 2.66 x 10(-3)) m2 for VM and 6.62 x 10(-3)
      (SD 1.21 x 10(-3)) m2 for RF. The mean value of stress of VL, VI, VM and RF was
      250 (SD 19) kN m-2; this value is in good agreement with data on animal muscle
      and those on human parallel-fibred muscle.

PMID- 1425651
TI  - Fluid replacement beverages and maintenance of plasma volume during exercise:
      role of aldosterone and vasopressin.
AB  - Previous experiments have demonstrated that consumption of a glucose polymer
      electrolyte (GP-E) beverage is superior to water in minimizing exercise-induced
      decreases in plasma volume (PV). We tested the hypothesis that elevated plasma
      concentrations of vasopressin and/or aldosterone above that seen with water
      ingestion may explain this observation. Six trained cyclists performed 115 min of
      constant-load exercise (approximately 65% of maximal oxygen consumption) on a
      cycle ergometer on two occasions with 7 days separating experiments. Ambient
      conditions were maintained relatively constant for both exercise tests (29-30
      degrees C; 58-66% relative humidity). During each experiment, subjects consumed
      400 ml of one of the following beverages 20 min prior to exercise and 275 ml
      immediately prior to and every 15 min during exercise: (1) distilled water or (2)
      GP-E drink contents = 7% carbohydrate (glucose polymers and fructose; 9 mmol.l-1
      sodium; 5 mmol.l-1 potassium; osmolality 250 mosmol.l-1). No significant
      difference (P > 0.05) existed in mean skin temperature, rectal temperature,
      oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production or the respiratory exchange ratio
      between treatments. Further, no significant differences existed in plasma
      osmolality and plasma concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride or magnesium
      between treatments. Plasma volume was better maintained (P < 0.05) in the GP-E
      trial at 90 and 120 min of exercise when compared to the water treatment. No
      differences existed in plasma levels of vasopressin or aldosterone between
      treatments at any measurement period. Further, the correlation coefficients
      between plasma concentrations of vasopressin and aldosterone and change in PV
      during exercise were 0.42 (P < 0.05) and 0.16 (P > 0.05), respectively.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425652
TI  - Effect of very low calorie diet on body composition and exercise response in
      sedentary women.
AB  - The effect of very low calorie diet (VLCD) on fat-free mass (FFM) and
      physiological response to exercise is a topic of current interest. Ten moderately
      obese women (aged 23-57 years) received VLCD (1695 kJ.day-1) for 6 weeks. FFM,
      estimated by four conventional techniques, and heart rate (fc), blood lactate
      (la(b)), mean arterial pressure (MAP), respiratory exchange ratio (R) and rating
      of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured during a submaximal cycle ergometry
      test 1 week before, in the 2nd and 6th week, and 1 week after VLCD treatment.
      Strength and muscular endurance of the quadriceps and hamstrings were tested by
      isokinetic dynamometry. The 11.5-kg reduction in body mass was approximately 63%
      fat and 37% FFM. The latter was attributed largely to the loss of water
      associated with glycogen. Whilst exercise fc increased by 9-14 beats.min-1 (P <
      0.01), there were substantial decreases (P < 0.01) in submaximal MAP (1.07-1.73
      kPa), la(b) (0.75-1.00 mmol.l-1 and R (0.07-0.09) during VLCD. R and fc returned
      to normal levels after VLCD. Gross strength decreased (P < 0.01) by 9 and 13% at
      1.05 rad.s-1 and 3.14 rad.s-1, respectively. Strength expressed relative to body
      mass (Nm.kg-1) increased (P < 0.01) at the lower contraction velocity, but there
      was no change at the faster velocity. Muscular endurance also decreased (P <
      0.01) by 62 and 82% for the hamstrings and quadriceps, respectively. We concluded
      that the strength decrease was a natural adaptation to the reduction in body mass
      as the ratio of strength to FFM was maintained.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425653
TI  - The effects of two levels of caffeine ingestion on excess postexercise oxygen
      consumption in untrained women.
AB  - The effects of two levels of caffeine ingestion (5 mg.kg-1, CAF1, and 10 mg.kg-1,
      CAF2) on postexercise oxygen consumption was investigated in six untrained women
      aged 20.5 (SEM 0.5) years. After a test to determine maximal oxygen consumption
      (VO2max) each subject underwent three test sessions at 55% VO2max either in a
      control condition (CON) or with the CAF1 or CAF2 dose of caffeine. During
      exercise, oxygen consumption was found to be significantly higher in the CAF1 and
      CAF2 trials, compared to CON (P < 0.05). During the hour postexercise, oxygen
      consumption in CAF1 and CAF2 remained significantly higher than in CON (P <
      0.05). At all times throughout the exercise, free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations
      were significantly higher in the caffeine trials than in CON. The FFA
      concentrations 1 h postexercise (+60 min) were further elevated above resting
      values for all three trials. Caffeine ingestion caused the greatest elevation
      above resting levels being 1.89 (SEM 0.19) mmol.l-1 and 1.96 (SEM 0.22) mmol.l-1
      for the CAF1 and CAF2 trials, respectively. This was significantly higher (P <
      0.0001) than the CON level which was 0.97 (SEM 0.19) mmol.l-1. Respiratory
      exchange ratio (R) values became significantly lower (P < 0.05) in CAF1 and CAF2
      compared to CON at the onset of exercise and continued to decrease during the
      activity. Throughout the recovery period, R values were significantly lower for
      both caffeine trials compared to CON. The results of this study would suggest
      that caffeine is useful in significantly increasing metabolic rate above normal
      levels in untrained women during, as well as after, exercising at 55% VO2max.

PMID- 1425654
TI  - Effect of moderate exercise on rat T-cells.
AB  - The aim of this study was a detailed examination of the effects of moderate
      exercise on T-cells in adult male Wistar rats. The T-cell populations were
      compared in sedentary rats (C, n = 5) and in rats trained for 4 weeks on a
      treadmill (30-60 min.day-1, 6 days.week-1, 20-30 m.min-1) and sacrificed at rest
      (T-rest, n = 5). In the T-rest rats, there were higher percentages of CD4+CD8-,
      CD4-CD8+ and CD4-CD8- thymocytes (P < 0.05, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01 respectively)
      and of CD4-CD8+ splenocytes (P < 0.01), and a lower percentage of CD4-CD8+ cells
      in the lymph nodes (P < 0.01). Compared with T-rest or C rats, trained rats (n =
      5) or untrained rats (n = 5) sacrificed immediately after a running session (60
      min, 30 m.min-1) had a higher percentage of mononucleated cells CD4+CD8- in the
      blood (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). Lastly, compared with C rats, rats (n = 5)
      sacrificed immediately after their 5th day of training (30-60 min.day-1)
      presented a higher total splenocyte population (P < 0.05) and greater in vitro
      production of T-cell growth factor (interleukin 2 + Interleukin 4) by splenocytes
      in response to a mitogen (P < 0.01). These results would indicate that moderate
      endurance training modifies the cellular composition of lymphoid organs, without
      impairing the in vitro functions of T-cells.

PMID- 1425655
TI  - Effects on efficiency in repetitive lifting of load and frequency combinations at
      a constant total power output.
AB  - Boxes were lifted and lowered repetitively at three different combinations of
      load and frequency. These combinations were chosen such that the total mechanical
      power generated was constant. Effects of the varying load or frequency conditions
      (but constant total mechanical power) on the rate of energy expenditure (M) and
      on the mechanical efficiency (ME) were measured. Mechanical power was determined
      from film analysis and separated into external power (generated to lift the load)
      and internal power (to raise the lifter's body mass). The M was determined from
      oxygen consumption measurements. The ME was calculated in two ways, depending on
      the definition of mechanical power, including either the external power only
      (MEext) or the total power output (MEtot). Despite a constant total mechanical
      power, M increased at higher loads and lower frequencies. This might be explained
      by the increasing isometric force required in postural and load control. The M
      increase resulted in a decrease of MEtot. However, at higher loads and lower
      frequencies MEext increased, indicating that more external work can be done at
      the same energy costs at higher loads or lower frequencies, which could be of
      interest from the point of view of occupational physiology. It would seem that at
      higher loads or lower frequencies the increased costs for isometric muscle action
      do not outweigh the benefit of raising the body less frequently. Furthermore, it
      was found that the MEext in lifting was much lower than the values reported for
      other kinds of activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425656
TI  - The effect of shuttle test protocol and the resulting lactacidaemia on maximal
      velocity and maximal oxygen uptake during the shuttle exercise test.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the shuttle test
      protocol (20-MST) and the resulting lactacidaemia on maximal velocity (Vmax) and
      maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). Firstly, three randomly assigned tests to
      exhaustion were performed by 12 subjects: the treadmill test, the 20-MST, and a
      continuous running track test using the same prerecorded 1-min protocol as in the
      20-MST (T1). One week later, subjects performed another track test, which was
      conducted up to the same level of effort as attained during the 20-MST (T2). For
      each test, Vmax, VO2max, lactate concentration at rest and during recovery,
      maximal heart rate, and distance covered were determined. The results indicated
      that the 20-MST underestimated Vmax; only T1 satisfactorily assessed Vmax (F =
      15.49, P < 0.001). At the same level of effort, the peak blood lactate
      concentration (t = 2.7, P < 0.02) and VO2max (t = 11.35, P < 0.001) values were
      higher for the shuttle than for the continuous protocol. It was concluded that
      Vmax was limited by the running backwards and forwards in the protocol of the
      shuttle test. The higher values of peak blood lactate concentration and its
      earlier appearance obtained for the shuttle may have been one of the limiting
      factors of Vmax. However, the higher values of VO2max obtained for the 20-MST
      were most likely due to a combination of the relative hyperlactacidaemia and the
      biomechanical complexities required for this type of protocol.

PMID- 1425657
TI  - Changes in ventilation in response to ramp changes in treadmill exercise load.
AB  - These experiments examined the changes in ventilation during a 40-s ramp increase
      in exercise load, produced by increasing either the speed of the treadmill or the
      grade, to equivalent end-points of oxygen uptake. Six subjects underwent five
      trials each for grade and speed, while ventilation was monitored breath-by
      breath. For each subject, ventilation versus time for all five of the speed
      trials was plotted on a single graph and fitted by linear regression. The data
      for the grade trials were similarly treated. For all subjects, the slope of the
      regression line for the speed plots was found to be significantly (P < 0.05)
      greater than that for the grade plots. We concluded that these experimental
      results support the hypothesis that the neural drive to ventilation persists as
      exercise continues and is proportionately related to the frequency of limb
      movement.

PMID- 1425658
TI  - The asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase gene encodes one of the complementing factors for
      thermosensitive translation in the Escherichia coli mutant strain, N4316.
AB  - Escherichia coli strain N4316 is a mutant that exhibits temperature-sensitive
      growth at 43 degrees C and temperature-sensitive translation in vivo and in
      vitro. Extracts of the mutant produce an aberrant pattern of translation products
      of MS2 bacteriophage RNA. Previous work has shown that a protein, called
      'rescue', isolated from the parental strain partly corrects the defective
      translation in vitro. Here we report the purification to homogeneity of a second
      factor from ribosomal eluates of the wild-type parental strain; the purified
      protein is a homodimer of 54 kDa. The partial sequence of the second protein was
      determined, and a recombinant plasmid was isolated based on its ability to
      complement the temperature-sensitive growth phenotype of the mutant at the non
      permissive temperatures. The cloned gene was sequenced, mapped to the 20.9-min
      region of the E. coli chromosome and shown to code for a 466-amino-acid protein
      with a molecular mass of 52 kDa. Analysis of the DNA sequence and the
      correspondence to that of the partial protein sequence has identified the
      complementing factor as asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase. Marker rescue experiments
      indicate that the asnS mutation in N4316 resides within the motif 2 domain of the
      synthetase. A potential role of this synthetase in restoring normal protein
      synthesis with respect to ribosomal frameshifting, read-through of nonsense
      codons and protein copy number is discussed.

PMID- 1425659
TI  - Functional analysis of alternatively spliced transcripts of the human histidine
      decarboxylase gene and its expression in human tissues and basophilic leukemia
      cells.
AB  - L-Histidine decarboxylase (HisDC) is the enzyme catalyzing the formation of
      histamine from L-histidine. HisDC activity is expressed specifically in mast
      cells/basophils, endocrine cells in stomach, and histaminergic neurons in brain.
      As a first step in the analysis of the regulation of HisDC gene expression, we
      have cloned the cDNA coding for HisDC from a cDNA library of a human basophilic
      leukemia cell line, KU-812-F. We identified two types of HisDC cDNA, representing
      the 2.4-kb and 3.4-kb HisDC mRNA constitutively expressed in these cells.
      Sequence analysis of these cDNA revealed that the 3.4-kb mRNA contains the insert
      sequence of 824 bases and suggests that both 2.4-kb and 3.4-kb mRNA may represent
      the alternatively spliced transcripts of the HisDC gene. Using expression
      plasmids containing a cDNA for each HisDC mRNA, we analyzed the function of
      possible HisDC isoforms. We show that only the 2.4-kb mRNA encodes functional
      HisDC and is expressed in human brain and lung. However, we were unable to detect
      the 3.4-kb mRNA in these tissues. Thus, the 3.4-kb mRNA may be generated by KU
      812-F cell-specific splicing of the HisDC gene transcripts. Furthermore, we
      demonstrated the increase in the level of 2.4-kb HisDC mRNA and HisDC activity in
      KU-812-F cells following treatment with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate.

PMID- 1425660
TI  - Concerted activities of the RNA recognition and the glycine-rich C-terminal
      domains of nucleolin are required for efficient complex formation with pre
      ribosomal RNA.
AB  - Nucleolin is an abundant nucleolar protein which is involved in the early stages
      of ribosome assembly. The central 40-kDa domain of nucleolin comprises four RNA
      recognition motifs (RRM) which are presumed to be involved in specific
      interactions with pre-rRNA. In order to examine in detail the role of this
      central domain and the contribution of the N-terminal and C-terminal domains of
      nucleolin to RNA binding, we have used an Escherichia coli expression system to
      synthezise polypeptides corresponding to various combinations of the three
      domains and their subdomains. By means of an in-vitro binding assay and a
      synthetic RNA corresponding to a specific recognition site in pre-rRNA we have
      been able to demonstrate conclusively that the central 40-kDa domain is indeed
      responsible for the specificity of RNA recognition and that the N-terminal domain
      can be removed without affecting RNA binding. Most interestingly, it appears that
      the C-terminal 10-kDa domain, which is rich in glycine and arginine residues, is
      essential for efficient binding of nucleolin to RNA, but does not itself
      contribute to the specificity of the interaction. Circular dichroic spectroscopic
      probing of the RNA component shows that the C-terminal domain significantly
      modifies the RNA-binding properties of the central RRM core. Finally, infrared
      spectroscopic studies reveal that the central 40-kDa domain is structured in
      alpha helices and beta sheets and that the interaction with the specific pre-rRNA
      site induces subtle changes in the beta sheet conformation.

PMID- 1425661
TI  - Effect of heat shock on expression of proteins not involved in the heat-shock
      regulon.
AB  - The effect of heat shock on the expression of some genes of Escherichia coli was
      tested. To avoid side effects, promoters of the genes were fused to lacZ and
      their expression measured by the level of beta-galactosidase. The results show
      that expression of umuC, recA and polB, after induction of the SOS response, was
      somewhat higher in the heat-shocked than in the non-shocked cells, whereas
      expression of ada, alkB and alkA genes, after induction of the adaptive response,
      was about the same. Unexpectedly, it was found that expression of lacZ from its
      own promoter was drastically lowered in the heat-shocked cells. This effect,
      however, seems not to be dependent on the induction of heat-shock proteins.

PMID- 1425662
TI  - Localization and identification of actin structures involved in the filamin-actin
      interaction.
AB  - The interface between gizzard filamin and skeletal muscle actin was located on
      the actin monomer. Conserved sequences 105-120 and 360-372, in the actin
      subdomain 1 near the myosin binding sites, were involved in this interaction. The
      corresponding peptides for these sequences were each found to bind filamin and
      compete in the actin-filamin interaction. When these two peptides were used
      together in the presence of filamin and filamentous actin, they dissociated
      sedimentable complexes formed by these two proteins.

PMID- 1425663
TI  - Ovohemerythrin, a major 14-kDa yolk protein distinct from vitellogenin in leech.
AB  - A 14-kDa protein was identified as a major component of mature oocytes of the
      leech Theromyzon tessulatum. This protein was, like vitellin, detected in the
      content of yolk granules and was purified by gel-permeation and ion-exchange
      chromatography. The yolk protein corresponded to an iron-binding protein which
      exists in a monomeric unglycosylated form and had no similarities to vitellin.
      However, a strong resemblance between this protein and sipunculid hemerythrin, a
      non-heme iron-binding protein, was observed on the basis of its characteristics
      including molecular mass, iron content, ultraviolet/visible spectrum, amino acid
      composition and N-terminal sequence. These similarities with hemerythrin and the
      accumulation of the protein in the oocyte justify the name ovohemerythrin given
      to the molecule. A coelomic-fluid protein immunologically related to
      ovohemerythrin was detected in vitellogenic animals. The protein was purified
      with the chromatographic procedure used to isolate ovohemerythrin from oocytes
      and was found to be similar to the oocyte protein. This circulating
      ovohemerythrin was present in large amounts in the coelomic fluid while
      gametogenesis is in progress, i.e. after the third and last blood meal of the
      animal (stage 3), except at the time of oocyte enlargement when its concentration
      decreases dramatically. However, in contrast to vitellogenin, which is detected
      specifically in the coelomic fluid of leeches at stage 3, circulating
      ovohemerythrin is also observed after the first (stage 1) and second (stage 2)
      blood meal. This observation suggests a more complex function for ovohemerythrin
      than being merely a yolk nutrient for the embryo.

PMID- 1425664
TI  - Recombinant laminin B1 chains exhibit intact short-arm domains but do not form
      oligomeric molecules.
AB  - The human laminin B1 chain has been produced in the baculovirus expression system
      in sufficient amounts for biochemical and functional studies. A full-length cDNA,
      which was constructed of four partially overlapping clones and verified by in
      vitro transcription and translation to be functional, was cloned into the
      transfer vector pVL1392 behind the polyhedrin promoter. The recombinant construct
      was incorporated by in vivo homologous recombination into the genome of the wild
      type baculovirus, Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus. Infection of
      Spodoptera frugiperda cells (Sf9) with the recombinant virus resulted in the
      expression of the recombinant B1 chain (recB1) in these insect cells. The recB1
      was found to be synthesized in two forms with apparent molecular masses of 220
      kDa and 200 kDa. The 220-kDa form is an N-glycosylated form of recB1, because it
      was not present in cultures containing tunicamycin, an inhibitor of N-linked
      glycosylation. The recB1 accumulated inside the cell and only a small portion of
      it was secreted into the culture medium. Thus purification had to be started from
      the cell extract in order to obtain reasonable amounts of the protein. About 500
      micrograms was obtained from a 500-ml culture with three steps of chromatography,
      concavalin A, DEAE-Sepharose and Mono Q anion-exchange chromatography. Only the
      glycosylated form was purified. The recB1 was found to be sensitive to
      degradation during the purification, because two proteolytic forms of about 180
      kDa were present in every preparation. The accumulation of recB1 inside the cell
      was possibly due to the lack of correct assembly. Electron microscopy studies
      showed that the short arm part had a native or near-native structure, but the C
      terminal heptad repeat domain had not folded correctly and did not exist in an
      alpha-helical structure, as it does in native laminin. Electron microscopy and
      cross-linking studies further revealed that recB1 was a monomeric protein. It was
      also shown to be unable to oligomerize in vitro, suggesting that the B1 chain is
      not designed to form homo-oligomers. Finally, cell attachment assays were carried
      out, but the native recB1 appeared to be inactive in these assays.

PMID- 1425665
TI  - Heme-pocket-hydration change during the inactivation of cytochrome P-450camphor
      by hydrostatic pressure.
AB  - Hydrostatic pressure has been used to convert cytochrome P-450camphor to
      cytochrome P-420. The latter is an inactivated but soluble and undenaturated form
      of cytochrome P-450camphor. Using camphor analogues as probes of the active site
      we show that the inactivation volume change is directly correlated to the initial
      degree of hydration of the heme pocket. The values range between -73 ml/mol and 
      197 ml/mol [Di Primo, C., Hui Bon Hoa, G., Douzou, P. & Sligar, S. G. (1990) Eur.
      J. Biochem. 193, 383-386] for a totally hydrated (substrate-free, low-spin, six
      coordinated heme iron) and a non-hydrated (camphor-bound, high-spin, five
      coordinated heme iron) heme pocket. These results suggest that the larger value, 
      197 ml/mol, for the inactivation volume change is due to a hydration change of
      the heme pocket resulting from the displacement of the substrate during the
      compression and the subsequent entrance of water molecules. Similarly, the
      stability of the protein against compression is correlated with water
      accessibility to the active site. Increase in substrate mobility by loss of
      specific interactions with both regions of well defined secondary structure of
      cytochrome P-450camphor results in an increase of water accessibility and
      decrease of stability. Thus for camphor and adamantanone which strongly interact
      with the protein and exclude water from the active site [Poulos, T. L., Finzel,
      B. C. & Howard, A. J. (1987) J. Mol. Biol. 195, 687-700; Raag, R. & Poulos, T. L.
      (1989) Biochemistry 28, 917-922] the increase in stability compared to the free
      protein is roughly 30 kJ/mol at 20 degrees C. With smaller substrates such as
      norcamphor, which loosely fits into the active site and does not completely
      exclude water [Raag, R. & Poulos, T. L. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 917-922], the
      increase in stability is only 7 kJ/mol. Finally these results suggest that
      cytochrome P-420 induced by hydrostatic pressure is a unique form where the
      active site is hydrated and camphor is displaced from its binding site.

PMID- 1425666
TI  - Proteolytic cleavage by neutrophil elastase converts inactive storage proforms to
      antibacterial bactenecins.
AB  - Bac5 and Bac7, antibiotics of the bactenecin (proline/arginine-rich peptide)
      family, are stored as proforms in the large granules of bovine neutrophils
      [Zanetti, M., Litteri, L., Gennaro, R., Horstmann, H. and Romeo, D. (1990) J.
      Cell Biol. 111, 1363-1371]. These proforms have been purified to homogeneity from
      granule extracts by immunoaffinity and reverse-phase chromatography. While mature
      bactenecins efficiently kill Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and
      Salmonella typhimurium with minimal inhibitory concentrations of 6-12
      micrograms/ml, proBac5 and proBac7 do not affect the growth of the same
      microorganisms, even at 500 micrograms/ml. Previous investigations have suggested
      that the conversion of probactenecins into mature antimicrobial peptides is
      catalyzed by a neutral serine protease stored in the azurophil granules. Purified
      proBac5 and proBac7 were thus treated with elastase, cathepsin G or proteinase 3,
      which constitute the pool of neutral serine proteases of the azurophils, and the
      reaction products were identified by Western blot analysis, mass spectrometry,
      and N-terminal sequence analysis. Of the three proteases, only elastase is able
      to catalyze the stepwise cleavage of probactenecins into the corresponding mature
      peptides, which have the same mass, N-terminal sequence and antibiotic activity
      of authentic Bac5 and Bac7. These results point to the importance of cooperation
      between azurophils and large granules in mounting a defense reaction.

PMID- 1425667
TI  - Substrate specificity and properties of the aryl-alcohol oxidase from the
      ligninolytic fungus Pleurotus eryngii.
AB  - The production in a 5-1 fermenter of the extracellular enzymes laccase and aryl
      alcohol oxidase by the fungus Pleurotus eryngii was studied. The latter enzyme
      has been purified 50-fold by Sephacryl S-200 and Mono Q chromatography. Purified
      aryl-alcohol oxidase is a unique flavoprotein with 15% carbohydrate content, a
      molecular mass of 72.6 kDa (SDS/PAGE) and a pI of 3.9. The enzyme presents wide
      specificity, showing activity on benzyl, cinnamyl, naphthyl and aliphatic
      unsaturated alcohols. Neither activity nor inhibition of veratryl alcohol
      oxidation was found with saturated alcohols, but competitive inhibition was
      produced by aromatic compounds which were not aryl-alcohol oxidase substrates,
      such as phenol or 3-phenyl-1-propanol. From these results, it was apparent that a
      double bond conjugated with a primary alcohol is necessary for substrate
      recognition by aryl-alcohol oxidase, and that activity is increased by the
      presence of additional conjugated double bonds and electron donor groups. Both
      affinity and maximal velocity during enzymic oxidation of methoxybenzyl alcohols
      were affected in a similar way by ring substituents, increasing from benzyl
      alcohol (Km = 0.84 mM, Vmax = 52 U/mg) to 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol (Km = 0.04 mM,
      Vmax = 208 U/mg). Aryl-alcohol oxidase presents also a low oxidase activity with
      aromatic aldehydes, but the highest activity was found in the presence of
      electron-withdrawing groups.

PMID- 1425668
TI  - Iron release from ferrisiderophores. A multi-step mechanism involving a NADH/FMN
      oxidoreductase and a chemical reduction by FMNH2.
AB  - Release of iron from various ferrisiderophores (ferripyoverdines, ferrioxamines B
      and E, ferricrocin, ferrichrome A, ferrienterobactin and its analog ferric
      N,N',N''-tri(1,3,5-Tris) 2,3-dihydroxybenzoylaminomethylbenzene) was obtained
      through an enzymic reduction of iron, involving NADH, FMN and the ferripyoverdine
      reductase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. The iron released from the same
      complexes was also obtained through chemical reduction of iron involving FMNH2.
      Evidence is given that the enzymic process acts through a FMNH2 reduction; the P.
      aeruginosa enzyme, purified according to its ferripyoverdine-reductase activity
      [Halle, F. & Meyer, J. M., Eur. J. Biochem. 209, 613-620], functions as a
      NADH:FMN oxidoreductase, the FMNH2 produced being able to chemically reduce the
      iron complexed by siderophores. The general occurrence of such a multi-step
      mechanism, which denies the existence of specific ferrisiderophore reductases, is
      discussed.

PMID- 1425669
TI  - Use of serine-protease inhibitors as probes for the different proteolytic
      activities of the rat liver multicatalytic proteinase complex.
AB  - The multicatalytic proteinase (MCP) complex catalyses cleavage of bonds on the
      carboxy-group side of basic, hydrophobic or acidic amino acid residues.
      Originally, it was proposed that the complex contained three distinct types of
      catalytic component. MCP from rat liver has been assayed for so-called trypsin
      like activity with Boc-Leu-Ser-Thr-Arg-NH-Mec (Mec, 4-methylcoumarin; Boc, t
      butoxycarbonyl), for chymotrypsin-like activity with Ala-Ala-Phe-NH-Mec and Suc
      Leu-Leu-Val-Tyr-NH-MEc (Suc, succinyl), and peptidyl-glutamylpeptide hydrolase
      activity with Cbz-Leu-Leu-Glu-Nap (Nap, naphthylamide; Cbz, benzyloxycarbonyl).
      Results of these studies suggest that as many as five distinct components can be
      distinguished, one for the trypsin-like activity and two for each of the others.
      The activities were tested with a variety of serine-protease inhibitors, and
      other novel effectors have also been identified. The two most effective
      inhibitors were 4-(2-amino-ethyl)benzenesulphonyl fluoride, which selectivity
      inactivates the trypsin-like activity, and 3,4-dichloroisocoumarin which inhibits
      chymotrypsin-like activity and the second, cooperative component [Djaballah, H. &
      Rivett, A. J. (1992) Biochemistry 31, 4133-4141] of peptidylglutamylpeptide
      hydrolase activity. The three activities inhibited by 3,4-dichloroisocoumarin can
      easily be distinguished by the effects of chymostatin analogues,
      diisopropylfluorophosphate, guanidine/HCl and casein. The results support the
      view that the enzyme is a novel type of serine protease and suggest that it may
      contain at least five distinct catalytic components. Marked differences in the
      reactivities of the different catalytic sites with different reagents can be used
      to distinguish between them.

PMID- 1425670
TI  - Characterization and molecular cloning of neurotoxic phospholipases A2 from
      Taiwan viper (Vipera russelli formosensis).
AB  - Two phospholipases A2 (PLA2s), designated as RV-4 and RV-7 were purified from
      venom of the Taiwan Russell's viper (Vipera russelli formosensis) by gel
      filtration and reverse-phase HPLC. Their primary structures were solved by both
      protein sequencing and cDNA cloning and sequencing. The cDNA synthesized was
      amplified by the polymerase-chain reaction using a pair of synthetic
      oligonucleotide primers corresponding to the N- and the C-terminal flanking
      regions of the enzymes. The deduced amino acid sequences of RV-4 and RV-7 were
      92% identical to those of the vipoxin and vipoxin inhibitor, respectively, from
      the Bulgarian Vipera a. ammodytes. RV-4 itself was neurotoxic, whereas RV-7 had
      much lower enzymatic activity and was not toxic. The low enzymatic activity of RV
      7 may be attributed to five acidic residues at positions 7, 17, 59, 114 and 119,
      which presumably impair its binding to aggregated lipid substrates. Based on the
      sequence comparison among all the known group II PLA2s, residues 6, 12, 76-81,
      and 119-125 were identified as important for the neurotoxicity. RV-4 and RV-7
      exist in the crude venom as heterodimers, which were again formed by mixing
      together the HPLC-purified RV-4 and RV-7. Moreover, RV-7 inhibited the enzymatic
      activity of RV-4 in vitro but potentiated its lethal potency and neurotoxicity.
      It is suggested that RV-7 may facilitate the specific binding of RV-4 to its
      presynaptic binding sites, probably by preventing its non-specific adsorption.

PMID- 1425671
TI  - Purification and properties of Aspergillus niger beta-glucosidase.
AB  - Beta-glucosidase was purified from a crude cellulase preparation from Aspergillus
      niger by affinity chromatography on a methacrylamide-N-methylene-bis
      methacrylamide copolymer bearing cellobiamine. The purified enzyme was a dimer
      with an isoelectric point of 4.0. The molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated
      to be 240 kDa by gel-permeation chromatography. The enzyme hydrolyzed
      specifically beta-glucosidic bonds and catalyzed transglucosylation of the beta
      glucosyl group of cellobiose to yield 4-O-beta-gentiobiosylglucose in the
      presence of organic solvents or under neutral conditions.

PMID- 1425672
TI  - 1,4-Diamino-2-butyne as the mechanism-based pea diamine oxidase inhibitor.
AB  - 1,4-Diamino-2-butyne is a mechanism-based inhibitor of diamine oxidase (EC
      1.4.3.6) from pea cotyledons. It shows saturation kinetics Km = 1 mM like a
      substrate, but its interaction leads to time-dependent loss of enzyme activity
      which is not restored by gel filtration. The substrate 1,4-diaminobutane and the
      competitive inhibitor 1,4-diamino-2-butanone protect the enzyme against
      inactivation. Changes in the enzyme electronic spectra with 1,4-diamino-2-butyne
      were found. The mechanism of the interaction involves an intermediate
      aminoallenic compound, which is formed with covalent bound pyrrole in the
      reaction of the nucleophile with the enzyme. The presence of a pyrrole in the
      inactivated enzyme was confirmed by reaction with Ehrlich's reagent. The kinetic
      data obtained in this study indicate that 1,4-diamino-2-butyne is a mechanism
      based inactivator with number of turnovers, r = 17 and characteristic constants
      K' = 0.32 mM and k(in) = 4.89 min-1.

PMID- 1425674
TI  - Secondary and tertiary structures involving chondroitin and chondroitin sulphates
      in solution, investigated by rotary shadowing/electron microscopy and computer
      simulation.
AB  - Rotary shadowing/electron microscopy of chondroitin 6-sulphate (CS6) and 4
      sulphate (CS4) showed that the former, but not the latter, aggregated to mesh
      works. Preparations made from salt (ammonium acetate) solutions showed enhanced
      aggregation. Computer modelling, using molecular mechanics and dynamics, was
      applied to secondary structures (twofold helices) derived from NMR studies, to
      determine geometric and energetic constraints on duplex and higher-aggregate
      formation. The calculations suggested that chondroitin, CS6 and undersulphated
      CS4 could form duplexes, while CS4 could not, thus bridging the gap between
      atomic dimensions (NMR) and high polymer scale (electron microscopy).
      Calculations suggested that water structure helped to stabilise the twofold
      helix. It is proposed that the twofold helical, flat, tape-like molecules
      aggregate via hydrophobic bonding between the very extensive hydrophobic patches
      (9 CH units) repeated on alternating sides of the polymers. The negative charge
      of the polyanions opposes aggregate formation. Calculations showed that duplexes
      were formed with decreasing stability as the charge density increased, and as the
      charge was concentrated towards the centre line of the polymer (i.e. in CS4). The
      unsulphated polymer chondroitin could form duplexes and higher aggregates as
      readily as hyaluronan. Hyaluronan was calculated to form stable heteroduplexes
      with CS6 and CS4. The frequency and positioning of the sulphate-ester group
      within the polymer thus determines whether the molecule participates in duplex
      formation.

PMID- 1425673
TI  - Desaturation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in Mucor circinelloides and the
      involvement of a novel membrane-bound malic enzyme.
AB  - 1. The component fatty acids of the endogenous phospholipids of microsomal
      preparations of Mucor, when shaken at 30 degrees C, increased in both chain
      length and in degree of unsaturation. The net effect was the production of gamma
      linolenic acid which, over 2 h, increased from 17% to 32% of total fatty acids
      present. No further significant changes occurred after this time. 2. The major
      site for desaturation/elongation reactions was at the sn-2 position of PtdIns.
      PtdCho and PtdEtn were not implicated. 3. Of numerous metabolites and cofactors
      added to the microsomes, only malate could prolong the elongation/desaturation
      reactions for up to 6 h. This effect was shown to be due to a membrane-associated
      malic enzyme [malate dehydrogenase (decarboxylating) NADP+] with the NADPH
      produced being used in fatty-acid desaturation. 4. Kinetic analysis of cytosolic
      and microsomal enzymes [both in 0.1% (mass/vol.) Chaps] could not distinguish
      between them. However, when the microsomal malic enzyme was dialysed to remove
      Chaps, it lost 90% of activity, although the cytosolic malic enzyme lost only 20%
      activity. 5. The structural analogue of malate, tartronic acid, which is an
      inhibitor of malic enzyme, also inhibited the malate-induced stimulation of fatty
      acyl group desaturation and elongation in the microsomal membranes. 6. It is
      concluded that two distinct malic enzymes exist, one soluble and one membrane
      bound, with similar active sites. Both have different roles in the production of
      NADPH, for lipid metabolism. The former will produce NADPH for fatty-acid
      biosynthesis whilst the latter produces NADPH for fatty-acid desaturation.

PMID- 1425675
TI  - The mechanism of stimulation of MgATPase activity of chloroplast F1-ATPase by non
      catalytic adenine-nucleotide binding. Acceleration of the ATP-dependent release
      of inhibitory ADP from a catalytic site.
AB  - The presence of ATP at non-catalytic sites of the chloroplast F1-ATPase (CF1)
      eliminates a considerable lag in onset of enzyme activity that otherwise occurs
      in the presence of bicarbonate [Milgrom, Y. M., Ehler, L. & Boyer, P. D. (1991)
      J. Biol. Chem. 266, 11551-11558]. Sulfite is known to be much more effective than
      bicarbonate in stimulating ATPase activity CF1. Results reported here show that
      when assayed in the presence of sulfite, CF1, with some non-catalytic sites empty
      or filled with GT(D)P, is able to hydrolyze both ATP and GTP. Thus, the presence
      of adenine nucleotides at non-catalytic sites is not necessary for catalytic
      turnover of CF1. However, even though CF1 with empty non-catalytic sites shows a
      significant initial activity, the prior binding of adenine nucleotides at non
      catalytic site(s) results in further activation of MgATPase and MgGTPase
      activities, even at relatively high sulfite and substrate concentrations.
      Although extensive activation of CF1 results from the presence of sulfite, with
      or without nucleotide binding at non-catalytic sites, the Km remains constant, at
      about 50 microM for MgATP and 400 microM for MgGTP. The results obtained show
      that the ATPase activity of CF1 is determined by the fraction of the active
      enzyme. The inactive CF1.ADP.Mg2+ formed during MgATP hydrolysis can be rapidly
      trapped by azide to provide a measure of the fraction of inactive enzyme.
      Increasing the concentration of sulfite increases the fraction of active CF1 in
      the assay medium. Measurements with radioactively labeled nucleotides show that
      the presence of ATP at non-catalytic sites promotes the ATP-dependent release of
      inhibitory ADP from a catalytic site. The activating effect of ATP binding at non
      catalytic sites results from increasing the portion of CF1 in an active state
      during steady-state ATP hydrolysis.

PMID- 1425676
TI  - Mechanism of the inhibition of cell growth by N1,N12-bis(ethyl)spermine.
AB  - The mechanism of the antiproliferation effect of N1,N12-bis(ethyl)spermine
      (BESPM) was studied in detail using mouse FM3A cells, since this polyamine
      analogue mimics the functions of spermine in several aspects [Igarashi, K.,
      Kashiwagi, K., Fukuchi, J., Isobe, Y., Otomo, S. & Shirahata, A. (1990) Biochem.
      Biophys. Res. Commun. 172, 715-720]. Our results indicate that not only the
      decrease in sperimine and spermine caused by BESPM but also its accumulation play
      important roles on the inhibition of cell growth by BESPM, since BESPM
      accumulated in cells at a concentration fivefold that of spermidine in control
      cells. In comparison with the polaymine-deficient cells caused by alpha
      difluoromethylornithine, an inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, and
      ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), an inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine
      decarboxylase, the behavior of polyamine-deficient cells caused by BESPM was
      different as follows: the inhibition of cell growth by BESPM was not abrogated by
      spermine or spermidine; polyamine uptake, which is stimulated during polyamine
      deficiency, was greatly inhibited, while spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase
      activity, which is inhibited during polyamine deficiency, was enhanced in BESPM
      treated cells; thymidine kinase activity did not decrease in BESPM-treated cells;
      inhibition of cell growth and macromolecule synthesis by BESPM correlated with
      the swelling of mitochondria and the decrease in ATP content; BESPM caused cell
      death when incubated together for several days. The role of BESPM accumulation on
      inhibition of cell growth is discussed.

PMID- 1425677
TI  - Purification of human leukotriene C4 synthase from dimethylsulfoxide
      differentiated U937 cells.
AB  - Human leukotriene C4 (LTC4) synthase was purified > 10000-fold from
      dimethylsulfoxide-differentiated U937 cells. Steps included: (a) solubilization
      of membrane-bound LTC4 synthase from microsomal membranes by the anionic
      detergent taurocholate; (b) successive anion-exchange chromatography steps in the
      presence of taurocholate plus Triton X-100 (primary anion exchange) then
      taurocholate plus n-octyl glucoside (secondary anion exchange); and (c) LTC2
      affinity chromatography on a matrix that was constructed by first biotinylating
      synthetic LTC2 then immobilizing the biotinylated LTC2 on streptavidin agarose.
      The purification of human LTC4 synthase was enabled by the finding that LTC4
      synthase activity in preparations enriched > 500-fold was absolutely dependent on
      the presence in LTC4 synthase incubation mixtures of divalent cations
      (specifically Mg2+) and phospholipids (specifically phosphatidylcholine), and
      that reduced glutathione, which was required at 2-4 mM for stabilization of LTC4
      synthase, irreversibly inactivated the enzyme when present at > or = 5 mM during
      freeze/thaw cycles. The > 10000-fold purified LTC4 synthase preparation was
      comprised of three polypeptides having molecular masses of 37.1, 24.5 and 18.0
      kDa. An 18-kDa polypeptide in both microsomal membranes and in the LTC2-affinity
      purified fraction was specifically labelled by a radioiodinated LTC4
      photoaffinity probe (azido 125I-LTC4). The Km values in the LTC2-affinity
      purified preparation for reduced glutathione and LTA4 were 1.83 mM and 19.6
      microM (respectively), closely resembling the Km values in isolated human blood
      monocytes. The Vmax of LTC2-affinity purified LTC4 synthase was 2-4 mumol LTC4
      formed .min-1 x mg-1.

PMID- 1425678
TI  - Cytosolic and intranuclear calcium signals in rat basophilic leukemia cells as
      revealed by a confocal fluorescence microscope.
AB  - A confocal fluorescence microscope with an argon-ion laser (488 nm) and a He-Cd
      laser (325 nm) was used to study spatial heterogeneity of the calcium signals in
      rat basophilic leukemia 2H3 cloned cell line (RBL-2H3). After stimulation with
      antigen (2,4-dinitrophenol-conjugated bovine serum albumin), fluo-3-fluorescence
      intensities increased in individual RBL-2H3 cells with different lag times. Time
      dependent profiles of the fluo-3-fluorescence intensities resembled closely the
      patterns of the sequential fluorescence-ratio images of fura-2, which were used
      to measure the intracellular free-calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in individual
      RBL-2H3 cells using a conventional fluorescence microscope. The present results
      obtained using the confocal fluorescence microscope showed spatial
      heterogeneities of fluo-3-fluorescence intensities, suggesting the existence of
      spatial heterogeneity of [Ca2+]i in RBL-2H3 cells. That is, the results showed
      that calcium signals first occurred transiently at pseudopodia in RBL-2H3 cells,
      then the signals transferred to the central parts of the cells. In addition, from
      the fluorescence images of co-loaded Hoechst 33342 (bisbenzimide H 33342, a DNA
      specific probe) which were produced by excitation with a He-Cd laser, it was
      found that the fluorescence images of the nucleus were quite similar to those of
      the calcium signals mentioned above. This suggested that the receptor-mediated
      calcium signals were transferred not only to the cytoplasm but also to the
      nucleus.

PMID- 1425679
TI  - Characterization of tryptophan phosphorescence of aspartate aminotransferase from
      Escherichia coli.
AB  - The Trp phosphorescence spectrum, intensity and decay kinetics of apo-aspartate
      aminotransferase, pyridoxamine-5P-aspartate-aminotransferase and pyridoxal-5P
      aspartate aminotransferase were measured over a temperature range 160-273 K. The
      fine structure of the phosphorescence spectra in low-temperature glasses, with 0
      0 vibrational bands centered at 408, 415 and 417 nm, for both apoenzyme and
      pyridoxamine-5P-enzyme reveals a marked heterogeneity of the chromophore
      environments. Only for the pyridoxal-5P form of the enzyme is the triplet
      emission strongly quenched and, in this case, the spectrum displays a unique 0-0
      vibrational band centered at 415 nm. Concomitant to quenching, there is Trp
      sensitized delayed fluorescence of the Schiff base, an indication that quenching
      of the excited triplet state is due, at least in part, to a process of triplet
      singlet energy transfer to the ketoenamine tautomer. All three forms of the
      enzyme are phosphorescent for temperatures up to 273 K. However, across the glass
      transition temperature the pyridoxal-5P enzyme shows a decrease in lifetime
      normalized phosphorescence intensity, a thermal quenching that reduces even
      further the number of phosphorescing residues at ambient temperature. In fluid
      solution, the triplet decay is nonexponential and multiple lifetimes stress the
      heterogeneity in dynamical structure of the chromophores' sites. For the
      pyridoxal-5P enzyme, where only one or at most two residues are phosphorescent at
      273 K, the nonexponential nature of the decay implies the presence of different
      conformers of the protein not interconverting in the millisecond time scale.

PMID- 1425680
TI  - Solution conformation of human neuropeptide Y by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance
      and restrained molecular dynamics.
AB  - The solution structure of human neuropeptide Y has been solved by conventional
      two-dimensional NMR techniques followed by distance-geometry and molecular
      dynamics methods. The conformation obtained is composed of two short contiguous
      alpha-helices comprising residues 15-26 and 28-35, linked by a hinge inducing a
      100 degree angle. The first helix (15-26) is connected to a polyproline stretch
      (residues 1-10) by a tight hairpin (residues 11-14). The helices and the
      polyproline stretch are packed together by hydrophobic interactions. This
      structure is related to that of the homologous avian pancreatic polypeptide and
      bovine pancreatic polypeptide. The C- and N-terminii, known to be involved in the
      biological activity for respectively the receptor binding and activation, are
      close together in space. The side chains of residues Arg33, Arg35 and Tyr36 on
      the one hand, and Tyr1 and Pro2 on the other, form a continuous solvent-exposed
      surface of 4.9 mm2 which is supposed to interact with the receptor for
      neuropeptide Y.

PMID- 1425681
TI  - Molecular basis of low-temperature sensitivity in pig hemoglobins.
AB  - It has been generally assumed that mammals have blood with a greater temperature
      sensitivity than ectothermic organisms. Recent results have shown that in some
      species of mammals, Hb displays a value of overall oxygenation enthalpy (delta H)
      much less exothermic than that observed for most mammalian hemoglobins, including
      human adult Hb. In this respect, a very interesting case is represented by
      porcine blood which shows a modest effect of temperature, the temperature
      coefficient of its oxygen-dissociation curve being significantly lower than that
      of human blood. Here we report a detailed functional characterization of pig Hb,
      which, interpreted on the basis of the amino acid sequence of the alpha and beta
      chains of the molecule, sheds some light on the molecular basis of the
      phenomenon.

PMID- 1425682
TI  - Stopped-flow fluorescence and steady-state kinetic studies of ligand-binding
      reactions of glucoamylase from Aspergillus niger.
AB  - The presteady-state and steady-state kinetics of the binding and hydrolysis of
      substrates, maltose and isomaltose, and the transition-state analogue,
      gluconolactone, by glucoamylase from Aspergillus niger were investigated using
      initial-rate, stopped-flow and steady-state methods. The change in the intrinsic
      fluorescence of the enzyme was monitored. Distinct mechanistic differences were
      observed in the interaction of the enzyme with maltose compared to isomaltose.
      Hydrolysis of maltose requires a three-step mechanism, whereas that of isomaltose
      involves at least one additional step. The rates of an observed conformational
      change, which is the second discernible step of the reactions, clearly show a
      tighter binding of maltose compared to isomaltose, probably because the reverse
      rate constants differ. Compared to the non-enzymic hydrolysis the transition
      state stabilization energy of glucoamylase is approximately -66 kJ/mol with
      maltose and only -14 kJ/mol with isomaltose. Kinetic analysis of the binding of
      the inhibitor, gluconolactone, implies that independent interactions of two
      molecules occur. One of these, apparently, is a simple, fast association reaction
      in which gluconolactone is weakly bound. The other resembles binding of maltose,
      involving a fast association followed by a conformational change. Based on the
      results obtained, we propose new reaction mechanisms for Aspergillus
      glucoamylase.

PMID- 1425683
TI  - Dissociation of F-actin induced by hydrostatic pressure.
AB  - F-actin purified from rabbit skeletal muscle undergoes reversible dissociation
      when subjected to hydrostatic pressures up to 240 MPa. Dissociation and
      reversibility were detected by the following procedures: fluorescence spectral
      changes observed under pressure, when either intrinsic tryptophan or pyrenyl
      emission of N-(1-pyrenyl)iodoacetamide-labeled actin were monitored; electron
      microscopy of samples fixed under pressure; size-exclusion HPLC of pressurized
      actin. The effect of pressure upon F-actin that had been polymerized in the
      presence of either Mg2+, Ca2+ or K+ was studied. The standard volume changes for
      the association of actin subunits, calculated from pressure/dissociation curves
      were 74 +/- 14 ml/mol for Mg-F-actin, 79 +/- 12 ml/mol for Ca-F-actin and 328 +/-
      63 ml/mol for K-F-actin, indicating that actin subunits are packed differently in
      the polymer depending on which cation is present. All pressure/dissociation data
      could be fitted by a model for dissociation of a dimer, which suggests that in
      the F-actin filament there is a predominant intersubunit interaction interface,
      most likely the head-to-tail intrastrand interaction between two subunits which
      repeats itself along the polymer. A tenfold change in total protein concentration
      from 20 micrograms to 200 micrograms/ml Mg-F-actin did not cause a change in the
      pressure required for half-maximal dissociation. This indicates a heterogeneity
      of free energy of association among actin monomers in the Mg-F-actin polymer,
      suggesting that, in addition to the predominant intersubunit interaction, the
      disordered interactions in the filament significantly contribute to the
      heterogeneity of microenvironments in the interface between the subunits.

PMID- 1425684
TI  - Kinetic characterization of the perturbation by dodecylmaltoside of sarcoplasmic
      reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase.
AB  - We investigated the functional aspects of the interaction between the
      sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) membranous Ca(2+)-ATPase and the non-ionic detergent
      dodecylmaltoside, using detergent concentrations allowing perturbation of the
      membrane but not its solubilization. At pH 7.5, the effects of dodecylmaltoside
      on ATPase activity and delipidation had previously been shown to resemble, in
      some respects, those of octa(ethylene glycol) monododecylether (C12E8), an
      appropriate detergent for ATPase studies. Our aim here was to explore the
      specific effects of dodecylmaltoside on the different steps in the ATPase
      catalytic cycle, which may owe their specificity to the difference between the
      polar head groups of dodecylmaltoside and C12E8. This was done at 20 degrees C,
      both at pH 6 in the absence of KCl and at pH 7.5 in the presence of 100 mM KCl,
      two conditions under which the characteristics of unperturbed ATPase have already
      been well defined. Preliminary estimation of dodecylmaltoside partition between
      water and SR membranes at pH 6 yielded a partition coefficient K close to 4 x
      10(5) (ratio of the molar fraction of dodecylmaltoside in the lipid to that in
      the aqueous phase at a low detergent concentration, assuming that most of this
      detergent was present in the lipid phase). At near saturation of SR membranes,
      bound dodecylmaltoside was roughly equimolar with the constituent phospholipids.
      Non-solubilizing concentrations of dodecylmaltoside inhibited SR ATPase activity
      by up to 65-70% at pH 7.5, but not at pH 6, unlike the results of similar
      experiments with C12E8. The rates of the four main steps in the ATPase catalytic
      cycle were measured by fast kinetic techniques; they were similarly modified at
      both pH. Dodecylmaltoside slowed down both the rate of calcium-saturated ATPase
      phosphorylation and the rate of ATPase isomerization after phosphorylation, two
      steps which were not targets of perturbation by C12E8. The slowing down of the
      isomerization step by dodecylmaltoside might well explain why it inhibited
      overall ATPase activity at pH 7.5. In contrast to C12E8, dodecylmaltoside did not
      affect the dephosphorylation step, which was the main target of inhibition by
      C12E8 and the main rate-limiting step at pH 6. However, like C12E8,
      dodecylmaltoside accelerated the calcium binding-induced transition of
      nonphosphorylated ATPase. Another striking feature of the perturbation induced by
      dodecylmaltoside was that it significantly altered the binding of 45Ca2+ to the
      ATPase and the corresponding conformational changes. At pCa 5-5.5, it almost
      halved calcium binding to the ATPase but ATPase phosphorylation was
      unimpaired.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1425685
TI  - Characterization of fly rhodopsin kinase.
AB  - Rhodopsin kinase activity of Musca domestica was characterized in a
      reconstitution assay, using urea-treated eye membranes as substrate and a
      purified fraction of eye cytosol as the enzyme. Analysis of kinase activity in
      fly eye, brain and abdomen extracts by reconstitution assays revealed that fly
      rhodopsin kinase is an eye-specific enzyme. It preferentially phosphorylates the
      light-activated form of rhodopsin (metarhodopsin) and has little activity with
      other protein substrates. Rhodopsin kinase binds to metarhodopsin and is released
      from rhodopsin-containing membranes. Metarhodopsin is a poor substrate for
      kinases from tissues other than the eye, making it a unique substrate for
      rhodopsin kinase. Rhodopsin kinase is inhibited by heparin, but not by the
      protein inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Its Km for ATP is 9 microM.
      Since fly rhodopsin is coupled to phospholipase C, studies of the interaction of
      rhodopsin with rhodopsin kinase can be useful in analysis of the reactions that
      lead to termination of the inositol-phospholipid-signaling pathway.

PMID- 1425686
TI  - Regulation of two rat serine-protease inhibitor gene promoters by somatotropin
      and glucocorticoids. Study with intact hepatocytes and cell-free systems.
AB  - Only two out of the three serine-protease inhibitor genes (SPI 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3)
      expressed in rat liver are tightly controlled by somatotropin acting mainly at
      the transcriptional level, thus making this gene system particularly suitable to
      study its molecular mechanism of action. In these studies, we analyzed SPI
      promoter activities in cultured hepatocytes transfected by electroporation or in
      cell-free extracts. The proximal SPI 2.1 promoter region contains two
      somatotropin-responsive sites which are functional in intact cells. The more
      distal element that maps at positions -175 to -114, and is analogous to the one
      originally described by Yoon et al. (1990) [Yoon, J. B., Berry, S. A., Seelig, S.
      & Towle, H. C. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 19947-19954], behaves as a weak
      enhancer whose activity is strongly potentiated by proximal 5' downstream
      sequences that contains potential CCAAT-enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) sites.
      An additional proximal hormone-sensitive site is located in the close vicinity of
      the transcription-start site between positions -41 and +8, and also requires the
      first C/EBP-binding element to be active. The distal element appears to
      contribute more importantly (60%) than the proximal one (40%) to the overall
      somatotropin stimulation of chimeric gene expression. Nonetheless, both displayed
      similar dose-dependence, with half-maximal and maximal effects occurring at 0.5-1
      nM and 5-10 nM, respectively. The somatotropin refractoriness of the SPI 2.3 gene
      appears to be due to the presence of distal (-2300 to -200) inhibitory element(s)
      in the promoter. Glucocorticoids exert both positive and negative effects on SPI
      promoter activity. Their stimulatory action appears to involve sequences located
      between positions -114 and -82, together with a more distal half glucocorticoid
      responsive element, whereas their inhibitory effect is more likely mediated by
      sequences located between positions -41 and +8. In vitro transcription assays,
      performed with promoter-deletion mutants and competitor oligonucleotides,
      revealed the presence of a major functional C/EBP site located immediately
      upstream from the transcription-start point. Unfortunately, the regulatory
      features of SPI gene expression observed in intact cells were completely
      obliterated by breaking down the cell structure, and could not therefore be
      studied using cell-free systems.

PMID- 1425687
TI  - Bacterial nitrite-reducing enzymes.
AB  - The enzymic reduction of nitrite takes place in a wide range of bacteria and is
      found to occur in denitrifying, assimilatory and dissimilatory pathways. In this
      review we describe the major molecular characteristics of the various enzymes
      employed in each of these processes.

PMID- 1425688
TI  - Alteration of translation and stability of mRNA for the poly(A)-binding protein
      during myogenesis.
AB  - The regulation of synthesis of various factors involved in mRNA translation
      during differentiation of muscle cells was examined. The steady-state levels of
      mRNAs coding for eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 2 alpha, 2 beta and
      elongation factor (eEF)-1 alpha were measured in both proliferating rat L6
      myoblast and differentiated myotubes. The steady-state levels of these mRNAs were
      not altered during myogenesis. Furthermore, the distribution of these mRNAs
      between repressed and translated populations remained unchanged. Recent studies
      suggest a role for poly(A)-binding protein (PABP) in translation initiation.
      Therefore, we also examined the expression of PABP mRNA during myogenesis. The
      PABP mRNA was less abundant in myotubes compared to myoblasts. However, the
      synthesis of PABP remained unchanged. In myoblasts, approximately 50-60% of the
      total mRNA was associated with polyribosomes, whereas in myotubes more than 80%
      of the mRNA was associated with polyribosomes. These results, therefore, suggest
      that the PABP mRNA was more efficiently translated in differentiated myotubes
      than in the proliferating myoblasts. Measurement of the stability and
      transcription of PABP mRNA showed that, while transcription was not affected
      during myogenesis, the stability of the mRNA was reduced in differentiated cells.
      The t1/2 of PABP mRNA in myoblasts was 13 h compared to 7.5 h in myotubes. This
      observation suggests that the reduced steady-state level of PABP mRNA in myotube
      were largely due to the change in stability of this mRNA during myogenesis.

PMID- 1425689
TI  - Role of protein kinase C in induction of gene expression and inhibition of cell
      proliferation by interferon alpha.
AB  - Recent studies have suggested that protein kinase C (PKC) may be involved in the
      mechanism of signal transduction by which members of the interferon (IFN) family
      regulate gene expression and cell phenotype. We have investigated the role of PKC
      in the control of cell growth and gene expression by IFN alpha in Daudi cells.
      Treatment of these cells with two analogues of staurosporine, which are potent
      inhibitors of PKC, completely blocked the induction by IFN alpha of the mRNA for
      2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase and the 6-16 gene. These compounds also inhibited
      cell proliferation and thymidine incorporation in this system. In contrast, the
      protein kinase inhibitor 1-(5-isoquinolinylsulphonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H7) did
      not significantly inhibit the induction of these genes by IFN alpha and had no
      effect on Daudi cell growth or thymidine incorporation in the presence or absence
      of IFN alpha. No effect of IFN alpha on total PKC activity could be observed, and
      there were no significant changes in the overall levels of individual PKC
      isoforms or their mRNA following IFN alpha treatment. In contrast, treatment of
      Daudi cells with the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate, which
      also inhibits cell proliferation, strongly down-regulated PKC. These data suggest
      that the activity of a PKC species, or a closely related enzyme, may be required
      both for continued cell proliferation and the response to IFN alpha in Daudi
      cells, but that IFN-induced growth inhibition does not involve overall down
      regulation or change in activity of PKC.

PMID- 1425690
TI  - Identification of functionally active fragments of staphylococcal enterotoxin B.
AB  - It has been found that staphylococcal enterotoxin B contains a proteolysis
      sensitive sequence in the cysteine loop formed by two half-cystines located in
      the middle of the toxin polypeptide chain. Fragments of the enterotoxin formed as
      a result of its digestion in this region have been isolated, their N-terminal
      sequences have been determined and sites of proteolysis have been identified. It
      has been demonstrated that the N-terminal fragment of staphylococcal enterotoxin
      B is capable of activating T cell proliferation in the culture of human
      mononuclear cells practically to the same degree as the intact enterotoxin. The
      toxin's C-terminal fragment possesses an ability to activate calmodulin-dependent
      enzymes and is probably the toxicogenic part of the enterotoxin.

PMID- 1425691
TI  - Effects of nucleotide binding on thermal transitions and domain structure of
      myosin subfragment 1.
AB  - The thermal unfolding and domain structure of myosin subfragment 1 (S1) from
      rabbit skeletal muscles and their changes induced by nucleotide binding were
      studied by differential scanning calorimetry. The binding of ADP to S1
      practically does not influence the position of the thermal transition (maximum at
      47.2 degrees C), while the binding of the non-hydrolysable analogue of ATP,
      adenosine 5'-[beta, gamma-imido]triphosphate (AdoPP[NH]P) to S1, or trapping of
      ADP in S1 by orthovanadate (Vi), shift the maximum of the heat adsorption curve
      for S1 up to 53.2 and 56.1 degrees C, respectively. Such an increase of S1
      thermostability in the complexes S1-AdoPP[NH]P and S1-ADP-Vi is confirmed by
      results of turbidity and tryptophan fluorescence measurements. The total heat
      adsorption curves for S1 and its complexes with nucleotides were decomposed into
      elementary peaks corresponding to the melting of structural domains in the S1
      molecule. Quantitative analysis of the data shows that the domain structure of S1
      in the complexes S1-AdoPP[NH]P and S1-ADP-Vi is similar and differs radically
      from that of nucleotide-free S1 and S1 in the S1-ADP complex. These data are the
      first direct evidence that the S1 molecule can be in two main conformations which
      may correspond to different states during the ATP hydrolysis: one of them
      corresponds to nucleotide-free S1 and to the complex S1-ADP, and the other
      corresponds to the intermediate complexes S1-ATP and S1-ADP-Pi. Surprisingly it
      turned out that the domain structure of S1 with ADP trapped by p-phenylene-N, N'
      dimaleimide (pPDM) thiol cross-linking almost does not differ from that of the
      nucleotide-free S1. This means that pPDM-cross-linked S1 in contrast to S1
      AdoPP[NH]P and S1-ADP-Vi can not be considered a structural analogue of the
      intermediate complexes S1-ATP and S1-ADP-Pi.

PMID- 1425692
TI  - Recombinant chicken egg white cystatin variants of the QLVSG region.
AB  - Using recombinant DNA methods, seven cystatin variants were produced by cassette
      mutagenesis of a chicken egg white cystatin variant which already contains the
      mutations Ala3, Glu2, Phe1, Ser1-->Met, Met29-->and Met 89-->Leu. When
      characterized by structural and functional studies, they were all found to
      harbour mutations in the first hairpin loop, the so-called 'QXVXG' region, which
      is highly conserved within the cystatin superfamily and thought to be important
      for its inhibitory activity towards cysteine proteinases. They were purified to
      more than 90% homogeneity and analysed by SDS/PAGE, HPLC, tryptic peptide
      mapping, N-terminal amino acid sequencing and ELISA. Structural model building of
      the variants and their complexes with papain was performed using computer
      graphics based on the crystallographic coordinates of chicken egg white cystatin
      and the papain-stefin complex. Only minor conformational changes were required
      for modelling the mutants or complexes. Equilibrium dissociation constants and
      rate constants of complex formation of the variants with papain, actinidin as
      well as cathepsin B and L were determined by kinetic measurements using
      fluorogenic substrates. The single exchanges Gln53-->Glu, Gln53-->Asn, Val44-
      >Asp, Gly57-->Ala and the double exchanges Arg52-->Leu, Gln53-->Glu, Gln53-->Asn,
      Ser56-->Ala, Leu54-->Met, Gly57-->Ala reduced the inhibition of papain, actinidin
      and cathespin B significantly by 10-1000-fold. With the exception of the Val55-
      >Asp variant, the differences in the Ki values are mainly due to larger k off
      values, whereas the kon values seem to be more or less unaffected by the selected
      mutations. The effect on the inhibition of papain is generally smaller than the
      effects on actinidin and cathepsin B inhibition. Cathepsin L inhibition is
      strikingly insensitive to all mutations. These distinct effects of the inhibitor
      variants indicate differences in proteinase-inhibitor-protein interactions
      between closely related cysteine proteinases. In addition, the results verify the
      prediction, made earlier from sequence alignment studies and from a docking model
      of the chicken cystatin-papain complex, that the first hairpin loop of cystatins
      is essential for effective inhibition.

PMID- 1425693
TI  - Chemical and structural characterisation of iron cores of haemosiderins isolated
      from different sources.
AB  - The elemental content of the iron cores of haemosiderins isolated from animal and
      human tissues has been determined to ascertain whether changes in composition are
      correlated with structural differences previously identified in these
      mineralisation products. Significant differences were observed in the elemental
      composition of haemosiderins isolated from patients subjected to desferrioxamine
      chelation therapy compared to patients who had been venesected. The P/Fe molar
      ratio was considerably higher in haemosiderin isolated from treated primary
      haemochromatosis (0.83), compared to untreated primary haemochromatosis (0.10)
      and treated secondary haemochromatosis (0.25), and this could account for the
      amorphous nature of these iron cores. The levels of M/Fe (M = Ca, Cu, Zn) were
      reduced in the haemosiderins derived from treated secondary haemochromatosis
      patients, possibly due to the chelation of these ions by desferrioxamine therapy.
      In an experimentally iron-loaded rat, receiving either desferrioxamine or 1,2
      diethyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one, selective decreases in these three elements were
      also observed after two weeks of desferrioxamine therapy. Such changes may be
      important determinants in the modification of biomineralisation of the iron
      cores.

PMID- 1425694
TI  - Characterization of [3H]acifluorfen binding to purified pea etioplasts, and
      evidence that protoporphyrinogen oxidase specifically binds acifluorfen.
AB  - It is now generally accepted that protoporphyrinogen oxidase is the target-enzyme
      for diphenyl-ether-type herbicides. Recent studies [Camadro, J-M., Matringe M.,
      Scalla, R. & Labbe, P. (1991) Biochem. J. 277, 17-21] have revealed that in
      maize, diphenyl ethers competitively inhibit protoporphyrinogen oxidase with
      respect to its substrate, protoporphyrinogen IX. In this study, we show that, in
      purified pea etioplast, [3H]acifluorfen specifically binds to a single class of
      high-affinity binding sites with an apparent dissociation constant of 6.2 +/- 1.3
      nM and a maximum density of 29 +/- 5 nmol/g protein. [3H]Acifluorfen binding
      reaches equilibrium in about 1 min at 30 degrees C. Half dissociation occurs in
      less than 30 s, indicating that the binding is fully reversible. The specificity
      of [3H]acifluorfen binding to protoporphyrinogen oxidase is examined.
      [3H]Acifluorfen binding is inhibited by all the peroxidizing molecules tested.
      The phthalimide derivative, N-(4-chloro-2-fluoro-5-isopropoxy)phenyl-3,4,5,6
      tetra hydrophthalimide, exerts a mixed-competitive inhibition on this binding.
      The effects of all these molecules on the binding of [3H]acifluorfen are tightly
      linked to their capacity to inhibit pea etioplast protoporphyrinogen oxidase
      activity. Furthermore, protoporphyrinogen IX, the substrate of the reaction
      catalyzed by protoporphyrinogen oxidase, was able to competitively inhibit the
      binding of [3H]acifluorfen. In contrast, protoporphyrin IX, the product of the
      reaction, did not inhibit this binding. All these results provide clear evidence
      that in pea etioplasts, [3H]acifluorfen exclusively binds to protoporphyrinogen
      oxidase, that the protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitors tested so far bind to the
      same region of the enzyme and that this region overlaps the catalytic site of the
      enzyme.

PMID- 1425695
TI  - Mutational replacements in subtilisin 309. Val104 has a modulating effect on the
      P4 substrate preference.
AB  - The previous notion that the amino acid side chain at position 104 of subtilisins
      is involved in the binding of the side chain at position P4 of the substrate has
      been investigated. The amino acid residue Val104 in subtilisin 309 has been
      replaced by Ala, Arg, Asp, Phe, Ser, Trp and Tyr by site-directed mutagenesis. It
      is shown that the P4 specificity of this enzyme is not determined solely by the
      amino acid residue occupying position 104, as the enzyme exhibits a marked
      preference for aromatic groups in P4, regardless of the nature of the position
      104 residue. With hydrophilic amino acid residues at this position, no
      involvement is seen in binding of either hydrophobic or hydrophilic amino acid
      residues at position P4 of the substrates. The substrate with Asp in P4 is an
      exception, as the preference for this substrate is increased dramatically by
      introduction of an arginine residue at position 104 in the enzyme, presumably due
      to a substrate-induced conformational change. However, when position 104 is
      occupied by hydrophobic residues, it is highly involved in binding of hydrophobic
      amino acid residues, either by increasing the hydrophobicity of S4 or by
      determining the size of the pocket. The results suggest that the amino acid
      residue at position 104 is mobile such that it is positioned in the S4 binding
      site only when it can interact favourably with the substrate's side chain at
      position P4.

PMID- 1425696
TI  - Structure of the acidic N-linked carbohydrate chains of the 55-kDa glycoprotein
      family (PZP3) from porcine zona pellucida.
AB  - N-linked carbohydrate chains of the major 55-kDa family, PZP3, of porcine zona
      pellucida glycoproteins are composed of neutral (28%) and acidic (72%) complex
      type chains. The structures of the main components of the neutral chain have been
      established [Noguchi, S., Hatanaka, Y., Tobita, T. & Nakano, M. (1992) Eur. J.
      Biochem. 204, 1089-1100]. Here we report the structures of the acidic chains.
      Only two kinds of acidic fragments were released from PZP3 by endo-beta
      galactosidase digestion following beta-elimination of O-linked chains. 500-MHz
      one-dimensional and two-dimensional 1H-NMR spectroscopy revealed their structures
      to be Sia alpha(2-3)Gal beta(1-4) [HSO3-6]GlcNAc beta(1-3)Gal and HSO3-6GlcNAc
      beta(1-3)Gal, showing that the sulfate-containing acidic chains are constructed
      with non-branched N-acetyllactosamine repeats which have sialic acid(s) at the
      non-reducing end(s) and sulfate at the C-6 position of GlcNAc residues. The
      acidic N-linked chains obtained from PZP3 by hydrazinolysis were separated into
      diantennary chains (34%) and tri- and tetra-antennary chains (66%) by
      concanavalin-A--agarose gel chromatography. The diantennary chains and their
      sialidase digests were fractionated by DEAE-HPLC. From the analyses of the endo
      beta-galactosidase digests of each fraction, structures of the diantennary acidic
      chains were determined. They are classified into four groups. The first group is
      the sialylated chains without the sulfated N-acetyllactosamine repeating unit.
      The other three groups have the chains of various lengths differing in the number
      of monosulfated N-acetyllactosamine unit. These chains are extended from the Man
      alpha(1-3) branch of the trimannosyl core in the second group, from the Man
      alpha(1-6) branch in the third group, and from both branches in the fourth group.
      The structural features of the tri- and tetra-antennary acidic chains are also
      presented.

PMID- 1425697
TI  - The Asn-linked carbohydrate chains of human Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein of one
      male. Novel sulfated and novel N-acetylgalactosamine-containing N-linked
      carbohydrate chains.
AB  - Human Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein has been purified from the urine of one male.
      The Asn-linked carbohydrate chains were enzymically released by peptide-N4-(N
      acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase F, and separated from the remaining
      protein by gel-permeation chromatography on Bio-Gel P-100. Fractionation of the
      intact (sulfated) sialylated carbohydrate chains was achieved by a combination of
      three liquid-chromatographic techniques, namely, anion-exchange FPLC on Q
      Sepharose, amine-adsorption HPLC on Lichrospher-NH2, and high-pH anion-exchange
      chromatography on CarboPac PA1. In total, more than 150 carbohydrate-containing
      fractions were obtained, some of which still contained mixtures of
      oligosaccharides. The primary structure of 30 N-glycans, including 10 novel
      oligosaccharides, were determined by one- and two-dimensional 1H-NMR spectroscopy
      at 500 MHz or 600 MHz. The types of compounds identified range from non
      fucosylated, monosialylated, diantennary to fucosylated, tetrasialylated,
      tetraantennary carbohydrate chains, possessing the following terminal structural
      elements: [formula: see text]

PMID- 1425698
TI  - Thioredoxin regenerates proteins inactivated by oxidative stress in endothelial
      cells.
AB  - The thioredoxin/thioredoxin reductase system has been studied as regenerative
      machinery for proteins inactivated by oxidative stress in vitro and in cultured
      endothelial cells. Mammalian glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase was used as
      the main model enzyme for monitoring the oxidative damage and the regeneration.
      Thioredoxin and its reductase purified from bovine liver were used as the
      regenerating system. The physiological concentrations (2-14 microM) of reduced
      thioredoxin, with 0.125 microM thioredoxin reductase and 0.25 mM NADPH,
      regenerated H2O2-inactivated glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and other
      mammalian enzymes almost completely within 20 min at 37 degrees C. Although the
      treatment of endothelial cells with 0.2-12 mM H2O2 for 5 min resulted in a marked
      decrease in the activity of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, it had no
      effect on the activities of thioredoxin and thioredoxin reductase. Essentially
      all of the thioredoxin in endothelial cells at control state was in the reduced
      form and 70-85% remained in the reduced form even after the H2O2 treatment. The
      inactivated glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in a cell lysate prepared
      from the H2O2-treated endothelial cells was regenerated by incubating the lysate
      with 3 mM NADPH at 37 degrees C and the antiserum raised against bovine liver
      thioredoxin inhibited the regeneration. The inhibition of thioredoxin reductase
      activity by 13-cis-retinoic acid resulted in a decrease in the regeneration of
      glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in the H2O2-treated endothelial cells.
      The present findings provide evidence that thioredoxin is involved in the
      regeneration of proteins inactivated by oxidative stress in endothelial cells.

PMID- 1425699
TI  - Corn kernel cysteine proteinase inhibitor as a novel cystatin superfamily member
      of plant origin. Molecular cloning and expression studies.
AB  - A full-length cDNA clone for a cysteine proteinase inhibitor (cystatin) was
      isolated from a lambda gt10 cDNA library of immature corn kernels by screening
      with a mixture of cDNA inserts for oryzacystatins I and II. The cDNA clone spans
      960 base pairs, encoding a 135-amino-acid protein containing a signal peptide
      fragment. The protein, named corn cystatin I, is considered to be a member of the
      cystatin superfamily, since it contains the commonly conserved Gln-Val-Val-Ala
      Gly region that exists in most known cystatins as a probable binding site and is
      significantly similar to other cystatins in its overall amino acid sequence. Corn
      cystatin I expressed in Escherichia coli showed a strong papain-inhibitory
      activity. Northern blot analysis showed that the amount of mRNA for corn cystatin
      I reaches a maximum 2 weeks after flowering and then decreases gradually.

PMID- 1425700
TI  - Purification and characterization of a hemocyte proteinase of Sarcophaga,
      possibly participating in elimination of foreign substances.
AB  - We have reported that foreign protein injected into the abdominal cavity of
      Sarcophaga peregrina (flesh fly) larvae is degraded in the hemolymph by a
      proteinase secreted by hemocytes [Suzuki, T. and Natori, S. (1985) Comp. Biochem.
      Physiol. 81A, 191-193]. Here we report the purification and characterization of a
      proteinase from larval hemocytes. This enzyme is a cysteine proteinase consisting
      of 26-kDa and 29-kDa subunits with similar substrate specificity to mammalian
      cathepsin B. This enzyme was shown to be released from hemocytes into the
      hemolymph of larvae following injection of sheep red blood cells into the larvae,
      suggesting that it participates, at least in part, in elimination of foreign
      substances introduced into the body cavity.

PMID- 1425701
TI  - Specific phosphorylation of the acidic central region of the N-myc protein by
      casein kinase II.
AB  - The central region of the N-myc protein has a characteristic amino acid sequence
      EDTLSDSDDEDD, which is very similar to those of particular domains of adenovirus
      E1A, human papilloma virus E7, Simian virus 40 large T, c-myc and L-myc proteins.
      Domains of these three viral oncoproteins have recently been shown to be specific
      binding sites for the tumor-suppressor gene retinoblastoma protein. We have noted
      that the sequence of serine followed by a cluster of acidic amino acids is
      exactly the same as that of a typical substrate of casein kinase II (CKII).
      Therefore, we investigated whether these nuclear oncoproteins are phosphorylated
      by CKII. For this purpose, we fused the beta-galactosidase and N-myc genes
      including this domain and expressed it in Escherichia coli cells. Several mutant
      N-myc genes, containing single amino acid substitutions in this domain, were also
      used to produce fused proteins. Strong phosphorylation by CKII was detected with
      the fused protein of wild-type N-myc. However, no phosphorylation of beta
      galactosidase itself was observed and the phosphorylations of fused mutant
      proteins were low. Another fused N-myc protein containing most of the C-terminal
      region downstream of this acidic region was not phosphorylated by CKII. Analysis
      of phosphorylation sites in synthetic peptides of this acidic region identified
      the major sites phosphorylated by CKII as Ser261 and Ser263. On two-dimensional
      tryptic mapping of phosphorylated N-myc proteins, major spots of in vitro-labeled
      and in-vivo-labeled N-myc proteins were detected in the same positions. These
      results suggest that two serine residues of the acidic central region of the N
      myc protein are phosphorylated by CKII in vivo as well as in vitro. The
      functional significance of this acidic domain is discussed.

PMID- 1425702
TI  - Characterization of the 56-kDa subunit of yeast trehalose-6-phosphate synthase
      and cloning of its gene reveal its identity with the product of CIF1, a regulator
      of carbon catabolite inactivation.
AB  - Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase is the key enzyme for biosynthesis of trehalose,
      the major soluble carbohydrate in resting cells of yeast. This enzyme was
      purified from a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae lacking vacuolar proteases. It
      was found to be a multimeric protein of 630 kDa. Monoclonal antibodies were
      raised against its smallest subunit (56 kDa) and used for screening a yeast cDNA
      library. This yielded an immunopositive cDNA clone of 1.7 kb, containing an open
      reading frame of 1485 base pairs. Its sequence, called TPS1 (for trehalose-6
      phosphate synthase), was represented by a single gene in the yeast genome and was
      found to be almost identical with the recently sequenced CIF1, a gene important
      for carbon catabolite inactivation, believed to be allelic with FDP1. A mutant
      obtained by disruption of TPS1 had a very low activity of trehalose-6-phosphate
      synthase, indicating that TPS1 is an important component of the enzyme. The
      mutant also showed a growth defect when transferred from glycerol to glucose, a
      phenotype similar to that of the cif1 and fdp1 mutants deficient in carbon
      catabolite inactivation. Thus, the smallest subunit of the biosynthetic enzyme
      trehalose-6-phosphate synthase appears to have, in addition, a central regulatory
      role in the carbohydrate metabolism of yeast.

PMID- 1425703
TI  - Germin isoforms are discrete temporal markers of wheat development. Pseudogermin
      is a uniquely thermostable water-soluble oligomeric protein in ungerminated
      embryos and like germin in germinated embryos, it is incorporated into cell
      walls.
AB  - Nascent synthesis and accumulation of germin and its mRNA mark the onset of
      renewed growth when wheat embryos are germinated in water. Germin is a water
      soluble, pepsin-resistant protein that is not found in immature embryos, or in
      mature embryos before their germination. An antiserum was raised by injecting
      rabbits with germin that was freed of other proteins by pepsinization and gel
      filtration. The antiserum has been used to detect, in extracts of mature embryos
      from dry, ungerminated wheat grains, a protein that is antigenically related to
      germin. The antigenically related protein has been named pseudogermin.
      Pseudogermin accumulates, maximally, between 20-25-days postanthesis, then
      declines appreciably in amount by 30-days postanthesis, in soluble extracts of
      immature embryos from several wheat varieties. The antiserum was also used to
      identify germin and pseudogermin among the proteins extracted from cell walls and
      to bind immunogold to cell walls preparatory to visualizing freeze-cleaved
      embryos by scanning electron microscopy. Wall-associated germin accounts for
      about 40% of the total germin in germinating wheat embryos. Appearance of germin
      in the apoplast is the most conspicuous germination-related change in the
      distribution of cell-wall proteins. It seems that germin may act at the level of
      the apoplast and that pseudogermin may subsume the role of germin at low water
      potentials during embryogenesis. The N-terminal eicosapeptide sequences in germin
      and pseudogermin are very similar but SDS/PAGE analysis detects discrete
      differences between the mobilities of their constituent monomers as well as gross
      differences between the stabilities of the parent oligomers. Like germin,
      pseudogermin is a water-soluble, pepsin-resistant protein, but pseudogermin has
      unprecedented disulphide-independent thermostability properties that have never
      been previously reported for a water-soluble oligomeric protein. Polysaccharides
      that co-purify with otherwise pure specimens of germin (and pseudogermin) have
      been isolated for analysis and shown to be highly substituted
      glucuronogalactoarabinoxylans. The possible biological significance of selective
      and tenacious association between germin and glucuronogalactoarabinoxylans is
      discussed in relation to cell expansion during embryogenic and germinative
      development of wheat, as are some peculiarities of amino-acid sequence that
      suggest a possible relation between germin and a proton-specific ion pump:
      gastric ATPase.

PMID- 1425704
TI  - Wheat Ec metallothionein genes. Like mammalian Zn2+ metallothionein genes, wheat
      Zn2+ metallothionein genes are conspicuously expressed during embryogenesis.
AB  - A cDNA library was prepared from the bulk mRNA of mature wheat embryos and
      screened with mixed 32P-labeled oligonucleotide probes that encoded parts of the
      partial amino-acid sequence for the Zn-containing Ec protein. Each DNA insert in
      11 positives from a screen of 10(5) plaques encoded a 5' untranslated and a 3'
      untranslated region, in addition to an open reading frame (of 81 amino acids)
      which, in every case, corresponded to at least 56 of the 59 amino acids in the
      partial polypeptide sequence previously determined for the Ec protein. The three
      different mRNA sequences encoded in the cDNA probably correspond to single-copy
      genes in the A, B and D genomes of hexaploid wheat. A wheat genomic library was
      screened with 32P-labeled cDNA and gave a single positive in a screen of 5 x
      10(5) plaques. A 3.1-kb genomic fragment (gf-3.1) was sequenced and a cap site
      for the encoded mRNA was determined by primer extension. The gf-3.1 sequence
      encodes an intronless mRNA for the Ec protein and contains appreciable amounts of
      5' and 3' flanking sequences. In addition to a putative TATA box, two inverted
      repeat sequences and one direct-repeat sequence, the 5' flank in gf-3.1 contains
      a sequence similar to the abscisic-acid-responsive element in other higher-plant
      genes but does not contain sequences similar to the metal-responsive elements in
      animal metallothionein genes. Consistent with these findings, RNA blotting shows
      that accumulation of Ec mRNA is abundant in immature embryos, undetectable in
      germinated embryos and can be induced by adding abscisic acid, but not by adding
      Zn2+ to the medium in which mature wheat embryos are germinated. The findings
      suggest that the wheat Ec metallothionein genes, like mammalian liver
      metallothionein genes, are conspicuously expressed during embryogenesis.

PMID- 1425705
TI  - A novel insect defensin mediates the inducible antibacterial activity in larvae
      of the dragonfly Aeschna cyanea (Paleoptera, Odonata).
AB  - The injection of low doses of bacteria into the aquatic larvae of dragonflies
      (Aeschna cyanea, Odonata, Paleoptera) induces the appearance in their hemolymph
      of a potent antibacterial activity. We have isolated a 38-residue peptide from
      this hemolymph which is strongly active against Gram-positive bacteria and also
      shows activity against one of the Gram-negative bacteria which was tested. The
      peptide is a novel member of the insect defensin family of inducible
      antibacterial peptides, which had so far only been reported from the higher
      insect orders believed to have evolved 100 million years after the Paleoptera.
      Aeschna defensin is more potent than defensin from the dipteran Phormia, from
      which its structure differs in several interesting aspects, which are discussed
      in the paper.

PMID- 1425706
TI  - A substrate-like form of plasminogen-activator-inhibitor type 1. Conversions
      between different forms by sodium dodecyl sulphate.
AB  - Recombinant plasminogen-activator-inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) purified in an active
      form from Escherichia coli and eucaryotic cells was found to contain a mixture of
      three functionally distinct forms: an active form that forms complexes with
      plasminogen activators (PAs), an inactive (latent) form that remains intact after
      incubation with PAs, and a substrate-like form which is easily cleaved by PAs.
      Since active PAI-1 purified from bacteria (rpPAI-1) contains only trace amounts
      of the inactive latent and the substrate-like forms, this material was used to
      study the effect of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) on the structure and function
      of active PAI-1. After treatment with 0.01% SDS, active rpPAI-1 was converted to
      an inactive form that did not form complexes with PAs, but exhibited
      characteristics similar to those of latent PAI-1. After treatment with 0.1% SDS,
      PAI-1 lost its inhibitory activity and was cleaved as a substrate in the reactive
      center. Circular dichroism spectral analysis reveals that SDS changed the
      conformation of PAI-1 dramatically, mainly by increasing its alpha-helical
      content.

PMID- 1425707
TI  - Unusual amino acid substitution in the anion-binding site of Lactobacillus
      plantarum non-allosteric L-lactate dehydrogenase.
AB  - In Lactobacillus plantarum non-allosteric L-lactate dehydrogenase (L-LDH), the
      highly conserved His188 residue, which is involved in the binding of an
      allosteric effector, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate [Fru(1,6)P2], in allosteric L-LDH
      is uniquely substituted by an Asp. The mutant L. plantarum L-LDH, in which Asp188
      is replaced by a His, showed essentially the same Fru(1,6)P2-independent
      catalytic activity as the wild-type enzyme, except that the Km and Vmax values
      were slightly decreased. However, the addition of Fru(1,6)P2 induced significant
      thermostabilization of the mutant enzyme, as in the case of many allosteric L
      LDHs, while Fru(1,6)P2 showed no significant effect on the stability of the wild
      type enzyme, indicating that only the single-point mutation, G-->C, sufficiently
      induces the Fru(1,6)P2-binding ability of L. plantarum L-LDH. The mutant enzyme
      showed higher thermostability than the wild-type enzyme in the presence of
      Fru(1,6)P2. In the absence of Fru(1,6)P2, on the other hand, the mutant enzyme
      was more labile below 65 degrees C but more stable above 70 degrees C.

PMID- 1425708
TI  - Cloning and specific polymerised-chain-reaction amplification of a third charge
      separable human metallothionein isoform.
AB  - Metallothionein (MT) fractions isolated from human adult liver tissue are readily
      separated by anion-exchange chromatography in two isoforms, MT-1 and MT-2, which
      differ from each other in the nature of the amino acid residue at position 11. In
      fetal liver tissue, the presence of a third charge-separable MT isoform has been
      previously reported. We determined its partial amino acid sequence and the
      sequence of a cDNA clone encoding this MT form. This confirmed the existence of
      another human MT isoform, hereafter named MT-0, which is characterized by the
      presence of a negatively charged amino acid at position 8, and by a Glu23 to Lys
      substitution in a strictly conserved region of the protein. Taking into account
      these substitutions, we are able to classify human MT isoforms into three instead
      of two charge-separable groups, based on the nature of three amino acid residues.
      The unique presence of Glu8 in MT-0 enabled us to develop an MT-0-specific
      amplification by the polymerase chain reaction, which revealed the presence of MT
      0 mRNA in adult liver RNA samples, in spite of the total absence of this isoform
      at the protein level. This suggests the involvement of post-transcriptional
      regulatory mechanisms in the expression of this fetal MT form.

PMID- 1425709
TI  - Efficacy of fluconazole in the treatment of systemic fungal infections.
AB  - The efficacy of fluconazole in the treatment of systemic fungal infections was
      evaluated in an open non-comparative trial. A total of 48 patients with proven or
      suspected fungal infections were enrolled in 40 of whom efficacy was evaluable.
      Candida albicans accounted for 90% of the infections. Candida parapsilosis,
      Candida glabrata, Histoplasma capsulatum and Aspergillus fumigatus caused the
      infection in one case each. Fluconazole was administered at a dosage of 200-400
      mg daily for a mean duration of 15 days. Fluconazole treatment was successful in
      53% of the patients. In patients with proven or probable Candida albicans
      infections a clinical and mycological response was achieved in 62% and 65%,
      respectively. In 11 patients elevation of liver enzymes was considered to be
      possibly related to fluconazole treatment; modification of treatment was not
      necessary in any case. Fluconazole was found to be a well tolerated and effective
      agent for the treatment of systemic Candida albicans infections.

PMID- 1425710
TI  - Value of differential quantitative blood cultures in the diagnosis of catheter
      related sepsis.
AB  - A prospective study was performed to assess the value of differential
      quantitative blood cultures in the diagnosis of catheter-related sepsis when this
      condition is suspected on clinical grounds and to establish a reliable
      discriminative value for application without removal of the inserted catheter. A
      total of 107 central venous catheters from 64 patients were used for the study.
      Blood was obtained simultaneously through the suspected infected device and from
      a peripheral venipuncture. The catheter was removed and its tip cultured
      semiquantitatively. Catheter-related sepsis occurred in 17 patients. Using as cut
      off value a colony count fourfold higher in blood drawn through the catheter than
      in simultaneously drawn peripheral blood, a sensitivity of 94%, specificity of
      100% and positive predictive value of 100% were obtained. A single bacterial
      count greater than 100 cfu/ml in the quantitative culture of the catheter blood
      specimen in the presence of a positive qualitative peripheral blood culture of
      the same organism was also highly suggestive of catheter-related sepsis.
      Differential quantitative blood culture is a reliable method for the diagnosis of
      catheter-associated sepsis without catheter removal.

PMID- 1425711
TI  - In vitro and in vivo effect of antibiotics on catheters colonized by
      staphylococci.
AB  - An in vitro model was used to study whether and how catheter infections can be
      cured. Silastic catheters were "infected" with Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923
      and Staphylococcus epidermidis KH11 and V2; these "infections" were then treated
      with 24, 48 and 96 h continuous infusions of various antimicrobial agents
      administered both as monotherapy and in combination. The Staphylococcus aureus
      strain was considerably more difficult to eliminate from catheters than were the
      Staphylococcus epidermidis strains. This experience gained in the laboratory was
      then applied in vivo to 16 episodes of catheter sepsis in seven children.
      Treatment for at least six days with imipenem/cilastatin combined with fosfomycin
      or an aminoglycoside successfully eliminated the pathogens isolated from 11 of
      the 16 episodes of infection. The broad-spectrum combination was chosen because
      it could not be assumed that individual pathogens would be sensitive to a single
      substance. Nine of the infected catheters could be retained in the patients. This
      experience suggests that it may be possible to successfully eliminate the
      colonization of central venous catheters by coagulase-negative staphylococci
      using the antimicrobial agents employed here.

PMID- 1425712
TI  - Spectrum of disease in bacteraemic patients during a Streptococcus pyogenes
      serotype M-1 epidemic in Norway in 1988.
AB  - All 87 known cases of bacteraemia due to Streptococcus pyogenes (beta-haemolytic
      group A streptococci) occurring during the peak of a nationwide outbreak in
      Norway (population 4.2 million) between January and June 1988 were reviewed.
      Clinical features varied widely and appeared largely to be dependent on the
      patients' age. The case fatality rate ranged from 11% in the age group under 30
      years to 44% in patients over 60 years. Clinical complications such as shock,
      severe renal or respiratory failure or serious local infection occurred
      particularly in 30-to 59-year old individuals. Shock was manifest in 32% of the
      patients and carried a 68% case fatality rate. Chronic heart disease in the
      elderly and pneumonia seemed to be associated with a fatal outcome. In the 25
      patients (29%) who died the disease showed a fulminant course, 80% dying within
      48 hours after admission. However, 56% of the patients had experienced symptoms
      for more than two days before admission, suggesting that early diagnosis and
      treatment might possibly have prevented the development of a serious disease.
      This study revealed a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations in bacteraemia
      cases in a unique epidemiological situation caused largely by a single serotype
      of Streptococcus pyogenes; 89% of the 27 preserved bacteraemia strains carried
      the M-1 antigen. The observations call attention to the ability of these
      organisms to cause fulminant clinical illness, indicating a probable increase in
      both invasiveness and toxicity of group A streptococci responsible for the
      epidemic.

PMID- 1425713
TI  - Evaluation of ciprofloxacin and doxycycline in the treatment of Mediterranean
      spotted fever.
AB  - A comparison was made of the results obtained with ciprofloxacin (750 mg/12 h)
      and doxycycline (100 mg/12 h), both administered p.o. for one week, in 34 and 36
      patients respectively with Mediterranean spotted fever. Apyrexia was achieved
      after 50.1 +/- 34.2 h (mean +/- SD) of antibiotic therapy in the group of
      patients treated with ciprofloxacin and in 55.2 +/- 23.3 h in the group treated
      with doxycycline (no significant statistical differences). Resolution of the
      remaining signs and symptoms of the disease was achieved faster with
      ciprofloxacin. Both therapeutic regimens were effective and safe. Although more
      expensive than doxycycline, ciprofloxacin is a bactericidal compound which is
      better tolerated and has a lower risk of toxicity and of development of
      resistance. It can be considered, together with doxycycline, as an antibiotic of
      first choice in the treatment of Mediterranean spotted fever.

PMID- 1425714
TI  - Evaluation of an enzyme immunoassay using neoglycolipids constructed from Candida
      albicans oligomannosides to define the specificity of anti-mannan antibodies.
AB  - In order to study the respective roles of oligomannoside sequences in the
      antigenicity of Candida albicans phosphopeptidomannan, a method was developed for
      constructing neoglycolipids from oligomannosides released by depolymerisation of
      this molecule. Oligomannosides released by acetolysis were converted to
      neoglycolipids by coupling them to 4-hexadecylaniline in an equimolar reaction
      checked by thin layer chromatography. When coated onto microEIA plates, the
      neoglycolipids exhibited strong reactions which were dose dependent and were
      saturable with concanavalin A. Reactivity of neoglycolipids with immunoglobulins
      were then tested with a panel of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies reacting
      with epitopes present in the original phosphopeptidomannan. One of two IgM
      monoclonal antibodies and two of five monospecific rabbit polyclonal IgG reacted
      strongly with neoglycolipids therefore providing evidence of the presence of
      structures mimicking epitopes within the pool of neoglycolipids. When 38 sera
      from 18 hospital inpatients with various levels of antibodies to Candida albicans
      were tested, a correlation was observed between the EIA to detect neoglycolipids
      and the EIA to detect phosphopeptidomannan. Successive sera from all patients
      showing seroconversion in the immunofluorescence assay had increased EIA signals
      for neoglycolipids.

PMID- 1425715
TI  - Treatment of tularemia with ciprofloxacin.
AB  - A case of tularemia which occurred after close contact with a cat is presented.
      After unsuccessful amoxicillin treatment, a two-week course of doxycycline was
      given whereupon the patient responded well. However, the patient relapsed shortly
      after and was then given ciprofloxacin for two weeks. The patient then recovered
      completely. Clinical trials are needed in order to establish whether a quinolone
      could be the drug of choice for treatment of tularemia.

PMID- 1425716
TI  - Evaluation of a latex test for rapid detection of pneumococcal antigens in
      sputum.
AB  - A latex agglutination test (Directigen) for detection of pneumococcal capsular
      polysaccharide antigens in sputum was evaluated in comparison to culture and Gram
      stain using 121 sputum specimens. The sensitivity, specificity and rate of
      agreement of the latex test compared to culture were 90%, 79% and 81%,
      respectively. The results suggest that the latex test may be useful for detecting
      pneumococcal antigen in sputum.

PMID- 1425717
TI  - Evaluation of three rapid enzyme immunoassays and cell culture for detection of
      respiratory syncytial virus.
AB  - Three rapid enzyme immunoassay techniques for the detection of respiratory
      syncytial virus antigen (Becton Dickinson Directigen RSV, Abbott RSV Testpack and
      Abbott RSV EIA) and cell culture were evaluated in a total of 250 nasal washings.
      The sensitivity and specificity were 62% and 76% respectively for Directigen, 64%
      and 86% for RSV Testpack, and 76% and 81% for RSV EIA, taking cell culture as the
      reference method. Agreement between cell culture and EIA techniques was 79% (70
      positive and 128 negative results). All three EIA techniques gave positive
      results in 69 samples (52 positive and 17 negative in the cell culture). In 121
      samples all three EIA techniques gave negative results (103 negative and 18
      positive in the cell culture). Using the cell culture technique 46 strains other
      than respiratory syncytial virus were isolated.

PMID- 1425718
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of roxithromycin and influence of H2-blockers and antacids on
      gastrointestinal absorption.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of roxithromycin (300 mg orally) and the influence of the
      antacid aluminum magnesium hydroxide and the H2-blocker ranitidine on
      bioavailability of roxithromycin in ten healthy volunteers were studied.
      Pharmacokinetics after a single dose of roxithromycin were characterized by high
      peak serum levels (9.1 +/- 2.1 mg/l) and a long elimination half-life (7.2 +/-
      2.5 h), resulting in a large area under the curve (116.9 +/- 32.7 mg h/l). High
      inter- and intraindividual variations were found for both the absorption time and
      the elimination half-life. The bioavailability of roxithromycin was not affected
      by coadministration with antacids or ranitidine.

PMID- 1425719
TI  - Congenital pneumonia and early neonatal septicemia due to Bacteroides fragilis.

PMID- 1425720
TI  - Corynebacterium jeikeium meningitis and transverse myelitis in a neutropenic
      patient.

PMID- 1425721
TI  - Changes in the sensitivity of urinary pathogens to quinolones between 1987 and
      1990 in France.

PMID- 1425722
TI  - Determination of antibody titres for Borrelia burgdorferi in the serum of gipsies
      living in Attika, Greece.

PMID- 1425723
TI  - Seroprevalence of Chlamydia pneumoniae in the normal population.

PMID- 1425724
TI  - A French case of rabies in Europe.

PMID- 1425725
TI  - Serious complications of vascular catheter-related Staphylococcus aureus
      bacteremia in cancer patients.
AB  - Over the period 1986 to 1989, 53 cancer patients were identified with catheter
      related Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson
      Cancer Center. Septic thrombosis was diagnosed in 12 (23%) patients and was
      suspected in another 3 (6%). Of the 12 patients, five developed deep-seated
      infections (septic emboli, endocarditis, meningitis, abscess), compared with 2 of
      the 38 other patients with no septic thrombosis (p < 0.01). Fever persisted for
      more than three days after antibiotic initiation in 52% of the patients with
      complications (septic thrombosis and/or deep-seated infections), compared with
      19% of those without complications (p < 0.02). Of the three patients with
      complications who were treated for 14 days with intravenous antistaphylococcal
      antibiotics, two relapsed; in contrast, all of the nine patients with
      complications who were treated for more than 14 days (mean 4 weeks) were cured,
      and none relapsed (p < 0.05). Of the nine patients with complications who were
      treated with a long course of therapy, only one required surgery. The possibility
      of septic thrombosis and/or deep-seated infections should be considered in all
      cancer patients with catheter-related Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, and if
      present, the condition should be treated with appropriate intravenous antibiotics
      for at least four weeks.

PMID- 1425726
TI  - Randomized multicenter clinical trial with imipenem/cilastatin versus
      cefotaxime/gentamicin in the treatment of patients with non-life-threatening
      infections. German and Austrian Imipenem/Cilastatin Study Group.
AB  - In an open, controlled, randomized study the safety and efficacy of
      imipenem/cilastatin was compared with that of the combination
      cefotaxime/gentamicin (plus metronidazole in patients with suspected anaerobe
      infection) in the treatment of 337 patients from 12 German and 5 Austrian centers
      who had non-life-threatening infections. The evaluation was done on an intention
      to-treat basis (i.e. all patients including protocol violators) and according to
      the protocol (144 patients in the imipenem/cilastatin group and 124 in the
      cefotaxime/gentamicin group). No significant differences were seen between the
      two treatment groups in terms of the clinical and bacteriological outcome. The
      frequency of infusion intolerance and thrombophlebitis was low in both groups (<
      2%). The overall rate of adverse events was comparable in the two groups, nausea,
      vomiting and diarrhea being the most frequent events. Nephrotoxicity, indicated
      by an increase in serum creatinine, was significantly higher in the
      cefotaxime/gentamicin group. Imipenem/cilastatin was shown to be as effective as
      cefotaxime/gentamicin (metronidazole) and appears to be well tolerated.

PMID- 1425727
TI  - Characteristics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains causing septicemia in a Spanish
      hospital 1981-1990.
AB  - The epidemiological and biochemical characteristics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
      strains causing septicemia in a Spanish hospital over a ten-year period (1981
      1990) were analyzed. A total of 207 episodes, corresponding to 0.7 episodes per
      1,000 inpatients and 3.2% of the total number of episodes of septicemia, were
      registered. Males were more often affected than females (rate 3.2:1). The
      respiratory (24.6%) and urinary (21.2%) tracts were the main portals of entry,
      while haematologic and solid tumours (15.4%) were the most frequent underlying
      diseases. More than 86% of the strains were susceptible to ceftazidime,
      mezlocillin, piperacillin and amikacin. Seventy strains were subjected to typing
      and analysis of virulence factors. Serotypes O:6, O:11 and O:2 could be
      considered endemic (each present in more than 11.4% of strains). Pyocin typing,
      antibiotyping and resistotyping were preferred as secondary typing methods to
      phage typing and plasmid profile analysis. The combination of methods revealed a
      large diversity of strains although some clusters predominated. More than 80% of
      the strains produced several exoenzymes, possessed pyoverdin and showed
      haemolytic activity, and all except one showed serum resistance. All strains were
      susceptible to silver and more than 80% to mercury and boron, but all were
      resistant to iodine.

PMID- 1425728
TI  - Evaluation of a chemiluminometric immunoassay for detection of Chlamydia
      trachomatis in the urine of male and female patients.
AB  - A chemiluminometric immunoassay (Magic Lite Chlamydia) for detection of Chlamydia
      trachomatis antigens in first-void urine samples was compared with cell culture
      using urogenital swabs from 221 men and 242 women. The rate of isolation of
      Chlamydia trachomatis was 23.5% in men, nearly 80% of whom had symptoms of
      urethritis, and 8.3% in women, in whom both cervix and urethra samples were
      tested. In urine sediments from men and women respectively the chemiluminometric
      assay showed a sensitivity of 80.8% and 70%, a specificity of 97% and 95%, a
      positive predictive value of 89.4% and 58.3%, and a negative predictive value of
      94.3% and 97.2%. Discrepancies between results obtained with the
      chemiluminometric assay and cell culture were resolved using two polymerase chain
      reaction techniques to test urogenital samples. The detection of Chlamydia
      trachomatis in urine samples with the chemiluminometric assay was confirmed to be
      superior for screening symptomatic men with urogenital infections than women as a
      lower prevalence population.

PMID- 1425729
TI  - Review of nocardial infections in France 1987 to 1990.
AB  - On the basis of the numbers of Nocardia strains referred to the National
      Reference Center for Mycoses and Antifungal Agents (NRC), Institut Pasteur,
      Paris, in the period from 1987 to 1990, it was estimated that between 150 and 250
      cases of nocardiosis are diagnosed in France each year. A total of 63 clinical
      isolates were referred to the NRC and identified as Nocardia asteroides (66.7%),
      Nocardia farcinica (23.8%), Nocardia brasiliensis (3.2%), Nocardia
      otitidiscaviarum (4.8%) and Nocardia carnea (1.5%). Nocardia asteroides accounted
      for 71.4% of pulmonary infections, 80.0% of central nervous system infections and
      80.0% of systemic infections. Patients infected with Nocardia farcinica died in
      57.1% of cases, compared with 17.6% of patients infected with Nocardia
      asteroides. Corticosteroid therapy represented a significant factor in mortality.
      Isolates of Nocardia asteroides revealed variable resistance, whereas isolates of
      Nocardia farcinica were resistant to most antimicrobial agents. Only
      amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, imipenem, cefoxitin, kanamycin, amikacin,
      minocycline and vancomycin showed activity against both species. Nocardiosis
      caused by Nocardia farcinica may be a growing problem because of the relatively
      high incidence in AIDS patients and the resistance of this species to most
      antimicrobial agents.

PMID- 1425730
TI  - Quantitative assay for testing susceptibility of HIV isolates to zidovudine and
      sCD4 (178)-PE40.
AB  - A quantitative coculture assay is described for determining susceptibility of HIV
      1 isolates to zidovudine and sCD4 (178)-PE40 (a 60 kDa hybrid protein consisting
      of the gp120 binding region of CD4 linked to the translocation and ADP
      ribosylation regions of Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin). The assay was
      relatively simple to perform and gave highly reproducible results often within
      three to five days. IC50 values of zidovudine for HIV-1 strains isolated from two
      AIDS patients and an asymptomatic seropositive individual were in the range 0.001
      0.002 mumol. Isolates obtained after six months of zidovudine treatment had
      zidovudine IC50 values of 0.01-0.5 mumol. All isolates were equally sensitive to
      sCD4 (178)-PE40 (IC50 1-5 micrograms/ml). HIV-1 activation in the chronically
      infected cell line U-1 was inhibited by sCD4 (178)-PE40 but not by zidovudine.

PMID- 1425731
TI  - Clinical evaluation of a new lipid-based delivery system for intravenous
      administration of amphotericin B.
AB  - In a retrospective study a new lipid-based delivery system for administration of
      amphotericin B was evaluated in 26 treatment courses in 22 patients. Amphotericin
      B was given by infusion diluted in either the lipid solution (1 mg/kg/d; 13
      courses) or dextrose (0.92 mg/kg/d; 13 courses). No differences were noted in the
      serum pharmacokinetics. Fever or rigors were observed in 6 of 13 courses in the
      conventional amphotericin B group versus none in the lipid amphotericin B group
      (p = 0.007). Four of 13 courses of treatment were discontinued due to adverse
      effects in the conventional amphotericin B group compared to none in the other
      group (p = 0.048). In the lipid amphotericin B group the decrease in creatinine
      clearance was significantly lower on the fourth day of treatment (p = 0.04) and
      significantly fewer patients had a decrease of more than 25% in creatinine
      clearance on the sixth day (4/12 vs 9/11 p = 0.02). These preliminary findings
      suggest that this lipid amphotericin B formulation is well tolerated with few
      nephrotoxic effects.

PMID- 1425732
TI  - A case of prolonged urinary tract infection caused by Mycobacterium fortuitum.
AB  - A case of prolonged urinary tract infection caused by Mycobacterium fortuitum in
      a 56-year old female patient is reported. The infection, which was resistant to
      therapy with conventional antituberculous agents, responded well to a combination
      of trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole and doxycycline.

PMID- 1425733
TI  - Effect of subinhibitory concentrations of cefamandole and cefuroxime on adherence
      of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis to polystyrene culture
      plates.
AB  - The ability of cefamandole and cefuroxime to inhibit adherence of staphylococci
      to polystyrene culture plates was tested in an in vitro assay using eight strains
      each of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. The results
      indicated that subinhibitory concentrations of cefamandole and cefuroxime altered
      the adherence ability of both staphylococcal species, inhibition of adherence
      being more marked in the presence of cefamandole. It may be important to consider
      antiadherence properties in association with bactericidal activity when selecting
      agents for antibiotic prophylaxis.

PMID- 1425734
TI  - Evaluation of a monoclonal antibody for detection of Helicobacter pylori in a
      direct immunofluorescence test.
AB  - A monoclonal antibody was developed for detection of Helicobacter pylori in
      gastric tissue sections in a direct immunofluorescence test. On a comparison of
      the immunofluorescence test with standard methods for detection of Helicobacter
      pylori, i.e. culture, the urease activity test and histological examination of
      tissue sections, using 158 biopsy specimens, 30 specimens were positive in all
      methods and 64 negative. In the remaining cases comparison was not possible
      because either immunofluorescence (29 specimens) or the standard methods (16
      specimens) gave ambiguous results. The direct immunofluorescence test may have
      potential as an alternative to standard methods, but further testing in a defined
      patient population is necessary.

PMID- 1425735
TI  - Detection of hepatitis B virus DNA in chronic carriers by the polymerase chain
      reaction.
AB  - The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect hepatitis B virus DNA (HBV
      DNA) in serum samples of 104 chronic HBV carriers. Of 22 patients positive for
      both HBV surface (HBsAg) and HBVe (HBeAg) antigens, seven were positive for HBV
      DNA on dot blot hybridisation, and all 22 positive in the PCR. Of 41 HBsAg
      positive patients who had antibodies against HBeAg (anti-HBe), only three were
      positive for DNA-HBV on dot blot hybridisation, however DNA was detected in 30 of
      them with the PCR. Similarly, of 41 individuals with antibodies against HBsAg
      (anti-HBs), 23 yielded positive results in the PCR technique, although dot blot
      hybridisation detected HBV-DNA in only one patient. These results indicate that
      while serological and conventional DNA hybridisation assays are not sensitive
      enough to determine the infectivity of HBV chronic carriers, PCR is an accurate
      method for establishing the status and progression of disease in these patients.

PMID- 1425736
TI  - Choroiditis and meningitis in experimental murine infection with Listeria
      monocytogenes.
AB  - In a study of central nervous system involvement in experimental listeriosis 27
      Swiss CD1 mice were inoculated subcutaneously with Listeria monocytogenes.
      Systemic infection developed, as shown by the isolation of Listeria monocytogenes
      and histopathological lesions in the spleen and liver. In the central nervous
      system a mixed inflammatory infiltration in the ventricular system, especially in
      the choroid plexus, and leptomeningitis were the most relevant lesions.
      Inflammatory lesions were associated with the presence of Listeria monocytogenes,
      as demonstrated by a positive anti-Listeria monocytogenes immunoperoxidase
      reaction within phagocytic cells. It is suggested that choroiditis and meningitis
      developed as a consequence of hematogenous dissemination of Listeria
      monocytogenes within mononuclear phagocytes and penetration of these cells into
      the ventricular system through the choroid plexus.

PMID- 1425737
TI  - In vitro susceptibility of Haemophilus influenzae to cefaclor, cefixime,
      cefetamet and loracarbef.
AB  - The susceptibility of 2,212 Haemophilus influenzae isolates cultured in UK
      clinical laboratories in 1991 was determined for four orally-administered beta
      lactam drugs. These isolates included 1,893 ampicillin-susceptible, 191 beta
      lactamase-positive and 128 ampicillin-resistant, beta-lactamase-negative
      Haemophilus influenzae. While 150 (6.8%) isolates were resistant to cefaclor (MIC
      > or = 16 mg/l) and 85 (3.8%) to loracarbef, all were inhibited by < or = 2 mg/l
      cefetamet and < or = 1 mg/l cefixime and were therefore susceptible to these
      agents. Ranges and modes of inhibition zone diameters and MICs indicated that the
      susceptibility of a variable proportion of the 191 beta-lactamase-positive
      isolates to cefaclor, loracarbef and cefetamet was reduced compared with the
      fully susceptible population. In contrast, a major reduction in susceptibility to
      all four antimicrobial agents was seen among the 128 ampicillin-resistant (MIC 1
      64 mg/l) beta-lactamase-negative isolates such that these accounted for 53% and
      67% of the total number of organisms resistant to cefaclor and loracarbef
      respectively. In addition, 23 of 25 isolates inhibited only by > or = 1 mg/l
      cefetamet and all eight inhibited only by > or = 0.5 mg/l cefixime showed this
      type of resistance to ampicillin. Results indicate the importance of detecting
      non-beta-lactamase-mediated resistance to ampicillin and any concomitant
      diminished susceptibility to other beta-lactam drugs.

PMID- 1425738
TI  - Antimicrobial activity of ten macrolide, lincosamine and streptogramin drugs
      tested against Legionella species.
AB  - RP59500, a semisynthetic pristinamycin combination, and 14 other antimicrobial
      agents were tested against 108 Legionella strains. Of the ten macrolide,
      lincosamine and streptogramin agents tested, the new streptogramin RP59500 ranked
      seventh in order of activity against Legionella pneumophila on the basis of MIC90
      results as follows: clarithromycin = 14-OH clarithromycin (MIC90 0.12 mg/l) >
      roxithromycin > erythromycin = tylosin = virginiamycin > RP59500 (MIC90 1 mg/l) =
      azithromycin > dirithromycin > clindamycin (MIC90 8 mg/l). Of all 14 drugs tested
      in this study, rifampicin was the most potent with an MIC90 of 0.008 mg/l. In
      this retrospective study of Legionella strains (1981-1990 isolates), we observed
      no trend toward resistance to the agents investigated.

PMID- 1425739
TI  - In vitro antimicrobial activity of the new antibiotic vermisporin.
AB  - The antimicrobial activity of vermisporin, a new antibiotic produced by
      fermentation of the fungus Ophiobolus vermisporis, was tested in vitro.
      Vermisporin inhibited 90% of Bacteroides fragilis and other Bacteroides spp. at 1
      microgram/ml (range 0.25-1 micrograms/ml). Clostridium perfringens were inhibited
      by 1 microgram/ml (range 0.25-2 micrograms/ml). Vermisporin inhibited 90% of
      Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, at
      0.5 micrograms/ml (range 0.12-0.5 micrograms/ml). Vermisporin MICs for group A,
      B, C, F and G streptococci were < 1 microgram/ml when tested in Haemophilus Test
      Medium but > or = 8 micrograms/ml in the presence of blood. Vermisporin MICs for
      Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Haemophilus influenzae exceeded 64
      micrograms/ml. Inhibited organisms had MBCs 16- to 32-fold above the MICs.

PMID- 1425740
TI  - In vitro activity of L-627 against anaerobic bacteria.
AB  - The in vitro activity of L-627 against 370 anaerobic bacterial strains including
      anaerobic cocci, Propionibacterium acnes, Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium
      difficile, Bacteroides fragilis, other Bacteroides spp. and fusobacteria was
      determined by the agar dilution method. This activity was compared with that of
      piperacillin, cefoxitin, imipenem, meropenem, clindamycin, metronidazole and
      chloramphenicol. L-627, imipenem, meropenem, clindamycin, metronidazole and
      chloramphenicol were the most active agents tested. L-627 had in vitro activity
      similar to that of the other carbapenems tested.

PMID- 1425742
TI  - Ultrasonographic evaluation of Legg-Calve-Perthes disease based on sonoanatomic
      criteria and the application of new measuring techniques.
AB  - This study attempts an ultrasonographic classification of Legg-Calve-Perthes
      disease according to sonoanatomic and sonometric criteria. Four stages, similar
      to standard radiological staging, could reproducibly be found in 29 patients with
      unilateral disease. The stages could be significantly differentiated according to
      descriptive sonoanatomic criteria and partially newly introduced sonographic
      measurements, including epiphysis-metaphysis-index and acetabulum-epiphysis
      distance. Sonographic evaluation of Perthes hips is a simple and standardised
      procedure, which can serve to stage and monitor the course of the disease and
      hence reduce the amount of X-ray exposure and treatment costs.

PMID- 1425741
TI  - Fatal septicemia due to a toxigenic strain of Corynebacterium diphtheriae
      subspecies mitis.

PMID- 1425743
TI  - Initial stage of Legg-Calve-Perthes disease: comparison of three-phase bone
      scintigraphy and SPECT with MR imaging.
AB  - Twenty-one patients with initial stage Legg-Calve-Perthes (LCP) disease were
      examined by three-phase bone scintigraphy, single photon emission scintigraphy
      (SPECT), and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. On dynamic study, increased
      activity was present in the epiphysis or the growth plate in 39%; the
      corresponding figure for blood-pool images was 94%. Pinhole images demonstrated
      the lateral stripe of revascularization in 57% of patients. Decreased signal
      intensity in the epiphysis on T1-weighted images proved to be the most sensitive
      indicator of epiphyseal necrosis on MR imaging and was absent in only 10% of the
      cases. The subchondral fracture occurred in 62% (including the above 10% of
      cases), identified by T1-weighted image. Cartilaginous hypertrophy, detected by
      T1-weighted image, had a high incidence (81%). Joint effusion was identified on
      T2-weighted images in 90% of patients. The cross-sectional views provided by
      SPECT and MR imaging permits a better appreciation of the extent of epiphyseal
      necrosis in LCP disease.

PMID- 1425744
TI  - The role of ultrasound and isotope scanning in the management of irritable hips.
AB  - Patients (n = 181) with the irritable hip syndrome were reviewed. Four of these
      were found to have Perthes disease and 3 cases had septic arthritis.
      Ultrasonography provides accurate information as to the presence or absence of an
      effusion in children with an irritable hip syndrome. The likelihood of a positive
      result is higher in the early course of the disease process (i.e. within 3 days).
      Bone scanning, if done routinely will help in the early diagnosis of Perthes
      disease. Recurrence of the symptoms occurred in 18% of patients and most of them
      were within 12 months of the first onset of symptoms.

PMID- 1425745
TI  - Fracture of the carpal scaphoid: frequency and distribution in a well-defined
      population.
AB  - The incidence, location, and type of scaphoid fractures found in a well-defined
      population is described. Fractures of the carpal scaphoid (n = 442) were
      identified during an eight-year period, of which 19 (5%) were nonunions. At the
      initial radiographic examination the fractures were visible on PA views in 70% of
      the cases (true lateral 10%, scaphoid view neutral 77%, scaphoid view ulnar
      deviated 73%, and scaphoid view with the X-ray tube tilted 30 degrees distally
      71%). Among inhabitants living in the Odense Municipality (population at risk
      170648 in 1983 to 174948 in 1989) 222 males and 51 females (age range 9-87 year)
      sustaining scaphoid fractures during a seven-year were period used for
      computation of incidences. During the survey, there was an average annual
      incidence of scaphoid fracture of 8 per 100000 females, and 38 per 100000 males.
      All patients (except a 9-year-old male) were aged 10 years or over. In the age
      group 10-14 years there was an average annual incidence of 3 per 100000 females,
      and 39 per 100000 males. Average annual incidence per 100000 inhabitants of
      carpal scaphoid fractures according to the location was proximal 6, middle 15,
      and distal (fractures of the tuberosity included) 2. Average annual incidence per
      100000 inhabitants of carpal scaphoid fractures according to type was transverse
      7, horizontal oblique 9, vertical oblique 1, avulsion/fracture of the tuberosity
      5, and not stated 1.

PMID- 1425746
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in idiopathic hypoparathyroidism: a case
      report.

PMID- 1425748
TI  - Mediastinal metastases of infradiaphragmatic malignancies.
AB  - Mediastinal lymph node metastases from infradiaphragmatic malignancies are
      reported to be a rare occurrence. The results of previous studies have been based
      on the evaluation of chest radiographs. In this study we retrospectively reviewed
      the chest and abdominal computed tomography examinations of 50 such patients. Of
      these, 25 had renal cell carcinoma and the remainder, other genitourinary or
      gastrointestinal carcinomas. The major nodal groups involved in the mediastinum
      were the right paratracheal in 41 cases, subcarinal in 31, paraesophageal in 26,
      and aortopulmonary in 25. Hilar nodes were involved in 21 cases. In the abdomen,
      para-aortic and or retrocrural adenopathy was present in 29 cases. Of 21 patients
      with pulmonary metastases, only 12 cases were associated with ipsilateral hilar
      lymphadenopathy. Supraclavicular lymphadenopathy occurred in only 8 patients.
      These results suggest that spread of infradiaphragmatic malignancies to the
      mediastinum occurs primarily by extension from the retrocrural and para-aortic
      nodes into the thoracic duct and then by antegrade flow in the thoracic duct and
      its collaterals, with retrograde flow from these channels to the mediastinal
      nodes.

PMID- 1425747
TI  - High-resolution computed tomography in cystic fibrosis.
AB  - The sensitivity of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in identifying the
      pulmonary lesions of cystic fibrosis (CF) was evaluated. Thirty-nine patients (16
      males, 23 females; mean age 19.1 years) were examined by chest HRCT. According to
      Shwachman and Kulczycki criteria, the clinical score of the patients ranged from
      40 to 95, thus covering most possible variations of lung disease severity. All
      the patients presented diffuse thickening of bronchial walls, expression of the
      characteristic CF bronchial inflammation. Bronchiectases were the second most
      common lung lesions: discrete dilatation of bronchi was observed in 87% of cases;
      the localization, pattern and extent of bronchiectasis were accurately detected
      by HRCT. Pleural thickening and hilar adenopathy were frequently identified (in
      64% and 82% of the patients, respectively). Bronchoceles were seen in 64% of the
      patients; atelectasis (33%) and subpleural bullous dystrophic emphysema (28%)
      were observed less frequently. On HRCT, the localization of the disease processes
      within the secondary pulmonary lobule was possible in all patients. In agreement
      with international literature, the identification of these lesions confirms HRCT
      as the more sensitive technique for early visualization and location of the
      manifestations of CF bronchopathy. A larger range of experience coming from a
      systematic use of HRCT in chronic inflammatory lung diseases would increase our
      knowledge of pathogenetic processes and allow improvement of therapeutic
      perspectives.

PMID- 1425749
TI  - Giant true aneurysm of an aortocoronary bypass graft: a rare cause for a
      mediastinal mass.

PMID- 1425750
TI  - Ruptured aneurysm of an aberrant right subclavian artery: CT and angiographic
      findings.

PMID- 1425751
TI  - Erectile dysfunction: timing of spectral wave-form analysis in the assessment of
      the function of the cavernosal arteries.
AB  - Color Doppler ultrasound seems to be an accurate method to evaluate vascular
      erectile function, in particular the arterial supply of the penis. Because of its
      relative noninvasiveness and easy performance, it has to precede more invasive
      evaluation (cavernosography and invasive angiography). Combination of wave form
      pattern analysis with peak systolic velocity measurements allows differentiation
      between arterial and venous insufficiency. Fifty-one patients suffering from
      erectile dysfunction, were examined with use of color Doppler ultrasound. Nine
      had adequate vascular function with good penile tumescence. However, during these
      adequate (late) stages of tumescence, peak systolic velocity fluctuated
      significantly. We conclude that in the late stages of tumescence, velocity
      measurements are not reliable as a parameter of arterial function.

PMID- 1425752
TI  - An unusual case of renal involvement in non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

PMID- 1425753
TI  - Sonographic findings in infants with suspected necrotizing enterocolitis.
AB  - During a three-year period, 27 infants with clinical signs of necrotizing
      enterocolitis (NEC) underwent ultrasonography; 22 of these infants also had
      abdominal radiographs within a few hours. Sonographically, portal venous gas
      (PVG) was seen in 10 and intestinal pneumatosis without PVG in 8 infants. Six
      children underwent laparotomy within 24 hours after ultrasonography and showed
      evidence of recent NEC. Three other children, laparotomized weeks later were
      found to have intestinal strictures as signs of previous NEC. None of the
      patients died from NEC. Nine infants without abnormal gas distribution did not
      develop overt NEC. With respect to PVG, sonography is able to support the
      tentative diagnosis of NEC prior to radiography. However, absence of PVG does not
      exclude NEC.

PMID- 1425754
TI  - Pseudomembranous colitis: an ultrasound diagnosis.

PMID- 1425755
TI  - Radiographic indicants of adult celiac disease assessed by double-contrast small
      bowel enteroclysis.
AB  - The number of folds and lumen diameter of the proximal jejunum and distal ileum
      were retrospectively measured in 40 double-contrast small bowel enteroclysis
      studies of patients with a biopsy-proven diagnosis of adult celiac disease (ACD)
      and in 46 healthy control subjects. For both parameters an inverse radiographic
      pattern was found in celiacs compared to control subjects, in whom the number of
      folds and lumen calibers are physiologically greater in proximal jejunum than in
      the distal ileum. Mean differences in the jejuno-ileal number of folds (-7.1) and
      lumen calibers (-1.3 cm.) were in fact negative in ACD patients, in whom the
      values of both the parameters are less in the proximal jejunum than in the distal
      ileum. Particularly, the sign of "reversal of jejuno-ileal caliber" was both
      sensitive and specific for diagnosis of ACD in this retrospective series. Double
      contrast small bowel enteroclysis can play an important role in excluding or
      confirming the presence of ACD, provided that an assessment of reproducibility
      and a prospective re-evaluation of operative characteristics of such radiographic
      signs are performed.

PMID- 1425756
TI  - Computed tomography of retroperitoneal duodenal rupture in blunt abdominal
      trauma.
AB  - Two cases of retroperitoneal duodenum rupture following an upper abdominal blunt
      trauma are reported. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrates at best
      extraintestinal fluid and air in the retroperitoneum, especially if acquisition
      in right lateral decubitus is possible. Drawbacks of the method are also
      reviewed.

PMID- 1425757
TI  - Defecography and anorectal manometry.
AB  - In a prospective study anorectal manometry was performed in 160 consecutive
      patients who were referred for defecography. Leakage of contrast material of
      standardized viscosity, the anorectal angle (ARA), anal resting pressure (Pr) and
      squeeze pressure (Ps) were measured and analyzed. This was done to investigate
      the role of ARA on rectal continence during defecography and to investigate
      whether relevant findings of manometry can be predicted from findings at
      defecography as part of the diagnostic work-up in selected patients in order to
      avoid manometry in these patients. The ARA was of significance in maintaining
      rectal continence for the contrast medium (P = 0.008). With increasing leakage,
      Pr and Ps decreased significantly (P less than 0.001). In all fully incontinent
      patients (n = 36) Ps was distinctly below normal values. Manometry can be avoided
      in these patients if the level of Pr is not important for therapeutic strategy.

PMID- 1425758
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging of the gastrointestinal tract: investigation of baby
      milk as a low cost contrast medium.
AB  - After the incidental observation of the high signal intensity of the upper GI
      tract in a nourished baby, we tested eight baby milks; five different fresh
      commercial milks, one sweetened and condensed and two lyophilized milks in order
      to compare their ability to contrast MR images. The images were obtained with a
      1.5 T magnet whereas the "in vitro" water proton relaxation time (T1 and T2)
      measurements were carried out at 0.5 T. After having selected the most effective
      lyophilized product, that was prepared according to the manufacturer's
      instructions, a group of 23 adult patients, 17 males and 6 females, with a mean
      age of 55.8 years (range 37 to 71 years) were examined. Thirteen patients had
      gastric cancer and ten patients had rectal or rectosigmoid junction tumors. The
      most effective imaging sequence was a spin-echo T1.w. After oral intake of milk a
      good contrast of the stomach, with sufficient distribution in the duodenum and
      the very proximal bowel, was achieved in all 13 patients with gastric cancer, as
      was a good depiction of the rectum and the recto-sigmoid junction after enema
      achieved in the 10 patients with rectal cancers. Disadvantages of lyophilized
      milk as a contrast agent are due to partial intestinal absorption, inhomogeneous
      distribution and irregular intestinal passage, whereas a clear advantage of
      lyophilized milk as a contrast agent is its good acceptance and palatable,
      inexpensive and non invasive properties. Because of these limitations lyophilized
      milk cannot be considered a real oral contrast medium but it can enhance MR
      imaging of the upper abdomen, and mainly of the lower GI tract in infants and
      adults.

PMID- 1425759
TI  - Acute cholecystitis: ultrasonographic staging and percutaneous cholecystostomy.
AB  - Experience in the treatment of acute cholecystitis with percutaneous
      cholecystostomy in 29 high-risk and elderly patients is reported. The treatment
      group included 14 men and 15 women, 21 of whom were over 70 years of age. The
      suspected clinical diagnosis of acute cholecystitis was confirmed in all cases by
      ultrasonography (accuracy: 95.6%). The percutaneous cholecystostomy was
      successful in 27 of 29 cases and these patients had a sudden improvement in their
      clinical condition; failure of the procedure was due in one patient to
      dislodgement of the catheter and in another patient to the guide-wire slipping
      out of the gallbladder. Six patients complained of pain radiating to the right
      shoulder which disappeared within 30-60 minutes after the procedure. Twenty-three
      of the 27 patients subsequently underwent elective cholecystectomy. In 22
      patients the ultrasonographic findings were compared with the histology; thus
      enabling us to establish an ultrasonographic staging of acute cholecystitis
      related to the seriousness of the disease. Percutaneous cholecystostomy is the
      treatment of choice in high-risk patients, in the elderly, as well as in young
      patients with impending perforation.

PMID- 1425760
TI  - Serious or fatal complications after inadvertent administration of ionic water
      soluble contrast media in myelography.
AB  - The consequences of the inadvertent administration, by the intrathecal route, of
      ionic contrast media instead of iopamidol in seven subjects are reported. The
      ionic compounds were diatrizoate, iodamide and ioxitalamate. The outcome was
      fatal in three out of seven subjects, and it depended on the type and the dose of
      the administered contrast agent. The serious or fatal reactions observed are a
      tragic confirmation of the predictive power of neurotoxicity data obtained in
      animal studies with various iodinated water-soluble compounds. The margin of
      safety, represented by the ratio of LD50 i.ce. in mice to clinical dose in
      humans, both normalized to bodyweight, appears to reliably reflect the risk of
      toxic reactions after intrathecal administration of iodinated contrast agents.

PMID- 1425761
TI  - A Golgi-related structure remains after the brefeldin A-induced formation of an
      ER-Golgi hybrid compartment.
AB  - Brefeldin A (BFA) has previously been shown to block protein transport from the
      endoplasmic reticulum (ER), to cause the redistribution of Golgi components to
      the ER, and to change profoundly the morphology of the Golgi apparatus. In order
      to quantitate the effects of this drug on the morphology of the ER and the Golgi
      apparatus in HeLa cells, the numerical, surface and volume densities of these
      organelles were determined by stereological means. We found that in cells treated
      with BFA (5 micrograms/ml) clusters of vesicles and tubules, often located near
      transitional elements of the ER, replaced the Golgi apparatus. The numerical
      density of these clusters in cells treated with BFA for 30 min or 4.5 h is
      similar to that of Golgi complexes and Golgi-related clusters in control cells.
      The surface density of the vesicles and tubules contained in these clusters is
      about 50% of that represented by Golgi elements in control cells. Concomitantly,
      a corresponding increase in the surface density of the ER-Golgi hybrid
      compartment was observed. This hybrid compartment contained Golgi-specific
      enzymes effecting modifications of N-linked oligosaccharides and the transfer of
      O-linked sugars. Antibodies recognizing different subcompartments of the Golgi
      apparatus or the intermediate compartment, labeled vesicles and tubules of the
      Golgi-related clusters. Applying low doses of BFA allowed for the dissection of
      the disassembly of the Golgi apparatus into at least two phases. At very low
      doses (10-20 ng/ml) the numerical density of vesicles in the clusters increased
      up to 4-fold above control, while the surface density did not markedly change,
      suggesting that vesiculation of the Golgi cisternae had occurred. Fusion of Golgi
      elements with the ER seemed to occur only at doses of BFA higher than 20 ng/ml.
      Contrary to observations on other cell types, removal of BFA from HeLa cell
      cultures resulted in a rather slow reformation (1-2 h) of the Golgi complex,
      which allowed us to observe several intermediate stages in this process. During
      this time period an ER was restored which no longer contained Golgi-specific O
      glycosylation functions. Our results demonstrate that BFA does not simply cause
      the disappearance of the Golgi apparatus by fusion with the ER, but instead
      clusters of vesicles and tubules remain that contain Golgi-specific markers.

PMID- 1425762
TI  - Golgi proteins persist in the tubulovesicular remnants found in brefeldin A
      treated pancreatic acinar cells.
AB  - Brefeldin A (BFA) blocks protein export from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and
      causes dismantling of the Golgi cisternae with relocation of resident Golgi
      proteins to the ER in many cultured cell lines. We examined the effects of BFA on
      Golgi organization and the distribution of Golgi markers in the rat exocrine
      pancreas. Immediately after BFA addition, Golgi stacks began to disorganize and
      Golgi cisternae to vesiculate, and by 15 min no intact Golgi cisternae remained.
      However, even after prolonged BFA incubation, clusters of small vesicles
      surrounded by transitional elements of the ER persisted both in the Golgi region
      and dispersed throughout the apical cytoplasm. These vesicles were
      morphologically heterogeneous in the density of their content and in the presence
      of cytoplasmic coats. Immunogold labeling demonstrated that some vesicles within
      the clusters contained gp58, a cis Golgi marker, and some contained alpha
      mannosidase II, a middle/trans Golgi marker in this cell type. Neither marker was
      detected in the rough ER by immunogold or immunofluorescence labeling. When AlF4-
      was added during BFA treatment some of the vesicles in the clusters appeared
      coated. When microsomes were subfractionated into Golgi (light) and rough ER
      (heavy) fractions on sucrose density gradients, greater than 65% of alpha
      mannosidase II and galactosyltransferase activities were found in light fractions
      (1.14-1.16 g/ml) in both control and BFA-treated lobules. In both cases equally
      low enzyme activity was recovered in heavier fractions (1.2-1.23 g/ml) containing
      RNA and alpha-glucosidase activity. However, 5 to 8% of the total recovered RNA
      consistently codistributed with the Golgi enzyme peak. These results indicate
      that BFA rapidly inhibits secretion and causes dismantling of the Golgi stacks in
      pancreatic acinar cells, but clusters of vesicles consisting of bona fide Golgi
      remnants persist even with prolonged exposure to BFA. Many of the vesicles
      contain Golgi markers by immunolabeling. By cell fractionation Golgi membrane
      enzyme activities are recovered in equal amounts in light (Golgi) fractions in
      both controls and BFA-treated specimens. These findings indicate that in the
      exocrine pancreas there is a dissociation of BFA's effects on the exocytic
      pathway: there is a block in transport and Golgi organization is disrupted, but
      remnant Golgi vesicles and tubules persist and retain Golgi membrane antigens and
      enzyme activities.

PMID- 1425763
TI  - Presence of Golgi remnant membranes in the cytoplasm of brefeldin A-treated
      cells.
AB  - Brefeldin A (BFA) rapidly blocks secretion, induces disassembly of the Golgi
      complex and causes a redistribution of Golgi components into the endoplasmic
      reticulum (ER). In addition to these effects on the exocytotic pathway, BFA has
      been shown to induce fusion of endosomal membranes with the trans-Golgi network
      in some cell types. To better understand the mechanism through which BFA disrupts
      the exocytotic traffic, we have examined its effects on the ultrastructural
      organization of the Golgi complex. Within minutes of exposure to BFA, the Golgi
      cisternae were fragmented into a number of small tubules and vesicles, many of
      which had a non-clathrin coat on their cytosolic surface. In addition, a complex
      structure consisting of anastomosing tubules and associated vesicles appeared in
      the cytoplasm of cells incubated with BFA for 10 min or longer. These tubular
      networks were permanent, distinct structures separated from the ER cisternae.
      They contained cis, middle, and trans Golgi proteins as well as the lipid
      analogue C5-DMB-ceramide. Furthermore, secretory proteoglycans en route through
      the Golgi were retained in the lumen of the tubular networks. As judged by the
      endocytosis of cationized ferritin, endosomes do not contribute to the formation
      of these tubular networks. Reassembly of the Golgi complex after BFA incubation
      involved fragmentation and reorganization of the tubular networks as well as
      fusion with vesicles budded from the ER. We conclude that although in the
      presence of BFA the bulk of Golgi membranes are induced to fuse with the ER, as
      indicated by the detection of Golgi markers in this organelle, a fraction of
      these membranes remain in the cytoplasm organized as Golgi remnants.

PMID- 1425764
TI  - Evidence that globular Golgi clusters in mitotic HeLa cells are clustered tubular
      endosomes.
AB  - By conventional electron microscopy we observed in mitotic HeLa cells the
      structures termed Golgi clusters by Lucocq et al. (J. Cell Biol. 104, 865-874
      (1987)) and interpreted by them as clusters of vesicular remnants of the Golgi
      apparatus. Golgi clusters consist of tubular and vesicular profiles about 50 nm
      in diameter, sometimes associated with larger 250 nm vesicles. When cultures of
      HeLa cells were incubated for 60 min or 120 min with medium containing high
      specific activity horseradish peroxidase (HRP) at 10 mg/ml we found that the
      membrane-bound compartments in the Golgi clusters in mitotic cells contained
      heavy deposits of HRP reaction product. Neither interphase nor mitotic HeLa cells
      contain an endogenous peroxidase activity. We concluded that Golgi clusters are
      an endocytic compartment and confirmed this by showing that Golgi clusters could
      be labeled with two other endocytic tracers--bovine serum albumin conjugated to
      colloidal gold and transferrin conjugated to HRP. When cultures were incubated
      with HRP for only 15 min most of the Golgi clusters in the mitotic cells were
      either unlabeled or consisted of a mixture of HRP-labeled and unlabeled profiles.
      Since during mitosis endocytosis is inhibited this was the expected result. When
      interphase HeLa cells were incubated with Brefeldin A (BFA), the Golgi apparatus
      disassembled and immunofluorescence microscopy showed that 1,4 beta
      galactosyltransferase had relocated to the endoplasmic reticulum. When cells in
      the presence of BFA and lacking the Golgi apparatus were allowed to endocytose
      HRP and then entered mitosis, typical HRP-labeled Golgi clusters were seen in the
      mitotic cells. It is therefore highly unlikely that these structures contain
      membrane derived from the Golgi cisternae that are sensitive to BFA, including in
      HeLa cells those containing galactosyltransferase. Finally, we found that
      interphase HeLa cells incubated with okadaic acid contain structures that are
      morphologically indistinguishable from Golgi clusters but can be labeled by
      endocytic tracer. Taken together, this evidence indicates that most, if not all,
      of the membrane-bound compartments in Golgi clusters are tubular early endosomes.

PMID- 1425765
TI  - Cell-adhesive properties of streptavidin are mediated by the exposure of an RGD
      like RYD site.
AB  - The interaction of streptavidin with various cell systems was studied using
      fluorescent derivatives of the protein. The native unprocessed form of
      streptavidin bound to cells at low levels and in a nonspecific manner. In
      contrast, both the truncated "core" streptavidin (the commercially available
      form) and the biotin-blocked unprocessed protein bound to cells in enhanced
      levels and in a specific, saturable manner. This suggests that the binding of
      biotin or cleavage of the terminal portion(s) of the native protein molecule
      causes conformational changes which lead to the exposure of sites which
      presumably interact with cell surface receptors. Peptide inhibition studies
      demonstrated that the majority of binding to cells appears to be dependent on RGD
      like specificity, suggesting that the GRYDS sequence of the streptavidin molecule
      may exhibit such specificity. Indirect immunofluorescence assays revealed that
      the protein is associated mainly with the cell surface. Moreover, streptavidin
      was demonstrated to compete with specific monoclonal antibodies to the RGD
      binding site on the GpIIbIIIa integrin of activated platelets, thus suggesting
      that streptavidin may facilitate binding to ubiquitous cell-surface adhesion
      receptors via RGD mimicry.

PMID- 1425766
TI  - Migration of polarized epithelial cells through permeable membrane substrates of
      defined pore size.
AB  - We have observed that cells of various epithelial lines exhibit the ability to
      migrate through permeable membrane substrates containing 3.0 microns pores.
      Scanning and transmission electron microscopic observations of Vero C1008 and
      Caco-2 cell lines grown on polycarbonate membranes containing 3.0 microns pores
      revealed extensive penetration of the filter and the establishment of virtually
      complete monolayers on the opposing surface. The migration of MDCK cells was also
      observed to occur under the same conditions; however, the extent of MDCK cell
      growth on the opposing surface was significantly less than observed for Vero
      C1008 and Caco-2 cells. Morphological differences were apparent between cells
      growing on the upper and lower faces of the filter membrane, although cells
      growing on both surfaces exhibited a polarized phenotype. The cells which invaded
      the filter were collected and maintained by serial passage. The passaged cells
      exhibited morphological differences and an altered rate of differentiation in
      comparison to the parental cell type, suggesting that the invasive cells
      represent a variant of the parental cell population. Studies using filters of
      different pore sizes indicated that cellular migration also occurs through pores
      of 2.0 microns diameter, but not through 1.0 micron (or smaller) pores. These
      observations have significant implications for studies involving the growth of
      epithelial cells on permeable membrane substrates containing large pores.

PMID- 1425767
TI  - Sea urchin coelomic fluid agglutinin mediates coelomocyte adhesion.
AB  - The sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus coelomic fluid was found to contain
      agglutinin which agglutinates animal erythrocytes and promotes adhesion of
      autologous coelomocytes. Hemagglutinating activity depended upon the presence of
      calcium ions and was relatively heat-stable. Through a combination of methods
      including ammonium sulfate precipitation and both size exclusion and ion exchange
      chromatographies, we purified the anti-rabbit agglutinating factor. The intact
      agglutinin migrates as a single band with an apparent M(r) of over 200,000. Three
      distinct protein bands with a calculated M(r) of 174,000, 137,000, and 76,000,
      respectively were observed under reducing conditions. The purified agglutinin
      strongly promoted the in vitro adhesion of autologous coelomocytes.

PMID- 1425768
TI  - The expression and synthesis of the band 3 protein initiates the formation of a
      stable membrane skeleton in murine Rauscher-transformed erythroid cells.
AB  - While the temporal sequences of the synthesis and assembly of membrane skeletal
      proteins has been studied during erythroid maturation, relatively little is known
      about the events which initiate the assembly of membrane skeleton at the early
      stages of mammalian erythroid commitment. To investigate the early events that
      initiate the assembly of the membrane skeleton in mammalian erythroid cells, we
      have studied the synthesis and assembly of membrane skeletal proteins in murine
      Rauscher erythroleukemia virus-transformed cells. These cells are blocked in
      differentiation at around the early progenitor (burst forming unit-erythroid,
      BFUe) cell stage but can be induced to differentiate in vitro. Pulse-labeling
      studies reveal that Rauscher cells actively synthesize alpha spectrin, beta
      spectrin, ankyrin and band 4.1 proteins. However, the synthesis of the band 3
      protein and its mRNA are barely detectable in these cells. The peripheral
      membrane skeletal components assemble only transiently in the membrane skeleton
      and turn over rapidly, resulting in about 20-fold lower steady state levels than
      are found in mature erythrocytes. Upon induction with erythropoietin and dimethyl
      sulfoxide, the mRNA level and synthesis of band 3 are increased about 50-fold. In
      contrast, the synthesis of spectrin, ankyrin and band 4.1 is increased only about
      1.5 to 2.0-fold. However, after induction, the fraction of these proteins
      assembled on the membrane is increased, their half-lives on the membrane are
      nearly doubled with a concomitant 4 to 5-fold increase in their steady-state
      levels. These results suggest that the synthesis of peripheral membrane proteins
      is detected at the earliest stages of erythroid commitment and increases only
      slightly during further differentiation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425769
TI  - Assembly of a tail-less mutant of the intermediate filament protein, vimentin, in
      vitro and in vivo.
AB  - Recent reports on the possible contribution of the non-alpha-helical carboxy
      terminal domain ("tail") of type III intermediate filament (IF) proteins to IF
      assembly have been controversial. To examine the importance and role of this
      domain, we have therefore engineered a Xenopus laevis vimentin cDNA to code for a
      tail-less polypeptide and have used it in combination with prokaryotic and
      eukaryotic expression systems. Here we show that tail-less vimentin, isolated
      from transfected bacteria (Escherichia coli), when used for assembly in vitro,
      forms normal-looking, loosely packed IFs. By viscometry we demonstrate that this
      tail-less vimentin assembles at an even higher rate and into longer IFs than wild
      type vimentin. In vivo, i.e., by forced expression in transfected type III IF
      free cultured epithelial cells, tail-less vimentin was also recovered in short
      fibrillar structures, in rodlets and in small as well as large spheroidal
      aggregates ("granules") that did not reveal any IF substructure. Surprisingly,
      however, spheroidal aggregate structures formed from the tail-deleted vimentin,
      were seen not only in the cytoplasm but also in the nucleus, indicating a role of
      the tail in higher order organization and compartmentalization of the vimentin IF
      system.

PMID- 1425770
TI  - Macromolecular structure of reassembled neurofilaments as revealed by the quick
      freeze deep-etch mica method: difference between NF-M and NF-H subunits in their
      ability to form cross-bridges.
AB  - Neurofilament (NF) structure and ability to form cross-bridges were examined by
      quick-freeze deep-etch mica and low-angle rotary-shadow electron microscopy in
      NFs purified from bovine spinal cord and reassembled in various combinations of
      NF subunits. When NFs were reassembled from triplet proteins, NF-L, NF-M and NF
      H, they were oriented randomly and often fragmented, but their elongated
      filaments (12-15 nm wide) and the cross-bridges (4-5 nm wide) connecting them
      were similar in appearance to those of isolated bovine NFs or in vivo rat NFs.
      Projections extended from the wall of the core filament in almost the same
      pattern as the cross-bridges and were the same in width and interval (minimum
      interval, 20-25 nm) as the cross-bridges. Projections were more conspicuous when
      core filaments were separated by 60 to 80 nm or more, while cross-bridges were
      more conspicuous when core filaments were close to each other. Projections or
      cross-bridges extended bilaterally at intervals of 20 to 25 nm where core
      filaments expanded and formed a network between filaments which were far from one
      another. When NFs were reconstructed from NF-L alone, only core filaments
      appeared, the same width as the filaments of triplet NFs. The core filaments were
      occasionally in almost direct contact with each other, with no projection or
      cross-bridge. When NFs were reassembled from NF-M alone or NF-L + NF-M, although
      NF-M core filaments were shorter and slightly thinner than NF-L + NF-M core
      filaments, both had projections, and both had cross-bridges, but cross-bridges
      were less evident. Cross-bridges were almost the same in width as those of
      triplet NFs, but significantly shorter and much less frequent although the
      minimum interval was the same, and core filaments were not attached to each
      other. In contrast, when NFs were reconstituted from NF-H alone or NF-L + NF-H,
      both had conspicuous projections and cross-bridges, similar to those of triplet
      NFs. Thus, when NFs contained NF-H, they formed frequent cross-bridges and long
      projections with extensive peripheral branching. When NFs contained NF-M but no
      NF-H, they tended to form cross-bridges, and to form projections that were
      shorter and straighter and without peripheral branching. That is, there appears
      to be a significant difference between NF-M and NF-H in ability to form cross
      bridges and thus in interaction with adjacent NFs.

PMID- 1425771
TI  - A unique tubulin antiserum attenuates the rate of poleward chromosome movement in
      anaphase.
AB  - An antiserum against tubulin, NS20, was previously shown to specifically
      attenuate both fast axonal transport in vivo (Johnston, K. M. et al., Brain Res.
      385, 38-45 (1986)) and in vitro (Johnston, K. M. et al., Cell Motil. Cytoskel. 7,
      110-115 (1987)) and flagellar motility (Goldsmith, M. et al., Cell Motil.
      Cytoskel. 20, 249-262 (1991)). We hypothesized that NS20 blocked motility by
      binding to a multifunctional motor binding domain on the microtubules (MTs), or
      axonemes. Here we have examined the effect of microinjecting NS20, at metaphase,
      into dividing PtK2 cells. Plotting chromosome separation (CS) as a function of
      time, we report here that CS rates for anaphase A (chromosome-to-pole movement)
      were reduced by approximately 50% relative to uninjected controls. CS rates for
      anaphase B (spindle pole elongation) were unaffected by the NS20 antiserum. The
      inhibition of CS rate during anaphase A by NS20 was significantly greater than
      the inhibition caused by a control antitubulin serum (PC5). Two possible
      mechanisms underlying NS20's inhibition of CS during anaphase A were considered.
      NS20 could block the binding of a kinetochore-associated motor to kinetochore MTs
      (kMTs) or, alternatively, NS20 could stabilize kMTs against depolymerization. Our
      results favor the first alternative. In a cold-induced depolymerization assay,
      NS20 had no selective stabilizing effect on MTs. Moreover, we show that NS20 can
      selectively block the binding of a well characterized MT-associated motor
      (kinesin) to MTs, in vitro. These results suggest that NS20 may be defining a
      unique tubulin binding domain common to the motors underlying vesicle transport,
      flagellar motility, and chromosome movements during anaphase A.

PMID- 1425772
TI  - Evidence for reversible, non-microtubule and non-microfilament-dependent nuclear
      translocation of hsp90 after heat shock in human fibroblasts.
AB  - A monoclonal antibody (29A) directed against rat liver heat shock protein M(r)
      90,000 (hsp90) was produced. By Western immunoblotting of cytosols prepared from
      several different tissues and species, 29A was shown to specifically recognize
      only one band with M(r) approximately 90,000. Localization of hsp90 in human
      gingival fibroblasts was studied using the 29A antibody by indirect mono- and
      double-staining immunofluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The
      distribution was compared to that of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and various
      cytoskeletal structures. Cells were analyzed in interphase and mitosis under
      basal culture conditions, after heat shock and after microtubule and
      microfilament depolymerization, sometimes combined with heat shock. A major part
      of hsp90 immunoreactivity was diffusely distributed throughout the interphase
      cytoplasm, but a weak nuclear staining with non-stained nucleoli was also
      present, however, only detectable after methanol and not after
      formaldehyde/Triton X-100 fixation. Heat shock induced a time-dependent
      translocation of hsp90 from the cytoplasm to the cell nucleus reaching a plateau
      after 15 h. This compartment shift was reversible and also occurred in the
      absence of intact microtubules or intact microfilaments.

PMID- 1425773
TI  - The phosphoinositide pathway of lymphoid cells: labeling after permeabilization
      by alveolysin, a bacterial sulfhydryl-activated cytolysin.
AB  - An improved method allowing incorporation of [3H]myo-inositol into the
      phosphoinositide pool of human lymphoid cells is described. The procedure devised
      involves cell permeabilization with a thiol-activated membranolytic toxin,
      alveolysin, and optimization of the phosphoinositide labeling and extraction. In
      these conditions 4 to 10% of the added [3H]myo-inositol is found intracellularly
      and half of this amount (2-5%) is incorporated into the phosphoinositide pool in
      only 1 h as compared to the classical 0.2 to 0.3% incorporation obtained after 10
      to 20 h. The integrity of coupling between receptors and phospholipase C was
      assessed by the inositol phosphate production after cell stimulation by various
      agonists.

PMID- 1425774
TI  - Immunolocalization of secretogranin II, chromogranin A, and chromogranin B in
      differentiating human neuroblastoma cells.
AB  - In order to obtain further insights into the expression of the known markers of
      secretory neuroendocrine dense core organelles, secretogranin II (SgII),
      chromogranin A (CgA), and chromogranin B (CgB) during neuronal differentiation,
      the immunolocalization of these proteins was studied by means of double
      immunofluorescence in both undifferentiated and retinoic acid-differentiated SH
      SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. The majority of undifferentiated cells was not
      immunolabeled for all three proteins. In the majority of differentiated cells, a
      clearly punctate SgII immunolabeling indicative of the presence of secretory
      organelles was present in the Golgi region, at the cell periphery, along the
      neurites and in growth cones. Only relatively few of the SgII-immunolabeled cells
      were also immunolabeled for CgA and CgB, and in a single cell the three proteins
      were not always present in the same organelles. These results, obtained in a
      cultured cell line, confirm the not necessarily parallel distribution of SgII,
      CgA, and CgB observed in different neuroendocrine tissues and suggest that SgII
      may be the best marker of human neuroblastoma cell differentiation.

PMID- 1425775
TI  - In vitro differentiation of mouse embryo chondrocytes: requirement for ascorbic
      acid.
AB  - Chondrocytes enzymatically dissociated from 13-day-old mouse embryo tibia grow in
      monolayer culture with a fibroblast-like phenotype and express high levels of
      type I collagen. Chondrogenesis can be induced by transferring the adherent cells
      in suspension culture and maintaining them in the constant presence of mouse
      embryo extract. Round shaping of the cells and formation of multicellular
      aggregates rapidly follow the passage in anchorage-independent conditions. Cell
      differentiation is evidenced by a marked decrease in the level of type I collagen
      and by the induction of type II collagen which accumulates when ascorbic acid is
      included in the culture medium. The addition of the vitamin also triggers the
      aggregated chondrocytes to organize their extracellular matrix giving rise to a
      structure closely resembling the in vivo developing cartilage.

PMID- 1425776
TI  - Different proliferative potential of rat and pig hepatocytes in pure primary
      culture and coculture.
AB  - In the present study we have compared the growth potential of hepatocytes from
      rats and pigs and the influence of cocultivation between these hepatocytes and
      the rat liver epitheloid cell line RL-ET-14. Proliferation, i.e., DNA synthesis,
      was detected by autoradiography after exposure to [3H]thymidine. Rat hepatocytes
      cultured at low cell density showed a very low basal growth and responded to
      epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin by a considerable increase in DNA
      synthesis after 48 h leading to a labeling index (LI) of 33%. Cocultivation with
      RL-ET-14 cells almost completely blocked the basal as well as the growth factor
      stimulated proliferation of the rat hepatocytes. In contrast, pig hepatocytes
      cultured alone showed a much greater growth potential (basal: LI 11%;
      insulin/EGF:LI 67%) than rat hepatocytes and were further stimulated by
      cocultivation (basal: LI 39%; insulin/EGF: LI 89%). Density-dependent inhibition
      of cell growth was less pronounced with pig hepatocytes. Even after reaching
      confluency, they showed further strong proliferation in pure as well as in
      cocultures whereas the LI of the rapidly growing clone RL-ET-14 decreased to 40%.
      Use of conditioned medium from RL-ET-14 cells did not mimic the growth inhibition
      of rat hepatocytes in coculture indicating that no soluble growth inhibitors
      produced by the epitheloid cells are responsible for this effect. In particular,
      the differences between rat and pig hepatocytes in coculture are not simply due
      to production of TGF-beta by the epitheloid cells since the hepatocytes from both
      species were inhibited by TGF-beta to a similar extent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1425777
TI  - The lethal prune/Killer-of-prune interaction of Drosophila causes a syndrome
      resembling human neurofibromatosis (NF1).
AB  - The eye color mutant prune (pn) of Drosophila melanogaster shows a lethal
      interaction with the Killer-of-prune (K-pn) allele of the abnormal wing disc
      (awd) locus. The awd gene is the Drosophila homologue of the mammalian tumor
      metastasis gene nm23, and it has been postulated that pn encodes a protein with
      similarity to a GAP, a GTPase-activating protein. Such GAPs potentially control
      Ras-like proteins, which are important molecular switches. However, there is only
      a low sequence homology with the genes for human GAP and neurofibromatosis (NF1),
      and with yeast IRA1 and IRA2, and there is no evidence for the functional
      significance of this homologization. I now show that pn mutations lower the
      concentrations of larval pteridines, and that this phenomenon is enhanced by two
      orders of magnitude by the lethal interaction between pn and awdK-pn. These
      gradual effects on the pteridin concentrations indicate a corresponding drop of
      the pools of free GTP, and favor the involvement of GTP-binding proteins. In
      addition, cytology reveals a considerable hypertrophy of the neuroglia and the
      perineurium of the larval brain. Furthermore, the lymph glands of the larvae are
      highly abnormal and form melanotic (pseudo)tumors upon ageing of the larvae.
      These pseudotumors consist predominantly of lamellocytes which are part of the
      cellular defence system of Drosophila. These observations most likely indicate
      hyperactivity of a Ras-like protein which becomes manifest in cell types
      equivalent to the cell types affected by human neurofibromatosis (NF1). Thus, it
      is very suggestive to regard the synthetic lethal system prune/Killer-of-prune as
      the Drosophila model for human neurofibromatosis.

PMID- 1425778
TI  - Cancer treatment monitoring with fluorine-18 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose and
      positron emission tomography: frustration or future.

PMID- 1425779
TI  - Improved positron emission tomography quantification by Fourier-based restoration
      filtering.
AB  - Positron emission tomography (PET) images are characterized by both poor spatial
      resolution and high statistical noise. Conventional methods to reduce noise, such
      as local weighted averaging, produce further deteriorations in spatial
      resolution, while the use of deconvolution to recover resolution typically
      amplifies noise to unacceptable levels. We studied the use of two-dimensional
      Fourier filtering to simultaneously increase quantitative recovery and reduce
      noise. The filter was based on inversion of the scanner's measured transfer
      function, coupled with high frequency roll-off. In phantom studies, we found
      improvements in both "hot" and "cold" sphere quantification. Compared with ramp
      only filtering, improvements in hot spot recovery for the highest accuracy filter
      averaged 13.6% +/- 6.6% for spheres larger than 15 mm; improvements in cold spot
      recovery averaged 30.7% +/- 4.7%. At the same time, the noise was reduced by a
      factor of 3 compared with randomly filtering. Fourier-based image restoration
      filtering is thus capable of improving both accuracy and precision in PET.

PMID- 1425780
TI  - Motor stimulation response by technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime
      split-dose method and single photon emission tomography.
AB  - We applied the technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (99mTc-HMPAO) split
      dose method in order to evaluate the feasibility of assessing cerebral blood flow
      (CBF) changes with single photon emission tomography (SPET) during a motor
      activation task. Eleven normal subjects were studied using the Tomomatic 564
      (Medimatic, DK). Five subjects were studied twice at rest and 6 subjects at rest
      and during a motor task performance (finger opposition movements). A total of 28
      mCi of 99mTc-HMPAO was injected in 2 doses with a 1:3 ratio. The first scan was
      obtained after injection of 7 mCi at rest in all subjects. The second scan was
      obtained a few minutes later, after injection of the remaining dose (21 mCi),
      under similar resting conditions or during a motor task performance. The mean
      brain uptake was proportional to the amount of tracer injected and to the
      acquisition time for both the first scan (5263 +/- 1266 counts x mCi x min) and
      the second (5034.4 +/- 966 counts x mCi x min). The grey/white matter ratio was
      1.67 +/- 0.019 and 1.67 +/- 0.097 for the two scans, respectively. A three-way
      analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measure showed no significant effects
      of side, slice and region of interest (ROI) on the CBF in the 5 subjects studied
      twice at rest, and the mean regional CBF change was -0.2% +/- 5%.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425782
TI  - Reliability of first-pass radionuclide determination of cardiac output in the
      upright position at rest and during exercise.
AB  - The reliability of non-invasive determination of cardiac output using first-pass
      radionuclide cardiography at rest and during exercise in the upright position was
      evaluated in 20 patients with coronary artery disease. Cardiac output values
      ranged from 2.97 to 5.99 l/min at rest and from 5.08 to 10.82 l/min during
      exercise. Cardiac output results obtained by the radionuclide method were
      compared with those derived from the thermodilution technique performed
      simultaneously. The mean difference between the two techniques was 0.02 l/min at
      rest and -0.34 l/min during exercise; the limits of agreement (mean +/- 1.96 SD)
      were -1.29 to 1.33 l/min and -1.97 to 1.29 l/min, respectively, indicating an
      acceptable level of agreement. A high reproducibility of the radionuclide
      technique was found, with a mean difference between determinations by two
      observers of 0.03 l/min at rest and 0.21 l/min during exercise, the corresponding
      limits of agreement being -0.75 to 0.81 l/min and -0.79 to 1.21 l/min,
      respectively. With the aid of a variance component analysis of two determinations
      by each of four observers, 95% confidence intervals of +/- 10% at rest and +/-
      12% during exercise were computed for the radionuclide cardiac output
      measurements. The observer variation was most pronounced for the part of the
      cardiac output determination related to measurement of left ventricular
      equilibrium activity during exercise. First-pass radionuclide cardiography is a
      reliable method for determination of cardiac output in cardiac patients at rest
      and during exercise in the upright position.

PMID- 1425781
TI  - Myocardial scintigraphy with iodine-123 phenylpentadecanoic acid and thallium-201
      in patients with coronary artery disease: a comparative dual-isotope study.
AB  - To characterise the clinical usefulness of serial myocardial scintigraphy with
      iodine-123 phenylpentadecanoic acid (IPPA) in comparison with thallium-201, dual
      isotope investigations were performed in 41 patients with angiographically
      documented coronary artery disease. Both tracers were administered simultaneously
      during symptom-limited ergometry. Planar scintigrams were acquired immediately
      after stress, and delayed imaging was performed after 1 h for IPPA and 4 h for
      201Tl. Scintigrams were evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively using a
      newly developed algorithm for automated image superposition. Initial myocardial
      uptake of both tracers was closely correlated (r = 0.75, p < 0.001). Both tracers
      also revealed a similar sensitivity for the identification of individual coronary
      artery stenoses > or = 75% (IP-PA: 70.0%, 201Tl: 66.3%, P = NS) with identical
      specificity (69.8%). The number of persistent defects, however, was significantly
      higher with IPPA (P = 0.021), suggesting that visual analysis of serial IPPA
      scintigrams may overestimate the presence of myocardial scar tissue. On the other
      hand, previous Q wave myocardial infarction was associated with a decreased
      regional IPPA clearance (29% +/- 11% vs 44% +/- 11% in normal myocardium, P <
      0.05). The data indicate that serial myocardial scintigraphy with IPPA is
      essentially as sensitive as scintigraphy with 201Tl for the detection of stress
      induced perfusion abnormalities. Quantitative analysis of myocardial IPPA
      kinetics, however, is required for the evaluation of tissue viability.

PMID- 1425783
TI  - The use of technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime labelled white blood
      cells to detect subclinical inflammation of the heart after cardiopulmonary
      bypass in children with congenital heart disease.
AB  - Ten children (6 boys and 4 girls, aged 1-9 years old) underwent operations with a
      cardiopulmonary bypass, and the technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxine
      (99mTc-HMPAO) labelled white blood cell (WBC) heart scans were used to detect
      postoperative leukocyte infiltration in the hearts. The results showed that 80%
      (8/10) of the cases had subclinical inflammation in the hearts (grading of WBC
      scans > or = score 2), and a positive correlation (R = 0.77) was noted between
      the severity of the inflammation (grading of the WBC scans) and the duration of
      the cardiopulmonary bypass in the operations. Another control group (9 boys and 2
      girls, aged 2-13 years old) underwent operations without a cardiopulmonary
      bypass, and subclinical inflammation of hearts was demonstrated in only 1 case
      (9%) by the 99mTc-HMPAO labelled WBC scans (grading of WBC scans < score 2) after
      the operations. There was a significant difference (P < 0.001, by a Wilcoxon rank
      sum test) based upon the severity of the ischaemic heart damage in the two
      groups. In our preliminary conclusions, the 99mTc-HMPAO labelled WBC heart scans
      may provide non-invasive and directly discernible evidence of subclinical
      inflammation in the heart due to a transient ischaemic state during a
      cardiopulmonary bypass, even if the clinical symptoms and signs of carditis are
      not apparent.

PMID- 1425784
TI  - Gallbladder response to a second dose of cholecystokinin during the same imaging
      study.
AB  - Patients on total parenteral nutrition or after prolonged fasting may require
      treatment with cholecystokinin (CCK) prior to hepatobiliary imaging. Some may
      also require evaluation of gallbladder (GB) contractility, and the need for a
      second dose of CCK may arise. It is not clear whether gallbladder function can be
      adequately evaluated with CCK when a previous CCK dose had already been
      administered. We studied ten normal subjects to evaluate GB response to a second
      CCK injection. The subjects received 20 micrograms/kg sincalide in a 3-min
      infusion prior to administration of technetium-99m disofenin. They then received
      an identical sincalide dose at 60 min postinjection, and imaging was continued
      for another 30 min to quantify GB contraction. Gallbladder ejection fraction
      (GBEF) values ranged from 42-98% (mean: 71.5 +/- 19%). Pretreatment with CCK does
      not preclude GB contraction evaluation with a second dose of CCK. Expected GBEF
      values are similar to those obtained with single CCK injections.

PMID- 1425785
TI  - Detection of rhinorrhoea by cisternography in combination with single photon
      emission tomography, following lumbar injection of iodine-123-labelled albumin.
AB  - Eight patients were examined. Seven had verified rhinorrhoea and six had had one
      or more episodes of pneumococcal meningitis. In four of the patients a fistula
      could not be visualized by computed tomography. All eight patients had injections
      of iodine-123-labelled albumin by lumbar puncture. Tomoscintigraphy (SPET) was
      performed 3, 6 and 8-9 h after injection. After 6-8 h we were able to demonstrate
      a fistula in seven of the patients with verified rhinorrhoea and the findings
      were confirmed by a subsequent operation. In one of the patients we were not able
      to visualize any leak of cerebrospinal fluid into the nasal cavity. This patient
      was not operated upon and we were not able to verify the findings in this
      patient. The operated patients all did well after the operation with no relapse
      of meningitis. In conclusion, SPECT-cisternography after intralumbar injection of
      iodine-123-labelled albumin is a valuable diagnostic tool for the detection of
      small fistulae in patients with rhinorrhea.

PMID- 1425787
TI  - Comparison of technetium-99m MAG3 kit formulations in Europe and the USA.

PMID- 1425786
TI  - Gamma scintigraphy in the evaluation of pharmaceutical dosage forms.
AB  - Gamma-scintigraphy is applied extensively in the development and evaluation of
      pharmaceutical drug delivery systems. It is used particularly for monitoring
      formulations in the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. The radiolabelling
      is generally achieved by the incorporation of an appropriate technetium-99m or
      indium-111 labelled radiopharmaceutical into the formulation. In the case of
      complex dosage forms, such as enteric-coated tablets, labelling is best
      undertaken by the addition of a non-radioactive tracer such as samarium-152 oxide
      or erbium-170 oxide followed by neutron activation of the final product. Systems
      investigated include tablets and multiparticulates for oral administration,
      enemas and suppositories, metered dose inhalers and nebulisers, and nasal sprays
      and drops. Gamma-scintigraphy provides information on the deposition, dispersion
      and movement of the formulation. The combination of such studies with the assay
      of drug levels in blood or urine specimens, pharmacoscintigraphy, provides
      information concerning the sites of drug release and absorption. Data acquired
      from the scintigraphic evaluation of pharmaceutical dosage forms are now being
      used increasingly at all stages of product development, from the assessment of
      prototype delivery systems to supporting the product licence application.

PMID- 1425788
TI  - Lawson Wilkins (1894-1963).

PMID- 1425789
TI  - Tetralogy of Fallot in three siblings: a familial study and review of the
      literature.
AB  - We report a family in which three out of four siblings had tetralogy of Fallot
      (TOF). The family history showed TOF in the daughter of a maternal cousin, while
      no other congenital heart diseases were discovered. Although no teratogenic
      environmental agent was discovered, the absence of parental consanguinity and the
      presence of another affected relative suggest multifactorial inheritance.
      Autosomal recessive inheritance cannot be ruled out.

PMID- 1425790
TI  - Predictive factors for the effect of gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogue
      therapy on the height of girls with idiopathic central precocious puberty.
AB  - The factors influencing the final height of central precocious puberty patients
      treated with gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues remain a critical
      issue. This study compares the predicted final height before and after GnRH
      analogue therapy to identify predictive factors for final height. Fourteen girls
      with idiopathic central precocious puberty were treated with a GnRH analogue. All
      had an active non-regressive form before therapy, full and permanent suppression
      of oestrogenic activity during therapy (duration greater than 2 years, 3.1 +/-
      0.3 years, mean +/- SEM), and the pubertal pituitary-ovarian axis had normalized
      in all of them 1 year after the cessation of therapy. The mean predicted final
      height increased from 152 +/- 1.8 cm before therapy to 162.2 +/- 1.2 cm (P less
      than 0.01) at the last evaluation performed 4.5 +/- 0.3 years after the onset of
      therapy. The mean gain in predicted final height between the onset of therapy and
      the last evaluation was 10.2 +/- 1.1 cm. It was correlated with the following
      data recorded at the onset of therapy: bone age advance over chronological age (r
      = 0.66, P less than 0.02), predicted final height at the onset of therapy (r = 
      0.76, P less than 0.001), and the difference between the target height and the
      predicted height at onset of therapy (r = 0.76, P less than 0.001). We conclude
      that GnRH analogue therapy is more likely to improve final height prognosis in
      girls who initially present with a markedly advanced bone age and a great
      difference between their target and predicted heights. Both these parameters
      reflect the severity of the disease at diagnosis.

PMID- 1425791
TI  - Liver dysfunction and acute cardiocirculatory failure in children.
AB  - We report 15 children who developed transient liver dysfunction related to
      hepatic ischaemia. All patients had cardiocirculatory failure 24 h before the
      onset of liver injury (day 1). Peak serum values of transaminases occurred
      between day 1 and day 3: SGOT (mean: 759 IU/l, range: 150-4400); SGPT (418 IU/l,
      95-2547). Transaminase values decreased rapidly and normalised from day 6 to day
      10. Minimum values of prothrombin test (PT) occurred on day 1 (31%, 10-70) and
      13/15 patients had a PT less than 50% (27%, 10-44). PT values normalized from day
      3 to day 10. Hypoglycaemia was present in 8/15 patients on day 1. Liver
      dysfunction improved after correction of the circulatory failure. These results
      confirm that transient hepatic dysfunction, probably as a consequence of hepatic
      hypoperfusion, may occur frequently in children after acute circulatory failure.
      We conclude that the diagnosis of ischaemic liver injury or shock liver syndrome
      in children can be made on clinical and biochemical criteria, and that liver
      biopsy is unnecessary.

PMID- 1425792
TI  - Mediastinal germ cell tumour associated with Klinefelter syndrome. A report of
      case and review of the literature.
AB  - A 14-year-old boy with Klinefelter syndrome (KS) and a large mediastinal tumour
      is presented. Human chorionic gonadotropin and oestradiol were markedly
      increased. An attempt at radical resection was performed. Histological
      examination revealed a malignant germ cell tumour of mixed histologic pattern
      composed of choriocarcinoma and components of mature teratoma. Four courses of
      cisplatin, bleomycin, and etoposide were given. The patient is without any
      evidence of tumour recurrence 20 months after diagnosis. A review of the
      literature revealed another 40 cases of primary mediastinal germ cell tumour
      (PMGCT) associated with KS. Compiled data from larger series demonstrate that at
      least 8% of male patients with PMGCT have KS, 50 times the expected frequency. In
      contrast to PMGCT in patients without KS, all tumours were of nonseminomatous
      histology, and the average age was considerably lower, Tumours in prepubertal
      boys were associated with precocious puberty.

PMID- 1425793
TI  - Polymerase chain reaction-amplification of urease genes: rapid screening for
      ureaplasma urealyticum infection in endotracheal aspirates of ventilated
      newborns.
AB  - Ureaplasma urealyticum infection has been considered to play an important role in
      the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in premature infants. Since
      standard culture methods of U. urealyticum are difficult to perform, new rapid
      and sensitive methods are needed to detect lung infection of ventilated newborns.
      Here we describe the polymerase chain reaction as a rapid method to screen
      endotracheal aspirates for ureaplasma infection. Urease-specific sequences could
      only be detected in 1 out of 36 ventilated newborns. The procedure described in
      this paper may facilitate further studies to determine the role of U. urealyticum
      in development of BPD.

PMID- 1425794
TI  - Tick-borne encephalitis in a 3-month-old child.
AB  - Tick-borne encephalitis has not been reported in infants younger than 12 months
      of age. We report a 3.5-month-old child with a serologically proven tick-borne
      encephalitis. The infant had a history of a tick bite 3.5 weeks before the first
      symptoms of encephalitis appeared. The family lives in an endemic area of the
      disease. There were no prodromal signs and the course of the disease was
      monophasic. In an endemic area, prophylactic treatment with hyperimmunoglobulin
      after a tick bite should be considered even in very young infants, but in most
      children active immunization is probably not necessary because of infrequent
      exposure. Active immunization is still recommended after the 1st year of life.

PMID- 1425795
TI  - Unsuspected rheumatic heart underlying group B streptococcal endocarditis at the
      age of 20 months.
AB  - The case is reported of a 20-month-old girl admitted to our centre for group B
      streptococcal endocarditis who died of complete atrioventricular block after a
      week of treatment. There was no history pointing to the presence of a heart
      disorder. Necropsy disclosed the surprising existence of a vast rheumatic
      carditis involving essentially the aortic and mitral valves, with bacterial
      superinfection of the former. The double rheumatic and infectious lesion in such
      a young patient with infective pseudo-aneurysms of the sinuses of Valsalva makes
      this an exceptional case.

PMID- 1425796
TI  - Pulmonary hypertension complicating a ventriculo-atrial shunt.
AB  - The use of ventriculo-atrial shunts for CSF diversion in developing hydrocephalus
      has become rare because of the risk of chronic thrombo-embolism and subsequent
      pulmonary hypertension associated with an unfavourable prognosis. However, there
      remains a group of patients in whom ventriculo-atrial shunts have been inserted
      in the past. In this group, complications can occur after many years. We report
      on a 13-year-old girl with pulmonary hypertension caused by chronic thrombo
      embolism from a ventriculo-atrial shunt.

PMID- 1425797
TI  - Statural growth in Williams-Beuren syndrome.
AB  - The spontaneous growth of 165 patients (75 girls and 90 boys) with Williams
      Beuren syndrome was analysed in a mixed longitudinal and cross-sectional manner.
      Mean (+/- 1 SD) length at birth was 48.2 +/- 2.6 cm in girls (n = 52) and 49.0 +/
      3.0 cm in boys (n = 65). Intrauterine growth retardation (length below -2 SD of
      the normal population) was present in 35% of the girls and 22% of the boys. Poor
      growth was noted during the first 2 years of life. Until age 9 years in girls and
      11 years in boys, mean growth followed the 3rd percentile. A pubertal growth
      spurt with normal growth rate was seen at age 10 years in girls and 13 years in
      boys, i.e. 1 to 2 years earlier than normal. Menarche also occurred earlier than
      normal at a mean age of 11.6 +/- 1.5 years (n = 28). Mean adult height was 153.9
      +/- 6.9 cm in girls (n = 17) and 168.2 +/- 6.9 cm in boys (n = 27), approximately
      corresponding to the 3rd percentile in both sexes and correlating with the
      genetic height potential (target height). The mean deficit of adult height
      compared to target height was 10.2 cm in girls and 9.1 cm in boys. Skeletal
      development progressed at an approximately normal rate in both sexes.

PMID- 1425798
TI  - Simultaneous measurement, using flow cytometry, of radiosensitivity and defective
      mitogen response in ataxia telangiectasia and related syndromes.
AB  - In a retrospective study, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 13 patients
      with known ataxia telangiectasia (AT) (Louis Bar syndrome, McKusick #20890) were
      irradiated with different doses of X-rays prior to stimulation with
      phytohaemagglutinin. Mitogen response and cell cycle progression were assessed by
      two-parameter 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine/Hoechst--ethidium bromide flow cytometry.
      Compared to age-matched controls, AT cells show a severely defective mitogen
      response in both unirradiated and irradiated cells. Following irradiation with
      1.5 Gy, AT cells exhibit significantly greater accumulations of cells in the G2
      phase of the first cell cycle than controls. The ratio between the number of
      cells accumulated in the first cycle G2 phase and the growth fraction provides a
      clear distinction between AT and control cultures. In addition, two patients with
      microcephaly, normal intelligence, immunodeficiency, chromosomal instability and
      risk for lymphoreticular malignancies (Seemanova syndrome) and two patients with
      the Nijmegen breakage syndrome (both syndromes are listed as McKusick #25126)
      also exhibit very poor mitogen response and moderately increased G2 phase
      accumulations after X-irradiation. The simultaneous assessment of
      radiosensitivity and mitogen response in a single cell kinetic assay provides a
      speedy and accurate classification of cells of AT and AT-related syndromes.

PMID- 1425799
TI  - Carrier detection in X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy by determination of very long
      chain fatty acid levels and by linkage analysis.
AB  - Diagnosis of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy is based upon demonstration of high
      levels of very long chain fatty acids. More recently, in addition to biochemical
      analysis, closely linked DNA probe St14 has been used for prenatal diagnosis in
      informative families. Identification of heterozygotes is particularly important,
      both in order to specifically address only carrier females to prenatal diagnosis,
      and because appropriate dietary therapy is now available to treat those
      heterozygotes presenting with neurological symptoms. We report two pedigrees in
      which carrier detection was performed by a combination of biochemical and
      molecular genetic analysis. Such approach should allow extremely high accuracy in
      carrier detection.

PMID- 1425800
TI  - Serum levels of carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen in healthy
      children from 1st year of life to adulthood and in metabolic bone diseases.
AB  - Type I collagen is the major component of bone matrix; circulating
      carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (P-I-CP) levels reflect type I
      collagen synthesis in tissues and may be an useful index to investigate bone
      metabolism. We measured P-I-CP by a new radioimmunoassay in 300 healthy children
      and adolescents and in 40 healthy adults to provide reference data for P-I-CP
      values. In addition, 79 patients with diagnosed disorders of phospho-calcium
      metabolism (rickets, vitamin D deficient and vitamin D resistant,
      hyperparathyroidism, hypo- and pseudo-hypoparathyroidism, osteopenia) were
      evaluated. In the healthy subjects, serum P-I-CP values were higher in children
      than in adults; variations of P-I-CP levels were observed according to age and
      sexual maturation: higher values were found in the first years of life and during
      pubertal development; pubertal increase reflects the different timing of pubertal
      development in the two sexes. P-I-CP levels were increased in primary
      hyperparathyroidism and reduced in diseases related to impaired secretion or
      action of parathyroid hormone. Higher P-I-CP levels were found in vitamin D
      deficient and vitamin D resistant rickets. P-I-CP was reduced in anorexia nervosa
      and during chronic glucocorticoid treatment while it was increased in thyrotoxic
      osteoporosis. In idiopathic juvenile osteoporosis, P-I-CP values ranged from
      reduced to increased values. We conclude that P-I-CP may represent an additional
      biochemical marker of bone metabolism. Since age-related variations are present,
      reference data for the various ages are need for clinical application of this
      assay.

PMID- 1425801
TI  - High frequency oscillatory ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in
      severe persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.
AB  - We report on 50 term and near-term neonates (birth weight greater than 1800 g,
      gestational age greater than 33 weeks) with severe persistent pulmonary
      hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), referred to us from January 1987 to July 1991
      after failure of maximum conventional treatment. All infants had paO2 less than
      45 mm Hg when ventilated with peak inspiratory pressure greater than 38 cm H2O
      and FiO2 = 1.0, hence meeting entry criteria for extracorporeal membrane
      oxygenation (ECMO). High frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) was tried in
      all patients. If sufficient oxygenation could not be achieved (paO2 less than 40
      mm Hg for at least 2 h), ECMO therapy was begun, which was the case in 25
      children. Neonates responding to HFOV (n = 25) were of a slightly younger
      gestational age (37.0 weeks vs 38.8 weeks, P less than 0.05), had higher Apgar
      scores and were less hypoxaemic before HFOV (paO2 36.6 mm Hg vs 28.8 mm Hg, P
      less than 0.01); during HFOV there was a significant rise in paO2 (greater than
      150 mm Hg; P less than 0.001) and a fall in pCO2 to 21.6 mm Hg (P less than
      0.001). Due to air leaks, which was the main complication of HFOV (52%), ECMO
      therapy had to be begun in two additional infants after an initial positive
      effect. HFOV tended to be successful in cases of primary PPHN, meconium
      aspiration and sepsis, but not in infants with lung hypoplasia as a result of
      diaphragmatic hernia or other reasons. Success or failure of HFOV could not be
      reliably predicted by any parameter.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425802
TI  - Long-term low-dose cyclosporin A in steroid dependent nephrotic syndrome of
      childhood.
AB  - Therapy of steroid-dependent idiopathic nephrotic syndrome is often
      unsatisfactory. Since 1986 we have treated nine children (six male and three
      female), aged 3-16 years, with cyclosporin A (CsA) during 2.0-5.2 (median 3.1)
      years. All had minimal change disease on renal biopsy and had previously received
      cyclophosphamide. Mean daily dosage of CsA was 4.1 mg/kg (range 2.7-5.8) and mean
      whole blood trough level was 220 ng/ml (range 141-271). The relapse rate
      decreased from 3.4/patient year before CsA to 0.55 on CsA. Discontinuation of CsA
      or reduction below 2 mg/kg daily was always followed by a relapse. The overall
      relapse rate, including the period with very low-dose CsA, was 0.95/patient year.
      Four patients required additional low-dose alternate-day prednisone. Repeat renal
      biopsy showed minimal change disease in eight patients and focal segmental
      glomerulosclerosis in one; CsA-toxicity was mild in two and moderate in one. The
      latter was the only patient with slightly reduced glomerular filtration rate. Two
      boys with delayed puberty spontaneously matured and reached expected final
      height. We conclude that long-term low-dose CsA is very effective and steroid
      sparing. Its use is justified in selected patients, particularly in those with
      numerous relapses and in male patients before and during puberty, as long as
      renal function and CsA-toxicity are carefully monitored.

PMID- 1425803
TI  - Cortical visual impairment following bacterial meningitis: magnetic resonance
      imaging and visual evoked potentials findings in two cases.
AB  - Cortical visual impairment (CVI) following bacterial meningitis is a very
      uncommon complication. Two children with CVI following bacterial meningitis are
      reported. Bacterial agents were Haemophilus influenzae type B in one and
      meningococci in the other child. Both children showed only insufficient recovery
      from CVI, mental retardation and residual neurological symptoms. Flash visual
      evoked potentials (VEP) showed preserved cortical response at onset of CVI. Re
      evaluations several months later showed significantly reduced amplitudes, but
      normal latencies for P100. Thus, flash VEP does not allow prediction of visual
      outcome. MRI results have not been reported before. MRI at onset of diagnosis
      showed occipital parenchymal irregularities with enlarged sulci and subarachnoid
      spaces. Follow up MRI 15 months after onset of CVI in one patient showed marked
      atrophy of the occipital cortex, hyperintensities of the cortical white matter
      and no visible optic radiation. The MRI findings indicate hypoxic-ischaemic
      lesions in the border zone between the distribution of the great cerebral
      arteries.

PMID- 1425804
TI  - Follow up study of cow's milk protein intolerant infants.
AB  - Over a period of 4 years, 88 infants with cow's milk protein intolerance (CMPI)
      were followed prospectively in order to evaluate the persistence of CMPI and its
      relationship between either serum IgE levels or RAST results for cow's milk.
      After exclusion of lactose intolerance, two positive cow's milk elimination
      challenge tests were considered diagnostic for CMPI. At the age of 1, 2, 3 and 4
      years respectively, 85%, 78%, 49% and 33% of the children still were cow's milk
      intolerant. Initial serum values of IgE greater than or equal to 10 kU/l
      indicated a late development of tolerance to cow's milk proteins. At the age of 4
      years, 90% of infants with initial IgE levels less than 10 kU/l had become
      tolerant to cow's milk while this was the case for only 47% of infants with
      initial IgE levels greater than or equal to 10 kU/l. Initial RAST results for
      cow's milk bore no obvious relationship to outcome.

PMID- 1425805
TI  - Risks of alternative nutrition in infancy: a case report of severe iodine and
      carnitine deficiency.
AB  - A 7.5-month-old infant with failure to thrive, developmental delay, muscular
      hypotonia, a visible goitre and severe osteopenia is described. Laboratory
      examination revealed a markedly increased serum TSH with low free T4, severe
      iodine and carnitine deficiency. The infant was breastfed until the age of 2.5
      months and was then given a mixture of almond extract in water. The mother is a
      strict vegan and the father a lactovegetarian. The nutritional intake of the
      child was severely depleted in calories (-46%), calcium (-73%) and iodine (-88%).
      The restrictive alternative nutrition was responsible for the various deficiency
      disorders.

PMID- 1425806
TI  - Recurrent haemolytic uraemic syndrome in a boy with focal and segmental
      glomerulosclerosis.

PMID- 1425807
TI  - Outcome of neonatal citrullinaemia.

PMID- 1425808
TI  - Disposition and metabolism of pravastatin sodium in rats, dogs and monkeys.
AB  - Pravastatin sodium (pravastatin) is a potent inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3
      methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, and was found to be highly
      effective in animals and humans, in lowering the plasma cholesterol level by
      inhibiting cholesterol synthesis selectively in the liver. In the present study
      the disposition and metabolism of pravastatin was studied in rats, dogs and
      monkeys using [14C]-labelled compound. The extent of absorption was approximately
      70% in rats and 50% in dogs. Tissue distribution examined by both whole-body
      autoradiography and radioactivity measurement demonstrated that the drug was
      selectively taken up by the liver, a target organ of the drug, and excreted via
      bile mainly in unchanged form. Since pravastatin excreted by the bile was
      reabsorbed, the enterohepatic circulation maintained the presence of unchanged
      pravastatin in the target organ. The profiles of metabolites were studied in
      various tissues and excreta and a metabolic pathway of pravastatin was proposed.

PMID- 1425809
TI  - In vitro forecasting of drugs that may interfere with codeine bioactivation.
AB  - The O-demethylation of codeine (methylmorphine) into morphine is mediated by the
      polymorphic cytochrome P450 DB1 (P450 IID6). By means of in vitro screening in
      human liver microsomes we have studied the effect on codeine bioactivation of
      several drugs used as analgesics or as adjuvants for pain control. In microsomes
      from an extensive metabolizer subject, paracetamol (acetaminophen) and NSAIDs
      (acetylsalicylic acid, diclofenac, indomethacin, piroxicam, and pirprofen),
      benzodiazepines (chlordiazepoxide, clonazepam, diazepam, flunitrazepam, and
      midazolam), and anticonvulsants (carbamazepine and phenytoin) did not alter the
      reaction. There was marked inhibition of in vitro morphine production by
      neuroleptics (chlorpromazine, haloperidol, levomepromazine, and thioridazine),
      metoclopramide, and tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline, clomipramine,
      desipramine, imipramine, and nortriptyline). Enzyme kinetics showed competitive
      inhibition by neuroleptics (chlorpromazine Ki = 0.5 microM) and antidepressants
      (clomipramine Ki = 6.8 microM), which are substrates of the polymorphic
      monooxygenase. Due to the low affinity of codeine for P450 DB1 (Km = 100-200
      microM), its bioactivation in extensive metabolizers, and thus its analgesic
      efficacy, is liable to vary greatly when it is combined with any drug that has a
      high affinity for the polymorphic isozyme.

PMID- 1425810
TI  - Bioconversion of netobimin pro-drug by gastrointestinal fluids of ruminants.
AB  - The biotransformation of netobimin (NTB) pro-drug by ruminal, abomasal and
      intestinal fluids of sheep and cattle was investigated under anaerobic conditions
      in vitro. No metabolic conversion of NTB was observed upon incubation with
      abomasal fluid or boiled samples of different gastrointestinal fluids. NTB pro
      drug was reduced and cyclised into albendazole (ABZ) and this further oxidized
      into ABZ sulphoxide (ABZSO) and ABZ sulphone (ABZSO2) by both sheep and cattle
      ruminal and ileal fluids. A zwitterion formulation of NTB produced a
      significantly greater amount of anthelminthically active ABZ metabolites (ABZ and
      ABZSO) than a trisamine salt formulation of the same compound. Although there was
      no difference in the total amount of products formed, both cattle ruminal and
      ileal fluids showed a greater oxidative capacity than sheep derived fluids. This
      was evidenced by the greater amounts of ABZSO recovered and by the resultant
      lower ratios of ABZ/ABZSO obtained with cattle fluids.

PMID- 1425811
TI  - Absorption of valproic acid from the gastrointestinal tract of the piglet.
AB  - Valproic acid is a commonly used drug for the treatment of epilepsy. Since
      valproic acid can only be given orally, its absorption from the gastrointestinal
      (GI) tract especially in patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS) and in neonates
      is important. The specific sites of absorption for valproic acid in the small
      intestine and colon have not been investigated. It is currently unknown whether
      these patients are able to absorb oral valproic acid sufficiently to maintain a
      therapeutic serum concentration. The primary objectives of the study were to: (a)
      determine the relative absorption of valproic acid from specific sites in the GI
      tract; and (b) investigate the influence of intestinal development on valproic
      acid absorption using the newborn piglet as a model. Two groups were studied:
      Group I included 5 piglets 18-21 days of age, and Group II included 5 piglets 1-3
      days of age. A valproic acid solution was simultaneously perfused through 5
      partitioned segments of the gastrointestinal tract: the duodenum, jejunum, ileum,
      right colon and left colon. Tritiated [3H] polyethylene glycol was co
      administered to monitor water movement across the GI mucosa. Following steady
      state, samples were collected from each segment, and analyzed by a specific
      enzyme-mediated immunoassay. The absorption rates (micrograms/min/cm) of valproic
      acid in Group I were as follows: 9.96 +/- 2.8 duodenum; 11.28 +/- 2.79, jejunum;
      9.42 +/- 3.34, ileum; 10.88 +/- 3.35, right colon; 10.96 +/- 2.92, left
      colon.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425813
TI  - Metabolism of actisomide in the dog, monkey and man: a novel rearrangement of N
      dealkylated metabolites.
AB  - The metabolism of actisomide, a novel antiarrhythmic agent, was studied in the
      dog, monkey and man and was found to be more extensive in the monkey than in the
      dog or man. The major metabolites identified were a piperidinyl hydroxylated
      metabolite, the mono-N-dealkylated, cyclized and piperidine hydroxylated
      metabolite, and the cyclized and mono-N-dealkylated metabolite. Excretion of the
      parent drug was higher in urine than in feces in the dog, but in the monkey and
      man, urinary and fecal excretion of actisomide was similar. In all species the
      metabolites were primarily excreted in feces.

PMID- 1425812
TI  - Chronopharmacokinetics of Cyclosporine A in the Wistar rat following oral
      administration.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of Cyclosporine A (CsA) was studied in male Wistar rats
      weighting 300 +/- 50 g trained to a 12:12 light-dark cycle. Oral administration
      (40 mg/kg) was performed at 1 of 4 different temporal stages: 09.00 h, 15.00 h,
      21.00 h or 03.00 h (local time) i.e. 0200, 0800, 1400 or 2000 HALO (hours after
      light on). Blood samples were collected over 72-96 h after dosing, plasma was
      separated by centrifugation at 37 degrees C and stored frozen until assay, using
      radioimmunoassay (RIA). Two experiments were performed: the first with 4 groups
      of 48 rats and a non-specific polyclonal antibody (P-RIA); and the second with
      only 2 groups of 48 rats and a more specific monoclonal antibody (M-RIA). Plasma
      concentration data were evaluated with model-based linear pharmacokinetic
      concepts, with apparent zero-order or first-order absorption and n-exponential
      disposition (n = 1, 2 or 3): models MN0 or MN1. A compartment-independent
      approach was also conducted and led to area under the plasma concentration-time
      curve (AUC) and mean residence time (MRT) determinations. A comparison of the
      pharmacokinetic profiles across time of administration indicates that absorption,
      first-pass metabolism and tissue distribution of CsA in the rat are circadian
      dosing stage dependent.

PMID- 1425815
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of mitomycin C in patients after bolus injection and
      chemobolisation of the hepatic artery with Spherex starch particles.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of mitomycin C after chemobolisation of the common hepatic
      artery by micronized Spherex starch particles (mean particle size 30 microns)
      were investigated in 5 cancer patients. Bolus injection and simultaneous
      occlusion of the artery lead to a significantly lower systemic circulation of
      mitomycin C in the blood vessel system than after bolus injection without
      chemobolisation. The plasma concentration-time curves showed lower values in the
      alpha-phase in the presence of Spherex (co = 743 ng/ml) than without starch
      particles (co = 987 ng/ml). Accordingly, the AUC values were significantly lower
      too (AUC = 28.6 micrograms/ml.h with Spherex and 39.7 micrograms/ml.h without
      Spherex), thus leading to a lower systemic bioavailability of the drug and a
      higher local bioavailability in the tumor region. Elimination of mitomycin from
      the central compartment was similar for both administrations (t1/2 = 27 min with
      Spherex and 28 min without Spherex) and showed the characteristic profile of the
      substance. The clinical picture showed a milder toxicity with a certain loss of
      side effects. These results indicate a significant and desirable change in the
      pharmacokinetics of mitomycin C during the distribution phase into the tissue of
      patients.

PMID- 1425814
TI  - Functional and dispositional tolerance develops during continuous cocaine
      exposure.
AB  - Despite the fact that high doses of cocaine are abused chronically, relatively
      little is known regarding the development of tolerance and/or sensitization under
      these circumstances. Therefore, male Sprague-Dawley rats were infused
      continuously i.v. for 10 days, at a rate of 150 mg/kg/day (0.1 mg/kg/min) with
      cocaine hydrochloride. Body weight, food and water consumption, urine and fecal
      excretion, as well as blood pressure, heart rate and stereotypic behavior were
      monitored daily. Blood samples were also drawn daily so that plasma could be
      analyzed for cocaine and BEG by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Severe body
      weight loss on days 1 through 4 was followed by a gradual return to pre-drug
      levels. In addition, cocaine's effects on food and water consumption and urine
      and fecal excretion, which were maximal by day 2, were imperceptible by day 5.
      Complete tolerance developed rapidly to the remarkable rise in blood pressure
      noted on the first day. However, tolerance did not develop to the cocaine-induced
      increase in heart rate. A profound decrease in heart rate was noted in some
      animals which was interpreted to be cardiotoxicity since these animals
      subsequently died. On the other hand, sensitization or intensification of
      behavioral stereotypy occurred during the first 2 days followed by complete
      tolerance to this effect by day 5. No withdrawal phenomena were noted 24 h after
      cocaine was abruptly withdrawn. Plasma concentrations of cocaine rose rapidly
      during the first day and remained elevated at a constant level until day 5. Then,
      a sharp decline in plasma levels occurred at day 6 which remained depressed for
      the duration of the infusion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425816
TI  - Pharmacokinetics and metabolism of [3H]-pipethiaden in healthy volunteers.
AB  - Six healthy volunteers participated in a single-dose study of pharmacokinetics
      and metabolism of oral administration of [3H]-pipethiaden (1 mg). Plasma levels
      of total radioactivity, urinary excretion and metabolism were analyzed by liquid
      scintillation counting and radio-TLC. The mean peak plasma concentration of
      radioactive metabolites was 4.9 ng eq/ml, and the mean elimination half life was
      11.5 h. 34% of radioactivity was recovered in 4 days in urine, with only 0.4%
      present as unchanged drug. Pipethiaden was extensively metabolized by S
      oxidation, N-demethylation, and N-oxidation.

PMID- 1425817
TI  - Mass spectrometric identification of urinary and plasma metabolites of 2-(6'
      carboxyhexyl)-3-n-hexylcyclohexylamine, a new antiaggregating agent.
AB  - The compound IBI-P-05006, 2-(6'-carboxyhexyl)-3-n-hexylcyclohexylamine, is an
      antiaggregating agent under development. IBI-P-05006 is an in vitro inhibitor of
      platelet aggregation. The biotransformation of this compound has been studied in
      the dog and rat. We present here a study on the metabolites of IBI-P-05006 found
      in dog and rat urine, and in dog plasma. Analyses were done by gas chromatography
      mass spectrometry. In dog urine 15 metabolites were identified. Some of them were
      also found in dog plasma and in rat urine. The unmetabolized drug was found only
      in plasma. 10 different hydroxylated metabolites were characterized. The hydroxyl
      groups were introduced in the hexyl chain in positions omega-4, omega-3, omega-2,
      omega-1 and omega.

PMID- 1425818
TI  - Nation-wide collaborative study on the long-term effects of bromocriptine in the
      treatment of parkinsonian patients: analysis on the maintenance and the change of
      the original mode of treatment.
AB  - A nation-wide collaborative study to evaluate the long-term effects of
      bromocriptine in patients with Parkinson's disease was completed as described in
      the accompanying paper. The present study analysed the same data by paying
      attention to a group of patients who maintained the original mode of therapy and
      to a group of patients who changed the mode of treatment by adding levodopa or
      bromocriptine to the original drug. Surprisingly, 48 among 286 patients in a
      group of bromocriptine monotherapy maintained the original mode of therapy. This
      group has particular features of a short duration of illness and a low grade of
      Hoehn-Yahr's scale. It is noteworthy that this group of patients did not show
      wearing-off phenomenon. The effects of additional bromocriptine to levodopa for a
      5-year period were analysed by comparing two groups of combination therapy and
      levodopa alone therapy maintained for 5 years, with 106 and 92 patients,
      respectively. Results were essentially the same as those obtained from the
      accompanying paper, i.e., in general, treatment by combination with bromocriptine
      may be more suitable than treatment by levodopa alone. In order to find the best
      timing of the combination of levodopa and bromocriptine, results of 3 groups were
      compared, i.e. a group of patients who started with bromocriptine alone and later
      added with levodopa (82 patients), a group of patients who maintained the
      combination for 5 years (106 patients) and a group of patients who started with
      levodopa alone and later added bromocriptine (27 patients). The best results were
      obtained in the group of 5-year combination.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425819
TI  - Primary combination therapy of early Parkinson's disease. A long-term comparison
      between the combined regimen bromocriptine/levodopa and levodopa monotherapy-
      first interim report.
AB  - The aim of this multicenter randomized prospective study in patients with early
      Parkinson's disease is to differentiate over a 4-year period between
      levodopa/benserazide monotherapy and the corresponding combination with
      bromocriptine by the assessment of motorial side effects, therapeutical benefit
      and fine motorial skills. Although there is circumstantial evidence, that partial
      substitution of levodopa by bromocriptine carries benefit in preventing late
      levodopa-specific side effects and delaying the declining therapeutical benefit,
      so far no knowledge has been available how levodopa and the corresponding
      combination with bromocriptine would compare on a long-term basis. Such study
      appears all the more important since there are experimental findings consistent
      with a neurotoxic effect of levodopa on the one hand and some 'protective' impact
      of bromocriptine on the other. As to the practical procedure of the comparison,
      all patients were first treated with a levodopa monotherapy for 3 months. This
      was a platform for the consecutive randomized splitting of the patients into two
      groups receiving either continuing levodopa therapy or combination therapy, based
      upon at least 40 +/- 10% substitution of levodopa by bromocriptine. The
      investigation methods included, besides the usual clinical rating scales
      (Webster, Zung, Hoehn and Yahr), an apparative test series, the so-called 'MLS',
      which allowed a sensitive and reliable assessment of fine motorial skills. The
      results of the first 3 months of treatment with levodopa monotherapy before the
      consecutive splitting into the two treatment regimens demonstrate that the
      randomization was successful and that there were no significant differences, that
      potentially might interfere with the drug-specific evaluation afterwards. The
      results of the substitution phase show that combined treatment permitted a mean
      reduction of the levodopa dosage by 40%, without deterioration of therapeutic
      response. In addition, feasibility of the overall approach based upon a
      sophisticated interplay between the practising neurologists (101) and the centers
      (27) was demonstrated.

PMID- 1425820
TI  - An interim report of the effect of selegiline (L-deprenyl) on the progression of
      disability in early Parkinson's disease. The Parkinson Study Group.
AB  - The pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) has been linked to oxidative
      mediated events including increased monoamine oxidase (MAO) and free-radical
      generation. We are investigating the ability of the MAO inhibitor, selegiline
      (deprenyl), and of the free-radical scavenger, tocopherol, to delay the onset of
      disability requiring levodopa therapy (primary end point) in patients with early
      PD. Eight hundred patients with early, untreated PD were enrolled in the multi
      center placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial 'Deprenyl and Tocopherol
      Antioxidative Therapy of Parkinsonism (DATATOP)'. Subjects were assigned by 2 x 2
      factorial design to receive selegiline (10 mg/day), tocopherol (2,000 IU/day), a
      combination of both drugs, or placebo, and followed to determine if and when
      disability occurred requiring levodopa therapy. After 12 +/- 5 months of
      observation, independent monitoring prompted a preliminary analysis indicating
      that selegiline 10 mg/day significantly extended the time to the primary end
      point. Selegiline therapy, alone or in combination with tocopherol, resulted in a
      57% reduction in the rate of developing disability requiring levodopa therapy (p
      < 10(-10)) and a 50% reduction in the rate of loss of full-time employment (p =
      0.01). Deterioration of motor and mental features was significantly less in
      selegiline-treated subjects. Adverse effects were minor and infrequent. We
      conclude from these preliminary results that selegiline (10 mg/day) delays the
      onset of disability associated with early, otherwise untreated PD. It remains
      unclear whether these benefits derive from mechanisms that are symptomatic
      (dopaminergic), protective (anti-neurotoxic), or both. The DATATOP study is
      ongoing to examine the long-term effects of selegiline and the independent and
      interactive effects of tocopherol.

PMID- 1425821
TI  - Nation-wide collaborative study on the long-term effects of bromocriptine in the
      treatment of parkinsonian patients. Final report.
AB  - Final results of the 5-year multicentric collaborative study on the long-term
      effects of bromocriptine in the patients with Parkinson's disease are reported.
      This prospective study started in May 1985 in order to see whether the early
      combination therapy with bromocriptine and levodopa is really superior to the
      levodopa monotherapy with regard to the late side effects of levodopa in the
      treatment of parkinsonian patients. Another project of the study was to see the
      therapeutic efficacy of bromocriptine monotherapy without concomitant use of
      levodopa. For these purposes, a total of 702 patients with Parkinson's disease
      were enrolled into three groups: Group 1 (n = 286) with bromocriptine
      monotherapy, Group 2A (n = 216) with early combination of bromocriptine and
      levodopa, and Group 2B (n = 200) with levodopa alone. At the end of the 5-year
      study, 48 patients in Group 1 (16.8%) were still continuing bromocriptine
      monotherapy with satisfactorily good therapeutic effects. About half (49.1%) of
      the Group 2A patients remained on the combined therapy, and the comparable number
      of the Group 2B patients (46.0%) were also kept on the initial mode of therapy,
      while 13.5% of the latter group with levodopa monotherapy needed bromocriptine to
      be added in order to assure the good therapeutic effects. Moreover, significant
      differences were seen between group 2A and Group 2B with regard to the incidence
      of wearing-off phenomenon and dyskinesias. Disappearance rate of dyskinesias
      which were present at the time of enrollment was significantly higher in Group 2A
      than in Group 2B. No significant difference was noted as to the incidence of
      untoward symptoms and the death rate among all three therapeutic groups. These
      results support the view that the early combination of bromocriptine with
      levodopa is superior to levodopa alone in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

PMID- 1425822
TI  - Sixty minutes normothermic ischemia in rat liver: the declining tissue
      concentration of hypoxanthine during reperfusion is not a washout phenomenon.
AB  - A rat liver normothermic ischemia-reperfusion model was used to investigate
      whether hypoxanthine (HXA) that accumulated during ischemia was washed out in
      hepatic veins during reperfusion. Ischemia was induced in median and left lobes
      by clamping of the proper hepatic artery and portal branches. The effect of
      allopurinol (ALL) on metabolism of ATP and HXA was studied before, during and
      after a 60-min normothermic ischemic insult. Liver cell concentration of HXA in
      the group treated with ALL increased during ischemia and decreased rapidly during
      the first 10-min reperfusion. Recovery of ATP increased gradually during the 10
      min reperfusion period and was significantly higher in the group treated by ALL
      compared to that of controls. Liver venous blood concentration of HXA in the ALL
      treated group was 10-to 40-fold lower than that in liver tissue. The rapidly
      decreasing concentration of HXA in liver tissue during reperfusion and a minimal
      washout may indicate that HXA was used for resynthesis of ATP during reperfusion.

PMID- 1425823
TI  - Decrease in regeneration capacity of rat liver after external biliary drainage.
AB  - In order to discover the effect of external biliary drainage on liver
      regeneration, we have produced a model system carrying cannula in the common bile
      duct of rat liver and examined the regeneration capacity of liver after partial
      hepatectomy under various conditions. Previously we have shown that hepatic cells
      proliferate by obstructive jaundice alone without partial hepatectomy [Terasaki
      et al; Jpn J Cancer Res 1991;82:170-175]. In the present study, we showed that
      DNA polymerase-alpha was induced by partial hepatectomy of rats suffering from
      obstructive jaundice and the induced level was similar to that of the normal
      regenerating liver. The level of DNA polymerase-alpha activity corresponded well
      to the liver regeneration capacity estimated by mitotic index. Contrary to our
      expectation, external biliary drainage for obstructive jaundice markedly
      suppressed the regeneration capacity of the remaining liver which was estimated
      by DNA polymerase-alpha activity, mitotic index and [3H]thymidine incorporation.
      The suppression may be due to the external biliary drainage itself because the
      liver regeneration of normal rats without jaundice was also suppressed by the
      biliary drainage. These results suggest that the external biliary drainage
      seriously suppresses the regeneration capacity of liver at least at the early
      stage of obstructive jaundice.

PMID- 1425824
TI  - A standardized surgical technique to obtain a stable and reproducible chronic
      renal failure model in dogs.
AB  - The remnant kidney, a model of chronic renal failure in animals, can be obtained
      by two techniques: either surgical removal of tissue of one kidney, combined with
      contralateral nephrectomy or inducing necrosis of kidney tissue by ligation of
      branches of the renal artery of one kidney combined with contralateral
      nephrectomy. In the literature, most reports concern the ligation technique. The
      technique is safe and simple but the results in dogs are unpredictable. In this
      paper, both techniques were compared. We could demonstrate that the unpredictable
      result of the ligation technique is due to the formation of collateral vessels
      bypassing the ligated branches and to the inconstant ramification pattern of the
      renal artery. In this study, a standardized technique consisting of the resection
      of 16-18 g of tissue of one beagle kidney and removal of the other one is
      described. This method results in a stable chronic renal failure until the dogs
      are sacrificed at 9-12 months.

PMID- 1425825
TI  - Variations of magnesium, iron, copper and zinc during the colonic wound healing
      process: experimental study on rabbits.
AB  - The role of trace elements in the wound-healing process is still controversial.
      Their variations within a normal colonic wound healing have never been studied.
      An experimental study on rabbits was designed to study magnesium, iron, copper
      and zinc variations in blood, normal colonic walls and colonic anastomoses on
      each of the first 7 postoperative days. No major variations of Mg could be
      observed. Fe decreased in blood as well as in colonic walls and anastomoses. Cu
      increased in blood, whereas it decreased in colonic walls and anastomoses. Zn
      decreased in blood, whereas it increased in colonic walls without significant
      changes in anastomoses. The role of Fe seemed to be rather difficult to
      understand. Plasma mobilization seems to explain the local use of Zn, while early
      tissue release with further return in blood occurred for Cu. The importance of a
      well-balanced nutritional status is underlined to prevent and correct the
      variations of trace elements in the postoperative course.

PMID- 1425826
TI  - Whole pancreatic blood flow and islet blood flow in hypovolemic hypotension in
      rats.
AB  - The blood volume of adult, male rats was reduced with 5 ml (approximately 30% of
      the total blood volume) by bleeding, which reduced the mean arterial blood
      pressure (MAP) to 50 mm Hg. This hemorrhagic hypotension caused an increase in
      both serum glucose and serum insulin concentrations when compared with either
      normotensive control animals or with rats infused with nitroprusside to obtain an
      MAP similar to that of the bled animals. The blood perfusion of the whole
      pancreas was reduced in both groups of hypotensive animals but more markedly in
      those with hemorrhagic hypotension. The islet blood flow was reduced only in the
      bled animals. The percentage fraction of blood diverted through the islet organ
      was markedly increased in bled rats compared to the control animals, whilst this
      increase was less pronounced in the nitroprusside-infused rats. The vascular
      conductance in the nitroprusside-treated rats was unchanged for the whole gland,
      but increased for the islets. Both these values in bled animals were decreased.
      It is concluded that the blood flow regulation differs between the endocrine and
      exocrine parts of the pancreas in hypovolemic hypotension.

PMID- 1425827
TI  - Effect of activated protein C on impaired fibrinolysis in rats with obstructive
      jaundice.
AB  - We studied the effect of activated protein C (APC) on impaired fibrinolysis using
      a rat model in which disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is induced by
      the intravenous injection of endotoxin in rats with obstructive jaundice. An
      intravenous injection of endotoxin in rats with obstructive jaundice resulted in
      pulmonary hemorrhages and a marked increase in the plasma levels of tissue-type
      plasminogen activator (t-PA) antigen and plasminogen activator inhibitor
      activity. Prophylaxis with APC before the injection of endotoxin resulted in a
      decrease of the number of lung hemorrhages and an accelerated release of t-PA
      antigen. Thus, DIC in obstructive jaundice may be due to impairment of
      fibrinolysis and an increased susceptibility of endothelial cells to endotoxin.
      APC may be effective as a treatment for patients with obstructive jaundice
      associated with DIC.

PMID- 1425828
TI  - An electrohydrothermosation system for application in endolaryngeal and enoral
      surgery: a technical report.
AB  - The use of medical lasers or high-frequency (HF) devices ('electrocautery')
      allows the dissection of tissue by an application of heat. The main advantage of
      such techniques is the reduction of intra-operative bleeding. On the other hand,
      carbonization and coagulation lead to difficulties in the histological
      investigation of the resected specimen. Electrohydrothermosation (EHT) systems
      are irrigation-supported HF devices. The cutting or coagulation electrodes are
      continuously rinsed with distilled water in order to minimize thermal
      interactions with the tissue. We developed an EHT system for endoscopic head and
      neck surgery. The system was used to remove defined specimens from pig larynges
      and tongues experimentally. We compared the results with those obtained by a
      surgical CO2 laser and found that carbonization and overall tissue damage were
      less severe with EHT than with laser surgery. This leads to the conclusion that
      EHT is an improvement of conventional HF surgery and may be an alternative to
      laser surgery in the head and neck.

PMID- 1425829
TI  - The role of the gastrointestinal microflora in postsurgical adhesion formation--a
      study in germfree rats.
AB  - The elucidation of the pathogenesis of postsurgical adhesion formation is still
      lacking. In this study experimental adhesion formation was studied in germfree
      (i.e. void of bacteria) and conventional rats (intestinal flora comprising over
      400 species) using a caecal crush model. The germfree rats responded
      significantly weaker to the same stimuli, forming adhesions in only 20% of the
      cases as compared to the conventional rats 87.5% (p = 0.0076). The findings
      indicate that the bowel flora is of importance but not essential for postsurgical
      adhesion formation in rats.

PMID- 1425830
TI  - Tumor collagenase-stimulating factor and tumor autocrine motility factor as tumor
      markers in bladder cancer--an update.
AB  - We have studied the role of combined measurements of tumor collagenase
      stimulating factor (TCSF) and tumor autocrine motility factor (TAMF) in 83 first
      morning voids and 24-hour specimens in patients with bladder and renal cancer and
      control subjects. TCSF and TAMF were measured by immunoabsorption assay and
      motility test utilizing modified Boyden chamber. The mean concentrations of
      urinary TCSF and TAMF from cancer patients (n = 32) were 4- to 5-fold higher than
      those from benign conditions (n = 70). We compared TCSF and TAMF utilizing
      motility test in first morning voids (n = 18) and 24-hour urinary samples (n =
      19). TCSF and TAMF were almost identical in terms of eluted proteins from morning
      voids and 24-hour urine samples. Invasive bladder cancer (n = 12) showed a
      significantly higher correlation (r = 0.9 and p = 0.0001) between motility
      response and urinary concentration of TCSF and TAMF. We have also localized these
      two glycoproteins in cell membranes and cytoplasms of cancer cell.

PMID- 1425831
TI  - Tissue polypeptide antigen for monitoring of advanced bladder cancer after MVEC
      chemotherapy.
AB  - 58 patients with advanced bladder cancer were treated with MVEC chemotherapy
      (methotrexate, vinblastine, epirubicin and cisplatinum). 22 patients suffered
      from locally advanced disease (pT3-4 M0 N0), in 20 patients regional lymph node
      metastases were found (pT3-4 N1-3 M0). In 16 patients distant metastases were
      noted (pT1-4 N0-1 M1). In 89% transitional cell and in 11% squamous cell cancer
      or anaplastic carcinoma was seen. Complete response was noted in 45%, partial
      response in 23% and no response in 32%. Tissue polypeptide antigen (TPA) was
      registered before each course of chemotherapy and 3 months after the last
      application. The sensitivity for (pT3-4 N0 M0) tumors was 90.9%, for (pT3-4 N1-3
      M0) 100% and for tumors with distant metastases 100% also, overall 96.6%. No
      statistically significant different values between each tumor group were found.
      In 85.7% a concordant reaction of TPA values and clinical status was notable. In
      conclusion, TPA has been proven as a valuable and a reliable marker for
      monitoring therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapy for advanced bladder cancer.

PMID- 1425832
TI  - Bladder wash cytology and flow cytometry for the diagnosis of transitional cell
      carcinoma of the urinary bladder.
AB  - The role of bladder wash (BW) cytology and flow cytometry in the diagnosis of low
      grade transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder is yet to be demonstrated.
      We have studied a series of BW specimens by both conventional cytology and flow
      cytometry: there were 16 BW from patients with histologically proven TCC and 14
      BW from patients with clinical suspicion of tumor or under follow-up for previous
      TCC in which no evidence of tumor was found by cystoscopy and multiple biopsies.
      As control group, 21 BW were studied from patients undergoing cystoscopy for
      causes other than TCC. In conclusion, the conventional cytologic study of BW
      specimens was highly sensitive for grade II-III TCC, but missed most grade I TCC;
      flow cytometric analysis did not improve significantly the detection rate in low
      grade TCC.

PMID- 1425833
TI  - Prognostic role of flow cytometry in superficial bladder cancer.
AB  - Prognostic factors in superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder were
      assessed with histopathological and flow cytometry analysis in a series of 61
      patients operated transurethrally between 1988 and 1990. In particular, we
      evaluated the usefulness of flow cytometry in order to identify patients who
      require a more accurate clinical follow-up or a more aggressive therapy. A
      multivariate analysis was done in 61 cases, considering patient age and sex,
      stage, grade and number of lesions (unifocal or multifocal), post-TUR therapy
      (therapy or not), and DNA ploidy (diploid/aneuploid). DNA pattern and number of
      recurrences were determinant for selecting risk cases for progression.

PMID- 1425834
TI  - Prediction of recurrence and progression in primary superficial bladder cancer
      with DNA flow cytometry.
AB  - Intravesical chemotherapy has been well established as an effective therapy for
      recurrent superficial bladder tumors. We investigated the role of flow cytometry
      as a predictor of tumor recurrence/progression after intravesical chemotherapy.
      Flow cytometric analysis of nuclear DNA ploidy pattern was performed on 'cold
      cup' biopsy samples of 52 patients with primary superficial bladder cancer. Cell
      suspensions, retrieved after mechanical fragmentation, were stained with
      propidium iodide and examined on FACScan flow cytometer. Clinical follow-up
      ranged from 3 to 57 months with a median of 20 months. Of the 52 patients, 24
      aneuploid and 28 diploid tumors were observed. The degree of ploidy in relation
      to histological grade showed an increasing frequency of aneuploid pattern in
      grades 2 and 3 but with no statistical significance. 17.8% of diploid tumors
      versus 54.1% of aneuploid tumors recurred (p less than 0.05). 12.5% of the
      aneuploid tumors progressed. No progression among diploid tumors was observed. Of
      the 52 patients examined, 35 (16 aneuploid and 19 diploid) were treated, after
      TUR, with intravesical prophylactic therapy. Epirubicin in 24, mitomycin C in 4
      and recombinant interferon alpha 2a in 7 were used. 50% of aneuploid tumors
      versus 10.5% of diploid tumors recurred (p less than 0.05). Strong predictors of
      response to intravesical prophylaxis of recurrence were G1 grade and diploid DNA
      content.

PMID- 1425836
TI  - The prognostic significance of DNA ploidy pattern in transitional cell cancer of
      the renal pelvis and ureter: continuing follow-up.
AB  - Among 190 patients operated on for transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis
      and/or ureter from 1976 to 1990, 95 had their tumor studied by flow cytometry. Of
      these, the prognostic significance of the DNA ploidy pattern with respect to the
      standard pathologic features was assessed in a retrospective analysis, where
      survival information were updated to October 1991 and the mean follow-up of
      patients exceeded 5.5 years (longest follow-up: 15.5 years). Five and ten-year
      survival probabilities for the whole group were, respectively, 65.5 and 51%.
      Patients with a diploid tumor had significantly better survival rates than
      patients with tetraploid/aneuploid cancer (p less than 0.00001). The impact of
      the DNA ploidy on survival was confirmed by a multivariate analysis of prognostic
      factors, where only tumor grade (p less than 0.0001), tumor stage (p less than
      0.0001), number of neoplastic foci (p = 0.022) and nuclear DNA pattern (p less
      than 0.068) had a significant influence on survival. In the group of patients
      with low-stage (pTa-pT1) and low-grade (G1-G2) transitional cell cancer of the
      upper urinary tract, the DNA analysis was unable to identify any subset of
      patients at higher risk for disease progression.

PMID- 1425835
TI  - Biological and clinical implication of cellular DNA content in renal cell
      carcinomas.
AB  - DNA flow cytometric analysis (FCM) was performed on surgical bioptic samples
      taken from 82 renal cell carcinomas. FCM has evidenced that 35% (29/82) of renal
      carcinomas resulted diploid, 65% (53/82) aneuploid and of the latter 22% (12/53)
      multiclonal. Our results do not indicate any relationship among cytometric
      ploidy, Fuhrman grading, Robson and pTNM staging. A possible interesting increase
      of aneuploidy frequency was observed between the NMV (66%) subgroup and the no
      zero NMV (90%) subgroup, while in diploid patients these values were 40% and 10%,
      respectively. Follow-up data evidence a significant difference in survival
      pattern of patients between diploid and aneuploid groups. In conclusion, our
      results show that cytometric ploidy is a potential important prognostic parameter
      in survival term.

PMID- 1425837
TI  - Morphometric and immunohistochemical characterization of bladder carcinoma in
      situ and its preneoplastic lesions.
AB  - We performed a morphometric and immunohistochemical study of 26 bladder carcinoma
      in situ (Cis) specimens, compared with normal urothelium and urothelial
      preneoplastic lesions. The following morphometric parameters were evaluated:
      nuclear area, nuclear perimeter and maximum nuclear diameter. For the
      immunohistochemical study we used five lectins, antibodies against four
      epithelial differentiation antigens, and antibodies against blood group
      isoantigens. A progressive increase in nuclear size from normal urothelium to
      dysplastic urothelium and Cis was detected. Nuclear size values in Cis and in
      high-grade, high-stage bladder carcinomas were similar. The most relevant
      immunohistochemical results were obtained with CEA, CK, UEA-1 and ABH
      isoantigens, which show significant immunoreactivity changes in preneoplastic
      urothelium and Cis when compared with normal urothelium. We conclude that bladder
      Cis behaves morphometrically and immunohistochemically as an invasive bladder
      carcinoma, and we emphasize the usefulness of these techniques for detecting flat
      dysplastic and neoplastic lesions in random bladder biopsies.

PMID- 1425838
TI  - Erythrocyte sedimentation rates in patients with renal cell carcinoma.
AB  - The importance of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in patients with renal
      cell carcinomas (RCCa) is still controversial. ESR levels increased in over half
      of these patients. In this study, ESR levels of 19 patients with RCCa were
      investigated (85.368 +/- 5.914). In 11 patients in whom carcinomas were only
      localized in the kidney, the ESR levels were detected as 78.182 +/- 8.686. In 8
      patients who had metastasis, the ESR levels were found as 95.250 +/- 6.427. ESR
      levels were also estimated in 15 healthy adult persons as control group (18.133
      +/- 2.180). Mean ESR values were significantly higher in the tumor group than in
      the control group (p less than 0.01). There was no statistical difference of the
      ESR levels between the patients who had local RCCa and advanced RCCa (p greater
      than 0.05, NS). The removal of the tumoral mass caused the ESR levels to
      diminish. In conclusion, the ESR levels were not a good criteria in patients with
      RCCa for evaluating either prognosis or metastasis.

PMID- 1425839
TI  - DNA markers in diagnosis of adult dominant polycystic kidney disease.
AB  - We report the results of a biological and molecular study carried out on 11
      Italian families, with a total of 111 individuals in which adult dominant
      polycystic kidney disease segregates. A restriction fragment length polymorphism
      analysis was performed. Two families have shown a genetic heterogeneity even if
      not phenotypically different from the other ones: they resulted unlinked to 16p
      markers. A prenatal diagnosis has been performed in a family of the linked type.

PMID- 1425840
TI  - Identification of new prostate cancer progression markers by differential
      hybridization analysis.
AB  - In studies on the onset and progression of cancer, molecular biology has proven
      to be very useful. Reasoning that tumorigenesis can be considered as a multistep
      process in which a normal cell gradually escapes from its delicately regulated
      growth pattern, one might describe this process in terms of gene expression. The
      group of genes that are good candidates for such studies are the proto-oncogenes.
      Recent progress in oncogene research, however, has made us believe that the group
      of oncogenes is much greater than the 50 so far characterized, since all growth
      factor-, growth factor receptor-, signal transducer- and transcription-regulating
      genes have a potency to become oncogenic. Alternatively, recessive genes, such as
      tumor suppressor genes, might be equally relevant to the onset and progression of
      cancer. Therefore, new approaches in molecular studies on the genesis and
      progression of malignancies are urgently needed. One of these methods is the so
      called differential or subtraction hybridization analysis. Particularly, the
      rationale of differential hybridization and the first applications to prostate
      cancer research are discussed in this paper.

PMID- 1425841
TI  - Nucleolar organizer regions: preliminary results of the clinical use of a new
      marker for prostatic carcinoma (40 cases).
AB  - It is a widely diffused opinion that moving backwards in time the moment of the
      diagnosis of cancer of prostate, so that the tumor is detected earlier than
      normal, means that the treatment would be more effective than the one adopted in
      the usual times of diagnosis. For this reason the earlier diagnosis of prostate
      cancer has become more and more a compulsory target of the modern urologist, at a
      time of booming of the third age, of increased lifetime expectancy, of
      significant elevation of prostate cancer rate and of the persistent uncertainty
      of the efficacy of available treatments. Theoretically the mortality rate of
      prostate cancer can be reduced by the prevention programs and by the improvements
      of treatment methods, but the 'earlier' diagnosis is certainly an easier and less
      expensive strategy to achieve the same objective. The authors have evaluated the
      argyrophilic-nucleolar organizer region (Ag-NOR) proteins on 40 cases of
      adenocarcinoma of prostate collected through a multicentric program in France and
      in Italy. The Ag-NOR have been stained with silver technique set up by Ploton and
      Derenzini while the quantitative index has been evaluated by a semiautomatic
      system partially commercially available, partially modified by the authors. The
      conclusions: (a) the Ag-NOR index is a simple and reproducible method; (b) the Ag
      NOR staging system corresponds to Gleason's grading; (c) the Ag-NOR elevation is
      a reliable marker of increased cell proliferation and is detectable much earlier
      than the morphologic changes of Gleason's classification.

PMID- 1425842
TI  - The prognostic value of DNA content in patients with prostatic carcinoma.
AB  - In 80 patients with pathologically proven prostatic cancer, DNA content was
      correlated to grade, stage and survival. The survival curve and duration of
      response to therapy in these patients was examined. At the end of follow-up the
      cumulative survival curve in the aneuploid patients was 0.40, according to the
      Kaplan-Meier method, while in the diploid population it was 0.65. Differences
      between the two groups, aneuploid and diploid, were observed within the various
      histological subgroups: survival in the G2 population was 0.57 for the diploid
      and 0.30 for the aneuploid whereas in the G3 patients it was respectively 0.69
      for the diploid and 0.05 for the aneuploid patients.

PMID- 1425843
TI  - Reappraisal of radical perineal prostatectomy.
AB  - Radical prostatectomy is frequently the treatment of choice for localized
      adenocarcinoma of the prostate. The procedure can be accomplished through either
      a perineal or a retropubic approach; both have their advantages and
      disadvantages. Recently, concerns over transmission of blood-borne viruses during
      transfusions and the advent of laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy have resulted
      in a rejuvenation of interest in perineal prostatectomy. Herein, we discuss the
      history of perineal prostatectomy, the technique and its advantages and
      disadvantages.

PMID- 1425844
TI  - Results of a questionnaire among Dutch urologists and general practitioners
      concerning diagnostics and treatment of patients with prostatitis syndromes.
AB  - By means of a questionnaire, all Dutch urologists (n = 250, 136 responded) and
      regional general practitioners (GPs; n = 400, 176 responded) were contacted
      concerning current diagnostics and treatment modalities applied in patients with
      prostatitis syndromes. The patients seen by urologists seem to be younger (30-40
      years) and they mostly complain of pain in the perineum, penis or scrotum, while
      GPs see older patients (> 40 years) mainly presenting with micturition
      complaints. Urologists think nonbacterial causes (40%) most important, while GPs
      mention bacterial infections (63%) as the most important cause. The first choice
      of therapy is antibiotics, mostly co-trimoxazole Sulfatrim for 3 weeks, but
      patients seen by urologists are more resistant to this therapy. If not
      successful, urologists frequently prescribe a second course with antibiotics.
      However, many urologists think psychosomatic causes are an important factor in
      the etiology of prostatitis.

PMID- 1425845
TI  - Surgical repair versus medical treatment of varicocele in the rat:
      pharmacological manipulation of the varicocelized testicle.
AB  - Human chorionic gonadotropin, kallikrein, indomethacin, and hydralazine were
      administered to different groups of varicocelized rats, while surgical repair of
      the varicocele was performed in another group of rats. The effects of
      conservative and surgical treatment on epididymal sperm content and motility, the
      weights of the testes, epididymis, and male accessory genital glands, and
      fertility were compared between each group and a sham-treated group of rats.
      Surgical repair significantly improved all the evaluated parameters and all the
      conservative regimens, except hydralazine, resulted in a significant improvement
      in most parameters. Our results indicate that stimulation of the Leydig or/and
      Sertoli cells of a varicocelized testicle can counteract some of the detrimental
      consequences of the varicocele itself.

PMID- 1425846
TI  - Epididymitis in children and adolescents on clean intermittent catheterisation.
AB  - The records of 119 children and adolescents on clean intermittent catheterisation
      (CIC) were reviewed to assess the incidence and predisposing factors, if any, of
      epididymo-orchitis. CIC had been performed for a total of 448 patient years with
      a mean of 4.5 years (range 3 months to 19 years). Of the evaluable 99 patients,
      10 suffered attacks of epididymo-orchitis after commencing CIC. There was an
      equal incidence on both sides. Three patients had recurrent attacks. Epididymitis
      occurred at the rate of 1 episode for 10 patient years. Those who had neuropathic
      bladders and more than 2 symptomatic urinary tract infections annually had a
      higher incidence. Prophylactic antibiotics did not reduce the incidence but long
      term specific antibiotic therapy may prevent further attacks. Vasectomy and
      orchidectomy had to be done in 2 patients for recurrent attacks and intractable
      sepsis.

PMID- 1425847
TI  - Modified meatal advancement and glanduloplasty with complete foreskin
      reconstruction.
AB  - We report 28 boys who underwent repair of a distal hypospadias with a combination
      of a modified meatal advancement and glanduloplasty and reconstruction of the
      foreskin. An excellent result was achieved in 24 patients. In 4 boys, preputial
      reconstruction failed. Only one group of parents demanded further surgery.
      Improved cosmetic results with avoidance of serious complications make this
      operation ideal for treating distal hypospadias in countries where the
      circumcised penis is an exception.

PMID- 1425849
TI  - Effect of high-energy shock wave frequency on viability of malignant cell lines
      in vitro.
AB  - In this study, the effects of high-energy shock wave (HESW) frequency on the
      viability of three different malignant cell lines were evaluated using a piezo
      electric generator. The cell lines studied were AR42-J, VX-2 and HeLa. These
      cells were targeted both in free suspension and immobilised in gelatine beads.
      All cell lines in free suspension were acutely sensitive to HESW over a range of
      frequencies. When cells were immobilised in gelatine, however, the effect on cell
      viability was not as pronounced. However, at frequencies of 80- and 160-Hz kill
      rates approaching 80 and 90%, respectively, were observed. Cell proliferation
      following HESW treatment was not adversely affected. This study demonstrates that
      single cell suspensions are not appropriate for assessing the in vitro cellular
      effects of HESW. However, even when cells were immobilised in gelatine, high
      frequency HESW produced substantial kill rates. The effects of high-frequency
      HESW merit further evaluation particularly using in vivo tumour.

PMID- 1425848
TI  - In vitro lithotripsy with the Alexandrite laser.
AB  - The Alexandrite laser system has proven to be an effective and safe method of
      ureteral lithotripsy. Some authors have recently reported the risk of
      interspersion of fiber splinters into tissue during lithotripsy, when short
      pulses and high power densities are employed. In vitro lithotripsy on renal
      calculi artificially placed in human ureters was realized under the parameters of
      a manufactured model (Alexantriptor, HMT). We have observed neither interspersion
      of fragments nor ureteral damage. These in vitro experiments and our clinical
      experience confirm that Alexandrite laser lithotripsy is reliable and safe.

PMID- 1425850
TI  - Experimental model for ureteral autotransplantation in the rat.
AB  - The development of an experimental model for ureteral autotransplantation without
      kidney transplantation, in an attempt to confirm viability of the ureter after
      denervation and total ischemia, is reported. Stages of the study and the
      experimental microsurgical technique used are discussed. Experiments were carried
      out in 30 Sprague-Dawley rats distributed in two experimental stages. The absence
      of histologic lesions was demonstrated by exeresis of the autotransplantated
      ureter and latter pathological study. Size, colour, renal consistency, ureteral
      peristalsis and the macroscopic appearance of the surgical piece were recorded.
      Histological examination confirmed macro- and microscopic normality of the
      autotransplanted ureteral segment.

PMID- 1425851
TI  - Implantation metastasis after a suprapubic catheter in a case of bladder cancer.
AB  - We report about a patient who was treated with a percutaneous suprapubic
      cystostomy in order to relieve repeated urinary retention. Two hours later a
      bladder tumor was found and the suprapubic catheter was removed. After
      transurethral resection of the bladder tumor the histological specimen showed a
      pT3 G3 squamous cell carcinoma. Because of the age and reduced performance status
      of the patient a radical cystectomy was contraindicated. In a second approach we
      performed again a transurethral resection of the bladder tumor simultaneously
      with a resection of the prostate. Eight weeks later the patient was admitted to
      our hospital because of reduced performance status and gross haematuria. We found
      a widespread bladder tumor with an implantation metastasis in the abdominal wall
      at the site where the suprapubic catheter was placed and multiple lung
      metastases. The patient died within one week after admission. The literature is
      reviewed and therapeutic strategies are discussed.

PMID- 1425852
TI  - Embracing new special education strategies for African-American students.

PMID- 1425853
TI  - Culturally sensitive instructional practices for African-American learners with
      disabilities.
AB  - This article discusses the cultural and educational needs of African-American
      learners with disabilities. Six theoretical assumptions establish some basic
      suppositions about culturally and linguistically diverse learners and effective
      instructional practices. A review of the literature describes African-American
      cultural practices, interests, and cognitive styles; highlights the attitudes,
      perceptions, and instructional practices of effective teachers of African
      American students; and includes patterns of teacher-student and peer-group
      interactions that promote high academic achievement among African-American
      learners. Recommendations include organizing teaching, learning, and performance
      in ways that are compatible with the social structure of African-American
      students with disabilities.

PMID- 1425855
TI  - Early pregnancy and academic achievement of African-American youth.
AB  - Competing demands of school and home can thrust adolescent mothers into stressful
      situations. Meeting the requirements to achieve academically can be a challenge,
      especially for students previously identified as "slow learners." These students
      may conclude that academic achievement is an impossibility. How can special
      educators and service providers help? What environmental variables affect these
      young mothers' learning capabilities? This study used a case study research
      approach to study 10 African-American adolescent mothers who were already at risk
      of dropping out of school programs. Successful strategies to keep these students
      in school include school-based clinics, teacher training, sex education, and
      school-community support.

PMID- 1425854
TI  - The use of selected theatre rehearsal technique activities with African-American
      adolescents labeled "behavior disordered".
AB  - The extensive literature on the overrepresentation of adolescent African-American
      male learners in classes for students identified as behavior disordered has
      essentially not addressed the problems caused by teacher reactions to adolescent
      conversational language use, the qualitative differences in language choices, or
      the impact of the conversational choices of adolescents on their educational
      treatment. This article explores how the dramaturgical perspective of selected
      Theatre Rehearsal Technique (TRT) activities can be used as learning experiences
      in communication with this student population. If these students gain
      quantifiable success in their social communication interactions, reassessment of
      their special education placement might facilitate their entrance into less
      restrictive educational environments.

PMID- 1425856
TI  - The pitfalls and promises of special education practice.
AB  - It is imperative that special education enable children with disabilities to
      achieve at high levels. Problems of equity and pedagogical validity have hindered
      our efforts thus far, and many children of minority cultures are far
      overrepresented in classrooms for students with learning disabilities and mild
      mental retardation. Studies have shown the importance of culturally and
      linguistically inclusive programs and of heterogenous groupings, as well as more
      effective diagnostic, remedial, and assessment practices. This article discussed
      a model and basic principles for such techniques to ensure that the educational
      outcomes of all children are improved.

PMID- 1425857
TI  - Determinants of coronary effects of atrial natriuretic factor in dogs.
AB  - The direct vascular action of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) is unclear. In
      coronary vasculature, vasodilation has been reported as well as vasoconstriction.
      Doses of ANF, baseline plasma ANF levels and interference with the renin
      angiotensin system might account for the controversy. We tried to further analyse
      determinants of the effect of ANF on coronary blood flow in anaesthetized dogs.
      The chest was opened and the left anterior descending coronary artery cannulated
      and perfused at constant normal (= 76 +/- 5 mmHg, n = 10) or reduced (= 37 +/- 3
      mmHg, n = 10) pressure from the femoral arteries. At normal coronary perfusion
      pressure, ANF (1 ng kg-1 i.c.) reduced coronary flow from 30.7 +/- 4.2 to 26.9 +/
      4.0 ml min-1 (P less than 0.05). This effect was no longer significant at
      reduced coronary perfusion pressure (4.9 +/- 0.8 vs. 4.6 +/- 0.7 ml min-1). ANF
      (1 ng kg-1 i.c.) reduced coronary blood flow in correlation with baseline plasma
      ANF levels (r = 0.77, P less than 0.001). However the large variability of the
      constrictor effect of ANF in the rather small range of baseline plasma ANF,
      weakens the importance of this result and suggests other additional determinants.
      ANF (100 ng kg-1 i.c.) significantly increased coronary blood flow by 16-23% (P
      less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425858
TI  - Reappraisal of the role of insulin on sodium handling by the kidney: f1fect of
      intrarenal insulin infusion in the dog.
AB  - Since several studies suggest that increased insulin levels may induce
      antinatriuresis, the present work was undertaken to determine whether a
      physiological increase in insulin levels in blood perfusing the kidney may exert
      direct effect on kidney function, and more specifically on sodium reabsorption.
      To this end, insulin was infused directly into one renal artery of 10
      anaesthetized dogs at the rate of 4 mU min-1 for a period of 90 min. The
      contralateral kidney was infused with saline alone, to provide reference values.
      Insulin level in the renal vein of the insulin-infused kidney went up from 1.4 +/
      0.9 before to 30.6 +/- 7.1 microU ml-1 after 90 min of insulin perfusion. There
      was no significant effect on renal plasma flow, glomerular filtration rate and
      renal uptake of substrates or oxygen between ipsi- and contralateral kidney. The
      fractional excretion of sodium was likewise unaffected, since it averaged at the
      end of insulin infusion 0.41 +/- 0.11% vs. 0.50 +/- 0.14% for the contralateral
      saline infused kidney. Even if one may assume that the baseline low insulin
      concentrations promote tubular sodium reabsorption, the results of the present
      study suggest that a moderate hyperinsulinaemia is without any additional effect
      on renal sodium handling.

PMID- 1425860
TI  - Bone mass and biochemical parameters of bone metabolism in men with spinal
      osteoporosis.
AB  - With advancing age both sexes have an increased incidence of osteoporotic
      fractures, although fractures are more common in women than in men. Whereas in
      women several potential risk factors have been identified, less is known about
      osteoporosis in men. A total of 27 Austrian men (mean age: 65 +/- 2 years) with
      atraumatic spine fractures were studied. In all patients, medical history gave no
      evidence of disease or medications causing osteoporosis. Peripheral bone mass was
      determined by single-photonabsorptiometry on the distal non-dominant forearm;
      lumbal bone density was measured by quantitative computed tomography. Serum
      levels of calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, testosterone,
      estrogen, parathyroid hormone and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D as well as 2-h-urinary-OH
      proline and calcium excretion were measured. All data were compared with those of
      an age and sex matched control group consisting of 19 healthy males. A
      significant difference in mean peripheral and axial bone mass (SPA: P less than
      0.004; QCT: P less than 0.0001) was observed between osteoporotic men and
      controls. When compared to controls, serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (P less
      than 0.012), urinary OH proline (P less than 0.05) and urinary calcium excretion
      (P less than 0.003) were significantly higher in the osteoporotic males.
      Additionally, there was a significant positive correlation between serum alkaline
      phosphatase and urinary OH proline excretion (r = 0.32; P less than 0.04) in the
      osteoporotics. All other biochemical parameters showed no significant
      differences. Our results may lead to the assumption that osteopenia in men is
      related to increased bone turnover.

PMID- 1425859
TI  - Normal lipoprotein(a) concentrations and apolipoprotein(a) isoforms in patients
      with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
AB  - Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is an LDL particle in which apoliporotein B-100 is
      attached to a large plasminogen-like protein called apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)].
      Apo(a) has several genetically determined phenotypes differing in molecular
      weight, to which Lp(a) concentrations in plasma are inversely correlated, and
      plasma Lp(a) concentrations above 20-30 mg dl-1 are an independant risk factor
      for ischaemic heart disease (IHD). To investigate whether Lp(a) could be
      important for the high cardiovascular mortality rate in patients with insulin
      dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), we determined Lp(a) concentrations and
      phenotypes in a group of 108 men (median age 32 years) with IDDM without
      nephropathy. A group of 40-year-old men (n = 466) served as controls. The median
      Lp(a) concentration was 7.4 mg dl-1 [95% CI 4.9 to 11.7] in the diabetic patients
      and 6.3 mg dl-1 [95% CI 5.2 to 7.0] in controls. The Lp(a) concentration exceeded
      30 mg dl-1 in 22% of IDDM patients and in 20% of controls (P = 0.13). Moreover,
      the distribution of apo(a) phenotypes did not differ between patients and
      control. Lp(a) levels and apo(a) phenotypes are thus apparently the same in IDDM
      patients without nephropathy and controls. These findings do not exclude the
      possibility that Lp(a) may be increased in patients with nephropathy in whom
      coronary artery disease frequently co-exist or that Lp(a) in a given
      concentration is more atherogenic in IDDM patients than in persons without IDDM.

PMID- 1425861
TI  - Nutritional behaviour and quality of life during oncological polychemotherapy:
      results of a prospective study on the efficacy of oral nutrition therapy in
      patients with acute leukaemia.
AB  - A total of 29 patients with acute leukaemia were prospectively randomized before
      starting cytostatic treatment to be nourished either with intensified oral
      nutrition (intervention group) or ad libitum nutritional intake during the whole
      tumour therapy (median 22 weeks). All received menus of free choice (daily offer
      of 1.0-2.0 g protein, 30-50 kcal kg-1 body weight (BW)). Beyond this,
      intervention patients received nutrition education, daily visits by the dietician
      and record of food intake, as well as a weekly assessment of subjective well
      being (linear analogue self assessment 'LASA'). From the LASA items, the factors:
      'malaise', 'psychological distress', 'therapy side-effects' were extracted by
      principal component analysis, and correlated to nutrient intake and nutritional
      status. At the end of antineoplastic induction therapy, after continuous
      hospitalization of 10 weeks (median), 31.3% of the controls had regained their
      initial nutritional status, and 68.8% of the intervention group. Mean daily
      energy intake was 23.2 kcal kg-1 BW during weeks with weight loss (constant
      weight: 30.9, weight gain: 39.3 kcal kg-1 BW). Nutritional behaviour correlated
      with subjective well-being, low intake with complaints of tumour treatment side
      effects and weight loss with malaise.

PMID- 1425862
TI  - A comparison of octreotide delivered by continuous subcutaneous infusion with
      intermittent injection in the treatment of acromegaly.
AB  - This study was undertaken to evaluate GH, IGF1 and drug levels during incremental
      continuous subcutaneous infusion of octreotide and compare these parameters
      following long-term treatment of 300 micrograms 24 h-1 by intermittent injection
      in a group of acromegalic patients. Ten patients were treated by continuous
      subcutaneous infusion in increasing dose from 200 micrograms 24 h-1 to 1600
      micrograms 24 h-1; this resulted in consistent 24-h growth hormone suppression
      (less than 5.0 mU l-1), and normalisation of IGF1; the optimum dose was 400
      micrograms 24 h-1, the maximum dose was tolerated without any untoward effects.
      There was no deterioration in carbohydrate tolerance despite a marked decrease in
      fasting and stimulated insulin levels. After 1 year of maintenance treatment, 300
      micrograms 24 h-1 by intermittent injection, patients were re-evaluated; GH
      levels were not so consistently suppressed over the 24-h period and carbohydrate
      tolerance had deteriorated. A sub-group of patients with sub-optimal GH
      suppression on this regimen were identified and reassessed after 6 weeks
      treatment with an increased dose, 600 micrograms 24 h-1 by intermittent
      injection; both mean GH suppression and carbohydrate tolerance improved. The dose
      of drug and method of administration is best adjusted for each patient to achieve
      optimum GH suppression, thereby minimise compensatory hyperinsuliaemia and
      hopefully reduce morbidity and mortality. Alterations in pituitary tumour size
      and acquisition of gallstones during treatment have been observed which
      substantiate the need to re-evaluate these parameters on routine follow-up of
      acromegalic patients on long-term octreotide.

PMID- 1425863
TI  - Renal reserve filtration capacity in growth hormone deficient subjects.
AB  - In normal subjects, the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and effective renal
      plasma flow (ERPF) acutely increase in response to infusion of amino acids and to
      low doses of dopamine. It is uncertain whether circulatory growth hormone (GH) is
      a permissive factor for these stimulatory effects. GFR and ERPF (constant
      infusion technique using 125I-iothalamate and 131I-hippuran, respectively) were
      measured before and during the infusion of dopamine and amino acids in 8 GH
      deficient subjects. The clearance study was repeated during concomitant
      administration of octreotide to investigate whether this somatostatin analogue
      would modify the amino acid and dopamine-induced renal haemodynamic changes.
      Dopamine increased baseline GFR from 89 +/- 3 (mean +/- SEM, n = 8) to 102 +/- 4
      ml min-1 1.73 m-2 and ERPF from 352 +/- 19 to 476 +/- 26 ml min-1 1.73 m-2, P
      less than 0.001 for both. During amino acid infusion GFR and ERPF increased to
      108 +/- 3 and 415 +/- 23 ml min-1 1.73 m-2, respectively, P less than 0.001 for
      both. Octreotide did not significantly decrease baseline and dopamine-stimulated
      renal haemodynamics but lowered the amino acid-stimulated GFR (98 +/- 4 ml min-1
      1.73 m-2, P less than 0.05) and ERPF (381 +/- 18 ml min-1 1.73 m-2, P less than
      0.05). Basal plasma glucagon concentrations were not suppressed by octreotide,
      whereas the amino acid-induced increments in plasma glucagon were partially
      inhibited. It is concluded that GH is not a necessary factor for the stimulatory
      effects of amino acids and dopamine on renal haemodynamics.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425864
TI  - Doctors' perception of pertinent information. Results of a survey of a random
      sample of French general practitioners. GEP (Groupe d'Etude de la Prescription).
AB  - The results of a survey aimed at investigating which tools prescribers have at
      hand to help them to identify pertinent information from a background of "noise"
      are reported. A questionnaire was sent to 250 general practitioners randomly
      selected from a list of those practicing in the Rhone-Alpes region in France, of
      whom 117 (46.8%) replied. The questionnaire consisted of three sections, the
      first explored how they dealt with intermediate and clinical outcomes in trials,
      the second presented a series of statements to identify what would make them
      prescribe a new drug, and the third looked at their knowledge of therapy
      assessment methodology. It was found that most general practitioners had not been
      trained to identify the most salient information for selecting the best
      treatment. This implies that both medical students and qualified doctors should
      be taught to recognise pertinent information.

PMID- 1425865
TI  - Dose ranging study of lansoprazole, a new proton pump inhibitor, in patients with
      high gastric acid secretion.
AB  - The effects of single doses and of 7 days of lansoprazole 10, 20 and 30 mg PO
      versus placebo on gastric acid secretion have been evaluated in 8 patients with
      high gastric acid secretion. The double blind crossover period was followed by a
      simple blind 7 days on placebo to detect any rebound phenomenon. After the first
      dose lansoprazole did not modify basal acid output (BAO) but it significantly and
      dose dependently inhibited peak acid output (PAO) and increased the time during
      which nocturnal intragastric pH was greater than 3. After 7 days of treatment the
      same significant, dose-dependent suppression of gastric acid was found, but BAO
      was also blocked. One week after cessation of lansoprazole administration no
      rebound increase in gastric acid-secretion was observed. The plasma gastrin
      concentration remained unchanged throughout the study.

PMID- 1425866
TI  - Simultaneous noninvasive evaluation of gastric emptying and orocaecal transit
      times. Use in studying the actions of cisapride in diabetic patients.
AB  - The aim of the study was to use a novel combination of two methods for the
      simultaneous evaluation of two effects of oral cisapride in 10 diabetic patients
      with autonomic neuropathy; gastric empyting time was measured by following radio
      opaque markers and orocaecal transit time by the sulphasalazine-sulphapridine
      method. The study was of double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over
      design. It was possible to evaluate the effect of a prokinetic drug on gastric
      emptying and orocaecal transit times using these two noninvasive techniques at
      the same time. Cisapride significantly reduced both the gastric empyting (1.2 h
      versus 2.1 h) and orocaecal tansit (5.9 h versus 7.7 h) times.

PMID- 1425867
TI  - Nocturnal oxygen saturation and sleep quality in patients with advanced chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease during treatment with moderate dose CR
      theophylline.
AB  - The effect of a 24-h controlled-release (CR) preparation of theophylline (Th) on
      nocturnal arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) and sleep quality has been evaluated
      in 7 patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a
      double-blind cross-over experiment; median values: age 61 y; PaO2 8.0 kPa; PaCO2
      5.8 kPa. During treatment with 450-900 mg Th in the evening, morning plasma drug
      levels ranged from 5.2-12.9 micrograms.ml-1. During Th and placebo treatment, the
      median evening FEV1 was 0.45 l and 0.46 l, respectively, and the morning FEV1 was
      0.53 l and 0.41 l. Sleep was monitored by whole-night polysomnographic recording
      of oximetric SaO2, airflow, respiratory and body movements (static charge
      sensitive bed), eye movements and submental electromyogram. There was no
      significant difference between Th and placebo in sleep quality. Th treatment was
      associated with a marginal improvement in nocturnal oxygenation in most of the
      patients; the average nocturnal SaO2 ranged from 84.4%-92.8% during Th and from
      82.2-90.5% during placebo treatment, respectively. Only in the morning, during
      the last 2 h in bed, was the slight difference in SaO2 statistically significant
      in favour of Th. It is concluded that a moderate dose of CR-theophylline did not
      alter the sleep quality or substantially improve nocturnal oxygenation in
      patients with advanced COPD and mild to moderate day-time hypoxaemia.

PMID- 1425868
TI  - Factors in hydrazine formation from isoniazid by paediatric and adult
      tuberculosis patients.
AB  - An HPLC method is described for measurement of plasma hydrazine (Hz)
      concentrations (CHz) at the same time as isoniazid (INH) levels (CINH). Study has
      been made of CHz during 2-5 after dose in healthy adults (A, n = 34), in adult
      pulmonary TB patients (B, n = 18) and in paediatric tuberculous meningitis
      patients (C, n = 25). Although the population has about equal proportions of
      'slow' (52%) and 'fast' acetylators, in none of the groups could a correlation be
      shown between CHz levels or rates of Hz accumulation and any measure of
      acetylator type. Consequently Hz must be derived both from INH and from its
      metabolites during the first hours post-dose. For group A and ca. 70% of groups B
      and C a constant and maximal fraction of dose (ca. 0.6% for adults and 0.4% for
      paediatric patients) appeared as Hz at 4-5 h. For group B patients small pre-dose
      concentrations increased with duration of treatment. Four patients in group B
      showed the highest levels of CHz and rates of Hz accumulation some three times
      greater than the rest; all four had been identified as alcoholics and one showed
      evidence of hepatotoxicity at CHz (5 h) = 1.3% of dose. Amongst group C (9/25)
      episodes of high CHz greater than 0.5% of dose occurred during the first weeks of
      treatment and one developed CHz ca. 100 ng/ml = 1.3% of dose coincidentally with
      indications of hepatic damage.

PMID- 1425869
TI  - Comparison of salivary miconazole concentrations after administration of a
      bioadhesive slow-release buccal tablet and an oral gel.
AB  - The salivary miconazole concentrations after administration of a bioadhesive slow
      release buccal tablet and an oral gel have been compared. The bioadhesive tablet
      consisted of a mixture of thermally modified starch and 5% polyacrylic acid.
      Although the amount of drug administered via the bioadhesive tablet was sixfold
      lower than when the gel was used, the salivary miconazole levels were higher and
      remained above the MIC value of Candida albicans for more than 10 hours. The mean
      adhesion time of the tablet was 586 min. The bioadhesive tablet appears to be a
      promising drug delivery system for the buccal administration of drugs for local
      therapy.

PMID- 1425870
TI  - The effects of omeprazole-induced hypochlorhydria on absorption of theophylline
      from a sustained-release formulation.
AB  - The present study was designed to investigate the effects of raised intragastric
      pH on the absorption of theophylline from a sustained-release formulation. Six
      healthy male volunteers participated in the cross-over randomised study and on
      one of two occasions were pretreated with 240 mg omeprazole, administered in
      three divided doses over the 22 h preceding the test. The
      sulphasalazine/sulphapyridine method of assessing oral-caecal transit time was
      implemented in order to assess upper bowel and colonic absorption. The mean
      fraction absorbed-time profile was calculated from serial serum theophylline
      concentration measurements by a modification of the Wagner-Nelson equation.
      During hypochlorhydria the mean oral-caecal transit time was 4.6 h, mean time to
      90% absorption 6.8 h, and the percentage theophylline presumably to be absorbed
      from the colon 32.3. The corresponding values with normochlorhydria were,
      respectively, 3.8 h, 8.5 h, and 57.5%. The shorter oral-caecal transit time and
      lesser upper bowel absorption during normochlorhydria is postulated to result
      from motilin release due to duodenal acidification. Gastric hypoacidity resulted
      in significantly increased cumulative fractions of theophylline absorbed during a
      3.5 h period, starting 0.5 h after breakfast. Possibly hypochlorhydria amplifies
      the increased motility which follows the intake of a meal, resulting in increased
      peristalsis and antiperistalsis, with more rapid drug absorption.

PMID- 1425871
TI  - Acipimox-induced facial skin flush: frequency, thermographic evaluation and
      relationship to plasma acipimox level.
AB  - Facial skin flush is the most frequent adverse effect induced by acipimox (ACX),
      a nicotinic acid analogue used in the management of hyperlipidaemia. The aims of
      the study were to evaluate the frequency, magnitude and reproducibility of the
      ACX flush in previously unexposed healthy subjects and to assess any possible
      relationship with the dose and plasma level of ACX. Seventy four healthy subjects
      received, on two different mornings, ACX 250 mg and placebo (P), according to a
      single blind, randomized, cross-over design; 33 had a clear flush after ACX and
      not after P.25 of those subjects were retested on five different mornings, with
      P, and with ACX 31.2, 62.5, 125.0, 250.0 mg, according to a double blind,
      randomized, cross-over design. Any increase in the local skin temperature was
      recorded by a thermocouple fixed to the left check. Subjective and objective
      assessment of the flush were strongly correlated with thermographic recordings.
      They indicated that a 120 min flush occurred after doses of ACX greater than 62.5
      mg. In 12 of the 25 subjects, 6 with the highest and 6 with the lowest
      thermographic recordings, plasma ACX levels were determined. Subjects with
      different thermographic records had superimposable plasma ACX levels after all
      doses of ACX. Only the 6 subjects with the highest skin temperatures showed a
      significant relationship between the thermographic record and the plasma ACX. The
      data indicate that flush is a frequent, reproducible and dose-related adverse
      effect of ACX.

PMID- 1425872
TI  - The direct effects of diethylstilboestrol and nifedipine on the contractile
      responses of isolated human and rat detrusor muscles.
AB  - We have studied the direct effect of 2 mumol.l-1 diethylstilboestrol on isolated
      rat and human detrusor muscles. Diethylstilboestrol significantly reduced the
      amplitude of the contractile response of rat detrusor muscle to stimulation with
      acetylcholine, carbachol, electrical field stimulation, and 5-hydroxytryptamine.
      In isolated human bladder it also significantly reduced contractions stimulated
      with acetylcholine, carbachol, and electrical field stimulation. In depolarized
      rat detrusor muscle stimulated with different concentrations of calcium ions, the
      contractile responses were significantly reduced by the addition of
      diethylstilboestrol. Diethylstilboestrol also significantly reduced the amplitude
      of contractile response to potassium chloride. The inhibitory action of
      diethylstilboestrol was enhanced by the reduction of extracellular calcium ions,
      the maximum contractile response to acetylcholine, carbachol, and electrical
      field stimulation being reduced by a further 32%, 23%, and 45% respectively.
      Diethylstilboestrol did not have a significant effect on carbachol-induced
      contractions in depolarized rat detrusor muscle suspended in a calcium-free
      environment. Diethylstilboestrol was effective in blocking rat and human detrusor
      muscle contraction. The likely mechanism is a reduction of the influx of calcium
      ions into the cell during contraction rather than an effect on intracellular
      calcium release. These results give support for treating incontinent patients
      with drugs that block calcium ion uptake, and may suggest a further beneficial
      effect of oestrogen therapy in postmenopausal women.

PMID- 1425873
TI  - Dose-response relationship of topically applied methylprednisolone aceponate
      (MPA) in healthy volunteers.
AB  - Topical glucocorticosteroids are useful in the treatment of various skin
      diseases. Although many corticosteroids are available today, there is still a
      need for highly potent compounds with minimal adverse effects. Methylprednisolone
      aceponate (MPA) has recently been synthesized. Its activity has been evaluated
      using the vasoconstrictor assay and the poison ivy test (rhus dermatitis) in
      19/20 healthy volunteers of either sex. Comparable blanching was found with MPA
      in a cream vehicle, in an ointment and a fatty ointment. Vasoconstriction and
      suppression of experimentally-induced poison ivy contact dermatitis were dose
      dependent in the concentration range 0.01% to 0.5% MPA. Concentrations of MPA of
      at least 0.05% were significantly active. Following the highest dose, blanching
      was close to the maximum which can be obtained. This finding, and the improvement
      of rhus dermatitis, suggest that MPA belongs to the highly potent local
      glucocorticosteroids.

PMID- 1425874
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of cyclosporine in hyperlipidaemic long-term survivors of heart
      transplantation. Lack of interaction with the lipid-lowering agent, fenofibrate.
AB  - Cyclosporine (Cy) binds to lipoproteins in plasma. In order to test if its
      pharmacokinetics would be modified when efficient lipid-lowering treatment is
      introduced, a study has been done of Cy pharmacokinetics and any interaction with
      the lipid-lowering agent fenofibrate in hyperlipidaemic long-term, survivors of
      heart transplantation. Fenofibrate 200 mg once daily significantly reduced blood
      lipids (cholesterol 6.5 vs 7.7 mmol/l; apoprotein B 1.2 vs 1.6 g/l) but did not
      modify mean whole blood Cy trough levels (113 before fenofibrate vs 103 ng.ml-1),
      Cmax (812 ng.ml-1 by RIA and 757 ng.ml-1 by HPLC before fenofibrate versus 865
      and 741 respectively, during fenofibrate); tmax (1.6 and 1.7 h before fenofibrate
      versus 1.4 and 1.4 h respectively), and t1/2 (13.9 and 11.1 h versus 9.5 and 10.7
      h). The only adverse effect was an increase in creatinine (157 vs 145 mmol/l).
      Further studies are needed to investigate the mechanism of Cy-fenofibrate
      nephrotoxicity and to evaluate the long-term efficiency and safety of fenofibrate
      after heart transplantation.

PMID- 1425875
TI  - Urinary caffeine metabolites in man. Age-dependent changes and pattern in various
      clinical situations.
AB  - In an exploratory study the 24-h urinary excretion pattern of caffeine and 14 of
      its major metabolites was studied in 32 volunteers (adults, adolescents and
      children), 14 patients either with end stage renal disease or liver cirrhosis, 7
      heavy smokers and 27 patients on therapy with cimetidine, allopurinol,
      theophylline or phenytoin. Caffeine and its metabolites were quantified by UV
      absorption after liquid/liquid-extraction and HPLC-separation, which ensured
      proper analysis of 1-methyluric acid. In adults the renal excretion of caffeine
      derivatives corresponded to an intake of 509 mg caffeine/day, with 1-methyluric
      acid as the predominant metabolite. About 69% of caffeine was degraded by the
      paraxanthine pathway, and theobromine- (19%) and the theophylline pathway (14%)
      were less important. The ratio of paraxanthine formation to urinary caffeine
      concentration (= clearance equivalent) was about 2.2 ml.min-1.kg-1 in adults, and
      the corresponding ratios for theophylline and theobromine were 0.43 ml.min-1.kg-1
      and 0.59 ml.min-1.kg-1, respectively. As expected, caffeine degradation was
      impaired in patients with cirrhosis and was increased in persons who smoked
      heavily or who were on phenytoin therapy. The results document the possibility of
      noninvasively investigating gross differences in caffeine disposition by analysis
      of the urinary pattern of its metabolites.

PMID- 1425876
TI  - Bacterial acetylation of 5-aminosalicylic acid in faecal suspensions cultured
      under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
AB  - After oral administration of 5-aminosalicylic acid a substantial proportion of
      the acetylated form is excreted in the faeces. We have studied the role of the
      faecal microflora in acetylating 5-aminosalicylic acid. In faeces incubated under
      both aerobic and anaerobic conditions there was acetylation of 5-aminosalicylic
      acid. Of the anaerobic bacteria isolated from a 10(8) faecal dilution 44% were
      able to acetylate 5-aminosalicylic acid. We conclude that the normal faecal
      microflora contribute to the acetylation of 5-aminosalicylic acid.

PMID- 1425877
TI  - Increase in cerebrospinal fluid pressure in normocapnic volunteers in response to
      nalbuphine.
AB  - We have carried out a double-blind randomized study of the effect of nalbuphine
      (0.2 mg.kg-1 i.v.) or placebo on mean lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure,
      mean cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), transcutaneous PCO2 (tcPCO2), mean
      arterial blood pressure (MAP), and heart rate (HR) in 10 spontaneously breathing
      volunteers using invasive CSF pressure measurement. Nalbuphine increased CSF
      pressure from 9.2 mmHg to 16.4 mmHg and decreased CPP from 83.6 mmHg to 74.4 mmHg
      without significantly changing tcPCO2, MAP, or heart rate. In the placebo group
      there were no significant changes in CSF pressure, CPP, tcPCO2, MAP, or heart
      rate. These findings suggest that nalbuphine should be used with caution in
      patients at risk of intracranial hypertension.

PMID- 1425878
TI  - The effect of haemodialysis on the pharmacokinetics of tenoxicam in patients with
      end-stage renal disease.
AB  - We have studied the pharmacokinetics of tenoxicam after single and multiple oral
      doses of 20 mg in five patients (2 men and 3 women) with end-stage renal disease
      undergoing haemodialysis. After a single dose, tenoxicam had a half-life (t1/2)
      of 33 h, an apparent clearance (CL.f-1) of 4.3 ml.min-1, and an apparent volume
      of distribution (Vz.f-1) of 11.81. The maximum tenoxicam concentration (Cmax) was
      4.3 mg.l-1 at a median tmax of 1.7 h. There were no significant differences
      between the values calculated from the pre- or post-dialyser port plasma samples.
      Tenoxicam plasma concentrations measured during once daily dosing before and
      after haemodialysis showed that tenoxicam does not accumulate. Our findings
      suggest that dosage adjustment may not be required in patients with end-stage
      renal disease on haemodialysis taking tenoxicam.

PMID- 1425879
TI  - Effect of single- and multiple-dose carbamazepine on the pharmacokinetics of
      diphenylhydantoin.
AB  - A three-phase trial has been done in 11 volunteers. They were given 600 mg
      phenytoin (Dilantin capsules) in each phase after an overnight fast. In the first
      study, phenytoin was given alone. In the second phase 400 mg carbamazepine (CBZ)
      was given at the same time as the phenytoin, and in the third part, 200 mg CBZ
      t.d.s. was given for one week prior to the phenytoin. Blood samples were taken
      for 72 h in each phase. Plasma levels of phenytoin and CBZ were determined by
      HPLC, and plasma protein binding was determined by equilibrium dialysis. The
      unbound fraction of phenytoin was 0.082, 0.085, and 0.077 in the control, single
      dose CBZ, multi-dose CBZ phases, respectively. Single and multiple doses of CBZ
      decreased the plasma level of phenytoin. The 72-h AUC of phenytoin was 276, 237,
      and 176 mg h.l-1 in the 3 phases, respectively, and the 72-h AUC of unbound
      phenytoin was 22.8, 20.5, 13.0 mg h.l-1. The AUC of phenytoin (unbound and total)
      after multiple doses of CBZ was significantly lower than in the other two phases.
      The apparent volume of distribution (Vz/f) was 89.9, 110.3, and 121.3 l in the 3
      phases, respectively. Through pharmacokinetic analyses, the decreased AUC and
      increased Vz/f were attributed to decreased bioavailability of phenytoin when CBZ
      was co-administered.

PMID- 1425880
TI  - Lack of interaction of beta-methyldigoxin with ranitidine in patients with
      chronic congestive heart failure.

PMID- 1425881
TI  - Elevation of serum theophylline levels by ipriflavone in a patient with chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease.

PMID- 1425882
TI  - Lack of pharmacokinetic interaction between moxonidine and hydrochlorothiazide.

PMID- 1425883
TI  - Bezafibrate lowers plasma lipids, fibrinogen and platelet aggregability in
      hypertriglyceridaemia.
AB  - The effects of bezafibrate 400 mg/day (slow release formulation) on plasma
      lipids/lipoproteins and on selected haemostatic parameters were evaluated in a
      double blind cross-over study in patients with Type IIb and IV
      hyperlipoproteinaemia. Placebo treatment did not influence any of those
      parameters, but the drug significantly reduced plasma triglycerides (-45%) and
      VLDL cholesterol, as well as causing a 12% fall in total cholesterol and a 20%
      increase in HDL cholesterol. Apo AI levels were significantly increased following
      bezafibrate and Apo B was reduced by about 20%. In addition to changes in the
      plasma lipid profile, bezafibrate reduced the sensitivity of platelets to the
      aggregatory effect of collagen, with no effect on TXB2 production. Fibrinogen
      levels after bezafibrate treatment were significantly lowered, the effect being
      more marked in patients with hyperfibrinogenaemia. Bezafibrate did not influence
      the plasma fibrinolytic profile. It is concluded that bezafibrate, besides its
      beneficial effects on the plasma lipoprotein profile, can exert beneficial
      changes on specific haemostatic parameters.

PMID- 1425884
TI  - Evaluation of lipid metabolism during antihypertensive treatment with nicardipine
      sr.
AB  - The antihypertensive and metabolic effects of oral nicardipine SR 40 mg b.i.d.
      have been studied in 18 (15 m, 3 f; age 52.7 y) hypertensives with mild
      hypercholesterolaemia, treated for 3 months after a 2 week period on placebo. An
      iv Fat Tolerance Test (FTT) was also performed in 8 patients following placebo,
      treatment with acute nicardipine 20 mg and chronic administration of nicardipine
      SR. There was a significant fall in BP from 160/97 on placebo to 147/87 after 3
      months on nicardipine SR with no change in heart rate. Blood lipids did not
      change significantly. The disappearance rate of the lipid emulsion in the ivFTT
      showed no significant change (K2 was 1.93%/min after placebo, 1.84 after
      nicardipine 20 mg and 1.71 after chronic treatment). The results suggest that
      nicardipine is an effective antihypertensive drug and that it is devoid of
      untoward effects on lipid metabolism.

PMID- 1425885
TI  - Surrogate endpoints: a basis for a rational approach.
AB  - In clinical trials, the clinical endpoint is often replaced by an intermediate
      endpoint, known in some instances as a "surrogate" endpoint. The reasons for the
      substitution are often both practical and financial. At present, no theoretical
      basis or practical guidelines exist to help in the choice of surrogate endpoints.
      An approach is proposed here, based on three provisos which can be verified using
      one of a series of equations, if sufficient data on the pathophysiology and
      epidemiology of the disease are available. It is shown that even a strong
      statistical correlation is not a sufficient criterion for the definition of a
      surrogate endpoint. It is apparent that results obtained with the commonly used
      "surrogate" endpoints should be cautiously considered, and that the assessment of
      treatments should, when possible, be based on clinical rather than intermediate
      endpoints.

PMID- 1425886
TI  - Relationship between arterial and peripheral venous catecholamine plasma
      catecholamine concentrations during infusion of noradrenaline and adrenaline in
      healthy volunteers.
AB  - Noradrenaline and adrenaline were infused IV at 5 different rates (0.01-0.2
      micrograms.kg.min-1) for 30 min to volunteers. The plasma catecholamine
      concentrations were determined by HPLC and electro-chemical detection. At the
      highest infusion rate, the arterial and venous plasma concentrations of
      noradrenaline increased from 1.18 to 44.1 nmol.l-1 and from 1.14 to 31.9 nmol.l
      1, respectively, and of adrenaline from 0.29 to 23.9 nmol.l-1 and from 0.28 to
      19.3 nmol.l-1, respectively. The peripheral venous plasma concentration of
      noradrenaline averaged 76% of the arterial concentration, and of adrenaline it
      was 73%. There was a linear relationship between the peripheral venous and
      arterial plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline concentrations at therapeutic doses.

PMID- 1425887
TI  - Lack of effect of mianserin on the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.
AB  - The effect of the non-tricyclic antidepressant mianserin on symptoms of diabetic
      neuropathy has been studied in 18 patients in a double-blind, cross-over study
      with imipramine as a positive control. The patients were treated with placebo,
      mianserin, and imipramine, each for two weeks, in randomized order, with 1-3
      weeks between the treatments. The symptoms were assessed by observer and self
      rating scales. Mianserin was given in the fixed dosage of 60 mg per day, whereas
      the dose of imipramine was adjusted to yield the optimal plasma concentration of
      imipramine plus desipramine of 400-600 nmol.l-1. The mianserin plus
      desmethylmianserin plasma concentration ranged from 85 to 850 nmol.l-1, with the
      highest concentration in a patient who was a poor metabolizer of both sparteine
      and mephenytoin. The symptoms of neuropathy were significantly reduced during
      imipramine treatment, although somewhat less than in earlier studies. In
      contrast, mianserin produced no change in symptoms in comparison with placebo. As
      there was no evidence that higher mianserin (plus metabolite) steady-state
      concentrations were associated with a more favourable effect, the negative
      outcome appeared not to be related to underdosing with mianserin. In contrast to
      drugs with documented effects on the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy, mianserin
      has a very weak or no inhibitory effect on 5-HT and noradrenaline reuptake and
      this may explain its poor clinical effect.

PMID- 1425889
TI  - Plasma protein binding of catecholamines, prazosin and propranolol in diabetes
      mellitus.
AB  - In the present study equilibrium dialysis has been used to determine the degree
      of protein binding of the catecholamines adrenaline and noradrenaline and the
      adrenergic receptor blockers, prazosin and propranolol in diabetics. The binding
      of the catecholamines in plasma from Type I and II diabetic patients was not
      significantly different from that of healthy subjects. The ratio of the bound and
      free catecholamine concentrations was correlated with the level of albumin (HSA).
      Significantly reduced protein binding of prazosin was observed in Type I and II
      diabetic subjects compared to healthy volunteers. The binding of propranolol was
      significantly reduced in Type I patients. The ratios between the bound and
      unbound concentrations of prazosin and propranolol were significantly correlated
      with the levels of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AAG). The results suggest that non
      enzymatic glycosylation of plasma proteins may increase the unbound fraction of
      the adrenergic blockers prazosin and propranolol.

PMID- 1425888
TI  - Effect of cigarette smoking and of a transdermal nicotine delivery system on
      glucoregulation in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
AB  - The effect of nicotine absorbed transdermally from a patch (TNS) and from
      cigarette smoking on insulin secretion and action in Type 2 diabetes has been
      compared. Twelve Type 2 diabetic smoking patients, aged 51 y, with diabetes for 9
      y, treated either with diet and/or oral hypoglycaemic agents, were studied on
      three occasions, according to a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over
      design. The subjects were investigated 12 h after their last cigarette or
      application of one patch of TNS 30 cm2 or TNS placebo, or whilst smoking their
      usual cigarette. Insulin secretion was assessed by a glucagon (1 mg IV)
      stimulation test. On a second occasion, insulin action was assessed by a
      hyperglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp, the spontaneous hyperglycaemia of the
      fasting state (8.61 mmol.l-1) being maintained during a 4 h insulin infusion (at
      0.1 mU.kg-1.min-1 for the initial 2 h, and 1 mU.kg-1.min-1 during the last 2 h).
      TNS and the cigarette did not affect endogenous insulin secretion as compared to
      placebo. During the initial 2 h of the clamp study, plasma insulin increased from
      88 to 155 pmol.l-1, hepatic glucose production (3-3H-glucose) was less suppressed
      after TNS (4.31 mumol.kg-1.min-1) than after placebo (2.5 mumol.kg-1.min-1), but
      was more suppressed than after cigarette smoking (5.61 mumol.kg-1.min-1). In the
      last 2 h of the clamp (plasma insulin 646 pmol.l-1), glucose utilization was less
      stimulated after TNS (36.1 mumol.kg-1.min-1) vs placebo (39.8 mumol.kg-1.min-1),
      but more than after cigarette smoking (33.6 mumol.kg-1.min-1), primarily because
      of a decrease in glucose storage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425890
TI  - Altered pharmacokinetics of lignocaine after epidural injection in type II
      diabetics.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of lignocaine has been compared after epidural anaesthesia
      in diabetics and non-diabetic patients. Epidural lignocaine 8 mg.kg-1 was given
      to 8 well controlled Type II diabetic and 8 non-diabetic patients and the plasma
      drug concentration in serial blood samples were measured by HPLC. The plasma
      level of lignocaine was lower in diabetics compared to non-diabetics. The peak
      level was attained at 20 min in both groups. The clearance of the drug was
      significantly higher, (39.9 vs 16.7 ml.min-1.kg-1) associated with a decreased
      elimination half-life and mean residence time. The study suggests that the rate
      of absorption of lignocaine is not altered after epidural administration and that
      its hepatic metabolism is increased in diabetics compared to non-diabetics.

PMID- 1425891
TI  - Pharmacokinetic profile of a novel slow release preparation of molsidomine.
AB  - A novel slow release preparation containing 24 mg molsidomine has been
      investigated in 6 healthy subjects. Individual concentration/time-profiles after
      the tablet showed two separate concentration peaks at 2.2 h and 15.0 h. The
      relative bioavailability of the slow release preparation in comparison to an
      aqueous solution of molsidomine was 0.67. The in vivo dissolution profile
      revealed either a progressive decrease in dissolution velocity caused by altered
      physico-chemical conditions in the ileum and the colon or a progressive reduction
      in the absorption constant. In all subjects deconvolution revealed a punctual
      increase in absorption about 15 h post-dose, coinciding with the second peak of
      the concentration/time-profile. Therapeutic plasma levels of molsidomine (greater
      than 5 ng.ml-1) were not maintained over 24 h by this slow release formulation.

PMID- 1425892
TI  - Dose-dependent absorption of amoxicillin in patients with an ileostomy.
AB  - Amoxicillin was given as single doses of 375, 700, 1500, 3000 and 6000 mg an oral
      suspension to four volunteers with an ileostomy and with no active intestinal
      disease after an overnight fast. The excretion of amoxicillin and its penicilloic
      acid was followed in samples taken from the ileostomy and in urine produced over
      6 h. Beta-lactamase activity was measured in ileal fluid and none was found. The
      percentage of the dose recovered from the ileostomy increased successively from
      8% at the lowest dose to 77% at the highest dose. A complementary excretion
      pattern of amoxicillin was found in the urine, amounting to 70% recovery at the
      lowest dose to 23% at the highest dose. The results confirm the dose-dependence
      of the absorption of amoxicillin, which could at least in part be due to
      specialised absorption of this drug in humans.

PMID- 1425894
TI  - Pharmacokinetic estimations from microdialysis data.
AB  - Microdialysis has recently been adapted for sampling the extracellular fluid of
      various organs in order to measure drug concentrations, and the first clinical
      application has been published. My aim here is to provide simple rules about how
      to analyse pharmacokinetic data from such studies. The plotting of data on a time
      scale and the estimation of C (0) and slopes is not a trivial problem when
      multicompartmental models are assumed or sampling intervals are unequal. I have
      developed formulae and algorithms to solve the problem. A simple rule of thumb is
      given, suggesting when these formulae need to be applied. It is shown that the
      calculations of half-life and slopes is similar to standard methods for equal
      sample intervals and that calculation of AUC and clearance may be even more
      accurate for microdialysis data than for ordinary blood sampling, because of the
      time-integral character of the dialysis method. I have dealt with both zero-order
      and first-order kinetics.

PMID- 1425893
TI  - Nonlinearity of amoxicillin absorption kinetics in human.
AB  - Specialised gastrointestinal absorption of amoxicillin has been suggested in man
      and has been demonstrated in animals. In order to study the rate and extent of
      amoxicillin absorption, six healthy subjects were given 500 mg IV and two oral
      doses (500 mg and 3 g as a suspension). Absorption kinetics was analysed by
      compartmental modelling, noncompartmental methods and by calculation of
      absorption rates using deconvolution. Dose-dependency of the extent of
      amoxicillin absorption was observed, with a lower than expected mean maximum
      plasma concentration (49%), and fraction of the dose absorbed (39%) after the 3 g
      dose calculated from the 500 mg dose, assuming kinetic linearity. Zero-order
      kinetics of absorption was apparent in some subjects after the 500 mg dose, both
      from model fitting and absorption rate profile. However, no pattern consistent
      with pure first-order or zero-order absorption was observed after both oral doses
      in any individual. The dose-dependency of amoxicillin absorption was confirmed by
      a trend to an increased time of absorption for the high dose. The results show
      the variable nature and nonlinearity of the gastrointestinal absorption of
      amoxicillin and indicate the involvement of a number of factors, in addition to
      simple diffusion.

PMID- 1425895
TI  - Effect of age on the disposition of sodium fluoride.
AB  - Sodium fluoride (NaF) is used in the treatment of axial osteoporosis and so is
      mostly given to old patients. Since its pharmacokinetics has not been studied in
      the elderly, the pharmacokinetics of an enteric-coated tablet containing 50 mg
      NaF has been investigated in 15 aged inpatients (aged 65 to 75 y) and 12 young
      healthy volunteers (aged 21 to 26 y). The serum AUC of fluoride was 1.7-time
      higher in older than in younger subjects. There was a strong inverse correlation
      between the AUC and either body surface area (BSA) or glomerular filtration rate
      (GFR), both of which were very much lower in the elderly. This concluded that if
      efficacy or safety are related to the bioavailability of fluoride, it may be
      valuable to adjust the dosage of fluoride accordingly to the GFR and BSA.

PMID- 1425896
TI  - Time-dependent change in the effect of probucol in subjects with elevated
      cholesterol.
AB  - A time-dependent change in the cholesterol-lowering effect of probucol has been
      evaluated in 20 subjects with elevated cholesterol. Probucol 500 mg was given
      once daily at 07.00 h (day trial) or 19.00 h (night trial) for 3 months according
      to a crossover design. Fasting blood samples were obtained during the control
      period and at the end of each treatment period. Serum concentrations of total and
      HDL-cholesterol were significantly decreased by both the treatments with probucol
      [total cholesterol (mmol.l-1): control 6.58; day trial 5.41; night trial 5.10;
      HDL-cholesterol (mmol.l-1): control 1.35; day trial 1.06; night trial 0.96].
      These parameters were significantly lower in the night trial than in the day
      trial. The data indicate that the cholesterol-lowering effect of probucol varies
      with its time of administration in subjects with elevated cholesterol.

PMID- 1425897
TI  - Effects of various prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors on the tone of the lower
      oesophageal sphincter in man.
AB  - The role of endogenous prostaglandins in the modulation of lower oesophageal
      sphincter (LES) function has been assessed by giving three structurally unrelated
      cyclooxygenase inhibitors and monitoring their acute effects on LES tonus and
      platelet thromboxane (TX) B2 production in 20 healthy volunteers. In a double
      blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study, IV injection of soluble salts of
      acetylsalicylic acid and indomethacin elicited a transient increase in LES tonus
      of approximately 50% over baseline. A similar pattern was observed after the
      rectal administration of indomethacin. In contrast, indoprofen had no measurable
      effect on LES tones, despite comparable inhibition of platelet cyclooxygenase
      activity. This may have been due to the markedly different tissue distribution of
      the drug. The results suggest that endogenous prostaglandins physiologically
      exert an inhibitory influence on LES function.

PMID- 1425898
TI  - Effect of dipyridamole with or without aspirin on urine protein excretion in
      patients with membranous glomerulonephritis.
AB  - The antiproteinuric effect of the antiplatelet agent dipyridamole has been
      assessed after inhibition of thromboxane B2 (TxB2) synthesis in 8 patients with
      confirmed membranous glomerulonephritis. There were three study periods, each of
      30 days, and 45 days apart, namely a washout period, treatment with dipyridamole
      300 mg/d, and dipyridamole 225 mg/d plus aspirin 150 mg/d. On Days 1 and 30 of
      each study period serum and urine creatinine, 24-h excretion of protein,
      creatinine clearance, platelet aggregometry on whole blood and serum TxB2 were
      measured. Treatment with dipyridamole alone or with aspirin produced significant
      inhibition of platelet aggregation and a fall in 24-h protein excretion; the
      latter amounted to 54% with dipyridamole alone and 56% with dipyridamole plus
      aspirin (NS). Dipyridamole plus aspirin caused an 82% reduction in serum TxB2.

PMID- 1425899
TI  - Effects of thiopentone/suxamethonium on intraocular pressure after pretreatment
      with alfentanil.
AB  - The effects of pretreatment with alfentanil on intraocular pressure (IOP) were
      investigated in 40 patients undergoing ophthalmic surgery. Patients were randomly
      allocated to two study groups. Group 1 patients (n = 20) received alfentanil 15
      micrograms.kg-1, vecuronium 0.01 mg.kg-1, thiopentone 3-4 mg.kg-1, and
      suxamethonium 1 mg.kg-1 for anaesthetic induction, whereas patients in group 2 (n
      = 20) received vecuronium 0.01 mg.kg-1, thiopentone 3-4 mg.kg-1, and
      suxamethonium 1 mg.kg-1. A total of seven measurements of intraocular pressure
      were taken in each patient, starting before premedication and ending after
      extubation of the trachea. In group 2 patients, there was an increase in IOP
      after endotracheal intubation. In group 1 patients, a decrease in IOP occurred
      which was related to the decrease in arterial blood pressure. We conclude that
      alfentanil pretreatment can prevent the increase in IOP following suxamethonium
      administration.

PMID- 1425900
TI  - Comparative bioavailability of two different rectal preparations of piroxicam in
      man.
AB  - A comparative pharmacokinetic study was performed with two types of suppository
      each containing 20 mg piroxicam. The bioavailability of piroxicam was studied in
      24 healthy volunteers in a double blind, randomised, cross over study. No
      significant difference was found in the pharmacokinetic parameters [AUC(0-72 h),
      AUC, Cmax, t1/2 beta] calculated from plasma concentration time curves,
      indicating that the two preparations were bioequivalent.

PMID- 1425901
TI  - Medication utilization and patient information in homes for the aged.
AB  - A random cross-sectional sample of 198 residents was taken from a convenience
      sample of 20 Flemish, community-based nursing homes for the aged. Twenty trained
      interviewers reviewed the medication list of these residents and interviewed the
      nurses responsible for their daily care to assess their activities of daily
      living (ADL) and cognitive status. Direct interview was possible of 128 residents
      (65%); communication with the other 70 residents was impossible because of
      dementia (55 patients) or communication problems, such as aphasia and deafness
      (15 patients). An average of 4.5 different medicines was mentioned on the
      medication lists of the 198 residents. Drug use increases with age but stabilises
      after the age of 80 y. Medicines are ordered from local community pharmacies and
      are delivered to the ward rooms in original drug dispensing packs. The nursing
      staff is responsible for distribution inside the institution. Nursing personnel
      read the inserts of the medicines given to 98% of the residents and keep the
      inserts of 77% in the nursing office. Only 11% of the residents maintained some
      autonomy in ordering, keeping and taking their medication, although 42% were
      evaluated by the nurses as functionally and cognitively fit. Only 4% of the 128
      residents able to respond to an interview had a notion of the potential adverse
      effects of their medication; the two most important sources of information about
      medicines mentioned by those residents were the general practitioner and the
      nursing personnel; 4% mentioned relatives and friends, or the pharmacist, as
      information sources.

PMID- 1425902
TI  - Chloroquine-induced pruritus and sickle cell gene trait in Africans: possible
      pharmacogenetic relationship.

PMID- 1425903
TI  - Analgesic drug prescription during the spondylodesis by the Harrington rod
      method.

PMID- 1425905
TI  - Human Golgi beta-galactoside alpha-2,6-sialyltransferase generates a group of
      sialylated B lymphocyte differentiation antigens.
AB  - The role of the human beta-galactoside alpha-2,6-sialyltransferase (hu alpha-2,6
      ST) in the generation of B cell surface antigens was investigated by selecting
      subclones of COS cells (monkey kidney epithelial cells) constitutively expressing
      a transfected cDNA which encodes the hu alpha-2,6-ST (COS alpha-2,6-ST cells).
      Expression of hu alpha-2,6-ST in COS cells was sufficient to generate sialylated
      cell surface epitopes on different glycosylated antigens recognized by monoclonal
      antibodies to CDw75, CD76, and the unclustered monoclonal antibodies HB-4 and EBU
      65. These epitopes were sensitive to sialidase treatment and are likely to
      contain terminal alpha-2,6-linked sialic acid residues. A novel antiserum raised
      against bacterially expressed hu alpha-2,6-ST fusion protein was used to localize
      the sialyltransferase in two cell lines with high expression of either endogenous
      (B cell line JOK-1) or recombinant (COS alpha-2,6-ST cells) hu alpha-2,6-ST. In
      both cell lines, the enzyme was detected only intracellularly in the juxtanuclear
      region and not on the cell surface. In contrast, CDw75, formerly proposed to be
      identical with an alpha-2,6-ectosialyltransferase, was strongly expressed on the
      cell surface. The different expression patterns show that neither the CDw75
      antigen nor any of the other sialylated antigens analyzed is identical with the
      hu alpha-2,6-ST. Furthermore, the presence of a surface-expressed alpha-2,6-ST
      appears unlikely in these cell lines. We propose that CDw75, CD76, HB-4, and EBU
      65 represent a unique group of B cell differentiation antigens the production of
      which requires the enzymatic activity of alpha-2,6-ST.

PMID- 1425904
TI  - Predominance of Th1-type T cells in synovial fluid of patients with Yersinia
      induced reactive arthritis.
AB  - The pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the development of reactive arthritis and
      the functional capacities of synovial T cells specific for Yersinia
      enterocolitica are still unclear. In this study we have determined the cytokine
      secretion patterns of 24 CD4+ synovial fluid (SF)-derived T cell clones from 2
      patients with Yersinia-induced reactive arthritis, 16 clones specific for
      different Yersinia antigens and 8 clones as controls. The clones specific for
      Yersinia antigens predominantly belong to the T helper cell 1 (Th1) subset with
      production of interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-2, but no IL-4, whereas
      SF T cells not reactive with Yersinia antigens produce IL-2, IL-4 and IFN-gamma
      and thus belonged to the Th0 subset. Moreover, short-term T cell lines
      established from SF and peripheral blood showed the same pattern. To further
      analyze the functional relevance of these data we investigated the influence of
      IFN-gamma and IL-4 on the intracellular killing of Yersinia in a human
      glioblastoma cell line. Our data show that the Th1 cytokine IFN-gamma promotes
      intracellular killing of Yersinia, whereas this effect is antagonized by the Th2
      cytokine IL-4. Furthermore, the Th2 cytokine IL-10 inhibited the antigen-specific
      proliferative response and IFN-gamma and IL-2 production by the Th1 cells. These
      results provide insight into the antibacterial mechanisms at work in reactive
      arthritis after infection with Yersinia enterocolitica and, for the first time,
      reveal the cross-regulatory properties of cytokines derived from Th1 and Th2
      cells in a human immune response to bacterial antigens.

PMID- 1425906
TI  - Interleukin-3-treated non-B, non-T cells switch activated B cells to IgG1/IgE
      synthesis.
AB  - The switch of activated B cells to IgE synthesis is an interleukin (IL)-3
      dependent process. It is currently thought that specific T cells activated by
      antigen presented in the context of class II major histocompatibility complex are
      the major source of IL-4. Recently it has been demonstrated that a splenic non-T
      non-B cell population (termed NBNT) has the capacity to produce IL-4 following
      IgE and IgG receptor cross-linkage. In this study we demonstrate that IL-4
      producing NBNT cells can induce the switch of lipopolysaccharide-activated B
      cells to the synthesis of IgG1 and IgE antibodies. Furthermore, it was found that
      not only IgE receptor cross-linkage but IL-3 was able to stimulate NBNT cells to
      produce IL-4 and induce the switch of B cells to IgE synthesis. NBNT cells
      derived from the spleen and bone marrow of SCID mice were able to produce IL-4 on
      exposure to IL-3. This suggested that the ability of IL-3 to stimulate IL-4
      production was not dependent on prior exposure of the NBNT cells to antibody
      complexes in vivo. Taken together these findings represent the first observation
      that enough IL-4 is produced by NBNT cells to actually influence a B cell IgG/Ig
      response. The findings also clearly demonstrate that B cells do not need high
      concentrations of IL-4 to be directed to switch to IgG1 and IgE synthesis.

PMID- 1425907
TI  - Differentiation-specific expression of a novel G protein-coupled receptor from
      Burkitt's lymphoma.
AB  - Deregulation of the proto-oncogene MYC by specific chromosomal translocations has
      been shown to be essential but not sufficient for the development of Burkitt's
      lymphoma (BL). To identify other genes which either mark important steps in
      tumorigenesis or which reflect the cellular differentiation state of BL cells we
      have compared tumor cells to immortalized lymphoblastoid B cells by subtractive
      hybridization. We have identified a complementary DNA clone which encodes a novel
      member of the superfamily of GTP-binding (G) protein-coupled receptors,
      designated BLR1. The corresponding mRNA is expressed in BL and lymphatic tissues
      but not in other cell lines either of the B cell lineage or of other
      hematopoietic or non-hematopoietic origin. This exclusive expression of BLR1 and
      the oncogenic potential of this receptor class supports the hypothesis that BLR1
      exerts a regulatory function in BL lymphomagenesis and/or B cell differentiation.
      Moreover, the protein sequence is highly related to that of receptors for the
      cytokine interleukin (IL)-8 and other neutrophil chemoattractants. We conclude
      that BLR1 may represent a potential candidate involved in the process of
      physiologic trafficking, cell-cell interactions, and activation of mature B
      lymphocytes in lymphatic tissues.

PMID- 1425908
TI  - Human growth factor for murine interleukin (IL)-9 responsive T cell lines: co
      induction with IL-6 in fibroblasts and identification as LIF/HILDA.
AB  - Two mouse helper T cell clones that proliferate in response to murine interleukin
      (IL)-9 could also be grown in conditioned medium of stimulated human connective
      tissue cells. The activity was not due to known T cell growth factors including
      human IL-9, which is not effective on mouse cells. This growth-stimulatory
      activity for TS1 cells (GATS) was co-induced with IL-6 on normal fibroblasts and
      certain sarcoma cell lines stimulated with IL-1, double-stranded RNA, virus or
      phorbol ester. However, the conditions for optimal induction and the kinetics of
      production were found to be different for IL-6 and GATS. GATS from phorbol ester
      stimulated human hepatosarcoma cells co-purified with IL-6, but could be
      separated from it by subsequent cation-exchange fast-protein liquid
      chromatography and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.
      Homogeneous tumor cell-derived GATS was a 25-kDa protein on sodium dodecyl
      sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, whereas IL-6 produced by these cells
      appeared in its 23-kDa form. Pure GATS was found to be inactive in the B cell
      hybridoma growth assay for IL-6. Finally, GATS was identified by NH2-terminal
      sequence analysis of the mature protein as leukemia inhibitory factor or human
      interleukin for DA cells (LIF/HILDA). The effect of LIF/HILDA on T cells was not
      mediated by IL-2, IL-4 or IL-9 production. Since this cytokine has not previously
      been reported to act on T cells, further investigation of its role in T cell
      activation should be taken into consideration.

PMID- 1425909
TI  - High amounts of circulating interleukin (IL)-6 in the form of monomeric immune
      complexes during anti-IL-6 therapy. Towards a new methodology for measuring
      overall cytokine production in human in vivo.
AB  - A patient with plasma cell leukemia was treated with anti-interleukin (IL)-6
      monoclonal antibodies (mAb) for 2 months. Using chromatography on protein A
      Sepharose, anti-murine-IgG-Sepharose, anti-IL-6-mAb-Sepharose and gel filtration
      at pH 2.3, we have demonstrated that the anti-IL-6 mAb, by preventing the binding
      of IL-6 to its cell membrane receptor and its renal elimination, has induced huge
      amounts of IL-6 to circulate in the form of monomeric immune complexes. By using
      this observation, we have developed a mathematical modelling that allows the
      determination of the overall daily production of IL-6 in this patient, which was
      in the range of 15 micrograms per day. Overall in vivo production of cytokines
      has never been evaluated in animals or in humans before.

PMID- 1425910
TI  - Classical transplantation tolerance in the adult: the interaction between
      myeloablation and immunosuppression.
AB  - Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in the neonate is an effective way of
      inducing permanent tolerance to donor tissue. To do the same in the
      immunocompetent adult requires immunosuppression to counter host-versus-graft
      alloreactivity. Conditioning with monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to CD4 and CD8 has
      been sufficient where donor and recipient are mismatched at only multiple "minor"
      histocompatibility loci, or at major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I
      plus "minor" loci, but not where the mismatch involves the entire MHC. Tolerance
      across the MHC barrier requires extra conditioning with agents that happen to be
      both immunosuppressive and myeloablative, so obscuring the assessment of which
      effect is important. By using dimethylmyleran as a selective "space"-creating
      myeloablative agent, and CD4 plus CD8 mAb as sole immunosuppressive agents, we
      have been able to dissect the relative requirements for immunosuppression and
      myeloablation. We show here that transplantation tolerance could only be achieved
      when both types of agent were combined together so as to guarantee sufficient
      donor-type hemopoietic chimerism. We argue that the donor marrow, given
      sufficient space, will engraft and provide a sustained source of tolerogen
      overriding any host resistance that antibodies cannot control.

PMID- 1425911
TI  - Expression and biological activity of interleukin-1 receptors in mouse
      gamma/delta thymocytes during ontogeny.
AB  - We have recently shown that the response of mouse thymocytes to interleukin (IL)
      1 + IL-2 was maximal at birth and that the responding cells displayed a CD4-CD8-
      T cell receptor (TcR) gamma/delta + phenotype. Unexpectedly, despite their high
      proportion of gamma/delta + cells, fetal thymocyte populations responded only
      weakly to IL-1 + IL-2. In this report, we demonstrate that the discrepancy
      between the day 17.5 fetal and newborn sensitivities to the combined action of IL
      1 and IL-2 is a consequence of the different patterns of high-affinity IL-1
      receptor (IL-1R) expression displayed by these two cell subsets. Actually, high-
      and low-affinity IL-1R are found in TcR gamma/delta + newborn cells and, in
      contrast, only low-affinity IL-1R are detectable in day 17.5 fetal cells. Our
      binding and functional studies strongly support the hypothesis that high-affinity
      IL-1R on the one hand, and low-affinity ones on the other hand, are involved in
      the response to IL-1 + IL-2 of newborn and day 17.5 fetal thymocytes,
      respectively. In addition, the high-affinity IL-1R appear to be far more
      efficient than the low-affinity receptors in promoting IL-2 responsiveness of
      thymocytes.

PMID- 1425912
TI  - In vivo administration of interleukin-2 turns on anergic self-reactive T cells
      and leads to autoimmune disease.
AB  - One major mechanism of self tolerance involves the deletion of T cell clones in
      the thymus. In athymic mice, tolerance to self antigens must be generated
      extrathymically. T cells with self-reactive receptors undergo either peripheral
      clonal deletion or become unresponsive (i.e. anergic). The unresponsive state of
      human and mouse T cell clones in vitro can be reversed by the addition of
      exogenous interleukin (IL)-2, thus transforming anergic T cells to an activated
      state. Here it is shown that the in vivo delivery of IL-2 to athymic BALB/c nu/nu
      mice abrogates the anergic state of self-reactive V beta 3+ and V beta 11+ T
      cells [which are normally deleted in the minor lymphocyte stimulatory (Mls)-1b-,
      I-E(+)-expressing euthymic counterparts]. Thus, V beta 3+ and V beta 11+ T cells
      from IL-2-treated nude mice proliferate in response to T cell receptor cross
      linking and acquire effector functions as measured by their ability to deliver
      aid to B cells upon specific stimulation. This activation correlates with the
      development of autoimmune manifestations (DNA autoantibodies, rheumatoid factors,
      erythroleukopenia and minimal change nephritis) in these IL-2-treated mice.

PMID- 1425913
TI  - Interferon-gamma induced lethality in the late phase of Plasmodium vinckei
      malaria despite effective parasite clearance by chloroquine.
AB  - A combination therapy was tested consisting of chloroquine and interferon-gamma
      (IFN-gamma) in the late phase of blood-stage Plasmodium vinckei malaria in BALB/c
      mice. When mice were treated with three times 300 micrograms chloroquine at 24-h
      intervals starting at a parasitemia of 30%-50%, only 5 of 14 mice (36%) died 2-4
      days after initiation of therapy. However, when infected mice received
      chloroquine plus 1 microgram IFN-gamma at the same time, 14 of 18 mice (78%) died
      0.5-3 days after start of therapy (p < 0.05) despite clearance of parasitemia.
      The histopathology from mice dying after combination therapy revealed
      interstitial leukocyte infiltration of lung tissue, severe liver cell necrosis
      and kidney tubular necrosis. Pretreatment of P. vinckei-infected mice with
      pentoxifylline, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, led to a significant decrease of
      IFN-gamma-induced lethality (p < 0.05). In contrast, pretreatment with
      neutralizing antibodies to tumor necrosis factor or with L-N-monomethyl arginine,
      the latter an inhibitor of the nitric oxide synthase, significantly increased
      lethality (p < 0.05).

PMID- 1425914
TI  - Molecular analysis of anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibodies in the HLA-DR
      antigenic system.
AB  - The structural organization of anti-idiotypic (id) antibodies has been
      investigated mostly in haptenic systems. No information is available about the
      structural characteristics of anti-id antibodies in major histocompatibility
      complex (MHC) antigenic systems, although these data may contribute to our
      understanding of the molecular basis of their functional role in the immune
      response. Therefore, we have determined the nucleotide and derived amino acid
      sequence of the VH and VL regions of the anti-id monoclonal antibodies (mAb) F5
      444, F5-830, F5-963, F5-1126, F5-1336 and F5-1419, which had been elicited with
      the syngeneic anti-HLA-DR1, 4, w14, w8, 9 mAb AC1.59. The six anti-id mAb are
      heterogenous in their VH and VL region gene usage. This structural heterogeneity
      is not correlated with their target specificity and with their ability to elicit
      anti-HLA-DR antibodies. The latter characteristic is markedly influenced by a
      limited number of amino acid substitutions, since mAb F5-444, which induces anti
      HLA-DR antibodies, differs only in two residues in complementarity-determining
      regions and in five residues in framework regions from mAb F5-1126, which does
      not induce anti-HLA-DR antibodies. The heterogeneity in VH and VL region gene
      usage by the six anti-id mAb in the HLA-DR system is at variance with the
      restricted VH and VL region gene usage by syngeneic anti-id mAb in several
      haptenic systems. Furthermore, at variance with haptenic systems, the primary
      structure of the D segments of the anti-id mAb is not correlated with their
      ability to induce anti-HLA-DR antibodies. On the other hand, the frequency of D-D
      fusion events underlying the derivation of the D segments of the six anti-id mAb
      in the HLA-DR system and their average length are similar to those found in anti
      id mAb in haptenic systems. In addition, like in the latter systems, somatic
      mutations appear to contribute to the generation of diversity of anti-id mAb in
      the HLA-DR system.

PMID- 1425915
TI  - Molecular characterization of the V gamma 9 T cell receptor repertoire expressed
      in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - We have characterized the variable (V)gamma 9 T cell receptor (TcR) repertoire
      expressed in synovial membrane (SMC) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells
      (PBMC) of five rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The experimental approach was
      to sequence the junctional regions of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified V
      gamma 9 transcripts; gamma chain sequences were compared with those found in
      normal PBMC. For normal PBMC, a large proportion of V gamma 9 transcripts used
      the joining (J)gamma P gene segment whereas a few used J gamma 2. Despite this
      restriction in J gamma usage, there was extensive junctional region diversity
      with a unique sequence observed in each transcript examined. In contrast to
      normal PBMC, J gamma usage of V gamma 9 transcripts in PBMC of two patients was
      skewed towards J gamma 2. This deviation in J gamma usage was more pronounced in
      SMC since all patients expressed V gamma 9 transcripts in SMC which predominantly
      used J gamma 2, as opposed to J gamma P in normal PBMC. Further, approximately
      60% of V gamma 9 transcripts in PBMC of each of three patients had identical
      junctional region sequences, although the specific sequences were unique in each
      patient. For two of these patients the dominant transcript found in the PBMC was
      detected in the corresponding SMC at about 10% and 40%, respectively. Overall,
      our findings indicate that V gamma 9-bearing T cells in RA peripheral blood are
      largely derived from clonal expansion whereas in the synovium there is expression
      of a population of these cells that are mainly polyclonal. This may reflect in
      vivo expansion in response to a V gamma 9/J gamma 2 region-specific antigen. The
      data presented in this report suggest that V gamma 9+ T cells may play a role in
      the development of RA.

PMID- 1425916
TI  - Signal transduction for interleukin-3-dependent leukotriene synthesis in normal
      human basophils: opposing role of tyrosine kinase and protein kinase.
AB  - The intracellular signaling pathways regulating the synthesis of leukotrienes by
      myeloid cells are largely unknown. In addition, the signal transduction
      mechanisms utilized by the cytokine receptor family are still poorly understood.
      The fact that in mature human basophils the synthesis of leukotriene C4 (LTC4)
      induced by C5a is strictly dependent on a short preincubation with the cytokine
      interleukin-3 (IL-3), allowed us to investigate the metabolic requirements for
      LTC4 synthesis, and also to provide some information on early signal transduction
      mechanisms of IL-3 in these differentiated, non-dividing blood leukocytes. IL-3
      itself does not alter intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in
      basophils, whereas C5a induces a transient rise independent of IL-3 pretreatment,
      indicating that the priming effect of IL-3 cannot be explained by alterations in
      [Ca2+]i changes. The protein kinase C inhibitor staurosporine did not inhibit C5a
      induced histamine release nor IL-3-dependent LTC4 formation in contrast to the
      IgE receptor-dependent basophil response. Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) by
      phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) induced histamine release without
      leukotriene formation. PMA-treated basophils did not produce LTC4 in response to
      C5a. Rather, PMA blocked the IL-3 effect on C5a-induced LTC4 synthesis. Only the
      C5a signal but not the IL-3 effect was pertussis toxin sensitive. Two unrelated
      tyrosine kinase inhibitors, tyrphostin RG-50864 and herbimycin A, were both very
      efficient blockers of IL-3-dependent lipid mediator formation whereas C5a-induced
      histamine release was preserved. Thus LTC4 formation does not require activation
      of a staurosporine-sensitive serine/threonine kinase. To the contrary, IL-3
      dependent LTC4 formation appears to be regulated by serine/threonine and tyrosine
      phosphorylation in an antagonistic manner.

PMID- 1425917
TI  - Antigen presentation for T cell interleukin-2 secretion is a late acquisition of
      neonatal B cells.
AB  - The ability of B lymphocytes to process and present antigen to helper T cells is
      essential to initiate T cell-B cell interactions in humoral immune responses.
      Here we describe the developmental acquisition of the antigen-presenting function
      of B cells as measured by the ability of B cells to stimulate a T cell hybrid to
      interleukin (IL)-2 secretion. Neonatal splenic B cells are not adult-like in
      their ability to process and present the model protein antigen pigeon cytochrome
      (Pc), which enters the B cell through fluid-phase pinocytosis, until 21 to 28
      days of life. The ability of neonatal B cells to process and present antigen
      which enters the cell bound to surface Ig is not adult-like until 28 days of age.
      When neonatal B cells acquire antigen-presenting cell (APC) function, surface IgM
      facilitates antigen processing. The delayed acquisition of APC function cannot be
      accounted for solely by a deficiency in major histocompatibility complex MHC
      class II, ICAM-1, or LFA-1 as neonatal B cells express adult levels of these
      molecules by 7-14 days after birth. Moreover, the ability of neonatal B cells to
      present a peptide fragment of Pc which does not require processing is adult like
      by day 14. Furthermore, neonatal B cells are capable of binding, internalizing
      and degrading radiolabeled antigen, suggesting a more subtle level of regulation.
      In contrast to neonatal B cells, immature B cells in the adult bone marrow and
      adult B cells undergoing antigen-driven differentiation to memory B cells, as
      defined by the loss of the J11D marker, are competent to process and present
      antigen resulting in T cell IL-2 secretion. Thus, developing B cell
      subpopulations in the adult and in the neonate can be distinguished. Only
      neonatal B cells are deficient in their ability to stimulate T cells to IL-2
      production.

PMID- 1425918
TI  - Expression and role of interleukin-2 receptor beta chain on CD4-CD8- T cell
      receptor alpha beta+ cells [corrected].
AB  - Using anti-murine interleukin-2 receptor beta chain (IL-2R beta) monoclonal
      antibody (mAb), we have examined the expression of IL-2R beta on murine thymocyte
      subpopulations. We found that it was constitutively expressed on 1%-4% of
      thymocytes in an almost mutually exclusive fashion with IL-2R alpha. The
      expression of IL-2R beta is developmentally regulated. While it is expressed
      mainly on T cell receptor gamma delta+ (TcR gamma delta+) cells during fetal age,
      the major subpopulation expressing IL-2R beta in adult mouse shifts to CD4-CD8
      TcR alpha beta+ thymocytes. A considerable portion of CD4-CD8- TcR alpha beta+
      cells in other organs, including spleen, bone marrow and liver, was also found to
      express IL-2R beta. In fetal thymus organ culture, the above thymocyte subset was
      induced to expand in response to exogeneous IL-2, and the expansion was inhibited
      by addition of anti-IL-2R beta mAb, suggesting that IL-2R beta is functional in
      this subpopulation. However, in vivo blockade of the IL-2/IL-2R pathway with the
      mAb did not exert any effects on the appearance of CD4-CD8- TcR alpha beta+ cells
      both in the thymus and the periphery. This indicates that the development of CD4
      CD8- TcR alpha beta+ cells is not solely controlled by IL-2 but also by other
      complex elements.

PMID- 1425919
TI  - Cloning and sequence analysis of two isotypic IgM heavy chain genes from Atlantic
      salmon, Salmo salar L.
AB  - A leukocyte cDNA library from Atlantic salmon, based on oligo-dT priming, was
      constructed in lambda-gt10. Immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) cDNA were isolated
      from the library using a specific probe generated by polymerase chain reaction
      (PCR) between two conserved areas within the variable region (second and fourth
      frame region). Two cDNA clones encoding the entire constant region of membrane
      bound IgH, and one cDNA encoding the entire constant region of secretory IgH were
      sequenced, revealing messages from two isotypic IgM genes. Both genes were shown
      to be present in haploid embryos and have been isolated from a genomic library,
      the exons and deduced amino acid sequences of which are presented here (salmon
      CHA and CHB). The splicing of transcripts encoding the membrane-bound IgH excises
      the whole fourth exon as in other teleosts. The nucleotide and amino acid
      identity between salmon CHA and CHB are 98.2%, and 96.2%, respectively. Two
      subfractions of IgM from Atlantic salmon separated by ion chromatography can be
      explained by a net exchange of basic residues in salmon CHB compared to CHA. The
      finding of two closely related salmon CH genes is in accordance with the quasi
      tetraploid state of the Atlantic salmon genome.

PMID- 1425920
TI  - Expression of interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6 and their respective receptors in the
      normal rat brain and after injury.
AB  - The expression of interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6 and their respective receptors
      has been studied in the rat brain before and up to 24 h after injury. Messenger
      RNA transcripts of these four genes were detected by in situ hybridization (ISH)
      in different structures of the intact brain. The distribution was very similar
      for IL-1 beta, IL-6 and IL-6 receptor (IL-6R). The expression of IL-1R was more
      widespread. Within hours after injury, an increased expression of IL-1 beta, and
      thereafter of IL-6 was documented. The expression of IL-1R and IL-6R was also
      increased. This expression was bilateral and not restricted to the injured area.
      Within 24 h, all ISH patterns had returned to normal. The molecular data were
      confirmed by protein data. Indeed, the distribution of IL-6 (detected by
      immunocytochemistry) agreed with the ISH patterns for IL-6. Furthermore,
      extracellular fluid was collected by microdialysis at the site of the lesion
      during 12 h and successive fractions were assayed for the presence of bioactive
      IL-1 and IL-6. Increases in IL-1 and later in IL-6 levels were detected. The
      rapid and concomitant increased expression of IL-1 beta, IL-6 and their receptors
      after injury stresses their possible early role in inflammatory mechanisms also
      in the brain, before any recruitment of inflammatory cells from remote nervous
      and not nervous areas.

PMID- 1425921
TI  - Cloning and sequences of primate CD4 molecules: diversity of the cellular
      receptor for simian immunodeficiency virus/human immunodeficiency virus.
AB  - To study the interaction between the primate lentiviruses simian immunodeficiency
      virus (SIV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the CD4 receptor we have
      cloned and sequenced the CD4 molecule from six non-human primate species: African
      green monkeys (three subspecies: sabeus, pytherethrus, aethiops), sooty
      mangabeys, patas monkeys, chimpanzees, rhesus macaques, and pig-tail macaques.
      Molecular cDNA clones representing CD4 mRNA were generated from total RNA from
      peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
      amplification including reverse transcriptase in initial reactions followed by
      two rounds of nested amplifications. Primer sequences were selected from regions
      conserved among human and rodent CD4 genes. Alignments of deduced amino acid
      sequences revealed interesting findings. First, all of the primate CD4 molecules
      were about 90% identical to the human CD4 sequence except the chimpanzee (98%).
      Second, two macaques or two African green monkey subspecies were as distanly
      related as the human versus chimpanzee sequences. Third, relatedness of CD4
      sequences could not be predicted on the basis of geographic origin (Asian vs.
      African). Finally, upon sequencing several clones from individual monkeys, a low
      degree of sequence variation (nucleotide substitutions, deletions, and
      insertions) was found within the same animal, and in case of sooty mangabeys two
      distict populations of CD4 molecules were present within three of four
      individuals. The distinguishing features involved eight amino acid changes,
      including a single lysine deletion relative to a primate consensus sequence in
      the first complementary-determing region of V1J1. These two CD4 populations were
      present also at the genomic DNA level and may arrive from the two chromosomal
      alleles, suggesting the existence of distinct sooty mangabey subspecies. Overall,
      the V1J1 and to a lesser extent V2J2 were the most variable regions among the
      sequences examined. By construction and expression in mammalian cell lines of CD4
      chimeras in which these regions of the human CD4 were replaced by those of the
      African green monkey and pig-tail macaques, a higher molecular mass of the CD4
      chimeras were obtained in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis suggesting that the additional N-linked glycosylation sites
      present in these monkey CD4 are also used.

PMID- 1425922
TI  - Heat shock prevents lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha
      synthesis by rat mononuclear phagocytes.
AB  - Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a mononuclear phagocyte-derived peptide
      is known to participate in the pathogenesis of fever. To determine whether a
      feedback mechanism exists by which elevated temperatures influence TNF-alpha
      generation, we have examined the effects of heat shock on the in vitro synthesis
      of TNF-alpha by rat glomeruli, inflammatory peritoneal macrophages and blood
      monocytes. Preexposure of peritoneal macrophages to elevated temperatures for 20
      min decreased the subsequent lipopolysaccharide-induced release of TNF-alpha
      bioactivity. The mean reductions were 11.9 +/- 5.0%, 86.3 +/- 12.0%, and 95.2 +/-
      3.5% after pretreatment at 39, 41 and 43 degrees C, respectively. Reductions,
      that were transient, were maximum when lipopolysaccharide was added 0-2 h after
      heat shock. They correlated with the decreased release of immunoreactive TNF
      alpha and the decreased expression of both cell-associated TNF-alpha molecule and
      TNF-alpha mRNA. Heat shock-induced inhibition of TNF-alpha release was
      independent of variations of prostaglandin synthesis, but was possibly related to
      the induction of heat-shock proteins since (a) macrophages exposed to heat shock
      synthesized the major 70- and 90-kDa heat-shock proteins, and (b) chemical
      inducers of the heat-shock response were also effective inhibitors of TNF-alpha
      release. The mean reduction of TNF-alpha release after pretreatment at 41 degrees
      C was found to be identical in glomerular tissue (82.0 +/- 7.5%), but
      significantly less in blood monocytes (43.9 +/- 10.9%). This supports the
      hypothesis that a negative-feedback mechanism exists between elevated temperature
      and lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-alpha synthesis, and suggests that this
      regulation is less active in blood monocytes than in tissue macrophages.

PMID- 1425923
TI  - Altered major histocompatibility complex-restricted antigen recognition by T
      cells from elderly humans.
AB  - Positive selection of T cells within the thymus gland leads to major
      histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted recognition of antigen by T
      lymphocytes. As the thymus gland involutes with age, altered MHC-restricted
      antigen recognition by T cells from elderly humans would be expected. We have
      tested this hypothesis by comparing the proliferative response of T cells and T
      cell clones from aged and young subjects to influenza determinants presented by
      autologous or allogeneic antigen-presenting cells (APC). Under conditions in
      which the allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction was minimal, T cells from six of
      seven aged donors but only one of seven young donors were stimulated by influenza
      vaccine presented by allogeneic APC. More importantly, one-half of the influenza
      specific T cell clones derived from aged donors, but none of the clones derived
      from young donors, were activated by influenza vaccine presented by allogeneic
      APC. While 80% of the MHC-nonrestricted influenza-specific T cell clones
      expressed the gamma/delta T cell receptor, 20% of these clones expressed the
      alpha/beta T cell receptor. Thus, changes in MHC-restricted antigen recognition
      by T cells and in altered distribution of alpha/beta versus the gamma/delta T
      cell receptor bearing antigen-specific T cell clones occur with aging.

PMID- 1425924
TI  - Functional and molecular characterization of single, (4-hydroxy-3
      nitrophenyl)acetyl (NP)-specific, IgG1+ B cells from antibody-secreting and
      memory B cell pathways in the C57BL/6 immune response to NP.
AB  - We have used multiparameter flow cytometry to identify a population of IgG1+ IgM-
      antigen-specific B cells which emerges in spleens of C57BL/6 mice following
      immunization with the hapten, (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)acetyl (NP).
      Characterization of the specificities of IgG1 antibodies produced by single,
      sorted IgG1+ NP+ cells in both Elispot assays and in microcultures containing
      lipopolysaccharide, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4 and IL-5 indicates that the splenic
      IgG1+ NP+ B cell population includes both IgG1 anti-NP antibody-secreting cells
      and non-secreting, IgG1+ memory B cells. Each functionally discrete population of
      IgG1+ B cells expresses a distinctive surface phenotype defined by a wide range
      of B cell markers. In particular, antibody-secreting, IgG1+ cells were uniquely
      identified by co-expression of the matrix receptor, syndecan. The NP-specific B
      cell population emerging in the day 7 primary response was assessed for
      clonotypic diversity by amplification and direct sequencing of the rearranged
      V186.2 heavy chain variable region gene expressed by single, ex vivo IgG1+ NP+
      lambda+ B cells. Memory B cell clones, distinguished by junctional diversity,
      carried either no mutation or a single mutation within rearranged V186.2,
      suggesting isolation of these cells at the onset of the hypermutation mechanism.
      This novel approach, therefore, allows the direct and unambiguous identification
      and characterization of individual B cell clonotypes during their initial
      selection and activation in antibody responses in vivo.

PMID- 1425925
TI  - Mechanisms of induction of primary virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte
      responses.
AB  - We have investigated the ability of various antigen-presenting cell (APC) types
      to induce primary anti-viral cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses by single in
      vitro stimulation. Of these APC types, only dendritic cells (DC) and RMA-S
      lymphoma cells could induce primary CTL responses, but by divergent mechanisms.
      DC were capable of generating primary virus-specific CTL, either by presenting
      viral peptide or processed infectious virus. In contrast, RMA-S cells could not
      present endogenous antigen, e.g. after virus infection, but this cell line very
      efficiently presented exogenous viral peptides to induce primary virus-specific
      CTL in vitro. Spleen cells, lipopolysaccharide-induced B cell blasts or the non
      mutated RMA cells did not have the ability to trigger unprimed T cells by single
      in vitro stimulation. We have investigated several characteristics important for
      primary CTL response induction by DC and RMA-S cells (summarized in Fig. 6).
      Primary CTL response induction by DC or RMA-S cells was blocked by anti-LFA-1 or
      anti-CD8 monoclonal antibodies (mAb). DC rapidly aggregated with unprimed T
      cells, which was independent of LFA-1 and CD8 molecules. RMA-S cells did not form
      conjugates with unprimed T cells. Despite their abundant major histocompatibility
      complex (MHC) class I cell-surface expression, DC did not bind much exogenously
      added viral peptide. In contrast, the MHC class I molecules on RMA-S cells bound
      a large quantity of exogenously administered peptide. Powerful adhesion by DC and
      high expression of relevant MHC/peptide complexes on RMA-S cells are important
      features in the initial contact with unprimed T lymphocytes. In a later stage of
      contact, both DC and RMA-S cells activate LFA-1 (and CD8) molecules at the T cell
      surface to strengthen and maintain the contact between T cell and APC.

PMID- 1425926
TI  - Selective and differential binding of interleukin (IL)-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-2
      and IL-6 to glycosaminoglycans.
AB  - The binding of interleukin (IL)-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-2 and IL-6 to acidic
      polysaccharides was investigated by affinity chromatography of the recombinant,
      radioiodinated interleukins on columns of immobilized polysaccharide. Each
      interleukin showed selective binding retention. Overall heparin bound all four
      interleukins significantly, whereas chondroitin sulfate provided little
      retention. IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta showed differential binding, with only the
      latter binding to hyaluronic acid. IL-2 was virtually completely retained on
      fucoidan. Noniodinated recombinant IL-2 bound similarly to fucoidan, and fucoidan
      was found to sequester IL-2 activity in a bioassay employing IL-2-dependent CTLL
      cells. In all other cases tested, interleukin retention was partial, implying
      that interleukin binding sites are sparsely distributed along the polysaccharide
      chains. These findings suggest that during the immune response, interleukins will
      tend to be retained at sites of secretion by interaction with glycosaminoglycans
      in the extracellular matrix and on cell surfaces.

PMID- 1425927
TI  - Alpha heavy chain disease alpha mRNA contain nucleotide sequences of unknown
      origins.
AB  - Human alpha heavy chain disease is characterized by the production of abnormally
      short alpha IgH chains. In previously published cases it has been found that the
      malignant cells produce abnormal alpha mRNA, lacking VH and CH1 sequences and
      composed of a leader sequence peptide, sequences of variable length (69 to 84 bp)
      and of unknown origin, followed by normal CH2 and CH3 sequences. In this study we
      established the nucleotide sequence of alpha mRNA for six cases of alpha heavy
      chain disease. We observed that all six alpha mRNA lack the VH and CH1 sequences
      as do those previously described. They also contain in-frame inserts of unknown
      origin between the leader peptide and the normal CH2 and CH3 coding sequences.
      These inserts are of variable length (42 to 105 bp) and they are unrelated. These
      results suggest the existence of a common mechanism defect leading to
      deletions/insertions in alpha heavy chain disease rather than a specific
      interaction between alpha 1 IgH gene with a unique defined molecular species.

PMID- 1425928
TI  - Effects of acute and chronic fenfluramine on self-stimulation and its
      facilitation by amphetamine.
AB  - DL-Fenfluramine (20 mg/kg) releasing serotonin and amphetamine (2 mg/kg)
      releasing dopamine were given to adult rats trained to bar press for electrical
      stimulation to the medial forebrain bundle. Amphetamine treatment enhanced lever
      pressing for 1-2 h. A single fenfluramine treatment rapidly suppressed self
      stimulation with slow recovery in 5-7 days to a rate below the initial basal
      rate. A second treatment a week later again suppressed response rate and rates
      returned to a still lower baseline. Combined fenfluramine-amphetamine treatment
      at this time transiently abolished lever pressing for 1-3 h followed by 9-11 h of
      enhanced responding. The serotonin antagonist, ketanserine (0.1 mg/kg), but not
      cyproheptadine (0.1 mg/kg i.p.), partially protected against the effects of
      fenfluramine. The serotonin agonist, quipazine (0.5 mg/kg), but not
      dimethoxyiodophenylisopropylamine (DOI) (2.2 mg/kg), partially substituted for
      fenfluramine in the combined treatment. Fenfluramine markedly depleted serotonin
      and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in frontal cortex, hippocampus, and caudate
      putamen. Ventral and midline midbrain regions were less affected. Combined
      fenfluramine and amphetamine treatment elevated dopamine levels in frontal
      cortex, hippocampus and caudate-putamen, but not in midbrain. These findings
      support a serotonin-dopamine interaction in self-stimulation behavior and suggest
      that repeated fenfluramine treatment results in chronic low level serotonergic
      stimulation and diminished serotonin storage capacity.

PMID- 1425929
TI  - The novel 5-HT1A receptor antagonist (S)-UH-301 prevents (R)-8-OH-DPAT-induced
      decrease in interstitial concentrations of serotonin in the rat hippocampus.
AB  - Previous studies have demonstrated that the novel 8-OH-DPAT (8-hydroxy-2-(di-n
      propylamino)tetralin) analogue (S)-5-fluoro-8-hydroxy-2-(dipropylamino)tetralin
      ((S)-UH-301) is able to antagonize several behavioural and biochemical effects of
      the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT in the rat. In the present study in vivo
      microdialysis was used to evaluate the effects of (S)-UH-301 on interstitial
      concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), its metabolite 5
      hydroxyindoloacetic acid (5-HIAA), and the catecholamine metabolites 3,4
      dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) in the dorsal
      hippocampus of freely moving rats. Furthermore, the effects of (S)-UH-301 on (R)
      8-OH-DPAT-induced changes in dialysate hippocampal concentrations of 5-HT and
      metabolites were examined. Neither 5-HT nor metabolites were significantly
      influenced by (S)-UH-301 (1.25, 2.5, 5.0 mg/kg s.c.). In contrast, (R)-8-OH-DPAT
      (100 micrograms/kg s.c.) decreased interstitial concentrations of 5-HT (to 45% of
      baseline) and 5-HIAA (to 75%), and increased concentrations of DOPAC (to 165%)
      and HVA (to 155%). Pretreatment with (S)-UH-301 (2.5 mg/kg s.c.) 20 min before
      (R)-8-OH-DPAT (100 micrograms/kg s.c.) abolished the 5-HT and metabolite response
      to (R)-8-OH-DPAT. These data indicate that (S)-UH-301 is able to antagonize (R)-8
      OH-DPAT-induced biochemical effects in vivo without producing any effects when
      given alone. Thus, the present study contributes to the characterization of (S)
      UH-301 as a 5-HT1A receptor antagonist with low intrinsic activity.

PMID- 1425930
TI  - Inhibition by heparin of platelet activation induced by neutrophil-derived
      cathepsin G.
AB  - Heparin is the most widely used anticoagulant drug for prevention and treatment
      of thrombosis. However, inhibition of blood coagulation might not fully explain
      the antithrombotic activity of this drug. The present study shows that different
      heparin preparations (50 nM) completely prevent human platelet aggregation,
      serotonin release and thromboxane B2 production induced by purified neutrophil
      derived cathepsin G (E.C. No. 3.4.21.20). This inhibitory effect was not related
      to the anticoagulant property of the compounds, since a heparin preparation with
      an inactivated active for antithrombin III was also effective. Heparins inhibited
      the protease activity of the enzyme over the same range of concentrations. Since
      the effect of cathepsin G on platelets requires an intact proteolytic active
      site, the inhibitory effect of the drugs on cathepsin G-induced platelet
      activation may be explained by a blockade of protease activity. Heparins were
      also shown to reduce platelet activation induced by cathepsin G released from
      activated polymorphonuclear leucocytes in mixed cell suspensions. As
      polymorphonuclear leucocytes might contribute to both arterial and venous
      thrombosis through platelet activation induced by the release of cathepsin G,
      this novel property of heparin could be used to optimize its antithrombotic
      efficacy.

PMID- 1425932
TI  - Trans-ACPD induces a slow post-stimulus inward tail current (IADP) in guinea-pig
      olfactory cortex neurones in vitro.
AB  - The metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist trans-(+/-)-1-amino-1,3
      cyclopentanedicarboxylic acid (trans-ACPD) produced a slow, persistent excitation
      of guinea-pig olfactory cortical neurones in vitro, and the appearance of a
      prominent post-stimulus after depolarization. The corresponding slow inward tail
      current (IADP) revealed under voltage clamp was insensitive to tetrodotoxin (or
      atropine) but was blocked by Cd2+ or tetrabutylammonium. The IADP properties
      resembled those of the slow inward tail current induced by muscarinic agonists in
      these neurones, suggesting a common intracellular transduction mechanism.

PMID- 1425931
TI  - 5-HT3 receptor antagonist effects of DAT-582, (R) enantiomer of AS-5370.
AB  - The serotonin 5-HT3 receptor antagonist effects of DAT-582, the (R) enantiomer of
      AS-5370 ((+/-)-N-[1-methyl-4-(3-methyl-benzyl)hexahydro-1H-1,4-diazepin-6- yl]-1H
      indazole-3-carboxamide dihydrochloride), and its antipode were compared with
      those of AS-5370 and existing 5-HT3 receptor antagonists. In anesthetized rats,
      DAT-582 antagonized 2-methyl-5-HT-induced bradycardia with an ED50 value of 0.25
      microgram/kg i.v., whereas the (S) enantiomer was without effect even at 1000
      micrograms/kg i.v. In antagonizing the bradycardia, DAT-582 was as potent as
      granisetron, slightly more potent than AS-5370, and 2, 5 and 18 times more potent
      than ondansetron, ICS 205-903 and renzapride, respectively, although it was less
      potent than zacopride. DAT-582 inhibited cisplatin (10 mg/kg i.v.)-induced emesis
      in ferrets with an ED50 value of 3.2 micrograms/kg i.v. twice. The antiemetic
      activity of DAT-582 was more potent than that of the existing 5-HT3 receptor
      antagonists examined, except zacopride. In contrast, the (S) enantiomer had
      little effect at 1000 micrograms/kg i.v. twice. In isolated guinea-pig ileum, DAT
      582 inhibited 5-HT-induced contractions with an IC50 value of 91 nM, whereas the
      (S) enantiomer hardly inhibited them even at 1000 nM. These results suggest that
      DAT-582, the (R) enantiomer of AS-5370, potently and selectively blocks 5-HT3
      receptors.

PMID- 1425933
TI  - Mediation of thyrotropin-releasing hormone induced gastric motility increases in
      developing rats.
AB  - Centrally administered thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) induces vagally
      mediated gastrointestinal effects which may be cholinergic, serotonergic or a
      combination. This study investigated mediation of TRH-stimulated gastric motility
      in developing rats. A serotonin (5-HT) antagonist (5-HT2, ketanserin or
      xylamidine; 5-HT3, MDL 72222) or an acetylcholine receptor blocker (atropine) was
      administered intraperitoneally 30 min prior to intracisternal TRH (5-10
      micrograms). The 5-HT-depleting para-chlorophenylalanine (p-CPA) was administered
      48 or 72 h prior to TRH. Gastric motility, monitored via extraluminal strain
      gauge, was not increased with TRH in atropine-pretreated rats. MDL 72222 had a
      significant age-related effect on TRH-induced gastric motility increases while 5
      HT2 antagonists and p-CPA treatment did not. Thus, acetylcholine receptor
      blockade inhibits TRH-stimulated gastric motility in young and adult rats while 5
      HT3 antagonism eliminates the motility response in young (7 and 10 days) rats.

PMID- 1425934
TI  - Antinociceptive effects of Ca2+ channel blockers.
AB  - The antinociceptive action of four Ca2+ channel blockers, nifedipine, nimodipine,
      verapamil and diltiazem, was evaluated and compared to that of morphine using
      three algesiometric tests in mice and rats, namely, formalin, writhing and
      modified hot-plate test. Dose-response curves for all the drugs tested were
      similar and a significant dose-dependent antinociceptive action was evident in
      the formalin and writhing tests. However, in the hot-plate test, only nimodipine
      exhibited a significant analgesic effect, confirming the misleading results
      previously reported for this test. The findings suggest a pharmacological role of
      Ca2+ channel blockers in the modulation of antinociception under acute
      conditions. The analgesic action of Ca2+ channel blockers could be mediated by an
      increase in the nociceptive threshold resulting from interference with Ca2+
      influx at opioid receptors, because Ca2+ influx is critical for the release of
      neurotransmitters and other substances implicated in nociception and
      inflammation. It is suggested that if a substance has a Ca2+ channel blocking
      effect, it should probably have some antinociceptive properties.

PMID- 1425935
TI  - Possible mechanism of immunosuppressive effect of scoparone (6,7
      dimethoxycoumarin).
AB  - The possible mechanism of the immunosuppressive effect of scoparone (6,7
      dimethoxycoumarin) was investigated. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells
      (10(6) cells/ml) were stimulated with 0.25% phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and the
      proliferative response was determined from the uptake of tritiated thymidine.
      Scoparone (10(-6) to 3 x 10(-4) M) reduced the proliferative response in a dose
      dependent manner. The proliferative response of mononuclear cells to mixed
      lymphocyte reaction was also reduced by scoparone (10(-5) to 10(-4) M).
      Interleukin-1, interleukin-2 production and interleukin-2 receptor expression
      were all reduced in the presence of scoparone. Scoparone (10 and 30 microM)
      significantly reduced the suppression elicited by the diabetogenic drug, alloxan
      (10 mM). The suppressive activity of scoparone was significantly reduced by
      quinacrine (a phospholipase A2 inhibitor), indomethacin (a cyclooxygenase
      inhibitor) and nordihydroguaiaretic acid (a lipoxygenase inhibitor). The levels
      of prostaglandin E2, prostaglandin F2 alpha, leukotriene B4 and 2,3-dinor
      thromboxane B2 in culture medium of PHA-stimulated mononuclear cells, measured
      with an enzyme immunoassay, were elevated by scoparone treatment. We compared the
      effect of scoparone on the mononuclear cell response to genistein, a specific
      inhibitor of protein tyrosine kinase and demonstrated the non-additivity and
      cross-desensitization of the two compounds. Our results suggest that the
      immunosuppressive effect of scoparone may be exerted in part through inhibition
      of protein tyrosine kinase and release of arachidonic acid metabolites.

PMID- 1425936
TI  - 1,3-Di(2-[5-3H]tolyl)guanidine labels more than one site in rat forebrain.
AB  - Studies of 1,3-di-(2-[5-3H]tolyl)guanidine ([3H]DTG) binding to rat brain
      membranes revealed that [3H]DTG binds to a high and a low affinity site with Kd
      values of 19.8 nM and 1.31 microM (corresponding Bmax values 291 fmol/mg protein
      and 8.68 pmol/mg protein). The order of potency of competitors for [3H]DTG
      binding revealed a binding profile typical of sigma site ligands. Several sigma
      ligands such as the enantiomers of 3-PPP (3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-N- (n
      propyl)piperidine) and (+/-)-pentazocine exhibited biphasic competition profiles
      for [3H]DTG binding, whereas other sigma ligands such as haloperidol displayed
      monotonic competition curves. Neither phenytoin nor carbamazepine were observed
      to enhance [3H]DTG binding. These data support the hypothesis that multiple sigma
      binding sites exist. The lack of phenytoin and carbamazepine modulation of
      [3H]DTG binding are in agreement with the proposed greater density of sigma site
      2 in the rat, since allosteric modulation has been ascribed to the DM1/sigma 1
      site.

PMID- 1425937
TI  - Discriminative stimulus effects of 8-OH-DPAT in pigeons: antagonism studies with
      the putative 5-HT1A receptor antagonists BMY 7378 and NAN-190.
AB  - Pigeons were trained to discriminate 0.3 mg/kg of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8
      hydroxy-2-(di-N-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) from saline. RU 24969 (5-methoxy
      3-(1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridin-4-yl)-1H-indole), at doses of 5.6-10 mg/kg, and
      eltoprazine (5.6 mg/kg), both mixed 5-HT1A/B agonists, substituted completely for
      8-OH-DPAT, whereas 3.0-10 mg/kg of the 5-HT1B/C agonist TFMPP (1-(m
      trifluromethylphenyl)piperazine) and 0.1-3.0 of the 5-HT3 antagonist MDL 72222 (3
      tropanyl-3,5-dichlorobenzoate) yielded only saline-appropriate responses.
      Substitution for 8-OH-DPAT by eltoprazine and RU 24969, which does not occur in
      rats, provides in vivo support for the suggestion that the absence of a 5-HT1B
      receptor in the pigeon allows more complete expression of 5-HT1A-mediated
      effects. BMY 7378 (8-[2-[4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl)]8-azaspirol
      [4.5]- decane-7,9-dione) attenuated the 8-OH-DPAT stimulus at doses from 1.0 to
      10 mg/kg but, when administered alone, also resulted in approximately 40% 8-OH
      DPAT-appropriate responding at the highest dose. NAN-190 (1-(2-methoxyphenyl)-4
      [4-(2-phthalamido)butyl)-piperazine (0.3-3.0 mg/kg) produced a dose-dependent and
      complete antagonism of the 8-OH-DPAT-discriminative stimulus; administered alone
      NAN-190 resulted only in saline-key responding. NAN-190 also reversed the rate
      decreasing effects of higher doses of 8-OH-DPAT. The beta-adrenoceptor antagonist
      (+/-)-pindolol (5.6-17 mg/kg) antagonized the discriminative stimulus effects of
      lower 8-OH-DPAT doses but was unable to block the effects of higher doses of 8-OH
      DPAT. Prazosin (1.0-10 mg/kg), which like NAN-190, is an alpha 1-antagonist,
      neither substituted for nor blocked the discriminative stimulus effects of 8-OH
      DPAT. These results suggest that NAN-190 is an effective 5-HT1A receptor
      antagonist in this procedure with pigeons, with no indication of agonist actions,
      whereas BMY 7378 and pindolol are best characterized as partial 5-HT1A receptor
      agonists.

PMID- 1425938
TI  - Characterization and autoradiographic distribution of [3H]AF-DX 384 binding to
      putative muscarinic M2 receptors in the rat brain.
AB  - The novel radioligand [3H]AF-DX 384 binds specifically and saturably to putative
      muscarinic M2 receptor sites in homogenates of rat cerebral cortex. In saturation
      studies, [3H]AF-DX 384 appears to bind to two subpopulations of sites/states, one
      of high affinity (Kd1 = 0.28 +/- 0.08 nM) and another of low affinity (Kd2 = 28.0
      +/- 5.0 nM). The maximal binding capacity (Bmax) of [3H]AF-DX 384 binding sites
      represented 9.7 +/- 2.3 fmol/mg protein (Bmax1) and 1993 +/- 551 fmol/mg protein
      (Bmax2) for the high and low affinity sites/states, respectively. The ligand
      selectivity profile of [3H]AF-DX 384 (at 2 nM) revealed that (-)-quinuclidinyl
      benzylate = atropine greater than 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine
      methobromide greater than AQ-RA 741 greater than AF-DX 384 greater than UH-AH 371
      much greater than methoctramine greater than oxotremorine-M greater than
      hexahydro-sila-defenidol much greater than pirenzepine greater than
      carbamylcholine much much greater than nicotine. This suggests that under our
      assay conditions [3H]AF-DX 384 binds mostly to M2-like muscarinic receptors in
      the rat central nervous system. This is further supported by the clear M2-like
      pattern of distribution observed using quantitative receptor autoradiography.
      High densities of specific labelling were seen in areas such as the hypoglossal
      nucleus, the pontine nucleus, the superior colliculus, the motor trigeminal
      nucleus, various thalamic nuclei and certain cortical laminae. Compared to [3H]AF
      DX 116, the percentage of specific binding detected with [3H]AF-DX 384 was much
      higher. This is likely to be related to the greater chemical stability and
      affinity of [3H]AF-EX 384. In addition, autoradiograms obtained with [3H]AF-DX
      384 (2 nM) are of better quality with film exposure periods five shorter than
      those needed for [3H]AF-DX 116 (10 nM). Therefore, [3H]AF-DX 384 displays a good
      selectivity for muscarinic M2 sites and offers major advantages, including higher
      affinity and greater stability, over previously used ligands.

PMID- 1425939
TI  - Blockade of hyperalgesia and neurogenic oedema by topical application of
      nitroglycerin.
AB  - Surprisingly, a single topical application of a nitroglycerin (NTG) gel in humans
      has been shown to cause analgesia and to reduce oedema in thrombophlebitis. In
      the present investigation, we showed that the NTG gel reduces prostaglandin E2
      induced hyperalgesia and blocks neurogenic inflammation induced in rat skin by
      antidromic electrical stimulation of the saphenous nerve. These results offer an
      explanation for the effects of topical application of NTG observed in
      thrombophlebitis, which may be common to other cutaneous pathologies. The data
      also support the development of nitrates the effects of which are restricted to
      the site of application.

PMID- 1425940
TI  - Neurotoxic effect of prenatal exposure to MPTP on the dopaminergic systems of the
      marmoset brain.
AB  - MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) was incidentally administered
      to pregnant marmosets during the whole gestational period, except for the last 15
      days before term. The infant monkeys were killed 5 months after birth, and
      dopamine and its metabolites were measured in the striatum and the nucleus
      accumbens. Prenatal exposure to MPTP produced a marked dopamine depletion in
      these brain regions of the offspring, showing that MPTP is able to cross the
      placental barrier in primates.

PMID- 1425941
TI  - Isoflurane anesthesia is stereoselective.
AB  - The anesthetic effects of the (+) and (-) isomers of isoflurane were determined
      in mice. Like the clinically important racemate, both isomers produced dose
      dependent increases in anesthetic sleep time. A statistically significant (P less
      than 0.005, ANOVA) difference in the potencies of these isomers ((+) greater than
      (-)) was observed. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a
      stereospecific action of a volatile anesthetic in vivo.

PMID- 1425942
TI  - Influence of rhein anthrone and rhein on small intestine transit rate in rats:
      evidence of prostaglandin mediation.
AB  - The present study was undertaken to investigate the role of prostaglandins in the
      shortening of transit time observed after intraduodenal administration of rhein
      anthrone and rhein. After intraduodenal administration of rhein anthrone (0.5-10
      mg/rat), a dose-dependent acceleration of small intestinal transit was observed.
      The effect for rhein (1-10 mg/rat) was far less pronounced. In the same test
      conditions, analysis of small intestinal tissue revealed a significant increase
      of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), reaching its maximum value 30 min after
      administration of rhein anthrone. The increase in PGE2 found 30 min after
      administration of rhein was not significant. The effects provoked by rhein
      anthrone could be largely prevented by pretreatment of the animals with
      indomethacin (1-3 mg rat) or cortisol (10 mg/rat). It is concluded that
      prostaglandins play an important role in the acceleration of the transit provoked
      in rats by rhein anthrone.

PMID- 1425943
TI  - The developmental electrophysiologic effects of moricizine HCl on the canine
      cardiac Purkinje fiber.
AB  - Using standard microelectrode techniques, the developmental cellular
      electrophysiologic effects of moricizine HCl on adult and neonatal canine
      Purkinje fibers were studied. Steady state and rate-related changes in the
      transmembrane action potentials produced by moricizine HCl in both age groups
      were characterized and compared. Also, the rate of barium-induced abnormal
      automaticity before and after drug was also investigated in neonatal and adult
      Purkinje fibers. The major findings of this study are as follows. (1) The steady
      state and rate-related depressant effects of moricizine HCl on Vmax were similar
      in both age groups. (2) Moricizine HCl shortened APD90 in the adult fibers to a
      greater extent than in the neonate. (3) The concentration of moricizine HCl
      required to significantly reduce the rate of abnormal automaticity was less in
      the neonate than in the adult. The effect of moricizine HCl on APD90 of
      individual Purkinje fibers is influenced both by their control APD90 value as
      well as by maturational factors. It is less clear whether developmental
      differences in the effects of moricizine HCl on abnormal automaticity are solely
      a result of differences in control rates of abnormal automaticity between the two
      age groups.

PMID- 1425944
TI  - Effects of YM435, a novel dopamine D1 receptor agonist, on pancreatic exocrine
      secretion in anesthetized dogs.
AB  - The effects of YM435, a novel dopamine (DA) D1 receptor agonist, on pancreatic
      exocrine secretion were investigated in anesthetized dogs. Each drug was injected
      i.a. as a single bolus. Graded doses of YM435 (0.3-30 nmol) produced dose
      dependent increases in the rate of secretion of pancreatic juice, with a maximum
      effect at approximately 10 nmol, and with a high concentration of bicarbonate and
      low concentration of protein. SCH23390 (3-30 nmol), a selective D1 receptor
      antagonist, caused a progressive parallel shift to the right of the dose-response
      curve for YM435-stimulated pancreatic secretion without changing the maximum
      response. Schild analysis of the data indicated that the inhibitory constant (Ki)
      value was 2.9 nmol, and that SCH23390 inhibited YM435-stimulated pancreatic
      secretion in a competitive manner. Both DA (0.01-3 mumol) and SKF38393 (0.3-30
      mumol), a selective D1 receptor agonist, also increased the secretory rate and
      bicarbonate concentration, and decreased the protein concentration to the same
      extent as YM435. These results suggest that YM435 is a potent stimulant of
      pancreatic exocrine secretion by acting on DA D1 receptors of the pancreas in
      dogs.

PMID- 1425945
TI  - Effect of kynurenate on functional deficits resulting from traumatic spinal cord
      injury.
AB  - The potential role of excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptors in spinal cord trauma
      was examined in a standardized rat model of contusive injury. EAA antagonists
      were administered in a split-dose protocol with half given 5 min prior to and the
      remainder 15 min after contusion produced at the T8 vertebral level. Hindlimb
      function was assessed using a battery of tests of reflex and more complex
      behaviors at 1 day after injury and weekly thereafter through 4-8 weeks.
      Functional deficits were compared for groups administered intravenous MK 801 (1
      mg/kg), dextromethorphan (10 mg/kg) and kynurenate (300 mg/kg) or the vehicle,
      saline, alone. In addition, possible effect of the drugs themselves on hindlimb
      function were assessed in uninjured controls. None of the drugs produced more
      than transient effect on uninjured rats. In contused rats, only kynurenate
      produced significant reductions in functional deficits as compared to saline
      controls. Significant improvement of hindlimb function was also observed when the
      thoracic cord was locally perfused with kynurenate via intrathecal cannulas and
      when kynurenate was directly infused into the contusive injury site by
      stereotaxic microinjection. Using the latter route of administration, a dose
      dependent effect of kynurenate (100, 200 and 400 nmol) on the ability of contused
      rats to use their hindlimbs in locomotion was demonstrated. The highest dose also
      resulted in a significant reduction in overall functional deficits from 1 week
      through 1 month and at 2 months after injury. Our results support the hypothesis
      that EAA receptors at or near the injury site are involved in producing a
      proportion of the overall functional deficits stemming from traumatic
      injury.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425946
TI  - Effects of semotiadil fumarate (SD-3211) on renal hemodynamics and function in
      dogs.
AB  - Studies were carried out to define the effect of semotiadil on renal
      hemodynamics, renal function and renin release in pentobarbital-anesthetized
      dogs. Intrarenal arterial infusion of semotiadil resulted in a significant
      increase in renal blood flow (RBF), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), urine flow,
      urinary excretion of electrolytes and renin release. Semotiadil did not affect
      the linear relationship between osmolar clearance and the free water reabsorption
      rate, and increased the urinary excretion of sodium and calcium to the same
      extent. These results suggest that the main tubular site of action of semotiadil
      is the proximal tubule. Intrarenal infusion of a potent non-peptide angiotensin
      II antagonist, DuP753 (15 micrograms/kg per min), resulted in an increase in RBF,
      GFR, urine flow and UNaV. In spite of the blockade of the intrarenal renin
      angiotensin system(RAS) with DuP753, semotiadil caused almost the same effects as
      it did in the absence of DuP753. These results suggest that the renal effects of
      semotiadil are independent of the intrarenal RAS.

PMID- 1425947
TI  - The influence of changes in perfusion pressure and angiotensin II on the renal
      excretory responses to atrial natriuretic peptides.
AB  - The renal actions of atriopeptin III were examined in anaesthetised rats at
      differing perfusion pressures before and following blockade of the renin
      angiotensin system. At normal perfusion pressure 1000 ng kg-1 atriopeptin III
      caused reversible increases in glomerular filtration rate, of 20%, urine flow,
      absolute and fractional sodium excretions of 51-93%. Reduction of left renal
      perfusion pressure to 80 mm Hg decreased glomerular filtration rate by 30% and
      urine flow, absolute and fractional sodium excretions by 80% while atriopeptin
      III administration only minimally changed these variables. Concomitantly, right
      kidney perfusion pressure rose by 15 mm Hg which significantly increased fluid
      output, while the atriopeptin III induced diuresis and natriuresis were
      significantly larger. During infusion of captopril 900 micrograms kg-1 h-1 when
      pressures at the left and right kidneys had been reduced and elevated,
      respectively, atriopeptin III caused larger excretory responses in both kidneys
      which were greater than without captopril. These result suggested that the
      atriopeptin III mediated natriuresis and diuresis were directly proportional to
      perfusion pressure and attenuated by angiotensin II.

PMID- 1425948
TI  - Differences between vasorelaxant responses of the canine and human mesenteric
      arteries and veins to amrinone.
AB  - Amrinone induced similar degrees of relaxation in human mesenteric arteries and
      veins contracted with KCl, but exerted a more potent vasodilator effect in canine
      mesenteric veins than in arteries. Dibutyryl cAMP had a stronger effect on KCl
      induced contraction in canine mesenteric veins than in arteries. These results
      suggest that amrinone promotes a different vasodilating action in human and
      canine mesenteric vessels, possibly via different sensitivity to cAMP in each
      vascular smooth muscle.

PMID- 1425949
TI  - Autoradiographic evidence for the occlusion of rat brain dopamine D3 receptors in
      vivo.
AB  - [125I]Iodosulpride binding was studied in frontal rat brain sections by
      quantitative autoradiography. Using preincubated (= washed) sections, selective
      labelling and identification of dopamine D3 receptors was obtained using 0.2 nM
      [125I]iodosulpride in the presence of 100 nM domperidone for the occlusion of the
      D2 receptors. A high density of D3 receptors was noticed in the islands of
      Calleja. When preincubation of the sections was omitted, no D3 receptor labelling
      could be achieved, indicating tight binding to the receptor of an endogenous
      inhibitor. Such a tight receptor occupancy was not observed for the D2 receptor
      and various other neurotransmitter receptors. The occlusion of the D3 receptor
      could be prevented by tetrabenazine-induced monoamine depletion of the rats. It
      can be concluded, therefore, that D3 receptors are massively occupied by a
      monoamine, likely to be dopamine. This observation prompts the question to what
      extent dopamine D3 receptors can become occupied in vivo by systematically
      applied exogenous compounds.

PMID- 1425950
TI  - Antiulcer and gastric secretory activity of N-phthaloyl gamma-aminobutyric acid.
AB  - N-Phthaloyl gamma-aminobutyric acid, a new gamma-aminobutyric acid derivative
      synthesized in this laboratory, has been found to possess anticonvulsant,
      antinociceptive and antistress activities. Effects of this derivative on gastric
      lesions induced by aspirin and ethanol were studied in rats. N-Phthaloyl gamma
      aminobutyric acid significantly inhibited both aspirin and alcohol ulceration.
      The ED50 in each case being 76.34 and 43.65 mg/kg i.p. respectively. The volume
      of gastric acid secretion was diminished but gastric mucus secretion was
      significantly enhanced. The antiulcer effect was blocked by bicuculline and 3
      mercaptopropionic acid. We conclude that (a) N-phthaloyl gamma-aminobutyric acid
      possesses antiulcer activity (b) the new derivative is probably a non-specific
      gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor agonist (c) the observed activity may be due to
      a mucoprotective action.

PMID- 1425951
TI  - O-acylated heparin derivatives with low anticoagulant activity decrease
      proliferation and increase alpha-smooth muscle actin expression in cultured
      arterial smooth muscle cells.
AB  - Selectively O-acylated derivatives of various glycosaminoglycans were prepared
      and tested in vitro for their anticoagulant activity and their antiproliferative
      effect on rat and rabbit smooth muscle cells. When O-acylation (butyrylation or
      hexanoylation) had been performed on periodate-depolymerized heparin fragments
      having very low anticoagulant activity, the antiproliferative potency was
      markedly increased (IC50 = 2 and 1 micrograms/ml respectively, versus 31
      micrograms/ml for starting compound) without an increase in anticoagulant
      activity. The antiproliferative activity was related to the degree of acylation.
      The O-acylated derivatives of heparin fragments were also very active in
      reversing the de-differentiation of smooth muscle cell in culture, as estimated
      by the increase in the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin and alpha-smooth
      muscle actin mRNA.

PMID- 1425952
TI  - Effects of oxodipine on isolated rabbit aorta and mesenteric resistance vessels.
AB  - The inhibitory effects of the dihydropyridine Ca2+ antagonist, oxodipine, on
      contractions and 45Ca2+ influx stimulated by noradrenaline (NA) and high K+ in
      rabbit aorta were compared to the same parameters measured in mesenteric
      resistance arteries. In aortic rings oxodipine, 10(-11)-10(-6) M, inhibited in a
      concentration-dependent manner the contractions induced by high K+ (IC50 = 9.0 +/
      4.0 x 10(-10) M) or by Ca2+ in high K+ solution (IC50 = 6.2 +/- 2.4 x 10(-9) M),
      while responses to NA were only slightly affected (IC50 greater than 10(-6) M).
      In mesenteric resistance vessels oxodipine inhibited the contractions induced by
      high K+ and NA but was more effective against NA- than high K(+)-induced
      contractions (IC50 = 5.2 +/- 3.1 x 10(-10) and 1.2 +/- 1.8 x 10(-8) M,
      respectively). The concentration-inhibition curves for high K(+)-induced
      contraction and 45Ca2+ influx in aorta were almost superimposable (I50 = 2.2 +/-
      2.0 x 10(-9) M), whereas NA-induced contractions were inhibited less than 45Ca2+
      influx (I50 = 8.2 +/- 2.6 x 10(-8) M). In mesenteric resistance vessels the
      curves for contraction and 45Ca2+ influx stimulated by high K+ and NA were also
      superimposable, but 45Ca2+ influx stimulated by NA was more sensitive to
      oxodipine than that stimulated by high K+ (I50 = 3.9 +/- 2.0 x 10(-10) and 2.2 +/
      1.2 x 10(-8) M, respectively). It is concluded that the effects of oxodipine can
      be attributed to its ability to inhibit Ca2+ entry through both potential- and
      receptor-operated pathways.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425953
TI  - Ca(2+)-dependent inhibition of Ca(2+)-independent contraction in uterine smooth
      muscle.
AB  - Uterine smooth muscle of the rat shows Ca(2+)-independent contraction in response
      to oxytocin in Ca(2+)-free medium. Micromolar Ca2+ inhibits this contraction. We
      now tested whether Ca2+ itself is the cause of this inhibition. The ratio of fura
      2 fluorescence, the indicator of the intracellular level of Ca2+, was increased
      in parallel with the degree of inhibition by Ca2+. When inhibition was elicited
      by Ca2+, EGTA released the inhibition. Comparison of the dose-response curve for
      oxytocin in Ca(2+)-free solution and that in the medium with 1 microM Ca2+ showed
      that the inhibition by Ca2+ is non-competitive. EGTA chelation of the
      intracellular Ca2+ by loading of EGTA as its acetoxymethylester resulted in
      diminution of inhibition by Ca2+. EGTA suppressed the Ca(2+)-induced contraction
      but did not affect Ca(2+)-independent contraction. It is concluded that the
      inhibition is induced by intracellular Ca2+ itself.

PMID- 1425954
TI  - Endothelins inhibit serotonin-induced platelet aggregation via a mechanism
      involving protein kinase C.
AB  - Endothelins are a family of three peptides that act as local hormones released by
      the endothelium. They were found to inhibit rabbit and dog platelet aggregation
      in vivo, but no effect was observed in vitro. In order to investigate the
      possible interaction between endothelins and human platelet serotonin receptors,
      their effects on platelet aggregation induced by serotonin was studied.
      Endothelin-1, -2 and -3 had a dual action, on platelet aggregation and calcium
      mobilization induced by serotonin. When added at the same time as serotonin,
      endothelin potentiated the response to the amine. On the contrary, preincubation
      of platelet suspension with endothelin resulted in a concentration-dependent
      inhibition of the serotonin-mediated platelet response. Moreover, endothelin-1
      inhibited serotonergic amplification of epinephrine-induced aggregation of
      platelets. We hypothesize that endothelins can bind to the platelet membrane and
      interact with serotonin receptors. The diverse effect of endothelins on serotonin
      induced aggregation and calcium mobilization may be due to stimulation of protein
      kinase C.

PMID- 1425955
TI  - Further characterization of the 5-hydroxytryptamine 5-HT1-like receptor mediating
      contraction of guinea-pig iliac artery.
AB  - We recently described a 5-hydroxytryptamine 5-HT1-like receptor mediating
      contraction in guinea-pig isolated iliac artery. The present study was aimed at
      characterizing this receptor with respect to the currently recognized 5-HT1
      receptor subtypes (5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT1C and 5-HT1D). The potencies of 13 drugs
      tested as agonists correlated with their affinities for 5-HT1D binding sites
      only. The concentration-response curve for 5-carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT, a 5-HT1
      like receptor agonist) was unaffected by propranolol (10 microM), which is
      reported to have affinity for 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B and 5-HT1C recognition sites.
      Yohimbine (3 microM) and metergoline (1 microM) antagonized 5-CT with pKB values
      of 6.15 and 6.96, respectively. These values are close to those found in a
      functional correlate of 5-HT1D sites in the same species, namely the presynaptic
      5-HT autoreceptor in guinea-pig brain cortex. The overall results support the
      view that the receptor studied is of the 5-HT1D subtype. The receptor shares
      close similarities with other vascular 5-HT1-like receptors mediating
      contraction, for example the receptor present in dog saphenous vein.

PMID- 1425956
TI  - Selective chiral inhibition of Ca2+ entry promoted by
      bisbenzyltetrahydroisoquinolines in rat uterus.
AB  - The effects of diltiazem and six bisbenzyltetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids
      (antioquine, 7-O-methylantioquine, dimethylantioquine, monterine, granjine and
      cordobimine) were studied in rat isolated uterus in order to clarify the
      mechanisms of their relaxant actions. All the compounds tested completely relaxed
      KCl-induced contractions and totally or partially inhibited oxytocin-induced
      rhythmic contractions. Only alkaloids with absolute configurations (1R,1'S or
      1R,1'R) acted intracellularly, promoting relaxation of contractile responses
      induced by oxytocin in a Ca(2+)-free medium, as does papaverine. Alkaloids of the
      antioquine series (1S,1'R) selectively inhibited Ca2+ entry. The great rigidity
      of these structures and their stereoselective action make these alkaloids useful
      in studies of the conformational features of the Ca2+ channel.

PMID- 1425957
TI  - The angiotensin hexapeptide 3-8 fragment potently inhibits [125I]angiotensin II
      binding to non-AT1 or -AT2 recognition sites in bovine adrenal cortex.
AB  - In the present studies, ligand competition experiments were conducted to examine
      the ability of angiotensin II peptide agonists and nonpeptide AT1- and AT2
      selective receptor antagonists to inhibit the binding of [125I]angiotensin II to
      bovine adrenal cortical membranes. Angiotensin II, angiotensin III, the All-(3-8)
      hexapeptide fragment of angiotensin II, and the AT1-selective receptor antagonist
      L-158,809, inhibited [125I]angiotensin II binding in a biphasic fashion
      indicative of a ligand interaction at more than one recognition site.
      Approximately 20% of low affinity [125I]angiotensin II binding was inhibited only
      by high micromolar concentrations of L-158,809. RG 13647 (1(-1,4-benzodioxan-2
      methyl)-5-diphenylacetyl-4,5,6,7-tetra hydro-1H-imidazo- [4,5,c]-pyridine-6
      carboxylic acid) represents a potent and AT2-selective analog of PD 123177 and
      showed weak activity in competing for [125I]angiotensin II binding with an IC50
      value of 100 microM. When subsequent competition studies were conducted in the
      presence of 1 microM L-158,809 to block [125I]angiotensin II to the AT1 receptor
      subtype, the angiotensin II agonists produced monophasic inhibition curves with
      AII-(3-8) showing the greatest activity (IC50 = 6 nM) followed by angiotensin III
      (IC50 = 15 nM) much greater than angiotensin II (IC50 = 110 nM). RG 13647 was not
      found to significantly inhibit this portion of [125I]angiotensin II binding.
      These data demonstrate that bovine adrenal cortex contains both the AT1 receptor
      subtype, as well as, a novel class of [125I]angiotensin II recognition sites
      which may be analogous to the recently described angiotensin IV (AT4) receptor.

PMID- 1425958
TI  - JMV 449: a pseudopeptide analogue of neurotensin-(8-13) with highly potent and
      long-lasting hypothermic and analgesic effects in the mouse.
AB  - We recently reported that H-Lys psi (CH2NH)Lys-Pro-Tyr-Ile-Leu-OH (JMV 449), a
      pseudopeptide analogue of neurotensin-(8-13) with a reduced CH2NH bond in
      position 8-9, was about 3 times more potent than neurotensin in binding to mouse
      brain membranes and in contracting the guinea-pig ileum, and was markedly more
      resistant to degradation than neurotensin when exposed to rat brain membranes. In
      the present study, we compared the time courses and dose-response relationships
      for the ability of i.c.v. injected neurotensin and JMV 449 to elicit hypothermia
      and analgesia (tail-flick test) in the mouse. The results show that the
      pseudopeptide analogue behaved as a highly potent and long-lasting neurotensin
      agonist in these two in vivo bioassays. The analogue should prove very useful for
      studying the effects of chronic neurotensin receptor stimulation in vitro and in
      vivo.

PMID- 1425959
TI  - Effect of LY 83583 on relaxation induced by non-adrenergic non-cholinergic nerve
      stimulation and exogenous nitric oxide in the rat gastric fundus.
AB  - In the rat gastric fundus, the reported cGMP-lowering agent LY 83583 (10(-5) M)
      inhibited the relaxation induced by nitric oxide (NO), without altering the
      response to isoprenaline, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, sodium nitroprusside
      or electrical field stimulation of inhibitory non-adrenergic non-cholinergic
      neurones, which are thought to release NO. Incubation with superoxide dismutase
      partially prevented the effect of LY 83583. When added during a relaxation
      maintained by continuous NO infusion, LY 83583 reversed the relaxation. It is
      concluded that LY 83583 inactivates exogenous NO through the generation of
      superoxide anions.

PMID- 1425960
TI  - Tissue-specific localization of mitochondrial imidazoline-guanidinium receptive
      sites.
AB  - In the present report, we studied the distribution of the imidazoline-guanidinium
      receptive site in mitochondrial fractions from different rabbit and human
      tissues. Binding studies of the imidazoline-guanidinium receptive site ligand
      [3H]idazoxan, allowed to distinguish two groups of tissues: the first one,
      including kidney, brain and liver, displays a high density of imidazoline
      guanidinium receptive site; the second one, consisting of striated and smooth
      muscle, enterocytes, lung, spleen and heart, is characterized by 4- to 16-fold
      lower binding site density. The demonstration that mitochondrial imidazoline
      guanidinium receptive sites are not equally expressed in all tissues can be
      considered as a further progress towards the characterization of their functional
      activity.

PMID- 1425961
TI  - Endothelin-1 enhances vascular permeability in the rat heart through the ETA
      receptor.
AB  - Intravenous injection of endothelin-1 (ET-1, 0.1 and 1 nmol/kg) resulted in a
      dose-dependent increase in vascular permeability in the coronary circulation of
      conscious rats. The increase was almost completely abolished by the selective ETA
      receptor antagonist, BQ-123 (1 mg/kg). The ET-1 analogue, [Trp(For)21]ET-1, which
      is devoid of the depressor but not the pressor activity, evoked changes in
      protein extravasation similar to those with ET-1. These data indicate that the
      permeability effect of ET-1 is mediated through the ETA receptor.

PMID- 1425962
TI  - Cocaine place preference is blocked by the delta-opioid receptor antagonist,
      naltrindole.
AB  - Naltrindole, a selective delta-opioid receptor antagonist, was evaluated for its
      potential to block the reinforcing properties of cocaine using a conditioned
      place pairing paradigm in Lewis rats. Cocaine HCl (15 mg/kg s.c.) produced a
      strong place preference which was significantly blocked in animals pretreated
      with naltrindole (3 mg/kg i.p.); naltrindole alone showed no reinforcing or
      aversive effects. The results suggest a novel approach for the treatment of
      cocaine abuse in man.

PMID- 1425963
TI  - Cross tolerance between cromakalim and RP49356 in the uterus of the rat in vivo
      and in vitro.
AB  - We investigated tolerance to the potassium (K+) channel openers, cromakalim and
      RP49356 and cross tolerance between them in the uterus of the rat. Continuous
      infusion of RP49356 in vivo produced 5.2-fold (200 or 300 micrograms/kg per h)
      and 7.2-fold (600 micrograms/kg per h) desensitization of the uterus to RP49356.
      Uterine sensitivity to RP49356 was reduced 7.4-fold in cromakalim-tolerant rats
      and sensitivity to cromakalim was reduced 7.9-fold in RP49356-tolerant rats.
      Incubation of isolated uterus with 10 microM cromakalim for 4 h reduced uterine
      sensitivity to cromakalim by about 45-fold and to RP49356 by 2.1-fold but did not
      alter sensitivity to salbutamol. Incubation with 10 microM RP49356 for 4 h
      reduced sensitivity to RP49356 by 2.5-fold and to cromakalim by 3.8-fold.
      Occurrence of uterine tolerance to K+ channel openers in vitro suggests that
      tolerance in vivo has a pharmacodynamic basis. Cross tolerance between cromakalim
      and RP49356 provides evidence that these two K+ channel openers possess common
      binding sites and/or mechanism(s) of action. However, the greater extent of self
      tolerance to cromakalim than to RP49356 suggests a difference in their actions.

PMID- 1425964
TI  - Intestinal relaxation by endothelin isopeptides: involvement of Ca(2+)-activated
      K+ channels.
AB  - Our previous studies have shown that endothelin-1 (ET-1) induces an initial
      relaxation followed by a contraction in the guinea-pig ileum. To test whether
      other ET isopeptides (ET-2, ET-3, vasoactive intestinal contractor (VIC) and
      sarafotoxin S6b) and big ET-1, the ET-1 precursor, also induce similar biphasic
      responses, we compared their effects in isolated guinea-pig ileum. In addition,
      the mechanism of initial relaxation was studied. At 1-100 nM, ET-1, ET-2 and VIC
      were equipotent in producing the biphasic responses. S6b also produced similar
      biphasic responses, except that only a relaxation was elicited at 1 nM. ET-3 was
      approximately 30- to 100-fold less active than ET-1 in producing the contraction,
      whereas it was as potent as ET-1 in producing relaxation. Big ET-1 induced a
      relaxation of slower onset and longer duration, followed by a weak contraction at
      concentrations higher than 30 nM. The initial relaxation produced by ET-1 was not
      affected by pretreatment with L-NAME (NW-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester),
      hemoglobin, 9-AC (anthracene-9-carboxylic acid), SITS (4-acetamido-4'
      isothiocyanatostilbene-2-2'-disulfonic acid), glibenclamide, ouabain, phorbol
      12,13-dibutyrate, sodium nitroprusside, human atrial natriuretic peptide (hANP)
      or forskolin, whereas it was abolished by pretreatment with apamin. Although
      phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate pretreatment had no significant effect on the biphasic
      response of ET-1, it rapidly reversed the sustained contraction produced by ET-1.
      These results indicate that the initial relaxation is caused by the activation of
      Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels.

PMID- 1425965
TI  - Effects of chronic treatment with caffeine on kidney responses to angiotensin II.
AB  - Previous studies demonstrate that chronic administration of caffeine causes
      glomerular filtration to deteriorate in rats with high-renin renovascular
      hypertension. A partial explanation for these findings could be that chronic
      administration of caffeine alters the effects of angiotensin II on the kidney. As
      an initial test of this hypothesis, we compared the acute effects of intrarenal
      infusions of angiotensin II (3 ng/min) on renal function in control rats versus
      rats treated with 0.1% caffeine in their drinking water for 1 week. The renal
      responses to angiotensin II in a group of animals receiving acute intrarenal
      infusions of adenosine (10 micrograms/min) were also measured to determine
      whether caffeine and adenosine modulated renal responses to angiotensin II in
      opposite directions. All studies were performed in the in situ blood perfused rat
      kidney. Neither caffeine nor adenosine significantly altered angiotensin II
      induced changes in renal blood flow, urinary excretory function or renin release.
      However, caffeine augmented and adenosine attenuated the increase in filtration
      fraction caused by angiotensin II. The fact that caffeine potentiates angiotensin
      II-induced increases in filtration fraction without affecting angiotensin II
      induced reductions in renal blood flow is consistent with, but does not prove,
      the hypothesis that chronic administration of caffeine modifies the effects of
      angiotensin II on the renal microvasculature. If this inference is correct,
      caffeine could facilitate renal damage in high-renin hypertension by exacerbating
      angiotensin II-induced increases in glomerular capillary hydrostatic pressure.

PMID- 1425966
TI  - Blood pH and the actions of nifedipine on cardiac excitation-contraction
      coupling.
AB  - Hearts from male Sprague-Dawley rats were perfused, by the Lagendorff method,
      with calcium-free Krebs solution (containing either adrenaline or a high level of
      potassium) at pH 7.48 (control), 7.26 (acidosis) or 7.69 (alkalosis). When the
      hearts stopped contracting, a dose of nifedipine or its vehicle was given before
      measuring the force of contraction, coronary perfusion pressure and heart rate in
      response to graded doses of calcium. The calcium-antagonising efficacy of
      nifedipine was reduced during acidosis in both adrenaline- and potassium
      stimulated hearts, but the reduction was greater in the adrenaline-stimulated
      hearts. Alkalosis led to a small increase in the efficacy of nifedipine on
      adrenaline- and potassium-stimulated contractions.

PMID- 1425967
TI  - Na+,2Cl-,K+ cotransport system as a marker of antihypertensive activity of new
      torasemide derivatives.
AB  - A series of compounds related to torasemide, a loop diuretic, were synthesized
      and examined for their diuretic potency and inhibitory activity on the
      erythrocyte and renal medullary thick ascending limb vesicle Na+,2Cl-,K+
      cotransport in Milan hypertensive (MHS) and normotensive (MNS) rat strains, where
      previous studies had demonstrated an alteration of the cotransport system
      genetically related to hypertension. From the results of the screening, structure
      activity relationships were drawn and two compounds, JDL 961 and C 2921 were
      selected. Their IC50 on renal vesicle cotransport were similar in the two strains
      (JDL 961: MHS = 1.8 microM; MNS = 1.2 microM; C 2921: MHS = 4 microM; MNS = 3.8
      microM), and were 4-8 times lower than those of torasemide (MHS = 13 microM; MNS
      = 31 microM, P less than 0.01) and 50-60 times lower than those of bumetanide
      (MHS = 145 microM; MNS = 206 microM, P less than 0.05) taken as reference
      compounds. Their ability to reduce the development rate of hypertension was
      tested both in MHS and in Okamoto spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) strain,
      in which cotransport alterations are opposite to those of MHS. Both torasemide
      derivatives (7.5 mg.kg-1 os per day) prevented development of hypertension in the
      two strains. The time course of this hypotensive activity was faster and the
      percentage of blood pressure fall greater in MHS (20-25%) than in SHR rats (12
      15%), even though the absolute value of blood pressure fall was similar in MHS
      (JDL 961 = -17 mm Hg; C 2921 = -30 mm Hg) and SHR (JDL 961 = -25 mm Hg; C 2921 = 
      20 mm Hg). A superimposable effect of bumetanide was observed in the two strains,
      but at 8 times higher daily dose (60 mg.kg-1). These results suggest that new
      loop diuretics can be selected for their antihypertensive activity on the basis
      of their in vitro potency in inhibiting the Na+,2Cl-,K+.

PMID- 1425968
TI  - Different utilization of Ca2+ in the contractile action of endothelin-1 on
      cerebral, coronary and mesenteric arteries of the dog.
AB  - Vasoconstrictor responses to endothelin-1 (ET) were compared between endothelium
      denuded strips of cerebral, coronary and mesenteric arteries of the dog.
      Contractile responses to lower concentrations (below 3 x 10(-10) M) of ET were
      significantly greater in the cerebral and coronary arteries than in the
      mesenteric artery. The cerebral and coronary arteries, but not the mesenteric
      artery, relaxed significantly from the resting level when placed in a 0-Ca
      solution. Readdition of Ca2+ to the cerebral and coronary arteries placed in the
      0-Ca solution caused a biphasic contraction which was susceptible to inhibition
      by nifedipine. When ET below 10(-10) M was introduced before the Ca2+
      contraction, this peptide produced no detectable contraction, but augmented the
      Ca2+ contraction. The augmented Ca2+ contractions were abolished by 10(-7) M
      nifedipine. These effects of ET were not observed in the mesenteric artery. The
      contractile responses of the mesenteric artery to ET determined in the presence
      of elevated extracellular K+ concentrations were comparable to the responses of
      the cerebral artery to this peptide determined in the presence of normal K+
      concentrations. These results indicate that the enhanced responses to ET in the
      cerebral and coronary arteries were dependent on the Ca2+ influx through voltage
      dependent Ca2+ channels and suggest that these channels are in an activated state
      when these arteries are in a resting state.

PMID- 1425970
TI  - The spinal and peripheral roles of bradykinin and prostaglandins in nociceptive
      processing in the rat.
AB  - The effect of peripheral and intrathecal administration of the bradykinin B2
      receptor antagonist HOE140 and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug
      indomethacin were studied on the response of dorsal horn nociceptive neurones to
      formalin in the anaesthetized rat. Peripheral pretreatment with HOE140 reduced
      both phases of the formalin response whereas subcutaneous administration of
      indomethacin (5 mg/kg) reduced only the second phase. Pre-treatment with
      intrathecal HOE140 resulted in a dose-dependent reduction of the second phase
      whereas a high dose (500 micrograms) intrathecal indomethacin reduced both phases
      of the response. Bradykinin plays a role in peripheral nociception during the
      first and second phase of the response whereas the prostaglandins are only
      involved during the second phase. The converse is true centrally, the
      prostaglandins appear to be involved in both phases of the formalin response
      whereas bradykinin only plays a central role during the second phase of the
      response.

PMID- 1425969
TI  - Antihypertensive and vasodilator effect of A-80b, a new pyridazino indole
      derivative.
AB  - The hypotensive and antihypertensive activities of a A-80b, a newly synthesized
      pyridazino[4,5-b]indole derivate were investigated in anaesthetized rats. In
      vitro studies were also done to examine the possible mechanism of its vasodilator
      action. A 80b (3-15 mg/kg i.p.) showed potent and long-lasting antihypertensive
      activity in spontaneous hypertensive rats. In normotensive rats, A-80b (7.5-30
      mg/kg i.p.) also lowered blood pressure but less than in hypertensive rats. The
      decrease in diastolic pressure was greater than the decrease in systolic pressure
      and cardiac frequency was not modified significantly. Contractile responses
      induced in isolated rat thoracic aorta by K+ and noradrenaline were inhibited by
      A-80b. In K(+)-depolarized rat aorta, A-80b showed dose-dependent inhibition of
      the Ca(2+)-induced contraction. Also, A-80b inhibited spontaneous contractions of
      rat portal vein. The vasodilator action seemed to be endothelium-independent.
      These results suggest that A-80b is a new chemical entity which exerts a
      hypotensive and antihypertensive effect, possibly attributable to vasodilator
      activity via interference with Ca2+ influx and probably Ca2+ mobilization from
      intracellular stores.

PMID- 1425971
TI  - Memantine prevents quinolinic acid-induced hippocampal damage.
AB  - Memantine, used as a drug for treatment of spasticity and other extrapyramidal
      disorders as well as dementia, was shown to prevent brain damage caused by the
      glutamate (N-methyl-D-aspartate, NMDA) receptor agonist, quinolinic acid. Studies
      were focused on the hippocampal formation which is known to be highly vulnerable
      to quinolinate. Pretreatment of animals with memantine added to the food led to a
      reliable protection of hippocampal neurons when the drug was administered
      chronically for a period of 10 days prior to quinolinate exposure (i.c.v.
      injected). Additional i.p. administration of memantine (simultaneously with
      quinolinic acid or up to 24 h later) did not substantially add to the protective
      potency of the memantine diet. Our findings indicate that memantine may have
      beneficial effects in the treatment of brain disorders which are mediated by
      excitotoxic effects of glutamate.

PMID- 1425972
TI  - Heterogeneity of contractile 5-HT receptors in human hand veins.
AB  - To increase our knowledge of human peripheral vasospasm we characterized the
      contractile 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors in human superficial hand vein
      segments in vitro. The 5-HT1 receptor agonist, sumatriptan, the 5-HT2 receptor
      agonist, dl-alpha-methyl-5-HT, and the 5-HT3 receptor agonist, 2-methyl-5-HT, all
      induced concentration-dependent contractions. The contractile response to
      sumatriptan was antagonized by the non-selective 5-HT receptor antagonist,
      methiothepin, but was unaffected by the 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, ketanserin.
      The contractile response to dl-alpha-methyl-5-HT was antagonized by both
      methiothepin and ketanserin. The contraction elicited by 2-methyl-5-HT was not
      affected by the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, MDL 72222, but was antagonized by
      ketanserin. The results suggest that serotonergic contraction in the human
      superficial hand vein involves both 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 but not 5-HT3 receptors. Such
      receptor heterogeneity in human blood vessels should be considered when using
      drugs and when designing future compounds for medical use.

PMID- 1425974
TI  - Olvanil: more potent than capsaicin at stimulating the efferent function of
      sensory nerves.
AB  - The capsaicin analogue olvanil stimulated an increase in cutaneous blood flow
      when injected intradermally into the anaesthetised rabbit, as measured using a
      133Xenon clearance method. Olvanil was found to be a 10-fold more potent
      vasodilator (on a molar basis) than capsaicin. The effect of both vasodilators
      was significantly inhibited by the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)
      receptor antagonist CGRP-(8-37). These findings suggest that olvanil stimulates
      the efferent function of cutaneous sensory nerves in a more potent manner than
      capsaicin. We therefore suggest that olvanil is a useful pharmacological tool for
      studying the activity of neuropeptides released from sensory nerves.

PMID- 1425973
TI  - Pregnenolone sulfate increases the convulsant potency of N-methyl-D-aspartate in
      mice.
AB  - The neurosteroid pregnenolone sulfate is known to specifically enhance NMDA-gated
      currents in spinal cord neurons. The response does not appear to be mediated by
      the glycine/NMDA modulatory site. Here we found that pregnenolone sulfate
      significantly increased the convulsant potency of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA),
      but not of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ). In agreement with previous in vitro reports
      showing that the glutamergic NMDA receptor is also specifically modulated by
      steroids, our findings suggest that pregnenolone sulfate selectively activates
      the NMDA receptors involved in convulsions in the intact animal.

PMID- 1425975
TI  - AF102B, a muscarinic M1 receptor agonist, mimics some effects of acetylcholine on
      neurons of rat hippocampus slices.
AB  - The putative muscarinic M1 receptor agonist, AF102B, was applied to rat
      hippocampal slices and the responses of intracellularly recorded pyramidal cells
      were examined. AF102B mimicked some effects of acetylcholine on these cells as
      follows: at low concentration, AF102B attenuated a slow after-hyperpolarization
      in response to a long depolarizing current pulse. This effect was blocked by the
      M1 antagonist, pirenzepine. At higher concentrations, AF102B also depolarized the
      cells and caused an increase in their input resistance. AF102B did not affect
      local excitatory postsynaptic potentials or reactivity to topically applied
      excitatory amino acid substances. These experiments indicate that AF102B acts as
      an agonist at some muscarinic M1 receptor subtypes in mammalian brain.

PMID- 1425976
TI  - The selective protein kinase C inhibitor, NPC 15437, induces specific deficits in
      memory retention in mice.
AB  - We studied the effects of a selective inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC), 2,6
      diamino-N-[(1-(1-oxotridecyl)-2-piperidinyl]methyl)hexamide (NPC 15437), on
      acquisition and memory retention of a Y-maze avoidance task in mice. Post
      training administration of NPC 15437 (0.1-10 mg/kg i.p.) induced a dose-dependent
      deficit in retention of the temporal but not the spatial component of the task.
      This selective amnesia does not reflect state dependence and NPC 15437 (1 mg/kg)
      had no effect on acquisition and memory retrieval. Our results suggest that this
      new PKC inhibitor interferes with mechanisms underlying memory consolidation.
      This is in agreement with recent findings suggesting that PKC is involved in
      memory processes.

PMID- 1425977
TI  - Direct vascular actions of hydrochlorothiazide and indapamide in isolated small
      vessels.
AB  - The mechanism by which thiazides lower peripheral resistance is unresolved. The
      aim of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of the acute vasodilator
      action of hydrochlorothiazide and the 'thiazide-like' diuretic indapamide on
      human, guinea pig and rat small arteries. Vessels were mounted on a myograph and
      the relaxation profile of both drugs and interactions with K+ channels and the
      vascular eicosanoid system were studied. Neither drug had any relaxant effect in
      rat mesenteric vessels and indapamide did not relax human arteries.
      Hydrochlorothiazide in both human and guinea pig vessels produced significantly
      more relaxation of noradrenaline than K(+)-constricted vessels (P less than
      0.001). Relaxation to hydrochlorothiazide was reduced in the presence of
      charybdotoxin. Maximal-induced hydrochlorothiazide relaxation was reduced by 64%
      in human arteries (P less than 0.001) and by 91% in guinea pig vessels (P less
      than 0.001). Incubation with glibenclamide and indomethacin had no effect on the
      relaxant activity of hydrochlorothiazide and indapamide. Indapamide-induced
      relaxation was unaffected in the presence of charybdotoxin. These results show
      marked differences in the acute vasodilator action of hydrochlorothiazide and
      indapamide. There appears to be involvement of Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels in
      the acute vasorelaxant activity of hydrochlorothiazide.

PMID- 1425978
TI  - 5-Hydroxydecanoate inhibits ATP-sensitive K+ channel currents in guinea-pig
      single ventricular myocytes.
AB  - We investigated the effect of 5-hydroxydecanoate, a novel antiarrhythmic agent,
      on the electrical activity of guinea-pig ventricular myocytes. The outward K+
      current increased by lowering the intracellular ATP concentration (0.5 mM) was
      efficiently blocked by 5-hydroxydecanoate when recording in the whole cell
      configuration with the application of voltage ramps. The increase in the time
      independent outward K+ current induced by reducing intracellular ATP to 0 mM was
      also blocked by 5-hydroxydecanoate (10 or 100 microM) and by tolbutamide (1 mM).
      Using the single channel recording technique, we found that 5-hydroxydecanoate
      blocked ATP-sensitive K+ channels when its channel open probability was increased
      by 1 mM ATP together with 1 mM ADP or by an intracellular pH of 6.6. These
      conditions are well documented to reflect metabolic changes in the early stages
      of myocardial ischemic attack. These results suggest that 5-hydroxydecanoate
      could inhibit ATP-sensitive K+ channels, resulting in an antiarrhythmic effect
      specifically on ischemic hearts.

PMID- 1425979
TI  - Prostanoid-mediated vascular contraction in normotensive and hypertensive rats.
AB  - We investigated the role of prostanoids in the constrictor effect of calcium
      ionophore A23187, endothelin-1 and vasopressin in rings of thoracic aorta
      obtained from normotensive rats and rats with aortic coarctation-induced
      hypertension. Isometric tension was measured in aortic rings bathed in buffer
      with and without indomethacin (10 microM), CGS13080 (10 microM) or SQ29548 (1
      microM) to inhibit cyclooxygenase and thromboxane synthase and to block TxA2-PGH2
      receptors, respectively. Increases in tension elicited by A23187 and vasopressin
      in aortic rings from hypertensive rats exceeded responses in rings from
      normotensive rats. A23187-induced contractions were virtually abolished by
      indomethacin and SQ29548, and slightly attenuated by CGS13080. These agents also
      attenuated the contractions elicited by endothelin but not by vasopressin.
      According to these data, a prostanoid(s) agonist for TxA2-PGH2 receptors
      contributes to the constrictor effect of A23187 in aortic rings of hypertensive
      rats, and of endothelin in aortic rings of normotensive and hypertensive rats.
      Moreover, the expression of prostanoid-mediated contractions as it pertains to
      the aortic response to A23187 is greatly increased in hypertensive rats.

PMID- 1425980
TI  - Homologous tachyphylaxis to bradykinin and its interference with allergic
      pleurisy in actively sensitized rats.
AB  - After recovery from a first intraplantar or intrathoracic stimulation with
      bradykinin, repeated daily provocation with this peptide resulted in a
      progressive loss of its ability to cause paw or pleural oedema, reaching 0-20% of
      the control within seven and four consecutive provocations, respectively. The
      phenomenon was shown to be time reversible, since the unresponsiveness ceased
      when stimulations were discontinued, and localized, since paw oedema evoked by
      the peptide was not modified after desensitization of either the contralateral
      paw or the pleural cavity. Furthermore desensitization to bradykinin did not
      influence the pleurisy elicited by either histamine (200 micrograms/cavity), 5
      hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) (100 microgram/cavity) or platelet-activating factor
      (PAF) (1 microgram/cavity), suggesting that the desensitization was selective. In
      contrast, when actively sensitized animals were submitted to bradykinin-induced
      tachyphylaxis, pleural exudation and leukocyte influx induced by antigen were
      drastically reduced, strongly implying bradykinin in this process. We
      demonstrated that repeated daily stimulation with bradykinin cause selective,
      local and reversible auto-refractoriness, which may be useful as a tool in
      attempting to evaluate the role of this peptide in inflammation.

PMID- 1425981
TI  - Doxorubicin: an antagonist of muscarinic receptors in guinea pig heart.
AB  - While studying the mechanisms of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity, we observed
      that doxorubicin inhibited the negative inotropic effect of acetylcholine in
      isolated heart muscle preparations. We therefore examined the effects of
      doxorubicin on muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. In left atrial muscle
      preparations isolated from guinea pig heart and stimulated at 2 Hz at 30 degrees
      C, doxorubicin caused a parallel right-ward shift of the dose-response curves for
      the negative inotropic effects of acetylcholine. The inhibitory action was
      reversed by an additional incubation in the absence of doxorubicin. Doxorubicin
      reversed the carbachol-induced inhibition of developed tension: a high
      concentration of doxorubicin brought the force back to its original strength.
      Doxorubicin inhibited specific [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) binding to
      membrane preparations obtained from ventricular muscle of guinea pig hearts. The
      pA2 value for doxorubicin obtained in the inotropic study corresponded to the
      IC50 value for doxorubicin observed in the [3H]QNB binding assay. These results
      indicate that doxorubicin acts as a weak competitive antagonist on muscarinic
      acetylcholine receptors.

PMID- 1425982
TI  - Cardiovascular effects of the new nitric oxide donor, pirsidomine. Hemodynamic
      profile and tolerance studies in anesthetized and conscious dogs.
AB  - The hemodynamic profile of pirsidomine, a new donor of NO (nitric oxide), was
      evaluated in dogs. In anesthetized dogs, the intravenous or intraduodenal
      administration of pirsidomine (0.3-10 mg/kg) decreased dose relatedly the preload
      and afterload of the heart, total peripheral resistance, cardiac output, left
      ventricular work and myocardial oxygen consumption. In conscious renal
      hypertensive dogs, oral administration of pirsidomine (1.0-10 mg/kg) caused a
      marked and sustained decrease in systolic blood pressure and left ventricular end
      diastolic pressure, which was accompanied by a slight and transient increase in
      heart rate and contractility. The diastolic blood pressure was affected less than
      in anesthetized dogs. Similar hemodynamic effects were obtained with M1 (3-(1
      (2,6-dimethylpiperidino))-sydnonimine; 0.3-1 mg/kg), the main metabolite of
      pirsidomine, and with the known NO donor, isosorbide-5-mononitrate (IS-5-MN; 2-10
      mg/kg). Tolerance development after repeated administration of pirsidomine and IS
      5-MN was also investigated. In anesthetized dogs, repeated intraduodenal
      administrations of pirsidomine did not attenuate the response whereas tolerance
      occurred with hemodynamically equieffective doses of IS-5-MN. In conscious dogs,
      long term oral treatment, three times daily every 8th h for 5 days, revealed
      tolerance to IS-5-MN, slight or no tolerance to pirsidomine, and no cross
      tolerance between the two agents. The results indicate that pirsidomine possesses
      an antianginal hemodynamic profile similar to that of its main metabolite, M1,
      and of IS-5-MN. This suggests a common mode of action via the release of
      NO.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1425983
TI  - Effects of angiotensin II and angiotensin III on airway epithelial short-circuit
      current: involvement of pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein.
AB  - The effects of angiotensin II (AII) and angiotensin III (AIII) on bioelectric
      properties of canine cultured tracheal epithelium were investigated. Both
      peptides increased the short-circuit current (Isc), an effect that was
      accompanied by the release of prostaglandin (PG) E2 and was abolished by
      indomethacin and diphenylamine-2-carboxylate but not by amiloride. The AII action
      was not altered by amastatin. The increases in Isc induced by AII and AIII were
      inhibited by pertussis toxin, whereas cholera toxin had no effect. Thus, both
      peptides may selectively stimulate airway epithelial Cl- secretion through the
      activation of pertussis toxin-sensitive regulatory G protein and the subsequent
      generation of PGE2.

PMID- 1425984
TI  - Increase of serotonin in plasma during onset of halothane-induced malignant
      hyperthermia in pigs.
AB  - The levels of serotonin (5-HT) were determined in platelet-free and platelet-rich
      plasma before and during the onset of halothane-induced malignant hyperthermia
      (MH) in genetically MH-susceptible pigs. During MH onset, the free (i.e.
      physiologically active) levels of 5-HT in plasma rose concomitantly with the
      increases in muscle tone, body temperature, venous pCO2 and plasma lactate. Since
      pharmacological stimulation of 5-HT2 receptors has recently been shown to trigger
      MH in susceptible pigs, the finding of increased 5-HT plasma levels during onset
      of halothane-induced MH may indicate that 5-HT is involved in the mechanisms by
      which volatile anesthetics trigger this myopathic syndrome.

PMID- 1425985
TI  - Prejunctional modulation of sensory-motor nerve mediated vasodilation of the rat
      mesenteric arterial bed by adenosine.
AB  - The effect of adenosine on the vasodilator response of the rat mesenteric
      arterial bed to electrical field stimulation of perivascular sensory-motor nerves
      was examined. Adenosine (0.3-10 microM) produced a concentration-dependent
      attenuation of the vasodilator response to electrical stimulation of sensory
      motor nerves, which is mediated by the sensory neuropeptide calcitonin gene
      related peptide (CGRP). The adenosine receptor antagonist, 8-phenyltheophylline
      (1 microM) competitively antagonized the inhibitory effect of adenosine.
      Adenosine did not affect the vasodilator response to exogenous CGRP, thus
      indicating that the inhibitory action of adenosine on the vasodilator response to
      perivascular sensory-motor nerve stimulation was prejunctional.

PMID- 1425986
TI  - Ca(2+)-independent contraction of uterine smooth muscle induced by vanadate and
      its inhibition by Ca2+.
AB  - Vanadate, 30 microM, contracts uterine smooth muscle of estrogen-dominated non
      pregnant rats in Ca(2+)-free medium after preincubation with 3 mM EGTA. In spite
      of the phosphorylation of the myosin light chain during this contraction, studies
      with fura-2 suggested that this contraction was not accompanied by an increase in
      the cytosolic Ca2+ level. Inhibitors of the myosin light chain kinase and protein
      kinase C partly inhibited this contraction. Vanadate seems to enter the cell
      through anion channels to inhibit phosphatases, resulting in phosphorylation via
      basal activities of the myosin light chain kinase and protein kinase C. An
      increase in the cytosolic free Ca2+ level resulted in relaxation of the
      contracting muscle in the same manner as in the oxytocin-induced Ca(2+)-free
      contraction.

PMID- 1425987
TI  - Kinetics of relaxation responses to vasorelaxants in isolated rabbit aorta.
AB  - Transient responses of isolated tissues to drugs are best studied by application
      of non-steady-state protocols in which the data collected are analyzed using
      kinetic models. The time dependence of the relaxation response of the adventitia-
      and endothelium-denuded rabbit aorta to four vasorelaxants (nitroglycerin, sodium
      nitroprusside, 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine and isoproterenol) was analyzed by
      an exploratory kinetic model. A rapid relaxation (t1/2 = 1-3 min) was elicited by
      all vasorelaxants. An apparent desensitization or fade of the relaxation response
      to nitroglycerin or isoproterenol was visualized as the partial regaining of
      tissue tone (t1/2 = 2-3 min). The relaxation responses to sodium nitroprusside or
      5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine were stable for at least 60 min and did not
      exhibit an apparent regaining of tension. Tissues rendered desensitized by either
      isoproterenol or nitroglycerin responded fully to sodium nitroprusside or 5'-N
      ethylcarboxamidoadenosine. The rate constant for relaxation was vasorelaxant
      concentration-dependent and saturable for all vasorelaxants. For isoproterenol,
      nitroglycerin, and 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine the rate constant for
      relaxation was inversely proportional to the contractile stimulus, as was the
      magnitude of relaxation for all vasorelaxants. Although the magnitude and rate
      constant of the fade was not concentration-dependent for isoproterenol, it was
      inversely proportional to the nitroglycerin concentration. The rate constant of
      the fade was proportional to the contractile stimulus for isoproterenol and
      nitroglycerin, and the magnitude of the fade was proportional to the contractile
      stimulus for nitroglycerin. We propose that kinetic studies of responses in
      isolated vasculature supersede studies performed under steady-state conditions,
      for they extend our knowledge of the manner by which the steady-state is achieved
      and allow for a quantitative analysis of the time-dependent changes which should
      assist in elucidating the biochemical basis of the observed physiological
      response.

PMID- 1425988
TI  - Inhibition of tetrahydroisoxazolo-pyridin-3-ol and muscimol and its mechanism on
      gastrointestinal transit in mice.
AB  - The effect of tetrahydroisoxazolo-pyridin-3-ol (THIP) and muscimol on
      gastrointestinal transit and a possible mechanism for this effect were studied
      using the charcoal meal test in mice. These agents inhibited transit dose
      relatedly. The inhibitory effect was completely reversed by yohimbine and
      phentolamine. A minor degree of antagonism by bicuculline was observed. There
      were an additive response in morphine-pretreated animals and partial antagonism
      in naloxone-pretreated animals. Propranolol failed to modify the inhibitory
      effect. The findings suggest a predominantly alpha 2-receptor-mediated inhibitory
      effect on gastrointestinal transit for THIP and muscimol which possibly also
      utilizes opioid pathways. However, it appears that beta-adrenergic and GABAergic
      systems might not contribute to this effect.

PMID- 1425989
TI  - The 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, MDL 28,133A, disrupts the serotonergic
      dopaminergic interaction mediating the neurochemical effects of 3,4
      methylenedioxymethamphetamine.
AB  - The selective 5-HT2 receptor antagonist MDL 28,133A dose dependently-blocked the
      long-term deficits in rat brain 5-HT concentrations produced by the substituted
      amphetamine analogue 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). This protective
      effect of MDL 28,133A could be abolished by coadministration of the dopamine
      precursor, L-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA). Electrophysiological experiments
      demonstrated that the ability of MDL 28,133A to block the MDMA-induced slowing of
      A9 dopaminergic neurons was also sensitive to L-DOPA administration. Both sets of
      experiments suggest an interaction of MDL 28,133A at the level of dopamine
      synthesis. Consistent with this explanation, MDL 28,133A antagonized the MDMA
      induced stimulation of dopamine synthesis in vivo. MDMA-induced 5-HT release did
      not reduce the firing rate of dopaminergic neurons as assessed by dopamine
      depletion following synthesis inhibition with alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (alpha
      MPT). This indicates that the effect of 5-HT2 receptor antagonists on MDMA
      induced dopamine synthesis is not due simply to the removal of an inhibitory
      serotonergic input followed by an increase in dopamine cell firing and
      autoreceptor activation. MDL 28,133A was also shown to be without effect on the
      sensitivity of terminal dopamine autoreceptors. The results are consistent with
      the hypothesis that 5-HT2 receptors are permissive for the stimulation of
      dopamine synthesis necessary to support MDMA-induced transmitter efflux.

PMID- 1425990
TI  - Synthesis and pharmacology of irreversible affinity labels as potential cocaine
      antagonists: aryl 1,4-dialkylpiperazines related to GBR-12783.
AB  - As part of a program aimed at designing irreversible antagonists of the stimulant
      and reinforcing properties of cocaine, derivatives of GBR-12783 containing
      electrophilic substituents were synthesized. GBR-12783, a potent and selective
      inhibitor of both stimulant binding and dopamine transport, was modified to
      incorporate either isothiocyanate or maleimido groups at the meta- or para
      positions in one phenyl ring of the geminal diphenyl portion of the molecule. The
      effect of these compounds, as well as their respective amino- or nitro
      substituted precursors, on stimulant binding to rat striatal tissue was studied
      using the [3H]methylphenidate radioreceptor assay. Under the assay conditions
      used, the compounds were found to have IC50s (nM) ranging from 11.9 (m-nitro) to
      1677 (p-maleimido); the parent compound, GBR-12783, had an IC50 of 12.0. Using a
      washout technique (repeated washing with 100 mM KCl) which completely removed the
      tightly bound, but reversible GBR-12783, both the m- and p-isothiocyanate
      compounds were found to irreversibly inhibit binding of [3H]methylphenidate to
      the stimulant recognition site. The m-maleimido derivative also irreversibly
      inhibited binding, albeit with lower efficacy than was observed with the
      isothiocyanate compounds. Neither the p-maleimido, nor the amino or nitro
      intermediates, were capable of irreversible inhibition.

PMID- 1425991
TI  - The gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) uptake inhibitor, tiagabine, increases
      extracellular brain levels of GABA in awake rats.
AB  - The effect of systemic administration of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
      uptake inhibitor, R(-)N-(4,4-di(3-methyl-thien-2-yl)-but-3-enyl) nipecotic acid,
      hydrochloride (tiagabine) (previously NO-328), on extracellular GABA levels in
      the globus pallidus, ventral pallidum and substantia nigra of awake Sprague
      Dawley rats was investigated using in vivo microdialysis. Tiagabine was
      administered in doses of 11.5 or 21.0 mg/kg i.p. (ED50 and ED85 doses,
      respectively, for inhibiting pentylenetetrazole-induced tonic seizures).
      Tiagabine increased the extracellular concentrations of GABA in globus pallidus
      with peak values 310% of basal level (after 21 mg/kg) and 240% of basal level
      (after 11.5 mg/kg). A significant increase in extracellular GABA levels was also
      found in the ventral pallidum (280% increase after 11.5 mg/kg and 350% increase
      after 21 mg/kg) and in the substantia nigra where the ED85 dose of tiagabine (21
      mg/kg) produced a peak value of 200% compared to the basal level. Thus, tiagabine
      acts as a GABA uptake inhibitor in vivo also.

PMID- 1425992
TI  - Protective effects of a 21-aminosteroid against copper-induced erythrocyte and
      plasma lipid peroxidation.
AB  - The 21-aminosteroids, or lazaroids, are a novel class of antioxidant drugs
      designed to inhibit iron-dependent lipid peroxidation in biological lipid
      environments. They have been shown to be of therapeutic value in several animal
      models of traumatic, ischemic and hemorrhagic injury of the central nervous
      system. Our purpose was to evaluate the ability of 21-aminosteroids to protect
      human erythrocytes and plasma against oxidative damage in vitro. We found that
      the 21-aminosteroid U74500A inhibited erythrocyte and plasma lipid peroxidation.
      U74500A at 1 microM significantly reduced copper-induced and hydrogen peroxide
      induced erythrocyte lipid peroxidation by 76.5 and 27.6%, respectively. The
      inhibition of erythrocyte lipid peroxidation was accompanied by an inhibition of
      hemolysis. Copper-induced plasma lipid peroxidation was also significantly
      reduced by as little as 1 microM U74500A. These results suggest that 21
      aminosteroids may prove useful in preventive or therapeutic interventions in
      situations where erythrocyte or plasma components are subjected to oxidative
      stress and in situations related to copper-induced oxidative damage.

PMID- 1425993
TI  - Effects of the acute administration of a new trimethylxanthine derivative, S 9977
      2, on local cerebral blood flow and glucose utilization in the rat.
AB  - S 9977-2 is a new trimethylxanthine derivative with promnesic properties. Its
      effects on cerebral glucose utilization and blood flow were studied by means of
      quantitative autoradiography. S 9977-2 was injected intravenously into adult rats
      at doses of 0.1, 1.0 and 10 mg/kg. At 0.1 mg/kg, S 9977-2 induced a significant
      increase in cerebral glucose utilization over control values in two white matter
      areas and in the vestibular nucleus. At 1.0 mg/kg, glucose utilization was
      affected in 14 areas out of the 63 studied, mainly limbic regions such as the
      hippocampus, raphe nuclei and locus coeruleus, as well as some posterior areas.
      Conversely, after the injection of 10 mg/kg S 9977-2, cerebral glucose
      utilization was similar to that of control rats. At the three doses tested, S9977
      2 did not induce any significant variation in local rates of cerebral blood flow
      compared to those of controls. Likewise, S 9977-2 did not change the level of
      coupling between cerebral blood flow and metabolism, except at 10 mg/kg, where a
      relative hypoperfusion at a constant metabolic level was recorded. These data
      show that, at 1.0 mg/kg, S 9977-2 increased glucose utilization in hippocampal
      areas, an effect which may be related to the promnesic properties of this
      compound at the same dose. Moreover, at low doses, the lack of change in the
      level of coupling between cerebral blood flow and metabolism is indicative of the
      rather selective action of this compound, compared to that of caffeine. Thus
      S9977-2 should have therapeutic effects, mainly via its promnesic properties,
      without having many side effects.

PMID- 1425995
TI  - Possible prophylactic potential of HA1077, a Ca2+ channel antagonist and
      vasodilator, on chronic cerebral vasospasm.
AB  - We examined the possible prophylactic potential of HA1077, a calcium antagonist
      and vasodilator, on chronic cerebral vasospasm induced in a two-hemorrhage canine
      model, and also its effects on cerebral hemodynamics. The intravenous infusion of
      HA1077 3 mg/kg over 30 min twice daily (day 1-day 7) after the first
      intracisternal injection of 5 ml autologous blood significantly prevented the
      occurrence of chronic cerebral vasospasm. The mean diameter of the basilar
      arteries on day 7 was 66.1 +/- 1.6% (n = 7) of the baseline before the
      intracisternal injection of blood, compared to 54.2 +/- 1.6% (n = 9) of the
      baseline in the untreated group (P less than 0.01). Bolus intravenous
      administration of HA1077 (0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg) dose dependently increased local
      cerebral blood flow. Since HA1077 prevents the development of chronic cerebral
      vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage and improves hemodynamic functions, as
      manifested by increases in local cerebral blood flow, further study is warranted
      regarding the possible clinical use of this drug.

PMID- 1425994
TI  - Effects of drugs on ventricular fibrillation and ischaemic K+ loss in a model of
      ischaemia in perfused guinea-pig hearts in vitro.
AB  - In a perfused guinea-pig heart model of myocardial ischaemia, reducing coronary
      flow by 95% for four successive 6 min periods caused a reproducible net loss of
      K+ into the coronary perfusate. This was reduced in a concentration-dependent
      manner by ATP dependent K+ channel blockers (glibenclamide and glipizide) and
      calcium channel blockers (verapamil and nifedipine). Other K+ channel blockers
      (UK-66,914, 4-aminopyridine, R56865 and phentolamine) and beta 1-adrenoceptor and
      beta 2-adrenoceptor antagonists (betaxolol and ICI118551) did not reduce this
      loss significantly. A single 30 min low-flow period reliably induced K+ release
      and ventricular fibrillation in control hearts. Glibenclamide, glipizide and
      phentolamine suppressed ventricular fibrillation but not ischaemic K+ loss in
      this model. R56865 and 4-aminopyridine and coadministration of betaxolol and
      ICI118551 yielded similar results while UK-66,914 suppressed neither. In our
      model, modulation of ischemic K+ loss and suppression of ventricular fibrillation
      were not closely associated and appeared to occur via separate mechanisms.

PMID- 1425996
TI  - Fantofarone (SR 33557): effect on post-ischaemic functional recovery in perfused
      rat hearts.
AB  - Fantofarone (SR 33557) is a novel, highly potent calcium channel antagonist
      representative of a new class of slow channel blockers. In this study, we have
      assessed its ability to influence cardiac function in two, isolated, perfused
      heart models and then assessed its ability to modify post-ischaemic functional
      recovery. In isolated, rat hearts perfused in the Langendorff mode, fantofarone
      increased coronary flow by 25% at 100 and 1000 nM with no effect on left
      ventricular pressure or heart rate below 100 nM. In working hearts, fantofarone
      again increased coronary flow within a similar concentration range. A significant
      reduction (approximately 40%) was observed in peak systolic pressure and dP/dtmax
      when hearts were perfused with 1000 nM fantofarone. Working rat hearts were also
      subjected to a 30 min period of global, low-flow (0.1 ml/min) ischaemia, followed
      by a 30 min period of reperfusion. Perfusion with 1 or 10 nM fantofarone, began
      20 min prior to the onset of ischaemia and continued throughout the ischaemic and
      reperfusion periods. The addition of 1 nM fantofarone did not cause a significant
      increase in the recovery of cardiac function during the reperfusion phase. In
      contrast, perfusion with 10 nM fantofarone resulted in a substantial increase in
      the recovery of several indices of cardiac function such as aortic output,
      dP/dtmax and peak systolic pressure. Thus, in the working rat heart, at
      concentrations which cause minimal alterations to normal cardiac function,
      fantofarone can improve significantly functional recovery following an ischaemic
      insult.

PMID- 1425997
TI  - Structure-activity relationship of analogues of endothelin-1: dissociation of
      hypotensive and pressor actions.
AB  - The structural requirements of endothelin-1 to evoke depressor and pressor
      responses were studied in conscious rats. Formylation of the C-terminal Trp
      eliminated the depressor but not the pressor activity of endothelin-1. Oxidation
      of Met7 in this analogue restored the hypotensive activity. Destruction of the
      Cys1-Cys15 disulphide bridge led to a weak agonist with both depressor and
      pressor activities. Formylation of Trp21 in this analogue resulted in a complete
      loss of biological activity. These results indicate that Met7 and the indole
      moiety of Trp21 are important for the expression of the depressor activity of
      endothelin-1 whereas the intramolecular loop structure is less important. The
      results also provide further evidence that the depressor and pressor effects of
      endothelin-1 are mediated through different receptors.

PMID- 1425998
TI  - Enhancement of losartan (DuP 753)-induced angiotensin II receptor antagonism by
      PD123177 in rats.
AB  - Losartan (DuP 753) and PD123177 are angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) and type 2 (AT2)
      receptor selective ligands, respectively. In rats, PD123177 did not exhibit
      angiotensin II antagonism or hypotensive activity but enhanced these activities
      of a submaximal dose of losartan. As PD123177 displaced losartan from its rat
      plasma protein binding sites and thus increased the free concentration of
      losartan, this may account for its enhancement of the in vivo activities of
      losartan in rats.

PMID- 1425999
TI  - Nitric oxide induces neurotransmitter release from hippocampal slices.
AB  - Hydroxylamine (1-300 microM), a nitric oxide generator, stimulated the release of
      [3H]norepinephrine ([3H]NE) and [14C]acetylcholine ([14C]ACh) from rat
      hippocampal slices in a concentration-dependent manner (EC50 approximately 30
      microM). A maximally effective concentration of hydroxylamine (300 microM)
      produced a 24-fold increase in the basal [3H]NE and 3.6-fold increase in the in
      the basal [14C]ACh efflux. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP), also stimulated the
      release of [3H]NE, but only at high concentrations (10-30 mM). Calcium-free
      experimental buffer (1 mM EGTA) abolished the response. Hemoglobin (0.3 microM)
      inhibited the effect of 100 microM hydroxylamine in a manner which was specific
      for nitric oxide. In addition, 100 microM hydroxylamine increased the efflux of
      endogenous GABA and glutamate by 3- and 6-fold, respectively.

PMID- 1426000
TI  - Effects of baicalein and alpha-tocopherol on lipid peroxidation, free radical
      scavenging activity and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol acetate-induced ear edema.
AB  - The effects of baicalein, a flavonoid, and alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) on lipid
      peroxidation in rat forebrain homogenates, on free radical scavenging action
      against diphenyl-p-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol
      acetate (TPA)-induced ear edema in mice were studied. Baicalein inhibited lipid
      peroxidation in forebrain homogenates, DPPH-induced free radical and TPA-induced
      ear edema as potently as did quercetin and nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), a
      lipoxygenase inhibitor, and more potently than BW755C, a mixed cyclooxygenase and
      lipoxygenase inhibitor. Lipid peroxidation in forebrain homogenates, DPPH-induced
      free radical and TPA-induced ear edema were also inhibited by alpha-tocopherol.
      Flavone showed no reaction. These results suggest that lipid peroxidation may
      play an important role in the pathogenesis of TPA-induced ear edema in mice.

PMID- 1426001
TI  - Cholecystokinin octapeptide alters morphine-induced effects on EEG power spectra
      both quantitatively and qualitatively.
AB  - In the present study, EEG analysis was used to determine if cholecystokinin
      octapeptide (CCK-8) has an effect on the EEG spectral profile associated with
      morphine-induced bursting. Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with
      cortical electrodes and indwelling i.c.v. and i.v. cannulas. On the day of the
      experiment, each rat received an i.c.v. injection of either H2O or one of four
      doses of CCK-8: 8.0, 16.0, 32.0 or 64.0 ng. Ten minutes after receiving the
      i.c.v. injection, each rat received a 10.0 mg/kg dose of morphine by i.v.
      injection. Neither the i.c.v. injections of H2O nor CCK-8 produced any EEG
      bursting or behavioral stupor. However, the i.v. injection of morphine produced
      high-voltage, slow-wave EEG bursts in all rats. Analysis of EEG recorded during
      bursting showed that both the 32.0 and 64.0 ng doses of CCK-8 increased absolute
      power associated with morphine-induced bursting, and comparison of the
      distribution of power across the range of frequency bands between the control
      (H2O) and the 32.0 ng dose of CCK-8 revealed that CCK-8 caused a significant
      change in the pattern of distribution of power. Furthermore, significant dose
      related differences were found in the global (1-50 Hz) parameters absolute power,
      mean frequency, mobility, complexity and edge frequency. Significant differences
      among the five groups were not found in the parameter of peak frequency, or in
      either latency to slow-wave sleep or duration of morphine-induced bursting. These
      results demonstrate that CCK-8 caused both quantitative and qualitative changes
      in the EEG spectral profile associated with morphine-induced bursting.

PMID- 1426002
TI  - Marked inhibition of mesolimbic dopamine release: a common feature of ethanol,
      morphine, cocaine and amphetamine abstinence in rats.
AB  - Withdrawal of rats from chronic ethanol, morphine, cocaine and amphetamine
      resulted in a marked reduction in extracellular dopamine (DA) concentration in
      the ventral striatum as measured by microdialysis. Following ethanol and naloxone
      precipitated morphine withdrawal, the time course of DA reduction paralleled that
      of the withdrawal symptomatology. On the other hand, following discontinuation of
      chronic cocaine, DA reduction was delayed by over 24 h but persisted for several
      days. After amphetamine withdrawal the fall in DA occurred more rapidly but the
      reduction also persisted for several days. The administration of the NMDA
      receptor antagonist, MK-801, to rats withdrawn from chronic ethanol, morphine or
      amphetamine, but not from chronic cocaine, readily reversed the fall in DA
      output. The reduction in extracellular DA during ethanol withdrawal was also
      reversed by SL 82.0715, another NMDA receptor antagonist.

PMID- 1426003
TI  - Vasodilatory effects of adenosine A2 receptor agonists CGS 21680 and CGS 22492 in
      human vasculature.
AB  - The vasodilatory effects of the adenosine analogs, 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine
      (NECA), 2-[p-(2-carboxyethyl)phenethyl amino]-5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (CGS
      21680) and 2-[(2-cyclohexylethyl)amino]adenosine (CGS 22492) in human coronary,
      internal mammary artery and saphenous vein were examined in vitro. All produced
      concentration-dependent relaxations in arterial as well as venous rings
      contracted with 35 mM KCl. The concentration-response curves for NECA and CGS
      21680 were parallel in the coronary. The adenosine A2 receptor antagonist, 9
      chloro-2-(2-furyl)[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]quinazolin-5-amine (CGS 15943A)
      significantly attenuated the relaxing response to the adenosine analogs in
      coronary artery. Although NECA and CGS 22492 were equally as effective at the
      highest concentration administered (both achieving approximately 70% relaxation
      at 10(-4) M) NECA (EC50 = 1.25 +/- 0.11 microM) induced greater vasodilation at
      lower concentrations than CGS 22492 (EC50 = 11.27 +/- 1.53 microM). CGS 21680 was
      the least potent of the agents tested achieving only 44% relaxation at 10(-4) M
      (EC50 = 4.71 +/- 0.46 microM). Coronary artery appeared to be more responsive
      than internal mammary artery or saphenous vein which displayed only marginal
      relaxation to these agents.

PMID- 1426004
TI  - Assessment of the role of adrenoceptor function in ischemia-induced impairment of
      2-deoxyglucose uptake and CA1 field potential in rat hippocampal slices.
AB  - The release of catecholamines, dopamine and noradrenaline has been suggested to
      play a role in mediating ischemic damage in susceptible brain regions, the
      hippocampus and striatum. We now provide evidence that suggests a role for
      adrenoceptors in the deficit of 2-deoxyglucose uptake and CA1 field potential
      induced in hippocampal slices by hypoxia/hypoglycemia (ischemia). Treatment with
      alpha 1- or beta-adrenoceptor agonists or cAMP potentiated an ischemia-induced
      decline of both 2-deoxyglucose uptake and CA1 field potential in hippocampal
      slices, whereas alpha 1- or beta-adrenoceptor antagonists, or alpha 2
      adrenoceptor agonists produced a remarkable neuroprotective action against these
      deficits. The results indicate that stimulation of adrenoceptors may play a
      detrimental role in the development of ischemic damage, and suggest a
      neuroprotective action for adrenoceptor antagonists, which may lessen the
      functional deficits induced by ischemia.

PMID- 1426005
TI  - Evidence for a direct vasoconstrictor effect of big endothelin-1 in the rat
      kidney.
AB  - Inhibition of endothelin-1 (ET-1)-converting enzyme has been suggested as a
      strategy for blocking ET-1-mediated vasoconstriction. However, it is unclear
      whether its putative substrate, bigET-1, is an inactive precursor. Thus, we
      compared in the rat the effects of ET-1 and bigET-1 on renal vascular resistance
      (RVR) in vitro (isolated perfused kidney, n = 15) and in vivo (Doppler shift
      technique, n = 23) when injected i.v. or in the rat renal artery (i.a.), before
      and after metalloprotease inhibition with phosphoramidon (30 mg/kg i.v.). In
      vitro, the ET-1/bigET-1 potency ratio for the RVR increase was 175; in vivo
      (i.v.) it was approximately 7 (ED50: 99 and 692 pmol/kg, respectively; P < 0.01).
      Unlike that of ET-1, the bigET-1 effect started slowly (peak effect at 15 min).
      On i.a. injection, the ED50 of ET-1 was lower but that of big ET-1 was unchanged
      (ED50: 28 and 706 pmol/kg, respectively). Moreover, the effect of i.a. bigET-1 on
      RVR was biphasic, with a dose-related rapid increase followed by a slowly
      developing further rise. Phosphoramidon completely inhibited the hemodynamic
      effects of i.v. bigET-1, but abolished only the second phase of the response when
      given i.a. It also significantly enhanced the effect of ET-1. We conclude that in
      the rat: (1) bigET-1 may affect RVR by both a direct effect and through
      phosphoramidon-sensitive conversion to ET-1; (2) the direct vasoconstrictor
      effect of bigET-1 might be expressed during endothelin-converting enzyme
      inhibition; (3) metalloproteases are involved in ET-1 degradation.

PMID- 1426006
TI  - NMDA receptor antagonists protect against seizures and wet-dog shakes induced by
      4-aminopyridine.
AB  - The effect of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA receptor antagonists on
      the generalized tonic-clonic convulsions and wet-dog shakes induced by the
      intraperitoneal (i.p.) or the intrahippocampal (i.h., stereotaxic microinjection
      into the CA1 region) administration of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) was studied in
      rats. Pretreatment with NMDA competitive and non-competitive antagonists resulted
      in potent protection against the motor effects of both the i.p. and the i.h.
      administration of 4-AP. MK-801 (0.25 mg/kg i.p.) and 3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4
      yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP, 0.8 nmol intracerebroventricular, i.c.v.)
      showed the most powerful anticonvulsive effect, since they prevented the
      occurrence of generalized tonic convulsions and the death of the animals in
      convulsions after i.p. 4-AP. The i.c.v. injection (10 nmol) of the NMDA
      competitive antagonists 2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoate (AP-5) and 2-amino-5
      phosphonoheptanoate (AP-7) also showed a clear though less potent protective
      effect. Similarly, the frequency of wet-dog shakes induced by i.h. 4-AP was
      markedly decreased by pretreating the animals with i.p. MK-801 or with i.c.v. CPP
      or AP-7. However, the co-injection of CPP with 4-AP failed to protect against the
      occurrence of wet-dog shakes. The i.c.v. pretreatment with the unselective
      antagonist, kynurenate (up to 68 nmol) or with the non-NMDA receptor antagonist,
      6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (0.5 nmol), did not significantly modify the
      effects of 4-AP when administered either i.p. or i.h. We conclude that NMDA
      receptors are involved in the mechanism of the convulsive activity induced by 4
      AP, probably because this drug induces the release of glutamate.

PMID- 1426007
TI  - Antagonism of pre- and postjunctional responses to neuropeptide Y and sympathetic
      stimulation by D-myo-inositol-1,2,6-trisphosphate in the anaesthetised dog.
AB  - Pre- and postjunctional responses to nerve released or exogenous neuropeptide Y
      (NPY) were measured in the anaesthetised dog before and after administration of D
      myo-inositol-1,2,6-trisphosphate (PP56) a putative NPY antagonist. The inhibition
      of the increase in pulse interval evoked by vagal stimulation was used as a
      measure of prejunctional action of NPY and the magnitude of increase in blood
      pressure was used as a measure of postjunctional action of NPY (direct action or
      constrictor potentiating). Elevated plasma levels of PP56 were maintained
      throughout the course of the experiment. PP56 significantly reversed the
      inhibitory effect of NPY (nerve released or exogenous) on cardiac vagal action,
      and significantly inhibited the pressor response to exogenous NPY. PP56 did not
      affect the pressor response to intravenous phenylephrine, a selective alpha
      adrenoceptor agonist. PP56 therefore significantly antagonises both pre- and
      postjunctional effects of NPY (nerve released and exogenous) and, with respect to
      its postjunctional antagonism, this action is selective for NPY.

PMID- 1426008
TI  - Regional vasodilation to endothelin-1 is mediated by a non-ETA receptor subtype
      in the anaesthetized rat: effect of BQ-123 on systemic haemodynamic responses.
AB  - The sustained infusion of 75 nmol/kg per min BQ-123 selectively attenuates the
      systemic pressor responses to i.v. bolus endothelin-1 in the anaesthetized rat;
      the initial systemic vasodepression is only attenuated when a 10-fold higher dose
      of this ETA-selective antagonist is infused. These doses of BQ-123 do not
      antagonize the haemodynamic actions of angiotensin II or calcitonin gene-related
      peptide nor do they alter basal systemic haemodynamics. The secondary increase in
      carotid vascular resistance associated with the systemic pressor actions of
      endothelin-1 is selectively attenuated by the bolus i.v. administration of BQ-123
      (1.6 mumol/kg); the maximum degree of the vasorelaxation that precedes this more
      sustained constriction is unaltered. Thus, the initial carotid vasodilation
      observed to endothelin-1, and the associated systemic vasodepression, is mediated
      by a non-ETA receptor subtype. Furthermore, subtle differences might exist
      between the receptors mediating mesenteric and carotid vasoconstriction since
      only the latter is sensitive to BQ-123.

PMID- 1426009
TI  - The effect of histamine on cultured endothelial cells. A study of the mechanism
      of increased vascular permeability.
AB  - The role of endothelial cells in the histamine-induced vascular response was
      investigated using cultured endothelial cells obtained from human umbilical
      veins. A single population of histamine H1 receptors was detected in these cells
      by means of a [3H]mepyramine binding assay. Its Kd was 0.74 +/- 0.07 nM and Bmax
      was 41.4 +/- 8.68 fmol/mg protein. Actin filaments were distributed as dense
      bands at the margin of the cells and as sparse microfilament bundles traversing
      the center of the cells. Histamine caused a decrease in peripheral bands and an
      increase in longitudinal bands. The changes evoked by histamine were dose
      dependent, related to the duration of incubation of the cells with histamine, and
      blocked by mepyramine, a histamine H1 receptor antagonist. The results suggest
      that the endothelial cells respond to histamine through the histamine H1
      receptor. This may explain one of the mechanisms of histamine-induced vascular
      response including vascular permeability increase.

PMID- 1426010
TI  - The effects of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists on cisplatin-induced emesis in the
      pigeon.
AB  - In the present study, the emetic effect of the anticancer drug cisplatin, and the
      protective effects of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists against cisplatin emesis were
      investigated in the pigeon. The experimental set-up involved the i.v.
      administration of drugs and subsequent observation of the percentage of vomiting
      animals and the number of emetic episodes per vomiting animal. It was observed
      that cisplatin induced dose-dependent emesis in the pigeon. 5-HT3 receptor
      antagonists afforded partial protection against cisplatin emesis, although some
      of them, i.e. indole, indole-like derivatives and zacopride, displayed intrinsic
      emetic activity. A serotonergic mechanism appears to be involved in both
      cisplatin- and 5-HT3 receptor antagonist-induced emesis, since pretreatment with
      an inhibitor of 5-HT synthesis, para-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA), prevented
      vomiting induced by either cisplatin or 5-HT3 receptor antagonists. It is
      concluded that the intrinsic emetic effects of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists provide
      pharmacological evidence of species differences in the properties of 5-HT3
      receptors.

PMID- 1426011
TI  - Effects of a peripheral-type benzodiazepine on glucose-induced insulin secretion.
AB  - Benzodiazepines, besides interacting with central-type receptors which mediate
      their well-known pharmacological actions, bind to peripheral-type receptors that
      are distributed in a variety of peripheral tissues including numerous endocrine
      organs. The present work was designed to investigate the effects of a selective
      peripheral-type benzodiazepine, 4'-chlordiazepam (Ro 5-4864), on glucose-induced
      insulin secretion in vitro. In the rat isolated pancreas perfused with a Krebs
      bicarbonate buffer containing 8.3 mM glucose, the drug (10(-6) and 10(-5) M)
      induced a progressive and significant decrease in insulin release. Concomitantly,
      it induced a vasodilator response of the pancreatic vascular bed. In rat isolated
      islets incubated for 1 h in the presence of 15 mM glucose, 4'-chlordiazepam (10(
      5) and 10(-4) M) induced a significant and dose-dependent inhibition of insulin
      release. In contrast, the selective central-type benzodiazepine, clonazepam (10(
      6) - 10(-4) M), did not significantly modify glucose-induced insulin secretion.
      In addition, experiments were performed to test the effect of 1-(2-chlorophenyl)
      N-methyl-N-(1-methylpropyl)-3-isoquinoline-carboxamid e (PK 11195), a peripheral
      non-benzodiazepine ligand proposed as a putative antagonist. This substance did
      not counteract the inhibitory effect of 4'-chlordiazepam but itself (10(-6) and
      10(-5) M) elicited a potent inhibitory effect on insulin secretion. These results
      show that drugs such as 4'-chlordiazepam and PK 11195 which have a high affinity
      for peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors, in contrast to a central-type
      benzodiazepine agonist, inhibit glucose-induced insulin secretion in vitro.

PMID- 1426012
TI  - Plasma glucose levels predict the disrupting effects of adrenoceptor antagonists
      on enhancement of memory storage.
AB  - Adrenoceptor antagonists block the enhancement of memory storage produced by
      epinephrine injection, but not that produced by glucose injection. The present
      experiment determined whether adrenoceptor antagonists modify resting blood
      glucose levels or the magnitude of epinephrine-, glucose-, and footshock-induced
      increases in circulating glucose levels in a manner related to these previously
      observed effects on memory. The alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor antagonists,
      phenoxybenzamine and propranolol, respectively, were injected in rats 30 min
      prior to administration of epinephrine, glucose, or footshock. Plasma glucose
      levels were sampled during the next 30 min. Epinephrine-induced increases in
      plasma glucose levels were potentiated by phenoxybenzamine and were attenuated
      and delayed by propranolol. The adrenoceptor antagonists did not alter resting
      plasma glucose levels, or the increases in plasma glucose levels resulting from
      glucose injection or footshock. These findings suggest that phenoxybenzamine and
      propranolol alter blood glucose responses to epinephrine injection in a manner
      which may contribute to attenuation of epinephrine-induced enhancement of memory
      storage with peripheral injections of adrenoceptor antagonists.

PMID- 1426013
TI  - Suppression by cholinesterase inhibition of a Ca(2+)-independent efflux of
      [3H]acetylcholine from the neuromuscular junction of the isolated rat diaphragm.
AB  - Endplate preparations of the left rat hemidiaphragm were incubated with
      [3H]choline to label neuronal acetylcholine stores. Elevation of the
      concentration (13.5-135 mmol/l) of extracellular potassium chloride (KCl)
      stimulated the release of [3H]acetylcholine in a concentration-dependent manner.
      KCl (27 mmol/l) still caused a significant efflux of [3H]acetylcholine in a
      Ca(2+)-free medium. Inhibitors of cholinesterase (physostigmine,
      diisopropylfluorophosphate) suppressed by 80% this Ca(2+)-independent efflux of
      [3H]acetylcholine. Vesamicol (10 mumol/l), the blocker of the vesicular
      acetylcholine carrier, also suppressed the stimulated, Ca(2+)-independent efflux
      of [3H]acetylcholine. The inhibitory effect of physostigmine was not prevented by
      muscarine or nicotine receptor antagonists, but the inhibitory effect was lost
      when the stimulus strength was increased (81 mmol/l KCl). The present experiments
      showed cholinesterase inhibition to suppress a Ca(2+)-independent efflux of
      [3H]acetylcholine, probably by interference with a membrane-bound acetylcholine
      carrier.

PMID- 1426014
TI  - Inhibitory effect of curcumin, an anti-inflammatory agent, on vascular smooth
      muscle cell proliferation.
AB  - The effects of curcumin, an anti-inflammatory agent from Curcuma longa, on the
      proliferation of blood mononuclear cells and vascular smooth muscle cells were
      studied. Proliferative responses were determined from the uptake of tritiated
      thymidine. In human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, curcumin dose dependently
      inhibited the responses to phytohemagglutinin and mixed lymphocyte reaction at
      the dose ranges of 10(-6) to 3 x 10(-5) and 3 x 10(-6) to 3 x 10(-5) M,
      respectively. Curcumin (10(-6) to 10(-4) M) dose dependently inhibited the
      proliferation of rabbit vascular smooth muscle cells stimulated by fetal calf
      serum. Curcumin had a greater inhibitory effect on platelet-derived growth factor
      stimulated proliferation than on serum-stimulated proliferation. Cinnamic acid,
      coumaric acid and ferulic acid were much less effective than curcumin as
      inhibitors of serum-induced smooth muscle cell proliferation, suggesting that the
      cinnamic acid and ferulic acid moieties alone are not sufficient for activity,
      and that the characteristics of the diferuloylmethane molecule itself are
      necessary for activity. Curcumin may be useful as a new template for the
      development of better remedies for the prevention of the pathological changes of
      atherosclerosis and restenosis.

PMID- 1426015
TI  - The effect of endogenous nitric oxide on neurogenic plasma exudation in guinea
      pig airways.
AB  - We studied the effect of endogenous nitric oxide (NO) on vagally induced plasma
      exudation into guinea-pig trachea and main bronchi using 125I-albumin as a plasma
      marker. NG-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 1-10 mg/kg) dose dependently
      inhibited neurogenic plasma exudation. Intravenous phenylephrine which simulated
      the vasopressor effect as L-NAME (10 mg/kg) was without effect. The effect of L
      NAME (5 mg/kg) was reversed by L-arginine (50 mg/kg). These results suggest that
      endogenous NO may contribute to neurogenic inflammation in the airways.

PMID- 1426016
TI  - Preferential release of epinephrine by glycine from adrenal chromaffin cells.
AB  - Isolated adrenal chromaffin cells were used as a model for the release of
      catecholamines from adrenergic nerve endings. In this study we used an HPLC
      technique to determine the effects of acetylcholine and glycine on norepinephrine
      and epinephrine release. The amount of catecholamine released in response to
      glycine was 22% less than that released by acetylcholine. However, while the
      norepinephrine-to-epinephrine ratio was 1.6 after stimulation with acetylcholine,
      it was 0.6 after stimulation with glycine. This suggests that glycine
      preferentially affects epinephrine secretion as compared to acetylcholine, which
      preferentially releases norepinephrine. This differential effect could be of
      physiological importance considering our recent demonstration of a functional
      high-affinity chloride-gated glycine receptor on adrenal chromaffin cells.

PMID- 1426017
TI  - Clozapine has sub-micromolar affinity for 5-HT1A receptors in human brain tissue.
AB  - The affinities of a range of antipsychotic drugs at human hippocampal 5-HT1A
      receptors, defined by specific [3H]8-OH-DPAT binding, were determined. Clozapine
      demonstrated the highest affinity; all other antipsychotics studied demonstrated
      pK(i) values below 6.0 5-HT1A receptors are found on cortical glutamatergic
      neurons, a dysfunction of which may occur in schizophrenia. Binding at this site
      indicates a possible mechanism contributing to the unique efficacy of clozapine
      in the treatment of some schizophrenic patients.

PMID- 1426018
TI  - NG-nitro-L-arginine prevents morphine tolerance.
AB  - NMDA receptor antagonists, such as MK-801, prevent the development of tolerance
      to morphine. Since many NMDA actions involve the production of nitric oxide, we
      examined the effects of a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor on morphine tolerance.
      The analgesic response to morphine (5 mg/kg s.c.) given daily diminishes from 60%
      in naive animals to 0% within 5 days. Coadministration of NG-nitro-L-arginine (8
      mg/kg per day) along with morphine prevents the demonstration of appreciable
      tolerance for at least 11 days. These results suggest that morphine tolerance
      involves the activation of NMDA receptors followed by the subsequent release of
      nitric oxide.

PMID- 1426019
TI  - Marked decrease of A10 dopamine neuronal firing during ethanol withdrawal
      syndrome in rats.
AB  - The electrophysiological activity of mesoaccumbens dopaminergic neurons was
      monitored during the ethanol-withdrawal syndrome in ethanol-dependent and in
      control rats. Spontaneous firing was reduced by about half in ethanol-dependent
      rats as compared to controls. Likewise, the number of spikes/burst was also
      reduced in ethanol-dependent rats. These results are consistent with the
      reduction in dopamine release observed during ethanol-withdrawal syndrome and may
      provide the basis for the aversive effects of the ethanol-withdrawal syndrome.

PMID- 1426020
TI  - gp120 of HIV-1 induces apoptosis in rat cortical cell cultures: prevention by
      memantine.
AB  - After incubation of rat cortical cell cultures with the human immunodeficiency
      virus type 1 (HIV-1) coat protein gp120 for 12 h, cells showed fragmentation of
      DNA at internucleosomal linkers, the characteristic feature of apoptosis. In a
      quantitative approach, it was determined that the percentage of DNA fragmentation
      increased from 7%, in the absence of gp120, to 62% following incubation with 24
      ng/ml of gp120. Simultaneously, the percentage of viable cells decreased from 94%
      to 33%. Memantine (1-amino-3,5-dimethyladamantane), a drug currently used in the
      therapy of spasticity and Parkinson's disease as well as the NMDA antagonist MK
      801 both prevented the effects of gp120 at micromolar concentrations. In human
      cultured astrocytes, gp120 was ineffective with respect to DNA fragmentation and
      cell toxicity. From these data, we conclude that the gp120-induced apoptosis may
      contribute to the neurological complications frequently associated with the
      immunodeficiency syndrome. The cytoprotective effect of memantine in cortical
      cell cultures may qualify the drug for the treatment of AIDS-related dementia.

PMID- 1426021
TI  - Separation and purification by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of a 52-54 kDa
      bumetanide binding protein from rat liver plasma membranes.
AB  - By affinity labeling with photolabile [3H]bumetanide, a 52-54 kDa bumetanide
      binding protein was identified in the sinusoidal plasma membrane fraction from
      rat liver. The protein is assumed to represent the carrier for hepatic uptake of
      loop diuretics. By two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis we have purified this
      protein from hepatocytes, sinusoidal plasma membranes and subfractions of
      associated and integral plasma membrane proteins. Amongst more than 20 protein
      spots, a single integral plasma membrane protein was detected. The apparent pI of
      this molecule is 6.7. Specific labeling of this protein was not found in the
      fraction of associated plasma membrane proteins. To detect possible binding of
      radioactive bumetanide to microsomal cytochrome P450s, photolabeling experiments
      with integral plasma membrane proteins were performed under nitrogen/carbon
      monoxide atmosphere and in the presence of piperonyl butoxide. Labeling of the 52
      54 kDa protein was not affected by these inhibitors of P450 enzymes. Taken
      together, these results indicate that the bumetanide binding protein is very
      likely to be a non-microsomal integral plasma membrane protein.

PMID- 1426022
TI  - 3-(2-Carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid decreases NMDA receptor mRNA.
AB  - Expression of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor gene during long-term
      administration of competitive and non-competitive NMDA antagonists was studied in
      rat brain using antisense cRNA transcribed from reverse transcriptase-polymerase
      chain reaction (RT-PCR)-generated rat NMDA receptor cDNA. Unlike non-competitive
      antagonists, 3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP) markedly
      decreased NMDA receptor mRNA steady-state concentrations in frontal cortex and
      hippocampus. Our results are consistent with a regulation of the NMDA receptor at
      the level of gene expression.

PMID- 1426023
TI  - Stereoselective interaction of procyclidine, hexahydro-difenidol, hexbutinol and
      oxyphencyclimine, and of related antagonists, with four muscarinic receptors.
AB  - We investigated the binding properties of the (R)- and (S)-enantiomers of the
      muscarinic antagonists trihexyphenidyl, procyclidine, hexahydro-difenidol, p
      fluoro-hexahydro-difenidol, hexbutinol, p-fluoro-hexbutinol, and their
      corresponding methiodides at muscarinic M1, M2, M3 and M4 receptor subtypes. In
      addition, binding properties of the (R)- and (S)-enantiomers of oxyphencyclimine
      were studied. The (R)- enantiomers (eutomers) of all the compounds had a greater
      affinity than the (S)-isomers for the four muscarinic receptor subtypes. The
      binding patterns of the (R)- and (S)-enantiomers were generally different. We did
      not observe any general correlation between the potency of the high-affinity
      enantiomer and the affinity ratio (eudismic ratio) of the two enantiomers. The
      results are discussed in terms of a 'four subsites' binding model.

PMID- 1426024
TI  - Characterization of rat glomerular thromboxane A2 receptors: comparison to rat
      platelets.
AB  - This study was designed to characterize rat glomerular thromboxane A2 (TxA2)
      receptors and compare them to rat platelet TxA2 receptors. The radioligand
      binding characteristics of the receptors were characterized using [125I][1S-(1
      alpha,2 beta(5Z),3 alpha-(1E,3R*),4 alpha]-7-[3-(3-hydroxy-4-(4'-iodophenoxy)-1
      butenyl)-7-oxabicyclo- [2.2.1]heptan-2yl]-5-heptenoic acid ([125I]BOP), a TxA2
      agonist. Equilibrium binding with [125I]BOP, as well as competitive binding
      assays between [125I]BOP and 13-azapinane TxA2 receptors antagonists, were
      performed in rat glomerular membranes (RGM) and washed rat platelets (WRP).
      [125I]BOP identified a single class of TxA2 receptor sites in glomerular
      membranes with a Kd of 318 +/- 55 pM and a Bmax of 260 +/- 62 fmol/mg protein (n
      = 14). [125I]BOP was displaced by the TxA2 agonist 15S-hydroxy-11 alpha,9
      alpha(epoxymethano)-prosta-5Z,13E-dienoic acid (U-46,619) (IC50 = 22 +/- 6 nM, n
      = 3), the antagonist SQ-29,548 (IC50 = 41 +/- 7 nM, n = 4), and stereoselectively
      by the antagonists (-)-9-chlorobenzyl-6-fluoro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrocarbazol-1-yl
      acetic acid (L-657,925) (IC50 = 0.27 +/- 0.04 nM, n = 3) and (+)-9-chlorobenzyl-6
      fluoro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrocarbazol-1-yl acetic acid (L-657,926) (IC50 = 124 +/- 0
      nM, n = 2). The ability of six 13-azapinane TxA2 antagonists to compete with
      [125I]BOP was evaluated. The rank orders for the 13-azapinanes showed no
      significant correlation between RGM and WRP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426026
TI  - Differential effects of cytochrome P-450 induction on ligand binding to sigma
      receptors.
AB  - The identity of the sigma receptor as a form of cytochrome P-450 was investigated
      in rats treated with 3-methylcholanthrene or phenobarbital. The density of
      [3H]N,N'-di(o-tolyl)guanidine (DTG) binding to sigma 2 receptors in hepatic
      subcellular fractions increased following both treatments, while [3H](+)
      pentazocine binding to sigma 1 receptors was unchanged. Furthermore, proadifen
      and piperonyl butoxide inhibited [3H](+)-pentazocine and [3H]DTG binding with low
      potency. The low affinity of cytochrome P-450 inhibitors for sigma receptors, the
      similar degree of enhancement of [3H]DTG binding by agents with disparate
      cytochrome P-450 induction profiles and the lack of change in [3H](+)-pentazocine
      binding are inconsistent with the identity of the sigma receptor as a cytochrome
      P-450.

PMID- 1426025
TI  - Modulation of [3H]3-((+-)-2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid
      ([3H]CPP) binding by ligands acting at the glycine and the polyamine sites of the
      rat brain NMDA receptor complex.
AB  - The competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist [3H]3-((+-)-2
      carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid ([3H]CPP) interacts with two
      discrete binding sites, one of high- and the other of low-affinity, on rat
      forebrain synaptic plasma membranes. The high affinity site exhibited a Kd of
      101.5 nM and a Bmax of 2.01 pmol/mg, while for the low affinity site the Kd was
      4.11 microM with a Bmax of 19.7 pmol/mg. The glycine site antagonists 3-amino-1
      hydroxy-2-pyrrolidone (HA-966), 1-aminocyclobutanecarboxylic acid (ACBC), the
      glycine site agonist 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid (ACC) and glycine itself
      (as well as the polyamines spermine and spermidine), enhanced [3H]CPP binding.
      When subjected to saturation analysis, this enhancement was found primarily to
      involve an increase in the affinity of the high affinity component of [3H]CPP
      binding. Neither of the parameters of the low affinity component of binding were
      affected. Although a similar enhancement was observed with the polyamines, the
      effects of these two classes of ligands were additive, consistent with their
      having actions at different recognition sites on the NMDA receptor complex.

PMID- 1426027
TI  - Protein kinase C-dependent and -independent actions of a potent protein kinase C
      inhibitor, staurosporine.
AB  - 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA), an activator of protein kinase C
      (PKC), induced ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) in primary cultured mouse epidermal
      cells. Staurosporine, a potent protein kinase C inhibitor, also induced ODC
      activity. Both TPA- and staurosporine-caused ODC inductions were markedly
      suppressed in the PKC-down-regulated cells. Another PKC inhibitor, 1-(5
      isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H-7), inhibited both TPA- and
      staurosporine-caused ODC inductions. H-7 by itself never induced ODC activity.
      Under our experimental conditions, staurosporine induced no detectable
      phosphorylation of endogenous proteins. TPA induced a translocation of PKC from
      cytosol to membrane whereas an optimal concentration of staurosporine to induce
      ODC did not induce an obvious translocation of PKC. Indomethacin, a
      cyclooxygenase inhibitor, inhibited staurosporine-caused ODC induction, but not
      TPA-caused ODC induction. Staurosporine induced specific morphological changes of
      epidermal cells both in normal and in PKC-down-regulated cells. These results
      indicate that staurosporine induces ODC activity in a PKC-dependent manner and
      morphological changes possibly through a PKC-independent mechanism. The mechanism
      of ODC induction caused by staurosporine may be in some way different from that
      caused by TPA.

PMID- 1426028
TI  - Norepinephrine-induced Ca2+ current inhibition in adult rat sympathetic neurons
      does not require protein kinase C activation.
AB  - Experiments were performed to investigate if protein kinase C is involved in the
      norepinephrine-induced alpha 2-adrenoceptor-mediated inhibition of the Ca2+
      current in adult rat superior cervical ganglion neurons. Ca2+ currents were
      recorded from dispersed superior cervical ganglion neurons, acutely isolated from
      adult rats, using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Both norepinephrine and
      the protein kinase C activator, 1,2-dioctanoylglycerol (diC8) decreased the Ca2+
      current induced by step depolarizations to +10 mV from a holding potential of -80
      mV. In the presence of norepinephrine, the Ca2+ current rising phase was
      adequately fit by a double exponential with a second time constant much larger
      than control, whereas in the presence of diC8 the rising phase became mono
      exponential and the current displayed a prominent decay. Control tail current
      activation curves were described by the sum of two Boltzmann functions. Both
      norepinephrine and diC8 reduced peak tail current amplitude. Norepinephrine
      preferentially reduced the component activated at more hyperpolarized potentials,
      while diC8 preferentially reduced the component activated at more depolarized
      potentials. Intracellular application of three protein kinase C inhibitors:
      protein kinase C pseudosubstrate (PKC-19-36) (2 microM), staurosporine (1 microM)
      and 1-(5-isoquinolinylsulonyl)-2-sulfonylpiperazine (H-7) (50 microM), failed to
      affect norepinephrine-induced Ca2+ current inhibition. In addition, these protein
      kinase C inhibitors did not decrease the Ca2+ current inhibition induced by
      diC8.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426029
TI  - Differences in activities of thromboxane A2 receptor antagonists in smooth muscle
      cells.
AB  - Thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 (TXA2/PGH2) receptors were characterized in rat
      vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). The specific binding of [3H]SQ 29,548 was
      inhibited by KW-3635, a novel non-prostanoic TXA2 antagonist, SQ 29,548 and BM
      13505 (daltroban). SQ 29,548 showed a single class of binding sites with a Ki
      value of 1.6 nM. The inhibition patterns were better fit to two-component curves
      for KW-3635 (Ki values of 0.45 nM and 42 nM) and BM-13505 (2.3 nM and 20 nM).
      U46619, a TXA2 agonist, induced an increase in intracellular calcium
      concentration ([Ca2+]i), which was inhibited by these antagonists. KW-3635 and SQ
      29,548 did not induce any increase in [Ca2+]i, whereas BM-13505 was found to
      induce a smaller increase in [Ca2+]i. The BM-13505-induced increase in [Ca2+]i
      was also inhibited by pretreatment with KW-3635, SQ 29,548 and BM-13505. The
      results demonstrate that BM-13505 has partial agonistic activity on TXA2/PGH2
      receptors, and KW-3635 and SQ 29,548 do not. SQ 29,548 and BM-13505 inhibited
      both U-46619- and BM-13505-induced increases in [Ca2+]i to a similar degree.
      Alternatively, KW-3635 inhibited a U46619-induced increase in [Ca2+]i more
      effectively than a BM-13505-induced increase. These results suggest the
      heterogeneity of functional binding sites or subtypes of TXA2/PGH2 receptors
      present in VSMC.

PMID- 1426030
TI  - Losartan inhibits the angiotensin II-induced stimulation of the phosphoinositide
      signalling system in vascular smooth muscle cells.
AB  - 2-n-Butyl-4-chloro-5-hydroxymethyl-1-[(2'-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)bip hen yl-4
      yl)methyl]imidazole, potassium salt (Losartan) (previous name, DuP 753 or MK 954)
      is a nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor antagonist. This study was performed to
      investigate the ability of Losartan to inhibit the angiotensin II-induced
      stimulation of the phospoinositide signalling system and the angiotensin II
      induced hypertrophy in aortic vascular smooth muscle cells of normotensive Wistar
      Kyoto rats. 10(-7) M Losartan abolished the angiotensin II-induced formation of
      inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in vascular smooth muscle cells. 10(-6) M Losartan
      completely abolished the angiotensin II-induced elevation of the intracellular
      free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). 10(-6) M Losartan lacked effects on the
      [Arg8]vasopressin-induced elevation of [Ca2+]i. In addition, 10(-6) M completely
      inhibited the angiotensin II-induced stimulation of Na+/H+ exchange in the
      vascular smooth muscle cells. 10(-10) to 10(-6) M Losartan inhibited the
      angiotensin II-induced cell protein synthesis in a concentration-dependent
      manner, yielding to an effective concentration (ED50) of 6.2 +/- 1.8 x 10(-8) M
      (n = 4). Losartan did not affect the platelet-derived growth factor-BB-induced
      increase in cell protein. These results show that Losartan is a highly specific
      angiotensin II receptor antagonist which inhibits angiotensin II-induced cell
      growth and thus may have beneficial effects on the development and regression of
      vascular hypertrophy.

PMID- 1426031
TI  - Fluoxetine modulates G protein alpha s, alpha q, and alpha 12 subunit mRNA
      expression in rat brain.
AB  - Signal-transducing G proteins are central to the coordination of receptor
      effector communication. We have explored the effects of long-term fluoxetine
      administration of G alpha s, G alpha i1, G alpha i2, G alpha o, G alpha q and G
      alpha 12 mRNA expression in various rat brain regions using reverse transcriptase
      polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-mediated cross-species partial cDNA cloning.
      Northern blot analysis, and RNase protection assay techniques. Fluoxetine
      decreased G alpha s mRNA in midbrain, while mRNA expression of the novel G
      protein alpha subunits, G alpha q and G alpha 12, was increased in neostriatum
      and frontal cortex. We conclude that in addition to post-translational
      modification, regulation of G protein function by antidepressant drugs may occur
      at the level of gene expression.

PMID- 1426032
TI  - Addition of an ER retention signal to the ricin A chain increases the
      cytotoxicity of the holotoxin.
AB  - With the exception of diphtheria toxin, which translocates from acidified
      endosomes, the intracellular organelle from which the catalytic moieties of
      several plant and bacterial toxins enter the target cell during endocytic uptake
      has not been identified. We have recently proposed that some toxins may travel
      the entire secretory pathway in reverse, moving from the cell surface to the
      lumen of the ER, before entering the cytosol. Several bacterial toxins have the
      ER retention sequence KDEL or a related analogue at their carboxyl termini,
      suggesting that the KDEL receptor may play a role in delivering these toxins to
      the ER. Here we provide further support for this possibility since the
      cytotoxicity of ricin, which lacks a KDEL sequence, can be significantly
      increased by adding KDEL to the C-terminus of its A chain.

PMID- 1426033
TI  - Calpain concentration is elevated although net calcium-dependent proteolysis is
      suppressed in dystrophin-deficient muscle.
AB  - The concentration, activity, and distribution of calcium-dependent proteases
      (calpains) are compared in dystrophin-deficient (mdx) and control mouse muscle.
      Calpains have been implicated previously as the protease responsible for the
      observed necrosis in dystrophin-deficient human muscle. Although these mouse and
      human muscular dystrophies have been attributed to similar genetic defects, the
      mouse dystrophy shows a brief necrotic episode while the human deficiency results
      in progressive, lethal muscle necrosis. Findings of the present study show that
      control mouse muscle contains more calcium-dependent proteolytic activity than
      dystrophin-deficient muscle. Paradoxically, adult, dystrophin-deficient mouse
      muscle contains higher concentrations of calpain than found in controls.
      Furthermore, indirect immunofluorescence using antisera produced against an
      oligopeptide found in the proteolytic domain of calpain shows that calpain
      distribution in dystrophin-deficient muscle is dispersed throughout the cytoplasm
      while immunolabeling of control muscle shows calpain concentrated at Z-discs.
      This redistribution is consistent with calpain activation in dystrophic muscle.
      These findings indicate that mdx mice possess the capability of suppressing
      calpain-mediated proteolysis. We speculate that this suppression may enable
      dystrophin-deficient mouse muscle to arrest necrosis and regenerate successfully.

PMID- 1426035
TI  - Revealing nucleolar architecture by low ionic strength treatment.
AB  - The internal nucleolar architecture of HeLa cells was revealed after a short
      hypotonic treatment. The response of nucleoli to a gradual reduction in the ionic
      strength of incubation buffer was assessed by immunofluorescence, confocal
      microscopy using human autoimmune sera monospecific for antigens present in
      different nucleolar components, and electron microscopy. The granular component
      dispersed first, followed by the dense fibrillar component, leaving distinct
      fibrillar centers remaining. This demonstrates differential sensitivity to low
      ionic strength treatment in the transcription and the maturation territories of
      the nucleoli. The changes described develop in only a few minutes and this
      approach can reveal momentary in situ intranucleolar arrangements. We suggest
      that the fibrillar centers provide a structural support for RNA-polymerase I
      complexes and are possibly also attached to a nuclear skeleton. The evidence
      presented implicates the fibrillar centers as the core elements of nucleoli and
      that functional nucleoli arise around them.

PMID- 1426034
TI  - Apical to basolateral surface area ratio and polarity of MDCK cells grown on
      different supports.
AB  - We have established conditions under which Madin-Darby canine kidney cells
      develop a well-polarized monolayer on polycarbonate filters and on transparent
      filters. These filters have biochemical and mechanical advantages over the
      nitrocellulose filters which have been widely used. Transepithelial resistance
      was established 10 h after plating and stabilized after 24 h. The distribution of
      protein antigens was followed by surface immunofluorescence and quantitated by a
      surface immunoassay that we developed. Uvomorulin was localized to the lateral
      membrane, with low amounts detectable on the basal membrane. The 58-kDa antigen
      was distributed over the entire basolateral domain, including cell processes
      extending into the filter pores. This distribution was confirmed by immunogold
      labeling of frozen sections. The 114-kDa antigen was found to be present at
      similar surface densities on both the apical and the basolateral domain. The
      support used for growth had profound effects on the cell morphology. A
      morphometric analysis of the plasma membrane of both strains of the cell line
      showed an increase in the number and size of the microvilli, and a smoother basal
      membrane as compared to published data on nitrocellulose filters. The apical to
      basolateral surface area ratio was therefore modified.

PMID- 1426036
TI  - Developmental changes in rat liver mitochondrial populations analyzed by flow
      cytometry.
AB  - Isolated rat liver mitochondria were split into three density fractions when
      applied to a Percoll gradient. This phenomenon is observable in the fetus, in the
      early newborn (1 h), in the suckling newborn (7 days), and in the adult,
      suggesting that the three density fractions coexist regardless of the state of
      development. The medium-density fraction sharply decreased immediately after
      delivery, being replaced by the high-density fraction. Flow cytometry analysis of
      mitochondrial density fractions stained with rhodamine 123 showed the occurrence
      in each density fraction and in all developmental states studied of two distinct
      mitochondrial populations with different fluorescence intensities. Our results
      suggest that the high-fluorescence population might be an immature form of
      mitochondria that decreases with the progression of development, coinciding with
      the postnatal enhancement of mitochondrial respiratory efficiency.

PMID- 1426037
TI  - PDGF-receptor concentration is elevated in regenerative muscle fibers in
      dystrophin-deficient muscle.
AB  - Dystrophin-deficient muscle undergoes sudden, postnatal onset of muscle necrosis
      that is either progressive, as in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, or successfully
      arrested and followed by regeneration, as in most muscles of mdx mice. The
      mechanisms regulating regeneration in mdx muscle are unknown, although the
      possibility that there is renewed expression of genes regulating embryonic muscle
      cell proliferation and differentiation may provide testable hypotheses. Here, we
      examine the possibility that necrotic and regenerating mdx muscles exhibit
      renewed or increased expression of PDGF-receptors. PDGF-binding to receptors on
      muscle has been shown previously to be associated with myogenic cell
      proliferation and delay of muscle differentiation. We find that PDGF-receptors
      are present in 4-week-old mdx mice in muscles that undergo brief, reversible
      necrosis (hindlimb muscles) or progressive necrosis (diaphragm), as well as in 4
      week-old control mouse muscles. Immunoblots indicate that the concentrations of
      PDGF-receptors in 4-week-old dystrophic (necrotic) and control muscles are
      similar. Prenecrotic, dystrophic fibers and control fibers possess some cell
      surface labeling of fibers treated with anti-PDGF-receptor and viewed by indirect
      immunofluorescence. Necrotic fibers in dystrophic muscle show cytoplasmic
      labeling for PDGF-receptors and labeling of perinuclear regions at the muscle
      cell surface. Adult dystrophic muscle displays higher concentrations of PDGF
      receptor in both regenerated muscle (hindlimb) and progressively necrotic muscle
      (diaphragm) than found in controls. Anti-PDGF-receptor labeling of regenerated,
      dystrophic muscle is observed primarily in granules surrounding central nuclei or
      surrounding nuclei located at the surface of regenerated fibers. No labeling of
      perinuclear regions of control muscle or prenecrotic fibers was observed.
      Myonuclei fractionated from adult mdx hindlimb muscles contained no PDGF
      receptor, indicating that PDGF-receptor-positive structures are not tightly
      associated with nuclei or within nuclei. L6 myoblasts show PDGF-receptor
      distributed diffusely on the cell surface. Stimulation of L6 myoblasts with 10
      ng/ml of PDGF-BB causes receptor internalization and concentration in granules at
      perinuclear regions. Thus, PDGF stimulation of myoblasts causes a redistribution
      of PDGF-receptors to resemble receptor localization observed during muscle
      regeneration. These findings implicate PDGF-mediated mechanisms in regeneration
      of dystrophic muscle.

PMID- 1426038
TI  - Effect of dexamethasone on proliferating osteoblasts: inhibition of prostaglandin
      E2 synthesis, DNA synthesis, and alterations in actin cytoskeleton.
AB  - Elevated levels of glucocorticoids caused by disease (Cushing's syndrome) or
      therapeutic treatment of asthma are known to cause osteoporosis. Space flight, an
      environmental condition, is known to cause a rise in endogenous cortisols
      accompanied by a significant loss of bone and calcium. Long-term space
      inhabitants have lost up to 18% of weight bearing bone during long-term flight.
      This study demonstrates that elevated concentrations of glucocorticoids lower the
      endogenous production of PGE2 and interfere with osteoblast proliferation.
      Osteoblasts grown with dexamethasone had significantly lower DNA synthesis and
      endogenous synthesis of PGE2. Addition of exogenous dmPGE2 to the dexamethasone
      growth-inhibited cells stimulated DNA synthesis over twofold. In synchronous
      control cultures, we found that endogenous prostaglandin synthesis increased in
      late G1, preceding S-phase DNA synthesis by several hours. The addition of
      exogenous dexamethasone to synchronous cultures resulted in a significant
      decrease in the prostaglandin synthesis followed by a significant decrease in DNA
      synthesis in parallel cultures. Further, dexamethasone caused the actin
      cytoskeleton to collapse and the cell morphology to become rounded and spindle
      shaped. Addition of exogenous PGE2 to the dexamethasone-treated osteoblasts
      caused recovery of the actin architecture and phenotype. These data support the
      hypothesis that the glucocorticoid-mediated decrease in prostaglandin synthesis
      may be a contributing factor in the reduced bone quality and trabecular bone
      formation seen in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.

PMID- 1426039
TI  - C32 human melanoma cell endogenous lectins: characterization and implication in
      vesicle-mediated melanin transfer to keratinocytes.
AB  - To optimize skin pigmentation in order to help body prevention against UV
      radiation, the mechanism of melanin pigment transfer from melanocytes to
      keratinocytes must be elucidated. Melanin transfer to keratinocytes requires
      specific recognition between keratinocytes and melanocytes or melanosomes. Cell
      surface sugar-specific receptor (membrane lectin) expression was studied in human
      C32 melanoma cells, an amelanotic melanoma, by flow cytometry analysis of
      neoglycoprotein binding as an approach to the molecular specificity. Sugar
      receptors on melanocytes are mainly specific for alpha-L-fucose. Their expression
      is enhanced upon treatment by the diacylglycerol analogue 1-oleoyl-2
      acetylglycerol, which can induce melanin synthesis in amelanotic human melanoma
      cells in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometry analyses showed a small-sized
      population of vesicles distinguishable from large cells by their fluorescence
      properties upon neoglycoprotein binding. Sorting indicated that the small-sized
      subpopulation is composed of vesicles produced by melanocytic cells. Upon vesicle
      formation, a selective concentration of sugar receptors specific for 6-phospho
      beta-D-galactosides appears in the resulting melanocytic vesicles. Vesicles are
      recognized and taken up by cultured keratinocytes and a partial inhibitory effect
      was obtained upon cell incubation in the presence of neoglycoproteins, indicating
      a possible participation of sugar receptors in this recognition. The validity for
      such a model to help in understanding the natural melanin transfer by melanosomes
      is confirmed by electron microscopy, which demonstrates the presence of melanin
      inside keratinocytic cells upon incubation with melanocytic vesicles.

PMID- 1426040
TI  - Phorbol ester- and calcium-induced reorganization of 180-kDa bullous pemphigoid
      antigen on the ventral surface of cultured human keratinocytes as studied by
      immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy.
AB  - The hemidesmosome is an adhesion structure of the epidermal-dermal junction in
      keratinocytes. When keratinocytes migrate laterally or upward to differentiate,
      they must control the formation and disintegration of the hemidesmosomes. When
      keratinocytes are cultured in low-calcium (below 0.1 mM) medium, all cells behave
      like basal cells, adhere to the culture dish, and proliferate without
      differentiation. The calcium addition induces the differentiation. A bullous
      pemphigoid antigen, 180-kDa BPA, has been shown to be a component of the
      hemidesmosome. Using a monoclonal antibody to the 180-kDa BPA and a human
      squamous cell carcinoma cell line (DJM-1 cells), the fate of hemidesmosomes was
      studied after the addition of calcium to low-calcium-grown cells and 12
      tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) to high-calcium (1.87 mM) grown cells by
      immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy. The antigen was distributed
      evenly as fine dots on the entire ventral surface of low-calcium cells, whereas
      they formed a peculiar, concentric ring or arch arrangement on the ventral
      surface of high-calcium cells. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed the deposits of
      gold particles at sites on the membrane surface, where some filamentous or
      electron-dense materials were associated, although the complete structure of
      hemidesmosomes was not formed. They deposited directly onto the membrane surface
      in low-calcium cells and with a distance of 20-50 nm from the membrane surface in
      high-calcium cells. The calcium addition caused a profound reduction of the 180
      kDa BPA-positive area for 30 to 120 min and then formed the high-calcium-ring
      pattern after 4 to 6 h. A similar calcium response was seen in normal human
      keratinocytes. TPA (16 nM) treatment caused disintegration of the ring pattern in
      high-calcium DJM-1 cells. This was inhibited with a protein kinase C (PKC)
      inhibitor. H7 (20 microM). These results suggest that the hemidesmosome is a
      dynamic structure and PKC can be one of the major factors in controlling the
      hemidesmosome, since it is known that the low-high calcium shift induces a
      calcium influx and a PKC activation, and TPA activates PKC in keratinocytes.

PMID- 1426041
TI  - Characterization and cellular localization of nucleophosmin/B23 in HeLa cells
      treated with selected cytotoxic agents (studies of B23-translocation mechanism).
AB  - Previous studies indicated that nucleophosmin/B23, an abundant nucleolar
      phosphoprotein, accumulated in the nucleoplasm (B23-translocation) of cells after
      exposure to selected cytotoxic drugs. Attempts were made to understand the B23
      translocation mechanism. This paper reports that: (1) B23-translocation is a
      reversible process. Upon removal of camptothecin, which induced B23-translocation
      in HeLa cells, nucleophosmin/B23 relocalized into nucleoli within 2 h. Relocation
      occurs in the presence of cycloheximide which inhibits new protein synthesis.
      There is no reduction or degradation of nucleophosmin/B23 detected during drug
      treatments. Nucleophosmin/B23 has a half-life of 18-20 h. Taken together, these
      results indicate that B23-translocation is a reversible process. Drug treatment
      causes redistribution of nucleophosmin/B23 in nucleoplasm. (2) Inhibition of RNA
      synthesis does not cause the B23-translocation. Over 80% of RNA synthesis was
      inhibited in HeLa cells by treatment with actinomycin D, camptothecin, and
      methotrexate. While actinomycin D and camptothecin cause B23-translocation in all
      cells, 40% of methotrexate-treated cells remain untranslocated. (3) There is no
      significant change of phosphorylation in nucleophosmin/B23 during drug treatment.
      An identical oligomeric cross-linkage pattern was obtained in drug-treated cells.
      (4) HeLa cells treated with B23-translocation effective drugs have small and
      round nucleoli while control cells have large and irregular-shaped nucleoli.

PMID- 1426042
TI  - Generation of anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibodies recognizing vasopressin
      receptors in cultured cells and kidney sections.
AB  - To produce anti-idiotypic antibodies against receptors for the neurohypophyseal
      hormone vasopressin, an anti-vasopressin monoclonal antibody with a ligand
      specificity similar to that of vasopressin receptors was employed for
      immunization. Three anti-idiotypic monoclonal antibodies were obtained which
      induced, like vasopressin, plasminogen activator production in the renal
      epithelial cell line LLC-PK1 (expressing V2-receptors). Induction of plasminogen
      activator synthesis by the anti-idiotypic antibodies could be inhibited by
      coincubation with a vasopressin antagonist. In a fashion similar to that of
      vasopressin itself, the anti-idiotypic antibodies induced receptor down
      regulation. The anti-idiotypic antibodies were employed to visualize vasopressin
      receptors on LLC-PK1 and A7r5 (V1-receptor-expressing) smooth muscle cells by
      immunofluorescence. Antibody-mediated fluorescence was not observed in receptor
      deficient mutant cell lines or vasopressin-receptor-down-regulated cells.
      Furthermore, these antibodies were used for immunohistochemical localization of
      vasopressin receptors in rat and bovine kidney preparations. In accordance with
      earlier physiological and biochemical observations, vasopressin receptors were
      detected predominantly in collecting ducts in cortex and medulla. On the cellular
      level, a differential staining pattern was observed.

PMID- 1426043
TI  - Spatial rearrangement and enhanced clustering of kinetochores in interphase
      nuclei of dorsal root ganglion neurons in vitro: association with nucleolar
      fusion.
AB  - Interphase nuclei of several cell types display distinct, nonrandom arrangements
      of specific chromatin domains. It has been suggested that this arrangement is
      associated with the functional commitment of the cell and results from
      compartmentalization of specific DNA sequences to transcriptionally competent
      sites. In a test of the hypothesis that such topological organization is
      established during cellular differentiation, the spatial distribution of
      centromeres was determined, in dorsal root ganglion neurons in vitro, using
      immunocytochemistry in conjunction with fluorescence microscopy, confocal laser
      microscopy, and ultrastructural immunogold techniques. Kinetochores occurred as
      clusters, in association with nucleoli and with the nuclear envelope. Neurons at
      different stages of differentiation, as determined by nucleolar distribution,
      exhibited a distinct, stage-specific, spatial organization of kinetochores.
      Morphometric analyses, together with serial reconstruction, indicated that
      progressive clustering of kinetochores accompanies differentiation and that such
      clustering occurs in association with nucleolar fusion. The data presented
      indicate that the chromatin organization observed in the fully differentiated
      state may be the result of controlled rearrangements of specific chromatin
      domains during differentiation and that the mechanism governing such
      rearrangement and the process of cellular differentiation may be linked.

PMID- 1426044
TI  - Polarized secretion of urokinase-type plasminogen activator by epithelial cells.
AB  - Numerous epithelial cell types produce and secrete plasminogen activators (PAs)
      and/or PA inhibitors (PAIs). When epithelial cells were grown on polycarbonate
      filters and their apical and basolateral secretion products analyzed, PA activity
      accumulated in a highly polarized fashion; depending upon the cell line, the
      compartment of PA accumulation was either apical (MDCK I cells and HBL-100 cells)
      or basolateral (LLC-PK1, CaCo-2, and HeLa cells). By contrast, PAI-1 was
      recovered in roughly equal amounts in both compartments. Basolateral accumulation
      of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), but not its apical targeting,
      required an acidic compartment and the integrity of the cytoskeleton. Polarity of
      uPA accumulation did not result from removal of the free enzyme from the opposite
      compartment through its binding to the cell surface. Transfection with wild-type
      or mutated murine uPA demonstrated that neither the "growth factor" domain nor
      the kringle domain is required for the appropriate sorting of the protein. We
      propose that polarized secretion of PAs is one mechanism whereby cells spatially
      control extracellular proteolysis.

PMID- 1426046
TI  - Minipodia, novel structures for extension of the lamella: a high-spatial
      resolution video microscopic study.
AB  - Extension of leading lamellae has been analyzed by high-spatial- and -time
      resolution video microscopy. Many tiny semicircular profiles, hereby named
      minipodia, have been found at the leading edge of locomoting fibroblasts in
      culture. These new structures are not "miniruffles" since minipodia seem to
      originate underneath the leading lamella. Once initiated, minipodia quickly
      expand and become indistinguishable from what have been known as lamellipodia.
      The minipodial front becomes the new focal leading edge. So, it appears that
      leading lamellae do not extend directly themselves, but minipodia protrude
      underneath them to become new leading edges. These findings are not compatible
      with the current concept of cell movement, and a new model is proposed.

PMID- 1426045
TI  - Resistance to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 of a deoxycytidine kinase-deficient
      variant of human leukemia HL60 cells.
AB  - A deoxycytidine kinase-deficient variant of HL60 cells (HL60-araC), isolated by
      its resistance to 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl cytosine (ara-C), shows cross
      resistance to the differentiation-inducing and growth-inhibitory effects of 1,25
      dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3). This is not due to the lack of uptake of
      1,25(OH)2D3 by HL60-araC cells, shown by an increased rate of intracellular
      accumulation of [3H]-1,25(OH)2D3, or to the lack of expression of the gene for
      the vitamin D3 receptor. However, down-modulation of the expression of this gene
      by 1,25(OH)2D3 is markedly delayed in HL60-araC cells, and the down-regulation of
      the expression of the c-myc gene is also delayed. In contrast, the expression of
      the constitutively expressed 16S mitochondrial rRNA gene is unchanged by
      1,25(OH)2D3 treatment of either cell subline. These findings suggest that some
      cases of drug resistance may be associated with defective functioning of a
      differentiation pathway.

PMID- 1426047
TI  - Identification and characterization of a novel high-molecular-weight form of the
      integrin alpha 3 subunit.
AB  - The integrin alpha 3 beta 1 is a multiligand extracellular matrix receptor found
      on many cell types. Immunoprecipitations of 125I-surface-labeled prostate
      carcinoma cell lines, DU145 and PC-3, with the anti-alpha 3 integrin monoclonal
      antibodies J143 or PIB5, resulted in the coimmunoprecipitation, along with the
      expected alpha 3 beta 1 heterodimer, of a polypeptide with a molecular mass of
      225 kDa. This protein could also be copurified with the 155-kDa alpha 3 and 115
      kDa beta 1 subunits upon affinity chromatography of 125I-surface-labeled cell
      extracts on anti-alpha 3 antibody-Sepharose columns. Upon reduction, this 225-kDa
      protein generated 130- and 95-kDa polypeptides, while the 155-kDa alpha 3 subunit
      generated 130- and 25-kDa polypeptides. The 225-kDa protein did not generate a 25
      kDa polypeptide. Deglycosylation and reduction of the 225-kDa protein resulted in
      the generation of 110- and 95-kDa polypeptides, while deglycosylation and
      reduction of the 155-kDa alpha 3 resulted in a 110-kDa polypeptide identical in
      size to the 110-kDa polypeptide generated from the 225-kDa protein. Peptide maps
      generated from the 110-kDa components of the 225-kDa polypeptide and the 155-kDa
      alpha 3 integrin subunit were identical, as were their N-terminal amino acid
      sequences. An antibody directed against the cytoplasmic domain of the alpha 3
      subunit immunoprecipitated the 225-kDa polypeptide in addition to the 155-kDa
      alpha 3 subunit. Furthermore, Northern blot analysis of RNA from DU145 and PC-3
      cells with a human alpha 3 cDNA probe identified an mRNA species of 6.2 kb in
      addition to a major mRNA species of 4.3 kb. The larger mRNA species, which is of
      an appropriate size for encoding a polypeptide of approximately 220-kDa, was not
      detectable in cells which did not express the 225-kDa protein. These data
      demonstrate that the 225-kDa polypeptide represents a novel integrin alpha 3
      subunit consisting of the alpha 3 integrin heavy chain disulfide-bonded to a 95
      kDa polypeptide which may represent an alternative "light" chain to the 25-kDa
      light chain of the alpha 3 subunit.

PMID- 1426048
TI  - 3T3 cell surface galactosyltransferase is a calcium-dependent adhesion molecule
      for collagen type IV.
AB  - Cell surface galactosyltransferase (GalTase) has been previously shown to mediate
      cell spreading or migration on laminin matrices. This work demonstrates that 3T3
      cell surface GalTase also mediates cell attachment to collagen type IV.
      Attachment to collagen type IV was blocked by perturbations of GalTase or
      substrate pregalactosylation on cells possessing only calcium-dependent
      mechanisms of adhesion. Cells with both calcium-dependent and calcium-independent
      systems were not affected by GalTase perturbation. Collagen type IV was shown to
      possess GalTase substrates since matrices could be galactosylated by both soluble
      enzyme and 3T3 cells.

PMID- 1426049
TI  - The E1a gene prevents inhibition of keratinocyte proliferation by dexamethasone.
AB  - Glucocorticoids have inhibitory effects on the proliferation of several cell
      types. In this study, we found that dexamethasone, a synthetic steroid with
      glucocorticoid activity, inhibits proliferation of established mouse Pam 212
      keratinocytes. Transfection with the adenoviral early region 1a (E1a) gene
      confers a strong resistance to the inhibition by dexamethasone. Two deletion E1a
      mutants, one whose product lacks the ability to bind the cellular proteins
      p60/p105/p107 and another that is unable to bind p300, were shown to induce a
      resistance similar to that associated with the intact E1a gene. These results
      differ from those previously observed with two other growth inhibitory signals,
      transforming growth factor beta 1 and adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate, in
      which the mutated E1a genes confer only partial or no resistance, indicating that
      a different mechanism mediates resistance against glucocorticoids.

PMID- 1426050
TI  - Basal lamina formation by epithelial cell lines correlates with laminin A chain
      synthesis and secretion.
AB  - Laminin is a major component of the basal lamina upon which all epithelial cells
      reside in vivo. The synthesis of basal lamina components and their subsequent
      assembly into a morphologically distinct basal lamina is a differentiated
      function of epithelial cells in vivo. Ultrastructural studies in our laboratory
      show that some epithelial cell lines (P-MDCK) form a basal lamina when cultured
      on membrane-permeable substrate (Millipore Millicells or type I collagen gels).
      Under the same conditions other epithelial cell lines (MDCK-AA7, M-mTAL-1P, and
      T84) do not form a basal lamina. When metabolically labeled with [35S]methionine,
      laminin A and B chains can be immunoprecipitated from the culture medium and
      culture lysates of P-MDCK cells. In contrast, labeled laminin chains cannot be
      immunoprecipitated from the culture medium of MDCK-AA7, M-mTAL-1P, and T84 cells.
      Immunoprecipitates of MDCK-AA7, M-mTAL-1P, and T84 culture lysates demonstrate
      the presence of one or both B chains but not A chains. These results suggest that
      laminin B chain synthesis is constitutive in MDCK-AA7, M-mTAL-1P, and T84 cells
      and that B chains, in the absence of A chains, are not secreted. Furthermore,
      laminin secretion and basal lamina formation are not required to maintain
      structural and functional polarity in these cell lines.

PMID- 1426051
TI  - A comparison of the intracellular distribution of mu-calpain, m-calpain, and
      calpastatin in proliferating human A431 cells.
AB  - Little is known about the relative intracellular localizations of the calcium
      dependent proteases, calpains, and their naturally occurring inhibitor,
      calpastatin. In the present study, the intracellular localization of mu-calpain,
      m-calpain, and calpastatin was studied at the light microscopic level in
      proliferating A431 cells. Highly specific antibodies against the three antigens
      revealed distinct staining patterns in interphase and mitotic cells. Most
      notably, calpastatin in interphase cells was localized near the nucleus in tube
      like, or large granular structures, while the calpains were more uniformly
      distributed through the cytoplasm in either a fibrillar form (mu-calpain) or a
      diffuse or fine granular form (m-calpain). The distribution patterns of the two
      calpain isozymes were distinctly different during mitosis. m-Calpain was
      concentrated at the mitotic spindle poles and midbody, while mu-calpain appeared
      to accumulate at the cell membrane and the spindles. Four other human cell lines
      as well as normal human monocytes were examined to determine if the calpains
      calpastatin segregation patterns are common to other cells or are unique to the
      A431 line. With the exception of abundant nuclear mu-calpain in the C-33A
      cervical carcinoma, the segregation of the proteins was similar to that of A431.
      These studies indicate that calpains may be localized at regions which are
      relatively poor in calpastatin content. Proteins at these sites may be
      susceptible to calpain-catalyzed cleavage.

PMID- 1426052
TI  - Flow cytometric detection of transforming growth factor-beta expression in rabbit
      articular chondrocytes (RAC) in culture--association with S-phase traverse.
AB  - We have previously shown that TGF-beta 1 decreased the entry of G0/G1
      synchronized rabbit articular chondrocytes (RAC) into S-phase, whereas it
      enhanced the proliferation rate of actively dividing cells (asynchronous or S
      phase-synchronized cells). The growth proliferative effect was accompanied by
      both increased DNA replication rate and G2/M delay. Since TGF-beta mRNA has been
      detected in chondrocytes, it was of interest to study the expression of the
      factor in correlation with the cell cycle of RAC. Using cytofluorometric analysis
      of both DNA content and TGF-beta protein level, we demonstrated that S-phase
      synchronized RAC constitutively expressed TGF-beta, whereas G0/G1-synchronized
      cells only display very low levels of the factor. The data showed that the
      expression of TGF-beta is correlated with S-phase traverse since it increases
      with the percentage of cells in S-phase (less than 27% in G0/G1 to 70% in S-phase
      synchronized cells). Moreover, exposure of RAC to TGF-beta 1 (1 ng/ml) for 24 h
      increased the percentage of positive cells, independently of the number of cells
      in S-phase, indicating that the factor may up-regulate its own expression. All
      together, these data suggest that TGF-beta could play a role in initiating the
      proliferation of articular chondrocytes during the early events of osteoarthritis
      and might take a part in the repair of cartilage matrix.

PMID- 1426053
TI  - Hyaluronate binding and CD44 expression in human glioblastoma cells and
      astrocytes.
AB  - CD44 is an integral membrane glycoprotein of approximately 90 kDa which has been
      implicated in the binding of hyaluronate to the cell surface. The expression of
      CD44 in astrocytes was investigated by means of indirect immunofluorescence on
      cultured cells. The vast majority of these cells were found to express CD44.
      Western blot analysis of these cells revealed a highly polydisperse species
      having an M(r) corresponding to 74-86 kDa. In order to visualize hyaluronate
      binding cells, living cultures were probed with fluorescein-conjugated
      hyaluronate (FI-HA). Some astrocytes were able to bind FI-HA, provided that they
      were first treated with hyaluronidase. Streptomyces hyaluronidase, which is
      hyaluronate-specific, was effective in exposing the hyaluronate-binding capacity
      of these cells. This leads one to conclude that hyaluronate is bound to the
      surface of these cells and that it masks their capacity to bind hyaluronate.
      Provided that they were first treated with hyaluronidase, the U-87 MG
      (glioblastoma-astrocytoma), U-373 MG (glioblastoma), and Hs 683 (glioma) cell
      lines were also able to bind FI-HA. The U-138 MG (glioblastoma) cell line was
      unable to bind FI-HA, with or without prior hyaluronidase treatment. A
      quantitative assay was developed with the use of [3H]hyaluronate ([3H]HA). This
      revealed the binding to be highly specific, inasmuch as the addition of unlabeled
      hyaluronate, but not other glycosaminoglycans, was effective in inhibiting the
      binding of the [3H]HA. An anti-CD44 monoclonal antibody, 50B4, was able to
      inhibit the binding of the [3H]HA to the U-373 MG cell line. In this cell line,
      then, CD44 functions as a hyaluronate receptor and one may infer that this is
      also the case in some astrocytes.

PMID- 1426054
TI  - BEN, a novel surface molecule of the immunoglobulin superfamily on avian
      hemopoietic progenitor cells shared with neural cells.
AB  - BEN is a novel molecule of the immunoglobulin superfamily that we previously
      identified by means of a monoclonal antibody on neural cell populations during
      avian development and epithelial cells of the bursa of Fabricius. In this paper,
      we describe the expression of BEN by hemopoietic cells during ontogeny. In the
      thymus, BEN is expressed as early as E9, and from E12 until just after hatching
      30-60% of thymocytes are BEN positive. Thus the cells expressing BEN are immature
      thymocytes and not yet differentiated T cells. In the spleen, BEN expression
      parallels the myelopoietic activity. It is present on 75% of splenocytes during
      embryonic development and falls rapidly to 20% of cells during the first week
      after hatching when the spleen is becoming a secondary lymphoid organ. BEN is
      also found on a large proportion (about 80% positive cells) of bone marrow cells
      during ontogeny. Post hatching, BEN is present on 40-50% of bone marrow cells.
      The population of BEN-positive cells in the bone marrow includes myeloid and
      erythroid progenitor cells, identified by their ability to form colonies in
      vitro. BEN expression is lost as progenitor cells proliferate and differentiate
      to develop mature colonies in the clonal assay. Mature myeloid cells, such as
      macrophages, granulocytes, thrombocytes, and erythrocytes do not express the BEN
      antigen. Taken together, these data demonstrated that BEN is a stage-specific
      rather than a lineage-specific differentiation antigen expressed by immature
      hemopoietic cells.

PMID- 1426055
TI  - The effects of near-UV radiation on elasmobranch lens cytoskeletal actin.
AB  - The role of near-UV radiation as a cytoskeletal actin-damaging agent was
      investigated. Two procedures were used to analyse fresh smooth dogfish (Mustelus
      canis) eye lenses that were incubated for up to 22 hr in vitro, with elasmobranch
      Ringer's medium, and with or without exposure to a near-UV lamp (emission
      principally at 365 nm; irradiance of 2.5 mW cm-2). These were observed
      histologically using phalloidin-rhodamine specific staining and by transmission
      electron microscopy. In addition, solutions of purified polymerized rabbit muscle
      actin were exposed to the same UV conditions and depolymerization was assayed by
      ultracentrifugation and high-pressure liquid chromatography. While the two actins
      studied do differ very slightly in some amino acid sequences, they would react
      physically nearly identically. The results showed that dogfish lenses developed
      superficial opacities due to near-UV exposure. Whole mounts of lens epithelium
      exhibited breakdown of actin filaments in the basal region of the cells within 18
      hr of UV exposure. TEM confirmed the breakdown of actin filaments due to UV
      exposure. SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting positively identified actin in these cells.
      Direct exposure of purified polymerized muscle actin in polymerizing buffer led
      to an increase in actin monomer of approximately 25% in the UV-exposed solutions
      within 3-18 hr, whether assayed by ultracentrifugation or HPLC. The above
      indicates that elasmobranch lens epithelial cells contain UV-labile actin
      filaments, and that near-UV radiation, as is present in the sunlit environment,
      can break down the actin structure in these cells. Furthermore, breakdown of
      purified polymerized muscle actin does occur due to near-UV light
      exposure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426056
TI  - Subcellular localization of bFGF in human retinal pigment epithelium in vitro.
AB  - Basic fibroblast growth factor is a polypeptide mitogen with potential biological
      roles in angiogenesis, differentiation, and the survival of neurons. To study the
      expression and subcellular distribution of basic fibroblast growth factor in
      human retinal pigment epithelium in vitro, affinity-purified antipeptide
      antibodies were generated against a 15 amino acid sequence in the amino-terminus
      of this growth factor. Analysis of the cross reactivity and specificity of the
      affinity-purified antibodies demonstrated no ability to recognize acidic
      fibroblast growth factor and the ability to label specifically the major known
      forms of basic fibroblast growth factor in whole-cell lysates of retinal pigment
      epithelium in vitro. Examination of paraformaldehyde- or glutaraldehyde-fixed
      pigment epithelium at the light and electron microscopic levels revealed
      prominent localization of basic fibroblast growth factor to the nucleus and
      nucleolus. In cells fixed with organic reagents, prominent cytoplasmic staining
      was noted in addition to the nuclear staining seen in aldehyde fixed cells.
      Investigation of subcellular fractions by Western blot analysis indicated
      cytosolic as well as nuclear localization of the basic fibroblast growth factor.
      These analyses, however, demonstrated that the higher molecular weight forms of
      basic fibroblast growth factor predominate in the nucleus.

PMID- 1426057
TI  - Ion concentrations, fluxes and electrical properties of the embryonic chicken
      lens.
AB  - The membrane properties of embryonic chicken lenses were characterized using
      isotopic and electrical techniques. The lenses had a relatively high water
      content (80%) and large extracellular space (12.5%). Isotopic uptake measurements
      indicated that the lens cytoplasm contained 118 mM K+ and 26 mM Cl-. A value for
      intracellular Na+ of 14 mM was obtained using Na(+)-sensitive microelectrodes. A
      double-exponential model was used to fit the efflux of 86Rb+, 22Na+, 36Cl- and
      [3H]mannitol (an extracellular space marker) from the lens. When perfused with
      artificial aqueous humor (AAH) solution, embryonic lenses exhibited membrane
      potentials of between -20 and -40 mV. The more negative values were generally
      observed in lenses from older embryos. A ouabain-sensitive component,
      contributing -7 mV to the membrane potential, was also identified. The relatively
      depolarized membrane potentials suggested that the lens membranes were only
      weakly selective for K+ over Na+. To test this further, lenses were perfused with
      AAH containing varying concentrations of K+. The resulting changes in potential
      were interpreted in terms of the Goldman model. The best fit of the Goldman
      potential equation indicated that, in the presence of ouabain, the chicken lens
      membranes had a relative permeability to K+, Na+ and Cl- of 1.0, 0.36, 0.51
      respectively. Replacing most or all of the Na+ in the AAH caused only a small
      change in the membrane potential rather than the large hyperpolarization towards
      the K+ equilibrium potential predicted by the Goldman model. Including the K+
      ionophore valinomycin in the low Na(+)-AAH solutions caused a large increase in
      86Rb+ efflux but did not result in additional hyperpolarization. This suggested
      that the insensitivity of the membrane potential to reduced extracellular Na+ was
      not due to voltage or pH inactivation of lens K+ channels.

PMID- 1426058
TI  - Photoreceptor-specific activity of the human interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding
      protein (IRBP) promoter in transgenic mice.
AB  - In order to define the cellular specificity of the interphotoreceptor retinoid
      binding protein (IRBP) promoter in the retina, we linked the human IRBP promoter
      to the beta-galactosidase (lacZ) gene and made five lines of transgenic mice. In
      three of the five transgenic mouse lines, retinas showed positive staining upon
      incubation with 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactoside (X-gal). Mice from
      one line (OVE278B) showed positive X-gal staining throughout the retina except
      for the most peripheral regions. Interestingly, the staining was heterogeneous
      throughout the retina. Heavily stained regions were interspersed with lightly
      stained areas. Mice in two other lines showed highly mosaic X-gal staining
      patterns. Histological examination demonstrated that staining was confined to
      photoreceptor cells in all three expressing families. Furthermore, electron
      microscopy showed that the promoter is active in both rod and cone cells. Our
      results demonstrate that the human IRBP promoter can be used to obtain
      photoreceptor-specific gene expression in transgenic mice.

PMID- 1426059
TI  - Metabolism of arachidonic acid by isolated rabbit ciliary epithelium.
AB  - We examined the ability of rabbit ciliary epithelium to metabolize arachidonic
      acid in vitro. The epithelium was homogenized and incubated with 14C-labeled
      arachidonic acid. 14C-labeled metabolites were extracted and then separated by
      thin layer chromatography. The range of arachidonic acid metabolites synthesized
      by ciliary epithelium was compared to the metabolites generated by rabbit iris
      ciliary body. Ciliary epithelium produced substantial amounts of arachidonic acid
      metabolites that comigrated with 5-HETE and 12-HETE. Authenticity of the 12-HETE
      produced by ciliary epithelium was confirmed by gas chromatography/mass
      spectrometry. The ciliary epithelium generated only small amounts of the
      cyclooxygenase products, PGF2 alpha, PGE2, PGD2 and 6k-PGF1 alpha. In contrast,
      the iris-ciliary body produced large amounts of cyclooxygenase products such as
      PGF2 alpha and PGD2. The ability of the ciliary epithelium to generate 12-HETE is
      noteworthy since 12(R)-HETE is known to be capable of lowering intraocular
      pressure.

PMID- 1426060
TI  - Transdifferentiation of chicken retinal pigmented epithelial cells in serum-free
      culture.
AB  - A serum-free culture of chicken retinal pigmented epithelial cells has been
      established in order to analyse how cell-substrate interactions or environmental
      factors affect the process of transdifferentiation into lens cells from pigmented
      epithelial cells. The serum-free culture medium for chicken pigmented epithelial
      cells was Eagle's minimum essential medium, supplemented with chicken
      transferrin, soybean trypsin inhibitor and bovine insulin. Pigmented epithelial
      cells were able to survive and grow in the medium for longer than 2 weeks.
      Collagen did not promote initial cell attachment, but this material effectively
      supports pigmented epithelial cells to organize monolayer structure
      characteristics to pigmented epithelium in situ in comparison with the plastic
      substrate of culture dishes. The process of lens transdifferentiation of chicken
      pigmented epithelial cells in serum-free conditions was also enhanced with the
      aid of phenylthiourea and testicular hyaluronidase, which had already been known
      to promote the transdifferentiation of pigmented epithelial cells in the serum
      supplemented condition. Typical lentoid bodies were developed after about 2 weeks
      of serum-free culture. Thus, we can clearly demonstrate that the chicken
      embryonic pigmented epithelial cells do not always require a full set of serum
      factors for their transdifferentiation to lens cells in vitro.

PMID- 1426061
TI  - Effects of intraocular pressure on pH outside rod photoreceptors in the cat
      retina.
AB  - Double-barreled H(+)-selective microelectrodes were used to study the effect of
      raising intraocular pressure (ocular hypertension) on intraretinal pH in the cat.
      A surprising alkalinizing response was observed in the subretinal space on the
      first experimental day in seven of 11 experiments. Of the three retinal regions
      studied, the alkalinizing response was present in the area centralis and in the
      adjoining near-discal region, but was absent in the superior temporal periphery.
      The alkalinizing response was relatively fragile, diminishing and then
      extinguishing with repetition of episodes of ocular hypertension. It was also
      never observed on the second experimental day. The alkalinizing response had a
      relatively low threshold, appearing with 10 mmHg elevations of intraocular
      pressure, i.e. when the perfusion pressure was still relatively high, but was
      also present across a wide range of perfusion pressures. It was maximal in
      amplitude in the most distal portion of the subretinal space and consisted of two
      components, an 'on' alkalinization during the episode of ocular hypertension, and
      an 'off' alkalinization following it. When the alkalinizing response was present
      in the subretinal space, it also could be recorded with placement of the
      microelectrode in the choroid. Elevations of systemic arterial blood pressure
      with epinephrine (intravenous), by raising perfusion pressure, also alkalinized
      the subretinal space, indicating that an increase in choroidal blood flow can
      produce this type of pH response. While pH recordings do not directly monitor
      blood flow, we tentatively interpreted the alkalinizing response with ocular
      hypertension as originating from a regional increase in choroidal blood flow, but
      we cannot rule out other explanations. Acidification of the subretinal space in
      response to ocular hypertension replaced the alkalinizing response when the
      latter extinguished, or acidification was the sole response in the absence of an
      alkalinization. The acidification also had a low threshold, was maximal in the
      most distal portion of the subretinal space, and increased in size with decreases
      in perfusion pressure. The acidification was reduced in amplitude by breathing
      100% oxygen (hyperoxia). This was interpreted as suppression of the component of
      acidification that originated from an increase in glycolysis by the rod
      photoreceptors during ocular hypertension.

PMID- 1426063
TI  - Growth-associated protein GAP-43 and nerve cell adhesion molecule in sensory
      nerves of cornea.
AB  - We used dual-wavelength fluorescence microscopy and monoclonal antibodies to
      growth-associated protein (GAP-43) and nerve cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) to
      identify these proteins in nerve fibers of normal rat and rabbit corneas.
      Overlapping immunoreactivity of GAP-43 and N-CAM was evident along nerve fibers
      of rabbit corneal sections, suggesting that GAP-43 is constitutively expressed in
      these sensory nerves. The immune reaction of monoclonal antibody to GAP-43 and
      [125I]protein A was used to quantitate relative amounts of GAP-43 in the normal
      cornea and in a cornea subjected to a de-epithelializing wound. Collectively
      these findings imply that GAP-43 is axoplasmically transported from cells in the
      trigeminal (or superior cervical) ganglion to the cornea. Moreover, these data
      indicate that GAP-43 appears to be involved in the remodeling of corneal nerves
      that is necessary for normal innervation.

PMID- 1426062
TI  - Characterization of the interphotoreceptor matrix surrounding rod photoreceptors
      in the human retina.
AB  - Previous studies have documented the presence of specific lectin-binding domains
      in the insoluble interphotoreceptor matrix (IPM) isolated from human retina.
      Peanut agglutinin (PNA) selectively binds to cone matrix domains whereas wheat
      germ agglutinin (WGA) binds to matrix domains surrounding rods. In the present
      study, the rod-associated WGA-binding domains are further characterized using
      lectin-based cytochemistry and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in combination
      with neuraminidase digestion. The lectin-binding patterns of non-neuraminidase
      treated samples are similar to those described in previous reports. After
      neuraminidase treatment, both rod and cone matrix domains demonstrate PNA binding
      while the binding of WGA to rod matrix domains is reduced. However, the binding
      of WGA to photoreceptor outer segments is not affected by neuraminidase. Blots of
      IPM proteins probed with lectins indicate that the WGA-binding macromolecules are
      represented as a group of high molecular weight glycoproteins, whereas the PNA
      binding components are represented as a group of lower molecular weight
      glycoproteins. The major WGA-binding glycoprotein (147 kDa) shows reduced binding
      affinity to WGA and increased binding affinity to PNA following neuraminidase
      treatment. Further, this 147-kDa glycoprotein, although similar in molecular
      weight to IRBP (interphotoreceptor retinol-binding protein) (141 kDa), is not
      recognized by the lectin, concanavalin A (Con A), or by an anti-IRBP antibody.
      Our data suggest that: (1) the major component of the WGA-binding domain
      demonstrated by polyacrylamide gel analysis is a glycoprotein with a molecular
      weight of 147 kDa containing galactose residues that are masked by terminal
      sialic acid residues; and (2) the binding of WGA to photoreceptor outer segments
      is resistant to neuraminidase, consistent with the earlier reports that WGA
      binding domains of photoreceptor outer segments may not be sialyl-containing
      glycoconjugates.

PMID- 1426064
TI  - Immunohistochemical characterization of dendritic cells and macrophages in the
      aqueous outflow pathways of the rat eye.
AB  - Immunohistochemical studies were performed to determine the distribution,
      phenotype and ontogeny of macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) in the aqueous
      humour outflow pathways of the rat eye. Optimal fixation and indirect
      immunoperoxidase techniques were employed in conjunction with a panel of mAbs on
      tangential frozen sections of ocular tissues from a total of 37 Wistar Furth rats
      aged 12-13 days (n = 8), 3 weeks (n = 12), 7 weeks (n = 5) and 15 weeks (n = 12).
      The density of immunopositive cells was scored qualitatively. A moderate to low
      density of Ia+ cells with a dendritic morphology were observed in the trabecular
      meshwork. DCs were also identified in the suprachoroidal space and in the
      connective tissues of nerves and vessels piercing the sclera, i.e. in association
      with non-conventional aqueous outflow pathways. The phenotypical and
      morphological characteristics of these cells would indicate that they may
      potentially act as antigen presenting cells (APCs). Non-dendritic pleomorphic
      cells with a macrophage phenotype were also identified in the trabecular
      meshwork, and bipolar or elongated cells with a macrophage phenotype were a
      noticeable feature in the perivascular region of collector channels and the
      limbal episcleral veins. Some macrophage and DC-like cells were observed in
      intimate association with limbal mast cells. Theories on the mechanisms of
      Anterior Chamber Associated Immune Deviation (ACAID) have assumed APCs are
      largely absent from the tissues lining the anterior chamber. Our findings of a
      low but moderate density of putative APCs in the conventional and non
      conventional aqueous humour outflow pathways are discussed in relation to the
      various theories of ACAID.

PMID- 1426065
TI  - Expression of interleukin-1 alpha, interleukin-1 beta, and an interleukin-1
      receptor antagonist in human retinal pigment epithelial cells.
AB  - mRNA expression and protein production of interleukin-1 alpha, interleukin-1 beta
      and intracellular and secreted forms of an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist were
      measured in visually confluent monolayers of unstimulated cultured human retinal
      pigment epithelial cells and after cells were stimulated with recombinant
      cytokines. Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, transcripts for
      interleukin-1 alpha and interleukin-1 beta were not detected in unstimulated
      cells from any of six donors whereas mRNA expression for both interleukin-1 alpha
      and interleukin-1 beta was readily induced in all six cell lines after cells were
      stimulated with recombinant IL-1 (alpha or beta), tumor necrosis factor alpha, or
      lipopolysaccharide. The combination of cycloheximide and recombinant interleukin
      1 caused a 14-fold enhancement of interleukin-1 alpha and interleukin-1 beta mRNA
      expression above that observed after cells were stimulated with interleukin-1
      alone. After stimulation by interleukin-1, cells produced intracellular
      interleukin-1 alpha protein, but did not secrete it into medium. In contrast,
      interleukin-1 beta protein was not detected in cell lysates or conditioned-medium
      after stimulation with interleukin-1. An intracellular interleukin-1 receptor
      antagonist was expressed constitutively by human retinal pigment epithelial
      cells; mRNA transcripts were enhanced in a dose and time dependent manner after
      cells were exposed to recombinant interleukin-1 or tumor necrosis factor alpha.
      In contrast, mRNA for a secreted form of the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist
      was not detected under basal conditions or after cells were stimulated by
      recombinant cytokines. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein was found
      primarily in cell lysates; little interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein was
      secreted by the cells. The presence of cell-associated interleukin-1 receptor
      antagonist was confirmed by immunocytochemistry. Levels of cell-associated IL-1
      receptor antagonist protein were not significantly influenced by recombinant
      interleukin-1 or tumor necrosis factor alpha. Endogenous expression of
      interleukin-1 receptor antagonist may attenuate the effect of exogenous or
      endogenous interleukin-1, thus providing the RPE cell a means of maintaining
      interleukin-1 homeostasis in ocular inflammatory disease.

PMID- 1426066
TI  - Decreased ascorbic acid entry into cornea of streptozotocin-diabetic rats and
      guinea-pigs.
AB  - High L-ascorbic acid (AA) levels in aqueous humor and intraocular tissues
      including lens and cornea are thought to protect against the harmful effects of
      the photochemical and ambient oxidation reactions involving oxygen and its
      radicals. Our pulse-chase studies follow a bolus of radiolabeled test molecules
      including [14C]L-ascorbic acid and [3H]L-glucose (L-glu) introduced into the
      blood at time t = 0, and determine the time-dependent concentrations of these
      labeled molecules as they move into aqueous humor, corneal endothelium and stroma
      tissues. Calculated entry and exit rate constants provide a representative
      measure of the functional state of passive and carrier mediated transport
      mechanisms in situ in normal and diabetic animals. Diabetic rats were categorized
      in terms of length of time exposed to a uniform, monitored streptozotocin (stz)
      diabetes as: short term (10-20 days); mid-term (40-60 days); and long term (100+
      days). In the rat, we observed little change in entry rate of L-glu (a passive
      marker) into aqueous humor [control Ki = 0.0216 +/- 0.0021 (n = 14)/mid-term stz
      diabetes Ki = 0.0202 +/- 0.0027 (n = 10)] and a modest decrease in the entry rate
      of AA into aqueous humor [control KAi = 0.0231 +/- 0.0022 (n = 14)/mid-term stz
      diabetes KAi = 0.0201 +/- 0.0034 (n = 10)]. At corneal endothelium, we noted a
      significant decrease in the active movement of AA [control KE = 0.614 +/- 0.053
      (n = 14)/mid-term stz-diabetes KE = 0.220 +/- 0.026 (n = 9)] while the passive L
      glu entry rate remained essentially unchanged.+

PMID- 1426067
TI  - Proteoglycans in the mouse interphotoreceptor matrix. VI. Evidence for
      photoreceptor synthesis of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan using genetically
      fractionated retinas.
AB  - To determine the role of photoreceptors in the synthesis of chondroitin sulfate
      proteoglycan (CS-PG) present in the interphotoreceptor matrix (IPM), 35SO4(2-)
      was used as a tracer for comparison of proteoglycans synthesized in vitro in the
      absence of the pigment epithelium by normal retinas and retinas from retinal
      degeneration (rd) mice at stages before and after photoreceptor degeneration.
      Isolated retinas from 10 day post-partum (P-10) pups, adult normal mice (C57BL/6J
      ++/++) and retinal degeneration mice (C57BL/6J rdle/rdle) were incubated for 7 hr
      with 35SO4(2-) to label newly synthesized sulfated proteoglycans. At P-10, rd
      retinas have not undergone extensive photoreceptor degeneration, whereas in the
      adult retinas from this strain, only a few cone photoreceptors remain. At the
      termination of the labeling period, proteoglycans in the incubation medium and
      those remaining in guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCl) extracts of the retina were
      analysed separately and identified by their susceptibility to enzymatic or
      nitrous acid depolymerization. At P-10, no significant differences were observed
      in the types or sizes of newly synthesized proteoglycan in normal and rd retinas.
      Medium samples from P-10 retinas contained near equal amounts of 35S-labeled CS
      PG and heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HS-PG), while in GuHCl extracts,
      approximately 90% of the 35SO4(2-) was incorporated into HS-PG, with the
      remainder found in CS-PG. Comparisons of adult tissue revealed a divergence of
      proteoglycan synthesis profiles. Retinas from normal adults label predominantly
      CS-PG. [35S]proteoglycan from normal retina incubation medium was approximately
      96% CS-PG, and GuHCl extracts were about 73% CS-PG. From adult rd retinas these
      values were 18 and 10%, respectively. Per retina, this shows the rd retinas
      labeling less than 4% of the medium CS-PG, and about 50% of the GuHCl extractable
      CS-PG compared to normal retinas. Labeled HS-PG comprised about 28% of the normal
      retina GuHCl extracts, but was not detected in the incubation medium. In
      contrast, HS-PG synthesis accounted for about 76% of the medium proteoglycan
      label, and about 85% of the extracted proteoglycan in the adult rd retina. In
      fact, 35SO4(2-) labeling of HS-PG in the rd retina GuHCl extracts exceeded by
      1000% the level observed in normal retina extracts on a per retina basis. Retinas
      from both strains incorporate significant amounts of 35SO4(2-) into proteins with
      rd achieving higher specific activity. IRBP was identified as a 35SO4(2-) labeled
      protein by immunoadsorption from aliquots of the incubation medium.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1426068
TI  - Lens structures exist transiently in development of transgenic mice carrying an
      alpha-crystallin-diphtheria toxin hybrid gene.
AB  - The development of lens structures in transgenic mice (lnl mice) which carry the
      diphtheria toxin A chain-coding sequence under the control of the alpha
      crystallin promoter is examined here in detail. The initial stages of lens
      development during embryonic days 10.5 to 12.5 (E10.5-E12.5), including the
      invagination of the surface ectoderm to form a lens vesicle, closure of the
      vesicle to form a lens cup, and initial appearance of the lens itself, appeared
      identical in histologic analyses of lnl mice and genotypically wild-type
      littermate controls. However, by E12.5, cells in the central posterior lens of
      developing lnl mice appeared to be vacuolated and undergoing necrosis. This
      necrosis was quite prominent at E14.5 and the overall lens size was significantly
      reduced. The lenses of lnl mice continued to be present but were significantly
      smaller throughout embryonic development. The cells of these lenses were capable
      of undergoing biochemical differentiation, reacting with antibodies to both alpha
      and beta-/gamma-crystallin. alpha-Crystallin expression was initiated at the
      appropriate time (E10.5) and maintained in most cells of lnl lenses. The
      expression of beta-/gamma-crystallins was surprising as these crystallins are
      expressed later in lens development after normal expression of alpha-crystallin
      and after the anticipated time of expression of the diphtheria toxin transgene.
      Despite extensive necrosis and cell death, lens structures persisted in lnl mice
      and disappeared only in the early postnatal period between days 3 and 6.
      Throughout the perinatal period, the remaining lens cells expressed both alpha-
      and beta-/gamma-crystallins. Prenatal development of the retina and ciliary body
      was relatively normal although the eye was significantly reduced in overall size.
      Some additional developmental defects were noted including persistent hyaloid
      artery and thickened cornea. In the perinatal period the rapidly expanding retina
      filled the entire eye leaving essentially no anterior or posterior chamber. These
      results clearly indicate that lens cells which are the target of diphtheria toxin
      mediated cell ablation techniques persist for a significant time during
      development and thus place limitations on the interpretations of results obtained
      using this technique.

PMID- 1426069
TI  - Association of calpain with insoluble pellet of rat lens.
AB  - Calpains are calcium-activated neutral proteases found in many tissues including
      the lens. The purpose of this research was to localize calpain in various
      biochemical fractions of the rat lens. Lenses were homogenized (with and without
      added calcium) and separated into water-soluble and -insoluble fractions, which
      were further extracted with urea, NaOH, and SDS. Of the total calpain 10% was
      insoluble. In the lens calpain was found to be both insoluble and associated with
      the membrane. Extraction of calpain from the insoluble fraction suggested calpain
      was loosely and tightly associated with the membrane. Calpain associated with
      membrane-rich fractions was obtained from discontinuous sucrose gradients,
      confirming the above. Calcium increased the amount of calpain associated with the
      insoluble fraction up to 30% of the total calpain. When the calcium was chelated,
      this calpain once again became soluble, and its specific activity was higher than
      water-soluble calpain. The translocation of calpain from the water-soluble
      fraction to insoluble fractions by calcium may be important because: (1) it may
      bring calpain into proximity with its substrates; and (2) it may activate
      calpain, since membrane phospholipids lower the protease's calcium requirement.

PMID- 1426070
TI  - Cytochrome P450-mediated prostaglandin omega/omega-1 hydroxylase activities in
      porcine ciliary body epithelial cells.
AB  - The ocular hypotensive effect of topically applied prostaglandins (PGs) is well
      documented. Although PGs introduced in the posterior chamber accumulate in the
      anterior tissues (e.g. iris/ciliary complex), little is known about the
      metabolism of PGs by these tissues. We have recently found that non-pigmented
      epithelial (NPE) cells and pigmented epithelial (PE) cells are readily separated
      from porcine ciliary body and cytochrome P450-dependent xenobiotic metabolism is
      considerably higher in NPE cells than in PE cells. We have therefore investigated
      in this study the cytochrome P450-mediated PG omega/omega-1 hydroxylase
      activities of porcine ciliary epithelial cells. The NPE cells show about three
      times higher activities than do PE cells; the NPE cells, in fact, demonstrate the
      highest PG omega/omega-1 hydroxylase activities among different ocular tissues.
      Both omega and omega-1 hydroxylases show broad substrate specificities and
      hydroxylate PGA1, A2, E1, E2, and lauric acid. The omega/omega-1 hydroxylase
      activities of NPE and PE, as determined with PGA2 and lauric acid as substrates,
      are enhanced or induced by treatment of primary cultures of the individual
      epithelial cells with clofibrate, both activities reaching maximum levels within
      48 hr of induction. The induced activities are inhibited almost completely by
      cycloheximide and actinomycin D. The omega/omega-1 hydroxylase activities of both
      NPE and PE cells require NADPH and molecular oxygen, are associated with the
      microsomal fraction, respond to inducers such as clofibrate, and are inhibited by
      metyrapone and SKF525 A (inhibitors of P450 enzymes). These results support the
      suggestion that PG omega/omega-1 hydroxylations by NPE and PE are cytochrome P450
      mediated reactions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426071
TI  - 1992 recipient of the Paul Kayser International Award of Merit in Retina
      Research.

PMID- 1426072
TI  - Water binding capacity of mixtures of lens crystallins.
AB  - The water binding capacity of mixtures of bovine lens crystallins were
      investigated by combined differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric
      analysis techniques. Binary, ternary and quaternary mixtures of alpha, beta H,
      beta L, and lower molecular weight (LMW) crystallins were prepared in proportion
      of their natural abundance. The percentage of non-freezable water of the total
      water content was used as an index of the bound water in all these mixtures and
      it was obtained as a function of crystallin concentration. These experimental
      values were compared to theoretical values that were calculated from the water
      binding capacity of individual crystallins obtained previously [Bettelheim and
      Popdimitrova (1990) Exp. Eye Res. 50, 715-8]. The calculations were based on the
      assumption that the mixtures of crystallins have the same intermolecular
      interactions that exist in the individual crystallins. Thus, the difference
      between the experimental and theoretical curves is an indicator of the type of
      interactions that may exist among the different crystallins. In all mixtures the
      experimental bound water was higher than the theoretical, predicted value at
      physiological concentrations. The water binding capacity of the lyophilized thin
      lens sections, on the other hand, was lower than the theoretical, predicted
      value.

PMID- 1426073
TI  - Photoreceptor plasticity in the albino rat retina following unilateral optic
      nerve section.
AB  - Rhodopsin content of the retina increased when an albino rat was moved to a lower
      intensity cyclic light, and decreased when moved to a higher intensity.
      Unilateral optic nerve section was employed to test if intact optic nerves are
      necessary to maintain regulation of rhodopsin when albino rats are switched
      between two intensities, 3 lx and 600 lx (12 hr/12 hr, cyclic light). The ability
      to regulate rhodopsin content was altered but not lost in the eye which had the
      optic nerve transected. This alteration was in the direction of incomplete up
      regulation when the intensity change was from high to low, and was in the
      direction of excessive down-regulation when the intensity change was from low to
      high. This indicates that efferent fibers from the brain to the retina may be
      involved in the regulation of rhodopsin content. Using histological techniques,
      cell number and rod outer segment (ROS) length were measured: surgery alone had
      no effect on ROS length or outer nuclear layer thickness and in all cases ROS
      lengths were inversely related to habitat illuminance.

PMID- 1426075
TI  - Electrophysiological properties of neurones following mild and acute retinal
      ischaemia.
AB  - Early electrophysiological changes following acute retinal ischaemia were studied
      by recording single or multiunit retinal ganglion cells and the electroretinogram
      (ERG) in barbiturate anaesthetized cats. Retinal ischaemia was initiated
      photochemically by platelet aggregation in retinal vessels which had been
      irradiated with monochromatic green light following an intravenous injection of
      Rose Bengal dye. No physiologically active ganglion cells were found within, or
      close to, the irradiated sites with chorioretinal oedema. On the other hand, in
      the areas 5-20 degrees away from the irradiation sites, ganglion cells had
      abnormally raised spontaneous (background) firing which obscured visually driven
      firing. The retinal areas where no physiologically active ganglion cells were
      found showed histopathological changes which are similar to those described for
      glutamate-induced retinal damage. Retinal areas where depolarized retinal
      ganglion cells were located, however, showed only minor vacuolation of the
      ganglion cell fibre layer. Early global electrophysiological changes following
      photochemically induced retinal vascular lesion were consistent with those
      predicted from the findings in the single cell study. Vascular lesions produced
      with high irradiation energy (10-30 J), which promote extensive chorioretinal
      oedema, resulted in gradual loss of visually responsive ganglion cells. Lesions
      produced by low-energy irradiation (2 J), causing slight narrowing of the blood
      columns in the vessels, on the other hand, resulted in significant increases in
      the amplitude and the implicit time of the ERG b-wave and the background firing
      of multiunit retinal ganglion cells. Electrophysiological changes associated with
      mild retinal ischaemia are analogous to physiological effects associated with
      exogenous glutamate or blockade of glutamate uptake.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1426074
TI  - Extracellular glucose dependence of rhodopsin regeneration in the excised mouse
      eye.
AB  - To study the process of rhodopsin regeneration a superfused excised whole eye
      preparation of the albino mouse was developed. With this preparation, complete
      regeneration could be observed after each of the first two illuminations
      (bleaching 15-20%), and incomplete regeneration after a third illumination.
      Regeneration was minimal at extracellular glucose concentrations of 0 or 1 mM
      with improved regenerations at higher concentrations. Maximum regenerations were
      observed at glucose concentrations of 4-10 mM. First-bleach regenerations were as
      follows: 0 mM glucose, 20%; 1 mM, 8%; 2 mM, 45%; 3 mM, 82%; 4 mM, 115%; 5.1 mM,
      121%; 7 mM, 120%; and 10 mM, 126%. The effects of reduced glucose were
      reversible. After an initial bleach with 0 or 1 mM extracellular glucose that
      exhibited minimal regeneration, the re-addition of glucose (5.1 mM) restored the
      ability of the eye to regenerate rhodopsin following a second bleach, but only to
      the level prior to that bleach. Mitochondrial substrates fumarate (10 mM) or
      pyruvate (10 mM) partly substituted for glucose, exhibiting first-bleach
      regenerations of 56 and 85%, respectively.

PMID- 1426076
TI  - The glycation and cross-linking of isolated lens crystallins by ascorbic acid.
AB  - Individual lens crystallins were isolated from calf lens extracts and incubated
      in the presence of ascorbic acid for 3 weeks under aerobic conditions. Both alpha
      crystallin and beta H-crystallin rapidly cross-linked to form high molecular
      weight proteins, which did not enter the resolving gel on SDS-PAGE. Beta L
      crystallin was somewhat less reactive, but gamma-crystallin showed little or no
      crosslinking. Gamma-crystallin, however, was almost equivalent to the other
      crystallins as a substrate for glycation. This was measured by: (a) the binding
      of protein to a boronate affinity column; (b) the incorporation of 3H from NaB3H4
      into protein; (c) amino acid analysis of the modified proteins to estimate the
      extent of lysine modification; and (d) the incorporation of [1-14C]ASA into
      individual crystallins. When the separated crystallins were combined with
      [125I]gamma-crystallin and incubated with ascorbic acid, radioactivity was
      readily incorporated into the cross-linked products with other crystallins, but
      again not with gamma-crystallin itself. Gel filtration chromatography of a
      mixture of [125I]gamma-crystallin and alpha-crystallin showed the formation of a
      complex between gamma- and alpha-crystallins. These data suggest that all
      crystallins are glycated, but that cross-linking occurs preferentially between
      proteins, which are already bound together non-covalently.

PMID- 1426077
TI  - A specific, sensitive, and rapid method for the determination of glutathione and
      its application in ocular tissues.
AB  - A method for specific determination of glutathione (GSH) is described. This
      method utilizes the enzymatic conjugation of GSH to 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene
      through reaction catalyzed by glutathione S-transferase. The recovery of GSH as
      determined by this method is comparable to that in currently used methods. The
      method is specific for GSH determination. Other sulfhydryl (-SH) compounds
      including the protein -SH or beta-mercaptoethanol, which are often included in
      tissue homogenates, do not interfere with GSH determination. Acid extraction of
      the tissue is not required in this method and comparatively smaller amounts of
      tissue samples (as little as 20 microliters of a 10% w/v tissue homogenate) are
      needed for the analyses. The method when applied for GSH determination in ocular
      tissues yielded results in agreement with the reported values in literature.
      Evidence for the sensitivity, accuracy, and convenience of the method is provided
      by analysing the sample containing GSH in the range of 1-200 nmol by this method.

PMID- 1426078
TI  - Aspects of the development of Schlemm's canal.
AB  - We have tried to answer the question of whether the endothelium of Schlemm's
      canal is derived from and retains properties of blood vessels by studying: (1)
      the development of Schlemm's canal in human fetal eyes; (2) the existence of
      Weibel-Palade bodies in human neonatal, adult human and adult monkey eyes; and
      (3) the presence of blood coagulation Factor VIII-related antigen in adult human
      and monkey eyes. (1) We observed that the intrascleral plexus of the limbal
      region extended deep into the sclera forming a deep scleral plexus by the 17th
      week of gestation. After 17 weeks gestation, extensions from the deep scleral
      plexus had reached the region of the future corneoscleral meshwork where the
      trabecular cells appeared oriented circumferentially. The blind endings of these
      extensions appeared to grow circumferentially in the supposed region of Schlemm's
      canal and at 27 weeks gestation they formed an incomplete Schlemm's canal. A
      complete Schlemm's canal was observed in some sections of the limbal region at 28
      weeks gestation and at approximately 40 weeks gestation the canal was complete in
      most sections. (2) Weibel-Palade bodies were found in the endothelium of aqueous
      veins and in the inner and outer wall endothelium of Schlemm's canal. (3) Blood
      coagulation Factor VIII-related antigen was detected in the endothelium of the
      collector channels and Schlemm's canal, as well as in the blood vessels of the
      other parts of the eye. Our results indicate that the endothelium of Schlemm's
      canal is derived from a vascular origin and that even in the adult eye it retains
      some of the properties of a blood vessel.

PMID- 1426079
TI  - Laser Doppler flowmetry in the optic nerve.
AB  - Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) is a technique that measures relative average
      velocity, number and flux (number times velocity) of red blood cells in a tissue.
      In this paper, we demonstrate its application in the optic nerve head tissue,
      describe the laser delivery and light scattering detection schemes and
      investigate the effect of the distance between the sites of illumination and
      detection. We also provide evidence that the flow measured by LDF varies linearly
      with actual blood flow in the optic nerve and examine the question of the depth
      of the sampled volume. Experiments in anesthetized cats illustrate potential
      applications which make use of the high temporal resolution of LDF. These include
      the response of blood flow to changes in the composition of the breathing gases
      and changes induced by neuronal stimulation with multiple and single flashes.

PMID- 1426080
TI  - The Oqual: a new device for measuring the optical quality of the anterior segment
      of the human eye.
AB  - An attachment to (Haag-Streit and Topcon) slit-lamps is described. This permits
      projection of a patterned target into the eye and the visual or photographic
      analysis of the details of the image reflected from the posterior surface of the
      crystalline lens. A numerical assessment can then be made of the optical quality
      of the crystalline lens as a whole, although scanning it is also possible. The
      attachment has also been used successfully for the objective assessment of the
      patient's post-operative visual acuity following kerato-refractive procedures.

PMID- 1426081
TI  - A role for endogenous dopamine in circadian regulation of retinal cone movement.
AB  - Cone movements in the retina of the Midas cichlid (Cichlasoma citrinellum) take
      place in response both to light and endogenous circadian signals. In the normal
      light/dark cycle (LD) cone myoids are long at night (50-55 microns), begin to
      contract before expected dawn, and with light onset contract to their fully
      contracted positions (5 microns) which are retained throughout the day. In
      continuous darkness (DD) cone myoids are fully elongate at night, but undergo pre
      dawn contractions to partially contracted positions which they retain throughout
      expected day (20-25 microns). To investigate the mechanisms by which circadian
      signals modulate cone myoid movements in teleost retinas, we have tested the
      effects on circadian cone movements of optic nerve section, intraocular injection
      of dopamine agonists or antagonists, and intraocular injection of melatonin. We
      report here that both light-induced and circadian-driven cone myoid movements can
      occur in the absence of efferent input from higher centres: both are retained
      with full amplitude after optic nerve section in vivo. Intraocular injection
      studies suggest that circadian regulation of cone myoid movement is mediated
      locally within the eye by dopamine acting via a dopaminergic D2-receptor. Cone
      myoid contraction can be induced at midnight in LD or DD animals by intraocular
      injection of dopamine or the D2-receptor agonist LY171555. The partially
      contracted cones of DD animals at expected mid-day can be induced to fully
      contract by intraocular injection of dopamine or the D2-receptor agonist, or to
      elongate by intraocular injection of the dopamine D2-antagonist sulpiride.
      Furthermore, the pre-dawn cone myoid contraction observed in both LD and DD
      animals in response to circadian signals can be completely blocked in DD animals
      by intraocular injection of the D2-antagonist sulpiride shortly before the time
      of expected light onset. In contrast, circadian cone myoid movements were
      unaffected by intraocular injection of the D1-receptor agonist SCH23390, or the
      D1-receptor antagonist SKF38393. In addition, we report that intraocularly
      injected melatonin had no effect on cone position when injected in the light at
      mid-day, in darkness at midnight or in darkness just before expected light onset
      at dawn. However, both melatonin and iodomelatonin induced cone myoid contraction
      (the light-adaptive movement) when injected in darkness at expected mid-day in DD
      animals. This paradoxical result is not consistent with observations from other
      species in which melatonin induces dark-adaptive photoreceptor
      responses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1426082
TI  - The potential relationships between aging and cancer.
AB  - The potential relationships between aging and cancer have received considerable
      attention in the scientific literature in recent years. While it is clear that
      the rates of most types of cancer increase with advancing age and that both the
      processes of aging and those of cancer are time dependent, an unequivocal
      relationship between the etiology of cancers and the mechanistic processes of
      aging has yet to be established. This article discusses the potential causal
      relationships between the processes of aging and the etiologies of most cancers.

PMID- 1426083
TI  - A murine model for evaluating metastatic potential: characterization of a 90-110
      kDa metastasis-binding protein.
AB  - Reliable discriminatory tests to predict metastatic disease would clearly
      facilitate the management of cancer in the elderly. We have recently identified a
      90-110-kilodalton (kDa) cell surface glycoprotein that is differentially
      expressed in benign and malignant murine adrenal carcinoma cells. In view of the
      proteins highly glycosylated nature, we have tested its ability to bind to a
      panel of agarose-bound lectins. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), a lectin specific
      for terminal sialic acid and N-acetylglucosamine (G1cNAc), had a strong affinity
      for the metastasis-related protein but failed to detect such a glycoprotein in
      nonmetastatic cells. Treatment of cells with sialidase to remove terminal sialic
      acids did not affect the affinity of the protein for the lectin, indicating the
      presence of terminal G1cNAc. We show by in situ that this metastatic binding
      protein (MBP) is regionally concentrated on the surface of invasive cells but
      absent in cells unable to invade. We postulate that MBP plays an active role in
      cell migration through interactions with beta-1,4 galactosytransferase and
      basement membrane glycoproteines.

PMID- 1426084
TI  - Characterization of the absence of an unique DNA-binding protein in senescent but
      not in their young growing and nongrowing counterparts provides the means to mark
      the final stage of the cellular aging process.
AB  - In senescent fibroblasts, the incapability of cell replication is permanent, and
      may involve the irreversible loss of gene expressions potentiating the engagement
      in DNA replication. The initial attempt is to identify gene products that are
      permanently lost in irreversibly growth-arrested cells. In this article, we
      report the success in identifying a DNA-associated S6 antigen found in the nuclei
      of growing and growth-arrested young cells, but not in the nuclei of their
      senescent counterparts. The presence of the S6 antigen is uniform throughout the
      nucleoplasm, except in the regions of the nucleoli, and found to be associated
      with condensed chromosomes in mitotic cells. Treatment with RNase does not
      abolish the antibody staining activity in the nuclei, while treatment with DNase
      does remove the activity. Equal intensity of S6 antibody staining is observed in
      transformed, growing, and contact-inhibited young fibroblasts. Significant
      reduced level of S6 antibody staining activity is found in the nuclei of
      senescent fibroblasts, indicating the loss of the expression of this protein
      during cellular aging process. Immunoblotting assay shows that the S6 antigen is
      of 50 kDa and with a possibility of a 100 kDa as a dimeric precursor. Our results
      suggests that a permanent turning off of unique gene expression is associated
      with the onset of senescence or terminal differentiation, and this hypothesis is
      supported by the characterization of S6 antigen's absence in in vitro-aged
      fibroblasts.

PMID- 1426085
TI  - Molecular genetic studies of cellular senescence.
AB  - The limited doubling potential of normal cells in culture was first proposed as a
      model for cellular aging by Hayflick in 1961. This phenomenon of in vitro
      cellular senescence is now well documented for a number of different normal human
      cell types. In an attempt to determine whether random events or programmed
      genetic processes were responsible for cellular aging, we performed a series of
      cell fusion studies. We determined that hybrids from fusion of normal with
      immortal human cells had limited proliferative potential, indicating that
      senescence is a dominant phenotype. We exploited the fact that immortality was
      recessive to assign a large number of different immortal human cell lines to four
      complementation groups for indefinite division. More recently, we have determined
      that the introduction of a single normal human chromosome 4 into HeLa (cervical
      carcinoma) cells by microcell fusion induced senescence in this immortal line.
      The results of these whole cell and microcell fusion studies support the
      hypotheses that propose senescence results from active, genetic mechanisms.

PMID- 1426086
TI  - Exogenous and endogenous DNA modifications as monitored by 32P-postlabeling:
      relationships to cancer and aging.
AB  - 32P-postlabeling analysis, a highly sensitive method for the detection and
      measurement of covalent carcinogen-DNA adducts and other DNA modifications, does
      not require radioactive test substances and, therefore, can be applied to DNA of
      mammals, including humans exposed to low doses of environmental or occupational
      genotoxicants. The basic procedure entails the enzymatic incorporation of 32P
      label into hydrolysis products of DNA, followed by chromatographic mapping and
      autoradiography of the 32P-labeled digestion products and quantitative
      scintillation spectrometry. Microgram amounts of DNA are analyzed: Thus the assay
      is suited for limited amounts of cells or tissues. Various versions of the assay
      afford different sensitivities of adduct detection. A single aromatic or
      bulky/hydrophobic adduct in 10(8)-10(10) nucleotides can be detected and measured
      (corresponding to 0.3-30 amol adduct/micrograms DNA or 0.1-10 nmol adduct/mol DNA
      P). In animal models, the assay has been successfully applied to a variety of
      mutagenic (genotoxic) as well as nonmutagenic carcinogens. In humans, DNA
      specimens from cigarette smokers, iron foundry workers, and coke oven workers
      whose total aromatic adduct levels ranged from 1 adduct in 10(6)-10(8) DNA
      nucleotides have been examined by 32P-postlabeling. The assay also detects DNA
      modifications--Indigenous (I)-compounds--that increase with age in untreated
      animals. I-compound profiles and levels are highly species-, strain-, sex-, and
      tissue-specific, and also depend on diet composition. Caloric restriction, a
      highly efficient method for improving resistance to carcinogenesis and extending
      life span, increased rather than decreased I-compound levels in various tissues
      of male rats. Nonmutagenic hepatocarcinogens reduced levels of I-compounds in the
      target organ. Because of the specificity of this effect, reduction of I-compound
      levels appears to represent a novel biomarker for the action of nonmutagenic
      carcinogens. DNA from various hepatomas was found largely devoid of I-compounds.
      The results support a possible antineoplastic and antiaging role of these DNA
      modifications.

PMID- 1426087
TI  - Explanations for reduced tumor proliferative capacity with age.
AB  - Tumors in general occur more frequently in older people, but many of the common
      tumors appear to be less malignant in older hosts. In this article mechanisms of
      tumor enhancement are reviewed, and those that are age-sensitive are emphasized.
      In this regard, our earlier experimental work suggested that age-associated
      immune change (immune senescence) is most important in explaining reduced tumor
      growth. We have found that unstimulated spleen cells in culture produce a tumor
      enhancing factor (TEF) that enhances B16 murine melanoma cell proliferation. TEF,
      and others, such as lymphocyte-induced angiogenesis factor (LIA) and various
      other autocrine growth factors, may stimulate malignant cells in cancer-bearing
      hosts. An age-associated reduction in those factors could account for the
      observed reduced tumor growth and spread in hosts of advanced age.

PMID- 1426088
TI  - New models to define factors determining the growth and spread of human prostate
      cancer.
AB  - The incidence of many cancers shows a sharp increase with age. This is
      particularly true of prostate cancer, which arises in many older males. Little or
      no morbidity is observed as the tumor develops in situ in the prostate. However,
      once malignant cells escape from the primary lesion and metastasize, the disease
      assumes a much more serious course. Here we report on the activity of human
      prostate cancer cells in culture as well as their behavior when transplanted into
      nude mice. In vitro, several lines of prostate carcinoma cells obtained from
      metastatic lesions were embedded in reconstituted basement membrane proteins
      (Matrigel) and found to exhibit highly invasive activity as observed with
      malignant cells from other types of tumors. Also, we report an improved method
      for obtaining an increased growth of human prostate cancer cells in nude mice by
      injecting these cells in Matrigel. Since there are no adequate animal models of
      prostate cancer, the systems described here may prove useful in defining events
      underlying the development and progression of the tumor cells to malignant
      status, as well as facilitate the analyses of novel therapeutic agents to prevent
      the growth and the spread of this cancer.

PMID- 1426089
TI  - Overview of cancer and aging: a mechanistic perspective.
AB  - Cancer and aging are approached from the standpoint of damaging agents affecting
      target cell, local cellular environment, and the organism as a whole. The effects
      of exogenous agents are represented in a model emphasizing absorption, organismic
      disposition, and cellular disposition. Endogenous agents are represented
      similarly. The extent of endogenous damage is illustrated. Factors in the
      expression of damage as a toxic endpoint are emphasized, with the example of
      caloric restriction used as an example of environmental modulation of response.

PMID- 1426090
TI  - Effect of caloric restriction on age-associated cancers.
AB  - Caloric restriction (CR) without malnutrition in mice and rats reduces the
      incidence of spontaneous tumors and delays their appearance while increasing
      maximum life span. These results depend largely on CR per se, and not on low
      intakes of fat or other nutrients. Although most studies have tested CR imposed
      early in life, CR started in midadulthood also retards cancer and aging. The
      way(s) by which CR impedes cancers remain unclear, but possibilities include less
      cellular oxidative damage, retarded immunologic aging, hormonal changes, less
      energy available for cell proliferation, reduced exposure to dietary carcinogens
      and promoters, enhanced DNA repair, and less carcinogen activation. Far less is
      known about the relationship between caloric intake and cancer incidence in
      humans; however, recent findings suggest a positive association for certain
      cancers.

PMID- 1426091
TI  - Dietary alteration in the rates of cancer and aging.
AB  - Both variation of diet and comparative analysis are used to evaluate the effects
      of nutrition on mortality and cancer. The effects of caloric restriction (CR) are
      compared in multiple strains raised under similar conditions for a diet developed
      to assist breeding, and for a standard diet. A standard analysis, using "aging
      rates," is of limited use for understanding the effects of CR in delaying
      mortality in certain strains. However, when the effect of the diets on body
      weight and the known effects on sex-specific P-450 isoenzyme expression are
      compared, these effects suggest a mechanism for the action of CR. By comparative
      analysis, the effect of CR on tumor pathology suggests that the same mechanisms
      responsible for inhibiting reproduction may be responsible for delaying the aging
      related increase in incidence of diseases. Based on these data, the
      adaptive/longevity-related process theory of CR is modified to incorporate
      aspects of the disposable soma theory of aging, as well as pleiotropism.

PMID- 1426093
TI  - The role of glutathione in aging and cancer.
AB  - The incidence and mortality rates from most cancers increase exponentially with
      age. It is likely that this aging phenomenon is partially due to specific changes
      that occur in the host resulting in an increased susceptibility to neoplasia. Our
      hypothesis is that one such host factor is a deficiency in GSH, based on the
      importance of this compound in the detoxification of a wide variety of exogenous
      and endogenous carcinogens and free radicals, as well as in the maintenance of
      immune function.

PMID- 1426092
TI  - Effects of aging and dietary restriction on DNA polymerases: gene expression,
      enzyme fidelity, and DNA excision repair.
AB  - Hepatic DNA polymerases isolated from young and old C57BL/6N mice fed ad libitum
      or calorically restricted differed in chromatographic characteristics, binding
      affinity for DNA template-primer, specific activity, and fidelity of synthesis.
      DNA polymerase alpha total and specific activity declined slightly, while the
      nucleotide misincorporation frequency increased dramatically, with increased age
      of the donor animals. A positive correlation was observed between polymerase
      alpha specific activity and the affinity of enzyme binding to activated DNA
      template-primer. Both the age-associated decline in enzyme activity and the
      decrease in fidelity of synthesis were modified by dietary restriction, with
      higher specific activity levels and lower misincorporation frequencies for DNA
      polymerases from dietarily restricted animals compared with ad libitum animals of
      all ages. Fidelity of both DNA polymerase alpha and beta increased following
      treatment with the phosphoinositide hydrolysis product inositol-1,4-bisphosphate.
      The data suggest that dietary restriction could play an important role in
      decreasing the age-associated decline in function of physiological systems
      sensitive to decreased or defective DNA synthesis.

PMID- 1426094
TI  - Food industry perspectives on the mature market.

PMID- 1426095
TI  - Negative regulators of hematopoietic stem cells and progenitors.

PMID- 1426096
TI  - Characteristics of a novel rat anti-mouse platelet monoclonal antibody:
      application to studies of megakaryocytes.
AB  - Using murine platelets as an immunogen, a rat monoclonal antibody (designated
      4A5) that recognizes only murine blood platelets and marrow megakaryocytes was
      developed. The extent of binding of 4A5 to platelets was dependent upon their
      state of activation. Following phorbol ester, ionophore, or thrombin stimulation
      of resting platelets, a decrease of > 50% in the binding of 4A5 was observed by
      flow cytometry. This decrease in antibody binding to the platelets was
      accompanied by an increase in antibody released into the platelet-free
      supernatant following platelet activation. When platelets were first
      radioiodinated, followed by activation and incubation of the platelet-free
      supernatant with 4A5-derivatized beads, no precipitable counts were observed
      compared with control resting platelets. This suggests that antibody release was
      related to an activation-dependent conformational change in the 4A5 epitope.
      Following solubilization of biotinylated platelets, 4A5 bound to an 80-kd
      membrane protein. Immunohistochemical studies with 4A5 showed that megakaryocytes
      could be identified both in vitro and ex vivo. When marrow was first stained
      histochemically with 4A5 followed by staining for acetylcholinesterase, the
      distribution of stained cells was similar. Flow cytometric analysis using 4A5 and
      propidium iodide showed that the antibody could be used to identify
      megakaryocytes for ploidy analysis in vivo or in vitro. 4A5 was capable of
      inducing a moderate thrombocytopenia in mice compared with polyclonal anti
      platelet serum. When bound to plastic or to magnetic beads, 4A5 could be used to
      purify murine megakaryocytes to homogeneity. The data suggest that monoclonal
      antibody 4A5 will be useful in quantitative studies of murine platelets and
      megakaryocytes.

PMID- 1426097
TI  - Bone marrow natural suppressor cells inhibit the growth of myeloid progenitor
      cells and the synthesis of colony-stimulating factors.
AB  - Natural suppressor (NS) cells, which nonspecifically suppress immune responses,
      are generally found at sites of hemopoietic generation or regeneration. Murine
      bone marrow NS cells were activated by recombinant interleukin 3 (rIL-3) or
      recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rGM-CSF) and
      produced a soluble suppressor factor. In the present study, the soluble
      suppressor factor from bone marrow NS cells was found to be a potent inhibitor of
      myeloid colony formation at concentrations below those required for
      immunosuppression. NS cell supernatants inhibited the growth of granulocyte
      macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GM), granulocyte erythrocyte macrophage
      megakaryocyte colony-forming units (CFU-GEMM), and erythroid colony-forming units
      (CFU-E) to a similar extent. Neutralizing anti-transforming growth factor beta
      (TGF-beta) reversed the suppressive effects of the supernatants, suggesting that
      TGF-beta was involved in the suppression. The NS cell supernatants also inhibited
      the production of colony-stimulating activity by bone marrow stromal cells and
      the transcription of GM-CSF mRNA by activated T cells. These data suggest that NS
      cells are important regulators of hemopoiesis. NS cells, which are non-adherent,
      radioresistant non-T cells resident in the bone marrow, were shown to be
      sensitive to treatment with the lysosomotropic agent, L-leucine methyl ester,
      suggesting that the NS cells may be of large granular lymphocytic or monocytic
      lineage. Cytotoxicity studies revealed that cells in the NS population had
      natural cytotoxic (NC), but not natural killer (NK) activity.

PMID- 1426099
TI  - Relationship of [3H]Ara-C incorporation and response to therapy with high-dose
      Ara-C in AML patients: a Leukemia Intergroup study.
AB  - Pretherapy bone marrow (BM) aspirates of 143 patients with acute myeloid leukemia
      (AML) were incubated simultaneously with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and tritiated
      cytosine arabinoside ([3H]Ara-C) to determine the labeling index (LI) and extent
      of [3H]Ara-C incorporation. Of 143 AML patients, 121 received high-dose Ara-C
      (HDAra-C) as a single agent for induction therapy (55 newly diagnosed, 66 in
      first relapse), whereas 22 received HDAra-C plus mAMSA. The data demonstrate that
      a subset of patients who will fail HDAra-C remission induction therapy because of
      drug-resistant disease can be prospectively identified on the basis of the low
      amount of Ara-C incorporated by their leukemia cells.

PMID- 1426098
TI  - In vivo cell cycle characteristics of pediatric leukemia patients.
AB  - Following i.v. bromodeoxyuridine infusion, a double-label technique using in
      vitro tritiated thymidine was used to determine the labeling index (LI), duration
      of S-phase (Ts), and cell cycle time (Tc) in pediatric leukemia patients. Eleven
      patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and six patients with acute
      nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL) were studied. Results of cell cycle kinetic
      studies are given for each group. Although median values for AML and ALL patients
      are similar to values reported in previous studies, there is a wide range of
      values among individual patients. The variation among the kinetic properties of
      blast cells in these patients reflects the heterogeneity of the acute leukemias
      of childhood. Further studies will be done to determine if these parameters
      correlate with outcome of therapy for pediatric leukemia patients.

PMID- 1426100
TI  - Interleukin 1 augments the expression of the interleukin 2 receptor alpha-chain
      in interleukin 6-stimulated myeloid cells by a transcriptional and
      posttranscriptional mechanism.
AB  - We have recently shown that interleukin 6 (IL-6) induces transient expression of
      the alpha-chain of the interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2R alpha) in the murine
      leukemia myeloid M1 cell line. Others have reported that IL-6 and interleukin 1
      (IL-1) synergistically enhance the expression of IL-2R alpha in T cells. Thus, in
      the present study, we investigated whether IL-1 affects the kinetics of IL-6
      induced IL-2R alpha expression in M1 cells. By cytofluorometry, we find that
      surface expression of IL-2R alpha at 24 h after induction by IL-6 is strongly
      enhanced by IL-1. However, IL-1 does not change the transient kinetics of
      expression of IL-2R alpha. Binding data and Scatchard analysis support these
      results and show an increase from 3100 to 17,620 low-affinity IL-2 binding sites
      per cell without any change in affinity after induction of M1 cells by the
      combination of IL-6 and IL-1. By Northern analysis, we find that the increase in
      IL-2R alpha surface expression after treatment with IL-6 and IL-1 occurs in
      parallel with an increase in IL-2R alpha but not IL-2R beta mRNA expression. By
      nuclear run-on analysis and actinomycin-D chase experiments, we find that the
      increase in IL-2R alpha mRNA expression is due to both an increase in IL-2R alpha
      gene transcription and to an increase in IL-2R alpha mRNA stability. These data
      suggest that the IL-6-induced expression of IL-2R alpha can be specifically up
      regulated by IL-1, however, without affecting the transient nature in expression
      of IL-2R alpha.

PMID- 1426101
TI  - An age-related reduction in the replicative capacity of two murine hematopoietic
      stroma cell types.
AB  - Two stromal cell types, myofibroblasts and endothelial-like cells, that were
      identifiable by structural and antigenic specificities, were obtained from murine
      bone marrow and spleen of young, middle-aged, and old mice of two strains and
      sexes and grown in liquid culture for 9 or 10 days. As expected, there were more
      total nucleated cells per organ in the old mice (with larger organs) than in the
      young mice. However, the concentration of stromal colony forming cells was
      greater in the young mice, resulting in the number of colony forming cells per
      organ not being significantly different in most comparisons. The in vitro
      replicative capacity of the two stromal cell types from both organs in all age
      groups was determined by clone size distribution assays. In all instances the
      number of cell doublings achieved was statistically significantly greater in the
      stromal cell clones from young mice than those from old mice. The cell doubling
      capacity of the middle-aged mice fell between that of the young and the old mice
      and in most instances that difference was also statistically significant. It was
      concluded that these in vitro findings constituted a biomarker of aging in these
      tissues and that this was significant in relation to previous in vivo and in
      vitro work by these authors and by others reporting the inferiority of aged bone
      marrow and spleen stroma to regenerate and to support hematopoiesis.

PMID- 1426102
TI  - B-lymphocyte-derived burst-promoting activity is a pleiotropic erythroid colony
      stimulating factor, E-CSF.
AB  - Human B-lymphocyte-derived erythroid burst-promoting activity (B-BPA) is a
      pleiotropic, lineage-specific regulator of erythropoiesis. Our present data
      indicate that B-BPA plays an important role as an erythroid colony-stimulating
      factor (E-CSF) in modulating progenitor growth and differentiation throughout
      erythropoiesis. E-CSF has discrete effects on both early (erythroid burst-forming
      units, BFU-E) and late (erythroid colony-forming units, CFU-E) progenitors from
      normal bone marrow. In serum-substituted fibrin clot cultures, E-CSF stimulates
      the proliferation of BFU-E, resulting in an increase in the number of erythroid
      bursts over a wide range of erythropoietin (Epo) concentrations. We now have
      shown that E-CSF also acts on CFU-E by increasing their sensitivity to Epo
      markedly, resulting in a tenfold left-shift in the Epo dose-response curve. Using
      purified target-cell populations of human and murine erythroleukemia cells that
      are Epo-independent for growth, we have found that E-CSF stimulates cell
      proliferation directly, increasing the plating efficiency of these cells in
      suspension culture by 50%-165%. B-BPA also increased proliferation of these cells
      in semi-solid medium. Importantly, the combination of E-CSF and Epo resulted in a
      profound increase in the growth and maturation of the resultant colonies.
      Therefore, the data indicate that E-CSF can regulate the growth of cells
      independently of added Epo and, in addition, can synergize with Epo in regulating
      the growth and differentiation of erythroid progenitors.

PMID- 1426103
TI  - Regulation of production of activin A in human marrow stromal cells and
      monocytes.
AB  - In studies of the regulation of hematopoiesis, increasing attention has focused
      on the role of bone marrow stromal cells as rich sources of various cytokines.
      Present studies indicate that marrow stromal cells and monocytes produce activin
      A, implicating this new cytokine in the paracrine control of hematopoiesis.
      Activin A, which was initially recognized as a beta A beta A dimeric gonadal
      protein, was found to potentiate the proliferation and differentiation of
      erythroid progenitors; both purified erythroid colony-forming units (CFU-E) and
      K562 cells possess high affinity receptors specific for activin A. Present
      studies using Western and Northern blots demonstrate the presence of beta A
      subunits of activin A in the conditioned medium of monocytes and stromal cells
      and its RNA transcripts in these cells. The presence of functional and
      homodimeric beta A beta A activin molecule was confirmed through bioassay with or
      without a blocking antiserum against activin A or an activin binding protein,
      follistatin; its presence is further supported by a specific enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in which a monoclonal antibody reacted only with the
      beta A beta A dimeric form of this molecule. In other experiments, the production
      of activin A was found to be regulated by various cytokines and regulators. The
      production of activin A in monocytes was stimulated more than ninefold by
      treatment with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Activin
      A expression was also stimulated, albeit less potently, by bacterial
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and gamma-interferon. On the other hand, the expression
      of activin A in marrow stromal cells was upregulated by incubation with tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), LPS, and interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha).
      Therefore, we propose that the local production of activin A in the
      microenvironment within bone marrow may fine tune the regulation of steady-state
      hematopoiesis. In addition, this factor may normally be produced at minimal
      levels, but under certain situations may be further induced to provide important
      biological functions.

PMID- 1426104
TI  - Effects in vivo of recombinant human inhibin on myelopoiesis in mice.
AB  - Inhibin, a protein dimer, has been implicated in negative regulation of human
      erythropoiesis in vitro. In this study, purified recombinant human (rhu) inhibin
      was assessed for its effect in vivo on the proliferation of hematopoietic
      progenitor cells in C3H/HeJ mice. Administration of single doses of inhibin i.v.
      to mice resulted 24 hrs later in significant decreases in cell cycling status of
      marrow and splenic granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM), erythroid (BFU-E) and
      multipotential (CFU-GEMM) progenitors. While no apparent effect was observed on
      marrow cellularity or on absolute numbers of marrow CFU-GM and BFU-E, inhibin
      significantly reduced absolute numbers of marrow CFU-GEMM, spleen nucleated
      cellularity and also absolute numbers of CFU-GM, BFU-E and CFU-GEMM in the
      spleen. The results demonstrate in vivo myelosuppressive effects for inhibin and
      demonstrate that effects in vivo are not restricted to erythropoiesis.

PMID- 1426105
TI  - On the regulation of repetitive firing in lumbar motoneurones during fictive
      locomotion in the cat.
AB  - Repetitive firing of motoneurones was examined in decerebrate, unanaesthetised,
      paralysed cats in which fictive locomotion was induced by stimulation of the
      mesencephalic locomotor region. Repetitive firing produced by sustained
      intracellular current injection was compared with repetitive firing observed
      during fictive locomotion in 17 motoneurones. During similar interspike
      intervals, the afterhyperpolarisations (AHPs) during fictive locomotion were
      decreased in amplitude compared to the AHPs following action potentials produced
      by sustained depolarising current injections. Action potentials were evoked in 10
      motoneurones by the injection of short duration pulses of depolarising current
      throughout the step cycles. When compared to the AHPs evoked at rest, the AHPs
      during fictive locomotion were reduced in amplitude at similar membrane
      potentials. The post-spike trajectories were also compared in different phases of
      the step cycle. The AHPs following these spikes were reduced in amplitude
      particularly in the depolarised phases of the step cycles. The frequency-current
      (f-I) relations of 7 motoneurones were examined in the presence and absence of
      fictive locomotion. Primary ranges of firing were observed in all cells in the
      absence of fictive locomotion. In most cells (6/7), however, there was no
      relation between the amount of current injected and the frequency of repetitive
      firing during fictive locomotion. In one cell, there was a large increase in the
      slope of the f-I relation. It is suggested that this increase in slope resulted
      from a reduction in the AHP conductance; furthermore, the usual elimination of
      the relation is consistent with the suggestions that the repetitive firing in
      motoneurones during fictive locomotion is not produced by somatic depolarisation
      alone, and that motoneurones do not behave as simple input-output devices during
      this behaviour. The correlation of firing level with increasing firing frequency
      which has previously been demonstrated during repetitive firing produced by
      afferent stimulation or by somatic current injection is not present during
      fictive locomotion. This lends further support to the suggestion that motoneurone
      repetitive firing during fictive locomotion is not produced or regulated by
      somatic depolarisation. It is suggested that although motoneurones possess the
      intrinsic ability to fire repetitively in response to somatic depolarisation, the
      nervous system need not rely on this ability in order to produce repetitive
      firing during motor acts. This capability to modify or bypass specific
      motoneuronal properties may lend the nervous system a high degree of control over
      its motor output.

PMID- 1426106
TI  - Optokinetic nystagmus in the rabbit and its modulation by bilateral
      microinjection of carbachol in the cerebellar flocculus.
AB  - 1. In the alert, pigmented rabbit, eye movements were recorded during optokinetic
      nystagmus (OKN) and during optokinetic after nystagmus (OKAN). These responses
      were elicited by steps in surround-velocity ranging from 5-110 degrees/s during
      binocular as well as monocular viewing. 2. In the baseline condition, OKN showed
      an approximately linear build-up of eye velocity to a steady-state, followed by a
      linear decay of eye velocity during OKAN after the lights were turned off. Build
      up during binocular viewing was characterized by a constant, maximum eye
      acceleration (about 1 degree/s2) for stimulus velocities up to 60 degrees/s.
      OKAN, instead, was characterized by a fixed duration (about 10 s) for stimulus
      velocities up to 20 degrees/s. Steady-state eye velocity saturated at about 50
      degrees/s. 3. Monocular stimulation in the preferred (nasal) direction elicited a
      build-up that was on average twice as slow as during binocular stimulation.
      Steady-state velocity during monocular stimulation saturated at about 20
      degrees/s. OKAN was of equal duration as during binocular stimulation. In the non
      preferred direction, a very irregular nystagmus was elicited without velocity
      build-up. The stronger response to binocular stimulation, compared to the
      responses under monocular viewing condition in either nasal and temporal
      direction suggests potentiation of the signals of either eye during binocular
      viewing. 4. OKN and OKAN were re-assessed after intra-floccular micro-injection
      of the nonselective cholinergic agonist carbachol. In the binocular viewing
      condition, eye-acceleration during build-up was strongly enhanced from 1
      degree/s2 before to 2.5 degrees/s2 after injection. The saturation level of
      steady-state eye velocity was also increased, from 50 degrees/s before to more
      than 60 degrees/s after carbachol. The duration of OKAN, however, was shortened
      from 10 s before to 6 s after injection. The response to monocular stimulation in
      the preferred direction revealed similar changes. 5. The flocculus appears to be
      involved in the control of the dynamics of OKN in the rabbit. Cholinergic
      mechanisms affect the floccular control of the rate at which slow-phase velocity
      can be built up and the rate of decay of eye velocity during OKAN. Cholinergic
      stimulation of the flocculus enhances the dynamics of OKN, while velocity storage
      is shortened.

PMID- 1426107
TI  - Functional organization of the nociceptive withdrawal reflexes. II. Changes of
      excitability and receptive fields after spinalization in the rat.
AB  - The spatial organization of the cutaneous input to hindlimb withdrawal reflexes
      was studied in spinalized, decerebrated, unanesthetized rats. Reflex activity in
      plantar flexors of the digits, pronators of the foot, dorsiflexors of the digits,
      and/or the ankle and flexors of the knee was recorded with electromyographic
      techniques for up to 12 h after spinalization. Graded mechanical (pinch) and
      thermal stimulation (CO2 laser) of the skin were used. Reflexes were absent
      ("spinal shock") during approximately 10-20 min after spinalization. The reflex
      thresholds for pinch and CO2 laser stimulation then decreased considerably during
      the following 5-8 h. After this time, even mild pressure (less than 0.1 N/mm2) on
      the skin was sufficient to evoke a reflex in most muscles. During the period from
      about 0.5-3 h after spinalization, the nociceptive receptive field of each muscle
      usually corresponded to the area of the skin withdrawn by the muscle. Maximal
      responses were evoked from the area of the receptive field maximally withdrawn.
      During this period, responses to innocuous pinch were evoked mainly from the most
      sensitive area of the receptive fields. Concomitant with the decrease in reflex
      thresholds, the nociceptive receptive fields expanded for all muscles, often to
      include areas of the skin not withdrawn by the muscles. For most muscles,
      reflexes on tactile stimuli were eventually elicited from the entire receptive
      fields. The receptive fields for thermonociceptive and mechanonociceptive inputs
      were similar in most muscles. The interossei muscles were exceptional in that
      they responded very weakly to thermal stimulation. It is concluded that there are
      neuronal networks in the spinal cord that translate cutaneous nociceptive and
      tactile input into a withdrawal. However, the control exerted by descending
      pathways is necessary to maintain a functionally adequate excitability in these
      reflex pathways and an appropriate size for their receptive fields.

PMID- 1426108
TI  - Vestibular control of swimming in lamprey. I. Responses of reticulospinal neurons
      to roll and pitch.
AB  - A method has been developed for recording the response of single neurons in the
      lamprey brainstem in vitro to natural stimulation of vestibular receptors. The
      brainstem dissected together with the intact vestibular apparatus could be
      rotated in space, in two perpendicular planes (transverse, the roll tilt, and
      sagittal, the pitch tilt), in one of them up to 360 degrees, and in the other one
      up to +/- 30 degrees. The responses of single reticulospinal (RS) neurons, in all
      four reticular nuclei of the brainstem, to roll and pitch were recorded
      extracellularly and, with small inclinations (up to +/- 45 degrees) also
      intracellularly. Two types of preparations were used, with and without the
      rostral part of the spinal cord. In the brainstem preparations, most RS neurons
      responded both to a definite brain orientation in space and to a change of the
      orientation (static and dynamic reactions). Responses to roll tilt were similar
      in all reticular nuclei: all cells were excited with roll tilt towards the
      contralateral side, this reaction was qualitatively preserved when the roll was
      performed in combination with different pitch inclinations. Responses to pitch
      tilt were less clearcut; some neurons were activated with nose-up deflection
      while others responded to nose-down tilt. In preparations including the spinal
      cord, responses of RS neurons to roll and pitch tilt differed from those in the
      isolated brainstem in that they were much less specific and stable. Roll and
      pitch tilts could trigger the spinal locomotor CPG, which, by sending "efference
      copy" signals back to the brainstem, produced modulation of RS neurons in
      relation to the locomotor rhythm.

PMID- 1426110
TI  - Vestibular control of swimming in lamprey. III. Activity of vestibular afferents:
      convergence of vestibular inputs on reticulospinal neurons.
AB  - Experiments were carried out on the in vitro preparation of the lamprey brainstem
      isolated together with the labyrinths. The brain orientation in space could be
      changed in steps of 45 degrees by rotation (360 degrees) around the longitudinal
      axis (roll) or the transverse axis (pitch). Vestibular afferents in the VIII
      nerve, or reticulospinal (RS) neurons, were recorded extracellularly during roll
      and pitch. Two main types of afferents could be distinguished. Presumed otolith
      afferents responded both to a change of position and to a maintained new
      position. These afferents were classified in several groups according to the
      position of their zone of sensitivity. For roll, the largest group had their
      maximal sensitivity around 90 degrees tilt to the ipsilateral side, the next
      group in size responded at 180 degrees, and only a few afferents were activated
      by contralateral roll. For pitch, there are groups responding with maximal
      sensitivity at 90 degrees nose-up, 90 degrees nose-down and at 180 degrees. A
      minority of afferents were active when the brainstem was in a normal position,
      i.e. horizontal, with the dorsal side up. Another type of afferent responded only
      by a high-frequency burst to a change of brain orientation. They were classified
      as canal afferents in analogy with other species. All tested canal afferents
      responded to rotation towards ipsi-side down. Pitch tilt revealed two groups that
      responded to rotation towards either nose-up or nose-down. RS neurons from the
      anterior and middle rhombencephalic nuclei (ARRN and MRRN) were recorded before
      and after unilateral transection of the VIII nerve.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1426109
TI  - Vestibular control of swimming in lamprey. II. Characteristics of spatial
      sensitivity of reticulospinal neurons.
AB  - 1. Experiments were carried out on an in vitro preparation of the lamprey
      brainstem isolated together with intact labyrinths. Responses of reticulospinal
      neurons from different brainstem reticular nuclei (mesencephalic, MRN; anterior
      rhombencephalic, ARRN; middle rhombencephalic, MRRN; and posterior
      rhombencephalic, PRRN) to rotation of the preparation (0 degrees-360 degrees)
      either in the sagittal plane (pitch tilt, or nose up-down movement) or in the
      transverse plane (roll tilt, or left-right inclination) were recorded. 2.
      Responses to roll tilt were qualitatively similar in all nuclei: contralateral
      side down tilt (in relation to the location of the neuron in the brain) caused an
      activation of reticulospinal neurons. The angular thresholds for activation
      differed, however, between nuclei as well as the angle at which the maximal
      activity occurred. The maximal response for MRN was at 45 degrees, for MRRN and
      PRRN at 90 degrees, for ARRN at 180 degrees. Thus, the zones of spatial
      sensitivity differed in different nuclei, and they covered the whole range of
      possible inclinations in the transverse plane. 3. Responses to pitch tilt were
      not uniform in the different nuclei. MRN neurons responded preferentially in the
      range of 45 degrees-90 degrees nose-up inclinations, but a proportion of the
      cells responded in the range of 45 degrees-90 degrees nose-down inclinations. The
      ARRN neurons had their maximal response when the brain was turned to a dorsal
      side-down position (180 degrees). In the MRRN, three subgroups of neurons could
      be distinguished, the first responding at around 90 degrees nose-down, the second
      responding at around 90 degrees nose-up and the third responding in both zones.
      However, the activation in the nose-up zone was less robust: responses in this
      zone were present only in approximately one half of the experiments. Finally, the
      PRRN neurons were found to be very heterogeneous, with their zones of sensitivity
      being distributed throughout the whole space (0 degrees-360 degrees). Thus, also
      in the sagittal plane, the zones of spatial sensitivity in the different nuclei
      covered the whole range of possible inclinations. 4. Long-term recording of MRRN
      neurons having the zone of sensitivity around 90 degrees nose-up showed that this
      response was rather unstable. Its amplitude varied considerably and could
      disappear with time to reappear later. These results, together with the fact that
      in a part of the experiments the MRRN neurons responded only in the 90 degrees
      nose-down zone (see above), leads us to suggest that the system of spatial
      orientation can dynamically re-organize.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1426111
TI  - Habituation and adaptation of the vestibuloocular reflex: a model of differential
      control by the vestibulocerebellum.
AB  - We habituated the dominant time constant of the horizontal vestibuloocular reflex
      (VOR) of rhesus and cynomolgus monkeys by repeated testing with steps of velocity
      about a vertical axis and adapted the gain of the VOR by altering visual input
      with magnifying and reducing lenses. After baseline values were established, the
      nodulus and ventral uvula of the vestibulocerebellum were ablated in two monkeys,
      and the effects of nodulouvulectomy and flocculectomy on VOR gain adaptation and
      habituation were compared. The VOR time constant decreased with repeated testing,
      rapidly at first and more slowly thereafter. The gain of the VOR was unaffected.
      Massed trials were more effective than distributed trials in producing
      habituation. Regardless of the schedule of testing, the VOR time constant never
      fell below the time constant of the semicircular canals (approximately 5 s). This
      finding indicates that only the slow component of the vestibular response, the
      component produced by velocity storage, was habituated. In agreement with this,
      the time constant of optokinetic after-nystagmus (OKAN) was habituated
      concurrently with the VOR. Average values for VOR habituation were obtained on a
      per session basis for six animals. The VOR gain was adapted by natural head
      movements in partially habituated monkeys while they wore x 2.2 magnifying or x
      0.5 reducing lenses. Adaptation occurred rapidly and reached about +/- 30%,
      similar to values obtained using forced rotation. VOR gain adaptation did not
      cause additional habituation of the time constant. When the VOR gain was reduced
      in animals with a long VOR time constant, there were overshoots in eye velocity
      that peaked at about 6-8 s after the onset or end of constant-velocity rotation.
      These overshoots occurred at times when the velocity storage integrator would
      have been maximally activated by semicircular canal input. Since the activity
      generated in the canals is not altered by visual adaptation, this finding
      indicates that the gain element that controls rapid changes in eye velocity in
      the VOR is separate from that which couples afferent input to velocity storage.
      Nodulouvulectomy caused a prompt and permanent loss of habituation, returning VOR
      time constants to initial values. VOR gain adaptation, which is lost after
      flocculectomy, was unaffected by nodulouvulectomy. Flocculectomy did not alter
      habituation of the VOR or of OKAN. Using a simplified model of the VOR, the
      decrease in the duration of vestibular nystagmus due to habituation was related
      to a decrement in the dominant time constant of the velocity storage integrator
      (1/h0).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1426112
TI  - Entrainment of the locomotor rhythm by group Ib afferents from ankle extensor
      muscles in spinal cats.
AB  - 1. Previous studies have concluded that the timing of the locomotor rhythm can be
      strongly influenced by input from group Ib afferents from leg extensor muscles
      (Duysens and Pearson 1980; Conway et al. 1987). The main objective of the present
      study was to obtain additional evidence for this conclusion by examining the
      characteristics of entrainment of the locomotor rhythm by rhythmic stimulation of
      group I afferents and by rhythmic force pulses in the ankle extensor muscles. 2.
      A reduced, non-immobilized preparation was developed in spinal cats that allowed
      isometric contractions of ankle extensor muscles to be elicited by ventral root
      stimulation during the expression of locomotor activity. The same preparation was
      used to examine the influence of electrically stimulating group I afferents from
      the ankle extensors and the effect of rhythmically stretching these muscles. The
      locomotor rhythm was initiated by sustained mechanical stimulation of the
      perineum following the administration of Clonidine and, in some preparations,
      Naloxone. 3. The timing of the onset of flexor burst activity was examined during
      entrainment with saw-tooth and ramp-and-hold stretches of the ankle extensor
      muscles. Flexor bursts were initiated about 200 ms following the release from the
      stretch, and this latency was independent of the entrainment frequency. 4. The
      locomotor rhythm was readily entrained by rhythmic contractions of the ankle
      extensor muscles produced by ventral root stimulation provided the magnitude of
      the contractions was greater than about 10N. Repetitive stimulation of group I
      muscle afferents from the ankle extensors also entrained the locomotor rhythm,
      with the timing of motor activity being similar to that during entrainment with
      rhythmic muscle contractions. Burst activity in the ipsilateral extensors was
      coincident with the stimulus trains in both cases. This similarity argues for
      entrainment being produced mainly by input from group Ib afferents. 5. The
      functional implication of the results of this and previous studies is that input
      from group Ib afferents during the stance phase of walking acts to inhibit
      generation of flexor burst activity and to promote extensor activity. The
      proposal that a decline in Ib activity near the end of the stance phase is
      involved in regulating the stance to swing transition is discussed.

PMID- 1426113
TI  - Mammillary body lesions and restricted subicular output lesions produce long
      lasting DRL performance impairments in rats.
AB  - Rats given either electrolytic lesions of the mammillary bodies (MB), transection
      of the descending columns of the fornix (DCF), transection of fibres projecting
      from subiculum to ventral striatum (SC) or sham operations (SO) were tested in
      three DRL experiments. DRL-18 efficiency was impaired significantly in MB rats,
      and non-significantly in DCF and SC rats. Analysis of timing behaviour revealed
      modifications in all three lesion groups, with a unique pattern in the SC group.
      DRL-36 efficiency was significantly impaired in all three lesion groups; the SC
      group again showed a unique timing pattern. Finally we assessed retention of DRL
      36 in SO rats given mammillary body lesions. There was a lesion-induced
      impairment, smaller than that seen with postoperative training. We propose that
      the subicular output plays an important part in normal DRL performance; that the
      subicular outputs to the mammillary bodies and ventral striatum play independent
      roles in DRL; and that the effects of mammillary body lesions resemble those of
      hippocampal lesions because of the important functional relationship between
      subiculum and the mammillary bodies.

PMID- 1426114
TI  - Activity of lateral vestibular nucleus neurons during locomotion in the
      decerebrate guinea pig.
AB  - The influence of locomotor activity upon neurons in the lateral vestibular
      nucleus was investigated in precollicularly-postmamillary decerebrate guinea
      pigs. Out of 95 recorded neurons, 24 were identified as vestibulospinal and 71
      had no descending projections. Locomotor activity occurred either spontaneously
      or was prompted by electrical stimulation of the mesencephalic locomotor region.
      Natural vestibular stimulation was supplied by tilting the animal about its
      longitudinal axis. Locomotor rhythmic limb muscle activity was accompanied by an
      increase in the firing frequency in the vast majority of investigated neurons.
      The increase in frequency was observed at the beginning of ipsilateral forelimb
      extensor muscle activity. Only in a few non-vestibulospinal neurons was the
      spontaneous activity depressed during locomotion. An increase in evoked responses
      was observed in almost all vestibulospinal neurons and in two thirds of the
      neurons without descending projections. A decrease in evoked responses was
      observed in one quarter of non-vestibulospinal neurons. During locomotion, the
      mean and maximal frequencies of evoked neuronal impulse activity changed, but the
      phase lag of these changes was not altered significantly. The results suggest an
      enhancement of vestibulospinal influences during locomotion, thus providing a
      high level of tonus in antigravitational muscles. This is interpreted as a
      mechanism to ensure that equilibrium is maintained during motion in different
      gaits and postures.

PMID- 1426115
TI  - Interaction of active and passive slow eye movement systems.
AB  - Independent target and background motions have been used to generate conflicting
      activity within the pursuit and optokinetic systems. Subjects were required to
      pursue a small target against a structured background which moved independently.
      Selective enhancement of the response to the target generated high-gain active
      pursuit which dominated the eye movements. Passive eye movements induced during
      relative target and background motion are not normally directly quantifiable due
      to their low gain. By reducing the gain of the active pursuit optokinetically
      induced eye movements were enhanced and quantified. Three techniques are
      described for degrading active pursuit: tachistoscopic, eccentric and
      pseudorandom methods of target presentation. Our results demonstrate the
      synchronous input of active and passive eye movement drives to the oculomotor
      system and illustrate their interaction.

PMID- 1426116
TI  - Oculo-manual coordination control: ocular and manual tracking of visual targets
      with delayed visual feedback of the hand motion.
AB  - The aim of this study was to examine coordination control in eye and hand
      tracking of visual targets. We studied eye tracking of a self-moved target, and
      simultaneous eye and hand tracking of an external visual target moving
      horizontally on a screen. Predictive features of eye-hand coordination control
      were studied by introducing a delay (0 to 450 ms) between the Subject's (S's)
      hand motion and the motion of the hand-driven target on the screen. In self-moved
      target tracking with artificial delay, the eyes started to move in response to
      arm movement while the visual target was still motionless, that is before any
      retinal slip had been produced. The signal likely to trigger smooth pursuit in
      that condition must be derived from non-visual information. Candidates are
      efference copy and afferent signals from arm motion. When tracking an external
      target with the eyes and the hand, in a condition where a delay was introduced in
      the visual feedback loop of the hand, the Ss anticipated with the arm the
      movement of the target in order to compensate the delay. After a short tracking
      period, Ss were able to track with a low lag, or eventually to create a lead
      between the hand and the target. This was observed if the delay was less than 250
      300 ms. For larger delays, the hand lagged the target by 250-300 ms. Ss did not
      completely compensate the delay and did not, on the average, correct for sudden
      changes in movement of the target (at the direction reversal of the trajectory).
      Conversely, in the whole range of studied delays (0-450 ms), the eyes were always
      in phase with the visual target (except during the first part of the first cycle
      of the movement, as seen previously). These findings are discussed in relation to
      a scheme in which both predictive (dynamic nature of the motion) and coordination
      (eye and hand movement system interactive signals) controls are included.

PMID- 1426117
TI  - Developmental aspects of stance regulation, compensation and adaptation.
AB  - Recordings of electromyographic (EMG) leg muscle activity, head and joint
      movements and platform torque were taken in healthy subjects within three age
      groups (approximately 6, 10 and greater than 22 years) standing upright upon a
      sinusoidally moving treadmill. The sinusoidal frequency was randomly changed
      between 0.5, 0.33 and 0.25 Hz, while the amplitude of the deflection was constant
      (+/- 12 cm). During an adapted sinus, forward inclination of the body at the
      posterior turning point was associated with a slowly increasing tibialis anterior
      and decreasing gastrocnemius activity, while straightening of the body at the
      anterior turning point was associated with a sharply increasing gastrocnemius and
      decreasing tibialis anterior activity. The angle of forward inclination was
      greatest in the groups of children and was dependent upon both the sinus
      frequency and the child's height. The presumed programmed adjustment of the body
      inclination was such that the net effect of both inertial and gravitational
      forces acting on the body coincided approximately with the axis of the body at
      the posterior turning point. Changes of sinusoidal frequency were followed by
      compensatory responses, the amplitude of which depended upon the velocity of the
      body's displacement and the height of the subjects. In all three subject groups
      the response latencies were significantly shorter at the posterior turning point
      for the gastrocnemius response to a change from 0.5 to 0.25 Hz (105 ms for
      children and 119 ms for adults) than for the tibialis anterior response to a
      change from 0.25 to 0.5 Hz for which the values were 162 and 169 ms,
      respectively. This difference could be attributed to the forward inclination of
      the body at the posterior turning point which requires an earlier onset of
      compensatory extensor activity in order to maintain equilibrium. Adaptation to a
      new sinusoidal frequency occurred within 4 cycles following a change in sinus
      frequency. The phase shifts between treadmill position and the biomechanical and
      EMG signals that occurred during the adaptational process suggest that the
      position of the body's centre of gravity is the variable controlled by the
      programmed leg muscle activation. In young children the phase shifts during
      adaptation were absent, which may contribute to their greater instability. It is
      concluded that posture is continually adjusted in such a way that the resulting
      torque acting on the body during the treadmill movement becomes minimized. For
      this regulation load receptors in addition to the classical afferent impulses
      from visual, vestibular and muscle stretch receptors could play a major role.

PMID- 1426118
TI  - Distribution of heteronymous Ia facilitation and recurrent inhibition in the
      human deltoid motor nucleus.
AB  - Distribution of heteronymous Ia facilitation and of heteronymous recurrent
      inhibition in motoneurones innervating the anterior part of the deltoid muscle
      were investigated in normal human subjects following electrical stimulation of
      the nerves innervating the main muscles of the upper limb. Activation of group I
      afferents originating from deltoid, biceps, triceps and extensor carpi radialis
      (ECR) muscles resulted in an early increase in firing probability of voluntarily
      activated motor units belonging to the anterior part of the deltoid muscle
      whereas activation of motor axons supplying deltoid, triceps, ECR and flexor
      carpi radialis (FCR) muscles resulted in an early and long-lasting decrease in
      firing probability. No effect was seen following activation of group I afferents
      and motor axons contained in the ulnar nerve. The characteristics of the early
      facilitation suggest that it is at least partly due to heteronymous Ia
      monosynaptic connections while these of the long-lasting inhibition suggest that
      it is at least partly due to heteronymous recurrent inhibition. Their patterns of
      distribution are discussed with regards to the functional role of the human
      deltoid.

PMID- 1426119
TI  - Visual pursuit over textured backgrounds in different depth planes.
AB  - Several investigators have reported that voluntary pursuit of a moving object is
      less smooth when it moves over a textured background compared with when it moves
      over a dark background. Furthermore, when a person fixates a stationary target on
      a moving background, microdrifts of the eyes occur in the direction of motion of
      the background. These two facts suggest that OKN is not completely switched off
      during voluntary pursuit or fixation. Howard and Simpson (1989) found that
      optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) is only weakly evoked by moving stimuli which are out
      of the plane of convergence. This led to the prediction that voluntary pursuit of
      a visual target should be disrupted more by a stationary background in the same
      depth plane than by a background which is nearer or further away than the pursuit
      target. Pursuit disruption was measured by the frequency and total amplitude of
      saccadic intrusions. For horizontal pursuit, disruption was reduced, compared
      with the coplanar condition, when the textured background was further away than
      the target but not when it was nearer. For vertical pursuit, disruption was
      reduced in both the far and near conditions compared with the coplanar condition.
      In both cases disruption was least when the background was dark.

PMID- 1426120
TI  - Effects of sensory deprivation upon a single cortical vibrissal column: a 2DG
      study.
AB  - Effects of sensory deprivation upon ability of a vibrissa to activate a
      functional column in the barrel field of somatosensory cortex were examined with
      2 deoxyglucose (2DG) autoradiography in the rat. After six weeks of whisker
      plucking started at birth, and one week of recovery, the cortical column
      activated by the deprived whisker and labeled with 2DG had a reduced diameter but
      higher labeling density than the normal vibrissal column. Loss of a peri-barrel
      labeling zone, possibly due to loss of intracortical activation, is suggested.

PMID- 1426121
TI  - Complement C1qB and C4 mRNAs responses to lesioning in rat brain.
AB  - These data show the presence of mRNAs for two complement components (C) in the
      adult rat brain and describe their responses to experimental lesions. Cortical
      deafferentation caused elevations in striatal C1qB and C4 mRNAs that coincided
      temporally and overlapped anatomically with the course of degeneration of
      corticostriatal afferent fibers. By in situ hybridization, C1qB mRNA in the
      lesioned striatum was colocalized to cells immunoreactive for CR3, a complement
      receptor found on microglia-macrophages. The mRNA for SGP-2, a putative C
      inhibitor in rat, showed parallel changes. Similarly, in hippocampus and other
      brain regions, kainic acid lesions increased C1qB mRNA. The data suggest that
      microglia-macrophages and possibly other cells in rat brain rapidly up-regulate C
      mRNAs in response to deafferentation and local neuron injury. These experimental
      responses provide models to analyze changes in C components during Alzheimer's
      disease and other chronic neurodegenerative conditions.

PMID- 1426122
TI  - Radial glial interaction with cerebral germinal matrix capillaries in the fetal
      baboon.
AB  - The occurrence of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a frequent problem in
      premature infants delivered between 24 (60%) and 32 weeks (80%) of gestation, a
      time during which the germinal matrix (GM) is prominent over the head of the
      caudate nucleus. Most IVH arises from the GM and it has been proposed that an
      important factor in the pathogenesis of IVH is a weakness of GM capillary walls
      due to deficient support by surrounding immature glial cells. The purpose of this
      study was to examine the glial-capillary interaction in the GM of fetal baboons
      sacrificed at 100 days (54%) gestation, a stage of GM development comparable to
      that during which human neonatal IVH occurs. Brains from a later gestational
      stage (162 days, 88%), after GM involution, were also examined. At 100 days of
      gestational age, the GM was prominent over the head of the caudate and contained
      vimentin positive, but not glial fibrillary acidic protein positive, radial glial
      cells which formed endfeet on capillaries in the region. Ultrastructurally, all
      the GM capillaries examined from this gestational time had complete, continuous
      endothelia marked by few pinocytotic vesicles and prominent tight junctions. The
      endothelial cells rested upon uninterrupted basement membranes which were
      contacted by clearly identifiable glial endfeet. These data show that GM
      capillaries have morphologies typical of CNS capillaries and suggest that the
      capillary immaturity within the GM is not a major contributing factor to IVH.

PMID- 1426123
TI  - Regeneration of dorsal root axons is related to specific non-neuronal cells
      lining NGF-treated intraspinal nitrocellulose implants.
AB  - The regeneration of sensory axons from severed dorsal roots can be enhanced by
      the presence of nerve growth factor (NGF)-treated nitrocellulose strips implanted
      into an intraspinal lesion cavity. Rather than being directly apposed to the
      transplant, most regenerating axons are separated from the nitrocellulose by
      several layers of non-neuronal cells, suggesting that these cells may have a role
      in the promotion of axonal regrowth. The cellular layers associated with
      untreated nitrocellulose strips or NGF-treated implants were examined in this
      study to determine if there were differences in their arrangement or orientation
      along the implant which might explain some of the possible effects of substrate
      bound NGF on axonal regrowth. Into a hemisection lesion cavity created in the
      adult rat lumbar spinal cord NGF-treated or untreated strips of nitrocellulose
      were placed vertically, with intact pieces of fetal spinal cord (FSC) tissue
      transplanted along each side. The distal ends of cut dorsal rootlets were apposed
      to the fetal tissue. Immunocytochemical and electron microscopic examination 30
      60 days post-transplantation revealed a distinct layering of cell types along the
      NGF-treated strips. Closest to the nitrocellulose was a single layer of
      macrophages, followed by a separate layer of fibroblasts with dense collagen
      bundles, then a layer of astroglial cells, before reaching the neuropil of the
      fetal spinal cord tissue. A thickened basal lamina formed between the fibroblast
      and astrocytic cell layers and bundles of regenerated sensory axons extended
      along the interface between these two layers. In contrast, non-neuronal cells
      along untreated nitrocellulose strips were not as well organized, with an
      intermixing of fibroblasts and astroglial cells and only scattered macrophage
      like cells. Axons rarely were found in conjunction with this mixed population of
      cells and, overall, fewer regenerated axons extended into transplants with
      untreated nitrocellulose. The results demonstrate consistent differences in the
      composition and organization of non-neuronal cells adjacent to NGF-treated
      nitrocellulose implants, compared to untreated implants. This suggests that the
      presence of bound NGF influences the recruitment of various cells from the
      surrounding transplant tissue as well as from the previously injured dorsal
      rootlets. The capacity for NGF to promote the regeneration of sensory axons may
      be an indirect effect that is mediated or potentiated by the non-neuronal cell
      population that gathers in response to the presence of bound NGF.

PMID- 1426124
TI  - Protective effect of the NMDA antagonist MK-801 on photochemically induced spinal
      lesions in the rat.
AB  - Photochemically induced ischemic lesions in the rat spinal cord were studied
      using neurological tests and morphological evaluation in order to investigate
      ischemia-mediated pathophysiological mechanisms in traumatic spinal cord injury.
      One week after ischemic lesioning, animals were severely impaired with 85%
      decrease of performance in neurological tests. During the next 2 weeks
      considerable recovery occurred. Pretreatment with the noncompetitive N-methyl-D
      aspartate antagonist MK-801 at a dose of 0.5-1.0 mg/kg significantly improved the
      recovery of function after spinal ischemia while lower doses exerted no
      protection. Morphologically, no dose-response effect on the extent of tissue
      necrosis was found, but a significant difference between groups with severe
      neurological deficit versus mildly affected groups was observed.
      Immunohistochemical staining for glial fibrillary acidic protein in the area
      close to the lesion revealed extensive gliosis, while neurofilament
      immunohistochemistry showed an irregular pattern of fiber loss with large
      variability between animals. The degree of gliosis or loss of neurofilament
      immunoreactivity in nonnecrotic tissue was not affected by MK-801. These results
      suggest that excessive stimulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors participates
      in the development of spinal cord ischemia and possibly also participates after
      traumatic spinal cord injury.

PMID- 1426125
TI  - Brain norepinephrine reductions in soman-intoxicated rats: association with
      convulsions and AChE inhibition, time course, and relation to other monoamines.
AB  - The organophosphate chemical nerve agent, soman, causes convulsions,
      neuropathology, and, ultimately, death. A major problem in treating soman
      intoxication is that peripherally acting pharmacological agents which prevent
      death do not prevent seizures. Although a primary cause of these symptoms is the
      excess of acetylcholine which follows acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition,
      centrally acting muscarinic blockers, such as atropine, alleviate, but do not
      block, the convulsive actions of soman. Moreover, there is a relatively weak
      relationship between CNS reductions of AChE and the incidence of convulsions.
      There is evidence suggesting that soman intoxication stimulates the release of
      norepinephrine (NE) in the brain. Recent evidence has implicated NE in the
      induction and/or maintenance of seizures. Thus, in the present study the
      relations among soman-induced convulsions, AChE inhibition, and brain NE and
      other monoamine changes were examined. The time course of brain NE recovery was
      also determined. Rats were injected (im) with a single dose (78 micrograms/kg) of
      soman. At this dose 68% of the injected rats developed convulsions. Both
      convulsive and nonconvulsive rats were sacrificed between 1 and 96 h following
      soman injection and NE levels in the rostral forebrain and olfactory bulb were
      determined by HPLC with electrochemical detection. In all convulsive rats NE
      levels declined substantially. Forebrain NE levels were decreased by 50% at 1 h
      and 70% at 2 h following soman injection. Recovery of NE began at 8 h and was
      complete by 96 h following soman administration. Although nonconvulsive rats
      showed other signs of intoxication, NE levels in these rats were unchanged.
      Dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) levels were not significantly affected in
      either convulsive or nonconvulsive rats. However, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, the
      major metabolite of 5-HT, and homovanillic acid and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic
      acid, the two major metabolites of DA, were increased significantly in the
      forebrain of convulsive, but not nonconvulsive rats, indicating an increase in 5
      HT and DA turnover. However, in contrast to the abrupt decline in NE, these
      increases in DA and 5-HT metabolites were slow and progressive. Taken together,
      the present results and other recent findings suggest that rapid, sustained NE
      release could play a role in the induction and/or maintenance of soman-induced
      convulsions, whereas increased release of 5-HT and DA may be a consequence of
      seizures. Further investigation of the role of NE in soman-induced convulsions
      may lead to improved treatment of soman intoxication and a better understanding
      of the role of NE in other forms of seizures, including human epilepsy.

PMID- 1426126
TI  - Effects of freezing a segment of peripheral nerve on subsequent protein release
      and axonal regeneration in the frog.
AB  - Previous studies in frogs have shown that axons from the proximal stump of a cut
      nerve will grow toward the distal stump, possibly in response to diffusible
      trophic factors produced by cells of the nerve sheath. In the present
      experiments, the synthesis and release of proteins in vitro, from proximal and
      distal stumps of frog sciatic nerves, were studied 1, 4, and 14 days after nerve
      section in vivo. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to separate released
      proteins, a marked increase in the synthesis of two lipoproteins of 37 and 67 kDa
      was seen, initially in both proximal and distal stumps, but by 14 days these
      proteins were produced exclusively by the distal stump. To see if the production
      of these proteins was correlated with subsequent reinnervation of the distal
      stump, isolated nerve segments were removed from the frogs and either replaced
      immediately or frozen (to kill sheath cells) and replaced. After 2 weeks, the
      pattern of newly synthesized proteins released by both the frozen and nonfrozen
      nerve segments was similar although freezing severely impaired the reinnervation
      of the nerve segment. These results suggest that although the 37- and 67-kDa
      lipoproteins may have a role in nerve regeneration, their presence per se is not
      sufficient to support the reinnervation of a distal stump of a cut peripheral
      nerve and that additional factors may therefore be required.

PMID- 1426127
TI  - Photochemically induced transient spinal ischemia induces behavioral
      hypersensitivity to mechanical and cold stimuli, but not to noxious-heat stimuli,
      in the rat.
AB  - Pain-like sensory disorders lasting several days were observed in rats after
      transient ischemia in the lumbar region of the spinal cord. The ischemia was
      induced with a recently developed photochemical technique. Rats exhibited strong
      allodynia, a pain-like reaction to innocuous stimuli, to mechanical stimulation
      of the caudal trunk, hind limbs, and hind paws, which were areas innervated by
      the ischemic spinal segments. The rats also expressed hypersensitivity to cold
      stimuli. However, no changes in sensitivity to noxious heat could be detected
      with the hot-plate test. Furthermore, no morphological damage could be observed
      in the spinal cord at the light microscopic level in the majority of rats after
      transient spinal cord ischemia. The present results indicate that allodynia-like
      symptoms to mechanical stimuli after spinal ischemia may be mediated by
      myelinated afferents and could be associated with dysfunction of inhibitory
      transmission in the spinal cord. We suggest that this pain-related syndrome after
      spinal ischemia could be considered as an animal model of painful states of
      spinal origin.

PMID- 1426128
TI  - Kinematic analysis of upper limb trajectories in Parkinson's disease.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to analyze the kinematic properties of upper limb
      trajectories in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and to investigate the role of
      visual feedback from the moving limb. Beyond the characteristic bradykinesia, PD
      patients differed from controls by generating hand trajectories with asymmetrical
      velocity profiles that lacked smoothness and were composed of a short initial
      accelerative phase, followed by a prolonged interval composed of alternating
      decelerative and accelerative phases. In both groups, the reaction times for
      movements directed away from the body were longer than for movements directed
      toward the body; this effect was accentuated in PD. In both groups, initial peak
      accelerations were significantly larger for distally as compared to proximally
      directed movements. In the absence of visual feedback from the limb a
      deterioration in the accuracy of reaching the target was observed in both control
      and PD patients only for distally directed movements. However, this deterioration
      and the effect of target location on final accuracy was substantially larger in
      PD. Taken together, our study suggests that in PD visual information is
      continuously relied upon for ongoing movement correction, therefore accentuating
      the bradykinesia. The deficit in final accuracy in the absence of visual feedback
      reflects the important role played by the basal ganglia in sensorimotor
      integration.

PMID- 1426129
TI  - Iron accumulation in the rat basal ganglia after excitatory amino acid injections
      -dissociation from neuronal loss.
AB  - The current study examines in an animal model the relation of excessive iron
      accumulation in the basal ganglia to the pathology of Parkinsonism and
      Hallervoden-Spatz disease. Following a unilateral microinjection of excitatory
      amino acids, kainate, or quinolinate to the anterior olfactory nucleus/ventral
      striatal region, an increase in histochemical iron concentration was observed in
      the ipsilateral ventral pallidum, the islands of calleja, the globus pallidus,
      the entopeduncular nucleus, the ventral thalamus, and the substantia nigra pars
      reticulata. The iron was observed both in glia and as intensification of patches
      in the neuropil. In a second group of rats, after microinjection of ibotenate or
      quisqualate to the nucleus basalis of Meynert, iron accumulated in the
      ipsilateral entopeduncular nucleus and pars reticulata of substantia nigra.
      Increased iron accumulation, compared to that in the contralateral side, was
      stable for months after a single microinjection. In the basal ganglia distal from
      the site of EAA injection, no gross morphological changes were associated with
      the increased iron accumulation. The implications of these findings to the
      pathology of Parkinson's and Hallervorden-Spatz diseases are discussed.

PMID- 1426130
TI  - Echinococcus granulosus: study of the in vitro complement activation by
      protoscoleces by measuring the electric potential difference across the
      tegumental membrane.
AB  - Complement activation by protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus was studied by
      analyzing the damage to their tegumental membrane produced by incubation in both
      normal and hydatid human sera. The state of the apical tegumental membrane was
      evaluated by measuring the electric potential difference with microelectrodes.
      Protoscoleces incubated in Ringer-Hepes or in heat-decomplemented normal human
      serum in the presence or absence of specific antibodies did not show significant
      variations in the electric potential difference throughout the experiment (P >
      0.4 in all cases) and their mean values were -46 +/- 3, -43 +/- 4, and -56 +/- 5
      mV, respectively. In contrast the potential difference of protoscoleces incubated
      in 1:2 diluted normal human serum showed a significant variation (P < 0.001),
      reaching -10 +/- 6 mV after 30 min, and the median depolarization time was
      estimated to be 21 +/- 3 min. The capacity of normal human serum to depolarize
      the tegumental membrane of protoscoleces was abolished by treatment at 50 degrees
      C during 20 min or by 10-fold dilution. In addition, protoscoleces incubated in
      1:10 diluted hydatid human serum plus 1:10 diluted normal human serum or Factor B
      inactivated normal human serum showed a significantly faster depolarization (0.01
      < P < 0.02 and P < 0.001, respectively): the potential difference reached -13 +/-
      5 mV after 15 min and the median depolarization times were 9 +/- 5 and 5 +/- 3
      min, respectively. Our results suggest that following the time course of the
      potential difference is a useful tool for studying complement activation in the
      host-parasite interface and they show that the tegumental membrane of
      protoscoleces can activate the alternative pathway of human complement.

PMID- 1426131
TI  - Plasmodium falciparum: the human agglutinating antibody response to the infected
      red cell surface is predominantly variant specific.
AB  - There is mounting evidence that an important component of the host-protective
      immune response to Plasmodium falciparum is the antibody response to the altered
      surface of the infected erythrocyte. The nature of these surface changes and the
      responses to them have been difficult to analyse because of the diverse nature of
      the parasite-derived neoantigens (PDN) expressed, because of the additional
      presence of modified host determinants, and because of the lack of monospecific
      reagents. We have studied the reactivity of field isolates and laboratory clones
      with pooled or individual sera using a novel approach which obviates the need for
      specific antibody. We see marked diversity in PDN but in contrast to previous
      studies, we also find that the predominant agglutinating antibody response in
      humans is variant specific. Antibodies which cross-react between different
      serotypes are rare and react only with a subset of PDN types. These results have
      implications for mechanisms underlying the development of acquired immunity to P.
      falciparum.

PMID- 1426132
TI  - Plasmodium gallinaceum: antibodies to circumsporozoite protein prevent
      sporozoites from invading the salivary glands of Aedes aegypti.
AB  - A circumsporozoite protein-specific monoclonal antibody (N2H6D5) was injected
      into malaria-infected mosquitoes to determine its effect on the sporogonic cycle.
      After injection of antibody into mosquitoes (100 ng each), positive
      immunofluorescence (measured on air-dried sporozoites) reactions in hemolymph
      extracts were observed at a dilution of 1:1000. At 72 hr postinjection the levels
      dropped to 1:10. Sporozoites coinjected with antibody did not invade the salivary
      glands. In naturally infected mosquitoes, sporozoites were released over a period
      of 3 to 4 days. Therefore, mosquitoes were injected twice. The first injection
      was a day before the beginning of sporozoite release and the second, 2 days
      later. Sporozoite invasion of the salivary glands was assessed 3 days after the
      second injection, by microscopic examination of dissected glands. At this stage,
      all oocysts had completed maturation and released the sporozoites. Salivary gland
      infections were totally prevented in mosquitoes given two injections of 100 ng
      N2H6D5. Hence, sustained presence of anti-circumsporozoite antibodies in the
      hemolymph can render female Aedes aegypti refractory to Plasmodium gallinaceum.

PMID- 1426133
TI  - Schistosoma mansoni: cloning of a complementary DNA encoding a cytosolic Cu/Zn
      superoxide dismutase and high-yield expression of the enzymatically active gene
      product in Escherichia coli.
AB  - We recently purified a 16-kDa cytosolic Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (CT Cu/Zn-SOD)
      from Schistosoma mansoni, a human parasite. Three peptide sequences were
      obtained, one from the unblocked N-terminal and two from internal peptides which
      were generated by digestions with trypsin and cyanogen bromide. These sequences
      were aligned to the corresponding sequences of 19 cytosolic Cu/Zn-SODs from
      various species. Degenerate oligonucleotides were then designed according to the
      sequence and the position of each peptide. The oligonucleotides were used to
      amplify a complete cDNA using the polymerase chain reaction with either adult
      schistosome total RNA or a cercariae lambda gt11 phage cDNA library as the
      template. The protein encoded by the cDNA has 153 amino acids with a calculated
      molecular weight of 15,693. It also has 60-65% homology to 19 cytosolic Cu/Zn-SOD
      from various species. All of the copper/zinc binding sites and SOD activity sites
      are conserved. Computer analysis predicts that the Cu/Zn-SOD has a pI value of
      6.6, which is very close to the experimental results of IEF analysis (6.0 and
      6.3). The entire coding sequence from the cDNA was cloned into a bacterial
      alkaline phosphatase cytosolic expression vector and a large amount of soluble
      product was expressed and purified to homogeneity. We compared the bacterially
      expressed Cu/Zn-SOD with the native enzyme derived from schistosomes and found
      that they are identical by the following criteria: (1) They focus at the same
      positions on IEF gels; (2) they form dimers in solution as measured by gel
      filtration; (3) they have the same unblocked N-terminal sequence; (4) they both
      are enzymatically active with comparable specific activities. The specific
      activity of the bacterially derived enzyme was increased somewhat (approximately
      10%) by incubation with copper and zinc ions.

PMID- 1426134
TI  - Plasmodium cynomolgi: the hsp 70 gene.
AB  - The hsp 70 gene of Plasmodium cynomolgi was isolated and characterized. As
      expected the gene is highly similar to that of the hsp 70 gene of Plasmodium
      falciparum (98% at the protein level, 82% at the nucleotide level). Surprisingly,
      the hsp 70 gene appears to be present in a single copy in all the P. cynomolgi
      strains tested, a finding that has implications for the parasite's ability to
      undergo a heat shock response.

PMID- 1426135
TI  - Schistosoma mansoni: control of hepatotoxicity and egg excretion by immune serum
      in infected immunosuppressed mice is schistosome species-specific, but not S.
      mansoni strain-specific.
AB  - Immunosuppressed mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni suffer from an acute
      hepatotoxicity reaction, and they fail to excrete as many parasite eggs as
      comparably infected immunologically intact control animals. The hepatotoxicity
      was shown here to be preventable, and egg excretion rates were enhanced, by
      transfer of serum from donors with chronic S. mansoni infections, but not by
      serum from donors with heterologous infections of Schistosoma haematobium,
      Schistosoma bovis, or Schistosoma japonicum. The effects of the transferred sera
      are considered to be due to specific antibody, but the possibility of cytokine
      involvement is discussed. A high degree of serological cross-reactivity was found
      between sera from mice infected with the different schistosome species and
      unfractionated egg homogenate (SEA) in ELISA. Cross-reactivity of the
      heterologous sera was, however, reduced against CEF6, a partially purified
      fraction of S. mansoni eggs that contains the putative hepatotoxin and has
      serodiagnostic potential. S. mansoni isolates from Puerto Rico, Brazil, Egypt,
      and Kenya shared similar characteristics with respect to the immune dependence of
      egg excretion and hepatotoxicity in immunosuppressed mice. The S. mansoni
      geographic isolates were also indistinguishable serologically, in terms of both
      the capacity of respective infection sera to neutralize hepatotoxicity and in
      their capacity to promote egg excretion of the other isolates in vivo. Complete
      immunological cross-reactivity of the geographically distinct isolates was also
      observed in ELISA with both CEF6 and SEA. Utilization of CEF6 for serodiagnosis
      of schistosomiasis mansoni is therefore unlikely to be restricted by geographical
      considerations.

PMID- 1426136
TI  - Plasmodium chabaudi AS: erythropoietic responses during infection in resistant
      and susceptible mice.
AB  - The course of anemia and the erythropoietic response in the bone marrow, spleen,
      and blood were studied during Plasmodium chabaudi AS infection in resistant
      C57BL/6 (B6) and susceptible A/J (A) mice. Infections in B6 mice were
      characterized by moderate levels of both parasitemia and anemia and survival. In
      contrast, A mice experienced high parasitemia, severe anemia, and high mortality
      rates. During the period of anemia, erythropoiesis, as measured by in vivo 59Fe
      incorporation, was significantly more depressed in bone marrow and more increased
      in the spleen in resistant B6 mice. The increase in splenic 59Fe incorporation
      was a function of the size of the spleen. Bone marrow CFU-E were decreased to 50%
      of control in both strains, while splenic CFU-E were increased twofold greater in
      B6 mice compared to those in A mice. However, the absolute numbers of CFU-E per
      spleen in the two strains were not significantly different during peak
      parasitemia. Bone marrow BFU-E were transiently increased before peak parasitemia
      whereas splenic BFU-E peaked during peak parasitemia. A mice had significantly
      lower numbers of BFU-E per spleen on all days except at peak parasitemia. The
      frequency of blood-borne BFU-E and plasma erythropoietin titers was increased
      earlier and to a greater extent in A mice. These results suggest that an impaired
      amplification of late-stage splenic erythropoiesis may be an important
      determinant in the severity of anemia and lethality of infection with P. chabaudi
      AS in A mice. Moreover, these results demonstrate that the defective
      amplification of splenic erythropoiesis in A mice is neither caused by a defect
      in the mobilization of BFU-E from the bone marrow to the spleen nor caused by a
      defect in erythropoietin production.

PMID- 1426137
TI  - Nitric oxide-mediated cytostatic activity on Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and
      Trypanosoma brucei brucei.
AB  - Macrophages collected from BCG-infected mice or exposed in vitro to interferon
      gamma plus lipopolysaccharide developed a cytostatic activity on Trypanosoma
      brucei gambiense and Trypanosoma brucei brucei. This trypanostatic activity of
      activated macrophages was inhibited by addition of N-monomethyl-L-arginine, an
      inhibitor of the L-arginine-nitric oxide (NO) metabolic pathway, indicating a
      role for NO as the effector molecule. Contrary to trypanosomes treated with
      N2gas, trypanosomes treated with NO gas did not proliferate in vitro on normal
      macrophages. Compared to mice infected with control parasites, mice infected with
      NO-treated parasites had decreased parasitemias in the first days postinfection
      and had a prolonged survival. Addition of excess iron reversed the trypanostatic
      effect of both activated macrophages and NO gas. These data show that activated
      macrophages exert an antimicrobial effect on T.b. gambiense and T.b. brucei
      through the L-arginine-NO metabolic pathway. In trypanosomes, NO could trigger
      iron loss from critical targets involved in parasite division. The participation
      of this effector mechanism among the other immune elements involved in the
      control of African trypanosomes (antibodies, complement, phagocytic events)
      remains to be defined.

PMID- 1426138
TI  - Plasmodium berghei: sporozoites are sensitive to human serum but not susceptible
      host serum.
AB  - Human complement was activated by rodent malaria, Plasmodium berghei, sporozoites
      through the alternative pathway, as revealed by C3 deposition on sporozoites
      using the fluorescent antibody technique. Sporozoites exposed to fresh human
      serum decreased in infectivity to HepG2 cells, but those exposed to heated or C3
      deficient human serum showed normal infectivity to HepG2 cells. In contrast, C3
      deposition was not observed on the sporozoites treated with mouse or rat serum
      even in the presence of specific polyclonal anti-sporozoite antibody. However,
      following treatment with trypsin (250 micrograms/ml), 81% of salivary gland
      sporozoites and 49% of oocyst sporozoites became reactive with mouse serum, and
      reactive sporozoites deposited mouse C3 on their surface in the presence of 30 mM
      EGTA and 1 mM Mg2+ without antibody. Concomitantly some sporozoites lost
      reactivity to anti-circumsporozoite protein monoclonal antibody. These results
      suggest that P. berghei sporozoites possibly express surface molecules that
      regulate the complement activation pathway of susceptible hosts but not of
      nonhosts, and that the putative structures consist of protease-sensitive
      molecule(s) which are closely associated with the circumsporozoite protein.

PMID- 1426139
TI  - Inhibition of IgM antibody-mediated aggregation of Trypanosoma gambiense in the
      presence of complement.
AB  - This paper deals with the immune reaction between Trypanosoma gambiense and
      monoclonal IgM mouse antibody at equivalence with or without rabbit complement.
      Antibody-mediated trypanosome clumps formed in the absence of complement, and
      were readily dissociated by complement to become free. In the presence of
      complement, on the other hand, T. gambiense were not aggregated by the antibody.
      Free parasites adhered readily to cultured peritoneal macrophages. Complement
      mediated dissociation of the clumped trypanosomes in the equivalence area
      released a large number of previously bound surface antigens. These antigens were
      capable of binding again to fresh IgM antibody. Experimental results further
      indicated that the complement system caused a functional alteration, changing the
      multivalent nature of the IgM antibody in the immune complex into a univalent
      one. This phenomenon is of great advantage to the infected host in clearing
      pathogens in vivo, as it allows more antibodies to attach to trypanosomes and
      subsequently initiate complement activity.

PMID- 1426140
TI  - Positive and negative inotropic effects of carbachol on the embryonic chick
      atrium.
AB  - The effect of carbachol on twitch tension of atrial preparations from chick
      embryos of different incubation ages (3-14 days) was studied. At every age
      carbachol evoked negative (at low concentrations) and positive (at higher
      concentrations) inotropic responses. Maximal response values for both effects
      increased with age; in 3- and 5-day atria the positive inotropic response
      prevailed. The muscarinic antagonist pirenzepine inhibited the positive (on 5-day
      atria) and negative (on strips of 14-day atria) inotropic effects of carbachol
      with pA2 values of 6.8 and 8.0, respectively, suggesting that muscarinic
      receptors mediating these effects belong to different receptor subtypes.

PMID- 1426141
TI  - Stimulation of polydnavirus replication by 20-hydroxyecdysone.
AB  - During oviposition the endoparasitic wasp Campoletis sonorensis, introduces a
      polydnavirus into parasitized insects where viral gene expression is required for
      endoparasite survival. The polydnavirus is integrated into wasp chromosomal DNA
      and replicates only in the ovary. Ecdysteroids regulate the developmental
      expression of many insect genes and may regulate polydnavirus replication. Direct
      verification of viral replication was performed by dot blot hybridization and by
      amplifying DNA sequences containing the viral integration site; this 'junction'
      fragment cannot be amplified from integrated virus. Thoracic ligations and in
      vitro ecdysteroid treatments of wasp ovaries support the hypothesis that
      polydnavirus DNA replication is regulated by ecdysteroid during parasite
      development.

PMID- 1426143
TI  - Endogenous synthesis of peptidoglycan in eukaryotic cells; a novel concept
      involving its essential role in cell division, tumor formation and the biological
      clock.
AB  - Degradation products of peptidoglycan, the universal bacterial cell wall
      constituent, were previously found in animal tissues and urine. Reassessment and
      quantitative analysis of available data lead to an original concept, i.e. that
      eukaryotic cells synthesize peptidoglycan. We present a model in which this
      endogenously synthesized peptidoglycan is essential for the processes of
      eukaryotic cell division and sleep induction in animals. Genes for peptidoglycan
      metabolism, like those for lysine biosynthesis in plants, are probably inherited
      from endosymbiotic bacteria, the ancestors of mitochondria and chloroplasts.
      Corollaries of this concept, i.e. roles for peptidoglycan metabolism in tumor
      formation and in the biological clock, are supported by abundant evidence. We
      propose that many interactions between bacteria and eukaryotes are conditioned by
      their common genetic heritage.

PMID- 1426142
TI  - Perforin and its role in T lymphocyte-mediated cytolysis.
AB  - The killing mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) represents an important
      mechanism in the immune defence against tumors and virus infections. The lytic
      mechanism has been proposed to consist of a polarized secretion of granule-stored
      molecules, occurring on effector-target cell contact. By electron microscopy,
      membrane deposited, pore-like lesions are detected on the target cell membrane
      during cytolysis by CTL. These structures resembled strikingly pores formed
      during complement attack. Granules of CTL isolated by nitrogen cavitation and
      Percoll gradient centrifugation were shown to retain cytotoxic activity. Further
      purification of proteins stored in these granules led to the discovery of a
      membranolytic protein named perforin which was capable of polymerizing into pore
      like structures. In addition to this cytolytic protein, a set of serine esterases
      was found as well as lysosomal enzymes and proteoglycans, whose function are not
      yet clearly defined. The role of perforin in the cytotoxic process is currently
      being explored by ablating the active gene in mice.

PMID- 1426144
TI  - Intercellular communication in smooth muscle.
AB  - The functioning of a group of cells as a tissue depends on intercellular
      communication; an example is the spread of action potentials through intestinal
      tissue resulting in synchronized contraction. Recent evidence for cell
      heterogeneity within smooth muscle tissues has renewed research into cell
      coupling. Electrical coupling is essential for propagation of action potentials
      in gastrointestinal smooth muscle. Metabolic coupling may be involved in
      generation of pacemaker activity. This review deals with the role of cell
      coupling in tissue function and some of the issues discussed are the relationship
      between electrical synchronization and gap junctions, metabolic coupling, and the
      role of interstitial cells of Cajal in coupling.

PMID- 1426146
TI  - Bioaccumulation processes in ecosystems.
AB  - The fate of environmental pollutants--the various isotopes of elements, and
      inorganic or organic compounds--is a fundamental aspect of ecology and
      ecotoxicology, and bioaccumulation is a phenomenon often discussed in this
      context. Human activities have drastically altered natural concentrations of many
      substances in the environment and added numerous new chemicals. An understanding
      of the processes of bioaccumulation is important for several reasons. 1)
      Bioaccumulation in organisms may enhance the persistence of industrial chemicals
      in the ecosystem as a whole, since they can be fixed in the tissues of organisms.
      2) Stored chemicals are not exposed to direct physical, chemical, or biochemical
      degradation. 3) Stored chemicals can directly affect an individual's health. 4)
      Predators of those organisms that have bioaccumulated harmful substances may be
      endangered by food chain effects. While former theories on the processes of
      bioaccumulation focused on single aspects that affect the extent of accumulation
      (such as the trophic level within the food chain or the lipophilicity of the
      chemical), modern theories are based on compartmental kinetics and the
      integration of various environmental interactions. Concepts include results from
      quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR), pharmacokinetics,
      ecophysiology and general biology, molecular genetic aspects and selection, and
      finally the structure of communities and man-made alterations in them.

PMID- 1426147
TI  - A study of granulated metrial gland cell differentiation in pregnant, macrophage
      deficient, osteopetrotic (op/op) mice.
AB  - A population of uterine natural killer (NK) cells, commonly called granulated
      metrial gland (GMG) cells, differentiates in the mouse uterus during normal
      pregnancy. Little is known regarding the process of differentiation of GMG cells
      or of other NK cell subsets. It has been suggested that macrophage precursors,
      under the combined influences of the cytokine growth factors colony stimulating
      factor-1 (CSF-1) and interleukin-2, become NK-cell like in morphology, pattern of
      target cell lysis and surface antigen phenotype. Mice expressing the mutation
      osteopetrosis (op/op) are unable to produce the cytokine CSF-1. To determine
      whether CSF-1 is required for the successful differentiation of uterine NK cells,
      implantation sites in pregnant, op/op mice were studied histologically. GMG cell
      differentiation appeared to progress normally in op/op mice studied between days
      7 and 14 of gestation. Thus, the growth factor CSF-1 is not required for
      differentiation of the uterine NK cell subset known as GMG cells and probably GMG
      cells do not differentiate from macrophage precursor cells which are deficient in
      op/op mice.

PMID- 1426145
TI  - Human slow wave sleep: a review and appraisal of recent findings, with
      implications for sleep functions, and psychiatric illness.
AB  - Recent findings concerning human slow wave sleep (hSWS-stages 3 + 4; delta EEG
      activity) are critically reviewed. Areas covered include the significance of the
      first hSWS cycle; hSWS in extended sleep; relationship between hSWS, prior
      wakefulness and sleep loss; hSWS influence on sleep length; problems with hSWS
      deprivation; influence of the circadian rhythm; individual differences in hSWS,
      especially, age, gender and constitutional variables such as physical fitness and
      body composition. Transient increases in hSWS can be produced by increasing both
      the quality and quantity of prior wakefulness, with an underlying mechanism
      perhaps relating to the waking level of brain metabolism. Whilst there may also
      be thermoregulatory influences on hSWS, hypotheses that energy conservation and
      brain cooling are major roles for hSWS are debatable. hSWS seems to offer some
      form of cerebral recovery, with the prefrontal cortex being particularly
      implicated. The hSWS characteristics of certain forms of major psychiatric
      disorders may well endorse this prefrontal link.

PMID- 1426148
TI  - Mechanoelectrical transduction, ion movement and water stasis in uromodulin.
AB  - Mechanical movement of a column of the urinary glycoprotein uromodulin modulates
      an applied voltage. This change is a property of the glycoprotein and its
      interaction with the walls of the container and is related to its capacitance.
      The voltage modulation is not accompanied by changes in rotationally restricted
      water as has been reported for hyaluronic acid. Diffusion experiments with
      tritiated water also support the hypothesis that uromodulin acts as a water
      barrier, but allows ion movement.

PMID- 1426149
TI  - The effect of shock on blood oxidation-reduction potential.
AB  - Oxidation-reduction (redox) potential measurements were made in the blood of
      rabbits subjected to hemorrhagic shock followed by treatment with a mild
      oxidizing agent (albumin). Control redox potential reading corrected for pH was 
      8.8 +/- 1.3 millivolts (mV) in arterial blood (A) and -18.0 +/- 2.0 mV in venous
      blood (V). This A-V difference indicated that hydrogen equivalents coming from
      muscle and other tissues were partially consumed in the lungs. A 20-mV drop on
      the V and a 13 mV on the A side was seen after shock. This did not fully return
      to control 2 h after return of the shed blood. Infusion of 2 g of albumin/kg/h
      raised the V redox potential to control, but it returned to untreated levels when
      the albumin was discontinued. The reductive load imposed on the animal by shock
      appeared to be large and not readily reversed by reperfusion or by the quantity
      of albumin given. Thus, it may be concluded that cellular respiration had not
      been adequately restored. This reductive load may impede recovery by suppression
      of cellular respiration and other cell and organ functions.

PMID- 1426150
TI  - The presence of free D-serine, D-alanine and D-proline in human plasma.
AB  - Twelve neutral free amino acids, i.e. serine, threonine, glutamine, asparagine,
      alanine, proline, methionine, tyrosine, valine, leucine, isoleucine and
      phenylalanine, were surveyed for the presence of D-enantiomers in plasma samples
      from patients with renal diseases and from normal subjects. D-serine, D-alanine
      and D-proline were found in the patient's plasma. The highest concentrations (D/L
      ratio) of D-serine, D-alanine and D-proline were 0.2362, 0.2087 and 0.0986,
      respectively. The sum of the contents of the three D-amino acid was shown to be
      present in the plasma proteins.

PMID- 1426152
TI  - Influence of flupirtine, a novel nonopioid analgesic agent on somatosensory
      evoked potentials in rats.
AB  - The effect of flupirtine, a novel nonopioid analgesic, on somatosensory evoked
      potentials (SEP) was investigated in anesthetized rats. Primary somatosensory
      potentials were evoked in the cerebral cortex by stimulation of the skin of the
      whiskery part of the face. Flupirtine injected i.p. dose-dependently prolonged
      the latency and reduced the amplitude of SEP with ID50-values of 5.4 mg/kg (2.6
      9.3 mg/kg) and 7.9 mg/kg (3.9-13.8 mg/kg), respectively. This effect of
      flupirtine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) on the latency and the amplitude of SEP, did not
      change when naloxone (1 mg/kg, i.p.) was given before flupirtine. The results
      indicate that the analgesic flupirtine decreases the primary somatosensory evoked
      potential by diminishing the excitability of cortical neurons. Opioid mechanisms
      are not involved.

PMID- 1426151
TI  - The effect of ascorbic acid on cadmium accumulation in guinea pig tissues.
AB  - Accumulation of cadmium in organs of guinea pigs after subchronic oral cadmium
      treatment (1 mg Cd/animal/24 h) was in the following order: kidneys > liver >
      heart > testes > brain. The preventive effects of high doses of ascorbic acid
      (AA) against cadmium deposition were more pronounced in the testes, heart and
      brain, and in the kidney only after short-term cadmium treatment. Ascorbic acid
      had no protective effect on cadmium accumulation in the liver.

PMID- 1426153
TI  - Effect of a restricted diet on the in vitro glucose-induced insulin release of
      aging rats.
AB  - To study the effect of a sudden loss of body weight on the beta-cell function of
      aging rats, basal and glucose-induced insulin secretion was measured in
      pancreatic islets obtained from young (2-month-old), adult (12-month-old) and
      aging (24-month-old) rats, either fed ad libitum or fed a restricted diet (50%
      caloric restriction). Basal insulin secretion was similar in islets of young,
      adult and older rats. Glucose stimulated insulin release was significantly
      reduced in aging rats as compared to young animals. Animals fed a restricted diet
      showed a prolonged and higher secretory rate during first phase release when
      compared to animals fed ad libitum.

PMID- 1426154
TI  - Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate-binding sites in plasma membrane from human
      uterine cervical fibroblasts.
AB  - Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHA-S) plays a critical role in cervical
      dilatation at labor. Incubation of cervical fibroblasts with [3H]DHA-S caused a
      rapid and saturable increase in cellular radioactivity: an apparent equilibrium
      was reached by 2 min. There was no detectable conversion of DHA-S into DHA or
      oestradiol. When the fibroblasts loaded with [3H]DHA-S were homogenized and
      fractionated, the specific radioactivity in the plasma membrane fraction was
      enriched approximately 8- to 9-fold compared with the whole homogenate; only low
      amounts of radioactivity were observed in the other subcellular fractions. The
      binding of DHA-S to plasma membrane preparations showed saturation kinetics with
      an apparent equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) of 12 nM, and the binding
      capacity (Bmax) was calculated to be 1.25 fmol/mg protein. Neither DHA nor
      oestrone sulfate affected [3H]DHA-S binding to the plasma membrane. The plasma
      membranes of skin fibroblasts did not show specific binding sites for DHA-S.
      These findings demonstrate the presence of specific binding sites for DHA-S in
      the plasma membrane of cervical stroma cells. The fetal adrenal steroid may exert
      its action on cervical ripening at least in part through membrane-associated
      binding sites, or receptors.

PMID- 1426155
TI  - Evidence that protein kinase-A, calcium-calmodulin kinase and cytoskeletal
      proteins are involved in osteoclast retraction induced by calcitonin.
AB  - Calcitonin is a direct inhibitor of osteoclastic activity. Osteoclast retraction
      is readily induced by calcitonin and it is possible that calcitonin-induced
      inhibition of bone resorption is in part due to this effect. However, little is
      known of the mechanisms of this action. In these studies, we have investigated
      the intracellular signalling pathway of calcitonin-induced osteoclast retraction
      using cultures of freshly isolated rat osteoclasts. The spread area occupied by
      single Giemsa-stained rat osteoclasts was measured in vitro by a computer imaging
      analysis system and used as a quantitative parameter for calculating the degree
      of osteoclast retraction in response to various agents. Our results show that
      cAMP may be an important second messenger in the reaction of osteoclasts to
      calcitonin. Moreover, both protein kinase-A and calcium/calmodulin-dependent
      protein kinase are involved in the osteoclast retraction induced by this hormone,
      while cytoskeletal proteins are required for the process to occur.

PMID- 1426156
TI  - Ultrastructural alterations in mouse capillary blood vessels after experimental
      injection of venom from the snake Bothrops asper (Terciopelo).
AB  - Histological and ultrastructural alterations in capillary blood vessels were
      studied at various time intervals after im injection of 50 micrograms of Bothrops
      asper snake venom in mouse gastrocnemius muscle. Hemorrhage was observed as early
      as 5 min after envenomation, as abundant erythrocytes appeared in the
      interstitial space. Ultrastructural observations revealed two different patterns
      of pathological changes: in the majority of damaged capillaries, endothelial
      cells had blebs and cytoplasmic projections pinching off to the lumen. This
      phenomenon was observed together with a decrease in the number of pinocytotic
      vesicles, with endothelial cells becoming very thin. As an apparent consequence
      of this process, some endothelial cells had evident gaps in their continuity. In
      addition, basal laminae surrounding these capillaries were altered and
      discontinuous. Other endothelial cells underwent a morphologically different
      process of degeneration, characterized by swelling of the endoplasmic reticulum
      and of the cytosol. These cells had a diffuse appearance and their basal laminae
      were discontinuous or absent. No major changes in the intercellular junctions
      were noticed in damaged endothelial cells. Samples obtained 30 and 60 min after
      venom injection were devoid of normal capillaries in many areas, and only diffuse
      remnants of their structure were found. Many altered capillaries had platelet
      aggregates and fibrin, the latter also being observed in the interstitial space.
      It is concluded that B. asper venom induces rapid and drastic pathological
      effects on capillaries leading to hemorrhage per rhexis i.e., erythrocytes
      probably escape through gaps in damaged endothelial cells and not through widened
      intercellular junctions.

PMID- 1426158
TI  - Normal elastin content of aorta in bovine Marfan syndrome.
AB  - Samples from the ascending aortae from two calves affected by bovine Marfan
      syndrome were subjected to biochemical analyses of the connective tissue and were
      compared to age-matched controls. Elastin was extracted from the aortic samples
      with 5 M guanidine-HCl, bacterial collagenase digestion, and dithiothreitol
      reduction. Amino acid analysis revealed that desmosine and isodesmosine levels
      were the same in Marfan calves as in control animals. Gravimetric measurements of
      elastin, amino acid composition, soluble protein, and uronic acid values also
      showed no significant difference between Marfan and control tissue. In contrast
      to elastin, collagen in aortae of Marfan calves was significantly higher than the
      mean of several controls. These findings, along with other observations of this
      animal model, support the conclusion that the microscopic and biochemical lesions
      of aortic elastin in bovine Marfan syndrome likely result from defective
      microfibrillar metabolism. Absence of cystic medial necrosis in bovine Marfan
      aortae may explain normal elastin content in the animal model.

PMID- 1426157
TI  - Increased platelet, but unaltered fibrinogen, accumulation in experimental
      thrombi in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits.
AB  - Platelets from diabetic humans and animals have been found previously to be
      hypersensitive to agonists, including thrombin, in vitro but it is unclear if
      this hypersensitivity also occurs in vivo and leads to a greater thrombotic
      tendency. In the present study, the effect of diabetes was examined on thrombus
      formation and vessel wall responses which result from continuous intimal injury
      induced by indwelling aortic catheters in rabbits. Platelet and fibrin(ogen)
      associated with the thrombus and damaged aortae were examined. Control or alloxan
      induced diabetic rabbits (9-12 months after initial treatment) were injected with
      51Cr-labeled autologous platelets and 125I-labeled fibrinogen (prepared from
      control rabbits) before insertion of indwelling aortic catheters. The
      anesthetized rabbits were perfused-fixed after 20 hr or 4 days. The dry weight of
      thrombus that formed was determined and platelet and fibrin(ogen) accumulation in
      thrombi and on injured aortae were calculated from the associated 51Cr and 125I,
      respectively. In diabetic rabbits, more platelets accumulated in the thrombi
      which formed after either 20 hr or 4 days, although the weight of thrombus and
      net fibrin(ogen) incorporation into the thrombus were not different from
      corresponding control rabbits. Net platelet and fibrin(ogen) association with the
      injured aortae were not different between control and diabetic rabbits. It is
      likely that the increased platelet accumulation in arterial thrombi in diabetic
      rabbits which results from continuous injury to aortae is a consequence of
      hypersensitivity of these platelets to thrombin generated in the thrombus and at
      the sites of vessel injury.

PMID- 1426159
TI  - Pathology of chemically induced chronic active hepatitis in mice.
AB  - Female Swiss mice were treated for 24 weeks, with 3-hydroxy-4-pyrone (Py) added
      to their powdered diet at 0.5% (wt/wt), and the effects of this agent on the
      liver were examined. Serum transaminases (especially GPT) rose continuously,
      while the GOT/GPT ratio remained at approximately 1.0 throughout the study
      period. The characteristic changes found from 8 weeks onward were piecemeal
      necrosis and bridging necrosis of the hepatocytes with dense lymphocytic
      infiltration. Proliferation of collagen fibers in the portal tracts and formation
      of narrow fibrous septa dividing the lobules into pseudolobules were also noted
      from 12 weeks onward. A large number of the infiltrating lymphocytes were
      identified as T cells by immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies.
      These lymphocytes often surrounded or were closely attached to degenerating
      hepatocytes. Focal apoptosis and necrosis accompanied by a granulomatous reaction
      of the centrilobular hepatocytes were noted as early changes in the liver. Our
      findings indicate that the hepatic changes produced in mice by long-term Py
      administration have characteristics in common with those of human chronic active
      hepatitis. Immunological cytotoxic mechanisms, especially T cell-mediated ones,
      appear to play an essential role in the development of hepatic lesions in this
      murine model of chronic active hepatitis.

PMID- 1426160
TI  - Cytoskeleton-dependent surface blebbing induced by the polar solvent N
      methylformamide.
AB  - In vivo and in vitro studies performed on the polar solvent N-methylformamide
      (NMF), as well as on its association with chemotherapeutic agents or X rays, have
      clearly demonstrated that this compound is capable of inducing changes in
      biological characteristics of tumor cells, e.g., cell differentiation. However,
      the mechanism of action of NMF is far from being elucidated. Hence, in order to
      better clarify such a mechanism an in vitro study was carried out by using mouse
      fibroblasts in primary culture (MEF) and human melanoma cultured cells (M14).
      Results obtained by immunocytochemical and ultrastructural methods with doses of
      NMF ranging from 0.1 to 7% are reported here. As a general rule, a different
      sensitivity (in terms of cytopathologic changes induced by NMF) was found between
      the cell types considered. In fact, melanoma cells appeared to be highly
      susceptible to the action of the drug, undergoing severe morphological
      modifications represented mainly by a reversible dose and time-dependent cell
      rounding and surface blebbing. In contrast, NMF-induced injury in MEF cells was
      characterized mainly by a simple retraction of the cell body. A cytochemical
      analysis of the expression of certain membrane antigens (e.g., glycoproteins,
      epidermal growth factor receptor, B2 microglobulin) in NMF-treated M14 cells
      undergoing blebbing was also carried out. A randomly distributed labeling of such
      molecules was observed. Accordingly, freeze-fracturing electron microscopic
      analysis also displayed a random distribution of intramembrane particles over the
      plasma membrane. When subcellular changes induced by the drug were investigated,
      a remarkable modification of cytoskeletal components was detected in both cell
      types. In particular, cross-linked actin microfilament bundles were easily
      observed in NMF-exposed MEF cells. Finally, when different experimental
      conditions which perturb calcium ion homeostasis or restore protein thiol group
      reduced state were analyzed, a noticeable impairment of the blebbing phenomenon
      was observed. Thus, a target effect of NMF on the microfilament system, probably
      leading, in turn, to several subcellular changes and cell surface blebbing, can
      be hypothesized. Such a cytoskeletal element-dependent cytopathology appears to
      be related to changes of the oxidized state of such molecules as well as to
      calcium ion perturbations.

PMID- 1426162
TI  - Prevalence of hepatitis B markers in the population of Catalonia (Spain).
      Rationale for universal vaccination of adolescents.
AB  - The prevalence of hepatitis B markers was determined in a representative sample
      of the general population of Catalonia (Spain). HBsAg was found in 0.5% of
      children (less than 15 years of age) and in 1.7% of adults (more than 15 years of
      age), and anti HBs in 1.6% and 18%, respectively. Age-specific prevalence for
      both markers showed a low risk for hepatitis B before puberty, and a progressive
      rise since adolescence, suggesting that perinatal transmission and horizontal
      transmission in children are relatively uncommon in Spain. Prevalence of
      hepatitis B markers was significantly higher among subjects with low education
      level, residing in an urban area and born outside Catalonia, but in the
      stratified analysis, a statistical significant difference was only maintained in
      the prevalence of HBV markers between those who live in urban and rural areas,
      and between those who were born outside Catalonia and in Catalonia. These data
      may be used as a basis for a strategy of hepatitis B prevention in Spain which
      include universal vaccination of adolescents, passive-active immunization of
      newborns to HBsAg positive mothers and vaccination of susceptible adults subjects
      from high-risk groups.

PMID- 1426161
TI  - A descriptive study of pregnant women with gallstones. Relation to dietary and
      social habits, education, physical activity, height, and weight.
AB  - Five hundred and twelve women attending the antenatal clinic of the Rotunda
      Hospital of Dublin were studied by means of abdominal real time ultrasound (US)
      scanning to establish some of the characteristics of those subjects found to be
      gallstone-positive, compared to the gallstone-negative control population.
      Coffee, tea and sucrose consumption, dietary fats, attendance at fast-food
      restaurants, education, cigarette smoking, alcohol, and physical activity did not
      show any substantial differences between the two groups, while there was a
      significantly higher prevalence of cholelithiasis in women who had been dieting
      and in overweight subjects.

PMID- 1426163
TI  - Chlamydial genital infections and laparoscopic findings in infertile women.
AB  - Several studies have shown that previous chlamydial genital infection, reflected
      by serological markers, is strongly associated with tubal damage leading to tubal
      infertility. In 105 women undergoing laparoscopy, multiple samples were collected
      from the lower (urethra and cervix) and upper (endometrium, peritoneal fluid,
      tubal lumen) genital tract, in order to isolate Chlamydia trachomatis in cell
      culture. Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from at least one site in 13 (30.9%)
      of 42 infertile women with tubal infertility, in 5 (12.1%) of 41 women with
      unexplained infertility, in 1 of 4 women affected by acute salpingitis and in 1
      (5.5%) of 18 women with endometriosis or uterine malformations. The latter group
      was the control group. Thirteen (65%) of the 20 positive women harboured
      Chlamydia trachomatis in their upper genital tract alone and 16 women were
      positive in one or both tubes. Only one of the positive women showed laparoscopic
      signs of acute pelvic infection. Four of the 5 positive women with unexplained
      infertility harboured Chlamydia trachomatis in the tubal lumen. This study
      confirms that chlamydial infection is strongly associated with tubal damage. It
      suggests that cervical cultures are inadequate for excluding a tubal infection
      and that chlamydial colonization of the tubal mucosa is possible in the absence
      of symptoms and laparoscopic signs of active infection.

PMID- 1426164
TI  - Long-term immunogenicity safety and efficacy of a recombinant hepatitis B vaccine
      in healthy adults.
AB  - Two hundred healthy adults seronegative for HBV markers received three 10 or 20
      mcg injections of a vaccine formulated from HBsAg produced by a recombinant
      strain of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The vaccine was administered
      intramuscularly at 0, 1, and 6 months in the deltoid region. The seroconversion
      rates, expressed in GMT/IU/1 were determined at 1, 2, 6, 7, 12, 24, 36 and 48
      months following the initial injection. No severe or serious adverse reactions
      attributable to the HB vaccines were observed in any subject. The seroconversion
      rates following the 20 mcg dose of recombinant vaccine were always higher than
      those observed after the 10 mcg dose, but the differences were not statistically
      significant. Also the GMT values were lower after the 10 mcg dose of vaccine.
      Females showed a higher anti-HBs response than males; an age-dependent effect was
      observed in the anti-HBs response as regards both the percentage of responders
      and the antibody concentrations in the serum. No adverse reactions to the vaccine
      were observed. The rDNA vaccine did not induce a response to yeast-derived
      impurities and did not increase anti-yeast IgE antibody titres. The results of
      this study have shown that the Amgen rDNA vaccine is safe and clinically well
      tolerated, and that it provides protection against infection and disease. A
      vaccination dose of 20 mcg appears more advantageous for healthy adult subjects.

PMID- 1426165
TI  - Job absenteeism and arterial hypertension: results of a hypertension control
      program.
AB  - This study reports the findings of one of the stages of a programme for the
      detection and control of arterial hypertension, started in 1980 in an automobile
      company with a workforce of 9,782. In the initial screening, 522 hypertensive
      males were found using epidemiological criteria and 206 of these fulfilled the
      criteria of definite hypertension. The objective of this study consisted of
      evaluating, 9 years after the start of the program, the indirect cost in terms of
      the reduction in the morbidity indicator-temporary work incapacity (TWI).
      Analysis is based on a comparison of the prevalence of hypertension in the
      population when the program was begun (6%) and in 1989 (9.8%). It can be observed
      that the TWI rate of the hypertensive population was significantly higher than
      that of the rest of the workforce, and that this remained true for the reference
      group (RG) hypertensives a year after the study was initiated. In contrast, the
      intervention group (IG) showed significantly lower TWI levels, not only in
      comparison with the RG but also with the rest of the workers. The estimated
      reduction in TWI for 1989 was 4.500 days/year, which corresponds to an estimated
      saving of 76.500.000 pesetas/year.

PMID- 1426166
TI  - Serological response of tuberculosis patients to antigen 60 of BCG.
AB  - Two ELISA tests (IgG and IgM) for the serodiagnosis of tuberculosis, both based
      on antigen 60 (A60) of M. bovis BCG, were applied to 1,644 controls and patients
      to analyse the immune response in different forms of this infectious disease. Out
      of 200 healthy individuals, 148 being tuberculin--positive BCG-vaccinated adults,
      only 10 contacts--nurses of the pneumology department and laboratory technicians
      of the mycobacterial laboratory--were found positive for anti-A60 IgG. One
      quarter of hospitalized patients affected by non-tuberculous pneumopathies (194
      in total) were found weakly positive for anti-A60 IgG. We suppose that these
      positive cases have suffered from inapperant infections and are in a "persistent
      state". Out of 344 cases of primary pulmonary tuberculosis, 88% were positive for
      anti-A60 IgG and 75% for the corresponding IgM. Among 97 cases of primary extra
      pulmonary tuberculosis, 94% were found IgG positive and 33% IgM positive. The
      difference between active and inactive post-primary (chronic) tuberculosis was
      striking: about 100% of both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary cases (367 altogether)
      had high titers of anti-A60 IgG but IgM positivity was observed in only 15% of
      the cases, whereas in inactive and quiescent noncavitary tuberculosis (442
      cases), 57% of the patients were weakly positive for anti-A60 IgG and none were
      positive for IgM. Kinetics of synthesis of anti-A60 IgG and IgM were analysed in
      primary and post-primary (chronic) active tuberculosis. The IgM tracing immune
      response to A60 was shorter and lower during primary tuberculosis as compared to
      post-primary tuberculosis. Our findings point to the high prognostic value of the
      A60- ELISA test for tuberculosis. Anti-A60 IgM mark initial stages of the disease
      or reactivation processes whereas anti-A60 IgG last longer than IgM and provide
      an evaluation of the intensity of the infectious process. Repeated serological
      tests allow monitoring of the course of the infection and the efficacy of
      therapy. The test is negative in healthy BCG-vaccinated persons (tuberculin
      positive) and healed tuberculous infection cases. The combined use of both IgG
      and IgM tests helps in the correct diagnosis of "false positive" cases.

PMID- 1426167
TI  - Evaluation of an immunoenzymatic test (ELISA) for the diagnosis of leptospirosis
      in Italy.
AB  - An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was assessed to detect in humans IgM
      and IgG against the main serogroups/serovars of Leptospira present in Italy.
      Sonicated antigens from strain Wijnberg, serogroups Icterohaemorrhagiae and
      Riccio 2, serogroup Australis, were used in ELISA and the results were compared
      to microagglutination test (MAT). IgM were confirmed to be the predominant class
      of antibodies; the total sensitivity obtained by Wijnberg/ELISA with the sera of
      patients infected by different serogroups was 81.5% in relation to MAT, better
      sensitivity was achieved by the use of Riccio 2/ELISA; no reaction occurred with
      the control sera. Cross-reactivity was noted with some sera of patients with Lyme
      disease (IgM) and with few sera of patients with autoimmune disease (IgM and
      IgG). To improve the sensitivity of the ELISA both antigens Wijnberg and Riccio 2
      must be employed in the immunoenzymatic assay, since serogroup Australis must be
      considered as a new emerging serogroup causing human leptospirosis in our
      country.

PMID- 1426168
TI  - Occurrence of bacteremia in hematologic patients.
AB  - In the present study we reviewed eighty-six episodes of bacteremia occurred in 60
      neutropenic patients and thirty-one episodes occurred in 30 non-neutropenic
      patients. Twenty-four out of 60 neutropenic patients suffered from multiple
      episodes of bacteremia, while only one out of 30 non-neutropenic patients
      presented multiple episodes. In neutropenic patients, 29 episodes of bacteremia
      were polymicrobial, whereas only one non-neutropenic patient had polymicrobial
      bacteremia. Intravascular catheters were the most common source of bacteremia
      (23.2%) in neutropenic patients, as compared with infections of the genito
      urinary tract (45.1%) among non-neutropenic patients. In both groups, aerobic
      gram-positive cocci were the microorganisms most frequently isolated (71.6%).
      Anaerobic microorganisms showed an higher incidence in polymicrobial episodes
      than in monomicrobial episodes x 2 = 5.39 p = 0.02 OR = 2.97 95% CI (1.2-7.7).

PMID- 1426169
TI  - Cholesterol and other cardiovascular risk factors in a working population in Ile
      de-France (France): first results of the PCV-METRA study.
AB  - In 1989, the French PCV-METRA Group (PCV-METRA = Prevention Cardio-Vasculaire en
      Medecine du Travail) started a large prospective survey of cardiovascular (CDV)
      morbidity and mortality and of CVD risk factors, especially cholesterol, in a
      working population in Ile-de-France, a region including Paris. This report
      presents the first results of this study, based on a sample of 5758 men and 2603
      women, aged 18-65 years. The variables examined included the levels of total
      cholesterol 1/2 (TC), High-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density
      lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and the other major CVD risk factors (smoking,
      sedentary way of life, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, use of oral
      contraceptives and familial history of CVD risks). TC and LDL-C significantly
      increased with age. The changes with age were significantly different in men and
      women. The levels were similar in both sexes at less than 30 yrs, increased
      sharply for men after age 30 and were significantly higher in men than in women
      from 30 to 55 yrs. Beyond 55 yrs, no difference was observed between the two
      sexes. In contrast, HDL-C was higher in women at all age ranges. In the total
      sample, 35% of men and 21% of women were hypercholesterolemic (TC > or = 2.4
      g/L). Our observations fully confirm and refine previous findings in the US and
      in other European countries. In addition, a substantial set of data on CVD risk
      factors for the working population in France, especially for female subjects for
      whom data are scanty, is now available.

PMID- 1426170
TI  - HTLV-II among Italian intravenous drug users and hemophiliacs.
AB  - The seroprevalence of HTLV-I/II was evaluated in 1247 Italian individuals at high
      risk for HIV infection. The population studied consisted of 985 intravenous drug
      users (IVDUs), 474 of whom on methadone maintenance and 511 in a therapeutic
      community, 110 HIV-infected patients in various stages of HIV-related disease and
      152 hemophiliacs. Sera were screened for antibody to HTLV-I/II by enzyme
      immunoassay (EIA) and confirmed by Western blot and radioimmunoprecipitation
      assay. Confirmed positive samples were further differentiated by EIA using HTLV-I
      and HTLV-II specific peptides. The overall prevalence of anti-HTLV-I/II was 4.0%
      in IVDUs, with the highest prevalence (8.2%) among HIV-infected symptomatic
      patients. None of the hemophiliacs was anti-HTLV-I/II positive, even though 63.1%
      tested positive for HIV antibodies. The trend of seroprevalence in drug users and
      the evaluation of possible risk factors demonstrated that HTLV-I/II infection has
      been present in Italy before the onset of HIV epidemic. The overall
      seroprevalence showed no significant changes during the 10 year period covered by
      this survey but correlated with HIV seropositivity, age and duration of drug use.
      Peptide testing showed that HTLV infection was mainly due to HTLV-II.

PMID- 1426171
TI  - The association of low socio-economic status in metropolitan Adelaide with
      maternal demographic and obstetric characteristics and pregnancy outcome.
AB  - The South Australian perinatal statistics collection for 1988 was used to
      consider the association of low socio-economic status in metropolitan Adelaide
      (South Australia) with maternal demographic and obstetric characteristics and
      pregnancy outcome in 12047 singleton births. Socio-economic status--low, middle
      or high--was inferred from the socio-economic rating of the postcode of
      residence. Chi-squared analyses were carried out to test for significant trends
      in proportions of pregnancy and pregnancy outcome variables across the socio
      economic groupings. There was trend for the proportions of adverse obstetric and
      perinatal outcomes to decrease with increasing level of socio-economic status.
      Logistic regression analysis, adjusted for maternal age, marital status, race,
      parity and gestational age, confirmed the findings of the trend analyses, namely
      that mothers from the poor socio-economic areas were at a greater risk for poor
      pregnancy outcome. These poor outcomes included Apgar scores of less that 7 at
      both 1 and 5 minutes after birth, delay in onset of regular breathing of 5
      minutes or longer; the need for intubation; the use of narcotic antagonists; low
      birthweight of under 2500 g; the need for special nursey care; and neonatal
      death.

PMID- 1426172
TI  - Infection and cancer: current state of art.
AB  - Empirical evidence of the association of cancer with parasitic and viral
      infectious agents has been recognized earlier. Today, viruses are thought to
      account for about 10% of all cancers and they take a central place in
      experimental cancer research. This area has expanded tremendously with modern
      molecular biology techniques, the knowledge of gene expression, cellular enzyme
      and mechanisms of transformation. However, the last proof of causality is not yet
      available. Serologic, virologic, experimental and protective evidence is needed
      to confirm the assumptions in this rapidly developing field of research. The
      prevention of hepato-cellular carcinoma by effective vaccines now available is,
      in the opinion of the WHO, at least theoretically possible.

PMID- 1426173
TI  - Condom use and sexual habits of heterosexual intravenous drug users in northern
      Italy.
AB  - In order to assess modes of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission from
      heterosexual intravenous drug users (IVDUs) to their partners, condom use and
      sexual habits with both steady and occasional partners were investigated. A total
      of 349 heterosexual IVDUs (247 men and 102 women) who ignored, at the time of
      interview, their HIV serostatus were interviewed. Respondents were asked for
      information on condom use and sexual habits for the three year period prior to
      the interview. Nearly 40% of IVDUs reported sexual intercourse with both steady
      partners and occasional partners. Fifty-four percent of their steady partners and
      48% of their occasional partners were individuals who did not belong to groups at
      risk for HIV infection. Anal intercourse with steady partners was reported by 29%
      of IVDUs and 24% of IVDUs with occasional partners. Condom use during vaginal
      intercourse was seldom reported: 83% of IVDUs never used a condom with steady
      partners and 75% did not use one with occasional partners. IVDUs who were 1)
      unmarried, 2) enrolled in the study after 1986, 3) partners of not at-risk
      individuals, 4) partners of a foreigner and, 5) aware of their partners HIV
      seropositivity showed significantly higher, albeit still low, frequencies of
      condom use with steady partners. Conversely, all these factors seemed to have
      little impact on condom use with occasional partners. Condom use and sexual
      habits were similarly reported by HIV-positive and HIV-negative IVDUs. The
      present study shows that high-risk sexual behaviours among IVDUs are very
      widespread and it stresses the need for intensive counselling to promote condom
      use among IVDUs.

PMID- 1426174
TI  - Proximal femoral fractures: prevalence in different racial groups.
AB  - This paper describes the methodology and the results of a study performed in
      Central England. The predominant racial group here is "White European" (Europid).
      There are smaller numbers of people of Indian origin (Indids) and still smaller
      numbers of Afro-Caribbean and of Mongolian ancestry (Mongoloids). We found no
      significant differences in the incidence of hip fractures in the first two
      groups. The study population was 1600 consecutive patients with proximal femoral
      fractures (PFF). The difficulties of racial classification are discussed. To
      elucidate the predisposing factors for PFF, large scale collaborative studies
      between medical centres in the major European, Asian, African and American
      conurbations are suggested. Racial burden may be one such factor; osteoporosis
      may be another.

PMID- 1426175
TI  - Heredity of asthma in Saudi population.
AB  - In a cross-sectional study, the prevalence of asthma, hay fever and eczema was
      studied in 1150 schoolchildren attending school in Jeddah Western region of Saudi
      Arabia. The family histories of asthma, hay fever and eczema were examined in
      first degree relatives. The age range of children studied was 7-12 years, with a
      mean of 9.3 years (47% boys and 53% girls). A self-administered questionnaire was
      completed by the parents of the child to collect information concerning bronchial
      asthma, hay fever, and eczema in the target child and family history of
      respiratory allergy. A detailed family history and personal histories of asthma
      were available for 1035 Saudi children aged 7-12 years old. The rate of asthma
      and hay fever were significantly higher among siblings and offspring (cases)
      compared to their parents (p < 0.001). The results showed a high positive
      correlation between the relatives of affected children with respect to asthma and
      hay fever. These findings support the hypothesis that asthma and hay fever may be
      inherited in the Saudi population, but the mode of inheritance has yet to be
      determined.

PMID- 1426176
TI  - Clusters of meningococcal disease in France (1987-1988).
AB  - We analyzed 814 cases of meningococcal disease notified in 1987 and 1988 to the
      Ministry of Health. Data were obtained by report forms including informations
      about possible additional cases among contacts. Coprimary cases (occurring within
      24 hours after the index case) and secondary cases (occurring more than 24 hours
      after index case) were all reviewed. Twenty eight clusters of meningococcal
      disease were identified involving 65 cases (8% of total cases). Twelve of the 814
      cases (1.5%) were coprimary cases of an index case and 25 (3%) were secondary
      cases. The secondary attack rate was 530/100,000 among household contacts and
      31/100,000 among school contacts. Seventy two per cent of the secondary cases
      occurred in the first week after index case. Thirty-eight percent of the
      secondary cases occurred in the 15-20 age group as opposed to 15% of single
      cases. Serogroup A was more often found in coprimary (33%) and secondary cases
      (17%) than in single cases (6%). In France, prophylaxis of secondary cases is
      administered to the classroom contacts of a case of meningococcal infection but
      is not required for the entire school except under epidemic conditions.

PMID- 1426177
TI  - The protease from Vibrio cholerae nicks arginine at position 192 from the N
      terminus of the heat-labile enterotoxin a subunit from enterotoxigenic
      Escherichia coli.
AB  - It was examined where a protease purified from Vibrio cholerae might nick the
      heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) A subunit from enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. LT
      was digested by the protease and contained a fragment which had the same mobility
      on SDS-PAGE as that of the A1 fragment of LT digested by trypsin. The biological
      activity of LT by this protease was also identical to that of LT by trypsin. The
      amino acid sequence of the N-terminus of the A2-like fragment was Thr-Ser-Thr
      Gly, which corresponded to the sequence from 193 to 196 of the A subunit. These
      data suggest that this protease, like trypsin, nicks arginine at position 192
      from the N-terminus of the A subunit and that the biological activation of LT by
      this protease is similar to that by trypsin.

PMID- 1426179
TI  - Wound botulism: clinical and microbiological findings of an Italian case.
AB  - A case of wound botulism in a 41-year old man is reported. The patient had
      accidently been wounded when he fell on an iron bar. Some days later he developed
      typical clinical manifestations of botulism. Wound botulism was confirmed by
      detection and quantification of type B botulinal toxin in the serum. Ventilatory
      supportive care was necessary and botulinal antitoxin was not given. The patient
      was hospitalized for 30 days and recovery was complete.

PMID- 1426178
TI  - Legionellosis associated with artesian well excavation.
AB  - In October 1990 pneumonia due to Legionella pneumophila was diagnosed in two
      employees working in the area of Apulia, southern Italy, where artesian wells
      were in construction. Although the exposure to excavation has been associated
      with Legionnaires' disease, in our investigation the illness occurred only in
      those employees who were present when the water emerged from the ground under
      high pressure. On the basis of this report, water appears as the most likely
      reservoir of the organism and the main route of infection.

PMID- 1426180
TI  - Congenital cardiac anomalies relative to selected maternal exposures and
      conditions during early pregnancy.

PMID- 1426181
TI  - Parental involvement in minors' abortion decisions.
AB  - In a 1991 study based on a nationally representative sample of more than 1,500
      unmarried minors having an abortion, 61% of the respondents said that one or both
      of their parents (usually the mother) knew about the abortion. Only 26% of the
      respondents said their father knew about the abortion; furthermore, 57% of the
      mothers who knew about their daughter's pregnancy did not tell her father. In
      this study, which was conducted in states without parental involvement laws in
      effect, about 75% of the parents who knew about the pregnancy had been told by
      the daughter herself, and the great majority supported their daughter's decision
      to have an abortion. Among the minors whose parents found out without being told
      by the minor, 18% said their parents were forcing them to have an abortion and 6%
      reported physical violence, being forced to leave home or damage to their
      parents' health. Minors who did not tell their parents were disproportionately
      older (aged 16 or 17), white and employed. The minors' most common reasons for
      not telling their parents were wanting to preserve their relationship with their
      parents and wanting to protect the parents from stress and conflict. Of those who
      did not tell their parents, 30% had experienced violence in their family, feared
      that violence would occur or were afraid of being forced to leave home. Among
      minors whose parents were unaware of the pregnancy, all consulted someone other
      than clinic staff about the abortion; most frequently, they consulted their
      boyfriend (89%), an adult (52%) or a professional (22%).

PMID- 1426182
TI  - Characteristics and attitudes of early contraceptive implant acceptors in Texas.
AB  - In 1991, shortly after Norplant became available in the United States, 678 women
      who had received the implant from 17 providers in Texas were surveyed. Forty-five
      percent of these women were under 21 years old. The majority (56%) had tried the
      implant because they were dissatisfied with their previous contraceptive method.
      Forty-four percent of the sample indicated that the implant was one of the first
      contraceptive methods they had used and that they had only recently decided to
      prevent unplanned pregnancy. The average number of children per woman was 1.2,
      and one-third of the sample had had at least one abortion. While 37% of the women
      said they wanted no more children, 63% said they were using the implant as a
      spacing method. The reasons for choosing the implant and concerns about it varied
      according to the user's age, educational level and race or ethnic group.

PMID- 1426183
TI  - The effect of family planning participation on prenatal care use and low birth
      weight.
AB  - Data on approximately 45,000 North Carolina women who gave birth in 1989 and 1990
      and received prenatal care in public health facilities were studied to assess the
      effects in a low-income population of prior family planning services on low birth
      weight and adequacy of prenatal care. Women who had used family planning services
      in the two years before conception were significantly more likely than those who
      had not used such services to have a birth-to-conception interval of greater than
      six months. They were also more likely to receive early and adequate prenatal
      care and to be involved in a food supplement program and maternity care
      coordination. In addition, the family planning participants were less likely than
      the nonparticipants to be younger than 18 and were somewhat less likely to
      deliver a low-birth-weight infant. Though the results of this retrospective study
      must be interpreted with caution because of such factors as self-selection into
      family planning programs, they suggest that family planning services may improve
      birth weight and use of prenatal health services among low-income women.

PMID- 1426185
TI  - Abortion agency offers adoption services.

PMID- 1426184
TI  - Contraceptive use and sterilization among Puerto Rican women.
AB  - A comparison of contraceptive use in the early to mid-1980s among married Puerto
      Rican women aged 15-49 in the New York City area reveals that island-born Puerto
      Rican women living in New York rely on female sterilization to nearly the same
      extent as do women living in Puerto Rico (45% and 41%, respectively) and that
      mainland-born Puerto Rican women use sterilization as much as do all women in the
      United States (19% for both groups). Puerto Rican women in New York use
      reversible methods to a greater extent than do women in Puerto Rico (22% v. 16%),
      but to a lesser extent than do all women in the United States (37%). Although
      mainland-born Puerto Rican women in New York use reversible methods more than do
      island-born women in New York (42% v. 23%), they tend not to adopt these methods
      to the same extent as do all U.S. women during the early reproductive years, when
      education and employment are critical to socioeconomic attainment.

PMID- 1426186
TI  - The new pills: awaiting the next generation of oral contraceptives.

PMID- 1426187
TI  - Adoption trends--up or down?

PMID- 1426188
TI  - Making distinctions.

PMID- 1426189
TI  - Manual of food quality control. 4. Rev. 1. Microbiological analysis. Food and
      Drug Administration.

PMID- 1426190
TI  - Consistency of sternal percussion performed manually and with mechanical thumper.
AB  - Auscultatory percussion is a technique that is potentially useful to study the
      acoustic behaviour of the chest. However, finger percussion, as used in this
      technique, has not been previously assessed for consistency. We calculated the
      intrasubject variability and short-term reproducibility of this technique in 10
      healthy subjects. We examined several indices of the output sound of two series
      of sternal percussion manoeuvres performed one hour apart by the same examiner.
      The results were compared to those obtained during sternal percussion performed
      by a mechanical thumper. Consistency for both finger and thumper percussion
      varied from 4.8-20.6 (coefficients of variation) for various acoustic indices.
      For thumper percussion, the average results were not significantly different from
      those of finger percussion. We conclude that finger percussion of the sternum is
      sufficiently consistent to be used as a tool to investigate the acoustic
      behaviour of the chest.

PMID- 1426191
TI  - Passive partitioning of respiratory volumes and time constants in ventilated
      patients.
AB  - If the thoracoabdominal partitioning of volumes in the mechanical respiratory
      apparatus was constant, one transducer of indirect spirometry should be
      sufficient to measure volume variations. To verify this hypothesis we used
      respiratory inductive plethysmography (RIP) in 16 paralysed patients, of whom
      eight had normal lungs and 8 had not, to measure: 1) the thoracoabdominal
      partitioning of volumes (400-1,200 ml) insufflated from either a syringe (Syr) or
      a ventilator (Vent); and 2) thoracic (Tho) and abdominal (Abd) time constants
      (T0.368) on spontaneous deflation to barometric pressure. In eleven additional
      subjects with normal lungs we measured only the time constants. 1) Correlation
      coefficients of the calibration lines were in all but one subject > 0.98. In all
      patients the error of volume was < +/- 10% when either one of two coils alone was
      used to assess volumes with no difference between the two coils; 2) Partitioning
      varied little with volumes (4 +/- 2%), but widely between subjects, with no group
      average significant difference between Syr and Vent; 3) T0.368 were identical for
      Tho and Abd except in one patient; 4) Partitioning and T0.368 were volume size
      independent. We conclude that, to measure volume variations and time constants in
      ventilated, paralysed patients, the use of either a thoracic or abdominal single
      coil RIP is justified. We also provide the normal range for time constant in 19
      subjects (0.73 +/- 0.29 s).

PMID- 1426192
TI  - Toxoplasma pneumonitis: fatal presentation of disseminated toxoplasmosis in a
      patient with AIDS.
AB  - Toxoplasma gondii infection is an uncommon cause of pneumonitis in patients with
      acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). We report a case of fatal pulmonary
      toxoplasmosis, which clinically resembled Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP).
      Conventional diagnostic methods for toxoplasmosis lack sensitivity. Bronchoscopy
      and histological evaluation of transbronchial biopsy specimens failed to identify
      the infecting organism. At autopsy there was evidence of disseminated infection.

PMID- 1426193
TI  - Upper lobe infiltrate with cough, fever, fatigue.

PMID- 1426194
TI  - Views and news from Melbourne, the Sixth World Conference on Lung Cancer. The
      EORTC Lung Cancer Co-operative Group.

PMID- 1426195
TI  - Bronchial hyperresponsiveness, genetic predisposition and environmental factors:
      the importance of epidemiological research.

PMID- 1426196
TI  - Long-term inhaled corticosteroid therapy in chronic airways obstruction.

PMID- 1426197
TI  - Does airway smooth muscle care about platelet-activating factor?

PMID- 1426198
TI  - How to express the reversibility of bronchial obstruction?

PMID- 1426199
TI  - Factors associated with bronchial hyperresponsiveness in Australian adults and
      children.
AB  - To accurately assess putative risk factors for bronchial hyperresponsiveness
      (BHR), we have used multivariate models to analyse data from 4,366 children
      living in four regions and from 878 adults. A standard protocol was used to
      measure bronchial responsiveness to histamine. The prevalence of BHR was high at
      7-9 yrs (16-18%), decreased significantly at 11-14 yrs (7-8%), and then increased
      in adults (12-14%). Atopy was the most important risk factor for BHR at all ages.
      In children, parental asthma, early respiratory illness and being born in
      Australia also had a significant influence, and eating fish more than once a week
      had a protective effect. No effect of parental smoking, gender or race was found.
      In adults, BHR was associated with being female and with smoking history. It
      appears that many factors have a significant influence on the presence of BHR,
      with environmental factors, particularly atopy, birthplace and diet, being the
      most important.

PMID- 1426200
TI  - Reproducibility of childhood respiratory symptom questions.
AB  - The reproducibility of answers to childhood respiratory symptom questions was
      investigated by administering two childhood respiratory symptom questionnaires
      twice, with a one month interval, to the same population of Dutch school
      children. The questionnaires were completed by the parents of 410 children from 6
      12 yrs old. One questionnaire was developed by the World Health Organization
      (WHO). The other questionnaire was developed for use by school health services
      and was based mainly on the American Thoracic Society (ATS) questionnaire for
      respiratory symptoms in childhood. It was called the Child Health Care (CHC)
      Questionnaire. Half of the parents received a questionnaire in which the WHO
      questions came first on both occasions, the other half a questionnaire in which
      the CHC questionnaire came first on both occasions. The reproducibility of the
      answers was assessed by calculating Cohen's Kappa, a chance-corrected measure of
      association. Questions about "wheeze", "asthma", "bronchitis", "cough and
      phlegm", and "pneumonia" were found to give good to excellent reproducibility,
      with Kappa values ranging from 0.60-0.96. Questions about "phlegm", "cough",
      "chest congestion" and "runny/congested nose" were less satisfactory in this
      respect, with Kappa values generally well below 0.60. The reproducibility of the
      answers did not depend on the order in which the questionnaires were
      administered, on the gender or age of the child, or on the smoking habits or
      educational level of the parents.

PMID- 1426201
TI  - Influence of short-term passive smoking on symptoms, lung mechanics and airway
      responsiveness in asthmatic subjects and healthy controls.
AB  - We studied the acute effect of passive smoking on symptoms, lung mechanics and
      airway responsiveness. Twenty four patients with mild to moderate bronchial
      asthma (11 male and 13 female; mean(SD) age 34(15) yrs; forced expiratory volume
      in one second (FEV1) 91(17) % pred) were investigated. Sixteen of them had a
      history of passive smoke-induced respiratory symptoms. For comparison we studied
      16 controls (7 male and 9 female; mean(SD) age 31(9) yrs; FEV1 106(13) % pred).
      On two different days, the subjects were exposed in an exposure chamber for one
      hour to either ambient air (Sham) or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). During
      exposure to ETS, the mean concentrations of particles and CO were 3,095
      micrograms.m-3 and 20.3 ppm, respectively. Before and immediately after exposure,
      symptoms and lung mechanics were assessed, followed by an inhalation challenge to
      determine the provocative concentrations of methacholine necessary to increase
      specific airway resistance (sRaw) by 100%, (PC100sRaw), and to decrease FEV1 by
      20% (PC20FEV1). In the asthmatic subjects, during Sham exposure, mean (SEM)
      decrease of sRaw and FEV1 was 0.23(0.22) cmH2O.s and 0.04(0.03) l, respectively,
      (NS). During ETS, mean(SEM) decrease of sRaw and FEV1 was 0.55(0.46) cmH2O.s and
      0.13(0.06) l, respectively. The significance of this decrease, however,
      disappeared when taking into account the individual variability of FEV1.
      Geometric mean(SEM) PC100sRaw and PC20FEV1 were 0.35(1.32) and 0.23(1.34) mg.ml-1
      after Sham, and 0.34(1.37) and 0.28(1.36) mg.ml-1 after ETS, respectively, with
      no difference between the two study days. In the controls, the two exposure
      conditions did not exert any significant effects on sRaw, FEV1 and airway
      responsiveness.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426202
TI  - Inhaled beclomethasone improves the course of asthma and COPD.
AB  - The effects of inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP), 800 micrograms daily,
      on the long-term course of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
      (COPD) were investigated in a prospective, controlled study, over three years.
      During the first two years, patients were treated with a bronchodilator only
      (salbutamol or ipratropium bromide). Fifty six patients (28 asthma, 28 COPD),
      with an unfavourable course of disease during bronchodilator therapy alone (an
      annual decline in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) of > or = 80
      ml.yr-1 in combination with at least one exacerbation.yr-1), were selected for
      additional treatment with inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP), 800
      micrograms daily, during the third year. The FEV1 and provoking concentration of
      histamine producing a 20% fall in FEV1 (PC20-histamine) were assessed at six
      monthly intervals. In asthma, the annual decline in prebronchodilator FEV1 of 
      158 ml.yr-1 during bronchodilator therapy alone was followed by a significant
      increase of 562 ml.yr-1 during months 1-6 of BDP treatment (p < 0.0005). During
      months 7-12 of BDP, the FEV1 declined slightly with -31 ml.yr-1, which was not
      statistically different from the annual decline before steroid therapy (p =
      0.17). In COPD, the increase of 323 ml.yr-1 during months 1-6 of treatment with
      BDP was different from the annual decline of -156 ml.yr-1 before BDP (p < 0.05).
      The PC20-histamine improved by 308 doubling doses during 1-12 months of BDP in
      asthma (p < 0.05) but not in COPD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426203
TI  - Inhaled steroids modify bronchial responses to hyperosmolar saline.
AB  - We investigated the effects of inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) on
      airway sensitivity (provocative dose producing a 20% fall in forced expiratory
      volume in one second (FEV1) from baseline (PD20)) and reactivity (slope of the
      dose-response curve) to inhaled aerosols of hyperosmolar (4.5%) saline, and
      histamine or methacholine. This was an open study on 13 patients referred to the
      laboratory by their respiratory physician for investigation of their asthma.
      These challenges were performed on separate days before (initial visit) and 8.8
      +/- 0.8 (SD) weeks (range 5.6-12.4 weeks) after (visit 1) a treatment period with
      BDP (dose range 600-1,500 micrograms.day-1). At visit 1 there was a significant
      reduction in sensitivity to 4.5% NaCl and histamine/methacholine and in
      reactivity. The PD20 increased 5.6 fold for 4.5% NaCl and 4.1 fold for
      histamine/methacholine. All patients remained responsive to
      histamine/methacholine and a fall in FEV1 > 20% to 4.5% saline was documented in
      10 of the 13 patients. We conclude that treatment with BDP reduces sensitivity
      and reactivity to both osmotic and pharmacological challenge.

PMID- 1426204
TI  - The effects of indomethacin on the refractory period to hypertonic saline-induced
      bronchoconstriction.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of pretreatment with
      indomethacin on the refractory period to hypertonic saline-induced
      bronchoconstriction. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial nine
      asthmatic subjects underwent two hypertonic saline challenges, 60 min apart, on a
      control day and after premedication with indomethacin 50 mg or matching placebo,
      twice daily for three days. Premedication with indomethacin did not change airway
      responsiveness to the initial hypertonic saline challenge. The mean maximal %
      fall in specific airway conductance (sGaw) was 40.3, 44.1 and 47.6% on the
      control, placebo and indomethacin days, respectively. Subjects were significantly
      less responsive to the second hypertonic challenge as compared to the initial
      challenge on all three study days. There was a variable effect of indomethacin
      pretreatment on the refractory period. Five subjects lost their refractory period
      after indomethacin, when the variability of the test was taken into account. This
      suggests that there may be contributory mechanisms to the refractory period other
      than the release of protective prostanoid metabolites.

PMID- 1426205
TI  - Platelet-activating factor-induced contraction of human isolated bronchus.
AB  - In recent years, platelet-activating factor (PAF) has been strongly implicated as
      a mediator involved in asthma. In non-asthmatic subjects, aerosolized PAF has
      been shown to cause bronchoconstriction. The mechanism of this in vivo effect is
      unknown. We have previously shown that PAF causes a contraction of human isolated
      bronchus that varies in magnitude between patients, and within tissues from the
      same patient. To examine the possibility that this variability in contraction was
      secondary to PAF-induced release of mediators from inflammatory or epithelial
      cells within the tissue, we examined the relationship between contractile
      responses to PAF and the presence of inflammatory or epithelial cells. We studied
      eight tissues from five patients. Of the eight tissues, four contracted, whilst
      four failed to contract, to PAF (7 x 10(-7) M). After the contractile response to
      PAF had been assessed by observing changes in isometric tone in vitro, bronchial
      rings were examined histologically to enable the quantification of inflammatory
      cell numbers and intact epithelium. No significant correlation was observed
      between the magnitude of contractions and numbers of eosinophils, neutrophils,
      lymphocytes, plasma cells, total cells or percentage intact epithelium. We
      conclude that it is unlikely that the variability in response to PAF in human
      isolated airways is related to the variability in inflammatory cell numbers or to
      the presence of epithelium. Thus, the contraction induced by PAF is probably not
      mediated via the release of a secondary mediator from the particular cells
      examined in this study.

PMID- 1426206
TI  - A comparison of six different ways of expressing the bronchodilating response in
      asthma and COPD; reproducibility and dependence of prebronchodilator FEV1.
AB  - Various indices are used to express the bronchodilating response. It is unclear,
      however, which index is most informative. The aim of this study was to compare
      six expressions of the bronchodilating response and to examine: 1) the
      independence of the prebronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second
      (FEV1); and 2) the reproducibility of the bronchodilating response.
      Bronchodilating responses (increases in FEV1 60 min after salbutamol 400
      micrograms and ipratropium bromide 80 micrograms) on six test occasions, during
      two years, of 183 patients (72 asthma, 111 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
      (COPD)) from a large bronchodilator intervention study were used. The dependence
      of the prebronchodilator FEV1 was investigated both between patients (cross
      sectional analysis) and within patients (longitudinal analysis) by means of
      linear regression analysis. The reproducibility of the bronchodilating response
      was calculated by means of the coefficients of variation (CVs) of the six
      bronchodilating responses during two years. The CVs of the six expression indices
      were compared by analysis of variance (ANOVA). No index was independent of the
      prebronchodilator FEV1. However, some indices were significantly more dependent
      on the prebronchodilator lung function and, therefore, less reproducible than
      others. The "% initial" index (change as a percentage of the prebronchodilator
      value) was the most dependent on the prebronchodilator lung function and had the
      worst reproducibility (CV ranged from 50-61%). The "% possible" (change as a
      percentage of the predicted minus prebronchodilator value) and "% achievable"
      (change as a percentage of the maximal postbronchodilator minus prebronchodilator
      value) indices were the least dependent on the prebronchodilator value and had
      the highest reproducibility (CV ranging from 34-53%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1426207
TI  - Bronchodilatory effect of inhaled zardaverine, a phosphodiesterase III and IV
      inhibitor, in patients with asthma.
AB  - Zardaverine is a newly developed selective phosphodiesterase III and IV
      inhibitor. This study investigates the bronchodilatory properties of zardaverine,
      administered by inhalation. Twelve patients with reversible bronchial obstruction
      (increase in forced expiratory volume in one second (change FEV1 % predicted) at
      least 15% after 200 micrograms salbutamol, median age 31 yrs, range 21-54 years)
      entered the double-blind, crossover study. Four puffs of either zardaverine
      (total dose 6 mg) or placebo were inhaled at 15 min intervals. Pulmonary function
      (specific airway conductance (sGaw) and FEV1 was measured by body plethysmography
      at regular intervals (5 and 12 min after each puff and, in addition, 30, 60, 120,
      180 and 240 min after the last puff). Compared to placebo, sGaw and FEV1
      increased significantly during the first hour of repeated inhalations, but not
      during the entire observation period of almost 5 h. The maximum mean difference
      between zardaverine and placebo for FEV1 was 0.3 l or 12% and occurred
      approximately 1 h after inhalation of the first puff. In seven patients FEV1
      increased by > 15%. The duration of action varied considerably between patients.
      Three patients complained of side-effects (headache, drowsiness, vertigo,
      nausea), and one of these dropped out of the study due to vomiting. We conclude
      that inhalational administration of zardaverine has a modest and short-lasting
      bronchodilating activity.

PMID- 1426208
TI  - Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inhalation in healthy subjects increases neutrophils,
      lymphocytes and fibronectin levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.
AB  - Bacterial endotoxin has been suggested as responsible for the development of
      subjective symptoms and transient or chronic lung function impairment seen after
      exposure to organic dusts in cotton mills, poultry houses, swine confinement
      buildings and saw mills. Animal experiments have demonstrated bronchoalveolar
      neutrophilia being the most prominent cell response in animals following
      bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inhalation. The present study was conducted to
      obtain information on some aspects of the early inflammatory response to inhaled
      LPS in man. Eight healthy nonsmoking subjects, 23-27 yrs old, underwent
      bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), 3 h after a provocation test with 100 micrograms
      LPS from E. coli dissolved in 2 ml isotonic NaCl. The solution was aerosolized
      with a jet nebulizer and inhaled. The calculated dose delivered to the lung was
      approximately 25 micrograms, which equals exposure in some occupational settings.
      The BAL data for each individual subject were compared with data from a control
      BAL performed at least 6 weeks prior to the LPS challenge. The major cellular
      response to LPS, reflected in BAL fluid, was an approximately hundredfold
      increase in neutrophils. The total number of lymphocytes was on average tripled.
      The alveolar macrophage phagocytosis of opsonized yeast particles in vitro was
      significantly reduced. A further indicator of an ongoing inflammation was an
      increase in fibronectin. No changes were seen in the levels of BAL albumin,
      indicating that the elevated level of fibronectin could not be explained by an
      increased permeability, but rather by a local production. The results correspond
      with data from animal studies and further supports the hypothesis that bacterial
      LPS is important in the pulmonary reaction induced by organic dusts.

PMID- 1426210
TI  - Breathlessness perception in airways obstruction.

PMID- 1426209
TI  - Steroid-induced myopathy and its significance to respiratory disease: a known
      disease rediscovered.
AB  - Skeletal muscle myopathy is a well-known side-effect of systemically administered
      corticosteroids. In recent years renewed attention is being paid to the
      involvement of the respiratory muscles and its consequent significance in
      pulmonary patients. Two different clinical patterns of steroid-induced muscular
      changes are known. In acute myopathy and atrophy after short term treatment with
      high doses of steroids, generalized muscle atrophy and rhabdomyolysis occur,
      including the respiratory muscles. Chronic steroid myopathy, occurring after
      prolonged treatment with moderate doses, is characterized by the gradual onset of
      proximal limb muscle weakness and may be accompanied by reduced respiratory
      muscle force. Animal studies demonstrated diaphragmatic myopathy and atrophy
      similar to the alterations in peripheral skeletal muscles. Fluorinated steroids
      induced selective type IIb (fast-twitch glycolytic) fibre atrophy, resulting in
      changes in contractile properties of the diaphragm. Non-fluorinated steroids may
      also induce histological, biochemical and functional alterations in the
      diaphragm. Observations in patients with collagen vascular disorders and with
      asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) underline the potential
      hazards of treatment with corticosteroids to respiratory muscle structure and
      function.

PMID- 1426211
TI  - Is long-term treatment with inhaled steroids in adults hazardous?

PMID- 1426212
TI  - Experimental exposures to nitrogen dioxide.

PMID- 1426213
TI  - Perceived effect on shortness of breath of an acute inhalation of saline or
      terbutaline: variability and sensitivity of a visual analogue scale in patients
      with asthma or COPD.
AB  - The purpose of the study was to validate a bipolar visual analogue scale (VAS) to
      assess the perceived effect on shortness of breath of an acute inhalation and to
      search for differences in perception between asthmatics and subjects with chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Thirty two subjects with airway obstruction
      and a diagnosis of either asthma (n = 16) or COPD (n = 16) received three
      consecutive inhalations of isotonic saline, followed by two inhalations of 400
      micrograms terbutaline. Saline was perceived by asthmatics as a slight
      improvement: VAS (median, 95% confidence interval) 9%, 0-18% of line length. COPD
      subjects could be separated into two subgroups: "high perceivers" (n = 8, VAS
      43%, 33-53%) and "low perceivers" (n = 8, VAS 5%, 3-7%). The median intrasubject
      coefficient of variation of the three post-saline VAS ratings was 19.4% (asthma),
      12.5% (COPD high perceivers), and 14.5% (COPD low perceivers). After terbutaline,
      asthmatics had, by selection, a larger increase in forced expiratory volume in
      one second (FEV1) than COPD subjects. However, for other indices (expiratory
      specific resistance, inspiratory vital capacity and maximal inspiratory flow at
      50% forced vital capacity) the changes were smaller in COPD low perceivers than
      in both asthmatics and COPD high perceivers. The parallel improvement in VAS was
      24%, 20-39% (asthma), 15%, 6-25% (COPD high perceivers) and 1%, -1-8% (COPD low
      perceivers). The most sensitive index was FEV1 in asthmatics, vital capacity in
      COPD subjects, VAS being among the most sensitive indices in the former, but
      among the least sensitive in the latter. We conclude that the sensitivity of this
      VAS to bronchodilation is better in asthmatics than in COPD subjects. The latter
      can however be separated into subgroups with high and low level of perception.

PMID- 1426214
TI  - Sequential treatment with low dose almitrine bismesylate in hypoxaemic chronic
      obstructive airways disease.
AB  - Daily dose schedules of 100-200 mg of almitrine bismesylate improve arterial
      blood gases in patients with hypoxaemic chronic obstructive airways disease
      (COPD) but dose related side effects are evident. In the present study, daily
      doses approximately half of those previously used were employed in a randomised
      double blind manner in 85 patients (age 35-79 years) with hypoxaemic COPD. After
      a one month period to check stability of arterial blood gases, patients were
      allocated to almitrine (A) or placebo (P) using an unequal code (60% A, 40% P).
      Tablets, 50-100 mg daily were stopped for one month after 3, 6 and 9 months to
      counteract drug accumulation. 50 patients in group A and 35 in group P were
      comparable on entry; mean age 65 (SD = 8) yrs., Pao2 7.8 (0.7) kPa (58.3 (5.0)
      mmHg), PaCO2 5.8 (0.8) kPa (43.2 (6.0) mmHg), forced expiratory volume in one
      second--FEV1 0.89 (0.25) l and 6 minute walking distance 296 (97) metres. The
      improvement in baseline PaO2 values was the same 0.8-1.3 kPa (6-9.8 mmHg) as with
      previous higher dose therapy. Approximately one third of patients did not
      respond, defined as PaO2 elevation > 0.67 kPa (5 mmHg). The sequential dosing
      scheme stabilised blood levels of almitrine within the therapeutic range of 280
      300 ng.ml-1. After withdrawal of therapy arterial blood gases and spirometry
      reverted to pre-treatment levels, suggesting no permanent reversal of
      pathophysiology. Dose related side effects of breathlessness, indigestion and
      peripheral neuropathy were not observed. Nerve conduction studies revealed no
      difference in peripheral nerve dysfunction in hypoxaemic COPD between active and
      placebo therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426215
TI  - A twelve month comparison of salmeterol with salbutamol in asthmatic patients.
      European Study Group.
AB  - The efficacy and tolerability of salmeterol, 50 micrograms b.i.d. was compared
      for three months with salbutamol, 200 micrograms q.i.d., administered from
      metered-dose inhaler. For the following nine months, safety and clinic lung
      function was monitored on salmeterol, 50 micrograms b.i.d., compared with
      salbutamol, 200 micrograms b.i.d. This comparison was made in a multicentre,
      double-blind, parallel-group study of 667 moderate asthmatics, who had a forced
      expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) or peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) > 50%
      predicted, a 15% reversibility to inhaled salbutamol and who were experiencing
      symptoms. Throughout the first three month treatment period, both morning and
      evening PEFR were significantly higher on treatment with salmeterol than
      salbutamol (mean differences between the treatments 30 l.min-1 for morning, p <
      0.001, and 11 l.min-1 for evening, p < 0.01). In addition, the diurnal variation
      in PEFR, nocturnal and daytime symptoms and use of additional salbutamol were
      significantly lower in the salmeterol treated group. This improvement was also
      apparent in the separate subpopulations of patients taking no concurrent
      glucocorticosteroid or concurrent inhaled and/or oral glucocorticosteroids. Both
      treatments were well-tolerated throughout the 12 months of treatment. There was a
      lower incidence of asthma and related events during salmeterol treatment compared
      to salbutamol treatment subgroups. The results of the study clearly demonstrate
      that salmeterol, 50 micrograms b.i.d., is well-tolerated and more effective than
      salbutamol, 200 micrograms q.i.d., in the treatment of moderate asthma.

PMID- 1426216
TI  - Easy bruising as a side-effect of inhaled corticosteroids.
AB  - We wished to determine the prevalence of easy bruising in patients taking inhaled
      corticosteroids (ICS) compared with those who do not. Differences in age, dosage
      and duration of use of ICS between patients who bruised and those who did not
      were also investigated. Confidential questionnaire surveys were conducted over a
      6 month study period amongst patients attending a respiratory out-patient clinic
      and taking regular ICS, and a control group of patients attending non-respiratory
      clinics and not taking any form of corticosteroids. Patients with bleeding
      disorders or taking oral steroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or
      anticoagulants were excluded from the study. Questionnaires from 202 respiratory
      patients using ICS (group A) were compared with 204 non-ICS patients (Group B) of
      similar age and sex distribution. Significantly more patients in Group A reported
      easy bruising than in group B (47 vs 22%, relative risk 2.18, 95% confidence
      interval (95% CI) 1.62-2.94), and it was the commonest reported symptom. In Group
      A, the patients that reported easy bruising tended to be older (61 vs 52 yrs), on
      higher daily dosages (1,388 vs 1,067 micrograms) and had been taking inhaled
      corticosteroids for longer (55 vs 43 months) than non-bruisers. Overall, females
      reported easy bruising more frequently than males in both groups. However,
      comparing Group A with Group B, males taking ICS had a higher relative risk for
      bruising than females (males, relative risk 5.80, 95% CI 2.38-14.13; females,
      relative risk 1.80, 95% CI 1.32-2.44).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426217
TI  - Bronchial vagal tone and responsiveness to histamine, exercise and
      bronchodilators in adult patients with cystic fibrosis.
AB  - Atopy and bronchial responsiveness to histamine, exercise and bronchodilators
      were investigated in 18 adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Reversibility
      of airflow limitation was measured after ipratropium bromide and terbutaline, and
      histamine and exercise provocation tests were performed. Histamine
      hyperresponsiveness was observed in 10 out of 18 patients and was not confined to
      those with severe airway obstruction. The positive histamine responders showed
      significantly better bronchodilatation after terbutaline, when compared to
      negative histamine responders. Histamine responsiveness was not related to atopy
      or exercise responsiveness. Exercise challenge caused bronchodilatation without
      bronchoconstriction in all patients. The exercise-induced bronchodilatation
      correlated with bronchodilatation after ipratropium bromide. It is proposed that
      an increased vagal tone may lead to an increased resting bronchomotor tone which
      can be reduced by ipratropium bromide and by exercise in adult patients with
      cystic fibrosis.

PMID- 1426218
TI  - Comparison of nebulized and intravenous terbutaline during exacerbations of
      pulmonary infection in patients with cystic fibrosis.
AB  - Twenty three patients completed a double-blind study, comparing intravenous and
      nebulized terbutaline, during the first four days of a pulmonary exacerbation of
      cystic fibrosis (CF), with follow-up to day 10. Routine treatment with chest
      physiotherapy and appropriate intravenous antibiotics was given to all patients.
      The best peak flow rate (PF), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and
      forced vital capacity (FVC), in the past year and at entry to the study, revealed
      no significant difference between the groups. However, on day 10, PF, FEV1 and
      FVC, of the nebulizer group remained significantly reduced compared to best
      values in the previous year, whereas the PF and FEV1 in the intravenous group
      were not significantly reduced compared to the best values in the previous year.
      Comparison of regression lines showing the overall rate of improvement of PF,
      FEV1 and FVC between the two groups showed that the rate of improvement of each
      parameter was more rapid in the group receiving intravenous terbutaline. This was
      statistically significant for PF. It is possible that during acute exacerbations
      of infection, sputum retention makes it more difficult for the inhaled
      bronchodilators to reach the airways and intravenous therapy is, therefore, more
      beneficial.

PMID- 1426219
TI  - Effects of repeated exposure to 4 ppm nitrogen dioxide on bronchoalveolar
      lymphocyte subsets and macrophages in healthy men.
AB  - Following the basal descriptive studies of the bronchoalveolar inflammatory cell
      response induced by single exposure with nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in man, it was
      considered important to clarify the cell response to repeated exposure with NO2.
      This investigation was, therefore, undertaken with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) 3
      weeks before and 24 h after six repeated exposures with 4 ppm NO2 (7 mg.m-3) in
      ten healthy volunteers. The exposures were performed during 20 min and every
      second day. Analysis of the recovered BAL fluid demonstrated that repeated
      exposures to NO2 caused a lung cell response different from that reported after a
      single exposure. Amounts of lavaged alveolar macrophages, B-cells, and natural
      killer (NK)-cells were decreased and the T-helper-inducer/cytotoxic-suppressor
      cell ratio was altered, but there was no lymphocytosis or mastocytosis as after
      single exposure. Lymphocyte numbers in peripheral blood were reduced after
      exposure. These results suggest that repeated exposure with NO2 adversely affects
      the immune defence. This could contribute to the increased susceptibility to
      airway infections reported to be associated with NO2 exposure.

PMID- 1426220
TI  - Thymomodulin increases release of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating
      factor and of tumour necrosis factor in vitro.
AB  - To evaluate the effects of thymomodulin (TMD), a thymic biological response
      modifier derived from calf thymus, on the release of various cytokines involved
      in the lung immune reactions, human alveolar macrophages (AM) and peripheral
      blood lymphocytes (PBL) were cultured either alone or in co-cultures. In co
      cultures of AM with PBL, TMD did not induce any change in gamma-interferon (gamma
      IFN) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) secretion, while it was able to increase the level,
      of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) (TMD 100 micrograms.m-1, p < 0.05 vs control
      cultures), and of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) (TMD
      1, 10 and 100 micrograms.ml-1 p < 0.05, < 0.05 and < 0.01, respectively, vs
      control cultures). In cultures of AM alone, TMD did not induce changes in the
      levels of any of the tested cytokines, whilst in supernatants from PBL lymphocyte
      cultures, TMD at 1, 10 and 100 micrograms.ml-1 increased the amounts of GM-CSF (p
      < 0.01 each comparison vs control cultures). Thus, TMD seems to directly
      stimulate lymphocytes to secrete GM-CSF and to modulate macrophage-lymphocyte
      interactions, resulting in the release of TNF and GM-CSF.

PMID- 1426221
TI  - Relationship of upper airways disorders to FEV1 and bronchial hyperresponsiveness
      in an epidemiological study.
AB  - Associations of upper airways disorders (UAD) with forced expiratory volume in
      one second (FEV1) and bronchial methacholine response were studied, taking
      smoking habits into account. We used epidemiological data drawn from a population
      of 324 men, aged 27-58 yrs. Lower FEV1 level was related to hay fever (p = 0.01),
      usual (p = 0.01) and chronic (p = 0.02) rhinitis and common cold on the day of
      examination (p = 0.04). Allowance for the major potential confounding factor,
      tobacco smoking, showed similar results. Bronchial methacholine response was
      heightened in men reporting hay fever compared to those without (p = 0.01) but
      also in men reporting chronic rhinitis (p = 0.06), a group which did not exhibit
      skin prick test positivity more often than other subjects. Exclusion of
      asthmatics and taking into account smoking and skin prick test positivity yielded
      mostly similar results. Our data support the hypothesis of an association between
      lung impairment, as assessed by lower FEV1 and bronchial hyperresponsiveness to
      methacholine, and different types of UAD, allergic or not.

PMID- 1426222
TI  - Relationship of the type of tobacco and inhalation pattern to pulmonary and total
      mortality.
AB  - Data from The Copenhagen City Heart Study, a prospective population study, were
      analysed to investigate the influence of the type of tobacco and inhalation on
      pulmonary and total mortality. The study sample comprised 6,511 men and 7,703
      women, selected randomly after age-stratification from the general population.
      There were 2,986 plain cigarette smokers, 3,222 filter cigarette smokers, 1,578
      smokers of cheroots/cigars, 433 male pipe smokers and 773 subjects smoking more
      than one type of tobacco. From 1976 until the end of 1989, 2,765 subjects died.
      Lung cancer was considered as main death cause in 268. Chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease (COPD) was considered as the main cause in 94 cases and main or
      contributory cause of death in 195 cases (COPD related mortality). Current
      smokers had a higher risk of total mortality compared to lifetime nonsmokers: the
      relative risks (RR) ranged between 1.2 for male pipe smokers and 2.4 for female
      plain cigarette smokers. With regard to lung cancer mortality, the RR ranged
      between 4.1 for male pipe smokers and 7.9 for female plain cigarette smokers.
      Even higher RR values were estimated for COPD related mortality. In both sexes,
      the RR for the investigated end-points were lower in cheroot/cigar smokers and in
      pipe smokers than in cigarette smokers, but these differences were markedly
      diminished after an adjustment for the inhalation habit. The present study
      substantiates the view that tobacco smoking increases pulmonary and total
      mortality. The small differences between the various types of tobacco are
      probably caused by different inhalation patterns.

PMID- 1426223
TI  - Influence of posture on mechanical parameters derived from respiratory impedance.
AB  - The influence of posture on respiratory mechanics was investigated in 10 healthy
      volunteers, using the forced pseudorandom noise technique. Subjects were studied
      in four randomly selected positions: sitting; sitting with the head turned
      sideways; supine; and prone with the head turned sideways. Respiratory compliance
      (Crs), inertance (Irs) and resistance estimated at 4 Hz (R4), were calculated by
      fitting respiratory impedance by a 4 parameter model with a frequency dependent
      resistance. When subjects changed from sitting to lying, whilst maintaining the
      head in the same position in relation to the body, Irs increased and Crs
      decreased, probably due to gravitational effects. R4 was significantly higher in
      the supine position than in either of the sitting or the prone positions. These
      results demonstrate that changes in lung volume cannot completely explain the
      influence of posture on respiratory resistance, and indicate upper airway
      geometry as a determinant factor of respiratory resistance.

PMID- 1426224
TI  - Comparison of nebulized and sprayed topical anaesthesia for fibreoptic
      bronchoscopy.
AB  - We compared the efficacy of nebulized (N) and sprayed (S) topical anaesthesia
      prior to fibreoptic bronchoscopy in a blinded study involving 54 patients aged 57
      +/- 26 yrs (mean +/- SD). Cough frequency, recorded on cassette tape, was the
      index of efficacy. All patients received 100 mg lignocaine sprayed into the
      pharynx, or nebulized in random order prior to bronchoscopy, and all received
      intravenous diazepam sedation. Each patient received a further 100 mg of
      lignocaine solution through the bronchoscope onto the vocal cords and major
      airways during the procedure. No significant difference was found in overall
      cough frequency between N and S groups (8.7 +/- 6.9 coughs.min-1 N vs 10.5 +/-
      6.0 S), and cough frequency was also similar between N and S during the periods
      above and below the vocal cords. Furthermore, no differences were found in cough
      frequency between N and S among smokers, patients with asthma and COPD, and
      patients who had a biopsy procedure, although a trend was seen in all comparisons
      towards a lower cough frequency with the nebulized route. Most patients in the S
      group found the spray unpleasant, whereas only one in the N group complained. We
      conclude that nebulized and sprayed lignocaine have similar efficacy as topical
      anaesthetics in fibreoptic bronchoscopy, but patient preference favours the
      nebulized route.

PMID- 1426225
TI  - The accuracy of dry gas meters at continuous and sinusoidal flows.
AB  - Dry gas meters are used in physiology laboratories to measure minute ventilation.
      The accuracy of these meters must be known since an error, of for instance 5%,
      affects the subsequent calculations for oxygen consumption by the same amount.
      Two precalibrated DTM-325 dry gas meters (American Meter Co., Philadelphia, PA,
      USA) were therefore tested for accuracy against a 350 l Collins chain-compensated
      gasometer. Provided that at least 25 l was passed per measurement then: a.
      continuous flows (air saturated with water vapour) between 60 and 150 l.min-1
      were measured with an error of < 1%; and b. sinusoidal flows (ambient air)
      between 8 and 100 l.min-1 were misread by < 1% and the error was still within 2%
      at 140 l.min-1. It may, therefore, be concluded that the two precalibrated dry
      gas meters studied are valid volume measuring devices.

PMID- 1426226
TI  - Massive pleural effusion: an unusual presentation of Castleman's disease.
AB  - Giant lymph node hyperplasia (Castleman's Disease) is a rare cause of pleural
      effusion. We report the case of a 51 yr old West Indian male, who presented with
      a recurrent massive pleural effusion, due to a tumour arising from the pleura. He
      underwent parietal pleurectomy and subtotal excision of the tumour. Histological
      analysis of the specimen showed the features of multicentric Castleman's disease.
      Nine months following surgery he remains well, with no recurrence of the
      effusion.

PMID- 1426227
TI  - Chronic extrinsic allergic alveolitis in a family with idiopathic pulmonary
      fibrosis: the importance of histological diagnosis.
AB  - We report a patient who presented with progressive exertional dyspnoea, chronic
      cough and radiographic signs of interstitial lung disease. Since several of his
      family members were known to have familial idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis he was
      also suspected to suffer from this disease. After thorough investigation,
      including histological examination of lung biopsies obtained by thoracoscopy, a
      diagnosis of chronic extrinsic allergic alveolitis was made. Current knowledge of
      familial idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is discussed. This case report underlines
      the importance of a histological diagnosis in interstitial lung disease.

PMID- 1426228
TI  - Vomiting in a patient with an Angelchik prosthesis.

PMID- 1426229
TI  - Risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma after cessation of asbestos exposure.

PMID- 1426230
TI  - Ring finger in the peroxisome assembly factor-1.
AB  - The peroxisome assembly factor-1 (PAF-1) is reported here to contain the
      signature subsequence for a ring finger motif in its carboxyl-terminus. This
      conserved subsequence in PAF-1 may be the key to a gene expression regulatory
      pathway important in peroxisome biogenesis.

PMID- 1426231
TI  - The 5' untranslated region of the human cellular glutathione peroxidase gene is
      indispensable for its expression in COS-7 cells.
AB  - We studied the expression of the human cellular glutathione peroxidase (GPx)
      gene, from which a key enzyme containing selenocysteine (Scy) at the active site
      is produced. Expression of some human GPx gene mutants in COS-7 cells revealed
      that the 5' untranslated region (utr) was necessary for expression of the GPx
      gene, since mutant genes having 10 base pairs (bps) at the 5'utr (the complete
      had 311 bps) expressed GPx at very low levels. The genes with 311 or 408 bps at
      the 5'utr were better expressed than those having 257 bps. The GPx gene having
      133 bps at the 3'utr (80 bps shorter than the entire length) was highly
      expressed. This deletion did not influence expression. We constructed some
      mutants in which 3 bases were altered at the upstream region of the Scy UGA codon
      in the frame of the GPx gene, by site-directed mutagenesis. GPx expression
      decreased but the expression was restored. Therefore, the upstream region of the
      in-frame Scy codon was not essential in the Scy decoding mechanisms. Finally, the
      5'utr was essential for the expression of GPx gene. However, the deletion of a
      part of the 3'utr and the site-directed mutation upstream of the Scy codon did
      not show drastic effects on the expression.

PMID- 1426232
TI  - Comparative analysis of sodium-dependent L-glutamate transport of synaptosomal
      and astroglial membrane vesicles from mouse cortex.
AB  - Uptake of [3H]L-glutamate into membrane vesicles prepared from either mouse
      cortical astrocyte cultures or synaptosomes was found to be an electrogenic
      sodium- and potassium-dependent transport process with saturable uptake kinetics.
      Pharmacological differences were revealed by using a variety of substrate
      analogues. L-trans-PDC inhibited the synaptosomal glutamate transport 2-4-fold
      stronger than the astroglial uptake. The substrate analogues DL-threo-beta
      hydroxy-aspartate, DL-aspartate-beta-hydroxamate, L-aspartate and D-aspartate
      inhibited glutamate transport of astroglial and neuronal membrane vesicles in a
      distinctive manner, whereas D-glutamate, quisqualate and dihydrokainate had no
      effect in either case. Immunoblotting and immunocytochemical labeling with
      antibodies against the rat brain glutamate transporter revealed the selective
      reaction of a band at about 75 kDa mol. wt. and a specific pattern of astrocyte
      immunostaining.

PMID- 1426233
TI  - Photoaffinity labeling of the phylloquinone-binding polypeptides by 2
      azidoanthraquinone in photosystem I particles.
AB  - A photoaffinity label, 2-azido-9,10-anthraquinone, binds at the quinone-binding
      (Q phi) site with high affinity and can substitute for the secondary acceptor,
      phylloquinone, in photosystem I reaction center of spinach. Phylloquinone
      depleted photosystem I particles reconstituted with azido[3H]anthraquinone were
      illuminated with UV light and analyzed by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide
      gel electrophoresis. The large core polypeptides (psaA and/or psaB) were
      selectively labeled. The labeling was competitively inhibited in the presence of
      anthraquinone. These results indicate that the Q phi site is located on psaA or
      psaB polypeptides.

PMID- 1426234
TI  - The second cholera toxin, Zot, and its plasmid-encoded and phage-encoded
      homologues constitute a group of putative ATPases with an altered purine NTP
      binding motif.
AB  - It is shown that the second cholera toxin, Zot, ORF3 product of Pseudomonas
      plasmid pKB740, and ORF424 product of bacteriophage Pf1 are a group of closely
      related proteins containing a modified version of the purine NTP-binding motif,
      with a drastic substitution of tyrosine for a conserved glycine. They are
      distantly but reliably related to the product of gene I of filamentous
      bacteriophages which is a putative ATPase containing the classical NTP-binding
      motif and is involved in bacteriophage assembly and exit from the bacterial cell.
      Hydropathy analysis suggests that the Zot and gene I product may have a similar
      transmembrane topology. It is hypothesized that Zot may possess ATPase activity
      and modify the membrane structure of its target cells in an ATP-dependent
      fashion. Genes for Zot and the related protein of pKB740 are likely to have
      evolved from gene I of a Pf1-like bacteriophage.

PMID- 1426235
TI  - Human liver and human placenta both contain CMP-NeuAc:Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc-R
      alpha 2-->3- as well as alpha 2-->6-sialyltransferase activity.
AB  - A high pH anion exchange chromatographic (HPAEC) system for the separation of
      isomeric sialo-oligosaccharide products was developed. Employing this system,
      using Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc beta 1-->2Man alpha 1-->6Man beta 1-->4GlcNAc as a
      substrate, a Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc-R alpha 2-->3-sialyltransferase activity was
      detected for the first time in human liver. This activity is expressed together
      with the prevalent alpha 2-->6-sialyltransferase. Furthermore, in addition to the
      major alpha 2-->3-sialyltransferase, a low but distinct activity of alpha 2-->6
      sialyltransferase was detected in human placenta. This activity could not be
      found by methods based on methylation analysis or high resolution NMR
      spectroscopy. It is concluded that HPAEC, in combination with the use of the
      pentasaccharide as an acceptor substrate, is suited for the specific detection of
      minor, Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc-specific sialyltransferase activities.

PMID- 1426236
TI  - Molecular cloning and developmental expression of a human kidney S
      adenosylmethionine synthetase.
AB  - cDNA clones encoding the human kidney S-adenosylmethionine synthetase (kidney
      type isozyme) were isolated. The amino acid sequence deduced from the cDNA
      indicates that this enzyme contains 395 amino acids and has a molecular mass of
      43,660 Da. The predicted amino acid sequence of this protein shares 84%
      similarity with that of human liver S-adenosylmethionine synthetase (liver-type
      isozyme). In addition, the developmental expression of these two isozyme mRNAs
      has been studied in the human liver using the reverse transcription-polymerase
      chain reaction (RT-PCR).

PMID- 1426237
TI  - The thyroid hormone response element is required for activation of the growth
      hormone gene promoter by nicotinamide analogs.
AB  - N'-Methylnicotinamide and nicotinamide, which decreased in vitro ADP-ribosylation
      of nuclear proteins and/or cellular NAD+ content, selectively increased the basal
      expression of the rat growth hormone (GH) gene promoter and its response to
      triiodothyronine (T3). This increase was not found when the thyroid hormone
      response element (TRE) was deleted from the promoter. Transfection with an
      expression vector for the T3 receptor inhibited basal activity of the TRE
      containing promoter and repressed the stimulatory effect of N'
      methylnicotinamide. The addition of hormone relieved this inhibition and enhanced
      transcription above levels found in the absence of the transfected receptors.
      These results suggest a modulatory role of ADP-ribosylation in hormonal
      regulation of gene expression.

PMID- 1426238
TI  - Unexpected intron location in non-vertebrate globin genes.
AB  - The Caenorhabditis elegans and Artemia T4 globin sequences are highly homologous
      with other invertebrate globins. The intron/exon patterns of their genes display
      a single intron in the E and G helices respectively. Precoding introns in
      multirepeat globins are inserted in homologous positions. Comparison of the
      intron/exon patterns in the known globin gene sequences demonstrates that they
      are more diverse than first expected but nevertheless can be derived from an
      ancestral pattern having 3 introns and 4 exons.

PMID- 1426239
TI  - Families of metalloendopeptidases and their relationships.
AB  - Crystal structures available for four metalloendopeptidases have revealed zinc
      ligands for these enzymes. New sequence information has made it possible to
      compare the primary structures of the zinc-binding site in metalloendopeptidases.
      A scheme based on the zinc-binding site is proposed to classify
      metalloendopeptidases into five distinct families: thermolysin, astacin,
      serratia, matrixin, and snake venom metalloproteinases. Two histidines and one
      glutamate are zinc-ligands in the thermolysin family. Three histidines and one
      tyrosine are zinc ligands in the other four families, which are further
      distinguished by the identity of the residue following the third histidine and by
      the environment surrounding the tyrosine.

PMID- 1426240
TI  - Identification, characterization, and molecular cloning of a novel transporter
      like protein localized to the central nervous system.
AB  - During the course of large scale purification of the D1 dopamine receptor from
      rat brain, a protein of approximately 87,000 daltons (p87) was observed to
      copurify with the D1 receptor through four chromatographic steps. To characterize
      the nature of this protein, bovine and rat cDNA clones were isolated and
      sequenced. The bovine and rat clones were highly conserved (98.5% identity). Each
      clone possessed an open reading frame of 2226 base pairs encoding a protein of
      742 amino acids (calculated MW of 82,500), containing three stretches of peptide
      sequence obtained from p87 sequence analysis. Comparison of the deduced peptide
      sequence of this protein with those found in available databanks revealed that it
      was a novel protein related to the family of nutrient transport proteins from
      eukaryotes and bacteria, including, the mammalian facilitated glucose
      transporters, the yeast transporters for maltose, lactose, and glucose, and the
      proton-driven bacterial transporters for arabinose, xylose, and citrate. In
      addition p87 also shares with these transporters a similar hydropathicity profile
      that suggests the presence of 12 transmembrane segments. The mRNA for p87 appears
      to be localized primarily, if not exclusively, to the central nervous system.
      Northern blot analysis reveals a message of approximately 4.8 kb in cortex,
      hippocampus, brain stem, and cerebellum, but no detectable signal in peripheral
      tissues such as spleen, liver, kidney, lung, heart, or skeletal muscle. Evidence
      form Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry suggests that this protein
      may be expressed in intracellular organelles or the membrane of synaptosomes
      rather than plasma membrane. Based on its structure and properties, p87 appears
      to define a new class of transporter-like proteins.

PMID- 1426241
TI  - Three-dimensional structure of catalase from Micrococcus lysodeikticus at 1.5 A
      resolution.
AB  - The three-dimensional crystal structure of catalase from Micrococcus
      lysodeikticus has been solved by multiple isomorphous replacement and refined at
      1.5 A resolution. The subunit of the tetrameric molecule of 222 symmetry consists
      of a single polypeptide chain of about 500 amino acid residues and one haem
      group. The crystals belong to space group P4(2)2(1)2 with unit cell parameters a
      = b = 106.7 A, c = 106.3 A, and there is one subunit of the tetramer per
      asymmetric unit. The amino acid sequence has been tentatively determined by
      computer graphics model building and comparison with the known three-dimensional
      structure of beef liver catalase and sequences of several other catalases. The
      atomic model has been refined by Hendrickson and Konnert's least-squares
      minimisation against 94,315 reflections between 8 A and 1.5 A. The final model
      consists of 3,977 non-hydrogen atoms of the protein and haem group, 426 water
      molecules and one sulphate ion. The secondary and tertiary structures of the
      bacterial catalase have been analyzed and a comparison with the structure of beef
      liver catalase has been made.

PMID- 1426242
TI  - Tandem translation of Bacillus subtilis initiation factor IF2 in E. coli. Over
      expression of infBB.su in E. coli and purification of alpha- and beta-forms of
      IF2B.su.
AB  - The protein synthesis initiation factor, IF2, in Bacillus subtilis has previously
      been characterized as being present in two forms, alpha and beta, of molecular
      mass 79 and 68 kDa, respectively, on the basis of their cross-reaction with anti
      E. coli IF2 antibodies and by the DNA sequence of the gene for IF2, infBB.su. In
      this work we have cloned infBB.su in E. coli cells. Two proteins of molecular
      mass identical to the B. subtilis IF2 alpha and -beta were over-expressed and
      purified using a new three-step ion-exchange chromatography procedure. The N
      terminal amino acid sequence of the two proteins was determined and the results
      confirmed that the two forms were IF2 alpha and -beta, both encoded by the infB
      gene. The N-terminal amino acid sequence determined for IF2 beta is Met94-Gln-Asn
      Asn-Gln-Phe. The presence of methionine at position 94 shows that this form is,
      in fact, the result of a second translational initiation in infBB.su mRNA, since
      the codon at amino acid position 94 is GUG, which is the normal codon for valine,
      but also known to be an initiator codon. This is a new example of the unusual
      tandem translation in E. coli of an open mRNA reading frame.

PMID- 1426243
TI  - Production of an antiserum specific to the ADP-ribosylated form of elongation
      factor 2 from archaebacteria and eukaryotes.
AB  - An antiserum to ADP-ribosylated elongation factor 2 (ADPR-EF-2) from S.
      acidocaldarius was raised in rabbits using stained, homogenized, ADPR-EF-2
      containing slices from SDS-gels as a source of antigen. Elongation factor 2 (EF
      2) from S. acidocaldarius was cloned in E. coli and the expressed gene product
      was used in order to adsorb all anti-EF-2 antibodies which do not contain the ADP
      ribosyl group within their epitopes, as E. coli is unable to synthesize the ADP
      ribosyl acceptor diphthamide. The remaining antibodies were specific to ADP
      ribosylated EF-2 from Thermoplasma acidophilum, S. acidocaldarius and
      Desulfurococcus mucosus. ADP-ribosylated EF-2 from eukaryotic sources also
      reacted with the adsorbed antiserum as shown for EF-2 isolated from the killi
      fish Cynolebias whitei, the mouse species BALB/c and Han/Wistar rats. The
      adsorbed antiserum did not cross-react with ADP-ribosylated actin or rho protein
      or with FAD-containing D-amino acid oxidase.

PMID- 1426244
TI  - 13C NMR studies of complexes of Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase formed
      with methotrexate and with folic acid.
AB  - 13C NMR studies of 13C-labelled ligands bound to dihydrofolate reductase provide
      (DHFR) a powerful means of detecting and characterizing multiple bound
      conformations. Such studies of complexes of Escherichia coli DHFR with [4,7,8a,9
      13C]- and [2,4a,6-13C]methotrexate (MTX) and [4,6,8a-13C]- and [2,4a,7,9
      13C]folic acid confirm that in the binary complexes, MTX binds in two
      conformational forms and folate binds as a single conformation. Earlier studies
      on the corresponding complexes with Lactobacillus casei DHFR indicated that, in
      this case, MTX binds as a single conformation whereas folate binds in multiple
      conformational forms (both in its binary complex and ternary complex with NADP+);
      two of the bound conformational states for the folate complexes are very
      different from each other in that there is a 180 degrees difference in their
      pteridine ring orientation. In contrast, the two different conformational states
      observed for MTX bound to E. coli DHFR do not show such a major difference in
      ring orientation and bind with N1 protonated in both forms. The major difference
      appears to involve the manner in which the 4-NH2 group of MTX binds to the enzyme
      (although the same protein residues are probably involved in both interactions).
      Addition of either NADP+ or NADPH to the E. coli DHFR-MTX complex results in a
      single set of 13C signals for bound methotrexate consistent with only one
      conformational form in the ternary complexes.

PMID- 1426245
TI  - Prothymosin alpha is phosphorylated by casein kinase-2.
AB  - Prothymosin alpha (ProT alpha) is a 12.5 kDa acidic polypeptide that is
      considered to have a nuclear function related to cell proliferation. Inspection
      of its amino acid sequence revealed the presence of sequences that may serve as
      targets for phosphorylation by casein kinase-2 (CK-2). ProT alpha isolated from
      calf thymocytes was phosphorylated in vitro by CK-2. The phosphorylation sites
      are Ser and Thr residues located among the first 14 amino acid residues in the
      ProT alpha sequence. Another site that is theoretically suitable for
      phosphorylation by CK-2, at the C-terminus of the polypeptide, is not, in fact,
      phosphorylated. Thymosin alpha 1 (T alpha 1), a peptide whose sequence
      corresponds to the first 28 amino acids of ProT alpha, is also phosphorylated by
      CK-2 at the same phosphorylation sites as ProT alpha. In cultured splenic
      lymphocytes ProT alpha was phosphorylated at Thr residues located at positions 7,
      12 and/or 13. Based on these observations we conclude that CK-2, or another
      cellular kinase with similar sequence specificity, is responsible for
      phosphorylation of ProT alpha in vivo.

PMID- 1426246
TI  - Expression of functional Thermoplasma acidophilum proteasomes in Escherichia
      coli.
AB  - The two genes encoding the constituent subunits of the Thermoplasma acidophilum
      proteasome were expressed in Escherichia coli yielding fully assembled molecules
      as shown by electron microscopy. The recombinant proteasomes were purified to
      homogeneity and were shown to have proteolytic activity indistinguishable from
      proteasomes isolated from T. acidophilum.

PMID- 1426248
TI  - Expression of human collagen type IV genes is regulated by transcriptional and
      post-transcriptional mechanisms.
AB  - The molecules of the basement membrane specific collagen type IV are
      heterotrimers consisting of two alpha 1(IV) and one alpha 2(IV) polypeptide
      chains. Comparison of the ratios of transcription by nuclear run-on analysis and
      mRNAs by RNAse protection assay indicates the involvement of transcriptional as
      well as post-transcriptional events in the control of overall collagen type IV
      expression. The relative ratios of transcription of the respective genes COL4A1
      and COL4A2 remained near 2:1 in most cells, whereas the ratio of mRNA steady
      state levels alpha 1(IV)/alpha 2(IV) varied from 0.3:1 to 1:1 and did not
      parallel the subunit structure of the protein. Nevertheless, secreted protein
      shows a 2:1 ratio of the subunit polypeptides. This indicates that post
      translational processes during chain selection, aggregation and secretion finally
      determine the amount of secreted protein.

PMID- 1426247
TI  - Lamin A gene expression is specifically suppressed in v-src-transformed cells.
AB  - By a differential screening procedure, we have obtained several cDNAs the
      expression of which was down-regulated in v-src-transformed 3Y1 cells compared to
      parental 3Y1 cells. One of these cDNAs, termed N26, was extensively analyzed.
      Sequence analysis revealed that N26 cDNA was 3,095 nucleotides in length and
      contained an open reading frame of 665 amino acid residues. Based on an homology
      search at the nucleotide level, it was postulated that N26 gene encodes lamin A.
      The expression of the N26 gene was not suppressed in other types of transformed
      cells, such as v-mos-, v-ras- and SV40-transformed 3Y1 cells.

PMID- 1426249
TI  - Loss of transcription factor AP-1 DNA binding activity during lymphocyte aging in
      vivo.
AB  - The main feature of cellular senescence is cessation of cell proliferation.
      Protooncogene c-fos, which is required for the cell to enter into DNA synthesis,
      is repressed in senescent fibroblasts. Diminished expression of c-fos and
      impaired formation of AP-1, which is a complex of c-Fos and c-Jun proteins acting
      as a transcription factor, was found in lymphocytes derived from old (> 18
      months) mice and stimulated with Con A. There were no differences in c-jun
      expression and formation of other transcription factors (AP-2 and AP-3) between
      lymphocytes isolated from old and young mice.

PMID- 1426251
TI  - Noradrenaline release from permeabilized synaptosomes is inhibited by the light
      chain of tetanus toxin.
AB  - Noradrenaline release from rat brain cortical synaptosomes permeabilized with
      streptolysin O can be triggered by microM concentrations of free Ca2+. This
      process was inhibited within minutes by tetanus toxin and its isolated light
      chain, but not by its heavy chain. The data demonstrate that the effect of
      tetanus toxin on NA release from purified synaptosomes is caused by the
      intraterminal action of its light chain.

PMID- 1426250
TI  - Characterisation of the expression and post-translational processing of the
      preprotachykinin-I gene and the regulated release of tachykinins by the RINm5F
      cell-line.
AB  - Normal transcription and postranslational processing of the preprotachykinin
      (PPT)-I gene and regulated release of substance P and neurokinin A by the rat
      pancreatic endocrine cell-line, RINm5F, has been demonstrated, using
      radioimmunoassays (RIAs), reversed-phase (rp)HPLC and Northern blot analysis.
      This is the first stable cell-line found to express the PPT-I gene and provides
      an opportunity for investigating PPT-I gene expression and tachykinin
      biosynthesis. RIN5mF cells are a model for the pancreatic beta-cell, which is not
      known to exhibit PPT-I gene expression which may, therefore, be a feature of the
      transformed state of these cells. These data may imply that the tachykinins are
      important in pancreatic islet embryogenesis.

PMID- 1426252
TI  - Biochemical properties of rat protein kinase C-eta expressed in COS cells.
AB  - Using a PKC-epsilon cDNA probe a cDNA for PKC-eta has been cloned from a rat lung
      cDNA library. When expressed in COS cells, rat PKC-eta appeared as an 84 kDa
      protein. PKC-eta expressed in COS cells, was solubilized by 1% Triton X-100 and
      purified away from the endogenous PKC-alpha by ammonium sulphate fractionation.
      The activity of this PKC-eta preparation was characterized with respect to
      cofactor dependence and substrate specificity. Various PKC pseudosubstrate
      peptides are phosphorylated by PKC-eta in a phospholipid and TPA-dependent but
      calcium-independent manner. The polypeptide histone IIIS is a poor substrate.

PMID- 1426253
TI  - New mouse 5-HT2-like receptor. Expression in brain, heart and intestine.
AB  - A novel member of the family of G protein-coupled receptors has been isolated
      from a mouse brain cDNA library by screening with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
      generated fragment of mouse genomic DNA amplified using degenerated primers.
      Sequence comparison demonstrates that the encoded protein sequence shows the
      highest homology to the 5-HT2 family of receptors. The pharmacological profile of
      membranes from COS cells transfected with this cDNA, corresponds to a new 5-HT2
      like receptor that we propose to call 5-HT2C. Its major sites of expression are
      in the mouse intestine and heart, also with detectable expression in brain and
      kidney. We speculate that it could account at least in part for the 'atypical'
      functions attributed to the 5-HT1C/5-HT2 receptors.

PMID- 1426254
TI  - Carbohydrate binding specificity of the Tn-antigen binding lectin from Vicia
      villosa seeds (VVLB4).
AB  - 2-Dansylamino-2-deoxy-D-galactose (GalNDns) is a useful fluorescent probe to
      study the interaction of non-fluorescent sugars with the B4 lectin from Vicia
      villosa seeds (VVLB4). Binding of the lectin to GalNDns leads to a 5.2-fold
      increase in Dansyl fluorescence with a concomitant 10 nm blue shift in its
      emission maximum. The strong binding of GalNDns (Ka = 7.33 x 10(4) M-1 at 20
      degrees C) is due to a favourable entropic contribution to the association
      process. Among the other sugars studied, GalNAc alpha 1-O-Ser followed by Me
      alpha GalNAc are the best ligands. 2-Deoxygalactose, galactosamine and galactose
      are 2013, 469 and 130 times weaker ligands, respectively, as compared to GalNAc,
      whereas GalNDns is about 2.44 times more potent than GalNAc, indicating that
      substitutions at the C-2 position of GalNAc have a considerable influence on the
      binding affinities. Equatorial orientation of the hydroxyl group at C-3 and axial
      orientation at C-4 as in galactose are important for the interaction with VVLB4.
      The C-6 hydroxyl group is not indispensable. The binding site of the lectin is
      directed exclusively towards monosaccharides alone. Interestingly enough, despite
      its preference for Me alpha GalNAc over Me beta GalNAc, in oligosaccharides, the
      lectin prefers terminal beta-linked GalNAc as compared to the alpha-linked one.

PMID- 1426255
TI  - Molluscan putative prohormone convertases: structural diversity in the central
      nervous system of Lymnaea stagnalis.
AB  - In the cerebral ganglia of the central nervous system of the freshwater snail
      Lymnaea stagnalis many neuropeptides are proteolytically processed from larger
      prohormones at sites marked by both single and multiple basic amino acids. In the
      present study we identified cloned cDNA and PCR products corresponding to three
      putative endoproteases that may be involved in prohormone processing. The cDNA
      encodes a protein of 653 residues with an overall sequence identity of 60%, 41%,
      35%, 40%, and 27% with the recently characterized endoproteases PC2, PC1/3, PC4,
      furin and Kex2, respectively. The Lymnaea preproconvertase has approximately 80%
      homology with the catalytic domain, and approximately 40% and approximately 50%
      with the N- and C-terminal part, respectively, of the vertebrate PC2. Two cloned
      PCR products, Lfur 1 and Lfur 2, show highest sequence identity to furin.
      Expression of the LPC2 gene is exclusively in the central nervous system, where
      two LPC2 transcripts of 3.0 and 4.8 kb were detected.

PMID- 1426256
TI  - Synthesis and characterization of a 25-residue rubredoxin(II)-like metalloprotein
      and its valine-leucine mutant.
AB  - An iron-sulfur metalloprotein containing the 5-12 and 35-50 residues of
      Desulfovibrio gigas rubredoxin has been synthesized by Fmoc solid phase peptide
      synthesis and subsequent peptide folding. A Gly links the two residue chains
      between Val-5 and Glu-50. Sybyl Tripos structure optimization indicates only
      minor structural changes of the folded synthetic protein compared to the similar
      residue positions in the native protein. The UV-VIS spectrum of the reduced
      synthetic protein is very similar to that of native D. gigas rubredoxin and the
      molecular mass determined by laser mass spectrometry has the expected value (+/-
      2D). No metal is transferred to the gas phase by the laser beam merely by mixing
      the peptide and iron(II), substantiating that the folding procedure is a
      necessary pre-requisite for protein formation. The Val-->Leu41 chemical mutant
      has also been synthesized and behaves in a closely similar fashion.

PMID- 1426257
TI  - The gamma-subunit of the principal G-protein from squid (Loligo forbesi)
      photoreceptors contains a novel N-terminal sequence.
AB  - The squid (Loligo forbesi) visual system presents as accessible a system for
      study of G-protein mediated signal transduction as the vertebrate rod outer
      segment with the added advantage that the major G-protein is a member of the Gq
      class. Here the cDNA clone encoding the gamma-subunit of this G-protein is
      reported, thereby completing the molecular cloning of the heterotrimeric G
      protein. The deduced protein structure of G-gamma has relatively little sequence
      identity with known mammalian counterparts particularly in comparison with the
      relatively high degree found for both the alpha- and beta-subunits of this
      protein. In particular, the N-terminus of the squid visual G-gamma contains a
      repetitive, highly charged region, rich in lysine and glutamate, that has no
      parallel in other G-proteins. The amino acid sequence of a number of peptides
      derived by chemical cleavage of G-gamma accounted for much of the protein
      sequence predicted from the cDNA, including the unusual N-terminal region.

PMID- 1426258
TI  - Primary structure required for the inhibition of smooth muscle myosin light chain
      kinase.
AB  - Myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) contains the autoinhibitor sequence right next
      to the N-terminus side of the calmodulin binding region. In this paper, the
      structural requirement of the inhibition of MLCK activity was studied using
      synthetic peptide analogs. Peptides Ala-783-Lys-799 and Ala-783-Arg-798 inhibited
      calmodulin independent MLCK at the same potency as the peptide Ala-783-Gly-804.
      Deletion of Arg-797-Lys-799 or substitution of these residues to Ala markedly
      increased the Ki while the substitution of Lys-792 and Lys-793 to Ala and the
      deletion of Lys-784-Lys-785 did not affect the inhibitory activity of the
      peptides. The results suggest that Arg-797-Arg-798 are especially important for
      the inhibitory activity among other basic residues in the autoinhibitory region.

PMID- 1426259
TI  - A critical role of protein-bound water in the catalytic cycle of cytochrome P-450
      camphor.
AB  - The rates of NADH oxidation during the hydroxylation of camphor by cytochrome P
      450cam were followed in the presence of co-solvents used to increase the osmotic
      pressure surrounding the protein-bound water. As a result, the measured Vmax
      decreases independently of the perturbant tested. Roughly 28 molecules of water,
      involved during the catalytic cycle, are deduced from the variation of Vmax as a
      function of osmotic pressure. These molecules, in part, could be those present in
      the cytochrome P-450cam-putidaredoxin interface.

PMID- 1426260
TI  - Gelation of liposome interior. A novel method for drug encapsulation.
AB  - Liposomes can be loaded with weak acids and bases, which exist in solutions in
      equilibrium with membrane permeable uncharged form, using various gradients
      across their membranes. Because in some cases the estimated drug concentration in
      the loaded liposomes exceeds their aqueous solubility we investigated the
      physical state of the liposome encapsulated anticancer drug Doxorubicin. X-Ray
      diffraction, electron microscopy, and test tube solubility experiments have shown
      that upon encapsulation the drug molecules form a gel-like phase.

PMID- 1426261
TI  - The role of conserved aspartate and serine residues in ligand binding and in
      function of the 5-HT1A receptor: a site-directed mutation study.
AB  - Wild-type and mutant serotonin 1A receptors were transiently expressed in COS-7
      cells using the infection-transfection variant of the vaccinia virus/T7
      polymerase vector system. The amino acid substitutions in the transmembrane
      regions, Asp82-->Asn82, Asp116-->Asn116, and Ser198-->Ala198 all resulted in a
      decrease in affinity for 5-HT by 60-100-fold, without affecting the affinity for
      the antagonist, pindolol. The binding of agonist to the additional mutant, Thr199
      ->Ala199, was too weak to be measured, 5-HT induced GTPase activities for all
      receptors studied. These findings indicate that the residues mutated play an
      important role in the binding of the agonist and less critical roles in the
      binding of the antagonist pindolol.

PMID- 1426262
TI  - Utrophin, the autosomal homologue of dystrophin, is widely-expressed and membrane
      associated in cultured cell lines.
AB  - Utrophin, the autosomal dystrophin-related protein (DRP), is expressed in HeLa
      cells, smooth muscle-like BC3H1 cells from mouse brain, COS monkey kidney cells,
      the P388D1 monocyte-macrophage cell line and untransformed human skin
      fibroblasts, as well as in rat C6 glioma and Schwannoma cells. It was
      undetectable, however, in the Sp2/O mouse myeloma cell line and in hybridoma
      lines derived from it. Dystrophin was not detected in any of these cell lines.
      Although all utrophin-containing cells were capable of forming monolayers in
      culture, no major effects of either attachment to substratum or length of time in
      culture (2-17 days) on utrophin levels were observed. After subcellular
      fractionation of BC3H1 or glioma cells, nearly all of the utrophin was found in
      the Triton-soluble fraction, suggesting an association with cell membranes.

PMID- 1426263
TI  - Transport of proteins into the various subcompartments of mitochondria.
AB  - The import of proteins into mitochondria is an intricate process comprised of
      multiple steps. The first step involves the sorting of cytosolically synthesized
      precursor proteins to the mitochondrial surface. There precursor proteins are
      recognized by specific receptors which deliver them to the general import site
      present in the outer membrane. The second stage of import involves a series of
      complex intraorganelle sorting events which results in the delivery of the
      proteins to one of the four possible submitochondrial destinations, namely the
      outer and inner membranes, the matrix and intermembrane space. Here in this
      review, we discuss the current knowledge on these intramitochondrial sorting
      events. We especially focus on targeting of proteins to the intermembrane space.
      Sorting to the intermembrane space represents a particularly interesting
      situation, as at least three separate targeting pathways to this subcompartment
      are known to exist.

PMID- 1426264
TI  - Low translational efficiency of the F1-ATPase beta-subunit mRNA largely accounts
      for the decreased ATPase content in brown adipose tissue mitochondria.
AB  - The half-life of the F1-ATPase beta-subunit (F1-beta) mRNA in ATPase-poor brown
      adipose tissue (BAT) (t1/2 = 9.5 h) was found to be 3-7-fold shorter than in
      liver (t1/2 = 27 h) and heart (t1/2 = 63 h) of mice. When translated in
      reticulocyte lysate, a 2-3-fold lower efficiency appeared with F1-beta mRNA from
      BAT than from other tissues. The in vitro synthesized F1-beta protein precursors
      of BAT, liver and heart origin were imported and processed by mouse liver
      mitochondria with equal efficiency. The results indicate that the pool of
      abundant F1-beta mRNA in BAT is not fully translatable, most likely due to its
      low metabolic stability.

PMID- 1426265
TI  - Photoaffinity labeling of DNA polymerase alpha DNA primase complex based on the
      catalytic competence of a dNTP reactive analog.
AB  - FABdCTP was found to be a substrate of DNA polymerization catalyzed by a DNA
      polymerase alpha-DNA primase complex on the 5'-GTGAGTAAGTGGAGTTTGGCACGAT-3'
      template and 3'-CTCAAACCGT-5' primer. After complete primer extension in the
      presence of FABdCTP under UV-irradiation of the reaction mixture, 70% of the
      template was covalently linked to the primer. Labeling of the 165 kDa subunit of
      the DNA polymerase alpha, 59 kDa and 49 kDa subunits of the DNA primase and an
      unknown protein with apparent molecular weight of 31 kDa was observed. By another
      way of protein labeling FABdCTP was covalently bound to the subunits of the
      enzyme under UV irradiation and then this moiety was introduced into the 3'-end
      of the 5'-[32P]primer by the catalytic activity of DNA polymerase or DNA primase.
      In this case covalent labeling of the 165 kDa, 49 kDa and 31 kDa subunits was
      observed.

PMID- 1426266
TI  - m-iodobenzylguanidine increases the mitochondrial Ca2+ pool in isolated
      hepatocytes.
AB  - The incubation of isolated hepatocytes with the inhibitor of protein mono ADP
      ribosylation, m-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG), resulted in an increase in the size
      of the mitochondrial Ca2+ pool, without alteration of the non-mitochondrial Ca2+
      store(s). This increase was abolished when the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration
      ([Ca2+]i) was buffered by prior loading of the cells with fluo 3. Elevating
      [Ca2+]i by releasing the endoplasmic reticular Ca2+ store with 2,5-di-(tert
      butyl)-1,4-hydroquinone resulted in a synergistic increase in the magnitude of
      the mitochondrial Ca2+ pool. A role for protein ADP-ribosylation in the
      intracellular regulation of mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis is suggested.

PMID- 1426267
TI  - Angiotensin-II-induced expression of proto-oncogene (c-fos, jun-B and c-jun) mRNA
      in bovine adrenocortical fasciculata cells (BAC) is mediated by AT-1 receptors.
AB  - We have shown previously that angiotensin-II (A-II) controls proto-oncogene (c
      fos, jun-B and c-jun) mRNA accumulation in bovine adrenal fasciculata cells
      (BAC). Since BAC contain both subtypes (AT-1 and AT-2) of the A-II receptor, we
      have investigated which subtype was involved in the effect of A-II on proto
      oncogene mRNA by using a selective antagonist for AT-1 (DUP 753) and for AT-2
      (CGP 42112A). DUP 753, but not CGP 42112A, inhibited the stimulatory effect of A
      II on proto-oncogene mRNA, with ID50s of 4 x 10(-7) M, 7 x 10(-7) M and 2 x 10(
      6) M for c-fos, jun-B and c-jun, respectively. Neither of the two antagonists by
      themselves had a direct effect on proto-oncogene mRNA. As the A-II AT-1 receptors
      are coupled to the phospholipase C system in BAC, we have investigated whether
      the A-II effects on the proto-oncogenes were mediated by protein kinase C (PKC)
      or by Ca2+ calmodulin. First, activation of PKC by the phorbol ester, PMA,
      increased the level of three proto-oncogene mRNAs, whereas calcium ionophore had
      no effect. Second, staurosporine, a specific inhibitor of PKC, reduced the
      stimulatory action of A-II on proto-oncogene mRNA by 80-90%, whereas
      trifluoroperazine, an inhibitor of calmodulin, had no significant effect. These
      results demonstrate that the effects of A-II on proto-oncogene mRNA are mediated
      by AT1 receptor subtypes, mainly through activation of the PKC pathway.

PMID- 1426268
TI  - Induction of cytokines in glial cells by trans activator of human T-cell
      lymphotropic virus type I.
AB  - Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I), the cause of adult T-cell
      leukemia, is also associated with the neurological disease, TSP/HAM (tropical
      spastic paraparesis/HTLV-I associated myelopathy). The HTLV-I genome encodes a
      protein, Tax, that trans activates viral and cellular gene transcription. To
      understand the mechanisms for the production of cytokines by HTLV-I in nervous
      tissue, we examined their expression in glial cells which carried the Tax
      expressing vector. We demonstrated that Tax expression enhanced the production by
      glial cells of interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, granulocyte-macrophage colony
      stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and transforming growth factor (TGF) beta. We suggest
      that the excessive production of cytokines in nervous tissue may play a role in
      pathogenesis of TSP/HAM. Glial cells that carry the tax gene may provide a model
      useful for in vitro study of the mechanism of production of cytokines in the
      nervous system.

PMID- 1426269
TI  - Cyclosporin A protects pancreatic islet cells from nitric oxide-dependent
      macrophage cytotoxicity.
AB  - It has been shown earlier in an in-vitro model of inflammatory islet cell death
      that activated macrophages lyse islet cells via the release of nitric oxide. Here
      we report that cyclosporin A suppresses macrophage cytotoxicity. Control
      experiments showed that the immunosuppressive drug does not improve the defences
      of islet cells against nitric oxide but inhibits the release of nitric oxide from
      LPS-stimulated macrophages. This property of cyclosporin A may contribute to the
      preservation of beta cell function seen in cyclosporin A-treated patients with
      recent onset type I diabetes.

PMID- 1426270
TI  - Interaction of nitrogen dioxide with human plasma. Antioxidant depletion and
      oxidative damage.
AB  - Nitrogen dioxide (NO2.) is often present in inhaled air and may be generated in
      vivo from nitric oxide. Exposure of human blood plasma to NO2. caused rapid
      losses of ascorbic acid, uric acid and protein thiol groups, as well as lipid
      peroxidation and depletions of alpha-tocopherol, bilirubin and ubiquinol-10. No
      increase in protein carbonyls was detected. Supplementation of plasma with
      ascorbate decreased the rates of lipid peroxidation, alpha-tocopherol depletion
      and loss of uric acid. Uric acid supplementation decreased rates of lipid
      peroxidation but not the loss of alpha-tocopherol. We conclude that ascorbic
      acid, protein -SH groups, uric acid and alpha-tocopherol may be important agents
      protecting against NO2. in vivo. If these antioxidants are depleted, peroxidation
      of lipids occurs and might contribute to the toxicity of NO2..

PMID- 1426271
TI  - DNA binding of histone H1 is modulated by nucleotides.
AB  - Histone H1 acts as a general repressor of transcription in eukaryotes by
      organizing nucleosomes into inaccessible condensed forms of chromatin. The
      capability of H1 to bind to DNA with some sequence specificity is likely to be
      critical in the control of these processes. We show here that ATP and several
      other nucleotides, including non-hydrolyzable derivatives, can inhibit DNA
      binding of H1. The results also show that ATP differentially affects binding of
      H1 to DNA in a fashion enhancing nucleotide sequence specificity of the binding.
      The study suggests a novel mechanism of modulation of H1 activity that has
      important implications for the role of H1 as a transcriptional regulator.

PMID- 1426272
TI  - Stilbene synthase from Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris).
AB  - Stilbene synthases are named according to their substrate preferences. By this
      definition, enzymes preferring cinnamoyl-CoA are pinosylvin synthases, and
      proteins with a preference for phenylpropionyl-CoA are dihydropinosylvin
      synthases. We investigated the assignment of a stilbene synthase cloned from
      Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) as dihydropinosylvin synthase and the proposal of
      an additional pinosylvin synthase [1992, Plant Mol. Biol. 18, 489-503]. The
      results show that the previous interpretation was misled by several unexpected
      factors. Firstly, we found that the substrate preference and the activity of the
      plant-specific protein expressed in E. coli was influenced by bacterial factors.
      This was reduced by improvement of the expression system, and the subsequent
      kinetic analysis revealed that cinnamoyl-CoA rather than phenylpropionyl-CoA is
      the preferred substrate of the cloned stilbene synthase. Secondly, mixing
      experiments showed that extracts from P. sylvestris contain factor(s) which
      selectively influenced the substrate preference, i.e. the activity was reduced
      with phenylpropionyl-CoA, but not with cinnamoyl-CoA. This explained the apparent
      differences between plant extracts and the cloned enzyme expressed in E. coli.
      Taken together, the results indicate that the cloned enzyme is a pinosylvin
      synthase, and there is no evidence for a second stilbene synthase. This study
      cautions that factors in the natural and in new hosts may complicate the
      functional identification of cloned sequences.

PMID- 1426273
TI  - Complementary DNA sequences of two 14.5 kDa subunits of NADH:ubiquinone
      oxidoreductase from bovine heart mitochondria. Completion of the primary
      structure of the complex?
AB  - The amino acid sequences of two nuclear-encoded subunits of complex I from bovine
      heart mitochondria have been determined. Both proteins have an apparent molecular
      weight of 14.5 kDa and their N-alpha-amino groups are acetylated. They are known
      as subunits B14.5a and B14.5b. Neither protein is evidently related to any known
      protein and their functions are obscure. A total of 34 nuclear-encoded subunits
      of bovine complex I have now been sequenced and it is thought that the primary
      structure of the complex is now complete, although with such a complicated
      structure it is difficult to be certain that there are no other subunits
      remaining to be sequenced. Seven additional hydrophobic subunits of the enzyme
      are encoded in mitochondrial DNA, and therefore bovine heart complex I is an
      assembly of about 41 different proteins. If it is assumed that there is one copy
      of each protein in the assembly, these polypeptides contain 7,955 amino acids in
      their sequences, more than are found in the Escherichia coli ribosome, which
      contains 7,336 amino acids in its 32 polypeptides.

PMID- 1426274
TI  - Photolabeling of the phosphate binding site of chloroplast coupling factor 1 with
      [32P]azidonitrophenyl phosphate.
AB  - Chloroplast F1-ATPase (CF1) was photolabeled by a radiolabeled photoactivatable
      derivative of Pi, 4-azido-2-nitrophenyl [32P]phosphate (ANPP). The radioactivity
      was localized in the beta subunit of CF1. Upon cleavage of the beta subunit by
      cyanogen bromide, the predominantly labeled peptide was recovered, which was
      subsequently subjected to tryptic digestion. A tryptic peptide (spanning Ile312
      Arg354), was found to contain nearly all the covalently bound radioactivity. By
      Edman degradation, the labeled amino acid residues were identified as Tyr328,
      Val329 and Pro330. The labeled beta-Tyr328 of CF1 is the equivalent of beta
      Tyr311 of F1 from beef heart mitochondria, which was previously found to be
      photolabeled by ANPP [J. Garin et al. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 1442-1448].

PMID- 1426276
TI  - Half-life of ubiquinone-9 in rat tissues.
AB  - The half-life of ubiquinone-9 in various rat tissues was determined. Rats were
      injected intraperitoneally with [3H]mevalonate and the decay of radioactivity
      incorporated into ubiquinone-9 was followed using reverse-phase HPLC. The half
      life varied between 49 h (testis) and 125 h (kidney).

PMID- 1426275
TI  - Primary structure of frog rhodopsin.
AB  - Amphibians have been employed extensively to study the anatomy, physiology,
      biochemistry, and cell biology of the visual system for decades, yet there have
      been no reports concerning the primary structure of amphibian visual transduction
      components. Thus, we have determined the entire nucleotide sequence of frog (Rana
      pipiens) rhodopsin cDNA, including a putative transcription start point and poly
      A tail, by sequence analysis of PCR products and mRNA. The open reading frame
      predicts an opsin of 354 residues, six residues longer than the mammalian rod
      opsins, containing 11 potential phosphorylation sites in the C-terminal domain.
      RNA blot analysis revealed two transcripts of ca. 1.7 and 3.1 kb. Frog rhodopsin
      exhibits approximately 85% identity to mammalian rhodopsin at the amino acid
      level. Sequence analysis of additional components will produce the framework from
      which a more detailed understanding of amphibian phototransduction can emerge.

PMID- 1426277
TI  - Dissociation of store release from transmembrane influx of calcium in human
      neutrophils.
AB  - Release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores was visualised in individual
      neutrophils in the presence of the Mn2+ or SKF 96365. Influx of Mn2+ quenched
      fura-2 close to the plasma membrane but did not quench fura-2 at the site of
      store release. The size and location of the 'cloud' of elevated Ca2+ was
      unaffected by the channel blocker SKF 96365. Furthermore, the size and location
      was unaffected by the presence of extracellular Ca2+. This dissociation of
      transmembrane influx from store release demonstrates that the entry of Ca2+ into
      the cytosol of neutrophils occurs directly into the cytosol and not via the store
      site.

PMID- 1426278
TI  - Glucose decreases respiratory control ratio in EL-4 tumor cells.
AB  - EL-4 ascites thymoma cells are shown to have high aerobic glycolysis and
      decreased Pasteur effect. At the same time, glucose produces a much smaller
      inhibitory effect on cell respiration (Crabtree effect) than in Ehrlich ascites
      carcinoma (EAC) cells. In intact EL-4 cells, the respiratory control ratio (RCR)
      was found to be 6.2 with endogenous substrates and 8.0 with glutamine. Glucose
      decreased the RCR to 3.2, by stimulating the state 4 respiration. In rat
      thymocytes and EAC cells, such an effect of glucose was absent (RCR of 7.0 and
      7.2, respectively). It is suggested that in EL-4 tumor cells, the high aerobic
      glycolysis and small Crabtree effect may be due to glucose-induced 'uncoupling'
      of oxidation and phosphorylation.

PMID- 1426279
TI  - Platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor. Pharmacokinetics, organ
      distribution and degradation after intravenous administration in rats.
AB  - Platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) stimulates chemotaxis
      of endothelial cells in vitro and has angiogenic activity in vivo. Recently PD
      ECGF was shown to have thymidine phosphorylase activity. In order to study
      possible therapeutic applications of PD-ECGF we used a rat model to determine its
      pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution after intravenous injection. [125I]PD
      ECGF disappeared from the plasma in a biphasic manner, with estimated
      distribution and elimination half-lives of 17 min and 7 h, respectively. PD-ECGF
      was metabolized in the liver, excreted via the bile, and not accumulated in any
      organ system. The stability and long half-life in the circulation, together with
      the specificity for endothelial cells, suggest that PD-ECGF may be useful as a
      therapeutic agent to stimulate re-endothelialization in vivo, or, in view of its
      thymidine phosphorylase activity, in chemotherapy, by decreasing the pool of
      available thymidine.

PMID- 1426280
TI  - Codon-anticodon pairing. A model for interacting codon-anticodon duplexes located
      at the ribosomal A- and P-sites.
AB  - The interaction between two codon-anticodon duplexes of the ribosomal A- and P
      site-bound tRNAs is the key feature of the proposed model. This interaction
      prohibits non-canonical base pairing at the first and second positions of the
      codon and controls base pairing at the third position (wobbling rules ensuing
      from the model are in good accord with those generated from experiments). The
      model is capable of predicting codon context effects. It follows from the model
      that modifications of the first anticodon residue of the P-site tRNA can affect
      the stability of the A-site duplex, and that the translation of a DNA single
      chain analogue of mRNA should be accompanied by non-canonical base pairing at all
      three positions of the codon. These predictions of the model can be subjected to
      experimental tests.

PMID- 1426281
TI  - ATP-sensitive K(+)-channels in the human adult ventricular cardiomyocytes
      membrane.
AB  - Using the patch-clamp method in 27 different inside-out patches it was shown for
      the first time that they defined the basic parameters of the functioning of
      single ATP-sensitive K+ channels in the human adult ventricular cardiomyocytes
      membrane. At [K+]o = 140 mM single channel conductance (over the linear part of
      the I-V relation) reaches 100 pS. The possibility of the existence of these
      channels' conductance sublevels as well as the cluster character of their
      localization in sarcolemma is shown. The channel activity demonstrates an obvious
      run-down with tau at about a minute. The analysed channels possess one open and
      two closed states.

PMID- 1426282
TI  - Transcriptional- and post-transcriptional-dependent regulation of glutathione S
      transferase expression in rat hepatocytes as a function of culture conditions.
AB  - Transcriptional activity of the glutathione S-transferase (GST) alpha (subunits 1
      and 2), mu (subunits 3 and 4) and pi (subunit 7) gene families has been analyzed
      using the nuclear 'run-on' technique on adult rat hepatocytes maintained for 4
      days in conventional culture and for 4 and 12 days in co-culture with rat liver
      epithelial cells. Several medium conditions are included in this study, namely
      with or without fetal calf serum and with nicotinamide or dimethylsulphoxide.
      Hepatocytes co-cultured for 4 days maintain approximately 30-70% of the alpha
      gene family transcriptional activity, whatever the medium conditions, when
      compared to freshly isolated hepatocytes. A marked decrease is observed after 12
      days of co-culture or when hepatocytes are maintained in conventional culture.
      The transcriptional activity of the mu gene family is maintained at 40-160% when
      hepatocytes are cultured with or without fetal calf serum, and is inducible by
      nicotinamide (approximately 4-fold) and dimethylsulphoxide (approximately 2-fold)
      in conventional culture and/or in co-culture. In contrast to freshly isolated
      hepatocytes, GST pi gene transcriptional activity is observed in conventional and
      co-cultured hepatocytes, irrespective of the medium conditions.
      Dimethylsulphoxide treatment however, represses the expression of GST 7 in vitro.
      These results demonstrate that the expression of GST alpha, mu and pi genes in
      conventional and co-cultured rat hepatocytes is controlled primarily at the level
      of transcription. It cannot be excluded, however, that dimethylsulphoxide
      stabilizes the GST mRNA levels in vitro.

PMID- 1426283
TI  - Altered expression of G-protein mRNA in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
AB  - We have recently demonstrated that the decreased ability of hormones, forskolin
      and GTP to stimulate adenylate cyclase in heart and aorta from spontaneously
      hypertensive rats (SHR), as compared to their age-matched Wistar-Kyoto control
      rats (WKY), was associated with enhanced levels of Gi- and not with Gs-regulatory
      proteins. In the present studies we have investigated the expression of Gi
      regulatory proteins at the mRNA level by Northern blotting. Total RNA of heart
      ventricle and aorta from WKY and SHR was probed with radiolabeled cDNA inserts
      encoding Gi alpha-2 and Gi alpha-3. The Gi alpha-2 and Gi alpha-3 probes detected
      a message of 2-3 and 3-5 kb, respectively, in both WKY and SHR, however, the
      message was significantly enhanced in SHR, as compared by WKY. On the other hand
      the cDNA probe encoding Gs alpha detected a message of 1.8 kb in heart and aorta
      from both WKY and SHR, however, no difference in the levels of Gs alpha mRNA was
      detected in SHR and WKY tissues. These results indicate that the mRNA levels of
      Gi alpha-2 and Gi alpha-3 and not of Gs are overexpressed in heart and aorta from
      SHR, which may be responsible for the increased levels of Gi as shown earlier by
      immunoblotting techniques. It may be suggested that the enhanced vascular tone
      and impaired cardiac contractility in hypertension may partly be the consequences
      of increased levels of Gi in heart and aorta.

PMID- 1426284
TI  - Primary structure of a cardioactive neuropeptide from the tobacco hawkmoth,
      Manduca sexta.
AB  - The amino acid sequence of the first of a family of insect cardioregulatory
      peptides from the tobacco hawkmoth, Manduca sexta, has been determined using a
      combination of Edman degradation microsequencing and mass spectroscopy. This
      peptide contains 9 amino acid residues and an observed mass for the monoisotopic
      protonated molecule of 956.4 Da. There are two cysteines at positions 3 and 9
      forming a disulfide bridge and the carboxyl-terminus is amidated. The structure
      of this peptide, Pro-Phe-Cys-Asn-Ala-Phe-Thr-Gly-Cys-NH2, is identical to a
      peptide recently isolated from crabs called crustacean cardioactive peptide
      (CCAP) and we propose that this peptide be named Manduca CCAP.

PMID- 1426285
TI  - Ca(2+)-mediated interaction between negatively charged and neutral liposomes.
AB  - In the present work it is shown that large unilamellar lecithin/cholesterol
      liposomes are able to sequester small negatively charged liposomes in the
      presence of divalent cations. Evidence is presented suggesting that the
      sequestration occurs via the formation of membrane invaginations transformed
      further into intraliposomal vesicles.

PMID- 1426286
TI  - A subgroup of class alpha glutathione S-transferases. Cloning of cDNA for mouse
      lung glutathione S-transferase GST 5.7.
AB  - A full-length cDNA clone encoding the previously purified mouse glutathione S
      transferase GST 5.7 [(1991), Biochem. J. 278, 793-799] has been isolated from a
      mouse lung cDNA library in lambda gt11. Sequencing of the clone revealed the
      presence of microheterogeneity in GST 5.7. Comparison of the deduced protein
      sequence with other glutathione S-transferases, together with previous
      information available on GST 5.7, indicates that the enzyme belongs to a novel
      subgroup within the alpha class of glutathione S-transferases. Members of the
      subgroup, which also include the rat GST 8-8 and perhaps chicken GST CL3, show
      high sequence homology with each other, but only moderate similarity to other
      alpha class enzymes. They share a substrate specificity profile that resembles pi
      class enzymes, and are active in the conjugation of lipid peroxidation products.

PMID- 1426287
TI  - In vivo phosphorylation of the 30-kDa protein of tobacco mosaic virus.
AB  - The 30-kDa protein of tobacco mosaic virus, which is involved in cell-to-cell
      movement function, is phosphorylated in tobacco protoplasts. To investigate which
      portion of the protein is phosphorylated we inoculated several truncated 30-kDa
      protein mutants into protoplasts and determined whether or not those truncated
      proteins are phosphorylated. The results showed that amino acid residues 234-261
      of the 30-kDa protein are required for this phosphorylation.

PMID- 1426288
TI  - Activity, disulphide mapping and structural modelling of the fifth domain of
      human beta 2-glycoprotein I.
AB  - Complexes formed by the interaction of negatively charged phospholipids and beta
      2-glycoprotein I (beta 2-I) are the target of autoantibodies in systemic lupus
      erythematosus. The highly positively charged fifth (C-terminal) domain of human
      beta 2-I was produced as a fusion protein in an Escherichia coli expression
      system and was shown to bind to the negatively charged phospholipid, cardiolipin,
      almost as well as the intact protein. In an attempt to define the 3D structure of
      this domain, the disulphide linkage pattern was determined and shown to be Cys 1
      4, Cys 2-5 and Cys 3-6 in contradiction to an earlier report. In the light of
      this information, the sequence of the fifth domain of beta 2 I (beta 2-I-5) is
      readily aligned with that of the 16th repeat of factor H, of which the 3D
      structure is known, and a model of beta 2I-5 has been built by homology. On the
      basis of the model we suggest residues that might be the target of profitable
      site-directed mutagenesis in structure-function studies.

PMID- 1426289
TI  - Segments of Escherichia coli genome similar to the exons of human prothymosin
      alpha gene.
AB  - Identification of the putative prothymosin alpha homolog in Escherichia coli
      cells prompted the search for a prothymosin alpha-coding gene in the E. coli
      genome. A set of interspersed DNA segments was identified, which match various
      parts of the human prothymosin alpha molecule. Their location in the E. coli
      genome and high degree of similarity with the appropriate regions of the human
      prothymosin alpha gene suggest that some kind of trans-splicing should exist in
      E. coli, which could be responsible for bringing these putative bacterial
      prothymosin alpha-coding exons together.

PMID- 1426290
TI  - Oncogenes and oncoproteins as tumor markers.
AB  - A major problem in the management of patients with cancer is the lack of specific
      tumor markers for the early detection, the accurate prediction of biological
      behavior and for accurate assessment of prognosis. A new and exciting answer to
      this problem may now become available following the discovery of specific genes
      associated with malignancy. The role of such genes and their products are now
      being identified and their role in cancer is under intense investigation. On a
      clinical level, these genes and their products may allow us to improve our
      understanding of disease etiology and provide more precise diagnostic, prognostic
      and therapeutic characterization of individual tumors. This paper discusses the
      possibilities of using the altered expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor
      genes and their products in neoplastic tissues as markers for the diagnosis and
      prognosis of malignant disease. These data support the view that detailed
      analysis of such gene expression has the potential to predict a tumor's behavior
      as well as the response to different treatment modalities.

PMID- 1426291
TI  - Intra-operative electron beam radiotherapy and abdomino-pelvic surgery for
      cancer: influence on immunological parameters.
AB  - Evolution of some immunological parameters was observed during the first month in
      20 patients with different abdomino-pelvic cancers who underwent surgery with
      intra-operative radiation therapy (IORT) (mean dose of 19.44 Gy, range 15, 25).
      Observed parameters before (DO-) and after procedure (DO+), on seventh (D7) and
      fourteenth (D14) days and fifth week (D30) were: lymphocyte count, lymphocyte
      subsets (CD19, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD56), natural killer (NK) activity,
      immunoglobulins, C3 and C4b fractions of complement, soluble receptor for
      interleukin 2 (sIL2-R). Results showed a decrease of circulating lymphocytes (DO
      : 1189 +/- 168 cells/mm3; D7: 889 +/- 91; P = 0.011), of absolute number of CD3
      lymphocytes (DO-: 785 +/- 114 cells/mm3; D7: 563 +/- 86; P = 0.025), of CD4
      lymphocytes (DO-: 441 +/- 70 cells/mm3; DO+: 299 +/- 43; P = 0.013) and of CD8
      lymphocytes (DO-:361 +/- 50 cells/mm3, D7:250 +/- 44; P = 0.006). All values
      returned towards preoperative levels by D30. Absolute number of NK cells was
      unchanged but NK activity was significantly diminished (effector target ratio 5:1
      DO-:33 +/- 5%; DO+:44 +/- 7%; D7:18 +/- 3%; D14:21 +/- 4%; D30:25 +/- 4%). sIL2-R
      was significantly enhanced from D7 to D30. All these impairments are moderate and
      these observations provide some evidence of satisfactory tolerance to IORT for
      abdomino-pelvic cancers during the immediate postoperative period.

PMID- 1426292
TI  - Delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer: the effect of the introduction of fine
      needle aspiration cytology to a breast clinic.
AB  - Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was introduced to a District General
      Hospital Breast Clinic in 1984 and since that time the rate of surgical excision
      biopsy for benign breast disease has halved. The rate of benign to malignant
      breast operations fell from 2.0 to 0.7 over a 7-year period from 1982 to 1988.
      During this period the diagnosis of breast cancer was made at the first clinic
      appointment in 85% of women. However, a delay in diagnosis of more than 50 days
      occurred in 33 patients (6.9%) and there was little difference in the annual rate
      of delayed diagnosis despite the addition of FNAC as an extra diagnostic tool in
      the later years of the study. Eighty-five per cent of patients with a delayed
      diagnosis were under the age of 55 (mean and median age 47) years. FNAC is a
      useful adjunct in the management of patients with diagnostic breast problems, but
      even in combination with mammography is not always sufficiently sensitive to
      exclude malignancy, particularly in young women.

PMID- 1426293
TI  - Surgery for local recurrences following deficient radical mastectomy for breast
      cancer: a selected series of 39 cases.
AB  - Thirty-nine patients with locally recurrent cancer, previously treated elsewhere
      by mastectomy, were considered. At clinical examination, doubts arose as to the
      efficiency of previously performed mastectomies. Recurrent lesions, in the
      absence of distant metastases, were nodular, cutaneous or subcutaneous, in the
      area of previous 'radical mastectomy'. Second surgery consisted of a wide
      excision together with a surgical revision of axilla. No radiotherapy was
      administered to the thoracic wall after surgery. Adjuvant chemotherapy (CMF) was
      given to 26 node-positive women. Median follow-up was 48 months. Pathological
      reports showed that portions of mammary gland and axillary lymph nodes had been
      left behind by primary surgery in 29 and 34 cases, respectively. In 26 cases
      lymph nodes were metastatically involved. Local control has been maintained in 32
      patients, 21 of whom are alive and free of disease.

PMID- 1426294
TI  - Stage I cutaneous malignant melanoma: risk factors of loco-regional recurrence
      after wide local excision and clinical perspectives.
AB  - Two hundred and nineteen patients admitted to the Centre Claudius Regaud over a
      14-year period for a stage I cutaneous malignant melanoma were retrospectively
      evaluated for loco-regional recurrence rates, risk factors and survival rates
      following wide primary excision. Five and 8 year survival rates corrected for
      deaths owing to concurrent illness were 77% and 73%. The loco-regional control
      rate was 69% (151/219). Distant metastases occurred in 59% (40/68) of patients
      who had a loco-regional recurrence, versus 11% (16/151) of patients when loco
      regional control was obtained (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis was used to
      ascertain which risk factors act independently as predictors of poor loco
      regional control. Anatomical location of the primary ('head and neck-trunk-hands
      and feet' vs 'proximal limb') and thickness formed the best model in this respect
      among 11 prognostic factors studied. Since loco-regional recurrence may be
      associated with an increased risk of distant metastatic disease, we advocate the
      use of elective regional lymph node dissection in stage I patients at high risk
      of loco-regional recurrence in the hope that a portion of these patients may have
      increased survival owing to lack of development of widespread metastases.

PMID- 1426295
TI  - Is preoperative transrectal ultrasonography of value in localised prostatic
      carcinoma? A blind comparative study between preoperative transrectal
      ultrasonography and the histopathological radical prostatectomy specimen.
AB  - Digital rectal examination (DRE) for staging is subjective and unreliable.
      Understaging has been reported in 25-72% and clinical overstaging of T3 tumors
      varies from 24-50%. In the present study of 15 patients, transrectal ultrasound
      (TRUS) staging was compared, in a blind comparative fashion, with pathological
      staging of the surgical specimen. Multifocal lesions were present in 8/15
      patients (53%). A distinction was made between capsular involvement and 'clear'
      capsular penetration. TRUS was more sensitive in predicting capsular involvement
      than DRE (83% vs 17%), but the specificity was low (67% vs 100%). If capsular
      perforation was considered, the sensitivity and specificity of TRUS are 43% and
      91%, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity for seminal vesicle tumor
      involvement by TRUS was 63% and 86%. Using TRUS the overall staging was improved
      by 33% compared with DRE and therefore TRUS is considered to be a valuable
      acquisition in localising and staging prostate cancer.

PMID- 1426296
TI  - Radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer.
AB  - A retrospective analysis of 70 patients, undergoing a radical prostatectomy in
      1989 and 1990 is reported. The value of computed tomography (CT) scanning in
      preoperative lymph node staging should be reconsidered. Evaluation of the
      resection margins is of utmost importance as is the distinction between capsular
      invasion, penetration and transgression. The etiology of local failure and its
      treatment are discussed.

PMID- 1426297
TI  - Malignant thyroid tumours 1932 to 1972: the outcome in 492 patients.
AB  - We report on 492 patients treated for thyroid cancer at the Royal Marsden
      Hospital between 1932 and 1972: 380 of the patients are now dead. Eighty-three
      per cent (n = 410) are tumours of follicular cell origin. We found the crude 20
      year probability of survival to be 54% in papillary carcinoma, 29% in follicular
      carcinoma and 1% in anaplastic carcinoma. Considering solely cancer deaths, the
      survival in papillary cases was 68%. Age, histology (tumour type), extent of
      primary tumour (T stage), haematogenous metastases (M1 stage) and, to a lesser
      extent, sex exercised a significant influence on survival. We support the use of
      these five factors to produce a prognostic index for estimating the level of risk
      for tumours of follicular cell origin. We add our experience in the non
      follicular cell tumours of medullary carcinoma (3%), lymphoma (7%) and
      fibrosarcoma (1%).

PMID- 1426298
TI  - Retroperitoneal sarcoma in a series of 51 adults.
AB  - Fifty-one patients with retroperitoneal sarcoma underwent surgery at the
      University Clinics of Hamburg from 1970 to 1988. Malignant schwannoma,
      liposarcoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma were the most common histological
      types. High grade sarcomas (G3) predominated (42%), while 26% were graded G2 and
      33% G1. Complete resection was possible in 59% of cases. Reoperation for local
      recurrence and debulking in case of not completely resectable disease was common.
      Regional lymph node metastasis was found in 20% of cases. The peritoneum was the
      preferred location of metastatic spread. All adjuvant chemotherapies were
      followed by tumour recurrences. After adjuvant radiotherapy three of six patients
      remained free of disease. In cases of residual tumour we observed few partial
      responses on chemo- and radiotherapy, and all patients died because of the
      disease. The mean survival time was 60 months, the 5- and 10-year survival rates
      were 35% and 15%, respectively. Factors influencing prognosis in univariate
      analysis included grade, size, resectability, presence of metastatic spread,
      histological type, microscopic local growth (infiltrative vs intact pseudocapsule
      of fibrous tissue) and local recurrence. With multivariate analysis grade, size
      and lymph node metastasis retained their prognostic significance.

PMID- 1426299
TI  - How long is a 6 cm margin of resection in the stomach?
AB  - In order to assess whether the gastric wall undergoes some change in length
      during gastrectomy operation for cancer, we measured the variation in length of
      the anterior gastric wall in 25 patients. The first measurement was made at the
      beginning of laparotomy by placing two stitches on the anterior gastric wall and
      registering the distance between them. A second and a third measurement were
      recorded when the stomach was fully isolated just before its transection and
      subsequently on the anatomic table. The results indicate that the usual
      recommendations made by pathologists to maintain a 6 cm margin of tissue
      clearance proximally to the cephalic edge of the tumour, can be safely followed
      by the surgeons who can correctly assess, during operation, the distance between
      tumour and the desirable line of transection since no misleading reduction in
      size of the resected specimen takes place.

PMID- 1426300
TI  - Saphenous vein grafts for anatomical variations encountered at surgical insertion
      of a hepatic artery catheter.
AB  - Fifty-five consecutive patients, with colorectal metastases confined to the
      liver, underwent surgical placement of a hepatic artery catheter. At angiography,
      abnormal hepatic arterial anatomy was present in 33% of patients. In the majority
      of patients, the hepatic artery catheter was inserted in the conventional manner.
      In eleven patients with unusual arterial anatomy, a saphenous vein graft was used
      to create a conduit for the catheter. Satisfactory perfusion was obtained in all
      patients.

PMID- 1426301
TI  - Prognosis of surgically treated radiation-induced damage to the intestine.
AB  - A series of 88 patients operated on during 24 years for radiation-induced damage
      (RID) to the intestinal tract were retrospectively reviewed and clinical and
      surgical factors were related to the ultimate prognosis by multivariate analysis.
      The first operation was performed on the small intestine in 47 patients, the
      large intestine in 32 patients or both in nine patients. Postoperative
      complications occurred in 35 patients (40%), with fatal outcome in 12 (13%).
      Thirty-one patients (35%) required further surgery and altogether 19 patients
      (22%) ultimately died from RID. Negative prognostic factors after the first
      operation were postoperative intestinal leak (P < 0.05) and operation for fistula
      or perforation (P < 0.01). The outcome after the last operation was negatively
      influenced by intestinal leak (P < 0.001) by the choice of bypass as operative
      procedure (P < 0.01) and by operation for fistula or perforation (P < 0.01). In
      addition, 43% of the patients in whom the disease had progressed between two
      explorations died from RID. Thus, the severity of the RID as diagnosed at
      laparotomy, and progression of the disease between two subsequent explorations
      were related to the prognosis. Care should be taken to avoid intestinal leak.
      Resections should be preferred to bypass of injured intestine whenever possible.

PMID- 1426302
TI  - Carcinoma of the pancreas and papilla of Vater--assessment of resectability and
      factors influencing resectability in stage I carcinomas. A prospective
      multicentre trial in 472 patients.
AB  - Between 1984 and 1987, 472 patients with histologically or cytologically verified
      carcinomas of the pancreas or papilla of Vater, were accrued in the Norwegian
      Pancreatic Cancer Trial. Surgical assessment revealed resectability in 29% (94 of
      330) of the pancreatic tumours and 89% (25 of 28) of the papillar tumours.
      Tumours of the pancreatic head were resectable in 32% (84 of 259). The
      sensitivities of the different diagnostic methods in patients with resectable
      tumours were: FNAC (fine needle aspiration cytology) 80%, ERCP (endoscopic
      retrograde cholangio-pancreatography) 78%, PTC (percutaneous transhepatic
      cholangiography) 73%, ERCP with duct cytology 67%, CT (computed tomography) 58%,
      US (ultrasound) 42% and angiography 22%. The positive predictive values (PV+) in
      resectable disease were: US 29%, CT 35%, ERCP 43% and angiography 44%.
      Corresponding figures for unresectable disease were US 95%, CT 97%, ERCP 75% and
      angiography 88%. Resectable tumours of the pancreas and papilla of Vater had an
      average macroscopic diameter of 3.2 x 3.4 cm and 2.2 x 2.3 cm, respectively.
      Tumour size increased with stage. Increasing tumour size and abdominal pain
      combined with short diagnostic delay both decreased resectability rate, whereas a
      combination of long diagnostic delay and abdominal pain had a more favorable
      resectability rate. Radical pancreatic surgery, if effective in the treatment of
      carcinoma of the pancreas or papilla of Vater, should not be undertaken if any
      preoperative diagnostic test demonstrates signs of indisputable unresectability.
      Available methods for the evaluation of resectability in patients lacking such
      signs are insufficient. This necessitates exploratory laparotomy in many
      patients.

PMID- 1426303
TI  - The prognostic value of the tumour markers CA 195 and CEA in patients with
      adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.
AB  - The serum levels of CA 195 were determined in 52 patients with histologically
      proven pancreatic carcinoma and compared with carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA),
      serum bilirubin and albumin. CA 195 levels were raised above the upper limit of
      20 U/ml in 42 cases, giving a sensitivity of 80% for the detection of pancreatic
      carcinoma, whereas CEA was raised in only 55%. The levels of CA 195 and CEA were
      significantly higher in patients with metastatic disease, but potentially curable
      cases were not discriminated. Bilirubin and albumin levels were not significantly
      related to either the presence of metastases or the levels of the tumour markers.
      At the time of initial presentation, levels of both tumour markers correlated
      with the eventual duration of survival, but bilirubin and albumin did not.
      Significant increases in CEA and CA 195 were found in sequential blood samples,
      as the disease progressed. Neither CA 195 nor CEA was of sufficient sensitivity
      to be of value for screening, but both give an indication of the presence of
      metastases and of the subsequent duration of survival. CA 195 appeared to be more
      sensitive and might help to assess progress of the disease.

PMID- 1426304
TI  - Primary lymphoma of the trachea.

PMID- 1426305
TI  - Spontaneous remission of bladder neoplasm.
AB  - A case of spontaneous remission of bladder cancer in an 85-year-old man is
      reported. The clinicopathological features are presented and the literature
      reviewed.

PMID- 1426306
TI  - Puberty and polycystic ovarian syndrome: the insulin/insulin-like growth factor I
      hypothesis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To provide an up-to-date review of studies that have examined the
      physiological effects of insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) on
      ovarian growth, maturation, and steroid synthesis, their physiological role in
      puberty, and their pathophysiological role in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
      To deduce from these data a hypothesis, explaining the pathogenetic connections
      between puberty and PCOS. DATA IDENTIFICATION: The most relevant studies related
      to this topic have been identified through a computerized bibliographic search
      (MEDLINE) and through manual scanning of what has been published during recent
      years in the most important journals in the field of reproductive endocrinology.
      RESULTS: Insulin and IGF-I stimulate ovarian growth and potentiate the actions of
      gonadotropins on ovarian steroid synthesis. Insulin also augments the bioactive
      concentrations of IGF-I and androgens through regulation of the synthesis of
      their respective binding proteins insulin-like growth factor-1 binding protein
      (IGFBP-1) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in the liver. Insulin and IGF-I
      might also be able to increase the adrenal sensitivity to adrenocorticotropic
      hormone (ACTH). Insulin resistance with compensating hyperinsulinism is a common
      feature of PCOS. It is also a normal phenomenon during puberty. Polycystic
      ovarian syndrome often develops during puberty. Ultrasonographic investigations
      suggest that it is much more common during adolescence than generally assumed.
      Actually, there is a striking resemblance between the endocrine characteristics
      of puberty and some forms of PCOS. Both conditions are characterized by insulin
      resistance, hyperpulsatile gonadotropin secretion, hyperactive ovarian and
      adrenal androgen synthesis, and decreased levels of IGFBP-1 and SHBG. CONCLUSION:
      We propose the progressively increasing insulin levels and IGF-I activity during
      puberty as inducing factors in the development of PCOS in susceptible subjects.

PMID- 1426307
TI  - The intrauterine device, pelvic inflammatory disease, and infertility: the
      confusion between hypothesis and knowledge.

PMID- 1426308
TI  - Ovulation induction in women age 40 and older: the importance of basal follicle
      stimulating hormone level and chronological age.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To determine pregnancy and livebirth rates for women age 40 and older
      undergoing ovulation induction and to assess the impact of basal follicle
      stimulating hormone (FSH) on outcome in these patients. DESIGN: Prospective,
      observational. SETTING: Fertility service of university medical center. PATIENTS:
      Infertile couples in whom the female partner was age 40 or older referred for
      ovulation induction therapy. INTERVENTION: Assessment of basal hormonal status;
      ovulation induction. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical pregnancy rate (PR),
      livebirth rate. RESULTS: Analysis of 402 cycles in 85 women age 40 and older
      demonstrated a clinical PR of 3.5% per cycle (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7%
      to 5.3%). The livebirth rate was 1.2% per cycle (95% CI 0.1% to 2.3%). Women with
      a basal FSH < 25 IU/L and age < 44 years had a clinical PR of 5.2% per cycle (95%
      CI 2.5% to 7.9%) compared with 0.0% per cycle (95% CI 0.0% to 2.1%) in cases in
      which either basal FSH was > or = 25 IU/L or age was > or = 44 (P < 0.005). The
      prognostic importance of basal FSH and chronological age was confirmed by
      multivariate logistic regression analysis. The predictive value of the resulting
      regression equation was high (R2 = 0.94; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy and
      livebirth rates are generally low during ovulation induction in women age 40 and
      older. In combination, basal FSH and chronological age are accurate predictors of
      PR, in these couples and can define a subset of patients with a more favorable
      prognosis. The spontaneous abortion rate in women who do conceive is high,
      substantially lowering the livebirth rate.

PMID- 1426309
TI  - Suppression of ovarian function with the transdermally given synthetic progestin
      ST 1435.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study transdermal administration of the synthetic progestin ST 1435
      and effectiveness of the steroid in suppression of ovarian function. DESIGN,
      PATIENTS: The effect of transdermal administration of the synthetic progestin ST
      1435 in suppression of ovarian function was studied in a short term (17 to 93
      days) study in healthy regularly menstruating women. SETTING: The outpatient
      clinic of the City Maternity Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. INTERVENTION: Nine
      women used the progestin ST 1435 transdermally during a total of 21 menstrual
      cycles. Treatment was started on the 5th day of the menstrual cycle and continued
      for 17 to 93 days. Three different daily doses (0.5, 0.8, and 1.0 mg) were
      tested. The steroid was applied to the periumbical area once a day in a gel. MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum concentrations of ST 1435, progesterone, and estradiol
      (E2) were determined during the luteal phase of control cycles and in a total of
      16 treatment cycles. Bleeding records were kept and side effects registered.
      RESULTS: Transdermal absorption of the progestin ST 1435 resulted in relatively
      constant serum concentrations in each subject, depending on the dose used. All
      doses caused changes in ovarian function. With the 0.5-mg/d dose, inhibition of
      ovulation was observed in three of five treatment periods. The 0.8-mg/d dose was
      high enough to inhibit ovulation in 7 of 10 cycles analyzed. With the 1.0-mg/d
      dose, the serum concentrations of the progestin were high, and anovulation was
      seen. Serum E2 concentrations were variable in all cases; occasional high peak
      values were seen, typical of progestin treatment. Bleeding control was variable;
      irregular bleeding was seen, especially in anovulatory cases. CONCLUSIONS: A 0.8
      mg dose of the progestin ST 1435 administered transdermally once a day appeared
      to suppress ovulation, if properly applied, and excessive suppression of ovarian
      function was not seen. The steroid was well accepted. The synthetic progestin ST
      1435 given transdermally represents an effective alternative for inhibition of
      ovulation and for progestin therapy.

PMID- 1426310
TI  - Daily levels of salivary progesterone during menstrual cycle in adolescent girls.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the daily levels of salivary progesterone (P) during the
      menstrual cycles of adolescent girls 14 to 19 years of age and the occurrence of
      anovulations and defective luteal phases. DESIGN: The salivary P levels were
      analyzed by radioimmunoassay from three age groups of girls (n = 65) and compared
      with groups of 20 to 25 years (n = 14) and 25 to 43 years old women (controls, n
      = 19). One cycle per subject was used in the analyses. PARTICIPANTS: The randomly
      selected healthy schoolgirls were divided into three groups according to their
      postmenarcheal years: 1 to 2, 3 to 4, and 5 to 6 years (n = 15, 29, and 21,
      respectively). RESULTS: The youngest group had longer cycles and follicular
      phases than the older ones, but their mean luteal phase parameters did not
      differ. Interestingly, signs of temporary derangement of corpus luteum (CL)
      function (e.g., suppressed P secretion parameters) were observed in the group of
      3 to 4 years. In the young adults (20 to 25 years old), the mean P secretion
      parameters did not differ significantly from the controls. There were more
      anovulatory cycles in the adolescent groups (25% to 33%) and in young adults
      (29%) than in controls (0%). CONCLUSION: About one third of the cycles are
      anovulatory from the age of 14 and 15 up to 20 to 25 years. In contrast to
      earlier findings, CL usually functions fully even in the first ovulatory cycles.
      Transient disturbances in luteal phase P secretion are most common 3 to 4 years
      after menarche.

PMID- 1426311
TI  - The role of blocking factors and antipaternal lymphocytotoxic antibodies in the
      success of pregnancy in patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the role of mixed lymphocyte reaction blocking factors
      (BF) and complement-dependent antipaternal lymphocytotoxic antibodies on the
      outcome of pregnancy in unexplained recurrent spontaneous aborters. DESIGN: A
      controlled study of immunotherapy in which the treated group was immunized with
      the husband's or a third party donor's lymphocytes and the control group received
      autologous lymphocytes. SETTING: Tertiary care institution. PATIENTS: Forty-three
      patients in the control group and 48 patients in the treated group. INTERVENTION:
      The before and after immunization levels of BF and antipaternal lymphocytotoxic
      antibodies were measured. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The existence or changing
      pattern of BF and antipaternal lymphocytotoxic antibodies levels before and after
      immunization had no influence on the pregnancy outcome in either group of
      patients. CONCLUSION: Neither BF nor antipaternal lymphocytotoxic antibodies is
      essential for successful pregnancy. They probably reflect the immunological
      response of the mother to exposure to fetal antigens.

PMID- 1426312
TI  - Serum androgen and gonadotropin levels decline after progestogen-induced
      withdrawal bleeding in oligomenorrheic women with or without polycystic ovaries.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of short-term progestogen treatment on androgen,
      gonadotropin, and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels in oligomenorrheic
      women. DESIGN: Comparative study of changes in hormonal parameters in patients
      with or without ultrasonographically diagnosed polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD).
      SETTING: Open patient clinic of reproductive endocrinology at University Central
      Hospital of Turku, Finland. PATIENTS: Seventy-five oligomenorrheic women with (n
      = 51) or without (n = 24) PCOD. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum concentrations of
      testosterone (T), androstenedione (A), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate,
      luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and SHBG. RESULTS:
      The levels of T, A, LH, and the LH:FSH ratios decreased significantly after oral
      treatment with medroxyprogesterone acetate (10 mg/d for 10 days) in non-PCOD
      women and in women with PCOD decreasing the frequencies of pathological
      laboratory findings, in particular elevated levels of LH:FSH ratio and A in PCOD
      women and of LH:FSH ratio in non-PCOD women. The levels of T, A, and LH as well
      as the LH:FSH ratio were significantly higher in women with PCOD. Obesity was
      associated with high free androgen indices, low LH:FSH ratios, and low
      concentrations of LH, A, and SHBG. CONCLUSIONS: The serum samples for hormonal
      analyses used as an aid in diagnosing PCOD should be obtained without
      pretreatment with progestogen because it masks the biochemical findings of PCOD.

PMID- 1426313
TI  - A unique point mutation in the androgen receptor gene in a family with complete
      androgen insensitivity syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To further delineate the diversity of genetic alterations in the gene
      coding for the androgen receptor in individuals with the androgen insensitivity
      syndrome and to increase our understanding of the disease at the molecular level.
      DESIGN: This was a prospective study in which genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
      from individuals with androgen insensitivity were examined through the polymerase
      chain reaction and DNA sequencing analysis. PATIENTS: Eleven complete and four
      individuals with partial androgen insensitivity syndrome were examined. RESULTS:
      Exons two through eight were grossly intact in all study subjects. Nucleotide
      sequence analysis revealed that three of three related family members with
      complete androgen insensitivity had the same guanine to adenine base substitution
      in exon five of the steroid-binding domain. CONCLUSION: The subsequent alanine to
      threonine amino acid conversion may have resulted in a configurational change of
      the androgen receptor protein leading to complete androgen insensitivity. This
      precise alteration has not been previously identified in the human androgen
      receptor gene in patients with the androgen insensitivity syndrome.

PMID- 1426314
TI  - Cutaneous application of an androstenedione gel as an in vivo test of 5 alpha
      reductase activity in women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Assessment of an in vivo test for 5 alpha-reductase activity using
      serum markers, 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol glucuronide and
      androsterone glucuronide, after the cutaneous application of androstenedione (A).
      DESIGN: An A gel was applied for 6 days to the skin of normal women, male
      volunteers, and hirsute and nonhirsute patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome
      (PCOS). Blood samples were obtained at baseline and on day 6 of the A gel
      application. Blood samples were assayed for A, 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta
      diol glucuronide, and androsterone glucuronide. In three hirsute women, the
      protocol was followed before and after receiving an oral contraceptive (OC) and
      spironolactone 200 mg/d for 3 months. SETTING: The study was performed in the
      outpatient clinic of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility,
      Women's Hospital of the Los Angeles County and University of Southern California
      Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: A total of
      eight nonhirsute patients with PCOS, seven hirsute patients with PCOS, and six
      male volunteers were enrolled in the study. Five normal women served as a control
      group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Serum A increased after 6 days by a similar
      magnitude in all groups. Serum androsterone glucuronide showed a significant
      increase from baseline only in the hirsute group (P < 0.03), whereas the increase
      in 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol glucuronide was not statistically
      significant. RESULTS: The ratio of the increases in serum androsterone
      glucuronide over serum A was significantly higher in the hirsute group (P <
      0.02). In the three hirsute patients who were placed on an OC and spironolactone,
      serum 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol glucuronide and androsterone
      glucuronide decreased after 3 months and did not increase with application of the
      gel for another 6 days. CONCLUSION: The cutaneous application of A provides a
      useful assessment of in vivo 5 alpha-reductase activity. However, because we
      found that A absorption varied considerably (30% to 62%), we suggest that this in
      vivo test may not provide more information than baseline determinations of 5
      alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol glucuronide and androsterone glucuronide.
      It may, however, be useful as a parameter for assessing the effectiveness of
      various treatment regimens for hirsutism.

PMID- 1426315
TI  - 11 beta-hydroxyandrostenedione in plasma, follicular fluid, and granulosa cells
      of women with normal and polycystic ovaries.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of 11 beta-hydroxylase/11 beta
      hydroxyandrostenedione (11-OHA) in the ovarian metabolism of androgens in women
      with polycystic ovaries (PCO) and its associated syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN:
      Prospective observational study examining the plasma and follicular fluid (FF)
      concentrations of 11-OHA, testosterone (T), androstenedione (A), and cortisol
      from women with PCOS and normal women in spontaneous and stimulated cycles.
      SETTING: The study was carried out in an infertility department and an endocrine
      research laboratory of a university hospital. PATIENTS: Five groups of women were
      studied. Blood was taken from 53 women with PCOS and 13 normal controls.
      Follicular fluid and blood was obtained from 51 women with stimulated cycles
      undergoing in vitro fertilization embryo-transfer (IVF-ET), 27 of whom had PCO
      and 24 had normal ovaries. Follicular fluid alone was also taken from 13 women
      with normal ovaries undergoing laparoscopies. INTERVENTIONS: Clear FF was
      obtained for analysis during oocyte collection. Granulosa cells (GCs) were
      obtained from seven women with PCO undergoing IVF-ET and were incubated with
      radiolabeled substrates. RESULTS: Circulating concentrations of T and 11-OHA were
      higher in women with PCOS compared with women with normal ovaries. In women with
      PCO receiving exogenous gonadotropin, only 11-OHA concentrations were higher.
      Concentrations of all steroids measured were higher in FF than plasma, with
      plasma 11-OHA concentrations 4 to 12 times higher in FF. Significantly lower
      concentrations of 11-OHA were found in the FF of women with PCO compared with
      women with normal ovaries. There was no evidence of 11 beta-hydroxylation of A by
      GCs. CONCLUSIONS: Although the raised plasma concentrations of 11-OHA may reflect
      hyperandrogenism in PCOS and lower 11-OHA concentrations in FF in women with PCO
      suggest abnormal androgen metabolism, neither can be regarded as a marker for
      this syndrome.

PMID- 1426316
TI  - Interleukin-1: local production and modulation of human granulosa luteal cells
      steroidogenesis.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate the possibility of local interleukin-1 (IL-1) and IL-1
      inhibitor production by human granulosa and cumulus cells and to assess their
      direct effects on the steroidogenesis of these cells in vitro. DESIGN:
      Prospective study. PARTICIPANTS: Normal ovulatory women undergoing ovulation
      induction for in vitro fertilization. INTERVENTION: Pretreatment of patients with
      gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue, human menopausal gonadotropin, and human
      chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Retrieval and isolation of
      granulosa luteal cells and follicular fluid (FF). Granulosa luteal cells and
      cumulus cells cultured and analyzed by fluorescent activated cell sorter.
      Follicular fluid separated and bioassayed for IL-1 and IL-1 inhibitory activity.
      Steroid measurement performed. Interleukin-1 inhibitor purified. Interleukin-1
      and IL-1 inhibitor bioassay performed. Statistical analysis made and interpreted.
      RESULTS: Interleukin-1, but not IL-1 specific inhibitory activity, was found in
      granulosa and cumulus cell cultures and also in FF, only after its purification
      on a high-pressure liquid chromatography column. Under nonstimulated conditions,
      neither IL-1 nor IL-1 inhibitor had any effect on basal progesterone (P) or
      estradiol (E2) secretion. However, IL-1 inhibitor demonstrated significant (P <
      0.01) inhibition of hCG-stimulated P secretion (from 200 to 110 ng/10,000 cells
      per 24 hours). In addition, IL-1 demonstrated a significant (P < 0.05) and dose
      dependent inhibition of hCG-stimulated E2 production (from 6,832 +/- 460 to 4,237
      +/- 141 pg/10,000 cells per 24 hours). CONCLUSIONS: Interleukin-1 may exert a
      significant local autocrine regulatory role in the human ovary.

PMID- 1426317
TI  - Effect of growth hormone administration on human ovarian function and
      steroidogenic gene expression in granulosa-luteal cells.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of growth hormone (GH) in combination with an
      ultrashort-term gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue/human menopausal
      gonadotropin (hMG)/human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) regimen in ovarian
      hyperstimulation for in vitro fertilization (IVF). DESIGN: Prospective randomized
      placebo-controlled study. SETTING: University-based IVF program. PATIENTS: Fifty
      four normally cycling women (27 control and 27 GH-treated) participated in this
      study. INTERVENTIONS: Human recombinant GH (24 IU)/placebo was given
      intramuscularly on alternate days starting on cycle day 4 until the day of last
      hMG injection. RESULTS: Serum estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) concentrations
      were slightly lower in the GH group than in the placebo group on the day of hCG
      injection and 1 day thereafter (P < 0.01 to 0.001). Serum luteinizing hormone,
      follicle-stimulating hormone, prolactin, testosterone (T), and sex hormone
      binding globulin did not differ between the groups. The follicular fluid (FF)
      concentration of T was higher in the GH group than in the placebo group (15.9 +/-
      6.0 nmol/L versus 10.2 +/- 4.9 nmol/L, P < 0.005), and no differences were
      observed in the FF concentrations of E2, P, and insulin-like growth factor I
      between the groups. In granulosa cells isolated from patients who received GH
      treatment, the levels of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and aromatase
      messenger ribonucleic acid were significantly higher than in the patients
      receiving placebo. The number of hMG ampules needed for follicular development
      and the number of follicles and oocytes recovered were similar in both groups.
      CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that GH administration modifies ovarian
      steroidogenic response to gonadotropins in IVF patients, suggesting a role for GH
      in the regulation of human ovarian function.

PMID- 1426319
TI  - The effects of spontaneous luteinizing hormone surges on superovulatory cycles.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of a spontaneous luteinizing hormone (LH)
      surge on the cycle fecundity during superovulation induction. DESIGN:
      Superovulatory cycles of patients with various diagnoses are retrospectively
      compared. SETTING: Reproductive Endocrinology Outpatient Clinic. PATIENTS: A
      total of 1,185 superovulatory cycles from July 1, 1982 until November 1, 1991 are
      compared. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The probability of achieving a pregnancy per
      treatment cycle. RESULTS: Patients with unexplained infertility and
      hyperprolactinemia were more likely to have a spontaneous LH surge during
      superovulation than patients with either endometriosis or polycystic ovarian
      disease. However, the cycle fecundity rate did not differ whether or not an LH
      surge occurred, regardless of the diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous onset of an
      LH surge during superovulation induction does not influence the chances for
      pregnancy.

PMID- 1426318
TI  - Ovarian steroids modulate human monocyte tumor necrosis factor alpha messenger
      ribonucleic acid levels in cultured human peripheral monocytes.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) messenger
      ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels in human peripheral monocytes are regulated by
      ovarian steroids. DESIGN: Human granulosa-luteal cells and cultured, activated
      human peripheral monocytes were subjected to Northern blot analysis for TNF-alpha
      mRNA. SETTING: Academic research laboratory. PATIENTS: Two human female
      volunteers of reproductive age and in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.
      RESULTS: Human granulosa-luteal cells produce TNF-alpha mRNA. Physiological
      levels of progesterone (P) and estradiol (E2) modulate TNF-alpha mRNA from
      peripheral blood monocytes with an apparent inverse relationship between steroid
      concentration and TNF-alpha message. CONCLUSIONS: Progesterone and E2 at
      physiological concentrations regulate TNF-alpha mRNA production. The P antagonist
      mifepristone (RU486) and the E2 agonist/antagonist tamoxifen modulate total TNF
      alpha mRNA levels, suggesting involvement of specific receptors.

PMID- 1426320
TI  - A prospective randomized comparison of luteal phase versus concurrent follicular
      phase initiation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist for in vitro
      fertilization.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH
      a) initiation either preceding or concurrent with controlled ovarian
      hyperstimulation (COH) in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo
      transfer (IVF-ET). DESIGN: Fifty-five patients were prospectively randomized to
      receive either GnRH-a on cycle day 21 before COH until ovarian suppression was
      achieved (group I) or GnRH-a concurrently with COH commencing on cycle day 3
      (group II). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum gonadotropin and ovarian steroid hormone
      levels, as well as fertilization, spontaneous abortion, and live birth rates.
      RESULTS: Twenty-six patients in group I and 29 patients in group II underwent COH
      for IVF-ET. Patients in group II had significantly higher serum luteinizing
      hormone, progesterone, and testosterone levels during stimulation with human
      menopausal gonadotropins (hMG) before oocyte retrieval (P < 0.05). Despite
      similar fertilization, biochemical, and clinical pregnancy rates, the spontaneous
      abortion rate was higher in group II (5/6) compared with group I (1/7) (P <
      0.05). Thus, the live birth rate/retrieval for group I was 6 of 24 (25%) as
      compared with that of group II, which was 1 of 26 (3.8%) (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:
      The initiation of GnRH-a in the follicular phase concurrently with hMG is
      associated with evidence of premature luteinization, hyperandrogenemia, and
      poorer pregnancy outcome compared with luteal phase administration of GnRH-a
      before hMG for IVF-ET.

PMID- 1426321
TI  - Nuclear degeneration and meiotic aberrations observed in human oocytes matured in
      vitro: analysis by light microscopy.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To apply an improved air-dry procedure for the light microscopic
      identification of both degenerate and aberrant meiotic configurations in cultured
      human oocytes. MATERIAL AND DESIGN: Meiotically immature, normal appearing human
      oocytes retrieved after oophorectomy were placed into culture for 9 to 46 hours.
      Subsequently, oocytes were assessed morphologically and then air dried for light
      microscopic examination of chromatin configurations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
      Oocyte chromatin configurations were identified as normal, degenerate, or
      aberrant and then classified according to meiotic stage. Retrospective analyses
      were conducted to determine if [1] normal meiotic configurations were associated
      with morphologically viable oocytes and [2] degenerate or aberrant meiotic
      configurations were always associated with degenerate oocytes. In addition, for
      each meiotic stage, the proportion of oocytes exhibiting either degenerate or
      aberrant chromatin configurations was calculated. RESULTS: Of 101 oocyte
      chromatin configurations analyzed, 71.3% were normal, 11.9% were degenerate, and
      16.8% displayed meiotic aberrations. Retrospective analyses revealed that the
      majority of both normal and aberrant chromatin configurations were associated
      with morphologically viable oocytes (93.1% and 88.2%, respectively), whereas all
      of the degenerate chromatin configurations were associated with morphologically
      degenerate oocytes. When assessed by stage, nuclear degeneration was observed
      exclusively at the germinal vesicle and diakinesis stages, whereas meiotic
      aberrations occurred most frequently after chromosome condensation. These
      aberrations were manifested either as clumped metaphase I configurations or as
      two distinct groups of bivalents that appeared to result from bivalent migration
      along the meiotic spindle without homologue segregation. CONCLUSIONS: Slightly >
      25% of human oocytes recovered after oophorectomy were incapable of undergoing
      normal meiotic maturation in culture. The majority of these abnormal oocytes
      appeared morphologically normal and yet possessed meiotic aberrations. These
      observations indicate that caution should be taken when using oocytes matured in
      vitro for application in assisted reproductive technology programs.

PMID- 1426322
TI  - Effects of varicocele treatment in adolescents: a randomized study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of varicocele treatment on testicular function in
      adolescents. DESIGN: A prospective controlled study in 88 randomly selected
      adolescents. SETTING: All participants were referred to the fertility outpatient
      clinic of our university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: All participants with a
      varicocele were randomly assigned into two groups. Group 1 (n = 33) was not
      treated, whereas group 2 (n = 34) was treated. A similar group of healthy
      volunteers without a varicocele served as a control group (group 3, n = 21).
      INTERVENTIONS: Testes volumes were measured at intake and during follow-up using
      an orchiometer. Semen analysis was performed according to standard procedures
      both at intake and after 1 year of follow-up. Serum hormone levels were
      determined at intake using a radioimmunoassay. Treatment was performed by means
      of transcatheter embolization of the left testicular vein. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
      Testes volumes and semen quality at intake and after 1 year of follow-up were
      compared within and between the three groups. Hormonal parameters were determined
      at intake only. RESULTS: Before treatment, the mean left testis volume in groups
      1 (n = 26) and 2 (n = 27) (20.0 mL; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 18.2 to 21.8
      and 21.6 mL; 95% CI: 19.4 to 23.8, respectively) were significantly smaller than
      those in the control group (n = 19) (24.5 mL; 95% CI: 22.7 to 26.4). During
      follow-up, left testis volumes of the treated group were comparable with those in
      the control group (24.2 mL; 95% CI: 22.2 to 26.1 and 24.8 mL; 95% CI: 23.0 to
      26.7 respectively) and significantly (P < 0.001) different from the untreated
      group (20.3 mL; 95% CI: 18.8 to 21.8). A significant increase in left (P < 0.01)
      as well as right (P < 0.05) testis volume was observed after treatment. Semen
      parameters before treatment were not significantly different between the three
      groups. Sperm concentration increased significantly (P < 0.01) from 47.4 x
      10(6)/mL (95% CI: 42.5 to 53.3) to 68.9 x 10(6)/mL (95% CI: 50.6 to 87.2) in the
      treated group, whereas semen quality in the untreated and control groups did not
      change. Although both testes volumes and sperm concentration improved in the
      treated group, these phenomena were not consistently correlated to each other.
      CONCLUSIONS: Although not apparent in all adolescents, varicocele correction
      resulted in an increase in left testis volume and sperm concentration. At this
      moment, it is not clear if early preventive treatment of varicocele in
      adolescents, in time, will have a positive effect on testicular function.

PMID- 1426323
TI  - Accuracy and precision of the CellForm-Human automated sperm morphometry
      instrument.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy and precision of the CellForm-Human (CFH)
      automated sperm morphometry instrument (Motion Analysis Corp., Santa Rosa, CA).
      SETTING: Clinical and research andrology and in vitro fertilization laboratories.
      PATIENTS: Individuals undergoing semen evaluation and infertility work-up.
      RESULTS: Coefficients of variation for repeated measures of the same sperm were
      1%. Coefficients of variation of normal sperm measurements were 7.4% to 12.8%,
      depending on the measure. Of the objects recognized as sperm by the instrument,
      6.8% were debris; hence, the sperm recognition algorithms need improvement. Mean
      values for all CFH measures of normal sperm from specimens clinically classified
      as having predominantly normal, tapered, or amorphous sperm were not different;
      hence, the morphometry of normal sperm from normal specimens was similar to
      normal sperm from specimens with two different abnormalities. The instrument
      classified sperm as abnormal if their length or width fell outside a critical
      range of values recommended by the World Health Organization. Using this method,
      manual and CFH classification agreed unambiguously 60% of the time. When
      disagreement occurred, length or width marginally exceeded the range by no more
      than 0.1 microns. In these cases, the technician classified sperm as normal 25%
      of the time and classified them as abnormal 6% of the time. Because this
      disagreement between methods is well below the resolution of manual methods, the
      overall accuracy of CFH was 91% for cell type classification. CONCLUSION: At its
      present stage of development, the CFH instrument exceeds the accuracy and
      precision of most manual approaches. With improvements in sperm recognition and
      type classification algorithms, it could significantly improve the reliability of
      morphology assays in clinical and research laboratories.

PMID- 1426324
TI  - Poor in vitro fertilization outcome with semen yielding low sperm density "swim
      ups" is not because of altered sperm motion parameters.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine fertilization, cleavage, and pregnancy rates (PRs) with
      semen samples yielding numbers of total motile sperm per swim-up ranging from < 1
      to > 20 x 10(6) and to correlate the findings with changes, if any, in the sperm
      motion parameters. DESIGN: Fertilization, cleavage, and pregnancy outcomes in 439
      in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles were correlated with the total number of
      motile sperm per swim-up and the sperm motion parameters as determined with an
      automated semen analyzer. SETTING: A university-based tertiary referral hospital
      center. PATIENTS: Patients undergoing IVF or intrauterine insemination treatments
      for multiple etiologies. RESULTS: Higher numbers of motile sperm per swim-up,
      most notably above the value of 3 x 10(6) motile sperm, were associated with
      improved fertilization rates and viable PRs. Sperm velocity, linearity, amplitude
      of lateral head displacement, and flagellar beat per cross frequency for sperm
      from swim-ups with poor or good pregnancy outcome, however, showed no significant
      differences. CONCLUSIONS: As a group, semen samples that yield < or = 3 x 10(6)
      motile sperm per swim-up are associated with poor fertilization rates, cleavage
      rates, and PRs. This relationship can not be attributed to differences in sperm
      motion parameters.

PMID- 1426325
TI  - The culture of human epididymal epithelium and in vitro maturation of epididymal
      spermatozoa.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To promote human sperm maturation in vitro. DESIGN: Spermatozoa from
      the proximal epididymis were coincubated with epididymal epithelial fragments.
      SETTING: Hospital and research institute. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: Tissue samples
      were obtained from men undergoing epididymovasostomy procedures or vasectomy.
      INTERVENTIONS: Fragments of epididymal epithelium formed everted epithelial
      spheres that in the presence of androgen maintained cell integrity. Coincubation
      for up to 48 hours of caput epididymal spermatozoa with 3-day-old epithelial
      cultures from the cauda epididymis was undertaken. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
      Morphology of epididymal epithelium was assessed by light and electron
      microscopy. Pulse labeling of tissue in vitro with 35S-methionine was performed
      with analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
      technique and fluorography. Spermatozoa were assessed for progressive motility
      and their capacity to bind to salt-stored human zona pellucidae. RESULTS:
      Epididymal fragments formed everted epithelial spheres that maintained cell
      integrity and functional morphology for 5 to 7 days. Specific proteins were
      synthesized in culture, in particular, proteins of 20, 22, 40, and 66 kd.
      Coincubation of caput epididymal spermatozoa with cultures from the cauda
      epididymis induced a significant increase in progressive sperm motility and sperm
      binding to salt-stored human zona pellucidae compared with control cultures of
      epithelium incubated in the absence of androgens or overgrown with fibroblasts.
      CONCLUSIONS: Aspects of human sperm maturation processes can be mimicked in vitro
      using coculture techniques with epididymal epithelium. This method may be
      valuable for improving the fertilizing capacity of human spermatozoa retrieved
      from the proximal region of the excurrent ducts.

PMID- 1426327
TI  - Effect of abstinence on sperm acrosin, hypoosmotic swelling, and other semen
      variables.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the variability of sperm acrosin and hypoosmotic swelling
      to the more standard semen variables in relationship to controlled periods of
      sexual abstinence using a defined group of men. DESIGN: Ten men abstained
      sequentially for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10 days and produced an ejaculate after each
      time period. The ejaculate variables measured at each time point were sperm
      acrosin, hypoosmotic swelling, volume, sperm number, sperm concentration, sperm
      motility, sperm morphology, pH, and white blood cells (WBCs). Comparisons were
      performed between the values obtained at each abstinence period. RESULTS: The
      percentage of hypoosmotically reactive spermatozoa did not vary significantly
      with the abstinence period. Sperm acrosin remained similar up to 5 days of
      abstinence but decreased almost twofold after 10 days of abstinence. The sperm
      volume and concentration increased gradually with the length of abstinence, being
      approximately twofold higher after 10 days of abstinence than after 1 day of
      abstinence. The total sperm number increased about fourfold from 1 day of
      abstinence to 10 days of abstinence. The percent normal sperm forms tended to
      increase until 5 days of abstinence but decreased after 10 days of abstinence.
      The WBC count showed only a small increase with longer abstinence periods. The pH
      remained essentially the same. CONCLUSIONS: The length of abstinence affects the
      various semen variables differently. An abstinence period of up to 10 days does
      not alter the hypoosmotic swelling test results. However, the sperm acrosin
      values decrease after prolonged abstinence so that the abstinence period needs to
      be taken into consideration when performing this assay.

PMID- 1426326
TI  - Defective function of a nongenomic progesterone receptor as a sole sperm anomaly
      in infertile patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the function of a novel nongenomic progesterone (P)
      receptor on the human sperm surface (mediating the P-induced acrosome reaction)
      in spermatozoa from fertile donors and from infertile patients. To examine the
      possible implication of defective P receptor function as an etiologic factor in
      unexplained male infertility. DESIGN: Progesterone binding and P effects were
      assessed in sperm from infertile patients and compared with corresponding
      parameters for sperm from healthy donors. SETTING: Private hospital, medical
      research center, and a university-based andrological laboratory. PATIENTS,
      PARTICIPANTS: Sperm samples were from infertile patients (no pathology detected
      in their wives) attending our infertility clinic and from healthy sperm donors.
      INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Progesterone binding sites were
      visualized with a fluorescein-labeled protein-P conjugate. Indo 1-AM (a
      fluorescent indicator of intracellular free Ca2+) was used to measure P-induced
      Ca2+ influx. Progesterone-induced acrosome reaction was monitored after acrosomal
      staining with Pisum sativum agglutinin. RESULTS: Among 8 patient sperm samples
      with normal spermiogram values (of 53 examined), 5 showed a reduced percentage of
      P-binding spermatozoa and an abnormal response to the hormone in terms of Ca2+
      influx and the acrosome reaction. CONCLUSIONS: Defective function of a sperm
      surface P receptor is described in some cases of male infertility. The observed
      fluorescence microscopic patterns of hormone binding may be used to further
      investigate receptor activity in unexplained male infertility.

PMID- 1426328
TI  - Evaluation of acrosomal status using MH61-beads test and its clinical
      application.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the acrosomal status of viable sperm by MH61-beads test
      and its clinical application. DESIGN: Acrosomal status was evaluated using
      immunobeads coated with MH61 monoclonal antibody, which is specific for acrosome
      reacted sperm. When viable sperm was coincubated with MH61-beads for an
      appropriate length of time, the formation of a sperm-bead complex was observed
      with a phase-contrast microscope, and the number of sperm binding to MH61-beads
      increased with the progression of the acrosome reaction. Using this
      agglutination, we developed the MH61-beads test to assess sperm function.
      SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Hospital.
      PARTICIPANTS: Forty-three volunteers and 20 males in our in vitro fertilization
      (IVF) and embryo transfer program. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT: The results of MH61
      beads test were compared with the percentage of acrosome-reacted sperm detected
      by Pisium satinum agglutinin staining on 30 volunteers, with the results of sperm
      penetration assay (SPA) in 43 volunteers, and with the outcome of IVF in 20
      patients. RESULTS: The results of MH61-beads test showed good reproducibility and
      correlated with the results of SPA using zona-free hamster eggs and IVF.
      CONCLUSIONS: The MH61-beads test, the results of which reflect the acrosomal
      status of sperm, may provide useful information concerning the fertilizing
      ability of sperm.

PMID- 1426329
TI  - Reactive oxygen species generated by human neutrophils inhibit sperm motility:
      protective effect of seminal plasma and scavengers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether activated poly-morphonuclear neutrophils (PMN)
      can affect sperm motility and to assess the capacity of seminal plasma and of
      scavengers of reactive oxygen species to prevent any loss of motility. DESIGN:
      Blood PMN were isolated, and their capacity to generate reactive oxygen species
      was investigated. The effect of activated PMN was tested on the motility of
      Percoll-washed spermatozoa in the presence and absence of reactive oxygen species
      scavengers or seminal plasma (whole or fractionated). PARTICIPANTS: Fertile
      volunteers and patients attending the Infertility Clinic at the Royal Victoria
      Hospital. RESULTS: The production of reactive oxygen species by activated PMN
      occurred in the 1st hour after stimulation and was linearly correlated with the
      concentration of PMN. Percoll-washed spermatozoa had reduced motility in the
      presence of PMN, and the drop in motility was more severe as the concentration of
      PMN was increased. Catalase and dimethylsulfoxide reduced the toxic effect of PMN
      on sperm motility, whereas superoxide dismutase was without effect. Seminal
      plasma (50%, vol/vol) allowed a highly variable protective effect against the
      loss of sperm motility that appeared to originate predominantly from the low
      molecular weight (< 10 kd) fraction but also from the high molecular weight (> 12
      kd) fraction of seminal plasma. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that [1] the
      presence of PMN, even at 0.6 x 10(6) cells/mL, in semen can be hazardous for
      spermatozoa, [2] H2O2 and .OH are responsible for the loss of motility, and [3H]
      seminal plasma confers a variable protection due to high and low molecular weight
      factors.

PMID- 1426330
TI  - Evaluation of interceed(TC7) for reduction of postoperative adhesions in rabbits.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of Interceed(TC7) (Johnson and Johnson,
      New Brunswick, NJ) in the prevention of postoperative adhesions in a rabbit
      uterine horn model. Interceed(TC7) was tested in the presence and absence of
      absorbable suture. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: Forty-one New Zealand white
      rabbits had lesions created on bilateral uterine horns at laparotomy. Lesions
      were randomly allocated to treatment with Interceed(TC7) or control. The effect
      of Interceed(TC7) was evaluated on sutured lesions (4-0 polyglactin 910; Ethicon,
      Inc., Somerville, NJ) as well as on open cut lesions (no sutures applied). MAIN
      OUTCOME MEASURES: Adhesion formation, using a grading system ranging from 0 to 3.
      RESULTS: Interceed(TC7)-treated animals in the sutured group (average adhesion
      score +/- SD = 2.15 +/- 1.3) did not differ from controls (average score +/- SD =
      2.35 +/- 0.93) in adhesion formation, P = 0.47. Rabbits with open cut lesions
      treated with Interceed(TC7) (average adhesion score +/- SD = 1.89 +/- 1.1) did
      not differ from control animals (average score +/- SD = 1.83 +/- 1.2), P = 0.88.
      CONCLUSIONS: Interceed(TC7) was not an effective adhesioprophylactic agent in the
      presence or absence of nonreactive absorbable suture.

PMID- 1426331
TI  - Fertility in a 47,XXY patient: assessment of biological paternity by
      deoxyribonucleic acid fingerprinting.

PMID- 1426332
TI  - Hysteroscopic treatment of congenital uterine malformations causing
      hemihematometra: a report of three cases.
AB  - To our knowledge, this is the first case report of hysteroscopic treatment of
      congenital uterine malformations with one-sided occlusion causing
      hemihematometra. This rare form of uterine anomaly should be considered when
      symptoms such as increasing pelvic pain start with menarche. A 9-mm resectoscope
      was used for dissecting the way into the occluded part of the uterine body. There
      the endometrium was ablated for prevention of recurrence of hemihematometra. By
      this endoscopic approach the disadvantages of laparotomy could be avoided in
      three adolescent patients.

PMID- 1426333
TI  - Canalization failure of the mullerian tract.
AB  - A patient is described with canalization failure of the mullerian system. This
      patient presented with primary amenorrhea and absence of the vagina. At the time
      of laparotomy, a uterus of normal size and shape was found with two small areas
      of canalization. This syndrome, associated with absence of the vagina, appears to
      result from a defect occurring later in development than does classical mullerian
      aplasia. Pathological examination of the patient's uterus supports the tenant
      that canalization begins after fusion and at various places along the line of
      fusion.

PMID- 1426334
TI  - Ovarian cyst aspiration: a therapeutic approach to ovarian hyperstimulation
      syndrome.
AB  - Ultrasonographically guided transvaginal aspiration of ovarian cysts in women
      with severe OHSS after GIFT or IVF was safe and has resulted in immediate relief
      of symptoms, a shorter disease process, and outpatient treatment. The patients
      were allowed to go back to normal activity after the procedure. The progression
      of the disease was interrupted and six of seven patients carried beyond 20 weeks'
      gestation.

PMID- 1426335
TI  - The value of repeat hysteroscopic evaluation in patients with failed in vitro
      fertilization transfer cycles.
AB  - One hundred ten women with normal initial hysteroscopy who failed to conceive
      during three or more IVF-ET cycles underwent repeat hysteroscopic evaluation. In
      20 patients (18.2%), visualization revealed uterine abnormalities, mainly newly
      added endometrial lesions, i.e., hyperplasia, polyps, endometritis, and
      synechiae. Our results indicate that repeat hysteroscopic evaluation, in cases of
      recurrent IVF-ET failure, is an important adjunctive method for further
      evaluating and possibly optimizing the IVF-ET procedure.

PMID- 1426336
TI  - Pregnancy after subzonal insertion of cryopreserved spermatozoa from a patient
      with testicular seminoma.
AB  - The first pregnancy established after subzonal insertion of frozen-thawed sperm
      obtained from a patient with seminoma and severe oligoasthenospermia is reported.
      A total of 800,000 sperm with a poor progressive motility were recovered after
      thawing. Three to seven motile spermatozoa were injected into the perivitelline
      space of each of 10 oocytes, and seven sibling oocytes were coincubated and
      inseminated with 200,000 motile sperm/mL. Only 1 of the manipulated oocytes
      fertilized and was transferred to the uterus 65 hours after insemination at the
      eight-cell stage. A healthy boy weighing 3,600 g was delivered spontaneously at
      38 weeks of pregnancy. This report gives hope to patients with testicular
      malignancy and severely impaired sperm function to maintain their reproductive
      potential through sperm banking and assisted fertilization techniques.

PMID- 1426337
TI  - Assessment of sperm for cryopreservation using the hypoosmotic viability test.
AB  - In summary, the hypoosmotic viability parameter was significantly correlated with
      the outcome of the thawed sperm motility. The prefreeze supravital staining for
      sperm viability and the hypoosmotic sperm swelling test were not predictive of
      the thawed sperm total motility. The hypoosmotic viability parameter was not
      correlated to the postwarmed sperm motility after refrigeration. The results
      indicated that the integrity of the sperm membranes at the head were more
      important than the tail membrane.

PMID- 1426338
TI  - Very late return of spermatogenesis after chlorambucil therapy: case reports.
AB  - Two men were treated for a nephrotic syndrome with high-dose chlorambucil
      therapy; 6.5 and 14 years later, respectively, both were azoospermic with high
      plasmatic FSH values. Both patients showed active spermatogenesis, 15 and 19
      years after the end of the treatment. This suggests that a return of
      spermatogenesis can occur even after very high cumulative doses of chlorambucil
      (between 3,000 and 6,500 mg) and after a very long time.

PMID- 1426339
TI  - Allergic reactions to penicillin during in vitro fertilization and intrauterine
      insemination.
AB  - Two cases are reported in which hypersensitivity reactions occurred after
      intrauterine placement of spermatozoa or embryos. Because the cells were
      processed and transferred in antibiotic-containing media, these reactions were
      suspected to be because of penicillin allergy. One patient had no prior
      penicillin allergy but was found to be penicillin allergic by skin testing. The
      other had a history of allergy to oral penicillin. In both cases, the allergy
      symptoms did not occur during subsequent cycles when antibiotics were removed
      from the transfer media. These reports suggest that in patients known to be
      penicillin sensitive, penicillin should not be used during transfer of gametes
      and embryos for assisted reproductive procedures. In addition, the routine use of
      antibiotics in these procedures should be scientifically evaluated.

PMID- 1426340
TI  - Digital road mapping image--a novel fluoroscopic real-time guide for selective
      transcervical catheterization in the treatment of proximal tubal obstruction.
AB  - Ten infertile women 20 to 40 years of age, with a standard HSG diagnosis of
      unilateral proximal tubal obstruction, underwent a transvaginal catheterization
      and recanalization of the fallopian tubes. To set a fluoroscopic real-time
      guidance technique for improving the results of transvaginal catheterization and
      recanalization of the fallopian tubes and to increase its marginal safety,
      catheterization was performed under digital road mapping guidance. Transcervical
      catheterization resulted in an immediate patency of the obstructed tube in all 10
      women. Three women conceived 2 to 3 months after the procedure. The improved
      catheterization technique enables good results in the diagnosis and treatment of
      proximal tubal obstructions.

PMID- 1426341
TI  - The linear everting catheter: a nonhysteroscopic, transvaginal technique for
      access and microendoscopy of the fallopian tube.
AB  - The linear everting catheter is a new technology that allows for
      nonhysteroscopic, transvaginal access, and microendoscopy of the fallopian tube.
      Initial results indicate that this approach is safe, successful, and offers a
      number of unique advantages relative to the available alternatives. Studies are
      in progress to explore several of the many possible applications of this system
      in the diagnosis and treatment of infertile patients.

PMID- 1426342
TI  - Intraperitoneal insemination--does it help?

PMID- 1426343
TI  - Treatment of recurrent ectopic pregnancy.

PMID- 1426344
TI  - Capacitated or acrosome-reacted sperm?

PMID- 1426345
TI  - Autoantibodies in in vitro fertilization patients.

PMID- 1426346
TI  - Protection against antisperm antibodies?

PMID- 1426347
TI  - Protection against antisperm antibodies?

PMID- 1426348
TI  - Hysteroscopic resection of uterine septum-instrumentation?

PMID- 1426349
TI  - Penetration of zona-free hamster oocytes using human sperm aspirated from the
      epididymis of men with congenital absence of the vas deferens: comparison with
      human in vitro fertilization.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess the ability of sperm aspirated from the epididymis of men
      with congenital absence of the vas deferens to penetrate zona-free hamster
      oocytes. To directly compare the performance of human epididymal sperm in the
      zona-free hamster oocyte sperm penetration assay (SPA) with the results of human
      in vitro fertilization (IVF). DESIGN: Sperm penetration assay was carried out
      with epididymal sperm retrieved microsurgically, and with ejaculated sperm
      obtained from fertile donors (internal controls). For direct comparison, SPA was
      performed with the same epididymal sperm sample used for IVF. PATIENTS,
      PARTICIPANTS: Men with congenital absence of the vas deferens undergoing sperm
      aspiration as part of their infertility treatment and control donors who provided
      ejaculated sperm. RESULTS: Epididymal sperm penetrated SPA with a score of 0% to
      30%. The SPA scores for internal controls using ejaculated sperm was 30% to 71%.
      Linear regression analysis of the association between penetration scores in SPA
      and fertilization rate in IVF indicated a positive correlation that was highly
      significative. CONCLUSIONS: These findings using SPA confirm previous reports on
      the fertilizing potential of human epididymal sperm and its ability to produce
      normal pregnancies. The good correlation between SPA and human IVF using
      epididymal sperm suggest that SPA is an excellent bioassay to test laboratory
      experimental conditions for improving fertilizing capacity of human epididymal
      sperm.

PMID- 1426350
TI  - Relationship of epididymal sperm antibodies to their in vitro fertilization
      capacity in men with congenital absence of the vas deferens.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To test, using the immunobead binding technique, for the presence of
      antisperm antibodies on epididymal sperm, in epididymal fluid, and in serum of
      men with congenital absence of the vas deferens. To evaluate the in vitro
      fertilization (IVF) capacity of human epididymal sperm in the presence of
      antisperm antibodies. DESIGN: Prospective. At the time of oocyte insemination,
      sperm from the proximal caput epididymis or vasa efferentia were tested by direct
      immunobinding technique. The epididymal fluid and serum were tested by indirect
      immunobinding technique. SETTING: Center for Reproductive Health, University of
      California-Irvine. PATIENTS: Forty-five patients with congenital absence of the
      vas deferens participating in the microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration and
      IVF program. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Incidence of antisperm antibodies to
      epididymal sperm and their relationship with IVF results. RESULTS: Sixteen men
      (35%) tested positively to the direct immunobead test on epididymal sperm; 7
      (16%) were positive in epididymal fluid and 13 (29%) were positive in serum. Five
      pregnancies (31%) occurred in the positive group of which two were from patients
      who had sperm binding of 100% for immunoglobulin (Ig)G (all over sperm surface)
      and 90% (midpiece, tail) and 50% (tail, tiptail), respectively, for IgA. Five
      pregnancies (18%) were obtained in the negative group. No statistical difference
      was observed in the overall fertilization rate between the two groups.
      CONCLUSION: Human epididymal sperm and epididymal fluid retrieved from men with
      congenital absence of the vas deferens can react positively to immunobead test.
      However, the presence of antisperm antibodies do not seem to impair the IVF
      capacity of epididymal sperm.

PMID- 1426351
TI  - Characterization of human sperm antigens and antisperm antibodies in infertile
      patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To identify which sperm antigens may elicit the production of
      functionally important antisperm antibodies. DESIGN: Immunoblot analysis was
      performed on 69 serum and 9 seminal plasma samples from infertile patients, using
      detergent extracts of pooled donor sperm as the antigen source. Serum and seminal
      plasma had been previously tested by an indirect immunobead binding test (IBT);
      61 IBT-positive and 17 IBT-negative samples were included in the study. Proteins
      recognized by IBT-positive but not IBT-negative samples were most likely to be
      cell surface antigens, whereas proteins recognized by both IBT-positive and IBT
      negative samples were probably intracellular. Antibodies directed toward surface
      antigens would be most likely to affect fertilization. Characterization of sperm
      surface proteins on both acrosome-intact and -reacted sperm used labeling of cell
      surface proteins with an N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of biotin, fractionation of
      sperm heads and tails, and lectin binding to determine glycosylation. RESULTS:
      Specific immunoreactivity (with respect to IBT results) was observed to 35K, 40
      to 45K, 57K, 66K, and 88 to 90K MW proteins. Characterization studies identified
      an 88K MW glycosylated plasma membrane protein, a 66K MW inner acrosomal membrane
      protein, a 34K MW inner acrosomal membrane protein, and a 35K MW prominent tail
      protein. CONCLUSION: Immunological infertility may involve several antigens
      characterized in this study. Further studies are necessary to determine if
      antibodies to these specific proteins interfere with sperm function.

PMID- 1426352
TI  - Custom cryopreservation of human semen.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To design a protocol to evaluate individual variability in human semen
      cryoprotection by native seminal plasma. DESIGN: Post-thaw motility from the
      frozen semen of pregnancy-proven donors (n = 10) and patients referred for
      infertility screening (n = 10) was examined in three equal aliquots (per original
      ejaculate) that comprised varying ratios of native seminal plasma to TES and Tris
      (TEST)-yolk buffer (Irvine Scientific, Irvine, CA) in a dose-titration curve
      format. All aliquots from the same ejaculate contained final vol/vol 6% glycerol,
      had equal sperm density, and had undergone centrifugation for 5 minutes at 600 x
      g before buffer:semen ratio adjustment and standard precooling protocol for
      submersion in liquid nitrogen. Post-thaw measurement of percent original motility
      preserved (post-thaw percent motility/original percent motility x 100) was used
      for standardization of results. RESULTS: In 14 of 20 specimens (70%), the maximal
      yield of original motility was obtained in 50% seminal plasma, with an average
      post-thaw motile yield of 50%. In 6 of 20 specimens (30%), the best preservation
      of original motility was noted at 100% seminal plasma, with an average post-thaw
      motile yield of 58%. No specimen had a greatest percent motility preserved at 0%
      seminal plasma. Donor specimens have equal preference for either 50% or 100%
      seminal plasma, whereas patient specimens have a preference for 50% seminal
      plasma (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Native seminal plasma has variable cryoprotectant
      qualities for which custom cryopreservation can compensate. A simple two-point
      dose-titration test of cryopreservation buffer:seminal plasma ratio (i.e., 50:50
      versus 0:100) can determine the optimal mixture for cryopreservation of a given
      individual's semen.

PMID- 1426353
TI  - Semen cryobanking for men with cancer--criteria change.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To summarize pregnancies and births after the use of pretherapy
      cryobanked semen from men with cancer and to reassess the clinical role of semen
      cryobanking for these patients. DESIGN: Survey of pregnancies and births that
      have occurred after the use of cryobanked semen from pretherapy cancer patients.
      SETTING: Survey of the literature and of nine semen banks. PATIENTS: Men with
      testicular cancer, Hodgkin's diseases, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and other types of
      cancer who cryobanked their semen specimens before therapy. OUTCOME MEASURES:
      Pregnancies and births resulting from the use of cryobanked semen after
      artificial insemination by husband (AIH) or other assisted reproductive
      technology (ART) procedures. RESULTS: The use of AIH and other ART procedures
      have resulted in 117 documented pregnancies and 115 livebirths. CONCLUSIONS:
      Cryobanking of semen should be offered to all men diagnosed with cancer because
      such a procedure provides the only reasonable chance of establishing a pregnancy
      after therapy that is detrimental to fertility potential. Existing criteria for
      pretherapy semen cryobanking, therefore, should be revised in view of successful
      pregnancies even with the use of semen with low spermatozoal densities and
      motilities, as well as other realized clinical efficacies of ART. Conceptions
      have occurred after in vitro fertilization (IVF) with < 1 x 10(6) motile
      spermatozoa. Semen cryobanking should be offered by the attending physician as a
      viable option for any pretherapy male patient who has any motile sperm and
      considers the future possibility of having children.

PMID- 1426354
TI  - Assessment of testicular cytology by fine needle aspiration as a diagnostic
      parameter in the evaluation of the oligospermic subject.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether testicular cytology by fine needle aspiration
      may be considered a diagnostic parameter in the evaluation of the oligospermic
      subject. DESIGN: Cytologic smears were obtained using a 23-gauge needle, stained
      with May-Grunwald-Giemsa stain and examined under a light Orthoplan microscope
      (Wild Leitz, Wetzlar, Germany) for qualitative and quantitative analysis.
      PATIENTS: One hundred sixty-six oligospermic patients were analyzed, and the
      findings were compared with those obtained from 40 normozoospermic infertile
      subjects used as controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): At least 200 spermatogenic
      cells were counted per slide and classified at the various steps of
      spermatogenesis. Because the number of Sertoli cells may be considered as a
      constant per unit of tubular length, Sertoli cells:spermatogenic cells ratio
      (termed Sertoli index) provided further elucidation and more comprehensible
      results. RESULTS: The procedure provided no sign of traumatization. The cytologic
      analysis permitted identification of different classes of oligospermic subjects,
      characterized by the following specific cytologic pictures: [1] bilateral or [2]
      unilateral germ depopulation (hypospermatogenesis), associated with maturation
      abnormalities of the first steps of spermatogenesis on both testes; [3] difficult
      maturation of the immature germ cells (spermatogonial or spermatocytic arrest);
      [4] ineffective spermiogenesis (spermatidic arrest); [5] normal maturation of the
      germ line in the presence of oligospermia, resulting from a transient acute
      damage on the spermatogenic line. Plasma levels of FSH and the testicular volumes
      agree with the cytologic picture of each group of patients. CONCLUSIONS: The
      results support use of fine needle aspiration of the testis as a minimally
      invasive diagnostic parameter for the assessment of oligospermic subjects.

PMID- 1426355
TI  - Effect of ascorbic acid supplementation on the sperm quality of smokers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of ascorbic acid supplementation on the sperm
      quality of heavy smokers. DESIGN: Microscopic examination of semen for 1 month
      during supplementation with placebo or ascorbic acid at dose levels of 200 or
      1,000 mg/d. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of
      Texas Medical Branch. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-five men (20 to 35 years old)
      randomly divided into one of three supplementation groups: placebo, 200 mg and
      1,000 mg of ascorbic acid. MAIN OUTCOME: Improvement in sperm quality as compared
      with presupplementation levels and between the three treatment groups. RESULTS:
      The placebo group showed no improvement in sperm quality. The groups receiving
      ascorbic acid showed improvement in sperm quality with most improvement in the
      1,000-mg group. Pearson's correlation showed statistically significant
      relationships between the weekly group means of serum and seminal plasma ascorbic
      acid levels and sperm qualities. CONCLUSIONS: Ascorbic acid supplementation of
      heavy smokers in excess of 200 mg/d results in improved sperm quality.

PMID- 1426356
TI  - Deoxyribonucleic acid flow cytometry and semiquantitative histology of
      spermatogenesis: a comparative study.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) flow cytometry with a
      semiquantitative histologic method for the assessment of spermatogenesis and to
      investigate the influence of various preparative techniques on the results of DNA
      measurements. DESIGN: Testicular tissue from 52 autopsies was examined for
      spermatogenesis by DNA flow cytometry and by conventional semiquantitative
      histology. Flow cytometry was performed on single nuclei suspensions from fine
      needle aspiration biopsies, resuspended imprints, as well as on specimens
      obtained by mechanical disaggregation of surgical biopsies of the same testis.
      RESULTS: In all cases, flow cytometry revealed a characteristic distribution
      pattern of haploid (n), diploid (2n), and tetraploid (4n) cells independent of
      the preparation technique used. The percentage of haploid cells of the testes
      showed statistically highly significant correlations (P = 0.0002) with the
      results of semiquantitative histology. Fine needle aspiration biopsy always
      contained more haploid cells compared with resuspended imprints and mechanically
      disaggregated samples. CONCLUSION: Our results confirm the suitability of DNA
      flow cytometry as a fast and reliable quantitative method for the assessment of
      spermatogenesis and demonstrate its optimal feasibility in combination with fine
      needle aspiration biopsy.

PMID- 1426357
TI  - Differentiation of round cells in semen by means of monoclonal antibodies and
      relationship with male fertility.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To differentiate round cells in semen samples of subfertile men and
      evaluate the clinical significance during infertility investigation. PATIENTS:
      One hundred and eight randomly chosen couples with a median duration of
      infertility of 4 (range, 1 to 20) years presenting at the outpatient infertility
      clinic of the University of Heidelberg, Germany. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
      Differentiation of round cells in semen by means of monoclonal antibodies (mABs)
      and a streptavidin-biotin system for staining. Correlation of results with
      medical history, outcome of clinical examination, sperm analysis, microbial
      screening of both partners, evaluation of sperm functional capacity in vivo by
      means of the postcoital test (PCT) and in vitro with the standardized crossed
      sperm-cervical mucus penetration test (SCMPT) and the subsequent fertility in a
      prospective study. RESULTS: The method used for differentiation of round cells
      proved to be practical and suitable for routine use. The percentage of leukocytes
      ranged from 0% to 58% with a median of 3%. Number of round cells and percentage
      of leukocytes did not differ markedly with regard to andrologic history, clinical
      findings, for example, varicocele, results of standard sperm analysis, and
      microbial colonization of semen samples. However, high rates of leukocytes of the
      round cells correlated with reduced sperm count and morphology and results of
      PCT. Leukocyte-positive (> 15% leukocytes) specimens were also significantly more
      frequent in case of inadequate SCMPT and reduced sperm penetration ability in
      vitro. CONCLUSIONS: In asymptomatic patients (in terms of genital tract
      infection), the majority of round cells consist of immature germ cells and < 5%
      are white blood cells. The streptavidin-biotin system and the mABs used in this
      study proved to be useful to identify patients with elevated rates of leukocytes
      in semen possibly reflecting subclinical genital tract infection with influence
      on sperm functional capacity and subsequent fertility. Thus the procedure can be
      recommended to be included in a comprehensive evaluation of male fertility.

PMID- 1426358
TI  - Autotransfusion of the ascitic fluid in the treatment of severe ovarian
      hyperstimulation syndrome.
AB  - Three cases of severe OHSS were treated by transvaginal aspiration of the ascitic
      fluid and autotransfusion of the aspirated fluid. Marked improvement of the
      symptoms, general condition, and urine output followed the aspiration shortly. No
      reactions were noticed during or after the autotransfusion. The blood parameters
      were corrected, and the general condition and urine output continued to improve.
      The procedure is simple, safe, and straightforward that showed a striking
      physiological success in correcting the maldistribution of fluid and proteins
      without the use of heterogeneous biological material.

PMID- 1426359
TI  - Isolated prolactin deficiency: a case report.
AB  - A 36-year-old woman, with lifelong oligomenorrhea and immeasurable serum PRL
      levels, conceived and had normal deliveries after ovulation induction with CC.
      Alactogenesis followed both deliveries. Evaluation of other pituitary hormones
      were within normal limits, and attempted stimulation of PRL levels by TRH was
      unsuccessful. The clinical significance of isolated hypoprolactinemia is
      discussed.

PMID- 1426360
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging using "fat-saturation" technique is useful for
      diagnosing small endometrioma: a case report.
AB  - Preoperative MRI using fat-saturation technique was performed in a patient with
      endometriosis. Endometrial implants as small as 3 mm were accurately diagnosed by
      MRI. The fat-saturation technique is useful for diagnosing small endometrioma.

PMID- 1426361
TI  - Radiologic evaluation of incremental intrauterine instillation of contrast
      material.
AB  - In view of the contradictory results of IUI reported in the literature, the
      present study was undertaken to determine whether the volume of material injected
      into the uterus can affect the delivery site of the sperm. Ten infertile women
      scheduled for HSG were submitted to intrauterine injection of different volumes
      of radiopaque dye (0.2 mL to 1.0 mL) before the procedure to mimic IUI. An x ray
      taken immediately after injection showed that volumes of > or = 0.4 mL reached
      the uterus and tubes, whereas the 0.2-mL volume did not reach the tube. These
      data show that volume injected is an important variable in IUI.

PMID- 1426362
TI  - Transcervical tubal cannulation: a comparison of two techniques.
AB  - Transcervical tubal cannulation using tactile guidance has a similar rate of
      successful cannulation compared with that with US guidance (78% versus 73%) but
      takes less time to perform (2.3 +/- 1.8 minutes versus 8.7 +/- 6.2 minutes, mean
      +/- SD) and is associated with less pain and bleeding. This appears to be because
      of the design of the Labotect tubal cannulation set that uses a special speculum
      and tenaculum to straighten the uterus before insertion of the guide cannula and
      a less traumatic ball-tipped guide catheter.

PMID- 1426363
TI  - Cytogenetics of human spermatozoa: correlations with sperm morphology and age of
      fertile men.
AB  - Sperm chromosomes from 15 fertile men were analyzed after fusion of their
      spermatozoa with zona-free hamster eggs. The total proportion of abnormal
      metaphases as well as the proportions of aneuploidy and structural aberrations
      were calculated for every man and examined for linear correlations with [1] sperm
      morphology and [2] the age of the persons studied. A positive correlation between
      the cytogenetic parameters and the percentage of abnormal sperm morphology was
      not evident, suggesting that assessment of sperm morphology cannot be used as an
      indicator of chromosomal damage in human spermatozoa. In contrast, there was a
      more distinct positive correlation between the age of donors and the three
      cytogenetic parameters studied.

PMID- 1426364
TI  - Hydrogynecography: a new technique enables vaginal sonography to visualize pelvic
      adhesions and other pelvic structures.
AB  - Vaginal ultrasonography, done after the transcervical injection of isotonic
      saline into the cul-de-sac, is a new technique we named hydrogynecography. This
      was prospectively used in patients suffering from infertility and pelvic pain. In
      84% of patients we were able to identify pelvic adhesions confirmed by
      laparoscopy. In 16% the procedure provided false-negative results.

PMID- 1426365
TI  - Laparoscopic removal of 46XY gonads located within the inguinal canals.
AB  - Male pseudohermaphrodites require gonadectomy for the prevention of gonadal
      malignancy. Laparoscopic gonadectomy has been performed in patients with intra
      abdominal gonads and can also be performed in patients whose gonads are located
      within the inguinal canals.

PMID- 1426366
TI  - A microwell sperm penetration assay.
AB  - Egg penetration rates in a modified SPA using microwells in tissue typing plates
      were comparable with those in a standard assay. This technique allows sperm
      penetrating ability to be determined using single zona-free hamster eggs and as
      few as 10,000 spermatozoa.

PMID- 1426367
TI  - Selecting against "unfit sperm".

PMID- 1426368
TI  - Mutations in the aromatase gene and their effect.

PMID- 1426369
TI  - Graft versus host or host versus graft reaction after paternal immunization.

PMID- 1426370
TI  - Neural tube defects after infertility treatment: a review.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether an association exists between ovulation
      induction and neural tube defects (NTDs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Risk estimations
      in the medical literature were identified through Medline, and validity and power
      were assessed. Large in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) registries
      represent another source of information. The total number of NTDs and the total
      number of fetuses were computed from five registries. These data were expressed
      as proportions and compared with data from the general population. RESULTS: Only
      one study could be identified as both valid and powerful, through literature
      review. This case-control study concluded there was no association between
      ovulation induction and NTDs. The pool of IVF-ET registry data represents another
      powerful epidemiologic tool. Analysis of the registry data confirms the findings
      of the case-control study. CONCLUSIONS: Ovulation induction does not seem to
      represent a risk factor for NTDs in the offspring.

PMID- 1426371
TI  - Gynecoradiology: a new approach to diagnosis and treatment of tubal disease.

PMID- 1426372
TI  - The routine use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists prior to in vitro
      fertilization and gamete intrafallopian transfer: a meta-analysis of randomized
      controlled trials.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists
      (GnRH-a) used in ovulation induction for in vitro fertilization and embryo
      transfer (IVF-ET) and gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT). DESIGN: Meta
      analysis of 10 trials comparing treatment cycle outcomes after GnRH-a (n = 914)
      with other ovulation induction protocols (n = 722) and 7 trials comparing
      outcomes after short flare-up (n = 368) with longer suppression (n = 476) GnRH-a
      protocols. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcome of primary interest was clinical
      pregnancy rate (PR) per treatment cycle commenced. Data describing the amount of
      gonadotropin used, cycle cancellation rate, clinical pregnancy per ET, and
      multiple pregnancy and abortion rates were also analyzed. RESULTS: Clinical PR
      per cycle commenced was significantly improved after GnRH-a use for IVF (common
      odds ratio [OR] 1.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.33 to 2.44) and GIFT (common
      OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.24 to 4.51). Clinical PR per embryo transfer was also
      significantly improved with GnRH-a use (common OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.95).
      Cycle cancellation was decreased (common OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.44), whereas
      spontaneous abortion rate was similar with and without GnRH-a use. Cycle
      cancellation and PRs after short flare-up and longer suppression protocols were
      similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis supports the routine use
      of GnRH-a for IVF and GIFT. Further research is needed, however, to assess the
      potential for increased rates of multiple pregnancy and ovarian hyperstimulation
      syndrome, which may be associated with this treatment.

PMID- 1426373
TI  - Color Doppler ultrasonography assessment of tubal patency: a comparison study
      with traditional techniques.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of color Doppler ultrasonic
      hysterosalpingography (color US-HSG) and x-ray-HSG with chromoperturbation at the
      time of laparoscopy. DESIGN: Open, uncontrolled study of women seeking evaluation
      for infertility from August 1989 to July 1991. SETTING: Clinical environment.
      PATIENTS: Two hundred thirty-eight infertile women. INTERVENTION: Saline was
      administered transcervically during transvaginal color Doppler sonography in 238
      women. Traditional x-ray-HSG was performed in 89 women. Laparoscopy with
      chromoperturbation was done in 121 women. Forty-nine women had all three
      procedures performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The frequency of diagnosis of
      bilateral tubal patency, bilateral tubal occlusion, and unilateral tubal patency
      after color US-HSG and x-ray-HSG was compared with chromoperturbation. The
      diagnostic efficacy of color US-HSG and x-ray-HSG was compared with
      chromoperturbation. RESULTS: Correlation between color US-HSG and x-ray findings
      with chromoperturbation occurred in 81% versus 60% (P = 0.0008) of all women
      studied. In 49 women who had all three procedures performed, color US-HSG results
      correlated with chromoperturbation more often than x-ray-HSG (82% versus 57%, P =
      0.0152). CONCLUSION: Color US-HSG is an alternative technique to x-ray-HSG in
      diagnosing tubal occlusion as a cause of infertility.

PMID- 1426374
TI  - Fallopian tubes and ultrasonography: the Sion experience.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the accuracy of three new ultrasonographic methods of
      detecting tubal patency and pathology with established methods like
      hysterosalpingography (HSG) and laparoscopy. DESIGN: Sixty-seven cases were
      evaluated by performing the Sion test using endosonography to check for tubal
      patency. The Sion procedure includes filling up the pouch of Douglas with
      approximately 300 mL of sterile normal saline to elucidate not only the patency
      but visualize the motility, the fimbriae, and peritubal adhesions, if present. We
      have compared the accuracy of this procedure with HSG and laparoscopy in 24
      infertile women. Color-coded duplex Doppler sonography was used in 38 patients to
      check for tubal patency. RESULTS: Our experience at the Sion Hospital using the
      three new ultrasonographic techniques for evaluating the status of the fallopian
      tubes is very encouraging. The accuracy with the three modes shows agreement in >
      90% of cases with established investigative modalities such as HSG and
      laparoscopy. CONCLUSION: These three new investigative modalities are offered not
      as substitutes for HSG, laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, or salpingoscopy but as office
      screening procedures that would be complementary to the armamentarium of
      infertility investigations already available.

PMID- 1426375
TI  - Gonadotropin-releasing hormone-associated peptide gene sequences in women with
      hyperprolactinemia.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine if mutations in the structural gene for gonadotropin
      releasing hormone (GnRH)-associated peptide are present in women with
      hyperprolactinemia. DESIGN: Patients with hyperprolactinemia and controls were
      studied retrospectively for GnRH-associated peptide gene mutations. SETTINGS:
      Patients seen in a clinical setting were studied at a medical school laboratory
      setting. PATIENTS: Fifteen women with hyperprolactinemia and two fertile controls
      with normal prolactin levels were studied. INTERVENTIONS: Genomic
      deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from each patient and subjected to
      Southern blot analysis and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). For Southern blot
      analysis, DNA was digested with EcoRI, XbaI, BglII, PstI, and BamHI and
      hybridized to two DNA probes for GnRH-associated peptide. Exons II to IV, which
      encode for the structural gene, were amplified by PCR. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
      Fragment sizes from autoradiographs were compared among patients and controls.
      Amplified PCR products of exons II to IV of the GnRH-associated peptide were also
      compared. RESULTS: No large deletions, insertions, or polymorphisms were
      identified in women with hyperprolactinemia or controls by Southern blotting.
      Each of the exons was present and of normal size by PCR in the study patients and
      controls. CONCLUSIONS: No large deletions of the GnRH-associated peptide gene
      appear to be present in our patients with hyperprolactinemia. Small deletions,
      insertions, or point mutations are not excluded by this analysis.

PMID- 1426376
TI  - Absence of effect of adjuvant growth hormone therapy on follicular responses to
      exogenous gonadotropins in women: normal and poor responders.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of growth hormone (GH) on ovarian responses to
      exogenous gonadotropins after pituitary desensitization in normal and poor
      responder patients undergoing in vitro fertilization. DESIGN: A prospective study
      with comparison of control and GH-treated cycles. PATIENTS: Poor responder
      patients (n = 10) required > 44 ampules of human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) to
      achieve criteria for administration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) on day
      0 or cancellation in control cycles, and normal responder patients (n = 10)
      required < 45 ampules. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ovarian responses to hMG assessed
      by duration of stimulation required to achieve first significant estradiol (E2)
      response and hCG criteria. Total doses and duration of hMG, follicular
      development and E2 concentrations on day 0, and embryology were also assessed.
      RESULTS: Growth hormone showed no effect on any of the parameters studied in
      either patient group. CONCLUSION: Follicular recruitment, E2 secretion by mature
      follicles, and oocyte yield and quality were uninfluenced by GH treatment.

PMID- 1426377
TI  - Deep endometriosis: a consequence of infiltration or retraction or possibly
      adenomyosis externa?
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To analyze the incidence and occurrence of subtypes of deep
      endometriosis. DESIGN: Deep endometriotic lesions (> 5 mm) were retrospectively
      analyzed, using our data base and slides taken systematically during surgery.
      SETTING: University Hospital Gasthuisberg (University of Leuven) which is a
      referral center for infertility and endoscopic surgery. PATIENTS: All women with
      deep endometriosis (n = 136) were selected from a consecutive series of 1,252
      laparoscopies for infertility, pain, or both. INTERVENTIONS AND MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASUREMENTS: Deep endometriosis was excised by CO2 laser and the depth of
      infiltration and the pelvic area measured. As part of an ongoing study, most
      lesions were photographed. RESULTS: Deep endometriosis is suggested to contain
      three subgroups. Type I is conical shaped and suggested to be formed by
      infiltration. Type II is deeply located and covered by extensive adhesions and
      probably formed by retraction. Type III is a spherical nodule with its largest
      dimension under the peritoneum. Types I, II, and III are found in 4.1%, 0.8%, and
      0.9% of women with infertility (n = 759) and in 10.4%, 3.2%, and 3.2% of women
      with pelvic pain (n = 374). Types I, II, and III are most frequently found in the
      revised American Fertility Society classes II, III to IV, and I, respectively.
      CONCLUSIONS: Three subtypes of deep endometriosis can be distinguished. Type III,
      which is a spherical nodule located in the recto vaginal septum is the most
      severe and largest lesion. This is, however, easily missed clinically because
      these lesions are generally scored as revised American Fertility Society class I.

PMID- 1426378
TI  - Early endometriosis invades the extracellular matrix.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether the aminoterminal propeptides of type III
      procollagen are increased in patients with early endometriosis and to demonstrate
      that the subtle lesion of endometriosis is an active stage of the disease.
      DESIGN: Aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen was determined in serum
      and peritoneal fluid (PF) of 100 consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopy.
      SETTING: Academisch Ziekenhuis Maastricht, The Netherlands, a tertiary care
      center. RESULTS: Aminoterminal propeptide PF levels were significantly higher in
      women with early lesions of endometriosis compared with levels in two groups of
      controls, i.e., fertile, cycling, women without the disease (P = 0.019) and women
      on oral contraceptives without the disease (P = 0.036). No difference was found
      in aminoterminal propeptide PF levels when comparing patients with early lesions
      of endometriosis and patients with unexplained infertility, the third control
      group. Aminoterminal propeptide PF levels of patients with endometriosis without
      early lesions were not different from PF levels in controls. CONCLUSION: The
      early lesion is an active stage of endometriosis, invading the extracellular
      matrix. In women with unexplained infertility active, microscopic endometriosis
      may be present.

PMID- 1426379
TI  - Tumor necrosis factor alpha in the human ovary: presence in follicular fluid and
      effects on cell proliferation and prostaglandin production.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the concentration of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF
      alpha) in human follicular fluid (FF) and its effects on cultured human granulosa
      lutein cells. DESIGN: The concentration of TNF alpha in FF from hyperstimulated
      cycles and in conditioned media from cultured granulosa-lutein cells was measured
      by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and bioassay using L929 cells. The effects of
      recombinant human TNF alpha (rTNF alpha) on proliferation and production of
      progesterone (P) and prostaglandin (PG, PGE2, and PGF2 alpha) by cultured human
      granulosa-lutein cells were assessed. SETTING: In vitro fertilization and embryo
      transfer (IVF-ET) program at Reproductive Medicine Unit, The Queen Elizabeth
      Hospital, Woodville, South Australia, Australia. PATIENTS: Twenty-five women
      undergoing IVF-ET for tubal factor infertility. RESULTS: The concentration of
      immunoreactive TNF alpha in FF was 0.36 +/- 0.02 microgram/L, and there were no
      significant correlations between levels of TNF alpha and steroids or FF volume.
      Bioactivity for TNF alpha was considerably less. Immunoreactive or bioactive TNF
      alpha was not detected in conditioned media from granulosa-lutein cell culture.
      Recombinant human TNF alpha dose-dependently stimulated proliferation of cultured
      granulosa-lutein cells as measured by incorporation of 3H-thymidine, but in
      contrast to earlier reports, we were not able to demonstrate any effect of rTNF
      alpha on basal or human chorionic gonadotropin-stimulated P accumulation during
      culture periods of up to 72 hours. The accumulation of both PGE2 and PGF2 alpha
      was dose-dependently increased by rTNF alpha during a 48-hour incubation period.
      Time course studies revealed that maximal levels of both PGE2 and PGF2 alpha were
      reached within 12 hours of culture. CONCLUSION: Immunoreactive and bioactive TNF
      alpha is present in FF. Tumor necrosis factor alpha may have a physiological role
      in stimulating proliferation of follicular cells and PG production at the time of
      ovulation and formation of the corpus luteum.

PMID- 1426380
TI  - Inhibitory effect of interferon and tumor necrosis factor on human luteal
      function in vitro.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether immunological mechanisms may be involved in
      human luteal function. DESIGN: The effects of the cytokines, interferon-alpha
      (IFN-alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF
      alpha) on steroidogenesis by human luteal cells were examined in vitro. The
      dispersed human luteal cells, obtained from a total of 17 women at laparotomy,
      were cultured separately in the presence or absence of human chorionic
      gonadotropin (hCG) and IFNs/TNF-alpha with the medium being replaced at 48 hours.
      The medium was collected at 48 and 96 hours for steroid assays. RESULTS: The IFN
      alpha had no significant effect on the production of estradiol or progesterone
      (P), whereas a dose-related inhibition of basal, as well as hCG-stimulated P
      formation, was observed after the addition of IFN-gamma (10 to 1,000 U/mL).
      Progesterone production was inhibited to about 45% of the control at 48 hours and
      even lower at 96 hours (n = 6, P < 0.001). The combination of IFN-gamma and low
      doses of TNF-alpha induced a further significant inhibition, whereas there was no
      effect of TNF-alpha alone. This inhibitory effect of IFN-gamma could be
      completely neutralized with a monoclonal antibody to IFN-gamma. Incubation with
      the antibody alone increased the production of P from luteal cells in culture,
      suggesting a local tonic inhibitory action of endogenous IFN-gamma. CONCLUSION:
      Interferon-gamma and TNF-alpha, whose function classically is known as antiviral,
      also may play a role in human luteal regression by inhibiting luteal P
      production.

PMID- 1426381
TI  - Antisperm antibodies in women: variability in antibody levels in serum, mucus,
      and peritoneal fluid.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To look for patterns of antisperm antibody expression in women by
      exploring the levels of antisperm antibodies in different body fluids. This was
      achieved by studying sequential serum samples from individual patients and by
      comparing the levels of antisperm antibodies in serum from a number of patients
      with the levels of antisperm antibodies in cervical mucus or peritoneal fluid
      (PF). DESIGN: Prospective studies were performed on sequential serum samples
      within a menstrual cycle. Retrospective studies were done to compare antisperm
      antibodies in serum and mucus or PF. The immunobead assay was used to measure
      antisperm antibodies in these fluids. SETTING: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical
      Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire. PATIENTS: A random sample of patients undergoing
      evaluation for infertility. RESULTS: The levels of antisperm antibodies in sera
      drawn from patients at different points in a menstrual cycle stimulated by the
      presence of exogenous hormones did not change during the follicular phase of the
      menstrual cycle. Also, in many samples, the antisperm antibody level in serum did
      not correlate with the antisperm antibody levels in mucus or PF. CONCLUSIONS: The
      data suggest that measurement of antisperm antibodies at a single point in time
      or from a single fluid is not sufficient when evaluating a woman for
      immunological infertility. The data also suggest that numerous and complex
      factors contribute to the expression of antisperm antibodies in women.

PMID- 1426382
TI  - Differential effects of transdermal estradiol and sequential progestogens on
      impedance to flow within the uterine arteries of postmenopausal women.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between estradiol (E2), progestogen,
      and impedance to blood flow in the uterine artery. SUBJECTS: Twelve
      postmenopausal women treated for two cycles with transdermal E2, 0.05 mg/d, with
      either norethindrone acetate, 0.7 mg, or medroxyprogesterone acetate, 10 mg added
      sequentially. MEASUREMENTS: Transvaginal ultrasonography and color flow imaging
      were used to measure the pulsatility index in the uterine arteries before and
      during the E2-only and combined E2/progestogen phases. RESULTS: The mean
      pulsatility index fell to 53% of its pretreatment value within 12 days E2
      administration (P < or = 0.0001) and was 66% of its pretreatment value in the
      combined phase (P < 0.005). Similar changes were seen in cycle 2. Time since
      menopause was correlated with the pretreatment pulsatility index (r = 0.674, P <
      0.05) and change in pulsatility index on treatment (r = 0.856, P < 0.001).
      CONCLUSION: Gonadal hormones have a profound effect on arterial tone in
      postmenopausal women; this action may help explain some of the beneficial effects
      of estrogen on arterial disease risk.

PMID- 1426383
TI  - Further study and characterization of the yellow pigments in follicular fluid
      that are related to oocyte quality.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To characterize the 455-nm (yellow) absorbing pigments in human
      follicular fluid (FF). DESIGN: Serum and FF samples obtained from patients
      undergoing in vitro fertilization were analyzed for carotenoids, bilirubin, and
      beta-glucuronidase concentrations. Spectrophotometric analysis in the visible
      spectrum was performed on FF samples, and the delta OD455 absorbance was
      calculated. RESULTS: Thin-layer chromatography confirmed the presence of beta
      carotene and bilirubin in FF. The mean (+/- SD) contribution of bilirubin and
      carotenoids to the FF delta OD455 absorbance was 64% +/- 9.6% and 22.7% +/-
      12.1%, respectively. Bilirubin fractions in serum and FF samples were then
      compared. The median unconjugated bilirubin concentration in FF was lower than
      that in the serum (0.130 versus 0.288 mg/dL; P < 0.0001). The median conjugated
      bilirubin concentration was higher in the FF when compared with the serum (0.129
      versus 0.101 mg/dL; P = 0.0018). beta-Glucuronidase levels in the FF were
      significantly lower when compared with serum concentrations. CONCLUSIONS:
      Bilirubin is the major contributor to the FF 455-nm spectrophotometric peak. The
      higher levels of conjugated bilirubin noted in the FF could in part be explained
      by the lower levels of beta-glucuronidase.

PMID- 1426385
TI  - Freezing cocultured human blastocysts.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the possibility of obtaining good pregnancy rates (PRs)
      after freezing and thawing cocultured blastocysts. DESIGN: Human blastocysts were
      frozen first according to a protocol available from literature. Two other
      protocols including the addition of glycerol were designed to improve the
      results. SETTING: All the patients were under clinical management at the Institut
      Rhonalpin pour l'Etude de la Reproduction Humaine in Lyons, France. PATIENTS:
      Patients involved in the in vitro fertilization program have had their
      supernumerary embryos frozen according to the three protocols presented here.
      MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Embryo recovery after freezing and thawing. Clinical and
      ongoing pregnancies after embryo transfer (ET). RESULTS: A protocol including
      sucrose addition and reduction of steps in the preparation of the blastocysts for
      freezing gave us a 21% PR per transfer (15 ongoing) of 101 transfers (106
      thawings). CONCLUSIONS: Freezing of cocultured human blastocysts allow good PRs.
      This can represent an alternative for repeated failures of ETs at early stages.

PMID- 1426384
TI  - Human embryo biopsy on the 2nd day after insemination for preimplantation
      diagnosis: removal of a quarter of embryo retards cleavage.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess any reduction in viability and development in vitro after
      biopsy of a quarter of the cells of human embryos on day 2 after insemination.
      DESIGN: A prospective study in which normally fertilized surplus embryos of good
      morphology with two to eight cells approximately 48 hours after insemination were
      randomly allocated to a control or biopsied group, respectively. SETTING: In
      vitro fertilization (IVF) unit and laboratories of the Hammersmith Hospital,
      Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, London University. PATIENTS,
      PARTICIPANTS: One hundred twenty-nine embryos from 28 infertile IVF patients.
      INTERVENTIONS: Follicular aspiration by ultrasound-guided transvaginal puncture
      and embryo biopsy by micromanipulative procedures. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S):
      Pyruvate uptake and cell number at the blastocyst stage. RESULTS: Embryo biopsy
      did not have an adverse effect on either the proportion developing to the
      blastocyst stage (50% [32 of 64] and 47.7% [31 of 65] for the control and
      biopsied groups, respectively) or embryo viability, measured indirectly through
      pyruvate uptake. However, the proportion of embryos that reached the morula stage
      after day 4 (retarded embryos) was significantly higher (44%, 11 of 25 versus
      8.7%, 2 of 23) in the biopsied group. The total number of cells (29.6 +/- 3.1
      versus 62.4 +/- 4.7), numbers of inner cell mass (7.7 +/- 2.2 versus 24.5 +/-
      1.4) and trophectoderm (24.0 +/- 5.2 versus 45.0 +/- 6.4) cells, and the inner
      cell mass:trophectoderm ratio (34.7 +/- 7.9 versus 59.5 +/- 11.7) were strikingly
      reduced at the blastocyst stage in the biopsied group. This reduction was greater
      in embryos that reached the morula stage after day 4. CONCLUSIONS: More
      investigation is needed to assess whether the detrimental effects observed were
      because of the biopsy method used in this study or to a high sensitivity of human
      embryos at early stages to manipulation in vitro.

PMID- 1426386
TI  - Effects of smoking on ovulation induction for assisted reproductive techniques.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of smoking on ovulation induction for
      assisted reproductive techniques. DESIGN: Matched, retrospective, cohort study.
      SETTING: Outpatient University endocrine/infertility program. PATIENTS: Eighteen
      smokers and 36 nonsmokers: 2 nonsmokers matched to each smoker for age, weight,
      and history of ovarian surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: During a stimulation
      cycle, the serum estradiol (E2) level, number of follicles, number of oocytes,
      number of embryos, and ampules of gonadotropins used were compared in the smoking
      versus the nonsmoking groups by Wilcoxon's signed rank test for paired data.
      Follicular fluid (FF), testosterone (T), androstenedione (A), E2, A:E2 ratios,
      and T:E2 ratios were measured and compared between groups by Mann-Whitney U
      tests. RESULTS: Smokers had significantly lower serum E2 levels, fewer follicles,
      fewer oocytes retrieved, and fewer embryos per cycle than nonsmokers, despite
      equal amounts of gonadotropin administration. Follicular fluid obtained from
      mature follicles had a higher A:E2 ratio and a higher T:E2 ratio in smokers
      compared with nonsmokers. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking adversely affects ovulation
      induction parameters and alters the FF hormonal milieu.

PMID- 1426387
TI  - The relative success of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue, clomiphene
      citrate, and gonadotropin in 1,099 cycles of in vitro fertilization.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of and analyze the factors influencing
      the outcome of three ovarian stimulation protocols used during in vitro
      fertilization (IVF) in a large population. DESIGN: Retrospective file review.
      SETTING: In vitro fertilization program in one center during the years 1985 to
      1990. PATIENTS AND PROTOCOLS: Three hundred forty-one patients received
      clomiphene citrate (CC) and human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG), 365 received hMG
      alone, and 393 received gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRH-a) for
      pituitary suppression followed by hMG stimulation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Rates of
      cancellation, total pregnancies, and ongoing pregnancies, with breakdown by age
      of patients. RESULTS: The cancellation rate because of early luteinization
      following GnRH-a/hMG was significantly reduced compared with the other two
      protocols: 3.6% versus 9.4% and 13.7% for CC/hMG and hMG, respectively. However,
      in women over 40 years of age, GnRH-a/hMG resulted in the highest rate of poor
      ovarian response. Significantly more oocytes were retrieved, fertilized, and
      cleaved after the use of GnRH-a/hMG compared with the other two protocols.
      Despite this, clinical pregnancy rate (PR) was the highest with CC/hMG compared
      with GnRH-a/hMG and hMG:31.4% versus 16.9% and 15.7%, respectively. Ongoing PRs
      were 20.5%, 9.7%, and 11.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although the use of GnRH
      a for pituitary suppression before ovarian stimulation for IVF reduced the
      cancellation rate and increased the number of retrieved oocytes, it was not found
      to result in higher PRs than those achieved by stimulation with CC/hMG. This
      suggests that treatment by GnRH-a/hMG should be reserved mainly for the
      prevention of early luteinization.

PMID- 1426388
TI  - The comparison of two gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists in an in vitro
      fertilization program.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare two gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRH-a),
      buserelin acetate and leuprolide acetate [LA], used in combination with
      gonadotropins in ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization (IVF). DESIGN:
      Randomized prospective study. SETTING: Assisted Reproduction Unit of the Hospital
      Clinic i Provincial in Barcelona. PATIENTS: Thirty-five pairs of IVF patients who
      were matched on age, indication, and number of attempts. These women were
      randomized to receive either buserelin acetate plus gonadotropins (group B) or LA
      plus gonadotropins (group L). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Luteolysis, ovarian
      response, and IVF outcome. RESULTS: The mean time for total ovarian arrest and
      the total dose of gonadotropins and estradiol levels on the day of human
      chorionic gonadotropin administration were similar in the two groups of patients.
      The number of follicles punctured, the number of oocytes retrieved, and the
      percentage of mature oocytes in group L were significantly higher. The number of
      embryos suitable for replacement and cryopreservation was higher in group L
      compared with group B approaching statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Our
      results warrant further studies to compare different GnRH-a as therapeutic tools
      in IVF.

PMID- 1426389
TI  - Intrauterine insemination after ovarian stimulation as a treatment for
      subfertility because of subnormal semen: a prospective randomized controlled
      trial.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether intrauterine insemination (IUI) after ovarian
      stimulation with human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) gives a better pregnancy
      rate (PR) than natural intercourse in couples with subfertility because of
      subnormal semen. DESIGN: Prospective randomized controlled trial. SETTING:
      University based subfertility clinic. PATIENTS: Couples with subnormal semen as
      the only identifiable cause of subfertility. INTERVENTIONS: In control cycles,
      the couples had natural intercourse. In IUI cycles, IUI was performed after
      ovarian stimulation with hMG and human chorionic gonadotropin. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURE: The clinical PRs and complications of IUI cycles and control cycles were
      compared. RESULTS: There were six clinical pregnancies in the 42 IUI cycles,
      whereas there was no clinical pregnancy in the 42 control cycles. The clinical PR
      in IUI cycles (14.3% per cycle) was significantly higher than that in control
      cycles (0%). Six patients (14.3%) developed moderate degree of ovarian
      hyperstimulation syndrome in IUI cycles. CONCLUSION: Intrauterine insemination
      after ovarian stimulation with hMG is useful in treatment of subfertile couples
      with subnormal semen.

PMID- 1426390
TI  - Advances in the understanding of retinitis pigmentosa.

PMID- 1426391
TI  - When are simple flashes and floaters ocular emergencies?
AB  - One hundred and seventy patients presented to the Bristol Eye Hospital casualty
      department with flashes and/or floaters during a six month prospective study. A
      sight-threatening condition was found in 41 patients (24.1%), the most important
      of which was a retinal break (16.5%). Although there were no specific symptoms
      which could be correlated to an increased incidence of retinal breaks, those
      patients who complained of isolated uniocular floaters had an insignificant
      incidence of breakage, when compared to asymptomatic fellow eyes. Thus while the
      majority of patients with flashes and floaters do merit an urgent
      ophthalmological opinion, those who complain of a single, isolated floater can
      safely be reviewed as routine outpatients.

PMID- 1426392
TI  - A comparison of prophylactic, topical and subconjunctival treatment in cataract
      surgery.
AB  - Prophylactic subconjunctival antibiotics and steroids have been used in cataract
      surgery since the early 1950s. However despite their widespread acceptance, there
      has, to date, been no direct comparison of subconjunctival and topical routes of
      administration. We therefore carried out a prospective comparison of the effects
      of subconjunctival and topical administration of antibiotics and steroids in
      sixty patients undergoing elective, uncomplicated, extracapsular cataract
      extraction and posterior chamber lens implantation. The patients were examined by
      a single observer on the first and third post-operative days and two and six
      weeks following surgery. The observer was blinded to the patient treatment group.
      Significantly higher degrees of conjunctival injection and anterior chamber
      activity were noted in those who received subconjunctival injections compared
      with those who received topical treatment. There were no significant differences
      between the two groups in best corrected visual acuity, central corneal oedema,
      cystoid macular oedema, intraocular pressure and infection. We conclude that
      prophylactic subconjunctival therapy in uncomplicated cataract surgery is not
      necessary.

PMID- 1426393
TI  - The uses and limitations of intraocular biopsy.
AB  - Based upon the author's considerable experience of trans-scleral resection of
      malignant melanoma of the choroid, a technique has been developed for the biopsy
      of tissues of the posterior segment of the eye. Its use in the management of
      atypical malignancy posing diagnostic difficulty and in the investigation of
      selected case of acute retinal necrosis, uveitis and retinal pigment
      epitheliopathy is described. In 34 trans-scleral biopsies of choroid, RPE and in
      some cases, retina, an adverse result occurred in only one case, this it was
      thought being due to not including pars plana vitrectomy as part of the biopsy
      technique. Pars plana vitrectomy is now regarded as an integral part of this form
      of biopsy.

PMID- 1426394
TI  - The safety and efficacy of topical norfloxacin compared with chloramphenicol for
      the treatment of external ocular bacterial infections. The Norfloxacin
      Chloramphenicol Ophthalmic Study Group.
AB  - Two hundred and forty-six patients with signs of acute bacterial conjunctivitis
      and/or blepharitis were randomised to receive either norfloxacin or
      chloramphenicol for one week in this double-masked parallel group study. Ninety
      two per cent of the norfloxacin-treated patients and 93% of the chloramphenicol
      treated patients were rated as either clinically improved or cured at the end of
      the treatment period. Based upon pre-treatment bacteriological cultures, 31.3% of
      the patients had significant bacterial infection of the lids and/or conjunctiva.
      All of these culture-positive patients were rated as either clinically improved
      or cured. Based upon post-treatment cultures, 72 of 82 strains of Gram-positive
      and Gram-negative bacteria were eradicated or suppressed following treatment with
      either norfloxacin or chloramphenicol. However six of 41 strains persisted for
      norfloxacin and four of 41 for chloramphenicol. Two norfloxacin-treated patients
      and three chloramphenicol-treated patients had adverse experiences, predominantly
      ocular discomfort, which required cessation of drug therapy. Norfloxacin appears
      to be an effective and relatively safe agent for the treatment of bacterial
      infections of the lids and/or conjunctiva. In this study, norfloxacin was
      clinically and microbiologically similar in activity to chloramphenicol.

PMID- 1426395
TI  - Disinfection of tonometer prisms and examination contact lenses in ophthalmic
      departments.

PMID- 1426396
TI  - Cystoid macular oedema following neodymium:YAG laser capsulotomy a prospective
      study.
AB  - Neodymium:YAG laser capsulotomy was performed in 65 eyes of 65 patients because
      of vision loss due to posterior capsular opacification or wrinkling following
      uneventful extracapsular cataract extraction with intraocular lens implantation.
      Eyes with pre-existing macular pathology were excluded from this study. In all of
      the eyes the posterior capsule was successfully opened. None developed clinical
      or angiographic cystoid macular oedema. One eye developed retinal detachment nine
      months after capsulotomy.

PMID- 1426397
TI  - Low contrast visual acuity changes in human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV)
      infection.
AB  - A pilot study of low contrast visual acuity testing using Regan Charts has been
      undertaken in 34 patients seropositive for Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus and 20
      normal control subjects. Low contrast visual acuities of the HIV (+) patients
      both with and without HIV retinopathy were found to be significantly lower than
      the age-matched controls (p < 0.01). This finding is probably attributable to
      pathology related to HIV in the visual pathways/Central Nervous System. Lowest
      contrast Chart (Chart C) was found to be a useful diagnostic tool for HIV
      retinopathy and presumed neuropathy.

PMID- 1426398
TI  - Does computerised perimetry offer practical advances in choice of therapy in the
      glaucoma patient?

PMID- 1426399
TI  - Do computerised visual fields and automated optic disc analysis assist in the
      choice of therapy in glaucoma?
AB  - The choice of therapy in patients with glaucoma is determined by the presence of
      damage in the visual field or optic disc or by change in the appearance of the
      optic disc or visual field over time. Computerised visual fields and automated
      optic disc analysis can assist in this determination. Automated optic disc
      analysis permits the measurement of neuroretinal rim area which is more closely
      related to the presence of pathology than cup/disc ratio. Simple ophthalmoscopic
      techniques may also be used to estimate the size of the neuroretinal rim area.
      Automated perimetry allows accurate diagnostic information to be obtained in a
      reliable manner. This permits easier diagnosis of glaucoma as well as easier long
      term follow up for change. The availability of automated techniques in
      ophthalmology has helped the clinician in the choice of therapy. The use of
      astute clinical judgement remains however of the utmost importance.

PMID- 1426400
TI  - Biometry and auto-fluorescence of the anterior ocular segment in diabetics with
      and without autonomic neuropathy: a case control study.
AB  - The biometry and auto-fluorescence of the anterior ocular segment were examined
      in a case control study of two populations of diabetics. Cases, with diabetic
      autonomic neuropathy, and controls without neuropathy (forty in each group) were
      selected from a community based diabetic population and matched individually for
      age, sex, and type of diabetes. Scheimpflug and auto-fluorescence anterior
      segment photography were performed and analysed by digital image analysis in a
      masked fashion. There were differences between the groups in axial lens
      thickness, front radius of curvature of the lens, anterior chamber depth and
      lenticular auto-fluorescence. These findings are discussed in the context of the
      known association between autonomic neuropathy and narrow angle glaucoma, and
      possible common mechanisms of tissue damage in diabetes.

PMID- 1426401
TI  - Changes in light scatter and width measurements from the human lens cortex with
      age.
AB  - Light scatter and width measurements of the anterior cortical layers of the human
      lens were made in 50 eyes of 50 subjects using computerised linear scanning
      densitometry of Scheimpflug images. It was demonstrated that the amount of light
      scatter increased with age in all of the three major zones and that zone C3
      showed the most marked increase. Most lens growth occurs in zone C2 with C3
      showing little increase in width once it has become established. Zone C1 showed a
      tendency to decrease in width with age. In addition it was shown that the C3
      zone, which is not present at birth and during early childhood, appears as a
      distinct layer during the second decade of life. Its scattering properties
      continue to increase throughout life, exceeding all other zones after
      approximately 30 years of age, in the absence of cataract. Possible explanations
      for the lens zone pattern are discussed.

PMID- 1426402
TI  - Clinical comparison of automated and manual keratometry in pre-operative ocular
      biometry.
AB  - Corneal measurements, using the manual (Topcon OM-4) and automated (Canon RK-1)
      keratometers was performed on 104 eyes of 104 patients undergoing cataract and
      implant surgery to assess the role of automated keratometry in pre-operative
      ocular biometry. Four eyes of four patients were excluded from statistical
      analyses for various reasons. The time taken to perform automated keratometry was
      a mean of 61 (SD 21) seconds compared to 205 (SD 37) seconds for manual
      keratometry; the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). In terms
      of the various keratometry values compared, mean K (corneal refractive power),
      flattest K, steepest K, astigmatism and the axis of astigmatism, 65% to 75% of
      the cases on automated keratometry were within 0.26 dioptres or 11 degrees of
      manually determined values; the difference was statistically significant (p <
      0.001). Although automated keratometry was significantly quicker than manual
      keratometry, we continue to use manual keratometry values for intraocular lens
      power calculations as the accuracy demonstrated by automated keratometry was
      considered inadequate for this purpose.

PMID- 1426403
TI  - Keratometry and post-operative astigmatism.
AB  - Total post-operative refractive astigmatism and keratometric corneal astigmatism
      were determined in patients following cataract surgery. By comparing the results
      of the two methods, the value of keratometry as a simple and quick procedure for
      identification of surgically induced astigmatic errors was established. It is
      proposed that this method should be used before final refraction in an attempt to
      increase clinic efficiency and reduce further appointments resulting from
      surgically induced astigmatism.

PMID- 1426404
TI  - Diabetes mellitus and retinal vein occlusion in patients of Asian, west Indian
      and white European origin.
AB  - The incidence of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is known to be related to several
      cardiovascular risk factors including diabetes mellitus, hypertension and
      hyperlipidaemia. We have assessed the prevalence of these risk factors in
      Caucasian (N = 536, mean age = 65.21 years), West Indians (N = 24, mean age =
      57.3 years) and Asian (N = 28, mean age = 51.4 years) patients presenting with
      RVO. We found no significant differences between the three groups in the
      distribution of hyperlipidaemia, but diabetes mellitus was more common amongst
      both the Asians and W. Indians (10% v 29% and 38%, p < 0.01 and p < 0.001).
      Hypertension was also more common in both the Asians and the West Indians (59% v
      64% and 83% m p < 0.001 and p < 0.0001). The Asians and West Indians presenting
      with RVO were significantly younger and had significantly higher body mass index
      than their Caucasian counterparts (Ethnic origin, BMI, mean age: Asian, 28.1 +/-
      4.3, 51.5 +/- 12.3 years; West indian: 30.2 +/- 7.7, 57.3 + 10 years; White: 24.8
      +/- 4.2, 65.2 +/- 11.4 years). In this study RVO occurred at a younger age in
      Asians and West Indians, and was associated with a greater prevalence of diabetes
      mellitus and hypertension. The prevalence of hyperlipidaemia was no different in
      the three groups.

PMID- 1426405
TI  - Mathematical modelling of retinal tear formation: implications for the use of
      heavy liquids.
AB  - When force is applied to detached retina it elevates, stretches, and becomes
      irreversibly deformed. Finally it tears, and the timing and location of tear
      formation are determined by the distribution of stress within the retina. This
      stress distribution is dependent upon the retinal contour. We have tested this
      using retinas of freshly enucleated bovine eyes. A suture was attached to
      isolated retinal tissue using butylacrylate (Histoacryl) glue and traction was
      applied to this suture so stretching the retina. We present a mathematical model
      of the in vitro data obtained, with predictions for local retinal internal
      tensions. We show that these are altered by the addition of hydrostatic forces
      due to the presence of heavy liquids. These findings have implications for
      epiretinal membrane dissection during surgery and for the use of heavy liquids
      during membrane peeling.

PMID- 1426406
TI  - Genetic counselling in X-linked ocular albinism: clinical features of the carrier
      state.
AB  - Forty-nine obligate heterozygotes and 64 at risk females were assessed from 17
      families affected by X-linked ocular albinism to determine the relative values of
      clinical examination and skin biopsy in carrier detection. 92% of obligate
      heterozygotes had a mud-splattered appearance of the fundus with hyperpigmented
      streaks and in 74% this was associated with marked iris translucency. Skin
      histology showed macromelanosomes in 84%. 27 of 64 (42%) at risk females had
      definite features of the carrier state and 19 (30%) were unequivocally normal but
      a further 18 (28%) had mild RPE abnormalities, often with iris transillumination
      defects, of uncertain significance. Fundus examination will detect most carrier
      females but will not allow reliable genetic counselling for all at risk females,
      even when supplemented by skin biopsy.

PMID- 1426407
TI  - Echographic diagnosis of advanced Coats' disease.
AB  - Standardised echography was utilised to diagnose two cases of advanced Coats'
      disease. The characteristic acoustic features included extensive, poorly mobile
      retinal detachment; dense, dispersed subretinal opacities; looping of peripheral
      retina and absence of solid mass lesion and calcification. As enucleation of two
      eyes was necessary, it has proved possible to correlate the echographic and
      histological findings of this disease. The echographic features of other common
      causes of leukocoria are also discussed.

PMID- 1426408
TI  - Ophthalmic consequences of mid-facial trauma.
AB  - Fractures of the mid-face are commonly accompanied by injury to the visual
      system. Three hundred and sixty three patients who had sustained mid-facial
      fractures were assessed prospectively for evidence of such injury. The data have
      been used to devise a scoring system for the maxillofacial surgeon in order to
      help identify those patients at risk of eye injury. The scoring system has been
      evaluated on a further cohort of 100 patients with a similar spectrum of injury
      and the sensitivity and specificity of the system have been determined. The
      results of these studies have been reported in the maxillofacial literature. This
      paper reviews the data and results obtained. In summary, impaired visual acuity
      with a comminuted or out blow fracture, a motility abnormality, or facial
      fracture combined with head injury, sufficient to cause both retrograde and post
      traumatic amnesia, emerged as major risk factors which are indicative of an
      adverse ophthalmic outcome deemed to warrant referral. The scoring system which
      was developed from this data was found to have a sensitivity of 94.4% and a
      specificity of 89% for the detection of patients thought to merit ophthalmic
      assessment. Failure to assess central visual function as objectively as
      practicable in patients who have sustained mid-facial fractures may lead to
      potentially treatable ophthalmic pathology not being identified.

PMID- 1426409
TI  - Choroid plexus papilloma. A new presentation of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease.
AB  - A definite association between Von Hippel-Lindau [VHL] disease and choroid plexus
      tumour has not been described previously. A 24-year-old patient was found to have
      a choroid plexus tumour in the left cerebellopontine angle and involving the
      temporal bone. Examination of her fundi revealed bilateral retinal angiomatosis,
      thus making a diagnosis of von Hippel-Lindau disease. Later, an abdominal scan
      showed renal and pancreatic cysts. An important point is that molecular analysis
      of the choroid plexus tumour tissue showed chromosome 3 allele loss as described
      for other tumour types associated with von Hippel-Lindau disease.

PMID- 1426411
TI  - Pyogenic granulomas of the lacrimal sac.
AB  - Eight cases of pyogenic granulomas of the lacrimal sac are reported. The clinical
      symptoms were consistent with chronic dacryocystitis which was unresponsive to
      previous probing and antibiotics. Extirpation of the sacs was done because of
      dacryocystocoele, pyocoele, or fistula formation through the skin. Trauma and
      inflammation were thought to have contributed to the growth of the pyogenic
      granulomas. The histopathological examination revealed nonspecific granulomas
      consisting of well vascularised, friable tissue of a myxomatous nature containing
      an infiltration of lymphocytes, plasma cells, and a few eosinophils. Over the
      granulomas an epithelial layer of cells is stretched showing no signs of
      dysplasia or neoplastic growth. The term 'lobular capillary hemangioma' has been
      suggested to describe lesions morphologically similar to those observed in the
      study. These masses made up 53.3% of a total of 15 lacrimal sac tumour biopsy
      specimens examined over a period of 10 years (1979-1989). The few reported cases
      of primary lacrimal sac tumour of non-epithelial origin suggest that they make up
      a large minority of the lacrimal sac tumours. A review shows that relatively few
      of these lesions have been described in recent English literature but these
      growths are probably not being as consistently reported as primary epithelial
      tumours.

PMID- 1426410
TI  - Quantification of the ocular reactions to microfilaricides in the chemotherapy of
      onchocerciasis.
AB  - Severe adverse systemic and ocular reactions have complicated the chemotherapy of
      onchocerciasis. A method for the quantification of ocular reactions to
      chemotherapy has been devised at the Onchocerciasis Chemotherapy Research Centre,
      at Hohoe, in Ghana. Symptoms, visual function, anterior segment inflammation and
      disease of the posterior segment are graded. The information is entered into a
      computerised database which allows reaction scores to be calculated both for
      individual patients, and for treatment groups. This system enables comparison of
      adverse ocular reactions to various new chemotherapeutic regimens.

PMID- 1426412
TI  - Relationships between the immune system and other physiological functions of the
      organism.

PMID- 1426413
TI  - Interleukin 2 and cancer.

PMID- 1426414
TI  - Immunology and immunopathology of reproduction.
AB  - This review is dealing with the roles of the immune system in the development and
      functions of the male and female reproductive systems. Further, it describes the
      topical views on the roles of immunopathologic events and mechanisms involved in
      the male and female infertility, recurrent abortions, endometriosis, EPH gestosis
      and disorders of fetal development. Particular attention is paid to the
      complicated immunological cross-talk and interplay between the mother and its
      offspring, including the active role played by the placenta and mainly the
      trophoblast tissue, in the course of gestation. In the light of the
      "immunotrophic theory", maternal immune responses to foreign fetal components,
      occurring in normal pregnancies, within the limits of "tolerated" or even
      beneficial levels, are described. Emphasis is given on the possible deregulation
      of materno-fetal immunological balance, leading to immunopathological events and
      putting in danger the overall reproductive capacity of the couple. The
      contemporary therapeutic--mainly immunological--approaches to the main
      reproductive failures are also mentioned.

PMID- 1426415
TI  - Infection and immunity.

PMID- 1426417
TI  - Immunopathogenesis of mycobacterial diseases.

PMID- 1426416
TI  - Autoimmunity: from physiology to pathology. Natural antibodies, mucosal immunity
      and development of B cell repertoire.
AB  - Presence of spontaneously produced immunoglobulins bearing a broad spectrum of
      "natural" antibody specificities (including autoantibodies) in sera and other
      body fluids results mainly from inapparent immunization and polyclonal B cell
      activation by microflora and food antigens occurring mostly on mucosal surfaces.
      Early postnatal ontogeny in external environment is characterized by rapid growth
      and functional maturation of secondary lymphatic tissues as a consequence of this
      "natural" mucosal immunization. Under normal circumstances a state of "oral"
      tolerance to intestinal antigens is actively established after this period.
      Studies performed in germ-free, antigen-free and maternal antibody-deprived
      animals showed that low amounts of natural antibodies (mainly of IgM isotype) are
      formed without any known cause of stimulation. These "nonstimulated" antibodies,
      similarly as hybridomas originating from nonimmunized newborns, correspond to the
      preimmune repertoire of antibodies characterized by poly-specificity, high
      connectivity and reactivity against self antigens. Together with other innate
      humoral and cellular factors, they probably represent the first line of anti
      infectious resistance. Moreover, due to their connectivity they are supposed to
      play an important role in B cell repertoire shaping (forming an idiotypic
      network), through interaction with a broad spectrum of immunological components
      they act as regulatory molecules, and through their participation in catabolic
      events they can promote morphogenetic changes during fetal development.
      Beneficial therapeutic effects of nonspecific gammaglobulin (IVIG) application
      observed recently in patients with autoimmune diseases suggest that they can
      influence autoimmune reactivity by a not yet analyzed mechanism. Other functions
      of natural autoantibodies can be suggested and expected to be found in the near
      future.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426418
TI  - Molecular methods in immunology.

PMID- 1426419
TI  - IL-1 and pro-inflammatory cytokines produced by primary and transformed
      fibroblasts abrogate the tumorigenic potential of fibrosarcomas.
AB  - In the present study we report on novel immunoregulatory functions lately
      attributed to fibroblasts, namely participation in cellular immune responses in
      connective tissues, by generation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and by presenting
      antigens to proliferating T cells. In order to execute immunoregulatory
      functions, the fibroblast has to be activated by signals abundant at inflammatory
      sites, i.e., cytokines and bacterial products. It was demonstrated that such
      immune-activated fibroblasts are able to generate a variety of cytokines such as
      interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, colony stimulating factors (CSFs) as well as
      prostaglandins. The array of cytokines generated by immune-activated fibroblasts
      is determined by the stimulant and is controlled at multiple regulatory levels,
      such as transcription, translation, post-translational modifications,
      compartmentalization within the producing cell as well as the timing of
      expression. Some oncogene-transformed fibroblastoid cells lines were shown to
      constitutively generate IL-1 (and not IL-1 beta), as evidenced by the continuous
      expression of specific mRNA and biological activity of the cytokine, associated
      to the cell membrane or located in the cytosol. When these IL-2 producing cell
      lines were injected into mice, they failed to generate established tumors or
      regressed following initial growth, possibly due to mounting the host anti-tumor
      specific immune responses in which cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTLs) predominate. In
      contrast, IL-1 non-producing tumor cell lines induced progressive tumors which
      ultimately killed the animals. However, IL-1 non-producing fibroblastoid cell
      lines shifted from an in vivo progressive to a regressive phenotype, following
      immune activation of the malignant cells in vitro with cytokines/LPS. Similarly,
      primary immune-activated fibroblasts also induced tumor regression, mediated by
      anti-tumor specific immune responses, when the fibroblasts were injected into the
      vicinity of the tumor. Thus, the importance of activated stromal cells on tumor
      development was emphasized. This situation is relevant to the development of
      malignancies, as tumor growth is often accompanied by a local inflammatory
      response. Thus, the induction of IL-1 and other pro-inflammatory cytokines
      expression by the malignant cells or by stromal cells, in the vicinity of the
      tumor, might be efficient for tumor eradication. These findings should serve as a
      basis for development of novel immunotherapeutical strategies for the eradication
      of solid tumors.

PMID- 1426420
TI  - H-2 influence on ankylosing enthesopathy of the ankle (ANKENT).
AB  - Joint disease, ankylosing enthesopathy (ANKENT) of the ankle, occurs naturally in
      mice. ANKENT depends on the genetical constitution, sex, and age, and its
      frequency varies among inbred strains of normal mice. We found the highest
      frequency of ANKENT in B10.BR (H-2k) males. The H-2k haplotype appears to be a
      relative risk factor, which increases the susceptibility to ANKENT. The aetiology
      of ANKENT is unknown but an involvement of microbial agents in the environment is
      supposed.

PMID- 1426421
TI  - Elevated IgA salivary antibody levels to mycobacterial 65 kDa stress protein in
      patients with oral candidosis.
AB  - Salivary IgA antibody levels to cytoplasmic protein extract of Candida albicans
      (CSE) and to mycobacterial 65 kDa stress protein (mSP65) were determined by ELISA
      in 25 patients with chronic atrophic oral candidosis and in 23 controls with
      clinically healthy oral mucosa. The results showed significantly elevated anti
      CSE and anti-mSP65 antibody levels in patients when compared with healthy
      controls (P < 0.001). A statistically significant relationship was found between
      salivary antibody titres to CSE but not to mSP65 and C. albicans colony counts in
      patients with oral candidosis.

PMID- 1426422
TI  - Childhood typhoid fever diagnosed in an urban U.S. setting.
AB  - The majority of cases of childhood typhoid fever diagnosed in the United States
      occur in persons recently returned from travel abroad. We report two childhood
      cases of typhoid fever acquired in Mexico and India and diagnosed in an urban
      United States setting. This report describes these cases and provides insights
      into the pitfalls in recognizing this condition in a nonendemic setting as well
      as information concerning differential diagnosis and treatment.

PMID- 1426423
TI  - Cesarean section in a severely traumatized patient.
AB  - Massive trauma in a near-term pregnant patient challenges the emergency physician
      with very difficult treatment choices. We present the case of a severely
      traumatized pregnant female, near term, in whom the decision to proceed with a
      perimortem cesarean section in the Emergency Department produced a viable infant.
      We discuss the guidelines that are used in making such a decision and their
      rationale. The physiologic changes of pregnancy that may complicate maternal
      assessment and the effect of shock on the fetus are also discussed.

PMID- 1426424
TI  - Mammography of Delaware van reaches out.

PMID- 1426425
TI  - 1992 annual meeting of the AMA House of Delegates.

PMID- 1426426
TI  - HIV in women in Delaware.

PMID- 1426427
TI  - Summary of health-related legislation. 136th General Assembly.

PMID- 1426428
TI  - Medical Society of Delaware Mini-Internship Program.

PMID- 1426429
TI  - Blood donors more likely to reveal HIV risks to computer.

PMID- 1426430
TI  - NIH Consensus Development Conference on melanoma.

PMID- 1426431
TI  - Census adjustment and the distribution of federal spending.
AB  - In 1989, programs that use population counts to determine the distribution of
      their funds transferred $236 per capita to state and local governments. If the
      1990 census were adjusted to reflect undercounting, about 40% of state and local
      governments would receive increased grants averaging $56 per miscounted person;
      other jurisdictions would lose an almost equal amount of grant money. The
      surprisingly small reallocations arise because 1) total funds allocated by
      population are essentially fixed; 2) allocations depend on other factors in
      addition to population; and 3) programs vary as to whether they allocate funds in
      direct or inverse proportion to population.

PMID- 1426432
TI  - Age of entry into marriage and the date of the initiation of voluntary birth
      control.
AB  - It is widely known that modern economic development has been accompanied by the
      initiation and spread of effective limitation of fertility, and that generally
      the populations which experienced development at a late date also had a belated
      reduction in childbearing. Here a surprising relation is found between (and
      within) broad regions: the areas in which traditional age of entry into marriage
      was late were the areas in which marital fertility was reduced first.

PMID- 1426433
TI  - A simple measure of fertility control.
AB  - We describe a simple measure of fertility control: the proportion of all births
      from the age-specific fertility schedule that occurs among women by age 35. This
      measure has broad applicability because it does not require information on
      marital fertility rates. When both the proportion of births by age 35 and the
      most commonly used measure of fertility control, m, are calculated for a
      population over time, they are correlated very highly. Because of increasing
      levels of nonmarital fertility in several developed countries, measures of
      fertility control that are based on marital fertility are less appropriate now
      than in the past.

PMID- 1426434
TI  - The relationship between cohabitation and divorce: selectivity or causal
      influence?
AB  - Recent evidence linking premarital cohabitation to high rates of divorce poses a
      complex theoretical and empirical puzzle. We develop hypotheses predicting that
      premarital cohabitation is selective of those who are prone to divorce as well as
      hypotheses predicting that the experience of premarital cohabitation produces
      attitudes and values which increase the probability of divorce. Using multiwave
      panel data from a recent cohort of young men and women in the United States, we
      specify and test models of these predictions. The results are consistent with
      hypotheses suggesting that cohabitation is selective of men and women who are
      less committed to marriage and more approving of divorce. The results also are
      consistent with the conclusion that cohabiting experiences significantly increase
      young people's acceptance of divorce.

PMID- 1426435
TI  - Feathered nest/gilded cage: parental income and leaving home in the transition to
      adulthood.
AB  - The growing study of leaving home in young adulthood in the United States has
      been hampered by data and measurement problems, which are producing a major
      theoretical confusion about the role of parental resources in influencing young
      adults' leaving home. Does high parental income retain young adults in the home
      or subsidize their leaving (and parental privacy)? This paper uses the 1984 panel
      of Survey of Income and Program Participation to clarify this issue, and shows
      that the effects of parental resources differ depending on the route out of the
      home under consideration (marriage or premarital residential independence).
      Effects change substantially over the nest-leaving ages, but relatively few
      differences are found between young men and young women.

PMID- 1426436
TI  - The effects of child health on marital status and family structure.
AB  - The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence on the effect of child health on
      marital stability and family structure in an economic framework. We use the 1988
      National Health Interview Survey's Child Health Supplement, with a sample of
      about 9,000 families, to test whether having an unhealthy child decreases the
      mother's chance of being married and whether it increases her chance of living in
      an extended family. Using two different measures of child health, we find that
      having an unhealthy child decreases the mother's likelihood of being married. Our
      results imply that children in poor health are more likely to face obstacles
      beyond their illness because they also are more likely to suffer the consequences
      of poverty and the poor schooling outcomes that result from being raised in a
      female-headed household. The only mitigating factor is that unhealthy white
      children are more likely than their healthy counterparts to be living in an
      extended family.

PMID- 1426437
TI  - Drug use as a risk factor for premarital teen pregnancy and abortion in a
      national sample of young white women.
AB  - The relationship between adolescent drug use and premarital teen pregnancy and
      abortion as a pregnancy outcome among sexually active women is investigated in a
      sample of white women from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Event
      history analysis is used to explore whether prior drug use has a unique effect on
      premarital teen pregnancy, with controls for personality, lifestyle, and
      biological factors. Logistic regression is used to estimate whether drug use
      affects the decision to terminate a premarital teen pregnancy. The results show
      that the risk of premarital teen pregnancy is nearly four times as high for those
      who have used illicit drugs other than marijuana as for those with no history of
      any prior substance involvement. Furthermore, illicit drug use increases the
      likelihood of an abortion by a factor of 5. Policy implications of the findings
      are discussed.

PMID- 1426439
TI  - Residential preferences and residential choices in a multiethnic context.
AB  - A study of the expressed preferences of four different ethnic groups in the Los
      Angeles metropolitan area shows strong desires for own-race combinations in the
      ethnicity of neighborhoods that individuals say they would choose when seeking a
      new residence. The results also show that Anglos are not the only group to
      practice "avoidance" of other racial/ethnic neighborhoods, although avoidance
      behavior by Anglos is the strongest. Because the issues of racial composition are
      socially sensitive, additional tests examined the relationship of preferences to
      behavior. Although many behaviors generally follow expressed preferences, members
      of households who expressed "no preference" also were found to largely choose own
      race neighborhoods. The results of this study suggest that the expressed
      preference for own race/own ethnicity, in combination with short-distance local
      moves, is likely to maintain present patterns of separation in U.S. metropolitan
      areas.

PMID- 1426438
TI  - Why are teenagers in the United States less likely to breast-feed than older
      women?
AB  - Teenage mothers are much less likely than older mothers to breastfeed their
      infants. The lower breastfeeding rate among teenagers aged 16-19, compared with
      women aged 20-29, is due almost entirely to the fact that teenage mothers tend to
      have characteristics associated with a lower likelihood of breastfeeding among
      all women, such as lower educational level, lower income, and being unmarried.
      Even so, nearly 40% of the difference between teenage mothers aged 15 or less and
      mothers aged 20-29 remains unexplained by these factors and may be due to
      developmental aspects of adolescence, such as greater egocentricity and greater
      concern about body image.

PMID- 1426440
TI  - [Internal live stain. A coloring technique with deep effects].

PMID- 1426441
TI  - [Dicor Plus. New aspects of full ceramic].

PMID- 1426442
TI  - [Implant supported restorations using the Calcitec system].

PMID- 1426443
TI  - [Documentation of case with conical crowns and no construction errors].

PMID- 1426444
TI  - [Structure formation of the In-Ceram core material].

PMID- 1426445
TI  - [Hawley plate for normalization of muscle function].

PMID- 1426446
TI  - [Irregularity is everything. Aspects of individual combination techniques].

PMID- 1426447
TI  - [Patient's smile is a criterion for esthetics and harmony].

PMID- 1426449
TI  - [Cold-plate-system. Ceramic materials remain dewy fresh].

PMID- 1426448
TI  - [Part 2. Adhesive systems for dentistry and dental technique. Adhesives and
      adhesive techniques].

PMID- 1426450
TI  - [Disturbed field tooth--covert energy stealer and disease cause].

PMID- 1426451
TI  - [Esthetics and function. Solution to a patient case].

PMID- 1426452
TI  - [Crucible material for smelting noble metal dental alloys].

PMID- 1426453
TI  - [Objective tooth color determination. Error source elimination].

PMID- 1426454
TI  - [Immenkamp inactivator plate and Schulte interceptor].

PMID- 1426456
TI  - Reform the health-insurance industry.

PMID- 1426455
TI  - [Hydra active. Laboratory organization software].

PMID- 1426458
TI  - Dentists rise above nation's economic woes.

PMID- 1426457
TI  - Mandatory testing?

PMID- 1426459
TI  - Only a dentist.

PMID- 1426460
TI  - Getting from here to there.

PMID- 1426461
TI  - Monitor your practice.

PMID- 1426462
TI  - Doctor gets 'lift' from office remake.

PMID- 1426463
TI  - Want a thriving practice? Concentrate on clinical excellence.

PMID- 1426464
TI  - Closing a large central diastema.

PMID- 1426465
TI  - Site specific chemotherapy in periodontal management: an exciting new direction.

PMID- 1426466
TI  - The advantages of the flexi-model technique to produce superior anterior
      restorations.

PMID- 1426467
TI  - The lab as a customer.

PMID- 1426468
TI  - Who is in charge?

PMID- 1426469
TI  - Are you referring to me?

PMID- 1426471
TI  - Designed for team practice.

PMID- 1426470
TI  - Building your practice to sell.

PMID- 1426472
TI  - Who's hurting whom.

PMID- 1426473
TI  - Do you need a larger staff?

PMID- 1426474
TI  - Computer systems review.

PMID- 1426475
TI  - The dental computer: a powerful marketing tool.

PMID- 1426476
TI  - Making the right decision.

PMID- 1426478
TI  - Rising to success.

PMID- 1426479
TI  - Working with consultants.

PMID- 1426477
TI  - Unexpected doesn't mean unprepared.

PMID- 1426480
TI  - Clinic designed for two practices.

PMID- 1426481
TI  - Simplified pensions!

PMID- 1426483
TI  - Avoid pitfalls when renewing your lease.

PMID- 1426482
TI  - Enjoy the silver age of dentistry.

PMID- 1426484
TI  - It could happen to you.

PMID- 1426485
TI  - Communicating infection control to patients.

PMID- 1426486
TI  - He puts teeth in his words.

PMID- 1426487
TI  - Marketing bleaching services.

PMID- 1426488
TI  - Product resource file. Cements.

PMID- 1426489
TI  - Immunogenetic and evolutionary influences on the host-parasite relationship.
AB  - Immunogenetic aspects of the host-parasite relationship between the laboratory
      mouse and the parasitic nematode Trichinella spiralis are reviewed. Variation in
      the capacity of hosts to express an effective protective immunity is associated
      primarily with variation in inflammatory responsiveness. Analysis of the
      contributions of T lymphocytes, cytokines, and myeloid precursor populations to
      variation in one particular inflammatory component, eosinophilia, is described.
      Variation in parasite immunogenicity at the level of host responsiveness to
      different parasite isolates is described briefly. Variations in host-protective
      immunity, immunopathology, and parasite immunogenicity are discussed in terms of
      evolutionary pressures selecting for optimal host and parasite survival in a
      stable symbiosis.

PMID- 1426490
TI  - Function associated molecules on nonspecific cytotoxic cells: role in calcium
      signaling, redirected lysis, and modulation of cytotoxicity.
AB  - Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific for a putative antigen receptor (function
      associated molecule, FAM) on fish NCC were tested for their ability to initiate
      signal transduction responses. Anti-FAM hybridoma target cells were significantly
      lysed by NCC when tested by redirected lysis (RL). Redirected lysis was enhanced
      by 1-h pretreatment of the NCC with anti-FAM mAb; however, 18-h pretreatment
      produced significant inhibition. The effects of the calcium ionophore A23187 on
      RL were also examined: 10(-4) M but not 10(-5) M A23187 significantly increased
      RL. Purified NCC were treated with mAb and cellular DNA synthesis was determined.
      Significant increases in NCC incorporation of tritiated thymidine were measured
      72 h after treatment with mAb. Experiments were also conducted to determine
      levels of free cytosolic calcium in NCC following mAb binding. Anti-FAM mAb
      binding produced a rapid rise in cytosolic calcium (200-500 nM) determined by
      Fura-2/AM fluorescence. Calcium ionophore A23187, PHA, and Con-A treatment of NCC
      also produced significantly increased [Ca2+]i. Target cell binding by NCC caused
      a three-fold increase in [Ca2+]i. These data suggest that triggering of the FAM
      may initiate a signal(s) that activates cytotoxicity, increases cytosolic free
      calcium concentrations, and initiates DNA synthesis.

PMID- 1426491
TI  - A species-conserved NK cell antigen receptor is a novel vimentin-like molecule.
AB  - The role of a novel, evolutionarily conserved function-associated molecule (FAM)
      in NK cell function has been examined in several species. This molecule has
      previously been shown to mediate NK and NK-like recognition functions in fish NCC
      and human NK cells. We now show that this molecule is distributed in those
      tissues that contain NK cells in mice and rats. Further, we show that this
      molecule functions as an antigen receptor on NK cells of these species. That is,
      monoclonal antibodies directed against this FAM inhibit NK cell cytotoxic
      function and trigger signal transduction pathways in each of the species.
      Finally, we present evidence that this putative antigen receptor is a vimentin
      like molecule which functions to mediate all NK or NK-like recognition functions
      in a variety of species.

PMID- 1426492
TI  - NADPH oxidase-like activity in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)
      macrophages.
AB  - Evidence for the existence of an NADPH oxidase-like enzyme in rainbow trout
      macrophages is given. Reduced-minus-oxidised difference spectroscopy revealed the
      presence of a cytochrome b with three absorbance peaks, at 430, 533, and 558 nm.
      The low midpoint potential of the latter peak suggests this cytochrome is the
      same as the terminal component of NADPH oxidase (i.e., cytochrome b-245).
      Subcellular fractionation of macrophages revealed two peaks of cytochrome b
      activity, in accord with the concept of a plasma membrane localisation of
      cytochrome b activity in addition to a mitochondrial localisation. Finally, that
      the rainbow trout oxidase is a multicomponent enzyme was suggested by inhibitor
      studies, where specific inhibitors of the flavin and cytochrome b-245 components
      of NADPH oxidase induced significant reduction in superoxide anion production.

PMID- 1426493
TI  - A peculiar immunoglobulin M (IgM) identified in eggs of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus
      keta).
AB  - A protein reacting with antibody against chum salmon serum IgM was found in
      salmon egg yolk. The protein tentatively named IgM-like protein was partially
      purified from egg yolk extract by removal of euglobulin from the extract by
      dialysis against a low ionic strength buffer following DEAE ion-exchange
      chromatography. The IgM-like protein was antigenically identical with serum IgM,
      showing a complete fusion of precipitin line of the IgM-like protein with that of
      serum IgM on double immunodiffusion with antiserum IgM. The molecular weight of
      intact IgM-like protein was assessed by 3% SDS-PAGE to be 495 kDa, smaller than
      that of serum IgM (750 kDa). Upon 10% SDS-PAGE with mercaptane and subsequent
      Western blotting with antiserum IgM, the IgM-like protein separated into three
      components with molecular weights of 68 kDa, 51.5 kDa, and 23 kDa. The 68 kDa,
      the most minor component, and the 23 kDa, the smallest molecular weight
      component, were identified, respectively, as H and L chain in view of their
      molecular weights identical to those of serum IgM. The 51.5 kDa, the main
      component, was also identified as H chain, since it reacted with antiserum IgM
      absorbed with purified L chain. From these results, it was concluded that the IgM
      like protein in egg yolk, having a lower molecular weight than that of serum IgM,
      consists of H chain of smaller molecular weight as well as H and L chain of
      ordinary molecular weight.

PMID- 1426494
TI  - Correlation of subjective assessment of amniotic fluid with amniotic fluid index.
AB  - We assessed the correlation between abnormal amniotic fluid volumes as defined by
      the two techniques of (1) subjective evaluation and (2) the amniotic fluid index.
      Ultrasound evaluation of amniotic fluid volume was conducted on 420 pregnant
      women with known gestational age greater than twenty weeks but less than 42
      weeks. Amniotic fluid was evaluated subjectively and placed into one of three
      categories: normal, oligohydramnios or polyhydramnios. After fetal biometry was
      performed, the amniotic fluid volume was assessed semi-quantitatively by the
      amniotic fluid index technique and assigned to similar categories. We analyzed
      the data with 2 x 2 contingency tables, using amniotic fluid index as the 'gold
      standard test'. Our study demonstrates that there was moderate agreement
      (kappa.5) between both amniotic fluid techniques in the identification of
      oligohydramnios. However, agreement between the techniques was poor for the
      identification of polyhydramnios (kappa.16).

PMID- 1426495
TI  - Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and N-terminal peptide of proANP (NT-proANP) in
      maternal and umbilical cord plasma in spontaneous labor and at elective cesarean
      section.

PMID- 1426496
TI  - Loss of PAF-like activity from human embryo conditioned media (ECM) following
      HPLC separation.
AB  - Recently a platelet activating factor (PAF)-like activity has been found in
      embryo conditioned media (ECM) and consequentially been termed embryo-derived PAF
      (EPAF). Yet it remains unclear whether the embryo-released molecule is in fact
      PAF or a PAF precursor or inductor in vivo. In this study we shall show that ECM
      did not induce platelet aggregation in vitro; however, it was possible to detect
      PAF-activity using the sensitive splenectomized mouse bioassay (SMB). Following
      lipid extraction, PAF activity was diminished, and after additional HPLC
      separation completely lost. We propose that the active fraction of ECM is lipid
      in nature but that this molecule is not PAF. We would rather suggest that this
      molecule induces the production of PAF by other cell types in vivo.

PMID- 1426497
TI  - Conservative management of placental abruption complicated by severe clotting
      disorders.
AB  - Placental abruption resulting in fetal death may seriously affect maternal
      health, especially when clotting disorders arise. The prevailing view is that the
      clotting system will only normalize after the uterus has been evacuated and
      therefore prompt delivery, often by induction of labor, is advocated. Over a 3
      year period, 16 cases (0.35%) of intra-uterine fetal death due to placental
      abruption occurred at Leiden University Hospital. Five cases were complicated by
      severe clotting disorders. All women delivered vaginally. No maternal deaths
      occurred. In contrast to most authors, we present data showing that in four out
      of five cases the clotting system started to normalize before the uterus was
      emptied. We suggest that an expectant approach until recovery of the coagulopathy
      is safer than aiming at a quick delivery. After stabilization of the clotting
      disorder, one may then consider evacuation of the uterus, if need be by induction
      of labor.

PMID- 1426498
TI  - Hysteroscopic diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy.
AB  - Although vaginal ultrasonography combined with plasma beta-hCG determination can
      provide a reliable diagnosis and location of ectopic pregnancy, the results can
      be difficult to interpret in the early stages when hCG levels are low.
      Hysteroscopy can be used in such cases to differentiate between ectopic pregnancy
      and non-viable uterine pregnancy when viable uterine pregnancy has been ruled
      out. General anaesthesia and laparoscopy are avoided. We performed 60
      hysteroscopic procedures between January 1989 and December 1990 in patients with
      suspected ectopic pregnancies. The pregnancy had been located by means of vaginal
      ultrasonography in every case in which the hCG was above 1500 IU/ml and in 36% of
      cases in which the beta-hCG was below this level. Hysteroscopy was hindered by
      metrorrhagia in three cases and was inconclusive in one, necessitating
      laparoscopy. Diagnosis was possible in all the remaining cases, as follows:
      ectopic pregnancy in 41 cases, with an empty uterus and occasional bleeding from
      an ostium; non-viable uterine pregnancy in 18 cases, with the presence of
      material within the cavity. Hysteroscopy therefore confirmed the diagnosis in 55%
      of the cases and was itself diagnostic in a further 43% of cases. Its sensitivity
      for the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy was 100% and its specificity 95%. We
      propose a diagnostic decision tree.

PMID- 1426499
TI  - Vaginal progesterone as luteal phase support in an IVF/GIFT programme.
AB  - To determine whether luteal phase support with vaginal progesterone could improve
      pregnancy rates in our IVF/GIFT programme, we performed a prospective randomised
      controlled study. After stimulation with clomiphene citrate/human menopausal
      gonadotrophin, 123 women received no luteal support and 122 received progesterone
      pessaries 100 mg b.d. from 48 hours prior to embryo transfer and continued
      throughout the luteal phase. There was no difference in the pregnancy rate
      following IVF/ET (6/58 and 10/58 for the pessary and control group respectively),
      but a significantly higher rate was noted for GIFT (13/34 and 5/42 for the
      pessary and control group respectively; P less than 0.05). Of interest, only one
      of the 19 pregnancies using luteal support was extra-uterine, compared with 6/15
      in the control group.

PMID- 1426500
TI  - Platelet-activating factor levels in human follicular and amniotic fluids.
AB  - Platelet-activating factor (PAF) was estimated in extracts of human follicular
      and amniotic fluids using a commercially available 125I-radioimmunoassay. Levels
      obtained before and after purification of the extracts by thin-layer
      chromatography were similar and PAF could be estimated with high accuracy and
      reproducibility over a wide dilution range. PAF levels in fluid aspirated from
      mature (17 mm average diameter) follicles from in vitro fertilization patients
      were 1005 +/- 129 fmol/ml in successful (clinical pregnancy) cycles and 949 +/-
      75 fmol/ml in unsuccessful (failure of implantation) cycles. PAF levels were also
      similar in follicles containing eggs and those where no egg was found, and in
      fluid from follicular cysts characterised by low oestradiol and progesterone
      levels. PAF was detected in midtrimester amniotic fluid (60 +/- 20 fmol/ml). At
      term, PAF was low or undetectable in amniotic fluid obtained at elective
      caesarean section before the onset of labour, but increased to 102 +/- 28 fmol/ml
      in samples obtained following spontaneous labour and vaginal delivery. The data
      suggest that PAF may be involved in ovulation and parturition but further studies
      into the mechanism of action of PAF are necessary. The good performance of the
      radioimmunoassay and the convenience of gamma-counting are strong advantages of
      this method over the available bioassays, but its expense remains a drawback.

PMID- 1426501
TI  - Developmental patterns of bioactive and immunoreactive FSH in the female rabbit:
      effects of ovariectomy.
AB  - A longitudinal study was performed to determine the relationship between
      immunoreactive and biologically active FSH in the serum of sham-operated and
      ovariectomized female rabbits. Twenty-two-day-old female rabbits, 8 per group,
      were sham-operated or bilaterally ovariectomized on day 23. Blood was taken every
      3-4 days from each rabbit until they achieved a weight of 3 kg or age 100 days.
      Sera were analysed by radioimmunoassay for LH and FSH or for bioactive FSH. In
      sham-operated animals, immuno-FSH levels showed a 10-fold increase from 0.36 +/-
      0.04 ng/ml to greater than 35 ng/ml between days 45 and 80. By contrast, bio-FSH
      levels increased more gradually from a baseline of 5.4 +/- 0.4 ng/ml to about 8
      ng/ml. Bilateral ovariectomy resulted in a significant increase in both bio-FSH,
      5.5 +/- 0.4 ng/ml to 12.6 +/- 1.5 ng/ml and immuno-FSH levels from 0.4 ng/ml to
      5.2 +/- 1.4 ng/ml 24 h later. These levels of FSH remained elevated throughout
      the sampling period in both groups of animals and then decreased after day 100.
      Peripheral LH levels showed much more variation but were 2-fold higher in
      ovariectomized rabbits, 0.4-1.4 ng/ml in sham-operated vs. 0.8-2.4 ng/ml in
      ovariectomized rabbits. These results emphasize the marked variations in FSH
      levels according to the method of analysis. They also suggest that extra-ovarian
      factors may play a role in inhibiting gonadotropin release especially LH.

PMID- 1426502
TI  - Aspiration of ectopic pregnancy under guidance of vaginal ultrasonography.
AB  - This case report describes the treatment of tubal pregnancy by aspiration of the
      gestational sac content and injection of methotrexate by transvaginal sonographic
      guidance. The confirmation of the embryo aspiration as indicated by disappearance
      of the embryo with its heart beat and the resulting 46,XY karyotype, raises the
      question whether methotrexate injection is necessary.

PMID- 1426503
TI  - Tubal rupture despite low and declining serum hCG levels.

PMID- 1426504
TI  - Short-term effects of ritodrine, aminophylline and atropine on umbilical artery
      blood flow velocity waveform.
AB  - With the recent introduction of Doppler technology, a non-invasive methodology
      which enables to evaluate qualitative changes in circulatory vessels, it is
      possible to investigate the possible effects of various drugs on several
      parameters of utero-placental-fetal circulation. In the present study we evaluate
      the flow velocity waveform (FVW) of umbilical artery (UA) during and after
      administration of aminophylline, atropine and ritodrine to healthy pregnant
      women. In our study we did not observe any significant short-term variation of PI
      after the administration of these drugs. Slight variations were detected, and
      they may be interpreted on the basis of the mode of action of these drugs.
      Doppler technology may be a useful tool for monitoring some effects on the fetus
      of the maternal administration of therapeutic agents.

PMID- 1426505
TI  - Gemeprost-induced cervical ripening: histological and biophysical effects.
AB  - The mechanism of prostaglandin-induced cervical ripening is not clear. The aim of
      this study was to measure the biophysical and histological effects of gemeprost
      on the cervix. Thirty-four women admitted for surgical termination of pregnancy
      in the first trimester were randomised in a double-blind manner to receive either
      gemeprost or placebo prior to surgery. In 20 (10 active, 10 placebo) a needle
      biopsy was taken from the anterior lip of the cervix prior to cervical dilatation
      for histology. The forces required to dilate the cervix from 3 mm to 10 mm were
      measured. A group of seventeen parous women undergoing surgical termination who
      did not receive gemeprost were also studied as a parous control group. A needle
      biopsy was obtained in eight of them and also in six non-pregnant parous women
      undergoing hysterectomy for benign conditions, the latter acting as a non
      pregnant control group. Polymerised collagen was stained with Picrosirius red and
      glycosaminoglycans with alcian blue using a MgCl2 gradient. Optical densitometry
      was used as an objective measure of staining. Neutrophil concentration was
      assessed immunohistochemically. Gemeprost treatment increased free passibility
      (the size of the largest dilator which could be passed without encountering
      resistance) (P < 0.01), reduced the forces required to dilate the cervix (P <
      0.01) reduced blood loss (P < 0.05), reduced the collagen concentration (P <
      0.01) and was associated with a modest neutrophil influx (P < 0.02) as compared
      to placebo. The pregnant parous group had a significantly lower collagen
      concentration than the non-pregnant parous group (P < 0.02).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426506
TI  - Intra-amniotic pressures following vaginal gemeprost prior to first and second
      trimester termination of pregnancy.
AB  - Intra-amniotic pressures were measured following 1 mg gemeprost for cervical
      preparation before first trimester vacuum aspiration (n = 10) and following 2 mg
      gemeprost before second trimester dilatation and evacuation (n = 15). Twenty-five
      women, matched for gestational age and parity, who did not receive gemeprost
      served as controls. Compared to control values (2-8 mmHg), basal intra-amniotic
      pressure (IAP) was significantly increased after 1 mg and 2 mg of gemeprost
      (median 20.0, range 4-45 mmHg, median 20.0, range 8-60 mmHg, respectively).
      Uterine contractions were recorded in 8 of 10 subjects after 1 mg (median delta
      IAP 28.0, 95% CI 10.0-42.6 mmHg) and 14 of 15 subjects after 2 mg (median delta
      IAP 52.5, 95% CI 26.7-60.3 mmHg). Gemeprost produces an increase in uterine
      contractility which may be additional to cervical softening properties and which
      may be responsible for the adverse effects of pain and bleeding experienced by
      some women prior to termination.

PMID- 1426507
TI  - Predictive value of pelvic scores for induction of labor by local PGE2.
AB  - The predictive value of pelvic scores, parity, age and gestational age for
      induction of labor by local prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2) was examined in 336 women
      attempting induction of labor by intracervical or vaginal PGE2. The patient
      characteristics were correlated to: (1) vaginal delivery within 48 h, (2) the
      period from induction to onset of labor (latency period), and (3) the duration of
      labor. The Bishop score (P < 0.01) and even more the Lange score (P < 0.0001)
      were significantly inversely correlated to both latency period and induction
      delivery period. This was caused by cervical dilatation (P < 0.001), fetal
      station (P < 0.05) and cervical length (P < 0.05), whereas position and
      consistency of the cervix were of no importance. All three periods studied were
      significantly (P < 0.0001) shorter in parous women. In primiparous women,
      gestational age was of no importance for the latency period; however, higher
      gestational age was associated with longer labor (P < 0.001). We conclude that
      the predictive value of pelvic scores on induction hardly differs using local
      PGE2 compared to conventional methods; furthermore, the Bishop score should be
      substituted, disregarding position and consistency of the cervix, but putting
      more weight to cervical dilatation. A new pelvic score is proposed.

PMID- 1426508
TI  - Impaired 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D production in pregnancy-induced hypertension.
AB  - The aim of the study was to evaluate the calcium metabolism in pregnancy-induced
      hypertension. Fifty-three women with pregnancy-induced hypertension were studied
      and the control groups comprised 20 women with uncomplicated pregnancies in the
      third trimester and 51 non-pregnant women, respectively. The mean serum
      concentrations of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in women with pregnancy-induced
      hypertension was low (38.6 +/- 21.4 pg/ml) compared to women with uncomplicated
      pregnancies (91.0 +/- 18.2 pg/ml), but comparable to levels in non-pregnant women
      (32.2 +/- 11.9 pg/ml). Mean serum levels of PTH and ionized calcium were
      comparable in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension and women with
      uncomplicated pregnancies. In conclusion, the calcium metabolism in pregnancy
      induced hypertension was changed compared to uncomplicated pregnancies with
      respect to the serum concentration of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.

PMID- 1426509
TI  - Blood flow velocity in the fetal abdominal aorta and in the umbilical artery in
      uncomplicated pregnancies.
AB  - The blood flow velocity waveform (BFWV) in fetal vessels depends on the stroke
      volume and the frequency of the fetal heart, the compliance of the vessel and the
      peripheral resistance of the fetal vascular bed. The objective of the present
      study was to establish the change of the BFVW throughout gestation and whether
      the change of the resistance indices are related to the peak flow velocity and/or
      the end-diastolic flow velocity. The BFVW of the fetal abdominal aorta and of the
      umbilical artery at 27th-30th week and at 37th-40th week of gestation were
      analysed in fifteen patients with uncomplicated pregnancies and subsequent normal
      outcome. The measurement was performed with a pulsed duplex scanner
      (Kranzbuhler). The Doppler beam had a fixed angle of 50 degrees to the fetal
      vessel in all cases. The peak flow velocity in the fetal aorta remained constant
      from the 27th-30th week to the 37th-40th week of gestation: 1418 +/- 248 Hz vs.
      1448 +/- 269 Hz. The end-diastolic flow, however, showed a significant increase
      during the respective periods: from 270 +/- 59 Hz to 325 +/- 69 Hz. The peak flow
      velocity in the umbilical artery was about 25% below that of the fetal aorta:
      1028 +/- 149 Hz (27th-30th week) and 1106 +/- 196 Hz (37th-40th week). The end
      diastolic flow, however, increased by about 41%: 292 +/- 86 Hz vs. 412 +/- 83 Hz
      demonstrating a tremendous change of the compliance and the peripheral resistance
      in the umbilical vascular system. These alterations are also exhibited by the
      resistance indices. The resistance indices S/D, PI and RI of both vessels were
      related to the EDF of the abdominal aorta and the umbilical artery at the
      respective gestational age. It demonstrated that the EDF is of major influence on
      the calculated resistance indices. The blood flow in the aorta and the umbilical
      artery was 135(+/- 18) ml/kg/min and 143 (+/- 21) ml/kg/min, respectively. In
      conclusion, the BFVW for fetal surveillance should be measured under a constant
      angle in the fetal abdominal aorta. It gives a good information concerning the
      peripheral resistance and compliance in the respective vascular areas. The EDFV
      has its lowest value at 200 Hz in the fetal aorta and in the umbilical artery
      under physiological conditions.

PMID- 1426510
TI  - The relationship between prior cervical conization, cervical microbial
      colonization and preterm premature rupture of the membranes.
AB  - The occurrence of prior cervical conization and the cervical microbial
      colonization was investigated in 38 women with idiopathic preterm labor, 35 women
      with preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM) and 75 normal pregnant
      women at 26-34 weeks of gestation. Data were analyzed by Fisher's exact test (two
      tailed). The frequency of prior cervical conization was significantly higher in
      PPROM patients compared to normal pregnant women (P < 0.001) and to patients in
      preterm labor (P < 0.01). Lactobacilli occurred with a lower frequency in
      patients with PPROM compared to patients in preterm labor (P < 0.05) and control
      patients (P = 0.0543)-and with a lower frequency in patients with prior cervical
      conization (P < 0.05). All other microorganisms occurred with the same
      frequencies in all groups. The absence of lactobacilli may indicate changes in
      the cervical flora, which could increase the risk of PPROM. Prior cervical
      conization may impair the antimicrobial defense-mechanisms in the cervix, which
      could facilitate ascending microbial colonization. This may lead to a release of
      prostaglandins and proteolytic enzymes and subsequently preterm labor and rupture
      of the membranes.

PMID- 1426511
TI  - Pregnancy after fifty: profile and pregnancy outcome in a series of elderly
      multigravidae.
AB  - A series of seven women aged 50 years and over was studied over two years to
      analyse patient profile and pregnancy outcome. All were first-generation
      immigrant Asian multigravidae who were Muslims of low socio-economic status and
      who had never used contraception. The median age at booking was 52 (range 51-59
      years) and the median parity was nine. One woman had gestational diabetes and one
      had an antepartum haemorrhage. There were few intrapartum or puerperal problems
      but an increased rate of Caesarean section (28.6%) was noted. There were no
      stillbirths, neonatal deaths or congenital anomalies in this series. The mean
      birth weight was 3.3 kg and the mean gestation at delivery was 39.2 weeks. There
      was no significant perinatal morbidity. Five of the seven women declined further
      family planning advice. A possible relationship between race, parity and age at
      menopause is discussed.

PMID- 1426512
TI  - Prophylactic oophorectomy.
AB  - The risks and benefits of prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy (BO) accompanying
      hysterectomy are reviewed. The potential reduction in the risk of subsequent
      ovarian cancer is quantified using literature data and a mathematical model. The
      risks of subsequent breast cancer from low-dose ERT are estimated using a
      comprehensive mathematical model. It is hypothesized that BO may have a
      substantial protective effect on breast cancer risk despite subsequent low-dose
      or non-low-dose ERT, when BO is performed at an early age. In women with a family
      history of ovarian cancer or breast cancer, the individual risks must be assessed
      on the basis of a pedigree analysis. In conclusion, a decision on BO must be
      based on weighing the potential benefits of reduced ovarian and breast cancer
      risks against the psychological importance of retaining the ovaries and the risk
      of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease when compliance with ERT is less than
      perfect. The provided quantitative data may help in making the right decision.

PMID- 1426513
TI  - Lack of effect of topical iodostearic acid on cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
      II-III.
AB  - Stearic and iodostearic acid inhibit growth of a cervical carcinoma cell line in
      vitro. This study was performed to determine if iodostearic acid would induce
      regression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Women with histologically
      proven CIN II or III were randomised into two groups. Those in the first group
      were given pessaries composed of iodostearic acid in polyethylene glycol (PEG)
      base. Women in the second group were given pessaries containing only the PEG
      base. One pessary was inserted into the vagina nightly for 30 nights, and each
      woman then had the CIN lesion removed by CO2 laser cone excision. There was no
      difference in the histology of the cone biopsies between the groups,
      demonstrating that this regime of iodostearic acid has no useful role in the
      treatment of CIN II-III.

PMID- 1426514
TI  - Management of eclampsia: cardiopulmonary arrest resulting from magnesium sulfate
      overdose.
AB  - An eclamptic seizure occurring at 32+2 weeks of gestation was treated with
      magnesium sulfate. Accidentally an overdose was given. As a consequence, the
      patient had a cardiopulmonary arrest. Immediate resuscitation and calcium
      gluconate administration did restore vital functions. Pregnancy continued for 4
      weeks after the accident. Both mother and child left the hospital in good
      condition.

PMID- 1426515
TI  - Successful delivery after hepatic rupture in previous pre-eclamptic pregnancy.
AB  - Rupture of the liver in the course of pre-eclamptic pregnancy is a rare but life
      threatening event. Controversiality exists with regard to the treatment modality.
      A case is presented of a pre-eclamptic multiparous woman with liver rupture and
      intra-abdominal bleeding immediately after delivery of a stillborn infant, who
      was successfully treated by correction of intravascular volume with blood
      transfusions without surgical intervention. The index pregnancy was succeeded by
      an uneventful pregnancy and delivery. This is the first case report of a
      conservatively managed liver rupture with an uneventful course of the next
      pregnancy. Conservative treatment should consist of correction of hypovolemia and
      clotting disorders, while surgical approach should be reserved for patients who
      cannot be stabilized hemodynamically.

PMID- 1426516
TI  - Fulminant subarachnoidal hemorrhage and coma subsequent to sudden-presenting
      hypertension.
AB  - An unusual case of pre-eclampsia is presented, where a previously normotensive
      primigravida suddenly developed hypertension which evolved to subarachnoidal
      hemorrhage and coma within minutes. Delivery by cesarean section was followed by
      progressive and complete recovery in the next few days.

PMID- 1426517
TI  - Possible relationship between coding recognition amino acid sequence motif or
      residue(s) and post-translational chemical modification of proteins.
AB  - 1. The "code-sequence" of N-glycosylation site(s), the amino acids located around
      O-glycosylation site(s), the sequence motifs of several kinases, the sequence
      motifs of--sulfation, amidation, isoprenylation, myristoylation, palmitoylation
      and N-acetylation, Aspartic and Asparagine hydroxylation-site, gamma
      carboxyglutamate domain, phosphopantetheine attachment site etc. are extensively
      listed, compared to those reported by "PROSITE" Computer Screen Center and
      discussed. 2. The structural aspects of protein-DNA recognition are quoted as
      discussion and conclusion.

PMID- 1426518
TI  - Chemoprevention of cancer: protease inhibitors.
AB  - 1. The defense of the organism against cancer by inhibitors of proteolytic
      enzymes which are able to block the metastasizing stage of the disease is
      reviewed. 2. The contemporary views on the possible mechanisms of the process of
      prevention on both molecular and cellular levels are presented.

PMID- 1426519
TI  - An improved method for the purification of lignin peroxidases from Phanerochaete
      chrysosporium INA-12: properties of two major isoforms.
AB  - 1. Phanerochaete chrysosporium INA-12 secretes several lignin peroxidase
      isoenzymes. This paper reports an improved procedure for the purification of the
      different isoforms compared to those previously described. 2. Lignin peroxidases
      are first concentrated and prefractionated on fast-flow ion-exchangers which
      avoid concentration by ultrafiltration and dialysis. 3. Further purification is
      achieved by hydrophobic interaction chromatography and anion-exchange FPLC. 4.
      Two major forms were purified to homogeneity. Kinetic measurements and protein
      characterization (isoelectric points, phosphate content) suggest that they are
      similar to those produced by P. chrysosporium BKM strain.

PMID- 1426520
TI  - Nuclear glycoproteins of hamster liver and Kirkman-Robbins hepatoma recognized by
      concanavalin A.
AB  - 1. Glycoproteins recognized by Concanavalin A (ConA) have been identified in
      nuclei and nuclear fractions differing in sensitivity to micrococcal nuclease
      digestion from hamster liver and Kirkman-Robbins hepatoma. 2. The major ConA
      binding proteins from hamster liver and Kirkman-Robbins hepatoma nuclei have
      molecular weights about 27,000 and 57,000, and 38,000 and 49,000, respectively.
      3. A distinct distribution of glycoproteins between fractions differing in
      sensitivity to nuclease digestion has not been observed.

PMID- 1426521
TI  - Function of intracellular phospholipase A2 in vectorial transport of apoproteins
      from ER to Golgi.
AB  - 1. The cytosolic fraction required in in vitro reconstituted intracellular
      transport of mucus glycoprotein apopeptide (apomucin) was isolated and its
      potential as transport supporting factor assessed by the quantitation of the
      gastric apomucin transferred to Golgi. 2. The experiments with the fraction
      promoting transport and delivery of apomucin to Golgi revealed that the active
      protein has the property of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) which assists ER vesicles
      fusion with Golgi. 3. The ability of the 76 kDa PLA2 to hydrolyze phospholipids
      and to support transport and fusion of ER vesicles with Golgi was abolished by
      phosphorylation and regained following dephosphorylation. 4. The data provide
      evidence that 76 kDa intracellular PLA2 is responsible for the fusion of ER
      transport vesicles with Golgi. The process of fusion is accomplished by
      generation of lysophospholipids in fusing membranes.

PMID- 1426523
TI  - Analysis of the interaction uridin 5'-diphosphoglucuronic acid with intestinal
      bilirubin UDP-glucuronyltransferase.
AB  - 1. Bilirubin UDP-glucuronyltransferase Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters for
      UDP-glucuronic acid were studied using native and digitonin activated microsomes
      obtained from rat intestinal mucosa. 2. The intestinal enzyme showed a lower
      apparent Vmax compared with the hepatic enzyme in both native and activated
      microsomes; digitonin pretreatment enhanced Vmax 4 times in the former enzyme and
      2 times in the latter. 3. The affinity of UDP-glucuronic acid for the intestinal
      enzyme was about 2 times lower than that for the hepatic enzyme and it was not
      substantially modified by detergent neither in the intestine nor in the liver. 4.
      The lipid analysis of intestinal and hepatic microsomes showed that the former
      present a higher content of cholesterol and a lower
      phosphatidylcholine/sphingomyelin ratio than the latter, accordingly the
      estimation of membrane fluidity using the fluorescence anisotropy of 1,6-diphenyl
      1,3,5-hexatriene indicated that intestinal microsomes are more "rigid" than the
      hepatic ones. 5. These characteristics would provoke a restrictive milieu
      surrounding the enzyme that modifies its kinetic properties thus limiting its
      participation in the metabolism of bilirubin.

PMID- 1426522
TI  - Bilirubin production and conjugation from newly formed heme in isolated rat
      hepatocytes.
AB  - 1. Heme synthesis from delta-aminolevulinic acid (delta-ALA) in freshly isolated
      rat hepatocytes was maximal at 100 microM with a rate of approx. 7 nmol being
      synthesized per g wet weight cells. 2. Approximately 8% of synthesized heme was
      converted to bilirubin and 50% of the newly synthesized bilirubin was conjugated.
      3. The ratio of di to monoconjugate was approx. 2.5. Incorporation of delta-ALA
      into bilirubin was increased by additional delta-ALA, heme and was also doubled
      in cells isolated from animals treated with CoCl2. 4. Bilirubin formation was
      inhibited approx. 90% by in vitro treatment with heme oxygenase inhibitors zinc
      and tin protoporphyrin.

PMID- 1426524
TI  - Characterization of the proteins from Melanoplus bivittatus that bind juvenile
      hormone, and a refined EFDA photolabeling technique.
AB  - 1. Juvenile hormone (JH) is specifically bound by a protein from hemolymph and
      fat body cytosol of the grasshopper, Melanoplus bivittatus. 2. This protein has a
      native molecular weight of 331,000 and subunits of 77,000. 3. Proteins that bind
      JH were covalently photolabeled with a JH analog, epoxyfarnesyl diazoacetate
      (EFDA). Samples were irradiated in spot plates and hydroxyapatite was used to
      separate bound from free [3H]EFDA. Differential solubilization was used to
      extract unlinked [3H]EFDA and solubilize [3H]EFDA linked to protein. 4. Hemolymph
      proteins of M(r) 479,000, 240,000 and 77,000 also bound [3H]EFDA. 5. Proteins
      that bound [3H]EFDA were not vitellogenins.

PMID- 1426525
TI  - Characterization of Ca(2+)-ATPase of Setaria cervi (Nematoda: Filarioidea):
      effect of phenothiazines and anthelmintics.
AB  - 1. A Mg2+ independent, Ca(2+)-ATPase requiring high concentrations of Ca2+ (5 mM)
      for the activation, equally distributed in cuticle-muscular-hypodermis, genital
      organs and gastrointestinal tissues and mainly localized in 10,000 g pellet
      fraction, was identified in Setaria cervi, a bovine filarial parasite. 2.
      Filarial enzyme showed Km value of 3.33 mM for ATP as computed from the double
      reciprocal Lineweaver-Burk plot. 3. The enzyme could be completely solubilized by
      sonication with about 4-fold increase in specific activity of the enzyme. 4. The
      enzyme showed about 2-fold activation by the calmodulin fractions isolated from
      S. cervi and rat brain homogenates. 5. The enzyme was highly sensitive to
      inhibition with some phenothiazine derivatives. Trifluoperazine was observed to
      be the most potent inhibitor followed by promethazine and chlorpromazine. 6. Some
      anthelmintics viz. diethycarbamazine and centperazine were found to be highly
      potent inhibitors of the enzyme, significant inhibition of filarial Ca(2+)-ATPase
      was also observed with levamisole and suramine. 7. Studies indicate Ca(2+)-ATPase
      of S. cervi as a potential chemotherapeutic target.

PMID- 1426526
TI  - Efflux of polyamines from human lymphocytes and from L 1210 cells.
AB  - 1. In human lymphocytes alkalinization of the cytoplasm with monensin or NH4Cl
      promotes release of polyamines. The effect of NH4Cl is abolished by EGTA and
      diltiazem. 2. Concanavalin A also promotes an increase of the efflux,
      counteracted again by EGTA and diltiazem. 3. By effect of TPA, polyamine efflux
      is decreased in the first 90 min, and later increased. The activation is
      partially prevented by H7 and by sphingosine. 4. In contrast with human
      lymphocytes, L 1210 cells release actively endogenous polyamines, but slowly
      radioactive polyamines. 5. Concanavalin A does not activate the latter process; A
      23187 and NH4Cl on the contrary promote a much higher increase in the efflux rate
      than in normal lymphocytes. EGTA and diltiazem partially counteract the effect of
      NH4Cl on the release of radioactivity.

PMID- 1426527
TI  - Purification and characterization of collagenolytic property of renal cathepsin L
      from arthritic rat.
AB  - 1. This paper describes the purification and characterization of collagenolytic
      property of renal cathepsin L isolated from kidney of rats rendered adjuvant
      arthritis. The enzyme was isolated by acid extraction, ammonium sulfate
      fractionation, Sephadex gel filtration, CM-Sephadex chromatography and Sephacryl
      S-300 chromatography. 2. The enzyme preparation was found to be homogeneous by
      gel filtration and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight
      of the enzyme was estimated to be 29,000. 3. Incubation of rat tail tendon
      collagen with purified cathepsin L resulted a conversion of cross-linked beta
      chain dimers into uncross-linked alpha-chain monomers. The pH optimum for
      collagen degradation by purified cathepsin L was found to be 3.5. This optimal pH
      is shifted to 4.5 when haemoglobin was used as a substrate for the enzyme. 4.
      Various activators and inhibitors were tested for their influence on the activity
      of cathepsin L. The purified enzyme showed a maximal activity in the presence of
      EDTA. Cysteine was also found to increase the activity of cathepsin L. This
      enzyme was strongly inhibited by iodoacetate, p-chloromercurobenzoate, mercuric
      chloride but not inhibited by pepstatin or PMSF. E-64 and leupeptin were also
      found to be strong inhibitors for cathepsin L. The degradation of rat tail tendon
      collagen by cathepsin L was completely inhibited by E-64. 5. The results
      presented in this investigation suggest that cathepsin L play a crucial role in
      the pathogenesis of adjuvant arthritis.

PMID- 1426528
TI  - Superinduction of ornithine decarboxylase by halogenated
      ribofuranosylbenzimidazoles.
AB  - 1. The effect of dichlororibofuranosylbenzimidazole (DiCl-RB), an inhibitor of
      hnRNA synthesis and casein kinase-2 activity, on ornithine decarboxylase (ODC)
      was investigated in a difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) resistant, ODC overproducing
      cell line. 2. In cells growing in the absence of DFMO, DiCl-RB provoked a marked,
      but transient increase in ODC activity and immunoreactive ODC content. 3. The ODC
      response to DiCl-RB was prevented by cycloheximide and was not due to
      stabilization of the enzyme. 4. The dibromo derivative analogue (DiBr-RB) exerted
      similar effects on ODC, but was effective at lower concentrations. 5. The
      halogenated ribofuranosylbenzimidazoles were ineffective in cells growing in the
      presence of DFMO and containing higher levels of ODC protein.

PMID- 1426529
TI  - Metabolism of [14C]arachidonic acid-labeled lipids in quiescent and OAG
      stimulated ascites tumor cells.
AB  - 1. A rapid uptake and esterification of [14C]arachidonic acid during the first 4
      hr of cultivation of ascites cells in serum-deprived medium was observed followed
      by a fast turnover of the fatty acid. 2. Labeling and turnover of esterified
      arachidonate in individual phospholipid classes was in the order:
      phosphatidylcholine (PC) greater than phosphatidylinositol (PI) much greater than
      phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PIP) and -4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) greater than
      phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) greater than PE-plasmalogens. 3. In cells
      stimulated with 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol a transient course of arachidonic
      acid incorporation into PC, PI, PIP and PIP2 was determined peaking 30 min after
      stimulation, indicating both esterification and release under these conditions.
      4. The release of arachidonate was blocked by quinacrine which is a specific
      inhibitor of phospholipase A2.

PMID- 1426530
TI  - Proteolytic processing sites producing the mature form of human cathepsin D.
AB  - 1. The proteolytic processing sites of human lysosomal aspartic protease
      cathepsin D at which the intermediate single-chain form was converted into the
      mature two-chain form were determined. 2. The two chains were isolated by
      reversed-phase HPLC in order to investigate the cleavage sites of the enzyme. 3.
      Protein sequencing of the heavy chain, which was presumed to be derived from the
      C-terminal side in the single-chain enzyme, gave an N-terminal Leu 105. In
      addition, it revealed that there were also minor sequences, which commenced with
      Gly 106 and Gly 107. 4. A small C-terminal peptide was isolated from the light
      chain, which had been digested with two kinds of exogenous proteases. Sequence
      determination of this peptide, which was characterized as a nonapeptide by mass
      spectrometry, suggested that the C-terminus of the light chain was Ser 98. 5.
      These results indicate that a Ser 98-Ala 99 bond and an Ala 104-Leu 105 bond are
      cleaved to release 6 amino acid residues between the two chains.

PMID- 1426531
TI  - Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase from mammalian brain: subunit analysis using
      polyclonal antiserum.
AB  - 1. NAD(+)-dependent succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase was purified to apparent
      homogeneity from rat brain and highly purified from human brain. 2. Molecular
      exclusion chromatography of the purified enzymes on Sephadex G-150 and G-200
      revealed M(r) values of 203,000 and 191,000 for rat and human, respectively. 3.
      Electrophoresis on sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gels revealed a single
      subunit of M(r) 54,000 for rat and 58,000 for human. Isoelectric focusing of the
      purified rat enzyme yielded a pI of 6.1. 4. For both proteins, Km values for
      short-chain aldehydes acetaldehyde and propionaldehyde ranged from 0.33 to 2.5
      mM; Km values for succinic semialdehyde were in the 2-4 microM range. 5. The
      subunit structure of both enzymes was investigated in brain extracts and purified
      preparations by immunoblotting, using a polyclonal rabbit antiserum against the
      purified rat brain enzyme. 6. For rat and human extracts, single bands were
      detected at M(r) 54,000 and 58,000, comparable to findings in the purified
      preparations. Immunoblotting analyses in other species (guinea pig, hamster,
      mouse and rabbit) revealed single subunits of M(r) 54,000-56,500.

PMID- 1426532
TI  - Interaction of Zn2+ and Cu2+ ions with glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase
      from bovine heart and rabbit muscle.
AB  - 1. Binding of Zn2+ and Cu2+ ions to GAPDHs from bovine heart and rabbit muscle
      resulted in a partial loss of enzymatic activity of both enzymes, in a time and
      metal ion concentration dependent manner. Cu2+ ions caused a much larger decrease
      of the activity than Zn2+ ions. 2. Addition of NAD+ or EDTA to either enzyme
      resulted in a protective effect on GAPDH activity. A similar protective effect
      was observed following addition of 2-mercaptoethanol to the enzyme solution. 3.
      The association constant for GAPDH-Zn2+ complex, calculated from equilibrium
      dialysis data, was 0.9 x 10(4) M-1 for the bovine heart GAPDH and 1.3 x 10(4) M-1
      for the rabbit muscle enzyme. The association constant for GAPDH-Cu2+ complex was
      the same for both enzymes, 11.3 x 10(4) M-1. 4. Equilibrium dialysis data also
      revealed that in either enzyme the specific sites, binding the metal ions, are
      identical or very similar, and independent from each other. They are situated in
      the most conserved part of the enzyme molecule. 5. Some zinc was found in GAPDH
      preparations from bovine heart. It is discussed if Zn2+ ions could have a kind of
      modulation effect on GAPDH activity.

PMID- 1426534
TI  - Immunological identification of five members of the human facilitative glucose
      transporter family.

PMID- 1426533
TI  - Examination of the glycosidation state of five members of the human facilitative
      glucose transporter family.

PMID- 1426535
TI  - Inhibitors of quinone mediated electron transport.

PMID- 1426536
TI  - The effect of low pH preincubation on ATP synthesis and hydrolysis activities of
      isolated thylakoids.

PMID- 1426537
TI  - Sodium-dependent and -independent nucleobase transport in cultured LLC-PK1
      epithelia.

PMID- 1426538
TI  - Ionic requirements of [3H]GBR-12935 binding to the dopamine transporter in canine
      striatal membranes.

PMID- 1426539
TI  - Nucleoside transporters in human placenta.

PMID- 1426541
TI  - The nature of betaine efflux from rat liver mitochondria.

PMID- 1426540
TI  - Reconstitution and kinetics of vacuolar H(+)-translocating ATPases from plants
      and animals.

PMID- 1426542
TI  - Choline transport into rat liver mitochondria.

PMID- 1426543
TI  - Mechanism of action of Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitors.

PMID- 1426544
TI  - Inhibition of endothelial cell polyamine uptake by aliphatic diamines is
      dependent on chain length.

PMID- 1426545
TI  - Purification of the galactose/H+ symport protein of Escherichia coli.

PMID- 1426546
TI  - Activators and inhibitors of the motility of spermatozoa Fucus serratus
      [corrected].

PMID- 1426547
TI  - Chemical modification of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1).

PMID- 1426548
TI  - The characterisation of peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPI) activity
      associated with the endoplasmic reticulum.

PMID- 1426549
TI  - Stability and unfolding studies on papain.

PMID- 1426550
TI  - The synthesis and expression of a gene coding for the HIV-1 protease.

PMID- 1426551
TI  - Mutagenesis of the glycerol dehydrogenase from Bacillus stearothermophilus.

PMID- 1426552
TI  - The kininogenase activity of human mast cell tryptase.

PMID- 1426553
TI  - GTP-binding proteins and protein phosphorylation substrates in central nervous
      system myelin.

PMID- 1426554
TI  - DNA sequence comparison between human and marsupial genes encoding PGP9.5--a
      neurone-specific ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase.

PMID- 1426555
TI  - Identification of a neuronal specific DNA-binding protein within the rat
      preprotachykinin promoter.

PMID- 1426556
TI  - Neuronal expression of the tissue specific splicing protein SmN and its possible
      role in pre mRNA splicing.

PMID- 1426557
TI  - Studies on the mechanism of the inhibition of lipogenesis by growth hormone in
      sheep adipose tissue.

PMID- 1426558
TI  - The regulation of microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase differs between liver and
      kidney.

PMID- 1426559
TI  - Temperature dependent specific heat capacity (Cp) of G-actin and talin or talin
      vinculin bound to G-actin.

PMID- 1426560
TI  - Hydrolysis of xylo-oligosaccharides by a beta-xylosidase from the rumen anaerobic
      fungus Neocallimastix frontalis.

PMID- 1426561
TI  - Purification and characterization of a feruloyl/p-coumaroyl esterase from solid
      state cultures of the aerobic fungus Penicillium pinophilum.

PMID- 1426562
TI  - Alpha-tocopherol status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: relationship to
      antioxidant activity.

PMID- 1426563
TI  - Influx of phosphate (Pi) and methylglucose in MG-63 osteoblasts.

PMID- 1426564
TI  - Benzopyrene metabolism and transport by cells in culture.

PMID- 1426565
TI  - Analysis of the receptor complement for insulin and insulin-like growth factor I
      (IGF-I) in the rat visceral yolk sac.

PMID- 1426566
TI  - The regulation of endopeptidase-24.11 expression on human osteoblast-like cells
      in culture.

PMID- 1426567
TI  - Inhibition of chymotrypsin by phenyl N-phenyl-phosphoramidochloridate.

PMID- 1426568
TI  - Bromoperoxidase of the macroalga Corallina officinalis.

PMID- 1426569
TI  - Synechococcus PCC6301 mutants possessing resistance to the tetrapyrrole
      biosynthesis inhibitor gabaculine.

PMID- 1426570
TI  - Proteins of photosystem 1 during chloroplast assembly and senescence in Festuca
      pratensis.

PMID- 1426571
TI  - A study of the 14 kDa phospholipase A2 from rat liver using a continuous
      fluorescent displacement assay for the enzyme.

PMID- 1426572
TI  - The use of tryptophan fluorescence to determine the stability of IgG binding
      proteins based upon the B domain of protein A from Staphylococcus aureus.

PMID- 1426573
TI  - Novel immunoglobulin binding proteins.

PMID- 1426574
TI  - The effect of an active site mutation of E. coli citrate synthase on NADH
      inhibition and KCl activation.

PMID- 1426575
TI  - FINDPROBE: a computer program to locate potential probe sequences in DNA.

PMID- 1426576
TI  - Lipoprotein lipase activity in tissues of the developing chick embryo.

PMID- 1426577
TI  - Identification and characterisation of glycosyl-inositolphospholipids in
      Toxoplasma gondii.

PMID- 1426578
TI  - Phospholipase A2 specificities determined in mixed substrate vesicles using a
      combination of continuous fluorescence displacement and quantitative HPLC
      analyses.

PMID- 1426579
TI  - Mechanisms of synthesis of polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholine molecular species
      by guinea pig liver.

PMID- 1426580
TI  - The U7 small nuclear RNA genes of Xenopus borealis.

PMID- 1426582
TI  - A preliminary analysis of the hybridization kinetics of an oligonucleotide to
      mRNA in tissue sections.

PMID- 1426581
TI  - Regulation of glutamate decarboxylase and enkephalin mRNA levels in rat striatum
      by chronic benzodiazepine treatment.

PMID- 1426583
TI  - Evidence for different isozymic forms of catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP
      dependent protein kinase in heart and lactating mammary gland of the rat.

PMID- 1426584
TI  - An examination of the transmembranous organisation of the sarcoplasmic reticulum
      (Ca(2+)-Mg2+)-ATPase using antipeptide antibodies.

PMID- 1426586
TI  - Probing the structure and function of the human erythrocyte glucose transporter.

PMID- 1426585
TI  - The N-terminal region of n-Chimaerin allows lipid modulation of the C-terminal
      p21rac-GTPase activating domain.

PMID- 1426587
TI  - Tissue-specific expression of facilitative glucose transporters: a rationale.

PMID- 1426588
TI  - The defective red cell anion transporter (band 3) in hereditary South East Asian
      ovalocytosis and the role of glycophorin A in the expression of band 3 anion
      transport activity in Xenopus oocytes.

PMID- 1426589
TI  - Structure-function of the ADP/ATP carrier.

PMID- 1426590
TI  - Studies of the structure and function of sarcoplasmic reticulum (Ca(2+)-Mg2+)
      ATPase using immunological approaches.

PMID- 1426591
TI  - Coupling of hydrolysis of ATP and the transport of Ca2+ by the calcium ATPase of
      sarcoplasmic reticulum.

PMID- 1426593
TI  - The Na(+)-translocating ATPase of Propionigenium modestum.

PMID- 1426592
TI  - Studies of the plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase of yeast and plants.

PMID- 1426594
TI  - Characterization of a sodiummotive NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase.

PMID- 1426595
TI  - Structural investigations of membrane proteins: the versatility of electron
      microscopy.

PMID- 1426596
TI  - beta-Lactamase fusion analysis of membrane protein assembly.

PMID- 1426597
TI  - Protein kinase C-delta and -epsilon: a functional appraisal.

PMID- 1426599
TI  - n-Chimaerin and neuronal signal transduction mechanisms.

PMID- 1426598
TI  - The role of specific isoforms of 14-3-3 protein in regulating protein kinase
      activity in the brain.

PMID- 1426600
TI  - Intermediate filament protein expression in differentiating Schwann cells.

PMID- 1426601
TI  - An evolutionary approach to myelin proteins and myelin-forming cells in the
      vertebrate brain.

PMID- 1426602
TI  - POU family transcription factors in sensory neurons.

PMID- 1426603
TI  - Comparisons of neuronal (PGP 9.5) and non-neuronal ubiquitin C-terminal
      hydrolases.

PMID- 1426604
TI  - Enolases and PGP9.5 as tissue-specific markers.

PMID- 1426605
TI  - Molecular pathology of Alzheimer's disease in sporadic and familial Alzheimer's
      disease with mutations in the amyloid precursor protein.

PMID- 1426606
TI  - The axonal membrane cytoskeletal protein A60 and the development of the
      spectrin/ankyrin-based neuronal membrane skeleton.

PMID- 1426607
TI  - Endocytosis in the brain: the role of clathrin light-chains.

PMID- 1426608
TI  - Structure of the genes encoding the neural cell adhesion molecules N-CAM and N
      cadherin.

PMID- 1426609
TI  - Insulin-activated protein kinases in fat and other cells.

PMID- 1426610
TI  - The mitogen-activated p70s6k.

PMID- 1426611
TI  - Early protein kinase and biosynthetic responses to insulin.

PMID- 1426612
TI  - Growth factor-activated kinases phosphorylate IRE-ABP.

PMID- 1426613
TI  - Metabolism of glycolipids: the role of glycolipid-binding proteins in the
      function and pathobiochemistry of lysosomes.

PMID- 1426614
TI  - Natural and synthetic inhibitors of glycosidases.

PMID- 1426615
TI  - Endogenous inhibition of glycosyltransferases of gangliosides: possible
      biochemical and morphogenetic functions.

PMID- 1426616
TI  - Activators and inhibitors of the plant plasma membrane 1,3-beta-glucan synthase.

PMID- 1426617
TI  - Cation activation and stabilization of Golgi beta 1,4-galactosyltransferase
      (lactose synthetase).

PMID- 1426619
TI  - What are and what are not imaginal discs: reevaluation of some basic concepts
      (Insecta, Holometabola).
AB  - Some general aspects of the concept of imaginal discs in the Holometabola are
      reevaluated. Their monolayer character and continuity with the surrounding
      epidermis are confirmed. Studies on the imaginal discs of the silkworm (Bombyx
      mori) and data from the literature show that the discs and their peripodial cells
      produce cuticle during larval life, as well as at metamorphosis. In B. mori it is
      demonstrated that adult and larval antennae are produced by the same cells or
      their progeny. The results also suggest that segments of the typically three
      segmented larval antenna of Holometabola are not scape, pedicel, and one
      segmented flagellum; at least segments 2 and 3 are of flagellar origin. Based on
      these and some additional facts it is argued that: (1) No larval organs are
      "replaced" at metamorphosis, but strict "sequential homology" is always
      maintained. (2) Imaginal discs are not undifferentiated structures destined to
      form the adult after larval breakdown, cannot be unambiguously defined, and do
      not represent qualitatively different epidermal structures. Classical imaginal
      discs (invaginated and present also in pre-final larval instars) arose several
      times independently and were not present in the larvae of ancestral Holometabola.
      (3) Since the disc cells are not undifferentiated and "embryonic" (if these words
      have a defined meaning at all), it is unreasonable to expect that the processes
      taking place in discs at metamorphosis would differ fundamentally from those
      occurring in other diploid metamorphosing epidermal cells.

PMID- 1426618
TI  - The gene for the helix-loop-helix protein, Id, is specifically expressed in
      neural precursors.
AB  - While mammalian neurogenesis has been characterized extensively, the molecules
      involved in regulating neural cell determination and differentiation remain ill
      defined. There is accruing evidence that various members of the basic helix-loop
      helix (bHLH) protein family critically regulate these biological processes in a
      number of tissues. Id, a negative regulator of bHLH proteins, was found to
      exhibit peak gene expression during mouse embryogenesis with a striking pattern
      in the central nervous system. Id transcripts were specifically localized to
      undifferentiated neural precursors of the ventricular zone and were not present
      in their differentiated derivatives. In addition, in the peripheral nervous
      system, dorsal root ganglia sensory precursors, known to be undifferentiated
      while dividing, also expressed Id mRNA. However, in the sympathetic nervous
      system and adrenal medulla, where differentiation and division occur
      simultaneously in precursors, Id was not expressed. Since Id transcript abundance
      inversely correlated with differentiation, this protein, similar to its
      Drosophila homolog, extramacrochaetae, may play a negative regulatory role in
      neural differentiation.

PMID- 1426620
TI  - Developmental sequence of expression of voltage-dependent currents in embryonic
      Xenopus laevis myocytes.
AB  - Although the development of several of the voltage-dependent currents in
      embryonic amphibian myocytes has been described, the overall muscle electrical
      development, particularly the relative times of expression of different voltage
      dependent currents, has not been addressed in a single study under one set of
      conditions. We have found that, in mesoderm isolated and cultured from neurula
      stage embryos, myocytes are identifiable before they express voltage-gated
      currents. These ionic currents are absent from all Xenopus mesodermal cells
      during the late gastrula/early neurula stages of embryonic development. At about
      the time of first somite segregation an inward rectifier K+ current is expressed
      in some myocytes, followed within 2 hr by a delayed rectifier K+ current. The
      density of both currents increases fourfold over the next 24 hr in culture. A Na+
      current is not expressed in large numbers of myocytes until late in this culture
      period, at about the time that a slow Ca2+ current appears. Under our culture
      conditions the myocytes have a very low chloride conductance. A fast inactivating
      component to the outward K+ current is expressed in all myocytes by 24 hr in
      culture. In some experiments we dissociated embryos at later times and made
      recordings when all previously isolated myocytes expressed currents. In the late
      dissociations, most myocytes did not express currents, but developed them after a
      short period in culture. Because we have evidence that in vivo development is
      more closely approximated by the early dissociations, these results suggest that
      dissociation causes some degree of dedifferentiation.

PMID- 1426621
TI  - Developmentally regulated expression of three slow isoforms of myosin heavy
      chain: diversity among the first fibers to form in avian muscle.
AB  - At least three slow myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms were expressed in skeletal
      muscles of the developing chicken hindlimb, and differential expression of these
      slow MHC isoforms produced distinct fiber types from the outset of skeletal
      muscle myogenesis. Immunohistochemistry with isoform-specific monoclonal
      antibodies demonstrated differences in MHC content among the fibers of the dorsal
      and ventral premuscle masses and distinctions among fibers before splitting of
      the premuscle masses into individual muscles (Hamburger and Hamilton Stage 25).
      Immunoblot analyses by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis
      of myosin extracted from the hindlimb demonstrated the presence throughout
      development of different mobility classes of MHCs with epitopes associated with
      slow MHC isoforms. Immunopeptide mapping showed that one of the MHCs expressed in
      the embryonic limb was the same slow MHC isoform, slow MHC1 (SMHC1), that is
      expressed in adult slow muscles. SMHC1 was expressed in the dorsal and ventral
      premuscle masses, embryonic, fetal, and some neonatal and adult hindlimb muscles.
      In the embryo and fetus SMHC1 was expressed in future fast, as well as future
      slow muscles, whereas in the adult only the slow muscles retained expression of
      SMHC1. Those embryonic muscles destined in the adult to contain slow fibers or
      mixed fast/slow fibers not only expressed SMHC1, but also an additional slow MHC
      not previously described, designated as slow MHC3 (SMHC3). Slow MHC3 was shown by
      immunopeptide mapping to contain a slow MHC epitope (reactive with mAb S58) and
      to be structurally similar to a MHC expressed in the atria of the adult chicken
      heart. SMHC3 was designated as a slow MHC isoform because (i) it was expressed
      only in those muscles destined to be of the slow type in the adult, (ii) it was
      expressed only in primary fibers of muscles that subsequently are of the slow
      type, and (iii) it had an epitope demonstrated to be present on other slow, but
      not fast, isoforms of avian MHC. This study demonstrates that a difference in
      phenotype between fibers is established very early in the chicken embryo and is
      based on the fiber type-specific expression of three slow MHC isoforms.

PMID- 1426622
TI  - Position-specific expression of the annulin protein during grasshopper
      embryogenesis.
AB  - Annulin, named for its annular expression in developing limb buds, is a
      approximately 100 kDa membrane-associated protein that is expressed in a complex
      and changing pattern during grasshopper embryogenesis. Its expression is dynamic
      along the developing midline and in the mesoderm, transient in neuroepithelial
      sheath cells around mitotic neuroblasts, and position-specific in circumferential
      stripes in each limb bud segment. Annulin expression begins along the midline of
      the embryo at the onset of gastrulation. Mesoderm cells express the protein as
      they migrate away from the midline as do new cells that come to lie at the
      midline. During neurogenesis, annulin expression disappears from many midline
      cells until only a specific subset of midline glial cells expresses high levels
      of the protein. Starting at the beginning of neurogenesis, sheath cells express
      annulin in correlation with the mitotic activity of the neuroblasts they
      surround.

PMID- 1426624
TI  - FGF-mediated aspects of skeletal muscle growth and differentiation are controlled
      by a high affinity receptor, FGFR1.
AB  - Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and FGF receptors (FGFRs) play major roles in
      vertebrate embryogenesis, including control of skeletal muscle growth and
      differentiation. Understanding their roles requires delineating the specific FGF
      and FGFR isoforms involved. This study analyzes the FGFR transcripts found in a
      model mouse skeletal myoblast cell line (MM14) during growth and terminal
      differentiation. MM14 cells express transcripts for FGFR1 (flg) but not FGFR2
      (bek). The predominate FGFR1 transcript contains three immunoglobulin (Ig)-like
      domains in the extracellular ligand binding region. Approximately one-fourth of
      the three Ig-like domain transcripts possess a 6-nt deletion between the first
      and second Ig-like domains which after translation would result in deletion of an
      Arg-Arg pair. Cloning of mouse genomic DNA surrounding the region of the FGFR1 6
      nt deletion indicates that the deletion is derived by alternative splicing of
      FGFR1 transcripts. Transcripts containing two Ig-like domains account for less
      than 5% of total FGFR1 mRNA in MM14 cells. A survey of RNA from mouse tissues
      indicated that two Ig-like domain FGFR1 transcripts are rare in all tissues
      except in lung, in which the two Ig-like domain form accounts for roughly 70% of
      the lung FGFR1 mRNA. PCR RACE cloning studies disclosed 162 nt of additional
      FGFR1 5'-flanking RNA which was highly GC-rich. FGFR1 transcripts decline 8- to
      10-fold during low serum, (-)FGF-mediated differentiation of MM14 cultures. The
      kinetics of the FGFR1 mRNA decline is similar to the previously described
      differentiation-dependent decrease in cell surface FGF receptors.

PMID- 1426623
TI  - Differential transcription of Pgk genes during spermatogenesis in the mouse.
AB  - We have analyzed the occurrence of transcripts produced from the ubiquitously
      expressed, X-linked Pgk-1 gene and the testis-specific, autosomal Pgk-2 gene
      during spermatogenesis in the mouse. We found that tissue specificity,
      developmental specificity, and cell-type specificity of these mRNAs parallel that
      previously reported for the two protein isozymes of phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK)
      encoded by these two genes. This indicates that primary regulation of
      differential expression of the Pgk genes during spermatogenesis is exerted at the
      transcriptional level. We first detected Pgk-2 mRNA in preleptotene
      spermatocytes, indicating that transcription of Pgk-2 is initiated coincident
      with the onset of meiosis in male germ cells, and then continues to increase in
      later spermatocytes and postmeiotic round spermatids. This expression initiates
      prior to an initial decline in Pgk-1 transcript levels observed in pachytene
      spermatocytes, which apparently follows inactivation of the single X chromosome
      in spermatogenic cells. However, unlike cessation of Pgk-1 transcription from the
      inactivated X chromosome in female somatic cells, we show that inactivation of
      the Pgk-1 locus in spermatogenic cells is not followed by methylation of a key
      CpG dinucleotide in the promoter region. These results support the idea that
      specific expression of the Pgk-2 gene in meiotic and postmeiotic spermatogenic
      cells has evolved to compensate for reduced levels of Pgk-1 gene product caused
      by transient X-chromosome inactivation in these cells. They further suggest that
      reinitiation of transcription of the paternal Pgk-1 allele shortly after
      fertilization is facilitated by constitutive hypomethylation in the promoter
      region of this gene throughout spermatogenesis.

PMID- 1426625
TI  - Mutant yolk proteins lead to female sterility in Drosophila.
AB  - Specific mutations in the yolk protein genes, yp1 and yp2, of Drosophila
      melanogaster cause the yolk proteins (YPs) they encode to precipitate, ultimately
      resulting in female sterility. YPs of the yp1 mutant fs(1)1163 are secreted
      normally but then precipitate as globules and occasionally as crystalline fibers
      in the subbasement membrane space of the fat body (Butterworth et al., 1991, J.
      Cell Biol. 112, 727-737). The present ultrastructural and immunological studies
      of the fat body of the yp2 mutant fs(1)K313 show that YP also precipitates as
      globules in the same tissue compartment. The globules are also incapable of
      passing into the hemolymph but they are morphologically distinct from those of
      fs(1)1163. Similar analyses were performed on developing oocytes in wild type and
      both mutant strains. YP-containing aggregates, ultrastructurally similar to those
      in the fat body of each respective mutant, were found in the space between the
      plasmalemma and the vitelline membrane and embedded within the membrane itself.
      The evidence suggests that the precipitates interfere with the correct assembly
      of the eggshell membranes, leading to the sterile phenotype. Immunogold studies
      demonstrate that newly synthesized YPs in the normal and mutant strains share
      secretory vesicles with putative, vitelline membrane proteins and that the
      translocation of follicle cell YP is not through the membrane along the
      interfollicular spaces but directly through the plasmalemma facing the oocyte.
      Further the YP precipitates in the mutants permit visualization of the polarity
      of exocytosis of YP from the follicle cells.

PMID- 1426626
TI  - Heterogeneity of Tau proteins during mouse brain development and differentiation
      of cultured neurons.
AB  - Tau microtubule-associated proteins constitute a group of developmentally
      regulated neuronal proteins. Using the high-resolution two-dimensional
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis system, we have resolved more than 60 distinct
      Tau isoforms in the adult mouse brain. Tau protein heterogeneity increases
      drastically during the second week of brain development. In neuronal primary cell
      cultures, some of these developmental changes can be observed. The increase of
      Tau heterogeneity in culture is more limited and reaches a plateau after a period
      corresponding to the second week of development. Most, if not all, of the vast
      Tau heterogeneity can be attributed to intensive post-translational
      phosphorylation, which may affect the structure of the proteins.

PMID- 1426627
TI  - Behavior of structurally divergent alpha-tubulin isotypes during Drosophila
      embryogenesis: evidence for post-translational regulation of isotype abundance.
AB  - Two major alpha-tubulin isotypes are present during Drosophila embryogenesis: an
      evolutionarily divergent maternal isotype that is synthesized only in the ovary
      and deposited in the oocyte and a highly conserved constitutive isotype that is
      both maternally supplied and zygotically synthesized. A maternal isotype-specific
      antibody and a monoclonal antibody that recognizes both the maternal and
      constitutive isotypes were characterized and used to determine the distribution
      and abundance of alpha-tubulins during embryogenesis. Both isotypes are abundant
      and assemble into all classes of microtubules from the syncytial blastoderm stage
      until completion of germ band retraction. During subsequent development, however,
      the maternal isotype is retained only in the developing CNS, and later in a
      subset of connective fibers within the CNS. In contrast, total alpha-tubulin
      levels remain high in essentially all tissues throughout embryogenesis,
      indicating that most tissues selectively accumulate the constitutive isotype. To
      determine if selective accumulation of the constitutive isotype requires zygotic
      synthesis of this protein, mutant embryos that do not contain functional
      constitutive alpha-tubulin genes were examined. In these embryos, as in wild
      type, the maternal isotype decreases to background levels in tissues that retain
      high levels of the constitutive isotype. The constitutive isotype therefore
      appears to be more stable than the maternal isotype in most tissues. Differences
      in isotype stability may play an important role in determining the developmental
      pattern of isotype accumulation in Drosophila embryos.

PMID- 1426628
TI  - Perturbations in morphogen gradients induce budding in hydra.
AB  - Lateral grafting of small pieces of midregion tissue into different levels of the
      hydra body column was done to assess the influence of the host hypostome and
      basal disc (or, of the underlying morphogenetic gradients) in inducing secondary
      structures in the transplanted tissue; and also to identify the role, if any, of
      the induced secondary structures (or, perturbed morphogen gradients) on the
      pattern of the host. The same midpiece tissue differentiated to a basal disc when
      grafted near the host hypostome, and to a small hypostome with tentacles when
      grafted near the host basal disc. Chimeras with induced secondary basal discs
      showed a phenomenal increase in budding compared to the controls and to the
      chimeras having induced hypostomes. These results indicate a positive cross
      reaction between both organizing regions during patterning in hydra.

PMID- 1426629
TI  - The rapid transient decrease of sn-1,2-diacylglycerol in progesterone-stimulated
      Xenopus laevis oocytes is the result of an ethanol artifact.
AB  - Full-grown Xenopus laevis oocytes resume meiosis (meiotic maturation) in response
      to progesterone stimulation. Three studies have shown that sn-1,2-diacylglycerol
      (DAG), the intracellular activator of protein kinase C, may be involved in this
      process (Wasserman et al., J. Exp. Zool. 255, 63-71, 1990; Varnold and Smith,
      Development 109, 597-604, 1990; Stith et al., J. Cell Physiol. 149, 252-259,
      1991). Two of these studies (Varnold and Smith, 1990; Stith et al., 1991) found a
      rapid, but transient decrease in the levels of DAG of approximately 25 to 30%
      within 5 to 30 sec following the addition of progesterone to the oocytes. We have
      investigated this rapid decline in oocyte DAG. We also found a 20 to 34% decrease
      in DAG/oocyte within the first 5 to 40 sec following the addition of steroid to
      the culture medium. However, a similar rapid and transient decrease in oocyte DAG
      levels was also observed in response to ethanol. Ethanol is used as the vehicle
      to deliver progesterone to the oocyte culture medium. Therefore, the rapid
      transient decline in DAG appears to be an artifact of ethanol perturbing the
      production and/or turnover of DAG within the oocyte and not a physiological
      response of the oocyte to progesterone.

PMID- 1426630
TI  - Ameiotic, a gene that controls meiotic chromosome and cytoskeletal behavior in
      maize.
AB  - Microtubule organization during the novel cell division of ameiotic
      microsporocytes was examined using indirect immunofluorescence microscopy. A
      recessive mutation of the maize gene Ameiotic causes the replacement of meiosis I
      with a synchronized mitotic division (Palmer, R. G. (1971). Chromosoma 35, 233
      246). All identifiable cytological features of this division, including
      chromosome behavior and microtubule organization, were typical of somatic cell
      division. Significantly, a cortical microtubule band was observed during prophase
      in ameiotic cells. In most somatic plant cells, a preprophase band of
      microtubules (PPB) predicts the cortical site where the future cell plate will
      join the sidewall. Similar structures, however, are absent in all meiotic and
      postmeiotic reproductive cells examined to date. These disruptions are consistent
      with a model where the wild-type Ameiotic gene encodes a product which acts
      during or before G2 and is necessary for initiating several independent meiotic
      processes, including both meiotic chromosome behavior and microtubule
      organization. The ameiotic mutation provides additional evidence that aspects of
      cytoskeletal organization unique to meiosis are genetically controlled. Finally,
      the presence of a PPB during the ameiotic division supports a model whereby
      multiple mechanisms are used to determine and maintain division plane polarity
      during normal meiosis.

PMID- 1426631
TI  - The east gene of Drosophila melanogaster is expressed in the developing embryonic
      nervous system and is required for normal olfactory and gustatory responses of
      the adult.
AB  - Drosophila melanogaster larvae and adults respond to a wide range of chemosensory
      stimuli. We describe the genetics and developmental expression of the east gene,
      mutations which result in adult-specific chemosensory defects. The original
      isolate of east is semidominant for the behavioral phenotype. Several mutations
      have been generated, some of which are recessive lethals and others that are
      viable alleles that show a recessive, adult-specific, chemosensory defect. No
      larval chemosensory defects were observed. The east gene is expressed in the
      neurogenic region at the time of neuroblast segregation and in cells in the
      peripheral and central nervous system. Our results suggest that east+ expression
      in the nervous system is required for a normal adult chemosensory response and
      both increases and decreases in levels of the gene product result in a mutant
      phenotype.

PMID- 1426632
TI  - Sequence and localization of human NASP: conservation of a Xenopus histone
      binding protein.
AB  - In this study the sequence and localization of human testicular NASP (nuclear
      autoantigenic sperm protein) are reported. NASP cDNA contains 2561 nt encoding a
      protein of 787 amino acids. The open reading frame contains 2446 nt followed by
      an ochre stop codon (TAA) and 104 nucleotides of untranslated sequence containing
      a poly(A) addition signal 10 bases upstream of the poly(A) tail. Northern blot
      analysis of human testis poly(A) mRNA indicates a message of approximately 3.2
      kb. Multiple sequence alignment (MSA) analysis of the encoded human NASP amino
      acid sequence with the sequence for the Xenopus histone-binding protein N1/N2 and
      the rabbit NASP amino acid sequence demonstrates that the human sequence and the
      Xenopus sequence have extensive amino acid homology upstream of the rabbit
      initiation codon. Significantly, there is an 85% identity between the human and
      the rabbit NASP sequences when the alignment starts at the N-terminal of the
      rabbit sequence and at amino acid 101 of the human sequence. The nuclear
      translocation signal found in N1/N2 and rabbit NASP is completely conserved in
      human NASP. The first histone-binding domain of Xenopus is 70% identical and 90%
      similar to the human NASP domain. The second histone-binding domain of Xenopus is
      48% identical and 71% similar to the human NASP domain. MSA analysis of the three
      sequences generated an unrooted ancestral tree with two branches, indicating that
      fewer amino acid changes have occurred between the Xenopus and the human
      sequences than between the Xenopus and the rabbit sequences. In the human testis,
      NASP is localized predominantly in primary spermatocytes and round spermatids.
      Spermatogonia, Sertoli cells, Leydig cells, peritubular cells, and other somatic
      cells do not stain. Human spermatozoa contain NASP in the acrosomal region.
      Following the acrosome reaction, some NASP remains in the equatorial and
      postacrosomal regions. We propose that mammalian testes and sperm contain a
      histone-binding protein which may play a role in regulating the early events of
      spermatogenesis.

PMID- 1426634
TI  - A deficiency in the mechanism for p34cdc2 protein kinase activation in mouse
      embryos arrested at 2-cell stage.
AB  - Mouse embryos of the ddY strain fertilized in vitro undergo the first cleavage to
      the 2-cell stage but not the second cleavage even 45 hr after insemination (2
      cell block). We examined the phosphorylation state of p34cdc2 and histone H1
      kinase activity in mouse 2-cell embryos to investigate the relationship of
      p34cdc2 with 2-cell block. In the first mitotic cell cycle, the amount of
      phosphorylated forms of p34cdc2, which were detected as the bands of retarded
      mobility on SDS-PAGE followed by immunoblotting with anti-p34cdc2 antibody,
      increased during interphase and abruptly decreased at M phase. Concomitant with
      this dephosphorylation, histone H1 kinase activity was increased. After the
      embryos cleaved to the 2-cell stage, the amounts of phosphorylated forms of
      p34cdc2 increased up to 33 hr after insemination. However, the activation of
      histone H1 kinase did not occur and the states of phosphorylation of p34cdc2 did
      not show any significant changes until 45 hr. In contrast, 2-cell embryos of
      B6C3F1 mice, which do not show a 2-cell block and develop normally to blastocysts
      in vitro, exhibit the dephosphorylation of p34cdc2 and an increase in histone H1
      kinase activity between 31 and 45 hr after insemination. When the ddY mouse
      embryos arrested at the 2-cell stage were treated with okadaic acid, an inhibitor
      of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, the dephosphorylation of p34cdc2 occurred and
      histone H1 kinase activity increased. The chromosomes of these embryos stained
      with 4',6'-diamidino-2-phenylindole revealed the initiation of condensation.
      These results suggest that 2-cell-blocked embryos contain enough p34cdc2 to
      induce mitotic events but the protein remains in a latent form.

PMID- 1426633
TI  - Transcriptional regulation of the murine k-FGF gene in embryonic cell lines.
AB  - Previous studies have shown that embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells express the
      fibroblast growth factor k-FGF; however, there is a large decrease in the
      expression of this gene when EC cells differentiate. In addition, it has been
      shown that differentiation of mouse F9 EC cells reduces the expression of a
      reporter gene under the control of both the putative human k-FGF promoter and an
      enhancer-like element that is located in the third exon of the k-FGF gene. Given
      the low degree of sequence similarity between the human k-FGF gene and the murine
      k-FGF gene upstream of the transcription start site, it was unclear whether human
      sequences mimic fully the regulation of the k-FGF gene in mouse cells. To address
      this question, we have examined the expression of gene constructs containing
      various regions of the murine k-FGF gene in two mouse EC cell lines and one mouse
      embryonic stem (ES) cell line. Our results demonstrate that the mouse 5' flanking
      region, like the human 5' flanking region, cannot support expression of the
      reporter gene. In both EC cell lines and the ES cell line, expression of the
      reporter gene is elevated 10- to 100-fold by the addition of a 316-bp region
      taken from the third exon of the murine k-FGF gene. In addition, we provide
      evidence that octamer binding proteins are involved in the regulation of the k
      FGF gene. Last, this study has identified regions upstream of the transcription
      start site that appear to regulate the expression of the murine k-FGF gene in EC
      cells and in ES cells.

PMID- 1426635
TI  - The zfh-2 gene product is a potential regulator of neuron-specific dopa
      decarboxylase gene expression in Drosophila.
AB  - We have studied a 40-bp upstream regulatory region of the DOPA decarboxylase gene
      (Ddc) which is important for cell-specific expression in the Drosophila central
      nervous system (CNS). This region contains two redundant elements which when
      simultaneously mutated result in lowered DDC expression in serotonin neurons. We
      uncovered a protein binding site within one of these elements and have cloned a
      factor which binds to the site. This factor is the product of the zfh-2 gene, a
      complex homeodomain/zinc finger protein previously identified by binding to an
      opsin regulatory element. The in vivo profile of ZFH-2 in the larval CNS shows
      intriguing overlap with DDC in specific serotonin and dopamine neurons. We show
      that ZFH-2 is related to a human transcription factor ATBF1. The multiple
      homeodomain and zinc finger motifs in these two proteins show a similar linear
      arrangement which implies coordinate action among the motifs. In addition, the
      homology defines a new homeodomain subtype.

PMID- 1426636
TI  - Glycolipid linkage of a polyspermy blocking glycosidase to the ascidian egg
      surface.
AB  - Ascidian eggs release N-acetylglucosaminidase rapidly into the seawater following
      fertilization. This glycosidase is detected seconds after fertilization, and
      histochemical tests suggest the cell surface as the prefertilization storage site
      (Lambert, C. C. (1989). Development 105, 415-420). Living eggs of Ascidia
      ceratodes, A. callosa, and A. paratropa all cleave a fluorogenic substrate in
      seawater. Following cell surface biotinylation and activation of the eggs, enzyme
      activity binds to streptavidin further substantiating the cell surface
      localization. The released glycosidase has a molecular weight of 180 kDa by size
      exclusion chromatography and exhibits bands at 62 and 70 kDa by SDS-PAGE,
      suggesting a possibly multimeric enzyme. The enzyme is released by a
      glycophosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and HNO2 deamination, both of
      which are specific indicators of linkage to the cell surface via
      phosphatidylinositol. The enzyme from unfertilized eggs is quite hydrophobic in
      Triton X-114 phase partition experiments but becomes hydrophyllic after release
      by activation or deamination. All of these observations are consistent with the
      glycosidase being anchored to the cell surface via a GPI anchor that is cleaved
      at fertilization to yield the soluble form of the enzyme which helps protect the
      egg against polyspermy. We discuss the possible role of a cell surface PLC in
      this release.

PMID- 1426637
TI  - Genetic approaches to understanding muscle development.
AB  - The analysis of both naturally occurring and experimentally induced mutants has
      greatly advanced our understanding of muscle development. Molecular biological
      techniques have led to the isolation of genes associated with inherited human
      diseases that affect muscle tissues. Analysis of the encoded proteins in
      conjunction with the mutant phenotypes can provide powerful insights into the
      function of the protein in normal muscle development. Systematic searches for
      muscle mutations have been made in experimental systems, most notably the fruit
      fly Drosophila melanogaster and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. In addition,
      known muscle protein genes from other organisms have been used to isolate
      homologs from genetically manipulatable organisms, allowing mutant analysis and
      the study of protein function in vivo. Mutations in transcription factor genes
      that affect mesoderm development have been isolated and genetic lesions affecting
      myofibril assembly have been identified. Genetic experiments inducing mutations
      and rescuing them by transgenic methods have uncovered functions of myofibrillar
      protein isoforms. Some isoforms perform muscle-specific functions, whereas others
      appear to be replaceable by alternative isoforms. Mutant analysis has also
      uncovered a relationship between proteins at the cell membrane and the assembly
      and alignment of the myofibrillar apparatus. We discuss examples of each of these
      genetic approaches as well as the developmental and evolutionary implications of
      the results.

PMID- 1426638
TI  - Structural analysis of muscle development: transverse tubules, sarcoplasmic
      reticulum, and the triad.
AB  - Increased interest in the mechanism of excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling over
      the last few years has been accompanied by numerous investigations into the
      development of the underlying cellular structures. Areas of particular interest
      include: (1) the compartmentalization and specialization of an external and an
      internal membrane system, the T-tubules, and the sarcoplasmic reticulum,
      respectively; (2) interactions between the membrane proteins of both systems upon
      the formation of a junction, the triad; and (3) membrane-cytoskeletal
      interactions leading to the orderly arrangement of the triads with respect to the
      myofibrils. Structural studies using newly available specific molecular probes
      and a variety of in vivo and in vitro model systems have provided new insights
      into the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the development of the E-C
      coupling apparatus in skeletal muscle.

PMID- 1426639
TI  - Myogenic cell lineages.
AB  - For many years the mechanisms by which skeletal muscles in higher vertebrates
      come to be composed of diverse fiber types distributed in distinctive patterns
      has interested cell and developmental biologists. The fiber composition of
      skeletal muscles varies from class to class and from muscle to muscle within the
      vertebrates. The developmental basis for these events is the subject of this
      review. Because an individual multinucleate vertebrate skeletal muscle fiber is
      formed by the fusion of many individual myoblasts, more attention, in recent
      times, has been directed toward the origins and differences among myoblasts, and
      more emphasis has been placed on the lineal relationship of myoblasts to fibers.
      This is a review of studies related to the concepts of myogenic cell lineage in
      higher vertebrate development with emphases on some of the most challenging
      problems of myogenesis including the embryonic origins of myogenic precursor
      cells, the mechanisms of fiber type diversity and patterning, the distinctions
      among myoblasts during myogenesis, and the current hypotheses of how a variety of
      factors, intrinsic and extrinsic to the myoblast, determine the definitive
      phenotype of a muscle fiber.

PMID- 1426640
TI  - Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions in the outgrowth of limb buds and facial
      primordia in chick embryos.
AB  - The facial primordia in the chick embryo begin as rounded swellings that surround
      the primitive mouth and these grow out to form the beak. The control of
      proximodistal outgrowth is not well understood but may involve similar mechanisms
      to the limb bud. In order to test this hypothesis, combinations were made between
      epithelium and mesenchyme from facial primordia and limb buds. Signals from all
      three types of facial mesenchyme (frontonasal mass, mandibular, and maxillary)
      maintained the thickened apical ectodermal ridge of limb epithelium for up to 48
      h. Combinations of tissues from the frontonasal mass mesenchyme and limb
      epithelium underwent substantial and correct morphogenesis. In contrast, poor
      development was observed in combinations with mandibular mesenchyme. Signals from
      frontonasal mass epithelium promoted outgrowth and morphogenesis of limb
      mesenchyme whereas mandibular and maxillary epithelium did not support joint
      morphogenesis. The results suggest that signals employed in the epithelial
      mesenchymal interactions in facial primordia are similar but not identical to
      those signals used in the limb bud.

PMID- 1426641
TI  - Effects of the steroid hormone, 20-hydroxyecdysone, on the growth of neurites by
      identified insect motoneurons in vitro.
AB  - During metamorphosis in the hawkmoth, Manduca sexta, identified larval leg
      motoneurons survive the degeneration of their larval targets to innervate new
      muscles of the adult legs. The dendrites and axon terminals of these motoneurons
      regress at the end of the larval stage and then regrow during adult development.
      Previous studies have implicated the insect steroid, 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE),
      in similar examples of dendritic reorganization during metamorphosis. The present
      studies were undertaken to test whether 20-HE acts directly on the leg
      motoneurons to regulate dendritic growth. Larval leg motoneurons were labeled
      with a fluorescent dye to permit their identification in culture following the
      dissociation of thoracic ganglia at later stages of development. Leg motoneurons
      isolated from early pupal stage animals (just before the normal onset of
      dendritic regrowth) survived in vitro and grew processes regardless of whether 20
      HE was added to the culture medium. The extent of process outgrowth, however, as
      measured by the total length of all processes and the number of branches, was
      significantly greater for motoneurons maintained in the presence of 20-HE. The
      enhancement could be blocked by the addition of a juvenile hormone analog. By
      contrast, larval leg motoneurons that were isolated just before the normal period
      of dendritic regression did not show enhanced growth of neurites in the presence
      of 20-HE. The results suggest that 20-HE acts directly on the leg motoneurons to
      regulate the growth of processes during metamorphosis.

PMID- 1426642
TI  - Interaction of Wnt and activin in dorsal mesoderm induction in Xenopus.
AB  - Both the activin and Wnt families of peptide growth factors are capable of
      inducing dorsal mesoderm in Xenopus embryos. Presumptive ventral ectoderm cells
      isolated from embryos injected with Xwnt8 mRNA were cultured in the presence of
      activin A to study the possible interactions between these two classes of
      signaling proteins. We find that overexpression of Xwnt8 RNA alters the response
      of ventral ectoderm to activin such that ventral explants differentiate
      dorsoanterior structures including notochord and eyes. This response is similar
      to the response of dorsal ectoderm to activin alone. When embryos are irradiated
      with uv light to inhibit dorsal axis formation, ectodermal explants differentiate
      notochord when they are induced by a combination of both signaling factors, but
      not when cells receive only one inducing signal (activin or Xwnt8). This result
      is further supported by the observation that goosecoid (gsc) mRNA, an early
      marker for dorsal mesoderm, is expressed in these explants only when they are
      injected with Xwnt8 mRNA followed by exposure to activin. Early morphogenetic
      movements of the induced cells and activation of muscle-specific actin and
      Brachyury (Xbra) genes also reveal a cooperation of activin A and Xwnt8 in
      mesoderm induction.

PMID- 1426644
TI  - Expression analysis of a Notch homologue in the mouse embryo.
AB  - The Drosophila Notch gene has been shown to be involved in the determination of
      fate in a number of different cell types. Similarly, Notch homologues in
      Caenorhabditis elegans are involved in cell decision-making steps. It is of
      interest to determine if a mammalian Notch homologue plays a role in cell fate
      determination. We have isolated cDNA from a mouse Notch gene using low-stringency
      hybridization with probes derived from the Xenopus Notch gene. Sequence analysis
      reveals that this gene possesses EGF repeats, Notch/lin-12 repeats, and CDC
      10/SWI-6 repeats, characteristic of other Notch homologues. Northern analysis
      revealed that the transcript size was roughly 10 kb as has been found for the
      other Notch genes. We have studied the expression pattern of the gene by both
      conventional and whole mount in situ hybridization. Expression patterns were
      consistent with mouse Notch having a determinative role in the formation of
      mesoderm, somites, and the nervous system.

PMID- 1426643
TI  - Sexually dimorphic expression of a laryngeal-specific, androgen-regulated myosin
      heavy chain gene during Xenopus laevis development.
AB  - Masculinization of the larynx in Xenopus laevis frogs is essential for the
      performance of male courtship song. During postmetamorphic (PM) development, the
      initially female-like phenotype of laryngeal muscle (slow and fast twitch fibers)
      is converted to the masculine form (entirely fast twitch) under the influence of
      androgenic steroids. To explore the molecular basis of androgen-directed
      masculinization, we have isolated cDNA clones encoding portions of a new Xenopus
      myosin heavy chain (MHC) gene. We have detected expression of this gene only in
      laryngeal muscle and specifically in males. All adult male laryngeal muscle
      fibers express the laryngeal myosin (LM). Adult female laryngeal muscle expresses
      LM only in some fibers. Expression of LM during PM development was examined using
      Northern blots and in situ hybridization. Males express higher levels of LM than
      females throughout PM development and attain adult levels by PM3. In females, LM
      expression peaks transiently at PM2. Treatment of juvenile female frogs with the
      androgen dihydrotestosterone masculinizes LM expression. Thus, LM appears to be a
      male-specific, testosterone-regulated MHC isoform in Xenopus laevis. The LM gene
      will permit analysis of androgen-directed sexual differentiation in this highly
      sexually dimorphic tissue.

PMID- 1426645
TI  - Colocalization of transforming growth factor-alpha and a functional epidermal
      growth factor receptor (EGFR) to the inner cell mass and preferential
      localization of the EGFR on the basolateral surface of the trophectoderm in the
      mouse blastocyst.
AB  - Results of previous studies suggested that responses of mouse blastocysts to TGF
      alpha/EGF treatment are mediated by EGF receptors (EGFR) located on the apical
      surface of the trophectoderm (TE). We report here results of experiments using
      gold-labeled EGF that confirm the presence of these apically located EGFRs. In
      addition, immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) studies using anti-EGFR antibodies
      indicate that the receptor is preferentially distributed on the basolateral
      surface of the TE. Furthermore, the receptor is also present on the inner cell
      mass (ICM) and is likely to be functional, since treatment of isolated ICMs with
      TGF-alpha affects [35S]methionine uptake and incorporation into acid-insoluble
      material. IEM was also used to demonstrate that EGF, which is not synthesized by
      the mouse preimplantation embryo, is present in both the oviduct and the uterus.
      Maternally derived EGF is present in both ICM and TE cells in freshly isolated
      blastocysts, but is present in greatly reduced amounts following overnight
      culture of blastocysts in vitro. Last, IEM was also used to demonstrate that TGF
      alpha is preferentially localized to the ICM and polar TE. The co-localization of
      TGF-alpha and functional EGFRs to the ICM and polar TE suggests potential
      autocrine, juxtacrine, and paracrine roles for TGF-alpha in blastocyst
      development.

PMID- 1426646
TI  - Mechanisms of synaptic fatigue in a developing autonomic ganglion.
AB  - Synaptic transmission in developing systems has often been noted to exhibit
      depression or failure at moderate frequencies of stimulation. While this is often
      presumed to be a transient, nonspecific inability of developing systems to meet
      the demands of synaptic transmission, this report demonstrates that such failure
      in the choroidal neurons of the embryonic ciliary ganglion is due to
      muscarinically mediated inhibition. Although the ganglion is composed of both
      choroid and ciliary neurons, only the choroid neurons exhibit the muscarinic
      depression, and only during embryonic development. The pharmacological properties
      of the relevant receptor are different from those of the muscarinic receptor
      involved in presynaptic inhibition in adult autonomic systems. Receptor-mediated,
      synaptic failure during development may serve to protect immature postsynaptic
      neurons from potentially toxic overstimulation.

PMID- 1426647
TI  - Programmed nuclear death: apoptotic-like degradation of specific nuclei in
      conjugating Tetrahymena.
AB  - During conjugation in the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena, new macronuclei
      differentiate from germinal zygotic micronuclei while parental (old) macronuclei
      are eliminated in two stages, condensation or pycnosis coincident with cessation
      of transcription followed by resorption. We show that pycnosis is accompanied by
      degradation of old macronuclear DNA into oligonucleosome-sized fragments, a
      hallmark of programmed cell death, or apoptosis, in a variety of eukaryotic
      systems. As expected, oligonucleosome formation does not occur in the new micro-
      and macronuclei, confirming the coordination of different developmental fates for
      different nuclei in a common cytoplasm. NULLI 3 conjugants have wild-type old
      macronuclei but lack chromosome 3 germinally and hence in the new macronucleus.
      In NULLI 3 conjugants, old macronuclear pycnosis and oligonucleosome
      fragmentation occur normally but the resorption step fails, and the pycnotic old
      macronucleus is retained, demonstrating that the two steps are genetically
      separable and thus distinct and implying that genes on chromosome 3 in the new
      macronucleus are required for the resorption step. Comparison of whole cell
      polypeptides synthesized during stages of macronuclear development in both wild
      type and NULLI 3 crosses reveal similar profiles. However, a polypeptide
      (apparent M(r) of 53 kDa) synthesized during old macronuclear elimination is not
      observed in NULLI 3 conjugants; its role, if any, in elimination of the old
      macronucleus is unknown. The results show that the old macronucleus is
      selectively destroyed by a mechanism which is remarkably similar to apoptosis in
      other eukaryotes and that the zygotic genome is required for the resorption step.

PMID- 1426648
TI  - Localization of a chymotrypsin-like protease to the perivitelline space of
      Xenopus laevis eggs.
AB  - A chymotrypsin-like protease is released from Xenopus laevis eggs at activation
      and is involved in conversion of the vitelline envelope to the fertilization
      envelope. To localize this enzyme in unactivated and activated eggs, we used the
      synthetic peptide substrate succinylalanylalanylprolylphenylalanyl-4-methoxy-2
      naphthylamide whose product can be visualized using transmission electron
      microscopy. Protease product was localized within the perivitelline space of
      unactivated eggs, appearing as strings of beads. No protease activity was
      detected in activated eggs, which is consistent with the observation that the
      protease is released from the egg at activation.

PMID- 1426649
TI  - Current status and problems in preclinical assessment of immunomodulators.

PMID- 1426650
TI  - Popliteal lymph node assay as a tool to predict drug-induced GvH-like reactions.
AB  - The popliteal lymph node (PLN) assay was proposed to study a panel of drug
      induced clinical manifestations, e.g. lupus syndrome, serum sickness-like
      disease, lymphadenopathy, scleroderma-like reaction, the mechanism of which was
      suggested as being similar to a graft-versus-host (GvH) reaction, hence the term
      GvH-like reaction. This assay can readily be performed in either the mouse or
      rat. The commonest endpoint is PLN weight, but cellularity and lymphocyte
      phenotype analysis can also be determined. Experiments so far show that most
      drugs and chemicals known to induce such complications in man can be detected by
      the PLN assay and false-positive responses are extremely few. Interestingly,
      preliminary results indicate that cimetidine, an immuno-enhancing agent, can
      increase the response to phenytoin, a positive reference compound in the PLN
      assay. Thus, in addition to predicting those drugs with the capacity to induce
      GvH-like reactions and investigating the mechanism involved, the PLN assay may
      also prove useful in the pre-clinical assessment of immunomodulating agents.

PMID- 1426651
TI  - Assessment of the anti-viral effect of a short-term oral treatment of mice with
      live Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells.
AB  - For assessing the efficacy of antiviral treatments, influenza and herpes virus
      HSV-1 infections of varying degrees of severity have been produced. The
      infections proved to be reproducible with respect to both their course and death
      rate. These infections also exhibited a course slow enough to permit the
      assessment of treatments under conditions mimicking human infections and lent
      themselves to the choice of the best adapted strategy to treat an infection. A
      short-term oral treatment with live cells of S. cerevisiae was efficacious in
      protecting mice against mild influenza infection and partly but significantly
      against severe infection. On the other hand, it did not afford significant
      protection towards either mild or severe HSV-1 infections, but it significantly
      potentiated the effectiveness of the antiviral drug vidarabin. S. cerevisiae
      treatment induced the synthesis of IFN alpha but not that of TNF alpha.

PMID- 1426652
TI  - Protodyne: an immunostimulatory protein component, prepared from gram-positive
      Bacillus subtilis.
AB  - A protein component derived from bacterial protoplasm, called Protodyne,
      increases the non-specific resistance to infections by bacteria and viruses. Here
      we show that Protodyne can be prepared not only from Gram-negative bacteria, but
      also from Gram-positive bacilli. Several preparations of Protodyne, prepared from
      Bacillus subtilis by phenol extraction or by ammonium sulfate precipitation, were
      evaluated for immunomodulatory activities in a variety of assays. Protodyne had a
      marked mitogenic activity on mouse spleen cells; it was a potent inducer of tumor
      necrosis factor (TNF) and stimulated production of interleukin-1 (IL-1) in human
      peripheral blood mononuclear cells; it increased the capacity of activated
      macrophages to undergo a respiratory burst, to produce intracellular killing of
      leishmanial parasite and extracellular lysis of mastocytoma cells; it also
      stimulated phagocytosis of latex particles, and prolonged survival of
      immunosuppressed mice infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These activities were
      not inhibited by polymyxin B, indicating that the activity of Protodyne is not
      the result of contamination with exogenous lipopolysaccharide. It appears that
      Protodyne exerts its many immunomodulatory actions by inducing the release of
      soluble mediators, including TNF and IL-1.

PMID- 1426654
TI  - Standardized mouse infection models as a way of evaluating the potency of anti
      infectious agents.
AB  - Standardized bacterial and viral mouse infection models have been developed.
      Infections with extracellular bacteria (K. pneumoniae, S. pneumoniae, S. pyogenes
      A) were produced by either of two routes: via the intravenous route (i.v.)
      resulting in septicaemia and the intranasal route (i.n.) giving infections
      confined to the respiratory apparatus. Infections with intracellular bacteria (L.
      monocytogenes, S. typhimurium) were produced only by the i.v. route. Two types of
      viral infection, mild and severe, were produced. Infection with influenza virus
      was by aerosol and herpes virus HSV-1 by the intraperitoneal route. All infection
      models produced under strictly controlled conditions were shown to be
      characterized by a remarkable reproducibility regarding both the pattern of
      development and death rate. The infection models lend themselves to estimation of
      the efficacy of a drug as well as the designing of new therapeutic strategies.

PMID- 1426653
TI  - A sequential multi-assay protocol for the preclinical assessment of natural
      product complex carbohydrate immunomodulators.
AB  - A major barrier to the understanding, development and utilization of natural
      product complex carbohydrate immunomodulators has been the lack of
      standardization during pre-clinical efficacy and safety testing. In addition, it
      has been our experience that no single assay system or model is adequate for
      assessing preclinical efficacy and safety of these agents. To address these
      important issues, our laboratory group has developed a sequential multi-assay
      protocol for the preclinical evaluation of natural product complex carbohydrate
      immunomodulators. This sequential multi-assay screening protocol is divided into
      four phases: 1) physiochemical characterization of the carbohydrate polymer; 2)
      evaluation of immune stimulatory activity; 3) assessing in vivo anti-microbial
      activity and anti-tumor efficacy and 4) preclinical safety evaluation. This
      sequential protocol provides an effective, reproducible and rational approach to
      the preclinical assessment of complex carbohydrate immunomodulators that, in our
      experience, is predictive of clinical safety and efficacy.

PMID- 1426655
TI  - Ex vivo and in vivo characterization of biological response modifiers (BRMs).

PMID- 1426656
TI  - Evaluation of clinical trials of immunomodulators for prevention of recurrent
      respiratory infections in children.
AB  - Despite numerous clinical studies showing "significant differences" in favour of
      immunomodulators versus placebo in the treatment and/or prevention of recurrent
      respiratory tract infections, the efficiency of such treatments is still not
      readily acknowledged by a large part of the medical profession nor by
      governmental authorities in several countries. In an effort to analyze the causes
      of this scepticism we performed a retrospective study of 15 clinical trials,
      using a series of quality assessment criteria. From the results of our analysis
      we propose a series of recommendations for improving the quality of clinical
      trials with immunomodulators. Furthermore, in order to avoid suspicion of a
      publication bias, we recommend setting up a registry of all ongoing clinical
      studies with immunomodulators.

PMID- 1426657
TI  - Immunomodulators and primary prevention of respiratory infections: methodological
      considerations.
AB  - Immunomodulators have been evaluated mainly for their efficacy as a secondary
      preventive treatment to protect sick children from the recurrence of infections.
      We investigated the efficacy of one such product, IMOCURR, as a primary
      preventive treatment in children attending daycare, who face a very high risk of
      recurrent infections. EPICUR is a double-blind trial which was designed to study
      the efficacy of IMOCURR versus placebo. In order to have sufficient statistical
      power, data collection was based on a daily follow-up procedure and all important
      concomitant risk factors, such as age, environment and season, were controlled at
      the study design stage. The sample size required was calculated to be at least
      400 children and a total of 423 were actually included. The results obtained for
      the total follow-up period and those obtained for the treatment period only were
      very different. This finding raises important questions which have methodological
      implications. This paper discusses these implications.

PMID- 1426658
TI  - Prediction of pulmonary immunodeficiency in chronic bronchitis by cutaneous
      hypoergy to multitest.
AB  - Multitest (Pasteur Merieux) is a plastic disposable device used to assess delayed
      cutaneous hypersensitivity (DCH) to seven antigens. Hypoergy to Multitest is
      believed to reflect a status of compromised cell-mediated immunity. Among the
      many possible pathogenic factors of chronic bronchitis, immunodepression has been
      little investigated. Indeed, whether lower immunodefence is the cause or the
      consequence of chronic bronchitis is still a subject of debate. The aim of the
      study was to evaluate DCH in a large group of patients with chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease (COPD) and in a control group, in order to relate DCH
      (expressed as score, mm) to clinical and functional impairment. One hundred
      patients with COPD in stable conditions and not undergoing treatment with
      immunomodulating drugs (mean age, yr, M +/- SD: 66.1 +/- 6.5) and 40 normal
      controls in the same age range were admitted to the study. Evaluated parameters
      were: symptoms scores, physical examination, lung function tests and Multitest.
      Fifty-three percent of the COPD patients were hypoergic compared with 14% of
      controls. The Multitest score was 10 +/- 10 (mm M +/- SD) in COPD compared with
      17 +/- 9 in controls. The Multitest score was significantly related to age (r = 
      0.45) in the control group, but not in COPD patients. DCH to only three of the
      seven antigens may predict a response to Multitest, with a sensitivity of
      90%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426659
TI  - Immunotherapeutic strategies for neoplasia.

PMID- 1426660
TI  - Peripheral blood specific antibody-forming cells after oral stimulation with a
      ribosomal vaccine.
AB  - A double-blind study was performed in 12 healthy volunteers in order to determine
      whether circulating immunocytes are present after oral immunization. Sequential
      samples of peripheral blood were collected at various times after ingestion of a
      ribosome vaccine (D53) or placebo. Immunoglobulin-containing cells were
      identified in immunofluorescence and specific antibody-forming cells were
      detected in agarose ELISA-spot. Higher numbers of both types of cells were
      observed in the group of individuals receiving ribosomal extracts. An open study
      allowed a better approach to the kinetics of this phenomenon, related to the
      release of activated B-cells from Peyer's patches upon antigenic stimulation.
      This methodological approach has been described in animal models but seldom
      reported in humans.

PMID- 1426661
TI  - Immunostimulant effects on granulocyte functions during an acute respiratory
      infection.
AB  - Treatment of healthy volunteers by Ribomunyl, whether or not in association with
      in vitro antibiotics (amoxicillin or josamycin), has been earlier demonstrated to
      be an efficient stimulant of PMN functions (adhesion and migration). This second
      double-blind study versus placebo was performed on 17 patients with acute
      respiratory infections (placebo group: eight subjects; Ribomunyl group: nine
      subjects). Ribomunyl treatment (four days) associated with antibiotherapy
      (amoxicillin) induced a significant increase of PMN adhesion (p = 0.014) with no
      significant effect of the placebo (p = 0.30) and no significant difference
      between the initial level of PMN adhesion of the two groups (placebo-Ribomunyl).

PMID- 1426662
TI  - Recent progress in immunopharmacology and therapeutic effects of polysaccharides.
AB  - Lentinan, a (1----3)-beta-D-glucan with (1----6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside branches
      and its related polysaccharides have marked antitumour activity in allogeneic,
      syngeneic and autochthonous primary hosts, suppress chemical and viral
      oncogenesis, and prevent cancer recurrence or metastasis after surgery. Results
      of the clinical application of lentinan have proven prolongation of life-span of
      the patients with advanced and recurrent stomach, colorectal and breast cancer
      with only little toxic side effect. These polysaccharides also increase host
      resistance to various kinds of bacterial, viral and parasitic infections
      including AIDS. Lentinan appears to represent Host Defence Potentiators (HDPs),
      which can restore or augment the ability of responsiveness of the host to lympho
      cytokines or other intrinsic bioactive factors through maturation,
      differentiation or proliferation of the important cells for host defence
      mechanisms. That is, HDPs might make the physiological constitution highly cancer
      and infection-resistant, which may be a concept in Oriental Medicine, the
      fundamental principle of which is to regulate homeostasis of the whole body and
      to bring the diseased person to his normal state. HDPs such as lentinan are the
      most appropriate drugs to prevent cancer recurrence, or the manifestation of AIDS
      symptoms in HIV carriers.

PMID- 1426663
TI  - Long-term immunobiological effects of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin
      against bladder carcinoma recurrences.
AB  - Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin is a highly effective therapy against
      superficial bladder cancer recurrences and urothelial carcinoma in situ, the
      antitumoral effects of which seem to be linked to immunological effector
      mechanisms. To characterize further these mechanisms which contribute to the long
      term effectiveness of BCG therapy, the local mononuclear cell subsets as well as
      the local cytokine production were assessed in the bladder wall of patients
      receiving intravesical BCG immunotherapy with special regard to long-term
      persisting changes, using immuno-enzymatical staining methods. All patients
      exhibited a significant increase after BCG in the local mononuclear cell
      population, with a predominance of the helper T-cell subset. Immunocompetent
      cells expressed activation markers for a prolonged period. Furthermore, a
      significant increase in the local cytokine production after the initial course of
      BCG was demonstrable, which persisted even after 12 to 21 months. These changes
      suggest that the BCG-induced activation of the local immune system persists over
      a long period after an initial course of intravesical therapy.

PMID- 1426664
TI  - Standardized viability test required for preventive, immunomodulator and
      recombinant BCG vaccine.
AB  - The protective and immunostimulating effect of the living attenuated BCG vaccine
      cannot be expressed by bacterial mass (mg/dose). Colony forming units (CFU
      10(6)/ml) and 95% confidence limit estimates as precise in vitro potency tests
      are required for the exact evaluation of the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of
      the BCG vaccine. The laboratory technique and computerized statistical analysis
      presented here ensure the precision and validity of the BCG viability test,
      permit the standardized BCG CFU 10(6)/ml unbiased point and confidence interval
      estimation for preventive and immunomodulator administration of the BCG vaccines
      and the evaluation of the genetic transformation frequency in recombinant BCG
      experiments.

PMID- 1426665
TI  - Stability of BCG vaccine (intravesical) Theracys/BCG therapeutic ImmuCyst and its
      importance in clinical efficacy.
AB  - The manufacture of Therapeutic BCG can and should be a controlled process, to
      ensure adequate treatment doses are received by CIS patients. Standardization of
      production methods and CFU potency testing methods are essential to ensure
      continued successful treatment of CIS. Stability data can be used to validate
      assumptions about Therapeutic BCG potency used in clinical trials. Accelerated
      heat degradation studies of Therapeutic BCG should not be used for predictions of
      shelf life, but can be used for comparative purposes.

PMID- 1426666
TI  - Standardization of BCG multiple puncture 40 mg and BCG live (intravesical)
      Theracys/BCG therapeutic Immucyst.

PMID- 1426667
TI  - Evaluation of clinical data in bladder cancer immunotherapy with Connaught BCG
      (ImmuCyst).
AB  - Treatment of superficial bladder carcinoma in situ with Connaught BCG (ImmuCyst)
      significantly increased complete response rate and extended the disease-free
      interval when compared with Doxorubicin (DOX) chemotherapy. In 54 patients
      treated with ImmuCyst, 74% showed complete response compared with 42% of 60
      patients treated with DOX. The median disease-free time was 48.2 months for BCG
      and 5.9 months for DOX treatment. Types and severity of adverse reactions were
      similar for both treatments and within tolerable ranges.

PMID- 1426668
TI  - Overall evaluation of immunomodulators.

PMID- 1426669
TI  - How can we stimulate the immune system in vivo?

PMID- 1426670
TI  - Immunomodulators.

PMID- 1426671
TI  - Oral administration of immunomodulators and the mucosal immune system.
AB  - Orally administered antigens reach the lymphoid tissue in Peyer's patches in the
      gut where they initiate an immune response with clonal expansion of antigen
      specific T and B cells. Activated T cells migrate through lymph and blood to
      intestinal epithelium (intra-epithelial leukocytes) whereas activated B cells
      migrate to the lamina propria, other mucosae and exocrine glands where they
      differentiate into plasma cells secreting polymeric IgA1 or IgA2. These
      antibodies are transported across the epithelial cells after binding to a poly-Ig
      receptor, then excreted in the lumen as secretory IgA. Reciprocal interactions
      have been demonstrated between lymphoid and epithelial cells in the mucosae. Oral
      administration of antigens in different experimental models may induce the
      production of secretory antibodies and/or systemic unresponsiveness with
      suppression of delayed-type hypersensitivity or specific IgG and IgE antibody
      production or both. New strategies are currently being explored for the
      development of oral vaccines using recombinant antigens or viral vectors (e.g.
      pox-viruses, vaccinia virus, cholera toxin B subunit etc.). Conversely,
      immunomodulating compounds or procedures which could enhance specific oral
      tolerance in association with antigen would have considerable therapeutic
      applications in auto-immune diseases and allergy.

PMID- 1426672
TI  - Synthetic lipopeptide immunomodulators derived from bacterial lipoprotein: tools
      for the standardization of in vitro assays.
AB  - For the evaluation of immunomodulators by in vitro assays, agents working
      reproducibly are difficult to obtain; conventional preparations of bacterial
      immunomodulators tend to vary for different preparations. Here we suggest that
      synthetic lipopeptide analogues derived from bacterial lipoprotein can be used as
      standards for various in vitro assays: studying B lymphocyte activation,
      lipopeptides act as potent mitogens and polyclonal activators inducing
      immunoglobulin synthesis. In monocytes/macrophages, lipopeptide stimulate the
      secretion of IL-1, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and nitrogen oxide (NO);
      they also induce tumor cytotoxicity. Lipopeptides also constitute potent immuno
      adjuvants in vitro and in vivo, either in combination with or covalently bound to
      antigen. These activities are displayed in various species; in mice they are
      found in LPS non-responder and responder strains. The novel synthetic
      lipopeptides described here can be synthesized readily in gram amounts with high
      purity and reproducibility; they are non-toxic and can be stored for a long time
      even at room temperature. Thus, lipopeptides meet the requirements to serve as
      effective standards for a multitude of relevant biological assays.

PMID- 1426673
TI  - Classification of immunotherapeutic agents.

PMID- 1426674
TI  - IMOCUR stimulates production of immunoglobulins; preliminary results concerning a
      correlation between in vitro and in vivo experiments.
AB  - The bacterial extract IMOCUR is described as an in vivo stimulant of antibody
      production during animal testing and human clinical trials. Using a slightly
      modified procedure (13) dealing with in vitro immunoglobulin production by
      C57B1/6 mouse spleen cells, we have shown that IMOCUR potentiates spontaneous IgM
      production. In order to explore the putative relation between this in vitro
      activity and the current in vivo control test (stimulation of plaque-forming cell
      production after sheep red blood cell injection to Balb/c mouse), we have assayed
      10 lyophilisates in vitro and in vivo before and after heat inactivation (80
      degrees C, 7 days in a saturated water atmosphere). Results have shown that this
      treatment inhibits, respectively, totally and partially in vivo and in vitro
      activities. Thus the in vitro technique seems to be appropriate for the control
      of activity of the various batches of IMOCUR. Experiments are under way to
      clarify the mathematical correlation which may exist between the in vitro and in
      vivo experiments.

PMID- 1426676
TI  - In vitro analysis of immunomodulators.

PMID- 1426675
TI  - C-fos and c-myc modulation, mitogenic effect and Ia expression in the P388D1
      murine macrophage line treated by immunomodifiers.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the early modulation of
      the c-fos and c-myc oncogenes could give some orientation to the impact of
      immunomodulators on the monocyte-macrophage lineage. In order to work in a
      homogeneous system we used the P388D1 mouse macrophage cell-line which is
      considered as an almost mature macrophage. When P388D1 cells were stimulated by
      LPS, interferon-gamma or the association of both compounds, no direct correlation
      could be found between the modulation of DNA synthesis and the early expression
      of the c-fos and c-myc oncogenes. The positive regulation of Ia antigen
      expression seemed to correlate with the absence of induction of c-fos oncogene.

PMID- 1426677
TI  - Immunotoxicology of immunomodulators.
AB  - Immunotoxicology is the study of the immune system as a target organ for the
      toxicity of drugs and chemicals. As immunotoxicologists focused most of their
      interest on immunosuppression, the toxic consequences of immunomodulation are
      less clearly established. However, a number of immunopharmacologically-mediated
      side-effects including influenza-like symptoms, exacerbation of underlying
      diseases, e.g. autoimmune diseases, increase in hypersensitivity reactions
      against unrelated antigens and inhibition of hepatic drug metabolism have been
      described and may be used as a basis for further safety evaluation. Current pre
      clinical assessment of immunotoxicity is usually performed in the rat during sub
      chronic testing. The relevance of these protocols as far as immunomodulators are
      concerned is unknown. Careful attention should be paid to safety pharmacology
      testing, e.g. cytokine release, effects on animal models of auto-immune and
      hypersensitivity reactions, and hepatic drug metabolism. The role of post
      marketing drug surveillance should also be emphasized. Advances in our
      understanding of the mechanism(s) of immunomodulation together with the
      development of more active immunomodulators are expected to improve the current
      pre-clinical safety assessment of these compounds.

PMID- 1426678
TI  - 18q- chromosomal abnormality in a phenotypically normal 2 1/2-year-old male with
      autism.
AB  - The authors report the case of a 2 1/2-year-old male with autism, with an 18q-
      chromosomal abnormality in the absence of phenotypical features of the 18q-
      syndrome. It is suggested that clinicians evaluating children with autistic
      disorders consider obtaining chromosome analysis, even in the absence of
      phenotypical abnormalities.

PMID- 1426679
TI  - Is the cure worse than the disease? Caveats in the move from laboratory to
      clinic.

PMID- 1426680
TI  - Drug management of epilepsy.

PMID- 1426681
TI  - Mother and daughter with Rett syndrome.

PMID- 1426682
TI  - Microcephaly and intelligence re-examined.

PMID- 1426683
TI  - The cost of ignorance.

PMID- 1426684
TI  - Effect of abuse and neglect on the development of children's speech and language.

PMID- 1426685
TI  - Peripheral and central mechanisms of hindfoot equinus in childhood hemiplegia.
AB  - A detailed clinical examination of 24 hemiplegic children at a mean age of 9.9
      years showed that nine had an obligate toe-strike when walking at a self-selected
      speed and this was maintained throughout stance. None of the 24 children had a
      fixed equinus. No association could be found between this pattern of gait equinus
      and lower-limb atrophy, reduced ankle-joint range, muscle extensibilite, power of
      dorsiflexors and plantarflexors or actual muscle imbalance at the ankle joint.
      Gait equinus was independent of reduced compliance of the calf muscles, of a
      clinical diagnosis of tonic spasticity, of fine-motor dexterity of the toes, and
      of the side of the hemiplegia. Gait equinus cannot be explained merely in terms
      of a central paralytic foot-drop. A developmental model of equinus is advanced.

PMID- 1426686
TI  - Calf-tendon jerks are altered in congenital equinovarus deformity.
AB  - Stretch reflexes of posterior tibial (PT) and triceps surae (TS) muscles were
      studied electrophysiologically in 27 children with unoperated unilateral
      congenital equinovarus deformity, in an attempt to evaluate changes in tone of
      the leg muscles as a possible pathogenetic factor. Significantly reduced latency
      of the PT responses on the affected side was recorded in a majority of patients.
      In most patients the amplitudes of the PT responses were asymmetrical; however,
      lateralization was inconsistent. The TS responses were asymmetrical in a smaller
      proportion of the patients, though still significantly different from the
      controls. The findings suggest an asymmetrical increase in excitability level of
      the PT motoneuron pool on the affected side.

PMID- 1426687
TI  - The offspring of people with cerebral palsy.
AB  - To test a hypothesis that a placental deficit as a possible cause of CP might be
      transmitted, 88 people with congenital CP were contacted by questionnaire and
      letters. They had had 122 children, 93 per cent of whom were reported to be
      normal. The frequency of miscarriages and toxaemia was normal. 5 per cent of the
      mothers had had emergency caesarean sections. Three mothers also had minor
      malformations. The mean gestational age of the children was 38.8 weeks and their
      mean birthweight was 3295g. The mean birthweight of the mothers born preterm was
      984g and that of their babies was 3244g. Two of the 122 children had diplegia,
      four had malformations, one had trisomy 18 and there was one stillbirth.

PMID- 1426688
TI  - Care-load for children and young adults with severe cerebral palsy.
AB  - Care-load was analysed for 44 children and young adults (mean age 18.9 years)
      with severe spastic quadriplegia. All were enrolled in a residential
      school/hospital and used wheelchairs. The majority were in the moderate to
      borderline range of mental retardation. They were monitored for 24 hours a day
      over a seven-day period, and were timed in 10 major activities, including basic
      care (bathing, toileting, dressing, grooming, feeding), as well as sleep,
      leisure, education/vocation, counseling/psychosocial therapy, medical/nursing
      care, transportation, and at home. The findings replicated those of an earlier
      Swedish study, which suggests that the basic care needs of individuals with
      severe cerebral palsy may be predictable, regardless of the type of care being
      provided.

PMID- 1426689
TI  - Technical aids for daily activities: a regional survey of 204 disabled children.
AB  - Home-care of even severely disabled children is strongly favoured today. However,
      the role of technical aids for daily activities has not been emphasised in the
      assessment of the needs of families with disabled children. This study evaluated
      the extent of help needed for daily living among 204 disabled children and the
      uses and role of and need for technical aids for eating, dressing, toileting and
      bathing. The children needed much help. Severely disabled children and their
      parents benefited most from the use of aids. The structured interview
      unexpectedly revealed many problems, including a considerable need for extra aids
      for dressing, bathing and toileting. The parents were ready to accept technical
      aids, but needed more information on their possibilities, benefits and
      therapeutic aspects. The authors conclude that the need for technical aids for
      daily activities is not readily recognised during outpatient or hospital visits.

PMID- 1426690
TI  - Goldenhar syndrome and autistic behaviour.
AB  - Two girls with concomitant Goldenhar syndrome (oculo-auriculovertebral spectrum
      disorder) and autistic disorder are described. One was diagnosed as having
      Goldenhar syndrome in the first few weeks of life and as having autistic disorder
      in her fifth year; the other was diagnosed as having Goldenhar syndrome when she
      was referred for evaluation of autistic symptoms at seven years of age. The type
      of physical abnormalities encountered in Goldenhar syndrome suggests damage to
      neural structures in the second or late stages of the first trimester. The two
      cases described in this report suggest that autistic disorder sometimes can
      result from neural damage during the second trimester.

PMID- 1426691
TI  - Is a fluoroscopic verification of the electrode position necessary in ambulatory
      intragastric pH monitoring?
AB  - To assess whether a fluoroscopic verification of the electrode position is
      necessary before and whether electrode displacement occurs during intragastric pH
      measurements, a crossover study was performed in 20 healthy male volunteers. The
      pH electrode was initially placed in the gastric corpus using pH readings and
      catheter length only, and the electrode tip was fluoroscopically located before
      and after the 24-hour study. Only in one study arm was an adjustment of the
      electrode position allowed, if fluoroscopy showed a position outside the gastric
      body. Thirty-seven (92%) of all 40 electrodes were in the corpus when placed by
      pH-metric methods alone. With fluoroscopic guidance, 2 of the 3 electrodes lying
      outside the corpus could be repositioned as desired. The median night, day or 24
      hour gastric pHs measured in the groups with or without replacement of the
      electrode tip were identical. Displacement after 24-hour measurements did not
      occur with initially correctly positioned electrodes. Fluoroscopy is not
      necessary for the verification of the position of electrodes placed by pH-metric
      techniques in individuals with residual acid secretion, and electrode
      displacement is rare.

PMID- 1426692
TI  - Functional and structural changes in the jejunum of the rat following cysteamine
      and stress-induced duodenal ulcer.
AB  - The effects of cysteamine and stress-induced duodenal ulcer on the functional and
      structural properties of the rat jejunum were investigated. The absorptive
      capacity of the jejunum was determined using alanine as the permeant solute and
      the single-pass perfusion technique. A statistically significant decrease (p <
      0.01) in alanine absorption was observed after 8 h and 3 days of duodenal ulcer
      induction by stress and cysteamine respectively. However, alanine transport
      measured 7 days after cysteamine or stress ulcer induction showed no significant
      change from control values. Cysteamine and stress-induced duodenal ulcer did not
      show any significant change in water absorption across the jejunum when measured
      after 8 h, 3 and 7 days of ulcer induction. Microscopically, the jejunum of rats
      with 3-day cysteamine-induced ulcer exhibited diffuse type of apical derangements
      with excessive swelling of the villi and progressive degenerative changes. No
      such changes were noticed on the 7th day nor in the jejunum of the rats with
      stress-induced duodenal ulcer. The results suggest that cysteamine-induced
      duodenal ulcer produces an inhibition in the absorptive capacity of the jejunum
      which is time-dependent and reversible.

PMID- 1426693
TI  - Continuous monitoring of sodium ion concentration in the human stomach--a new
      technique for the detection of duodenogastric reflux.
AB  - Measurement of sodium ion concentration in gastric juice offers a simple means of
      detecting duodenogastric reflux (DGR). Using aspirated gastric juice, we measured
      sodium ion concentration, bile acid levels and phospholipase A2 activity and
      found that sodium ion levels increase along with these other standard markers
      during DGR. Following this, using a sodium ion selective electrode and a portable
      data logger, continuous recordings of sodium ion concentration were made in the
      human stomach. These studies demonstrated the ability of sodium ion monitoring to
      detect major DGR episodes in the body of the stomach.

PMID- 1426694
TI  - Cellular immune responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to HBV antigens
      during chronic and acute HBV infection.
AB  - Patients with acute self-limited and chronic HBV infection were studied to
      determine their in vitro cellular immune response to HBV antigens. In interferon
      gamma production cultures which were evaluated as an indicator of cellular immune
      response, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with HBeAg-positive
      chronic hepatitis showed elevated response to HBcAg, while those from HBeAg
      positive asymptomatic carriers revealed no response to either HBcAg or HBeAg.
      HBeAg-stimulated interferon-gamma production was higher in anti-HBe-positive
      chronic hepatitis and asymptomatic carriers than that in HBeAg-positive patients.
      Interferon-gamma production against HBcAg was shown to be HLA class II restricted
      by blocking assay using monoclonal antibodies. HBsAg with or without pre-S2 did
      not amplify interferon-gamma production of patients with chronic hepatitis. In
      acute hepatitis B, both envelope and nucleocapsid antigens induced greater
      interferon-gamma production than in chronic HBV carriers. These results indicate
      that the patients with acute hepatitis responded more to HBV antigens compared
      with chronic HBV carriers. Furthermore, enhanced cellular immune responses,
      particularly to HBeAg, were observed in anti-HBe-positive patients compared to
      HBeAg-positive patients during chronic HBV infection, suggesting that the poor
      response to HBeAg in HBeAg-positive patients may account for the failure to clear
      HBV.

PMID- 1426695
TI  - Low incidence of ulcerative colitis and proctitis in Bangladeshi migrants in
      Britain.
AB  - To assess the incidence of ulcerative colitis and proctitis in a defined migrant
      population, a retrospective, epidemiological community study was performed in the
      London Borough of Tower Hamlets from 1972 to 1989. The population of 164,000
      includes 28,000 Bangladeshis. Potential cases were identified from hospital
      departments of pathology and medical records. There were 107 cases of ulcerative
      colitis in Europeans and 5 in Bangladeshis. There were 74 and 2 cases of
      proctitis in these communities, respectively. The mean standardised incidence of
      ulcerative colitis in Bangladeshis (1.8 cases/10(5)/year) was marginally lower
      than in Europeans (6.2 cases/10(5)/year, Z = 0.7, n.s.). The mean standardised
      incidence of proctitis in Bangladeshis was 0.6 cases/10(5)/year and in Europeans
      3.2 cases/10(5)/year (Z = 0.6 n.s.). Anatomical extent of colitis was similar in
      all ethnic communities, although complications were less likely in minority
      groups. These findings suggest that the incidence of ulcerative colitis and
      proctitis in Bangladeshis, in Britain, is amongst the lowest in the world.

PMID- 1426697
TI  - Effects of ethanol and wine on hepatic arterial and portal venous flows in
      conscious dogs.
AB  - The effects of ethanol and wine on hepatic arterial and portal venous flows were
      examined in conscious dogs. Ethanol was given intravenously or intragastrically,
      and red wine (ethanol: 14%) was given intragastrically over 30 min. Intravenous
      ethanol (0.8 g/kg) and intragastric ethanol (14% vol/vol) increased hepatic
      arterial flow, which remained elevated for 60 min after the cessation of ethanol
      administration. Ethanol also increased portal venous flow. Portal venous flow
      returned gradually toward basal levels after the cessation of intravenous ethanol
      infusion, whereas it remained elevated even after the cessation of intragastric
      ethanol. Intragastric wine increased hepatic arterial and portal venous flows. In
      contrast to intragastric ethanol, hepatic arterial flow continued to rise after
      the cessation of intragastric wine infusion, while portal venous flow returned
      toward basal levels. We conclude that, though both ethanol and wine increase
      hepatic blood flow, the responses of hepatic arterial and portal venous flows
      differ substantially among intravenous ethanol, intragastric ethanol and
      intragastric wine.

PMID- 1426696
TI  - Fat and gastric acid secretion.
AB  - To evaluate the importance of the terminal carboxyl group of the oleic acid
      molecule in the inhibition of gastric acid secretion, 6 normal persons were
      stimulated twice with duodenal perfusates containing either 20 mM oleic acid or
      20 mM oleyl alcohol. Oleic acid significantly inhibited the gastric acid
      secretion stimulated by pentagastrin (100 ng/kg/h) and increased the levels of
      secretin in plasma. The effect of oleyl alcohol was insignificant. It is
      concluded that the carboxyl group of the fat molecule has an important role in
      the inhibition of gastric acid secretion, and the effect could in part be
      attributable to the release of secretin into plasma.

PMID- 1426698
TI  - Sonographic imaging of extracorporeal shock wave effects in the liver and
      gallbladder of dogs.
AB  - During extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, changes in tissue echogenicity are
      observed by ultrasound. Their significance is not known. An experiment was
      performed in which 3,000 extracorporeal shock waves were applied under
      sonographic observation to the gallbladder wall of 6 dogs. No stones had been
      implanted, but transient shadows appeared simulating jumping stone fragments in
      the bladder. Echoes within the bladder lumen occurred in 3 dogs and were
      associated with hemorrhage into the lumen; in an additional ex vivo experiment,
      shock waves generated echoes in bile only after injection of a small amount of
      blood. In the liver, a transient increase in echogenicity was noted after a few
      shocks; it coincided with the region of tissue damage. Intense focal echoes
      occurred in the liver of 2 dogs at sites where a hematoma was found at autopsy.
      It is concluded that an increased focal echogenicity is an indicator of tissue
      damage by shock waves. The sonographic changes are thought to be caused by the
      transient generation of gas bubbles. The interaction of shock waves with gas
      bubbles is an established powerful mechanism which could explain the generation
      of tissue damage by shock waves.

PMID- 1426699
TI  - Increased luminal release of hyaluronan in uninvolved jejunum in active Crohn's
      disease but not in inactive disease or in relatives.
AB  - Recently obtained data suggest that there is a subclinic inflammatory activity in
      the apparently uninvolved intestinal mucosa in Crohn's disease (CD). As CD is
      characterized by an activation of connective tissue and fibrosis, we investigated
      the extent to which hyaluronan (HA), an essential component of the connective
      tissue, was released into the lumen of an isolated jejunal segment in CD patients
      and in relatives. Patients with active CD of the terminal ileum (CD activity
      index, CDAI, > 150; n = 14), patients with CD in remission (CDAI < 150 n = 10),
      first-degree relatives of the CD patients (n = 21) and healthy controls (n = 43)
      were orally intubated with a catheter allowing occlusion and perfusion of a
      segment of the proximal jejunum. The jejunal fluid concentration of HA was 65 +/-
      45 micrograms/l in patients with active CD in the terminal ileum, significantly
      higher than the value for 43 healthy controls (42 +/- 23 micrograms/l; p < 0.05),
      and the corresponding values for patients in remission (42 +/- 23 micrograms/l)
      and for first-degree relatives of the CD patients (53 +/- 52 micrograms/l), were
      not increased compared to the control group. To localize HA in the tissue, small
      bowel biopsies were taken during surgery from patients with CD and from controls
      and affinity stained for HA. There was an intense staining for HA in the lamina
      propria of the villi, both in biopsies from patients with CD and from controls,
      but no staining in the epithelium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426700
TI  - Severe exacerbation of chronic active hepatitis B during interferon alpha
      therapy.
AB  - The case of a 52-year-old male with chronic active type B hepatitis in whom
      severe exacerbation of liver disease was associated with interferon alpha
      treatment is described. It seems that patients with very active forms of chronic
      hepatitis B may experience severe and symptomatic exacerbation of liver disease
      during interferon treatment.

PMID- 1426701
TI  - The location and expression of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) in F9 visceral and
      parietal embryonic cells after retinoic acid-induced differentiation.
AB  - It is well-established that fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) participate in
      mesoderm formation and patterning in the developing embryo. To identify cells in
      mammalian embryos that produce and/or respond to FGFs, we utilized the F9
      teratocarcinoma cell system. Undifferentiated F9 cells resemble inner cell mass
      (ICM) cells of the mouse blastocyst by several criteria including having a
      characteristic high nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio and by their expression of stage
      specific embryonic antigens. F9 stem cells differ from ICM cells by their low
      spontaneous rate of differentiation and their differentiation potential. ICM
      cells are heterogeneous with a proportion of the cells maintaining totipotency.
      In contrast, F9 stem cells appear capable of forming only endodermal derivatives.
      Retinoic acid (RA) treatment of F9 stem cells is required for them to
      differentiate, and under different culturing conditions the F9 cells will form
      either extraembryonic parietal or visceral endoderm. We have previously shown
      that FGF is synthesized by F9 parietal endoderm, but not by F9 stem cells. Our
      present study demonstrates that F9 aggregate cultures that contain visceral
      endoderm cells produce cell-associated-heparin-binding mitogens for 3T3 and
      endothelial cells, factors with characteristics of FGFs. Furthermore, our studies
      detect endothelial cell-mitogens within the extracellular matrix (ECM) of F9
      parietal endoderm cells, not detected within F9 stem cell 'matrices'. Parietal
      endoderm cell matrix mitogens could be removed by prior treatment of the ECM with
      buffers containing heparin or 2 M NaCl, and could be neutralized by basic FGF
      antibodies.

PMID- 1426702
TI  - The influence of type I collagen on the growth and differentiation of the human
      colonic adenocarcinoma cell line HT-29 in vitro.
AB  - HT-29 Human colonic adenocarcinoma cells when grown on a plastic substratum were
      anaplastic in appearance and failed to express any morphological or biochemical
      features that were characteristic of intestinal differentiation. Growth of HT-29
      cells subcutaneously in the flank of immune deprived mice gave rise to
      morphologically heterogeneous tumors which were poorly differentiated but
      contained approximately 11% of cells with an intestinal phenotype: these showed
      features typical of cell polarization with well-developed microvilli, tight
      junctional complexes and desmosomes between adjacent cells. The transfer of cells
      from plastic onto either a fixed (designated 'non-released') or floating
      (designated 'released') type I collagen gel induced some morphological features
      typical of intestinal differentiation; for example goblet-like cells were
      observed after 9 days, but biochemical markers of differentiation were expressed
      only modestly. The continued subculture of HT-29 cells on collagen type I gels,
      which were either attached to the plastic or floating in the medium, induced some
      morphological features of intestinal differentiation and changes in the activity
      of brush border-associated enzymes. Alkaline phosphatase activity was enhanced
      from 1.3 x 10(-3) mumoles/mg/min for cells cultured on plastic substrata to 2.1 x
      10(-3) mumoles/mg/min when gels were non-released, and 2.9 x 10(-3)
      mumoles/mg/min when gels were released after 12 days of culture. This was
      confirmed by electron microscopical visualization of alkaline phosphatase
      activity. Elevated levels of aminopeptidase activity were also observed on day 12
      (plastic = 26 milliunits/mg; non-released gel = 41 milliunits/mg; released gel =
      36 milliunits/mg). Similarly, changes occurred in the secretion of
      carcinoembryonic antigen from 0.96 x 10(-2) micrograms/mg/48 hours by cells
      cultured on plastic to 2.3 x 10(-2) micrograms/mg/48 hours by cells cultured on
      floating collagen gels. The effects of permitting HT-29 cells to undergo
      polarization were tested by culture on inert filter inserts: morphological
      features of intestinal differentiation were observed although this did not occur
      until after 21 days. These studies show that optimization of the growth
      conditions of anaplastic cells in vitro may provide cultures more representative
      of the tumor in vivo. This model system may be useful for cell biological and
      pharmacological studies of colon carcinoma.

PMID- 1426703
TI  - Examination of the role of the proteolytically-activated form of protein kinase C
      in the differentiation of human haemopoietic cells.
AB  - In neutrophils, the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)
      induced the translocation of the Ca(++)- and phospholipid-dependent protein
      kinase, protein kinase C (PK-C) from the soluble to the particulate fraction. At
      the same time there was a corresponding increase in the amount of Ca(++)- and
      phospholipid-independent protein kinase activity recovered in the soluble
      fraction. This soluble Ca(++)- and phospholipid-independent protein kinase
      presumably reflects proteolytic activation of the particulate associated PK-C.
      Bone marrow and undifferentiated HL-60 cells also translocated PK-C to the
      particulate fraction in response to TPA but did not accumulate the soluble Ca(++)
      and phospholipid-independent form of the enzyme. Similar results were obtained
      using HL-60 cells induced to differentiate with dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO),
      recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rh GM-CSF) or
      1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. There was also no significant change in either
      the number or time of expression of differentiation-specific cell surface
      antigens observed on HL-60 cells induced to differentiate with either DMSO, 1
      alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 or TPA in the presence of cyclosporin A, an agent
      reported to inhibit the proteolytic breakdown of PK-C to the Ca(++)- and
      phospholipid-independent form. Likewise, cyclosporin A did not affect the rate of
      extent of differentiation of primary bone marrow cell cultures. These results
      suggest that the proteolytically activated and phospholipid-independent form of
      PK-C is probably not involved in haemopoietic cell differentiation.

PMID- 1426704
TI  - Chemical allergy: molecular mechanisms and practical applications.
AB  - Allergic reactions can be defined as the adverse, tissue-damaging, and sometimes
      fatal consequences of specific immune responses, usually to exogenous antigens.
      In the context of toxicology it is allergic reactions resulting from immune
      responses to chemicals and drugs which are of greatest relevance. The allergy may
      take a variety of forms including contact hypersensitivity (allergic contact
      dermatitis), respiratory hypersensitivity (with symptoms ranging from mild
      rhinitis to severe asthma), and various types of comparatively ill-defined
      reactions which in many respects resemble autoimmunity. Of these contact
      hypersensitivity is the most frequently encountered health problem resulting from
      the interaction of chemicals with the immune system. A wide variety of chemicals
      are able to induce contact sensitization. Some of these are, in addition, known
      to cause respiratory hypersensitivity, a less frequent, but no less important,
      form of chemical allergy.

PMID- 1426705
TI  - Further validation of an in vitro method to reduce the need for in vivo studies
      for measuring the absorption of chemicals through rat skin.
AB  - Current requirements for the registration of agrochemicals, particularly in the
      U.S.A., often require the provision of dermal absorption data. In this process
      the rat is often used and complex in vivo studies, using large numbers of
      animals, are performed. We have compared the data obtained from in vivo and in
      vitro dermal absorption studies using eight pesticides with a range of
      physicochemical properties. Measurements were made of the 14C-labeled pesticides
      which could be washed from the skin, were associated with (on/in) skin, or
      absorbed through the skin following dermal applications in vivo and in vitro at
      various time points over a 24-hr exposure period. Good agreement was found
      between the amounts washed from and associated with the skin in vivo and in
      vitro. Over the time period 4-24 hr after application the in vitro experiments
      predicted the in vivo absorption within a factor of 2-3. These results show that,
      with a range of pesticide molecules, the in vitro method accurately predicted in
      vivo absorption supporting the utilization of the in vitro method for risk
      assessment from exposure to pesticides and other chemicals.

PMID- 1426706
TI  - A comparative study of the rates of in vitro percutaneous absorption of eight
      chemicals using rat and human skin.
AB  - In vitro percutaneous absorption studies were carried out for eight chemicals
      using full thickness rat skin and human stratum corneum. The purpose of the
      studies was to compare the rates of absorption for the two species. For each of
      the chemicals, the observed rate using full thickness rat skin was greater than
      that observed for human stratum corneum. The ratios of the rates (rat/human)
      varied from 1.7 to 5.8 with a mean value of 3.1. The chemicals tested were
      tritiated water, 2-ethoxyethyl acetate, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, urea,
      di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, 2-ethylhexanol, ethyl 3-ethoxypropionate, and 2
      propoxyethanol. The chemicals were chosen to represent a wide range of physical
      properties and permeability constant values. It was concluded that rat skin was
      more permeable than human skin for each of these eight chemicals. This conclusion
      is supported by similar findings from studies in other laboratories and suggests
      that results from studies in the rat overestimate skin absorption in man.

PMID- 1426707
TI  - Rate and route of oxidation of acrylic acid to carbon dioxide in rat liver.
AB  - Results of in vivo metabolism studies with acrylic acid (AA) have indicated that
      60-80% of the administered dose is excreted as CO2 within 2-8 hr of oral dosing
      of rats; however, the pathway of AA metabolism to CO2 in mammals has not been
      determined. To define this route, rat hepatocytes were isolated and incubated
      with [1-14C]AA in a sealed vial modified to trap evolved 14CO2. Rapid oxidation
      of AA to CO2 was observed. Similar incubations conducted with rat liver
      homogenates fortified with ATP, ADP, coenzyme A, carnitine, and malate also
      resulted in oxidation of AA. Mitochondria isolated from liver homogenates were
      incubated with AA under the same conditions and yielded higher rates of AA
      oxidation than homogenates. Addition of equimolar amounts of propionic acid, 3
      hydroxypropionic acid, or 3-mercaptopropionic acid significantly inhibited the
      oxidation of AA by mitochondria. HPLC analysis of the mitochondrial incubation
      mixtures indicated that a single major metabolite, which coeluted with 3
      hydroxypropionate, accumulated in the solution. The results indicate that AA is
      rapidly incorporated into a mitochondrial pathway for propionic acid catabolism
      that results in the release of CO2 and possible bioincorporation as acetate. This
      pathway appears to be the principal route of detoxification of AA in mammals.

PMID- 1426708
TI  - The developmental toxicity of 2-ethylhexanoic acid in Wistar rats.
AB  - The developmental toxicity of 2-ethylhexanoic acid (2-EHA), a wood preservative
      and a mammalian metabolite of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate was examined in Wistar
      rats (20-21 pregnant females/dose). Mated animals were exposed to 2-EHA in their
      drinking water at doses of 100, 300, or 600 mg/kg/day on Days 6-19 of gestation.
      Control animals received vehicle water. The fetuses were examined (on Gestational
      Day 20) for external, visceral, and skeletal malformations and variations. 2-EHA
      was marginally toxic to the dams at 600 mg/kg, but not at lower doses, since the
      mean near term body weight was reduced by 11%. This dose level was also slightly
      fetotoxic as indicated by a 5 to 8% decrease in the mean fetal body weight both
      in males and females. No treatment-related effects were observed in the number of
      implantations or live fetuses. At doses of 100 mg/kg and above, 2-EHA caused
      skeletal malformations (clubfoot, absence of fibula, polydactyly), while the
      development of visceral tissues was less affected. The number of affected fetuses
      increased in a dose-dependent way (4.9, 8.9, and 15.3% of treated offspring at
      100, 300, and 600 mg/kg/day, respectively, vs 2.4% control). These results
      indicate that 2-EHA is teratogenic in rats already at doses which are not yet
      maternally toxic. The skeleton appears to be the main target of 2-EHA in
      developing rats.

PMID- 1426709
TI  - Carcinogenicity of oral cadmium in the male Wistar (WF/NCr) rat: effect of
      chronic dietary zinc deficiency.
AB  - The effect of chronic dietary zinc deficiency on the carcinogenic potential of
      dietary cadmium was assessed in male Wistar (WF/NCr) rats. Groups (n = 28) of
      rats were fed diets adequate (60 ppm) or marginally deficient (7 ppm) in zinc and
      containing cadmium at various levels (0, 25, 50, 100, or 200 ppm). Lesions were
      assessed over the following 77 weeks. Zinc deficiency alone had no effect on
      survival, growth, or food consumption. Cadmium treatment did not reduce survival
      or food consumption and only at the highest doses of cadmium (100 and 200 ppm)
      was body weight reduced (maximum 17%). The incidence of prostatic proliferative
      lesions, both hyperplasias and adenomas, was increased over that seen in controls
      (1.8%) in both zinc-adequate (20%) and zinc-deficient rats (14%) fed 50 ppm
      cadmium. The overall incidence for prostatic lesions for all cadmium treatment
      groups was, however, much lower in zinc-deficient rats, possibly because of a
      marked increase in prostatic atrophy that was associated with reduced zinc
      intake. Cadmium treatment resulted in an elevated leukemia incidence (maximum 4.8
      fold over control) in both zinc-adequate and zinc-deficient groups, although zinc
      deficiency reduced the potency of cadmium in this respect. Testicular tumors were
      significantly elevated only in rats receiving 200 ppm cadmium and diets adequate
      in zinc. Both zinc-deficient and zinc-adequate groups showed significant positive
      trends for development of testicular neoplasia with increasing cadmium dosage.
      Thus, oral cadmium exposure is clearly associated with tumors of the prostate,
      testes, and hematopoietic system in rats, while dietary zinc deficiency has
      complex, apparently inhibitory, effects on cadmium carcinogenesis by this route.

PMID- 1426710
TI  - In vivo and in vitro percutaneous absorption and skin evaporation of isofenphos
      in man.
AB  - Studies were done to determine the percutaneous absorption of isofenphos in human
      volunteers from whom informed consent had been obtained. In vivo absorption in
      man was 3.6 +/- 3.6% of applied dose for 24-hr exposure and 3.6 +/- 0.5% for 72
      hr exposure. Skin wash recovery data show that isofenphos evaporates from in vivo
      skin during the absorption process; the surface dose is minimal (< 1%) by 24 hr.
      Skin stripping showed no residual isofenphos in stratum corneum. This explains
      the similar absorption for 24 and 72-hr dose prewash exposures. Skin surface
      recovery in vivo with soap and water was 61.4 +/- 10.4 for the first dosing time
      (15 min). Time-recovery response declined with time to 0.5 +/- 0.2% at 24 hr. In
      vitro absorption utilizing flow-through diffusion methodology with human cadaver
      skin and human plasma receptor fluid gave 2.5 +/- 2.0% dose absorbed, an amount
      similar to in vivo studies. An additional 6.5 +/- 24% was recovered in the skin
      samples (total of 9%). Skin surface wash at 24 hr recovered 79.7 +/- 2.2% and
      skin content was 6.5 +/- 2.4% (total dose accountability of 88.7 +/- 4.6%). Thus,
      isofenphos was available for absorption during the whole dosing period. Neither
      in vitro absorption nor in vitro evaporation studies predicted the potential skin
      evaporation of isofenphos. Published dermal studies in the rat had predicted
      isofenphos absorption at 47% of applied dose (12-fold greater than actual in
      man). Subsequent toxicokinetic modeling predicted possible concern with the use
      of isofenphos.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426711
TI  - Subchronic toxicity of barium chloride dihydrate administered to rats and mice in
      the drinking water.
AB  - Barium Chloride dihydrate (BaCl2.2H2O) was given for 92 days to B6C3F1 mice and
      Fischer 344/N rats in their drinking water at levels of 0, 125, 500, 1000, 2000,
      and 4000 ppm. The no-effect level for this study was 2000 ppm BaCl2.2H2O in the
      drinking water. At 4000 ppm, daily consumption for mice was 436 to 562 mg/kg
      barium, up to four times more chemical than rats. Mortality ranged from 60 to 70%
      in mice and from 10 to 30% in rats in the 4000 ppm groups. Deaths in mice were
      associated with a treatment-related renal toxicity. Renal lesions in rats were
      much less severe than in mice and did not contribute to the treatment-related
      deaths seen in the high dose group. Body weights of both species and sexes in the
      4000 ppm groups were lower than controls at 92 days. Male and female rats in
      treated groups exhibited higher serum phosphorus than controls. Serum sodium,
      potassium, and calcium levels in rats were unchanged by barium treatment, as were
      hematological values. In both species at 4000 ppm, motor activity, grip strength,
      and thermal sensitivity were marginally affected. These effects were probably
      secondary changes resulting from BaCl2 toxicity observed at this dose level. In a
      mating trial, no anatomical effects on offspring of rats or mice were seen. Rats
      receiving 4000 ppm exhibited marginal reductions in pup weights. No effects were
      seen on reproductive indices.

PMID- 1426712
TI  - Investigation of factors influencing urinary porphyrin excretion in rats: strain,
      gender, and age.
AB  - Urinary porphyrin excretion rates were evaluated in male rats of the Sprague
      Dawley, Fischer 344, and Osborne-Mendel strains, and in female Fischer 344 rats,
      in order to identify an appropriate rat model for long-term studies of chemical
      induced porphyria. Sprague-Dawley rats displayed a wide interanimal range in
      total 24-hr porphyrin excretion rates, from 0.9 to 59.6 nmol/24 hr (64-fold).
      Additionally, individual Sprague-Dawley rats varied by up to 5-fold in total
      porphyrins excreted from week to week over a 4-week period. Osborne-Mendel rats
      displayed a 12-fold interanimal difference in 24-hr total porphyrin excretion
      rates (ranging from 6.2 to 71.1 nmol/24 hr) and up to 4-fold individual variation
      from 1 week to another. In contrast, rats of the Fischer 344 strain displayed no
      significant differences in porphyrin excretion rates either among different
      animals or for individuals from week to week. Determination of individual
      porphyrin concentrations in the urine demonstrated that inconsistencies in total
      porphyrin concentration were attributable principally to differences in
      coproporphyrin concentrations. Frequency analysis of 24-hr coproporphyrin
      excretion levels among Sprague-Dawley rats demonstrated a widespread range
      encompassing low levels comparable to those of Fischer rats, high levels similar
      to those of most Osborne-Mendel rats, as well as intermediate levels. The mean
      total porphyrin excretion rate among female Fischer 344 rats was 1.2 +/- 0.51
      nmol/24 hr, compared to 2.1 +/- 0.50 nmol/24 hr among male Fischer rats.
      Maturation and aging were found to have little influence on porphyrin excretion
      rates in male Fischer 344 rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426713
TI  - Prenatal dexamethasone exposure in rats: effects of dose, age at exposure, and
      drug-induced hypophagia on malformations and fetal organ weights.
AB  - Glucocorticoids cause stunting and cleft palate in rodents. The aim of this study
      is to identify fetal organs and developmental periods sensitive to stunting
      induced by maternal exposure to dexamethasone (DEX). DEX (0.2 or 0.4 mg/kg) or
      saline was given sc to pregnant CD albino rats on Gestation Days (GD) 9-14 or 14
      19. On GD 20 dams were euthanized. Fetuses were weighed and examined for cleft
      palate. Eight fetuses/litter were randomly selected, and weights were obtained.
      Fetal skeletons were examined for abnormalities, and long bone measurements were
      taken. A dose-related decrease in maternal and fetal body weights occurred at
      both exposure periods. Developmental stage-specific malformations were noted in
      the high-dose group on GD 9-14 (cleft palate) and on GD 14-19 (wavy ribs). A dose
      response in stunting occurred in all organs except cerebellum in at least one
      exposure period. Across both exposure periods the brain, heart, testes, and long
      bones were relatively resistant to DEX. Sensitive organs included thymus, spleen,
      adrenals, lungs, liver, and kidneys. DEX substantially reduced maternal food
      intake and increased water intake in some dams. Pair-feeding experiments
      suggested that the hypophagic effect of DEX was not responsible for the noted
      malformations and had little impact on growth stunting. The present findings have
      identified fetal organs, skeletal regions, and developmental periods sensitive to
      DEX exposure.

PMID- 1426714
TI  - Immunogenic properties of structurally modified human tissue plasminogen
      activators in chimpanzees and mice.
AB  - Immunogenic properties of second generation human tissue plasminogen activator
      (tPA) derivatives were examined in chimpanzee and mouse systems. Five species of
      modified tPAs (mtPAs) (designated 2660, 2663, 2810, 8000, and 9200), recombinant
      native tPA or bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a positive control were
      subcutaneously injected nine times at suitable intervals into chimpanzees,
      genetically the closest species to man. These animals were tested for antigen(Ag)
      specific antibodies to the corresponding proteins by means of enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay and Western blot analysis. Neither 9200, one of the five
      mtPAs tested, nor tPA was immunogenic, although BSA and the other four mtPAs were
      immunogenic under these conditions. Thus, an antigenic determinant was not
      exposed by the modification on 9200 and this modified tPA is expected not to be
      immunogenic in humans. In the mouse studies, mice were immunized with mtPAs.
      Serum samples from these animals were tested for antibodies to the mtPAs which
      did not concomitantly recognize native tPA by immune adsorption of the antibodies
      to tPA. The amount of such antibodies after the elimination of native tPA
      reactive antibodies was little or none when the serum samples from 9200 and from
      the other mtPAs, except 8000, were tested. Taking into consideration the results
      of the chimpanzee studies, it can be concluded that Ag-specific antibodies are
      dominantly produced to unchanged epitopes present in modified proteins in the
      mouse system, in which the native protein is immunogenic.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426715
TI  - Subchronic toxicity of benzyl selenocyanate and 1,4
      phenylenebis(methylene)selenocyanate in F344 rats.
AB  - Chemopreventive agents benzyl selenocyanate (BSC) and 1,4
      phenylenebis(methylene)selenocyanate (p-XSC) were fed in NIH-07 diet to male and
      female F344 rats (4, 2, and 0.5 mg/kg/day for BSC and 20, 10, and 5 mg/kg/day for
      p-XSC) for 13 weeks. Weight gains were depressed for male and female rats fed 4
      and 2 mg/kg/day BSC, females fed 0.5 mg/kg/day BSC, and male rats fed 20 and 10
      mg/kg/day p-XSC. At necropsy, no clear treatment-related lesions were noted, but
      dose-dependent hepatomegaly was observed in both sexes of BSC and p-XSC groups.
      Plasma transaminases AST and ALT were elevated in the higher dose groups, while
      hemoglobin, HCT, and RBC were reduced in most BSC and some p-XSC treatment
      groups. Plasma glucose was reduced in BSC-treated males. Significant histologic
      findings included moderate to severe hepatic centrilobular hypertrophy with fatty
      change in all males and females in the 4 mg/kg/day BSC groups and in 9/15 males
      and 3/15 females in the 2 mg/kg/day BSC groups. Dose-dependent, mild
      centrilobular hypertrophy with minimal fatty change was observed in the mid- and
      low-dose BSC groups and in all p-XSC groups. Mild to moderate renal tubular and
      interstitial nephritis occurred in the 4 mg/kg/day male BSC group. Dietary
      maximum tolerated dose levels for chemoprevention studies are 0.5 mg/kg/day (3.0
      ppm Se) for BSC and 5 mg/kg/day (32.5 ppm Se) for p-XSC, compared to literature
      values of 2-3 ppm Se for Na2SeO3.

PMID- 1426716
TI  - Suppression of the murine gut mucosal IgA response to cholera toxin with oral
      cyclosporine.
AB  - The gut mucosal immune system may be a primary target for many ingested
      chemicals. Methods have been developed to examine the effects of chemicals on the
      systemic humoral immune response; however, studies to evaluate various methods of
      assessing the local gut mucosal immune response in a toxicology assay have been
      limited. The objectives of this study were to examine the effects of the known
      immunosuppressive compound, cyclosporine (CYS), on the generation of a cholera
      toxin (CT)-specific gut mucosal IgA response and evaluate the methods used to
      measure the gut IgA response. Groups of female B6C3F1 mice were left untreated or
      were treated daily, p.o., with corn oil (vehicle) or CYS at doses of 10 and 50
      mg/kg for 20 days. On Days 3 and 13, mice were sensitized p.o. with CT. On Day
      21, mice were terminated, gut washings were collected, and lamina propria
      lymphocytes were extracted from gut tissue with collagenase treatment. Cholera
      toxin-specific IgA in the gut washings was measured by an ELISA. The numbers of
      CT-specific IgA (CT-IgA) and total IgA antibody-forming cells (spot-forming
      cells, SFC) obtained from the lamina propria were determined by the ELISPOT
      method. A dose of 50 mg/kg CYS produced a significant decrease in the amount of
      CT-IgA in gut washings. This dose also decreased the number of cells recovered
      from the lamina propria by at least 50%. The amount of CT-specific SFC/million
      lamina propria cells decreased with a dose of 10 mg/kg CYS, whereas 50 mg/kg CYS
      did not alter the response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426717
TI  - Interspecies differences in the phagocytic activity of pulmonary macrophages
      subjected to acidic challenge.
AB  - Examining interspecies differences in response to ambient pollutants is an
      essential component of risk assessment. The potential hazard to public health
      from the inhalation of acid sulfate aerosols is of current concern. A significant
      biological target is the pulmonary macrophage, which provides a primary defense
      of the respiratory region of the lungs. One essential function of these cells is
      phagocytosis of particles. This study assessed the effects of acidic environments
      on the phagocytic activity of pulmonary macrophages obtained by lavage from
      humans and three species of laboratory animals commonly used in acid aerosol
      toxicology studies, namely, rats, rabbits, and guinea pigs. Cells were incubated
      with polystyrene latex particles in media acidified by addition of sulfuric acid.
      The percentage of cells which were phagocytic, as well as the relative number of
      particles ingested by these cells, was found to decrease with increasing acidity
      for all species. The ranking of response in order of decreasing sensitivity to
      acidic challenge was as follows: guinea pig > rat > rabbit > human.

PMID- 1426718
TI  - Comparison of the effects of Wyeth-14,643 in Crl:CD BR and Fisher-344 rats.
AB  - Wyeth-14,643 (WY) belongs to a diverse class of compounds which have been shown
      to produce hepatic peroxisome proliferation and hepatocellular carcinoma in
      rodents. Based on a review of bioassay data, a relationship appears to exist
      between peroxisome proliferating compounds and Leydig cell adenoma formation.
      Most rat bioassays with peroxisome proliferators have been conducted in the
      Fisher-344 (F344) rat, which has a high spontaneous incidence of Leydig cell
      adenomas. Thus, it was necessary to use an alternative animal model to
      investigate this relationship further. Therefore the Crl:CD BR (CD) rat, which
      has a low spontaneous Leydig cell adenoma incidence, was chosen for a 2-year
      feeding study with WY. Before initiating this 2-year feeding study, it was
      necessary to investigate whether any strain differences existed between CD and
      F344 rats with respect to WY-induced peroxisome and cell proliferation. In this
      study, male CD and F344 rats were fed diets containing 0, 50, or 1000 ppm WY for
      21 days. Peroxisome proliferation in the liver and testis was determined
      biochemically by measuring beta-oxidation activity and was confirmed
      ultrastructurally. Serum hormone levels and cell proliferation rates in the liver
      and testis were also measured. In addition, basal beta-oxidation activity and
      cell proliferation rates were compared between the CD and F344 rats. A
      significant decrease in final body weight was observed in the 1000 ppm WY groups
      for both CD and F344 rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426719
TI  - Enhanced inflammatory response to acute ozone exposure in rats during pregnancy
      and lactation.
AB  - Experimental evidence from several studies suggests that pregnant animals and
      women are more susceptible to oxidants than nonpregnant controls. In the study
      reported here, we sought to determine whether pregnant rats are more sensitive
      than age-matched virgin females to the inflammatory effects of ozone, a gaseous
      oxidant of considerable environmental significance. Rats at several stages of
      pregnancy and lactation, as well as age-matched virgin females, were exposed to 1
      ppm ozone for 6 hr. Controls were sham-exposed to pure air for an identical
      period of time. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed 24 hr after the beginning of
      exposure, and components of the lavage fluid considered to be indicators of
      inflammation were used to assess the severity of pulmonary inflammation. The
      results of this experiment showed that significantly enhanced sensitivity to
      ozone-induced pulmonary inflammation develops during pregnancy, is maintained
      during lactation, and disappears following lactation. Implicit in this pattern of
      differential sensitivity in rats is the possibility of a similar pattern of
      inflammatory response in analogous groups of humans as well as the potential for
      applicability to other oxidative pollutants.

PMID- 1426720
TI  - Maternity care: family centered or woman centered?

PMID- 1426721
TI  - The active phase of labor: a clarification.

PMID- 1426722
TI  - Pharmaceutical company-sponsored educational activities: who benefits? who pays?

PMID- 1426723
TI  - Supply and demand in residency positions.

PMID- 1426724
TI  - Family medicine in Lebanon: the 10th anniversary.
AB  - Developing a family practice residency program was a logical step in addressing
      the needs for primary care in Lebanon. The American University of Beirut
      initiated a family practice residency program in 1979. The curriculum was
      structured following the guidelines of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
      Since its establishment, the program has participated in the design, launching,
      and maintenance of the family practice residency in Bahrain. Future plans include
      establishing other programs in the region and increasing community participation.

PMID- 1426725
TI  - To be a mentor.

PMID- 1426726
TI  - The primary care research fellowship: an early assessment.
AB  - BACKGROUND: To address the continuing need for research-oriented faculty in
      primary care, the Bureau of Health Professions in 1988 funded 10 National
      Research Service Award (NRSA) Primary Care Fellowship Program grants. We report
      an early evaluation of these programs. METHOD: Descriptions of fellowship
      programs were obtained from grant proposals. Fellows with at least one year of
      training completed a mailed questionnaire that included both structured and open
      ended items. RESULTS: All programs emphasized research and gave mentorship
      explicit attention. Nine offered degree programs; six offered a third year of
      study. Twenty-seven of 32 eligible fellows returned the survey. They reported a
      median of three research projects during the fellowship. Sixty percent of fellows
      had extramural funding; 48% submitted manuscripts for publication; and 22% had
      work accepted for publication. In open-ended responses, fellows emphasized the
      importance of mentors' guidance on projects, accessibility, and emotional
      support; rarely did they mention help in establishing professional networks or in
      securing project funding. Fellows most appreciated the collegiality and protected
      atmosphere of fellowship programs, although they felt that both human and
      material resources were less than optimal. CONCLUSIONS: Fellowship environments
      are generally conducive to productivity, and fellows undertake relevant primary
      care research. Programs should devote more attention to mentoring, especially
      regarding networking and obtaining funding. Funding agencies should increase
      support for training-related expenses in lieu of research grants that subsidize
      NRSA training in other specialties.

PMID- 1426727
TI  - Female family doctors: their work and well-being.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The role of female physicians, which often involves combining
      medicine, marriage, and motherhood, may cause stress for some women. The purpose
      of this research was to identify correlates of depression, stress, and self
      esteem among a sample of female Canadian family physicians. METHODS: All female
      family physicians in London, Ontario, who met study eligibility criteria were
      asked to participate in a questionnaire study. Sixty-two physicians were surveyed
      and asked to complete four psychological survey instruments: the Cognition
      Checklist, the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, the People in Your Life Scale,
      and the Work Response Questionnaire. RESULTS: The response rate was 83.3%. Sixty
      five percent of subjects felt overloaded or overwhelmed at least once per week.
      These women, on average, worked more hours than subjects who reported not feeling
      overwhelmed (r = .48). Subjects had lower depression scores than did other
      populations tested with similar survey instruments. Subjects' self-esteem was
      similar to that found in other populations and was positively correlated with
      opportunities to acquire new skills (r = .34) and perceived lack of difficulty in
      developing lasting relationships (r = .41). CONCLUSIONS: Depression appears to be
      less common among female family physicians than among other populations, but
      nearly two thirds of female family physicians feel overloaded or overwhelmed by
      their multiple responsibilities, as often as once per week.

PMID- 1426728
TI  - Medical school financial support, faculty composition, and selection of family
      practice by medical students.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study examines the relationship between the choice of family
      practice by medical students in the 1986-1987 academic year and nine variables:
      ownership of school, weeks of required family medicine clinical training, age of
      school, and six variables related to medical school financial support and faculty
      composition. METHODS: In multivariate analysis, three variables were found to be
      significantly related to choice of family practice (R2 = .441): weeks of required
      family medicine clinical training, proportion of faculty in family practice, and
      ownership of the school. A cluster analysis was performed using nine variables.
      RESULTS: Along with the multivariate analysis, the resulting nine clusters
      demonstrate that additional variables need to be identified to explain the
      variance in percentage of students choosing family practice at different schools.

PMID- 1426729
TI  - Religious variables are infrequently reported in clinical research.
AB  - BACKGROUND: More than 200 published studies have found some relationship between
      an individual's religion and health, yet reference to religious variables rarely
      appears in published empirical studies. METHODS: We performed a manual search of
      all articles reporting on human subjects in the 1989 issues of seven major
      medical journals to record and analyze religious and other demographic variables.
      RESULTS: Only 12 of the 1,066 articles (1.1%) mentioned religion, and eight of
      these mentioned only denominational affiliation. CONCLUSION: Most clinical
      investigators do not report on the religious variables of their subjects and thus
      may be missing important correlations.

PMID- 1426730
TI  - Participation by sedentary elderly persons in an exercise promotion session.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little is known regarding the dynamics of elderly persons'
      participation in health promotion programs. We studied factors influencing the
      participation of 337 sedentary elderly persons in an exercise promotion session.
      All study participants were members of a health maintenance organization.
      METHODS: Baseline data were obtained on 337 persons age 65 and older who
      exercised irregularly or not at all. These individuals were then offered a class
      emphasizing individualized exercise activities for elderly persons. Participation
      in the exercise program was used as the dependent variable, and the baseline data
      were analyzed to identify factors associated with participation. RESULTS: There
      was no difference between participants and nonparticipants for age and sex.
      Baseline physical activity, as measured by the Paffenbarger index and self-report
      of physical activity, also did not differentiate participants from
      nonparticipants, nor did frequency of self-reported medical conditions.
      Participants were more likely to be nonsmokers, but the two groups did not differ
      with respect to other preventive health practices. Participants were
      characterized by more social interactions, as reflected by attendance at at least
      two meetings per month. Participants also were more likely to report three or
      more close friends. Perceived quality of life and self-reported health status
      were not significantly different between the two groups. Participants rated their
      current health slightly worse than nonparticipants. In a logistic regression
      model controlling for age and sex, lower current health perceptions, greater
      number of friends, prior expressed intent to participate in an exercise program,
      being a nonsmoker, and having received an influenza vaccination in the past year
      were significantly associated with participation. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in
      this exercise program may have appealed to persons with higher levels of social
      interaction. In this population, age, sex, and the number and type of self
      reported medical conditions at baseline were not predictive of participation.

PMID- 1426731
TI  - Hospital charting of substance use.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recent evidence suggests that physicians can help patients reduce or
      even discontinue cigarette smoking. Physicians may also be able to help patients
      decrease their use of alcohol or illegal drugs. A prerequisite for helping
      patients decrease substance use is for physicians to ask patients about their use
      of cigarettes, alcohol, and illicit drugs. METHODS: We performed a retrospective
      study of 212 medical records to measure physicians' documentation of patient use
      of alcohol, cigarettes, and illicit drugs in an inpatient setting. The study
      compared residents and attending physicians in family practice and internal
      medicine. RESULTS: Physicians charted cigarette use in 73% of medical records,
      alcohol use in 70%, and drug use in only 12.5%. Family physicians charted
      substance use more frequently than internal medicine physicians for alcohol and
      illicit drugs (P < .05 by Pearson's chi-square analysis) and for cigarettes (P =
      .07). In each specialty, residents charted substance use more often than
      attending physicians (P < .01). Attending family physicians (P < .05) charted
      substance use more often in male than in female patients. This was not found
      among internal medicine physicians. CONCLUSION: The results of the study suggest
      that the stage of medical career, medical specialty, and sex of the patient
      affect the frequency of charting substance abuse.

PMID- 1426732
TI  - Voices from family medicine: cooperation across disciplines. Interview by William
      B. Ventres, John J. Frey and Alfred O. Berg.
AB  - A variety of individuals lent their efforts to the establishment of family
      medicine as an academic discipline. Many had careers outside general or family
      practice, yet because of their interests and active involvement, they helped
      forge the way toward a rational and comprehensive education for family physicians
      in this country. In this transcript, edited from interviews conducted in 1992,
      four contributors from other disciplines discuss their perspectives on the
      history of family medicine.

PMID- 1426733
TI  - [Patterns of changes of the cellular component of the hemoimmune system in
      elevated pressure of the gaseous environment].

PMID- 1426734
TI  - [Superslow oscillations of the 10-minute band potential and dynamics of
      immunobiochemical parameters of the cerebrospinal fluid in patients with
      optochiasmatic arachnoiditis and brain neoplasms in the postoperative period].

PMID- 1426735
TI  - [Lung volume changes during cold air breathing in construction workers in
      northern regions of Western Siberia].

PMID- 1426736
TI  - [Buffer systems in calcium homeostasis regulation in man].

PMID- 1426738
TI  - [Determination of the degree of dispersion of an aerosol and the effect of the
      inhalation regimen on its distribution in the lungs].

PMID- 1426737
TI  - [Normal and pathologic gastric secretion of bicarbonates in man].

PMID- 1426739
TI  - [Functional interaction of the opioid-catecholamine system in children with
      glomerulonephritis].

PMID- 1426740
TI  - [Constitutional types and testosterone concentration in men's saliva during
      exposure to local vibration].

PMID- 1426741
TI  - [Equipment and software for the study of oxygen tension dynamics in the human
      brain].

PMID- 1426742
TI  - [A method of computerized encephalogram correction for future analysis].

PMID- 1426743
TI  - [Heart rate dynamics during night sleep in patients with epilepsy].

PMID- 1426744
TI  - [Assessment of the resistance of the human body to combined thermal, physical and
      emotional load].

PMID- 1426745
TI  - [Intracavitary pressure monitoring in upper regions of the digestive tract].

PMID- 1426746
TI  - [Information processing during adaptation].

PMID- 1426747
TI  - [Contrast temperature exposure as preliminary thermal adaptation of pilots to hot
      climate].

PMID- 1426748
TI  - [Contractile properties of human triceps muscle of the calf in conditions
      simulating weightlessness].

PMID- 1426749
TI  - [Effect of information about performance effectiveness on a human heart
      rhythmogram].

PMID- 1426751
TI  - [Heart rate during a test of six breaths per minute].

PMID- 1426750
TI  - [Functional state of the autonomic nervous system in women during adaptation to
      high altitudes and readaptation to low altitude conditions].

PMID- 1426752
TI  - [Value of the study of hemodynamics of physical exercise for the detection of
      latent forms of cardiac insufficiency in patients in the early period of
      myocardial infarction].

PMID- 1426753
TI  - [Assessment of the functional state of the cardiovascular system by signals of
      the aortal wall movement].

PMID- 1426754
TI  - [Wave mechanism of systemic organization of sportsmen's movements].

PMID- 1426755
TI  - [Motor reaction parameters during the development and control of persistent
      emotional disorders].

PMID- 1426756
TI  - [Individual characteristics of behavior and autonomic tonus in young children
      attending daycare facilities].

PMID- 1426757
TI  - [Cardiointervalography as a criterion for identifying the "risk phase" in the
      menstrual cycle of healthy women].

PMID- 1426758
TI  - [Comprehensive approach to the study of athletes' immune status].

PMID- 1426760
TI  - Can indirect cost funding be improved?
AB  - Like the tax laws many possible loopholes are in these proposed changes and
      therefore they have to be considered very carefully. If there is such a thing as
      a collective wisdom, it should be brought to bear on this problem. With strong
      and well-considered actions, which would be implemented in a controlled way, the
      mechanisms for funding research could be improved to encourage efficient use of
      funds.

PMID- 1426759
TI  - Common dollars and sense.

PMID- 1426761
TI  - Resolution of the indirect cost issue.

PMID- 1426762
TI  - Regulation of glucose transport in skeletal muscle.
AB  - The entry of glucose into muscle cells is achieved primarily via a carrier
      mediated system consisting of protein transport molecules. GLUT-1 transporter
      isoform is normally found in the sarcolemmal (SL) membrane and is thought to be
      involved in glucose transport under basal conditions. With insulin stimulation,
      glucose transport is accelerated by translocating GLUT-4 transporters from an
      intracellular pool out to the T-tubule and SL membranes. Activation of
      transporters to increase the turnover number may also be involved, but the
      evidence is far from conclusive. When insulin binds to its receptor, it
      autophosphorylates tyrosine and serine residues on the beta-subunit of the
      receptor. The tyrosine residues are thought to activate tyrosine kinases, which
      in turn phosphorylate/activate as yet unknown second messengers. Insulin receptor
      antibodies, however, have been reported to increase glucose transport without
      increasing kinase activity. Insulin resistance in skeletal muscle is a major
      characteristic of obesity and diabetes mellitus, especially NIDDM. A decrease in
      the number of insulin receptors and the ability of insulin to activate receptor
      tyrosine kinase has been documented in muscle from NIDDM patients. Most studies
      report no change in the intracellular pool of GLUT-4 transporters available for
      translocation to the SL. Both the quality and quantity of food consumed can
      regulate insulin sensitivity. A high-fat, refined sugar diet, similar to the
      typical U.S. diet, causes insulin resistance when compared with a low-fat,
      complex-carbohydrate diet. On the other hand, exercise increases insulin
      sensitivity. After an acute bout of exercise, glucose transport in muscle
      increases to the same level as with maximum insulin stimulation. Although the
      number of GLUT-4 transporters in the sarcolemma increases with exercise, neither
      insulin or its receptor is involved. After an initial acute phase, which may
      involve calcium as the activator, a secondary phase of increased insulin
      sensitivity can last for up to a day after exercise. The mechanism responsible
      for the increased insulin sensitivity with exercise is unknown. Regular exercise
      training also increases insulin sensitivity, which can be documented several days
      after the final bout of exercise, and again the mechanism is unknown. An increase
      in the muscle content of GLUT-4 transporters with training has recently been
      reported. Even though significant progress has been made in the past few years in
      understanding glucose transport in skeletal muscle, the mechanisms involved in
      regulating transport are far from being understood.

PMID- 1426763
TI  - Regulation of transferrin gene expression.
AB  - Transferrin (Tf) is the iron-transport protein of vertebrate serum. It is
      essentially synthesized in the liver, but lower amounts are also produced in
      other organs, such as testis and brain. A number of studies have been done to
      characterize the transcriptional elements implicated in the regulation of Tf gene
      expression in different organs. The results of these studies support the
      hypothesis that the Tf gene makes use of different combinations of nuclear
      proteins in different subsets of cells to achieve tissue-specific expression. It
      is interesting to point out that this occurs in tissues arising from different
      embryological origin.

PMID- 1426764
TI  - SAPA/trans-sialidase and cruzipain: two antigens from Trypanosoma cruzi contain
      immunodominant but enzymatically inactive domains.
AB  - Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasitic protozoan that causes the American
      trypanosomiasis, or Chagas disease, contains a number of antigenic molecules,
      some of which have tandems of amino acid repeats. One of these molecules, SAPA
      (shed acute phase antigen), contains a so-far unique trans-sialidase activity
      that is essential for penetration of the parasite into mammalian cells. The
      enzyme consists of two different domains, one presumably enzymatic, which
      contains four copies of an amino acid motif conserved in bacterial
      neuraminidases, and the other highly antigenic, consisting of the repeats.
      Another enzyme that seems to be involved in the host-parasite relationship, the
      cysteine proteinase cruzipain, is also made up in its mature form of a catalytic
      domain with high homology to cathepsin L and a COOH-terminal domain that is
      highly antigenic in vivo. These bifunctional molecules may have arisen by
      incorporation of a highly antigenic domain to an essential enzyme in order to
      attract the immune response, thus protecting the enzyme activity.

PMID- 1426765
TI  - Tyrphostins: tyrosine kinase blockers as novel antiproliferative agents and
      dissectors of signal transduction.
AB  - Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) are members of a growing family of oncoproteins
      and protooncoproteins that play a pivotal role in normal and abnormal
      proliferative processes. This hallmark identifies these unique proteins as
      potential targets for antiproliferative therapy. This review discusses the
      current status of PTK inhibitors, with special emphasis on tyrphostins as
      antiproliferative agents and as potential drugs for cancers, leukemias,
      psoriasis, and restenosis as well as other proliferative conditions. The
      development of tyrphostins as selective signal blockers can be viewed as a first
      step toward the development of "smart" cocktails as antiproliferative agents.
      Each of these custom-made cocktails will be aimed at proliferative conditions
      whose transduction pathways can be characterized by molecular tools. The review
      also discusses the use of PTK blockers as tools to study signal transduction
      processes in which protein tyrosine kinases are implicated.

PMID- 1426766
TI  - Thrombospondins: structure and regulation of expression.
AB  - Thrombospondin (TSP) is a large, trimeric, modular glycoprotein that is a major
      constituent of platelet alpha granules. TSP is also secreted by a wide variety of
      epithelial and mesenchymal cells in patterns that reflect developmental changes
      in the embryo and response to injury in the adult. In addition to its role in
      blood coagulation, TSP has been reported to serve both adhesive and anti-adhesive
      functions, to foster neurite outgrowth, stimulate and inhibit cell growth and
      migration, and inhibit angiogenesis. Although this diversity in apparent function
      can be attributed, in part, to the ability of a single TSP to interact with
      several different cell-surface receptors, it is now known that the TSPs are
      encoded by at least three homologous genes in both human and mouse. TSP1, the
      commonly recognized protein isolated from platelets, is similar to TSP2 in
      structure. Both proteins contain NH2-terminal, COOH-terminal, and procollagen
      homology domains, and type I (TSP or properdin), type II (EGF-like), and type III
      (Ca(2+)-binding) repeats. However, the two TSPs differ in amino acid sequence and
      in the regulation of their expression. TSP1 is rapidly induced by serum and
      growth factors. An SRE and a binding site for NF-Y have been shown to mediate the
      serum response of the human TSP1 gene. On the other hand, TSP2 is far less
      responsive to serum than TSP1 and lacks the promoter elements that mediate the
      serum responsiveness of TSP1. TSP3 resembles TSP1 and TSP2 in its COOH-terminal
      domain and type III repeats, but contains four rather than three type II repeats
      and lacks type I repeats and a procollagen homology. The NH2-terminal domain of
      TSP3 also differs from that of either TSP1 or TSP2. All three TSPs demonstrate
      characteristic patterns of expression in the developing and adult mouse. It is
      therefore likely that each protein subserves a discrete function. In the future
      it will be necessary to distinguish among the three TSPs in addressing the
      function of these proteins.

PMID- 1426767
TI  - Transcription by RNA polymerase II: initiator-directed formation of transcription
      competent complexes.
AB  - Studies of transcription by RNA polymerase II have revealed two promoter
      elements, the TATA motif and the initiator (Inr), capable of directing specific
      transcription initiation. Although binding to the TATA motif by one of the
      components of the transcription machinery has been shown to be the initial
      recognition step in transcription complex formation, many promoters that lack a
      traditional TATA motif have recently been described. In such TATA-less promoters,
      the Inr element is critical in positioning RNA polymerase II. Various Inr
      elements have been described and classified according to sequence homology. These
      Inr elements are recognized specifically by Inr-binding proteins. Interaction
      between these Inr-binding proteins and components of the basal transcription
      machinery provides a means through which a transcription competent complex can be
      formed.

PMID- 1426768
TI  - Glucocorticoid regulation of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase in vivo.
AB  - In vivo, supraphysiological doses of glucocorticoids are required to restore
      adrenal medullary phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT, E.C. 2.1.1.28)
      activity after hypophysectomy. However, in vitro, phenylethanolamine N
      methyltransferase gene expression appears normally glucocorticoid-responsive. To
      explore this paradox, rats were given dexamethasone or the type II-specific
      glucocorticoid RU28362 (1-1000 micrograms/day), and adrenal phenylethanolamine N
      methyltransferase activity and mRNA levels were determined. At low doses (1-30
      micrograms/day), neither steroid altered mRNA whereas at higher doses (100-1000
      micrograms/day), mRNA rose 10- to 20-fold, with dexamethasone approximately 3
      times as potent as RU28362. In contrast, enzyme activity fell with low doses of
      either steroid, consistent with suppression of ACTH and endogenous
      steroidogenesis. At higher doses of RU28362, enzyme activity remained low and
      unchanged despite increased mRNA expression, whereas higher doses of
      dexamethasone progressively restored the enzyme to normal. These findings suggest
      1) that glucocorticoid regulation of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase
      activity occurs largely independent of gene expression; 2) that glucocorticoid
      effects on enzyme activity are primarily indirect, probably through cosubstrate
      regulation and/or enzyme stabilization; and 3) that these effects are not
      mediated via a classical (type II) glucocorticoid receptor mechanism, given the
      high doses of dexamethasone and corticosterone required and the inability of
      RU28362 to mimic the effects of these less selective steroids.

PMID- 1426769
TI  - Vitamin C and serendipity, fifty years ago.

PMID- 1426770
TI  - [Efficacy of intravenous and per os propafenone in the ambulatory treatment of
      recent-onset atrial fibrillation].
AB  - Propafenone efficacy in conversion of atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm has
      been well documented. In this study we considered propafenone efficacy according
      to a graduated protocol of administration. Forty-two patients with recent-onset
      atrial fibrillation, without left ventricular failure, ischemic symptoms and in
      absence of antiarrhythmical treatment, were treated according to the following
      protocol: propafenone 1 mg/kg i.v. (5 min) followed, in the non-responder patient
      group, by a second dose, 0.5 mg/kg i.v. (15 min). Patients with persistent atrial
      fibrillation received 900 mg/daily of propafenone per os, at home for two days.
      Thereafter, patients still not restored to sinus rhythm were considered non
      responders. Patients who were converted to sinus rhythm received 450 mg daily of
      the drug (oral administration), at home, as antiarrhythmical prophylaxis, for
      three months. Thirty-nine patients were converted to sinus rhythm (92.8%), 24 of
      them after intravenous propafenone (57.2%), and the other 15 (35.6%) after oral
      administration of the drug. The average heart rate in patients not converted to
      sinus rhythm with intravenous propafenone was significantly reduced after drug
      administration, compared to basal values (from 136.4 +/- 18.1 to 107.1 +/- 17.6,
      p < 0.01), allowing home treatment. No major cardiac effects were observed after
      infusion, nor after oral administration of propafenone. During a three-month
      follow-up we observed 3 cases of relapsed atrial fibrillation and 2 discontinued
      treatments due to minor gastroenteric side effects. In conclusion, propafenone
      therapy in ambulatory regimen is safe and effective in patients with recent-onset
      atrial fibrillation. In many patients refractory to IV treatment, further
      therapeutic success may be achieved following oral propafenone administration.

PMID- 1426771
TI  - [Ventricular late potentials in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: personal
      contribution and analysis of the literature].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are at increased risk of
      sudden death. Recently it has been investigated whether late potentials can be
      useful markers of that risk in such patients, with discordant results. The aim of
      our study was to detect a correlation, if any, between late potentials,
      ventricular tachycardia and the hypertrophy extension. METHODS: Twenty-five
      patients were enrolled, 19 males and 6 females, mean age 40.40 +/- 15.02 years.
      Each underwent 24h Holter monitoring, averaged ECG, M-Mode and 2-D Echo. The
      hypertrophy was considered extensive (septum and free wall) or non extensive
      (septum and/or apex). RESULTS: Late potentials of a mean duration of 37 +/- 14.83
      ms were recorded in 5/7 patients with documented ventricular tachycardia vs in
      none of the non tachycardia group. Sensibility was 100%, specificity 71% and
      predictive value 100%. Late potentials were present in 8.3% of patients with non
      extensive and in 30.8% of patients with extensive hypertrophy (p = NS).
      CONCLUSIONS: From our data it seems that extensive hypertrophy is present in
      about half of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and this roughly
      correlates with a more frequent ventricular tachycardia and with late potentials.
      Furthermore, late potentials are strictly related to the incidence of ventricular
      tachycardia in this disease, just as in ischemic heart disease or in idiopathic
      dilated cardiomyopathy. The small number of our cases may not be sufficient to
      reach a significant statistical correlation between late potentials and
      hypertrophy, but we believe that the trend is very promising.

PMID- 1426772
TI  - [Drop in cardiovascular and coronary mortality in Lombardia, 1969-1987.
      Evaluation of reliability of the estimates and possible explaining hypothesis].
AB  - The results of the present analysis indicate, from 1969 to 1987, a sharp and
      stable decline in cardiovascular (CVD) mortality in Italians aged 35-74 years
      (37.6% in males 53.6% in females). These trends were responsible for consistent
      reductions of total mortality (27.5% and 38% in the two gender groups,
      respectively), and for the increase of life expectancy. The decrease involved the
      two major components of CVD mortality, i.e. coronary heart disease (CHD) (23% in
      males and 44% in females) and cerebrovascular diseases (Stroke) (42.6% in the
      former and 51% in latter gender group). All these mortality decrements have been
      higher in the Lombardia Region. Comparing age-adjusted mortality rates in 1968
      and 1987, it was possible to estimate that 23,040 deaths were saved in one year
      among the residents of this northern part of Italy, and the decrease of CHD
      mortality was responsible for about 30% of the total national decrement of CHD
      deaths, within comparable age strata. This is attributable both to the higher
      rates registered at the beginning of the studied period, and to the sharper
      decline observed. The social impact, in terms of reduction of deaths, was
      prominent for males. Among the northern male population, the amount of prevented
      deaths due to CHD and Stroke was equivalent (2072 vs 2172). Data from a MONICA
      Collaborating Center, located in the region--Area Brianza--, allow us to
      estimate, for coronary diagnoses reported on death certificates in the 1980s,
      acceptable levels of accuracy (Cohen's Kappa of .35, with 99% CI .27-.43) and
      sensitivity (87%). In comparison with earlier estimates carried out in the late
      1970s, it is possible to hypothesize an increase of sensitivity over time for
      certified myocardial infarction diagnoses, which could have contributed to the
      underestimation of the observed decrements. In dealing with estimates of the
      reasons for these declines, only suggestions could be addressed because results
      of specific and comprehensive studies are not presently available. By comparing
      MONICA data with the results obtained in earlier surveys, it is possible to
      estimate that about 20 to 30% of the CHD decline, which occurred in the Region,
      might be attributed to the decrease of in-hospital coronary case-fatality.
      Moreover, major coronary risk factors (total cholesterol, blood pressure and
      cigarette smoking) show parallel positive changes, but their contribution in
      predicting the CHD downfall is difficult to evaluate on the basis of existing
      data.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1426773
TI  - [Heart-brain interactions: status of knowledge and perspectives of study].

PMID- 1426774
TI  - [Left ventricular aneurysmectomy: technical evolution and results].
AB  - A critical review of surgical techniques for left ventricular aneurysm treatment,
      with reference to literature data and author's personal experience, is reported.
      Aneurysm plicatio, performed in 35 patients, was always associated to coronary
      artery bypass graft and carried out mainly in small aneurysms of the posterior
      wall. In the last years this technique has been used very rarely, due to
      papillary muscle damage risk. Aneurysmectomy by usual technique only partially
      eliminates the a-dyskinetic area and moreover determines a severe ventricular
      deformation due to the linear suture. At Verona hospital it was carried out in
      175 patients, with an 8% operative mortality and a survival rate of 82% at 3
      years and of 80% at 5 years. Aneurysmectomy with converging walls left
      ventricular reconstruction, as proposed by Jatene and modified by the author,
      allows complete aneurysm removal and assures a ventricular reconstruction closer
      to normal morphology. In the Verona experience with this technique, referring to
      51 patients operated up to 1989, operative mortality was 3.9% with a 89.9%
      survival rate at 3 years. These improved clinical results are associated with the
      improvement of left ventricular function indexes: average ejection fraction from
      28.2% preoperatively to 42% postoperatively; average end diastolic left
      ventricular pressure from 23.6 mmHg to 18 mmHg.

PMID- 1426775
TI  - [Emergency surgery of acute coronary insufficiency].
AB  - In our centre, during the last five years, emergency operations (within 6 hours)
      and urgent operations (within 72 hours) have represented 1/4 of all coronary
      surgery. 295 patients (pts) have been operated on since 1972: of these, 279 with
      simple revascularization, 5 with combined major surgery, and 11 as a consequence
      of mechanical complications of acute myocardial infarction. These last were all
      in cardiogenic shock: the overall 30-day mortality rate was 5.4% (3.6% in those
      pts with simple revascularization, 20% in those with combined major surgery, and
      45.4% in pts with cardiogenic shock). In the subgroup with simple
      revascularization, the incidence of non fatal perioperative acute myocardial
      infarction (AMI) was 4.7% in 253 pts with unstable angina, 52.2% in 23 pts with
      abrupt closure during coronary angioplasty, and obviously 100% in 3 pts
      surgically treated during evolving AMI. We were able to identify in the
      univariate analysis as the only 30-day risk mortality factors: 1) a reduced
      ejection fraction (< 30%) and 2) the combination with endarterectomy. Other
      factors (female sex, age > 70, severity of angina, diffuse coronary artery
      disease and more than 3 by pass grafts) have shown a tendency to increase the
      mortality rate without statistical significance. No deaths occurred in pts
      revascularized in emergency situations due to coronary angioplasty complications.
      In recent years emergency and urgent coronary surgical operations have been
      increasing, with an increase in pts with higher risk factors. In pts with simple
      revascularization, 30-day mortality and incidence of myocardial infarction are
      similar to those of elective surgery. In pts with abrupt closure as a consequence
      of coronary angioplasty the mortality rate seems very low, while the incidence of
      infarction remains extremely high. These observations have allowed the
      development of an integrated protocol of intervention in acute unstable coronary
      syndromes.

PMID- 1426777
TI  - [Surgical treatment of diffuse coronary disease].
AB  - Considering the morphological aspects of diffuse coronary disease one must argue
      that, in their presence, myocardial revascularization can be performed only by
      coronary endarterectomy (EA), together with conventional bypass grafting. A
      variety of EA techniques ("blind" and "open" EA) are analyzed. Indications, long
      and short-term results (operative risks, symptomatic improvement, grafts patency)
      of each procedure are evaluated on the basis of the current experiences. We
      conclude that EA is a valuable complement to coronary artery bypass grafting
      which allows: a) a larger number of conventionally inoperable patients to benefit
      from the surgical treatment; b) more complete revascularization in patients with
      diffuse coronary disease.

PMID- 1426776
TI  - [Surgical indications and results of myocardial revascularization in
      complications of PTCA].
AB  - Acute coronary occlusion during PTCA represents a significant procedural
      complication occurring in approximately 4-5% of cases, most frequently because of
      coronary dissection, spasm, or thrombosis. In these cases the first step in the
      management of acute ischemia is 1) a brief evaluation of its hemodynamic
      consequences and 2) the assessment and treatment of its cause. Spasm and
      intracoronary thrombus formation are usually readily identifiable and treatable
      using intracoronary nitroglycerin and thrombolytic therapy. In our
      catheterization laboratory the current approach to occlusive coronary dissection
      is represented by the use of autoperfusion dilatation catheters and by stent
      application. The atherectomy devices and the laser "welding" of the dissected
      intimal segment represent other alternatives that are still under clinical
      evaluation in this particular setting. If coronary occlusion is refractory to
      these efforts and coronary blood flow is not reestablished rapidly, emergency
      coronary bypass surgery is required to salvage jeopardized myocardium. In this
      case myocardial ischemia may be lessened by the insertion of an intra-aortic
      balloon pump. In our experience, the incidence of death (4%) and myocardial
      infarction (37%) for emergency CABG after a failed angioplasty, is similar to
      that reported by other Authors. The duration of myocardial ischemia and the
      presence of cardiogenic shock before operation are the most important
      determinants of major complications such as death and acute myocardial
      infarction.

PMID- 1426778
TI  - [Repeat myocardial revascularization].
AB  - Eighty-two consecutive patients undergoing reoperation for coronary
      revascularization from January 1980 to November 1990 were reviewed to determine
      early and late results and predictors of survival. Seventy patients were male and
      12 female; age ranged from 36 to 75 years (mean 56.4 +/- 8.1). All were
      symptomatic for angina. The mean interval between first and second operation was
      62.8 +/- 47.8 months (range 1 to 220 months). Angiographic indications for
      reoperation were: graft failure (34.1%), progression of atherosclerosis in the
      native coronary circulation (6.1%) and combination of the two (59.8%). Mean
      ejection fraction was 45.9 +/- 10.2 (range 11 to 67). Surgical indication was
      elective in 79.3%, urgent in 14.6% and emergent in 6.1%; 199 grafts were
      performed (2.4 +/- 1 grafts/patient). Hospital mortality was 6.1% (5 cases). Late
      mortality was 5.2% (4 cases). Actuarial survival rate (including hospital
      mortality) was 87.9% at 3, 5 and 10 years. Multivariate analysis identified left
      main stenosis (p = 0.00001), family history of coronary disease (p = 0.003),
      urgent/emergency operation (p = 0.015) as predictors of increased in-hospital
      mortality; postoperative myocardial infarction (p = 0.002) and preoperative heart
      failure (p = 0.01) as predictors of increased late mortality. Follow-up of in
      hospital survivors (mean interval 42.7 +/- 25.8 months, range 3 to 120 months)
      documented 27 cardiac major events (other than death) in 24 patients (32.9%).
      Actuarial rates of freedom from major cardiac events were 70%, 52.9% and 48.1% at
      3, 5 and 10 years respectively. Multivariate analysis identified preoperative
      ejection fraction (p = 0.01) as predictor of recurrence of angina and
      preoperative heart failure (p = 0.02) as predictor of occurrence of cardiac major
      events.

PMID- 1426779
TI  - [Surgery of refractory ischemic arrhythmia].
AB  - Since June 1980, 138 patients have undergone surgical treatment for refractory
      ventricular tachycardia due to ischemic heart disease. Electrically guided
      surgical ablation (EGSA) of the focus was performed in 117 patients, while 14
      patients underwent application of automatic implantable cardioverter
      defibrillator (AICD), and 8 patients underwent heart transplantation. During the
      whole period considered, among the EGSA patients an operative mortality of 13
      patients was observed (11.4%), with a late mortality of another 14 patients
      (13.4%). Two early and six late recurrences were described, and 4 cases of sudden
      or unexplained death, with 2 cases clearly due to an arrhythmic event.
      Multivariate analysis showed preoperative ejection fraction lower than 25% as a
      powerful predictor of early mortality (32% vs 0%). Actuarial survival rate of
      patients with LVEF lower than 25% was 67 +/- 12% vs 95 +/- 2% at one year and 37
      +/- 25% vs 94 +/- 8% at 8 years. A high operative mortality was then observed in
      patients who underwent aneurysmectomy alone or visually guided procedures as
      compared to electrically guided procedures (75% or 3 deaths out of 4 patients vs
      8.5% or 10 out of 113 patients, respectively). Patients who received an AICD with
      or without associated procedures showed 1 case of in-hospital mortality and no
      late mortality; in 6 patients at least one shock was delivered; in two patients
      the AICD was implanted during an EGSA procedure, due to multiple or difficult
      origins of the arrhythmias. Of patients who underwent heart transplantation one
      case of later mortality was observed due to malignancy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1426780
TI  - [Navigating between Kos and Knidos].

PMID- 1426781
TI  - [The authors of multicenter studies].

PMID- 1426782
TI  - [Ultrasonographic evaluation of cardiac and vascular hypertrophy in patients with
      essential hypertension].
AB  - High resolution ultrasonography allows the accurate and reproducible measurement
      of thickness and lumen diameter of carotid arteries. We investigated Common
      carotid (CCA) and bifurcation intima-media thickness in 40 hypertensive patients,
      20 without left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) (age 42 +/- 10 years) and 20 with
      LVH (age 44 +/- 12 years), all free from other important cardiovascular risk
      factors. Both carotid axes were scanned from different views (anterior, lateral,
      posterior) on traversal and longitudinal section, using a high resolution
      steerable (HRS) 5.0 MHz linear array. Carotid diameter and thickness from
      longitudinal section were measured. CCA parameters were taken 20 mm caudally to
      flow divider. Using the B-mode as a guide we assessed LVH presence with M-mode
      technique when left ventricular mass index (LVMI) > or = 135 g/m2 for men and >
      or = 110 g/m2 for women. In hypertensive patients with LVH, left ventricular mass
      was significantly higher than in those without LVH (156 +/- 38 vs 98 +/- 10 g/m2,
      p < 0.01). Even blood pressure was significantly higher in hypertrophic group
      (172 +/- 21/108 +/- 9 vs 158 +/- 11/99 +/- 12 mmHg, p < 0.01), while there was no
      difference in serum glycemia, triglycerides, total and fractioned cholesterol
      levels. The intima-media thickness scanned in both CCA and bifurcation resulted
      significantly higher in hypertensives with LVH (CCA: 0.85 +/- 0.02 mm vs 0.65 +/-
      0.02 mm; BIF: 0.93 +/- 0.04 mm vs 0.70 +/- 0.03 mm, p < 0.01). We also noticed a
      statistically significant correlation between carotid wall thickness and left
      ventricular mass index.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426783
TI  - [Complications and sequelae of cardiac electrostimulation in children. Our
      experience with 47 children].
AB  - Permanent cardiac pacing is now easily feasible in children and even in small
      infants, but the long-term results of this procedure are not well known. We
      analyzed our experience to determine the morbidity of pacing in children. Over
      the past 10 years, 47 pediatric patients (pts) required pacemaker implantation in
      our institution. The mean age was 8.3 +/- 4 years (1 day-17 years) and mean body
      weight was 23 +/- 14 Kg (2.2-60 Kg). 25 pts had heart disease. 40 children had an
      A-V block (congenital in 22 cases, post-operative in 17 pts, and secondary to a
      systemic disease in 1 case); 7 pts had a sick sinus syndrome, primitive in 4 and
      postoperative in 3 cases. The first pacemaker implantation was epicardial in 17
      and transvenous in 30 pts. The pacing was single-chamber in 45 pts (VVI 32, VVIr
      7, AAI 5, AAIr 1) and dual-chamber in 2 pts (DDD 1, VDD 1). Two newborns, both
      with a congenital A-V block and severe heart failure, died in the first hours
      after epicardial pacing. Two other children, both with congenital heart disease,
      died during follow-up, but the death was not pacemaker-related. Finally, two
      children were lost to follow-up. The mean follow-up of the 41 remaining pts was
      5.2 +/- 3.5 years (4 months-10 years). Twelve children (29%) required 19 implant
      revisions and the causes were: lead fracture (26%), rising stimulation threshold
      (26%), growth problems (21%), erosion and/or pocket infection (21%). Revisions
      were more common in epicardial (52%) than in endocardial (22%)
      implantation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426784
TI  - [Determination of prevalence and control level of hypertension in the community:
      Hypertension Management Audit Project--Vicenza].
AB  - As a part of the "Hypertension Management Audit Project" a random sample of 4070
      subjects was drawn from the population aged 35-64 living in the city of Vicenza,
      in order to assess the prevalence and the level of control of hypertension in the
      community. 2854 (70.1%) were screened in the first step of the survey. Two blood
      pressure (BP) reading, height and weight measurements were performed and a short
      questionnaire filled in. Systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were (mean and
      95% confidence interval) 143.7 (142.6-144.7) and 88.3 (87.7-88.8) mmHg in males;
      137.8 (136.8-138.8) and 84.9 (84.5-85.5) mmHg in females, respectively. The BP
      value corresponding to the 95 degrees percentile of the cumulative distribution
      of BP was 180 mmHg for SBP and 105 mmHg for DBP in males; 173 mmHg for SBP and
      100 mmHg for DBP in females. Systo-diastolic hypertension was present in 12.3% of
      the screened population; isolated diastolic hypertension in 9.1%; isolated
      systolic hypertension in 5.3%; borderline hypertension in 31.6%; severe
      hypertension (DBP > or = 115 mmHg) was present in 1.9% of females and in 2.2% of
      males. Prevalence in males was significantly higher with respect to females in
      all three categories of defined hypertension, but not in borderline hypertension.
      The second step of the survey involved 849 subjects (29.7% of the screened
      population) who completed two re-examinations because at the screening they had:
      1) history of high BP; 2) BP > or = 160/95 mmHg; 3) ongoing antihypertensive
      treatment. At the end of the survey, 772 of these subjects (91%) were confirmed
      as hypertensives (mean BP of six readings > or = 140/90 mmHg and/or taking
      antihypertensive drugs). Patients aware of their high BP were 78.8%; aware and
      treated 51.0%; treated and controlled (BP < 140/90 mmHg) 19.1%. All indices of
      control were significantly higher in female with respect to male patients.
      Treated patients were significantly older than untreated patients; treated
      females had significantly lower BP than treated males, whereas no difference was
      detected between untreated patients; patients unaware of high BP had the highest
      BP values if compared to treated and untreated patients. This survey reveals a
      high prevalence of hypertension in the adult population of the city of Vicenza;
      quality of control shows a moderate improvement if compared to previous studies
      carried out in our country.

PMID- 1426785
TI  - [Anatomo-functional study of non-rheumatic mitral insufficiency with
      transesophageal echocardiography].
AB  - Reconstruction surgery of the mitral valve has become an alternative to mitral
      replacement in patients with pure mitral regurgitation. Preoperative assessment
      of the anatomic and functional aspects of the valvular lesion is of the utmost
      importance in conservative surgery. Transesophageal echocardiography is a new
      approach to investigating the mitral valve, and our study was undertaken with the
      purpose of determining its importance in the exploration of mitral regurgitation
      of non-rheumatic origin. Subjects included were twenty patients with pure and
      isolated mitral regurgitation (MR): 14 males and 6 females with an average age of
      47 +/- 13 years. All the patients underwent a first transesophageal 2D and color
      Doppler echocardiographic examination, and 5 of them underwent a second one
      during cardiovascular surgery. Mitral anulus diameter, mitral valve cordae
      tendinae status, valvular leaflet length and coaptation were examined and color
      Doppler regurgitation jet area was measured. Mitral anulus diameter was 40.2 +/-
      8.06 mm (diastolic) and 41.9 +/- 8.53 mm (systolic) and was above the values
      considered to be normal. Anterior leaflet length was 30.8 +/- 3.12 mm and
      posterior leaflet length was 22.9 +/- 4.74 mm; regurgitation jet area was between
      1.2 cm2 and 13.52 cm2 with an average of 5.44 cm2. In the group with MR of
      mixomatous origin, systolic anulus diameter showed a linear correlation with
      regurgitation jet area (r = 0.79). In the 6 patients who underwent cardiac
      catheterization, angiographic semiquantitative evaluation of the MR confirmed
      that based on color Doppler jet area. In all twenty patients transesophageal
      echocardiography enabled us to identify the mechanism responsible for mitral
      insufficiency.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426787
TI  - [Thrombolytic therapy in acute myocardial infarction. Clinical studies on
      mortality].

PMID- 1426786
TI  - [Regression of left ventricular hypertrophy in obese hypertensive patients
      treated with diet and pharmacologic therapy].
AB  - Thirty-five obese (Body Mass Index: BMI > 30) hypertensive (diastolic blood
      pressure > 100 mmHg) patients were studied for 6 months. 18 patients (10 males,
      mean age 52 +/- 6 years) were treated with captopril 50 mg b.i.d. (Group 1); 17
      patients, matched by age, sex and BMI were treated with captopril 50 mg b.i.d.
      and hypocaloric diet (Group 2). During follow-up a good control of blood pressure
      levels (< 150/90 mmHg) and a significant reduction in body weight (> 10%) were
      achieved in all patients of Group 2. Left heart anatomy was accessed by 2D guided
      M-mode echocardiogram before starting treatment and after 6 months. In Group 1
      Interventricular Septal Thickness (ST), Posterior Wall Thickness (PWT) and Left
      Ventricular Mass (LVM) decreased significantly (p < 0.01). In Group 2 not only
      ST, PWT and LVM decreased significantly (p < 0.01 for ST and PWT, p < 0.001 for
      LVM), but also left atrial dimension (p < 0.05) and left ventricular diastolic
      dimension (p < 0.01). The percent reduction in AD, LVDD and LVM was significantly
      higher (p < 0.01) in Group 2. In obese hypertensives relevant weight loss can
      improve the effect of captopril treatment on left ventricular hypertrophy; the
      decrease of AD and LVDD is probably secondary to a reduction of the volume
      overload present in obese patients.

PMID- 1426788
TI  - Methodology of baroreflex testing.
AB  - Recent clinical data have generated fresh interest in the assessment of
      baroreflex sensitivity, largely because of the relationship between this
      parameter and prognosis after a myocardial infarction. The present article
      reviews and discusses some of the methodologies currently used for the
      determination of baroreflex sensitivity. The Neck Chamber involves stimulation of
      the carotid baroreceptors by either augmenting or decreasing pressure at the
      level of the neck. The main advantage of this technique is to allow the
      simultaneous measurement of changes in heart rate and in the peripheral
      resistances. Another advantage is represented by the fact that no drugs are
      necessary for this type of study. On the other hand, this procedure modifies
      autonomic influences in several receptors areas while the stimulus is acting only
      at the carotid level; as a result of the baroreceptor activation or deactivation,
      this will produce complex and not uniform afferent information from receptors
      that are exposed to mechanical stimuli of opposite direction. In addition, it is
      difficult to quantify the pressure transmitted to the baroreceptors located in
      the carotid wall. The use of vasoactive substances, usually phenylephrine or
      nitroglycerin, produces a brisk change in pressure which is then linearly
      correlated with the attendant changes in the R-R interval to obtain a "baroreflex
      slope". The first concern with vasoactive drugs is that they act also on smooth
      muscle in the carotid sinus wall and might thereby interfere with the mechanical
      effects on the baroreceptors. The second is that peripheral resistance cannot be
      calculated at the same time.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426789
TI  - Power spectral analysis of RR variability.
AB  - The analysis of beat-to-beat spontaneous oscillations of heart rate variability
      is a recent and noninvasive approach capable of providing important information
      on neural mechanisms controlling cardiovascular function. In particular, with
      spectral analysis of RR variability, two major components can be detected at low
      (LF, approximately 0.1 Hz) and high (HF, approximately 0.25 Hz) frequency. They
      have been demonstrated to be appropriate indices of, respectively, sympathetic
      and parasympathetic modulations of heart period. In control subjects, at rest, LF
      is slightly predominant over HF. In post myocardial infarction patients there is
      a predominant LF and a diminished HF that suggests an alteration of sympatho
      vagal balance with a predominance of sympathetic tone. This approach, by
      providing indices of sympathetic and vagal neural regulatory outflows, appears
      adequate to evaluate several pathophysiological conditions such as ischemic heart
      disease, hypertension or congestive heart failure, which are characterized by
      important alterations of neural regulatory mechanisms.

PMID- 1426790
TI  - The neck chamber technique.
AB  - Since the first description of the neck chamber technique for stimulating carotid
      baroreceptors by Ernsting and Parry in 1957, a number of different neck collars
      have been realized, among which the simplified version devised by Eckberg and
      coworkers in 1975 and the neck chamber described by Ludbrook and coworkers in our
      Institute in 1977. At variance with Eckberg's type, the "Milan neck chamber"
      completely surrounds the neck and allows the application of both positive and
      negative pressures to the neck by means of a system of double rubber valves that
      prevents air leakage from the chamber. The main advantage of this technique, as
      compared to infusion of vasoactive drugs, is the possibility it offers to study
      baroreflex control not only of heart rate, but also of peripheral resistance and
      blood pressure through neck chamber induced changes in carotid transmural
      pressure. In recent years a systematic evaluation of the neck chamber technique
      has allowed to clarify the following issues: 1) application of positive pressure
      to the neck, although increasing internal jugular venous pressure and thereby
      reducing the pressure gradient from the arterial versus the venous side of head
      circulation, does not reduce cerebral blood flow; 2) changes in pressure within
      the neck chamber do not seem to reduce blood flow to the carotid bodies, at least
      to a degree which might lead to chemoreceptor stimulation; 3) there is a linear
      relation between changes in neck chamber pressure and changes in tissue pressure
      adjacent to the carotid sinus. The transmission of pressure to pericarotid
      tissues is complex, however.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426791
TI  - Clinical assessment of respiratory sinus arrhythmia by computerized analysis of
      RR interval and respiration.
AB  - Heart rate variability (HRV) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) are often
      considered as interchangeable terms. However, the application of power spectral
      analysis to describe spontaneous fluctuations in heart period has clearly shown
      that RSA is only a part of HRV, and that in specific situations their respective
      patterns may diverge. In order to quantify the RSA we have used a mathematical
      method based on combined spectral analysis of respiration and RR interval (cross
      correlation function), and evaluated its performance in terms of reproducibility,
      sensitivity to parasympathetic withdrawal and in clinical evaluation of autonomic
      function. Compared to other indices of HRV the cross-correlation between RR
      interval and respiration showed a greater sensitivity to parasympathetic
      withdrawal, better reproducibility and a high sensitivity in detecting autonomic
      dysfunction in diabetic patients. These findings suggest that specific indices of
      RSA, such as the cross-correlation, can be a valid tool for the diagnostic
      approach to cardiac autonomic dysfunction.

PMID- 1426792
TI  - [Lack of tolerance after administration of delayed-action isosorbide-5
      mononitrate for 3 days in patients with exercise-induced silent ischemia: control
      with placebo].
AB  - In order to assess the development of tolerance we analyzed in a placebo
      controlled study the effect of monotherapy with isosorbide-5-mononitrate (IS-5
      MN) 60 mg in a controlled release formulation (Durules) once-a-day. The IS-5-MN
      was evaluated after the first dose and after once-a-day therapy for three days in
      11 ambulatory patients (10 males, 1 female, aged 54 +/- 9 years) with stable
      exercise-induced silent myocardial ischaemia and significant coronary stenoses.
      The drug was given at 8 o'clock in the morning, and a bicycle ergometer exercise
      test was performed after 4 hours. The ST segment depression was evaluated by a
      computer-assisted system. Standing blood pressure decreased during all three
      periods of active treatment with IS-5-MN, (in comparison with placebo p < 0.001
      and p < 0.01, p < 0.01 respectively). Heart rate did not change significantly.
      Compared with placebo baseline values, ischaemic threshold increased during the
      first day of treatment (188 sec, p < 0.0001 at 4 hours), and to a lesser extent
      both in second (103 sec, p < 0.003) and third day (116 sec, p < 0.003). The total
      exercise time increased during all three days of active therapy but significantly
      so only during the first day. The exercise stress test performed in the 5th day
      during placebo demonstrated a high reproducibility of ischaemic-threshold (235 vs
      241 sec, p: ns), implying that the improvement during the active treatment with
      IS-5-MN was not due to a "training effect". Headache in 2 patients was the only
      significant side-effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426793
TI  - [Perfusion catheter and cardio-pulmonary support standby: organizational strategy
      for high risk PTCA. Description of a case treated successfully].
AB  - The organizational strategy used in a high risk Coronary Angioplasty procedure is
      discussed. The attempted vessel was a severely stenosed Right Coronary Artery in
      a patient who had undergone triple graft, with residual obstruction of Left Main
      Artery and only one patent venous graft on a marginal branch of the Circumflex
      artery. The procedure was performed using a Stack type autoperfusion balloon
      angioplasty catheter, with a Cardiopulmonary Support System held in standby.

PMID- 1426794
TI  - [Sepsis and endocarditis: two rare complications following pacemaker
      implantation. Description of a case and review of the literature].
AB  - A case of Staphylococcus aureus tricuspid valve endocarditis in a patient with
      permanent transvenous VVI pacemaker and recurrent febrile episodes is described.
      Medical treatment was not effective, and only with surgical removal of the lead
      was the infection successfully treated.

PMID- 1426795
TI  - [Infective endocarditis of the right heart in patients with pacemaker].

PMID- 1426796
TI  - [Salt and hypertension in the 90's: a settled controversy?].

PMID- 1426797
TI  - ["Historic" calcium antagonists and ischemic cardiopathy: critical review of the
      literature].

PMID- 1426798
TI  - [The stunned and the hibernating myocardium after myocardial infarction].

PMID- 1426800
TI  - Baroreceptor reflexes and sudden cardiac death: experimental findings and
      background.
AB  - The identification of subjects at high risk for sudden cardiac death is a key
      factor for an adequate preventive strategy. Relevant animal models may provide
      both a better understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanism involved and
      suggestions for a more precise risk stratification. Vagal hyperactivity is
      generally beneficial in the setting of acute myocardial ischemia. In a conscious
      animal model for sudden cardiac death, electric vagal stimulation markedly
      reduces the incidence of ventricular fibrillation (VF) in a high risk subgroup,
      whereas muscarinic blockade increases malignant arrhythmias in low risk animals.
      Among 192 dogs, those that develop VF during an episode of acute myocardial
      ischemia one month after myocardial infarction, have a significantly lower
      baroreceptor reflex sensitivity, compared to the survivors (9.1 +/- 6.0 vs 17.7
      +/- 6.5 msec/mmHg, p < 0.0001). Furthermore, the analysis of vagal reflexes may
      identify high risk animals also before myocardial infarction. Therefore, the
      experimental studies indicate that the analysis of baroreceptor reflexes may be a
      powerful tool in the stratification of risk for sudden cardiac death.

PMID- 1426799
TI  - Ischemic modulation of myocardial innervation.
AB  - This article focuses on the interplay existing between the autonomic nervous
      system and the myocardium, with novel observations related to arrhythmogenesis.
      Myocardial ischemia and infarction produce an efferent denervation involving both
      limbs of the autonomic nervous system. As a consequence of the sympathetic
      denervation, the myocardial norepinephrine content is reduced to a major extent.
      As a logical consequence, this is followed by the phenomenon called "denervation
      supersensitivity", i.e. the tissue deprived of its nerve supply responds to the
      neural mediator in an exaggerated fashion. This is manifested by an exaggerated
      shortening of the effective refractory period during infusion of norepinephrine
      and by increased propensity for arrhythmias. With time, denervation is followed
      by reinnervation. An interesting counterpart of these findings is the possibility
      to document in patients after myocardial infarction if denervation has occurred
      using the MIBG technique. Not only efferent but also afferent denervation does
      occur and this might be involved in painless ischemia. In another series of
      studies we have provided the evidence that the pericardium is not a mere inert
      sac but it actively acts as a functional membrane. Pericardial prostaglandins
      released into the pericardial fluid alter electrophysiologic properties by
      modulating mostly the sympathetic effects; this may serve as a physiologic
      negative feedback control mechanism regulating sympathetic effects on the heart
      contributing to prevention of ischemic arrhythmias.

PMID- 1426801
TI  - Myocardial infarction and baroreflex sensitivity. Clinical studies.
AB  - Based on solid experimental evidence the concept has emerged that analysis of
      autonomic reflexes, and specifically of baroreceptive reflexes, might contribute
      to the identification of high risk subgroups in the post myocardial infarction
      phase. Accordingly, we brought this concept to clinical fruition and have
      performed the first clinical study to investigate the potential prognostic value
      of baroreflex sensitivity. The present article reviews those clinical results
      which indicate an almost 15 times greater risk for cardiac mortality among the
      patients with depressed baroreflex sensitivity. Baroreflex sensitivity has also
      been correlated with heart rate variability and it was found that the degree of
      correlation is relatively weak and such that it is not possible to predict one
      measure from the other. Thus, these two autonomic markers are not redundant.
      Among the various possibilities to induce favorable alterations in the autonomic
      balance, our group has selected and analyzed exercise training and the chronic
      administration of beta-blocking agents. Exercise training, examined in a case
      control study involving 70 patients, was found to increase baroreflex sensitivity
      by 30%. Beta-blockers were found to augment baroreflex sensitivity in 40% of the
      patients tested. As a logical evolution of these studies we have initiated a
      large prospective collaborative study destined to enroll 1200 post myocardial
      infarction patients and to assess the prognostic value of baroreflex sensitivity,
      of heart rate variability, and of traditional markers such as left ventricular
      ejection fraction and late potentials.

PMID- 1426802
TI  - Heart rate variability and the onset of tachyarrhythmias.
AB  - The autonomic nervous system plays an important role in the genesis of cardiac
      arrhythmias but the precise definition of this role is quite complex. The
      fluctuations of the heart rate may provide useful information about the balance
      of the autonomic nervous system. However, one obvious limitation is represented
      by extrapolating to the ventricle events which occur at the sinus node level. It
      has been clearly documented that atrial fibrillation of vagal origin is preceded
      by a progressive decrease in heart rate. On the other hand, ventricular
      arrhythmias of adrenergic origin are preceded by progressive heart rate
      acceleration and by diminution of vagally mediated short term changes. The
      absolute value in heart rate is less important than the actual trend in allowing
      inferences on the relative sympathetic or vagal predominance. A better
      understanding of the changes in the autonomic balance will provide a key for the
      mechanisms underlying several clinical events.

PMID- 1426803
TI  - [Guidelines for the diagnosis and evaluation of autonomic nervous system mediated
      syncope. Standards proposed by the Italian Association of Cardiostimulation and
      the Italian Group of Arrhythmology].

PMID- 1426804
TI  - [Coronary angioplasty in postinfarct angina].
AB  - BACKGROUND: The recurrence of transient myocardial ischemia is a frequent event
      in the course of acute myocardial infarction. Postinfarction angina develops more
      frequently after a non-Q wave infarction, and after effective thrombolysis; when
      uncontrolled by standard medical treatment, it is associated with an increased
      incidence of unfavorable cardiac events. Therapeutic strategies involve
      aggressive medical therapy, frequent use of early angiography, and mechanical
      coronary revascularization with bypass surgery or transluminal coronary
      angioplasty (PTCA). PATIENTS: We retrospectively examined 68 consecutive patients
      treated with PTCA for postinfarction angina. Of the whole, 36 (53%) had sustained
      a non-Q wave infarction; 29 (43%) had been treated with thrombolysis in the acute
      phase. Ischemia was in the infarction zone in 94% of cases; mean EF was 61.5 +/-
      12%, and in 18 cases EF was < 55%. RESULTS: In 7 cases two arteries were dilated.
      There were no deaths related to the procedure. The overall success rate was
      91.2%. Major complications occurred in 2 cases (1 acute occlusion with
      reinfarction, 1 major dissection requiring emergency surgery). The results are
      analyzed according to the time interval between index infarction and PTCA. In 28
      cases (Group A) PTCA was performed within 30 days due to medically refractory
      symptomatology; in 40 cases (Group B) PTCA was postponed to beyond 30 days from
      infarction. In Group A involvement of the left anterior descending coronary
      artery was more frequent (75% of cases vs 40%; p = 0.009). The success rate in
      Group A was slightly lower than for Group B (85.7% vs 95%); the incidence of
      complications was higher (7.1% vs 0%), although not statistically different. At 6
      month follow-up a restenosis was found in 10 cases (16% of successful PTCAs, 21%
      of angiographic controls). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that for patients with
      postinfarction angina, selected for a suitable coronary anatomy, PTCA is an
      effective therapeutic option, with a high success rate, low immediate morbidity,
      and good mid-term results. The risk of intraprocedural complications appears only
      slightly higher for patients with unstable symptoms, who undergo PTCA earlier
      after infarction.

PMID- 1426805
TI  - [The electrocardiographic anomalies and 2D-echocardiographic findings during the
      recovery phase of the stress test in the postinfarct patient].
AB  - BACKGROUND: The appearance or the increase of repolarization abnormalities in the
      EKG during post exercise (ET) recovery phase (R) is considered a marker of
      ischemia. METHODS: In order to evaluate the real meaning of these changes we
      compared the EKG data with eventual modifications of left ventricular kinesis
      analyzed by 2D-ECHO. 10 male patients with previous myocardial infarction, mean
      age 50 +/- 4.8 y, underwent exercise testing on a treadmill (Bruce's protocol)
      and continuous 2D-ECHO observation from the end of exercise along the whole R.
      Patients were divided in two groups: Group A (6 patients) and Group B (4
      patients), all free of symptoms. RESULTS: Group A showed ischemic EKG markers
      during exercise which increased during R; Group B showed ischemic EKG markers
      only during R. The 2D-ECHO showed in Group A an impairment of left ventricular
      kinesis at peak exercise without increase or extension during R (WMSI at rest
      1.32; peak ET 1.60; R 1.60); in Group B the kinetic alterations appeared only in
      R (WMSI at rest 1.33, peak ET 1.42; R 1.80), strictly related to EKG markers.
      CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest : 1) that the increase of EKG abnormalities already
      present during exercise do not seem to imply more severe ischemia; 2) that EKG
      changes appearing during R are markers of ischemia which occur in the R.

PMID- 1426806
TI  - [Coronary angioplasty without surgical standby: a prospective study].
AB  - In 811 out of 1000 consecutive patients submitted to coronary angioplasty we
      elected not to arrange for surgical standby. All patients were informed, and
      accepted that in case of vessel occlusion an infarction might ensue, for which a
      conservative management was planned. This choice was made on the basis of a
      clinical and angiographic estimate of the possible consequences of vessel
      occlusion, or dictated by sound inoperability of the patient. Primary success was
      achieved in 700 patients (86%) and in 933/1026 lesions (91%). Fifty-six patients
      (6.9%) had an acute vessel occlusion (within 24 hours of the procedure), with Q
      or non Q-wave infarction in 24 cases (2.9% of patients). Emergency coronary
      stenting was performed in 9 patients. One patient had emergency bypass surgery 1
      hour after the procedure, and another had urgent bypass surgery 24 hours after
      the procedure because of left main stem dissection: the former died despite
      surgery, the latter was discharged uneventfully. The remaining 7 in-hospital
      deaths (total mortality 1%) could not have been prevented by surgical standby:
      one patient died from electromechanical dissociation during the procedure, due to
      rupture of a ventricular pseudoaneurysm; another died after an uncomplicated
      procedure, due to an anaphylactic reaction to protamine; two others died suddenly
      3 and 20 days, respectively, after a successful procedure; finally, three
      patients were "a priori" inoperable. Our data suggest that surgical standby is
      not necessary for a large number of angioplasty candidates, who can be identified
      on the basis of preliminary clinical and angiographic evidence.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426807
TI  - [Surgical standby during coronary angioplasty: a criterion to be modified?].

PMID- 1426808
TI  - [Sotalol in the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome: an electrophysiological and
      clinical study].
AB  - Distinctly different from the other beta-blocking agents, sotalol prolongs action
      potential duration in myocardial and Purkinje fibers, and increases atrial as
      well as ventricular effective refractory periods. Similarly, antegrade and
      retrograde accessory pathway refractory periods are increased by sotalol. The
      electrophysiologic and clinical effects of sotalol were studied in 40 patients
      (31 male and 9 female, mean age 32 +/- 14 years) with Wolff-Parkinson-White
      Syndrome (WPW). All patients had disabling episodes of supraventricular
      tachyarrhythmias (ST). Of the 40 patients, 15 (37%) had spontaneous recurrence of
      paroxysmal supraventricular reciprocating tachycardia (PSRT), 14 (35%) of atrial
      fibrillation (AF) and 11 (28%) of both PSRT and AF. All of the patients were non
      responders to serial transesophageal electropharmacological tests using I C class
      drugs. Sotalol 252 +/- 73 mg daily was administered, and, in steady-state, a new
      transesophageal study (TS) was performed to observe the re-induction of PSRT
      and/or AF. 34 patients (85%) were responders to TS (noninducibility of ST, or
      nonsustained ST or AF inducibility with an increase of 30% in the minimum R-R
      interval between pre-excitated beats during AF) and the results were confirmed
      during a follow-up of 17 +/- 9 months. In the non-responder group (5 patients), a
      I C class drug was associated with sotalol. One patient, who was a "non
      responder" to sotalol, sotalol + I C class drug, and to amiodarone, underwent
      surgical therapy. In the 26 patients (65%) who had episodes of PSRT (37%) or
      episodes of PSRT and AF (28%), it was impossible to reinduce PSRT in 85% of the
      cases. AF was induced at baseline in all of the studied patients, but after
      sotalol administration in 15 patients, it was impossible to reinduce AF. The rate
      of induced AF decreased from 208 +/- 39 beats/min to 156 +/- 36 beats/min (p <
      0.001). The mean shortest R-R interval between pre-excitated beats increased from
      214 +/- 35 (baseline) to 293 +/- 97 msec (sotalol steady state) (p < 0.001). No
      side effects were observed. A significant prolongation (p < 0.001) of the QTc
      interval was observed in all the patients after sotalol administration (from 0.39
      +/- 0.2 to 0.42 +/- 0.02 sec.). On the basis of our results, we may conclude that
      sotalol has a potent effect on the antegrade refractoriness of the anomalous
      pathway and, in WPW syndrome at risk, is also effective in patients who don't
      respond to I C class drugs.

PMID- 1426809
TI  - [Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in patients with chronic ischemic cardiopathy: a
      study of high-resolution atrial activation].
AB  - BACKGROUND: Patients with ischemic heart disease and episodes of paroxysmal
      atrial fibrillation are at major risk of stroke. In order to prevent such
      episodes, through the identification of patients prone to atrial fibrillation, we
      investigated the high-resolution atriogram of 65 patients with chronic ischemic
      heart disease, 54 male and 11 female, mean age 60.22 +/- 9.04 years. Based on
      previous documented episodes of atrial fibrillation, the patients were divided
      into two groups: group A, 45 males and 3 females, mean age 58.92 +/- 7.68 years,
      without atrial fibrillation; group B, 9 males and 8 females, mean age 63.88 +/-
      11.6 years, with atrial fibrillation. RESULTS: High resolution atrial duration
      (100-300 Hz) in group B (with atrial fibrillation) was higher than in group A
      (without atrial fibrillation) (140.59 +/- 16.85 ms vs 121.77 +/- 11.27 ms, p <
      0.001); Non filtered atrial duration (0-300 Hz) was not different between the two
      groups, A and B (118.54 +/- 10.96 ms vs 123.53 +/- 18.77 ms, p = NS); The
      prevalence of late atrial potentials was higher in group B than in group A (60.8%
      vs 7.1%, p < 0.001); No relation was observed between high resolution atriogram
      data and echocardiographic measurements; Sensibility was 82%, specificity 81%,
      and predictivity 60%. CONCLUSIONS: Data from our study show that high resolution
      electrocardiography is a valid tool for identifying patients prone to atrial
      fibrillation. Such patients can be identified by the presence of "late atrial
      potentials" that, like late ventricular potentials for ventricular tachycardia,
      are correlated with atrial fibrillation. Nevertheless, a larger cohort of
      patients is necessary to confirm these results.

PMID- 1426810
TI  - [Persistent T-wave inversion in unstable angina: the correlation with the global
      and regional function of the left ventricle].
AB  - The correlation between persistent negative T wave on basal electrocardiogram and
      coronary anatomy or global and regional left ventricular function was
      investigated in 34 patients with unstable angina defined as new onset (< 2
      months), crescendo or rest angina. The patients with history of previous
      myocardial infarction, pathological Q waves on electrocardiogram or documented
      elevation of CPK were excluded. Eighteen patients (group A) showed T wave
      inversion (> 1 mV) in at least two leads on the basal electrocardiogram,
      persisting for at least 48 hours before coronary arteriography. In 16 patients
      (group B) the basal electrocardiogram was normal. Left ventricular volumes and
      ejection fraction were calculated and the regional systolic wall motion was
      analyzed using the area method in the 30 degrees right anterior oblique view.
      Hypokinesis was defined as more than 2 standard deviation below the mean value
      calculated in 24 normal subjects. No difference was present for age (A: 61 +/- 9
      vs B: 57 +/- 9 yrs) and sex distribution. Critical stenoses of at least one
      coronary artery was documented in all but one patient (in group B). The number of
      critical stenosis per patient was equal (1.8) in the two groups. Left main
      coronary artery showed narrowing > 50% in three patients of group A and in two
      patients of group B.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426811
TI  - [Cardiologic emergencies: mortality and treatment. An analysis of 500 consecutive
      coronary events within the framework of the WHO-MONICA Project--Brianza Area. The
      Research Group of the WHO-MONICA Project--Brianza Area].
AB  - Recently, a decreasing trend in cardiovascular mortality, starting from 1976-78,
      has been observed in Italy, particularly in northern regions. In order to explore
      one possible cause of the phenomenon, a survey of acute coronary care has been
      performed in a sample area, with about one tenth of the population of Lombardy,
      the largest and most developed northern Italian region. The survey has been
      carried out within the framework of the WHO-MONICA project: the treatment of 500
      consecutive suspected coronary events in the age group 25-64 years, has been
      examined according to the international protocol. The following items have been
      investigated: time between onset of symptoms and medical intervention;
      characteristics of initial care; cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation
      in or outside the hospital; intensive care unit admission and length of stay;
      type of treatment before, during and after the event. Marked improvements have
      been accomplished in managing cardiac emergency. They have reduced in-hospital
      coronary mortality by more than 50%. However, several problems were still present
      at the time of the study, 1986-87: a) only 52% of patients obtained assistance
      within 4 hours (Tab III); b) cardiac arrest was practically always fatal outside
      the hospital and in 75% of the cases inside (Tab V); c) essential drugs, e.g.
      beta-blockers, were not so widespread and substantially absent were angioplasty
      and coronary bypass surgery (Tab IX). It has been estimated that improving
      adherence to optimal therapeutic standards might save more than 700 lives a year
      in Lombardy in the age group 25-65 years.

PMID- 1426812
TI  - [Pulmonary valve angioplasty via the jugular vein in a 73-year-old female
      patient].
AB  - Percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty was successfully performed in a 73-year-old
      woman with severe congestive heart failure due to severe calcific valvular
      pulmonary stenosis. An approach by right internal jugular vein was used for the
      procedure.

PMID- 1426813
TI  - [Coronary embolism: a frequently forgotten cause of myocardial infarct and sudden
      death].

PMID- 1426814
TI  - [The integration of nuclear medicine methods into cardiology: an operative
      proposal].

PMID- 1426815
TI  - [The Ferrarese operative proposal on the integration of nuclear medicine methods
      into cardiology: what the cardiologist and the nuclear medicine specialist think.
      Interview by Michele Galli].

PMID- 1426816
TI  - [In memoriam Oscar Marco Triulzi].

PMID- 1426817
TI  - [Are antineutrophilic polymorphonuclear cytoplasmic antibodies pathogenic?].

PMID- 1426818
TI  - [Digestive cancers in France. Comparison of the incidence in 7 departments and
      estimation of incidence in the entire country of France].
AB  - Estimation of differences in the incidence of digestive cancers in France was
      made from incidence data coming from 7 French departments covered by population
      based registries. For some localizations, such as cancer of the pancreas,
      incidence variations could be explained by differences in recording techniques.
      But geographic variations clearly appeared for digestive tract cancers: the
      incidence of esophageal cancer is 4 to 5 fold less in the departments of Tarn and
      Haute-Garonne than in the department of Calvados. Conversely, the incidence of
      colorectal cancer is lower in the department of Calvados than in the others. For
      the entire country, the estimated number of digestive cancers is 46,300 cases per
      year. This number represents a third of all cancers in males and a fourth in
      females. Colorectal cancer (25,700 cases per year) is the most frequent of all
      cancers in both sexes. Cancer of the stomach (8,200 cases per year) is the second
      digestive cancer, equal to esophageal cancer in males. The heavy burden of
      digestive cancers in public health is emphasized by our results. These results
      should lead our country to intensify research in the direction of primary and
      secondary prevention.

PMID- 1426819
TI  - [Digestive lymphomatous polyposis].
AB  - We report 7 prospectively followed cases of lymphomatous polyposis of the
      gastrointestinal tract. They were characterized by multiple polypoid lesions
      affecting several segments of the gastrointestinal tract always involving the
      colon and the rectum. An ileocecal mass was present in 4 cases. Regional lymph
      node involvement was constant. Peripheral lymphadenopathy was frequent (5 cases
      out of 7), as was other extra-digestive extension to the bone marrow (4 cases out
      of 7) and cavum (3 cases out of 7). The histopathological aspect was that of a
      small cleaved cells (working formulation) or centrocytic (Kiel classification)
      non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The peculiar morphology and phenotype of the tumoral B
      lymphocytes suggest their possible follicle marginal zone origin. Lymphomatous
      polyposis bore a rapidly fatal prognosis in every case (mean survival 20 months).
      This study of seven patients together with the 20 well-documented cases of the
      literature confirms the existence of lymphomatous polyposis as a distinctive
      clinicopathological entity among gastrointestinal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

PMID- 1426820
TI  - Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies in inflammatory bowel diseases.
AB  - Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies have been recently reported in sera
      from patients with inflammatory bowel disease. We report our experience based on
      90 patients with ulcerative colitis, 148 patients with Crohn's disease, and 60
      controls. Determination of antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies was
      performed by the indirect immunofluorescence technique on ethanol fixed
      leucocytes. The specificities for proteinase 3, myeloperoxidase, and lactoferrin
      were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Forty-three out of 90 (48%)
      patients with ulcerative colitis, 10 out of 148 (7%) patients with Crohn's
      disease, and none of controls were positive by indirect immunofluorescence
      technique. All patients but two with positive immunofluorescence exhibited a
      perinuclear staining pattern. Among patients with ulcerative colitis, there was
      no relationship between the presence of perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic
      autoantibodies and disease location or activity. Seven out of 20 (35%) patients
      with ulcerative colitis who had a previous colectomy (including 1 with ileoanal
      anastomosis) had perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies.
      Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody specificity was not directed against
      myeloperoxidase, proteinase 3 or lactoferrin in sera from patients with
      inflammatory bowel diseases. Inflammatory bowel diseases are associated with a
      new subset of antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies. Among patients with
      Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the sensitivity and specificity of the
      presence of perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies for ulcerative
      colitis was 46% and 93%, respectively. Their presence reinforces the likelihood
      of underlying immunologic dysregulation in ulcerative colitis. Identification of
      the autoantigen(s) to which these antibodies are directed might facilitate the
      understanding of inflammatory bowel disease pathophysiology.

PMID- 1426821
TI  - [Viral hepatitis A: a changing epidemiology leading to a change in concepts].

PMID- 1426822
TI  - [High prevalence of hepatitis B after heart transplantation: absence of evidence
      for transfusional transmission].

PMID- 1426823
TI  - [Seroepidemiology of hepatitis A in six departments in West-Central France in
      1991].
AB  - Antibodies to hepatitis A virus were sought for among residents of 6
      "departements" of West-Central France during a routine medical check up provided
      by the national health insurance system to all affiliated persons. Among them
      5,641 subjects (aged 6 to 60) were randomly selected to a sample size of 256 +/-
      15 male or female subjects for each five-year age group. Anti-HAV were detected
      in 51% of the screened population. The prevalence was less than 5% in the 6-15
      age group and increased by successive steps to exceed 90% in the subjects over
      50. The highest increase was observed between the 26-30 (39%) and the 31-35 (57%)
      age groups. This study confirms the influence of socio-economical factors on the
      anti-HAV prevalence rate. Factors such as profession or scholar education were
      previously known, but the housing conditions and especially the number of
      siblings were identified in our present report. In relation to this low
      prevalence of anti-HAV among young adults, one may fear an increase of overt
      hepatitis cases which are known to be more frequent in adults than in infants or
      children. Moreover any break in hygiene may expose the population to an epidemia.
      Only active immunization with a vaccine against hepatitis A could efficiently
      prevent these individual and community-related risks.

PMID- 1426824
TI  - [Hemodynamic effects of the administration of terlipressin alone or combined with
      nitroglycerin in patients with cirrhosis].
AB  - Terlipressin (Glypressin), a synthetic analog of vasopressin, induces arteriolar
      vasoconstriction which causes both a portal hypotensive effect and certain side
      effects on the systemic circulation (elevated arterial pressure and reduced
      cardiac output). The combination of nitroglycerin with terlipressin might
      accentuate the portal hypotensive effect and prevent the side-effects on the
      systemic circulation. The aim of this study was to examine the systemic and
      splanchnic hemodynamic responses to terlipressin administered alone or combined
      with nitroglycerin in patients with cirrhosis. Systemic and splanchnic
      hemodynamics were measured before and 1 h after a bolus of terlipressin (1 to 2
      mg IV) given alone (n = 10) or in association with nitroglycerin infusion (25
      micrograms/min, n = 9). Terlipressin alone significantly increased the arterial
      pressure by 21%, systemic vascular resistance by 60%, and significantly decreased
      cardiac output by 23%. The right atrial and pulmonary pressures significantly
      increased and the wedged hepatic venous pressure and hepatic venous pressure
      gradient significantly decreased by 8% and 16%, respectively. The combined
      therapy decreased the cardiac output by 20%, but did not significantly modify the
      other systemic and splanchnic hemodynamic values. No significant differences were
      found between terlipressin and the combined therapy concerning changes in wedged
      hepatic venous pressure or hepatic venous pressure gradient. We conclude that in
      patients with cirrhosis, nitroglycerin prevents the deleterious vasoconstrictor
      and vasopressor effects of terlipressin. However, the combined therapy, as
      terlipressin alone, decreases the cardiac output.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1426825
TI  - [Effect of acute administration of acamprosate on the risk of encephalopathy and
      on arterial pressure in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis].
AB  - To evaluate the risk of hepatic encephalopathy and arterial hypotension in
      cirrhotic patients after acute administration of acamprosate, a GABA mimetic drug
      used in the weaned alcoholic, a randomized double-blind trial was conducted in 24
      cirrhotic patients with low or moderate hepatic insufficiency (Pugh grade A or
      B). Twelve patients received 666 mg (2 tablets) of acamprosate and 12 received
      placebo. The 2 groups were similar before treatment, except for a male
      predominance in the acamprosate group. Tested parameters were the P100 latency of
      visual evoked potentials using a checkerboard pattern reversal as stimulus, the
      number connection test and the arterial blood pressure in upright and recumbent
      positions. The two first parameters were studied before and 2 hours after
      treatment. Blood pressure was recorded every half hour during 6 hours. No
      significant effect on the development of subclinical hepatic encephalopathy was
      noted. Nevertheless, even if some authors disagree with the GABA hypothesis of
      hepatic encephalopathy, it is possible that the dose was too low to induce
      subclinical hepatic encephalopathy. A study with more prolonged treatment could
      be necessary to be sure of the drug's safety in these patients. On the other
      hand, a transient decrease of diastolic arterial blood pressure was observed
      without significant systolic blood pressure modification. These results suggest
      that a moderate dose of acamprosate does not induce subclinical encephalopathy,
      but transient diastolic hypotension.

PMID- 1426827
TI  - [Infection of ascitic fluid by perforation of a sclerodermic colon].
AB  - In progressive systemic scleroderma, a disease of protean manifestations,
      involvement of the gastrointestinal tract is noted infrequently in patients who
      are asymptomatic, and is rarely fatal. We report the case of a 65-year-old woman
      who was admitted for ascitis related to a non A, non B cirrhosis. The patient
      presented with bacterial peritonitis due to colonic perforation by fecal
      impaction associated with sclerodermic involvement. Pathologic study of the
      resected colon showed that the true muscularis was very atrophic and fibrotic,
      characteristic of scleroderma. To our knowledge, this cause of ascitic fluid
      infection has not been previously reported.

PMID- 1426826
TI  - [Prophylaxis of infectious complications by selective digestive bacterial
      decontamination in patients with cirrhosis].

PMID- 1426828
TI  - [Cystadenoma of the extrahepatic bile ducts: a rare cause of cholestasis].
AB  - We report the case of a 45-year-old woman who underwent laparotomy for
      obstructive jaundice due to an uncommon cystic tumor located in the porta
      hepatis. Histology of the resected specimen disclosed a cystadenoma of the common
      hepatic duct. A review of 20 reported cases shows that the preoperative diagnosis
      is uncommon; wide resection appears to be the treatment of choice since these
      lesions are susceptible of local recurrence and malignant change.

PMID- 1426829
TI  - [Leiomyosarcoma of the inferior vena cava invading into the liver. Complete
      resection with venous reconstruction].
AB  - A case of leiomyosarcoma of the retrohepatic inferior vena cava associated with
      metastasis in the right liver lobe is reported. Resection included extended right
      hepatectomy, right nephrectomy, and tumor--containing inferior vena cava
      resection followed by polytetrafluoroethylene tube reconstruction. A comfortable
      survival was obtained before multifocal malignant spread led to death 42 months
      after surgery.

PMID- 1426830
TI  - [Biomedical research, Huriet's law and non-university-affiliated hospital].

PMID- 1426831
TI  - [Acute rhabdomyolysis and necrotizing enterocolitis after ingestion of
      fenoverine].

PMID- 1426832
TI  - [Endoscopic removal of an intra-uterine device from the sigmoid colon].

PMID- 1426833
TI  - [A new computed tomography classification of acute pancreatitis].

PMID- 1426834
TI  - [Autoimmune hepatitis type 1 revealed during treatment with interferon].

PMID- 1426835
TI  - [Cholecystectomy by celiosurgery and cancer of the gallbladder].

PMID- 1426836
TI  - [Acute hepatitis probably secondary to the treatment with pyrimethamine
      sulfadiazine combination].

PMID- 1426837
TI  - [Late jaundice after cholecystectomy by laparoscopy, caused by a endo-choledochal
      clip].

PMID- 1426838
TI  - [Prevention of colorectal cancer: what is the role of aspirin?].

PMID- 1426839
TI  - [What is the role of rectosigmoidoscopy in the early diagnosis of colorectal
      cancer?].

PMID- 1426840
TI  - [Portal colonopathy: a new entity in the course of portal hypertension].

PMID- 1426842
TI  - Graded compression sonography of abdominal neoplasms mimicking acute
      appendicitis.
AB  - Over a 3-year period nine patients (mean age of 43 years) with acute abdominal
      pain and unsuspected abdominal neoplasms were referred for graded compression
      sonography to rule out appendicitis. Six of the nine patients had right lower
      quadrant neoplasms involving the cecum, terminal ileum, iliacus muscle, or iliac
      lymph nodes. However, in three patients neoplasm was noted outside the right
      iliac fossa involving the liver, right kidney, and upper abdominal mesentery.
      This study underscores the fact that in patients without sonographic evidence of
      acute appendicitis, a survey of the upper abdomen and right flank should
      routinely be performed in addition to scanning the right iliac fossa and pelvis.
      In patients more than 50 years of age neoplasm must also be kept in mind in the
      differential diagnosis of appendicitis.

PMID- 1426841
TI  - Acute abdomen of unknown origin: impact of CT on diagnosis and management.
AB  - A prospective study was performed including 40 patients with an acute abdominal
      syndrome presenting difficulties in defining the etiology. All patients underwent
      an emergency computed tomographic (CT) scan. The CT scan made the syndrome's
      diagnosis in 95% of cases and it permitted the detection of a lesion in 57.5% of
      cases. The diagnostic impact of CT scan was significant (p less than 0.01). The
      value and the specific contribution of CT in various diseases were analyzed. CT
      allowed appropriate therapeutic decisions in 95% of cases where clinical
      examination performance was positive in only 60% of cases. We had two negative CT
      results leading to an inappropriate therapeutic decision; it consisted of two
      cases of undiagnosed appendicitis. CT modified the primary therapeutic strategy
      in 30% of cases and avoided seven laparotomies.

PMID- 1426843
TI  - Fast spin-echo imaging of the abdomen during breath-holding: an alternative to
      RASE and other fast imaging techniques.
AB  - We have developed a rapidly acquired T1-weighted spin-echo pulse sequence that
      uses gradient echo-like parameters of TR 70 ms, TE 10 ms, NEX-1 (SE 70/10/1) with
      large pulse angles, and presaturation. This sequence yields two images of the
      abdomen during a comfortable breath-hold of 9 s. Preliminary phantom studies with
      this sequence demonstrated that peak signal-to-noise ratios occurred at pulse
      angles of 120 degrees and 135 degrees. Compared to this rapidly acquired
      sequence, a conventional T1-weighted spin-echo sequence of TR 140 ms, TE 10 ms,
      NEX-4 demonstrated 2.8 times the signal-to-noise ratio, 2.6 times the liver
      spleen contrast-to-noise ratio but only 1.6 times the contrast-to-artifact ratio.
      When normalized for the imaging time, however, there was little difference in the
      signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios, although the SE 70/10/1
      demonstrated 2.0 times the contrast-to-artifact ratio. We conclude that for
      abdominal imaging the SE 70/10/1 is an excellent alternative to RASE and other
      fast imaging techniques, and, although there are inherently low signal-to-noise
      ratios, it may be particularly useful when coupled with a paramagnetic contrast
      agent.

PMID- 1426844
TI  - Gd-DTPA as an intestinal contrast agent for MR imaging of the lower abdomen:
      phase III clinical trial.
AB  - Thirty-one patients were investigated with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the
      lower abdomen before and after the administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine
      (Gd-DTPA) solution per os or per rectum or from both routes for the opacification
      of the intestinal tract. The parameters evaluated were: (a) contrast medium
      distribution, (b) degree of filling of the bowel lumen, (c) contrast between the
      bowel lumen and the surrounding normal or pathological structures, and (d)
      whether the administration of the contrast agent improved the diagnostic ability
      of MR compared to computed tomography (CT) or plain MR of the same region. Gd
      DTPA, at a concentration of 1 mmol/L, produced a positive signal irrespective of
      its dilution in the bowel and good contrast between the bowel lumen and the
      adjacent tissues or any possible pathological lesions. From the diagnostic point
      of view, after the administration of contrast medium, MR is comparable to CT and
      much superior to plain MR. It is concluded that opacification of the bowel with
      Gd-DTPA solution will improve the diagnostic yield of MR imaging of the lower
      abdomen.

PMID- 1426845
TI  - Assessment of distant metastases with ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration
      biopsy and cytologic study in carcinoma of the esophagus and gastroesophageal
      junction.
AB  - The use of ultrasound (US)-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) for the
      assessment of distant metastases was prospectively studied in 135 consecutive
      patients with carcinoma of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction. Patients
      with accessible lesions on US and computed tomographic (CT) studies of the
      supraclavicular regions and the abdomen underwent US-guided FNAB. In patients
      with multiple lesions biopsies were preferentially performed on enlarged
      supraclavicular nodes. Forty-nine patients underwent US-guided FNABs of 53
      lesions. A cytologic diagnosis was established in 46 of 53 (87%) biopsies. Seven
      of 53 (13%) biopsies were nondiagnostic. Distant metastases were diagnosed by
      means of cytologic study in 33 of 135 (24%) patients. Supraclavicular metastases
      were diagnosed in 22 patients and abdominal metastases were diagnosed in 12
      patients, including one patient who also had supraclavicular metastases. US
      guided FNAB can improve the selection of patients for surgical and nonsurgical
      treatment by diagnosing distant metastases in an important number of patients.

PMID- 1426846
TI  - Inflammatory myofibrohistiocytic proliferation presenting as giant gastric
      pseudotumor.
AB  - A 5-year-old boy presented with refractory microcytic anemia, growth failure, and
      markedly elevated sedimentation rate. Computed tomographic (CT) and upper
      gastrointestinal study disclosed an ulcerated 9-cm large gastric mass, which
      proved to be an inflammatory myofibrohistiocytic proliferation (IMP). The
      characteristic clinical and radiologic features of this rare entity are herein
      reviewed.

PMID- 1426847
TI  - Embolotherapy of massive duodenal hemorrhage.
AB  - Eleven patients with massive duodenal hemorrhage were treated by emergent
      embolization. Bleeding originated from duodenal ulcer in three patients, from
      duodenal tumor in one, from ruptured pancreaticoduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm in
      three, and from ruptured gastroduodenal artery pseudoaneurysm in four. Complete
      hemostasis was obtained immediately after embolotherapy in all cases. Three of
      these patients died during the hospitalization period, one of whom from duodenal
      infarction and pancreas necrosis induced by embolization. In three patients with
      duodenal ulcer, complete hemostasis was obtained only by the gastroduodenal
      artery embolization with Gelfoam particles. Seven patients with pseudoaneurysms
      of the gastroduodenal artery or its branches required not only blockage of blood
      flow from the celiac artery but also the superior mesenteric artery for complete
      hemostasis. Therefore, in patients presenting with duodenal hemorrhage, the
      possibility of dual blood supply to the duodenum should be considered. Emergent
      embolization represents a useful alternative to surgery for massive duodenal
      hemorrhage, but it carries a risk of complications in patients with previous
      gastroduodenal surgery or significant visceral atherosclerosis.

PMID- 1426848
TI  - Successful arterial embolization of arteriovenous fistula in the portal
      circulation.
AB  - We successfully performed arterial embolization of an arteriovenous fistula
      between the left gastric artery and vein. The increased blood flow in the portal
      vein via the left gastric vein and the arteriovenous fistula induced severe
      portal hypertension. After obliteration of the left gastric artery, the
      arteriovenous fistula was not opacified on angiography and the portal
      hypertension improved.

PMID- 1426849
TI  - Radiographic features in ischemic jejunoileitis: serial changes and comparison
      with pathologic findings.
AB  - Serial radiographic examinations of the small intestine, including double
      contrast studies, were performed in 13 patients with ischemic jejunoileitis, nine
      with the stricturing form and four with the transient form. Thumbprinting was
      observed in five (38%) patients and thickening of the folds in four (31%) at the
      acute stage of the disease. Tubular narrowing with irregular contours and dilated
      proximal bowel was observed in six (46%) patients and appeared on day 27 or
      later. Pathologic findings of the resected specimen in eight patients with the
      stricturing form revealed annular stricture with relatively shallow ulcers; the
      irregular contours of the tubular narrowing on radiographs were consistent with a
      granular or nodular appearance and/or multiple fissures on pathologic study.
      Eccentric deformity and sacculation were demonstrated in only one patient with
      the stricturing form. In addition, double-contrast study revealed small ulcers in
      three (23%) patients. Our results indicate that radiographic findings accurately
      reflect the clinical course and pathologic findings in this disease.

PMID- 1426850
TI  - Retractile mesenteritis with colon and retroperitoneum involvement: CT findings.
AB  - We report a case of retractile mesenteritis which involved the rectosigmoid colon
      and extended into the retroperitoneum with ureteral obstruction. These
      complications are rare. The radiological features [including computed tomography
      (CT)] are described.

PMID- 1426851
TI  - Effectiveness of pneumatic reduction of ileocolic intussusception in children.
AB  - A total of 158 consecutive therapeutic air enemas were performed upon 133
      patients during a 2-year period. Perforation and/or an impairment of the general
      condition of the children were the only main contraindications for the reduction
      attempt (five patients). Successful reductions were achieved in 89% of cases with
      no complications. Operation was performed in all 17 cases of unsuccessful
      reduction: resection in four cases, easy manual reduction in nine, difficult
      manual reduction in two, and spontaneous reduction in two. There were 16 (12%)
      patients with one or more recurrent episodes. In 23 (16%) cases, following
      pneumatic reduction, a swollen ileocecal valve showing a multiple appearance was
      observed. This fact sometimes results in a differential diagnosis with incomplete
      reduction; in all these cases, small bowel aeration was always a sign of complete
      reduction. No significant difference was noted between a swollen ileocecal valve
      and patient age, duration of symptoms, presence of small bowel obstruction, and
      further recurrences. Air enema has improved our previous success obtained with
      hydrostatic reduction (79%), as well as being a simpler, cleaner, and faster
      technique for intussusception reduction in children.

PMID- 1426852
TI  - Benign colorectal neoplasms undetected by colonoscopy.
AB  - This retrospective investigation assessed the sensitivity of colonoscopy for the
      detection of colonic polyps seen previously at barium enema examination. Included
      in the study were 77 patients with 106 polypoid lesions. Films showing lesions
      not subsequently seen at colonoscopy were reviewed and only those lesions with a
      visible point of attachment, exhibiting no movement in response to filling or
      change in position of the patient, and confidently diagnosed as a polyp by both
      reviewing radiologists were included among the 106 lesions. Sixteen lesions (15%)
      seen radiologically were not located colonoscopically, indicating an endoscopic
      sensitivity of 85%. Contrary to previous reports, most of the lesions missed
      endoscopically were in the left colon in regions thought to have been traversed
      by the instrument. The 15% false-negative rate found for colonoscopy is
      consistent with existing reports on colonoscopic errors and is approximately the
      same as the false-negative error rate for radiologic detection of colonic polyps.

PMID- 1426854
TI  - Extracapsular (satellite) hydatid cysts.
AB  - Sixteen percent of hydatid cysts in the liver in 185 patients examined by
      computed tomography (CT) showed daughter cysts located exterior to the fibrinous
      membrane of the main hydatid cysts. We call these extracapsular or satellite
      cysts. Extracapsular cysts have the same appearance as endogenous daughter cysts.
      Preoperative demonstration of these cysts is useful for planning an appropriate
      surgical treatment and reduction of the recurrence rate.

PMID- 1426853
TI  - Bile duct disease: prospective comparison of ERCP, CT, and fat suppression MRI.
AB  - The authors compared computed tomography (CT) and endoscopic retrograde
      cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), techniques commonly used to study the biliary
      tree, with pre- and post-Gd-DTPA breath-hold fast low angle shot (FLASH) and fat
      suppressed spin-echo in 28 consecutive patients with bile duct abnormalities
      detected on ERCP, including 11 patients with malignant disease and 17 patients
      with benign disease. ERCP, CT, and magnetic resonance (MR) images were
      prospectively interpreted in a blinded fashion and reviewed by consensus. ERCP
      characterized all cases of malignant disease by the presence of a narrowed bile
      duct lumen with irregular margins. CT and MRI detected all cases of malignant
      disease and characterized nine of 11 as malignant. In seven of these cases, CT
      and MRI showed thickening of extrahepatic bile duct walls greater than 5 mm. MRI
      images showed intrahepatic-enhancing periportal tissue in four cases, which was
      not seen on CT images, and which was biopsy-proven tumor extension. Benign
      disease was characterized on ERCP images by the demonstration of smooth tapered
      narrowings in 16 cases, whereas on CT and MR images it was characterized by mild
      to moderate dilatation of the intrahepatic bile ducts and wall thickness less
      than 5 mm in 13 cases. Overall ERCP correctly characterized 27 cases as benign or
      malignant and CT and MRI both characterized 25. The results of this study show a
      trend that ERCP is superior to CT and MRI for characterizing bile duct disease.

PMID- 1426855
TI  - Significance of serum sialic acid in patients with Crohn's disease.
AB  - Serum sialic acid was measured to evaluate the activity of Crohn's disease. The
      sialic acid levels of patients with Crohn's disease in remission (CRP 0.0 mg/dl)
      were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects and postoperative
      patients with Crohn's disease. In patients in remission, serum sialic acid was
      significantly correlated with hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet, and rapid
      turnover protein. Correlations with platelet, retinol-binding protein, and
      prealbumin were especially strong. From these findings, it was concluded that
      serum sialic acid level provides a useful index of the activity of Crohn's
      disease.

PMID- 1426856
TI  - IgG subclass-containing cells around the lymph follicle in the human intestine.
AB  - The authors previously reported the ring-like distribution of IgG-containing
      cells around the lymph follicle in both the small and large intestine. In the
      present study, the distribution of IgG subclass-containing cells around the lymph
      follicle was examined in both the small and large intestine, including Peyer's
      patches, by the indirect immunoperoxidase staining method. A ring-like
      distribution of IgG subclass-containing cells was observed in 14 out of 21 lymph
      follicles including 4 Peyer's patches (66.7%) in the terminal ileum, and 4 out of
      7 (57.1%) in the large intestine. The percentages of IgG1-, IgG2-, IgG3-, and
      IgG4- containing cells around the lymph follicle in the terminal ileum were 27.6
      +/- 11.6%, 51.9 +/- 15.4%, 16.5 +/- 10.2%, and 4.0 +/- 3.1%, respectively, and
      those in the large intestine were 22.9 +/- 15.4%, 47.4 +/- 14.9%, 11.2 +/- 4.1%,
      and 18.5 +/- 7.7%, respectively. Thus, among the IgG subclasses, IgG2-containing
      cells showed the most frequent ring-like distribution around the lymph follicle.
      The IgG2 predominance around the lymph follicle in the intestine was markedly
      different from reported IgG1 predominance in the lamina propria in the large
      intestine. This difference in IgG subclass distribution may suggest different
      origins of the IgG subclass-containing cells in the lamina propria and in areas
      around the lymph follicle.

PMID- 1426857
TI  - In situ characterization of mononuclear cell phenotype in intrahepatic lymphoid
      follicles in patients with chronic viral hepatitis.
AB  - The author examined liver biopsy specimens obtained from 596 patients with
      chronic viral hepatitis to clarify the role of lymphoid follicle formation in the
      portal spaces. Lymphoid follicles were observed more frequently in chronic
      hepatitis non-A non-B than in chronic hepatitis B and were also common in
      patients with anti-hepatitis C virus-positive non-A non-B hepatitis.
      Immunohistology revealed that these hepatic lymphoid follicles resembled the
      lymphoid follicles of synovial tissue in rheumatoid arthritis. In situ hepatitis
      B virus markers were examined in 40 patients with chronic hepatitis B showing
      lymphoid follicles. Among these, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was detected
      in liver cells as well as in the center of the follicles in 19 patients (47.5%).
      By immune electron microscopy, the author confirmed the HBsAg-positive cells in
      the lymphoid follicles as follicular dendritic cells. These cells appeared to be
      a site for antigen trapping in the follicles, therefore, the intrahepatic
      lymphoid follicles are suggested to play a role in immune response to HBsAg in
      chronic hepatitis B.

PMID- 1426858
TI  - Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis due to Clostridium perfringens in a patient
      with liver cirrhosis and pure red cell aplasia.
AB  - A 63-year-old man with decompensated liver cirrhosis and pure red cell aplasia
      complained of pyrexia, abdominal distention and abdominal pain. A diagnosis of
      spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), Conn's syndrome, was made upon the
      isolation of an anaerobe Clostridium perfringens from both ascitic fluid and
      peripheral blood. The bacteria were found to be susceptible to piperacillin, and
      administration of the antimicrobial agent markedly improved his SBP. The
      anaerobes should be kept in mind as one of the possible pathogens of SBP,
      although anaerobic infection has been reported to be quite rare in the disease.

PMID- 1426859
TI  - Intrasplenic pancreatic pseudocyst: a case report.
AB  - An intrasplenic pseudocyst associated with the acute relapsing phase of chronic
      pancreatitis in a 51-year-old woman is reported, with a review of the Japanese
      literature. The patient was admitted with a complaint of left lateral and back
      pain. Abdominal US and CT revealed communicating cysts at the pancreatic tail and
      the subcapsule of the spleen. A repeat US and CT 1 month after admission
      demonstrated enlargement of the cyst at the pancreatic tail. ERCP revealed a
      dilated main pancreatic duct without any definite evidence of stenosis, and
      direct communication with the cyst at the pancreatic tail. Percutaneous
      cystography revealed that the subcapsular cyst of the spleen, the cyst of the
      pancreatic tail, and the main pancreatic duct communicated with each other. The
      cyst contained serous fluid with an amylase content of 57,500 IU/I. Distal
      pancreatectomy and splenectomy was performed. Histologically, there was a
      nonepithelial lining on the inner surface of the cysts at the pancreatic tail and
      the subcapsule of the spleen. Severe chronic inflammatory changes were present in
      the resected tail of the pancreas. Timely surgical treatment is advocated to
      reduce the mortality and morbidity associated with complications of intrasplenic
      pseudocysts.

PMID- 1426860
TI  - Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).

PMID- 1426861
TI  - Serial changes in renal function during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

PMID- 1426862
TI  - Hepatitis E: review.
AB  - Hepatitis E is endemic, often provoking epidemics in many developing countries.
      It resembles hepatitis A clinically and epidemiologically but show a higher
      mortality rate and less infectiousness. Several lines of evidence strongly
      support the assumption that humans become immunized once they contract hepatitis
      E. Because of the low infectiousness, most of the adult population of endemic
      areas are susceptible to hepatitis E until an epidemic occurs, although they are
      almost always infected with hepatitis A during infancy. Epidemics are caused by
      accidental contamination by the hepatitis E virus (HEV) in feces of water
      provided to these people. The liver change reveals necroinflammation related to
      the immune-mediated mechanism. The HEV is molecularly cloned and sequenced and
      has a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genome, 7,194 nucleotides followed by a
      poly (A) tail. There are three open reading frames. The non-structural gene,
      approximately 5 kb is located at the 5' end, while the structural gene,
      approximately 2 kb is located at the 3' end of the genome. There is a low level
      of nucleotide variations among HEV strains isolated from Myanmar and China and a
      single serotype appears to exist. The HEV may be a new RNA virus or belong to
      Caliciviridae family. Further investigation include in vitro propagation,
      elucidation of the gene replication, global seroepidemiology and vaccination of
      the HEV.

PMID- 1426863
TI  - Transforming growth factor alpha receptor binding sites in the canine
      gastrointestinal tract.
AB  - Transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) interacts with the same plasma
      membrane receptor as epidermal growth factor and is likely to play a role in
      proliferative and trophic processes of gastrointestinal tissues. The distribution
      of receptor binding sites for TGF-alpha was examined in the canine
      gastrointestinal tract (distal esophagus, stomach fundus, descending duodenum,
      jejunum, ileum, transverse colon) by tissue section autoradiography. 125I-TGF
      alpha yielded a labeling pattern comparable to that of 125I-epidermal growth
      factor. Specific binding sites were particularly abundant in the mucosa in each
      region, with the highest concentration in the esophagus, colon, and stomach, as
      assessed by computer assisted densitometry. The density of binding sites was
      moderate in the stomach muscularis mucosae, low in the external muscle layer, and
      very low to undetectable in the submucosa throughout the gastrointestinal tract.
      In most cases, the greatest density within the individual regions was detected in
      the area characterized by the highest proliferative rate. Lymphoid aggregates
      were not labeled. In conclusion, TGF-alpha receptor binding sites are present
      throughout the gastrointestinal tract with differential patterns in the various
      regions; they are principally distributed to the mucosa and predominantly located
      to proliferative cell areas. These results are consistent with a role of this
      factor in regional regulation of proliferation and differentiation in the gut.

PMID- 1426864
TI  - Shaking of the intact rat and intestinal angulation diminish the jejunal
      unstirred layer.
AB  - A sizeable pre-epithelial diffusion barrier (unstirred layer) is present during
      perfusion of the rat jejunum. In the present study, three rapidly transported
      compounds, CO, [14C]warfarin, and glucose (5.5 mmol/L), were used as probes to
      assess the ability of manipulations to reduce the unstirred layer. This layer was
      700-800 microns thick in a 30-cm jejunal segment perfused in conventional fashion
      on the abdominal wall. Placement of four sharp angulations in the segment or
      replacement in the abdominal cavity reduced the maximal unstirred layer to 200
      400 microns. Increasingly rapid shaking of the anesthetized, intact rat on a
      platform shaker produced progressively thinner unstirred layers. At 250
      revolutions per minute, the maximal layer ranged from 32 to 68 microns for the
      three probes and may have been appreciably less if the epithelium offered
      appreciable resistance. Shaking yields a > 15-fold reduction in unstirred layer
      resistance and provides a means for measuring this resistance and for obtaining
      more accurate assessment of the true in vivo transport Michaelis constant (Km) of
      any compound.

PMID- 1426865
TI  - Importance of gastric acid in gastric ulcer formation in rabbits with antibody
      induced prostaglandin deficiency.
AB  - The role of gastric acid in the development of gastroduodenal ulcers in
      prostaglandin-deficient conditions is unclear. In the current study, the effect
      of the proton pump inhibitor omeprazole on the formation of gastric ulcers was
      examined in a previously validated rabbit model of antibody-induced prostaglandin
      deficiency. Intragastric administration of 20 mg/kg omeprazole every 12 hours
      caused a profound suppression of gastric acidity (i.e., pH above 5 continuously).
      This same dose of omeprazole significantly reduced gastric ulcer formation
      induced by passive immunization with 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha antibodies. It
      is concluded from these observations that gastric acid plays a critical role in
      the formation of gastric ulcers in rabbits with antibody-induced prostaglandin
      deficiency.

PMID- 1426866
TI  - Surface hydrophobicity of gastric mucosa in Helicobacter pylori infection: effect
      of clearance and eradication.
AB  - Surface hydrophobicity of the gastric mucosa is reduced in peptic ulcer disease
      and Helicobacter pylori infection. This abnormality may be caused by H. pylori or
      may be an inherent defect. The aim of the present study was to clarify the
      relationship between H. pylori infection and mucosal hydrophobicity by examining
      the effect of eradication of the organism. H. pylori-positive patients with (n =
      42) or without (n = 42) duodenal ulcer were randomized to receive ranitidine,
      bismuth, or bismuth plus antibiotics. Surface hydrophobicity of gastric mucosa
      was assessed by measurement of plateau-advancing contact angle. Measurements were
      performed at presentation, end of treatment, and 1 month later. Contact angle was
      unchanged after ranitidine (55 degrees vs. 56 degrees) but increased with bismuth
      (57 degrees-62 degrees; P < 0.05) and bismuth plus antibiotics (56 degrees-67
      degrees; P < 0.0001). One month after treatment ended, contact angles in patients
      in whom H. pylori was not eradicated were not different from those before
      treatment (56 degrees vs. 56 degrees) but increased to a value similar to H.
      pylori-negative controls in patients in whom H. pylori was eradicated (56 degrees
      69 degrees; P < 0.0001). It is concluded that reduced mucosal hydrophobicity in
      peptic ulcer disease is secondary to H. pylori infection and that this impaired
      mucosal defense provides a possible mechanism whereby H. pylori infection
      predisposes to acid/peptic digestion.

PMID- 1426867
TI  - Adrenergic blockage does not restore the canine gastric migrating motor complex
      during vagal blockade.
AB  - Bilateral cervical cooling blockade of the vagi abolishes the gastric migrating
      motility complex (MMC), except for the pylorus. The present study investigated if
      this finding is caused by adrenergic inhibition of the stomach via sympathetic
      nerves entering the vagi below the level of the blockade. Stomach and upper small
      bowel motor activity was monitored in five chronic dogs whose vagosympathetic
      nerve trunks were previously isolated in bilateral, cervical skin loops to permit
      blockade by cooling. Adrenergic blockade was performed by an initial bolus
      injection of phentolamine (0.3 mg/kg) and propranolol (0.3 mg/kg) followed by a
      continuous intravenous infusion of the combined drugs at a rate of 1.5 mg.kg-1.h
      1 for phentolamine and 0.3 mg.kg-1.h-1 for propranolol. Bilateral cervical vagal
      blockade abolished the gastric MMC, with persistence of phase III of the MMC in
      the upper small bowel. During combined vagal and adrenergic blockade, gastric
      contractions were absent in 4 of the 22 duodenal complexes observed. In the other
      duodenal complexes, intermittent gastric contractions were associated with all
      phases of the intestinal MMC, including phase I. At times, this contractile
      activity was accentuated during phase III but never reached the intensity of
      activity or showed the typical coordination features of the gastric MMC seen with
      the vagi intact. Therefore, unopposed adrenergic inhibition of the stomach does
      not explain the absence of the gastric MMC during vagal cooling blockade. Under
      normal circumstances, the vagus nerve is the most important pathway for central
      control of the appearance of the gastric MMC.

PMID- 1426868
TI  - Currently used doses of omeprazole in Zollinger-Ellison syndrome are too high.
AB  - The efficacy of omeprazole increases during the first few days of administration,
      suggesting that long-term maintenance dose requirements in patients with
      Zollinger-Ellison syndrome may be lower than those initially established by
      upward titration. Long-term maintenance doses of omeprazole were prospectively
      reduced in 37 patients who had been taking omeprazole for 22 +/- 4 months.
      Successful reduction was defined as reduction to 20 mg once or twice daily with
      an absence of symptoms, endoscopy without evidence of active acid-peptic disease,
      and a gastric acid output of < 10 mEq/h. Sixty-eight percent of patients (25/37)
      were successfully reduced to 20 mg of omeprazole once (18/24) or twice daily
      (7/13). Ninety-five percent of patients (20/21) without multiple endocrine
      neoplasia type I, severe gastroesophageal reflux disease, or previous partial
      gastrectomy had safe reductions of doses. It is concluded that the currently used
      omeprazole maintenance doses in patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome are too
      high and advocated that the initial dose still be established by acute daily
      upward titration followed by gradual reduction once control of acid output has
      been achieved.

PMID- 1426870
TI  - Gliadin immune reactivity is associated with overt and latent enteropathy in
      relatives of celiac patients.
AB  - Antigliadin antibodies have been widely used in the screening of celiac disease.
      Using this test, candidates for jejunal biopsy were selected from 328 first
      degree relatives of 128 adult celiac patients. All relatives geographically
      available were willing to participate in the study. Twenty-one turned out to be
      positive for antigliadin antibodies, and in 13 jejunal histology was consistent
      with celiac disease. In the remaining 8, the morphometric evaluation of jejunal
      biopsy specimens showed a mean surface to volume ratio that, although in the
      normal range, was significantly lower than that of other 10 relatives negative
      for antigliadin antibodies and 16 biopsied controls. It was concluded that
      antigliadin antibody testing is a valuable method for the screening of celiac
      disease among family members and that relatives with genetically predisposed
      gliadin sensitivity, without gross histological lesions but with minor
      morphometric abnormalities of the jejunal mucosa, may be regarded as subjects
      with latent celiac disease.

PMID- 1426869
TI  - Induction of cytochrome P450IA genes (CYP1A) by omeprazole in the human
      alimentary tract.
AB  - Cytochrome P450 enzymes are capable of converting procarcinogens into either
      active mutagens or inactive metabolites. Because the distribution of these
      enzymes may be important for tissue susceptibility to procarcinogens, the
      expression and induction of CYP1A genes in the human alimentary tract were
      investigated. Endoscopic biopsy specimens were obtained from buccal mucosa,
      esophagus, gastric body, antrum, duodenum, and colon of 6 healthy volunteers
      before and 1 week after taking 20 mg of omeprazole daily. Tissue specimens were
      analyzed for the presence of CYP1A1 and 1A2 transcripts using hybridization
      methods and the polymerase chain reaction. P450-dependent enzymatic activity was
      assessed by deethylation of ethoxyresorufin. CYP1A1 messenger RNA (mRNA) and
      ethoxyresorufin activity were present constitutively in the duodenum of each
      volunteer. Omeprazole (20 mg/day for 1 week) induced CYP1A1 mRNA and enzymatic
      activity in 5 of 6 volunteers. The one individual who did not initially respond
      had a marked increase in both mRNA and enzymatic activity after receiving 60 mg
      of omeprazole daily for 1 week. After treatment with omeprazole, two individuals
      had low levels of CYP1A1 mRNA in several other alimentary tissues as well as low
      levels of CYP1A2 mRNA in the duodenum. The expression and induction by a
      pharmaceutical agent of CYP1A genes may have implications for intestinal
      metabolism of ingested xenobiotics including procarcinogens.

PMID- 1426871
TI  - Manometry can predict feeding readiness in preterm infants.
AB  - To assess the usefulness of duodenojejunal manometry in predicting when neonates
      will tolerate enteral feeding, small intestinal manometry was performed in 48
      preterm infants. Characteristics of motor activity during fasting and feeding
      differed in 40 infants who were identified to be tolerant and 8 who were
      intolerant of feeding. Among infants who were feeding intolerant, motor
      quiescence was less pronounced and clustered motor activity more prominent than
      it was in infants who were able to tolerate feedings (P < 0.005). Those infants
      who tolerated feedings changed their pattern of motor activity in response to
      feeding (P < 0.01), and infants who did not tolerate feedings had no "fed
      response." Infants who were initially feeding intolerant became tolerant of
      feedings coincident with the appearance of motor activity that was similar to
      that of infants who were initially tolerant to food. The sensitivity of manometry
      to predict feeding intolerance was 1.0, and its specificity was 0.13.

PMID- 1426872
TI  - Rabbit gut permeability in response to histamine chloramines and chemotactic
      peptide.
AB  - Granulocyte-derived chlorinated amines and bacterial formyl peptides are thought
      to enhance epithelial permeability. In the current study, gut permeability to
      [51Cr]ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was monitored in response to luminal
      formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) and histamine monochloramine and
      dichloramine. Responses were determined in rabbits during states of basal and
      elevated permeability. Luminal fMLP had minimal effects of gut permeability in
      control and injured states. Histamine monochloramine or dichloramine enhanced
      epithelial permeability under basal conditions; this effect was exaggerated by a
      pre-existing injury. Both histamine monochloramine and dichloramine retained full
      histamine agonist properties, and a combination of antioxidant and antihistamine
      therapy was required to block this increase in gut permeability. Whereas
      histamine chloramines caused a dose-dependent cytotoxicity in rat-cultured
      enterocytes, marked histological changes to the mucosa were not evident, nor were
      mucosal glutathione levels depleted. As histamine chloramines retain the
      histaminergic and oxidizing potential of their precursors, they represent a
      unique form of inflammatory mediator, although their highly reactive nature
      precludes in vivo confirmation of their formation.

PMID- 1426873
TI  - Biomechanical wall properties and collagen content in the partially obstructed
      opossum esophagus.
AB  - A specially designed probe was used to investigate biomechanical wall properties
      of the esophagus in opossums with distal esophageal banding. A balloon was
      stepwise inflated and deflated 6 cm above the lower esophageal sphincter before
      the banding and at 2 weeks postoperatively. After animals were killed, collagen
      content of the esophageal wall was determined. Preoperatively, cross-sectional
      area and wall tension at maximal inflation of the balloon, compliance, and
      hysteresis were 108.04 +/- 7.23 mm2, 5.8 +/- 0.3 cm H2O/m, 0.664 +/- 0.081 mm2/cm
      H2O, and 101.14 +/- 18.89 mm2, respectively. Postoperatively, the parameters
      increased to 357.45 +/- 54.22 mm2 (P < 0.001), 10.5 +/- 1.4 cm H2O/m (P < 0.001),
      2.402 +/- 0.420 mm2/cm H2O (P < 0.001), and 225.86 +/- 44.56 mm2 (P < 0.05),
      respectively. The collagen content was 0.065 +/- 0.004 and 0.104 +/- 0.009 mg/mg
      dry defatted weight in the mid and distal normal esophagus, respectively,
      compared with 0.110 +/- 0.012 and 0.121 +/- 0.012 mg/mg in the banded group (P <
      0.05 in the middle part). A positive correlation was shown between the maximal
      cross-sectional area and the collagen content in the mid-esophagus (P < 0.05). In
      conclusion, biomechanical wall properties were altered significantly, indicating
      dilatation and decreased ability of the esophageal wall to resist intraluminal
      pressure.

PMID- 1426874
TI  - Blood group-related antigen expression in normal and metaplastic human upper
      gastrointestinal mucosa.
AB  - Lewis antigen expression in upper gastrointestinal epithelium was studied using
      four monoclonal antibodies to determine the relationship between aberrant
      differentiation and antigen expression. Specific patterns of type 1 and type 2
      Lewis blood group antigen expression were found in the surface and glands of the
      esophagus, gastric fundus, and duodenum. In biopsy specimens of Barrett's
      esophagus, gastric fundic-type columnar metaplasia expressed Lewis antigens
      indistinguishable from those in the normal stomach. In Barrett's junctional and
      specialized columnar metaplasia, Lewis a antigen was aberrantly expressed on the
      surface in secretors and in the glands independent of secretor state. Lewis x
      reactivity was markedly diminished in the glands of Barrett's junctional and
      specialized columnar epithelium irrespective of secretor state. There was no
      significant aberrancy observed in the expression of Lewis b and y antigens. The
      observed aberrant expression of Lewis antigens may be caused by an altered
      differentiation program in Barrett's metaplastic epithelium and may define a role
      for these glycoconjugates in the process of metaplasia and carcinogenesis in
      Barrett's epithelium.

PMID- 1426875
TI  - Failure of rectal ornithine decarboxylase to identify adenomatous polyp status.
AB  - Rectal mucosal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity has been reported to
      distinguish between patients with and without adenomatous polyps (AP). In the
      present investigation, ODC activity has been measured in 28 patients with AP and
      34 patients without AP. To assess the intraindividual variation in ODC activity,
      repeat biopsies were performed on 11 patients. In addition, the effect of
      postbiopsy sample handling was investigated by storage of samples on either dry
      or wet ice during transport to the laboratory. The mean rectal mucosal ODC
      activity in patients with AP was 196.0 +/- 195.5, whereas that in AP negative
      patients was 182.2 +/- 320.5. The rectal mucosal ODC activity in patients with
      colorectal cancer was 388.2 +/- 581. Repeat samples in individuals were generally
      within the same range as the original samples. The method of sample transport did
      not significantly affect the level of ODC measured in a particular biopsy.
      Because of high variability in rectal mucosal ODC activity within the population,
      there was wide overlap in ODC values between those patients with and without AP
      in an unselected general population. Thus, the measurement of flat rectal mucosal
      ODC activity is not a good predictor of the presence or absence of AP. Additional
      studies of the factors affecting mucosal ODC activity are necessary before the
      potential clinical utility of the method can be realized in the general
      population.

PMID- 1426876
TI  - Effect of sorbin on duodenal absorption of water and electrolytes in the rat.
AB  - Sorbin is a newly isolated intestinal peptide that has been purified because of
      its ability to induce water absorption. The effects that sorbin and some
      synthetic peptides corresponding to its C-terminal sequence have on duodenal
      absorption of water, chloride, and sodium were studied in comparison with the
      effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), [D-Ala,Met]-enkephalinamide
      (DAMA), and angiotensin II. The technique of an in situ ligated duodenal loop in
      the rat was used for all peptides. Under the experimental conditions used, a low
      basal secretion of water, chloride, and sodium was obtained; VIP induced an
      increase of the secretion, whereas DAMA induced an absorption, both in the
      nanomolar dose range. Angiotensin II and sorbin induced an absorption in the
      picomolar dose range. The most effective doses of sorbin peptides but not of
      angiotensin induced the lowest final concentrations of Na+ and Cl- obtainable
      without inducing secondary water secretion. All synthetic peptides containing the
      C-terminal heptapeptide of sorbin were active in the picomolar dose range.
      Contrary to angiotensin, they had no effect on blood pressure.

PMID- 1426877
TI  - Alteration of the upper esophageal sphincter belch reflex in patients with
      achalasia.
AB  - Some patients with achalasia have been reported to develop airway obstruction
      from a massively air-distended esophagus, which may represent an abnormality in
      the upper esophageal sphincter belch reflex. When questioned carefully, 95% of
      our achalasia patients reported difficulty with belching. The upper esophageal
      belch reflex in 23 consecutive achalasia patients and 12 healthy controls was
      studied using an upper esophageal sphincter sleeve manometry catheter and rapid
      injection of 20-50 mL of air into the midesophagus. Compared with normal
      subjects, achalasia patients were significantly less likely to have an esophageal
      belch for all volumes tested and were more likely to have an increase rather than
      a decrease in upper esophageal sphincter pressure in response to air injection.
      This study systematically documents that many achalasia patients have an
      alteration in the upper esophageal sphincter belch reflex that may be a
      contributory mechanism for some of the chest and upper airway symptoms reported
      by some patients during acute esophageal distension.

PMID- 1426878
TI  - Chronic active gastritis due to Helicobacter pylori in immunized gnotobiotic
      piglets.
AB  - In gnotobiotic piglets, parenteral vaccination with formalin-killed Helicobacter
      pylori and oral vaccination with live bacteria induced H. pylori-specific serum
      immunoglobulins G, M, and A. Vaccination reduced but did not prevent infection by
      subsequent challenge with viable H. pylori. Oral vaccination with killed bacteria
      was less effective in inducing serum antibody and had no effect on bacterial
      colonization. Immunization status influenced the histologic response of piglets
      to challenge by H. pylori. Lymphoplasmacytic gastritis was more severe in
      parenterally vaccinated piglets than in the other groups. In addition,
      neutrophilic infiltrates and neutrophilic gland abscesses in the gastric mucosa
      were present in 5 of 7 parenterally immunized piglets, none of the orally
      immunized piglets, and only 1 of 8 infected nonimmune control piglets.
      Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between immunoglobulin G, M, and A
      titer at challenge and severity of both neutrophilic and lymphocytic
      inflammation. These results suggest that although vaccination does not prevent
      infection by H. pylori, infection of an immune host leads to increased severity
      and activity of gastritis.

PMID- 1426879
TI  - Cytokine messenger RNA profiles in inflammatory bowel disease mucosa detected by
      polymerase chain reaction amplification.
AB  - Immunoregulatory properties of cytokines may mediate disordered inflammatory
      events in ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). In the present study,
      profiles of cytokines produced by activated macrophages were studied in colonic
      tissue from 43 patients with and without inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
      Cytokine messenger RNA (mRNA) extracted from mucosal biopsy specimens was studied
      using polymerase chain reaction assay techniques. A greater percentage of active
      UC samples had detectable levels of mRNA for interleukins (IL) 1, 6, and 8 and
      gro than samples in inactive UC and noninflammatory controls. These cytokines
      were comparable in active UC and inflammatory controls. Expression of gro mRNA in
      active UC tissue was significantly higher than in active CD. Tumor necrosis
      factor was detected in only 7 of 43 samples with no difference between groups.
      Active and inactive CD did not differ in percentage of cytokine mRNA expression.
      IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) was detected in more inflammatory controls than
      in CD and was expressed in fewer IBD patients than IL-1. Expression of
      proinflammatory cytokines in grossly inactive CD and possible defective
      production of IL-1ra may explain disease reactivation and chronicity.

PMID- 1426880
TI  - Effect of gastrin receptor blockade on endocrine cells in rats during
      achlorhydria.
AB  - Hyperplasia of the oxyntic enterochromaffinlike cells in response to long-lasting
      blockade of acid secretion is closely related to hypergastrinemia. In the present
      study, the effect of a specific gastrin receptor antagonist on proton pump
      inhibitor-induced changes on serum gastrin levels, mucosal height, as well as
      gastrin- and enterochromaffin-like cells was investigated in rats. The proton
      pump inhibitor BY 308 or the vehicle methylcellulose [Methocel (controls)] was
      administered for 2 weeks in the presence and absence of the gastrin receptor
      antagonist PD 136450 (CAM 1189). BY 308 significantly increased serum gastrin
      levels, gastrin cell density, and antral gastrin concentration. Concomitant
      application of PD 136450 did not alter this response. In the oxyntic stomach,
      mucosal height, enterochromaffinlike cell density, labeling index of
      enterochromaffinlike cells, and histamine concentration were elevated after
      treatment with BY 308. These increases were almost completely abolished by PD
      136450. Even in normogastrinemic control rats, PD 136450 significantly decreased
      mucosal height of the oxyntic part of the stomach and the labeling index of
      enterochromaffinlike cells. The results show that (a) trophic effects of drug
      induced achlorhydria are mediated by gastrin; (b) even in control rats
      (normogastrinemic), gastrin is a trophic factor for the oxyntic mucosa; and (c)
      antral gastrin cell hyperplasia in states of chronic achlorhydria is not mediated
      by gastrin itself.

PMID- 1426881
TI  - DNA aneuploidy in colonic biopsies predicts future development of dysplasia in
      ulcerative colitis.
AB  - The objective of the present study was to determine whether abnormal epithelial
      DNA content (aneuploidy) in colonic biopsy specimens from ulcerative colitis (UC)
      patients correlated with and predicted histological progression to dysplasia.
      Aneuploidy was absent in 20 low-cancer risk patients. In 81 high-cancer risk
      patients aneuploidy correlated significantly with the severity of histological
      abnormality (negative, indefinite, dysplasia, or cancer). Statistically our data
      suggest that many more biopsy specimens than are usually taken are needed to
      detect focal dysplastic lesions. Prospective study of 25 high risk patients
      without dysplasia revealed 5 with aneuploidy, all of whom progressed to dysplasia
      in 1-2.5 years, whereas 19 patients without aneuploidy did not progress to either
      aneuploidy or dysplasia within 2-9 years. Our data indicate that aneuploidy in
      mucosal biopsy specimens correlates with histological grade and identifies a
      subset of patients without dysplasia who are more likely to develop it. It was
      concluded that more frequent and extensive colonoscopic surveillance of this
      minority subset of high risk patients and less frequent surveillance in the
      remaining majority may reduce cost and detect more curable lesions.

PMID- 1426882
TI  - Serum hepatocyte growth factor levels in hepatectomized and nonhepatectomized
      surgical patients.
AB  - Serum hepatocyte growth factor levels were measured in hepatectomized and
      nonhepatectomized surgical patients. The levels were significantly increased and
      reached a maximum within 7 days after surgery in both groups, returning to
      preoperative levels 28 days after partial hepatectomy and 7 days after other
      operations. Multiple regression analysis showed that such maximal hepatocyte
      growth factor levels were significantly related to having liver cirrhosis and
      postoperative maximal serum total bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase levels
      and peripheral white blood cell counts in the hepatectomized group and to
      postoperative maximal peripheral white blood cell counts and serum C-reactive
      protein levels in the nonhepatectomized group. However, the levels showed no
      relation to the resected liver volume and increment of the remaining liver volume
      28 days after partial hepatectomy. It is concluded that serum hepatocyte growth
      factor levels were increased after partial hepatectomy in association with
      hepatocellular dysfunction and necrosis and systemic inflammation. It is unlikely
      that the increase was related to liver regeneration.

PMID- 1426883
TI  - Antioxidant defenses in the bile duct-ligated rat.
AB  - Changes in pro-oxidant and antioxidant balance in the serum and liver were
      studied in an experimental model of obstructive jaundice in the rat. The results
      showed a decrease in plasma vitamin E concentration (P < 0.01) and a threefold
      reduction in liver vitamin E concentration (P < 0.001). There was also a
      threefold reduction in levels of the liver enzymes glutathione peroxidase (P <
      0.01) and glutathione transferase (P < 0.001), together with a six-fold reduction
      in catalase activity (P < 0.001). The serum selenium level decreased by 35% in
      the jaundiced rats (P < 0.05). The total liver glutathione level decreased to
      half the control value (P < 0.01). The malonyldialdehyde level, the measure of
      lipid peroxidation used in this study, doubled (P < 0.01). The results suggest a
      shift in the pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance in favor of lipid peroxidation. The
      possible etiology of this change and its relationship to human cholestasis are
      discussed.

PMID- 1426884
TI  - Survival and prognostic indicators in hepatitis B surface antigen-positive
      cirrhosis of the liver.
AB  - To evaluate indications for new therapies such as liver transplantation and
      antiviral therapy, survival of histologically proven hepatitis B surface antigen
      (HBsAg)-positive cirrhosis of the liver was assessed in a cohort of 98 patients
      followed up for a mean of 4.3 years. The overall survival probability was 92% at
      1 year, 79% at 3 years, and 71% at 5 years. Variables significantly associated
      with the duration of survival were age, serum aspartate aminotransferase levels,
      presence of esophageal varices, and all five components of the Child-Pugh index
      (bilirubin, albumin, coagulation factors, ascites, encephalopathy). Multivariate
      analysis showed that only age, bilirubin, and ascites were independently related
      to survival. Survival of patients with decompensated cirrhosis (determined by the
      presence of ascites, jaundice, encephalopathy, and/or a history of variceal
      bleeding) and those with compensated cirrhosis at 5 years was 14% and 84%,
      respectively. For patients with compensated liver cirrhosis, hepatitis B e
      antigen (HBeAg) positivity was also a prognostic factor with a 5-year survival of
      72% for HBeAg-positive cirrhosis and 97% for HBeAg-negative cirrhosis; the risk
      of death was decreased by a factor of 2.2 when HBeAg seroconversion occurred
      during follow-up. It is concluded that liver transplantation should be considered
      for patients with decompensated HBsAg-positive liver cirrhosis and antiviral
      therapy for patients with HBeAg-positive compensated cirrhosis.

PMID- 1426885
TI  - Prognostic factors in sterile pancreatic necrosis.
AB  - Although the overall mortality in sterile pancreatic necrosis is low, patients
      who experience systemic complications may have a higher mortality. To study the
      impact of systemic complications and other factors on survival, possible
      prognostic factors were evaluated among 26 patients who experienced at least one
      systemic complication. Mortality was 38%. Factors that correlated with a fatal
      outcome were high Ranson's scores during the first 48 hours (P = 0.01), high
      APACHE-II scores at admission (P = 0.04) and at 48 hours (P = 0.03), shock (P <
      0.001), renal insufficiency (P < 0.05), multiple systemic complications (P <
      0.001), and high body mass index (P = 0.01). Most systemic complications occurred
      during the first 2 weeks of illness. Logistic regression analysis showed that
      shock was the best predictor of a fatal outcome. Patients with favorable
      prognostic factors survived whether treated medically or surgically, whereas
      those with unfavorable factors had a fatal outcome whether treated medically or
      surgically. It is concluded that patients with severe sterile necrosis have a
      high mortality rate and that shock and other prognostic factors identify which
      patients are most likely to have a fatal outcome.

PMID- 1426886
TI  - Hepatic cholesterol metabolism in estrogen-treated men.
AB  - Operative liver biopsies were obtained from two male patients who developed
      gallstone disease during estrogen treatment of metastatic prostatic carcinoma.
      The heparin-sensitive binding of 125I-low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to liver
      homogenates (reflecting the expression of the LDL receptor) was determined,
      together with the activities of the rate-limiting enzymes in cholesterol
      synthesis [3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase], bile acid
      production (cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase), and cholesterol esterification
      (acyl CoA:cholesterol acyl transferase). The results were related to data
      available in 18 patients (5 male, 13 female) who underwent cholecystectomy
      because of gallstone disease. The hepatic 125I-LDL-binding activity was increased
      threefold compared with five controls, and the activity of HMG-CoA reductase was
      increased twofold. There was no major difference in the activities of cholesterol
      7 alpha-hydroxylase or acyl CoA:cholesterol acyl transferase. The concentration
      of free and total cholesterol in liver microsomes was approximately 30% lower in
      the estrogen-treated men than in 11 controls. The results indicate that estrogen
      at pharmacological doses stimulates hepatic LDL-receptor expression and HMG-CoA
      reductase activity in men. The increased LDL-receptor expression could in part
      explain the enhanced plasma clearance of injected 125I-LDL and hence the
      reduction in plasma LDL cholesterol previously shown to occur in estrogen-treated
      men.

PMID- 1426887
TI  - Menetrier's disease associated with formula protein allergy and small intestinal
      injury in an infant.
AB  - Menetrier's disease in infancy is extremely rare, and its natural course has not
      been studied in detail. The present case report describes an infant whose initial
      diagnosis was formula protein allergy and who developed gastric outlet
      obstruction by 3 months of age. The diagnosis of Menetrier's disease was
      suggested by characteristic radiological, pathological, and functional
      abnormalities of the stomach. Small intestinal partial villous atrophy,
      malabsorption, and protein loss from both the stomach and the intestine were
      documented. Cytomegalovirus infection was excluded. There was no evidence for an
      immune deficiency. The described features and an unrelenting course suggest that
      infantile Menetrier's disease may be an entity distinct from the childhood and
      adult forms.

PMID- 1426888
TI  - The beneficent belch.

PMID- 1426889
TI  - Hepatitis B-related end-stage liver disease.

PMID- 1426890
TI  - Eradication of Helicobacter pylori reduces gastric and duodenal ulcer recurrence.

PMID- 1426891
TI  - What is intensive therapy for gastroesophageal reflux?

PMID- 1426892
TI  - Can esophagus be blamed for noncardiac chest pain?

PMID- 1426893
TI  - Interferon alfa in acute posttransfusion hepatitis C: a randomized, controlled
      trial.

PMID- 1426894
TI  - Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies in relatives of patients with
      ulcerative colitis.

PMID- 1426895
TI  - Oral 4-aminosalicylic acid therapy in ulcerative colitis.

PMID- 1426896
TI  - Bile salt-induced biliary excretion of iron in iron-loaded rats.

PMID- 1426897
TI  - Indian childhood cirrhosis--need for uniform criteria.

PMID- 1426898
TI  - L-carnitine for treatment of distal ulcerative colitis.

PMID- 1426899
TI  - Renal insensitivity to atrial natriuretic peptide in patients with cirrhosis and
      ascites.

PMID- 1426901
TI  - [Blood protein-volume indicators in massive plasmapheresis].
AB  - Hyperproteinemia values were studied before and after plasmapheresis in 32
      rheumatoid arthritis patients with no manifest circulatory disorders.
      Mathematical patterns enabling prediction of changes in protein concentration
      depending on the volume of removed plasma and the type of substitution have been
      proposed for 3 alternative regimens of the procedure (removal of 0.5 or 1.0
      volume of the circulating plasma, and substitution for rheopolyglucin or
      albumin). The data of independent "examining" sampling (15 patients) have proved
      adequacy of the linear regression patterns.

PMID- 1426900
TI  - [Suppressive effect of circulating immune complexes on cytotoxicity of blood
      lymphocytes in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia].
AB  - Concentration of circulating immune complexes (CIC) and cytotoxicity (natural and
      antibody-dependent) of blood lymphocytes were studied in 52 patients at the
      developed stage of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Elevation of CIC level and
      reduction of cytotoxicity detectable in all CML patients were most manifest in
      those with high tumor mass and during exacerbation of the leukemia process. A
      conclusion has been made that CIC are suppressors of natural and antibody
      dependent cytotoxicity of blood lymphocytes in CML patients.

PMID- 1426902
TI  - [Preparation of universal anti-rhesus sera using soluble synthetic group A and B
      substances].
AB  - Isohemagglutinins alpha and beta were neutralized by soluble synthetic group A
      and B substances in group ++anti-rhesus sera. The investigations conducted have
      shown that water-soluble polymers A and B are efficient agents for the
      preparation of universal ++anti-rhesus sera. The neutralizing properties of
      synthetic and natural group A and B substances were comparatively studied.

PMID- 1426903
TI  - [Refractory effect and alloimmunization after transfusion of thrombocytes].
AB  - The authors discuss possible ways for prevention of alloimmunization with HLA
      antigen in acute leukemia patients after platelet transfusions. Prevention or
      delay of HLA-alloimmunization is possible when platelets of single random donor
      are used instead of pooled random donor platelets for transfusions. The effect of
      leucocyte removal from platelet concentrates and ultraviolet irradiation of
      platelet concentrates under conditions of blood bank on alloimmunization and
      refractoriness incidence has been considered.

PMID- 1426904
TI  - [The role of plasma fibronectin in the pathogenesis of post- aggressive
      conditions].
AB  - The interrelations of changes in plasma fibronectin (FN) level, hemostatic
      parameters and RES function were studied in the time course of traumatic or burn
      disease. A combination of interdependent disorders in the systems studied
      reflecting features of varying periods of extreme states was established in rat
      experiments. The analysis of the data obtained has suggested that FN is involved
      in the pathologic process and participates in the pathogenesis of shock and its
      complications by interacting with hemostasis and RES as a mediator thus playing
      an important role in maintaining the level of nonspecific body resistance.

PMID- 1426905
TI  - [Current development of the problem of "artificial blood"].

PMID- 1426907
TI  - [Use of a new protein-salt solution protesalin in the treatment of experimental
      hemorrhagic shock].

PMID- 1426906
TI  - [Hemolytic anemia, caused by "warm" antibodies, in negative direct antiglobulin
      test].

PMID- 1426908
TI  - [Concept of development of the research on hemoblastoses and depression of
      hematopoiesis within the national program "Control of the most prevalent
      diseases"].

PMID- 1426909
TI  - [Myelodysplastic syndromes in children].

PMID- 1426910
TI  - [Stomatologic aid to patients with hereditary coagulopathies under ambulatory
      conditions in the hemophilia center].
AB  - Simple and available for wide clinical practice methods of treatment and
      prevention of complicated forms of dental caries in patients with hemophilia and
      Willebrand's disease have been presented, as well as effective methods for
      prevention of hemorrhage from the small cavity after a tooth removal in these
      patients under conditions of hematological centres.

PMID- 1426911
TI  - [Transferrin iron-binding capacity in hypersideremia].
AB  - Three methods for evaluation of serum iron-binding capacity have been described:
      biochemical, immunological based on transferrin assay, and biophysical based on
      electron-paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy of transferrin. Interrelation
      has been shown between transferrin and general serum iron-binding capacity.
      Basing on the data presented it is suggested that in secondary hemochromatosis
      plasma contains an iron pool that is not specifically bound with transferrin,
      while in primary hemochromatosis such pool was not detected.

PMID- 1426912
TI  - [Influence of mast cells on the regulatory mechanisms of hemopoietic bone marrow
      in inflammation].
AB  - Acute infectious peritonitis simulated in mice was used to show that previous
      osmotic deterioration of the abdominal mast cell population significantly
      influenced the function of hemopoiesis-inducing microenvironment (HIM). The
      earlier production of the colony-stimulating and erythropoietic activities by the
      non-adhesive myelokaryocytes and the decreased production of these activities by
      the adhesive cells have been established. The results obtained evidence that mast
      cells modulate HIM mediating their influence on hemopoiesis under natural
      conditions of inflammation.

PMID- 1426913
TI  - [Erythrocytic ferritin in pregnant women and infants in the first year of life].
AB  - Erythrocytic ferritin levels were followed up in pregnant women with reference to
      its course, in newborns, and in infants during the first year of life. It is
      shown that the level of erythrocytic ferritin remains high enough in women with
      complicated pregnancy attended by a sharp reduction of iron reserves. No clear
      dependence of erythrocytic ferritin concentration on the character of the
      antenatal period course was observed in infants. The highest values of
      erythrocytic ferritin parameters were recorded by the first month and they
      decreased constantly by the first year of life.

PMID- 1426914
TI  - [Combined evaluation of iron reserves in women].
AB  - Peripheral blood hemoglobin levels, serum iron, general serum iron-binding
      capacity, transferrin saturation with iron, transferrin, serum ferritin and
      erythrocytic ferritin were studied in 101 clinically normal women. Apparent and
      latent iron deficiency was rather frequently detected among them. Information on
      transferrin saturation with iron, erythrocytic ferritins and, particularly, serum
      ferritin, was most valuable in the estimation of iron deficiency. The combined
      evaluation of erythrocytic and serum ferritins has permitted the authors to
      distinguish 5 variants of iron reserves in the body and to avoid discrepancy
      arising in their individual estimations.

PMID- 1426915
TI  - [Intravascular autorosette-formation in hemolytic anemia].
AB  - It has been established that monocyte and neutrophil autorosette-formation
      resultant in exocytic lysis of erythrocytes--constituents of autorosettes--takes
      a low-intensive course in the blood of children with chronic non-hematologic
      diseases. This process is significantly activated in hereditary microspherocytic
      and elliptocytic anemias. It has been suggested that autorosette-formation
      culminating in exocytic lysis of erythrocytes is a mechanism of eliminating
      pathological, damaged and old erythrocytes from the blood, both under
      physiological conditions and in varying diseases.

PMID- 1426916
TI  - [Iron metabolism in anemia patients with no deficiency of iron reserves].
AB  - Iron metabolism was studied in anemia patients with no iron deficiency. The data
      obtained have suggested that iron transport to blood-synthesizing cells i
      disturbed in such patients with normal iron reserves. Basing on the study of iron
      metabolism and red blood parameters in the patients after the treatment by
      hypoxic hypoxia it is shown that this method combined with iron therapy can be
      successfully used for the treatment of this form of iron deficiency anemia.

PMID- 1426917
TI  - [Effect of artificial electromagnetic fields on living organisms].

PMID- 1426918
TI  - [Dynamics of volemic parameters in patients with pyo-destructive pulmonary and
      pleural diseases in various types of substitution of removed plasma in the
      process of plasmapheresis].

PMID- 1426919
TI  - [Two-quantum photodynamic inactivation of viruses in blood preparations].

PMID- 1426920
TI  - [Preservation of platelet concentrates isolated from platelet-enriched donor
      plasma].

PMID- 1426921
TI  - [Protein impurities in purified hemoglobin solutions].

PMID- 1426922
TI  - [Extraction of excessive malonic dialdehyde and cholesterol from erythrocytes
      using natural latex].

PMID- 1426923
TI  - [Diagnostic value of serum iron metabolism parameters in patients with malignant
      and reactive histiocytosis].
AB  - Difficulties in the morphological diagnosis of the diseases due to proliferation
      of mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) cells have stimulated the search for
      additional differential-diagnostic criteria. The investigations were conducted in
      10 malignant histiocytosis, 16 histiocytosis-X, and 34 reactive histiocytosis
      patients. The assay of serum ferritin was shown to have high informative value
      for clinical practice. The presence of extremely high hyperferritinemia in
      patients with morphologically verified histiocytic proliferations has evidenced a
      malignant character of the process.

PMID- 1426924
TI  - [Clinical criteria for evaluation of hemophilia severity in expert estimation of
      patient's working capacity].
AB  - Data are presented on the evaluation of hemophilia severity during expert
      estimation of the patient's working capacity according to the information of the
      Republican Centre. The authors have developed the most optimal classification for
      the evaluation of the disease severity; the influence of hemorrhagic symptoms and
      concomitant diseases on hemophilia course and prognosis has been considered.

PMID- 1426925
TI  - Actions of two novel prostaglandin analogs, SC-29169 and SC-31391, on guinea pig
      and human isolated urinary bladder.
AB  - 1. We examined the effects of two novel PGE1 analogs, SC-29169 and SC-31391, on
      bladder muscle isolated preparations from guinea pig and man, in comparison with
      some naturally-occurring prostanoids and misoprostol. 2. In the guinea pig
      detrusor muscle, both prostaglandin analogs enhanced twitch responses elicited by
      field stimulation in the following order of potency: SC-31391 greater than SC
      29169 greater than PGF2 alpha greater than or equal to PGE2, while a well-defined
      contractile effect was elicited only by SC-31391. 3. In the human detrusor
      muscle, nerve-mediated responses were not modified by prostaglandin analogs, as
      well as by PGF2 alpha or PGE2, while a contractile effect was observed with the
      same compounds: PGF2 alpha = SC-31391 greater than SC-29169 = PGE2 = PGE1. 4. The
      selective EP1-agonist, misoprostol did not induce any effect, in both guinea pig
      and human bladder. 5. These data suggest that the effect of prostaglandins in the
      bladder muscle differs according to the animal species and that, in the human
      detrusor muscle, SC-31391 and SC-29169 probably stimulate FP receptors.

PMID- 1426926
TI  - Mast cells mediators evoke contractility and potentiate each other in mouse
      uterine horns.
AB  - 1. The ability of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha), histamine and serotonin to
      induce and/or potentiate contractions in mouse uterine horns was studied in an
      attempt to analyze whether uterine mast cells degranulation could favor
      contractions during labor. 2. PGF2 alpha was the most potent of the three
      compounds (EC50 = 0.7 microM), being followed by serotonin (EC50 = 1.2 microM)
      and histamine. Between 10 and 100 microM histamine only evoked weak contractions,
      not higher than 50% of maximal amplitude of contractions. 3. Serotonin (0.1
      microM) potentiated the contractile effect of both histamine and PGF2 alpha when
      added simultaneously with the corresponding compound to the isolated organ bath.
      Also, histamine at threshold contractile concentration (3 microM) was able to
      potentiate the contractile effect of both serotonin and PGF2 alpha. 4. The
      potentiating effect of PGF2 alpha on both histamine and serotonin evoked
      contractions was recorded after treating the preparation with 10 microM of the
      compound for at least 10 min before the corresponding concentration-effect curves
      were performed. 5. It is postulated that the simultaneous presence of these mast
      cells mediators in myometrium could be an important stimulus for both to trigger
      and/or to maintain contractions during labor.

PMID- 1426927
TI  - The responses to phorbol esters which stimulated protein kinase C in canine
      Purkinje fibers.
AB  - 1. The effects of phorbol esters on canine Purkinje fibers were examined using
      conventional microelectrode techniques. 2. 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate
      (TPA) and 4-beta-phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate (PDB), which are specific activators of
      protein kinase C (PKC), decreased the action potential amplitude and the maximum
      rate of depolarization (Vmax) at 3 x 10(-7) M or higher. These phorbol esters had
      little effect on the resting potential. 3. PDB (1-3 x 10(-7) M) also reduced the
      contractile force, accompanied with initial increase (in 5 out of 8 experiments),
      whereas TPA did not decrease it to any significant extent. 4. An inactive analog
      of phorbol esters, 4-alpha-phorbol-12,13-didecanoate (PDD), decreased the action
      potential amplitude and Vmax, and slightly increased the action potential
      duration. However, PDD failed to produce any inotropic effect. 5. Post-rest
      potentiation of the contractile force after a rest from stimulation for 30 sec
      was inhibited in the presence of 3-10 x 10(-7) M TPA or 3 x 10(-7) M PDB. 6.
      Isoproterenol 10(-7) M augmented the action of PDB 3 x 10(-7) M. 7. These results
      suggest that activation of PKC may modulate myocardial Ca2+ homeostasis and
      influence the excitation-contraction process.

PMID- 1426928
TI  - Repeated treatment with quinolones potentiates the seizures induced by
      aminophylline in genetically epilepsy-prone rats.
AB  - 1. The effects of a chronic treatment with several quinolone derivatives on on
      the aminophylline-induced convulsions in the genetically epilepsy-prone rat have
      been investigated. 2. Two series of experiments have been performed: in the first
      one animals received the quinolone twice a day for 5 days, then were given
      aminophylline (80-140 mg.kg-1, i.p.); in the second series of experiments the
      rats were treated once a day with the quinolone plus 120 mg.kg-1 of aminophylline
      for 5 days. The changes induced by both treatment protocols on electrocortical
      activity and on the occurrance of seizures have been evaluated. 3. Enoxacin
      reduced the dose of aminophylline necessary for the induction of seizures in a
      higher degree with respect to the other quinolone derivatives. The derivatives
      which showed minor proconvulsant properties were ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and
      cinoxacin. The potentiation of seizures induced by quinolones appeared a dose
      dependent phenomenon which was more evident when high doses of quinolones were
      used. 4. The chronic treatment carried out daily with quinolones and
      aminophylline suggests that additive neurotoxic effects of both classes of drugs
      may contribute to the increase of severity of seizure scores. 5. The possible
      role of GABA-benzodiazepine, excitatory amino acid, purinergic mechanisms as well
      as the role of pharmacokynetic factors are discussed.

PMID- 1426929
TI  - Pharmacological characterization of ATP receptors mediating vasodilation on
      isolated rabbit aorta.
AB  - 1. The effects of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), 2-methyl-thio-ATP and
      adenosine on rabbit aorta were examined in isolated preparations precontracted by
      noradrenaline, both in vessels where the endothelium was present and mechanically
      removed. 2. In the presence of endothelium, ATP (30 microM-3 mM) induced a
      relaxation that was reduced by removal of the endothelium. 3. The maximum
      endothelium-dependent relaxation of ATP was twice the maximum endothelial
      activity of the potent agonist at P2y-purinoceptors, 2-methyl-thio-ATP. 4.
      Adenosine which acts on P1 purinoceptors, induced a relaxant effect at 1 mM
      concentration, both in the vessels with and without endothelium. 5. It is
      concluded that relaxation by ATP is induced both via the endothelial P2y
      purinoceptor and via a "nucleotide" receptor that is located on endothelium and
      on smooth muscle of rabbit aorta.

PMID- 1426930
TI  - Effects of S14001 on adrenergic neuroeffector interaction in isolated canine
      saphenous veins.
AB  - 1. The effects of (S) fluoro-6 (morpholinyl-2 methoxy)-8-tetrahydro-1,2,3,4
      quinoleine (S14001) on adrenergic neurotransmission in isolated canine saphenous
      veins were investigated in experiments which measured the accumulation, overflow
      and metabolism of 3H-norepinephrine. 2. S14001 inhibited the accumulation of
      total tritium (3H-norepinephrine and 3H-metabolites of norepinephrine) in a
      concentration-dependent manner. 3. Under basal conditions, S14001 increased
      tension and basal effiux of total tritium; the latter consisted predominantly of
      3H-DOPEG. The increases in these parameters were not inhibited by
      desmethylimipramine (DMI). 4. During electrical stimulation, S14001 increased the
      contraction and overflow of total tritium; the latter consisted predominantly of
      3H-DOPEG. The increases in these parameters were inhibited by DMI. 5. These
      experiments suggest that S14001 has dual effects on adrenergic neurotransmission
      in the canine saphenous vein: (a) an inhibitory action on the neuronal
      accumulation; and (b) a pharmacological displacement of the transmitter from
      adrenergic nerve terminals.

PMID- 1426931
TI  - Comparison of acute effects of mitoxantrone and doxorubicin in guinea-pig atria.
AB  - 1. The acute effects of doxorubicin (DOX) and mitoxantrone (MTX) on basal rate
      and on positive chronotropic activity induced by 1-noradrenaline (1-NA) were
      investigated in isolated guinea-pig atria. 2. DOX (10(-5)-10(-4)M) progressively
      depressed atrial rate after a short latency period. Only 10(-4) M MTX reduced the
      spontaneous frequency after 120 and 180 min incubation. This effect was
      significantly lower to that elicited by DOX (10(-4)M). 3. Atropine (1.5 x 10(-6)
      M) and reserpine pretreatment did not affect the negative chronotropic action
      induced by DOX or MTX. 4. DOX (10(-5)-10(-4) M) produced a significant reduction
      of the maximal chronotropic response (Emax) to 1-noradrenaline (1-NA) after 60,
      120 and 180 min of exposure. 5. MTX (10(-5)-10(-4) M) after 60 and 120 min
      incubation induced a beta-adrenergic, concentration- and time-dependent,
      competitive blocking effect. After 180 min of exposure, MTX (10(-4) M) reduced
      the Emax to 1-NA which was of less magnitude to that produced by DOX (10(-4) M).
      6. Although both DOX and MTX depressed spontaneous and 1-NA induced chronotropic
      activity, MTX effects were of a slower onset and development compared to those
      exerted by DOX.

PMID- 1426932
TI  - Alterations of G protein function in cardiac tissues from streptozotocin-induced
      chronic diabetic rats.
AB  - 1. This study was performed to investigate G protein function in cardiac tissues
      from chronic diabetic rats by using pertussis toxin (PTX) and cholera toxin (CTX)
      as probes for G(i) and Gs proteins, respectively. 2. In the 10-week control
      group, i.v. injection of PTX significantly elevated the basal heart rate without
      having any effect on the chronotropic response of right atria to increasing
      concentrations of isoproterenol (ISO). In the 10-week diabetic rats, PTX
      treatment had no effect on the basal heart rate or on the response of right atria
      to ISO. In the 6-month groups, PTX did not exert any effects on basal or ISO
      stimulated heart rate in either control or diabetic rat. 3. The inhibitory effect
      of carbachol (CCH) on cardiac tension in ISO-stimulated left atria was completely
      abolished by i.v. injection of PTX in the 10-week groups (both control and
      diabetic rats). The same treatment, however, only slightly reduced the effect of
      CCH on left atria contraction in rats from 6-month groups. 4. In both control and
      diabetic rats in the 10-week groups, incubation with CTX caused a significant
      increase in heart rate in right atria, and in developed cardiac tension in left
      atria preparations. The magnitude of the increase was the same in both control
      and diabetic rats. 5. Studies carried out using ADP-ribosylation technique
      indicated that the amount of G(i) protein was not changed in the ventricular
      muscle of the 10-week diabetic rat. Labelling of Gs protein could not be detected
      in either control or diabetic rat heart.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426933
TI  - Effects of androgens and antiandrogens on the inotropism induced by ouabain and
      isoproterenol on the left atrium of the rat in vitro.
AB  - 1. The effect of androgens 5 beta- and 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT, 10(-9)
      M), and the antiandrogens cyproterone acetate (CPA, 10(-8)-10(-6) M),
      chlormadinone acetate (CMA, 10(-8)-10(-6) M), medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA,
      10(-8)-10(-6) M), spironolactone (SPI, 10(-5) M), flutamide (F, 10(-5) M) and
      cimetidine (C, 10(-5) M), on inotropic positive effect induced by ouabain (10(-8)
      10(-5) M) and isoproterenol (10(-8)-10(-6) M), on electrically stimulated left
      atria of rat, has been assayed. 2. Ouabain (10(-6) M) did not modify the
      inotropic effect of isoproterenol (10(-8)-10(-6) M). 3. The androgens 5 beta- and
      5 alpha-DHT (10(-9) M) and the antiandrogens SPI (10(-6) M), F (10(-5) M) and C
      (10(-5) M) inhibit the inotropic effect of ouabain and isoproterenol on
      electrically stimulated left atria of the rat. 4. The antiandrogens CPA, MPA and
      CMA to 10(-7) M, inhibit the inotropic effect of ouabain. The CPA (10(-8)-10(-6)
      M) inhibit, in a dose-dependent way the positive inotropic effect of
      isoproterenol. MPA and CMA (10(-8)-10(-6) M) also inhibit the inotropic effect
      isoproterenol but the inhibitory effect is greater with 10(-8) M than 10(-6) M of
      both drugs. 5. Taken together, our results suggest that steroidal hormones could
      modulate the cardiac contractility through interference with Na-pump in a non
      digitalic site and/or with intracellular mediators in left atrium.

PMID- 1426934
TI  - Effects of secretagogues on intracellular free calcium and magnesium
      concentrations in rat pancreatic acinar cells.
AB  - 1. Rat pancreatic acinar cells were loaded with Fura 2 AM or Magfura AM and
      levels of cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) and Mg2+ ([Mg2+]i) were observed. 2. Addition
      of acetylcholine (ACh) evoked a transient rise in [Ca2+]i. The component of the
      rise dependent on extracellular Ca2+ sources, but not intracellular sources, was
      seen to be enhanced when both ACh and 5 mM Ca2+ were present in the medium. In
      the presence of elevated extracellular Mg2+ (10 mM) and ACh both components of
      the Ca2+ transient were inhibited. 3. Both GTP gamma S and fluoroaluminate, which
      can directly stimulate G-proteins, evoked a transient rise in [Ca2+]i in acinar
      cells. These responses were inhibited in the presence of elevated Mg2+. 4.
      Resting [Mg2+]i was seen to be 1.36 mM +/- 0.08 (n = 29) for cells in normal
      medium, 1.8 mM +/- 0.08 (n = 6) in elevated Mg2+ medium and 0.93 mM +/- 0.02 (n =
      5) in cells bathed and Mg(2+)-free medium. Addition of ACh led to reductions in
      [Mg2+]i in cells bathed in normal medium and Mg(2+)-free medium but not elevated
      Mg2+ medium. 5. It is concluded that levels of extracellular Mg2+ strongly
      influence [Mg2+]i and [Ca2+]i mobilization during ACh-evoked responses. Mg2+ does
      not appear to be exerting its effects by influencing receptor-agonist
      interactions or by competing with Ca2+ at extracellular sites of Ca2+ uptake.

PMID- 1426935
TI  - Effect of ATP and verapamil as cardioplegic additives in the isolated guinea pig
      heart.
AB  - 1. A comparative study on isolated guinea pig hearts was carried out to determine
      the effects of ATP and verapamil as cardioplegic additives. 2. The hearts were
      arrested by one of the plegic solutions: I, potassium 20 mmol/l; II, potassium 20
      mmol/l+verapamil 1.1 mumol/l; III, potassium 20 mmol/l+ATP 10 mmol/l. After 45
      min of hypothermic ischemia, the hearts were reperfused by Krebs-Henseleit
      buffer. 3. Postischemic percentage change of myocardial functions (heart rate,
      contractility, heart work) and tissue enzymes (LDH, SGOT, SGPT) were compared
      between the groups. 4. Although a rapid cardiac arrest could be obtained by
      verapamil added cardioplegia. Postischemic myocardial recovery was much better
      with ATP added cardioplegic solutions.

PMID- 1426936
TI  - Influence of ATP-sensitive potassium channel blocker on hypoxia-induced damage of
      isolated guinea pig heart.
AB  - 1. Isolated guinea pig hearts were perfused under constant flow conditions with
      Krebs-Henseleit buffer. Hearts were subjected to 15 min of hypoxia followed by
      reoxygenation in the presence and in the absence of 100 microns glyburide, an ATP
      sensitive potassium channel blocker. Heart rate, left ventricular pressure and
      lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release were measured at 5 min intervals. 2. Small
      decreases in heart rate and left ventricular pressure were observed during
      glyburide infusion with hypoxia, however LDH release, which was used as an index
      of cellular damage, was dramatically elevated. 3. Neither glyburide, nor the
      vehicle in which it was dissolved, appeared to produce myocardial damage under
      normoxic conditions. 4. It is concluded that ATP-sensitive potassium channels are
      important in the protection of the myocardium during hypoxia in isolated guinea
      pig hearts perfused under constant flow conditions.

PMID- 1426937
TI  - Maturational gonadotropin from the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus:
      purification, characterization, localization, and biological activity.
AB  - A gonadotropic hormone of the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, was was
      purified and chemically characterized. Its biological activity was tested and its
      localization in the gonadotropic cells of the pituitary demonstrated. An
      ethanolic extract of 500 pituitaries of adult male and female African catfish was
      subjected to ion-exchange chromatography on DE-52. The 31- to 38-kDa fraction was
      further purified on Sephadex G-75. On rpHPLC over an ODS 120T column two major
      components appeared as single bands after SDS-PAGE. From the amino acid
      composition and sequence analysis of these fractions, compared with those of
      salmon and carp GTH II-alpha and salmon GTH II-beta it was concluded that they
      represent catfish GTH alpha- and II-beta-subunits. The biological activity of the
      complete hormone (the 31- to 38-kDa fraction from the G-75 column) was tested on
      the production of 11 beta-hydroxyandrostenedione and 17 alpha-hydroxy-20 beta
      dihydroprogesterone by catfish testis in vitro. Polyclonal antibodies were raised
      against the purified beta-subunit. Immunocytochemical study using these showed
      them to bind specifically to hypophysial gonadotropic cells. To date only one
      form of GTH has been demonstrated in the African catfish.

PMID- 1426938
TI  - Chronic fasting reduces the response of the thyroid to growth hormone and TSH,
      and alters the growth hormone-related changes in hepatic 5'-monodeiodinase
      activity in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss.
AB  - Chronically fasted rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) had significantly lower
      plasma L-thyroxine (T4) and triiodo-L-thyronine (T3), and higher plasma growth
      hormone (GH) concentrations than fed animals. Fasted and fed trout were
      administered bovine thyrotropic hormone (bTSH), native ovine GH (oGH), or
      recombinant human GH (rhGH) alone, or GH in combination with bTSH to further
      study the effects of food deprivation on the activity of the pituitary-thyroid
      axis and on the control of hepatic T3 production. Although the fasted rainbow
      trout retained the ability to respond to bTSH challenge, the resultant elevation
      in plasma T4 concentration was significantly lower than that of fed animals;
      there was no plasma T3 response to bTSH challenge in either fed or fasted trout,
      except for a significant elevation in fed bTSH-injected fish and a significant
      depression in fed saline-injected fish sampled 2.5 hr after the injection. GH
      when administered alone had no significant effect on plasma T4 concentrations of
      either fed or fasted animals, and stimulated an increase in plasma T3
      concentration and an increased hepatic T3 content only in the fed fish, despite a
      significant stimulation by both oGH and rhGH of in vitro hepatic 5'
      monodeiodinase activity (MDA) in both fed and fasted groups. bTSH appeared to
      suppress rhGH- and oGH-stimulated MDA in fasted groups, and rhGH-stimulated MDA
      in fed trout. The data suggest that chronic fasting induced a down-regulation of
      the response of thyroid tissue to bTSH challenge, and of the GH-stimulation of T3
      production, in vivo, although in vitro hepatic MDA was elevated following GH
      administration to both fed and fasted rainbow trout.

PMID- 1426939
TI  - Light and electron microscopic immunocytochemical demonstration of synthesis,
      storage, and release sites of the neuropeptide calfluxin in Lymnaea stagnalis.
AB  - The cerebral caudodorsal cells (CDC) of the pulmonate snail Lymnaea stagnalis
      control egg-laying and associated behaviors. They produce various peptides
      derived from two precursor molecules, proCDCH-I and II, one of which is calfuxin
      (CaFl). CaFL is involved in the control of the activity of a female accessory sex
      gland, the albumen gland. At the light microscope level, using an antibody raised
      against synthetic CaFl, immunoreactivity was demonstrated in all CDC somata as
      well as in the neurohemal CDC terminals in the periphery of the cerebral
      commissure and in the CDC axon collaterals in the inner region of the commissure.
      A group of small neurons in each cerebral ganglion was also immunopositive. At
      the ultrastructural level, secretory granules (SG) and large electron-dense
      granules (LG), formed by the Golgi apparatus and thought to be involved in
      intracellular degradation of secretory material, were clearly immunolabeled. The
      density of immunolabeling of LG was 3.3 times greater than that of SG, indicating
      that CaFl is preferentially packed into LG. In the LG, the density of
      immunolabeling with anti-alpha CDCP (alpha CDCP is also a peptide derived from
      proCDCH-I and II) was 10 times greater than in SG, suggesting that CaFl and alpha
      CDCP are processed and sorted in (quantitatively) different ways. In the
      neurohemal terminals SG release their CaFl-immunopositive contents into the
      hemolymph by the process of exocytosis, whereas collaterals release such contents
      into the intracellular space of the intercerebral commissure. It is proposed that
      neurohemally released CaFl acts upon the albumen gland, whereas CaFl released
      from the collaterals may influence the activity of central neurons.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426940
TI  - In vitro biosynthesis of steroids, including 11-deoxycortisol and 5 alpha
      pregnane-3 beta,7 alpha,17,20 beta-tetrol, by ovaries of the goldfish Carassius
      auratus during the stage of oocyte final maturation.
AB  - To examine the production of steroids with potential oocyte maturation-inducing
      or pheromonal activity in the goldfish (Carassius auratus) we have incubated
      mature ovaries of this species with 17-[3H]hydroxyprogesterone. The metabolites
      in the unconjugated, glucuronide, and sulfate fractions were identified by
      chromatography, microchemical reaction, and, in most cases, crystallization to
      constant specific activity. A major metabolite, present in all three fractions,
      was tentatively identified as 5 alpha-pregnane-3 beta,7 alpha,17,20 beta-tetrol.
      Although 17,20 beta-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20 beta-P) was found in only
      low yield (as a sulfate), the presence of the tetrol indicates that it is
      synthesized in high yield but very rapidly metabolized. The relative proportions
      of 17,20 alpha-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20 alpha-P), 11-deoxycortisol (17,21
      dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3,20-dione) and 17,20 beta,21-trihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one
      (17,20 beta,21-P) varied significantly between incubations and may be affected by
      the maturational state of the ovary or the method used to stimulate oocyte
      maturation. Testosterone was present predominantly as its glucuronide.
      Significant production of glucuronides and sulfates was observed in all
      incubations. Twenty-five to 30% of the radioactivity remained associated with the
      tissue, but the distribution of activity between the metabolites did not differ
      greatly from that found in the medium. These results indicate that 11
      deoxycortisol and its 20 beta-reduced derivative (17,20 beta,21-P) may be
      significant in spawning female goldfish.

PMID- 1426941
TI  - The primary structures of growth hormones of three cyprinid species: bighead
      carp, silver carp, and grass carp.
AB  - The primary structures of growth hormone (GH) of three cyprinid species, bighead
      carp, silver carp, and grass carp, were determined by a chemical method and/or by
      molecular cloning. The bighead carp GH was extracted from pituitary tissue by use
      of an alkaline medium, then successively purified by gel filtration, hydrophobic
      interaction column chromatography, and reverse-phase high-pressure liquid
      chromatography. The primary structure of bighead carp GH determined chemically is
      identical to that deduced from the cDNA nucleotide sequence. By molecular
      cloning, the primary structures of silver carp and grass carp GHs were also
      determined. The GHs of these three cyprinid species all contain 188 amino acid
      residues and their sequences are identical. When four of the five cysteines of
      cyprinid GHs were arranged to match the same positions of cysteines of other
      vertebrate GHs, a maximally matched alignment was achieved. Among fishes, GHs are
      relatively conserved within the same order (82 to 100% identity) but they are
      more diversified between orders (49 to 68% identity). In further comparison, fish
      GHs are even more different from tetrapod GHs (37 to 58% identity). Although the
      primary structures of vertebrate GHs are relatively variable, four homologous
      sequences, notably one located at the C-terminal, are found.

PMID- 1426942
TI  - Photorefractory Harris' sparrows (Zonotrichia querula) exposed to a winter-like
      daylength gradually regain photosensitivity after a lag.
AB  - The time course of regaining photosensitivity was monitored in intact and in
      castrated Harris' sparrows (Zonotrichia querula) held on short days. Measured
      endpoints, assumed to be equivalent indicators of the photosensitive state, were
      photoinduced testicular growth in intact males and a photoinduced elevation in
      plasma LH (luteinizing hormone) concentration in castrated males. Intact males
      were initially photorefractory when they were moved from long days to short days,
      and they remained so for at least 3 weeks thereafter. Photosensitivity was
      partially restored between Weeks 3 and 5 on short days and then gradually
      increased to a maximum by Week 13. No further change was detected through Week 25
      on short days, when the experiment ended. Castrated males, also photorefractory
      when moved from long days to short days, regained photosensitivity as early as
      Week 7 on short days, but not uniformly until Week 16. As reflected by linear
      regression analysis, recovery of photosensitivity was a gradual process through
      Week 22 on short days, when the experiment ended. Discrepancies between intact
      and castrated males raise the possibility that the measured endpoints are not
      equivalent indicators of the photosensitive state. In accordance with an earlier
      report (Wilson, 1990), recovery of photosensitivity in castrated Harris' sparrows
      held on short days was not signaled by a spontaneous increase in plasma LH
      concentration. Indeed, plasma LH concentrations of castrated males remained
      suppressed even after photosensitivity had been fully restored in intact males.

PMID- 1426943
TI  - Testosterone-LH response and episodic secretion in the male marsupial, Dasyurus
      viverrinus.
AB  - The pattern of testosterone-LH secretion, feedback mechanism, and periodicity of
      release were investigated in the male marsupial eastern quoll. Testosterone
      secretion is controlled directly by LH and in the wild, the secretion of both are
      synchronous and show a major peak at breeding time. An inverse relationship
      between the secretion of LH and testosterone occurs after castration which
      supports the hypothesis that a negative feedback mechanism exists between the
      gonads and the pituitary gland as in other mammals. These hormones fluctuate in a
      cyclic manner over 24 hr.

PMID- 1426944
TI  - Plasma levels of sex steroids in the North Island brown kiwi (Apteryx australis
      mantelli) in relation to time of year and stages of breeding.
AB  - North Island brown kiwi (Apteryx australis mantelli) have a seasonal pattern of
      egg laying with a peak in mid to late winter. This study is the first description
      of changes in plasma steroid concentrations during the annual reproductive cycle
      of this species. Blood samples were collected at intervals over a 2 1/2-year
      period from a population of kiwi at Tangiteroria, Northland, New Zealand. Male
      kiwi had annual cycles of plasma levels of testosterone and estradiol. Mean
      testosterone levels were low (less than 0.18 ng/ml) during February to April,
      rose in May to a broad peak lasting 4 months (maximum levels 1.90 +/- 0.76
      ng/ml), declined in September, and reached low levels in November to January.
      With respect to the breeding cycle, testosterone levels were low in the
      nonbreeding period, rose to high levels over 2 to 4 months before egg laying,
      then declined steadily toward the start of incubation. Plasma testosterone levels
      were very low in brooding males. Mean estradiol levels in males showed a pattern
      similar to testosterone levels, except that the rise to peak levels (1750 +/- 680
      pg/ml) started in April. In female kiwi mean testosterone levels were low (less
      than 0.10 ng/ml) throughout the year. There was an annual cycle of mean estradiol
      levels in females which in timing and amplitude was similar to the male cycle.
      Estradiol levels in relation to stages of the breeding cycle in females were
      basal in the nonbreeding period, increased over a 3-month period before egg
      laying, declined in the 2 weeks before laying, and were low thereafter.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426946
TI  - Evidence of a role for the turkey posterior pituitary in prolactin release.
AB  - The aims of this study were: (1) to examine whether the posterior pituitary
      contains prolactin releasing factor (PRF) activity, (2) to determine to what
      extent known neurohypophyseal peptides contribute to this activity, and (3) to
      compare posterior pituitary PRF activities of hens in different reproductive
      stages. Anterior pituitary cells derived from juvenile female turkeys were
      incubated with posterior pituitary extracts or test substances for 3 hr.
      Posterior pituitary extracts (0.1-0.8 equivalent) contained a potent substance(s)
      which stimulated PRL release in a concentration-dependent manner (2.4 +/- 0.08 to
      6.5 +/- 0.23 micrograms/500 k cells). Arginine vasotocin (AVT) and vasoactive
      intestinal peptide (VIP) antisera (1:500) completely abolished the PRL-releasing
      activities of their respective peptides but partially reduced (P less than 0.05)
      the PRF activity of the posterior pituitary (AVT, 19.9%; VIP, 55.1%). Mesotocin
      antiserum did not alter (P greater than 0.05) PRL release induced by posterior
      pituitary extract. Posterior pituitary extract (0.01-0.5 equivalent) from hens in
      each of the various stages of the reproductive cycle induced a concentration
      dependent PRL release. The 0.5 posterior pituitary equivalent dose from
      reproductively quiescent (nonphotostimulated), laying, photorefractory, and
      incubating hens increased PRL release 2.4-, 2.9-, 3.8-, and 11.1-fold,
      respectively. The turkey posterior pituitary contains a potent PRF activity,
      partially accounted for by VIP and AVT, at the assayed concentrations, which
      varies with the reproductive cycle.

PMID- 1426945
TI  - Estradiol-17 beta secretion by the newly formed corpus luteum of a macropodid
      marsupial, the quokka (Setonix brachyurus).
AB  - The production of significant amounts of estradiol-17 beta from the 2-day-old
      corpus luteum of the macropodid marsupial, Setonix brachyurus (quokka), was shown
      using an in vitro perifusion system. Sliced corpora lutea and finely chopped
      extra-luteal ovarian tissue (cortex plus interstitial tissue) were perifused
      separately for 2 hr, in tandem for the next hour (with the perifusate from the
      ovarian tissue directed into the chamber containing the corpora lutea), and
      separately again for a further 2 hr. Overall production rates of estradiol
      measured by radioimmunoassay were 1.0 pg (mg hr)-1 from luteal tissue and 0.64 pg
      (mg hr)-1 from the extra-luteal tissue. Androgen production rates were 0.18 ng
      (mg hr)-1 and 0.06 ng (mg hr)-1 from luteal and extra-luteal tissues,
      respectively, and progesterone was produced at a rate of 0.80 ng (mg hr)-1 from
      luteal tissue and 16.5 pg (mg hr)-1 from extra-luteal tissue. Production rates of
      all three steroids from the perifused tissue increased significantly when the
      ovary and corpus luteum were perfused in tandem. The secretion of C19 and C18
      steroids from the young corpus luteum suggests that luteinization is not yet
      complete at this stage in the reproductive cycle of the quokka, and the tissue
      would be better described as a "postovulatory follicle." This is supported in the
      literature by the occurrence of mitoses in granulosa cells for 6-7 days after
      resumption of the delayed cycle. This delayed maturation of the macropodid corpus
      luteum, which is associated with the secretion of significant quantities of
      estradiol and only a transient spike of progesterone, is discussed in relation to
      the longer cycles and gestation periods characteristic of macropodid marsupials.

PMID- 1426948
TI  - Sex steroid levels in the testes, ovaries, and pyloric caeca during gametogenesis
      in the sea star Asterias vulgaris.
AB  - The concentrations of progesterone, testosterone, and estradiol were determined
      via radioimmunoassay in testes, ovaries, and pyloric caeca of the sea star
      Asterias vulgaris during one complete and two partial gametogenic cycles. These
      compounds were found in all tissues examined and were present in quantities
      similar to those reported previously in other echinoderms and in vertebrates.
      Testes and ovaries exhibited annual growth cycles during which testicular and
      ovarian mass increased up to 100-fold as gametes were produced and stored until
      spawning. Pyloric caecal mass varied during the annual reproductive season;
      however, no seasonal trends were apparent. In the testes, sex steroid levels were
      highest at the onset of spermatogenesis. Transient increases in the levels of
      estradiol coincided with spermatogonial mitotic proliferation. Transient
      increases in the levels of testosterone and progesterone in the testes coincided
      with spermatogenic column formation and with spermiogenesis, respectively. In the
      ovaries, estradiol and testosterone levels were highest at the onset of oogenesis
      while progesterone levels did not change significantly throughout the annual
      gametogenic cycle. Male and female pyloric caeca exhibited similar seasonal
      variations in levels of sex steroids as compared with the gonads. It is
      hypothesized that transient increases in the levels of sex steroids during
      gametogenesis may serve as endogenous modulators of reproduction.

PMID- 1426947
TI  - Detection of the mRNA encoding vitellogenesis inhibiting hormone in
      neurosecretory cells of the X-organ in Homarus americanus by in situ
      hybridization.
AB  - Vitellogenesis inhibiting hormone (VIH)-mRNA in secretory cells of the eyestalk
      of Homarus americanus was detected by nonradioactive in situ hybridization (ISH)
      using two digoxigenin-tailed oligonucleotide probes deduced from the peptide
      sequence. Two distinct clusters of positive cells were observed in the medulla
      terminalis ganglionic X-organ (MGTX). Only one of them gave a strong
      immunoreaction after incubation with a specific polyclonal anti-VIH serum and
      corresponded to the conventionally described VIH producing cells. The
      significance of the cells reacting positively in ISH but not in
      immunocytochemistry (ICC) is discussed. Northern blot analysis using 32P-labeling
      confirms the specificity of the probes and indicates an approximate size of 2.5
      kb for VIH mRNA.

PMID- 1426949
TI  - Changes in brain gonadotropin-releasing hormone, pituitary and plasma
      gonadotropins, and plasma thyroxine during smoltification in chinook salmon
      (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha).
AB  - Concentrations of brain salmon gonadotropin-releasing hormone (sGnRH), plasma
      gonadotropin I (GTH I), and pituitary GTH I and GTH II were determined in
      yearling chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha) during the parr-smolt
      transformation in two successive seasons. There were significant elevations in
      brain sGnRH content from February to March in 1988, and from February to April in
      1989. Increases in brain sGnRH content coincided with elevations in plasma
      thyroxine levels that occurred from February to March, 1988 and 1989. Plasma GTH
      levels were relatively constant (1-2 ng/ml) throughout the period of sampling.
      However, during 1988, plasma concentrations of GTH I decreased significantly
      between late March and early April. During 1989, plasma GTH I levels appeared to
      reach a peak (2 ng/ml) in mid-February, but otherwise remained near 1 ng/ml.
      Previous studies have shown that GTH II was not detectable in plasma at this
      stage. During 1989, pituitary GTH I concentrations were 50- to 70-fold higher
      than that of GTH II, and increased, though not significantly, from February
      through April. Although GTH II was detected in the pituitary by RIA, it is likely
      that the measurable levels are due to GTH I cross-reaction in the GTH II RIA.
      Histological examination of the gonads indicated that throughout smoltification
      the oocytes remained in the perinucleolar stage of oogenesis and the testes were
      in the spermatogonial stage of spermatogenesis. Although no observable changes in
      gametogenesis occurred, the changes in brain sGnRH content, plasma GTH I levels,
      and pituitary GTH content suggest that some changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary
      axis may occur during smoltification.

PMID- 1426950
TI  - Reproduction in worker honey bees is associated with low juvenile hormone titers
      and rates of biosynthesis.
AB  - Three experiments were performed to determine the role of juvenile hormone (JH)
      in worker reproduction in queenless colonies of honey bees. In Experiment 1, egg
      laying workers had low hemolymph titers of JH, as did bees engaged in brood care,
      while foragers had significantly higher titers. Experiment 2 confirmed these
      findings by demonstrating that laying workers have significantly lower rates of
      JH biosynthesis than foragers do. In Experiment 3, ovary development was
      inhibited slightly by application of the JH analog methoprene to 1-day-old bees,
      but was not affected by application to older bees, at least some already
      displaying egg-laying behavior. These results, which are consistent with earlier
      findings for queen honey bees, are contrary to a common model of insect
      reproduction, in which elevated JH titers trigger ovary development, which then
      leads to oviposition. Previous experiments have demonstrated that JH regulates
      nonreproductive behavior in workers that is associated with colony division of
      labor; perhaps this function is incompatible with a traditional role for JH in
      reproduction.

PMID- 1426951
TI  - Effects of reproductive status, ovariectomy, and photoperiod on vasoactive
      intestinal peptide in the female turkey hypothalamus.
AB  - Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) appears to be a physiologically relevant
      prolactin (PRL)-releasing factor during the avian reproductive cycle, yet little
      is known of the factors involved in modulating the hypothalamic concentrations of
      this neuropeptide. A heterologous chicken VIP radioimmunoassay was developed to
      examine the effects of reproductive status, ovariectomy, and photoperiod on
      hypothalamic VIP immunoreactivity in the female turkey. VIP concentrations were
      highest in the median eminence/infundibular nuclear complex (ME/INF) relative to
      other subregions of the hypothalamus and changed only in this region during the
      reproductive cycle. Quiescent, nonphotostimulated hens subjected to stimulatory
      photoperiod exhibited a 1.6-fold increase in VIP in the ME/INF (quiescent 59.9 +/
      6.0 vs photostimulated 95.8 +/- 7.1 pg/microgram protein). An additional 2-fold
      increase in ME/INF VIP concentrations was observed in laying hens (183.0 +/- 28.5
      pg/microgram protein). Coincident increases in plasma PRL were also observed. In
      contrast, during incubation and the photorefractory stage, a dissociation between
      hypothalamic VIP and plasma PRL occurred. No changes were observed in VIP in
      incubating hens, yet a 6-fold increase in PRL was noted, compared to layers. In
      addition, ME/INF VIP concentrations exhibited no change during the
      photorefractory stage, whereas a 28-fold decrease in plasma PRL occurred. VIP
      concentrations in the ME/INF of laying hens were unaffected by ovariectomy,
      whereas exposure to short photoperiod reduced VIP by 44%. The inhibitory effects
      of short photoperiod could not be reversed by administration of exogenous
      steroids, while steroid treatment reduced VIP concentrations by 45% in the
      ovariectomized hens. These results provide additional correlative evidence for a
      modulatory role of VIP in PRL secretion and suggest that the expression of this
      neuropeptide in the INF may serve as a neural link between photoperiodic
      mechanisms and PRL release during the avian reproductive cycle.

PMID- 1426952
TI  - Purification, partial characterization, and heterologous radioimmunoassay of
      growth hormone (cGH) in red deer.
AB  - Red deer growth hormone (cGH; 3.3 mg) was purified from an aqueous extract of
      seven pituitary glands (4.01 g wet weight) by preparative gel filtration on
      Sephadex G-100, gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 SF, and anion exchange
      chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B. Purified cGH gave a single band on sodium
      dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with a molecular weight under
      reducing conditions of 20,000 Da and gave a single peak on reverse-phase high
      performance liquid chromatography. N-Terminal amino acid determination of 42
      residues gave a sequence identical with those published for bovine and ovine GH.
      In a radioreceptor assay based on binding of iodinated recombinant bovine GH
      (rbGH) to liver microsomes prepared from a pregnant ewe, cGH was equipotent with
      an ovine GH (oGH) standard. In an oGH radioimmunoassay, cGH diluted in parallel
      with oGH and rbGH. Using this assay plasma GH concentrations were determined in
      adult nonpregnant red deer hinds over a 12-month period. There was a significant
      seasonality in plasma GH concentrations with concentrations consistently low
      between mid-May and mid-September. This is the period when voluntary food intake
      and liveweight gain are greatest. It is suggested that in the presence of low
      plasma GH concentrations nutrients may be diverted toward lipogenesis and hence
      promote fat deposition.

PMID- 1426953
TI  - Adrenal-kidney and gonadal steroidogenesis during sexual differentiation of a
      reptile with temperature-dependent sex determination.
AB  - Adrenal-kidney and gonadal steroidogenesis were studied during early development
      in the red-eared slider turtle, Trachemys scripta, which exhibits temperature
      dependent sex determination. In vitro steroid secretion by adrenal-kidney-gonad
      complexes (AKGs) incubated for 6 hr was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA).
      AKGs from presumptive males and females secreted progesterone at developmental
      stages before (stage 15), during (stages 17 and 19), and after (stage 21) the
      temperature-sensitive period for sex determination, and progesterone secretion
      increased significantly throughout the period from stage 15 to 21. Presumptive
      male AKGs secreted significantly more progesterone than female AKGs at stage 19.
      Corticosterone secretion by AKGs was observed at stage 17 in males only, but in
      both sexes at stages 19 and 21. Testosterone, estradiol, androstenedione, and
      dehydroepiandrosterone secretion by AKGs was detected only at stage 21. Of the
      steroids measured, progesterone and corticosterone were consistently secreted at
      the highest levels. Although some sex differences were observed, no obvious
      patterns of sexually dimorphic steroid secretion from AKGs were apparent. Gonads
      from stage 21, stage 24, and 10-day-old hatchlings from both presumptive sexes
      incubated with [7-3H]pregnenolone showed only weak precursor conversion,
      primarily to polar metabolites, in incubations as long as 24 hr. None of the
      steroids assessed by RIA of AKG incubates could be identified by TLC or HPLC
      analysis of the stage 21 and stage 24 gonadal incubates. However, progesterone
      was tentatively identified in incubates of 10-day post-hatch female gonads. For
      stage 21 females, AKGs were separated into gonadal and adrenal-kidney tissue (AK)
      components and incubated in vitro for 1, 3, and 18 hr.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1426954
TI  - Isolation of maturational gonadotropin subunits from spotted seatrout (Cynoscion
      nebulosus) and development of a beta-subunit-directed radioimmunoassay for
      gonadotropin measurement in sciaenid fishes.
AB  - Maturational gonadotropin (GTH) subunits were isolated from pituitaries of the
      spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), a marine perciform teleost, by ethanolic
      extraction and ion-exchange, gel-filtration, and reverse-phase chromatography.
      Partial amino acid sequencing of the N-terminal regions of the alpha and beta
      subunits indicated 60-80% identities with various carp and salmon GTH subunits.
      The spotted seatrout GTH beta-subunit was used as radioligand in a
      radioimmunoassay (RIA) with Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) GTH
      antiserum. Pituitary extracts and plasmas from a variety of sciaenid fishes
      diluted parallel to the croaker GTH standard in the RIA. These data suggest that
      there is a high degree of immunological similarity among the GTH beta subunits of
      sciaenid fishes. The RIA measured increased levels of GTH in the plasmas of three
      species of sciaenid fishes, spotted seatrout, orangemouth corvina (Cynoscion
      xanthulus), and red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), following injections of a
      luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analog. The beta-subunit-directed GTH RIA
      increases considerably the number of species in which studies of GTH physiology
      can now be conducted.

PMID- 1426955
TI  - Temperature, but not photoperiod, influences gonadotropin-releasing hormone
      binding in the pituitary of the three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus.
AB  - Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) binding characteristics in pituitaries of
      stickle-backs under different physiological conditions were studied using D-Arg6
      Pro9-salmonGnRH-NEt as labeled ligand. Both males and females displayed marked
      seasonal changes in the capacity of high-affinity GnRH binding sites; there was a
      high content in the breeding season (summer) (800-1500 pmol/pituitary) and no
      detectable high affinity (< 150 pmol) binding in late winter-early spring. The
      binding capacity was lower in postbreeding fish (ca. 400 pmol/pituitary in
      females, ca. 900 pmol in males) than in breeding fish (females: ca. 1850, males
      ca. 1400 pmol). GnRH binding sites were also studied in fish exposed to long and
      short photoperiod in combination with high and low temperature in winter. Only
      long photoperiod in combination with high temperature stimulated sexual
      maturation. The capacity of the GnRH binding sites was similar in fish exposed to
      long (females 1550 pmol, males 1000 pmol) and short (females 1800, males 900)
      photoperiod in combination with high temperature. In fish exposed to low
      temperature, binding was nondetectable irrespective of the photoperiod.

PMID- 1426956
TI  - Ovarian development and correlated changes in hemolymphatic ecdysteroid levels in
      two spiders, Coelotes terrestris and Tegenaria domestica (Araneae, Agelenidae).
AB  - Oocyte development during the first vitellogenic cycle of Coelotes terrestris and
      Tegenaria domestica is described. Under the present conditions, this development
      took about 40 days during which the oocytes went through six stages of
      maturation. For the first time presence of ecdysteroids is reported in adult
      females of spiders. Hemolymphatic ecdysteroid peaks were observed in both species
      at the transition between previtellogenesis and vitellogenesis. 20
      Hydroxyecdysone and ecdysone were present in slightly different ratios in C.
      terrestris as well as T. domestica. These data largely agree with current views
      of ovarian development in Arthropods.

PMID- 1426957
TI  - Immunoreactive Met-enkephalin-like material in the testis of Rana esculenta:
      identification and localization.
AB  - Methionine-enkephalin (Met-Enk) has been detected in the testis of the frog, Rana
      esculenta, using a reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography system
      coupled with a specific radioimmunoassay. By means of immunocytochemical
      techniques Met-Enk positive cells have been localized in interstitial and
      germinal compartments. Particularly, spermatogonia, spermatocytes, and
      spermatozoa were stained in seminiferous tubules, and numerous interstitial cells
      showed strong cytoplasmic immunoreactivity in summer animals. Variations in the
      concentration of Met-Enk immunoreactive material occurred during the annual
      cycle. Our data show that Met-Enk is present in testes of nonmammalian vertebrate
      species. These results suggest that autocrine and/or paracrine mechanisms may
      regulate testicular activity in amphibians.

PMID- 1426958
TI  - The complete amino acid sequence of the follitropin beta-subunit of the bullfrog,
      Rana catesbeiana.
AB  - The amino acid sequence of the bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana, follitropin beta
      subunit has been determined by sequencing the intact protein (residues 1-39) and
      peptides originated by lysyl endopeptidase and pepsin. Twelve cysteine residues
      and two sugar chain binding sites at Asn-5 and Asn-22 are positional identities
      with bullfrog and mammalian beta-subunits. The bullfrog FSH beta-subunit is
      composed of 107 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 11,782 Da, including
      the six cystine bridges and excepting the sugar chain. The bullfrog FSH beta
      subunit has approximately 60% sequence identity with that of mammals and 40% with
      the fish gonadotropin beta-subunit. Conserved sequences among mammals (residue
      numbers 33-55 and 66-71) extensively differed from those of the bullfrog.

PMID- 1426960
TI  - Abnormal growth hormone receptor gene expression in the sex-linked dwarf chicken.
AB  - Sex-linked dwarfism is a recessive mutation that causes a reduction in body
      weight gain and long bone growth of chickens. We examined the effect of the
      dwarfing gene on body weight, hepatic GH-binding activity, and the structure and
      expression of the growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene in two different lines of
      sex-linked dwarf (SLD) broiler chickens. Liver samples from one line of dwarf
      chicken were obtained from Arbor Acres Farm, Inc. (Glastonbury, CT) and fertile
      eggs from the second line of SLD were obtained from the University of Georgia. In
      the GA line, the average body weight of homozygous (dwdw) males at 11 weeks of
      age was 43% lower than that of normal (DwDw) males, while heterozygous (Dwdw)
      males were only 9% below normal. In the CT line, hepatic GH-binding activity of
      35-week-old chickens was high (20% specific binding) in normal (DwDw) males and
      undetectable in liver membranes prepared from dwdw males. At 11 weeks of age,
      hepatic GH-binding activity of Dwdw males (3.9% specific binding) in the GA line
      was reduced by 44% and that of dwdw males was almost undetectable (0.34% specific
      binding) when compared to the average of normal GA males (7.1% specific binding).
      Southern and Northern blot analyses revealed different abnormalities in the GHR
      gene from the two separate lines of SLD. A restriction fragment length
      polymorphism in DNA and an aberrantly sized transcript (mRNA) were detected in
      the CT line of SLD chickens.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1426959
TI  - In vitro steroid secretion by staged spermatocysts (Sertoli/germ cell units) of
      dogfish (Squalus acanthias) testis.
AB  - Using the dogfish shark (Squalus acanthias) testis model in which different germ
      cell stages are topographically separated, we previously observed that
      steroidogenic enzyme activities vary qualitatively and quantitatively during
      spermatogenesis. To determine whether these data, obtained by radiolabeled tracer
      analysis of testicular microsomes, accurately predict steroid secretion by intact
      cultured spermatocysts (germ cell/Sertoli cell units), steroids were
      radioimmunoassayed directly in spent medium. Steroid output in basal medium was
      low, but after addition of 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-OH chol, 60 microM), large
      amounts of progestins (P) and testosterone (T) accumulated.
      Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenedione (A), and estradiol (E2) were low
      or nondetectable in the presence or absence of 25-OH chol; however, addition of T
      (1 microM) as substrate elevated E2 above assay limits. T and P contents of media
      increased progressively over a 24-hr culture period (Day 1). Replacement and
      analysis of spent media at 24-hr intervals indicated that secretion was
      continuous up to 6 days after seeding, although secretory rates (T plus P) and
      T/P ratios changed with time in culture. Spermatocysts in premeiotic (PrM),
      meiotic (M), and post-meiotic (PoM) stages all secreted T and P; however,
      absolute values, T/P ratios, and stage-dependent patterns varied from one
      experiment to another with no obvious seasonal pattern. Also steroid secretion by
      staged cysts did not consistently agree with predictions based on steroidogenic
      enzyme activities measured in earlier cell-free assays, whether or not 25-OH chol
      was present. This discrepancy was not explained by stage-related patterns of
      steroid secretion vs retention or by addition of putative in vivo regulators.
      Agents that elevated P and/or T were dibutyryl cyclic AMP, 1-isobutyl-3
      methylxanthine (IBMX), and forskolin, whereas ventral lobe extract and Ca2+
      ionophore (A23817) were inhibitory. An autoregulatory feedback loop was indicated
      by a negative relationship between cyst concentration per well and steroid
      secretion rate. In contrast to T and P, E2 secretion in the presence of substrate
      (T, 1 microM) was as predicted from previously determined patterns of aromatase
      activity (M > PrM > PoM) and increased in response to IBMX. Added [3H]P, [3H]T
      and [3H]E2 all were extensively metabolized to polar products and P metabolism
      was stage related (PoM > M > PrM). These data indicate that analysis of free P,
      T, and E2 in static cyst cultures may underestimate true steroidogenic potential.
      Assuming further characterization of the system, we conclude that cultured
      spermatocysts from dogfish testis have potential for studying the multifactorial
      regulation of steroid synthesis and secretion stage-by-stage during
      spermatogenesis.

PMID- 1426961
TI  - Induction by beta-estradiol of vitellogenin in striped bass (Morone saxatilis):
      characterization and quantification in plasma and mucus.
AB  - Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) were implanted with beta-estradiol to induce the
      production of vitellogenin, the egg yolk precursor produced by the liver.
      Electrophoretic analysis revealed that beta-estradiol caused marked production of
      a plasma protein of apparent molecular mass 170 kDa. Size exclusion
      chromatography suggested that the estradiol-induced protein circulated as a
      dimer. This protein was purified from the plasma of estradiol-treated fish by
      DEAE-agarose column chromatography and used to induce antibodies in rabbits and
      goats. Western blots revealed that the antiserum bound to the putative
      vitellogenin in plasma from estradiol-treated fish and adult females, but not
      with any proteins in male plasma. Western blot of ovarian extract revealed
      several smaller immunoreactive protein bands and supported the identity of the
      purified protein as vitellogenin. A competitive ELISA was developed with
      sensitivity in a range from 8 to 1000 ng/ml. Plasma concentrations of adult
      females during their spawning migration ranged from 100 to 600 micrograms/ml.
      Western blot of mucus extract revealed the presence of a 170-kDa protein in
      vitellogenic female fish along with several minor bands ranging from 50 to 110
      kDa. Positive immunoreactivity was present in the surface mucus of all females
      and in none of the males collected during a spawning migration in the Hudson
      River.

PMID- 1426962
TI  - Evidence for the colocalization of gastrin/CCK- and PYY/PP-immunoreactive
      substances in the small intestine of the lizard Podarcis hispanica:
      immunocytochemical and ultrastructural study.
AB  - Peptide tyrosine tyrosine/pancreatic polypeptide (PYY/PP)- and C-terminal
      gastrin/cholecystokinin (G/CCK)-immunoreactive cells were investigated in the
      intestine of the lizard Podarcis hispanica, using immunocytochemistry with light
      and electron microscopy. Immunolabeling of consecutive semithin sections revealed
      coexistence of PYY/PP- and C-terminal G/CCK-like substances in some cells, while
      in others only PYY/PP or G/CCK immunoreactivity was found. Appropriate absorption
      controls excluded cross-reactivity between the antisera used. Ultrastructurally
      G/CCK+, PYY/PP+ cells were similar to G/CCK+, PYY/PP- cells but different from
      PYY/PP+, G/CCK- cells. Although virtually nothing is known concerning the
      physiological effects of these peptides in reptiles, their colocalization in the
      same cells in the intestine of Podarcis hispanica suggests a close relationship
      between them in the regulation of the digestive process.

PMID- 1426963
TI  - Effect of breeding state, moulting, dehydration, exposure to saturated
      atmosphere, and arginine vasotocin on cutaneous water permeability in the toad
      Bufo bufo.
AB  - Cutaneous water permeability was assessed in hydrated male toads under a variety
      of conditions, including dehydration and rehydration, and the effects of
      exogenous arginine vasotocin (AVT) were determined. Cutaneous water permeability
      (the rate of water uptake by toads in water) was high in toads collected in the
      breeding pond and declined steeply during the first week, coincident with reduced
      activity of the cutaneous mucus glands. The slopes of the dose-response curves
      relating AVT to cutaneous water influx were about the same at the transition from
      the breeding to the nonbreeding state, but the level of influx was higher in the
      breeding state. The dose-response relationship in long-term terrestrial
      acclimated toads was similar to that in water-acclimated toads. The threshold
      dose for effect on the cutaneous water permeability was about 1 ng AVT.
      Dehydration had a substantially greater effect on the cutaneous water
      permeability than AVT. The ratio between dehydration and AVT responses tended to
      increase with increasing water transport capacity of the skin. Moulting and
      acclimation to a saturated atmosphere in fully hydrated toads more than doubled
      the water permeability and abolished the response to AVT. It is suggested that
      AVT and other factors increase the cutaneous water permeability by similar
      mechanisms, such as insertion of water channels in the apical membrane of the
      epidermal cells. The effect of AVT on the toad skin is interpreted as reflecting
      the general high potency of neurohypophysial hormones in stimulating the water
      permeability of membranes of variable permeability.

PMID- 1426964
TI  - Lack of control of renin release by adrenergic nervous system in the aglomerular
      toadfish.
AB  - Aglomerular toadfish, Opsanus tau, release renin in response to hemorrhage or
      vasodilator drugs, presumably by stimulating a renal arterial baroreceptor. We
      aimed to determine whether the adrenergic nervous system and prostaglandins play
      a role in the control of renin release in unanesthetized toadfish kept in 50%
      seawater. Isoproterenol (1 microgram/kg) increased plasma renin activity (PRA)
      fourfold and decreased blood pressure (BP); both effects were abolished by a
      concomitant infusion of propranolol. Propranolol itself slightly decreased the
      basal level of heart rate and BP, but not that of PRA. Norepinephrine (1
      microgram/kg) increased BP, but did not change PRA. Repeated injection of 6
      hydroxydopamine did not alter resting levels of either PRA or BP. Monoamine
      specific nerve fluorescence activity could not be demonstrated in association
      with arterioles of kidneys from intact toadfish or from those treated with
      monoamine oxidase inhibitor and norepinephrine (5 mg/kg). Furthermore, treatment
      of toadfish with indomethacin (10 or 20 mg/kg) prevented neither the increase in
      PRA nor the reduction in BP after a massive hemorrhage. These results indicate
      that renin release in toadfish primarily occurs in response to a reduction in
      renal arterial pressure, whereas it appears unlikely that the adrenergic nervous
      system or prostaglandins have a significant role in the control of renin release.

PMID- 1426965
TI  - In vivo studies on the effects of ovine corticotrophin-releasing hormone,
      arginine vasotocin, arginine vasopressin, and haloperidol on adrenocortical
      function in the racing pigeon (Columba livia domestica).
AB  - This study investigates the effects of in vivo administration of pituitary
      stimulants in racing pigeons (Columba livia domestica). Plasma corticosterone
      concentrations were measured following intravenous administration of ovine
      corticotrophin-releasing hormone (oCRH) (0.1, 1, 10, and 100 micrograms/kg),
      arginine vasopressin (AVP) (0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10 micrograms/kg), arginine
      vasotocin (AVT) (0.01, 0.1, 1, and 5 micrograms/kg), and haloperidol (0.05, 0.5,
      and 5 micrograms/kg). Compared with mammals the pituitary-adrenocortical system
      of the pigeon appeared to be less sensitive to stimulation with oCRH, although
      high doses were well tolerated and gave a clear response. Both AVP and AVT
      stimulated corticosterone secretion, AVT in a more pronounced dose-dependent
      manner than AVP. The natural neurohypophysial peptide in birds, AVT, was less
      well tolerated in high doses than AVP. The clear response to haloperidol
      indicates that the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical system is under
      dopaminergic inhibition. Of the pituitary stimulants tested AVP (10
      micrograms/kg) and oCRH (100 micrograms/kg) are the most appropriate for testing
      the integrity of the pituitary-adrenocortical system in the pigeon.

PMID- 1426966
TI  - Prolactin and gonadal steroids during the reproductive cycle of the Bengalese
      finch (Lonchura striata var. domestica, Estrildidae), a nonseasonal breeder with
      biparental care.
AB  - Plasma levels of prolactin (Prl), testosterone (T), and progesterone were
      determined throughout the breeding cycle in pairwise caged Bengalese finches
      (Lonchura striata var. domestica, Estrildidae), a monogamous altricial passerine
      with nonseasonal breeding, in which parental behavior including incubation is
      equally shared between males and females. In both sexes, Prl titers increased 4-
      to 10-fold during incubation period compared to values during nestbuilding.
      Likewise, Prl levels after fledging of the young were significantly lower
      compared to titers during incubation. In males, T increased significantly (15
      fold) during nestbuilding compared to all other stages of the breeding cycle. In
      females, T remained basal throughout the entire breeding cycle. Thus, T levels
      were elevated only during stages with low Prl titers and vice versa. Progesterone
      titers were elevated during egg-laying in females and fluctuated without any
      obvious pattern in males. These results suggest that (1) high levels of Prl are
      involved in the control of parental behavior of male and female Bengalese finches
      and (2) Prl secretion is controlled by proximate factors of the early
      reproductive cycle since reproduction is independent of seasonal factors in this
      species.

PMID- 1426967
TI  - Lorenz-Mie light scattering in cellular biology.
AB  - The Lorenz-Mie light scattering is discussed as a tool allowing living cell
      characterization. The scattered light carries information about the size, shape,
      internal structure and refractive index of the cell. The advantages of light
      scattering methods consist in high speed, nondestructive, sensitive and
      relatively easy measurements. Light scattering methods are compatible with other
      methods. In light scattering in both static and flow systems. For sphere-like
      cells reliable size and refractive index information can be extracted. On the
      empirical basis, light scattering pattern can be used for the cell identification
      and separation purposes. The full utilization of the light scattering information
      is limited due to the lack of theoretical knowledge about the complex scatterer
      properties and efficient inversion schemes. The rapid progress in computer
      technique and in single-particle scattering experiments may significantly improve
      the interpretation of light scattering patterns of the biological particles.

PMID- 1426968
TI  - Ionic requirements for the activation of contraction in embryonic frog myoblasts
      in culture.

PMID- 1426969
TI  - Studies of osmo-diffusive and energetic properties of the maize root.
AB  - This work is concerned with osmotic and diffusive transport of water and solutes
      across the maize root, and also with ascent of substances in the xylem. The root
      has been modelled as a one-membrane system. For the root treated in this way (and
      with the stem cut off) all the transport parameters present in the thermodynamic
      description of transport (Katchalsky and Curran 1965) were determined using the
      pressure probe method (Steudle et al. 1987). These parameters include
      coefficients of filtration Lp, reflection sigma, and permeability omega. Using
      numerical values of the parameters and the formalism mentioned, detailed
      calculations were performed of osmotic volume flows Jv, and solute flows js,
      going across the maize root and pumped by the root up to a certain height h,
      against the force of gravity. This in turn allowed, with the use of a previously
      developed analytical method (Kargol 1990) to study the osmo-diffusive conversion
      of free energy of solutions, and to analyse the root as a free energy converter.
      In particular, the effective power and energetic efficiency of the root in the
      radial transport and pumping of water by the root pressure up to a certain height
      h, were studied. The root pressure has been assumed to be generated osmotically.

PMID- 1426970
TI  - Polyamines as modulators of lipoperoxidation.
AB  - The polyamines spermine and spermidine and the diamine putrescine inhibit lipid
      peroxidation in phospholipid liposome suspensions and rat liver homogenates.
      Using the chemiluminescence technique the antioxidant activity of polyamines was
      found to be due to reactions with the free radical intermediates of lipid
      peroxidation and/or superoxide radicals. Also, the antioxidant action of
      polyamines correlated with the amount of their amino groups: the antioxidant
      activity increases from putrescine to spermine.

PMID- 1426971
TI  - Bile salts binding-induced alterations in ultraviolet absorption spectrum of
      bovine serum albumin.

PMID- 1426972
TI  - Role of electrostatic forces in hydroxy and keto bile salt-albumin interactions:
      some experimental observations.
AB  - Proton binding to bovine serum albumin and effects on hydroxy and keto bile salts
      albumin binding were studied within a pH range between 5 and 10. Electrostatic
      forces contribute to the binding of these ligands to albumin; prototropic groups
      of albumin such as imidazol are involved in the interaction. Bile salts binding
      produces a shift in pK of these groups. It is postulated that hydroxy bile salt
      albumin binding is linked with the N in equilibrium with B transition of the
      protein, while for keto bile salts a microarrangement in the protein binding
      sites is driving the interaction.

PMID- 1426973
TI  - Thermally-induced delayed fluorescence of photosystem I and II chlorophyll in
      thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus.
AB  - Stationary delayed fluorescence (DF) of chlorophyll in isolated membrane
      preparations from thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus was
      investigated as a function of temperature. Two peaks at different temperatures
      were observed. The low-temperature peak (54-60 degrees C) coincided with the main
      maximum of the thermally-induced delayed fluorescence of chlorophyll in intact
      cells and PSII-particles with active oxygen-evolving system. The high-temperature
      peak (78 degrees C) coincided with the minor band of delayed light emitted by
      intact cells. It was also observed in the delayed fluorescence emission from a
      PSI-enriched fraction preparation. The intensities of the DF peaks were dependent
      on the presence of inhibitors, donors and acceptors that cause specific effects
      on electron transport of the two photosystems. The low-temperature and high
      temperature peaks were related to PSII and PSI, respectively. The manifestation
      of delayed fluorescence from PSI and PSII at different temperatures seems to be a
      specific property of thermophilic cyanobacteria. The reason for this may be a
      high thermal stability of the photosystems and the lack of the PSII antenna
      complex in isolated membranes. Consequently, the relative yield of delayed
      fluorescence from PSI markedly increases. Thermally-induced fluorescence seen in
      membranes of cyanobacteria showed a high sensitivity to structural and functional
      membrane alterations induced by pH changes, different electron transport
      stabilizing agents or different concentrations of MgCl2.

PMID- 1426974
TI  - Anthroylcholine bromide: a fluorescent ligand for the muscarinic receptor.
AB  - The action of anthroylcholine bromide, a new fluorescent probe, has been studied
      at the cellular (contraction of intestinal muscle) and subcellular levels
      (binding of 3H-quinuclidinyl benzilate to brain cortex membranes, fluorescence
      and enzyme activity) with the following results: 1. Anthroylcholine bromide
      competitively antagonized the contractile effect of acetylcholine in isolated rat
      duodenum (pA2 = 6.12), but had no effect either on the concentration response
      curves to histamine or to noradrenaline in isolated guinea pig ileum and rat vas
      deferens. 2. Anthroylcholine bromide displaced competitively 3H-quinuclidinyl
      benzilate from brain cortex membranes (Ki = 0.77 mumol/l). 3. Direct binding to
      the muscarinic site could be measured by exploiting the fluorescence properties
      of the probe. Binding displaceable by atropine (approximately 20% change in
      fluorescence) had an apparent affinity constant similar to that found with
      indirect methods. In contrast, d-tubocurarine did not displace the probe from its
      site, and atropine- or d-tubocurarine-sensitive binding of anthroylcholine
      bromide to Torpedo marmorata electric organ membranes, rich in nicotinic
      receptors, was not observed. These properties suggest the applicability of the
      probe to study the distribution, structure and/or kinetic properties of the
      muscarinic receptor.

PMID- 1426975
TI  - Interactions of selected insect neuropeptides with synthetic lipids.
AB  - Interactions of the insect neuropeptide proctolin (Arg-Tyr-Leu-Pro-Thr), its
      [beta-cyclohexyl-(4-O-methyl)2]-L-alanine analog, and the leucopyrokinin [2-8]
      fragment (Thr-Ser-Phe-Thr-Pro-Arg-Leu-NH2), with synthetic phospholipids (DPPC,
      DMPE, DMPG) were studied using the microcalorimetric method. Most pronounced
      changes of the lipid thermotropic behavior were observed with DMPG/leucopyrokinin
      [2-8]-fragment mixtures. Proctolin itself was less active with all the lipids
      studied. The results obtained suggest that the studied peptides interact with the
      head group region of lipid bilayer.

PMID- 1426976
TI  - Partition of piperidinoethylesters of 2-alkyloxyphenylcarbamic acid in
      unilamellar phosphatidylcholine liposomes.
AB  - Molar partition coefficients for amphiphilic N-[2-(2-alkyl-oxyphenyl
      carbamoyloxy)-ethyl]-piperidinium chlorides (PAA) between small unilamellar egg
      yolk phosphatidyl choline liposomes and saline, as determined by ultraviolet
      difference spectroscopy at 22 degrees C, pH 5-6, v = 34640 cm-1, and at 100
      mumol/l PAA concentration, were 149, 1990, and 7474 for PAA with 5, 7, and 9
      carbon atoms in the alkyloxy substituent, respectively. At the PAA concentration
      used, the cut-off in biological activities of PAAs with long alkyloxy
      substituents could not be caused by the self-association of PAA molecules in the
      aqueous phase.

PMID- 1426977
TI  - Non-enzymatic glycosylation of myosin: effects of diabetes and ageing.
AB  - The influence of diabetes mellitus, streptozotocin-induced diabetes and ageing on
      the non-enzymatic glycosylation of myosin from cardiac and skeletal muscles was
      investigated. In cardiac muscle, and to a lesser extent also in skeletal muscles
      of the rat, non-enzymatic glycosylation of myosin increases with the age, as
      measured in 6-, 12- and 29-month-old animals. Skeletal muscle myosin from
      diabetic humans and also that from diabetic rat cardiac muscle are more
      glycosylated when compared with control myosin preparations. Ca(2+)-ATPase
      activity of myosin is lower in muscles of diabetic individuals as compared with
      control muscles.

PMID- 1426978
TI  - Activation heat in various cross-striated muscles of Rana esculenta:
      microcalorimetric measurements.
AB  - Activation heat (AH) is an important component in energy balance of muscle
      contraction. It represents energy dissipation of biochemical processes enabling
      muscle in rest to perform contraction. According to our measurements on intact
      muscles, AH is 20% of initial heat production in twitch, and 10% in tetanus.
      Significantly different AH values have been obtained for muscles of parallel and
      not parallel fibre architecture.

PMID- 1426979
TI  - Effect of lipid peroxidation on molecular arrangement of phospholipids in
      liposomes prepared from egg yolk phosphatidylcholine or total rat brain lipids. A
      31P NMR study.
AB  - Changes in molecular arrangement of membrane phospholipids in the course of lipid
      autoxidation were studied by means of broad-band 31-P NMR spectroscopy.
      Multilamellar liposomes prepared from egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (PC) or total
      lipid extracts from rat brains (TL) were used as models. The initial lamellar
      arrangement of phospholipids of both types changed as lipid peroxidation
      proceeded and a narrow isotropic signal appeared in the spectra at 0 ppm, this
      phenomenon being more prominent for TL than for PC. Probably the isotropic signal
      represents some nonlamellar structures within the membranes of peroxidized
      lipids.

PMID- 1426980
TI  - Haematoporphyrin changes the mechanical properties of lipid bilayer membranes.
AB  - The interactions between haematoporphyrin (HP) and bilayer lipid membranes (BLM)
      were studied. A weak effect of HP on BLM conductivity was observed at HP
      concentrations ranging between 10(-6) and 3 x 10(-5) mol/l. Modulus of elasticity
      in the direction normal to the membrane plane (E perpendicular) and dynamic
      viscosity coefficient (eta) were measured, both exhibiting HP-induced decrease by
      22-31% in the dark. In this case, membrane potential Vm became negative and
      reached a value close to -50 mV. Under illumination by low-intensity (1 mW) He-Ne
      laser (lambda = 632 nm) the values of parameters E perpendicular and eta of the
      HP-modified membranes increased by 41-66%, and Vm decreased to -20 mV. Upon
      removing HP from the solution by perfusion, irreversible changes in mechanical
      properties of the HP-modified membranes induced by the laser light were observed.
      The reason could be the formation of stable complexes of HP with the lipid
      molecules. HP binds to membrane noncooperatively, with a binding constant K
      approximately 10(5) l/mol.

PMID- 1426981
TI  - Hydroosmotic activities of arginine-vasopressins modified either in positions 1,
      2 and 4 or at N-terminal extensions.
AB  - Vasopressin and its synthetic analogs were studied for their effect on
      transepithelial water flux in frog urinary bladder. As compared with AVP, 1
      deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (dDAVP) was about 40 times less effective in
      stimulating osmotic water flow. The vasopressin analogs obtained by modification
      in positions 1 and 2 were: [1-(1-mercapto-4-tert-butylcyclohexaneacetic acid)]
      AVP (I); [1-(1-mercapto-4-methylcyclohexaneacetic acid)]AVP (II); [1-(1-mercapto
      4-methylcyclohexaneacetic acid)-2-O-methyltyrosine]AVP (III); and those modified
      in position 4 were: [1-(1-mercaptocyclohexaneacetic acid)-4-arginine] AVP (IV);
      [1-(2-mercaptopropionic acid)-4-arginine]AVP (V). Any of the above analogs did
      not influence basal, but antagonized vasopressin-stimulated water flux. N
      terminally extended analogs of AVP: Ala-AVP (VI); Ser-Ala-AVP (VII) and Thr-Ser
      Ala-AVP (VIII) stimulated osmotic water flux to the same extent in concentration
      200 times higher as that of AVP. We conclude from these studies that vasopressin
      analogs (I-V) competitively antagonize vasopressin-stimulated hydroosmotic
      activity in frog urinary bladder probably at the epithelial vasotocin V1 and/or
      V2 receptor site. N-terminal extension of the vasopressin molecule did not
      influence the capacity of AVP to induce V2 receptor-mediated action, even when
      used at higher concentrations.

PMID- 1426982
TI  - Plasmid transformation of Ruminococcus albus by means of high-voltage
      electroporation.
AB  - To apply recombinant DNA techniques to the genetic manipulation of cellulolytic
      ruminal bacteria, a plasmid vector transformation system must be available. The
      objective of this work was to develop a system for plasmid transformation of
      Ruminococcus albus. Using high voltage electrotransformation, pSC22 and pCK17
      plasmid vectors, derived from lactic acid bacteria plasmids and replicating via
      single-stranded DNA intermediate, were successfully introduced into three freshly
      isolated R. albus strains and into R. albus type strain ATCC 27210. The
      optimization of the electrotransformation condition raised the electroporation
      efficiency up to 3 x 10(5) transformants per microgram of pSC22 plasmid.

PMID- 1426983
TI  - Evidence that Borrelia burgdorferi immunodominant proteins p100, p94 and p83 are
      identical.
AB  - Recently there have been reports on high-molecular mass components of Borrelia
      burgdorferi, namely the p100, p94 and p83, which claimed these proteins to be
      specific marker antigens for the serodiagnosis of late Lyme borreliosis. The
      nucleotide sequences of the p100 and p83 have been published. The alignment of
      the deduced N-terminal amino acid sequences with the N-terminal sequence of the
      p94 now provides evidence that all three proteins are identical.

PMID- 1426984
TI  - Acid phosphatase activity of promastigotes of Leishmania donovani: a marker of
      virulence.
AB  - Seven cloned lines of promastigotes of Leishmania donovani (UR 6) were isolated
      by limiting dilution. One clone, UR6-C25, failed to multiply inside the
      macrophages of line J774G8 and thus was labelled as avirulent. Another, UR6-C24,
      multiplied inside macrophages, had a virulence index as high as 93 +/- 9.8 and
      was thus labelled as highly virulent. The other five clones had variable degree
      of virulence indices ranging from 46.4 +/- 5.8 to 67.6 +/- 3.5. No significant
      difference in the degrees of attachment of virulent and avirulent populations of
      promastigotes to macrophages was observed, suggesting no difference in the ligand
      utilised by these populations for attachment to the macrophages. Acid phosphatase
      activity of cloned promastigotes correlated with the degree of virulence. These
      data suggest that acid phosphatase activity could be used as a marker to
      differentiate avirulent from virulent populations of promastigotes of L.
      donovani.

PMID- 1426985
TI  - Purification and properties of pyruvate kinase from Thermoplasma acidophilum.
AB  - Thermoplasma acidophilum is a thermoacidophilic archaebacterium occupying a
      paradoxical place in phylogenetic trees (phenotypically it is a thermoacidophile
      but phylogenetically it classifies with the methanogens). To better understand
      its phylogeny, the pyruvate kinase from this organism is being investigated as a
      molecular marker. The enzyme has been purified and has a native M(r) of 250,000.
      It consists of four, apparently identical subunits each of M(r) 60,000. No
      remarkable kinetic differences have been found between this thermophilic enzyme
      and its mesophilic counterparts other than its greater thermostability. Its amino
      acid composition has been determined and some partial sequencing has been done.

PMID- 1426986
TI  - Immunocharacterization of actin and its immunofluorescent localization during the
      developmental gametophytic stages of Allomyces arbuscula.
AB  - Highly specific polyclonal antibodies against actin from Allomyces arbuscula were
      produced in rabbits, immunopurified by immunoblotting and specified with actin
      isolated from Neurospora crassa and mouse skeletal muscle. Used as
      immunofluorescence probes, they allowed localization of actin in the sequential
      gametophytic stages of the mould.

PMID- 1426987
TI  - Dechlorination of 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorobiphenyl by a phototrophic enrichment
      culture.
AB  - A phototrophic enrichment culture, using acetate as carbon source, reductively
      dechlorinated 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorobiphenyl. ortho chlorines were removed
      preferentially over meta chlorines. Tri- and dichlorobiphenyls were the major
      products. During 14 months incubation, chlorine was removed from 58% of the
      target molecules; 19% of the total chlorines were removed. Dechlorination did not
      occur in a control culture incubated in the dark.

PMID- 1426988
TI  - The nysB sunD double mutant of Dictyostelium discoideum is blocked in the
      acquisition of non-degradative resistance to the pea phytoalexin pisatin.
AB  - Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae can be induced to acquire a non-degradative
      resistance to the pea phytoalexin pisatin. The nysB sunD double mutant is blocked
      in the acquisition of this resistance. Using parasexual genetics it has been
      shown that sunD is a recessive mutation linked to nysB on linkage group VI.

PMID- 1426989
TI  - Plasmid transfer by conjugation in Desulfovibrio desulfuricans.
AB  - Conjugational transfer of several IncQ plasmids from Escherichia coli to the
      strictly anaerobic, sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio desulfuricans strain
      G100A was demonstrated. Plasmid DNA from exconjugants was visualized on agarose
      gels and was used to transform E. coli to the appropriate antibiotic resistances.
      Neither transfer of IncW and IncP plasmids to strain G100A, nor transfer of any
      plasmid to D. desulfuricans strain ATCC 27774 was observed. Conjugation of
      suicide plasmids containing either Tn5 or Tn9 into D. desulfuricans did not
      result in detectable transposition. Optimal conditions for conjugational transfer
      and antibiotic resistance levels of strain G100A were examined.

PMID- 1426990
TI  - Isolation and sequence of a 2-kbp miniplasmid from Bacillus thuringiensis var.
      kurstaki HD-3a3b: relationship with miniplasmids of other B. thuringiensis
      strains.
AB  - The miniplasmid profiles of 18 Bacillus thuringiensis strains belonging to 8
      different serotypes were determined using an alkaline hydrolysis method for
      isolation of low molecular mass plasmids. Nearly all the strains contained
      covalently closed circular (CCC) DNA species ranging from 2 to 5 species per
      strain and from 1.5 to 10.5 kbp in size (values corresponding to CCC forms). A 2
      kbp plasmid from B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD-3a3b futura strain was used in
      Southern hybridization experiments to analyse relationships among the low
      molecular mass plasmids of different B. thuringiensis strains. This 2-kbp
      miniplasmid was present in most strains which show toxicity against lepidoptera.
      It was not present in those strains toxic against diptera (B. thuringiensis var.
      israelensis) or coleoptera (B. thuringiensis var. tenebrionis). The 2-kbp
      miniplasmid from B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD-3a3b futura was cloned and
      fully sequenced. Sequence analysis of the 2058 bp of the miniplasmid revealed the
      presence of an ORF (630 bp, 210 amino acids in size) that is preceded by a
      consensus sequence of B. thuringiensis crystal protein gene transcription
      promoters. No significant homology was observed with known B. thuringiensis toxin
      nucleic acid sequences or with other known sequences.

PMID- 1426991
TI  - Construction of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains that accumulate relatively low
      concentrations of trehalose, and their application in testing the contribution of
      the disaccharide to stress tolerance.
AB  - Genetically related diploid strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that accumulate
      varied amounts of trehalose during starvation for nitrogen have been constructed.
      Strains that produced greater than 5% trehalose (dry cell weight) were more
      tolerant of thermal, or freeze-thaw stresses than strains that produced less than
      4% trehalose. Thus trehalose appears to play a role in stress tolerance of yeast.
      The significance of these results is that, for the first time, a series of
      related, unmutated strains have been used to test the effect of trehalose on
      thermotolerance. Previous studies employed either heat shock treatment, or
      mutated strains to provide trehalose variations, and as such the contribution of
      the disaccharide to stress tolerance could not necessarily be separated from
      other factors such as heat shock proteins.

PMID- 1426992
TI  - Denitrification by fungi.
AB  - Many fungi in the centre of the group of Fusarium and its teleomorphs were shown
      to be capable of reducing nitrite anaerobically to form nitric oxide (NO),
      nitrous oxide (N2O), and/or dinitrogen (N2). Several strains could reduce nitrate
      as well. Nitrous oxide was the major product of the reduction of nitrate or
      nitrite. Several fungi could also form N2. When [15]nitrite was used as substrate
      for the N2-forming denitrification, 15N2O, 15NO, and 14N15N were obtained as the
      products. These results demonstrated that, unexpectedly, many fungi have
      denitrifying abilities. It was also shown that the fungal system contains a
      unique reaction, formation of a hybrid dinitrogen.

PMID- 1426993
TI  - Identification of 27-oxo-octacosanoic acid and heptacosane-1,27-dioic acid in
      Legionella pneumophila.
AB  - Two long-chain fatty acids, 27-oxo-octacosanoic acid (28:0(27-oxo)) and
      heptacosane-1,27-dioic acid (27:0-dioic) were identified for the first time in
      phenol-chloroform-petroleum ether extracts of Legionella pneumophila, indicating
      that they are constituents of lipopolysaccharide. The fatty acids were
      characterised by combined gas-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and proton
      nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Moreover, minor amounts of 29-oxo
      triacontanoic (30:0(29-oxo)) acid and nonacosane-1,29-dioic acid (29:0-dioic) as
      well as 27-hydroxy-octacosanoic acid (28:0(27-OH)) were present in the phenol
      chloroform-petroleum ether extract.

PMID- 1426994
TI  - Affinity for porcine respiratory tract mucus is found in some isolates of
      Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.
AB  - The ability of 17 Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae isolates representing serotypes
      1, 2, 5, and 7, to adhere in vitro to porcine respiratory tract mucus was
      examined. Adherence of bacteria to crude mucus preparations was evaluated by use
      of a dot-blot assay and an enzyme immunoassay. Seventy per cent (12/17) of the
      isolates of A. pleuropneumoniae had affinity, to various degrees, for porcine
      respiratory tract mucus. No relationship was found between affinity for
      respiratory mucus and serotype, haemagglutination, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)
      profiles, or adherence to porcine tracheal rings. However, a correlation was
      found between affinity for respiratory mucus and capsular material thickness;
      heavily encapsulated isolated showed no or less affinity for mucus than isolates
      with a thinner layer of capsular material. Moreover, two encapsulated isolates
      showed less affinity for mucus than their acapsulated variant. Finally, the
      affinity of A. pleuropneumoniae for respiratory mucus was heat- and proteinase-K
      resistant. Our data suggest that capsular material of A. pleuropneumoniae could
      mask a surface component, possibly LPS, which has affinity for porcine
      respiratory mucus.

PMID- 1426995
TI  - Characterization of killer-resistant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated
      from spontaneous fermentations.
AB  - A study of 26 killer-resistant wine strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, isolated
      during spontaneous fermentations in three vineyards in NW Spain, was carried out
      employing several methods that included a spheroplast-killing assay and analysis
      of chromosomal DNA patterns by pulse-field agarose electrophoresis. The results
      showed that 92% of the strains were derivatives of K2 killer toxin producing wine
      strains isolated from the same fermentations, and that they could be grouped into
      four different karyotypes. The remaining strains were killer-resistant at cell
      wall level and were not related to the others, as was demonstrated by the absence
      of L and M ds-RNAs and by their different karyotypes.

PMID- 1426996
TI  - Anthranilic acid release in adenosine-inhibited cultures of Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae and its inhibition by thiamin.
AB  - Adenosine, at 1 mM concentrations or above, was found to have a fungistatic
      effect on Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A substance with amethyst fluorescence was
      detected in the medium of adenosine-inhibited cultures of S. cerevisiae. This
      compound was isolated and physicochemically identified as anthranilic acid. Both
      the inhibition of growth and release of anthranilic acid induced by adenosine
      were abrogated by thiamin or by the pyrimidine portion of thiamin, 2-methyl-4
      amino-5-hdroxymethyl-pyrimidine (hydroxymethyl-pyrimidine); the latter was found
      to restore intracellular thiamin content that had been reduced by adenosine. It
      was demonstrated that effects of thiamin and hydroxymethylpyrimidine on S.
      cerevisiae cultured with adenosine resulted from their inhibition of adenosine
      uptake by growing yeast cells.

PMID- 1426997
TI  - Cloning and sequencing of a plasmid-mediated erythromycin resistance determinant
      from Staphylococcus xylosus.
AB  - A 2.3-kb DNA fragment cloned from plasmid pCH200, the largest (52 kb) of four
      plasmids detected in Staphylococcus xylosus, was found to confer resistance to 14
      membered ring macrolides in Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. DNA
      sequence analysis of the fragment revealed the presence of an open-reading frame,
      the deduced product of which was identical to one of the two ATP-binding domains
      encoded by the macrolide/streptogramin-B-resistance gene msrA of Staphylococcus
      epidermidis. The observation that a polypeptide homologous to the C-terminus of
      MsrA is capable of mediating erythromycin resistance in the absence of the N
      terminal region is of significance both to the evolution and functional activity
      of members of the ATP-binding transport super-gene family.

PMID- 1426998
TI  - Purification and characterization of two extracellular beta-glucosidases from
      Aspergillus nidulans.
AB  - Two beta-glucosidases, P-I and P-II, were purified from the culture filtrate of
      Aspergillus nidulans. The M(r) values of P-I and P-II were about 125,000 and
      50,000, respectively. The isoelectric point, optimal pH and temperature,
      Michaelis constants for several substrates and inhibition constants for glucose
      and glucono-delta-lactone of each enzyme were determined. We conclude that the
      high affinity toward cellobiose and low inhibition by glucose of these enzymes
      may offer significant advantages in improving cellulose hydrolysis.

PMID- 1426999
TI  - Specificity of monoclonal antibodies binding to the polysaccharide antigens (Vi,
      O9) of Salmonella typhi.
AB  - A panel of monoclonal antibodies were generated against the surface
      polysaccharide antigens of the cell envelope of Salmonella typhi. Four clones
      (IgM) were specific for the capsular Vi polysaccharide, and one clone (IgG3)
      reacted selectively with the S. typhi lipopolysaccharide in enzyme immunoassay.
      On the basis of their reactivity pattern and binding affinity, MATy-V7 (IgM) and
      MATy-O9 (IgG3) antibodies were selected for further characterization of their
      antigenic specificity. In an inhibition enzyme immunoassay with rabbit factor
      specific anti-Salmonella antibodies as the competing agents, the reactivity of
      MATy-V7 and MATy-O9 were significantly inhibited by the anti-Vi and anti-O9
      antisera, respectively. Moreover, both the Vi- and O9-specific monoclonal
      antibodies were shown to be useful serotyping agents by correct identification in
      slide agglutination tests of 32 clinical isolates of all the S. typhi and other
      serogroup D salmonellae among a total of 140 bacterial isolates representing
      eight different Enterobacteriaceae genera tested.

PMID- 1427000
TI  - Histidine aminotransferase activity in Streptomyces tendae and its correlation
      with nikkomycin production.
AB  - Streptomyces tendae Tu901 produces nikkomycins belonging to the nucleoside
      peptide antibiotics. Mutants defective in histidine catabolism were isolated and
      characterized with regard to their histidine ammonium-lyase activity and
      antibiotic synthesis. In the histidine ammonialyase-negative mutant hut-11 which
      was unimpaired in nikkomycin production histidine aminotransferase activity was
      detected as an additional histidine metabolizing enzyme. A protein exhibiting
      histidine aminotransferase activity could be demonstrated on non-denaturing gels
      of hut-11 crude extracts. Using optimized assay conditions, histidine
      aminotransferase activity was investigated in the strain hut-11 during growth in
      nikkomycin production medium. Maximal activity was reached at the end of
      exponential growth prior to nikkomycin production. In the presence of
      bromopyruvate, an effective inhibitor of histidine aminotransferase activity in
      vitro, production of nikkomycin Z and X was markedly reduced in hut-11.

PMID- 1427001
TI  - Maltose uptake and its regulation in Bacillus subtilis.
AB  - Extracts prepared from cultures of Bacillus subtilis, grown on maltose as the
      sole carbon source, lacked maltose phosphotransferase system activity. There was,
      however, evidence for a maltose phosphorylase activity, and such extracts also
      possessed both glucokinase and glucose phosphotransferase system activities.
      Maltose was accumulated by whole cells of B. subtilis by an energy-dependent
      mechanism. This uptake was sensitive to the effects of uncouplers, suggesting a
      role for the proton-motive force in maltose transport. Accumulation of maltose
      was inhibited in the presence of glucose, and there was no accumulation of
      maltose by a strain carrying the ptsI6 null-mutation. A strain carrying the
      temperature-sensitive ptsI1 mutation accumulated maltose normally at 37 degrees C
      but, in contrast to the wild-type, was devoid of maltose transport activity at 47
      degrees C. The results indicate a role for the phosphotransferase system in the
      regulation of maltose transport activity in this organism.

PMID- 1427002
TI  - In vivo recombination and the production of hybrid genes.
AB  - In vivo recombination between homologous genes is increasingly being favoured as
      a means of generating proteins with altered and novel specificities. The typical
      procedure requires the cloning of two related genes on a single replicative
      plasmid of Escherichia coli and the selection or screening of recombinants. Up to
      now the recombination process between the cloned genes was generally thought to
      involve the recA function and the availability of free ends in the DNA molecule
      to be recombined. Our results show that neither is necessary. Recombinants are
      obtained by simply growing the bacteria that host the plasmid carrying the two
      cloned genes.

PMID- 1427003
TI  - Gentisate pathway in Salmonella typhimurium: metabolism of m-hydroxybenzoate and
      gentisate.
AB  - Salmonella typhimurium was shown to use the gentisate pathway to metabolize m
      hydroxybenzoate and gentisate, m-Hydroxybenzoate hydroxylase and gentisate 1,2
      dioxygenase were induced by growth on either gentisate or m-hydroxybenzoate.
      These enzymes were not detected when the bacteria were grown with glucose or
      glucose and either m-hydroxybenzoate or gentisate. However, both enzymes were
      induced when the bacteria were grown on succinate with either substrate. The
      maleylpyruvate isomerase required reduced glutathione and was irreversibly
      inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide.

PMID- 1427004
TI  - Prevalence of ompT among Escherichia coli isolates of human origin.
AB  - OmpT is a protease associated with the outer membrane of Escherichia coli and
      possesses a high degree of homology to the plasminogen activator, Pla, of
      Yersinia pestis. We show here that OmpT from intact cells can indeed activate
      plasminogen. Clinical specimens of E. coli were examined for protease activity
      and for the ompT gene. Few isolates (12%) were found to be positive for OmpT
      activity, whereas most (77%) carried the ompT gene and expressed the cloned
      protease gene. In this report we present evidence suggesting that the surface
      architecture of E. coli influences the activity of OmpT and that OmpT may be
      indicative of the pathogenic potential of the organism.

PMID- 1427005
TI  - The polymerase chain reaction: an epidemiological tool to differentiate between
      two clusters of pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica strains.
AB  - A primer set designed to amplify the enterotoxin (yst) gene of pathogenic
      Yersinia enterocolitica strains generated two different electrophoretic profiles
      of the target sequence when a collection of strains of worldwide origin was
      screened. Serovars O:1,3; O:2a,3; O:3; O:5,27 and O:9, known as European strains,
      produced a 200-bp fragment that matched the size of the target sequence. However,
      serovars O:4,32; O:8; O:13a,13b; O:20 and O:21, known as American strains,
      generated two fragments of 1.4 and 1.6 kb. The amplified products of one American
      strain were sequenced and the presence of the yst gene was confirmed in both
      fragments. Thus, the potential of the polymerase chain reaction to be used as an
      epidemiological tool in differentiation between the two clusters of pathogenic
      strains of Y. enterocolitica could be demonstrated.

PMID- 1427006
TI  - Antitubercular activity of trifluoperazine, a calmodulin antagonist.
AB  - Trifluoperazine, a calmodulin antagonist, completely inhibited the growth of
      mycobacteria. The minimum inhibitory concentrations in shake cultures in a
      synthetic medium containing 0.2% Tween 80 were 5 and 8 micrograms/ml,
      respectively, for the human pathogenic strain Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv
      and M. tuberculosis resistant to isoniazid. When added to a growing culture of M.
      tuberculosis H37Rv on the 10th day (mid exponential phase), trifluoperazine 50
      micrograms/ml further arrested growth of this organism. It is suggested that
      trifluoperazine or similar calmodulin antagonists might be useful as
      antitubercular drugs.

PMID- 1427007
TI  - Comparison of the nucleotide sequence and development of a PCR test for the
      epsilon toxin gene of Clostridium perfringens type B and type D.
AB  - The sequence of the epsilon toxin gene of Clostridium perfringens type D was
      determined and compared with that of the previously reported type B sequence. It
      showed two nucleotide changes in the open reading frame, giving rise to one amino
      acid substitution. The promoter sequences were not homologous, and different
      putative -35 and -10 regions have been identified in each. The sequence
      information was used to develop PCR primers which were specific for the epsilon
      toxin gene. The utility of this system for identifying type B or D strains of C.
      perfringens was demonstrated.

PMID- 1427008
TI  - The inhibition of fungal cellulolysis by cell-free preparations from ruminococci.
AB  - The degradation of filter paper by the anaerobic fungus Neocallimastix frontalis
      strain RE1 was reduced by the addition of cell-free supernates from cultures of
      Ruminococcus albus strain J6 and R. flavefaciens strains 17 and 007. Fungal
      uptake of, and growth on, glucose was not affected. After gel permeation and
      anion exchange chromatography, inhibitory activity towards fungal cellulolysis
      was recovered in a fraction from strain 17 that contained at least five
      negatively charged polypeptide components, molecular mass 45-68 kDa, on SDS-PAGE.

PMID- 1427009
TI  - Mercuric reductase in environmental gram-positive bacteria sensitive to mercury.
AB  - According to existing data, mercury resistance operons (mer operons) are in
      general thought to be rare in bacteria, other than those from mercury
      contaminated sites. We have found that a high proportion of strains in
      environmental isolates of Gram-positive bacteria express mercuric reductase (MerA
      protein): the majority of these strains are apparently sensitive to mercury. The
      expression of MerA was also inducible in all cases. These results imply the
      presence of phenotypically cryptic mer resistance operons, with both the merA
      (mercuric reductase) and merR (regulatory) genes still present, but the possible
      absence of the transport function required to complete the resistance mechanism.
      This indicates that mer operons or parts thereof are more widely spread in nature
      than is suggested by the frequency of mercury-resistant bacteria.

PMID- 1427010
TI  - Development and evaluation of a rapid, simple, sensitive, monoclonal antibody
      based co-agglutination test for direct detection of Vibrio cholerae 01.
AB  - Cholera epidemics caused by Vibrio cholerae 01 continue to represent a major
      public health concern in many developing countries. A rapid and simple test kit
      for the detection of V. cholerae 01 has been developed. The kit, CholeraScreen is
      a monoclonal antibody-based, co-agglutination test and is used directly with
      stool specimens. It does not include culturing the specimen and is performed
      without the need for sophisticated laboratory equipment. Specificity of the test
      was demonstrated, using 118 reference cultures, to which cross-reactions were not
      observed. Preliminary results of field trials carried out in Guatemala and
      Bangladesh demonstrated that the test is equally sensitive as conventional
      culture methods in detecting V. cholerae and, in many cases, more sensitive. The
      CholeraScreen test is simple, specific, and does not require culturing
      procedures, making it suitable for direct detection of cells of V. cholerae in
      clinical specimens, even in the field. Also, the test requires less than five
      minutes to complete.

PMID- 1427011
TI  - Fosfomycin enhances the expression of penicillin-binding protein 2 in methicillin
      sensitive and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains.
AB  - The effects of fosfomycin on penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) were studied on
      the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain CIP (Collection de
      l'Institut Pasteur, Paris, France) 65-25 and on a methicillin-susceptible S.
      aureus strain CIP 65-6. The combinations of fosfomycin and oxacillin were
      synergistic, additive or antagonistic, depending on antibiotic concentrations.
      Fosfomycin induced modifications of the PBP profile of the two strains studied.
      In particular, it increased the expression of PBP2. This suggested that this
      protein is inducible; the only PBP not affected by fosfomycin was PBP3.

PMID- 1427012
TI  - Identification of a lipoamide dehydrogenase gene as second locus affected in
      poly(3-hydroxybutyric acid)-leaky mutants of Alcaligenes eutrophus.
AB  - From a genomic library of Alcaligenes eutrophus strain H16 in the broad-host
      range cosmid pVK100 a 6300-bp EcoRI-fragment was cloned, which restored the wild
      type phenotype in transposon-induced poly(3-hydroxybutyric acid)-leaky mutants,
      derived from A. eutrophus. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the region adjacent to
      the transposon insertion revealed an open reading frame which complied with all
      criteria for a coding region. This region was referred to as phbL, and the
      deduced amino acid sequence from this part of phbL showed 60% amino acid identity
      in an overlap of 98 residues to the lipoamide dehydrogenase gene (lpd) of
      Escherichia coli. In addition, the 6300-bp EcoRI-fragment conferred expression of
      lipoamide dehydrogenase activity to E. coli.

PMID- 1427013
TI  - Conjugative trimethoprim resistance in Staphylococcus aureus.
AB  - A multiply resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolate, WBG7410, harbours plasmids of
      38, 26, 2.8, 2.4 and 1.9 kb and transfers trimethoprim and kanamycin resistance
      at high frequencies by conjugation. The transconjugants contained the 38-kb
      plasmid, pWBG707, and the 2.8-kb plasmid. Plasmid pWBG707 was shown to encode
      trimethoprim resistance, was conjugative and mobilised at high frequencies the
      2.8-kb plasmid which presumably encodes kanamycin resistance. Plasmid pWBG707 was
      isolated mostly in the open circular form and analysis with EcoRI restriction
      endonuclease suggests that pWBG707 is a new conjugative plasmid distinct from the
      other conjugative plasmids reported in S. aureus.

PMID- 1427014
TI  - Eight bacterial proteins, including UDP-N-acetylglucosamine acyltransferase
      (LpxA) and three other transferases of Escherichia coli, consist of a six-residue
      periodicity theme.
AB  - Only a few prokaryotic or eukaryotic enzymes are known to consist of a tandem
      repeat structure. This report describes a common hexapeptide-repeat theme in four
      Escherichia coli transferases and in four less-characterized bacterial proteins.
      The proteins are the Ssc protein of Salmonella typhimurium (25), UDP-N
      acetylglucosamine acyltransferase of E. coli (24), the hypothetical proteins Tms
      of Bacillus subtilis (23) and Yglm of E. coli (22), succinyldiaminopimelate
      aminotransferase of E. coli (14), serine acetyltransferase of E. coli (13), NodL
      of Rhizobium leguminasorum (13), and thiogalactoside acetyltransferase of E. coli
      (8) (number of repeats indicated in parentheses). In UDP-N-acetylglucosamine
      acyltransferase, the repeats constitute 55% of the total protein. Each
      hexapeptide repeat of the eight proteins starts with Ile, Leu, or Val. Position b
      is occupied by Gly, position d by Gly, Asn, or Asp, and position e by Val or Ala
      in 52%, 54%, and 56% of the hexapeptide repeats, respectively.

PMID- 1427015
TI  - Chitin synthetase activity is bound to the plasma membrane and to a cytoplasmic
      particulate fraction in Candida albicans germ tube cells.
AB  - Subcellular distribution of chitin synthetase has been studied in germ tubes of
      Candida albicans. Two fractions with synthetase activity were separated from cell
      homogenates: (i) a mixed membrane fraction where the enzyme, partly in an active
      form, is associated with the plasma membrane (isopycnic centrifugation of mixed
      membrane fraction on linear sucrose gradients resolved a unique peak of activity
      matching with [3H]ConA-labelled membranes at a buoyant density of 1.195 g/ml);
      and (ii) a cytoplasmic fraction containing fully zymogenic enzyme associated with
      particles whose buoyant density (determined by isopycnic centrifugation on linear
      sucrose gradients) depended on the cell breakage conditions. The actual
      cytoplasmic fraction-enzyme may correspond to particles with buoyant density
      1.135 g/ml (chitosomes), whereas the enzyme particles with other densities (1.085
      and 1.165 g/ml) probably originated during cell disruption, as has been reported
      previously to occur during the preparation of yeast cell homogenates.

PMID- 1427016
TI  - Characterization of isofunctional ring-cleaving enzymes in aniline and 3
      chloroaniline degradation by Pseudomonas acidovorans CA28.
AB  - During degradation of aniline and 3-chloroaniline, respectively, by Pseudomonas
      acidovorans CA28, selective induction of two catechol 1,2-dioxygenases (C12O) was
      observed. C12O I activity was the sole ring-cleaving enzyme detectable in cell
      free extracts after growth on aniline, while C12O II was exclusively found after
      growth on 3-chloroaniline. Both enzymes were clearly differentiated by their
      elution behaviour on DEAE-cellulose and their substrate specificities. For C12O I
      high activity was demonstrable only with unsubstituted catechol, while C12O II
      showed preference for and high affinity towards chlorinated catechols. Therefore,
      evidence of different ortho-cleavage enzymes in Pseudomonas acidovorans CA28
      involved in aniline and 3-chloroaniline metabolism, respectively, is indicated.

PMID- 1427018
TI  - Characterization of the common antigenic lipopolysaccharide O-chains produced by
      Bordetella bronchiseptica and Bordetella parapertussis.
AB  - Representative strains of Bordetella bronchiseptica and B. parapertussis were
      found to produce smooth lipopolysaccharides (LPS) having identical antigenic O
      polysaccharide components composed of linear unbranched polymers of 1,4-linked
      2,3-diacetamido-2,3-dideoxy-alpha-L-galacto-pyranosyluronic acid residues. These
      LPSs differed from the LPS of B. pertussis which produces only rough-type LPS,
      devoid of O-polysaccharide. While B. bronchiseptica and B. parapertussis had
      chemically and immunologically identical O-polysaccharide structures, their core
      oligosaccharide components differed. The core oligosaccharide of B. parapertussis
      was chemically distinct from the core of B. bronchiseptica which appeared to be
      structurally and immunologically similar to a core oligosaccharide of B.
      pertussis.

PMID- 1427017
TI  - Analysis of two gene regions involved in the expression of the imipenem-specific,
      outer membrane porin protein OprD of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
AB  - A Tn501 mutant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistant to imipenem and lacking the
      imipenem-specific outer membrane porin protein OprD was isolated. The mutation
      could be complemented to imipenem susceptibility and OprD-sufficiency by a cloned
      6-kb EcoRI-PstI fragment of DNA from the region of chromosome of the wild-type
      strain surrounding the site of Tn501 insertion. However, this fragment did not
      contain the oprD structural gene as judged by its inability to hybridize with an
      oligonucleotide corresponding to the N-terminal amino acid sequence of OprD. DNA
      sequencing of 3.9 kb of the region surrounding the Tn501 insertion site revealed
      three large open reading frames, one of which would be interrupted by the Tn501
      insertion in the mutant. This latter open reading frame, named opdE (for putative
      regulator of oprD expression), predicted a hydrophobic protein of M(r) 41,592.
      Using the above-mentioned oligonucleotide, the oprD structural gene was cloned
      and expressed in Escherichia coli on a 2.1-kb Bam HI-KpnI fragment. DNA
      sequencing predicted a 420 amino acid mature OprD protein with a 23 amino acid
      signal sequence.

PMID- 1427019
TI  - Segregation analysis of 159 soft tissue sarcoma kindreds: comparison of fixed and
      sequential sampling schemes.
AB  - In this study we compared parameter estimates and model hypotheses in pedigree
      data collected by fixed sampling with estimates and hypotheses derived by
      sequential sampling. Employing a fixed sampling scheme, we previously analyzed
      data on relatives of 159 childhood sarcoma patients. We have now extracted from
      that data set individuals who would have been included in a sequentially sampled
      study. We applied segregation analysis to the truncated data, to determine the
      mode of inheritance and major locus parameter estimates. With data from both
      sampling schemes we made a family-by-family comparison to determine each family's
      contribution to a major gene model. The two sampling schemes yielded similar
      results: we detected segregation of a dominant major gene and obtained similar
      major locus parameter estimates. However, the sequential sampling scheme derived
      these conclusions from data on 982 relatives rather than the 2,451 ascertained in
      the fixed sampling scheme. The sequential sampling scheme failed to identify only
      one of the kindreds likely to be segregating the gene. For this data set, the
      sequential sampling scheme would have provided an efficient mechanism to
      discriminate genetic hypotheses and would have permitted focus of resources on
      the specific kindreds likely to segregate a major gene.

PMID- 1427020
TI  - Two common polymorphisms in the APO A-IV coding gene: their evolution and linkage
      disequilibrium.
AB  - Human apolipoprotein A-IV (APO A-IV) exhibits a common protein polymorphism
      detectable by isoelectric focusing (IEF) due to a single base substitution at
      codon 360 which replaces the frequently occurring glutamine residue (allele 1)
      with histidine (allele 2). Recently, sequence analysis of the APO A-IV coding
      region has revealed another common nucleotide substitution at codon 347 which
      converts the commonly present threonine residue (allele A) into serine (allele
      T). In order to investigate the extent of genetic variation at codon 347, we
      screened DNA samples from 192 unrelated individuals using a polymerase chain
      reaction based assay. The frequencies of the two alleles, A-IV*A and A-IV*T, were
      0.81 and 0.19, respectively, with average heterozygosity 0.31. Genetic screening
      of the corresponding 192 plasma samples by IEF gave frequencies of 0.922 and
      0.078 for the A-IV*1 and A-IV*2 alleles, respectively, at codon 360 with average
      heterozygosity 0.14. Genotype data at the two polymorphic sites were used to
      assign unequivocal haplotypes to all the 384 chromosomes. Of the expected four
      haplotypes (A1, T1, A2, and T2) only three were observed and their frequencies
      were 0.732 for A1, 0.190 for T1 and 0.078 for A2, with average heterozygosity
      0.42. Although our data indicate significant linkage disequilibrium between the
      two sites (chi 21 = 7.65, P < 0.006, standardized disequilibrium constant phi = 
      0.14) the degree of nonrandom association varied between alleles at the two
      sites. Based upon allele frequency data and variable linkage disequilibrium
      between alleles, we propose that the A2 and T1 haplotypes may have evolved from
      the parental A1 haplotype by two independent mutations.

PMID- 1427021
TI  - Family study of alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency: effects of cigarette smoking,
      measured genotype, and their interaction on pulmonary function and biochemical
      traits.
AB  - To gain insight into the variable expression of lung disease in alpha 1
      antitrypsin (alpha 1AT) deficiency, five quantitative variables including forced
      expiratory volume at 1 sec (FEV1), forced expiratory flow rate between 25 and 75%
      of forced vital capacity (FEF25-75), total serum alpha 1AT, oxidized serum alpha
      1AT, and total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) were measured in alpha 1AT deficient
      individuals and their families. The effect of a known, measured genotype (the Pi
      type) was estimated for each quantitative trait; the influence of mode of case
      ascertainment on the measured genotype effect was also assessed. These analyses
      showed that total alpha 1AT levels are strongly influenced by Pi type; IgE levels
      are unaffected by Pi type; and FEV1, FEF25-75, and oxidized alpha 1AT are
      moderately influenced by Pi type. The effect of genotype-by-environment
      interaction between Pi type and pack-years of cigarette smoking on the five
      quantitative phenotypes was studied using an analysis of covariance. Significant
      Pi x pack-years interaction was evident for FEV1, but this effect is confounded
      in this data set with the Pi x age interaction. Probands who were ascertained
      because they had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) do not demonstrate
      the significant Pi x pack-years interaction effect of the Pi x pack-years
      subjects ascertained for other reasons demonstrate. The effect of the Pi x pack
      years interaction on FEV1 was no longer significant on a transformed scale,
      (FEVf12,) thus providing an additive scale for future data analysis. The
      increased sensitivity of Pi MZ individuals in our sample to cigarette smoking
      reduced the Pi x packs-years interaction effect on FEF25-75 to borderline
      significance. This investigation has provided an opportunity to incorporate both
      measured genotype and genotype-by-environment interaction analyses into the study
      of the variable expression of lung disease in Pi Z individuals.

PMID- 1427022
TI  - Commingling analysis of memory performance in offspring of Alzheimer patients.
AB  - Dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) is a neurodegenerative disorder which
      afflicts approximately 3% of the population. Genetic influences are indicated
      from twin and family studies although genetic heterogeneity has been suggested
      from both pedigree analyses and linkage investigations. Autosomal dominant
      inheritance with age-dependent penetrance has been suggested in at least some
      families with DAT. In the present investigation, we examine memory and nonmemory
      task performance in 106 asymptomatic offspring (mean age 40.6 years) of 54 DAT
      probands. Intraclass sibling correlations revealed little evidence of sibling
      similarity for performance on three memory tasks which have been reported to be
      relatively sensitive to the memory losses accompanying DAT. Subsequent
      investigations of the distributions of the cognitive task scores in the offspring
      revealed evidence for a commingling of two distributions for the three memory
      tasks but not for the nonmemory measures. These findings are consistent with a
      hypothesis that these distributions reflect genotypic subgroups, carriers, and
      noncarriers, of a presumed DAT gene.

PMID- 1427023
TI  - Two-locus models of disease.
AB  - Most complex diseases have not been amenable to genetic analysis under the
      assumption of single locus or multifactorial models. Consequently, interest has
      turned to the consideration of the properties of oligogenic models. i.e., genetic
      models involving a small number of genes. Nine two-locus models of disease,
      representing both epistatic and heterogeneous genetic models, are investigated:
      three models of heterogeneity and six models of epistatis. For each model we
      derive formulas for the recurrence risk to various classes of relatives in terms
      of penetrances and gene frequencies. We also develop formulas for the components
      of variance for the epistatic models in terms of the same genetic parameters. The
      range of penetrances and the associated gene frequencies that predict a
      predetermined value for the population prevalence and recurrence risk to the
      sibling of proband are calculated for various rates of the prevalence and risk to
      sibs. It is found that for many of these genetic models, there is a very limited
      range of penetrances that fit a particular set of assumed risks. Estimated
      population prevalence and risks to sibs and monozygotic twins for bipolar and
      schizophrenia illness are used to test for compatibility with expected values for
      recurrence risks under these models.

PMID- 1427024
TI  - Preliminary ordering of multiple linked loci using pairwise linkage data.
AB  - A method is presented for the preliminary ordering of loci on a chromosome using
      pairwise linkage data. The method is based on the biologically reasonable
      assumption that the "true" order of a set of linked loci will be the one that
      minimizes the total length of the chromosome segment. Here the "length" is
      defined as the sum of adjacent recombination fractions. The method searches for
      the optimal order, represented by a minimum distance map (MDMAP), even when it is
      not possible to examine the n!/2 possible distinct orders for n loci. A
      computerized approach, using the simulated annealing algorithm of Kirkpatrick et
      al. [1983], forms the basis of the method. It can be applied to data from
      radiation hybrid experiments as well as that from conventional family linkage
      studies. The technique is applied to several sets of published data to illustrate
      how it performs in practice. The advantages and the disadvantages of the method
      are discussed so that it will be clear under what conditions it is likely to work
      well. When data sets are "complete," in the sense that all possible pairwise
      recombination fractions have estimates, and when no large clusters of extremely
      tightly linked loci are present, the method produces ordered sets of loci that
      agree well with those generated by other, more complex methods. Any discrepancies
      that occur are likely to be with respect to the orientation of nearest-neighbor
      loci, where relative order cannot be reliably established by any method. The
      method thus provides a simple, rapid means of obtaining a preliminary order for a
      set of loci known to be in the same linkage group.

PMID- 1427025
TI  - Development of inquiry behavior in concept identification.
AB  - We studied inquiry behavior in concept identification in first-, fifth-, eighth
      grade, and college students with problems involving eight four-letter strings.
      The task was to identify the correct string by asking questions related to either
      one letter or four letters that were answered by yes or no. Processing demands
      were manipulated by comparing (a) a condition in which letter strings were
      removed from view as feedback eliminated them as possible solutions with a
      condition in which strings remained in view and (b) problems that were structured
      so that relevant letter categories were easy to identify with problems that were
      not. Problem solving generally improved with age. First graders tended to ask
      questions that eliminated solutions one by one, whereas the older groups asked
      more informative questions. At the three upper grade levels, strategies for
      selecting queries were adapted to situations, with less demanding strategies
      being used when processing demands were higher.

PMID- 1427026
TI  - The influence of a child's disability on mother's role functioning and
      psychological well-being.
AB  - We assessed the influences of specific characteristics of a child with a
      disability on a mother's role functioning and psychological well-being in 112
      mother-child dyads. Children were teenagers and young adults (aged 13-26) with
      chronically disabling conditions enrolled in day treatment programs; mothers
      ranged in age from 33 to 68 years. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with
      the mothers regarding their psychological and social functioning. Information
      regarding the children's disabling condition was available from their treatment
      centers. Results of a path analysis indicated that various aspects of a disabled
      child's condition indirectly affected mother's psychological functioning via a
      direct effect on mother's role functioning. Intervention efforts could be
      targeted toward mother's role functioning and specific child characteristics
      (i.e., physical limitations and emotional/behavioral adjustment).

PMID- 1427027
TI  - Posttraumatic stress disorder: a review.
AB  - In this article, I have reviewed posttraumatic stress disorder with Vietnam
      veterans, soldiers in other wars, and in victims of natural and civilian
      disasters. A discussion of measurement and therapy approaches is included.

PMID- 1427028
TI  - Forty years ago: the discovery of bacterial transduction.

PMID- 1427029
TI  - DNA inversions between short inverted repeats in Escherichia coli.
AB  - Using site-specific mutagenesis in vitro, we have constructed Escherichia coli
      strains that allow the detection of the inversion of an 800-bp segment in the lac
      region. The invertible segment is bounded by inverted repeats of either 12 or 23
      bp. Inversions occurring at these inverted repeats will restore the Lac+
      phenotype. Inversions can be detected at both short homologies at frequencies
      ranging from 0.5 x 10(-8) to 1 x 10(-7). These events, which have been verified
      by DNA sequence analysis, are reduced up to 1000-fold in strains deficient for
      either RecA, RecB or RecC. They are not reduced in strains deficient in the RecF,
      J pathway. These results show that the RecB,C,D system can mediate rearrangements
      at short sequence repeats, and probably plays a major role in cellular
      rearrangements.

PMID- 1427030
TI  - Sequence analysis of mutations arising during prolonged starvation of Salmonella
      typhimurium.
AB  - We have examined the effects of prolonged histidine deprivation on the reversion
      of Salmonella typhimurium histidine auxotrophs containing either hisG46, a
      missense mutation (CTC----CCC), or hisG428, an ochre mutation (CAA----TAA). Both
      of these mutants can revert to His+ via intragenic and extragenic mechanisms.
      Whereas the hisG46 mutant site consists of G/C base pairs, extragenic suppression
      of hisG46 requires mutation at an A/T site. Conversely, the hisG428 site itself
      contains only A/T base pairs, and extragenic suppression of hisG428 occurs
      principally at G/C sites. Thus, by examining the mutational spectrum of hisG46
      and hisG428 revertants that occurred in the presence and in the absence of
      histidine, it was possible to determine the effects of histidine starvation on
      mutations at G/C vs. A/T sites as well as on intragenic sites vs. extragenic
      suppressor sites. Using DNA-colony hybridization, we determined the DNA sequences
      of over 1300 hisG46 and hisG428 revertants. Histidine-independent revertants that
      arose during growth in liquid medium that contained histidine included both
      intragenic and extragenic suppressor mutations. The relative frequency of such
      extragenic suppressors was greatly reduced among the His+ revertants that were
      isolated after 5-10 days of histidine starvation on agar medium. Moreover, DNA
      sequence analysis revealed striking differences in the distribution of particular
      transversions at the hisG428 locus in revertants arising after prolonged
      histidine starvation as compared to those arising after growth in the presence of
      histidine.

PMID- 1427031
TI  - The relapsing fever agent Borrelia hermsii has multiple copies of its chromosome
      and linear plasmids.
AB  - Borrelia hermsii, a spirochete which causes relapsing fever in humans and other
      mammals, eludes the immune response by antigenic variation of the "Vmp" proteins.
      This occurs by replacement of an expressed vmp gene with a copy of a silent vmp
      gene. Silent and expressed vmp genes are located on separate linear plasmids. To
      further characterize vmp recombination, copy numbers were determined for two
      linear plasmids and for the 1-megabase chromosome by comparing hybridization of
      probes to native DNA with hybridization to recombinant plasmids containing
      borrelial DNA. Plasmid copy numbers were also estimated by ethidium bromide
      fluorescence. Total cellular DNA content was determined by spectrophotometry. For
      borrelias grown in mice, copy numbers and 95% confidence intervals were 14 (12
      17) for an expression plasmid, 8 (7-9) for a silent plasmid, and 16 (13-18) for
      the chromosome. Borrelias grown in broth medium had one-fourth to one-half this
      number of plasmids and chromosomes. Staining of cells with 4',6-diamidino-2
      phenylindole revealed DNA to be distributed throughout most of the spirochete's
      length. These findings indicate that borrelias organize their total cellular DNA
      into several complete genomes and that cells undergoing serotype switches do one
      or more of the following: (1) coexpress Vmps from switched and unswitched
      expression plasmids for at least three to five generations, (2) suppress
      transcription from some expression plasmid copies, or (3) partition expression
      plasmids nonrandomly. The lower copy number of the silent plasmid indicates that
      nonreciprocal Vmp gene recombination may result from loss of recombinant silent
      plasmids by segregation.

PMID- 1427032
TI  - Systematic mutational analysis of the yeast ACT1 gene.
AB  - We report the isolation and characterization of a synoptic set of site-directed
      mutations distributed throughout the single actin gene of Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae. Mutations were systematically targeted to the surface of the protein
      by identifying clusters of 2 or more charged residues in the primary sequence;
      every charged residue in a cluster was replaced with alanine. Mutations were
      recovered in high yield (34 of 36 constructed) as heterozygous diploids. Mutant
      phenotypes were examined in haploid segregants: 11 were recessive lethal, 16
      conditional-lethal (including temperature-sensitive and salt-sensitive) and 7 had
      no discernible phenotype. Genetic analysis suggested that the two mutations
      constructed but not recovered in yeast may have a dominant defective phenotype.
      Location of the mutant residues on the three-dimensional structure of the rabbit
      muscle actin monomer confirmed that most (81%) of the charged residues we altered
      lie at or near the surface of the protein, confirming a key assumption of the
      method. Many of the new act1 alleles have properties readily interpreted in light
      of the actin structure and should prove useful in both genetic and biochemical
      studies of actin function.

PMID- 1427033
TI  - Identification and characterization of three genes that affect expression of ADH2
      in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - Using a new selection protocol we have identified and preliminarily characterized
      three new loci (ADR7, ADR8 and ADR9) which affect ADH2 (alcohol dehydrogenase
      isozyme II) expression. Mutants were selected which activate ADH2 expression in
      the presence of an over-expressed, normally inactive ADR1 allele. The mutants had
      very similar phenotypes with the exception that one was temperature sensitive for
      growth. In the absence of any ADR1 allele, the mutants allowed ADH2 to partially
      escape glucose repression. However, unlike wildtype strains deleted for ADR1, the
      mutants were able to efficiently derepress ADH2. The mutations allowed a small
      escape from glucose repression for secreted invertase, but had no effect on the
      glucose repression of isocitrate lyase or malate dehydrogenase. The mutations
      were shown to be nonallelic to a wide variety of previously characterized
      mutations, including mutations that affect other glucose-repressed enzymes.

PMID- 1427034
TI  - The yeast omnipotent suppressor SUP46 encodes a ribosomal protein which is a
      functional and structural homolog of the Escherichia coli S4 ram protein.
AB  - The accurate synthesis of proteins is crucial to the existence of a cell. In
      yeast, several genes that affect the fidelity of translation have been identified
      (e.g., omnipotent suppressors, antisuppressors and allosuppressors). We have
      found that the dominant omnipotent suppressor SUP46 encodes the yeast ribosomal
      protein S13. S13 is encoded by two similar genes, but only the sup46 copy of the
      gene is able to fully complement the recessive phenotypes of SUP46 mutations.
      Both copies of the S13 genes contain introns. Unlike the introns of other
      duplicated ribosomal protein genes which are highly diverged, the duplicated S13
      genes have two nearly identical DNA sequences of 25 and 31 bp in length within
      their introns. The SUP46 protein has significant homology to the S4 ribosomal
      protein in prokaryotic-type ribosomes. S4 is encoded by one of the ram (ribosomal
      ambiguity) genes in Escherichia coli which are the functional equivalent of
      omnipotent suppressors in yeast. Thus, SUP46 and S4 demonstrate functional as
      well as sequence conservation between prokaryotic and eukaryotic ribosomal
      proteins. SUP46 and S4 are most similar in their central amino acid sequences.
      Interestingly, the alterations resulting from the SUP46 mutations and the segment
      of the S4 protein involved in binding to the 16S rRNA are within this most
      conserved region.

PMID- 1427036
TI  - A combination inversion and translocation in Neurospora crassa with inviable
      deficiency progeny that can be rescued in heterokaryons.
AB  - Chromosome rearrangement In(IL;IR)T(IL;IIIR)SLm-1, has a pericentric inversion in
      linkage group I associated with a reciprocal translocation between I and III. The
      rearrangement was identified cytologically in pairing with normal sequence
      chromosomes at pachynema. Rearrangement breakpoints were mapped genetically in
      IL, IR and IIIR by crosses with normal sequence strains and in crosses with an
      inversion that partially overlaps the SLm-1 inversion. When rearrangement SLm-1
      is crossed to parents with normal sequence chromosomes, one class among the
      progeny has a small chromosome deficiency and large duplication. The ascospores
      containing this deficiency/duplication die either before germination or just
      after, when growth commences. Germ tubes of the deficiency/duplication progeny,
      which start to grow then stop, resemble the aborted growth of auxotrophic mutants
      germinated on minimal medium. Efforts to correct the deficiency with nutritional
      supplements were not successful. However, the defective class can be rescued by
      fusing the germinating hyphae of the deficiency ascospore with a complementary
      auxotrophic mutant to form a heterokaryon. A deficiency/duplication nucleus that
      is rescued in a heterokaryon can serve as a fertilizing nucleus in crosses with a
      normal sequence parent. One half of their progeny have the normal chromosome
      sequence and one half have the chromosome deficiency syndrome and die at
      germination.

PMID- 1427035
TI  - Sister chromatids are preferred over homologs as substrates for recombinational
      repair in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - A diploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain was constructed in which the products
      of both homolog recombination and unequal sister chromatid recombination events
      could be selected. This strain was synchronized in G1 or in G2, irradiated with X
      rays to induce DNA damage, and monitored for levels of recombination. Cells
      irradiated in G1 were found to repair recombinogenic damage primarily by homolog
      recombination, whereas those irradiated in G2 repaired such damage preferentially
      by sister chromatid recombination. We found, as have others, that G1 diploids
      were much more sensitive to the lethal effects of X-ray damage than were G2
      diploids, especially at higher doses of irradiation. The following possible
      explanations for this observation were tested: G2 cells have more potential
      templates for repair than G1 cells; G2 cells are protected by the RAD9-mediated
      delay in G2 following DNA damage; sister chromatids may share more homology than
      homologous chromosomes. All these possibilities were ruled out by appropriate
      tests. We propose that, due to a special relationship they share, sister
      chromatids are not only preferred over homologous chromatids as substrates for
      recombinational repair, but have the capacity to repair more DNA damage than do
      homologs.

PMID- 1427037
TI  - Mutations in the sup-38 gene of Caenorhabditis elegans suppress muscle-attachment
      defects in unc-52 mutants.
AB  - Mutations in the unc-52 locus of Caenorhabditis elegans have been classified into
      three different groups based on their complex pattern of complementation. These
      mutations result in progressive paralysis (class 1 mutations) or in lethality
      (class 2 and 3 mutations). The paralysis exhibited by animals carrying class 1
      mutations is caused by disruption of the myofilaments at their points of
      attachment to the cell membrane in the body wall muscle cells. We have determined
      that mutations of this class also have an effect on the somatic gonad, and this
      may be due to a similar disruption in the myoepithelial sheath cells of the
      uterus, or in the uterine muscle cells. Mutations that suppress the body wall
      muscle defects of the class 1 unc-52 mutations have been isolated, and they
      define a new locus, sup-38. Only the muscle disorganization of the Unc-52 mutants
      is suppressed; the gonad abnormalities are not, and the suppressors do not rescue
      the lethal phenotype of the class 2 and class 3 mutations. The suppressor
      mutations on their own exhibit a variable degree of gonad and muscle
      disorganization. Putative null sup-38 mutations cause maternal-effect lethality
      which is rescued by a wild-type copy of the locus in the zygote. These loss-of
      function mutations have no effect on the body wall muscle structure.

PMID- 1427038
TI  - Estimates of gene flow in Drosophila pseudoobscura determined from nucleotide
      sequence analysis of the alcohol dehydrogenase region.
AB  - The genetic structure of Drosophila pseudoobscura populations was inferred from a
      nucleotide sequence analysis of a 3.4-kb segment of the alcohol dehydrogenase
      (Adh) region. A total of 99 isochromosomal strains collected from 13 populations
      in North and South America were used to determine if any population departed from
      a neutral model and to estimate levels of gene flow between populations. This
      study also included the nucleotide sequences from two sibling species, D.
      persimilis and D. miranda. We estimated the neutral mutation parameter, 4N mu, in
      synonymous and noncoding sites for 17 subregions of Adh in each of nine
      populations with sample sizes greater than three. The nucleotide diversity data
      in the nine populations was tested for departures from an equilibrium neutral
      model with two statistical tests. The Tajima and the Hudson, Kreitman, Aguade
      tests showed that each population fails to reject a neutral model. Tests for
      genetic differentiation between populations fail to show any population
      substructure among the North American populations of D. pseudoobscura. The
      nucleotide diversity data is consistent with direct and indirect measures of gene
      flow that show extensive dispersal between populations of D. pseudoobscura.

PMID- 1427039
TI  - The Enhancer of split complex and adjacent genes in the 96F region of Drosophila
      melanogaster are required for segregation of neural and epidermal progenitor
      cells.
AB  - The Enhancer of split complex [E(spl)-C] of Drosophila melanogaster is located in
      the 96F region of the third chromosome and comprises at least seven structurally
      related genes, HLH-m delta, HLH-m gamma, HLH-m beta, HLH-m3, HLH-m5, HLH-m7 and
      E(spl). The functions of these genes are required during early neurogenesis to
      give neuroectodermal cells access to the epidermal pathway of development.
      Another gene in the 96F region, namely groucho, is also required for this
      process. However, groucho is not structurally related to, and appears to act
      independently of, the genes of the E(spl)-C; the possibility is discussed that
      groucho acts upstream to the E(spl)-C genes. Indirect evidence suggests that a
      neighboring transcription unit (m4) may also take part in the process. Of all
      these genes, only gro is essential; m4 is a dispensable gene, the deletion of
      which does not produce detectable morphogenetic abnormalities, and the genes of
      the E(spl)-C are to some extent redundant and can partially substitute for each
      other. This redundancy is probably due to the fact that the seven genes of the
      E(spl)-C encode highly conserved putative DNA-binding proteins of the bHLH
      family. The genes of the complex are interspersed among other genes which appear
      to be unrelated to the neuroepidermal lineage dichotomy.

PMID- 1427040
TI  - Seven genes of the Enhancer of split complex of Drosophila melanogaster encode
      helix-loop-helix proteins.
AB  - Enhancer of split [E(spl)] is one of the neurogenic loci of Drosophila and, as
      such, is required for normal segregation of neural and epidermal cell
      progenitors. Genetic observations indicate that the E(spl) locus is in fact a
      gene complex comprising a cluster of related genes and that other genes of the
      region are also required for normal early neurogenesis. Three of the genes of the
      complex were known to encode helix-loop-helix (HLH) proteins and to be
      transcribed in nearly identical patterns. Here, we show that four other genes in
      the vicinity also encode HLH proteins and, during neuroblast segregation, three
      of them are expressed in the same pattern. We show by germ-line transformation
      that these three genes are also necessary to allow epidermal development of the
      neuroectodermal cells.

PMID- 1427041
TI  - Characterization of mutant alleles of myospheroid, the gene encoding the beta
      subunit of the Drosophila PS integrins.
AB  - This paper presents the characterization of nine alleles of myospheroid, which
      encodes the beta PS subunit of the Drosophila PS integrins. On Southern blots,
      the mysXB87, mysXN101 and mysXR04 genes yield restriction digest patterns similar
      to that seen for wild-type chromosomes, however the mys1 and mysXG43 genes
      contain detectable deletions. mys1, mysXB87 and mysXG43 make little or no stable
      protein product, and genetically behave as strong lethal alleles. For the
      mysXN101 mutation, protein product is seen on immunoblots and a reduced amount of
      beta PS protein is seen at muscle attachment sites of embryos; this mutant
      protein retains some wild-type function, as revealed by complementation tests
      with weak alleles. Protein is also seen on immunoblots from mysXR04 embryos, and
      this allele behaves as an antimorph, being more deleterious in some crosses than
      the complete deficiency for the locus. mysts2 and mysnj42 are typically lethal in
      various combinations with other alleles at high temperatures only, but even at
      high physiological temperatures, neither appears to eliminate gene function
      completely. The complementation behaviors of mysts1 and mysts3 are quite unusual
      and suggest that these mutations involve regulatory phenomena. For mysts3, the
      data are most easily explained by postulating transvection effects at the locus.
      The results for mysts1 are less straightforward, but point to the possibility of
      a chromosome pairing-dependent negative interaction.

PMID- 1427042
TI  - Oxygen association-dissociation and stability analysis on mouse hemoglobins with
      mutant alpha- and beta-globins.
AB  - Oxygen association-dissociation and hemoglobin stability analysis were performed
      on mouse hemoglobins with amino acid substitutions in an alpha-globin (alpha 89,
      His to Leu) and a beta-globin (beta 59, Lys to Ile). The variant alpha-globin,
      designated chain 5m in the Hbag2 haplotype, had an high oxygen affinity and was
      stable. The variant beta-globin, (beta s2) of the Hbbs2 haplotype, also had an
      elevated oxygen affinity and in addition was moderately unstable in 19%
      isopropanol. Hemoglobins from the expected nine (Hbag2/Hbag2;Hbbs/Hbbs x
      Hbaa/Hbaa;Hbbs2/Hbbs2) F2 genotypes can be grouped into five classes of P50
      values characterized by strict additivity and dependency on mutant globin gene
      dosage; physiologically, both globin variants gave indistinguishable effects on
      oxygen affinity. The hemoglobin of normal mice (Hbaa/Hbaa;Hbbs/Hbbs) had a P50 =
      40 mm Hg and the hemoglobin of Hbag2/Hbag2;Hbbs2/Hbbs2 F2 mice had a P50 = 25 mm
      Hg (human P50 = 26 mm Hg). Peripheral blood from Hbag2/Hbag2;Hbbs/Hbbs,
      Hbaa/Hbaa;Hbbs2/Hbbs2 and Hbag2/Hbag2;Hbbs2/Hbbs2 mice exhibited normal
      hematological values except for a slightly higher hematocrit for
      Hbag2/Hbag2;Hbbs/Hbbs and Hbag2/Hbag2;Hbbs2/Hbbs2 mice, slightly elevated red
      cell counts for mice of the three mutant genotypes, and significantly lower
      values for the mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin for
      Hbag2/Hbag2;Hbbs2/Hbbs2 mice.

PMID- 1427043
TI  - Evolutionary consequences of DNA mismatch inhibited repair opportunity.
AB  - Double strand breaks (DSBs) are often repaired via homologous recombination.
      Recombinational repair processes are expected to be influenced by nucleotide
      heterozygosity through mismatch detection systems. Unrepaired DSBs have severe
      biological consequences and are often lethal. We show that natural selection due
      to inhibition of recombinational repair associated with polymorphisms could
      influence their molecular evolution. The main conclusions from this analysis are
      that, for increasing population size, mismatch detection leads to a limit on
      average heterozygosity of otherwise selectively neutral polymorphism, an excess
      of rare variants, and a slowing down of the rate of neutral molecular evolution.
      The first two results suggest that mismatch detection may account for the
      surprisingly narrow range of observed average heterozygosities, given the great
      variation in population size between species.

PMID- 1427044
TI  - Female choice and variation in the major histocompatibility complex.
AB  - The cause of the high genetic variability in the major histocompatibility complex
      (MHC) is not entirely clear. Recently, two reports suggest that female mice
      prefer to mate with males different from them at the MHC. A model of female
      choice appropriate for those observations is developed here. Female choice can in
      fact reduce the observed proportions of homozygotes, maintain genetic
      polymorphism, influence mating-type frequencies and generate gametic
      disequilibrium.

PMID- 1427045
TI  - Estimation of levels of gene flow from DNA sequence data.
AB  - We compare the utility of two methods for estimating the average levels of gene
      flow from DNA sequence data. One method is based on estimating FST from
      frequencies at polymorphic sites, treating each site as a separate locus. The
      other method is based on computing the minimum number of migration events
      consistent with the gene tree inferred from their sequences. We compared the
      performance of these two methods on data that were generated by a computer
      simulation program that assumed the infinite sites model of mutation and that
      assumed an island model of migration. We found that in general when there is no
      recombination, the cladistic method performed better than FST while the reverse
      was true for rates of recombination similar to those found in eukaryotic nuclear
      genes, although FST performed better for all recombination rates for very low
      levels of migration (Nm = 0.1).

PMID- 1427046
TI  - The use of simulated annealing in chromosome reconstruction experiments based on
      binary scoring.
AB  - We present a method of combinatorial optimization, simulated annealing, to order
      clones in a library with respect to their position along a chromosome. This
      ordering method relies on scoring each clone for the presence or absence of
      specific target sequences, thereby assigning a digital signature to each clone.
      Specifically, we consider the hybridization of oligonucleotide probes to a clone
      to constitute the signature. In that the degree of clonal overlap is reflected in
      the similarity of their signatures, it is possible to construct maps based on the
      minimization of the differences in signatures across a reconstructed chromosome.
      Our simulations show that with as few as 30 probes and a clonal density of 4.5
      genome equivalents, it is possible to assemble a small eukaryotic chromosome into
      33 contiguous blocks of clones (contigs). With higher clonal densities and more
      probes, this number can be reduced to less than 5 contigs per chromosome.

PMID- 1427047
TI  - Deleterious mutations, apparent stabilizing selection and the maintenance of
      quantitative variation.
AB  - Apparent stabilizing selection on a quantitative trait that is not causally
      connected to fitness can result from the pleiotropic effects of unconditionally
      deleterious mutations, because as N. Barton noted, "...individuals with extreme
      values of the trait will tend to carry more deleterious alleles...." We use a
      simple model to investigate the dependence of this apparent selection on the
      genomic deleterious mutation rate, U; the equilibrium distribution of K, the
      number of deleterious mutations per genome; and the parameters describing
      directional selection against deleterious mutations. Unlike previous analyses, we
      allow for epistatic selection against deleterious alleles. For various selection
      functions and realistic parameter values, the distribution of K, the distribution
      of breeding values for a pleiotropically affected trait, and the apparent
      stabilizing selection function are all nearly Gaussian. The additive genetic
      variance for the quantitative trait is kQa2, where k is the average number of
      deleterious mutations per genome, Q is the proportion of deleterious mutations
      that affect the trait, and a2 is the variance of pleiotropic effects for
      individual mutations that do affect the trait. In contrast, when the trait is
      measured in units of its additive standard deviation, the apparent fitness
      function is essentially independent of Q and a2; and beta, the intensity of
      selection, measured as the ratio of additive genetic variance to the "variance"
      of the fitness curve, is very close to s = U/k, the selection coefficient against
      individual deleterious mutations at equilibrium. Therefore, this model predicts
      appreciable apparent stabilizing selection if s exceeds about 0.03, which is
      consistent with various data. However, the model also predicts that beta must
      equal Vm/VG, the ratio of new additive variance for the trait introduced each
      generation by mutation to the standing additive variance. Most, although not all,
      estimates of this ratio imply apparent stabilizing selection weaker than
      generally observed. A qualitative argument suggests that even when direct
      selection is responsible for most of the selection observed on a character, it
      may be essentially irrelevant to the maintenance of variation for the character
      by mutation-selection balance. Simple experiments can indicate the fraction of
      observed stabilizing selection attributable to the pleiotropic effects of
      deleterious mutations.

PMID- 1427048
TI  - [Genetic analysis of various behavioral and physiologic characteristics in
      hybrids between hypertensive and normotensive rats. Analysis of reciprocal
      differences].
AB  - As a result of reciprocal crosses between the SHR rats (spontaneously
      hypertensive strain) and WKY rats (normotensive strain), two types each of the F1
      and F2 hybrids and 4 types of backcrosses were obtained. Analysis of reciprocal
      differences carries out in these generations for a number of behavioral and
      physiological traits demonstrated linkage of an hereditary factor affecting
      expression of potassium appetite with the Y-chromosome. The maternal effect
      contrary to the action of chromosomal hereditary factors was established for
      locomotor activity in the peripheral zone of open field. This maternal effect was
      manifested in the F1 and F2 generations, but not in backcrosses.

PMID- 1427050
TI  - [Chiasma distribution in the lampbrush chromosomes of the chicken Gallus gallus
      domesticus: hot spots of recombination and their possible role in proper
      dysjunction of homologous chromosomes at the first meiotic division].
AB  - Chiasma distribution in the lambrush chromosomes of the chicken Gallus gallus
      domesticus was studied. The data of the authors show that the general pattern of
      chiasmata in the interstitional region of chromosomes corresponds to the Poisson
      distribution. However, in the telomeric and subtelomeric regions of all chicken
      macrochromosomes one can see chiasma as a rule. In the half of 140
      microchromosomes from 24 different oocytes, there are also the telomeric
      chiasmata. On the basis of this observation, it may be predicted that there are
      hot spots of recombination near or into the telomeric GC-rich heterochromatic
      bands of chicken chromosomes. We suggest that these hot spots of recombination
      near the telomeres are a necessary facility for not only macrochromosomes but all
      microchromosomes as well to have at least one chiasma. The constant presence of
      at least one chiasma in a bivalent in needed for correct disjunction of
      homologous chromosomes at the first meiotic division.

PMID- 1427049
TI  - [Genetic analysis of various behavioral and physiologic characteristics in
      hybrids between hypertensive and normotensive rats. Analysis of correlational
      connections].
AB  - Hereditary links between different behavioral and physiological traits were
      studied in rat strains SHR, WKY and their hybrids F1 and F2 by analysis of
      correlations in segregating and nonsegregating gene-rations. Genetic correlation
      of arterial pressure with body mass, intake of KC1 solution and the ability to
      avoidance learning (directed positively) and with characteristics of exploratory
      activity (directed negatively) was shown. These traits seemed to be possible
      genetic markers of arterial hypertension. Genetical correlates of the ability to
      elaborate active avoidance conditional reaction (arterial pressure and pain
      sensitivity) testify to relief of active avoidance learning in animals with
      inherited active-defensive type of behaviour, manifested by predisposition to
      pressor reactions and by suppressed emotional reactions to pain stimulation.
      Frequency in intertrial crossings during avoidance training displays positive
      correlation with characteristics of exploratory behaviour. Positive correlation
      between different characteristics of exploratory activity was established both in
      segregating and nonsegregating generations.

PMID- 1427051
TI  - [Blood group assignment--a genetic marker of hepatic hemangiomatosis].
AB  - There is no single point of view on pathogenesis of hemangiomas. The authors
      investigated the ABO blood types in 52 patients with hepatic hemangiomas (Group
      1) and 1000 control patients (Group 2). The study demonstrated 61.5% of the A
      blood type among the patients of Group 1. This was significantly higher than in
      the Group 2 and representative groups from literature (P less than 0.001). Taking
      into account that the cells of both blood and blood vessels are formed in embryos
      through the mesenchyma and the heritability of blood group antigens, it is
      supposed that the results obtained support the genetic determination theory of
      pathogenesis of hepatic hemangiomas.

PMID- 1427052
TI  - [Clinical-genealogic analysis of diaphragmatic hernias].
AB  - The results of clinical-genetic examination of 174 probands with congenital
      diaphragmatic hernias and their families are presented. Genetic heterogeneity of
      diaphragmatic hernias, the spectrum of inherited syndromes obtained in the
      present study and shown in literature the spectrum and frequency of congenital
      malformations accompanying diaphragmatic hernias were shown. No increase in the
      average age of the probands' parents and in the marriage distances changes was
      observed both for isolated diaphragmatic hernias and those accompanied by other
      malformations was observed. Because of the high risk of neural tube defects
      occurrence in the sibs of children with diaphragmatic hernias, the probands'
      mothers should be recommended to undergo prenatal diagnosis of their further
      pregnancies for this character. The evidence of multifactorial inheritance for
      the most of diaphragmatic hernia cases was obtained. Empirical recurrent risk for
      probands' sibs was 1.54 + 1.5%.

PMID- 1427053
TI  - [Construction of linear plasmid vectors for cloning in Escherichia coli cells].
AB  - Prophage of the temperate coliphage N15 is a linear plasmid with covalently
      closed ends. The central part of plasmid N15 genome responsible for vegetative
      phage growth was replaced by DNA fragments containing genes for selective markers
      which have unique restriction sites. As a result a family of linear plasmid
      vectors was constructed. Their size is about 20 kb and their capacity is
      comparable with that of cosmid vectors.

PMID- 1427054
TI  - [Mechanisms of immunodeficiency in HIV infection and ways of overcoming it].
AB  - Though antibodies against HIV-1 appearing in the course of infection are
      successfully used for the diagnostic purposes, their accumulation on the earlier
      step leads to: firstly, to the rapid generation of the immunodeficiency by
      different mechanisms and secondly, to inefficiency of immunotherapy. One of the
      causes for immunodeficiency seems to be antibodies which are induced in the HIV
      infected person by the HIV peptides homologous to the MHC class II molecules by
      their amino acid sequences. 73% of HIV-1 positive sera are shown to react with
      human B-lymphoma cells expressing surface class II molecule. The binding is
      caused by the antibodies preventing the murine monoclonal anti-HLA.DR Ab
      interaction with B-lymphoma. Three amino acid sequences are identified in both
      alpha- and beta-chain of the HLA.DR antigen, these sequences being homologous to
      HIV-1 gp120 or gp42 molecules for 50 to 70%. Using synthetic peptides it was
      shown that HIV-1-infected persons contain antibodies which cross-react to the
      homologous peptides of the HIV-1 and of the MHC class II. It is supposed that
      such antibodies shield the class II molecule on the surface of their own antigen
      presenting cell which may lead to immunodeficiency caused by the anti-HIV-1
      antibody.

PMID- 1427055
TI  - [A system for analysis of yeast mutants deficient in the genetic recombination
      process].
AB  - A system of molecular-genetic methods intended for analysis of yeast Rec-mutants
      was developed. A number of plasmids containing noncomplementing mutations in the
      ADE2 gene and different selective markers were constructed. The system was based
      upon the phenomenon of interplasmid intragenic recombination during
      transformation and mitotic division. Transformation of yeast cells with the
      plasmid containing two long right repeats allowed to estimate the efficiency of
      intraplasmid crossing-over. The system also allows to study plasmid-chromosomal
      interaction. To check up the system proposed, a well known rad50 and rad52
      mutants were used. The rad52-1 mutation was found sharply decreased the levels
      both intra- and interplasmid recombination events. On the other hand, rad50-1
      mutation has not influences or stimulates the processes. Thus, the system
      proposed efficiently distinguishes the mutants deficient in different stages of
      recombinational process.

PMID- 1427056
TI  - [Determination of the minimal length DNA homologous region required for plasmid
      integration into the Bacillus subtilis chromosome via homologous recombination].
AB  - With a view to determine a minimal sequence length of homology necessary for RecE
      dependent homologous recombination in Bacillus subtilis cells, we developed a
      system, based on interaction between plasmid replicon and bacterial chromosome.
      Recombination frequencies were measured between ts plasmid pE194 derivatives
      carrying chromosomal beta-glucuronidase gene (bglS) fragments of various length,
      and a bacterial chromosome. The homologous recombination events resulted in bglS
      gene disruption. Approx. 70 bp of homology were found to be necessary for
      detectable homologous recombination. Homologous recombination was not detected
      when homology was equal 25 bp. These data indicate that homology requirement for
      recombination in B. subtilis differs from that in Escherichia coli.

PMID- 1427057
TI  - [Mutagenic effect on Escherichia coli bacteria of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine--a
      DNA base damage product induced by oxygen radicals and ionizing radiation].
AB  - The effect of 8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) (8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine)--a DNA
      base damage product induced by oxygen radicals and irradiation on survival and
      mutagenesis in Escherichia coli strains C-600 and P-687 was investigated.
      Survival and mutagenesis curves, in dependence of 8-oxo-dG concentrations in the
      medium, ranging from 0.2 through 10 mM, were obtained. Bacterial survival at all
      8-oxo-dG concentrations tested was shown to be no lesser than in the control. The
      mutagenic effect of 8-oxo-dG was tested by frequency of reversions in the absence
      of leucine and threonine. A non-linear dependence of mutagenesis on the
      concentration was observed. Linear increase in the amount of revertants took
      place at concentrations of 8-oxo-dG lower than 1 mM, and being kept constant at
      higher concentrations. Induction of SOS repair under the action of 8-oxo-dG in E.
      coli PQ37 strain was estimated according to alteration of activity of beta
      galactosidase in the SOS chromotest. Weak induction of the SOS response was
      observed within the wide range of 8-oxo-dG concentration values, which points to
      a lack of genotoxicity and independence of mutagenesis on SOS repair.

PMID- 1427058
TI  - [Effect of hms mutations increasing spontaneous mutability on induced mutagenesis
      and mitotic recombination in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae].
AB  - The influence of five nonallelic mutations hsm-1-hsm-5 on the frequency of
      mutations induced by UV-light, 6-hydroxyl-aminopurine (GAP) and nitrosomethylurea
      (NMM) at the ADE1 and ADE2 loci was studied. All hsm mutants were resistant to
      the lethal effect of these mutagens. The frequency of mutations induced by UV
      light was increased in hsm2-1, hsm3-1, hsm5-1 and especially in hsm1-1 mutants,
      the hsm4-1 mutant not differing from the HSM strain. GAP-induced mutagenesis was
      elevated in all hsm mutants and, particularly, in hsm3-1. No influence of hsm
      mutations on the frequency of NMM-induced mutations was observed. The frequency
      of spontaneous mitotic gene conversion was studied in the diploids heteroallelic
      for mutations in the gene ADE2 (ade2-58 ade2-i) and homo- and heterozygous for
      the hsm mutations (HSMHSM and HSMhsm). The mutations hsm2-1, hsm3-1 and
      especially hsm5-1 strongly increased the conversion frequency for all
      heteroallelic combinations studied. The mutations hsm1-1, hsm4-1 affected this
      process weakly. The properties of the hsm mutations under study demonstrated
      common genetic control of spontaneous and induced mutagenesis and recombination
      in the yeast. Possible belonging of hsm mutations to the class of mutations
      destroying the repair pathway for mismatch correction is under discussion.

PMID- 1427059
TI  - [Homology and evolution of gene orders: combinatorial measure of synteny group
      similarity and simulation of the evolution process].
AB  - Combinatorial measure of synteny group similarity allowing quantitative
      comparison of evolutional divergence of genomes with the known distribution of
      homologous genes along the chromosomes is proposed. Computer simulation of
      chromosome evolution process resulting in gene localization changes was
      performed. It is sufficient to fix about 50 large rearrangements, like chromosome
      breakages, fusions and translocations for disappearance of significant similarity
      between the daughter and parental genomes, in respect of gene distribution in
      synteny groups.

PMID- 1427060
TI  - [Inversion polymorphism in the malaria mosquito Anopheles messeae. XI. The group
      effect of larval infection with Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israeliensis
      bacteria].
AB  - Genetic consequences of the group and individual infections of Anopheles messeae
      larvae with bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) were
      examined. The group effect of infections was manifested by increase in mortality
      and the speed-up of selection of chromosomal inversions resistant to Bti.
      Connection between the group and individual selections during the process of
      populations' adaptation is under discussion.

PMID- 1427061
TI  - Cytology of recessive sexual-phase mutants from wild strains of Neurospora
      crassa.
AB  - Wild-collected strains of Neurospora crassa harbor recessive mutations that are
      expressed in the sexual phase when homozygous. Thirty-two representative mutants
      that produced barren perithecia were examined cytologically. Six of these mutants
      failed to form asci. Of the remaining 26, chromosome pairing was disturbed in 12
      and meiosis was disturbed at pachytene or diplotene in 5. Seven mutants showed
      normal meiosis I but then diverged from the normal sequence, and two showed
      perithecial beak abnormalities. In many mutants, ascus development and nuclear
      divisions continued after the initial defect, albeit abnormally. Nuclear
      divisions were often delayed, essentially uncoupling them from other ascus events
      such as the formation of enlarged spindle pole body plaques, ascospore wall
      membranes, and spore delimitation. All 32 mutants were recessive and none showed
      obvious morphological abnormalities during vegetative growth. This phenotype
      contrasts sharply with that of numerous laboratory-induced ascus mutants, which
      are frequently expressed pleiotropically in the vegetative phase and several are
      dominant in the sexual phase.

PMID- 1427062
TI  - Chromosome rearrangement patterns of an SD chromosome (SDKona-2) in Drosophila
      melanogaster caused by hybrid dysgenesis.
AB  - The types and frequencies of spontaneous chromosome rearrangements caused by
      hybrid dysgenesis were studied in a second chromosome autosome of Drosophila
      melanogaster. This second chromosome, being an SD chromosome, had two important
      advantages over other autosomes for this study: (i) it had the two inversions
      characteristic of a standard SD-72 chromosome type, which distinguished it from
      its homolog in polytene chromosome spreads, and (ii) because of the meiotic drive
      associated with the segregation distorter system, it was preferentially
      transmitted to the next generation. The chromosome mutation frequency of this
      chromosome (given the name SDKona-2) was 8.3 and 11.7% in the F2 and F3
      generations, respectively. The types of new chromosome rearrangements observed in
      the first four generations included paracentric inversions, pericentric
      inversions, duplications, deletions, reciprocal translocations (involving the
      third chromosome), and transpositions. Small paracentric inversions were the most
      common type of new rearrangement. Later, over 35 generations, some of these new
      rearrangements changed, either by becoming more complex or by being replaced with
      yet another new chromosome rearrangement. Duplications were unstable and were
      replaced by paracentric inversions whose breakpoints were on either side of the
      duplication. Transpositions arose both from a single multibreak event and from a
      series of two-break events.

PMID- 1427063
TI  - Genetic analysis of heat shock response in three Drosophila species of the
      obscura group.
AB  - Heat shock response was investigated in three species of the obscura group of the
      Drosophila genus (D. subobscura, D. guanche, and D. madeirensis) by chromosome
      cytology analysis and [3H]uridine labeling. A set of eight puffs (2C, 15DE, 18C,
      27A, 31CD, 85AB, 89A, and 94A) were induced after heat treatments in each of the
      three species; 18C, 27A, 89A, and 94A were the most heavily labeled in the
      autoradiograms after the induced conditions. From the in situ results using the
      major heat shock genes of D. melanogaster as a probe, it was inferred that the
      18C, 94A, 89A, and 27A loci of the three obscura group species are homologous to
      D. melanogaster loci, which contain, HSP82, HSP70, HSP68, and HSPs encoding for
      the small heat shock proteins, respectively. When this organization was compared
      with that of D. melanogaster, fewer evolutionary changes, mainly gene
      duplications, were found to have occurred in the obscura group species than in
      the D. melanogaster group. In the three species analyzed in this work, as well as
      in the other Drosophila species studied, the heat shock genes are distributed on
      D and E Muller's elements, behaving as single copy genes that do not move around
      the genome.

PMID- 1427064
TI  - Detection of polymorphic loci in Arachis germplasm using random amplified
      polymorphic DNAs.
AB  - The development of easily scoreable genetic markers in Arachis will facilitate
      the introgression of desirable traits from wild species into adapted germplasm.
      We have used random amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs) to identify polymorphic
      molecular markers in a range of wild and cultivated Arachis species. From a total
      of sixty 10-mer oligonucleotide primers, 49 polymorphic loci were identified
      between cultivated A. hypogaea type (TMV-2) and a synthetic amphidiploid (B x C)2
      created from a A. batizocoi and A. chacoense cross. The inheritance of
      polymorphic markers, both in the amphidiploid and in the F1 progeny in a TMV-2 x
      (B x C)2 cross, has also been demonstrated. The potential exploitation of RAPD
      markers in groundnut improvement programs is discussed.

PMID- 1427065
TI  - Aspirin-induced asthma: pathogenesis and clinical presentation.
AB  - In about 10% of adult asthmatics, aspirin precipitates open asthmatic attacks.
      Pathogenesis, clinical features, and diagnosis of a distinct clinical syndrome
      known as aspirin-induced asthma are described. The syndrome attracts the
      attention of scientists and clinicians who are convinced that unraveling its
      mysteries may give new insights into the pathogenesis of asthma.

PMID- 1427066
TI  - Management of aspirin-sensitive rhinosinusitis-asthma syndrome: what role for
      aspirin desensitization?
AB  - Although aspirin is only one of the triggers of asthma attacks in patients with
      aspirin-sensitive rhinosinusitis asthma, aspirin sensitivity heralds severe and
      protracted disease requiring comprehensive management of all components of the
      syndrome. A review of the literature on the management of patients with aspirin
      sensitive rhinosinusitis-asthma allows for the establishment of guidelines for
      conducting aspirin desensitization and evaluating the clinical usefulness of this
      procedure.

PMID- 1427067
TI  - Commentary: the American experience with aspirin desensitization for aspirin
      sensitive rhinosinusitis and asthma.
AB  - The experience in the United States with aspirin sensitivity associated with
      rhinosinusitis and asthma is generally in agreement with the European perspective
      offered by Drs. Szczeklik and Kowalski, though our approach to challenging these
      patients is slightly different. Most aspirin-sensitive patients no not have a
      family history of aspirin sensitivity. Aspirin sensitivity is found in one third
      of patients having nasal polyps, rhinosinusitis, and asthma, the remaining two
      thirds of these patients having no adverse response to aspirin ingestion. In 85%
      of asthmatics who give a history of aspirin-induced bronchospasm, oral aspirin
      challenges are positive. Thus, a small group of patients have inappropriately
      assigned aspirin-sensitive asthmatic (ASA) as the cause of a prior asthmatic
      attack that in reality had been induced by an independent provoking factor.

PMID- 1427068
TI  - A clinical and immunologic study of employees in a facility manufacturing
      trimellitic anhydride.
AB  - We conducted a 1-year cross-sectional survey of 474 employees of a large chemical
      manufacturing complex to relate trimellitic anhydride (TMA) exposure to serologic
      and clinical outcomes. In 1988-1989, employees were evaluated by history and
      immunologic assay of total (T) and IgE antibody to trimellityl human serum
      albumin (TM-HSA). All employees were assigned to a TMA exposure class, from 1
      (highest) to 5 (lowest), by an industrial hygienist, independent of the clinical
      and immunological data. Thirty-two (6.8%) of 474 employees had a TMA immunologic
      syndrome, 31.6% with an irritant response and 61.6% with no symptoms. Twelve had
      asthma/rhinitis, 10 had the late respiratory systemic syndrome (LRSS), four had
      late onset asthma, one had late onset arthralgia, and five had a distant history
      of LRSS. Included in this survey of the entire work force were 321 new enrollees,
      who had not joined the previous (1976 to 1988) voluntary surveillance program.
      Only four (1.3%) of the new enrollee group had a TMA immunologic syndrome. Among
      new enrollees, there were lower mean total and IgE serum antibody levels in lower
      exposure classes and a higher percentage with elevated antibody levels in high
      exposure classes (for T, x2 = 17.5, p = .0016; for IgE, x2 = 76.7, p less than
      .0001). In the new enrollee population, demographic variables of age, sex, date
      of hire, and smoking status were examined related to antibody levels. Only
      current or former smoking was related to elevated total antibody levels.

PMID- 1427069
TI  - Avicenna on food aversions and dietary prescriptions.

PMID- 1427070
TI  - Cyclin-B homologs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae function in S phase and in G2.
AB  - We have cloned four cyclin-B homologs from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, CLB1-CLB4,
      using the polymerase chain reaction and low stringency hybridization approaches.
      These genes form two classes based on sequence relatedness: CLB1 and CLB2 show
      highest homology to the Schizosaccharomyces pombe cyclin-B homolog cdc13 involved
      in the initiation of mitosis, whereas CLB3 and CLB4 are more highly related to
      the S. pombe cyclin-B homolog cig1, which appears to play a role in G1 or S
      phase. CLB1 and CLB2 mRNA levels peak late in the cell cycle, whereas CLB3 and
      CLB4 are expressed earlier in the cell cycle but peak later than the G1-specific
      cyclin, CLN1. Analysis of null mutations suggested that the CLB genes exhibit
      some degree of redundancy, but clb1,2 and clb2,3 cells were inviable. Using
      clb1,2,3,4 cells rescued by conditional overproduction of CLB1, we showed that
      the CLB genes perform an essential role at the G2/M-phase transition, and also a
      role in S phase. CLB genes also appear to share a role in the assembly and
      maintenance of the mitotic spindle. Taken together, these analyses suggest that
      CLB1 and CLB2 are crucial for mitotic induction, whereas CLB3 and CLB4 might
      participate additionally in DNA replication and spindle assembly.

PMID- 1427071
TI  - Fission yeast genes involved in coupling mitosis to completion of DNA
      replication.
AB  - We have isolated fission yeast mutants that enter mitosis when DNA replication is
      blocked with hydroxyurea. The mutants define eight linkage groups, three of which
      consist of alleles of the rad1, rad3, and rad17 genes. Recently, these fission
      yeast genes have been shown to be required for radiation-induced cell cycle
      arrest, as is the budding yeast RAD9 gene. The other five genes are called hus
      (hydroxyurea sensitive) 1-5. We propose that these genes participate in an
      intracellular signal transduction pathway that monitors the completion of DNA
      replication and transmits information to the mitotic control protein cdc2.
      Mutations that bypass the requirement for cdc25 (an activator of the mitotic
      regulator cdc2) also uncouple mitosis from DNA replication. However, mitosis is
      blocked by inhibitors of DNA replication in strains in which the cdc25 gene has
      been deleted, indicating that although cdc25 influences the coupling of mitosis
      to the completion of DNA replication, it is not essential for this control.

PMID- 1427072
TI  - Interaction of HTLV-1 Tax1 with p67SRF causes the aberrant induction of cellular
      immediate early genes through CArG boxes.
AB  - Tax1 of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a transcriptional
      activator for viral gene expression and is also a transforming protein through
      inducing the expression of several cellular genes under the control of mitogenic
      signals. We identified the CArG boxes as a Tax1-responsive cis-acting element for
      the cellular immediate early genes c-fos, egr-1, and egr-2. Using a chimeric
      protein consisting of the CArG-binding factor p67SRF and the heterologous DNA
      binding domain of a yeast transcription factor GAL4, we demonstrated that Tax1
      activates the transcriptional activity of p67SRF through the GAL4-binding site.
      The carboxy-terminal half of p67SRF, which lacks domains for DNA-binding,
      dimerization, and ternary complex formation with p62TCF, was sufficient for the
      activation by Tax1. Tax1 produced in Escherichia coli bound p67SRF in vitro. The
      complex formation in vivo was also indicated by the finding that the acidic
      activation domain of VP16, by fusion to p67SRF, can complement the
      transcriptional activation function of a mutant Tax1 in trans. Thus, Tax1
      activates CArG-mediated transcription without mitogenic signals through
      interaction with a CArG-binding factor, p67SRF. This must be one of the primary
      steps by which Tax1 causes aberration in growth control of the infected cells.

PMID- 1427073
TI  - The VP16 transcription activation domain is functional when targeted to a
      promoter-proximal RNA sequence.
AB  - Among eukaryotic transcription trans-activators, the human immunodeficiency virus
      type 1 (HIV-1) Tat protein is exceptional in that its target site TAR is an RNA
      rather than a DNA sequence. Here, we confirm that fusion of Tat to the RNA
      binding domain of the HIV-1 Rev protein permits the efficient activation of an
      HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter in which critical TAR sequences have
      been replaced by RNA sequences derived from the HIV-1 Rev response element (RRE).
      An RRE target sequence as small as 13 nucleotides is shown to form an effective
      in vivo target for Rev binding. More important, a fusion protein consisting of
      Rev attached to the VP16 transcription activation domain was also observed to
      efficiently activate the HIV-1 LTR from this nascent RNA target. These data
      demonstrate that trans-activation of transcription by acidic activation domains
      does not require a stable interaction with the promoter DNA and suggest that
      VP16, like Tat, can act on steps subsequent to the formation of the HIV-1 LTR
      preinitiation complex. The finding that the activation domains of VP16 and Tat
      are functionally interchangeable raises the possibility that these apparently
      disparate viral trans-activators may nevertheless act via similar mechanisms.

PMID- 1427074
TI  - Mutations affecting stability and deadenylation of the yeast MFA2 transcript.
AB  - Decay rates of individual mRNAs in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae can vary by
      10- to 20-fold. To determine the basis for the rapid degradation of the mRNA
      encoded by the yeast MFA2 gene we have used a genetic screen to isolate mutations
      that increase the stability of this transcript. Analysis of point mutations
      obtained from this screen, and of additional lesions constructed in vitro,
      indicated that the MFA2 3'-untranslated region (UTR) contains sequences that
      specify rapid mRNA decay. Moreover, the lesions that affected mRNA decay rate
      also affected the process of mRNA deadenylation. Mutations in one region of the
      3' UTR both decreased the rate of poly(A) shortening and increased the stability
      of an intermediate form in the decay pathway with an oligo(A) tail (approximately
      10 nucleotides). Mutations in a second region primarily increased the stability
      of the oligo(A) form. These results suggest that the decay of the MFA2 mRNA
      initiates with the shortening of the poly(A) tail and there are specific
      sequences within the 3' UTR that stimulate poly(A) tail shortening as well as
      subsequent steps in the decay pathway. Given the similarity of this decay pathway
      to that seen for some mammalian mRNAs, these results suggest that mRNA
      deadenylation may be a common mechanism of mRNA turnover.

PMID- 1427075
TI  - An essential splicing factor, SLU7, mediates 3' splice site choice in yeast.
AB  - Recently, we have reported the identification of several genes that exhibit
      genetic interactions with the U5 snRNA. Two of these genes, SLU4 and SLU7 (SLU:
      synergistic lethal with U5 snRNA), encode products required for the second
      catalytic step of splicing. To analyze the specific roles of SLU4 and SLU7, we
      have determined how mutants influence the relative usage of competing 3' splice
      sites. We find that mutations in SLU7 eliminate the normal 20-fold preference for
      3' splice sites located > 22 nucleotides downstream of the branchpoint. In
      contrast, mutations in SLU4 inhibit usage of all 3' splice sites, regardless of
      their location. This suggests that SLU7 is involved in the process of 3' splice
      site choice, whereas SLU4 fulfills a generic requirement for the second step. We
      show that SLU7 is an essential gene that contains a small motif with striking
      similarity to the cysteine-rich zinc knuckle of retroviral nucleocapsid proteins,
      which has been implicated in RNA binding. Mutational analysis of SLU7 indicates
      that this motif influences the efficiency, but not the sequence specificity, of
      3' splice site selection. The identification of a component of the constitutive
      splicing machinery that can promote 3' splice site choice has potentially
      important implications for alternative splicing.

PMID- 1427076
TI  - The Drosophila couch potato protein is expressed in nuclei of peripheral neuronal
      precursors and shows homology to RNA-binding proteins.
AB  - Through enhancer detection screens we have isolated and cloned an essential gene
      that is expressed in the neuronal precursors and their daughter cells in the
      Drosophila embryonic peripheral nervous system (PNS). The gene is named couch
      potato (cpo), because several partial loss-of-function alleles cause hypoactive
      behavior in adults. Here, we present evidence that the structure of the cpo locus
      is unusually complex: It spans > 100 kb, encodes three different messages, is
      differentially spliced, lacks an AUG initiation codon, and may encode three
      different proteins. Two putative Cpo proteins contain similar but nonidentical
      RNA-binding domains that are most homologous to the RNA-binding domains of the
      Drosophila embryonic lethal abnormal vision (elav) gene and a human brain protein
      that has been implicated in a paraneoplastic sensory neuropathy. Polyclonal
      antibodies raised against a fusion protein localize Cpo to the nucleus.
      Immunocytochemical studies demonstrate that the achaete-scute and daughterless
      genes are required for proper expression of cpo in the PNS but not in other cells
      that express cpo. On the basis of our observations, we present a model in which
      cpo is controlled by genes that determine cells to become PNS cells. Cpo, in
      turn, may control the processing of RNA molecules required for the proper
      functioning of the PNS.

PMID- 1427077
TI  - deadpan, an essential pan-neural gene in Drosophila, encodes a helix-loop-helix
      protein similar to the hairy gene product.
AB  - Neural precursor cells in Drosophila acquire their identity early during their
      formation. In an attempt to determine whether all neural precursors share a set
      of genetic machinery, perhaps to control properties of differentiation common to
      all neurons, we used the enhancer-trap method to identify several genes (pan
      neural genes) that are expressed in all neurons and/or their precursors. One of
      the pan-neural genes is deadpan, which encodes a helix-loop-helix protein closely
      related to the product of the segmentation gene hairy. The function of deadpan is
      essential for viability and is likely to be involved in the functional rather
      than the morphological differentiation of neurons.

PMID- 1427078
TI  - Allelic diversity of the maize B regulatory gene: different leader and promoter
      sequences of two B alleles determine distinct tissue specificities of anthocyanin
      production.
AB  - The B gene encodes a transcription factor of the basic helix-loop-helix class,
      which controls the synthesis of the anthocyanin pigments in maize. This gene, as
      well as the highly homologous R gene family, displays extensive allelic variation
      in that different alleles cause distinct distributions of anthocyanin pigments in
      different tissues and at different developmental times. The analysis of the
      expression of two B alleles, with distinct tissue-specific patterns of
      anthocyanin synthesis in plant and seed tissues, demonstrates that the amount of
      B transcripts correlates with the accumulation of anthocyanins in the various
      tissues. The comparison of the genomic clones for the two alleles reveals high
      sequence identity in the coding and 3'-flanking regions (98% and approximately
      90%, respectively). In contrast, the most 5' region of their mRNAs and the 5'
      flanking sequences share no significant sequence identity. This result suggests
      that the alleles diverged from each other by complex genome rearrangements rather
      than by simple base pair substitutions. We have used the high velocity
      microprojectile transformation assay to demonstrate that the differential
      expression of the two alleles in the seed is determined by their 5' variant
      sequences. Thus, the variation in tissue-specific anthocyanin synthesis in plants
      with these different B alleles is controlled at the level of B gene expression.

PMID- 1427079
TI  - Promoter melting and TFIID complexes on Drosophila genes in vivo.
AB  - In vivo UV cross-linking and nuclear transcriptional run-on experiments have
      shown that a number of Drosophila genes possess an elongationally paused RNA
      polymerase on their 5' ends. Here, we examine in vivo promoters that do and do
      not possess paused polymerases using the single-stranded DNA-probing reagent
      KMnO4. Melted DNA helices are found associated with the pause site of the
      uninduced hsp70 and hsp26 heat shock genes and the constitutively expressed beta
      1 tubulin gene. The histone H1 and H2B genes, which lack a paused polymerase,
      have no comparable region of melted DNA. Melting at the pause site persists upon
      heat shock induction of the hsp70 and hsp26 genes, indicating that pausing
      continues after gene activation. Interestingly, activation triggers additional
      melting, both at the start site (in the region where open complexes would be
      expected to form) and downstream of the uninduced pause site. In the course of
      our studies, we discovered that some T residues of the TATA box were protected
      from KMnO4 modification in both induced and uninduced cells. This protection
      appears to be a consequence of TFIID binding, as a similar protection pattern
      could be produced in vitro with purified protein.

PMID- 1427080
TI  - The block to transcriptional elongation within the human c-myc gene is determined
      in the promoter-proximal region.
AB  - A conditional block to transcriptional elongation is an important mechanism for
      regulating c-myc gene expression. This elongation block within the first c-myc
      exon was defined originally in mammalian cells by nuclear run-on transcription
      analyses. Subsequent oocyte injection and in vitro transcription analyses
      suggested that sequences near the end of the first c-myc exon are sites of
      attenuation and/or premature termination. We report here that the mapping of
      single stranded DNA in vivo with potassium permanganate (KMnO4) and nuclear run
      on transcription assays reveal that polymerase is paused near position +30
      relative to the major c-myc transcription initiation site. Deletion of 350 bp,
      including the sites of 3'-end formation and intrinsic termination defined in
      oocyte injection and in vitro transcription assays does not affect-the pausing of
      polymerase in the promoter-proximal region. In addition, sequences upstream of
      +47 are sufficient to confer the promoter-proximal pausing of polymerases and to
      generate the polarity of transcription farther downstream. Thus, the promoter
      proximal pausing of RNA polymerase II complexes accounts for the block to
      elongation within the c-myc gene in mammalian cells. We speculate that
      modification of polymerase complexes at the promoter-proximal pause site may
      determine whether polymerases can read through intrinsic sites of termination
      farther downstream.

PMID- 1427081
TI  - Escherichia coli RuvA and RuvB proteins specifically interact with Holliday
      junctions and promote branch migration.
AB  - The Escherichia coli ruvA and ruvB genes are involved in DNA repair and in the
      late step of homologous genetic recombination. We have demonstrated previously
      that the RuvA-RuvB protein complex in the presence of ATP promotes reabsorption
      of cruciform structures extruded from a supercoiled plasmid with an inverted
      repeat sequence. Because the cruciform structure is topologically analogous to
      the Holiday structure, we have proposed that the role of the RuvA and RuvB
      proteins in recombination is to promote a strand exchange reaction at the
      Holliday junction. Here, we studied the specific interaction of the RuvA-RuvB
      complex with the Holliday structure using synthetic analogs prepared by annealing
      four oligonucleotides. The affinities of the RuvA protein for synthetic Holliday
      junctions are much higher (> 20-fold) than for duplex DNA, and the affinities of
      the RuvA protein for the junctions are further enhanced (> 4-fold) by the
      interaction with the RuvB protein. The RuvA-RuvB protein complex in the presence
      of ATP promotes dissociation of the synthetic Holliday junction with homology in
      the central core into two halves by catalyzing branch migration to the DNA ends,
      but it does not affect the structure of the synthetic Holliday junction without
      the homology. The separation of the synthetic Holliday junction is a result of
      the activity of the RuvA-RuvB complex that promotes strand exchange and DNA
      unwinding. Furthermore, RuvA and RuvB promote the strand exchange reaction at the
      Holliday junctions made by RecA. These results provide further evidence that the
      RuvA-RuvB complex recognizes the Holliday junction and promotes branch migration
      in homologous recombination.

PMID- 1427082
TI  - Cloning, sequencing, overproduction, and purification of M. CviBI (GANTC)
      methyltransferase from Chlorella virus NC-1A [corrected].
AB  - We have cloned and sequenced the cvibIM gene from Chlorella virus NC-1A by
      selecting for the modification phenotype. The modification gene was cloned on a 7
      kb BamHI fragment inserted into the BamHI site of the pUC13 plasmid. The cvibIM
      gene was localized at the 3' end of this fragment. Sequencing of this region
      revealed a large open reading frame that codes for methyltransferase (MTase;
      symbol M.) (predicting 260 amino acids). M.CviBI (GANTC) aa sequence is
      homologous to M.Dam(GATC), M.DpnII(GATC), and M.T4 (GATC), and not so to
      M.HinfI(GANTC), M.HhaII (GANTC), and M.DpnA(GATC). We also describe the use of
      the polymerase chain reaction technique to alter transcriptional and
      translational signals surrounding this gene so as to achieve overexpression in
      Escherichia coli. This construct yields M.CviBI at 2-3% of the total cellular
      protein. The MTase was purified by phosphocellulose, DEAE, and gel filtration
      chromatography. Its size by SDS-PAGE is approx. 28 kDa, in good agreement with
      that predicted from the nucleotide sequence.

PMID- 1427083
TI  - Protein-coding introns from the 23S rRNA-encoding gene form stable circles in the
      hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrobaculum organotrophum.
AB  - Two archaeal introns have been discovered in the single-copy 23S rRNA-encoding
      gene of the hyperthermophile, Pyrobaculum organotrophum. After excision from rRNA
      transcripts, both introns circularize and are stably retained in the cell.
      Putative proteins encoded by the introns and covering most of the intron sequence
      share a decapeptide motif with proteins encoded by another archaeal intron and by
      group I introns.

PMID- 1427084
TI  - Amino acid substitution in the C-terminal arm domain of HU-2 results in an
      enhanced affinity for DNA.
AB  - Three mutants of the Escherichia coli hupA gene, encoding the HU-2 protein, were
      constructed by synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotide-directed, site-specific
      mutagenesis on M13mp18 vectors. The resulting HupAN10, HupAN11 and HupAN12
      proteins contained Thr59-->Lys, Gln64-->Lys and Asn53-->Arg substitutions,
      respectively. These amino acid (aa) changes increased the positive charge of the
      N-terminal half of the two-strand, antiparallel beta-ribbon of the arm structure,
      which is believed to be a domain for DNA binding. The three mutant proteins bound
      to DNA more tightly than wild-type HU-2, and their affinities for DNA increased
      in the order of HupAN10, HupAN11, HupAN12. The mutant proteins showed a slightly
      increased HU activity for supporting Mu phage development. A mutant HU-2 protein
      with increased basicity, but with an altered aa sequence in the arm region due to
      a frameshift mutation, was also constructed. This mutant protein showed a reduced
      affinity to DNA and was unable to support Mu growth, suggesting that a unique aa
      sequence of the arm domain, rather than mere basicity of this domain, is required
      for efficient binding to DNA.

PMID- 1427085
TI  - Cloning and characterization of genes involved in the biosynthesis of delta
      aminolevulinic acid in Escherichia coli.
AB  - Several mutants of Escherichia coli that had lost their ability to synthesize
      delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) via the C5 pathway were isolated. Their defective
      loci were classified into two groups, AlaA- and AlaB-. The genes that
      complemented these mutations were cloned. Nucleotide sequencing indicated that
      the gene that complemented AlaA- was identical to hemL which is located at 4 min
      on the E. coli chromosome and encodes glutamate 1-semialdehyde aminotransferase.
      The gene complementing AlaB- contained an open reading frame (ORF) encoding a
      polypeptide of 207 amino acids that was found to be a new gene involved in the
      synthesis of ALA via the C5 pathway. Thus, we designated the gene hemM. The hemM
      gene was adjacent to hemA that is located at 27 min and previously thought to
      encode glutamyl-tRNA dehydrogenase. However, we found that hemA complemented both
      the AlaA- (hemL) and AlaB- (hemM) mutants defective in the C5 pathway although
      the transformants showed small colonies on the selective medium without ALA.
      These results suggest that hemA is not involved in the C5 pathway, but controls a
      second, minor pathway for the synthesis of ALA.

PMID- 1427086
TI  - Molecular analysis of the recA gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58.
AB  - The complete nucleotide sequence of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens recA gene was
      determined. A comparison of the translated open reading frame of the gene with
      other known recA sequences revealed significant sequence conservation. However,
      unlike its Escherichia coli equivalent, A. tumefaciens recA lacks the upstream
      'SOS box', suggesting a different mechanism of regulation for this gene.

PMID- 1427087
TI  - A novel Bacillus subtilis expression vector based on bacteriophage phi 105.
AB  - We have developed a novel expression vector based on the bacteriophage phi 105,
      and employed it for the production of mutant beta-lactamases in Bacillus
      subtilis. Expression of the beta-lactamase-encoding gene was low when cloned into
      the prophage under the control of its own promoter. However, expression was
      considerably elevated when the gene was inserted into the phage genome in the
      same orientation as phage transcription. A defective phi 105 vector was
      constructed with a deletion removing a region needed for cell lysis, and with a
      mutation in the immunity repressor, rendering it temperature sensitive.
      Production of beta-lactamase could then be induced by a shift in temperature and
      without concomitant cell lysis, facilitating purification of the protein from the
      culture supernatant. This phage has considerable potential for development as a
      vector for controllable production of heterologous proteins in B. subtilis.

PMID- 1427088
TI  - Streptomyces lividans glycosylates an exoglucanase (Cex) from Cellulomonas fimi.
AB  - Exoglucanase Cex from Cellulomonas fimi is a glycoprotein [Langsford et al., J.
      Gen. Microbiol. 130 (1984) 1367-1376]. Cex produced by Streptomyces lividans from
      the cloned cex gene is also glycosylated. The extent and nature of glycosylation
      are similar for Cex from both organisms. The glycosylation affords protection
      against proteolysis for the enzymes from both organisms when they are bound to
      cellulose, but not in solution. The ability to glycosylate cloned gene products
      enhances the utility of Streptomyces as a host for the production of heterologous
      polypeptides.

PMID- 1427089
TI  - Isolation and characterization of the gene coding for the major sigma factor of
      Rickettsia prowazekii DNA-dependent RNA polymerase.
AB  - The gene coding for the major sigma factor of Rickettsia prowazekii, an obligate
      intracellular parasitic bacterium, has been isolated utilizing an
      oligodeoxyribonucleotide as a probe to a conserved region of major sigma factors.
      Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed an open reading frame of 1905 bp that could
      encode a protein of 635 amino acids (aa) with a calculated molecular size of 73
      kDa (sigma 73). R. prowazekii sigma 73 displayed extensive homology with major
      sigma factors from a variety of eubacteria. Comparison of the major sigma factors
      from Escherichia coli and R. prowazekii revealed 44.9% aa identity. R. prowazekii
      sigma 73 produced in E. coli minicells migrated as a 85-kDa protein when analyzed
      by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. This anomalous
      migration is characteristic of eubacterial major sigma factors and agrees with
      the migration noted for the purified rickettsial sigma protein. Despite a
      similarity to the E. coli sigma 70 encoded by rpoD, R. prowazekii sigma 73 did
      not complement E. coli rpoD temperature-sensitive mutants.

PMID- 1427090
TI  - Automatic elimination of unnecessary bacterial sequences from yeast vectors.
AB  - Most vectors for Saccharomyces cerevisiae are shuttle vectors which can be both
      propagated and selected in Escherichia coli. The DNA segments, however, which are
      required for propagation in E. coli are unnecessary and moreover toxic in S.
      cerevisiae. To delete these harmful DNA fragments from the vector after it is
      introduced into S. cerevisiae cells, we propose a specific gene conversion
      mechanism of a yeast plasmid, pSR1. Plasmid pSR1 has a pair of inverted repeats
      (IRs) that divides the plasmid molecule into two unique regions. Intramolecular
      recombination frequently occurs at a pair of specific recombination sites in IRs
      catalyzed by recombinase R, encoded by a pSR1 plasmid gene. This R-mediated
      recombination is often accompanied by gene conversion in IRs. Thus, a 2.1-kb
      pBR322 sequence for the E. coli host ligated into one of the IRs of a composite
      plasmid was automatically and effectively eliminated when the plasmid was
      introduced into S. cerevisiae cells.

PMID- 1427091
TI  - The phenotype of a dihydrofolate reductase mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - We have constructed a dihydrofolate reductase mutant (dfr1) of Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae. The mutant has auxotrophic growth requirements for the C1 metabolites
      dTMP, adenine, histidine and methionine, similar to those of wild-type (wt)
      strains grown in the presence of methotrexate (MTX). However, unlike wt strains
      treated with MTX, the growth requirements of the dfr1 mutant are not satisfied by
      exogenous 5-formyltetrahydrofolic acid (FA; folinic acid) in complex (YEPD)
      medium. This result is surprising, as yeast cells treated with MTX are expected
      to be phenocopies of dfr1 mutants. The inability of the mutants to metabolize FA
      suggests that the DFR1 gene product may have a role in folate metabolism in
      addition to its well-characterized function in the reduction of dihydrofolate.
      From dfr1 strains, we have isolated secondary mutants whose growth can be
      supported by FA in YEPD medium. This FA-utilizing phenotype is attributable to
      recessive mutations which we have designated fou. In addition to their inability
      to metabolize FA, the dfr1 strains are unable to grow on medium containing the
      non-fermentable carbon source glycerol, suggesting that the DFR1 gene product is
      also required for mitochondrial function. In order to overcome this lack of
      respiratory activity in the dfr1 mutants, we isolated strains containing a
      dominant mutation, DIR, which allows growth on glycerol in the presence of
      antifolate drugs. When crossed into dfr1 strains, the DIR mutation conferred
      respiratory competence. These strains should be useful in a variety of studies on
      the genetics and biochemistry of folate metabolism in this simple eukaryote.

PMID- 1427092
TI  - A simple and efficient method for the oligodeoxyribonucleotide-directed
      mutagenesis of double-stranded plasmid DNA.
AB  - A method for the oligodeoxyribonucleotide-directed mutagenesis of double-stranded
      DNA without the necessity for phenotypic selection is described. Plasmids
      denatured with alkali and purified by adsorption to and elution from
      nitrocellulose have single-stranded regions where primers can hybridize and serve
      as templates for a T7 DNA polymerase-catalyzed synthesis of complementary mutant
      DNA strands. When this procedure was carried out such that the original nonmutant
      strand contained uracil [method of Kunkel, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82(1985)488
      492], mutation frequencies of between 30% and 40% were obtained. The technique
      has been used to generate mutant genes in plasmids of a wide variety of sizes.
      The largest plasmid manipulated and successfully mutagenized was 22 kb. The
      method is rapid and efficient and is not dependent upon either f1 phage vectors
      or the presence of restriction sites in the vicinity of the sequence targeted for
      mutation.

PMID- 1427093
TI  - The carboxypeptidase Y-encoding gene from Candida albicans and its transcription
      during yeast-to-hyphae conversion.
AB  - We have cloned and sequenced the gene (CPY1) encoding the carboxypeptidase Y
      (CPY) of Candida albicans. The gene contains an open reading frame comprising 542
      amino acids (aa) with an M(r) of 61,104. The aa sequence shows 74% identity to
      the mature CPY aa sequence from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The putative pre
      (signal) and pro sequences at the N terminus of the C. albicans protein, however,
      show significant divergence from the corresponding prepro sequence of the S.
      cerevisiae protein. Southern analysis of C. albicans genomic DNA suggested the
      presence of only one CPY-encoding gene. Northern analysis during yeast-to-hyphae
      conversion suggested that the CPY1 gene is transiently down-regulated on a
      transcriptional level during the early events of this developmental switch.

PMID- 1427094
TI  - A vector, pSHT, for the expression and secretion of protein domains in mammalian
      cells.
AB  - A phagemid (pSHT) containing the pUC and M13 ori sequences was constructed to
      facilitate the expression of partial cDNAs or of sequences encoding mammalian
      membrane- and secretory-protein domains. It provides a start codon and signal
      sequence flanked upstream by the simian virus 40 and bacteriophage T7 promoters
      and downstream by cloning sites, stop codons in all three frames, splicing and
      polyadenylation signals.

PMID- 1427095
TI  - Protein A fusion vectors for use in combination with pEX vectors in the
      production and affinity purification of specific antibodies.
AB  - New vectors expressing protein A fusions were constructed, based upon the
      kanamycin-resistance-encoding plasmid, pK19. They were designed for use in
      combination with the pEX series of beta-galactosidase protein-fusion vectors in
      the production and affinity purification of specific antibodies.

PMID- 1427096
TI  - Characterization of the spontaneous elimination of streptomycin sensitivity (SmS)
      on high-copy-number plasmids: SmS-enforcement cloning vectors with a synthetic
      rpsL gene.
AB  - The strAS or rpsL+ gene, encoding a ribosomal protein, S12, expresses its
      streptomycin-sensitivity (SmS) phenotype dominantly over strAR or rpsL- gene.
      Therefore, strAR cells that harbor plasmids with strAS alleles are phenotypically
      SmS. It was found that the SmS phenotype is unstable, and such cells eventually
      switch to the Sm-resistance (SmR) phenotype, especially when the strAS gene was
      cloned on high-copy-number (HCN) plasmids. It seemed that the strA gene cloned on
      HCN plasmids was toxic to Escherichia coli host cells and, during prolonged
      cultivation, plasmids with an inactivated strAS gene, mostly carrying insertion
      sequence elements, such as IS1, IS5 and gamma delta, were selected. The
      instability of the strA gene was particularly enhanced when the Val51 residue in
      the middle of S12 protein was replaced by Leu, suggesting enhanced toxicity of
      the altered S12. Since the strAS gene was stably maintained throughout approx.
      100 cell doublings when its expression was abolished, most probably it is the
      gene product rather than the nucleotide sequence itself that is responsible for
      the instability of strA gene on HCN plasmids. To improve the stability of the SmS
      phenotype, the previously reported ampicillin-resistance-conferring and SmS
      enforcing plasmid vector, pHSG670, was reconstructed. The resulting vector,
      pHSG683, confers chloramphenicol resistance, enforces SmS on strAR and supE- host
      bacteria, and has multiple cloning sites within the coding region of synthetic
      rpsL gene. When pHSG683 DNA was prepared from strAR and sup+ cells grown in
      tryptophan-rich medium with Cm and Sm, less than 10(-6) plasmids failed to
      enforce SmS on strAR and supE- cells in tryptophan-less medium with Cm.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427097
TI  - Synthesis and secretion of an Erwinia chrysanthemi pectate lyase in Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae regulated by different combinations of bacterial and yeast promoter
      and signal sequences.
AB  - Nine different expression-secretion cassettes, comprising novel combinations of
      yeast and bacterial gene promoters and secretion signal sequences, were
      constructed and evaluated. A pectate lyase-encoding gene (pelE) from Erwinia
      chrysanthemi was inserted between each one of these expression-secretion
      cassettes and a yeast gene terminator, generating recombinant yeast-integrating
      shuttle plasmids pAMS1 through pAMS9. These YIp5-derived plasmids were
      transformed and stably integrated into the genome of a laboratory strain of
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and the pectate lyase production was monitored.
      Transcription initiation signals for pelE expression were derived from the yeast
      alcohol dehydrogenase (ADC1P), the yeast mating pheromone alpha-factor (MF alpha
      1P) and the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens alpha-amylase (AMYP) gene promoters. The
      transcription termination signals were derived from the yeast tryptophan synthase
      gene terminator (TRP5T). Secretion of pectate lyase (PLe) was directed by the
      signal sequences of the yeast mating pheromone alpha-factor (MF alpha 1S), B.
      amyloliquefaciens alpha-amylase (AMYS) and Er. chrysanthemi pectate lyase
      (pelES). The ADC1P-MF alpha 1S expression-secretion system proved to be the most
      efficient control cassette for the expression of pelE and the secretion of PLe in
      S. cerevisiae.

PMID- 1427098
TI  - Sequence of a cluster of genes controlling synthesis and secretion of alkaline
      protease in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: relationships to other secretory pathways.
AB  - A genetic locus implicated in the synthesis and secretion of alkaline protease
      (APR) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been previously described [Guzzo et al., J.
      Bacteriol. 172 (1990) 942-948]. The nucleotide sequence of the DNA fragment
      encoding these functions was determined and revealed the existence of five open
      reading frames: aprA, the structural gene encoding APR; aprI, which encodes a
      protease inhibitor; and aprD, aprE, aprF whose products are involved in protease
      secretion. The AprD, AprE and AprF proteins share significant homology with
      proteins implicated in secretion of Erwinia chrysanthemi proteases and
      Escherichia coli alpha-haemolysin. These results provide further evidence for the
      existence of a specialized secretory system widespread among Gram- bacteria.

PMID- 1427099
TI  - Genetic suppression analysis of sigma E interaction with three promoters in
      sporulating Bacillus subtilis.
AB  - Genetic evidence suggests that the sigma (sigma) subunit of RNA polymerase
      determines the specificity of promoter utilization, by making sequence-specific
      contacts with DNA. We examined the effects of two single amino acid(aa)
      substitutions in sigma E on the utilization of mutated derivatives of three
      different promoters in sporulating Bacillus subtilis. We found allele-specific
      suppression of mutations in all three promoters by each aa substitution in sigma
      E. These results provide strong evidence that sigma E interacts with each of
      these promoters in vivo. Moreover, the specificity of suppression of the
      mutations by the aa substitutions in sigma E lead us to speculate that the Met124
      of sigma E closely contacts two adjacent bp in the -10 region of the promoters.

PMID- 1427100
TI  - Cloning, sequencing and expression in Escherichia coli of the ptsI gene encoding
      enzyme I of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase transport system
      from Streptococcus salivarius.
AB  - We present the cloning and sequencing of the ptsI gene, encoding enzyme I (EI) of
      the phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP): sugar phosphotransferase (PTS) transport system
      from Streptococcus salivarius. The ptsI gene corresponds to an open reading frame
      of 1731 nucleotides, which translates into a putative 577-amino acid (aa) protein
      with a M(r) of 62,948 and a pI of 4.49. The EI was produced in Escherichia coli
      under the control of its own promoter located immediately upstream of ptsI, a
      situation never previously reported for any other gene coding for an EI. The
      deduced aa sequence of the S. salivarius EI shows a high degree of similarity
      with the E. coli EI and the EI moiety of the multiphosphoryl transfer protein
      from Rhodobacter capsulatus. The S. salivarius EI also shares a highly conserved
      aa cluster with a non-PTS protein, the maize pyruvate:orthophosphate dikinase.
      The conserved cluster is located in a domain which is hypothesized to be the PEP
      binding site.

PMID- 1427102
TI  - The rate of decay of Rhodobacter capsulatus-specific puf mRNA segments is
      differentially affected by RNase E activity in Escherichia coli.
AB  - In Rhodobacter capsulatus the puf operon encodes proteins of the photosynthetic
      apparatus. The polycistronic puf mRNA is comprised of segments that show
      differential stability. Here, we show that the rate of decay of the 2.7-kb
      pufBALMX mRNA species in Escherichia coli depends on the activity of ribonuclease
      E (RNase E), whereas the degradation of the 0.5-kb pufBA mRNA segment is not
      affected by a mutation in the rne gene. The RNase E-promoted decay of the pufLMX
      mRNA depends on the presence of a 1.4-kb pufLM mRNA segment, in which rate
      limiting endonucleolytic cleavage was postulated to occur in R. capsulatus. The
      insertion of 185 bp of this 1.4-kb segment into pufB results in an RNase E
      dependent decay of the modified pufBA mRNA segment in E. coli. Our findings
      suggest that in R. capsulatus an RNase E-like activity is responsible for the
      rate-limiting endonucleolytic cleavage occurring within the pufLM mRNA segment,
      whereas the 0.5-kb pufBA mRNA segment is degraded by a different RNase E
      independent decay mechanism.

PMID- 1427103
TI  - HIV virus: older adults may not fall into known risk groups.

PMID- 1427101
TI  - Cloning and sequence analysis of the gene encoding an NADP-dependent alcohol
      dehydrogenase in Mycobacterium bovis BCG.
AB  - The nucleotide sequence of a 1619-bp fragment of Mycobacterium bovis BCG
      containing the gene that encodes an alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) has been
      determined. The M(r) calculated from the deduced amino acid (aa) sequence, as
      well as the N terminus, are in good accordance with those determined for the ADH
      purified from M. bovis BCG extracts. The M. bovis BCG cloned adh gene was
      expressed in Escherichia coli by its own promoter and the synthesized product
      shows ADH activity in the butane-1-ol-NADP system. Based on comparison of the aa
      sequence, this enzyme belongs to the zinc-containing, long-chain alcohol/polyol
      dehydrogenase family, which has been primarily described in eukaryotes. Of the 22
      strictly conserved residues in this group, 19 are also conserved in M. bovis BCG
      ADH (BCGADH).

PMID- 1427104
TI  - Colonic and anorectal disorders: diagnosis and treatment.
AB  - Older patients are at increased risk of colonic and anorectal disorders, some of
      which occur commonly in patients of all ages. A careful medical history and
      physical examination, knowledge of the past medical history, and assessment of
      the circumstances in which symptoms of intestinal disease develop allows
      intelligent direction of the medical evaluation. Direct visualization of the
      colorectal mucosa using flexible fiberoptic or videoendoscopes often provides
      prompt and accurate diagnosis and facilitates therapeutic intervention. Other
      disorders require radiologic diagnosis and treatment or surgical intervention.

PMID- 1427105
TI  - Health care for all: comparing proposals for reform. A roundtable discussion:
      Part 2.
AB  - Part 1 of this roundtable discussion [Geriatrics 1992; 47(Sept):34-48] examined
      the flaws in our current healthcare system and factors that are interfering with
      our nation's ability to achieve reforms. This month, the panelists discuss the
      benefits and drawbacks of the major healthcare reform proposals, including
      managed care, single-payer systems, and so-called "play or pay." The practical
      aspects of any redistribution of healthcare resources are considered as each
      panelist outlines a favored approach. The influence of special interests, such as
      the insurance industry, is also discussed.

PMID- 1427106
TI  - A rational approach to urinary tract infections in older patients.
AB  - Urinary tract infections (UTIs) occur more commonly in the elderly than in
      younger adults. The frequency of concomitant chronic illness and decreased
      resistance in this age group confers increased rates of morbidity and mortality,
      and manifestations are often atypical. Diagnosis requires careful interpretation
      of urine culture results and a determination of the infection as asymptomatic
      bacteriuria, uncomplicated UTI, or complicated UTI. This, in turn, guides
      therapeutic measures, including the use of oral antibiotics.

PMID- 1427107
TI  - Preventive nutrition: an 'optimal' diet for older adults.
AB  - Nutritional screening, an important aspect of prevention, includes measurement of
      height and weight, laboratory values as indicated, and a dietary assessment. For
      primary prevention, nutrition information should be broad enough to maintain
      health and prevent disease in healthy persons. Recommendations need to address
      problems of dietary excess as well as the possibility of nutrient inadequacy.
      Although controversial, the routine recommendation of a basic multivitamin and
      mineral supplement for healthy older adults is favored by these authors.

PMID- 1427108
TI  - Night people: avoiding the quick fix for insomnia.

PMID- 1427109
TI  - Age-based rationing of health care: the only system that makes sense?

PMID- 1427110
TI  - Family service centers.

PMID- 1427111
TI  - Education and research: key components of healthcare reform.

PMID- 1427112
TI  - Preventive nutrition: disease-specific dietary interventions for older adults.
AB  - Disease prevention through dietary management is a cost-effective approach to
      promoting healthy aging. Fats, cholesterol, soluble fiber, and the trace elements
      copper and chromium affect the morbidity and mortality of CHD. Decreasing sodium
      and increasing potassium intake improves control of hypertension. Calcium and
      magnesium may also have a role in controlling hypertension. The antioxidant
      vitamins A and beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and the trace mineral
      selenium may protect against types of cancer. A decrease in simple carbohydrates
      and an increase in soluble dietary fiber may normalize moderately elevated blood
      glucose levels. Deficiencies of zinc or iron diminish immune function. Adequate
      levels of calcium and vitamin D can help prevent senile osteoporosis in both
      older men and women.

PMID- 1427113
TI  - Health care for all: long-term care, the missing piece. A roundtable discussion:
      Part 3.
AB  - Long-term care has been described as the "missing piece" in many healthcare
      reform proposals. Yet the cost of nursing home care often exceeds that of acute
      care, especially for the elderly with Alzheimer's disease. In this final
      installment of a three-part roundtable discussion, panelists discuss the options
      for providing long-term care, such as social insurance, a single-payer system,
      play or pay, or private insurance models. Alternatives to nursing home care, such
      as community service centers and home care, are discussed. The panelists conclude
      with an examination of how these proposed reforms might affect the practices of
      physicians and the U.S. economy.

PMID- 1427115
TI  - Physicians' groups endorse national healthcare budget, negotiated fee limits.

PMID- 1427114
TI  - Clinical evaluation of the patient with ventricular arrhythmia.
AB  - Evaluation of patients with ventricular arrhythmia (VA) is a frequently
      encountered problem in clinical practice. Determining which patients require
      treatment and which are at risk for sudden cardiac death remains challenging,
      however. Classification of VAs as significant, prognostically important, having
      unknown importance, or insignificant will help determine whether treatment is
      warranted and beneficial. Tests for evaluating suspected VA, including ambulatory
      electrocardiographic monitoring, exercise testing, and electrophysiologic
      studies, are used to determine the presence or frequency of an arrhythmia,
      correlate the arrhythmia with symptoms, determine a prognosis, or evaluate the
      efficacy of drug therapy.

PMID- 1427116
TI  - Norepinephrine content in cardiovascular tissues from the aged Fischer 344 rat.
AB  - The major aim of the present study was to examine cardiovascular tissues and to
      determine if norepinephrine (NE) stores declined in aged (22-30 months old) male
      Fischer 344 (F344) rats. NE content was measured by HPLC in the whole heart,
      ventricle, atria, caudal artery, renal arteries, portal vein and kidney. The
      release of [3H]NE from the caudal artery of adult and aged rats was assessed as a
      functional index of sympathetic innervation. Renal alpha 2-adrenergic binding
      sites were also determined using 2.0 nM [3H]rauwolscine. In general, total NE
      content per organ was not altered in aged rats. The exception was the ventricle
      of aged rats which exhibited a 25% decrease in NE content. In contrast, NE
      content per gram of tissue weight was significantly decreased in the whole heart,
      atria, ventricle, kidney and caudal artery of aged rats when compared to that of
      adults (6-8 months old). Neither basal nor potassium-stimulated NE release was
      altered in the caudal artery of aged rats. Presynaptic regulation of NE release
      by taurine and alpha 2-adrenoceptors was also not affected by age. Renal alpha 2
      adrenergic binding sites were decreased 23% in aged rats. Tissue growth that
      occurs as a function of aging does not appear to receive a concomitant increase
      in sympathetic growth as indexed by NE content. The findings of the present study
      would lead to the conclusion that with the exception of the ventricle,
      sympathetic nerve terminals of the aged male F344 rat are relatively intact.

PMID- 1427118
TI  - Age-related changes in collagen of human intervertebral disks.
AB  - Age-related changes of human intervertebral disk collagen have been investigated.
      A progressive, age-related accumulation of collagen, both in annulus fibrosus and
      in nucleus pulposus was found. A decrease in collagen solubility was observed
      during physiological aging. Up to the 3rd-4th decades of life, a significant
      increase in the aldehyde content in disk collagen has been observed. Nuclei
      pulposi of the prolapsed disk contain more collagen, and its solubility was
      higher in comparison to corresponding necropsy material. Some alterations in the
      collagen of prolapsed disks may be considered as symptomatic of accelerated
      aging.

PMID- 1427117
TI  - Effect of propyl gallate feeding on glutathione content in ageing Zaprionus
      paravittiger (Diptera).
AB  - Glutathione content increased during the reproductive period and decreased
      thereafter up to the 43rd day of age in whole body as well as mitochondrial
      homogenates of ageing Zaprionus paravittiger. However, females exhibited higher
      levels of glutathione as compared to males. In whole body homogenates, propyl
      gallate (PG; 25 micrograms/ml) increased the glutathione content significantly up
      to the 22nd day of life whereas in mitochondria it increased during all age
      intervals in the two sexes with the exception of the 36th and 43rd day of
      survival in males. In conclusion, the higher level of glutathione on PG feeding
      might be one of the factors leading to the prolonged life span of flies.

PMID- 1427119
TI  - Hematocrit and cardiovascular risk factors among elderly men and women (Dutch
      Nutrition Surveillance System).
AB  - Changes in whole blood viscosity associated with hematocrit could be one of the
      pathways along which the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors affect these
      diseases. Therefore, we studied in a nationwide survey comprising 514 apparently
      healthy Dutch elderly men and women aged 65-79 the possibility of any association
      between hematocrit and CVD risk factors (tobacco smoking, serum cholesterol, body
      mass index and blood pressure). Among men, diastolic blood pressure and total
      serum cholesterol were positively associated with hematocrit in both bivariate
      and multivariate regression analysis, whereas positive associations of hematocrit
      with body mass index and smoking were only significant (p < 0.05) in bivariate
      analysis. Among women, hematocrit was positively associated with body mass index
      and smoking. Except for smoking, which was associated with the mean corpuscular
      volume of the erythrocytes, hematocrit was positively correlated with hemoglobin
      and the number of erythrocytes. It is concluded that hemorrheological aspects
      should be considered when studying CVD among elderly people.

PMID- 1427120
TI  - Nosocomial infection and antibiotic utilization in geriatric patients: a pilot
      prospective surveillance program in skilled nursing facilities.
AB  - Prospective surveillance of nosocomial infection was conducted at seven skilled
      proprietary nursing facilities in Orange County, Calif., USA. The average
      incidence of facility-acquired infection was 5.2 infections/1,000 patient days.
      The most common source of infection was urinary tract (47%), followed by
      respiratory tract (26%) and skin (14%). The four most common pathogens isolated
      were Proteus spp. (20%), Escherichia coli (17%), Staphylococcus aureus (13%) and
      Pseudomonas spp. (11%). Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (20%) was the most
      frequently used antibiotic among all prescriptions, followed by ampicillin (16%)
      and ciprofloxacin (14%). Among all residents surveyed, 33% received at least one
      course of antibiotics during the study. Of special significance was the fact that
      4 (22%) of the 18 strains of Pseudomonas were gentamicin resistant as were 12 of
      80 (15%) of the strains of Enterobacteriaceae. Furthermore, 9 of 29 (31%) strains
      of Pseudomonas tested were found resistant to norfloxacin as were 15 of 129 (12%)
      strains of enterobacteriaceae. Susceptibility patterns of the isolated pathogens
      were similar to those of the acute care hospital. This study indicates that
      infection continues to be a major problem in the skilled nursing facility and
      that antibiotic-resistant pathogens will be a challenge for the future.

PMID- 1427121
TI  - Leuko-araiosis and event-related potentials (P300) in normal aged subjects.
AB  - To investigate the relationship between cerebral leuko-araiosis and cognitive
      function in normal aged subjects, 48 neurologically normal aged volunteers (24
      males, 24 females, 64-85 years old, mean age 75.2 years) with no silent lacunar
      lesions on their MRI images were examined. The severity of periventricular
      hyperintensity was estimated quantitatively based on the T1 values on MRI.
      Cognitive function was evaluated on the basis of P300 event-related potentials
      employing an auditory oddball paradigm. The severity of frontal lobe leuko
      araiosis significantly increased with advancing age (p < 0.05), however, P300
      latency was not correlated with age. There was no significant correlation between
      the severity of leuko-araiosis and P300 latency. The severity of leuko-araiosis
      was correlated with mean arterial blood pressure (p < 0.05). These results
      suggest that the severity of leuko-araiosis may be unrelated to cognitive
      function in normal aged subjects and that arterial blood pressure may contribute
      to the progression of leuko-araiosis.

PMID- 1427122
TI  - Increased mechanical strength of left colon in old rats treated with growth
      hormone.
AB  - The effects of treatment with 2.7 mg biosynthetic human growth hormone (b-hGH;
      2.7 mg/kg b.w./day) for 80 days on the biomechanical properties and collagen
      deposition of the left colon were studied in 27-month-old male rats. The b-hGH
      treated rats increased in body weight by 17%, and the wet weight of colon by 31%.
      The defatted dry weight and the hydroxyproline content of the left colon were
      increased by 41 and 29%, respectively, compared with controls. The biomechanical
      analysis showed that the maximum load and stiffness of the left colonic specimens
      in the b-hGH-treated group were enhanced by 27 and 60%, respectively, and the
      strain at maximum load was 24% less than in the control group. The maximum
      'stress' and stiffness were 40 and 73% higher, respectively, than in the
      controls. Histological examination demonstrated that the mean crypt heights was
      9% higher in the b-hGH-treated rats than in the controls. Consequently, treatment
      of old rats with b-hGH may increase the strength, collagen deposition and mucosal
      crypt height of the left colon.

PMID- 1427123
TI  - Changes in catalase activity and its thermolability in liver and kidneys of
      ageing male garden lizard.
AB  - Catalase activity in liver and kidneys of male garden lizards remained unchanged
      during maturation, but showed an increase during ageing. Instead of inactivating
      catalase, thermal treatment at 60 +/- 1 degree C caused a marginal increase in
      enzyme activity in the liver of middle-aged and kidneys of young lizards with no
      significant effect in old counterparts. Increase in basal enzyme activity during
      ageing and the maintenance of resistance against thermal inactivation of the
      enzyme throughout the life-span support the contention that catalase molecules in
      lizard tissues are not altered as a function of age, a deviation from the
      predictions of Orgel's error catastrophe hypothesis.

PMID- 1427125
TI  - An investigation of the relationship between free radical activity and vitamin C
      metabolism in elderly diabetic subjects with retinopathy.
AB  - Abnormalities of both free radical activity and ascorbic acid metabolism have
      been documented in diabetes, but their biological basis is unclear and their
      relationship unstudied in any detail. This study was designed to compare changes
      in antioxidant status and free radical reactions in a group of elderly diabetic
      patients (with and without retinopathy) with those in a group of age-matched
      control subjects. No significant differences in thiobarbituric acid (TBA)
      reactivity, red cell glutathione (GSH) concentrations or diene conjugates (DC)
      between patients and controls were seen despite significant depletion of ascorbic
      acid in patients with diabetes, especially in those with retinopathy. The results
      emphasise the present-day difficulties of measuring free radical activity and
      demonstrate a marked abnormality in ascorbic acid metabolism in diabetes.

PMID- 1427124
TI  - Participation of decreased serum cholesteryl ester transfer activity, independent
      of increased serum lipoprotein(a), in angina pectoris in normolipemic elderly
      subjects.
AB  - The cholesteryl ester transfer activity (CETA) is a measurement of the transfer
      of cholesteryl ester from HDL to VLDL, LDL or peripheral cells. Its role in the
      development of early coronary heart disease is not clear. In the present study,
      serum levels of CETA, lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] and other lipid-related factors were
      compared in 10 normal young subjects, 28 healthy elderly subjects and 14
      normolipemic elderly patients with angina pectoris. Compared to the young normals
      and healthy elderly subjects, the elderly patients with angina pectoris showed
      significantly decreased mean serum CETA levels, and significantly increased mean
      serum levels of Lp(a) and apoprotein B. These results may indicate that decreased
      serum values of CETA participate in the development of angina pectoris in
      normolipemic elderly patients.

PMID- 1427126
TI  - Lack of association of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and cognitive
      decline in the elderly.
AB  - Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores obtained in an ambulatory
      elderly population were used to examine the effect of nonsteroidal anti
      inflammatory drug (NSAID) use on cognitive performance. There were 1,310
      participants who met the inclusion criteria for the study, of whom 873 (66.6%)
      were women and 437 (33.3%) were men. There were no differences in mean MMSE
      scores or in the five dimensions of cognitive function measured by the MMSE for
      subjects reporting NSAIDs or aspirin use.

PMID- 1427127
TI  - Vitamin-D-fortified liquid milk--a highly effective method of vitamin D
      administration for house-bound and institutionalised elderly.
AB  - The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy and acceptability of vitamin-D
      fortified liquid milk in the management of hypovitaminosis D in an elderly
      institutionalised population. The design was a single-blind randomised controlled
      study. In phase I, patients were encouraged to drink an increased quantity of
      either fortified or unsupplemented milk for 3 months. In phase II, patients were
      continued on either fortified or on unsupplemented milk which was given as part
      of the everyday diet for a further 6 months with no extra encouragement of any
      patient to take additional amounts. Ninety-eight patients (mean age 84 years)
      from extended care wards at the Department of Medicine for the Elderly, St.
      James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland, participated in the study. Seventy-eight
      patients completed phase I, and 62 completed phase II. A general biochemical
      screen and 25-hydroxy vitamin D measurements were performed at entry and repeated
      3 and 9 months later. The average milk intake per patient in phase I was 454
      ml/day in the unsupplemented group and 359 ml/day in the fortified milk group. In
      phase II, the average daily milk intake per patient was 235 ml in the
      unsupplemented milk group and 140 ml in the fortified milk group. Seventy-four
      patients (94%) of the total who completed phase I had serum vitamin D baseline
      levels below the normal range. In the fortified milk group, mean vitamin D levels
      rose from 2.4 to 14.80 ng/ml (p < 0.001) at the end of phase I and remained
      significantly elevated at 10.2 ng/ml (p < 0.001) at the end of phase II.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427128
TI  - Brain atrophy on computerized axial tomography scans: interaction of age,
      diabetes and general morbidity.
AB  - We evaluated, retrospectively, the occurrence of brain atrophy in all patients (n
      = 416) with a brain CT scan performed during a 3-month period in 1989 at the
      Tampere University Central Hospital. Age, diabetes, hypertension, chronic
      cerebrovascular disorders and an increasing number of medications were associated
      with brain atrophy in the log-linear models. We suggest that the effect of
      various systemic medical disorders on the brain requires consideration when
      evaluating and assessing physiological ageing of the brain.

PMID- 1427129
TI  - Randomised controlled trial of exercise in the elderly.
AB  - Eighty-seven healthy volunteers aged 60-81 years were randomly allocated to
      either an aerobic exercise class or a health education group. Only 6 subjects
      dropped out during the 32-week study, and the average compliance with the
      interventions was 83% for exercise (on average 83/100 individual exercise
      sessions were attended) and 71% for health education. The health education group
      showed improvements from the baseline in physical activity levels, pulse rate,
      blood pressure and self-rating of mood. The exercise group improved from baseline
      in knee and spine flexibility, leg and back strength, pulse rate, blood pressure,
      maximum physical exertion levels, self-rating of mood and perceived health
      status. Between group comparison at the end of the study showed the exercise
      group significantly better than the health education group in terms of spine
      flexion (p < 0.0001), perceived health status (p < 0.05), life satisfaction (p =
      0.05) and maximal physical exertion (p = 0.01). This study has demonstrated the
      acceptability and effectiveness of an aerobic exercise class for the elderly, and
      the effectiveness of health education for this age group.

PMID- 1427130
TI  - Exfoliation syndrome as a risk factor for optic disc changes in nonglaucomatous
      eyes.
AB  - Exfoliation syndrome as a possible risk factor for morphologic changes of the
      optic nerve was examined in 66 patients with unilateral exfoliation and no
      glaucoma. K-readings (7.74 +/- 0.3 mm and 7.75 +/- 0.3 mm), axial lengths (23.1
      +/- 1.1 mm and 23.1 +/- 1.1 mm), and refraction (+ 0.9 +/- 2.3 mm and + 1.1 +/-
      2.3 mm) did not differ in exfoliative and contralateral nonexfoliative eyes. The
      mean intraocular pressure (IOP) difference, 17.2 +/- 3.3 mmHg and 15.6 +/- 3.2
      mmHg, respectively, was statistically highly significant (P < 0.001). The mean
      visual acuity difference, 0.8 +/- 0.3 and 0.9 +/- 0.2, respectively, was
      significant (P < 0.05). The difference in visual acuity between the pairs of eyes
      was explained by the more frequent subcapsular cataract in exfoliative eyes. Lens
      opacity values (opacity lens meter), 27.9 +/- 8.3 and 28.0 +/- 8.4 opacity units,
      respectively, were similar. Disc area, neuroretinal rim area, rim/disc ratio, cup
      area, and cup volume values analyzed with the Imagenet (Topcon) nerve head
      analyzer did not differ significantly between the eyes. It was concluded that
      exfoliation as such does not induce optic nerve head changes but indicates a risk
      factor for elevated IOP and lens opacification.

PMID- 1427131
TI  - Count and density of human retinal photoreceptors.
AB  - This investigation was directed at determining the count and regional
      distribution of photoreceptors in the eyes of 21 human cornea donors aged between
      2 and 90 years. Mean count of rods was 60,123,000 +/- 12,907,000, and mean cone
      count was 3,173,000 +/- 555,000. Determined 40 microns away from the foveola,
      cone density measured 125,500 cones/mm2. Extrapolating the distribution curve,
      cone concentration in the foveal center can be assumed to be about 150,000
      cells/mm2 to 180,000 cones/mm2. Towards the retinal periphery, cone density
      decreased from 6000 cones/mm2 at a distance of 1.5 mm from the fovea to 2500
      cells/mm2 close to the ora serrata. Comparing different fundus regions, cone
      concentration was significantly highest in the nasal region. Cone diameter
      increased from the center towards the periphery. At a distance of 40 microns away
      from the foveola, it measured about 3.3 microns, and in the outer retinal regions
      about 10 microns. Rod density was highest in a ring-like area at a distance of
      about 3-5 mm from the foveola with a mean of 72,246 +/- 17,295 cells/mm2. Rod
      density peaked at 150,000 rods/mm2. It decreased towards the retinal periphery to
      30,000-40,000 rods/mm2. Rod diameter increased from 3 microns at the area with
      the highest rod density to 5.5 microns in the periphery. The hexagonal rod and
      cone inner segments were regularly arranged in a honey-comb fashion.

PMID- 1427132
TI  - Parameters associated with papillomacular bundle defects in glaucoma.
AB  - To evaluate the relationship between the papillomacular bundle defect and
      glaucoma types, abnormalities of the optic disc, distance between the disc and
      foveola, and axial length, we examined one eye of 82 patients with normal tension
      glaucoma, 117 patients with chronic high tension glaucoma, and 102 controls. Two
      types (diffuse and focal types) were found in the papillomacular bundle defect,
      and the former predominated. Eyes with a long axial length (P < 0.01), a
      diagnosis of normal tension glaucoma (P < 0.05), or a large optic disc (P < 0.05)
      tended to have diffuse-type papillomacular bundle defects, while eyes with a
      short axial length, a diagnosis of high tension glaucoma, or a large ovalness
      index are less likely to have it. Thus, a long axial length, a large optic disc,
      and normal tension glaucoma are risk factors for the diffuse-type papillomacular
      bundle defect.

PMID- 1427133
TI  - Acetazolamide but not timolol lowers aqueous humor flow in sleeping humans.
AB  - The effect of timolol, acetazolamide, and the combination of the two drugs on the
      rate of aqueous formation in 18 healthy human subjects was measured during the
      day and at night in a placebo-controlled, double-masked, randomized study. In the
      absence of any drugs, aqueous flow during the day was 2.61 +/- 0.82 (mean +/- SD)
      microliters/min and at night, 1.08 +/- 0.59, a 59% lower flow rate when compared
      with the daytime value (P < 0.0001). When compared with these aforementioned
      control values, timolol alone reduced the rate of aqueous flow by 39% (P <
      0.0001) in awake subjects but had no statistically significant effect on the flow
      rate in sleeping subjects (P = 0.33). Acetazolamide alone reduced aqueous flow
      during the day by 21% compared with the control flow rate (P = 0.02) and at night
      by 24% below the nocturnal flow rate in the sleeping eye (P = 0.04). The
      combination of the two drugs reduced flow during the day by an additional 13% (P
      = 0.024) compared with the flow rate achieved by timolol alone, and by an
      additional 32% (P < 0.0001) compared with the flow rate reduction attained by
      acetazolamide alone. There was no statistically significant difference in the
      nocturnal flow rates achieved by acetazolamide alone or in combination with
      timolol (P = 0.37). These data confirm previous studies demonstrating the effect
      of timolol, acetazolamide, and sleep on the rate of aqueous humor formation.
      Unlike a previous study, it was found that acetazolamide lowers the aqueous flow
      below the already low nocturnal flow rate that occurs spontaneously in the
      sleeping eye.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427134
TI  - The relationship between intraocular pressure and visual field progression in
      glaucoma.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine the intraocular pressure
      characteristics in glaucoma suspects and patients whose visual fields were
      classified as stable or progressing over a long-term follow-up. We present data
      from 64 patients who received either medical or laser treatment and who were
      followed up for a median of 7.4 years. The visual fields of 27 patients were
      classified as stable and 37 as progressing using predetermined criteria on either
      the Tubinger or Goldmann perimeter. Patients with initially normal and initially
      abnormal fields were analysed separately to avoid bias. There were no significant
      group differences in the mean, highest or interquartile range of intraocular
      pressure in the follow-up. The largely overlapping distributions over a wide
      spectrum of the pressure variables in patients with stable and progressing fields
      show that intraocular pressure alone cannot separate these two groups of
      patients. Our study does not suggest that pressure reduction in glaucoma has no
      beneficial effect, but that there may be other factors which determine the fate
      of the visual field in glaucoma.

PMID- 1427136
TI  - The pathology of abortive neovascular outgrowths from the retina.
AB  - Seven abortive neovascular outgrowths (ANVOs) from diabetic retinas were obtained
      for examination either by biopsy during pars plana vitrectomy (2) or after
      discovery within enucleated globes (5). Scanning and electron microscopical,
      histochemical, immunohistochemical and retinal digest techniques were used. The
      ANVOs consisted of nodules of vessels without an extravascular fibrous component.
      Two of them contained aneurysm-like dilatations of constituent vessels, and all
      the specimens showed gross hyaline thickening of the vessel walls. The vascular
      sclerosis was probably due to accumulation of plasma proteins in the walls of the
      damaged vessels, which contributes to their involution seen clinically after
      retinal photocoagulation.

PMID- 1427135
TI  - Metastatic tumors to the orbit--management and prognosis.
AB  - In a retrospective study the records of 34 consecutive cases with tumors
      metastatic to the orbit were reviewed with special attention to the management
      and prognosis of these patients. The primary tumor site was the breast in 20
      patients, prostate in 5, kidney in 2 and skin in 2. The remaining 5 patients had
      other primary tumour sites. The symptoms of orbital metastasis preceded the
      detection of the primary tumor in 8 cases (24%). Twenty patients died after a
      mean interval of 25 months following the diagnosis of the orbital metastasis.
      This study gives a summary of the clinical features of these patients. With
      improved methods of treatment it was possible to obtain a relief of orbital
      symptoms in 24 patients (71%). Although the life expectancy of these patients
      remains poor, treatment can result in symptomatic relief and in an improvement in
      the quality of life, which is the main goal in the management of these patients.

PMID- 1427137
TI  - Use of the argon laser to close filtering bleb leaks.
AB  - We attempted to seal 15 consecutive filtering bleb leaks in 11 patients using
      argon laser energy. Eight leaks were at the conjunctival-corneal interface
      associated with a fornix-based flap, 4 leaks resulted from suture scissoring of
      the conjunctiva, and 3 leaks were button-holes in the conjunctiva. Thirteen leaks
      occurred within 2 weeks after filtering surgery, while 2 were of late onset.
      Argon laser parameters used were a 500-microns spot size, 0.1-s time interval,
      and between 500 and 1800 mW of power. Thirteen leaks were sealed after one or two
      laser sessions, while 2 leaks required other treatment modalities. Complications
      included conjunctival fenestration and transient corneal stromal opacities. This
      study suggests that the argon laser can be used to seal filtering bleb leaks in
      many patients following filtering surgery.

PMID- 1427138
TI  - Intraocular pressure-related pattern of optic disc cupping in adult glaucoma
      patients.
AB  - The pattern of glaucomatous optic disc cupping was investigated in 67 eyes of 67
      primary open-angle glaucoma patients with early-to-moderate visual field loss and
      a wide range of intraocular pressure. We determined the position of the deepest
      point of the optic disc cup using the Rodenstock Analyzer. This position
      correlated significantly with intraocular pressure: the deepest point tended to
      be located below the center of the optic disc at high intraocular pressure and
      above the center at low intraocular pressure. There was no significant
      correlation between the position of the deepest cup point along the horizontal
      axis and intraocular pressure. The position of the deepest point of the cup also
      correlated significantly with the severity of glaucoma, albeit less strongly than
      with intraocular pressure: it tended to be in the inferior portion of the disc at
      an early stage of glaucoma and in the superior portion of the disc at a more
      advanced stage of glaucoma. Therefore, the inferior portion of the optic nerve
      head appears to be most yielding to changes of intraocular pressure. These
      findings are consistent with histologic evidence of the least connective tissue
      support in the inferoperipheral region of the lamina cribrosa and with greater
      prevalence of inferior rim loss and corresponding superior visual field defects
      in early to moderately advanced primary open-angle glaucoma patients.

PMID- 1427139
TI  - A laboratory evaluation of the Kowa laser flare-cell meter for the study of
      uveitis.
AB  - The Kowa FC-1000 laser flare-cell meter (LFCM) has been described as an
      instrument which will objectively quantify inflammation of the anterior chamber
      of the eye. We evaluated the LFCM using the intravenous endotoxin-induced uveitis
      (EIU) rabbit model of ocular inflammation. In vitro flare and cell calibration
      measurements utilizing bovine serum albumin (BSA) and latex particles,
      respectively, were also performed. A linear relationship between the flare
      measurements and BSA concentrations was noted. In addition, the time course of
      the LFCM flare count in EIU was comparable to previously published
      fluorophotometric data. However, the LFCM reported cells in the anterior chamber
      of the EIU rabbits despite negative cytology and histology results. The LFCM also
      recorded cells in BSA solutions which contained neither cells nor latex
      particles. Our results suggest that although the LFCM may be useful for
      evaluating flare, its cell measurements are not accurate in cases of severe
      uveitis.

PMID- 1427140
TI  - Are large optic nerve heads susceptible to glaucomatous damage at normal
      intraocular pressure? A three-dimensional study by laser scanning tomography.
AB  - To evaluate the effects of the presence of glaucomatous visual field defects and
      of intraocular pressure elevations on optic nerve head topography, we analyzed
      148 left optic nerve heads of 148 patients using laser scanning tomography. The
      optic discs are classified according to computerized static perimetry and
      documented IOP readings: 101 discs show normal visual fields (36 normal discs, 22
      ocular hypertensives, 28 normotensive glaucoma suspects and 15 ocular
      hypertensive glaucoma suspects), 47 discs (34 high-pressure glaucoma discs, 13
      normal-tension glaucoma discs) demonstrate glaucomatous visual field damage. A
      two-way analysis of variance discloses significant differences (P < 0.01) between
      the groups of optic discs classified according to perimetry for most topometric
      parameters evaluated except for disc area. Classification according to documented
      IOP (cut off at 21 mmHg) results in larger disc areas in normotensive discs
      compared to hypertensive optic nerve heads in the study population. Results
      suggest that large discs may be susceptible to glaucomatous visual field damage
      at statistically normal IOP readings.

PMID- 1427141
TI  - Dysfunction of the blood-retina barrier following white light exposure. A tracer
      study with horseradish peroxidase and ferrous gluconate.
AB  - The aim of this investigation was to study the ultrastructural effects of white
      light on the retinas of pigmented rabbits. The retinas were exposed to white
      light (400-740 nm) at intensities between 65 and 140 mW/cm2 for 1 h. Two days
      after exposure, the increased leakage of fluorescein measured with vitreous
      fluorophotometry could be mimicked on electron microscopy by the tracers ferrous
      gluconate and horseradish peroxidase (HRP). In cases of minimal fluorescein
      leakage, traces of HRP were found in the basal folds of the retina pigment
      epithelium (RPE). No HRP was observed apical to the tight junctions of the RPE
      cells. When there was a great amount of fluorescein leakage, HRP completely
      filled the RPE cytoplasm, the extracellular spaces, and several cells in the
      neuroretina. It is concluded that after exposure to low intensities of white
      light, blood-retina barrier dysfunction may be due to disruption of the RPE basal
      fold membrane, leading to increased transcellular passage. The intact tight
      junctions suggest the under these circumstances intercellular leakage is not a
      component of BRB dysfunction.

PMID- 1427142
TI  - Late ultrastructural changes in the retina of the rat following low-dose X
      irradiation.
AB  - This study describes ultrastructural changes in the pigmented hooded Lister rat
      retina, 3-12 months following X-irradiation with single doses of between 200 and
      2000 cGy. The extreme radiosensitivity of the photoreceptor cells was underlined
      by the continued manifestation of fine structural changes and cell death up to 6
      months post-radiation in animals receiving doses above 500 cGy. The retinal
      pigment epithelial (RPE) cells were more radioresistant than photoreceptors and
      RPE cell loss was only observed at doses of more than 1500 cGy. One year after
      irradiation with 1500 cGy the retinal vasculature showed capillary occlusion with
      some evidence of recanalisation. Telangiectasia was observed in the large retinal
      veins. Although the inner retinal neurones and glial cells showed no evidence of
      direct radiation damage, the nerve fibre layer adjacent to occluded retinal
      vessels demonstrated ultrastructural evidence of ischaemic neuropathy and retinal
      oedema. At doses above 1500 cGy the choriocapillaris showed platelet aggregation
      and capillary loss.

PMID- 1427143
TI  - Nerve terminal degeneration in the rat iris observed following chronic topical 2%
      epinephrine and 0.1% dipivalyl epinephrine: a quantitative comparison of electron
      microscopic observations and tissue norepinephrine levels.
AB  - This is the first report of nerve terminal degeneration within the iris following
      topical dipivalyl epinephrine 0.1% treatment. A quantitative comparison of the
      effects of topically applied epinephrine 2%, dipivalyl epinephrine 0.1%, and
      placebo vehicle on the nerve terminals within the iris of a rat was made using
      electron microscopy and a catecholamine radioenzyme assay. Thirty-nine rats were
      divided into these 3 treatment groups and treated for 10 weeks, after which they
      were killed and studied. Both the epinephrine 2%- and dipivalyl epinephrine 0.1%
      treated groups showed greater nerve terminal degeneration compared with the
      placebo-treated group (P < 0.05). The epinephrine-treated group showed greater
      nerve terminal degeneration than the dipivalyl epinephrine-treated group. The
      clinical significance of these observations is unknown. It is impossible to
      decide whether these degenerative changes are related unavoidably to a desired
      therapeutic effect or to an undesirable, potentially avoidable, toxic side
      effect.

PMID- 1427144
TI  - Light and lithium effects in the rat retina: modification by the PAF antagonist
      BN 52021.
AB  - We tested the effect of an antagonist of platelet-activating factor (PAF), BN
      52021, on both acute light-induced and light plus lithium-induced rod outer
      segment (ROS) lesions. Rats were fed lithium carbonate (2.6 g/kg chow) for 3
      weeks. Half of the lithium-treated rats received BN 52021 (25 mg/kg) via gastric
      intubation prior to light exposure. Control and treated rats were exposed to 400
      450 lux (measured at the eye level of the rats) of diffuse, white fluorescent
      light for 30 min, followed by 2 h of darkness and then decapitated. The eyes were
      removed and prepared for light and electron microscopic observation. The
      structural alterations of ROS were quantified from electron micrographs using a
      multifunctional computer image-analysis system. Our data show a significant
      reduction of ROS lesions by BN 52021, and this is most pronounced in light plus
      lithium-treated rats. Furthermore, in confirmation of previous studies, chronic
      lithium treatment significantly augmented light-elicited phagosome numbers, and
      BN 52021 reduced this effect. Our findings thus suggest that light and lithium
      may act via PAF responses in the rat retina.

PMID- 1427145
TI  - The effect of sodium iodate on the blood-retinal and blood-brain barriers.
AB  - Both active transport through and permeability of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB)
      are affected by sodium iodate, while the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is more
      resistant. We studied the effect of sodium iodate on facilitated diffusion
      through the two barriers. The retinal (RUI) and brain (BUI) uptake indices were
      determined for D-glucose and two neutral amino acids in normal and sodium iodate
      treated rats. The integrity of the barriers was estimated by RUI and BUI for L
      glucose and by measuring tissue uptake of L-glucose after an intravenous
      injection. We found that 30 mg/kg sodium iodate had no effect on transport
      through or permeability of the BBB, while 20 mg/kg significantly (P < 0.02)
      reduced transport of D-glucose, but not amino acids, through the BRB 1 h after
      injection. After 24 h both 20 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg sodium iodate caused a
      significant disruption of the BRB (P < 0.005 and P < 0.001, respectively). Thus,
      sodium iodate selectively affects the carrier for D-glucose in the BRB but not in
      the BBB. The presence of an epithelial part in the BRB, the retinal pigment
      epithelium, may explain the difference between the two barriers.

PMID- 1427146
TI  - Systemic candidiasis in babies with retinopathy of prematurity.
AB  - Fifteen premature babies developed systemic candidiasis during the administration
      of intravenous hyperalimentation in the Beilinson Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
      Candida albicans was found in the blood cultures of all the babies and in the
      urine cultures of 66.7% of them. Repeated funduscopic examinations revealed no
      evidence of septic embolization in the retinal or choroidal circulation. It
      should be noted that acute retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) grade 2 or 3 was
      found in all the babies.

PMID- 1427147
TI  - Is there an association between optic disc drusen and angioid streaks?
AB  - We reviewed the color photographs and fluorescein angiograms of 110 subjects with
      angioid streaks. Evidence is presented for an association between drusen of the
      optic disc and angioid streaks.

PMID- 1427148
TI  - [Evaluation of the functional state of sailors during voyages in the arctic
      regions].

PMID- 1427149
TI  - [The indicator system of the fetoplacental complex for evaluation of the
      condition of atmospheric air].
AB  - Interrelationship between the structure-and-function changes in feto-placental
      complex and the worsening health status and development of children in arms
      effected by the chemical pollution of the ambient air was shown. Feto-placental
      changes expressed in decreasing of the protein and nucleic acid content and
      increasing of membrane permeability.

PMID- 1427150
TI  - [Toxicological characteristics of sebacic acid and the substantiation of its
      maximum permissible exposure level in atmospheric air].
AB  - Average daily MAC of the sebacic acid in the ambient air established at the level
      of 0.05 mg/m3 (3-d class of hazard). Data of acute and chronic experiments were
      noted.

PMID- 1427151
TI  - [Effect of underwater community and domestic wastes on bacteriological
      characteristics of the coastal water in the north-west area of the Black Sea].

PMID- 1427152
TI  - [Current status and tasks of sanitary-protozoological studies of drinking water
      (review of the literature)].
AB  - Occurrences of giardiasis in the USA, Canada, Great Britain and other countries
      caused by drinking water were noted. Necessity of sanitary-and-protozoological
      inspection of the drinking water in the USSR was demonstrated.

PMID- 1427153
TI  - [Recreational load and bacteriological indicators of the quality of seawater].

PMID- 1427154
TI  - [Standardization of anthropogenic pollution of seawater].

PMID- 1427156
TI  - [Experimental substantiation of the maximum permissible exposure level of N
      methylformamide in reservoir water].

PMID- 1427155
TI  - [Hygienic substantiation of standardization of the iron level in hot water of the
      central heating system in residential areas].
AB  - Epicutaneous applications of the iron trivalence caused the sensibilization of
      mice. The effect depended on the temperature.

PMID- 1427157
TI  - [Effect of the insecticide "Sonet" on the microflora and biological activity of
      soil].

PMID- 1427158
TI  - [Hygienic evaluation of working conditions in present-day production of welding
      electrodes].
AB  - Complex of unhealthy factors in the welding electrodes production was estimated.
      The leading ones are the high level of the noise and high concentration of the
      manganese dioxide aerosol in air. Toxicochemistry of the action of these factors
      was discussed.

PMID- 1427159
TI  - [Effect of manganese on immunologic response of the body].

PMID- 1427160
TI  - [Use of the "exposure level-body condition" relations for evaluation of the
      effects of complex atmospheric pollution].
AB  - Criteria for the organism status arrangement in terms of environmental effects
      expression from adaptation to its break-down were worked up. The criteria may be
      used in developing of the hygienic standardization of environmental effects.

PMID- 1427161
TI  - [Status of the antioxidant systems in female workers in vegetable-growing
      hothouses].

PMID- 1427162
TI  - [Immunologic status of subway workers].

PMID- 1427163
TI  - [The role of refrigerators in spreading of bacteria of the genus Yersinia].

PMID- 1427164
TI  - [Rationalization of calculations of nutritive value of food in laboratory
      control].

PMID- 1427165
TI  - [A rapid method of evaluation of the effects of environmental factors on the
      degree of stress in human regulatory mechanisms].
AB  - A basically new approach and a "Diagnoz" apparatus based on the one-stage
      recording of information processing rate and skin electric resistance were
      developed. The nervous system stress may be evaluated by the method in hygienic
      studies.

PMID- 1427166
TI  - [Combined effects of low doses of ionizing radiation and extreme factors of the
      Far North on the immune system (review of the literature)].

PMID- 1427167
TI  - [Sanitary and chemical studies of polymer materials used in national economy].

PMID- 1427168
TI  - [Study of hygienic properties of aminoplast KFA 5].

PMID- 1427169
TI  - [Results of toxicological and hygienic studies of plastic articles for medical
      use].

PMID- 1427170
TI  - [Modified effect of lead on the embryotoxicity of cadmium].

PMID- 1427171
TI  - [Mathematical modeling of the changes in metabolic reactions in relation to
      environmental factors].

PMID- 1427172
TI  - [Evaluation of the mutagenic activity of ammonium nitrate and dimethylamine salt
      of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid].

PMID- 1427173
TI  - [Experimental characteristics of allergenic properties of new dielectric and
      conductive pastes].

PMID- 1427174
TI  - [Experience with teaching dietetics at the sanitary-hygienic department].

PMID- 1427176
TI  - [History of organization of sanitary measures for the children of railroad
      workers].

PMID- 1427175
TI  - [Allergic effects on the population of industrial air pollutants].
AB  - Increasing of the allergization of the population in industrial regions caused by
      chemical pollution of the air was noted. Some changes in respiratory tract and
      blood count were reported also.

PMID- 1427177
TI  - [Use of the method of mathematical planning of an experiment for evaluation of
      harmful combined effects of xenobiotics on the general sanitary condition of
      water reservoirs].

PMID- 1427178
TI  - [Use of the discriminant analysis for evaluation of the results of a
      toxicological experiment].

PMID- 1427179
TI  - [Determining the coefficients of pesticide diffusion in the air].

PMID- 1427180
TI  - [An improved method of quantitative analysis of mercury in washings and
      materials].

PMID- 1427181
TI  - [Probability of reaching the reproductive and working age in the area of nuclear
      industry plants].

PMID- 1427182
TI  - [A hygienic evaluation of the new flocculant polyhexamethyleneguanidine].
AB  - Sanitary and toxicological study of some guanidine containing polymers was done.
      Moderate toxicity of the polymers and absence of any specific effects were noted.

PMID- 1427183
TI  - [An experimental validation of the MPEL for the Zharilek mixture and its
      component constituents].
AB  - "Zharilek" preparation MAC in the water reservoirs was approved at the level of
      0.01 mg/l. The preparation is referred to the 3rd class of hazard by the complex
      toxicological study.

PMID- 1427184
TI  - [Methods of water disinfection in swimming pools (a review)].

PMID- 1427185
TI  - [Metal stearates--some aspects of their toxicodynamics].

PMID- 1427186
TI  - [The effect of tetrachloroethylene on the genetic system of dry cleaning
      workers].

PMID- 1427187
TI  - [The working conditions and health status of workers in natural gas recovery in
      the southern regions of the USSR].

PMID- 1427188
TI  - [An analysis of the mutagenic activity of the chemical substances used in capron
      manufacture].

PMID- 1427189
TI  - [The late effects of exposure to lead fluoride].
AB  - Effect of lead fluoride dust on the micronuclear reticulocyte content in the bone
      marrow was shown. Some functional changes in the testicles and increase in the
      fetal death rate in exposure to 50 mg/m3 of lead fluoride dust were noted.

PMID- 1427190
TI  - [The diurnal energy expenditures of workers in the boiler-turbine shops of state
      regional electric power stations].

PMID- 1427191
TI  - [The role of the social environment during the social psychological adaptation of
      adolescents].

PMID- 1427192
TI  - [The role of the microsocial environment in the psychoprophylaxis of adolescent
      behavior].

PMID- 1427194
TI  - [The social domestic risk factors for burns in children].

PMID- 1427193
TI  - [The hygienic basis for using hardiness training procedures to promote the health
      of preschoolers].

PMID- 1427195
TI  - [The evaluation of the work capacity of central nervous system function in 11- to
      13-year-old pupils in a corrective class].

PMID- 1427196
TI  - [The setting of hygienic standards for hexathiuram in the atmosphere].

PMID- 1427197
TI  - [The nutritional prevention of postradiation effects].
AB  - Radioprotective effects of vitamin complexes were shown. Author issued the
      possible mechanisms of the phenomena.

PMID- 1427198
TI  - [The sensitizing action of a high-frequency electromagnetic field].

PMID- 1427199
TI  - [The validation of physiological standards for human color vision sensitivity].

PMID- 1427201
TI  - [The significance of noninfectious allergens in living quarters].

PMID- 1427202
TI  - [A toxicological hygienic evaluation of new additives for cattle feed].

PMID- 1427200
TI  - [The hygienic evaluation of polymeric materials in prefabricated wood home
      construction].

PMID- 1427203
TI  - [The prediction of the toxicity of the new plant-growth regulator fumar based on
      the results of a toxicokinetic study].

PMID- 1427205
TI  - [The use of the dynamic-series method in epidemiological research].

PMID- 1427204
TI  - [Water disinfection and water supply systems on sea-going ships (a review)].

PMID- 1427206
TI  - [The use of the methods of multivariate statistical analysis in hygienic
      research].

PMID- 1427207
TI  - [The effect of the air discharges from paper and pulp industry enterprises on
      population morbidity].

PMID- 1427208
TI  - [The use of the elements of a new piecework pay system in medical institutions].

PMID- 1427209
TI  - [A complex of methods for assessing body nonspecific resistance based on the
      immunological indices of the saliva].

PMID- 1427210
TI  - [The use of biotesting for the hygienic evaluation of the toxicity of the ash and
      cinder from thermoelectric power stations].

PMID- 1427211
TI  - [The metabolic aspects of crotonaldehyde].

PMID- 1427212
TI  - [The genotoxic activity of nitrosodiethylamine studied by the micronucleus method
      in different organs of rats].

PMID- 1427213
TI  - [Methodological approaches to a morphological analysis of the function of the
      mononuclear phagocyte system in exposure to chemical compounds].

PMID- 1427215
TI  - [An experimental model for the study of the bactericidal action of UV radiation].

PMID- 1427214
TI  - [A method for assessing the irritant action of chemical substances on the
      anterior eye segment].

PMID- 1427216
TI  - [The behavior of xenobiotics in aqueous solutions exposed to gastric juice
      enzymes studied by an in vivo polarographic method].

PMID- 1427217
TI  - [The atomic absorption determination of calcium, zinc, barium, lead and silver
      stearates in the air of a work area].

PMID- 1427218
TI  - [The joint action of small doses of manganese and iron].

PMID- 1427219
TI  - [Ideas of A. P. Dobroslavin in present-day community hygiene].

PMID- 1427220
TI  - [Present day training of physicians of a prophylactic profile].

PMID- 1427221
TI  - [A criteria system in comprehensive assessment of environmental chemical
      pollutant hazards].

PMID- 1427222
TI  - [Hygienic standardization of the water quality: build-up and prospects].

PMID- 1427223
TI  - [Estimation of the distribution of experimental animals with different status
      exposed to a complex of chemical environmental factors].

PMID- 1427224
TI  - [A. P. Dobroslavin's works in the area of the development of hygienic measures
      for control of epidemics in the light of present-day advances in medical
      science].

PMID- 1427225
TI  - [Development of A. P. Dobroslavin's ideas concerning the questions of
      environmental hygiene].

PMID- 1427226
TI  - [Development of scientific trends in soil hygiene].

PMID- 1427227
TI  - [Development of morphofunctional studies in hygiene (from works of A. P.
      Dobroslavin to our times].

PMID- 1427228
TI  - [Biochemical aspects of pre-nosological diagnosis of the effects of chemical
      environmental pollution].

PMID- 1427229
TI  - [Experimental model of exogenous allergic alveolitis].

PMID- 1427230
TI  - [Problems of analytical control in environmental health].

PMID- 1427231
TI  - [Current aims in the improvement of the installment and quality control of water
      supply].

PMID- 1427232
TI  - [Development of A. P. Dobroslavin's ideas in the organization of military health
      measures].

PMID- 1427234
TI  - [Disinfection and purification of drinking water by portable autonomic water
      purifiers of combined action].

PMID- 1427233
TI  - [A. P. Dobroslavin, the founder of hygiene in our country].

PMID- 1427235
TI  - [Hygiene in the planning of a system of environment quality management].

PMID- 1427236
TI  - [Effects of environmental pollution in the area of a chromium-processing plant on
      the health status of population].

PMID- 1427237
TI  - [Systemic studies and developments in hygiene].

PMID- 1427238
TI  - [New medical disinfectants].

PMID- 1427239
TI  - [Toxicokinetics of borates and borides after a single exposure].

PMID- 1427240
TI  - [Comparative toxicity of pyridine derivative isomers].

PMID- 1427241
TI  - [Effects of decis on the state of the skin and hairy integument].

PMID- 1427242
TI  - [Aleksei Petrovich Dobroslavin: a forefather of military hygiene in our country].

PMID- 1427243
TI  - "Caregiving" to depressed older persons: a relevant concept?

PMID- 1427244
TI  - Impact of self-management education on the functional health status of older
      adults with heart disease.
AB  - This paper presents findings from the evaluation of a self-management education
      program based on self-regulation principles. Older men and women (N = 324) were
      randomly assigned to program and control groups. Outcomes were measured using the
      Sickness Impact Profile. Twelve months following baseline data collection,
      psychosocial functioning of program participants was significantly better than
      that of controls. Different program effects were noted when results were analyzed
      by participant gender.

PMID- 1427245
TI  - Exercise beliefs and behaviors among older employees: a health promotion trial.
AB  - This health promotion trial included university faculty and staff aged 50 to 69
      who had completed a health risk screening. Predictors of intention to exercise
      were education, gender, self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, perceived barriers,
      and baseline exercise frequency. Baseline exercise frequency was the only
      predictor of exercise behavior 1 year later.

PMID- 1427246
TI  - Attempts to prevent falls and injury: a prospective community study.
AB  - At 16 senior centers, we studied the effectiveness of exercise and cognitive
      behavioral programs, compared with a discussion control program, in reducing
      falls and injuries among 230 older adults. After 1 year of the programs, we
      observed no significant difference in time to first fall. Even though a
      relatively high percentage (38.6%) suffered at least one fall, only 7.8% of these
      community-residing elderly required medical attention. Secondary outcome measures
      such as strength, balance, fear of falling, and perceived health did not
      significantly change.

PMID- 1427247
TI  - Housing emergencies and the etiology of homelessness among the urban elderly.
AB  - This research examined factors that lead to homelessness and shelter placement of
      seniors. A purposive sample of 475 aged clients was selected randomly from the
      files of a citywide emergency service program, 45% of whom were found to have had
      serious housing-related problems. A subsample of 115 housing problem cases was
      investigated, including persons who had needed emergency shelter or temporary
      housing or been living in deteriorated housing. Assessment data from the OARS
      instrument and open-ended housing history questions were analyzed. Homelessness
      was found to be significantly associated with low income, dementia, living alone,
      and an unstable residential history.

PMID- 1427248
TI  - Project rescue: serving the homeless and marginally housed elderly.
AB  - The authors describe the engagement techniques and service components of a
      program for homeless and marginally housed elderly. On follow-up evaluation of
      132 people, clients averaged three favorable outcomes (maximum = 7). Service
      delivery was conceptualized as a three-stage process based on the differential
      effects that variables had at each stage. The strongest predictors of outcome
      were number of service encounters, type of presenting problem, and perceived
      level of social support.

PMID- 1427249
TI  - Did tax reform hurt the elderly?
AB  - Federal and state income tax reform increased aggregate federal tax payments of
      elderly taxpayers by just over 5% and their aggregate state taxes by about 6%.
      However, the entire increase is accounted for by the elderly in the top income
      decile. The mean change in total income taxes paid by the elderly was $135, but
      the median increase was zero because most older persons paid no federal or state
      income tax before or after tax reform. The overall effect of tax reform was a
      slight shift in income tax burdens from the nonelderly to the elderly reversing a
      trend dating from the late 1970s.

PMID- 1427250
TI  - Economic rationality, the affordability of private long-term care insurance, and
      the role for public policy.
AB  - This study uses data from the 1984 panel of the Survey of Income and Program
      Participation (SIPP) of the U.S. Bureau of the Census to develop new estimates of
      the potential market for private long-term care insurance. It found that this
      market is potentially significant--especially among individuals in the 65-69 age
      group who are willing to spend up to 50% of their discretionary income on such
      insurance--but considerably lower than previous estimates, such as those of Cohen
      and colleagues (1987).

PMID- 1427251
TI  - Difficulties and rewards in family care of the depressed older adult.
AB  - Spouse and adult child caregivers of older adults with major depressive disorder
      (N = 150) were asked what was most difficult and most rewarding about providing
      assistance to their relatives. Content analysis of their responses revealed seven
      areas of difficulty and three areas of reward. Difficulties and rewards were
      selectively associated with the caregiver's identity, patient clinical
      characteristics, and caregiver emotional adjustment. Caregiver perceived family
      difficulties and emotional difficulties were associated with the course of
      patient psychiatric illness over 1 year.

PMID- 1427252
TI  - Severe family violence and Alzheimer's disease: prevalence and risk factors.
AB  - This study describes the prevalence of violence and the putative risk factors for
      violence in 184 Alzheimer patients and their primary caregivers living in the
      community. Analysis of the severe violence subscale of the Conflict Tactics Scale
      indicated that 15.8% of patients had been violent in the year since diagnosis. A
      total of 5.4% of caregivers reported being violent toward the patient. The
      overall prevalence of violence was 17.4%. The variables most associated with
      violence were caregiver depression and living arrangement.

PMID- 1427253
TI  - Gender differences in caregiving: fact or artifact?
AB  - This study applies meta-analysis techniques to the results of 14 descriptive
      studies of gender differences in caregiving to determine the size and
      significance of gender differences in caregiving stressors (level of elder
      impairment and level and type of task involvement) and in caregiver burden. There
      were essentially no significant gender differences in functional impairment of
      the frail care recipient, total caregiver involvement in care, or in money
      management tasks. Female caregivers were more likely to carry out personal care
      and household tasks and more likely to report greater burden. Given the
      relatively small size of the effects found, we conclude that future research
      should focus on the part that gender-role explanations play in assigning meaning
      to caregiving behaviors.

PMID- 1427254
TI  - Adjustment among different age and ethnic groups of Indochinese in the United
      States.
AB  - This study examines adjustment among different age and ethnic groups of
      Indochinese refugees in the United States. The data came from a nationwide
      probability sample of 3,414 respondents aged 20 or older. Respondents are divided
      into four age groups (20-29, 30-39, 40-54, and 55 and older). Ordinary least
      squares regression analysis revealed that education, occupational status,
      urban/rural location in the country of origin, English language ability,
      financial problems, gender, age, and length of residence in the U.S. had
      statistically significant relationships with adjustment in different age and
      ethnic groups.

PMID- 1427255
TI  - Parental dependence and filial responsibility in the nineteenth century: Hial
      Hawley and Emily Hawley Gillespie, 1884-1885.
AB  - This paper examines diaries written by an Iowa farm woman and her daughter in the
      1880s that focus on care of the former's father. It highlights the problems
      intergenerational living arrangements could produce in the 19th century. In
      addition, it examines three general themes: the impact on adult children of
      financial responsibility for elderly parents, the responses of elderly people to
      structures of subordination, and the significance of hierarchies of gender as
      well as generation.

PMID- 1427257
TI  - Blood pressure measurements in the nursing home: are they accurate?
AB  - To examine the accuracy of blood pressure (BP) measurements in the nursing home,
      a trained observer (physician) and nursing home staff (NHS) measured BP for 146
      nursing home residents on two separate occasions. Using the physician as the
      reference standard for measuring BP, the NHS: 1) significantly underestimated
      systolic BP; 2) significantly overestimated diastolic BP; and 3) had a high
      frequency of terminal digit preference for zero. These errors resulted in the NHS
      misclassifying hypertension in 21% of patients.

PMID- 1427256
TI  - Alternative sources of social support and their impacts on institutional risk.
AB  - We examined the direct and buffering effects of different dimensions of social
      support on the risk of being institutionalized over a 2-year period. Multivariate
      analyses indicated that specific aspects of social support, such as having a
      spouse or adult child caregiver, or having a caregiving relationship of at least
      3 years' duration, moderated the impact of one type of stress (being highly
      dependent on others for care) on the risk of entering a nursing home. Networks
      that included a paid provider modestly offset the impact that multiple IADL
      impairments had on being admitted at least once to a nursing home.

PMID- 1427258
TI  - Impact on caregivers of supporting urinary function in noninstitutionalized,
      chronically ill seniors.
AB  - In a multivariate study of 148 caregivers of chronically ill older persons, 22%
      of those caring for a continent senior reported that maintaining continence was a
      burden, and 75% of caregivers of incontinent seniors reported it as burdensome.
      The burden of maintaining urinary function was associated with lack of social
      support, time spent providing care, and care receiver's immobility. Caregivers'
      depressive symptoms were associated with perceived burden from providing care for
      urinary function, a confused care receiver, and post-stroke support.

PMID- 1427259
TI  - Physicians' acceptance of behavioral treatments and pharmacotherapy for
      behavioral disturbances in older adults.
AB  - In response to growing interest in employing behavioral treatments and
      environmental modification for behavioral disturbances in older adults, we
      employed vignette methodology to examine physicians' acceptance of two behavioral
      treatments and haloperidol using Kazdin's Treatment Evaluation Inventory.
      Physicians assigned the highest acceptability ratings to the behavioral
      treatments and the lowest ratings to haloperidol. The patient's cognitive
      capacity, living situation (nursing home vs. community), and the type of behavior
      problem mediated treatment acceptability ratings.

PMID- 1427260
TI  - Enhancing the self-esteem of selected male nursing home residents.
AB  - This study investigated treatment procedures for enhancing the self-esteem of
      older adult male nursing home residents. Twenty-one subjects were assigned
      randomly to either a control group meeting to discuss current news events or an
      experimental group receiving the intervention. Self-esteem significantly
      increased for the experimental subjects but not before they experienced a
      significant decrease in feelings of self-worth. The midtreatment observation of
      the dependent variable was a vital factor in determining the curvilinear
      relationship between time and the protocol.

PMID- 1427261
TI  - Integrative outpatient group therapy for discharged elderly psychiatric
      inpatients.

PMID- 1427262
TI  - Transportation as outreach, driver as mental health worker.
AB  - Case finding and early detection and referral of elderly persons with mental
      problems can be accomplished by trained and supervised drivers as part of a
      transportation service. Increased access to community programs and services as a
      result of provided transportation helped clients maintain their independence and
      self-esteem.

PMID- 1427263
TI  - Public opinion versus public rhetoric.

PMID- 1427264
TI  - MDS data should be used for research.

PMID- 1427266
TI  - Qualitative research comes of age in gerontology.

PMID- 1427265
TI  - Animal studies are teaching us about aging.

PMID- 1427267
TI  - Positive ageism?

PMID- 1427268
TI  - Time to abandon "caregiving"? A reply to Parmelee and Katz.

PMID- 1427269
TI  - Voting behavior among low-income black elderly: a multielection perspective.
AB  - We examined voting behavior among 370 low-income older African-American citizens
      who reside in New Orleans by assessing the impact of various predictors on
      electoral participation in a series of seven elections. Elders who were active in
      their community, with a strong sense of citizen duty, who identified themselves
      as strong Democrats, and with higher levels of education were more likely to
      vote.

PMID- 1427270
TI  - The political behavior of older American blacks.
AB  - Using a subsample of the National Opinion Research Center's 1987 General Social
      Survey, this study examined three competing explanations for the political
      behavior of older black Americans (n = 157, 55 and older). The socioeconomic
      model was a good predictor of political behavior; ethnic community theory and the
      empowerment model were, in varying degrees, predictors of alienation but not of
      political interest or activity. Some comparisons were made between older black
      Americans, younger blacks, and older and younger whites.

PMID- 1427271
TI  - Older voters and the 1992 presidential election.
AB  - At the core of the so-called "generational equity" construct is the notion that
      older persons exercise self-interested political power. This article examines
      what we know about one element of the politics of aging--the voting behavior of
      older persons in recent presidential elections--and suggests areas of research on
      the 1992 election that may tell us something about how far, and how soon,
      proponents of generational equity will be able to move toward dismantling
      policies that benefit older people.

PMID- 1427272
TI  - Women as family caregivers: why do they care?
AB  - This study was based on in-depth qualitative interviews with 40 francophone
      Quebecois family caregivers of frail elderly or mentally ill relatives and
      focused on the caregiving relation rather than on the specificities of aging and
      mental illness. Fourteen factors (love, guilt and duty, women's social identity
      built around caring, absence of appropriate public or private care alternatives,
      women's socioeconomic dependence, etc.) emerged from an analysis of informants'
      accounts of how they came to be the primary caregiver. Data indicate that
      analyses attempting to understand women's caregiving must take into account the
      sexual division of labor, its reinforcement through social policy, and how women
      internalize ideas and norms regarding appropriate gender-role behavior.

PMID- 1427273
TI  - A path not taken: a cultural analysis of regrets and childlessness in the lives
      of older women.
AB  - This paper explores regrets about childlessness in 90 older women interviewed
      using qualitative methods. Regrets were discussed in the context of the changing
      meaning of childlessness over the life course. We found that issues of regret are
      situated in a cultural system that renders childless women marginal. We argue
      that regrets should be understood in a wider cultural context that incorporates
      the cultural construction of the self over time.

PMID- 1427274
TI  - The role of animal models in meeting the gerontologic challenge of the 21st
      century.
AB  - Animal models play an important role in our quest to understand aging and develop
      interventions needed for the gerontologic challenge of the 21st century. Results
      from studies using the dietary restriction rodent model are presented as an
      example. Dietary restriction slows aging by inhibiting primary aging processes,
      by enhancing broadly protective mechanisms, or by both. Further study should
      identify the mechanisms and yield a data base for development of interventions. A
      threat to attaining these yields is the growing opposition of some to this use of
      animals.

PMID- 1427275
TI  - High-risk profiles for nursing home admission.
AB  - A statewide probability sample of 1,625 Massachusetts elderly was studied
      prospectively over a decade to identify risk profiles for long-term care (LTC)
      institutionalization. Previous admission to a LTC institution, age, basic ADL
      disability, and restricted outside mobility were the strongest individual
      predictors of institutionalization. Examining profiles of risk factors
      dramatically increased the ability to predict 10-year risk of admission.

PMID- 1427276
TI  - Functional limitations among home health care users in the National Health
      Interview Survey Supplement on Aging.
AB  - A case-control study compared home health care (HHC) users from the 1984
      Supplement on Aging to users of other community services and of no community
      service, matched on age and gender. Examination of specific activities of daily
      living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and
      sociodemographic variables showed that HHC users were significantly more limited
      than controls in every ADL and IADL. In multivariate analyses, HHC use was
      significantly associated with three ADLs (dressing, going outside, bathing), two
      IADLs (shopping, heavy housework), and poor health status.

PMID- 1427277
TI  - Conflict in Alzheimer's caregiving families: its dimensions and consequences.
AB  - This paper views conflict in Alzheimer's caregiving families as a
      multidimensional construct. Three conceptually distinct dimensions of family
      conflict are described and examined in relation to depression and anger.
      Regression analyses indicate that conflicts involving family members' attitudes
      and actions toward the caregiver are associated with increased risk for
      depression among caregivers, whereas conflicts stemming from family members'
      attitudes and behaviors toward the patient are most likely to result in anger.
      Self-concepts and normative expectations are implicated as key explanatory
      variables.

PMID- 1427278
TI  - Caregiving: role engulfment and the loss of self.
AB  - "Loss of self" was examined in a sample of spouses and adult children caring for
      a relative with Alzheimer's disease. Defined as a loss of identity that comes
      about as a result of engulfment in the caregiver role, it was found to be more
      common among spouses, females, and younger caregivers. Limited social contact and
      lack of social roles outside that of caregiver were found to be related to
      greater loss of self. It is associated with lower self-esteem and mastery and
      with greater depressive symptomatology.

PMID- 1427279
TI  - Institutional placement: phases of the transition.
AB  - The consequences of institutionalization were examined for a sample of caregivers
      of dementia patients. Consistent with the stress process model,
      institutionalization was hypothesized to have a large impact on the primary
      effects of caregiving and lesser influence on secondary effects and well-being.
      Following placement, relatives experienced relief from primary effects of
      caregiving (e.g., feelings of overload and tension) and improved well-being,
      whereas other indicators of stress remained unchanged.

PMID- 1427280
TI  - The bereaved caregiver: a prospective study of changes in well-being.
AB  - This study analyzes short-term bereavement adaptation among caregivers to spouses
      or parents with a progressive dementia, assessing changes in depression, mastery,
      overload, and guilt to examine the impact of bereavement on caregivers, and the
      characteristics of caregiver experience that affect bereavement adaptation. The
      bereavement group, as compared with active caregivers, dropped substantially in
      overload and increased in mastery and guilt. Depression showed a curvilinear
      trend, declining from the time of death and then rising to preloss levels by the
      end of the year. Caregiver stressors, baseline adaptation, relationship
      difficulties, and psychological preparation were all related to changes in well
      being.

PMID- 1427281
TI  - A room of one's own: the SRO and the single elderly.
AB  - A survey of 485 single-room occupancy housing (SRO) residents in New York City
      found elderly residents strongly preferred to remain in centrally located
      neighborhoods where apartment housing was beyond their means; did not wish to
      share a housing unit; and had little confidence that they could find acceptable
      housing if they lost their present unit. For many elderly residents, SROs meet
      needs not easily met by available alternatives. Results suggest the need to
      maintain this housing option for older persons and replace losses that have
      accompanied gentrification in many central city areas.

PMID- 1427282
TI  - Employer-sponsored postretirement health benefits: not your mother's medigap
      plan.
AB  - Using nationally representative data, we report the prevalence of retiree health
      insurance as a fringe benefit in private and public settings, and take an in
      depth look at its content. We examine how it coordinates with Medicare to
      characterize the "total insurance" of beneficiaries who hold these supplements.
      Retiree health coverage is now widespread and typical benefits are far more
      generous than those found in medigap policies, the other major type of Medicare
      supplement. When a typical retiree plan is overlaid on Medicare, the resulting
      total insurance benefits are more generous than those held by either the working
      nonelderly or beneficiaries with a medigap supplement.

PMID- 1427283
TI  - Homebound Learning Opportunities: reaching out to older shut-ins and their
      caregivers.
AB  - Homebound Learning Opportunities (HLO) represents an innovative health promotion
      and educational outreach service for homebound older adults and their caregivers.
      It provides over 125 topics for individualized learning programs delivered to
      participants in their own places of residence, an audiovisual lending library,
      educational television programming, and a peer counseling service. Shut-ins are
      recruited as instructors and as participants in service projects that benefit the
      greater community. Preliminary assessments reveal high levels of participation
      and satisfaction with the program.

PMID- 1427284
TI  - [Hysteroscopy in infertility].
AB  - An evaluation of hysteroscopy as complementary study of the sterile couple, was
      carried out; the hysteroscopic findings were compared with laparoscopic findings,
      and with Hysterosalpingography (HSG); it was a longitudinal, retrospective study
      of 20 patients. In the obstetrical antecedents there were 58 gestations, 50 of
      which ended in abortion. From de five normal cavities by HSG four were for
      hysteroscopy. As compared with hysteroscopy, HSG detected only 75% of submucous
      myomas, 85% of walls, 100% of IUD's fragments and of cervical incompetences. In
      the case of sinechias it was confirmed by hysteroscopy 80% of the diagnosed by
      HSG. The only case of endometrial polyp was detected by hysteroscopy. Surgical
      procedures were carried out in 40%, with complications in 16.6%. It was conclude
      that hysteroscopy is a complementary method, but necessary, in the study of the
      sterile couple with the possibility at the same time of being a therapeutic
      method.

PMID- 1427285
TI  - [Experience with the management of endometritis in the Instituto Nacional de
      Perinatalogia].
AB  - Endometritis is the most frequent infectious complication of the puerperal
      period; with the objective to know the clinical characteristics, etiology and
      evolution of this disease we did a retrospective study of the endometritis cases
      among the patients of the Instituto Nacional de Perinatologia (INPer) from
      January 1st, 1990 to May 31, 1991. During the revision period were diagnosed 120
      cases, but we were able to examine only 90. In the 90% the resolution of the
      pregnancy was by means of caesarean. A 24.4% of the patients had premature
      rupture of the membranes. The 10% had diagnose of chorioamniotis. The latency
      period to develop postpartum endometritis was 120 +/- 66 hours, and post
      caesarean 56 +/- 30 hours (p = 0.001). The symptom most frequent were fever
      (100), foul-smelling lochia (61.1%) and uterine tenderness (60%). The infection
      was polymicrobial, being the microorganisms most frequent isolated Staphylococcus
      coagulase negative, Escherichia coli and Peptostreptococcus. A 3.3% developed
      pelvi-peritonitis. One patient died.

PMID- 1427286
TI  - [Simultaneous identification of the nucleolar organizing regions and G bands in
      obstetrical cytogenetic studies].
AB  - An improvement of the silver-staining method of the nucleolus organizer region
      with simultaneous trypsin-Giemsa-banding is described. The combined demonstration
      of such regions (which express the transcriptive activity of ribosomal
      ribonucleic acid genes) and the precise identification of chromosomes,
      particularly acrocentric chromosomes, should be of value in the investigation of
      parents with spontaneous abortion in whom abnormal acrocentric chromosomes are
      often encountered.

PMID- 1427287
TI  - [Pregnancy in adolescents. Complications, birth weight, somatometry of the
      newborn and Apgar score, comparison with the general population].
AB  - The objective of this study was to compare pregnancy evolution, newborn's weight,
      its somatometry and Apgar's qualification of teenagers and the general population
      in a community where the socio-economic factor is similar among those two groups.
      Three hundred and two pregnancies in teenagers were analyzed, 69 of 12-15 years
      and 233 of 16-17 years at the time of pregnancy, against a control group of 304
      pregnant patients of 18-39 years. It was a prospective, comparative, longitudinal
      study. Average age at the first delivery of the 606 patients was 18.1 years.
      There were no significant difference among the groups as to occupation. There was
      not significant difference among the three groups as to pre-natal control, weeks
      of gestation incidence of threatening abortion, toxemia, bleeding of the second
      half of pregnancy, premature rupture of membranes, proportion of deliveries and
      cesarean sections, as well as forceps application and newborns' sex. The most
      common indications of cesarean section in teenagers were CPD and acute fetal
      suffering, in the control group were CPD and pelvic presentation. There was
      significant difference comparing the weight, Apgar qualification at one minute
      and at three minutes in the 16-17 years group, and older of 18 years being
      greatest in the last group. There was significant difference in size, cephalic
      perimeter, thoracic perimeter and PC/pa ratio among the three groups.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427288
TI  - [Dermatomyositis and adenosquamous carcinoma of the ovary. Report of a case].
AB  - A case of adenosquamous ovarian carcinoma in a 50 years old female is reported.
      The patient had marked improvement of her symptoms after resection of the tumor
      and chemotherapy. The knowledge of this association forces to rule out an ovarian
      carcinoma.

PMID- 1427289
TI  - [Molecular systems in cellular interactions. I. Fertilization iin mammals].
AB  - Multicellular organisms require diverse mechanisms of cellular recognition in
      order to work integrally. In the present paper we consider the molecular
      mechanisms for cell recognition and cell adhesion on fertilization of mammalian
      egg. Several surface proteins of spermatozoa (galactosyl transferase, proteases,
      glycosidases and lectins), recognize and bind zona pellucida glycoproteins of
      egg, a necessary condition prior to fertilization.

PMID- 1427290
TI  - [The critical period in natural fertility].
AB  - In order to learn the natural expectancy period of first pregnancy as well as the
      influences of some biosocial variables, a clinical-retrospective study was
      performed within 1120 gravida I women. All of them attended the major institutes
      of health care in Mexico City (IMSS, ISSSTE, SS and DDF). Data were obtained by
      means of predetermined questions from subjects after the first postpartum hours.
      None of them had previously used any contraceptive method. Results showed age at
      the first pregnancy: 21.6 +/- 3.8 (years); gestational interval 22.1 +/- 19.9
      (months) and a 67% achievement rate the following twelve months of sexual
      activity. Eutocia was seen in 54% of these population and significant linear
      correlation was attained between age of the patient and the gestational interval.
      It seems that this is the first information regarding the fertility critical
      period within our society.

PMID- 1427291
TI  - [The allergologic status of vegetable growers in hothouses].
AB  - Studies of the main factors causing allergic diseases, level and structure of
      allergic morbidity proved the prevalence of contact allergic dermatitis and
      urticaria among hot-house plant workers. Opportunistic bacteria and Streptococcus
      pyogenes were found to play an important role in sensitization of vegetable
      growers. The rational employment of subjects suffering from allergic diseases is
      recommended.

PMID- 1427292
TI  - [Dermatomycoses in workers in enterprises of the microbiological industry].
AB  - Mycologic examination of 54 patients with clinical manifestations of
      dermatomycosis, engaged in glucose oxidase and catalase production has found a
      producer fungus, Penicillium vitale in 31 (38%); 3 out of 37 people contacting
      with producers of glucamylase and pectofetidine appeared to be infected by
      Aspergillus awamori (1.1%) and Aspergillus foetidus (1.1%), respectively. The
      producers were isolated from the skin of 40 (16.44%) out of 243 workers having no
      clinical signs of dermatomycosis, mainly in drying, granulating and microbiology
      lab workers. Dermatophytes (50.9%), yeast fungi (1.8%) and other agents were
      isolated from the skin of patients with clinical manifestations of
      dermatomycoses. Age and sex of personnel, length of service and infectious
      contamination of technological premises were found to influence the skin disorder
      caused by dermatophytes in combination with producer fungi. Prophylactic measures
      to prevent the contamination of air and skin by producer fungi and their
      metabolite are to be developed.

PMID- 1427293
TI  - [The cytokinetics of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from workers in silicosis
      hazardous jobs].
AB  - Cytogram of pulmonary lavage fluid was studied in 50 workers al risk of
      developing silicosis. Workers with long length of service showing no radiographic
      signs of silicosis had normal cytogram of pulmonary lavage fluid, except for
      slightly increased neutrophil counts. Cytogram of patients with first recognized
      silicosis were characterized by elevated lymphocyte count. Neutrophil level
      increased in chronic silicosis. Cytogram of pulmonary lavage fluid is considered
      valuable for the diagnosis and prognosis.

PMID- 1427294
TI  - [The lipid peroxidation processes and the mono-oxygenase system in workers
      exposed to asbestos dust].

PMID- 1427295
TI  - [Data from an in-depth medical examination of workers at the Astrakhan Gas
      Condensate Plant].

PMID- 1427296
TI  - [Lipid peroxidation and thrombocyte aggregation in vibration disease].
AB  - A three-fold increased level of malonic dialdehyde was found in platelets of
      patients suffering from the first stage of vibration disease, exposed to local
      vibration. The changes of the fermentative and nonfermentative lipid peroxidation
      (LPO) were: increased accumulation of malonic dialdehyde (by 2.5 times in
      ascorbate-dependent LPO and by 2.6 times in NADRH-dependent LPO). Patients with
      peripheral vasomotor dystonia of the upper limbs combined with vasomotor spasms
      of the fingers showed NADPH-dependent and ascorbate-dependent LPO respectively
      41% and 29% more activated than in patients having no vasomotor spasms. In
      patient with vibration disease antioxidant activity was reduced by 39% on
      average, platelet aggregation, both spontaneous and induced by epinephrine,
      aggristine or adenosinediphosphoric acid, was increased. Platelet
      hyperaggregation in vibration disease may be caused by stimulated LPO in
      platelets, amassed end toxic product of LPO, decreased antioxidant activity.

PMID- 1427297
TI  - [Lipid peroxidation in the liver microsomes--a sensitive link in body exposure to
      vat dyes].
AB  - Experiments on male white rats showed that the soluble forms of vat dyes such as
      red brown 'G' (RBG) and bright green 'G' (BGG) delivered into the stomach in a
      toxic dose (1 g/kg) activate lipid peroxidation (LPO) in liver microsomes.
      Chronically inhaled dyes hasten of slow down some LPO stages, the changes
      depending on the concentration, duration of exposure and chemical structure of a
      compound. Soluble vat dye RBG increases LPO in concentration 5 mg/m3 whereas RBG
      shows antioxidant action in high and low concentrations.

PMID- 1427298
TI  - [The stability of the hearing function as a problem of otoergonomics].
AB  - Hearing stability was measured by the method using physiologic dependence: the
      better were body possibilities to resist the unfavourable effect of acoustic
      environment, the higher was the tolerance threshold. Hearing stability measured
      by the suggested method appeared to be an individual stable characteristic that
      can be predicted.

PMID- 1427299
TI  - [Scientific and technical progress and the problems of protecting the health of
      workers in water transport].
AB  - The influence of scientific and technological progress on the work and life of
      man in the world ocean is analysed. The main results of investigations and
      practical solutions are described in details. The drawbacks in the research of
      some aspects of the problem are shown and the objects of further investigations
      are outlined.

PMID- 1427300
TI  - [The pathogenesis of trichloroethylene poisoning].
AB  - Basing on the results of original clinical and experimental studies, as well as
      on medical literature data, the contributors proposed a hypothesis of the toxic
      action of trichloroethylene. It was attempted to prove that the trigger links of
      trichloroethylene intoxications were the energy exchange disorders caused by the
      nonspecific membranotoxic actions of the substance's molecules and their
      metabolites, as well as the extra consumption of energy by the metabolic
      processing of the poison. Involvement of adaptational reactions, such as the
      catecholamines' discharge, under the conditions of the damaged metabolic system,
      decreased the cell's potential and aggravated the severity of intoxications.

PMID- 1427301
TI  - [Data on the hygienic regulation of benzanthrone-based vat dyes in the air of a
      work area].
AB  - With regard to acute toxicity, the cubosols are attributed to the non-cumulative
      compounds of low toxicity. Acute inhalation exposure threshold for cubosol
      "Bright green" is over 140 mg/m3. Subacute poisonings developed following
      intragastric administrations in concentrations 1 g/kg for 30 days, and were
      characterized by polymorphism of the signs. Revealed were delayed body mass
      increment in the laboratory animals, changes in peripheral blood and hepatorenal
      morphology and function.

PMID- 1427302
TI  - [The use of a thin-layer chromatographic method for measuring the concentrations
      of mixtures of the dyes scarlet 2G and black 2K in the air of a work area].
AB  - Scarlet 2G and black 2K dyes were divided and measured by thin-layer
      chromatography with mixture of acetone and toluene (3:4) used as an eluent for
      dividing scarlet 2G and a mixture of chloroform, benzene and acetone (3:2:1) for
      eluting black 2K. The method permits the detection of the aforesaid dyes in the
      air of working area at the level of 0.5 MAC in the presence of admixtures.

PMID- 1427303
TI  - [The characteristics of the health and hygienic conditions of working in the
      manufacture of thioindigo-based vat dyes].

PMID- 1427304
TI  - [The toxicological evaluation of dust from the ion-exchange fiber VION AN-1].

PMID- 1427305
TI  - [The mechanism of the neurotropic action of emulsifying flushing fluids used in
      drilling].

PMID- 1427306
TI  - [The structural-biochemical characteristics of the glycoconjugates of alveolar
      macrophages under the action of quartz and coal dusts].

PMID- 1427307
TI  - [The problems of protecting the health of the population of industrial-area
      complexes].

PMID- 1427308
TI  - [The industrial environment in the electric-furnace steel smelting, converter and
      open-hearth furnace methods of manufacturing manganese-alloyed steels].
AB  - Inspection of the environment in manganese-alloyed steel production showed
      inadequate hygienic conditions of the technological processes employed. Air was
      more polluted by manganese oxides during the oxygen-converter process though
      their highest concentrations, 38 times exceeding the MAS, appeared during the
      casting of steel. An electric furnace coated by dust-noise-proof material and gas
      cleaning is preferable from a hygienic point of view. The influence of
      unfavourable microclimate, intensive infrared irradiation and loud noise on
      workers necessitates automation and mechanization of the process in order to
      improve the working conditions.

PMID- 1427309
TI  - [The effect of industrial factors on specific functions and the course of
      pregnancy and labor in workers of the Orgsintez Manufacturing Association].
AB  - Women engaged in the production of chlorine, divinyl and propylene oxide are
      exposed during the working shift to unfavourable occupational factors: gas, dust,
      noise, emotional and physical stress, inadequate microclimate. All that disorders
      the specific functions and health status. Diseases in women working for
      'Orgsintez' enterprise are closely connected with the length of service.
      Occupational factors of this chemical enterprise influence the course of
      pregnancy and labor, condition of fetus and newborn.

PMID- 1427310
TI  - [Methodological approaches to establishing the true and expected levels of
      occupational morbidity on the scale of a branch (sub-branch) of the economy
      (exemplified by the construction materials industry)].

PMID- 1427312
TI  - [The central hemodynamics of participants in the cleanup of the sequelae of the
      accident at the Chernobyl Atomic Electric Power Station 4 years after the
      accident].
AB  - Investigations of the central haemodynamics and myocardial contractility in 73
      men, who took part in repairing after the Chernobyl accident in 1986, in 4 years
      after the accident have shown the hyperkinetic type of circulation in 60.2%,
      eukinetic in 23.2%, hypokinetic in 15.6% of the examinees. Such changes of the
      central haemodynamics, increased frequency of the hyperkinetic type are due to
      the regulatory disorders decreasing the vascular tone in the major and minor
      circles, amplifying the venous return to heart and increasing the myocardial
      contractility.

PMID- 1427311
TI  - [Industrial hygiene problems in reclamation constriction operations].
AB  - Workers engaged in reclamation construction are exposed to dust and chemical
      agents, appearing in the air during the work. Vibration, noise, meteorologic
      conditions overmatch the normal parameters. Immunologic status is changed,
      transitory disablement incidence is high, occupational diseases occur. Hygienic
      measures for this population are recommended and put into practice.

PMID- 1427313
TI  - [The evaluation of the work regimens of miners in the gold-extracting placers of
      the north].
AB  - Results of field physiologic and hygienic investigations of borer's work schedule
      during the subterranean gold extraction in the Chukot Range [correction of
      Chukotka] are presented. Methods and models of rational work schedule in
      conditions of the extreme north are suggested based on the dose approach.

PMID- 1427314
TI  - [A comprehensive assessment of the working conditions for workers in vibration
      hazardous jobs].
AB  - Comprehensive evaluation of work conditions of workers of different occupational
      groups (bulldozer, excavator and boring machine operators, embroideresses) helped
      create a new parameter of occupation harmfulness evaluation: mean arithmetic
      value and root-mean-square digression. The main parameters of transitory
      disablement morbidity were found connected with the integral parameter of harmful
      environmental factors, which helped define the morbidity increase per 1
      harmfulness grade for men and women and predict the morbidity levels of workers
      depending on their work conditions.

PMID- 1427315
TI  - [The criterial approach to the diagnosis of changes in the osteoarticular
      apparatus of persons in vibration-hazardous jobs].
AB  - A criterial approach to the diagnosis of the skeletal system changes in
      individuals exposed to industrial vibration, involving the use of the X-ray
      diagnostic criteria (gerontologic, manual, vertebral) and the criterion based on
      the absorbed dose of vibration energy (exposure criterion) together with the data
      on the vibration disease manifestations (clinical criterion), makes it possible
      to estimate the risk of vibration disease.

PMID- 1427316
TI  - [The working conditions and morbidity with temporary loss of work capacity for
      those engaged in the manufacture of household chemical preparations].
AB  - Workers engaged in production of household chemical goods (paints, synthetic
      detergents, aerosols) are exposed to harmful factors (noise levels higher than
      the maximal allowable ones, concentration of chemical agents in the air
      surpassing the MACs). Such work conditions are estimated as unfavourable
      according to the hygienic classification. The total morbidity and some nosologic
      forms (respiratory, digestive, locomotor systems and skin) are growing in number
      especially in workers of aerosol production. Statistic analysis revealed that the
      length of service was directly related to the level of total morbidity and the
      incidence of gastrointestinal diseases in the workers engaged in manufacture of
      household chemical goods.

PMID- 1427317
TI  - [The use of toxicometric information in developing the scientific and technical
      documentation for chemical production].

PMID- 1427318
TI  - [The characteristics of the physiological functions and the biological age of the
      operators of metal spray guns for the gas-heat application of coatings].

PMID- 1427319
TI  - [Magnesium sulfate as an industrial poison].
AB  - The article provides information on the hygienic assessment of the labour
      conditions in magnesium sulphate processing, along with the experimental data on
      the toxicity of this chemical compound at different ways of its penetration into
      human body, and describes the damaging mechanisms of its action. The toxicity
      parameters were related to the 4th class of hazardousness (GOST 12.1.007-76). The
      acute inhalational action threshold was determined at 112.7 mg/m3. The chemical
      substance did not exhibit any irritating action on the skin and mucosae, but was
      capable of penetrating through the undamaged skin and cause some functional
      disorders. The chronic inhalational action threshold was assessed at 10.2 mg/m3.
      Magnesium sulphate did not display any specific cardiotoxic or gonadotrophic
      action. MAC in the air in working zone areas was established at 2 mg/m3. Lesions
      of the liver were the major factor in the pathogenesis of intoxications.

PMID- 1427320
TI  - [Skin pathology from exposure to the lubricating coolant fluid MR-7].
AB  - The article narrates on pathologic developments in the skin caused by the
      lubricating cooling liquid MP-7. 63 workers, including machine operators and
      adjusters, were medically examined, as a result of which it was established that
      the MP-7 liquid manifested marked irritating properties and less expressed
      allergenic characteristics. Oil-induced folliculitis, allergic dermatitis and
      eczema cases constituted 85.4 +/- 4.6% rate, which confirmed the occupational
      origin of the lesions. Ample supply of hygienic clothes, other hygienic
      procedures, weekly change of overalls did not fully eliminate contact with the MP
      7 liquid.

PMID- 1427321
TI  - [The epidemiology, diagnosis and prevention of dermatoses in workers
      manufacturing alumina from different aluminum ores].
AB  - Studies of dermatological morbidity in the workers of alumina enterprises showed
      a lowered incidence of skin lesions caused by common chemical harmfulness and
      increased incidence of allergic occupational dermatoses. Different types of such
      dermatoses are related to the ore used. The total level dermatologic morbidity
      mainly depends on the technology stage of the process but not on the type of raw
      material. Dermatologic screenings have shown that skin mycoses were the most
      incident among the dermatoses, whereas analysis of sick-leave records indicates
      the highest incidence of pyoderma; this necessitates adequate preventive
      measures.

PMID- 1427322
TI  - [The Hygiene-1 portable device for studying physical environmental factors].

PMID- 1427323
TI  - [The centenary of the founding of the Moscow Hygiene Society].

PMID- 1427324
TI  - [The clinical characteristics of the early stages of occupational fluorosis under
      the combined and joint action of production factors].
AB  - Over 1000 workers of hydrofluoric and cryolite enterprises and electrolysis shops
      of aluminium enterprises were examined. Subjects exposed to soluble
      hydrofluorides presented in the early stage of chronic intoxication with a
      variety of syndromes, that was characteristic of intoxication with poisons of
      general toxic action with involvement of hepatobiliary, digestive, circulatory
      and autonomic nervous systems. Combined exposure to fluoric compounds, heating
      microclimate and electromagnetic fields results in a graver involvement of the
      circulatory and autonomic nervous systems. Clinical and experimental data show,
      that osteoarthrosis deformans of the major joints (primarily elbow joint) must be
      regarded as one of the symptoms of fluorosis, when other intoxication signs are
      present.

PMID- 1427325
TI  - [The membranogenous action of occupational hazards from the manufacture of black
      copper on older individuals].
AB  - Many-year investigations of health status, aging process and occupational
      diseases in rough copper production workers, including elderly individuals,
      revealed the occupational factors (sulphur dioxide, industrial dust, etc.)
      harmful for membranes. Lowered share of phospholipids containing polyunsaturated
      fatty acids, that changes the physical and chemical properties of membranes and
      cellular receptors and enzymes, was found harmful for membranes. The most severe
      changes were seen in the workers exposed to sulphur dioxide.

PMID- 1427326
TI  - [The fitness for shift work of operators working according to schedules with a
      rapid shift rotation].
AB  - Integral parameter of professional capacity for work in day and night shifts were
      studied in 52 operators of heat electric power stations and compared with the
      results of sociopsychologic questioning. 19% of the operators having higher work
      capacity in the night shift than in the day one (according to integral parameter)
      were characterized by lower anxiety, better mood and sleep, and lesser fatigue
      during the night shift than 19% of examinees, whose night working capacity was
      lower in comparison with the day shift. The rest 62% of the operators showed a
      stable level of capacity for work during day and night shifts, their position
      according to the sociopsychologic parameters is intermediate.

PMID- 1427327
TI  - [The dependence of the degree of visual fatigue on the shift duration in work
      with video terminals and an assessment of the efficacy of preventive measures].
AB  - Dynamic studies of visual capacity for work in individuals working with displays
      revealed decreased accommodation volume after the long concentration on the
      display. The total time of work with the display of more than 2h a day involved a
      decrease of the accommodation volume by 0.42-0.49 diopters and transitory myopia
      of 0.15-0.21 diopters, as well as increased self-appraisal of fatigue. The system
      of prophylactic measures including rest breaks, special exercises, massage was
      worked out and put into practice. Repeated study has proved the effectiveness of
      suggested measures.

PMID- 1427328
TI  - [The pathomorphological changes in the internal organs in experimental chronic
      red phosphorus poisoning].
AB  - Experiments on 76 rats of both sexes exposed to red phosphorus revealed the
      morphologic changes in the body. Chronic red phosphorus poisoning (15 days, 1, 2,
      3, 4 months) induces dystrophic changes and hyperemia in the examined viscera and
      brain. The first pathomorphologic changes appeared in the liver, stomach, small
      intestine, and as the intoxication period was prolonged they appeared in other
      internal organs and brain.

PMID- 1427329
TI  - [The cytotoxic action of metal stearates and its correlation with the toxicity
      for animals].
AB  - Toxic effects of lead, cadmium, barium, silver, zinc and calcium stearates on the
      Rh-type cells culture have been revealed. The expressiveness of the cytotoxic
      action correlated with the toxicity degree for laboratory animals. The strongest
      (r = 0,98; p less than 0,01) was the correlation between cytotoxicity parameter
      (the minimal cytoclastic concentration) and the inhalation toxicity parameter in
      animals (lim(ac)). The results permitted deriving formulae for predicting some
      toxicity parameters (intraperitoneal LD50, lim(ac)), hygienic regulations (MAC),
      and showed that the prediction based on cytotoxicity data is more reliable, than
      that based on toxicometric parameters in short-term experiments used for such
      purpose.

PMID- 1427330
TI  - [Experimental data on the hygienic regulation of dimethyl phosphite in the air of
      a work area].
AB  - Dimethylphosphite, being a semiproduct of chlorophosphonium synthesis, is a
      moderately toxic substance according to the criterion of acute toxicity. It is
      characterized by marked cumulative properties, absorption from skin and local
      irritative action. Acute and chronic poisoning induces disorders of the nervous
      system. MAC in the air is 0.5 mg/m3 as established by Ministry of Health.

PMID- 1427331
TI  - [The effect of the Earth's weakened magnetic field on the peripheral blood
      indices of experimental animals].

PMID- 1427332
TI  - [A method for performing single-factor dispersion analysis with the
      transformation of the initial values into relative ones].
AB  - Initial data can be transformed into relative to check conclusion about the
      influence of studied factor on resulting variable. Examples of dispersion
      analysis on orthogonal and nonorthogonal complexes are given.

PMID- 1427333
TI  - [The function of mono-oxygenase system in exposure to tricresol (experimental
      research)].
AB  - Studies of monoxygenase system in rat liver exposed to tricresol showed, that the
      microsomal enzymes status depends on the route of tricresol administration and on
      the exposure intensity. Monoxygenase system status compared with the serum
      enzymes activity characterizing the function of the liver showed that changes in
      microsomal system are more marked, appear earlier and after lower levels of
      exposure. Changes of cytochrome P-450 enzyme system are the main principle of
      tricresol harmful action.

PMID- 1427334
TI  - [The late sequelae of body exposure to phosphorus, fluorine and their derivatives
      (a review of the literature)].
AB  - Presents data on mutagenic, gonadotoxic, embryotoxic and teratogenic activities
      of phosphorus, fluorine and their derivatives. The investigations have revealed
      the mechanisms of these chemical substances toxic action on the genetic
      apparatus, reproductive organs, progeny. The problem is interesting and needs
      further investigations.

PMID- 1427335
TI  - [The hygienic bases of laser safety].
AB  - Exploitation of laser devices exposes the workers to reflected low-intensity
      radiation and concomitant physical and chemical factors. Clinical and
      experimental studies revealed the structural and functional disorders in the
      organs and body systems exposed to long and constant action of the stated
      factors, which let the changes be considered as a criterion of the harmful action
      and serve to base the maximal allowable conditions and assure the safe work
      conditions when handling laser devices. Harmful and dangerous factors produced by
      laser device and used materials necessitate the creation of laser equipment of
      different types and purposes, that will be safe for the personnel handling it.

PMID- 1427336
TI  - [The correction of hemodynamic disorders with low-intensity infrared laser
      radiation in agricultural machinery operators with borderline arterial
      hypertension].
AB  - Data on the influence of low-intensity infrared laser on the central and
      peripheral hemodynamics in 76 agricultural machine operators facing transitory
      arterial hypertension are presented. Analysis revealed that low-intensity laser
      is more effective at the early stages of cardiovascular diseases. Low-intensity
      infrared laser exposure of reflexogenic zones can be effectively used to correct
      hemodynamic disorders in subjects facing transitory arterial hypertension.

PMID- 1427337
TI  - [The setting of hygienic standards for harmful substances in the air of a work
      area 1986-1990].

PMID- 1427338
TI  - [The immunological features and morphological characteristics of experimental
      ulcer formation in sensitization to chromium].

PMID- 1427339
TI  - [Industrial hygiene in the modern manufacture of synthetic detergents].
AB  - Work conditions in the synthetic detergents production according to the new
      technology created by Sumitomo (Japan) were evaluated from hygienic point of
      view. The main unfavourable factor is the contamination of air by initial
      products (aerosols of sodium tripoli phosphate, carboxy methylcellulose, optic
      bleacher, enzymes et al.) and dust of the final product. Sulphur oxides appear in
      the air of the sulphating unit. Levels of noise and vibration are surpassed. At
      the same time the studied technology is more profitable than the current ones.
      Parameters of the cardiovascular, central nervous and neuromuscular systems do
      not indicate the physical and neuropsychic fatigue.

PMID- 1427340
TI  - [Industrial hygiene in the use of the herbicide Raiser in cotton growing].

PMID- 1427341
TI  - [The mechanisms of the formation of pneumoconiosis under high-altitude
      conditions].
AB  - Lipid peroxidation parameters, such as malonic dialdehyde and antioxidant defense
      (superoxide dismutase and catalase activities) were studied in healthy
      individuals, miners of different occupations, working at mines of different
      altitudes. The studies showed that increased lipid peroxidation and decreased
      antioxidant defense are connected with the altitude of work and exposure to the
      quartz-containing dust combined with hypobaric hypoxia. Malonic dialdehyde, the
      final toxic product of peroxidation, is accumulated as a result of it. Increased
      membranous lipid peroxidation results in death and lysis of cells. It becomes the
      principal pathogenetic component of pneumoconiosis formation and clarifies the
      mechanism of its early development, comparatively fast progressing, frequency of
      nodular forms in miners from the high and middle altitudes. That testifies the
      ability of hypobaric hypoxia to produce silicosis.

PMID- 1427342
TI  - [The role of the sweat glands in excreting antimony from the body in people
      living in the biogeochemical provinces of the Fergana Valley].
AB  - The features of antimony excretion by sweat glands were studied in normal
      subjects and patients with chronic bronchitis, chronic gastritis, chronic
      nephritis and calculous pyelonephritis, visceral leishmaniasis, living in some
      biogeochemical provinces of Fergana Valley. A micromethod based on the coloured
      reaction of the element with brilliant green was worked out to detect antimony in
      sweat. Sweat antimony elimination was proved to play a significant role in health
      and disease. The workers engaged in antimony production, the inhabitants of
      antimony biogeochemical regions should have their sweat excretion tested to score
      the Sb level. It is recommended as an additional test for screening and
      controlling the effects of visceral leishmaniasis chemotherapy by solusurmine in
      patients with kidney disorders.

PMID- 1427343
TI  - [The immune reactivity characteristics of persons engaged in the manufacture of
      protein-vitamin concentrates].
AB  - Immunologic studies in 130 protein-vitamin concentrate production workers of
      Angarsk showed the characteristic changes in clinically healthy individuals,
      suffering from allergic conditions. The changes are: increased levels of T
      lymphocytes, T killers, T helpers, B lymphocytes, decreased levels of T
      suppressors and IgA. Immunologic reactivity predisposing to allergic conditions
      and chronic course of inflammations was found to appear in the workers engaged in
      protein-vitamin concentrate production.

PMID- 1427344
TI  - [Dosimetry in setting practical hygienic standards for radio-wave irradiation].
AB  - In dosimetric approach to the hygienic norm setting of radio waves adequate
      metrological basis is required. Joint investigations, carried by physicists and
      hygienists helped solve the new medical and technical problems, connected with
      the creation of individual dosimeters and indicators, monitor the hygienic norms
      of superhigh frequency electromagnetic waves. The devices are small, light, with
      autonomic power supply and digital indication of current exposure dose. The
      devices are supposed to give signals (light, sound) if the individual hygienic
      levels of superhigh frequency electromagnetic waves are surpassed.

PMID- 1427345
TI  - [The characteristics of the reactions of excitable tissue to combined exposure to
      microwaves and low-intensity ultrasound].
AB  - Isolated pacemaker of the frog's heart served as a sensitive model to study the
      combined action of the low intensity electromagnetic and mechanic factors.
      Critical energy levels of factors, their relative efficiency in direct action on
      the cell were estimated. Additive effects of microwaves and ultrasound were
      examined. The data can be valuable for the further investigations concerning the
      effects of different nonionizing rays.

PMID- 1427346
TI  - [Pathology of the joints of the hand and periarticular tissues in exposure to
      local vibration and functional overload of the hands].
AB  - The hand joint is a multi-joint formation, including the wrist, carpal,
      intercarpal, carpometacarpal, intermetacarpal, distal radioulnar joints. Features
      of hand joint and periarticular tissue disease were studied in 536 workers
      exposed to local vibration and functional overstrain. The most prevalent diseases
      are arthroses with deformation of the wrist, radiocarpal, carpometacarpal joints,
      often with involvement of the triangular fibrous disk and carpals, periarthroses
      of the hand joint with compression neuropathy of the median and ulnar nerves.

PMID- 1427347
TI  - [The clinical manifestations of chronic exposure to a heating microclimate in
      metal and forge workers].
AB  - Comprehensive examination of 177 workers and screening of more than 2000 workers
      exposed to heating microclimate revealed the possibility of chronic overheating
      in some workers and provided the description of its clinical manifestations.
      Vasoneurosis, myocardiodystrophia and metabolic disorders are the keys to
      developing of the disease characterized by a rotative course.

PMID- 1427348
TI  - [Changes in the serum enzymo- and proteinograms of workers in enzyme production
      suffering from skin diseases (the validation of the diagnosis and of the
      therapeutic-preventive measures)].
AB  - Clinical and epidemiologic examinations of 260 workers engaged in enzyme
      production revealed the structure of skin disease incidence: mycoses--31%, atopic
      dermatitis--19%, contact dermatitis--9%, allergic, dermatitis--5%. The majority
      of these skin diseases were associated with hyperphosphatemia and monoaminoxidase
      (MAO) depression. Changes of alkaline phosphatase and MAO activities, serum
      albumins and gamma-globulins may be considered as sensitive markers of disease.

PMID- 1427349
TI  - [The biological action on the body of animals of small concentrations of the dust
      from combined feeds].

PMID- 1427350
TI  - [The results of clinico-hygienic research in the region of the Mozyr industrial
      center following the accident at the Chernobyl Atomic Electric Power Station].
AB  - The dose of radioactive irradiation received by the workers of the Mozyr
      industrial area after the Chernobyl power plant accident cannot result in
      specific lesions, but a nonspecific effects of low radiation doses, chemical
      substances of low intensity and other occupational factors are possible. A
      possible radiation origin of the astheno-depressive and astheno-somatic disorders
      developing by nonspecific stress mechanisms is to be investigated.

PMID- 1427351
TI  - [Cytochemical research on the peripheral blood erythrocytes and neutrophils of
      coal miners].
AB  - A total of 140 miners, divided into 4 groups were studied. The first group
      consisted of 25 practically healthy people, newly employed, examined at a health
      center of the mine, the second of 21 patients with anthracosilicosis, the third
      of 36 with anthracosilicosis confirmed by X-ray, the fourth included 58 facing
      the first stage of anthracosilicosis. Erythrocyte histidine and catecholamine
      levels, myeloperoxidase and beta-glucuronidase activities, data of lysosomal
      cation (LC) and NBT tests in neutrophils were under study. The miners of groups
      2, 3, 4 showed the increased beta-glucuronidase activity (by 47-73%) and NBT test
      values (37-96%), lowered levels of catecholamines (57-67%), histidine (48-60%),
      results of LC-test (29-32%) and myeloperoxidase activity (21-31%) in comparison
      with normal subjects. The findings will help diagnose the latent forms of
      anthracosilicosis comparatively early, when the structural changes cannot be
      detected by X-ray.

PMID- 1427352
TI  - [R proteins as an integral index of the action on the body of industrial
      allergens in an experiment on white rats].
AB  - P proteins were just obtained from white rats and a method to testify them with
      the help of highly stable anti-P serum was worked out. Normal titres of P
      proteins are 1:1600 and 1:3200. Different models of sensitisation to the
      industrial allergens (delivered intracutaneously, by inhalation, into trachea in
      various doses and concentrations) were used in trials of the method. P protein
      level appeared to correlate with the sensitisation degree estimated by specific
      allergy tests. The highest P protein titer is due to the toxic allergic
      conditions (up to 1:102400), the minimal to sensitization of threshold (up to
      1:12800) level. Provocative inhalation test in sensitized rats induced an
      increase of P protein titer as delayed hypersensitivity was forming.

PMID- 1427353
TI  - [The establishment of the MPEL for carboxylic acid derivatives in the air of a
      work area by using mathematical models].
AB  - Reports of MACs for carboxylic acid derivatives as sodium methoxyacetate (SMOA),
      methyl chlorpropionate (MCP) and acetoacetic ether (AAE). SMOA shows low
      toxicity, no cumulation and specific action MCP demonstrates moderate toxicity,
      low cumulation no specific action in concentrations close to Limac. AAE presents
      toxicity low in oral usage and moderate when inhaled, low cumulation, no
      irritation and sensitization. Tentative safe level of injury and MAC estimated
      for the aforesaid substances together with toxicity parameters compared with the
      substances studied before allowed the authors to set the MAC of SMOA--10, MCP--2,
      AAE--10 mg/m3.

PMID- 1427354
TI  - [The toxicokinetics of low-solubility substances (exemplified by 2 boron
      compounds)].
AB  - Multichamber toxicokinetic model studies of the resorption, distribution and
      excretion properties of poorly soluble substances in subchronic action of
      suspensions administered intragastrically can be the first step in prognosing the
      toxicokinetic properties of the inhaled aerosols of the substances mostly
      discharged from the respiratory into the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). The
      generally accepted quantitative characteristics of the particles' deposition and
      translocation into GIT can provide a further application of the model for a
      mathematical description of a prolonged inhalational exposure to some substances.
      This technique was tested with the boron compounds characterized by low
      solubility and revealed a good correlation between the prognosed and actual
      deposits of the substance in the organ and excretions. At the same time, detected
      were some qualitative and quantitative differences in the boron toxicokinetics
      influenced by magnesium deboride and hexaborate, which were explained by
      differences in their solubility.

PMID- 1427355
TI  - [Improved medical care for miners with ischemic heart disease].
AB  - The article is devoted to coronary disease in miners of deep Donbass mines. Data
      of its prevalence, chemical and functional features are given. Rapid progress of
      the disease was found to correlate with unfavourable factors of occupational
      environment. Mechanisms of dangerous heart rythm disorders formation during the
      work are shown. The main points of the programme improving the health care of
      miners suffering from coronary heart disease are described.

PMID- 1427356
TI  - [The measurement of the characteristics of x-ray radiation generated by video
      display terminals by using thermoluminescent detectors].
AB  - Exposure doses of X-rays generated by video displays were measured by means of
      highly sensitive TLD-500K type detector based on thermoluminophore Al2O3 and DTG
      4 type detector based on thermoluminophore LiF. Individual human doses and doses
      accumulated on the display's surface can be measured. Trials showed efficiency of
      the method to evaluate the efficacy of protective screens for reducing the
      irradiation exposure.

PMID- 1427357
TI  - [Methodological approaches to the analysis of morbidity with temporary loss of
      work capacity].
AB  - The morbidity with temporary disablement (MTD) was studied with the help of
      Pearson's [correction of Pirson's] criterion in 689 empiric rows. The effect of
      work conditions on such morbidity was scored by dispersion analysis, demanding to
      take into account not only intergroup parameters connected with work conditions,
      but also intragroup ones, depending on casual circumstances, that is why the
      results should be regarded as preliminary data. The estimated effect of work
      conditions on the MTD shows unjustified high results for the year, because
      intragroup parameters were levelled.

PMID- 1427358
TI  - Psychoautonomic approaches to migraine.

PMID- 1427359
TI  - Pain threshold in humans. A study with the pressure algometer.
AB  - Pain perception threshold (PPT) in the head was assessed with a pressure
      algometer in 40 control individuals (24 females and 16 males). Threshold was
      assessed at 11 symmetrical points on each side. The average threshold for each
      side was calculated, and differences between two sides were evaluated with an
      asymmetry index. Subjects were studied in relation to age and sex, and any
      difference in the symmetrical perception of pain on the head was registered. The
      deltoid muscle was chosen as a reference point, since it is rarely a site of
      trigger points. The reproducibility of the method was satisfactory. A
      significantly positive correlation was found between PPT value of the head and
      the deltoid muscle. There was no tendency to rise or fall in PPT during the same
      "session", which consisted of 3 separate complete measurements. The mean of mean
      values showed that there was little asymmetry as for the thresholds pertaining to
      the head in the total material. Age and sex apparently played little role as for
      the outcome of the test. The assessment of PPT in the head might be a useful tool
      in the study of lateralization of pain in unilateral headache syndromes.

PMID- 1427360
TI  - Laterality of pain and other migraine criteria in common migraine. A comparison
      with cervicogenic headache.
AB  - Patients diagnosed as suffering from common migraine according to the "Ad hoc
      committee" criteria of 1962 have been studied as for type of unilaterality of
      headache. Patients, with trauma to the face, head, and neck were excluded,
      together with patients with the faintest suspicion of aura and those with
      chronification of the headache. Common migraine criteria, as stipulated by the
      IHS and Vahlquist, were counted in every patient (n = 32), except the laterality
      which was a free variable (a total of 8 variables remaining). For comparison, as
      far as the number of migraine criteria is concerned, a group of cervicogenic
      headache patients was also studied (n = 30). Unilaterality with side shift of
      pain was present in 75% in the common migraine group; in 34% of the patients, a
      combined pattern, i.e. bilateral headache + unilaterality with sideshift was
      present. Common migraine, therefore, just as classic migraine, seems to be a
      headache characterized by unilaterality with side alternation of pain. Common
      migraine criteria were present to a high degree in common migraine patients
      selected in this way, i.e. ca. 6.8 of a maximum of 7. In cervicogenic headache,
      the corresponding figure was ca. 3.8 (of a maximum of 7). These figures are
      statistically significantly different (p < 1.3 10(-11), Mann-Whitney test).
      Still, the level of criteria is relatively high in cervicogenic headache, and 6
      of 30 patients would fulfil the IHS common migraine criteria.

PMID- 1427361
TI  - Apomorphine test in de novo Parkinson's disease.
AB  - We administered apomorphine, a powerful dopaminergic agonist, subcutaneously to
      25 untreated patients with parkinsonian features and evaluated motor response
      with the aim of discriminating idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) from multiple
      system atrophy and progressive supranuclear palsy. The response to apomorphine
      was strongly predictive of responsiveness to subsequent levodopa follow-up and of
      the final diagnosis, made on the basis of both clinical and instrumental
      evaluation. Our data confirm that the apomorphine test is helpful in the
      differential diagnosis of IPD.

PMID- 1427362
TI  - Length of social deprivation differently affects free-choice morphine consumption
      in C57BL/6J mice.
AB  - The effects of social deprivation on morphine consumption in C57BL/6J mice were
      investigated. Social or isolated animals (length of isolation: 7, 12, 17 days)
      were submitted to a free-choice between water and morphine hydrochloride solution
      (0.5 mg/ml). Isolation affects morphine consumption, with solitary housed mice
      drinking more morphine solution than socially housed animals. Moreover the amount
      of morphine intake depends on the duration of the isolation period to which mice
      are subjected. The importance of environmental factors on opiate consumption may
      be considered in terms of the possible implications of drug addiction in humans.

PMID- 1427363
TI  - Chemotherapy for gastric cancer.

PMID- 1427364
TI  - Length of Barrett's oesophagus: an important factor in the development of
      dysplasia and adenocarcinoma.
AB  - In a 15 year prospective study of endoscopic surveillance of columnar lined
      oesophagus, 102 patients with a mean follow up of 54 (12.5) months and total
      follow up of 462 years have been evaluated. Of all the sets of biopsies taken, 59
      in 21 patients were found to exhibit dysplasia or carcinoma. Four male patients
      had carcinoma of the oesophagus, indicating a 30 times increased risk of
      development of adenocarcinoma in columnar lined oesophagus. The length of
      columnar lined oesophagus in subjects with dysplasia was significantly longer as
      compared with the whole group (p = 0.01) and when compared with the patients
      without dysplasia (p = 0.005). None of the patients with dysplasia had a columnar
      lined oesophagus of less than 8 cm. Length of columnar lined oesophagus therefore
      seems to be a significant risk factor in the development of dysplasia and
      subsequent carcinoma and intensive follow up of patients with columnar lined
      oesophagus greater than 8 cm in length is recommended.

PMID- 1427365
TI  - Comparison of endoscopic injection therapy versus the heater probe in major
      peptic ulcer haemorrhage.
AB  - One hundred and twenty patients presenting with major peptic ulcer haemorrhage
      were randomised in a clinical trial comparing endoscopic injection and heater
      probe therapy. The two groups were well matched with regards to age, admission
      haemoglobin concentration, the presence of shock, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
      drug usage and endoscopic findings. Permanent haemostasis was achieved in 87% of
      the injection group and 85% of the heater probe group. Hospital mortality,
      transfusion requirement and duration of admission were similar in both groups.
      Endoscopic injection and the heater probe represent equally effective therapy for
      peptic ulcer bleeding.

PMID- 1427366
TI  - Mucosal peptic activity during Helicobacter pylori infection in pediatric
      patients.
AB  - Intramucosal peptic activity may participate in the genesis of acute and chronic
      superficial gastritis. The proteolytic activity of homogenates of gastric mucosa
      (antrum and body) and duodenum were measured at pH 2.0 (total peptic activity)
      after exposure to pH 8.0 (pepsinogen) and the activated pepsinogen (pepsin) was
      calculated in pediatric patients investigated for the presence of Helicobacter
      pylori (H pylori), 122 antral, 77 stomach body, and 74 duodenal biopsies were
      examined in 43 H pylori positive patients, 51 controls, and 28 H pylori negative
      gastritis patients. Activated pepsinogen was significantly reduced in the stomach
      of H pylori positive patients only. Pepsinogen values were similar in all the
      anatomical areas tested in all patients. In 13 H pylori positive patients
      reinvestigated three months after antibiotic therapy, antral mucosal activated
      pepsinogen activity increased significantly (mean pretreatment 1.56 (1.0) U/mg
      protein versus mean post-treatment 2.72 (1.7) U/mg protein) and reached values
      comparable with controls. The decreased activated pepsinogen activity in
      association with normal pepsinogen content observed in the antrum of H pylori
      positive gastritis patients indicate local pepsin inactivation or alternately
      enhanced removal into the gastric lumen or backflow into the circulation.

PMID- 1427367
TI  - Effect of acute cigarette smoking on gastric secretion.
AB  - The effects of smoking one cigarette on a plateau of submaximal gastric secretion
      induced by histamine acid phosphate (16 nmol kg-1 h-1 (0.005 mg kg-1 h-1)) were
      measured in eight normal volunteers and in eight duodenal ulcer subjects. The
      rate of secretion in both groups fell by 25% without any statistically
      significant change in pyloric loss or duodenogastric reflux. It is concluded that
      smoking reduces gastric secretion. The possibility that relative antral
      hypoacidity induced by regular smoking produces an increase in parietal cell mass
      via a feedback mechanism mediated by gastrin is discussed: such a mechanism would
      explain the previously reported positive correlation between maximal gastric
      secretion of acid and the total dose of cigarettes.

PMID- 1427368
TI  - Effect of cholera toxin on the human jejunum.
AB  - In order to develop a model for secretory diarrhoea and to confirm the in vitro
      effects of cholera toxin in man in vivo the effect of intrajejunally administered
      cholera toxin was investigated in healthy volunteers. An intestinal perfusion
      technique with an occluding balloon proximal to the infusion site was used. The
      jejunum was perfused under steady state conditions with a plasma like electrolyte
      solution containing polyethylene glycol as a non-absorbable volume marker. After
      two control periods of one hour each, during which water was absorbed at a rate
      of 104 (14) (mean (SEM), n = 15) and 94 (15) ml/30 cm/h, respectively, three
      different doses of cholera toxin (6.25 micrograms, 12.5 micrograms, 25
      micrograms) were administered by bolus into the lumen of the jejunum. Cholera
      toxin reduced absorption of water and electrolytes progressively over four hours
      and induced secretion in a dose dependent fashion. In the fourth hour net
      secretion amounted to 22 (23), 36 (24), and 88 (40) ml/30 cm/h (each n = five)
      with doses of 6.25, 12.5, and 25 micrograms cholera toxin, respectively. The
      movement of sodium, chloride, and bicarbonate paralleled water movement. Our
      results suggest that cholera toxin may serve as a secretory model in the human
      jejunum which might allow testing of new antisecretory agents.

PMID- 1427369
TI  - Cow's milk provocation induces an immune response to unrelated dietary antigens.
AB  - The activation of immune mechanisms was evaluated by the solid phase enzyme
      linked immunoassay of immunoglobulin and specific antibody secreting cells in 27
      patients (aged from nine to 69 months), subjected to a diagnostic cow's milk
      challenge or a rechallenge. A significant rise in the total number of
      immunoglobulin secreting cells was associated with clinically positive (n = 17),
      but not a negative (n = 10) cow's milk challenge in all immunoglobulin isotypes.
      The number of specific antibody secreting cells against beta lactoglobulin, mean
      (95% confidence interval), increased from 4.8 (1.4, 15.8) to 16.9 (5.5, 52.7)
      specific antibody secreting cells/10(6) cells, p = 0.02, and against casein from
      2.2 (0.8, 6.1) to 7.5 (2.5, 22.5) specific antibody secreting cells/10(6) cells,
      p = 0.01, in patients positive to challenge in the IgM class only, indicating
      defective immune elimination of milk antigens. In addition to the specific immune
      response to cow's milk antigens, an increase in IgM specific antibody secreting
      cells against an unrelated dietary antigen, gliadin, from 8.2 (2.1, 31.1) to 31.0
      (14.2, 67.6) specific antibody secreting cells/10(6) cells, p = 0.01, was
      observed. These results indicate that cow's milk challenge, in patients who have
      cow's milk allergy, induces a strong non-antigen specific immune response that
      includes a response against unrelated antigens concomitantly present in the
      intestinal lumen. Activation of such immune mechanisms may hence reflect
      increased antigenic load caused by the immune mediated lesion in the gut mucosa.

PMID- 1427370
TI  - Activated eosinophils in adult coeliac disease: evidence for a local release of
      major basic protein.
AB  - The eosinophil population is increased in the jejunal mucosa of patients with
      coeliac disease. Eosinophils may participate in the mucosal damage by releasing
      their granule components that have cytotoxic properties such as eosinophil
      cationic protein (ECP) and major basic protein (MBP). This study aimed to assess
      the presence of ECP and MBP in the jejunal mucosa of 10 adult patients with
      active coeliac disease who presented with villous flattening. Endoscopic jejunal
      biopsy specimens were obtained from macroscopically flattened jejunal mucosa and
      were processed for ultrastructural study and immunogold labelling using anti-MBP,
      anti-ECP, and anti-IgA antibodies. Numerous eosinophils were found in the upper
      part of the lamina propria and showed two types of morphological change: some
      were lytic and others exhibited ultrastructural signs of activation, containing
      altered granules with fading of the central core. IgA plasma cells were
      intermingled with eosinophils and had dense deposits on the external side of
      their cytoplasmic membrane. MBP was detected in central cores of granules but
      also diffusely in their matrix and in tight association with dense extracellular
      deposits. Conversely, ECP was detected only in the matrix of eosinophil granules.
      This study showed that numerous eosinophils are in an activated state in the
      mucosa of patients with active coeliac disease and release cytotoxic proteins
      such as MBP, which could contribute to the mucosal damage. The observation that
      eosinophils and IgA plasmocytes were closely associated in the mucosa supports a
      role for IgA in eosinophil recruitment and activation in coeliac disease.

PMID- 1427371
TI  - Non-invasive assessment of gastrointestinal motility disorders in diabetic
      patients with and without cardiovascular signs of autonomic neuropathy.
AB  - Twenty six patients with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus underwent a gastric
      emptying test, a gall bladder contraction test, an orocaecal transit study, and a
      colon transit test. Eleven patients had signs of cardiovascular autonomic
      neuropathy, 15 patients were without signs of cardiovascular autonomic
      neuropathy. Mean gastric clearance of radioopaque markers ingested with a meal
      averaged 29.5 (2.3) markers per six hours in subjects without cardiovascular
      autonomic neuropathy compared with 17.8 (2.3) markers per six hours in patients
      with cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (p < 0.02). Gall bladder emptying in
      response to graded CCK8 stimulation was impaired in five of 11 patients with
      cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy, whereas it was normal in the patients
      without cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (p < 0.01). Oral caecal transit times
      were not significantly different in the two patient groups, whereas colonic
      transit was slower in the patients with cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy
      compared with the group without cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (p < 0.02).
      There was no correlation between disturbed gastric clearance, impaired gall
      bladder contraction, and prolonged colonic transit time in the patients with
      cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy nor was there a correlation between any
      disturbed motor function and age or duration of diabetes. It is concluded that
      autonomic neuropathy can affect motor functions throughout the gastro-intestinal
      tract. Any disturbed motor function in the gut could therefore be one of the
      numerous expressions of diabetic neuropathy affecting the cardiovascular, the
      endocrine or the gastrointestinal system.

PMID- 1427372
TI  - Metronidazole reduces intestinal inflammation and blood loss in non-steroidal
      anti-inflammatory drug induced enteropathy.
AB  - This study assessed the effect of metronidazole on the gastroduodenal mucosa,
      intestinal permeability, blood loss, and inflammation in patients on non
      steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Thirteen patients were studied before
      and after 2-12 weeks' treatment with metronidazole 800 mg/day, while maintaining
      an unchanged NSAID intake. Intestinal inflammation, as assessed by the faecal
      excretion of indium-111 labelled neutrophils, and blood loss, assessed with
      chromium-51 labelled red cells, were significantly reduced after treatment (mean
      (SD) 111In excretion 4.7 (4.7)% v 1.5 (1.3)% (N < 1.0%), p < 0.001, 51Cr red
      cells loss 2.6 (1.6) ml/day v 0.9 (0.5) ml/day (N < 1.0 ml/day), p < 0.01).
      Intestinal permeability assessed as the 5 hour urinary excretion ratio of
      51CrEDTA/L-rhamnose did not change significantly (0.133 (0.046) v 0.154 (0.064),
      p > 0.1) and there were no significant changes in the endoscopic or microscopic
      appearances of the gastroduodenal mucosa. These results suggest that the
      neutrophil is the main damaging effector cell in NSAID induced enteropathy. The
      main neutrophil chemo-attractant in this enteropathy may be a metronidazole
      sensitive microbe.

PMID- 1427373
TI  - Polymerase chain reaction detection of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis and
      Mycobacterium avium subsp silvaticum in long term cultures from Crohn's disease
      and control tissues.
AB  - Thirty one cultures were established in MG3 medium from the intestinal tissues of
      29 patients, including 18 with Crohn's disease, five with ulcerative colitis, and
      six non-inflammatory bowel disease controls. All cultures grew either acid fast
      bacilli or uncharacterized spheroplasts. Pellets from these cultures were coded
      and assayed blind for M paratuberculosis and M avium subsp silvaticum using IS900
      and IS902-PCR (polymerase chain reaction) assays, respectively. IS900 and IS902
      are multicopy DNA insertion elements specific for these two organisms. Six
      Crohn's disease cultures and a single non-inflammatory bowel disease control were
      positive for M paratuberculosis. A further six cultures were positive for M avium
      subsp silvaticum, of which two each were from Crohn's disease, ulcerative
      colitis, and non-inflammatory bowel disease controls. The intensity of the IS900
      PCR signals indicated very low numbers of M paratuberculosis organisms and bore
      no relation to visible spheroplastic or bacillary mycobacterial growth. The
      results suggest that M paratuberculosis isolated from man exists in a form which
      hardly replicates if at all when cultured in MG3 medium in vitro, and are
      consistent with the involvement of this known animal enteric pathogen in a
      proportion of chronic enteritis in man.

PMID- 1427374
TI  - Detection of mRNAs for macrophage products in inflammatory bowel disease by in
      situ hybridisation.
AB  - In situ hybridisation has been used to detect mRNAs to the macrophage secretory
      products, lysozyme, interleukin 1 beta and tumour necrosis factor-alpha. Sections
      of paraformaldehyde fixed, frozen colonoscopic biopsies from patients with
      ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease or normal controls were hybridised with
      specific radiolabelled probes and the signal detected by autoradiography.
      Lysozyme mRNA expression was more common in ulcerative colitis (22/27) and
      Crohn's disease (eight of eight) compared with controls (17/27). Positive cells
      were found mainly in the subepithelial region in normal colon, while in
      inflammatory bowel disease they also appeared in the deeper lamina propria.
      Immunocytochemistry in parallel sections showed that lysozyme mRNA was expressed
      only in macrophages or in metaplastic Paneth cells in longstanding inflammatory
      bowel disease. Tissue neutrophils did not express the lysozyme mRNA, though they
      have large stores of the protein. Tumour necrosis factor mRNA was detected in
      four of nine controls compared with 11/15 inflammatory bowel disease patients.
      For interleukin 1 beta, three of eight controls were positive compared with 10/13
      with ulcerative colitis. The tumour necrosis factor signal was located mainly in
      the deeper lamina propria whereas the interleukin 1 beta was seen in
      subepithelial macrophages. These results confirm increased macrophage activation
      in inflammatory bowel disease and suggest functional heterogeneity within the
      intestinal macrophage population.

PMID- 1427375
TI  - Raised concentrations of platelet activating factor in colonic mucosa of Crohn's
      disease patients.
AB  - Platelet activating factor (PAF-ACETHER or PAF) and precursors of platelet
      activating factor were investigated in 26 patients with acute Crohn's disease and
      in 10 healthy controls. Platelet activating factor, lyso platelet activating
      factor, and alkyl acyl glycerophosphocholine, were determined in colonic mucosal
      biopsies in patients with acute Crohn's disease, during prednisolone therapy, and
      in remission. Biopsy specimens were submitted to histopathology examination and
      to phospholipid extraction. Platelet activating factor, lyso platelet activating
      factor, and alkyl acyl glycerophosphocholine were found in patients with acute
      Crohn's disease and in remission as well as in controls. Whatever the site of the
      biopsy, the level of platelet activating factor in colonic mucosa was higher (p <
      0.01) in Crohn's disease than in controls. There was no correlation between the
      level of colonic PAF-ACETHER and age, sex, Crohn's disease activity index, and
      biological parameters in sera. Although concentrations of colonic platelet
      activating factor content were higher (p < 0.01) when colonic mucosa displayed
      cell infiltration, they were neither related to the severity nor the type of
      inflammatory cells. Platelet activating factor decreases with prednisolone
      therapy and might return to normal concentrations in quiescent patients. Lyso
      platelet activating factor and alkyl acyl glycerophosphocholine were not
      significantly higher in Crohn's disease than in controls. These data suggest that
      platelet activating factor may be involved in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease
      and that it could be used as a marker of the mucosal activity of the disease.

PMID- 1427376
TI  - Mortality from Crohn's disease in Leicestershire, 1972-1989: an epidemiological
      community based study.
AB  - Mortality among 610 people with Crohn's disease identified in a population based
      study from 1972-89 was assessed. In Europeans the overall mortality was not
      increased, the standardised mortality ratio (SMR) was 71.8 (95% confidence
      interval (CI) 49 to 101). The SMR in South Asians was 0, (95% CI 0 to 1590). The
      SMR varied with the site of disease (chi 2 (4) = 10.5, p < 0.05) and was highest
      in those with duodenal and jejunal involvement (SMR = 210, 95% CI 44 to 621).
      Survival curve comparisons showed that colonic disease carried a worse prognosis
      than terminal ileal disease (chi-2 = 9, p < 0.01) or mixed site disease (chi-2 =
      4.7, p < 0.05). Mortality was particularly high during the first six years. It
      was increased in patients who had undergone more than one resection (SMR = 137,
      95% CI 28 to 401) or an ileoanal anastomosis (SMR = 357, 95% CI 9 to 1070),
      although no difference was significant. Mortality did not change significantly
      during the study. Such information needs to be made available, not just to
      patients, their families, and their doctors, but perhaps more importantly, to
      actuaries, insurers, and those advising employers.

PMID- 1427377
TI  - Role of dietary sulphate in the regulation of methanogenesis in the human large
      intestine.
AB  - Hydrogen produced during colonic fermentation may be excreted, or removed by H2
      consuming bacteria such as methanogenic and sulphate reducing bacteria. In vitro,
      sulphate reducing bacteria compete with methanogenic bacteria for hydrogen when
      sulphate is present. In this study the hypothesis that sulphate in the diet could
      alter CH4 production in vivo has been tested. Six methane excreting volunteers
      were fed a low sulphate diet (1.6 mmol/d) for 34 days with the addition of 15
      mmol sodium sulphate from days 11-20. Breath methane was measured and viable
      counts and metabolic activities of methanogenic bacteria and sulphate reducing
      bacteria determined in faeces. Whole gut transit time and daily stool weight were
      also measured. When sulphate was added to the diet, breath methane excretion
      decreased in three of the subjects while faecal sulphate reduction rates rose
      from 7.5 (0.5) to 20.3 (4.3) nmol SO4 reduced/h/g faeces. Sulphate reducing
      bacteria, which were not detected during the control diet, were found and viable
      counts of methanogenic bacteria fell from 10(7)-10(9)/g faeces to 10(6)/g.
      Methanogenic counts and breath CH4 recovered after sulphate addition was stopped.
      No change was found in the other three subjects. Faecal weights and transit times
      were not different between study periods. It is concluded that methanogenesis is
      regulated by dietary sulphate if sulphate reducing bacteria are present. Dietary
      sulphate may allow growth of sulphate reducing bacteria which inhibit the growth
      of methanogenic bacteria. This may explain the absence of CH4 in the breath of
      many people in western populations.

PMID- 1427378
TI  - Faecal unconjugated bile acids in patients with colorectal cancer or polyps.
AB  - The unconjugated faecal bile acid profiles of 14 patients with colorectal cancer,
      nine patients with polyps and 10 controls were compared using gas liquid
      chromatography, controlling for such confounding variables as cholecystectomy,
      gall stones and hepatic function. Patients with adenomatous polyps had a higher
      concentration of faecal bile acids (5.23 mumol/g, 2.16-13.67 (median, range) v
      1.96, 0.91-6.97; p = 0.016) lithocholic acid (2.41, 0.88-3.22 v 1.07, 0.38-2.03;
      p = 0.013) and total secondary bile acids (5.23, 2.16-13.4 v 1.96, 0.73-6.63; p =
      0.02) compared with control subjects. Patients with colorectal cancer had an
      increased (p = 0.029) proportion of secondary faecal bile acids (mol%) compared
      with controls (100, 96.5-100 v 95.19, 81.73-100) and the ratios of the primary
      bile acids, cholic and chenodeoxycholic acid, to their respective derivatives
      (secondary bile acids) were significantly lower in cancer patients compared with
      control and patients with polyps (p = 0.034 to 0.004). This study lends further
      support to the theory that bile acids may play a role in the development of
      polyps and colorectal cancer.

PMID- 1427379
TI  - Effects of alpha-glucosidase inhibitors on mouth to caecum transit time in
      humans.
AB  - The alpha-glucosidase inhibitors acarbose and miglitol have been successfully
      used to control postprandial hyperglycaemia in diabetics. They probably work by
      slowing carbohydrate digestion and absorption, but their effect on mouth to
      caecum transit time has not been studied. The effect acarbose (100 mg), miglitol
      (100 mg), and placebo on mouth to caecum transit time (380 kcal breakfast with 20
      g of lactulose) was investigated in 18 normal volunteers using breath hydrogen
      analysis. Both miglitol and acarbose significantly increased breath hydrogen
      excretion (F2,34 = 6.31, p = 0.005) and shortened the mouth to caecum transit
      time (F2,34 = 3.49, p = 0.04) after breakfast compared with placebo. There was a
      significant negative correlation between breath hydrogen excretion and mouth to
      caecum transit time suggesting that with shorter transit times significantly more
      carbohydrates were spilled into the colon. These results indicate that alpha
      glucosidase inhibitors accelerate mouth to caecum transit time by inducing
      carbohydrate malabsorption.

PMID- 1427380
TI  - Portal and peripheral blood short chain fatty acid concentrations after caecal
      lactulose instillation at surgery.
AB  - The major end products of fermentation, short chain fatty acids (acetate,
      propionate, butyrate) were measured in portal and peripheral venous blood after
      the caecal instillation of lactulose at surgery in patients undergoing elective
      cholecystectomy. Blood samples for short chain fatty acid measurement were taken
      before and at 15 minute intervals up to 60 minutes after caecal instillation of
      either 20 ml sterile saline or 6.7 g or 10 g lactulose. Fasting concentrations (n
      = 28) were (mumol/l, mean (SD)); portal acetate 128.0 (70.8), propionate 34.4
      (23.3), butyrate 17.6 (18.4); peripheral acetate 67.0 (23.0), propionate 3.7
      (1.2), butyrate traces only. After lactulose there was a rapid rise in portal
      short chain fatty acids with peak concentrations being reached in 15 to 45
      minutes. Mean peak concentrations (mumol/l (SD)) after 10 g lactulose were
      acetate 240.9 (142.2), propionate 39.0 (17.8) and butyrate 26.9 (17.6). The
      changes in acetate concentrations seen in portal blood were reflected in
      peripheral blood acetate measurements. In contrast with portal blood, only small
      amounts of propionate and traces of butyrate were found in peripheral blood.

PMID- 1427381
TI  - Selection, management, and early outcome of 113 patients with symptomatic gall
      stones treated by percutaneous cholecystolithotomy.
AB  - Between January 1988 and December 1990, 283 patients with symptomatic gall stones
      were referred for non-operative treatment. After ultrasound scanning including a
      functional assessment, 220 (78%) patients were found to be suitable for
      percutaneous cholecystolithotomy. Of these, 113 underwent the procedure including
      10 in whom extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy or methyl tert-butyl ether
      therapy had failed. Forty four patients underwent extracorporeal shockwave
      lithotripsy, methyl tert-butyl ether therapy or rotary lithotripsy, 46 chose
      laparoscopic cholecystectomy or minicholecystectomy and 27 declined treatment.
      Percutaneous cholecystolithotomy was successfully performed in 100 patients.
      Thirty four patients were a high operative risk and 14 presented with an acute
      complication of gall stone disease. Complications developed in 15 patients, all
      of whom were managed conservatively and most occurred during development of the
      technique. Outcome has been assessed clinically and by ultrasound scanning in 92
      patients with a median follow up period of 14 months (six to 37 months). Seventy
      nine per cent were completely cured of their symptoms. Ninety three per cent of
      gall bladders were shown to be functioning and nine (9.8%) contained stones,
      although five of these are believed to have developed from residual fragments.
      Percutaneous cholecystolithotomy is a safe, non-operative treatment for
      symptomatic gall stones and enabled the patient to fully recover within two to
      three weeks; it has a definite role in the management of the elderly and high
      risk patient but its use for the treatment of other groups is likely to remain
      controversial.

PMID- 1427382
TI  - Role of interleukin-6 in acute pancreatitis. Comparison with C-reactive protein
      and phospholipase A.
AB  - Plasma values of immunoreactive interleukin-6, C-reactive protein and
      phospholipase A have been determined in serial samples from 24 patients with
      acute pancreatitis ('mild' pancreatitis nine, 'severe' pancreatitis 15). Median
      plasma concentrations of interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and phospholipase A
      activity were significantly higher in patients with 'severe' illness (p < 0.001)
      than those with 'mild' illness. A particularly marked increase in interleukin-6
      was found in two patients with necrotising pancreatitis and fatal outcome.
      Significant correlations between plasma concentrations of interleukin-6 and
      phospholipase A (p = 0.0218) and C-reactive protein and phospholipase A activity
      (p < 0.0001) were found in patients with 'severe' disease. These findings in a
      limited number of patients with acute pancreatitis are promising in that raised
      interleukin-6 correlated with clinical severity and with two other established
      markers, C-reactive protein, and phospholipase A activity.

PMID- 1427383
TI  - Familial and idiopathic colonic varices: an unusual cause of lower
      gastrointestinal haemorrhage.
AB  - A patient is described presenting with an acute lower gastrointestinal
      haemorrhage as a result of extensive colonic varices. Further investigation
      revealed that there were no oesophageal varices or splenomegaly. Liver biopsy
      showed grade II fatty change only, with no other specific or significant
      pathological features. Transhepatic portography showed a raised portal pressure
      (20 mm/Hg) but the portal system was patent throughout. There was an abnormal
      leash of vessels in the caecum thought to represent a variceal plexus. This
      patient was diagnosed as having idiopathic colonic varices. This case is
      discussed together with nine other reports of idiopathic colonic varices from the
      published literature. Four of these reports describe idiopathic colonic varices
      in more than one member of the same family. Possible modes of inheritance,
      aetiology of variceal change, natural history, and prognosis are discussed.

PMID- 1427384
TI  - Helicobacter pylori and peptic ulcer recurrence.

PMID- 1427385
TI  - Helicobacter pylori and peptic ulcer recurrence.

PMID- 1427386
TI  - Estimation of total hepatic blood flow by duplex ultrasound.

PMID- 1427387
TI  - The new paradigms that will take us into the twenty-first century.

PMID- 1427388
TI  - Intraperitoneal therapy of malignant ascites associated with carcinoma of ovary
      and breast using radioiodinated monoclonal antibody 2G3.
AB  - A phase I/II study of intraperitoneal (ip) radioimmunotherapy was conducted in
      ovarian or breast cancer patients with symptomatic chemotherapy-resistant ascites
      using a novel anti-mucin monoclonal antibody (mAb) 2G3 labeled with 131I. Tracer
      doses of 2 mCi [131I]2G3 were given by ip injection to 11 patients, followed by
      increasing therapeutic doses up to 150 mCi (cumulative) in 9 patients. There was
      no serious toxicity. Temporary palliation of ascites was observed in 3 of 4
      patients who received doses greater than 50 mCi. Total body elimination half-life
      of the radiolabeled antibody assessed by gamma scintigraphy ranged from 95 to 250
      hr, longer than data previously reported in patients without ascites treated with
      ip administered radiolabeled antibodies. However, uptake of radiolabel by tumor
      nodules was small and variable (2 x 10(-4) - 2 x 10(-2) % ID/g), and preferential
      uptake by tumor compared to normal peritoneum was observed in only 2 of 5
      patients in whom biopsies were obtained. These results suggest that the observed
      palliation of ascites is due to prolonged retention of radiolabeled antibody in
      the peritoneal cavity even in the absence of specific targeting.

PMID- 1427390
TI  - Spontaneous internal jugular vein thrombosis associated with leiomyosarcoma of
      the omentum.
AB  - A case of spontaneous internal jugular vein thrombosis associated with distant
      malignancy is presented. This unusual manifestation of a hypercoagulable state
      was associated with a low-grade epithelioid leiomyosarcoma of the omentum. It was
      discovered on a gynecologic oncology service in a patient explored for a pelvic
      abdominal mass.

PMID- 1427389
TI  - Hip disarticulation for recurrent vulvar cancer in the groin.
AB  - A patient with squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva treated with a radical
      vulvectomy and bilateral inguinal and femoral lymphadenectomies utilizing
      separate groin incisions, subsequently developed a recurrence in the skin bridge
      between the vulvar and groin excisions. Following groin irradiation with
      chemosensitization, the tumor progressed to involve the superior public ramus and
      femoral vessels. A left hip disarticulation and resection of a portion of the
      superior pubic ramus was performed. The patient has been free of disease for 3
      years. The advantages of this procedure over a hemipelvectomy include shorter
      operative time, reduced blood loss, better fascial closure of the abdomen, and
      the creation of a stump which is more amendable to prosthetic fitting.

PMID- 1427391
TI  - False-positive elevation of CA-125 in papillary serous carcinoma of the
      endometrium treated with postoperative whole abdominal radiation.
AB  - Two patients with Stage I papillary serous carcinoma of the endometrium treated
      with postoperative whole abdominal radiation developed elevated CA-125 levels. In
      neither patient was evidence of recurrent disease identified. Hepatic veno
      occlusive disease, a known complication of whole abdominal radiation and certain
      chemotherapy regimens, was confirmed by liver biopsy in both cases. CA-125 levels
      may not be reflective of disease status in this setting.

PMID- 1427392
TI  - Radiation sensitivity of endometrial carcinoma in vitro.

PMID- 1427393
TI  - Prognostic value of CA 125 in advanced cancer.

PMID- 1427394
TI  - Synchronous radiation and cytotoxic chemotherapy for locally advanced or
      recurrent squamous cancer of the vulva.
AB  - Between July 1987 and September 1991 a program of external beam radiation and
      synchronous, radiopotentiating chemotherapy was employed to treat 25 women with
      locoregionally advanced or locoregionally recurrent squamous cancer of the vulva.
      Of 18 previously untreated patients, 1 was Stage II, 10 were Stage III, 6 were
      Stage IVA, and 1 was Stage IVB. Reasons for patient referral for nonsurgical
      management included the presence of initially unresectable disease (5 patients),
      disease extent which would have necessitated partial or total exenteration if
      treated surgically (9 patients), disease extent predictive of inadequate surgical
      margins (less than 1 cm gross margin) if treated by less than exenterative
      surgery (8 patients), and severe comorbid illness precluding surgical management
      (3 patients). Complete clinical response was obtained in 16 of 18 previously
      untreated patients (89%) and in 4 of 7 patients with recurrent disease following
      vulvar surgery (57%). Of 20 patients achieving a complete clinical response, 3
      patients have relapsed within the irradiated volume at 11, 38, and 48 months
      following completion of treatment. Fourteen patients remain alive and
      continuously cancer free from 2-52 months after completion of treatment (median
      follow-up 24 months). This experience suggests that initial management with
      radiation and chemotherapy may offer some patients with locally advanced squamous
      cancer of the vulva an alternative to exenterative surgery and may hold curative
      potential for some patients with surgically unresectable or medically inoperable
      disease.

PMID- 1427395
TI  - Bulky stage IB cervical carcinoma managed by primary radical hysterectomy
      followed by tailored radiotherapy.
AB  - The management of bulky, stage IB cervical carcinoma remains controversial. The
      present study reports the outcome of 84 women treated by radical hysterectomy, in
      which the surgical specimen revealed a lesion measured to be 4 cm or greater in
      size following formalin fixation. Of the 84 women, 42 (50%) received
      postoperative radiotherapy based on additional surgical findings beyond tumor
      size suggesting a high risk for pelvic recurrence including lymph node
      metastasis, parametrial spread, and compromised margins. Despite the bulky nature
      of these lesions, major operative and early postoperative complication rates were
      low (6%). Delayed complications including fistulae and bowel obstructions
      occurred in only 2.4% of patients treated with surgery alone and in 14.2% of
      women treated with combined therapy. Corrected 5-year survival in this series was
      70.4% (75.6% in the surgery only group and 65.0% in the surgery plus radiotherapy
      group). Recurrence and mortality rates were related to lesion size, with most
      recurrences and deaths occurring in women with lesions measuring 6 cm or greater.
      Comparison of these data utilizing primary radical hysterectomy followed by
      tailored radiotherapy with previously published data on similar groups of high
      risk patients treated with either radiotherapy alone or with radiotherapy
      followed by simple hysterectomy suggests comparable survival and morbidity.

PMID- 1427396
TI  - The effects of cyclosporin A on the lysis of ovarian cancer cells by cisplatin or
      adriamycin.
AB  - The major limitation to curative therapy for ovarian cancer is the development of
      drug resistance. Cyclosporin A (CsA), an immunosuppressive agent that has been
      used extensively in organ transplantation, also has been shown to decrease the
      resistance of cancer cells to some chemotherapeutic agents. Since cisplatin
      (CDDP) is the most common drug used for the treatment of ovarian cancer, we
      evaluated the potential of CsA to decrease resistance to CDDP in ovarian cancer
      cells selected for resistance to CDDP (A2780-CDDP). Although CsA significantly
      increased the sensitivity of A2780-CDDP cells to cytolysis by CDDP it did not
      increase CDDP sensitivity in the CDDP-sensitive parent cells (A2780), that is,
      CsA did not decrease basal resistance to CDDP. Both A2780-CDDP and A2780 are
      sensitive to cytolysis by Adriamycin (ADR). CsA significantly decreased the basal
      resistance of both cell lines to ADR. Interestingly, the effect of the protein
      synthesis inhibitors, emetine and cycloheximide, was similar to that of CsA,
      suggesting that CsA decreased selected resistance to CDDP and decreased basal
      resistance to ADR by affecting a protein synthesis-dependent resistance
      mechanism(s). In contrast to CsA and protein synthesis inhibitors, buthionine
      sulfoximine, an inhibitor of glutathione synthesis, decreased basal resistance of
      both cell lines to cytolysis by CDDP but not ADR, while verapamil, an inhibitor
      of P-glycoprotein, had no effect on cytolysis in either cell line. These results
      suggest that CsA may not decrease resistance to CDDP or ADR-mediated cytolysis by
      reducing glutathione or by inhibiting P-glycoprotein.

PMID- 1427397
TI  - A comparison of staging systems for squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva.
AB  - A review of 172 patients with squamous cell cancer of the vulva treated at the
      University of Michigan Medical Center from 1975-1989 was performed to compare the
      1988 FIGO Staging System to the 1970 FIGO Staging System. The stage distribution
      according to the 1970 FIGO Staging System was stage I, 65; stage II, 44; stage
      III, 50; and stage IV, 13. The cumulative 5-year survival under the old system
      was stage I, 94%; stage II, 91%; stage III, 36%; and stage IV, 26%. The
      distribution changed under the 1988 FIGO system to stage I, 58; stage II, 36;
      stage III, 49; stage IVA, 16; and stage IVB, 13. The cumulative survival also
      changed to stage I, 94%; stage II, 89%; stage III, 71%; stage IVA, 19%; and stage
      IVB, 8%. The new FIGO stage distribution shifted for the worse due to the
      influence of positive lymph nodes found at the time of surgery. The survival was
      then analyzed for death from all causes. This was markedly decreased when
      compared to the cumulative corrected survival. This relates to the high number of
      other primary malignancies and the age of the patients. Among these 172 patients,
      other primary malignancies included squamous cell cancer of the cervix (11),
      squamous cell cancer of the vagina (2), endometrial cancer (3), squamous cell
      cancer of the lung (2), colon cancer (3), and others (6). An additional 5
      patients died from myocardial infarction within 2 years of diagnosis. The new
      1988 FIGO Staging System provides for better discrimination of survival between
      stages than the 1970 FIGO Staging System.

PMID- 1427398
TI  - The role of laparoscopic lymphadenectomy in the management of cervical carcinoma.
AB  - Laparoscopic lymphadenectomy was performed on 18 patients with invasive carcinoma
      of the cervix prior to definitive radiation therapy and/or radical hysterectomy.
      Ten patients underwent pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomies prior to planned
      radiotherapy. Two of these patients had grossly positive pelvic nodes, and one
      had a microscopically positive para-aortic node. Eight patients with early
      disease were considered candidates for radical hysterectomy and underwent
      laparoscopic lymphadenectomy. Three of these patients were found to have positive
      pelvic lymph nodes and the hysterectomy was abandoned. Five patients underwent
      radical hysterectomies immediately following their laparoscopic procedures. The
      average number of lymph nodes removed laparoscopically in these patients was
      31.4; the average number of additional lymph nodes resected at laparotomy with
      the radical hysterectomy was 2.8. A single microscopically positive parametrial
      lymph node was found on permanent section in 1 patient with radical hysterectomy.
      No significant complications were associated with the laparoscopic
      lymphadenectomies. Nine of the 13 patients who underwent laparoscopic procedures
      only were discharged on Postoperative Day 1. The ability to perform pelvic and
      para-aortic lymphadenectomy allows for complete surgical staging of carcinoma of
      the cervix laparoscopically.

PMID- 1427399
TI  - Description of a spheroid model for the study of radiation and chemotherapy
      effects on hypoxic tumor cell populations.
AB  - The presence of poorly oxygenated cells in solid tumors may account for clinical
      resistance to ionizing radiation and some chemotherapy in many cancers. Studies
      of the presence and spatial distribution, sensitivity to cancer therapies, and
      other physiological characteristics of hypoxic cells are hindered by the lack of
      markers specific for hypoxia and a relevant yet easily manipulated model system.
      We have chosen to use multicellular spheroids composed of murine EMT6
      (fibrosarcoma) tumor cells as a model system and have applied an
      immunohistochemical marker specific for hypoxic cells with the ultimate goal of
      determining how cell populations change in response to radiation and/or
      chemotherapy. Large spheroids (500-700 microns in diameter) were selected and
      incubated in the presence of a hexafluorinated 2-nitroimidazole derivative,
      designated CCI-103F, which undergoes reductive metabolism and irreversibly binds
      to cellular macromolecules only under low oxygen tensions. A rabbit polyclonal
      antibody raised against a CCI-103F/protein adduct was used to visualize hypoxic
      cells using standard streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase immunohistochemical methods.
      Investigations using this spheroid model system promise to further our
      understanding of hypoxic cell resistance to cytotoxic therapies and of hypoxic
      cell biology in general.

PMID- 1427400
TI  - The specialty of gynecologic oncology as perceived by the public.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to obtain information about the public's awareness
      and perception of the discipline of gynecologic oncology. The marketing of cancer
      care and related services has resulted in substantial funding being allocated to
      market individual institutions. However, little has been done to educate patients
      to the fact that there are physicians specifically trained who possess special
      expertise in the care of specific types of malignancy. The members of The
      Division of Gynecologic Oncology at The Hospital of the University of
      Pennsylvania asked each new patient to complete an anonymous questionnaire hoping
      to learn more about her prior knowledge of the specialty of gynecologic oncology
      and her perceptions of our discipline. Presented is the analysis of the answers
      provided by the 200 participants. The conclusion is that the public in general is
      poorly informed of gynecologic oncology as a specialty and consequently may not
      be taking advantage of optimal cancer care already available. Thus, as a
      specialty we must institute programs to educate and enlighten patients.

PMID- 1427401
TI  - Chemotherapy of ovarian cancer: is longer better?

PMID- 1427402
TI  - Transition from benign to malignant epithelium in mucinous and serous ovarian
      cystadenocarcinoma.
AB  - The slides of all patients with ovarian cystadenocarcinoma treated at the
      University of Kentucky Medical Center from 1966-1990 were reviewed. Fifty-four
      serous tumors and 42 mucinous neoplasms were identified for further study. Benign
      epithelium adjacent to an area of borderline or malignant epithelium was observed
      in 74 tumors (79%) and a site of epithelial transition was noted in 38 cases
      (40%). The presence of associated benign epithelium was more common in borderline
      or well-differentiated lesions and in patients with early-stage disease. These
      findings are consistent with epidemiologic and molecular genetic data and suggest
      that certain benign serous or mucinous ovarian tumors have the potential for
      malignant transformation. Removal of these tumors, particularly in postmenopausal
      women, should result in a subsequent reduction in the frequency of ovarian
      cancer.

PMID- 1427403
TI  - The plasminogen activator urokinase and its inhibitor PAI-2 in endometrial
      cancer.
AB  - Invasion and metastasis of malignant cells require the disruption of the
      extracellular matrix, degradation of basement membranes, and intrusion into
      connective tissue and vascular and lymphatic spaces. Several studies have
      indicated a role for urokinase (u-PA) in proteolysis of the extracellular matrix
      and hence in stromal invasion and metastasis. Many malignant cells are known to
      secrete u-PA. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-type 2 (PAI-2) is an inhibitor of u
      PA and is present in several neoplastic cell lines and malignant ascites. We
      measured u-PA and PAI-2 antigen in tissue homogenates of normal and malignant
      endometrium from 21 postmenopausal patients. Enzyme-linked immunoassays which
      measure the bound and unbound, single-and two-chain form of the activator and
      bound and unbound form of the inhibitor were used. Urokinase was present in four
      of seven normal (range, 0.15-0.5; median, 0.15 ng/mg protein) and in
      significantly higher concentrations in all malignant endometrial homogenates
      (range, 0.41-9.2; median, 3.4 ng/mg protein), P < 0.001. PAI-2 was detectable in
      four of seven normal endometrial homogenates at low concentrations (range, 1.1
      3.1; median, 1.1 ng/mg protein) and in all malignant tissue homogenates at
      significantly higher levels (range, 1.6-27.3; median, 4.9 ng/mg protein), P <
      0.01. Levels of endometrial PAI-2 were higher in stages IC or greater compared to
      those in stages IA and 1B cancers (P < 0.05). PAI-2 may be useful as a prognostic
      marker in endometrial cancer.

PMID- 1427404
TI  - The effect of prolonged cisplatin-based chemotherapy on progression-free survival
      in patients with optimal epithelial ovarian cancer: "maintenance" therapy
      reconsidered.
AB  - From 1978 until 1988, 116 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer were entered
      onto one of three consecutive prospective clinical trials involving cisplatin
      based combination chemotherapy. They had the following characteristics: (1) stage
      III or IV disease, (2) grade 2 or 3 tumors, and (3) optimally debulked tumors
      (residual disease < or = 2 cm). The purpose of the study was to investigate the
      influence of duration of chemotherapy on survival. The treatment plans were as
      follows: Trial 1, 12 cycles of cisplatin/melphalan (43 patients); Trial 2, 12
      cycles of cisplatin/cyclophosphamide (24 patients); and Trial 3, 6 cycles of
      cisplatin/cyclophosphamide (49 patients). The total dose of cisplatin was 60
      mg/m2 in the first trial and 50 mg/m2 in the second and third trials. Median
      survival times for the three groups were 58, 29, and 35 months, respectively
      (NS). Median progression-free survival (PFS) times were 37, 23, and 15 months,
      respectively (P = 0.0008). Combining patients from the first two trials, the
      median PFS for patients receiving 12 planned cycles of chemotherapy was 30 months
      versus 15 months for patients receiving 6 planned cycles (P = 0.0004). Using a
      forward stepwise Cox proportional hazard model, the use of 12 cycles of therapy
      and melphalan predicted increased PFS (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.0002, respectively).
      In view of these results, the lack of published data supporting the superiority
      of 6 over 12 cycles of chemotherapy, and the rather recent availability of less
      toxic maintenance therapy (i.e., carboplatin), we believe that a
      multiinstitutional trial comparing the 6-cycle regimen with more prolonged
      chemotherapy is justifiable.

PMID- 1427405
TI  - Endometrioid carcinoma of the ovary and endometriosis: the association in
      postmenopausal women.
AB  - Histologic material from 42 patients with endometrioid carcinomas of the ovary
      was reviewed. Ovarian endometriosis was present in 11 cases (26%) and 8 of these
      patients were postmenopausal. The exact site of transition from benign to
      malignant epithelium was observed in 4 cases. The clinical characteristics of
      patients with associated endometriosis were not significantly different from
      those without this finding except that endometriosis was present only in patients
      with Grade 1 or Grade 2 carcinomas. These data suggest that ovarian endometriosis
      in the postmenopausal patient has the potential to undergo malignant
      transformation and, when detected, should be removed surgically.

PMID- 1427406
TI  - Peritoneal cytology in patients with uterine cervical carcinoma.
AB  - We studied the relationship between cytological diagnosis of peritoneal washing
      and pathohistological findings in 97 cases of stage Ib and 103 cases of stage IIa
      or b cervical carcinoma. No positive cytology was found in 24 cases classified as
      pT1 by pTNM classification. Positive cytology was found in 8 out of 40 cases with
      retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis, 2 out of 5 cases with uterine corpus
      infiltration, and 3 out of 4 cases with ovarian metastasis. Negative cytology was
      often found even in cases with metastasis to several retroperitoneal lymph nodes,
      while positive cytology was also found in cases without metastasis. The mechanism
      of cervical carcinoma metastasizing to retroperitoneal lymph nodes may not be the
      same as that of spreading into the abdominal cavity. Many cases with positive
      peritoneal cytology tended to recur with peritoneal carcinoma as compared to
      those with negative cytology. The above findings indicate that chemotherapy,
      including intraperitoneal administration, is necessary in addition to radiation
      therapy for patients with cervical carcinoma with positive peritoneal washings.

PMID- 1427407
TI  - Morbidity and recurrence with modifications of radical vulvectomy and groin
      dissection.
AB  - Vulvar carcinoma has been managed in recent years with modifications of radical
      vulvectomy and groin dissection. Separate groin incisions, superficial inguinal
      lymphadenectomy, unilateral groin dissection, and wide excision have been
      utilized to reduce the morbidity of treatment. In this study, the surgical
      management of 82 patients with vulvar squamous cell carcinoma was reviewed in
      order to assess morbidity and risk of recurrence. A modification of radical
      vulvectomy and groin dissection was employed in 67 patients, while 15 patients
      underwent classical en-bloc vulvar and groin dissection. Wound complications of
      the vulva occurred in 1 of 12 patients undergoing hemivulvectomy, in 8 of 55
      undergoing radical vulvectomy, and in 7 of 15 who had en-bloc vulvar resection
      and groin dissection (P = 0.01). Among the 46 patients undergoing bilateral groin
      dissection through separate incisions, groin breakdown, lymphocyst, and
      lymphedema occurred in 10 (22%), 7 (15%), and 7 (15%), versus 0, 1 (7%), and 2
      (13%) of the 15 who had unilateral groin dissection. Modification of vulvar
      resection did not increase the risk of local recurrence. Groin recurrence
      developed in 2 of 15 patients who underwent en-bloc groin dissection and in 1 of
      46 who underwent bilateral groin dissection through separate incisions. Two of 15
      who had a unilateral groin dissection recurred in the contralateral groin. The
      risk of recurrence as well as morbidity following modifications of radical
      vulvectomy with groin dissection should be considered when planning treatment.

PMID- 1427408
TI  - Serum CA125 regression in epithelial ovarian cancer: correlation with
      reassessment findings and survival.
AB  - Findings at reassessment laparotomy and disease-free survival are reported for a
      group of patients with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer who have had a
      complete clinical response to cytoreductive surgery and multiagent platinum-based
      chemotherapy. The predictive value of the number of chemotherapy cycles to
      achieve a serum CA125 of < 35 U/ml is compared to the predictive value of s, the
      rate of achieving a normal serum CA125. s is generated from an exponential
      regression model. This study suggests that s accurately predicts which patients
      have residual disease at reassessment laparotomy, who will be free of disease,
      and, of those in the latter group, who are at greatest risk to recur, as well as
      overall survival. If these observations are confirmed, physicians may base
      further therapeutic intervention on the basis of a calculated parameter following
      complete clinical response to first-line treatment rather than relying on
      findings at reassessment laparotomy.

PMID- 1427409
TI  - Localization and therapy of human cervical tumor xenografts with radiolabeled
      monoclonal antibody 1H10.
AB  - Murine IgG3 monoclonal antibody (Mab) 1H10, which recognizes a tumor-associated
      antigen expressed on the surface of more than 40% of human cervical carcinoma
      tissues, was used for in vivo localization and therapy of cervical tumor
      xenografts. A human cervical carcinoma cell line, CaSki, was used as our
      experimental tumor system. Mab 1H10 antigen expression on the surface of CaSki
      cells was found to be cell-cycle independent. The ability of Mab 1H10 F(ab')2 to
      bind to CaSki tumor xenografts was verified by direct immunohistochemical
      staining of thin tumor sections with a Mab 1H10-peroxidase conjugate.
      Radioimmunoscintigraphy of nude mice bearing CaSki tumors after iv administration
      of [131I]1H10 F(ab')2 showed clear tumor images 48 hr after Mab injection.
      Radiolabeled Mab 1H10 F(ab')2 was found to specifically localize in solid CaSki
      tumors 96 hr after antibody injection. Radioactivity in tumor tissue was 4 times
      higher than that in kidney tissue and over 6 times higher than that in liver
      tissue. Mab 1H10 F(ab')2 binding to xenografted CaSki tumors was 17 times greater
      than a control IgG3 F(ab')2 after 96 hr. Therapy of athymic mice bearing
      established CaSki tumors with three iv injections of 100 microCi [131I]1H10
      F(ab')2 resulted in extensive tumor necrosis and significant suppression (p <
      0.05) of tumor growth compared to that in control mice. These results indicate
      that Mab 1H10 F(ab')2 may be clinically useful for detection or treatment of
      cervical cancer.

PMID- 1427410
TI  - Parity-related prevalence of rhesus antigens among Mozambican parturients.
AB  - The potential risk of rhesus alloimmunization and the ensuing risk of fetal death
      with increasing parity were investigated in two groups of parturients;
      primiparous and grand multiparous (para > or = 5) women with liveborns. It was
      hypothesized that significantly fewer women of the latter than of the former
      group would be rhesus negative, since grand multiparity would be expected to be
      associated with an increased risk of late fetal death in rhesus-negative
      parturients. Primiparous (n = 390) and grand multiparous (n = 755) parturients
      with liveborns were studied in order to identify D- and Du-negative individuals.
      Sixteen out of 390 primiparas (4.10%) and 28/755 (3.71%) grand multiparas were D
      and Du negative. The difference did not reach statistical significance. It
      appears that being a D- and Du-negative grand multiparous parturient, in the
      absence of anti-D prophylaxis, is not a significant reproductive disadvantage to
      being primipara in terms of an increased risk of having stillborn babies.

PMID- 1427411
TI  - Serum progesterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone in the diagnosis of ectopic
      pregnancies and the value of progesterone replacement in intrauterine pregnancies
      when serum progesterone levels are low.
AB  - The corpus luteum function was evaluated in patients with surgically confirmed
      ectopic pregnancy (EP) in a multicenter study. In addition, the minimal threshold
      of serum progesterone (P) concentration required for salvaging intrauterine
      pregnancies (IUP) was also examined. Results show that single P or 17-OHP
      measurements are not diagnostic for EP, since mean P levels in EP were similar to
      those with spontaneous abortion though significantly lower than those in
      controls. 17-OHP levels in EP overlapped in 50% with IUP, and the mean levels
      were significantly lower only at 6-7 weeks. The 17-OHP levels when compared to
      hCG supports the view that corpus luteum defect is primary. In IUP, P levels < 8
      ng/ml still were associated with viable (60%) pregnancy; thus no minimal
      threshold could be established.

PMID- 1427412
TI  - Role of rhesus alloimmunization in the etiology of late fetal death in Maputo.
AB  - Grand multiparous parturients with unexplained late fetal death (n = 70) and with
      surviving newborns (n = 755) were analyzed and compared regarding blood group in
      general and presence of D and Du antigens in particular. In the stillbirth group,
      none of the parturients had any signs of disease (syphilis, preeclampsia,
      placental abruption, severe anemia or fever) that could be associated with the
      fetal death. It was found that none of the parturients with stillbirth were D-
      and Du-negative while 28/755 (3.71%) of parturients with liveborn babies were D-
      and Du-negative. It is concluded that, among grand multiparous parturients with
      otherwise unexplained late fetal death, the risk of having fetomaternal rhesus
      incompatibility as stillbirth etiology is insignificant. The advantage of
      introducing anti-D immunoglobulin for prophylaxis against rhesus alloimmunization
      would presumably be insignificant.

PMID- 1427414
TI  - Low-dose aspirin in primigravidae with positive roll-over test.
AB  - In a prospective, randomized, double-blind study for the prevention of pregnancy
      induced hypertension and preeclampsia, 41 primigravidae with positive roll-over
      test (28th-32nd week of pregnancy) received 80 mg aspirin/day or placebo until
      the end of the 37th week. In the patients treated with acetylsalicylic acid (n =
      22), 3 cases of proteinuria occurred, but no hypertensive pregnancy complication.
      In the placebo group (n = 19), 10 patients developed pregnancy-induced
      hypertension (6 of them preeclampsia). Group-specific differences concerning the
      occurrence of hypertension were statistically highly significant (p = 0.0004). No
      relevant differences were observed with regard to pregnancy duration, birth
      weight and umbilical artery pH value. The placebo group included 1 intrauterine
      death. No increased tendency to maternal or fetal bleeding was noticed.

PMID- 1427413
TI  - Effect of smoking on fibronectin production by human amnion and placenta.
AB  - Fibronectin production from amnion and placental tissues was evaluated in
      pregnant woman smokers and nonsmokers in order to examine if there were
      alterations of fibronectin metabolism in intrauterine tissues. In both amnion and
      placental tissues, cycloheximide inhibited the fibronectin output indicating that
      it was being synthesized. Mean fibronectin output by amnion in pregnant woman
      smokers was significantly lower than that in pregnant woman nonsmokers. In
      contrast, in the placenta from pregnant woman smokers, the output was
      significantly higher than that in pregnant woman nonsmokers. The present
      observations indicate that smoking alters an important biochemical constituent in
      amnion and placenta, possible leading to some complications.

PMID- 1427415
TI  - Beta-endorphin in amniotic fluid in normal and hypertensive gestations:
      relationship with maternal blood pressure parameters.
AB  - beta-Endorphin (beta-E) immunoreactivity was measured in the amniotic compartment
      of 52 normotensive and 45 hypertensive gestations. All the fetuses of the normal
      group were healthy and showed appropriate intrauterine growth, whereas only
      suffering and growth-retarded fetuses were included in the pathological group. As
      expected, amniotic beta-E concentration was found to be significantly higher in
      hypertensive than in normotensive pregnancies (mean +/- SEM: 129.1 +/- 8.15 vs.
      59.1 +/- 2.68 pg/ml; p < or = 0.005). A positive correlation between the hormone
      levels and the diastolic as well as the mean maternal blood pressure (r: 0.554; p
      < or = 0.05 and r: 0.525; p < or = 0.05, respectively) was present only in
      pregnancies complicated by hypertension. Furthermore, a negative correlation (r: 
      0.555; p < or = 0.05) linked amniotic beta-E and the pulse pressure in normal but
      not in complicated pregnancies. Unless beta-E in the amniotic compartment is also
      of amniochorial origin, our results suggest that the fetal endorphinergic tone is
      either activated by elevated diastolic and mean maternal pressure levels or
      lowered by increased pulse pressure values in normally elapsing pregnancies.

PMID- 1427416
TI  - Uteroplacental Doppler velocimetry during Braxton Hicks' contractions.
AB  - Pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasound was used to evaluate the influence of Braxton
      Hicks' contractions on flow velocity waveforms in the uterine arteries. Flow
      velocity waveforms were obtained from a standardized site, at the crossing of the
      uterine artery with the external iliac artery near the uterine wall. Doppler
      signals were recorded in 16 healthy near-term nulliparous pregnant women. During
      Braxton Hicks' contractions, a considerable increase in pulsatility index (PI)
      was found in the uterine arteries increasing from 0.71 +/- 0.21 (mean +/- SD) to
      1.14 +/- 0.67 (p < 0.005). Maternal heart rate decreased slightly but
      significantly during contractions. Despite the high PI values that were found
      during Braxton Hicks' contractions, a diastolic notch in the flow velocity
      waveform was never noticed. The findings indicate that during Braxton Hicks'
      contractions, resistance to blood flow in the uteroplacental circulation is
      considerably increased.

PMID- 1427417
TI  - Maternal plasma and milk free cortisol during the first 3 days of breast-feeding
      following spontaneous delivery or elective cesarean section.
AB  - In a view of the increased clinical interest in the presence of hormones in human
      milk, the objective of this study was to evaluate maternal plasma and milk
      cortisol levels in early puerperium and their relationship in breast-feeding in
      women who underwent elective cesarean section or who delivered vaginally. During
      the first 3 days of breast-feeding, plasma and milk cortisol levels declined
      significantly both in women who underwent elective cesarean section and in women
      who had spontaneous deliveries. Moreover, the breast-feeding procedure did not
      affect maternal plasma and milk hormonal levels, since no differences between the
      cortisol levels measured immediately before and after morning daily breast
      feeding were detected. Furthermore, a very high positive correlation (p < 0.001)
      was found between plasma and milk cortisol concentrations. Therefore, maternal
      plasma cortisol levels can be considered a very reliable measure to predict the
      hormonal concentration in breast milk.

PMID- 1427419
TI  - Perinatal audit of one hundred consecutive vacuum extractions in Maputo.
AB  - The extraordinary demands on obstetrical services that prevail in many developing
      countries necessitate critical reviews of existing norms for obstetrical
      management. Vacuum extractions were studied in this context as a part of the
      regular perinatal audit carried out at the Maputo Central Hospital, the only
      hospital in Maputo with emergency surgery catering to the 43,000 annual
      deliveries. Extractions performed with the fetal head above the ischiatic spines
      were associated with a high number of complications and an 81% risk of neonatal
      asphyxia and also with a number of severe neonatal traumas. The risk of
      intracranial hemorrhage tended to be higher with extractions of fetuses with the
      head at or above the ischiatic spines, particularly when there was concomitant
      intrapartum asphyxia. It is concluded that a frequent perinatal audit of selected
      risk deliveries is a useful monitoring tool for examining prevailing indications
      for various obstetric interventions.

PMID- 1427420
TI  - Neuropeptide Y, its localization in the human cervix and possible effect on the
      contractile activity of cervix smooth muscle.
AB  - Immunochemical methods were used to identify neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the cervical
      tissue of women at early and term pregnancy. NPY-containing fibers could not be
      demonstrated in the upper and lower uterine segments at term, but the cervical
      innervation persisted during labor. Moreover, NPY alone did not affect cervical
      contractile activity, although the stimulatory effect of noradrenaline was
      enhanced.

PMID- 1427418
TI  - Suppression of human chorionic gonadotropin in the human placenta at term by
      human thyroid-stimulating hormone in vitro.
AB  - Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) exerts a clinically apparent negative feedback
      on the secretion of human thyroid-stimulating hormone (hTSH) in pregnancy, and
      the two have cross-reactivity for the TSH receptor in membrane preparations of
      the thyroid. We examined whether hTSH, in turn, has an influence on the secretion
      and synthesis of hCG in short-term cultures of human placenta at term. A dose-
      and time-dependent decrease in the extracellular hCG concentration caused by hTSH
      was demonstrated. To examine whether hTSH inhibits de novo synthesis of hCG or
      decreases hCG depletion, we determined the amount of hCG secreted and the size of
      the intracellular pool by using an enzyme immunoassay. By incorporating a
      radiolabeled amino acid in the hCG molecule, we measured the amount of hCG
      synthesized de novo. We concluded that hTSH acts by decreasing the rate of de
      novo synthesis of placental hCG.

PMID- 1427421
TI  - Effect of the short follicular phase on subsequent conception.
AB  - The present study was designed to evaluate whether there is a lower pregnancy
      rate in women with short follicular phases, as defined by attaining the peak
      estradiol level before day 11 of the cycle. Thirty-two early ovulators with
      mature follicles were matched with 32 women being treated for similar infertility
      problems, who ovulated between days 12-20. Pregnancies were achieved by 9 (28.1%)
      of the early ovulators compared to 19 (59.4%) of the controls. The mean number of
      cycles required to achieve a pregnancy was 8.6 in the early ovulators compared to
      6.4 in the controls. Using the clinical life table method, the 12-month pregnancy
      rate was estimated to be 31.4% for early ovulators as compared to 66.3% for
      controls. Whether lengthening the follicular phase by drug treatment will improve
      pregnancy rates remains to be seen.

PMID- 1427422
TI  - Influence of valve surgery on female fertility.
AB  - Pregnancies following cardiac valve surgery represent a considerable maternal and
      fetal risk. The present paper is a report of 163 women in child-bearing age who
      underwent cardiac valve surgery. Congenital (14.7%) and acquired (85.3%) cardiac
      defects required a total of 72 alloplastic and 16 bioprosthetic valve
      implantations. In 69 patients, purely instrumental correction was performed, in 6
      patients conduits were placed. Thirty-four pregnancies were observed and led to
      the delivery of 18 healthy infants. The birth weight was always in the 2-sigma
      normal range or slightly above. Three cesarean sections were performed due to the
      cardiac defect, in 6 patients vacuum extraction or forceps delivery was done, and
      in 9 patients delivery was spontaneous. We observed 4 cases of spontaneous
      abortion, and in 12 cases interruption of pregnancy. 75.1% women never became
      pregnant. Potential risks in terms of endocarditis, repeated valve implantation
      and anticoagulation are emphasized, methods to decrease the physical strain
      during delivery are discussed.

PMID- 1427423
TI  - McRoberts maneuver for the management of the aftercoming head in breech delivery.
AB  - A case report of breech delivery complicated by entrapment of the aftercoming
      head is presented. McRoberts maneuver was applied to facilitate the release of
      the head. It is suggested that the same theoretical basis that stands behind the
      use of McRoberts maneuver in shoulder dystocia might make it applicable as one of
      the maneuvers to release the aftercoming head in breech delivery.

PMID- 1427424
TI  - Retrohymenal vaginal atresia with perforate transverse vaginal septum.
AB  - A transverse vaginal septum is the most common congenital anomaly of the vagina.
      Vaginal atresia is seen less frequently. There have been some variations in cases
      of transverse vaginal septum and vaginal atresia. This is the first report of a
      patient with retrohymenal vaginal atresia and perforate transverse vaginal
      septum.

PMID- 1427425
TI  - POEMS: a multifactorial syndrome.

PMID- 1427426
TI  - A prospective comparison of alpha-IFN and conventional chemotherapy in Ph+
      chronic myeloid leukemia. Clinical and cytogenetic results at 2 years in 322
      patients. The Italian Cooperative Study Group on Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Standard or conventional treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)
      had little effect on the course and the duration of the disease. Treatment with
      human natural and recombinant alpha-interferon (IFN) was shown to induce
      hematologic responses, together with partial or complete repopulation of the
      marrow with Ph negative cells (karyotypic response). These findings prompted a
      prospective comparison of IFN and conventional treatment in CML. METHODS: A
      multicenter prospective controlled study in previously untreated or minimally
      treated chronic phase Ph+ CML was employed: 322 patients were recruited between
      1986 and 1988 and assigned to treatment with human recombinant alpha-IFN (Roferon
      A) or hydroxyurea, with a randomization ratio of 2:1. The results of the first 2
      years of treatment were analyzed and compared, based on the intention-to-treat
      policy. RESULTS: From 8 mo of treatment on, hematologic and karyotypic responses
      (KR) were more frequent and better in the IFN arm than in the CHT arm. Overall, a
      major KR (Ph neg greater than 66%) was achieved at least once in 35/218 (16%) IFN
      treated patients vs 1/104 CHT-treated ones (P less than 0.0001). None of these 36
      patients has progressed from chronic to blastic phase as yet. After 2 years of
      treatment, 21 of 218 IFN patients (10%) had a major KR vs 1 of 104 CHT patients
      (P = 0.003), and the cumulative proportion of blastic metamorphosis was 19% in
      the IFN arm vs 27% in the CHT arm (P = 0.17). Side effects were more frequent in
      the IFN arm, but compliance with the treatment policy was identical in both arms.
      The treatment cost was about 11 US dollars per patient per month in the CHT arm,
      and 200 times higher in the IFN arm. CONCLUSIONS: During the first 2 years of
      treatment, IFN was more expensive, had more side effects, but was more effective
      than CHT in terms of hematologic and karyotypic responses.

PMID- 1427427
TI  - Molecular characterization and functional studies on Hb Kempsey, beta 99 (G-1)
      Asp----Asn, a high-oxygen affinity variant.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hb Kempsey (beta 99 Asp----Asn) is a high-oxygen affinity hemoglobin,
      never before reported in Italy, associated with secondary erythrocytosis. It has
      been found in the heterozygous state in two subjects from the same family
      originating from the Verona area in Northern Italy. METHODS: The abnormal
      hemoglobin was studied both at the protein and at the DNA level. The amino acid
      substitution was identified by fingerprinting and amino acid analysis. The
      nucleotide replacement was investigated by means of polymerase chain reaction
      (PCR) of the beta gene and direct sequencing. Oxygen affinity and other
      functional parameters were assessed on whole blood and on the separate hemoglobin
      fractions. RESULTS: These studies allowed us to establish the molecular
      substitution GAT (Asp)----AAT (Asn) at codon 99. Functional studies revealed a
      left-shifted and biphasic dissociation curve of the proposita, with a very low
      p50. The two carriers of this hemoglobinopathy have different degrees of
      polyglobulia, since iron deficiency in one of them reduces total and abnormal Hb.
      CONCLUSIONS: The compensatory mechanisms for tissue hypoxia are discussed with
      the conclusion that erythrocytosis has to be preserved in these patients to
      maintain adequate tissue oxygenation.

PMID- 1427428
TI  - Volumetric changes in phorbol myristate acetate activated neutrophils: a rapid
      and simple assay using Coulter counter STKR and STKS hematological analyzers.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate some physical changes
      (volume, conductivity and scatter) in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN)
      activated with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). METHODS: Volume changes in PMA
      activated neutrophils were assayed by both STKR and STKS, two Coulter
      hematological analyzers. Scatter changes in PMN activated by PMA in suspensions
      containing nitro-blue tetrazolium (NBT) were investigated on STKS scattergrams.
      RESULTS: PMA activation induced PMN volumetric increases that could be assayed
      with STKR and displayed with STKS. The activation of PMN in suspension containing
      NBT induced cellular scatter changes on STKS scattergrams. The differences in
      scatter between resting and PMA-activated neutrophils may thus provide a
      semiquantitative assay of NBT reduction and superoxide production. Volume changes
      in PMA-activated neutrophils were due to cellular swelling through water uptake,
      induced by Na+/H+ antiport activation and Na+ influx. Since volume changes in PMA
      activated neutrophils might occur without O2- production and vice versa, in the
      cases in which PMA activation of protein kinase C cannot be demonstrated by O2-
      production, the effect of PMA on protein kinase C- mediated Na+/H+ antiport
      activation, and in turn on PMA volume changes, reflects protein kinase C
      activation. CONCLUSIONS: A screening of neutrophils unresponsive to volumetric
      changes from PMA activation may be easily performed using both Coulter STKR and
      STKS analyzers, whereas expected or defective PMA-induced production of O2- may
      be semi-quantitatively evaluated by STKS.

PMID- 1427429
TI  - Presence and significance of cold agglutinins in patients with HIV infection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: HIV-infected patients may contract a variety of other concurrent
      infections, including Mycoplasma pneumoniae, cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein
      Barr virus (EBV), that are known to be causes of transient cold agglutinins (CA).
      The aim of this study was to search for the prevalence, the persistence and the
      significance of CA in HIV antibody-positive patients. METHODS: Ninety patients
      belonging to different risk groups (drug addicts, homosexuals and hemophiliacs),
      including 15 with AIDS, 20 with ARC, 25 with PGL, 30 symptom-free individuals and
      100 healthy blood donors were assessed for the presence of CA for at least six
      months. RESULTS: In 20 cases (22%) CA were found: 3, 7, 5 and 5 respectively, in
      each of the above mentioned HIV-positive groups, while the group used as control
      was CA-negative. There were no differences between CA-negative and CA-positive
      patients with regard to the presence of anemia, frequency of other infections, or
      development of lymphatic malignancy during the follow-up period. Serological
      specificity of CA included 14 of type anti-I, 5 of anti-i and 1 of anti-Pr
      specificity. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that CA production is another immune
      disorder of patients with HIV infection.

PMID- 1427431
TI  - Thymic dysfunction in childhood T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a possible
      linkage with a primary thymus involvement.
AB  - Experimental models, clinical and histopathological observations suggest a thymic
      origin of childhood T acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). We studied thymic
      epithelial function in childhood T-ALL as compared to normal controls in order to
      improve our understanding of the cellular immunodeficiency mechanisms operating
      in a thymus-linked malignant process. The levels of Facteur Thymique Serique
      (FTS) were measured in 9 patients at diagnosis, according to the rosette
      inhibition assay of Dardenne & Bach (1975). This method is based on the capacity
      of human serum containing FTS activity to confer on rosette-forming cells (RFC)
      from adult thymectomized mice a sensitivity to azathioprine identical to that of
      normal mouse RFC. All patients presented low age-corrected titres of FTS. No zinc
      deficiency was found, suggesting that low FTS levels are not related to
      unexpressed FTS biological activity. Plasma from all the children studied
      contained factors capable of inhibiting the biological activity of FTS in vitro.
      However, the nature of this inhibitor has not yet been elucidated. Our study
      shows the presence of a thymic dysfunction in childhood T-ALL, which could
      partially explain the immunodeficiency described in these patients. The linkage
      of the leukemic process with a primitive thymic involvement is discussed.

PMID- 1427430
TI  - Effect of cyclosporin A on T cell clones from severe aplastic anemia:
      differential sensitivity of TNF and GM-CSF production.
AB  - In this study we have analyzed the activity of Cyclosporin A (CsA) on the "in
      vitro" production of TNF and IL-3/GM-CSF as a preliminary basis for explaining
      the successful use of CsA in aplastic patients. Thus, 73 T cell clones, obtained
      by a limiting dilution technique from the peripheral blood and bone marrow of 3
      patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA), were studied for TNF and IL-3/GM-CSF
      production as induced by stimulation with 1% PHA plus 1 ng/ml TPA. Lymphokines
      obtained in this manner were then tested by biological assays. Twelve out of the
      initial 73 T cell clones were selected for the production of a large quantity of
      IL-3/GM-CSF and/or TNF. With these clones we studied the ability of CsA to
      inhibit TNF and IL-3/GM-CSF production, which was stimulated with specific
      monoclonal antibodies directed against the CD2 and CD3 surface antigens. TNF and
      IL-3/GM-CSF production displayed a different sensitivity to CsA inhibition. In
      fact, at 400 ng/ml CsA a residual production of IL-3/GM-CSF was present in all
      clones tested (CD3: 21.8% and CD2: 14.4% of the maximal IL-3/GM-CSF activity),
      while secretion of TNF was virtually abrogated at 100 ng/ml. Moreover, the mean
      ID50 for TNF production was significantly lower than that of IL-3/GM-CSF (CD2: p
      = 0.028, CD3: p = 0.01). Using specific anti-IL-3 and anti-GM-CSF monoclonal
      antibodies, we showed that only GM-CSF, and not IL-3, was resistant to CsA
      inhibition. In conclusion, these results may represent a possible explanation of
      the successful use of CsA in the treatment of some patients with SAA.

PMID- 1427432
TI  - Fulminant sepsis in adults splenectomized for idiopathic thrombocytopenic
      purpura.
AB  - BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Splenectomy is still a mainstay in the treatment of
      idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Although the risk of fulminant sepsis
      after splenectomy in children and in adults has been known for a long time, the
      true prevalence of fulminant sepsis in adults splenectomized for ITP has still
      not been well established, despite many anecdotal reports. In this paper we have
      tried to estimate this risk by reviewing the available literature and by
      analyzing a large cohort of adults splenectomized for ITP at our Institute since
      1970. RESULTS: Two cases of fulminant sepsis (a 21-year-old man and a 24-year-old
      woman) were traced in a group of 133 splenectomized adults, with a crude
      incidence of 1.5% or, equivalently, of 0.17 cases per 100 patient-years. No case
      of sepsis occurred in a control group of 323 non splenectomized ITP adults. This
      estimation seems sufficiently precise for the large population analyzed and the
      duration and completeness of follow-up (1,126 patient-years, mean 101 months, 2
      patients lost from follow-up), and it is in agreement with the estimations
      yielded by a literature review (1.8%). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of fulminant sepsis
      seems to be a real hazard in adults splenectomized for ITP, and a conservative
      approach in recommending splenectomy seems advisable. Antipneumococcal
      vaccination should also be recommended.

PMID- 1427433
TI  - Bone marrow transplantation for childhood leukemia: five years' experience in a
      pediatric hematology center.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Fifty-three children (39 male, 14 female, median age 9 years 3
      months) with different forms of leukemia underwent bone marrow transplantation
      (BMT) at our center. Various conditioning regimens were used according to the
      disease and time of BMT. In this paper we evaluate the impact of the experience
      of a pediatric hematology center on BMT-related problems in children. METHODS: We
      analyzed disease-free survival (DFS), early BMT-related effects, hepatic, cardiac
      and respiratory function and late endocrine effects as shown by standard
      instrumental and laboratory tests. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Outcome (overall
      median follow-up 34 months) was satisfactory. Three years DFS was 50.1% in all
      patients, 58.8% in lymphoblastic leukemia in 2nd complete remission (CR), and
      50.0% in acute myeloid leukemia (some in 2nd or subsequent CR). Three of four
      patients with chronic myeloid leukemia were alive at 38 months. Management of the
      problems causing early post-BMT toxicity contributed to a progressive fall in
      early morbidity and mortality (14.3% in the last 3 years). Pre-BMT hepatitis in
      most patients was not associated with increased post-BMT hepatotoxicity. Cardiac
      function, even in patients given aggressive anthracycline treatment before BMT,
      remained normal 3 years after transplantation, as did respiratory function,
      although 8 cases presented subclinical restrictive and/or obstructive
      alterations. Compensated hypothyroidism was observed in 9 patients. Six boys
      received replacement treatment for hypogonadism. Severe height impairment was
      seen in 2 patients. Post-BMT endocrine and growth effects require a longer follow
      up for definitive conclusions to be drawn.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427434
TI  - Uveitis, a presenting symptom of malignant histiocytosis.
AB  - A patient presenting initially with bilateral uveitis was admitted 6 weeks later
      to the Department of Internal Medicine "A" because of fever, chills, and
      pancytopenia. Physical examination, ultrasonography and CT scan revealed
      hepatosplenomegaly only, without lymphadenopathy. A bone marrow trephine biopsy
      showed areas with a dense infiltrate of abnormal cells, displaying many mitotic
      figures. Some of the cells resembled better differentiated histiocytes and
      contained hemosiderin pigment or phagocytosed erythrocytes. Immunohistological
      tests confirmed the diagnosis of malignant histiocytosis (MH). A survey of the
      literature revealed two other cases with uveitis and MH.

PMID- 1427435
TI  - Chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL) with karyotypic abnormalities associated with
      plasma cell dyscrasia: a case report.
AB  - A case of chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL), a rare myeloproliferative syndrome
      associated with monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance (MGUS-Type IgGk),
      is reported. Karyotypic study, carried out on bone marrow, excluded Philadelphia
      pos. chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and showed Y loss (45 XO). Only a few cases
      of CNL with paraproteinemia have been reported, but no case of associated
      karyotypic abnormalities and paraproteinemia has so far been described.

PMID- 1427436
TI  - Efficacy of liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome) in the eradication of Fusarium
      infection in a leukaemic patient.
AB  - We recently succeeded in eradicating a Fusarium infection by treatment with
      liposomal amphotericin B (L-AmB). The patient, a 22-year-old man with acute
      lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), developed fever and diffuse cutaneous
      maculopapular necrotising nodules during post-chemotherapy neutropenia. Fusarium
      verticilloides was isolated from the skin, and hyphae were observed on direct
      microscopy. Despite increased WBC and amphotericin B (AmB) treatment (0.7
      mg/kg/day for 11 days), he remained febrile and a chest X-ray revealed pulmonary
      lesions. Fusarium infection was confirmed by bronchial aspirate. AmB was
      increased to 1 mg/kg/day, and continued for 16 days (total dose 1630 mg). A
      slight improvement was observed at tomography, but nephrotoxicity developed.
      Treatment was changed to L-AmB (3 mg/kg/day). The patient received this drug for
      20 days (total dose of 3850 mg) with complete regression of the pulmonary
      lesions. No adverse event occurred, and nephrotoxicity resolved. The patient was
      discharged from hospital cured of the Fusarium infection and in clinical and
      haematological remission. No relapse of fusariosis occurred, despite additional
      courses of intensive chemotherapy. Ambisome could represent an important advance
      in antifungal treatment since it allows aggressive treatment and eradication of
      mycoses refractory to conventional therapy while avoiding renal toxicity.

PMID- 1427437
TI  - AIDS-related complex treated by antiviral drugs and allogeneic bone marrow
      transplantation following conditioning protocol with busulphan, cyclophosphamide
      and cyclosporin.
AB  - A 26-year-old man with AIDS-related complex (ARC) was treated with high-dose
      busulphan and cyclophosphamide, followed by allogeneic bone marrow
      transplantation. For 3 months before transplantation he received a combination of
      four drugs considered active against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to reduce
      the viral burden: zidovudine, acyloguanosine, fusidic acid and phenylidantoin.
      Although in reduced doses in coincidence with marrow engraftment, zidovudine
      therapy was scheduled after transplantation in order to protect donor cells from
      infection with HIV. Engraftment rapidly occurred and was documented by
      cytogenetic analyses. The post-transplant course was characterized by severe
      acute GvHD with irreversible hepatorenal failure. The patient died on day 48
      after transplantation. Polymerase chain reaction analyses for detecting HIV DNA
      showed the persistence of positivity at day +30 and +45 after transplantation.
      Antibodies to specific HIV proteins evaluated with Western blot testing also
      persisted at days +21 and +35 after transplantation. Circulating immunocomplexes
      disappeared on day +31, and an increase in the CD4/CD8 ratio occurred. The short
      survival of the patient, affected by chronic hepatitis too, does not allow final
      conclusions about the role of BMT in HIV disease.

PMID- 1427438
TI  - Hb Lepore in Campania: a study using a rapid molecular approach.

PMID- 1427440
TI  - Lymph node blast crisis in chronic myeloid leukemia mimicking T-immunoblastic
      lymphoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chronic myeloid leukemia arises from a somatic mutation in a
      pluripotent stem cell. It generally terminates with a blastic crisis (BC). One
      third of BC are lymphoid, and most have a pre-B phenotype. Few cases of T
      lymphoid BC have been reported. Here we describe a lymph node blast crisis
      mimicking T-immunoblastic lymphoma. METHODS: Bone marrow and lymph nodes were
      histologically examined by standard methods and by an immunoperoxidase technique.
      Cytogenetic studies were also performed on lymph node and blood cells. Analysis
      of T-cell receptor genes and BCR rearrangements were performed on DNA extracted
      from both frozen bone marrow and lymph-node cells. RESULTS: Lymph-node histology
      showed an infiltration by large lymphoid blasts, consistent with a diagnosis of
      immunoblastic lymphoma. Blast cells were CD2, CD7, TDT positive, and negative for
      myeloid and mature lymphoid antigens. The Ph1 chromosome was found in both bone
      marrow and lymph-node cells. BCR rearrangement was found in the DNA from both
      bone marrow and lymph-node cells. TCR genes were not rearranged. DISCUSSION: The
      present study provides strong evidence that the lymph-node blast crisis of CML
      can assume the morphological appearance of immunoblastic lymphoma and may retain
      the immunological phenotype and genetic features of early T cells with BCR
      rearrangements.

PMID- 1427439
TI  - Primary thrombocythemia: new drugs for an evolving disease.

PMID- 1427441
TI  - Therapy with Anagrelide in patients affected by essential thrombocythemia:
      preliminary results.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Anagrelide, an imidazo-quinazolin compound first proposed as a potent
      inhibitor of platelet function, was subsequently recognized as a drug able to
      lower the platelet number both in normal subjects and in myeloproliferative
      syndromes with thrombocytosis. We report our experience with Anagrelide therapy
      in 20 patients affected by essential thrombocythemia (E.T.). PATIENTS AND
      METHODS: Twenty consecutive patients with E.T. entered the study from June, 89 to
      July, 91. Therapy schedule was as follows: 0.5 mg every 12 hours for 7 days;
      subsequently the daily dose was increased by 0.5 mg/day every week until a
      response was obtained (a decrease of the platelet count to less than 500 x
      10(9)/l = complete response; to less than 600 x 10(9)/l = partial response).
      RESULTS: Of 19 evaluable patients, complete response (CR) was obtained in 13
      (68%) and partial response (PR) in 3 (16%). For all responders, the mean time to
      response was 5.2 months: mean daily dose of Anagrelide 2 mg. Side effects were
      recorded in 8/20 patients (40%): tachycardia (n = 4), gastrointestinal distress
      (n = 3), perimalleolar edema (n = 1). In 6 cases therapy was discontinued
      definitively. DISCUSSION: Response rate to therapy with Anagrelide is similar to
      that with alkylating agents and alpha 2b-recombinant interferon; furthermore,
      Anagrelide is a drug without cytotoxic properties. The mean daily dose able to
      obtain a response is 2 mg, but maintenance therapy at similar doses is always
      necessary. In conclusion, we can say that Anagrelide is an effective drug in the
      treatment of patients with E.T., but its side effects must be seriously
      considered. A larger study may show whether it should be considered as a "first
      line" drug for all patients with E.T.

PMID- 1427442
TI  - In vitro inhibition of interferon alpha-2a antiproliferative activity by
      antibodies developed during treatment for essential thrombocythaemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Various authors have reported the development of anti-interferon
      (IFN) antibodies following IFN-alpha treatment for haematological malignancies.
      So far the methods for detecting these antibodies have not considered the
      antiproliferative activity of this IFN, which is its most important property in
      anticancer therapy. METHODS: In this in vitro study we evaluated the ability of
      anti-IFN alpha-2a neutralising antibodies to inhibit the antiproliferative
      activity of IFN alpha-2a and lymphoblastoid IFN alpha using megakaryocyte colony
      growth as the revelatory system. These antibodies were detected in two patients
      affected by essential thrombocythaemia (ET) who lost their haematological
      response to IFN alpha-2a, but responded to a subsequent treatment with
      lymphoblastoid IFN alpha. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The results show that the
      inhibition of megakaryocyte colony growth induced by IFN alpha-2a was totally
      suppressed in the presence of the two ET patients' sera, whereas the inhibition
      induced by lymphoblastoid IFN alpha was not significantly affected. These in
      vitro data demonstrate the high specificity and activity of these antibodies on
      the antiproliferative effect of IFN alpha-2a.

PMID- 1427443
TI  - Ultrastructural, immunologic and clinical follow-up of five patients with HCL
      treated with interferon (IFN) for more than three years.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Treatment results in HCl have been improved by the use of alpha-IFN,
      which is now the standard first-line therapy for this disease, but the mechanism
      of IFN action is still unclear. It is known, however, that IFN is able to induce
      hematologic, immunological and phenotype membrane changes which parallel the
      patients' (pts) clinical response. The aim of our study was to correlate the
      clinical response to IFN treatment with ultrastructural and phenotype membrane
      changes in hairy cells (HCs), in order to elucidate the mechanism of IFN action
      at the cell level. METHODS: We assessed the phenotype membrane and
      ultrastructural changes induced in HCs by long-term alpha-IFN treatment in five
      pts with HCL; membrane-bound Il 2-R on PHA-stimulated PBL, the release of IL 2-R
      by PHA-stimulated PBL and the serum levels of s-IL 2-R were also determined in
      one pt. RESULTS: The surface immunological phenotype, mainly the HCL-related
      surface antigen CD25, changed after IFN treatment, dropping from abnormally high
      to normal values. Furthermore, IFN treatment induced ultrastructural changes in
      HCs, consisting mainly of a sharp reduction in, up to the almost complete
      disappearance of, the hairy projections: very few, if any, short, thick villi
      persisted. The ultrastructural changes in HCs paralleled clinical and hematologic
      response to IFN treatment in such a way that IFN alone may be considered the
      cause of these changes. As far as detection of the membrane-bound IL 2-R p55
      chain on PHA-stimulated PBL is concerned, the expression of p55 is very high on
      the membrane of HCs; a high level of serum s-IL 2-R was also found in the HCL pt
      studied before IFN treatment, whereas the release of IL 2-R by PHA-stimulated PBL
      was higher than normal, but not significantly. Two of our pts, who did not
      respond or responded very poorly clinically to IFN treatment, should probably be
      considered cases of HCL "variants". CONCLUSIONS: The phenotype membrane and the
      ultrastructural changes in HCs very closely paralleled the patients' clinical
      responses to IFN, suggesting that both the immunologic and the morphologic
      changes induced in HCs by in vivo IFN treatment are a direct counterpart of its
      biologic effect.

PMID- 1427445
TI  - Early response to alpha interferon in a patient affected by hairy cell leukemia.
AB  - A 61-year-old splenectomized male patient affected by hairy cell leukemia (HCL)
      in relapse was treated with interferon (IFN) at a dosage of 3 x 10(6) U/day.
      After only 11 days of treatment, IFN was stopped because the patient developed
      fever, jaundice and respiratory distress. Upon recovery from this infectious
      episode, the patient was judged to be in complete remission of HCL on the basis
      of clinical and laboratory findings, and he remained off-therapy for 2 years.
      When an overt relapse occurred, the patient was again treated with IFN and, after
      a very short time, he achieved a new, good partial remission that is maintained
      28 months later without treatment. This observation remains speculative for
      understanding the mechanism of action of IFN in other comparable HCL cases.

PMID- 1427444
TI  - The reconstitution of cellular immunity after bone marrow transplantation in
      children.

PMID- 1427446
TI  - Thrombocytopenic purpura during therapy with simvastatin.
AB  - The authors describe a case of very serious thrombocytopenic purpura occurring in
      a diabetic and hyperlipidemic woman during therapy with simvastatin, an HMG-CoA
      reductase inhibitor drug. Interruption of the medical treatment produced a prompt
      reversal of the thrombocytic attack: one year later the patient's platelet count
      remains within the normal range. The authors have not found other reports in the
      medical literature of similar serious reactions during therapy with an HMG-CoA
      reductase inhibiting substance; nevertheless, a causal nexus is hypothesized but
      not argued in this case, since further studies will be needed before this
      connection can be established.

PMID- 1427447
TI  - Feasibility of prenatal diagnosis of beta-thalassemia using two highly
      polymorphic microsatellites 5' to the beta-globin gene.
AB  - Short tandem repeats (STRs) are highly informative loci within the human genome,
      consisting of short nucleotide sequences tandemly repeated in variable numbers.
      This results in different alleles of variable length. Herein we describe two STRS
      located 5' to the beta-globin gene. They can be detected by non radioactive
      methods and may be used to make prenatal diagnosis of beta-thalassemia.

PMID- 1427448
TI  - Normal values of total reticulocytes and reticulocyte subsets in children and
      young adults.
AB  - This work provides the values for percentage and total reticulocyte count, as
      well as the values of reticulocyte fluorescence intensity ratios as determined by
      an automated fluorescent technique in a normal pediatric population. The
      peripheral reticulocyte subsets, as assessed on the basis of their degree of
      maturation, allow a more accurate evaluation of bone marrow activity than the
      percentage or total count do. This would result in a more appropriate management
      of erythropoietic disorders in children.

PMID- 1427449
TI  - Cytokine serum levels and acute graft versus host disease after allogeneic bone
      marrow transplantation.

PMID- 1427450
TI  - Alpha-interferon treatment of hairy cell leukemia and associated monoclonal large
      granular lymphocyte proliferation.

PMID- 1427451
TI  - RDW: a helpful diagnostic parameter in the malabsorption syndrome?

PMID- 1427452
TI  - Pulmonary embolism and intravenous high-dose desferrioxamine.

PMID- 1427453
TI  - B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia and plasma cell disorders in the same
      patient. Report of two cases.

PMID- 1427454
TI  - Reducing the haemorrhagic risk related to splenectomy in patients with severe
      chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

PMID- 1427455
TI  - Increase in the D-dimer levels during treatment in patients with acute
      myelogenous leukemia.
AB  - Plasma concentration of thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT), tissue-type
      plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), PAI-2, D
      dimer complex and urokinase-plasminogen activator (u-PA) activity were studied in
      30 patients with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL), before and during
      antileukemic therapy. Fifteen patients showed signs of disseminated intravascular
      coagulation (DIC), 10 of them classified as M3, 2 as M2 and 3 as M5 subtypes. The
      initial levels of TAT complex were elevated in all ANLL patients. This increase
      was more pronounced in patients with DIC (p less than 0.05). TAT increased
      significantly during the treatment period in all cases. u-PA and PAI-1 levels
      were elevated but there were no statistically significant differences between
      patients with and without DIC. PAI-2 levels were below the limit of detection in
      controls and in patients. However, the initially elevated D-dimer complex levels
      were significantly higher in DIC cases (p less than 0.01) and they increased
      during the treatment period. A significant and positive correlation between D
      dimer and TAT complex values was found in DIC patients (r = 0.68, p less than
      0.001). The high TAT complex and D-dimer levels further increased during
      chemotherapy treatment strongly suggest a hypercoagulable state with secondary
      activation of fibrinolysis not severe enough to manifest itself as clinically
      evident DIC in the majority of cases.

PMID- 1427456
TI  - Warfarin-induced skin necrosis in 2 patients with protein S deficiency:
      successful reinstatement of warfarin therapy.
AB  - Warfarin-induced skin necrosis is a rare but serious complication of oral
      anticoagulant therapy. This condition has been associated with protein C
      deficiency but only rarely reported in patients with a deficiency of protein S.
      We have managed 2 patients with a history of warfarin-induced skin necrosis who
      were diagnosed as being protein-S-deficient. Since both patients were candidates
      for long-term anticoagulant therapy we elected to reintroduce warfarin using a
      regimen designed to minimize the risk of recurrent skin necrosis. While they were
      therapeutically anticoagulated with heparin, warfarin was started at 1 mg/day and
      the dose was increased gradually. Heparin was not discontinued until the
      prothrombin times were in the therapeutic range for at least 72 h. Both patients
      tolerated the reinstitution of warfarin without difficulty and they have now been
      followed for over 2 years on oral anticoagulants without complication.

PMID- 1427457
TI  - Treatment of proximal deep-vein thrombosis using subcutaneously administered
      calcium heparin: comparison with intravenous sodium heparin.
AB  - In a prospective, randomized clinical trial we compared the efficacy of
      subcutaneously (SC) administered (every 8 h) calcium heparin to intravenous (IV)
      sodium heparin in the treatment of proximal deep-vein thrombosis (DVT). A
      secondary objective was to give enough heparin to achieve a therapeutic
      anticoagulant effect by the end of the first 24 h. Five of 36 patients (14%) in
      the SC heparin group failed to achieve a therapeutic anticoagulant effect by the
      end of the first 24 h compared to 2 of 23 patients (9%) in the IV group (p = NS;
      95% CI for true difference = -11.7% to 22.1%). Two of 31 patients (6.5%) in the
      SC group had venographic evidence of clot propagation compared to 1 of 19
      patients (5.3%) in the IV group (p = NS; 95% CI for true difference = -12.4% to
      14.8%). The rate of major hemorrhagic complications was similar in each group
      (approximately 15%). We conclude: (1) using a large initial dose of SC heparin, a
      therapeutic anticoagulant effect can be readily achieved within 24 h, and (2)
      combining the results of this trial with previous studies, the efficacy of SC
      administered calcium appears to be comparable to IV sodium heparin.

PMID- 1427458
TI  - Effect of mental stress on platelet function in normal subjects and in patients
      with coronary artery disease.
AB  - We studied the effect of emotional stress (mental arithmetic for 10 min) in 10
      postinfarction patients and in 10 age-matched apparently healthy subjects as
      controls. Blood samples for platelet function studies and for the determination
      of epinephrine levels in serum were taken in basal conditions, at the end of
      mental stress and after 30 min of recovery. Patients were studied twice, in
      washout of medications and after oral administration of dipyridamole, 200 mg
      twice a day for 6 consecutive days. Mental stress induced in patients significant
      increments in different hemodynamic parameters (heart rate, systolic blood
      pressure and diastolic blood pressure) and in serum epinephrine levels.
      Concomitantly, the test produced a significant increase in platelet aggregation
      (induced by 3 microM ADP or 1 microgram/ml collagen), the formation of
      circulating platelet aggregates and an increase in plasma thromboxane B2 levels.
      Hemodynamic parameters and platelet function tests returned to baseline values
      after 30 min. Similar activation of hemodynamic parameters, similar increase in
      epinephrine levels and lower increase in platelet function by emotional stress
      were observed in control subjects. Treatment of patients with dipyridamole had no
      effect on stress-induced increase in hemodynamic parameters and epinephrine
      levels, but decreased stress-related platelet activation. These data can
      contribute to a better understanding of the complex relationships between
      psychosocial factors, the hemostatic system and vascular disease.

PMID- 1427459
TI  - Antithrombotic effect of ticlopidine on He-Ne laser-induced thrombus formation in
      rat mesenteric microvessels.
AB  - The inhibitory effects of ticlopidine and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on thrombus
      formation in rat mesenteric microvessels were studied. The results were compared
      with the effect of the drugs on platelet aggregation in citrated whole blood. He
      Ne laser-induced thrombus formation in arterioles and in venules was
      significantly inhibited by 100 mg/kg ticlopidine. In contrast, a higher dose of
      ASA (300 mg/kg) was needed to inhibit thrombus formation and the effects of ASA
      were observed only in arterioles and not in venules. In addition, although the
      inhibition by ASA in arterioles was not strong it followed a dose-dependent
      manner, suggesting that the differential effect of ASA on platelets and
      endothelium may not be evident in vivo. Ticlopidine and ASA strongly inhibited
      ADP-induced whole blood platelet aggregation, but not collagen- or thrombin
      induced platelet aggregation.

PMID- 1427460
TI  - Russell's viper venom: effects on coagulating whole blood in vitro.
AB  - Russell's viper venom (RVV) leads to a strong activation of the coagulation
      system with consumptive coagulopathy and thrombopenia. For better comprehension
      of the pathophysiologic process, the effect of RVV was examined in an in vitro
      model of hemostasis. The stimulation of the coagulation system and of platelet
      activity can be discriminated by sequential measuring of fibrinopeptide A (FPA)
      generation and platelet factor 4 (PF 4) release, respectively. In coagulating
      whole blood both parameters show a parallel response curve in the control series
      (n = 6) with an initial slow phase followed by a rapid phase after 4.7 +/- 0.8
      min (FPA) and 6.0 +/- 0.9 min (PF 4) of the incubation period. Varying
      concentrations of RVV (15, 50, 100 and 1,000 ng/ml; n = 6 each) cause a dose
      dependent stimulation of FPA generation as well as of PF 4 secretion. Clot
      formation time shows a decrease from 9 min (controls) to 6.3 +/- 2.0 min (100
      ng/ml RVV) and 2.7 +/- 0.5 min (1,000 ng/ml), respectively. The concomitant
      addition of antithrombin III (AT III, 20 U/ml) and RVV (100 ng/ml) leads to a
      nearly complete normalization of hemostasis in vitro. The beginning of the rapid
      activation phase is comparable to that of the control group, clot formation does
      not occur during the 10-min incubation period. Heparin (1 IU/ml) acts as an
      antagonist not only of the venom-induced FPA generation, but also of the PF 4
      release. Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) (150 ng/ml) does not inhibit the RVV-stimulated
      FPA generation, but causes a moderate inhibition of PF 4 secretion, especially
      during the rapid phase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427461
TI  - Assessment of whole-blood spontaneous platelet aggregation during pregnancy using
      an impedance particle counter.
AB  - The slide test method of Velaskar and Chitre for determining platelet aggregation
      in whole blood after induction of aggregation was modified for spontaneous
      platelet aggregation and evaluated. The reproducibility was satisfactory (CV 1
      3%). The results obtained with this method and the method of Velaskar were not
      significantly different. The Spearman rank correlation was 0.75 (p less than
      0.0001). We established reference values for the particle counter method and
      Velaskar's method in pregnant and non-pregnant women; no significant change in
      spontaneous platelet aggregation was seen throughout pregnancy. In order to
      estimate the clinical value of the test in pregnancy, we followed up a number of
      pregnant patients with primary enhanced spontaneous whole-blood platelet
      aggregation before and after treatment with low-dose acetylsalicylic acid. The
      test was found to be suited for the detection of spontaneous whole-blood platelet
      aggregation and for the follow-up after treatment with acetylsalicylic acid.
      Further studies are necessary, however, to assess the predictive value of an
      aberrant test result during pregnancy.

PMID- 1427462
TI  - [Occupational disease No. 2101?].

PMID- 1427463
TI  - [Vascular supply of the unsheathed segment of the extensor tendons of the 2d to
      5th fingers of the dorsum of the hand].
AB  - The dorsal approach to the metacarpal bones is through the peritendinous
      connective tissue of the extensor tendons. Knowledge of the vascular supply of
      the distal parts of these tendons, between the distal end of the tendon sheath
      and the tendon's osseous insertion is important, especially with respect to
      atraumatic technique. The course and distribution of the vessels to the extensor
      tendons II-V were investigated. Superficial and deep layers of connective tissue
      were found to contain blood vessels. The superficial vessels reach the dorsal
      aspect of the extensor tendon, originating from subcutaneous arteries and the
      large arteries of the hand. The deep vessels reach the lateropalmar aspect of the
      tendons and originate from the peritendinous muscular arteries. Vessel
      distribution suggests a direct relationship between the number of nourishing
      arteries and the tendon surface area. The vascular supply to the unsheathed parts
      of the extensor tendons shows morphological adaptations to differential
      mechanical stress during tendon excursion.

PMID- 1427465
TI  - [Traumatic aneurysm of the hand--a rare complication of a stab injury].
AB  - This is a case report of a 22-year-old male who suffered a stab injury to his
      right hand. Sixteen days after primary wound closure, he complained of pain from
      a pulsating mass in his right palm, with numbness along the ulnar side of the
      middle finger. At operation, a false aneurysm was found and resected, after
      ligation of the common digital artery proximal and distal to the aneurysm.

PMID- 1427464
TI  - [Morbidity of the donor site of the dorsalis pedis flap].
AB  - Detailed information on the dorsalis pedis flap donor-site morbidity is still
      lacking. In a retrospective analysis, wound-healing, cosmesis, mobility,
      stability, and thermographic studies of the feet were investigated. The results
      show a high donor-site morbidity of the dorsalis pedis flap. Indications and
      alternative methods are discussed.

PMID- 1427466
TI  - [Changes in the vascular endothelium after electro- and thermocoagulation].
AB  - An experimental study was performed in animals to investigate the effect of
      various coagulation techniques on the vascular system. Using a microsurgical
      procedure, the femoral vein of fifteen rabbits was exposed bilaterally and
      coagulated until the lumen was closed. Electro- and thermocoagulation systems
      were applied. The light microscopic examination showed endothelial alterations in
      the course of the vessel. Analyses with the scanning electron microscope were
      therefore also performed. Extensive endothelial damage could be detected
      regularly with monopolar currents; the results were not uniform with bipolar
      applications. The most favorable conditions were found when thermal coagulators
      had been used. Damage to the parallel arteries was not detectable to a
      significant degree in these cases. The toxic effect of the energy applied can be
      morphologically divided into three stages. It should be considered whether
      extensive endothelial damage leads to the formation of microthrombi and thus
      causes clinical complications.

PMID- 1427467
TI  - [Current aspects of epidermal wound healing].
AB  - The multilayered cornifying epithelium of mammalian skin provides a barrier
      protecting the organism against external damage and preventing loss from the
      internal milieu. The unique features of the epidermis are responsible for its
      regenerative capacity. Basal keratinocytes are the stem cells for a vertical
      differentiation pathway during which an undifferentiated keratinocyte undergoes
      extensive changes into a keratinized flake of the horny layer. During epithelial
      repair the cells change their normal pattern of differentiation. Migratory
      activity and proliferation are the basis for the horizontal migration of the
      epidermal cells, which is inhibited by cell contact and completed by
      differentiation and keratinization. The mechanisms of cell activation and
      migration are currently under intense investigation. A large number of peptide
      growth factors have been shown experimentally to be active in wound healing. A
      better understanding of the molecular basis provides new perspectives for a more
      specific therapy in wound healing. Keratinocyte culturing has first been used in
      the treatment of large burns. Modifications try to include also dermal elements.
      Recent developments in molecular and cell biology indicate a perspective of
      cultured epithelial sheets containing genetically engineered keratinocytes for
      epithelial gene therapy.

PMID- 1427468
TI  - [Long-term results of Russe modified scaphoid screw fixation II].
AB  - Proximal pole scaphoid nonunion with a small necrotic proximal fragment presents
      therapeutical problems. Cannulated screw fixation as a modification of the Russe
      II procedure combines the advantages of minimal surgical exposure and trauma,
      preserving the blood supply of the distal fragment, and at the same time
      achieving rigid fixation of the autogenous bone graft. Six out of seven patients
      had satisfactory subjective and objective results after a mean follow-up of 12.9
      years, although radiographic findings were less favorable.

PMID- 1427469
TI  - Bundle nailing in nonunion of the distal radius: case report.
AB  - A previously unreported technique for dealing with severe distal radial nonunion
      in the presence of marked osteoporosis and deformity in a 65-year-old female is
      presented. The technique involves temporary ankylosis of the wrist with bundle
      nails connecting the second and third metacarpal with the distal and proximal
      fragment of the radius, dorsal to the carpal bones and joints. Union was achieved
      radiographically after nine months. When the bundle nails were removed, there was
      some recovery of wrist movement and useful function.

PMID- 1427470
TI  - [Anomalous course and anomalous division of the median nerve in the distal
      forearm].
AB  - An anatomic variation of the median nerve is demonstrated in a female patient
      suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome subsequent to a distal radius fracture with
      malalignment and reflex sympathetic dystrophy. The median nerve coursed anterior
      to the superficial flexor tendons from proximal ulnar toward the distal radial
      region of the distal forearm, giving off an ulnar branch just 2.5 cm proximal to
      the flexor retinaculum. This case proves that in the distal forearm, branches of
      the median nerve can be found both radial and ulnar to the midline.

PMID- 1427471
TI  - [Composite lymphoma in Sjogren's syndrome with mixed cryoglobulinemia].
AB  - A 44-year-old woman with Sjogren's syndrome and mixed cryoglobulinemia developed
      nodal and pulmonary lymphoma 15 years after the initial diagnosis. The nodal
      lymphoma was of the composite type and included both monoclonal monocytoid and
      lymphoplasmacytoid B-cells. The extranodal pulmonary lymphoma included only
      lymphoplasmacytoid lymphocytes. Complete resolution of the lymphoma was achieved
      following 3 months of chlorambucil, 5 mg/day, and prednisone, 30 mg/day.
      Composite lymphoma and monocytoid lymphoma are being encountered more commonly
      among patients with Sjogren's syndrome. Physicians must therefore become more
      aware of the existence of both entities.

PMID- 1427472
TI  - [Kaposi's sarcoma following liver transplantation].
AB  - A 54-year-old man developed Kaposi's sarcoma 2 months following orthotopic liver
      transplantation for hepatitis B-associated liver cirrhosis. At that time he was
      on combined immunosuppressive therapy (azathioprine, prednisone and cyclosporine
      A). The disease is very prevalent among immunosuppressed patients following renal
      transplantation, but is considered to be relatively rare following liver
      transplantation. The patient ran a relatively benign course without organ
      involvement and with only the skin disease. This is the first case of Kaposi's
      sarcoma following liver transplantation reported in Israel.

PMID- 1427473
TI  - [Marshmallow for investigating functional disturbances of the esophageal body].
AB  - Manometric studies using water boluses do not always demonstrate disturbances in
      esophageal motility. We tested the use of a marshmallow bolus to induce abnormal
      manometric patterns in patients with dysphagia in whom manometric studies using
      water boluses were normal or nearly so. The study group included 12 normal
      volunteers and 22 patients with dysphagia and nearly normal manometric studies.
      Pressure was recorded along the esophageal body using 10 "wet" swallows followed
      by 10 "solid" swallows of marshmallow. In normal subjects there were fewer
      abnormal contractions after solid swallows than after wet swallows. In 15
      patients solid swallows induced abnormal motility patterns which were not
      observed after wet swallows. The probability of inducing abnormal contractions in
      patients after solid swallows is significantly greater than after wet swallows (p
      < 0.0001). Solid swallowing is therefore useful in evaluating functional
      disturbances of the esophagus in patients with dysphagia.

PMID- 1427474
TI  - [Overdosage of glibenclamide presenting with lethargy and seizures in a child].
AB  - Management of accidental overdosage with oral hypoglycemic agents in toddlers may
      be difficult when the history of ingestion is overlooked. We report a 21-month
      old girl who presented with lethargy and generalized seizures 12 hours after
      ingestion of an unknown number of glibenclamide pills. The blood glucose on
      admission was 0.5 mM/l. Symptoms resolved promptly after an intravenous bolus of
      glucose. Metabolic and infectious causes of hypoglycemia were ruled out. The
      parents denied drug ingestion initially, but further investigation revealed that
      she had ingested several glibenclamide pills used by her diabetic father 12 hours
      prior to admission. This case illustrates the problem involved in diagnosis and
      management of accidental drug overdosage in children when no such history is
      elicited and symptoms are delayed.

PMID- 1427475
TI  - [Management of neonatal testicular torsion].
AB  - Neonatal testicular torsion is rare, and is distinguished both clinically and
      anatomically from torsion in the older age group. We describe 2 cases of neonatal
      torsion treated in different ways, which reflect the current controversy
      regarding the timing of surgical exploration, the need for orchiectomy, as well
      as the indications for contralateral orchiopexy. The distinction between prenatal
      and the postnatal subgroups is emphasized and a policy of treatment is proposed.

PMID- 1427476
TI  - [Rectosigmoid carcinoma in an adolescent girl].
AB  - Carcinoma of the colon and rectum is very rare in childhood and adolescence. We
      describe a 16.5-year-old girl with rectal bleeding and constipation. She had been
      treated symptomatically for 6 months without being properly examined. Only with
      onset of weight loss was rectal examination performed. After workup a diagnosis
      of locally advanced carcinoma of the rectosigmoid with multiple lung metastases
      was reached. From review of the literature and our own case, it seems that the
      unfavorable prognosis in young patients is mainly due to lack of awareness of
      such a possibility, resulting in delayed diagnosis and treatment. An additional
      factor is the invasive nature of most colon cancers in this age group.

PMID- 1427477
TI  - [Development of the visual system in infants].

PMID- 1427478
TI  - [Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy--implications for the mother and infant].

PMID- 1427479
TI  - [What is the prosthesis of choice--biological or mechanical?].

PMID- 1427480
TI  - [Sedation for outpatient dental procedures].

PMID- 1427481
TI  - [Physiologic hypertrophy in athletes' heart and cardiomyopathy].

PMID- 1427482
TI  - [Withdrawal of antiepileptic drugs in children].

PMID- 1427483
TI  - [The problem of liver transplantation in hepatitis B virus carriers].

PMID- 1427484
TI  - [Surgical treatment of Crohn's disease: an update].

PMID- 1427485
TI  - [Is co-trimoxazole contraindicated in G6PD deficient patients?].

PMID- 1427486
TI  - [Treatment of drug addicts--the question of criteria for success or failure].

PMID- 1427487
TI  - [Seatbelt syndrome].

PMID- 1427488
TI  - [Medicine, a profession in the process of development--present status and future
      directions].

PMID- 1427489
TI  - [Current controversies in peer review].

PMID- 1427490
TI  - [Gynecomastia--physiology and pathophysiology].

PMID- 1427491
TI  - [An 88-year-old comatose man with right hemiparesis].

PMID- 1427492
TI  - The differentiation between freshwater and marine fish trypanosomes by lectin
      agglutinability.
AB  - The agglutinability of three fish trypanosomes, Trypanosoma boissoni and T.
      triglae senegalensis from marine fish, and T. carassii from freshwater fish was
      compared. The tests were performed with trypomastigotes and epimastigotes in the
      exponential and stationary growth phases. The simple agglutination test,
      performed in microwell plates, used ten purified lectins, and revealed a clear
      difference between marine and freshwater strains when compared for their
      agglutinability with the HPA lectin. Whereas the cells of T. boissoni and T.
      triglae senegalensis became strongly agglutinated by this lectin, those of T.
      carassii remained unagglutinated in the same conditions. However, the cells of T.
      triglae senegalensis reacted positively with ConA lectin in the stationary phase
      only. The differences in structure and composition of surface polysaccharides
      stable after prolonged cultivation in vitro are inferred on the basis of the
      results obtained.

PMID- 1427493
TI  - Histochemistry of the racemose form of Cysticercus cellulosae.
AB  - The racemose form of brain cysticercosis arises from an intense proliferation of
      the bladder wall after the scolex part has degenerated. The proliferating zones
      are 2-3 times thicker than the remaining parts of the bladder and are
      characterized by a densely folded tegument and thick subtegumental and
      parenchymal layers. The tegument and subtegumental cells contain a large amount
      of acid mucosubstances with sulpho groups and hydrophilic lipids, and exhibit a
      high activity of alkaline and acid phosphatases. The parenchyma contains a large
      amount of glycogen. With the gradual aging of the bladder wall and with the first
      signs of autolysis, the enzymatic activity as well as the amounts of glycogen,
      neutral and acid mucosubstances, and proteins decrease, and the hydrophobic
      lipids prevail over the hydrophilic ones. The results obtained are important for
      the differential diagnostics of cestode larval stages in the human brain.

PMID- 1427494
TI  - Susceptibility of some species of rodents to rickettsiae.
AB  - The present study was designed to test the susceptibility of free-living rodents,
      viz Apodemus flavicollis, Microtus arvalis, Clethrionomys glareolus, Mus
      musculus, and outbred white mice from Dobra Voda farm, CSFR, to Coxiella
      burnetii, rickettsiae of the spotted fever group (Rickettsia sibirica, R.
      conorii, R. slovaca and R. akari) and rickettsiae of typhus group (R. typhi and
      R. prowazekii) by various routes of administration. The highest levels of
      antibodies to C. burnetii were found in A. flavicollis and M. arvalis inoculated
      intraperitoneally and intracerebrally. Antibodies to C. burnetii exerted peak
      levels between days 13 and 16 in contrast to white mice which showed maximum
      levels on day 28. When 10(0.5) and 10(0.05) EID50/0.25 ml of C. burnetii was
      administered intraperitoneally to A. flavicollis, M. arvalis and white mice, the
      agent was detected only in organs of wild animals. In addition to spleen, the
      bone marrow appeared as a predilective tissue for the detection of this agent. R.
      akari at a dose of 10(4.5) EID50/0.25 ml caused overt illness and death in
      rodents. Antibody levels to R. sibirica and R. conorii were dependent on dosage,
      route of inoculation and duration of infection, but were not dependent on animal
      species. Antibodies to R. slovaca and R. akari were dependent on dosage,
      infection duration and animal species but were not dependent on the route of
      infection. For R. conorii, R. sibirica and R. slovaca a sharp increase of
      antibody levels with high titres on days 4-6 and peak levels about day 11 post
      intraperitoneal infection was characteristic. Antibody level to R. akari
      increased up to day 21. Spotted fever group rickettsiae in rodents inoculated
      intraperitoneally were observed in various organs, particularly in tunica
      vaginalis and spleen at days 2-8 post infection. R. typhi at a dose of 10(4.3)
      EID50/0.25 ml inoculated intracerebrally or intraperitoneally killed white mice
      and inoculated intraperitoneally killed C. glareolus and M. musculus. The
      antibody response of white mice to intraperitoneal, subcutaneous or intranasal
      inoculation of this rickettsia was low and no antibody was detected following
      peroral administration. M. musculus did not develop antibodies after
      intracerebral, intranasal, subcutaneous or peroral inoculation of R. typhi. The
      target organs for this rickettsia were the spleen and tunica vaginalis. R.
      prowazekii inoculated intraperitoneally into white mice at a dose of 10(6.5)
      EID50/0.25 ml and at a dose of 10(4.5) EID50 into C. glareolus was fatal for
      these rodents.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1427495
TI  - In vitro propagation of Toxoplasma gondii in PC-1 serum-free medium.

PMID- 1427496
TI  - [Hemorheological effect of KB-2796, a new Ca2+ antagonist].
AB  - The hemorheological effect of KB-2796, 1-[bis(4-fluorophenyl)methyl]-4-(2,3,4,
      trimethoxybenzyl)piperazine dihydrochloride, was studied in guinea pigs and
      rabbits in comparison with those of flunarizine (FNZ) and pentoxifylline (PXF).
      KB-2796 and FNZ at 10-100 microM dose-dependently prevented crenation of rabbit
      erythrocytes induced by the Ca2+ ionophore A23187. After incubation of guinea pig
      whole blood at 37 degrees C, blood micropore-filterability decreased and blood
      viscosity increased with the progress of erythrocyte crenation. After a 4-hr
      incubation, KB-2796 inhibited erythrocyte crenation and decreased blood
      filterability at a concentration of 30 microM, and it increased blood viscosity
      at 10 microM. Treatment with FNZ (30 microM) and PXF (100 microM) also inhibited
      erythrocyte crenation and decreased blood filterability. Intravenous
      administration of KB-2796 at 3 mg/kg significantly inhibited the decrease of
      blood micropore-filterability after occlusion of the bilateral carotid arteries
      in rabbits. Although FNZ (3 mg/kg, i.v.) had no effect, PXF (3 mg/kg, i.v.)
      produced significant inhibition. These results suggest that KB-2796 prevents
      increase of blood viscosity and decrease of blood filterability by inhibiting the
      crenation of erythrocytes and suggest that this effect may be useful for the
      improvement of hemorheology in ischemic disease.

PMID- 1427497
TI  - [Effects of a new antiarrhythmic drug, KW-3407, on canine ventricular arrhythmia
      models].
AB  - The antiarrhythmic and direct cardiovascular effects of the new antiarrhythmic
      agent KW-3407, 5-[[2-(diethylamino)ethyl]amino]-7-methoxy-5,11-
      dihydro[1]benzoxepino[3,4-b]pyridine 1.5 fumarate, were examined. To evaluate
      antiarrhythmic effects, two-stage coronary ligation-, digitalis- and adrenaline
      induced spontaneously occurring arrhythmias were used. KW-3407, 20 mg/kg/10 min,
      suppressed these three arrhythmia models, similar to flecainide, mexiletine and
      phenytoin. The antiarrhythmic plasma concentrations, IC50, of KW-3407 for 24-hr
      and 48-hr coronary ligation-, digitalis- and adrenaline-induced arrhythmias were
      18.1, 14.4, 18.3 and 21.4 micrograms/ml, respectively; and these values were
      similar to one another. In the canine blood perfused atrioventricular (AV) node,
      sinoatrial node and papillary muscle preparations, KW-3407 decreased the
      sinoatrial rate and contractile force, and increased the coronary blood flow and
      AV conduction times, but these effects were weaker than those of disopyramide and
      flecainide and were short-lived. These results indicate that KW-3407 can be
      expected to become a clinically useful antiarrhythmic drug.

PMID- 1427498
TI  - [Effects of selenium on the serum glucose and insulin levels in diabetic rats].
AB  - We investigated the effects of selenium (Se) on the serum glucose and insulin
      levels in rats with diabetes induced by streptozotocin (STZ, 75 mg/kg, i.p.) and
      pancreatectomized rats. Moreover, the direct action of Se on insulin release from
      the isolated pancreatic islets using a slight diabetic rat was studied. The
      following results were obtained: 1) Selenite at a dose of 173 micrograms/kg (78.9
      micrograms/kg of Se base equivalent) drastically reduced the very high level of
      serum glucose in acute diabetic rats within 5 to 30 min after treatment. During
      this time period, the insulin level in the serum showed an increasing tendency.
      2) The high serum glucose level in chronic diabetic rats returned to the original
      level with injection of selenite for 4 days, once a day. However, Se did not
      elicit a significant increase in serum insulin level. 3) Although there was a
      tendency for the serum glucose level to decrease when selenite was administered
      into pancreatectomized rats, no secretion of insulin into the serum was observed.
      4) Insulin release from isolated pancreatic islets was dose-dependently
      accelerated by the addition of selenite. These data present the new finding that
      Se reduced the high level of serum glucose in diabetic rats.

PMID- 1427499
TI  - [Effects of Kamikihi-To on autonomic imbalances in SART-stressed (repeated cold
      stressed) mice].
AB  - The effects of Kamikihi-To (KMK), a traditional Chinese medicine, on autonomic
      imbalances were evaluated in SART-stressed (repeated cold-stressed) mice. These
      animals exhibited decreases in pain threshold and contraction of duodenum by
      acetylcholine, and they showed changes in their electrocardiogram and
      hematological parameters. All symptoms are thought to be caused by dysautonomia.
      KMK in dosages of 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg were administered to mice once a day for 8
      consecutive days. SART stress was induced from the second day. KMK prevented the
      decrease in the pain threshold and contraction of the duodenum, although it had
      no effect on the electrocardiographic or hematological changes. KMK had no
      similar effect on unstressed mice. This data suggests that KMK might be useful
      for the treatment of clinical autonomic imbalances.

PMID- 1427501
TI  - Underbite and the scaling of facial dimensions in colobine monkeys.
AB  - This investigation was concerned with the dimensions of the facial skeleton and
      the incidence of underbite in colobine monkeys. Standard craniofacial dimensions
      and the notation of the presence or absence of underbite were recorded for skulls
      of 308 adult, wild-caught colobines belonging to 10 species. Underbite was noted
      in all species examined, ranging in frequency from 10% in Colobus polykomos to
      100% in 2 species of Presbytis. Univariate statistics indicate that species with
      high frequencies of underbite tend to have shorter, broader maxillary dental
      arches, shorter faces and rostrums, and longer mandibular dental arches. A
      multivariate discriminant analysis supported the univariate statistics.
      Interspecific allometric analysis of facial measurements against a constructed
      size variable indicated that maxillary dimensions scale in a strongly positive
      manner in relation to size. However, mandibular dimensions tend to scale
      isometrically. This pattern of facial scaling indicates that the tendency toward
      underbite should increase as overall size decreases. This would explain why
      smaller species have higher frequencies of underbite than larger species and why
      females often have a higher incidence of underbite than conspecific males.
      Zingeser has suggested that the high incidence of underbite in colobine and some
      cebid monkeys is an adaptation to folivory. The results of this study support an
      alternative hypothesis that the high incidence of underbite in colobine monkeys
      is related to the pattern of facial scaling with size in combination with relaxed
      selection on the anterior dentition.

PMID- 1427500
TI  - [Overview of the progress in drug dependence studies--mainly focussing on psychic
      dependence].
AB  - The technical term 'drug dependence' was officially adopted by WHO's Expert
      Committee on Addiction in 1964. Until this, to describe a state of dependence,
      terms such as 'poisoning', 'habit', 'ism', and 'addiction' had been used from
      time to time. Until the 1950's, investigators were mainly focussed on the
      phenomena of physical dependence. However, once the concept of psychic dependence
      had been introduced, behavioral and neuropharmacological studies on the modes of
      drug action that produce psychic dependence were activated and have progressed in
      the last two decades, and among the points clarified by these studies are the
      following: 1. The critical drug properties that produce psychic dependence are
      those of rewarding subjective and reinforcing effects of drugs but these effects
      are not the properties that produce physical dependence, although the development
      of physical dependence on particular drugs such as opiates may substantially
      enhance craving for the drugs. 2. The mesolimbic and mesocortical dopamine
      systems in the brain and also the N. Accumbens play a primary or at least a
      partial role in producing the subjective and reinforcing effects of major
      dependence-producing drugs such as cocaine, opiates, barbiturates,
      benzodiazepines, and ethanol. 3. Many drugs such as naltrexone, methadone, and
      some dopamine antagonists and serotonin reuptake inhibitors or antagonists were
      found to be effective in the pharmacotherapy of the dependence on opiates,
      cocaine, or ethanol.

PMID- 1427502
TI  - Adoption of an additional infant by a Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla
      gorilla).
AB  - A 10-year-old Western lowland gorilla, already caring for her own 14-month-old
      son, adopted a female neonate. The infant's mother (aged 7 years, 4 months)
      showed no interest in the infant, and it is unclear whether she abandoned the
      infant or whether it was seized by the dominant foster-mother. The foster-mother
      gave more maternal attention to the adoptee than to her own son but gave both
      infants the same protection. She adjusted her forms of transport to the age of
      each infant. The subadult mother of the neonate did not seek contact with her
      offspring during the first 4 weeks and in fact showed more interest in the 14
      month-old male infant. Interactions between the two mothers were rare. The foster
      mother's own male infant died 2 months after she had adopted the female infant.
      She looked after the adopted infant for 1 year, but then lost interest so that
      the adoptee had to be separated.

PMID- 1427503
TI  - Sexual dimorphism of the pelvis in Leontopithecus (Lesson, 1840).

PMID- 1427504
TI  - Comparative induction of unscheduled DNA synthesis in cultured rat hepatocytes by
      allylbenzenes and their 1'-hydroxy metabolites.
AB  - The allylbenzenes estragole, methyleugenol and safrole are hepatocarcinogens in
      rodents at very high doses, but allylbenzene itself is neither hepatotoxic nor
      hepatocarcinogenic. To elucidate further the significance of metabolic 1'
      hydroxylation in the carcinogenicity of the allylbenzenes and to give further
      insights into the structure-metabolism-genotoxicity relationships of these
      compounds, comparative data were established on the ability of estragole,
      methyleugenol, safrole, allylbenzene and their 1'-hydroxy metabolites to induce
      unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in hepatocytes derived from male Fischer 344
      rats. Cytotoxicity was assessed by lactate dehydrogenase leakage. The first three
      compounds increased UDS in a dose-related fashion but allylbenzene was non
      genotoxic. 1'-Hydroxyestragole, -methyleugenol and -safrole were more potent
      genotoxins than their parent compounds. This difference in genotoxicity indicates
      the importance of the attachment of the electron-withdrawing methoxy or
      methylenedioxy substituents to the benzene ring. The non-linear dose-response
      curves for genotoxicity obtained with the allylbenzenes and their 1'-hydroxy
      metabolites indicate that it is important to consider dose-dependence in
      metabolism when interpreting the significance to humans of animal data obtained
      with very high doses of the compounds studied. It is likely that the use of these
      high doses markedly overestimates the potential hazard to humans of low doses of
      allylbenzenes, which generate only very small quantities of genotoxic
      metabolites.

PMID- 1427505
TI  - Lack of carcinogenicity of ferric chloride in F344 rats.
AB  - The carcinogenicity of ferric chloride, a compound that is used as a food
      additive, a haemostatic or treatment for hypochromic anaemia, was examined in
      F344 rats of both sexes. It was dissolved in distilled water at levels of 0, 0.25
      or 0.5%, and groups of 50 male and 50 female rats were given one of these
      solutions ad lib. as their drinking water for up to 2 yr. The mean body weights
      of the treated rats were lower than control group values for both males and
      females. A variety of tumours developed in all groups, including the control
      group, but all these neoplasms were histologically similar to those known to
      occur spontaneously in this strain of rats, and no statistically significant
      increase in the incidence of any tumour was found in the treated groups of either
      sex. Thus it is concluded that under the conditions of this experiment, ferric
      chloride exerts no carcinogenic potential in F344 rats.

PMID- 1427506
TI  - The potential genotoxicity of sorbates: effects on cell cycle in vitro in V79
      cells and somatic mutations in Drosophila.
AB  - Sodium sorbate, potassium sorbate and an oxidation product of sodium sorbate, 4,5
      epoxy-2-hexenoic acid, were tested for their genotoxic potential in cultured V79
      Chinese hamster cells and in somatic cells of Drosophila melanogaster (wing spot
      test, SMART). In Drosophila only the epoxide showed a weak genotoxic effect. In
      V79 cells, freshly prepared sodium sorbate solutions at the highest
      concentrations only (2.5 mg/ml, 24 hr exposure) arrested mitosis at the G2/M cell
      cycle phase and potassium sorbate (2.5 mg/ml) had no effect. This arrest was
      reversible after a 24-hr recovery interval. Sodium sorbate solutions stored for
      up to 208 days were cytotoxic at 2.5 mg/ml, induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M
      phase and increased cellular protein content, indicating an action similar to
      spindle poisoning and a chemical stress reaction (adaptation processes,
      modification of transcription). Potassium sorbate solutions stored for 28 days
      were also cytotoxic. With 4,5-epoxy-2-hexenoic acid at concentrations up to 0.01
      mg/ml no effects were seen. At higher concentrations (at least 0.1 mg/ml) cell
      killing was observed, which probably resulted from unphysiologically lowered pH
      in the culture medium. Overall, the results are interpreted as an indication of a
      weak genotoxic potential of stored sodium sorbate solutions. Thus, sorbic acid
      and its potassium salt at the concentrations used for food preservation can still
      be considered as safe for human consumption.

PMID- 1427507
TI  - Effect in vitro of arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic
      acid on the hepatic activation of dietary genotoxins by rat post-mitochondrial
      fractions.
AB  - The effect of arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid on
      the conversion of the heterocyclic amine 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline
      (IQ) to its genotoxic metabolites was investigated using a modified bacterial
      mutation assay. The assay used Salmonella typhimurium TA98 as an indicator of the
      mutagenicity and hepatic post-mitochondrial fractions (S-9) from male Sprague
      Dawley rats as the activating system. All three fatty acids inhibited the
      mutagenicity of IQ without effect on the uptake of the active metabolites and/or
      on the DNA repair processes within the bacterial cell. The activation of three
      other food mutagens, 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2
      amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) was
      also inhibited by these fatty acids.

PMID- 1427508
TI  - Effects of hickory-smoke condensate on development of pepsinogen 1-altered
      pyloric glands in rats.
AB  - Hickory-smoke condensate (HSC) is a popular food flavouring in the USA. Available
      data have suggested that this food additive has tumour-initiating/promoting
      potential. Accordingly, a commercial HSC has been investigated for its capacity
      to promote tumours in the rat glandular stomach using pepsinogen 1 (Pg 1)-altered
      pyloric glands (PAPG) as the marker of preneoplastic lesions. The development of
      PAPG initiated by a single intragastric administration of N-methyl-N'-nitroso-N
      nitrosoguanidine was significantly increased by feeding rats a diet containing 5%
      HSC; no effect was observed with lower doses (1.25 or 2.5%) of HSC. The results
      suggest that HSC has weak tumour-promoting potential in the rat glandular
      stomach.

PMID- 1427509
TI  - Relative protection given by extract of Phyllanthus emblica fruit and an
      equivalent amount of vitamin C against a known clastogen--caesium chloride.
AB  - Aqueous extracts of Phyllanthus emblica L. fruit and an equivalent amount of
      vitamin C were administered orally by gavage to laboratory-bred Swiss albino mice
      for 7 days in order to evaluate the protection afforded by the two extracts
      against clastogenic effects of different doses of caesium chloride (CsCl) on bone
      marrow cells of Mus musculus in vivo. Both pretreatments significantly reduced
      the frequency of chromosome aberrations induced by CsCl given at three different
      doses, indicating that vitamin C, an essential component of P. emblica extract,
      was the effective agent in protecting against the clastogenicity of the metal
      salt.

PMID- 1427510
TI  - Tissue-binding and toxicity of compounds structurally related to the herbicide
      dichlobenil in the mouse olfactory mucosa.
AB  - The herbicides dichlobenil (2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile), chlorthiamid (2,6
      dichlorothiobenzamide) and their environmental degradation product 2,6
      dichlorobenzamide are irreversibly bound and toxic to the olfactory mucosa
      following single injections in mice (Brandt et al., Toxicology and Applied
      Pharmacology 1990, 103, 491-501; Brittebo et al., Fundamental and Applied
      Toxicology 1991, 17, 92-102). In the present study, autoradiography showed an
      irreversible binding of radioactivity in the olfactory mucosa (preferentially in
      the Bowman's glands) in C57Bl/6 mice treated with the 14C-labelled analogues
      [14C]2,6-difluorobenzonitrile ([14C]DFBN) and [14C]2,6-difluorobenzamide
      ([14C]DFBA). Therefore the toxicity of DFBN, DFBA and of some structurally
      related compounds including benzonitrile (BN) and the herbicides bromoxynil (3,5
      dibromo-4-hydroxybenzonitrile) and ioxynil (3,5-diiodo-4-hydroxybenzonitrile) in
      the mouse olfactory mucosa was examined. No histopathological changes in the
      olfactory mucosa or in the liver were observed following a single ip dose of any
      of these compounds [0.145 mmol/kg (all compounds); 0.58 mmol/kg (DFBN, DFBA and
      BN)]. Also in mice treated with the glutathione-depleting agent phorone, none of
      these compounds induced any histopathological changes in the olfactory mucosa.
      The covalent binding of [14C]DFBN in the olfactory mucosa was 16 times lower than
      an equimolar toxic dose of [14C]dichlobenil, suggesting a low rate of metabolic
      activation of DFBN in the olfactory mucosa or a low reactivity of the DFBN
      metabolites formed. The results of this study thus show that single doses of
      DFBN, DFBA, BN, IX and BX, compounds structurally related to the potent olfactory
      toxicant dichlobenil, do not elicit acute toxicity in the olfactory mucosa of
      mice.

PMID- 1427511
TI  - Nitroprusside intoxication: protection of alpha-ketoglutarate and thiosulphate.
AB  - Protection against the lethal effects of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) was observed
      in mice after treatment with alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG), either alone or in
      combination with sodium thiosulphate (STS). The LD50 of SNP was 12.0 (11.0-13.0)
      mg/kg in mice. Ip injection of AFG (500 mg/kg twice in 20 min) increased the LD50
      1.7-fold in mice. STS (1 g/kg, ip) alone increased the LD50 5.5-fold.
      Furthermore, combined administration of AKG and STS increased the LD50 6.9-fold.
      SNP elicited increased cyanide levels in blood of mice in a dose-dependent
      manner. SNP (10 mg/kg, sc) administration gave rise to blood cyanide levels of
      73.2 +/- 3.0 microM, 30 min after treatment. Ip injection of AKG significantly
      decreased blood cyanide levels by 30% in mice 30 min after treatment with 10 mg
      SNP/kg. A single injection of STS (1 g/kg) or a combination of AKG and STS
      reduced in blood cyanide levels by 88 or 98%, respectively, in mice after
      treatment with 10 mg SNP/kg. In addition, the increase in blood cyanide levels
      induced by injection of 50 mg SNP/kg was markedly inhibited by a combination of
      AKG and STS or (to a lesser extent) by STS alone. These results suggest that the
      combined administration of AKG and STS, by preventing the increase in blood
      cyanide levels induced by SNP, may afford protection against the toxic effects of
      SNP.

PMID- 1427512
TI  - Percutaneous absorption of nicotinic acid, phenol, benzoic acid and triclopyr
      butoxyethyl ester through rat and human skin in vitro: further validation of an
      in vitro model by comparison with in vivo data.
AB  - The in vitro percutaneous absorption of three model compounds, nicotinic acid,
      phenol and benzoic acid, and the herbicide triclopyr butoxyethyl ester (triclopyr
      BEE) has been investigated in flow-through diffusion cells using skin from male
      Fischer 344 rats and humans. After the application of the four chemicals to the
      epidermal surface of unoccluded full-thickness rat skin, the absorption of each
      compound across the skin and into the receptor fluid at 72 hr reached 3.7 +/-
      0.3, 5.7 +/- 0.6, 26.7 +/- 3.7 and 48.3 +/- 1.2% (mean +/- SD, n = 2-7) of the
      applied dose for triclopyr BEE, nicotinic acid, phenol and benzoic acid,
      respectively. After the application of the four chemicals to the epidermal
      surface of unoccluded full-thickness human skin, the absorption of each compound
      across the skin and into the receptor fluid at 72 hr was significantly (P < 0.05)
      less than through rat skin, reaching 0.7 +/- 0.1, 0.7 +/- 0.2, 18.8 +/- 1.3 and
      37.8 +/- 6.9% (mean +/- SD, n = 2-7) of the applied dose for triclopyr BEE,
      nicotinic acid, phenol and benzoic acid, respectively. Occlusion of the skin
      surface with teflon caps often significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced the percutaneous
      absorption of the model compounds, although this effect was not uniform, varying
      with the compound under study and the skin (rat or human) used. When rat skin was
      occluded with teflon caps, the extent of absorption at 72 hr reached 8.6 +/- 0.8,
      36.2 +/- 1.7 and 51.8 +/- 3.3% (mean +/- SD, n = 3-4) for nicotinic acid, phenol
      and benzoic acid, respectively. Corresponding values for human skin occluded with
      teflon caps were 3.3 +/- 1.6, 47.1 +/- 0.5 and 65.5 +/- 7.1% (mean +/- SD, n = 3
      4). The experiments on the absorption of each model compound through rat and
      human skin were repeated and there was generally good agreement between the
      results from the two sets of experiments. The in vitro data reported compare
      favourably with data obtained by other workers using both in vitro and in vivo
      methodologies. The in vitro: in vivo correlation supports the use of the flow
      through diffusion cell system as a model for the prediction of percutaneous
      absorption in vivo in the rat and in humans.

PMID- 1427513
TI  - Effects of the colour additive caramel colour III on the immune system: a study
      with human volunteers.
AB  - Administration of the colour additive Caramel Colour III to rats has been
      associated with decreased numbers of lymphocytes and several other changes in the
      immune system, as well as in immune function parameters, specifically in animals
      fed a diet with a relatively low vitamin B6 content. The effects are caused by
      the imidazole derivative 2-acetyl-4(5)-tetrahydroxybutylimidazole (THI). Caramel
      Colour III is commonly used in food products such as bakery products, soya-bean
      sauces, brown sauces, gravies, soup aromas, brown (dehydrated) soups, brown malt
      caramel blend for various applications, vinegars and beers, and effects in humans
      on dietary intake cannot be excluded. Elderly male volunteers with a marginal
      deficit in vitamin B6 were considered a relevant and potentially sensitive group
      to study possible effects of Caramel Colour III on blood lymphocyte numbers
      (total and within subsets) or on proliferative responses of lymphocytes to
      mitogenic stimulation. In addition, several other haematological parameters, as
      well as serum immunoglobulin levels and immunoglobulin production in vitro by
      pokeweed mitogen-stimulated mononuclear blood cells were studied. The results of
      this double-blind intervention study demonstrated that in a selected test group
      of apparently healthy elderly male volunteers with a biochemically marginally
      deficient vitamin B6 status, Caramel Colour III containing 23 (commercial sample)
      or 143 (research sample) ppm THI and administered at the level of the current
      acceptable daily intake of 200 mg/kg body weight/day for 7 days did not affect
      any of the factors investigated.

PMID- 1427514
TI  - Studies on endogenous formation of N-nitroso compounds in the guinea pig
      supplemented with proline or thioproline and sodium nitrate.
AB  - The endogenous formation of N-nitrosoproline (NPRO) and N-nitrosothioproline
      (NTPRO, N-nitrosothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid) was studied by monitoring their
      excretion in the urine of guinea pigs given oral doses of 10 mg proline or
      thioproline after supplementation with 34 mg (0.4 mmol) sodium nitrate. In order
      to estimate the conversion of nitrate to nitrite, the animals were also
      supplemented with 3.5 mg (0.05 mmol) sodium nitrite instead of sodium nitrate. In
      animals fed commercial diets, the excretion of NPRO and NTPRO under
      supplementation with sodium nitrate was 2.0 micrograms and 28.7
      micrograms/animal/day, respectively, whereas the excretion under supplementation
      with sodium nitrite was 0.7 micrograms and 13.3 micrograms/animal/day,
      respectively. The higher excretion of NTPRO than NPRO in each case shows that
      thioproline is more effective for nitrite trapping than proline. The animals
      supplemented with nitrate excreted more than twice the amounts of NPRO or NTPRO
      than those supplemented with nitrite. It is assumed, therefore, that more than
      0.1 mmol nitrate is reduced to nitrite and takes part in the endogenous
      nitrosation of the guinea pig. When various concentrations of L-ascorbic acid
      (AsA), known to inhibit the formation of N-nitroso compounds, were also
      administered orally to animals immediately after supplementation with sodium
      nitrate, the NPRO excretion decreased with increasing AsA concentration. These
      data indicate that the guinea pig, which is unable to synthesize AsA as well as
      humans, may be an appropriate animal model for evaluation of the endogenous
      nitrosation ability of humans ingesting nitrate.

PMID- 1427515
TI  - Effects of phenolic smoke condensates and their components on hepatic drug
      metabolizing systems.
AB  - Treatment of food with wood smoke is a long-established method of preservation
      and flavouring food. Recently, hardwood smoke condensates, purified of polycyclic
      hydrocarbons, have become of importance for direct flavouring of sausage-meat.
      The acute toxicity of the purified phenolic fraction in mice after
      intraperitoneal administration was therefore investigated. The LD50 was found to
      be 940 mg/kg body weight, which is about three times the LD50 of phenol (about
      300 mg/kg). Only high concentrations of phenols or smoke condensate fractions are
      able to damage cytochrome P-450 by conversion to cytochrome P-420, whereas lower
      concentrations exhibit inhibitory effects on monooxygenase activity. Inductive
      properties of the phenolic fractions could not be demonstrated. Concentrations in
      vivo of free phenolic compounds do not reach inhibitory levels, since the
      hexobarbital-induced sleeping-time and 14CO2-exhalation after administration of p
      [methoxy-14C] acetanilide are not altered. It is concluded that the phenolic
      compound intake with food regularly treated with smoke condensate fractions is
      below a toxicologically relevant level.

PMID- 1427516
TI  - A 4-week feeding study of ground red chilli (Capsicum annuum) in male B6C3F1
      mice.
AB  - The toxicity of red chilli was examined in male B6C3F1 mice fed a commercial meal
      diet mixed with ground Capsicum annuum (Linn.) at levels of 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0,
      7.5 and 10% by weight. Mice were offered control or test diets ad lib. starting
      at 6 wk of age. Food consumption was measured daily and individual body weights
      recorded weekly for the 4-wk feeding period. General health, body weight and food
      intake were apparently not adversely affected at any level of pepper consumption.
      Histopathological evaluation revealed slight glycogen depletion and anisocytosis
      of hepatocytes in the 10% group. However, other organs did not reveal any lesions
      attributable to the chilli exposure. It appears that red chilli is relatively non
      toxic at the doses tested in male B6C3F1 mice.

PMID- 1427517
TI  - A novel pharmacological approach for paraquat poisoning in rat and A549 cell line
      using ambroxol, a lung surfactant synthesis inducer.
AB  - Paraquat (PQ) is a widely used herbicide that causes acute adult respiratory
      distress syndrome (ARDS) and chronic lung damage (diffuse fibrosis). One of the
      earliest biochemical effects induced by PQ is damage to type II pneumocytes with
      consequent depletion of surfactant. With the aim of counteracting the toxic
      effects of PQ, a series of investigations were performed into the possible
      protective effect of the drug ambroxol, which induces the synthesis of surfactant
      in lung alveolar type II cells. The number of survivors and survival time of rats
      treated ip with 35 mg PQ/kg was significantly increased by 3 days of ambroxol
      pretreatment and by ambroxol treatment 30 min or 2 hr after PQ. Total
      phospholipid content in lung and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was
      significantly reduced 30 hr after treatment with PQ alone. The association of
      ambroxol with PQ significantly antagonized this reduction. In BALF the ratio
      between palmitic acid and stearic acid concentrations was significantly lower in
      animals treated with PQ alone but was returned to normal by the association with
      ambroxol. The cell line A549, exposed in vitro to PQ concentrations from 0.5 x
      10(-4) to 2 x 10(-3) M, showed a significant dose-dependent loss of viability.
      Cells pretreated with ambroxol (10 mg/ml) were more resistant to PQ and their
      viability started to decrease significantly only from a PQ concentration of 0.8 x
      10(-3) M. Membrane microviscosity was measured on the same cells. Cells treated
      with PQ alone showed a reduction of membrane microviscosity, which was
      significantly counteracted by ambroxol pretreatment. The curves of modification
      of membrane microviscosity of cells treated with PQ and with ambroxol plus PQ
      paralleled those of cell viability, indicating that the stimulation of surfactant
      synthesis in vitro may be a prerequisite for counteracting some of the early
      effects of PQ.

PMID- 1427518
TI  - Comparison of the partition coefficient and skin penetration of a marine algal
      toxin (lyngbyatoxin A).
AB  - Lyngbyatoxin A is produced by marine algae, and causes local cutaneous toxicity
      in swimmers. The purpose of this research was (1) to determine the partition
      coefficient of lyngbyatoxin A in octanol/water and (2) to use methods in vitro to
      measure the penetration and distribution of lyngbyatoxin A in guinea pig and
      human skin. Discs of excised guinea pig and human skin were mounted in diffusion
      chambers that exposed the epidermal surface to air and bathed the dermis with
      HEPES-buffered Hanks' balanced salt solution with gentamicin sulphate. The
      epidermal surfaces were dosed with 26 micrograms lyngbyatoxin A/cm2 dissolved in
      13 microliters dimethyl sulphoxide/cm2. The diffusion chambers were incubated at
      36 degrees C for varying periods (1.0-24 hr). HPLC was used to quantify
      lyngbyatoxin A. Skin penetration was calculated by summing the amount of
      lyngbyatoxin A recovered from the dermis and receptor fluid. The mean partition
      coefficient for lyngbyatoxin A was 1.53. Penetration of lyngbyatoxin A (expressed
      as a percentage of dose, n = 3) in guinea pig and human skin was 23 and 6.2
      (respectively) after 1 hr of topical exposure. The amount of lyngbyatoxin A in
      the dermis and receptor fluid did not change significantly over time.

PMID- 1427519
TI  - Embryotoxicity study of propenoic acid, 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-methylbutylester in
      the Wistar rat.
AB  - 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-methylbutylester, propenoic acid (MPMBE; CAS no. 71617-10
      2), a UVB-light filter used for sun protection of the skin, was administered once
      daily by intragastric gavage to pregnant Wistar rats on days 6-15 of gestation.
      Doses of 0.25 ml/kg/day (study group: D0.25), 0.75 ml/kg/day (D0.75) and 2.25 ml
      MPMBE/kg/day (D2.25) were applied. A positive control group (Pos) received 15 mg
      (all trans) retinoic acid/kg/day. MPMBE revealed some toxic effects in the dams
      of the group receiving the highest dose (D2.25): marked loss of body weight,
      polydipsia, reduced food consumption and intensified loss and thinning of hair.
      Only thinning or partial loss of hair without any other harmful effects was seen
      in the dams of group D0.75. An increase in embryonic deaths was striking in group
      D2.25; the living foetuses revealed signs of retarded development, but no major
      external or internal anomalies as signs of teratogenicity. This study was not
      able to present any teratogenic effects induced by MPMBE in the offspring, even
      at very high oral doses (> 2 g/kg/day) that caused substantial toxicity in the
      dams. In conclusion, concerning embryotoxicity an oral dose of 250 mg/kg/day
      MPMBE is regarded as a safe no-observed-effect level, whereas even 750 mg/kg/day
      MPMBE--following acknowledged rules--can be judged as a borderline no-observed
      adverse-effect level.

PMID- 1427520
TI  - Guidelines for safety evaluation of cosmetics ingredients in the EC countries.
AB  - The Scientific Committee on Cosmetology (SCC) of the Commission of the European
      Communities was established in 1978 to assist the Commission in the application
      of the 76/768 Directive, which regulates the production and marketing of
      cosmetics products. The Committee has been asked to update the general
      guidelines, defined in 1982, for testing cosmetics ingredients with the aim of
      ensuring consumers' safety. In the present paper the full document approved by
      the SCC in October 1990 is reported. This new document is based on the experience
      of the Committee over the last 10 years, during which more than 400 cosmetics
      ingredients have been evaluated. The document also highlights the need to proceed
      to define standard methods to be used to assess dermal absorption and
      phototoxicity--areas in which international guidelines have not yet been
      approved. The document also includes some comments made by the author in order to
      explain better the position of the Committee in relation to certain items.

PMID- 1427521
TI  - Methyl isothiocyanate in wine.

PMID- 1427523
TI  - Food emulsifiers and stabilizers.

PMID- 1427522
TI  - Carcinogens--classification, ranking and handling.

PMID- 1427524
TI  - Foods for infants and young children.

PMID- 1427525
TI  - Great toe metatarsophalangeal joint arthrodesis: a user-friendly technique.
AB  - Thirty-four feet (23 patients) were treated with a metatarsophalangeal (MP) joint
      fusion of the hallux using five threaded 0.062-in K wires for fixation.
      Operations were done for the following diagnoses: rheumatoid arthritis (26
      procedures), hallux rigidus (1), salvage of previous bunionectomies (3), hallux
      valgus with absent toe, bilateral fusion (2), severe hallux valgus with chronic
      MP joint synovitis (1), and congenital hallux varus (1). The ages ranged from 17
      to 73 years, with an average of 55 years. Follow-up was available on 31 of the
      fusions by questionnaire and telephone contact, with an average follow-up of 24
      months and a minimum of 1 year. The successful arthrodesis rate was 97%. In 9% of
      the procedures (three cases), the patients were dissatisfied: This was due to
      pain under the first metatarsal head in two cases and to impingement between the
      first and second toes in a third case. In 91% of the fusions (29 of 32 patient
      responses), the patients stated that they would have the surgery if they had to
      choose again. Patients indicated "complete satisfaction" in 15 fusions and
      "satisfaction with reservations" in 14. Patients felt that their ability to wear
      desired shoes was improved in 48% of the procedures, was unchanged by the fusions
      in 26%, and was worse than before the operation in 26%. Based on this study and
      review of the literature, a recommendation is made for fusing the rheumatoid
      hallux with 25 degrees to 30 degrees of valgus and 10 degrees of extension. In
      general, selection of toe position for fusion is based on reducing stress on the
      hallux interphalangeal joint and accommodating the position of the second toe.
      The multiple pin fixation technique gives a high incidence of fusion, it is easy
      to perform, and it is adaptable to the varying requirements for toe position.

PMID- 1427526
TI  - Chevron osteotomy for hallux valgus.
AB  - A retrospective study of the Chevron osteotomy procedure for hallux valgus was
      carried out on 112 patients (168 feet) with an average age of 39.7 years (range
      19 to 61 years). The average follow-up was 4.4 years (range 13 months to 7.5
      years). The preoperative diagnosis was symptomatic hallux valgus. The average
      preoperative intermetatarsal 1-2 angle was 15.5 degrees (range 11 degrees to 18
      degrees) and the hallux valgus angle was 28.1 degrees (range 21 degrees to 42
      degrees). The operation was effective in improving symptoms, cosmesis, and
      function and in decreasing the deformity.

PMID- 1427527
TI  - Ankle arthroscopy: review and long-term results.
AB  - Ankle arthroscopy has evolved over the past decade as a diagnostic and an
      operative modality. Forty ankle arthroscopies were performed by the senior author
      (G.J.S.) for osteochondral fractures, chronic sprains unresponsive to
      conservative treatment, posttraumatic osteoarthritis, adhesions, locking,
      instability, synovitis, and ankle disability of undetermined cause. Thirty cases
      with at least 24 months of follow-up were reviewed. Complications occurred in two
      patients: reflex sympathetic dystrophy and a fibular fracture. Postoperatively,
      the patients were rated clinically as having 13% excellent, 60% good, 17% fair,
      and 10% poor results. However, 95% of the patients stated that they would undergo
      the same operation again if needed. Results were significantly better in those
      patients who had chondral or osteochondral defects as the diagnosis, and in
      noncompensation cases.

PMID- 1427528
TI  - The use of ultrasonography in the foot and ankle.
AB  - Ultrasonography of the soft tissue has achieved an increasing importance in the
      last years. Since sonography of the shoulder, knee, muscles, and tendons has
      become a routine method, there is less application of ultrasound in foot and
      ankle pathology. Since 1985, ultrasonography has been the routine examination
      technique in the Trauma Department of Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
      We now have a series of more than 4000 sonographic examinations. This paper gives
      a comprehensive overview of the possibilities in application and technique of
      ultrasonography in foot and ankle disorders. The sonographic patterns of the
      pathological changes of the main structures are described.

PMID- 1427529
TI  - Collateral ligament reconstruction of the unstable metatarsophalangeal joint: an
      in vitro study.
AB  - Anatomic reconstruction of the collateral ligaments of the lesser
      metatarsophalangeal joints is proposed for certain cases of metatarsophalangeal
      instability. The suggested reconstruction involves replication of the attachments
      of the collateral ligaments. As an example of such a reconstruction, the
      interosseous tendon was used in this study as a graft for anatomic replacement of
      the collateral ligaments. The tendon was left attached distally where its
      attachments include the volar plate and proximal phalanx, thereby resembling the
      distal attachment of the collateral ligament. The proximal portion of the tendon
      was inserted into the metatarsal head, replicating the attachment of the
      collateral ligament at that location. Preliminary testing of such a
      reconstruction shows that it can re-establish stability caused by loss of the
      collateral ligaments. Such a procedure may be applicable in select cases of
      crossover toe deformity and straight vertical instability.

PMID- 1427530
TI  - The morbid anatomy of congenital deficiency of the tibia and its relevance to
      treatment.
AB  - Two specimens obtained from a 5-month-old boy with bilateral type 1a congenital
      tibial deficiency were dissected to describe their morbid anatomy. Examination
      revealed a rigid equinovarus deformity, absence of a tibial remnant, an abnormal
      saddle-shaped talus, and several tarsal coalitions. Observation of the arterial
      pattern during surgery supported the previously reported finding that persistence
      of an immature arterial structure is inherent in this condition. Knowledge of
      potential structural anomalies is essential during the planning of an amputation
      or of a knee or an ankle reconstruction. Anatomic abnormalities may affect the
      design of soft-tissue flaps in an amputation and plantigrade positioning and foot
      biomechanics in reconstructive procedures.

PMID- 1427531
TI  - Radiological assessment of a modified anterior drawer test of the ankle.
AB  - Chronic ankle instability is a common complication of ankle sprain. The clinical
      assessment of ankle instability is usually incomplete and difficult to interpret.
      Recently, more attention has been paid to the value of the anterior drawer test
      of the ankle. We assessed the accuracy of a modification of the anterior drawer
      test, comparing it with radiological stress view of the ankle in 25 patients with
      recurrent ankle sprain. The radiological examinations were performed by a TELOS
      instrument and included lateral and anteroposterior stress views. We found that
      the modified anterior drawer test correlated with the posterior opening of the
      tibiotalar joint and with the lateral tilt of the talus. We conclude that a
      slightly positive modified anterior drawer test may indicate injury to the
      anterior talofibular ligament. A significant movement of the ankle elicited by
      the modified anterior drawer test may indicate combined injury to anterior
      talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments.

PMID- 1427532
TI  - Ankle fracture classification systems: a case for integration of the Lauge-Hansen
      and AO-Danis-Weber schemes.
AB  - The two dominant classification systems for ankle fractures in use are the Lauge
      Hansen and AO-Danis-Weber schemes. Each has certain advantages and disadvantages.
      Because of basic similarities, integration of these systems into one scheme
      involving three basic patterns with appropriate staging appears to be reasonable.
      This integration is based upon combining the pronation-abduction and pronation
      external rotation injuries in Lauge-Hansen's scheme into one pronation-abduction
      external rotation pattern. The resultant system would appear attractive in terms
      of combining relative simplicity with completeness.

PMID- 1427533
TI  - Triple arthrodesis through a single lateral approach: a cadaveric experiment.
AB  - Using a single lateral approach, triple arthrodesis was performed on six
      cadaveric feet. An attempt was made to obliterate the talocalcaneal,
      talonavicular, and calcaneocuboid joints. The limbs were subsequently
      disarticulated to allow for an inspection of the talonavicular, talocalcaneal,
      and calcaneocuboid joints. An estimate of cartilage and subchondral bone removed
      from each articular surface was made by a single observer (J.V.B.) by direct
      visual inspection. Results were as follows: calcaneocuboid joint, 90% of
      cartilage removed; talocalcaneal joint, 80% of cartilage removed; talonavicular
      joint, 38% of cartilage removed. Failures at the talonavicular joint were
      attributed to a poor appreciation of the anatomy of the talar head and poor
      observation. Complications involved in obliteration of the talonavicular joint
      from a single lateral approach included: inadvertent division of the talar neck;
      inadvertent division of the talar head; removal of excessive bone stock; medial
      skin punctures; and creation of an iatrogenic cut through the talar dome.
      Therefore, a triple arthrodesis through a single lateral approach, as described
      by Ryerson, Hoke, and Campbell, cannot be recommended. The talonavicular joint
      should be approached through an auxiliary medial incision, as recommended by
      Cracchiolo. This paper documents the experience of a beginner with this
      operation, and demonstrates the value of using the anatomy laboratory.

PMID- 1427534
TI  - The dynamics of peroneus brevis tendon splits: a proposed mechanism, technique of
      diagnosis, and classification of injury.
AB  - The etiology of peroneus brevis splits is unclear. Because longitudinal splits in
      the peroneus brevis tendon do not necessarily effect the integrity or strength of
      the tendon, it is difficult to ascertain whether or not injury to the peroneus
      brevis tendon is present. Recent clinical, anatomic, and histologic reports have
      suggested that the split develops from prolonged mechanical attrition within the
      fibular groove as a result of ankle trauma with resultant lateral ankle
      instability and incompetency of the superior peroneal retinaculum with resultant
      subluxation of the peroneal tendons. This cascade of events may result in
      splitting of the peroneus brevis tendon. The purpose of this paper was to report
      the investigation of the mechanism by which peroneus brevis splits develop, to
      describe a technique of diagnosis, and to propose a classification of injury.
      Peroneus brevis splits are the result of a dynamic mechanical insult at the
      fibular groove. Laxity of the superior peroneal retinaculum combined with
      peroneus longus mechanical compression causes the peroneus brevis to splay out
      and eventually split over the sharp posterior edge of the fibula. Anatomic
      factors, such as a shallow fibular groove (congenital convex groove) or the
      presence of an anomalous low-lying peroneus brevis muscle belly or peroneus
      quartus tendon, may also play a role in this mechanism by interfering with the
      competence of the superior peroneal retinaculum.

PMID- 1427535
TI  - Traumatic subluxation/dislocation of the peroneal tendons.
AB  - Traumatic subluxation/dislocation of the peroneal tendons has been reported
      following a variety of sports-related activities. The peroneal musculature
      contracts reflexively during the injury and overcomes the restraining soft
      tissue. The tendons can then dislocate anteriorly from behind the distal fibula.
      Some patients have anatomical variations of the posterolateral ankle that
      predispose them to injury. If the physician is unaware of the injury, the
      diagnosis may be missed in the acute setting and can develop into a chronic,
      disabling condition. Treatment of the acute injury is controversial because
      advocates exist for both conservative and surgical therapies. The chronic,
      painful lesion should be treated operatively. A tremendous number of surgical
      procedures have been described for the treatment of chronic tendon dislocations.
      Choice of a surgical procedure depends upon the anatomy of the peroneal groove
      and the retinaculum, and the nature of the damage to the area.

PMID- 1427536
TI  - [The spiral CT imaging technic--the initial experience for orthodontic
      examinations].
AB  - Within the course of the rapid development of CT technology, a new imaging
      technique, spiral computed tomography, is presently undergoing clinical testing.
      This procedure is based on a complete investigation of large volumes. In order to
      determine the suitability of this technique for the diagnostic evaluation of
      orthodontic problems, 25 patients were investigated. The most important advantage
      of this volumetric CT technique proved to be the capability of permitting
      complete recording of the object with only one scan, the extremely short
      examination time, and the associated reduction in radiation exposure, coupled
      with mostly improved image quality. These advantages, together with a discussion
      of various recording parameters and possible applications, are illustrated on the
      basis of typical cases. For orthodontic problems, the recording of small volumes
      provides the best three-dimensional surface reconstruction available at present.

PMID- 1427537
TI  - [The initial morphological state in the basally pneumatized maxillary sinus--a
      radiological-histological study in man].
AB  - Twenty human autopsy specimens of the lateral maxilla with radiologically
      diagnosed extended basal maxillary sinus were prepared either in the horizontal,
      sagittal or transversal plane. Generally the cortical bone of the maxillary sinus
      showed a thickness up to 1000 microns. In areas with root contact histological
      findings could be described as follow: reduction of thickness, bone perforations,
      bone perforations combined with apical and or lateral root resorptions and root
      resorptions without bone perforations. These morphological findings could not be
      verified by X-ray examination.

PMID- 1427538
TI  - [The testing of the toxicity of the plastics used in orthodontics].
AB  - Eighteen bracket adhesives and one to three differently coloured samples of the
      plastic materials Orthocryl and Wil-o-dont used for removable appliances were
      tested for toxicity in vitro by cell culture using both L-929 mouse fibroblasts
      and human keratinocytes. The results differed from product to product. Some
      adhesives were moderately and some slightly toxic, while others were non-toxic.
      After 30 days of washing in PBS, none of the adhesives showed any toxicity.
      Orthocryl was not toxic regardless of colour, while the possible toxicity of Wil
      o-dont could be a problem.

PMID- 1427539
TI  - [The deactivation behavior and effectiveness of different orthodontic leveling
      arches--a dynamic analysis of the force systems].
AB  - Using the orthodontic measuring and simulation system (OMSS), the deactivation
      behaviour of diverse orthodontic levelling arches was investigated. The vertical
      forces and uprighting moments, as also the levelling effectiveness for initial
      malalignments of tooth 21 (1 mm and 2 mm infraocclusion, 20 degrees angulation)
      were measured, with the influence of various ligatures used in clinical practice
      being taken into account. The results may be summarized as follows: In the case
      of a large vertical offset (infraocclusion) the vertical forces can attain values
      of up to 3.8 N, depending on the type of levelling arch used. On deactivation, we
      can observe a sharp decrease in force caused by the frictional resistance between
      bracket and arch wire, which has to be overcome by the wire. The loss of desired
      force caused by friction may be as much as 50%, and is determined by the arch
      wire, bracket and mode of ligation. A smaller vertical offset (infraocclusion) (1
      mm) is associated with extrusive forces of 0.2 N--0.8 N. Using looped levelling
      arches made of 0.016" standard steel wire, there is no frictional loss of
      orthodontic force, so that the highest vertical forces (more than 3.0 N) are
      observed with these arch wires. With an initial angulation of the tooth of about
      20 degrees, uprighting moments of between 3.0 Nmm and 33.0 Nmm are measured, the
      looped arches again generating the highest moments. To ensure adequate uprighting
      moments in a combination of vertical offset (infraocclusion) and angulation, very
      high extrusive forces must be accepted. As a dynamic analysis of the tooth
      movement with the OMSS shows, the use of a specific arch wire results in a
      typical levelling defect. There is no general correlation between extrusive force
      or uprighting moment and the levelling effectiveness of an orthodontic arch. It
      is not possible to recommend a particular levelling arch.

PMID- 1427540
TI  - [A pseudoelastic NiTi uprighting spring for the molars--its design, biomechanical
      testing and clinical use].
AB  - Uprighting inclined molars is one of the most common problems encountered in pre
      restorative orthodontics. To prevent occlusal trauma, an intrusive force has to
      be applied to the molar in addition to the uprighting moment. Owing to their
      construction, current mechanical devices for uprighting either to not meet this
      requirement, or are difficult to adjust when in place. For this reason, an
      improved uprighting spring is described which utilizes the properties specific to
      super-elastic (pseudo-elastic) NiTi alloys. The most important property of super
      elastic wires is the fact that they produce constant forces or moments within a
      specific deformation range. In order to utilize this useful property, certain
      design criteria have to be met. Recent measurements have shown that a super
      elastic wire (Sentalloy, 0.016'' x 0.022'') having a length of 10 mm generates a
      constant moment of 7 to 8 Nmm within a bending angle of 50 degrees to 180
      degrees. On the basis of these results, a table that permits the determination of
      the proper wire length needed to provide a constant moment within a given range
      of bending angles is proposed. The superelastic uprighting spring described here
      comprises an NiTi wire segment having a length of 7 mm and a mesial and distal
      steel wire segment. In the active state, the spring generates an uprighting
      moment of 8 Nmm and an intrusive force of 0.6 N. Numerical analysis using the
      finite element program, SOLF/MESY, and biomechanical testing with the orthodontic
      measuring and simulation system (OMSS) have shown that this force system remains
      stable throughout the entire uprighting process. The clinical application of the
      spring is demonstrated in a specific case.

PMID- 1427541
TI  - [The tensile strength of bracket adhesives depending on the adhesive layer
      thickness--an in-vitro study].
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of the thickness of the
      adhesive layer between bracket base and enamel surface on tensile bond strength.
      Stainless steel brackets with retentive net bases were bonded to bovine incisors
      with adhesive layers varying in thickness from a minimum of 0.0 mm to a maximum
      of 0.8 mm. Eight different orthodontic adhesives were investigated; in order to
      simulate the procedure of indirect bonding, combinations of two different
      adhesives were also tested. It was found that the highly filled composites
      provided greatest bond strength. Increasing the thickness of the adhesive layer
      had no significant influence on tensile bond strength. In the case of light-cured
      composites, maximum tensile bond strength was achieved at a thickness of the
      adhesive layer of 0.2 mm. This is probably due to better penetration of light at
      this thickness. In the case of chemically curing no-mix adhesives, it was
      impossible to produce effective adhesive layers thicker than 0.2 mm, presumably
      because curing at the primer paste interface becomes a problem at greater
      thickness. The influence of cement thickness on tensile bond strength was
      basically identical whether brackets were bonded with one or two adhesives. Thus,
      an additional adhesive-adhesive interface has no influence on bond strength. If
      adhesive layer thickness of more than 0.2 mm are required, a chemically cured,
      highly filled paste-paste system should be used.

PMID- 1427542
TI  - [The correction of fanned-out incisors--an important orthodontic contribution to
      aesthetic dentistry].
AB  - Account has to be taken of the increased aesthetic awareness of the adult patient
      by all sub-specialties of dentistry. Here, orthodontics often plays the role of a
      central link between periodontics and prosthetics. Taking pathological migration
      of the incisors as an example, the pathogenesis, therapeutic procedures and
      orthodontic possibilities for the restoration of normal dentofacial aesthetics
      are demonstrated and discussed.

PMID- 1427543
TI  - [Ventricular function in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Systolic and diastolic
      ventricular function].
AB  - BASIC CONSIDERATION: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is defined as a primary
      myocardial disease associated with a hypertrophic non-dilated left ventricle with
      no other heart or systemic disease that might lead to hypertrophy of the left
      ventricle. The leading symptoms are effort-associated angina and dyspnea, rapid
      fatigue, dizziness and syncope. MAIN POINTS DISCUSSED: The hemodynamic situation
      is characterized by a hyperdynamic systole and impaired diastole and left
      ventricular filling. In the obstructive form, hypertrophy of the basal septum and
      an anteriorly moving mitral valve during systole result in an end-systolic
      reduction in the cross-section of the outflow tract associated with considerable
      intraventricular pressure gradients. Disturbances in the myocardial calcium
      metabolism are presently suspected to be causally involved in the diastolic
      function impairment.

PMID- 1427544
TI  - [Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy: surgical therapy].
AB  - Surgical treatment of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM), which may
      present in a typical (subaortic) or atypical (mid-ventricular) form, is indicated
      only after prior long-term drug treatment. The results obtained in 353 patients
      presenting with a symptomatic form of HOCM operated on between 1963 and 30 June
      1991 are reported. The operative procedure took the form of transaortic
      subvalvular myectomy (TSM) as described by Morrow, modified by extending the
      myectomy. The patients comprised 210 males and 143 females aged between 6 and 76
      years (average age 41.7 years). With few exceptions, all patients were in
      clinical stage III or IV (NYHA). The overall hospital mortality rate was 4.8% (n
      = 17); for TSM alone 3.1% (n = 8 out of 261 patients), for combination surgery
      with additional surgical measures 9.8% (n = 9 out of 92 patients). Among the last
      194 patients (since 1984), the mortality rate was 2.06% (n = 4). To date, follow
      up show an improvement in the symptoms and physical performance, and an annual
      mortality rate of about 1.8-4% among patients treated with drugs, and a post
      operative mortality of about 1.1%, so that in HOCM patients with symptoms despite
      prior drug treatment, surgery can be recommended.

PMID- 1427545
TI  - [Dangerous hyponatremia. Part 2: Therapy of hypotonic dehydration and
      hyperhydration].

PMID- 1427546
TI  - [Treatment of reactive depression with sulpiride. Double-blind study with
      sulpiride and amitriptyline in an interindividual comparison].

PMID- 1427547
TI  - [The tissue effect of an antibiotic is decisive. Respiratory tract infections-
      intracellular pathogens].

PMID- 1427548
TI  - [Adult children of alcoholics. A new diagnostic group with reference to general
      practice and clinical aspects].
AB  - FUNDAMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS: Adult children of alcoholics have, in recent years,
      become identified as a specific group with often characteristic patterns of
      health disorders. MAJOR POINTS: Those involved have a three- to four-fold greater
      risk of developing a dependence themselves than the general population. They are
      more likely to marry partners who are also dependent and have an above-average
      propensity toward separation and divorce. Most members of this group have adopted
      a specific role within the family they come from: for example that of the
      whipping boy, family hero or fool. Of therapeutic importance is the recognition
      of one's own involvement through parent dependence and to develop an awareness of
      specific areas of disorder, for example, in a partnership, self-identity crises,
      emotional blockades and the risk of becoming dependent oneself. CONCLUSIONS:
      Therapists with experience of habit-forming disorders and social family work can
      develop specific activities within the general practice, psychosocial counseling
      centers, and even in detoxication services. The new self-help groups of adult
      children of alcoholics are very helpful.

PMID- 1427549
TI  - [Amaurosis fugax].
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Presentation of the etiology, diagnosis, possible complications and
      treatment of amaurosis fugax. DEFINITION: amaurosis fugax is a transient
      monocular loss of vision, usually affecting the entire visual field. MAJOR
      POINTS: Amaurosis fugax is caused by transient retinal ischemia resulting from
      embolism, hemodynamic insufficiency or ocular vascular disease. In view of the
      high complication rate (annual blindness rate 1%, annual risk of an ischemic
      insult 2%, myocardial infarction 30%, and an 18% mortality rate), an immediate
      search for the underlying causes is mandatory. Diagnostic evaluation should
      include ophthalmological, neurological and cardiovascular investigations.
      Management of amaurosis fugax comprises, in the first instance, treatment of the
      underlying disease and administration of anti-platelet agents. In cases in which
      stenosis of extracranial vessels presents, endarterectomy may sometimes be
      considered.

PMID- 1427550
TI  - [Echocardiography findings in hypertrophic cardiomyopathies. Diagnostic value of
      different echocardiography procedures].
AB  - In the present paper, the contribution of TM 2D and Doppler echocardiography to
      the non-invasive diagnostic evaluation of hypertrophic cardiomyopathies is
      discussed. The selective use of various echocardiographic possibilities for the
      representation (visualization) of typical morphological and functional changes in
      hypertrophic myocardial diseases is described.

PMID- 1427551
TI  - [Treatment of orofacial infections. Taurolidine--an alternative treatment concept
      to antimicrobial chemotherapy].

PMID- 1427552
TI  - [Combitube--a new instrument for emergency intubation].

PMID- 1427553
TI  - [Physical therapy and speech therapy in Parkinson syndrome--a status assessment].
AB  - 74 inpatients and outpatients (mean age 71.9 years) with idiopathic Parkinson's
      disease, a vascular pseudo-parkinsonian syndrome or a Parkinson-associated
      dementia were analysed by present-state clinical rating with regard to use and
      needs of physical and speech therapy. 55% of the patients had physical therapy
      whatsoever, 32% of them on a daily schedule. 58% of patients without everyday
      physical therapy indicated to do less physical therapy than one year ago or that
      they have quite any exercise. This item showed significant correlations with: age
      of disease onset over 70 years, Hoehn-Yahr stage of 3 and over, activities of
      daily living according to Schwab-England of less than 60%, diagnosis of vascular
      pseudoparkinsonian syndrome or Parkinson-associated dementia, more frequent use
      of community support services for the ambulatory elderly. Only 8% of the patients
      had ever had speech therapy. Using both ratings of complaints and clinical
      findings, about 30% of patients had moderate to severe impairment of speech, 80%
      of these had also considerable memory disturbances. The study suggests that the
      need for physical therapy might be derived more from patient's assessment of
      reduced daytime motor activities than from a scaled item rating of an external
      observer. Use and continuity of physical and speech therapy in Parkinsonism seems
      to be limited largely by cognitive disturbances and social variables. Speech
      therapy appears to be useful only for a subgroup of Parkinsonian patients.

PMID- 1427554
TI  - [Compulsory admission of psychiatric patients in a national and international
      comparison--incidence and factors of influence].
AB  - The frequency of compulsory admissions of psychiatric patients is very variable
      if compared nationally and internationally. In the old Laender of West Germany,
      between 2.8% (Bremen) and 44.8% (West Berlin) of all psychiatric admissions were
      compulsory. The range is even broader, if one compares different western
      countries: while in Denmark the frequency of compulsory admissions is about 5% of
      all admissions, it is 50-93% in Switzerland. In this paper the reasons for this
      wide variation are analysed, making a distinction between "true" and "artificial"
      differences in frequency. Artificial differences are mainly due to insufficient
      representativity and comparability of the populations studied. True differences
      on the other hand are mainly a consequence of the differing legislation in the
      individual countries and of regional differences in administrative regulations,
      but also of the situation of mental health care. Apart from analysing these
      patient-independent factors influencing compulsory admission, the characteristics
      of patients are studied which are associated with a higher risk of compulsory
      admission. The relation of these patient characteristics with the factors "danger
      to oneself or others", which are the prerequisites of compulsory admission in
      most countries, is discussed.

PMID- 1427555
TI  - [Relations of model and drug-induced psychoses to schizophrenic diseases].
AB  - From the clinical point of view, substance-induced psychosis can be rather
      similar to schizophrenia. However, the question whether phenomenological
      resemblances represent similar underlying causal mechanisms is unsolved. Whereas
      the interest in experimentally induced psychosis was purely academic until the
      mid-1960s, the widespread use of "recreational" drugs provided this research with
      an important practical impact. With respect to a given case the differential
      diagnosis between schizophrenia and drug-induced psychosis it is often
      problematic. The differences in psychopathology refer to the disturbances of
      experience in general (Ichstorungen), the character of the hallucinations and the
      quality and quantity of the alterations of consciousness. Contrary to the sharp
      distinctions which used to be drawn between schizophrenia and drug-induced
      psychotic states, we hold that these states are rather similar, and may even
      represent a common underlying pathology. Hence, the renewed interest in the study
      on experimentally induced psychotic states using advanced methodology seems
      justified.

PMID- 1427556
TI  - [Recent trends in pharmacotherapy of aggressive behavior in psychiatric
      patients].
AB  - Patients with recurrent pathologic aggressive behavior constitute a severe
      problem for psychiatric institutions. Besides of being dangerous towards others,
      these patients themselves suffer from a variety of negative consequences, such as
      the danger of long-term hospitalisation etc. Therefore, pharmacologic treatment
      in addition to psychotherapeutic and social interventions is not only ethically
      justified but mostly inevitable. This kind of combined treatment as a rather
      common procedure in psychiatric institutions leads time and again to fairly high
      doses of neuroleptics but not to satisfactory results. This article gives an
      overview of studies on the advantages and drawbacks of alternative substances:
      Benzodiazepines, beta-blockers, lithium salts, amine precursors and
      antiepileptics. Differential indications are described.

PMID- 1427557
TI  - Chondromalacic changes of the patella in rabbits.
AB  - Malalignments of the patellofemoral joints were artificially made in eleven
      rabbits using four different methods in order to generate chondromalacia of the
      patella. Chondromalacic changes and the location similar to the chondromalacia of
      the human body were generated in one joint of the patching group. According to
      the results of our investigation, the most reasonable etiological factor of the
      chondromalacia is thought to be the expansion of the medial retinaculum and
      capsule of the knee joint, and chondromalacia patellae may not be a precursor of
      osteoarthritic changes.

PMID- 1427558
TI  - The measurement of muscle strength in the hip joint expressed by the octagonal
      diagram.
AB  - For grasping hip joint function objectively and planning an adequate program for
      individual use in rehabilitation during and after the treatment for hip joint
      impairments, the octagonal diagram of the correct distribution of the hip joint
      muscle strength will be useful. The muscle strength was measured in the eight
      directions using the Cybex-II on the U.B.X.T. table not only on the peak torque
      but also on the maximum work and the maximum work/sec in eighty healthy subjects,
      forty of each male and female. No difference of the muscle strength between the
      dominant and the non-dominant legs of both male and female has shown. In the
      percentage of the values of the muscle strength, there are differences between
      the peak torque, the maximum work value and the maximum work/sec. The data
      obtained from this investigation will be available to judge the degree of hip
      joint impairment, and to make a better therapeutic program for the patients.

PMID- 1427559
TI  - [Two cases of blind pouch syndrome].
AB  - Case 1. A 39-yr-old male was presented with anemia. Initial blood examination
      showed remarkable iron deficiency anemia. Small bowel X-ray and abdominal CT
      examination revealed a dilated tract at the end of the ileum. Surgical operation
      was done. The surgical specimen showed side to side anastomosis which was
      reconstructed at the operation for rt. inguinal herniation 46 days after his
      birth. The oral side of the tract was remarkably dilated. Case 2. A 50-yr-old
      male was presented with dizziness. He had anemia and clubbed fingers. A small
      bowel X-ray examination was done and it showed side to side anastomosis in the
      middle of the small intestine. Surgical operation was performed. The surgical
      specimen showed side to side anastomosis about 2 m 20 cm from the Treitz'
      ligament, which was reconstructed during the operation for ileus when he was 10
      years old. The blind portion was remarkably dilated. In both case, the anemia was
      improved after the operation.

PMID- 1427560
TI  - [A case of idiopathic hemochromatosis associated with gastric cancer].
AB  - A 76-year-old male was admitted to our hospital because of general fatigue in
      June 1987. He had received total gastrectomy against gastric carcinoma two years
      previously. The examinations revealed the elevation of GOT, GPT and gamma-GTP,
      and increased CT number of the liver. Specimen of the liver biopsy showed
      deposition of iron and slight fibrosis. He was diagnosed as idiopathic
      hemochromatosis. He was given deferoxamine, and his elevated GOT, GPT and gamma
      GTP were normalized. Idiopathic hemochromatosis is frequently associated with
      various malignancies including hepatic carcinoma. However, only a few cases of
      idiopathic hemochromatosis associated with gastric carcinoma have been reported.

PMID- 1427561
TI  - Role of asynchronous activation of the ventricular fibres by an ectopic pacemaker
      in the accidents, especially fibrillation, caused by Ic antiarrhythmic drugs.
AB  - Class Ic antiarrhythmic drugs, which are known to slow down conduction in the
      ventricular muscle, are likely to impair synchrony in activity of the ventricular
      fibres. Asynchronous activation was first investigated between an ischaemic and a
      normal area by the simultaneous recording in anaesthetized, open-chest pigs of
      two left ventricular monophasic action potentials (MAPs) under ventricular pacing
      at a high rate of 180 beats.min-1. Asynchronous activation was then investigated
      in the intact myocardium according to the distance separating the recording from
      the pacing electrode. Furthermore, mechanical effects of left ventricular systole
      were observed by recording dP/dt(max) and mean arterial blood pressure during the
      pacing periods. Ischaemia was produced by transient complete occlusion of the
      left anterior descending coronary artery near its origin; as a result, activation
      time reached 85 ms in the ischaemic area under flecainide administered iv in a
      2.5 mg.kg-1 dose instead of approximately 60 ms in the normal area for fibres
      equi-distant from the pacing electrode. Similar delays in activation were
      observed in the intact myocardium, depending on whether the explored region was
      close to or far from the pacing electrode. In the latter case, the difference in
      activation time may become markedly greater if the distance or the dose of
      flecainide are increased. This difference, which possibly exceeds one-third of
      the MAP duration (practically unchanged by flecainide), may account for the
      occurrence of fibrillation or the sudden loss of systole mechanical efficacy.

PMID- 1427562
TI  - CRL41405: a drug with a new pharmacological profile on pancreatic exocrine
      secretion in the rat.
AB  - The recently described compound CRL41405 displays central effects suggesting
      possible antidepressive and awakening properties. In order to further analyze the
      pharmacology of this compound, its effects were studied on basal and stimulated
      pancreatic secretion in anaesthetized rats. CRL41405 alone (7-20 mg/kg, sc) had
      no effect on basal pancreatic secretion. Larger doses (67-200 mg/kg) increased
      basal secretion through the stimulation of cholinergic muscarinic receptors, the
      effect being antagonized by atropine. CRL41405 (20 mg/kg) suppressed the 2
      deoxyglucose-induced (but not the acetylcholine-induced) stimulation of
      pancreatic secretion through an alpha-2 adrenoceptor inhibitory mechanism that
      was blocked by idazoxan (0.3 mg/kg, sc). In addition, a beta adrenoceptor
      mediated stimulation of sodium and bicarbonate excretion (blocked by propranolol)
      was evidenced when the alpha-2 inhibition was suppressed by idazoxan. Under alpha
      2 adrenoceptor blockade, water and electrolyte stimulation by CRL41405 could be
      demonstrated on basal, 2-deoxyglucose-induced and acetylcholine-induced
      pancreatic secretion. This original profile makes CRL41405 a unique drug in
      pancreatic pharmacology.

PMID- 1427563
TI  - Differential effects of cromakalim on pancreatic vascular resistance and insulin
      secretion in vitro.
AB  - The effects of the potassium channel opener cromakalim on vascular resistance and
      insulin output were investigated in vitro within the same experimental
      preparation, the isolated rat pancreas perfused at a constant pressure with a
      physiological solution containing 8.3 mM glucose. Cromakalim induced a clear and
      concentration-dependent dilatory response of pancreatic vessels; the
      concentration-response curve obtained in the range of 10(-8) - 10(-5) M had a
      sigmoidal shape with a linear part between 10(-7) and 10(-6) M. Cromakalim did
      not inhibit insulin release at these concentrations. These results differ from
      those obtained with diazoxide, which has been previously shown both to inhibit
      insulin secretion and induce vasodilatation of the pancreatic vascular bed in a
      similar range of concentrations (10(-6) - 10(-5) M). The data presented provide
      evidence for a selective effect of cromakalim on pancreatic vascular resistance.
      Our present and previous results support the view that cromakalim is effective on
      K+ channels of vascular smooth muscle that differ from the ATP-sensitive K+
      channel opened by diazoxide in insulin-secreting B-cells.

PMID- 1427564
TI  - Could saliva stand for plasma in theophylline monitoring in asthmatic children?
      Still a controversial problem.
AB  - Theophylline determination in saliva was proposed several years ago as a
      convenient and non-invasive alternative to monitoring plasma in children and
      adults. Published data demonstrated that theophylline saliva concentration
      linearly correlates plasma concentration. However, the variability found in
      interindividual serum/saliva ratios and the wide scattering among the data points
      precluded the clinical use of saliva for theophylline monitoring. The purpose of
      this study was to compare different standardized methods for obtaining stimulated
      saliva intending to reduce the variability in plasma/saliva ratios and to
      determine the most reliable one. A group of 150 ambulatory chronic asthmatic 4.5
      to 20.83 (10 +/- 3.7; M +/- SD) year-old patients receiving theophylline 6.85 +/-
      1.88 mg/kg every 12 h as slow release preparations for 4 to 100 days was studied.
      One ml venous blood and salivary specimens were simultaneously collected 5.15 +/-
      0.36 h after the morning maintenance dose. In a subgroup of 75 patients, saliva
      was collected using first a new device called salivette, immediately followed by
      the collection of an expectorated sample 30 s after citric acid crystals
      stimulation. In the other patients saliva was collected using citric acid
      containing salivette. Theophylline concentration was determined using HPLC. For
      all types of saliva collection, salivary and plasma theophylline concentrations
      correlated significantly. However whichever method was used, based on the -2 to
      +2 SD interval, a large range of plasma theophylline was predicted from a single
      salivary theophylline concentration. Despite a further standardization of the
      sampling of saliva, saliva theophylline could not accurately predict plasma
      concentration.

PMID- 1427565
TI  - Laparoscopic cholecystectomy--the new surgery.

PMID- 1427566
TI  - Are some cholecystectomies unjustified?

PMID- 1427567
TI  - Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in childhood.
AB  - ERCP was performed in 19 children and adolescents aged 4 to 16 years. In 13
      children the examination was done under general anesthesia, in 6 cases with the
      usual premedication using dolsin and atropine. Indications for examination were
      unclear abdominal pain with occasional amylase elevation, in 3 patients status
      after an abdominal injury. In 16 patients the examination clarified the
      complaints by detecting organic disease of the gallbladder or the pancreas. ERCP
      is an important procedure in the event of uncertain diagnosis in children and
      adolescents and, if the indication is correct, and the technique good, is well
      tolerated by the patients.

PMID- 1427568
TI  - Cholecystectomy by minilaparotomy without muscle section: a short-stay procedure.
AB  - The aim of this prospective study was to assess the results of cholecystectomy
      performed by an incision characterized by its small size and absence of muscle
      section, to minimize postoperative discomfort, and shorten hospital stay.
      Surgical access was via a transverse division of the linea alba extending 1.5-2
      cm on the rectus sheath, on both sides, without section of muscle. One hundred
      and ninety-one patients were operated on. Only 1 (0.5%) peroperative complication
      (injury of cystic artery) and 4 (2%) benign postoperative complications occurred.
      The mean postoperative hospital stay was 4.4 +/- 1.7 days (range 2 to 12); for
      the 90 patients operated on in 1989-1990 it was 3.3 +/- 1.7 days (range 2 to 12).
      Long-term results were assessed in 113 patients. Only 1 (0.6%) complication
      occurred, namely migration of a retained common duct stone. Neither incisional
      hernias nor a need for reoperation occurred. The cosmetic results were assessed
      by the patients themselves as very good in 95 (84.1%) cases and good in 16
      (14.2%) cases.

PMID- 1427570
TI  - Management of postoperative bile leakage with endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) and
      a naso-biliary drain (NBD).
AB  - Between July 1987 and December 1990, 13 patients with postoperative bile leakage
      were treated with endoscopic sphincterotomy and a naso-biliary drain. All the
      leaks healed in two weeks, except for one (intrahepatic) that needed two months
      to heal in association with percutaneous management. The non-surgical treatment
      of bile leakage is the preferred approach on account of the superior safety,
      efficacy and cost-effectiveness as compared with surgical repair, which is
      associated with significant morbidity, mortality and costs. The treatment of
      choice has to be endoscopic, which is much easier and safer than the transhepatic
      approach, especially in the non-dilated duct, while another advantage over
      radiology includes the possibility for rapid definitive treatment of distal
      obstruction (e.g. residual stones). A leak from an extrahepatic duct heals
      rapidly, while a leak from an intrahepatic duct takes longer to heal and
      sometimes needs associated percutaneous drainage. Finally, the authors propose
      treating an extrahepatic bile leak merely with naso-biliary drainage without
      cutting the papilla, and an intrahepatic bile leak with endoscopic
      sphincterotomy, nasobiliary drainage and a bilio-duodenal endoprosthesis.

PMID- 1427569
TI  - Percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage in patients with malignant biliary
      obstruction of the hepatic confluence.
AB  - Despite many studies on percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD), there
      are no satisfactory reports of PTBD for malignant obstruction of the hepatic
      confluence. In this study, the results of PTBD using the direct anterior approach
      under fluoroscopic guidance are described in 16 patients with malignant biliary
      obstruction of the hepatic confluence. A total of forty-two drainage catheters
      were placed in the 16 patients: one catheter was placed in three patients; two
      catheters in six; three catheters in four; four catheters in two; seven catheters
      in one. PTBD was successful in 100% of the cases with no mortality or critical
      complications, and the biliary decompression effect of PTBD was highly
      satisfactory. Nine patients underwent histologically curative hepatectomies. Two
      of the nine resected cases died of postoperative hepatic failure, but the
      postoperative course in the others was satisfactory. The authors stress that
      selective biliary drainage for each isolated segmental duct is mandatory for
      advanced malignant obstruction of the hepatic confluence.

PMID- 1427571
TI  - Critical evaluation of the anastomoses in large bowel surgery: experience gained
      in 533 cases.
AB  - We critically examined the morbidity and mortality of manual and stapled
      colorectal anastomosis in a retrospective study of 533 patients who underwent
      colorectal resection for neoplastic and non-neoplastic disease. The clinically
      detected anastomotic dehiscence rate was 4.5%, and the mortality rate 1.8%. The
      extraperitoneal site of the anastomosis after rectal anterior resection with
      stapled anastomosis and surgery for cancer showed a statistically significant
      predisposition to anastomotic dehiscence. Age, emergency surgical intervention,
      curative versus palliative resection, the location of the anastomosed intestinal
      segments, type of anastomosis and presence of a protective colostomy did not
      appear to be statistically significant factors for anastomotic dehiscence. While
      the stapler may offer an advantage in the individual case, the low incidence of
      morbidity and mortality for manual anastomosis in this study reaffirms the
      soundness and importance of the manual colorectal anastomosis in the surgeon's
      technical armamentarium.

PMID- 1427572
TI  - Experimental model with bilioenteric anastomosis in rats--technique and
      significance.
AB  - A simple technique of hepaticojejunostomy in rats is introduced in this paper and
      its suitability for use as an experimental model was evaluated histologically.
      Hepaticojejunostomy was performed as follows; the stump of the supra-pancreatic
      common bile duct (CBD), detached from adjacent tissue, was introduced into the
      jejunal lumen using the outer catheter previously inserted into the jejunum, and
      the jejunal wall close to the implantation site of the CBD was fixed to the porta
      hepatitis with a suture. Among 40 rats in which hepaticojejunostomy was
      performed, the postoperative mortality rate was 17.5%. The remaining experimental
      animals (33 rats, 82.5%) survived for the duration of this study. The rats were
      sacrificed at 3, 5, 8, and 12 months after surgery, and liver function tests,
      macroscopic and histological studies of the biliary tract were carried out. No
      signs of cholangitis or liver abscess were noted in any experimental animals
      during this period. The median values of liver function tests were within normal
      limits in almost all of the experimental rats. The anastomotic stoma was also
      patent, and free drainage of bile was noted, but the bile duct proximal to the
      site of anastomosis was generally macroscopically dilated. Histologically,
      epithelial hyperplasia and fibrous thickening of the wall accompanied by
      inflammatory cell infiltration were noted in the rats sacrificed at 3 and 5
      months postoperatively. Marked hyperplasia of mucous glands, goblet cell
      metaplasia and atypical epithelium were usually seen in the rats killed at 8
      months and 12 months after surgery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427573
TI  - A new liver and soft tissue biopsy instrument.
AB  - A new liver biopsy instrument taking the form of a suction biopsy syringe with
      two pistons and a Menghini needle, is described. A vacuum is first created, and
      the whole procedure is effected by a continuous uninterrupted movement into the
      liver and instantaneous withdrawal. The syringe is held in one hand. The
      procedure is very simple and requires minimal training. A total of 118 biopsies
      have been performed. The specimens were suitable for histopathological
      examination. Pain was minimal and there were no complications.

PMID- 1427574
TI  - Hepatic encephalopathy secondary to a large-caliber porto-hepatic venous shunt. A
      case report.
AB  - A case of hepatic encephalopathy secondary to a large-caliber porto-hepatic
      venous shunt in a 61-year-old woman with gastric cancer is reported. Mild
      confusion, flapping tremor and hyperammonemia were noted preoperatively.
      Abdominal ultrasonography showed a large-caliber porto-hepatic venous shunt in
      the left lateral segment of the liver. Percutaneous transhepatic portography and
      superior mesenteric angiography were confirmatory. Intraoperative portal
      scintigraphy was performed before and after temporary shunt occlusion to measure
      the intrahepatic shunt rate, which decreased markedly after occlusion. Portal
      pressure was also measured, and increased only slightly after occlusion. Left
      lateral hepatic segmentectomy, and subtotal gastrectomy with splenectomy were
      performed. Hepatic encephalopathy resolved postoperatively. The shunt was thought
      to be acquired. The relevant reports on large-caliber porto-hepatic venous shunts
      in the literature are reviewed.

PMID- 1427575
TI  - Primary sarcoma of the liver in the adult. Report of five surgically treated
      patients.
AB  - During the 5-year period between 1988 and 1989, five patients with primary
      sarcomas of the liver underwent surgery. Since the patients presented in an early
      stage of the tumor, all the sarcomas were resectable, in three cases with wide
      margins (R-0 resection). Five histological types were detected: malignant
      hemangiopericytoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, hemangiosarcoma,
      rhabdomyosarcoma, and embryonal sarcoma. Two patients with high-grade sarcomas
      received adjuvant chemotherapy. The follow-up was favorable in three patients
      with R-0 resections (two had adjuvant chemotherapy). They were still alive, with
      no evidence of disease 30, 46, and 63 months after the diagnosis. The two other
      patients had to be reoperated on for local recurrences. Both died of their tumor
      disease, 30 and 35 months after the initial diagnosis. Extensive chemotherapy in
      one of these cases failed to arrest tumor progression. Hence, liver resection
      with wide margins is a very important measure in such cases.

PMID- 1427576
TI  - Medical treatment of reflux esophagitis.

PMID- 1427577
TI  - Immunotherapy of chronic active viral hepatitis B with propionibacterium
      granulosum KP-45 (a 5-year follow-up report).
AB  - In the period 1982 to 1984, 14 HBS-AG-positive patients with chronic active
      hepatitis B were treated monthly with a cell wall preparation (5 or 10 mg) of
      Propionibacterium granulosum KP-45 (PG), intravenously administered for a period
      of 6 to 10 months. All 14 patients were monitored by serological and biochemical
      tests as well as liver biopsy two, three and five years after completing
      immunotherapy with PG. During this period the patients received neither a
      specific antiviral, corticosteroid or interferon therapy, nor PG. Re-appearance
      of HBSAG or HBeAG was never seen in patients who were already free from the
      antigens one year after completing PG immunotherapy. During the 5-year follow-up,
      spontaneous improvement in serological and morphological (liver biopsy)
      parameters of chronic virus B hepatitis occurred in six patients. Five years
      after completion of PG immunotherapy, only four of the 14 patients showed trace
      amounts of serum HBSAG (carriers), and in two low levels of anti-HBeAG were
      present, while the whole group showed a decreasing tendency and serum anti-HBc
      was still detectable in six patients. HBeAG- and DNA-polymerase-positivity was
      absent in all patients. Microscopic examination of liver biopsies 5 years after
      PG immunotherapy showed mild symptoms of chronic hepatitis with inflammatory
      infiltration, non-active cirrhosis, but without massive periportal and/or
      multilobular necrosis and trace amounts of HBsAG and HBcAG in hepatocytes only in
      the four carriers. The remaining 10 patients were free of symptoms of active
      hepatitis and/or active cirrhosis, but all the patients had moderate to intensive
      fibrosis in their liver biopsies.

PMID- 1427578
TI  - Hyperbilirubinemia, jaundice and anergy.
AB  - A prospective study of delayed hypersensitivity response was carried out in
      jaundiced patients. One hundred and seventy-seven subjects were studied. Fifty
      nine were controls and one hundred and eighteen were patients with hepato
      pancreato-biliary pathology and biliary tract obstruction. A multitest technique
      was used to evaluate the delayed hypersensitivity response, classifying the
      subjects into one of three groups: immunocompetent, relatively anergic and
      anergic. In the control group 76.3 per cent of the subjects were immunocompetent
      as opposed to 16.1 per cent of the patients (p less than 0.0001). Twenty-four per
      cent of the control subjects and eighty-four per cent of the patients presented
      anergy or relative anergy (p less than 0.0001). Among the patients no difference
      could be found in the index of anergy between malignant and benign pathology. We
      have found, moreover, that patients with a mean bilirubin level of 12 mg/dl
      showed a change in the delayed hypersensitivity response, with development of
      anergy or relative anergy.

PMID- 1427579
TI  - Indications and results of hepaticojejunostomy in benign strictures of the
      biliary tract.
AB  - The postoperative and late results of 99 patients with benign strictures of the
      biliary tract are presented. Patients were classified according to Bismuth into
      24 cases with lesion type I, 36 cases with type II, 35 cases with type III and 4
      patients with type IV. All were submitted to hepaticojejunostomy with a long Roux
      en-Y loop. The etiology of the strictures varied according to the type of
      stricture. In patients of type I, inflammatory and iatrogenic causes were
      observed. Among type II and III patients, previous cholecytocholedochal fistulas
      were the main cause, together with accidental section or ligature of the common
      bile duct. Operative mortality was absent in strictures of types I and II, while
      it was around 25% in cases of types III and IV. At late control, the best results
      were seen among patients with strictures of types I and II. We believe that the
      main factor determining the early and late outcome of these cases with benign
      strictures is the location of the stricture and the quality of the proximal duct.

PMID- 1427580
TI  - A comparison between antipyrine and aminopyrine blood clearances.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between two
      quantitative liver functions, that is, antipyrine blood clearance and aminopyrine
      blood clearance, in normal subjects and in patients with liver cirrhosis. The
      mean blood clearances of antipyrine and aminopyrine in cirrhotic patients (0.220
      +/- 0.085 ml/min/kg and 1.13 +/- 0.56 ml/min/kg; n = 64) was 50% and 38% of that
      of normal subjects (0.440 +/- 0.110 ml/min/kg and 2.95 +/- 0.59 ml/min/kg; n =
      11). While no significant correlation was demonstrated between these two values
      in normal subjects (n = 11, r = -0.107, p greater than 0.10), a strong positive
      correlation was observed between antipyrine and aminopyrine blood clearances in
      cirrhotic patients (n = 64, r = 0.846, p less than 0.001). These results suggest
      that both antipyrine and aminopyrine blood clearances may be valuable indicators
      for assessing the total hepatic functioning mass in cirrhotics.

PMID- 1427581
TI  - Surgery in cholangitis: bacteriology and choice of antibiotic.
AB  - Owing the frequent occurrence of intrahepatic stones in orientals, cholangitis
      presents a real problem. Surgery and antimicrobial drug therapy are the main
      forms of treatment. A retrospective study of choledochotomy, including biliary
      tract surgery, performed between July 1987 and June 1990, was conducted. Cases
      with negative common duct exploration during cholecystectomy were excluded. Among
      186 cases, 128 (68%) had positive bile growth, which was defined as cholangitis.
      Sepsis-related complications occurred in 51 patients (27.4%), including 3
      surgical deaths, 30 wound infections, and 18 others. The complication rate was
      higher in the cholangitis group than in the negative group (37.5% vs. 5.2%).
      However, if peri-operative antibiotics were effective against the cultured
      bacteria species, the complication rate was 16.9%; if not, the complication rate
      was 85.3%. For the different-generation cephalosporins used in the peri-operative
      period, the complication rates were 32.2%, 20.8%, and 27.6% each for 1st, 2nd,
      and 3rd generation cephalosporins, with no statistically significant differences.
      In microbiological study, polymicrobial infection was the rule. On average, 2.3
      species were grown from each specimen. Enterococcus proved the most important
      species with a 54% culture rate. E. coli and Pseudomonas were important gram
      negative bacilli, with culture rates of 46.1% and 39.1%, respectively. Anaerobic
      species were cultured in 12.3% of the patients. For good coverage of cholangitis
      prior to operation, the proper antibiotic should have potency against gram
      positive Enterococcus, gram-negative bacilli, especially Pseudomonas and E. coli,
      and anaerobic species, especially Bacteroides.

PMID- 1427582
TI  - Amikacin once daily plus metronidazole versus amikacin twice daily plus
      metronidazole in colorectal surgery.
AB  - Amikacin administered once a day plus metronidazole is compared with amikacin
      given twice a day plus metronidazole in colorectal surgery (prophylactic or
      therapeutic antibiotic treatment). A total of 325 patients were studied in this
      randomized multicenter trial. The results of this trial suggest that a single
      daily dose of amikacin is equally as effective in combating infectious
      postoperative complications as twice a day administration. The side effects were
      similar, with the exception of renal effects, which were somewhat more pronounced
      in once a day amikacin administration. Nevertheless, all the renal function
      alterations were transient and we observed no definitive renal insufficiency.

PMID- 1427583
TI  - The impact of early or late diagnosis on patient survival in gastric cancer in
      Greece.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate the reasons for delayed diagnosis of
      gastric cancer in the Greek population and correlate survival with early or late
      diagnosis. We studied 100 patients with gastric cancer proven at endoscopy. Early
      diagnosis (less than 3 months from the onset of symptoms) was established in 28
      patients (28%), while the diagnosis was late (greater than 3 months) in 72
      patients (72%). The reasons for late diagnosis were: 1. delayed consultation on
      the part of the patient, 2. incorrect medical diagnosis at a) initial evaluation,
      b) radiological evaluation and, as a result, c) failure to refer for endoscopy
      and biopsy. Patient survival correlated well with tumor resectability,
      irrespective of early or late diagnosis. In patients with early diagnosis and
      resectable tumor survival was 9.9 +/- 4.8 months (mean +/- SD) whereas with non
      resectable tumor 4.8 +/- 4.0 months (p less than 0.01). In patients with late
      diagnosis, survival in resectable tumor was 13.5 +/- 11.7 months compared with
      8.5 +/- 6.9 months in non-resectable tumor. No correlation was noted between
      survival and anatomic location of tumor or degree of histologic differentiation.
      Early diagnosis of gastric cancer is associated with a higher degree of
      resectability and therefore of better survival.

PMID- 1427584
TI  - Chief cell mass after short-term ranitidine treatment for duodenal ulcer.
AB  - The chief cell mass and the parietal cell mass were evaluated in endoscopically
      obtained biopsy specimens of fundic mucosa from 15 duodenal ulcer patients before
      and after ranitidine treatment. Patients were given ranitidine, 300 mg/day, for 8
      weeks. Chief cell mass and parietal cell mass were expressed respectively by a
      "zymogenous index" (ZI) and a "parietal index" (PI), obtained by multiplying the
      number of cells per mm2 by the thickness of the glandular layer. From the results
      of this study it would appear that, in patients with duodenal ulcer, treatment
      with ranitidine at a dose of 300 mg/day for 8 weeks results in a significant
      increase in parietal cell mass and a decrease in chief cess mass.

PMID- 1427585
TI  - Major bacterial infections following liver transplantation: a prospective study.
AB  - The incidence and characteristics of major bacterial infections were studied
      prospectively in 50 consecutive adult patients who underwent liver
      transplantation (LT). All patients received the same protocol of
      immunosuppression, bowel decontamination, antibiotics prophylaxis, and follow-up.
      Thirty-two patients (64%) had at least one episode of major bacterial infection.
      One death was directly related to a bacterial infection, accounting for 13% of
      postoperative mortality. The most critical period for infection was the first 2
      months after surgery, when 69% of the infections occurred. The most frequent
      clinical presentations were bacteremia, pneumonia and abdominal abscesses. Eighty
      percent of the bacteremias had an identifiable source, the most frequent being
      intravascular catheters. Gram-positive microorganisms (69%) predominated over
      gram-negative rods (26%) and anaerobes (5%). The use of selective bowel
      decontamination (SBD) with norfloxacin may explain this predominance. Major
      bacterial infections are an important source of morbidity and mortality after LT.
      Efforts to prevent these infections and to determine their source and specific
      treatment, will improve the management and the outcome of these patients in the
      future.

PMID- 1427586
TI  - Gastric acid secretion and plasma gastrin during short-term treatment with
      omeprazole and ranitidine in duodenal ulcer patients.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in peptic acid secretion, and in
      fasting and meal-stimulated plasma gastrin levels after a 7-day course of
      omeprazole 30 mg/day or ranitidine 300 mg/day, administered in accordance with a
      randomized, double-blind, double-dummy protocol. Ten duodenal ulcer patients were
      studied. Their acid and pepsin output was determined prior to and after
      treatment. Plasma gastrin levels were also determined under basal conditions on
      day 7 of treatment, and 24 hours after the last administration of the drug. With
      regard to acid output, omeprazole resulted in a 98% reduction in BAO and an 80%
      reduction in PAO, both significantly greater than those achieved with ranitidine
      (BAO 50%, PAO 25%). No significant changes in pepsin secretion were observed. The
      increase in fasting plasma gastrin observed after ranitidine and omeprazole was
      86% and 242%, respectively, on day 7, and 13% and 103% twenty-four hours after
      final dose. Increases in meal-stimulated plasma gastrin were, respectively, 126%
      and 125% on day 7 and 8 after omeprazole, whereas the increase with ranitidine
      was 62% only on day 7 of treatment, with subsequent normalization. In addition to
      confirming the well-known effect of omeprazole on the physiology of gastric
      secretion, our data show that administration of therapeutic doses of traditional
      H2-antagonists is accompanied by a secondary hypergastrinemia, which is rapidly
      reversible after discontinuation of therapy.

PMID- 1427588
TI  - [Diagnosis and treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia].

PMID- 1427587
TI  - Cholesterol polyp of the gallbladder showing rapid growth and atypical changes--a
      case report.
AB  - We report on a case of resected cholesterol polyp with typical ultrasonic
      findings that became atypical, with a 40% increase in diameter, over a period of
      about 10 months. The resected specimen revealed a black polyp with a large
      nodular appearance. The pathological diagnosis was cholesterol polyp with marked
      glandular proliferation, and the glandular cavity showed cystic dilatations
      filled with dark brown fluid. It is suspected that the aggregation of large
      numbers of these dilated glands explained the black color, the rapid growth, and
      the development leading to the atypical ultrasonic findings.

PMID- 1427589
TI  - [Signal transduction through antigen-specific receptors of lymphocytes:
      activation of phospholipase C by protein-tyrosine kinases].

PMID- 1427590
TI  - [The role of endogenous cytokines in pathophysiology of various human diseases].

PMID- 1427591
TI  - [Current topics on dialysis therapy with special reference to diabetic
      nephropathy].

PMID- 1427592
TI  - [Effect of pretreatment with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea or streptozotocin on the
      cytotoxicity and the induction of sister chromatid exchanges in human and rodent
      brain tumor cells treated with chloroethylnitrosourea].
AB  - Effects of pretreatment with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) or streptozotocin (STZ)
      on cytotoxicity and induction of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) in human and
      rodent brain tumor cells treated with 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU)
      or 1-(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (CNU) were investigated. 9L-2 and SF-188 cells
      were more resistant to the cytotoxic effects of chloroethylnitrosourea than 9L
      and SF-126 cells. SF-295 cells were more resistant to the cytotoxic effects than
      SF-126, but more sensitive than SF-188 cells. Pretreatment of 9L-2 cells with MNU
      or STZ resulted in a dose-dependent increase in cytotoxicity and SCE induction by
      BCNU. Treatment with 1mM MNU or 1.5mM STZ completely reversed the cellular
      resistance of 9L-2 cells to BCNU but did not potentiate either cytotoxicity or
      SCE induction in 9L cells. Pretreatment of SF-188 and SF-295 cells with MNU or
      STZ resulted in a dose-dependent increase in cytotoxicity and SCE induction by
      CNU. Treatment with 500 microM MNU or 1.5mM STZ for SF-188 cells, and with 250
      microM MNU or 1.5mM STZ for SF-295 cells completely reversed the cellular
      resistance to CNU. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that
      pretreatment with MNU or STZ inhibits O6-alkylguanine-DNA-alkyltransferase (O6
      AT) and inhibition of the enzyme allows the formation of DNA interstrand cross
      links resulting in increase in cytotoxicity and induction of SCE in resistant
      cells treated with chloroethylnitrosourea. In this regard, O6-AT plays an
      important role in determining the cytotoxicity and induction of SCE by
      chloroethylnitrosourea in both rodent and human brain tumor cells.

PMID- 1427593
TI  - Studies on mitochondrial and microsomal phospholipids and phospholipase A2 in
      heart from rats subjected to prolonged exercise.
AB  - Alterations in phospholipids and phospholipase A2 activity produced in cardiac
      mitochondria and microsomes by prolonged exercise and the effect of quinacrine on
      these changes have been studied in two types of experiment done on rats subjected
      to prolonged swimming exercise. In Experiment I, rats swam for 0.5, 1.5 or 3 h
      carrying a weight representing 3% of body weight. At the end of exercise or after
      varying recovery periods, the hearts were removed, mitochondria and microsomes
      were isolated and phospholipid constituents, cholesterol and phospholipase A2
      (PLA2) determined. The phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC)
      levels in mitochondria were progressively reduced by exercise for 0.5, 1.5, and 3
      h as compared with control rats (the rats which trained to swim with loading for
      4 days and took rest for 1 night). After recovery periods of 6 and 12 h, levels
      were partially restored, but after 24 and 48 h they decreased slightly below the
      control values. By 120-240 h, PE and PC levels recovered to slightly higher
      values than control. In microsomes, PE and PC levels were also decreased at the
      end of exercise for 0.5, 1.5, or 3 h, but over recovery periods of 6 to 48 h,
      they gradually increased and stabilized. In Experiment II designed to study the
      cause of the exercise-induced decrease in PE and PC, intravenous quinacrine was
      used to inhibit PLA2. PE and PC in exercised rats injected with saline (ES group)
      were markedly decreased after prolonged exercise when compared with control rats
      injected with saline (CS group). In exercise rats injected with quinacrine (EQ
      group), PC was significantly decreased when compared with the CS group while PE
      was slightly decreased but was not significantly different. Total activity (TA)
      and specific activity (SA) of PLA2 in mitochondria did not differ significantly
      in the three groups. In microsomes, TA in the ES group was significantly
      increased compared with the CS group while that in EQ group was slightly
      increased but was not significantly different. SA was unchanged in three groups.
      These results suggest that quinacrine can partially prevent the decrease of
      phospholipid and partially inhibit the activity of PLA2 after prolonged exercise.
      RCR in ES group increased significantly after prolonged exercise while RCR in EQ
      group tended to increase. ADP/O ratio was not significantly different in all
      groups.

PMID- 1427594
TI  - [In vitro and in vivo immunobiological responses of glioblastoma to human natural
      tumor necrosis factor-alpha].
AB  - Biological effects of human natural tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) on
      glioblastoma cells in vitro and on glioma patients were investigated. TNF
      treatment on glioblastoma cells, even at a high dose (256 U/ml), exhibited no
      remarkable cytocidal activity in MTT assay, but at lower doses significantly
      inhibited colony forming and DNA synthesis. TNF at a low dose (10 U/ml)
      stimulated production of prostaglandin E2, Mn-superoxide dismutase, interleukin
      (IL)-6 and IL-8 by glioblastoma cells. These results indicated that the direct
      effect of TNF on human glioblastoma cells is rather antiproliferative than
      cytotoxic and is to modulate their metabolic pathways. In an early Phase I
      clinical trial, TNF was administered intracranially to six patients bearing
      glioblastoma. In this trial, the author studied in vivo immunological responses
      in the cerebrospinal fluid and regional fluid after the regional TNF injections.
      TNF in these body fluids were detected with a half life of several hours. There
      occurred a substantial number of leukocyte migration after the TNF
      administration. Neutrophils appeared first peaking at 8 to 12 hours, and then
      CD4+CD8-T cells and CD11b+CD13+CD14+ monocytes followed. IL-8 activity in the
      cerebrospinal fluid simultaneously corresponded to peak of the neutrophil
      migration. Increases in IL-6, IL-1 beta and prostaglandin E2 levels in the
      cerebrospinal fluid, regional fluid or both occurred peaking at 8 to 12 hours
      after TNA infection. Neither IL-2 nor interferons was detected. In conclusion,
      TNF may act as an antineoplastic agent by its direct cytostatic effects and
      indirectly through immune modulatory effects.

PMID- 1427595
TI  - [The effect of oxygen free radical scavenger on endothelial cell at ischemic and
      reperfusion injury].
AB  - Although a lot of investigations indicated that free radical scavengers, such as
      superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, reduced ischemia-reperfusion injury, the
      precise mechanism including the sites of action are still controversial. The
      purposes of this study were to investigate the sites of action of SOD and
      catalase by assessing postischemic cardiac and endothelial cell function. Wistar
      rats (450-550g) were used as support animals to establish blood perfused circuit.
      A peristaltic pump controlled the femoral arterial supply at 3.0 ml/min and the
      venous return to the jugular vein with gravity. Hearts (n = 8/group) from the
      Wistar rats were perfused (Langendorff model) and paced at 350 beats/min. After
      assessing baseline functions, hearts were rendered ischemia at 37.5 degrees C for
      20 min. Then hearts were reperfused for 35 min, at the end of which left
      ventricular functions were re-assessed. One group of hearts received a continuous
      infusion of SOD and catalase during the period of 10 min before ischemia to 20
      min after the onset of reperfusion. Left ventricular functions were measured with
      a left intraventricular balloon. The end-diastolic pressure was fixed at 10 mmHg,
      which was equivalent to the normal left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. The
      mean postischemic recovery of the left ventricular end-systolic pressure was
      increased from 55 +/- 3% in the control group to 67 +/- 2% in the SOD and
      catalase group (P less than 0.05). Similarly, the postischemic compliance was
      increased from 1.28 +/- 0.12 (microliters/mmHg) in the control group to 1.61 +/-
      0.11 (microliters/mmHg) in the SOD and catalase group (P less than
      0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427596
TI  - [Sulfolipids and glycolipid sulfotransferases in a human renal cell carcinoma
      cell line].
AB  - A cell line (SMKT-R3) established from renal cell carcinoma was characterized by
      sulfolipids and glycolipid sulfotransferases. It was found by analyzing
      glycolipids extracted from SMKT-R3 cells that sulfolipids constituted a large
      part of acidic glycolipids. When SMKT-R3 cells were metabolically labeled with
      sodium [35S]sulfate, the incorporation of the radioactivity was detected in
      accordance with SM4, SM3 and SM2, which were major sulpholipids found in the
      cells, by autoradiography of thin layer chromatogram of the acidic glycolipid
      extracts from the cells. Markedly high activity level of glycolipid
      sulfotransferases toward GalCer and LacCer as substrates was observed in SMKT-R3
      cells. Effects of 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and a protein kinase
      C inhibitor on glycolipid sulfotransferases were investigated in SMKT-R3 cells.
      The treatment with TPA caused a dose- and a time-dependent reduction of the
      enzymes activities. Similarly, H-7 and staurosporine, which are inhibitors of
      protein kinase C, reduced the glycolipid sulfotransferase activities. These
      results indicate that the glycolipid sulfotransferase activities are mediated by
      protein kinase C in SMKT-R3 cells. On the other hand, the treatment of SMKT-R3
      cells with epidermal growth factor (EGF) was associated with the increase of the
      glycolipid sulfotransferase activities in a dose-dependent manner. However, this
      effect of EGF was counteracted by the pretreatment with TPA or H-7. These
      findings suggest that EGF induces the glycolipid sulfotransferase activities
      through protein kinase C.

PMID- 1427597
TI  - [Establishment and characterization of human lung squamous-carcinoma sublines
      resistant to cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II)].
AB  - I have established human lung squamous-carcinoma cell lines resistant to cis
      Diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (CDDP), designated PC10-B3 and PC10-E5, from the
      original cell line PC10, by a stepwise increment of CDDP concentration. An MMT
      assay revealed that PC10-B3 was 11.4-fold, and PC10-E5 was 19.9-fold more
      resistant to CDDP than PC10, respectively. PC10-B3 was cross-resistant to CBDCA
      and 254-S, but not to doxorubicin and etoposide. The level of intracellular
      platinum accumulation was reduced by about 5 to 8-fold in PC10-B3 when compared
      with PC10. A two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was used to analyse the relative
      amount of proteins as between PC10 and its CDDP resistant sublines. The protein
      spot MW50 kD, pI5.3 was markedly reduced, and the spot MW50kD, pI4.9 was
      increased in PC10-B3 and PC10-E5 when compared to PC10. The spot MW58kD, pI5.8
      newly appeared only in PC10-E5. I collected the most dramatically changed spot,
      MW50kD, pI5.3 (50kD-5.3), and processed it to determine its peptide sequence. I
      found that 50kD-5.3 was identical to 50kD, type I keratin (K14). Moreover, a
      retinoic acid-mediated K14 reduction was concomitant with a 4.0-fold transient
      increase in CDDP resistance in PC10. Taken together, the reduced intracellular
      platinum accumulation and the marked decrease of K14 imply that they are
      important factors in contributing to CDDP resistance in PC10-B3.

PMID- 1427598
TI  - [Analysis of acute graft-vs-host like reaction in [B6-lpr----B6] spleen chimera
      mice].
AB  - The lpr autoimmune mice develop massive lymphadenopathy and autoimmune disease.
      Transfer of lpr autoimmune disease to normal mice by bone marrow transplantation
      did not succeed, but caused a severe wasting syndrome like graft-vs-host (GvH)
      disease (lpr-GvH). We previously demonstrated that the transfer of B6-lpr spleen
      cells to B6 mice ([B6-lpr----B6] chimera) caused acute GvH-like disease
      accompanied by remarkable CD8+ T cell expansion, and that chimera spleen cells
      had suppressive activity on mitogen responses of spleen cells from normal mice.
      In this paper, I studied strain difference of acute lpr-GvH disease and mechanism
      of suppressive activity further. [B6-lpr----B6] chimera spleen contained more
      than 70% of CD8+ cells. However, [MRL-lpr----MRL-(+)] chimera and [C3H-lpr---
      C3H] chimera contained less than 20% of CD8+ cells. Both B220+ DN T cells and CD
      8+ T cells were requisite for expansion of CD8+ T cell in the chimera spleen.
      Mixed chimera experiments using CD8+ T cells from B6-lpr-Thy1.1 mice and B220+ DN
      T cells from B6-lpr mice showed that CD8+ but not B220+ DN T cells were direct
      precursors of expanding CD8+ T cells. The mechanism of suppressive activity on
      Con A responses was different from that on LPS responses. A cell-to-cell
      interaction was essential for suppression of Con A response without involvement
      of CD8- cells, while suppression of LPS responses was mainly exhibited by soluble
      factors. Suppression of LPS responses was abrogated by the presence of anti-IFN
      gamma monoclonal antibody, suggesting that those factors contain IFN-gamma. These
      data suggest that CD8+ T cells from B6-lpr mice were activated by unidentified
      antigen(s) which were expressed by B6 but not B6-lpr cells, and that IFN-gamma
      and/or unknown inflammatory factors secreted by the CD8+ T cells induced
      pathological outcome indistinguishable from GvH reaction in B6 recipient mice.

PMID- 1427599
TI  - [Biochemical study on steroid sulfatase and its clinical application to the
      obstetrics and gynecology].
AB  - Steroid sulfatase desulfates a number of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid sulfates,
      converting inactive steroid hormone to the active form. I have developed an
      enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using polyclonal antibody against the
      sulfatase which was purified from human placenta to measure an amount of the
      enzyme protein in sera of gynecologic cancer patients. By this method, it was
      found that the serum steroid sulfatase level is significantly elevated in
      patients with endometrial carcinoma (p less than 0.05) and ovarian carcinoma (p
      less than 0.01) as compared to that of normal women. Steroid sulfatase
      deficiency, X-linked ichthyosis (XLI) is an inherited skin disorder. The
      sulfatase gene and the enzyme protein were examined in patients with XLI. When
      the first and last (exon 10) exons of the sulfatase gene were amplified by PCR
      using patients' genomic DNA as templates, no product was detected in all six
      cases examined. In addition, neither mRNA of the sulfatase nor the enzyme protein
      was detected in a patient with XLI. These observations suggest that most Japanese
      XLI patients are caused by an extensive deletion of the steroid sulfatase gene.

PMID- 1427601
TI  - [Analysis of polymorphism at the human class I MHC locus, HLA-G].
AB  - HLA-G is one of the non-classical HLA class I gene and its expression has been
      identified in cytotrophoblasts and in some choriocarcinoma cell lines. It encodes
      apparently non-polymorphic antigen and is considered to play an important role in
      the fetomaternal immune system. However, the monomorphism of the HLA-G gene has
      not been established firmly. In order to examine the polymorphism of the HLA-G
      locus, a clone 7.0E was isolated from a genomic library using a probe derived
      from 3' untranslated region of HLA-G (Orr). Additionally, PCR/SSCP analysis of
      the HLA-G 3' untranslated region was carried on 35 DNA samples of unrelated
      individuals taking advantage of the fact that HLA-G (Orr) and 7.0E differed in
      14bp length in the amplified fragments. The nucleotide sequence of 7.0E was
      homologous to HLA-G (Orr), but the sequence was more closely related to a cDNA
      sequence of BeWo-G7 which has been cloned from mRNA of BeWo cells. Among these 3
      clones no amino acid substitution was found in the coding region, Thus, 7.0E
      should represent a genomic clone of BeWoG7. PCR/SSCP analysis showed that 33 out
      of 35 samples (94%) contained 7.0E gene, 29 contained HLA-G (Orr) gene (83%). Two
      samples (6%) contained only HLA-G (Orr), and 6 samples contained only 7.0E (17%).
      Among 29 DNA samples containing HLA-G (Orr), 3 samples showed the shift in
      electrophoretic mobility in HLA-G (Orr), suggesting minor sequence differences in
      HLA-G alleles. From these results it is concluded that HLA-G antigen is
      monomorphic, but there are several alleles recognizable by DNA sequence and/or
      SSCP analysis.

PMID- 1427600
TI  - [Synergism between transcription factors NF-IL6 and NF-kappa B in IL-6 gene
      regulation].
AB  - NF-IL6 and NF-kappa B are nuclear proteins supposed to play an important role in
      the regulation of acute-phase protein synthesis and inflammatory response against
      infection and tissue injury as a host defence mechanism. In addition the promoter
      region of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene has a NF-kappa B binding motif as well as
      a NF-IL6 binding site. Considering of these facts, we come to investigate that
      there may be a synergistic effect between NF-IL6 and NF-kappa B in the regulation
      of IL-6 gene expression. In order to study it, some combinations of expression
      vectors NF-IL6 cDNA, NF-kappa B (p50/p65) cDNA and reporter plasmid K18-CAT which
      contains human IL-6 promoter linked to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase
      (CAT) gene, were transfected into Jurkat cells and the CAT activities were
      examined. Co-transfection of NF-IL6 and NF-kappa B (p50/p65) cDNA revealed a
      dramatic increase of acetylated [14C] chloramphenicol, and its CAT activity
      reached to 40%. Then, co-transfection of NF-IL6 and NF-kappa B subunit p65 alone
      showed a high level of CAT activity, too. When 5' deletion mutant reporter
      plasmid K9-CAT lacking the NF-IL6 binding site was used, co-transfection of NF
      IL6 and NF-kappa B (p50/p65) showed low level of CAT activity. These results
      indicate that there is a synergistic effect between NF-IL6 and NF-kappa B
      (p50/p65) in IL-6 gene regulation. Among two subunits of NF-kappa B (p50/p65),
      p65 seems to play an important role rather than p50 does in synergism between NF
      IL6 and NF-kappa B. Besides, this synergistic function comes to work only when NF
      IL6 binds to its binding site of IL-6 promoter region.

PMID- 1427602
TI  - [Identification of molecular species in porcine luteal glutathione S-transferase
      and its hormonal regulation by hypophyseal gonadotropins].
AB  - The glutathione S-transferase (GST) was purified to homogenous state from cytosol
      fraction of porcine corpora lutea. Present studies showed that the final enzyme
      preparation was consisted of a single molecular species of GST 1-1 (ligandin),
      which has been identified from its enzymatic properties, amino acid sequences and
      immunological reactivity. Furthermore, it has been suggested that the ovarian GST
      involves in the steroidogenesis, especially in the step of progesterone
      synthesis, from the following results. 1) The final enzyme preparation has a
      significant delta 5-3-ketosteroid isomerase activity. 2) GST activity in the
      cultured porcine granulosa cells was remarkably increased in the luteinizing
      process, which was induced by an addition of hypophyseal gonadotropins such as
      FSH and LH to the culture system. 3) Changes of GST activity induced by FSH and
      LH were closely associated with progesterone production. 4) The GST localized in
      the luteal cells and theca interna, but not in the granulosa cells, which has
      been revealed by an immunohistochemical staining using anti-luteal GST
      antibodies.

PMID- 1427603
TI  - [A cardiodynamic study on cardio-assistive effect of the assist device:
      evaluation on left ventricular dehematizing system].
AB  - Of late years, assist artificial heart device has been more and more investigated
      with subsequent reports being made of its clinical application. Dehematization of
      left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is divided into two systems, i.e., left
      atrial dehematization and left ventricular dehematization according to the
      location of the canula's tip. At present in our country, the former system is
      being adopted for the majority of LVADs and is generally regarded as preferably
      acceptable. However, because of low survival rate of LVAD in spite of its
      comparatively good rate of break-away, not a few cases appear to exist beyond the
      limit of the former system's effects. Then, compared with the left atrial
      dehematizing system, LVAD according to the left ventricular dehematizing system
      was examined for its cardio-assistive effect both blood circulatorily and
      cardiodynamically. A pneumatically-driven diaphragm type pump was implanted
      between the left ventricular apex and the descending aorta of a dog and was
      driven by ECG-synchronous counterpulsation method with heart rate versus pump
      beating number ratios of 1:1, 2:1 and 4:1 and fixed beating number method with
      beating number of 60 and 80 beats/min (bpm). In order to measure the left
      ventricular diameter and myocardial length, 7 pairs of ultrasonic sonomicrometers
      were embedded intra-left ventriculomurally. Ischemia was prepared by ligating the
      left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). Bulk mechanical work and regional
      mechanical work were calculated from these dimensions and the left ventricular
      pressure. The following results were obtained: 1) In all driving modes but that
      of 4:1, compared with non-driven pumping, heart rate, peak left ventricular
      pressure, mean left atrial pressure and total peripheral resistance showed low
      values, and mean aortic pressure and total blood flow showed high values.
      Moreover, in the above driving modes, total bypass was obtained. 2) In the above
      driving modes, bulk and regional mechanical works were practically null with a de
      loading effect of 100% or so being obtained. 3) Compared with the left atrial
      dehematizing system, peak left ventricular pressure showed remarkably low value
      with increases in mean aortic pressure and total blood flow, and with remarkable
      decreases in bulk and regional mechanical works. 4) In driving modes of 2:1, 1:1,
      I60 and I80, little difference in the effect according to the driving mode was
      noted.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1427604
TI  - [Effects of a non-ionic low osmolar contrast medium on thyroidal radioiodine
      uptake in rats].
AB  - Recently non ionic low osmolar contrast media (NILOCM) have been widely used in
      radiographic contrast studies. These new agents have a great advantage over
      conventional ionic high osmolar contrast media (IHOCM) in low chemical toxicity
      and good X-ray absorption. However, their effects on thyroid function, especially
      on thyroidal radioiodine uptake (TRIU), are still unknown and it is not clear how
      long NILOCM interfere with TRIU. Therefore, the extent of the interference with
      TRIU caused by previous NILOCM injection was examined using rat thyroid. Male WKA
      rats were divided into four groups and fed under different dietary conditions, A)
      routine diet for rats; B) low iodine diet (LID) for 1 week, C) LID for 2 weeks,
      and D) LID for 8 weeks. Iopamidol was used as NILOCM, and iothalmate, one of
      IHOCM, was also employed for comparative study. After feeding, some rats in each
      group were injected with 300 mgI/kg. b.w. of iopamidol or iothalmate. The
      remaining rats in each group received saline injection as the control. At day 1,
      2, 3, 7, and 14 following injection, I-131 was administered intravenously and a
      24 hour TRIU (% dose/mg tissue) was measured in each group. Thyroidal iodine
      content (TIC: micrograms I/mg tissue) at day 1, 7, and 14 was also measured in
      group A, C, and D. Until day 3, severe suppression on TRIU was observed in all
      groups, and TIC elevated at day 1 in iothalmate-injected rats. In iopamidol
      injected rats, TRIU and TIC recovered after then, and reached the same levels as
      those in control rats until day 14 except for group D. However, TRIU was still
      significantly lower and TIC levels in group D was higher at day 14 in iothalmate
      injected rats. It is concluded that iopamidol has less effects on TRIU and TIC
      with a shorter period of recovery than iothalmate. This results maybe beneficial
      to the patients who were injected NILOCM prior to radioiodine scintigraphy.

PMID- 1427605
TI  - [A clinical study on non-verbal psychotherapy in childhood and adolescence: a
      proposed classification and psychopathological considerations].
AB  - The author examined the therapeutic sequence of 37 child and adolescent cases of
      neurotic disorder in whom the non-verbal approach was successively taken for more
      than 6 months. The cases could be classified into two types, according to their
      choice of non-verbal methods: "simple type" cases, who chose only one method at
      all their therapeutic sessions and "mixed type" cases, who took various
      combinations of non-verbal methods during the period of psychotherapy. In "simple
      type" cases, premorbid character was usually introverted and emotionally stable.
      As for their family situations, their fathers were rather asthenic and their
      mothers often lacked emotional communication in child-rearing. Patients showed
      one or only few clinical symptoms. The therapeutic relationship with them was
      superficially calm and stable, and it was often difficult to deepen the emotional
      commitment further. In "mixed type" cases, on the other hand, premorbid character
      was emotionally often unstable. Their fathers tended to be away from home, and
      mothers were conspicuously overprotective and meddlesome. Their clinical symptoms
      were varied. In the therapeutic sessions, they often became dependent on
      therapists and, at the same time, ambivalent and unstable in certain conditions,
      showing dissatisfactions and reacting strongly against their therapists. The
      characteristics of these two types can be observed in relation to other clinical
      disorders. Regarding the development of interpersonal relationship and
      personality, it can be seen that the two types is derived from the different
      quality of the "sense of basic trust" of each patient acquired in early
      childhood. Based on the above findings, the author discussed a few
      psychopathological issues on his proposed classification.

PMID- 1427606
TI  - [Xenogenization of rat tumor cells by transfection with envelope gene derived
      from Friend murine leukemia virus].
AB  - The highly tumorigenic rat hepatocellular carcinoma cell line cKDH-8-cl-11 was
      xenogenized by transfection with an envelope (FV-env) gene derived from Friend
      murine leukemia virus. The transfected tumor cells, expressing the FV-env gene
      product on the cell surface, were injected into normal and immunosuppressed
      (irradiated) syngeneic rats. All the irradiated rats developed tumors at the
      injection site. Thirteen out of fifteen normal rats rejected the xenogenized
      cells and acquired tumor transplantation resistance to the parent
      (nontransfected) cell line. The tumor cells that grew in normal rats failed to
      express th FV-env gene product during growth in vivo, but resumed expression
      during in vitro primary culture. These results suggest that the FV-engine
      product, when expressed on tumor cell surfaces, displays biological
      characteristics which are immunologically recognized by normal rats and induces
      tumor rejection. Moreover the results show that the FV-env gene product is a good
      candidate for the xenogenization of tumor cells.

PMID- 1427607
TI  - [Changes in magnesium and calcium levels in blood and stomach tissue of patients
      with stomach cancer].
AB  - This study was performed to evaluate changes in Magnesium (Mg) and Calcium (Ca)
      levels in blood and cancerous stomach tissue of patients with stomach cancer, who
      were classified into four stages of malignancy and three groups of metastatic
      category. Mg and Ca were determined with atomic absorption spectrophotometer
      after blood and stomach tissue were digested with nitric and perchloric acid.
      Significantly high Mg levels in the early stages were found both in plasma and in
      whole blood. On the other hand, significantly low Ca levels were found in blood
      plasma in most stages and in all metastatic groups. By contrast, significantly
      high Ca levels were observed in whole blood in later malignant stages and in two
      metastatic groups. Significantly high Mg and low Ca levels were found in
      cancerous stomach tissue in patients with stomach cancer, as compared to their
      normal stomach tissue. The same tendencies were observed in each malignant stages
      and metastatic groups. These changes in Mg and Ca levels in blood and cancerous
      stomach tissue may reflect inherent peculiarities of stomach cancer.

PMID- 1427608
TI  - [A case of the panencephalopathic type of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease with retinal
      involvement].
AB  - Neuropathological study of the visual pathway from the retina to the occipital
      cortex in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) has been scarcely performed. In the
      present study, pathological involvement of the visual pathway was observed in a
      54-year-old man with CJD. The patient had the onset of visual disturbances in
      December 1985. He subsequently developed progressive dementia, right hemiparesis,
      ataxia and dysarthria, and rapidly fell into decerebrate posture in February
      1986. In March 1986, myoclonus appeared on the whole body and EEG revealed
      periodic synchronous discharges, while brain CT and CSF findings showed no
      abnormalities. Myoclonus was observed most frequently from May to October 1986,
      and then reduced gradually. Brain atrophy on CT started from April 1986, and was
      progressive till the end stage of the disease. He died in January 1988, and the
      total clinical course was about 24 months. Neuropathological examination revealed
      severe degeneration of the cerebral cortex and the white matter. In the cerebral
      cortex, marked loss of neurons, astrogliosis, and spongiform changes were
      observed. In the cerebral white matter, the destruction of myelin sheaths and
      axons were evident. The cerebellum showed prominent loss of granule cells. These
      findings are consistent with those of the panencephalopathic type of CJD. In the
      visual pathway, loss of ganglion cells and bipolar cells in the retina, mild
      demyelination of the optic nerve, neuronal loss in the lateral geniculate body,
      and severe degeneration in the visual cortex were observed. The present case
      suggests that the neuropathological investigation in the visual pathway from the
      retina to the occipital cortex is important for clarifying the pathological
      processes in the visual system in CJD.

PMID- 1427609
TI  - Delayed removal of 125I-labeled very low density lipoprotein from plasma of rats
      with insulin-deficient diabetes mellitus.
AB  - The present studies demonstrate that the removal rate of exogenously labelled
      125I-VLDL-protein is prolonged when total serum from insulin-deficient rats
      combined with isolated 125I-VLDL is injected into normal recipient rats (6.8 +/-
      0.7 vs 4.2 +/- 0.4 min; p < 0.01), but not when 125I-VLDL-protein is isolated and
      injected alone (4.2 +/- 0.8 vs 4.3 +/- 0.8 min). Furthermore, the present studies
      demonstrate that when isolated 125I-VLDL-protein is recombined with either VLDL
      free (d > 1.006 g/ml), or lipoprotein-free serum (d > 1.215 g/ml) from insulin
      deficient rats, the defect in removal rate of VLDL-protein observed in total
      serum is reestablished (125I-VLDL + VLDL-free serum from insulin-deficient rat vs
      that from normal rat: 7.6 +/- 1.2 vs 4.6 +/- 0.7 min, p < 0.05; and 125I-VLDL +
      lipoprotein-free serum from insulin-deficient rat vs that from normal rat: 6.4 +/
      0.7 vs 4.1 +/- 0.4 min, p < 0.01). These data suggest that a factor or factors
      exist in lipoprotein-free serum of insulin-deficient rats which interfere with
      the normal removal of 125I-VLDL. Since we have previously demonstrated a
      prolongation in the removal rate of endogenously labeled VLDL-3H-TG, the defect
      in removal of VLDL from the plasma of insulin-deficient rats appears to include
      both the lipid and protein moieties of the VLDL particles.

PMID- 1427610
TI  - Red cell membrane protein lateral mobility in diabetes mellitus.
AB  - In a group of 24 diabetics subdivided for type, we evaluated the red cell
      membrane protein lateral mobility marking intact red cells with pyrene-3
      maleimide (3-PM) and calculating the dimer to monomer fluorescence intensity
      ratio (Iex/Im). The same fluorescent parameter was determined in a group of 13
      normal controls. From the obtained data, it is evident that the red cell membrane
      protein lateral mobility clearly discriminates normals from diabetics of type 1
      and 2. In normals and in diabetics of type 1 and 2 no relationship is present
      between this fluorescent determinant and the glycometabolic parameters (FBGL and
      HbA1c); considering all the diabetics, a negative relationship is evident between
      Iex/Im ratio and HbA1c only.

PMID- 1427611
TI  - Enzymatic glycosidase activities in experimental obesity.
AB  - Glycosidases are lysosomal enzymes that participate in the catabolism of
      glycoproteins and other glycoconjugates, and in some way may modify their
      activity in situations in which carbohydrate metabolism could be altered, such as
      the case of obesity. Using a fluorometric assay, a study was made of four
      glycosidase activities: N-acetyl-beta-D-hexosaminidase (NAG), alpha-mannosidase
      and alpha- and beta-glucosidase in the serum, pancreas, liver and kidney of 22
      Zucker fa/fa genetically obese rats and of 23 fa/? controls, both with ages
      ranging between 13 and 15 weeks. After 12-14 hours fast and prior anaesthesia
      with sodium pentobarbital intraperitoneally, blood and the afore-mentioned organs
      were removed for enzymatic study of the serum and the organs after homogenization
      and centrifugation. In the serum a statistically significant increase in alpha
      mannosidase (p < 0.0001) and alpha-glucosidase (p < 0.02) activities was found in
      the fa/fa obese rats as compared with the controls. No statistically significant
      differences were found in serum hexosaminidase activity between the two groups,
      and no serum beta-glucosidase enzymatic activity was detected. In liver, a
      decrease was observed in hexosaminidase (p < 0.002) and alpha-glucosidase (p <
      0.01) activities in the obese rats as compared with the controls. In whole
      pancreas an increase was found in alpha-glucosidase activity in the obese rats
      with respect to the controls (p < 0.001), with no statistically significant
      differences in the hexosaminidase, alpha-mannosidase and beta-glucosidase
      activities.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427612
TI  - Analysis of nuclear 3,3',5-triiodothyronine receptor in the brown adipose tissue
      (BAT) of the postnatal lamb.
AB  - Postnatal thermogenesis in sheep is associated with increased sympathoadrenal
      activities, a T3 surge and an enhanced brown adipose tissue (BAT) type II 5'
      monodeiodinating (5'-MDI) activity. The latter peaks 3-4 days after birth and is
      known to be important in generating intracellular T3 for nuclear receptor
      binding. In order to further investigate the mechanism(s) responsible for
      neonatal thermogenesis, thyroid hormone nuclear receptor (T3NR) binding
      characteristics were quantified in lamb BAT from newborn (NB) to 30d of postnatal
      age. Maximal binding capacities (MBC, mean +/- SEM fmoles T3/mg DNA) in BAT
      showed a decrease as studied by ANOVA during the first 11 days (NB to 1d, 148 +/-
      24 [N = 5, p < 0.01, cf. 3-5d group]; 3-5 d, 61 +/- 5.5 [N = 5]; 10-11d, 72 +/-
      9.1 [N = 4]). Afterwards, MBC increased at 30d (196 +/- 32, N = 4, p less than
      0.01, cf. 3-5d group). BAT T3NR binding affinities (10(9) M-1) were comparable in
      all age groups studied (NB-1d, 2.8 +/- 0.3; 3-5d, 3.4 +/- 0.3; 10-11d, 4.0 +/-
      1.1; 30d, 2.4 +/- 0.4). The data suggest that the postnatal surge in T3 and type
      II 5'-MDI is accompanied with a concurrent decrease in MBC of BAT T3NR. The
      latter may represent a down-regulation of T3NR presumably in an attempt to
      regulate the overall effect of thyroid hormone in neonatal thermogenesis.

PMID- 1427613
TI  - Effect of insulin and adrenaline on the 59Fe transferrin uptake of lactating
      mouse mammary gland cells.
AB  - The results of insulin action (0.4 IU per mouse) are demonstrated in intact
      animals only. This action leads to a higher uptake of 59Fe. rabbit transferrin of
      isolated cells from lactating mouse mammary gland. It is suggested that most
      inactive transferrin receptors in the cell membrane are incorporated by the
      hormone action or some new receptors are synthesized. On the contrary, adrenaline
      in a dose 0.5 micrograms per animal demonstrated an opposite effect--a lower
      uptake of 59Fe. human transferrin from lactating mouse mammary gland. This is
      probably due to a redistribution of some part (about 28%) of the iron. Instead of
      flowing to the mammary gland it flows towards other organs for overcoming the
      stress situation. An alternative explanation could be the inhibition of
      endogenous insulin secretion by adrenaline. From our data it follows that insulin
      and adrenaline have an antagonistic effect on regulation of Fe transport in
      lactating mouse mammary gland.

PMID- 1427614
TI  - Differential effects of body weight, hyperinsulinemia and oral glucose load on
      serum C-peptide/insulin molar ratio.
AB  - Serum C-peptide immunoreactivity (CPR)/immunoreactive insulin (IRI) molar ratio
      was determined in 136 subjects without renal, hepatic and thyroid disorders, at
      fasting, and during the initial period of 75 g-oral glucose tolerance test. The
      subjects were divided into 4 groups based on their body weight and age; Group A,
      young (< 55 years) and normal body weight (body mass index [BMI, kg/m2] < or =
      25) subjects; Group B, young and overweight (BMI > 25) subjects; Group C, aged (>
      or = 55 years) and normal body weight (BMI < or = 25) subjects; Group D, aged and
      overweight subjects. Fasting CPR/IRI ratio and absolute CPR level negatively
      correlated in Groups B and D but not in A and C. After oral glucose load with
      elevation of insulin, CPR/IRI ratio invariably declined in all groups and
      significant negative correlation between CPR/IRI and CPR was found in Groups A, B
      and D but not in C. Slope of the regression lines obtained for correlation
      between CPR/IRI ratio and CPR were significantly steeper at fasting compared to
      the post-stimulation phase. CPR/IRI ratio is affected by hyperinsulinemia and
      oral glucose load but not by obesity alone. Assuming that CPR/IRI ratio reflects
      hepatic extraction of insulin, the insulin clearance at fasting is progressively
      reduced with increasing insulin secretion in overweight subjects: failure to
      detect such phenomenon in normal body weight subjects may be due to a narrower
      CPR range in this population. Insulin metabolism at fasting and during glucose
      stimulation is likely to be regulated by distinct factors.

PMID- 1427615
TI  - Acute thyroid dysfunction (thyroiditis) after therapy with interleukin-2.
AB  - Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is frequently incorporated in antineoplastic therapy: While
      the effect of interferon on the thyroid has been extensively studied the impact
      of other cytokines on thyroid function is less well understood. We monitored the
      thyroid function in six patients who received IL-2 in combination with tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) or alpha-Interferon (alpha IFN). Hyperthyroxinemia
      with suppressed TSH developed within the first four weeks of IL-2 administration;
      during this phase, there was no technetium or iodine uptake by the thyroid gland.
      During the following few weeks, serum thyroxine decreased and serum TSH rose,
      consistent with the development of primary hypothyroidism; during this phase,
      thyroidal isotope incorporation was normal. All hypothyroid patients received
      thyroxine replacement therapy upon documentation of hypothyroidism; in several
      cases thyroxine was successfully discontinued after 2-3 months. None of the
      patients had detectable antithyroidal antibodies and none experienced thyroid
      related pain, although two patients developed thyroid enlargement. We conclude
      that IL-2 administration is associated with the development of transient,
      subacute, painless thyroiditis. The frequency and severity of this complication
      requires further elucidation through systematic, prospective study.

PMID- 1427616
TI  - Serum procalcitonin as an index of inhalation injury in burns.
AB  - The molecular heterogeneity of serum immunoreactive calcitonin (iCT) was analyzed
      from a prospective study of 41 burn patients. Using different region-specific
      anticalcitonin antisera, the ratio of mid-region-recognizing to carboxyl terminal
      region-recognizing iCT was found to increase acutely in those who subsequently
      died. The highest ratios occurred in those who died early of respiratory
      complications. Sephadex chromatography and reversed-phase HPLC demonstrated that
      the serum iCT circulated predominantly in the large molecular mass prohormone
      form (16 kDa). In comparison, iCT of normal human lung and of normal thyroid was
      shown to consist primarily of smaller monomeric mass forms. Furthermore, in 12
      normal volunteers who were evaluated with a calcium-pentagastrin infusion, the
      ratio of iCT levels did not differ from the baseline ratio despite a 50% increase
      in serum iCT. These results suggest that in burns, the inhalational injury
      associated hypercalcitonemia is characterized by a preferential release of
      procalcitonin; a form of constitutive secretion. The measurement of serum
      procalcitonin levels would appear to be a useful prognostic indicator of the
      severity of inhalational injury occurring in burn patients.

PMID- 1427617
TI  - A correlative study on serum cholylglycine levels in hepatobiliary disease.
AB  - The serum cholylglycine (CG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and total bilirubin
      levels were studied in 210 patients with hepatobiliary disease and in 70 healthy
      subjects. Serum CG concentrations in all the hepatobiliary diseases were found to
      be significantly higher than those of their controls. Patients with abnormal
      increases in ALT and bilirubin levels also showed raised CG concentrations;
      however, some patients with normal ALT and bilirubin levels, still had markedly
      elevated CG values. Patients with hepatic cirrhosis had high serum CG levels,
      followed, in descending order, by chronic active hepatitis and chronic persistent
      hepatitis. In the cholecystitis and cholelithiasis cases, their CG levels were
      significantly higher than those of the controls but lower than the values in
      hepatic disease patients; however, more cholecystitis cases had abnormally high
      serum bilirubin levels than CG. The results also show that serum CG
      concentrations vary in the different hepatobiliary diseases, and that serial CG
      measurements are more sensitive than measuring ALT and bilirubin levels in the
      diagnosis of hepatic diseases. Serum CG can be used as an index for evaluating
      the activity of chronic hepatitis; it can also be employed as a diagnostic tool
      in cholecystitis and cholelithiasis.

PMID- 1427619
TI  - Chronic control of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase of rat mammary gland.

PMID- 1427618
TI  - The participation of the activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase in cytosolic
      acidification by parathyroid hormone (PTH) and PTH-related peptide in
      osteoblastic osteosarcoma cells.

PMID- 1427620
TI  - Paradoxical inhibition of insulin release by D-glucose islets exposed to
      dopamine.

PMID- 1427621
TI  - Osmotic cell swelling stimulates receptor-mediated low density lipoprotein
      endocytosis and degradation.

PMID- 1427622
TI  - A role for thyroid hormone in the induction of ovulation and corpus luteum
      function.
AB  - We have previously demonstrated that thyroid hormone synergizes with follicle
      stimulating hormone (FSH) to exert stimulatory effects on granulosa cell
      differentiation and function, suggesting that it plays a physiological role in
      amplifying FSH-mediated differentiation of granulosa cells. The adequate
      differentiation of these cells, followed by normal follicle development, is
      indispensable for ovulation and subsequent corpus luteum formation. Thus, in the
      present studies, the clinical implications of thyroid hormone in the induction of
      ovulation and corpus luteum function were investigated. Serum levels of total
      3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) and total thyroxine (T4) as well as free T3 and T4
      were significantly lower in patients with weight loss amenorrhea compared to
      normal cycling women. Although no ovulation was induced by clomiphene therapy
      when the serum T3 levels were less than 80 ng/dl, the rate of ovulation induced
      by clomiphene increased in parallel with the augmentation of serum T3 levels.
      This suggests that an adequate circulating level of thyroid hormone is one of the
      factors responsible for successful induction of ovulation by clomiphene citrate.
      Furthermore, the short luteal phase and insufficient progesterone secretion
      observed in patients with subclinical hypothyroxinemia were not improved by
      clomiphene therapy alone, but were improved markedly by combined treatment with
      thyroid hormone replacement and clomiphene citrate. These data imply that
      concomitant clomiphene treatment with thyroid hormone replacement therapy is of a
      great value not only for ovulation induction, but also for the treatment of
      luteal-phase defect in patients with subclinical hypothyroxinemia.

PMID- 1427623
TI  - Possible involvement of lipoxygenase products in human corpora lutea.
AB  - The present study was undertaken to determine the ability of cultured luteal
      cells from human corpora lutea to secrete progesterone (P4) and prostaglandins
      (PGs), and to assess the effects of the products of the lipoxygenase pathway on
      luteal P4 production. Luteal cells responded to human chorionic gonadotropin
      (hCG) with a significant increase (2- to 7-fold) in P4 production. Arachidonic
      acid significantly stimulated PGE2 synthesis by luteal cells in a dose-dependent
      manner. Both basal PGE2 production and the responsiveness to arachidonic acid
      were maintained for 8 days. In contrast, both PGF2 alpha and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha
      production abruptly declined as the culture proceeded. However, the addition of
      hCG did not further stimulate the accumulation of the 3 PGs assayed. In the
      subsequent experiment, 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE) and the reaction
      products of soybean lipoxidase of arachidonic acid (AA-LIP) were utilized for
      evaluating the involvement of the lipoxygenase pathway in luteolysis. The
      addition of 5-HETE dose-dependently inhibited P4 production by the cultured
      luteal cells. Although treatment with either arachidonic acid or lipoxidase alone
      had no effect on P4 production, AA-LIP significantly reduced P4 production in the
      presence or absence of hCG. These results suggest that the products of the
      lipoxygenase as well as of the cyclo-oxygenase pathway may be important in
      regulating the life span and function of human corpora lutea.

PMID- 1427624
TI  - Modulation of progesterone secretion by androgens in porcine granulosa cell
      cultures.
AB  - The influence of testosterone, androstenedione and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on
      the progesterone (P4) production by cultured porcine granulosa cells was studied
      in the presence or absence of gonadotropins. Porcine granulosa cells from large
      follicles (6-12 mm in diameter) were incubated for 2 days with 5% CO2 in air with
      testosterone, androstenedione and DHT (10(-12), 10(-10), 10(-8) and 10(-6) M) in
      the presence or absence of luteinizing hormone (LH, 10 ng/ml) or follicle
      stimulating hormone (FSH, 30 ng/ml). P4 and pregnenolone (P5) in conditioned
      culture media were quantified by their specific RIAs. In the absence of
      gonadotropins, P4 in media with androgens were not significantly different from
      controls. In the presence of LH, the addition of testosterone (10(-10), 10(-8)
      M), androstenedione (10(-8) M) and DHT (10(-8) M) caused a significant 1.3- to
      2.3-fold increase in P4 over that caused by LH alone. In contrast, in the
      presence of FSH, testosterone (10(-12), 10(-10) M), androstenedione (10(-12)-10(
      6) M) and DHT (10(-6) M) reduced the levels of P4 by 22% to 41%. The addition of
      androgens with LH caused a significant increase in P5, while P5 decreased in the
      presence of FSH. P4/P5 ratios remained unchanged in the presence of both LH and
      FSH. These data suggest that the P4 production by cultured porcine granulosa
      cells is modulated in a paracrine or an autocrine fashion by androgens in the
      presence of gonadotropins, and that androgens may exert their actions partly by
      altering the activity of cholesterol side chain cleavage enzymes.

PMID- 1427625
TI  - New aspects of the physiology and pathology of the luteal phase: an overview.

PMID- 1427626
TI  - Sporadic appearance of luteal-phase defect in prospective assessment.
AB  - We studied the sporadic appearance of luteal-phase defect in the prospective
      assessment of consecutive cycles. Basal body temperature (BBT) was recorded in 36
      women (20-35 years of age) for at least 3 consecutive cycles (total of 194
      cycles). These BBT records were analyzed for pattern and luteal-phase length
      (LPL). Furthermore, the relationship was investigated between the BBT and luteal
      function in terms of serum hormonal levels and endometrial dating in the luteal
      phase. The length of the transitional period from the hypothermic to the
      hyperthermic phase was also studied in relation to luteal function in 59 women
      (21-33 years of age). The results were as follows: (1) Different BBT patterns and
      LPLs in consecutive cycles occurred in 36 and 67% of the observed cycles,
      respectively. (2) Cycles with abnormal steroid levels and endometrial dating were
      observed sporadically. (3) The length of the transitional period appeared useful
      for prospective evaluation of luteal function. These findings suggest that the
      conditions of the luteal function do not appear in every cycle of each woman.
      Therefore, assessing the function of one cycle seems of little use in predicting
      the function of the next or future cycles.

PMID- 1427627
TI  - Association of immunoreactive-inhibin levels with luteal function.
AB  - To evaluate immunoreactive (IR) inhibin as a marker of corpus luteal function,
      134 women with natural ovulatory cycles were studied. Serum IR-inhibin levels
      during the luteal phase were significantly lower in women with low progesterone
      (P4) levels (less than 10 ng/ml). Endometrial dating correlated more with serum
      P4 than IR-inhibin levels. All 14 conceiving cycles showed serum P4 levels
      greater than or equal to 10 ng/ml and IR-inhibin levels greater than or equal to
      3.67 IU/ml during the midluteal phase. Furthermore, IR-inhibin levels in the
      early follicular phase seemed to be associated with lowered P4 levels in the
      ensuing luteal phase. These results suggest that IR inhibin may be closely
      related to corpus luteum function.

PMID- 1427628
TI  - Analysis of clinical backgrounds and pathogenesis of luteal-phase defect.
AB  - To elucidate the clinical background of the luteal-phase defect (LPD), 201 LPD
      cycles were studied in 753 infertile women. One hundred and twenty-one cases
      (62.2%) of LPD showed transient hyperprolactinemia. In transient
      hyperprolactinemia, there was a significant inverse correlation between serum
      prolactin (PRL) 30 min after the 500-micrograms intravenous loading of
      thyrotropin-releasing hormone TRH (PRL30) and progesterone (P4) in the luteal
      phase (r = -0.67, p less than 0.005). Mature follicles (diameter greater than 20
      mm as determined by ultrasonography) were observed in 74 cases (61.2% of the
      transient hyperprolactinemia cases). On the contrary, in 25 (12.4%) of the 121
      LPD cases who showed the hyper-luteinizing hormone (LH) syndrome (LH/FSH ratio
      greater than 1), only 9 (36%) had mature follicles. Of the remaining 55 cases who
      showed neither transient hyperprolactinemia nor the hyper-LH syndrome, 27 cases
      (49.1%) had mature follicles. Five of these patients indicated a significantly
      higher LH pulse amplitude despite depressed P4 secretion in the luteal phase.
      From these results, it was concluded that the most common cause of LPD was
      transient hyperprolactinemia. The second cause of LPD was suspected to be
      disturbed follicle development due to the inappropriate ratio of LH/FSH in the
      hyper-LH syndrome. Another cause was speculated to be the primary failure of a
      response from the corpus luteum to LH. Treatments based on the conclusions
      mentioned above resulted in a 48.3% pregnancy success rate.

PMID- 1427629
TI  - Hysteroscopic assessment of midsecretory-phase endometrium, with special
      reference to the luteal-phase defect.
AB  - To investigate the functional aspects of secretory-phase endometrium,
      hysteroscopy was performed in 61 patients for in vitro fertilization-embryo
      transfer (IVF-ET), and 50 women for infertility evaluation. All women had normal
      ovulatory cycles. The hysteroscopic assessment of secretory-phase endometrium was
      made by characterizing the glandular openings (GO) and vasculature. The
      assessments were classified as 'good': characterized by ring-type GO and well
      developed vessels; and 'poor': characterized by dot and/or punctate-type GO and
      fine vasculature. In the 30 patients classified 'good' prior to the IVF cycle,
      there was a higher pregnancy rate (40%) than in 'poor' ones (13%). Thirty of 50
      infertile women were classified 'good', and their average age was lower than that
      of the remaining 20 in the 'poor' group. Preovulatory estradiol was significantly
      higher in the 'good' than in the 'poor' group. From an analysis of 20 patients
      with a 'poor' assessment, it was demonstrated that the maturation of secretory
      phase endometrium was affected by a failure of folliculogenesis, progesterone
      secretion, endometrial growth and menstrual shedding.

PMID- 1427630
TI  - Clinical importance of endometrial histology and progesterone level assessment in
      luteal-phase defect.
AB  - In order to clarify the relationship between endometrial histology and
      progesterone (P4), plasma P4 and estradiol levels in the luteal phase were
      measured in 126 cases of unexplained infertility. Endometrial biopsies were
      performed in the midluteal period of menstrual cycles. Forty-three of the 126
      cases showed retarded endometrium. Of these 43 cases, 23 exhibited three
      different types of abnormal P4 secretion. Type A showed low P4 levels throughout
      the luteal period. Type B showed low P4 levels only in the early luteal period.
      Type C showed normal P4 levels in the early luteal period followed by a prompt
      decline. These findings indicated that P4 determination during the early, mid-
      and late luteal phases is necessary to assess P4 secretion. However, 20 of the 43
      cases had normal P4 levels through the entire luteal phase, demonstrating an
      insufficient response of the endometrium to P4. Consequently, histological
      examination of the endometrium is required to investigate the luteal phase
      defect.

PMID- 1427631
TI  - Influence of progesterone/estradiol ratio on luteal function for achieving
      pregnancy in gonadotropin therapy.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of the relationship
      between plasma progesterone (P4) and estradiol (E2) levels in the luteal phase
      for achieving pregnancy in human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG)-human chorionic
      gonadotropin (hCG)-treated cycles. Plasma P4 and E2 levels were determined in 93
      hMG-hCG-treated cycles (23 pregnant and 70 nonpregnant) of 46 patients during 3
      periods of the luteal phase, using radioimmunoassay. In addition, 88 spontaneous
      ovulatory cycles and 100 clomiphene-treated cycles were also studied in the same
      manner. In hMG-hCG-treated cycles in the early luteal phase, the P4/E2 ratio in
      pregnant cycles was significantly higher than that in nonpregnant cycles. There
      was no significant difference between the P4/E2 ratios of the luteal phase of hMG
      hCG-treated pregnant-group, clomiphene-treated and spontaneous ovulatory cycles.
      In nonpregnant cycles, however, the P4/E2 ratio in hMG-hCG-treated cycles was
      significantly lower than that in clomiphene-treated or spontaneous ovulatory
      cycles. These results suggest that in hMG-hCG-treated cycles, the P4/E2 ratio may
      be a more reliable index of luteal function for achieving pregnancy than P4
      levels alone.

PMID- 1427632
TI  - Factors promoting embryo implantation in in vitro fertilization and embryo
      transfer.
AB  - The low implantation rate after embryo transfer (ET) is the most important
      problem to be solved in in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET).
      Various factors which may affect embryo implantation in the endometrium have been
      examined. In this study, the influence of the timing of luteinization on the
      establishment of pregnancy was investigated. Follicle stimulation was performed
      by luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist, human menopausal gonadotropin
      and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). hCG was injected on the day when the mean
      diameter of two follicles exceeded 16 mm, and 36 h after the injection the oocyte
      was retrieved. Progesterone (P4) supplement was started on the day of ovum
      retrieval (50 mg), followed by 30 mg for 14 days. The patients were divided into
      three groups: (1) the pregnant patients (n = 20: group Pre); (2) the nonpregnant
      patients without bleeding during P4 injection (n = 35; group N), and (3) the
      nonpregnant patients with bleeding during P4 injection (n = 30; group B). The
      number of follicles that developed, endometrial thickness, the day of operation,
      the number of oocytes harvested, the number of good quality oocytes, the number
      of oocytes fertilized, the number of embryos transferred, estradiol (E2) and P4
      levels, and the E2/P4 ratio were examined. The endometrial thickness of group Pre
      (10.9 +/- 0.6 mm; mean +/- SEM) on the day of hCG injection was significantly (p
      less than 0.05) greater than that of groups N (9.0 +/- 0.4 mm) and B (9.2 +/- 0.3
      mm).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427633
TI  - Further observations on serial serum immunoreactive inhibin levels in the luteal
      phase and early gestation after ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization
      and embryo transfer.
AB  - Serum immunoreactive inhibin of the luteal phase was measured by radioimmunoassay
      in 71 patients in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). The
      correlation between the pregnancy outcome and the serial inhibin pattern from the
      luteal phase to early gestation was studied. In nonconception cycles (n = 35),
      serum inhibin concentration rose and reached a peak level around 5 or 6 days
      after oocyte pick-up (OPU), then fell to the level of the early follicular phase.
      In conception cycles (n = 22), serum inhibin levels rose again 10-15 days after
      OPU. Serum inhibin levels were significantly higher from 10 days after OPU in
      multiple pregnancy (n = 5) than in single pregnancy (n = 17). In viable single
      pregnancy (n = 17), serum inhibin levels were significantly higher than in non
      viable pregnancy (n = 14) from 15 days after OPU. Serum inhibin levels in early
      gestation correlated well with the pregnancy outcome of IVF-ET. These data
      suggest that inhibin is an important factor for the diagnosis of pregnancy
      outcome.

PMID- 1427634
TI  - Role of corpus luteum function in embryo implantation.
AB  - The present study was undertaken to evaluate the role of corpus luteum function
      in the implantation process of cryopreserved embryos. Six patients with tubal
      infertility were studied, with a total of 27 fresh embryos being replaced
      following controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and in vitro fertilization. These
      embryo transfers failed to produce pregnancy. From the patients, 22 supernumerary
      embryos were cryopreserved and 10 viable frozen-thawed embryos were transferred
      in a subsequent natural cycle, resulting in 2 pregnancies. In 1 of the
      pregnancies, the serum concentrations of estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) in
      the midluteal phase were 29 pg/ml and 5.6 ng/ml, respectively. These values were
      considered to be below the physiological range. These data suggest that a
      pregnancy can be achieved in spite of low circulating E2 and P4 levels during the
      luteal phase, which are generally indicative of the luteal phase defect.

PMID- 1427635
TI  - Day-night rhythm disturbance, pineal function and human disease.
AB  - Depression, mania and probably starvation all induce changes in pineal function.
      At present it is unknown what secondary effects on the endocrine and other
      systems are produced by these changes. Studies in rats have established an
      entraining effect of melatonin on locomotor activity and a feedback effect on the
      pineal itself. Studies of jet-lag and of sleep dysregulation in a blind subject
      established that melatonin treatment has a synchronizing effect in these
      conditions. Further investigations will be necessary to establish whether
      melatonin reduction in depression and other disorders leads secondarily to
      dysregulation of other circadian rhythms.

PMID- 1427636
TI  - Gonadotropin regulation, oestrogens and the immune system.
AB  - Several transmitters and neuropeptides participate in the regulation of
      gonadotropins. At the hypothalamic level, control of gonadotropin releasing
      hormone (GnRH) involves noradrenaline, GABA, glutamate, angiotensin II,
      neuropeptide Y, neurotensin, and 5-hydroxytryptamine as well as interleukins 1
      and 2. Ovarian steroids can interfere with gonadotropin regulation by either
      direct effects on GnRH release or by increasing the sensitivity of anterior
      pituitary cells to GnRH, thus potentiating the release of pituitary hormones.
      These interactions involve discrete actions on second messenger systems; similar
      processes also account for brain and endocrine effects on immune cells.

PMID- 1427637
TI  - Neurohypophyseal peptides and psychopathology.
AB  - The study of neurohypophyseal peptides in various neuropsychiatric disorders is
      of interest because the hypothalamo-posterior pituitary axis is directly
      influenced by modifications of central neurotransmitter metabolism involved in
      behaviour control. Moreover, the main neurohypophyseal peptides, namely
      vasopressin and oxytocin, are themselves capable of modifying behaviour. In this
      paper the author discusses current understanding of the anatomy and physiology of
      the main central vasopressinergic and oxytocinergic pathways, followed by a
      description of the principal actions of exogenously administered vasopressin and
      oxytocin on human behaviour. Finally, modification of endogenous neurohypophyseal
      function encountered in different pathological states are described.

PMID- 1427638
TI  - Genetic disorders of adrenal hormone synthesis.
AB  - Steroid 21-hydroxylase is the enzyme involved in 90-95% of cases of congenital
      adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). The general feature of CAH, which results from an
      enzymatic block at any stage in the synthesis of cortisol, is increased serum
      adrenocorticotropin and thus stimulated adrenal synthesis of steroids proximal to
      the block. All enzyme defects causing CAH are autosomal recessive traits. The
      early steps in cortisol synthesis are common to adrenal and gonadal steroid
      pathways, thus CAH caused by dysfunction of the enzymes supporting these steps is
      also characterized by insufficient production of gonadal hormones, causing
      impaired genital development in the genetic male. The absence of or severe
      reduction of steroid 21-hydroxylase activity also causes prenatal hypersecretion
      of androgens by the adrenal cortex, which results in external genital ambiguity
      in genetic females. This paper discusses the classical and nonclassical forms of
      CAH, their aetiology, diagnosis and treatment, and also describes recent advances
      in prenatal diagnosis and treatment which avoids the need for corrective genital
      plastic surgery in infancy.

PMID- 1427639
TI  - The experience of neonatal screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

PMID- 1427640
TI  - Adrenal disorders and polycystic ovary syndrome.
AB  - Adrenal hyperandrogenism is a common feature of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCO).
      It is controversial whether the noncongenital adrenal hyperplasia disorders
      represent some sort of primary defect within the adrenal gland or are secondary
      to the effects of the abnormal hormonal milieu on adrenal enzyme activity, either
      the high androgen or luteinizing hormone levels. Adrenal androgens, both directly
      and by their aromatization to oestrogens, can cause the clinical and biochemical
      syndrome of PCO.

PMID- 1427641
TI  - Evaluation of young women with congenital adrenal hyperplasia: a pilot study.
AB  - To evaluate the outcome of medical and surgical treatment of 10 young women with
      congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), final height, weight, body proportions and
      body hair growth as well as aspect and functionality of the external genitalia
      were assessed. The final height was below-2 SD of the target height in 55%,
      though the body proportions were in the normal range. Only 3 patients were
      menstruating regularly. Scores for 'hormonal' body hair growth were in a higher
      range. Gynaecological examination revealed that in 5 out of 9 patients, the
      genitalia were functionally acceptable. This pilot study stresses that from birth
      into adulthood of female patients with CAH there is a need for a combined
      therapeutic approach by a paediatric endocrinologist, a surgeon and a
      psychologist. This will improve the physical and psychosocial well-being of these
      patients.

PMID- 1427642
TI  - Congenital anorchia: natural history and treatment.
AB  - This paper discusses the definition, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of
      congenital anorchia. It concludes that preparations containing esters of
      testosterone are preferable to synthetic derivatives for long-term treatment as
      they are metabolized in the same way as endogenous testosterone. In addition, it
      appears that recommended doses for replacement therapy are lower than previously
      suggested. An ideal formulation of testosterone for use in androgen replacement
      therapy is not currently available.

PMID- 1427643
TI  - Physical and mental development of adolescent males with Klinefelter syndrome.
AB  - Of 25,000 Danish schoolboys, aged 15-16 years, 16 were found to have previously
      undiagnosed Klinefelter's syndrome. Comparison of these boys with normal controls
      indicated that on average these subjects had increased height, reduced weight,
      impaired hearing, slightly lowered intelligence, poor school performance,
      increased incidence of psychological consultation and lowered sexual activity
      compared with their peers.

PMID- 1427644
TI  - Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism; the genetic defect. A hypothesis based on human
      and animal prototypes.
AB  - X-linked hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) in humans may involve the genes
      responsible for the development and migration of GnRH neurons from the olfactory
      placode to the hypothalamus. The evidence for this includes the lack of
      hyperprolactinaemia in cases of X-linked HH, the associated abnormalities in the
      context of contiguous gene syndromes involving Xp deletions, and pertinent
      anatomical findings. The genetic defect in human HH appears, therefore, to be
      different from that found in the hpg mouse model.

PMID- 1427645
TI  - Clinical data regarding the growth of diabetic children.
AB  - Many authors have reported retarded growth in children with diabetes, though this
      has been a somewhat variable finding. However, with the newer treatment regimens
      for diabetes the problem of reduced growth rates has largely been solved.

PMID- 1427646
TI  - Insulin and growth factors adaptation to normal puberty.
AB  - Insulin and IGF-1 production were measured throughout childhood and puberty and
      into adult life. Basal insulin and IGF-1 secretion increased during puberty,
      falling back to prepubertal levels in adulthood. However, fasting glucose levels
      remained constant, implying an increase in tissue resistance to insulin
      coinciding with puberty.

PMID- 1427647
TI  - The GH-transgenic mouse as an experimental model for growth research: clinical
      and pathological studies.
AB  - The objectives and the methodology of mammalian gene transfer are discussed and
      findings in growth hormone (GH) transgenic mice are reported to illustrate the
      potential offered by genetically designed animal models for investigations in
      various areas of biomedical research. Transgenic mice expressing hybrid genes
      composed of either human or bovine GH coding sequences fused to the mouse
      metallothionein I promoter show high serum levels of heterologous GH, increased
      growth rates and final adult size, decreased life expectancy and a variety of
      pathological changes.

PMID- 1427648
TI  - Growth hormone gene regulation by trans-acting factors.
AB  - The promoter sequence of the growth hormone (GH) gene binds the ubiquitous
      factors nuclear factor 1, activator protein-2, upstream stimulatory factor and
      Sp1. A pituitary-specific factor known as growth hormone factor 1 or Pit-1 also
      binds to the promoter sequence. This factor is responsible for somatotroph
      specific expression of GH. It is also involved in the effect of GH-releasing
      hormone and in the ontogeny of the anterior pituitary.

PMID- 1427649
TI  - Biological rhythms in reproductive processes.
AB  - Biological rhythms play an important role in the regulation of many different
      physiological systems, including the reproductive system. The 24-hour clock
      system plays a role in regulating the production, release, synthesis and action
      of reproductive hormones and in the timing of critical events in the ovarian
      cycle. Research into the importance of biological rhythms on human reproduction
      is just beginning, future work is likely to reveal new and unexpected ways in
      which these rhythms affect human reproduction.

PMID- 1427650
TI  - Perinatal development of day-night rhythms in humans.
AB  - Evidence suggests that the suprachiasmatic nuclei function as a circadian
      pacemaker in humans. The development of the circadian timing systems may be
      similar to that described in rodents and nonhuman primates. Awareness of
      circadian rhythmicity during development should improve infant care and increase
      the understanding of several disease states.

PMID- 1427651
TI  - Hepatitis C virus infection in medical personnel after needlestick accident.
AB  - Hepatitis C virus infections in medical personnel after needlestick accidents
      have been documented generally by detection of seroconversion to a hepatitis C
      virus nonstructural region antigen, c100-3 (a marker of infection). We tested for
      hepatitis C virus core-derived antibodies and genomic RNA in addition to c100-3
      antibody in 159 cases of needlestick exposure that did not involve patients
      positive for HBsAg. Of these we found 68 cases with index patients positive for
      both hepatitis C virus RNA and antibodies and members negative for antibodies to
      HCV core or c100-3 before the needlestick accidents. Seven of these medical
      personnel became infected with hepatitis C virus after the accidents. Their
      hepatitis was generally subclinical or self-limited and transient, except for one
      patient in whom liver enzyme elevation persisted along with the antibodies. In
      our study, the risk of hepatitis C virus transmission from a single needlestick
      accident with hepatitis C virus RNA-positive blood was 10%, considerably higher
      than the 4% estimated in a previous study. We found that donor blood with
      antibody to an hepatitis C virus core-derived peptide with enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay optical densities greater than 2.0 carried a significant risk
      of transmitting hepatitis C virus to needlestick victims. No hepatitis C virus
      seroconversions occurred in medical personnel exposed to hepatitis C virus
      antibody-negative or hepatitis C virus RNA-negative blood; however, one such
      exposure resulted in a very mild non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis.

PMID- 1427652
TI  - Therapy for chronic hepatitis B with lymphoblastoid interferon-alpha and
      levamisole.
AB  - About one third of patients with chronic hepatitis B show a sustained response
      when treated with interferon-alpha. Combining interferon-alpha with
      immunomodulators might be a way to increase response rate. The aim of this study
      was to compare the efficacy of lymphoblastoid interferon-alpha given alone with
      its efficacy when combined with levamisole in chronic hepatitis B. Forty-five
      patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis were randomly selected (with
      stratification for ALT levels) to receive a 6-mo course of combination therapy
      with lymphoblastoid interferon-alpha (5 million units/m2 three times per week)
      and levamisole (150 mg three times per week) or lymphoblastoid interferon at the
      same dose regimen and a matching placebo. Final evaluation 18 mo after
      randomization revealed a loss of both HBeAg and hepatitis B virus DNA with ALT
      normalization in 38% of patients treated with interferon-alpha alone and in 10%
      of patients receiving combination therapy. The higher response rate observed in
      patients treated with interferon-alpha alone was maintained after stratification
      for basal ALT levels (i.e., higher [45% vs. 10%] or lower [31% vs. 9%] than three
      times the upper normal value). The length of time to sustained HBeAg clearance
      was significantly (p < 0.05) shorter in patients receiving monotherapy than in
      patients receiving combination therapy. Blinded histological assessment revealed
      improvement in 44% of patients treated with interferon-alpha alone compared with
      improvement in 6% of patients receiving combination therapy. These results
      indicate that levamisole has no additive effects when combined with interferon
      alpha in the treatment of HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis.

PMID- 1427653
TI  - Expression and localization of the small and large delta antigens during the
      replication cycle of hepatitis D virus.
AB  - To study the expression and localization of delta antigen during the replication
      cycle of hepatitis D virus, we cotransfected HuH-7 hepatoma cells with a
      hepatitis B virus expression plasmid and plasmids expressing the small or large
      delta antigen or the entire HDV genome. The transfected cells and culture medium
      were analyzed on double immunofluorescence staining for delta antigen and HBsAg,
      on Western blotting and on Northern-blot hybridization from 4 hr to 9 days after
      transfection. In cells transfected with the expression plasmid carrying the small
      delta antigen open reading frame, only the small delta antigen was expressed; it
      was localized in the nucleolus and was not released into the medium during the
      culture period. In cells transfected with the large delta antigen expression
      plasmid, the large delta antigen expressed was localized in the nucleolus at the
      initial stage; this was followed by relocalization in nucleoplasm. Finally, large
      delta antigen was released in HBsAg-enveloped particles within 1 day of
      transfection. In cells cotransfected with hepatitis B virus and hepatitis D virus
      expression plasmids, the small delta antigen was expressed 4 hr after
      transfection, whereas the large form was expressed 3 days after transfection.
      Expression of the large delta antigen coincided with the localization changes
      from nucleolar to mixed stage and, finally, to nucleoplasm and release of the
      hepatitis D virus particles. The large delta antigen appears to play a key role
      in relocalization of the delta antigen and packaging of the hepatitis D virus
      virions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427654
TI  - Emergency liver transplantation for fulminant liver failure in infants and
      children.
AB  - We report our results with orthotopic liver transplantation in children with
      fulminant liver failure. Thirty-five children with fulminant liver failure were
      evaluated for liver transplantation. The main causes of liver failure were viral
      hepatitis (54.2%), drug-induced liver injury (14.2%) and Wilson's disease
      (11.4%). Children were considered as candidates for liver transplantation only if
      hepatic encephalopathy was associated with a decrease in the level of factor V to
      below 25%. Seven children (20%) did not meet this criterion and recovered
      spontaneously. Six children (17.1%) had contraindications for liver
      transplantation and died. In three of these six children, contraindications
      included irreversible brain damage at the time of admission. Twenty-two children
      (62.8%) met the criteria for liver transplantation and were placed on the
      emergency transplant list. Three of them died awaiting grafts. Nineteen children
      underwent liver transplantation; 13 of them (68.4%) are alive without sequelae,
      after 6 mo to 4 yr of follow-up, at this writing. Four of the children who died
      after surgery had severe encephalopathy on admission that did not improve after
      liver transplantation. In conclusion, emergency liver transplantation appears to
      be an effective treatment for children with fulminant liver failure.
      Nevertheless, irreversible brain damage developed in 10 patients, and they died
      before or after surgery. We postulate that many of these deaths could have been
      avoided if children had been transferred to a liver transplantation facility and
      had undergone transplantation earlier. We emphasize that children with acute
      liver failure should be transferred to a center that performs liver
      transplantation before the development of hepatic encephalopathy.

PMID- 1427655
TI  - Human cholecystitis is associated with increased gallbladder prostaglandin I2 and
      prostaglandin E2 synthesis.
AB  - Microsomal prostanoid synthesis was compared in normal gallbladders removed
      during organ donation and inflamed gallbladders removed at cholecystectomy.
      Normal human gallbladder microsomes demonstrated low rates of conversion of
      [14C]arachidonic acid to total labeled prostanoids, which increased during 1 to
      30 min of incubation. Normal human gallbladder microsomes converted labeled
      substrate to all primary prostaglandins without demonstration of a major product.
      Inflamed human gallbladder microsomes increased the rate of conversion of
      [14C]arachidonic acid to total labeled prostanoids two or three times over the
      levels demonstrated by normal gallbladder microsomes at all times of incubation
      (p < 0.01). The main prostanoids synthesized by the inflamed human gallbladder
      microsomes were prostaglandin E2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha, which were
      increased four times over the levels demonstrated by normal gallbladder
      microsomes (p < 0.01). These data showed that inflammation of the human
      gallbladder was associated with increased synthesis of gallbladder 6-keto
      prostaglandin F1 alpha and prostaglandin E2.

PMID- 1427656
TI  - Octreotide inhibits the meal-induced increases in the portal venous pressure of
      cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension: a double-blind, placebo-controlled
      study.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the long-acting
      somatostatin analog, octreotide, on portal venous pressure and collateral blood
      flow in cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension during fasting and
      postprandial states. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we investigated
      the effects of octreotide on the hepatic venous pressures and azygos blood flow
      of 21 patients before and after a standard liquid meal containing 40 gm of
      protein in 250 ml. Octreotide significantly reduced azygos blood flow from a mean
      of 499 +/- 65 ml/min to a mean of 355 +/- 47 ml/min (p < 0.01), but it had no
      effect on the hepatic venous pressure gradient. The hepatic venous pressure
      gradient of patients in the placebo group increased significantly, from a fasting
      mean of 16.4 +/- 1.6 mm Hg to a mean of 20.0 +/- 1.7 mm Hg 30 min after the meal
      (p < 0.01). In a second protocol hepatic venous pressures were measured in 20
      patients at 30-min intervals for 2 hr after ingestion of the mixed meal. Again
      the placebo group showed a significant increase in the hepatic venous pressure
      gradient 30 min after the meal (20.4 +/- 1.5 mm Hg vs. 18.2 +/- 1.2 mm Hg; p <
      0.05), but the group receiving octreotide showed no significant changes during
      the 2 hr of observation. We conclude that octreotide significantly reduces azygos
      blood flow, with little effect on portal venous pressure, and that it appears to
      inhibit postprandial increases in portal pressure in cirrhotic patients with
      portal hypertension.

PMID- 1427657
TI  - Characterization of sodium-dependent amino acid transport activity during liver
      regeneration.
AB  - Liver regeneration occurs after removal of or damage to a portion of the liver;
      it leads to restoration of the original liver mass. The activities of three
      sodium-dependent amino acid transporters--system A, system N and system ASC--were
      determined during a 5-day period of liver regeneration in the rat. Seventy
      percent hepatectomy or laparotomy was performed in pairs of rats; these rats'
      livers were removed at different time points after surgery. Transport activity
      was determined through measurement of the Na(+)-dependent uptake of tritiated
      amino acids by isolated hepatic plasma membrane vesicles. System A activity, as
      measured by the Na(+)-dependent uptake of 2-aminoisobutyric acid, is increased in
      the regenerating liver 2 to 24 hr after surgery compared with that of controls.
      Kinetic analysis of 2-(methylamino)isobutyric acid uptake showed a 100% increase
      in the maximum velocity of system A transport in the hepatectomized animals with
      no change in the Michaelis constant, suggesting an increase in the number of
      system A transport proteins in the plasma membrane of regenerating liver. During
      liver regeneration, no changes were noted in the transport activities of system N
      and system ASC as measured by the uptake of glutamine and cysteine, respectively,
      in the presence of 2-(methylamino)isobutyric acid. Our work suggests that system
      A performs a unique role in the secondary active transport of its substrate
      neutral amino acids to meet the metabolic demands of regenerating liver.

PMID- 1427658
TI  - The incidence of portal vein thrombosis at liver transplantation.
AB  - The incidence of portal vein thrombosis was examined in 885 patients who received
      orthotopic liver transplantations for various end-stage liver diseases between
      1989 and 1990. The thrombosis was classified into four grades. Grade 1 was
      thrombosis of intrahepatic portal vein branches, grade 2 was thrombosis of the
      right or left portal branch or at the bifurcation, grade 3 was partial
      obstruction of the portal vein trunk, and grade 4 was complete obstruction of the
      portal vein trunk. Among the 849 patients without previous portosystemic shunt,
      14 patients (1.6%) had grade 1, 27 patients (3.2%) had grade 2, 27 patients
      (3.2%) had grade 3 and 49 patients (5.8%) had grade 4 portal vein thrombosis. The
      incidence of portal vein thrombosis was highest (34.8%) in the patients with
      hepatic malignancy in the cirrhotic liver, followed by those with Budd-Chiari
      syndrome (22.2%) and postnecrotic cirrhosis of various causes (15.7%). The
      patients with encephalopathy, ascites, variceal bleeding, previous splenectomy
      and small liver had significantly higher incidences of portal vein thrombosis
      than the others. The total incidence of portal vein thrombosis among the 36
      patients with previous portosystemic shunt was 38.9%, which was significantly
      higher than that (13.8%) of those without shunt.

PMID- 1427659
TI  - Failure of simple biochemical indexes to reliably differentiate fulminant
      Wilson's disease from other causes of fulminant liver failure.
AB  - Serum, urine and tissue biochemical findings were studied in 21 cases of
      fulminant Wilson's disease with respect to the value of a recently described
      biochemical index based on serum alkaline phosphatase and total serum bilirubin
      levels, and these cases were compared with 193 other cases of fulminant liver
      failure. Serum bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase and AST levels found in fulminant
      Wilson's disease were significantly different from those found in other cases of
      fulminant liver failure, but differentiation from other causes of fulminant liver
      failure on the basis of these biochemical parameters was not possible. The
      alkaline phosphatase/bilirubin and aspartate AST/bilirubin ratios derived from
      the above parameters were also significantly lower in fulminant Wilson's disease
      than in other categories of fulminant liver failure, but distinction between
      diagnostic categories on this basis was not possible. When ratios that correctly
      identified all cases of fulminant Wilson's disease were selected, 59/190 (31%)
      and 84/190 (44%) cases of non-Wilsonian fulminant liver failure would erroneously
      be assigned a diagnosis of fulminant Wilson's disease, by alkaline
      phosphatase/bilirubin and AST/bilirubin ratios, respectively. A low alkaline
      phosphatase-to-bilirubin ratio (< 0.57) in any category of fulminant liver
      failure suggested a significantly worse prognosis than in cases with higher
      ratios (chi 2, Yates' corrected = 5.37, p = 0.02). In the Wilson's disease group,
      serum and hepatic copper and ceruloplasmin concentrations were normal in 4/21,
      2/15 and 2/19, respectively, whereas urinary copper level was elevated in 18/18
      and was the most valuable test in diagnosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427660
TI  - Sequential appearance of intestinal mucosal cell types in the right and caudate
      liver lobes of furan-treated rats.
AB  - Furan rapidly induces in rat liver a unique, lobe-specific pattern of development
      of intestinal metaplasia and associated cholangiofibrosis. To establish early
      cell-precursor relationships in the genesis of this cholangiofibrosis, a time
      course study was conducted in which young adult male Fisher 344 rats received
      furan by gavage at a daily dose of 45 mg/kg body wt over a 32-day treatment
      period. An analysis of individual liver lobes obtained at different time points
      from these animals during furan treatment revealed the following sequence of
      histopathological changes, which were located mainly in the right and, to a
      lesser extent, the caudate liver lobes: day 1, severe hepatonecrosis in zone 3
      extending into zone 2 of the liver acini; days 3 to 5, presence of a diffuse
      inflammatory cell infiltrate in hepatonecrotic areas, which gradually resolved;
      day 7, prominent bile ductule hyperplasia in tissue sections exhibiting marked
      loss of normal liver parenchyma; day 9, continued replacement of injured liver by
      hyperplastic bile ductule tissue, which now contained occasional metaplastic
      glandular structures composed of columnar basophilic epithelial cells; days 12 to
      16, increasing cell diversity in the developing metaplastic glands, with the
      sequential appearance of goblet cells, Paneth cells and serotonin-positive
      neuroendocrine cells; and day 32, typical cholangiofibrosis defined by
      hyperplastic bile ductule-type structures in association with an increased number
      of metaplastic intestinal glands and progressively more dense fibrotic stroma.
      Interestingly, at 16 and 32 days the cellular composition of the newly formed
      metaplastic intestinal glands in liver closely resembled that of the crypts of
      Lieberkuhn in the normal adult rat small intestine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1427661
TI  - Direct evidence that hepatocyte growth factor is a hepatotrophic factor for liver
      regeneration and has a potent antihepatitis effect in vivo.
AB  - Hepatocyte growth factor, a potent mitogen for mature hepatocytes in vitro, seems
      to function as a hepatotrophic factor for liver regeneration. We examined the
      mitogenic effect of hepatocyte growth factor on mouse liver in vivo. The labeling
      index of hepatocytes was markedly increased when recombinant human hepatocyte
      growth factor was injected intravenously into mice subjected to 30% hepatectomy
      (control, 1.7% +/- 0.1%; 1 microgram hepatocyte growth factor, 6.4% +/- 1.3%; 5
      micrograms hepatocyte growth factor, 18.3% +/- 0.2%) and into mice administered
      carbon tetrachloride (control, 12.7% +/- 1.0%; 1 microgram hepatocyte growth
      factor, 26.3% +/- 2.8%) or alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (control, 0.4% +/- 0.1%;
      1 microgram hepatocyte growth factor, 3.8% +/- 1.1%; 5 micrograms hepatocyte
      growth factor, 14.2% +/- 2.0%). In addition, weights of the remnant livers in
      mice given hepatocyte growth factor 60 hr after 30% hepatectomy were
      significantly greater than those of untreated control mice (control, 0.93 +/-
      0.04 gm; 5 micrograms hepatocyte growth factor, 1.06 +/- 0.04 gm). Hepatocyte
      growth factor prevented any marked increase in the serum levels of liver enzymes
      and bilirubin when it was administered to mice also treated with alpha
      naphthylisothiocyanate (control: ALT, 394 +/- 278 IU/L; lactate dehydrogenase,
      2,644 +/- 1,109 IU/L; bilirubin, 9.6 +/- 2.6 mg/dl; and 5 micrograms hepatocyte
      growth factor: ALT, 135 +/- 7.9 IU/L; lactate dehydrogenase, 1,672 +/- 626 IU/L;
      bilirubin, 1.0 +/- 0.8 mg/dl). Our findings show that intravenously injected
      hepatocyte growth factor stimulates the growth of hepatocytes in mouse liver and
      protects the integrity of hepatocytes in vivo against hepatitis caused by
      hepatotoxin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427662
TI  - Inflammation and platelet-activating factor production during hepatic
      ischemia/reperfusion.
AB  - The role of platelet-activating factor as a potential mediator of hepatic
      inflammatory injury associated with liver ischemia/reperfusion was investigated
      using a partial no-flow model in rats in vivo. Platelet-activating factor levels
      of livers from sham-operated rats and from animals experiencing hepatic
      reperfusion for less than 6 hr were very low. They were observed to increase
      significantly after 12 hr of reperfusion and reached peak levels after a 24-hr
      reperfusion period, a time when maximal hepatic injury and inflammation occurred.
      Treatment of experimental rats with WEB2170, a platelet-activating factor
      receptor antagonist, attenuated the hepatic injury and inflammation, as evidenced
      by decreases in plasma ALT and in hepatocyte necrosis and neutrophil
      infiltration. Both inactivation of Kupffer cells with gadolinium chloride and
      inhibition of the formation of reactive oxygen species with allopurinol reduced
      platelet-activating factor production in the liver, whereas induction of
      neutropenia had no effect, suggesting that interaction of Kupffer cells with
      oxygen-derived free radicals may be a plausible mechanism for hepatic platelet
      activating factor accumulation. It is concluded that platelet-activating factor
      contributes to the inflammatory consequences of ischemia/reperfusion underlying
      late-phase hepatic injury.

PMID- 1427663
TI  - Differential expression of hepatocyte growth factor, transforming growth factor
      alpha and transforming growth factor-beta 1 messenger RNAs in two experimental
      models of liver cell proliferation.
AB  - Hepatocyte growth factor, a potent hepatocyte mitogen in vitro, appears to
      trigger hepatocyte regeneration after partial hepatectomy and after acute liver
      cell necrosis. Transforming growth factor-alpha and transforming growth factor
      beta 1 may also be involved in the control of liver regeneration. In this study
      we assessed possible roles of hepatocyte growth factor, transforming growth
      factor-alpha and transforming growth factor-beta 1 on liver cell proliferation in
      vivo, using a model of choline deficiency that is associated with liver cell
      necrosis and a model of a hypolipidemic agent (4-chloro-6-(2,3 xylidino)-2
      pyrimidinylthio (N-beta-hydroxyethyl) acetamide) without liver necrosis. Male
      F344 rats were fed a choline-deficient diet or 0.16% 4-chloro-6-(2,3 xylidino)-2
      pyrimidinylthio (N-beta-hydroxyethyl) acetamide diet for 6 and 4 wk,
      respectively. Rats were killed periodically, and the expression of hepatocyte
      growth factor messenger RNA in the liver, lung and kidney was determined by
      Northern-blot analysis. The levels of transforming growth factor-alpha and
      transforming growth factor-beta 1 messenger RNAs in the liver were also
      determined. Feeding a choline-deficient diet for 1 to 6 wk led to gradual
      increases in the levels of hepatocyte growth factor, transforming growth factor
      alpha and transforming growth factor-beta 1 messenger RNAs in the liver. Feeding
      a 4-chloro-6-(2,3 xylidino)-2-pyrimidinylthio (N-beta-hydroxyethyl) acetamide
      diet for 3 days and 2 wk induced marked enhancement of liver cell proliferation
      as judged by hepatocyte 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine incorporation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427664
TI  - Identification and partial characterization of a hepatocyte-derived factor
      promoting proliferation of cultured fat-storing cells (parasinusoidal lipocytes).
AB  - The molecular and cellular mechanisms of activation of fat-storing cells (Ito
      cells or parasinusoidal lipocytes), a prerequisite of the fibrogenic response of
      injured liver, were studied by analysis in vitro of some aspects of the
      intercellular communication between parenchymal liver cells and fat-storing
      cells. Conditioned medium harvested from early serum-free monolayer cultures of
      hepatocytes isolated from normal rat liver stimulated strongly, reproducibly and
      dose-dependently the proliferation of nonconfluent fat-storing cells maintained
      under serum-reduced conditions. During exposure of fat-storing cells for 48 hr to
      the conditioned medium, the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA was
      stimulated four to six times over control values, the DNA content per culture
      well was elevated by 40% above control values and the immunocytochemical
      detection of bromodeoxyuridine-labeled cell nuclei was increased from 13% stained
      nuclei in controls to 70% stained nuclei in treated fat-storing cells. The
      mitogenic effects of hepatocyte-conditioned medium were similar to or even higher
      than those of 10% fetal calf serum. No mitoinhibitory activity could be detected
      in the hepatocyte-conditioned medium when arginase, as a potential inhibitor, was
      excluded. Rat skin fibroblasts could not be stimulated under conditions where the
      proliferation activity of fat-storing cells was greatly enhanced. The occurrence
      of the mitogenic activity in the medium is not dependent on de novo synthesis or
      secretion because the media of hepatocytes cultured under anoxic conditions in
      the presence of cycloheximide, brefeldin A or ethylenediaminetetraacetate were
      highly active in promoting fat-storing cell proliferation, although hepatocyte
      viability was greatly reduced under some of these conditions. A significant
      positive correlation (r = 0.95, p < 0.01) was found between lactate dehydrogenase
      activity and the mitogenic potency of the conditioned medium. The proliferation
      factor for fat-storing cells could also be demonstrated in the lysate of freshly
      isolated hepatocytes from normal liver. The stimulatory activity in the medium
      was partially enriched by a combination of gel permeation and anion exchange fast
      protein liquid chromatography and characterized as a protein with an apparent
      molecular weight of about 60 kD that is heat and pH sensitive but insensitive to
      reducing agents. It does not bind to immobilized heparin; nor does soluble
      heparin or proteinase inhibitor affect the mitogenic activity of the
      factor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1427665
TI  - Effect on the canine Eck fistula liver of intraportal TGF-beta alone or with
      hepatic growth factors.
AB  - Transforming growth factor-beta canceled the hepatocyte proliferation caused by
      transforming growth factor-alpha when the two substances were mixed and
      administered through a disconnected central portal vein branch after creation of
      an Eck fistula. In contrast, transforming growth factor-beta had no antidotal
      action on the stimulatory effects of insulin or full test doses of insulinlike
      factor-2, hepatocyte growth factor, epidermal growth factor or triiodothymanine.
      A minor antidotal effect on hepatic stimulatory substance activity could be
      detected, but only with hepatic stimulatory substance was given in doses smaller
      than those known to cause maximum stimulatory response. These results suggest a
      highly specific pharmacological and physiological interaction between
      transforming growth factor-alpha and transforming growth factor-beta in the
      modulation of liver growth control.

PMID- 1427666
TI  - Rapid donor liver nutritional enhancement in a large animal model.
AB  - Organ donors are typically subject to acute hyponutrition that might affect
      postpreservation liver function. Livers from nutritionally supplemented rats
      function better after preservation than livers from fasted rats. We have
      developed a method to glycogenate the liver of large animals in the temporal
      context of a human donor liver operation and have studied the fate of glycogen
      stores during preservation. Starved anesthetized pigs were infused with a hexose
      solution (glucose, fructose or galactose) by way of the superior mesenteric vein
      for 3 hr. Regular porcine insulin was infused to maintain a hyperglycemic
      hyperinsulinemic arterial glucose clamp at 12 to 16 mmol/L. Liver biopsy
      specimens and blood samples were taken before infusion and hourly. At 3 hr the
      liver was excised, stored for 24 hr at 1 degrees C in University of Wisconsin
      solution and biopsied. It was then placed at 20 degrees C for 1 hr to simulate
      the reimplantation stage of transplantation. Glycogen and nucleotide levels were
      measured, and results were corrected for starch in the University of Wisconsin
      solution. A 20% glucose infusion produced rapid hepatic glycogenation without
      side effects. Greater glycogenation was obtained with 20% fructose but at the
      cost of lactic acidosis and a fall in pH. A combination of 15% glucose and 5%
      fructose produced intermediary glycogenation without significant side effects.
      Galactose (20%) was less efficient than glucose alone. The addition of alanine
      and glutamine (20 mmol/L) did not significantly improve glycogenation. Metabolism
      of glycogen at 1 degree C did occur. Glycogen content fell 0.15% +/- 0.05% dry
      weight liver per hour during cold preservation and 5.49% +/- 2.15% per hour
      during ischemic rewarming.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427667
TI  - Selection and timing of liver transplantation in primary biliary cirrhosis and
      primary sclerosing cholangitis.
AB  - In summary, we answer the three questions we have previously posed: (a) Can liver
      transplantation prolong survival? Evolving data from several centers indicate
      that liver transplantation indeed prolongs survival in patients with PBC and PSC
      as compared with estimated survival using disease-specific risk scores based on
      the natural history of PBC and PSC. (b) Can we optimize timing of liver
      transplantation? Although many factors enter into the timing of liver
      transplantation, including when the patient is actually referred for liver
      transplantation and the individual desires of the patient to pursue liver
      transplantation, evidence is growing that having patients with chronic liver
      diseases like PBC and PSC undergo transplantation a little earlier in the course
      of the disease rather than waiting until the patients have experienced life
      threatening complications or are on life-support measures can indeed improve
      early postliver transplant survival. In patients with PBC and PSC, the survival
      risk score, which reflects disease severity, can serve as an objective
      measurement to assess and evaluate the effect of liver disease severity on
      transplant outcome. Indeed, a number of studies have strongly suggested that
      optimal timing of liver transplantation may indeed be important to improve
      outcome, decrease morbidity and decrease cost. (c) Does the present allocation
      system in the United States allow for optimal use of our scarce donor organ
      resource?(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427668
TI  - Hepatitis C among health care providers: risk factors and possible prophylaxis.

PMID- 1427669
TI  - Cholangitis and endoscopic drainage.

PMID- 1427670
TI  - Surgical management of the Budd-Chiari syndrome: no place for a procrustean bed.

PMID- 1427671
TI  - Chronic graft-vs.-host disease of the liver: another indication of
      ursodeoxycholic acid?

PMID- 1427672
TI  - Psychiatric lessons from the Persian Gulf War.

PMID- 1427673
TI  - Diagnostic issues for conversion disorder.

PMID- 1427674
TI  - Managed care for patients who are treatment resistant.

PMID- 1427675
TI  - Parallel treatment: therapy with one clinician and medication with another.

PMID- 1427676
TI  - An estimation of the impact of OBRA-87 on nursing home care in the United States.
AB  - The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA-87) established criteria for
      Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes to use in admitting or retaining
      mentally ill patients. In effect, the law created five dispositional categories
      for residents or potential residents of nursing homes. Using data from the 1985
      National Nursing Home Survey conducted by the National Center for Health
      Statistics, the authors estimate what proportion of nursing home residents would
      fall into each of the categories. They suggest that the initial impact of the law
      will be to shift costs from federal programs to the states. Nursing homes will be
      expected to provide more mental health services. In the absence of other
      services, the regulations have a high potential for creating homelessness and
      continuing a pattern of failure to adequately serve patients with serious mental
      illness.

PMID- 1427677
TI  - Classification of amok in DSM-IV.
AB  - Culture-bound syndromes have been described worldwide in many individuals and,
      for certain syndromes, in epidemic proportion, yet these disorders have been
      classified as rare and exotic conditions warranting minimal attention.
      Development of the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
      Mental Disorders and the tenth edition of the International Classification of
      Diseases offers an opportunity for providing a more sophisticated classification
      of these phenomena. The authors examine amok, a syndrome first described in
      Malaysia that consists of homicidal frenzy preceded by a state of brooding and
      ending with somnolence and amnesia. They discuss the concept of and criteria for
      a culture-specific disorder and propose that amok be classified as a culture
      specific explosive behavioral disorder in DSM-IV.

PMID- 1427678
TI  - Clinical factors associated with better quality of life in a seriously mentally
      ill population.
AB  - Improving the quality of life of persons with chronic mental illness is becoming
      an important treatment goal. In this study, 101 former acute care psychiatric
      inpatients with serious mental illness who were living in Mississippi communities
      were interviewed using portions of Lehman's Quality of Life Interview. A
      particular focus was whether clinical characteristics, such as medication
      compliance and social skills, that could be changed by interventions were
      associated with patients' ratings of their quality of life. Self-reports of
      better quality of life were associated with fewer depressive symptoms, fewer
      medication side effects, and better family interactions. Results indicate that
      clinical interventions to improve quality of life in this population should
      include family psychoeducational programs and better detection, evaluation, and
      treatment of both depressive symptoms and side effects of medication.

PMID- 1427679
TI  - Case management, quality of life, and satisfaction with services of long-term
      psychiatric patients.
AB  - Two scales developed in Great Britain, the QOL Profile and the General
      Satisfaction Questionnaire, were used to examine the relationship between type of
      case management services and quality of life and satisfaction with treatment of
      68 long-term psychiatric patients in Colorado. Factor analysis identified three
      types of case management activities that tended to occur together: assertive
      outreach (direct help, out-of-office visits, and monitoring), brokerage (referral
      to other agencies), and counseling and assessment. Monitoring was the only
      variable positively associated with quality of life for all patients; brokerage
      was the only variable negatively associated with acceptability of services. The
      number of case management contacts was negatively associated with treatment
      satisfaction.

PMID- 1427680
TI  - Patient outcome after transfer within a psychiatric hospital.
AB  - Patients' satisfaction with the process and outcome of transfer between units of
      a private psychiatric hospital and the immediate impact of the transfer were
      examined through chart reviews (59 patients) and interviews (29 of the 59
      patients). Results suggested that most patients were satisfied with the transfer
      and were not adversely affected by it. Satisfaction was positively correlated
      with briefer hospitalization, feeling better (less anxious or depressed) after
      transfer, and being informed ahead of time about the program on the new unit. The
      adversely affected patients had fewer previous hospitalizations at the current
      facility, were transferred sooner after admission, and had briefer current stays.
      No relationship was found between adverse effects and dissatisfaction. Patients
      suggested that better communication, more information about the new unit, and
      more advance notice would be helpful.

PMID- 1427681
TI  - Treatment-resistant chronic mental illness: is it Asperger's syndrome?
AB  - In some cases of treatment-resistant chronic mental illness, it may be useful to
      reconsider the primary diagnosis. Patients with Asperger's syndrome, a rare
      pervasive developmental disorder, have characteristics such as eccentricities,
      emotional lability, anxiety, poor social functioning, repetitive behavior, and
      fixed habits that can mimic symptoms of other illnesses, including schizophrenia
      spectrum illness, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive
      disorder. Their disorganizing anxiety in response to stress, which may be
      accompanied by increased oddness of speech, can easily be misinterpreted as
      psychosis. The author describes features of Asperger's syndrome, discusses
      differential diagnosis, and presents care examples. A habilitative treatment plan
      that concentrates on modifying the patient's eccentricities into strengths and
      carefully tailors the work and living situation may be effective with some
      patients.

PMID- 1427682
TI  - Classification and characteristics of Army stress casualties during Operation
      Desert Storm.
AB  - During the Persian Gulf War, the U.S. Army provided mental health care to
      soldiers using a model that emphasized the identification and management of
      factors associated with combat stress. Nonpathological labels, such as combat
      stress reaction, a non-hospital-based care delivery system, and simple
      interventions were used to promote return to duty. The authors describe such
      services provided to the U.S. Army 7th Corps. A total of 158 patients were
      treated; 72 percent were men. Seventy percent were from the junior ranks.
      Thirteen soldiers were treated for axis I disorders, four for axis II disorders,
      and 118 for stress reactions. Ninety-nine percent of the soldiers treated were
      returned to effective duty after a brief intervention.

PMID- 1427684
TI  - Cultural influences in psychotherapy with refugee survivors of torture and
      trauma.
AB  - A selective review of the literature describing treatment of refugee survivors of
      torture and trauma revealed that approaches to psychotherapy used in treating
      South American patients differed from those used in treating Indochinese
      patients. South American patients were receptive to psychodynamic
      psychotherapeutic approaches that focused on detailed recollection of past
      trauma. Indochinese patients responded to a broader-based rehabilitation approach
      that could include psychotropic medication, supportive psychotherapy, and
      assistance in meeting practical needs. The authors suggest that many of the
      differences in treatment of the two groups may be attributed to cultural factors,
      with South American patients reflecting an affinity for the Western philosophical
      assumptions in which psychodynamic therapy is rooted and Indochinese patients
      reflecting a cultural background that values responsibility to the group,
      deference to authority, and restrained modes of emotional expression.

PMID- 1427683
TI  - Clinical presentation of PTSD in World War II combat veterans.
AB  - Clinicians have increasingly recognized posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
      among Vietnam veterans, but the disorder may be easily overlooked among World War
      II combat veterans. The authors review recent studies of PTSD in older veterans
      and describe five cases that illustrate the diverse clinical presentations of
      PTSD in this population. Symptoms included anxiety, cognitive and somatic
      complaints, depression, alcohol dependence, and amnestic periods. Despite the
      varied presentations, a fairly consistent patient profile emerged. Patients
      avoided reminders of war, showed an exaggerated startle response, and experienced
      restless sleep and chronic anxiety. Factors associated with exacerbations of
      symptoms were retirement and reminders of war experiences. Although past studies
      have emphasized resuppression of the trauma, the authors encourage a flexible
      approach to treatment, including exploratory techniques.

PMID- 1427685
TI  - Social issues in the management of released hostages.
AB  - Mental health clinicians have assumed a more important role in the release of
      individuals held hostage by international terrorists. The author uses his
      experiences during three hostage releases in the late 1980s--the Achille Lauro
      incident, the hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73 in Karachi, Pakistan, and the release
      of a single hostage from Beirut--to illustrate important factors in managing
      victims. He describes an intervention model that emphasizes the importance of
      creating a healing social environment immediately after release. Such an
      environment encourages strong cohesiveness within the victim group, isolates the
      victims from external groups, promotes abreaction, and provides an opportunity
      for rest and replenishment. Interventions are made to restore a sense of power to
      the victims and to reduce their feelings of isolation and helplessness and of
      being dominated by the terrorists.

PMID- 1427686
TI  - Effectiveness of a stress recovery unit during the Persian Gulf War.

PMID- 1427687
TI  - Posttraumatic stress symptoms among soldiers exposed to combat in the Persian
      Gulf.

PMID- 1427688
TI  - State hospital patients' views about Operation Desert Storm.

PMID- 1427689
TI  - Incidence of PTSD among staff victims of patient violence.

PMID- 1427690
TI  - A collaborative nurse-physician practice model for helping persons with serious
      mental illness.

PMID- 1427691
TI  - Disability status and length of stay at a VA medical center.

PMID- 1427692
TI  - A new system of care for the homeless mentally ill.

PMID- 1427693
TI  - "The chronic patient": in search of a title.

PMID- 1427694
TI  - A model for community practice.

PMID- 1427695
TI  - Interpersonal psychotherapy of depressed HIV-positive outpatients.
AB  - In an open pilot study, 23 depressed adults infected with human immunodeficiency
      virus were treated using interpersonal therapy. Twenty subjects recovered from
      depression after a mean of 16 sessions. The authors discuss six aspects of
      interpersonal therapy that make it useful with depressed HIV-infected persons:
      psychoeducation about the sick role; a here-and-now framework; formulation of
      problems from an interpersonal perspective; exploration of options for changing
      dysfunctional behavior patterns; identification of focused interpersonal problem
      areas (grief, role transition, interpersonal disputes, and interpersonal
      deficits); and the confidence therapists gain from a systematic approach to
      problem formulation and treatment. Results suggest that mental health
      professionals should consider interpersonal therapy as a treatment for depressed
      HIV-positive patients.

PMID- 1427696
TI  - A group approach to psychosocial issues faced by HIV-positive women.
AB  - Women now constitute the fastest-growing population of persons with AIDS in the
      U.S. The psychosocial problems of women with AIDS and HIV infection are
      underrecognized, and economic, personal, and social resources to meet their needs
      are often inadequate. The authors describe development of a group for HIV
      infected women and discuss issues raised by group members. HIV-infected women
      often feel isolated and experience stigma and shame. Their roles as caregivers
      and as wives and mothers are often changed or lost, and they experience anxiety
      and confusion about options for sexual activity. They sometimes fear transmitting
      HIV to family members through non-sexual contact. Physicians may discount their
      symptoms and may need to be educated about gynecological problems associated with
      HIV. Other issues involve coping with being both ill and a mother, disclosing
      information to children about the illness, and loss of reproductive choice.

PMID- 1427697
TI  - Involvement in productive activities and satisfaction with living situation among
      severely mentally disabled adults.
AB  - Eighty-three adults with severe mental disabilities participated in a study
      examining effects on life satisfaction of having nothing to do, receipt of a
      housing subsidy, and enrollment in an intensive case management program. The
      clients were divided into four groups receiving subsidized housing and intensive
      case management, subsidized housing and nonintensive case management, intensive
      case management and nonsubsidized housing, and nonintensive case management and
      nonsubsidized housing. Initially and at ten months, clients reported how much
      time they spent with nothing to do and their level of satisfaction with supported
      living arrangements. A significant association was found between time spent with
      nothing to do and both satisfaction and change in satisfaction and between having
      a housing subsidy and satisfaction. Results suggest that getting clients involved
      in activities of their own choosing would result in much greater increases in
      satisfaction.

PMID- 1427698
TI  - A report on the "worst" state hospital recidivists in the U.S.
AB  - A total of 196 nonspecialty state hospitals in the U.S. each identified one
      patient--referred to as the hospital's "worst" recidivist--admitted to the
      hospital in 1987 who had the most lifetime admissions to that hospital. Persons
      admitted for mental retardation or substance abuse detoxification were excluded.
      The mean age of the recidivists was 42.2 years; their mean age at first admission
      was 24.7. The number of admissions per patient ranged from five to 121, with a
      mean of 31. Compared with the national population of state hospital admissions,
      significantly larger proportions of recidivists had diagnoses of schizophrenia,
      bipolar disorder, and personality disorder. More research is needed to determine
      actual community tenure of patients who receive revolving-door care and whether
      alternative approaches would be more effective.

PMID- 1427699
TI  - A clozapine treatment program for patients living in the community.
AB  - Clozapine treatment for schizophrenic patients living in the community requires
      strategies to ensure safe use of the medication and to foster patients' emerging
      social and living skills. The authors describe a clozapine treatment program in a
      community mental health center that includes a weekly clozapine support group
      meeting followed by drawing of blood for monitoring of side effects. Case
      managers and other program staff remind patients to take clozapine as prescribed
      and help them comply with hematological monitoring requirements, manage side
      effects, deal with the emotional aspects of improvement, and benefit from
      emerging capabilities. About 75 percent of the center's patients who have been
      offered clozapine have decided to take the medication, and almost all patients in
      the clozapine treatment program have experienced significant symptom relief and
      functional development with manageable side effects.

PMID- 1427700
TI  - Length of time spent in seclusion and restraint by patients at 82 VA medical
      centers.
AB  - Analysis of data from 82 Veterans Affairs medical centers showed that during a
      one-year period in 1987-88, VA psychiatric inpatients spent about 240,000 hours
      in seclusion or restraint, with about half of that time in mechanical restraints.
      The median length of time patients in each medical center spent in seclusion and
      restraint was used to classify centers as having "higher" or "usual" rates of use
      of those techniques. In the 20 centers classified as higher users, patients spent
      two to three times longer in seclusion and restraint per incident than patients
      in the 62 centers classified as usual users. Time spent by patients in seclusion
      and restraint in centers with usual rates of use was consistent with reports from
      other U.S. studies. The longer time in seclusion and restraint per incident in
      higher-user centers may be due to characteristics of the medical center or of the
      patient population.

PMID- 1427701
TI  - Do-not-resuscitate orders for depressed psychiatric inpatients.
AB  - Many patients, especially those who are elderly and who have chronic medical
      illnesses, choose to forgo cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in case of cardiac
      arrest. The right of mentally competent patients to refuse CPR is supported by
      ethicists, the courts, and medical associations. Psychiatrists are increasingly
      presented with dilemmas about resuscitation preferences of elderly psychiatric
      inpatients whose decision-making capacity may be impaired because of mental
      illness such as depression. The authors discuss justifications for patients'
      refusing resuscitation, the role of advance directives in communicating patients'
      preferences, and the use of do-not-resuscitate orders for depressed psychiatric
      inpatients. Survival rates after CPR among elderly patients with chronic medical
      illnesses are low. Patients and their families need accurate information about
      the risks and benefits of CPR and about the consequences of refusing the
      procedure.

PMID- 1427702
TI  - Improving psychiatric environments through minimal architectural change.
AB  - Minimal architectural changes in a treatment environment can lead to significant
      improvements in how the setting functions, with positive effects for staff,
      patients, and families. When a mental health center located in an antiquated
      hospital in Jerusalem added five additional entrances, the change improved
      accessibility, increased the sense of freedom, and helped define the identity of
      the units. Other therapeutic effects were obtained from minimal modifications in
      a day hospital unit, including brightening paint and changing lighting, reopening
      a separate stairway for use by patients not enrolled in the day unit, and
      defining separate living, dining, and personal-expression areas within the common
      room. The authors note that cooperation between the disciplines of architecture
      and psychiatry is essential and that the idea of change as a continuous process
      should be incorporated into an organization's culture.

PMID- 1427703
TI  - Countertransference and clinical choices in public-sector treatment of a patient
      and her family.
AB  - Clinical decision making in the treatment of families of individuals with
      prolonged mental illness can be affected by countertransference that is
      stimulated by the context of treatment as well as by the family being treated.
      For clinicians, psychoeducation, the current intervention of choice for such
      families, can serve defensive functions that are motivated by counter
      transference; a case example illustrates how such defenses led a clinician to
      avoid deeper therapeutic work. The authors believe that clinicians must strive to
      understand their motivations for whatever clinical decisions they make; to
      facilitate this awareness, intensive psychotherapy should be required as an
      adjunct to training.

PMID- 1427704
TI  - The therapist as psychoeducator.

PMID- 1427705
TI  - Response to day hospital treatment by patients with cocaine and alcohol
      dependence.

PMID- 1427707
TI  - A standardized mental status examination discriminating four major mental
      disorders.

PMID- 1427706
TI  - Medical necessity scales for inpatient psychiatric concurrent review.

PMID- 1427708
TI  - Dementia praecox: inescapable fate or psychiatric oversight?

PMID- 1427709
TI  - Prenatal care for pregnant chronic mentally ill patients.

PMID- 1427710
TI  - Consultation-liaison models.

PMID- 1427711
TI  - Montana agrees to pay $350,000 damages for rights violations of state hospital
      patients.

PMID- 1427712
TI  - Data watch. AHA: adjusted admissions hit new high in 1991.

PMID- 1427713
TI  - Hospitals cope with America's new 'family value'.
AB  - It's not a new problem, but the attention it's getting is growing every day.
      Domestic violence, or family violence, a concept that encompasses child abuse,
      partner abuse, and elder abuse, is being understood more and more as a trauma to
      the nation's families. Very often it's hospitals, particularly hospital emergency
      departments, that are the first community organization that the abused person
      sees for examination or treatment. The question is, are hospitals prepared? In a
      comprehensive look at the problem and some possible approaches to solving it,
      Hospitals senior correspondent Frank Sabatino talks to the experts in every area
      touching on this complex, tragic societal issue.

PMID- 1427714
TI  - Vendors worry: will health reform place technology on trial?
AB  - The outcome of the reform debate will have an enormous impact on the health care
      vendor community as well as on providers. With arguments swirling about regarding
      such issues as technology costs, vendors offer their views of reform.

PMID- 1427715
TI  - Tax-exempt challenges continue.
AB  - National attention to the tax-exempt status issue is not as acute as it has been
      in the last few years, but the challenges are continuing in a number of states.
      Hospital administrators and legal experts in Pennsylvania, the nation's
      flashpoint state on the issue, discuss what's going on and why.

PMID- 1427716
TI  - Employment of full-time staff outpaces part-time growth.
AB  - Data from the AHA's Hospital Panel Survey show faster growth in hospitals' full
      time staffs than in their part-time staffs in the first six months of the year.
      And slower labor cost growth was offset by fast non-labor cost growth.

PMID- 1427717
TI  - Surveying customer needs, not satisfaction, is crucial to CQI.
AB  - Experts say that understanding the differences between customer needs and
      customer satisfaction is crucial to hospitals' success in quality management. And
      hospitals on the leading edge are applying that theory to their programs.

PMID- 1427718
TI  - Medical imaging. Hospitals give renewed attention to service, costs, flow of
      images.

PMID- 1427719
TI  - Jim Brady speaks out on handgun violence.

PMID- 1427721
TI  - CEOs: planning next career move no easy task.

PMID- 1427720
TI  - Contract-management careers: risks, rewards.

PMID- 1427722
TI  - Hospitals see worker shortages continue.

PMID- 1427723
TI  - Experts urge closer look at hospital investment policies.

PMID- 1427724
TI  - MD training key factor in prevention.

PMID- 1427725
TI  - Moving from competition to collaboration.

PMID- 1427726
TI  - Observers see Clinton moving quickly on health care reform.
AB  - The 1992 presidential election was about a lot of things, from the economy to
      taxes to education. Health care reform played a major role in the public policy
      debate, and the different approaches taken by the candidates on that issue helped
      define them. A look at the result and what it may mean for the health care field.

PMID- 1427727
TI  - Data watch. Projected growth in top outpatient procedures.

PMID- 1427728
TI  - 12 cost-cutting measures. Hospitals use creative ideas to gain control of
      expenses.
AB  - With operating costs ever rising and reimbursements ever tightening, hospitals
      are looking for ways to cut costs at every turn. The good news is that there are
      a lot of innovative, imaginative approaches being tried in every area of hospital
      operations--approaches that don't require massive financial investment,
      organizational restructuring, or teams of outside consultants. The examples we've
      found through talking with hospitals across the country are a fair sample of the
      types of opportunities out there. They range across the entire hospital, from the
      laboratory to the pharmacy to nursing to waste management to the medical staff to
      the operating suite. In other words, something for everyone.

PMID- 1427729
TI  - 1991 data: low interest rates cut both ways for hospitals.
AB  - Low interest rates proved to be a mixed blessing for hospitals in 1991, as many
      capitalized on plummeting interest rates by refinancing existing debt. And though
      lower rates caused investment income to shrink, one CEO notes that, because most
      hospitals have higher debt loads than investment income, the situation has proven
      to be a net positive for that majority.

PMID- 1427730
TI  - Ambulatory care strategic plans outline hospitals' new priorities.
AB  - With more and more of hospitals' clinical services shifting to the outpatient
      sector, the issue of whether to have a separate strategic plan for ambulatory
      care is growing more prominent. Hospitals that have such plans cite many
      advantages.

PMID- 1427731
TI  - Economic forces drive collaboration push.
AB  - Over 60 percent of CEOs surveyed say their hospital will belong to a regional,
      integrated health system by 1995. The question, they say, is not whether
      integration will happen, but how.

PMID- 1427732
TI  - Hospitals tap incinerator steam to run laundry.

PMID- 1427733
TI  - Expert shows path to collaborative success.

PMID- 1427734
TI  - TV show helps Henry Ford reach Detroit's children.

PMID- 1427735
TI  - Medical record analysis can show legal risks.

PMID- 1427736
TI  - Big response to free Data Bank software.

PMID- 1427737
TI  - TQM: health care can learn from other fields.

PMID- 1427738
TI  - Health transition: examples from the western Pacific.

PMID- 1427739
TI  - Studies of cardiovascular disease and cause-specific mortality trends in Japanese
      American men living in Hawaii and risk factor comparisons with other Japanese
      populations in the Pacific region: a review.
AB  - The Honolulu Heart Program (HHP) is a long-term prospective epidemiologic study
      of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in male descendants of Japanese migrants to
      Hawaii. The article is a review of data from recent and past HHP studies relevant
      to the Seventeenth Pacific Science Congress symposium "Changes in Disease
      Patterns in the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia." The Ni-Hon-San Study, which
      compared CVD rates and risk factors in Japanese men living in Japan, Hawaii
      (HHP), and California, showed that coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke
      mortality rates in Hawaii were intermediate between rates in Japan and
      California. Gradients in CVD risk factors were similar to the gradients in
      disease rates. From 1966 to 1984 trends in incidence rates for CHD, stroke, and
      cause-specific mortality were compared for the 8006 participants and 3130 non
      participants in the HHP. CHD and stroke rates declined by about 40% for the total
      HHP cohort. There was a larger decline for CHD mortality (over 60%) in the
      nonparticipants. There was also a much greater decline in total mortality and
      cancer mortality rates in the nonparticipants. The results of the reviewed
      studies show that the subjects, although sharing a common ethnic background,
      experience different rates of disease when living in diverse geographic and
      cultural locales. This finding supports evidence that environmental and
      behavioral factors influence chronic disease rates and provides a basis for
      intervention and prevention. The finding that nonparticipants in epidemiologic
      studies can show different incidence trends suggests that caution should be used
      in interpreting trends limited only to participants.

PMID- 1427740
TI  - Temporal changes and rural-urban differences in cardiovascular disease risk
      factors and mortality in China.
AB  - We summarize several studies, from the last 10 years, of temporal changes and
      rural-urban differences in the risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in
      China to indicate the influences of economic modernization. Two national blood
      pressure surveys have shown that the prevalence of hypertension increased from
      5.1% to 7.7% between 1958-1959 and 1979-1980. Throughout China hypertension is
      more prevalent in urban areas than in rural areas. Within the Shanghai region
      body mass index, blood pressure, and total serum cholesterol were higher in urban
      districts than in rural areas. Rural-urban differences in lipid levels were also
      found in the Beijing and Guangzhou regions. A related four-year followup study
      showed that total serum cholesterol and triglycerides increased markedly in both
      urban and rural areas of Guangzhou. In Shanghai part-time farmers who worked in
      factories had a higher age-adjusted prevalence of definite hypertension than
      farmers who worked full-time in the fields (5.0% versus 2.3%). In a prospective
      study in Wuhan a new productivity-based salary system was associated with
      increased serum cholesterol and blood pressure. Age-adjusted CVD mortality
      increased from 1973 to 1982 in a rapidly industrializing county in the Shanghai
      metropolitan region. The results from several studies indicate that China is
      undergoing the expected increase in modernization-related CVD risk factors and
      mortality, especially in urban metropolitan regions.

PMID- 1427741
TI  - Causes and consequences of increase in child survival rates: ethnoepidemiology
      among the Hmong of Thailand.
AB  - The Hmong "hill tribe" minority in Thailand has much higher exposure to factors
      usually associated with risk of child mortality (high fertility, low status of
      women, low education, less use of modern medical care for births, exposure to
      warfare, economic and physical disruption, and poor hygienic conditions) than the
      rural ethnic Thai population. Nonetheless, infant mortality has declined from
      over 120 per 1000 to under 50 per 1000 live births among both these populations
      in the past 30 years. The reason for the rapid increase in child survival among
      the Hmong appears to be better access to and more use of modern curative and
      preventive medical care associated with road construction rather than major
      changes in social or hygienic conditions. Conventional wisdom suggests that high
      fertility is both a cause and a consequence of high infant and child mortality
      and that parents will not reduce fertility until they see that mortality has
      declined. Most Hmong parents recognize the decline in child mortality and
      attribute it to better access to modern medical care. Most Hmong parents also say
      that, if they were starting to have children now, they would want to have fewer
      children. Fear of child death is infrequently mentioned as a motive for having
      more children, and the perceived decline in child mortality is rarely mentioned
      as a reason for reduced fertility. Most Hmong parents explain their desired
      family size in terms of economic conditions rather than perceived risk of child
      mortality. Results of this study suggest that fertility and child mortality can
      vary independently of one another and that major reductions in child mortality
      can be accomplished without waiting for major social changes (e.g., improved
      education or status of women) or major reductions in fertility.

PMID- 1427742
TI  - Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I infection and disease in the Pacific
      basin.
AB  - Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I), the cause of adult T-cell
      leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic
      paraparesis (HAM/TSP), is widespread in the Pacific basin. Modes of virus
      transmission include blood transfusion (and intravenous drug use), breast milk,
      and sexual intercourse. High prevalences of HTLV-I infection and disease occur
      among the inhabitants of southwestern Japan and among first- and second
      generation (issei and nisei) Japanese-Americans in the Hawaiian Islands. Other
      Pacific populations with high prevalences of HTLV-I infection include several
      remote groups in West New Guinea, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and
      Vanuatu, which have had no contact with Japanese or Africans. By contrast,
      Micronesian and Polynesian populations, even those with prolonged contact with
      Japanese, exhibit low prevalences or no evidence of HTLV-I infection. Low
      prevalences of infection are also found in Australia, except among some
      aboriginal populations. Changing patterns of HTLV-I infection and disease are no
      better exemplified than in Japan, where striking reductions in transfusion
      acquired infection and subsequent development of HAM/TSP have followed the
      institution of nationwide screening of blood donors for HTLV-I infection.
      Furthermore, virus transmission from mother to infant by means of infected breast
      milk has been markedly curtailed in HTLV-I-hyperendemic regions in Japan by
      interrupting the practice of breast feeding by HTLV-I-infected mothers. The next
      frontier of HTLV-I research is in Melanesia, where highly divergent sequence
      variants of HTLV-I have been discovered.

PMID- 1427743
TI  - Genetic disease patterns in Japan: a review.
AB  - Comprehensive genetic studies in which the genetic structure of a population is
      considered against the background of ecological factors, including environmental
      and social variables, often supply valuable information for the solution of a
      number of problems in human biology, including reproductive compensation and
      inbreeding depression. In the first section of this paper we consider the
      incidence of genetic diseases in Japan in reference to other populations. Some of
      the genetic disorders found elsewhere do not occur or are of lower frequencies in
      Japan. On the other hand, a number of genetic diseases occur at higher than usual
      frequencies, leading to an incidence of genetic disease of the order of about 1
      per 100 in newborn Japanese. We next review the studies of consanguinity in Japan
      and report evidence of very high levels, ranging from 8.6% to 58.0%, for villages
      during the early part of the twentieth century. The rates are declining rapidly
      for the country but, because of traditional social values, inbreeding rates
      remain significant in many small villages. In the final section we consider the
      probable trends in the frequency of inbreeding on a worldwide basis and point out
      that frequencies of certain genetic diseases are likely to remain high and even
      increase in some societies because of various socially prescribed mating
      patterns.

PMID- 1427744
TI  - Familial resemblance of blood pressure with residual household environmental
      effects in consanguineous and nonconsanguineous families from Andhra Pradesh,
      India.
AB  - Familial aggregation of blood pressure (BP), both systolic (SBP) and diastolic
      (DBP), was examined in consanguineous and nonconsanguineous families from
      southern India. Path analysis of BP suggests inbreeding effects, with the genetic
      variance for SBP being lower in the sample that included inbred families.
      Specifically, genetic heritability for SBP was 38% in the nonconsanguineous
      sample but only 23% in the combined sample. Genetic heritability for DBP (30%)
      did not vary by sample, nor were sample differences in cultural heritability
      detected for either SBP (over 35%) or DBP (about 18%). These findings are
      remarkably similar to those in a French-Canadian population of Quebec; both
      reports found a considerably larger effect of the home environment on BP than
      previous studies.

PMID- 1427745
TI  - Importation route of the sickle cell trait into Portugal: contribution of
      molecular epidemiology.
AB  - To elucidate the origin and spread of the sickle cell trait into the Portuguese
      population, we examined nine polymorphic DNA markers within the beta globin gene
      cluster defining the haplotype. The population sample included 64 sickle-cell
      gene-bearing individuals from defined Portuguese-speaking white, black, and Asian
      Indian populations. The nature and geographic distribution of the different beta
      S haplotypes in Portugal suggest that the sickle cell trait has been imported
      twice: between the eighth and the thirteenth centuries from the Mediterranean
      basin (in association with the Benin haplotype) and after the fifteenth century
      from black Africa over an Atlantic route (Senegal and Bantu haplotypes).

PMID- 1427746
TI  - Genetic heterogeneity and population structure of Gond-related tribes in the
      Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.
AB  - Genetic heterogeneity in nine polymorphic loci is observed among Gond-related
      tribes in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Pardhans, with their high ABO*A2
      gene frequency (4.01%), low m gene frequency (57%), high P*1 gene frequency
      (42.7%), and high HbS trait (31.58%), differ significantly from other tribes. Per
      locus average heterozygosity among the studied tribes ranged from 36.24% to
      40.37%, with Pardhans being more heterozygous. Analysis by FST and the empirical
      relationship between average allele frequencies and the ratio of within-gene to
      total gene diversity show that the tribes are isolated and that differentiation
      among them is at an early stage and approximately in conformity with expected
      differentiation under genetic drift. However, distances and principal components
      analysis reveal that Pardhans are far removed from the other tribes and from
      other central Dravidian tribes. Furthermore, of the various demographic
      parameters estimated, the high average heterozygosity in Pardhans is
      significantly correlated with mean marital distance (MMD), regression of MMD on
      wife's age, and effective population size. There is congruence between genetic
      and demographic data, showing that Pardhans are distinct. This conforms with
      Haimendorf's (1979) contention based on cultural traits that Pardhans are Gonds
      by historical accident and are later migrants to the Gond area from the north.
      The most significant and practical observation of the present study is that
      migration from an originally nontribal (Pardhan) to a tribal (Gond) area and
      admixture lead to severe disease course, differential selection pressure, and
      hence highly elevated HbS trait frequency.

PMID- 1427747
TI  - The emerging role of molecular diagnostics in surgical pathology.

PMID- 1427749
TI  - Expression of the bcl-2 oncogene product and chromosomal translocation t(14;18)
      in Hodgkin's disease.
AB  - The B-cell lymphoma/leukemia oncogene bcl-2 takes part in crucial regulatory
      events in B-cell maturation and differentiation. The reciprocal chromosomal
      translocation t(14;18), leading to overexpression of this oncogene, can be found
      in the majority of follicular lymphomas and much less frequently in B-cell
      leukemias and diffuse lymphomas. We have studied the expression of this protein
      in different subtypes of Hodgkin's disease using monoclonal antibodies directed
      against a formalin-resistant epitope of the bcl-2 protein and also have
      investigated these cases by polymerase chain reaction for evidence of the
      t(14;18) translocation. We were particularly interested to determine whether
      nodular paragranuloma (lymphocyte-predominant, nodular), which differs from other
      subtypes of Hodgkin's disease by virtue of the B-cell nature of its malignant
      cell population, is characterized by expression of the bcl-2 protein. Our data
      indicate that only a small number of nodular paragranulomas express the bcl-2
      protein and that the expression is not specific for this type of Hodgkin's
      disease. In a smaller number of cases this expression of bcl-2 could be explained
      by the presence of the translocation t(14;18).

PMID- 1427748
TI  - Concurrent mutations of coding and regulatory sequences of the Ha-ras gene in
      urinary bladder carcinomas.
AB  - This report concerns the study of Ha-ras gene mutations and ras p21 expression in
      primary tumors of the urinary bladder. Polymerase chain reaction-based techniques
      and computerized image analysis were used. The data obtained were related to
      tumor grade, DNA ploidy, and tumor invasion. A point mutation (G-->T) at Ha-ras
      codon 12 was found in 30 of 67 tumors. The mutation frequency was greater in
      grade III (65%) than in grade II (44%) tumors; no mutations were observed in
      grade I tumors. The mutation was observed more often in aneuploid (58%) than in
      diploid (28%) tumors. No other substitution at codon 12 was seen and no codon 61
      mutation was detected. The tumors were also tested for the A-->G mutation at
      position 2719 of Ha-ras intron D. Concurrent codon 12 and intron D mutations were
      identified in seven high-grade aneuploid tumors; six were invasive. The levels of
      the ras gene product p21 were approximately 10 times higher in tumors with intron
      D mutation than in those without. These findings confirm on human bladder tumors
      the observations of the effect of synchronous exon-intron mutations reported on
      the bladder cancer cell line T24. Our results are the first demonstration of Ha
      ras intron D alterations in human tumor tissues and suggest that concurrent
      mutations at codon 12 and intron D of this gene within the same tumor may
      contribute to the aggressive behavior of human bladder carcinomas.

PMID- 1427750
TI  - Computerized morphonuclear characteristics and DNA content of adenocarcinoma of
      the pancreas, chronic pancreatitis, and normal tissues: relationship with
      histopathologic grading.
AB  - We report the morphonuclear characteristics of normal (13 cases), benign (ie,
      chronic) pancreatitis (six cases), and neoplastic (ie, ductal) adenocarcinoma (22
      cases) tissues of the pancreas. This description is based on computerized cell
      image analysis, which permits the determination of parameters related to the
      morphometric (nuclear area), densitometric (nuclear DNA content), and chromatin
      texture features of Feulgen-stained nuclei from paraffin-embedded archival
      material. We observed that nuclear area discriminates between normal and benign
      (ie, chronic pancreatitis) as opposed to neoplastic cell nuclei. Morphonuclear
      parameters describing chromatin pattern characteristics made it possible to
      discriminate between grade I pancreatic carcinoma and normal and benign cell
      nuclei on the one hand, and grades I and III carcinoma on the other hand. The
      nuclear DNA content increased in a continuous manner from normal and benign
      through low-grade to high-grade neoplastic tissues of the pancreas. Combining the
      morphometric, densitometric, and textural parameters into one equation, we were
      able to calculate a score (ie, the malignancy level index) that showed a close
      relationship to conventional histopathologic grading. Thus, the computer-aided
      diagnosis of cytologic specimens from pancreatic lesions offers information of
      the same significance as that obtained by conventional histopathologic grading.

PMID- 1427751
TI  - Pulmonary vascular involvement in sarcoidosis: a report of 40 autopsy cases.
AB  - We examined pulmonary vascular involvement in 40 autopsy cases of sarcoidosis. In
      these cases granulomatous involvement was observed at all levels from large
      elastic pulmonary arteries to venules, and venous involvement was more prominent
      than arterial involvement. The extent of granulomatous vascular involvement was
      related to that of parenchymal granuloma. No significant difference was found
      between upper and lower lobes in the incidence of granulomatous vascular
      involvement. The distribution of granulomata in the blood vessels was segmental
      and adventitial, and medial involvement was prominent in the larger vessels.
      Healed lesions of granulomatous vascular involvement also were observed at
      various levels in blood vessels. Prominent granulomatous involvement was found in
      the lymphatic capillaries and collecting lymphatic vessels in lungs with
      sarcoidosis. Serial sections of the lungs demonstrated interstitial granuloma
      directly connecting the lymphatic capillaries around small blood vessels.
      Granulomatous involvement in vasa vasorum and lymphatic capillaries is likely to
      be an important factor in the pathogenesis of granulomatous vascular involvement
      in lungs with sarcoidosis. The present study suggests that granulomatous vascular
      involvement and its sequelae may contribute to the development of pulmonary
      sarcoidosis.

PMID- 1427752
TI  - Morphologic findings and causes of failure in 24 explanted Ionescu-Shiley low
      profile pericardial heart valves.
AB  - From 1981 to 1987 just over 608 Ionescu-Shiley low-profile bovine pericardial
      bioprostheses were implanted at the Toronto Hospital. Twenty-four prostheses (11
      aortic and 13 mitral) were surgically explanted from 1988 to 1990 from 20 adults
      (10 men and 10 women). Prosthesis failure was caused by primary tissue failure in
      17 valves or by other mechanisms in seven valves. Variable degrees of tissue
      failure were also seen in four of the seven valves from the latter group. Primary
      tissue failure was characterized by fluid insudation between collagen bundles,
      para stent post tears (alignment stitch related, 20 valves), cusp perforation
      with prolapse, and calcification. The earliest cusp tears occurred at 28 months.
      Calcification (10 of 24 cases) was minimal in seven of 10 valves (occurring
      primarily at the margins of the torn cusp), moderate in two, and severe in one.
      Tissue overgrowth (pannus) was seen in all but three prostheses. Like its
      predecessor, the Ionescu-Shiley standard pericardial valve, this prosthesis
      failed at 2 to 5 years largely due to design-related (alignment stitch) causes
      and tissue degeneration. Calcification was less prominent, while tissue
      overgrowth (pannus) was more marked.

PMID- 1427753
TI  - False aneuploidy in benign tumors with a high lymphocyte content: a study of
      Warthin's tumor and benign thymoma.
AB  - The quality of results of flow cytometric DNA content analysis of formalin-fixed,
      paraffin-embedded tissue may be affected by a number of preanalytical variables.
      We performed flow cytometric DNA content analysis on two types of benign tumors
      to investigate the effect of a prominent lymphocytic component: Warthin's tumor
      (N = 20) and benign thymoma (N = 8). Malignant tumors (N = 23) were included as
      DNA aneuploid controls. All tissues studied were archival material processed
      using Hedley's technique either without prolonged rehydration in water (day 0
      samples) or with 24- or 48-hour rehydration (day 1 and day 2 samples,
      respectively). Image cytometric DNA ploidy analysis was also performed on most
      cases. Eight cases (40%) of Warthin's tumor and five cases (63%) of benign
      thymoma showed either hyperdiploid peaks or marked asymmetry on the day 0 DNA
      histograms; nine of the malignant tumors were aneuploid. The DNA histogram
      abnormalities of the benign tumors could be gated out by excluding the lymphocyte
      nuclei. None of the DNA indices of the benign tumors corresponded with expected
      deviations based on published chromosomal studies. All of the DNA histogram
      abnormalities of the benign tumors disappeared and/or fused with the main peaks
      on the day 1 or day 2 samples, except for one case of benign thymoma. All the DNA
      aneuploid peaks on the malignant tumors persisted with prolonged rehydration.
      Image cytometric DNA analysis showed a diploid pattern in all benign tumors. We
      conclude that a high lymphocyte content may be a cause of false aneuploidy in
      these benign tumors. Furthermore, the degree of rehydration appears to be an
      important factor in achieving optimum fluorochrome staining of DNA.

PMID- 1427754
TI  - Necrotizing funisitis: a study of 45 cases.
AB  - Necrotizing funisitis (NF) is a distinctive inflammatory condition of the
      umbilical cord, characterized by perivascular concentric rings of inflammatory
      cells, necrotic debris, or calcium deposits. Necrotizing funisitis has been
      strongly associated with syphilis by some investigators, while others have failed
      to link NF with any consistent infectious agents. We examined 45 cases of NF to
      determine its relationship with syphilis. Five (11%) mothers had syphilis as
      confirmed by a positive rapid plasma reagin test and a positive fluorescent
      antibody absorbed test, 31 (69%) had a negative rapid plasma reagin test or
      venereal disease research laboratory test, and test results were not available
      for the remaining nine (20%). There was no record of syphilis in those babies
      born to mothers without confirmed syphilis. Estimated gestational age at the time
      of delivery ranged from 18 to 40 weeks (mean, 28 weeks). Prolonged rupture of
      membranes was present in 28 (62%) of the mothers, and ranged from 1 to 51 days
      (mean, 9 days); this was the most frequently seen maternal factor in connection
      with NF. Fourteen (31%) of the babies were stillborn or nonviable, including
      three (60%) of the five born to mothers with syphilis. Maternal and fetal
      cultures revealed no consistent microorganisms. Placental histology was
      significant for chronic villitis in 26 (58%) cases, including all five (100%)
      with maternal syphilis. Acute chorioamnionitis was present in each case (100%)
      and varied from mild to severe. We conclude that (1) NF has a polymicrobial
      etiology, (2) in the absence of other placental findings associated with syphilis
      NF should not be considered presumptive of this disease, and (3) factors leading
      to NF may also contribute to acute chorioamnionitis, premature rupture of
      membranes, and stillbirth.

PMID- 1427755
TI  - Distribution of transforming growth factor-beta 1 in human astrocytomas.
AB  - We used immunohistochemical techniques to study the distribution of transforming
      growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) and infiltrating lymphocytes and macrophages in
      human astrocytomas. Thirteen of 15 grade 4 astrocytomas (glioblastomas) showed
      staining with anti-TGF-beta 1 antibody, predominantly in proliferating
      endothelial complexes and surrounding small and medium-sized blood vessels. Brain
      tissue microscopically free of tumor cells (n = 8) and more differentiated
      astrocytomas of varying grade (1 to 3; n = 6) devoid of endothelial proliferation
      did not stain with anti-TGF-beta 1. Normal brain contained only rare
      lymphoreticular cells. The majority of astrocytomas studied, however, contained T
      lymphocytes and macrophages with smaller numbers of B lymphocytes. The
      lymphoreticular infiltrates were concentrated primarily in close proximity to
      blood vessels. Within an individual tumor perivascular regions staining for TGF
      beta 1 never contained more than occasional T lymphocytes. Perivascular regions
      not staining for TGF-beta 1 frequently contained low to high numbers of T
      lymphocytes. The inverse relationship in the distribution of TGF-beta 1 and
      lymphocyte infiltrates is compatible with a functional relationship between this
      cytokine and an immune effector cell response to glioblastomas.

PMID- 1427756
TI  - Lung carcinoma with spindle cell components: sixteen cases examined by
      immunohistochemistry.
AB  - Sixteen cases of lung carcinoma with spindle cell components were studied by
      conventional histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. The epithelial components
      were squamous cell carcinoma in six cases, adenocarcinoma in four, adenosquamous
      carcinoma in five, and large cell carcinoma in one. In every case sarcomatous
      areas were distinctly observed and, in general, neoplastic spindle cells
      proliferated in close proximity to the epithelial elements. Some of the
      histochemical procedures suggested mesenchymal features in the stroma of the
      exophytic portions of three cases, but heterogeneous elements, such as bone or
      striated muscle, were not observed. By immunohistochemical examination the
      epithelial elements showed positive reactions for keratin, epithelial membrane
      antigen, and/or carcinoembryonic antigen to a varying degree according to the
      histologic types. The spindle cell elements revealed a positive immunoreaction
      for keratin in all but one case. Epithelial membrane antigen was demonstrated in
      sarcomatous areas of only five cases and carcinoembryonic antigen was not
      expressed at all. In contrast, vimentin was distinctly demonstrated in
      sarcomatous areas of five cases, although other mesenchymal markers, such as
      desmin, actin, and myosin, were negative. These findings indicate that the
      spindle cell components in these 16 cases may represent mesenchymal features with
      partial or complete loss of epithelial features.

PMID- 1427757
TI  - The morphologic characteristics of tumor blood vessels as a marker of tumor
      progression in primary human uveal melanoma: a matched case-control study.
AB  - Nine morphologic patterns of tumor vessels were identified in eyes removed for
      ciliary body or choroidal melanoma by the examination of tissue sections stained
      with fluorescein-conjugated Ulex europaeus I using laser scanning confocal
      microscopy. This technique also highlights intravascular tumor invasion. Each of
      these nine morphologic patterns of tumor vessels also may be demonstrated by a
      modification of the periodic acid-Schiff reaction, viewed with a green narrow
      band pass filter, but this modified histochemical technique does not accurately
      identify intravascular tumor invasion. Most tumors have a heterogeneous
      distribution of vascular patterns. Melanomas in two groups of 20 tumors each were
      matched by tumor size and location (one group of tumors from patients who
      survived at least 15 years free of metastatic melanoma after enucleation and one
      group of tumors from patients who died of metastatic melanoma). A matched case
      control analysis indicates that the presence of at least one closed vascular loop
      in a uveal melanoma is the most significant vascular pattern associated with
      death from metastatic melanoma after enucleation. Closed loops are associated
      with other histologic features that are predictive of an unfavorable outcome
      after enucleation: epithelioid cells and mitotic figures. In this preliminary
      study the formation of closed vascular loops is a marker of tumor progression in
      ciliary body and choroidal melanomas.

PMID- 1427758
TI  - Plunging ranula: a case report and a literature review.
AB  - The plunging ranula is a mucous extravasation cyst of the sublingual gland. It is
      slightly more common in females, shows no side preference, and is more prevalent
      in the second and third decades of life. It typically manifests as a painless,
      nonmobile swelling in the neck and in four of five cases is associated with an
      intraoral ranula or swelling. If there is no history of an oral ranula the
      clinical diagnosis is difficult, and it may be left to the reporting pathologist
      to give the correct diagnosis. The histologic appearance is characteristically of
      a cyst, devoid of epithelium or endothelium, with a vascular fibro-connective
      tissue wall containing some chronic inflammatory cells and macrophages stuffed
      with mucin. The correct diagnosis is essential for the most effective treatment,
      which is excision of the sublingual gland.

PMID- 1427759
TI  - Multicystic pancreatic hamartoma: a distinctive lesion with immunohistochemical
      and ultrastructural study.
AB  - A multicystic pancreatic hamartoma is reported in a 20-month-old female who
      presented with abdominal pain and distention. This appears to be a distinctive
      lesion not previously characterized in the English language literature. The 9-cm
      mass consisted of large, irregular lobules of well-formed pancreatic acini
      admixed with fibrous tissue and fat. Cystically dilated ducts of variable caliber
      lined by benign epithelium were present. Endocrine cell islets were not evident.
      Immunohistochemistry and ultrastructural examination illustrated insulin
      producing cells diffusely throughout the exocrine tissue as single cells or in
      small groups. Cells producing other pancreatic hormones were markedly decreased
      when compared with an age-matched control pancreas and were similarly dispersed.
      The patient was alive and well without tumor 9 months later. This entity may
      provide an unusual opportunity for insight into pancreatic organogenesis and
      pancreatic cellular differentiation.

PMID- 1427760
TI  - Autopsies should be required in tissue donation.

PMID- 1427761
TI  - The manpower shortage: a neophyte's perspective.

PMID- 1427762
TI  - Estimation of mitotic count in tumors.

PMID- 1427763
TI  - Epithelial degeneration induced by Helicobacter pylori.

PMID- 1427764
TI  - Oocyte selection: a new model for the maternal-age dependence of Down syndrome.
AB  - Previously proposed mechanisms for Down syndrome (trisomy 21) have generally
      invoked a progressive increase in meiotic nondisjunction to explain maternal-age
      dependence, but models of this sort have failed to predict the observed patterns
      of marker segregation. Here we propose instead that age-dependent trisomy 21
      results primarily from a mechanism that favors maturation and utilization of
      euploid oocytes in preference to the pre-existing aneuploid products of mitotic
      (premeiotic) nondisjunction. The increased utilization of aneuploid oocytes at
      later stages of maternal life would result from their increased proportion
      following many progressive cycles of selection against their maturation in
      earlier stages. Derivation of a quantitative model and evaluation of existing
      data indicate that the pattern of marker segregation associated with age
      dependent trisomy 21 supports the proposed mechanism.

PMID- 1427765
TI  - Mitochondrial gene segregation in mammals: is the bottleneck always narrow?
AB  - The segregation of a heteroplasmic silent polymorphism in the mitochondrial ND6
      gene has been followed in a human maternal lineage comprising eight individuals
      and spanning three generations. Heteroplasmy persisted in all eight maternally
      related family members. More importantly, the frequencies of the two alleles
      showed relatively little variation among individuals or between generations. In
      contrast to the findings in other mammalian lineages, the present results
      indicate relatively slow mitochondrial gene segregation. A narrow bottleneck in
      the number of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecules, which occurs at some stage of
      oogenesis, has been advanced to explain rapid mammalian mitochondrial gene
      segregation. It is suggested here that the segregation of mitochondrial genes may
      be more complex than initially envisaged, and that models need to be developed
      that account for both rapid and slow segregation. One possibility, which
      reconciles both physical and genetic studies of mammalian mtDNA, is that the unit
      of mitochondrial segregation is the organelle itself, each containing multiple
      mtDNA molecules.

PMID- 1427766
TI  - Detection of seven point mutations in the porphobilinogen deaminase gene in
      patients with acute intermittent porphyria, by direct sequencing of in vitro
      amplified cDNA.
AB  - Direct cDNA sequencing has been performed on asymmetrically amplified transcripts
      from the human porphobilinogen deaminase gene. Lymphocytes from 30 patients with
      acute intermittent porphyria were the source of mRNA; of the seven separate point
      mutations detected, three were silent, whereas four resulted in amino acid
      changes. Three of these changes involved highly conserved amino acids, and the
      remaining one a conserved charge. One of these mutations was predicted to cause
      structural alterations in the protein product. The application of this method to
      affected families allows the direct identification of these heterogeneous
      mutations, thus permitting the unequivocal detection of carriers.

PMID- 1427767
TI  - A minority of 46,XX true hermaphrodites are positive for the Y-DNA sequence
      including SRY.
AB  - A total of 30 cases of 46,XX true hermaphroditism was analysed for Y-DNA
      sequences including the recently cloned gene for male testis-determination SRY.
      In 3 cases, a portion of the Y chromosome including SRY was present and, in 2
      cases, was localised, to Xp22 by in situ hybridisation. Since previous studies
      have shown that the majority of XX males are generated by an X-Y chromosomal
      interchange, the Xp22 position of the Yp material suggests that certain cases of
      hermaphroditism can arise by the same meiotic event. The phenotype in the 3 SRY
      positive cases may be caused by X-inactivation resulting in somatic mosaicism of
      testis-determining factor expression giving rise to both testicular and ovarian
      tissues. Autosomal or X-linked mutation(s) elsewhere in the sex-determining
      pathway may explain the phenotype observed in the remaining 27 SRY-negative
      cases.

PMID- 1427768
TI  - Different chromosomal localization of two adenylyl cyclase genes expressed in
      human brain.
AB  - Recently, we characterized a cDNA clone that encodes a human brain adenylyl
      cyclase (HBAC1). In the present study, we identified a second population of mRNA
      suspected to encode a new brain adenylyl cyclase (HBA C2). The amino acid
      sequence of HBA C2 displays significant homology with HBA C1 in the highly
      conserved adenylyl cyclase domain (250 aminio acids), found in the 3' cytoplasmic
      domain of all mammalian adenylyl cyclases. However, outside this domain, the
      homology is extremely low, suggesting that the corresponding mRNA originates from
      a different gene. We report here the first chromosomal localization of the
      adenylyl cyclase genes determined by in situ hybridization of human metaphase
      chromosomal spreads using human brain cDNA probes specific for each mRNA. The
      probe corresponding to HBA C1 exhibited a strong specific signal on chromosome
      8q24, with a major peak in the band q24.2. In contrast, the HBA C2 probe
      hybridized to chromosome 5p15, with a major peak in the band p15.3. The two cDNAs
      hybridized at the two loci without any cross reactivity. Thus, in human brain, a
      heterogeneous population of adenylyl cyclase mRNAs is expressed, and the
      corresponding genes might be under the control of independent regulatory
      mechanisms.

PMID- 1427769
TI  - Commingling and segregation analysis of serum uric acid in five North American
      populations: the Lipid Research Clinics family study.
AB  - The role of major genes in the expression of serum uric acid (UA) levels was
      investigated in data collected from five clinics of the Lipid Research Clinics
      (LRC) family study. Over 2,000 randomly ascertained individuals were analyzed.
      The UA distributions were homogeneous among the five LRC clinics and between the
      parental and offspring generations. This result suggested that the data could be
      pooled across clinics, thereby increasing the statistical power associated with
      larger sample sizes for testing various null hypotheses. Additionally, a mixture
      of three normal distributions best characterized the combined-clinics data.
      Segregation patterns were examined in the untransformed data, as well as in a
      more conservative (and biologically meaningful) log transformation. Prior to log
      transformation, both major and multifactorial effects were detected. The major
      effect was not transmissible, i.e., was not compatible with Mendelian
      transmission, and accounted for 39% of the variance in UA levels. However, after
      the log transform was applied to the data and the segregation analysis was
      repeated, support for the major effect disappeared altogether and only the
      multifactorial component remained, accounting for 50% of the variation in
      offspring and 19% in patients.

PMID- 1427770
TI  - Molecular genotyping of N-acetylation polymorphism to predict phenotype.
AB  - N-acetylation polymorphism is one of the representative pharmacogenetic traits
      that underlie interindividual and interethnic differences in response to
      xenobiotics. To develop a practical genotyping method to predict acetylator
      phenotype, we studied the conditions for accurate phenotyping, and identified the
      phenotype in 51 Japanese. Then we performed Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA
      from these subjects using 32P-labeled cDNA for polymorphic N-acetyltransferase in
      the liver, and found that four N-acetyltransferase alleles generated six
      genotypes. The present genotyping method predicted the rapid, intermediate, and
      slow acetylators correctly in 48 of 51 overall subjects (96%) and in all of 4
      slow acetylators.

PMID- 1427771
TI  - De novo mutation within the intron-exon junction in the PiZ allele of the alpha-1
      antitrypsin gene.
AB  - A proband homozygous for the PiZ allele of the alpha-1-antitrypsin gene was found
      to be a heterozygous carrier of the additional nucleotide substitution (C-T)
      within the intron IV-exon V junction (position 9955 in intron IV, 3 bp upstream
      of its 3'-splice site). This mutation was not found in DNA from either the PiZ
      heterozygous parents or the PiZ homozygous brother of proband.

PMID- 1427772
TI  - Sperm chromosome analysis of two males heterozygous for a t(2;17)(q35;p13) and
      t(3;8)(p13;p21) reciprocal translocation.
AB  - Sperm chromosome complements from two males, one heterozygous for the reciprocal
      translocation t(2;17)(q35;p13) (n = 18) and one for t(3;8) (p13;p21) (n = 73),
      were analyzed. Only 2:2 segregations were observed with t(2;17): alternate, 56%;
      adjacent-I, 33%; adjacent-II, 11%. Both 2:2 and 3:1 meiotic segregations occurred
      in t(3;8): alternate, 34.2%; adjacent-I, 43.8%; adjacent-II, 20.5% and 3:1, 1.4%.
      A significant excess of chromosomally normal versus balanced sperm complements
      was observed with both translocation heterozygotes. The frequencies of other
      chromosome aberrations unrelated to the translocations were 16.7% for t(2;17) and
      8.2% for t(3;8). The ratio of X-bearing to Y-bearing sperm was not different from
      the theoretically expected ratio of 1:1.

PMID- 1427773
TI  - Mapping of the human COL5A1 gene to chromosome 9q34.3.
AB  - A 353-bp region encoding for the NH2 terminus of the noncollagenic part of the
      alpha 1(V) chain was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), subcloned
      and sequenced. The subcloned PCR product (pGC1) presented the same nucleotide
      sequence as the original fragment from the published sequence of COL5A1. In situ
      hybridization, using pGC1 as a probe, mapped the COL5A1 gene to chromosome
      9q34.3. This assignment shows that COL5A1 is not synthetic with COL5A2, which is
      localized together with other collagen genes on chromosome 2.

PMID- 1427774
TI  - Autosomal dominant congenital cataract and microphthalmia associated with a
      familial t(2;16) translocation.
AB  - We describe a family in which autosomal dominant congenital cataract and
      microphthalmia were segregating together with a reciprocal translocation t(2;16)
      (p22.3;p13.3) through three generations. This family included four individuals
      with balanced translocations, three with partial trisomy 2p derived from this
      translocation, and two with a normal karyotype. All of the subjects with balanced
      and unbalanced translocations had congenital cataract and microphthalmia, whereas
      the two individuals with normal karyotypes did not show any ocular anomalies.
      These observations suggest that the altered function of a gene that lies on the
      16p13.3 band and that has an important role in the development of the eye is
      responsible for this disorder.

PMID- 1427776
TI  - Multiple minute marker chromosomes derived from Y identified by FISH in an
      intersexual infant.
AB  - Chromosomal analysis in a child with ambiguous sex showed mosaicism of at least
      two cell lines with one or more marker chromosomes or none at all. They were
      shown to be derived from the Y chromosome by fluorescent in situ hybridisation
      (FISH) using different DNA probes that cover parts of the long and the short arm.

PMID- 1427775
TI  - Splicing defect of the glycoasparaginase gene in two Japanese siblings with
      apartylglucosaminuria.
AB  - Molecular analysis of the glycoasparaginase gene was performed on two Japanese
      siblings with aspartylglucosaminuria. The cDNA from one patient contained 7
      additional bases between exons 3 and 4 (3'-terminal sequence of intron 3). This
      insertion resulted in a frame shift, and a termination codon appeared at amino
      acid 146. Amplification and sequencing of genomic DNA detected a single base
      transition (A-->G) at the 5' side adjacent to the insertion sequence. This
      mutation created a consensus AG dinucleotide in the splice acceptor site, and
      produced almost exclusively an abnormal mRNA containing the insertion by
      alternative splicing. The calculation of the sample score of the acceptor site
      supported this analytical result. BsmAI restriction site analysis of amplified
      cDNA and genomic DNA showed that these patients were homozygotes for this
      mutation. We conclude that the splicing defect in intron 3 causes
      glycoasparaginase deficiency in these patients.

PMID- 1427777
TI  - Two new alleles in the tetranucleotide repeat polymorphism at the lipoprotein
      lipase (LPL) locus.

PMID- 1427778
TI  - Rearrangements of the X chromosome and Turner syndrome.

PMID- 1427779
TI  - Huntington disease in black African populations.

PMID- 1427780
TI  - C-anaphases revised.

PMID- 1427781
TI  - Chromosome 1 in human colorectal tumors.

PMID- 1427782
TI  - Premature centromere division.

PMID- 1427783
TI  - Involvement of 3:1 disjunction in the common reciprocal translocation t(11;22)
      (q23.3;q11.2)

PMID- 1427784
TI  - Characterization of hypervariable locus-specific probes derived from a
      (CAC)5/(GTG)5 multilocus fingerprint in various Eurasian populations.
AB  - Population genetic studies were performed using oligonucleotide probes (Hz1103,
      Hz4103, and Hz4201) that recognize three hypervariable loci (D11S859, D9S128 and
      D22S265) in the human genome. DNA from 17 Eurasian population samples including
      37 monozygotic twin pairs were digested with HinfI and hybridized with Hz4103.
      Allele frequency distribution profiles and high degrees of heterozygosity were
      similar in each ethnic group. Among 804 unrelated individuals tested, we detected
      one case of mosaicism caused by a somatic recombination event in a monozygotic
      twin. In addition, samples of DNA from three ethnic groups (Germans, Assamese
      Hindus and Thais) and from German and Thai families were restricted with MboI and
      probed with Hz1103, Hz4103, and Hz4201. The results showed considerable degrees
      of heterozygosity and locus-specific allele distribution profiles, rather than
      interpopulation differences. Among 262 meioses (12 three-generation families with
      a total of 131 children) analyzed, a single recombination event was observed
      following hybridization with the DNA probe Hz4201.

PMID- 1427785
TI  - Prenatal diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy by fetal muscle biopsy.
AB  - Prenatal diagnosis and carrier detection for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)
      usually can be performed using DNA analysis. When recombination occurs within the
      DMD gene, or DNA analysis is uninformative, or in pedigrees where it is unclear
      whether or not the consultand is a carrier, direct examination of muscle by
      dystrophin analysis may provide the only means of prenatal diagnosis. We present
      three cases representing each of these molecular genetic diagnostic dilemmas. In
      each instance, we used sonographically guided fetal muscle biopsy for dystrophin
      protein analysis to resolve the dilemma. In the first and third cases, the
      presence of normal dystrophin was shown by immunofluorescence and this was
      followed by delivery of an unaffected male fetus. In the second case, dystrophin
      was not found in fetal muscle tissue implying that this fetus was affected. The
      absence of dystrophin and affected status was confirmed in skeletal and cardiac
      muscle obtained after pregnancy termination.

PMID- 1427786
TI  - The mutational spectrum of single base-pair substitutions in mRNA splice
      junctions of human genes: causes and consequences.
AB  - A total of 101 different examples of point mutations, which lie in the vicinity
      of mRNA splice junctions, and which have been held to be responsible for a human
      genetic disease by altering the accuracy of efficiency of mRNA splicing, have
      been collated. These data comprise 62 mutations at 5' splice sites, 26 at 3'
      splice sites and 13 that result in the creation of novel splice sites. It is
      estimated that up to 15% of all point mutations causing human genetic disease
      result in an mRNA splicing defect. Of the 5' splice site mutations, 60% involved
      the invariant GT dinucleotide; mutations were found to be non-randomly
      distributed with an excess over expectation at positions +1 and +2, and apparent
      deficiencies at positions -1 and -2. Of the 3' splice site mutations, 87%
      involved the invariant AG dinucleotide; an excess of mutations over expectation
      was noted at position -2. This non-randomness of mutation reflects the
      evolutionary conservation apparent in splice site consensus sequences drawn up
      previously from primate genes, and is most probably attributable to detection
      bias resulting from the differing phenotypic severity of specific lesions. The
      spectrum of point mutations was also drastically skewed: purines were
      significantly over-represented as substituting nucleotides, perhaps because of
      steric hindrance (e.g. in U1 snRNA binding at 5' splice sites). Furthermore,
      splice sites affected by point mutations resulting in human genetic disease were
      markedly different from the splice site consensus sequences. When similarity was
      quantified by a 'consensus value', both extremely low and extremely high values
      were notably absent from the wild-type sequences of the mutated splice sites.
      Splice sites of intermediate similarity to the consensus sequence may thus be
      more prone to the deleterious effects of mutation. Regarding the phenotypic
      effects of mutations on mRNA splicing, exon skipping occurred more frequently
      than cryptic splice site usage. Evidence is presented that indicates that, at
      least for 5' splice site mutations, cryptic splice site usage is favoured under
      conditions where (1) a number of such sites are present in the immediate vicinity
      and (2) these sites exhibit sufficient homology to the splice site consensus
      sequence for them to be able to compete successfully with the mutated splice
      site. The novel concept of a "potential for cryptic splice site usage" value was
      introduced in order to quantify these characteristics, and to predict the
      relative proportion of exon skipping vs cryptic splice site utilization
      consequent to the introduction of a mutation at a normal splice site.

PMID- 1427788
TI  - Detection of GST1 gene deletion by the polymerase chain reaction and its possible
      correlation with stomach cancer in Japanese.
AB  - A homozygous gene deletion at the GST1 locus of genomic DNA isolated from
      peripheral blood was investigated for its relationship with several types of
      cancer using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. DNA samples were
      prepared from blood obtained from 128 healthy blood donors and 150 patients with
      cancer or chronic hepatitis. PCR primers were prepared based on the human cDNA
      sequence and the intron/exon sequences of the rat Yb2 gene. The amplified
      sequence between exons 5 and 6 including intron 5 showed very clearly the
      presence of absence of the GST1 gene, after electrophoresis in a 2% agarose gel.
      Segregation of the presence and absence of PCR product from samples of twins and
      their parents indicated that presence involves homozygous or heterozygous normal
      GST1 genotypes while absence involves only homozygous gene deletion. The patients
      with stomach cancer had a significantly higher frequency of gene deletion than
      did the healthy controls (P < 0.005). Thus, GST1 deletion may be a possible
      genetic marker for early detection of a group at high risk of stomach cancer.

PMID- 1427787
TI  - Polymerase chain reaction analysis of fragile X mutations.
AB  - The mutation that underlies the fragile X syndrome is presumed to be a large
      expansion in the number of CGG repeats within the gene FMR-1. The unusually GC
      rich composition of the expanded region has impeded attempts to amplify it by the
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We have developed a PCR protocol that
      successfully amplifies the (CGG)n region in normal, carrier and affected
      individuals. The PCR analysis of several large fragile X families is presented.
      The PCR results agree with those obtained by direct genomic Southern blot
      analyses. These favorable comparisons suggest that the PCR assay may be suitable
      for rapid testing for fragile X mutations and premutations and genetic screening
      of at-risk individuals.

PMID- 1427789
TI  - Molecular genetic analysis of 67 patients with Duchenne/Becker muscular
      dystrophy.
AB  - A total of 56 Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients and 11 Becker muscular
      dystrophy (BMD) patients was analyzed by extended "multiplex" amplification of
      the DMD/BMD gene; deletions were found in 60% of these patients. The data
      obtained were used to test the frameshift hypothesis and to compare the
      distribution of familial versus isolated cases. A significant correlation was
      found between deletions and isolated cases. Additional experiments were performed
      in order to determine the deletion breakpoints more precisely. These data are a
      prerequisite for carrier analysis in the respective families by detection or
      exclusion of aberrant cDNA fragments derived from ectopic lymphocyte RNA. This
      diagnostic technique is illustrated by 5 examples.

PMID- 1427791
TI  - Significance of the clonal and sporadic chromosome abnormalities in non
      neoplastic renal tissue.
AB  - Trisomy 7, trisomy 10 and loss of the Y chromosome have been found by some
      authors in presumptive normal parts of human kidneys. We describe cytogenetic
      findings in short-term cultures from 58 biopsies obtained from non-neoplastic and
      neoplastic (renal cell carcinoma, RCC) tissues from the same kidney, the same
      types of tissues from independent kidneys, and tissue from kidneys without
      neoplasia. The results indicate the following. Non-neoplastic tissue from kidneys
      involved in RCC have (in mosaics) trisomies 5, 7, 10, 18 and loss of the Y as non
      random clonal changes. They are not the result of local metastasis but are also
      found in kidneys with non-tumoral chronic pathologies and should thus not be
      considered specific for RCC. They are neither culturing artefacts nor a general
      phenomenon found in cultured normal solid tissues, but are acquired
      abnormalities, possibly related to various reactive cellular states in the
      tissues that are histologically normal.

PMID- 1427790
TI  - Plasminogen with type-I mutation is polymorphic in the Japanese population.
AB  - A functionally inactive plasminogen (PLG) variant designated as PLG M5 is
      polymorphic in the Japanese population and has a feature common to PLG with type
      I mutation that has a codon 601 missense mutation in exon 15 (GCT for Ala-->ACT
      for Thr). This study was conducted to clarify whether the type-I mutation of PLG
      is present in PLG M5 and polymorphic in the Japanese population. Direct
      sequencing of the amplified DNA from the PLG gene in a heterozygote for PLG M5
      revealed that the sequence of the exon 15 in the gene for PLG M5 is identical
      with that in the PLG gene with type-I mutation. In addition, the amplified DNA
      from the PLG gene in 12 heterozygotes for PLG M5 reacted with the probe for the
      type-I mutation in dot blot hybridization with an allele-specific oligonucleotide
      probe. The heterozygote for PLG with type-I mutation was found in 2.2% of 360
      unrelated healthy subjects. These data indicate that the type-I mutation of PLG
      is present in PLG M5 and polymorphic in the Japanese population. The data also
      suggest that the PLG M5 is identical with PLG Tochigi and Kagoshima.

PMID- 1427792
TI  - The murine Rb(6.16) translocation: alterations in the proportion of alternate
      sperm segregants effecting fertilization in vitro and in vivo.
AB  - The segregation products of the mouse Rb-(6.16)24 Lub male translocation carrier
      were analyzed at first cleavage metaphase to determine whether the proportion of
      normal, balanced, and unbalanced sperm segregants differ in fertilizations
      occurring in vivo and in vitro. From 34 males, the sperm genomes in 268 first
      cleavage mouse embryos were analyzed cytogenetically: 137 and 131 following in
      vivo and in vitro fertilization, respectively. Both systems demonstrated a
      preponderance of alternate (67.2% and 54.2%) as compared to adjacent segregation
      (10.2% and 13.7% as estimated). A contingency table showed that the distribution
      of reciprocal alternate segregants differed significantly between the two
      fertilization environments (chi 2 = 20.64, P < 0.0005). Whereas chromosomally
      normal sperm were 3.6 times more likely than the balanced reciprocals to
      fertilize in vivo (78.3% normal: 21.7% balanced), 1:1 ratios were recovered
      following in vitro fertilization (43.7% normal: 56.3% balanced). The data also
      showed an excess of Y-bearing sperm with the translocation in both in vivo and in
      vitro fertilization groups. In the latter these segregants were 3 times more
      likely than X-bearing ones to effect fertilization. These data suggest a
      phenotypic disadvantage of translocation-X-bearing sperm, possibly mediated
      through altered haploid gene expression on chromosome 6 and gene expression on
      the Y. The results show clear evidence for prezygotic selection in vivo and
      indicate that the environment in which fertilization occurs significantly affects
      the transmission frequency of this specific translocation.

PMID- 1427793
TI  - Variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism at locus D17S5 (YNZ22) in
      four ethnically defined human populations.
AB  - We have analyzed the hypervariable locus D17S5 in four well-defined human
      populations (Kachari of Northeast India; Dogrib Indian of Canada; New Guinea
      Highlander of Papua New Guinea; and a relatively homogeneous Caucasian population
      of North German extraction) using both Southern blot analysis and the polymerase
      chain reaction (PCR) technique to: (1) compare the efficiency and limitation of
      Southern blotting versus PCR-based techniques in genotyping variable number of
      tandem repeat loci, and (2) provide allele frequency data at this locus in these
      four anthropologically defined populations. Preferential PCR amplification of
      smaller alleles associated with D17S5 was corrected by lowering the DNA template
      concentration to 200 ng, and by reducing the extension time to 2 min. A perfect
      correspondence was observed between the results from Southern blot and PCR
      analysis in all but one sample. A very large allele, of approximately 24 to 25
      repeat units, detected by Southern blotting, could not be amplified by PCR,
      resulting in an incorrect genotyping rate of less than 0.5%. Considering the
      grave consequences of mistyping in forensic and paternity testing, it is
      suggested that heterozygous controls consisting of large and small alleles should
      be employed in each PCR experiment, and PCR-generated homozygotes should be
      confirmed by Southern blotting. Significant variation in the number and frequency
      of alleles at this locus was observed in the four examined populations. A total
      of 15 different alleles were detected. The average heterozygosity varied from 54%
      in the Dogrib to 89% in the Kachari. No heterozygote deficiency was observed at
      this locus in any of the examined populations.

PMID- 1427794
TI  - A genetic model for the Prader-Willi syndrome and its implication for Angelman
      syndrome.
AB  - Sporadic cases of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) are associated with the physical
      absence of the paternal Prader-Willi chromosome region (PWCR) by deletion 15q11
      13, by segmental maternal heterodisomy or by chromosome rearrangements resulting
      in homozygosity for maternal PWCR. In isolated/familial cases, it is proposed
      that the expression of PWS depends on the functional absence caused by mutated
      gene(s) within the paternal PWCR. The same mutation on a maternally derived
      chromosome 15 is not able to express PWS. An epigenetic mechanism associated with
      the paternal meiosis is essential. In the Angelman syndrome (AS), inverse
      mechanisms are postulated. There is convincing evidence for specific PWS and AS
      genes or alleles within PWCR. This is compatible with the observations of
      interstitial chromosome deletions of the critical region in normal individuals or
      in probands with phenotypes other than PWS or AS. The new ideas of the model
      stated here are: (1) the proposed epigenetic mechanism in PWCR is obviously
      common in humans, but is usually of no phenotypic relevance; (2) interactions
      with specific chromosomal or gene mutations are required for the clinical
      expression of PWS or AS; (3) each factor alone is not able to produce an abnormal
      phenotype.

PMID- 1427795
TI  - A genetic study of the human low-voltage electroencephalogram.
AB  - The studied phenotype, the low-voltage electroencephalogram (LVEEG), is
      characterized by the absence of an alpha rhythm from the resting EEG. In previous
      studies, evidence was found for a simple autosomal-dominant mode of inheritance
      of the LVEEG. Such a polymorphism in brain function can be used as a research
      model for the stepwise elucidation of the molecular mechanism involved in those
      aspects of neuronal activity that are reflected in the EEG. Linkage with the
      variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) marker CMM6 (D20S19) and localization of
      an LVEEG (EEGV1) gene on 20q have previously been reported, and genetic
      heterogeneity has been demonstrated. This latter result has been corroborated by
      studying new marker (MS214). The phenotype of the LVEEG is described here in
      greater detail. Its main characteristic is the absence of rhythmic alpha
      activity, especially in occipital leads, whereas other wave forms such as beta or
      theta waves may be present. Analysis of 17 new families (some of them large),
      together with 60 previously described nuclear families, supports the genetic
      hypothesis of an autosomal-dominant mode of inheritance. Problems connected with
      the analysis of linkage heterogeneity, exclusion mapping, and the study of
      multipoint linkage are discussed. A possible explanation of the localization of
      LVEEG in the close vicinity of another gene influencing synchronization of the
      normal EEG, the gene for benign neonatal epilepsie, is given.

PMID- 1427796
TI  - Sexually transmitted diseases in children: HIV infection.

PMID- 1427797
TI  - Criteria for early congenital syphilis--a perspective from Africa.

PMID- 1427798
TI  - Factors associated with pediculosis pubis and scabies.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To ascertain factors associated with genital pediculosis and scabies
      infestations among attenders at an STD clinic. DESIGN: Cross sectional assessment
      of potential risk factors by multiple logistic regression. SETTING: A central
      city sexually transmitted diseases (STD) clinic in Adelaide, South Australia.
      SUBJECTS: All men and women patients attending from 1988 to 1991. RESULTS:
      Pediculosis pubis was diagnosed in 205 of 12,170 (1.7%) men and 65 (1.1%) of 6125
      women, and scabies in 56 (0.5%) men and 6 (0.1%) women attending an STD clinic
      from 1988-1991. Independent risk factors by multivariate analysis for pediculosis
      pubis in women were pregnancy (odds ratio (OR) = 2.3), sex outside the state (OR
      = 2.2) and age under 25 (OR = 2.0). Many factors were associated with pediculosis
      pubis in men, including no steady partner (OR = 1.4), multiple partners (OR =
      1.6), being unmarried (OR = 2.0) and homosexual behaviour (OR = 1.6). None of
      these factors was associated with scabies infestation which was strongly
      associated with being Aboriginal (OR = 6.8) and being unemployed (OR = 2.5).
      CONCLUSION: In this setting scabies appears to be determined by socioeconomic
      factors and pediculosis pubis predominantly by sexual activity factors.

PMID- 1427799
TI  - Sexual behaviour of women attending an inner-city STD clinic before and after a
      general campaign for safer sex in Denmark.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To examine the sexual behaviour and the prevalence of sexually
      transmitted diseases (STD) among females attending an inner-city STD clinic
      before and after safer sex campaigns. SUBJECTS: In 1984 981 women and in 1988 684
      women were interviewed immediately after the venerological examination. SETTING:
      Department of Dermato-Venereology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
      METHODS: In a face to face interview, details of symptoms, age at coitarche,
      number of sexual partners (lifetime and during the last year), obstetric history,
      and contraceptive methods were recorded. RESULTS: A substantially higher
      proportion of women used condoms in 1988 than in 1984. A dramatic decrease in the
      prevalence of gonorrhoea occurred (from 22% in 1984 to 6% in 1988, p < 0.01),
      whereas an increase in the number of patients with genital warts was observed
      (from 4% in 1984 to 10% in 1988, p < 0.05). The prevalence of chlamydia, genital
      herpes, and cervical dysplasia remained unchanged. No significant changes in the
      number of sexual partners, or the frequency of sexual intercourse or unplanned
      pregnancy could be detected from 1984 to 1988. CONCLUSIONS: The safer sex
      campaigns have only been partly successful, as a general reduction in all
      sexually transmitted diseases should be expected as a result of the increased use
      of condoms. Future campaigns should focus on the correct use of condoms, and
      encourage a lifestyle with stable sexual relationship.

PMID- 1427800
TI  - A colposcopic case-control study of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions in
      women with anogenital warts.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess whether anogenital warts, present or past, are an indication
      for women to be referred for colposcopy. DESIGN: A case control study comparing
      patients with and without a history of anogenital warts. SETTING: A department of
      genitourinary medicine in West London. PATIENTS: 468 patients examined by
      colposcopy between January 1985 and December 1987 of whom 147 (31%) had abnormal
      cytology, 163 (35%) had anogenital warts and 158 (34%) had both. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURES: Colposcopic findings and histology of cervical biopsies compared with
      behavioural and disease variables. RESULTS: Human papillomavirus infection (HPVI)
      of the cervix showed no relationship with a life time history of vulval warts, or
      with the presence of anogenital warts on clinical examination, or with any
      parameter of sexual behaviour included in the study. Cervical intraepithelial
      neoplasia (CIN) was strongly associated with current IUCD usage (RR = 7.75) and
      coitarche under 16 years of age (RR = 3.72), but a history of vulval warts
      yielded a negative association (RR = 0.34), suggesting a protective effect. This
      relationship held true when cytological dyskaryosis was made the dependent
      variable (RR = 0.24). CONCLUSIONS: Anogenital warts are not a risk for
      subclinical cervical HPVI or for CIN and therefore not an indication for
      colposcopy.

PMID- 1427801
TI  - The association between sexually transmitted diseases and inflammatory cervical
      cytology.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess the significance of inflammatory changes as a marker of
      sexually transmitted diseases and their use as a diagnostic aid. METHODS: 363
      patients attending a department of genito urinary medicine were examined
      prospectively. All underwent cervical cytology and full STD screening. Cervical
      cytology was assessed for evidence of the presence or absence of inflammatory
      changes. RESULTS: There was no significant association between inflammatory
      cytology and cervical ectropion or dyskaryosis. Infections with Chlamydia
      trachomatis and Trichomonas vaginalis were significantly associated with
      inflammatory changes but there was no significant association with chlamydia
      alone, and 91.1% of T. vaginalis infections were detected on cytology.
      CONCLUSION: The presence of inflammatory changes on cervical cytology seems a
      poor indicator of sexually transmitted diseases.

PMID- 1427802
TI  - The management of subclinical wart virus infection of the cervix in a
      genitourinary clinic.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To assess whether cold coagulation to the cervix eliminates
      subclinical wart virus infection and to determine the effectiveness of treatment
      for CIN I and II, using cold coagulation, by genitourinary physicians. DESIGN:
      Prospective study. SETTING: Department of Genitourinary medicine in a large
      teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: All patients who received cold coagulation to
      the cervix in a 1 year period, who had not had previous treatment. RESULTS: 261
      patients were enrolled into this study; of these, 138 (53%) patients attended for
      repeat colposcopy and cytology at one year. Cure rates for lesions were 66% for
      initial wart virus infection, 80% for CIN I and 94% for CIN II and III. Four (5%)
      cases in whom repeat cytology was normal had CIN which would have been missed if
      repeat colposcopy had not been performed at one year. CONCLUSIONS: Cold
      coagulation is inappropriate treatment for subclinical wart virus infection of
      the cervix but is useful for the management of patients with CIN. Repeat
      colposcopy following treatment to the cervix is not necessary if cervical
      cytology is normal.

PMID- 1427803
TI  - HIV infection among heterosexual travellers attending the Hospital for Tropical
      Diseases, London.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of HIV infection in travellers attending
      the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London, and to assess correlates and
      behavioural risk factors for infection. DESIGN: All patients tested for HIV
      infection during a 28-month period were included. Information was obtained from
      clinical records and standardised serological request forms. SETTING: Hospital
      for Tropical Diseases, London, UK. SUBJECTS: 298 patients (in-patient and out
      patient) were tested. RESULTS: 258 of those tested were exclusively heterosexual
      and not injecting drug users. 5.4% of these were HIV-1 antibody positive. Rates
      in those originating from the UK and those from outside the UK were 1.8% and
      33.2% respectively. Most non-UK citizens were symptomatic when tested; UK
      citizens were generally tested as part of a routine screening, therefore the two
      groups are not comparable. Rates of risk behaviour were high in both groups.
      CONCLUSION: The rate of HIV infection in heterosexual travellers was 5.4%.
      Amongst UK citizens the rate was 1.8%. All travellers should be made aware of the
      potential risk of acquiring HIV infection through sexual contact.

PMID- 1427804
TI  - Comparison of fleroxacin and penicillin G plus probenecid in the treatment of
      acute uncomplicated gonococcal infections.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the activity of fleroxacin in acute uncomplicated
      infections with N. gonorrhoeae in comparison with conventional penicillin G plus
      probenecid treatment. DESIGN: Multicentre open label randomised parallel group
      study. SUBJECTS: Male patients aged 18 years or over from university departments
      of urology, epidemiology and dermatology and a clinic for sexually transmitted
      diseases. INTERVENTIONS: Two hundred and sixty male patients were randomly
      assigned to treatment with either a single oral dose of fleroxacin 400 mg (130
      patients) or a single intramuscular dose of penicillin G (2.4 or 5.0 mega units)
      plus a single oral dose of probenecid 1 gram (130 patients). Efficacy and safety
      assessments were undertaken at follow-up (3-14 days after treatment). Efficacy
      was assessed as bacteriological outcome of treatment. Safety was assessed by
      evaluation of adverse events, laboratory abnormalities and changes in vital
      signs. RESULTS: Two hundred and twenty four patients (114 in the fleroxacin group
      and 110 in the penicillin plus probenecid group) were evaluated for efficacy.
      Bacteriological cures were achieved in 100% of patients in the fleroxacin group
      and 97% of patients in the penicillin plus probenecid group. There was no
      statistically significant difference between the two groups in this respect
      (Fisher exact test, p = 0.25). Clinical cures were achieved in 100% of patients
      receiving fleroxacin and 95% of patients receiving penicillin plus probenecid.
      Safety analyses were undertaken on 255 patients (126 in the fleroxacin group and
      129 in the penicillin plus probenecid group). No adverse events were reported for
      either treatment group, and no clinically relevant laboratory abnormalities were
      apparent. Thus, there appeared to be no difference in the efficacy or safety of
      these two treatments when used to treat acute, uncomplicated urethral gonorrhoea
      in males. CONCLUSIONS: In this study fleroxacin proved to be highly effective
      therapy for uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis in males and may provide a
      favourable alternative to standard treatment.

PMID- 1427805
TI  - Antibiotic susceptibilities, serotypes and auxotypes of Neisseria gonorrhoeae
      isolated in New Zealand.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the distribution of auxotypes
      and serotypes and the prevalence of antibiotic resistance among New Zealand
      isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 486
      gonococci isolated in 1988 were auxotyped, serotyped, and tested for
      susceptibilities to ten antibiotics. RESULTS: The gonococci were susceptible to
      all the antibiotics tested except penicillin and tetracycline. Eleven (2.2%)
      produced beta-lactamase, one (0.2%) showed chromosomal penicillin resistance, and
      18 (3.7%) were resistant to a low-level of tetracycline. Most of the gonococci
      belonged to six auxotypes. The three predominant auxotypes were arginine
      requiring (Arg-), non-requiring (NR), and arginine, hypoxanthine, uracil
      requiring (AHU-). The majority of the isolates belonged to serogroup IB and to
      six serovars. The most prevalent serovars were IB-3 and IB-1. There was an
      association between penicillin susceptibility and auxotype or serovar among non
      penicillinase producing N. gonorrhoeae (PPNG) isolates. CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotic
      resistance, including penicillin resistance, remains uncommon among gonococci in
      New Zealand. Baselines have been established for future epidemiological studies
      using both auxotyping and serotyping.

PMID- 1427806
TI  - A clinical evaluation of trichomoniasis in San Jose, Costa Rica using the InPouch
      TV test.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: to determine the prevalence of trichomoniasis in San Jose, Costa Rica,
      comparing two methods, the InPouch TV test and the saline wet mount. METHODS: One
      hundred symptomatic and asymptomatic female patients at two hospitals and at a
      sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic were evaluated. Vaginal discharge was
      the most prevalent genitourinary abnormality among symptomatic patients. The
      patients were between 18 and 70 years old. Fifty-seven were from the STD clinic,
      43 from the two hospitals. A saline wet mount and a culture were taken from each
      patient. The culture employed a new procedure for diagnosis of trichomonads, the
      InPouch TV test (BioMed Diagnostics, San Jose, CA). RESULTS: Thirteen of the 100
      patients were culture positive, two of whom were wet mount positive. No wet mount
      positives were culture negative. Eleven of the positive tests were from the STD
      clinic and two were from the hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this initial
      epidemiologic study indicate a prevalence of 19% for trichomoniasis in the STD
      clinic population and 4.6% in the hospitals group. Trichomonas vaginalis was not
      diagnosed by laboratory methods prior to this study. The InPouch TV test has a
      selective fungicidal and bactericidal, enriched proteose-peptone medium which
      provides a sensitivity of 4 organisms per ml and a 1 year shelf life at room
      temperature. This in vitro culture test demonstrated unique capabilities as a
      transport and culture medium. Its procedure offers simplicity in application and
      an excellent visualisation of trichomonads.

PMID- 1427807
TI  - A case report of lymphangioma circumscriptum of the vulva.

PMID- 1427808
TI  - Amyloid tumour of the urethra presenting as non-specific urethritis.
AB  - Amyloid tumour involving the urethra is a well recognised but rare occurrence.
      Chronic inflammation secondary to gonococcal urethritis is thought to be a
      possible predisposing factor. We report the case of a young man who presented
      with non-gonococcal urethritis and haematuria and was subsequently found to have
      primary amyloid of the urethra.

PMID- 1427809
TI  - An unusual foreign body in the preputial sac.
AB  - A 28 year old Indian male presented with an unusual foreign body, a penicillin
      bottle containing tincture of iodine, in the preputial sac. The purpose of
      introducing the bottle was to tickle his glans penis as a form of masturbation.
      The bottle was so firmly impacted that it could be removed only under general
      anaesthesia.

PMID- 1427810
TI  - Hepatitis-B virus infection in sexually transmitted disease clinic attenders in
      an African city, (Jos, Nigeria)

PMID- 1427811
TI  - Malignant syphilis in a teenage girl.

PMID- 1427812
TI  - An increase in pharyngeal gonorrhoea: cause for concern regarding HIV infection.

PMID- 1427813
TI  - Screening for asymptomatic Chlamydia trachomatis infection in adolescent men by
      examination of voided urine.

PMID- 1427814
TI  - Determinants of hepatitis B virus surface antigen positivity in adults attending
      sexually transmitted disease clinics in Italy.

PMID- 1427815
TI  - Emerging incidence of vulval intraepithelial neoplasia in young women with
      genital warts.

PMID- 1427816
TI  - Prodromal symptoms in genital herpes simplex infection.

PMID- 1427817
TI  - Variations in alphoid DNA sequences escape detection of aneuploidy at interphase
      by FISH technique.
AB  - The advent of a new staining technique, termed fluorescence in situ hybridization
      (FISH), allows the rapid identification of the genomic constitution of an
      individual with aneuploidy even in interphase nuclei through the use of a series
      of chromosome-specific DNA probes, an approach termed "interphase cytogenetics."
      However, alphoid DNA sequences of every centromere are polymorphic
      (heteromorphic), and the number of targeted sequences may be below the detection
      level of a specific DNA probe, thus escaping detection and resulting in the
      imprecise identification of the chromosomal constitution at interphase. The
      limitations associated with the FISH technique have dire consequences which are
      emphasized here with an example in which the presence of an additional chromosome
      21 in two siblings born consecutively with trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) was not
      detected by "interphase cytogenetics." The copy number of alphoid DNA sequences
      of one of the paternal chromosomes 21 was low and resulted in discordance between
      domain numbers at interphase and actual chromosome numbers at metaphase in both
      children. This is an isolated incident that could have led to a misdiagnosis if
      FISH were the only test employed. Although the advantages of this technology are
      undeniably enormous, the present finding has made it apparent that precise
      standards and reliability of the procedure must be established prior to its
      routine application.

PMID- 1427818
TI  - A physical map of a 1.3-Mb region on the long arm of chromosome 12, spanning the
      GLI and LRP loci.
AB  - We have used pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to construct a long-range
      restriction map spanning more than 1.3 million bp of the q13-q14 segment of
      chromosome 12. Within this region lie the genes coding for the gli oncogene and
      the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP). The distance between
      the genes is about 200-300 kb. We also observe a methylation-free island 3' to
      the LRP gene.

PMID- 1427819
TI  - The CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP alpha) gene (CEBPA) maps to human
      chromosome 19q13.1 and the related nuclear factor NF-IL6 (C/EBP beta) gene
      (CEBPB) maps to human chromosome 20q13.1.
AB  - The CEBPA gene encoding CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP alpha) has been
      mapped to human chromosome 19 and the CEBPB (formerly TCF5) gene encoding NF-IL6
      (C/EBP beta) to human chromosome 20 by Southern blot analysis of Chinese hamster
      x human and mouse x human somatic cell hybrids. CEBPA has been further mapped to
      19q13.1 between the loci GPI and TGFB using human x hamster somatic cell hybrids
      containing restricted fragments of human chromosome 19. This position was
      confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Furthermore, CEBPB has been
      mapped to 20q13.1 by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

PMID- 1427820
TI  - Synteny mapping in the bovine: genes from human chromosome 4.
AB  - Genes homologous to those located on human chromosome 4 (HSA4) were mapped in the
      bovine to determine regions of syntenic conservation among humans, mice, and
      cattle. Previous studies have shown that two homologs of genes on HSA4, PGM2 and
      PEPS, are located in bovine syntenic group U15 (chromosome 6). The homologous
      mouse genes, Pgm-1 and Pep-7, are on MMU5. Using a panel of bovine x hamster
      hybrid somatic cells, we have assigned homologs of 11 additional HSA4 loci to
      their respective bovine syntenic groups. D4S43, D4S10, QDPR, IGJ, ADH2, KIT, and
      IF were assigned to syntenic group U15. This syntenic arrangement is not
      conserved in the mouse, where D4s43, D4s10, Qdpr, and Igj are on MMU5 while Adh-2
      is on MMU3. IL-2, FGB, FGG, and F11, which also reside on MMU3, were assigned to
      bovine syntenic group U23. These data suggest that breaks and/or fusions of
      ancestral chromosomes carrying these genes occurred at different places during
      the evolution of humans, cattle, and mice.

PMID- 1427821
TI  - Human chromosome 8 linkage map based on short tandem repeat polymorphisms: effect
      of genotyping errors.
AB  - A linkage map consisting of 21 dinucleotide repeat polymorphisms, 1
      tetranucleotide repeat polymorphism, and 3 RFLPs was constructed for human
      chromosome 8. The map spanned most of the chromosome length from near pter to q23
      q24 on the distal portion of the long arm. The total 186 cM length of the female
      map was over two times the 84 cM length of the male map. Cytogenetic mapping of
      the polymorphisms using a panel of hybrids containing rearranged chromosomes was
      completely consistent with the linkage map. Special effort was made to remove as
      many genotyping errors, including parental phase errors, as possible. Removal of
      errors, in agreement with recent theoretical predictions, led to reduction of the
      total length of the sex-equal map by 10% from 145 to 130 cM.

PMID- 1427822
TI  - Chromosomal mapping of the human (MACS) and mouse (Macs) genes encoding the
      MARCKS protein.
AB  - The myristoylated, alanine-rich C-kinase substrate, or MARCKS protein, is a major
      cellular substrate for protein kinase C that is also a high-affinity calmodulin
      binding protein. In addition, it is the prototype of a small family of
      myristoylated, calmodulin-binding protein kinase C substrate proteins. We
      isolated a phage clone from a mouse genomic library that spanned the entire
      coding sequence of the mouse MARCKS protein. The first 612 bp of the putative
      promoter was 89% identical to a corresponding region of the human promoter, and
      contained at least 59 potential transcription factor binding sites in analogous
      locations; both human and mouse promoters lacked TATA boxes. The mouse genomic
      probe was used to localize the mouse gene to chromosome 10, in the middle of a
      linkage group that corresponds to a region on human chromosome 6q. These data
      strongly suggested that the human gene would localize to 6q21. This was confirmed
      by studies of DNA from a patient with del(6)(q21), in which expression of the
      human gene encoding MARCKS, MACS, was only about 50% of normal; MARCKS mRNA
      expression in lymphoblast RNA from this patient was only 22% of normal. These
      studies confirm that the mouse and human MARCKS proteins are products of the same
      genes in their respective species; differences in their primary sequence can
      therefore be attributed to species variation rather than to the existence of
      related genes.

PMID- 1427824
TI  - A contig assembly program based on sensitive detection of fragment overlaps.
AB  - An effective computer program for assembling DNA fragments, the contig assembly
      program (CAP), has been developed. In the CAP program, a filter is used to
      eliminate quickly fragment pairs that could not possibly overlap, a dynamic
      programming algorithm is applied to compute the maximal-scoring overlapping
      alignment between each remaining pair of fragments, and a simple greedy approach
      is employed to assemble fragments in order of alignment scores. To identify the
      true fragment overlaps, the dynamic programming algorithm uses specially chosen
      sets of alignment parameters to tolerate sequencing errors and to penalize
      "mutational" changes between different copies of a repetitive sequence. The
      performance tests of the program on fragment data from genomic sequencing
      projects produced satisfactory results. The CAP program is efficient in computer
      time and memory; it took about 4 h to assemble a set of 1015 fragments into long
      contigs on a Sun workstation.

PMID- 1427823
TI  - Molecular cloning and chromosomal mapping of a cDNA encoding human 80K-L protein:
      major substrate for protein kinase C.
AB  - We have isolated and sequenced complementary DNA (cDNA) for the human 80K-L
      protein, a major substrate for protein kinase C and the human homologue of an 80-
      to 87-kDa bovine protein named MARCKS (myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase
      substrate). The human 80K-L cDNA encodes a protein of 332 amino acids with a
      calculated molecular weight of 31,534. Homology comparisons of the nucleotide
      sequences of the cDNAs indicated that their 3'-untranslated regions are more
      homologous than the coding regions. Spot blot hybridization using flow-sorted
      human chromosomes indicated that the gene encoding the 80K-L protein, designated
      MACS, maps to the q15----qter region of human chromosome 6, and it also suggested
      that a genomic region with a sequence homologous to the 3'-untranslated region of
      the 80K-L mRNA exists on chromosome 21.

PMID- 1427825
TI  - Chromosomal assignment of human YAC clones by fluorescence in situ hybridization:
      use of single-yeast-colony PCR and multiple labeling.
AB  - Alu-PCR provides a convenient tool for amplification of human-specific sequences
      from yeast DNA containing yeast artificial chromosomes (YAC) clones. PCR products
      can be labeled nonisotopically and hybridized in situ, and the chromosomal origin
      of the clones can be determined. This avoids time-consuming gel purification of
      the yeast artificial chromosome and the low-efficiency procedure of labeling
      whole yeast DNA containing the YAC. The application of Alu-PCR to single-yeast
      colonies permits the mapping of YACs at a very early stage of their
      characterization. In situ hybridization can detect clones with noncontiguous
      fragments of DNA, and these can be discarded without further time-consuming
      characterization. To increase further the potential of the method, we show the
      application of multicolor hybridization techniques.

PMID- 1427826
TI  - Linkage study of chronic childhood-onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA):
      confirmation of close linkage to D5S39 in French Canadian families.
AB  - Chronic childhood-onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is, after Duchenne muscular
      dystrophy, the most common neuromuscular disorder in childhood. Recent linkage
      analyses have mapped this disease to 5q12-5q14. We show that chronic SMA (Types
      II and III) is tightly linked to the marker locus D5S39 (Zmax = 5.47 at theta =
      0.02) in eight French Canadian families. In contrast to previously published
      results, we do not observe close linkage between chronic SMA and D5S6 (Zmax =
      0.34 at theta = 0.18) or D5S78 (Zmax = 0.25 at theta = 0.21). Last, we present a
      family that appears to be discordant for this localization but may represent the
      first example of an incompletely penetrant individual.

PMID- 1427827
TI  - Exclusion of chromosome 6 and 8 locations in nonrhodopsin autosomal dominant
      retinitis pigmentosa families: further locus heterogeneity in adRP.
AB  - Genetic studies have revealed that 25 to 30% of autosomal dominant retinitis
      pigmentosa (adRP) families have mutations in the rhodopsin gene, while the
      remainder do not. More recently linkage data and mutation detection have
      demonstrated two further loci implicated in adRP, at an as yet unidentified gene
      on chromosome 8p and at the human gene homologue of the mouse Rds (Retinal
      Degeneration Slow) gene on chromosome 6p. We have previously reported exclusion
      of adRP from the rhodopsin locus on 3q in two large adRP families. We now report
      exclusion data for both families, on chromosomes 6 and 8, demonstrating that the
      adRP phenotype results from mutations in at least four locations.

PMID- 1427828
TI  - The TCF8 gene encoding a zinc finger protein (Nil-2-a) resides on human
      chromosome 10p11.2.
AB  - The TCF8 gene encodes a zinc finger protein (Nil-2-a). Nil-2-a inhibits T
      lymphocyte-specific interleukin 2 (IL2) gene expression by binding to a negative
      regulatory domain 100 nucleotides 5' of the IL2 transcription start site.
      Southern hybridization and somatic cell hybrids are used to demonstrate that the
      murine and human genomes contain related genes for Nil-2-a. TCF8 resides on human
      chromosome 10. Fluorescent in situ hybridization is employed to localize TCF8 to
      10p11.2.

PMID- 1427829
TI  - Identification of polymorphic simple sequence repeats in the genome of the
      zebrafish.
AB  - The zebrafish has drawn a great deal of attention as a developmental system
      because it offers the ability to combine excellent embryology and genetics. Here,
      we report that simple sequence repeats are abundant in the zebrafish genome and
      are highly polymorphic between two outbred lines, making them useful markers for
      the construction of a genetic map of this organism.

PMID- 1427830
TI  - The X-Y homologous gene amelogenin maps to the short arms of both the X and Y
      chromosomes and is highly conserved in primates.

PMID- 1427831
TI  - Human DNA polymerase delta gene maps to region 19q13.3-q13.4 by in situ
      hybridization.

PMID- 1427832
TI  - Linkage heterogeneity between the C3 and LDLR and the APOA4 and APOA1 loci in
      baboons.
AB  - We detected linkage in baboons between loci for the third component of complement
      (C3) and the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), lod score = 5.53, and loci
      for apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1) and apolipoprotein AIV (APOA4), lod score = 14.59.
      We also found evidence for linkage heterogeneity among the baboon pedigrees
      between LDLR and C3 (P = 0.04) and between APOA1 and APOA4 (P = 0.01).

PMID- 1427833
TI  - Organization of the human monoamine oxidase genes and long-range physical mapping
      around them.
AB  - A 265-kb yeast artificial chromosome containing sequences for human monoamine
      oxidase A and B (MAO-A and MAO-B) genes has been characterized. These two genes
      are localized within a region of about 240 kb and are arranged in a tail-to-tail
      configuration, with the 3' coding sequences separated by about 50 kb. A region
      about 2.5 Mb around the MAO loci was mapped by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis
      (PFGE). Comparisons between the restriction maps derived from the YAC and the
      long-range map derived from genomic digestions were in general agreement. The
      important features identified include a CpG island at the 5' end of the MAO-A and
      MAO-B genes, respectively. The combined information supports the order of markers
      within this region to be DXS77-DXS7-MAOA-MAOB.

PMID- 1427834
TI  - Linkage analysis in X-linked congenital stationary night blindness.
AB  - X-linked congenital stationary night blindness (XL-CSNB) is a nonprogressive
      disorder of the retina, characterized by night blindness, reduced visual acuity,
      and myopia. Previous studies have localized the CSNB1 locus to the region between
      OTC and TIMP on the short arm of the X chromosome. We have carried out linkage
      studies in three XL-CSNB families that could not be classified as either complete
      or incomplete CSNB on the criteria suggested by Miyake et al. (1986. Arch.
      Ophthalmol. 104: 1013-1020). We used markers for the DXS538, DMD, OTC, MAOA,
      DXS426, and TIMP loci. Two-point analyses show that there is close linkage
      between CSNB and MAOA (theta max = 0.05, Zmax = 3.39), DXS426 (theta max = 0.06,
      Zmax = 2.42), and TIMP (theta max = 0.07, Zmax = 2.04). Two multiply informative
      crossovers are consistent with CSNB lying proximal to MAOA and distal to DXS426,
      respectively. Multipoint analysis supports this localization, giving the most
      likely order as DMD-17 cM-MAOA-7.5 cM-CSNB-7.5 cM-DXS426/TIMP-cen, and thus
      refines the localization of CSNB.

PMID- 1427835
TI  - Genetic and physical maps of human chromosome 4 based on dinucleotide repeats.
AB  - Characterization of inherited variations within tandem arrays of dinucleotide
      repeats has substantially advanced the construction of genetic maps using linkage
      approaches over the last several years. Using a backbone of 10 newly identified
      microsatellite repeats on human chromosome 4 and 6 previously identified short
      tandem repeat element polymorphisms, we have constructed several genetic maps and
      a physical map of human chromosome 4. The genetic and physical maps are in
      complete concordance with each other. The genetic maps include a 15-locus
      microsatellite-based linkage map, a framework map of high support incorporating a
      total of 39 independent loci, a 25-locus high-heterozygosity, easily used index
      map, and a gene-based comprehensive map that provides the best genetic location
      for 35 genes mapped to chromosome 4. The 16 microsatellite markers are each
      localized to one of nine regions of chromosome 4, delineated by a panel of
      somatic cell hybrids. These results demonstrate the utility of PCR-based repeat
      elements for the construction of genetic maps and provide a valuable resource for
      continued high-resolution mapping of chromosome 4 and of genetic disorders to
      this chromosome.

PMID- 1427836
TI  - Chromosomal assignment of a gene encoding a new collagen type (COL15A1) to 9q21 -
      > q22.
AB  - The collagens constitute a large family of extracellular matrix components
      primarily responsible for maintaining the structure and biological integrity of
      connective tissue. These proteins exhibit considerable diversity size, sequence,
      tissue distribution, and molecular composition. Fourteen types of homo- and/or
      heterotrimeric molecules, thus far reported, are encoded by a minimum of 27
      genes. Nineteen of these genes, including several that are closely linked, have
      been assigned to 10 separate autosomes, and one collagen gene has been mapped to
      the X chromosome. We have isolated a 2.1-kb human cDNA clone coding for a
      collagen molecule different in sequence and structure from types I-XIV collagens.
      This polypeptide has been designated the alpha 1 chain of type XV collagen. To
      determine the location of the corresponding gene, the cDNA clone was hybridized
      to rodent-human hybrid DNAs and to human metaphase chromosomes. The results
      obtained using the hybrid cell lines showed that this newly identified collagen
      gene, COL15A1, is present in the pter --> q34 region of chromosome 9. In situ
      hybridization allowed sublocalization to 9q21 --> q22, a region to which no other
      collagen genes had previously been assigned. Our data further demonstrate the
      complex arrangement of the many collagen genes in the human genome.

PMID- 1427837
TI  - The mouse alpha 1(XII) and human alpha 1(XII)-like collagen genes are localized
      on mouse chromosome 9 and human chromosome 6.
AB  - Type XII collagen is a member of the FACIT (fibril-associated collagens with
      interrupted triple helices) group of extracellular matrix proteins. Like the
      other members of this group, collagen types IX and XIV, type XII has alternating
      triple-helical and non-triple-helical domains. Because of its structure, its
      association with collagen fibrils, and its distribution in dense connective
      tissues, type XII is thought possibly to act as a cross-bridge between fibrils
      and resist shear forces caused by tension. A portion of the ffuse gene was
      isolated by screening a genomic library with a chicken alpha 1 (XII) cDNA probe,
      followed by subcloning and sequence analysis. Comparison of exon sequences with
      the sequence of a mouse cDNA clone allowed the mouse gene to be identified as the
      alpha 1 (XII) collagen gene. In the mouse, Col12a1 is located on chromosome 9, as
      determined by linkage analysis using DNA from interspecific backcrosses with Mus
      spretus. Screening of a human genomic library also allowed the isolation of a
      human alpha 1(XII)-like gene (CoL12A1). This gene was mapped to chromosome 6 by
      blot hybridization to DNA from human/hamster hybrid cell lines. This information
      should prove useful in determining the role of type XII collagen genes as
      candidate genes in inheritable connective tissue diseases.

PMID- 1427838
TI  - Physical and genetic mapping of the telomeric major histocompatibility complex
      region in man and relevance to the primary hemochromatosis gene (HFE).
AB  - We performed pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) on genomic DNA from a
      radiation hybrid (RH) cell line and constructed a high-resolution physical map of
      the major histocompatibility complex class I region in 6p21.3, where the gene for
      primary hemochromatosis (HFE) is believed to be located. Due to the intact
      microsegment of hemizygous human genomic DNA preserved in the RH cell line,
      simplified and distinct restriction fragment banding patterns were generated.
      Using the RH cell line, we were able to extend the physical map of the HLA class
      I region to about 3000 kb, order the known HLA class I genes from centromere to
      telomere: HLA-B, -C, -E, (-A, -H, -G), and -F, and orient the HLA-F gene along
      the chromosome. The proximity of HLA-F to HLA-A was confirmed by linkage and
      linkage disequilibrium analysis. This study shows that RH cell lines can be
      useful for constructing long-range physical maps in specific regions of the human
      genome with PFGE. Physical and genetic mapping studies of this region are
      consistent with a localization of the HFE gene proximal or distal to HLA-A.

PMID- 1427839
TI  - Mapping human chromosomes by walking with sequence-tagged sites from end
      fragments of yeast artificial chromosome inserts.
AB  - Sequence-tagged sites (STSs) derived from end fragments of chromosome-specific
      yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs) can facilitate the assembly of an overlapping
      YAC/STS map. Contigs form rapidly by iteratively screening YAC collections with
      end-fragment STSs from YACs that have not yet been detected by any previous STS.
      The map is rendered rapidly useful during its assembly by incorporating
      supplementary STSs from genes and genetic linkage probes with known locations.
      Methods for the systematic development and testing of the end-fragments STSs are
      given here, and a group of 100 STSs is presented for the X chromosome. The
      mapping strategy is shown to be successful in simulations with portions of the X
      chromosome already largely mapped into overlapping YACs by other means.

PMID- 1427840
TI  - Detection of single DNA base mutations with mismatch repair enzymes.
AB  - A novel method for identifying DNA point mutations has been developed by using
      mismatch repair enzymes. The high specificity of the Escherichia coli MutY
      protein has permitted the development of a reliable and sensitive method for the
      detection and characterization of point mutations in the human genome. The MutY
      protein is involved in a repair pathway that can convert A/G or A/C mismatches to
      C/G or G/C basepairs, respectively. A/G or A/C mismatches formed by hybridization
      between two amplified genomic DNA samples or between specific DNA probes and
      target DNA are nicked at the mispaired adenine strand by MutY protein. As little
      as 1% of the mutant sequence can be detected by the mismatch repair enzyme
      cleavage (MREC) method in a mixture of normal and mutated DNAs (e.g., mutant
      cells are only present in 1% of the normal cell background). By using different
      probes, the assay also can determine the nucleotide sequence of the mutation. We
      have applied this method to detect single-base substitutions in human oncogenes.

PMID- 1427841
TI  - A random STS strategy for construction of YAC contigs spanning defined
      chromosomal regions.
AB  - Sequence tagged sites (STSs) that were generated via Alu-element-mediated
      polymerase chain reaction (Alu-PCR) and mapped to human Xq26 were used to isolate
      and overlap yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs). By collating the results of
      primary pool screening, the order of STSs and YACs was postulated directly.
      Subsequent isolation of 11 key YACs from 75 positive pools confirmed the proposed
      contig. Although only a small subset of the available Alu-PCR fragments was used,
      the STSs were generated at sufficient density to isolate all the YACs required
      and to identify all except one overlap directly. The results confirmed physical
      linkage of HPRT to DXS86 and DXS144E. Long-range continuity was determined purely
      by analysis of the 11 YAC colonies and required no end-rescue. This strategy is
      therefore an effective approach for the construction of YAC contigs spanning
      discrete chromosomal regions contained within somatic cell hybrids, with minimal
      prior knowledge of the region.

PMID- 1427842
TI  - cDNA surveying of specific tissue expression of human chromosome 19 sequences.
AB  - cDNA surveying is a straightforward approach for identifying sequences in genomic
      clones expressed in specific tissues. It has been applied to a subchromosomal
      region of human chromosome 19 (19q13.2-q13.4), a region that contains several
      known expressed sequences including the locus for myotonic dystrophy (DM).
      Genomic clones were selected from this region by probing a human placental cosmid
      library with a chromosome 19q-specific minisatellite sequence, or human genomic
      clones were isolated from a cosmid library constructed from a human chromosome
      19q13.2-q13.3 hamster hybrid cell line using human repetitive DNA as probe.
      Pooled cDNAs synthesized from RNA of specific tissues characteristically affected
      in DM were depleted in repetitive sequences and used as hybridization probes
      against gridded cosmid arrays. DNA from the cDNA-positive cosmid clones was
      transferred to nylon filters and reprobed with cDNAs to identify restriction
      fragments that were expressed in these tissues. Hybridizing restriction fragments
      were subcloned, sequenced, and demonstrated to be nonrepetitive. Primer pairs
      complementary to subcloned sequences were constructed and used for PCR
      amplification of cDNA synthesized from RNA of tissues affected in myotonic
      dystrophy. PCR products were sequenced to verify the identity of expressed
      genomic DNA and its corresponding cDNA.

PMID- 1427843
TI  - Localization of the gene encoding R kappa B (NFRKB), a tissue-specific DNA
      binding protein, to chromosome 11q24-q25.
AB  - Although NF (nuclear factor)-kappa B binds in vitro to several of the kappa B
      regulatory elements found in cellular and viral genes, another DNA binding
      protein, R kappa B, also binds to a related variant of the kappa B site that
      regulates interleukin-2 receptor alpha-chain gene expression, a critical event in
      T cell activation. Southern blot analysis of a human-mouse somatic cell hybrid
      panel and in situ hybridization using a fluorescent genomic R kappa B probe have
      allowed assignment of the R kappa B gene (NFRKB) to 11q24-q25. The NFRKB locus is
      in close proximity to the chromosomal breakpoint implicated in Ewing sarcoma, but
      it does not appear to span this region. Nonetheless, NFRKB may be particularly
      useful as the most telomeric marker thus far assigned to 11q.

PMID- 1427844
TI  - Physical mapping of the albino-deletion complex in the mouse to localize alf/hsdr
      1, a locus required for neonatal survival.
AB  - The albino-deletion complex in the mouse defines a genetically well-characterized
      region of chromosome 7 in which a number of loci essential for normal development
      and viability reside. One locus, designated alf or hsdr-1, is necessary for
      neonatal survival. Its absence results in hypoglycemia associated with
      biochemical and ultrastructural abnormalities in hepatocytes and proximal tubule
      cells of the kidney. We constructed a long-range physical map of the region
      defined by the proximal segment of the albino-deletion complex as a step toward
      localizing alf/hsdr-1. Sixteen markers, including 11 whose isolation is described
      here and in the accompanying paper (A. Schedl et al., 1992, Genomics 14, 288
      297), were ordered on a panel of albino-deletion DNAs and their distribution was
      examined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The resulting approximately 4300-kb
      physical map covers the entire region absent from the prototypic alf/hsdr-1
      deletion c14CoS, estimated as approximately 3600 kb. Since the deletion c11DSD
      complements and overlaps most of c14CoS, alf/hsdr-1 was mapped at the proximal
      extreme of c14CoS, approximately 3000 kb from the albino locus. The density of
      CpG islands was found to be very heterogeneous across the region mapped.

PMID- 1427845
TI  - Chromosome jumping from flanking markers defines the minimal region for alf/hsdr
      1 within the albino-deletion complex.
AB  - The locus alf/hsdr-1, defined by the albino-deletion complex on mouse chromosome
      7, is essential for neonatal survival. Animals homozygous for a subset of the
      deletions die shortly after birth due to impaired gene expression in liver
      parenchymal cells and kidney proximal tubular cells. Here, we describe a detailed
      analysis of the region containing alf/hsdr-1 by means of chromosome jumping from
      flanking markers. Three chromosome jumping libraries based on the restriction
      enzymes XmaI and SalI were constructed. Isolation of eight jumping clones
      distributed over 450 kb allowed more than 240 kb to be cloned in genomic lambda
      and cosmid libraries. Five of the probes map within the minimal genetic interval
      for alf/hsdr-1, which is defined by the proximal borders of the deletions c10R75M
      and c11DSD. The breakpoints of these deletions were precisely mapped, which
      allowed alf/hsdr-1 to be localized to a 310-kb interval.

PMID- 1427846
TI  - The gene for Aarskog syndrome is located between DXS255 and DXS566 (Xp11.2-Xq13).
AB  - Aarskog syndrome has been mapped to Xq13 on the basis of a patient carrying an
      Xq13:8p21.2 translocation. We have identified a new microsatellite marker in a
      clone mapping to this region (HX60;DXS566). Using primers flanking this
      microsatellite along with primers detecting a microsatellite at PGK1P1 and
      DXS255, and DXS72, we have performed a multipoint analysis in a large kindred
      with Aarskog syndrome. Our results suggest that the Aarskog locus lies proximal
      to Xq13. This is supported by the recent redefining of the breakpoint of the
      original translocation as between DXS14 (Xp11.21-p11.1) and DXS146 (Xp11.23
      p11.22).

PMID- 1427847
TI  - Mapping human X-linked genes in the phalangerid marsupial Trichosurus vulpecula.
AB  - We mapped 15 human X-chromosome markers in the common brush-tailed possum,
      Trichosurus vulpecula (Kerr), which represents the Australian marsupial family
      Phalangeridae. In situ hybridization was used to localize highly conserved human
      X-linked genes to chromosomes of T. vulpecula diploid lines. Ten genes located on
      the long arm of the human X (human Xq genes) all mapped to the possum X
      chromosome. However, all five genes located on the short arm of the human X
      (human Xp genes) mapped to autosomes. These findings confirm our previous work,
      which showed that the X chromosome in macropodid and dasyurid marsupials bears
      all the human Xq genes but none of the human Xp genes studied. This suggests that
      the marsupial X is highly conserved, but its gene content reflects that of only
      part of the eutherian X, a result consistent with our hypothesis that an
      autosomal region was added to the X early in eutherian divergence.

PMID- 1427849
TI  - Characterization of yeast artificial chromosomes from Plasmodium falciparum:
      construction of a stable, representative library and cloning of telomeric DNA
      fragments.
AB  - Molecular genetic studies of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum
      have been hampered in part due to difficulties in stably cloning and propagating
      parasite genomic DNA in bacteria. This is thought to be a result of the unusual
      A+T bias (>80%) in the parasite's DNA. Pulsed-field gel electrophoretic
      separation of P. falciparum chromosomes has shown that large chromosomal
      polymorphisms, resulting from the deletion of DNA from chromosome ends,
      frequently occur. Understanding the biological implications of this chromosomal
      polymorphism will require the analysis of large regions of genomic, and in
      particular telomeric, DNA. To overcome the limitations of cloning parasite DNA in
      bacteria, we have cloned genomic DNA from the P. falciparum strain FCR3 in yeast
      as artificial chromosomes. A pYAC4 library with an average insert size of
      approximately 100 kb was established and found to have a three to fourfold
      redundancy for single-copy genes. Unlike bacterial hosts, yeast stably maintain
      and propagate large tracts of parasite DNA. Long-range restriction enzyme mapping
      of YAC clones demonstrates that the cloned DNA is contiguous and identical to the
      native parasite genomic DNA. Since the telomeric ends of chromosomes are
      underrepresented in YAC libraries, we have enriched for these sequences by
      cloning P. falciparum telomeric DNA fragments (from 40 to 130 kb) as YACs by
      complementation in yeast.

PMID- 1427848
TI  - The 5' ends of LINE1 repeats in rabbit DNA define subfamilies and reveal a short
      sequence conserved between rabbits and humans.
AB  - The 5' ends of five full-length LINE1 (L1) repeats from the rabbit genome (L1Oc)
      were mapped and their nucleotide sequences determined. Computer-generated
      alignments showed that these five L1Oc repeats can be divided into subfamilies,
      each of which has a characteristic sequence upstream of the first open reading
      frame (ORF1). These five L1Ocs range in size from 6.5 to 7.3 kb, with 5' ends
      located 76 to 1125 bp upstream of ORF1. Two of these subfamilies appear to have
      diverged from a common ancestor at least 66 million years ago. Comparisons of the
      5' ends of L1s from rabbit, human, mouse, and rat show no common sequence 5' to
      ORF1, except for a 22-bp sequence that is found near the beginning of all
      characterized full-length L1s from rabbit and human. A statistical analysis
      indicates that this 22-bp aligned block is highly significant. Part of this 22-bp
      sequence matches the microE1 binding site in immunoglobulin gene enhancers. This
      strong conservation suggests that the microE1 binding site may be part of a
      transcriptional regulatory element at the 5' ends of rabbit and human L1 repeats.

PMID- 1427850
TI  - Comparative anatomy of the primate major histocompatibility complex DR subregion:
      evidence for combinations of DRB genes conserved across species.
AB  - The class II region of the human major histocompatibility complex (HLA) is made
      up of three major subregions designated DR, DQ, and DP. With the aim of gaining
      an insight into the evolution and stability of DR haplotypes, a total of 63
      cosmid clones were isolated from the DR subregion (Gogo-DR) of a western lowland
      gorilla. All but one of these cosmid clones were found to fall into two clusters.
      The larger cluster, A, was defined by 41 overlapping cosmid clones and contained
      a DRB gene segment made up of exons 4 through 6 and four DRB genes, designated
      Gogo-DRB6, Gogo-DRB5*01, Gogo-DRB8, and Gogo-DRB3*01. The total length of this
      cluster was approximately 180 kb. The second cluster, B, encompassed a contiguous
      DNA stretch of approximately 145 kb and was composed of 21 overlapping cosmid
      clones. Cluster B contained three DRB genes, designated Gogo-DRB1*08, Gogo-DRB2,
      and Gogo-DRB3*02. One cosmid clone (WP1-9) containing a DRB pseudogene could not
      be linked to either cluster A or B. Neither the organization of cluster A nor
      that of cluster B was identical to that of known HLA-DR haplotypes. However, two
      gorilla DRB genes, Gogo-DRB6 and Gogo-DRB5*01, the human counterparts of which
      are linked in the HLA-DR2 haplotype, were found to be located next to each other
      in cluster A. The arrangement of the Gogo-DRB genes in cluster B, which is
      presumed to be the gorilla DR8 haplotype, was similar to that of HLA-DR3/DR5/DR6
      haplotypes and to that of the presumed ancestral HLA-DR8 haplotype.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427851
TI  - The telomeric 60 kb of chromosome arm 4p is homologous to telomeric regions on
      13p, 15p, 21p, and 22p.
AB  - A telomere YAC clone containing the most distal 115 kb of chromosome arm 4p has
      been previously isolated. This clone is of particular interest as it spans a
      potential candidate region for the Huntington disease gene. The YAC was subcloned
      into a phage vector, and a high-resolution restriction map extending to within 13
      kb of the telomere was constructed. In situ hybridization of the YAC to human
      metaphase spreads gives a peak of hybridization on 4pter but also an increase in
      the number of signals close to several other telomeres. Where possible, these
      results were investigated further by the hybridization of probes from the YAC to
      somatic cell hybrids containing single human chromosomes. This analysis indicates
      that the most telomeric 60 kb of chromosome arm 4p is homologous to telomeric
      regions on 13p, 15p, 21p, and 22p. The extent of this homology makes it less
      likely that the mutation for Huntington's disease is located within the telomere
      YAC clone.

PMID- 1427852
TI  - Pig standard bivariate flow karyotype and peak assignment for chromosomes X, Y,
      3, and 7.
AB  - A standard pig flow karyotype (2N = 38 chromosomes) was defined by
      standardization of several flow karyotypes obtained from stimulated peripheral
      blood lymphocytes of normal male and female pigs. Depending on the animals under
      study, the flow analysis of their chromosome suspensions gave rise to bivariate
      flow karyotypes comprising from 15 to 17 peaks, of which 11 to 15 represented
      single chromosomes. The results were used to propose a peak nomenclature. In
      addition, a male miniature pig lymphoblastoid cell line was characterized by flow
      cytogenetics. A very high-resolution flow karyotype, in which all peaks but one
      superimposed on those of the standard karyotype, was obtained. Peaks were
      assigned for chromosomes X and Y. Analysis of flow karyotypes obtained from
      translocated t(3,7)(p1.3;q2.1) pigs combined with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
      studies of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-linked sequences on flow-sorted
      chromosomes allowed identification of peaks 3 and 7 of normal pig chromosomes and
      of the derivative chromosomes associated with the t(3,7)(p1.3;q2.1)
      translocation.

PMID- 1427853
TI  - The defensin-related murine CRS1C gene: expression in Paneth cells and linkage to
      Defcr, the cryptdin locus.
AB  - The site of defensin-related CRS1C gene expression in mouse small bowel and the
      chromosomal location of the CRS1C locus, Defcr-rs1, have been determined. CRS1C
      (cryptdin-related sequence 1C) mRNA is an abundant small intestinal sequence that
      exhibits extensive similarity to the prepro-coding regions of defensin mRNAs yet
      does not encode a defensin (A. J. Ouellette and J. C. Lualdi, 1990, J. Biol.
      Chem. 265: 9831-9837). Using sequence-specific probes, CRS1C mRNA was detected in
      Paneth cells at the base of intestinal crypts by in situ hybridization. Southern
      blot analysis of genomic DNAs from inbred and recombinant inbred (RI) mouse
      strains, also conducted with probes specific for CRS1C, showed that the CRS1C
      locus maps to the proximal region of Chromosome 8. In 62 RI strains, no
      discordancies were found between Defcr-rs1 and Defcr, the cryptdin gene. Thus,
      both the Defcr-rs1 and the Defcr genes are expressed in Paneth cells and both are
      genetically inseparable within 1.58 cM on Chromosome 8. These studies identify a
      second defensin-related Paneth cell gene in mice.

PMID- 1427854
TI  - Identification of three new genes and estimation of the size of the
      carcinoembryonic antigen family.
AB  - Using carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) subgroup-specific degenerate PCR primers, we
      have identified three new CEA gene family member L/N exons (CGM9, CGM10, and
      CGM11) and all previously reported L/N exons of the CEA subgroup (CEA, BGP, NCA,
      CGM1, CGM2, CGM6, CGM7, and CGM8). This suggests that the CEA subgroup contains
      11 genes. CGM9, CGM10, and CGM11 seem to be pseudogenes. A deletion of an
      asparagine in CGM9 results in loss of a glycosylation site, which is conserved
      throughout the CEA gene family. We have previously suggested the number of genes
      in the pregnancy-specific glycoprotein (PSG) subgroup to be 11, which together
      with this study indicates that the CEA gene family contains 22 genes in all.
      Parsimony analysis of the CEA subgroup interrelationships suggests that CGM7
      occupies the most primitive position within the CEA subgroup, being a sister
      group to the rest. CEA, BGP, NCA, and CGM1 form a fairly well-supported group
      within the CEA subgroup.

PMID- 1427855
TI  - Detection of a polymorphism within the pepsinogen C gene with PCR: construction
      of a linkage map around PGC from 6p11-6p21.3.
AB  - An insertion/deletion polymorphism between exons 7 and 8 of the pepsinogen C gene
      (PGC), previously detectable with Southern analysis, was formatted for detection
      with PCR. Alleles were rapidly typed by UV irradiation of ethidium bromide
      stained agarose gels. Whereas Southern analysis revealed two alleles, the smaller
      fragments generated with PCR allowed the resolution of three alleles that were
      previously scored as a single allele and increased the heterozygosity of the
      system from 0.20 to 0.53. After a set of reference families was genotyped with
      the PCR-based polymorphism, a linkage map around the PGC gene on chromosome 6 was
      constructed. This included the HLA cluster and the highly informative D6S223
      locus. PGC lies 22 cM proximal to HLA-DPB and between D6S5 and D6S4 at distances
      of 4.5 and 13.1 cM, respectively.

PMID- 1427857
TI  - Detailed mapping around the breakpoint of (3;8) translocation in familial renal
      cell carcinoma and FRA3B.
AB  - As a critical step toward cloning the breakpoint of the (3;8) translocation
      observed in familial renal cell carcinoma and a common fragile site on chromosome
      3p (FRA3B), we have characterized the 3p14 region containing the breakpoint and
      FRA3B by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), pulsed-field gel
      electrophoresis (PFGE), and genetic linkage analysis. Of 23 cosmids mapped by
      FISH, 14 cosmids were distal to the breakpoint of t(3;8) and 9 were proximal.
      Analyses of FRA3B by FISH were identical to those for the (3;8) breakpoint and
      indicated that the breakpoint of t(3;8) occurred at or very close to the fragile
      site. We have also constructed a genetic linkage map and a preliminary long-range
      restriction map using PFGE of the 3p14 region. The linkage results were
      consistent with the physical data. The combined results of FISH, PFGE, and
      linkage analysis establish a basis for further experiments to clone the (3;8)
      breakpoint and FRA3B.

PMID- 1427856
TI  - Feline arylsulfatase B (ARSB): isolation and expression of the cDNA, comparison
      with human ARSB, and gene localization to feline chromosome A1.
AB  - Arylsulfatase B (ARSB) is the lysosomal enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of 4
      sulfate groups from N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfate moieties on the
      glycosaminoglycans, dermatan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate A. In man, a
      deficiency of this enzymatic activity causes the lysosomal storage disorder,
      Maroteaux-Lamy disease (mucopolysaccharidosis Type VI; MPS VI). MPS VI in Siamese
      cats also has been described, and the comparative pathologic and biochemical
      abnormalities of the human and feline disorders have been well characterized. The
      present study describes the isolation and expression of cDNAs encoding feline
      ARSB and the assignment of the feline ARSB gene to feline chromosome A1. The full
      length feline ARSB cDNA sequence is 1939 bp, including 3 and 328 bp of 5' and 3'
      untranslated sequences, respectively, and a 1608-bp open reading frame encoding
      535 amino acids. The predicted human and feline ARSB proteins are 91% identical
      and 94% similar. However, despite this high homology, the predicted feline ARSB
      polypeptide has nine cysteine residues, while the human enzyme has eight. The
      presence of the extra cysteine residue at position 451 in the feline enzyme may
      explain why feline ARSB is a homodimer and the human enzyme is a monomer. To
      facilitate comparative structure/function studies of the human and feline enzymes
      and to initiate somatic gene therapy trials in the MPS VI cats, a full-length
      feline ARSB cDNA was reconstructed from a 1440-bp partial cDNA and an ARSB
      fragment amplified from feline first-strand cDNA by the polymerase chain
      reaction. The functional integrity of this cDNA was demonstrated by transient
      expression in human embryonic kidney cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427858
TI  - A somatic cell hybrid panel for regional mapping of human chromosome 18.
AB  - We have produced and characterized a panel of seven somatic cell hybrids defining
      eight potential intervals on human chromosome 18. Using 24 markers that have
      previously been assigned to this chromosome, we have placed markers into six of
      these regions. The gene for alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor (PLI) and the anonymous DNA
      segment locus D18S23 are excluded from this chromosome.

PMID- 1427859
TI  - Length and sequence variation in the apolipoprotein B intron 20 Alu repeat.
AB  - We have developed a single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) protocol for
      typing both sequence and length variations in an Alu element located in intron 20
      of the human apolipoprotein B (apo B) gene. Using the polymerase chain reaction
      (PCR), we simultaneously amplified and isotopically labeled the apo B intron 20
      Alu. The Alu tail, which is composed of two arrays of variable numbers of tandem
      repeats, (TTTX)y (X = A or G) and (T)z, was separated from the rest of the PCR
      product by restriction enzyme digestion with PstI. Length variation in the Alu
      tail (IN20-REP) was thus separated from sequence variation in the Alu body (IN20
      SEQ), rendering the SSCP patterns both eaiser to interpret and more informative.
      In a sample of 242 unrelated individuals from Nancy, France, we observed 11 SSCP
      alleles at the IN20-SEQ locus that differed only in sequence. At the IN20-REP
      locus, we observed 7 alleles that differed in both sequence and length. All
      alleles at both loci were subcloned and sequenced. One additional allele that did
      not undergo a detectable mobility shift in SSCP gels was uncovered at each locus
      during sequencing of the SSCP alleles. The additional IN20-SEQ allele was typed
      by restriction enzyme digestion. Although the number of IN20-SEQ and IN20-REP
      alleles was large, most were uncommon; the three most common alleles at each
      locus represented more than 94% of those sampled. We also typed the children of
      the 242 unrelated French individuals, enabling verification of the Mendelian
      segregation of the two loci and construction of haplotypes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427860
TI  - The human Pi class glutathione transferase sequence at 12q13-q14 is a reverse
      transcribed pseudogene.
AB  - A previous in situ hybridization study with a Pi class glutathione S-transferase
      cDNA probe revealed the presence of hybridizing sequences on the long arms of
      chromosomes 11 and 12. Since the GSTP1 gene is known to be on chromosome 11 and
      since it is thought that chromosomes 11 and 12 arose from an ancient
      tetraploidization event, it was of interest to determine if the gene on
      chromosome 12 encoded a closely related Pi class glutathione S-transferase
      isoenzyme. This gene has now been cloned and sequenced. The results are
      surprising and indicate that the gene is a partial reverse-transcribed pseudogene
      that has been inserted into the genome at 12q by chance and has not resulted from
      the prior tetraploidization of the human genome.

PMID- 1427861
TI  - The human galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase gene.
AB  - Classical galactosemia is an inborn error of metabolism caused by a deficiency of
      galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GALT). Standard treatment with dietary
      galactose restriction will reverse the potentially lethal symptoms of the disease
      that are manifest in the newborn period. However, the long-term prognosis for
      these patients is variable. As a first step toward investigating the molecular
      basis for phenotypic variation in galactosemia, we have cloned and sequenced the
      entire gene for human galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase. This gene is
      organized into 11 exons spanning 4 kb. In exons 6, 9, and a portion of 10, there
      is a high degree of amino acid sequence conservation among Escherichia coli,
      yeast, mouse, and human. We have identified a number of nucleotide changes in the
      GALT genes of galactosemic patients that alter conserved amino acids. The most
      common of these is an A to G transition at nucleotide position 1470, converting a
      glutamine to an arginine at amino acid codon position 188 (Q188R).(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427862
TI  - Construction and characterization of a yeast artificial chromosome library
      containing 1.5 equivalents of human chromosome 21.
AB  - A library of yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs) was constructed from a
      human/hamster somatic cell hybrid containing human chromosome 21 (q11-qter).
      Cells were embedded in agarose, and the DNA was partially digested with EcoRI,
      released into solution by agarase treatment of the agarose plugs, ligated into
      pYAC4, and transferred into yeast. Double screening of the yeast transformants
      with human and hamster genomic DNA allowed the selection of clones hybridizing
      only with human DNA. The library consists of 321 clones, amounting to 1.5
      equivalents (61 Mb) of chromosome 21. The mean YAC size calculated from 178
      clones is 190 +/- 100 kb. Screening of the library with eight sequence-tagged
      sites gave six positives. Among 21 YACs tested by in situ hybridization, 17
      mapped to chromosome 21.

PMID- 1427864
TI  - The gene for the cell adhesion molecule M-cadherin maps to mouse chromosome 8 and
      human chromosome 16q24.1-qter and is near the E-cadherin (uvomorulin) locus in
      both species.
AB  - A mouse myotube-derived cDNA encoding the Ca(2+)-dependent cell adhesion molecule
      M-cadherin was used to study the segregation of the corresponding gene Cdh3 in a
      mouse interspecific backcross. Cdh3 was found to be unlinked to the N-cadherin
      gene but linked to the E-cadherin (uvomorulin) locus on chromosome 8 in a region
      of conserved synteny with human chromosome 16q. The gene order cen-Junb-Um-Tat
      (Cdh3/Aprt) was determined. The human homologue CDH3 was mapped to chromosome
      16q24.1-qter by analyzing human/mouse somatic cell hybrids.

PMID- 1427863
TI  - Determination of the nucleotide sequence and chromosomal localization of the
      ATP2B2 gene encoding human Ca(2+)-pumping ATPase isoform PMCA2.
AB  - The plasma membrane Ca(2+)-pumping ATPase (Ca(2+)-ATPase) is responsible for
      maintaining calcium homeostasis in eukaryotic cells. The Ca(2+)-ATPase is a
      family of pumps that are encoded by at least four genes. A cDNA for the human
      version of Ca(2+)-ATPase isoform PMCA2 was isolated and characterized. Comparison
      of the human and rat cDNA sequences showed that they were 95% homologous in the
      coding domain, and this homology was reflected in the deduced protein sequence
      where greater than 98% homology between the human and rat sequences was found.
      The amino acid differences that were found were almost all conservative. The
      PMCA2 cDNA was used to probe Southern blots of human-rodent somatic cell hybrid
      DNAs; the results indicated that the human PMCA2 gene was located on chromosome
      3.

PMID- 1427865
TI  - Neural retina-specific leucine zipper gene NRL (D14S46E) maps to human chromosome
      14q11.1-q11.2.
AB  - The product of a neural retina-specific gene, NRL, belongs to the "leucine
      zipper" family of DNA-binding proteins and has a strong similarity to the v-maf
      oncogene product. The NRL gene maps to human chromosome 14 by Southern blot
      analysis of genomic DNA from a human-rodent somatic cell hybrid panel. In situ
      hybridization to metaphase chromosomes has further sublocalized the gene to the
      region 14q11.1-q11.2. D14S46E has now been assigned to the NRL gene. Because of
      its specific pattern of expression, NRL is a candidate gene for retinal diseases.

PMID- 1427866
TI  - Sequence-tagged sites (STSs) for a set of mapped markers on chromosome 21.
AB  - Sequence tagged sites (STSs) have been proposed as a "common language" for
      comparing physical and genetic maps of the human genome produced by a variety of
      techniques. We have produced 44 STSs from 38 mapped loci on human chromosome 21.
      The STSs represent most of the loci designated as genetic reference or ordered
      physical framework markers, along with a number of others chosen to span all
      regions of 21q. Of the STSs, 12 are from gene segments, including 4 from exons of
      the APP gene encoding the amyloid beta protein precursor, and 32 mark anonymous
      DNA loci. These STSs make each of the corresponding loci readily accessible to
      the research community without the need for exchange of clones. These sites also
      represent multiple start points for the isolation of YAC clones that should
      permit overlapping the entire chromosome 21 long arm as cloned DNA.

PMID- 1427867
TI  - Genetic mapping of the integrin alpha 1 gene (Vla1) to mouse chromosome 13.
AB  - The integrin alpha 1 chain (Vla1) associates with the beta 1 chain to form a
      heterodimer that functions as a dual laminin/collagen receptor in neural cells
      and hematopoietic cells. We have used an interspecies backcross gene-mapping
      technique to map the Vla1 gene to the distal end of chromosome 13 in the mouse
      genome. The Vla1 locus is located 3.5 cM distal to Ctla-3 and 7.8 cM distal to
      Htrla. We have further characterized this locus in recombinant inbred (RI) mice
      by examining the strain distribution patterns of nine genomic DNA restriction
      fragment length variants detected with alpha 1 cDNA probes. The RI gene mapping
      did not show linkage to previously mapped genes or mutants in the AXB, BXA, or
      AKXD RI sets and therefore defines a new genetic marker for the distal end of
      chromosome 13 in these RI sets.

PMID- 1427868
TI  - Linkage mapping of the AML1 gene on human chromosome 21 using a DNA polymorphism
      in the 3' untranslated region.
AB  - We have detected a polymorphism in the 3' untranslated region of the AML1 gene,
      which is located at the breakpoint on chromosome 21 in the t(8;21)(q22;q22.3)
      translocation often associated with patients with acute myeloid leukemia.
      Informative CEPH families were genotyped for this polymorphism and used to
      localize the gene on the linkage map of human chromosome 21. The AML1 gene is
      located between the markers D21S216 and D21S211, in chromosomal band 21q22.3.

PMID- 1427869
TI  - The gene for X-linked hydrocephalus maps to Xq28, distal to DXS52.
AB  - We report the study of five independent X-linked hydrocephalus (HSAS1) families
      with polymorphic DNA markers of the Xq28 region. A total of 58 individuals,
      including 7 living affected males and 22 obligate carriers, have been studied.
      Maximum lod score was 7.21 at theta = 2.40% for DXS52 (St14-1). A single
      recombination event was observed between this marker and the HSAS1 locus. Other
      markers studied were DXS296 (Z = 2.02 at theta = 2.5%), DXS304 (Z = 4.37 at theta
      = 7.8%), DXS74 (Z = 3.50 at theta = 0%), DXS15 (Z = 1.96 at theta = 5.7%), DXS134
      (Z = 3.31 at theta = 0%), and F8C (Z = 5.79 at theta = 0%). These data confirm
      the localization of the HSAS1 gene to Xq28 and provide evidence for genetic
      homogeneity of this syndrome. In addition, examination of two obligate
      recombinant meioses along with multipoint linkage analysis supports the distal
      localization of the HSAS1 locus with respect to the DXS52 cluster. These
      observations are of potential interest for future studies aimed at HSAS1 gene
      characterization.

PMID- 1427871
TI  - Chromlook: an interactive program for error detection and mapping in reference
      linkage data.
AB  - Preliminary genetic linkage maps of every human chromosome have been generated
      over the past few years, and efforts to extend and refine these maps are under
      way. However, fine-resolution mapping is tedious and difficult because the
      inevitable errors in the data confound estimates of both the placement of loci
      and the distances between them. Fortunately, in most cases these errors result in
      observed recombinants where no true recombinant has occurred. The simple strategy
      presented here identifies these recombinants by relying on the assumption that
      recombinants between two adjacent markers are relatively rare events. This
      strategy has been implemented in the computer program CHROMLOOK, and examples of
      its use are given. Identification of recombinants allows for the directed
      regenotyping of suspicious data, the quick mapping of new polymorphisms using
      recombination minimization, and the development of a meiotic breakpoint map.

PMID- 1427870
TI  - Discrimination between alpha-satellite DNA sequences from chromosomes 21 and 13
      by using polymerase chain reaction.
AB  - alpha-Satellite subfamilies from chromosomes 21 and 13 are almost identical in
      sequence and cannot be distinguished from each other by hybridization techniques.
      A general method based on membrane-bound PCR is described here, allowing the
      discrimination of alpha-satellite DNA sequences from each of these two
      chromosomes, after detection by Southern blot hybridization. The PCR conditions
      were developed using somatic hybrid DNAs. The method was tested in membrane-bound
      PCR by using the alpha-satellite bands from a Southern blot of a CEPH family. The
      chromosomal origin of these bands, previously determined by linkage analysis, was
      confirmed by this method.

PMID- 1427872
TI  - Mapping around the Xq13.1 breakpoints of two X/A translocations in hypohidrotic
      ectodermal dysplasia (EDA) female patients.
AB  - Cellular hybrids were obtained from a t(X;12) identified in a female patient with
      hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (EDA). This rearrangement had the same Xq13.1
      cytogenetic breakpoint as a t(X;9) found in a previously observed EDA patient. A
      comparative analysis of these two rearrangements with nine probes was performed
      at the molecular level. These probes could define three subregions: three are
      proximal, two are distal, and four are between the two breakpoints. These last
      probes should prove useful for cloning the gene.

PMID- 1427873
TI  - Mapping of bovine markers CYP21, PRL, and BOLA DRBP1 by genetic linkage analysis
      in reference pedigrees.
AB  - We have analyzed DNA from 13 bovine reference pedigrees using primers specific
      for microsatellite markers derived from the 21-steroid hydroxylase (CYP21) and
      prolactin (PRL) genes and the leukocyte antigen (BOLA DRBP1) pseudogene. Linkage
      was demonstrated between PRL and BOLA DRBP1 (theta = 0.05; Z = 19.6), cyp21 and
      PRL (theta = 0.13; Z = 6.8), and BOLA DRBP1 and CYP21 (theta = 0.17; Z = 10.4).
      These results suggest an order BOLA DRBP1-PRL-CYP21, although in a multilocus
      analysis the alternative order PRL-BOLA DRBP1-CYP21 was also possible. The data
      confirm and extend the previously established syntenic relationship between these
      markers on bovine chromosome 23 and provide points of anchorage for further
      linkage studies in the reference pedigrees described.

PMID- 1427874
TI  - Chromosomal localization of the genes encoding the p50/p105 subunits of NF-kappa
      B (NFKB2) and the I kappa B/MAD-3 (NFKBI) inhibitor of NF-kappa B to 4q24 and
      14q13, respectively.
AB  - The regulation of expression of a variety of genes involved in immune function,
      inflammation, and cellular growth control, as well as control of expression of
      certain viruses such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is dependent on
      the transcription factor NF-kappa B. In many cells, NF-kappa B is found in the
      cytoplasm where it is associated with an inhibitor protein known as I kappa B.
      Recently the genes encoding the p50 and p65 subunits of NF-kappa B, as well as
      one form of I kappa B/MAD-3 (NFKBI), have been cloned. As part of our goal to
      determine the chromosomal organization of members of the REL/NFKB family, as well
      as their inhibitors, we localized the NFKBp50/p105 (NFKB2) and I kappa B/MAD-3
      (NFKBI) genes to human chromosome bands 4q24 and 14q13, respectively.

PMID- 1427875
TI  - Physical localization of chromosome 20 markers using somatic cell hybrid cell
      lines and fluorescence in situ hybridization.
AB  - A panel of somatic cell hybrid cell lines containing different parts of human
      chromosome 20 and fluorescence in situ hybridization have been used to physically
      localize markers to human chromosome 20. Through these complementary approaches
      and genetic linkage analysis, D20S16, which is closely linked to the maturity
      onset diabetes of the young (MODY) locus, was mapped to band 20q12 --> q13.1. The
      gene for growth hormone-releasing factor (GHRF) was physically mapped and
      reassigned to 20q11, suggesting that GHRF plays no direct role in MODY. In
      addition, the genes for the chromosome 20-linked glycogen phosphorylase (GYPB)
      and the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP2A) have been assigned to chromosome 20p,
      and the interleukin-6-dependent DNA-binding protein (TCF5) has been assigned to
      20q12 --> q13 by hybridization to genomic DNA from the panel of somatic cell
      hybrid cell lines. These approaches are useful for rapid localization of
      candidate genes for MODY and other DNA markers mapped to chromosome 20.

PMID- 1427876
TI  - Detection and characterization of "chimeric" yeast artificial chromosome clones
      by fluorescent in situ suppression hybridization.
AB  - "Chimeric" yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs) are clones containing two or more
      noncontiguous segments of DNA and represent the most common artifact found in
      total genomic YAC libraries currently used for large-scale genome mapping. These
      YACs create spurious mapping information that complicates the construction of YAC
      contigs and leads to erroneous maps during chromosome walks. The presence of
      these artifactual clones necessitates laborious and time-consuming
      characterization of each isolated YAC clone, either by comparison of the physical
      map of the YAC with the corresponding source genomic DNA, or by demonstrating
      discrepant chromosomal origins for the two ends of the YAC by hybridization or
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Here, we describe a rapid and sensitive method
      for the assessment of YAC colinearity by fluorescence in situ suppression
      hybridization (FISSH) by utilizing fluorescein-12-dUTP for labeling YAC clones.
      We have analyzed 51 YACs and found that 43% (22 out of 51) are chimeric and
      significantly larger (302 kb) than colinear ones (228 kb). One of the 51 YAC
      clones (2%) examined contains portions of three chromosomes and 2 (4%) seem to
      map to a chromosome different than that of the identifying STS. FISSH analysis
      offers a straightforward visualization of the entire YAC insert on the
      chromosomes and can be used to examine many YACs simultaneously in few days.

PMID- 1427877
TI  - Mapping of 50 cosmid clones isolated from a flow-sorted human X chromosome
      library by fluorescence in situ hybridization.
AB  - Fifty cosmids have been mapped to metaphase chromosomes by fluorescence in situ
      hybridization under conditions that suppress signals from repetitive DNA
      sequences. The cosmid clones were isolated from a flow-sorted human X chromosome
      library. Thirty-eight of the clones were localized to chromosome X and 12 to
      autosomes such as chromosomes 3, 7, 8, 14, and 17. Although most of the cosmids
      mapped to the X chromosome appeared to be scattered along both the short and long
      arms, 10 cosmids were localized to the centromeric region of the chromosome.
      Southern blot analysis revealed that only two of these clones hybridized to probe
      pXBR-1, which detects the DXZ1 locus. In addition, 4 out of 5 cosmids mapped on
      chromosome 8 also localized on the centromeric region. While localization of X
      specific cosmids will facilitate the physical mapping of the human X chromosome,
      cosmids mapped to the centromeric regions of chromosomes X and 8 should be
      especially useful for studying the structure and organization of these regions.

PMID- 1427878
TI  - Assignment, by in situ hybridization, of the growth arrest-specific gene, Gas-1,
      to mouse chromosome 13, bands B3-C2.

PMID- 1427879
TI  - The gene encoding human plasma carboxypeptidase B (CPB2) resides on chromosome
      13.

PMID- 1427880
TI  - Assignment of the human gene propionyl coenzyme A carboxylase, alpha-chain,
      (PCCA) to chromosome 13q32 by in situ hybridization.

PMID- 1427881
TI  - Mapping of the X-linked form of hyper-IgM syndrome (HIGM1) to Xq26 by close
      linkage to HPRT.

PMID- 1427882
TI  - Three novel mutations of the ornithine aminotransferase (OAT) gene in gyrate
      atrophy.

PMID- 1427883
TI  - DXS89 (pTAK10) detects a homologous sequence on the Y chromosome.

PMID- 1427884
TI  - Fine mapping and cloning of the breakpoint associated with Menkes syndrome in a
      female patient.
AB  - The gene responsible for Menkes syndrome has been assigned to Xq13 by a
      combination of comparative mapping and linkage analysis. A previous report has
      mapped the translocation breakpoint associated with the disease in a female
      patient to an interval delimited by PGK1 and a group of six more proximal Xq13
      markers, including DXS56. We have characterized a number of PGK1- or DXS56
      positive YACs, from which we have generated six new markers. One of them
      identifies a small overlap region between a PGK1-positive YAC and three DXS56
      positive YACs, distal to the Menkes breakpoint. A 560-kb region covered by a
      DXS56-positive YAC has been restriction-mapped and subcloned, disclosing a 187-kb
      MluI fragment astride the breakpoint. A probe mapping distal to the rearrangement
      in the same interval reveals altered PGFE fragments in a hybrid constructed from
      the translocation patient's DNA. We describe the development of a cosmid contig
      extending 150 kb from a nearby CpG island across the breakpoint. This contig
      includes four adjacent clones displaying cross-specific hybridization.

PMID- 1427885
TI  - Evidence for the localization of a malignant hyperthermia susceptibility locus
      (MHS2) to human chromosome 17q.
AB  - Malignant hyperthermia susceptibility is a lethal autosomal dominant disorder of
      skeletal muscle metabolism that is triggered by all potent inhalation anesthetic
      gases. Recent linkage studies suggest a genetic locus for this disorder on
      19q13.1. We have previously reported three unrelated families diagnosed with MHS
      that are unlinked to markers surrounding this locus on 19q13.1. In this report we
      extend these observations and present linkage studies on 16 MHS families. Four
      families (25%) were found linked to the region 19q12-q13.2 (Zmax = 2.96 with the
      ryanodine receptor at theta = 0.0). Five families (31%) were found closely linked
      to the anonymous marker NME1 (previously designated NM23) on chromosome 17q11.2
      q24 (Zmax = 3.26 at theta = 0.0). Two families (13%) were clearly unlinked to
      either of these chromosomal regions. In five additional families, data were
      insufficient to determine their linkage status (they were potentially linked to
      two or more sites). The results of our heterogeneity analyses are consistent with
      the hypothesis that MHS can be caused in humans by any one of at least three
      distinct genetic loci. Furthermore, we provide preliminary linkage data
      suggesting the localization of a gene in human MHS to 17q11.2-q24 (MHS2), with a
      gene frequency of this putative locus approximately equal to that of the MHS1
      locus on 19q.

PMID- 1427886
TI  - A radiation hybrid map of the region on human chromosome 22 containing the
      neurofibromatosis type 2 locus.
AB  - We describe a high-resolution radiation hybrid map of the region on human
      chromosome 22 containing the neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) gene. Eighty-five
      hamster-human somatic cell hybrids generated by X-irradiation and cell fusion
      were used to generate the radiation hybrid map. The presence or absence of 18
      human chromosome 22-specific markers was determined in each hybrid by using
      Southern blot hybridization. Sixteen of the 18 markers were distinguishable by X
      ray breakage in the radiation hybrids. Analysis of these data using two different
      mathematical models and two different statistical methods resulted in a single
      framework map consisting of 8 markers ordered with odds greater than 1000:1. The
      remaining nonframework markers were all localized to regions consisting of two
      adjoining intervals on the framework map with odds greater than 1000:1. Based on
      the RH map, the NF2 region of chromosome 22, defined by the flanking markers
      D22S1 and D22S28, is estimated to span a physical distance of approximately 6 Mb
      and is the most likely location for 9 of the 18 markers studied: D22S33, D22S41,
      D22S42, D22S46, D22S56, LIF, D22S37, D22S44, and D22S15.

PMID- 1427887
TI  - Evidence for a third transcript from the human factor VIII gene.
AB  - Intron 22 of the human factor VIII gene was recently found to contain a gene,
      associated with a CpG island, which is transcribed in the direction opposite to
      factor VIII. We now report that another transcript emanates from the island and
      is transcribed in the same direction as factor VIII. The divergent transcripts
      originate within 122 bases of each other. The newly identified 5' exon in intron
      22 potentially codes for eight amino acids and is spliced to exons 23-26, with
      the factor VIII reading frame maintained. The protein encoded by this transcript
      would include the factor VIII C2 domain, responsible for phospholipid binding and
      essential for coagulant activity.

PMID- 1427888
TI  - Systematic detection of errors in genetic linkage data.
AB  - Construction of dense genetic linkage maps is hampered, in practice, by the
      occurrence of laboratory typing errors. Even relatively low error rates cause
      substantial map expansion and interfere with the determination of correct genetic
      order. Here, we describe a systematic method for overcoming these difficulties,
      based on incorporating the possibility of error into the usual likelihood model
      for linkage analysis. Using this approach, it is possible to construct genetic
      maps allowing for error and to identify the typings most likely to be in error.
      The method has been implemented for F2 intercrosses between two inbred strains, a
      situation relevant to the construction of genetic maps in experimental organisms.
      Tests involving both simulated and real data are presented, showing that the
      method detects the vast majority of errors.

PMID- 1427889
TI  - Construction of a yeast artificial chromosome contig encompassing the human alpha
      5(IV) collagen gene (COL4A5).
AB  - A PCR-based screening approach was used to isolate six yeast artificial
      chromosome (YAC) clones containing segments of the human alpha 5(IV) collagen
      gene (COL4A5). This gene is located at Xq22 and is known to be involved in the
      kidney disorder known as Alport syndrome (AS). By analyzing sequence-tagged
      sites, cDNA content, and rare-cutting restriction site patterns in these YAC
      clones, a contig that spans the entirety of the alpha 5(IV) gene was constructed.
      This contig may contain as much as 690 kb of DNA from the alpha 5(IV) locus. On
      the basis of the information obtained from these YAC clones, the genomic map and
      gene structure of the alpha 5(IV) gene have been refined. This study has also
      provided a valuable resource for subsequent studies of the alpha 5(IV) gene and
      its flanking DNA sequences.

PMID- 1427890
TI  - Duplication/deficiency mapping of situs inversus viscerum (iv), a gene that
      determines left-right asymmetry in the mouse.
AB  - A recessive mutation in the mouse, situs inversus viscerum (iv), results in
      randomization of organ position along the left-right body axis: approximately 50%
      of the progeny of homozygous matings exhibit situs solitus and 50% exhibit situs
      inversus. Recent studies have established genetic linkage between iv and the
      immunoglobulin heavy chain gene complex (Igh-C), located on distal mouse
      chromosome 12. In the present study, we have refined the genetic map location of
      iv relative to the breakpoint of a reciprocal translocation, T(5;12)31H,
      involving the telomeric region of chromosome 12 distal to Igh-C and the proximal
      region of chromosome 5. The translocation results in a large 12(5) derivative
      chromosome and a small 5(12) derivative chromosome. Because mice with either
      monosomy or tertiary trisomy for the 5(12) chromosomal region are viable,
      duplication/deficiency mapping is possible. Deficiency mapping was performed by
      mating iv/iv homozygotes and T31H heterozygotes. Two animals monosomic for distal
      mouse chromosome 12 were produced. One of the animals with cytogenetically
      confirmed monosomy for distal chromosome 12 exhibited situs inversus, indicating
      that the iv mutation is located at or distal to the T31H breakpoint. For
      duplication analysis, matings were initially carried out between iv/iv
      homozygotes and unbalanced T31H animals trisomic for distal chromosome 12.
      Cytogenetically verified tertiary trisomic progeny were identified and
      backcrossed with iv/iv homozygotes. The resulting trisomic progeny, 50% of which
      are expected to carry the iv mutation on both cytogenetically normal copies of
      chromosome 12, were scored for phenotype.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427891
TI  - Isolation of DNA markers from a region between incontinentia pigmenti 1 (IP1) X
      chromosomal translocation breakpoints by a comparative PCR analysis of a
      radiation hybrid subclone mapping panel.
AB  - A strategy based on the use of human-specific interspersed repetitive sequence
      (IRS)-PCR amplification was used to isolate regional DNA markers in the vicinity
      of the incontinentia pigmenti 1 (IP1) locus. A radiation hybrid (RH) resulting
      from a fusion of an irradiated X-only somatic cell hybrid (C12D) and a thymidine
      kinase deficient (TK-) hamster cell line (a23) was identified as containing
      multiple X chromosome fragments, including DNA markers spanning IP1 X-chromosomal
      translocation breakpoints within region Xp11.21. From this RH, a panel of
      subclones was constructed and analyzed by IRS-PCR amplification to (a) identify
      subclones containing a reduced number of X chromosome fragments spanning the IP1
      breakpoints and (b) construct a mapping panel to assist in identifying regional
      DNA markers in the vicinity of the IP1 locus. By using this strategy, we have
      isolated three different IRS-PCR amplification products that map to a region
      between IP1 X chromosome translocation breakpoints. A total of nine DNA sequences
      have now been mapped to this region; using these DNA markers for PFGE analyses,
      we obtained a probe order DXS14-DXS422-MTHFDL1-DXS705. These DNA markers provide
      a starting point for identifying overlapping genomic sequences spanning the IP1
      translocation breakpoints; the availability of IP1 translocation breakpoints
      should assist the molecular analysis of this locus.

PMID- 1427892
TI  - A radiation hybrid map of the proximal short arm of the human X chromosome
      spanning incontinentia pigmenti 1 (IP1) translocation breakpoints.
AB  - Radiation hybrid mapping was used in combination with physical mapping techniques
      to order and estimate distances between 14 loci in the proximal region of the
      short arm of the human X chromosome. A panel of radiation hybrids containing
      human X-chromosomal fragments was generated from a Chinese hamster-human cell
      hybrid containing an X chromosome as its only human DNA. Sixty-seven radiation
      hybrids were screened by Southern hybridization with sets of probes that mapped
      to the region Xp11.4-Xcen to generate a radiation hybrid map of the area. A
      physical map of 14 loci was constructed based on the segregation of the loci in
      the hybrid clones. Using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analyses and a
      somatic cell hybrid mapping panel containing naturally occurring X; autosome
      translocations, the order of the 14 loci was verified and the loci nearest to the
      X-chromosomal translocation breakpoints associated with the disease incontinentia
      pigmenti 1 (IP1) were identified. The radiation hybrid panel will be useful as a
      mapping resource for determining the location, order, and distances between other
      genes and polymorphic loci in this region as well as for generating additional
      region-specific DNA markers.

PMID- 1427893
TI  - Molecular cloning and characterization of the rat liver IL-6 signal transducing
      molecule, gp130.
AB  - Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine that exerts its effects on
      different target cells by interacting with a specific receptor. This interaction
      leads to the association and activation of a second membrane glycoprotein, gp130,
      which is the IL-6 signal transducing molecule. The nucleotide sequence of gp130
      from a human B-cell line has been reported. We report here the cloning and
      sequence analysis of the gp130 molecule derived from rat liver. Comparison of
      gp130 molecules from the different species and cell types reveals 78% overall
      amino acid homology and 94% identity in the growth factor signaling domain. Two
      gp130 mRNA species, a moderately abundant species of 7.5 kb and a lesser one of
      9.0 kb, were present in rat hepatocytes. Ribonuclease protection analyses
      demonstrated the presence of gp130 mRNA in four different nontransformed cell
      types: hepatocytes, astrocytes, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. The sequences
      between both gp130s in the different cell types are quite similar, supporting the
      prediction that the different responses initiated by IL-6 on different target
      cells are modulated by cell-specific proteins distal to the activated gp130
      molecule.

PMID- 1427894
TI  - A testis-expressed Zn finger gene (ZNF76) in human 6p21.3 centromeric to the MHC
      is closely linked to the human homolog of the t-complex gene tcp-11.
AB  - A novel testis-expressed Zn finger gene (ZNF76) was identified by screening cDNA
      libraries with cosmids derived from 6p21. ZNF76 is a member of the GLI-Kruppel
      family of DNA binding proteins. It is conserved in mouse where transcription in
      testis is initiated at Day 20 after birth. The mouse tcp-11 gene is located in
      the distal inversion of the t-complex and is developmentally regulated in the
      same manner as ZNF76. The human homolog of tcp-11 was isolated to allow a precise
      chromosomal localization. By using a combination of somatic cell hybrids,
      radiation hybrids, metaphase and interphase fluorescent in situ hybridization,
      and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, we mapped the two genes to the 6p21.2 to
      6p21.3 region and linked them to each other within 300 kb of DNA, approximately 2
      Mb centromeric to the major histocompatibility complex.

PMID- 1427895
TI  - Rapid generation of region-specific genomic clones by chromosome microdissection:
      isolation of DNA from a region frequently deleted in malignant melanoma.
AB  - Malignant melanoma is frequently characterized by the deletion of the long arm of
      chromosome 6 (usually encompassing 6q16-q21). In an effort to saturate this
      region with DNA markers, microdissection and molecular cloning of DNA from banded
      human metaphases recent development of a novel chromosome microdissection scheme
      that omits microchemical manipulation of DNA. Microdissection was targeted on
      band 6q21. Direct PCR amplification of dissected DNA was first used as a probe in
      chromosomal in situ hybridization of normal metaphases to confirm the specificity
      of material excised for cloning. A genomic library of 20,000 clones, which is
      highly enriched for sequences encompassing 6q21, was then constructed. Clones
      from this library have been mapped against a human-rodent somatic cell hybrid
      mapping panel that divides chromosome 6 into seven regions, confirming the
      localization of probes within the target region. Direct PCR amplification of DNA
      excised by microdissection greatly simplifies and facilitates this chromosome
      band-specific cloning strategy. The isolation of microclones from this region of
      chromosome 6 should assist in establishing a physical map of the melanoma
      deletion region.

PMID- 1427896
TI  - Assignment of the genes encoding human interleukin-8 receptor types 1 and 2 and
      an interleukin-8 receptor pseudogene to chromosome 2q35.
AB  - Two human cDNA clones that encode different interleukin-8 (IL8) receptors have
      recently been isolated. The interleukin-8 receptor type 1 (IL8R1) binds IL8 only,
      whereas the interleukin-8 receptor type 2 (IL8R2) (previously designated IL8RA)
      also binds growth regulated gene (GRO), and neutrophil activating protein-2 (NAP
      2) with high affinity. In the process of screening a genomic library with these
      cDNAs to obtain large clones for use in chromosomal localization studies, we
      isolated an interleukin-8 receptor pseudogene (IL8RP) that bears greatest
      similarity to IL8R2. Using Southern hybridization analysis of human x rodent
      somatic cell hybrid DNAs with cDNA probes for IL8R1 and IL8R2 and probes from the
      IL8RP locus, we assigned the three loci to chromosome 2; fluorescence in situ
      hybridization (FISH) to metaphase chromosome preparations using genomic clones
      from each locus refined this localization to chromosome 2, band q35, for all
      three. By virtue of their chromosomal location, IL8R1 and IL8R2 may be considered
      candidate genes for several human disorders in which the involved locus has been
      mapped to distal 2q or that are associated with structural abnormalities of this
      segment, including van der Woude syndrome and the neoplastic diseases
      rhabdomyosarcoma and uterine leiomyomata. In addition, because this region of
      chromosome 2q is homologous to proximal mouse chromosome 1 in the segment
      containing the Lsh-Ity-Bcg locus involved in mediating host resistance to
      infection with intracellular pathogens, examination for abnormalities of the
      murine homologues of the IL8R genes should be considered in mice affected by
      mutations of this locus.

PMID- 1427897
TI  - Comparison of five tandem repeat loci between humans and chimpanzees.
AB  - Five tandem repeat loci were studied in humans and chimpanzees using VNTR probes
      derived from human DNA. Shared alleles were found at three loci and were often
      the modal allele in one species but never in both. There was no difference in the
      mean number of alleles per locus. However, these species exhibited substantially
      different levels of gene diversity, with chimpanzees monomorphic at two loci.
      Evidence of reduced variability in chimpanzees corroborates earlier comparisons
      using isozymes and plasma proteins. Molecular mechanisms, population dynamics, or
      both may be responsible for these differences. Equal numbers of alleles per locus
      may reflect high mutation rates. By one test, chimpanzees were out of equilibrium
      at one locus, which may reflect a typing error or population substructure. The
      long divergence time, and the high probability of backward mutations, precludes
      accurate estimation of genetic distance between these species.

PMID- 1427898
TI  - Linkage studies of Usher syndrome type 1: exclusion results from the Usher
      syndrome consortium.
AB  - Usher Syndrome Type 1 is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by profound
      congenital hearing impairement and vestibular dysfunction followed by the onset
      of retinitis pigmentosa in childhood or early adolescence. Members of the Usher
      Syndrome Consortium, whose objective is to locate and isolate the genes for Usher
      syndrome, have pooled linkage data from 36 families with 111 affected
      individuals. We report the analysis of 206 blood group, protein, and DNA marker
      polymorphisms. No evidence of linkage heterogeneity among families was found for
      any of the markers studied; the negative lod scores exclude the locus for this
      disease from about 39% of the genome. Our results indicate the regions of the
      genome to which our continuing efforts should be directed.

PMID- 1427899
TI  - A genetic linkage map of human chromosome 9q.
AB  - A genetic linkage map of human chromosome 9q, spanning a sex-equal distance of
      125 cM, has been developed by genotyping 26 loci in the Venezuelan Reference
      Pedigree. The loci include 12 anonymous microsatellite markers reported by
      Kwiatkowski et al. (1992), several classical systems previously assigned to
      chromosome 9q, and polymorphisms for the genes tenacin (HXB), gelsolin (GSN),
      adenylate kinase 1 (AK1), arginosuccinate synthetase (ASS), ABL oncogene (ABL1),
      ABO blood group (ABO), and dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH). Only a marginally
      significant sex difference is found along the entire length of the map and
      results from one interval, between D9S58 and D9S59, that displays an excess of
      female recombination. A comparison of the genetic map to the existing physical
      data suggests that there is increased recombination in the 9q34 region with a
      recombination event occurring every 125-400 kb. This map should be useful in
      further characterizing the relationship between physical distance and genetic
      distance, as well as for genetic linkage studies of diseases that map to
      chromosome 9q, including multiple self-healing squamous epithelioma (MSSE),
      Gorlin syndrome (NBCCS), xeroderma pigmentosum (XPA), nail-patella syndrome
      (NPS1), torsion dystonia (DYT1), and tuberous sclerosis (TSC1).

PMID- 1427900
TI  - Fingerprinting human chromosomes by polymerase chain reaction-mediated DNA
      amplification.
AB  - We describe here a method for DNA fingerprinting of human chromosomes by Alu
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of DNA from monochromosomal
      hybrids, following digestion with restriction endonucleases. DNA digestion with
      restriction enzymes prior to PCR amplification reduces the total number of
      amplified fragments. The number and pattern of bands of PCR products observed in
      an electrophoretic medium are chromosome specific and provide a "fingerprint
      signature" for individual human chromosomes. Using this approach, we have
      produced fingerprints for human chromosomes 2, 5, 7, 9, and 12. The applicability
      of this approach to chromosome identification was assessed by comparing the
      fingerprints obtained for two different hybrids containing chromosome 7. DNA
      fragments specific for the long and the short arms of human chromosome 12 have
      also been identified. In addition, Alu-PCR-generated DNA fragments, specific for
      different chromosomes, were used to probe Southern blots of a hybrid cell panel
      to identify human chromosomes present in hybrid cell lines. The chromosomal
      specificity of these probes permits the identification of intact as well as
      rearranged chromosomes composed of segments arising from more than one
      chromosome.

PMID- 1427902
TI  - High-resolution physical mapping of four microsatellite repeat markers near the
      RYR1 locus on chromosome 19q13.1 and apparent exclusion of the MHS locus from
      this region in two malignant hyperthermia susceptible families.
AB  - Malignant hyperthermia susceptibility (MHS) is a potentially lethal, hereditary
      disorder of skeletal muscle that may be triggered by inhalation anesthetics and
      depolarizing muscle relaxants. Defects in the gene encoding the ryanodine
      receptor (RYR1) localized on human chromosome 19q13.1 have been proposed to be
      responsible for MHS. Using a chromosome 19-specific human/hamster somatic cell
      hybrid mapping panel, we were able to determine that four closely linked
      microsatellite repeat markers bracket RYR1 with the order 19cen-D19S75-D19S191
      RYR1-(D19S47, D19S190)-19ter. Application of the four markers to genetic studies
      of MHS showed recombination between the markers and MHS in two families, with
      linkage analysis apparently excluding the MHS locus from the RYR1 region of
      19q13.1. These results therefore support the recent observations of genetic
      heterogeneity in MHS.

PMID- 1427901
TI  - A new method for constructing NotI linking and boundary libraries using a
      restriction trapper.
AB  - We have developed a novel method for constructing NotI linking and boundary
      libraries using a modified "solid-supported ligation primer" (restriction
      trapper). The restriction trapper could be used to purify the DNA fragments with
      a specific restriction enzyme cutting site(s) at their ends. The method uses a
      ligation and recutting reaction with double-stranded DNA ends of a hairpin-shaped
      oligolinker which is connected covalently to the surface of the latex beads.
      Selectivity is based on the specificity of the restriction enzyme for its
      recognition site, resulting in efficient purification. We applied this technique
      to the construction of high-quality NotI linking and NotI boundary libraries,
      which contain almost all the NotI sites of the genome and, in addition, are free
      of illegitimately ligated clones.

PMID- 1427903
TI  - Localization of the gene encoding the alpha subunit of human interleukin-5
      receptor (IL5RA) to chromosome region 3p24-3p26.
AB  - The chromosomal location of the human gene for the alpha subunit of interleukin-5
      receptor (IL5RA) has been determined. The human IL5RA gene was localized to the
      short arm of chromosome 3 by Southern blot analysis of DNA from a panel of mouse
      human hybrid somatic cell lines. The IL5RA gene has been further localized to
      human chromosome region 3p24-3p26 by in situ hybridization of a molecularly
      cloned IL5RA cDNA fragment to metaphase chromosomes. The results suggest that the
      IL5RA locus is unlinked to other members of the hematopoietic receptor family.
      Assignment of the IL5RA gene to chromosome 3 at bands p26-p24 raises the
      possibility that it may be altered by certain nonrandom chromosomal abnormalities
      arising in human hematopoietic malignancies and solid tumors.

PMID- 1427904
TI  - A bone morphogenetic protein subfamily: chromosomal localization of human genes
      for BMP5, BMP6, and BMP7.
AB  - Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) were originally identified by the ability of a
      demineralized bone extract to induce endochondral osteogenesis in vivo. Seven BMP
      cDNAs (BMP1 through BMP7) have been recovered through molecular cloning.
      Recombinant protein products from six of these clones (BMP2 through BMP7) are
      members of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily of
      regulatory molecules. Based upon a high degree of amino acid sequence homology,
      BMP5, BMP6, and BMP7 constitute a subfamily within the BMPs. Using human-rodent
      somatic cell hybrid lines and cDNA probes, we mapped the three members of this
      subfamily of genes to the human chromosomes. BMP5 and BMP6 are syntenic on human
      chromosome 6, while BMP7 is syntenic with previously localized BMP2 on human
      chromosome 20. This analysis reveals that BMP6 maps to a conserved region between
      the mouse and human genomes. Sequence analysis suggests that the Drosophila 60A
      gene is the dipteran homolog of this BMP subfamily and may provide clues to the
      physiologic functions of the products of these genes in human biology.

PMID- 1427905
TI  - Construction and characterization of a region-specific microdissection library
      from human chromosome 2q35-q37.
AB  - A region-specific genomic library for human chromosome 2q35-q37 has been
      constructed using the microdissection and polymerase chain reaction-mediated
      linker-adaptor microcloning method. Twenty fragments from the chromosome region
      2q35-q37 were dissected and a library consisting of 20,000 recombinant
      microclones was obtained. The insert size ranged between 50 and 800 bp, with a
      mean of approximately 270 bp. About 50-60% of the microclones contained unique
      sequences. The microdissection library has been demonstrated to derive from the
      dissected region 2q35-q37 by chromosome painting using the fluorescence in situ
      hybridization (FISH) technique. Southern blot analysis of the unique sequence
      microclones from the library showed that 54% (26/48) of the clones are of human
      origin and chromosome 2 specific. Four of these microclones have been further
      mapped to the 2q37 region by using a cell hybrid containing only 2q37. The unique
      sequence microclones have also been characterized for their insert size and the
      hybridizing genomic fragments cleaved with HindIII. As shown previously, these
      microclones will be useful in isolating corresponding yeast artificial chromosome
      (YAC) clones with large inserts for high-resolution physical mapping and also in
      screening cDNA libraries to isolate expressed gene sequences as candidate genes
      to facilitate search for the crucial genes underlying genetic diseases and
      specific forms of cancer assigned to the region.

PMID- 1427906
TI  - Subregional mapping of 13 single-copy genes on the long arm of chromosome 12 by
      fluorescence in situ hybridization.
AB  - Subregional localization of 13 single-copy DNA sequences previously assigned to
      the long arm of chromosome 12 has been performed using the fluorescence in situ
      hybridization (FISH) technique. The following order is suggested for the 13
      mapped genes: cen-->COL2A1-->(VDR-D12S15)-->(D12S17-D12S4++ +-D12S14-D12S6)-
      >D12S8-->(IAPP-MGF- D12S7-D12S12)-->IGF1-->qter. Eight of the mapped genes
      clustered at two regions, one at 12q13 (D12S17-D12S4-D12S14-D12S6) and the other
      at 12q22 (IAPP-MGF-D12S7-D12S12). Our results show that single-copy DNA sequences
      as small as 500 bp can be successfully mapped by FISH.

PMID- 1427907
TI  - Localization of the human KRAB finger gene ZNF117 (HPF9) to chromosome 7q11.2.
AB  - A cluster of Kruppel type zinc finger genes of the KRAB subclass has recently
      been localized on human chromosome 19p12-p13.1. We now report that ZNF117 (HPF9),
      a closely related zinc finger gene of this KRAB subfamily, has been assigned to a
      distinct locus in the human genome: chromosome band 7q11.2.

PMID- 1427908
TI  - The gene for tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 is localized on human
      chromosome arm 17q25.
AB  - Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP2) is a natural inhibitor of
      several proteinases that are involved in the degradation of the extracellular
      matrix. By means of somatic cell hybrids segregating human chromosomes, the gene
      encoding this inhibitor was assigned to human chromosome 17. Fluorescence in situ
      hybridization confirmed this assignment and allowed mapping of the gene to the
      terminal region (17q25) of the chromosome.

PMID- 1427909
TI  - Autosomal localization of the amelogenin gene in monotremes and marsupials:
      implications for mammalian sex chromosome evolution.
AB  - We have determined by Southern blot analysis that DNA sequences homologous to the
      AMG gene probe are present in the genomes of both marsupial and monotreme
      mammals, although adult monotremes lack teeth. In situ hybridization and Southern
      analysis of cell hybrids demonstrate that AMG homologues are located on
      autosomes. In the Tammar Wallaby, AMG homologues are located on chromosomes 5q
      and 1q and in the Platypus, on chromosomes 1 and 2. The autosomal location of the
      AMG homologues provides additional support for the hypothesis that an autosomal
      region equivalent to the human Xp was translocated to the X chromosome in the
      Eutheria after the divergence of the marsupials 150 million years ago. The region
      containing the AMG gene is therefore likely to have been added 80-150 million
      years ago to a pseudoautosomal region shared by the ancestral eutherian X and Y
      chromosome; the X and Y alleles must have begun diverging after this date.

PMID- 1427910
TI  - Assignment of a novel protein tyrosine phosphatase gene (Hcph) to mouse
      chromosome 6.
AB  - Hematopoietic cell phosphatase (Hcph) was identified by amplification of
      conserved protein tyrosine phosphatase sequences from a myeloid cell line and is
      predominantly expressed in hematopoietic cells. Hcph is unique in containing two,
      tandemly repeated, src-homology 2 domains in the amino terminal region of the
      phosphatase. Using a genomic probe in interspecific backcross analysis, the
      murine Hcph gene maps to mouse Chromosome 6 and is tightly linked to the Tnfr-2
      and Ly-4 genes.

PMID- 1427911
TI  - Identification of a processed pseudogene related to the functional gene encoding
      the GM2 activator protein: localization of the pseudogene to human chromosome 3
      and the functional gene to human chromosome 5.
AB  - The GM2 activator protein is an essential substrate cofactor for the hydrolysis
      of GM2 ganglioside by lysosomal beta-hexosaminidase A (EC 3.2.1.52). There have
      been conflicting reports as to the chromosomal localization of the gene encoding
      the activator. We demonstrate here that these conflicts were caused by the
      presence of a previously unidentified processed activator-pseudogene on
      chromosome 3, and we confirm a previous ELISA-based localization of the
      functional activator gene to chromosome 5. Our data indicate that the functional
      activator locus can still be considered a candidate site for defects causing some
      forms of spinal muscular atrophy.

PMID- 1427912
TI  - Autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa: a novel mutation at the peripherin/RDS
      locus in the original 6p-linked pedigree.
AB  - Using single-strand conformation polymorphism electrophoresis, heteroduplex
      analysis, and direct sequencing, we have searched for possible disease-causing
      mutations in the adRP family in which we originally found tight linkage of the
      disease to 6p. We have now identified a single base change in exon 2, which
      results in the replacement of a serine residue at codon 212 for a glycine
      residue. The mutation cosegregates with the disease with a lod score of 12.1 at
      theta = 0.0.

PMID- 1427913
TI  - Chromosomal assignment of 38 human brain expressed sequence tags (ESTs) by
      analyzing fluorescently labeled PCR products from hybrid cell panels.
AB  - We have localized 38 human brain cDNA sequences to individual human chromosomes.
      PCR primers were designed from expressed sequence tags and tested for specific
      amplification from human genomic DNA. The sizes of amplification products from
      DNA of somatic cell hybrid mapping panels were determined electrophoretically
      using an automated fluorescence detection system. Chromosomal assignments were
      made by discordancy analysis.

PMID- 1427914
TI  - Evidence for nonallelic genetic heterogeneity in autosomal recessive retinitis
      pigmentosa.
AB  - Recent evidence suggesting the involvement of mutant rhodopsin proteins in the
      pathogenesis of autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa has prompted us to
      investigate whether this form of the disease shows non-allelic genetic
      heterogeneity, as has previously been shown to be the case in autosomal dominant
      retinitis pigmentosa. The availability of a unique inbred Dutch pedigree has
      enabled us to address this question. We have used an intragenic polymorphism to
      exclude the possibility that a mutation in the rhodopsin gene is responsible for
      the disease in this patient population. These data provide evidence for the
      involvement of at least two loci in autosomal recessively inherited retinitis
      pigmentosa.

PMID- 1427915
TI  - Dinucleotide repeat (GT)n markers on chromosome 21.
AB  - To further develop the linkage map of human chromosome 21 (HC21), we have
      concentrated on identifying highly polymorphic markers based on dinucleotide
      repeat sequences such as (GT)n, as these are often highly polymorphic, are
      widespread throughout the human genome, and can be rapidly analyzed by the
      polymerase chain reaction. We report here nine (GT)n polymorphic markers from
      HC21.

PMID- 1427916
TI  - Regional localization of the highly polymorphic locus D11S533 on the linkage map
      of human chromosome 11q.

PMID- 1427917
TI  - Sublocalization of the gene encoding manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD/SOD2)
      to 6q25 by fluorescence in situ hybridization and somatic cell hybrid mapping.

PMID- 1427918
TI  - PCR-based detection of two exonic polymorphisms in the human type VII collagen
      gene (COL7A1) at 3p21.1.

PMID- 1427919
TI  - Linkage analysis demonstrates that the Timp-2 locus is on mouse chromosome 11.

PMID- 1427920
TI  - VH-gene representation in autoantibodies reflects the normal human B-cell
      repertoire.
AB  - The recurrence in the V-gene repertoire of individual germline VH genes can now
      be extended from the restricted B-cell populations of the fetus, autoantibodies
      and B-cell malignancies to the expressed V-gene repertoire of normal adults. Why
      the human B cell preferentially utilizes these individual VH genes remains
      speculative. However, it is apparent that the population of VH genes used to
      encode autoantibodies reflects the normal expressed repertoire (Fig. 7). Even so,
      the overrepresentation of other V genes such as Dxp'1 in anti-DNA antibodies and
      the presence of somatic mutation in the pathogenic autoantibodies of autoimmune
      disease continues to suggest an antigenic influence on V-gene selection. We
      postulate that only a fraction of available germline V genes are utilized in the
      expressed repertoire, and that polyspecificity of naturally occurring antibodies
      and somatic mutation of CDR3 compensate for the loss of diversity entailed by the
      limited use of the potential repertoire. The mechanisms by which germline genes
      become pathogenic remains unclear but they presumably relate to mutation, loss of
      regulatory control or perhaps environmental factors (Isenberg et al. 1992). What
      then are the mechanisms which lead to escape of these VH genes from normal
      control? What antigenic drive if any produces anti-DNA specificity in SLE? Why
      indeed is the expressed repertoire using only a fraction of the available
      germline? To answer these questions, further study of the V-gene repertoire of
      selected populations of antigen-binding cells and of pathogenic IgG
      autoantibodies is necessary and is ongoing. The contribution of individual V
      genes to antigen binding and idiotype is also being dissected and promises to
      yield important information about the relative contribution of VH genes to
      autoimmunity.

PMID- 1427921
TI  - Selection of immunoglobulin variable regions in autoimmunity to DNA.
AB  - Results from our analyses of variable region gene usage among spontaneous anti
      DNA antibodies in autoimmune mice have indicated that both the early IgM and
      later-appearing IgG autoantibodies to DNA are generated by clonally selected B
      cells. The recurrent usage of particular variable region genes among all the anti
      DNA hybridomas analyzed and reported to date supports this hypothesis. The
      preferential expression of particular light and heavy chain variable region genes
      among selected populations of both IgM and IgG anti-DNA hybridomas likewise
      supports the hypothesis. Both IgM and IgG antibody-producing B cells are derived
      from the same clonal precursor population and may be derived from the same B cell
      clonal precursor within an individual mouse. The selective and recurrent
      expression of germline and somatically-derived structures that would be expected
      to promote protein binding to DNA within anti-DNA antibody variable regions,
      particularly arginines in both light and heavy chain complementarity-determining
      regions, indicates that DNA or DNA-containing complexes may be the antigen that
      stimulates anti-DNA antibody in autoimmune mice. The progressive increase in the
      specificity of spontaneous anti-DNA antibodies for native DNA as the autoimmune
      response matures from IgM to IgG likewise suggests that DNA may be the antigenic
      stimulus for spontaneous anti-DNA in autoimmune mice. A hypothetical, computer
      generated model of anti-DNA antibody binding to DNA provides an interesting
      paradigm for the molecular basis of antibody specificity for DNA.

PMID- 1427923
TI  - Mouse variable-region gene families: complexity, polymorphism and use in non
      autoimmune responses.

PMID- 1427922
TI  - Rheumatoid factor V genes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis are diverse and
      show evidence of an antigen-driven response.

PMID- 1427924
TI  - Development of human antibody variable genes in systemic autoimmunity.

PMID- 1427925
TI  - Antegrade and retrograde cardioplegia with different reperfusion techniques in
      patients with multiple coronary artery lesions.
AB  - To evaluate the effectiveness of retrograde cardioplegia and reperfusion, a total
      of 266 patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery between Nov 1987 to Dec 1989
      were divided into three groups depending on the method of cardioplegic fluid
      delivery and reperfusion. In group I (80 patients) antegrade cardioplegia and
      reperfusion was used. In group II (98 patients) antegrade and retrograde
      cardioplegia and antegrade reperfusion was used while in group III antegrade and
      retrograde cardioplegia and retrograde reperfusion was used. Myocardial functions
      were studied with the help of an on-line computer on the basis of mathematical
      model of heart before and after cardiopulmonary bypass. Biopsy specimens were
      collected before, during and after cardiopulmonary bypass in order to study
      myocardial structural changes. In group I patients there was decrease in
      myocardial function in the immediate post perfusion period while group II
      patients had considerable improvement in their myocardial function and groups III
      patients showed further improvement in it. Ultrastructural myocardial study
      revealed considerable detrimental changes in group I, minimal changes in group II
      and no change in group III patients. Thus in our experience retrograde
      cardioplegia and retrograde reperfusion with warm oxygenated blood provide
      maximum myocardial protection in patients with multiple coronary artery lesions.

PMID- 1427927
TI  - ECG patterns in right sided chest leads in normal persons.

PMID- 1427926
TI  - Cannulation of the internal jugular vein in patients undergoing open heart
      surgery.
AB  - A total of 476 internal jugular vein cannulations performed between June 1990 to
      August 1991 were prospectively evaluated. The patients' age ranged between ten
      days to 61 years. We achieved a high success rate of cannulation (97.9%). We
      describe the use of two single lumen catheters inserted through right internal
      jugular vein as an alternative to the popular multilumen catheters. We also
      suggest that low approach should be tried more often in children, if the central
      approach fails.

PMID- 1427928
TI  - Diastolic collapse of both atria in patients of cardiac tamponade: report of two
      cases.

PMID- 1427929
TI  - Bilateral coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistulae: angiographic and
      echocardiographic report.

PMID- 1427931
TI  - Dr. S. Padmavati awarded Padma Vibhushan.

PMID- 1427930
TI  - Isolated type A aortic arch interruption in an adult female.

PMID- 1427932
TI  - Balloon catheter therapy for valvular heart disease: the state of the art.

PMID- 1427933
TI  - Long term results of percutaneous transluminal valvuloplasty in patients with
      valvular aortic stenosis.
AB  - The results of percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty (PBAV) in 62 consecutive
      patients with valvular aortic stenosis are reported. The age of the patients
      ranged from 11 months to 72 years (mean 28 +/- 12 years). Hemodynamically
      successful dilatation was achieved in 58 out of 62 patients. This was associated
      with marked clinical improvement in these patients. The left ventricular aortic
      peak to peak gradient decreased from 96.67 +/- 38.4 to 28.14 +/- 26.5mmHg (p <
      0.01). There were no deaths during the procedure. Only one patient died in the
      hospital during the same admission. There was an increase in aortic regurgitation
      (AR) by at least one grade in 25 (40.3%) patients. Femoral arterial thrombosis
      was seen in 9/62 patients, 5 of them requiring surgical intervention. Follow up
      was available in 28 (45.1%) patients over a period of 2-15 months (mean 9 +/- 3
      months). Two patients died during the follow up period. Doppler evaluation of
      gradients was done in all 28 patients with 15 consenting to undergo repeat
      cardiac catheterisation. Although hemodynamically the restenosis rate was 35.7%
      (10/28), only 2 of these patients showed symptomatic deterioration. The success
      of dilatation and restenosis rate were independent of the etiology of aortic
      stenosis, presence of calcification and the number of balloons used. This study
      demonstrates that PBAV is feasible in valvular aortic stenosis at low risk and is
      able to produce significant clinical and hemodynamic improvement in most cases
      with a restenosis rate of 35.7% at a follow up period of 9 +/- 3 months.

PMID- 1427934
TI  - High risk coronary angioplasty using percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass support.
AB  - Twenty high risk patients with severe angina were subjected to balloon
      angioplasty after instituting percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass support to
      enhance the safety of high risk elective coronary angioplasty. All patients had a
      low ejection fraction, a large amount of viable myocardium perfused by the
      targeted artery or both (left ventricular ejection fraction < or = 25% in 15
      patients). Three vessel disease was present in all. Angioplasty of the only
      remaining vessel was done in 14 patients, 2 vessels in 5 patients and a
      sequential graft in 1 patient. Bypass flows ranged from 2.8-4.5 litres. Bypass
      was discontinued after a mean bypass time of 35 min. Haemostasis was achieved by
      external clamp compression in 16 patients. The angioplasty was successfully
      performed in all the patients and the procedure was well tolerated. During the
      bypass period the pulmonary artery diastolic pressures ranged from 0-8 mm Hg.
      There was 1 hospital death due to abrupt vessel closure. Two patients required
      surgical help to repair femoral artery. During the follow up period of 1-12
      months, 67% patients have no angina and only 1 has died. Our experience
      demonstrates the safety and efficacy of percutaneous bypass support in selected
      patients undergoing high risk coronary angioplasty.

PMID- 1427935
TI  - Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in patients over the age of 65
      years.
AB  - PTCA performed in 672 patients (646 patients < 65 years and 26 patients > or = 65
      years) from March 1986 to September 1990 consisting of 619 males and 53 females
      are being discussed for the purpose of comparison of the results between patients
      in the < 65 years and > or = 65 years age groups. It was found that diabetes
      mellitus (50 vs 24.4.%, P < 0.01), obesity (46.1 vs 26%, P < 0.05), and
      hyperlipidaemia (66 vs 37.1%, p < 0.01) had a higher incidence among the elderly.
      Of the total 1047 lesions observed, 662 lesions in the < 65 years age group and
      37 lesions in the > or = 65 years age group were dilated by PTCA (1.02
      lesions/patient and 1.4 lesions/patient respectively). The lesion morphology
      showed higher degree of irregular contour in the < 65 years age group (23.6 vs
      8.1%, p < 0.05), though the number of lesions with PTCA attempted in all age
      groups were almost similar. Major complications included one MI (3.8%) and two
      deaths (7.6%) in the > or = 65 years age group. During followup (mean duration:
      8.2 months > or = 65 years and 13.5 months < 65 years age group) significantly
      higher percentage of patients < 65 years were asymptomatic when compared to
      elderly (50.2 vs 15.4% p < 0.05). Angina status was same more often in the
      elderly (23.1 vs 2.8% p < 0.01). The cumulative rate for repeat PTCA was similar
      for elderly and younger patients.

PMID- 1427937
TI  - Modified cephalic vein guide wire technique for permanent pacemaker implantation.
AB  - This report describes a modified cephalic vein guide wire technique used for
      implantation of 18 consecutive pacemakers using bipolar leads. The modified
      technique appears to be a safe and simple procedure for single chamber permanent
      pacing. Its use may also be extended in implanting dual chamber pacemakers.

PMID- 1427936
TI  - Acute hemodynamic effects of different atrioventricular intervals in dual chamber
      pacemakers: is there an optimum atrioventricular delay.
AB  - Conflicting data have been reported regarding adjustment of atrioventricular (AV)
      interval to maximise hemodynamic performance of dual chamber pacemakers. Eleven
      consecutive patients with complete heart block and dual chamber pacemakers were
      paced at three AV intervals (150, 200, 250 msec) and free running rates (60-93
      bpm, mean 73 +/- 12 bpm) with simultaneous measurements of cardiac output, atrial
      contribution to left ventricular filling, left ventricular ejection fraction, and
      peak aortic velocity and acceleration by echo-Doppler techniques to define the
      optimum AV delay. At all the three AV intervals tested there was no difference in
      cardiac output (4.7 +/- 0.96, 4.83 +/- 1.12, 4.77 +/- 1.19 litres/min
      respectively, p = NS), left ventricular ejection fraction (60.2 +/- 10.6%, 61.2
      +/- 9.9% and 64 +/- 8.3%, p = NS), atrial contribution to left ventricular
      filling (0.37 +/- 0.10, 0.38 +/- 0.09, 0.36 +/- 0.16, n = 8, p = NS), peak aortic
      velocity (104 +/- 8, 105 +/- 12, 104 +/- 13 cm/sec, p = NS) and aortic
      acceleration (19.68 +/- 4.26, 20.4 +/- 5.58 and 19.0 +/- 4.54 m/sec2, p = NS).
      Compared to AV delay of 150 msec an increase in cardiac output of 0.5 L/minute
      was observed in three patients at an AV delay of 200 msec and in one patient at
      the AV delay of 250 msec. These data suggest that it is difficult to generalize
      an optimum AV delay in patients with dual chamber pacemakers. With the AV
      interval in the range of 150-250 msec, only a minority of patients could improve
      their haemodynamics at rest by adjusting this interval if the baseline cardiac
      function was normal.

PMID- 1427939
TI  - Asymptomatic coronary heart disease detected on epidemiological survey of urban
      population of Delhi.
AB  - A community based epidemiological study of coronary heart disease (CHD) was
      carried out in a random sample of 13723 adults in the age group of 25-64 years in
      the urban population of Delhi. The electrocardiogram (ECG) of all clinically
      detected CHD cases and of a sample of 5621 persons (selected on the basis of
      alternate household screened) without clinical manifestations of CHD, was
      obtained. Out of 5621 persons labelled as asymptomatic, CHD evidence of Q wave
      myocardial infarction (MI) was present in 80 ECGs (1.4%). Another 296 ECGs had ST
      & T changes vide Minnesota Code 4-1-1, 4-1-2, 5-1 and 5-2 acceptable as evidence
      of probable CHD. The overall prevalence rate of asymptomatic CHD was 6.7% (male
      5.6%, female 7.6%). Silent MI was more common in the male patients (1.7% vs 1.1%,
      p < 0.001). However, ST-T changes were more common in female patients (6.5% vs
      3.9%, p < 0.001). The ST-T changes showed a steady factor in asymptomatic CHD
      cases was hypertension in both sexes (male-45.2%, female-43.5%) p = NS. Obesity
      was present in 24% of male & 46.1% of female patients (p < 0.001). Family history
      was found in 20% cases of both sexes. Smoking was recorded in 34.9% male and
      10.9% female patients with asymptomatic CHD (p < 0.001).

PMID- 1427938
TI  - Experience with recycled cardiac pacemakers.
AB  - Twelve years experience with pacemaker re-use is reported. Between November 1979
      and December 1991, forty two pacemakers were re-used in 42 patients after in
      hospital reconditioning. There were 31 males and 11 females in the age range of
      29 to 84 years (mean 59 +/- 13 years). In 29 patients, the pulse generator was
      explanted because of pocket infection and/or impending extrusion, and it was re
      implanted at a new site after sterilization. In the remaining 13 patients
      pacemakers explanted from other patients were implanted because of economic
      reasons. All patients were regularly followed up in the pacemaker clinic for a
      mean duration of 34 +/- 35 months (range 6-126 months). There was one infection
      and one erosion after 12 and 27 months respectively. One of these units was
      resterilized and implanted without any recurrence of infection or erosion over a
      follow up of 12 months. There was no adverse reaction or pulse generator failure.
      Our experience suggests that the use of refurbished pacemakers is a safe and
      economically viable option.

PMID- 1427940
TI  - Coronary artery disease in premenopausal Indian women: risk factors and
      angiographic profile.
AB  - Coronary angiographic and clinical profile of 47 premenopausal women presenting
      with myocardial infarction (MI) or angina is presented. Seventeen patients (36%)
      had significant obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) (Group I), while 30
      (64%) had normal coronaries (Group II). The latter group included 4 who had MI
      and 26 who presented with angina. Risk factors in Group I included hypertension
      (53%), diabetes mellitus (24%), hypercholesterolemia (29%), oral contraceptives
      and a positive family history (11.8%). Frequency of one, two and three vessel
      disease was 47%, 18% and 35% respectively. The left anterior descending artery
      was most commonly affected (82%). In Group II the risk factors included
      hypertension (17%) and diabetes (7%). No patient in either group was a smoker.
      This analysis shows that significant obstructive CAD in premenopausal Indian
      females is more commonly associated with hypertension, diabetes and
      hypercholesterolemia. Smoking was not encountered and ingestion of contraceptive
      pills is uncommon.

PMID- 1427941
TI  - Closure of congenital and acquired intracardiac shunts using transcatheter
      techniques: a review.

PMID- 1427943
TI  - Thrombolytic therapy in acute evolving myocardial infarction--widening the net.

PMID- 1427942
TI  - Feasibility of thrombolytic therapy--a one year prospective study.
AB  - A one year prospective study was conducted on all the patients admitted with
      clinical diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) to determine the
      proportion of patients who can be given thrombolytic therapy. Factors responsible
      for non-administration were analysed. 213 patients with AMI entered the study.
      Standard inclusion criteria for thrombolytic therapy were used. 101 (47%)
      patients failed to meet the inclusion criteria. This included 7 (3.3%) who failed
      to satisfy the electrocardiographic (ECG) criteria. Nine patients with atypical
      symptoms were unable to reach within the stipulated 6 hours while the remaining
      85 (40%) patients were delayed inspite of typical features due to inability of
      the patient to attribute the symptoms to the heart, lack of proper transport
      facility and self medication. 112 patients (53%) met the inclusion criteria but 7
      patients were excluded because of age (> 70 years), and another 8 because of
      contraindications. Of the remaining 97 patients, 47 failed to receive
      thrombolytic therapy due to lack of awareness of the benefits of thrombolytic
      therapy by the first treating physician, misinterpretation of ECG, inability to
      afford and refusal to give consent. Only 50 patients (23%) received thrombolytic
      therapy. This low figure can be easily improved upon by the correction of a
      number of remediable factors.

PMID- 1427944
TI  - Early experience with coronary stenting.
AB  - From April 1988 to December 1991, we implanted 75 coronary stents (29 self
      expanding and 46 balloon expandable) in 62 patients. All had New York Heart
      Association class II to IV angina, and 11 (18%) had prior coronary artery bypass
      grafting (CABG). Thirty nine patients (63%) had 1 vessel disease, and 23 (37%)
      had multivessel disease. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 63 +/-
      11%. The indications for coronary stenting were acute post percutaneous
      transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) occlusion in 45 (73%) (bail out
      stenting) and restenosis in 17 (24%) (elective stenting). There were 52 single
      stent (84%), 7 double stent (11%), and 3 triple stent procedures (5%). The mean
      stent diameter was 3.8 +/- 0.5 mm, and the mean stent length 21 +/- 7 mm. The
      attempted vessels were the left main coronary artery in 2(3%), left anterior
      descending coronary artery in 27 (44%), left circumflex coronary artery in 8
      (13%), right coronary artery in 17 (27%), and a saphenous vein graft in 8 (13%).
      Technical success was achieved in 74 stent implantations (98%). Technical failure
      occurred in 1 case with a self expanding stent because of inability to reach the
      lesion. In hospital complications (mean hospital stay 10 +/- 10, range 2-60 days)
      included temporary stent occlusion in 2 patients (3%) treated by balloon
      dilatation and thrombolysis with intravenous urokinase, permanent stent occlusion
      in 5 patients (8%), Q-wave infarction in 5 patients (8%), CABG in 4 patients
      (11%), and death in 3 patients (5%). At least 1 major complication (Q wave
      infarction, CABG, or death) occurred in 8 patients (13%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1427945
TI  - Long term performance of silicone insulated and polyurethane insulated cardiac
      pacing leads.
AB  - The long term performance of various pacing leads in use for at least one year is
      reported from one centre. Between January 1975 and December 1990, 1056 cardiac
      pacing leads were implanted in 881 patients (mean age 57 +/- 13 years). Eight
      hundred and three leads were silicone insulated (SI) and 253 leads were
      polyurethane insulated (PUI). Leads from different manufacturers were used
      (Medtronic, CPI, Telectronics). The average duration of follow up was 56.6 +/- 77
      months (range 12-221 months) for SI and 47.1 +/- 24 months (range 12-99 months)
      for PUI leads. Overall lead failure occurred more often in the PUI group (n = 46,
      18.2%) compared to SI group (n = 93, 11.3%, p < 0.025). Majority of lead failures
      occurred in the first 36 months after implantation. In particular, Medtronic
      models 6971, 6972 (urethane) and 6901 (silicone) showed higher rate of
      complications (25.5%, 26.3% and 44.5% respectively).

PMID- 1427946
TI  - Use of captopril as an isolated agent for the management of stable angina
      pectoris--a double blind randomised trial.
AB  - In this double blind randomised placebo controlled study, we investigated the
      antianginal efficacy of oral captopril in 33 patients of angiographically
      documented coronary artery disease (chronic stable angina). Apart from sublingual
      nitrates, all other antianginal drugs were withdrawn. Patients were then
      evaluated both subjectively by questionnaire and objectively by treadmill stress
      test. No patient had more than mild hypertension and all patients had good left
      ventricular function. One group of patients received oral captopril while the
      other group was given placebo. A repeat assessment was done after six weeks and
      the results compared with baseline. Anginal attacks decreased from 20.11 +/- 1.86
      per week on placebo to 9.92 +/- 1.38 (p < 0.01) on captopril as also the number
      of sublingual nitrates (18.84 +/- 3.01 to 11.14 +/- 2.94, p < 0.01). Assessment
      by the treadmill stress test showed that in comparison to the pretreatment test,
      captopril therapy resulted in a significantly increased exercise duration (6.26
      +/- 0.21 to 6.98 +/- 0.31 minutes, p < 0.05), total work done (6.76 +/- 0.26 METS
      to 7.48 +/- 0.29 METS, p < 0.05). In addition there was a significant increase in
      time to angina (6.16 +/- 0.18 to 6.85 +/- 0.24 min, p < 0.05) and time to 1mm ST
      depression (5.18 +/- 0.26 to 6.46 +/- 0.30 min, p < 0.01). We conclude that
      captopril is an effective monotherapy for patients with chronic stable angina and
      has both antianginal as well as anti-ischemic effects, possibly secondary to
      direct coronary vasodilation.

PMID- 1427947
TI  - Colour Doppler echocardiographic quantification of prosthetic aortic valve
      regurgitation in patients with normally functioning Bjork-Shiley prostheses.
AB  - Colour Doppler echocardiographic studies were performed in 46 patients (age range
      16-35 years, mean 26 +/- 8; male 31, female 15) with normally functioning Bjork
      Shiley prostheses in aortic position to estimate transprosthetic regurgitation.
      Regurgitant jet length and height were measured and assessed in multiple views.
      All patients showed prosthetic regurgitation of varying degree. Regurgitant jets
      were central in all but 3 (6.5%) patients. Single jets were seen in 28 (61%) and
      double jets in 18 (39%). Jet height in parasternal long axis view ranged from 0.4
      to 1.2 cm (mean 0.7 +/- 0.4 cm) and jet height to left ventricular outflow tract
      diameter ratio was 0.22 to 0.48 (mean 0.38 +/- 0.13). Prosthetic regurgitation
      was < or = 2/4 grades in 42 (91%) patients, and combined height of double jets (n
      = 18) was less than that of the single jets (n = 28) (0.5 +/- 0.3 cm vs 0.8 +/-
      0.4 cm, p < 0.05). In conclusion, colour Doppler examination frequently detects
      prosthetic regurgitation in patients with aortic Bjork-Shiley prostheses;
      regurgitation is grade 2/4 or less in most of the patients, is overestimated in
      patients with a single jet and weakly correlates with prosthesis size.

PMID- 1427948
TI  - Two dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of double chambered
      right ventricle.
AB  - Two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic findings in 20 patients with double
      chambered right ventricle are described. All patients had the diagnosis
      established by cardiac catheterisation and confirmed at operation.
      Echocardiographic evaluation was done prior to surgical correction. Anomalous
      muscle bands in right ventricular cavity were detected in 16 patients. Doppler
      flow velocities in the right ventricular cavity suggested infundibular
      obstruction to blood flow at a low level in all 17 patients studied by Doppler
      echocardiography. Ventricular septal defects (11 patients), pulmonary stenosis (3
      patients), and aortic regurgitation (3 patients) were detected accurately before
      operation by echocardiographic examination. Failure to detect the anomalous
      muscles in right ventricular cavity may occur in adult patients with poor
      anterior resolution and in those with severe right ventricular outflow
      obstruction and myocardial hypertrophy. Two dimensional echocardiography with
      Doppler flow analysis is useful in the evaluation and differential diagnosis of
      right ventricular outflow obstructions prior to invasive studies and surgical
      intervention.

PMID- 1427949
TI  - Neonatal pulmonary flow pattern--a pulsed Doppler echo study.
AB  - The pulmonary flow pattern was analysed by pulsed Doppler in 77 normal neonates,
      at < 48 hours (36 subjects), 49 to 96 hours (25 subjects) and 97 to 148 hours (16
      subjects). From the flow velocity spectrum, using an built in computer system,
      the acceleration time and the ejection time were measured, and the ratio was
      calculated. This ratio was 0.24 +/- 0.08 in the subjects within 48 hours whereas
      this ratio was 0.53 +/- 0.11 in the subjects above 97 hours; thus the ratio
      increased with age. We noticed that the ratio obtained from the pulsed Doppler is
      useful in assessing the pulmonary vascular status, even in neonates.

PMID- 1427950
TI  - Mechanical ventilation after open heart surgery.
AB  - One hundred adult patients, undergoing elective open heart surgery over a period
      of 4 months, were studied to assess the practice of ventilation in the post
      operative period. The anaesthetic technique employed used moderate doses of
      morphine, supplemented with halothane and a muscle relaxant. The decision to
      extubate was based on clinical assessment, and satisfactory blood gases following
      a 45 minute T-piece trial. The patients were ventilated for an average duration
      of 8 hours and 2 minutes and 59 out of 100 patients were extubated within 8
      hours. Patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft were ventilated for
      significantly longer durations (10 hours 28 minutes) (p < 0.05) and had
      significantly lower arterial oxygen tension (p < 0.01) 30 minutes after
      extubation, as compared with those undergoing valvular surgery. Also patients
      whose bypass time exceeded 2 hours had significantly longer extubation times (p <
      0.05) as compared with those who had a bypass time less than 1 hour. T piece
      trial was found to be a satisfactory method of weaning in all the patients.

PMID- 1427951
TI  - The efflux of nor-epinephrine from platelets in genetic hypertension.
AB  - Platelets have been used as a model of sympathetic neurons to study the storage
      of nor-adrenaline in normotensive individuals belonging to families with
      essential hypertension for at least two generations. The efflux and initial
      efflux rate (K) of noradrenaline was determined in 36 young relatives (mean age
      29.2 years) and in 20 young controls with no family history of hypertension (mean
      age 26.5 years). From the groups of relatives all those with definite
      hypertension had been excluded. Efflux and efflux rate K was significantly higher
      in young relatives (50.82 +/- 3.84 and 28.2 +/- 6.3) than in the controls (39.2
      +/- 0.71 and 15.2 +/- 4.8). Of the relatives 25.2% had higher K values than any
      of the controls.

PMID- 1427953
TI  - About type B Inoue balloon catheters used for percutaneous transvenous mitral
      commissurotomy.

PMID- 1427952
TI  - The role of cadmium in induction of atherosclerosis in rabbits.
AB  - Experiments were carried out in rabbits to determine the effects of prolonged
      treatment of cadmium (8 mg/kg/day) for a period of 6 months on histopathological
      changes and biochemical alterations of lipid profiles in various tissues compared
      to normal rabbits. No ECG changes were observed before and at the end of cadmium
      treatment. Histopathological studies of the coronary artery revealed
      atherosclerotic changes. Total lipids, cholesterol, free fatty acids and
      phospholipids were significantly increased in heart and kidney, but decreased in
      serum and liver. Triglyceride content was increased significantly in heart and
      kidney with a significant depletion in liver and serum. It is postulated that
      atherosclerotic changes in rabbits probably occurred through toxic effects of
      cadmium but the exact mechanism needs to be elucidated.

PMID- 1427954
TI  - Rupture of interventricular septum following myocardial infarction: report of
      long asymptomatic survival.

PMID- 1427955
TI  - Congenital diffuse rhabdomyomatosis of the heart with biventricular outflow
      obstruction.

PMID- 1427956
TI  - Ostium primum atrial septal defect with rheumatic mitral stenosis.

PMID- 1427957
TI  - Protein folding: retrospective and prospective.

PMID- 1427958
TI  - Molecular mechanics simulation of the interaction of estrogen receptor with
      estrogen regulatory element.
AB  - A model for the interaction of 31 amino acid fragment (protein) from DNA binding
      domain of human estrogen receptor (hER) with a five base pair DNA sequence
      5'GGTCA 3' from estrogen regulatory element (ERE) has been obtained using a step
      wise procedure based on structural data on model peptides, DNA binding domain of
      hER, steric constrains imposed by tetrahedral coordination of the Cys sulphurs
      with zinc ion and classical secondary structural elements. Structure of the
      protein as well as its complex with DNA is obtained by energy minimization
      followed by refinement by molecular mechanics. The complex is stabilized by H
      bonds between Lys22, Lys26 and Arg27 with DNA bases G2, T3 and T6. Lys22 also
      made H-bond with the backbone of G2. The backbone of Cys18 H-bonded with N7 of
      G1. DNA was in distorted B form and showed evidence of protein-induced
      conformational changes.

PMID- 1427959
TI  - Computer aided study of the interaction of thyroid hormone receptor with DNA.
AB  - Interaction of the first zinc finger from human thyroid hormone receptor (finger)
      with hexanucleotide duplex d(AGGTCA).d(TGACCT) from thyroid regulatory element
      has been studied by molecular mechanics simulation technique. The structure of
      the finger as well as its complex with DNA is optimized using constrain of
      tetrahedral coordination of the zinc ion to Cys sulphurs. The finger is
      stabilized by series of H--bonds (5 in backbone, 2 in side chains and 2 between
      backbone and side chains). The complex is stabilized by H-bonds between side
      chains of Tyr 11, His 12, Tyr 13 and Arg 14 with G2, G3 and G8. DNA is in B form.
      H--bonding network within DNA is preserved. Opposite strand P-P and Cl'-Cl'
      distances are changed slightly. There is a systematic change in the backbone
      torsional angles and sugar pucker. Also, there is an evidence of protein-induced
      conformational change in DNA.

PMID- 1427960
TI  - Liposomal hamycin in the control of experimental aspergillosis in mice: relative
      toxicity, therapeutic efficacy and tissue distribution of free and liposomal
      hamycin.
AB  - Therapeutic efficacy of liposomal Hamycin has been evaluated in an animal model
      system for aspergillosis in Balb/c mice. Hamycin was intercalated into soya
      phosphatidyl choline (SPC), SPC: choline (1:1, vol./vol.) and DMPC liposomes. A
      single dose of either 0.1 mg/kg, 0.25 mg/kg or 0.5 mg/kg of liposomal Hamycin and
      0.1 mg/kg of free Hamycin was injected (i.v.) into animals infected with
      Aspergillus fumigatus. An increase in the survival rate of animals along with
      decrease in fungal count in various organs was observed with liposomal
      administration. Incorporation of cholesterol into liposomes decreased the in vivo
      toxicity of Hamycin in a dose dependent manner. However, antifungal activity both
      in the presence and absence of cholesterol showed marked variation as compared to
      that of non-aromatic polyenes, e.g. amphotericin B. Analysis of Hamycin
      distribution by HPLC in various tissues revealed higher blood concentration of
      this drug, when given in free form, compared to its liposomised form. These
      studies suggest that liposomal Hamycin is more effective than free Hamycin in
      controlling the experimental Aspergillosis.

PMID- 1427961
TI  - Human brain creatine kinase binding to immobilized cibacron blue F3GA:
      characterization and use in purification of the enzyme.
AB  - Creatine kinase (ATP: creatine N-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.3.2) from adult human
      brain grey matter was purified by cibacron blue F3GA-Sepharose affinity
      chromatography. By gel electrophoresis of the purified enzyme under non
      denaturing conditions a single protein band was observed. The dye-bound enzyme
      was eluted using its substrate, ATP. Reversibility of the binding of purified
      creatine kinase to blue Sepharose by ATP in a concentration-dependent manner
      indicated that the cibacron blue molecule which structurally mimics nucleotides
      occupied the substrate binding site of the enzyme. Also the marked dependence of
      enzyme binding to blue Sepharose on Mg2+ concentration suggested that Mg2+ ion is
      capable of combining with the dye moiety to form a site-specific binding complex
      that is similar to the physiological substrate of creatine kinase, namely Mg(2+)
      ATP or Mg(2+)-ADP.

PMID- 1427962
TI  - Lipid composition of thylakoid membranes of cadmium treated wheat seedlings.
AB  - Cadmium (200 ppm) applied through the rooting medium to 30-day-old wheat plants
      decreased chlorophyll content, net CO2 exchanges and PSII activity by 34, 54 and
      43% respectively. Thylakoid total lipids, total glycolipids, total phospholipids
      and total neutral lipids decreased by 22, 23, 12 and 25%, respectively, under
      cadmium treatment. Thylakoid membrane glycolipids had three major constituents,
      viz. monogalactosyl diacylglycerol, digalactosyl diacylglycerol and
      sulphoquinovosyl diacylglycerol. Monogalactosyl diacylglycerol and digalactosyl
      diacylglycerol contents decreased by 32 and 27%, respectively, under cadmium.
      Cadmium application also decreased the concentration of phosphatidyl glycerol and
      phosphatidyl choline to the extent of about 57 and 31%, respectively. On the
      other hand, phosphatidic acid and free fatty acids content showed an increase.
      These compositional changes in thylakoid membranes might be responsible for
      reduced PSII activity and rate of photosynthesis as observed under cadmium
      treatment.

PMID- 1427963
TI  - Studies on phospholipids of different mutants of Salmonella minnesota.
AB  - Lipid composition of the cells of smooth (S form) and core-defective rough
      mutants (Ra, Rb & Re) of Salmonella minnesota has been studied. The readily
      extractable lipids (RELs), acid-extractable lipids, and polar and nonpolar
      phospholipids have been analysed. Fatty acid composition of the different
      fractions containing phospholipids and other neutral lipids have been determined
      by GLC and GC-MS techniques. Phosphatidyl glycerol (PG), phosphatidylethanolamine
      (PE) and diphosphatidyl glycerol (DPG) were the major phospholipids present in
      all the strains. The major saturated fatty acid found was C16:0, and unsaturated
      fatty acids were, C16:1 and C18:1. Cyclopropane fatty acids, C17cy and C19cy,
      were also present in small amounts. Increased amounts of REL and unsaturated
      fatty acids were found in the mutants compared with the smooth strain. The amount
      of PG and PE decreased and DPG increased in the mutant strains.

PMID- 1427964
TI  - Effect of quassin on the metabolism of catecholamines in different life cycle
      stages of Culex quinquefasciatus.
AB  - Quassin, a mosquito larvicide isolated from Quassia amara, inhibits tyrosinase
      activity in the larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus. Since tyrosinase is directly
      involved in sclerotisation of the cuticle, it is suggested that quassin, as a
      larvicide, inhibits development of the cuticle. In presence of quassin
      phenylalanine, tyrosine and L-dopa levels were increased in larvae. In the larval
      stages, mosquitoes have a high concentration of phenylalanine and tyrosine with
      the level of the latter being very high just before pupation and then declines
      sharply. Monoamine oxidase (MAO), an enzyme directly involved in the metabolism
      of catecholamines, remained unaffected by quassin, in fact the level of
      adrenaline also remained unchanged in larvae during quassin poisoning. MAO showed
      high variation in its activity between synthetic and natural substrates. Tyramine
      is not a substrate for MAO. Tyrosinase activity was high in developing stages and
      negligibly low in adults and showed specificity to L-dopa. Phenylalanine and
      tyramine are unaffected by tyrosinase. Blood feeding did not influence the
      activity of both these enzymes.

PMID- 1427965
TI  - Restoration of antioxidants in liver by methionine feeding in experimental rat
      urolithiasis.
AB  - The effect of methionine or citrate on antioxidant defense system has been
      studied in urolithic rat. Liver weight and its protein concentration did not
      change in the rats fed with calculi producing diet (CPD) when compared to normal
      diet fed rats. Feeding rats along with citrate (c-CPD) or methionine (m-CPD)
      improved their body weight gain. Liver microsomes and mitochondria fractions of
      CPD and c-CPD fed groups showed increased susceptibility for lipid peroxidation
      in presence of ascorbate and t-butyl hydroperoxide when compared to either
      control or m-CPD fed groups. Increased superoxide dismutase and xanthine oxidase
      activities, decreased catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glucose-6-phosphate
      dehydrogenase activities, decreased concentrations of reduced glutathione, total
      thiols, ascorbic acid and vitamin-E and increased formation of hydroxyl radical,
      hydroperoxides and diene conjugates were observed in the liver of both CPD fed
      group as well as c-CPD fed group. Except SOD and xanthine oxidase, all other
      parameters were normalized in m-CPD fed group. This suggested that feeding
      methionine reduced the susceptibility for lipid peroxidation by restoration of
      the level of free radical scavengers.

PMID- 1427966
TI  - Role of antibiotics in lipid peroxidation.
AB  - Alterations in the levels of lipid peroxides, superoxide dismutase, catalase,
      glutathione, free fatty acid and serum ceruloplasmin were studied in rats fed
      with high fat cholesterol diet administered different antibiotics, viz.
      ampicillin, tetracycline, streptomycin, chloramphenicol and cephalosporin. The
      concentrations of lipid peroxides, glutathione, free fatty acid decreased in most
      of the tissues, except in tetracycline, streptomycin and cephalosporin treated
      rats. The changes observed in the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase
      in the liver and kidney of these antibiotics administered groups also are in
      accordance with the changes in lipid peroxides. The results show that the
      tetracycline is hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic, while cephalosporin and streptomycin
      are nephrotoxic.

PMID- 1427967
TI  - Effect of aspirin on isoproterenol induced myocardial infarction--a pilot study.
AB  - Effect of aspirin (1.2 mg/100 g body wt orally for 30 days) on myocardial
      infarction induced by isoproterenol (200 mg/kg body wt, subcutaneously for 2
      days) has been studied in rats using activities of creatine kinase, aspartate
      amino transaminase, alanine amino transaminase and lactate dehydrogenase and
      levels of lipid peroxides as standard markers. Aspirin treatment is found to
      counteract the effect of isoproterenol on lipid peroxide formation and associated
      enzyme changes in serum and heart.

PMID- 1427968
TI  - Antidiabetic effect of a glycoside of pelargonidin isolated from the bark of
      Ficus bengalensis Linn.
AB  - The antidiabetic effect of a dimethoxy derivative of perlargonidin 3-O-alpha-L
      rhamnoside (250 mg/kg, single dose study and 100 mg/kg/day long term study)
      isolated from the bark of Ficus bengalensis Linn. has been compared with that of
      glibenclamide (2 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg/day respectively) in moderately diabetic
      rats. The single dose glycoside treatment decreased fasting blood glucose by 19%
      and improved glucose tolerance by 29%. The corresponding effects of glibenclamide
      were 25% and 66% respectively over the control values. On one-month treatment the
      fasting blood glucose levels went down almost to half of the pretreatment levels
      in both the groups and their glucose tolerance improved by 41% in glibenclamide
      group and by 15% in glycoside treated group. Urine sugar decreased to traces in
      both the groups and they appeared healthy. In vitro studies showed that insulin
      secretion by beta-cells was more in presence of the pelargonidin derivative than
      in presence of a leucocyanidin derivative, reported to be a good anti-diabetic
      agent.

PMID- 1427969
TI  - 23rd meeting of the Society of Immunology. Mainz, Germany, October 28-31, 1992.
      Abstract.

PMID- 1427970
TI  - Strain- and age-associated differences in lymphocyte phenotypes and immune
      responsiveness in C4-deficient and Albany strains of guinea-pigs.
AB  - Spleen lymphocytes from C4-deficient (C4D) and Albany strains of guinea-pigs, 1-7
      days, 3-6 and 12-16 months old, genetically related to inbred strains 13 and 2
      respectively, were analysed in terms of their expression of cell surface markers,
      allogenic and T- and B-cell mitogenic responses, and interleukin-1 (IL-1) and IL
      2 production. There were strain- and age-associated differences in phenotypic
      expression and immune responsiveness levels. In both strains a significant shift
      in immunocompetence apparently occurs postnatally before 3-6 months of age, with
      no further significant changes noticed in animals 12-16 months old. Phenotypic
      changes in cell surface markers did not always correlate with functional
      capability of lymphoid cells. H159+ (pan T) and H155+ (CD4) lymphocyte number and
      levels of T-cell responsiveness (mitogenic and allogenic responses, and IL-2
      production) were higher in C4D neonates compared with age-matched Albany guinea
      pigs or with young animals of the same strain. On the other hand, 31D2+ (B)
      lymphocytes in a significantly higher proportion in Albany neonates compared with
      similarly aged C4D, did not correlate at this age or at any other time with their
      proliferative response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or dextran sulphate (DS), two
      B-cell-specific mitogens.

PMID- 1427971
TI  - Maternal T cells of immunized pregnant mice induce immune suppression in their
      offspring.
AB  - The present study focused on the influence of maternal immunity during pregnancy
      on the responsiveness of the immune system(s) in offspring. Maternal immunization
      of pregnant mice with T-dependent foreign antigen sheep red blood cells (SRBC)
      induced suppression of anti-SRBC plaque-forming cell (PFC) responses in their
      offspring. We attempted to identify the cell species among the maternal lymphoid
      cells of the immunized pregnant mice that induced this suppression in their
      offspring, by separating the maternal cells into T cells, B cells and
      macrophages, or T-cell subsets, and then adoptively transferring them into other
      normal pregnant mice. The results demonstrated the following: first, maternal
      CD4+ T cells of immunized pregnant mice induced immune suppression in their
      offspring. Second, maternal T cells could be activated during pregnancy in the
      same fashion as in non-pregnant mice. The T-cell factor(s) for the immune
      suppression in offspring is produced not only by maternal T cells of immunized
      pregnant mice but also by T cells activated in non-pregnant mice. Third, cellular
      organization was required for maternal T cells to induce this immune suppression
      in their offspring.

PMID- 1427972
TI  - Lymphotoxin activates hepatic T cells and simultaneously induces profound thymic
      atrophy.
AB  - We have recently demonstrated that the liver may be a major site of extrathymic T
      cell differentiation. This hepatic pathway was shown to be activated in mice
      injected with heat-killed bacteria. It is conceivable that the resulting
      activation of macrophages or lymphocytes, and the production of cytokines may be
      responsible for a subsequent activation of hepatic T cells. In this context, we
      investigated the possibility of whether certain cytokines may activate hepatic T
      cells. It was demonstrated that the administration of lymphotoxin [tumour
      necrosis factor-beta (TNF-beta)] more than doubled the number of hepatic
      mononuclear cells (MNC) yielded 3-5 days after the treatment. More strikingly,
      such treatment induced profound thymic atrophy and resulted in a decrease of more
      than 95% in the number of thymocytes. Spontaneous proliferation in an in vitro
      culture of hepatic MNC from treated mice increased, and inversely such activity
      of thymocytes decreased. The increased number of hepatic MNC was mainly due to an
      increase in intermediate alpha beta T-cell receptor (TcR) cells, which are
      extrathymic T cells uniquely seen in the liver. On the other hand, the thymic
      atrophy was caused by the prompt apoptotic death of dull alpha beta TcR cells
      with double-positive (DP) CD4+ CD8+ phenotype. These results indicate that
      lymphotoxin may be one of the factors that activates extrathymic T cells in the
      liver and at the same time inhibits intrathymic T-cell differentiation.

PMID- 1427973
TI  - Patterns of dual lymphocyte development in co-cultures of foetal thymus and
      lymphohaemopoietic cells from young and old mice.
AB  - Patterns of lymphocyte development in the thymus were analysed, focusing on newly
      emigrating bone marrow (BM) and resident thymic cells. We co-cultured foetal (Day
      15 of gestation) thymic explants (FT, C57BL/Ka, Thy-1.1), with BM cells from
      young (2-3 months) or old (24 months) syngeneic, Thy-1 congenic (C57BL/6J, Thy
      1.2) mice. When the FT was severely depleted [treated with either 2
      deoxyguanosine (dGua) or exposed to an irradiation dose of 20 Gy] BM-type T
      lymphocytes were dominant, regardless of BM donor age. When the FT was only
      partially depleted of its proper lymphoid cells (by exposure to 10 Gy), the
      lymphocytes which developed were from both BM and FT origins, yet the level of
      donor-type thymocytes from the young mice was higher than that of the old. Under
      these conditions the proportion of FT-derived double-positive CD4+ CD8+ (DP)
      cells was higher, and that of single-positive CD4- CD8+ cells was lower, than in
      the BM-derived cells, irrespective of the BM donor age. The proportions of old BM
      derived DP cells were lower than in the young. Co-cultures of thymus cells from
      young and old mice with partially depleted FT explants resulted in similar
      proportions of CD4/CD8 subsets from both donor and FT origins, with the exception
      that in the presence of old-thymus cells there was an increase in the level of FT
      type CD4- CD8+ cells. Patterns of T-cell differentiation in the thymus thus seem
      to be determined by newly emigrating cells and the resident thymocytes.

PMID- 1427974
TI  - Immune privilege in the anterior chamber of the eye: alloantigens and tumour
      specific antigens presented into the anterior chamber simultaneously induce
      suppression and activation of delayed hypersensitivity to the respective
      antigens.
AB  - Allografts placed into the anterior chamber of the eye enjoy prolonged and
      sometimes permanent survival while similar grafts are promptly rejected if
      transplanted to non-privileged sites. The immunological privilege of the anterior
      chamber is due, in large part, to the systemic suppression of delayed-type
      hypersensitivity (DTH) that is induced by anterior chamber presentation of
      alloantigens and is termed anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID).
      Although many categories of antigens elicit ACAID, strong tumour-specific
      transplantation antigens (TSTA) do not induce ACAID and instead, provoke potent
      DTH responses following anterior chamber presentation. The present study sought
      to determine if the anterior chamber were simultaneously confronted with these
      two categories of antigens, which systemic immune response would prevail: DTH or
      suppression of DTH? The results show that inoculation of minor histocompatibility
      alloantigens and TSTA into the anterior chamber induced both afferent and
      efferent suppression of specific anti-alloantigen DTH responses, yet
      simultaneously induced normal anti-TSTA DTH responses. Both responses (i.e. DTH
      and suppression) were transferable with lymphoid cells.

PMID- 1427975
TI  - Phenotypic and ultrastructural characterization of an epithelial cell line
      established from rat thymic cultures.
AB  - An epithelial cell line (TE-R 2.5) was established from a long-term culture of
      rat thymic epithelium. Its epithelial nature was confirmed using anti-cytokeratin
      (CK) monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and electron-microscopy. TE-R 2.5 cells were
      reactive with K 8.13, K 8.12, CK 8, R-MC 18, R-MC 19 and Mar 3 mAb and bind Ulex
      europaeus agglutinin I. Based on the results of this study it was concluded that
      they possess the phenotype of subcapsular/perivascular or medullary epithelium.
      This was in accordance with Western blot analysis of water-insoluble cell
      extracts showing the presence of 56,000, 52,000, 50,000 and 48,000 MW CK
      polypeptides. In addition, TE-R 2.5 cell line coexpressed CK and vimentin (a
      57,000 MW polypeptide) which was demonstrated using dual immunohistochemistry and
      Western blot analysis. Electron microscopy demonstrated that TE-R 2.5 cells have
      all the characteristics of hypertrophic thymic epithelial cells (TEC) localized
      in situ exclusively in the medulla and thus further characterized this line as a
      type of medullary TEC. Finally, TE-4F10 mAb raised against an antigen of TE-R 2.5
      cells selectively stained a subset of medullary TEC in situ including Hassall's
      corpuscles indicating again the medullary origin of this TEC line.

PMID- 1427976
TI  - Monoclonal antibodies to the murine VLA-6 alpha-chain trigger homotypic
      lymphocyte aggregation.
AB  - Very Late Antigen-6 (VLA-6) is a laminin receptor found on T cells, macrophages
      and platelets and may function as an activation antigen. Here we describe that
      two monoclonal antibodies (mAb) targeting the VLA-6 alpha-chain are capable of
      inducing homotypic aggregation of murine T-cell lines (3A9 and C10 cells). 3A9
      and C10 cells are of the memory phenotype (CD4+, CD8-, CD44+, CD45+) and express
      VLA-6 abundantly. The VLA-6-induced aggregation is temperature dependent, energy
      requiring, and involves the cytoskeleton. In addition, divalent cations (Ca2+ and
      Mg2+) are also necessary for aggregation. The VLA-6-induced aggregation is not
      inhibited with mAb targeting the LFA-1/ICAM-1, VLA-4/VCAM-1 and CD2/LFA-3
      adhesion pairs. We conclude that VLA-6 has a broader function and can serve as an
      activation molecule, triggering homotypic aggregation of T-cell subsets.

PMID- 1427977
TI  - Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in inflammatory exudate cells of rabbits.
      Production, purification and determination of primary structure.
AB  - A rabbit interleukin-1 (IL-1) inhibitor in inflammatory peritoneal exudate cells
      was purified to apparent homogeneity. This inhibitor was extracted from exudate
      cells of the 24-hr stage of casein-induced peritoneal inflammation and purified
      using isoelectrofocusing (IEF), gel filtration, followed in this order by high
      performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) steps with hydroxylapatite and anionic
      ion exchanger. The purified factor showed a single band on silver-stained SDS
      PAGE. This molecule of MW 19,000 and pI 5.5 inhibited the binding of both IL-1
      alpha and beta to receptors on a thymoma cell line, EL-4 and a B-cell line,
      70Z/3. We determined its primary structure by a combination of peptide chemistry
      and molecular cloning. The inhibitor was synthesized as a precursor composed of
      177 amino acids and was processed to a mature molecule of 143 amino acids. The N
      terminal amino acid of the mature inhibitor was N-acetyl-methionine residue. The
      deduced amino acid sequence of the inhibitor showed a 77% homology to the human
      IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and essentially the same mode of action as seen
      with human IL-1Ra. We consider that this inhibitor is a rabbit counterpart of
      human IL-1Ra, although there are differences with respect to the molecular
      structure; the N-terminus of the mature rabbit IL-1Ra at a position of nine amino
      acids downstream from that of human IL-1Ra.

PMID- 1427978
TI  - Inhibition of interleukin-1 beta mRNA expression and interleukin-1 alpha and beta
      secretion by a specific human recombinant interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in
      human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
AB  - The transcription and translation of interleukin-1 (IL-1) may have a pleiotropic
      effect on the immune system and inflammatory diseases. Recently it has been
      reported that human monocytes not only produce IL-1 but also induce, with
      adherent IgG, the secretion of an IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), which can
      play an essential in vivo and in vitro role in the regulation of IL-1 activity.
      Recombinant human (rh) IL-1Ra is structurally similar to IL-1 beta but with no IL
      1-like activity, and specifically binds to the IL-1 receptor. To more fully
      evaluate and clarify the inhibitory effect of rhIL-1 receptor antagonist on IL-1
      we have studied the influence of rhIL-1Ra on IL-1 transcription and translation.
      In this report we show that IL-1 beta mRNA from peripheral blood mononuclear
      cells (PBMC) is strongly inhibited (66%) when rhIL-1Ra (250 ng/ml) was added to
      cultured cells activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (100 ng/ml) for 4 hr,
      determined with the slot blot analysis. The addition of exogenous rhIL-1 beta to
      the cell culture diminished the inhibitory effect (44%). Moreover, we report that
      the block of IL-1 mRNA transcription consequently leads to the inhibition of IL-1
      alpha and IL-1 beta secretion in human PBMC, as measured by ELISA method. In
      fact, herein we show that LPS activates human PBMC to secrete IL-1 beta and IL-1
      alpha, an effect inhibited, in a dose-dependent fashion by rhIL-1Ra (0.025-250
      ng/ml) in an overnight incubation. Since IL-1 is a strong inducer of IL-1
      synthesis in vivo and in vitro, in our study we used rh IL-1 alpha to stimulate
      the secretion of IL-1 beta in human PBMC. This activation, carried out overnight,
      also provoked the release of IL-1 beta in a dose-dependent manner, which was
      strongly inhibited by rhIL-1Ra used at different concentrations (0.025-250
      ng/ml). The inhibitory effect exerted by IL-1Ra on human PBMC IL-1 mRNA
      transcription and the down-regulation of secretion of IL-1 beta stimulated by IL
      1 alpha, may contribute to therapeutic effects in inflammatory diseases such as
      rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400
      WORDS)

PMID- 1427979
TI  - Suppression by Trypanosoma cruzi of T-cell receptor expression by activated human
      lymphocytes.
AB  - The immunosuppression that develops during Chagas' disease and African sleeping
      sickness is thought to facilitate survival of the causative agents in their
      mammalian hosts. Whereas a number of manifestations of immunosuppression
      manifested during the course of these diseases has been reported in patients and
      animals, the mechanisms by which they are induced remain obscure. An in vitro
      system in which phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated human peripheral blood
      mononuclear (PBMC) were co-cultured with purified Trypanosoma cruzi or T. brucei
      rhodesiense was used in the present work to establish whether these organisms
      were able to alter the capacity of activated helper/inducer (CD4+) or
      cytotoxic/suppressor (CD8+) cells to express T-cell receptor (TcR). Suppressed
      interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R), known to be caused by both the trypanosomes and
      supernatants containing their secretion products, was the independent parameter
      used to demonstrate the occurrence of immunosuppression in all experiments. We
      found marked reductions in the percentage of TcR+ cells in T. cruzi-containing
      cultures as early as 18 hr after PHA stimulation. This alteration was still
      readily demonstrable after 72 hr of culture, i.e. when last tested for.
      Suppressed TcR expression occurred concomitantly with reduced levels of CD4 or
      CD8 molecules on the surface of helper/inducer and cytotoxic/suppressor T
      lymphocytes, respectively, indicating that the parasite had induced more than one
      alteration in the same cells. These effects were reproduced when the trypanosomes
      were separated from the PBMC by a 0.45 micron pore size filter or when filtrates
      from T. cruzi suspensions substituted for the parasite in the cultures,
      indicating that TcR suppression was mediated by a parasite secretion product(s).
      Interestingly, neither T. b. rhodesiense nor filtrates of suspensions of this
      organism altered significantly the level of TcR expression in cultures in which
      suppressed IL-2R expression by activated human T cells took place. Thus despite
      sharing the ability to impair IL-2R expression, T. cruzi and T.b. rhodesiense
      appear to differ in other mechanisms by which they affect human T-cell function.
      If occurring in infected hosts, the alterations that T. cruzi causes in the
      expression of TcR, CD4, CD8 and IL-2R--all molecules playing important roles in
      lymphocyte activation--could contribute to the development of the
      immunosuppression observed during the acute phase of Chagas' disease.

PMID- 1427980
TI  - Protection against Chlamydia psittaci in mice conferred by Lyt-2+ T cells.
AB  - A murine model was used to study the respective roles of L3T4+ and Lyt-2+ T cells
      in protection against Chlamydia psittaci. Donor mice were intravenously (i.v.)
      infected with 1 x 10(5) plaque-forming units (PFU) per mice of live C. psittaci.
      One month after inoculation, splenic cells from donors were transferred into
      syngenic recipients (5 x 10(7) cells/mouse). As measured by splenic colonization
      on Day 6 after i.v. challenge (1 x 10(5) PFU/mouse), transfer with primed
      (untreated) cells conferred a 3 log protection in this model. In vitro treatment,
      before transfer, of splenic cells with anti-Lyt-2 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and
      complement, markedly impaired the protection in comparison with control mice
      transferred with primed untreated cells, whereas treatment with anti-L3T4 mAb did
      not reduce the transferred protection. Resistance to a reinfection with C.
      psittaci was also studied after selective in vivo depletion of L3T4+ and Lyt-2+ T
      cells. One month after primary infection, mice were treated with anti-L3T4 or
      anti-Lyt-2 mAb and challenged thereafter (i.v., 1 x 10(5) PFU). The splenic
      colonization on Day 6 after challenge demonstrated that treatment with anti-Lyt-2
      mAb impaired resistance against a subsequent infection with C. psittaci.
      Treatment with anti-L3T4 mAb in vivo had no effect on protection, as previously
      described in vitro. The mechanisms by which Lyt-2+ T cells could participate in
      the elimination of bacteria were discussed.

PMID- 1427981
TI  - Antigen-presenting characteristics of peritoneal cells of Salmonella enteritidis
      11RX-infected mice.
AB  - Investigation of the possibility that infection with intracellular bacterial
      parasites such as Salmonellae may modulate the function of antigen-presenting
      cells (APC) revealed no major change in APC function of peritoneal cells (PC)
      harvested from the peritoneal cavity of mice 1-3 days after intraperitoneal
      immunization with S. enteritidis 11RX. Analysis of the phenotype of the
      Salmonella-primed T cells which responded when cultured with PC from either
      normal or infected mice and Salmonella-antigen showed that only L3T4+ T cells
      proliferated. This was also true when PC from normal and infected mice were
      compared for their ability to induce allogeneic responses; both L3T4+ and Lyt
      2.2+ T cells were induced to proliferate, with the majority belonging to the
      class I restricted, Lyt-2.2+ phenotype. Significant levels of alloantigen
      specific Lyt-2.2+ cytotoxic T-cell activity were also induced in both types of
      cultures. However, a minor population of adherent cells which inhibited
      Salmonella antigen-specific T-cell proliferation in vitro was detected in
      peritoneal cell suspensions harvested 3 days after intraperitoneal immunization
      with S. enteritidis 11RX. Further characterization of these peritoneal cells
      revealed that they also inhibited the induction of in vitro T-cell responses to
      alloantigens. It is likely that the cells mediating these inhibitory effects
      belonged to a macrophage-like subset.

PMID- 1427982
TI  - Heterogeneity of human blood monocyte: two subpopulations with different sizes,
      phenotypes and functions.
AB  - Human blood mononuclear cells from normal adults were collected after density-cut
      centrifugation and monocytes were then isolated by removal of lymphocytes using
      the techniques of E-rosetting and cell adhesion. The purified monocytes were
      further analysed by velocity sedimentation, and two distinct subpopulations with
      different cell sizes were obtained. The larger monocytes were 17.0 +/- 1.8
      microns in diameter with a mean sedimentation rate (SR) of 7.0 +/- 0.6 mm/hr,
      while the smaller monocytes were 9.5 +/- 0.8 microns in size and 4.1 +/- 0.2
      mm/hr in SR. The population ratio of larger:smaller cells was approximately 2:1
      (66 +/- 2.8%:34 +/- 1.6%). Both cell populations exhibited a high positive rate
      (> 98%) in both the non-specific esterase and the peroxidase stain. However, the
      larger cells had much higher phagocytic activity than the smaller ones.
      Furthermore, the expression of monocyte-associated antigens was also different
      between these two subpopulations. Thus, while most of the larger monocytes (98%)
      could be recognized by monoclonal antibodies MY7 and OKM1, only some (35 and 61%,
      respectively) of the smaller monocytes could react with those antibodies. In
      addition, the larger monocytes secreted a significant amount of monokines
      including interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF
      alpha) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and their production increased in proportion
      to the level of stimulation by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), whereas the
      production of monokines by the smaller monocytes remained at low levels and did
      not respond to LPS stimulation. These results reveal the existence of phenotypic
      and functional heterogeneity in human blood monocytes.

PMID- 1427983
TI  - Retention of tissue-specific phenotype in a panel of colon carcinoma cell lines:
      relationship to clinical correlates.
AB  - A panel of eight cell lines has been derived from colon carcinomas. These cell
      lines have both been characterized according to standard criteria of growth rate,
      response to mitogens (epidermal growth factor and basic fibroblast growth
      factor), xenograft growth and growth in soft agar, and according to the ability
      of the cells to express epitopes known to be expressed by cells in the normal
      intestinal mucosa. The expression of epitopes present in columnar (absorptive)
      cells has been assessed using a panel of monoclonal antibodies to brush border
      peptidases and disaccharidases, villin and brush border-specific peptides. Goblet
      cell epitopes have been determined by monoclonal antibodies to mucin and
      carcinoembryonic antigen. An antibody to chromogranin was used to identify
      endocrine cells. Using these antibodies we found that all the cell lines reacted
      with at least one of the antibodies to columnar cells. Similarly, varying
      proportions of cells in six of the eight cell lines stained with antibodies to
      mucin. None of the cells expressed chromogranin. Expression of a differentiated
      colonic phenotype, as measured from antibody staining, did not correlate with
      measurements of malignancy, such as the ability of the cells to grow in soft agar
      or as xenografts. Similarly, there was no correlation between retention of a
      colonic phenotype and the initial pathological stage of the tumour from which the
      cell lines were derived.

PMID- 1427985
TI  - Parasite-induced changes to localized erythrocyte membrane deformability in
      Plasmodium falciparum cultures.
AB  - The effect of intra-erythrocyte development of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite
      on local deformability of human erythrocyte membranes was studied by aspiration
      of cells into 0.56 micron diameter pores in polycarbonate filters and
      examination, after fixing, with a scanning electron microscope. As the aspiration
      pressure increased, the erythrocyte membrane was extruded into the filter pores.
      The pressure dependence of the protrusion length and the minimum pressure
      required to produce any deformation provided measures of the membrane shear and
      the bending moduli, respectively. At the trophozoite and, to a greater extent,
      schizont stage of development, host cell membrane deformability was significantly
      decreased. There was no appreciable difference between uninfected and ring
      infected erythrocytes.

PMID- 1427984
TI  - Differential eicosanoid synthesis by murine fetal thymic non-lymphoid cells.
AB  - The temporal patterns of synthesis of prostaglandin (PG)E2 and PGI2 by organ
      cultured fetal thymic lobes and the cell population(s) responsible for synthesis
      of such products within the murine fetal thymus have been investigated. Embryonic
      day 14 thymic lobes were organ-cultured in defined media for 14 days and the
      media were collected every 24 h and replaced with fresh media. Collected media
      were processed for quantitation of either PGE2 or PGI2. Lobes were also cultured
      in 2'-deoxyguanosine (1.35 mmol/L) to produce an enriched non-lymphoid
      population. The per cent cyclooxygenase-positive cells within non-lymphoid cell
      enriched lobes as well as the capacity of such lobes to synthesize either PGE2 or
      PGI2 were determined and compared with that of intact thymic lobes. Results
      demonstrate that fetal thymic lobes, in vitro, differentially synthesize PGI2 and
      synthesize PGE2 at a constant rate. Moreover, lobes enriched for non-lymphoid
      cells contain a greater percentage of cyclooxygenase-positive cells and
      synthesize increased amounts of eicosanoids per 10(4) cells compared with
      controls.

PMID- 1427986
TI  - Limiting dilution analysis in leprosy.
AB  - Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) obtained from leprosy patients and
      healthy controls were cultured with Mycobacterium leprae and the control
      antigens, BCG and SKSD. Parallel cultures were supplemented with additional
      interleukin-2 (IL-2). On the basis of the level of response to M. leprae, leprosy
      patients could be divided into low, intermediate and high responders. The
      addition of IL-2 resulted in enhanced proliferation to antigen only by cells from
      intermediate responders. This effect was neither antigen specific nor was it
      confined to cells from leprosy patients. When limiting dilution analyses were
      performed on cells from 26 patients across the leprosy spectrum, no M. leprae
      reactive lymphocytes were detected in cells from subjects with lepromatous
      disease. The precursor frequency for cultures containing M. leprae plus IL-2 was
      no greater than that of cultures containing IL-2 alone, thereby excluding the
      possibility of clonal anergy reversible with IL-2. This was observed in both
      untreated patients and those on long-term treatment, which made sequestration of
      antigen-reactive cells within leprosy lesions an unlikely explanation. On the
      other hand, M. leprae-reactive lymphocytes were detected in patients with
      tuberculoid and borderline tuberculoid disease and in two subjects with
      borderline lepromatous leprosy in type I reversal reaction. IL-2 reactive cells
      were detected in all patients regardless of clinical classification. Three
      'suppressor' curves were obtained but were not confined to cells from lepromatous
      patients. Taken together, these findings suggest that the non-responsiveness to
      M. leprae characteristic of the great majority of multibacillary patients is due
      to an absence of antigen-sensitive T cells.

PMID- 1427987
TI  - D11, a novel monoclonal antibody specific for human mature macrophages and
      peripheral blood monocytes.
AB  - A new monoclonal antibody designated Mab D11 is described, which shows a
      restricted reactivity to cells of the monocyte/macrophage system. When tested by
      light and electron microscopic immunoperoxidase methods, Mab D11 specifically
      reacts with blood monocytes and stains resident macrophages in a wide variety of
      human tissues; it does not mark the macrophages of other species, i.e., rat,
      swine and mouse. Antigen-presenting cells, e.g., Langerhans cells, are Mab D11
      negative. Mab D11 reveals the antigen on cryostat and paraffin tissue sections.
      Ultrastructurally the antigen recognized by Mab D11 in all macrophage types
      studied is located on the plasma membrane and within cytoplasmic structures
      including lysosomes. On immunoblotting, Mab D11 detects the 125-kDa antigen in
      human liver and the 135-kDa protein in tumours of histiocytic origin. The
      similarity of Mab D11 to known "pan-macrophage" monoclonal antibodies is
      discussed.

PMID- 1427988
TI  - Interferon-gamma is unable to increase monocyte and neutrophil-mediated
      nonspecific cytotoxicity induced by immune complexes.
AB  - We have previously demonstrated that normal human neutrophils and monocytes
      triggered by immune complexes (IC) are able to destroy non-sensitized target
      cells through the activation of a nonspecific cytotoxic mechanism (NSC), that is
      dependent on the generation of reactive oxygen intermediates (IRO). In the
      present study, we analyze the ability of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) to modulate
      NSC. Our results indicate that, despite the ability of IFN-gamma to increase both
      the generation of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide by phagocytic cells and
      the expression of the high-affinity 72-kDa Fc gamma RI, it is completely unable
      to increase NSC mediated either by neutrophils or monocytes. These data suggest
      that there is no correlation between cytotoxicity and the ability of phagocytic
      cells to release superoxide anion and/or hydrogen peroxide. They also indicate
      that Fc gamma RI is not involved in the induction of NSC. To further analyze this
      point, we studied the ability of two monoclonal antibodies (mAb), specific for
      different epitopes of Fc gamma RI, to inhibit NSC. These mAb strongly inhibited
      ADCC mediated by untreated monocytes or IFN-gamma treated monocytes and
      neutrophils. On the other hand, they were completely unable to inhibit NSC
      mediated by untreated or IFN-gamma treated cells.

PMID- 1427989
TI  - Identification of C-terminal peptides of bovine beta-casein that enhance
      proliferation of rat lymphocytes.
AB  - A casein polypeptidic fraction, obtained from a pepsin-chymosin digestion of
      caseins, showed a mitogenic effect on primed lymph node (LN) cells and unprimed
      spleen cells of rats. A biologically active C-terminal sequence of bovine beta
      casein (residues 192-209) was characterized. The corresponding synthetic peptide
      had a stimulatory effect on primed LN cells but failed to enhance proliferation
      of spleen cells. We prepared two chymosin digests (PA and PB) of bovine beta
      casein which contained, respectively, 80% and 95% of the sequence including
      residues 193-209. They induced a significant proliferative response in both LN
      and spleen cells. It is therefore possible that other active peptides in the PA
      preparation may be involved in mitogenic activity.

PMID- 1427990
TI  - Deficient transformation of murine trisomy 16 fetal liver cells by the Abelson
      and J2 viruses.
AB  - Mouse trisomy 16 (Ts16), an animal model for human Down syndrome (trisomy 21),
      exhibits severe abnormalities in the development of lymphoid and myeloid cells.
      Whereas fetal liver cells from diploid mice can be easily immortalized by
      retroviral transformation with Ab1-MuLV or J2 virus, fetal livers from Ts16 mice
      contain significantly fewer transformable cells. Infection of Ts16 fetal liver
      cells by Ab1-MuLV results in a 52- and 12-fold reduction in the frequency of
      transformation at days 17 and 18 of gestation, respectively. By contrast, the
      efficiency of transformation with J2 virus, another retrovirus known to transform
      fetal liver cells, is only mildly (factor 2-3) affected. The Ig gene
      rearrangements of Ts16 and diploid retrovirally transformed fetal liver cell
      lines do not differ from one another. This suggests that there is a deficiency in
      the early stem cell compartment, rather than in the development of pre-B cells.

PMID- 1427991
TI  - Rabbit single domain antibodies specific to protein C expressed in prokaryotes.
AB  - VDJ genes were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction from mRNA isolated from
      peripheral blood B cells of rabbits immunized with protein C. The amplified genes
      were cloned into a lambda phage expression vector and packaged. A library of 6 x
      10(5) recombinant phages was screened with labelled protein C and 30 positive
      clones were found. Three of them were plaque purified and the affinity of the
      single domain antibodies to the antigen determined to be 10(6)-10(7) l M-1. The
      data indicate the feasibility of generating single domain antibody, specific to
      protein antigen, from rabbit.

PMID- 1427992
TI  - Immunosuppression induced by hepatic portal venous immunization spares reactivity
      in IL-4 producing T lymphocytes.
AB  - Immunization of naive or specifically primed C3H/HEJ with irradiated B10.BR
      spleen cells via the hepatic portal vein leads to an antigen specific decrease in
      the proliferative and cytotoxic response to B10.BR antigen assayed in vitro (and
      to increased graft survival of B10.BR grafts in vivo). This effect seems to be
      mediated in the main by a decrease in IL-2 production from CD4+ T lymphocytes of
      mice given antigen by the portal route, which is in turn caused by a decreased
      precursor frequency of IL-2-producing cells. No clear decrease in IL-4 production
      was seen. Hepatic APC isolated from mice receiving antigen via the portal vein
      were unable to induce IL-2 production from a C3H/HEJ anti-B10.BR cell line in
      vitro, in contrast to splenic APC derived from the same mice. Even when antigen
      was given by conventional (systemic) intravenous routes (in this case via the
      lateral tail vein) hepatic APC isolated from those mice were unable to stimulate
      IL-2 production from this cell line. Furthermore, 24 h exposure of a cell line to
      antigen pulsed hepatic APC left those cells refractory to a subsequent
      restimulation with antigen presented by splenic APC. Spleen lymphoid cells from
      primed mice challenged in vivo with B10.BR liver cells (i.v.) were similarly
      unable to produce IL-2 on rechallenge in vitro with irradiated B10.BR spleen
      cells, though no defect was seen if in vivo challenge was with B10.BR spleen
      cells. These data imply that presentation of multiple minor cell surface antigens
      by hepatic APC leads to specific anergization of IL-2 producing T cells, in a
      fashion which seems to be distinct from that previously reported as due to 'veto
      like' activity.

PMID- 1427993
TI  - Perforin gene expression in stimulated human peripheral blood T cells studied by
      in situ hybridization and northern blotting analysis.
AB  - In situ hybridization was used here to monitor the mRNA level of the pore-forming
      protein perforin in mitogen-stimulated primary peripheral blood human T cells. In
      situ hybridization was performed using sense and antisense ribonucleotide probes
      specific for this granule mediator. After IL-2 treatment, an increase in perforin
      mRNA could be detected by 4 h; they peaked at 12 h, and decreased after 24 h. The
      perforin mRNA was also induced in T cells treated with a combination of phorbol
      ester PMA plus lectin or OKT3 mAb. This latter induction followed slower
      kinetics, peaking at 48 h. For all three mitogens used, even at peak induction
      times less than 10% of T cells were labeled with perforin probe. Similar patterns
      of mRNA expression were observed for both unprimed T cells and lectin-primed T
      blasts. The induction response of mRNA due to IL-2 stimulation is probably
      mediated by the IL-2 receptor p75 chain since its mRNA was upregulated by IL-2
      with a kinetics comparable to that associated with an increase of perforin mRNA.
      The p55 IL-2 receptor chain increased much more slowly than p75.

PMID- 1427994
TI  - Effect of beta 2-microglobulin on immunoglobulin production.
AB  - Chronic renal failure patients display high serum levels of beta 2-microglobulin
      (beta 2-M) and a pronounced defect in immunoglobulin production. In this light,
      the present study was conducted to investigate whether beta 2-M might influence
      the rate of antibody synthesis. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from
      healthy subjects were cultured in the presence of beta 2-M (80 mg/l) for 7 days.
      Immunoglobulin concentrations were measured by ELISA-techniques in culture
      supernatants. Basal IgM levels were 390 +/- 10 ng/ml and increased to 940 +/- 216
      ng/ml in the presence of beta 2-M. After PWM stimulation, IgM concentrations were
      2654 +/- 614 ng/ml without and 3750 +/- 914 ng/ml with beta 2-M. IgG and IgA
      production by PBMCs was not influenced by beta 2-M in the culture medium.
      Likewise, the generation of beta 2-M by PBMCs was unchanged in the presence of
      exogenous beta 2-M in the medium. In terms of clinical relevance, serum beta 2-M
      levels of 28 uremic patients were correlated with capacity of their PBMCs for
      immunoglobulin production in vitro. However, there was no apparent correlation
      between beta 2-M serum levels and immunoglobulin synthesis in vitro. Taken
      together, beta 2-M seems to have a stimulatory effect on IgM synthesis in vitro.
      Whether this has some clinical meaning in patients with chronic renal failure
      remains to be investigated.

PMID- 1427995
TI  - Anti-leukocyte antibodies as a consequence of HIV infection in HIV+ individuals.
AB  - Antibodies (Ab) that induce antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC)
      against non-T lymphocytes, anti-HLA class II specific Ab and anti-PMN were tested
      in hemophilic (He) patients who were alloimmunized because they had received
      replacement treatment with blood derivates and become infected with HIV, as well
      as in those who remained seronegative. In addition, the serum reactivity of
      spouses of HIV+ individuals and their children was studied to determine the
      effect of HIV infection in the absence of concomitant alloimmunization. The
      results of this study indicate that ADCC Ab were already present in HIV- He,
      suggesting the influence of alloimmunization. Their titer increased after
      appearance of HIV disease. While low reactivity against class II antigens was
      observed in HIV- He, activity augmented sharply after HIV infection and increased
      further with disease progression. Anti-PMN reactivity followed a similar pattern.
      Anti-class II, ADCC Ab and anti-PMN were also detected in the asymptomatic HIV+
      spouses of HIV+ patients in titers that were similar to those of asymptomatic
      HIV+ He. In children born to HIV+ mothers in whom HIV infection was confirmed,
      anti-class II, ADCC Ab and anti-PMN reactivity were also observed, and activity
      increased after the onset of disease. These results suggest that induction of
      anti-leukocyte Ab occurs in the absence of massive allostimulation after HIV
      infection. HIV infection may enhance preexisting class II and anti-leukocyte
      response in allostimulated individuals.

PMID- 1427996
TI  - Extracellular diaphorase-like activity as a marker of cytolytic damage to cells.
AB  - A new variant of the enzyme release colorimetric method for NK/LAK cytotoxicity
      is described. Kinetic determination of diaphorase released from damaged target
      cells (TC) provided an exact measurement of the lytic activity of effector cells
      (EC). A polyenzyme testing system permitted the use of a wide spectrum of TC. The
      percentage cytotoxicity and the kinetics of the process coincide, within
      experimental error, with data from staining with Trypan blue. The method is
      simple and convenient and can be applied to study cell-mediated cytotoxicity
      (CMC).

PMID- 1427997
TI  - H2 genotype and IgE immune response to Fel dI, the cat major allergen, in mice.
AB  - Mice of 6 strains were immunized with a highly purified Fel dI allergen adsorbed
      to alum. Their ability to display a significant IgE response was detected via
      passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) tests, performed in rats. Linkage of the
      responsiveness to the H2 genotype is not totally obvious. IgE response can be
      delayed, particularly in the SJL strain (H2-s histocompatibility allele), and
      lacking in the C57 B1/6 strain (H2-b). Mice with H2-k, H2-d alleles and the
      B6D2F1 hybrid H2-b/d are good responders, leading to the hypothesis that the IgE
      response to Fel dI may be related to the H2-d allele. For all good responders,
      individual variations are rather important. All our observations show that mice
      perfectly mimic human hypersensitization to the cat major allergen Fel dI, at
      least where the IgE response is concerned.

PMID- 1427998
TI  - In vitro bioassay for type E prostaglandins based on their NK immunodepressing
      activity.
AB  - A biological assay for PGE in commercial preparations, or secreted by tumor cells
      in culture fluid was developed on the basis of the immunosuppressive effect of
      PGE on the cytotoxic activity of NK cells. The assay is simple, rapid and
      convenient for detecting PGE cell secretion, either spontaneous or induced by
      various signals. The sensitivity of the bioassay is limited by the sensitivity of
      NK cells to the immunosuppressive activity of PGE (i.e., about 10(-8) M).

PMID- 1427999
TI  - Radioresistant cells of thymus--producers and targets of thymocyte growth factor
      and their possible role in postradiation restoration of thymus.
AB  - In the present study the association between the damaging and the stimulating
      action of radiation on the cells of thymus (in particular intrathymic T
      lymphocyte precursors, TLP) is analyzed. The radioresistance and possibility to
      secrete humoral products, in particular, the thymocytes growth factor, THGF, is
      assessed. The possible role of THGF in the postradiation restoration of thymus is
      also discussed.

PMID- 1428000
TI  - Down-regulation of murine B lymphocyte growth: arrest of B cells in G1 underlies
      immunosuppression induced by an IgM antibody.
AB  - Previous studies have demonstrated that culture supernatants of LPS-stimulated
      murine splenic B lymphocytes (BLPSSN) are able to inhibit the growth of freshly
      isolated B cells via an IgM antibody. In this work we investigated the progress
      of LPS-activated B lymphocytes through the cell cycle in the presence of this
      antibody. We found that the regulatory IgM did not affect the entry of LPS
      stimulated B lymphocytes into G0*, as assessed by the increased expression of I-A
      antigens. Events that characterize the early G1 phase (G1A), such as cell
      enlargement and increased RNA synthesis, also occurred in the presence of the
      antibody. In contrast, events which mark the G1B phase, such as further cell
      enlargement and late RNA synthesis were inhibited. Moreover, a significant
      portion of the cells failed to incorporate [3H]thymidine and did not progress
      through S, G2, or M, as revealed by their DNA content. Therefore, our work points
      toward a well-defined stage of the early G1 phase at which the antibody inhibits
      the progression of B lymphocyte activation. This result shows a new insight into
      the mechanism of antibody-mediated down-regulation of polyclonal B cell
      responses.

PMID- 1428001
TI  - Analysis of clonality of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes in breast cancer and
      uveal melanoma.
AB  - Fresh tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) from 6 uveal melanomas and 4 breast
      cancers were analysed by flow cytometry with a panel of 6 monoclonal antibodies
      to V beta regions of the T cell receptor (V betas 5a, 5b, 5c, 6, 8a and 12a).
      With a single exception where one TIL sample lacked V beta 12a, lymphocytes from
      both tumour and blood contained cells reactive with all 6 probes, and no probe
      was highly dominant or missing. The proportions of reactive cells differed
      between tumour and blood within each patient. The data indicate that while tumour
      infiltrating lymphocytes have a capacity to locate selectively within the tumour
      they nonetheless comprise a population expressing a diversity of TCR V beta
      genes.

PMID- 1428002
TI  - Skin response to tuberculin in pig foetuses and germ-free piglets.
AB  - Cellular response to intradermally administered PPD (2 TU) was demonstrated in
      pig foetuses of various ages and in germ-free piglets. CD2+, CD4+, CD8-, 86D-,
      SLA-D- T lymphocytes were the predominant cells in the skin tuberculin reaction
      in both foetuses and germ-free animals. Reactive T cells were observed as early
      as in mid-gestation, whereas SLA-D+ (porcine MHC class II) cells appeared only in
      older foetuses. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes were never observed in the PPD
      reaction.

PMID- 1428003
TI  - Sequence and chromosome assignment to 11p13-p12 of human RAG genes.
AB  - The recombination-activating genes RAG-1 and RAG-2 are required for V(D)J DNA
      rearrangements at loci for immunoglobulin and T cell receptor genes. We isolated
      the human RAG-2 gene and determined its nucleotide sequence. Mapping analysis of
      RAG-1 and RAG-2 genes on human chromosomes by fluorescence in situ hybridization
      indicated that the genes are located on chromosome 11p13-p12. RAG-1 and RAG-2 do
      not seem to be linked to any of the primary immunodeficiencies for which
      defective genes have already been mapped.

PMID- 1428004
TI  - A fluorescent molecular rotor probes the kinetic process of degranulation of mast
      cells.
AB  - A confocal fluorescence microscope was used to study the exocytotic secretory
      processes of mast cells in combination with an fluorescent molecular rotor, 9
      (dicyanovinyl)julolidine (DCVJ). DCVJ is known to be an unique fluorescent dye
      which increases its quantum yield with decreasing intramolecular rotation. Here,
      DCVJ-loaded peritoneal rat mast cells were stimulated with compound 48/80 and
      their fluorescence images were compared with fluorescence calcium images of fluo
      3-loaded mast cells. Subsequent to transient increases in intracellular free
      calcium ion concentration, DCVJ fluorescence increased dramatically in the
      cytoplasm and formed a ring-like structure around the nucleus, suggesting the
      possibility that the dye bound to the proteins composing the cytoskeletal
      architecture. Furthermore, the increases of DCVJ fluorescence intensities were
      mostly blocked in the presence of cytochalasin D (10 microM). However, fluo-3
      fluorescence intensities still increased after addition of compound 48/80.

PMID- 1428006
TI  - Anti-TCR-V beta 6 breaks tolerance in female AKR, Mlsa mice inducing foetal
      lethality.
AB  - Immunisation with anti-TCR-V beta 6 of female AKR mice prior to and during
      syngeneic pregnancy resulted in neonatal lethality and eventually in abortion or
      foetal resorption. The sera of the hyperimmunised mothers were shown to have anti
      H-2k and anti-Mlsa autoantibodies and were cytotoxic to H-2k targets in vitro and
      also blocked Mlsa-induced mixed lymphocyte reactions. These observations are
      discussed herein.

PMID- 1428005
TI  - A monoclonal antibody directed against the sporozoite stage of Plasmodium vivax
      binds to liver parenchymal cells.
AB  - The circumsporozoite (CS) protein of malaria parasites is a major surface protein
      of the sporozoite stage. In the process of investigating the immunogenicity of
      this protein in the Plasmodium vivax complex, we found that a monoclonal antibody
      (mAb) directed against the CS protein of isolates of P. vivax recognizes New
      World monkey hepatocytes and human hepatoma cells HepG2A16 in Western blot and by
      immunoelectron microscopy. The mAb NVS3 binds to the amino acid sequence AGDR,
      which is also shared with the alpha 3 domain of the human and primate major
      histocompatibility complex class I. In addition, in vitro experiments suggest
      that the binding of the mAb NVS3 to hepatocytes from Saimiri monkey enhances the
      invasion or development of malaria sporozoites. These results form the basis for
      investigating the relationships between parasite surface proteins and host-cell
      receptors.

PMID- 1428007
TI  - Mhc-DRB diversity of the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes).
AB  - Fifty-four chimpanzee Patr-DRB and five human HLA-DRB second exons were cloned
      and sequenced from thirty-five chimpanzees and four human B-cell lines and
      compared with known Mhc-DRB sequences of these two species. Equivalents of the
      HLA-DRB1*02, -DRB1*03, -DRB1*07 allelic lineages and the HLA-DRB3, -DRB4, -DRB5, 
      DRB6, and -DRB7 loci were all found in the chimpanzee. In addition, two
      chimpanzee Patr-DRB lineages (Patr-DRBX and -DRBY) were found for which no human
      counterparts have been described. None of the Patr-DRB sequences is identical to
      known HLA-DRB sequences. The Patr-DRB1*0702 and HLA-DRB1*0701 alleles are the
      most similar sequences in a comparison between the two species and differ by only
      two nucleotides out of 246 sequenced. Equivalents of the HLA-DRB1*01, -DRB1*04,
      and -DRB1*09 alleles were not found in our sample of chimpanzees. A per locus
      comparison of the number of Patr-DRB alleles with the HLA-DRB alleles shows that
      the Patr-DRB3, -DRB4, -DRB5, and -DRB6 locus are, thus far, more polymorphic than
      their human homologs. The polymorphism of the Patr-DRB1 locus seems to be less
      extensive than that reported for the HLA-DRB1 locus. Nevertheless, the Patr-DRB1
      locus seems to be the most polymorphic of the Patr-DRB loci. Phylogenetic
      analyses indicate that the HLA-DRB1*09 allele may have originated from a
      recombination between a Mhc-DRB5 allele and the DRB1 allele of a Mhc-DR7
      haplotype. Although recombination seems to increase the diversity of the Patr-DRB
      alleles, its contribution to the generation of Patr-DRB variation is probably
      low. Hence, most Patr-DRB diversity presumably accumulated via recurrent point
      mutations. Finally, two distinct Patr-DRB haplotypes are deduced, one of which
      (the chimpanzee equivalent of the HLA-DR7 haplotype) is probably older than 6-8
      million years.

PMID- 1428008
TI  - Trans-species origin of Mhc-DRB polymorphism in the chimpanzee.
AB  - Trans-specific evolution of allelic polymorphism at the major histocompatibility
      complex loci has been demonstrated in a number of species. Estimating the
      substitution rates and the age of trans-specifically evolving alleles requires
      detailed information about the alleles in related species. We provide such
      information for the chimpanzee DRB genes. DNA fragments encompassing exon 2 were
      amplified in vitro from genomic DNA of ten chimpanzees. The nucleotide sequences
      were determined and their relationship to the human DRB alleles was evaluated.
      The alleles were classified according to their position in dendrograms and the
      presence of lineage-specific motifs. Twenty alleles were found at the expressed
      loci Patr-DRB1, -DRB3, -DRB4, -DRB5, and at the pseudogenes Patr-DRB6, -DRB7; of
      these, 13 are new alleles. Two other chimpanzee sequences were classified as
      members of a new lineage tentatively designated DRBX. Chimpanzee counterparts of
      HLA-DRB1*01 and *04 were not detected. The number of alleles found at individual
      loci indicates asymmetrical distribution of polymorphism between humans and
      chimpanzees. Estimations of intra-lineage divergence times suggest that the
      lineages are more than 30 million years old. Predictions of major chimpanzee DRB
      haplotypes are made.

PMID- 1428009
TI  - Evolution of the major histocompatibility complex: a hundred-fold amplification
      of MHC class I genes in the African pigmy mouse Nannomys setulosus.
AB  - The genome of the African murine rodent Nannomys setulosus was found to harbor
      several thousand major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I genes instead of
      the 30-40 genes found in conventional laboratory mice, which are mostly of Mus
      musculus domesticus origin. Other genes of N. setulosus, either functionally or
      physically linked to class I genes, are not amplified. Amplified genes derive
      from as few as three ancestors and amplification has likely occurred after the
      divergence of the two Nannomys species, N. setulosus and N. minutoides, which
      took place about three million years ago. Amplified genes are mostly pseudogenes.
      Statistical analysis of dinucleotide frequencies leads us to propose that
      inactivation of the genes has occurred through the repeat induced mutation
      process, a possible "newcomer" in the evolution of the MHC.

PMID- 1428010
TI  - Transcription and diversity of immunoglobulin lambda chain variable genes in the
      rat.
AB  - In order to determine the extent of the repertoire of the immunoglobulin light
      chain V-region locus (Igl-V) in the laboratory rat (Rattus norvegicus), we
      constructed a specifically primed cDNA library from lipopolysaccharide-stimulated
      DA strain rat spleens. The library was screened with a rat Igl-C2-specific probe,
      and 33 clones containing identifiable V regions were sequenced, of which 19
      sequences are presented here. In addition to one sequence (Igl-V1) which was
      already known, and is closely related to the two known mouse V lambda gene
      segments, clones encoding representatives of three new, distantly related, rat
      Igl-V subfamilies were found, namely Igl-V2, Igl-V3, and Igl-V4. At least two of
      these sub-families, Igl-V2 and Igl-V3, contain multiple members as well as
      restriction fragment length polymorphism variants, indicating the presence of at
      least 10-15 Igl-V gene segments (including some pseudogenes) in the rat genome.
      An additional ten clones contained no rearranged V region, although they showed a
      correct J-C splice, suggesting the presence of cryptic transcriptional promoters
      between J lambda and the 3'-most Igl-V gene segment. Phylogenetic tree
      reconstruction based on amino acid sequence alignments showed at least three of
      the four rat Igl-V sequences clustering with distinct human Igl-V genes. Thus,
      although rats express lambda-bearing Ig at levels no higher than mice, the rat
      Igl-V locus is considerably more complex than that of laboratory mice, and its
      diversity reflects the products of gene duplications which predate the time of
      primate/rodent divergence.

PMID- 1428011
TI  - Transmembrane and cytoplasmic domain sequences demonstrate at least two expressed
      bovine MHC class I loci.
AB  - We have used the polymerase chain reaction to amplify cDNA from expressed bovine
      major histocompatibility complex class I genes. Sequences obtained from
      transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains were used to identify the number of
      expressed alleles. Data from three animals suggest that there are four major
      expressed alleles, representing the products of two (or more) loci. We have also
      demonstrated the presence of an alternatively spliced mRNA, which has been
      observed in five animals. The alternative splicing removes exon 7 (the major site
      of class I phosphorylation), which predicts a truncated molecule with a
      cytoplasmic portion 16 amino acids shorter than usual. This phenomenon was
      detected for only a single class I allele within each individual.

PMID- 1428012
TI  - Two subtypes of HLA-B51 differing by substitution at position 171 of the alpha 2
      helix.
AB  - Newly defined antigens of the B5, B35 cross-reacting group have been found in
      Japanese and North American Indians. Nucleotide sequencing of the alleles
      encoding the Japanese B5.35 antigen and the variant B5 antigen from the Piman
      Indians show them to be identical. This new allele, B*5102, differs from B*5101
      by a single nucleotide substitution that changes residue 171 from histidine to
      tyrosine. Residue 171, which is part of the alpha 2 helix, is believed to
      contribute directly to peptide interaction in the A pocket of the binding groove
      and is either histidine or tyrosine in all HLA-A, B, C heavy chains. Tyrosine 171
      is shared by B*5102, B*3501, B*3502, and B*5301 and must be responsible for the
      serological cross-reactivities of these molecules not shared with B*5101.
      Stimulation of lymphocytes from a B*5101 positive donor with B*5102 positive
      cells failed to generate cytotoxic T cells with specificity for the difference
      between these molecules. However, one out of five clones of cytotoxic T cells
      raised against B*5101 failed to lyse targets expressing B*5102. Substitution of
      histidine for tyrosine at residue 171 affected recognition of HLA-B35-restricted
      human minor histocompatibility antigen-specific T cell clones.

PMID- 1428013
TI  - Development of persistent lymphocytosis in cattle is closely associated with
      DRB2.

PMID- 1428014
TI  - Genetic structure of the novel low-frequency haplotype HLA-B49, SC01, DR4 and its
      contribution to insulin-dependent diabetes susceptibility.

PMID- 1428016
TI  - Schistosomiasis: an overview.

PMID- 1428017
TI  - Human immunity to Schistosoma mansoni: observations on mechanisms, and
      implications for control.
AB  - This review summarizes the personal experiences of the authors and their
      colleagues during ten years of field and laboratory studies on human immunity to
      Schistosoma mansoni infections. There is evidence for the very slow development
      with age of an acquired resistance to reinfection (demonstrable after
      chemotherapy of the primary infection) distinguishable from a lack of reinfection
      due to reduced exposure. The implications of this immunity for the design of
      chemotherapy programs targeted at infected schoolchildren are discussed.
      Observational studies on the mechanisms of immunity have demonstrated a marked
      helminthocidal capacity of eosinophils. Subsequent correlative studies have
      indicated a role of IgM and IgG2 "blocking" antibodies in maintaining the
      continued susceptibility of young children, and of IgE antibodies in mediating
      protection in older individuals. Some problems in studying human immunity, and
      the implications for vaccine development, are also discussed.

PMID- 1428015
TI  - Polymorphic specificity of Q1/28, a monoclonal antibody that preferentially
      reacts with free class I heavy chains.

PMID- 1428018
TI  - Schistosomiasis: from effector and regulation mechanisms in rodents to vaccine
      strategies in humans.

PMID- 1428019
TI  - Environmental, genetic and immunological factors in human resistance to
      Schistosoma mansoni.
AB  - The design of programs for the control of endemies requires the knowledge of the
      principal factors that determine parasite transmission and infection levels in
      exposed populations. In the studies summarized in this article, the role of
      environmental and host specific factors in the infection by S. mansoni have been
      evaluated. It is shown that a limited number of factors actually influences
      infection intensity: water contacts, age, and sex were shown to account for 20 to
      25% of infection variance, while 35 to 40% of it was accounted for by the effect
      of a major codominant gene. A remarkable fact is the important weighting (around
      55% of the variance) of factors (the major gene and age) that influence human
      capacities of resistance. This observation strongly supports control measures
      aimed at increasing human resistance, such as vaccination. The effect of age on
      the development of resistance has now been observed in several studies on S.
      mansoni or S. haematobium. It is, therefore, a constant finding in
      schistosomiasis infections that resistance develops extremely slowly requiring a
      long period of exposure to the parasite and repeated infections. These studies
      provide strong incentives to increase efforts in the evaluation of the immune
      response of subjects living in endemic areas. Such evaluations are necessary to
      define vaccine and vaccination programs, and they are also urgently needed to
      evaluate the effects of chemotherapy on the development of immunity in children
      and adolescents, as well as on the persistence of protective immunity in adults.
      Immunological studies begin to provide a clearer picture of the role of acquired
      immunity in human protection against S. mansoni. It is increasingly clear that
      the slow development of resistance in children, as well as its alteration in
      certain age groups, are related to the maturation of parasite specific immunity
      and its alteration by specific immune factors. Thus, the development of
      resistance is associated with the maturation of IgE-dependent immunity, whereas
      blocking Ab may interfere in children and adolescents with the expression of full
      resistance. This finding raises the question as to whether a vaccine could
      include major allergens without triggering the well-known deleterious side
      effects associated with hypersensitivity reactions. The absence of such reactions
      in subjects with high parasite-specific IgE levels who are exposed to daily
      infections suggests that this may be feasible.

PMID- 1428020
TI  - The pathogenesis of granulomatous inflammation and organ injury in
      schistosomiasis: interactions between the schistosome ova and the host.

PMID- 1428021
TI  - Experimental models of immunization against schistosomes: lessons for vaccine
      development.
AB  - Schistosomiasis is a debilitating, and sometimes deadly, parasitic infection that
      afflicts hundreds of millions of people living in developing countries. One of
      the best hopes for control of this disease is vaccine development. Studies on
      experimental models of attenuated vaccines have proven that high levels of
      protective immunity can be achieved. In these systems, resistance has been shown
      to be directed against the migrating larval stages of the parasite and to have
      both cellular and humoral components. Several candidate vaccine immunogens have
      been identified on the basis of antibody reactivity. However, the level of
      protection induced by immunization with nonliving vaccines has at yet not
      approached the level observed with attenuated infection. Current challenges to
      vaccine development include identification of protective T cell immunogens,
      determination of ways to strengthen the immunogenicity of isolated parasite
      antigens, and development of methodologies to selectively stimulate protective,
      as opposed to ineffective or even detrimental, immune responses.

PMID- 1428022
TI  - Linkage between monokine production and regulation of the negative surface charge
      density of human monocytes.
AB  - The regulation of the negative surface charge density of human monocytes was
      investigated with the help of the synthetic glycolipid analogue BAY R 1005. This
      compound is incorporated into the outer membrane of isolated monocytes during 24
      hours of incubation. After this time the electrophoretic mobility (EM) of
      monocytes is unchanged at 0.95 x 10(-4) (cm2 V-1 s-1) and remains unchanged even
      under conditions where non-treated monocytes increase their EM up to 1.1 x 10(-4)
      (cm2 V-1 s-1). In addition BAY R 1005 stops differentiation of monocytes to
      macrophages, it triggers monokine production and abolishes monocyte suppressor
      activity and spreading capability. The results show that BAY R 1005 affects
      intracellular features. In connection with earlier investigations of the
      regulation of the negative surface charge density of human monocytes (1,2) the
      study suggests that monokine production and maintenance of the EM of monocytes
      are linked.

PMID- 1428023
TI  - Surface matrix binding alters murine peritoneal mononuclear phagocyte TNF-alpha
      and IL-6 induction.
AB  - Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are important
      promotors of mononuclear phagocyte (MO) activation. Signals derived from binding
      to a surface matrix also participate in promoting the activation process of MO.
      In this study, we examined the relative contribution of adherence in augmenting
      murine MO activation for cytokine production. Kinetic studies compared the
      production and secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) and interleukin-6
      (IL-6) by MO cultured as adherent monolayers to those of MO cultured as suspended
      cells in teflon vessels. All cells were maximally stimulated in vitro with IFN
      gamma and LPS prior to analysis. Immunoprecipitation analysis of protein and RNA
      slot blots showed that both secreted protein and mRNA representing TNF and IL-6
      are delayed two to six hours in nonadherent MO cultures compared to adherent MO
      cultures. Moreover, data from bioassays confirmed that these cytokines were
      completely functional in both systems examined. Although IFN-gamma/LPS were able
      to stimulate production and secretion of TNF and IL-6 in the nonadherent cells,
      without cell-matrix interaction, the process was significantly delayed. These
      data support the hypothesis that the physical event of adherence significantly
      facilitates the production of specific cytokines by activated MO.

PMID- 1428024
TI  - A flow microsphere inhibition immunoassay (FMII) for detecting paratope binding
      anti-idiotypic antibodies.
AB  - A simple, rapid and reproducible flow microsphere inhibition immunoassay (FMII)
      has been developed to detect the ability of paratope specific anti-idiotypic
      antibody (anti-Id or AB2) to inhibit antigen binding to the corresponding
      paratope of the Id (AB1). To evaluate the FMII as a measurement of paratope
      binding anti-Id, an avian model was used to produce Id and anti-Id antibodies for
      the study. Both antibody to bovine serum albumin (BSA Id) and anti-BSA Id were
      produced in white leghorn chickens and affinity isolated from egg yolks. The anti
      BSA Id samples were incubated with BSA Id coated microspheres, then without
      rinsing, fluoresceinated BSA (BSA-FITC) was added for a short incubation period
      and the resulting decrease in fluorescent intensity was used to calculate the
      extent of inhibition. For validation, statistical comparisons of the line
      equations generated by BSA dilution curves and anti-BSA Id dilution curves were
      performed. Replications within each ligand were not significantly different which
      indicated the assay was reproducible for determining the presence of paratope
      reactive anti-BSA Id used in this model.

PMID- 1428025
TI  - A simple and inexpensive glucose oxidase substrate system for enzyme immunoassay.
AB  - A simple and inexpensive glucose oxidase substrate system was developed for
      enzyme immunoassay. This system is based on the formation of a coloured complex
      between polyvinyl alcohol or starch and iodine produced from iodide in the
      presence of hydrogen peroxide generated by the glucose oxidase reaction. The rate
      of iodine production was enhanced by the supplementation of molybdate. In an
      enzyme immunoassay for anti-Salmonella antibodies using glucose oxidase as the
      indicator enzyme, the molybdate-enhanced polyvinyl alcohol- and starch-glucose
      iodide substrate systems were as sensitive as a conventional glucose oxidase
      assay system employing horseradish peroxidase as a secondary enzyme and a
      suitable hydrogen-donating chromogen.

PMID- 1428026
TI  - The detection of a novel neutrophil-activating peptide (ENA-78) using a sensitive
      ELISA.
AB  - Neutrophil elicitation into tissue is an essential element of the host defense in
      response to various stimuli, including, tissue injury, infection, or cancer. This
      event has gained renewed interest with the discovery of a family of small
      polypeptides (less than 10 kD). The salient features of these cytokines are the
      presence of four cysteine amino acids (first two separated by one amino acid; C-X
      C) and their ability to induce neutrophil chemotaxis and activation. Recently,
      our laboratories have discovered a new member of this C-X-C chemotactic cytokine
      supergene family, neutrophil-activating peptide, ENA-78. ENA-78 shares
      significant amino acid sequence homology with neutrophil activating peptide-2
      (NAP-2; 53%), growth regulated oncogene/melanoma growth stimulatory activity (GRO
      alpha; 52%), and IL-8 (22%). In addition, ENA-78 appears to activate neutrophils
      through the IL-8 receptor. Since both in vitro and in vivo biological fluids may
      contain an array of chemotactic cytokines that may be relevant to the activation
      and chemotaxis of neutrophils, we have developed a highly specific and sensitive
      sandwich ELISA for the detection of ENA-78.

PMID- 1428027
TI  - ras-oncogene mutation and pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

PMID- 1428028
TI  - Interferon therapy for chronic NANB hepatitis.

PMID- 1428029
TI  - Does Helicobacter pylori cause gastric cancer?

PMID- 1428030
TI  - Tense ascites redefined: renal consequences of tense ascites in decompensated
      cirrhotics.
AB  - Cirrhotics with tense ascites fail to achieve increased diuresis in the supine
      position. To assess the role of inferior vena cava compression in this
      phenomenon, we studied cirrhotics with mild to moderate (n = 11) and tense (n =
      2) ascites, and patients with membranous inferior vena cava obstruction (n = 2)
      before and after balloon dilatation, in the sitting, supine and 10 degrees head
      down tilted positions for 2 hours each. Urinary output (p < 0.005), creatinine
      clearance (p < 0.025) and sodium excretion (p < 0.025) increased in cirrhotics
      with mild to moderate ascites in the supine position, and further in the head
      down position. Similar changes occurred in patients with inferior vena cava
      membrane. In cirrhotics with tense ascites, these parameters did not change
      significantly in the supine position, but increased in the head down position. We
      conclude that failure to augment diuresis in the supine position in cirrhotics
      with tense ascites is not due to inferior vena cava obstruction alone but is
      probably also due to compression of the collateral vessels. This clinical
      observation may serve as a criterion for diagnosing tense ascites.

PMID- 1428031
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging in pancreatic diseases: comparison with other imaging
      techniques.
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging (MR) was performed in 14 healthy subjects and 16
      patients with pancreatic disease. All the 16 patients were subjected to
      ultrasonography (USG), computed tomography (CT) and MR while endoscopic
      retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) was performed in 10 cases. In one
      patients with adenocarcinoma and two with gastrinoma, MR demonstrated
      abnormalities while USG and CT were normal. MR was, however, inferior to ERCP in
      demonstrating ductal abnormalities in chronic pancreatitis. Our initial
      experience suggests that MR is superior to other imaging modalities in the
      diagnosis and staging of pancreatic tumors; however, it is inferior to ERCP in
      the diagnosis of pancreatitis.

PMID- 1428032
TI  - Gastrointestinal endoscope disinfection practices in India: results of a national
      survey.
AB  - A questionnaire was sent to 435 endoscopy centers in the country to obtain
      information regarding current endoscopic disinfection practices. Of these, 133
      (30.6%) centers responded. Adequate disinfection (a minimum exposure to 1%
      glutaraldehyde for 2 minutes) before the start of endoscopy sessions and between
      procedures was practised in 61 (46%) and 45 (34%) centers respectively. The
      proportion of centers practising adequate disinfection was similar among those
      performing < 1500 and > 1500 endoscopies/year (50% vs 36%; p = ns). Twenty two
      (17%) centers used some additional precautions in patients with hepatitis B virus
      infection or immunocompromised states. Two (1.5%) of the 133 centers performing
      upper GI endoscopies and eight (18%) of the 44 centers performing ERCP
      examinations reported occurrence of infections following these procedures.
      Allergic reactions to disinfectants were reported by five (4%) centers. We
      conclude that only about a third of the gastroenterology centers in the country
      are practising adequate endoscope disinfection routinely.

PMID- 1428033
TI  - Out-patient esophageal dilation: an experience in 130 patients using Savary
      Gilliard dilators.
AB  - Experience of outpatient esophageal dilation using Savary-Gilliard dilators in
      130 patients during a 17 month period is reported. The strictures were radiation
      induced (48), tumoral stenoses (40), anastomotic (16) and due to other causes
      (26). Both fluoroscopy and endoscopy were used in 58%, endoscopy alone in 23% and
      fluoroscopy alone in 19% of patients for placement of the guide wire. One hundred
      and twenty six stricture dilations (97%) were technically successful. Eighty one
      (62%) patients could be dilated to 14 mm or more. One hundred and nineteen (94%)
      patients were dilated in one or two sessions. Among the 109 patients who followed
      up, dilation was successful in providing adequate dysphagia relief in 97 patients
      and facilitated the performance of other therapies in 9 patients. Major
      complications included severe continuous chest pain (1 case), hematemesis (2),
      fever (4) and transient stridor (2). The patient with persistent pain and 9
      patients undergoing other therapies required hospitalization. There were no
      perforations or death. We conclude that esophageal dilation with Savary-Gilliard
      dilators is safe and effective even in tumors and post-radiation strictures. It
      can be performed on an outpatient basis in a majority of patients.

PMID- 1428034
TI  - Endoscopic sclerotherapy versus propranolol in prevention of recurrent variceal
      bleeding in patients with child's B and C cirrhosis: a preliminary report.
AB  - Thirty two patients with cirrhosis of the liver of Child's B and C class and an
      episode of endoscopically proven variceal bleed were randomly assigned to receive
      endoscopic sclerotherapy (EST) or oral propranolol for the prevention of
      recurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding. EST was performed at 3 week intervals
      using 1% polidocanol intravariceally, till eradication of varices. Propranolol
      dose was adjusted to reduce the resting heart rate by 25% of the basal value
      (mean +/- SD, 194.3 +/- 63.9 mg/day) Two patients in the propranolol group were
      excluded within 48 hours due to side effects of the drug. Thirty patients (EST
      16, propranolol-14) completed the trial. Patients were followed up for a maximum
      of 480 days. Mean follow-up in the EST and propranolol groups was 217 and 243
      days respectively. The median bleeding free intervals were 480 and 194 days and
      number of rebleeding episodes was eight and 16 respectively in the EST and
      propranolol groups (both p = ns). Our study suggests a trend in favor of EST in
      preventing variceal rebleeding in patients with hepatic cirrhosis who belong to
      Child's B and C classes.

PMID- 1428035
TI  - Comparative study of omeprazole and famotidine in the treatment of duodenal
      ulcer.
AB  - In a double blind, multicenter, parallel group clinical trial in patients with
      symptomatic duodenal ulcers, 129 patients were randomized to receive either
      omeprazole 20 mg once daily (n = 65) or famotidine 40 mg once daily (n = 64) for
      2 weeks, and if the ulcers were not healed, for a total of 4 weeks. Seventy four
      percent of these receiving omeprazole had healed ulcers after 2 weeks compared
      with 34.3% of those receiving famotidine (p < 0.001). At 4 weeks, the respective
      figures were 97.3% and 77.6% (p < 0.001). After 2 weeks of treatment, only 11.1%
      and 29.8% of omeprazole and famotidine treated patients respectively had day time
      pain (p < 0.02). Diary cards (successfully completed by 2/3rd of patients) showed
      that omeprazole treated patients required smaller amounts of antacids (p = ns).
      Over the first two weeks, ulcer healing rate was similar in smokers and non-
      smokers. No significant side effects were reported in either group. Omeprazole 20
      mg/day provides more rapid relief of symptoms and heals a greater proportion of
      duodenal ulcers at 2 and 4 weeks than famotidine 40 mg/day.

PMID- 1428036
TI  - A study of Helicobacter pylori in north Indian subjects with non-ulcer dyspepsia.
AB  - A prospective case control study was conducted in 50 patients with non-ulcer
      dyspepsia (NUD) and 10 age and sex matched controls to determine the prevalence
      of Helicobacter pylori in patients with NUD and to correlate symptoms, histology
      and presence of H pylori in gastric biopsies. Endoscopic biopsies from antrum and
      fundus were subjected to urease test and histological examination. On histology,
      H pylori was identified in 27 (54%) NUD patients and in one of 10 controls.
      Urease test was positive in 31 (62%) antral and 21 (42%) fundal biopsies in
      patients with NUD and in only one (10%) of 10 antral biopsies in the control
      group. On histology, gastritis was present in the antrum in 46 (92%) NUD patients
      and in the fundus in 40 (80%) cases; of these, 27 (54%) and 15 (30%) had H pylori
      in antral and fundal biopsies respectively. The severity of antral gastritis
      correlated with the density of H pylori (p < 0.05).

PMID- 1428038
TI  - Pathophysiology and immunobiology of Giardia lamblia infection.

PMID- 1428037
TI  - Frequency of hepatitis B, C and D and human immunodeficiency virus infections in
      multi-transfused thalassemics.
AB  - Of forty multi-transfused thalassemia patients (26 males, 14 females; mean age
      8.1 +/- 5.3 years, range 1-35) with no clinical or biochemical evidence of liver
      disease, HBsAg, anti-hepatitis C virus and anti-human immunodeficiency virus
      antibodies were present in 18 (45%), 7 (17.5%) and 1 (2.5%) cases respectively.
      Three of the 18 (16.7%) HBsAg positive patients were anti-delta antibody
      positive. Our results indicate that more than 50% of multi-transfused thalassemia
      patients show serological evidence of one or more of hepatitis B, C and D and
      human immunodeficiency virus infection.

PMID- 1428039
TI  - Gastric ulcer due to metastasis from carcinoma cervix.

PMID- 1428040
TI  - Coarctation of inferior vena cava in situs inversus totalis.
AB  - A woman aged 28 years with situs inversus totalis presented with chronic Budd
      Chiari syndrome with symptoms of 3 years' duration. The left sided inferior vena
      cava was occluded below the diaphragm above a patent morphologic right hepatic
      vein. A dorsal cavoatrial bypass was attempted but abandoned due to bleeding from
      extensive collaterals. The occurrence of coarctation of the inferior vena cava in
      situs inversus totalis lends support to the view that it is a congenital
      condition and occurs due to disturbance in fusion of the hepatic segment of the
      inferior vena cava and the hepatocardiac channel.

PMID- 1428041
TI  - Giant colonic diverticulae presenting as painless abdominal lump.

PMID- 1428043
TI  - Intestinal endometriosis.
AB  - Two cases with intestinal endometriosis, one with a right iliac fossa mass and
      the other with subacute intestinal obstruction, are presented. In both the cases,
      the diagnosis was not suspected clinically and was reached only on histological
      examination of the resected specimens.

PMID- 1428042
TI  - Periampullary carcinoma in a young female with situs inversus.
AB  - Periampullary carcinoma in a young female with situs inversus viscerum is
      reported. Endoscopy was difficult because of the altered anatomy.

PMID- 1428044
TI  - Intussuscepting ileal hemangioma with perforation.
AB  - A rare case of solitary intussuscepting capillary hemangioma in the distal ileum
      with perforation and peritonitis is presented. The diagnosis was made only at
      surgery for presumed acute intestinal obstruction.

PMID- 1428045
TI  - Thrombolytic therapy in thrombotic obstruction of inferior vena cava.

PMID- 1428046
TI  - Vascular lesions in abdominal tuberculosis.

PMID- 1428047
TI  - Extracolonic complications in ulcerative colitis.

PMID- 1428048
TI  - Intermittent intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide treatment in systemic lupus
      erythematosus.
AB  - To determine the efficacy and safety of intermittent intravenous pulse
      cyclophosphamide in patients of severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 50
      patients having severe/refractory lupus nephritis, vasculitis or neuropsychiatric
      manifestations were treated with 3 weekly pulses of cyclophosphamide for 6 such
      pulses. This treatment was found to be associated with significant and sustained
      improvement during a 2 yr follow up with respect to the mean renal activity
      score, individual renal parameters (proteinuria, erythrocyturia, and serum
      creatinine levels), focal neurological manifestations, vasculitic lesions,
      antinuclear antibody titers, complement component C3, anti-dsDNA antibodies
      levels and ESR. There was a sustained decrease in the overall mean disease
      activity score, and the mean daily dose of prednisolone (pretreatment 32.62 mg
      daily to 3.75 mg daily after 24 months). There was a significant decline in the
      percentage and absolute B cell count after 7, 14 and 21 days of this treatment.
      Effect on other lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+) was not marked. Pulse
      cyclophosphamide could therefore be an effective and less toxic form of treatment
      in patients with SLE having severe lupus nephritis, focal neurological lesions or
      vasculitis.

PMID- 1428049
TI  - In vitro effect of intravenous immunoglobulin supplementation on serum opsonic
      activity in tracheostomised patients.
AB  - An in vitro study of the effect of immunoglobulins (mainly IgG) on
      opsonophagocytic activity of polymorphs was carried out in 17 tracheostomised
      patients admitted in medical intensive care unit of our hospital. The opsonic and
      phagocytic activities were tested against Staphylococcus aureus by modified
      polymorphonuclear leucocyte overlay method; and serum IgG and serum IgM levels
      were estimated by single radial immunodiffusion technique. As compared to healthy
      volunteers, opsonophagocytic activity was significantly lower in tracheostomised
      patients. However, this activity improved markedly after immunoglobulin
      supplementation (P less than 0.01). The same degree of enhancement was also
      observed in normal controls.

PMID- 1428050
TI  - Alloimmunisation to platelet transfusions in the Indian patients.
AB  - Twenty nine patients of acute and chronic leukemia undergoing chemotherapy and
      receiving blood transfusions (BT) and platelet transfusions (PT) from random
      donors (3-20 PT from 4-56 donors) were followed up for alloimmunisation using the
      platelet immunofluorescence test. Two women patients aged 65 and 28 yr reacted
      positive. Both patients had received multiple BT but no PT at the time of
      testing. Both were parous women. Our results point to the need to test for
      alloimmunisation prior to starting PT in parous women who have received multiple
      BT, although a study on larger number of patients is necessary for confirmation.

PMID- 1428051
TI  - Epidemiological study of coronary heart disease in Gujaratis in Delhi (India).
AB  - A community based survey of coronary heart disease (CHD) was carried out in
      Gujarati families settled in Delhi. The number of adults surveyed in the age
      group 25-64 yr was 1317. CHD was diagnosed either on the basis of clinical
      history supported by documentary evidence of treatment in the hospital or at home
      or on ECG evidence in accordance with the Minnesota Code. The prevalence rate of
      CHD on clinical history was 25.1 (28.2 in males and 22.4 in females) per 1000
      adults (25-64 yr). The prevalence rates were slightly lower in Gujaratis than the
      general Delhi urban population. The prevalence rate based on both clinical
      history and ECG criteria was estimated at 66.8 as compared to 96.8/1000 in
      general urban Delhi population. The risk factors for CHD such as socio-economic
      status, family history, obesity, smoking, physical activity and hypertension were
      studied. The mean and 5th, 50th and 95th percentile values of blood lipids were
      also estimated in CHD patients and compared with the control group. Hypertension
      ranked the leading risk factor. Prevalence rate of CHD was higher in the upper
      socioeconomic group. The positive correlation of higher levels of serum lipids
      e.g., total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and
      triglyceride with CHD was confirmed.

PMID- 1428052
TI  - A rapid survey on substance abuse disorders in the urban slums of New Delhi.
AB  - The results are presented of a rapid survey screening method of general
      population for identifying dependent and non dependent drug abusers, especially
      in vulnerable groups such as slum dwellers. The results showed that with the help
      of instrument with modified DSM III and interviewing only the heads of the
      households it was possible to get reliable estimates of dependence disorder in
      the community. This method can be of assistance to health planners for a quick
      assessment of the magnitude of the problem leading to better allocation of funds
      and developing services for the affected population. The method is an improvement
      on key informant technique and a full fledged survey.

PMID- 1428053
TI  - Comparative influence of vanillin & capsaicin on liver & blood lipids in the rat.
AB  - The influence of vanillin (0.15 mg %) and capsaicin (0.3 mg %) on liver and blood
      lipids in growing female Wistar rats was determined, when fed along with a normal
      diet. Vanillin, like capsaicin, decreased the serum triglycerides and the
      triglycerides associated with lipoproteins viz., VLDL+LDL and HDL with a tendency
      to lower liver triglycerides as well. Cholesterol and phospholipids in liver and
      serum were unaffected. The accumulation of triglycerides in serum after Triton WR
      1339 blocking was higher in animals fed a vanillin supplemented normal or
      hypertriglyceridemic diet than in the corresponding controls. The accumulation of
      triglycerides in serum with capsaicin supplementation with either diet was much
      higher than with vanillin supplementation.

PMID- 1428054
TI  - Comparative study on determination of alpha-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase,
      lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme LDH-1 by adsorption on DEAE Sephadex A-50 &
      electrophoresis.
AB  - Serum alpha-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (HBDH) and lactate dehydrogenase
      isoenzyme (LDH-1) levels by two techniques viz., adsorption on DEAE Sephadex A-50
      and by electrophoresis were estimated in healthy subjects and patients with
      testicular tumours. The correlation coefficient between HBDH and LDH-1 by
      adsorption technique was found to be r = 0.8. HBDH was found to have a value
      almost twice that of LDH-1 by adsorption and electrophoretic technique and the
      activity of LDH-1 obtained by two methods and of HBDH in normals and patients
      with testicular tumours could be converted using a factor of 0.557. The
      quantitative method used for determination of HBDH is reliable, accurate, simple
      and rapid and therefore has better value in a clinical setting than
      electrophoresis and adsorption techniques which are laborious and time consuming.

PMID- 1428055
TI  - Computed tomographic evaluation of pineal calcification.
AB  - A prospective study to ascertain the incidence of normally calcified pineal
      gland, was carried out in 1000 consecutive patients from different parts of Uttar
      Pradesh (India), undergoing cranial computed tomography for reasons other than a
      pineal or parapineal pathology. A total of 167 (16.70%) patients were found to
      have calcified pineals. Of these 128 were males and 39 females. The incidence
      rose from 1.16 per cent in the first decade to 31.88 per cent above the age of 50
      yr. The percentage incidence of normal pineal calcification was lower than that
      seen in the Western population. No significant difference was found between men
      and women in any age group. Although calcification appeared as early as the first
      decade, this percentage was significantly lower than in the higher age groups.
      Significantly higher incidence rates were seen in the second decade, third decade
      and sixth decade onwards.

PMID- 1428056
TI  - Antimutagenic activity of plumbagin in Ames Salmonella typhimurium test.
AB  - This paper reports the antimutagenic activity of plumbagin (5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,
      4-naphthoquinone) against certain known chemical mutagens in a standard
      mutagenicity test system of Ames using S. typhimurium strains. Plumbagin by
      itself did not show any mutagenic effect, whereas it reduced significantly the
      mutagenic effect of 4-nitrophenylene diammine, phenyl hydrazine and sodium azide
      in test strains of S. typhimurium, suggesting that plumbagin possessed
      antimutagenic activity.

PMID- 1428057
TI  - Ultrastructural study of mixed growth hormone & prolactin secreting pituitary
      adenomas.
AB  - An ultrastructural study was done on 15 mixed growth hormone (GH) and prolactin
      (PRL)-secreting pituitary adenomas surgically removed from acromegalic patients
      with hyper-prolactinaemia, in order to see whether the 2 hormones were present in
      the same cell or in different cells. Double labelling immunogold technique was
      used for simultaneous ultrastructural localization of GH and PRL. It was found
      that each neoplastic cell in these 15 tumours (30 to 50 cells were studied in
      each case) contained 4 populations of granules viz., (i) granules positive for
      only GH; (ii) granules positive for only PRL; (iii) granules positive for both GH
      and PRL; and (iv) granules negative for both GH and PRL (unlabelled). Though the
      relative percentage of these 4 types of granules varied from cell to cell even
      within the same tumour, the major population (49.9 to 96%) was constituted by the
      mixed granules showing labelling for both GH and PRL. Almost all the cells
      examined from each tumour appeared to be mammosomatotrophs. Thus, the study
      indicated that mammosomatotroph adenomas are perhaps more common among mixed GH
      and PRL--secreting pituitary adenomas than previously believed. It could be
      important to recognize these tumours from the therapeutic point of view.

PMID- 1428058
TI  - Incidence of abnormalities in sperm morphology as an indicator of its fertilizing
      potential.
AB  - A retrospective analysis was carried out to assess the correlation of sperm
      morphology with the occurrence of fertilization in vitro of human oocytes.
      Seventy women who were subjected to in vitro fertilization procedure were taken
      up for this study. The cytological smears of semen were evaluated for the
      morphological characteristics of spermatozoa. Instances where in vitro
      fertilization did not occur (group II) had significantly (P less than 0.001)
      higher morphological abnormalities (head defects) when compared with those where
      fertilization occurred in vitro (group I). The results indicate that evaluation
      of sperm morphology with special reference to head abnormalities has diagnostic
      potential in human in vitro fertilization.

PMID- 1428060
TI  - DNA analysis of breast cancer by flow cytometry & correlation with other
      prognostic parameters.
AB  - Flow cytometric estimation of DNA content (ploidy and S-phase fraction--SpF) was
      done on breast cancer tissues from 171 patients. Twenty eight per cent of the
      tumours were diploid and 72 per cent were aneuploid. SpF was measurable in 82 DNA
      histograms; of these 22.4 per cent had SpF less than 10 per cent, 34.1 per cent
      had SpF between 10-20 and 43.5 per cent had SpF greater than 20 per cent. The
      mean SpF of the measurable histograms was 19.01 per cent with a range 1.78 to
      45.19 per cent. A significant correlation between DNA ploidy and SpF was observed
      (P less than 0.01). Eighty nine per cent of diploid tumours had SpF less than 10
      per cent and 73 per cent of aneuploid tumours had SpF greater than 20 per cent. A
      significant correlation was also found between ploidy and SpF and oestrogen
      receptor (ER) status of the tumours (P less than 0.05) and between SpF and
      progesterone receptor (PgR) status of the tumours (P less than 0.05), but not
      between ploidy and PgR status of the tumours. A significant direct correlation
      was observed between SpF and tumour grade (P less than 0.05), but not between
      ploidy and tumour grade. No correlation was observed between DNA ploidy and SpF
      and tumour type, tumour size, axillary lymph node involvement, age and menopausal
      status of the patients. Although the incidence of breast cancer is one-third of
      that reported in the Western countries, there is apparently no biological
      difference between the various parameters studied.

PMID- 1428059
TI  - Neutralization potency of Russell's viper venom toxoid antivenom, as compared
      with standard antivenom.
AB  - Rabbits were immunized with gamma (gamma) irradiated Russell's viper venom
      toxoid, adsorbed to aluminium phosphate adjuvant. Antibody (raised against toxoid
      inoculation) titer was compared to a commercial antivenom on the basis of its
      ability to neutralize hemorrhagic, necrotic and lethal effects of viper venom.
      Toxoid immunization (on day 0, 15 and 30) produced antivenom which showed
      approximately one-third antilethal, half antihemorrhagic and antinecrotic titers
      as compared to those of the commercial hyperimmunized, concentrated horse
      antivenom.

PMID- 1428062
TI  - Isolation & characterization of angiogenic factors from cultured cells &
      conditioned media.
AB  - Angiogenic factors were isolated by ion exchange chromatography from three
      established cell lines viz., HEp 2, HeLa and CHO, a primary culture of mouse
      mammary adenocarcinoma and from conditioned media of HEp2 and cultured mammary
      adenocarcinoma cells. The angiogenic activity was assayed by chicken
      chorioallantoic membrane assay. The angiogenic factor eluted at 0.5 M, exhibited
      lambda max at 258 +/- 1 nm, contained protein and nucleic acid. The cellular
      angiogenic factor showed a ratio of 1:1 for protein and nucleic acid whereas the
      secreted angiogenic factor had 3-5 parts of protein to 1 part of nucleic acid.
      The angiogenic factor from HEp2 and CHO cells did not bind to heparin-agarose.
      Microheterogeneity of the angiogenic factors was established by SDS-PAGE.
      Antiserum raised against the cellular angiogenic factor from HEp2 cells, showed a
      titre of 1:1600 by ELISA. The angiogenic factor was directly localized on whole
      cells by ELISA. Cellular as well as secreted angiogenic factors crossreacted with
      the antibody. Neutralizing effect of the antiserum on induction of angiogenesis
      was detected on chicken chorioallantoic membrane.

PMID- 1428061
TI  - Impairment in cellular protein phosphorylation by mitogen activated lymphocytes
      from patients with Hodgkin's disease.
AB  - T cell activation process in patients of Hodgkin's disease was studied in terms
      of cellular protein phosphorylation following interaction of T lymphocytes with
      mitogen PHA. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from Hodgkin's disease patients and
      healthy donors, labelled with [32P] were activated with PHA. The cell lysates
      were subjected to SDS-PAGE, 2-dimensional gel analysis and were autoradiographed.
      It was observed that lymphocytes from both Hodgkin's disease patients and healthy
      donors followed similar time kinetics of phosphorylation. Nine of the eleven
      major protein bands, resolved on SDS-PAGE in the molecular weight range of 15.7
      98 kD showed reduced phosphorylation (ratios of densitometric readings taken
      after and before stimulation) compared to that of healthy donors. Isoelectric
      focusing of these major protein bands in 2-dimensional gels further resolved them
      into about 27 proteins. Most of these showed increased phosphorylation in lysates
      of activated lymphocytes from healthy donors compared to that of Hodgkin's
      disease patients. The results showed a defect even at an early stage in terms of
      inadequate cellular protein phosphorylation.

PMID- 1428063
TI  - Immunohistochemical, ultrastructural & immunoelectron microscopic study of glial
      fibrillary acidic protein in corpora amylacea.
AB  - Brain tissues from 10 patients (of non-neurological disease) were studied for the
      presence of corpora amylacea (CA) using light microscopy (LM),
      immunohistochemistry (IH) for localisation of glial fibrillary acidic protein
      (GFAP) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Immunoelectron microscopy
      (IEM) by post-embedding technique using colloidal gold was also performed in two
      of these patients for more precise localisation of GFAP. Three types of
      immunoreactivity were noted by IH under LM; some CA were completely negative for
      GFAP (type III), while others showed positivity, which was either diffuse (type
      I) or confined to the periphery (rim positivity-type II). TEM showed variable
      sizes in electron dense material in the centre associated with different amounts
      of glial filaments (GFs) at the periphery. Thus the different types of IH
      staining appeared to corroborate with the presence and amount of GFs in CA. The
      sensitive technique of IEM confirmed the presence of GFAP in all CA irrespective
      of their IH typing at LM. It is suggested that CA formation in astrocytes is
      associated with progressive fragmentation and disintegration of GFs with
      resulting increase in the accumulation of electron dense GFAP-negative material.
      As more and more of GFs get incorporated and disintegrated, it results in
      increase in the size of the CA. Thus, the present study clearly demonstrates that
      GFAP in the GFs contributes to the composition of CA.

PMID- 1428064
TI  - Energy intake & resting metabolic rate of young Indian men & women.
AB  - Energy intake, body weight and resting metabolic rate (RMR) were measured on
      seven days consecutively, in 20 men and 14 women on ad libitum food intake under
      free-living conditions. These measurements were repeated in 8 men and 9 women
      twice with an interval of two months. Mean energy intake (EI) as measured by
      'Weightment' method, was 2820 +/- 577 kcal/d in men and 1611 +/- 147 kcal/d in
      women. EI showed significant differences between weeks (P less than 0.01, CV =
      13.1% in men and 9.5% in women) and between subjects (P less than 0.05, CV =
      13.7% in men and 9.8% in women). Intra individual variance contributed up to 60
      to 70 per cent of the total variance in EI in both the groups. RMR measured by
      using Oxylog, varied between the three periods (CV = 6% in men and 5.9% in women)
      and between subjects (CV = 5.7% in men and 12.3% in women). Mean RMR of both men
      and women was lower than the predicted value by FAO/WHO/UNU equation. Estimate of
      mean 24 h energy expenditure, using activity diary and factorial method, in the
      first round was 2458 +/- 144 kcal in men and 1655 +/- 172 in women, resulting in
      an energy balance of 308 kcal in men and -44 kcal/d in women. The pattern of
      activity remained the same in the three rounds for both groups. There were no
      significant changes in weight (CV-1.6%) or per cent body fat during the study
      period (P greater than 0.1).

PMID- 1428065
TI  - Reliability of skinfold calipers as a tool for measuring body fat in human
      beings.
AB  - Triceps skinfold thickness measured in ten adults aged 19 to 50 yr by a Holtain
      skinfold caliper, was compared with subcutaneous fat thickness obtained on cross
      sections of the left upper arm by computerized axial tomography (CAT). The
      thickness of subcutaneous fat was measured on CAT scan film directly with the
      inbuilt computer graphic technique. The measurements taken on CAT scan film were
      found to be significantly higher (by 21-45%; P less than 0.001) than those by the
      skinfold calipers. Our findings suggest that skinfold calipers may not be very
      accurate tools for the assessment of body fat in human beings. Therefore, its use
      in the determination of body composition, for which great precision is required
      calls for re-thinking.

PMID- 1428066
TI  - Use of rat jejunum for assay of acetylcholine.
AB  - Experiments were carried out to determine the advantage in using isolated rat
      jejunum in the assay of acetylcholine (ACh) in preference to other tissues. Rat
      jejunum was found to be sensitive to ACh 0.01 micrograms, 5-hydroxytryptamine
      (5HT) 0.2 to 0.5 microgram and least sensitive to histamine. (Ach greater than
      5HT greater than histamine).

PMID- 1428067
TI  - Analysis of the major surfactant-associated proteins in human lung.
AB  - The protein component of human pulmonary surfactant was analysed. A purified
      surfactant preparation, after delipidation, was subjected to gel filtration on
      Sephadex G-200. The proteins present in the surfactant were categorised by means
      of SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis into serum and non-serum components.
      Molecular masses determination showed the presence of three sub-groups with
      molecular masses of 60-68 kDa, 28-36 kDa and 10-18 kDa, respectively. Antiserum
      generated against 28-36 kDa protein strongly reacted with the purified surfactant
      and amniotic fluid, while it did not show any cross reactivity with other groups
      of proteins and serum in a double diffusion immunoprecipitation assay. We propose
      that this protein is the major non-serum surfactant-associated protein present in
      human lung surfactant.

PMID- 1428068
TI  - Ascorbic acid status in uremics.
AB  - Plasma levels of ascorbic acid (AA) and dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) were estimated
      in 27 patients of end stage renal failure (ESRF) on standard conservative therapy
      (group A) and 9 patients of ESRF on maintenance haemodialysis (MHD; group B).
      Fourteen healthy subjects matched for age and sex served as control (group C).
      The dietary intake of vitamin C was significantly decreased in group A than in
      group B compared to control. Similarly, plasma AA was significantly lowered to
      0.801 +/- 0.283 mg per cent in group A compared to 1.421 +/- 0.47 mg per cent in
      control. While it was just lowered to 1.058 +/- 0.272 mg per cent in group B.
      Although plasma level of DHA was raised to 0.243 +/- 0.486 mg per cent and 0.166
      +/- 0.54 mg per cent in groups A and B respectively, the increase was not
      statistically significant. In our present study, the DHA/AA ratio was found to be
      inversely proportional to the plasma AA. Further, this ratio has been claimed to
      be a better indicator of overall reducing atmosphere (i.e., profile of vitamin C)
      of the body.

PMID- 1428069
TI  - Auditory evoked response in patients of diabetes mellitus.
AB  - Brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) and the mid latency response (MLR) were
      recorded in 25 diabetic men and compared with a group of 25 control subjects. The
      threshold of hearing was higher (P less than 0.001) in the patients. The BAER
      peak latencies were also significantly prolonged in both the ears; however, the
      degree of prolongation was more prominent in the right ear. The interpeak
      latencies of waves I-III were also prolonged (P less than 0.01) in the left ear,
      with non significant increase noticed in the right ear also. The wave V amplitude
      was lower (P less than 0.05) in diabetics. The MLR, on the other hand, was not
      affected in patients. These findings suggest functional impairment in the
      auditory pathway in patients of diabetes mellitus.

PMID- 1428071
TI  - Secondary immune defects in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
AB  - Changes in the humoral, cellular and phagocytic components of the immune system
      were investigated in 44 biopsy proven, untreated patients of non-Hodgkin's
      lymphoma (NHL). There was significant decrease in the total lymphocyte number,
      their subsets (T and B) and the T helper (T mu) population. Impaired leukocyte
      migration inhibition response and DNA synthesis following stimulation by
      phytohaemagglutinin were noted. Significant reduction of serum IgA was found in
      patients of both diffuse and nodular NHL. Phagocytic activity and nitroblue
      tetrazolium (NBT) reduction were unaltered, but chemotaxis was significantly
      reduced and bactericidal activity showed variable results.

PMID- 1428070
TI  - Prevalence & pathogenesis of hypophosphatemia in ventilated patients.
AB  - Hypophosphatemia was found in 12 (43%) patients within 24-36 h of mechanical
      ventilation in a group of 28 patients in an intensive care unit. The
      hypophosphatemic patients had a significant lowering of renal phosphorus
      threshold (P = 0.005) and inappropriate phosphaturia. These abnormalities
      resolved once ventilation was discontinued. Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH)
      levels were unaltered in this group of patients suggesting that some factor other
      than PTH was responsible for hypophosphatemia. This study has demonstrated that
      abnormalities of renal phosphate handling can cause hypophosphatemia in
      ventilated patients.

PMID- 1428072
TI  - Characterization of G6PD Rohini--a new class III Indian variant.
AB  - A new Indian G6PD variant was detected in a 15 yr old Maratha male during a
      population screening programme in high school children in Bombay (India). The
      propositus and two family members having the same variant were apparently
      healthy. This enzyme variant has a mild erythrocyte G6PD deficiency and a slow
      electrophoretic mobility. It is characterized by a high Michaelis-Menton constant
      for G6P, a bimodal curve for pH optima and a slight decrease in the
      thermostability. The rate of utilization of substrate analogue is similar to that
      of normal. These observations suggest identification of a new class III variant,
      designated as G6PD Rohini.

PMID- 1428073
TI  - Treatment of intractable spasticity in spinal cord injured patients.
AB  - Spasticity and flexor spasms can be most incapacitating in SCI victims. Muscle
      relaxants, physiotherapy and elimination of triggering factors must be tried
      before opting for peripheral surgery or alcohol block. The choice of alcohol
      block or peripheral surgery depends in whether damage to the spinal cord is
      complete or incomplete. Results of both the procedures are satisfactory in
      rightly chosen patients. Alcohol block is a simple, safe and effective method of
      treating spasticity in the patients of complete paraplegia. The effect is
      immediate and almost permanent. However, alcohol block is contra-indicated in the
      patients of incomplete paraplegia where peripheral surgery is a better choice.

PMID- 1428074
TI  - Diabetes mellitus in Libya: a retrospective study.
AB  - The records of the Diabetes Hospital, Tripoli, Libya for the years 1961-1983 were
      examined and the available particulars relating to 24,962 diabetic patients
      (12,486 males + 12,476 females) registered during this period were obtained. The
      highest number of male and female diabetic patients were in the age group 40-50
      years and the highest number of obese diabetic patients also belong to this age
      group. There was a gradual increase in the number of diabetic patients visiting
      the Diabetes Hospital with the highest number in 1983. The increase has been both
      in the type I and type II patients. In 1983, 15% of the diabetic patients belong
      to type I diabetes. Family history of diabetes appears to be an important factor
      in the onset and manifestation of type II diabetes. Patients with diabetes in the
      family have a lower mean body mass index and fasting blood glucose level as
      compared with those of patients without known case of diabetes in the family.
      This may be due to greater alertness, early diagnosis of the disease and steps
      taken to control blood glucose levels and body weight in the case of patients
      with family history of diabetes.

PMID- 1428075
TI  - Unusual manifestations of myxoedema.
AB  - The lesser known manifestations of myxoedema encompass a wide spectrum of
      neurologic, psychiatric, endocrinologic and autoimmune pathology that mask
      obvious clinical diagnosis. Interesting head and neck presentations are
      discussed. The relationships with the Pendred and Down syndromes raise hereditary
      and genetic considerations.

PMID- 1428076
TI  - Mechanisms of carcinogenesis in risk identification. Introduction.

PMID- 1428077
TI  - Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis in Risk Identification. IARC Working Group Meeting.
      Lyon, 11-18 June 1991.

PMID- 1428078
TI  - Mechanisms of action of known human carcinogens.
AB  - Mutational mechanisms can be proposed for most, if not all, known human
      carcinogens. Many of these are electrophilic or metabolically activated to
      reactive molecules which can alter DNA, causing genetic damage and different
      types of mutations. Even some human carcinogens previously proposed to be
      nongenotoxic (e.g., hormones and asbestos) exhibit mutational activity in assays
      for chromosomal mutations. Since such chemicals are usually inactive in the
      Salmonella assay and other assays for gene mutation, more emphasis has been
      placed on their nonmutational mechanisms. Clear evidence exists that these
      carcinogens can alter gene expression and stimulate cell proliferation by
      epigenetic mechanisms. Such properties are undoubtedly important in their
      carcinogenic activity. Although they are less well studied, DNA reactive,
      genotoxic carcinogens also alter gene expression and increase cell turnover by
      epigenetic mechanisms. These findings are consistent with the current
      understanding of the molecular basis of multistep carcinogenesis. Most common
      human cancers evolve as the result of multiple mutational events. The molecular
      basis of these mutations is varied, and they include point mutations, deletion
      mutations, chromosomal rearrangements, gene amplification and chromosomal losses
      and gains. Therefore, different mutational activities of carcinogens can
      influence the carcinogenic process at different steps. Influences on gene
      expression and cell proliferation are also important in allowing clonal expansion
      of preneoplastic cells and in disrupting the suppressive effects of surrounding
      normal cells on preneoplastic cells (Dotto et al., 1988). The mechanisms of
      action of human carcinogens, and very probably many rodent carcinogens, include
      both genetic and epigenetic processes. Carcinogenesis is a multistep, multigenic,
      multicausal process (Barrett, 1987b), so both epigenetic and genetic factors are
      probably important.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428079
TI  - Use of short-term tests in determining the genotoxicity or nongenotoxicity of
      chemicals.
AB  - This article brings together the several current approaches to the use of short
      term tests for identifying carcinogens and the several meanings of the term
      'genotoxic'. Examples of genotoxic and nongenotoxic carcinogens and of genotoxic
      and nongenotoxic mechanisms of carcinogenesis are discussed. Emphasis is placed
      on the determination of genotoxicity as it affects evaluation of the mechanism of
      action of a new rodent carcinogen.

PMID- 1428080
TI  - Performance of tests for cell transformation and gap-junction intercellular
      communication for detecting nongenotoxic carcinogenic activity.

PMID- 1428081
TI  - Genotoxic and nongenotoxic carcinogens: mechanisms of action and testing
      strategies.

PMID- 1428082
TI  - Use of 32P-postlabelling to distinguish between genotoxic and nongenotoxic
      carcinogens.

PMID- 1428083
TI  - Peroxisome proliferation and hepatocarcinogenesis.

PMID- 1428084
TI  - Immunosuppression and cancer.

PMID- 1428085
TI  - Sex hormones and cancer.
AB  - There are few instances in which a clear effect of hormones on cancer risk is
      known and in which the effects of those hormones on the cells concerned are also
      known. The best examples are the relationships between sex hormones and cancer in
      women. The effects of sex hormones both on the risk for endometrial cancer and on
      the cells of the endometrium are well understood, and the evidence strongly
      suggests that hormones act by altering the rate of cell division. The same
      mechanism may explain the relationships between sex hormones and the risk for
      breast cancer, but our understanding of cancers at this site is incomplete. Less
      still is known about the mechanisms of the effects of sex hormones on other
      hormone-related cancers, such as those of the ovary and cervix. Most sex hormones
      are not genotoxic.

PMID- 1428086
TI  - Structure-activity relationships for carcinogens with different modes of action.
AB  - The application of structure-activity concepts to the elucidation of the action
      of chemical carcinogens may proceed by two approaches: the hypothesis and the
      knowledge-based approaches. The former, exemplified by the 'structural alerts'
      devised by Ashby and associates, derives from the recognition of the
      electrophilic nature of carcinogens that damage DNA. The latter approach does not
      assume an a priori mechanism of action but derives information from the
      establishment of relationships between structural features and carcinogenicity.
      Indeed, the 'structural alerts' of Ashby et al. are recognized by such an
      approach; however, if structural features are associated with the activity of
      'nongenotoxic' carcinogens, they would also be recognized by the knowledge-based
      approach. Obviously, the recognition of new (nonelectrophilic) structural
      features associated with carcinogenicity will lead to testable hypotheses.

PMID- 1428087
TI  - Chemically induced cell proliferation in carcinogenesis.
AB  - Carcinogenesis can proceed by a variety of pathways involving the sequential
      mutation of normal cellular growth control genes and the clonal expansion of the
      resulting precancerous or cancerous cells. Chemical carcinogens may act by
      inducing mutations and/or altering cellular growth control. One class of chemical
      carcinogens are the genotoxicants. These compounds or their metabolites are DNA
      reactive and directly induce mutations or clastogenic changes. The observation
      that most mutagens are also carcinogenic is the basis for many current predictive
      assays and risk assessment models; however, there are different classes of
      nongenotoxic carcinogens that do not interact with DNA. Mitogens directly induce
      cell proliferation in the target tissue; cytotoxicants produce cell death
      followed by regenerative cell proliferation. Differential toxicity and/or growth
      stimulation induced by mitogens and cytotoxicants may provide a preferential
      growth advantage to spontaneous or chemically induced precancerous or cancerous
      cells. Mutagens are much more effective carcinogens at doses that also induce
      cell proliferation, and mutational activity may occur as an event secondary to
      cell proliferation. Thus, chemically induced cell proliferation is an important
      mechanistic consideration for both genotoxic and nongenotoxic carcinogens. The
      complex quantitative relationships between chemically induced cell proliferation
      and carcinogenic activity are under study in many laboratories. Such information
      should be considered in setting doses for cancer bioassays, for classifying
      chemical carcinogens and in providing more realistic approaches to risk
      assessment. Of particular concern in extrapolating cancer risk from rodent models
      to humans are those nongenotoxic agents that exhibit carcinogenic activity only
      at doses that also produce cytolethality and regenerative cell proliferation in
      the target organ.

PMID- 1428088
TI  - Role of DNA repair in carcinogenesis.

PMID- 1428089
TI  - Chemicals classified by IARC: their potency in tests for carcinogenicity in
      rodents and their genotoxicity and acute toxicity.
AB  - Chemicals classified by the IARC to its groups 1, 2A, 2B and 3 were examined in
      an attempt to identify characteristics of their behaviour in experimental studies
      of carcinogenicity, genotoxicity and acute mammalian toxicity that correlate with
      those categories. Only those agents for which information on carcinogenic potency
      was available were studied. In both mice and rats, more chemicals were potent
      carcinogens if they had been categorized in Group 1 (human carcinogens) than if
      they had been put into one of the other categories. Not surprisingly, there was a
      weak association between carcinogenic potency and acute toxicity. Mice were
      especially sensitive to tumour induction by halides; the lower sensitivity of
      rats to any carcinogenic effect of halides could be due in part to their higher
      systemic toxicity in this species: a reduced differential of toxic and
      carcinogenic doses decreases the dose window in which carcinogenic effects may be
      demonstrated. It was notable that the human carcinogens were active in those
      genotoxicity tests with higher specificity for identifying rodent carcinogens.
      Predictive assays for carcinogenicity that were considered to be highly specific
      were tests for cytogenetic effects in vivo, unscheduled DNA synthesis in
      hepatocytes, mutation in any of the five commonly used strains of Salmonella
      typhimurium and mutation at the hprt locus in mammalian cells. None of the
      relationships was strong enough to form the basis of a simple categorization, but
      they could serve to alert investigators to chemicals of special toxicological
      interest and importance.

PMID- 1428090
TI  - Medium-term bioassays for carcinogens.
AB  - Medium-term bioassay systems in rats have been developed for rapid detection of
      carcinogenic agents and have been introduced for practical use. There are two
      major systems: N-nitrosodiethylamine and partial hepatectomy in liver and
      multiorgan models. The first model takes eight weeks; it consists of an initial
      intraperitoneal injection of N-nitrosodiethylamine, six weeks' administration of
      test chemical(s) beginning two weeks later, partial hepatectomy at week 3, and
      analysis of immunohistochemically identified glutathione S-transferase placental
      form-positive liver-cell foci. Using this model, the potency of carcinogenic
      agents can be predicted satisfactorily, at least for those of which the liver is
      a target organ. The multi-organ models include wide-spectrum organ initiation by
      N-methyl-N-nitrosourea or combined, short treatment with several carcinogens
      sequentially and subsequent administration of test chemical(s) for 12-20 weeks.
      Although these systems require a longer time, their accuracy as organotropism
      independent testing systems has been validated by whole-body histological
      examination. These approaches promise precise, rapid detection of carcinogenic
      agents and should bridge the gap between established methods for screening in
      vitro and long-term carcinogenicity testing, with their inherent disadvantages.
      Other medium-term bioassay methods are discussed in addition to our two systems.

PMID- 1428091
TI  - Predictive value of hepatic preneoplastic lesions as indicators of carcinogenic
      response.

PMID- 1428092
TI  - Transgenic mice in carcinogenicity testing.
AB  - The biological effects of the expression of single genes can be evaluated in
      transgenic animals. Transgenic techniques have been used to investigate a wide
      variety of biomedical topics, including the consequences of oncogene expression,
      but their use in carcinogenicity testing is just beginning. Probable future
      developments involving transgenic animals are new short-term assays for
      carcinogenicity in vivo and methods for detecting and characterizing the critical
      genotoxic events in carcinogenesis.

PMID- 1428093
TI  - Chemical toxicity and chemical carcinogenesis. Is there a causal connection? A
      comparative morphological evaluation of 1500 experiments.
AB  - Chemicals cause toxic and carcinogenic effects as well as beneficial and other
      adverse effects in animals and in humans. The purpose of this paper is to assess
      whether there is a direct, uniform causal relationship between toxicity and
      carcinogenicity. Within this context, specific issues receive attention: the
      influence of exposure concentrations on carcinogenesis; kidney cancer and alpha 2
      mu-globulin; urinary calculi and tumours; and cell turnover or proliferation and
      cancer. The data used to evaluate histopathological site-specific correspondence
      between these two end-points comes from 130 studies of chemical carcinogenesis
      designed and conducted by the US National Toxicology Program (NTP). Nearly 1500
      sex-species-exposure group experiments were evaluated for morphological evidence
      of toxicity and/or carcinogenicity, for dose-response relationships, and for site
      specific correlations of toxicity and carcinogenicity. The major conclusions are
      that chemicals evaluated for long-term toxicity and carcinogenicity in
      experimental animals can be divided into three categories: (1) those that cause
      organ toxicity without cancer, (2) those that cause site-specific cancer with no
      associated toxicity and (3) those that cause toxicity and cancer in the same
      organ. Examples are given to illustrate each category. On the basis of this
      comparative analysis, in the great majority of cases the available data do not
      support a correlation between chemically induced toxicity and carcinogenicity.
      Moreover, until considerably more scientific knowledge about molecular mechanisms
      of carcinogenesis becomes available and accepted, attempts to use findings on
      toxicity to modify the risk assessment process will be fraught with uncertainty
      and might even have a negative impact on public health.

PMID- 1428094
TI  - Species differences in carcinogen metabolism and interspecies extrapolation.
AB  - Many carcinogens demonstrate both qualitative and quantitative species
      differences in activity. Since many carcinogens must be metabolized to reactive
      electrophiles to elicit their tumorigenic effects, the observed species
      differences may have a metabolic basis. A number of examples exist that support
      the concept that metabolic differences are the underlying cause of species
      variation in carcinogenicity. Such differences are most often of a quantitative
      nature, but qualitative differences in carcinogenicity may also be due to
      differences in rates and/or pathways between species. There are also many
      instances in which there is no clear evidence that metabolism explains species
      differences in carcinogenicity. Carcinogenicity studies are often performed at
      much higher doses than those encountered by humans. Since metabolic processes may
      become saturated at high tissue concentrations, the rates and pathways of
      metabolic activation and detoxication may be different at high doses from those
      at lower doses. Such metabolic variation can lead to differences in target tissue
      doses, resulting in altered tissue responses at high doses in relation to lower
      doses. In situations in which no saturation of the metabolic pathways occurs,
      tissue concentrations are proportional to the administered dose. Scaling of doses
      from those used in experimental animals to those experienced by humans has often
      involved simple conversion factors, such as body weight or surface area. Since
      the reactions involved in carcinogen metabolism may differ both for high and low
      doses and for various species, much more realistic extrapolations from animal to
      human can be obtained using physiologically based kinetic modelling. The
      metabolism of carcinogens in humans shows large interindividual variation, which
      in turn may be reflected in differences in individual risks. The occurrence of
      genetic polymorphisms in carcinogen metabolizing enzymes indicates that subgroups
      of the population may experience carcinogenic risks distinctly different from
      those of the rest of the population.

PMID- 1428095
TI  - Significance of DNA and protein adducts.

PMID- 1428096
TI  - Biological markers in exposed humans: gene mutation.

PMID- 1428097
TI  - Human cytogenetic damage as a predictor of cancer risk.
AB  - The human cytogenetic assays presently available for biomonitoring are still
      inadequate for use in routine surveillance procedures and they must be applied
      with care. Knowledge of the effects of the agents concerned in experimental
      systems is a prerequisite, and confounding factors should be assessed.
      Consequently, the methods are useful and informative under carefully selected
      conditions and can indicate agents and exposures that are capable of causing
      chromosomal damage in humans, hinting at possible human cancer risk. Established
      and potential human carcinogens have frequently been shown to induce chromosomal
      aberrations in humans in vivo. It is also well documented that chromosomal
      rearrangements play an important role in the development of neoplasia. These
      combined lines of evidence suggest that structural chromosomal aberration in vivo
      has advantages over other cytogenetic end-points in predicting potential human
      cancer risk. Preliminary findings in a prospective follow-up study suggest that
      subjects with a high percentage of structural chromosomal aberrations but not
      sister chromatid exchanges may be at elevated risk for cancer.

PMID- 1428098
TI  - Considerations in the conduct of meta-analysis using data from animal
      carcinogenicity experiments.

PMID- 1428099
TI  - Genes and gene products that regulate proliferation and differentiation: critical
      targets in carcinogenesis.
AB  - Our understanding of the mechanism of carcinogenesis is developing rapidly, owing
      to the discovery of genes and gene products involved in the regulation of cell
      proliferation and differentiation and the identification of genetic events
      implicated in tumour formation. Our current concept is that cancer is basically
      the result of accumulating genetic damage. This damage may range from single base
      pair substitutions to gross chromosomal changes, leading to distortion of either
      the expression or the biochemical function of genes, particularly those involved
      in proliferation and differentiation (PDR genes). These PDR genes and gene
      products can now be envisioned as critical targets for interaction with
      carcinogens. This paper discusses only the evidence that PDR genes are critical
      targets for carcinogenic agents.

PMID- 1428100
TI  - Meta-analysis of epidemiological studies of carcinogenesis.

PMID- 1428101
TI  - Dose-response relationships in carcinogenesis.
AB  - Considerable information on the carcinogenic potential of chemical and
      radiological agents has accumulated from the epidemiological and toxicological
      studies conducted to date. In this article, we discuss dose-response
      relationships in carcinogenesis from both empirical and theoretical points of
      view. Emphasis is placed on the application of biologically based models to
      describe observed dose-response relationships for exposure to single and multiple
      agents known to increase cancer risk. The implications of these observations for
      inferences about possible mechanisms of carcinogenesis are explored.

PMID- 1428102
TI  - The role of epidemiological observation in elucidating the mechanisms of
      carcinogenesis.
AB  - Epidemiological observations concerning a number of carcinogenic agents have been
      used to make inferences about the biological mechanisms of carcinogenesis. These
      inferences have generally been based on comparisons of epidemiological data with
      the predictions of various mathematical models of the process of carcinogenesis.
      Particular interest has focused on the relationships between cancer occurrence
      and level of exposure, age at exposure and time since cessation of exposure, and
      the combined effect of two carcinogenic agents. Analyses of epidemiological data
      in relation to mathematical cancer models have led to conclusions about
      mechanisms of action, but the validity of these conclusions is necessarily
      limited by the nature of epidemiological data and the unverifiability of
      assumptions underlying the models. A more fruitful application of the
      epidemiological perspective in elucidating the mechanisms of carcinogenesis may
      be through collaborative studies involving the recently developed techniques of
      molecular biology and related areas.

PMID- 1428103
TI  - Tumour suppressor genes, multistage carcinogenesis and molecular epidemiology.

PMID- 1428105
TI  - Multistage and multifactorial nature of carcinogenesis.

PMID- 1428104
TI  - Receptor-mediated carcinogenesis.

PMID- 1428106
TI  - Epidemiology of cervical cancer--overview.
AB  - Numerous studies of the epidemiology of cervical cancer have shown strong
      associations with religious, marital and sexual patterns. Although it is well
      established that women with multiple partners and early ages at first intercourse
      are at high risk, less is known about how these factors interact or how risk is
      affected by specific sexual characteristics. Recent studies indicate that number
      of steady partners and frequent intercourse at early ages may further enhance
      risk, supporting hypotheses regarding a vulnerable period of the cervix and a
      need for repeated exposure to an infectious agent. It is now widely accepted that
      HPV is the major infectious etiological agent, but whether other infectious
      agents play supportive or interactive roles is unclear. Of specific interest is
      the independent effect of HSV 2 on risk, especially given some evidence that this
      viral agent may interact with HPV. Other speculative risk factors for cervical
      cancer include cigarette smoking, oral contraceptive usage and certain
      nutritional deficiencies, but again it is not clear whether these factors operate
      independently from HPV. Although cervical cancer incidence trends correlate with
      the population prevalence of various venereally transmitted agents, it is not
      certain how disease rates are affected by other potential risk factors which have
      changed during recent time (e.g., exposure to HPV, sexual behaviour, cigarette
      smoking). In addition, a number of recent studies highlight the need for
      considering not only female influences on risk of cervical cancer, but also male
      factors, since the sexual behaviour of the male consort appears to play an
      important role.

PMID- 1428107
TI  - Reassessment of the morphological continuum of cervical intraepithelial lesions:
      does it reflect different stages in the progression to cervical carcinoma?
AB  - Currently used histological and cytological classification systems for cervical
      lesions are reviewed. These suffer from poor inter- and intra-observer
      reproducibility, and do not allow accurate identification of which mild lesions
      will progress towards cancer. The Bethesda classification system is described and
      it is postulated that low-grade and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions
      might represent distinct entities with different potential for progression rather
      than necessary stages of a continuum leading to cervical cancer. Improved
      understanding of the etiological role of HPV types in cervical cancer and of the
      natural history of low- and high-grade intraepithelial lesions might result in
      more suitable clinical treatment of low-grade lesions.

PMID- 1428108
TI  - Protein kinase C of smooth muscle.
AB  - The primary mechanism of regulation of smooth muscle contraction involves the
      phosphorylation of myosin catalyzed by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent myosin light
      chain kinase. However, additional mechanisms, both Ca(2+)-dependent and Ca(2+)
      independent, can modulate the contractile state of smooth muscle. Protein kinase
      C was first implicated in the regulation of smooth muscle contraction with the
      observation that phorbol esters induce slowly developing, sustained contractions.
      Protein kinase C occurs in at least four Ca(2+)-dependent (alpha, beta I, beta
      II, and gamma) and four Ca(2+)-independent (delta, epsilon, zeta, and eta)
      isoenzymes. Only the alpha, beta, epsilon, and zeta isoenzymes have been
      identified in smooth muscle. Both classes of isoenzymes have been implicated in
      the regulation of smooth muscle contraction. However, the physiologically
      important protein substrates of protein kinase C have not yet been identified.
      Specific isoenzymes may be activated by different contractile agonists, and
      individual isoenzymes exhibit some degree of substrate specificity. Prolonged
      activation of protein kinase C can result in its proteolysis to the
      constitutively active catalytic fragment protein kinase M, which would dissociate
      from the sarcolemma and phosphorylate proteins such as myosin that are
      inaccessible to membrane-bound protein kinase C. Protein kinase M induces
      relaxation of demembranated smooth muscle fibers contracted at submaximal Ca2+
      concentrations. We suggest that protein kinase C plays two distinct roles in
      regulating smooth muscle contractility. Stimuli triggering phosphoinositide
      turnover or phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis induce translocation of protein kinase
      C (probably specific isoenzymes) to the sarcolemma, phosphorylation of protein,
      and a slow contraction. Prolonged association of the kinase with the membrane may
      lead to proteolysis and release into the cytosol of protein kinase M, resulting
      in myosin phosphorylation and relaxation.

PMID- 1428109
TI  - Blood pressure response to hyperinsulinemia in salt-sensitive and salt-resistant
      rats.
AB  - We investigated the role of insulin in salt-sensitive hypertension in Dahl salt
      sensitive and salt-resistant rats. The rats were kept in metabolic cages, and
      sodium intake and urinary sodium excretion were measured. In salt-sensitive rats
      receiving a 0.3% NaCl diet, sodium retention was significantly greater at weeks 1
      and 2 in rats that received an insulin infusion than in those receiving a saline
      infusion. Mean arterial blood pressure and plasma norepinephrine levels were
      significantly higher at week 3 in insulin-treated rats than in saline-treated
      rats (mean arterial pressure, 137 +/- 3 mm Hg versus 119 +/- 3 mm Hg, p < 0.05;
      plasma norepinephrine, 0.40 +/- 0.02 ng/ml versus 0.27 +/- 0.01 ng/ml, p < 0.05).
      Insulin did not influence sodium retention, mean arterial pressure, or plasma
      norepinephrine in salt-resistant rats. Coadministration of an alpha-blocker
      (bunazosin, 10 mg/kg per day for 3 weeks) in salt-sensitive rats abolished the
      insulin-induced elevations in mean arterial pressure and sodium retention. When
      salt-sensitive rats were fed a low salt diet (0.03% NaCl), insulin did not raise
      mean arterial pressure. Thus, insulin elevated blood pressure only in the salt
      sensitive model. The sympathetic nervous system and sodium retention in the early
      phase of insulin overload may contribute to elevation of mean arterial pressure
      in this model.

PMID- 1428110
TI  - Relation between blood pressure and stroke mortality.
AB  - The relation between stroke mortality and blood pressure was investigated in
      10,186 hypertensive patients followed up in the Department of Health Hypertension
      Care Computing Project for an average of 9 years. An untreated blood pressure
      measurement was available in 3,472 men and 3,405 women. The age-adjusted risk of
      stroke death increased by 1% for every 1 mm Hg increase in untreated systolic
      blood pressure. The relative hazard rate was 1.014 (95% confidence interval [CI],
      1.007, 1.021) in men and 1.009 (1.003, 1.016) in women. The corresponding
      increases for 1 mm Hg for untreated diastolic blood pressure were almost 3% in
      men and again 1% in women (relative hazard rate 1.026 [95% CI, 1.014, 1.038] in
      men and 1.010 [1.000, 1.021] in women). Treated blood pressure measurements were
      available in 3,073 men and 3,148 women. Stroke mortality increased by 2% for a 1
      mm Hg increase in treated systolic pressure and 3% for the corresponding increase
      in diastolic blood pressure. The relation between stroke mortality and blood
      pressure was similar over and under the age of 65, although the increase in
      mortality with pressure was greater for treated diastolic blood pressure in women
      under the age of 65 than over this age. There was no evidence for a J-shaped
      relation between stroke mortality and either systolic or diastolic pressure in
      men. In women there was a suggestion of such a relation, but since this relation
      was also observed for untreated pressures, any increase in risk at lower
      pressures is unlikely to be a result of treatment.

PMID- 1428111
TI  - Increased response to physical and mental stress in men with hypertensive
      parents.
AB  - Blood pressure and heart rate responses to isometric handgrip exercise were
      studied at age 31 and after 5 years in young nonhypertensive men with positive
      family histories of hypertension (n = 13) and in those with negative family
      histories of hypertension (n = 13) for two generations to test whether subjects
      with positive family histories established a pattern of increased blood pressure
      and heart rate responses during the 5-year follow-up period. At follow-up the
      response to mental stress (Stroop's color word test) was also studied. Baseline
      blood pressure and heart rate at rest did not differ, initially or at follow-up,
      between the groups. At the initial examination, absolute blood pressure levels
      were significantly higher during isometric handgrip exercise just before
      exhaustion in subjects with positive family histories. At follow-up the absolute
      blood pressure level (p < 0.001) and the blood pressure responses (p < 0.01
      0.001) were found to be significantly increased during handgrip exercise in
      subjects with positive family histories compared with subjects with negative
      family histories. In subjects with positive family histories the diastolic blood
      pressure response was significantly higher (p < 0.01) at follow-up than initially
      and was significantly related (r = 0.70, p < 0.01) to changes in baseline
      diastolic blood pressure during the follow-up period. In subjects with negative
      family histories the systolic blood pressure response was somewhat lower at
      follow-up than initially. During the mental stress test, the blood pressure
      response was significantly greater in subjects with positive than with negative
      family histories.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428112
TI  - Sympathetic denervation blocks blood pressure elevation in episodic hypoxia.
AB  - We have previously described a rat model that responds to repetitive episodic
      hypoxia (FiO2 nadir 3-5% for 12 seconds every 30 seconds for 7 hr/day for 35
      days) with chronic increase in arterial blood pressure. The purpose of the
      current study was to determine if peripheral sympathetic nervous system
      denervation blocks this persistent blood pressure elevation. Chemical sympathetic
      denervation was achieved and maintained by three intraperitoneal injections (100
      mg/kg 6-hydroxydopamine) on days 1, 3, and 27 of a 47-day experiment in two
      groups of rats. One denervated group was subjected to episodic hypoxia for 40
      consecutive days beginning on day 7 and the other remained unhandled in their
      usual cages. A third group was injected with vehicle only and subjected to the
      same episodic hypoxia while a fourth group remained unhandled for 40 days. The
      vehicle-treated, episodic hypoxia-exposed group showed a 7.7 mm Hg increase in
      mean arterial blood pressure (conscious, unrestrained) over the 40-day period,
      whereas all other groups showed a decrease in mean arterial pressure. The left
      ventricle and septum/whole body weight ratio was higher in both episodic hypoxia
      exposed groups at the end of the study. Plasma epinephrine in both groups
      administered 6-hydroxydopamine was higher on day 6 than in the vehicle-injected
      rats. Measurement of catecholamines in cardiac muscle homogenate confirmed
      denervation in 6-hydroxydopamine animals. These results indicate that the
      peripheral sympathetic nervous system is necessary for the persistent increase in
      blood pressure in response to repetitive episodic hypoxia.

PMID- 1428113
TI  - Hypocalcemia and pregnancy-induced hypertension produced by maternal fasting.
AB  - During pregnancy, maternal calcium needs increase as a result of increasing
      calcium requirements for fetal bone development. These needs have to be
      completely supplied by the mother via placental transfer. Several studies link
      low serum ionized calcium concentrations with the development of hypertension and
      pregnancy-induced hypertension. We hypothesized that maternal hypocalcemia would
      develop concomitantly with the development of hypertension in sheep that were
      fasted in late gestation. Sixteen instrumented ewes were used in the present
      study. After a 2-day baseline period, food was withdrawn from 10 animals in the
      experimental group (group 2) for 3 days, whereas the remaining six were allowed
      to eat and drink normally (group 1). Blood pressure, uteroplacental blood flow,
      and heart rate were monitored daily. Fasted animals were given deionized water
      (calcium free) to drink, whereas control animals were given tap water containing
      32.9 mg/l calcium concentration. Based on the analysis of the ionized calcium
      concentration response to fasting, group 2 animals were placed in one of two
      groups: hypocalcemia did not develop in group 2a, whereas in group 2b the ionized
      calcium concentration decreased 27% (from 1.09 +/- 0.07 to 0.80 +/- 0.06 mM, p =
      0.01) by the third day of fasting. Group 2b responded with a 16% elevation in
      maternal blood pressure (p = 0.01) and a 43% reduction in uteroplacental blood
      flow. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between maternal and fetal
      blood ionized calcium concentrations (r = 0.860).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1428114
TI  - Increased platelet angiotensin II receptor number in pregnancy-induced
      hypertension.
AB  - Women with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) are characterized by relatively
      greater blood pressure sensitivity to exogenous angiotensin II (Ang II) than
      normotensive pregnant women. Evidence suggests that this is due to an alteration
      in Ang II receptor sites. However, the question of whether this represents an
      increase in receptor number or affinity remains unanswered. To answer this
      question Ang II receptors on platelets from normotensive women during each
      trimester of pregnancy and the postpartum period were studied and compared with
      platelet Ang II binding in third trimester women with PIH and in postpartum women
      who had had a recent pregnancy complicated by PIH. We also measured plasma renin
      activity, Ang II, and aldosterone in blood samples from these women and sodium
      and creatinine in 24-hour urine collections. Normotensive pregnant women had
      significantly less platelet Ang II binding than nonpregnant, postpartum women
      (0.85 +/- 0.19 versus 2.87 +/- 0.83%, p = 0.003), reflecting a reduction in
      receptor number but not affinity. This probably reflects the significant increase
      in Ang II during pregnancy. Urinary sodium excretion was equivalent and could not
      explain these changes. Comparisons of third trimester women with PIH against
      those without PIH documented a significantly higher Ang II binding in the women
      with PIH (2.23 +/- 0.42 versus 0.85 +/- 0.19%) that was caused by an increase in
      receptor number (6.0 +/- 1.3 versus 3.0 +/- 0.8 fmol Ang II per 5.6 x 10(8)
      platelets, p = 0.047) but similar Ang II binding affinity. This reflected
      significantly lower Ang II levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428115
TI  - Angiotensin II-induced protein phosphorylation in the hypertrophic heart of the
      Dahl rat.
AB  - Angiotensin II-induced phosphorylation of proteins was examined in isolated
      myocytes from hearts of Dahl rats. A high salt diet induced cardiac hypertrophy
      in Dahl salt-sensitive rats. Angiotensin II-induced phosphorylation of a 42-kd
      protein (pp42) was detected by two-dimensional electrophoresis in hypertrophic
      but not normal ventricular myocytes. Angiotensin II stimulation was time
      dependent, with a peak effect at 30 minutes. The half-maximal and maximal
      concentrations of angiotensin II that stimulated pp42 phosphorylation were 1 and
      10 nM, respectively. Phosphorylation of pp42 was a function of cardiac
      hypertrophy. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced phosphorylation of pp42
      indicates the possibility of an association between protein kinase C and the
      signal transduction pathway of angiotensin II-induced pp42 phosphorylation.
      Ionomycin and A23187 (both at 1 microM) did not stimulate phosphorylation of
      pp42. Angiotensin II produced a small increase in the synthesis of myocyte
      proteins in both normal and hypertrophic cells as shown by [35S]methionine
      incorporation. However, this increase could not account for the increase in the
      phosphate content of pp42. This protein was not an isoform of actin nor was it of
      platelet origin. These results raise the possibility that angiotensin II may play
      a role in the activation of factors in hypertrophic myocytes; however, further
      study is required to define a link between phosphorylation of pp42 and the
      hypertrophic process.

PMID- 1428116
TI  - Lovastatin but not enalapril reduces glomerular injury in Dahl salt-sensitive
      rats.
AB  - Dahl salt-sensitive (S) rats fed a high salt diet develop hypertension,
      hyperlipidemia, and progressive renal disease. Previous studies have suggested
      that lipids may be important in the pathogenesis of glomerulosclerosis in Dahl S
      rats. To investigate this possibility, Dahl S rats fed 4% NaCl chow were treated
      chronically with the cholesterol synthesis inhibitor lovastatin. After 22 weeks,
      lovastatin-treated rats had a 38% reduction in serum cholesterol, a 76% reduction
      in urine albumin excretion, and one-sixth the incidence of focal
      glomerulosclerosis compared with vehicle-treated control rats. Blood pressure in
      lovastatin-treated rats was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that in vehicle
      treated rats both early in the study (4 weeks of treatment) and at the end of the
      protocol. Lovastatin had no effect on glomerular filtration rate or glomerular
      ultrafiltration dynamics. The efficacy of angiotensin converting enzyme
      inhibitors in attenuating proteinuria and experimental glomerular disease may be
      dependent on sodium intake. Thus, we also investigated the effects of long-term
      enalapril treatment on glomerular injury in Dahl S rats fed high salt chow.
      Enalapril treatment (50 or 200 mg/l drinking water) significantly lowered blood
      pressure in Dahl S rats, but did not significantly affect albuminuria or
      glomerulosclerosis. Enalapril also had no effect on glomerular hemodynamics.
      These results suggest that lipids may be important in the development of both
      glomerular disease and hypertension in Dahl S rats and that angiotensin
      converting enzyme inhibition may not affect the course of renal disease in a
      setting of high salt intake.

PMID- 1428117
TI  - Alterations in renal endothelin-1 production in the spontaneously hypertensive
      rat.
AB  - Endothelin-1 inhibits sodium and water transport systems in the inner medullary
      collecting duct. Endothelin-1 levels are reduced in the medulla of spontaneously
      hypertensive rats (SHR), raising the possibility that decreased inner medullary
      collecting duct production of endothelin-1 could contribute to inappropriate
      sodium and water retention. In the current study, immunoreactive endothelin-1 was
      measured in the urine, blood, and eluates from cortex and outer and inner medulla
      of SHR before (age 3-4 weeks) and after (age 8-9 weeks) the development of
      hypertension and in age-matched Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) controls. There was no
      difference in endothelin-1 levels between prehypertensive SHR and WKY rats. In
      contrast, 8-9-week-old SHR had significantly reduced endothelin-1 in the urine
      and outer and inner medulla, but not in the cortex or serum compared with those
      of WKY controls. Furthermore, inner medullary collecting duct cells from 8-9-week
      old SHR, either acutely isolated or cultured, released less endothelin-1 than did
      those from WKY rats. Finally, the level of endothelin-1 messenger RNA was only
      reduced in the inner medulla and in inner medullary collecting duct cells from 8
      9-week-old SHR. In summary, renal medullary, and in particular terminal
      collecting duct, endothelin-1 production is reduced in SHR only after the
      development of hypertension. Such decreases in inner medullary collecting duct
      endothelin-1 production may contribute to the hypertensive state in SHR.

PMID- 1428118
TI  - Effects of antihypertensive agents on arterial baroreceptor reflexes in conscious
      rats.
AB  - The effects of antihypertensive treatment with four currently used agents
      (trichlormethiazide, atenolol, nicardipine, and enalapril) on the arterial
      baroreceptor reflex control of renal sympathetic nerve activity and heart rate
      were investigated in 45 conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats and 37 age
      matched Wistar-Kyoto rats. Antihypertensive agents were administered for 2 weeks
      beginning at 8 weeks of age to treat and prevent the development of hypertension.
      Blood pressure was reduced to a similar level (-13 +/- 3 mm Hg, p < 0.05) by each
      antihypertensive agent. Blood pressure, heart rate, and renal sympathetic nerve
      activity were recorded in the conscious state during phenylephrine and
      nitroglycerin ramp infusion. The gain in the baroreceptor reflex was determined
      from the maximum slope of logistic function curves. Untreated spontaneously
      hypertensive rats exhibited decreased sensitivity of reflex control of renal
      sympathetic nerve activity and heart rate (-1.78 +/- 0.07% of control/mm Hg and 
      2.16 +/- 0.05 beats per minute/mm Hg, respectively) compared with untreated
      Wistar-Kyoto rats (-3.62 +/- 0.18% of control/mm Hg, p < 0.01, and -3.46 +/- 0.11
      beats per minute/mm Hg, p < 0.05, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428119
TI  - Hypertension and histocompatibility antigens.

PMID- 1428121
TI  - Enzymatic activity and immunoreactivity of extracellular phospholipase A2 in
      inflammatory synovial fluids.
AB  - Synovial fluid PLA2 concentration was measured by an ELISA technique using
      monoclonal antibodies raised against human recombinant "synovial-type" group II
      phospholipase A2. This ELISA was specific for synovial-type PLA2 and did not
      detect pancreatic (group I) PLA2. In all synovial fluids examined, including
      rheumatoid, osteoarthritic, psoriatic, and gouty fluids, synovial fluid PLA2
      enzyme activity significantly correlated with PLA2 immunoreactivity (P < 0.001).
      Within the limits of the ELISA technique, there was no evidence for the presence
      of specific or nonspecific modulation of PLA2 activity by either putative PLA2
      activating or inhibitory proteins.

PMID- 1428122
TI  - Concentration and turnover of intraperitoneal hyaluronan during inflammation.
AB  - Aseptic peritonitis was induced in rabbits by intraperitoneal injection of
      irritating agents, mainly starch suspensions. The inflammatory response was
      followed in the peritoneal lavage fluid by cell counts (average increase about
      800-fold the first day) and hyaluronan concentration (average increase about 200
      fold on the second and third days). The turnover rate of hyaluronan was studied
      by injecting tritium-labeled hyaluronan intraperitoneally and by following the
      appearance of tritiated water in serum. In control animals given trace amounts of
      hyaluronan, half-lives of 1-14 h were recorded. When the labeled polysaccharide
      had been mixed with 10 mg/ml of unlabeled hyaluronan, the half-life was
      approximately one day. Rabbits with ongoing peritonitis exhibited half-lives
      between 1 and 16 h. It was concluded that there was a large individual variation
      in uptake kinetics, that the removal process could be receptor mediated, and that
      the increase in intraperitoneal hyaluronan in peritonitis mainly was due to an
      increased production of the polysaccharide rather than a decreased rate of
      removal.

PMID- 1428120
TI  - Molecular mechanism of methotrexate action in inflammation.

PMID- 1428123
TI  - Bone-resorbing activity is expressed by rat macrophages in response to
      arthropathic streptococcal cell wall polymers.
AB  - Rat peritoneal macrophages stimulated in vivo by group A streptococcal
      peptidoglycan-polysaccharide (PG-APS) resorb bone as measured by solubilization
      of 45Ca from radiolabeled, devitalized bone chips. Activity was strain-dependent
      and correlated with the susceptibility of rat strains to PG-APS-induced
      arthritis. PG-APS-stimulated macrophages from the resistant Buf rat strain were
      not induced to resorb bone, but ingested equivalent concentrations of PG-APS
      compared to bone-resorbing macrophages from the arthritis-susceptible Lew strain.
      Resorptive activity peaked at three to five days and decreased to background
      levels by 10 days after injection. PG-APS-stimulated macrophages from
      congenitally athymic Lew rats were as effective as macrophages from heterozygous
      littermates at resorbing bone. Lew macrophages were also responsive to small,
      nonarthropathic PG-APS polymers generated by mutanolysin digestion. Resident
      peritoneal macrophages did not respond to stimulation by PG-APS in vitro.
      Indomethacin at a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml was an effective blockade
      against PG-APS-induced macrophage bone resorption in vitro, but catalase was
      ineffective. These results indicate that expression of rat macrophage bone
      resorbing activity reflects genetic regulation of the response to PG-APS rather
      than a defect in ingestion of these polymers and imply that PG-APS-stimulated,
      bone-resorbing macrophages may contribute to early, initial bone destruction that
      occurs in inflammatory arthritis.

PMID- 1428124
TI  - Inhibition of prekallikrein activation in human plasma by components of bovine
      plasma.
AB  - Contact of plasma with a negatively charged surface activates prekallikrein and
      factor XII reciprocally. Activation of prekallikrein by several activators was
      impaired in bovine plasma when compared to that in human plasma. The activated
      partial thromboplastin time of bovine plasma, induced by several activators, was
      significantly longer than that of human plasma. Cleavage of [125I]factor XII was
      optimum at 10 min in human plasma but took up to 60 min in bovine plasma.
      Addition of bovine plasma to human plasma caused significant inhibition of
      dextran sulfate-induced prekallikrein activation, indicating that the impaired
      rate of contact activation in bovine plasma is due to the presence of inhibitors.
      The inhibitory effect was greater at lower concentrations of dextran sulfate but
      could not be abolished by increasing the concentration. The inhibitory activity
      eluted in two peaks at low and medium salt concentrations on carboxymethyl ion
      exchange chromatography of bovine plasma.

PMID- 1428125
TI  - Neuropeptides in pulmonary edema fluid of adult respiratory distress syndrome.
AB  - A role for peptidergic nerves in the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
      was examined by radioimmunochemically quantifying neuropeptides in pulmonary
      edema (PE) fluids from seven patients with ARDS and six patients with PE from
      congestive heart failure (CHF). The PE fluid mean concentrations of substance P
      (SP) and gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) were significantly higher in ARDS (0.59
      +/- 0.29 SD and 0.10 +/- 0.03 nM, respectively, P < 0.001 for both) than in CHF
      (0.19 +/- 0.08 and 0.04 +/- 0.01), whereas no difference was detected between the
      mean levels of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and calcitonin gene-related
      peptide (CGRP) in the two forms of PE. Mean alveolar fluid concentration of SP
      was 8.7 nM (range 2.1-20.5 nM, N = 4) in sheep with acute lung injury from
      intravenous Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but was undetectable in sheep with balloon
      induced high left atrial pressure simulating CHF (N = 2) or control sheep (N =
      2). Pulmonary lymphatic clearance of SP, which reflected the rate of generation
      of SP in the lungs, attained a maximum of 25-95 pmol/h in sheep given P.
      aeruginosa intravenously, but was detected in only one of four control sheep at a
      lower level. Some pulmonary neuropeptides thus are released locally by acute lung
      injury and may contribute to endothelial and/or epithelial abnormalities
      underlying the altered capillary-alveolar permeability in ARDS.

PMID- 1428128
TI  - It is time we thought of youth.

PMID- 1428129
TI  - Growth hormone therapy: current status.

PMID- 1428130
TI  - Congenital factor XIII deficiency.
AB  - Clinical and hematological data of 9 cases with factor XIII deficiency is
      highlighted. The age at first bleed ranged from 3 days of life to 1 year. Seven
      of these 9 cases had bleeding from the umbilicus, 3 had recurrent subcutaneous
      and muscle hematomas, while 4 cases had CNS bleeds of which 3 expired. Routine
      coagulogram was normal, while clot solubility in 5 molar urea solution was
      abnormal in all cases. Factor XIII assay was not done in any. Patients were
      treated with plasma transfusion during episodes of bleeding. No patient received
      plasma transfusion as prophylactic therapy. The cumulative Indian data so far
      documented, inclusive of this series, shows a very high incidence of CNS bleeds
      (33%) in patients with this inherited coagulation disorder.

PMID- 1428127
TI  - Hyperphospholipasemia A2 in human volunteers challenged with intravenous
      endotoxin.
AB  - Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity was measured in the serum of 23 individuals
      infused intravenously with endotoxin (EN) at a dose of 4 ng/kg body weight. A
      marked increase in PLA2 was noted 3 h after EN challenge (mean 828 +/- 513
      units/ml), reached its maximum at 24 h after the challenge (mean 2667 +/- 2442
      units/ml), and was still evident at 48 h (mean 763 +/- 366 units/ml). In
      contrast, TNF levels were maximal (mean 712 +/- 375 pg/ml) 90 min after the EN
      challenge and subsided to very low values (5 +/- 5 pg/ml) 5 h after the
      challenge. There was a positive correlation between the maximum response of TNF
      and that of PLA2 (r = 0.82, P < 0.01). Administration of ibuprofen or
      pentoxifylline did not alter the PLA2 response. EN challenge did not affect serum
      pancreatic PLA2 concentration or that of the lysosomal cationic enzyme, lysozyme.
      Neutralizing antibody against human recombinant (synovial type) PLA2 completely
      abolished PLA2 activity in the sera tested. We conclude that EN infusions cause
      marked intravascular release of nonpancreatic secretory PLA2 and that the
      magnitude of this response seems to be related to the prior generation of TNF.

PMID- 1428126
TI  - Synergism among oxidants, proteinases, phospholipases, microbial hemolysins,
      cationic proteins, and cytokines.
AB  - A striking similarity exists between the pathogenetic properties of group A
      streptococci and those of activated mammalian professional phagocytes
      (neutrophils, macrophages). Both types of cells are endowed by the ability to
      adhere to target cells; to elaborate oxidants, hydrolases, and membrane-active
      agents (hemolysins, phospholipases); and to freely invade tissues and destroy
      cells. From the evolutionary point of view, streptococci might justifiably be
      considered the forefathers of "modern" leukocytes. Our earlier findings that
      synergy between a streptococcal hemolysin (streptolysin S, SLS) and a
      streptococcal thiol-dependent proteinase and between cytotoxic
      antibodies+complement and streptokinase-activated plasmin readily killed tumor
      cells, led us to hypothesize that by analogy to the pathogenetic mechanisms of
      streptococci, the mechanisms of tissue destruction initiated by activated
      leukocytes in inflammatory sites, as well as in tissues undergoing episodes of
      ischemia and reperfusion, might also be the result of the synergistic effects
      among leukocyte-derived oxidants, phospholipases, proteinases, cytokines, and
      cationic proteins. The current report extends our previous synergy studies with
      endothelial cells to two additional cell types--monkey kidney epithelial cells
      and rat beating heart cells. Monolayers of 51Cr-labeled cells that had been
      treated by combinations of sublytic amounts of hydrogen peroxide (generated
      either by glucose oxidase, xanthine-xanthine oxidase, or by paraquat) and with
      sublytic amounts of a variety of membrane-active agents (streptolysin S,
      phospholipases A2 and C, lysophosphatides, histone, chlorhexidine) were killed in
      a synergistic manner (double synergy). Crystalline trypsin markedly enhanced cell
      killing by combinations of oxidant and the membrane-active agents (triple
      synergy). Injury to the cells was characterized by the appearance of large
      membrane blebs that detached from the cells and floated freely in the media,
      looking like lipid droplets. Cytotoxicity induced by the various combinations of
      agonists was depressed, to a large extent, by scavengers of hydrogen peroxide
      (catalase, dimethyl thiourea, and by Mn2+) but not by SOD or by deferoxamine.
      When cationic agents were employed together with hydrogen peroxide, polyanions
      (heparin, polyanethole sulfonate) were also found to inhibit cell killing. It is
      proposed that in order to effectively combat the deleterious toxic effects of
      leukocyte-derived agonists on cells and tissues, antagonistic "cocktails"
      comprised of cationized catalase, cationized SOD, dimethylthiourea,
      Mn(2+)+glycine, proteinase inhibitors, putative inhibitors of phospholipases, and
      polyanions might be concocted. The current literature on synergistic phenomena
      pertaining to mechanisms of cell and tissue injury in inflammation is selectively
      reviewed.

PMID- 1428131
TI  - Glanzmann's thrombasthenia.
AB  - During January 1981 to June 1991, 20 patients from 16 unrelated families were
      detected to have Glanzmann's thrombasthenia (GT). Twelve families (75%) had
      history of consanguinity, with 6 first cousins and 3 uncle-niece marriages; of
      these 7 were Muslims, 6 Hindus and 3 Christians. There were 12 girls and 8 boys;
      the mean age at diagnosis was 7.05 +/- 6.03 yr (range 1 day-22 yr). All cases had
      initial bleeding prior to the age of 5 yr with the mean age at the initial
      episode of bleeding being 2.21 +/- 1.34 yr (range 1 day-5 yr). Common pattern of
      bleeding included epistaxis, gingival bleeding, post-traumatic bruises,
      menorrhagia, gastrointestinal (2 cases), post-operative (2 cases) and spontaneous
      bleeding (2 cases). No patient showed hemarthrosis, intracranial bleeding or
      hemoptysis. Menorrhagia was a serious problem necessitating repeated transfusions
      and hormonal therapy. Twelve cases (60%) required 1-120 units of blood
      transfusions while five received platelet concentrates.

PMID- 1428132
TI  - Efficacy of intrathecal methotrexate with and without cranial radiotherapy in
      preventing central nervous system relapses in acute lymphocytic leukemia.
AB  - Introduction of CNS chemoprophylaxis was a major milestone in the development of
      current therapy for acute lymphocytic leukemia. However, controversies are still
      existing for ideal form of CNS chemoprophylaxis. The present study was conducted
      to determine the efficacy of intrathecal methotrexate (IT-MTX) with and without
      cranial radiotherapy in preventing CNS relapses in Indian children. CNS
      chemoprophylaxis comprising of six injections of intrathecal methotrexate (12
      mg/M2) was administered alone or along with cranial radiotherapy (2000 GY) in 76
      children each after successful induction remission. Cranial radiotherapy (RT)
      with intrathecal methotrexate (IT-MTX) was observed to be more effective as CNS
      relapses were seen in 11.8% of children as compared to 16.8% of children
      receiving IT-MTX alone. IT-MTX along with cranial RT delayed the occurrence of
      CNS relapses and prolonged the event free survival periods.

PMID- 1428133
TI  - Diagnostic and prognostic value of bromide partition test in tuberculous
      meningitis.
AB  - Bromide partition ratio was determined in 32 cases of tuberculous meningitis, 6
      pyogenic meningitis, 8 viral meningitis and 9 cases of febrile convulsions.
      Bromide partition ratio below the critical value of 1.6 was present in 30 out of
      32 tuberculous meningitis patients (93.74%) whereas all the control children had
      a ratio above 1.6. Two children who were on regular chemotherapy showed
      progressively rising ratio. It is concluded that in doubtful cases with
      inconclusive CSF picture, a low bromide partition ratio is a strong reason for
      starting antituberculous treatment without any delay. A very low ratio also
      suggests poor prognosis.

PMID- 1428134
TI  - Comparative study of oral versus injectable vitamin K in neonates.
AB  - One hundred term exclusively breast fed babies weighing more than 2.5 kg were
      evaluated to determine the efficacy of various modes and doses of Vitamin K to
      prevent hemorrhagic disease of newborn (HDN). The babies were grouped into four
      categories of 25 each: Group A--1 mg Vitamin K intramuscular (Menadione sodium
      disulphite) at birth; Group B--0.5 mg Vitamin K intramuscular; Group C--1 mg
      Vitamin K orally, and group D--no Vitamin K. The prothrombin index was estimated
      in all babies between 36-72 hours of age. The results revealed a prothrombin
      index in Groups A, B, C and D as 94.98 +/- 7.64%, 95.08 +/- 9.91%, 92.51 +/-
      10.10% and 80.39 +/- 15.90%, respectively. The differences between Groups A, B
      and C were insignificant. However, Group D, prothrombin index was significantly
      reduced as compared with the other three groups. It is, therefore, concluded that
      oral Vitamin K is as effective as injectable Vitamin K and its usage is
      recommended in our country to reduce complications and costs of parenteral
      therapy.

PMID- 1428135
TI  - Bronchial challenge with purified protein derivative of Mycobacterium
      tuberculosis in asthma.
AB  - Response to bronchial challenge (BC) with purified protein derivative of
      Mycobacterium tuberculosis (PPD), was studied in children with bronchial asthma
      and correlated with Mantoux test and serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) against PPD
      (PPD-Sp IgE). Nearly 59% patients with bronchial asthma and 12.2% patients with
      pulmonary tuberculosis gave positive BC. Children with extra-pulmonary
      tuberculosis and normal children did not show positive BC. In asthma, 25% gave
      early (EAR), 50% gave late (LAR) and 25% gave both early and late (DAR) asthmatic
      response. Forced expiratory flow volumes in 1 sec (FEV.1) of 13 age and sex
      matched asthmatic and normal children showed similar volumes before BC, however,
      the values were significantly lower in asthma at 20 min (p less than 0.005) and
      24 h (p less than 0.005) after BC. There was no relationship between response to
      BC and the severity or chronicity of asthma. PPD-Sp IgE was estimated by the
      radioimmunoassay method (Pharmacia Diagnostics). It was detected in 75% with
      positive BC and none of the controls. The titre was of Phadebas RAST Class III in
      66.7%, Class II in 22.2% and Class I in 11.1%. The presence of early Mantoux
      reactions, positive BC with PPD and serum PPD-Sp IgE suggest the existence of
      Type I or Arthus type of reactions to PPD, which could cause hyperreactive
      airways in some cases of asthma.

PMID- 1428136
TI  - Chest radiographs in neonatal septicemia.
AB  - Chest radiographs of 63 culture proven cases of neonatal septicemia were
      evaluated in this prospective study. Gram negative septicemia was responsible for
      76.2% cases. Radiological abnormalities were observed in 27 cases (42.8%). Seven
      of these had no respiratory distress. The findings were right sided infiltrates
      (27%); hyperinflation (7.9%), bronchopneumonia (6.3%) and pneumothorax (1.6%).
      Increasing gestational age, late onset of illness (greater than 3 days) and
      presence of respiratory signs of distress had a positive correlation with
      presence of X-ray findings. Term newborns with respiratory distress of late onset
      sepsis (greater than 3 days) had significantly higher number (p less than 0.05)
      of abnormal radiographs. Presence of radiological abnormality neither influenced
      the clinical outcome nor was affected by the causative organisms. The practice of
      doing a chest radiograph routinely in cases of neonatal septicemia is justified
      irrespective of presence of respiratory signs of distress.

PMID- 1428137
TI  - Participation of health workers, school teachers and pupils in the control of
      rheumatic fever: evaluation of a training programme.
AB  - In a rural community block of north India we initiated a programme for control of
      rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease (RF/RHD). This included a training
      campaign for all 74 health workers, 773 school teachers and 12,500 older pupils
      (class V to X) to enable them to suspect and refer cases of RF/RHD and counsel
      them about secondary prophylaxis. Training material was used by project staff,
      medical officers and teachers to convey that this serious disease with onset
      between 5 and 15 years can be recognized by four simple criteria: fever with
      joint pain or swelling; breathlessness and fatigue; involuntary face and limb
      movements. One year later we evaluated awareness generated by training by
      administering a questionnaire to random samples in the intervention area and in a
      noncontiguous control area. Health workers, teachers and pupils of the
      intervention block were significantly better aware of the nature, severity and
      presentation of the disease and reported having recognized cases whom they had
      referred for diagnosis, prophylaxis and counselled for follow up. We conclude
      that a training protocol incorporating simple messages can effectively create
      practical awareness for RF/RHD control among teachers, health workers and pupils
      in a rural community.

PMID- 1428138
TI  - Experience with a measles vaccine manufactured in India.
AB  - Five hundred and twenty seven children between 7 months and 2 years of age were
      vaccinated with measles vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India. The
      sero-conversion rate in children who had no antibodies previous to vaccination
      was 98.4% as tested in HI. Ninety per cent of children who had pre-vaccination
      measles antibodies showed a two-fold or more rise in HI antibodies. The side
      reactions of the vaccine were negligible.

PMID- 1428139
TI  - Recommendations for creation of modest level II neonatal care facilities in
      India.

PMID- 1428140
TI  - Double heterozygosity for hemoglobin S and E.

PMID- 1428141
TI  - Hemophagocytic syndrome.

PMID- 1428142
TI  - Salmonella typhi meningitis with facial nerve palsy.

PMID- 1428143
TI  - Potassium cyanide poisoning.

PMID- 1428144
TI  - Salmonella typhi meningitis.

PMID- 1428145
TI  - Prescribing habits of pediatricians for gastroenteritis.

PMID- 1428146
TI  - Myelofibrosis.

PMID- 1428147
TI  - Knowledge and practices regarding diarrhea in rural mothers of Haryana.

PMID- 1428149
TI  - Hallermann-Streiff syndrome.

PMID- 1428148
TI  - Values for total hand length, palm length and middle finger length in newborns
      from 26-42 weeks gestation.

PMID- 1428150
TI  - Spondylocostal dysplasia.

PMID- 1428151
TI  - Benign cystic teratoma of the mediastinum.

PMID- 1428152
TI  - Wilson's disease: initial worsening of neurologic syndrome with penicillamine
      therapy.

PMID- 1428154
TI  - Ocular complications following mumps.

PMID- 1428153
TI  - Inherited deletion of chromosome (21p-) in a child with congenital malformation
      and psychomotor retardation.

PMID- 1428155
TI  - Wolman disease: suggestions for effective treatment.

PMID- 1428156
TI  - Chloramphenicol resistant S. typhi.

PMID- 1428157
TI  - Coin gift: a potentially fatal custom.

PMID- 1428158
TI  - Investigative approach and medical management or portal hypertension.

PMID- 1428159
TI  - Eight years' experience of clinical activity in an outpatient fracture clinic.
AB  - Major changes to the method of planning and provision of health care in Britain
      have led to the introduction of contracts as the main means through which
      services are procured. Never before has the need for accurate and comprehensive
      clinical information been greater. Yet comprehensive outpatient information,
      though planned, is not yet available, and there is relatively little experience
      of such systems which have been introduced in individual localities. Fracture
      clinic patients are an important group of outpatient, not least because
      interventions are often undertaken as an integral part of the outpatient episode.
      This is relevant for estimating resource use and for pricing, but until now has
      been 'hidden' work as far as conventional information systems are concerned. This
      study describes the establishment and manifestation of a clinical information
      system based on a fracture clinic serving the majority of a population of
      850,000. Information was gathered over 8 years on 61,635 patients, who had 72,984
      diagnoses and received 93,878 treatments. An information system of the type
      described in this study can be of great value as part of the contracting process
      (for both purchasers and providers of orthopaedic services), as a basis for
      clinical audit and research, and to facilitate undergraduate and postgraduate
      teaching.

PMID- 1428160
TI  - Iselin's operative technique for thumb proximal metacarpal fractures.
AB  - Between 1980 and 1989, 33 patients were treated operatively according to Iselin
      for a proximal metacarpal thumb fracture. At follow-up all but one patient had a
      good functional result with no restrictions in work, sports, or delicate hand
      movements.

PMID- 1428161
TI  - Primary external fixation and secondary intramedullary nailing in the treatment
      of tibial fractures.
AB  - The results of primary external fixation and secondary intramedullary nailing of
      21 tibial fractures are presented. It is shown that if secondary nailing is
      delayed until after granulation of the pin sites the technique is associated with
      a low infection rate. The union time for tibial fractures compares well with that
      of external fixation, although in closed and Gustilo type I open fractures
      primary intramedullary nailing gives superior results.

PMID- 1428162
TI  - Role of prophylactic antibiotics in open and basilar fractures of the skull: a
      randomized study.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate the controversial issue of the use of
      prophylactic antibiotics in open and basilar fractures of the skull. A series of
      157 patients were randomized to receive no antibiotics (group A = 46 patients) or
      ceftriaxone for 3 days (group B = 50 patients), or the combination
      ampicillin/sulphadiazine for 3 days (group C = 61 patients). The incidence of
      meningitis was similar in both the antibiotic and non-antibiotic groups. However,
      the overall incidence of infectious complications in the non-antibiotic group was
      significantly higher than in the antibiotic group (8.7 per cent vs 0.9 per cent,
      P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the ceftriaxone group and
      the ampicillin/sulphadiazine group. The results of the study suggest that
      antibiotic prophylaxis has a role in the management of open and basilar
      fractures.

PMID- 1428163
TI  - Interlocking nailing for fractures of the femur and tibia.
AB  - In 132 patients, fractures of the lower limb (71 femoral and 61 tibial fractures)
      were treated using interlocking nailing (ILN) according to Grosse and Kempf
      during the period 1986-1989. Of these, 118 were followed up for a median of 19
      months (range 9-32 months). Inpatient stay averaged 9 days regardless of the
      fracture. Consolidation was achieved in approximately 3 or 4 months from the
      operation in tibial and femoral fractures, respectively. Tibial fractures were
      technically more demanding than femoral ones, and their average operating time
      was significantly longer (73 min versus 51 min). Only one patient had a malunion
      in malrotation. The most serious complication was in a closed upper tibial
      fracture with traumatic rupture of the popliteal artery. Although the nailing was
      technically successful, an above-knee amputation had to be carried out. In only
      one case did the nail fail, and tibial plating had to be performed. Given the
      present degree of expertise, ILN for fractures of the long bones of the lower
      limb is a safe and relatively easy procedure to perform.

PMID- 1428164
TI  - Percutaneous screw fixation of tibial plateau fractures.
AB  - A series of 13 patients with displaced fractures of the tibial plateau treated by
      closed reduction and percutaneous pinning have been reviewed 17 months after
      surgery. All the operations were performed using image intensification to aid
      reduction of the fracture by ligamentotaxis and to guide screw placement. In two
      cases, arthroscopy was used in addition to facilitate elevation of the articular
      surface using a probe inserted through a cortical window in the proximal tibial
      metaphysis. The postoperative rehabilitation programme consisted of early
      mobilization and non-weight bearing for at least 2 months. Of the patients, 11
      had a satisfactory result, one patient had a fair result with persistent pain and
      the other had a poor result when the fixation failed in a comminuted bicondylar
      fracture in porotic bone. This technique is minimally invasive and avoids many of
      the complications of both conservative and operative treatment and will have an
      expanding role to play in the management of these fractures.

PMID- 1428165
TI  - Post-traumatic abdominal mucormycosis.
AB  - Gastrointestinal mucormycosis, an opportunistic fungal infection, is a rare
      complication of trauma. We report on four patients who developed this frequently
      fatal condition after delayed treatment of intra-abdominal sepsis and discuss the
      aetiology, diagnosis and management of the disease.

PMID- 1428167
TI  - Injuries to the spinal cord in elderly patients.
AB  - There are certain differences between the mechanism of injury and the course and
      results of treatment of post-traumatic spinal cord injuries in younger and older
      victims. Between 1965 and 1990 there were 564 patients over 60 years of age with
      spinal cord or cauda equina injuries treated at the Spinal Cord Centre in
      Konstancin, Poland. This article presents the level and degree of the nervous
      system injury, the methods of treatment and early mortality in the series. Of the
      patients, 43 per cent were aged between 60 and 65 years, but 31 per cent were
      patients over 70 years of age. More patients sustained injury to the cervical
      spine (72 per cent), and 42 per cent of lesions to the spinal cord were
      neurologically assessed as complete transverse cases. This paper stresses the
      high mortality rate, amounting to 26 per cent overall and 48 per cent in the
      groups with complete spinal cord lesions.

PMID- 1428166
TI  - Trauma deaths in the south west Thames region.
AB  - This is an epidemiological study based on Coroners' records analysing mode of
      injury and place and cause of death. The aim of the study is to provide data on
      the incidence and patterns of death from trauma and to assess the need for
      changes in trauma management. All traumatic deaths occurring in the South West
      Thames Region during 1988 were studied. We analysed 434 of these deaths (mean age
      52 years) in some detail. Of the deaths, 59 per cent occurred before arrival at
      hospital. Road traffic accidents are the commonest cause of death from trauma,
      being most prevalent in the areas containing major trunk roads. The majority of
      deaths due to chest injury (79 per cent) and multiple injuries (70 per cent)
      occurred before arrival at a hospital, whereas the majority of deaths due to head
      injury (63 per cent) occurred after admission. The majority of deaths from trauma
      occur before arrival at a hospital, particularly in the semi-rural areas.
      Improvements in hospital trauma care could have only a limited effect on the
      death rate in existing circumstances. If important reductions in deaths from
      severe injury are to be made then prevention and prehospital care need to be
      improved.

PMID- 1428168
TI  - Surgery in Afghanistan: a light model for field surgery during war.
AB  - Owing to a poor capability for evacuation, mobile medical teams were sent to the
      area of Gazni in Afghanistan to work with local paramedics as part of a medical
      programme for the area. The teams were equipped to perform major surgery. During
      1 month a surgical team inside Afghanistan performed 53 operations. The
      operations were performed in the patients' homes at night. The team had to move
      frequently so as not to be spotted by the Soviet and government surveillance.
      Equipment equivalent to a light field hospital was stored in a safe place and the
      team carried supplies for 1 or 2 days on their bicycles. One postoperative death
      and one wound infection were recorded. It is concluded that adequate surgery can
      be performed inside territories where enemy forces have air control and under
      primitive conditions with an acceptable rate of complications. However, due to
      the nature of the guerrilla warfare with scattered military confrontations over
      vast areas, the average time between injury and treatment for war casualties was
      36 h.

PMID- 1428169
TI  - Surgery in a Palestinian refugee camp.
AB  - From 1985 to 1987, three Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon were attacked
      several times by a Lebanese militia. We present a review of 1276 casualties who
      were wounded in the refugee camp of Bourj al-Barajneh during two such attacks
      between December 1985 and April 1987. All were treated in Haifa Hospital (30-40
      beds), which had limited equipment, was situated inside the refugee camp and was
      badly damaged by war. During both attacks, the refugee camp was surrounded and
      put under siege such that patients could not be evacuated and supplies were not
      allowed in. The second period lasted almost 6 months resulting in severe
      shortages of medicines, equipment and food, leading to a rationing of resources
      and modification of treatment. More than 300 operations were carried out under
      general anaesthesia, the remainder under local or without anaesthesia. The
      overall operative mortality was 3.2 per cent. Despite the deprivation, many
      patients survived severe and complicated wounds because they were quickly brought
      to the hospital, provided with adequate quantities of fresh blood for
      transfusion, and sound surgical principles were followed.

PMID- 1428170
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging of the knee: initial experience in a district general
      hospital.
AB  - We present the results of a prospective study comparing the accuracy of magnetic
      resonance imaging with arthroscopy in the assessment of knee complaints. Using a
      low field strength magnet, MRI was able to achieve a high diagnostic accuracy
      within the setting of a district general hospital.

PMID- 1428171
TI  - Gallbladder and extrahepatic biliary duct injury following abdominal trauma.
AB  - Extrahepatic biliary tract and gallbladder injuries are rare, but many occur
      after both blunt and penetrating abdominal trauma. During a 5-year period, 24
      patients requiring laparotomy for abdominal trauma were found to have an
      extrahepatic biliary tract injury, representing 13 per cent of all patients
      admitted with hepatic trauma during the same period. The majority of patients had
      injury to the gallbladder; only one case of common bile duct injury was
      identified. Of the patients, 50 per cent had an associated hepatic injury; 17 per
      cent had important pancreatic trauma. Isolated gallbladder injury occurred in
      only 8 per cent of patients. The overall mortality associated with gallbladder
      trauma was 16 per cent. This uncommon injury usually results from severe trauma
      and is associated with a high incidence of other major visceral injuries.

PMID- 1428172
TI  - Bilateral Pipkin type I fractures.

PMID- 1428173
TI  - Bilateral Pipkin type II fracture of the femoral head.

PMID- 1428175
TI  - Monteggia equivalent injury in a very young patient.

PMID- 1428174
TI  - Fixation of fractures of the glenoid rim.

PMID- 1428176
TI  - Permanent tetraplegia in an infant following improper use of a car seat
      restraint.

PMID- 1428177
TI  - Laceration of the common hepatic duct bifurcation by blunt abdominal trauma.

PMID- 1428178
TI  - Acute upper airway obstruction due to a ruptured vertebral artery caused by minor
      cervical trauma.

PMID- 1428179
TI  - Bilateral ulnar neuropraxia: a complication of elbow crutches.

PMID- 1428180
TI  - Undisplaced fractures of the distal third of the radius in children: an innocent
      fracture?

PMID- 1428181
TI  - Importance of the environment and the faecal flora of infants, nursing staff and
      parents as sources of gram-negative bacteria colonizing newborns in three
      neonatal wards.
AB  - Gram-negative bacteria are an important cause of invasive infection among
      neonates. In this study a novel fingerprinting method was used for the first time
      to assess the importance of various potential reservoirs of the major gram
      negative enterobacteria that colonized 46 consecutive infants in three neonatal
      special care units during a three to four week period. Such bacteria were
      isolated from the oropharynx, umbilical cord and faeces in 24%, 33% and 100% of
      the infants, respectively. Klebsiella/Enterobacter spp. dominated over
      Escherichia coli and spreading (shared) over sporadic strains. Sixty-one percent
      of the neonates were colonized with at least one and up to six different strains
      shown to exist in the ward, mainly in other infants. Environmental reservoirs and
      the faecal flora of mothers and staff were of minor importance. Vertical
      transmission occurred in 12% of vaginally delivered infants and in 0% of those
      delivered by caesarean section.

PMID- 1428182
TI  - Antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli in fecal samples of healthy people in
      two different areas in an industrialized country.
AB  - Fecal samples of 310 healthy persons, from two populations from different areas
      in the Netherlands, were examined for the presence of Escherichia coli resistant
      to ampicillin, tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim and nitrofurantoin.
      High prevalences of resistance were found in both populations, ranging from 28%
      for trimethoprim to 89% for ampicillin. The percentages of the fecal samples with
      a dominantly resistant E. coli flora (> 50% resistance) were distinctly lower,
      ranging from 1% for nitrofurantoin to 21% for tetracycline. No significant
      differences in the level of resistance were observed between these two comparable
      populations in two different areas. The susceptibilities to 11 antimicrobial
      agents of 456 at random isolated E. coli were determined. The percentages of
      resistance varied widely: from 80% for chloramphenicol to 9% for nitrofurantoin.
      Only 19% of the isolates were susceptible to all antibiotics tested and 14% were
      resistant to more than four of the agents tested. Great differences in resistance
      rates between the two populations examined were seen for chloramphenicol (80% to
      41%) and trimethoprim (16% to 36%). The results of this study underscore the
      presence of a human reservoir of antibiotic resistant microorganisms.

PMID- 1428184
TI  - Long-term persistence of anti-HBs after hepatitis B immunization in thalassaemic
      patients.
AB  - An epidemiological study was carried out on 114 beta-thalassaemics in order to
      select those subjects susceptible to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection for
      hepatitis B vaccination. The results confirmed the high risk of HBV infection in
      these patients: 9.6% were HBsAg positive, 29.8% were anti-HBs positive/anti-HBc
      positive, and 9% were anti-HBc positive. In 60 HBV-negative patients, 20
      micrograms doses of hepatitis B vaccine were administered on a schedule of 0, 1
      and 6 months. Sera were collected for six years to determine the seroconversion
      rate and the anti-HBs titre. Seroconversion reached a maximum rate of 93% 12
      months after the first vaccination dose and was 80% at the final control (72
      months). Highly protective anti-HBs titres were observed until the last control
      in a high percentage of subjects. The HBVax hepatitis B vaccine has been shown to
      be safe, immunogenic and effective in beta-thalassaemics.

PMID- 1428183
TI  - Effectiveness of the macrolide clarithromycin in the treatment of Mycobacterium
      avium complex infection in HIV-infected patients.
AB  - In a randomized double-blind study, nine mycobacteremic patients with AIDS
      related disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection received
      clarithromycin or placebo in addition to a basic regimen that included isoniazid,
      ethambutol and clofazimine. All four patients receiving clarithromycin showed
      blood culture conversion and clinical response. Of the five patients treated
      without clarithromycin, two showed resolution of mycobacteremia and clinical
      response, while another two died without having shown response. The remaining
      patient deteriorated until a switch from placebo to clarithromycin led to blood
      culture conversion and rapid clinical improvement. After finishing six weeks of
      intensive treatment, clarithromycin was given in an open maintenance phase to all
      patients, initially in combination with rifabutin for 24 weeks and then alone.
      One patient had a relapse of MAC infection while receiving clarithromycin alone.
      The relapse was associated with acquired resistance to the drug. Clarithromycin
      appears to be a promising component of multi-drug therapy for patients with MAC
      infection. Monotherapy can lead to drug resistance.

PMID- 1428185
TI  - Rapidly fatal Q-fever pneumonia in a patient with chronic granulomatous disease.
AB  - Acute Q-fever is a systemic illness which rarely has a fatal outcome. Fatal cases
      do occur with the chronic form of the disease and associated with endocarditis.
      This report presents the case of a fatal, acute Q-fever pneumonia in an 11-year
      old patient with chronic granulomatous disease. Complement fixation antibody
      titer rose to 1:1,024 with positive IgM in immunofluorescence. Giemsa stained
      lung sections and indirect immunofluorescence demonstrated the microorganisms in
      the tissues. The Coxiella burnetii infection was probably contracted during a
      holiday trip to rural France. Despite the fact that the patient received a
      variety of antimicrobial agents with broad spectrum activity against bacteria and
      fungi, coverage for Q-fever, i.e. chloramphenicol or tetracyclines, was not
      included.

PMID- 1428186
TI  - Listeriosis--a puzzling disease.

PMID- 1428187
TI  - Isolation of a multiresistant strain of Salmonella typhi in Italy.

PMID- 1428188
TI  - Mixed bronchial infection due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium
      avium-intracellulare in an AIDS patient.

PMID- 1428190
TI  - Silences: helping elderly Holocaust victims deal with the past.
AB  - Persons who have faced severe crises such as the Holocaust in Nazi Germany
      confront painful memories, guilt, and the perceived irrationality of their own
      survival, which represses thoughts and memories. There is no language to share
      the dark and difficult years of the past. Silence is their only voice of
      expression. In later life, when friends are gone, the need to share with others
      becomes urgent; to bear witness is vital. Helping persons share these experiences
      is no easy task. To engage the elderly with reminiscences, memory, bereavement,
      and the working through of guilt provide unusual challenges for the helping
      professions. Significant family events are also important opportunities for
      sharing the past. It is the children and grandchildren's desire to know that also
      prompts the sharing of past horrors and future hopes. They often enable the
      deepest silences to be shared and it is the elderly that often welcome this
      opportunity. Being sensitive to these integenerational dynamics are important in
      helping elderly Holocaust victims deal with their past.

PMID- 1428189
TI  - Loracarbef versus penicillin V in the treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis and
      tonsillitis.
AB  - Ten-day, double-blind, randomized, parallel treatment regimens of loracarbef (200
      mg capsule twice daily or 15 mg/kg/day oral suspension in two divided doses up to
      a maximum of 375 mg/day; n = 169) and penicillin V (250 mg capsule four times
      daily or 20 mg/kg/day suspension in four divided doses up to a maximum of 500
      mg/day; n = 175) were compared in the treatment of group A beta-haemolytic
      streptococcal (GABHS) pharyngitis and tonsillitis. Post-therapy clinical
      responses were similar for evaluable patients in both treatment groups: 97.4% of
      the loracarbef group (101/115 patients cured and 11/115 improved) and 96.0% of
      the penicillin group (101/124 patients cured and 18/124 improved). A
      statistically significant difference in the pathogen elimination rate was noted
      between treatment groups: post-therapy throat cultures were negative for GABHS in
      94.8% (109/115) of loracarbef-treated patients compared with 87.1% (108/124) of
      penicillin-treated patients (p = 0.040). Loracarbef and penicillin V were
      comparable in terms of safety. Headache and nausea/vomiting were the most common
      events reported during therapy (nausea/vomiting were slightly less common in the
      loracarbef group). Three patients in each group were discontinued from the study
      due to drug-related adverse events; one due to rash in the loracarbef group and
      one due to rash and one due to vomiting in the penicillin group. These data
      support the conclusion that loracarbef twice daily is more effective in
      eradicating GABHS than penicillin V four times daily, and the two drugs are
      comparable in safety and clinical efficacy in the treatment of GABHS pharyngitis
      and tonsillitis.

PMID- 1428191
TI  - Widowhood in elderly women: exploring its relationship to community integration,
      hassles, stress, social support, and social support seeking.
AB  - This study examined the degree to which widows were integrated in their
      community, the daily hassles and stress they may have experienced, and their
      social networks and support-seeking behavior. A sample of 160 women, sixty years
      of age or older, eighty widows and eighty non-widows were interviewed. Half the
      sample participated in senior centers in Kansas City, Missouri, while the other
      half belonged to other organizations or were obtained through a truncated
      snowball technique. The findings indicated that widowhood in and of itself does
      not appear to be a predictor either of community integration or the lack of it or
      the experience of stress and hassles. Those who experienced hassles were not the
      same persons as those who experienced stress. It was surprising to find that
      those who sought social support did not seem most in need of it. Age and
      education, along with community integration, were better predictors of the
      variables studied than was widowhood.

PMID- 1428192
TI  - The influence of physical fitness on automatic and effortful memory changes in
      aging.
AB  - A cross-sectional study was carried out in order to determine the influence of
      cardiovascular fitness on age-related declines in cognitive performance. Forty
      eight volunteers were divided into Young (n = 13, 18-27 years), Middle-Aged (n =
      22, 60-65 years) and Old (n = 13, 65-88 years) groups and tested on a battery of
      cardiovascular, pulmonary, hemodynamic, and biochemical tests in order to assess
      physical fitness. Cognitive performance was evaluated by a variety of memory
      tasks distributed along an automatic-to-effortful processing continuum. Memory
      for location and frequency of occurrence were selected as representative of
      automatic processing, whereas, an auditory free-recall task was selected as
      representative of effortful processing. Age-related performance declines were
      observed for the free-recall task, but no such age-dependent association was
      observed for frequency and location memory. With regard to the influence of
      physical fitness; the Middle-Aged and Older participants were divided into High
      and Low Fitness groups and significant differences were observed between these
      groups for the effortful but not the automatic memory tasks. These data suggest
      that the relationship between physical fitness and cognitive performance in old
      age is task dependent. Furthermore, the apparent prophylactic effects of physical
      fitness on effortful memory, do not appear to extend to cognitive tasks requiring
      less effortful processing.

PMID- 1428193
TI  - Predictors of self-reported problems of confusion among the aged.
AB  - Responses to questions on the 1984 Supplement on Aging to the National Health
      Interview Survey (NHIS) about the experience of personal confusion revealed that
      two-thirds of those interviewed reported never having an episode of confusion
      during the preceding year. Of those who reported episodes, fewer than one in five
      said they were happening with increased frequency. The many meanings of confusion
      found in the literature prompted a modest local study of what respondents
      understood by the term when asked the NHIS questions. Of those who admitted
      occasional confusion, almost two-thirds gave definitions that included memory
      loss or forgetfulness. Consequently, increased frequency of memory problems and
      difficulty in remembering were included with other variables in the analyses to
      identify significant predictors. They emerged the single best predictors of how
      often a respondent reported getting confused. Others were change in health
      status, number of functional limitations, educational attainment, and vision
      problems.

PMID- 1428194
TI  - Seniors' assessment of their health and life satisfaction: the case for
      contextual evaluation.
AB  - Health care professionals have been puzzled by the highly positive statements on
      health and life satisfaction made by seniors, particularly when compared to
      professionally collected data. In 1987-1988, a stratified, random sample of 520
      seniors living independently in the community (70-99 years) were interviewed in
      their own homes. The above response pattern again held. However, it was apparent
      that opinions on life satisfaction vary with type of health problem. Content
      analysis of the spontaneous remarks made by the participants indicates that the
      overall, current, and anticipated levels of satisfaction expressed were
      associated significantly with the historical perspective or lifeview of the
      participants, and with their state of health. Utilizing the theoretical concept
      "sense of coherence" gives direction to understanding these phenomena.

PMID- 1428195
TI  - The human testis--an organ at risk?

PMID- 1428196
TI  - Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of the effect of ketoconazole on
      reproductive function in male rats.
AB  - A single oral dose (300 mg kg-1) of ketoconazole induced reversible
      immobilization of rat epididymal spermatozoa at 8-24 h after dosing. This
      occurred when the drug concentrations in cauda epididymal fluid and seminal
      plasma were at their peak (18.0 +/- 7.3 and 13.5 +/- 3.0 micrograms ml-1,
      respectively), and which was preceded by a peak plasma concentration (Cmax) of
      64.82 +/- 2.47 micrograms ml-1 at 5.15 +/- 0.68 h (Tmax). In contrast, rete
      testis fluid collected from the same animals contained only minute amounts of
      ketoconazole (0.47 +/- 0.34 micrograms ml-1). Plasma testosterone concentration
      showed a sharp decline within 4 h of dosing, followed by a recovery from
      suppression, even after administration of a low dose (100 mg kg-1) which did not
      affect sperm motility. These findings suggest that ketoconazole gains access to
      the post-testicular sex organs and affects the mature spermatozoa therein much
      more readily than it affects testicular spermatogenesis. Synthesis and screening
      of compounds with a related molecular structure but which exhibit more pronounced
      spermicidal and less pronounced anti-androgenic effects are thus suggested in the
      hope that rapidly acting and reversible male contraceptives might be identified
      and developed.

PMID- 1428197
TI  - Testicular blood flow and vasomotion can be maintained by testosterone in Leydig
      cell-depleted rats.
AB  - The effect of testosterone supplementation on testicular blood flow, testicular
      vasomotion, the number of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN's) in testicular
      blood vessels and prostatic blood flow were studied in rats in which the Leydig
      cell had been destroyed specifically by a single injection of ethane
      dimethylsulfonate (EDS). Other rats were supplemented with testosterone by
      subcutaneous injection of 25 mg testosterone propionate on days 1, 3 and 6. In
      some experiments, the effect of a single injection of 25 or 125 mg testosterone
      was studied. Testicular and prostatic blood flow and the number of PMN's in
      testicular blood vessels decreased, and vasomotion disappeared in Leydig cell
      depleted rats, but testosterone supplementation restored all parameters to normal
      values. Moreover, a single injection of testosterone was able to restore
      testicular and prostatic blood flow to normal levels but had an inconsistent
      effect on vasomotion. These results suggest that testosterone may play a role in
      the physiological control of the testicular microcirculation.

PMID- 1428198
TI  - Purification and characterization of phospholipase A2 from bovine prostate.
AB  - Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) was purified from bovine prostate by ammonium sulphate
      precipitation and fractionation by anion exchange chromatography,
      chromatofocusing and gel filtration. The purified enzyme was Ca(2+)-dependent and
      had a pH-optimum of 8.0. Ba2+, Fe2+, Hg2+, Mg2+, Pb2+, Sr2+ and Zn2+ as well as
      lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylethanolamine and p-bromophenacyl bromide
      (p-BPB) inhibited the enzyme strongly. The enzyme had an estimated molecular
      weight of 12,000 +/- 1,000 daltons on SDS-PAGE. Isoelectric focusing showed one
      PLA2 activity-containing band at pl 5.3. The purified enzyme hydrolysed linoleic
      acid at the sn-2 position of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine
      with high selectivity, compared to arachidonic acid.

PMID- 1428199
TI  - Relationship between sperm quality and chromatin condensation measured by sperm
      DNA fluorescence using flow cytometry.
AB  - DNA flow cytometry of sperm from 100 randomly chosen men undergoing fertility
      investigation revealed a general association between reduced sperm quality, as
      judged by conventional parameters, and the appearance of sperm with lower degrees
      of chromatin condensation in the ejaculate as measured by DNA fluorescence
      intensity. Chromatin hypocondensation, as measured by increased fluorescence, was
      manifested to different degrees in different samples. In many cases of more
      extreme sperm pathology, such as oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT), the whole
      population of spermatozoa appeared to be affected. Significant numbers of
      hypercondensed spermatozoa were present in both normozoospermic men and men with
      different degrees of disturbance in sperm quality. All of the different
      parameters of sperm quality could be correlated significantly with certain of the
      flow parameters, although not one in particular could be used to predict
      deviations from the normal flow profile. In several asthenoteratozoospermic men
      and a small proportion of men with OAT, the DNA profiles were normal, implying
      that in these cases the disturbance may not be so fundamental. The presence of
      leucocytes in the ejaculate was associated with a general increase in the
      preponderance of hypocondensed subpopulations of spermatozoa in men with OAT as
      well as in normozoospermic subjects, emphasizing the effect of inflammatory
      conditions in the reproductive tract on sperm quality.

PMID- 1428200
TI  - Residual sperm function in oligozoospermia induced by testosterone enanthate
      administered as a potential steroid male contraceptive.
AB  - To investigate the fertility of men who remain oligozoospermic despite sex
      steroid suppression, the in-vitro fertilizing capacity of residual spermatozoa
      was assessed in 30 men receiving intramuscular testosterone enanthate (TE).
      Spermatozoa were prepared by either Percoll or repetitive centrifugation/washing.
      Although the mean (+/- SEM) pretreatment zona-free hamster oocyte penetration
      (HOP) rates were similar (59.4 +/- 10.1 and 63.8 +/- 10.8%), following the
      induction of oligozoospermia the Percoll-prepared spermatozoa exhibited a
      penetration rate (26.9 +/- 10.2%) which was markedly greater than that obtained
      for sperm prepared by repetitive washing (0 +/- 0%). In addition, the partners of
      two men exhibiting a HOP test with Percoll-prepared spermatozoa, conceived
      despite a sperm concentration of 3 x 10(6) ml-1 and a negative HOP test with
      spermatozoa prepared by repetitive washing. These results suggest that Percoll
      preparation optimizes the assessment of in-vitro sperm function and that the
      fertility of men with TE-induced severe oligozoospermia is suppressed but not
      abolished.

PMID- 1428201
TI  - Castration-resistant secretion in the hamster seminal vesicle does not depend on
      androgens.
AB  - The secretory activity of seminal vesicles (SV) in the castrated hamster was
      studied by stereological analysis and biochemical approaches following treatment
      with cyproterone acetate (CPA) and adrenalectomy in order to investigate whether
      extra-testicular androgens are responsible for castration-resistant protein
      secretion. Treatment of castrated animals with CPA decreased the size of
      secretory granules and increased the number of apical granules, though neither
      the absolute nor the relative volume of all the components analysed was changed.
      In addition, CPA-treatment increased the amount of protein exocytosed by SV in
      castrated animals, though total protein synthesis remained unchanged.
      Adrenalectomy neither suppressed secretion nor induced any further
      ultrastructural changes in the SV epithelium. Our results demonstrate that
      secretory activity of the hamster SV following castration is not controlled by
      extra-testicular androgens and suggest that SV secretory proteins, which are
      heterogeneous with regard to their sensitivity to androgen withdrawal, might be
      regulated differentially by androgens.

PMID- 1428202
TI  - Immunohistochemical localization of calmodulin in the human testis [corrected].
AB  - The localization of calmodulin in the normal human testis was studied by the
      indirect immunoperoxidase method. Three different types of fixative were used:
      phosphate-buffered formalin, Bouin's solution or Carnoy's solution.
      Immunoreactivity specific for calmodulin was not detectable in the testis fixed
      in Carnoy's solution. The specimens fixed in phosphate-buffered formalin and in
      Bouin's solution were stained. The immunostaining for calmodulin was observed in
      pachytene spermatocytes, secondary spermatocytes and round spermatids but not in
      spermatogonia, or in pre-leptotene, leptotene and zygotene spermatocytes,
      elongated spermatids, spermatozoa or Leydig cells. Sertoli cells were not stained
      or were stained slightly. Among pachytene spermatocytes, the cells at the early
      stage were barely stained but those at the middle and late stages were slightly
      and intensely stained, respectively. The present report provides the first
      confirmation of the localization of calmodulin in the human testis.

PMID- 1428203
TI  - Is peritoneal dialysis the best choice for patients with severe heart disease?

PMID- 1428204
TI  - Mechanical issues in vascular grafting: a review.
AB  - Despite intensive research, the success of artificial small-diameter vascular
      grafts has yet to match that of natural grafts like the saphenous vein. One of
      the possible reasons is mechanical mismatch of the graft to the host vessel. The
      study of compliance (dilatability under pressure) has not been conclusive,
      especially after a series of recent investigations on vein graft evolution.
      Lately, the focus has been shifting towards more detailed characteristics, like
      anastomic behaviour, longitudinal elasticity, and flow-related variables. When
      the relevant property is identified, it should be included in the criteria for
      design and use of vascular prostheses.

PMID- 1428205
TI  - Effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) therapy on plasma FT3, FT4,
      TSH, FSH, LH, free testosterone and prolactin levels in hemodialysis patients.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of r-HuEPO treatment on free
      triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH),
      follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), free testosterone
      and prolactin levels in uremic hemodialysis patients. Twenty-four uremic
      hemodialysis patients were given r-HuEPO with a dose 60 U/kg as intravenous bolus
      injection at the end of each dialysis session. Once the hematocrit value of the
      patient had reached a range of 30-35%, the dose was adjusted so as to keep the
      hematocrit levels constant. Twenty uremic dialysis patients were taken as control
      group. The above-mentioned hormone levels of patients and control group were
      determined before and 4 months after r-HuEPO treatment. After the treatment,
      serum prolactin levels significantly decreased in both sexes (36.8 +/- 7.8 vs
      22.9 +/- 6.3 ng/ml and 78.3 +/- 13.3 vs 37.4 +/- 10.4 ng/ml male and female,
      respectively). FT3 and FT4 significantly increased (1.17 vs 1.67 pg/ml, p < 0.05,
      and 0.64 vs 0.084 ng/dl, p < 0.05, respectively). TSH levels increased but those
      changes were not significant. There was no change in the level of any hormone in
      the control group. Also, the sexual functions of eight male patients treated with
      r-HuEPO improved and menstruation started again in four female patients. We
      concluded that r-HuEPO treatment especially decreases prolactin level in uremic
      hemodialysis patients. It is conceivable that correction of elevated prolactin
      levels could improve sexual disorders in these patients.

PMID- 1428206
TI  - Hemodialysis with defibrotide: effects on coagulation parameters.
AB  - In a crossover study conducted with eight uremic patients maintained on
      hemodialysis, the Authors compared the effects of heparin (100 IU/kg at the start
      of dialysis) and defibrotide (400 mg at the start, repeated at 2 hours of ongoing
      dialysis) on the parameters of blood coagulation (VIII:C, AT III, TAT, PC antigen
      and activity, PS, and FPA), each being assessed before dialysis and at 2, 3 and 4
      hours of the ongoing procedure. Heparin-assisted dialysis resulted in a
      significant rise of VIII:C and AT III; with defibrotide, instead, there was
      evidence of thrombin activation (increased FPA and TAT). PC levels were raised
      with both dialysis modalities; however, PC activity and PS levels were increased
      only in defibrotide-assisted dialysis. There were no adverse reactions or
      evidence of fibrin formation. These results confirm the antithrombotic activity
      of defibrotide in the course of dialysis and indicate that this action is
      independent of thrombin neutralization.

PMID- 1428207
TI  - Nafamostat as anti-coagulant for membrane plasmapheresis in high bleeding risk
      patients.
AB  - Nafamostat mesilate (NM), an ultrashort-acting multi-enzymatic inhibitor, is a
      useful anti-coagulant in high bleeding risk patients needing hemodialysis. We
      applied NM as a membrane plasmapheresis (MP) anti-coagulant in patients with high
      bleeding risk. Eleven patients, the majority with hepatic failure and active
      hemorrhagic foci or severe bleeding diathesis, could be treated with MP 22 times
      under anti-coagulation by 20-40 mg/h/NM by continuous infusion without any
      trouble. Celite-activated coagulation time (CCT) at the plasma separator inlet
      and outlet was adequately prolonged during MP, but CCT in systemic blood showed
      no prolongation throughout the procedure, because NM was rapidly inactivated.
      There was no observable blood coagulation in the extracorporeal circuit including
      the plasma separator. No adverse reaction or exacerbation of hemorrhage was noted
      throughout the MP. NM thus appears to be a useful and safe anti-coagulant not
      only for hemodialysis but also for MP in high bleeding risk patients.

PMID- 1428208
TI  - Mayer waves in dogs with total artificial heart.
AB  - To assess the effect of a total artificial heart (TAH) on the autonomic nervous
      system a power spectral analysis of the hemodynamics in a TAH animal was done by
      the maximum entropy method. Two pneumatically driven sac-type ventricular assist
      devices were implanted as total biventricular bypass (BVB) in adult mongrel dogs
      to compare the differences between natural heart and TAH. Once the BVB was
      pumping, the natural heart was electrically fibrillated to constitute the BVB
      type TAH model. In the arterial pressure waveform in animals with TAH,
      respiratory waves were not changed (97.7 +/- 24.6%) though Mayer waves were
      significantly decreased (47.5 +/- 22.6%) compared with the animal with a natural
      heart. These results suggest that prosthetic hemodynamics in the TAH animal
      affect fluctuations in the cardiovascular system.

PMID- 1428209
TI  - Estimation of the following cardiac output using sympathetic tone and
      hemodynamics for the control of a total artificial heart.
AB  - A sympathetic neurogram is potentially useful for the development of a real time
      total artificial heart (TAH) control system. We used sympathetic tone and
      hemodynamic derivatives to estimate the following cardiac output in acute animal
      experiments using adult mongrel dogs. Moving averages of the mean left atrial
      pressure and mean aortic pressure were used as parameters of the preload and
      afterload, respectively. Renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) was employed as
      a parameter of sympathetic tone. Equations for the following cardiac output were
      calculated using multiple linear regression analysis of the time series data. A
      significant correlation was observed between the estimated and following measured
      cardiac output. These results suggest the potential usefulness of the sympathetic
      neurogram for the real time TAH automatic control system.

PMID- 1428210
TI  - Results of randomized mitral valve replacement with mechanical prostheses after
      15 years.
AB  - Between 1974 and 1976 150 consecutive patients (pts) were operated on for
      isolated mitral valve replacement (MVR). Bjork-Shiley (BS), Lillehei-Kaste (LK),
      and Starr-Edwards (SE) (type 6210) prostheses were implanted at random. All
      survivors were prospectively followed by regular clinical examinations every 6 to
      12 months for 15 years. The mean follow-up time was 14.8 years. A constant
      subjective improvement after 15 years was reported in 62% of pts with BS, 30%
      with LK, and 49% with SE. The cumulative 14-year survival rate was 0.62 +/- 0.13
      (BS), 0.56 +/- 0.16 (SE), and 0.54 +/- 0.15 (LK), respectively. Late mortality
      was due to thromboembolic events (n = 3), bleeding complications (n = 3),
      congestive heart failure (n = 7), documented arrhythmias or sudden death (n = 6).
      Thrombotic valve thrombosis (1 BS, 1 LK, 2 SE) required reoperations. Linearized
      cumulative rates after 14 years for thromboembolic complications were 14.2 +/-
      3.1 (BS), 15.8 +/- 3.7 (SE), 24.3 +/- 4.2 (LK). The cumulative risk of severe
      bleeding complications was not different: BS: 35.8, LK: 35.2, SE: 34.3. During
      the first years of observation no significant differences between these
      mechanical prostheses could be observed, however, after 14 years of long-term
      follow-up the cumulative event-free rates were more favorable for the BS
      prosthesis.

PMID- 1428211
TI  - Hemocompatibility of titanium nitride.
AB  - The left ventricular assist device is based on the principle of the Maillard
      Wenkel rotative pump. The materials which make up the pump must present
      particular mechanical, tribological, thermal and chemical properties. Titanium
      nitride (TiN) because of its surface properties and graphite because of its bulk
      characteristics have been chosen. The present study evaluated the in vitro
      hemocompatibility of TiN coating deposited by the chemical vapor deposition
      process. Protein adsorption, platelet retention and hemolysis tests have been
      carried out. In spite of some disparities, the TiN behavior towards albumin and
      fibrinogen is interesting, compared with the one of a reference medical grade
      elastomer. The platelet retention test gives similar results as those achieved
      with the same elastomer. The hemolysis percentage is near to zero. TiN shows
      interesting characteristics, as far as mechanical and tribological problems are
      concerned, and presents very encouraging blood tolerability properties.

PMID- 1428212
TI  - Fast lysis by complement and uptake by liver of avidin-carrying biotinylated
      erythrocytes.
AB  - The fate of 51Cr-labelled avidin-carrying biotinylated erythrocytes after
      intravenous injection in the rat was examined. Surface amino groups of the
      erythrocyte membrane were modified by biotin N-hydroxysuccinimide ester. The
      biodistribution and stability of biotinylated erythrocytes in the blood were
      similar to those of non-biotinylated cells. Both types of cells circulated in the
      bloodstream for prolonged periods of time without substantial lysis (about 2-3%
      of injected radioactivity per g of blood for 24-48 hours, no more than 2% of
      lysis). Both types of erythrocytes were cleared by the spleen. The clearance of
      biotinylated cells was faster and more pronounced (peak of spleen uptake at 3
      hours after injection, up to 35% of injected radioactivity per g of spleen), than
      that of nonbiotinylated cells (peak of spleen uptake at 24 hours after injection,
      up to 25% of injected radioactivity per g of spleen). Attachment of avidin to
      biotinylated cells results in extremely rapid lysis and clearance from the
      bloodstream (0.17% of injected radioactivity per g of blood 30 min after
      injection, 100% lysis). Radioactivity was rapidly cleared by the liver (up to 80%
      of injected dose per g of tissue, 70% per organ). Uptake by the spleen plays only
      a minor role in the clearance. Considerable lung uptake of avidin-carrying
      biotinylated erythrocytes was observed. Avidin-carrying biotinylated erythrocytes
      were lysed by fresh homologous serum in vitro in contrast to biotinylated and
      native cells. Lysis was eliminated by pretreatment of serum with EDTA or heating,
      which indicates a complement-dependent mechanism of lysis.

PMID- 1428213
TI  - Improved preparation of soluble dry oxyhemoglobin purified by carbontetrachloride
      treatment of outdated packed erythrocytes.
AB  - A combination of treating outdated packed red blood cells (PRBCs) with
      carbontetrachloride, countercurrent dialysis and modified conditions of freeze
      drying served to improve and standardize the technology of "stroma-free
      hemolysate" (SFH) in our laboratory. As a rule, proteins of the final product
      corresponded to 95% oxyhemoglobin, 3.5% methemoglobin and 1.5% non-hemoglobin
      ones. In freeze-dried samples stabilized with 0.24 molar saccharides, the weight
      proportions were 56% hemoglobin, 44% sucrose and/or 62% hemoglobin, and 38%
      fructose, respectively. If necessary, the saccharides could be rapidly removed
      from the easily reconstituted SFH by dialysis or chromatography. Analytical
      parameters were similar to those of chloroform-treated SFH stored dry at -12
      degrees C for 4 months. However, the present procedure was easier and SFH samples
      remained unchanged after dry storage even at +4 degrees C for at least 13 months.
      This oxyhemoglobin product seems suitable for organ perfusion, further chemical
      modification and as an analytical standard.

PMID- 1428214
TI  - Application of an essential data set based computer system in support of maternal
      and child care.
AB  - A simple functional application software has been developed to support care
      providers in information management related to perinatal care activities, family
      planning encounters and the immunization of infants. This was distributed to some
      sites and was implemented with no organizational change, though the methods
      differed. An early assessment of the software after a period of implementation is
      made based on the observations and experiences reported. This is presented in a
      framework outlined earlier as the OUST model. The systems objective to enhance
      the value of information was observed to have been partially achieved. The
      utility to the users is observed in the ability of the end-users at the sites to
      identify the local community needs and adopt accordingly suitable strategies. The
      social impact was seen in the assistance provided by the sentinel action of the
      system in tracking dropouts from the immunization programme at a site, thereby
      ensuring quality in care and also economic benefits. From a technical standpoint,
      the application software was small yet functional and in it were incorporated
      features that ensured data quality. The application software was designed to
      generate a unique identity code to assist in follow-up of the target population.
      Based on the data entered it compiled reports to meet administrative
      requirements, reports that gave the care providers feedback and lists to
      coordinate in the follow-up of the target population. The application software is
      a common data collection tool that can assist in building a data registry for
      health outcomes research.

PMID- 1428215
TI  - Multidimensional scaling of head and neck metastases.
AB  - A mathematical analysis, called multidimensional scaling, was applied to two sets
      of data on metastases from head and neck cancers. The analysis places lymph nodes
      in an imaginary space (here termed a 'nodalgram') such that distances between
      nodal clusters are proportional to differences in the occurrence of tumor
      metastases. Two-dimensional scaling explains 93% of the variance in clinical data
      from 1008 patients and 91% of the variance in pathological data from a different
      set of 415 patients. These independent results are closely correlated, and both
      explain vastly more of the data than expected by chance. The dimensions of the
      nodalgram are not related to anatomical coordinates of the nodes, suggesting that
      a representation of these structures in an abstract space explains the spread of
      cancers better than an analysis of spread in real space. Surprisingly, a plot of
      the extent to which metastases from different primary sites spread along the
      nodalgram dimensions is closely related to the normal anatomical locations of the
      primaries. This shows that although the nodalgram may be difficult to interpret,
      it must have some biological significance. In conclusion, multidimensional
      scaling successfully quantifies a pattern in the spread of head and neck cancers.

PMID- 1428216
TI  - Bodymap: an image processing system for the measurement of body surface profiles
      encountered in skin expansion surgery.
AB  - A personal computer based image processing system for the mapping and subsequent
      analysis of local areas of the human body requiring no more than 180 degrees of
      vision is described. The operations of image capture and data extraction are
      undertaken in real time and photogrammetric reconstruction takes typically a
      further 30 s. Accuracy of the system has been assessed by photogrammetrically
      reconstructing 37 points whose coordinates had been precisely established by
      traditional survey techniques. An average discrepancy between surveyed and
      reconstructed positions of 0.485 mm was obtained; this level of accuracy compares
      highly favourably with results achieved using alternative methods and which do
      not have the level of automation inherent in the described system. The system has
      been developed specifically to provide quantitative values for parameters of
      particular interest in skin expansion surgery: consequently the post
      reconstruction facilities available in this initial system are surface area and
      enclosed volume calculations and shaded surface display. Further development work
      currently in progress is also briefly discussed.

PMID- 1428217
TI  - Time trends of smoking cessation: a micro-population computer simulation model.
AB  - The Micro-population model of Risk-group Dynamics (MRD) approaches smoking
      behavior at the level of the individual and integrates physiological and social
      factors to describe the evolution of behavior change in the population. MRD is
      innovative in several ways: (1) the model describes mathematically the
      interactions among these behavioral factors; (2) the model accounts for both the
      variability of these factors among different persons and the universality of
      basic rules describing these factors in all individuals; and (3) the model can be
      applied to various types of populations and a wide range of intervention
      strategies. MRD combines the physiological, psychological and social determinants
      into a hazard function for relapse to smoking. This hazard function is then
      organized into a three term expression incorporating: a baseline hazard
      characteristic to each individual, a decreasing term for the diminishing aspect
      of the initial hazard and an effect of external interventions. The model gives
      promising results when applied to the Multiple Risk Factors Intervention Trial
      (MRFIT) data using the assumptions of a Weibull distribution for the baseline
      hazard, a negative exponential for the decrease in the initial hazard and a
      constant intensity for the external intervention.

PMID- 1428218
TI  - An application of computer conferencing in dental education.
AB  - A computer conference was used as an instructional tool in a dental school course
      on health education. Second year students (N = 84) were divided into 17 groups to
      design community education programs. A student from each group participated in
      the conference to electronically discuss their program with peers. The conference
      operated for 52 days. The 28 conference topics were displayed 1028 times. There
      were 279 conferencing uses lasting 8125 min (135.4 h); a mean of 29.1 min/use.
      Mean responses per students was 25. Mean student terminal time was 7.8 h.
      Instructor terminal time was 20.8 h; 5.4 h were spent managing the conference. Of
      the available conferencing funds ($440.00), $218.35 was expended with students
      using $168.24. Mean dollars spent per student was $9.90. Quantitative evaluation
      of participation was based on: (a) number of individual responses made compared
      to mean responses; (b) timely item placement on the conference; and (c) the
      percentage of responses made in other students' items. Student evaluation of
      conferencing was positive and acknowledged the value of computer skills.

PMID- 1428219
TI  - Simulation of a diffusion process with randomly distributed jumps in neuronal
      context.
AB  - In stochastic neuronal models, an interspike interval corresponds to the time
      interval during which the process imitating the membrane potential reaches a
      threshold from an initial depolarization. For neurons with an extensive dendritic
      structure, a stochastic process combining diffusion and discontinuous development
      of its trajectory is considered a good description of the membrane potential. Due
      to a lack of analytical solutions of the threshold passage distribution for such
      a process, a method for computer simulation is introduced here. For the diffusion
      Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process with exponentially distributed moments of constant
      jumps a program is given. The relation between the simulation step, accuracy of
      simulation and amount of computing time required is discussed.

PMID- 1428220
TI  - Application of autoregressive analysis to 20 MHz pulsed Doppler data in real
      time.
AB  - The real time application of autoregressive (AR) spectral analysis to a 20-MHz
      pulsed Doppler blood flowmeter is presented. The system consists of a TMS 320C25
      digital signal processor with a 80286 based PC/AT microcomputer and associated
      interfacing circuitry. The AR method was used for in vivo spectral analysis of
      the signals obtained from a 20-MHz pulsed Doppler flowmeter in real time. The
      data obtained from digital and coronary arteries were processed using both AR and
      FFT spectral analysis methods. Also the data obtained from a stenosis coronary
      artery under surgical operation were processed using both methods. When the
      results are compared, it is seen that autoregressive analysis has given better
      results. Therefore the technique can be used in the examining of small vessels
      such as renal, iliac, mesenteric, coronary and digital arteries.

PMID- 1428221
TI  - Seasonal variation and meteotropism in various self-rated psychological and
      physiological features of a normal couple.
AB  - Recently, true seasonal variation with significant periodicities (circannual,
      semiannual, circatrimensual, circabimensual) and a significant meteotropism have
      been observed in a number of self-rated characteristics of normal man (arousal,
      mood, physiology and social behaviour). In order to replicate these findings, two
      normal controls (a married couple) were asked daily to complete a self-rating
      scale concerned with the characteristics mentioned above during one calendar
      year. By means of time series analysis, significant rhythmicities with recurrent
      cycles in the autorhythmometric data of all of the above characteristics were
      found. An important part of the variance in these characteristics was found,
      using multiple regression, to be related to various weather variables, such as
      mean atmospheric pressure, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, minutes of
      sunlight/day and precipitation/day. These results support the hypothesis that
      temporal variations in human psychological and physiological characteristics may
      be dictated by the composite effects of past and present atmospheric activity.

PMID- 1428222
TI  - Mast cells in the human lung at high altitude.
AB  - Mast cell densities in the lung were measured in five native highlanders of La
      Paz (3600 m) and in one lowlander dying from high-altitude pulmonary oedema
      (HAPO) at 3440 m. Two of the highlanders were Mestizos with normal pulmonary
      arteries and the others were Aymara Indians with muscular remodelling of their
      pulmonary vasculature. The aim of the investigation was to determine if
      accumulation of mast cells in the lung at high altitude (HA) is related to
      alveolar hypoxia alone, to a combination of hypoxia and muscularization of the
      pulmonary arterial tree, or to oedema of the lung. The lungs of four lowlanders
      were used as normoxic controls. The results showed that the mast cell density of
      the two Mestizos was in the normal range of lowlanders (0.6-8.8 cells/mm2). In
      the Aymara Indians the mast cell counts were raised (25.6-26.0 cells/mm2). In the
      lowlander dying from HAPO the mast cell count was greatly raised to 70.1
      cells/mm2 lung tissue. The results show that in native highlanders an
      accumulation of mast cells in the lung is not related to hypoxia alone but to a
      combination of hypoxia and muscular remodelling of the pulmonary arteries.
      However, the most potent cause of increased mast cell density in the lung at high
      altitude appears to be high-altitude pulmonary oedema.

PMID- 1428223
TI  - Effect of air temperature and humidity on ingestive behaviour of sheep.
AB  - Thirty-two Polwarth ewes, of ages up to 1 year, were observed in a climatic
      chamber (24 to 45 degrees C) for eight periods of 5 h each. The observations were
      made through a window in the chamber wall. All animals were observed four times,
      then shorn and observed four times again. The animals were given weighed
      quantities of water and feed consisting of commercial concentrate plus Rhodes
      grass (Chloris gayana) hay. The water and feed remaining after 5 h of observation
      were weighed. The following traits were analysed: time eating hay (TEH), time
      eating concentrate (TEC), time drinking water (TDW), weight of hay eaten (WHE),
      weight of concentrate eaten (WCE), volume of ingested water (VIW), ruminating
      time standing up (RTS), ruminating time lying down (RTL), idling time standing up
      (ITS), and idling time lying down (ITL). Shearing had a significant effect for
      all traits except ITS. Shearing resulted in higher values for all traits except
      for ITS and ITL. Ingestion of hay (TEH and WHE) decreased with increased air
      temperature and humidity, while the ingestion of concentrate (TEC) and WHE) and
      water (TDW and VIW) increased. Rumination decreased with increased air
      temperature and humidity, and was higher in shorn than in unshorn sheep.

PMID- 1428224
TI  - Influence of hot environments on some blood variables of sheep.
AB  - Thirty-two Polwarth sheep of ages up to 1 year were observed under temperatures
      varying from 10.5 to 46.5 degrees C. The following blood cell counts were made:
      erythrocyte (RBC), leucocyte (WBC), eosinophil (EOS), neutrophil (NEU),
      lymphocyte (LYM) and monocyte (MON). Other traits measured were: haemoglobin
      (HB), haematocrit (HT), blood glucose (GLU) and serum protein (PROT).
      Multivariate analysis of variance was used and the results showed a significant
      (P < 0.001) effect for the interaction of shearing and temperature treatment.
      Under temperatures > 25 degrees C, sheep presented a decrease of RBC, WBC, HB and
      HT, these differences being greater in the shorn than in the unshorn animals.
      Unshorn animals presented higher variations in EOS, NEU, LYM, MON and GLU. Blood
      glucose increased under high temperatures in the shorn animals (from 56.36 +/-
      0.65 mg/100 ml to 60.52 +/- 0.69 mg/100 ml) as in the unshorn animals (from 54.72
      +/- 0.74 mg/100 ml to 57.56 +/- 0.77 mg/100 ml).

PMID- 1428225
TI  - Geomagnetic activity and enhanced mortality in rats with acute (epileptic) limbic
      lability.
AB  - Presumably unrelated behaviors (e.g. psychiatric admissions, seizures, heart
      failures) have been correlated with increased global geomagnetic activity. We
      have suggested that all of these behaviors share a common source of variance.
      They are evoked by transient, dopamine-mediated paroxysmal electrical patterns
      that are generated within the amygdala and the hippocampus of the temporal lobes.
      Both the probability and the propagation of these discharges to distal brain
      regions are facilitated when nocturnal melatonin levels are suppressed by
      increased geomagnetic activity. In support of this hypothesis, the present study
      demonstrated a significant correlation of Pearson r = 0.60 between mortality
      during the critical 4-day period that followed induction of limbic seizures in
      rats and the ambient geomagnetic activity during the 3 to 4 days that preceded
      death; the risk increased when the 24 h geomagnetic indices exceeded 20 nT for
      more than 1 to 2 days.

PMID- 1428226
TI  - Lung cancer following Hodgkin's disease: a case-control study.
AB  - It is recognized that survivors of Hodgkin's disease are at a substantially
      increased risk of lung cancer. A collaborative group of population-based cancer
      registries and major treatment centers carried out a case-control study, in which
      98 cases of lung cancer were identified in patients who had survived at least 1
      year following a diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease. A total of 259 matched controls
      were selected from patients with Hodgkin's disease who did not develop subsequent
      lung cancer, and for both cases and controls detailed information was abstracted
      from medical records concerning stage and treatment of Hodgkin's disease.
      Patients treated with chemotherapy alone had about twice the risk of developing
      lung cancer than those treated by radiotherapy alone or both modalities. There
      was no increase in risk with cumulative number of cycles of chemotherapy. Among
      patients treated with radiotherapy alone, there was an increase in risk related
      to estimated radiation dose to the lung. There was also a strong association
      between cigarette smoking and the risk of lung cancer. The finding of a higher
      risk following chemotherapy than following radiotherapy was unexpected, but could
      not be explained by any identified methodological flaws. A plausible inference
      from the study is that all forms of Hodgkin's disease therapy are carcinogenic to
      the lung and that, in particular, chemotherapy is associated with an increase in
      risk which is at least comparable to and perhaps higher than the risk produced by
      radiotherapy.

PMID- 1428228
TI  - Differences in expression of SPan-1 and CA15-3 antigens in blood and tissues.
AB  - Pancreatic and mammary cancer cells are reported to have different
      oligosaccharides on the same apomucin, the MUCI gene product. A better
      understanding of the tissue specificity of these sugar structures may help in
      identifying the source of mucins when they are found in the sera. Serum levels of
      3 pancreatic-cancer-associated carbohydrate epitopes identified by monoclonal
      antibodies (MAbs) SPan-1, 19-9 and DU-PAN-2, were compared to those of CA15-3 in
      a variety of malignant conditions. CA15-3 identifies both carbohydrate and
      peptide determinants associated with the MUC1 apomucin in breast tissues. SPan-1
      antigen was elevated in a high percentage of patients with pancreatic, gastric
      and colorectal cancer but in only a few of the patients with malignancies of non
      GI origin such as breast, ovary and lung. The 19-9 and DU-PAN-2 antigens had a
      similar pattern of much greater sensitivity for pancreatic cancer than for these
      non-gastrointestinal cancers. The levels of these 3 markers showed significant
      correlations in pancreatic cancer. In contrast, CA15-3 was elevated in a large
      number of patients with breast, lung, ovarian and pancreatic cancers. There was
      no correlation of CA15-3 with the 3 other markers in pancreatic cancer. SPan-1
      and DF3/115D8 antigens in blood have different mobilities in SDS-PAGE and buoyant
      densities. Moreover, SPan-1 and DF3 antigenic determinants are localized in
      different regions of the same normal and malignant pancreas and breast tissues.
      Thus the SPan-1 determinant can be dissociated from the breast peptide and/or
      carbohydrate determinants.

PMID- 1428229
TI  - Effect of DNA ploidy classification on prognosis in breast cancer.
AB  - A series of 327 breast cancers was analyzed for DNA ploidy by flow cytometry from
      paraffin-embedded tissue, and the resulting DNA histograms were classified
      independently by 6 researchers in the field as DNA diploid (Di), aneuploid (An),
      tetraploid (Te), multiploid (Mu), or technically uninterpretable. The frequency
      of diploid, aneuploid, tetraploid and multiploid cancers varied from 28 to 41%,
      33 to 49%, 8 to 21% and 2 to 6%. According to the scale Di-An-Te-Mu, DNA ploidy
      was not significantly associated with breast-cancer mortality by 2 classifiers,
      but if DNA euploid cancers (Di+Te) were tested against non-euploid, or diploid
      cancers against non-diploid, all classifiers found DNA euploid and diploid
      cancers to have better prognosis. Mortality associated with diploid or tetraploid
      cancers decreased with improving histogram quality and increasing uniformity of
      classification, whereas that associated with aneuploid cancers remained
      unaltered. Among the cases where all classifiers agreed on ploidy, tetraploid,
      diploid and aneuploid cancers were associated with 100%, 88% and 68% 5-year
      survival rates. In this sub-set the S-phase fraction and possibly DNA ploidy were
      independent prognostic factors, together with histological grade, axillary node
      status, and primary tumor size.

PMID- 1428227
TI  - Variations in the ganglioside profile of uveal melanoma correlate with cytologic
      heterogeneity.
AB  - Gangliosides may play an important role in the proliferation and spread of human
      malignant melanoma. Because the frequency of metastases in uveal and cutaneous
      melanoma differs, it is possible that they may express different gangliosides. We
      analyzed the ganglioside profiles of primary uveal melanoma in 14 cases and of
      cutaneous melanoma metastasis in 19 cases. In cutaneous melanoma, GM3 ranged from
      4.2% to 74.6% and GD3 from 22.1% to 91.8% of total lipid-bound sialic acid. GM2
      (found in 13 of 19 cases, ranging from 0.5% to 11.7%), GD2 (11/19, 0.5%-22.0%)
      and 9-O-acetyl-GD3 (13/19, 0.5%-12.6%) were also frequently observed. By
      contrast, in 11 cases of uveal melanoma, GM3 was > 90%, GD3 was < 10%, GM2 was <
      1.1%; neither GD2 nor 9-O-acetyl-GD3 were detected. The ganglioside profiles of
      these uveal melanomas were virtually identical to those of normal melanocytes
      obtained from foreskins. Histological examination of these 11 biopsies showed a
      monomorphous cell composition, but neither infiltration of lymphocytes or
      melanophages nor cell necrosis was observed. In 3 other cases, GD3 was increased
      to 19.5%-46.0%. Histological examination of these 3 biopsy specimens showed at
      least 2 populations of tumor cells that were separable based on morphological
      grounds, and mononuclear inflammatory cells interspersed among the tumor cells.
      An increase in GD3 appears to be related to tumor polyclonality and infiltration
      of the tumor by lymphocytes and macrophages. These results suggest that
      ganglioside expression of uveal melanoma is associated with host immune responses
      to the tumor. Furthermore, the low metastatic capacity of uveal melanoma, in
      contrast to the high metastatic rate of cutaneous melanoma, may be a result of
      its differentiated ganglioside expression, which is strikingly similar to that of
      normal melanocytes.

PMID- 1428230
TI  - Breast cancer and timing of surgery during menstrual cycle. A 5-year analysis of
      385 pre-menopausal women.
AB  - It has been proposed that the timing of breast-cancer surgery in relation to
      menstrual phase has a prognostic impact on outcome. We carefully evaluated a
      combined 2-center series of 385 pre-menopausal women operated on for stage-I and
      stage-II breast cancer with a median follow-up of 5 years for a possible impact
      on outcome of the date of their last menstrual period (LMP) before surgery. The
      distribution of risk factors of the study cohort as well as prognostic indicators
      corresponded to previously published results. Nodal status, grading, and (in
      part) hormone-receptor status differentiate well between patient subgroups with
      high and low risk of relapse and death after breast-cancer surgery. In neither
      univariate nor multivariate analysis was any impact of the so-called "unopposed"
      estrogen secretion detected. We did not observe any effect of LMP on long-term
      survival in any of several prognostic subgroups, in particular in hormone
      receptor-positive patients. From our results and from the literature, we conclude
      that LMP does not provide any prognostic information for outcome after breast
      cancer surgery and therefore the proposed modification of scheduling of breast
      cancer operations is not justified.

PMID- 1428231
TI  - H-2Db gene transfer into highly metastatic D122 cells results in tumor rejection
      in allogeneic recipients, but does not affect metastasis in syngeneic recipients.
      Implications for mechanisms of allorejection.
AB  - Highly metastatic, weakly immunogenic Lewis lung carcinoma clones express very
      low levels of H-2Kb and moderate levels of H-2Db class-I major histocompatibility
      complex antigens. These cells metastasize spontaneously in mice with C57BL/6
      genetic background possessing the H-2Db locus, and grow as local tumors across
      allogeneic barriers. Transfection of the H-2Db genes into the highly metastatic
      clone D122 did not alter the growth or metastatic capacity of these cells in
      syngeneic mice. However, these cells were rejected in allogeneic mice.
      Transfection of the H-2Kd or H-2Kk genes into D122 elicited a CTL population that
      cross-reacted with cells bearing native H-2Db antigens. These data suggest that
      overlapping allo-CTL populations are induced by a native alloantigen and by
      alloantigen peptides presented through self class-I molecules.

PMID- 1428232
TI  - Regulation of androgen receptor gene expression by steroids and retinoic acid in
      human breast-cancer cells.
AB  - Although the androgen receptor (AR) has been detected by ligand-binding assays,
      there is little known about the expression and regulation of the AR gene in human
      breast-cancer cells. AR mRNA, measured by Northern analysis in 18 cell lines, was
      found to be expressed predominantly in oestrogen- and progesterone-receptor
      positive (ER+, PR+) lines as a single species of approximately 10.5 kb but was
      also comparatively abundant in I ER- and PR-negative cell line, MDA-MB-453.
      Dexamethasone (Dex), Organon 2058 (Org 2058), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and all
      trans-retinoic acid (RA) down-regulated AR mRNA levels in T-47D (ER+, PR+) cells
      6 hr after treatment, whereas oestradiol (E2) had no effect. In MDA-MB-453 (ER-,
      PR-) cells, regulation of AR mRNA by RA differed from the other cell lines: RA
      increased the level of AR mRNA. DHT-binding assays indicated a corresponding
      increase in AR protein. Transfection of the androgen-responsive mouse mammary
      tumour virus long-terminal repeat (MMTV LTR) linked to a chloramphenicol
      acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene was used to examine the effect of altered
      AR levels on androgen action. The increased level of AR following RA pre
      treatment in MDA-MB-453 cells resulted in enhanced induction of CAT activity by
      DHT and, conversely, a decrease in the level of AR following RA pretreatment in T
      47D cells resulted in reduced induction of CAT activity by DHT. These data
      demonstrate that AR is expressed predominantly in ER+ and PR+ cell lines and its
      expression is regulated by ligands also known to regulate ER or PR, including
      progestins and retinoids. Androgen responsiveness measured by a transfected
      reporter gene was altered according to the extent of up- or down-regulation of AR
      expression, demonstrating that responsiveness is dependent on receptor
      concentration.

PMID- 1428233
TI  - Specific cytogenetic abnormalities and k-ras mutation in two new human colorectal
      adenoma-derived cell lines.
AB  - Two new human epithelial cell lines from sporadic colorectal adenomas designated
      S/RR and S/BR are reported. Both cell lines have extended growth capacities in
      vitro, reaching passages 38 and 40 respectively and show no sign of senescence.
      S/RR and S/BR cell lines have retained the ability to differentiate in vitro, as
      shown by mucin production from goblet-like cells. S/BR was derived from a large
      colonic tubular villous adenoma (3 to 4 cm), whereas S/RR was derived from a
      small rectal adenoma (< 1 cm), and may represent a relatively early-stage
      adenoma. The parent S/RR cell line has given rise to a clonogenic variant,
      designated S/RR/Cl, which also has shown no sign of senescence and has currently
      reached passage 43. Both the S/BR and the S/RR cell lines had mutations in codon
      12 of the K-ras gene, while retaining one normal allele. The presence of this
      mutation, particularly in the cell line S/RR derived from a small adenoma, is
      consistent with ras mutation being a relatively early event in colorectal
      carcinogenesis and is perhaps involved in the ability of the adenoma cells to
      progress and to give rise to an immortal cell line in vitro. The clonal
      derivatives of the S/RR cells have an isochromosome 1q and abnormalities of
      chromosome 13 which include an isochromosome 13q. The S/BR cells have a deletion
      on the short arm of chromosome 1 and trisomy 7. The common abnormality for S/RR
      and S/BR cells involves chromosome 1. The involvement of different chromosomes in
      the 2 cell lines also suggests different pathways for malignant progression of
      the premalignant adenoma cells.

PMID- 1428234
TI  - Effect of IL-1 on experimental bone/bone-marrow metastases.
AB  - Bone metastasis is a common event and a major cause of morbidity in cancer
      patients. The hematopoietic marrow of the bones, rather than the bone tissue per
      se, is the target organ in bone metastasis. In the bone marrow, IL-1 induces the
      release of hematopoietic growth factors that may affect tumor-cell growth. We
      treated groups of mice with rhuIL-1 alpha to examine its role in the
      establishment of experimental bone/bone-marrow metastasis. We found that
      injection of 2 micrograms of rhuIL-1 alpha 24 hr prior to, simultaneously with or
      24 hr after the injection of 10(4) B16 melanoma cells into the left cardiac
      ventricle of mice resulted in a 2-fold increase in the average number of
      colonized bones per mouse. GM-CSF is produced by bone-marrow stromal cells in
      response to IL-1, and its receptor has been found on tumor cells, including
      melanoma cells. However, the administration of rmuGM-CSF to mice by either
      multiple injections or continuous infusion did not affect the number of colonized
      bones. Many of the biologic effects of IL-1 are mediated by prostaglandins.
      Treatment of mice with 100 micrograms of indomethacin, a potent inhibitor of
      prostaglandin synthesis, prior to the injection of rhuIL-1 alpha, prevented the
      increase in number of bone metastases. To determine whether constitutive
      productions of IL-1 and/or prostaglandins are involved in the pathogenesis of
      bone/bone marrow metastasis, we treated mice with antimouse IL-1 alpha
      neutralizing antibodies, rhuIRAP (an inhibitor of IL-1 activity) or indomethacin.
      We found no difference in the average number of colonized bones per mouse between
      treated and control mice. We conclude that exogenous administration of IL-1
      enhances experimental bone/bone-marrow metastases, and that this phenomenon is
      mediated through prostaglandins. However, neither the constitutive production of
      IL-1 nor that of prostaglandins appear to play a role in the pathogenesis of
      bone/bone-marrow metastasis in our murine model system.

PMID- 1428235
TI  - Inhibition by 6-hydroxydopamine of enhanced gastric carcinogenesis induced by N
      methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
AB  - The effects of chemical sympathectomy induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) on
      the enhanced induction of gastric carcinogenesis by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N
      nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), and the
      norepinephrine (NE) concentrations in their gastric wall and the labeling index
      of gastric epithelial cells were investigated. SHR rats and normotensive Wistar
      Kyoto rats (WKY) as controls were given MNNG (25 micrograms/ml) in their drinking
      water for 25 weeks and then i.p. injections of 6-OHDA (42 mg/kg twice within 24
      hr, and then 105 mg/kg every 2 weeks from 1 week later). In control group (WKY
      rat + NaCl), gastric cancers were found in 2 (11%) of 18 rats examined in week
      52. In SHR rats treated with NaCl solution only, the incidence of gastric cancers
      significantly increased, to 53% compared with that in control WKY rats. Treatment
      of SHR rats with 6-OHDA significantly decreased its incidence to 12% compared
      with the value in SHR rats treated with NaCl solution only. Prolonged
      administration of 6-OHDA to SHR rats significantly reduced the NE concentration
      in the antral portion of the gastric wall and the labeling index of antral
      epithelial cells. These findings indicate that prolonged i.p. treatment with 6
      OHDA attenuated the normally higher incidence of MNNG-induced gastric cancer in
      SHR rats.

PMID- 1428236
TI  - Enhancement of cisplatin activity by lonidamine in human ovarian cancer cells.
AB  - The ability of lonidamine, an energolytic derivative of indazole-carboxylic acid,
      to modulate the cytotoxicity of cisplatin was investigated in human ovarian
      cancer cell lines sensitive (A2780) or with experimentally induced resistance
      (A2780/cp8) to the alkylating agent. A 24-hr post-incubation with 300 microM
      lonidamine significantly potentiated the activity of a 1-hr cisplatin treatment
      in both cell lines. In particular, the cisplatin IC50 value was reduced 4-fold in
      the sensitive line and 5-fold in the resistant line. Flow cytometric analysis
      showed that, in the resistant cell line, lonidamine alone did not affect cell
      kinetics, but when given after cisplatin it was able to transform the temporary
      G2 + M cell accumulation induced by the alkylating agent to a persistent block in
      S/G2 + M. In the A2780/cp8 cell line, lonidamine was also able to significantly
      enhance the accumulation of cisplatin-induced DNA interstrand cross-links. Our
      results suggest that lonidamine can positively modulate the anti-tumor activity
      of cisplatin in ovarian cancer cells and also indicate that the drug is
      potentially useful in combination therapy including the alkylating agent for
      ovarian cancer patients.

PMID- 1428237
TI  - Human gene MAGE-1, which codes for a tumor-rejection antigen, is expressed by
      some breast tumors.

PMID- 1428238
TI  - Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in patients aged 70 years and
      older: immediate and long-term results.
AB  - We analyzed all coronary angioplasty procedures performed in patients aged
      greater than 70 yr since 1987. There were a total of 92 patients with a mean age
      of 74 +/- 4 yr (range 70-82). The clinical diagnosis was unstable angina in 79%.
      Single-vessel disease was present in 41%, double-vessel in 29% and triple-vessel
      in 30% of patients. A left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 40% was
      present in 18 patients. Angioplasty was attempted on one vessel in 52 patients
      (56%), on two vessels in 29 patients (32%) and in three vessels in 10 patients
      (11%). Angiographic success was achieved in 96% of stenoses and in 53% of chronic
      total occlusions attempted. Complete revascularization was achieved in 56% of
      patients. Complications included three patients (3.2%) who underwent emergency
      coronary artery bypass grafting, 1 patient (1.1%) who sustained a myocardial
      infarction and 5 patients (5.4%) who died. During hospitalization, which averaged
      3 +/- 2 days, 1 patients sustained reversible renal failure and 5 patients
      required blood transfusion for a large groin hematoma. Clinical success at
      discharge was 83%. At a mean follow-up of 13 months (range 3-45 months),
      symptomatic improvement was observed in 59 of the 76 patients who had achieved
      clinical success, with 42 of these patients (55%) being asymptomatic. The
      following clinical events occurred: myocardial infarction in 1 patient, new
      percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in 9 and 3 patients died of
      cardiac reasons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428239
TI  - Metabolic adaptation of myocardial mitochondria to mild altitude hypoxia.
AB  - We studied the metabolic parameters of myocardial mitochondria (respiration,
      respiratory control index, oxidative phosphorylation rapidity and coefficient of
      oxidative phosphorylation) in two groups of rats: one living at an altitude of
      140 m above sea level (control group) and the other living from birth at an
      altitude of 1350 m above sea level for 2 and 4 months (experimental group).
      Compared with the control rats, the experimental rats during 2 and 4 months of
      mild altitude acclimatization increased their basal and stimulated respiration,
      as well as the rapidity of energy production by myocardial mitochondria. The
      coefficient of oxidative phosphorylation under mild altitude hypoxia decreased
      but the respiratory control index did not change. We explain these alterations of
      heart muscle metabolism at the mitochondrial level as an adaptation to the mild
      hypoxic conditions.

PMID- 1428240
TI  - Cardiac tamponade as presentation of systemic amyloidosis.
AB  - We present a patient with pericardial tamponade due to amyloid heart disease. A
      64-yr-old man was admitted to the hospital because of fatigue and the abrupt
      development of chest pain and dyspnea. Echocardiography showed severe pericardial
      effusion and total pericardiectomy was necessary. Ten months later laboratory
      studies revealed proteinuria and high serum creatinine. A rectal biopsy showed
      amyloid deposition that was also found in the pericardial tissue. Pericardial
      tamponade is an extremely rare complication of cardiac amyloidosis. To our
      knowledge, only one previous case of cardiac tamponade due to amyloid heart
      disease has been reported.

PMID- 1428241
TI  - "Serpentine heart". Direct observation of the human heart during profound
      hyperkalemia.
AB  - We observed cardiac contractility in a patient who had inadvertently received a
      massive overdose of potassium chloride during open heart surgery. Slowly
      advancing waves of contraction were present while the surface electrocardiogram
      showed the sine wave configuration typical of severe hyperkalemia. This is the
      first report of such an observation and may serve to promote proper diagnosis and
      treatment of similar cases.

PMID- 1428242
TI  - Coronary-cameral fistula in association with Klinefelter syndrome: exercise
      induced ventricular tachycardia late after surgical ligation.
AB  - Twenty two years after surgical ligation of a large coronary-cameral fistula
      originating from the circumflex artery and terminating to the right atrium, non
      sustained exercise-induced ventricular tachycardia occurred in a 26-year-old male
      with known Klinefelter (XXY) syndrome. Cardiac catheterization showed
      satisfactory closure of the defect, but also revealed occlusion of the circumflex
      coronary artery, associated with inferolateral infarction.

PMID- 1428243
TI  - Absence of the right superior caval vein associated with disease of the sinus
      node.
AB  - Absence of the right superior caval vein has been shown by postmortem studies of
      infants and children to be associated with histological abnormalities of the
      sinus node. We report the case of a 32-yr-old man who presented with syncope due
      to disease of the sinus node and was found to have absence of the right superior
      caval vein. He was successfully managed with implantation of an epicardial
      atrioventricular sequential pacemaker.

PMID- 1428244
TI  - Common arterial trunk with absence of the left pulmonary artery in a 32-year-old
      man.
AB  - We report a case of common arterial trunk with absence of the left pulmonary
      artery who was diagnosed at the age of 32 years. Pulmonary vascular disease made
      the condition inoperable. He does well with medical management after a follow-up
      of 20 months.

PMID- 1428245
TI  - Left internal thoracic artery bypass graft in arterial switch with coronary
      transfer for transposition of the great arteries.
AB  - The left internal thoracic artery was anastomosed to the circumflex coronary
      artery to treat myocardial ischemia during an arterial switch procedure for
      transposition of the great arteries in a 6-month-old infant. Follow-up
      angiography revealed complete patency of the anastomosis.

PMID- 1428246
TI  - Assessment of coronary stent by intravascular ultrasound.
AB  - The use of intravascular ultrasound to assess the adequacy of the deployment of
      an intracoronary stent is described. Although angiographically a good result was
      suggested, intravascular ultrasound showed this to be misleading.

PMID- 1428247
TI  - Exercise-induced bradycardia after Mustard repair for complete transposition.
AB  - Impairment of sinus rhythm has been reported after the Mustard procedure for
      complete transposition. We observed two patients who developed severe bradycardia
      during or after exercise. The first had a 2.8 s sinus pause in the recovery
      period, the second had a drop in heart rate during exercise. Both eventually had
      a pacemaker implanted. Exercise testing can be helpful in detecting sick sinus
      syndrome.

PMID- 1428248
TI  - Intermediate-term clinical and hemodynamic results of the neonatal arterial
      switch operation for complete transposition of the great arteries.
AB  - We prospectively evaluated 49 consecutive hospital survivors of the arterial
      switch operation for complete transposition and intact ventricular septum by
      clinical examination, echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, 12-lead and 24-h
      Holter ECG. The mean length of follow-up was 40 +/- 18 months. Forty-six children
      are clinically asymptomatic without medication, 2 died due to coronary related
      left ventricular dysfunction 3 and 12 months after surgery, and 1 required
      reoperation because of severe bilateral pulmonary branch stenoses. Except for
      this case, cardiac catheterization (n = 23) revealed a mean gradient of only 17
      +/- 8 mmHg between the right ventricle and distal pulmonary arteries. Left
      ventricular end-diastolic volume was within normal limits except for 2 cases with
      volumes slightly below normal, the mean ejection fraction was 78 +/- 5%, and end
      diastolic and end-systolic ventricular shapes were normal. The mean cardiac index
      was 4.14 +/- 0.69 l/min/m2. Left ventricular end-systolic wall stress to velocity
      of fiber shortening relation was normal in all cases examined (n = 15),
      indicating normal myocardial contractility. Significant neoaortic valve
      insufficiency was never observed despite considerably enlarged aortic roots.
      Twenty-four-hour Holter ECG records (n = 46) provided no evidence of serious
      atrial arrhythmias, especially sinus node dysfunction. These encouraging
      intermediate-term results make the arterial switch operation the treatment of
      choice at present, for neonates with simple transposition.

PMID- 1428249
TI  - Social adaptation of young adults with congenital heart disease.
AB  - The social status of 71 young adults (30 females, 41 males, aged 22.9 +/- 1.9 yr)
      with congenital heart disease was compared with that of 211 (106 females, 105
      males, mean age 23.2 +/- 1.4 yr) randomly selected controls. The clinical
      examinations included clinical study with ultrasonic visualization,
      electrocardiography, X-ray and measurement of exercise capacity. In the study
      group 87% had completed school at the secondary level and another 21% at high
      school level, while the corresponding figures in the control group were 98% and
      51%. About half of both groups continued to vocational training and a fifth to a
      higher level. Those without any vocational education made up 32% of the study
      group (95% confidence interval 21-43%) and 11% of the controls (95% confidence
      interval 7-15%). State benefits were the main source of income for 13% of the
      study group as compared to 2% among the controls. The employment status of the
      actual labour force showed no significant difference between the groups. Among
      patients with congenital heart disease there were significantly more of those who
      had developed a dependent life style, living with their parents without a marital
      or quasi-marital relationship. A cyanotic type of severe heart defect is one of
      the factors predisposing to poor success at school and a dependent lifestyle.
      Congenital heart disease, even when treated, is a significant factor which
      influences adult life. The results call for more practical support to assist
      psychosocial maturation, especially in patients with residual defects.

PMID- 1428250
TI  - Effect of diltiazem on norepinephrine-induced acute left ventricular dysfunction.
AB  - The present study has examined the role of diltiazem as a protective agent in a
      canine model of norepinephrine cardiotoxicity. Effects of diltiazem, 20
      micrograms/kg/min x 5 min pretreatment followed by 10 micrograms/kg/min x 90 min,
      or saline infusion were examined at baseline and 1 h after infusion of
      norepinephrine, 4 micrograms/kg/min for 90 min, in closed-chest anesthetized
      dogs. Left ventricular function was assessed by equilibrium radionuclide
      angiogram and two-dimensional echocardiogram. In 7 saline experiments,
      hypotension and increased heart rate were observed at 1 h post infusion. In the
      diltiazem-treated group (n = 7), mean arterial pressure and heart rate were
      unchanged. In the saline group, left ventricular ejection fraction fell from 0.50
      +/- 0.04 to 0.28 +/- 0.04. Left ventricular ejection fraction was unchanged in
      the diltiazem-treated group: 0.52 +/- 0.03 to 0.55 +/- 0.07. Left ventricular end
      diastolic volume was increased at 1 h post infusion in saline controls but not in
      the diltiazem-treated group. Measurement of fractional shortening from two
      dimensional echocardiograms also indicated left ventricular dysfunction in the
      saline but not diltiazem-treated groups. Left ventricular end-systolic wall
      stress following norepinephrine infusion was significantly increased in the
      saline but not diltiazem-treated groups: 122.7 +/- 18.7 vs 67.6 +/- 19.7 g/cm2,
      respectively. In dogs receiving saline without norepinephrine infusion, no
      significant changes occurred over the course of the experiment. Histologic
      examination showed mild contraction band necrosis in saline controls but not in
      sham saline dogs. Diltiazem showed intermediate histologic evidence of injury,
      which was not further quantified. This study suggests that effects of
      norepinephrine on left ventricular function in the canine model of norepinephrine
      cardiotoxicity may be largely due to increased wall stress following a prolonged
      increase in afterload. Diltiazem pretreatment afforded significant protection of
      left ventricular function.

PMID- 1428252
TI  - Young infarct patients with single-vessel occlusion do not have an underlying
      prothrombotic state to explain their coronary occlusion.
AB  - To determine the importance of a prothrombotic state in the pathogenesis of
      coronary occlusion in young infarct patients, assessment of risk factor profile
      and thrombotic tendency was undertaken in 25 young male patients (age less than
      45 yr) who were shown at angiography, following myocardial infarction, to have
      occlusion of a single coronary. Comparison was made with a control group of
      symptomatic males aged greater than 55 yr, who at angiography had significant
      disease in two or more coronary arteries (multi-vessel disease control group). At
      the time of the study more patients in the single-vessel disease study group
      smoked cigarettes (n = 12) compared to the control group (n = 5) (p less than
      0.01). Serum cholesterol and triglycerides were higher, and high density
      lipoprotein-cholesterol lower, in the single-vessel disease group but the
      difference reached significance only with the high density lipoprotein
      cholesterol. Quantitative platelet aggregability was similar in the two groups.
      Although the level of beta-thromboglobulin, was higher in the single-vessel
      disease study group the difference was not significant. There were also no
      significant differences between these groups in levels of fibrinogen, Factor XII
      and alpha-2 antiplasmin. Patients in the multi-vessel disease group, however, had
      increased Factor VII levels (p less than 0.01). There were no significant
      differences between the two groups in fibrinolytic potential or in levels of
      antithrombin III. Coronary occlusion in the young appears likely to be due
      primarily to an arterial (plaque) related event as opposed to an abnormal
      coagulation response to minor arterial plaque damage.

PMID- 1428251
TI  - The effect of antiplatelet therapy on platelet accumulation after experimental
      angioplasty in the rabbit iliac model.
AB  - Antiplatelet therapy is routinely used in balloon angioplasty. Yet recent
      clinical trials have not shown these agents to reduce the incidence of
      restenosis. As this might be due to inadequate antiplatelet effect, this study
      was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of antiplatelet therapy in reducing
      platelet accumulation immediately after angioplasty. Sixty-six atherosclerotic
      rabbits underwent angioplasty of a focal (50-99%) iliac stenosis after
      pretreatment with an antiplatelet drug. The animals were randomly given aspirin
      (10 mg/kg orally) (n = 10), aspirin (10 mg/kg intravenously) (n = 7), aspirin (10
      mg/kg per os) plus dipyridamole (25 mg orally) (n = 8), a thromboxane synthetase
      inhibitor (GS13080, 1 mg/kg/h intravenously) (n = 9) or heparin (500 U/kg
      intravenously) (n = 9). Platelet accumulation, determined by 51Cr-labeled
      platelet counts 30 min after angioplasty disclosed a significant reduction from
      control (44.1 +/- 51.2 platelets/cm x 10(6)) with intravenous aspirin (3.3 +/-
      1.9; p less than 0.007) and the thromboxane synthetase inhibitor CGS13080 (15.1
      +/- 16.6, p less than 0.04). Aspirin plus dipyridamole reduced platelet
      accumulation as well (10.4 +/- 9.8, p = 0.076), while oral aspirin (109.5 +/-
      240) and heparin (34.7 +/- 35.5) were ineffective. The results of this study
      demonstrate that pretreatment with antiplatelet agents can reduce platelet
      accumulation significantly after experimental angioplasty. However, the wide
      variability in effectiveness particularly with oral aspirin may have important
      clinical implications. Further investigation into more effective antiplatelet
      therapy may help to reduce the incidence of abrupt vessel closure and restenosis.

PMID- 1428253
TI  - A low plasma selenium is a risk factor for peripartum cardiomyopathy. A
      comparative study in Sahelian Africa.
AB  - A specific selenium deficiency is a risk factor for Keshan disease, an endemic
      cardiomyopathy observed in China. In a Sahelian area of Niger, plasma selenium
      concentration was measured by neutronic activation and particle induced X-ray
      emission in 35 black African women with peripartum cardiomyopathy and 36 breast
      feeding women without cardiac failure as controls. The plasma selenium
      concentration in patients was lower (48 +/- 25 ng/ml, mean +/- standard
      deviation) than in controls (77 +/- 16 ng/ml) (P less than 0.0001). Moreover, 40%
      (14/35) patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy had very low plasma selenium
      concentrations, below 45 ng/ml, versus none in controls. A low plasma selenium
      concentration is a risk factor for the Sahelian peripartum cardiomyopathy.

PMID- 1428254
TI  - Transesophageal echocardiography in adults with a continuous precordial murmur.
AB  - In order to assess the ability of echocardiography in the detection of
      intracardiac and extracardiac shunts, we studied 11 patients (aged 22-64 yr) with
      a continuous precordial murmur using transthoracic and transesophageal
      echocardiography, and correlated the results with the subsequent angiographic and
      surgical findings. We found that only in 5 of 6 patients with a patent arterial
      duct could the continuous flow pattern be detected in pulmonary artery using
      transthoracic echocardiography, whereas it could be readily and accurately
      identified by transesophageal echocardiography in all patients. The diameters of
      the patent arterial duct were also measured and found to be in good correlation
      with subsequent surgical findings (r = 0.98, p less than 0.05). In 2 patients
      with a ruptured aneurysm of sinus of Valsalva which originated from the right
      coronary sinus and perforated into the right ventricle, transesophageal
      echocardiography gave a better image than transthoracic echocardiography. In 2
      patients with coronary artery fistula, the origin and site of drainage of the
      coronary artery could be imaged using transesophageal echocardiography, but the
      course of coronary artery fistula was more easily detected by transthoracic
      echocardiography. In one patient with aortopulmonary window, the defect between
      ascending aorta and main pulmonary artery could readily be imaged by
      transesophageal echocardiography. We therefore recommend transesophageal
      echocardiography when evaluating patients with precordial continuous murmur in
      whom intracardiac and extracardiac shunts or defects are suspected.

PMID- 1428255
TI  - Electrophysiology and long-term efficacy of pentisomide in patients with
      supraventricular tachycardia.
AB  - The electrophysiologic effects of pentisomide were investigated after intravenous
      (5 mg/kg) and oral (900-1200 mg three times a day) application in 9 patients with
      drug refractory atrioventricular nodal tachycardia and 6 patients with
      orthodromic atrioventricular re-entrant tachycardia. Pentisomide did not change
      sinus cycle length, effective refractory period of the right ventricle and the
      atrioventricular node. AH, HV interval, effective refractory period of the right
      atrium, QRS duration and QTc duration were (p less than or equal to 0.01)
      increased. Tachycardia cycle length was only increased after intravenous
      application of pentisomide, antegrade effective refractory periods of the
      accessory pathways and shortest fully pre-excited R-R intervals during atrial
      fibrillation were increased after the oral treatment phase (p = 0.054).
      Intravenous pentisomide prevented tachycardia in 6/9 patients with
      atrioventricular nodal tachycardia and in 2/6 patients with atrioventricular re
      entrant tachycardia. If intravenous pentisomide did not prevent induction of the
      tachycardia, oral pentisomide was not effective either. During long-term follow
      up 2/7 patients with atrioventricular nodal tachycardia and 1/4 patient with
      atrioventricular re-entrant tachycardia had a recurrence. Long-term treatment
      with pentisomide had to be discontinued because of possible side effects in 2
      patients. It is concluded, that the electrophysiological effects of pentisomide
      are similar to those of flecainide and propafenone.

PMID- 1428256
TI  - Effects of phenytoin on the ventricular tachyarrhythmias of chronic Chagas'
      disease.
AB  - The effects of phenytoin on the ventricular tachyarrhythmias of 11 patients with
      chronic chagasic myocarditis were investigated, and correlated with the serum
      phenytoin levels. Physical examination, laboratory tests and 24- to 48-h
      ambulatory electrocardiographic recordings were performed before, during (7-14
      days) and after treatment with phenytoin (4-6 mg/kg/day, orally, in three divided
      doses). Significant (greater than 90%) reduction of couplets, bigeminy and runs
      of ventricular tachycardia were observed in 50-67% of the patients, whereas the
      frequency of isolated premature ventricular contractions was significantly
      (greater than 70%) reduced in only 2 patients (18%). Proarrhythmic activity was
      not observed and adverse side effects were of mild intensity and usually
      transient, except in one patient, who developed pruritus and skin rash in the
      presence of toxic phenytoin serum levels (27 micrograms/ml). It is suggested that
      phenytoin may be useful for the control of repetitive forms of ventricular
      tachyarrhythmias in selected patients with chronic chagasic myocarditis.

PMID- 1428257
TI  - Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries associated with
      hypoplasia of the morphological left ventricle in the setting of atrial situs
      inversus.
AB  - Hypoplasia of the morphological left ventricle associated with severe pulmonic
      stenosis and an intact ventricular septum in the setting of congenitally
      corrected transposition of the great arteries is a rare lesion. We report the
      clinical and echocardiographic findings of this lesion in a patient with atrial
      situs inversus.

PMID- 1428258
TI  - Electrophysiologic effects of selective B1 adrenergic stimulation in the late
      phase of myocardial infarct healing.
AB  - Nonspecific adrenergic stimulation plays an important role in the genesis of
      ventricular tachyarrhythmias in the postinfarction period. However, the role of
      selective B1 adrenergic stimulation in the aggravation of reentrant ventricular
      tachycardia is still poorly understood. The purpose of this investigation was to
      study the regional electrophysiologic actions and arrhythmogenic effects of the
      B1 adrenergic agonist dobutamine in a postinfarction canine model. Eleven dogs
      with 4-week-old anterior wall myocardial infarctions, chronic indwelling
      intramyocardial electrodes and no inducible sustained ventricular tachycardia at
      baseline, were studied in the closed-chest state at baseline (control) and during
      intravenous infusion of dobutamine 10 micrograms/kg/min. Dobutamine caused
      reductions in the effective and absolute refractory periods in the infarct, peri
      infarct and noninfarcted regions of the myocardium which were similar in
      magnitude at each region. With dobutamine, only 1 dog had inducible sustained
      ventricular tachycardia (polymorphic). No spontaneous arrhythmias were seen. In
      summary, selective B1 adrenergic stimulation alone does not cause dispersion of
      myocardial refractoriness and does not cause significant proarrhythmia in the
      chronically infarcted canine heart. Additional metabolic, electrolyte or ischemic
      abnormalities may be required for B1 adrenergic stimulation to aggravate
      arrhythmias in this model.

PMID- 1428259
TI  - Anaemia in children following cardiac transplantation: treatment with low dose
      human recombinant erythropoietin.
AB  - Anaemia is common in children following cardiac transplantation. In a series of 5
      children with anaemia beyond the immediate post-operative period one had a
      hypochromic, microcytic anaemia which corrected with oral iron. The other four
      had normochromic, normocytic anaemias unresponsive to iron or folate
      supplementation and associated with inappropriately low levels of erythropoietin.
      Subcutaneous administration of low dose human recombinant erythropoietin to these
      four patients resulted in correction of their anaemia. Our findings suggest that
      erythropoietin deficiency is an important cause of anaemia in transplant
      recipients and should be sought in cases of anaemia refractory to conventional
      haematinic therapy. In cases of proven erythropoietin deficiency, treatment with
      erythropoietin is effective, acceptable to patients and preferable to repeated
      blood transfusion.

PMID- 1428260
TI  - Is a parental history of coronary arterial disease in children as discriminating
      as their lipoprotein profile? Nino Jesus Group.
AB  - The relationship between hyperlipidemia and a parental history of heart attack
      and other related disorders was studied in 2224 two- to 18-yr-old children in
      Madrid (Spain). Children were divided into three groups: those with a parental
      history of heart attack (first group), a parental history of stroke,
      hypertension, diabetes mellitus or hypercholesterolemia (second group), and no
      parental history of disease (third group). The number of children with higher
      than normal levels of total cholesterol (greater than 200 mg/dl), LDL-cholesterol
      (greater than 135 mg/dl) and/or apolipoprotein B100 (greater than 75 mg/dl) was
      significantly higher in the first and second group (positive parental history)
      than in the third (no parental history). Children and adolescents with a parental
      history of heart attack (first group) had significantly higher mean levels of
      total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol; in the 2- to 13-yr age group a
      significantly higher level of apolipoprotein B was also found. Children and
      adolescents belonging to the second group had a significantly higher level of LDL
      cholesterol, and a significantly higher level of apolipoprotein B was also found
      in the 2- to 13-yr age group. However, only 15% of children with
      hypercholesterolemia had a parental history of heart attack or other related
      disorders. This percentage was 41% when second-degree relatives were included in
      the family history. We conclude that a parental history is not enough to detect
      children with an abnormal lipid profile who might be at risk for early
      development of coronary arterial disease.

PMID- 1428261
TI  - Balloon angioplasty for native coarctation of the aorta in children and adults:
      factors determining the outcome.
AB  - Balloon angioplasty was performed in 46 patients (age 2-40 yr) with discrete
      native coarctation of aorta. Patients with associated patent ductus arteriosus,
      aberrant subclavian artery and aneurysms were excluded. The peak systolic
      gradient across the coarcted segment decreased from 52.1 +/- 18.5 mmHg to 18.6 +/
      14.8 mmHg (p less than 0.001), and the diameter of the coarcted segment
      increased from 3.6 +/- 1.7 mm/m2 to 9.1 +/- 3.2 mm/m2 (p less than 0.001). Follow
      up haemodynamic and angiographic studies performed in 21 patients at 13.1 +/- 6.9
      months after angioplasty, showed good results in 15 patients. Four patients
      undergoing haemodynamic study and 4 other patients undergoing noninvasive
      evaluation were graded as having bad results at follow-up. In 5 of these patients
      the poor results were due to primary failure of angioplasty in relieving the
      gradient, and three developed re-coarctation after initial fall in the trans
      coarctation gradient. Four risk factors were identified on univariate analysis,
      which were associated with significantly larger residual gradients at follow-up:
      (1) size of isthmus/size of coarcted segment ratio less than 3.0; (2) size of
      post-coarctation descending aorta/size of isthmus ratio greater than 1.75; (3)
      size of coarcted segment after angioplasty/size of coarcted segment before
      angioplasty ratio less than 2.0; and (4) size of balloon/size of coarcted segment
      ratio less than 3.0. The presence of one or more risk factors was associated with
      bad late results. On multivariate analysis the ratio of balloon size/coarcted
      segment size was found to be the sole independent predictor of the late outcome
      (p less than 0.02).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428262
TI  - Ventricular late potentials: another expression of cardiotoxicity of cytostatic
      drugs in children?
AB  - With the aim of finding a sensitive method to detect early anthracycline-induced
      myocardial damage ultimately resulting in cardiomyopathy, we studied the
      occurrence of ventricular late potentials, using a signal averaged
      electrocardiogram, in 68 children with cancer during or after chemotherapy. Ten
      (15%) of the children showed late potentials; in addition, patients treated with
      cytostatic drugs had significantly lower voltages of the last 40 ms of the QRS
      complex (RMS40) and a longer duration of low amplitude signals in the terminal
      QRS (LAS) than control patients. The occurrence of late potentials was not
      significantly correlated with anthracycline therapy or dosage, nor with the
      presence of echocardiographic abnormalities; in none of the patients we found
      late potentials during therapy with anthracyclines. We therefore conclude that
      late potentials are not helpful for early detection of myocardial injury. The
      occurrence of late potentials, however, does show another expression of
      cardiotoxicity not specifically related to anthracycline therapy. The occurrence
      of these late potentials may have prognostic significance with regard to the risk
      of ventricular arrhythmias during longer follow-up of these patients.

PMID- 1428263
TI  - Effects of dietary supplementation with fish oil on prostanoid metabolism during
      acute coronary occlusion with or without reperfusion in diet-induced
      hypercholesterolemic rabbits.
AB  - We studied the changes in myocardial and aortic concentrations of prostacyclin
      and thromboxane A2 during acute coronary occlusion with or without reperfusion in
      rabbits fed with a cholesterol-enriched diet with or without fish oil
      supplementation for a short (5 days) or long period (6 weeks). New Zealand white
      male rabbits were divided into 5 groups: Group I, 15 control rabbits fed with a
      laboratory standard rabbit chow. In addition to the standard chow, the 4 study
      groups were treated with cholesterol or fish oil. Group II, 17 rabbits fed with a
      1% high cholesterol diet for 5 days. Group III, 16 rabbits fed with a diet
      containing 1% cholesterol and 10% fish oil for 5 days. Group IV, 17 rabbits fed
      with the same diet as group II for 6 weeks. Group V, 18 rabbits fed with the same
      diet as group III for 6 weeks. Each group of rabbits was randomly divided into
      the coronary occlusion or occlusion-reperfusion mode of experiment. Acute
      coronary occlusion was induced by ligating the marginal branch of the left
      circumflex coronary artery for 1 h. Subsequent reperfusion for 4 h was performed
      in the occlusion-reperfusion rabbits. The aortic tissue above the aortic valve
      and the ischemic and normal (nonischemic) areas of the left ventricle were
      excised for the measurement of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and thromboxane B2 levels by
      radioimmunoassay. Both during coronary occlusion and occlusion-reperfusion,
      rabbits showed higher myocardial concentrations of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and
      thromboxane B2 in the ischemic area than in the normal myocardium.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428264
TI  - Atrial natriuretic factor and concomitant hormonal, hemodynamic and renal
      function changes after slow continuous ultrafiltration.
AB  - We treated a patient with refractory biventricular heart failure, dilutional
      hyponatremia and prerenal azotemia, by means of ultrafiltration. After
      ultrafiltration, gas exchange and cardiac output improved, with concomitant
      reduction of systemic and pulmonary vascular resistances. Despite a decrease of
      right atrial and wedge pressure, atrial natriuretic factor rose and plasma renin
      activity decreased.

PMID- 1428265
TI  - Repair of asymptomatic aortic valve disease during other cardiac surgery.
AB  - Repair of asymptomatic aortic valve disease was performed in 12 patients (9
      female, 3 male, mean age 57.5 years) undergoing other cardiac surgery. Stenosis
      was the predominant aortic valve lesion in 7 (group A) with a mean gradient of
      33.4 mmHg and regurgitation of mean grade 1.4 was predominant in 5 (group B).
      Cusp debridement +/- commissurotomy was performed in 9; commissural resuspension
      in 6 and repair of cusp perforation in 2. Perioperative transoesophageal
      echocardiography was used to assess the adequacy of repair in 4 patients.
      Prospective precordial echocardiographic follow-up is complete (mean 4.3 months).
      In group A there has been a significant reduction is peak aortic pressure
      gradient (33.4 vs 22.1 mmHg, p less than 0.05) and in cusp thickness (2.25 to
      1.64 mm, p less than 0.05). In group B the degree of incompetence has improved in
      3 of the 5 patients. Three patients have worsened valve disease following repair;
      in all these there was mixed valve disease of rheumatic origin. Aortic valve
      repair of asymptomatic disease during other cardiac surgery is a feasible
      technique which does not accelerate the disease process in the short term. Long
      term follow-up is in progress to assess the prognosis of this preventive
      intervention.

PMID- 1428266
TI  - The sensitivity of intracoronary injection of acetylcholine in inducing coronary
      spasm differs in patients with stable and unstable angina.
AB  - In an attempt to clarify the role of coronary artery spasm in the pathogenesis of
      unstable angina, acetylcholine (20 and 50 micrograms) was injected directly into
      the coronary arteries of 19 patients with unstable effort angina (group 1), 30
      patients with unstable spontaneous angina (group 2), and 15 patients with stable
      effort angina due to coronary artery organic stenosis (greater than or equal to
      75%) (group 3). Coronary spasm was defined as severe vasoconstriction (greater
      than or equal to 90% of luminal diameter) with chest pain and/or ischemic ST
      segment changes. Intracoronary injection of acetylcholine induced spasm of at
      least one coronary artery in 19 patients (100%) of group 1 and 28 (93%) of group
      2 but only 3 (20%) of group 3 (p less than 0.01). When acetylcholine was injected
      into the left and right coronary arteries separately, multivessel spasm (spasm of
      both coronary arteries) was induced in 5 of 12 (42%) patients of group 1 and in 9
      of 23 (39%) patients of group 2. In contrast, intracoronary acetylcholine did not
      cause multivessel coronary spasm in any of 15 patients of group 3 (0%). These
      results suggest that coronary arteries in patients with unstable effort angina as
      well as spontaneous angina are susceptible to spasm and that coronary artery
      spasm may be responsible at least in part for the genesis of attacks in these
      patients.

PMID- 1428267
TI  - The influence of captopril on intrahospital mortality and duration of
      hospitalization in Nigerians with congestive heart failure.
AB  - A retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of captopril on
      intrahospital mortality and the duration of hospitalization in Nigerians with
      congestive heart failure. In 1989 and 1990, the mortality rates were 13.7% and
      15.2%, respectively, and it appeared to be reduced to 6.6% in 1991 after the
      introduction of captopril. There was a significant (p less than 0.001) increase
      in the proportion of patients with early discharges (less than 10 days
      hospitalization) following the addition of captopril to the standard antifailure
      regime in Nigerians.

PMID- 1428268
TI  - Amiodarone reduces QT dispersion in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
AB  - To compare QT interlead variability (dispersion) in patients who receive a class
      III antiarrhythmic with those not on antiarrhythmic therapy, we measured QT in
      all 12 leads of a standard ECG in 24 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,
      12 (50%) of whom were on amiodarone monotherapy and 12 (50%) who were not on
      amiodarone or other cardioactive medication which could affect QT. Age,
      functional class, chamber dimension or the degree of left ventricular hypertrophy
      expressed by maximal wall thickness (21 +/- 5 vs 20 +/- 4 mm; p = NS) was not
      different between the amiodarone and the non-amiodarone group. Maximal corrected
      QT (QTc) was greater in patients receiving (488 +/- 25 ms) compared to those not
      receiving amiodarone (451 +/- 23 ms) (p less than 0.001). However, QTc dispersion
      defined as the difference of maximum minus minimum QTc was decreased in the
      amiodarone (48 +/- 10 ms) compared to the non-amiodarone group (78 +/- 17 ms) (p
      less than 0.001). We conclude that in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,
      amiodarone prolongs QTc but reduces QTc dispersion. These results agree with
      expected changes in ventricular recovery time in patients who receive Class III
      antiarrhythmic agents and provide further support to the theory that QTc
      dispersion reflects regional differences in ventricular recovery time.

PMID- 1428269
TI  - Relationship between stature and coronary heart disease in a German male
      population.
AB  - Short stature in men has previously been associated with a higher risk of
      coronary heart disease. In order to further investigate this observation, the
      physical characteristics of 4470 German men admitted to the Klinik Roderbirken
      between 1978 and 1989 with a documented myocardial infarction and with a stenosis
      greater than or equal to 75% in at least one vessel were compared to those of 711
      male controls. Results indicated that the myocardial infarct group was
      significantly shorter by 1.8 cm than the control group (p less than 0.001).
      However, discriminant function analysis indicated that height accounted for only
      1% of the variance between the cardiac and control patients. Classification
      analysis further indicated that on the basis of height, the percentage of
      subjects correctly classified for grouping was no better than 54% for the
      myocardial infarct patients and 57% for the controls. It was concluded that
      height exerted a minimal influence on coronary heart disease in this population.

PMID- 1428270
TI  - Transoesophageal Doppler pulmonary venous flow pattern and left atrial
      spontaneous contrast in mitral stenosis.
AB  - The relationship between transoesophageal Doppler pulmonary venous flow pattern
      and spontaneous left atrial contrast was studied in 23 patients with isolated
      severe mitral stenosis (mitral valve area = 0.8 +/- 0.2 cm2). The patients with
      none or minimal (1+) spontaneous contrast (n = 15, group I) were compared with
      those with significant spontaneous contrast (grade 2+, n = 8, group II) with
      regard to peak systolic velocity (33 +/- 14 cm/s vs 28 +/- 12 cm/s, p = NS), peak
      diastolic velocity (36 +/- 14 cm/s vs 28 +/- 8 cm/s, p = NS) and peak atrial
      reversal velocity (19 +/- 4 cm/s vs 19 +/- 8 cm/s, p = NS), systolic forward flow
      velocity time integral (3.37 +/- 1.73 cm vs 2.78 +/- 0.9 cm, p = NS), diastolic
      forward flow velocity time integral (2.85 +/- 1.2 cm vs 2.65 +/- 1.87 cm, p =
      NS), ratios of peak systolic and diastolic velocity (0.91 +/- 0.21 vs 0.95 +/-
      0.29, p = NS) and duration of diastolic deceleration (117 +/- 59 ms vs 132 +/-
      106 ms, p = NS). The results show that the occurrence of spontaneous contrast in
      the left atrium in patients with mitral stenosis is not related to the Doppler
      estimated pulmonary venous flow.

PMID- 1428271
TI  - Discordance between abdominal and atrial arrangement in a case of complex
      congenital heart disease.
AB  - The report describes a rare case of a complex congenital heart disease wherein
      the splenic status and the relationship of the suprarenal abdominal great vessels
      strongly suggested right isomerism, but atrial morphology demonstrated usual
      atrial arrangement. It emphasises the increasing recognition that the arrangement
      of the abdominal organs need not accurately reflect atrial arrangement.

PMID- 1428272
TI  - The syndrome of absent or faint second heart sound, rapid systole and forward
      collapsing pulse.
AB  - A syndrome consisting of an absent or faint second heart sound, prominent cardiac
      impulse and non-regurgitant or forward collapse of the pulse is described. There
      was, moreover, no second sound or flow murmur audible in either the aortic or the
      pulmonary area even though the impulse and collapsing pulse suggested a
      hyperdynamic circulation; the upstroke was sharp but without the full waterhammer
      knock. It is argued that the dominant cause of the collapsing pulse will usually
      be vasodilation, that absence or faintness of the second sound is due to a narrow
      angle of divergence between the ventricular and arterial pressure decay curves,
      and that in marked contrast to aortic regurgitation the quality of the impulse
      derives from rapid systole of lightly loaded ventricles. Although they described
      its separate elements, pre-homeostatic era clinicians may have overlooked the
      syndrome in the belief that the heart regulated a largely passive circulation,
      regarding only primary intracardiac events and the first heart sound as
      important. Sir William Stokes nevertheless foresaw that alterations in the second
      sound might be due to changes in vascular tone as well as in elasticity. Wider
      recognition, deeper understanding and appropriate correction of this syndrome may
      prove both useful and enlightening.

PMID- 1428273
TI  - A case of multiple pericardial hydatid cysts.
AB  - Pericardial cysts are rare developmental benign intrathoracic lesions and
      constitute 7% of all mediastinal tumors. As many as 70% of the cysts are found in
      the right cardiophrenic angle. Unusual locations include the left costophrenic
      angle, the hilum and the superior mediastinum at the level of the aortic arch.
      Cysts arising inside the pericardial cavity and attached to the heart are
      exceedingly rare. We describe a case of multiple pericardial hydatid cysts.

PMID- 1428274
TI  - Ventricular septal aneurysm in a case of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
AB  - Cardiac abnormalities are a recognised feature of connective tissue disorders. We
      report a case of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome associated with an aneurysm of the
      membranous ventricular septum and mitral valve prolapse. To our knowledge this is
      the first reported association of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and ventricular septal
      aneurysm.

PMID- 1428275
TI  - Aschoff node histogenesis.

PMID- 1428276
TI  - Infective endocarditis after balloon mitral dilatation.

PMID- 1428277
TI  - Mechanism of cyanotic spells in tetralogy of Fallot--the missing link?
AB  - The mechanism of cyanotic spells in patients with tetralogy of Fallot is not
      clear. Increases in infundibular contractility or hyperpnoea have been considered
      as the key factors, but this explanation appears inadequate. In this review,
      arguments are presented against these commonly held views. Preliminary evidence
      is synthesised in favour of another more plausible hypothesis that cyanotic
      spells may result from mechanoreceptor stimulation from the right ventricle.
      Increased contractility (due to catecholamines) and decreased right ventricular
      size (due to various factors) can trigger a reflex resulting in hyperventilation,
      some peripheral vasodilation without bradycardia, and this may initiate a spell.
      This mechanism explains most of the precipitating events and many other issues
      about cyanotic spells more satisfactorily.

PMID- 1428278
TI  - Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and myocardial bridging.
AB  - Two patients are reported in whom hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was associated with
      myocardial bridging of the left anterior descending coronary artery. One had a
      history of angina and recurrent syncope, the other had chest pain and exertional
      dyspnoea. In each case the diagnosis was made by cross-sectional echocardiography
      and coronary angiography.

PMID- 1428280
TI  - Giant epicardial lipoma.
AB  - A patient undergoing coronary artery bypass was found to have a giant epicardial
      lipoma weighing 1.36 kg which was excised uneventfully. The radiological and
      pathophysiological features are considered, and the options for management
      discussed.

PMID- 1428279
TI  - Mycotic aneurysm of the descending aorta diagnosed by echocardiography.
AB  - We present a 3-yr-old girl with coarctation of aorta and patent ductus arteriosus
      in whom mycotic aneurysm and bacterial endarteritis developed postoperatively and
      was diagnosed by two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography. Five weeks after
      the operation of ligation of ductus and resection of coarctated segment, the
      patient was readmitted with complaints of vomiting, fever and coughing. Bacterial
      endarteritis, empyema and septic arthritis were diagnosed. Suprasternal
      echocardiographic examination demonstrated an aneurysmatic appearance 60 x 65 mm
      in size at the location of coarctation. The patient died, most probably due to
      aortic rupture, before surgical treatment could be undertaken. Autopsy study
      confirmed our diagnosis.

PMID- 1428281
TI  - Radiofrequency ablation of incessant ventricular tachycardia to prevent multiple
      defibrillator shocks.
AB  - In a patient who received frequent shocks from an implantable defibrillator, a
      slow ventricular tachycardia originating in a large left ventricular aneurysm was
      ablated with radiofrequency current. Pacemapping perfectly matched the
      spontaneous, incessant arrhythmia. Local entrainment was present, along with a
      mid-diastolic potential of 65 microV. Application of 30 W terminated tachycardia
      within 12 s. He had no more recurrences during follow-up.

PMID- 1428283
TI  - Powerful hemodynamic determinants of left ventricular mass.

PMID- 1428282
TI  - Recurrent acute myocardial infarction during sport.
AB  - A 48-yr-old well conditioned man developed acute myocardial infarction twice
      during sporting activities. After both events right coronary angiography showed a
      moderate proximal stenosis and, 5 months later, a subtotal obstruction at the
      site of prior slight lumen irregularity. This case suggests a causal relationship
      between sport and the occurrence of acute coronary events.

PMID- 1428284
TI  - It is still controversial which is the correct way to report and to interpret
      event rates of clinical trials.

PMID- 1428285
TI  - Lung function in atrial septal defect after heart surgery.
AB  - Lung volume, indices of lung elasticity and airway patency were measured in 74
      patients, 9-21 yr old (15.0 +/- 2.5 yr) with atrial septal defect (secundum type)
      from 2-11 (5.1 +/- 2.5) yr after successful surgical correction. Clinical
      condition in all patients was classified as excellent. Heart surgery was
      performed at the age of 4-14.8 (9.9 +/- 3.0) yr. Lung function abnormalities were
      found in 35 (47.3%) patients. Lung recoil pressure was significantly increased in
      24 (32.4%) patients. The mean value of lung recoil pressure at 100% of total lung
      capacity reached 123 +/- 31% of the predicted value (P < 0.0001). Specific static
      compliance was within normal limits. Specific airway conductance was
      significantly reduced in 13 (17.6%) patients. Maximum expiratory flow at 25% of
      vital capacity was significantly reduced in 4 (5.4%) patients. Static lung
      volumes did not differ from reference values. Since various abnormalities of lung
      function tests (most frequently the tests suggested increased lung stiffness and
      obstruction of larger airways) were revealed in almost half of the studied
      children and adolescents after successful surgery for atrial septal defect, we
      propose to carry out lung function tests routinely as another criterion of health
      conditions in these patients.

PMID- 1428286
TI  - Marked alternans of the elevated ST segment during occlusion of the left anterior
      descending coronary artery in percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty:
      clinical background and electrocardiographic features.
AB  - To investigate the clinical background and the electrocardiographic features of
      marked alternans of the elevated ST segment during coronary angioplasty, we
      examined 12-lead electrocardiograms recorded continuously during occlusion of the
      left anterior descending coronary artery by balloon inflation in 41 patients. The
      incidence of marked ST alternans was 27% of 41 patients and 15% of 117 balloon
      occlusions. The incidence decreased progressively from the first to the third
      occlusion. The time course of ST alternans was determined. Compared with patients
      without ST alternans, patients with ST alternans had a shorter history of angina,
      less severe stenosis of the target lesion before coronary angioplasty, more leads
      showing ST elevation during occlusion, higher ST elevation during occlusion and
      lower incidence of previous myocardial infarction in the left anterior descending
      coronary arterial area. ST alternans recorded on the surface electrocardiogram
      may thus be considered a marker of acute severe and extensive myocardial
      ischemia.

PMID- 1428287
TI  - Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in patients more than 75 years
      old: early and long-term results.
AB  - Over 4 yr, 102 consecutive patients more than 75 yr old (56 men, 46 women; mean
      age 78 +/- 3 years, range: 76-89 years) underwent 120 percutaneous transluminal
      coronary angioplasty procedures. At baseline, 86% had severe anginal symptoms
      (Canadian class III or IV), 43% had a history of prior myocardial infarction; 61%
      had multivessel coronary artery disease, and mean left ventricular ejection
      fraction was 60 +/- 11%. Calcifications were observed on 66% of the dilated
      arteries. A total of 158 vessels (1.3 vessel per procedure) were attempted: 1
      vessel in 89 procedures (74%), 2 vessels in 24 (20%) and 3 vessels in 7 (6%). The
      primary success rate was 80% per lesion (126/158) and 77% per procedure (92/120).
      Complications included 3 deaths (3%), 9 Q-wave infarctions (7.5%) and there was
      no emergency coronary bypass surgery. The primary success rate was significantly
      related to the absence of coronary calcifications on the dilated segment (88%
      versus 75%, p < 0.05) and to the initial patency of the dilated artery (subtotal
      stenosis: 83% versus total occlusion: 53%, p < 0.05). Follow-up data were
      obtained in the 79 consecutive patients with a duration of follow-up exceeding 8
      months. The mean duration of follow-up was 23 +/- 13 months (range 8 to 61
      months). No patient was lost to follow-up; 11 patients died (cardiac causes: 7),
      2 had a non-fatal infarction, 7 had aortocoronary bypass surgery and 18 had
      repeat percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1428288
TI  - Electrophysiological abnormalities of the atrial muscle in patients with sinus
      node dysfunction without tachyarrhythmias.
AB  - The duration and the number of fragmented deflections of the right atrial
      electrograms were assessed and quantitatively measured in 74 patients who
      underwent endocardial catheter mapping during sinus rhythm. The bipolar
      electrograms were recorded at 12 sites in the right atrium. An abnormal atrial
      electrogram was defined as a duration of 100 ms or longer, and/or 8 or more
      fragmented deflections, according to our previous criteria. The patients were
      divided into two groups. The control group consisted of 41 age-matched patients
      with normal sinus node function and without paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. The
      study group comprised 33 patients with sinus node dysfunction but without
      tachyarrhythmias. Abnormal atrial electrograms were observed in 8 (19.5%) control
      patients, and in 16 (48.5%) sinus node dysfunction patients; p < 0.02. The total
      number of abnormal electrograms was 14 (2.89%) of 483 atrial electrograms in
      controls, and 36 (9.38%) of 384 in the study group; p < 0.0002. The mean duration
      (75.6 +/- 17) and the mean number of fragmented deflections (4.1 +/- 2) of the
      total atrial electrograms in the sinus node dysfunction group was significantly
      greater than that in controls (70.9 +/- 11 and 3.6 +/- 1, respectively); p <
      0.01. The mean number of abnormal electrograms per patient in the study group
      (1.06 +/- 1.8) was significantly higher than that in the control group (0.3 +/-
      0.8); p < 0.05. These data suggest that: (1) there is a significantly greater
      electrophysiological abnormality of the atrial muscle in patients with sinus node
      dysfunction but without paroxysmal atrial fibrillation than in age-matched
      controls, and (2) not only the sinus node but also the atrial muscle is
      electrophysiologically altered in patients with sinus node dysfunction but
      without tachyarrhythmias.

PMID- 1428289
TI  - Reappraisal of electrical cure of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia-
      lessons from a modified catheter ablation technique.
AB  - A modified catheter ablation technique was studied prospectively in 29 patients
      with atrioventricular (AV) nodal reentrant tachycardia. A His bundle electrode
      catheter was used for mapping and ablation. Cathodic electroshocks (100-250 J)
      were delivered from the distal two electrodes (connected in common) of the His
      bundle catheter to the site selected for ablation. The optimal ablation site
      recorded the earliest retrograde atrial depolarization, simultaneous or earlier
      than the QRS complex, with absence of a His bundle deflection during AV nodal
      reentrant tachycardia. One additional electrical shock was delivered if complete
      abolition of retrograde VA conduction persisted for more than 30 min and AV nodal
      reentrant tachycardia was not inducible during isoproterenol and/or atropine
      administration. With a cumulative energy of 323 +/- 27 J and a mean of 2.3 +/-
      0.5 shocks interruption or impairment of retrograde nodal conduction was
      achieved. Antegrade conduction, although modified, was preserved in 27 patients,
      with persistence of complete AV block in 2 patients. Two of the 27 patients still
      need antiarrhythmic agents to control tachycardia, the other 25 patients were
      free of tachycardia within a mean follow-up period of 13 +/- 2 months (range 7 to
      20 months). Twenty-three patients received late follow-up electrophysiological
      studies (3-6 months after the ablation procedures), and the AV nodal function
      curves were classified into 4 types. The majority of the patients (15/23) had
      loss of retrograde conduction. Among the 8 patients with prolongation of
      retrograde conduction, 4 patients still had antegrade dual AV nodal property but
      all without inducible tachycardia. In conclusion, preferential interruption or
      impairment of retrograde conduction was the major, but not the sole, mechanism of
      electrical cure of AV nodal reentrant tachycardia.

PMID- 1428290
TI  - Alterations in cardiac diastolic function in patients with ankylosing
      spondylitis.
AB  - Ankylosing spondylitis is associated with a decreased survival that appears
      attributable to cardiovascular causes. To determine whether alterations in
      systolic or diastolic cardiac function precede overt cardiac disease, 20
      ankylosing spondylitis patients without clinical evidence of cardiovascular
      disease and 25 healthy age and gender matched controls were studied by cross
      sectional and Doppler echocardiography. Systolic function was assessed by wall
      motion analysis and ejection velocities. Diastolic function was measured by the
      peak velocity of early ventricular inflow, peak velocity in late diastole during
      atrial systole, the ratio of these velocities and the diastolic filling time.
      Atrial, ventricular and aortic dimensions were similar in patients and controls.
      Ejection indexes and systolic wall motion were normal in both groups. Diastolic
      function differed in patients as evidenced by a shorter diastolic filling period
      [405 +/- 68 ms vs 548 +/- 136 ms, p = 0.0001], a reduced velocity of early mitral
      inflow [0.55 +/- 0.09 m/s vs 0.63 +/- 0.11 m/s (p = 0.005)], and lower ratios of
      early/late inflow velocities [1.21 +/- 0.33 vs 1.60 +/- 0.35 (p = 0.0005) for
      mitral and 1.36 +/- 0.34 vs 1.71 +/- 0.42 (p = 0.016) for tricuspid]. These
      changes are consistent with impaired ventricular relaxation in some patients with
      ankylosing spondylitis.

PMID- 1428291
TI  - Cardiopulmonary exercise testing early after catheter-balloon mitral
      valvuloplasty in patients with mitral stenosis.
AB  - Seven female patients (age 27 to 53 yr) with significant mitral stenosis
      performed continuous, incremental, maximal treadmill exercise tests the day
      before and within 3-5 days after catheter-balloon valvuloplasty. Mitral valve
      area determined by the echo-Doppler method increased from 0.9 +/- 0.3 cm2 to 1.9
      +/- 0.7 cm2 (p < 0.02). Mean left atrial pressure was reduced from 24 +/- 8 to 13
      +/- 7 mmHg (p < 0.01) and mean pulmonary artery pressure from 36 +/- 13 to 28 +/-
      10 mmHg (p < 0.02) with a non-significant increase in cardiac output from 3.6 +/-
      1.2 to 4.0 +/- 1.7 l/min. After catheter-balloon valvuloplasty all patients
      reached a higher maximal workload during exercise, and mean value of oxygen
      consumption and pulmonary ventilation were significantly lower in submaximal
      workloads. The calculated ventilatory equivalent for oxygen was significantly
      reduced in submaximal and in maximal workloads after catheter-balloon
      valvuloplasty. Peak oxygen consumption and the ventilatory anaerobic threshold
      were not changed after catheter-balloon valvuloplasty (pre 15.59 +/- 2.72 vs post
      16.90 +/- 3.44 and pre 12.10 +/- 2.55 vs post 12.62 +/- 2.71 ml/kg/min,
      respectively). We concluded that after catheter-balloon valvuloplasty the cost of
      breathing was reduced and the oxygen consumed was more effectively utilized
      during exercise. Increases in peak oxygen consumption and in ventilatory
      anaerobic threshold would require circulatory and metabolic adaptations in
      response to increased physical activity and were not observed when
      cardiopulmonary tests were performed early after catheter-balloon valvuloplasty.

PMID- 1428292
TI  - Doppler echocardiographic determination of aortic and pulmonary valve orifice
      areas in normal adult subjects.
AB  - Cross-sectional and Doppler echocardiography were performed in 36 healthy adult
      subjects (aged 19 to 50 yr, mean 28 +/- 9; male 23, female 13) to establish
      normal values for aortic and pulmonary valve orifice areas. Standard continuity
      equation using echo-determined ventricular outflow tract diameters and Doppler
      determined flow-velocity integrals from the outflow tracts and the corresponding
      great arteries, was employed to calculate the valve areas. Mean left ventricular
      outflow tract diameter was 1.92 +/- 0.17 cm (range 1.5-2.3 cm) and right
      ventricular outflow tract diameter was 1.80 +/- 0.18 cm (range 1.5-2.2 cm).
      Calculated aortic valve orifice area was 2.63 +/- 0.31 cm2 (1.76 +/- 0.2 cm2/m2)
      and correlated poorly with body surface area (r = 0.31, p > 0.05). Mean pulmonary
      valve orifice area was 3.01 +/- 0.36 cm2 (2.02 +/- 0.20 cm2/m2) and had a modest
      correlation with body surface area (r = 0.38, p < 0.05). No difference was
      observed between males and females for indexed aortic and pulmonary valve orifice
      areas. These data provide normal values for echocardiographically determined
      semilunar valve orifice areas and question the practice of indexing valve area
      for body surface in adult subjects.

PMID- 1428293
TI  - Surgical pathology of the mitral valve: gross and histological study of 1288
      surgically excised valves.
AB  - A consecutive series of 1288 mitral valves surgically excised from 1981 through
      1989 were studied macroscopically and histologically. The explanted valves were
      affected by: chronic rheumatic disease (1179, 91.5%), floppy mitral valve (84,
      6.5%), bacterial endocarditis (19, 1.5%), and post-ischemic mitral incompetence
      (6, 0.5%). Among 1179 post-rheumatic cases, mixed mitral stenosis and
      incompetence was the most frequent malfunction (747, 58%). Isolated mitral
      incompetence was diagnosed in 72 (6.11%) cases only, and isolated stenosis in 360
      cases. In 52 valves, excised because of chronic rheumatic disease, the histology
      showed unexpected signs of acute rheumatism of the leaflets and the papillary
      muscles. In these patients clinical symptoms and blood tests were negative for
      rheumatic disease. Mitral incompetence, possibly due to papillary muscle
      dysfunction, was the prevalent lesion (61.5%). A total of 181 patients (14.05%)
      with pure mitral incompetence underwent surgery. In 84 patients (46.4%), the
      floppy mitral valve was the most frequent cause of valve dysfunction, 72 (39.8%)
      had rheumatic disease, 19 (10.5%) infective endocarditis, and 6 (3.4%) ischemic
      heart disease. In the group with floppy mitral valve, males were more prevalent
      than females (51:33). The mean age of the 4 patients with Marfan's syndrome and
      non-Marfan patients was noticeably different (17 vs 49 yr). Moreover leaflet
      deformation, tendinous cord elongation and annulus dilatation were the most
      common causes of valve incompetence. Floppy mitral valve and infective
      endocarditis were the cause of cordal rupture in 43.5% of the cases. This was a
      severe complication which always required emergency surgery.

PMID- 1428294
TI  - Comparison of acute and steady-state conditions of gallopamil therapy in stable
      angina pectoris.
AB  - We studied 12 patients with stable effort angina in a randomized, double-blind,
      cross-over and placebo-controlled trial to compare the different antianginal
      efficacy of "acute" and "chronic" (after reaching a steady-state level)
      gallopamil therapy. Efficacy was assessed using treadmill exercise testing (Bruce
      protocol) after a 50 mg single-dose and at the end of a nine-dose course of 50 mg
      of gallopamil (given three times a day). Three daily exercise tests were
      performed the first, second, fifth and eighth day of the study protocol at 8, 12
      and 16 h. Four hours after a single-dose of gallopamil 50 mg both angina-free
      exercise time and time to 1 mm ST segment depression increased by a mean value of
      78 s (p < 0.003) and 53 s (p < 0.03), respectively, with respect to placebo
      values. Under steady-state conditions exercise time and time to 1 mm ST segment
      depression increased by a mean value of 59 s (p < 0.009) and 46 s (p < 0.015),
      respectively, 4 h after the last dose. The duration of the anti-ischemic effects
      was no longer present after 8 h for both treatment schedules. Furthermore no
      significant differences were observed on parameters of ischemia after a single
      dose as compared to "chronic" therapy. The results of this study reveal that, in
      accordance with the pharmacodynamic properties of the drug, the anti-ischemic
      efficacy of 50 mg of gallopamil remains for approximately 4 h. Reaching a steady
      state condition does not imply a prolongation of the anti-ischemic effect.

PMID- 1428295
TI  - Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of prednisolone after intravenous and oral
      administration.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of prednisolone were investigated
      according to four different routes of administration: 20 and 40 mg prednisolone
      orally in the morning, 20 mg prednisolone orally in the evening and 40 mg
      prednisolone intravenously in form of prednisolone phosphate in the morning. The
      plasma levels of prednisolone were followed using HPLC. To study the
      pharmacodynamics of prednisolone, glucose levels and various blood cell
      parameters such as erythrocytes, leukocytes, segmented neutrophilic granulocytes,
      eosinophils, basophils, monocytes and lymphocytes were followed. To summarize the
      data, the area under the effect-time-curve (AUCE) was calculated by the
      trapezoidal rule. The results show that the pharmacokinetics of prednisolone is
      dose-dependent (non-linear) and time-dependent. Prednisolone concentrations in
      plasma after a 20 mg and 40 mg dose are very similar, indicating that the
      pharmacokinetics of prednisolone are non-linear and dose-dependent with a higher
      clearance for higher concentrations. The comparison of 20 mg administered in the
      morning with the same dose given in the evening shows that the pharmacokinetics
      of prednisolone after oral administration of equal doses changes during the day
      with higher concentrations in the morning than in the evening. Furthermore, the
      results of the present study confirm the presence of pharmacodynamic
      corticosteroid effects on blood cell count and blood glucose. No statistically
      significant differences were observed for the four different treatments. In
      summary, it can be concluded that due to the complex pharmacokinetics of
      prednisolone, it is difficult to make accurate predictions of the expected effect
      time relationships.

PMID- 1428296
TI  - A comparative study of free plasma choline levels following intramuscular
      administration of L-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine and citicoline in normal
      volunteers.
AB  - L-alpha-glycerylphosphorylcholine (alpha-GPC) is a recently developed cognitive
      enhancer whose mode of action is considered to involve the release of free
      choline, which is then utilized for acetylcholine and phosphatidylcholine
      biosynthesis in the brain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the profile
      of free plasma choline levels following a single i.m. dose of alpha-GPC in 12
      normal volunteers. Citicoline (CTC), which also acts as a choline precursor, was
      included for comparison purposes. Each subject was studied on three randomized
      occasions, (i) in a control day in the absence of drug administration (to
      evaluate the plasma level profile of endogenous choline), (ii) after i.m. alpha
      GPC (1,000 mg) and (iii) after i.m. CTC (1,000 mg) respectively, with a wash-out
      period of at least 1-week between sessions. Blood samples for plasma choline HPLC
      determinations were collected at regular intervals over a 6 h period. In the
      control session, plasma choline levels remained stable during the sampling
      period. The administration of alpha-GPC was associated with a rapid rise in
      plasma choline, peak levels being usually observed at the first (0.25 h) or
      second (0.5 h) sampling time after the injection. Thereafter, the concentration
      of choline declined gradually and returned to near baseline values at the end of
      the observation period. After the administration of CTC, plasma choline levels
      showed a similar time course but were considerably lower than those observed
      after the administration of alpha-GPC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428298
TI  - Professional role of the clinical pharmacologist.
AB  - The position of clinical pharmacologists in the field of medicine is reviewed. In
      more than one-third of the medical schools in Europe, teaching of clinical
      pharmacology is inadequate or non-existent. The situation in Italy is even worse;
      there are, however, 18 schools of specialization in pharmacology in that country,
      covering four areas, clinical and applied pharmacology, toxicology and
      chemotherapy with the course lasting four years. In addition there are 13
      hospitals at regional level which provide service in clinical pharmacology,
      though in most of these the clinical pharmacologist has no direct clinical
      responsibilities. Three basic requirements, accepted by the College of Italian
      Pharmacologists, are listed aimed at obtaining official recognition of the
      professional role of a physician specialized in clinical pharmacology.

PMID- 1428297
TI  - A simple useful method for the determination of hepatic function in patients with
      liver cirrhosis using caffeine and its three major dimethylmetabolites.
AB  - Serum concentrations of caffeine (CA) and its three major dimethylmetabolites
      (theobromine; TB: paraxanthine; PX: theophylline; TP) were measured in fifteen
      patients with cholelithiasis, in ten patients with cirrhosis and in ten healthy
      subjects after the oral CA (2 mg/kg) loading. The correlations of total body
      clearance (CL) between three-point study (sampling times 1, 2 and 4 h) and nine
      point study (sampling times 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 24 h) were highly
      significantly correlated (r = 0.988, p less than 0.001). The elimination half
      life (t1/2) of CA was significantly longer in cirrhotic patients than in the
      other two groups. Cirrhosis had no effect on the apparent volume of distribution
      (Vd) of CA, but CL of CA was substantially reduced in these patients. Production
      of the three metabolites of CA, but mainly PX, was reduced in patients with
      cirrhosis. There were significant correlations between the serum PX/CA (r =
      0.911, p less than 0.001) and (PX + TB + TP)/CA (r = 0.905, p less than 0.001)
      ratios and CL of CA at 4 h after CA administration in the three groups. These
      findings suggest that CA pharmacokinetic parameters can be estimated using a
      simplified three-point blood sampling procedure following a single oral load and
      that the serum PX/CA or (PX + TB + TP)/CA ratio in a single blood sample taken 2
      or 4 h after dosing provides a useful indicator for the assessment of hepatic
      drug-oxidizing capacity, N-demethylation, in decompensated liver cirrhosis.
      However, CA test was unable to distinguish the difference of liver function
      between the control subjects and in patients with cholelithiasis.

PMID- 1428299
TI  - Establishing requirements for the use of terms for reporting adverse drug
      reactions.
AB  - The establishment of a project for the standardization of international reporting
      of adverse drug reactions (ADR), sponsored by the Council for International
      Organizations of Medical Sciences is described. The need to establish
      requirements for properly diagnosing a given suspected ADR and to describe it
      with the correct terms is demonstrated. However in view of the difficulties
      involved, it is suggested that the present deliberate approach needs to be
      reconsidered.

PMID- 1428300
TI  - Efficacy and tolerability of medium-term treatment with simvastatin in primary
      hypercholesterolaemia.
AB  - 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, a new class of
      hypolipidaemic agents, have been recently shown to be effective in lowering both
      total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol. In the present study 20
      patients were treated with simvastatin for six months. Various dosing regimens of
      10, 20, and 40 mg/day were employed. Administration of simvastatin 10 to 40
      mg/day resulted in a 24.7 to 35.8% reduction in LDL-cholesterol levels and in a
      19.5 to 26.9% decrease of total cholesterol levels. Moreover, simvastatin
      increased high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and induced a decrease in plasma
      triglycerides. The side-effect profile was similar to other observations and
      included reversible transaminase elevations, myalgia and gastrointestinal
      complaints. From the present study simvastatin seems to be well tolerated in the
      short- to medium-term and to be effective; however, its long-term tolerability
      needs to be confirmed.

PMID- 1428301
TI  - Effect of midecamycin acetate on gastrointestinal motility in humans.
AB  - The effect was studied on gastrointestinal motor activity of three different
      macrolides (erythromycin, roxithromycin and midecamycin acetate), administered by
      mouth in therapeutic doses. This placebo-controlled study was performed in 12
      normal human subjects by means of intraluminal pressure measurements in the
      gastric antrum, duodenum and upper jejunum. In each subject, three manometries
      were done for 5 h in the interdigestive period and for 3 h postprandially. In the
      interdigestive period, midecamycin acetate did not affect the characteristics of
      the gastric migrating motor complex (MMC) and did not increase the number of
      antral contractions or the gastric motility index as compared to the placebo.
      Erythromycin and roxithromycin increased the number of antral contractions (24.5
      +/- 11 versus 15.2 +/- 7 and 28.4 +/- 12 versus 14.9 +/- 5.9 respectively) and
      the motility index (4.05 +/- 0.5 versus 3.17 +/- 0.6 and 4.38 +/- 0.2. versus
      3.64 +/- 0.7 respectively) as compared to the placebo. In the postprandial
      period, the number of antral contractions was not significantly increased by any
      of the three antibiotics. The postprandial antral motility index was not
      significantly increased by midecamycin acetate. In contrast, the postprandial
      antral motility indexes after erythromycin (4.4 +/- 0.5) and after roxithromycin
      (4.3 +/- 0.2) were significantly greater than after the placebo. In the upper
      small intestine, erythromycin elicited an increased number of phase-III-like
      activity events and roxithromycin shortened the MMC cycle length. Midecamycin
      acetate had no effect on interdigestive upper jejunal motility. The postprandial
      jejunal motor activity was not altered by any of the three antibiotics neither
      during the interdigestive nor the postprandial periods.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1428302
TI  - Effects of calcium channel blockers on cardiovascular responses to smoking in
      normotensive and hypertensive smokers.
AB  - To evaluate the effects of short- and long-term administration of calcium (Ca)
      entry blockers on cardiovascular responses to cigarette smoking, 28 normotensive
      and 26 hypertensive smokers were studied. According to a double-blind, cross-over
      design, normotensive smokers were given a single dose (10 mg) of isradipine or a
      placebo and were checked before and after dosing. After a four-week period on a
      placebo, hypertensive smokers were treated with slow-release nicardipine 40 mg
      twice daily for six months and were checked at the end of the placebo period,
      after the first dose of nicardipine and at the end of six months of therapy. In
      both groups, blood pressure and heart rate were monitored by a Takeda TM 2420 non
      invasive device every 3 min for 2 h. During the first hour patients were not
      allowed to smoke, during the second hour they were asked to smoke one cigarette
      every 15 min. In both normotensive and hypertensive smokers, calcium entry
      blockers produced a significant attenuation of the rise in blood pressure induced
      by cigarette smoking. Such effect was more evident after long-term therapy.
      Acceleration of the heart rate due to smoking was not significantly affected by
      the administration of Ca-antagonists, although a tendency towards a lesser heart
      rate increase was observed, particularly after long-term treatment. It was
      concluded that calcium entry blockers, reducing blood pressure variability, which
      bears a positive relationship with target organ damage, might be useful in the
      treatment of hypertensive smokers who were unwilling or unable to stop smoking.

PMID- 1428303
TI  - Metabolic aspects of acute cerebral hypoxia during extracorporeal circulation and
      their modification induced by acetyl-carnitine treatment.
AB  - Following their previous research experiences in human tissue hypoxia, in the
      present study the authors. investigated the metabolic effects of acute brain
      hypoxia in a group of patients in course of extracorporeal circulation for aorto
      pulmonary bypass. One hundred subjects were treated, half with a placebo and half
      with acetyl-carnitine to evaluate the effects of oxidative stress in some brain
      plasmatic metabolites and to verify the effect of acetyl-carnitine on the tissue
      energy capacity. The levels of lactate, pyruvate, succinate and fumarate showed a
      significant imbalance due to hypoxia, while the acetyl-carnitine treatment
      confined the metabolic gradients within physiological limits. This means that
      during the course of extracorporeal circulation brain hypoxia plays a
      pathological role assuming the typical picture of cellular oxidative damage and
      the acetyl-carnitine antagonizes these deleterious effects of hypoxia by a
      protective mechanism on the energy processes and then on the cellular enzymic
      activities. In this regard, the d-tyrosine levels, considered as a proteolytic
      index, confirm the action of acetyl-carnitine on the cell morpho-functional
      integrity.

PMID- 1428304
TI  - Combined therapy with cyclobenzaprine and ibuprofen in primary fibromyalgia
      syndrome.
AB  - Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs are not very effective, even if commonly
      used, in primary fibromyalgia syndrome (PFS), whereas cyclobenzaprine (C) has
      proved to be quite useful. The aim of this open randomized study was to compare
      low-dose C alone or in combination with ibuprofen (I) in 32 female patients
      suffering from PFS. Fifteen patients were given C 10 mg, and 17 patients C 10 mg
      plus I 600 mg. All patients received the drugs orally at night and were evaluated
      at baseline and at days 5 and 10. Assessment of efficacy included the number of
      tender points (max. = 16), muscle tightness (score 1-5), sleep difficulty (score
      1-10), pain intensity (visual analogue scale 0-10) and duration of morning
      stiffness (min). At the end of the study all symptoms were found to be improved
      to the same extent in both treatment groups. An exception was morning stiffness,
      which became significantly more reduced in the patients taking C plus I. No
      patient discontinued the trial owing to adverse side-effects. In conclusion, C
      and I given concomitantly at night proved to be safe and advantageous in
      relieving the discomfort of PFS in the short term.

PMID- 1428305
TI  - Subchondral vascularisation and osteoarthritis.
AB  - A prospective experiment was carried out in 40 rabbits in which the blood supply
      to the patella was interrupted for defined periods from 2 weeks to 6 months. With
      prolonged ischaemia, there were clear changes in the articular cartilage which
      were comparable with those seen in human osteoarthritis.

PMID- 1428306
TI  - Histological examination of surface repair tissue after successful osteotomy for
      osteoarthritis of the hip joint.
AB  - In this study biopsy specimens of the surface repair tissue from the
      weightbearing area of the hip joint were collected from 15 patients who had
      undergone successful valgus osteotomy, and these were examined histologically. In
      6 of the 15 patients the specimens stained strongly with safranin-O in all three
      layers of the matrix. However, the repair tissue from another 6 patients showed
      strong staining only in the intermediate and deep layers, while that from 2
      patients stained only in the deep layer. Specimens from 5 patients were stained
      for S-100 protein and positive cells were detected in all cases, demonstrating
      that the cells in the repair tissue were chondrocytes. However, there was no tide
      mark in the repair tissue and the arrangement of the cells differed from that in
      normal cartilage. Discontinuity of the subchondral bone was also noted. These
      findings make it likely that the repair tissue was of bone marrow origin.

PMID- 1428308
TI  - Osteochondritis dissecans patellae. Is there a genetic predisposition?
AB  - The aetiology of Osteochondritis Dissecans Patellae remains controversial. We
      present a family suffering from the condition in all members of one generation.
      Clinical data support the hypothesis that the aetiology of the disorder in this
      family is recurrent subluxation of the patella, the inherited predisposing factor
      being an abnormality of the mechanics of the knee.

PMID- 1428307
TI  - The long term outcome of open total and partial meniscectomy related to the
      quantity and site of the meniscus removed.
AB  - Two hundred patients were randomly selected for either a partial or a total
      meniscectomy for a meniscal tear during open operation. They were followed for a
      median of 7.8 years after operation. After partial meniscectomy, posterior horn
      tears had the worst outcome, but this was only apparent when more than two-thirds
      of the meniscus had been removed. The amount of meniscal tissue excised was
      inversely related to the function of the knee, except with bucket-handle tears
      treated by partial meniscectomy. Patients with bucket-handle, anterior and
      posterior horn tears had similar functional results after total meniscectomy.
      Preservation of the peripheral rim of the meniscus following partial meniscectomy
      produces the best functional results.

PMID- 1428309
TI  - Synovial haemangioma of the knee joint.
AB  - Synovial haemangioma of joints are rare, but usually affect the knee joints of
      children and adolescents. Recurrent swelling, usually due to haemarthrosis, and
      intermittent pain may be present for a long time before the diagnosis is made. In
      this case report the common features of the condition are described, with
      emphasis on the occurrence of atraumatic haemarthrosis in children. The value of
      arthroscopy in diagnosis is discussed.

PMID- 1428310
TI  - Intertrochanteric osteotomy for the treatment of chronic slipped capital femoral
      epiphysis.
AB  - Thirty six patients with a chronic slip of the capital femoral epiphysis and a
      femoral headneck angle of more than 30 degrees, as measured in a lateral
      radiograph, were treated by intertrochanteric osteotomy. The patients had an
      abnormal gait, an average age of 14.1 years and symptoms for an average of 14.5
      months. The postoperative complications included two patients with avascular
      necrosis of the femoral head, four with coxa vara and two with loss of position
      requiring further operation. At an average of 7.5 years after operation 14 were
      good, 18 fair, and 4 poor on clinical assessment, with 13 good, 19 fair and 4
      poor when judged by radiographs. Patients with complications had only fair or
      poor results. A postoperative head-neck angle of less than 10 degrees indicated a
      good result.

PMID- 1428311
TI  - The management of unreduced traumatic dislocation of the hip in developing
      countries.
AB  - Traumatic dislocation of the hip often remains untreated in developing countries.
      This paper reports the outcome of twenty nine patients with neglected
      dislocations (3 anterior and 26 posterior). We have outlined the indications for
      five different methods of treatment. An attempt has been made to explain the
      causes of poor results.

PMID- 1428313
TI  - Experimental kyphoscoliosis induced in rats by selective brain stem damage.
AB  - The relationship between damage to particular brain stem nuclei related to
      postural control and equilibrium and the occurrence of spinal deformity has been
      investigated. The model used was the Wistar albino rat and the brain stem
      structures damaged were the gracillis nucleus, the superior colliculus and the
      lateral vestibular nucleus. Out of 60 brain stem damaged animals, 44 had accurate
      lesions from which 11 (25%) showed kyphoscoliotic deformities. Rats with spinal
      deformity showed an imbalance of the paraspinal muscles when assessed by EMG;
      this was expressed by an increase of muscular activity on the convex side. This
      study indicates that postural dysfunction caused by brain stem damage may induce
      kyphoscoliosis in experimental animals and could be one of the underlying
      mechanisms in the production of human idiopathic scoliosis.

PMID- 1428314
TI  - Failed lumbar spinal surgery.
AB  - Failures and poor results of 160 patients after lumbar spinal surgery between
      1980 and 1984 were analysed retrospectively. A self-rated questionnaire carried
      out 12 months after operation revealed 20 poor results; these occurred most
      commonly after multiple operations, decompression and fusion as compared to disc
      excision. The commonest cause was failure to recognise abnormal pain behaviour
      before operation. A more careful preoperative assessment should reduce the
      incidence of failure.

PMID- 1428312
TI  - The suppression of heterotopic ossification after total hip arthroplasty.
AB  - In a double-blind prospective randomised study we examined the effects of
      Diclofenac on heterotopic ossification after hip arthroplasty. Either the drug,
      or a placebo, was given by mouth to 158 patients in doses of 3 x 50 mg for 6
      weeks. Diclofenac resulted in highly significant improvement (p less than 0.0001
      versus controls) without severe side-effects. Heterotopic ossification decreased
      from 55% in the placebo to 15%. Significant degrees of heterotopic ossification
      did not occur with the drug. Movement of the hip was considerably increased after
      operation. We recommend Diclofenac prophylaxis against heterotopic ossification
      after hip operations in view of the serious clinical effects of this complication
      and its quoted incidence of 15% to 80%.

PMID- 1428315
TI  - [Clinical results of the treatment of chronic hematogenous osteomyelitis of the
      femur by operation. A series of 165 cases].
AB  - Between 1968 and 1987 the authors treated 165 cases of chronic haematogenous
      osteomyelitis of the femur by operation. The procedure used combined
      decompression, sequestrectomy and saucerization in 161 cases, and sequestrectomy
      alone in 4. Chemotherapy was used in association for between 10 and 60 days.
      Eleven patients, thought to be healed, were lost to follow-up after 4 months. The
      remainder were reviewed for between 4 and 252 months, 124 for more than one year.
      After the first operation 105 lesions (64%) healed completely, while 60 (36%)
      relapsed. Of these, 48 were treated by further operation and 12 by drainage of
      the abscess. Nine patients relapsed twice and there were 3 or more relapses in a
      further 9. When last seen, 147 lesions were healed and 18 had a permanent sinus.
      Special features in relation to the femur are discussed, including destructive
      lesions of the knee and hip joints, the high incidence of stiffness of the knee
      even in the absence of radiographic evidence of destruction (48.5%), and the
      danger of injuries to the femoral vessels when using an approach through a medial
      sinus. The frequency of occurrence of lesions on both medial and posterior
      aspects of the femur has led the authors to recommend definitive surgical
      approaches, especially the true postero-lateral and antero-medial routes.
      Unsatisfactory results after operation may be due to the difficulty in performing
      sequestrectomy in deep and extensive lesions, problems in undertaking adequate
      saucerization and the lack of muscle to fill the residual cavity.

PMID- 1428316
TI  - Evaluation of radiological investigations in spinal tuberculosis.
AB  - Thirty-four cases of spinal tuberculosis were investigated by plain radiography,
      computerised tomography and myelography followed by computerised tomography. All
      the patients were operated on and the findings compared with the results of the
      investigations.

PMID- 1428317
TI  - Reconstruction of the pelvic ring after tumour resection.
AB  - Three different types of vascularised bone grafts have been used to reconstruct
      the pelvic ring after resection of tumours. Rapid bone healing is guaranteed and
      the period of rehabilitation is lessened compared with conventional methods.

PMID- 1428318
TI  - Intraoperative radioactive localization of small bone tumours.
AB  - A sodium-iodide scintillation probe and a portable scaler rate-metre were used to
      localize small bone tumours at operation, after the preoperative injection of
      technetium-99m methylene diphosphonate. This technique allows complete removal of
      the tumour nidus of an osteoid osteoma or the active part of other lesions
      without undue sacrifice of the surrounding bone. The method has been used for
      successful relief of pain in thirteen patients.

PMID- 1428320
TI  - Osteofibrous dysplasia of the tibia treated by bracing.
AB  - Osteofibrous dysplasia of the tibia in children will commonly recur after
      surgical resection. The use of a leg brace until puberty offers a useful method
      of conservative management. Seven female patients, age three months to nine years
      at the time of brace treatment, have been followed for 3.5 to 18 years, an
      average of nine years, with evidence of satisfactory healing of the lesions in
      all. Three of the cases had recurred after surgery, two with fibular grafts and
      one required leg lengthening. The use of a brace to control bowing of the tibia
      while awaiting spontaneous regression is advised until epiphyseal closure.

PMID- 1428319
TI  - Allogenic decalbone in the repair of benign cystic lesions of bone.
AB  - Forty-six cases of benign cystic lesions of bone were treated by curettage and
      compact filling using partially decalcified allogenic bone graft (Decalbone); of
      these, 35 were available for study. Decalbone was prepared by partial
      decalcification with 0.6 N hydrochloric acid (HCl) of human bones generally
      obtained from freshly amputated limbs. The commonest lesions of bone were giant
      cell tumours (14) and aneurysmal bone cysts (15), and the commonest bones
      involved were the femur (23) and the tibia (12). There was one failure and four
      recurrences. Five cases were infected but this did not interfere with healing of
      the primary lesion. Radiological incorporation of the graft was seen at about 3
      months in unicameral bone cysts, at 4-6 months in aneurysmal bone cysts and at 6
      9 months in giant cell tumours. There was no recurrence in any case of giant cell
      tumour, but three aneurysmal bone cysts recurred. There was no clinical immune
      reaction.

PMID- 1428321
TI  - Leiomyosarcoma of the great saphenous vein.
AB  - Primary malignant tumours of the great saphenous vein are extremely rare with
      only 15 cases reported in the English literature since 1919. We report a patient
      who survived 5.5 years after treatment with surgery and chemotherapy before dying
      from lung metastases.

PMID- 1428322
TI  - Arthrolysis in the relief of post-traumatic stiffness of the elbow.
AB  - A retrospective clinical study of 34 patients treated by arthrolysis for elbow
      stiffness is presented. These patients had sustained previous injury which was a
      simple fracture in 44%. The average age at operation was 31 years with a range
      from 6 to 57 years. Follow up for a minimum of one year, and an average of four
      years, showed an increase of motion from a preoperative average of 45 degrees to
      a postoperative average of 92 degrees with few complications and only three
      unsatisfactory results. This analysis has allowed conclusions concerning the
      technique and indications for operation.

PMID- 1428323
TI  - Simultaneous flexion of the thumb and index finger after a fracture of the first
      metacarpal bone. A case report.
AB  - We report a case in which simultaneous flexion of the thumb and index finger
      occurred after a fracture of the 1st metacarpal bone. This was demonstrated to be
      due to a fibrous adhesion around an anomalous slip between the tendons of flexor
      pollicis longus and flexor digitorum profundus indicis.

PMID- 1428324
TI  - Chondromyxoid fibroma of the scapula. A case report.

PMID- 1428325
TI  - [Walking in children after poliomyelitis].
AB  - Between 1983 and 1990 the authors examined 630 children who had suffered from
      poliomyelitis, mostly between the age of one and three, at an average age of 9
      years 3 months. Half were unable to walk because of residual paralysis. Operation
      was carried out on 252 children. Most underwent soft tissue release at the hips,
      knees or tendo Achilles. Triple arthrodesis was carried out on 24. Calipers,
      produced locally, were used, and trunk bracing was not employed. The average
      duration of treatment was 3 months, with gradual achievement of correction.
      Vascular complications occurred in one leg, there were 5 paralyses of the sciatic
      nerve and 4 fractures of the upper tibia. One hundred children who were not able
      to walk before operation were reviewed. Sixty five were walking and able to go to
      school. The best results were achieved before the age of 12.

PMID- 1428326
TI  - Bilateral ankylosis of the hips following heterotopic ossification of the ilio
      psoas in a child.
AB  - A case of bilateral ankylosis of the hip in a 3-year-old child due to heterotopic
      ossification of the iliopsoas following a long period of coma is presented. A
      review of the literature has failed to reveal a similar case with such extensive
      heterotopic ossification. The patient was treated successfully by surgical
      excision of the heterotopic bone which was extra-articular and extra-capsular and
      involved only the iliopsoas muscles.

PMID- 1428327
TI  - Pulmonary function in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis.
AB  - Two groups of patients, with an average age of 15 years, have been studied to
      establish the improvement in pulmonary function after surgical correction in
      relation to the amount of correction achieved. The first group of 33 patients
      were treated surgically; an average Cobb angle of 72 degrees was reduced to 32.6
      degrees. The second group of 30 patients with an average Cobb angle of 33 degrees
      were not operated on. Results of tests undertaken have shown that pulmonary
      function was improved by surgical correction, but the improvement does not match
      the degree of correction achieved. Statistical analysis of the two groups shows a
      difference in cardiopulmonary function to the advantage of those who were not
      operated on. This suggests that there is partial irreversibility of ventilation
      and perfusion in those who are treated surgically.

PMID- 1428328
TI  - Correction of the sagittal plane in idiopathic scoliosis using the Zielke
      procedure (VDS).
AB  - This paper reports a retrospective review of 91 patients with idiopathic thoracic
      scoliosis corrected by Zielke VDS instrumentation. The results were analysed to
      demonstrate the correction in all three planes. Satisfactory correction was
      obtained, and was particularly good in the sagittal and horizontal planes. There
      were no disadvantages from the thoracotomy.

PMID- 1428329
TI  - Operative treatment of unstable thoracolumbar fractures by the posterior approach
      with the use of Williams plates or Harrington rods.
AB  - Two similar groups of patients with unstable fractures and fracture dislocations
      of the thoracic or lumbar spine have been treated with the posterior application
      of Williams plates or Harrington distraction rods over a period of 10 years. The
      instrumentation was routinely removed from 13 to 19 months after insertion. The
      initial preoperative kyphotic angle was corrected by a mean of 4.5 and 6.9
      degrees respectively. However, follow up after a minimum of four years has shown
      a loss of correction by a mean of 14.4 and 12.7 degrees to an angle of 21.9
      degrees even in the Harrington rod cases. These results do not show the ability
      to maintain correction of deformity by either method with a dorsal approach.
      Reduction and stabilization of fractures of the spine should be directed to the
      anterior part of the vertebrae to overcome late deformity of the spine.

PMID- 1428330
TI  - Translaminar screw fixation of the lumbar spine.
AB  - Lower lumbar spinal fusion was carried out in 72 patients by a technique which
      involved screw fixation of the facet joints. Stability was achieved and
      mobilisation was allowed immediately. Radiographs after operation showed bony
      fusion in 94.5%. Pain was diminished and 76% of the patients would undergo the
      same treatment again. There were no neurological complications. The technique is
      useful and safe for the fusion of short segments of the lumbar spine.

PMID- 1428331
TI  - Halo-cast treatment of fractures and dislocations of the cervical spine.
AB  - Twenty-eight consecutive patients with dislocated, and often unstable, injuries
      of the cervical spine were treated by halo-cast stabilisation. One died and 27
      were followed up. Twenty had no symptoms and 17 had full movement of the neck.
      There were only a very few minor complications. Seven patients had initial
      neurological impairment. They included the single death, but the remaining 6
      regained useful muscle function. The halo-cast allows complete reduction in many
      types of fractures and dislocations, and good immobilisation is maintained.

PMID- 1428332
TI  - Transplantation of an island fascial flap with a vascular pedicle for arthoplasty
      of the hip.
AB  - Intra-articular transplantation of a vascularised island fascial flap has been
      used for arthroplasty of the hip in 18 patients with an average age of 22 years.
      They have been followed up for an average of 3 years; 14 were graded excellent
      and 4 good using the criteria of Charnley and Wu Zhikang. The procedure has a
      place in the treatment of hip disease in the younger patient.

PMID- 1428333
TI  - Listeria infection in an old hip implant.

PMID- 1428334
TI  - Listeria monocytogenes infection in prosthetic joints.
AB  - Listeria monocytogenes is increasingly recognised as a cause of prosthetic joint
      infection. These infections tend to be more insidious and indolent in contrast to
      similar infections with Staphylococcus aureus. They can occur in patients who are
      immunocompromised due to malignancy or other illness or in nonimmunocompromised
      elderly patients. Listeria infections should not be treated with cephalosporins
      and prolonged antimicrobial treatment is generally advised for prosthetic joint
      infections. We noted a high affinity of L. monocytogenes for foreign bodies.
      Three of twenty-seven cases 11%) of listeriosis under the period of investigation
      were associated with foreign bodies (hip prosthesis, knee prosthesis and arterial
      graft).

PMID- 1428336
TI  - Macrodactyly of the hands and feet.
AB  - Sixteen patients with macrodactyly have been reviewed; the hand was involved in 9
      (one was bilateral) and the feet in 7. The condition was familial in 3. No
      qualitative difference was found between the static and progressive types. In the
      hand, the digital nerve was enlarged and lengthened whereas in the foot it looked
      normal. Microscopy showed infiltration of the nerve by fat and fibrous tissue in
      the hand and only slight perineural fibrosis in the foot.

PMID- 1428335
TI  - Rotator cuff tears in anterior dislocation of the shoulder.
AB  - We diagnosed 16 rotator cuff tears in 109 shoulders in 104 patients with a
      traumatic anterior dislocation. Twelve of these were followed up for an average
      of 32 months. A surgical repair of the cuff was carried out in eleven and the
      results were satisfactory in eight (73%) regardless of a Bankart lesion. The
      repair of a torn cuff seems to be sufficient to stabilise the shoulder in elderly
      patients, even when a Bankart lesion is present and is not repaired.

PMID- 1428338
TI  - Injuries in paragliding.
AB  - In a retrospective study, 376 paragliding accidents have been analysed. Leg
      injuries were most common, but a large number of spinal injuries also occurred.
      The causes were either misjudgement by the pilot or the influence of weather and
      terrain. Improvements in the instructor's knowledge and the pilot's training
      could have prevented most of the accidents. Analysis of the mechanisms of the
      crashes and the pattern of trauma help to produce an efficient approach to
      diagnosis and treatment.

PMID- 1428337
TI  - [Absorbable rods and screws: a new method of fixation for fractures of the
      olecranon].
AB  - Between April 1986 and July 1990 fractures of the olecranon in 41 adult patients
      were treated by fixation with absorbable rods (20 patients) and screws (21
      patients) of self-reinforced polyglycolide (SR-PGA), 3.2 mm in diameter and 20-70
      mm in length. Patients were followed up for a mean time of 2 years 7 months
      (range 1 year to 4 years 6 months). After reduction of the fracture, channels
      were drilled from the proximal fragment through the cortex of the distal fragment
      and the fractures were fixed with absorbable rods or screws. By one year from
      follow-up maintenance of an anatomical reduction of the fracture was seen in 34
      patients. Failure of fixation requiring a second operation occurred in 2 cases.
      In all cases functional recovery was at least satisfactory. Sinus formation as a
      sign of transient tissue reaction was observed in 3 cases, but did not influence
      the healing of the fractures or the functional recovery. The results in patients
      treated with rods or screws was similar. Absorbable screws combined with small
      rods and absorbable sutures allow treatment of +ore severe fractures of the
      olecranon than do rods alone.

PMID- 1428339
TI  - Prediction of late complications of femoral neck fractures by scintigraphy.
AB  - A prospective study was undertaken to determine the value of scintigraphy in
      predicting nonunion or necrosis of the femoral head following femoral neck
      fractures. Scintigraphy was carried out in 49 patients before operation and in 37
      one week after operation; in 18 it was done before and after operation. The
      uptake of isotope was estimated visually as either normal or reduced compared to
      the opposite side. All the patients were followed up for at least 2 years. The
      results indicate that pre-operative bone scintigraphy is useful in elderly
      patients to predict nonunion and necrosis, and therefore is recommended to select
      those patients who will benefit from primary arthroplasty instead of fixation of
      the fracture.

PMID- 1428340
TI  - Fixation of fractures by twisted plates. A new concept of osteosynthesis.
AB  - A new twisted plate has been designed for biplane fixation of diaphyseal
      fractures of long bones. Comparative mechanical testing of the new twisted plate
      and conventional flat plates showed that the twisted plate was 40% stronger when
      a bending moment was applied and 132% stronger to a twisting moment. The overall
      improvement in strength was 90.5%. Clinical trials have been carried out and this
      paper describes the use of the new plate.

PMID- 1428341
TI  - The deltoid muscle: an electromyographical analysis of its activity in arm
      abduction in various body postures.
AB  - We have carried out an electromyographical examination of the activity of five
      different regions of the deltoid muscle during abduction/adduction in various
      body postures with different biomechanical actions of arm gravity. The results
      show that the deltoid action is highly differentiated in its different regions
      and is not restricted only to the generation of an abducting moment in the
      shoulder joint. There is obviously a biomechanical contribution, mainly by its
      spinal and clavicular regions, to the stabilization of the glenohumeral joint and
      to the control of the selected plane of abduction.

PMID- 1428343
TI  - A new method for measurement of femoral anteversion. A comparative study with
      other radiographic methods.
AB  - A new biplanar method of measuring femoral anteversion, which may be considered a
      modified Magilligan's method, is described. In addition to the true antero
      posterior radiograph, a true translateral radiograph is taken, instead of a
      transcervical lateral radiograph as in the Magilligan method. The acute angles
      (alpha and gamma) between the long axes of the shaft and neck of the femur on
      both the antero-lateral and lateral radiographs are measured. The angle (gamma')
      of anteversion is obtained by the trigonometric formula; tan gamma' = tan/tan
      alpha. The femoral anteversion in 20 adult dried femora and 40 femora in 20
      children was measured by the Magilligan method, the authors' method and the
      conventional CT method. Compared with direct measurement in the dried femora, it
      was found that both the Magilligan and the authors' methods tended to
      overestimate and the CT method tended to underestimate (p < 0.05) the
      anteversion. In children's femora, a similar trend was observed among the three
      methods and the measurements by each method differed significantly from the other
      (p < 0.05). We feed that our method of biplanar measurement of femoral
      anteversion is more accurate, although probably marginally, than the conventional
      Magilligan method. It also has some relative advantages in clinical application
      in that positioning is easier, rotation is better controlled, and less time is
      consumed.

PMID- 1428342
TI  - The diagnostic significance of anti-type II collagen antibody assay in rheumatoid
      arthritis.
AB  - An improved enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of
      anticollagen antibodies in human serum has been developed. With the use of this
      method, antibodies against native human Type II collagen were detected in 22.7%
      of sera from 480 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The antibodies were
      found to be collagen type specific, showing no reaction with human Type I and
      Type III collagens. The antibodies appeared in high incidence during the early
      phase of the disease, and RA patients with involvement of a single joint, mono
      articular arthritis, were often positive for anti-Type II collagen antibodies. In
      most of these patients, anti-Type II collagen antibodies preceded the appearance
      of rheumatoid factors. The antibodies were all negative in sera from patients
      with gout, osteoarthritis (OA) and non-arthritic diseases. Thus, anti-Type II
      collagen antibody assay may have diagnostic significance for RA patients,
      especially those in whom laboratory and clinical findings provide only minimal
      help in diagnosis.

PMID- 1428344
TI  - Patellar metastasis from a malignant melanoma.
AB  - We report a patient with a patellar metastasis from a malignant melanoma. Only 16
      other cases have been previously described in detail in the literature. A lytic
      lesion in the patella is most often caused by a benign tumour, but a primary or
      secondary malignant tumour has to be excluded.

PMID- 1428345
TI  - Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography in the local
      assessment of osteosarcoma.
AB  - We have compared the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with computed
      tomography (CT) in assessing the extent and the localization of osteosarcomas.
      Twenty patients were examined by both systems, and the results related to the
      clinical and histological findings. While both investigations are valuable, MRI
      may be more useful for defining the local extent of an osteosarcoma.

PMID- 1428346
TI  - One session surgery on the lower limb in children with cerebral palsy. A five
      year follow-up.
AB  - Twenty three children with cerebral palsy, who were operated on upon before 1984,
      have been re-assessed. All the lower limb deformities were corrected in one
      surgical session. Review after five years included foot-switch measurements and
      assessment of video recordings. There were no recurrences, and gait ability
      showed normal growth-related development.

PMID- 1428347
TI  - Morton's neuroma.
AB  - During the past 10 years we have operated on 75 feet for Morton's neuroma with a
      minimal follow up of nine months. Associated anomalies were found in 80%.
      Pathological studies demonstrated that the lesion was irritative in nature. The
      clinical results were satisfactory in 94%.

PMID- 1428348
TI  - Humoral immune responses in osteomyelitis.
AB  - Fifty-three patients with osteomyelitis were grouped according to the duration of
      the disease at presentation, the bone and the part involved, the aetiology,
      activity, severity and stage of disease. Sera from these patients was estimated
      for IgA, IgM and IgG levels and in 23 matched controls. The results were compared
      with the normal range, and correlative studies were carried out between serum
      immunoglobulin levels and the different clinical parameters. Serum levels of the
      3 immunoglobulins were found, in general, to fail to rise above the normal in the
      presence of infection. Furthermore, the levels did not show significant variation
      with the clinical parameters. These findings suggest that there is an
      intrinsically subdued immune response to osteomyelitis in most of the patients,
      partly confirming the suspicion of an immunodeficient state.

PMID- 1428349
TI  - Septic arthritis in HIV positive haemophiliacs. Four cases and a literature
      review.
AB  - Septic arthritis is rare in haemophiliacs. Four new cases who were also HIV
      positive are reported. In three, the knee was involved, and in the fourth the
      elbow. The organism was streptococcus pneumoniae and staphylococcus aureus in one
      patient each, and salmonella in two. Although all the patients were human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive at the time of diagnosis, only two patients
      developed autoimmune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) after their septic arthritis.
      These two died later due to AIDS complications. Treatment was conservative in all
      cases with antibiotic therapy and prompt rehabilitation. The results were fair in
      two and good in two. Therefore nonoperative management is advocated before
      surgical drainage is considered. It seems likely that a positive HIV status is
      related to the appearance of septic arthritis in haemophiliacs.

PMID- 1428351
TI  - "Existential" therapists and their group therapy practices.
AB  - Existential philosophical thought insists that human behavior is indeterminate
      and subject only to the individual's will. It is, therefore, skeptical of all
      dynamic psychologies based as they are on Freudian determinism. Group therapists
      imbued with this philosophy stop short of its extreme. Their existential
      position, however, does greatly modify treatment, and yet they preserve both the
      form and goals of therapy. They place properly selected and prepared patients in
      a group where their individuality and authenticity are highly valued. Finding
      most technical procedures irrelevant, the therapists themselves, that is, their
      evolving personalities are central. The key to patient change is the spontaneous
      meeting of members and the therapist which the therapist orchestrates. Instead of
      the usual interpretation, members are encouraged to confront the paradoxes in
      their lives, their humanness, and especially their finitude. Patients are to be
      brought up to the threshold of their self-knowledge so they can choose. Choice,
      therefore, along with action coupled with responsibility are frequent themes.
      Unless the individual is incompetent, decisions made for him or her by the
      therapist or by group consensus are thought to be nontherapeutic.

PMID- 1428350
TI  - Orthopaedic complications in sickle cell disease. A comparative study from two
      regions in Saudi Arabia.
AB  - The haematological and orthopaedic complications of patients with sickle cell
      disease from two different regions of Arabia are presented. Nineteen patients
      from the South-western region were matched for age and sex with an equal number
      from the Eastern region. The mean sickle cell haemoglobin was 75.95% in those
      from the South-west and 77.5% in those from the East. The haemoglobin
      concentration was marginally lower in the Eastern region patients at 9.19 g/%
      compared with 9.51 g/%. Bone and joint infections occurred in 17% of Eastern
      region patients and in 15% in those from the South-western region. There was no
      significant difference between the haematological parameters and the orthopaedic
      complications in the two regions. We conclude that these complications are severe
      in the Eastern region and the disease is not benign as previously thought.
      Aggressive treatment of orthopaedic complications is indicated in sickle cell
      disease in the Eastern region.

PMID- 1428352
TI  - Group-analytic psychotherapy.
AB  - Group analysis is a flexible and effective method of providing group
      psychotherapy, thereby promoting maturation and symptom relief. Its
      metapsychology remains incompletely worked out but provides potentially exciting
      interfaces with biological and physical sciences, through Foulkes's (1973)
      seminal concept of the group matrix.

PMID- 1428353
TI  - Psychodrama: group psychotherapy through role playing.
AB  - The theory and the therapeutic procedure of classical psychodrama are described
      along with brief illustrations. Classical psychodrama and sociodrama stemmed from
      role theory, enactments, "tele," the reciprocity of choices, and the theory of
      spontaneity-robopathy and creativity. The discussion focuses on key concepts such
      as the therapeutic team, the structure of the session, transference and reality,
      countertransference, the here-and-now and the encounter, the group-as-a-whole,
      resistance and difficult clients, and affect and cognition. Also described are
      the neoclassical approaches of psychodrama, action methods, and clinical role
      playing, and the significance of the concept of behavioral simulation in group
      psychotherapy.

PMID- 1428355
TI  - Commentary: therapy for individuals or remediation for groups? A fateful ethical
      choice.

PMID- 1428354
TI  - Feminism and group psychotherapy: an ethical responsibility.
AB  - In response to Martin Lakin's (1991) IJGP article, "Some Ethical Issues in
      Feminist-Oriented Therapy Groups for Women," this article examines recent
      developments in feminist theory and proposes that a feminist perspective is both
      ethical and can make significant contributions to the practice of group
      psychotherapy. The overview of feminist theory focuses on (1) the importance of
      the social context, (2) contributions and challenges to psychoanalytic and
      developmental theory, (3) attention to power relations, (4) the connection
      between the personal and political, and (5) recognition and integration of
      diversity and difference. Clinical examples illustrate ways in which male and
      female group therapists can take a feminist perspective and become "ethical
      advocates."

PMID- 1428356
TI  - Commentary: the group in psychodynamic group psychotherapy.

PMID- 1428357
TI  - Modulation of IL-2, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and IL-4 production in mice of different
      ages by thymopentin.
AB  - The effect of an immunomodulator drug thymopentin (TP5) on the production of
      various cytokines (IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-4, TNF-alpha) in mice of different ages
      has been studied. TP5 enhanced IL-2, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma production but
      reduced the IL-4 secretion by splenocytes from aged mice (greater than 120 week
      old) in vitro. However, it had no effect on the IL-2, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha or IL
      4 production by splenocytes from young and adult mice. TP5 injected
      subcutaneously was able to induce high levels of IL-2 production by splenocytes
      from all groups of mice. The TP5 effect on TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma was similar,
      even though it was significant only in old mice. Furthermore, TP5 was able to
      significantly reduce IL-4 production in old mice, which normally produced high
      levels of this cytokine after mitogen stimulation. Since it has been observed in
      the mouse that the Th1 cells secrete IFN-gamma and IL-2, whereas the Th2 cells
      preferentially produce IL-3, IL-4 and IL-5, these results indicate that the
      immunopotentiatory activity of TP5 is due to the preferential up-regulation of
      Th1 cells.

PMID- 1428358
TI  - Low dose streptozotocin-induced diabetes in mice: reduced IL-2 production and
      modulation of streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia by IL-2.
AB  - The possible role of interleukin 2(IL-2) in the pathogenesis of multiple low dose
      streptozotocin (Sz)-induced diabetes in mice was analysed. Spleen cells from
      diabetic male C57Bl/6 mice showed diminished mitogen-induced IL-2 production as
      determined by bioassay using the IL-2-dependent T-cell line CTLL-2. In parallel
      the proliferative response was reduced. Systemic daily administration of human
      recombinant IL-2 for 3 weeks had dose-dependent effects on the development of
      hyperglycemia in Sz-treated (5 x 40 mg) mice: while IL-2 at doses of 1 x 2, 1 x
      10, 2 x 10 micrograms/kg body weight caused partial suppression of hyperglycemia,
      higher doses (2 x 20, 2 x 40 micrograms/kg) had an enhancing effect. Treatment
      with the lowest dose (1 x 1 micrograms/kg) or with a control preparation from
      bacteria (2 x 10 micrograms/kg) did not significantly alter the course of
      diabetes. Effects of IL-2 were similar when treatment was started concomitantly
      with or only after streptozotocin injections. This observation argues against the
      direct interaction between IL-2 and streptozotocin but suggests modulation of
      immune reactivity by IL-2. Our findings of decreased mitogen-stimulated IL-2
      production by splenic lymphocytes, and the disease-modulating effect of IL-2 in
      the low-dose streptozotocin diabetes extend our previous observations in
      spontaneously diabetic BB rats and further support the notion of an involvement
      of IL-2 in the control of autoimmune diseases.

PMID- 1428359
TI  - Differential sensitivity of in vivo TNF and IL-6 production to modulation by anti
      inflammatory drugs in mice.
AB  - The effect of dexamethasone and two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents
      ibuprofen and indomethacin on the production of serum interleukin 6(IL-6) and
      tumor necrosis factor (TNF) levels in mice treated with endotoxin (2.5
      micrograms/mouse, i.p.) was investigated. Pretreatment of mice with dexamethasone
      (0.3-30.0 mg/kg, i.p., 30 min before endotoxin) completely blocked TNF production
      but did not affect that of IL-6. Conversely, pretreatment with indomethacin (5
      mg/kg, i.p.) or ibuprofen (30 mg/kg, i.p.) potentiated the production of both IL
      6 (+ 80% with INDO; + 100% with IBU) and TNF (+ 500% with INDO; + 50% with IBU).
      In the case of IL-6, the two anti-inflammatory drugs were able per se to induce
      significant levels of this cytokine even in the absence of LPS. These data
      indicate that IL-6 and TNF production are differently susceptible to
      glucocorticoids, and that prostaglandins can physiologically provide a negative
      feedback regulation of IL-6 and TNF synthesis.

PMID- 1428360
TI  - The in vitro effects of mercury on peritoneal leukocytes (PMN and macrophages)
      from inbred brown Norway and Lewis rats.
AB  - The present paper demonstrates that HgCl2 can affect rat peritoneal
      polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) and macrophage (M phi) functions in vitro. In
      addition, we have noticed that these effects of mercury vary according to the rat
      strain: for example, HgCl2 stimulates H2O2 release from Lewis (LEW) but not Brown
      Norway (BN) PMN. Similarly, LEW M phi produce high levels of H2O2 when exposed to
      HgCl2 in vitro, whereas BN M phi do not. Finally, mercury inhibits
      erythrophagocytosis of both LEW and BN "resident" peritoneal M phi. Preliminary
      experiments using M phi from other rat strains have also shown that MAXX M phi
      are stimulated by HgCl2 to release H2O2 in vitro, whereas Yoshida M phi are
      inhibited. Differences in lymphocyte responses (e.g. delayed-type
      hypersensitivity reactions and mitogen stimulation) between rats of various
      strains are well known. To these examples one may now add variations in PMN and M
      phi responses to mercury and possibly other metals. Our results suggest that
      caution should be exercised in interpreting the outcome of immunotoxicity studies
      in experimental animals. In particular, outbred rats may not provide appropriate
      models, that might be better obtained by comparative investigations of rats from
      various inbred strains.

PMID- 1428361
TI  - In vitro activation of murine peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) and peritoneal
      macrophages by ST 789.
AB  - ST 789 is a new synthetic compound characterized by an amino acidic group joined
      to the N9 position of the hypoxanthine ring, which has been shown recently to
      have immunomodulating properties and minimal toxicity. The drug has been reported
      to protect immunosuppressed mice from microbial infections and tumour growth, and
      to restore the mitogen-induced proliferation of splenocytes from immunosuppressed
      young mice. In this study, we show that in vitro addition of ST 789 is able to
      markedly augment the sheep red blood cells (SRBC) phagocytosis by PEC, and to
      potentiate the cytotoxic activity of peritoneal exudate (PE) macrophages (M phi)
      vs the L-M tumour cell line. We also found that ST 789 enhanced the rIFN-gamma
      induced NO2- release from cultured PE M phi. Similarly, in vitro addition of ST
      789 to the latter cultures significantly increased the production of interleukin
      1 (IL-1) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS).
      These studies demonstrate that ST 789 is a potent phagocyte activator for the
      induction of cytokine release, phagocytosis and cytotoxic activity against tumour
      cells in vitro.

PMID- 1428362
TI  - Antiviral activity of individual versus combined treatments with interferon
      alpha, beta and gamma on early infection with HTLV-I in vitro.
AB  - We have shown previously that infection of mononuclear cells derived from
      neonatal cord (CBMC) or adult peripheral (PBMC) blood with HTLV-1 can be
      controlled in vitro by treatment with interferon (IFN) alpha, beta or gamma. The
      activity of IFNs was mainly related to the induction of an active antiviral
      competence in host's immune effector cells. The antiviral activity of IFN-boosted
      CBMC could be ascribed both to a positive regulation of cell-mediated immunity
      and to inhibition of viral infection. Data described herein provide further
      information on the mechanisms of the antiviral activity of IFNs and compare the
      activity of each type of IFN with the association of alpha + beta, alpha + gamma
      and beta + gamma IFNs, at a concentration of 100 or 1000 IU/ml. When added at the
      onset of the co-culture of CBMC with lethally irradiated, virus-donor MT-2 cells,
      IFNs could protect host CBMC by inhibiting HTLV-1 infection in terms of reduced
      proviral integration and a lower percentage of virus-positive cells, until 4
      weeks of culture. Infection of CBMC was inhibited at a comparable extent by
      either individual or combined IFN treatments. However, a clearcut inhibition of
      HTLV-I transcription was found only when alpha 100 + beta 1000 IU/ml and
      especially alpha 1000 + gamma 100 IU/ml combined treatments were tested. When the
      chronically infected, virus-producing MT-2 cells were treated with IFNs, a
      remarkable inhibition of HTLV-I transcription was found only after multiple
      treatments. However, MT-2 cells became resistant to the antiviral activity of IFN
      gamma, but not to that of IFN alpha or beta. These data provide further
      information on the control of HTLV-I replication mediated by IFNs at different
      steps of the viral life cycle, being therefore relevant to the clinical use of
      combined IFNs in the treatment of acute infection. Moreover, IFNs could be used
      to prevent the establishment of a persistent infection, which is a prerequisite
      for developing adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and/or virus-associated myelopathy.

PMID- 1428364
TI  - Effects of K-76COOH (MX-1) on immune response: induction of suppressor T-cells by
      MX-1.
AB  - K-76COOH (MX-1), isolated from the cultured supernatant of a species of fungi
      imperfecti, Stachybotrys complement nov. sp. K-76, is an inhibitor of the
      complement component, C5. The effects of MX-1 on various immune responses were
      investigated. MX-1 enhanced the response of spleen cells to PHA and LPS: MX-1 at
      0.01-250 micrograms/ml for PHA and at 10-250 micrograms/ml for LPS. In contrast,
      it inhibited the response to Con A: MX-1 at 0.01-500 micrograms/ml for spleen
      cells and at 100-500 micrograms/ml for thymocytes. MX-1 and IL-1 synergistically
      acted to enhance the Con A response of spleen and thymus cells from which
      accessory cells and Ia-positive cells had been removed by passing through
      Sephadex G-10 columns and treating with anti-Ia monoclonal antibody plus
      complement. T-cells pretreated with MX-1, IL-1 and Con A for 3 days suppressed
      not only the response of B-cells to LPS but also the production of anti-SRBC
      antibodies. In addition, MX-1 was found to increase CD8+ T-cells. These results
      suggest that MX-1 acts on T-cells to induce suppressor T-cells.

PMID- 1428365
TI  - Effects of subcutaneous versus intravenous administration of cyclosporin A on rat
      thymic histology and pharmacokinetics.
AB  - Cyclosporin A (CsA) was administered to rats by repeated subcutaneous (s.c.) or
      intravenous (i.v.) injections for 14 days. Changes in thymic histology were
      independent of the route of administration. Blood concentration--time profiles of
      CsA were similar at dose levels of i.v. 7.5 and s.c. 15 mg/kg/day, respectively.
      So, provided that the dose is reduced, i.v. injection can serve as an adequate
      alternative to s.c. injection, thereby preventing unwanted painful side-effects
      associated with the latter route of administration.

PMID- 1428363
TI  - Spermine dialdehyde, a novel ex vivo purging agent for both allogenic and
      autologous bone marrow transplantations.
AB  - The use of ex vivo purging agents has shown to be beneficial for both allogeneic
      and autologous bone marrow transplantations. We have shown previously that
      spermine dialdehyde (SDA), an oxidized product of spermine, when used in
      phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) preferentially inhibits T-cell proliferation
      while sparing myeloid cells. Lethally irradiated mice were rescued by
      reconstitution with SDA-treated allogeneic marrow and showed no sign of graft-vs
      host disease (GVHD). In this paper, we show by HPLC analysis that SDA degraded
      rapidly in PBS but remained intact in saline. Administered in saline, SDA was
      more inhibitory on leukemic cell lines than normal myeloid or T-cells. Lethally
      irradiated mice receiving a syngeneic bone marrow leukemic cell mixture treated
      ex vivo with SDA in saline did not manifest leukemia. Thus, the preferential
      inhibitory effect of SDA and its degraded products in different buffers suggest
      that SDA could act as a novel purging agent for both allogeneic and autologous
      bone marrow transplantations.

PMID- 1428366
TI  - Differential effect of dipyridamole upon thymidine incorporation and expression
      of surface activation antigens by in vitro stimulated lymphocytes.
AB  - Dipyridamole inhibits, by 50% at 10(-6) M and 100% at 10(-5) M, the incorporation
      of tritiated thymidine by lymphocytes stimulated with 1 microgram/ml
      phytohaemagglutinin A for 72 h. At the latter concentration, a clinically
      relevant one, dipyridamole fails to inhibit lymphocyte proliferation and
      expression of the cell surface stimulation markers, CD25 and HLA-DR, or
      differential regulation of the CD45 -RA and -RO isoforms, as determined by single
      laser two-colour flow-cytometry. No significant immunodepressant effect of
      dipyridamole can be demonstrated in vitro.

PMID- 1428367
TI  - Cocaine-induced suppression of interferon-gamma secretion in leukocytes from
      young and old C57BL/6 mice.
AB  - The effects of cocaine (0.1-100 micrograms/ml) were studied on interferon-gamma
      (IFN) secretion in Con A-stimulated splenocytes from young (4 months) and old (18
      months) C57BL/6 mice. IFN secretion was significantly suppressed by cocaine in a
      concentration-dependent manner. Suppression was observed in splenocytes from both
      young and old mice. Splenocytes from young mice released higher amounts of IFN
      (23.40 +/- 1.47 ng/ml) than those from old mice (6.10 +/- 0.35 ng/ml) after 24 h
      in culture. The concentration of Con A used to stimulate IFN secretion
      significantly affected the suppressive effect of cocaine. Pretreatment of
      splenocytes with cocaine followed by culture in the absence of cocaine did not
      affect IFN secretion in old mice, while splenocytes from young mice showed a
      sustained depression in IFN release. This suggests that cocaine suppresses IFN
      release in vitro and the susceptibility to this inhibitory effect may be age
      related.

PMID- 1428368
TI  - Effect of apocynin on the induction of ulcerative lesions in rat skin injected
      with tubercle bacteria.
AB  - Apocynin is an effective and selective inhibitor of the neutrophil oxidative
      burst in vitro. Other neutrophil functions, tested in vitro, such as chemotaxis,
      exocytosis, phagocytosis and intracellular killing of bacteria are unaffected by
      apocynin. These properties make apocynin a potential anti-inflammatory agent in
      vivo. This was tested in WAG/Rij rats, injected intracutaneously with tubercle
      bacteria in oil (complete Freund's adjuvant). We show here that continuous
      administration of apocynin via the drinking water prevents the formation of
      ulcerative lesions in the inflamed skin. No effects on humoral and cellular
      immunity were observed after treatment with apocynin (between 1 and 100
      micrograms/ml drinking water) measuring serum antibodies and delayed-type
      hypersensitivity, respectively.

PMID- 1428369
TI  - Immunosuppression of triptolide and its effect on skin allograft survival.
AB  - In this study the immunosuppressive properties of triptolide were evaluated.
      Triptolide was found to inhibit skin allograft rejection in a dose-dependent
      manner. This inhibitory effect was time dependent. Triptolide at 0.1 mg/kg/day
      significantly prolonged the graft survival when triptolide was given for 9 days
      after transplantation, but not before transplantation. In vitro studies showed
      that triptolide markedly suppressed cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) induction and
      mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) at concentrations ranging from 0.08 to 10 ng/ml.
      The inhibition on MLR was also significant when triptolide was added to the
      cultures at 36 h after initial incubation. Furthermore, exogenous IL-2 did not
      reverse this inhibitory effect of triptolide. Our results suggest that triptolide
      inhibits lymphocyte activation at a relatively late stage, and its effect on
      immune response is not exerted through altering IL-2 production.

PMID- 1428370
TI  - Stimulation of microbicidal host defence mechanisms against aerosol influenza
      virus infection by lentinan.
AB  - The ability of polysaccharide immunomodulator lentinan to stimulate non-specific
      resistance against respiratory viral infections was investigated. Significant
      protection was conferred by lentinan administered intranasally before lethal
      influenza virus infection and could be corroborated by a reduction of the lung
      virus titres. Since the lung is the target organ of influenza virus infection,
      lentinan was also administered by the intravenous route. Lentinan conferred
      complete protection against a LD75 challenge dose of virulent influenza virus and
      significantly prolonged the survival time after a LD100 challenge. The effect on
      respiratory burst of broncho-alveolar macrophages was investigated by luminol
      dependent chemiluminescence (CL) in response to stimulation by zymosan. Enhanced
      CL activity was present at an early stage in groups receiving lentinan.
      Significant nitric oxide activity could also be stimulated by culturing broncho
      alveolar macrophages in the presence of lentinan. TNF activity could not be
      detected in lung lavage but measurable IL-6 was produced already after 6 h in
      animals administered lentinan alone and in lentinan-pretreated influenza virus
      infected mice. Influenza virus alone did not induce measurable IL-6 at 6 h but
      high activity was present at later time periods.

PMID- 1428371
TI  - Immunopharmacological properties of azepino [2, 1-b] quinazolin-12(6H)-one-7, 8,
      9, 10-tetrahydro (RLX).
AB  - The effect of azepino [2,1-b]quinazolin-12(6H)-one-7, 8, 9, 10-tetrahydro (RLX)
      was studied on cell-mediated and humoral components of the immune system. In
      single (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) and multiple (6.25, 12.50, 25 and 50 m/kg) oral
      dose schedules RLX significantly reduced the early (4 h) and delayed (24 and 48
      h) hypersensitivity reactions to SRBC in mice. Daily oral administration of RLX
      (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg) produced a dose-related reduction in developing adjuvant
      arthritis in rats. In carrageenan-induced pleurisy in rats RLX (25, 50 and 100
      mg/kg p.o.) caused a marked reduction in the volume of pleural exudate (25.26
      59.64%) and infiltration of leucocytes (28.75-50.29%) into the pleural cavity.
      RLX produced marked inhibition of humoral antibody synthesis both in mice and
      rats and that of complement fixing antibody in mice. It was not cytotoxic and
      showed no appreciable effect on the responsiveness of splenocytes to mitogens.
      The observed effect of RLX on cell-mediated and humoral immune responses does not
      appear to be the result of general toxicity.

PMID- 1428372
TI  - Human recombinant interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (hrIL-1ra) enhances the
      stimulatory effect of interleukin-2 on natural killer cell activity against MOLT
      4 target cells.
AB  - Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is considered an enhancer of host defence against
      malignancies. Patients with different diseases, including cancer patients with
      large tumour burdens, have demonstrated a reduced production of IL-1 from
      circulating leukocytes, in vitro. There are many naturally occurring substances
      which inhibit IL-1 activity aspecifically. Recently an interleukin-1 receptor
      antagonist (IL-1ra) has been discovered, which is secreted by human macrophages
      and is structurally similar to IL-1 beta (26% homology). The pretreatment of
      human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with hrIL-1ra (0.25-250 ng/ml)
      inhibits IL-1 alpha or IL-1 beta and enhances, in a dose-dependent manner, the
      stimulatory effect of IL-2 on their natural killer (NK) activity against a
      lymphoid cell line MOLT-4. The enhancing effect of IL-1ra on IL-2 activity was
      similar to that provoked by IL-1 beta. However, when IL-1ra was used alone
      without IL-2, no stimulatory effect was found compared with the control. In our
      data we show that a member of the IL-1 family, IL-1ra, has a significant effect
      on IL-2-stimulated NK activity against the MOLT-4 cell line. These studies
      provide new evidence of the biological potential of IL-1ra since this new protein
      enhances IL-2 activity on NK cells.

PMID- 1428373
TI  - Hydrolysis and association of leucine enkephalin to lymphomic and
      erythroleukaemic cell lines--III. Soluble enzymes.
AB  - The possible existence of soluble proteolytic enzymes released by cells of
      lymphomic (U937 and 1301) and erythroleukaemic (K562) lines was studied measuring
      the hydrolysis of 3H-leucine enkephalin in the presence of cell-free
      supernatants. Results obtained indicate that in the presence of these
      supernatants leu-enkephalin rapidly disappears and that enkephalin disappearance
      is paralleled by the formation of peptides that can be interpreted as its
      hydrolysis fragments. Chromatographic analyses of cell supernatants indicate the
      presence of three groups of proteins active in leu-enkephalin degradation:
      aminopeptidases, dipeptidylaminopeptidases and dipeptidylcarboxypeptidases. In
      all three lines, soluble enzymes are represented by a sizeable number (from 13 to
      25) of distinct activities. The number of enzymes identified and their
      considerable total activity suggest a possible role in the regulatory degradation
      of informational peptides, as proposed by several groups for the membrane-bound
      proteolytic enzymes of immunocompetent cells.

PMID- 1428374
TI  - The distribution of anaerobic energy in 1000 and 4000 metre cycling bouts.
AB  - In sprinting events of short duration, performance depends not only on the mean
      external power output and the frictional losses but also on the distribution of
      energy over the race. To investigate the optimal distribution of anaerobic energy
      during cycling the 1000 m time trial and the 4000 m pursuit, we simulated a power
      equation which contains expressions for the production of aerobic and anaerobic
      power, for frictional losses and for the rate of change of kinetic energy.
      Parameters for air- and rolling resistance were derived from the literature and
      the equations for aerobic and anaerobic power production were based on supra
      maximal bicycle ergometer tests. Simulated lap and final times were compared to
      those realized by the best four athletes during the 1990 World Championships. The
      mean final times of these athletes of 64.1 s and 272.6 s for the 1000 m and 4000
      m respectively were closely approximated by the simulated times of 63.7 s and
      281.3 s. The simulations show that performance in the 1000 m race depends to a
      great extent on a large power output at the onset of the race. Moreover, it is
      demonstrated that this distance should be cycled in an all out fashion and not
      with a uniform velocity after the start despite the higher air frictional losses.
      For the 4000 m pursuit it appears to be more effective to perform a short but
      powerful start and then continue the race with a constant or only slightly
      decreasing power output.

PMID- 1428375
TI  - Acute exercise and immune function. Relationship between lymphocyte activity and
      changes in subset counts.
AB  - Twenty-one young male subjects exercised on a cycle ergometer for 60 min at 60%
      of VO2max. Blood samples collected every 30 min throughout exercise and
      continuing to 120 min recovery served for the immunological tests. Exercise
      induced biphasic changes in the various leucocyte subsets. There was a
      granulocytosis, lymphocytosis and monocytosis during exercise, and a further
      granulocytosis and a slight monocytosis, but a lymphocytopenia during recovery.
      All lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD19+, CD4+, CD8+, and CD16+ cells) increased in
      number during exercise, were decreased 30 min after exercise, and had not
      returned to baseline levels by 120 min of recovery. The apparent lymphocyte
      responsiveness to the mitogens phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and pokeweed mitogen
      (PWM) declined significantly during exercise, returning to normal by 120 min of
      recovery. The natural killer (NK) activity rose markedly during exercise, but
      decreased to almost half the pre-exercise level at 30 and 60 min of recovery,
      returning to baseline levels after 120 min of recovery. Functional capability
      correlated well with the percentage of each major responder subset in the assay,
      suggesting that the in vitro lymphocyte PHA- and PWM-responsiveness and the NK
      activity did not change significantly on a per cell basis. The analysis of
      lymphocyte marker antigen density revealed that the CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD19+
      lymphocytes mobilized into the circulation during exercise did not express the
      respective CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD19 molecules as strongly as did the subsets
      circulating at rest, whereas the expression of the CD16 antigen on CD16+
      lymphocytes remained unchanged.

PMID- 1428376
TI  - A comparative study of blood lactate analytic methods.
AB  - Three different blood lactate analytic methods were tested for precision,
      accuracy, linearity, and intermethod comparison: a photoenzymatic assay (PHE),
      and three electroenzymatic (EE) semiautomatic assays (EE1, EE2, EE3). Reference
      standards and duplicate capillary blood samples from the earlobe were used.
      Precision and accuracy of the three techniques, when measuring L-lactate
      standards, were good in the whole range of measurement (mean variation
      coefficient, VC = 1.78-3.38%; mean difference = 1.81-3.38%). Correlation between
      the three methods was high (r = 0.913-0.946), but all three electroenzymatic
      techniques systematically measured lower values as compared to the PHE tests. The
      differences ranged from 0.1-1.2 (5 mmol.l-1 PHE level), to 3.4-5.7 (20 mmol.l-1
      PHE level). These differences were drastically reduced when a hemolyser and a
      glycolytic inhibitor were added to the sample prior to the assay. The
      measurements obtained in capillary blood by the three techniques are not
      equivalent. The differences are partially attributed to the fact that the PHE
      technique measures total blood lactate, while the EE methods only measure
      plasmatic-extraerythrocytic lactate. Some regression equations are presented that
      may be used to convert values measured by the PHE technique, to EE values and
      vice versa.

PMID- 1428377
TI  - Day to day variation in time trial cycling performance.
AB  - In an attempt to assess the reproducibility of laboratory cycling performance,
      eight well-trained (VO2max = 4.6 +/- 0.2 l.min-1) male cyclists completed 12
      trials involving 4 successive performance rides at each of three total work
      outputs (approximately 1600, 200, and 14 kilojoules, respectively). These trials,
      designated as long, medium, and short trials (LT, MT, ST), represented exercise
      bouts of 105.12 +/- 0.41, 12.03 +/- 0.17 and 0.55 +/- 0.11 minutes, respectively.
      The trials, conducted on a computerized cycle ergometer in an isokinetic mode,
      were separated by a minimum of 72 hrs. All trials for each subject were completed
      at the same time of day. In all trials, subjects were allowed to select the pace
      in order to complete the ride in the shortest possible time. The mean coefficient
      of variation (CV) for performance time in each trial was: LT = +/- 1.01%, MT = +/
      0.95%, and ST = +/- 2.43%, respectively. The CV for performance time in ST was
      significantly greater than the CV in either LT or MT. In LT, performance time was
      significantly faster, and the mean % VO2max was significantly higher in trial 4
      versus trials 1-3. There was no order effect in the MT or ST rides. The CV for
      mean VO2 (l.min-1), mean % VO2max, and RER during the LT rides were +/- 3.02%, +/
      3.64%, and +/- 3.53%, respectively. These data suggest that trained cyclists
      have the ability to reproduce endurance performance with a CV of approximately
      1.0% in a time-trial protocol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428378
TI  - Relationship between post-exercise plasma CK elevation and muscle mass involved
      in the exercise.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a larger post-exercise
      increase in plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity would be produced when a larger
      amount of muscle is damaged by eccentric exercise. Twenty-two non-weight trained
      females were placed into two groups; Group A (n = 12) and Group B (n = 10). Both
      groups performed 24 maximal eccentric actions of the forearm flexors on each
      bout. The right and left arm were exercised on the same day for Group A (24
      eccentric actions per arm, a total of 48 actions). In contrast, Group B performed
      24 actions with either the right or the left arm on the first bout and performed
      24 eccentric actions with the opposite arm on the second bout 3-5 weeks later.
      Blood samples were taken before and for 5 days after each exercise and plasma CK
      activity was determined. Forearm flexion isometric force (ISO), range of motion
      evaluated by relaxed elbow joint angle (RANG) and flexed elbow joint angle
      (FANG), and perceived muscle soreness (SOR) were also examined to indirectly
      assess muscle damage. All of the muscle damage indicators changed significantly
      over time (p < 0.01) for both groups, but changes were not significantly
      different between arms or between groups. Because it seemed that both arms were
      equally "damaged" for each group, it was expected that Group A (two arms were
      exercised on the same day) should show an approximate two-fold increase in plasma
      CK compared to Group B when one arm was exercised on each bout.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428379
TI  - Effects of voluntary exercise on bone growth and calcium metabolism in
      spontaneously hypertensive rats.
AB  - The effects of voluntary exercise on bone length and calcium metabolism were
      investigated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar rats. They were
      classified into voluntary exercise or sedentary group. Systolic blood pressure
      (SBP), bone length, urinary calcium excretion, plasma calcium and parathyroid
      hormone levels (PTH) were measured for analysis. SBP of the trained SHR (T-SHR)
      was significantly lower than that of the nontrained SHR (NT-SHR) at 10 and 11
      weeks of age, but the trained Wistar rats (T-WR) and the nontrained Wistar rats
      (NT-WR) had similar SBP throughout the experimental period. The T-SHR had
      significantly longer bones in the extremities and the trunk than the NT-SHR,
      whereas the T-WR had similar or shorter bones than the NT-WR. The PTH level at 12
      weeks of age was significantly lower in the T-SHR than in the NT-SHR. The urinary
      calcium excretion of the T-SHR was greater than that of the NT-SHR, but the food
      intake (calcium intake) of the T-SHR was also greater. The urinary calcium
      excretion and food intake of the T-WR and NT-WR were similar. No noticeable
      differences were observed in the plasma calcium level between the T-SHR and NT
      SHR, the T-WR and NT-WR. From these results it is suggested that the abnormal
      calcium metabolism in the SHR is improved in some degree by voluntary exercise.

PMID- 1428380
TI  - L-tryptophan supplementation does not improve running performance.
AB  - In 1988 Segura and Ventura (14) reported that 1.2 g of L-Tryptophan (L-TRY)
      supplementation increased total exercise time by 49.4% when the subjects were
      running at 80% of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). In human performance research,
      acute improvements of that category are rather uncommon. Both for this reason and
      because ingestion of purified L-TRY may have adverse effects, it seemed pertinent
      to repeat the investigation of Segura and Ventura. Forty-nine well-trained male
      runners, aged 18-44, with an average maximal aerobic power of 66 (57-78) ml.kg
      1.min-1, participated in a randomized double blind placebo (P) study. Each
      subject underwent four trials on the treadmill. The first two served as learning
      experience, including measurement of VO2max and anaerobic threshold. During the
      last two trials the subjects ran until exhaustion at a speed corresponding to
      100% of their VO2max-first an initial trial and then after receiving a total of
      1.2 g L-TRY or P over a 24 hour period prior to the run. No significant
      difference between the improvements in the L-TRY and P group could be
      demonstrated. It is concluded that oral L-TRY supplementation does not enhance
      running performance.

PMID- 1428381
TI  - Influence of acupuncture on physical performance capacity and haemodynamic
      parameters.
AB  - In a single blind study the question as to whether the needling of specific
      acupuncture points is able to produce an increase in physical performance
      capacity and better regulation of heart rate and blood pressure was examined.
      Thirty-six healthy young men were assigned at random to three groups, receiving
      either actual acupuncture, placebo acupuncture or no stimulation. Performance was
      determined by means of a spiro-ergometer test which was carried out at the
      beginning and at the end of five weeks of treatment consisting of one session per
      week. The subjects from the group which actually received acupuncture were able
      to increase maximum performance capacity significantly and also physical
      performance at the anaerobic threshold. This may be interpreted as a sign of
      functional improvement in haemodynamic and metabolic mechanisms. There was, on
      the whole, no noticeable effect produced by the placebo acupuncture. The control
      group, which received no stimulation, showed unfavourable changes in the values
      obtained compared with the results of the performance test at the commencement of
      the study.

PMID- 1428382
TI  - Physical inactivity and depression in the community. Evidence from the Upper
      Bavarian Field Study.
AB  - In the Upper Bavarian Field Study a representative community sample of 1,536
      persons (from 15 years of age and upwards) was interviewed by research
      psychiatrists. Twenty-seven percent of the respondents reported taking regular
      and 26.2% occasional physical exercise. Physical inactivity as well as depression
      were significantly associated with the female gender, increasing age, low
      socioeconomic status and the presence of a somatic disorder. Using a logistic
      regression model, the relation between physical activity and depression was
      measured by the odds ratio with subjects reporting regular physical activity as
      the reference group. Cross-sectional analysis revealed that after controlling for
      potential confounder variables the odds ratio for depression was, at 3.15,
      significantly higher for the physically inactive compared to the regular
      exercisers. The odds ratio for the group practising occasionally (1.55) was also
      elevated but not statistically significant, 87.3% of the subjects who
      participated in the baseline study were reinterviewed five years later. In
      contrast to the cross-sectional findings, low physical activity at wave 1 was not
      a risk factor for developing depression at wave 2.

PMID- 1428383
TI  - Psychological effects during reduced training volume and intensity in distance
      runners.
AB  - Improved mood state has ben linked with reduced training (RT). However, RT has
      been measured only as a reduction in training volume, either maintaining or not
      considering the intensity of training employed. To investigate the effects of a 4
      week reduction in both training volume and intensity on running performance and
      mood state, 10 well-trained adult male runners trained for 4 weeks at baseline
      training distance and pace (BT), followed by 4 weeks training reduced in volume
      by 66%, with intensity diminished so that all workouts were below 70% VO2max.
      Subjects completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS) before BT (PREBT), before RT
      (PRERT), and after RT (POSRT). They ran 5 km time trials PRERT and POSRT.
      Comparisons were made for the positive mood state of Vigor with an average of the
      values for the 5 negative mood states (NM) of the POMS. Eight of 10 changes from
      PRERT to POSRT were toward more negative mood. Nine of 10 runners required more
      time for the 5 km run POSRT than PRERT. Overall, 7 of 10 runners exhibited both
      an increase in 5 km time and a change toward more negative mood state (p < .004).
      However, the magnitudes of these changes were unrelated. These results suggest
      that mood state and running performance may be linked. Moreover, because mood
      state did not improve, this study suggests that studies dealing with the topic of
      reduced training should be specific with regard to the influence of both training
      intensity and volume.

PMID- 1428384
TI  - Contextual issues for vocational placement coordinators: some preliminary
      findings.
AB  - While vocational placement is seen as an important component of the
      rehabilitation process, the experience of being a vocational placement officer
      has not been well documented in New Zealand. In the present study, previously
      developed and validated measures of occupational stress (defined as
      responsibility pressure, quality concern, role conflict, and job vs non-job
      conflict) and general life satisfaction were completed by 16 vocational placement
      officers employed by the Accident Compensation Corporation. Subjects also
      completed two open-ended questions assessing significant stresses in their work
      and strategies whereby stress could be reduced. There were high negative
      correlations between job stress and life satisfaction, and subjects reported
      particularly high levels of role conflict in their work. Open-ended stresses
      identified by subjects included: time pressure/workload problems; difficulties
      with negative societal and employer attitudes to disability; problems with
      clients, and; personal motivation problems. Most strategies for stress reduction
      that were identified were concerned with creating more effective communication
      and decision making processes in the organizational environment. Problems and
      limitations of the present study are addressed and future research directions are
      identified.

PMID- 1428385
TI  - Informal caring networks among Chinese elderly with disabilities in Hong Kong.
AB  - Community care has been a major guiding policy in developing services for the
      elderly in Hong Kong. It has been assumed that Chinese families tend to have a
      large caring network to render care in the community. However, in a survey
      conducted in early 1991, it was found that such caring networks for disabled
      elderly people were very small and inconsequential. Quite a high proportion of
      Chinese disabled elderly are living alone in the community, and have a small
      network for emotional support. Effective measures to promote family care of
      disabled elderly people are discussed. Two pathways for integrating the formal
      and informal care sectors are examined in relation to promoting effective
      practice for the frail elderly living in the community.

PMID- 1428386
TI  - Economic status of families living with multiple sclerosis.
AB  - A nation-wide survey of 604 families living with multiple sclerosis was
      conducted. The sample was recruited through local chapters of the National
      Multiple Sclerosis Society and the public press. This paper describes the
      economic impact of the disease on families. There were 427 families in which the
      woman had multiple sclerosis and 177 families in which the man had the disease.
      The average duration of the disease was 10 years. Family income was well above
      the national median income. Thirty-nine per cent of the men and 19% of the women
      with multiple sclerosis retired because of disability. Income was inadequate to
      pay for medical expenses in 21% of the families and 25% had inadequate funds to
      meet basic living expenses. While 80% of the families had health care insurance,
      for 28% of the families the insurance was inadequate to cover the cost of their
      illness. The number of children living at home and the amount of health care
      bills paid out-of-pocket failed to explain why families in the high income group
      had difficulty meeting their expenses. Factors other than income and proportion
      of medical expenses covered by insurance determine the economic impact on the
      family. If health care providers are going to meet all the needs of a family
      living with multiple sclerosis, a more comprehensive assessment of their economic
      status is needed.

PMID- 1428387
TI  - Young blind children: towards assessment for rehabilitation.
AB  - Traditional assumptions about assessment need to be rethought, recast or rejected
      when blind children are to be assessed. Given that blind children follow a unique
      developmental route, rehabilitation specialists must take account of the impact
      of blindness on children and think of them also as clinically a special
      population. Dependence on standardized tests for the primary information about
      any child is always suspect; with regard to a blind child it is irresponsible.
      The authors describe the characteristics of an approach that is both systemic and
      common-sense. They illustrate it by reference to a new procedure (The Simmons
      Davidson Developmental Profile) and to a case study.

PMID- 1428388
TI  - Creating a disability mythology.
AB  - People with disabilities have, for the most part, failed to identify with each
      other as a group. This has been detrimental because it has built a sense of
      isolation when a camaraderie based upon existing commonalities could have been
      developed. During the past ten to twenty years, there has been a great deal of
      discussion about appropriate language to use when discussing disability issues.
      This discussion has been a part of a larger debate concerning the existence of a
      disability culture. I believe that there is indeed a disability culture and I am
      a proponent of identifying and passing on stories which contribute to that
      culture. I have chosen to use mythology to convey this message and have begun
      with a focus on heroes - people who do something out of the ordinary. It is
      contended that almost all people with disabilities have performed heroic
      activities because of the pervasive discrimination encountered by each individual
      with a disability. Creating a disability mythology is an attempt to recognize and
      promote heroes within the disabled community and to advocate the importance of
      telling other people how positive change has occurred through instances of
      individual heroism.

PMID- 1428389
TI  - Stress amongst teachers of children with mental handicaps.

PMID- 1428390
TI  - Influence of alcohol intake on the course and consequences of spinal cord injury.

PMID- 1428391
TI  - Walking after stroke: comfortable versus maximum safe speed.

PMID- 1428392
TI  - Lateral trunk flexion strength: impairment, measurement reliability and
      implications following unilateral brain lesion.

PMID- 1428393
TI  - Long-term effects of exercise training and hyperalimentation in adult cystic
      fibrosis patients with severe pulmonary dysfunction.

PMID- 1428394
TI  - Psychosocial dysfunction in adults with epilepsy.

PMID- 1428395
TI  - Accuracy and variability in response methods used to determine object location
      knowledge in the blind.

PMID- 1428396
TI  - T-cell-receptor isoforms.
AB  - Early work on T-cell hybridomas lacking the T-cell-receptor (TCR) sub-unit CD3
      eta had suggested a correlation between the presence of CD3 zeta-eta heterodimers
      and signalling leading to phosphatidyl-inositol (PI) turnover as well as
      activation-induced cell death. The cloning of CD3 eta has now allowed thorough
      and direct analysis of the signal transduction properties of CD3 zeta-zeta-, CD3
      zeta-eta- and CD3 eta-eta-containing TCRs. We have found that all forms of the
      TCR are capable of transducing signals leading to PI turnover, Ca2+ mobilization,
      IL-2 production and cell-cycle arrest. CD3 zeta and CD3 eta utilize the same
      promoter which yields coordinate expression of both products, so that restricted
      CD3 eta expression in a sub-population of thymocytes is unlikely.
      Immunohistochemical methods employing an anti-CD3 eta-specific monoclonal
      antibody (MAb) show no detectable staining of thymic sections from adult mice,
      implying at best a low level of constitutive CD3 eta expression. In contrast, CD3
      eta expression is readily detected in the majority of cortical thymocytes of CD3
      eta transgenic mice using a Thy-1 promoter construct. However, over-expression of
      CD3 eta in mice transgenic for this polypeptide does not result in increased
      negative selection in vivo, consistent with the in vitro findings that induction
      of cell death is not strictly dependent on CD3 eta. Despite earlier reports of
      the detection of human CD3 eta protein, we find no CD3 eta message in human
      thymus or T cells. Cloning of the human CD zeta-eta genomic locus has
      demonstrated approximately 70% homology between the mouse and human genomic
      sequence, corresponding to the mouse CD3 eta-specific exon. However, translation
      of the DNA sequence does not result in a homologous amino acid sequence. Thus,
      there does not appear to be a CD3 eta protein in humans.

PMID- 1428397
TI  - Structure and function of the CD16:zeta:gamma complex expressed on human natural
      killer cells.
AB  - Natural-killer (NK) cells are large granular lymphocytes involved in host defense
      against tumor cells and virally-infected cells. In addition to natural
      cytotoxicity, NK cells can effect antibody-dependent cytotoxicity mediated by
      CD16 (Fc gamma RIIIA alpha). It has recently been shown that CD16 is associated
      with disulfide-linked dimers composed of 2 homologous sub-units, zeta and gamma.
      These transducing molecules are also associated with other multimeric cell
      surface receptors such as the T-cell antigen receptor (CD3:TCR) complex (zeta and
      gamma) and the high-affinity Fc receptor for IgE (Fc epsilon RI) expressed on
      basophils and mast cells (gamma). These results show that distinct cell-surface
      receptors utilize common transducing sub-units, and emphasize the homology
      between the CD16, Fc epsilon RI and CD3:TCR complexes. However within the
      lymphoid cells, the gamma-gamma homodimer is preferentially expressed in NK cells
      and cytotoxic T cells, suggesting that specific combinations of these transducing
      dimers might sub-serve distinct signal-transducing functions, and contribute to
      lymphocyte heterogeneity.

PMID- 1428399
TI  - Mechanisms of lymphocyte traffic and cell targeting.
AB  - Several concepts in the immunotherapy of cancer aim to exploit the powerful
      cellular effector mechanisms of the immune system. In contrast to antibodies and
      other soluble agents, cells do not distribute randomly with the circulation but
      have their own program of trafficking through the body and entering the various
      organs. Some characteristics of migration and homing of different populations of
      lymphocytes as well as the molecular mechanisms governing lymphocyte entry into
      tissues are discussed here in order to delineate problems and prospects in
      targeting cell populations into specific organs.

PMID- 1428398
TI  - Targeting of T or NK lymphocytes against tumor cells by bispecific monoclonal
      antibodies: role of different triggering molecules.
AB  - MAbs directed against triggering surface molecules expressed by T lymphocytes
      (CD3, TCR, CD2, CD28) or by NK cells (CD2, CD16) are able to induce the
      functional program of these cells. These MAbs represent suitable reagents to
      construct biMAbs directed against TAA, in order to specifically target effector
      lymphocytes against tumor cells. Anti-CD3/anti-EGF-R biMAbs were constructed to
      specifically direct T lymphocytes against EGF-R+ tumor cells. Such biMAb are able
      to induce cytolysis of EGF-R+ tumor cell lines (A431, IGROV, KATO-III and U-87)
      by cytolytic CD3+ effector lymphocytes while tumor cells having low or absent
      expression of EGF-R were not lysed. In addition, both cytolytic T (CD8+) cells
      and non-cytolytic (CD4+) IL-2-expanded lymphocytes were able to secrete
      lymphokines upon contact with EGF-R+ tumor cells. To target NK cells against NK
      resistant ovarian carcinomas, we used an anti-CD16 Mab (IgG1) together with an
      anti-ovarian carcinoma MAb (IgG2a), to construct biMAbs using the hybrid
      hybridoma technique. The hybrid IgG1/IgG2a biMAb triggered the specific lysis of
      relevant target cells by resting NK cells and by a subset of NK clones. In
      addition, some TCR gamma/delta+ clones but not TCR alpha/beta+ clones could be
      targeted by the biMAb.

PMID- 1428401
TI  - Activation of T cells in vivo using anti-CD3 and staphylococcal enterotoxins.
AB  - One of the major problems in clinical immunity is that neoplastic and virally
      infected cells are insufficiently immunogenic to trigger an immune response.
      During the past several years, our laboratory has explored the use of T-cell
      specific reagents including monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) and staphylococcal
      enterotoxins to amplify immune responses. This report summarizes our efforts to
      augment immunity with these agents.

PMID- 1428400
TI  - Targeted cytokine production.
AB  - It has been well established that bispecific antibodies containing anti-T-cell
      receptor MAbs crosslinked to anti-tumor MAbs induce T cells to lyse tumor cells,
      as measured in a 51Cr-release assay. Such lysis requires direct attachment
      between target and cytotoxic cells and most probably involves the exocytosis of
      cytolytic substances into the cell:cell interface. In addition, targeted T cells
      mediate a second activity, the secretion into the medium of factors that can
      block the growth of bound tumor cells and unbound bystander cells. In order to
      test how targeted effector cells mediate anti-tumor effects in vivo, we are
      currently developing a totally syngeneic murine system in which murine T cells
      are targeted against mouse mammary tumors. The system allows us to treat both
      primary tumors and tumor transplants, using a mammary-tumor-virus antigen as the
      entity that is specifically recognized on the tumor cells.

PMID- 1428402
TI  - Possible targets on carcinoma for bMAb retargeting of lymphocyte or drug
      cytotoxicity.
AB  - Retargeting of drugs or lymphocyte cytotoxicity through bi-specific monoclonal
      antibodies (bMAbs) has been proven a therapeutic tool against human carcinoma
      both in pre-clinical in vitro and in vivo studies. Some of these reagents have
      already been introduced into clinical trials and preliminary results appear to be
      promising. However, improvement of the specificity of this approach could be
      achieved by selecting more suitable target molecules on tumor cells. The research
      focused on developing MAbs directed against molecules with tumor-restricted
      distribution and homogeneous expression. Cell-membrane receptors for nutrients or
      growth factors which operationally represent tumor-specific molecules due to
      their overexpression, could be considered appropriate targets. Several bMAb anti
      nutrients (the folate-binding protein) or growth-factor receptor (c-erbB1, c
      erbB2)/anti-triggering molecules have been generated and all were able to
      efficiently retarget the relevant population of lymphocytes on tumor cells. In
      order to design a more reliable and selective therapeutic tool, the following
      parameters were analyzed: correlation between cytotoxicity and antigen level,
      potency and possible modulation of the target molecule.

PMID- 1428404
TI  - Janusin: new molecular design for bispecific reagents.
AB  - It is well established that soluble CD4 (sCD4) inhibits HIV infection in vitro,
      regardless of the virus strain or genetic variant. Most effective molecules, thus
      far, based on sCD4 are those in which CD4 is combined with immunoglobulin
      constant regions (CD4-IgG or CD4-IgM). Such molecules maintained HIV-gp120
      specificity mediated by CD4 and also antibody effector functions such as
      complement activation, Fc receptor binding, long serum half-life or transport
      across the placental barrier. We have now developed sCD4 molecules which are even
      more potent anti-HIV reagents. These molecules are based on the principle of
      bispecific antibodies and they have properties capable of retargeting cytotoxic T
      lymphocytes onto HIV-infected cells and inducing efficient killing. CD4 combined
      with anti-human CD3 (FvCD3) single-chain combining site has been produced (CD4
      FvCD3-JANUSIN). This molecule shows the expected biological activities, namely,
      binding to the 2 ligands, human CD3 and gp120, also efficiently retargeting CTLs
      of any specificity onto HIV-infected cells. In addition, several advantages over
      classical bispecific antibodies can be achieved: only one polypeptide, not a
      mixture containing the desired product, is produced, thus simplifying the
      purification process. In addition, Janusin designs do not contain the Ig Fc
      portion, which could mediate illegitimate retargeting of T-cells. In addition to
      CD4-FvCD3-JANUSIN, receptor-Fv, Fv-Fv or ligand-Fv Janusins can be produced.

PMID- 1428403
TI  - Engineering a humanized bispecific F(ab')2 fragment for improved binding to T
      cells.
AB  - We recently constructed a humanized bispecific antibody (BsF(ab')2v1) by separate
      E. coli expression of each Fab' arm followed by directed chemical coupling in
      vitro. BsF(ab')2 v1 (anti-CD3/anti-p185HER2) was demonstrated to retarget the
      cytotoxic activity of human CD3+ CTL in vitro against the human breast-tumor cell
      line, SK-BR-3, which over-expresses the p185HER2 product of the proto-oncogene
      HER2. Our minimalistic humanization strategy is to install as few murine residues
      as possible into a human antibody in order to recruit antigen-binding affinity
      and biological properties comparable to that of the murine parent antibody. This
      strategy proved very successful for the anti-p185HER2 arm of BsF(ab')2 v1. In
      contrast BsF(ab')2 v1 binds to T cells via its anti-CD3 arm much less efficiently
      than does the chimeric BsF(ab')2 which contains the variable domains of the
      murine parent anti-CD3 antibody. Here we have constructed additional BsF(ab')2
      fragments containing variant anti-CD3 arms with selected amino acid replacements
      in an attempt to improve antibody binding to T cells. One such variant, BsF(ab')2
      v9, was created by replacing 6 residues in the second hypervariable loop of the
      anti-CD3 heavy chain variable domain of BsF(ab')2 v1 with their counterparts from
      the murine parent anti-CD3 antibody. BsF(ab')2 v9 binds to T cells (Jurkat) much
      more efficiently than does BsF(ab')2 v1 and almost as efficiently as the chimeric
      BsF(ab')2. This improvement in the efficiency of T-cell binding of the humanized
      BsF(ab')2 is an important step in its development as a potential therapeutic
      agent for the treatment of p185HER2 over-expressing cancers.

PMID- 1428405
TI  - Functional assembly of chimeric T-cell receptor chains.
AB  - We have generated cytotoxic T-cell hybridomas expressing chimeric T-cell
      receptors (cTCR) with an antibody-type specificity for the TNP hapten.
      Transfectants expressing the cTCR genes could mediate specific lysis of
      haptenated tumor cell lines of various types and secrete IL-2 upon stimulation
      with TNP modified cells. In a previous report, we showed that double-gene
      transfectants expressing either VHC alpha and VLC beta or VHC beta and VLC alpha
      could be activated by TNP-modified stimulator cells or TNP proteins immobilized
      on plastic. Single-chain transfectants (expressing VHC alpha or VHC beta alone)
      could be mainly activated by TNP-cells. We now report that transfection of
      chimeric VHC alpha gene into an alpha-chain-defective mutant restores the surface
      expression of the TCR/CD3 complex. In parallel, such transfectants regained the
      ability to respond to mitogen and anti-CD3 antibodies and responded weakly to TNP
      cells. Double gene transfectants, bearing 2 complementary chimeric chains,
      expressed high amounts of cTCR on their surface, sufficient to acquire sound anti
      TNP reactivity. Cells expressing the VHC beta gene only were not functional and
      had no detectable surface TCR chains. Taken together, our results suggest that
      chimeric VHC alpha chains can pair with endogenous V beta C beta chains, but that
      there is preferential association between complementary chimeric chains,
      resulting in higher functional expression of the chimeric TCR.

PMID- 1428406
TI  - Bispecific-antibody-mediated targeting of radiolabeled bivalent haptens:
      theoretical, experimental and clinical results.
AB  - Chemically conjugated bispecific (anti-cell surface antigen, anti-hapten) Fab'
      Fab antibodies (Bs-MAbs) have been used to target 125I-, 111In- and 99mTc-labeled
      haptens to cell sub-sets. In vitro, bivalent haptens were found to bind more
      strongly than their monovalent analogs to the Bs-MAbs bound to ("ordered" on) the
      cell surface, or than to free ("disordered") Bs-MAbs: they are selective for cell
      bound Bs-MAbs. In tumor-grafted nude mice models, the sequential injections of
      microgram amounts of Bs-MAb, and 1 day later, of microC amounts of bivalent
      haptens permits to sharply delineate small tumors (using a gamma camera), hours
      after injection. Further, the isotope biodistribution was found to be at least 3
      times more selective for the tumor than that obtained with directly labeled anti
      CEA F(ab)'2 or with monovalent haptens. This better in vivo selectivity of the 2
      step targeting of bivalent haptens was also demonstrated in a pharmacokinetic
      study using therapeutic amounts of reagents. In primary-colon-carcinoma patients,
      a similar comparative immunoscintigraphy study confirmed the better selectivity
      of bivalent hapten targeting over direct targeting, on the basis of image quality
      and ex vivo tissue counting. In patients with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid,
      bivalent hapten targeting allowed us to confirm tumor extension and to find
      occult lesions. Interestingly, radio-immunoguided surgery was necessary to resect
      these small lesions. These experimental results, together with technological and
      theoretical considerations, suggest that Bs-MAb-mediated targeting of isotopes
      (or other agents) is one of the major ways to increase the clinical performance
      of MAb-based targeting diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

PMID- 1428407
TI  - Novel surface molecules involved in human NK cell activation and triggering of
      the lytic machinery.
AB  - Three new monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) termed 7A6, PP35 and A6/143 were isolated
      after mouse immunization with CD3- CD16+ NK clones. The screening procedure was
      based on the ability of MAbs to trigger cytolytic activity of the immunizing
      clones in a re-directed killing assay against the P815 murine mastocytoma cell
      line. The 7A6 MAb reacts with 58 kDa surface molecules that appear to belong to
      the same molecular family defined by the previously described NK-sub-set-specific
      GL183 and EB6 MAbs. However, unlike from these MAbs, the 7A6 MAb reacted with
      (and activated) all CD3- NK lymphocytes, independent of their sub-set assignment
      (based on the expression or lack of expression of EB6, GL183 and CD16). The PP35
      MAb reacted with a 70 kDa surface molecule expressed on all CD3- NK cells, as
      well as on TCR gamma/delta + cells and on a small sub-set of TCR alpha/beta +
      CD8+ lymphocytes. The PP35 MAb induced activation of essentially all NK cells,
      although clonal analysis revealed quantitative differences in the magnitude of
      the cytolytic responses elicited in different clones. Finally, the A6/143 MAb
      reacted with a molecule of 115 kDa expressed by all human PBL. Similarly to 7A6
      and PP35 MAbs, the A6/143 MAb activated all sub-sets of cloned NK cells.

PMID- 1428408
TI  - Bispecific IgG and IL-2 therapy of a syngeneic B-cell lymphoma in immunocompetent
      mice.
AB  - Bispecific antibody (bsAb) which binds to CD3 and a tumor-associated antigen can
      induce lysis of tumor cells by T cells. Lymphocytes targeted by bsAbs are also
      capable of inhibiting the growth of human xenografts in athymic mice. However,
      little is known about the impact of this form of therapy in immunologically
      intact animals. The 38C13 murine B-cell lymphoma model is well suited for the
      study of bsAb therapy. BsAb, consisting of an IgG that is monospecific for both
      CD3 and the idiotype expressed by V 38C13 cells, was obtained from hybrid
      hybridoma supernatant. Immunocompetent C3H mice were inoculated with V 38C13
      cells and treated 2 days later with antibody. Over 90% of mice treated with
      monospecific antibody died of lymphoma, while only 27% of mice treated with bsAb
      developed tumor and died. In studies of bsAb/IL-2 synergy, treatment was delayed
      until 5 days after inoculation to allow for a larger tumor burden at the time of
      treatment. IL-2 was administered on days 3 to 6. All mice treated with IL-2 alone
      died of lymphoma, as did 75% of mice treated with bsAb alone. Only 18% of mice
      treated with both bsAb and IL-2 developed lymphoma. Thus, therapy with bsAb and
      IL-2 eliminated a tumor load 100- to 1000-fold greater than can be eliminated by
      therapy with anti-tumor antibody alone. These studies demonstrate the value of
      using immunocompetent animal models, and support the further exploration of bsAbs
      as an immunotherapy for human malignancy.

PMID- 1428409
TI  - Bispecific antibody therapy of two murine B-cell lymphomas.
AB  - Numerous in vitro studies have shown that T lymphocytes can be targeted towards
      any target cell by using bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) with specificity of the
      CD3/TCR complex and a target cell antigen. We have produced bsAbs directed
      against the membrane expressed idiotype of the murine B cell lymphomas BCLI and
      38C13, and murine CD3 complex. The dual specificity of the hybrid-hybridoma
      produced monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) could be demonstrated by flow cytometry,
      the induction of T cell proliferation, the induction of IL2 secretion by
      polyclonal T cells, and redirected lysis of the relevant target cells.
      Immunotherapy of tumor bearing animals demonstrated that bsAbs could efficiently
      target T cells towards the tumor cells, that tumor cell--T cell bridging is
      established in vivo, and that both T cell subsets contribute to tumor regression
      resulting in long-term survival and cure of the lymphomas.

PMID- 1428410
TI  - CD4 immunoadhesins in anti-HIV therapy: new developments.
AB  - CD4, the cell-surface receptor for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is a
      member of the immunoglobulin (Ig) gene superfamily. It contains 4 extracellular
      sequences homologous to Ig variable domains, the first of which (V1) is
      sufficient for binding to HIV. To develop CD4 as an anti-HIV therapeutic, we
      engineered a CD4 immunoadhesin (CD4-IgG)--a fusion protein containing the V1 and
      V2 domains of CD4 with the hinge and Fc regions of human Ig heavy chain. A
      chimeric protein of this type has several advantages compared to the soluble
      receptor, including a greatly extended in vivo half-life and greater avidity for
      HIV; moreover, like an antibody, it performs effector functions via its Fc
      domains, such as complement activation and antibody-dependent cell-mediated
      cytotoxicity. In vivo experiments show that CD4-IgG protects against HIV-I IIIB
      infection of chimpanzees when administered prior to viral challenge. In addition,
      CD4-IgG is transferred efficiently across the placenta from mother to fetus in
      rhesus monkeys. To evaluate its safety in humans, we conducted a phase-I clinical
      trial in adult patients with AIDS and AIDS-related complex. We found that, in a
      total of 16 patients, administration of CD4-IgG was well tolerated at doses up to
      1000 micrograms/kg of body weight, with no important clinical or immunological
      toxicities noted. Given its unique properties, particularly the ability of CD4
      IgG to cross the placenta, we plan to focus future clinical efforts on preventing
      infection of newborns via maternal-fetal transfer of HIV.

PMID- 1428412
TI  - Adoptive immunotherapy of ovarian carcinoma with bs-MAb-targeted lymphocytes: a
      multicenter study.
AB  - A bispecific monoclonal antibody (bs-MAb) (OC/TR) was produced in large
      quantities for the intraperitoneal (i.p.) treatment of ovarian cancer. The bs-MAb
      recognizes the folate-binding protein on ovarian cancer cells on the one hand and
      the CD3 activation site on T lymphocytes on the other. T lymphocytes were
      expanded ex vivo, targeted with OC/TR in vitro and administered to the i.p.
      cavity in the presence of soluble OC/TR. All patients developed human anti-mouse
      antibodies (HAMA). In the Dutch study, 2 complete remissions (CR) were seen, 2
      partial regressions (PR), I stable disease (SD) and I progressive disease (PD).
      In the Italian study 3 CR, I PR, I SD and 2 PD were seen.

PMID- 1428411
TI  - Initial experience in treating human lymphoma with a combination of bispecific
      antibody and saporin.
AB  - Results are presented showing the use of bispecific F(ab')2 antibodies (bsAbs) in
      the delivery of saporin for the treatment of 2 human B-cell malignancies. BsAbs
      delivering saporin through CD22, but not through CD19, were effective at
      inhibiting the uptake of [3H]leucine by Daudi and Raji cells. Furthermore, a
      combination of 2 anti-CD22 bsAbs, selected to bind simultaneously to saporin,
      bound saporin 20 times more avidly and inhibited protein synthesis far more
      efficiently than any single bsAb. In the first patient, with end-stage chronic
      lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), treatment with 10 mg of saporin complexed to 100 mg
      of anti-CD19 bsAb over 43 days showed no therapeutic effect. In contrast, the
      second patient, with end-stage non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), given 5 mg of
      saporin complexed with a pair (50 mg) of anti-CD22 bsAbs over 15 days showed a
      marked clinical response, including complete clearance of tumour from the blood,
      clearance of ascites and shrinkage of tumour masses. Neither patient experienced
      any toxic side-effects, either during or after treatment. However, the second
      patient developed a strong anti-mouse Fab (HAMA) response 28 days after the
      treatment started. No anti-saporin response could be detected.

PMID- 1428413
TI  - Response of fetal and newborn piglets to maternal protein restriction during
      early or late pregnancy.
AB  - Dietary protein restriction during pregnancy has an adverse effect on progeny
      development, although the importance of the time at which the nutritional insult
      occurs is unclear. The objective in our study was to test the hypothesis that
      severe protein restriction during the first trimester of swine pregnancy has a
      greater detrimental effect on fetal development than restriction in late
      pregnancy. On the day of mating, primiparous swine were assigned to control (C,
      13% protein) or protein-restricted (PR, 0.5% protein) diets and fed in 4
      regimens: 1) C diet throughout pregnancy (114 +/- 2 days) (n = 5), 2) PR diet to
      day 44, C diet to parturition (n = 6), 3) C diet to day 80, PR diet to
      parturition (n = 8), and 4) PR diet throughout pregnancy (n = 6). In addition, 6
      pigs fed C and 7 pigs fed PR diets were killed at day 44 to assess placental and
      fetal development. Maternal diet had no effect on placental or fetal weight,
      crown-rump length, or heart girth circumference in 44-day fetuses. Mean birth
      weight of newborn piglets was 1462, 1291, 1262, and 1064 g for C, PR:C, C:PR, and
      PR groups, respectively (C greater than PR:C = C:PR greater than PR, p less than
      0.01). Plasma total protein and albumin were less (p less than 0.01) in PR than
      in PR:C and C:PR; all three groups were less than C (p less than 0.01). Liver
      weight and total liver protein, RNA, and DNA followed the same pattern (C greater
      than PR:C = C:PR greater than PR, p less than 0.05). Longissimus muscle total
      protein, RNA, and DNA were greater in group C than in all other groups (p less
      than 0.01). Maternal protein restriction during early pregnancy produced less
      developmental impairment than restriction throughout pregnancy, but the magnitude
      of impairment was similar to that produced by restriction during only the third
      trimester. The effects of early restriction were manifested at birth, even though
      none of the indices of stunting were observed at 44 days when the maternal
      protein restriction was ended. Whether the effects of early versus late
      restriction show the same mechanism of action has not been determined.

PMID- 1428414
TI  - A non-invasive technique for the accurate measurement of leg length in animals.
AB  - A novel, non-invasive technique for accurate measurements in animals
      (Kyniklometry) is presented. Kyniklometry (derived from greek o kuvikloz the
      rabbit) determines the distance between soft tissue landmarks in conscious
      rabbits, in particular the rear lower leg. Each measurement consists of six
      subsequent and independent estimations of this distance, with a technical error
      of 79 microns (study I), respectively 83 microns (study II). The angle of the
      relaxed sitting animal's knee is approximately 45 infinity, and remains
      individually almost constant during subsequent measurements. The precision of the
      device was compared with X-ray stereophotogrammetry (technical error 30 microns).
      Five female New Zealand White rabbits were measured for 13 consecutive days at 24
      hour-intervals both by kyniklometry and X-ray stereophotogrammetry (study I). The
      mean increment of 5 kyniklometric series of ten (3rd to 13th day) 24-hour
      increments was 0.988 mm, the mean 24-hour-variance was 0.244 mm2. Sixty point
      five percent of this variance could be explained by parallel right/left leg soft
      tissue variation. Only 5% of the variance was explicable by the technical error.
      The 24-hour-correlation between kyniklometry and X-ray stereophotogrammetry was
      significant with r = 0.889 and p less than 0.001. Kyniklometric measurements were
      also performed in 5 female rabbits for 56 days at 24-hour-intervals (study II).
      We found spontaneous periodicity once every 8 to 14 days. There was a diurnal
      variation of rear lower leg increment with maxima in the early morning hours.

PMID- 1428416
TI  - Relation between brain and body growth in allied rats.
AB  - Cranial volumes were measured from museum specimens of wild-caught and laboratory
      born Allied rats from eastern Australia. The relation of these volumes to body
      weight and body length, and also to age at death in the laboratory-reared sample,
      was determined. Growth of both brain and body was rapid during the first three
      postnatal months and slowed markedly over the next month, but appeared to
      continue at a very slow rate throughout life. In particular, the major surge in
      brain growth occurred in the first three postnatal weeks. Modified Gompertzian
      growth functions describe the pattern of growth quite well, though the nature of
      the data precluded highly sensitive fits. Three features were clear: 1) the rate
      of slowing of growth was about the same for all variables, 2) growth appeared to
      continue throughout the life of the animal, and 3) the trajectory of brain growth
      led that of body growth by about four days. The pattern of growth in Allied rats
      is similar to that of laboratory rats and probably to those in other murids.

PMID- 1428415
TI  - Expression of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta 1) and insulin-like
      growth factor II (IGF-II) messenger RNA in the developing subcutaneous tissue
      (SQ) of the fetal pig.
AB  - Studies (in situ hybridization) were performed on the developing subcutaneous
      tissue (SQ) of the pig fetus to determine sites of synthesis of TGF-beta 1 and
      IGF-II. Tissues from 50, 70, 90, 110-day-old pig fetuses and 7-day-old postnatal
      pigs were Bouin's fixed, paraffin embedded and hybridized with biotin labelled
      cDNA probes. The expression of TGF-beta 1 messenger RNA was detectable primarily
      in the dermis, hair follicle fat lobule, outer and inner SQ areas at all ages.
      Cells adjacent to adipocyte clusters and some small adipocytes were positive for
      TGF-beta 1. There was no positive hybridization of TGF-beta 1 probes in the
      developing muscle below the SQ. The expression of IGF-II was evident in the
      developing muscle below the SQ at 50 d and 70 d, and could be detected in the
      outer and inner SQ at 70 d. Much lower levels of IGF-II expression were observed
      in 90 and 110 d fetuses, but an increase in IGF-II expression was evident in the
      muscle of 7d postnatal pigs. Our results suggest that paracrine and autocrine
      regulatory systems may be operative for developing adipocytes (TGF-beta 1) and
      muscle (IGF-II), with specific areas and times of TGF-beta 1 and IGF-II
      expression being evident in developing pig SQ tissue.

PMID- 1428417
TI  - Effects of surgical decapitation and chicken growth hormone (cGH) replacement
      therapy on chick embryo growth.
AB  - The effects of decapitation and chicken growth hormone (cGH) replacement therapy
      on chick embryo growth has been investigated. Removal of the prosencephalon at 33
      38 hrs (1.38 to 1.58 Days) of incubation decreased body (torso) and liver weights
      as well as skeletal growth as indicated by tibial length. A single pituitary
      gland transplanted onto the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) partially restored
      torso growth and completely reversed the increase in body water content which
      characterizes decapitated embryos. Replacement therapy with cGH did not influence
      body weight but did, on Day 16.5 of incubation, increase tibial length and liver
      DNA content and concentration. These latter findings suggest that there may be
      limited hypothalamoadenohypophyseal (GH) axis function in the chick embryo. The
      effects of decapitation on torso growth are also discussed in conjunction with
      decapitation effects on albumen swallowing (absorption) and yolk absorption.

PMID- 1428418
TI  - Sexual cranial dimorphism in malnourished rats treated with growth hormone.
AB  - One hundred and sixty two Holtzman rats of both sexes were malnourished during
      suckling and post-weaning periods. Some of them received periodic injections of
      growth hormone. After sampling, at 56 days of age, skulls were cleaned and
      measured. Differences within and between sexes were estimated by Mahalanobis D2
      distances. Normal cranial differentiation between sexes (SCD) was decreased by
      malnutrition and restored by growth hormone treatment. The effect of the growth
      hormone on skull size was larger in malnourished males than females. This
      differential increment between sexes explains how growth hormone acted on the
      restoration of SCD.

PMID- 1428419
TI  - Schizophrenia as a contingent risk factor for criminal violence.

PMID- 1428420
TI  - Coercion in civil commitment: process, preferences, and outcome.

PMID- 1428421
TI  - Psychotic versus nonpsychotic misdemeanants in a large county jail: an analysis
      of pretrial treatment by the legal system.
AB  - There are significant numbers of mentally ill men and women in jail and the level
      of their psychopathology is often serious. Once in jail, the psychotic individual
      is subjected to conditions conducive to further decompensation and higher suicide
      rates. If this is the case, the duration of confinement--that is, the duration of
      exposure to this toxic environment--is not trivial. Of further concern, from the
      standpoint of due process, would be the duration of confinement prior to any
      determination of guilt or innocence. Therefore, it makes sense to examine what
      happens to jailed psychotic individuals as they wait for trial. Our experience
      suggested that pretrial jail time, even for minor offenses, is lengthy. The
      central hypothesis of our study, then, was that psychotic men, charged with
      misdemeanor offenses, would be incarcerated for significantly longer periods of
      time, prior to trial, than their nonpsychotic fellows. Descriptive data was also
      collected.

PMID- 1428422
TI  - Psychiatrists and the parameters of expert testimony.

PMID- 1428423
TI  - A comparison of criminal recidivism among schizophrenic and nonschizophrenic
      offenders.

PMID- 1428424
TI  - Law, rights, and psychiatry in the People's Republic of China.

PMID- 1428425
TI  - Toxic epidermal necrolysis.

PMID- 1428426
TI  - Wart, keratoacanthoma, and squamous cell carcinoma: a spectrum of the same
      neoplastic process?

PMID- 1428427
TI  - Smoking and the skin.

PMID- 1428428
TI  - Porokeratosis in immunosuppressed and nonimmunosuppressed patients.
AB  - Porokeratosis is an uncommon, inherited, autosomally dominant disorder. In the
      last decade association of porokeratosis and immunosuppression has been observed.
      In this study we carried out a comparative study between immunosuppressed and
      nonimmunosuppressed porokeratosis cases. We found that 9 out of 20 cases of
      porokeratosis were associated with organ transplantation/immunosuppression.
      Clinicopathologic study revealed that the pattern of disease is alike both in
      immunosuppressed and nonimmunosuppressed patients. Our observations indicate that
      immune modulation could be a factor in the genesis of porokeratosis.

PMID- 1428429
TI  - Candida albicans--saprophyte or pathogen?
AB  - Skin scrapings taken from toe spaces of 200 healthy volunteers and from toe webs
      and groins of 150 pediatric patients were cultured for Candida albicans using the
      serum germ-tube test. The results showed that Candida albicans can be isolated in
      about 15% of normal toe spaces and 14% of children with normal groins. Although
      Candida albicans can be found in various grades of athlete's foot and also in
      some abnormal groins, we believe that it is not necessarily responsible for these
      conditions and is often present at these sites only as a saprophyte.

PMID- 1428430
TI  - Hemostasis and platelet aggregation in purpuric pigmented angiodermatitis
      eruptions.
AB  - Ten patients with chronic purpuric and pigmented angiodermatitis in the
      extremities and two patients with acute and disseminated eczematoid-like purpura
      angiodermatitis were studied with current hemostasis parameters: (1) platelet
      aggregation, (2) platelet circulating aggregates, (3) clotting factor
      measurements and high molecular weight kininogen (HMWK) in their coagulation
      fraction. The results showed: (1) reactional thrombocytosis with morphologic
      changes; (2) increased levels of platelet circulating aggregates; (3) increased
      response of platelet aggregation to different agonists, especially at very low
      doses, and also when we used washed platelets resuspended in normal plasma; (4)
      delayed activation of the contact system; (5) decrease of the activity of the
      fibrinolysis activators; and (6) diminished function activity of the HMWK
      coagulation fraction. As a physiopathogenic hypothesis in these patients, there
      is a cutaneous pathology that could be entailed to these hematologic alterations
      of the platelet-HMWK-endothelial cells-kinins-coagulation-fibrinolysis system.

PMID- 1428431
TI  - Cutaneous lymphoma.

PMID- 1428432
TI  - Follicular mucinosis and Hodgkin's disease.

PMID- 1428434
TI  - Pachydermodactyly transgrediens.

PMID- 1428433
TI  - Vesiculobullous lupus erythematosus with milial formation.

PMID- 1428435
TI  - Impact of the new United States medical licensing examination on the
      certification process of the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical
      Graduates.

PMID- 1428436
TI  - Treatment of female androgenetic alopecia with minoxidil 2%.
AB  - The safety and efficacy of minoxidil 2% for the treatment of female androgenetic
      alopecia was assessed in a 32-week double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Thirty
      three women aged 22 to 44 years with hair loss classified as Ludwig's grade I or
      II were enrolled, and 28 completed the trial. Before the administration of
      treatment, mean nonvellus hair counts were taken within a 1-cm2 target area of
      the scalp. For the 15 patients in the minoxidil group, the mean count was 169
      hairs compared with 161 hairs for the 13 patients in the placebo group. At the
      completion of the trial, the patients treated with minoxidil 2% had a mean
      nonvellus hair count of 195 hairs versus a mean hair count of 177 for patients in
      the placebo group; 60% (9) of the patients in the minoxidil group showed minimal
      to moderate hair growth compared with 46% (6) of the patients in the placebo
      group. No serious side effects were encountered during this study, nor any
      significant changes in safety parameters. There were no dropouts due to medical
      events related to minoxidil 2%.

PMID- 1428437
TI  - Lepromatous leprosy treated with recombinant interferon gamma: cutaneous
      histologic changes.
AB  - We report on the histologic changes occurring in single cutaneous lesions, from
      six active lepromatous patients, 1 week following the administration of three
      daily intradermal injections, 35 micrograms each, of recombinant interferon gamma
      (rIFN-gamma). Except for a strong induration at the injection site, rIFN-gamma
      produced no adverse systemic reactions and was able to promote a remarkable
      influx of T-lymphocytes, mononuclear phagocytes with large nuclei, nonvacuolated
      cytoplasm, and reduced lysozyme reactivity. Furthermore, despite no clear-cut
      reduction of mycobacterial dermal burden, bacilli showed a clear increase in the
      granular appearance. Present findings provide a basis for further elucidation of
      rIFN-gamma as an additional tool for leprosy treatment.

PMID- 1428438
TI  - Coexistence of familial systemic lupus erythematosus and localized scleroderma.

PMID- 1428440
TI  - The porphyrias.

PMID- 1428439
TI  - Localized scleroderma and Borrelia antibody seroconversion.

PMID- 1428442
TI  - Sunscreens, UVA, and cutaneous malignancy: adding fuel to the fire.

PMID- 1428441
TI  - A concise guide to topical sunscreens: state of the art.

PMID- 1428443
TI  - Calcipotriol and psoriasis.

PMID- 1428444
TI  - The rare coexistence of leprosy and psoriasis.

PMID- 1428446
TI  - Incidence of skin disease in Cuzco, Peru.
AB  - In the nations of the developing world, the incidence of skin disease is
      especially affected by geography. While most studies focus on the tropics, this
      report records the pattern of skin diseases encountered in a South American
      mountain city. Among 1277 patients examined, the noninfectious dermatoses
      predominated.

PMID- 1428445
TI  - Pattern of skin diseases at the National Skin Centre (Singapore) from 1989-1990.
AB  - At the National Skin Centre, 74,589 new attendances were seen from 1989 to 1990.
      The M:F ratio was 1:1. The majority of the patients belonged to the 20-39 year
      age groups (40%). Frequencies of psoriasis (20.4%) and alopecia (17.2%) were
      higher among Indians; exfoliative dermatitis was higher among Malays (19.72%);
      and insect bites were higher among Chinese (87%) [P less than 0.05] compared with
      ethnic distribution (9.9%, 7.6%, and 77.2% respectively) of NSC patient
      population. Dermatitis (34.2%) and acne (10.9%) were the most common skin
      disorders seen. The more common dermatoses seen in 1989/90 differ slightly from
      those reported in 1950s and 1980s; however, the frequencies of contact
      dermatitis, fungal infection, and insect bite reactions of 5.8%, 10.9%, and 7.6%,
      respectively, in 1980 have decreased to 4.7%, 5.4%, and 2.3%, respectively, in
      1989/90. There was no seasonal variation in the frequency of various dermatoses
      except for psoriasis, which was more prevalent during the first quarters of 1989
      and 1990. Our results showed that the pattern of skin diseases in Singapore is
      slowly approximating that of developed countries. The changes in the pattern of
      skin diseases are probably due to improved economic status, better education and
      hygiene, ready availability of dermatology services, as well as changes in
      occupational and environmental contactants over the last decade.

PMID- 1428447
TI  - Chronic cutaneous leishmaniasis: Leishmania parasites in blood.
AB  - Two patients with chronic cutaneous leishmaniasis had positive blood cultures.
      The diagnosis was established by the clinical picture, skin biopsy, and culture
      for Leishmania major and tropica.

PMID- 1428448
TI  - Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Riyadh region: four-year study of the epidemiologic
      and clinical features.
AB  - A retrospective study of 11,802 patient records with cutaneous leishmaniasis in
      Riyadh region was conducted during the period 1987 to 1990. The following
      findings resulted from the study. The incidence rate declined from 244.2 to 106.5
      per 100,000 population. The infection was mainly among non-Saudi men in their
      working years. The Saudis represented 33% of the total number of patients. The
      Saudi patients were mainly young, below 15 years of age, with almost equal
      men/women distribution. The non-Saudis were found to have more multiple lesions;
      65% of them had three or more lesions compared with 10% in Saudis. The lesions
      were mainly on the exposed parts of the body such as the face (20%), neck (3.3%),
      upper limbs (23.3%), and lower limbs (15%). Agricultural areas such as Riyadh
      vicinity, Al-Kharj, Shagraa, and Al-Koweeya showed consistently the highest foci
      of infections. The infections were highest in winter and lowest in summer.

PMID- 1428449
TI  - Diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis with atypical aspects.
AB  - A 16-year-old man had long-standing diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis with the
      following characteristics: diffuse infiltrated lesions rich in amastigotes,
      absence of mucosal involvement, and lack of parasite-specific cell-mediated
      immune response. In situ identification of Leishmania mexicana amazonensis was
      achieved by the use of monoclonal antibodies. Clinically, as an atypical finding
      there was deep and extensive ulceration in the lower limbs. Histologically, an
      atypical characteristic was the presence of a high number of eosinophils in the
      infiltrate predominantly in the ulcerated lesion. Ultrastructurally, parasitized
      and lysed eosinophils with dispersion of their granules were seen in the vicinity
      of parasitized or lysed macrophages.

PMID- 1428450
TI  - Behcet's disease and surgical intervention.
AB  - Behcet's Disease (BD) is a systemic disorder with an unknown etiopathogenesis.
      The need for clinical criteria in the establishment of diagnosis is of great
      importance. We present the case of a 27-year-old man with BD, who had a surgical
      operation during the active period of his disease and experienced subsequent
      complications. Cutaneous hyper-reactivity response to minor cutaneous trauma--the
      pathergy phenomenon--is found in most patients with BD. Theoretically, major
      traumas may lead to major reactions in the skin or any of the organs. In
      practice, we observed that while there was a severe inflammatory reaction-
      histopathologically a superficial perivascular dermatitis--which developed at the
      incision site, the systemic symptoms of the disease increased in spite of
      intensive treatment of the condition.

PMID- 1428451
TI  - Pyoderma gangrenosum: associations revisited.
AB  - Fourteen cases of pyoderma gangrenosum were seen over a period of 24 years at the
      Hull Royal Infirmary Dermatology Department. Several associated conditions were
      found. Seven cases were associated with rheumatoid arthritis of which five were
      sero-positive, including one with Felty's syndrome. One case was associated with
      both ulcerative colitis and psoriasis; one with polycythemia rubra vera; two
      patients had diverticular disease including one who also had rheumatoid
      arthritis; one had positive syphilis serology. In three cases there was no
      significant associated disease identified. Ten out of the fourteen cases were
      women, indicating a female preponderance by a ratio of about 2F:1M; a figure
      similar to that stated by Seitzinger. The age of presentation ranged from 30 to
      80 years.

PMID- 1428452
TI  - Hair follicle nevus.
AB  - Four cases of hair follicle nevi are described. Hair follicle nevus is an
      extremely rare hamartoma occurring on the face, which has had no clear
      histopathologic definition until now. A short review of the clinicopathologic
      features of this disease is presented.

PMID- 1428453
TI  - Acute adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma presenting with florid cutaneous disease.
AB  - Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is characterized by cutaneous disease,
      hypercalcemia, associated HTLV-I infection, and a fulminant course refractory to
      therapy. A patient with acute ATLL is described, and the natural history of ATLL
      is reviewed.

PMID- 1428454
TI  - Pyoderma gangrenosum associated with antiphospholipid antibodies.

PMID- 1428456
TI  - Pyoderma gangrenosum treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
AB  - The management of pyoderma gangrenosum often requires systemic drug therapy, such
      as corticosteroids, sulfones, or immunosuppressants, either alone or in
      combination. Inconsistent response to therapy is a source of frustration to both
      patient and physician. Several reports in the literature document the successful
      treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. In our patient,
      a woman with severe rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes mellitus, hyperbaric oxygen
      therapy not only promoted healing of pyoderma gangrenosum but permitted reduction
      of systemic corticosteroids.

PMID- 1428455
TI  - Treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum with clofazimine.
AB  - We report a case of pyoderma gangrenosum in a 80-year-old woman suffering from
      ulcerative colitis and treated with clofazimine. Significant improvement was
      evident within 5 days following commencement of therapy, complete healing
      occurred after only 4 weeks of treatment.

PMID- 1428457
TI  - Solitary condyloma latum on the umbilicus.

PMID- 1428458
TI  - Kaposi's sarcoma observed in a young man in 1973.

PMID- 1428459
TI  - Facial cellulitis-like Sweet's syndrome in acute myelogenous leukemia.

PMID- 1428460
TI  - Cellular immune effects of thalidomide in actinic prurigo.

PMID- 1428461
TI  - New approaches to assess topical corticosteroid bioequivalence: pharmacokinetic
      evaluation.
AB  - An ideal method for measuring the bioavailability of topical corticosteroids
      should be simple, accurate, and adaptable to a variety of settings and should not
      require extensive special training to perform. Drug uptake into the stratum
      corneum, measured by tapestripping, is correlated with the pharmacodynamic
      response of skin blanching, observed in the vasoconstrictor assay. Differences in
      stratum corneum drug uptake can be objectively quantitated as a function of time,
      occlusion, dose applied, and vehicle. Tapestripping measurements are reproducible
      within individual subjects, but large interindividual variabilities may exist.
      The chromameter, a new technology, objectively quantitates color numerically and
      can be used to measure skin blanching as part of the pharmacodynamic response to
      topical corticosteroids. The chromameter offers an easy, objective method with
      which to quantitate the pharmacodynamic response of topical corticosteroids. Both
      methods allow a more mechanistic approach than currently used methods to
      investigate topical drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

PMID- 1428462
TI  - Bioequivalence of topical corticosteroids: a regulatory perspective.
AB  - After reviewing the history of generic drug substitution policy in the United
      States, this paper discusses issues of equivalence as they apply to topical drug
      products. Documentation of bioequivalence of topical products has been
      problematic, and current methods are being re-evaluated by the Food and Drug
      Administration. The FDA is currently evaluating various extensions of the basic
      methodology of the Stoughton-McKenzie vasoconstrictor assay, in order to develop
      a more comprehensive pharmacodynamic methodology for documenting topical drug
      bioequivalence. A modern pharmacodynamic model is described, based on nonlinear
      dose-response relationship, a baseline effect, and a maximum or plateau effect.
      The Agency's goal is a bioequivalent methodology that will be simple, readily
      performed, and based on more objective methods of measuring the vasoconstrictor
      response.

PMID- 1428463
TI  - Issues in measuring percutaneous absorption of topical corticosteroids.
AB  - Studies that examine the pharmacokinetics of topical drugs at their site of
      action in the skin have been difficult to perform and, therefore, limited in
      number. In the early years of topical drug pharmacokinetic research,
      investigators had to rely on the measurement of less direct indicators of drug
      throughput such as blood levels and urinary excretion. Today, advances in theory
      are impelling pharmacokinetic research in new directions, including the
      measurement of drug availability in tissue compartments within the skin. This
      research will lead to greater precision in pharmacokinetic measurement and
      greater relevance of these measurements to the therapeutic efficacy of topical
      corticosteroids in cutaneous disease states.

PMID- 1428464
TI  - The vasoconstrictor assay in bioequivalence testing: practical concerns and
      recent developments.
AB  - The vasoconstrictor assay, when properly performed, is a highly reliable method
      to determine bioequivalence of generic formulations. Recent research has resolved
      some of the remaining questions concerning the practical application of the
      assay. Significant vehicle-related differences have been observed between the
      potency of different, supposedly equivalent formulations now on the market. Large
      differences in concentrations of the active agent in similar vehicles usually
      have not resulted in corresponding differences in vasoconstrictor assay results.
      Finally, the time course of drug effects may differ among highly potent and less
      potent corticosteroids. In general, the higher the potency of the topical
      corticosteroid, the earlier the maximal effect is observed. This finding suggests
      that short application of highly potent agents might minimize systemic absorption
      without sacrificing efficacy.

PMID- 1428465
TI  - Bioequivalence studies of topical preparations: statistical considerations.
AB  - To be approved for marketing, a potential generic pharmaceutical product must
      demonstrate bioequivalence, that is, a rate and extent of absorption similar to
      those of the currently marketed ("innovator") product. For oral products, design
      and statistical analysis for studies conducted to determine whether two products
      are bioequivalent have become reasonably standardized; the design is crossover,
      and analysis is based on the two one-sided tests principle. The purpose of this
      overview is to consider whether the practices for oral products apply to topical
      products, and where different procedures may be required. The principles behind
      the practices for oral products are seen, largely, to carry over to topical
      products.

PMID- 1428466
TI  - Topical corticosteroids: quality control considerations.
AB  - A simple procedure is developed, which can be used as a quality control test. The
      method utilizes commercially available diffusion cell assembly, synthetic
      membrane, and an appropriate receptor phase. The amount of drug released over
      time is determined using an HPLC method. From this, the drug release rate, flux,
      microgram/cm2/min0.5 is calculated. This drug release rate can serve as a good
      quality control test to assure batch-to-batch uniformity.

PMID- 1428467
TI  - Clinical trials of topical corticosteroids in psoriasis: correlations with the
      vasoconstrictor assay.
AB  - It would be desirable to develop an alternative system to clinical studies to
      evaluate the potency of generic topical corticosteroids and of new formulations
      of existing innovator corticosteroids. The vasoconstrictor assay is a reliable
      method for testing potency; however, its results do not always agree with
      clinical studies. Psoriasis offers an ideal clinical model to evaluate corticoid
      potency because the ability to perform within-patient comparisons of the
      treatment of bilateral lesions permits meaningful comparisons with a relatively
      small sample size. The results of bilateral comparisons in psoriasis agreed with
      those of the vasoconstrictor assay in 20 of 23 comparisons of active agents and
      in numerous comparisons of active corticosteroids with a placebo. Eczematous
      dermatoses do not lend themselves well to bilateral paired comparison studies and
      therefore require parallel treatment studies with relatively large sample sizes
      to produce statistically significant comparisons.

PMID- 1428468
TI  - Animal models for testing topical corticosteroid potency: a review and some
      suggested new approaches.
AB  - Animal models allow for testing the potency of topical corticosteroids by
      measuring their effects on induced conditions that are analogous to human skin
      disease. Animal models can examine the anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic,
      antiproliferative, and atrophogenic effects of topical corticosteroids. These
      test models as they are currently applied are relatively imprecise; however,
      innovations using newly available histologic, autoradiographic, and biochemical
      techniques have great potential for precisely quantitating the effects of
      corticosteroids in animal model systems.

PMID- 1428469
TI  - Human test models for bioequivalence of topical corticosteroids: a review.
AB  - It would be useful to have a safe, reliable, reproducible, and inexpensive human
      test model to determine the potency of topical corticosteroids and the
      bioequivalence of generic agents. Existing human test systems include erythema or
      inflammation induced by irritants or other stimuli, experimentally induced
      cutaneous disease-like states, and bioassays in patients with psoriasis. None of
      these systems is currently reliable enough to warrant general use. Among the
      shortcomings of existing test systems are the difficulty of producing a uniform,
      steroid-responsive test condition, the requirement to use occlusion in several of
      the systems, and the lack of agreement among the results of different tests.
      Despite these shortcomings, some of the tests may prove useful in comparing
      innovator and generic topical corticosteroids and in screening the potency of new
      agents.

PMID- 1428470
TI  - Smoking and lung cancer in China: combined analysis of eight case-control
      studies.
AB  - Smoking is well established as a principal risk factor for lung cancer. The risk
      of lung cancer is about ten times higher in smokers in Western countries. In
      China, a number of epidemiological studies have investigated the association
      between lung cancer and smoking and in the present paper, a combined analysis of
      eight such case-control studies is described. The summary odds ratio (OR),
      calculated by the Mantel-Haenszel method, and attributable risk (AR) of lung
      cancer associated with smoking were calculated from the combined data which were
      obtained from a literature review. The eight case-control studies were conducted
      in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenyang, Nanjing, Harbin, Zhengzhou, Taiyuan, and
      Nanchang, yielding a total of 4081 lung cancer cases and 4338 controls. The
      summary OR of lung cancer associated with smoking was 2.17 (95% CI (confidence
      interval): 1.98-2.39). The OR were 3.09 (95% CI: 2.61-3.66) for males and 2.30
      (95% CI: 1.96-2.69) for females. The AR were 38.2% for both sexes, 56.7% for
      males and 25.5% for females. Risks of 1.00, 1.03, 2.04, and 3.33 showed a dose
      response relationship between lung cancer and number of cigarettes smoked per
      day. There were also significant dose-response relationships of lung cancer with
      duration of smoking (OR = 1.00, 1.02, 2.66), and age at start of smoking (OR =
      1.00, 3.30, 2.36, 1.18). The OR and AR of lung cancer associated with smoking in
      China were much lower than those reported in Western countries and the possible
      reasons for this are discussed.

PMID- 1428471
TI  - Occupational and environmental hazards associated with lung cancer.
AB  - In a hospital-based case-control study 194 lung cancer cases, 194 hospital
      controls, and 194 population controls were interviewed for their smoking,
      occupational, and residential history by trained interviewers, using a
      standardized questionnaire. In order to include many different environmental
      exposures, case ascertainment took place in seven different hospitals with
      catchment areas ranging from rural to highly industrialized. Lung cancer risk
      strongly increases with cumulative cigarette dose, reaching an odds ratio (OR) of
      16.19 (95% confidence limits (CL): 5.10, 51.33) for male smokers of more than 40
      pack-years and an OR of 19.99 (95% CL: 4.98, 80.24) for female smokers of more
      than 20 pack-years. For the quantification of occupational exposure to known
      carcinogens of the lung a novel approach was developed which accumulates exposure
      information obtained by supplemental questionnaires through an automatic
      procedure. The OR for the highest exposure group in males was 2.7 (95% CL: 1.23,
      5.78). Significantly increased risks were observed in the metal industry,
      particularly in smelter and foundry workers (OR 4.8, 95% CL: 1.15, 20.16) and in
      turners (OR 2.2, 95% CL: 1.05, 4.75). In the construction industry the risks were
      particularly high in road construction workers (OR 3.7, 95% CL: 1.06, 13.20) and
      in unskilled construction workers (OR 2.7, 95% CL: 1.24, 5.76). The risks in
      these occupational groups increased with duration and with latency.
      Quantification of air pollution was done on a county basis by time period. An
      index based on emission data for sulphur dioxide was compared to a
      semiquantitative index, which included additional information on ambient air
      pollution. After adjustment for smoking and occupational exposures an OR of 1.01
      (95% CL: 0.53, 1.91) for an emission index and of 1.16 (95% CL: 0.64, 2.13) for a
      semiquantitative index was obtained.

PMID- 1428472
TI  - Relationship of blood prolactin levels and the risk of subsequent breast cancer.
AB  - Between 1968 and 1976 a total of 5162 women volunteers were enrolled into a
      prospective study conducted on the Island of Guernsey. Up to February 1990 145
      women subsequently developed breast cancer. Blood samples were taken at the time
      of enrollment and prolactin levels were known for 85% of the volunteers. In
      calculating the relationship between blood prolactin levels and subsequent breast
      cancer risk, women were excluded if they had a hysterectomy or an oophorectomy or
      had cancer at any site before enrollment. The final analysis was based on 2596
      premenopausal and 1180 naturally postmenopausal women and, of these respectively,
      there were 71 and 40 volunteers who subsequently developed breast cancer. The
      total follow-up for these two groups was 49,941 and 22,360 woman-years,
      respectively. In assessing the relationship between blood prolactin levels and
      risk of subsequent breast cancer the cohort was divided into quintiles according
      to prolactin concentration and relative risks (RR) were estimated. In calculating
      these values possible confounding by age at entry, age at menarche, parity, age
      at first birth, years since menopause, body build, history of benign breast
      disease and family history of breast cancer were taken into consideration. There
      was no significant relation between risk of breast cancer and prolactin in either
      pre- or postmenopausal women. Hence prolactin appears not to be an important
      determinant of breast cancer risk.

PMID- 1428473
TI  - Misclassification bias related to definition of menopausal status in case-control
      studies of breast cancer.
AB  - It is often assumed, but has not been consistently observed, that some
      characteristics of reproductive history are specifically related to breast cancer
      of pre- or postmenopausal onset. To determine whether inconsistent reports may be
      due to differences in definition of menopause, we computed the relative odds (RO)
      of breast cancer for nulliparity, age at first live birth, family history of
      breast cancer and prior history of benign breast disease, separately in pre- and
      postmenopausal women, using seven different definitions of menopause. Results
      show that (i) relative odds of breast cancer and their confidence intervals may
      vary according to definitions of menopause; (ii) age-based definitions of
      menopause are associated with moderate differential misclassification bias
      between cases and controls; (iii) nulliparity, late age at first birth and family
      history of breast cancer seem to be specific risk factors for pre- but not
      postmenopausal breast cancer when cutoff for menopausal status is 10 years or
      more after last menses; and (iv) when information on menstrual history is not
      available, 50 years of age may be the best proxy for all menses-based definitions
      of menopause. We conclude that inconsistent findings on the effect of menopausal
      status in the association of breast cancer with some reproductive factors are
      partly due to statistical imprecision and differential misclassification bias
      associated with different age-based or menses-based definitions of menopause.
      Researchers should either test whether their conclusions hold using several
      definitions of menopause or give a biological rationale for the choice of a given
      definition of menopause.

PMID- 1428474
TI  - Skinfold thickness and cardiovascular risk factors in American and Japanese
      telephone company executives.
AB  - Data from a cross-sectional study of cardiovascular disease risk factors in 962
      US and 827 Japanese male telephone company executives were used to determine the
      associations of skinfold thickness measurements (abdominal, subscapular, triceps,
      ulnar) with blood pressure, blood glucose, serum cholesterol, and serum
      triglycerides. These associations were assessed within each group of executives
      and were compared between the groups. Most skinfolds showed association with risk
      factors in univariate regression. After adjusting for age and body mass index,
      the abdominal skinfold continued to be significantly associated with blood
      pressure and triglycerides in both groups, while the subscapular skinfold showed
      associations only with triglycerides. After adjustment, the peripheral skinfolds
      showed no association with risk factors in the US men, however, in the Japanese
      men the ulnar skinfold continued to be associated with blood pressure. These
      findings suggest that abdominal and ulnar skinfold measurement may be useful in
      adjusting for the effect of obesity on coronary heart disease risk in
      epidemiological studies.

PMID- 1428475
TI  - Are race differences in the prevalence of hypertension explained by body mass and
      fat distribution? A survey in a biracial population.
AB  - Body mass and body fat distribution are important considerations in the study of
      hypertension. However, few studies have investigated the relationships with
      regards to race differences in elevated arterial pressure. A population-based
      sample of black and white adults was assessed by interview and physical
      measurement. The prevalence of hypertension (defined as 140/90 mmHg and/or
      medically treated) was disproportionately higher among blacks than whites. In
      addition, blacks had a higher prevalence of the more severe hypertension (160/95
      mmHg) and hypertension with higher prevalence at earlier ages than whites. Black
      females had a significantly higher distribution of body mass index (BMI) than
      white females, while no difference was found in the distributions of males. White
      males had a higher distribution of waist to hip ratio (WHR) than black males,
      while black females had the higher values compared to white females. The
      prevalence of hypertension increased with BMI and WHR. Blacks maintained higher
      rates of hypertension after controlling for BMI and WHR, however, the margin of
      difference diminished when BMI and WHR was considered together. The black-white
      difference in hypertension was not completely explained by BMI and WHR. In
      addition, the strength of the association of hypertension and body size was
      different for blacks and whites which suggests possible differences in the
      mechanisms regulating blood pressure.

PMID- 1428477
TI  - Serum sialic acid concentration predicts both coronary heart disease and stroke
      mortality: multivariate analysis including 54,385 men and women during 20.5 years
      follow-up.
AB  - To investigate the nature of the relationship between serum sialic acid
      concentration and cardiovascular mortality, the risks for coronary heart disease
      (CHD) and stroke were assessed separately in 26,693 men and 27,692 women followed
      during 20.5 years. Diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and body mass
      index were used as covariates in a person-year-based Poisson model. Relative
      risks for CHD mortality associated with the highest sialic acid quartile was 1.76
      (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.58-1.96) in men and 1.94 (95% CI: 1.61-2.34) in
      women. Corresponding figures for stroke were 1.62 (95% CI: 1.26-2.09) and 1.68
      (95% CI: 1.28-2.21) respectively. No significant patterns related to the age at
      entry was observed. For both genders, and both endpoints, diastolic blood
      pressure was associated with higher relative risk than sialic acid, and body mass
      index and serum total cholesterol were less predictive. Serum sialic acid
      concentration predicts both death from CHD and stroke in men and women
      independent of age. The biological foundation of this finding remains unclear.

PMID- 1428476
TI  - Blood pressure levels of Zambian rural adolescents and their relationship to age,
      sex, weight, height and three weight-for-height indices.
AB  - A study of blood pressure levels of 372 rural Zambian schoolchildren age 7-16
      years showed that blood pressure increases with age. The association between age
      and blood pressure is decreased when growth is controlled for in the analysis.
      Girls tended to have either the same or slightly higher mean blood pressure
      levels at all ages than boys. The main determinants of blood pressure in the
      children were age, height and weight. Mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) values
      of the children were lower than those for Nigerian, American and worldwide
      adolescents of comparable age, whereas mean diastolic blood pressure values were
      similar to those of American and worldwide adolescents of comparable age. The
      associations between blood pressure and the three indices commonly used to
      measure relative obesity, i.e. weight-for-length, weight/height2 and
      weight/height,3 were only significant for weight-for-length after adjusting for
      height, suggesting that the other two indices may not be appropriate in studies
      focussed on children and should be applied with caution. The nonsignificant
      associations observed between blood pressure and the other two weight-for-height
      indices may be attributed to the almost nonexistence of obesity in this sample of
      children.

PMID- 1428478
TI  - Monitoring the incidence of myocardial infarctions: applications of capture-mark
      recapture technology.
AB  - It is critical to monitor the incidence of myocardial infarction. Typically,
      death certificates have been used as a proxy for incidence, however, these have
      been found to be crude as they lag behind changes in incidence. In the last
      decade several myocardial infarction registries have been established, however,
      these registries are still too limited in geographical spread to assess either
      national or global trends of heart attack. Here we suggest that employing an
      alternate approach, that of capture-mark-recapture, would be helpful to provide
      accurate monitoring both within and between countries. This method would
      complement existing registries by providing a simple and inexpensive means to
      provide accurate heart attack data across broad geographical areas and time.

PMID- 1428479
TI  - Risk factors for preterm and term low birthweight in Ahmedabad, India.
AB  - To identify and quantify risk factors for preterm and term low birthweight (LBW)
      we conducted a hospital-based case-control study, linked with a population survey
      in Ahmedabad, India. The case-control study of 673 term LBW, 644 preterm LBW
      cases and 1465 controls showed that low maternal weight, poor obstetric history,
      lack of antenatal care, clinical anaemia and hypertension were significant
      independent risk factors for both term and preterm LBW. Short interpregnancy
      interval was associated with an increased risk of preterm LBW birth while
      primiparous women had increased risk of term LBW. Muslim women were at a reduced
      risk of term LBW, but other socioeconomic factors did not remain significant
      after adjusting for these more proximate factors. Estimates of the prevalence of
      risk factors from the population survey was used to calculate attributable risk.
      This analysis suggested that a substantial proportion of term and preterm LBW
      births may be averted by improving maternal nutritional status, anaemia and
      antenatal care.

PMID- 1428480
TI  - A case-control study of paternal smoking and birth defects.
AB  - Although the influence of paternal smoking on birth defects is of great public
      interest, epidemiological evidence concerning this potential relationship is
      extremely limited. A stratified random sample of 29 hospitals in the Shanghai
      Municipality, China, was used to select 1012 birth defects cases and controls.
      Mothers of the cases and controls were interviewed in the hospitals from October
      1986 to September 1987. A modest relationship between paternal smoking and
      overall birth defects in offspring was identified [odds ratio (OR) = 1.21, 95%
      confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.45]. More markedly elevated risks were
      identified for anencephalus (OR = 2.1), spina bifida (OR = 1.9), pigmentary
      anomalies of the skin (OR = 3.3) and varus/valgus deformities of the feet (OR =
      1.8). Our analysis also shows that paternal smoking is more likely to be
      associated with multiple rather than isolated malformations. A paternally
      mediated effect of smoking on birth defects is suggested and further studies are
      encouraged.

PMID- 1428481
TI  - Cigarette smoking in pregnancy and fetal growth. Does the type of tobacco play a
      role?
AB  - The effect of nicotine content of cigarettes on fetal growth was studied. From
      April 1985 to April 1987, 86% of all pregnant women in two well-defined
      geographical areas responded to a questionnaire on social conditions and
      lifestyle factors in pregnancy. After excluding multiple births and women who
      gave birth after elective caesarean section, 10,485 pregnant women were available
      for the study. Results showed that not only smoking, but also nicotine content in
      cigarettes was related to reduced fetal growth as measured by birthweight, birth
      length, and head circumference. The timing of smoking during pregnancy played a
      role. Smoking before pregnancy or smoking early in pregnancy was not related to
      fetal growth, nor were the partners' smoking habits. The study corroborates the
      hypothesis that smoking reduces fetal growth and points to nicotine as one of the
      potential causal factors.

PMID- 1428482
TI  - Perinatal 'TORCH' infections identified by serology: correlation with
      abnormalities in the children through 7 years of age.
AB  - A matched case-control methodology was used to assess the risk for a wide range
      of abnormalities in children associated with serological evidence for 'TORCH'
      infections in the mothers. Specimens were selected from the large bank of sera
      from the approximately 54,000 pregnant women who participated in the
      Collaborative Perinatal Project. There was no clear association between any of
      the antigens studied and any specific damage to the child. These 'negative'
      findings are consistent with the absence of frequent significant effects due to
      these agents in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.

PMID- 1428483
TI  - Cigarette smoking and sick leave in an industrial population in Shanghai, China.
AB  - A study of cigarette smoking and sick leave was conducted at a large
      petrochemical complex in Shanghai, China in 1988. Among a random sample of 1856
      men the smoking prevalence was 80% with the highest rate (84%) occurring in the
      age group 25-34 years. Only 53% of smokers and 76% of nonsmokers said they
      believed smoking was harmful to health and knowledge of which diseases were
      associated with smoking was poor. Retrospective data were also collected on sick
      leave in 1986 and 1987. In 1986 13% of men took sick leave and in 1987 12%; the
      mean duration of sick leave was 3 days per year. In 1986 the odds ratios (OR) for
      taking sick leave were 2.37 for heavy smokers and 1.45 for light smokers compared
      to unity for nonsmokers; the corresponding OR for 1987 were 1.70 and 1.28 for
      heavy and light smokers compared with nonsmokers. Smoking was positively
      associated with sick leave even after adjustment for age, consumption of alcohol
      and exposure to chemicals; OR = 1.56 (95% confidence interval (Cl): 1.06-2.31) in
      1986 and OR = 1.32 (95% Cl: 0.90-1.95) in 1987. Demonstration of this association
      even in a young population with low sick leave rates illustrates yet again the
      adverse effects of smoking on health and the urgent need to reduce the very high
      prevalence of smoking in China.

PMID- 1428484
TI  - Smoking habits and attitudes of medical students towards smoking and antismoking
      campaigns in nine Asian countries. The Tobacco and Health Committee of the
      International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases.
AB  - As part of a world survey of the habits, knowledge and attitudes of medical
      students regarding tobacco we report a study in 15 medical schools from nine
      Asian countries. Some 1646 first year and 1587 final year students were included,
      of whom 59% were male. The prevalence of daily smoking in males was 4% in first
      year and 11% in final year; of occasional smoking 18% and 24% respectively, both
      with considerable variations between countries. The rates were very low in women.
      Male exsmokers varied from 3% to 24% in different centres. Overall, 33% of
      smokers had made a serious attempt to quit; 44% expected to have succeeded within
      5 years. Over 80% of non- or exsmokers, but only 60% of smokers, thought smoking
      was harmful to health. There was gross underestimation of tobacco's causal role
      in a number of important diseases, e.g. coronary artery disease, peripheral
      vascular disease, emphysema, bladder cancer and neonatal mortality. There were
      notable defects both in training and in motivation to counsel smoking patients.
      There was only partial knowledge of legislative and other measures to discourage
      smoking, e.g. only 44% of final year students (26% of smokers) thought increased
      taxation an important measure. In knowledge and attitudes there was little
      difference between the sexes, but in most aspects smokers had notably lower
      scores.

PMID- 1428485
TI  - The descriptive epidemiology of a sedentary lifestyle in adult Australians.
AB  - Regular exercise is important for the maintenance of good health, but many people
      do very little exercise. There are public health concerns about activating the
      sedentary and, from an epidemiological measurement perspective, there are
      advantages in assessing physical inactivity. Using pooled data from 17,053
      participants in Australian population surveys, we identified 5078 people (29.7%)
      who could be classified as sedentary in their recreational exercise habits.
      Logistic regression analyses found the inactive to be more likely to be older,
      less well educated, and to have lower incomes. The main reasons given for not
      exercising were no time (33%), being physically unable (23%), and not wanting to
      exercise (13%): these were more likely to be reported by those who were older,
      and who had lower incomes; the only exception was that being 55 years or older
      was not associated with having less time. Women were more likely to report being
      physically unable to exercise. Lower income was associated with being physically
      unable, and with not wanting to exercise. Those with children, while wanting to
      exercise, were more likely to report having no time. The greatest health benefits
      will result from the sedentary becoming more active, and inexpensive and
      convenient activities such as walking need to be emphasized.

PMID- 1428486
TI  - Low sex ratios of births in areas at risk from air pollution from incinerators,
      as shown by geographical analysis and 3-dimensional mapping.
AB  - Previous research in environmental and occupational health has suggested that
      fluctuations in the sex ratios of births might provide a useful early warning to
      the possible health effects of toxins or other stresses in the environment. To
      examine further this hypothesis, we investigated the sex ratios of births in an
      area in central Scotland which contained two incineration plants. Analyses of the
      sex ratios, at various levels of geographical detail and using 3-dimensional
      mapping techniques, in the residential areas at risk from airborne pollution from
      these incinerators showed locations with statistically significant excesses of
      female births.

PMID- 1428487
TI  - Life table analysis of infant mortality and feto-infant mortality distributed on
      causes of death in Denmark 1983-1987.
AB  - The survival function of 263,322 singletons of the 1983-1987 Danish birth cohorts
      (262,159 liveborn and 1163 stillborn babies) with mortality distributed on
      functional groups of underlying causes of death is presented in two graphic forms
      on the basis of Kaplan-Meier estimates. About half of all first-day deaths in
      liveborn babies occurred during the first 4 hours. More than half of all first
      week deaths happened during the first day. More than half of all deaths from 31
      weeks to 76 weeks after the first day of the last menstrual period (LMP) were
      either fetal deaths prior to the onset of labour unexplained by fetal factors or
      unexplained sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) deaths. Graphic presentation of
      feto-infant mortality distributed on functional cause-of-death groups improved
      the expression of the relative contribution and timing of the different causes of
      deaths. Despite a high autopsy rate and a uniform coding practice the
      distribution on causes of deaths from register data should be interpreted with
      caution. Full use of the feto-infant approach is only achieved with data which
      include late abortions. Thus the feto-infant approach is of special interest in
      countries which have registers of live births and fetal deaths from week 22 of
      gestation or earlier. The integration of the life table approach and analysis of
      underlying causes of deaths should be further explored as a way of utilizing
      vital statistic databases for the evaluation of perinatal care.

PMID- 1428488
TI  - Region of birth and mortality of blacks in the United States.
AB  - Analysis of black American death rates by region of birth and region of residence
      showed that southern-born blacks had the highest mortality rates and western-born
      blacks the lowest mortality rates. Blacks born in the northeast, midwest, and
      outside the US had rates intermediate between southern and western-born black
      rates. Blacks born in one region and who died in another had age-specific and age
      adjusted mortality rates similar to their region of birth rather than their
      region of residence.

PMID- 1428489
TI  - The contribution of unemployment to socioeconomic health differences.
AB  - Unemployment and socioeconomic status (SES) are both related to mortality and
      health inequality or differences. The main purpose of this study is to assess the
      contribution of these factors to health status. Data have been analysed from over
      500 employed and 500 unemployed men, 30-50 years old, in two highly
      industrialized areas of the Netherlands. Three scales of self-reported health
      were used: somatic complaints, depressive complaints and chronic diseases.
      Experimentally, four SES measures were tested separately: education, occupation
      and household income as single measures, and a composite score constructed from
      the weighted sum of these measures. Results show a clear independent influence of
      SES as well as unemployment on health differences, when indicated by occupation
      or education. Household income appears to influence the results, the implications
      of which are discussed. Including the longitudinal follow-up there are three
      measurements over time. These data were used to test a homogenizing hypothesis,
      questioning processes that might indicate the existence of one unemployed (under)
      class. This hypothesis was rejected. Finally the data indicated a small
      contribution of health selection processes on the labour market.

PMID- 1428490
TI  - Pets, allergy and respiratory symptoms in children.
AB  - The relationship between pet ownership and respiratory allergy and symptoms was
      investigated in a population of 3344 Dutch children of 6-12 years old. Pet
      ownership was defined by the presence of cats, dogs, birds and/or rodents in the
      home. The reported prevalence of respiratory allergy and symptoms was lower among
      children of current pet owners than among children of parents who owned no pets.
      When past pet ownership was taken into account, however, a different picture
      emerged. The lowest prevalence of respiratory allergy and symptoms was found in
      children of current pet owners who had no pets in the past. The next lowest
      prevalence was found in children of current pet owners who had had pets in the
      past also. The next highest prevalence was found in children who never had pets
      in their life. The highest prevalence of reported pet allergy, chronic cough,
      wheeze, attacks of shortness of breath with wheezing, and doctor-diagnosed asthma
      was found in children who had pets in the past but not anymore. Past cat
      ownership especially was associated with a high prevalence of pet allergy and
      doctor-diagnosed asthma. Almost 2% of the population reported to never have owned
      pets for health reasons, and more than 12% reported removing pets from the home
      for health reasons in the past. These results show that selective avoidance and
      removal of pets leads to distortions of cross-sectional associations between pet
      ownership and respiratory allergy and disease among children.

PMID- 1428491
TI  - Death certificate coding practices related to diabetes in European countries--the
      'EURODIAB Subarea C' Study.
AB  - The objective of this study was to compare and analyse coding practices for
      diabetes mortality data in nine European countries (Belgium, Republic of Ireland,
      France, Germany, Malta, The Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Scotland and
      Switzerland). In each country, a sample of 200 coded death certificates, which
      mentioned diabetes, was randomly sampled. All death certificates were recoded at
      the WHO Collaborating Centre for the Classification of Diseases in the French
      language. The results show wide differences between national coding and central
      coding. Discrepancies in the underlying cause of death existed at the 3-digit
      coding level for 26% of all death certificates and for 44% at the 4-digit level.
      Coding in Northern Ireland and Malta was characterized by a marked tendency to
      choose diabetes less frequently. In contrast, in The Netherlands and, to a lesser
      extent, in the Republic of Ireland and France, diabetes was more frequently
      selected as the underlying cause of death. Most of the differences concerned the
      coding of an association involving diabetes and circulatory system diseases. In
      some countries, these coding differences influence the reported level of diabetes
      mortality. For Northern Ireland and Malta, the number of certificates with
      diabetes as the underlying cause of death was more than doubled after central
      recoding and for The Netherlands, in contrast, it was almost halved. To explain
      the differences a number of factors are considered: a lack of information from
      the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), on the application of the
      coding rules, between-country differences in cause of death certification
      practices, a divergence of opinion about the causal role of diabetes when it is
      associated with other conditions, a lack of homogeneity between countries in data
      collection procedures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428492
TI  - Risk of developing insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) before 35 years of
      age: indications of climatological determinants for age at onset.
AB  - This study analyses data from two nationwide prospective diabetes registries now
      covering about 3400 cases from 19 million person-years of follow-up in the age
      group 0-34 years. The risk of developing insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
      (IDDM) per 100,000 individuals before 15 years was 386 (95% confidence intervals
      (CI): 362-410) for boys and 391 (95% CI: 367-415) for girls and by 35 years 701
      (95% CI: 671-731) for men and 562 (95% CI: 534-690) for women. The incidence rate
      showed a maximum for both boys and girls in early puberty. After pubertal years a
      sharp increase in the male to female incidence ratio of IDDM was notable. At 10
      14 years it was 0.94, at 15-19 years 1.59 and at 20-24 years 2.08. A Cox
      regression model was used to analyse the effects on age at onset of sex,
      population density and climatological factors as measured by north-south area of
      residence and season at onset. The effect of sex was confirmed (P less than
      0.001). A significant effect (P = 0.004) of season was shown when the four
      seasons were classified according to a four stage scale related to mean
      temperature. When dividing Sweden into 11 regions according to north-south
      gradient (Latitude 55 degrees, 56 degrees, 57 degrees, ..., 65 degrees) a
      significant effect (P = 0.038) was also found. However, no effects of population
      density or living near the coast versus in the interior were found. It is
      concluded that a large proportion of the young are at risk of developing this
      chronic disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428493
TI  - Motor disability in children in three birth cohorts.
AB  - A systematic registration was carried out in 1985-1986 and 1989 in 14 French
      'departments' in order to assess whether the prevalence rates of different
      components of motor disability (MD) in three different birth cohorts (1972, 1976
      and 1981) had changed at a time when the preterm birth rate and neonatal
      mortality were decreasing and there was evidence of changing perinatal practice.
      A total of 1355 MD were registered amongst resident children born in 1972, 1976
      and 1981 with a prevalence of 3.34 per 1000. The prevalence of the MD types due
      to different causes did not differ significantly amongst the three birth cohorts
      with the exception of an excess of hereditary and degenerative disease of the
      central nervous system (CNS) among children born in 1981. The prevalence of
      cerebral palsy (CP) remained stable in the three birth cohorts: it was 1.30, 1.06
      and 1.08 per 1000 respectively, for children born in 1972, 1976 and 1981. The
      prevalence of pre- or perinatal-origin of other motor disabilities (OMD) and of
      CNS malformations did not differ amongst the three birth cohorts. The method of
      registration is discussed and the results are related to those of the French
      perinatal surveys performed in 1972, 1976 and 1981, which showed a decrease in
      preterm birthrate, an increase in perinatal care and a decrease in the mortality
      rate of high-risk infants.

PMID- 1428494
TI  - Prevalence of childhood disability in a southern Indian city: independent effect
      of small differences in social status.
AB  - A random sample of mothers living in two neighbourhoods of a southern Indian city
      were interviewed in order to determine the prevalence of serious disability in
      children 2-9 years old. These areas were selected because residents constitute
      either the lowest class or the next higher socioeconomic class (next-to-lowest
      class), with monthly incomes of US$ 10-15 and 32-42 respectively. A previously
      validated screening instrument was used with documented sensitivity of 100% and
      specificity of 95% when applied under similar conditions. Disability was found to
      be more common among children of the lowest class families (17.2%) when compared
      with the next-to-lowest class families (8.4%); with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.36
      (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-3.64). Specific types of disability were
      examined and found to be consistently more prevalent in the lowest class. These
      results suggest that comparatively small differences in social status can be
      associated with important differences in health status.

PMID- 1428495
TI  - Conjunctival impression cytology with transfer as a field-applicable indicator of
      vitamin A status for mass screening.
AB  - The increasing importance of vitamin A deficiency in even its mild subclinical
      form underlines the need for a mass screening test. Clinical, biochemical and
      cytological methods of assessing vitamin A deficiency in a public health setting
      have been described and widely used. The cytological method shows promise because
      it enables early detection of vitamin A deficiency. However interpretation is
      problematic since histopathological changes are gradual with the progressive
      disappearance of goblet cells and appearance of enlarged epithelial cells. The
      reliability and validity of the impression cytology with transfer (ICT) test were
      assessed in order to produce a meaningful standard for this cytological method.
      The ICT test was performed in Senegal on 1451 children, in the course of two
      surveys conducted in 1989 and 1990 in rural areas. Reliability, estimated by
      Cohen's kappa test for evaluating intra-reader variability, and sensitivity were
      highest for the abnormal-normal classification (kappa = 0.91; 95% confidence
      interval (CI): 0.89-0.93; and sensitivity = 74%; 95% CI 66-82%). The ICT method
      is a cheap, noninvasive and easy test to perform in the field. This method is
      also reproducible and fairly sensitive according to the abnormal-normal
      classification. As illustrated by our proposed 50% cutoff of abnormal cytology
      calculated in relation to 5% of serum retinol values below 0.35 mumol/L
      criterion, ICT only requires a small sample for the assessment of the overall
      health of a community in contrast to xerophthalmia and blood vitamin A deficiency
      tests.

PMID- 1428496
TI  - The male predominance in the incidence of infectious diseases in children: a
      postulated explanation for disparities in the literature.
AB  - In children, a male predominance in the incidence of symptomatic disease has been
      reported for some infectious agents and not for others. Not only are the factors
      underlying these sex differences poorly understood, but it is also not clear why
      the differences are described only for selected infectious diseases. In this
      study of sex- and age-specific incidence of infectious diseases in children, a
      possible explanation for the inconsistencies in the literature was explored. The
      sex ratio in reported disease incidence in Israel during a period of about 20
      years was examined for various viral and bacterial infections. In addition, an
      hypothetical mathematical model was developed which assumes increased
      susceptibility to infectious disease (such as in relative immune deficiency) in a
      proportion of males. In children aged under 4 years, a higher incidence among
      males was consistently observed for all diseases, and the sex ratio varied
      between 1.16 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13-1.18) for shigellosis to 1.98
      (95% CI: 1.79-2.17) for viral meningitis. The highest ratios were associated with
      the diseases which tend to present asymptomatically most often, which is
      consistent with the predictions of the model. The male excess in symptomatic
      disease appears to be present for most infectious diseases and this should be
      taken into account in studies comparing observed disease incidence between groups
      with different sex ratios. The inconsistencies in reports on the excess male
      morbidity for infectious diseases may be due to variations in symptomatic to
      asymptomatic infection ratios.

PMID- 1428497
TI  - Asymptomatic subjects at HIV diagnosis have prolonged survival as AIDS patients.
AB  - The median AIDS survival for all AIDS patients was estimated as 11 months (95%
      confidence interval (Cl): 8-13 months). For the group of AIDS patients who were
      asymptomatic when HIV seropositivity was established, the median AIDS survival
      was 20 months (95% Cl: 13-23 months). For the group with symptomatic HIV
      infection or those who already had AIDS when HIV seropositivity was established,
      survival was estimated to 5 months (95% Cl: 1-15 months) and 4.5 months (95% Cl:
      2-8 months), respectively. By using a Cox proportional hazard model it was found
      that being asymptomatic when HIV seropositivity was established or having
      Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia as the initial AIDS-related disease were
      associated with long AIDS survival. Being HIV infected by transfusion was
      associated with short survival. Long AIDS survival in the asymptomatic group may
      be explained by a positive selection of slow disease progressors. Differences in
      diagnostic routines may also cause systematic differences in the estimated AIDS
      survival.

PMID- 1428498
TI  - The prevalence and regional distribution of antibodies against Chlamydia
      pneumoniae (strain TWAR) in Finland in 1958.
AB  - The occurrence of nonavian 'ornithosis' was reported in Scandinavia at the end of
      the 1950s. In order to find out whether Chlamydia pneumoniae had been present in
      Finland, we examined the IgG antibody prevalence to C pneumoniae in samples
      representing the whole rural population of Finland in 1958. The total number of
      sera studied using micro-immunofluorescence was 2000. Trend-surface analysis was
      used to examine the regional patterns of antibody prevalence. C pneumoniae
      antibodies were present throughout the country. The mean antibody prevalence was
      56% among adults and 27% among children. Thus the possible role of C pneumoniae
      in nonavian 'ornithosis' in Finland between 1958 and 1960 cannot be excluded.

PMID- 1428499
TI  - Risk factor dynamics, mortality and life expectancy differences between eastern
      and western Finland: the Finnish Cohorts of the Seven Countries Study.
AB  - Prior studies have not accounted for male mortality being higher in east than
      west Finland. Efforts to identify the mechanisms producing higher mortality in
      the east, due primarily to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), initially focused on a
      search for new risk factors. An alternate approach is to examine the assumptions
      of the analysis. This was investigated using a model which described (a) changes
      in risk factors over time, (b) dependency of risk factor effects on age, and (c)
      interactions and nonlinear effects of risk factors on mortality. The model was
      applied to 25-year follow-up data from cohorts of eastern (N = 823) and western
      (N = 888) Finnish men using pulse pressure, diastolic blood pressure, body mass
      index, total cholesterol, vital capacity index, cigarette smoking, and heart rate
      as risk factors. At age 40, men in the west had a life expectancy 2.4 years
      higher. Of the difference 29% (0.7 years) was associated with area differences in
      risk factor means, variances, and their change with age. The remainder, 1.7
      years, was associated with age differences in the relation of risk factor
      interactions to CVD mortality. Possible reasons for these differences, such as
      joint elevation of several risk factors inducing rapid progression of
      atherogenesis, are discussed. No significant area differences were observed for
      mortality from either cancer or other causes.

PMID- 1428500
TI  - Oral contraceptive 'potencies' and deep venous thromboembolism.

PMID- 1428501
TI  - Increased accuracy in self-reporting on work histories following minor
      adaptations of the questionnaire.

PMID- 1428502
TI  - Problems in ecological studies.

PMID- 1428503
TI  - Stimuli for acquired resistance to Heligmosomoides polygyrus from intestinal
      tissue resident L3 and L4 larvae.
AB  - L3 and L4 stages of H.polygyrus were prevented from developing further and were
      probably killed within 24 h of treatment with ivermectin although total parasite
      burdens, particularly when treatment was given 4-6 days after infection, declined
      over a longer period lasting several days. Strong resistance to challenge
      infection was expressed by infected mice dosed with ivermectin during the tissue
      phase of larval development. Even immunizing infections as brief as 12-36 h (when
      only L3 larvae would have been present in the mucosa) elicited strong acquired
      immunity. When infections were terminated 4-6 days after infection, acquired
      resistance was 95-100%. The stronger resistance of mice exposed to both L3 and L4
      stages was associated with the recognition of low molecular weight polypeptides
      in adult worm homogenate and there was a highly significant correlation between
      percentage protection and anti-L4/anti-adult worm serum IgG1 antibodies.

PMID- 1428505
TI  - The influence of weather and egg contamination on the development of third-stage
      larvae of Cooperia oncophora on pasture.
AB  - The influence of weather and egg contamination on the dynamics of herbage
      contamination with infective larave of Cooperia oncophora was investigated on
      artificially contaminated grass plots and in a grazing experiment with 24 first
      year grazing calves from May to October 1987 in Lower Saxony, Germany. On the
      experimental plots the larval translation was highest at the beginning of July
      and in the second part of September, following high mean weekly temperatures.
      Between July and September peak recovery of larvae from herbage occurred 4 weeks
      after contamination. A seasonal pattern of larval translation similar to that on
      the experimental plots could be demonstrated on the grazed pastures when the
      number of larvae per m2 of pasture had been adjusted to the previous egg output
      by means of a contamination index. The resulting 'relative larval density' is
      regarded as a good indicator for larval development on pasture. From July to
      September the larval population on pasture resulted mainly from the egg
      contamination 2-3 weeks earlier. The short persistence of the infective larvae on
      herbage was probably due to the frequent and heavy rainfall throughout the
      season, causing a passive washout of larvae into the soil. On single pastures the
      larval density started to increase within 1 week after the calves had first
      contact with these fields. The impact of the calves on the distribution of larvae
      is discussed.

PMID- 1428504
TI  - Hydrolysis of L-leucine methyl ester by Leishmania mexicana mexicana amastigote
      cysteine proteinases.
AB  - The main cysteine proteinases of the amastigote form of Leishmania mexicana
      mexicana were partially purified by gel filtration and ion exchange
      chromatography. The latter procedure resulted in the separation of some
      individual cysteine proteinases, as demonstrated by gelatin-sodium dodecyl
      sulphatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Fractions containing the partially
      purified proteinases rapidly hydrolysed L-leucine methyl ester to leucine. The
      activity towards this compound co-eluted with and resembled the parasite's
      cysteine proteinase activity. The results suggest that amastigotes of
      L.m.mexicana are susceptible to L-leucine methyl ester because this compound is
      rapidly hydrolysed by cysteine proteinases that occur in abundance in the
      megasomes of this stage.

PMID- 1428506
TI  - Analysis of the composition of samples of Babesia bovis and the influence of
      different environmental conditions on genetically distinct subpopulations.
AB  - A recombinant DNA probe specific for a tandemly repeated sequence located within
      the BoVA1 gene of Babesia bovis was used to analyse 10 independent samples of B.
      bovis. Twelve different alleles of the BoVA1 gene and flanking regions were
      identified in the 18 different subpopulations analysed. Most samples of B. bovis
      originally derived from single animals contained more than one genetically
      distinct subpopulation. However, only one population of parasites was identified
      in samples of the Ka line used in Australia from 1979 until 1990 as the live
      attenuated vaccine strain. In contrast, the replacement attenuated vaccine line,
      Ta, contained two genetically distinct subpopulations of parasites. Changes in
      the ratios of subpopulations of parasites were identified during attenuation and
      under different culture conditions. Batch-to-batch variation in the composition
      of doses of the live attenuated vaccine may lead to differences in efficacy and
      in severity of the infection associated with vaccination.

PMID- 1428508
TI  - A preliminary study of the effect of microclimate on third-stage larvae of
      Haemonchus contortus and Haemonchus placei on irrigated pasture.
AB  - Assessments were made on the influence of several microclimatic variables on the
      availability of third-stage larvae of Haemonchus contortus and Haemonchus placei
      on four strata of irrigated Kikuyu pasture. Three replicates of these pasture
      samples were collected on 18 sample days over 12 months and the log10 mean counts
      of the larvae recovered were analysed by a step-wise regression model. Predictors
      for the log counts of the four strata for the two nematode species included
      relative humidity, illumination, air temperature and windspeed. The effect of air
      temperature on larvae of both Haemonchus species was similar; as air temperature
      increased, the number of larvae on pasture increased. The inverse was true for
      windspeed; as windspeed increased larval counts decreased. For H. contortus,
      relative humidity increased as the number of larvae increased on all strata
      except upper herbage. The R2 values ranged from 0.11 to 0.21 for H. contortus and
      from 0.04 to 0.12 for H. placei. Under the conditions of this study, only 21% of
      the effect on H. contortus and 12% on H. placei third-stage larvae on pasture can
      be explained by microclimatic conditions.

PMID- 1428507
TI  - The influence of Mesocestoides corti on subsequent Angiostrongylus cantonensis
      infections in mice.
AB  - The influence of Mesocestoides corti on subsequent Angiostrongylus cantonensis
      infection in mice (C57BL/6 and BALB/c) was assessed. Both strains of mice
      infected with M. corti demonstrated a peak blood eosinophilia at around 3 weeks
      post-infection (p.i.). C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice primarily infected with M. corti
      were given A. cantonensis infection 18 days later, but pre-existing M. corti
      infection did not affect the recovery of intracranial worms of A. cantonensis at
      day 21 p.i. BALB/c mice with mixed parasite infections showed low morbidity and
      mortality as compared with mice singly infected with A. cantonensis and some mice
      demonstrated a pulmonary migration of intracranial worms. In C57BL/6 mice,
      intracranial worms were killed and thus all mice survived. C57BL/6 mice with
      mixed parasite infections failed to resist A. cantonensis reinfection. The
      blastogenic responses of spleen cells against A. cantonensis antigen were lower
      in BALB/c than in C57BL/6 mice and mixed parasite infections also resulted in
      less blastogenic responses against both concanavalin A and A. cantonensis antigen
      than monoinfection. The recovery of M. corti biomass was significantly higher in
      mice with mixed parasite infections than mice with monoinfection with M. corti.
      These data suggest a distinct difference in response to A. cantonensis infection
      between C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice, and the induction of immunosuppression in both
      mouse strains following M. corti infection. Blood eosinophilia provoked by M.
      corti infection is not directly associated with the killing of worms in
      subsequent A. cantonensis infection.

PMID- 1428509
TI  - Determinants of host-specificity in parasites of freshwater fishes.
AB  - Factors responsible for interspecific variability in host-specificity were
      investigated within 15 genera (including 176 species) of metazoan parasites found
      in Canadian freshwater fish. For each species in a genus, the parasite's number
      of known hosts was determined from published host-parasite records. The effects
      of the total number and mean size of potential hosts (i.e. all fish species
      belonging to the family or families that include a parasite's known hosts) on
      number of hosts of congeneric species were evaluated using multiple regressions.
      Since parasite species that have been recorded often tend to have greater numbers
      of known hosts than do seldom-recorded parasites, it was necessary to control for
      the confounding effect of study intensity. In all parasite genera, whether from
      highly specific taxa such as monogeneans or from less host-specific ones, there
      was a positive relationship between the number of potential hosts and the number
      of known hosts. However, no consistent relationships were observed between the
      mean size of potential hosts and number of known hosts. These results suggest
      that the availability of suitable host species may have been a key factor
      limiting the colonization of new hosts by fish parasites.

PMID- 1428510
TI  - Nymphal Ixodes dammini: models of the temporal abundance patterns.
AB  - A difference equation model was developed to explore the sensitivity of the
      temporal pattern of relative abundance of active, host-seeking nymphal Ixodes
      dammini. Inputs to the model were the temporal patterns of recruitment of nymphs
      into the active class, mortality and successful acquisition of hosts by the
      ticks. Input parameters were varied both in the temporal pattern (shape) and in
      the cumulative level (summed over the period of activity). The output of the
      models, the temporal abundance pattern, was examined for (1) overall shape and
      (2) the timing of the peak abundance of host-seeking nymphs. The shape of the
      temporal pattern of nymphal abundance was not sensitive to changes in the shape
      of the functions used as input for host-finding. The time of peak abundance of
      nymphs is slightly sensitive to changes in the overall level of host-finding and
      mortality. When more ticks are removed from the active class (host-finding or
      mortality increasing), the time of the peak abundance of the nymphs shifts
      earlier. However, this shift is small compared to variation in field data. The
      general shape of the activity pattern was sensitive to changes in the temporal
      pattern of recruitment. A left-skewed distribution produced output which most
      resembles field data. The temporal pattern of nymphs entering the active class is
      important, and is an area which needs further empirical work.

PMID- 1428511
TI  - Immunization against geographical isolates of Trichinella spiralis in mice.
AB  - Partially purified antigen preparations from six isolates of Trichinella spiralis
      were used to immunize mice. Immunogenicity of the antigens was assessed in terms
      of antibody and lymphocyte responses and ability to stimulate protective immunity
      against challenge. Isolate antigens showed considerable cross-reactivity, and all
      elicited protective responses. Two major patterns of immunizing ability could be
      distinguished: (a) isolates that immunized well against heterologous challenge
      and elicited good immunity in London isolate-immunized mice (C-76 and Laso), and
      (b) isolates that immunized poorly against heterologous challenge and were least
      effective in London isolate-immunized mice (GM-1 and Mad-83). The immunogenicity
      of one isolate (C-76) was markedly greater than the others, inducing rapid loss
      in unvaccinated mice, almost complete protection in London isolate-immunized
      mice, and immunity in London isolate-challenged mice equivalent to the homologous
      antigen. These variations in immunogenicity, cross-reactivity and immunizing
      ability are discussed in terms of constraints that may operate against the
      development and use of vaccines against parasites that are widely distributed
      geographically.

PMID- 1428512
TI  - A model for nematodiasis in New Zealand lambs.
AB  - A strategic model is described for the epidemiology of mixed nematode infections
      in New Zealand lambs. The model successfully reproduces known patterns of
      parasite epidemiology and production loss in lambs under currently implemented
      control strategies. The variation in model output during sensitivity analysis was
      within acceptable limits defined by field data. Model output was most sensitive
      to variation in parameters affecting survival and migration of the free-living
      stages and host resistance to infection, suggesting that these factors are most
      influential in regulating parasite populations. It is intended to use the model
      to focus research on key aspects of nematode epidemiology and control and,
      following the incorporation of appropriate genetic mechanisms, anthelmintic
      resistance.

PMID- 1428513
TI  - Predisposition to reinfection by intestinal helminths after chemotherapy in south
      Thailand.
AB  - Rates of reinfection by the intestinal helminths hookworm, Ascaris lumbricoides
      and Trichuris trichiura after chemotherapy were studied in two villages in Phang
      Nga Province, southern Thailand. It was found that intensity of infection levels
      attained after reinfection correlated positively with pretreatment intensities of
      infection for all parasites. This implies that certain persons in the community
      are predisposed to receiving high numbers of worms, due either to environmental
      or personal risk factors. Therefore, it would be advantageous to identify such
      persons and treat them preferentially. Targeted chemotherapy, however, should be
      combined with efforts to identify the risk factors that vary within the community
      and direct educational efforts or environmental intervention towards the section
      of the community most affected by the parasites.

PMID- 1428514
TI  - Coccidia of the domestic goat (Capra hircus) in Saudi Arabia.
AB  - Faeces of 228 domestic goats (Capra hircus) from the central region of Saudi
      Arabia were examined for the presence of coccidian oocysts. Ten species of
      coccidia were identified and described. A total of 90.3% of the specimens were
      positive, most of them contained 100-1000 oocysts per g of faecal sample. Kids
      less than 1 year old had higher oocyst counts than goatlings or adult goats.
      Mixed infections with three to five species were found in 69.7% of the specimens
      and six to eight species were found in 10.1%. Eimeria arloingi and E. hirci were
      most prevalent. E. alijevi, E. ninakohlyakimovae, E. caprina, E. christenseni and
      E. apsheronica were less common. E. jolchijevi, E. caprovina and E. punctata were
      relatively rare.

PMID- 1428515
TI  - Intestinal contractions and migration behaviour in Hymenolepis diminuta.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine if intestinal contractions were important
      in the migration behaviour of the rat tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta. The
      objectives were to investigate the intestinal motility responses of the host to a
      meal which initiates worm migration, and the worms' responses to an artificial
      peristaltic contraction. A 1 g glucose meal elicited a significant orad migration
      by H. diminuta in the small intestine of the rat host when compared to water-fed
      controls (P less than 0.05). The glucose meal also significantly increased the
      transit rate, and thus, frequency of intestinal contractions in the small
      intestine of the rat, when compared to water-fed controls (P less than 0.05).
      Application of a circumintestinal ligature (6.3 g) (simulating an intestinal
      peristaltic contraction) resulted in significant worm migration when the ligature
      was applied in regions containing the worm's strobila as compared to controls
      where loose ligatures were tied in regions containing the strobila, or to
      controls where tight ligatures were tied ahead of the worm's strobila. These
      results suggest that H. diminuta migrates in an orad direction in response to the
      mechanical pressure produced by intestinal contractions induced by host feeding.
      It is concluded that contractions of the small intestine are an important cue in
      the migration behaviour of this cestode.

PMID- 1428516
TI  - Maintenance of Sparganum proliferum in vitro and in experimental animals.
AB  - Successful in vitro and in vivo maintenance of Sparganum proliferum is described
      for the first time. Various experimental animals including hamsters, mice and a
      monkey were evaluated. Albino mice inoculated either subcutaneously or
      intraperitoneally allowed the survival and multiplication of larvae for as long
      as 72 weeks. Intensity of infection was proportional to the length of exposure;
      however, the number of larvae collected from inoculated animals varied widely
      when infection lasted for 6 or more months. Inoculation of single larval segments
      appears as effective as that of complete larvae. Although Minimal Essential
      Medium allowed the survival of S. proliferum for as long as 14 weeks, growth was
      observed only during the first 4 weeks of culturing. Despite initial in vitro
      growth of larvae, neither differentiation into a more developed stage nor
      multiplication was obtained.

PMID- 1428517
TI  - A case of ileus caused by a spiruroid nematode.
AB  - A 34-year-old male living in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, complained of lower
      abdominal pain. Ileus was suspected based on his clinical history and symptoms,
      and a laparotomy was performed. Four sections of a nematode were found in a large
      eosinophilic granuloma in the intestinal wall, and were identified as the larva
      of a spiruroid nematode. This is the third reported case of a spiruroid nematode
      infection found in the ileum.

PMID- 1428518
TI  - Human Chang liver cells show large surface openings and endocytic channels that
      resemble those in the amoeba.
AB  - Cytolysis of host cells by pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica can be blocked by
      specific lysozyme inhibitions and is recently reported to be enhanced by
      phosphoinositide (PI) signal transduction activation. However the mechanistic
      relationship between PI second messenger targets and massive lysosomal secretion
      needed to achieve rapid host cell lysis is unclear. We have previously shown that
      intracellular alkalinization associated with activated PI hydrolysis produces a
      massive endocytosis of huge proportions which would force a corresponding
      exocytosis for the maintenance of overall cell dimensions. These endosomes are
      processed by primary lysosomes. Apparently then, the massive exocytosis secretory
      pathway could provide the means for the ejection of lysozymes over target cells.
      We show here using human Chang liver cells that intracellular alkalinization
      produced large surface pittings similar to those seen in pathogenic E.
      histolytica in a rounded state. The SEM profile is correlated with the TEM
      profile of large endosomes containing extracellular debris and endosomes
      associated with primary lysosomal vesicles, which could support the notion that
      some of the pittings seen in the rounded Chang cells and the pathogenic amoebae
      are exit portals for endosome-lysosomes.

PMID- 1428519
TI  - Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina, Babesia canis, Babesia microti and Babesia
      rodhaini: comparison of ribosomal RNA gene organization.
AB  - The three ribosomal DNA (rDNA) units have been cloned from an Australian isolate
      of Babesia bigemina. The organization of the units is very similar to that
      reported for a Mexican isolate of B. bigemina. In Babesia canis four rDNA units
      have been identified. Both Babesia rodhaini and Babesia microti contain two
      different rDNA units. A small number of different rDNA units appears to be a
      common feature of this group of Protozoa. Restriction enzyme analysis of the rDNA
      units form these species and B. bovis suggests that the genus Babesia as
      currently defined does indeed include two distinct groups of organisms namely, B.
      bovis, B. bigemina and B. canis and B. rodhaini and B. microti.

PMID- 1428520
TI  - Crystal structure of valinomycin-monohydrate cage complexes crystallized from
      dioxane.
AB  - Valinomycin, cyclo-[(L-Val-D-Hyv-D-Val-L-Lac)3-], was crystallized from aqueous
      dioxane solvent as a monohydrate complex in which water molecules were found
      within the ion-binding cavity of the ionophore: monoclinic P2(1), a = 14.377 (3),
      b = 41.554 (14), c = 14.080 (3) A, beta = 118.27 (2) degrees, Z = 4. There are
      two non-equivalent valinomycin-water complexes and three dioxane molecules in the
      asymmetric unit. The ionophore molecules adopt two similar but non-identical,
      octahedral, bracelet, cage conformations that are a consequence of two distinct
      ways in which the complexed water molecules can deform the normal octahedral
      coordinate geometry of the metal binding site. In the first complex the water
      molecule forms hydrogen donor bonds to the carbonyl oxygens of two L-valine
      residues on one facial side of the cavity, while in the second complex the water
      molecule is trigonal-planar coordinate and binds to two L-valine residues on one
      entrant face of the cavity plus a third D-valine residue from the opposite side
      of the cavity.

PMID- 1428521
TI  - Simultaneous use of 1-hydroxybenzotriazole and copper(II) chloride as additives
      for racemization-free and efficient peptide synthesis by the carbodiimide method.
AB  - In the carbodiimide mediated coupling of Z-Gly-L-Val-OH with H-L-Val-OMe in DMF,
      the simultaneous use of HOBt and copper(II) chloride as additives was found to
      give the desired peptide in a high yield without racemization. In the presence of
      HOBt, reducing the amount of copper(II) chloride produced a higher yield. Besides
      improving the coupling efficiency as compared with the case using copper(II)
      chloride alone as an additive, the present procedure offered another advantage
      for racemization suppression. Thus, even for the couplings where a low level of
      racemization was observed in the presence of copper(II) chloride, the
      simultaneous addition of HOBt and copper(II) chloride resulted in the elimination
      of racemization. The effectiveness of this new procedure using the two
      carbodiimide additives in the synthesis of biologically active peptides was
      assessed by the preparation of a protected Leu-enkephalin. In the 4 + 1 segment
      condensation using HOBt and copper(II) chloride simultaneously as additives, no
      racemization was detected and the yield was high enough. The elimination of
      racemization and improvement of coupling efficiency produced by the present
      procedure can be attributable to a reduced tendency for the activated forms of
      the carboxyl component to form a 5(4H)-oxazolone by the action of HOBt, and to
      the prevention of racemization by copper(II) chloride of the small amount of the
      oxazolone formed which is not eliminated by the action of HOBt alone.

PMID- 1428522
TI  - Dermorphin tetra- and heptapeptide analogues containing a [3,4] amide bond
      replacement by a carbon-carbon double and single bond.
AB  - Seven dermorphin hepta- and tetrapeptide analogues containing [3,4] amide bond
      replacement by a carbon-carbon double and single bond were prepared. 1H NMR
      studies of the pseudoheptapeptide in DMSO indicate the presence of extended
      conformations with stacking of the side chains in the N-terminal part and an
      inverse gamma-turn around Ser7 in the conformational equilibrium. The binding
      data show that the affinity of the analogues for the mu-receptor is only slightly
      diminished in the D-Ala2 series and is more affected in the D-Arg2 series. Since
      the Gly4NH is not present in these compounds we conclude that this NH is not
      required to stabilize the bioactive conformation nor is it directly involved in
      binding to the receptor.

PMID- 1428523
TI  - Structure activity studies of tryptophan30 modified analogs of Ac-CCK-7.
AB  - Cholecystokinin represents a family of gut hormones which among other activities,
      have been proposed to participate in satiety signaling. Ac-CCK-7[Ac-Tyr(SO3H)-Met
      Gly-Trp30-Met-Asp-Phe-NH2 (2)] possesses the full spectrum of activity and
      potency of the intact hormone; thus analogs of 2 may be useful as anorectic
      agents. A series of derivatives has been prepared in which the tryptophan indole
      moiety of 2 has been modified. The new compounds were assayed in CCK binding
      assays using homogenated rat pancreatic membranes and bovine striatum as a source
      of CCK-A and CCK-B receptors respectively and in vivo in rats for anorectic
      activity. Although previous studies have concluded that the indole ring of Trp30
      is a critical pharmacophore for the interaction of CCK with both its A and B type
      receptors, we find 2-Nal30-Ac-CCK-7 (20) to be nearly equipotent to 2 in both CCK
      binding and as an anorectic agent sensitive to blockade by the Merck CCK-A
      receptor antagonist MK-329. The extreme structural sensitivity of this anorectic
      activity is illustrated by the 1-naphthylalanine30 (19) and (benzo[b]thien-2
      yl)alanine30 (21) analogs which are 30 and 100 times less potent than 2
      respectively. Other mono- and bicyclic Trp30 replacements, including substituted
      phenylalanines, 3-quinolinylalanine, and 2-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro)naphthylalanine,
      gave inactive compounds.

PMID- 1428524
TI  - Alkylation of histidine with maleimido-compounds.
AB  - Introduction of the maleimide function via a spacer into histidine-containing
      peptides was found to produce ring closure by nucleophilic addition of the Nim
      imino function of the histidine side-chain to the activated double bond of the
      maleimide. As an intramolecular cyclization reaction it proceeds at remarkably
      higher rates than the bimolecular alkylation of histidine derivatives with N
      ethyl-maleimide. Correspondingly, in the case of the histidine-peptides examined
      only mixtures of the cyclic isomeric compounds were isolated and structurally
      characterized by 1H-NMR analysis. As expected, prevention of this reaction in
      histidine-containing maleoyl-peptides can be achieved by Nim-protection of the
      imidazole group. However, upon removal of this protection, the reaction takes
      place again, thus remarkably hampering the usefulness of the maleimide/thiol
      addition principle in conjugate chemistry for peptides. On the other hand this
      reaction could represent an interesting new approach for the design of cyclic
      peptidomimetic analogs.

PMID- 1428525
TI  - Geometry of proline-containing alpha-helices in proteins.
AB  - Crystal structure analysis of proline-containing alpha-helices in proteins has
      been carried out. High resolution crystal structures were selected from the
      Protein Data Bank. Apart from the standard internal parameters, some parameters
      which are specifically related to the bend in the helix due to proline have been
      developed and analyzed. Finally the position and nature of these helices and
      their interactions with the rest of the protein have been analyzed.

PMID- 1428526
TI  - Degradation of aspartic acid and asparagine residues in human growth hormone
      releasing factor.
AB  - Products of the degradation of human growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) in
      aqueous solutions (15-200 microM) have been isolated and fully characterized. The
      cleavage product, GRF(4-44)-NH2, and the isomerization product, [beta-Asp3]GRF(1
      44)-NH2, from the degradation of GRF(1-44)-NH2 in acidic solution and the
      corresponding products, GRF(4-29)-NH2 and [beta-Asp3]GRF(1-29)-NH2, from the
      degradation of GRF(1-29)-NH2 have been isolated and characterized. The products,
      [beta-Asp8]GRF(1-44)-NH2 and [Asp8]GRF(1-44)-NH2, from the deamidation of GRF(1
      44)-NH2 at pH 8.0 and the corresponding products, [beta-Asp8]GRF(1-29)-NH2 and
      [Asp8]GRF(1-29)-NH2, from the deamidation of GRF(1-29)-NH2 have been isolated and
      characterized. All the degradation products of GRF(1-44)-NH2 and GRF(1-29)-NH2
      were evaluated for biological activity and found to have much lower in vitro
      potencies than the parent peptides. Degradation occurs at Asp3 and Asn8 and the
      kinetics of these various transformations versus pH and temperature have been
      studied. GRF is most stable at pH 4-5. At pH below the pKa of the Asp3 side-chain
      (pH less than 4), cleavage at Asp3-Ala4 is the major route of degradation. For pH
      greater than 4, isomerization of Asp3 to beta-Asp3 (iso-Asp3) predominates. The
      rates of cleavage and isomerization are simple first order and vary with pH,
      independent of buffer concentration, such that the protonated (COOH) form of Asp3
      undergoes cleavage while the ionized (COO-) form isomerizes. The more rapid
      deamidation of Asn8 to generate beta-Asp8 and Asp8 in about a 4:1 ratio,
      presumably via a cyclic imide intermediate, occurs at pH greater than or equal to
      5 and is general base-catalyzed. Evidence was also obtained for direct hydrolysis
      of protonated Asn8 in GRF(1-29)-NH2 at pH less than or equal to 2 to give
      exclusively [Asp8]GRF(1-29)-NH2. The deamidation of Asn8 in GRF(1-29)-NH2 at pH
      8.0, 22-55 degrees C, is relatively insensitive to temperature for T less than 37
      degrees C, possibly due to conformational constraints. Asp25 and Asn35 are
      sterically, conformationally, or otherwise hindered with respect to these changes
      as no degradation at these sites was observed under the conditions employed.

PMID- 1428527
TI  - Phosphoryl group participation leads to peptide formation from N-phosphorylamino
      acids.
AB  - N-phosphorylated amino acids without a side chain functional group can transfer
      themselves into peptides after prolonged standing in solvents at warm
      temperatures. Seven N-phosphorylpeptides and free peptides were isolated and
      their structures determined. The phosphoryl group participation is the key to the
      peptide formation. An intramolecular mixed carboxylic-phosphoric anhydride
      intermediate was proposed for this type of reaction which might provide a clue to
      the function of the phosphoryl group in the phosphorylated enzymes and in the
      prebiotic synthesis of protein.

PMID- 1428528
TI  - New convenient synthesis of immunostimulating peptides containing meso
      diaminopimelic acid. Syntheses of FK-565 and FK-156.
AB  - A new improved synthesis of two immunostimulating peptides: FK-156 (D-lactyl
      alanyl-gamma-D-glutamyl-(L)-meso-2,6-diaminopimelyl-(L)- glycine) and FK-565
      (heptanoyl-gamma-D-glutamyl-(L)-meso-2,6-diaminopimelyl-(L)- D-alanine) is
      described. A proper differentiation between the two chiral amino acid moieties of
      diaminopimelic acid was accomplished by selective enzymatic hydrolysis of one
      methyl ester group of the L-centre of Z2-meso-A2pm(OMe)2 (2). Utilization of a
      commercially available protease and diester 2 as an enzyme substrate made
      possible the relatively simple synthesis of a key intermediate 4 and considerably
      simplified the final deprotection steps. Aminolysis of the N-carboxyanhydride (4)
      with D-AlaONBzl or GlyONBzl was chosen to obtain the appropriate dipeptides with
      one free amino group as convenient intermediates for further peptide synthesis.
      The BOP reagent, used for peptide bond formation, secured good yields and high
      chemical and chiral purity of the peptides. A modification of alanine deamination
      procedure leading to a significant increase of D-Lac(OAc) yield is presented.

PMID- 1428530
TI  - An equine growth hormone molecular species lacking the 76-92 peptidic fragment.
AB  - A new eGH molecular species was isolated and purified by reverse phase HPLC. SDS
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, amino acid composition, and C- and N-terminal
      determinations support a primary structure identical to that described by Zakin
      et al. (1976), except for the lack of the 76-92 peptidic fragment and the
      maintaining of 30% of its biological activity.

PMID- 1428529
TI  - Binding and spectroscopic properties of ostrich neurophysins. Probing the role of
      residue 35 at the monomer-monomer interface.
AB  - Binding and spectroscopic properties of ostrich neurophysins were examined with
      emphasis on the behavior of Tyr-35, a residue that provides a potential probe of
      the monomer-monomer interface and of allosteric interrelationships between this
      region and the binding site. Mesotocin-associated ostrich neurophysin was found
      to bind oxytocin and related peptides with affinities comparable to the mammalian
      proteins, but induced a significantly different optical activity in bound
      peptides than the mammalian proteins. Gel-filtration studies indicated higher
      dimerization constants for the ostrich neurophysins than for the bovine
      neurophysins. Consistent with this, Tyr-35 was found to be largely buried, as
      monitored by tyrosine titration and lack of reactivity towards tetranitromethane
      under non-denaturing conditions. Reaction of Tyr-35 of the mesotocin-associated
      protein with tetranitromethane under denaturing conditions, followed by
      refolding, allowed isolation of an active product with an altered interface
      region as partially evidenced by its titration properties and consistent with its
      markedly altered CD spectrum. Comparison of the CD spectra of the modified and
      native proteins and analysis of pH effects indicated the contribution of Tyr-35
      to an unusual 237 nm band in the mesotocin-associated protein. Small shifts in
      the 350 nm CD band of nitrated Tyr-35 on binding peptide and apparent effects of
      nitration on the induced optical activity in bound peptide provided evidence of
      at least weak structural communication between Tyr-35 and the binding site.
      However, no significant effect of nitration on binding affinity was observed,
      suggesting that, in the mesotocin-associated protein, the region around residue
      35 is not a stringent modulator of the thermodynamic behavior of the binding
      site.

PMID- 1428531
TI  - Apparent specific volumes of some dipeptides (containing L-valine and L-leucine
      in aqueous alkylurea solutions).
AB  - The apparent molal volumes of nine dipeptides containing glycine, L-valine, and L
      leucine have been determined in methyl, N,N'-dimethyl and ethylurea solutions
      from precise density measurements. Limiting partial molal volumes. V2(0), at
      various solute concentrations have also been calculated. The experimental values
      of V2(0) in water agree reasonably well with those calculated as the sum of V2(0)
      of both acids after accounting for the electrostrictive effect and loss of water.
      There is no correlation between the values of V2(0) of individual dipeptides in
      alkylureas which means that the intrinsic volume and the electrostrictive effect
      make the largest contribution to V2(0). The contribution from other effects is
      within the limit of experimental error. The volumes of transfer from water to
      alkylurea solutions are all positive and reflect by and large the
      electrostrictive effect.

PMID- 1428533
TI  - Pepsin as a catalyst of peptide synthesis. Enzyme co-precipitation with emerging
      peptide products.
AB  - Pepsin successfully catalyzed the synthesis of several peptide derivatives from N
      protected di- or tripeptides and amino acid or peptide esters or p-nitroanilides
      in dimethylformamide-water solutions at pH 4.6. An optimal substrates:pepsin
      ratio depended on the structure of starting peptides, especially their fit to the
      substrate binding sites of the enzyme. For hexapeptide Z-Ala-Ala-Phe-Leu-Ala-Ala
      OCH3 formation, an equilibrium yield was attained at 1:3.10(5) enzyme-substrates
      ratio that indicated high efficiency of pepsin in synthesis reactions. In the
      course of the equilibrium peptide synthesis, pepsin gradually disappeared from
      the liquid phase due to its entrapment within a gel, formed by the hexapeptide
      product, while retaining its activity. The inclusion into the precipitate was not
      specific for pepsin, so far as inert proteins, lysozyme, ribonuclease A and
      carbonic anhydrase, when added to the reaction mixture, became also co
      precipitated with the hexapeptide formed. It appears that co-precipitation of
      pepsin, an important factor limiting the enzyme efficiency, might be operative as
      well for other proteinases used to catalyze peptide synthesis.

PMID- 1428532
TI  - Continuous flow solid (gel) phase peptide synthesis using unsupported ultra-high
      load polymers.
AB  - A simple, manually operated, continuous flow apparatus is described for solid
      (gel) phase peptide synthesis. The approach uses an unsupported phenolic bead
      form core network at an initial matrix loading of 5 mmol g-1, the theoretical
      maximum. The synthesis is performed in a flow reactor under low pressure
      conditions. "Layered displacement" of reagent solutions and washing solvents is
      an essential feature that has been developed to facilitate efficient peptide
      synthesis. The usefulness of the present system in conjunction with N alpha Boc
      protected amino acids is illustrated by the syntheses of [Leu5]-enkephalin and
      dermorphin. The potential for scale up synthesis has also been investigated.

PMID- 1428534
TI  - Crystal structure of tert.-butyloxycarbonyl-L-prolyl-D-alanyl-D-alanyl-N
      methylamide. Dimeric beta-sheet formation.
AB  - The crystal structure of the tripeptide t-Boc-L-Pro-D-Ala-D-Ala-NHCH3,
      monohydrate, (C17H30N4O5.H2O, molecular weight = 404.44) has been determined by
      single crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystals are monoclinic, space group P2(1),
      a = 9.2585(4), b = 9.3541(5), c = 12.4529(4)A, beta = 96.449(3) degrees, Z = 2.
      The peptide units are in the trans and the tBoc-Pro bond in the cis orientation.
      The first and third peptide units show significant deviations from planarity
      (delta omega = 5.2 degrees and delta omega = 3.7 degrees, respectively). The
      backbone torsion angles are: phi 1 = -60 degrees, psi 1 = 143.3 degrees, omega 1
      = -174.8 degrees, phi 2 = 148.4 degrees, psi 2 = -143.1 degrees, omega 2 = -179.7
      degrees, phi 3 = 151.4 degrees, psi 3 = -151.9 degrees, omega 3 = -176.3 degrees.
      The pyrrolidine ring of the proline residue adopts the C2-C gamma conformation.
      The molecular packing gives rise to an antiparallel beta-sheet structure formed
      of dimeric repeating units of the peptide. The surface of the dimeric beta-sheet
      is hydrophobic. Water molecules are found systematically at the edges of the
      sheets interacting with the urethane oxygen and terminal amino groups. Surface
      catalysis of an L-Ala to D-Ala epimerization process by water molecules adsorbed
      on to an incipient beta-sheet is suggested as a mechanism whereby crystals of the
      title peptide were obtained from a solution of tBoc-Pro-D-Ala-Ala-NHCH3.

PMID- 1428535
TI  - Efficient approach to synthesis of two-chain asymmetric cysteine analogs of
      receptor-binding region of transforming growth factor-alpha.
AB  - The putative receptor-binding region of human transforming growth factor-alpha
      (TGF alpha) has been shown to be contributed by two fragments: an A-chain
      (residue 12-18) and a 17-residue carboxyl fragment (residue 34-50) that includes
      a disulfide-containing C-loop (residue 34-43). An approach to the synthesis of
      two-chain analogs containing an intermolecular disulfide linked A-chain and the
      17-residue carboxyl fragment (C-fragment) possessing receptor-binding activity is
      described. The synthesis was achieved by the solid-phase method using the Boc
      benzyl protecting group strategy. The single Cys of the A-chain was activated as
      a mixed disulfide with 2-thiopyridine to form the intermolecular disulfide bond
      with Cys41 or Cys46 of the C-fragment on the resin support. Prior to this
      reaction, the acetamido (Acm) protecting group of Cys41 or Cys46 was removed by
      Hg(OAc)2 on the resin support. The peptide and side chain protecting groups
      including the S-methylbenzyl moiety of the Cys34 and Cys43 were concomitantly
      cleaved by high HF. The intramolecular disulfide with two unprotected Cys was
      formed in the presence of an intermolecular disulfide. This intramolecular
      disulfide bond formation was usually not feasible under the traditionally-held
      scheme at basic pH since disulfide interchange would occur faster than
      intramolecular oxidation. To prevent the disulfide interchange, a new method was
      devised. The intramolecular disulfide bond oxidation was mediated by
      dimethylsulfoxide at an acidic pH, at which the disulfide interchange reaction
      was suppressed. The desired product was obtained with a 60-70% yield.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428536
TI  - Peptide crystal growth via vapor diffusion. Crystal structure of glycyl-L-tyrosyl
      L-alanine dihydrate.
AB  - The structure of a dihydrated form of glycyl-L-tyrosyl-L-alanine (GYA) has been
      determined as part of a series of peptide structural investigations and
      development of microscale vapor diffusion experiments for peptide crystal growth.
      Crystals were grown by the hanging-drop method against sodium acetate. The
      tripeptide is a zwitterion in the crystal, adopting an extended conformation
      through glycine, a nearly perpendicular bend at tyrosine and a reverse turn for
      the C-terminal carboxylate. Principal backbone torsion angles are psi 1 175(1)
      degrees, omega 2 173(1) degrees, phi 2 -119(1) degrees, psi 2 120(1) degrees,
      omega 3 172(1) degrees, phi 3 -73(1) degrees, psi 31 -9(1) degrees, psi 32 171(1)
      degrees. The tyrosyl side chain adopts an unusual orientation (chi 1/2 = -86(1)
      degrees). The relationship of the GYA.2H2O structure to GYA sequences in proteins
      is examined, particularly as regards its helix-forming potential. Crystal data:
      C14H19N3O4.2H2O, M(r) = 345.36, orthorhombic, P2(1)2(1)2(1), a = 4.810 (4), b =
      11.400(7), c = 30.162(23)A, V = 1653.8(24)A-3, Z = 4, Dx = 1.387 Mgm-3,
      lambda(CuK- alpha) = 1.540 A, mu = 9.053 mm-1, F(000) = 736, T = 199 K, R = 0.041
      for 1458 observations with I greater than or equal to 3 sigma(I).

PMID- 1428537
TI  - Application of arylsulphonyl side-chain protected arginines in solid-phase
      peptide synthesis based on 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl amino protecting strategy.
AB  - One of the main problems still hampering solid-phase peptide synthesis using
      orthogonal protection strategies based on the 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl amino
      protecting group is the difficult removal of currently used arginine
      arylsulphonyl guanidino protecting groups. Poor acid liability of 4-methoxy-2,3,6
      trimethylbenzenesulphonyl-protected arginine has led to the popularity of the
      newer 2,2,5,7,8- pentamethylchroman-6-sulphonyl guanidino protecting group. This
      group was initially believed to have liability to trifluoroacetic acid, the
      reagent commonly used to simultaneously deprotect peptides and detach them from
      the synthesis resin, comparable to tert.-butyl and trityl type protecting groups
      used for the protection of other peptide side-chain functionalities. In a
      comparison of three established cleavage/deprotection mixtures we have shown that
      this is not always the case, particularly in multiple arginine peptides. We have
      found that only hard-acid deprotection with trimethylsilyl bromide reliably
      removed both arylsulphonyl guanidino protecting groups from a variety of arginine
      containing peptides.

PMID- 1428539
TI  - Effect of copper(II) chloride on suppression of racemization in peptide synthesis
      by the mixed anhydride and related methods.
AB  - In segment couplings by the mixed anhydride method using isobutyloxycarbonyl
      chloride, the use of copper(II) chloride as an additive suppressed racemization
      completely in the same manner as in the carbodiimide method reported previously.
      This was confirmed by employing a number of couplings between Z-dipeptides and
      amino acid esters. The racemization-suppressing effect of other compounds were
      also evaluated by employing one of these model couplings to be at best only
      limitedly effective. Copper(II) chloride was effective also in the related method
      using EEDQ. Thus, in the couplings where a low level of racemization was observed
      without an additive, the addition of copper(II) chloride eliminated racemization
      even at ambient temperature where EEDQ is usually used. The effectiveness of
      copper(II) chloride was confirmed also in the BOP-Cl method. In the presence of
      HOBt racemization was reduced to a low but still detectable level, while it was
      suppressed completely by the addition of copper(II) chloride.

PMID- 1428538
TI  - Unusual thionation of a cyclic hexapeptide. Conformational changes and dynamics.
AB  - One carbonyl oxygen of the cyclic hexapeptide cyclo(-Gly1-Pro2-Phe3-Val4-Phe5
      Phe6-) (A) can be selectively exchanged with sulphur using Yokoyama's reagent.
      Surprisingly it was not the C=] of Gly1 but that of Phe5 which was substituted
      and cyclo(-Gly1-Pro2-Phe3-Val4-Phe5 psi [CS-NH]Phe6-) (B) was obtained.
      Thionation results in a conformational change of the peptide backbone although
      the C=O of Phe5 and the corresponding C=S are not involved in internal hydrogen
      bonds. Two isomers in slow exchange, containing a cis Gly1-Pro2 bond in a beta
      VIa-turn (minor) and a trans Gly-Pro bond in a beta II'-turn (major), were
      analyzed by restrained molecular dynamics in vacuo and in DMSO as well as using
      time dependent distance constraints. It is impossible to fit all experimental
      data to a static structure of each isomer. Interpreting the conflicting NOEs,
      local segment flexibility is found. MD simulations lead to a dynamic model for
      each structure with evidence of an equilibrium between a beta I- and beta II-turn
      about the Val4-Phe5 amide bond in both the cis and trans isomers. Additionally
      proton relaxation rates in the rotating frame (R1 rho) were measured to verify
      the assumption of this fast beta I/beta II equilibrium within each isomer.
      Significant contributions to R1 rho-rates from intramolecular motions were found
      for both isomers. Therefore it is possible to distinguish between at least four
      conformers interconverting on different time scales based on NMR data and MD
      refinement. This work shows that thionation is a useful modification of peptides
      for conformation-activity investigations.

PMID- 1428540
TI  - Synthesis and biological activity of the mono- and di-galactosyl-vespulakinin 1
      analogues.
AB  - Syntheses are described of some mono- and di-glycosylated analogues of
      vespulakinin 1. The solid phase procedure, based on the Fmoc chemistry, was used
      to prepare (Gal alpha)Thr3-vespulakinin 1, (Gal beta)Thr3-vespulakinin 1 and the
      di-glycosylated analogue ((Gal alpha)Thr3, (Gal alpha)Thr4-vespulakinin 1. The
      beta-glycosylated derivative was also prepared by the continuous flow variant of
      the Fmoc polyamide method. The synthesized glycopeptides were purified and
      characterized by amino acid analysis, optical rotation, analytical HPLC, 1H- and
      13C-NMR and FAB-MS. Preliminary pharmacological experiments showed that the
      carbohydrate-free vespulakinin 1 is less active than bradykinin (about 0.3 times
      on a molar basis) when tested by guinea pig rectum contraction, and the two
      monoglycosylated analogues are equiactive (about 0.9 times the bradykinin
      activity). The most active derivative, the (Gal alpha)Thr3, (Gal alpha)Thr4
      vespulakinin 1 analogue, was about 2.5 times as active as bradykinin.

PMID- 1428541
TI  - Ethylcarbamoyl protection for cysteine in the preparation of peptide-conjugate
      immunogens.
AB  - During the solid-phase synthesis of over 100 peptides, we have observed that the
      ethylcarbamoyl group is useful for the side chain protection of cysteine in
      peptides containing a single cysteine residue. The ethylcarbamoyl group is stable
      to the conditions of acidolytic cleavage, purification and long term storage.
      Brief treatment of peptides containing an S-ethylcarbamoyl-cysteine residue with
      aqueous sodium hydroxide gives the deprotected cysteine peptide that can be
      coupled to carrier molecules such as proteins to give immunogen conjugates.

PMID- 1428542
TI  - FMOC solid phase synthesis of an endothelin converting enzyme substrate. Use of
      allyl ester as the third orthogonal protecting group.
AB  - The synthesis of a substrate for the endothelin converting enzyme using the
      continuous flow FMOC solid phase method has been accomplished. The allyl group,
      employed to protect Glu side chain, was cleanly removed during the synthesis in
      the presence of tert.-butyl based protecting groups to enable the introduction of
      the Edans moiety. The substrate was obtained in 31% yield after reverse phase
      hplc purification.

PMID- 1428543
TI  - Synthesis and conformation of the trimeric coiled-coil segment of laminin.
AB  - A disulfide linked 95-mer parallel hetero-trimeric active site segment of laminin
      was designed and synthesised. The three subunits, A (32-mer), B1 (30-mer) and B2
      (33-mer), were prepared by Boc-based solid-phase peptide synthesis involving a
      two-step trimethylsilyl bromide-thioanisole and HF deprotection procedure. The
      interlinking of the three subunits was accomplished by the stepwise selective
      formation of two disulfide bridges using air-oxidation and thallium (III)
      trifluoroacetate oxidation. The conformations of the synthetic peptides were
      studied by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, showing that the hetero-dimer,
      B1-B2, one of the homo-dimers, B1-B1, and the trimer are 30 to 40% in the alpha
      helical conformation in aqueous buffer. Variable temperature CD studies
      demonstrated that the trimer is considerably more stable (melting temperature
      (Tm) = 61 degrees) than the hetero-dimer, B1-B2 (Tm = 36 degrees).

PMID- 1428544
TI  - Central function and visual field damage in glaucoma.
AB  - 82 eyes of 82 patients with different types of glaucoma were examined with
      various psychophysical tests assessing central and paracentral function,
      including foveal temporal contrast sensitivity function, FM 100-Hue test, and
      foveal and parafoveal blue-on-yellow-sensitivity. For all eyes visual field tests
      were performed with the Humphrey-Field-Analyzer, program 30-2. Global visual
      field indices were calculated as follows: Mean Sensitivity MS, Mean Deviation MD,
      and Corrected Pattern Standard Deviation CPSD. Linear regression analysis and
      multiple regression analysis correcting for a possible influence of age between
      the central and paracentral criteria and the global indices was performed. For
      the entire study population highly significant correlations are present between
      foveal and parafoveal blue-on-yellow-sensitivity and MS, MD and CPSD. Whereas in
      the Normal Tension Glaucoma subgroup (19/82 eyes) no significant correlations are
      found, the subgroup of 35/82 eyes with markedly elevated intraocular pressure (>
      or = 30 mmHg) shows highly statistically significant correlations between the low
      and high-frequency end of the foveal temporal contrast sensitivity function and
      foveal and parafoveal blue-on-yellow-sensitivity and the global field indices.
      The results of the present study support the idea that there are two different
      mechanisms of glaucomatous damage, one which is pressure-dependent and one which
      may be pressure-independent. The pressure-dependent mechanism is responsible for
      deficits of central or paracentral function which are correlated to overall
      visual field damage.

PMID- 1428545
TI  - The pattern ERG in glaucoma: effect of pattern reversal time.
AB  - Pattern reversals with a ramp-like temporal course evoke transient pattern
      electroretinograms (PERG) that are delayed and attenuated in comparison with
      responses evoked by a step-like course (abrupt pattern reversals). This delay
      depends on the reversal time and probably represents a measure for temporal
      characteristics of the activated retinal structures. A pattern reversal
      stimulator with adjustable reversal periods (matrix of 8 x 14 rectangular red
      light emitting diodes, element size 2 degrees x 1 degree, stimulus area 16
      degrees x 14 degrees) was used to record transient PERGs from 20 glaucomatous
      eyes with early or moderate visual field damages (measured with computer
      perimetry). The q-wave (P1) amplitude difference between the glaucoma group and
      normal subjects with step-like reversal stimulation was not significant (P =
      0.23). On the other hand, a highly significant separation (P < 0.0001) between
      both groups was possible using the P1 latency at ramp-like stimulation or the
      response latency shift between step and ramp-like stimulation (Pattern reversal
      time, 30 ms).

PMID- 1428546
TI  - Is oculokinetic perimetry useful?
AB  - An evaluation was carried out comparing Oculokinetic Perimetry (O.K.P.) with
      Automatic Perimetry of Thresholds (Hipocampus Perimeter) for ocular hypertension
      and glaucoma studying 145 eyes. The O.K.P. shows a sensitivity between 35.65 and
      38.54%, a specificity of 76.67-79.59%, a + predictive value of 78.72-85.42%, and
      a-predictive value of 23.71-39.80%.

PMID- 1428547
TI  - Oculokinetic perimetry compared with standard perimetric threshold testing.
AB  - To calibrate oculokinetic perimetry (OKP) as developed by Damato in terms of
      conventional perimetric threshold values, 33 eyes with either glaucoma or ocular
      hypertension were tested with a standard Humphrey Field Analyzer using the
      Central 30-2 test and twice with a 26-point OKP chart. The frequency of seeing of
      the OKP test spot was plotted against 30-2 thresholds. This showed a weak
      relation between the two tests. Subsequently eyes that were considered to have
      had poor fixation were omitted, but false positive and false negative results
      still occurred in 19 remaining eyes. To check whether Troxler's effect (local
      adaptation) might have caused false positives, 6 subjects were tested with OKP,
      controlling the fixation times. Increasing the fixation time from 'very short' to
      2 and 5 seconds yielded more 'not seen' responses in OKP. False negative data
      were found to occur preferentially in border areas of visual defects. The average
      frequency of seeing curve over all data showed a 50% frequency of seeing for the
      OKP stimulus at a 14.6 dB equivalent conventional threshold value. The spreading
      of the curve was 7 dB (95% confidence interval 28 dB).

PMID- 1428548
TI  - Intra- and inter-observer variation of optic nerve head measurements in glaucoma
      suspects using disc-data.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine the intra- and inter-observer variation in
      the use of a system designed for exact measurements from standard optic nerve
      head photographs. The commercially available system consisted of a colour CCD
      Videocamera, a dedicated frame grabber and customized software run on a IBM AT
      compatible computer. Masked measurements were made 3 times by 2 observers, from
      stereophotographs of the optic nerve head of 56 eyes from 30 glaucoma suspects.
      The cup was defined on the basis of contour, not pallor and the disc area was
      defined as the area inside Elschnig's ring. Intra-observer variances were 0.001
      +/- 0.001 mm2 for cup area (mean +/- SD), 0.002 +/- 0.002 mm2 for disc area and
      0.002 +/- 0.003 mm2 for rim area. These values for intra-observer variance were
      comparable with the results obtained using manual planimetric techniques. Intra
      observer variance for disc area was significantly larger for the less trained of
      the two experienced observers. Inter-observer variances were 0.004 +/- 0.009 mm2
      for cup area, 0.008 +/- 0.013 mm2 for disc area and 0.009 +/- 0.014 mm2 for rim
      area. These inter-observer variances were significantly larger than those
      previously reported for manual planimetry. The absolute differences between the
      two observers ranged from -0.35 to +0.20 mm2 (-0.08 +/- 0.11 mm2) for cup area,
      from -0.38 to +0.15 mm2 (-0.08 +/- 0.11 mm2) for disc area and from -0.29 to
      +0.34 mm2 (-0.06 +/- 0.12 mm2) for rim area.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428549
TI  - Similarities between disc haemorrhages and thromboses of the retinal veins.
AB  - 999 patients with glaucoma (G) visited the office from the beginning of 1980
      until the end of 1991. 381 patients with disc haemorrhages and 164 with
      thrombosis (T) were found and followed when possible. At the detection 17 cases
      with thrombosis and 41 cases with disc haemorrhage (H) had glaucoma. During
      follow-up 52 cases with glaucoma got a thrombosis and 26 cases with thrombosis
      developed glaucoma, 105 cases with glaucoma got a disc haemorrhage and 33 cases
      with disc haemorrhage developed glaucoma. At the end of the follow-up 179 cases
      with glaucoma have had a disc haemorrhage, and 95 have had a thrombosis. In this
      material disc haemorrhages and thromboses, both thromboses of a branch (TB) and
      thromboses of the central vein (TC), behaved in the same way with respect to the
      occurrence of glaucoma, and the hypothesis that the materials H, TB or TC are of
      similar origin and symptoms of glaucoma seems reasonable.

PMID- 1428550
TI  - Retinal nerve fiber layer defects and automated perimetry evaluation in ocular
      hypertensives.
AB  - Preliminary results of a larger investigation on correlation between Retinal
      Nerve Fiber Layer Defects (RNFL) and Automated Perimetry (AP) are presented. A
      group of ocular hypertensive patients was recruited and a cross-section,
      randomized study was carried out. The group was composed of 54 eyes from 28
      patients; 15 men and 13 women, mean age 42.76 year, mean visual acuity 0.95
      (Snellen cart) and mean visual defect expressed in diopters was +0.514 (from -2.5
      to +5). A total of 17 (31.48%) refractive fields were pathologic according to our
      criteria, one from a normal RNFL and the others from nerve fiber defects. We
      observed 6 no reliable RNFL photographs, 18 normal, 11 slits, 6 wedge, 11 diffuse
      and 2 mixed defects. Comparing RNFL and AP, 53.33% of eyes with fiber defects had
      abnormal perimetries. The more evolutioned the defect, the larger percentage of
      abnormal visual fields were observed: 36.36% in slit defects, 66.66% in wedge,
      54.55% in diffuse and 100% in mixed ones. Comparing location of defects with
      location of cluster of decreased sensibility points in visual field, a higher
      correlation in inferior than superior defects was found.

PMID- 1428551
TI  - Correlations between densitometry of red-free photographs and reflectometry with
      the scanning laser ophthalmoscope in normal subjects and glaucoma patients.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare image measurements of the retina produced by scanning laser
      ophthalmoscopy with those from red-free photographs (RFP) of the nerve fibre
      layer. SUBJECTS: The left eyes of 23 subjects (10 normal, 7 glaucoma suspect and
      6 glaucomatous) were included in this study. METHOD: All the eyes were
      photographed using standard red-free photography, and images of the retina were
      digitised directly from the SLO. RESULTS: The correlation coefficient for all
      except three subjects was > 0.45, and the probability (p) that R = 0 was < 0.05
      in all but 5 eyes. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that variations in retinal
      surface reflectivity as measured by the SLO are similar to those recorded on
      negative film during RFP. This further suggests that the SLO can be useful for
      making objective measurements of the RNFL, without the intermediate and variable
      steps of photography.

PMID- 1428552
TI  - Diffuse nerve fiber layer loss in normal tension glaucoma.
AB  - 14 eyes of 14 normal tension glaucoma (NTG) patients with the maximum intraocular
      pressure (IOP) > or = 19 mmHg and 16 eyes of 16 NTG patients with the maximum IOP
      < 19 mmHg were examined. All patients had a scotoma confined to the upper or
      lower hemifield. Eyes with the maximum IOP > or = 19 mmHg showed significantly
      diffuse retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) loss in the RNFL area corresponded to
      the spared visual hemifield as compared to those with the maximum IOP < 19 mmHg.
      The results suggests that, even in NTG, IOP may be an important factor causing
      optic nerve damage.

PMID- 1428553
TI  - Spectrometric investigations in ocular hypertension and early stages of primary
      open angle glaucoma and of low tension glaucoma--multisubstance analysis.
AB  - The approximation of logarithmic difference spectra between the reflectance of
      the normal fundus and the fundus reflectance in different stages of glaucoma is
      demonstrated by a model. The influences of fundus pigments like oxihemoglobin,
      melanin, xanthophyll and rhodopsin as well as the intensity and the exponent of
      the scattered light are optimized. Glaucomatous alterations in the extinction of
      these pigments and of the scattering parameters are different in the macula, in
      the papillo-macular bundle and in the parapapillary region temporal to the optic
      disc. A lack of oxihemoglobin only in the papillo-macular bundle in first
      relative losses in the visual field function points to a damaged microcirculation
      in early POAG. In progressive glaucoma the extinction spectrum of xanthophyll is
      detectable in the papillo-macular bundle. A decreased intensity of the scattered
      light and an altered scattering exponent are suggestive of a damage in the nerve
      fiber layer at early stages of glaucoma.

PMID- 1428554
TI  - Optic nerve fiber loss in relation to atrial fibrillation and blood pressure.
AB  - This study investigates the relationship of atrial fibrillation, systemic blood
      pressure and nerve fiber loss. 213 institutionalized glaucoma patients (mean age
      83.9 years) and 100 control patients (mean age 81.8 years) were examined
      ophthalmologically and analyzed for blood pressure. A 12-lead electrocardiogram,
      analyzed according to the Minnesota code, was taken for 212 glaucoma patients and
      100 control patients. 17% of the glaucoma patients had atrial fibrillation (AF),
      which was significantly more than in the control group (8%). Patients with AF had
      lower systolic blood pressures (mean 146.5 mmHg) than the other patients (mean
      153.7 mmHg). Visual acuity (VA) of the patients having AF was lower than that of
      the other patients. Severe visual field defects occurred more frequently in
      patients having AF (in 70% v.s. 42%). Patients with severe visual field defects
      and lower VA had lower systolic blood pressures than the patients with better
      visual fields and VA. 75% of geriatric glaucoma patients with AF and 64% of
      geriatric glaucoma patients without AF had intraocular pressures < 18 mmHg.
      Atrial fibrillation and low systolic blood pressure are connected with impairment
      of ocular functions of geriatric glaucoma patients.

PMID- 1428555
TI  - Anatomical risk factors in primary angle-closure glaucoma. A ten year follow up
      survey based on limbal and axial anterior chamber depths in a high risk
      population.
AB  - A population of 539 persons was examined in 1979, using LCD and ACD estimations
      acc. to van Herick et al. and by Haag Streit pachymetry, respectively. ACD had
      been measured already in 1969, due to a remarkable occurrence of primary angle
      closure glaucoma (PACG) in the survey population of Greenland Eskimos (District
      of Uummannaq). The present follow up study in 1989 aimed at persons presently
      above age 40, who had shown either an LCD value graded as 0 (contact) or 1 (<
      0.25 of corneal thickness = CT), or a value of 2 (= 0.25 CT) if an ACD value of <
      = 2.70 mm (CT included) had also been found. PACG patients or suspects known in
      1979 already were excluded from the present analyses. A total of 75 persons was
      now examined. Five had developed acute (n = 2) or intermittent PACG (n = 3)
      during the ten year period. At the survey 3 intermittent and 4 latent PACG cases
      were detected, yielding in ten years a PACG prevalence of 12/75 = 16% (sex ratio:
      M/F = 2/10). One male case of severe secondary (partly inflammatory) ACG was also
      found. Past and present LCD and ACD values are given as well as gonioscopical
      status. Creeping, synechial angle-closure was frequent. Among probands who could
      not be examined, mostly due to death before 1989, 5/54 had developed PACG during
      the ten year period. Non-probands according to above criteria were mostly not
      examined. Yet their records were scrutinized for any event suspect of PACG. Thus
      among 258 persons above age 40 no PACG case was found.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1428556
TI  - Color Doppler imaging in evaluation of optic nerve blood supply in normal and
      glaucomatous subjects.
AB  - The authors evaluate by means of Color Doppler Imaging (CDI) the blood flow in
      ophthalmic artery, posterior ciliary arteries and central retinal artery in a
      group of glaucomatous patients. The data obtained in this study show a
      statistically significant reduction of the mean systolic peak flow velocity in
      ophthalmic artery in glaucomas in comparison with controls. In Glaucomatous
      patients with uncontrolled IOP there was a reduction of end-diastolic flow
      velocities and a rise of resistivity index in ciliary arteries and central
      retinal artery.

PMID- 1428557
TI  - Pr VECPs related to ciliary perfusion pressure in primary open angle glaucoma. A
      study using contact lenses to compensate for refraction changes during
      artificially raised IOP.
AB  - Pr VECP studies in glaucoma patients with the IOP raised artificially by the
      suction cup method have recently been performed by several authors, who arrived
      at different results. The reason for those differences may be the changes
      employed. The refraction changes depend on the shape of the suction cup and the
      height of the artificial IOP raise. By using contact lenses and a suitably shaped
      suction cup refraction changes could be compensated for. Studies of the pr VECP
      with suction cup IOP elevation and simultaneous compensation for refraction
      changes by applying contact lenses were made on 17 patients with primary open
      angle glaucoma and 21 healthy volunteers. In healthy subjects pr VECP amplitudes
      were found unaltered or even slightly increased until 120 mmHg of negative
      pressure were reached in the cup. Beyond that range they dropped. Latencies
      remained unaltered over that range of negative pressures. Plotting the pr VECP
      amplitudes and latencies against ciliary perfusion pressure we obtained unaltered
      potentials over a range of ca. 20 mmHg, which we interpreted as autoregulative
      capacity. In the 17 glaucoma patients various degrees of impaired autoregulation
      were found corresponding to the progression of glaucoma damage.

PMID- 1428558
TI  - Axial and para-axial fluorophotometry in glaucoma simplex.
AB  - In this fluorophotometric study, in 25 eyes with middle advanced stages of
      glaucoma simplex (visual field defects ranged from 500 dB to 800 dB) and treated
      with topical antiglaucomatous agents, the posterior vitreous penetration ratio
      (PVPR) was compared with that from normal subjects. Vitreous fluorophotometry
      (Fluorotron Master, Coherent) was used to measure posterior vitreous fluorescein
      concentration. Due to additional fixation light in horizontal plane, three scans
      were taken along the following directions: temporal (t), foveal (f), nasal (n).
      The angle of deviation from the foveal scan was 15 degrees in each direction. The
      average values of posterior vitreous penetration ratio in group of patients with
      glaucoma were higher in comparison with those in healthy subjects. In both groups
      the PVPR was significantly lower in nasal (n) scan (optic disc area) in
      comparison with temporal (t) or foveal (f) scans (p < 0.05).

PMID- 1428559
TI  - X-PERT NCT advanced logic tonometer valuation.
AB  - The air pulsed automatic tonometer X-PERT NCT has been tested in hospitals on
      glaucomatous patients. This new technique avoids direct contact with the
      patient's eyes and therefore avoids any risk of contamination. The population
      studied consisted of 118 eyes of 60 patients whose intraocular pressure (I.O.P.)
      is measured by applanation with the Goldmann tonometer and then by the air pulsed
      tonometer. The average I.O.P. obtained by Goldmann tonometer is 17.5 +/- 5 mmHg
      while by X-PERT tonometer, the average I.O.P. is 17.4 +/- 1.5 mmHg. Statistical
      analysis of these data showed a very good correlation (r = 0.969) in the two
      methods of measurement.

PMID- 1428560
TI  - A clinical evaluation of XPERT NCT (Reichert) for glaucoma screening by
      optometrists.
AB  - XPERT NCT advanced logic pneumotonometer (Reichert) was studied for its
      reliability and use in glaucoma screening. The evaluated 2400 NCT measurements on
      300 eyes were compared to the results of Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT)
      from the same eyes. Repeated NCT tonometry had no significant effect on IOP.
      Local anesthesia reduced mean NCT-GAT difference and standard deviation
      significantly (p < 0.05), i.e. feeling due to the diminished air pulse force
      provided by the instrument had still considerable influence on IOP. NCT-GAT
      regression was significant (p < 0.01). Mean IOP readings provided by NCT were
      four mmHg higher than GAT values. Although accuracy was not satisfactory for
      exact measuring, it was satisfactory for screening. The results suggested that
      four mmHg less than the mean IOP value seen on the display is acceptable for
      screening when the difference between the minimal and maximal individual readings
      on the display is less than 2SD i.e. six mmHg. In the case of a greater
      difference, the maximal value is to be replaced, as NCT tends to read higher
      values than GAT.

PMID- 1428561
TI  - The Pulsair-Keeler non-contact tonometer in self-tonometry: preliminary results.
AB  - The authors considered the possibility of using the Pulsair-Keeler non-contact
      tonometer in self-tonometry. For this reason, 45 patients have been trained to
      use the instrument and, after a reasonable trial period, were able to self
      measure their IOP. The results have been compared to the tonometric values
      measured with Goldmann tonometer to evaluate statistically the limits and the
      dependability of this method of measurement. The results shows that self
      tonometry with the Pulsair-Keeler tonometer can be used in monitoring
      glaucomatous patients at home.

PMID- 1428563
TI  - Does aqueous humor secretion decrease with age?
AB  - Aqueous humor flow was calculated during day-time in 148 healthy volunteers and
      75 older patients using the Fluorotron Master II anterior chamber protocol
      (Coherent, Palo Alto, USA). Healthy volunteers as well as patients had no history
      of ocular pathology, surgery or laser treatment. Slitlamp examination revealed no
      ocular pathology. Hypertension, diabetes, local and systemic drug therapy,
      neoplasia, kidney or liver disease, contact lens and ocular trauma were excluded.
      Mean age of volunteers was 26.5 +/- 3.8 years; age of patients: 65.5 +/- 10.5
      years. Aqueous humor flow during day-time in healthy volunteers in the OD: (mean
      +/- s.d.) 2.26 +/- 1.0 microliters/min, in the OS: 2.17 +/- 1.0 microliters/min,
      OS: 1.86 +/- 1.1 Ml/min. Correlation coefficient: r = 0.8. The mean aqueous humor
      flow in the older patients during day-time: OD: 1.91 +/- 1.1 microliters/min.
      Correlation coefficient: r = 0.54. The Mann-Whitney-U-test revealed a significant
      difference when comparing the right eyes of healthy volunteers with the right
      eyes of patients (p < 0.01). When comparing all left eyes the difference is also
      significant (p = 0.01). The results of the study underline, that the mean aqueous
      humor secretion does significantly decrease with age. However, the data show that
      there is only a slight decrease of flow of approximately 2.5% per decade. From
      the clinical point of view it should be concluded, that although the aqueous
      humor secretion does decrease with age, this is not of clinical importance, even
      in cases of glaucoma surgery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428562
TI  - Self-tonometry: technical aspects of calibration and clinical application.
AB  - Self-tonometry could be established as an important diagnostic tool in the early
      diagnosis and follow-up of glaucoma provided that a self-tonometer is precise,
      safe and easy to use. Furthermore, it has to comply with the legal standards for
      tonometer calibration. A new software-controlled detection system for the self
      tonometer permits the evaluation of external factors during the measurement which
      influence the precision of the tonometric readings. The updated version of the
      self-tonometer (ST) was compared to the Draeger hand-held applanation tonometer
      (HAT) in a clinical study with 82 patients (151 eyes). The results show a
      regression line characterized by a slope of 0.99, an y interception of 1.41, a
      correlation coefficient of 0.96 and a standard deviation for the ST readings of
      +/- 1.78 mmHg. Self-tonometry improves the IOP monitoring as well as patient
      compliance and therefore is a potential diagnostic tool in the management of
      glaucoma.

PMID- 1428565
TI  - Study on the aqueous humor flow measured by fluorophotometry after argon laser
      trabeculoplasty.
AB  - We have investigated the variations in the aqueous humor flow (F) after argon
      laser photocoagulation (ALT) in the trabecular meshwork. The research has been
      done on 60 eyes with primary open angle glaucoma within initial stages. The argon
      laser trabeculoplasty was made around 360 degrees in anterior trabecular meshwork
      with 100 burns. The flow (F) has been studied by fluorophotometry using
      Yablonsky's protocol. Aqueous humor flow has been measured after 24 hours and
      after 7 days, to determine the immediate effects of laser trabeculoplasty; and
      also after 6 months for the long term effects. The initial aqueous humor flow was
      1.35 microliters/min. By means of ANOVA we found statistically significant
      differences on aqueous humor flow after the 7th day (F = 1.67 microliters/min, p
      < 0.01), which remain six months later (F = 1.71 microliters/min, p < 0.01). This
      findings suggest that the effects of argon laser trabeculoplasty, either by
      mechanical or biological changes in the trabecular meshwork do not appear until
      the 7th day and remain throughout the follow up study.

PMID- 1428564
TI  - A fluorophotometric study on the aqueous humor dynamics in primary open angle
      glaucoma.
AB  - One hundred and ten eyes in 40 normal persons with no ocular pathology, 20 with
      ocular hypertension and 50 with primary open angle glaucoma were studied. The
      value of the aqueous humor flow was obtained and then compared with the different
      samples and with general (age, sex) and ocular factors (intraocular pressure,
      tonographic outflow facility, campimeter and disk/cup ratio, among others).

PMID- 1428566
TI  - Long-term drift and timolol therapy: possible role for pulsed therapy.
AB  - Eyes treated with a topical betablocker may exhibit the phenomenon of longterm
      drift, leading to loss of intraocular pressure control. It has been suggested
      that discontinuation of the betablocker may restore sensitivity to betablocker
      therapy, and that this phenomenon might be enhanced by the administration of an
      adrenergic agonist during this holiday period. This study was set up to examine
      further this hypothesis. Nine patients with ocular hypertension receiving
      treatment with timolol were entered into the study. Timolol was discontinued then
      re-started after four weeks of treatment with dipivefrin. This treatment cycle
      was repeated after a further four weeks. IOP was measured every two weeks. Re
      introduction of timolol was associated with a significant lowering of IOP at two
      weeks (3.2 mmHg in the first cycle, p < 0.01, 3.4 mmHg in the second cycle, p <
      0.01). Discontinuation of timolol and treatment with dipivefrin was not
      associated with a significant change in IOP.

PMID- 1428567
TI  - Effects of timolol on visual-field mean retinal sensitivity in normal subjects.
AB  - This single-blind, randomized study investigated the effects of unilateral
      instillation of 0.5% maleate timolol twice a day for 7 days on visual-field
      parameters of both eyes. Twelve normal, young subjects (30.6 +/- 4.2 years)
      participated in this study. Using program G1 of the Octopus 500 automated
      perimeter, the visual fields were measured one week and one day before therapy
      and a third time one week after beginning therapy. The paired T-test was used for
      statistical analysis, where a P-value < or = 0.05 indicated significance. Whereas
      nothing statistically significant was found in the treated eyes, the
      contralateral, untreated eyes showed a statistically significant decrease of mean
      sensitivity between the first visual fields and the third ones (P < 0.01) This
      diminution of mean sensitivity in the untreated contralateral eyes may be due to
      statistically significant lowering of blood pressure (P < 0.01) and slowing of
      cardiac frequency, which were not compensated by a local decrease of intraocular
      pressure. If confirmed, these findings could be of clinical importance in the
      management of glaucoma patients, since some authors have, in some cases,
      recommended a unilateral therapy.

PMID- 1428568
TI  - Changes in depressive status associated with topical beta-blockers.
AB  - Depression and sexual dysfunction have been related to side effects of topical
      beta-blockers. We performed a preliminary study in order to determine any
      difference between a non selective beta-blocker (timolol) and a selective beta
      blocker (betaxolol) regarding CNS side effects. Eight glaucomatous patients
      chronically treated with timolol 0.5%/12h, suffering from depression diagnosed
      through DMS-III-R criteria, were included in the study. During the six-month
      follow up, depression was quantified through the Beck and Zung-Conde scales every
      two months. In a double blind cross-over study with control group, the patients
      under timolol treatment presented higher depression values measured through the
      Beck and the Zung-Conde scales (p < 0.001 vs control). These results suggest that
      betaxolol could be less of a depression-inducer than timolol in predisposed
      patients.

PMID- 1428570
TI  - Changes in the ocular dimensions after trabeculectomy.
AB  - Ocular wall dimensions (axial eye length, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness,
      vitreous length, thickness and volume of the ocular wall) were determined by
      echobiometry on 10 eyes of 10 patients with glaucoma one day before and four days
      after trabeculectomy. The results showed significant differences: decreased axial
      eye length, and increased thickness and volume of the ocular wall were found
      after trabeculectomy. The observed changes in the ocular dimensions might be due
      to ocular hypotony and postoperative inflammation. Echographic follow-up of the
      changes in the ocular wall is a useful monitor to study alteration in eye
      dimensions after glaucoma surgery.

PMID- 1428569
TI  - The effects of dopamine, haloperidol and bromocriptine on intraocular pressure.
AB  - In a double-blind randomised, prospective single dose study, we measured
      intraocular pressure (IOP), pupil diameter, systemic blood pressure and heart
      rate in 43 ocular normotensive subjects before (baseline) and 2, 4, and 6 hours
      after topical instillation of the following drugs: dopamine 2% (n = 11), a
      dopamine receptor blocking drug, haloperidol 0.5% (n = 11), a dopamine receptor
      stimulating drug, bromocriptine 0.05% (n = 11) and 0.1% (n = 10). In the groups
      receiving dopamine or haloperidol, there were no significant differences in IOP
      compared with baseline values (p > 0.01). But, a significant decrease in IOP
      compared with the baseline values was found in both bromocriptine groups (p <
      0.001). With the 0.05% and 0.1% concentrations, maximum reductions in intraocular
      pressure were 22.0% +/- 5.8% and 28.4% +/- 9.8%, respectively. No significant
      differences in mean pupil diameter, systemic blood pressure and heart rate were
      detected in all of these groups. In addition, in the group receiving
      bromocriptine 0.1%, there was no change in serum prolactin levels. These results
      suggest that topically administered bromocriptine has satisfactory intraocular
      pressure lowering capacity without serious ocular or systemic side effects.
      Consequently we conclude that, an ophthalmic formulation of bromocriptine may
      have substantial clinical potential for the treatment of glaucoma.

PMID- 1428571
TI  - Therapeutical and genetical aspects of congenital glaucomas.
AB  - Therapy for congenital glaucoma is primarily surgical. We have investigated 249
      cases who have undergone trabeculectomy. There was a 79% success rate as regards
      to control of the IOP. Vision could be saved among the patients who had applied
      relatively early. At the end of the follow up which was 5 years IOP remained
      normal in the successful group. All the patients and their families were analysed
      genetically by their pedigrees and caryotypes. An autosomal recessive pattern
      with variable penetrance was found. The majority of the patients came from
      families with consanguineous marriages giving a rate of 66.6%. It was suggested
      that the course of the disease is highly affected by and related to parental
      consanguinity. An early age of onset and an accelerated clinical course could be
      well correlated.

PMID- 1428572
TI  - Photoablative filtration surgery with the excimer laser for primary open-angle
      glaucoma: a pilot study.
AB  - We have performed ab-externo photoablative filtration surgery on 19 patients
      affected by uncontrolled primary open-angle glaucoma. All cases had wide open
      angles, were previously treated with argon laser trabeculoplasty and were
      considered good candidates for trabeculectomy. After topical and peribulbar
      anesthesia, a limbus-based conjunctival flap was dissected. Photoablation of a
      rectangular area at the limbus was performed with an argon fluoride excimer laser
      (193 nm), at 180 mJ x sq cm fluence. The beam was shaped in the appropriate
      fashion using a custom-made metal mask. Photoablation was continued until aqueous
      appeared percolating through the juxtacanalicular tissue at the bottom of the
      crater; a water-tight closure of conjunctiva was then performed. Postoperatively,
      the anterior chamber reaction was minimal; in no case a flat chamber or choroidal
      detachment was observed. In 18 of the 19 cases the IOP was significantly lowered,
      and a filtering bleb developed. Mean preoperative IOP was 26.4 (+/- 7) mmHg. At a
      median follow-up of 9 months (range 4-15) the IOP is < or = 18 mmHg on no
      medications in 16 (84%) of the eyes, with a mean value of 13.3 (+/- 6) mmHg. Our
      short-term results support excimer laser photoablative filtration as a relatively
      safe and effective procedure for primary open-angle glaucoma.

PMID- 1428573
TI  - Daunorubicin versus 5-fluoro-uracil in surgical treatment of primary open angle
      glaucoma: a prospective study.
AB  - In a prospective randomized study, we compare the results at 20 months of 5
      Fluoro-Uracil and Daunorubicin filtering surgery in two groups of 25 patients
      with primary open-angle glaucoma. For the first group of 14 eyes, 10 injections
      of 5FU are done and only one subconjunctival preoperative injection of
      Daunorubicin in the second group of 13 eyes. 5FU group consists of 13 patients: 9
      males, 4 females. The mean age is 52.3 +/- 18.4 years. The mean follow-up is 6.9
      +/- 7 months. Daunorubicin group consists of 12 patients: 9 males, 3 females. The
      mean age is 50.2 +/- 21.4 years. The mean follow-up is 7.3 +/- 7 months. By
      Kaplan-Meier method, the probability success rate is 79 per 100 with 5FU and 68
      per 100 with Daunorubicin. After 5FU procedure, the most disturbing complication
      is related to the decrease in IOP during the first postoperative days: flat
      anterior chamber (9 eyes) (7 eyes after Daunorubicin), choroidal detachment (6
      eyes) (2 eyes after Daunorubicin), cataract (3 eyes in the two groups). After
      Daunorubicin, corneal complications are less frequent: corneal ulcer (2 eyes) (3
      eyes after 5FU), corneal dystrophy (1 eye in the two groups). Transient chemosis
      and local palpebral oedema are constant after Daunorubicin. We compared the IOP
      reduction rate and visual function loss in the two groups.

PMID- 1428575
TI  - Long term follow-up of the argon laser trabeculoplasty in eyes treated 180
      degrees and 360 degrees of the trabeculum.
AB  - The results obtained with the Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty (ALT) on 196 eyes with
      an average follow-up period of 5.24 years (maximum 9 years) have been reviewed.
      Of the 123 eyes treated with 75-115 burns in the 360 degrees of the trabecular
      meshwork, 71 eyes were successful with a follow-up of 64.3 +/- 28.3 months (mean
      +/- SD). This treatment reduced the previous anti-glaucomatous medical treatment
      in 35 eyes (28.5%). The remaining 73 eyes were treated with 40-60 burns in 180
      degrees of the trabeculum, 38.4% (28 eyes) were successful therapeutically with a
      follow-up of 56.5 +/- 23.1 months. The treatment reduced the additional medical
      treatment in 9 eyes (12.3%). The comparison of these results and the survival
      curves of both groups showed statistically significant differences in favour of
      the treatment on 360 degrees of the trabeculum.

PMID- 1428574
TI  - Mitomycine, suterelysis and hypotony.
AB  - In 35 patients 37 trabeculectomies (TE) were performed using mitomycin as a
      fibrosisinhibitor. Mitomycin (0.5 mg/ml) was applied to the sclera (under the
      scleral flap) and conjunctiva in the area of the projected TE during 5 minutes
      using a small sponge. The indications for operation were: visual field
      progression in 15 eyes, too high IOP in 13 eyes and severe visual field defects
      (central island and/or centro coecal visual field defects) in 9 eyes. Six
      patients had Normal Pressure Glaucoma, 17 Primary Open Angle Glaucoma and 12 had
      other forms of glaucoma. There were 22 first TE's and 15 re-operations. The
      scleral flap was sutured with 5 to 8 10/0 nylon sutures. The system of a large
      number of sutures and subsequent suturelysis was our routine management for
      reducing complications after TE. This report deals with the postoperative period
      of the first three months. Suturelysis in combination with mitomycine caused an
      unexpected high number of postoperative hypotonies (IOP < = 6 mmHg with reduced
      visual acuity and/or retinal folds or large persistent choroidal detachment and
      shallow anterior chamber) In the 27 eyes who had suturelysis performed, 7
      developed a hypotony. The hypotony may develop as late as three weeks
      postoperative after suturelysis!. Two eyes developed a hypotony without
      suturelysis. Seven patients needed resuturing of the scleral flap. The use of
      mitomycine to enhance filtration after TE may cause serious hypotonies if the
      scleral flap is not securely closed and if suturelysis is used too early or too
      extensively.

PMID- 1428577
TI  - Promotion of glaucoma filter bleb with tissue plasminogen activator after
      sclerectomy under a clot.
AB  - Since 1987 we have performed, with good results, glaucoma filtering surgery in
      which the limbo-scleral fistula was closed by an autogenic full blood clot
      (sclerectomy under a clot). In 8 patients with advanced stages of glaucoma
      simplex, 1-3 days after sclerectomy under a clot with rise IOP, 25 micrograms of
      tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) was injected subconjunctivally. Two weeks
      after surgery normalization of IOP below 15 mmHg and normal outflow facility in
      all tPA treated eyes were obtained. No increase in early post-operative
      complications, such as hemorrhage or corneal haze, was attributable to tPA use.
      In early period after sclerectomy under a clot, when blockage of outflow appears,
      the use of tPA can cause the re-creation of filtering tract.

PMID- 1428576
TI  - Intraoperative and post operative treatment with 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin-c:
      long term effects in vivo on subconjunctival and scleral fibroblasts.
AB  - Rabbits undergoing full thickness glaucoma filtering surgery were exposed to one
      of 4 treatments. Group 1 received intraoperative distilled water, group 2
      received intraoperative mitomycin-c 0.2 mg/ml for 5 minutes, group 3 received 5
      post operative injections of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) 5 mg in 0.1 ml, and group 4
      received intraoperative 5-FU 50 mg/ml followed by 5 post operative injections of
      5-FU. 30 days after the operation tissue biopsies were taken from the
      subconjunctival and scleral tissue at the treated area and 90 and 180 degrees
      from the treated area. The biopsies were then placed in tissue culture media and
      the outgrowths quantitated. The fibroblast outgrowths from all areas did not
      differ significantly from each other except for the outgrowths from the areas
      directly treated with mitomycin 0.2 mg/ml which were significantly smaller. In
      addition then cells were morphologically abnormal although there were foci of
      normal cells which appeared to be growing from localised areas in the tissue
      biopsies. The outgrowths from the areas 90 and 180 degrees from the treated area
      were normal. Intraoperative treatments with mitomycin-c result in long term
      inhibition of fibroblast proliferation limited to the treated area, when compared
      with intraoperative and postoperative treatment with 5-FU. Failure of filtration
      surgery in eyes treated with intraoperative mitomycin may in part be due to
      unaffected cells reproliferating.

PMID- 1428578
TI  - Improved suture for fornix-based conjunctival flap in filtering surgery.
AB  - Major problems in the early postoperative phase in filtering surgery are
      hypotony, flattening of the anterior chamber and choroidal detachment. We
      describe a new suture technique for the closure of the conjunctiva in
      goniotrephination with a fornix-based conjunctival flap which is helpful in
      reducing these complications. After dissecting the conjunctiva from the limbus, a
      shallow groove is cut directly behind the former conjunctival insertion. At the
      end of the operation the conjunctiva is sutured into this groove using a running
      10.0 nylon suture in a meander-like fashion. A very tight wound closure results.
      We used this technique in 104 consecutive goniotrephinations. We found a low
      incidence of only mild external fistulation, hypotony, flattening of the anterior
      chamber and choroidal detachment. Astigmatism induced by the operation was -1.2
      +/- 1.2 D, usually with the rule.

PMID- 1428579
TI  - Treatment of glaucoma following penetrating keratoplasty with transscleral YAG
      cyclophotocoagulation.
AB  - Thirteen patients with refractory glaucoma following penetrating keratoplasty
      were treated with 180 degree transscleral Neodymium: YAG cyclophotocoagulation.
      Intraocular pressures below 21 mmHg were achieved in nine patients (69%) with a
      mean follow up of 19.8 months. Multiple treatments were required in six patients
      and graft decompensation occurred in five. No patient developed hypotony.
      Transscleral YAG cyclophotocoagulation is a useful alternative to further surgery
      in some patients with glaucoma following penetrating keratoplasty.

PMID- 1428580
TI  - The effect of high-intensity focused ultrasound on intraocular pressure in
      therapy-resistant glaucoma 3-4 months and 1 year after treatment.
AB  - The effect of therapeutic ultrasound for the treatment of refractory glaucoma was
      evaluated in 44 patients by comparing average IOP curves measured before and 3-4
      months after treatment. The insonification regime was standardized and the
      glaucoma medication in each individual patient was unchanged during IOP curve
      measurements. The average IOP decrease 3-4 months after insonification was 42.2%
      +/- SD 31.9. In 23 patients who were followed for at least one year the average
      IOP 3-4 months after treatment was compared with the average IOP 1 year after
      treatment. In this group average IOP 3-4 months after treatment was 25.3 mmHg +/-
      SD 16.4 and average IOP 1 year after treatment was 24.1 mmHg +/- SD 15.9. The
      correlation coefficient between IOP 3-4 months after treatment and IOP 1 year
      after treatment was 0.79 (P < 0.0001).

PMID- 1428583
TI  - [The validity of infant mortality statistics in Navarra].
AB  - In order to explore the validity of official infant mortality statistics, the
      number of infant deaths registered in the cohort of live births and resident in
      Navarra (Spain) from 1985 to 1989, according to data supplied by the Department
      of Statistics of Navarra, has been compared with that obtained in a retrospective
      search into the information of the hospitals. Among 24,383 live births of the
      cohort, 291 were certified as infant deaths. An over-register of 13 cases (4.5%)
      and an under-register of 26 cases (8.9%) was detected. By excluding those live
      births with less than six months of gestation, as done by the National Institute
      of Statistics, the validity is altered, because apart from the errors mentioned,
      one must add those resulting from the incorrect filling-in of the "number of
      weeks pregnant"= variable. When correcting these deficiencies, the final
      statistics (Infant Mortality Risk = 11.17 per 1000 live births) did not differ
      much from the official figures (IMR = 11.48 per 1000 live births).

PMID- 1428581
TI  - Surgical management of closed angle glaucoma: our experience.
AB  - In this paper we present our experience of the last three years in the surgical
      treatment of eyes with closed angle glaucoma. We have performed an extracapsular
      lens extraction and posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation on 34 eyes of
      34 patients. All of them were affected by closed angle glaucoma with variable
      control after a Yag laser iridotomy: 6 eyes had high I.O.P. notwithstanding
      maximal therapy, 11 eyes had I.O.P. under control (less than 21 mmHg) without
      therapy, 9 with I.O.P. controlled with topical therapy, 8 with I.O.P. controlled
      with maximal therapy (C.A.I. included). The cases with well controlled glaucoma
      were operated on because of the presence of a more or less significant lens
      opacities. After a follow-up of up to 40 months (mean = 20.3, range = 1-40), all
      eyes show satisfactory intraocular pressure and no eye needed a filtering
      procedure. The results of our studies are as follows (values are mean +/- SD). In
      the group of 6 eyes with high I.O.P., the mean pre-operative intraocular pressure
      was 29.7 +/- 5.6 mmHg and the mean post-operative I.O.P. was 15.1 +/- 1.4 mmHg.
      The mean reduction was 14.5 +/- 6.6 mmHg (p < 0.005). In the 28 eyes with pre
      operative I.O.P. under control (17.5 +/- 1.6), the mean post-operative I.O.P. was
      14.4 +/- 2.3 mmHg, with a mean reduction of 3.1 +/- 3.1 mmHg (p < 0.005). Before
      the E.C.C.E., 11 eyes had I.O.P. less than 21 mmHg without anti-glaucoma
      medication, whereas after the E.C.C.E. 28 eyes did not need such a
      medication.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428582
TI  - Combined small-incision cataract surgery and trabeculectomy--technique and
      results.
AB  - In a prospective study 35 eyes of 25 patients with coexisting cataract and
      glaucoma underwent trabeculectomy, phacoemulsification and implantation of a
      folded polyHema intraocular lens through the trabeculectomy opening. Follow-up
      ranged from 6 to 27 months (mean 13.3). The mean age was 76.4 (68 to 88 years).
      22 eyes suffered from primary open angle glaucoma, 10 eyes from a
      pseudoexfoliation glaucoma and 3 eyes had a chronic angle closure glaucoma.
      Preoperatively intraocular pressure was controlled in 10 eyes with a mean
      medication of 2.1 but uncontrolled in 25 eyes (mean medication: 2.5). The
      preoperative visual acuity ranged from 20/40 to hand motions. Postoperatively
      intraocular pressure was controlled (< 18 mmHg) in all (100%) eyes and without
      therapy in 32 (91%) eyes. Three (9%) eyes had to be treated with topical timolol
      twice a day after surgery. Mean intraocular pressure dropped from 21.2 +/- 6.0
      mmHg preoperatively to 13.5 +/- 2.1 mmHg postoperatively. Vision improved in all
      but 4 eyes, 25 (74%) achieving a visual acuity of 20/40 or better. The causes for
      failed improvement or deterioration of vision were senile macular degeneration in
      2 eyes and central retinal vein occlusion and vascular optic nerve atrophy in one
      eye respectively. Post-operative complications included hyphema in 9 (26%) eyes,
      fibrin effusion to a various extent into the anterior chamber in 19 (54%) eyes
      and delayed hypotony (< 5 mmHg) with chorioidal effusion in 1 (3%) eye. Fibrin
      effusion was frequently observed in eyes with intraocular pressure below 10 mmHg,
      iris surgery and hyphema. Finally the complications did not effect the results
      regarding visual acuity or glaucoma control.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428584
TI  - [Adolescence at risk: a health survey among pre-university students].
AB  - The present study investigates the level of health education in a representative
      sample of 804 pre-university Asturian students, randomly selected from the
      official list of the Ministry of Education and Science. We used a questionnaire
      (designed by us) in order to measure the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour
      related to some of the most important health determining factors. The survey was
      carried out by interviewing small groups of students in the classroom situation.
      Although it was found that the majority perceived themselves as healthy or very
      healthy, these young people are widely exposed to risk factors: 12% have suffered
      from more than 25 episodes of drunkenness during the previous year; 43.53% smoked
      to some extent and only 3.86% identified the days of maximum risk of pregnancy in
      a supposed menstrual cycle, although 31% maintained sexual relationships.
      Theoretically, 92% selected health as the most important factor among the three
      most fundamental values for life. They also think that illegal drugs are the most
      important health problem at present for young people. There is a contradiction
      between the high theoretical importance given to health, the good self
      qualification of it, and the observed presence of important risk factors. A
      certain failure of the educational system with respect to primary prevention can
      be claimed.

PMID- 1428585
TI  - [Traffic accident mortality in Catalonia and other autonomous communities (1983
      1990)].
AB  - With the aim to understand road accident mortality in Catalonia, death
      certificates were studied, and a comparison between several autonomic communities
      was undertaken to highlight any differences. The road accident death rate
      increased from 9.8 in 1983 to 19.4 per 100,000 inhabitants in 1990. By 1990, the
      death rate for Catalan males was 31.3 per 100,000 inhabitants, and 7.9 for women,
      figures which showed increases of 90% and 50%, respectively, since 1983.
      Standardised mortality rates for Galicia, Asturias and Valencia have, on average,
      been higher those for Catalonia and Madrid (p = 0.014). Catalonia is the
      community which has experienced the greatest increase, with an evolution showing
      a good linear fit (p = 0.005).

PMID- 1428586
TI  - [Blood pressure, physical activity and anthropometry in adolescents].
AB  - The relationship of blood pressure with physical activity and anthropometry was
      studied in 295 adolescents (mean age, 15.3 years) who entered 1. "formacion
      profesional" (a technological training) in 1990 in Puerto Real, a village of
      Cadiz, Spain. Systolic and diastolic (fifth-phase Korotkoff) blood pressure, and
      anthropometrics measurements (weight, height and triceps and subscapular
      skinfolds thickness) were measured with standardized techniques. Habitual and
      sports physical activity were assessed by a self-reported questionnaire. The
      results reported in this study suggest that systolic blood pressure is associated
      with habitual physical activity in girls, and that the systolic blood pressure is
      associated weakly with sports activity in girls and in boys. The stronger
      predictor of blood pressure was Quetelet Index (kg/m2).

PMID- 1428588
TI  - [Hatred is the worse contaminant].

PMID- 1428587
TI  - [The measurement of satisfaction in health services].
AB  - The satisfaction analysis in health services has been object of rising interest
      recently. The different instruments of measurement known show the diversity of
      conceptualism, range of applications and methodologies. The article revises
      selectively and not exhaustively different instruments as well as the
      approximations to the concept of satisfaction from the marketing disciplines and
      the investigations in health services. Special emphasis is dedicated to the
      analysis of satisfaction in hospital services and the use of questionnaires for
      its measurement.

PMID- 1428589
TI  - Tympanometry and otoscopy prior to myringotomy: issues in diagnosis of otitis
      media.
AB  - Tympanometry and pneumatic otoscopy were compared to findings at myringotomy in
      86 children (163 ears). Seventy percent of the ears (115) had effusion, as
      revealed by myringotomy. Sensitivity and specificity for tympanometry were 90%
      and 86%, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity for pneumatic otoscopy were
      93% and 58%, respectively. A chi-square was performed to compare the sensitivity
      and specificity to tympanometry to otoscopy, revealing tympanometry significantly
      better at determining non-effusion states. Additionally, a combined otoscopy and
      tympanometry sensitivity and specificity were calculated for those otoscopy and
      tympanometry determinations in agreement, revealing both sensitivity and
      specificity above 90%. A Fisher's exact probability test revealed no significant
      differences for the accuracy of tympanometry over otoscopy when the
      determinations of each were not in agreement. Implications of these results are
      discussed.

PMID- 1428590
TI  - Atopy and environmental factors in upper respiratory infections: an
      epidemiological survey on 2304 school children.
AB  - Upper respiratory infections (URI) during the first years of life are mostly
      viral in origin. However, a number of observations suggest the influence of both
      predisposing and triggering factors. Atopy in particular seems to play an
      important role as do environmental factors. Many children with early symptoms
      such as blocked or runny nose are likely to become skin-positive later in life to
      antigens such as, e.g., D. pteronissinus. A standardized questionnaire was
      administered to 2304 schoolchildren in order to ascertain the URI frequency and
      to correlate it with family and environmental factors and with results of prick
      tests for main allergens in our climate (D. pteronissinus and Grasses). Results
      showed a wide overlapping of URI and lower respiratory illnesses (in particular,
      asthma), which are widely distributed in the families of patients. Passive
      smoking and the quality of housing are the main triggering environmental factors.
      In our sample, skin positivity for D. pteronissinus and Grasses largely exceeds
      the symptomatic portion of the whole population. It is therefore suggested that
      many asymptomatic children are "at risk" for allergic respiratory illness. The
      highest incidence of winter rhinitis in skin-negative subjects (71.7%) and the
      skin positivity for D. pteronissinus in patients with perennial symptoms, suggest
      the importance of both atopy and viral infections in the occurrence of URI. Nasal
      troubles are most frequent in asthmatic subjects and may be considered the actual
      additional symptom in asthma.

PMID- 1428591
TI  - Distribution characteristics of immunoglobulin-secreting cells in adenoids.
      Relationship to age and disease.
AB  - Forty-four adenoids and 52 palatine tonsils from 71 children and adolescents (age
      3-21 years) undergoing surgery because of adenoidal hypertrophy or recurrent
      tonsillitis were examined for the presence of immunoglobulin-secreting cells
      (ISC) employing an enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT). ISC constituted less
      than 2% of the mononuclear cell population. Adenoids contained IgG, IgA, and IgM
      ISC in significantly lower numbers than palatine tonsils. The predominant isotype
      of the ISC was IgG, in adenoids accounting for 62% of the ISC and in palatine
      tonsils for 73%. The relative numbers for IgA and IgM ISC were similar. A
      significant correlation existed between autologous adenoids and palatine tonsils
      for the numbers of IgA and IgM ISC, but not for the numbers of IgG cells. These
      observations suggest that, adenoid and palatine tonsils display similar
      immunoglobulin distribution patterns within a single individual. However,
      individuals with hypertrophied adenoids exhibited a numeric decrease in IgG ISC
      with increasing age (P less than 0.01). Both lymphoid tissues may be involved in
      mucosal immune defense.

PMID- 1428592
TI  - Serum immunoglobulin E levels in children with chronic tonsillitis.
AB  - Serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels were estimated by ELISA in 50 children with
      chronic tonsillitis before and after tonsillectomy. When compared with the
      control group, mean serum IgE concentration was found to be significantly higher
      in children with chronic tonsillitis (P less than 0.001). After tonsillectomy the
      levels returned to normal.

PMID- 1428593
TI  - CT evaluation of tracheobronchial tumors in children.

PMID- 1428594
TI  - Why and how should we study infant cry?
AB  - The study of the acoustics of infants' vocalizations has important implications
      for the study of infant development and for clinical prediction. We suggest
      procedures that enhance the probability of discriminating among sub-glottal,
      periglottal, and supraglottal sites of pathology, With these procedures, then, it
      should become possible to contribute to diagnosis and therefore to treatment.

PMID- 1428595
TI  - Congenital abnormalities of the submandibular duct.
AB  - Five newborns presented with cystic lesions of the floor of mouth. Four of these
      patients proved to have congenitally imperforate submandibular salivary gland
      ducts and the other newborn proved to have a duplication anomaly of the
      submandibular gland duct and gland. The patients with imperforate Wharton's ducts
      underwent marsupialization with or without ductoplasty and have been without
      evidence of recurrence for up to three years. The duplication anomaly of the
      submandibular gland duct responded to simple excision. The diagnosis of
      congenital anomalies of the submandibular gland and duct can be made on physical
      examination. Magnetic resonance imaging can be helpful in differentiating
      congenital imperforate submandibular duct and duplication anomalies of the ductal
      system. Treatment of the former consists of duct marsupialization in the floor of
      mouth with or without ductoplasty. Treatment of the duplicated ductal system may
      best be treated with excision. A failure in diagnosis and treatment may result in
      ranula formation or sialoadenitis requiring more extensive therapy.

PMID- 1428596
TI  - Epipharyngeal teratoma in infancy.
AB  - Epipharyngeal teratomas are rare congenital lesions that often cause respiratory
      distress, stridor at birth. The management of such anomalies should include
      establishment of secure upper airways, radiographic exclusion of midline CNS
      malformations and early surgical excision to prevent malignant transformation,
      asphyxia or permanent facial distortion. The diagnosis of congenital stridor,
      dyspnea and rhinitis should be performed very carefully.

PMID- 1428597
TI  - Contribution of MR in the diagnosis of 'occult' posterior laryngeal cleft.
AB  - This paper reports three cases of 'occult' submucous posterior laryngeal cleft in
      which MR examination has visualized the deficiency of the posterior cricoid
      lamina. Laryngeal cleft is an uncommon anomaly, and its clinical and endoscopic
      diagnosis is always difficult. To our knowledge, the role of MR in this diagnosis
      has not yet been emphasized.

PMID- 1428598
TI  - Apnea and the elongated uvula.
AB  - Four cases of respiratory distress and apnea associated with an elongated uvula
      are presented. In all cases, the uvula was found to intermittently fall onto the
      epiglottis and vocal cords. In all four patients, resection of the uvula led to
      resolution of all airway symptoms. It is hypothesized that the uvula, touching
      the vocal cords, caused intermittent laryngospasm and subsequent symptoms of
      cough, airway obstruction, and cyanosis. The anatomic reasons for such phenomenon
      are discussed.

PMID- 1428599
TI  - Faculty/student perception of organizational climates in the schools of nursing,
      Oyo State, Nigeria.
AB  - This study examined the influence of educational status and gender on the faculty
      and students' perceptions of their school climates. A self-designed questionnaire
      was used to elicit information from the 385 subjects (320 students and 65
      tutors). Analysis using the t-test technique revealed that there were no
      significant differences at the 0.05 level of probability in the perceptions of:
      (a) faculty and students on climate variables "thrust" (t = 0.31) and "control"
      (t = 1.19); and (b) both sexes on climate variables "thrust" (t = 1.69),
      "control" (t = 1.13) and "disengagement" (t = -0.53). The conclusion therefore,
      is that educational status and gender have little or no influence on the peoples'
      perception of their school climates.

PMID- 1428600
TI  - Students' and lecturers' preferred teaching strategies.
AB  - A survey of lecturers (n = 47) and students (n = 110) was undertaken to explore
      their preferred teaching strategies, using a questionnaire based on Heron's
      (1977) Dimensions of Facilitator Styles (Human potential research project,
      University of Surrey, Guildford). Overall it was found that the students tended
      to prefer a teacher-centred approach to teaching, whilst the lecturers preferred
      a student-centred approach. These findings are discussed in the light of current
      educational trends in the nursing profession.

PMID- 1428601
TI  - Positioning of the stroke patient: a review of the literature.
AB  - Stroke is a common and disabling illness, adversely affecting the quality of life
      of hundreds of people each year. While there are many therapeutic approaches to
      stroke patient rehabilitation, encouraging patients to adopt "reflex-inhibiting"
      patterns of posture is a widely advocated strategy for helping patients to avoid
      complications of hemiplegia such as spasticity and contractures. However, while
      the central role of nurses in thus helping patients is recognized, the influence
      of posture on recovery from stroke has never been evaluated. Prior to undertaking
      such an evaluative study, texts on stroke patient care were reviewed to clarify
      the received view about the recommended positioning for patients with hemiplegia.
      Consensus on some issues was evident (such as positioning the patient with the
      affected shoulder protracted, spine straight, fingers extended and avoiding
      external rotation of the affected hip). However, opinion was divided on others
      and a number of potentially important aspects were ill-covered. This paper
      integrates a summary of the findings of this review with the physiological
      rationale for the recommendations. The main areas of agreement are highlighted
      and issues as yet unanswered are raised for further consideration.

PMID- 1428603
TI  - Patients' night-time pain, analgesic provision and sleep after surgery.
AB  - One hundred patients were interviewed about their experiences of pain and sleep
      following abdominal surgery. This information was supplemented by data on
      analgesic provision which were gathered from medication charts. Pain was the most
      commonly reported cause of night-time sleep disturbance and analgesics helped
      more patients to get back to sleep than any other intervention. About half of the
      patients felt that pain was worse at night than during the day. An examination of
      patterns of analgesic provision revealed that the number of doses given peaked at
      two points during the 24-hour cycle. The highest numbers of doses were given
      between 8 a.m. and 12 noon and 8 p.m. and 12 midnight. Fewer doses were given at
      night, between midnight and 4 a.m. Analgesic provision at night, therefore, did
      not appear to be explicitly related to need. The assessment and control of post
      operative pain at night requires further attention in order to optimize pain
      control and promote sleep.

PMID- 1428602
TI  - Resistance to documentation--a nursing research issue.
AB  - In this case study, the views of a sample of four hospital nurses were elicited
      to determine underlying causes of persistent antipathy towards documentation in
      patients' charts. The results of this review supported a common belief that
      resistance to charting is influenced by extrinsic, or environmental factors, such
      as inflexibility of charting systems and insufficient allocation of time. In
      addition, intrinsic factors or cognitive and psychosocial factors, not emphasized
      in earlier studies, such as lack of confidence about written expression, a
      tendency to succumb to group norms governing charting and difficulty in
      articulating the nature of nursing practice, surfaced as impediments to
      documentation. This review suggests that a broader study approach is required;
      one that addresses intrinsic, as well as extrinsic, factors.

PMID- 1428604
TI  - The need for graduate nursing education and nursing research in The Netherlands:
      an exploratory study.
AB  - In 1989 research was performed aimed at discovering the views of Dutch
      administrators of intramural health care institutions on the need for graduate
      nursing education and nursing research in The Netherlands. The study was
      completed in 1990. Because the research aim was to learn the informants' point of
      view, a grounded theory method was applied. The sample size was 13. The subjects
      were selected by using two separate sampling procedures, so as to minimize bias.
      Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews of 1 hour, which were
      tape recorded and transcribed verbatim. Analysis of the data was done by using
      the constant comparative method, involving concurrent collection, collation and
      analysis. The three major themes that finally emerged from the data analysis were
      named Change, Problems and Solutions. In order to keep as open a mind as possible
      the systematic review of the literature was done after the field work and
      analysis of the data. This article presents the findings and the implications of
      the study.

PMID- 1428606
TI  - The use of guided tissue regeneration to facilitate ideal prosthetic placement of
      implants.
AB  - Placement of implant fixtures in an ideal position for restoration is not often
      possible using standard protocol, because most patients lack sufficient bone in
      the alveolar process. To facilitate ideal restorative placement of implant
      fixtures, principles of guided tissue regeneration can be used to provide
      adequate bone and prevent dehiscence and fenestration of the implant. Four cases
      of such treatment are presented.

PMID- 1428605
TI  - Empirical evidence shows that measuring users' opinions is not a satisfactory way
      of evaluating computer-assisted learning in nurse education.
AB  - Users' opinions have been one of the cornerstones of the evaluation of both CAL,
      in general, and CAL packages, in particular, in nurse education. This paper
      reports on two experiments that reliably show student nurses' opinions of their
      current computer-use are formed more by the change from a previously-used
      computing facility rather than the actual features that the current one
      possesses. The use of such opinions as a valid evaluation measure within nursing
      CAL is, consequently, weakened. The evaluation context in which these experiments
      are conducted derives from the highly-researched multidisciplinary area of Human
      Computer Interaction (HCI), and the experiments are introduced and discussed with
      respect to the HCI concepts of computer-use and usability which examine the
      interactions taking place at the human-computer interface. Graphical hypertext
      and the doctrine of functionality are also introduced and discussed, for these
      aspects have considerable implications for computer-use and the process of
      planning and choosing computer-use facilities within nurse education.

PMID- 1428608
TI  - Initiating restorative procedures at the first-stage implant surgery with a
      positional index: a case report.
AB  - With the use of a positional index, the restorative dentist and laboratory
      technician can be provided with an accurate record of implant fixture location
      after first-stage surgery. Thus it is possible to fabricate a master cast with
      implant analogs and initiate laboratory procedures immediately after first-stage
      surgery, and a provisional restoration can be processed and delivered at the time
      of second-stage surgery. A case report is presented to illustrate the technique.

PMID- 1428607
TI  - Guided tissue regeneration in interproximal defects in the monkey.
AB  - The potential for guided tissue regeneration was evaluated in one-walled
      interproximal sites in Macaca fascicularis. Histologic differences were evaluated
      at 1 and 3 months. Within the experimental (barrier) group, 100% of the root
      surfaces with potential for regeneration were covered with new cementum, whereas
      the control specimens had 20% or less new cementum. The amount of regeneration
      was determined by the position of the barrier membrane; the more coronal the
      barrier, the greater the regeneration. Observations indicated that the optimal
      time for barrier removal is between 1 and 3 months.

PMID- 1428609
TI  - Clinical response to the use of the HTR polymer implant in human intrabony
      lesions.
AB  - Fifteen patients, men and women aged 18 to 65 years, were treated for
      periodontitis. Each patient had at least two bilateral intrabony defects; one was
      designated the experimental site and the other the control site. Both sites were
      surgically debrided, but one osseous defect received an HTR polymer implant.
      Patients were followed for 12 months postoperatively. Maximum pocket reduction
      occurred within 2 months of initial therapy in both experimental and control
      sites. Initially, pocket reduction was significantly greater in implanted sites
      than in control sites, but this difference did not occur subsequently. At the end
      of the 12 months, pocket reduction responses were similar at control and
      implanted sites.

PMID- 1428610
TI  - Gelb depth gauge: a diagnostic aid in implant placement.
AB  - Case reports describe the use of a radiographic depth gauge in conjunction with
      computerized axial tomography. This gauge identifies for the surgeon the precise
      site of implant preparation that will not only be in accord with anatomic vital
      structures, but also achieve parallelism with adjacent teeth and other implant
      sites. Discrepancies in angulation can be corrected, and maximum suitable fixture
      length can be determined.

PMID- 1428611
TI  - A clinical evaluation of hand and ultrasonic instruments on subgingival
      debridement. 1. With unmodified and modified ultrasonic inserts.
AB  - This clinical investigation evaluated the effect on subgingival surfaces of three
      instruments: hand instruments and ultrasonic instruments with modified and
      unmodified inserts. Ten operators (five dentists and five dental hygienists)
      performed randomly assigned operative procedures. Pocket depth, instrument limit,
      and instrument efficiency were evaluated for each type of instrument. The results
      indicated that there are advantages to using modified ultrasonic inserts for
      scaling and root planing.

PMID- 1428612
TI  - Cement thickness and microleakage under metal-ceramic restorations with a facial
      butted margin: an in vivo investigation.
AB  - Ten metal-ceramic restorations with buccal porcelain butt margins and palatal
      metal beveled margins were fabricated for periodontally hopeless teeth. After
      cementation, the experimental crowns remained in the oral environment for 3 to 6
      months; the teeth were then extracted and used for microscopic and microleakage
      evaluation. All ten crowns showed at least a small amount of microleakage, but
      adaptation of beveled margins proved to be superior to that of shoulder porcelain
      margins.

PMID- 1428614
TI  - Surface EMG topography and pain distribution in pre-chronic back pain patients.
AB  - The relationship between surface EMG recordings from paraspinalis recording sites
      and subjective pain ratings were examined in a group of pre-chronic back pain
      patients. thirty-eight back pain patients without major orthopedic diagnosis and
      a pain duration between 2 to 6 months participated in a three week long
      subjective pain rating. Following the completion of their pain diary, the
      paraspinal sites were assessed under the "static" postural conditions of sitting
      and standing using an EMG scanning procedure. Results of the correlational
      analysis revealed significant and positive relationships between pain and muscle
      activity in the upper back (Trapezius, T1 paraspinalis sites) and significant but
      negative relationships between erector spinae activity (L3 paraspinalis site) and
      pain. When considering etiological factors of pre-chronic back pain, the results
      support both the organicity model for upper back, as well as the biomechanical
      model for the lower back.

PMID- 1428613
TI  - Spinal patterns as predictors of personality profiles: a pilot study.
AB  - The present pilot study is part of an ongoing effort to further the investigation
      of the relationship between spinal patterns and personality. The present pilot
      study seeks to identify likely spinal patterns of certain personality profiles
      and asks whether changing posture can affect personality, and/or can emotional
      states alter posture? Forty patients of a private chiropractic practice
      participated in the study. Four radiographs (x-rays) of each subject were taken
      and each subject completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
      (MMPI). Measurements obtained from the radiographs and the MMPI data were used to
      derive general linear models of the predictability of the MMPI in terms of the
      spinal/postural measures. Several models were highly significant and preliminary
      support for the authors' hypothesis that spinal patterns are likely to be
      predictive of personality profiles is suggested. Support for previous research is
      offered and directions for future research are discussed.

PMID- 1428615
TI  - Self-regulation and assessment approaches for vaso-occlusive pain management for
      pediatric sickle cell anemia patients.
AB  - An interdisciplinary program with the goal of teaching self-regulation and
      minimizing excessive narcotic use in the management of vaso-occlusive pain (V-O)
      in pediatric sickle cell anemia patients is described. A small group of patients
      do not respond well to any of our outpatients or inpatients medical regimens,
      leading us to suspect that psychological factors are influencing pain reports. We
      outline our multi-faceted assessment approach to evaluating such psychological
      factors, which includes a pain flow sheet, symptom check list, and a
      psychophysiologic profile. Published reports of self-regulation training
      including biofeedback, relaxation/imagery, and hypnosis have been associated with
      decreased pain symptoms, reduced number of emergency room and hospital visits for
      pain, decreased narcotic use, and increased school attendance. A case study of a
      nine-year-old patient with sickle cell disease is described before and after self
      regulation training. Finally, other alternative approaches that avoid excessive
      narcotic use are discussed with some case reports.

PMID- 1428616
TI  - Managed care in psychosomatic medicine: a tale of three patients.

PMID- 1428617
TI  - Anorexia nervosa as manifested in Russia.
AB  - The authors describe current theoretical and clinical conceptualizations and
      treatment of anorexia nervosa in Russia, based on their experience in the follow
      up of 800 patients. Three-quarters of the patients exhibited anorexia nervosa
      linked with a border-line state, and one-quarter associated with schizophrenia.
      Different relationships to dysmorphophobic fears were observed in the different
      anorexic groups. In the border-line group, follow-up study indicated that the
      clinical symptoms of anorexia nervosa were significantly reduced. However, the
      disorder preserved its connection with dysmorphophobic fears even in the remote
      stages of the disease, and in later stages there was an occurrence of
      pathological personality changes. In the second group, from the very beginning,
      anorexia nervosa in schizophrenia was closely connected with affective disorders,
      pathological body sensations, hypochondriacal complaints, and a gradual
      personality deterioration. As the schizophrenic defect increased, anorexia
      nervosa was reduced to an exhausted form of vomiting behaviour, and lost its
      connection with dysmorphophobic experiences.

PMID- 1428618
TI  - Relaxation as an altered state of consciousness: a rationale for a general theory
      of relaxation.
AB  - A general theory of relaxation is presented. It is based on an integrated model
      of the main states of consciousness, which enables one to differentiate
      "techniques for relaxing" leading to the "relaxing states" and "meditative
      techniques" leading to the differentiated waking states of consciousness. These
      latter include specific "only the relaxation response states" and the
      "ultraconsciousness states". Each state is described along the following
      dimensions: of biological rhythms, i.e., Sleep-Wakefulness and the Basic Rest
      Activity Cycle; brain hemispheric activity; the threshold of the extero- and
      interoceptive stimuli reception; perceptual dominance of stimuli from external or
      internal sources; spontaneous versus goal-oriented imagination activity, i.e.,
      passive or active state of mind; feed-back relation with the surroundings.

PMID- 1428619
TI  - Clarification of the concept of psychological stress ("psystress").
AB  - The concept of "stress" in the current academic literature is unstandardized, and
      therefore confusing. The theoretical approach of regarding stress as an
      intervening variable seems most generally agreed on by researchers; the
      unambiguous term "Psystress" proposal to denote the mental state involved.
      Aspects of vocabulary concerning psystress production and response are also
      discussed.

PMID- 1428620
TI  - Hassles, life events, and health status among Chinese college students in Hong
      Kong.
AB  - Major life events and daily hassles were examined in a sample of 102 university
      undergraduates. While the major clusters of events were related to personal loss,
      life-style changes, family conflict, and personal insecurity, those of hassles
      were related to drudgery and uncontrollable environmental irritants, personal
      concerns, time and work management, minor routine expenses, and the dilemma of
      emigration. Using life events and hassles, and hassle clusters added
      significantly to the sensitivity of the concurrent prediction of undifferentiated
      and differentiated physical and psychological symptom criteria, and consistently
      showed better performance as predictors. However, the independent contributions
      of events and event clusters could hardly be discounted. The combined effects of
      major discrete and minor chronic stress on health status and the limitations of
      the present retrospective study were discussed.

PMID- 1428621
TI  - Pavlovian conditioning of phobic fear: effects on skin and salivary pH.
AB  - This experimental work was designed to investigate the relationships between pH
      and conditioned fear. The levels of pH were measured in skin and saliva, and were
      studied in connection with conditioned electrodermal and heart rate (HR)
      responses (extinction versus resistance to extinction or enhancement). The
      results of this investigation show that the changes in skin and salivary pH have
      a tendency to occur in an inverse pattern to the changes in skin conductance and
      HR. The data are interpreted in terms of skin and salivary pH as new
      psychophysiological variables and as new tools for psychopathological and
      psychosomatic research.

PMID- 1428622
TI  - Adverse effects of meditation: a preliminary investigation of long-term
      meditators.
AB  - Adverse effects of meditation were assessed in twenty-seven long term meditators
      (average 4.27 years) both retrospectively (time one) and prospectively at one
      month (time two) and six months (time three) following a meditation retreat. At
      both time one and time three subjects reported significantly more positive
      effects than negative from meditation. However, of the twenty-seven subjects,
      seventeen (62.9%) reported at least one adverse effect, and two (7.4%) suffered
      profound adverse effects. When subjects at time one were divided into three
      groups based on length of practice (16.7 months; 47.1 months; 105 months) there
      were no significant differences in adverse effects. How the data should be
      interpreted, and their implications both for the clinical and psychotherapeutic
      use of meditation as a relaxation/self-control strategy, and as a technique for
      facilitating personal and spiritual growth, are discussed. Limitations of the
      study and suggestions for future research are also offered.

PMID- 1428623
TI  - Psychophysiological effects of stimulation with pictures of works of art in old
      age.
AB  - The present article reports on a controlled intervention study concerning the
      effects of non-directed use of pictures of works of art as a way of stimulating
      institutionalized elderly women. After the stimulation period differences in
      ratings between the groups indicated improved well-being in the intervention
      group. Such improvement was not seen in the C-group. The quantitative analyses of
      the results reveal a significant change of the parameters happiness,
      peacefulness, creativeness, social activities and systolic blood pressure. The
      qualitative analysis shows that the conversations about pictures of works of art
      in the intervention group give the person free rein to her own imagination and
      are merely characterized by happiness. In the control group the conversations are
      to a great extent characterized by downheartedness, despair and complaining.

PMID- 1428624
TI  - Referral patterns of dentists: analysis and implications of a questionnaire.
AB  - The interpersonal and psychodynamic aspects of the referral process, that is, the
      reciprocal relationship between the specialist and his referral source are
      investigated. A questionnaire designed by the author, with anonymity guaranteed,
      was given to the members of 2 dental societies. There were more similarities than
      differences in the answers of the respondents in both groups. Several conscious
      patterns of referral emerged or were evident. A number of unconscious,
      psychodynamic motivations were explored.

PMID- 1428625
TI  - Prolactin and weeping.
AB  - Fourteen women with functional hyperprolactinemia and an equal number of matched
      healthy controls completed a questionnaire on weeping behavior. Contrary to
      expectations the patient group were not more prone to weeping than the controls.
      In addition, their appraisal of weeping behavior (as a way to tension release and
      relief) did not differ from the controls. It is concluded that moderately
      elevated prolactin levels, although causing somatic disturbances such as
      amennorrhea and galactorrhea, do not affect the weeping threshold.

PMID- 1428626
TI  - Creative psychotherapy and the facilitation of insight.
AB  - The following case studies provide insight into the effectiveness and methodology
      of the facilitation of insight technique in psychotherapy. This technique has
      been successful in reducing the incubation process, which is the second of four
      stages in Wallas's Stage Model of Creativity, i.e., Preparation, Incubation,
      Illumination and Verification. The application of this technique in other areas
      of human endeavor are discussed.

PMID- 1428627
TI  - Alcohol and narcotics. Epidemiology and pregnancy risks.
AB  - Among alcohol and narcotics, alcohol is most comprehensively documented as a
      teratogen. However, for all other narcotics, data are continuously accumulating,
      convincingly displaying the teratogenic effects. The proportions between
      "somatic" teratogenicity and "behavioral" teratogenicity vary between the
      different agents. Preventive work in prenatal clinics and among social workers,
      as well as objective mass media attention to the problem, seems to have lowered
      the incidence of severe fetal alcohol syndrome where the above-mentioned
      activities have been practiced. The female alcohol consumption in Sweden
      decreased from 1976 to 1985; thereafter, a slow continuous increase is underway
      again. In Sweden the number of recruits to narcotic abuse peaked in the 1970s and
      early 1980s. Thereafter, the number of recruits among females decreased, but
      abuse has continued among the members of the older age groups.

PMID- 1428628
TI  - Diagnostic and preventive possibilities of excessive drinking in antenatal care.
AB  - Alcoholism among women has increased during the last decades. Thus it is likely
      that an increasing number of pregnancies will involve risk of alcohol damage to
      the fetus. In this article, two antenatal programs are presented to identify
      pregnancies at risk. Adequate alcohol information seems to be sufficient for
      socially drinking women, whereas alcoholic women need extensive support to
      abstain from alcohol. The psychosocial support was not experienced as intrusive.

PMID- 1428629
TI  - Perspectives of users of the services.
AB  - This article draws on social science evidence concerning the views and
      experiences of those using the antenatal services. It identifies several
      important themes in this evidence, including the need to consider pregnancy a
      normal process, to provide care that is sensitive to individual circumstances and
      that offers continuity of care throughout the antenatal period, and the
      obligation on providers to assess scientifically the effectiveness of the care
      they give.

PMID- 1428631
TI  - Measuring the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in pregnancy.
AB  - Questions about the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in pregnancy are
      important in any overall evaluation of antenatal care. This article reviews the
      evidence as to the positive benefit on a range of pregnancy outcomes provided by
      35 published and unpublished randomized controlled trials of psychosocial
      interventions.

PMID- 1428630
TI  - Prevalence and significance of social and psychological risk factors during
      pregnancy.
AB  - Moderate psychosocial problems identified during early pregnancy in 78 women were
      found to predispose for various "complications" during gestation, but not for
      prematurity or obstetrical complications during delivery. However, from a normal
      postnatal status the children of these mothers demonstrated a significantly
      unfavorable somatic, as well as psychomotoric development, until the age of 4.
      Pregnant women with certain psychosocial problems must be early identified and
      property attended to in order to preclude an adverse child development.

PMID- 1428632
TI  - Norwegian experiences. Competence of the providers and compliance to the
      treatment program for antenatal care in Norway.
AB  - Antenatal care was established in Norway during the 1930s. Unlike the other
      Nordic countries, care is provided by general practitioners, not be midwives.
      Guidelines were first issued in 1984 after a debate about the quality of the
      care. This article reports providers' compliance to important parts of the
      guidelines.

PMID- 1428633
TI  - Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) definitions and associated risks.
AB  - Samples and methods vary in constructing birthweight charts. Introduction of
      ultrasound dating affects the distribution of gestation, increases the proportion
      of preterm births, and reduces postterm and small-for-gestational-age (SGA)
      births. The need for standardized charts is emphasized. Preferably such charts
      ought to be sex- and parity-specific, also taking into account the mother's
      previous pregnancy outcome in terms of birthweight. The risks associated with
      being born SGA involve various morbidity as well as short- and long-term
      survival.

PMID- 1428634
TI  - Antenatal screening and risk factors for intrauterine growth retardation.
AB  - Antenatal risk factors in combination with symphysis-fundus distance can identify
      pregnancies with small infants, who can be divided in genetically small,
      malformed, and malnourished infants. Only the last category benefit from fetal
      surveillance. Maternal diseases, pregnancy complications (hypertension), and
      environmental factors (smoking) are connected to malnourished small infants.

PMID- 1428635
TI  - Prediction of fetal growth deviations by use of symphysis-fundus height
      measurements.
AB  - The development of various symphysis fundus (SF) growth charts and the use of SF
      height measurements in the diagnosis of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births
      and the prediction of newborn complications are reviewed. Measurement precision
      and accuracy are also discussed. It is concluded that further research of this
      simple, low cost, harmless, and widespread technology to detect fetal growth
      disturbances in routine prenatal care is warranted.

PMID- 1428636
TI  - Antenatal diagnosis of intrauterine growth retardation by ultrasound.
AB  - Ultrasound estimation of fetal weight or ultrasound measurement of fetal abdomen
      alone enables identification of small-for-gestational-age fetuses. A prerequisite
      for this is a reliable dating of pregnancy, which is provided by a routine
      ultrasound screening in the first half of gestation. The fetal growth can be
      followed by serial fetometric measurements. As a standard, charts of intrauterine
      growth based on the ultrasonic measurement can be used. As a secondary diagnostic
      test for monitoring fetal health in pregnancies suspected of intrauterine growth
      retardation, Doppler ultrasound evaluation of fetal and uteroplacental
      hemodynamics provided useful for early detection of imminent fetal distress.

PMID- 1428637
TI  - Detection of intrauterine growth deviation. A comparison between symphysis-fundus
      height and ultrasonic measurements.
AB  - Efficacy of ultrasonography to detect fetal growth retardation is reviewed.
      Ultrasound dating is held as a prerequisite. Abdominal anthropometry is reported
      to reflect fetal growth best. Efficacy of symphysis-fundus (SF) height
      measurements is reviewed similarly. Proposed protocols that include ultrasound
      and SF height measurements and other maternal characteristics with known
      prognostic properties are reported. Preferably, both kinds of measurements should
      be analyzed longitudinally.

PMID- 1428638
TI  - The prognostic significance of antenatal diagnosis of fetal growth retardation.
AB  - Intrauterine growth retardation is associated with high risk of perinatal
      asphyxia. The neonatal mortality rate of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants
      (birthweight < or = 2 SD) in Sweden decreased from 5.6% in 1973 to 2.0% in 1987.
      During the same period, the number SGA infants with postnatal asphyxia (5 min
      Apgar score < 7) decreased from 10% to 5%. Based on antenatal diagnosis of fetal
      growth retardation, an optimal time of delivery reduces the risk of major
      neurological and developmental sequelae of the individual infant.

PMID- 1428639
TI  - Assessing the scientific basis of antenatal care. The case of Sweden.
AB  - The Swedish routine program for antenatal care is based on a number of scheduled
      visits for the detection of symptomless complications, as well as psychosocial
      support and health education. The scientific evidence to support the present
      timing and contents of routine visits is unsatisfactory, and there is a great
      need for evaluation both of single diagnostic procedures and interventions and of
      programs of antenatal care.

PMID- 1428640
TI  - Competence and compliance in antenatal care. Experience from Sweden.
AB  - Swedish antenatal care is staffed by midwives working within the primary health
      care system, but with close collaboration with the hospital. The compliance to
      the program both from staff and mothers is very high, with 13.2 visits on
      average. There is a regional variation both in the number of visits and in the
      use of routine tests.

PMID- 1428641
TI  - Antenatal care in Denmark. Assessments of program, staff competence, compliance,
      and outcome.
AB  - Antenatal care in Denmark is shared between general practitioners, midwives, and
      hospital departments. A minimum of 9 visits is officially recommended for all
      pregnant women. In 1987, 80% made 10 or more visits. An inadequate number of
      visits in relation to recommendations was most frequent in the lowest social
      group. Risk of stillbirth and neonatal death varied substantially between social
      groups even after taking account of number of visits made.

PMID- 1428642
TI  - Methodological problems and possible endpoints in the evaluation of antenatal
      care.
AB  - Antenatal care is evaluated based on observational trend studies, geographical
      comparisons, medical audits, and randomized trials. The last method is preferable
      and should be applied whenever feasible. Most components of antenatal care have
      not been properly evaluated. In order to evaluate an antenatal care program, a
      randomized study is suggested using geographical areas as units of randomization.

PMID- 1428643
TI  - Randomized controlled trials in the evaluation of antenatal care.
AB  - Many of the practices carried out during antenatal care improve the well-being of
      mother or baby and reduce the burden of adverse perinatal outcome. Other
      practices have either not been evaluated or have been shown to be ineffective.
      Evidence from randomized clinical trials provides the best evidence about the
      effectiveness of these practices.

PMID- 1428644
TI  - Register studies and clinical studies in the evaluation of antenatal care.
AB  - The advantages and limitations of national registers containing individual
      identification numbers in clinical epidemiological research are reviewed. The
      author concludes that such registers are very valuable for epidemiological
      research and for formulation of research questions of public health importance.

PMID- 1428645
TI  - Problems and prospects in the economic evaluation of antenatal care.
AB  - Economic evaluations can be used to compare alternative antenatal care programs
      in terms of cost and outcome. The cost of routine antenatal care is small
      compared to the total cost associated with pregnancy and childbirth. The main
      problem in economic evaluations is related to outcome measurement.

PMID- 1428646
TI  - Epidemiology of hypertension during pregnancy.
AB  - Hypertension during pregnancy, defined as a diastolic blood pressure of at least
      90 mm Hg, occurs in about 7% of Western countries. Primiparity and familial
      factors are the most important risk factors. Fifty percent of women experienced
      blood pressure elevation as late as the last month of pregnancy.

PMID- 1428647
TI  - Screening for hypertension in pregnancy.
AB  - The literature dealing with screening for hypertension in pregnancy was reviewed.
      No level of blood pressure or any other factor provides a guarantee of no risk
      for the development of preeclampsia. However, higher blood pressure in early
      pregnancy and a failure to decrease blood pressure in mid-pregnancy are both
      associated with the development of preeclampsia. The development of proteinuria,
      rather than the level of blood pressure, is the best predictor of poor pregnancy
      outcome. Multiparas, especially those with severe chronic hypertension who
      develop preeclampsia, are at greatest risk of poor pregnancy outcome.

PMID- 1428648
TI  - Diagnostic methods for pregnancy hypertension. Significance of standardized
      conditions.
AB  - Standardized conditions for blood pressure measurements and strict definitions of
      systolic and diastolic blood pressure are essential for a consequent management
      of hypertension during pregnancy. In Sweden, it has been agreed to measure blood
      pressure with the pregnant women sitting in upright position. Home-monitoring of
      blood pressure is recommended in women at risk of preeclampsia.

PMID- 1428649
TI  - Cost-effectiveness of present programs for detection of asymptomatic hypertension
      in relation to the severity of hypertension and proteinuric hypertension.
AB  - Proteinuric hypertension is an important cause of maternal and perinatal
      mortality. Eclampsia cannot always be prevented. The likelihood of identifying a
      new case of proteinuric hypertension at any particular visit is very low using
      traditional antenatal care schedules, and care could be focused on women at
      higher risk.

PMID- 1428650
TI  - Staff competence and program compliance: Scotland.

PMID- 1428651
TI  - Blood pressure, growth retardation, and preterm delivery.
AB  - The effect of various levels of both diastolic and systolic blood pressure at
      various times during pregnancy on the rates of intrauterine growth retardation
      (IUGR) and preterm delivery (PTD) were determined. Low systolic and diastolic
      pressures were associated with both IUGR and PTD, as were high pressures. Low
      pressures tended to be associated with spontaneous preterm deliveries, whereas
      high pressures were associated with more indicated preterm deliveries.

PMID- 1428652
TI  - Smoking during pregnancy. Pregnancy risks and socio-demographic characteristics
      among pregnant smokers.
AB  - Maternal smoking during pregnancy is causally related to fetal growth
      retardation. Smoking more than doubles the risk for the birth of a small-for
      gestational-age infant. About 30% of the Swedish pregnant population smoke in
      early pregnancy. Despite that practically all pregnant women in Sweden today are
      aware of the hazards of smoking, about 70% of the smokers continue to smoke
      during pregnancy. Women who continue to smoke during pregnancy differ in terms of
      socio-demographic characteristics from those who stop smoking during pregnancy.

PMID- 1428653
TI  - Smoking during pregnancy. Possibilities of prevention in antenatal care.
AB  - Prevention of smoking in pregnancy is a mission of utmost importance since the
      fetal outcome is improved when the mother quits smoking. Methods to prevent
      smoking have to consider maternal attitudes and characteristics and be based on
      pedagogical and behavioral principles. A well-motivated staff, a self-help manual
      accepted by most women, and special support to those who want it are minimal
      requirements.

PMID- 1428654
TI  - Amsterdam: HIV nursing: caring for the future.

PMID- 1428655
TI  - The economics of AIDS.

PMID- 1428656
TI  - Few teens use condoms despite AIDS.

PMID- 1428657
TI  - Nurses respond to substance abuse.
AB  - Because of their close contact with the community, nurses are vital in caring for
      substance abusers and in preventing addiction. And their roles in community and
      national programmes in this area are increasing. Below, an overview of the
      problems associated with substance abuse and how nurses are needed to provide
      effective care, prevention and education.

PMID- 1428658
TI  - Development of a PHC nursing information system in Korea.
AB  - WHO has established collaborating centres at educational institutions throughout
      the world to assist with WHO research. In 1988 a WHO Collaborating Centre was
      inaugurated at Yonsei University College of Nursing in Korea. Since then two
      important research projects have been completed for establishing a data bank of
      human resources of nursing for primary health care (PHC) in Korea. Both projects
      strengthen the PHC nursing information systems in Korea and, as such, are
      beginning to develop PHC networks throughout Korea, passing on information to an
      international network system. Below, the rationale behind the two projects, the
      methodology and the results.

PMID- 1428659
TI  - Changing the image of nursing in Jordan through effective role negotiation.
AB  - As with other nurses worldwide, image, status and role definition are prominent
      issues in Jordan. Here nursing is considered menial work and the roles and
      responsibilities of the nurse have not yet been formally defined by royal decree,
      Jordanian courts or the nursing profession. Moreover, while nursing curricula
      ordinarily influence scope of practice, nurse educators have long noted an
      incongruity between nurses training and their roles in practice. Although
      Jordanian nurses are educated to be change agents, patient advocates, health
      educators and critical thinkers they function more like medical assistants and
      housekeepers.

PMID- 1428660
TI  - Higher education via satellite.
AB  - With the rapid advances in health, medical and technological fields, there is a
      pressing need for more nurses to obtain higher university degrees and continuing
      education in order to deliver quality care. Advanced education is necessary for
      not only nurse teachers but also clinical nurses. Yet access and familial duties
      often impede further study. Below, how Norwegian educational bodies solved the
      problem of reaching and teaching nurses throughout the country.

PMID- 1428661
TI  - Community and culture: a Chinese model of community care for the mentally ill.
AB  - Although psychiatric hospitals are thought to be the main focus of care for the
      mentally ill, China has not inherited the large asylums that were, and are, such
      a feature in the West. China has developed her own model of community care for
      the mentally ill, which is coherent with what are seen to be the available
      resources and fits into existing structures of social organisation. The elements
      in this model include small neighbourhood workstations, factory clinic liaison
      work, 'home beds' and neighbourhood care units. So far alternative accommodation
      schemes appear to have no part to play in the model. The reasons for this are
      discussed. However, while the Chinese model of community care for the mentally
      ill is quite well articulated, there appear to be major problems in ensuring its
      implementation.

PMID- 1428662
TI  - The community meeting: a review.
AB  - Community meetings are conducted in many psychiatric units and institutions. The
      formats, methods and theoretical backgrounds of the meetings however are very
      diversified. Most of the claims for beneficial effects are based on clinical
      impressions or indirect observations. The few structured studies that have been
      performed show that community meetings have the effect of reducing unfavorable
      ward incidents, especially aggressive ones. Much research remains to be done to
      confirm these findings and to elucidate the basic ingredients of the community
      meeting in providing beneficial effects.

PMID- 1428663
TI  - The 1983 Mental Health Act in five local authorities: a study of the practice of
      approved social workers.
AB  - This paper represents the first report of an ongoing collaborative project and
      charts the activities of social workers undertaking their duties within the
      framework of the 1983 Mental Health Act in five English Local Authorities for one
      year. Social workers are involved in a range of duties under the Act, but most
      commonly they are involved in assessments with a view to compulsory detention.
      The characteristics of people assessed are examined, and a profile emerges of
      vulnerable subgroups, typically younger men, older women, and people living in
      socially impoverished situations. Considerable variation between Authorities is
      found in terms of numbers of assessments, and in numbers of detentions. Low
      levels of 'diversion' into alternative care are identified. Comparisons are made
      with a major national study which took place four years earlier. Higher rates of
      detention are found on average, but lower rates of use of emergency provision
      (Section 4). An examination of the organisational context within which Approved
      Social Workers (ASWs) practice reveals a great deal of variation between
      authorities in terms of the ongoing experience of assessments available to ASWs.
      Social workers based in Emergency Duty Teams and Hospital Teams are compared, and
      a distinctive profile of their work emerges, the hospital-based ASWs being more
      likely to be assessing 'known' people, often already in hospital, and referred
      for assessment by consultants. The implications of these findings for the
      management and deployment of Approved Social Workers are briefly discussed. The
      emphasis is upon the role of the ASW in terms of balancing the rights and needs
      of people assessed under the Act.

PMID- 1428664
TI  - Counselor training as a treatment for alcoholism: the helper therapy principle in
      action.
AB  - Extensive harmful drinking of alcohol is a major problem for many groups of
      Australian Aborigines and western treatment approaches have had limited effect.
      In order to stress cultural factors in treatment, a program to train indigenous
      Aborigines as alcoholism counselors for their communities was developed. In its
      more than 10 years of existence 145 counselors have been graduated. Of those
      initially entering the two year program 60% have graduated. Most of those have
      found employment as alcohol counselors for their people, and the numbers of
      Aborigines treated has increased. About 90% of those who entered the training had
      severe repeated substance abuse disorders in their recent history. The training
      and the alcohol counseling employment appears to be highly associated with
      continuing sobriety. For those who graduated the program only 4.8% returned to
      drinking. Those who completed only the first phase, 8.4% returned to drinking. Of
      those who were terminated from the program, 74% returned to drinking. Training
      alcoholics as alcohol counselors appears to be associated with vocational success
      and maintenance of sobriety as predicted by Riessman's "helper-therapy
      principle."

PMID- 1428665
TI  - Assessment of life stress events: the etiology and measurement of traumatic
      stress disorder.
AB  - The impact of stressful life events on health has been of considerable interest
      from a cross-cultural perspective. Examined herein is the etiology and onset of
      post-traumatic stress disorder with careful review of the diagnostic criteria,
      current measures used and clinical dimensions of PTSD. Also examined from a cross
      cultural perspective is how psychological trauma may be processed by victims of
      trauma and subsequent approaches both pharmacological and psychotherapeutic to
      the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.

PMID- 1428666
TI  - The Arab nurse and the Jewish psychotic patient in the closed psychiatric ward.
AB  - The ongoing Israeli-Arab conflict has its impact on the mental health system.
      This issue is investigated from the point of view of the interactional process in
      the locked unit mainly between the Arab nurse and the Jewish psychotic patient.
      The unique experience of being treated by the formal enemy during one of the most
      vulnerable periods seems to be sometimes even therapeutic for the patient.
      Aspects concerning psychopathology, psychodynamics and social interaction are
      evaluated through observation and interviews with patients and staff members.
      Ways of dealing with the complicated issues are discussed.

PMID- 1428668
TI  - Molecular biology of receptors and transporters. Bacterial and glucose
      transporters. Introduction.

PMID- 1428667
TI  - The detection of psychiatric cases by Greek physicians: report on a study carried
      out in a Greek primary care setting.
AB  - The detection of psychiatric disorder by primary care physicians in Greece was
      investigated using four non-psychiatric physicians. The General Health
      Questionnaire indicated a high probable prevalence of psychiatric disorder
      (77.8%), but the physicians rated only 9.3% of the sample as cases. Eighty eight
      per cent of the probable cases were undetected by the doctors. The doctors'
      reporting of cases was not affected by the demographic characteristics of the
      sample and only weakly affected by the patients' total GHQ score. The high
      probable prevalence and low detection rate is a cause for concern and requires
      further investigation.

PMID- 1428669
TI  - Group translocation of glucose and other carbohydrates by the bacterial
      phosphotransferase system.

PMID- 1428670
TI  - Sugar-cation symport systems in bacteria.

PMID- 1428672
TI  - The insulin-sensitive glucose transporter.

PMID- 1428671
TI  - Molecular and cellular physiology of GLUT-2, a high-Km facilitated diffusion
      glucose transporter.

PMID- 1428673
TI  - Amino acid transport in bacteria.

PMID- 1428674
TI  - Cellular effects of early exposure to sex hormones and antihormones.

PMID- 1428675
TI  - The cell biology of pattern formation during Drosophila development.

PMID- 1428676
TI  - Assays of random motility of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in vitro.

PMID- 1428677
TI  - In search of molecular origins of cellular differentiation in Volvox and its
      relatives.

PMID- 1428678
TI  - Actin matrix of dendritic spines, synaptic plasticity, and long-term
      potentiation.

PMID- 1428679
TI  - Biogenesis of the vacuole in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PMID- 1428680
TI  - [Chronic renal failure].

PMID- 1428682
TI  - [ACE inhibitors in hypertension and heart failure].

PMID- 1428681
TI  - [Digitalis, catecholamines and vasodilators in heart failure].

PMID- 1428683
TI  - [Diuretics. Range of effect, indications and therapeutic results in heart
      diseases].

PMID- 1428684
TI  - [Immunosuppressive therapy in myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy?].

PMID- 1428685
TI  - [Thrombocyte aggregation inhibitors, anticoagulants and thrombolytic agents in
      heart diseases].

PMID- 1428686
TI  - [Recent progress regarding nitrates and their use in stable and unstable angina
      pectoris, pre-infarction syndrome and myocardial infarct].

PMID- 1428687
TI  - [Chilblain lupus erythematosus. A case report].

PMID- 1428688
TI  - [Moxonidine. A new centrally active antihypertensive drug].

PMID- 1428689
TI  - [Diuretics and tubuloglomerular feedback].

PMID- 1428690
TI  - [Profile of the action of diuretics. Piretanide in comparison with thiazides and
      anti-kaliuretic drugs].

PMID- 1428691
TI  - [Renal effects of piretanide].

PMID- 1428692
TI  - [Determination of glomerular filtration rate in man using single shot piracetam
      clearance].

PMID- 1428693
TI  - [Hypertension as a risk factor for progression of renal failure].

PMID- 1428694
TI  - [Diuretic therapy in moderate and advanced renal failure].

PMID- 1428696
TI  - [Pharmacodynamics of piretanide in compromised kidney function. Dose response
      relationship and equipotency with furosemide].

PMID- 1428695
TI  - [Piretanide. Effect on renal hemodynamics, its hormonal regulation and renal
      prostaglandin metabolism in pre-terminal renal failure].

PMID- 1428698
TI  - [Progression of renal dysfunction. Possibilities of nephroprotection with ACE
      inhibitors].

PMID- 1428697
TI  - [Clinical and pathophysiologic effects of piretanide in nephrotic syndrome].

PMID- 1428699
TI  - [Future aspects of therapy with diuretics].

PMID- 1428700
TI  - [Effect of piretanide on disorders of kidney function in kidney transplantation.
      A pilot project].

PMID- 1428701
TI  - Radial keratotomy. 1. The wound healing process and measurement of incisional
      gape in two animal models using in vivo confocal microscopy.
AB  - Using in vivo confocal microscopy, corneal wound healing was evaluated in both
      rabbit and cat eyes after radial keratotomy. A total of six rabbit and six cat
      eyes were evaluated sequentially over time for 1 mo after surgery by in vivo
      confocal microscopy, and quantitative measurements of changes in incisional wound
      gape were determined. In vivo histopathologic changes were correlated with
      conventional histopathologic findings in 18 rabbit and 4 cat eyes; the animals
      were killed at various intervals from 0-30 days after surgery. In the rabbit, in
      vivo corneal wound healing was characterized by the initial ingrowth of corneal
      epithelium followed by persistence within the wound without a marked fibrotic
      response. Measurement of incisional wound gape showed increasing gape from 144 +/
      32 microns on day 0 to 976 +/- 155 microns on day 26 at a distance of 2.4 mm
      from the optical zone. These in vivo measurements were not significantly
      different (P = 0.996) from those obtained using conventional histopathologic
      techniques which showed an incisional wound gape of 252 +/- 112 microns on day 0
      and 917 +/- 216 microns on day 26 at 2.5 mm from the optical zone. In the cat
      eyes, healing of radial keratotomy wounds showed an initial increase in
      incisional wound gape from 135 +/- 56 microns on day 0 to 245 +/- 88 microns on
      day 7 at a distance of 2.4 mm from the optical zone. Starting at day 14 and
      continuing to day 30, there was a progressive decrease in incisional wound gape
      from 198 +/- 41 microns to 92 +/- 35 microns. Sequential, in vivo histopathologic
      analyses indicated that increasing incisional wound gape correlated with the
      retention of corneal epithelium in the wound. Initiation of decreasing incisional
      wound gape was associated with replacement of the incisional epithelial plug with
      fibroblastic tissue. These changes in the incisional wound gape observed in the
      cat suggest that healing of radial keratotomy wounds involves contraction of the
      wound in response to the ingrowth of fibroblastic cells. Furthermore, the
      contractile response appears to be biphasic involving a precontractile and
      contractile phase. Overall these data indicated that in vivo confocal microscopy
      provides quantitative histopathologic data on living tissue comparable with that
      obtained with conventional techniques on dead, fixed, and sectioned tissue.
      Additionally, the absence of wound fibrosis in the rabbit radial keratotomy model
      raises important questions as to the appropriateness of this experimental model
      for human radial keratotomy.

PMID- 1428702
TI  - Radial keratotomy. II. Role of the myofibroblast in corneal wound contraction.
AB  - The cellular mechanism of corneal wound contraction after radial keratotomy (RK)
      was studied in a feline eye model. A total of 10 cat eyes were evaluated at
      various times from 0-30 days after surgery. Changes in the distribution of
      intracellular filamentous actin, nonmuscle myosin, alpha-actinin, surface
      membrane alpha 5 beta 1 integrin, and extracellular fibronectin were studied
      using immunofluorescence and laser confocal and electron microscopy. From day 3
      7, staining for fibronectin increased along the wound margin. By day 7,
      keratocytes adjacent to the wound margin showed increased f-actin staining with
      intense staining for fibronectin compared with normal keratocytes. Myosin and
      alpha 5 beta 1 integrin expression was very weak at this time; alpha-actinin was
      not found. By day 14, fibroblasts within the wound formed f-actin microfilament
      bundles (stress fibers) which colocalized with fibronectin. Wound-healing
      fibroblasts also stained positively for alpha 5 beta 1 integrin, myosin, and
      alpha-actinin (the latter two were colocalized). The presence of myosin and alpha
      actinin in the wound fibroblasts and the re-organization of f-actin into stress
      fibers by day 14 correlated with the development of wound contraction. A
      comparison of the cellular distribution of actin, myosin, and alpha-actinin with
      alpha 5 beta 1 integrin 14 days after injury suggested that integrin was
      localized along stress fiber bundles during wound contraction. The data from this
      study suggest that modulation of wound gape during healing of RK wounds may
      involve transformation of the corneal keratocyte to a myofibroblast-like cell and
      the subsequent formation of intracellular stress fibers composed of f-actin,
      nonmuscle myosin, and alpha-actinin. Based on the colocalization of fibronectin
      filaments and f-actin filaments and the unique distribution of alpha 5 beta 1
      integrin, these findings support the hypothesis that the tension within the wound
      is generated by the formation of intracellular stress fibers and the interactions
      between stress fibers and the extracellular matrix, mediated by specific membrane
      receptor molecules.

PMID- 1428703
TI  - Radial keratotomy. III. Relationship between wound gape and corneal curvature in
      primate eyes.
AB  - The relationship between changes in wound gape and corneal curvature after radial
      keratotomy (RK) was evaluated in five primates. Four-incision RK was performed
      using a diamond knife set to 100% of central corneal thickness with a 3-mm
      optical zone. In vivo measurements of wound gape were obtained using tandem
      scanning confocal microscopy at 3, 7, 14, and 45 days after surgery. The changes
      in corneal contour were measured at the same time points using a corneal modeling
      system with a specially designed primate cone. Wounds progressively increased in
      width to a maximum of 38 +/- 1 microns (n = 5) at day 7. After day 7, wounds
      showed increasing fibrosis which correlated with decreasing wound gape to 20 +/-
      1 microns at day 45. A similar temporal change was detected in central corneal
      curvature (K), with maximum flattening occurring at day 7 (delta K = -3.17 +/-
      0.90 diopters, n = 5), and progressive regression of effect to -1.32 +/- 0.61
      diopters (n = 5) at day 45. Although there was interanimal variation, the mean
      temporal changes in corneal curvature significantly paralleled the changes in
      wound gape (r = -0.96, n = 4, P < 0.05). Based upon these findings, a simple
      geometric model was proposed which provides a hypothetic foundation for the
      relationship between corneal curvature and wound gape after RK. Calculations of
      wound gape made from this analytic model (using the measured topographic data)
      showed significant correlation with the actual wound gape measurements (r = 0.96,
      n = 4, P < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428704
TI  - Effects of epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, and transforming
      growth factor-beta on corneal cell chemotaxis.
AB  - The effects of recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF), epidermal growth
      factor (EGF), and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) on migration of
      human and bovine corneal cells were determined using checkerboard analysis in
      Boyden chambers. EGF, FGF, and TGF-beta each stimulated high levels of
      chemotactic migration. Each growth factor, however, induced a different dose
      response pattern. Migration stimulated by FGF reached a plateau at a
      concentration between 100 and 200 ng/ml for endothelial, epithelial, and stromal
      fibroblasts. By contrast, chemotactic responses to EGF peaked between 10 and 50
      ng/ml, then decreased at higher concentrations. TGF-beta also stimulated a peak
      in migration in all three corneal cells, but the peak of migration occurred at an
      approximately 1000-fold lower concentration (1 pg/ml) than for EGF. Checkerboard
      analysis demonstrated that FGF and EGF, but not TGF-beta, stimulated chemokinesis
      of bovine, stromal, and endothelial cells. These results demonstrate that FGF,
      EGF, and TGF-beta induce migration in pure populations of bovine and human
      corneal cells and support the concept that these growth factors may play key
      roles in corneal wound healing by regulating migration of corneal cells.

PMID- 1428706
TI  - Fos expression and growth regulation in bovine corneal endothelial cells.
AB  - The authors evaluated the effects of stimulation (by serum, wounding, and three
      peptide growth factors: fibroblast growth factor [FGF], insulin, and transforming
      growth factor-beta [TGF-beta 1]) on the expression of the protein product of the
      immediate early gene, c-fos in bovine corneal endothelial (BCE) cells. These
      results were compared with those of cells which were made quiescent by serum
      starvation. They also examined the effect of these same growth factors or
      wounding on DNA synthesis. Quiescent cells expressed low levels of c-fos protein.
      Serum was the most potent stimulator, whereas FGF and insulin were modest
      stimulators. TGF-beta 1 did not significantly stimulate c-fos protein production.
      The results from DNA synthesis were different. Serum and FGF were still the most
      potent stimulators; insulin and TGF-beta 1 were weak stimulators. These data
      suggest that growth factors induce c-fos protein in BCE cells and that this may
      in part regulate the downstream event, cellular proliferation. Further
      investigation into the regulation of this and other protooncogene products may
      provide insight into the mechanisms which modulate corneal endothelial cell
      growth in humans.

PMID- 1428705
TI  - Detection of transforming growth factor-alpha messenger RNA and protein in human
      corneal epithelial cells.
AB  - Human corneal epithelial cells are normally shed from the apical surface and
      replaced primarily by mitosis of basal cells. Growth factors may regulate this
      process, but the sources for the growth factors have not been fully established.
      One potential source for growth factors is tear fluid, and epidermal growth
      factor (EGF) has been detected in the lacrimal gland and in tears. However, the
      hydrophilic structure and size of growth factors such as EGF may limit
      penetration to basal layers of intact epithelium. It is possible that turnover of
      basal human corneal epithelial cells might be regulated by growth factors acting
      by an autocrine mechanism. To determine if human corneal epithelial cells
      synthesize a potential autocrine growth factor, the authors analyzed human
      corneal epithelial cells for transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha)
      messenger RNA and protein, a growth factor that is structurally related to EGF
      and binds to the EGF receptor. Radioimmunoassay of human corneal epithelial cell
      cultures detected substantial levels of immunoreactive TGF-alpha (3 ng/10(6)
      cells). Immunohistochemical staining of human corneas also revealed the presence
      of immunoreactive TGF-alpha in the corneal epithelium. Northern hybridization
      with a 32P-labeled complementary DNA probe for TGF-alpha generated a single
      intense band at 4.4 kilobases, indicating the presence of TGF-alpha messenger RNA
      in cultured human corneal epithelial cells. These results support the hypothesis
      that normal turnover of corneal epithelium is controlled by the autocrine
      production of growth factors, such as TGF-alpha. Growth factors present in tears
      may function primarily as exocrine factors to stimulate healing of epithelial
      injuries after the epithelial barrier has been damaged.

PMID- 1428707
TI  - Metabolic and morphologic changes in the corneal endothelium. The effects of
      potassium cyanide, iodoacetamide, and ouabain.
AB  - The metabolic pathways of glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration in the corneal
      endothelial cell are the primary sources of the adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
      necessary to maintain endothelial structure and pump fluid to maintain the
      corneal stroma in its normally dehydrated and transparent state. The correlation
      between endothelial metabolism and morphology in rabbits was studied for 7 days
      after the application of three different agents: (1) iodoacetamide, used to
      inhibit ATP synthesis from both glycolysis and respiration; (2) potassium cyanide
      (KCN), used to inhibit ATP synthesis from respiration only; and (3) ouabain, used
      to inhibit fluid pumping but not ATP synthesis. After application of each of
      these three drugs to the corneal endothelium, changes in endothelial morphology
      were measured. The greatest change resulted from the use of iodoacetamide.
      Specular microscopic examination of the endothelium after the application of
      iodoacetamide showed progressive degradation of the integrity of the cellular
      structure; after 6 hr, there were no discernible cell borders. In those corneas
      treated with either KCN or ouabain, only minor changes in the endothelium were
      seen during the full 7 days of the investigation. Computer-assisted morphometric
      analysis showed an increase in the coefficient of variation of both cell area and
      perimeter in all cases. This increase was greater in the corneas treated with
      ouabain than those treated with either iodoacetamide or KCN. Redox fluorometry
      showed that the metabolic ratio (autofluorescence of reduced pyridine nucleotides
      divided by that of oxidized flavoproteins) decreased significantly in the
      iodoacetamide-treated corneas, increased significantly in the KCN group, and
      showed no significant change in the corneas in the ouabain group, all compared
      with a control group. The results showed that (1) when ATP produced by both
      glycolysis and respiration was inhibited by 0.1 mmol/l iodoacetamide, the
      endothelial cells could not survive, but (2) when ATP synthesis produced by
      respiration alone was inhibited by 1.0 mmol/l KCN, the cells could survive for at
      least 1 wk on the ATP produced by anaerobic glycolysis. Furthermore, the
      polymegathism seen after application of ouabain, a drug that is not believed to
      affect ATP synthesis but inhibits the endothelial pump function, is greater than
      that seen as a result of reduced pump function caused by inhibited respiration
      produced by 1.0 mmol/l KCN. Combining specular microscopy, computer-assisted
      morphometric analysis, redox fluorometry, and corneal pachymetry allowed
      correlations between corneal endothelial metabolism, pump function, and
      morphology to be studied.

PMID- 1428708
TI  - Comparison of external and internal approaches for transplantation of autologous
      retinal pigment epithelium.
AB  - The feasibility of autologous transplantation of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE)
      cells from just posterior to the ora serrata to the posterior pole was
      demonstrated in the rabbit model. Two techniques for introducing the transplanted
      cells were compared: an internal (anterior transvitreal) and an external
      (posterior transscleral) penetration to the subretinal space. In both approaches,
      RPE cells were obtained by biopsy from the peripheral retina of a rabbit eye,
      cultured, labeled with a fluorescent dye and 3H-thymidine, and transplanted to
      the posterior pole of the same or contralateral eye. The external approach
      consistently resulted in a greater number of transplanted cells on Bruch's
      membrane. The internal technique was more precise because it permitted direct
      visualization of the placement of the transplanted RPE. Transplantation of
      autologous RPE is a possibility that should be further pursued.

PMID- 1428709
TI  - Morphologic comparisons between rhodopsin-mediated and short-wavelength classes
      of retinal light damage.
AB  - The histologic manifestations of rhodopsin-mediated versus short-wavelength
      classes of retinal phototoxicity were compared after spectral exposures of the
      albino rat retina. Animals were exposed to wave-bands of light centered at the
      peak of rhodopsin absorbance (green, 500 nm) or in the ultraviolet A (UVA; 360
      nm). Intensity-damage curves generated for each wave-band indicated that UVA
      light was 50-80 times more effective than green light at causing photoreceptor
      cell losses. Examination of early ultrastructural changes in rod inner segments,
      outer segments, and retinal pigment epithelium revealed a remarkable degree of
      similarity between UVA and green light-induced damage. Furthermore, the two
      classes of damage were indistinguishable in terms of post-exposure recovery from
      threshold damage and regional distribution of photoreceptor cell loss along the
      vertical meridian. The finding of essentially identical histologic manifestations
      for the two classes of damage raises the possibility that they share a common
      biochemical etiology or pathway of cell destruction.

PMID- 1428710
TI  - Dissociation between prostaglandin levels and blood flow to the retina and
      choroid in the newborn pig after nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs.
AB  - To assess whether prostaglandins contribute to the control of basal retinal and
      choroidal hemodynamics, retinal (RBF) and choroidal blood flow (ChBF) were
      measured by a microsphere technique in 1- to 4-day-old pigs before and after (at
      20 and 60 min) administration of indomethacin (0.3 mg/kg, n = 6 or 10 mg/kg, n =
      5), ibuprofen (40 mg/kg, n = 7), naproxen (20 mg/kg, n = 5) or vehicle (n = 8).
      In 40 other animals, PGF2 alpha, PGE2, and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha were measured in the
      retina and choroid at times corresponding to blood flow measurements. Mean
      arterial blood pressure and blood gases and pH were not altered by any of the
      agents. Except for the lower dose of indomethacin (0.3 mg/kg), which did not
      change retinal and choroidal prostaglandin concentrations, the prostaglandin
      levels were decreased similarly (P < 0.01) by the three drugs. However, RBF and
      ChBF were not changed by ibuprofen and naproxen, but decreased to the same extent
      after low and high doses of indomethacin. The data suggest that the effects of
      indomethacin on RBF and ChBF cannot be simply attributed to prostaglandin
      synthesis inhibition, and that prostaglandins may not play a significant role in
      controlling basal blood flow to the retina and choroid.

PMID- 1428711
TI  - Blood-retinal barrier dysfunction at the pigment epithelium induced by blue
      light.
AB  - Exposure to low-intensity white light can induce dysfunction of the blood-retinal
      barrier (BRB) at the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). To determine whether the
      shorter wavelengths white light are responsible for this dysfunction, rabbit
      retinas were exposed to blue light (400-520 nm) or yellow light (510-740 nm). The
      permeability of the BRB, a parameter for the integrity of the barrier, was
      quantified with vitreous fluorophotometry. Morphologically, the barrier at the
      RPE was visualized on light and electron microscopy using horseradish peroxidase
      (HRP) as a tracer. Seventeen pigmented rabbits were exposed to blue light and 11
      were exposed to yellow light. Vitreous fluorescein leakage increased with the
      exposure energy according to a power function (correlation coefficient > 0.79).
      The threshold energy for an increase in BRB permeability was 50 J/cm2 (0.014
      W/cm2 for 1 hr) after blue and 1600 J/cm2 after yellow light. HRP tracing
      demonstrated that after blue light exposure, a significant fluorescein leakage on
      fluorophotometry corresponded to the presence of HRP in the RPE cells and in the
      subretinal space. After yellow light exposures of < 3700 J/cm2 and in rabbits
      with no significant fluorescein leakage, the HRP was limited to the choroidal
      capillaries and Bruch's membrane. These results demonstrate that the blue
      component of white light causes dysfunction of the BRB at the RPE 30 times more
      effectively than the longer wavelength fraction of white light. As a result, a
      blue light blocking filter should be used in ocular surgery on humans when an
      operating microscope is being used (light power 0.1-0.9 W/cm2).

PMID- 1428712
TI  - Retinal pigment epithelium-stromal interactions modulate hyaluronic acid
      deposition.
AB  - Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a major component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and
      is particularly prominent in various structures of the eye. Choroidal mesenchymal
      fibroblasts (CHM) and fetal retinal pigment epithelial (fRPE) cells were cultured
      individually and in cocultivation, as a paradigm for ocular stromal-epithelial
      interactions. Such interactions are thought to be a key mechanism for the
      modulation of the ECM and of HA deposition in the region of Bruch's membrane and
      related structures. In cocultivation, increased levels of HA production were
      observed, more than the sum of the two cell types grown individually. Conditioned
      medium from fRPE cultures placed over CHM cells was able to enhance production in
      such cells several-fold, demonstrating that cell-cell contact was not needed for
      this enhanced production. On the other hand, when conditioned medium from CHM
      fibroblasts was added to the fetal RPE cells, no increase in HA production was
      observed. A soluble HA-stimulating factor apparently released by fRPE cells in a
      paracrine manner enhanced HA production in CHM cells. The fRPE cell-conditioned
      media was unable to exert this effect on the fRPE cells themselves. The fRPE
      cells may lack the appropriate receptor. Alternatively, they may not have the
      biosynthetic machinery for augmented HA production.

PMID- 1428713
TI  - Grating, vernier, and letter acuity in retinitis pigmentosa.
AB  - Grating, vernier, and letter acuities were compared in 25 patients with retinitis
      pigmentosa (RP), whose Snellen visual acuities were better than 20/40, to address
      the mechanism of visual acuity loss. For these patients with RP, all three types
      of visual acuity were reduced to an equivalent degree from those of a control
      group of 10 age-similar, visually normal subjects. The findings indicate that the
      visual acuity losses of these subjects with RP did not result from cone spatial
      undersampling (due, for example, to a random loss of foveal cones), from cone
      sampling irregularities (due to random alterations in foveal cone position), or
      from a selective loss of sensitivity to high spatial frequencies (as might result
      from changes in media transmission characteristics or a gain reduction in high
      spatial frequency mechanisms). In addition, previous studies have indicated that
      acuity losses in such patients with RP do not result from reductions in the
      quantum-catching ability of foveal cones. The most likely explanation for the
      equivalent losses in all three acuity types in these patients with RP appears to
      be an alteration in foveal spatial scale, consistent with a generalized increase
      in foveal intercone spacing.

PMID- 1428714
TI  - In vitro studies of the contractility of cell types involved in proliferative
      vitreoretinopathy.
AB  - The contractile activity of cells in epiretinal membranes leads to retinal
      detachment and proliferative vitreoretinopathy, but it is unknown which cell type
      contributes most to this process. In this study, the relative contractility of
      three cell types thought to be involved in epiretinal membrane formation was
      measured. Bovine scleral fibroblasts (BSF), retinal pigment epithelium (BRPE) and
      retinal glia (BRG) were suspended in a rapidly polymerizing floating type I
      collagen matrix. Matrix contraction was assessed and morphologic studies were
      performed using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. BSF reached
      50% contraction within 4 days and BRPE needed 7-10 days, whereas BRG showed no
      matrix contraction. Cell proliferation, as shown by bromodeoxyuridine labeling,
      did not occur in the matrix. During the period of greatest contraction, cells had
      formed processes but were isolated from each other. Over the 7 day period, an
      increasing number of cells was found on the surface of the matrix, resulting
      (with BSF) in an encapsulating monolayer. This monolayer developed only after
      most of the contraction was over. These findings suggest that BSF and BRPE
      reorganize the collagen matrix through a combination of individual cellular
      mobility and attachment to the collagen fibers. BRG's inability to attach to the
      collagen and reorganize its arrangement resulted in its lack of matrix
      contraction.

PMID- 1428715
TI  - Proteins of the vitreous humor during experimentally induced myopia.
AB  - Significant myopia was evident within 14 days after a translucent goggle was
      placed over the eye of a newly hatched chick. This myopia was characterized by
      large negative refractive error, increased axial and equatorial eye lengths, and
      increased wet eye weight. The volume of the vitreous humor increased in the
      myopic eye, because of a signficant accumulation of liquid vitreous humor. The
      protein concentration of the vitreous humor of the myopic and nonmyopic eyes was
      greater at day 14 than at day 0 (ie, first day after hatching). Moreover, over
      this time, the protein concentration in the liquid component decreased, whereas
      the protein concentration in the gel component increased in both myopic and
      nonmyopic eyes. No difference was found in the protein concentrations between the
      myopic and nonmyopic eye at day 14. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed
      changes in band position and intensity of individual protein compoents between
      days 0 and 14. No major differences were found in the gel or the liquid vitreous
      humor between the myopic and the nonmyopic eyes. Comparison of vitreous humor
      proteins with proteins from the plasma showed that some but not all of the
      proteins in the vitreous had the same apparent molecular masses as proteins from
      these sources.

PMID- 1428716
TI  - Subconjunctival sustained release 5-fluorouracil.
AB  - The authors have developed a sustained release device for 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)
      made up of a 12 mg pellet of drug coated in a mixture of permeable and
      impermeable polymers. When implanted subconjunctivally in rabbits, these devices
      released 5-FU at approximately 1 mg/d for over 10 days. Devices were implanted
      into four cynomolgus monkey eyes after posterior lip sclerotomy. One eye
      (treatment) received a device that contained 12 mg 5-FU and the other eye
      (control) received a placebo device that contained no drug. In control eyes,
      intraocular pressures returned to normal within 1 wk. In treatment eyes,
      pressures remained significantly lower throughout the experimental period (3 mo).
      There was no indication of impaired wound healing, corneal toxicity,
      inflammation, or damage to the ciliary body in rabbits or monkeys.

PMID- 1428717
TI  - Injectable microspheres with controlled drug release for glaucoma filtering
      surgery.
AB  - The authors evaluated the effects of biodegradable poly (lactic acid)
      microspheres that provided the controlled release of the antimetabolic agent
      adriamycin (ADR) to prevent post surgical fibrosis after glaucoma filtering
      surgery. Fifty six eyes of 28 rabbits underwent posterior lip sclerotomy and
      received a 0.2 ml subconjunctival injection that contained microspheres 90
      degrees from the filtering site immediately after surgery. Microspheres
      containing ADR (100 or 200 micrograms) were randomly administered to one eye. The
      fellow eyes served as controls and received microspheres without the drug.
      Intraocular pressure in the eyes treated with the microspheres that contained the
      drug was significantly lower than that in the control eyes from days 7-12 in the
      100 micrograms group and from days 6-16 in the 200 micrograms group (P < .05).
      Eyes that received ADR had a significantly longer patent filtering bleb compared
      with the control eyes (P < .05). No corneal complications were observed in the
      eyes treated with 100 micrograms of ADR and the control eyes. Peripheral corneal
      opacities (25%) and epithelial erosion (17%) were observed in the eyes that
      received the 200 micrograms dose, but the cornea returned to normal after 4 wk.
      These results suggest that controlled-drug-release microspheres with an
      antimetabolic agent may be promising for preventing fibrosis after surgery.

PMID- 1428718
TI  - Basal tear turnover and topical timolol in glaucoma patients and healthy controls
      by fluorophotometry.
AB  - To assess the effect of glaucoma and timolol on tear secretion, basal tear
      turnover was measured with fluorophotometry in 13 open-angle glaucoma patients
      not using any ophthalmic medication, 24 patients using timolol medication daily,
      and 41 healthy control subjects. Basal tear turnover is defined as the tear
      turnover at the lowest level of reflex lacrimation possible under physiologic
      conditions. Tear turnover was calculated from the decay of the tear fluorescence
      after instillation of fluorescein. Minimal influence of reflex lacrimation was
      obtained by instilling 1 microliter of 2% fluorescein without touching the eye
      and by discarding measurements performed in the first 5 min. Minimization was
      confirmed by a monophasic decay of tear fluorescence. The values of patients who
      used timolol and those who did not use timolol were significantly lower than
      those of healthy control subjects (mean values in percent/minute +/- standard
      deviation: 10.1 +/- 3.2, 12.3 +/- 4.1, and 15.6 +/- 5.4, respectively; Student's
      t-test: P < 0.02). The values of patients who used timolol were significantly
      lower compared to those of patients who did not use timolol (P = 0.03). The tear
      film break up time values of patients who used timolol were significantly shorter
      than those of patients who did not use timolol and healthy control subjects
      (Fisher exact test: P < 0.03).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428719
TI  - Identification and quantification of transferrin receptors on trabecular cells.
AB  - The authors identified and quantified the receptor for transferrin on trabecular
      meshwork (TM) cells cultured from porcine eyes by using two receptor assays. Flow
      cytometric analysis of TM cells that were incubated with a monoclonal antibody to
      the transferrin receptor revealed such receptors, which decreased in number as
      the cells passed from the pre- to the post-confluent phase. Quantitative
      characterization by radioligand binding of 125I-transferrin to trabecular cells
      followed by Scatchard analysis showed that pre-confluent cultures expressed
      23,839 +/- 6746 high-affinity receptors/cell and post-confluent cultures
      expressed 5104 +/- 3639 receptors/cell. The expression of the receptor for
      transferrin reflects the index of mitotic activity and can be correlated with the
      proliferative state of the trabecular cells. Further characterization of the
      receptors for transferrin in the TM may open up the possibility of a
      pharmacologic approach that enhances the TM cell population, which is known to
      decrease with age and in glaucomatous states of the eye.

PMID- 1428720
TI  - Reducing intraocular pressure by intubation elicits precocious development and
      innervation of the embryonic chick cornea.
AB  - Growth of the embryonic chick cornea was directly related to, and coordinated
      with, overall eye growth. During normal development, the size of the embryonic
      chick cornea increased in three linear phases of diametric growth. Corneal
      diameter increased at a rate of 216 microns per day between embryonic day 4 (E4)
      and E7, 511 microns per day between E7 and E10, and 144 microns per day from E10
      until after hatching. After the sustained release of intraocular pressure by
      intubation on E4, corneal diametric growth was reduced to a single phase of 122
      microns per day. After intubation on E4, the mesenchyme surrounding the
      developing cornea was substantially thicker and the neural crest-derived corneal
      endothelium was established earlier. The primary corneal stroma of the intubated
      eye swelled and was precociously populated by neural crest-derived corneal
      fibroblasts. Thus, the timing of arrival of neural crest cells in the anterior
      segment and their contribution to the cornea were determined by the growth rate
      of the eye. Although the diameter of the cornea was substantially reduced after
      intubation, it was more densely populated by fibroblasts, resulting in a cornea
      that was substantially thicker than the control by E14. Prospective corneal
      nerves normally extend into the cornea proper on E11, concomitant with a decrease
      in its diametric growth rate. After intubation on E4, the perilimbal nerve ring
      was virtually complete by E5 and numerous nerves had extended throughout the E8
      cornea. By E16, the cornea from the intubated eye contained a very high density
      of nerve fibers, possibly reflecting its reduced size. These data suggest that
      the primary corneal stroma does not permit nerve fiber extension and demonstrate
      that the timing of nerve fiber extension into the secondary corneal stroma is
      specified by the rate of oppositional diametric growth of the cornea.

PMID- 1428721
TI  - Interferon-gamma inhibits collagen synthesis by human tenon's capsule fibroblasts
      in vitro.

PMID- 1428722
TI  - Circadian rhythm in physiology and pharmacology.

PMID- 1428723
TI  - In vitro and in vivo circumvention of multidrug resistance by Servier 9788, a
      novel triazinoaminopiperidine derivative.
AB  - S 9788 is a novel triazinoaminopiperidine derivative which does not belong to any
      of the classes of compounds known to reverse multidrug resistance (MDR). S 9788
      was far more potent than verapamil (VRP) in reversing resistance to adriamycin
      (ADR) in the ADR-selected murine leukaemia cell lines P388/ADR-1 and P388/ADR-10,
      and the human chronic myelogenous leukaemia K562/R. Fold reversion with S 9788 (5
      microM) was, respectively, 3.5, 5.4 and 11.3 times greater than that with VRP (5
      microM). S 9788 was also a more potent reversant of ADR resistance in the
      intrinsically resistant human colon adenocarcinoma COLO 320DM (2.3 fold), and of
      vincristine (VCR) resistance in the human MDR1 gene-transfected squamous lung
      carcinoma line S1/tMDR1 (5.6 fold). The activity of S 9788 depended on both the
      MDR cell line and the cytotoxic agent. S 9788 (50-100 mg/kg/d) administered IP
      once a day on days 1-4 resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the
      chemotherapeutic effect of VCR (0.25 mg/kg/d) in P388/VCR - bearing mice and ADR
      (4 mg/kg/d) in P388/ADR - bearing mice. Increases in antitumor activity were (%
      T/C) of +20-34% in the P388/ADR model and + 50-78% in the P388/VCR model with
      respect to cytotoxic agent treatment alone. S 9788 appeared to be devoid of
      toxicity at its effective doses. The mechanism of action of S 9788 is unknown but
      S 9788 (0.5-10 microM) induced a dose-dependent increase in ADR accumulation in
      KB-Al cells and compared to verapamil its effect was twice as active and
      approximately seven times more potent. We conclude that S 9788 is a novel agent
      capable of reversing MDR in vitro and in vivo, and whose pharmacological profile
      warrants its selection as a candidate drug for eventual assessment in the clinic.

PMID- 1428724
TI  - Pharmacokinetics and cytotoxicity of B.3839, a molecular combination of 5
      fluorouracil and N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-nitrosourea, in a mouse model.
AB  - B.3839 is the prototype compound in a series of novel molecular combinations of
      chloroethylnitrosoureas and 5-fluorouracil(5-FU) and has been tested against MAC
      tumours in mice. Previous studies have shown it is moderately active against
      MAC15A and highly active against MAC13 though this activity is dependent on route
      of administration. The aim of this study was to determine whether bioavailability
      could explain this difference in anti-tumour activity. Plasma levels of B.3839
      and 5-FU after i.p. and oral administration were measured using HPLC. Non tumour
      bearing and MAC26 bearing mice gave almost identical plasma profiles after i.p.
      administration with the Cmax being 29.8 and 30.4 micrograms ml-1 and t1/2 16 and
      15 min. The AUCs were 15.3 and 13.9 micrograms h ml-1 suggesting tumour load had
      no influence over plasma levels. Oral administration gave a much lower Cmax of
      8.0 micrograms ml-1 but an AUC of 15.2 micrograms h ml-1 due to a longer terminal
      t1/2 (94 min) giving 99% bioavailability. Levels of 5-FU release from B.3839 by
      either route were considered too small to influence anti-tumour activity.
      Cytotoxicity assays in vitro against the MAC lines gave IC70 values of 5.3, 13.8
      and 8.6 micrograms ml-1 for MAC 26, 13 and 15A respectively after a one hour
      exposure. Bone marrow toxicity was shown to be less severe than that of TCNU
      which is currently in clinical trials. The results show bioavailability alone is
      not enough to explain tumour response. There appears to be a need for a threshold
      concentration (C) to be maintained for a period of time (t).

PMID- 1428725
TI  - Comparison of N-acetylcysteine and mesna as uroprotectors with ifosfamide
      combination chemotherapy in refractory germ cell tumors.
AB  - From January 1983 through August 1988, 318 consecutive patients with refractory
      germ cell neoplasms were treated with ifosfamide-containing combination
      chemotherapy. The patients received ifosfamide at 1.2 gm/m2/day with cis-platin
      20 mg/m2/day for 5 days and etoposide 75 mg/m2/day for 5 days or vinblastine 0.11
      mg/kg on days 1 and 2 for each cycle. Of 277 evaluable patients, NAC was used as
      an uroprotector in the initial 86 patients while the latter 191 consecutive
      patients received mesna to reduce urothelial toxicity. Dosages of NAC was 2.0 gm
      po q 6 hr and for mesna 120 mg/m2 IV push prior to ifosfamide and then 1200
      mg/m2/day as continuous infusion of 5 consecutive days. All patients received 3.0
      liters of normal saline per day. The number of courses of chemotherapy given in
      the two groups were similar. Twenty-four of the 86 patients (27.9%) receiving NAC
      developed hematuria (13 patients - grade 1, 4 patients - grade 2, and 7 patients 
      grade 3 toxicity). While 8 out of 191 (4.2%) mesna patients developed hematuria
      (6 - grade 1 and 2 - grade 3) (p < 0.0001). The incidence of severity of renal
      toxicity was similar in the two groups. Ifosfamide dosage was reduced solely for
      urothelial toxicity in 11 patients receiving NAC compared with none of the
      patients receiving mesna (p < 0.0001). Chemotherapy response was similar in the
      two groups. In conclusion, mesna provides better urothelial protection from
      ifosfamide-induced toxicity than NAC and allows better maintenance of the drug
      dosage.

PMID- 1428726
TI  - Difluorodeoxycytidine (dFdC)--gemcitabine: a phase I study.
AB  - Difluorodeoxycytidine (dFdC) demonstrated broad spectrum activity in preclinical
      models. A phase 1 study utilizing twice weekly injections was conducted in 50
      eligible and evaluable patients. Twenty-nine patients received drug by 30 minute
      infusion at doses of 5-90 mg/m2 and 22, by 5 minute bolus at 30-150 mg/m2. The
      primary dose limiting toxicities were marrow suppression and flu-like
      symptomatology. Thrombocytopenia was dose limiting at 75 mg/m2 on the infusion
      schedule and 150 mg/m2 on the 5 minute schedule. Flu-like symptoms with fever,
      rigors and malaise occurred the day of injection in many patients. One patient
      with renal cell carcinoma attained a partial response. Evaluation of the drug's
      efficacy and schedule dependency continue.

PMID- 1428727
TI  - Phase I study of mitonafide in solid tumors.
AB  - Mitonafide was the first synthetized compound of a new series of 3
      nitronaphthalimides with intercalative properties. A phase I study with a
      conventional escalation scheme was developed. The schedule of drug administration
      was a daily x 5 days by short (1 h) intravenous (i.v.) infusion, every 21 days.
      Thirty evaluable patients were treated at doses from 15.4 mg/m2/d x 5 days to
      138.6 mg/m2/d x 5 days. The study was interrupted due to appearance of central
      nervous system toxicity in 5 patients treated at doses above 118 mg/m2 x 5 days.
      This toxicity consisted firstly of loss of memory in all patients. It was
      irreversible and progressed in 3 patients to disorientation and confusion,
      leading to dementia in one of them. This was considered to be dose-limiting
      toxicity, and since it appeared to be related to the administration schedule, no
      further studies with short i.v. infusions of mitonafide are recommended. A phase
      I study utilizing a more desirable administration schedule over longer periods of
      time is ongoing in other centers.

PMID- 1428728
TI  - A phase I pharmacokinetic study of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor
      administered by a 5-day continuous infusion.
AB  - Nineteen patients with advanced cancer were entered into a phase I clinical trial
      of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) which was designed to determine the
      pharmacokinetic profile, safety, and maximal tolerated dose (MTD) of the
      recombinant human cytokine in vivo. TNF was administered by continuous infusion
      for 24 hours followed by pharmacokinetics and a 120-hour infusion repeated every
      3 weeks. The initial dose was 40 micrograms/m2 and was ultimately escalated to
      200 micrograms/m2. A total of forty 5-day cycles were administered to 18 of these
      patients; and all were evaluable for toxicity. Toxicities in this trial included
      fever, chills, rigors, hypotension, headaches, seizures, lethargy, weight loss,
      and malaise. At all dose levels, but more significantly at the highest doses,
      hematological toxicities were observed and grade 3 neurotoxicity (headache and
      confusion), and hypotension were noted. Two patients expired during the study,
      and this was felt to be related to septic episodes. Because of these severe
      toxicities, 160 micrograms/m2 was defined as the MTD. At 160 micrograms/m2 peak
      serum levels occurred within 5-20 minutes of initiation and were not detectable 1
      hour later. No anti-tumor responses were observed. No measurable plasma levels of
      TNF were observed with the administration of doses of 80 micrograms/m2. This dose
      level could be further studied in phase II studies alone and in combination with
      other agents, utilizing a continuous infusion schedule.

PMID- 1428729
TI  - Phase I clinical trial and pharmacokinetic evaluation of doxorubicin carried by
      polyisohexylcyanoacrylate nanoparticles.
AB  - Doxorubicin (DXR) incorporated into biodegradable acrylate nanoparticles such as
      polyisohexylcyanoacrylate (PIHCA) has been shown to increase DXR cytotoxicity and
      reduce cardiotoxicity by modifying tissue distribution in preclinical studies. We
      have conducted a phase I clinical trial of DXR-PIHCA in 21 patients with
      refractory solid tumors (10 male, 11 female, median age: 53 years, median PS: 1,
      prior free-DXR therapy: 7 patients). A total of 32 courses at 28 day intervals
      were administered at 6 dose levels (15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 mg/m2). The drug
      was given as a 10 minute IV infusion on day 1 to the first 5 patients: 2 of them
      presented a grade 2 allergic reaction (W.H.O. criteria) during infusion, which
      was rapidly reversible once drug administration was discontinued. Subsequently,
      in the other 16 patients, the administration was modified to a 60 minute i.v.
      perfusion diluted in 250 cc of Dextrose 5%: only 1 patient presented the same
      allergic reaction. Grade 2 fever and vomiting occurred in 9 patients and 7
      patients respectively during the first 24 h after treatment. There was no cardiac
      toxicity among the 18 evaluable patients. Grade 3 or 4 hematologic toxicity
      occurred at the 75 and 90 mg/m2 dose level. The dose limiting toxicity was
      neutropenia. The maximum tolerated dose was 90 mg/m2 and the recommended phase II
      dose was 75 mg/m2. A pharmacokinetic evaluation of DXR-PIHCA was conducted in 3
      patients each at a different dose level (60, 60 and 75 mg/m2) and was compared
      with free DXR given to the same patients in the same conditions.

PMID- 1428730
TI  - Phase II study of didemnin B in advanced colorectal cancer.
AB  - Didemnin B is a depsipeptide derived from a Caribbean tunicate (sea squirt) that
      has demonstrated antineoplastic activity against a variety of murine tumor
      models, including the L1210 and P388 leukemia, the B16 melanoma, and M5076
      sarcoma cell lines. Based on these data, we designed a phase II trial in which 15
      patients with measurable, unresectable colorectal cancer were treated with
      Didemnin B at an initial dosage of 3.47 mg/m2 over 30 minutes administered by
      intravenous infusion every 28 days; the dosage was altered in accordance with the
      toxicity observed, with only one patient requiring a dosage reduction for
      pronounced nausea and vomiting. No hematologic or nonhematologic toxicity
      developed. No complete or partial responses were observed. These results do not
      compare favorably with results of treatments using other single agents or
      combinations that are currently available for the treatment of advanced
      colorectal cancers. However, because of the tolerable levels of toxicity
      experienced by in our patients, it is possible that an insufficient dose of the
      medication was delivered. We concluded that Didemnin B is not active against of
      colorectal cancers at the dosage and schedule at which it was administered in
      this study.

PMID- 1428731
TI  - A phase II study of interleukin-2 and interferon-alpha in head and neck cancer.
AB  - The capacity to modulate host response against metastatic head and neck cancer
      may eventually lead to improved survival. This phase II study in patients with
      advanced head and neck cancer evaluated the efficacy of combination systemic
      recombinant interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-alpha (INF-a) and evaluated
      laboratory correlates between tumor response and a) tumor differentiation and b)
      NK cell activation. Five of fourteen patients responded; two had partial
      responses and three had transient responses (one complete and two partial, each
      lasting less than four weeks). Patients that responded had relatively lesser
      tumor burden and poorly-differentiated metastases. No response was observed in
      those few individuals in whom natural immune function was only minimally enhanced
      by therapy. Major toxicity, including but not limited to fever, fatigue and
      pulmonary compromise, allowed only 3 of 14 patients to complete three cycles of
      therapy. This preliminary phase II study shows that combination IL-2/INF-a
      therapy has clinical anti-tumor activity and that the level of NK cell activation
      and the degree of tumor differentiation may correlate with response.

PMID- 1428733
TI  - A study of toxicity and comparative therapeutic efficacy of vindesine-prednisone
      vs. vincristine-prednisone in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in
      relapse. A Pediatric Oncology Group study.
AB  - Vindesine (des-acetyl Vinblastine) is a synthetic derivative of vinblastine, and
      was produced with the hope that it would have less neurotoxicity and
      hematopoietic toxicity than other vinca alkaloids. Phase I and II studies also
      demonstrated significant activity in lymphoid malignancies, especially Acute
      Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). The present study was designed to compare
      therapeutic effectiveness of twice weekly vindesine (2 mg/M2/dose) plus
      Prednisone (60 mg/M2/dose) (Treatment 1) to weekly Vincristine (2 mg/M2/dose)
      plus Prednisone (60 mg/M2/day) (Treatment 2). All patients were less than 21
      years of age, and had documented bone marrow relapse (blast count > 25%). In 39
      patients presumed sensitive to vincristine, there were 11 complete responses out
      of 20 patients (55%) randomized to receive vindesine/prednisone and 7 complete
      responses out of 19 patients (37%) treated with Vincristine/Prednisone. In 37
      patients resistant to vincristine, there were 7 complete responses (19%).
      Vindesine was more toxic than Vincristine. Major toxicities of vindesine included
      paraesthesias, peripheral neuropathy and ileus. Vindesine hematological toxicity
      appeared greater, but such toxicity is hard to assess in patients with bone
      marrow disease. In this study, vindesine and vincristine had similar efficacy,
      but vindesine use was associated with more toxicity.

PMID- 1428732
TI  - A phase II trial of interferon alpha-2A plus fluorouracil in advanced renal cell
      carcinoma. A Hoosier Oncology Group study.
AB  - In vitro studies have documented the synergistic activity of interferon (IFN) and
      fluorouracil (5-FU) in human cancer cell lines, and recent clinical trials have
      demonstrated the efficacy of this combination in metastatic colon cancer. The
      current study was undertaken to evaluate the combination of IFN alpha-2a plus 5
      FU in previously untreated patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. From
      May 1990 through August 1990, 14 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma
      were treated with 5-FU 750 mg/m2/day continuous infusion IV days 1-5, followed by
      weekly IV infusions of 5-FU 750 mg/m2 beginning on day 12. Patients concurrently
      received IFN alpha-2a 9 x 10(6) IU subcutaneously 3 times per week beginning on
      day 1. The median age of patients treated was 57 (range 38-80) with a median
      Karnofsky performance status of 90 (range 60-100). Sites of metastases included
      lung only in 6 patients, liver only in 1 patient, 1 patient had bilateral disease
      at presentation, and the remaining patients had multiple sites of metastases. The
      median duration of therapy was 2 months. The predominant toxicities seen were
      stomatitis, nausea, flu-like symptoms and neurotoxicity. The only grade IV
      toxicity observed was severe vomiting in 1 patient, though 5 patients
      discontinued therapy within 2 months because of poor subjective response. With a
      minimum follow-up of 13 months no objective responses were seen. Thirteen of the
      14 patients have had progressive disease and 11 have died. The median time to
      progression was 2 months (range 0.5-6 months) and the median survival was 5
      months (range 2-14.5 + months).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428735
TI  - Meteorologic influences on the frequency of pulmonary embolism.
AB  - RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Reports published earlier this century suggested that
      meteorologic factors influence the incidence of pulmonary embolism. These
      observations were based on few patients and often lacked rigorous standards of
      evidence. In the current study, the authors evaluate the association between
      barometric pressure changes and pulmonary embolism using radionuclide ventilation
      perfusion (V/Q) scan data. METHODS: Daily interpretation data for V/Q lung scans
      were correlated retrospectively with daily local barometric pressure changes over
      a 7-year period. RESULTS: The incidence of pulmonary embolic disease was
      significantly related to a decrease in barometric pressure during the 3 days
      preceding clinical presentation. CONCLUSIONS: Meteorologic factors are less
      important than better-known risk factors for pulmonary embolism; however, their
      effect is demonstrable in a large data sample. This work confirms previously
      published associations between barometric pressure changes and the incidence of
      pulmonary embolism.

PMID- 1428734
TI  - Post-ligation dilatation of the fallopian tube.
AB  - RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Dilatation of fallopian tube remnants after ligation
      has been described but never systematically studied in post-ligation
      hysterosalpingograms (HSGs). This study describes the frequency and appearance of
      proximal tubal remnant dilatation as seen on HSGs in women with a history of
      bilateral tubal ligation (BTL). METHODS: A retrospective review of medical
      records and a subjective and objective evaluation of dilatation seen on HSGs
      included 68 consecutive women seen for pre-reanastomosis HSG. RESULTS: Among the
      68 women, 44 (67%) had objectively measured dilatation on one or both tubes.
      Dilatation was present in both short and long tubal remnants. There were no
      measurable differences between women with and without presence of dilatation.
      Neither length nor dilatation of tubal remnant was associated with pregnancy
      outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Dilatation of the tubal remnant after bilateral tubal
      ligation is a common finding on HSG and can be accurately identified from the HSG
      by radiologists. Dilatation is not strictly related to length, and in our small
      sample with follow-up, was not associated with pregnancy outcome.

PMID- 1428736
TI  - Image feature analysis of false-positive diagnoses produced by automated
      detection of lung nodules.
AB  - RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To reduce the number of false-negative diagnoses by
      radiologists, the authors are developing a computer-aided diagnosis scheme for
      detection of lung nodules in digital chest images. In this study, the authors
      attempted to reduce the number of false-positive diagnoses obtained with a
      previous computer scheme by incorporating additional knowledge from experienced
      chest radiologists into the computer scheme. METHODS: The authors applied their
      previous computer scheme, using less-strict criteria, to 60 clinical chest
      radiographs; this yielded 735 candidate nodules (23 true nodules and 712 false
      positive diagnoses). These candidates were analyzed using region-growing, trend
      correction, and edge-gradient techniques to determine measures by which to
      quantify image features of candidate nodules. RESULTS: The 712 false-positive
      diagnoses represented various anatomic structures that were located throughout
      the chest image. From this analysis, we were able to decrease the number of false
      positive errors from an average of 12 to approximately 5 per image without
      eliminating any true nodules. CONCLUSION: Our results show that incorporating
      knowledge from experienced chest radiologists into the computer algorithm will
      play an important role in the development of computerized schemes for the
      detection of pulmonary nodules.

PMID- 1428737
TI  - Visual increment and decrement threshold curves as a function of luminance range
      and noise in simulated computed tomographic scans.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The effect of luminance range compression on the visual threshold of
      a target in a computed tomographic (CT) scan was investigated in eight
      experiments. METHODS: Both visual increment thresholds of a hot target and visual
      decrement thresholds of a cold target were obtained. Realistic noisy CT images
      simulating a scan reconstruction and partial volume blurring were tested as
      representative of complex medical images. Negative versions, high luminance
      versions, and noise-free versions of these CT images also were tested. RESULTS
      AND CONCLUSIONS: In all the noisy images, as the luminance range of the image was
      compressed, proportionately smaller physical luminance differences between the
      target and its local background were needed to reach visual threshold. However,
      the thresholds were the same in terms of the difference in CT numbers between
      target and background. Noise in terms of CT numbers sets the threshold for a wide
      range of display conditions. In the noise-free CTs, as the luminance range was
      compressed, the luminance differences between the target and background needed to
      reach threshold also decreased, but only marginally. However, in terms of CT
      numbers, the thresholds were increased.

PMID- 1428738
TI  - Effects of vasoconstrictors on isolated rabbit coronary arteries exposed to
      isotonic iohexol. Potassium chloride-, histamine-, endothelin-, and prostaglandin
      F2 alpha-induced contractions on arteries exposed to iohexol without and with
      osmotic additions (sodium chloride or glucose).
AB  - RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: A major effect of contrast media (CM) on coronary
      vessels is vasodilatation, but occasionally, both ionic and nonionic media may
      cause coronary artery spasm. The influence of CM on the actions of vasoactive
      substances is not well known. To investigate the effects on rabbit coronary
      arteries of an iso-osmolar nonionic CM, iohexol (140 mg I/mL) the
      vasoconstrictors potassium chloride (KCl), histamine, endothelin, and
      prostaglandin-F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) were used. The effects of iohexol with 30 to
      150 mM sodium chloride (NaCl) or with 25-50 g/L glucose also were investigated.
      METHODS: Coronary artery segments were mounted between two L-shaped prongs in
      tissue baths with buffer solution. Before each investigation, buffer was
      exchanged with iohexol solution. Increasing concentrations of a vasoconstrictor
      were added, and the constriction of the vessels was recorded. RESULTS: Iohexol
      caused a comparatively small inhibition of the contractile effects of histamine
      and endothelin. This meant little reduction in maximal contraction (Emax), and
      the concentration of constrictory substance resulting in half maximal contraction
      (EC50) compared with buffer solution. Iohexol also caused a small reduction in
      Emax of KCl, but EC50 was significantly lower. Adding NaCl or glucose to iohexol
      decreased Emax and increased EC50. Iohexol inhibited most of the contractile
      effect of PGF2 alpha, but adding NaCl increased Emax slightly. CONCLUSIONS: The
      effects caused by a nonionic CM on coronary arteries cannot be attributed to
      osmolality alone. The CM influenced the effects of vasoconstrictors to differing
      degrees, but the inhibition of the CM per se was usually small.

PMID- 1428739
TI  - Gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-DTPA, a new liver-specific magnetic resonance contrast
      agent. Kinetic and enhancement patterns in normal and cholestatic rats.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-DTPA (Gd-EOB-DTPA) is a new hepatobiliary
      magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent with a dual elimination: 70% via
      the liver and bile and 30% via the kidney in normal rats. The abdominal
      enhancement patterns of this new compound and the uptake mechanism by the liver
      were studied in rats using tissue relaxometry and MRI. METHODS: Twelve normal
      rats, 33 rats treated with agents designed to inhibit biliary excretion of the
      agent, and 6 rats with surgically ligated common bile ducts received Gd-EOB-DTPA
      intravenously. Distribution and excretion were measured by MR relaxometry. MR
      signal intensity was measured over time for liver, kidney, and bowel. RESULTS: In
      normal animals, 0.1 mmol/kg Gd-EOB-DTPA induced a significantly greater (200%)
      and more prolonged liver signal enhancement (100% at 30 minutes) than Gd-DTPA at
      the same dose. Either hyperbilirubinemia, induced by common bile duct ligation,
      or bromosulfophtalein (BSP) infusion inhibited liver uptake of Gd-EOB-DTPA,
      resulting in a preferential elimination via the kidney. Taurocholate (TC), an
      inhibitor of the bile acid transporter, was unable to block the liver uptake of
      Gd-EOB-DTPA. Blood half-lives of Gd-EOB-DTPA in rats were 2.4 minutes for the
      first component and 8.2 minutes for the second. CONCLUSIONS: Data indicate that
      transport of Gd-EOB-DTPA through the liver into bile is driven by the organic
      anion transporter. The relation between enhancement of liver and kidney may be
      diagnostically useful to indirectly evaluate liver excretory function. Yet,
      persistent enhancement of liver, even in the presence of severe
      hyperbilirubinemia, should be sufficient to identify focal mass lesions.

PMID- 1428740
TI  - Fluorinated blood substitute retention in the rat measured by fluorine-19
      magnetic resonance imaging.
AB  - RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Emulsions of perfluorocarbons (PFCs) have been tested
      as blood substitutes. However, evidence exists that there is long-term retention
      of some PFCs by the organs of the reticuloendothelial system (RES). The authors
      investigate organ retention of the blood substitute component,
      perfluorotripropylamine (FTPA), using fluorine-19 (19F) magnetic resonance
      imaging (MRI). METHODS: Various dosages of an emulsion of FTPA were administered
      to five rats. At intervals up to 86 weeks after infusion, 19F MRI was used to
      measure the amount of FTPA in liver and spleen. The data were fit to both linear
      and exponential elimination models, and organ retention half-lives were
      calculated. RESULTS: The exponential half-lives for combined liver and spleen
      FTPA ranged from 110 to 190 days. Linear half-lives ranged from 175 to 300 days.
      CONCLUSIONS: FTPA retained by the liver and spleen may be quantified by 19F MRI:
      The half-lives that were measured are longer than those reported previously for
      FTPA.

PMID- 1428741
TI  - Changes in serum magnesium during excretory urography. A comparison of ionic and
      nonionic contrast media.
AB  - RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: It is known that ionic contrast media (CM) bind
      magnesium and that patients with asthma often benefit from magnesium injections.
      Similarly, asthmatics have a higher incidence of CM reactions. This work tests
      the hypothesis that ionic CM alter serum magnesium more than nonionic CM.
      METHODS: Ten patients were divided into two groups; one group received
      iothalamate and the other received iohexol. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The total
      magnesium level changed significantly from baseline in the iothalamate-treated
      group (P less than .01). Iothalamate produced a significant decrease in protein
      bound magnesium (P less than .01) with a significant increase in filterable
      magnesium (P less than .01). Iohexol did not produce significant changes for any
      of the magnesium fractions. The patient with the most clinically significant
      adverse reaction (though minor) had the lowest baseline magnesium level. Further
      studies with larger groups including patients with asthma are needed.

PMID- 1428742
TI  - Spinal instrumentation. Evolution and state of the art.

PMID- 1428743
TI  - Emergency radiology services at medical schools in the United States.
AB  - RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Little has been published on the delivery of emergency
      radiologic services in academic radiology training programs. METHODS: The author
      surveyed 127 medical schools in the United States concerning aspects of radiology
      services for their emergency rooms, including who interprets images, what
      training in emergency radiology is provided, and problems with film retrieval.
      RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Emergency department radiographs most often are
      initially interpreted by a radiology resident and subsequently reviewed by a
      faculty radiologist who does not have a major interest in or time commitment to
      emergency radiology. Most schools describe problems such as disappearance of
      emergency department films and a paucity of provided clinical information. Only
      one third of schools provide formal instruction in emergency radiology for their
      radiology residents.

PMID- 1428744
TI  - Computer-aided radiopharmaceutical design.
AB  - The ultimate goal of a QSAR analysis is prediction, which depends on the
      elaboration of the most appropriate set of molecular descriptors. As such,
      molecular description is the nucleus of QSAR and in the absence of exhaustive
      molecular description, rational drug design may be greatly impeded. As previously
      discussed, computational methods such as quantum mechanics and molecular
      mechanics provide molecular description at a fundamental level which then
      enhances the descriptive capability and predictive power of a QSAR analysis. In
      recognition of these capabilities, semi-empirical molecular orbital methods and
      molecular mechanics now have been incorporated into or interphased with QSAR
      programs. Such integrated packages are being successfully used in computer-aided
      molecular modeling. Computer-aided molecular modeling can provide the three
      dimensional structure of a molecule, its chemical and physical characteristics,
      comparisons of structures of different molecules, and visualization of complexes
      formed between them. From the foregoing, predictions may be made about how
      related new molecules may function. Thus, the combination of quantum and/or
      molecular mechanics and QSAR provides a formidable weapon in the chemist's
      armamentarium. The molecular modeling approaches are certainly more practical to
      use than physicochemical methods. They also provide electronic and thermodynamic
      data that are not available from x-ray crystallographic data. Of course, these
      techniques are not confined to radiopharmaceutical development and they also
      could aid in the development of contrast agents for radiography or magnetic
      resonance imaging. We believe that as computational resources and capabilities
      increase over the next decade, computer-aided drug design will become a standard
      procedure in all drug development laboratories.

PMID- 1428745
TI  - Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis: volumetric measurement of nasogastric aspirate to
      determine the imaging modality.

PMID- 1428746
TI  - In a heartbeat. Interview by David Reiser.

PMID- 1428748
TI  - Gun control response.

PMID- 1428747
TI  - Leading is better than following.

PMID- 1428749
TI  - Opiate addiction in Iowa.
AB  - Where do opiate addicts obtain drugs? Interviews with patients in an Iowa
      methadone clinic reveal some surprising responses with definite implications for
      physicians who prescribe.

PMID- 1428750
TI  - Hippocrates at graduation.

PMID- 1428751
TI  - Physician involvement in accounts receivable.

PMID- 1428752
TI  - Expression of cauliflower mosaic virus ORF II in a baculovirus system.
AB  - The cauliflower mosaic virus ORF II encoding the aphid transmission factor (ATF)
      was mutagenized to introduce a BamHI restriction site upstream from the
      initiation codon and then cloned into an eukaryotic viral expression vector
      (Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus). All recombinant viruses
      tested in Spodoptera frugiperda (SF21) cells expressed a protein of about 18 kD
      which comigrated in PAGE with ATF from infected plants. Western blotting using an
      oligopeptide antiserum to ATF confirmed the identity of the 18-kD protein from
      infected cells as the product of the ORF II sequences (P18). Subcellular
      fractionation of cells infected with the recombinant AcMNPV demonstrated that the
      expressed P18 accumulated intracellularly in an insoluble form. Antiserum was
      produced in rabbit against the partially purified P18 expressed in SF21 cells.
      When used to immunogold label ultrathin sections of cauliflower mosaic virus
      (CaMV)-infected turnip tissue, this antiserum was shown to be highly specific,
      labelling only the electronlucent inclusion bodies (containing P18) and not other
      plant cellular components.

PMID- 1428753
TI  - Differentiation of biologically distinct cucumber mosaic virus isolates by PAGE
      of double-stranded RNA.
AB  - Electrophoresis on 5% polyacrylamide was used to analyze dsRNAs of 26 cucumber
      mosaic virus isolates propagated in Nicotiana tabacum. There was variation
      between isolates in the migration of each of the dsRNAs 1, 2, and 3. Comparison
      of the dsRNA profiles enabled each isolate to be allocated to 1 of 7 distinct
      dsRNA profile types. Two distinct and readily distinguishable isolates were mixed
      in planta and dsRNA from these infected plants compared with in vitro mixtures of
      them. All bands from both types were present, indicating that the differences
      were real and reproducible. This method is of value as a means of classifying
      cucumber mosaic virus isolates, as it more closely reflects a range of biological
      characteristics than do other methods currently used.

PMID- 1428754
TI  - Common identity of grapevine viroids from USA and Australia revealed by PCR
      analysis.
AB  - Pairs of viroid-specific oligonucleotide primers were selected and used in
      separate reverse transcription reactions coupled with the polymerase chain
      reaction to obtain DNA products of predetermined sizes characteristic of each
      viroid. The reaction conditions allowed efficient incorporation of small amounts
      of 32P-dATP which enabled rapid detection of the products in polyacrylamide gels.
      Using this method as well as probe hybridization, the presence of grapevine
      yellow speckle viroids 1 and 2 (previously known as GV1B) in grapevine samples
      from California was demonstrated, and it was established that the Australian
      grapevine viroid occurs in California. These comparisons provide the basis for
      uniform nomenclature of grapevine viroids found in different geographical
      regions.

PMID- 1428755
TI  - Cloning and mapping of EcoRI, HindIII, and PstI fragments of bovine herpesvirus 4
      (DN-599) genome.
AB  - EcoRI, HindIII, and PstI restriction fragments representing the entire genome of
      the DN-599 isolate, the American prototype strain, of bovine herpesvirus 4 (BHV
      4) were cloned. These cloned restriction fragments were analyzed by restriction
      enzyme digestion, hybridization to Southern blots of BHV-4 (DN-599) DNA, and
      cross-hybridization of cloned fragments. The resulting data were used to
      construct restriction maps of the unique region of BHV-4 (DN-599) DNA for
      restriction enzymes EcoRI, HindIII, and PstI. The EcoRI and HindIII restriction
      maps confirm those previously deduced for the DN-599 isolate by hybridization of
      cloned fragments of a European strain of BHV-4 to Southern blots of DN-599 DNA.
      The PstI restriction map is the first reported for BHV-4.

PMID- 1428756
TI  - Emergency appendicectomy: a one year audit.
AB  - A retrospective study of emergency appendicectomy over a one-year period at
      Beaumont Hospital was carried out. The overall normal appendicectomy rate was
      22.8%, and was twice as high in women (31%) as in men (15%). Gangrenous or
      perforated appendicitis was present in 20% of cases. The overall mean assessment
      surgery interval was 16.7 hours. Considerable variation in the use of
      antimicrobial agents was noted in the study, and many haematological and
      radiological investigations performed did not appear to improve diagnostic
      accuracy. Among patients with clinical features typical of appendicitis, 16%
      proved to have a normal appendix. These results point to a number of aspects of
      the diagnosis and management of appendicitis where there appears to be room for
      future improvement.

PMID- 1428757
TI  - Public health nursing in Ireland: the general practitioners' view.
AB  - Present health policy in Ireland is directed towards a shift in emphasis from the
      provision of services on a hospital inpatient basis to a community or outpatient
      basis. This study set out to elicit views of general practitioners (GPs) in
      relation to the home visiting activities of the nursing services in the
      community. Of the thirty-five (76%) GPs whose questionnaires were included in the
      analysis, 88% were satisfied with the quality of nursing services provided by the
      public health nurse (PHN) but were dissatisfied with access to service (37%), out
      of hours service (48%) and communication with PHNs (25%). Eight GPs had contact
      with public health nurses on a weekly basis, 11 had contact monthly and 14 had
      contact three monthly or less frequently. For chronic conditions requiring
      dressings, over 70% of GPs refer to the PHN and when given a choice, 25% of GPs
      would refer these conditions to a registered general nurse (RGN). Care by an RGN
      or nurses' aide for conditions such as monitoring of vital signs, continence care
      and administration of enemas, was found acceptable by 50% of GPs. The findings
      indicate that there is need for review of the structure of the nursing services
      in the community.

PMID- 1428758
TI  - The self-perceived health needs of the rural elderly who live alone.
AB  - A randomised cross-sectional survey of Public Health Nurses (PHN) registers was
      carried out in two rural counties, Westmeath and Longford, Ireland. 200 elderly
      people living alone, consisting of 50 aged 65-74 years in each of the two
      counties and 50 aged > or = 75 years expressed their health needs in terms of
      physical, mental and social well-being. 50% lived in accommodation with
      inadequate bathroom facilities and only 38.9% were content with their current
      accommodation. 37.9% felt their finances were inadequate while 15.7% were unsure
      of their eligibility for different entitlements. 17.6% had personal experience of
      crime. 39.4% lacked a means of obtaining emergency help. The majority (61.7%)
      perceived themselves as enjoying excellent/good health. The unmet demand for
      services, other than transport, varied from 11.6% for laundry services to 0% for
      PHN visits. Transport services were judged inadequate by 51.5% of the study
      group. It is concluded that by analysing and cross-analysing in terms of
      variables used in this study, aspects of health care needs could be targetted for
      different subgroups within the elderly alone group. While not complete in
      themselves they would help in the targetting of scarce resources.

PMID- 1428759
TI  - Argyrophylic nucleolar organiser regions (AgNOR's) as a prognostic indicator in
      breast carcinoma.
AB  - Silver staining nucleolar organiser regions (AgNOR's) were determined in archival
      histological specimens of breast carcinoma. Representative samples from forty
      eight female patients were counted manually for AgNOR's--median 3.85 (range 1.1
      10.2 AgNOR's per cell). Taking the median value of 3.85 as a cutoff, the patients
      were divided into two groups: A = Those with AgNOR counts > 3.85; B = Patients
      with AgNOR counts < or = 3.85. The 5 year survival was 21% in group A and 85% in
      group B (p < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between AgNOR's and
      tumour size, lymph node status, tumour grade, menopausal status and oestrogen
      receptors. We conclude that nucleolar organiser regions may be useful as a
      prognostic indicator in breast carcinoma especially in patients in whom other
      prognostic information is unavailable.

PMID- 1428760
TI  - Skin cancer in an Irish renal transplant population.
AB  - One hundred and forty-nine renal transplant patients attending 2 centres in
      Dublin were examined. Twelve patients (8.1%) were found to have cutaneous
      malignancy while dysplastic lesions (premalignant and/or malignant) were
      identified in 34 (22.8%). The prevalence of cutaneous malignancy in this study is
      substantially greater than that of previous Irish studies. The introduction of
      cyclosporin A (CyA) as a new and more effective immunosuppressive agent in renal
      transplantation may in part explain this increase.

PMID- 1428761
TI  - Abdominal pain in pre-menopausal women.

PMID- 1428762
TI  - The skin in pregnancy--recent advances.

PMID- 1428763
TI  - Robert Kane's Gold Medal Essay of 1829.

PMID- 1428765
TI  - Perinatal mortality 1988.
AB  - This is the 10th Annual Report of Perinatal Mortality in the Republic of Ireland,
      based on figures supplied to the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists by
      the Obstetrical staff of the Units listed on page 453. Details were available for
      53,346 of the 54,815 babies born in 1988. Data is included about all infants dead
      or alive who at birth weighed 500 grams or more.

PMID- 1428766
TI  - Perinatal mortality 1989.
AB  - This report complements the 1988 figures reported earlier in this edition of the
      Journal. Data were available for 50931 of the 51659 babies born in 1989 weighing
      500 grams or more. These were supplied by the Units listed in Table I.

PMID- 1428764
TI  - Treatment of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid by laryngo-pharyngo
      oesophagectomy--a case report.
AB  - We report the case of a 34 year old man, who presented with advanced medullary
      carcinoma of the thyroid gland. His initial presentation, with dysphagia, is
      unusual in this condition. Surgery is the treatment of choice, radiotherapy and
      chemotherapy being relatively ineffective. Our patient underwent pharyngo-laryngo
      oesophagectomy which is rarely performed in these cases, as such extensive
      disease is not often amenable to surgery.

PMID- 1428767
TI  - The potential for casemix in Ireland.

PMID- 1428768
TI  - Progression from partial to generalised lipodystrophy--a case report.
AB  - Lipodystrophies are rare disorders of adipose tissue metabolism. Two forms are
      recognised--partial or generalised. Though loss of body fat is a common feature
      these have been considered mutually exclusive clinical entities making any
      unifying pathophysiological concept difficult. We report, for the first time, a
      case of partial lipodystrophy affecting the face which progressed to become
      generalised.

PMID- 1428769
TI  - Teenage girls attending a Dublin sexually transmitted disease clinic: a socio
      sexual and diagnostic profile.
AB  - Over a 12 month period, 32 teenage girls attended the sexually transmitted
      disease clinic in the Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin for the first time,
      accounting for 17.8% of all first visits. Their mean age was 18.2 years (range 15
      19 years). Twenty-four (75%) were from social class V. Five (15.6%) were abusing
      drugs. The mean age of first coitus was 16.1 years (range 13-19 years). The mean
      number of sexual partners was 1.8 (range 1-5). Four (12.5%) had been sexually
      abused in the past. Fourteen (43.8%) had never used contraception. Twenty-three
      (71.9%) were nulligravidae: 2 were diagnosed as being pregnant in the clinic.
      Twelve (37.5%) were unaware of cervical cytology screening. Of 29 having
      intercourse without condoms, none considered themselves to be at risk of
      contracting HIV from their present partner. A total of 26 diagnoses were made in
      23 patients (71.9%). The most common diagnosis was ano-genital condylomata
      acuminata (6, 18.8%); Chlamydia trachomatis was located in 2 patients and
      Neisseria gonorrhoea in one. Mild to moderate dyskaryosis was reported in 4
      cervical smears (12.5%). This data highlights the need for priority targeting of
      this high risk group.

PMID- 1428770
TI  - The lymphatic circulation.

PMID- 1428771
TI  - Paediatric renal transplantation in Ireland: 1980-1990.
AB  - Between 1980 and 1990, 862 renal transplants were performed at our unit. Forty
      six of these were given to 38 children. The mean age of the children was 8.6
      years. Reflux nephropathy accounted for 39% of the primary renal diseases,
      followed by congenital disorders (30%), and glomerulonephritis (16%). Seventy
      percent of the grafts were from cadaveric donors. The one year patient survival
      was 90%, and the one year graft survival 61%. Seven children received a second
      graft with a one year graft survival of 71%.

PMID- 1428772
TI  - "Avoidable mortality" as an index of health care outcome: results from the
      European Community Atlas of "Avoidable Death".
AB  - The history of the European Community Atlas of "Avoidable Death" is given. Data
      from the second Atlas are presented. For all causes of death except asthma there
      was a decrease in mortality in the period 1980-1984 with respect to 1974-1978.
      Taking the EC as a whole as the standard (100) population the standardised
      mortality ratio (SMR) in Ireland in the period 1980-1984 for tuberculosis was
      160, for asthma 180 and maternal mortality 58. Ireland had the highest mortality
      for tuberculosis in both time periods. Asthma mortality increased in all
      countries except Scotland between 1974-1978 and 1980-1984. Ireland had one of the
      highest declines in maternal mortality over the two time periods. Within Ireland
      tuberculosis mortality was highest in the Mid-Western Health Board and lowest in
      the North-Western Health Board. Asthma mortality was highest in the Western
      Health Board and lowest in the Mid-Western Health Board. Maternal mortality was
      highest in the Midland Health board and lowest in the Southern Health Board.

PMID- 1428773
TI  - Indomethacin and ethamsylate alone and in combination for the relief of post
      episiotomy pain.
AB  - In a bid to minimise dosage and possible side-effects when relieving post
      episiotomy pain, the NSAID Indomethacin was studied in combination with a
      systemic haemostat Ethamsylate which has been shown to selectively inhibit some
      prostaglandins. Comparative groups also took Indomethacin alone and placebo in a
      double blind non-crossover comparison. Efficacy was judged in terms of side
      effects and assessments of pain intensity, pain relief and global assessment of
      pain. There was some evidence of a beneficial interaction between Indomethacin
      and Ethamsylate when adjustments were made for the patient's age and initial pain
      score. Side-effects were most common in the combination therapy group.

PMID- 1428774
TI  - Clinical audit in intensive care--the Meath Intensive Care Audit.
AB  - Audit is now recognised as being an essential component of clinical practice. We
      report on the first year of the Meath Intensive Care Audit (MICA). This audit was
      instituted to investigate the activity of the unit, to assess the feasibility of
      continuous audit in our ICU and to provide data for future development of ICU
      facilities. Two hundred and fifty four patients were admitted between July 1st
      1990 and June 30th 1991. The mean age at admission was 58 years and the mean
      length of stay 5.2 days. The mean APACHE II score was 16. Thirty four patients
      (13.4%) died in the ICU and 17 patients died in hospital following discharge from
      the unit bringing the hospital mortality rate to 20%. The audit proved feasible
      to implement and data collection is now accepted as a routine part of our ICU
      work.

PMID- 1428775
TI  - The epidemiology of tuberculosis in a geographically defined area. Eastern Health
      Board Tuberculosis Advisory Committee.
AB  - This paper profiles the epidemiology of tuberculosis in a geographically defined
      area, the Eastern Health Board. In 1990, 191 new cases of the disease were
      notified, 15.5/100,000. One hundred and eighty five were from the indigenous
      population. Fifty four per cent were male. Nearly 50% of all cases occurring in
      females do so in those under 35 years and for males, 45% occur in those less than
      45 years. One hundred and three (54%) had pulmonary tuberculosis alone and only
      50 (26%) had a presumptive diagnosis. Although the lower social classes were
      overrepresented, cases occurred throughout all social classes and a significant
      proportion were either gainfully employed or in full time education. Data on BCG
      status was incomplete, however 28 cases were known to have had BCG at some stage
      of their life. Thirteen cases were also known to be HIV positive. The contact
      tracing process was responsible for locating 33 (17%) cases. Continuing
      surveillance both at national and local level is required in order to assist
      eradication.

PMID- 1428776
TI  - Dr. Donal Burke Memorial Lecture. The place of academic general practice in a
      medical school.

PMID- 1428777
TI  - Psychiatry, moral management and the origins of social policy for mentally ill
      people in Ireland.

PMID- 1428779
TI  - The relationship between a nutritional index and acute physiology score in
      critical illness.
AB  - Prognostic indices derived from available physiological data (SAPS), complex
      nutritional and biochemical tests (PNI), grip strength and serum albumin were
      calculated in 16 critically ill patients receiving intravenous nutrition over a
      six week period. The aim was to compare these independently derived prognostic
      indices, to assess their response to feeding, and to determine suitability for
      use in Irish intensive care units. Mean SAPS (7.6 +/- 0.92), PNI (3.1 +/- 0.29),
      serum albumin (30.3 +/- 1.03 g/l) and grip strength (17.9 +/- 1.3%) were all
      suggestive of an "at risk" group. Significant associations were found between the
      accepted SAPS index and both PNI (r = 0.6, p < 0.001, n = 35) and grip strength
      (r = -0.68, p < 0.001, n = 44) but not with serum albumin. No consistent
      improvement was seen in response to feeding in any of the derived indices. The
      close correlation between prognostic indices derived from either physiological,
      nutritional or grip strength data in this study and the failure of prognostic
      indices to improve during hyperalimentation would support a common mechanism,
      e.g. endogenous mediators, for metabolic and physiological disturbance in
      critical illness. It suggests that the role of hyperalimentation is supportive
      rather than therapeutic and re-iterates the importance of managing underlying
      disease processes. Simple grip strength may be a useful alternative to complex
      nutritional indices.

PMID- 1428778
TI  - The role of free radicals as mediators of endothelial cell injury in
      hyperhomocysteinemia.
AB  - Hyperhomocysteinemia has been suggested as a potent new risk factor for premature
      cardiovascular disease. Homocsyteine can induce endothelial cell injury but the
      mechanism is not understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role
      of free radicals as potential causes of endothelial cell injury in a case-control
      study of obligate heterozygotes for cystathionine beta-synthase deficiency.
      Firstly, free radical production as measured by neutrophil chemiluminescence in
      obligate heterozygotes for cystathionine beta-synthase deficiency was compared
      with age- and sex-matched normal subjects. Secondly, the response of the cellular
      antioxidant system was examined by measuring the enzymes superoxide dismutase and
      glutathione peroxidase, their cofactors (selenium, copper), vitamin E and vitamin
      A in heterozygotes and normal subjects. Analyses of neutrophil chemiluminescence,
      vitamin A and E, glutathione peroxidase, selenium and copper showed no difference
      between heterozygotes and controls. While superoxide dismutase activity was
      higher in heterozygotes than normal subjects, the difference did not reach
      statistical significance and the hypothesis of excess free radical production as
      a mechanism of injury was not confirmed. However, further examination of
      superoxide dismutase activity in a larger number of subjects would be of
      interest.

PMID- 1428780
TI  - Human erythrocyte contains a factor that stimulates the peptidase activities of
      multicatalytic proteinase complex.
AB  - A novel biological factor that stimulates the peptidase activities of
      multicatalytic proteinase complex (MPC) has been identified and partially
      purified from human erythrocytes. The stimulatory factor enhances trypsin-like,
      chymotrypsin-like and peptidyl-glutamyl peptide hydrolyzing activity of MPC in a
      dose related manner. At saturating concentration of the stimulatory factor, MPC
      increases the activity to a different extent (10 to 56 fold) depending on the
      substrate used to assay the enzyme. The stimulatory factor does not hydrolyze
      neither amino-blocked peptides which are used to assay MPC nor typical substrates
      for amino and diamino-peptidases. The stimulatory factor is characterized by a
      high molecular mass (300 kDa) and an extreme instability since it loses the
      activity at 46 degrees C in 10 min and at 4 degrees C within a week. The
      stimulatory activity is inactivated by incubation in acidic or alkaline media,
      and by treatment with protease V8, but it is relatively resistant to the action
      of trypsin. It has been suggested that the novel stimulatory factor herein
      described is a protein or a protein complex which may modulate the function and
      the activity of MPC by association-dissociation interaction.

PMID- 1428781
TI  - Linoleic acid metabolism in brain cortex of aged rats.
AB  - The linoleic acid metabolism was examined in the brain cortex of 4 month-old and
      24 month-old rats. After the injection of [1-14C]-linoleate into the lateral
      ventricle of the brain the animals were sacrificed at 1,3 and 6 hours from the
      injection. The linoleate (18:2) incorporation into lipids, the presence of fatty
      acid peroxidation products, as well as the 18:2 transformation into elongated and
      desaturated derivatives were determined. Both an age-related reduction in
      linoleate incorporation rate into glycerophospholipids and a decrease in fatty
      acid turnover were found. Furthermore, in glycerophospholipids from 24 month-old
      rat brain cortex a higher level of hydroperoxide derivative of linoleate was
      found as compared to 4 month-old animals, and this damaged fatty acid is
      eliminated more slowly in aged rats than in adults. Finally, unlike 4 month-old
      animals, a stimulation of the transformation rate of linoleate into desaturation
      (6,9,12-C18:3) and elongation (8,11,14,C20:3) products was found in 24 month-old
      rat brain cortex. On the contrary, as far as arachidonic acid (one of the most
      important end products of the mechanism of linoleate modification) is concerned,
      the differences between aged and control animals were small, making it quite
      difficult to attribute a physiological meaning to this phenomenon.

PMID- 1428782
TI  - The neuropsychological consequences of HIV infection in drug addicts.
AB  - The occurrence of neuropsychological impairment in asymptomatic, HIV-positive
      individuals is controversial. In the present study we compared the performance of
      three groups of chronic intravenous drug abusers (HIV negative, asymptomatic HIV
      positive, AIDS) on a battery of neuropsychological tests. While the AIDS group
      was significantly impaired, no difference was found between HIV negative and HIV
      positive asymptomatic subjects on any measure. This finding is in agreement with
      the results of studies of homosexual and bisexual subjects, indicating that the
      presence of HIV infection in the asymptomatic stage does not carry an added risk
      of cognitive impairment in drug addicts.

PMID- 1428783
TI  - Prevention of ischemic stroke: the role of carotid endarterectomy in symptomatic
      patients.
AB  - Carotid endarterectomy (CE) has recently been proved to be beneficial in
      symptomatic patients with severe (70-99%) appropriate carotid stenosis. After
      discussing the historical evolution of CE as a possible preventive treatment of
      ischemic stroke, we review the results of North American and European trials in
      order to give practical information for the management of cerebrovascular
      patients.

PMID- 1428784
TI  - Comparison of two medications in central nervous system toxoplasmosis in patients
      with AIDS.
AB  - We retrospectively examined 39 patients with AIDS and central nervous system
      toxoplasmosis in order to determine the efficacy and safety of two combinations:
      pyrimethamine-sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine-clindamycin. The results showed a
      response rate of 79% for the sulfadiazine association and a high failure rate in
      the clindamycin group. Side effects with sulfadiazine were slightly more
      frequent, but with desensitization protocols discontinuation was kept down. The
      combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine, associated, when necessary, with
      desensitization schedules, was confirmed to be first choice therapy for cerebral
      toxoplasmosis in AIDS patients. The role of alternative regimens needs further
      evaluation.

PMID- 1428785
TI  - Acute axonal idiopathic polyneuropathy: a Guillain-Barre syndrome variant?
AB  - We report 7 cases of acute polyneuropathy fitting the NINDS diagnostic criteria
      for GBS. Electrophysiological study and sural nerve biopsy revealed a picture of
      axonal polyneuropathy, without changes suggesting demyelination. We discuss
      whether the acute idiopathic axonal neuropathy belongs to the GBS spectrum or
      represents a separate clinico-pathological entity.

PMID- 1428786
TI  - The cerebrospinal fluid in the diagnosis of tuberculous meningoencephalitis:
      review of the literature.
AB  - We review the literature on the biochemical, cytological and immunological
      changes in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in tuberculous meningoencephalitis,
      emphasizing the inconsistency and low specificity of the CSF findings described
      in classic accounts of this disease. We consider separately the possible causes
      of yellow or bloody fluid. The development of accurate techniques of analysis
      does not diminish the importance of the clinical findings and history in the
      early diagnosis of this disease.

PMID- 1428787
TI  - Gliomatosis cerebri. Report of a case with isolated amnesic disorders.
AB  - We describe the case of a female patient with behavioral and memory disorders. A
      neuropsychological evaluation confirmed the absence of mental deterioration and
      the presence of the psychometric features of the amnesic syndrome. The clinical
      diagnosis was supported by MRI and histological examination.

PMID- 1428788
TI  - Clinical and neuroradiological findings in a case of pure word deafness.
AB  - Pure Word Deafness is a clinical syndrome included among the aphasias and is
      marked by complete deafness of sudden onset with conserved ability to understand
      and read the written word and with no speech disorders. We report the case of 61
      year old man in whom pure word deafness developed after two episodes of acute
      cerebral ischemia in quick succession. Neuroimaging procedures, that is: computed
      tomography scan, single photon emission computed tomography and magnetic
      resonance imaging, revealed the presence of two ischemic lesions in the temporal
      cortex bilaterally. Neurophysiological investigations (electroencephalogram,
      brainstem auditory evoked potentials and stapedial reflex) were also studied. We
      discuss the outcome of all these investigations in the light of the relevant
      published work.

PMID- 1428789
TI  - MRI demonstration of the cerebellar damage in diffuse hypoxic-ischemic
      encephalopathy. Case report.
AB  - MRI demonstrated symmetric putaminal and cerebellar changes in a patient who
      survived a cardiorespiratory arrest due to acute idiopathic polyneuritis. Since
      similar aspects can be observed following cyanide or methanol poisoning
      differential diagnosis from these conditions has to rely on the combination of
      clinical and imaging findings.

PMID- 1428790
TI  - Paroxysmal dystonia due to a lesion of the cervical cord: case report.
AB  - A 48 year old woman complained of mild weakness and paresthesias of the left
      limbs, followed 15 days later by episodes of paroxysmal dystonia of the left
      limbs occurring several times daily over 10 day period. Magnetic resonance
      imaging (MRI) of head and neck revealed a small area of altered signal in the T2
      weighted sequences in the left posterolateral quadrant of the cord at the second
      cervical vertebra. An MRI scan 18 months later showed no lesion. This is the
      second case of paroxysmal dystonia with a single MRI lesion in the cervical
      region on record.

PMID- 1428791
TI  - Wallenberg syndrome and trigeminal herpes simplex.

PMID- 1428792
TI  - Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of recurrent glioblastomas (GBM).
AB  - We wondered whether second line chemotherapy in recurrent GBM patients might be
      useful for debulking the tumor mass and improving patient performance status to
      prepare the way for second surgical intervention. We have treated 18 recurrent
      glioma patients with high dose methotrexate (HDMTX) plus 5-fluorouracil (5FU). 5
      Patients were responders, 6 had stable disease, and 7 disease progression. 5
      patients, 3 PRs and 2 SDs, underwent a second operation after two chemotherapy
      cycles. Disease progression resumed at 11.5 +/- 7 weeks in the non reoperated
      patients, and at 32.6 +/- 9.3 weeks in the reoperated group from initiation of
      neoadjuvant treatment. Survival time in reoperated patients was 82.6 weeks.
      Although our experience with this policy is still limited, we believe that
      reoperation in selected recurrent GBM patients can be worthwhile.

PMID- 1428793
TI  - Autonomic nervous system function in myotonic dystrophy.
AB  - Symptoms suggestive of dysautonomia are often reported in Myotonic Dystrophy (MD)
      patients. 12 patients with MD underwent cardiovascular function testing with
      assay of plasma noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (A) in supine rest condition
      and after orthostatic and cold stimulus. Statistical analysis showed no
      differences between MD patients and an age and sex matched control group.

PMID- 1428794
TI  - Transient topographical amnesia.
AB  - A woman experienced three isolated episodes of loss of topographical memory,
      without overt etiology. A rare form of selective non verbal transient amnesia,
      similar to the more common transient global amnesia, is postulated.

PMID- 1428795
TI  - The primary antiphospholipid syndrome: case report.
AB  - Lupus anticoagulant antibodies and anticardiolipin antibodies are acquired
      circulating immunoglobulins that interact with phospholipids. These factors may
      exert anticoagulant properties in vitro and so interfere with coagulation tests
      that use phospholipids. These antibodies are not, however, associated with a
      hemorrhagic diathesis. Indeed, despite their name and their in vitro
      anticoagulant properties, they have been associated right from the earliest
      reports with systemic and cerebral thromboembolic episodes. We report the
      clinical and instrumental findings in a patient with ischemic stroke and
      anticoagulant antibodies in the serum.

PMID- 1428796
TI  - Cerebral ischemia and livedo reticularis in a patient with impairment of
      coagulation factor VII and free protein S.
AB  - The association of ischemic cerebrovascular lesions with livedo reticularis is
      known as Sneddon syndrome. It affects young subjects, primarily women, and its
      neurological manifestations are TIAs, ischemic stroke, progressive dementia and
      epileptic seizures. Its etiopathogenesis has still to be clarified. Some authors
      have associated it with an antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. Recently it has
      been assumed that a defect in blood coagulation may be involved in its
      pathogenesis. Here we report a case in which both an increase in coagulation
      factor VII activity and a deficiency in free protein S were documented.

PMID- 1428797
TI  - Chronic spastic atrophic hemiparesis with benign course.
AB  - We present the clinical and neuroimaging data of 4 patients (mean age: 62 years,
      range 54-67; mean follow-up: 19.5 years, range: 26 months-29 years) with chronic
      spastic atrophic hemiparesis (CSAH). Neuroimaging findings were non specific, CT
      scan and MRI showing white matter lesions located within the centrum semiovale in
      two cases, parieto-occipital lobe and pons in one case each. This study
      underlines that patients with CSAH may have a good long-term prognosis. MRI
      studies may demonstrate associated lesions within the white matter or brainstem
      and are advisable in all subjects with CSAH, but further studies are necessary to
      clarify the nature of the observed lesions.

PMID- 1428798
TI  - Metachromatic leukodystrophy: on an atypical case.
AB  - We describe an atypical case of juvenile metachromatic leukodystrophy. Motor
      conduction velocity was still within the normal range 3 years after clinical
      onset, in contrast to what is commonly found in this disease. Another unusual
      feature is the normal level of CSF protein. These data are discussed in the light
      of the sural nerve biopsy findings, which revealed only slight impairment.

PMID- 1428799
TI  - Veralipride-induced tardive dystonia in a patient with bipolar psychosis.
AB  - Veralipride is a benzamide derivative effective in the treatment of menopausal
      syndrome. Despite its antidopaminergic action, extrapyramidal side effects seem
      to be very uncommon. We observed a patient with bipolar psychosis, who developed
      segmental dystonia after taking the drug. The disorder slowly receded in 14
      months, but reappeared during neuroleptic therapy a few months later. To the best
      of our knowledge, this is the first case of veralipride-induced tardive dystonia,
      and the affective disorder might have predisposed our patient to the development
      of this tardive side effect.

PMID- 1428800
TI  - Occupational health in Israel: research and prevention approaches for the 1990s.

PMID- 1428801
TI  - Review of a decade of activity in occupational safety and health in Israel.

PMID- 1428802
TI  - Occupational health planning in Israel: a U.S. perspective.
AB  - In order to indicate priorities for possible occupational health care planning
      activities, we evaluated occupational health risks, health services, and
      occupational research and training in Israel from the perspective of occupational
      medicine in the United States. We used available public information as well as
      data collected in a previous regional assessment of occupational health in the
      Negev. We estimated that each year 35% of the workforce in Israel may be exposed
      to high levels of noise, 4-11% to workplace toxins, and 7% to work injuries, all
      hazards warranting attention by health planners. Reviewing occupational health
      services we found that programmatic deficiencies limit the effective use of
      existing resources. We also evaluated the potential benefits of strengthened
      expert review in setting funding priorities for research and training in
      occupational safety and health in Israel.

PMID- 1428803
TI  - Occupational and environmental exposures and nonspecific lung disease--a review
      of selected studies.
AB  - Selected studies show that nonspecific lung diseases are a major occupational and
      environmental health hazard. Exposure to mineral dusts (such as cement and brown
      coal) and organic dusts (cotton, hemp and flour) as well as manganese and gaseous
      irritants causes significant upper respiratory tract injury. Possible additive
      effects of mixed exposures, combined exposure to dusts and gaseous irritants of
      the upper respiratory tract, individual susceptibility, and mechanisms of
      nonspecific respiratory effects of exposures are considered. Interpretation of
      the results is difficult due to uncontrolled confounding. Measures for preventing
      lung impairments include exposure reduction and preemployment examination of
      workers.

PMID- 1428804
TI  - Primary prevention of occupational lung disease: a view from the United States.
AB  - Occupational lung diseases are an important source of preventable morbidity and
      mortality in the United States. A significant proportion of lung cancer,
      mesothelioma, asbestosis and the other pneumoconioses, asthma, and chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease, is caused by well-established occupational agents,
      especially among selected subgroups of the general population. Primary prevention
      of this set of diseases requires identification and control of workplace hazards.
      In the United States, data from inspections undertaken by the Occupational Safety
      and Health Agency, and from periodic surveys conducted by the National Institute
      for Occupational Safety and Health, show that respiratory toxins are commonly
      found in the workplace. Workplace-based education, surveillance and exposure
      reduction and elimination are essential components of a strategy to prevent
      occupational lung disorders.

PMID- 1428805
TI  - Occupational cancer in Israel: an overview.
AB  - Occupational cancer is a result of exposure to carcinogens in the workplace. The
      critical interaction during the initiation stage of the carcinogenesis process
      occurs between the ultimate form of a carcinogen and the DNA, resulting in the
      formation of a DNA adduct or several types of gross structural alterations.
      Several methods have been developed by which carcinogens can be detected. These
      methods can be utilized for ambient monitoring of exposure and health
      surveillance. "Molecular epidemiology" is the combination of epidemiologic and
      laboratory studies, i.e., monitoring exposure by measuring the DNA adduct. Early
      detection of occupational cancer is difficult, due largely to the latent period
      which can be up to 20 years or more. For this reason it is important to develop
      and improve techniques for early detection of premalignant changes. Israel has
      numerous workers who are exposed to carcinogens, but has no special legislation
      concerning the use of carcinogenic substances in the workplace. However, an
      interministerial committee has published, and is continuing to work on, exposure
      and safety regulations. Medical surveillance and prevention as well as
      legislation are necessary to reduce morbidity and mortality from occupational
      cancer.

PMID- 1428806
TI  - Sentinel markers for industrial disasters.
AB  - Workers, managers, and occupational health and safety inspectors can be trained
      to detect or recognize and promote action to correct sentinel markers for
      industrial disasters. A sentinel marker is defined as a pre-disaster warning sign
      of impending failure in prevention. Administrative sentinel markers are: a weak
      occupational health and safety program; lack of spontaneous access to top
      management; failure to accept responsibility for subcontractors; the absence of
      written disaster plans and drills for emergency response in the factory and the
      adjacent community; noninvestigation of prodromal leaks, exposures, spills or
      injuries; punishment of "troublesome" individuals reporting such prodromal
      events; nonuse or misuse of data on illness, injury and absenteeism; and
      suboptimal work conditions and supervision of shift workers. Information sentinel
      markers include absence of worker and community right-to-know programs, nonuse of
      data on earlier mishaps from similar technologies, and failure to provide
      toxicologic data to hospitals in the pre-disaster phase. Technological sentinel
      markers are: absence of fail-safe controls, interlocks and automated alarm
      systems driven by real-time monitoring. Transportation sentinel markers include
      suboptimal vehicle standards, and drink, drugs and fatigue in drivers. Preventive
      programs based on identification of all sentinel markers by workers are suggested
      to be more effective than selective action based on risk assessment analysis.

PMID- 1428807
TI  - Regional differences in cancer incidence and mortality in Israel: possible leads
      to occupational causes.
AB  - Occupational causes of cancer are difficult to establish because of the long
      latency period and difficulty in identifying occupational linkages. This study
      provides a regional analysis of cancer incidence and mortality as a method of
      identifying localizing factors in cancer that can be followed by more specific
      epidemiologic investigation. In this study we analyze the regional standardized
      mortality ratios (SMRs) for site-specific cancers, by age, sex and continent of
      birth for the years 1983-86, for the Jewish population of Israel. Elevated total
      malignant and benign neoplasm SMRs were found in Acre (SMR 109, P < 0.05), Haifa
      (104, P < 0.05) and Tel Aviv (107, P < 0.001). The only other statistically
      significantly elevated SMRs were found in Acre for lung cancer (133, P < 0.05)
      and leukemia (171, P < 0.05). Age and sex-standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) by
      regions are also presented for the years 1980-81 for the Jewish population. Haifa
      had elevated SIRs for colorectal cancer (126, P < 0.001), breast cancer (118, P <
      0.01) and lymphomas (126, P < 0.05). Elevated lung cancer SIRs were found in both
      Acre (145, P < 0.05) and Ramla (143, P < 0.05). Male to female incidence ratios
      (MFIRs) for ages 30+ for the Israeli Jewish population are also presented.
      Elevated bladder cancer MFIRs were found in the heavily industrialized Haifa
      region (7.69 vs. 4.62 P < 0.05). For Ramla residents, bladder and
      oronasopharyngeal cancer MFIRs were approximately three times the national
      average (not statistically significant). Ramla also had elevated MFIRs for lung
      cancer (14.9 vs. 3.4 nationally, P < 0.01), as did Acre (7.6 vs. 3.4 nationally,
      P = 0.06). These elevated MFIRs are suggestive of occupational exposure from the
      cement and asbestos factories in the Ramla and Acre regions. Regional analyses of
      cancer mortality and cancer incidence (using SMRs, SIRs and MFIRs) can serve as a
      basic tool for identifying sentinel markers of excess rates. Our findings
      indicate regions where we should undertake case-referent studies in order to
      identify potential risk factors and where to target possible preventive programs.

PMID- 1428808
TI  - Mesothelioma mortality among former asbestos-cement workers in Israel, 1953-90.
AB  - Asbestos workers have long been recognized as a high risk group for the
      development of mesothelioma and other cancers. In this study we collated from a
      variety of sources 26 mesothelioma deaths that occurred between 1978 and 1990
      among a cohort of some 4,441 former workers from an asbestos-cement plant in
      northern Israel. Since the expected number of deaths for this number of Israeli
      males in this age-group over this period is 0.12 cases, the risk of this disease
      was more than 223 times the national rate, age and sex adjusted [standardized
      mortality ratio (SMR) = 22,351, P < 0.001]. The mean years of exposure of persons
      who died from mesothelioma was 16.2 (SE 2.5). The mean latency period for
      mesothelioma cases from onset of exposure to death was 25.6 years (SE 1.3).
      Additional follow-up systems are needed to ensure complete reporting of asbestos
      related diseases, including epidemiologic follow-up of asbestos-exposed workers
      after cessation of their work, with regular analysis of death and cancer registry
      data for high risk groups. Asbestos-related cancer is an important element in
      cancer epidemiology that requires further development in Israel. Studies of
      former workers, their families and of persons who worked or attended school
      adjacent to the asbestos-cement factory, as well as follow-up of other former
      worker groups exposed to asbestos are recommended.

PMID- 1428809
TI  - A follow-up study in a lead smelter community following the introduction of an
      effective pollution control system.
AB  - A follow-up study using biological and environmental monitoring was performed in
      a lead smelter community to assess the health risk of inhabitants and to
      establish how long it takes after the introduction of an effective emission
      control system to declare a lead-contaminated area safe for normal living. In
      specific population groups (mothers and children) biological indicators of lead
      exposure and lead effect on hemoglobin synthesis were determined 2 years before
      and 11 consecutive years after the installation of bag filters. At the same time
      lead was monitored in the airborne and deposited particulates, in household dust
      and in soil. The results clearly show that the process of normalization is rather
      slow. The difference in blood lead and erythrocyte delta-aminolevulinic acid
      dehydratase between the exposed and control groups, even 12 years after bag
      filters installation, was still remarkable. It appears that soil, contaminated
      with lead from past exposure, is a major source of increased lead absorption in a
      population for many years.

PMID- 1428810
TI  - Responses of occupational physicians and laboratory staff to reports of high
      blood lead levels.
AB  - We evaluated the responses of physicians specializing in occupational health and
      of laboratory personnel engaged in occupational lead monitoring when periodic
      blood lead analysis results exceeded the Biological Exposure Index (BEI).
      Legally, Israeli workers must be removed from the site of occupational lead
      exposure after a repeat test shows "value above BEI" (VABEI). The maximum legal
      period between a report of VABEI and the repeat test is 14 days. Physicians have
      the discretion to remove workers after the first VABEI test if deemed necessary.
      In 1987-88, 242 of 3,776 analyses had a VABEI, 167 of which were periodic tests.
      The average laboratory response time between receipt of the sample and VABEI
      reports to occupational physicians was 13 days (SE = 0.4). Medical records of 100
      workers who had 134 tests with a VABEI were available. In 35 (26.1%) of these
      events the physicians recommended removing the workers from the exposure source,
      in 55 (41.0%) events the physicians required repeat tests, and in 44 (32.9%) they
      neither recommended removal nor repeated the tests. The minimum time lapse
      between the first and repeat test was 20 days. The second test yielded 24 VABEI.
      Physicians recommended removing workers from the source only in 13 (54.2%) of
      these cases. This study suggests that the system must be improved in order to
      ensure the proper response to VABEI results.

PMID- 1428812
TI  - Lead poisoning: II. Biological standards for occupational lead exposure--where do
      we stand now?
AB  - Lead poisoning is an occupational and environmental disease of great public
      health concern. During the past two decades major efforts have been made in many
      countries to minimize exposure to lead both in the occupational and general
      environment. Blood lead concentrations at which adverse effects can be detected
      have become progressively lower. Despite legislation concerning medical
      surveillance of lead-exposed workers and improvement in environmental control
      measures that took place during the 1980s, review of recent surveillance data
      indicates that excessive lead absorption among workers is still a problem in
      Israel. An approach is suggested for the reporting of surveillance data that will
      provide safety managers with the information necessary for introducing effective
      environmental control measures.

PMID- 1428811
TI  - Lead poisoning: I. Some clinical and toxicological observations on the effects of
      occupational lead exposure among firearms instructors.
AB  - Lead poisoning continues to be a common occupational disease in many countries.
      During the past two decades, poisoning presenting with overt clinical symptoms
      has become less frequent because of improvement in control of exposure, and
      attention has been focused on subtle biochemical and "subclinical" manifestations
      of lead toxicity. Firearms instructors constitute an occupational group at risk
      for excessive exposure to lead from the firing of arms in shooting galleries.
      This paper summarizes clinical and toxicological observations among lead-exposed
      firearms instructors and illustrates the wide spectrum of clinical and laboratory
      abnormalities that may occur in this occupational group. As clinical research has
      advanced, significant biochemical and clinical aberrations have been detected at
      progressively lower blood lead levels both among occupationally exposed adults
      and among children who are exposed to lead in the general environment. The latter
      is of great public health concern and has spurred efforts worldwide to reduce
      human exposure to lead to an absolute minimum.

PMID- 1428813
TI  - Medical findings in nickel-cadmium battery workers.
AB  - Thirty-eight workers from a factory producing nickel-cadmium and other types of
      batteries came to us for medical evaluation. They included 21 women and 17 men
      (seniority 2-20 years, age range 31-63 years), and represented a self-selected
      subset of 700-900 ever-employed and 200+ recently or currently employed workers
      in the factory. Thirty-four worked on the nickel-cadmium assembly line. Symptoms
      and signs included: headache in 34; weakness, fatigue and lassitude in 26;
      dizziness in 16; pruritus and skin eruptions in 37; gingivitis, teeth loss and
      caries in 34; nasal congestion, nosebleeds and anosmia in 30; cough, phlegm
      production, wheezing and shortness of breath in 26; "asthma" in 14; bone pain in
      18; urinary frequency, beta 2 microglobulinuria and kidney stones in 17; and
      sterility or multiple abortions (33) in 8 of 21 women. One additional patient had
      died from an "amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-like syndrome", while CT scans in six
      workers revealed brain atrophy. One other worker had leukemia, and two had died
      from cancer (lung and pancreas). Those who had worked for more than 10 years had
      more symptoms and signs than shorter-term employees, especially neurological
      illness, bone pain and urinary tract problems, including beta 2
      microglobulinuria. Past blood and urinary cadmium levels were in the range of 1.6
      8.7 micrograms/dl and 8-306 micrograms/l, respectively. Our findings indicated
      that: a) health risks for workers were not confined to the nickel-cadmium
      assembly line or to older workers, b) hazardous exposures still existed and
      illness appeared in new workers after a clean-up and intervention program, and c)
      exposures involved increased risks for renal disease and cancers. Finally, there
      is a need to control exposures and determine health risks in the full cohort of
      those ever employed, in the workers' children, and in the surrounding environment
      (air, ground, water) due to the dumping of waste from the plant.

PMID- 1428814
TI  - Residual neurobehavioral impairment in a water technician exposed to hydrazine
      containing mixtures.
AB  - Residual neurobehavioral impairment in concentration, comprehension, memory, task
      performance and mood status persisted in a water technician with respiratory and
      dermal exposures to hydrazine-containing mixtures prior to treatment with
      steroids for concurrent thrombocytopenia. The findings call attention to the
      possibility that residual neurobehavioral impairment may be an effect of exposure
      to hydrazine mixtures.

PMID- 1428815
TI  - Cytogenetic changes in ethylene oxide-exposed workers: a challenge to
      occupational medicine.
AB  - Ethylene oxide is a colorless gas that can cause neoplastic disease (leukemia,
      stomach cancer) in animals and humans. Its mutagenic potential is expressed by
      chromosome aberrations and sister chromatid exchange, as has been shown in
      numerous studies of groups exposed to ethylene oxide. The results of our pilot
      study on the effects of exposure to high levels of ethylene oxide show chromosome
      breakage in exposed individuals at twice the frequency of the normal population.
      Although these are preliminary findings, they justify urgent, specific protection
      from further exposure.

PMID- 1428816
TI  - Early detection of changes in kidney function in workers exposed to solvents and
      heavy metals.
AB  - Increases in urine concentration of specific proteins have been proposed as early
      indicators of deleterious changes in kidney function. Four urinary proteins
      (albumin, superoxide dismutase, transferrin and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase)
      were measured in workers exposed to heavy metals and solvents. None of the
      workers had clinical evidence of renal disease or hypertension. Workers exposed
      to mercury had a significant increase in urinary transferring, superoxide
      dismutase levels were slightly increased in workers exposed to solvents and lead,
      follow-up of these workers is needed to confirm that these changes predict late
      clinical deterioration of kidney functions.

PMID- 1428817
TI  - Predicting increases in skin temperature using heat stress indices and relative
      humidity in helicopter pilots.
AB  - We used measurements of heat stress in the cockpit of Bell 206 and 212
      helicopters manned by a crew of two to predict changes in the skin temperatures
      of 50 pilots over a 1-h ground standby period. Cockpit wet bulb globe
      temperatures increased from 28.1 +/- 5.6 degrees C to 32.9 +/- 3.9 degrees C over
      the 1-h ground standby period. Skin temperatures increased from 34.7 +/- 1.1 to
      35.4 +/- 1.1 degrees C, while heart rate increased from 79.4 +/- 9.6 to 82.6 +/-
      9.8 bpm. Cockpit wet bulb temperatures explained 26.9% of the variance of the
      increase in skin temperature (P = 0.0002). Wet bulb globe temperatures,
      discomfort index and dry bulb temperatures did not improve the predictive value
      of wet bulb temperatures alone. Relative humidity was not significantly
      associated with the increase in skin temperature. We conclude that wet bulb
      temperatures predict changes in skin temperature as well as other heat stress
      indices. Furthermore, despite high cockpit temperatures, pilots experienced only
      minimal strain during the 1-h ground standby period. Extrapolation of our results
      to the effects on body temperature of higher degrees of heat stress and physical
      activity is unwarranted and deserves further study.

PMID- 1428818
TI  - Motion sickness-like syndrome among tank simulator drivers.
AB  - A military tank driving simulator has recently been introduced as a training aid
      for tank drivers in the Israel Defense Forces. Reports of nausea and vomiting
      among the first users of the simulator launched our investigation of the possible
      existence of a motion sickness-like syndrome among simulator drivers. Although
      the 59 subjects drove the simulator without any report of vomiting, other motion
      sickness-like symptoms were frequently reported. A comparison of symptoms
      reported after simulator and real tank driving show that dizziness, nausea,
      disorientation and hypersalivation were more frequently reported by simulator
      drivers and were of greater intensity. However, sweating and drowsiness were more
      prevalent among real tank drivers. The objective effect of driving the simulator
      was evaluated by instability and performance tests that were conducted before,
      during and after driving the simulator. A greater decrement in test results was
      observed among subjects reporting higher frequency of motion sickness-like
      symptoms.

PMID- 1428819
TI  - Prevalence of low back pain in employees of a pharmaceutical company.
AB  - The association of low back pain (LBP) with mechanical factors at the workplace
      is uncertain. Most of the studies on this subject did not examine multiple levels
      of symptoms and did not take into account both the type of work and the primary
      activity during work. We studied the annual prevalence, severity and duration of
      attacks of LBP recorded on a physician-administered questionnaire in 208 workers
      in a pharmaceutical factory. Symptoms were then cross-tabulated with job type,
      location, work requirements, gender, and years at the factory. LBP was reported
      by 138 (66.3%) of the workers. Although over 75% of jobs in the packing
      department, laboratories and offices required prolonged sitting, LBP was most
      prevalent among workers in the packing department, where the chairs were found to
      be ergonomically unfit (odds ratio 3.7, 95% confidence interval 1.5-9.1, P =
      0.003). Logistic regression demonstrated a highly significant and independent
      association between LBP and work in the packing or production department (odds
      ratio 2.03), sitting or lifting (odds ratio 1.97) and 6 years seniority (odds
      ratio 1.64). Gender was not a significant variable. We conclude that among these
      pharmaceutical company employees, prolonged sitting and work in the packing or
      production departments were independently associated with LBP. Prospective
      studies are warranted to substantiate our findings.

PMID- 1428820
TI  - Contrast sensitivity and the near point of accommodation after work with a visual
      display unit.
AB  - After several hours of work with a visual display unit (VDU), operators become
      myopic for a short time. Such transient myopia may be evaluated by measuring
      contrast sensitivity to a modulated grating pattern. The aim of the present study
      was to determine whether there are any accumulative myopic effects after 1 day of
      VDU work. We examined grating contrast sensitivity in a group of 13 full-time
      workers and in 13 office employees who used VDUs only sporadically. The results,
      which were compared with the near point of accommodation, clearly illustrated
      that there is no decrease in contrast sensitivity. In the VDU group the decrease
      in the near point of accommodation was uniformly distributed between zero and 1.0
      diopter, whereas among the non-VDU workers 77% of the decrease was between zero
      and 0.25 diopter. We conclude that the myopic changes in the refractive status of
      operators after VDU work are not evident in a decrease in contrast sensitivity.
      However, in VDU workers the dynamic range of accommodation was smaller,
      suggesting that the visual fatigue and visual stress that developed at work
      hindered visual activities after work.

PMID- 1428821
TI  - Training in oculomotor tracking: occupational health aspects.
AB  - Smooth pursuit and optokinetic nystagmus were repeatedly examined in nine
      patients who sustained hemilateral brain injury. The follow-up period extended
      over several months of the in-hospital rehabilitation phase. Five of the patients
      were trained for 3-10 weeks to improve tracking responses using a biofeedback
      technique; the remaining four patients were not trained and served as a control
      group. In all patients in the first group gain responses improved and the
      recovery time constant increased at a rate higher than that in the untrained
      group. We suggest that our training procedure can be extended to other types of
      patients with impaired smooth pursuit tracking and may also benefit workers in
      need of good tracking performance.

PMID- 1428822
TI  - Noise exposure, noise annoyance and their relation to psychological distress,
      accident and sickness absence among blue-collar workers--the Cordis Study.
AB  - This study examined the impact of chronic industrial noise exposure on
      psychological distress symptoms, accident involvement and sickness absence among
      male and female workers. It also examined whether workers expressing high noise
      annoyance were more adversely affected by it. Subjects were blue-collar workers,
      1,680 males and 688 females, who participated in the Cordis Study. Noise exposure
      levels were: low [< 75 dB(A)], moderate [75-84 dB(A)], and high [> or = 85
      dB(A)]. For males, noise exposure level affected job dissatisfaction and post
      work irritability, while for females it also intensified somatic complaints,
      anxiety and depression. All the distress symptoms were higher for females.
      Further analysis showed that the significant increase of symptoms with noise
      exposure level was only for workers reporting high annoyance. Higher noise
      exposure levels were associated with increased accidents and sickness absence for
      both sexes. Noise-annoyed males had a significantly higher percentage of
      accidents when exposed to moderate noise levels and a marked increase in sick
      leave at high noise levels. Finally, the nonauditory effects studied here were
      already prevalent at moderate noise exposure levels, especially among noise
      annoyed workers. This indicates the importance of reducing even moderately high
      levels of industrial noise not usually considered harmful to hearing.

PMID- 1428823
TI  - Sleep-wake cycle in shift workers on a "clockwise" and "counter-clockwise"
      rotation system.
AB  - The present study investigated the effects of a 5-day rotating work schedule in
      the advance, or "counter-clockwise", vs. delay, or "clockwise" direction, on
      subjective and objective measures of sleep-wake cycles. Twenty-two workers (mean
      age 27.5 +/- 4.6 years) were studied in the counter-clockwise direction, and 11
      workers (mean age 29.83 +/- 5.93) were studied in the clockwise direction. Each
      worker was studied for a complete rotation cycle (20 days). Sleep-wake cycles
      were measured by wrist-worn actigraphs in 1-min bins. The clockwise direction was
      associated with significantly earlier sleep times during the night shift, and
      with a better synchronization of workers' sleep-wake cycles during night and
      evening shifts. The present results provide support to the claim that rotating
      shiftworkers can better adapt to clockwise than counter-clockwise rotations.

PMID- 1428824
TI  - Absence from work among smokers and nonsmokers in Israeli industries--the Cordis
      Study.
AB  - While the negative economic effects of cigarette smoking are frequently examined
      in terms of the costs of health services and potential years of life lost, data
      on the indirect costs due to absence from work in Israel are scarce. During 1985
      87, cigarette smoking habits and absence due to illness and accidents were
      examined in 5,826 employees (4,177 men and 1,649 women) in Israeli industry,
      screened in the framework of the Cordis Study. The absenteeism data related to
      the period 1986-87. Among men, smokers were absent an average of 2.6 days per
      employee more than nonsmokers (P < 0.001) over the 2-year period after adjusting
      for age and occupational category. Among women there was no significant
      difference in sickness absenteeism between smokers and nonsmokers. The excess
      days lost among male smokers was only partly explained by increased absence due
      to respiratory illness. Accident rates did not differ by smoking habits. There is
      a significant increase in absence due to illness among men employed in Israeli
      industry, which may be attributed to cigarette smoking. Since cigarette smoking
      continues to be a common practice, the overall costs to the economy may be
      considerable.

PMID- 1428825
TI  - Sickness absence in 21 industrial plants in Israel (1986-87)--the Cordis Study.
AB  - A population of 6,016 men and women working in 21 factories in Israel was
      screened for cardiovascular risk factors in the course of the Cordis Study.
      Sickness absence was analyzed to obtain overall indices and distributions by
      disease groups. Factors such as sex, age, and type of occupation were introduced.
      Most indices were higher for women than for men, for older workers than for
      younger, and for blue-collar than for white-collar jobs. Loss of scheduled
      workdays was estimated at 5%; at this rate, loss of revenue for the manufacturing
      industries (excepting diamonds) may amount to as much as half a billion dollars.

PMID- 1428826
TI  - A pilot occupational health service for small enterprises: first year experience-
      the Givat Shaul project.
AB  - An experimental Occupational Health and Safety Center was established as a pilot
      project for Israel in the Givat Shaul industrial area of Jerusalem. The center
      provides occupational health services to those working in its vicinity and is
      particularly oriented to employees of small enterprises (i.e., fewer than 20
      employees). In addition to the routine occupational health services supplied by
      each occupational health clinic in Israel, the Center's staff also performs
      safety and hygiene inspections at workplaces, and provides social care services
      for the working population of the area. This paper summarizes the first year of
      the project's activities, particularly those of the clinical staff and the safety
      technician. Projected future activities are also outlined. The effectiveness of
      this project is currently under study and will be finally evaluated by an
      independent Hebrew University research team. If their evaluation shows the
      project to have been successful, establishment of similar centers in other parts
      of the country will be considered.

PMID- 1428827
TI  - Findings in pre-employment examinations.
AB  - Results of comprehensive pre-employment examinations of about 8,600 persons were
      analyzed. The most frequent findings are those related to the more prevalent risk
      factors and morbidity (of adults) in industrialized countries. Of special
      interest were the associations found between low level of education (or
      socioeconomic status), exposure to various occupational hazards, and poor life
      style habits. These findings attest to the need for providing preventive follow
      up (intervention) services to complement any large-scale screening program. Such
      services could be developed, relatively simply, based on existing occupational
      medicine units. The advantages and pitfalls of utilizing multiphasic screening
      technology in general and in occupational health settings are discussed.

PMID- 1428828
TI  - Realizing the potential of social work in occupational health.
AB  - Potential problems in occupational health that are suitable for social work
      intervention are illustrated by data obtained in a study of textile industry
      workers. Significant differences were observed between groups of workers (newly
      hired, veteran, and currently unemployed) on self-rated health, frequency of
      health problems that interfere in role function, smoking, and frequency of
      alcohol consumption. In addition, health behaviors varied by sex, age,
      educational achievement and ethnic origin among newly hired workers. These
      results indicate the need to identify target groups of workers when designing and
      implementing health prevention/health promotion programs. A model of social work
      practice in occupational health is presented based on different types of health
      behavior (preventive health behavior, illness behavior, sick role behavior and
      rehabilitation) and intervention modes in social work practice (individual
      treatment, group work, family therapy and policy and program planning).

PMID- 1428829
TI  - Exposure of workers to toxic substances and physical hazards: the law in theory
      and practice.
AB  - Israel has an enviable legal framework to protect the worker from exposure to
      dangerous substances at the workplace: a duty of the employer to inform the
      worker of exposure to dangerous substances; a duty of the employer and the
      occupational doctor to report exposure, disease and death to the factory
      inspectorate; and a comprehensive network of occupational doctors in place to
      find early symptoms of exposure in order to prevent disease. Unfortunately this
      framework has not been effective enough. In some instances--the Isabest factory
      in Naharia and the Tadiran factory in Ekron--the system has failed miserably.

PMID- 1428830
TI  - [Nature is dead, long live nature!].

PMID- 1428831
TI  - Casey and the resuscitation of Roe v. Wade.

PMID- 1428832
TI  - The summer of our discontent.

PMID- 1428834
TI  - A pregnant fellow.

PMID- 1428833
TI  - A pregnant fellow.

PMID- 1428835
TI  - Parenthood and frozen embryos. More than property and privacy.

PMID- 1428836
TI  - Body, self, and the property paradigm.

PMID- 1428838
TI  - From a craft to an industry.

PMID- 1428837
TI  - Do the right thing: Minnesota's HealthRight Program.

PMID- 1428839
TI  - Transplantation through a glass darkly.

PMID- 1428840
TI  - Leaving the field.

PMID- 1428841
TI  - Genetics and the moral mission of health insurance.
AB  - Deciding whether genetic differences among individuals are morally relevant to
      health insurance requires us to ask, What kind of good is health care? and, What
      principles should govern its distribution? There are good reasons to doubt that
      "actuarial fairness" is an adequate description of genuine fairness in health
      insurance.

PMID- 1428842
TI  - Oregon's disability. Principles or politics?

PMID- 1428843
TI  - Oregon's denial. Disabilities and quality of life.

PMID- 1428844
TI  - Letting her go.

PMID- 1428845
TI  - Twenty years after. The legacy of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. When evil
      intrudes.

PMID- 1428846
TI  - Twenty years after. The legacy of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. Outside the
      community.

PMID- 1428847
TI  - Twenty years after. The legacy of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. The dangers of
      difference.

PMID- 1428849
TI  - The investment of a lifetime.

PMID- 1428848
TI  - The Tuskegee legacy. AIDS and the black community.

PMID- 1428850
TI  - A right to exit?

PMID- 1428851
TI  - Unilateral decisions.

PMID- 1428852
TI  - Vain wisdom all, and false philosophy.

PMID- 1428853
TI  - Insurance for the insurers. The use of genetic tests.
AB  - Genetic testing raises concerns that individuals will be denied health insurance
      (and thus, effectively, access to health care), or that employers will screen to
      eliminate potentially costly workers. Although we as a society do not yet concur
      on the degree to which private businesses have a responsibility to promote social
      justice, several different policy alternatives might allow us to weigh the
      interests of insurers, as businesses, against the interests of citizens in a
      responsible manner.

PMID- 1428854
TI  - Acral lentiginous melanoma: case studies from Kauai.
AB  - Cutaneous malignant is generally regarded as a skin cancer of Caucasians.
      However, one subtype, acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM), has an equal distribution
      among all ethnic groups and is the variant most common in non-Caucasians. In its
      early stage it is difficult to recognize and, unless diagnosed early, has a very
      poor prognosis. Herein, we present 3 cases of ALM seen on Kauai in 1990.

PMID- 1428855
TI  - Race, ethnicity and birth-weight: Hawaii 1983 to 1986.
AB  - A study of racial/ethnic-specific mean infant birth-weights reported on 1968 to
      1972 live birth-weight certificates for Oahu, Hawaii is reviewed here. The 1983
      to 1986 data confirm those earlier results: (a) The Hawaiian group is
      significantly heavier in mean birth-weights than other cohorts during the preterm
      period (33 to 36 weeks gestational age); (b) statistically significant
      differences also were present in mean birth-weights for the term and post-term
      periods (37 to 45 weeks gestational age); and (c) the ranking of cohorts from
      heaviest to lightest in mean birth-weights is Caucasian, Hawaiian, Japanese and
      Filipino respectively. The data raises 2 questions: (1) Which birth-weight
      standards are most applicable for Asian and Pacific Islanders; and (2) what are
      the implications of the race/ethnic-specific mean birth-weight differences
      relative to mortality, morbidity and developmental outcome?

PMID- 1428856
TI  - Physician-hospital networking: avoiding a shotgun wedding.
AB  - The erosion of the traditional market is forcing hospitals and physicians to
      reevaluate their historical relationships. One method for addressing the
      potential conflicts created by current pressures is the formation of physician
      hospital networks. These entities are formed and function on the basis of mutual
      interests and responsiveness to change.

PMID- 1428857
TI  - Organization of marketing in U.S. hospitals: an empirical investigation.
AB  - In this article the results of an empirical investigation of the marketing
      function in U.S. hospitals are reported. The relationship between hospital
      marketing orientation and hospital performance is examined. Results of the study
      indicate that substantial evidence exists to conclude that marketing is effective
      in the health care industry. Marketing failures in hospitals seem to be related
      to inappropriate marketing organization and inadequate top management support.

PMID- 1428858
TI  - Demand/capacity management in health care: an application of yield management.
AB  - Although the concepts of yield management have been applied successfully to many
      services such as hotels and airlines, the concepts have not expanded much
      further. Some segments of health care appear to be logical candidates to apply
      and benefit from the concepts, and this article addresses that application by
      examining the implementation of yield management in a health care facility. Not
      only is the implementation described, but the issues surrounding that
      implementation are discussed.

PMID- 1428859
TI  - Healthcare reform.

PMID- 1428860
TI  - Quality of health care and financial performance: is there a link?
AB  - The relation between operating margin and quality of care is investigated by
      using survey and financial data for 82 small and medium-sized hospitals. A
      positive relation between the variables is found, and implications of that
      relationship are discussed.

PMID- 1428861
TI  - Strategies for small community hospitals operating in the shadow of a medical
      center.
AB  - Small community hospitals compete with medical centers. This article presents
      select descriptive information and strategy considerations that are based on
      experiences within an 82-hospital system.

PMID- 1428862
TI  - Denials of staff privileges face increased antitrust scrutiny.
AB  - Recent court decisions and statements by federal antitrust officials indicate
      that hospitals may face increasing scrutiny of their staff privileges decisions.
      In view of these developments, hospitals must be prepared to defend their
      decisions from antitrust challenges and should structure their actions to satisfy
      the remaining defenses to antitrust claims.

PMID- 1428863
TI  - New directions for hospital strategic management: the market for efficient care.
AB  - An analysis of current trends in the health care industry points to buyers
      seeking high quality, yet efficient, care as an emerging market segment. To
      target this market segment, hospitals must be prepared to market the efficient
      physicians. In the coming years, hospitals that can identify and market their
      best practicing providers will achieve a competitive advantage.

PMID- 1428864
TI  - Viewpoint: managerial imperatives.
AB  - The development of an institutional culture cannot be left to chance. One must
      articulate the desirable managerial variables that will establish the mores of
      and for the institution. When these are known and become the basis for the
      actions and activities of those who are part of the institution, the operational
      results will be satisfactory and desirable.

PMID- 1428865
TI  - HCMR interview: Pat N. Groner. Interview by Montague Brown.
AB  - Pat N. Groner, President Emeritus, Baptist Health Care, Pensacola, Florida, is a
      man of ideas and action. Pat has ably led his hospital, was founder of the
      Hospital Research and Development Institute and Voluntary Hospitals of America,
      and is now a leader in higher education. Whenever and wherever Pat sees an
      opportunity to improve things, he jumps in with a hundred ideas, most of them
      real winners. He engages others and fights for constructive change. For all who
      seek models for the full life well lived, look at Pat Groner.

PMID- 1428866
TI  - [Morphology of spermatozoa and prognosis of fertility].

PMID- 1428867
TI  - [Oral nickel provocation and a nickel-free diet. Indications and practical
      implementation].
AB  - In spite of some unsolved questions, an influence of orally ingested nickel on
      some forms of chronic eczema is generally accepted. In cases of chronic relapsing
      dermatitis with typical location, positive nickel patch test and positive oral
      nickel challenge, a nickel-restricted diet may be recommended for a limited
      period of time. Regional nutritional habits should be considered in the design of
      diets. Indications, practice and evaluation criteria for oral nickel challenge
      and nickel-reduced diets are described.

PMID- 1428868
TI  - [The effect of neuropeptides on wound healing in vitro and in vivo].
AB  - Neuropeptides constitute the largest family of extracellular messengers and have
      a long phylogenetic history. They and their receptors have been detected in
      normal human skin and related epithelial tissues. They act as neurotransmitters,
      hormones and paracrine factors. In skin they are involved in innervation,
      secretory gland function, growth control, and the regulation of blood flow. They
      are of remarkable interest in normal and disturbed wound healing, on three major
      levels: regulation of blood flow, modulation of inflammation, and trophism. Both
      neuropeptides and their antagonists are of potential interest as therapeutic
      agents. Their basic activities include immunomodulation, inhibition of
      inflammation, histamine release and stimulation of blood flow.

PMID- 1428869
TI  - [Polymorphous photodermatitis. Morphology and temporal course].
AB  - From 1985 to 1990 we saw 318 patients with polymorphous light eruption (PLE).
      Papular (47.4%) and papular-vesicular (27.2%) skin lesions were predominant. A
      monomorphous picture was seen in 31%. The first lesions appeared within a median
      period of 19 h after sun exposure, and in 38% of cases within 5 h. In most
      patients (78.7%) the skin eruptions faded within 1 week of appearance (median 4
      days). There seems to be a correlation between the course of light exposure and
      the resulting clinical morphology. Terminological and methodical problems in the
      classification of PLE are discussed.

PMID- 1428870
TI  - [Practical use of the TDF factor in radiotherapy of basalioma and squamous cell
      carcinoma].
AB  - For X-ray therapy, the relation between single doses, number of fractions and
      duration of therapy have been combined in the TDF (time, dose, fraction) factor
      by Orton and Ellis. This factor seems to be well suited to evaluation of the X
      ray therapy of basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin. A
      simplified TDF formula is presented, together with some methods of calculation.
      Furthermore, tables are presented containing TDF values for frequently applied
      single doses and for two to five fractions per week. In addition, some hints are
      given on the use of the decay factor of Orton and Ellis to compensate for the
      loss of X-ray effectiveness if therapy has been interrupted.

PMID- 1428871
TI  - [Cytologic aspects of the differential diagnosis of basalioma].
AB  - Basal cell carcinoma is a common cancer of the skin with characteristic
      histological features. A total of 200 skin lesions suggestive of basal cell
      carcinoma were compared by cytology and histology correlated, 2 cases were false
      negative, and 4 cases false-positive. In 6 cases the material was non-diagnostic.
      The characteristic cytologic feature of basal cell carcinoma allowed
      differentiation from other tumors of the skin. If the technique and preparation
      are adequate, cytology is highly diagnostic for basal cell carcinomas.

PMID- 1428872
TI  - [Considerations of the pathogenesis of parakeratosis variegata based on
      morphologic and molecular genetic findings].
AB  - We report on a 63-year-old woman who had been suffering from generalized
      parakeratosis variegata since she was 7 years old. Increased tightness of the
      skin was the only clinical symptom. On the whole integument except for the face,
      we found a fine network of hyper- and depigmentation and telangiectasias. The
      skin surface was dry and atrophic with fine lamellar scaling. Histological,
      immunohistological and ultrastructural findings indicated early infiltration by a
      cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. However, PCR analysis of the T-cell receptor gamma
      chain genes revealed multiple amplification products favouring a polyclonal T
      cell proliferation. In light of the clinical history over a period of 56 years,
      we consider parakeratosis variegata to be a benign, chronic inflammatory
      condition, as is confirmed by the results of PCR analysis in this patient.

PMID- 1428873
TI  - [Detection of the Kobner phenomenon of the skeleton of patients with psoriasis].
AB  - Psoriasis is a humorally controlled systemic disease. The degree of "eruptive
      strength" of manifestation results from hereditary factors (disposition) and
      environmental factors (provocation). We were able to demonstrate that the well
      known Kobner phenomenon of the skin also occurs on the skeleton of patients
      suffering from psoriasis. We analysed 83 patients in whom bone scans were carried
      out. Our results indicate that provocation factors such as bacterial foci and/or
      trauma correlate with a significantly higher number of pathological scintigraphic
      findings, ranging up to "hot spots". Furthermore, not only did bone fractures
      remained scintigraphically positive for an unusually long time, traumas of the
      end phalanx could be demonstrated in 70% of psoriatic patients compared with 21%
      of a control group. Obviously, one factor alone or a combination of factors
      triggers the involvement of the skeleton as a "deep Kobner phenomenon". In
      psoriatic patients the response of bone metabolism to disturbance differs from
      that of non-psoriatic patients in that there is a long-lasting dysregulation.
      This explains the high correlation between skin and skeletal manifestation in
      psoriatics. Therefore the manifestation of psoriatic disease is due not to a
      single-stranded linear causal interrelation but to a multicausal "network
      pathogenesis". Bone scintigraphy is the diagnostic method of choice in patients
      with psoriatic osteoarthropathy and allows an objective evaluation of therapeutic
      success.

PMID- 1428874
TI  - [Chronic urticaria in enterobiasis vermicularis (oxyuriasis)].
AB  - We report on a patient with chronic urticaria associated with enterobiasis
      vermicularis (oxyuriasis). The current distribution of Enterobius vermicularis
      and its importance concerning chronic urticaria of endogenous origin is evaluated
      and discussed.

PMID- 1428875
TI  - [Cutaneous angiosarcoma after telecobalt irradiation].
AB  - Cutaneous angiosarcomas are rare neoplasms. They occur most frequently on areas
      of skin exposed to sunlight in the elderly, or in long-standing lymphoedema
      (Stewart-Treves syndrome). Radiation is an important aetiological factor. With
      only 1 exception, the 34 published cases of cutaneous angiosarcoma on the trunk
      were caused by irradiation of internal tumours, occurring between 4 and 50 years
      after the irradiation treatment. The prognosis quoad vitam is poor. The tumours
      should be removed surgically. When they are inoperable, irradiation is an
      alternative therapeutic option. The aim of this paper is to show the histological
      differential diagnosis of cutaneous angiosarcomas and to demonstrate problems
      with the treatment.

PMID- 1428876
TI  - [Painful cutis marmorata teleangiectatica congenita].
AB  - A 39-year-old woman with cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita (CMTC) on the
      back presented with a 5-year history of pain in the involved area which initially
      occurred only on touch and cold exposure but was ultimately virtually constant.
      Histological examination of a skin biopsy specimen revealed an increased number
      of nerve fibres. The phlebectatic subcutaneous veins were demonstrable by NIR
      (near infrared) venoscopy.

PMID- 1428877
TI  - [Skin and occupation: dermatologic and occupational medicine aspects. Report of
      the Skin and Occupation Congress: dermatologic and occupational medicine aspects
      of the Erlangen Dermatologic University Clinic and the Study Group of
      Occupational Dermatology 2 to 4 April 1992 in Erlangen].

PMID- 1428878
TI  - [Therapy of lymphocytic infiltration].

PMID- 1428879
TI  - [Concomitant manifestation of neurodermatitis and psoriasis].

PMID- 1428880
TI  - [Graft versus host disease].

PMID- 1428881
TI  - Historical perspective: a forward look, a backward look.
AB  - This paper summarizes how the problems of fallout, genetics, radioactive waste,
      and regulatory control of radiation were perceived by Dunning, Straub, Taylor,
      and others in 1955 at the inaugural meeting of the Health Physics Society. It was
      stated that health physicists had a great opportunity to resolve these problems
      and to avoid past mistakes. Throughout the 1950s, health physicists made major
      contributions to elucidating the fallout problem and contributed to its
      resolution, and it can be considered a success story. Waste disposal is not
      considered to be a success to date. A major difference has been the lack of
      political will to grapple with a perceived "no win" situation. The evolution of
      radiation limits is briefly traced over the past 37 y from voluntary standards to
      rigorously enforced regulations demanded by society. This paper speculates that
      the changing international scene makes the United States the pre-eminent nuclear
      power which will challenge future health physicists to maintain a balance between
      the control of radioactive material and its peaceful applications.

PMID- 1428882
TI  - Assessment of potential doses at the Maralinga and Emu test sites.
AB  - An assessment has been undertaken of potential doses to future aboriginal
      inhabitants of the Maralinga and Emu areas of South Australia, where nuclear
      weapons tests in the 1950s and 1960s have resulted in residual radioactive
      contamination. Radioactive material due to this program of tests and other
      experiments is still detectable several tens of kilometers from some of the test
      sites. Continued occupancy by individuals following an Aboriginal lifestyle could
      give rise to annual effective dose equivalents of several mSv within contours
      enclosing areas of several hundred square kilometers. The most significant dose
      pathways are calculated to be the inhalation of resuspended activity and
      ingestion of soil by infants. An analysis of the effects of uncertainties in the
      dose calculation has indicated the uncertainty distribution on predicted doses
      from the inhalation pathway.

PMID- 1428883
TI  - Inhalation doses for aboriginal people reoccupying former nuclear weapons testing
      ranges in South Australia.
AB  - The Australian Government plans to rehabilitate the former nuclear weapons
      testing ranges at Maralinga and Emu in South Australia and to allow access to the
      areas for the Pitjantjatjara (Aboriginal) people who are the traditional owners
      of the land. The major radiological hazard posed by reoccupation of the ranges
      arises from inhalation of residual plutonium. The committed effective dose that
      these people might receive from inhalation on reoccupation of the lands is
      computed for a range of sites. The estimated doses for permanent occupancy range
      up to 300 mSv y-1 indicating the need for substantial rehabilitation before these
      areas are suitable for unrestricted access.

PMID- 1428885
TI  - 14C release from a Soviet-designed pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant.
AB  - The Paks Nuclear Power Plant in Hungary runs with four pressurized water
      reactors, each of 440-MWe capacity. Sampling systems have been developed and used
      to determine the 14C of various chemical forms (14CO2, 14CO, 14CnHm) in the
      airborne releases. The average normalized yearly discharge rates for the time
      period 1988-1991 are equal to 0.77 TBq GWe-1 y-1 for hydrocarbons and 0.05 TBq
      GWe-1 y-1 for CO2. The contribution of 14CO was less than 0.5% of the total
      emission. The 14C discharge rate is estimated to be four times higher than the
      corresponding mean data of Western European pressurized water reactors. The
      calculated effective dose equivalent to individuals living in the vicinity of the
      power plant, due to 14C release, was 0.64 microSv in 1991 while the effective
      dose equivalent due to the natural 14C level was 15 microSv y-1. The long-term
      global impact of the 14C release in the operational period of the plant (1982
      1991) was 1,270 man-Sv. The 14C excess in the environmental air has been measured
      since 1989 by taking biweekly samples at a distance of 1.7 km from the nuclear
      power plant. The long-term average of radiocarbon excess coming from the power
      plant was 2 mBq m-3. The local 14C deposition was followed by tree ring analysis,
      too. No 14C increase higher than the uncertainty of the measurement (four per
      thousand = 0.17 mBq m-3) was observed.

PMID- 1428884
TI  - Radiological implications of inhaled 239Pu and 241Am in dusts at the former
      nuclear test site in Maralinga.
AB  - The biokinetics of 239Pu and 241Am present in three dust samples obtained from
      Maralinga were investigated after their deposition in the rat lung. Results were
      used as an experimental basis for assessing the radiological implications for
      human exposure. The transfer rates of these actinides to blood in the various
      dusts differed by 50-fold. The most transportable forms were compatible with a
      material that had 25% class W and 75% class Y characteristics. The doses per unit
      intake for adults, children, and infants exposed to an aerosol of 5 microns AMAD
      were calculated to be, respectively, 0.059, 0.076, and 0.140 mSv Bq-1. The
      corresponding doses for the least transportable forms were the same as those
      calculated for a class Y compound, namely 0.036, 0.049, and 0.096 mSv Bq-1. The
      behavior of the actinides in humans was predicted by combining the transfer rates
      to blood with mechanical clearance data obtained after volunteers had inhaled
      85Sr or 88Y labeled fused aluminosilicate particles. The results suggested that
      monitoring of 241Am in the chest could be used to advantage for assessing intakes
      incurred by workers involved with any further decontamination procedures but
      would be of little practical value for assessing inadvertent public exposure. The
      paper includes comments on the relevance of the 1990 ICRP recommendations and the
      proposed new dosimetric model for the respiratory tract.

PMID- 1428886
TI  - Meteorological observations at Hiroshima on days with weather similar to that of
      the atomic bombing.
AB  - An attempt to explain discrepancies between measured neutron-induced
      radioactivities (i.e., 152Eu, 60Co) and calculated yields based on the Dosimetry
      System 1986 was made by considering moist air densities at different altitudes
      over Hiroshima, Japan. The investigation checked the validity of moist air
      density estimates used in the Dosimetry System 1986 computer codes.
      Meteorological observations were conducted to obtain atmospheric temperature and
      pressure profiles for the Hiroshima area. By coupling these observations with
      surface measurements taken on 6 August 1945 at Ebayama Park (3.6 km from the
      hypocenter), estimates of temperature, pressure, and humidity at the time of
      detonation were derived. This allowed the calculation of densities for dry air,
      moist air, and water vapor. The results proved similar to the Dosimetry System
      1986 estimates. Water vapor density calculations showed the largest difference
      (at most 7%). These results imply that the 152Eu yield contradiction in the
      Dosimetry System 1986 calculations vs. real measurements for large ground
      distances (> 900 m) is not the result of an erroneous estimate of moist air
      density in Hiroshima.

PMID- 1428887
TI  - Underground air returns as active transportation pathways for radon gas entry
      into homes.
AB  - Levels of elevated 222Rn in homes can fail to correlate with measured radium
      concentrations in soils and surrounding rocks for reasons which can include water
      sources, building materials, and unusual variations in climate or building
      construction. Several homes were identified in the Phoenix, AZ metropolitan area
      with soil radium concentrations of < 0.074 Bq g-1 (2.0 pCi g-1) which had
      elevated radon concentrations unexplained by geological sources alone. Continuous
      monitoring of eight houses under different conditions of cooling system usage
      revealed a definite role of the underground air returns as active transport
      pathways contributing to the enhancement of the indoor concentration of 222Rn in
      six of the houses. The ratio of indoor 222Rn concentrations on days when the
      cooling system was operated continuously compared to days the system was off
      ranged from essentially one up to a factor exceeding 10.

PMID- 1428888
TI  - Mitigation of elevated indoor radon gas resulting from underground air return
      usage.
AB  - Underground air returns have been found to be active transportation pathways for
      radon gas entry into homes. Several homes for which underground air returns were
      contributing to elevated indoor 222Rn concentrations were evaluated for possible
      mitigation. Two houses with such problems were successfully mitigated by
      inserting flexible ducts into the returns. In one of these houses, the initial
      mitigation attempt resulted in an exacerbation of the problem due to leakage of
      the ducting. This was solved by re-sleeving the returns using a stronger
      material. Mitigation of elevated indoor radon gas caused by use of underground
      air returns by inserting flexible ducts is not possible for all situations,
      especially those for which the returns are small, filled with debris, misaligned,
      or inaccessible.

PMID- 1428889
TI  - Characterization of radioactive petroleum piping scale with an evaluation of
      subsequent land contamination.
AB  - Scale formation in oilfield piping and equipment has been a problem for petroleum
      companies. In the past, scale waste from cleaning of piping and equipment has
      been considered nonhazardous. Naturally occurring radioactive material in the
      form of 226Ra and, to a lesser degree, 228Ra with their associated decay products
      have recently been discovered in the scale. Due to the lower abundance and short
      half-life, 228Ra is not addressed in this paper. 226Ra, an alpha emitter, is a
      potential internal hazard to workers from the inhalation and ingestion of the
      dust produced during descaling or pipe cleaning operations. Along with this, a
      higher-than-normal background gamma exposure rate is seen where the pipe cleaning
      was routinely done. An evaluation of the radiation hazards associated with a
      retired pipe cleaning field was performed. Gamma exposure rates, 226Ra
      concentration, and 226Ra leachability were examined using scale containing soil
      from the field. Radon emanation from the soil was also determined.

PMID- 1428890
TI  - The self-defining critical group and its application to a measured check of the
      derived limit for 125I in drinking water.
AB  - Using a series of daily measurements of 125I in the drinking water of North
      Surrey, England, from November 1988 through May 1990, the accumulated activities
      in the thyroids of adults drinking such water were calculated on the assumption
      that the fraction of ingested iodine taken up by the thyroid was f = 0.3 and the
      tap water consumption was C = 600 L y-1. These figures were compared with
      measured values of 125I activities in 42 thyroids taken at necropsy from
      residents in the North Surrey area who were dying during this same time period.
      Eight thyroids (19%) had measured activities greater than predicted, so they were
      named the self-defining critical group. After comparing the thyroid with the
      drinking water activity, the current generalized derived limit for 125I in the
      drinking water may be too high by a factor of 2. The reason for this appears to
      be the use of f = 0.3 which is the mean value for the "normal" population. Models
      involving critical groups should use values of parameters different from the
      mean. In the present case, making f = 0.6 would remove the discrepancy between
      measurement and prediction and would be in reasonable accord with measured
      distributions of f.

PMID- 1428891
TI  - Dosimetry study of an accidental overexposure to 192Ir gamma rays.
AB  - Localized irradiation of the skin and subcutaneous tissues with large single
      doses of gamma rays can induce delayed effects characterized by fibrosis that
      invades the irradiated tissues. The skin surface dose and the depth of
      penetration of 192Ir gamma rays, measured in phantoms and in frozen thighs of
      sacrificed pigs after acute single doses of irradiation and different skin-to
      source distances, are reported in this note. Correlations between the dosimetry
      and the evolution of the lesions are considered.

PMID- 1428892
TI  - Pleural mesothelioma in the rat following exposure to 239PuO2.
AB  - Pleural mesothelioma was an infrequent observation following deposition of
      239PuO2 in the lung or pleural cavity. Only five tumors were found in 2,105 rats
      exposed to 239PuO2 aerosols in the present study, while four tumors were found in
      527 rats that inhaled 239PuO2 in previously published lifespan studies. Risk of
      pleural mesothelioma was not significantly increased by intrapleural injection of
      30 kBq 239PuO2. In contrast, a much higher incidence of peritoneal mesothelioma
      was seen following intraperitoneal injection of 239PuO2 due to aggregation of
      239PuO2 particles on mesothelial surfaces. It was concluded that the lack of
      239PuO2 aggregation on pleural surfaces is responsible for small numbers of
      pleural mesothelioma observed following deposition of 239PuO2.

PMID- 1428893
TI  - Photoneutron fields in medical accelerator rooms with primary barriers
      constructed of concrete and metals.
AB  - This study investigates the photoneutron field found in medical accelerator rooms
      with primary barriers constructed of metal slabs plus concrete. An increased
      neutron dose equivalent was observed for barriers containing lead or steel as
      compared to barriers fabricated entirely of concrete. The effect of the beam's
      size and distance from the primary barriers on the neutron dose was evaluated and
      the portion of the neutron dose due to the metal slabs was determined.

PMID- 1428894
TI  - A thermoluminescent dosimetry intercomparison in operational power station
      fields.
AB  - A dosimetry intercomparison was held among the five agencies in Canada that are
      recognized by the Atomic Energy Control Board as competent to perform external
      dosimetry. Exposures of thermoluminescent dosimeter badges were made under
      operational conditions to radiation fields in Candu nuclear generating stations.
      Details of the method are described including the large, block-type phantoms
      (with a rotating front face so that all badges were equally exposed) and a small
      device to measure the depth-dose distribution. Thirty-six exposures (or "runs")
      were made, exposing 522 badges for periods of 1 h-2 d. Normalization between the
      runs was based on the absorbed dose at 1,000 mg cm-2 for each run, as measured by
      the depth-dose device. Using this method, the average relative readings for the
      five participants ranged from 1.01-1.40 (dimensionless).

PMID- 1428895
TI  - Miles Technicon H.2 automated hematology analyzer.
AB  - Automated hematology analyzers are used in all large hospitals and most
      commercial laboratories, as well as in most smaller hospitals and laboratories,
      to perform complete blood counts (including white blood cell, red blood cell, and
      platelet counts; hemoglobin concentration; and RBC indices) and white blood cell
      differential counts. Our objectives in this study are to provide user guidance
      for selecting, purchasing, and using an automated hematology analyzer, as well as
      to present an overview of the technology used in an automated five-part
      differential unit. Specifications for additional automated units are available in
      ECRI's Clinical Laboratory Product Comparison System. We evaluated the Miles
      Technicon H.2 unit and rated it Acceptable. The information in this Single
      Product Evaluation is also useful for purchasing other models; our criteria will
      guide users in assessing components, and our findings and discussions on some
      aspects of automated hematology testing are common to many available systems. We
      caution readers not to base purchasing decisions on our rating of the Miles unit
      alone, but on a thorough understanding of the issues surrounding automated
      hematology analyzers, which can be gained only by reading this report in its
      entirety. The willingness of manufacturers to cooperate in our studies and the
      knowledge they gain through participating lead to the development of better
      products. Readers should refer to the Guidance Section, "Selecting and Purchasing
      an Automated Hematology Analyzer," where we discuss factors such as
      standardization, training, human factors, manufacturer support, patient
      population, and special features that the laboratory must consider before
      obtaining any automated unit; we also provide an in-depth review of cost issues,
      including life-cycle cost analyses, acquisition methods and costs of hardware and
      supplies, and we describe the Hemacost and Hemexmpt cost worksheets for use with
      our PresValu and PSV Manager CAHDModel software. Readers should also review the
      Clinical and Technical Overview and the articles "Miles Technicon H.2 Reports"
      and "Developing the Evaluation Reference Method."

PMID- 1428896
TI  - Final CLIA regulations. Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments.
AB  - One clinical pathologist has noted that the broad scope of CLIA means "that every
      testing situation in the hospital, whether in or out of the laboratory, could now
      be a liability for ... hospital administration." Portions of CLIA became
      effective September 1, 1992; thus, it is important that all appropriate personnel
      are aware of the requirements of CLIA and that all ancillary testing sites are
      accounted for. CLIA will require unprecedented coordination and cooperation
      between the clinical laboratory and ancillary sites. Also, clinical laboratories
      must comply with the sometimes more stringent state regulations and requirements
      of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and
      CAP. JCAHO, for example, has regulations specific to blood glucose monitors-
      regulations that demand a high level of QC, proficiency testing, and
      documentation. In contrast, CLIA categorizes blood glucose monitoring as a waived
      test. (This classification has been widely criticized by laboratory
      organizations, which argue that an erroneous result from a blood glucose monitor
      could be deadly for the patient.

PMID- 1428898
TI  - Loose screws in TV mounts.

PMID- 1428897
TI  - Marquette MAC VU 12-lead electrocardiographs.

PMID- 1428899
TI  - Donating and selling used medical equipment. International Medical Device Group.
AB  - This position paper was issued by the International Medical Device Group (IMDG)
      in June 1992. The group includes representatives from Finland, France, Germany,
      Hungary, Italy, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. ECRI
      is the United States representative and a founding member of IMDG.

PMID- 1428900
TI  - Laser technology planning.
AB  - Lasers continue to be a highly useful and important surgical tool, and, in
      today's competitive healthcare environment, they are also an effective marketing
      tool. The public perceives lasers to be "high-tech" instruments, associating them
      with excellence of care. And the availability of state-of-the-art equipment such
      as lasers is often critical to medical staff recruitment. However, lasers are not
      universal surgical tools, as some proponents suggest. They are costly, and other
      less expensive technologies are acceptable and sometimes more desirable for
      certain procedures. Also, marketing reasons alone cannot justify laser
      acquisition. Faced with new, more restrictive federal regulations for Medicare
      reimbursement of capital expenses, hospitals need effective technology planning
      more than ever, particularly when planning for such "high-ticket" items as
      lasers. They can no longer afford to acquire lasers based on the perceptions of
      the public or the demands of one or even a few physicians; poor planning in the
      past has caused many new lasers to collect dust from low utilization. (ECRI's
      1991 user survey on general-purpose surgical lasers found that, on average,
      hospitals use lasers in less than 5% of their total surgical procedures.)
      Hospitals need to approach the acquisition of laser technology cautiously to
      ensure that the appropriate equipment is obtained, that it will be well utilized
      for procedures in which it offers a demonstrable improvement over alternative
      technologies, and that it will also conform to the overall strategic plan of the
      institution. The purpose of this article is to provide guidance on the technology
      acquisition process, whether a hospital is acquiring its first laser or has a
      well-established laser program.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428901
TI  - Laser use and safety.
AB  - This Guidance Article is an update of an article published in a special issue of
      Health Devices entitled "Lasers in Medicine--An Introduction" (13[8], June 1984).
      Although surgical lasers have a good overall safety record, they do expose
      patients, physicians, and other clinical staff to serious risks. Laser hazards
      can cause injury, disability, or even death: hospital staff have been burned by
      misdirected laser beams, technicians and maintenance personnel have received eye
      injuries while working on lasers and have been exposed to hazardous chemicals
      while changing laser dyes, and patients have died from injuries resulting from
      fires ignited by laser energy. Laser accidents most commonly result from
      misdirection of the laser beam. Direct or reflected radiation can burn skin,
      hair, or, more seriously, the cornea or retina, causing permanent damage.
      Misdirected laser energy can also cause ignition of surgical drapes, tracheal
      tubes, or the patient's hair. Also, a frequent by-product of laser-tissue
      interactions is laser plume, or smoke. Its acrid smell and particulate matter
      irritate the eyes, nose, and lungs and cause nausea; it is also a suspected
      vector for transmitting infectious materials, such as the human papilloma virus
      (HPV) associated with condyloma (a wartlike lesion) and cervical cancer. The
      risks are not limited to patients and those directly involved in using and
      maintaining lasers. Many laser procedures are performed in areas outside the
      controlled environment of the surgical suite; patients in a waiting area or even
      passersby could conceivably walk into an accessible laser treatment room, such as
      a doctor's office, and inadvertently be exposed to a direct or reflected
      beam.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428902
TI  - Xintec Optica 120 Nd:YAG surgical laser.
AB  - This update to our recent Evaluation "Surgical Lasers" (Health Devices 20[7-8],
      July-August 1991) provides information about the Xintec Optica 120 Nd:YAG
      surgical laser, which was not available at the time of our original study and
      which has several unique features. Xintec also offers a 50 W, 120 VAC version of
      this laser, the Optica 60, which we did not evaluate; the manufacturer states
      that these models share many of the same features. The criteria and test methods
      used to evaluate the Optica 120 can be found on pages 252 to 260 in the 1991
      issue. Below, we briefly describe the unit in the Characteristics section, and we
      provide an overall rating for the unit, as well as an individual rating for each
      major test, in the Significant Test Results and Ratings section. Under each of
      these tests, we report on features that are unique to this laser or that
      surpassed our criteria and would likely be considered by hospitals during the
      selection process. We also report on limitations and deficiencies that failed to
      meet our criteria, that are hazardous, or that played a significant role in our
      rating for both the test category and the unit, as well as any modifications that
      the manufacturer has made to the unit to address our concerns. Some reliability
      problems that we encountered during testing are also discussed to provide users
      with some indication of the laser's performance and service requirements;
      however, this information was not used in determining the unit's rating. Also see
      the "Laser Technology Planning" and "Laser Use and Safety" Guidance Articles in
      this issue.

PMID- 1428903
TI  - Manufacturers' support policies.
AB  - Choosing an effective plan for supporting a medical device is critical to its
      safe use, cost-effectiveness, and longevity. Hospitals can choose from a variety
      of support providers, including manufacturers, third-party service vendors, or
      hospital clinical engineering (CE) departments. However, if the hospital plans to
      use a third-party service vendor or its own CE department to provide support, the
      manufacturer's cooperation or assistance will still be needed to implement the
      support plan effectively. Over the years, ECRI has received many comments from
      hospitals about the way in which manufacturers respond to their equipment support
      needs. We have learned that some manufacturers are not willing to assist third
      party service vendors or in-house service programs or do not always deliver the
      support they promise. Also, hospitals do not always consider their support needs
      before purchase, when they have the most leverage to negotiate flexible support
      arrangements. To help foster better equipment support and customer satisfaction,
      we polled manufacturers that have participated in recent Health Devices
      Evaluations to obtain detailed information about their policies toward
      manufacturers' contract, third-party, and in-house support. Ready access to this
      information will help hospitals evaluate whether manufacturers' support policies
      will meet their needs, and it will allow them to minimize problems by working
      with the manufacturer to negotiate optimal support arrangements during the
      purchase process. In this article, we briefly discuss the factors to consider
      when evaluating support alternatives and manufacturers' support policies. We also
      present the questions posed to each manufacturer on our Manufacturers' Support
      Policies Questionnaire, along with a summary of the responses that we received
      for each question.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1428904
TI  - IV free-flow--still a cause for alarm.
AB  - A nurse's aide, in transferring a mother in labor to the delivery room, turned
      off the infusion pump delivering Pitocin, a drug administered intravenously to
      accelerate contractions. The aide removed the infusion set from the pump without
      first closing the manual clamp on the line. A free-flow infusion occurred, and
      the mother received nearly 35 times the prescribed amount of drug. The infant
      suffered organ damage and pneumonia and died four days later. Free-flow infusions
      can have tragic consequences when a potent drug is involved. Although other
      causes of overinfusion and free-flow exist, such incidents are typically
      associated with removing a disposable intravenous (IV) infusion set from an
      infusion device without first closing the manual clamp. We first raised this
      issue in our 1982 Evaluation "Infusion Controllers" and have emphatically and
      repeatedly addressed it in Health Devices and other ECRI publications. Yet,
      hospitals continue to report free-flow infusions, a problem that can be addressed
      by both hospitals and device manufacturers. In this article, we describe the
      causes of free-flow--both user error and device design; report numerous
      incidents, some resulting in death; and provide recommendations for reducing the
      likelihood that such problems will continue to occur.

PMID- 1428905
TI  - ECRINet--an overview.

PMID- 1428906
TI  - Improper sealing of Baxter Megafuge C1725-2 centrifuges.

PMID- 1428907
TI  - Bleeding around Kontron sheathed intra-aortic balloon hemostasis cuffs.

PMID- 1428908
TI  - Battery failures in a DCI EP-2 clinical stimulator.

PMID- 1428909
TI  - OR renovations and the use of isolated power and explosion-proof plugs.

PMID- 1428910
TI  - Low utilization of intra-aortic balloon pump.

PMID- 1428911
TI  - A bifunctional HBED-derivative for labeling of antibodies with 67Ga, 111In and
      59Fe. Comparative biodistribution with 111In-DPTA and 131I-labeled antibodies in
      mice bearing antibody internalizing and non-internalizing tumors.
AB  - To investigate whether bifunctional ligands containing chelating structures other
      than EDTA and DTPA and metallic radiotracers other than 111In will reduce the non
      specific radioactivity uptake in the liver during immunoscintigraphy, we
      synthetized an isothiocyanato-substituted phenolic polyaminocarboxylic acid (HBED
      CI) for labeling of MAbs with 67Ga, 111In and 59Fe. Biodistribution of HBED-CI
      labeled MAbs was compared to that of 131I and 111In-DTPA labeled MAbs in nude
      mice bearing tumors, which differ with regard to intracellular internalization
      and catabolism of the corresponding MAb-antigen complex. In the liver a
      continuous radioactivity excretion for 67Ga-HBED-CI-labeled MAbs was observed
      with kinetics that parallel 131I clearance after administration of 131I-MAbs,
      while 111In-HBED-CI-labeling led to a constant 111In liver level quite similar to
      that of 111In-DTPA-MAbs. In tumors, 67Ga-HBED-CI-MAb uptake again paralleled that
      of 131I-MAbs, showing continuous accumulation in tumor tissues when
      internalization of the MAb-antigen complex was not involved. A much lower uptake,
      which peaked between 24 and 48 h, was found in the case of MAb-antigen
      internalization. 111In of 111In-HBED-CI- and 111In-DTPA-labeled MAbs continuously
      accumulated in both types of tumors. Compared with 111In-DTPA-MAbs, an
      improvement in tumor-to-liver ratios, due to the reduced liver radioactivity
      associated with 67Ga-HBED-CI-labeled MAbs, could only be obtained with non
      internalizing tumors. The time course of radioactivity distribution in the liver
      and in MAb-internalizing tumors after administration of 67Ga-HBED-CI-, 111In-HBED
      CI- and 111In-DTPA-labeled MAbs further indicates a dominating influence of the
      metallic radiotracer rather than the ligand on retention or excretion of
      radioactivity in MAb-catabolizing tissues.

PMID- 1428912
TI  - Attachment of 99mTc to lipid vesicles containing the lipophilic chelate
      dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine-DTTA.
AB  - The binding of 99mTc to negatively-charged and neutral unilamellar lipid vesicles
      was investigated in the absence and presence of the ligand
      diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) covalently attached to the headgroup of
      phosphatidylethanolamine at the surface of the membrane. Even in the absence of
      DTPA on the membrane surface, 99mTc reduced by Sn bound to the membrane surface
      but rapidly dissociated from the vesicles in the presence of plasma in vitro.
      When DTPA was present on the membrane surface, dissociation of 99mTc from the
      vesicle surface in plasma was much reduced. The dissociation of 99mTc from the
      surface of negatively-charged vesicles was less than for neutral vesicles in the
      absence of ligand but was markedly greater than for vesicles containing the
      ligand DTPA, suggesting that the binding of 99mTc to vesicles with surface
      attached DTPA could not be explained solely on the basis of the negative charge
      provided by the DTPA. In vitro experiments using 14C-labeled lipids as well as in
      vivo imaging studies indicated that dissociation of 99mTc from the surface of the
      vesicle did not arise predominantly because of lipid exchange with plasma
      components or due to cleavage of Tc-DTPA from the vesicle surface. For vesicles
      with surface-attached DTPA, 99mTc dissociation from the vesicle surface in plasma
      was further reduced by addition of the antioxidant ascorbate.

PMID- 1428913
TI  - Evaluation of S-[11C]citalopram as a radioligand for in vivo labelling of 5
      hydroxytryptamine uptake sites.
AB  - The biologically active S-enantiomer of [N-methyl-11C]citalopram was evaluated as
      a radioligand for in vivo labelling of the 5-hydroxytryptamine uptake site in
      brain, using ex vivo tissue counting in rats and positron emission tomography in
      man. In rats, the maximal signal for total versus non-specific binding was
      approx. 2 at 60-120 min after radioligand injection. Subsequent studies in man
      failed to identify a specific signal over a 90 min scanning period, due to
      prolonged retention of non-specific label.

PMID- 1428914
TI  - Ligands and tracers for PET studies of the 5-HT system--current status.
AB  - The status of the radiochemical development and biological evaluation of
      radioligands and tracers for PET studies of the serotonergic system is reviewed,
      indicating those agents with present value and those with future potential.
      Practical recommendations are given for the preparation of two useful
      radioligands for PET studies of central 5-HT2 receptors, namely [18F]setoperone
      and [18F]altanserin. Though, it has not proved possible to recommend tracers or
      radioligands for the study of other aspects of serotonergic system, prospects for
      future radiochemical development are indicated, especially for developing
      radioligands for the 5-HT re-uptake site, and for the 5-HT1 and 5-HT3 receptors.

PMID- 1428915
TI  - (S)- and (R)-[11C]nicotine and the metabolite (R/S)-[11C]cotinine. Preparation,
      metabolite studies and in vivo distribution in the human brain using PET.
AB  - In order to investigate [11C]nicotine binding and metabolism in the living human
      brain by PET, routine protocols were developed for the preparation and
      purification of (S)- and (R)-[11C]nicotine and the metabolite (R/S)
      [11C]cotinine. (S)- and (R)-[11C]nicotine were prepared by N-methylation with
      [11C]methyl iodide of the appropriate secondary amine, which was liberated in
      situ by 2,2,6,6,-tetramethylpiperidine (TMP) from its corresponding biscamsylate
      salt. (R/S)-[11C]Cotinine was prepared by N-methylation of the amide precursor
      using tetrabutylammonium hydroxide as a phase transfer catalyst. Straight-phase
      semipreparative HPLC was in all purifications found to be superior to reversed
      phase since the contamination by the norcompounds was eliminated. Reaction in
      acetonitrile for both (S)- and (R)-[11C]nicotine (5 min, 130 degrees C) and (R/S)
      [11C]cotinine (1 min, 80 degrees C) with subsequent straight-phase HPLC
      purification resulted in 35-45% radiochemical yield (from EOB and decay
      corrected) with a total synthesis time of 30-35 min, a specific radioactivity of
      1000-1500 Ci/mmol (37-55 GBq/mumol, EOS) and a radiochemical purity > 99%. The
      uptake and distribution of these tracers in the human brain was studied in
      healthy volunteers by PET. The metabolite (R/S)-[11C]cotinine did not cross the
      blood-brain barrier to any significant degree. The amount of the total
      radioactivity representing (S)-[11C]nicotine measured in plasma by HPLC was 75%
      at 4 min and 25% at 50 min.

PMID- 1428916
TI  - Photoreactive 111In-cyclodextrin inclusion complex: a new heterobifunctional
      reagent for antibody labeling.
AB  - The compound of interest, N-5-azido-2-nitrobenzoylaminomethyl-111In-acetylacetone
      alpha-cycl odextrin (CD) (V) was synthesized by the selective tosylation of alpha
      CD to form 6-tosyl-6-deoxy-CD, which was then reacted with NaN3 to form 6-azido-6
      deoxy-CD (II). This was followed by catalytic hydrogenation to yield III.
      Compound III and 111In-acetylacetone were mixed to form an inclusion complex,
      which was then reacted with N-5-azido-2-nitrobenzoyloxysuccinimide to yield
      compound V. Anti-melanoma MAbTP41.2 was added to compound V, followed by
      immediate photoreactivation labeling by u.v. light at 320 nm. The final product
      VI was purified from a Sephadex G-50 column. 111In-DTPA-MAbTP41.2 was also
      prepared as a control. Immunoreactivity via the cell-binding assay of VI was 87%,
      compared with 57% by the BADTPA method. Biodistribution in non-tumor rats yielded
      a liver concentration in %ID/g of 3.5, 1.7 and 1.0 for compound VI, compared to
      the 5.5, 5.2 and 3.1 for the BADTPA compound, at 4, 24 and 48 h post-injection,
      respectively.

PMID- 1428917
TI  - [The entrapment syndrome of the popliteal artery: diagnosis, therapy, results].
AB  - The popliteal artery entrapment syndrome is caused by an anatomical anomaly in
      the popliteal fossa. Mostly the popliteal artery is compressed by a faulty
      insertion of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle. The main symptom is an
      intermittent claudication at an early age. We review our experience with four
      typical cases. All patients were examined because of a unilateral sudden
      claudication in the calf at ages between 23 and 43 years. In two patients we
      could find angiographically a typical stenosis, in two others a complete
      occlusion of the popliteal artery. Additionally a female patient showed a 6 x 8
      cm poststenotic aneurysm in the popliteal fossa. Therapeutically we restored the
      flow of the artery on two patients by dividing the compressing gastrocnemius
      muscle. As a late complication two years after the first operation one of these
      patients had an occlusion of popliteal artery which was bypassed by a popliteo
      crural vein graft. On two patients we primary inserted a vein graft. All patients
      were checked 6 months till 5 years after the first operation by duplex scanning,
      by measurement of pressure at the ankle and by pulse volume recording at the big
      toe. All our postoperative examinations demonstrate patency of the repairs and
      the patients have very few problems.

PMID- 1428918
TI  - [Axillo-femoral bypass: indications and results].
AB  - Axillofemoral bypass grafting is an accepted method for the treatment of vascular
      insufficiency of the lower limb. It is especially useful in high risk patients
      whose conditions preclude aortofemoral bypass grafting. The goal of our study is
      to evaluate whether the benefit of this operation outweigh the potential risks in
      the age group "sixty-plus". We performed 23 axillofemoral bypass grafting
      procedures (axillofemoral in 20, axillobifemoral in 3 cases) mainly be mean of 8
      mm Dacrom prosthesis. The 30-day operative mortality rate was 8.7% and the
      cumulative 5-year patient survival rate was 52.2%. Overall the 1- and 5-year life
      table patency rate were 80% and 64%, respectively. The cumulative limb salvage
      was 90% and 72% at 1 and 5 years. We obtained an average reduction in Fontaine
      classification of 2 stages in the first year and 1.3 stages after 5 years. The
      comparison of the cumulative survival rate with the limb salvage rate indicates
      that advanced age should not be considered a contraindication to performing an
      axillofemoral bypass graft. The reduction in Fontaine stage means a remarkable
      improvement in quality of life.

PMID- 1428919
TI  - [A new intraluminal endarterectomy instrument].
AB  - In 40 human cadaver arteries endarterectomy was performed using a new
      intravascular device. The system and technique are described. According to our
      preliminary laboratory experiences the new device proofed to be save and
      effective. It will allow us to approach more complex lesions not ideal for
      balloon angioplasty. Clinical investigations will be performed in the near
      future.

PMID- 1428920
TI  - [Anomalies of immunoglobulin synthesis in vitro in surgical patients].
AB  - It is known that blood mononuclear cells from surgical patients produce large
      amounts of IgG in vitro, and that this synthesis is not increased by pokeweed
      mitogen stimulation. The objective of the present study was to determine if this
      abnormal pattern of IgG synthesis extended to other immunoglobulin classes.
      Patients were stratified according to delayed type hypersensitivity as reactive
      (induration > 5 mm to > one skin test antigen), or anergic (no response). Healthy
      laboratory personnel were studied as controls. Mononuclear cells were cultured
      for 10 days, without or with pokeweed mitogen. IgG, IgM, and IgA in supernatant
      was measured using a competitive solid phase radioimmunoassay. Unstimulated IgG
      and IgA synthesis was increased in surgical patients, especially in those with
      reduced delayed type hypersensitivity responses. IgM synthesis was normal or low.
      With mitogen stimulation, normal increases in IgG synthesis were seen in control
      and reactive subjects. In anergic patients, IgG was not increased by pokeweed
      mitogen. For IgM, mitogen stimulation increased synthesis but to a lesser degree
      in patients than in controls. For IgA, synthesis was increased by mitogen
      stimulation in all groups. In conclusion, surgical patients show abnormalities in
      the pattern of spontaneous and mitogen stimulated immunoglobulin synthesis. The
      pattern varies for each isotype. B cell activation is present in surgical
      patients, especially those with reduced delayed type hypersensitivity. This
      suggests either recent antigenic stimulation, or non-antigen specific
      dysregulation of the B cell system in surgical patients.

PMID- 1428921
TI  - [Eosinophilic gastroenteritis: two case reports].
AB  - Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare lesion that may present a diagnostic
      problem to the surgeon. It may be confused with a malignant tumor because it
      often presents with intestinal obstruction. We treated two cases at the Hopital
      de zone de Morges. In one case the lesion was in the gastric antrum and in the
      other the ascending colon. Only 27 cases of colonic eosinophilic gastritis are
      described in the medical literature.

PMID- 1428923
TI  - [Massive hemorrhage from presacral veins during resection of the rectum].
AB  - During the last 53 abdominoperineal amputations of the rectum for carcinoma, we
      had to control 5 massive hemorrhages. 4 of which were due to a lesion of the
      presacral venous plexus and caused a mean blood-loss of 4750 ml. During a
      "normal" Mile's operation our 49 other patients lost an average of 1750 ml
      (median 1200 ml) of blood. The negative effects of this type of complication and
      the following need for massive transfusion is not only local, circulatory and
      pulmonary, but also due to the immunodepressive effects of massive transfusion.
      We describe the different methods of control of these hemorrhages and insist on
      the advantage of using sterilised metallic thumbtacks, a method which was
      described 1984 by doctor Wang Qinyao of Shanghai.

PMID- 1428922
TI  - [Meckel's diverticulum: surgical complications].
AB  - A 20-year (1971-1990) retrospective follow-up of all patients with a Meckel
      diverticulum (MD) out of the Kantonsspital and St. Claraspital Basel is reported.
      There were 57 men and 34 women with a mean age of 46.7 years (14-89). 60.4% of
      the cases were occasional findings, 39.6% were symptomatic MD. During the same
      period of time 5000 appendectomies were performed (ratio diverticulectomy to
      appendectomy was 1:50). 38.5% of the resections of MD were done when an acute
      appendicitis was supposed. In one third of the cases the MD was responsible for
      the symptomatology. Histological findings were 13% unspecific inflammation, 10%
      perforation, 9.8% ectopic tissue, 6.5% bleeding and 4.3% tumors. 8 out of 36
      patients with pathological findings showed postoperative complications (21.6%),
      the mortality rate was 8.1%. In 55% resected MD without any additional
      histological findings only one complication (postoperative ileus) (1.9%) was
      found; mortality was zero per cent. The analysis of these data shows that
      complications of MD does not only appear in young patients. Complications occur
      more often in patients with MD with additional ectopy. We recommend the resection
      of an incidentally discovered Meckel diverticulum.

PMID- 1428924
TI  - [Severe necrotizing fasciitis].
AB  - The pathophysiology of necrotizing fasciitis remains unclear in patients with no
      apparent immunologic disorders. Between 1987 and 1990 we treated six patients
      with necrotizing fascitis and septic-toxic multiple organ failure, three patients
      survived. The mean age was 38 years (25-62). In all patients the primary
      bacteriological examination revealed streptococcus. Between the first symptoms
      and an adequate therapy were 4 days in surviving patients and 7 days in patients
      who died. Four patients showed spread of the gangrene into the adjacent tissue:
      muscles (n = 3), bowel (n = 2), mediastinum (n = 1). Adequate debridement was not
      possible or not performed in patients with spread into the abdominal cavity or
      the mediastinum. These patients did not survive. The duration of intensive care
      treatment in surviving patients were 14 to 78 days. We conclude that survival of
      patients with severe necrotizing fasciitis is influenced by the delay before
      adequate treatment, the localisation of the gangrene and intensive care
      facilities.

PMID- 1428925
TI  - [Hernia of the surgical scar--predisposition or inadequate suture technique?].

PMID- 1428926
TI  - Detection of aneuploid subpopulations in colon cancer biopsies by cultivation in
      vitro prior to flow cytometric analysis.
AB  - Flow cytometry offers a relatively simple method to determine the DNA content of
      colorectal cancers. However, the technique can not discover minor changes in
      karyotype which may characterize near-diploid tumors, nor will it detect very
      small populations of aneuploid cells. In an attempt to improve the detection of
      such cells, we incubated biopsy material prior to analysis. This method revealed
      an aneuploid subpopulation in one of two biopsies studied. This simple protocol
      may ultimately lead to a more accurate assessment of the ploidy in colon cancer.

PMID- 1428927
TI  - [Callus distraction in traumatology: concepts and indications].
AB  - The understanding of the conditions under which bone and soft tissue can be
      regenerated by distraction has opened a new era in the field of limb
      reconstruction. Success in lengthening for posttraumatic limb length discrepancy
      has led to different applications of the distraction techniques. We present an
      overview of the clinical new possibilities, the strategy, the techniques and the
      complications using the distraction technique in the trauma patient. The optimal
      biologic method (limb distraction after resection or callus distraction by a
      transport technique) and the optimal fixation devices depend on the indication
      (local aspect, polytrauma, patient, motivation).

PMID- 1428928
TI  - [Definitive surgery in complicated gastroduodenal ulcers].
AB  - Indications for surgical therapy in uncomplicated peptic ulcer disease have
      decreased considerably since the introduction of H2-receptor blocking drugs and
      more recently omeprazole. On the other side, the number of acute complications
      such as perforation or hemorrhage has remained nearly constant. The recent
      literature seems to indicate that the pattern of patients presenting with
      complications has changed and that the number of acute ulcers has increased. In a
      review of 283 patients, we found 150 perforated ulcers (PU) and 133 bleeding
      ulcers (BU). Almost all the patients with PU and 70% of the patients with BU have
      been treated operatively. The mortality is 14.3% and 12.5%, respectively. The
      vast majority of our patients have chronic ulcers, and only 7% have acute or
      subacute lesions confirmed by histologic examination. Based on our experience and
      the literature, we propose a therapeutic algorythm for these two conditions.

PMID- 1428929
TI  - [Central venous access for total parenteral nutrition: choice of catheter and
      venous access].

PMID- 1428930
TI  - [Technique and organization of heart removal from the multi-organ donor].
AB  - The orthotopic heart transplantation is an accepted treatment for terminal
      cardiac disease. The technique of heart procurement and preservation is explained
      and the primary graft function in 108 subsequent heart transplantations is
      assessed. The mean ischemia time is 41 +/- 10 min in local, 98 +/- 19 min in
      distant (< 100 km) and 114 +/- 16 min in distant (> 100 km) organ procurement.
      Our method of preservation consists of cold cardioplegic arrest with potassium
      (30 mEq/L) cardioplegic solution. The incidence of the indication for high dose
      katecholamine-treatment after surgery and the maximal creatininekinase levels
      rose with ischemia time. All hearts recovered within a few days and the stay in
      the intensive care unit was not prolonged. We conclude that the heart
      preservation with cold cardioplegic arrest results in a good primary graft
      function. It is important to keep the ischemia time as short as possible.

PMID- 1428931
TI  - [Bursitis iliopectinea--a rare differential diagnosis of painful inguinal
      swelling].
AB  - The syndrome of iliopectineal bursitis is an important differential diagnosis of
      a painful swelling in the inguinal region. Symptoms are local swelling and pain,
      radiation of pain along the femoral nerve, troubles of arterial or venous
      circulation and even dysuria or dysmenorrhoea in case the bursa penetrates into
      the pelvis. The diagnosis is established by conventional radiology (signs of
      osteoarthritis as one of the pathogenetic reasons), ultrasound (liquid mass
      lateral to the femoral vessels), punction (clear fluid, eventually synovial
      cells), contrast injection (dimension of the bursa and communication to the hip
      joint) and computed tomography (dimension, relation to hip and vessels). The
      treatment is the excision of the bursa, if conservative therapy is not
      successful. The excision requires tedious, cautious dissection because of the
      important structures adjacent and a possible communication to the hip joint must
      be eradicated.

PMID- 1428932
TI  - [Experimental atrophy/hypertrophy complex of the liver after portal and/or
      biliary ligation in the rat].
AB  - Patients with lobar or segmental, benign or malignant strictures of the biliary
      tree (with or without impairment of the portal blood flow) show a considerable
      atrophy of the involved area of the liver with a compensatory
      hypertrophy/hyperplasia of the remaining non affected liver. To investigate the
      importance of the biliary and portal obstruction for the development of this
      process, we used a rat model, with selective biliary and/or portal ligation of
      the anterior liver lobes (two thirds of the liver mass). Weight measurements,
      morphometry, functional scintigraphy (Hepatoiodida-scan) and blood enzyme
      analyses were done immediately postoperatively, at 30 hours and 4, 8 and 28 days
      after the operation. The major findings were: 1. 28 days after biliary and/or
      portal ligation there was no difference between the body weight of the four
      groups, all ligated animals having compensated for an initial greater percentage
      body-weight loss. 2. Total liver weight remained constant, while atrophy and
      hypertrophy/hyperplasia occurred although a progressive derangement of liver
      morphology was observed during that time. 3. A severe atrophy-hypertrophy-complex
      (AHC) developed after selective portal ligation, which in our experiment did not
      appear after selective biliary ligation. 4. Morphometrical changes after
      selective biliary ligation were reversible, whereas in liver lobes with selective
      portal ligation a progressive parenchymal destruction and involution with
      subsequent impairment of hepatic function of the concerned lobe was observed.

PMID- 1428933
TI  - [Acute abdomen in abdominal wall hemorrhage in anticoagulation].
AB  - 10 patients with a history of systemic anticoagulation presented with an acute
      abdomen which proved to be due to a rectus sheath hematoma. Four patients gave a
      history of antecedent trauma. The prothrombin time was prolonged beyond the
      therapeutic range in 8 patients and therapeutic in two. The diagnosis of rectus
      sheath hematoma was made by non-invasive imaging (sonography [n = 8], CT-scan) in
      9 patients and by operative exploration in one. 8 patients were treated non
      operatively and one patient required a delayed evacuation of the infected
      hematoma. One patient died from myocardial infarction. We conclude that a careful
      history, physical examination and prothrombin time, in combination with
      radiologic evaluation (sonography, CT-scan) can confirm the suspected diagnosis
      of rectus sheath hematoma. It is important to think of this specific hemorrhagic
      complication induced by anticoagulation to prevent unnecessary surgery.

PMID- 1428934
TI  - [Necrosis of the terminal ileum after drug poisoning. Case report].
AB  - In an attempt to commit suicide, a 32-year-old women swallowed a vast amount of
      psychiatric drugs, i.e. tranquilizers, amphetamines, hynotic and antidepressant
      agents. By intensive care, using high doses of catecholamines and appropriate
      antidota, satisfactory circulation and oxygenation could be maintained. 3 days
      after admission a peritonitis became apparent. A 50 cm long section of the distal
      ileum was found to be completely necrotic and had to be resected. However,
      circulation of the correspondent mesenterium was not disturbed at all. A drug
      induced non-occlusive intestinal ischemia was postulated to be the
      pathophysiological mechanism of intestinal necrosis. Non-occlusive intestinal
      ischemia is rare; it has been reported in young adults intoxicated by cocaine or
      phenobarbital, in children with high overdosage of iron compounds, in elderly
      individuals suffering from low-output congestive heart disease and in patients
      treated with digitalis drugs, with or with or without overdosage.

PMID- 1428936
TI  - [E. Delorme correction of rectal prolapse].
AB  - Rectal prolapse is a distressing condition. Among the multiple corrections
      described, the perineal approach has generally been abandoned. However, Delorme's
      procedure is a good, simple and efficient intervention with a low morbidity for
      certain elderly selected patients. The purpose of this paper is to recall the
      details of this technique and review its results.

PMID- 1428935
TI  - [Gardner syndrome: possibility of early detection of carriers by examination of
      the ocular fundus?].
AB  - Through indirect ophthalmoscopic examination it was possible to analyse three
      families originated from the same Swiss alpine valley (Poschiavo) and carrying
      Gardner syndrome (SdG) to check if their members with SdG were presenting
      hypertrophic changes of the retinal epithelium which is supposed to be an early
      symptom of that syndrome. This lesion was found to be present only in two out of
      11 patients (18%) with at least one symptom of SdG. Because of its lacking
      sensitivity, ophthalmoscopic examination is not able to substitute colonoscopy as
      a valid screening method to find out which members of a SdG-family are at risk to
      develop colonic poliposis and cancer.

PMID- 1428937
TI  - [Radiation-sparing intramedullary nailing with a radiolucent drilling system].
AB  - The indications for intramedullary fixation of tibial and femoral shaft fractures
      markedly increased by the introduction of interlocking techniques. Distal
      interlocking however remains a major problem although a variety of different
      aiming devices have been proposed. To reduce the radiation exposure both of the
      surgeon and the patient the AO has produced a radiolucent drive which allows easy
      aiming and drilling with a minimum of X-ray exposure.

PMID- 1428938
TI  - [Technique of intraoperative laparoscopic cholangiography].
AB  - Since laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been established at our institution, the
      routine use of intraoperative cholangiography was abandoned but preoperative
      intravenous cholangiography and sonography are mandatory. However, these
      investigations are not always conclusive and in some cases not applicable. We
      have therefore started to use selective intraoperative laparoscopic
      cholangiography for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Our technique and the materials
      required for this peroperative investigation are described in the present
      article.

PMID- 1428939
TI  - [General aspects of kidney removal from donors with cardiovascular arrest].
AB  - The increasing list of patients waiting for an organ transplantation shows
      clearly the shortage of donor organs at disposal. This shortage is particularly
      high in the field of kidney allotransplantation. As the nephrectomy in non-heart
      beating (NHB) donor is technically practicable in most of our hospitals, the aim
      of this contribution is to pass on further informations about the nephrectomy to
      those surgeons who are interested in the procedure. The first part of the paper
      explains the different facts of the end stage renal disease in Switzerland and of
      transplantation activity. We focus then on the conditions and preparations of the
      nephrectomy in NHB donor, the exact technique of the operation and the organ
      perfusion. As it is shown by different studies, the long-term results of NHB
      donor kidneys are good. The nephrectomy in NHB donor is an effective method to
      solve kidney shortage.

PMID- 1428940
TI  - [High velocity water jet dissection in liver surgery].

PMID- 1428941
TI  - HB Al-Ain Abu Dhabi [alpha 18(A16)Gly----Asp]: a new hemoglobin variant
      discovered in an Emiratee family.
AB  - During a routine program of hemoglobin screening performed in the United Arab
      Emirates, we observed an electrophoretically fast-moving variant in a 9-month-old
      girl and in several members of her family. The structural determination,
      performed by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography and amino acid
      sequencing, revealed a new variant that we named Hb Al-Ain Abu Dhabi [alpha
      18(A16) Gly----Asp]. Its functional properties were normal.

PMID- 1428942
TI  - Rapid molecular diagnosis of hemoglobin variants by RT-PCR of reticulocyte mRNA
      and direct sequencing.
AB  - We have developed a rapid and simple approach for the molecular characterization
      of hemoglobin variants by a one-step reverse transcription-polymerase chain
      reaction of reticulocyte mRNA and direct sequencing of the product. This method
      can selectively amplify the alpha 1- or alpha 2-globin gene or the beta-globin
      gene transcript. The amino acid substitution of Hb G-Taichung is due to a G----C
      mutation at codon 74 of the alpha 1-globin gene, that of Hb J-Meinung to a G----A
      substitution at codon 56 of the beta-globin gene, and that of Hb Kaohsiung (or
      New York) to a T----A substitution at codon 113 of the beta-globin gene. The
      amplified segment encompassed the sequence from upstream of the initial codon
      behind the Cap site to downstream of the terminal codon before the
      polyadenylation addition signal. Hence, all hemoglobin variants should be able to
      be characterized by this approach.

PMID- 1428943
TI  - The -87 (C----A) beta(+)-thalassemia mutation in a black family.

PMID- 1428944
TI  - Hb H disease in association with the silent beta chain variant Hb Hamilton or
      alpha 2 beta 2(11)(A8)Val----Ile.

PMID- 1428945
TI  - A case of -(4.2)alpha T/-(4.2) alpha Q in combination with a beta zero
      thalassemia homozygosity found in a family of the Zhuang nationality in china.

PMID- 1428946
TI  - Hb Shelby [alpha 2 beta 2(131)(H9)Gln----Lys]-beta zero-thalassemia [codon 15
      (TGG----TGA)] identified by DNA sequencing.

PMID- 1428947
TI  - Association of Hb Hope [beta 136(H14)Gly----Asp] and alpha-thalassemia-2 (3.7 Kb
      deletion) causing severe microcytic anemia.

PMID- 1428948
TI  - Alpha-globin genotypes in a Spanish population.

PMID- 1428949
TI  - Hb H disease and mild mental retardation in a black girl with a Hb S
      heterozygosity.

PMID- 1428950
TI  - Hb Yuda or alpha 130(H13)Ala----Asp; a new alpha chain variant with low oxygen
      affinity.

PMID- 1428952
TI  - Estimation of changes in genetic parameters in selected lines of mice using REML
      with an animal model. 1. Lean mass.
AB  - Analysis was undertaken using Restricted Maximum Likelihood (REML) with an animal
      model of the results of selection for 20 generations for predicted lean mass in
      10-week-old male mice. There were three replicates, each comprising high, low and
      unselected control lines. The overall estimates of heritability (h2) and common
      environmental correlations (c2) from results of the first seven generations were
      0.51 +/- 0.03 and 0.21 +/- 0.01, respectively. Analyses of data from different
      lines and different numbers of generations were undertaken but with all pedigrees
      and data included, which enabled inferences to be drawn on changes in variance
      that were not due simply to inbreeding or short-term effects of selection.
      Estimates of h2 were lower in selected lines than the control, increasingly so in
      later generations, indicating departure from the infinitesimal model assumption
      of unlinked additive genes each of very small effect. In addition, values of c2
      became higher in high than in control or low selected lines.

PMID- 1428951
TI  - Hb Ethiopia or alpha 2(140)(HC2)Tyr----His beta 2.

PMID- 1428953
TI  - Estimation of changes in genetic parameters in selected lines of mice using REML
      with an animal model. 2. Body weight, body composition and litter size.
AB  - Restricted Maximum Likelihood (REML) with an animal model was used to estimate
      genetic parameters of body weight, body consumption and litter size of lines of
      mice selected for 20 generations on an index of lean mass at 10 weeks in males,
      highly correlated with body weight, and for a further 18 generations on body
      weight at 10 weeks in males and females. Univariate and multivariate estimates of
      heritability were about 0.5 and those of common environment correlations were
      about 0.25 for both body weight and composition. Body weight and fat pad weight
      had genetic and phenotypic correlations of about 0.5. The heritability estimate
      of litter size was about 0.15 from univariate analysis, rather lower from
      multivariate, and the estimate of its genetic correlation with body weight was
      about 0.25. There were reductions in heritability of both body weight and litter
      size in later generations, even though full pedigrees were fitted and inferences
      made to the base population, but a plateau in response to selection for increased
      body weight could not be explained by a complete attenuation of genetic variance.

PMID- 1428954
TI  - Genetic determinism of the cellular immune reaction in Drosophila melanogaster.
AB  - Larvae of Drosophila melanogaster produce a haemocytic reaction against eggs of
      the parasitoid Leptopilina boulardi, which leads to the formation of a
      multicellular capsule surrounding the foreign object. Melanization resulting from
      the conversion of phenol to o-quinones frequently accompanies the cellular
      reaction. Although various cytological and biochemical aspects of this reaction
      have been investigated, very little is known about genetic determinism of the
      insect immune response. The heredity of the capacity to encapsulate was analysed
      by comparing 16 reciprocal crosses made using inbred resistant and susceptible
      parental strains. We conclude that differences in the encapsulation capacity of
      D. melanogaster are inherited autosomally, with the reactive phenotype showing
      complete dominance over the non-reactive one. There were neither sex-linked nor
      maternal effects. The results of all crosses suggest a single major segregating
      locus with two alleles and complete dominance of the resistant allele, with
      cytoplasmic factors and minor modifying genes acting on the major locus.

PMID- 1428955
TI  - Genetic basis for female receptivity in Drosophila melanogaster: a diallel study.
AB  - Receptivity of sexually mature, virgin females, measured as the time to
      copulation, has been investigated. Two independent 5 x 5 diallel crosses were
      carried out, each one with a different male tester genotype. Interactions between
      male and female genotypes were detected because some lines appeared as dominant
      in one diallel and recessive in the other. The overall picture emerging from the
      analyses shows a genetic system for female receptivity characterized by additive
      genes, with dominance for high receptivity in one of the diallel crosses. This
      remarkable additive component does not support the action of natural selection
      favouring females with extreme values of receptivity, rather, the lack of
      intrasexual female competition for mates is suggested.

PMID- 1428956
TI  - Loss of a paternal chromosome causes developmental anomalies among Drosophila
      hybrids.
AB  - Hybrids between Drosophila virilis and D. lummei suffer from developmental
      anomalies. Previous reports also suggest that these hybrids lose the D. lummei
      sixth chromosome early in development. Genetic and cytological data presented
      here confirm the loss of the microchromosome from both the soma and the germ-line
      of these hybrids and provide strong evidence that this loss causes the hybrid
      developmental anomalies.

PMID- 1428957
TI  - vestigial suppressor genes and resistance to aminopterin in Drosophila
      melanogaster.
AB  - We have shown that the vestigial (vg) mutant of D. melanogaster has a perturbed
      nucleotide metabolism compared to various wild-type strains. The mutant is
      particularly spontaneously resistant to aminopterin. The resistance seems to
      correlate with an increase in dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) activity and
      quantity. The DHRF is a target enzyme of aminopterin. Our results suggest that
      the vg+ gene could be a regulatory gene acting on the DHFR gene. The wing mutant
      phenotype being due to a decrease in the thymidylate pool (dTMP) (Silber et al.,
      1989). In order to understand better the action of the mutant gene on nucleotide
      metabolism, we have induced suppressor genes of the mutant phenotype by
      mutagenesis with ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) and bromouridine (BUR). The
      suppressor strains obtained display a phenotype intermediate between wild-type
      and vg phenotype. The action of three independent suppressor genes on eight
      parameters of nucleotide metabolism is reported here [three enzyme activities,
      resistance to aminopterin and to fluorodeoxyuridine (FUdR), auxotrophy test and
      the ability to use exogenous thymidine and uridine]. In comparison to the
      original vg strain, major changes for the parameters tested are observed. The
      most striking effects are obtained with the vgBUR27 strain, which is highly
      sensitive to aminopterin and to fluorodeoxyuridine and didplas the highest
      thymidine kinase (TK) and DHFR activities within the strains tested. The
      potential actions of suppressor genes on the vg mutant are discussed.

PMID- 1428958
TI  - Therapeutic options for localized carcinoma of the prostate: the role of external
      beam radiation therapy.
AB  - During the last three decades the use of ionizing radiation, both external beam
      radiotherapy and interstitial radionuclide implant (brachytherapy), has greatly
      increased for the treatment of cancer of the prostate. The increased use of
      radiation therapy is in part due to the technological advance of high-energy
      megavoltage units as well as the steadily improving long-term results of
      radiotherapy. Because of the comparable tumor control rates, patients with early
      stage prostate cancer have several therapeutic options for curative treatment
      including radical prostatectomy, external beam radiation therapy, and
      interstitial brachytherapy. The role of external beam radiotherapy is discussed
      in terms of the primary management of early and locally advanced prostate cancers
      as well as the treatment of residual or recurrent disease after prostatectomy. A
      new approach combines antimitotic chemotherapeutic agents and radiation therapy
      for the treatment of locally advanced cancers of the prostate.

PMID- 1428959
TI  - Radical surgery in the treatment of localized carcinoma of the prostate.
AB  - New methods of early detection combined with recent advances in surgical
      techniques have resulted in more patients undergoing radical surgery for
      treatment of localized carcinoma of the prostate. Over 350 radical
      prostatectomies have been performed by our group since January 1987. We review
      the role of radical prostatectomy in the treatment of prostate cancer and our
      experience with 100 patients undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy since
      the advent of nerve-sparing techniques to preserve potency.

PMID- 1428961
TI  - Maximal androgen ablation: a review.
AB  - Primary management of advanced (stage D) adenocarcinoma of the prostate is
      androgen ablation. Since this principle was discovered in the early 1940s,
      therapeutic alternatives and "progress" have centered around different ways to
      obtain castrate levels of androgens. The role of adrenal androgens in supporting
      prostate or prostatic cancer growth has been debated for decades and until
      recently was believed to be minimal. In the 1980s the concept of maximum androgen
      suppression, involving both the testes and adrenal glands, was reintroduced with
      some investigators claiming exceptional results. We review studies that have
      examined this concept, with emphasis on the largest trial which was carried out
      by the National Cancer Institute.

PMID- 1428960
TI  - Management of impotence after treatment of carcinoma of the prostate.
AB  - Impotence commonly occurs as a result of treatment of carcinoma of the prostate.
      We review the etiology, evaluation, and treatment options available for these
      patients as well as our experience with fifty prostate cancer patients who
      underwent placement of penile prostheses. Several excellent alternatives are
      available for patients with impotence resulting from treatment of carcinoma of
      the prostate.

PMID- 1428962
TI  - Advances in therapy of female stress incontinence.

PMID- 1428964
TI  - Cerebral oxygen extraction during severe viral encephalitis.
AB  - Viral encephalitis can cause devastating neurologic injury. Little is known about
      cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism in this condition. We report two patients
      with severe encephalitis, one proven and the other suspected to be due to herpes
      simplex, in whom the global cerebral oxygen extraction ratio (OER) and carbon
      dioxide (CO2) responsiveness was assessed. OER was low in both patients
      throughout the acute period. CO2 responsiveness was present initially in both and
      disappeared later in the more severely affected child. These cases demonstrate
      that cerebral hyperemia occurs in severe viral encephalitis and that
      hyperventilation can effectively reduce the intracranial pressure.

PMID- 1428963
TI  - Megakaryoblastic termination of myeloproliferative disorders.
AB  - Megakaryoblastic termination of myeloproliferative disorders is rare. The
      morphology of megakaryoblastic transformation can be subtle and is often mistaken
      for myeloid or lymphoid proliferations. Previously reported observations suggest
      a relatively poor prognosis for this category of patients, making precise
      diagnosis imperative. A multifaceted approach using morphology, ultrastructure,
      cytochemistry, and immunological membrane analysis may be helpful. We present two
      cases of myeloproliferative disorder with aggressive megakaryoblastic phases
      (myelofibrosis with agnogenic myeloid metaplasia and chronic myeloid leukemia
      with blast crisis). The clinical course is described and the results of the
      morphological, cytochemical, ultrastructural, and cytogenetic studies of both
      cases are presented. In addition, immunochemical studies (flow cytometry) and
      platelet function studies (aggregation, beta-thromboglobulin, and platelet factor
      IV release) were done for one of these patients.

PMID- 1428965
TI  - Federal, state, and local partnerships in providing primary care: one urban
      health department's endeavor with a state university medical center.
AB  - We describe how the federal government, the City of Chicago, and the State of
      Illinois worked together to increase the availability and accessibility of health
      care services on Chicago's underserved west side by reopening a bankrupt,
      federally-funded community health center. The federal government made the
      building available to the City which then contracted with a state university
      medical center to be the provider of services. This partnering has allowed the
      Chicago Department of Health to offer services in a previously underserved area.
      The University has gained an opportunity for community-based primary care
      teaching, as well as community relations. Patients have increased access to a
      wide variety of specialty and inpatient care. If public health providers are to
      be successful in this financial climate, they must look to new partners and new
      ways of delivering services to increase availability of services at a time when
      they are greatly needed.

PMID- 1428966
TI  - The emerging role of HTLV-I/II and HIV-1 among intravenous drug users in Detroit.
AB  - During 1987-1988, a seroprevalence study of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV
      1) and the human T-cell lymphoma/leukemia virus (HTLV-I/II) was performed among
      Detroit intravenous drug users unaffiliated with substance abuse programs.
      Seroprevalence data along with patient demographic information were compared to a
      similar study performed in 1985-1986. In the earlier study, 12 (12.5%) of 96
      individuals tested positive for HIV-1. Of the 74 available negative samples
      retested in 1987-1988 for retroviruses, 7 (9.5%) tested positive for HTLV-I/II.
      Thus, the overall retroviral (HIV-1, HTLV-I/II) seropositive rate for 1985-1986
      was 22%. In 1987-1988, 11 (15.7%) of 70 individuals tested positive for HIV-1 and
      7 (10%) tested positive for HTLV-I/II. Concomitant infection with both viruses
      was found in 2 (2.9%) of the 70 individuals. Thus, retrovirus seroprevalence in
      1987-1988 was 22.9%. In 1987-1988, significant differences between the retroviral
      positive group and the retroviral-negative group consisted of intravenous drug
      use greater than 16 years (P = 0.059) for an odds ratio of 3.80 (CI 1.12-12.89)
      and sex with female prostitutes (P = 0.029) for an odds ratio of 5.38 (CI 1.38
      20.95).

PMID- 1428968
TI  - Interpretation of the pattern in rate ratios across strata.
AB  - The pattern in the ratio of disease rates over strata is a summary statistic used
      to describe the changing risk of disease in one group relative to another. While
      patterns of the ratios of disease rates over strata appear to correspond to
      specific changes in disease rates, plots of the disease rates over strata seem to
      contradict the information yielded by the ratios. For example, if disease rates
      from populations A and B have identical rates of decline (parallel lines), the
      difference in the rates (A-B) at each strata remains constant, while the ratio of
      the rates (A/B) increases over strata. Through simple algebraic manipulation, one
      can show that the pattern of the rate ratio is a function of the rate difference
      relative to the endemic disease rate. Thus, rather than describing the behavior
      of the disease rates, ratio patterns reflect the importance of exposure relative
      to the disease rate in the unexposed population.

PMID- 1428967
TI  - Primary papillary serous carcinoma of the peritoneum: a case of complete
      remission of bulky peritoneal disease after chemotherapy.
AB  - Peritoneal papillary serous carcinoma is a rare tumor that involves the surface
      of the pelvic and/or abdominal peritoneum. Long-term survival among patients with
      this tumor has been rare. Most patients with this cancer have been treated with
      debulking surgery and postoperative chemotherapy. A case of incompletely resected
      peritoneal papillary serous carcinoma with a complete response to cisplatin-based
      chemotherapy is reported. Subsequent laparotomy revealed no residual tumor. This
      case suggests that primary chemotherapy may be successful in treating
      unresectable primary papillary serous tumors of the peritoneum.

PMID- 1428969
TI  - Presentation and evaluation of patients with epidermoid head and neck cancers.
AB  - Epidermoid cancer of the head and neck occurs most frequently in individuals with
      predisposing factors for neoplastic development. Primarily these include exposure
      to smoking and alcohol, although other predisposing factors may be present. Site
      specific symptoms along with a history of predisposing environmental exposure can
      direct physicians to suspect head and neck cancer. Endoscopy and ancillary
      testing are performed for tumor staging and subsequent treatment planning.

PMID- 1428970
TI  - The why and wherefore of fructosamine.
AB  - GH and FA are useful monitors in the care of diabetic patients. For most
      situations, GH is the preferred test and should be routinely monitored. FA should
      be reserved for exceptional situations in which blood glucose control over one to
      two weeks must be assessed or in patients with a hemoglobinopathy. Patients with
      diabetes should be advised of their present GH level and the preferred goal.

PMID- 1428971
TI  - Public health care delivery in five U.S. municipalities: lessons and
      implications.
AB  - Increasing pressures on private and public hospitals have necessitated a
      reassessment of urban health care delivery. Patients left unserved by stressed
      private hospitals have placed a greater burden on public institutions, which
      themselves are often old, underfunded, and in danger of closure. As policy
      analysts consider remedies, primary care in community-based settings has
      reemerged as an important component of planning. We present results of a
      comparative analysis of five public health care delivery systems (Boston, Dallas,
      Denver, Milwaukee, and Seattle), reflecting their economic, political, and
      cultural dynamics. Although significant differences in the relative
      centralization of care and reliance on community-based clinics are evident, the
      five cities discussed have incorporated an increased emphasis on preventive and
      primary care. The diversity among the systems is highlighted; adaptability is
      apparently a vital component in designing a public health care system appropriate
      to the needs of particular communities. Implications for Chicago and other cities
      are discussed.

PMID- 1428972
TI  - Training the urban health care provider: one department's first steps.
AB  - As our country faces a national crisis in health care, few have outlined plans to
      improve the shortage of primary care physicians. This is especially critical in
      urban areas where sociocultural impacts on health are large. The Department of
      Family Practice and Community Medicine at the University of Texas School of
      Medicine in Houston has begun development of a division of Urban Family Medicine
      to address the special training needs of the urban family practitioner.
      Subdivisions that have been formed focus on undergraduate curriculum, graduate
      educational strategies, service, and research and policy to further develop the
      training model.

PMID- 1428973
TI  - Urban health and the social contract: poverty, race, and death.

PMID- 1428974
TI  - Urban health care: an integral part of the United States health care system.

PMID- 1428975
TI  - Universal health care for Americans.

PMID- 1428976
TI  - PACE: a capitated model towards long-term care.

PMID- 1428977
TI  - Community health centers: a resource for service and training.
AB  - The American Medical Student Association (AMSA) Foundation is assisting the U.S.
      Public Health Service in increasing the number of primary care physicians trained
      and committed to practice in medically underserved areas. In collaboration with
      the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Ambulatory Pediatrics Association,
      and the Society of General Internal Medicine, AMSA conducted an assessment of
      federally-funded residency programs to identify and describe their affiliations
      with federally-funded community and migrant health centers (C/MHCs). Of the 260
      programs assessed and the 147 responses, 125 offer community-based training. Of
      these, 73 offer training in primary care centers and 39 offer training in
      federally-funded C/MHCs. Residents training in the C/MHCs have positive
      experiences in both personal and professional development and are frequently
      hired by the health centers upon graduation. Benefits realized by the
      affiliations include a community orientation for the residents and enhancement of
      service and education missions for the collaborating institutions.

PMID- 1428978
TI  - Health care consortia: a mechanism for increasing access for the medically
      indigent.
AB  - In response to poor coordination among health and social service providers,
      health care consortia have emerged in many areas of the United States. Consortia
      link multiple providers in a common structure to create comprehensive systems of
      care. They can be formally structured or informal combinations of providers that
      engage in coordination but otherwise do not comprise an independent organization.
      The functions most common among all types of consortia are shared services and
      service coordination; however, a number of consortia also operate
      outreach/education programs. Consortia represent an innovative response to the
      need both for vertical integration--case management of all levels of care--and
      horizontal integration to prevent duplication among primary care providers. We
      outline the history of consortia in which federally-funded community health
      centers have participated. We also suggest an analytical framework for the
      various types of consortia; discuss lessons learned about building and
      maintaining consortia; and provide preliminary outcome data.

PMID- 1428979
TI  - The structure and function of urban pharmacies: visits to community pharmacies in
      inner-city Chicago.
AB  - Visits were made to 21 pharmacies in two poor neighborhoods on the west side of
      Chicago and interviews conducted with pharmacists-in-charge. The objective of the
      study was to provide a comprehensive description of the function, capabilities,
      and problems of urban pharmacy. We present results on the structure and function
      of these inner-city pharmacies. The pharmacies fit one of three structural forms:
      chain, independent, or medical center. The majority of respondents viewed the
      function of the inner-city pharmacy as patient-centered but also identified
      several barriers to effective patient communication. The results suggest that
      inner-city physicians and pharmacists should communicate with patients more often
      and in ways that patients understand. Also, Medicaid and other drug insurance
      programs should develop patient information networks and coverage packages
      intended to maximize patient health status.

PMID- 1428980
TI  - Urban health solutions in the 1990s: no time for false promises.

PMID- 1428981
TI  - Health priorities of the state of Michigan.

PMID- 1428982
TI  - Moving from health care research to action.
AB  - Although the United States spends more on health care than any country in the
      world, access to that care is becoming increasingly difficult. The National
      Cancer Institute and other federal agencies are sponsoring innovative research
      for delivering effective medical services, particularly to underserved
      populations. Models of successful collaboration between private and public
      sectors concerned with health care can be adapted and implemented at the
      national, state, and local levels. However, other measures are needed to ensure
      access to adequate health care for all Americans. Minimal but effective
      regulations are needed to ensure quality control, reduce duplication of services,
      and minimize cost increases. Public and private sectors also need to consider
      ways to extend adequate health insurance coverage to all Americans and to provide
      compensation for preventive services.

PMID- 1428983
TI  - Mount Sinai: a special hospital for a special community.

PMID- 1428984
TI  - The urban hospital: rediscovering abandoned values.

PMID- 1428985
TI  - Urban hospitals: their plight and mission.

PMID- 1428986
TI  - The epidemiology of prostate cancer in black men.
AB  - Data on the epidemiology of prostate cancer from the 1930s to the present
      document a dramatic racial difference in incidence, survival, and mortality rates
      in American men. American black men have the highest incidence and mortality
      rates of prostate cancer in the world. Survival data have been related to access
      to medical care, genetic and environmental factors, and cultural differences,
      including diet and social habits. Most reports present conflicting data with no
      clear positive correlations, and conclusions are often speculative. Better
      controlled, prospective studies of epidemiologic variables and a comprehensive
      genetic evaluation of black families with prostate cancer are needed to better
      understand the racial disparity affecting American black men and the biology of
      this disease in all men.

PMID- 1428987
TI  - Health Care Linkage Project: improving access to care.
AB  - The primary objective of the Health Care Linkage Project, funded by a grant from
      the Chicago Community Trust, is to develop, implement, and evaluate a primary
      health care linkage network within the city of Chicago that creates formalized
      linkages between community health centers, the Chicago Department of Health
      clinics, and hospitals. Six linkage networks are currently operational, with an
      additional two sites phased in during 1991. The success of the pilot project has
      been demonstrated by hundreds of patients receiving primary care and ancillary
      services on a more timely basis, by greater coordination between the public and
      private sector, by cost-savings to both patients and providers through reducing
      inappropriate use of services, and by a variety of spin-off projects which have
      improved the quality and accessibility of services. A second important objective
      is the development of a Health Care Linkage Manual that describes the practical
      experience and lessons gained from the linkages, the status of comparable
      arrangements in other U.S. cities, replicability of the linkage models, and
      recommendations for policy changes which will make linkages more effective.

PMID- 1428988
TI  - An update on the role of ploidy in prostate carcinoma.
AB  - One of the characteristic features of prostate carcinoma is its marked variation
      in biologic behavior. DNA quantitation has been studied in prostate carcinoma
      using a variety of techniques. Evaluation of tumor ploidy suggests that this may
      be the best predictor of the biologic behavior of prostate cancer in individual
      patients. This comprehensive review addresses the current studies, stage by
      stage, to clarify the clinical significance of these findings.

PMID- 1428989
TI  - Usage of penicillinase as an enzyme marker in enzyme linked immunosorbent assay
      for the detection of IgG antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii.
AB  - An Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay system has been developed using
      penicillinase as an enzyme marker for the detection of IgG antibodies to
      Toxoplasma gondii. This system is simple (end result assessed visually) reliable
      (the results are matching with other available commercial ELISA based kit),
      sensitive (detection of antitoxoplasma IgG antibodies to a level of 15 IU/ml) and
      reproducible (4.3 & 6.7% intra and inter coefficient of variation respectively).
      Experimental results with human serum samples using our system has shown
      consistent results and were in total agreement with other commercially available
      diagnostic kits. It is therefore suggested that ELISA system using penicillinase
      can be a simple, sensitive and reliable method for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis
      in human.

PMID- 1428990
TI  - Comparison of penicillinase with horseradish peroxidase as enzyme tracer in ELISA
      for the toxin cleistanthin B.

PMID- 1428991
TI  - Detection of toxoplasma IgM antibodies by ELISA method: a comparative study of
      different enzymes as markers.
AB  - Detection of toxoplasma IgM antibodies by employing enzyme linked immunosorbent
      assay (ELISA) technique was developed using different enzymes viz, horseradish
      peroxidase (HRP) (EC. 1.11.17), urease (EC. 3.5.15) and penicillinase (EC
      3.5.2.6) as markers. Of these enzymes, HRP is light sensitive and needs dark
      chamber, also inactivated by preservative sodium azide. Similarly urease test
      system is extremely pH sensitive and demands special care during ELISA technique.
      Whereas penicillinase showed certain distinct advantages viz. stable at room
      temperature, high specific activity and economical. In the present studies it was
      observed that the sensitivity of penicillinase is similar to HRP and urease,
      marker enzymes used in commercially available diagnostic kit. The prominent
      feature of detection of toxoplasma IgM antibodies involving these three enzymes
      are: a) Shorter incubation time (About 2.5 hours) b) No false positive reaction.
      Moreover, these enzyme conjugates were prepared from F (ab')2 fragments of
      antitoxoplasma rabbit serum to elicit specific interaction with IgM antibodies
      only, avoiding cross interaction with other non-specific proteins like compliment
      systems and rheumatoid factor.

PMID- 1428992
TI  - Pen-ELISA for immunodiagnosis and immunomonitoring of bancroftian filariasis.

PMID- 1428993
TI  - Indian scenario on the medical diagnostics business and future perspectives--an
      overview.

PMID- 1428994
TI  - Genesis of the development of the diagnostic test kits and their prospects: an
      overview.

PMID- 1428995
TI  - Dipstick ELISA kit for the detection of Cleistanthus collinus toxins.

PMID- 1428997
TI  - Localization of laminin in nephritic glomeruli as revealed by a quick-freezing
      and deep-etching method with immunohistochemistry.
AB  - The three-dimensional localization of laminin in rat glomeruli at the chronic
      phase of Masugi nephritis was investigated by a quick-freezing and deep-etching
      method combined with immunohistochemistry. Light-microscopically, laminin was
      localized in increased mesangial matrix and thickened glomerular basement
      membrane. The quick-freezing and deep-etching method revealed that the increased
      mesangial matrix, which was newly formed in axial portions and areas of mesangial
      interposition, was composed of fine fibrillar networks. They were revealed with
      the 3,3'-diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride (DAB) reaction products of
      peroxidase-labelled secondary antibody following anti-laminin antibody. However,
      these reaction products were not uniformly distributed in the newly formed
      matrix. Although the fibrils organizing lamina densa were also immunostained with
      anti-laminin antibody, the fibrils connected to mesangial cells, podocytes and
      endothelial cells had smaller amounts of DAB reaction products for laminin. These
      results indicate that one of the components of fibrils in the mesangial matrix
      and lamina densa is laminin, which is heterogeneously distributed in the newly
      formed matrix.

PMID- 1428998
TI  - Histochemical study of glycoconjugates in the nasal mucosa of the rat and guinea
      pig.
AB  - A histochemical study was carried out on the glycoconjugates of the nasal mucosa
      of rat and guinea pig using conventional techniques and peroxidase-labelled
      lectins. Both the respiratory mucosa and neuroepithelium were studied. Sulphate
      and sialic acid groups were found in the mucous layer of the neuroepithelia,
      Bowman's glands and goblet cells. In contrast, the nasal glands did not possess
      these groups, and only a few showed neutral mucins. Carbohydrate residues were
      more numerous in the acini of the Jacobson glands. Thus, the nasal glands in the
      rat and guinea pig are probably of a serous type because of the scarcity of
      carbohydrate residues.

PMID- 1428999
TI  - Electron microscopic immunocytochemical localization of proline-rich proteins in
      normal mouse parotid salivary glands.
AB  - Rabbit polyclonal antibodies against isoproterenol-induced mouse proline-rich
      proteins (PRPs) were used to localize PRPs in the parotid salivary glands of
      normal adult BALB/c mice. The antibodies recognized both acidic-type and basic
      type PRPs. Immunoblotting experiments revealed that the glands contained an
      acidic-type and a basic-type PRP. Parotid gland tissue was fixed with Karnosky's
      fixative and embedded in Lowicryl resin at low temperature. PRPs were localized
      at the electron microscope level using an indirect post-embedding staining
      technique with protein A-gold. The secretion granules of the acinar cells were
      strongly labelled. Pre-absorption of the antibody with purified acidic-type and
      basic-type PRPs indicated that the basic-type PRP is mainly located at the
      periphery of the granules but that the acidic-type PRP is more evenly distributed
      within the granules. Pre-absorption of the antibody with alpha-amylase did not
      affect the staining pattern, suggesting minimal cross-reactivity. PRPs were also
      detected within the rough endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus of acinar
      cells, within the granules of the proacinar cells and in the lumena of the ducts,
      but not within the intercalated or striated duct cell granules.

PMID- 1428996
TI  - Dynamic nature and function of epidermal Langerhans cells in vivo and in vitro: a
      review, with emphasis on human Langerhans cells.
AB  - Epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) are Birbeck granule-containing bone-marrow
      derived cells, which are located mainly in the suprabasal layer of the epidermis.
      They can be readily identified by their strong expression of CD1a and MHC class
      II molecules. In addition to these 'classical' properties, an extensive
      phenotypic profile of normal human LC, summarized in this review, is now
      available. The powerful capacity of LC to activate T lymphocytes is clearly
      documented and, to date, LC are recognized as the prominent antigen-presenting
      cells of the skin immune system. They are generally believed to pick up antigens
      encountered in the epidermis and to migrate subsequently from the epidermis to
      the skin-draining lymph nodes. Upon arrival in the paracortex of lymph nodes, the
      antigen-laden LC transform into interdigitating cells and they present antigen to
      naive T lymphocytes in a MHC class II-restricted fashion; this results in the
      generation of antigen-specific immune responses. It has also been demonstrated
      that transformation of LC into interdigitating cells occurs when LC are cultured
      in vitro. Both in vivo and in vitro studies have indicated that properties of LC,
      such as phenotype, morphology and the stimulatory potential to activate T
      lymphocytes, are dependent on the local microenvironment in which the LC reside.
      The essential role of LC in the induction of contact allergic skin reactions and
      skin transplant rejection is well established.

PMID- 1429001
TI  - Prostaglandin E2 localization in the rat ileum.
AB  - The application of anti-prostaglandin E2 immunoglobulin to plastic-embedded thin
      sections of the rat ileum has permitted the localization of prostaglandin E2 in
      this tissue. In agreement with the published data (Chock & Schmauder-Chock
      (1988), Schmauder-Chock & Chock (1989)), the results also suggest the presence of
      an arachidonic acid cascade in the granules of various secretory cells of the
      gut. Since antibody labelling was found within the secretory granules of
      connective tissue mast cells, goblet cells, and Paneth cells, the presence of the
      arachidonic acid cascade in these granules is implied. The appearance of
      prostaglandin E2 over the non-cellular internal elastic lamina of arterioles
      suggests that it may have been secreted along with the elastin. The even
      distribution of prostaglandin throughout the cytoplasm of the erythrocyte is
      consistent with the concept that this cell scavenges the eicosanoid from the
      circulation. These data further link the secretory granule to the production of
      eicosanoids and therefore illustrate the potential sources of prostaglandins in
      the rat ileum.

PMID- 1429000
TI  - Immunoelectron microscopic studies of glycosaminoglycans in the metaphyseal bone
      trabeculae of growing rats.
AB  - The types and distribution of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) were studied
      immunocytochemically in osteoid, mineralized bone matrix, and cartilage matrix of
      growing rat metaphyseal bone after aldehyde fixation and EDTA demineralization,
      using four monoclonal antibodies (mAbs 1-B-5, 2-B-6, 3-B-3 and 5-D-4). These mAbs
      specifically recognize epitopes in non-sulphated chondroitin (C0-S); chondroitin
      4-sulphate (C4-S) and dermatan sulphate (DS); chondroitin 6-sulphate (C6-S) and
      C0-S; and keratan sulphate (KS) respectively. In osteoid, all mAbs except 1-B-5
      weakly stained matrix material on and between collagen fibrils, and moderately
      stained organic material corresponding to bone nodules, which are known sites of
      mineralization. However, the staining of osteoid abruptly decreased at the
      mineralization front; weak staining was confined mostly to the organic material
      of bone nodules in mineralized bone matrix, with very weak or no staining of the
      rest of the bone matrix. This staining progressively decreased toward the
      mineralized cartilage matrix and became negative. The mineralized cartilage
      matrix and lamina limitans reacted strongly with all mAbs except 5-D-4. These
      results indicate that osteoid contains sulphated proteoglycans containing C4-S
      and/or DS, C6-S and KS, and subsequent bone matrix mineralization appears to
      require accumulation of these macromolecules within bone nodules and eventual
      loss of these substances for complete mineralization, whereas proteoglycans
      containing C0-S, C4-S and/or DS, and C6-S still exist in mineralized cartilage
      matrix and lamina limitans.

PMID- 1429002
TI  - Calbindin D-28k-immunoreactivity in rat muscle spindles during postnatal
      maturation and after denervation.
AB  - Calbindin D-28k-immunoreactivity has been demonstrated in some of the intrafusal
      muscle fibres and in the capsule of adult rat muscle spindles. In this study, the
      immunocytochemical localization of calbindin D-28k in the muscle spindles of
      triceps surae muscle was studied during postnatal maturation and after
      denervation. In young rats calbindin D-28k-immunoreactivity was seen in a few
      intrafusal fibres, first at the age of 4 days. At the 7th day, three calbindin D
      28k-immunoreactive fibres and one unlabelled fibre were seen in most muscle
      spindles, as in adult rats. The spindle capsule and perineurial sheath of nerves
      were first seen to exhibit calbindin D-28k immunoreactivity at the age of 14
      days, and thereafter the localization of calbinding D-28k-like immunoreactivity
      was similar to that in adult rats. After denervation, calbindin D-28k
      immunoreactivity remained in intrafusal muscle fibres and the spindle capsule for
      a long period. After two months of denervation, calbindin D-28k immunoreactivity
      could still be seen in the spindle capsule, but the intrafusal fibres were not
      labelled. The innervation is known to have trophic effects on the intrafusal
      fibres. The present findings suggest that the expression of calbindin D-28k
      immunoreactivity in maturating muscle spindles may be induced by the developing
      innervation. The decrease of calbindin D-28k-immunoreactivity in intrafusal
      fibres after denervation may be due to the loss of trophic factors released by
      the nerves.

PMID- 1429004
TI  - Cellular heterogeneity in human transitional cell carcinoma: an analysis of
      optical properties and lectin binding.
AB  - Flow cytometry was used to measure the binding of a panel of ten fluorescein
      isothiocyanate(FITC)-conjugated lectins to fifteen samples of normal and
      neoplastic human urothelium. Concurrent measurement of light scattering and
      fluorescence permitted the quantification of lectin binding to cellular
      subpopulations defined by their light-scattering properties. In normal
      urothelium, we previously demonstrated levels of lectin binding to the cellular
      subpopulations derived from the superficial and intermediate cell layers which
      were higher than levels which bound to the subpopulation derived from the basal
      cell layer (Ward et al., 1987). This difference was most marked with Maclura
      pomifera agglutinin (MPA), Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA) and Ulex europeus
      agglutinin (UEA). We now report a similar correlation between the degree of
      differentiation of a cellular subpopulation and the level of lectin binding in
      human transitional cell carcinomas (TCCs). Morphological differentiation in human
      TCCs is accompanied by alterations in cell-surface carbohydrates which are
      similar to those which accompany cellular differentiation in the corresponding
      normal tissue. No systematic difference in lectin binding was observed between
      the corresponding subpopulations of normal and neoplastic urothelial cells.

PMID- 1429003
TI  - A chromogranin peptide is co-stored with insulin in the human pancreatic islet B
      cell granules.
AB  - The immunoreaction of a rabbit chromogranin A and B antiserum was studied in
      normal human pancreatic islets. By examination of consecutive light microscopical
      sections, it was revealed that, at high antiserum concentrations (1:2000 or
      less), the whole islet area was heavily labelled, although the peripheral
      glucagon (A)-cells were the most intense in their immunoreaction. At low
      antiserum concentrations (1:4000 or more) the A-cells still showed the same
      intense labelling reaction, but the central B-cells were weakly labelled.
      Electron microscopically, reactivity towards the chromogranin A and B antiserum
      and the monoclonal insulin antibodies was present in the same central electron
      dense core of the B-cell secretory granules, as demonstrated after application of
      the immunogold technique at different antibody dilutions. In the A-cells, the
      chromogranin immunoreactivity was concentrated at the peripheral mantle of the
      secretory granules. The D-cell granules showed a weak immunolabelling.
      Examination of human islets with the monoclonal chromogranin A antibody LK2H10
      revealed immunogold labelling only in the peripheral mantle of the A-cell
      granules, while the B-cell granules were unlabelled. The present results show
      that a chromogranin peptide is co-stored with insulin the in normal human B-cell
      secretory granules. Although the exact composition of this B-cell chromogranin is
      unknown, it is not identical to that of the chromogranin A present in the A-cell
      granules.

PMID- 1429005
TI  - Characterization of a human cervical carcinoma-associated antigen by lectin
      binding and immuno-electron microscopy.
AB  - The specific binding and nature of the epitope recognized by monoclonal antibody
      (Mab) 1H10, which binds an antigen expressed on human cervical tumors, was
      characterized by enzyme digestion, lectin competition assay and immuno-electron
      microscopy. Membrane homogenates of CaSki cervical carcinoma cells were digested
      with various enzymes, then analysed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. Cells grown
      on coverslips were treated with various enzymes and in situ binding of Mab 1H10
      to cells was analysed by electron microscopy. The ability of lectin-conjugates to
      block Mab 1H10 binding to CaSki cells was also examined. Treatment of samples
      with sodium periodate abrogated antigen recognition by Mab 1H10. Neuraminidase
      and hyaluronidase digestion decreased but did not eliminate Mab 1H10 binding to
      cells in situ. Chondroitinase ABC digestion, in contrast, removed Mab 1H10
      binding sites both in vitro and in situ. Trypsin and chymotrypsin digestion of
      cell membrane homogenates decreased the molecular weight of the Mab 1H10 antigen
      but did not decrease the binding intensity. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) strongly
      bound to CaSki cells and partially blocked Mab 1H10 binding, indicating that the
      antigen contains N-acetyl-galactosamine residues at or near the epitope
      recognized by Mab 1H10. Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA) exhibited a similar
      binding pattern to WGA. However, concanavalin A bound only weakly to CaSki cells
      and was ineffective at blocking Mab 1H10 binding. The tumor-associated antigen
      recognized by Mab 1H10 is concluded to be a chondroitin sulphate glycoprotein or
      proteoglycan rather than a mucopolysaccharide or lipoprotein.

PMID- 1429006
TI  - Immunohistochemical, autoradiographic and electron microscopic studies on the
      transformation of fibroblasts into chondrocytes in the mouse subfascia induced by
      bone morphogenetic protein.
AB  - Functional morphology on the transformation of fibroblasts into chondrocytes
      induced by bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) was studied by light and electron
      microscopy using 35S autoradiography and immunohistochemistry for S-100 protein
      and type-II collagen. A pellet containing BMP obtained from a murine osteosarcoma
      was transplanted into the mouse subfascia. By 3 days after implantation, many
      typical fibroblasts, which were free of the silver grains for 35S and devoid of
      both S-100 protein and type-II collagen, entered the pellet region. By 5 days,
      the fibroblasts in the pellet region became polygonal in shape, and cytoplasmic
      vesicles and vacuoles appeared, both containing a homogeneous substance of low
      electron density. At 5 days, autoradiography revealed many silver grains for 35S
      over the Golgi apparatus and vesicles and vacuoles of the cells in the pellet
      region as well as over the surrounding extracellular matrix. Moreover, the cells
      at 5 days displayed immunoreactivity to both proteins. The extracellular matrix
      around the cell began to show clear metachromasia and increased in amount with
      time. At 9 days all the cells in the pellet region were round or oval in shape
      and surrounded by an abundant cartilaginous matrix. The rough endoplasmic
      reticulum and Golgi apparatus were extremely well developed, and a large number
      of vacuoles and vesicles were seen in the cytoplasm. These cells showed intense
      immunoreactivity to both proteins, and strong accumulation of sulfur was
      visualized in the extracellular matrix by autoradiography. These results suggest
      that the fibroblasts in the pellet region change into chondroblasts by 5 days,
      and become typical chondrocytes by 9 days.

PMID- 1429007
TI  - Lectin-binding carbohydrates in sexual differentiation of rat male and female
      gonads.
AB  - Development and sexual differentiation of the mammalian gonad involve changes in
      the type and distribution of different proteins and glycoproteins in and around
      the epithelial gonadal cords, the future seminiferous tubules in the testis, and
      follicles in the ovary. To study changes in cellular carbohydrate-containing
      compounds in the sex-specific morphogenesis of rat gonads, sections from
      embryonic, fetal and early postnatal gonads were labelled with seven different
      fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated plant lectins of various
      carbohydrate-binding specificities. Double labelling of laminin with
      tetramethylrhodamine isothiocyanate (TRITC)-conjugated antibodies was used to
      outline the epithelial tissues. From the results we conclude that the abundance
      and similar distribution of carbohydrates in the early gonads of both sexes
      supports their sexually indifferent nature. Furthermore, the basement membranes
      of the differentiating gonadal cords in both sexes have common features, which
      differ, however, from those of the other developing urogenital organs. Changes in
      carbohydrate composition appear with the sexual differentiation of the gonads;
      the similarity of the changes in lectin binding to the gonadal cords of embryonic
      and fetal male, and to postnatal female, suggests similar mechanisms of cell-cell
      interactions in both sexes although activated at different developmental stages.
      These carbohydrate specificities at the tissue level should be taken into account
      together with cell-type specific changes, e.g. in the formation of the zona
      pellucida, when the phenomenon of polymorphic expression of different compounds
      is integrated into theories of epithelial differentiation.

PMID- 1429009
TI  - Electron microscopic characterization of calcium-binding physodes in the green
      alga Mougeotia scalaris.
AB  - Effect of the covalently cross-linking agents glutardialdehyde and osmium
      tetroxide, and of adsorption of the vital dye, neutral red, to the matrix of the
      calcium-binding "vesicles" from the green alga Mougeotia scalaris has been
      analysed in situ, both in terms of structural preservation and of the calcium
      binding capacity of the vesicles. Upon cell fixation in glutardialdehyde without
      OsO4, the vesicles appear to dissolve, but upon simultaneous fixation in
      glutardialdehyde with OsO4 (1% w/v), the vesicles retain a globular form, are
      evenly stained by osmium and appear to be surrounded by a membrane-like
      structure. This structure was also observed around the vesicles in cells
      preincubated for 10 min in 0.1 mM neutral red and then fixed in
      glutardialdehyde/OsO4 for 1 h. More detailed information of the matrix structure
      is obtained when simultaneous fixation of the Mougeotia cells was shortened to 15
      min: a membrane-like structure was no longer observed around the vesicles. After
      cell treatment in the presence of neutral red, no calcium at all was found inside
      the vesicles. A small amount of calcium remained, when cells were fixed
      simultaneously and extensively in the absence of neutral red. However, calcium
      was found, to a considerable extent, inside the vesicles after short simultaneous
      fixation of the cells in the absence of neutral red. Based on the ultrastructural
      and elemental features presented here, the calcium-binding vesicles in Mougeotia
      appear to represent a member of the large family of (calcium-binding) physodes in
      lower plants (CaBP).

PMID- 1429008
TI  - Neural regulation of differentiation of rat skeletal muscle cell types.
AB  - Three monoclonal antibodies (LM5, F2 and F39) to the fast class of myosin heavy
      chain (MHC) were used to study the effect of denervation on the differentiation
      of muscle cell types in some rat skeletal muscles. Antibody LM5 in
      immunocytochemical investigations did not stain any myotubes during early fetal
      development but presumptive fast muscle cells started to stain during later fetal
      development. Unlike antibody LM5, antibodies F2 and F39 stained all myotubes
      during fetal development. The suppression of fast myosin heavy chains recognised
      in presumptive slow muscle cells was observed within 1-2 days after birth with
      antibody F39 but not until 10-14 days after birth with antibody F2. The emergence
      of subsets of fast muscle fibre types in rat extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and
      tibialis anteri (TA) detectable by F39 and F2 antibodies was not observed until 2
      3 weeks after birth. Denervation of developing muscles led to marked changes in
      the expression of myosins identified by these antibodies.

PMID- 1429010
TI  - Induction of G- and R-banding in human chromosomes by the demethylating agent S
      adenosyl-L-homocysteine.
AB  - In this report we describe the procedure of growing human lymphocytes with the
      demethylating agent S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH). After this treatment, which
      is not toxic for cell survival, both R- and G-banding were obtained by new
      experimental procedures: R-bands have been directly demonstrated with the GC
      specific fluorochrome chromomycin A3 without the necessity of any AT-specific
      counterstaining agent; simultaneous G-banding and active nucleolar organizer
      regions have been obtained by silver impregnation of chromosomes and subsequent
      Giemsa staining. These results suggest a possible relationship between local
      differences in DNA methylation and the determination of the banded chromosome
      structure.

PMID- 1429011
TI  - Molecular characterization of "inverted" pericentromeric heterochromatin of
      chromosome 3.
AB  - Inversion of the pericentromeric region of human chromosome 3 [inv (3)
      (p11q11.2)] is a rare event. Initially, this inversion was identified with
      staining for Q-bands by fluorescence using quinacrine (QFQ) and later
      characterized with staining for C-bands by CBG technique. The molecular methods
      of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and AluI/Giemsa and TaqI/Giemsa
      techniques were utilized. The findings suggest that the variable band q11.2 on
      chromosome 3 contains alphoid DNA sequences, which appear to be similar to those
      identified by conventional methods in the centromeric region (band p11).

PMID- 1429012
TI  - Ecdysteroid binding sites in gastrolith forming tissue and stomach during the
      molting cycle of crayfish Procambarus clarkii.
AB  - The distribution of ecdysteroid binding sites in the stomach and gastrolith disc
      tissue of crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) was examined in relation to the molting
      stage by thaw-mount autoradiography. The radiolabeled hormone analogue
      ponasterone A (25-deoxy-20-hydroxyecdysone) was used. Ecdysteroid binding sites
      were demonstrated only in certain molting stages, the small gastrolith period and
      the aftermolt stage. In gastrolith epithelium, ponasterone A binding sites first
      appeared in the cytoplasm, and then in the nuclei and cytoplasm. In the stomach
      epithelium, many nuclear binding sites were detectable during the period of
      gastrolith secretion. These periodical changes in specific ponasterone A binding
      when correlated with the molting stages clearly show that ecdysteroids may
      function as an initiator for gastrolith formation and reabsorption. The findings
      also suggest that ecdysteroids control calcium transport in the stomach
      epithelium. The time-related and functional differences of cytoplasmic and
      nuclear concentration of ecdysteroid receptors indicate the presence of
      cytoplasmic and nuclear receptors associated with specific actions.

PMID- 1429013
TI  - Direct detection of immunogold reactions by real-time video microscopy.
AB  - Video-enhanced microscopy allows the detection and tracking of individual
      colloidal gold particles. The analysis of immunogold reactions can also be
      conducted as a function of time and thus allows the study of dynamic events in
      living cells. The direct visualization in real time is reported of the reaction
      of immunogold particles with a surface antigen. This time-resolved
      immunocytochemistry was achieved by continuous observation of living cells
      infected with a virus (respiratory syncytial virus) following their incubation
      with colloidal gold (30 nm) coated with antiviral antibodies. The progress of the
      immunoreaction was visualized as a sequential deposition of individual gold
      granules on the viral particles until saturation was reached after 60 min.
      Binding of colloidal gold was an irreversible event as no elution or dislocation
      of surface-bound granules took place. Comparative imaging of colloidal gold
      particles by electron microscopy and by video microscopy demonstrated that the
      video-imaged immunoreactions represented events involving single gold particles;
      their signal was sometimes clearly enhanced by secondary depositions taking place
      in close proximity, i.e. at a distance below the lateral resolution of the light
      microscope. Our experiments demonstrate that video-enhanced microscopy provides a
      powerful tool for studying antibody-antigen reactions with a high spatial and
      temporal resolution.

PMID- 1429015
TI  - FMRFamide-immunoreactive structures in the brain of the brown hagfish, Paramyxine
      atami: relationship with neuropeptide Y-immunoreactive structures.
AB  - Localization of the molluscan cardioexcitatory tetrapeptide FMRFamide (Phe-Met
      Arg-Phe-NH2) in the brain and hypophysis of the brown hagfish, Paramyxine atami,
      was examined by immunohistochemistry specially regarding a possible relationship
      with neuropeptide Y (NPY). FMRFamide-immunoreactive fibers were demonstrated in
      many regions of the brain, with the highest density in the diencephalon. However,
      no immunoreactivity was found in the hypophysis. Labeled cells were chiefly
      located in the nucleus hypothalamicus of the diencephalon, although a few cells
      were recognized in the ventrolateral area of the caudal tegmentum. Examination of
      adjacent sections immunostained alternatively with anti-NPY antiserum and anti
      FMRFamide antiserum showed overlapping of the distributional patterns of the
      immunoreactive structures in the brain. Moreover, the same cells in the nucleus
      hypothalamicus were immunostained with both antisera. Cross-blocking experiments
      showed that the FMRF-amide-immunoreactivity is abolished by preabsorption of the
      antiserum with homologous antigen, but not eliminated completely by pretreatment
      with appropriate antigens (NPY, avian pancreatic polypeptide and methionine
      enkephalin-Arg-Phe). In contrast, the NPY-immunoreactivity was blocked by
      pretreatment of the antiserum with NPY, pancreatic polypeptide or FMRFamide,
      although no blocking by enkephalin was observed. Accordingly, the present study
      shows that, in the brown hagfish, FMRFamide-immunoreactive structures in the
      brain can be recognized by anti-NPY antiserum.

PMID- 1429014
TI  - Nuclear matrix-bound replicational sites detected in situ by 5-bromodeoxyuridine.
AB  - The nuclear matrix was prepared in situ from Swiss 3T3 cells, which were
      synchronized by contact inhibition and serum starvation and pulse-labelled for
      very short periods of time with 5-bromodeoxyuridine (5-BrdU). For the first time
      5-BrdU has been employed to demonstrate the association of newly synthesized DNA
      with a nucleoskeleton. Immunofluorescence analysis using a monoclonal antibody to
      5-BrdU revealed five different intranuclear staining patterns at different stages
      of the S phase. These patterns were observed also in intact cells and did not
      change during the matrix preparation steps which involve extraction with 2 M NaCl
      and DNase I digestion. Such an observation was also confirmed by spatial confocal
      microscopy studies. The intensity of fluorescence, which was evaluated by
      cytofluorometry, increased to reach a maximum during mid-S phase and then
      decreased. Because no significant difference was found in the time to label
      residual DNA of different 5-BrdU staining patterns, this strongly suggests that a
      different number of replicons is activated at different stages of the S phase.
      These results strengthen the hypothesis that eukaryotic DNA replication occurs in
      close association with an insoluble protein nuclear skeleton, which determines
      the three-dimensional spatial organization of chromosome duplication.

PMID- 1429016
TI  - Sensitive mRNA detection using unfixed tissue: combined radioactive and non
      radioactive in situ hybridization histochemistry.
AB  - In the present study some experimental parameters for in situ hybridization
      histochemistry (ISHH) have been analysed using 35S-labelled and alkaline
      phosphatase-conjugated probes, in order to develop a reproducible double
      labelling procedure. We have compared the total exclusion of tissue fixation with
      tissue sections fixed by immersion in formalin. In addition, the effect of
      dithiothreitol was assessed both when combining radiolabelled and non-radioactive
      probes on a single tissue section and when the probes were used separately.
      Hybridization of unfixed tissue resulted in stronger specific labelling and lower
      background both for radiolabelled and alkaline phosphatase-conjugated probes. No
      loss in tissue preservation was seen at the light microscopic level after
      hybridization of unfixed tissue. High concentrations (200 mM) of dithiothreitol
      strongly suppressed background when using 35S-labelled probes, whereas in the non
      radioactive procedure, alkaline phosphatase labelling could only be achieved with
      very low dithiothreitol concentrations (less than 1 mM). This incompatibility led
      to a protocol using unfixed tissue sections and a sequential hybridization
      procedure, with the radiolabelled probe and high concentrations of dithiothreitol
      in the first step and the alkaline phosphatase-conjugated probe without
      dithiothreitol in the second step.

PMID- 1429017
TI  - Initial reaction kinetics of succinate dehydrogenase in mouse liver studied with
      a real-time image analyser system.
AB  - The initial reaction kinetics of succinate dehydrogenase in situ were
      investigated in sections of mouse unfixed liver using an ARGUS-100 image analyser
      system. The sections were incubated on substrate-containing agarose gel films.
      Images of a section, illuminated with monochromatic light (584 nm), were captured
      with the image analyser in real time at intervals of 10 s during the incubation.
      The absorbances of selected hepatocytes in the successive images were determined
      as a function of time. In every cell, the absorbance increased nonlinearly after
      the first minute of incubation. The initial velocity of the dehydrogenase was
      calculated from the linear activities during the first 20 s of incubation. Hanes
      plots of the initial velocities and succinate concentration yielded the following
      mean kinetic constants. For periportal hepatocytes, the apparent Km = 1.2 +/- 0.8
      mM and Vmax = 29 +/- 2 mumol hydrogen equivalents formed/cm3 hepatocyte cytoplasm
      per min. For pericentral hepatocytes, Km = 1.4 +/- 1.0 mM and Vmax = 21 +/- 2
      mumol hydrogen equivalents/cm3 per min. The Km values are very similar to those
      determined previously from biochemical assays. These results, and the observed
      dependence of the initial velocity on the enzyme concentration, suggest that the
      technique reported here is valid for the histochemical assay of succinate
      dehydrogenase.

PMID- 1429018
TI  - Distribution of hyaluronan and its CD44 receptor in the epithelia of human skin
      appendages.
AB  - Biotinylated hyaluronan (HA) binding complex (HABC) from bovine articular
      cartilage proteoglycan was used as a histological probe to study the localization
      of HA in human skin. The distribution of HA was compared with its presumptive
      cell surface receptor, CD44, using monoclonal antibodies. In epidermis both HA
      and CD44 were found in the basal and spinous cell layers, but neither was present
      in the stratum granulosum and stratum corneum. In the keratinizing parts of hair
      follicles, i.e. in the outer and inner epidermal root sheath, pilosebaceous duct
      and the actual hair, HA and CD44 were found between the vital but not the
      terminally differentiated cells. In the sebaceous glands a small amount of HA was
      found around all cells, whereas CD44 was restricted to the basal cell layer. The
      secretory acini of the sweat glands stained intensively with anti-CD44 antibodies
      but only weakly with HABC. In the sweat gland, CD44 was localized on the basal
      and lateral surfaces of the clear cells, whereas the dark cells and the
      myoepithelial cells were negative. Both the lower and upper layers of the sweat
      gland ducts showed a faint but constant staining for CD44 and only minor amounts
      of HA. While in the keratinizing skin epithelia both HA and its CD44 receptor
      showed an intense staining with a close co-distribution, in the sweat and
      sebaceous glands their distribution patterns were not similar. It is suggested
      that in epithelia with divergent differentiation programs the functions of CD44
      and HA may be different.

PMID- 1429019
TI  - Immunohistochemical localization of pancreatic spasmolytic polypeptide (PSP) in
      the pig.
AB  - Pancreatic spasmolytic polypeptide (PSP) is a peptide that is isolated from the
      porcine pancreas and that affects intestinal motility and growth of intestinal
      tumour cells in vitro. The peptide was recently demonstrated to be present in
      large amounts in pancreatic juice. The cellular origin of the peptide, however,
      is largely unclarified and the localization was therefore studied of PSP in pigs
      using immunohistochemistry. Positive immunoreactions were seen in the pancreas,
      the stomach, the duodenum, the jejunum and the ileum. In the pancreas, the PSP
      immunoreaction was seen in all acinar cells; no immunoreaction was seen in the
      endocrine islets. In the stomach, it was localized to the mucous cells of the
      glands in the cardiac gland region, the corpus and the pylorus. In the duodenum a
      strong immunoreaction was present in Brunner's glands and in the cells of their
      excretory ducts. In the jejunum and ileum, PSP immunoreactivity was seen in some
      of the cells in the epithelium of the crypts of Lieberkuhn. A peptide
      chromatographically identical to highly purified PSP was identified in pancreas
      and stomach extracts. Thus epithelial cells in all parts of the stomach and small
      intestine contribute to the supply of PSP to the gut lumen.

PMID- 1429020
TI  - 5'-nucleotidase in spinal meningeal compartments in the rat. An immuno and enzyme
      histochemical study.
AB  - The distribution of 5'-nucleotidase (5'-Nu) is reported in spinal meninges of the
      rat on the basis of an immunohistochemical and enzyme histochemical
      investigation. Strong immunoreactivity was found in the arachnoid membrane and in
      the sheaths of the spinal roots as well as in septa subdividing the roots. Also
      the superficial layer of the ligamentum denticulatum showed enzyme staining. No
      immunoreactivity could be detected in the pia mater or along the spinal nerve
      roots outside the subarachnoid space. Within the arachnoid mater the
      immunoreactivity was concentrated in the basal zone of the arachnoid membrane,
      thus appearing as a narrow fluorescent band near the border of the dura. An
      accentuation of immunoreactivity could be observed in areas where small dural
      blood vessels approach the subarachnoid space. It is well known that adenine
      nucleotides released from neural and glial cells of the central nervous system
      finally reach the cerebrospinal fluid. We presume that 5'-Nu in the arachnoid
      membrane and spinal root sheaths is responsible for the conversion of adenine
      nucleotides into adenosine and that this conversion is associated with the
      reabsorption process of cerebrospinal fluid which most probably also takes place
      in spinal meninges. Adenosine, the product of 5'-nucleotidase, could play a role
      in the reabsorption process by its vasodilatatory effect on dural and epidural
      vessels.

PMID- 1429021
TI  - Amalgamation of two endocytic probe techniques: fluoresceinated cationized
      ferritin can show up, sequentially, selected structures, first in living cells
      and then by electron microscopy.
AB  - Fluorescein isothiocyanate-cationized ferritin (FITC-CF) has hitherto been used
      mainly to identify structures in living cells by light microscopy, by virtue of
      its fluorescent properties. We show here that this conjugate can be used, after
      immediate fixation of the same cell sample and preparation of thin sections, to
      recognise the same structures, by virtue of the ferritin's electron opacity. The
      conjugate should thus have a new use as a single-application, dual-purpose probe,
      e.g. in endocytic studies. The procedure may have advantages over similar dual
      purpose probes in not requiring staining or special treatment.

PMID- 1429022
TI  - Fibronectin and laminin in transverse tubules of cardiac myocytes studied by
      laser confocal microscopy and immunocytochemistry.
AB  - The distribution of two non-collagenous glycoproteins of high molecular weight,
      fibronectin (FN) and laminin (LMN), was investigated in myocardial cells from the
      ventricle of rats, and from biopsies collected from the auricle of patients
      undergoing a coronary bypass operation. In order to elucidate the expression of
      FN and LMN across cells, non-invasive serial sectioning has been carried out by
      laser scanning confocal microscopy of frozen, immunostained tissue sections. In
      addition, immunoelectron microscopy was used to study the distribution of these
      antigens at higher magnifications. These studies show that FN is part of the
      basement membrane of the surface sarcolemma of both ventricular and atrial cells,
      in addition to being an abundant protein of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Along
      transverse tubular(TT)-membranes, FN was only detected in tubules exceeding 200
      nm in diameter. Even here, the intensity of labelling varied greatly and was
      generally low. By contrast, a heavy investment of LMN was organized in the basal
      lamina along the surface sarcolemma and along ramifications of the entire TT
      system in ventricular heart muscle cells. In this way, the network of TT-membrane
      systems of working heart muscle cells provides a supply of LMN to all depths of
      the myocardial fibre. In human atrial muscle cells, a regular TT-system appears
      to be absent. Instead occasional, deep sarcolemmal invaginations occur with
      diameters of 300-500 nm, the surfaces of which are also invested with LMN. The
      significance of the present findings has been discussed, with special reference
      to LMN as a possible component of a series of proteins involved in transmembrane
      communication between the ECM and the sarcoplasm.

PMID- 1429023
TI  - Which fluorophore is brightest? A comparison of the staining obtained using
      fluorescein, tetramethylrhodamine, lissamine rhodamine, Texas red, and cyanine
      3.18.
AB  - There are several red-emitting fluorophores available for immunofluorescence
      studies, including tetramethylrhodamine, lissamine rhodamine, Texas Red, and
      cyanine 3.18; however, it is unclear which of these is best. The present study
      compared the brightness of these fluorophores to that of fluorescein. Staining
      was attempted using a primary antibody raised against serotonin and a secondary
      antibody that was conjugated with either fluorescein or one of the red
      fluorophores. The intensity of staining was determined densitometrically. It was
      found that a conjugate of cyanine 3.18 provided significantly brighter staining
      that conjugates of any of the other fluorophores, including fluorescein. It is
      concluded that cyanine 3.18 should be useful for multicolor fluorescence
      experiments and that it may be the brightest fluorophore available for single
      color fluorescence immunocytochemistry.

PMID- 1429024
TI  - [Expert assessment of hearing loss within the scope of the social compensation
      law and the law regarding severely handicapped patients].
AB  - Special problems are described concerning expert opinions on hearing disability
      and hearing loss with regard to the German Social Rights for Compensation and the
      laws for handicapped persons. In some aspects there are similarities to the
      rights of accident insurance, but disability programs question only the degree of
      handicap present and not the source of the hearing loss. The expert opinion on
      the subject's ability to work in his or any other profession must only determine
      the patient's ability to hear and the tasks needed to fulfill the profession.
      Special attention is given to the problems arising from tinnitus.

PMID- 1429025
TI  - [The cochlear implant in childhood. Possibilities, limits and perspectives of
      management].
AB  - Therapeutic experiences with cochlear implants in late adult deafness have become
      so large that implants now belong to the accepted methods of therapy for
      profoundly deaf patients. Affected patients often recognize speech through simple
      auditory means. In the last 5 years increased numbers of children with congenital
      or infantile deafness have also been successfully treated with cochlear implants.
      Some reports have already been published about clinical experiences and rates of
      success. In this paper some positive results are shown, but the limitations of
      treatment and the necessity for accurate preoperative diagnosis must be
      understood. The further development of treatment for deaf implants requires
      refinements in phoniatric and pedaudiological techniques.

PMID- 1429026
TI  - [Experimental defects of the round window membrane].
AB  - Previous and current studies of experimentally induced fistulas in the round
      window membrane (RWM) are reviewed. After puncture (or "micro-perforation") of
      the RWM leaking perilymph was not been observed and auditory evoked potentials
      have remained unaltered. In contrast, most publications have reported that gross
      incisions ("macro-perforations") of the RWM have resulted in the deterioration of
      auditory evoked potentials, with leaking perilymph and/or cerebrospinal fluid
      and/or with entrance of air bubbles into the scala tympani depending on the site
      of the perforation. Spontaneous healing was then observed within 4 to 8 days and
      was associated with normalization of the auditory evoked potentials. In a very
      few experimental studies pathophysiological mechanisms were simulated that may be
      involved clinically in patients with RWM fistulas, i.e. implosive rupture of the
      RWM due to an acute increase in middle ear pressure or explosive rupture of the
      RWM that may occur in patients trying to use forced Valsalva maneuvers to
      equalize decreased middle ear pressures due to blocked Eustachian tubes.

PMID- 1429027
TI  - [Neurovascular contacts in the inner ear canal and cerebellopontile angle. A
      methodologic comparison between CT with pneumocisternomeatography and MR
      angiography].
AB  - The interaction between arterial loops and the vestibulocochlear nerve is
      considered to be responsible for such clinical symptoms as progressive
      sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus and vestibular dysfunction. Previously,
      neurovascular relationships were best demonstrated with invasive Gas-CT
      cisternography, although this technique resulted in a low detection rate of 38%.
      Magnetic resonance angiography offers a non-invasive method for imaging vessel
      loops in the cerebellopontine angle without contrast medium in more than 90% of
      cases. A comparison between gas-CT-cisternography and magnetic resonance
      angiography in 9 patients revealed a superior simultaneous depiction of both
      anterior inferior cerebellar arteries with magnetic resonance angiography.

PMID- 1429028
TI  - [Psychogenic hearing disorders in childhood and adolescence].
AB  - Psychogenic hearing defects are more common than previously recognized. The
      disorder is characterized by typical behaviour, audiological signs and symptoms.
      Patients may show severe hearing losses as evaluated by pure-tone threshold
      audiometry but can understand usual conversation. Results of audiological
      examination may be conflicting and suggest a wide range of organic hearing
      disorders. Other characteristics are dramatic improvement of hearing following
      sham procedures or placebo medication. Detection of psychogenesis and etiologic
      factors are of utmost importance for successful therapy. Between 1988 and 1991,
      21 children and adolescents (ages 5-16 years) with psychogenic hearing losses
      were studied. Typical signs as well as diagnostic and therapeutic tools are
      illustrated in renewal case histories. In-patient diagnosis and treatment are
      recommended, since improvement was achieved in all patients treated.

PMID- 1429029
TI  - [Systematic hearing diagnosis in the premature infant. The Magdeburg model].
AB  - Almost 50% of all hearing disorders found in children are acquired. To a large
      extent these hearing disorders are caused by premature birth and can be detected
      by suitable screening. Two methods have proved useful for such testing: (1)
      Reflex audiometry with a standardized stimulus generator; and (2) bedside
      recording of brainstem potentials. Having tested the method of bedside recording
      of brainstem potentials we examined a group of 60 infants of varied body weights
      and otherwise normal findings as a "normal" control group. At all click
      intensities measured, premature infants weighing from 1500 to 2000 g showed a
      latency increase by about 0.7 ms when compared to infants weighing in excess of
      2000 g. Premature infants showing signs of maturation adequate for gestational
      age were not at greater risk for hearing disorders. In contrast, premature
      infants weighing less than 1500 g and having marked hyperbilirubinemia as week as
      extensive intracranial bleeding always showed increased wave V latencies. Ten
      percent of these infants had severe hearing disorders requiring special
      pecaudiological training. Overall findings showed the great usefulness of
      audiometric screening in a pediatric hospital center for detecting hearing
      disorders in premature infants.

PMID- 1429030
TI  - [The definition of "selectivity" in reduced speech discrimination as a sequela of
      peripheral perceptual damage].
AB  - The term "selectivity" means the ability to correctly select speech in the
      presence of other kinds of noise. In the literature the term "selectivity" is
      used very differently with regard to the different levels of the hearing system.
      In actual practice a separation of this term is important for possible
      audiometric topodiagnosis study. The problems of selectivity in hearing are
      discussed and different terms are proposed regarding the different planes of
      hearing system: 1. for the interaural-external ear transfer function, the terms
      "stereophonic outer ear effect" or "stereophonic outer ear efficiency" are used;
      2. for the power of the inner ear, the term "ability of analysis"; 3. for the
      central auditory pathways, the term "chiasmatic selectivity" or "meshing
      selectivity"; 4. for the cortical centre, "active selectivity." The audiometric
      test batteries used clinically for topodiagnosis are discussed and two examples
      shown to illustrate the usefulness of the distorted Freiburg Word Test for
      detecting "analytical ability" in cases of inner ear damage.

PMID- 1429031
TI  - [Carcinoid of the middle ear: a rare tumor with biphasic differentiation. Case
      report with special reference to immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy].
AB  - Progressive unilateral sensorineural deafness and tinnitus developed in a 59-year
      old woman over a 1-year period. Clinical examination showed a tumor mass which
      almost completely filled the tympanic cavity, and grew around the auditory
      ossicular chain. Histological findings revealed the tumor to be a primary
      carcinoid of the middle ear. Neuro-endocrine differentiation was confirmed
      immunohistochemically by positivity for neuron-specific enolase, chromogranin,
      pancreatic polypeptide and synaptophysin. Using electron microscopy,
      neuroendocrine granules could be visualized. In addition, both light and electron
      microscopy revealed that cells had an epithelial differentiation with mucin
      granules while immunohistochemistry showed a positivity for cytokeratins. The
      detection of intermediary filaments (immunohistochemically with vimentin and
      under electron microscopy) was unique to this neoplasm and has to be considered
      in distinguishing the carcinoid tumor from the papillary adenoma of the middle
      ear. Tumor prognosis is excellent with radical extirpation from the middle ear.
      In the case presented, there has been no evidence for either recurrence or
      metastases 10 months after surgical resection.

PMID- 1429032
TI  - HLA class-II-mediated homotypic aggregation: involvement of a protein tyrosine
      kinase and protein kinase C.
AB  - Homotypic aggregation of B-lymphocytes, B-cell lines and class-II-positive T
      cells via HLA class II molecules was examined. Signaling via DR antigens induced
      rapid aggregation in a dose- and time-dependent manner, maximum and stable
      aggregation was induced within 20 minutes. On the contrary, rapid signaling via
      DP or DQ required prestimulation with either PMA or anti-sIg. Aggregation was
      temperature and energy dependent. [Ca2+] and [Mg2+] concentrations and an intact
      cytoskeleton were required while neither mRNA or protein synthesis were required.
      Furthermore, FACS analysis revealed that aggregation was not directly correlated
      with cell surface expression of HLA class II molecules. Our results demonstrate
      that aggregation was mediated through a protein tyrosine kinase (PTK)-dependent
      pathway that preceded activation of protein kinase C (PKC) and failure to
      generate either the PTK signal or the PKC signal prevented aggregation. The
      contribution of a tyrosine kinase was further demonstrated by the total
      inhibition of aggregation following treatment with an anti-CD45 mAb.

PMID- 1429033
TI  - Production and characterization of murine monoclonal antibodies recognizing HLA
      DQ polymorphisms obtained by immunizing mice with transfected L cells.
AB  - Two polymorphic anti-HLA-DQB1 mAbs, TM 902 and TM 903, have been produced by
      immunizing F1 mice (Balb/C x C3H) with HLA-DQ-transfected mouse L cells.
      Cytotoxic analysis on a panel of HLA-typed cell lines has shown that TM 902
      reacts with all the DQB1* alleles except DQB1*0501, *0502, and *0503, and
      DQB1*0601, *0602, *0603, and *0604, whereas TM 903 reacts with the DQB1*0501,
      *0502, and *0503, DQB1*0601, *0602, *0603, and *0604, and DQB1*0401 and *0402
      alleles. The same reactivity pattern has been confirmed by cytofluorimetric
      analysis. Indirect immunofluorescence with various class-II-transfected cell
      lines showed no binding of both mAbs to the DR or DP products, suggesting their
      reactivity to the DQ products. The use of transfectants expressing HLA-DR/DQ
      heterodimers demonstrates that TM902 and TM903 mAbs are both specific for the DQ
      beta chain. Comparison of the amino acid sequences of the DQ-beta chain suggests
      the involvement of residues 84-90 (QLELRTT) in the formation of TM902 epitope and
      of residues 54-55 (GR) in the formation of TM903 epitope.

PMID- 1429034
TI  - Analysis of HLA DP, DQ, and DR alleles in adult Italian rheumatoid arthritis
      patients.
AB  - We analyzed the distribution of DRB1, DQA1, DQB1, and DPB1 allelic variants in 48
      rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, compared with 109 Italian random controls,
      using PCR amplification and hybridization with specific oligonucleotides. We
      confirm the previously reported increase of DR4 specificity, in comparison with
      healthy Italian individuals. In particular, we find a statistically significant
      positive association of DRB1*0401 and DRB1*0404 alleles with RA. However, when we
      compare the DR4+ groups, none of the DRB1*04 alleles is increased in the RA
      group. By sequence analysis, performed on 10 patients, we demonstrate that the
      DRB1*04 genes of RA show no difference from the DRB1*04 sequences previously
      published. From the molecular analysis of the other DRB1 polymorphic variants, we
      find a trend of positive association of DRB1*0101 in DR4-negative patients versus
      DR4-negative healthy controls and, in the group of DR4-negative and/or DR1
      negative patients, a similar increase of DRB1*06. Also, we observe in RA patients
      a statistically significant increase of DQA1*0301 and DQB1*0302 accompanied by a
      significant decrease of DQA1*0201, DQA1*0501 and DQB1*0201. Finally, from the
      analysis of DPB1 gene, it can be assessed that the distribution of DPB1 alleles
      does not differ significantly between RA patients and healthy controls.

PMID- 1429035
TI  - Relative contribution of HLA-DQA and -DQB alleles to predisposition to insulin
      dependent diabetes mellitus.
AB  - The presence of DQA and DQB alleles conferring protection or susceptibility was
      assessed in a panel of 39 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients and 39
      healthy control subjects from the central highland of Ethiopia. The results were
      grouped into three entities: a combination of alleles conferring susceptibility,
      a group conferring protection, and a group without any apparent HLA-DQ or -DR
      predisposition to insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus (IDDM).
      Statistical analysis revealed that the relative risk of the first group is 64.1.
      If a similar approach is applied to the data on a study in caucasoid IDDM
      patients and controls of Kahlil and colleagues, the pattern is fully consistent
      with the data presented here, with an extraordinarily high relative risk (RR
      258.2). It will be of interest to study whether this subdivision is reflected or
      supported by clinical or etiologic differences of the disease. The predictive
      value of susceptibility phenotypes appears to be more accurate by the proposed
      subdivision. Furthermore, in combination with islet-cell antibody analysis,
      assessment of genotype will permit more accurate identification of prediabetic
      individuals to be entered in clinical trials.

PMID- 1429036
TI  - Contribution of a single DQ beta chain residue to multiple sclerosis in French
      Canadians.
AB  - Putative disease susceptibility and resistance HLA class II alleles were studied
      in 78 French Canadian multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and 79 controls by using
      sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes to analyze in vitro amplified DNA (PCR
      SSOP) typing). In this relatively homogeneous ethnic group, MS was positively
      associated with DRB5*0101, DQB1*0602, and DQA1*0102 and negatively associated
      with DQB1*0301. The strongest disease association was with DQB1*0602. Complete
      DQB1 typing of these individuals, plus RFLP DQ beta typing of an additional five
      patients showed that 98% of patients compared with 73% of controls carry DQB1
      alleles encoding leucine at residue 26. In contrast, 16% of patients compared
      with 38% of controls carry DQB1 alleles encoding tyrosine at the same residue,
      and 22% of patients versus 44% of controls carry DQB1 alleles encoding glycine at
      residue 26. The positive disease correlation was confirmed with SSO probes
      designed to hybridize to codons for amino acids 22-27 of DQB1*0602, 0603, 0604,
      0302, 0303 or to codons for amino acids 25-31 of DQB1*0201; all of these alleles
      encode Leu 26. These findings suggest that DQ beta chain polymorphisms at a
      single residue contribute to the development of MS in the French Canadian
      population.

PMID- 1429037
TI  - Apparent HLA DR triplet due to the coexpression of a DRB5-encoded molecule on a
      DR1 haplotype.
AB  - HLA DR1 molecules are coded by a single polymorphic DRB1 gene. We have observed
      rare DR1 cells in one Caucasoid family and three unrelated individuals that also
      reacted with some anti-DR2 sera. Since the second DR antigen was normally
      expressed, these cells appeared as triplets. Contrary to serology, the cells were
      not typed by HTCs defining Dw2, Dw12, and Dw21. Further investigations on these
      unusual DR1+2* haplotypes were conducted by DNA oligotyping and by sequencing of
      the DRB first-domain exon. The results showed that these DR1 haplotypes, besides
      their DRB1*0101 allele, carried also a DRB5*0101 allele.

PMID- 1429038
TI  - HLA class II expression on human epidermal Langerhans cells in situ: upregulation
      during the elicitation of allergic contact dermatitis.
AB  - An immunoelectron-microscopic technique was applied to investigate the
      localization of molecules that are involved in the elicitation of allergic
      contact dermatitis in human epidermal cells in situ. Langerhans cells in the
      epidermis of lesions showed a strongly increased cell surface expression of HLA
      class II molecules as compared with normal skin. In addition, a high number of
      intracellularly located HLA class II molecules were present in Langerhans cells
      of lesional epidermis, suggesting increased biosynthesis of these molecules
      during the elicitation process. In contrast, no differences in the expression of
      CD1a by Langerhans cells was observed between normal and lesional skin.
      Frequently, the Langerhans cells were found in close apposition to mononuclear
      cells, which also exhibited a strong cell surface HLA class II expression. The
      number of Birbeck granules that are characteristic intracellular Langerhans cells
      organelles was increased in lesional Langerhans cells as compared with normal
      skin Langerhans cells, which may correlate with the activated state of lesional
      Langerhans cells. These Birbeck granules were always HLA class II or CD1a
      negative. The increased synthesis and expression of HLA class II molecules on the
      cell surface of Langerhans cells suggests a direct role for these HLA class II
      molecules in the elicitation process of allergic contact dermatitis.

PMID- 1429039
TI  - HLA-DR,DQ sequence polymorphisms in Polynesians, Micronesians, and Javanese.
AB  - The origins of the Polynesians remain an enigma. Linguistic reconstructions of
      proto-Austronesian languages suggest a shared origin for Polynesians,
      Micronesians, and Javanese with dispersal from northern Borneo and Sulawesi.
      Analysis of 810 chromosomes for nucleotide sequence polymorphism at HLA-DRB1,
      DRB3, DRB5, DQA1, and DQB1 loci in Polynesian (Rarotonga, Western Samoa, and
      Niue), Micronesian (Nauru and Kiribati), and Javanese populations showed
      virtually no overlap of HLA class II haplotypes between contemporary Polynesians
      and Javanese. Further, there were marked differences in population distributions
      of some HLA-DRB1 alleles that could not be distinguished in earlier serologic or
      restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) studies, e.g., for DR12,
      DRB1*1201 had a frequency of 15%-30% in Polynesians (1% in Micronesians and
      Javanese), whereas DRB1*1202 had a frequency of 28%-38% in Micronesians and 51%
      in Javanese (1% in Polynesians). A novel DR6-related allele, DRB1*1408, was found
      in all three Polynesian study populations. The Polynesian HLA class II genetic
      repertoire is not readily derived from the island Southeast Asian gene pool.

PMID- 1429040
TI  - Sequence variation in Japanese HLA-DRw8 specificity.
AB  - There are four DRw8 haplotypes with different DQ alleles in Japanese: DRw8-DQw6
      (w1), DRw8-DQw4, DRw8-DQw8(w3), and DRw8-DQw7 (w3). We previously reported the
      nucleotide sequence of DRB1 gene of DRw8-DQw6(w1) and it was named DRB1*08032.
      The nucleotide sequences of the other DRw8 DRB1 alleles and their correspondence
      to internationally recognized DRw8 subspecificities were still unclear. We have
      cloned these DRB1 genes and determined the nucleotide sequences. The comparison
      of the sequences with the published sequences revealed that the differences were
      occurred at two amino acid positions, and these four haplotypes are classified in
      two groups: (a) DRw8-DQw6(w1) and DRw8-DQw7(w3), and (b) DRw8-DQw4 and DRw8
      DQw8(w3). The DRB1 molecules of DRw8-DQw6(w1) and DRw8-DQw7(w3) have Ser57 and
      Ile67, and those of DRw8-DQw4 and DRw8-DQw8(w3) have Asp57 and Phe67. The former
      has the same sequence as that of DRB1*08032, and the latter is same as that of
      DRB1*0802. The classification corresponds to the serologic subtyping, which
      divides DRw8 into DR8.1 and DR8.2, reported in the 10th Japan HLA Workshop.

PMID- 1429041
TI  - Transplantation tolerance in heart transplant recipients as demonstrated by
      unresponsiveness in cell-mediated lympholysis.
AB  - Transplantation tolerance or adaptation to an allograft is associated with
      unresponsiveness to donor-specific transplantation antigens measured in in vitro
      cell-mediated lympholysis (CML). We here demonstrate in a longitudinal follow-up
      that CML nonreactivity develops in seven of ten patients following heart
      transplantation. The first manifestation of this nonreactivity manifested between
      3 and 27 months after transplantation. CML nonreactivity correlated with time
      after transplantation and the percentage of activated lymphocytes in peripheral
      blood. CML nonreactivity was also associated with good graft function, i.e., in
      condition of nonresponsiveness patients did not manifest acute rejection. The
      only exception was seen in one patient in whom the immunosuppressive therapy was
      strongly reduced. A more detailed evaluation of this patient indicated that the
      underlying mechanism for CML nonreactivity is clonal anergy or active suppression
      of the alloreactive cells.

PMID- 1429042
TI  - Peptide-induced proliferation and lymphokine production in human T cells in the
      absence of antigen-presenting cells: role of T-cell activation state and
      costimulatory signals.
AB  - The role of T-lymphocytes as antigen-presenting cells (APCs) for other T cells
      was investigated. Activated rabies-virus-specific human T-cell clones were shown
      to present peptide to class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted
      T cells of a different fine specificity, resulting in lymphokine production and
      cell proliferation. Furthermore, purified and activated antigen-specific T cells
      could produce lymphokines and proliferate as a result of the addition of
      antigenic peptide in the absence of APC. The functional response of T cells to
      peptide in the absence of APC was amplified by the addition of phorbol ester
      (PMA) and was inhibited with antibodies specific to class II MHC or to the CD2
      molecule. Experiments performed in single-cell suspension cultures using
      semisolid medium prepared with 1% agar demonstrate that T-cell proliferative and
      lymphokine responses to peptide both in the presence and absence of APC require
      the interaction of T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) molecules with class II MHC
      peptide complexes on different cell surfaces (cell-cell contact). On the other
      hand, peptide self-presentation, which occurs by the binding of TCR with class II
      MHC-peptide complexes on the same cell surface (at the single-cell level),
      resulted in T-cell activation (i.e., high expression of surface CD2, CD25, and
      HLA-DR molecules), without proliferation or lymphokine secretion, a pattern
      observed in the induction of T-cell anergy by antigen. The results are discussed
      in terms of the role of class II MHC molecules on activated T-lymphocytes, which
      enable these cells to function as "professional APC" in the development of T-cell
      regulatory networks.

PMID- 1429043
TI  - Silent allelic variants of a T-cell receptor V beta 12 gene are present in
      diverse human populations.
AB  - Amino acid substitutions in variable regions of the T-cell receptor (TCR) can
      alter T-cell reactivity; however, relatively little is known about the extent of
      allelic variation in human TCR coding sequences. In the present studies, coding
      region variation in the human TCR V beta 12.2 gene was examined in detail.
      Virtually the entire V beta 12.2 coding region was screened for nucleotide
      substitutions by single-stranded conformational polymorphism analysis. Four
      alleles were identified in a sample population of 90 unrelated people from
      diverse genetic backgrounds. Three of the alleles were common, with estimated
      frequencies of 0.32, 0.47, and 0.20. Sequence analyses revealed that variation
      between the alleles was confined to three single-base differences in codons 24,
      31, and 45; none of these changes altered the amino acid sequence. No evidence
      for other coding region differences in this gene were found. This analysis
      suggests that coding region variation in V beta 12.2 is limited, and amino acid
      sequence is highly conserved.

PMID- 1429044
TI  - Flow-cytometric analysis of immune cell populations in human decidua from various
      types of first-trimester pregnancy.
AB  - We undertook an investigation in which flow cytometry was used to characterize
      immune cell populations in the decidua of first-trimester normal pregnancies,
      spontaneous abortions, and ectopic pregnancies in comparison to the nonpregnant
      endometrium to demonstrate how the proportions of immunocompetent cell
      populations at the fetomaternal interface are influenced by the presence and
      state of a fetoplacental allograft. No significant differences were found in the
      decidua of the different types of first-trimester pregnancy in the proportions of
      the CD45+, CD14+, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD19+, CD3-/CD16+ and/or CD56+, CD3+/CD16+
      and/or CD56+, CD4+/Leu-8+, CD4+/Leu-8-, CD8+/CD11b+, CD8+/CD11b-, and CD3+/HLA-DR
      decidual leukocyte subsets. However, the percentage of decidual CD3+/HLA-DR+
      cells, which are characteristic of activated T cells, was significantly higher in
      spontaneous abortions than in normal pregnancies (p less than 0.05). This
      suggests that the accumulation of decidual leukocytes may be regulated mainly by
      hormones and/or cytokines rather than by the presence and state of an
      intrauterine conceptus and that on/off-switching of activation of decidual T
      cells may be associated with successful maintenance of the implanted embryo.

PMID- 1429046
TI  - Paralymics offer athletes--and DOs--new challenges.

PMID- 1429045
TI  - Autologous graft-versus-host disease: a novel approach for antitumor
      immunotherapy.
AB  - Autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is a therapeutic option for the
      treatment of lymphohematopoietic malignancies and solid tumors. Despite the
      intensive cytoreductive therapy, however, the rates of tumor recurrence after
      autologous BMT remain unacceptably high. Current studies suggest that the
      administration of cyclosporine (CsA) disrupts the reconstitution of self
      tolerance following autologous BMT leading to the induction of an autoimmune
      graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Studies in a rat tumor model and preliminary
      clinical trials suggest that this autoimmune or autologous GVHD provides a
      significant antitumor effect. Moreover, the antitumor effect of autologous GVHD
      can be enhanced by administration of gamma-interferon, which upregulates the
      antigen recognized by the autoreactive effector cells of autologous GVHD. These
      studies indicate that the induction of an autoimmune GVHD after autologous BMT
      may be a promising immunotherapeutic approach for treatment of certain neoplastic
      diseases.

PMID- 1429047
TI  - Familial glomerular disease: it's all in the genes.

PMID- 1429048
TI  - Familial glomerular disease with asymptomatic proteinuria and nephrotic syndrome:
      a new clinical entity.
AB  - Seventy-three members of a 100-member kindred with asymptomatic proteinuria,
      nephrotic syndrome, and progressive renal failure were studied. Of those studied,
      11 members had progressed to end-stage renal disease and seven had significant
      proteinuria (greater than 1 g/24 hours) with normal renal function. The genetic
      mode of inheritance was autosomal dominant with variable penetrance and
      expressivity. Histopathologic changes were variable but included focal segmental
      glomerulosclerosis and diffuse glomerulosclerosis. Renal failure usually occurred
      in the fifth decade of life. The most consistent clinical finding was proteinuria
      without microscopic hematuria or other significant urinary sediment elements.
      This disease differed from Alport's hereditary nephritis and congenital nephrotic
      syndrome in age of onset, urinary findings, and associated conditions, that is,
      nerve deafness. The hereditary proteinuria and nephrotic syndrome described in
      this kindred represents another facet in the spectrum of hereditary renal
      disease.

PMID- 1429049
TI  - Adult respiratory distress syndrome: a review for the clinician.
AB  - Adult respiratory distress syndrome is a common respiratory problem with a wide
      array of precipitating causes and an overall mortality rate of more than 50%.
      Signs on physical examination tend to be nonspecific as do laboratory findings
      associated with the syndrome. Because of its diverse etiology, there is no one
      specific treatment for adult respiratory distress syndrome. Therapy is primarily
      supportive and centers around the use of mechanical ventilator support. The
      authors discuss the pathogenesis and management of this syndrome together with
      some of the newer approaches to mechanical ventilation.

PMID- 1429050
TI  - Therapeutic considerations: lower respiratory tract infections in smokers.
AB  - Tobacco smoke can alter both the structural and the immunologic defenses of the
      lungs against infection. The gases from smoke can also inhibit repair of the
      damages they create. Smokers have been found to have increased bacterial
      adherence to the respiratory tract, decreased IgA and IgG, and a decrease in
      vital capacity two to three times greater than that of nonsmokers. These and
      other respiratory tract alterations put smokers at an added disadvantage when
      acute lower respiratory tract infections strike. A history of smoking influences
      the diagnosis of respiratory tract infections because smokers are more prone than
      nonsmokers to infection by certain organisms. The major causes and
      characteristics of lower respiratory tract infections, methods of outpatient
      diagnosis, and the pros and cons of various modes of therapy are discussed.

PMID- 1429052
TI  - The family physician's role in the continuity of care of the HIV-infected
      patient.

PMID- 1429051
TI  - Therapeutic drug monitoring: lithium levels.
AB  - Lithium has been used in the treatment of mania since 1949. Although its
      effectiveness is well recognized, the mechanism by which it stabilizes manic
      behavior is not well understood. In addition, it has some serious toxic
      properties combined with a narrow therapeutic range. For this reason, monitoring
      of serum lithium levels is mandatory. Suggested mechanisms of action and
      protocols for monitoring of serum levels are presented.

PMID- 1429053
TI  - Evaluating an intern/residency program.
AB  - When faced with the task of program evaluation, many directors of medical
      education may find themselves overwhelmed. This article presents suggestions for
      conducting an evaluation, including the six basic elements to consider before
      embarking on such an undertaking. With an emphasis on selecting a model framework
      as a guide for conducting a program evaluation, this article examines one model-
      Stufflebeam's CIPP model--in depth.

PMID- 1429054
TI  - Retained fetal scalp monitoring lead discovered in the wall of the jejunum.
AB  - The retention of a foreign body following surgery is a longstanding and dreaded
      problem. We report the retention of a fetal scalp monitoring lead that was
      embedded in the wall of the patient's jejunum and discovered 2 years after
      cesarean section. In reviewing the American medical literature, we believe this
      case is, perhaps, unique. The treatment of this entity is discussed as well as
      ways to help to prevent it.

PMID- 1429055
TI  - Aortic dissection in acute pancreatitis.
AB  - Extrapancreatic fluid collections are frequently seen in acute pancreatitis.
      Vascular damage with life-threatening hemorrhage is also a known complication. In
      the case report presented, we include documentation by computed tomography of an
      apparent abdominal aortic wall dissection by fluid in a patient with acute
      pancreatitis. Conservative therapy resulted in complete resolution without
      hemorrhage or aneurysm formation.

PMID- 1429056
TI  - Anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the right anterior aortic
      sinus.
AB  - Anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the right sinus of
      Valsalva is an uncommon problem, occurring in four distinct patterns. When the
      left main coronary artery passes between the aorta and the pulmonary trunk, acute
      myocardial ischemia or sudden death may occur. Angiography is required in
      establishing a diagnosis. Surgical correction or bypass surgery are sometimes
      indicated. The authors report two cases of anomalous origin of the left main
      coronary artery and discuss the anatomic variants, clinical significance, and
      technical considerations in both diagnosis and management.

PMID- 1429057
TI  - Mirizzi syndrome (hepatic duct obstruction).
AB  - The Mirizzi syndrome is an uncommon cause of obstructive jaundice. In 1948,
      Mirizzi characterized a syndrome in which common hepatic duct obstruction occurs
      because of impacted stones in the gallbladder neck or cystic duct. The authors
      report a case demonstrating this syndrome. They discuss the radiographic features
      and report the features found on a computed tomographic cholangiogram that have
      not been previously described. Computed tomography-cholangiography may be helpful
      in evaluating patients with suspected Mirizzi syndrome.

PMID- 1429058
TI  - Primary laryngeal and nasal septal lesions in pemphigus vulgaris.
AB  - Synchronous laryngeal and nasal septal lesions in pemphigus vulgaris are rare.
      The authors report a case of pemphigus vulgaris in an elderly man who was seen
      with lesions of the supraglottic larynx and nasal septum. The classic skin
      changes of pemphigus eventually developed, and the patient responded to daily
      treatments of 80 mg of prednisone. Steroids and immunosuppressive agents remain
      the treatment of choice, but a favorable prognosis is still dependent on early
      diagnosis and institution of therapy.

PMID- 1429059
TI  - Male breast carcinoma: clinical experience in a suburban community.
AB  - Male breast cancer is difficult to study because it occurs infrequently,
      accounting for 1% of all breast carcinoma. Breast cancer occurs 10 years later in
      men than in women, and its presentation parallels that in women. The authors
      retrospectively review 13 cases of male breast cancer occurring over a 20-year
      period in four community hospitals. Treatment methods paralleled those used for
      female cancer patients. Surgery, primarily radical mastectomy, was performed in
      all patients. In the eight patients in whom hormone receptor assays were
      obtained, all tests were positive for estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors,
      or both. Metastases were diagnosed in five patients during follow-up. The longest
      disease-free survival has been 10 years. Similarities and differences regarding
      male and female breast cancer are discussed as are the diagnosis and management
      of men with this disease.

PMID- 1429060
TI  - Update on monoclonal antibody therapy in the gram-negative sepsis syndrome.
AB  - Two multicenter controlled clinical trials of genetically engineered monoclonal
      antibodies directed against endotoxin, a potent mediator of inflammation in the
      gram-negative sepsis syndrome, were recently reported in the medical literature.
      One of these antiendotoxin antibodies was derived from a murine (mouse) source,
      and the other antibody was derived mainly from a human source (nebacumab
      [negative bacteria human monoclonal antibody]). This article reviews recent
      literature concerning the use of these agents in the treatment of gram-negative
      sepsis syndrome. It also projects economic assessment data regarding the use of
      nebacumab in the United States.

PMID- 1429061
TI  - The lupus anticoagulant and antiphospholipid antibodies.
AB  - Antiphospholipid antibody syndromes are primarily manifested as unexplained
      thrombotic events. Several antiphospholipid antibodies have been identified, the
      lupus anticoagulant being the most recognized. Considerable confusion surrounds
      this "anticoagulant," which is highly correlated with an increased risk of
      thrombosis. Several assays have been designed for the detection of
      antiphospholipid antibodies. There are limitations on their efficacy and
      interpretation requires judgment. Treatment strategies for the clinical
      manifestations of the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome are being developed. The
      explosive rise in the volume of literature dedicated to this topic will assure
      new and improved modalities for evaluation and treatment.

PMID- 1429062
TI  - Hepatitis testing update.
AB  - During a 25-year period, four types of hepatitis-causing virus have been
      identified and can now be evaluated serologically. This final article in this
      clinical laboratory medicine series reviews routes of virus transmission and
      persistence and the availability of tests.

PMID- 1429063
TI  - Workup of a patient with newly diagnosed HIV infection.
AB  - This monthly series was developed from the AOA Task Force on AIDS Writers'
      Workshop, held August 16 to 18, 1991, in New York. The workshop was sponsored by
      an education grant from Burroughs Wellcome. It will provide brief clinical
      updates and perspectives on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Readers may
      request tear sheets from the AOA editorial offices.

PMID- 1429064
TI  - Suggestions for clinicians providing--and residents seeking--feedback.
AB  - As a form of verbal or nonverbal communication intended to promote learning,
      feedback plays an important role in the medical training process. More often than
      not, however, feedback is given--and received--inappropriately by both clinicians
      and residents, respectively. This article outlines common types of instructional
      feedback, their inherent advantages and disadvantages, and suggests ways in which
      clinicians and residents may incorporate feedback effectively in a
      residency/training program.

PMID- 1429065
TI  - Invasive aspergillosis of the sphenoethmoidal sinuses in an immunocompetent host.
AB  - Fungal infections of the nose and paranasal sinuses are uncommon; Aspergillus is
      the most frequently isolated fungal pathogen. Invasive aspergillosis is commonly
      seen as an opportunistic infection in the immunocomprised, debilitated host.
      Whereas fulminant infection in the otherwise healthy patient is rare, in the
      immunocompetent host with persistent signs and symptoms of sinusitis despite
      appropriate medical management, aspergillosis should be considered. Treatment of
      paranasal sinus aspergillosis requires correction of immunologic deficits, if
      possible; aggressive surgical debridement to provide adequate drainage and
      aeration of the sinuses; and adjunctive antifungal chemotherapy. The authors
      present an unusual case of invasive aspergillosis of the paranasal sinuses in an
      immunocompetent host.

PMID- 1429066
TI  - Cerebral emboli from the 'stump' of a totally occluded carotid artery: surgical
      management.
AB  - The obstructing thrombus in a totally occluded internal carotid artery may act as
      a source of cerebral emboli. These emboli traverse the external carotid and
      ophthalmic arteries and enter the intracranial circulation via retrograde
      collateral pathways. Surgical treatment can result in complete abatement of
      symptoms in selected patients. The authors describe internal carotid "stump"
      syndrome in a 47-year-old man and discuss the options for surgical management.

PMID- 1429067
TI  - Clinical improvement of the myopathy in eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome with
      steroids and rehabilitative therapy.
AB  - The authors report a case of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome with a progressive
      neuromyopathy. Progressive weakness, myalgia, and dermatitis developed in the
      patient described after chronic ingestion of high-dose L-tryptophan for insomnia.
      Laboratory, electrophysiologic, and muscle biopsy results support the diagnosis
      of an inflammatory myopathy consistent with that of eosinophilia-myalgia
      syndrome. The patient's weakness led to wheelchair dependency. A review of the
      literature regarding this disorder shows inconsistent results with steroid and
      other modes of therapy. After a course of high-dose steroids with long-term
      tapering and vigorous inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, the patient was
      able to walk and function independently within 2 months.

PMID- 1429068
TI  - Reorganizing 'traditional' case presentation enhances learning, clinical
      experience.

PMID- 1429069
TI  - Taking a sobering look at teenage alcohol use.

PMID- 1429070
TI  - Generating dialogue concerning cranial plate motion.

PMID- 1429071
TI  - A virus has been found.

PMID- 1429072
TI  - Osteopathic medicine: 100 years in the making.

PMID- 1429073
TI  - Roentgenographic documentation of atlanto-occipital sidebending.
AB  - It is assumed that the atlas (C1) glides superiorly and laterally along the
      occipital (C0) condyle during translatory motion of the head in the opposite
      direction. To provide roentgenographic documentation, a translatory test of
      atlanto-occipital (C0-C1) motion was performed to the left and to the right on a
      healthy, asymptomatic volunteer subject. Roentgenographic examination was made at
      the extreme in each direction. The films indicate the change in atlantal position
      relative to the occiput and support the assumption. A translation of the head in
      the coronal plane to test for atlanto-occipital joint mobility is described.

PMID- 1429074
TI  - The evolution of osteopathic manipulative technique: the Spencer technique.
AB  - The Spencer technique is a standardized series of shoulder treatments with broad
      application in diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. The evolution of this
      technique is traced from 1916 to date to try to identify factors in the
      development of manipulative methods. Few suggestions about the basic steps to be
      followed in developing any new manipulative technique were seen. Of chief
      importance were changes in sequence, the addition of steps, and the combination
      of one technique with another, as in the addition of muscle-energy methods to
      each step. One change, accidentally introduced in the 1970s, displaced a critical
      step in the procedure. The principal element guiding the development of the
      Spencer technique appears to be clinical necessity interpreted in terms of
      anatomy and pathology.

PMID- 1429075
TI  - Starting therapy for an HIV-infected patient.
AB  - This monthly series was developed from the AOA Task Force on AIDS Writers'
      Workshop, held August 16 to 18, 1991, in New York. The workshop was sponsored by
      an education grant from Burroughs Wellcome. It will provide brief clinical
      updates and perspectives on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Readers may
      request tear sheets from the AOA editorial offices.

PMID- 1429076
TI  - Alleviating stress in residency training through enhanced communication: a
      practical guide.
AB  - Stress is an inherent component of residency training and its effect on
      healthcare provided is well documented. Although stress-related signs and
      symptoms are easily recognized, residents and trainers are likely to ignore them-
      until a crisis occurs. Based on the theory that good communication alleviates
      stress, the "I" Language Model, discussed in this article, is designed to enhance
      communication between residents and their superiors, colleagues, and families. As
      such, it is meant to provide one means of intervention before stress affects the
      resident's on-the-job performance.

PMID- 1429077
TI  - Manipulation with the patient under anesthesia.
AB  - Manipulation while the patient is under anesthesia is an old, widely recognized
      procedure in musculoskeletal medicine. It is used for treating acute and chronic
      musculoskeletal conditions with significant biomechanical dysfunction
      unresponsive to conservative therapy. The procedure is helpful when muscle spasm
      and irritability preclude success without anesthetization of the patient. Safety
      and effectiveness are favored by appropriate selection of patients, knowledge of
      indications and contraindications, suitable anesthetic, and services of a
      qualified physician trained in structural diagnosis and manipulative technique. A
      team approach is recommended. To illustrate effective use of the procedure, a
      classic case is described.

PMID- 1429078
TI  - Empty sella syndrome associated with partial hypopituitarism (visualized on MRI
      scan).
AB  - The empty sella syndrome has become a rather frequent finding in magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI) scanning. The usual presentation of empty sella syndrome
      involves an incidental finding on a computed tomography scan or an MRI scan. It
      is unusual to find empty sella syndrome associated with hypopituitarism. The
      authors describe such an unusual finding in a 54-year-old nulliparous woman.

PMID- 1429079
TI  - High activity iodine-125 interstitial implant for gliomas.
AB  - A total of 307 adult patients with glioma were treated with high-activity
      removable iodine-125 interstitial brain implants at the University of California
      at San Francisco from December 1979 to June 1990. Recurrent gliomas underwent
      brain implant alone whereas previously untreated (primary) tumors underwent brain
      implant boost after external beam radiotherapy. Of these patients, 106 had
      primary glioblastoma multiforme, 68 had primary non-glioblastoma glioma, 66 had
      recurrent glioblastoma multiforme and 67 had recurrent nonglioblastoma glioma.
      Median follow-up for living patients was 143 weeks. Median survival from
      diagnosis for primary glioblastoma multiforme and high and low grade
      nonglioblastoma glioma was 88 weeks, 142 weeks, and 226 weeks, respectively.
      Median survival measured from the date of implant for recurrent glioblastoma
      multiforme and high and low grade nonglioblastoma glioma was 49 weeks, 52 weeks,
      and 81 weeks, respectively. Ninety-two percent of patients had no toxicity or
      transient acute side effects. Severe acute toxicity was seen in 6% of patients,
      life threatening acute toxicity in 1% of patients, and fatal toxicity in less
      than 1% of patients. Forty percent of patients with malignant glioma underwent
      reoperation at a median of 33 weeks after brain implant, with tumor found in 95%
      of specimens at reoperation. This large experience demonstrates that interstitial
      implant is well-tolerated and prolongs survival in patients with primary and
      recurrent glioblastoma multiforme, as evidenced by the 3-year survival rates of
      22% and 15%, respectively.

PMID- 1429080
TI  - Interstitial brachytherapy for newly diagnosed patients with malignant gliomas:
      the UCSF experience.
AB  - Although interstitial brachytherapy appears to be effective in treating recurrent
      malignant gliomas, it has been studied less extensively in patients with newly
      diagnosed tumors. To examine the effect of this treatment when used at the time
      of primary diagnosis, we retrospectively reviewed the records of 88 patients who
      received temporary interstitial implants of 125I for newly diagnosed malignant
      gliomas. This brachytherapy was preceded by a course of external radiation
      therapy and followed, in some cases, by chemotherapy. The median duration of
      survival after the beginning of external radiation therapy was 87 weeks in
      patients with glioblastoma multiforme and 160 weeks in those with anaplastic
      gliomas. In 46% of patients with glioblastoma multiforme and 56% of those with
      anaplastic gliomas, a second operation was necessary to remove symptomatic
      radiation necrosis, recurrent tumor, or both. Our results support the conclusion
      that interstitial brachytherapy used at the primary diagnosis lengthens survival
      in selected patients with glioblastoma multiforme. However, the toxicity is
      significant in terms of the need for surgical resection of symptomatic necrosis.
      In patients with anaplastic gliomas, the toxicity associated with the treatment
      probably outweighs its advantages.

PMID- 1429081
TI  - Hyperfractionated radiation therapy for gliomas of the brainstem in children and
      in adults.
AB  - Between February 1984 and September 1990, 60 patients with brainstem gliomas were
      treated with hyperfractionated radiotherapy in the Department of Radiation
      Oncology at the University of California, San Francisco. Forty-one children (< or
      = 18 years) and 19 adults were treated with 100 cGy twice daily with 4-8 hr
      between doses. Thirty-one patients (21 children and 10 adults) received total
      doses of 66-72 Gy and 29 patients (20 children and nine adults) received 74-78
      Gy. Median follow-up was 208 weeks for all patients (214 weeks for children, 157
      weeks for adults). Twenty-three patients (14 children and nine adults) were alive
      at the time of analysis, surviving 59-359 weeks following treatment. Median
      actuarial survival was 73.6 weeks overall (72 weeks for children, 190 weeks for
      adults; p = 0.43). Survival at 12 and 24 months was 65% and 38%, respectively
      (63% and 32%, for children; 68% and 53% for adults). All patients had
      pretreatment magnetic resonance imaging by which tumors were classified as either
      focal or diffuse. No significant pretreatment prognostic factors for adults were
      identified. In children, significant favorable prognostic factors on univariate
      analysis were older age (p = 0.001), tumor location in thalamus or midbrain (p =
      0.002), focal appearance on MRI scan (p < 0.001) and duration of symptoms > 2
      months prior to treatment (p < 0.001). Thirty-five patients had tumor biopsies,
      leading to a diagnosis in 33 (22 children and 11 adults). Children with
      moderately anaplastic astrocytomas survived significantly longer than those with
      glioblastoma multiforme or unbiopsied tumors (p < 0.001). Only duration of
      symptoms > 2 months remained significant as a favorable prognostic indicator for
      children on multivariate analysis (p < 0.001). Survival was not significantly
      different for patients receiving < or = 72 Gy and those receiving > 72 Gy (p =
      0.18). No subgroup of patients showed significantly better survival with the
      higher dose. These findings indicate that hyperfractionated radiotherapy is
      effective treatment for adults and a subgroup of better prognosis children with
      brainstem gliomas. There is a subgroup of pediatric patients with extremely poor
      prognosis for whom even this aggressive treatment does little to extend survival.
      We conclude that there is no benefit to increasing total dose above 72 Gy for any
      of the groups analyzed.

PMID- 1429082
TI  - Pediatric craniopharyngiomas: long term results of combined treatment with
      surgery and radiation.
AB  - From 1961 to 1981, 19 pediatric patients with craniopharyngiomas were treated
      with external beam radiation post surgery. Twelve underwent primary treatment
      while seven were treated for recurrence. Median follow-up is 21 years (range 8-28
      years) with an overall 20-year survival of 62%. Twenty-six percent (5/19)
      developed disease recurrence following radiation. Of the multiple patient and
      treatment parameters analyzed, only initial disease status (i.e., primary vs
      recurrence), surgical extent, radiation dose, and treatment prior to routine use
      of CT scans (1961-1974) appeared to have major influence on patient outcome. The
      20-year survival for those treated for primary disease was 78% versus 25% for
      those treated for recurrence. Fifty percent (3/6) of patients receiving tumor
      doses of < or = 5400 cGy developed recurrences versus 15% (2/13) in those
      receiving > 5400 cGy. Four of the five recurrences occurred in patients treated
      during the pre-CT era. Long term effects of treatment were analyzed. Surgical
      morbidity correlated strongly with extent of surgery. All patients who underwent
      total resection developed surgical sequelae. Radiation morbidity correlated
      strongly with radiation dose. The incidence of vascular or neurologic
      complications attributable to radiation were minimal, occurring in only two
      patients. Both received doses higher than that given with modern therapy. Long
      term results from this series are better than those reported with surgery alone.
      Use of modern surgical and radiation equipment/technique along with CT/MRI
      imaging should yield improved treatment results both in terms of lower recurrence
      and lower toxicity rates.

PMID- 1429083
TI  - Defining the role of radiosurgery in the management of brain metastases.
AB  - The role of stereotactic radiosurgery in the management of recurrent and newly
      diagnosed brain metastases was evaluated prospectively. From December 1988 to
      March 1991, 58 lesions in 40 patients were treated with accelerator-based
      stereotactic radiosurgery. All patients were followed for a minimum of 6 months
      or to death. The primary purpose was to determine the impact of radiosurgery on
      local control and its subsequent effects on quality of life. An overall tumor
      control rate of 82% with a complete response rate of 43% were achieved. As
      anticipated, the response rate for smaller tumors was substantially better than
      that for larger tumors (78% for lesions < 2 cm3; 50% for lesions > or = 10 cm3).
      Although the overall in-field progression rate was 18.5%, only 1/23 (4%) complete
      responders subsequently recurred. The in-field failure rate is highly comparable
      with recently published surgical data. Progression outside the brain was noted in
      two-thirds of patients. One quarter of the deaths were neurologic. The median
      survival for this minimally selected patient population was 6.5 months.
      Stereotactic radiosurgery was also associated with improved quality of life as
      measured by Karnofsky score, neurologic function, and steroid dependence. Long
      term steroid dependence was encountered in only four patients. We conclude that
      stereotactic radiosurgery can be used effectively in patients with brain
      metastases. In this series, a high tumor response rate was achieved which was
      associated with improved quality of life.

PMID- 1429084
TI  - The role of laminectomy in the combined treatment of metastatic spinal cord
      compression.
AB  - A retrospective analysis of clinical data concerning 140 patients with spinal
      cord compression is presented. Treatment consisted of a surgical decompressive
      laminectomy followed by radiation therapy in 127 cases. Primary radiation therapy
      supported by steroids was applied in only 26 cases. A dose of 30-40 Gy in 15-20
      fractions was delivered to all patients. Treatment outcome was analyzed by
      comparing motor function (categories: no deficit, mild deficit ambulatory,
      paraparetic not ambulatory, paraplegic), sphincter function, and pain relief
      before and after treatment in both modalities. Following laminectomy and
      radiation therapy, 82% of paraparetic patients regained their ability to walk,
      sphincter function improved in 68%, pain relief was achieved in 88%. Following
      radiation therapy alone, 64% of paraparetic patients became ambulatory, 33%
      showed a normalization of sphincter function, and 72% became pain free. Our
      results indicate that laminectomy should play a major role in the treatment of
      patients with metastatic spinal cord compression. The decision as to the
      treatment of choice has to be made individually for each patient taking into
      consideration his general condition, life expectancy, and origin of the primary.

PMID- 1429085
TI  - Patterns of failure following combined modality therapy for esophageal cancer,
      1984-1990.
AB  - From 1984-1990, 143 patients with squamous cell or adenocarcinoma of the
      esophagus were enrolled in a Phase I/II study of neoadjuvant chemotherapy
      followed by concurrent chemotherapy plus radiotherapy with or without subsequent
      esophagectomy. Patients received one cycle of Cisplatin or Carboplatin plus
      Etoposide for squamous cell carcinoma, or Cisplatin or Carboplatin plus 5FU for
      adenocarcinoma, followed by two cycles of the same chemotherapy given
      concurrently with 44-46 Gy over 5 weeks. Operable patients then underwent
      esophagectomy. Inoperable patients and those with positive surgical margins
      received additional irradiation (16-18 Gy). Twelve percent of the surgical group
      received preoperative radiotherapy doses > or = 50 Gy. Seventy-two percent (103)
      had clinical Stage I-III tumors and 28% (40) were clinical Stage IV (1983
      American Joint Committee on Cancer criteria). Only clinical Stage I-III patients
      were analyzed with respect to patterns of failure. Isolated local failure
      occurred in 19/103 (18%) of clinical Stage I-III patients. Both local and distant
      relapse occurred in 15/103 (15%), and distant metastases alone occurred in 25/103
      (24%). The 3-year actuarial rates of local and distant failures were 45% and 60%,
      respectively. Among the clinical Stage I-III patients who underwent surgery (n =
      58) versus those who did not (n = 45), the 3-year actuarial local and distant
      failure rates were 30% versus 60% and 45% versus 45%, respectively. Multivariate
      analysis was performed to identify significant predictors of local control. For
      all clinical Stage I-III patients, treatment with surgery (p = 0.001) and with
      three or more cycles of chemotherapy (p = 0.02) were significant predictors of
      improved local control. Patients who underwent surgery were significantly younger
      and had a better performance status than those who did not. The improvement in
      local control with surgery did not translate into better survival, likely on
      account of a high operative mortality rate in older patients and those receiving
      > or = 50 Gy preoperatively. We conclude that local control remains poor with
      concurrent chemotherapy + radiotherapy for esophageal cancer. The addition of
      surgery improved local control, but distant metastases remain a problem both in
      this group of patients as well as those treated without esophagectomy. Efforts to
      improve local control appear warranted, but it remains to be demonstrated that
      improved local control translates into improved survival in esophageal cancer
      because of a high rate of distant metastases in patients whose disease is
      controlled in the esophagus.

PMID- 1429086
TI  - Multimodality treatment programs for malignant pleural mesothelioma using high
      dose hemithorax irradiation.
AB  - The characteristic of malignant pleural mesothelioma is a tumor that grows by
      plate-like extension over the pleura, and invades adjacent tissues and organs.
      Radical surgical removal of the tumor is generally not possible, and most
      treatment regimens involve combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy, as well as
      debulking surgery. We have prospectively evaluated five locally-aggressive multi
      modality treatment programs, using different hemithorax irradiation schedules and
      chemotherapy regimens. One hundred patients with confirmed malignant pleural
      mesothelioma entered the study between 1977 and 1989. The treatment programs,
      which can consecutively, were: I, 20 Gy (10 x 2 Gy) to the hemithorax + CYVADIC
      (cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2 d 1, vincristine 1 mg/m2 d 1 and 5, adriamycin 40
      mg/m2 d 1 and dacarbazine 200 mg/m2 d 1 and 5, several cycles before and after
      irradiation); II, 55 Gy (25 x 2.2 Gy) to the hemithorax + 15 Gy (6 x 2.5 Gy) to
      the tumor + CYVADIC (2 cycles before, 1 cycle during, and 2 cycles after
      irradiation); III, Mitoxantrone (14 mg/m2 q 28 d, < or = 6 cycles) followed by 70
      Gy (56 x 1.25 Gy, twice a day); IV, 4-Epirubicin (110-130 mg/m2 q 28 d, < or = 6
      cycles) followed by 35 Gy (28 x 1.25 Gy twice a day) to the hemithorax + 36 Gy (9
      x 4 Gy every 2 days) to the tumor; V, Etoposide (150 mg/m2 1, 3, 5 q 28 d)
      followed by 38.5 Gy (11 x 3.5 Gy) to the hemithorax. A new system for evaluating
      tumor response in pleural mesothelioma was applied. None of the combined
      treatment programs prevented local invasive growth or the spread of mesothelioma
      outside the hemithorax. The median survival time was slightly increased from 8 to
      12 months for those patients who completed the protocol treatments, but
      progressive disease was the invariable outcome. Radiation pneumonitis and
      fibrosis were severe and compatible with results of total loss of lung function
      on the irradiated side. We conclude that data relating to therapeutic responses
      and treatment programs in malignant mesothelioma should be better correlated
      internationally, if the problems associated with the evaluation of treatment and
      the management of patients with mesothelioma are to be improved.

PMID- 1429088
TI  - Treatment of malignant gliomas with interstitial irradiation and hyperthermia.
AB  - A Phase I study of interstitial thermoradiotherapy for high-grade supratentorial
      gliomas has been completed. The objective of this trial was to test the
      feasibility and toxicity of hyperthermia induced by ferromagnetic implants in the
      treatment of intracranial tumors. The patient population consisted of 16 males
      and 12 females, with a median age of 44 years and a median Karnofsky score of 90.
      Nine patients had anaplastic astrocytoma while 19 had glioblastoma multiforme.
      Twenty two patients were treated at the time of their initial diagnosis with a
      course of external beam radiotherapy (median dose 48.4 Gy) followed by an
      interstitial implant with Ir-192 (median dose 32.7 Gy). Six patients with
      recurrent tumors received only an interstitial implant (median dose 40 Gy).
      Median implant volume for all patients was 55.8 cc and median number of treatment
      catheters implanted per tumor was eighteen. A 60-minute hyperthermia treatment
      was given through these catheters just before and right after completion of
      brachytherapy. Time-averaged temperatures of all treatments were computed for
      sensors located within the core of (> 5 mm from edge of implant), and at the
      periphery of the implant (outer 5 mm). The percentage of sensors achieving an
      average temperature > 42 degrees C was 61% and 35%, respectively. Hyperthermia
      was generally well tolerated; however, there have been 11 minor toxicities, which
      resolved with conservative management, and one episode of massive edema resulting
      in the death of a patient. In addition, there were three major complications
      associated with the surgical implantation of the catheters. Preliminary survival
      analysis shows that 16 of the 28 patients have died, with a median survival of
      20.6 months from diagnosis. We conclude that interstitial hyperthermia of brain
      tumors with ferromagnetic implants is feasible and carries significant but
      acceptable morbidity given the extremely poor prognosis of this patient
      population.

PMID- 1429089
TI  - Hyperthermia enhances mitoxantrone cytotoxicity on human breast carcinoma and
      sarcoma xenografts in nude mice.
AB  - In this preclinical in vivo study, we measured antitumor response, local side
      effects and systemic toxicity of locally applied water-bath hyperthermia given
      alone or simultaneously with mitoxantrone (3 mg/kg b.w. i.v.; LD 10) on a human
      derived breast carcinoma (MX 1) or a human sarcoma (S 117) transplanted to female
      athymic (nude) mice. A single hyperthermia treatment at a tumor temperature up to
      43 degrees C for 1 hr caused in both tumor lines only minor tumor regressions and
      transient tumor growth delay. However, the antitumor effect of mitoxantrone was
      significantly enhanced by local hyperthermia at 42 degrees C and particularly at
      43 degrees C. In both tumor lines complete tumor regressions were achieved only
      if mitoxantrone was combined with hyperthermia. Undesired side effects and drug
      toxicity were not enhanced by hyperthermia. According to in vitro data and the
      results of the present in vivo study mitoxantrone seems to be a good candidate
      for clinical trials in combination with locoregional hyperthermia.

PMID- 1429087
TI  - Sarcoma therapy: functional outcome and relationship to treatment parameters.
AB  - PURPOSE: To systematically assess the functional outcome of patients treated with
      surgery and irradiation for extremity or truncal sarcomas, and to correlate this
      outcome with a detailed analysis of the radiation dose distribution and surgical
      technique. Conservative surgery and radiation therapy (RT) are known to provide
      excellent local control, but the relationship of technique to functional outcome
      requires further study. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Forty-one patients were treated
      for lower extremity (25 patients, 61%), upper extremity (8 patients, 19.5%), and
      truncal (8, 19.5%) sarcomas from 1983 to 1990. Most patients had malignant
      fibrous histiocytoma (15), liposarcoma (8), or aggressive fibromatosis (6). Age
      ranged from 13 to 85 years (median 54). All patients received RT and 39 (95%) had
      surgery. The mean total RT dose was 59 Gy (range 55.8-64.8 Gy). A protocol for
      functional assessment was devised and included a 4 point scale (0-3) for each of
      seven functional parameters (range of motion, fibrosis, edema, pain, skin
      changes, muscle strength, gait, or upper extremity performance). An aggregate
      score was obtained by adding the seven parameter scores and compared with both a
      patient and physician overall functional rating score (excellent, good, fair,
      poor). Based on this analysis, aggregate scores were defined as < or = 3 =
      excellent, < or = 8 = good, < or = 13 = fair, and > 13 = poor, with 21 as the
      worst possible score. The same orthopaedic surgeon and radiation oncologist
      independently examined and rated 22 patients. An additional 17 patients were
      evaluated by record review. The median time from completion of radiation therapy
      was 30.5 months (range 7-95 months). A computerized radiation therapy dosimetric
      analysis was performed on 34 patients. RESULTS: Local control was achieved in 39
      patients (95%), including 6 with aggressive fibromatosis. The mean functional
      outcome score was 5.1 with a range of 0-16. 34 patients (83%) had good or
      excellent functional outcomes. The rating system demonstrated minimal
      interobserver variability. There was a positive relationship between volume
      irradiated to > or = 55 Gy and functional score, strength, fibrosis, and skin
      changes. Total dose independent of volume was significantly associated with skin
      changes. Increasing peak dose (hot spot dose) was associated with fibrosis and
      skin changes. More fibrosis developed as the volume of the peak dose increased. A
      portion of the joint was treated in 5/33 extremity patients and the entire joint
      in 24/33 (mean dose 55.8 Gy, range 45-65 Gy). Neither range of motion nor total
      functional score was correlated with joint dose. Edema and functional score were
      not related to either the volume or percent of limb spared (receiving < or = 40
      Gy). The physician functional status ratings generally concurred with patient
      self-assessments. CONCLUSIONS: A system for functional assessment has been
      developed which is easily performed and provides detailed information about
      patient functional outcome. This system can be used to evaluate the morbidity of
      combined modality sarcoma therapy. Doses up to 65 Gy, even over joint spaces, are
      not associated with significant morbidity. Only a small volume treated to < or =
      40 Gy is required to maintain good outcome. The most important parameter appears
      to be the volume treated to > or = 55 Gy.

PMID- 1429090
TI  - Radiosensitivity testing of human malignant gliomas.
AB  - Radiotherapy remains the main treatment modality for patients with malignant
      gliomas and is the only treatment which significantly prolongs survival.
      Clonogenic and tetrazolium based colorimetric assays (MTT) of early passage
      cultures have been performed following 2 Gy doses of x-rays in order to determine
      if in vitro radiosensitivity is a factor in response to treatment. Of 47 biopsies
      received, 39 were established in primary culture. A value of surviving fraction
      to 2 Gy (SF2) was obtained in 85% of growth assays and 64% of clonogenic assays.
      The mean SF2 value for the MTT was 0.56 which was significantly higher than the
      0.42 obtained for the clonogenic assay. There was, however, reasonable
      qualitative agreement in assessing relative radiosensitivity/radioresistance (r =
      0.7). Mean SF2 values for grade 3 tumors were 0.52 (MTT) and 0.35 (clonogenic) as
      against mean SF2 values of 0.63 (MTT) and 0.47 (clonogenic assay) for grade 4
      tumors. In 24 patients with adequate follow-up, no direct correlation was found
      between SF2 and survival, although mean SF2 values for patients surviving greater
      than 18 months was significantly less (p = 0.01) than patients surviving less
      than 18 months as determined by the MTT assay.

PMID- 1429091
TI  - The effect of hyperfractionation on spinal cord response to radiation.
AB  - The T10-L2 level of the spinal cord of C3Hf mice was irradiated using a
      conventionally fractionated regimen of 2.0 Gy once daily or a hyperfractionated
      regimen of 1.2 Gy twice daily separated by 8 hr. After a fractionated dose of 24
      60 Gy given by either regimen, a top-up dose of 15 Gy was given. Hind limb
      strength was then measured weekly for 15 months. The time to onset of paralysis
      was inversely associated with the total dose. Overall, the spinal cord was not
      spared by hyperfractionation to the extent predicted by the modified Ellis power
      law or the linear-quadratic model. The threshold dose for the development of
      paralysis was higher in the hyperfractionated than in the conventionally
      fractionated group. However, the latent period for paralysis and the dose
      producing hind limb paralysis in 50% of the mice (ED50) were not significantly
      different between the two regimens. The continuation of the process of sublethal
      damage (SLD) repair in the spinal cord beyond 8 hr after irradiation may have
      influenced these results. The slow component of SLD repair should be considered
      in the design of hyperfractionated or accelerated radiation therapy schedules for
      clinical use.

PMID- 1429092
TI  - The isoquinoline sulfonamide H7 attenuates radiation-mediated protein kinase C
      activation and delays the onset of x-ray-induced G2 arrest.
AB  - Protein kinase C activation by ionizing radiation in human tumor cell lines
      participates in the transcriptional activation of genes which may be associated
      with the phenotypic response of cells to x-rays. We gamma-irradiated cell line
      RIT-3 (radiation-induced human sarcoma) and quantified the phosphorylating
      capacity of protein kinase C. Protein kinase C activity increased rapidly and
      transiently in these cells. The selective protein kinase C inhibitor H7
      attenuated radiation-mediated protein kinase C activation when added to cells
      prior to irradiation. To determine whether protein kinase C activation is
      associated with radiation-induced G2 arrest, we analyzed the cell cycle
      distribution of cells following gamma-irradiation. Following irradiation, RIT-3
      cells rapidly progressed through G1 and S and subsequently underwent a dose
      dependent G2 arrest. At concentrations which are selective for protein kinase C
      inhibition, H7 delayed the onset of radiation-induced G2 arrest. However, there
      was no difference in the duration of G2 arrest following the addition of
      inhibitor as compared to cells irradiated without inhibitor. We propose that
      protein kinase C activation by ionizing radiation is associated with radiation
      mediated cell cycle regulation.

PMID- 1429093
TI  - The relationship between apoptosis and atrophy in the irradiated lacrimal gland.
AB  - Atrophy is generally considered to be a true late effect of radiation. However,
      in serous glands, atrophy was thought to be a consequential late effect because
      serous cells die within hours of irradiation and the apparent effects of atrophy
      are observed contemporaneously with radiation treatment. Therefore, to determine
      the pathogenesis of atrophy in serous glands, it is necessary to differentiate
      between parenchymal loss as a result of direct radiation death of serous cells
      and parenchymal loss as a result of serous cell death that is secondary to
      fibrosis, vascular damage, or precursor cell death. The lacrimal glands of 62
      rhesus monkeys have been irradiated to single doses of 2.5 to 20 Gy and examined
      at intervals of 4 hr to 112 days postirradiation. Serous cells (nuclei) and acini
      were counted in at least 30 high power fields per (dose, time) point. At each
      dose and time of sacrifice, the average number of nuclei per acinus and the
      average number of acini per high power field were calculated. Also at each dose
      and time, the distribution of the number of nuclei per acinus was examined to
      determine how the frequency of acinar sizes changed as a function of irradiation.
      The number of cells per acinus appears to rise initially, but this is likely a
      result of the degranulated cells being physically smaller, yielding an
      artificially higher count. Within 4 days after 12.5 Gy, the average number of
      nuclei per acinus approaches control values and remains within the range of
      controls for at least 112 days. The number of acini per high power field
      decreases steadily for 30 days after 12.5 Gy. From 30 to 112 days, there is some
      recovery of this number, but it remains well below control values. At 24 hr, the
      number of nuclei per acinus shows a distinct dose response up to 20 Gy. However,
      at 30 days there is no evidence of a dose response for this parameter. These
      results indicate that even though serous cells die in significant numbers within
      hours of irradiation, the atrophy of the lacrimal gland (and by extension, the
      parotid gland) is a result of the death of the serous stem cell or precursor.
      Consequently, protection of serous cells from radiation apoptosis will not
      diminish serous gland atrophy.

PMID- 1429094
TI  - Sensitization processes in human tumor cells during protracted irradiation:
      possible exploitation in the clinic.
AB  - Recent studies documenting the response of several human tumor cell lines to
      protracted, continuous irradiation and to acutely delivered radiation, suggest
      that tumor control may be enhanced with a tumor therapy combining external beam
      fractionated therapy and protracted irradiation from radiolabeled antibodies. We
      have evaluated the cytotoxic effect of continuous, protracted irradiation (0.005
      Gy/hr to 0.50 Gy/hr) and acutely delivered high-dose-rate irradiation (1.0
      Gy/min) on monolayer cultures of human tumor cell lines. Colony formation in
      these studies was analyzed by the seven-parameter simulation model of Dillehay.
      Additionally, for some cell lines, cultures were challenged during irradiation
      with an acute dose of 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 or 10.0 Gy at high-dose-rate. Results from
      these various studies indicate an altered cellular radiosensitivity occurs for
      some cell lines during protracted irradiation. At least two mechanisms have been
      identified that underlie this altered radiosensitivity. One mechanism, G2B,
      associated with redistribution within the cell cycle, has been previously
      described by Mitchell and others, and is associated with the phenomenon termed
      "the inverse dose-rate effect". The other mechanism is only observable following
      a challenge by acute high-dose-rate irradiation. We have termed this phenomenon
      "protracted-exposure-sensitization." The characteristics of these two mechanisms
      are discussed from the perspective of clinical therapeutic exploitation of
      combined external beam fractionated therapy and radiolabeled immunoglobulin
      therapy.

PMID- 1429095
TI  - Immunophenotype predicts radiation resistance in T-lineage acute lymphoblastic
      leukemia and T-lineage non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
AB  - In the preclinical arm of our study, the radiobiologic features of primary
      malignant cells from newly diagnosed and relapsed T-lineage acute lymphoblastic
      leukemia/non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients were analyzed using clonogenic assays. A
      marked heterogeneity existed relative to the intrinsic radiation sensitivity of
      clonogenic T-lineage ALL/NHL cells from 42 patients. The mean SF2 (surviving
      fraction at 200 cGy) and alpha values (initial slope of the survival curve) were
      0.36 +/- 0.04, and 0.558 +/- 0.079 Gy-1. Fourteen cases had SF2 values of > or =
      0.50 and alpha values of < or = 0.2 Gy-1, consistent with a marked intrinsic
      radiation resistance at the level of clonogenic leukemia/lymphoma cells. Of these
      14 radiation resistant cases, 12 were CD3+. Furthermore, the SF2 and D0 values of
      the 28 CD3+ cases were significantly higher than the SF2 and D0 values of the 14
      CD3- cases (SF2: 0.441 +/- 0.048 versus 0.189 +/- 0.045, p = 0.002; D0: 189.6 +/-
      26.3 cGy versus 108.7 +/- 18.2 cGy, p = 0.047) and CD3+ cases had smaller alpha
      values than CD3- cases (0.454 +/- 0.087 versus 0.765 +/- 0.152, p = 0.06). Thus,
      clonogenic cells from CD3+ T-lineage ALL/NHL patients were more resistant to
      radiation than clonogenic cells from CD3- T-lineage ALL/NHL patients. In the
      clinical arm of our study, 33 T-lineage ALL/NHL patients received autologous bone
      marrow transplants during remission. Pretransplant conditioning consisted of
      total body irradiation combined with high dose chemotherapy. The expression of
      CD3 antigen predicted the outcome of relapsed T-lineage ALL/NHL patients
      undergoing autologous bone marrow transplantation following total body
      irradiation plus high dose chemotherapy. Overall, the Kaplan-Meier estimate and
      standard error of the probability of remaining in remission at 3.5 years was 11
      +/- 9% with a median relapse-free interval of 102 days. The disease-free survival
      at 3.5 years was 8 +/- 7% with a median disease-free survival time of 96 days.
      Notably, the expression of CD3 antigen on T-lineage ALL/NHL cells correlated with
      the probability of relapse after bone marrow transplantation. While 16 of 19 CD3+
      patients relapsed after bone marrow transplantation, only 3 of 8 CD3- patients
      relapsed. The Kaplan-Meier estimates and standard errors of the probability of
      remaining in remission at 1 year after bone marrow transplantation were 7 +/- 6%
      (median relapse-free interval = 74 days) for CD3+ patients (n = 19) and 63 +/-
      17% for CD3- patients (n = 8) (p = 0.006).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1429096
TI  - Differential radioprotection of cultured human diploid fibroblasts and
      fibrosarcoma cells by WR1065.
AB  - The present studies were performed to determine whether WR1065, the
      dephosphorylated, free-thiol active metabolite of WR2721, could provide
      differential radioprotection of normal and tumor cell lines in vitro and secondly
      to investigate potential mechanisms for the selective nature of the
      radioprotection at the cellular and molecular level. When 4 mM WR1065 was
      administered 30 min prior to and during irradiation, a protection factor of 1.9
      was obtained in clonogenic assays performed with normal human diploid fibroblasts
      (AG1522) while no protection of fibrosarcoma cells (HT1080) was observed. Some
      radioprotection of fibrosarcoma cells was observed with higher drug
      concentrations (10-40 mM), but the increase in survival was considerably less
      than the plateau level reached with the diploid fibroblasts (3-fold vs 24-fold at
      6 Gy). The observation of such a selective effect in vitro with WR1065 indicates
      that differences in tissue-specific variables such as blood flow, pH, pO2, and
      drug dephosphorylation cannot solely account for the selective nature of the
      radioprotection afforded by WR2721 in vivo. Incubation of nucleoids with
      increasing concentrations of the DNA intercalating dye propidium iodide was used
      to titrate the ability of DNA to undergo supercoiling changes. The relaxation and
      rewinding of supercoiled DNA loops in isolated nucleoids serves as an indicator
      of both the presence of DNA damage and inherent differences in DNA loop
      characteristics. Fibrosarcoma cells had a much larger propidium iodide-relaxable
      DNA loop size than fibroblasts. The rewinding phase of the DNA supercoiling
      response is impaired by the presence of radiation-induced DNA strand breaks. Four
      mM WR1065 resulted in a significant reduction in the amount of rewinding
      inhibition observed after a dose of 10 Gy in diploid fibroblasts (protection
      factor = 1.43) but did not alter the response of irradiated fibrosarcoma cells.
      These results, indicating that WR1065 had a preferential radioprotective effect
      in vitro on both survival and the manifestation of DNA damage at the nucleoid
      level, are consistent with the hypothesis that cell type differences in chromatin
      organization and DNA-drug associations could play a role in the selective
      radioprotection.

PMID- 1429097
TI  - Intraoperative and external radiotherapy in resected gastric cancer: updated
      report of a phase II trial.
AB  - From September 1984 to August 1991, 48 evaluable patients with resected gastric
      cancer and apparent disease confined to locoregional area were treated with
      intraoperative electron beam boost to the celiac axis and peripancreatic nodal
      areas (15 Gy) and external irradiation (40 to 46 Gy in 4 to 5 weeks) including
      the gastric bed and upper abdominal nodal draining regions. At the time of
      evaluation for IORT, the disease was primary in 38 cases, recurrent but
      resectable in four (anastomosis), and unresectable in four (nodal). Post
      operative complications were reversible. Acute tolerance to the complete
      treatment program was acceptable. Late complications included life-threatening
      events: Six episodes of gastro intestinal bleeding (three of them had an
      arteriographic documentation of arterioenteric fistula) and nine with severe
      enteritis (five required reoperation). Other long-term treatment related
      complications were six cases of vertebral collapse. The median follow-up time for
      the entire group is 22 months. Locoregional recurrence/persistence of disease has
      been identified in five patients (three with residual and/or recurrent
      postsurgical tumor). Systemic tumor progression has been detected in 15 patients
      (11 in intra-abdominal sites). Overall actuarial survival for patients with
      positive or negative serosal involvement was 33% versus 56%. It is concluded that
      the treatment program described is able to induce a high locoregional tumor
      control rate (100%) when used strictly in an adjuvant setting and might control
      long term, a small portion of patients not amenable for curative surgery (2 out
      of 8 patients with confirmed residual post-surgical disease). Gastrointestinal
      bleeding and enteritis are findings that indicate treatment intensity at the
      upper limits of tissue tolerance. Assessment of long term tolerance of pancreatic
      parenchyma and large blood vessels (tissues included in the IRORT field) are
      pending for longer follow-up and the appropriate selective studies.

PMID- 1429098
TI  - The frequency of translocations after treatment for Hodgkin's disease.
AB  - We studied the frequency of translocations in peripheral blood lymphocytes of
      patients with Hodgkin's disease to determine the extent of chromosome changes
      induced by radiation or radiation and chemotherapy. Comparisons were made to
      patients with second cancers to determine if this population is more susceptible
      to the effects of treatment. Group one included six patients with newly diagnosed
      Hodgkin's disease who were treated with radiation only. Group two included
      Hodgkin's disease patients who were treated 12-24 years previously and have been
      continuously free of disease. Five of these patients were treated with radiation
      only and five patients received radiation and mechlorethaminehydrochloride,
      oncovin, procarbazine, prednisone (MOPP) chemotherapy for six cycles. Group three
      included three patients who developed a second cancer after successful treatment
      for Hodgkin's disease. Two of these patients had a sarcoma within the radiation
      field and one had breast cancer. Metaphase spreads were obtained from cultured
      lymphocytes and hybridized with a chromosome 4 specific probe. After fluorescein
      staining, approximately 1000 metaphases were scored per patient. In group one
      only one patient in six demonstrated translocations in chromosome 4 before
      treatment for a mean frequency of .0009. After treatment the frequency of
      translocations increased to a mean of .016 (p = .036) (range .006-.034). Group
      two patients treated with radiation only had a mean translocation frequency of
      .012 (range .004-.022) in comparison to the
      radiation/mechlorethaminehydrochloride, oncovin, procarbazine, prednisone
      chemotherapy treated patients who demonstrated a mean frequency of .016 (p =
      .425) (range .0009-.023). The third group of second cancer patients showed
      inconsistent translocation frequencies of .002, .020, and .035. Of these
      patients, the one who demonstrated the greatest frequency of translocations
      (.035) was treated with mechlorethaminehydrochloride, oncovin, procarbazine,
      prednisone/adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, decadron) and radiation. Our data
      demonstrates a statistically significant increase in translocations detected
      after radiation. When compared to combined modality therapy a greater mean
      frequency of translocations is observed over radiation alone; however, this was
      not statistically significant. In the three patients who developed second cancers
      in our series we saw no consistent increase in translocation frequency compared
      to Hodgkin's disease patients who did not develop a second cancer.

PMID- 1429099
TI  - Adjuvant radiotherapy in high stage transitional cell carcinoma of the renal
      pelvis and ureter.
AB  - This review was undertaken to assess the influence of adjuvant radiation therapy
      on failure patterns and survival in high stage transitional cell carcinoma of the
      renal pelvis or ureter. Ninety-four patients with transitional cell carcinoma of
      the renal pelvis or ureter were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-six had American
      Joint Commission stage T3 or T4 N0/+, M0 disease and underwent curative
      resections (median follow-up 13.5 months, range 3-311). Local failure was defined
      as recurrence in the tumor bed, regional nodes, or ureteral stump. Time to
      recurrence and survival were calculated from the time of pathologic diagnosis.
      Variables associated with local failure, distant metastasis, and survival were
      analyzed using univariate and multivariate analysis. Seventeen received surgery
      only, nine received adjuvant radiation therapy (median dose 50 Gy). Local failure
      occurred in 9 of 17 without and 1 of 9 with adjuvant radiation therapy (p =
      0.07). Actuarial 5-year local control was 34% without and 88% with adjuvant
      radiation therapy. Cox step-wise regression confirmed adjuvant radiation therapy
      (p = 0.006) and grade (p = 0.006) as significantly associated with local failure.
      No patients with low grade lesions suffered local failure either with or without
      adjuvant radiation therapy. High grade lesions had an local failure rate of 15%
      with and 71% without adjuvant radiation therapy. Metastatic disease occurred in 4
      of 9 and 8 of 17 with and without radiation therapy. No significant factors
      influencing distant failure were identified. Five-year actuarial survival was 44%
      with and 24% without adjuvant radiation therapy. The survival differences were
      not statistically significant on univariate or multivariate analysis. High staged
      transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis or ureter has a substantial local
      failure risk after surgery alone. Adjuvant radiation therapy markedly reduces
      this risk but has no impact on distant disease which occurs in approximately 50%.
      Effective adjuvant therapy will require effective systemic therapy in addition to
      adjuvant radiation therapy.

PMID- 1429100
TI  - The importance of brachytherapy technique in the management of primary carcinoma
      of the vagina.
AB  - This retrospective analysis of 49 cases of primary carcinoma of the vagina
      treated with radiation therapy alone from 1970-1988 examines the results of
      treatment with an emphasis on the importance of brachytherapy technique. Thirty
      six patients were treated with combined external beam radiation and
      brachytherapy, 11 patients were treated with external beam alone, and two
      patients were treated with brachytherapy alone. Brachytherapy techniques used
      included intracavitary implants, temporary Ir-192 interstitial implants, and
      permanent I-125 interstitial implants. Intracavitary therapy included the use of
      a fractionated high dose rate intravaginal cylinder, tandem and ovoids, and a low
      dose rate intravaginal cylinder. The 5-year actuarial survival was 44% for Stage
      I (six patients), 48% for Stage II (27 patients), 40% for Stage III (10
      patients), and 0% for Stage IVa and IVb (six patients). There was a significant
      increase in the 5-year actuarial survival for those patients who had
      brachytherapy as part of their treatment compared to those patients treated with
      external beam alone (50% vs. 9%) (p < .001). For Stages II and III, there was a
      trend toward improved actuarial and crude disease free survival with the use of a
      temporary Ir-192 interstitial implant as part of the treatment compared to the
      use of intracavitary brachytherapy as part of the treatment (80% vs. 45%) (p =
      0.25) and (75% vs. 44%) (p = 0.08), respectively. Brachytherapy plays an
      important role in the management of primary vaginal cancer. A temporary
      interstitial implant should be used over an intracavitary form of therapy for
      more invasive disease.

PMID- 1429102
TI  - Hypofractionated accelerated radiotherapy in osteogenic sarcoma.
AB  - A method of hypofractionated accelerated radiotherapy (3 weekly fractions of 6 Gy
      over 2 weeks to a total tumor dose of 36 Gy) was used as single modality in 14
      patients with osteogenic sarcoma for palliative treatment of the primary tumor
      site (six cases) or skeletal metastases (15 sites). A durable response,
      radiologically assessed, was obtained in 17 of the 21 (81%) irradiated sites.
      When this irradiation modality was combined with chemotherapy, to treat patients
      presenting with synchronous metastases (eight cases) or refusing amputation (five
      cases), a radiologically assessed response was observed in 12 of 13 (92%). In no
      case did a local recurrence occur before surgery or death because of progressive
      disease elsewhere. Of the seven patients who later had to undergo ablative
      surgery, a 100% and 95% tumor necrosis was observed in 6 and 1, respectively.
      Because of intralesional resection of primary osteogenic sarcoma after
      preoperative chemotherapy, seven additional patients were irradiated. None
      recurred at the level of the primary site. Although effective in inducing
      remission of osteogenic sarcoma, this irradiation method produced severe damages
      to normal tissues in a high proportion of patients.

PMID- 1429101
TI  - Preliminary results in heavy charged particle irradiation of bone sarcoma.
AB  - Between 1979 and 1989, 17 patients with unfavorable bone sarcoma were treated
      wholly or in part with heavy charged particle irradiation (helium and/or neon
      ions) at the University of California Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. The majority
      of tumors were located near critical structures such as the spinal cord or brain.
      Gross tumor was present in all but two patients at the time of irradiation. Six
      patients were treated for recurrent disease. Histologies included osteosarcoma,
      Ewing's sarcoma, and recurrent osteoblastoma. Four of the osteosarcomata were
      believed to have been induced by previous therapeutic irradiation for various
      tumors. Follow-up time since initiation of radiation ranged from 7 to 118 months
      (median 40 months). The 5-year Kaplan-Maier local control rate was 48%; the
      corresponding survival rate was 41%. Over half the patients succumbed to distant
      metastases despite the majority of patients receiving chemotherapy. In this
      preliminary study, we have shown that heavy charged particle irradiation can be
      effectively used for control of bone sarcoma. A Phase II trial is warranted to
      determine optimal treatment for unresectable or gross residual disease.

PMID- 1429103
TI  - The clinical utility of magnetic resonance imaging in 3-dimensional treatment
      planning of brain neoplasms.
AB  - Results of the clinical experience gained since 1986 in the treatment planning of
      patients with brain neoplasms through integration of magnetic resonance imaging
      (MRI) into computerized tomography (CT)-based, three-dimensional treatment
      planning are presented. Data from MRI can now be fully registered with CT data
      using appropriate three-dimensional coordinate transformations allowing: (a)
      display of MRI defined structures on CT images; (b) treatment planning of
      composite CT-MRI volumes; (c) dose display on either CT or MRI images. Treatment
      planning with non-coplanar beam arrangements is also facilitated by MRI because
      of direct acquisition of information in multiple, orthogonal planes. The
      advantages of this integration of information are especially evident in certain
      situations, for example, low grade astrocytomas with indistinct CT margins,
      tumors with margins obscured by bone artifact on CT scan. Target definitions have
      repeatedly been altered based on MRI detected abnormalities not visualized on CT
      scans. Regions of gadolinium enhancement on MRI T1-weighted scans can be compared
      to the contrast-enhancing CT tumor volumes, while abnormalities detected on MRI
      T2-weighted scans are the counterpart of CT-defined edema. Generally, MRI
      markedly increased the apparent macroscopic tumor volume from that seen on
      contrast-CT alone. However, CT tumor information was also necessary as it defined
      abnormalities not always perceptible with MRI (on average, 19% of composite CT
      MRI volume seen on CT only). In all, the integration of MRI data with CT
      information has been found to be practical, and often necessary, for the three
      dimensional treatment of brain neoplasms.

PMID- 1429104
TI  - Radiosurgery target point alignment errors detected with portal film
      verification.
AB  - Stereotactic radiosurgery with a linear accelerator requires an accurate match of
      the therapeutic radiation distribution to the localized target volume. Techniques
      for localization of the target volume using CT scans and/or angiograms have been
      described. Alignment of the therapeutic radiation distribution to the intended
      point in stereotactic space is usually accomplished using precision mechanical
      scales which attach to the head ring. The present work describes a technique used
      to verify that the stereotactic coordinates of the center of the intended
      radiation distribution are in agreement with the localized target point
      coordinates. This technique uses anterior/posterior and lateral accelerator
      portal verification films to localize the stereotactic coordinates of the center
      of the radiation distribution with the patient in the treatment position. The
      results of 26 cases have been analyzed. Alignment errors of the therapeutic
      radiation distribution in excess of 1 mm have been found using the portal film
      verification procedure.

PMID- 1429105
TI  - Computer systems and mechanical tools for stereotactically guided conformation
      therapy with linear accelerators.
AB  - An integrated system for fractionated, stereotactically guided conformation
      radiotherapy has been developed. The system components are a stereotactic
      fixation system that can be used each treatment day, a localization, and
      positioning unit that can be used during x-ray computer tomography, magnetic
      resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, and radiographical examinations
      as well as for treatment. Conformal precision radiotherapy is planned with a new
      three-dimensional treatment planning system (Voxel-Plan-Heidelberg) which
      comprises, among others options, a three-dimensional image correlation procedure
      as well as routines for the calculation of coplanar and non-coplanar irradiations
      with irregularly shaped fields. Two different multi-leaf collimators have been
      designed for precision radiotherapy in the head and neck region. A manual multi
      leaf collimator is used for irradiations with stationary beams or for moving beam
      treatments with invariable irregularly shaped fields. This collimator system is
      now being used for patient treatments. The design of a computer controlled multi
      leaf collimator unit for multiple fixed field irradiation techniques is
      discussed. All system components are aimed at conforming dose distributions for
      fractionated radiotherapy treatments to the target to improve sparing of adjacent
      normal tissues, and at achieving a sufficient geometrical accuracy in the dose
      application.

PMID- 1429106
TI  - Three-dimensional dose distribution of total body irradiation by a dual source
      total body irradiator.
AB  - This study describes the three-dimensional dosimetric characteristics of total
      body irradiation by our dedicated irradiation unit, which consists of two
      modified 4-MV linear accelerators mounted opposite each other, providing a field
      size of 220 cm x 80 cm at the midplane. Our dose calculation algorithm considers
      the three-dimensional contour of the patient to evaluate the primary and scatter
      doses. The data base for the calculation includes tissue-to-maximum ratios
      measured for the large fields. The lung dose correction was calculated using the
      methods of Batho or ratio of TMR. The accuracy of the calculated dose
      distributions was verified by measurements with ionization chambers in a humanoid
      phantom. We also describe and verified a technique to achieve desirable midline
      lung doses using lead shields. The flexibility and the accuracy of the planning
      system offers the potential in optimizing the therapeutic ratio for total body
      treatments.

PMID- 1429107
TI  - Dose determination in high dose-rate brachytherapy.
AB  - Although high dose-rate brachytherapy with a single, rapidly moving radiation
      source is becoming a common treatment modality, a suitable formalism for
      determination of the dose delivered by a moving radiation source has not yet been
      developed. At present, brachytherapy software simulates high dose-rate treatments
      using only a series of stationary sources, and consequently fails to account for
      the dose component delivered while the source is in motion. We now describe a
      practical model for determination of the true, total dose administered. The
      algorithm calculates both the dose delivered while the source is in motion within
      and outside of the implanted volume (dynamic component), and the dose delivered
      while the source is stationary at a series of fixed dwell points. It is shown
      that the dynamic dose element cannot be ignored because it always increases the
      dose at the prescription points and, in addition, distorts the dose distribution
      within and outside of the irradiated volume. Failure to account for the dynamic
      dose component results in dosimetric errors that range from significant (> 10%)
      to negligible (< 1%), depending on the prescribed dose, source activity, and
      source speed as defined by the implant geometry.

PMID- 1429108
TI  - Hyperthermia and brachytherapy for glioma--will cooler heads prevail?

PMID- 1429109
TI  - Block mounting solvents.

PMID- 1429110
TI  - External radiation therapy versus prostatectomy.

PMID- 1429111
TI  - Oxygen enhancement ratio of a murine fibrosarcoma.

PMID- 1429112
TI  - Uneasy rests the head that wears the template.

PMID- 1429113
TI  - Cultural factors in the darker passions.

PMID- 1429115
TI  - On falling in love and creativity.
AB  - This paper discusses the ego functioning and self psychological aspects of
      falling in love and passionate love. These universal and extraordinary phenomena
      are conceptualized as representing the activity of the creative imagination in
      solving problems related to coping with intense narcissistic and libidinal
      pressures. The work of other authors is reviewed and recast into a
      metapsychological framework involving ego and superego contributions to the
      experience, and focused on self cohesion. An illustrative clinical psychotherapy
      case is presented in an effort to understand what has traditionally appeared to
      be a mysterious and disjunctive life experience, and to explore the creative
      surge that can be generated by falling in love both in and out of the
      transference.

PMID- 1429114
TI  - Correlation of brain activity with emotion: a basis for developing treatment of
      violent-aggressive behavior.

PMID- 1429116
TI  - A reassessment of Little Hans, his parents, and his castration complex.

PMID- 1429117
TI  - Psychoanalysis as a "normal" science.

PMID- 1429118
TI  - The psychoanalyst's experience on intimacy with the patient.

PMID- 1429119
TI  - German voices about the Nazi terror: late opponents and postwar critics.
AB  - Of the dark passions that afflict mankind none has surpassed Nazism in its
      dimensions of evil. Descriptions of its terror abound, and many attempts have
      been made to understand what it was that drove an entire nation to serve an
      ideology of evil and madness. Many volumes have been written about the historical
      background of what occurred and about the socioeconomic factors that contributed
      to the rise of Nazism. Attempts have also been made to build psychodynamic
      underpinnings, so as to help us understand the inconceivable. I believe that we
      will never grasp it fully, yet there are sources that have remained
      underutilized, particularly on our side of the Atlantic. I am referring to books
      written by German authors. Some of them exist in English translation, most do
      not. For years I have read everything on the subject that came to my attention. I
      have been shaped by those events and cannot let go of them. So here is an
      occasion to share some of my thoughts with you.

PMID- 1429120
TI  - Oedipal ties and the issue of separation-individuation in traditional Confucian
      societies.

PMID- 1429122
TI  - Examining veterinarians for physical and mental fitness.

PMID- 1429121
TI  - Psychoanalysis, the Hispanic poor, and the disadvantaged: application and
      conceptualization.

PMID- 1429124
TI  - Comparison of the human and canine Schiotz tonometry conversion tables in
      clinically normal cats.
AB  - Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured in 73 eyes of 37 clinically normal cats
      with 2 applanation tonometers (Tono-Pen and Mackay-Marg) and the Schiotz
      indentation tonometer, using the 5.5- and 7.5-g weights. Statistically, the Tono
      Pen tonometer underestimated IOP compared with the values obtained by use of the
      Mackay-Marg tonometer (P less than 0.0001) and the Schiotz tonometer, with either
      weight and either the human (P less than 0.01) or the canine (P less than 0.0001)
      calibration tables. Estimates of IOP using the human calibration table and either
      the 5.5- or 7.5-g weight were not significantly different from each other or from
      those obtained with the Mackay-Marg tonometer. Schiotz measurements obtained with
      either weight and converted using the canine calibration table were not only
      significantly (P less than 0.0001) different from each other, but were also
      clinically and significantly (P less than 0.0001) higher than measurements
      obtained with the Tono-Pen and Mackay-Marg tonometers or the Schiotz tonometer,
      using the human calibration table and either weight. Approximately three quarters
      of clinically normal cats had an IOP greater than or equal to 30 mm of Hg when
      Schiotz tonometer measurements were converted with the canine conversion table.
      The human calibration table was the most clinically useful table for converting
      Schiotz measurements from clinically normal feline eyes to estimates of IOP in mm
      of Hg. Normal mean (+/- SD) feline readings with the Schiotz tonometer and the
      5.5-g weight was 3.9 +/- 1.4 tonometer scale units (range, 1.0 to 7.5; 95%
      confidence interval [CI], 1.1 to 6.7).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429123
TI  - Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii
      specific antibodies and antigens in the aqueous humor of cats.
AB  - Serum and aqueous humor samples, collected from 14 clinically normal cats and 96
      cats with clinical evidence of intraocular inflammation, were assayed with ELISA
      for Toxoplasma gondii-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM), T gondii-specific IgG, T
      gondii-specific antigens, total IgG, and total IgM. Additionally, serum was
      assayed with ELISA for feline leukemia virus p27 antigen and antibodies against
      the feline immunodeficiency virus as well as with an immunofluorescent antibody
      assay for antibodies against feline coronaviruses. Calculation of the Goldmann
      Witmer coefficient (C-value) for the T gondii-specific antibodies detected in
      aqueous humor established the likelihood of local antibody production. Serologic
      evidence of present or prior infection by an infectious agent was found in 81.9%
      of the clinically affected cats from which serologic results were available
      (77/94 cats). Seropositive results for toxoplasmosis were found in 74.0% of the
      clinically affected cats. Anterior segment inflammation was found in 93.1% (81/87
      cats from which information was available) of the clinically affected cats, most
      of which were older males. Toxoplasma gondii-specific antibodies were not
      detected in the aqueous humor of 6 seropositive, clinically normal cats. The C
      values for aqueous T gondii antibodies were greater than 1 in 44.8% of the cats
      and greater than 8 in 24.0% of the cats. Response to treatment with clindamycin
      HCl was positive in 15/20 (75%) of the T gondii-seropositive, clinically affected
      cats treated with this drug. In 13/15 (86.7%) T gondii-seropositive, clinically
      affected cats having a C-value greater than 1, response to treatment with
      clindamycin HCl was positive.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429125
TI  - Comparison of the human and canine Schiotz tonometry conversion tables in
      clinically normal dogs.
AB  - Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured in 114 eyes of 57 clinically normal dogs
      with 2 applanation tonometers (Tono-Pen and Mackay-Marg) and the Schiotz
      indentation tonometer, using the 5.5- and 7.5-g weights. Significant differences
      were not detected between measurements obtained with the Tono-Pen and Mackay-Marg
      tonometers the Mackay-Marg and Schiotz tonometers using either weight and
      conversion with the human calibration table, or the Tono-Pen and Schiotz
      tonometers using the 7.5-g weight and the human calibration table. Values
      obtained by use of the Tono-Pen tonometer were significantly less (P less than
      0.005) than values obtained with the Schiotz tonometer when a 5.5-g weight and
      the human calibration table were used, but the amount was clinically unimportant.
      Estimates of IOP using the Schiotz tonometer and the canine calibration table,
      and either the 5.5- or 7.5-g weight were clinically and significantly much higher
      (P less than 0.0001) than estimates obtained with the Tono-Pen, Mackay-Marg, or
      Schiotz tonometers, using the human calibration table and either weight. Sixty to
      70% of clinically normal dogs had an IOP greater than or equal to 30 mm of Hg
      when Schiotz scale measurements were converted with the canine conversion table.
      For clinically normal dogs, the human calibration table was the most clinically
      useful table for converting Schiotz tonometer measurements to mm of Hg. Normal
      mean (+/- SD) canine readings with the Schiotz tonometer and the 5.5-g weight was
      4.9 +/- 1.5 tonometer scale units (range, 2 to 11; 95% confidence interval, 1.9
      to 7.9).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429126
TI  - Effects of electrolyte solutions for oral administration on clotting of milk.
AB  - The effect of electrolyte solutions commercially formulated for oral
      administration on clotting of milk was investigated in vitro. Rennet or abomasal
      fluid was used as the clotting agent. Electrolyte solutions that contained large
      amounts of bicarbonate or citrate (greater than 40 mEq/L) had marked adverse
      effects on milk clotting, probably because bicarbonate increased pH and because
      citrate chelated calcium. Addition of solutions that did not contain alkalinizing
      agents resulted in normal or enhanced clotting, and enhancement was associated
      with the presence of acid phosphate salts. Electrolyte solutions that included
      acetate as the alkalinizing agent did not interfere with milk clotting as long as
      pH of the final solution was acidic and minimal amounts of citric acid salts were
      present (less than 10 mEq/L). Acetate-containing electrolyte solutions can be
      used for oral administration in calves in which alkalinization of blood without
      interference with milk clotting is desired.

PMID- 1429127
TI  - Seroprevalence of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in a population of horses in
      central Texas.
AB  - Four hundred sixty-nine serum samples were obtained from horses admitted to the
      internal medicine service of the Texas Veterinary Medical Center between Jan 1
      and Dec 31, 1990. Serum samples were tested by ELISA for antibody to Borrelia
      burgdorferi. Of these 469 samples, 1 (0.2%) was repeatedly seropositive for the
      organism by ELISA. Confirmatory testing by protein immunoblot was negative. The
      observed seroprevalence was 0%; the upper bound of the 95% confidence interval
      was 0.6%. These findings indicate the evidence of infection with B burgdorferi is
      presently uncommon in horses in central Texas.

PMID- 1429128
TI  - Removal of nasogastric tube fragments from three horses.
AB  - Three horses were admitted for retrieval of polyurethane nasogastric tube
      fragments. The fragments were removed from the esophagus or stomach of 2 horses
      by manipulation of a snare introduced through the biopsy port of an endoscope.
      The fragments were surgically removed from the stomach of the third horse.

PMID- 1429130
TI  - Conservative management of fourth tarsal bone fracture in a draft horse.
AB  - A fourth tarsal bone fracture was treated conservatively in an adult draft horse.
      Seven months after the injury, the horse had no evidence of lameness and was able
      to compete in athletic events. It has been suggested that conservative management
      of these fractures be considered for brood animals or animals used for less
      strenuous activities. The outcome of this case suggests that fourth tarsal bone
      fractures can be successfully treated in athletic animals with conservative
      management.

PMID- 1429129
TI  - Postsurgical ventricular tachycardia in a horse.
AB  - A 2-year-old Thoroughbred racehorse developed ventricular tachycardia after
      elective laryngoplasty and ventriculectomy were performed while anesthesia was
      maintained with halothane. During surgery, the horse became febrile and developed
      transient mild hypercarbia. The horse was treated with an IV infusion of
      quinidine gluconate. Continuous electrocardiographic monitoring was used to
      evaluate cardiac rhythm during treatment, and conversion was achieved after 12
      hours of IV infusion. The inciting cause for the arrhythmia was not determined.

PMID- 1429131
TI  - Ovarian mass in three mares with regular estrous cycles.
AB  - Three mares with regular estrous cycles and a large ovary were examined. In each
      case, the ovary was composed of a single, fluid-filled cavity with a thick
      capsule. The ovarian mass was surgically removed from each mare. Histologic
      diagnosis of each mass was different.

PMID- 1429132
TI  - Correction of cervical esophageal stricture in a dog by creation of a traction
      diverticulum.
AB  - A cervical esophageal stricture was corrected in a dog by creation of a traction
      diverticulum. Although abnormal esophageal motility persisted in the portion of
      the esophagus cranial to the stricture, the clinical effects of the stricture
      were ameliorated by the simple surgical procedure.

PMID- 1429133
TI  - Multiple cardiac anomalies in a cat.
AB  - A 7-week-old domestic shorthair cat was examined because of congestive heart
      failure. Echocardiography and angiography were used to identify multiple cardiac
      anomalies. Because of the uncorrectable nature of the defects, the cat was
      euthanatized. Necropsy revealed persistent left vena cava, patent foramen ovale,
      and a right atrial/left ventricular canal. The right atrioventricular valve was
      replaced by a small ostium, and no chordae tendinae or papillary muscles were
      observed around the ostium. The pulmonary trunk originated from the right atrium.
      The right ventricular free wall was approximately 1 mm thick.

PMID- 1429135
TI  - Subconjunctival cyst associated with Thelazia gulosa in a calf.
AB  - A large subconjunctival cyst of 4 weeks' duration was surgically excised from the
      left eye of a 7-month-old Simmental calf. Two white, partially mineralized,
      approximately 1-cm-long, fertile female nematodes subsequently identified as
      Thelazia gulosa were found embedded in the cyst wall. Thelazia spp are generally
      regarded as nonpathogenic or mildly pathogenic in cattle in North America,
      despite reported infection rates ranging from 12.2 to 34.2%. Additionally,
      parasitic subconjunctival nodules associated with Thelazia spp rarely have been
      reported in the past, and cyst formation has not been described. It was
      postulated that in this calf, immature or adult worms may have penetrated normal
      tissue barriers, or entered via an earlier conjunctival wound, and created an
      inflammatory response with subsequent cyst formation.

PMID- 1429134
TI  - Use of autogenous cancellous bone graft for treatment of osteolytic defects in
      the phalanges of three cattle.
AB  - Osteolytic defects were detected radiographically in the distal sesamoid bone of
      a 16-month-old Bralers heifer, in the middle phalanx of a 14-month-old American
      Gray Brahman bull, and in the distal phalanx of a 3-year-old American Gray
      Brahman bull. The articular cartilage was damaged in each animal because of
      osteolysis or pathologic fracture. After each animal was anesthetized and
      positioned in lateral recumbency, the lesions were curetted and packed with
      cancellous bone harvested from the same animal's tuber coxae. Basic postoperative
      management involved stall rest and immobilization of the graft site with a
      fiberglass cast (42 to 79 days), after which a support bandage was used for
      approximately 2 weeks. Recurrence of lameness has not been observed in these
      animals for 60 months, 58 months, and 21 months, respectively. These cases
      exemplify the benefit of using an autogenous cancellous bone graft for treatment
      of severe osteolysis of a digit in cattle.

PMID- 1429136
TI  - Prepurchase evaluation of horses: 134 cases (1988-1990).
AB  - To quantify some components of prepurchase evaluations in horses, records from
      134 evaluations performed during a 2-year period were reviewed and the outcome
      was determined via telephone follow-up interview. Sixty-two percent of the
      prepurchase evaluations had been performed at the clinic and 38% had been
      performed in the field by the ambulatory service. All evaluations included
      physical and lameness examinations, whereas radiography (49%), endoscopy (15%),
      nerve blocking (5%), transrectal palpation (3%), hematologic analysis (2%),
      electrocardiography (2%), drug testing for analgesic agents (2%), and
      ultrasonography of the flexor tendons (1%) were not always performed. Fifty-nine
      percent of horses evaluated at the clinic were radiographed, compared with 33% of
      horses evaluated in the field (P less than 0.05). Thirty-seven percent of horses
      evaluated were judged serviceable for their intended use. Thirty-five percent of
      horses evaluated at the clinic were assessed to be serviceable, compared with 41%
      of those evaluated in the field (P less than 0.05). Horses used for pleasure
      riding (48%) tended to be considered serviceable more often than horses used for
      more athletic endeavors (3-day eventing, 33%; hunter/jumper, 24%; show, 31%;
      dressage, 30%). The most common basis for finding a horse unserviceable was
      lameness (88%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429137
TI  - Tarsal lameness of dairy bulls housed at two artificial insemination centers: 24
      cases (1975-1987).
AB  - Degenerative joint disease of the tarsi was diagnosed in 20 of 24 Holstein bulls
      with tarsal lameness at 2 artificial insemination centers from 1975 to 1987. Each
      of the 2 centers housed about 100 bulls/yr. Of the 24 bulls with tarsal lameness,
      22 were from the artificial insemination center designated as A, and 2 were from
      the center designated as B. Examination of the housing and management procedures
      revealed that center A had concrete floors with cuboidal-shaped yards, whereas
      center B had deep sand flooring, with long, narrow yards. The only other
      difference between the 2 centers was that center A used 1- and 2-year-old bulls
      as teasers for older, heavier bulls to mount, whereas center B used bulls that
      were at least 6 years old to withstand the stress placed on their hind limbs by
      the weight of bulls undergoing semen collection. Radiographic lesions of tarsi of
      bulls from both centers ranged from distention of the tibiotarsal joint pouch to
      hypertrophic degenerative osteoarthritis of the distal, intertarsal, and
      tarsometatarsal joints. It was concluded that the concrete flooring and the semen
      collecting practices were responsible for the high prevalence of tarsal lameness
      and degenerative joint disease of the tarsi in bulls housed at center A.

PMID- 1429138
TI  - Immunodeficiency syndrome associated with wasting and opportunistic infection in
      juvenile llamas: 12 cases (1988-1990).
AB  - Immunodeficiency was diagnosed as the cause of severe debilitating disease
      characterized by weight loss, failure to grow, and persistent infections that
      failed to respond to treatment in 12 young llamas. The llamas were affected after
      maternal-acquired immunity had decreased; failure of passive transfer of
      immunoglobulins thus was not suspected. Areas of lymph nodes containing T
      lymphocytes were hypocellular, suggesting T-cell involvement. High serum
      immunoglobulin concentrations were not found, despite the existence of infectious
      disease, suggesting at least secondary B-cell involvement. Results of lymphocyte
      blastogenesis assays were suggestive of B- and T-cell involvement. It was not
      possible to determine whether the condition was inherited or acquired.

PMID- 1429139
TI  - Leiomyosarcoma in dogs: 44 cases (1983-1988).
AB  - During a 5-year period, leiomyosarcoma was diagnosed in 57 dogs. Forty-four dogs
      were included in the study on the basis of completeness of medical records. All
      dogs underwent exploratory laparotomy, and dogs were allotted to 4 groups
      according to primary site of tumor: spleen (16 dogs, median age 10.3 years),
      stomach/small intestine (13 dogs, median age 10.3 years), cecum (10 dogs, median
      age 11.8 years), and liver (5 dogs, median age 9 years). All dogs with
      leiomyosarcoma of the liver had visible metastasis and were euthanatized at
      surgery. In the other 3 groups, 79% of the dogs had no gross evidence of
      metastasis at surgery, and 64% survived greater than 2 weeks. Median survival in
      these 3 groups was 10 months (range, 1 month to 7 years); 48% died of metastasis,
      32% died of unrelated causes, and 16% died of unknown causes. The prognosis in
      dogs with leiomyosarcoma of the spleen, stomach, small intestine, and especially
      the cecum is good to excellent if surgery is performed. In dogs with
      leiomyosarcoma of the liver, the prognosis is poor.

PMID- 1429140
TI  - Orbital neoplasms in cats: 21 cases (1974-1990).
AB  - Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common neoplasm found in a review of case
      records of 21 cats with histopathologically confirmed orbital neoplasms. Other
      neoplasms found were lymphosarcoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, malignant
      melanoma, adenocarcinoma, fibrosarcoma, chondroma, and hemangiosarcoma. Three
      (14%) neoplasms were primary, 15 (71%) were secondary, invading the orbit from
      adjacent tissues, and 3 (14%) were a manifestation of multicentric disease. The
      most common clinical sign was exophthalmia, followed by chronic epiphora,
      enophthalmia, and strabismus. Mean survival time after diagnosis was 1.9 months.
      Ten cats were euthanatized at the time of diagnosis because of extensive disease.
      Mean survival time of the other 11 cats was 4.3 months. Skull radiography was
      helpful in diagnosing orbital neoplasms in 8 of 11 cats that had invasion of the
      orbit by adjacent neoplasms.

PMID- 1429141
TI  - Pupilloplasty in a great horned owl with pupillary occlusion and cataracts.

PMID- 1429142
TI  - Femoral artery pseudoaneurysm in a monkey.
AB  - Pseudoaneurysm formation as a complication of routine blood collection was
      diagnosed in a monkey. Damage to the femoral artery resulted in hematoma
      formation with secondary organization, encapsulation, and vascular communication.
      Progressive lameness and muscular atrophy were the primary clinical signs.
      Surgical correction of the artery defect helped resolve the monkey's lameness and
      muscle atrophy.

PMID- 1429144
TI  - Stalking a killer: the "disease" of euthanasia.

PMID- 1429143
TI  - What is your diagnosis? Circumscribed metallic foreign body in the pelvic canal.

PMID- 1429145
TI  - APHIS biologics personnel hear from constituents, consumers.

PMID- 1429146
TI  - Veterinary service market for companion animals, 1992. Part I: Companion animal
      ownership and demographics.

PMID- 1429147
TI  - ECG of the month.

PMID- 1429148
TI  - "My first love is heavy horses ...".

PMID- 1429149
TI  - Impaired veterinarians need and deserve our help and understanding.

PMID- 1429150
TI  - Questions radiographic interpretation.

PMID- 1429151
TI  - Corticoid:creatinine ratio.

PMID- 1429153
TI  - Self-directed continuing education.

PMID- 1429152
TI  - Veterinary service market for companion animals, 1992. Part II: Veterinary
      service use and expenditures.

PMID- 1429154
TI  - Four essential components of veterinary education for the 21st century.

PMID- 1429155
TI  - The perils of perfectionism.

PMID- 1429156
TI  - Comparison of lidocaine, xylazine, and xylazine/lidocaine for caudal epidural
      analgesia in horses.
AB  - Caudal epidural analgesia was achieved in 6 adult horses on 3 successive
      occasions at weekly intervals by injection of lidocaine, xylazine, and a
      combination of lidocaine/xylazine through indwelling epidural catheters.
      Analgesia was defined as a lack of response to pinprick and hemostat pressure in
      the skin of the perineal area. A significant (P < 0.05) difference was not found
      for time of onset of analgesia between lidocaine (4.3 +/- 0.8 minutes, mean +/-
      SEM) and the lidocaine/xylazine combination (5.3 +/- 1.3 minutes). Time to onset
      of analgesia after administration of xylazine was significantly (P < 0.05) longer
      (32.0 +/- 3.4 minutes) than that for either of the other 2 treatments. Duration
      of analgesia was significantly (P < 0.05) longer for the combination (329.8 +/-
      6.2 minutes) than for either drug used alone (lidocaine, 87.2 +/- 7.5 minutes;
      xylazine, 204.2 +/- 12.9 minutes). Pulse and respiratory rates were not
      significantly altered by any of the drugs. Neurologic sequelae were not
      clinically apparent after administration of the drugs or after chronic epidural
      catheterization.

PMID- 1429157
TI  - Microvascular permeability changes in ischemia/reperfusion injury in the
      ascending colon of horses.
AB  - The normal microvascular permeability of the ascending colon in horses and the
      microvascular permeability of that segment after ischemia and reperfusion were
      investigated. Microvascular permeability was estimated by the ratio of lymphatic
      protein to plasma protein concentration (Cl/Cp) at high lymph flow rates in 8
      adult horses in 2 equal groups: normal and ischemic (2-hour period). Lymphatic
      flow rates and lymph and plasma protein concentrations were determined.
      Intestinal biopsy specimens were obtained at the end of each experiment. Flow
      independent values were selected and compared by one-way ANOVA, and the mean and
      SEM of these values were determined. The mean Cl/Cp ratios for the flow
      independent part of each data set were as follows: normal = 0.36 +/- 0.08;
      ischemic = 0.70 +/- 0.08. These groups were significantly different (P < or =
      0.0001). Microscopic evaluation revealed mild congestion and edema in the normal
      group. The ischemic group had mild to moderate mucosal degeneration, with
      moderate to severe congestion and edema. We concluded that ischemia of the
      ascending colon, when followed by reperfusion, results in a significant increase
      in microvascular permeability.

PMID- 1429158
TI  - Effects of environment and management on mortality in preweaned dairy calves.
AB  - Forty-eight herds participating in the 1988/1989 Ohio National Animal Health
      Monitoring System dairy project were monitored for 1 year to determine the
      effects of environment and management on mortality in preweaned calves.
      Environmental factors were evaluated by veterinarians during monthly visits to
      the herds. Management procedures were measured through the use of a questionnaire
      administered near the end of the project. Mortality in preweaned calves was
      calculated for each herd by using data from project records on calf mortality and
      animal inventory, which were collected monthly by veterinarians. Relationships
      between the management/environment variables and calf mortality were examined by
      use of analysis of covariance. Herd size, days on a nipple feeder, navel
      disinfection, type of housing, and whether each calf observed with diarrhea was
      treated with antibiotics were the variables that had an impact on herd mortality.
      These variables explained approximately 39% of the variation in mortality among
      herds.

PMID- 1429159
TI  - Effect of concentration and source of sulfate on nursery pig performance and
      health.
AB  - The effect of sulfate in drinking water at concentrations of 600, 1,200, and
      1,800 mg/L on nursery pig performance and health was evaluated over 28 days on
      415 weaned pigs. Sodium sulfate and magnesium sulfate were evaluated in
      combination at concentrations of 600, 1,200, and 1,800 mg/L, and independently at
      concentrations of 600 and 1,800 mg/L in the drinking water. Seven treatment
      groups and 1 control group were evaluated for mean gain, feed consumption, water
      consumption, feed conversion, prevalence of diarrhea, and evidence of common post
      weaning enteric pathogens. Statistical analysis was performed, using analysis of
      variance with repeated measures including initial pig weight as a covariate.
      Prevalence of diarrhea was analyzed nonparametrically with a repeated measures
      design. Results indicated that pigs drinking 600, 1,200, or 1,800 mg of sulfate/L
      water had increased prevalence of nonpathogenic diarrhea during the trial period.
      There was a trend for increased water consumption corresponding to increased
      sulfate in the water. Differences in mean daily gain, feed consumption, or feed
      to-gain ratios were not observed. Forty-five pigs were treated at least once
      during the trial and 4 pigs died, resulting in a nursery morbidity of 11% and
      mortality of 0.96%. Fourteen isolates of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli were
      found and rotavirus was isolated from 1 pig. Pigs in this study were not exposed
      to transmissible gastroenteritis virus. Except for an increase in fecal moisture
      content (not associated with pathogenic diarrhea), concentrations of up to 1,800
      mg of sodium, magnesium, or a combination of sodium and magnesium sulfate/L had
      no adverse effect on nursery pig performance.

PMID- 1429160
TI  - Postanesthetic recumbency associated with hyperkalemic periodic paralysis in a
      quarter horse.
AB  - Anesthesia and surgery in a Quarter Horse affected with hyperkalemic periodic
      paralysis resulted in euthanasia after 7 days of postoperative recumbency.
      Initial recovery was uneventful after extensive sinus surgery, but within 2
      hours, the horse had severe muscle weakness. Plasma electrolyte concentrations
      were within the normal range during the period of recumbency. There was no
      clinical or laboratory evidence of severe muscle damage. Despite treatment with
      acetazolamide, isoproterenol, and intensive nursing, the horse was unable to
      stand for more than a few seconds and developed severe decubital ulcers.
      Ultrastructural examination revealed nemaline rods and swollen mitochondria in
      disrupted myofibers.

PMID- 1429161
TI  - Bilateral ureterocystostomy in a 450-kg horse with ectopic ureters.
AB  - A 450-kg yearling Clydesdale filly was determined to have bilateral ectopic
      ureters. The resulting incontinence caused severe malodorous perineal dermatitis.
      Bladder capacity was measured at 800 ml. The urethral sphincter lacked tone, and
      the horse was seen to urinate in a normal manner only 2 or 3 times a week. A
      midline celiotomy was performed, and the ureters were identified by cannulation
      from the ectopic openings. The ureters were ligated, and the cut ends were
      anastomosed to the dorsal bladder surface by an extravesicular end-to-side
      technique. A partial thickness seromuscular layer of the bladder was sutured over
      the ureters in a cranial direction from the anastomosis site for 15 mm. This
      fixed the ureters to the dorsal surface of the bladder and protected the
      anastomosis site from tension. After surgery, the horse urinated n a normal
      manner many times a day. Urinary incontinence continued, but gradually improved.
      Bladder capacity increased over 13 months to 4.3 L. Surgical (urethral extension)
      and medical (phenylpropanolamine and estrogen) treatments were instigated to
      increase urethral sphincter tone. Urinary incontinence continued to improve and,
      at 11 months after surgery, incontinence was negligible, and the perineal
      dermatitis had healed.

PMID- 1429162
TI  - Arthroscopic removal of a palmar radial osteochondroma causing carpal canal
      syndrome in a horse.
AB  - A 5-year-old Arabian stallion with moderate effusion in the right carpal canal
      and intermittent lameness in this limb was diagnosed to have an osteochondroma
      projecting from the distal portion of the radius into the carpal canal. oral
      phenylbutazone treatment over the next 3 years allowed the stallion to continue
      its show career. Right forelimb lameness returned at that time, and
      ultrasonography revealed the osteochondroma impinging on the dorsal surface of
      the deep digital flexor tendon. The owner elected to have the osteochondroma
      surgically removed. The horse was anesthetized, and the carpal sheath was
      distended with balanced polyionic solution. A 4-mm arthroscope was inserted into
      the carpal sheath, and the osteochondroma projecting into the sheath was
      identified. The osteochondroma was removed by use of a Ferris-Smith bone rongeur,
      which was inserted into the carpal sheath through a stab incision over the
      osteochondroma. The effusion in the carpal sheath and the lameness resolved by 2
      months, and the horse was returned to training 4 months after surgery.

PMID- 1429163
TI  - Primary meningeal lymphoma in a horse.
AB  - Primary meningeal lymphoma was diagnosed in an 18-year-old Morgan gelding. The
      horse was examined because of a 3-day history of progressive ataxia and weakness.
      The gait abnormalities were worse on the left side, and the pelvic limbs were
      more affected than the thoracic limbs. Additional findings included signs of
      depression, miosis of the left pupil, ptosis of the left upper eyelid, and areas
      of muscle atrophy on the left side of the neck and over the dorsal aspect of the
      left scapula. Inflammatory changes were evident in the CSF. At necropsy, there
      was diffuse and irregular thickening of the dura mater along the entire spinal
      cord. Histologic examination revealed infiltration of the leptomeninges with
      neoplastic lymphocytes.

PMID- 1429164
TI  - Cervical fibrotic stenosis in a young Rottweiler.
AB  - An 18-month-old neutered male Rottweiler was examined because of slowly
      progressive spastic tetraparesis and ataxia. Signalment and clinical signs were
      suggestive of 2 neuronal degenerative diseases presumed to be inherited in young
      Rottweilers: leukoencephalomyelopathy and neuroaxonal dystrophy. Myelography
      revealed an extradural compression at the articulation of the second and third
      cervical vertebrae. At surgery, focal hypertrophy of the yellow ligament was
      observed to compress the spinal cord ventrally at that site.

PMID- 1429165
TI  - Acquired syringomyelia in a dog.
AB  - Acquired syringomyelia was diagnosed in an 11-year-old Fox Terrier with
      progressive paresis in the left pelvic limb. Myelography and magnetic resonance
      imaging confirmed an intramedullary lesion involving the left dorsolateral
      portion of the spinal cord at the level of L-2 and L-3 vertebrae. Clinical signs
      improved after surgical syringotomy. Microscopic evaluation of a biopsy specimen
      from the cyst wall did not establish a definitive histologic diagnosis. The cyst
      was decreased in size on magnetic resonance imaging 7 months later.

PMID- 1429166
TI  - Ocular manifestation of systemic histiocytosis in a dog.
AB  - A 3-year-old sexually intact female Bernese Mountain Dog was referred for
      treatment of a descemetocele of the left eye. Physical examination revealed
      bilateral exophthalmos and scleral thickening, multiple cutaneous nodules, and
      mandibular paralysis in addition to ulcerative keratitis associated with a
      Pseudomonas infection. One year prior to examination, a biopsy specimen of the
      episcleral tissue from the right eye had been interpreted as nodular
      granulomatous episclerokeratitis (fibrous histiocytoma). Immunosuppressive
      treatment prior to referral had not resulted in remission of the ocular lesions.
      When we examined the biopsy specimen, we interpreted the lesions to represent
      episcleral involvement of systemic histiocytosis. Because of the poor prognosis,
      the dog was euthanatized.

PMID- 1429167
TI  - Monoclonal gammopathy in a dog with plasmacytic gastroenterocolitis.
AB  - Monoclonal gammopathy associated with plasmacytic gastroenterocolitis was
      diagnosed in a dog. Treatment consisted of immunosuppressive drugs and dietary
      manipulation. The gammopathy resolved. Fifteen months after initial diagnosis,
      the dog had a relapse of intestinal disease and recurrence of the gammopathy.
      After inducing a second remission, the gammopathy again resolved.

PMID- 1429168
TI  - Ventricular arrhythmias in horses: 21 cases (1984-1989).
AB  - Ventricular premature depolarizations (VPD) were identified in 21 horses in which
      unexplained tachycardia or an arrhythmia was detected on auscultation. Horses
      were categorized into 3 groups on the basis of ECG findings. Seven horses had
      uniform isolated VPD (group 1); 7 horses had repetitive uniform VPD at a rate <
      100 VPD/min (group 2); and 7 horses had either multiform VPD, R-on-T, or > or =
      100 VPD/min (group 3). Concurrent systemic disease was identified in 12 horses, 7
      of which had gastrointestinal tract disorders. Serum cardiac isoenzyme activities
      were high in 6 (2 from each group) of 13 horses in which they were measured.
      Serum electrolyte concentrations were normal in all but 1 of 11 horses in which
      they were measured. Antiarrhythmic drugs were given to 9 horses (all of which
      were in group 2 or group 3), 6 of which converted to sinus rhythm. Two horses
      that had R-on-T in the ECG died shortly after initiation of antiarrhythmic
      treatment. An accelerated idioventricular rhythm persisted in 1 horse for at
      least 8 months and failed to respond to antiarrhythmic drugs. Ventricular
      premature depolarizations resolved or decreased considerably in frequency in 11
      horses without the administration of antiarrhythmic agents. Treatment in these
      horses included therapy for any underlying systemic disease, corticosteroids,
      nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, or stall rest. The remaining horse was
      euthanatized several hours after hospitalization. Five horses died or were
      euthanatized either during hospitalization or several months after being
      discharged. Myocardial lesions were identified at necropsy in 2 horses.

PMID- 1429169
TI  - Ionized calcium concentration in horses with surgically managed gastrointestinal
      disease: 147 cases (1988-1990).
AB  - Packed cell volume, total plasma protein, serum sodium, potassium, and ionized
      Ca2+ concentrations, and blood pH were determined at the time of admission and
      following surgery in 147 horses with acute abdominal crisis. Horses were allotted
      to 3 categories on the basis of the surgical lesion: (1) nonstrangulating
      obstruction of the ascending or descending colon (category A, n = 76), (2)
      strangulating and nonstrangulating infarction of the cecum or ascending colon
      (category B, n = 37), and (3) strangulating and nonstrangulating infarction of
      the small intestine (category C, n = 25). Horses with low serum ionized Ca2+
      concentration following surgery were given 23% calcium gluconate (100 to 300 ml)
      IV to effect, and ionized Ca2+ concentration was determined following treatment.
      The serum ionized Ca2+ concentrations of horses in categories A, B, and C before
      and after surgery were lower than our normal laboratory reference range. Prior to
      surgery, serum ionized Ca2+ concentration measured from horses in category B and
      C was lower than that in horses in category A. There was no difference in ionized
      Ca2+ concentration in serum samples obtained before surgery in horses from
      category B and C, and in serum samples obtained following surgery. There was a
      decrease in ionized Ca2+ concentration during surgery in horses in category A.
      There was no change between preoperative and postoperative ionized Ca2+
      concentration in the samples obtained from horses in category B and C. After
      calcium gluconate administration, all horses with low serum ionized Ca2+ after
      surgery had concentrations within our normal range. Measurement of serum ionized
      Ca2+ in horses with an acute abdominal crisis is recommended.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429170
TI  - Pedunculated lipomas as a cause of intestinal obstruction in horses: 17 cases
      (1983-1990).
AB  - The medical records of 17 horses that were evaluated and treated because of colic
      caused by pedunculated lipomas between 1983 and 1990 were reviewed. The mean age
      of the horses was 16.6 +/- 3.9 years (range, 10 to 26 years), which was
      significantly greater than that of the population of horses evaluated because of
      colic (control population) during the same period. There were significantly more
      geldings (76.5%), compared with the control population. Nasogastric reflux ranged
      from 1 to 16 L in 8 horses and was not obtained in 9 horses. Abdominal palpation
      per rectum revealed small intestinal distention in 13 horses, displaced large
      colon in 7 horses, and large colon impaction in 2 horses. Peritoneal fluid was
      abnormal in 11 of 12 horses from which it was obtained successfully. One horse
      was euthanatized after unsuccessful medical treatment. Surgery was performed in
      16 horses. Lipomas were blindly resected in 5 horses or exteriorized and resected
      in 6 horses. The method used to resect the lipoma was not recorded in 5 horses.
      The ileum and/or jejunum was strangulated in 15 horses, the small colon was
      strangulated in 1 horse, and the jejunum was obstructed in 1 horse. The length of
      intestine resected ranged from 0.15 to 7.2 m. Fourteen horses survived surgery,
      of which 11 were discharged from the hospital (short-term survival rate of
      78.6%). Excluding 2 horses lost to follow-up evaluation, 6 of 12 horses that
      survived surgery were alive 2 to 56 months following surgery (long-term survival
      rate of 50%), and 9 of 15 horses died or were euthanatized (fatality rate of
      60%).

PMID- 1429171
TI  - Diskospondylitis associated with Brucella canis infection in dogs: 14 cases (1980
      1991).
AB  - A retrospective study of 135 dogs with diskospondylitis revealed 14 dogs with
      concurrent Brucella canis infection. Sexually intact male dogs and dogs in the
      southeastern United States appeared to be at higher risk. Results of
      bacteriologic culturing of blood were less likely to be positive for dogs with
      diskospondylitis caused by B canis infection than for dogs with diskospondylitis
      caused by other organisms. Follow-up evaluation of 13 of the 14 dogs revealed
      complete remission of clinical signs in nine, but serologic test results
      continued to be positive for B canis infection long after resolution of clinical
      abnormalities. Radiographic follow-up evaluation in 6 dogs revealed active
      lesions despite complete remission of clinical abnormalities.

PMID- 1429172
TI  - Lymphoma involving large granular lymphocytes in cats: 11 cases (1982-1991).
AB  - Medical records of 11 cats with lymphoma involving large granular lymphocytes
      were reviewed. All 9 cats tested were FeLV-negative. Ten cats had a history of
      anorexia, lethargy, vomiting, or diarrhea, and had lymphoma involving abdominal
      viscera. The most common site of tumor in these cats was the jejunum. One cat had
      cutaneous masses caused by dermal and epidermal infiltration with neoplastic
      large granular lymphocytes. The most common hematologic abnormality was
      leukocytosis, characterized by neutrophilia with a left shift (7 cats); 2 cats
      had a left shift without neutrophilia. None of the cats had lymphocytosis, but
      immature large granular lymphocytes were found in the blood of 4 cats. The most
      common serum biochemical abnormalities were hypoalbuminemia (10 cats),
      hypocalcemia (10 cats), hypoproteinemia (9 cats), high aspartate transaminase
      activity (9 cats), and hyperbilirubinemia (8 cats). Large granular lymphocytes
      were characterized by abundant cytoplasm containing distinct azurophilic granules
      that varied in size and number. The most common cytochemical staining pattern
      included detection of alpha-naphthyl butyrate esterase, acid phosphatase, and
      beta-glucuronidase activities. On examination of histologic sections, granules
      stained weakly eosinophilic with Giemsa and moderately with periodic acid-Schiff
      reaction. Ultrastructurally, the granules appeared membrane bound and contained
      an electron-dense matrix in 4 cats.

PMID- 1429173
TI  - What is your diagnosis? Alveolar periostitis, sinusitis and malocclusion of
      supernumerary upper teeth.

PMID- 1429174
TI  - Distinction made between toxicoses caused by acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti
      inflammatory drugs.

PMID- 1429175
TI  - Acupuncture: an ancient treatment modality under scientific scrutiny.

PMID- 1429176
TI  - AIDS research: from apes to cats.

PMID- 1429177
TI  - Computer use and applications in veterinary medicine.

PMID- 1429178
TI  - Establishing the value of an animal--some defenses when sued.

PMID- 1429179
TI  - Integrating population medicine and large animal production into the veterinary
      curriculum for students to create an active learning program.

PMID- 1429180
TI  - . . . through the eyes of an ophthalmologist.

PMID- 1429181
TI  - Actions of isoflurane and halothane in pregnant mares.
AB  - Eighteen healthy, pregnant mares scheduled for laparotomy and uterine
      manipulation were randomly allotted to 2 equal groups. After IV administration of
      xylazine hydrochloride and thiamylal sodium, general anesthesia was maintained
      with halothane (HALO) or isoflurane (ISO) in oxygen. Results of cardiovascular
      measurements were similar with both inhalant anesthetics; mean arterial blood
      pressure was 79 and 82 mm of Hg with HALO and ISO, respectively. Respiratory rate
      decreased most with ISO (mean frequency was 4 and 9 breaths/min with ISO and
      HALO, respectively). Partial pressure of arterial CO2 was increased similarly
      with HALO and ISO. Partial pressure of arterial O2 varied greatly among mares and
      decreased with duration of use of both anesthetics. Recovery time from anesthesia
      was significantly (P < 0.05) shorter after use of ISO vs HALO. Minor superficial
      injuries were associated with recovery from both anesthetics (in 5 mares with ISO
      and in 1 mare with HALO). Physical signs of postanesthetic myopathy or vital
      organ dysfunction were not associated with either agent.

PMID- 1429182
TI  - In vitro susceptibility to antimycotics of Microsporum canis isolates from cats.
AB  - One hundred thirty-four isolates of Microsporum canis, obtained from cats, were
      tested for in vitro susceptibility to various antifungal agents. The fungi were
      classified as susceptible, resistant, and intermediate by measuring the size of
      the zone of inhibited growth on yeast nitrogen base agar medium. Clotrimazole had
      the highest activity (99.2%), followed by tioconazole (89.6%), griseofulvin
      (88.8%), econazole (73.1%), ketoconazole (50.7%), miconazole (15.7%), and
      isoconazole (12.7%). We found 14.9% of the isolates to be susceptible to all the
      assayed drugs, whereas the highest resistance frequency (41.8%) was against 2
      antimycotics. A simultaneous resistance to all the tested antimycotics was not
      found. The differences among the antifungal drugs activity were examined, and
      administration of drugs for which a simultaneous resistance was minimal is
      suggested.

PMID- 1429183
TI  - Milk antimicrobial drug residue assay results in cattle with experimental,
      endotoxin-induced mastitis.
AB  - Antimicrobial drug residue testing was performed on milk samples obtained from 8
      cows with experimental endotoxin-induced mastitis, using 4 commercially available
      assay kits. Although none of the cows in the study received antimicrobials, only
      1 of the 4 assay procedures, assay C, had consistently negative results
      (specificity = 1.00). The proportion of positive assay results varied from 0 to
      1.00 among combinations of sampling time, sample status (endotoxin-infused
      quarter vs composite noninfused sample). The proportion of positive results found
      when assay C was used (0) differed significantly from the proportion found when
      the 3 other assays were used. The proportion of positive results did not differ
      significantly between assay A (0.45) and assay B (0.48); however, both assays had
      a significantly lower proportion of positive assays than did assay D (0.86).
      Logistic regression models were developed predicting positive milk antimicrobial
      drug residue assay results as a function of assay kit, sample status, and time
      interval following experimental challenge exposure. Using assay A as a baseline
      risk, assay B and assay D were more likely to have positive assay results, and
      assay C had a decreased risk of positive assay results. Milk samples from
      endotoxin-infused quarters were at increased risk for positive assay results,
      compared with noninfused composite samples. Samples collected from endotoxin
      infused quarters or control quarters were at increased risk for positive assay
      results following the intramammary infusion of endotoxin. Our findings suggest
      that specificity of milk antimicrobial drug residue assays varies greatly among
      assay kits and that intramammary inflammation may increase the proportion of
      false-positive assay results.

PMID- 1429184
TI  - Efficacy of milbemycin oxime against experimentally induced Ancylostoma caninum
      and Uncinaria stenocephala infections in dogs.
AB  - Twenty-eight helminth-naive Beagles, 16 to 26 weeks old, were inoculated with 200
      third-stage larvae each of Ancylostoma caninum and Uncinaria stenocephala 5 times
      at weekly intervals. Dogs were randomly allocated to 4 groups of 7 on the basis
      of fecal egg counts, and treatments were randomly assigned. Groups 1 and 3 were
      given milbemycin oxime at a dosage of 500 micrograms/kg of body weight, PO, on
      day 0 and on days 0 and 30, respectively; groups 2 and 4 were nontreated
      controls. Fecal egg counts were evaluated before and after treatments. Feces were
      collected daily for 7 days after the final treatment for recovery of worms
      passed, and all dogs were euthanatized 7 days after the final treatment for
      recovery of worms retained. A 65.7% reduction from the pretreatment value for
      geometric mean hookworm egg count was found 7 days after the first treatment, and
      a 97.1% reduction 7 days after the second treatment. Although milbemycin oxime
      had 96.5% and 99.5% controlled efficacy against A caninum after 1 or 2
      treatments, respectively, it lacked efficacy against U stenocephala. The
      geometric mean number of U stenocephala and the total number of hookworms
      retained after 1 or 2 treatments were not significantly different from the
      numbers retained by the corresponding control groups.

PMID- 1429185
TI  - Renal dysfunction associated with infection of Leptospira interrogans in a horse.
AB  - Renal failure associated with infection of Leptospira interrogans was detected in
      a horse. Fever, leukocytosis, pyuria, isosthenuria, and azotemia were suggestive
      of an inflammatory urinary tract disease. Despite persistent pyuria, no bacteria
      were found during routine microscopic examinations or bacteriologic culturing of
      urine. A fluorescent antibody examination of the urine was positive for L
      interrogans. Serologic testing during a 6-month period, supported an acute
      infection with L interrogans serovar pomona. Treatment with intravenously
      administered fluids and antimicrobials resulted in clinical recovery. Leptospira
      interrogans serovar pomona has been reported as causing fever, uveitis, or
      abortion in horses.

PMID- 1429186
TI  - Epiglottic augmentation by use of polytetrafluoroethylene to correct dorsal
      displacement of the soft palate in a standardbred horse.
AB  - A 2-year-old 400-kg Standardbred colt with a history of exercise intolerance was
      determined to have dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP). Standing
      endoscopy revealed a soft, flaccid, and hypoplastic epiglottis and arytenoid
      cartilages that moved symmetrically and abducted fully. Lateral laryngeal
      radiography was used to calculate a corrected thyroepiglottic length of 6.48 cm.
      Videoendoscopy during exercise on a high-speed treadmill at standardized
      treadmill speeds was performed weekly for 3 consecutive weeks. The soft palate
      dorsally displaced at each examination. A sternohyoideus/sternothyroideus
      myectomy was followed by 2 weeks of stall rest and 2 weeks of treadmill training.
      Because endoscopy during exercise at standardized treadmill speeds caused the
      horse to dorsally displace the soft palate once a week for 3 weeks after the
      myectomy, this surgery was deemed ineffective in this horse. Epiglottic
      augmentation was performed by injecting 7 ml of polytetrafluoroethylene into the
      ventral submucosal space of the epiglottis. After 21 days of stall rest and 5
      weeks of pasture rest, the horse was placed on a 2-month treadmill conditioning
      program. Using endoscopy at standardized treadmill speeds, exercise efforts to
      encourage DDSP were unsuccessful, which suggested that epiglottic augmentation by
      use of polytetrafluoroethylene was an effective surgical treatment to correct
      dorsal displacement of the soft palate in this horse. It is believed that
      polytetrafluoroethylene increases the rigidity of the epiglottis, allowing it to
      maintain the ventral position of the soft palate.

PMID- 1429187
TI  - Selective IgM deficiency and abnormal B-cell response in a foal.
AB  - Selective IgM deficiency was diagnosed in a 3-month-old Standardbred colt that
      was referred for chronic respiratory tract disease. Immunoglobulin quantification
      revealed normal IgG and IgA concentrations, but undetectable IgM concentration.
      Stimulation of blood lymphocytes with the T-cell mitogens concanavalin A and
      phytohemagglutinin yielded results within the normal range. However, stimulation
      with the B-cell mitogen lipopolysaccharide produced no response. A B-cell defect
      similar to that associated with several immunodeficiency disorders in people was
      suggested as the cause of the IgM deficiency in this colt.

PMID- 1429188
TI  - Penicillin-induced immune-mediated hemolytic anemia in a horse.
AB  - A 5-year-old female American Quarter Horse was determined to have immune-mediated
      hemolytic anemia after detection of a positive response to a direct Coombs' test.
      Penicillin-induced immune-mediated hemolytic anemia was confirmed via a direct
      antiglobulin test, using penicillin-coated RBC. The horse was clinically improved
      and the anemia resolved in response to supportive care and discontinuation of
      penicillin treatment. Penicillin should be considered a possible cause of immune
      mediated hemolytic anemia in horses.

PMID- 1429189
TI  - Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides as the cause of a subauricular abscess
      and mastitis in a goat.
AB  - A 6-year-old female goat was admitted with right-sided subauricular swelling and
      facial nerve paralysis. Mastitis developed subsequently. The subauricular
      swelling localized to a mass and was excised. Mycoplasma mycoides subsp mycoides
      was cultured from samples obtained from the mass and mammary gland. After
      clinical improvement, the goat was discharged to the owner with instructions to
      isolate the goat and to submit milk samples from the rest of the herd for
      microbial culturing. Mycoplasma spp can spread to other tissues from an initial
      site of infection. In goats with clinical signs similar to those of the goat of
      this report, samples should be obtained for microbial culture on Mycoplasma
      medium. Goats infected with Mycoplasma spp should be isolated or culled because
      of the risk of transmission to uninfected animals.

PMID- 1429190
TI  - Methemoglobinemia induced by a benzocaine-based topically administered anesthetic
      in eight sheep.
AB  - Benzocaine-based anesthetic sprays are commonly used in sheep to anesthetize the
      nasal passages and glottis before intubation. Sprays containing benzocaine have
      been identified as causing methemoglobinemia in dogs, cats, and human beings.
      Diagnosis of benzocaine-induced methemoglobinemia was made in 8 Dorset-Finn ewes
      exposed to a 2-second burst of (approx 56 to 112 mg of benzocaine) anesthetic
      spray. Venous blood samples taken 10 to 20 minutes after intranasal application
      of the spray revealed methemoglobinemia of 22.6 +/- 1.8% (mean +/- SD) in 9
      samples from 8 ewes. Four other ewes intentionally exposed did not have
      methemoglobinemia. Topical use of benzocaine-containing anesthetics in sheep is
      not recommended. The high methemoglobin concentration induced by this product may
      substantially alter the cardiovascular and pulmonary function, blood gas
      analyses, and exercise capacity, thereby compromising animal health and/or
      research results. Although it appears that minimal clinical signs are induced in
      healthy animals, the risks of compromising a subclinically ill animal do not
      offset the benefits of this product.

PMID- 1429191
TI  - Hemangiosarcoma of the external naris in a cow.
AB  - A tumor was removed from the nose of a 4-year-old Holstein. Hemangiosarcoma was
      diagnosed on histologic examination. Redevelopment of the tumor necessitated a
      second surgery. Routine CBC and serum biochemical analysis were normal. Clinical
      signs of metastasis were not reported by the owner during the next 13 months
      before the cow was sold for slaughter.

PMID- 1429192
TI  - Aneurysmal bone cyst in a Holstein bull.
AB  - A 3-year-old Holstein bull was examined because of a mass involving the cranial
      portion of the right hemimandible and the oral cavity. The mass had been observed
      2 weeks earlier. The bull had lost weight throughout the 45 days before
      admission, and was anorectic at the time of admission. An aneurysmal bone cyst of
      the mandible was diagnosed.

PMID- 1429194
TI  - Gram-negative bacterial infection in neonatal New World camelids: six cases (1985
      1991).
AB  - Gram-negative bacterial infections were documented in 6 neonatal New World
      camelids (5 Ilamas and 1 alpaca). The organisms isolated from blood before death
      or from multiple organs after death were Escherichia coli (n = 3), Actinobacillus
      sp (n = 1), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (n = 1). Only 2 crias survived, and 1
      became blind secondary to retinal detachment and ocular inflammation, which
      developed after treatment for bacterial infection. Abnormal events during the
      perinatal period (prematurity, dystocia, cesarean section, weak at birth) were
      reported in all 6 crias. Signs of depression, convulsions, and/or coma were
      observed in all animals. Diarrhea and respiratory distress were also noticed in
      the 3 crias that died shortly after admission. Serum immunoglobulins were
      assessed, but without the benefit of a stall-side test specific for Ilama
      immunoglobulins. All crias were suspected to have poor transfer of maternal
      immunoglobulins. Hemograms and serum biochemical values prior to the initiation
      of treatment were obtained on 5 of the 6 crias. Total nucleated cells ranged from
      1,400 to 23,100 cells/microliter. Four of the 5 crias has a left shift, and 2
      crias had toxic neutrophils. Serum glucose concentrations, measured in 5 of 6
      crias, ranged from 83 to 293 mg/dl. Serum creatinine values were high in 2 of 5
      crias, 1 of which had acute tubular necrosis. Three crias with high serum
      electrolyte (sodium, chloride, or potassium) values subsequently died. Arterial
      blood gas values were assessed in 3 crias, 1 of which had respiratory alkalosis
      and mild hypoxemia.

PMID- 1429193
TI  - Penile hematoma in bulls: 60 cases (1979-1990).
AB  - Sixty bulls with penile hematomas were examined from 1979 through 1990. Thirty
      eight bulls underwent surgical correction, 17 bulls were managed by medical
      treatment, and 5 bulls were not treated. Hereford and Polled Hereford breeds
      represented the majority (n = 37, 62%) of the bulls, with 10 other breeds
      representing the remainder (n = 21, 35%) in this study; breed was not reported in
      2 bulls. Follow-up information was obtained from owners (40/60) through
      conversation on the success or failure of treatment, interval of sexual rest,
      duration of breeding soundness, and final outcome of the bull. Surgical
      correction was successful in 19 (70%) of 27 cases; medical treatment was
      successful in 6 (46%) of 13 cases. Of the 8 bulls that had penile hematomas with
      swelling measuring > 20 cm in width, 6 were successfully treated surgically,
      compared with 1 of 3 successfully treated medically. Of the bulls with penile
      hematomas having a swelling measuring < or = 20 cm in width, 7 of 9 were
      successfully treated surgically, compared with 4 of 5 successfully treated
      medically. Duration of the penile hematoma had little effect on the success of
      surgical correction. Of the bulls allowed sexual rest for > 2 months after
      treatment was initiated, 6 (25%) of 24 had a recurrence of penile hematoma. Four
      (40%) of 10 bulls allowed sexual rest for < or = 2 months had a recurrence of
      penile hematoma.

PMID- 1429195
TI  - Evaluation of rhinoscopy and rhinoscopy-assisted mucosal biopsy in diagnosis of
      nasal disease in dogs: 119 cases (1985-1989).
AB  - The case records of 149 dogs examined from 1985 to 1989 with clinical signs of
      nasal disease were reviewed. Gross rhinoscopy was performed in 119 dogs, and
      rhinoscopy-assisted pinch biopsy was performed in 109. Rhinoscopy was performed
      by use of a 2.7-mm rigid fiberoptic endoscope. Mucosal biopsy specimens were
      obtained with rhinoscopic guidance by use of a 2 x 3-mm biopsy forcep. Gross,
      cytologic, and histologic findings are summarized. Ninety-four of 119 cases could
      be evaluated on the basis of diagnostic and follow-up criteria established by the
      authors. The diagnostic success rate of gross rhinoscopy with rhinoscopy-assisted
      biopsy was 83% (78 of 94 evaluated cases). Protracted hemorrhage was a
      complication in 2 of 109 cases in which rhinoscopy-assisted biopsy was performed.
      It was concluded that rhinoscopy with rhinoscopy-assisted biopsy contributes
      important diagnostic information in dogs with nasal disease without the relative
      invasiveness, expense, and risk of surgery.

PMID- 1429196
TI  - What is your diagnosis? Hypospadias and urethral diverticulum.

PMID- 1429197
TI  - Computed radiography.

PMID- 1429199
TI  - Induction of adenocarcinomas in the glandular stomach of BALB/c mice treated with
      N-methyl-N-nitrosourea.
AB  - Male 6-week-old BALB/c strain animals (groups 1 and 2) received 10 weekly
      intragastric intubations of 0.5 mg/mouse of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea. At week 11
      the forestomachs were resected in group 1 but not group 2. Although many animals
      in group 2 died due to development of squamous cell carcinomas in the
      forestomach, development of cancers in the glandular stomach was quite similar in
      both groups. Well-differentiated adenocarcinomas in groups 1 and 2 were found at
      low incidence at week 20, rising to 100% at week 40, with two lesions
      metastasizing to the lymph nodes. Four poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas and
      5 signet ring cell carcinomas were also found in 27 glandular stomach tumor
      bearing animals.

PMID- 1429198
TI  - Potentiation of the vincristine effect on P388 mouse leukemia cells by a newly
      synthesized dihydropyridine analogue, PAK-200.
AB  - A newly synthesized dihydropyridine analogue, 2-[benzyl(phenyl)amino]ethyl 1,4
      dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-(5,5-dimethyl-2-oxo-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorina n-2-yl)-1- (2
      morpholinoethyl)-4-(3-nitrophenyl)-3-pyridinecarboxylate (PAK-200), at 1 microM
      completely reversed the resistance to vincristine in vincristine-resistant P388
      mouse leukemia cells (P388/VCR), in vitro. PAK-200 at 2 microM inhibited the
      efflux of [3H]vincristine from P388/VCR and increased the accumulation of
      [3H]vincristine in P388/VCR to a level similar to that in P388 cells. P
      Glycoprotein in membrane vesicles from P388/VCR cells was photolabeled with
      [3H]azidopine. The labeling was completely inhibited by 10 microM PAK-200. The
      calcium antagonistic activity of PAK-200 was about 1000 times lower than that of
      another dihydropyridine analogue, nicardipine. Experiments with P388 and P388/VCR
      bearing mice showed that PAK-200 enhanced the effect of vincristine on both
      leukemia cells in vivo. These results suggest that PAK-200 interacts with P
      glycoprotein and reverses drug resistance in P388 mouse leukemia cells in vitro,
      and that PAK-200 has an ability to potentiate the effect of vincristine on P388
      mouse leukemia cells in vivo.

PMID- 1429200
TI  - Detection of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-(4-hydroxyphenyl)imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine in
      broiled beef.
AB  - 2-Amino-1-methyl-6-(4-hydroxyphenyl)imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (4'-OH-PhIP) showed
      mutagenicity in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 in the presence of S9 mix, inducing
      180 revertants per 100 micrograms. Since creatinine, tyrosine and glucose, which
      are present in meat, are expected to be involved in the formation of 4'-OH-PhIP,
      its presence in broiled beef was examined. 4'-OH-PhIP was detected in broiled
      beef by high-performance liquid chromatography and UV-spectrometry after
      extraction with 0.1 N HCl and purification by blue cotton treatment and ion
      exchange column chromatography. Its level was estimated to be 21.0 ng per g of
      broiled beef, which is comparable to that of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5
      b]pyridine (PhIP).

PMID- 1429201
TI  - Simultaneous expression of T-cell and myeloid cell phenotypes in eight newly
      established HTLV-I-positive T-cell lines.
AB  - Eight cell lines were established from patients with adult T-cell leukemia, and
      from normal adults, by cocultivation with human T-cell leukemia virus type I(HTLV
      I)-producer cell lines in the presence of interleukin-2. All of these cell lines
      harbored HTLV-I and showed T-cell markers CD2, CD3 and CD4, but not B-cell
      markers. Unexpectedly, all eight cell lines expressed a myeloid marker CD13 and
      three of the eight lines also expressed another myeloid marker CD33. Dual
      staining showed the simultaneous expression of CD3 and CD13 on the same cells.
      Thus, evidence was obtained for the expression of myeloid antigens on HTLV-I
      harboring T cells.

PMID- 1429202
TI  - Absence of ras family point mutations at codons 12, 13 and 61 in N-ethyl-N
      hydroxyethylnitrosamine- or N-nitrosomorpholine-induced renal cell tumors in
      rats.
AB  - The prevalence of Ki-ras, Ha-ras and N-ras point mutation within exons 1 and 2
      was studied in 17 cases of renal cell tumors (8 carcinomas and 9 adenomas)
      induced by N-ethyl-N-hydroxyethyl-nitrosamine or N-nitrosomorpholine. DNA samples
      prepared from acetone-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues were amplified by means of
      the polymerase chain reaction, and point mutations at codons 12, 13 and 61 were
      analyzed by direct sequence methods with oligonucleotide primers. No mutations
      were detected in any of the renal tumors. The results thus indicated that ras
      family point mutation is not necessary for kidney tumor development in rats,
      supporting the view that ras mutations may not be generally relevant to
      neoplastic development in various organs in different species.

PMID- 1429203
TI  - A case-control study of single and multiple stomach cancers in Saitama
      Prefecture, Japan.
AB  - A case-control study of stomach cancer was done in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, in
      relation to dietary, smoking, and drinking habits. The study was based on two
      sets of cases (216 male single and 35 male multiple stomach cancer cases newly
      diagnosed and of adenocarcinoma type), and 483 male controls derived from
      residents of Saitama Prefecture. Dietary habits were investigated for the intake
      of 12 separate foods and 12 food groups by means of a food frequency
      questionnaire, including individual taste preferences. Among the single stomach
      cancer series, dose-response relationships were observed for 7 dietary items
      (preference for salty foods, miso soup, boiled fish, pickled vegetables, nuts,
      raw vegetables, and seaweed) in the multiple logistic regression analysis. As for
      the multiple stomach cancer case series, dose-response relationships were
      observed for 3 dietary items (miso soup, fruits, and seaweed) in the multiple
      logistic regression analysis. Cigarette smoking and alcohol use were not
      significantly related to the risk of either single or multiple stomach cancer.

PMID- 1429204
TI  - Anti-promoting effect of nordihydroguaiaretic acid on N-butyl-N-(4
      hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine and sodium saccharin-induced rat urinary bladder
      carcinogenesis.
AB  - The effects of oral administration of nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), an
      antioxidant and inhibitor of arachidonic acid metabolism, on rat bladder
      carcinogenesis were examined. Six-week-old male Fischer 344 rats were given
      drinking water containing 0.05% N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine for 4
      weeks. Following this 4-week period, diet containing 5% sodium saccharin (SS)
      with or without 0.1% NDGA supplement was given to the rats for 36 weeks. The
      incidences of papillary or nodular (PN) hyperplasia and of papilloma in the group
      treated with SS plus NDGA were significantly lower than those in the group
      treated with SS alone. The number of PN hyperplasic foci per 10 cm of basement
      membrane in rats treated with SS plus NDGA was also lower than that in the group
      treated with SS alone. These results suggest that NDGA has an anti-tumor
      promoting effect on rat bladder carcinogenesis.

PMID- 1429205
TI  - Enhancing effects of harman and norharman on induction of preneoplastic and
      neoplastic kidney lesions in rats initiated with N-ethyl-N
      hydroxyethylnitrosamine.
AB  - The modifying potential of two nephrotoxic agents, harman and norharman, on N
      ethyl-N-hydroxyethylnitrosamine (EHEN)-induced renal and hepatic carcinogenesis
      was investigated in male F344/DuCrj rats. Animals were given 0.1% EHEN in their
      drinking water for the first 2 weeks as an initiator. Subsequently, starting 3
      weeks from the commencement, they were fed diet containing these compounds at
      concentrations of 1000, 500 or 0 ppm until week 26, and then killed for light
      microscopic examination. The mean numbers of renal tubular cell hyperplasias/cm2
      and those of tumors/cm2 in rats given harman and norharman at 1000 ppm after
      initiation, but not at 500 ppm, were significantly increased as compared to the
      control values. However, neither compound modified liver carcinogenesis. It is
      concluded that harman and norharman show enhancing effects on rat kidney
      carcinogenesis, when ingested at dose levels which cause renal tubular damage.

PMID- 1429206
TI  - Synergism of environmental carcinogens and promoters on bladder cancer
      development initiated by N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine in F344 rats.
AB  - Synergistic or additive effects of combined treatments with carcinogens or
      promoters on N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (BBN)-initiated rat bladder
      carcinogenesis were examined. Male F344 rats were given BBN as an initiator
      followed by low doses of 3 sodium salts (sodium bicarbonate, sodium L-ascorbate
      and sodium citrate) and/or 3 antioxidants (butylated hydroxyanisole, butylated
      hydroxytoluene and tertiary butylhydroxyquinone). Combined treatments with 3
      sodium salts or 3 antioxidants, and especially all 6 chemicals together promoted
      bladder carcinogenesis. In addition, these combined treatments were associated
      with increased DNA synthesis of the bladder epithelium. Combined administration
      of the carcinogens, o-anisidine, p-cresidine, and 4-chloro-o-phenylenediamine at
      low doses also enhanced BBN-initiated bladder carcinogenesis. These results
      indicate that environmental carcinogens or promoters can exert synergistic or
      additive actions on bladder cancer induction.

PMID- 1429207
TI  - Clonal origin of skin and bone tumors produced by repeated beta-irradiation in
      mosaic cell mice.
AB  - Clonal origin of skin and bone tumors produced by repeated beta-irradiation was
      determined by using mice with cellular mosaicism created by random X-chromosome
      inactivation, on the basis of phosphoglycerate kinase-1 (PGK). The backs of
      female C3H/He (Pgk-1a/Pgk-1b) mice were exposed to beta rays from 90Sr-90Y at a
      dose of 3 Gy per exposure 3 times weekly until tumors appeared. The cumulative
      tumor incidence reached 100% 500 days after the beginning of irradiation, as
      determined by the Kaplan-Meier method. All 8 tumors examined were of a single PGK
      phenotype: 5 squamous cell carcinomas and 2 osteosarcomas of A-type, and 1
      squamous cell carcinoma of B-type. The absence of double PGK phenotype (AB-type)
      tumors indicated the monoclonal origin of the tumors produced by repeated
      irradiation.

PMID- 1429208
TI  - Maternal transmission of HTLV-1 other than through breast milk: discrepancy
      between the polymerase chain reaction positivity of cord blood samples for HTLV-1
      and the subsequent seropositivity of individuals.
AB  - We used a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to diagnose HTLV-1 carriers. The
      DNA isolated from the nuclear extract obtained from frozen whole blood was found
      appropriate for PCR study both qualitatively and quantitatively. The use of
      freshly frozen whole blood made the field work much easier, and the use of a
      nuclear extraction procedure allowed DNA isolation in just 4 microcentrifuge
      tubes. We could not attain sufficient sensitivity to detect a single molecule
      with single-step PCR, but nested PCR was confirmed to detect a single
      molecule/reaction. All samples of the seropositive group including 94 blood
      donors, 66 mothers, and 13 children were positive in the nested PCR, while none
      of the seronegative group, including 198 blood donors and 285 children, was
      positive. Although 18/717 (2.5%) cord blood samples obtained from babies born to
      carrier mothers were PCR-positive, none of 5 formula-fed children tested who had
      been PCR-positive in the cord blood gave evidence of infection later on.
      Furthermore, all of 4 seropositive infected children who were formula-fed had
      been PCR-negative in their cord blood. The results are not consistent with
      intrauterine infection, but suggest the presence of a perinatal or postnatal
      infection route other than through breast milk.

PMID- 1429209
TI  - High incidence of p53 gene mutation in human ovarian cancer and its association
      with nuclear accumulation of p53 protein and tumor DNA aneuploidy.
AB  - Using the polymerase chain reaction and single-strand conformation polymorphism
      analysis, p53 gene mutations were examined in 24 cases of ovarian tumor including
      14 ovarian carcinomas and 2 borderline cases of common epithelial type, 7 germ
      cell tumors, and one stromal tumor. Abnormal bands indicating mutations were
      detected in 12 (50%) of the cases examined, being present most frequently in
      common "epithelial" ovarian carcinoma (71%, 10/14). One case each of squamous
      cell carcinoma originating in a dermoid cyst and anaplastic dysgerminoma were
      positive for mutation. Direct sequencing confirmed 12 mutations and revealed G-
      >A and G-->C nucleotide changes in 5 and 3 cases (42% and 25%), respectively. The
      mutation was localized at the CpG site of the gene in 3 cases.
      Immunohistochemical examination of p53 protein in 21 cases and DNA flow
      cytometrical analysis in 17 cases were also performed. Nuclear accumulation of
      the p53 protein and DNA aneuploidy pattern were detected in 11 (52%) and 9 (53%)
      cases, respectively. These were significantly correlated with p53 gene mutation
      (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively; Fisher's exact test). Neither mutation of
      the p53 gene, nuclear accumulation of p53 protein nor DNA aneuploidy was detected
      in borderline cases of common "epithelial" type, typical dysgerminoma and
      immature teratoma. These results suggest that p53 gene mutation, nuclear
      accumulation of the protein and the DNA aneuploidy pattern are events occurring
      almost simultaneously in the progression of ovarian tumors, and that p53
      abnormalities seem to be correlated with a high grade of malignancy.

PMID- 1429210
TI  - Delayed DNA synthesis induced by 3-aminobenzamide in partially hepatectomized
      liver of rats.
AB  - The possibility of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation playing a role during liver
      regeneration induced by partial hepatectomy (PH) in vivo was examined. When rats
      were given an i.p. injection of 3-aminobenzamide (ABA) at a dose of 600 mg/kg
      body weight 12 h after PH, the levels of DNA synthesis at 20 h after PH were
      significantly reduced. The time course of DNA synthesis in regenerating liver was
      significantly delayed in the ABA-treated group. Enzymatic assay revealed the
      activity of poly-(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PADPRP) in controls to be increased in
      parallel with the increase of DNA synthesis induced by PH. This increase in
      PADPRP activity was delayed and very much weaker after ABA treatment. The results
      thus suggested that poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation might play an important role in DNA
      synthesis during liver regeneration in vivo.

PMID- 1429211
TI  - Tumor necrosis factor-alpha stimulates colony formation by a megakaryoblastic
      leukemia cell line, CMK.
AB  - The CMK cell line is an acute megakaryoblastic leukemia cell line established
      from a patient with Down's syndrome, and is known to possess characteristics of
      normal megakaryocytes. Several cytokines with the ability to stimulate
      megakaryopoiesis, such as interleukin-3 (IL-3), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and
      granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), stimulated colony
      formation by CMK cells. The present study revealed that tumor necrosis factor
      alpha (TNF-alpha) stimulated colony formation by CMK cells; the potency was
      almost equal to that of IL-3, IL-6 or GM-CSF. Scatchard plot analysis revealed
      that CMK cells possess two types of specific binding sites for TNF-alpha. The
      high-affinity binding sites had an affinity constant of 0.18 nM, and numbered
      5,000. The low-affinity binding sites had an affinity constant of 1.8 nM and
      numbered 19,000. These results raise the possibility that TNF-alpha can act as a
      growth-stimulating agent on megakaryocyte-lineage cell line.

PMID- 1429213
TI  - Some functions of the self personified by the father.
AB  - I have presented clinical material in order to illustrate a series of fantasies
      of parental intercourse which represent the self in successive stages of
      individuation from early projective identification to later introjective
      identification. From this is abstracted the idea of 'father' both as a component
      of the self representation and as the personification of the urge towards
      continuing development. Evidence is also gathered from the clinical material,
      supported by mythological parallels, to suggest that the whole process, including
      those components explicitly identified with the mother, is subsumed under an
      identification of the deintegrating self, its identity and integrity, with 'the
      father'.

PMID- 1429212
TI  - Maintenance of androgen-, glucocorticoid- or estrogen-responsive growth in
      shionogi carcinoma 115 subline sustained in castrated mice with high dose of
      estrogen for 30 generations (3 years).
AB  - Shionogi carcinoma 115 (SC115), an androgen-dependent mouse mammary tumor,
      rapidly loses its androgen responsiveness after androgen withdrawal. The growth
      of this tumor can also be stimulated by high doses of estrogen or glucocorticoid.
      In the present study, the maintenance of hormone-responsive growth of SC115
      tumors with a high dose of estrogen was examined in castrated male mice using an
      SC115 subline obtained by serial transplantations of SC115 tumors in estrogen
      treated castrated mice for 3 years (30 generations) (subline E2). Seed tumors
      from both SC115 and subline E2 could rapidly grow in castrated mice given daily
      injections of testosterone propionate (TP), 17 beta-estradiol (E2), or
      dexamethasone (Dex) (100 micrograms/mouse/day) but not in those given vehicle
      alone. Although SC115 and subline-E2 tumors grown with TP or Dex showed temporary
      regression after steroid withdrawal, the tumors grown with E2 did not show such
      temporary regression. The TP-, E2-, or Dex-induced growth of subline-E2 tumors
      was almost the same as that of the original SC115 tumors. However, responsiveness
      to androgen, estrogen or glucocorticoid of both tumors disappeared within one
      passage in steroid-depleted castrated mice. The present findings demonstrate that
      the loss of responsiveness to androgen as well as to high doses of estrogen or
      glucocorticoid of SC115 tumors can be prevented in castrated mice not only with
      androgen but also with high doses of estrogen.

PMID- 1429214
TI  - The primary self and related concepts in Jung, Klein, and Isaacs.
AB  - In this paper, I have tried to re-examine my understanding of early psychic
      processes and contents. This has involved comparing and contrasting the ideas of
      Jung, Klein, Isaacs, and Fordham, with an emphasis on the contributions of
      Fordham. Fordham's postulate of a primary self that deintegrates and reintegrates
      is a model of the mind that combines structure and dynamics, and which, moreover,
      helps to describe what is observed in infant observations and infant research.
      Infant observation has been used to illustrate these concepts, and clinical
      material used to show how the same concepts can be used to describe impairments
      to psychic development. To pursue this study I have had to construct for myself
      models that describe and explain. I am aware that they are just as inaccurate as
      they might be accurate, because they imply that there is an answer to the
      questions I am asking, and that there is a way of describing and explaining what
      'the answer' is. 'Nature is always too strong for principle', wrote Hume (Hume
      1751, p. 121), and this is particularly true of the ultimately unknowable self.

PMID- 1429215
TI  - Intimacies of the impersonal.
AB  - This paper is focused on the kinds of awareness that are exposed by clinical work
      conducted in the depth psychological tradition. The paper begins with an
      examination of Freud's clinical methodology, which is a description of a
      particular kind of attentiveness that reveals material normally obscured from
      conscious awareness. This type of awareness is thought to reveal the contents and
      the specific organizational features of the unconscious. In this paper, the
      organizational processes of the unconscious are interpreted to actually be the
      referents of a privileged type of perceptual awareness leading to a unique
      relationship to the immediate world. This is taken to be an assumption that is
      implicit in the models of psychotherapy authored by Jung and Reich. Both
      developmental and clinical researches are used to support this position. The
      differentiation between this awareness and the more traditional modes of
      awareness is further highlighted by an examination of the phenomenon of
      transference. Finally, a clinical example is presented to support the theoretical
      claims in the paper.

PMID- 1429216
TI  - The andrology laboratory in an Assisted Reproductive Technologies program.
      Quality assurance and laboratory methodology.
AB  - Assuring the highest possible quality of care to the patient is the first goal of
      the andrology laboratory. Quality control and quality assurance as they apply to
      the andrology laboratory are outlined, and special problems in quality control
      for sperm function assays are addressed. An example of the patient review process
      is presented. Quality of care also depends on the ability of the laboratory to
      perform appropriate tests of sperm function that can diagnose sperm defects,
      predict success or failure of in vitro fertilization, and lead to rational
      therapies for sperm dysfunctions. Methods for, and diagnostic value of, sperm
      swim-out, enhanced sperm penetration assays, acrosome reaction assessment,
      motility analysis of capacitating sperm, and sperm-zona binding assays are
      reviewed. No single test, other than in vitro fertilization itself, is capable of
      providing a complete diagnosis or a highly accurate prediction. A battery of
      sperm function tests, arranged in an algorithm, is presented as a theoretically
      better approach.

PMID- 1429217
TI  - Human Sertoli cells in vitro. Lactate, estradiol-17 beta and transferrin
      production.
AB  - Human Sertoli cell parameters, namely lactate, estradiol-17 beta, and transferrin
      production, were determined after a 24-hour incubation with either human follicle
      stimulating hormone (FSH) or dbcAMP in the presence or absence of testosterone
      plus a phosphodiesterase inhibitor (1-methyl-3-isobutylxanthine; MIX). Testicular
      tissues were obtained from 10 young patients (mean age, 29 years); using a 3-step
      enzymatic treatment, Sertoli cell enriched preparations (> 92%) were studied
      after 4 days as primary cultures. No significant changes in lactate, estradiol-17
      beta, and transferrin outputs have been observed according to age in patients
      ranging in age from 16 years to 47 years. Sertoli cell production of the
      compounds is controlled by testosterone plus MIX; FSH (or dbcAMP) treatment only
      slightly improves their synthesis. It is suggested that human Sertoli cell
      function, as far as the parameters measured in this study are concerned, is
      likely regulated by cAMP-dependent and independent pathways.

PMID- 1429218
TI  - Pituitary-testicular axis in cardiomyopathic Syrian hamsters.
AB  - Testicular function and other endocrine parameters were studied in
      cardiomyopathic hamsters. In these animals, the major defect is an intracellular
      calcium overload, which is due to defective voltage-sensitive calcium channels.
      Basal circulating gonadotropin, prolactin, and triiodothyronine levels were lower
      in cardiomyopathic hamsters than in normal hamsters, but thyroxine, progesterone,
      and testosterone levels were not. In cardiomyopathic hamsters, the luteinizing
      hormone receptor (LHR) positive autoregulation by human chorionic gonadotropin
      (hCG) reached a maximum faster and at a lower dose than in normal hamsters.
      Similar results were observed for the response of circulating testosterone to hCG
      administration. The data indicate that, in spite of deficient pituitary function,
      cardiomyopathic hamsters have a normal or more efficient testicular function.
      This is probably the result of the cellular calcium overload, which would
      stimulate Leydig cell gene transcription, specifically that for LHR.

PMID- 1429219
TI  - Sperm motility under conditions of weightlessness.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine the differences in motility of frozen and
      thawed bull spermatozoa under conditions of weightlessness compared with ground
      conditions. The tests were performed within a series of scientific and
      technologic experiments under microgravity using sounding rockets in the
      Technologische Experimente unter Schwerelosigkeit (TEXUS) program launched in
      Kiruna, North Sweden. Using a computerized sperm motility analyzer, significant
      differences were found in sperm motility under microgravity compared with sperm
      under gravitational conditions on earth. Computer analysis showed alterations in
      straight line and curvilinear velocity, as well as in linearity values. The
      amount of progressively motile spermatozoa, including all spermatozoa with a
      velocity > 20 microns/second, increased significantly from 24% +/- 9.5% in the
      reference test to 49% +/- 7.6% in the microgravity test. In conclusion, there is
      strong evidence that gravity influences sperm motility.

PMID- 1429220
TI  - Initiation of sperm motility after mating in the rat and hamster.
AB  - Unlike those of many mammals, rat and hamster spermatozoa do not appear to be
      fully activated at ejaculation. Most rat spermatozoa transported en masse to the
      uterus approximately 2 minutes after coitus were vigorously motile on recovery
      soon thereafter in uterine fluid, whereas a majority, and sometimes all, were
      immotile in samples collected less than 2 minutes after coitus from the anterior
      vagina of normal females and up to 15 minutes after coitus from the anterior
      vagina in females with obstructed cervices. Many of these immotile rat vaginal
      spermatozoa began instant vigorous movement upon exposure to Tyrode's solution or
      uterine fluid. Hamster spermatozoa recovered from the vagina about 2 minutes
      after coitus were also immotile or displayed only slow, languid serpentine
      movements, but that motility profile remained very similar in spermatozoa taken
      0.5 hours to 6 hours after coitus from the uterus, which is essentially fluid
      free in the hamster. In the hamster, actively motile spermatozoa were evident
      only in the isthmus of the (transilluminated) oviduct. As in the rat, immotile
      vaginal and uterine hamster spermatozoa instantly began vigorous progressive
      motility in vitro on contact with Tyrode's solution or rat uterine fluid.
      Immotile spermatozoa from the rat and hamster cauda epididymidis immediately
      became highly motile in Tyrode's solution, and they developed a somewhat less
      rapid flagellar beat in 150 mmol/L NaCl or KCl, with or without 2 mmol/L CaCl2.
      In contrast, dilution with an isotonic sucrose solution containing no ions, or
      only 2 mmol/L CaCl2, evoked very slow and transient movement of rat and hamster
      epididymal sperm tails.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429221
TI  - Antioxidant enzyme activity in the maturing rat testis.
AB  - Developmental profiles of the activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide
      dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione
      transferase (GSH-Tr), and hexose monophosphate shunt (HMS) were measured in the
      rat testis and liver. The level of SOD in the testis was high at the age of 6 to
      10 days, after which it dropped to approximately one third of that level by 20
      days of age, and remained there up to 8 months of age. In the liver, SOD activity
      steadily increased from the neonatal to adult stage of life, reaching the same
      level as detected in the testis. The testicular activity of catalase was only 2%
      to 7% of that found in liver at all ages. It increased in both organs up to 6
      weeks of age, whereafter the hepatic activity gradually decreased and no further
      changes were seen in the testis. The GSH-Px activity was low in the testis and
      declined slightly with age, whereas activity in the liver increased four-fold
      between birth and adulthood. The activity of GSH-Tr was similar in both organs
      studied: it increased after birth, showing a maximum in the liver at 1.5 months
      (ten-fold increase) and in the testis at 5 months of age (four-fold increase).
      The HMS activity was two to three times higher in the liver than in the testis,
      and decreased slightly with age in both organs. Thus, the basal levels and
      developmental profiles of antioxidant enzymes in the testis differ greatly from
      those in the liver.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429222
TI  - Benastatins A and B, new inhibitors of glutathione S-transferase, produced by
      Streptomyces sp. MI384-DF12. I. Taxonomy, production, isolation, physico-chemical
      properties and biological activities.
AB  - Benastatins have been isolated as part of a program designed to find
      microorganism-produced inhibitors of glutathione S-transferase from Streptomyces
      sp. MI384-DF12. They were purified by chromatography of reversed-phase silica
      gel, silica gel and Capcell Pak C18 (HPLC) followed by solvent extraction and
      then isolated as yellow powders. Benastatins A and B have the molecular formulae,
      C30H28O7 and C30H30O7, respectively. They were competitive with 3,4
      dichloronitrobenzene as the substrate, and the inhibition constants (Ki) of
      benastatins A and B were 5.0 x 10(-6) and 3.7 x 10(-6), respectively.

PMID- 1429223
TI  - Benastatins A and B, new inhibitors of glutathione S-transferase, produced by
      Streptomyces sp. MI384-DF12. II. Structure determination of benastatins A and B.
AB  - Benastatins A and B, new inhibitors of glutathione S-transferase, have been
      isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces sp. MI384-DF12. By X-ray
      crystallography, benastatin A was determined to be 8,13-dihydro-1,7,9,11
      tetrahydroxy-13-dimethyl-8-oxo-3-pentyl- benzo[a]naphthacene-2-carboxylic acid.
      The structure of benastatin B was elucidated by NMR studies.

PMID- 1429224
TI  - Nagstatin, a new inhibitor of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, produced by
      Streptomyces amakusaensis MG846-fF3. Taxonomy, production, isolation, physico
      chemical properties and biological activities.
AB  - Nagstatin, a new inhibitor of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG-ase) was
      discovered in the fermentation broth of Streptomyces amakusaensis MG846-fF3. It
      was purified by chromatography on Dowex 50W, Avicel and Sephadex LH-20 followed
      by the treatment of active carbon and then isolated as colorless powder.
      Nagstatin has the molecular formula of C12H17N3O6. It is competitive with the
      substrate, and the inhibition constant (Ki) was 1.7 x 10(-8) M.

PMID- 1429225
TI  - Reveromycins, new inhibitors of eukaryotic cell growth. I. Producing organism,
      fermentation, isolation and physico-chemical properties.
AB  - New antibiotics named reveromycins A, B, C and D were isolated as inhibitors of
      mitogenic activity induced by epidermal growth factor (EGF) in a mouse epidermal
      keratinocyte. Reveromycins were produced by a soil actinomycete (strain SN-593)
      which belongs to the genus Streptomyces.

PMID- 1429227
TI  - Reveromycins, new inhibitors of eukaryotic cell growth. III. Structures of
      reveromycins A, B, C and D.
AB  - Reveromycins A, B, C and D are new group inhibitors of the mitogenic activity of
      epidermal growth factor (EGF), produced by Streptomyces sp. Reveromycins are
      novel polyketide type antibiotics which have two terminal carboxylic groups, a
      spiroketal, a succinate and a varied side chain in the molecule. Determination of
      their structures by chemical and spectroscopic methods, in particular NMR
      studies, is described.

PMID- 1429226
TI  - Reveromycins, new inhibitors of eukaryotic cell growth. II. Biological
      activities.
AB  - Reveromycins A, B, C and D showed inhibitory activity against EGF-stimulated
      mitogen response in Balb/MK cells. Furthermore reveromycins A, C and D exhibited
      morphological reversion of srcts-NRK cells, antiproliferative activity against
      human tumor cell lines and antifungal activity. The effects of reveromycins A, C
      and D on eukaryotic cells were closely similar to each other, but those of
      reveromycin B were very weak. In vitro studies revealed that reveromycin A is a
      selective inhibitor of protein synthesis in eukaryotic cells.

PMID- 1429228
TI  - A new inhibitor of protein kinase C, RK-1409B (4'-demethylamino-4'-hydroxy-3'
      epistaurosporine).
AB  - RK-1409B, a new inhibitor of protein kinase C, was isolated from the culture
      broth of Streptomyces platensis subsp. malvinus RK-1409. The structure was
      elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. RK-1409B inhibited protein
      kinase C in vitro and the morphological change of a human chronic leukemia cell
      line, K-562, induced by phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate with IC50 value of 0.4 microM.

PMID- 1429229
TI  - Lactimidomycin, a new glutarimide group antibiotic. Production, isolation,
      structure and biological activity.
AB  - Streptomyces amphibiosporus R310-104 (ATCC 53964) produced a novel antibiotic
      lactimidomycin which showed inhibitory activity against fungi and prolonged the
      survival time of mice transplanted with experimental tumors. Structural studies
      clarified that lactimidomycin is a new glutarimide antibiotic having a unique
      unsaturated 12-membered lactone ring.

PMID- 1429230
TI  - Butyrolactols A and B, new antifungal antibiotics. Taxonomy, isolation, physico
      chemical properties, structure and biological activity.
AB  - New antifungal antibiotics, butyrolactols A and B, have been isolated from the
      culture broth of Streptomyces rochei S785-16. They are novel type of molecules
      containing a common 2,3-dihydroxybutyrolactone nucleus substituted with a
      different long hydroxyalkyl side chain. Butyrolactol A showed good antifungal
      activity against Aspergillus fumigatus and Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and
      moderately inhibited the growth of yeasts.

PMID- 1429231
TI  - Antifungal cyclic peptides from the terrestrial blue-green alga Anabaena laxa. I.
      Isolation and biological properties.
AB  - Laxaphycins are responsible for the antifungal and cytotoxic activity of crude
      ethanolic extracts from the cultured blue-green alga Anabaena laxa. These cyclic
      peptides exhibit an unusual biological synergism when tested for antifungal or
      cytotoxic effects. The isolation procedure for the peptides, their
      characterization and biological activities are described here along with
      experiments demonstrating synergism between the two major laxaphycins.

PMID- 1429232
TI  - Antifungal cyclic peptides from the terrestrial blue-green alga Anabaena laxa.
      II. Structures of laxaphycins A, B, D and E.
AB  - Laxaphycins A and B are the major components in an antifungal mixture of cyclic
      peptides from the terrestrial blue-green alga Anabaena laxa FK-1-2. NMR and MS
      spectral studies coupled with amino acid analysis indicate that the gross
      structures of laxaphycins A and B are cyclic (Aoc-Hse-E-Dhb-Hyp-Hse-Phe-Leu-Ile
      Ile-Leu-Gly) where Aoc is a 3-aminooctanoic acid residue and cyclic (Ala-Hleu-Gln
      N-MeIle-Hasn-Thr-Pro-Leu-Thr-Ade-Val- Hleu) where Ade is a 3-aminodecanoyl unit,
      respectively. Laxaphycin E, a minor cyclic undecapeptide, differs in gross
      structure from laxaphycin A in possessing a 3-aminodecanoic acid unit (Ade) in
      lieu of Aoc, whereas laxaphycin D, a minor cyclic dodecapeptide, differs from
      laxaphycin B in possessing a 3-aminooctanoyl unit (Aoc) instead of an Ade unit.

PMID- 1429234
TI  - The distribution of DNA sequences hybridizing with antibiotic production and
      resistance gene probes within type strains and wild isolates of Streptomyces
      species.
AB  - Total DNA preparations from 74 antibiotic-producing type strains and 102 natural
      Streptomyces isolates were examined by dot blots for homology to 6 antibiotic
      production and resistance genes. Pattern diversity of hybridizations decreased as
      stringency increased from 65% to 85%. There were 146 unique profiles at 65%
      stringency with 13 repeated patterns, whilst there were only 14 unique and 11
      repeated profiles at 85% stringency. Most of the strains which hybridized at 85%
      reacted with one or two probes although a few strains showed multiple homologies.
      This data was used to cluster strains and the groups defined were examined for
      phenotypic antibiotic resistance. Producers of certain classes of antibiotics
      clustered to specific groups and some gene homologies were more common amongst
      strains which produced similar antibiotics.

PMID- 1429233
TI  - New antiviral antibiotics, cycloviracins B1 and B2. II. Structure determination.
AB  - The structures of novel antiviral antibiotics, cycloviracins B1 and B2 have been
      determined by means of chemical and spectroscopic methods including 2D NMR
      correlation spectroscopy. The antibiotics are unique macrocyclic diesters
      consisting of two D-glucoses, three 2-O-methyl-D-glucoses and two (C24 and C26)
      hydroxy fatty acids.

PMID- 1429236
TI  - Biosynthesis of thiopeptide antibiotic A10255: incorporation of isotopically
      labeled precursors.
AB  - The biosynthetic origin of antibiotic A10255 was investigated using 14C- and 13C
      labeled amino acids. DL-[1-(13)C]Serine labeled 15 of the 17 amino acid residues
      present in A10255G. These included the oxazole, thiazole, dehydroalanine, masked
      glycine, masked alanine and pyridine moieties. The same 15 residues labeled by
      serine were labeled by [2-(13)C]glycine, apparently by conversion of the glycine
      to [2,3-(13)C]serine. Formation of the pyridine ring occurred via a C3 to C3
      condensation of two serines. The results indicated origin of the masked alanine
      from alanine; the masked glycine from glycine; the thiazole residues from
      cysteine; and the threonine, masked dehydrobutyrine, masked dehydronorvaline and
      masked dehydroleucine residues from threonine. L(-)[CH3-(13)C]Methionine labeled
      the methyl carbon of the masked dehydronorvaline moiety in factor B and the two
      methyl carbons of the masked dehydroleucine moiety in factor E. The results
      demonstrate that A10255 originates exclusively from amino acids in a manner
      similar to the closely related thiopeptide antibiotics nosiheptide and
      thiostrepton.

PMID- 1429235
TI  - The squalestatins, novel inhibitors of squalene synthase produced by a species of
      Phoma. III. Biosynthesis.
AB  - The biosynthetic origin of the carbon and oxygen atoms of the novel fungal
      secondary metabolite 1 was studied. Incorporation studies with single and
      multiple labelled 13C precursors indicated that the major portion of the molecule
      was derived from two polyketide chains made up of acetate units. One of the
      chains had benzoic acid (which can be derived from phenylalanine) as a starter
      unit. The remaining carbons were derived from a four-carbon unit related to
      succinate and from methionine. Studies with [1-(13)C,18O2]acetate and 18O2
      indicated that five of the oxygens, including both of the heterocyclic oxygens,
      were derived from atmospheric oxygen. The oxygens at the two ester carbonyls were
      derived from acetate.

PMID- 1429237
TI  - In vitro and in vivo antifungal activities of BMS-181184.

PMID- 1429238
TI  - Synthesis and antifungal activities of pradimicin derivatives, modification at
      C4'-position.
AB  - The 4'-N-alkyl(1 approximately 10) and 4'-N-acyl derivatives (11 approximately
      21) of pradimicins (PRMs) were synthesized by trimethylsilylation of PRMs A, C
      and FA-1 followed by condensation with appropriate alkylating and acylating
      agents. The 4'-hydroxy derivatives (23 and 24) were synthesized from PRM FA-2 in
      a 3-step sequence. Among these compounds, the 4'-N-carboxyl substituted alkyl (1,
      5, 8 and 10), 4'-N-formyl (11) and 4'-axial-hydroxy (23) derivatives retained the
      antifungal activity of the parent compounds and showed great improvement in water
      solubility.

PMID- 1429239
TI  - Role of the aminothiadiazolyl group in the antipseudomonal activity of cefclidin.
AB  - Cefclidin (E1040), which has an aminothiadiazolyl group in the 7 beta-side chain,
      showed about four-fold higher activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa than its
      aminothiazolyl counterpart. Cefclidin had lower affinity and a higher Vmax value
      for the chromosomal type I beta-lactamase (cephalosporinase) from P. aeruginosa
      than its aminothiazolyl counterpart. No differences between the affinities of
      both compounds for the most of the sensitive essential PBPs were observed.
      Hydrophilicity of cefclidin was higher than that of its counterpart. The
      antipseudomonal activity of cefclidin, which was increased by the introduction of
      the aminothiadiazolyl group, was suggested to have resulted mainly from higher
      resistance to cephalosporinase hydrolysis at pharmacologically relevant low
      concentrations due to its low affinity for cephalosporinase, and secondarily from
      good penetration of cefclidin through the outer membrane due to increased
      hydrophilicity.

PMID- 1429240
TI  - Studies on cephalosporin antibiotics. VI. Synthesis, antibacterial activity and
      oral efficacy in mice of new 7 beta-[(Z)-2-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)-2-(hydroxyimino)
      acetamido]-3- (substituted alkylthio)cephalosporins.
AB  - A series of new 7 beta-[(Z)-2-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)-2-(hydroxyimino)acetamido]
      cephalosporins (1) having various substituted alkylthio groups at the C-3
      position of the cephem nucleus were prepared and evaluated for antibacterial
      activity and oral absorption in rats. Of these, the cephalosporin with a
      cyanomethylthio group (1a) showed the greatest activity against Staphylococcus
      aureus and Gram-negative bacteria. Its pivaloyloxymethyl ester (6a), a
      representative prodrug, exhibited good in vivo efficacy in mice by oral
      administration. The structure-activity relationships of 1 are also presented.

PMID- 1429241
TI  - Solid state thermal degradation products of rosaramicin.

PMID- 1429243
TI  - Phenoxan, a new oxazole-pyrone from myxobacteria: production, antimicrobial
      activity and its inhibition of the electron transport in complex I of the
      respiratory chain.

PMID- 1429244
TI  - Metacytofilin, a novel immunomodulator produced by Metarhizium sp. TA2759.

PMID- 1429242
TI  - The isolation and structure of CP-120,509, a new polyether antibiotic related to
      semduramicin and produced by mutants of Actinomadura roseorufa.

PMID- 1429245
TI  - The structure of nagstatin, a new inhibitor of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase.

PMID- 1429246
TI  - Excitatory/inhibitory interaction in the LSO revealed by point process modeling.
AB  - We studied lateral superior olivary (LSO) unit responses to binaural tone-bursts
      using a general point process approach. We show that inhibition of the
      ipsilaterally elicited response by contralateral stimulation cannot be modeled
      simply as a reduction of the ipsilateral input. Statistical analyses reveal that
      inhibition operates by scaling the intensity of the point process describing the
      ipsilateral response. In some cases the scaling process has secondary effects:
      Binaurally elicited discharges produce bimodal interspike interval histograms
      from units that produce unimodal interval histograms under monaural stimulation.
      We present a specific point process model that describes the scaling process and
      successfully replicates the observed responses to monaural and binaural
      stimulation of the three types of LSO units: slow choppers, fast choppers, and
      bimodal units. We interpret scaling as a shunting inhibitory process in these LSO
      neurons. By relating scaling magnitude to interaural level difference, we
      demonstrate the spatial sensitivity of LSO units.

PMID- 1429247
TI  - Glucuronic acid-containing glycosaminoglycans occur in otoconia: cytochemical
      evidence by hyaluronidase-gold labeling.
AB  - Localization of glucuronic acid-containing glycosaminoglycans in the gerbil
      utricle was examined, using a hyaluronidase-gold labeling technique with special
      emphasis on the otoconia. Otoconia and the gelatinous layer of the otoconial
      membrane were strongly labeled by hyaluronidase-gold. The secretory granules in
      supporting cells were also strongly labeled, suggesting that the organic matrix
      of otoconia is secreted from the supporting cells. Otoconia seem to lose labeling
      while they degenerated. The degenerating otoconia were observed to be absorbed
      into dark cells. Glucuronic acid-containing glycosaminoglycans occur in otoconia.
      These glycosaminoglycans may play a crucial role in the formation and
      degeneration of otoconia.

PMID- 1429248
TI  - Preprotachykinin A mRNA detected by in situ hybridization in guinea pig
      vestibular ganglion.
AB  - In situ hybridization histochemistry was conducted to examine the expression of
      mRNA encoding preprotachykinin A (PPTA), the precursor of the neuropeptide
      substance P (SP) and neurokinin A (NKA), in guinea pig vestibular ganglion.
      Signals for PPTA mRNA moderately accumulated on most ganglion cells. SP and NKA
      are thus confirmed to be present in vestibular ganglion cells of the guinea pig.

PMID- 1429250
TI  - Stimulation with chronically implanted microelectrodes in the cochlear nucleus of
      the cat: histologic and physiologic effects.
AB  - The effects of several hours of continuous electrical stimulation in the cats'
      cochlear nucleus with chronically implanted activated iridium microelectrodes was
      investigated from the changes in the evoked response near the inferior colliculus
      and also by histologic evaluation of the stimulated tissue. The stimulating
      microelectrodes had geometric surface areas of 75-500 microns2. They were pulsed
      continuously for 4 h, at a pulse repetition rate of 200 Hz, using charge-balanced
      pulse pairs. The charge per phase was 1.8 or 3.6 nC/ph. The animals were
      sacrificed for histologic evaluation 2 h, or several days later. The only
      remarkable histologic change resulting from the 4 h of stimulation was some
      aggregation of lymphocytes at the site of stimulation. However, depression of the
      electrical excitability of neurons near the sites often persisted for several
      days after 4 h of stimulation at 3.6 nC/phase. The charge per phase of the
      stimulus pulse pair was correlated strongly with the depression of excitability,
      and there was a weaker correlation between the depression and the amplitude of
      the first phase of voltage transient induced across the electrode-tissue
      interface. The charge density, calculated from the geometric surface area of the
      stimulating electrodes, was poorly correlated with the severity of the
      depression. The findings suggest a means of detecting impending stimulation
      induced neural damage while it is still reversible.

PMID- 1429249
TI  - A comparison of changes in the stereocilia between temporary and permanent
      hearing losses in acoustic trauma.
AB  - A comparison of stereociliary changes at different post-exposure intervals in
      ears with temporary and permanent hearing losses has been made. Twenty guinea
      pigs were exposed to either 110 dB SPL broadband white noise for 30 min (N = 10)
      or 120 dB SPL white noise for 150 min (N = 10). The recovery patterns for
      threshold shifts for both groups were systematically assessed at regular post
      exposure intervals for 80 days, using the auditory cortex evoked response to tone
      bursts between 0.5 and 8kHz. Thirty-two animals that had been exposed to the same
      noise at either 110 dB for 30 min (N = 16) or 120 dB for 150 min (N = 16) were
      decapitated for scanning electron microscopic examination at the same post
      exposure intervals. The threshold shifts induced by 110 dB noise were reversible
      while those induced by 120 dB were generally irreversible, although extreme
      variabilities existed among the animals. In the acute TTS ears, damage was
      confined to the third row of OHCs, where only the tips of the stereocilia were
      affected. Neither discontinuity of cuticular plate nor expelled cytoplasm was
      found in these cells. In the lesions of PTS, either all the three rows of OHCs or
      the IHCs and the first row of OHCs were involved. The entire length of the
      stereocilia, more severe in the lower part was always damaged. Expelled cytoplasm
      and fusion between stereocilia were frequently seen. In the chronic TTS ears, no
      abnormalities of stereocilia were found while in the PTS ears, a complete absence
      of the organ of Corti was noticed. The results of the present study clearly
      suggest that the status of the lower part of the stereocilia and the continuity
      of the cuticular plate play an important role in determining the reversibility of
      threshold shifts.

PMID- 1429251
TI  - Influence of experimentally elevated blood viscosity on the auditory nerve
      brainstem evoked response and threshold.
AB  - Blood viscosity, due to its effect on blood flow, is one of the determinants of
      oxygen delivery. Therefore the influence of elevated blood viscosity on hearing
      was studied in rats using the auditory brainstem response (ABR) threshold, wave 1
      latency, brainstem transmission time (BTT) and wave 1/4 amplitude ratio. Whole
      blood viscosity (WBV) was elevated by 15-21% in two different ways: elevating the
      hematocrit (Polycythemia) by acclimation in a hypobaric chamber, or elevating the
      plasma viscosity by infusing a solution of Polyvinylpyrrolidone-360 (PVP). ABR
      was recorded before and 24 h after the blood viscosity was elevated, so that each
      rat served as its own control. Paired t-tests showed that there was no
      statistically significant difference in the ABR parameters in each of the groups
      as a consequence of blood viscosity elevation. In conclusion, the elevation of
      WBV to this degree for this duration, using two different techniques had no
      effect either on the function of the auditory nerve and the more peripheral
      sites, or on the central auditory pathway as studied by ABR.

PMID- 1429252
TI  - Cochlear pathology following chronic electrical stimulation of the auditory
      nerve. I: Normal hearing kittens.
AB  - The present study examines the histopathological effects of long-term
      intracochlear electrical stimulation in young normal hearing animals. Eight-week
      old kittens were implanted with scala tympani electrode arrays and stimulated for
      periods of up to 1500 h using charge balanced biphasic current pulses at charge
      densities in the range 21-52 microC cm-2 geom. per phase. Both click and
      electrically evoked auditory brainstem responses were periodically recorded to
      monitor the status of the hair cell and spiral ganglion cell populations. In
      addition, the impedance of the stimulating electrodes was measured daily to
      monitor their electrical characteristics during chronic implantation.
      Histopathological examination of the cochleas showed no evidence of stimulus
      induced damage to cochlear structures when compared with implanted, unstimulated
      control cochleas. Indeed, there was no statistically significant difference in
      the ganglion cell density adjacent to the stimulating electrodes when compared
      with a similar population in implanted control cochleas. In addition, hair cell
      loss, which was restricted to regions adjacent to the electrode array, was not
      influenced by the degree of electrical stimulation. These histopathological
      findings were consistent with the evoked potential recordings. Finally, electrode
      impedance data correlated well with the degree of tissue growth observed within
      the scala tympani. The present findings indicate that the young mammalian cochlea
      is no more susceptible to cochlear pathology following chronic implantation and
      electrical stimulation than is the adult.

PMID- 1429254
TI  - Area change and volume displacement of the human tympanic membrane under static
      pressure.
AB  - Direct measurements are presented of the area change and volume displacement of a
      human tympanic membrane under static pressures in the range of -1.6 KPa to +1.6
      kPa. The area change is given separately for the pars tensa and the pars
      flaccida. For the pars tensa a strong asymmetry in area change under positive and
      negative pressure is observed. The volume displacement is also given separately
      for the pars tensa and the pars flaccida. The volume displacement of the entire
      TM agrees very well with volume displacement data in literature on tympanometry.
      It is shown further that a linear relationship between umbo displacement and
      volume displacement exists. The compliance of the tympanic membrane under static
      pressure load is compared to acoustic compliance measurements at low frequencies,
      and found to be a factor 2.5 higher than the compliance at 500 Hz.

PMID- 1429253
TI  - Selective amplification and partial sequencing of cDNAs encoding G protein alpha
      subunits from cochlear tissues.
AB  - An approach utilizing the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was devised to clone
      members of a family of cDNAs encoding the alpha subunit of G proteins in the
      cochlea. RNA was extracted from the whole cochlea of the mouse and from the organ
      of Corti or the lateral wall of the cochlea microdissected from the guinea pig
      cochlea. The RNA was reverse-transcribed to cDNA which was selectively amplified
      by PCR using degenerate primers corresponding to two conserved regions of the G
      protein coding sequence. PCR products were cloned into a plasmid for sequencing.
      The following seven cDNA clones of particular interest were obtained: three
      clones putatively coding for part of the alpha-subunit of a stimulatory G protein
      (Gs), one clone putatively coding for part of the alpha-subunit of an inhibitory
      G protein (Gi) and three clones putatively coding for part of the alpha-subunit
      of a transducin (Gi)-like protein. Possible functions in the cochlea of putative
      G proteins with alpha-subunits partly encoded by these cDNA clones are briefly
      discussed and future studies are suggested.

PMID- 1429255
TI  - Adaptation and recovery from adaptation of the auditory nerve neurophonic (ANN)
      using long duration tones.
AB  - The time course of the interaction between adaptation and the recovery from
      adaptation of the auditory nerve neurophonic (ANN) responses was examined. The
      interaction between the process of recovery and the adaptation process of long
      probe tones which follow a masker, the so called whole tone recovery, was
      determined for the ANN response for different silent intervals between masker
      offset and probe onset. The auditory nerve neurophonic (ANN) reflects the
      ensemble response of phase-locked firing in single auditory nerve fibers to
      sustained signals. Consequently, neural response properties such as adaptation
      and recovery from adaptation of these coherent, time-locked responses can be
      studied. Recovery from adaptation was determined by recording the response of a
      290 ms duration probe tone following a 100 ms masker tone, equal in frequency to
      the probe, ranging from -5 to 20 dB relative to the probe amplitude. Two
      different time patterns of the whole tone recovery were observed. If short silent
      intervals and/or loud maskers were used, the time course of the probe tone can be
      described as an exponential increase in amplitude toward a steady state expressed
      by the equation: A(tp) = Ass-Yr e(-tp/tau Rr)-Ys e(-tp/tau Rs) ('ascending
      exponential'). For longer silent intervals and/or fainter maskers, the time
      course of the probe tone can be described by an exponential decrease expressed by
      the equation: A(tp) = Yr e(-tp/tau Rr) +Ys e(-tp/tau Rs) +A(ss) ('declining
      exponential').

PMID- 1429256
TI  - Effect of reversible hypoxia on the compared time courses of endocochlear
      potential and 2f1-f2 distortion products.
AB  - In order to study the effects of a controlled hypoxia on the cochlear active
      mechanisms, the 2f1-f2 distortion product (DP) and the endocochlear potential
      (EP) were recorded simultaneously in the same ear, in guinea pigs artificially
      respired with gas mixtures containing different percentages of oxygen. The data
      show an important difference in the behavior of the two parameters. While the EP
      undergoes a reduction of amplitude starting shortly after the establishment of
      the hypoxia, reaches a steady state, and recovers monotonically after a return to
      normoxic conditions, the time course of the DP is more complex. Its level also
      declines shortly after the beginning of the hypoxia though it slightly lags
      behind the EP decline. After switching back to normoxic conditions, the DP rises
      with an eventual delay with respect to the EP, overshoots, and then dramatically
      falls again. A slow recovery subsequently takes place and normal values are
      reached within 5 to 10 min. These results indicate a certain independence of the
      DP versus the EP. During the exposure to hypoxic conditions, differences in the
      time course and in the variation of amplitude of the two recorded parameters seem
      to indicate that the DPs could be more related to the OHC physiology than to the
      EP. The DP post-hypoxia effect observed after a return to normoxic conditions,
      indicates that a normal EP is not sufficient for the generation of normal DPs.
      Different hypotheses which could explain the DP post-hypoxia effect are
      discussed.

PMID- 1429257
TI  - Detection of antiphasic sinusoids added to the envelopes of high-frequency bands
      of noise.
AB  - Listeners' sensitivities to antiphasic sinusoids added to the envelopes of high
      frequency bands of noise were measured as a function of the frequency of the
      sinusoid and the bandwidth of the masking noise. The stimuli were constructed
      such that the added sinusoid produced interaural intensive differences (IIDs)
      that fluctuated at a rate that was equal to the frequency of the sinusoid and was
      independent of the bandwidth of the masking noise. The data indicated that
      performance was relatively unaffected by the rate of modulation for rates between
      5 and 160 Hz. Greater rates of modulation resulted in substantial degradations of
      performance. The results are pertinent to Zurek and Durlach's (1987) suggestions
      concerning the relatively small binaural masking-level differences typically
      measured with high-frequency signals and broadband maskers in the N0S pi
      configuration. Specifically, it appears that listeners' performance is greatly
      affected by an insensitivity to rapidly fluctuating IIDs but is relatively
      unaffected by any 'spectral interference' produced by masking energy beyond the
      monaural critical band. Interestingly, the data corroborate Grantham's (1984)
      insightful proposal that the binaural system may possess two independent
      averaging mechanisms, one for the processing of interaural temporal disparities
      (ITDs) and the other for the processing of IIDs.

PMID- 1429258
TI  - Acoustic lesions in the mammalian cochlea: implications for the spatial
      distribution of the 'active process'.
AB  - The spatial contribution of mechanically active hair cells to tuning and
      sensitivity at a single point in the mammalian cochlea has been investigated in
      the basal turn of the guinea pig cochlea. Following the destruction of outer hair
      cells with acoustic overstimulation it was possible to record apparently normal
      tuning and sensitivity from spiral ganglion neurones innervating inner hair cells
      located on the apical edges of substantial lesions. The distance between the
      recording site, where neurones showed normal sensitivity, and areas of the
      cochlea showing 60-100% of the outer hair cells either damaged or missing varied
      between 0.2 and 1.3 mm which incorporates approximately 70 to 450 outer hair
      cells. In one animal neurones that demonstrated normal sensitivity were recorded
      within 0.2 mm of a lesion where 67% of the outer hair cells were either missing
      or showed severe damage to their stereocilia and within 0.5 mm of areas of the
      organ of Corti showing damage to 97% of the outer hair cells. This distance
      includes approximately 50 inner hair cells or 180 outer hair cells. The location
      of these neurones, whose sharp tuning presumably mirrors basilar membrane
      mechanics, suggests that a substantial proportion of point tuning in the cochlea
      may be derived over a distance of less than 0.5 mm and involve fewer than 200
      active outer hair cells.

PMID- 1429259
TI  - A comparison of anesthetic agents and their effects on the response properties of
      the peripheral auditory system.
AB  - Anesthetic agents were compared in order to identify the most appropriate agent
      for use during surgery and electrophysiological recordings in the auditory system
      of the tokay gecko (Gekko gecko). Each agent was first screened for anesthetic
      and analgesic properties and, if found satisfactory, it was subsequently tested
      in electrophysiological recordings in the auditory nerve. The following
      anesthetic agents fulfilled our criteria and were selected for further screening:
      sodium pentobarbital (60 mg/kg); sodium pentobarbital (30 mg/kg) and oxymorphone
      (1 mg/kg); 3.2% isoflurane; ketamine (440 mg/kg) and oxymorphone (1 mg/kg). These
      agents were subsequently compared on the basis of their effect on standard
      response properties of auditory nerve fibers. Our results verified that different
      anesthetic agents can have significant effects on most of the parameters commonly
      used in describing the basic response properties of the auditory system in
      vertebrates. We therefore conclude from this study that the selection of an
      appropriate experimental protocol is critical and must take into consideration
      the effects of anesthesia on auditory responsiveness. In the tokay gecko, we
      recommend 3.2% isoflurane for general surgical procedures; and for
      electrophysiological recordings in the eighth nerve we recommend barbiturate
      anesthesia of appropriate dosage in combination if possible with an opioid agent
      to provide additional analgesic action.

PMID- 1429261
TI  - Middle ear development. III: Morphometric changes in the conducting apparatus of
      the Mongolian gerbil.
AB  - Middle-ear structural ontogeny was examined in 12 age groups of Mongolian gerbils
      between 2 and 42 days after birth. Measurements of tympanic membrane surface
      area; depth of the tympanic membrane cone; the lengths of the malleus and incus
      long processes; and stapes footplate, annular space, and oval window areas were
      obtained using video micrographs and computer digitization techniques. The incus
      long process matured first at 3.5 days after birth, while the pars flaccida
      surface area was the last middle-ear variable studied to reach adult size (26
      days after birth). The incus long process increased its length by 30% from 0.5 mm
      to 0.65 mm. The malleus long process, however, demonstrated much more relative
      growth (47%). Pars tensa area expanded from 6.35 mm2 at two days after birth to
      its adult size of 16.9 mm2 and the stapes footplate expanded by 50%. The
      developmental changes observed in middle-ear anatomy are then discussed with
      regard to their contribution to the functional maturation of both the middle ear
      and more central auditory function.

PMID- 1429262
TI  - Hair cell damage after continuous and interrupted pure tone overstimulation: a
      scanning electron microscopic study in the guinea pig.
AB  - In our earlier investigations [Fredelius et al., Hear. Res. 30, 157-167 (1987)]
      acoustic trauma was studied after continuous 3.85-kHz pure tone exposures of
      different intensities and durations. In the present investigation, the importance
      of the introduction of a break during longer 3.85-kHz pure tone exposures was
      studied. Female pigmented guinea pigs were exposed to 108, 114, or 120 dB SPL for
      6 h with or without a 1-h break after the first 3 h. Four weeks after exposure
      the cochleas were prepared for scanning electron microscopy and the resulting
      hair cell damage was evaluated according to a 4-grade damage scale. Significant
      differences could be demonstrated in the hair cell damage in the animals exposed
      to continuous acoustic overstimulation and those exposed to intermittent
      overstimulation. The importance of rest periods to decrease hair cell damage
      during long periods of acoustic overstimulation was clearly demonstrated.

PMID- 1429260
TI  - Recovery of vestibular function following hair cell destruction by streptomycin.
AB  - Can the vestibular periphery of warm-blooded vertebrates recover functionally
      from severe sensory hair cell loss? Recent findings in birds suggest a mechanism
      for recovery but in fact no direct functional evidence has been reported. We
      produced vestibular hair cell lesions using the ototoxic agent streptomycin
      sulfate (600 mg/kg/day, 8 days, chicks, Gallus domesticus). Compound action
      potentials of the vestibular nerve were used as a direct measure of peripheral
      vestibular function. Vestibular thresholds, neural activation latencies and
      amplitudes were documented. Eight days of drug treatment elevated thresholds
      significantly (P < 0.001) and eliminated all but remnants of vestibular activity.
      Virtually complete physiological recovery occurred in all animals studied over a
      period of 70 days following treatment. Thresholds recovered within two weeks of
      drug treatment whereas the return of response morphologies including activation
      latencies and amplitudes required an additional 6-8 weeks.

PMID- 1429263
TI  - The effect of furosemide on evoked otoacoustic emissions in guinea pigs.
AB  - After recording transiently evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) to a click
      stimulus in guinea pigs by using the IL088 which was developed by Bray and Kemp
      (1987) for easy recording and analysis of TEOAE, the changes after intravenous
      administration of furosemide (30 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg) were examined. The wave of
      the TEOAE could be detected from 20 of 24 ears (83%). After the i.v. injection of
      furosemide (30 mg/kg), TEOAE powers (total echo power and highest peak power in
      FFT pictures) decreased quickly and showed minimum values after 5-10 min. Then
      they increased rapidly and recovered normally within 60 min after injection.
      However, no ears showed TEOAEs during the 5- to 10-min period following the
      injection of the 50-mg/kg dose of furosemide. They then recovered slowly as
      compared with the group treated with the lower dose of furosemide (30 mg/kg).
      These changes are similar to those of the endocochlear potential (EP) after
      furosemide injection. These data support the notion that the EP can contribute to
      the mechanism of TEOAE generation.

PMID- 1429264
TI  - Hearing and sound localization in blind mole rats (Spalax ehrenbergi).
AB  - Two blind mole rats were tested for their ability to detect and localize sound.
      The results indicate that blind mole rats have severely limited, and probably
      degenerate, auditory abilities. Although their 60-dB low-frequency hearing limit
      of 54 Hz is within the range for other rodents, the highest frequency they can
      hear at a level of 60 dB SPL is only 5.9 kHz, giving them the poorest high
      frequency sensitivity yet observed in any mammal. In addition they have poor
      sensitivity as indicated by the fact that their lowest threshold is only 32 dB
      SPL (at 1 kHz). Finally, they are unable to localize brief sounds but retain a
      rudimentary ability to localize sounds of 0.5 s or longer. These results,
      combined with those of previous studies of subterranean species (i.e., blind mole
      rats, naked mole rats, and pocket gophers), suggest that poor auditory
      sensitivity, the loss of high-frequency hearing, and an inability to localize
      brief sounds is a degenerate state which may be characteristic of subterranean
      mammals. Thus it appears that an exclusive adaptation to a subterranean lifestyle
      (where airborne sound propagates poorly and where directional responses are
      limited by the tunnels) can result in vestigial auditory abilities just as the
      absence of light results in vestigial vision.

PMID- 1429265
TI  - Physiological and histological changes associated with the reduction in threshold
      shift during interrupted noise exposure.
AB  - The compound action potential (AP) was recorded from one group of chinchillas
      exposed to interrupted noise (95 dB SPL, octave band centered at 500 Hz, 3 h on,
      9 h off) for 15 days. A second group of chinchillas was exposed to the same
      interrupted noise for 1, 2 or 15 days and their cochleas were analyzed by
      scanning electron microscopy (SEM). During the first few days of the exposure,
      the AP threshold was elevated approximately 40 dB at the low-to-mid frequencies;
      however, the threshold shifts decreased with increasing exposure duration so that
      the threshold shift was only about 10 dB after the 15th day of exposure. The
      amplitude of the AP also recovered with exposure time. In contrast to the
      improvement in AP threshold, the number of missing hair cells increased and the
      condition of the stereocilia on inner and outer hair cells deteriorated between
      the first and 15th day of the exposure.

PMID- 1429266
TI  - Membrane potential measurement in isolated outer hair cells of the guinea pig
      cochlea using conventional microelectrodes.
AB  - Membrane potential of the isolated outer hair cells (OHCs) from the guinea pig
      cochlea was measured using conventional microelectrodes filled with 200 mM KCl.
      The resting membrane potential during superfusion with the standard physiological
      saline solution containing 3.5 mM K+ was -47.3 +/- 1.4 mV (N = 72), which was
      higher than those previously reported for isolated OHCs studied by using
      microelectrodes. Addition of ouabain (10(-5)-10(-3) M), the specific Na+, K+
      ATPase inhibitor, depolarized the cell slowly and progressively, indicating the
      presence of low but definite Na+, K+ ATPase activity in the plasma membrane of
      OHCs. The magnitude of membrane potential was mainly dependent on the
      extracellular K+ concentration ([K+]O). A ten-fold increase of [K+]O depolarized
      the membrane potential by 49.6 +/- 1.0 mV (N = 58). A decrease of [Na+]O to one
      tenth of the control hyperpolarized the membrane potential by about 2 mV.
      Decreasing extracellular Cl- from 131.3 mM to 27.5 mM did not cause a significant
      change in the membrane potential. Using the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz equation,
      assuming a negligible contribution of Cl- to the membrane potential and total
      monovalent cat ion concentration of the cytosol similar to the extracellular
      fluid, we calculated the permeability ratio of K+ versus Na+ to 131 +/- 19 and
      intracellular K+ concentration to 33.3 +/- 1.9 mM.

PMID- 1429267
TI  - Electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve: effects of pulse width on frequency
      discrimination.
AB  - Effects of pulse width on discrimination of simultaneous changes in frequency and
      level of electrical pulse trains were studied in a monkey subject with a cochlear
      implant. At test-stimulus levels where performance was minimum, frequency
      difference limens were larger for longer-duration pulses than that for shorter
      duration pulses. Several factors may have contributed to these differences.

PMID- 1429268
TI  - Use of melengestrol acetate and gonadotropins to induce fertile estrus in
      seasonally anestrous ewes.
AB  - Ewes of three genotypes (Hampshire, n = 59; Rambouillet, n = 36; crossbred, n =
      57) were used to determine the efficiency of melengestrol acetate (MGA) and(or)
      PG-600 (a combination of pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin and human chorionic
      gonadotropin) in inducing fertile estrus in seasonally anestrus ewes. Ewes were
      assigned randomly, within genotype, to treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial
      arrangement. Treatments were control, .125 mg of MGA given twice per day for 9 d
      (MGA), a single 5-mL injection of PG-600 (PG-600), and the combination of
      treatments MGA and PG-600 (MGA/PG-600). Feeding of MGA began on May 14, 1990, and
      ended on May 23. Injections of PG-600 were given immediately after the last
      feeding of MGA or vehicle on May 23. All ewes were exposed to fertile, brisket
      painted rams on May 24 (d 0) for 40 d. Ewes were checked for estrus twice daily
      for 9 d. Laparoscopy was performed, to assess ovulation rate (OR), on d 6 for
      ewes that were not detected in estrus and on d 12 for ewes that exhibited estrus.
      Percentage of ewes mated was increased by MGA (P less than .001). Ovulation rate
      of ewes exposed to rams was increased by PG-600 (P less than .01) and this effect
      was enhanced by MGA (P less than .05), whereas MGA alone tended to decrease OR (P
      less than .10). Melengestrol acetate decreased the interval to lambing by 6.5 d
      (P less than .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429269
TI  - Effects of genetic line and supplemental dietary fat on lactation performance of
      Duroc and Landrace sows.
AB  - A total of 124 Duroc and 99 Landrace primiparous and multiparous sows were
      assigned, within breed and contemporary group, to control (N) or 10% added fat
      (F) diets on d 105 of gestation based on parity and genetic line (control or
      selected for improved sow productivity), to determine the effects of genetic line
      and fat addition to the lactation diet on sow and litter performance. Weekly feed
      intake was not affected (P greater than .10) by genetic line for Duroc and
      Landrace sows but feed intake was reduced (P = .08) during wk 1 to 4 for Duroc
      sows and during wk 1 and 4 for Landrace sows (P less than .05) when they were fed
      diet F compared with diet N. Select (S)-line Duroc and Landrace sows lost more
      weight during lactation (P less than .01) than did control (C)-line sows. Select
      line Landrace sows lost more backfat during lactation (P less than .05) than did
      C-line sows. Landrace sows lost less weight during lactation (P less than .05)
      when fed diet F than when fed diet N. The total number of pigs born, born alive,
      and alive at 21 d and at weaning were higher (P less than .01) for S-line Duroc
      sows, and litter size at 21 d and at weaning was higher (P less than .01) for S
      line Landrace sows than for C-line litters within each breed. Pig survival from
      birth to weaning was increased (P = .07) for Duroc sows fed diet F but not for
      Landrace sows.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429271
TI  - Comparative feeding value of supplemental fat in steam-flaked corn- and steam
      flaked wheat-based finishing diets for feedlot steers.
AB  - One hundred thirty crossbred steers (324 kg) were used in a 121-d comparative
      slaughter trial to evaluate the feeding value of fat in steam-flaked corn- (SFC)
      or wheat- (SFW) based diets. Treatments consisted of an 88% concentrate finishing
      diet containing 1) SFC, no fat; 2) SFC, 6% yellow grease (YG); 3) SFC, 6%
      cottonseed oil soapstock (COS); 4) SFW, no fat; 5) SFW, 6% YG; and 6) SFW, 6%
      COS. There were no interactions (P greater than .10) between grain type and
      performance response to supplemental fat. Fat supplementation increased (P less
      than .05) ADG by 7.3% and decreased (P less than .01) DMI/gain by 10.6%. Fat
      supplementation decreased (P less than .05) ruminal OM digestion by 5% and net
      flow of microbial N to the small intestine by 14.5% but did not affect (P greater
      than .10) total tract digestion of OM, ADF, or starch. Substituting SFW for SFC
      did not influence (P greater than .10) ADG but tended (P greater than .10) to
      increase DMI/gain and decreased (P less than .05) the NEm and NEg of the diet by
      3.4 and 4.3%, respectively. Ruminal OM digestion was similar (P greater than .10)
      for SFC and SFW. Flow of microbial N to the small intestine was 12% greater (P
      less than .05) with SFW. Total tract digestibilities of OM and starch were
      similar (P greater than .10) for both grains. However, ADF digestion was lower
      (34%, P less than .01) with SFW. It is concluded that the feeding value of
      supplemental fat is similar for wheat- and corn-based finishing diets. The
      performance response to supplemental YG and COS was similar. The NEm and NEg
      values of YG were 6.35 and 4.93 Mcal/kg, respectively, whereas the corresponding
      values for COS were 5.69 and 4.60 Mcal/kg. Supplementation of growing-finishing
      diets with up to 6% (.45 kilograms/day) of fat did not directly influence body
      composition. The NE value of SFW was approximately 96% of the value of SFC.

PMID- 1429270
TI  - Performance of feedlot steers fed diets containing laidlomycin propionate or
      monensin plus tylosin, and effects of laidlomycin propionate concentration on
      intake patterns and ruminal fermentation in beef steers during adaptation to a
      high-concentrate diet.
AB  - Two hundred eighty-eight beef steers (British x Continental x Brahman) were fed a
      90% concentrate diet containing either no ionophore (control), laidlomycin
      propionate at either 6 or 12 mg/kg of dietary DM, or monensin plus tylosin (31
      and 12 mg/kg of DM, respectively). Neither of the two levels of laidlomycin
      propionate nor monensin plus tylosin affected (P greater than .10) ADG or
      feed:gain ratio. Monensin plus tylosin reduced (P less than .01) daily DMI for
      the 161-d trial period compared with the other three treatments. Laidlomycin
      propionate at 6 mg/kg increased (P less than .05) DMI relative to the control,
      laidlomycin propionate at 12 mg/kg, and monensin plus tylosin diets during the
      2nd wk of the trial and from d 57 to 84. Treatments did not affect carcass
      measurements. In a second experiment, 12 ruminally cannulated steers were fed
      diets containing no ionophore or laidlomycin propionate at either 6 or 12 mg/kg
      of DM. Samples were obtained for two consecutive days while the dietary
      concentrate level was 75%, after which the diet was switched abruptly to 90%
      concentrate, and samples were collected on several days during a 21-d period. The
      rate at which steers consumed their daily allotment of feed was not altered
      markedly by laidlomycin propionate. Likewise, laidlomycin propionate did not
      affect total ruminal VFA concentrations or proportions. Ruminal concentrations of
      D-lactate were reduced (P less than .10) by 6 but not by 12 mg/kg of laidlomycin
      propionate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429272
TI  - Performance and health of weanling bulls after butorphanol and xylazine
      administration at castration.
AB  - A total of 268 crossbred, 6- to 9-mo-old, bull calves (214 +/- 19 kg) were used
      in two separate 27-d experiments to assess the effects of butorphanol and
      xylazine administration (BXA) on the subsequent performance and health of beef
      calves. In each experiment, calves were randomly allotted to four treatment
      groups: 1) castration with BXA, 2) castration without BXA, 3) no castration with
      BXA, and 4) no castration without BXA. There were two replicates within each
      experiment. The intravenous administration of .07 mg/kg of butorphanol and .02
      mg/kg of xylazine occurred 90 s before tail hold and castration procedures.
      Calves were placed in a squeeze chute and manually restrained by tail elevation.
      In Exp. 2, the cattle also were scored for chute activity (on a 1 to 5 scale with
      5 being the most active). Cattle were weighed at the beginning and end of the
      experiment, feed intake was recorded daily, and cattle were monitored daily for
      respiratory disease. There were no castration x BXA interactions (P greater than
      .51). Castration reduced (P less than .01) daily gain and gain/feed and tended (P
      = .13) to reduce feed intake. The administration of BXA had no effect (P greater
      than .05) on gain or gain/feed but did tend (P = .13) to reduce feed intake. No
      differences (P greater than .45) were observed in morbidity or mortality due to
      either BXA or castration. Castration and BXA increased (P less than .01) blood
      cortisol levels on d 3, whereas control animals had reduced cortisol
      levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429273
TI  - Variance decomposition in the estimation of genetic variance with selected data.
AB  - Estimation of genetic variance in populations under selection involves
      assumptions on base animals. Base animals are often considered unselected and it
      also has been proposed to treat selected base animals as fixed. The consequences
      of assumptions on base animals in the estimation of genetic variance in selected
      populations are not fully understood. Variance decompositions are introduced for
      simple designs to quantify the differences between models that treat base animals
      in different ways. Independent contrasts were constructed and REML estimates of
      variance components were compared for different designs and selection rules. The
      method shows how selection is accounted for in a complete model and why
      estimation of variance components can become biased when base animals are treated
      as fixed.

PMID- 1429275
TI  - Differences in heritability estimates from multiple-trait and repeated-records
      models.
AB  - Analyses of ovulation rates in consecutive estrous cycles with multiple-trait and
      repeated-records animal models resulted in different estimates of heritability.
      The estimate from the repeated-records model was seen to be approximately the
      product of the average genetic correlation and the average heritability from the
      multiple-trait procedure. A simple model is used to show algebraically that such
      a result is expected, particularly if the environmental correlations are small
      among records of the same animal. Comparison of results of the two types of
      analyses of 10 replications of 10 combinations of underlying heritabilities and
      genetic correlations confirms this explanation.

PMID- 1429274
TI  - Divergent selection for immune responsiveness in chickens: estimation of realized
      heritability with an animal model.
AB  - With the aim of improving general disease resistance, chickens were divergently
      selected for their antibody titers 5 d after immunization with sheep red blood
      cells for nine generations. Selected and control lines differed significantly for
      primary and secondary responses after three generations. Heritability of the
      antibody titer was estimated by REML fitting an animal model using a derivative
      free algorithm. The heritability estimate using data on all lines simultaneously
      was .31. Realized heritability of the antibody titer in the selected lines was
      estimated by using either the phenotypic cumulative response as the deviation
      from the control line or the mean breeding values obtained with an animal model.
      Values from the two methods were consistent, giving a realized heritability of
      .21 and .25 in the high and low lines, respectively. The genetic trend was not
      linear and the response to selection tended to accelerate over generations.

PMID- 1429276
TI  - Genetic variation in liver mass, body mass, and liver:body mass in mice.
AB  - Genetic variation for liver mass (LM), body mass (BM), and liver:body mass
      (LM/BM) was examined for outbred populations of laboratory mice. Liver mass and
      body mass data were collected on 170 pureline sires at 12 wk of age, representing
      four outbred stocks of laboratory mice; 523 of their male and female two-way
      cross progeny at 9 or 12 wk; and 214 four-way-cross offspring at 12, 14, or 16
      wk. Genetic differences for LM, BM, and LM/BM were found among the base sire
      lines and between two-way crosses. Heritabilities and genetic correlations for
      LM, BM, LM/BM, and LM/MBM (MBM = BM.75) were estimated using offspring-sire
      regression within and across characteristics. Estimates of heritabilities and
      genetic correlations were also derived from full-sib covariances in the two-way
      cross generation. Heritability estimates pooled over all analyses were .53, .54,
      .36, and .40 for LM, BM, LM/BM, and LM/MBM, respectively. Body mass was highly
      genetically correlated (.87) with LM and lowly correlated with LM/BM. Previous
      research has indicated possible positive relationships between LM/BM and
      maintenance energy requirements in mature, nonlactating, nonpregnant animals. A
      selection index was developed for increasing BM but restricting genetic change in
      LM to zero. Selection using this index would be 40% as efficient in increasing BM
      as selection on BM alone but may hold maintenance energy requirements at a stable
      level.

PMID- 1429277
TI  - Effects of exogenous glucose or colostrum on body temperature, plasma glucose,
      and serum insulin in cold-stressed, newborn Brahman calves.
AB  - The effects of ambient temperature and source of exogenous energy (glucose or
      colostrum) on the ability of newborn Brahman calves to maintain rectal
      temperature (RT) were determined. All calves were removed from dams within 30 min
      of birth, before suckling. Calves were catheterized and placed in either a warm
      (25 degrees C) or cold (5 degrees C) environment for 150 min and given either
      colostrum or glucose. This resulted in four groups (warm colostrum, n = 7; cold
      colostrum, n = 7; warm glucose, n = 6; cold glucose, n = 6). Blood samples and RT
      were obtained at 15-min intervals during warm or cold through 150 min, when
      calves were removed from cold, and at 180, 240, and 300 min. After 60 min, each
      calf was given either 1 L of colostrum (38 degrees C) from its dam or glucose (38
      degrees C) infusion of 750 mg/kg BW. Plasma glucose concentrations were
      determined by enzymatic techniques and serum insulin concentrations by RIA.
      Calves exposed to cold or warm air temperatures had similar declines in rectal
      temperature from 0 to 60 min. Colostrum-fed, cold calves had a greater (P less
      than .07) decrease in RT than did colostrum-fed, warm calves from 75 through 150
      min; glucose-infused warm and cold calves had intermediate decreases in RT.
      Plasma glucose increased (P less than .0001) in glucose-infused compared with
      colostrum-fed calves at 75 min, but glucose-infused calves had lower (P less than
      .02) glucose levels from 180 to 300 min. Higher (P less than .05) glucose
      concentrations

PMID- 1429278
TI  - The effect of the beta-adrenergic agonist clenbuterol on growth and protein
      metabolism in rat muscle cell cultures.
AB  - Cultures were established from neonatal rat muscle cells, satellite cells, and L6
      myoblasts and changes in protein metabolism were determined as development
      proceeded. For all three cell types, culture protein content increased with
      increasing myotube content. The beta-adrenergic agonist clenbuterol (added to a
      final concentration of 10(-7) M) significantly stimulated fusion (as indicated by
      creatine kinase activity) in neonatal muscle cultures and also increased culture
      protein content. This was associated with a stimulation in both the fractional
      (ks, percentage/day, +13%, P less than .05) and absolute (As, micrograms/day,
      +19%, P less than .05) rates of protein synthesis within 24 h after drug
      administration. At 48 h, As was increased by 42% above that of controls (P less
      than .01). In contrast, in satellite cell cultures, clenbuterol had no consistent
      effects on either protein accretion, creatine kinase activity, or protein
      synthesis (ks and As). Similarly, the drug had no stimulatory effect on protein
      synthesis and protein accretion in L6 myoblast or L6 myotube cultures (and no
      effect in neonatally derived fibroblast cultures). It is concluded that the
      fusion response to clenbuterol and, therefore, changes in protein metabolism and
      protein accretion are greatly dependent on the origin and genetic integrity of
      muscle cells.

PMID- 1429279
TI  - Influence of genotype and sex on the response of growing pigs to recombinant
      porcine somatotropin.
AB  - The dose-dependent effects of porcine somatotropin (pST) on growth performance
      and composition of carcass gain were investigated in 150 growing pigs. The
      experiment involved two genotypes (barrows from the Pig Improvement Company [PIC]
      and a University of Nebraska [NEB] gene pool line) and two sexes (PIC barrows and
      boars). At 30 kg, pigs were randomly assigned within each genotype and sex
      subclass to receive daily i.m. injections of 50, 100, 150, or 200 micrograms of
      pST/kg BW or an equivalent volume of an excipient. A diet (3.5 Mcal of DE/kg)
      supplemented with crystalline amino acids and containing 22.5% CP was available
      on an ad libitum basis until pigs were slaughtered at approximately 90 kg live
      weight. Excipient-treated PIC barrows exhibited faster and more efficient growth
      (P less than .001) and a higher capacity for carcass protein accretion (P less
      than .001) but similar rates of lipid deposition compared to excipient-treated
      NEB barrows. Within the PIC genotype, control boars grew at a rate similar to
      that of barrows, but they were more efficient (P less than .05) and deposited
      more carcass protein (P less than .05) and less lipid (P less than .001). Carcass
      protein accretion rate increased (P less than .001) up to approximately 150
      micrograms of pST.kg BW-1.d-1, whereas lipid deposition decreased (P less than
      .001) with each incremental dose of pST. Although differences between PIC boars
      and barrows for all criteria were negated with increasing pST dose, they were
      maintained between the two genotypes. Polynomial regressions suggested that a
      slightly higher pST dose was required to optimize the feed:gain ratio compared
      with rate of gain and that the dose (micrograms per kilogram BW per day) was a
      function of the genotype and sex (feed:gain: 185, 170, and 155; rate of gain:
      155, 155, and 125 for NEB barrows, PIC barrows, and PIC boars, respectively).

PMID- 1429280
TI  - Validation of real-time ultrasound technology for predicting fat thicknesses,
      longissimus muscle areas, and composition of Brangus bulls from 4 months to 2
      years of age.
AB  - Sixty Brangus bulls were evaluated live using two real-time ultrasound
      instruments and four technicians to estimate longissimus muscle area (LMA) and
      12th rib fat thickness (FT) every 4 mo beginning at 4 and 12 mo of age,
      respectively, and continuing until 24 mo of age. Ten bulls were slaughtered every
      4 mo to determine actual LMA and FT, 9-10-11th rib chemical composition, yield
      grade (YG) factors, and empty body weight (EBW). Live animal traits were used to
      predict 9-10-11th rib composition, YG, and EBW. Scanned mean FT was accurate (P
      less than .05) at 16 mo and was not different (P = .09) from the actual mean FT
      (95% of the time the error in estimation was less than or equal to .33 cm).
      Scanned mean LMA was accurate (P less than .05) at 12 mo (95% of the time the
      error in estimation was less than or equal to 20.0 cm2). Absolute differences
      between scanned and actual mean FT and LMA were different (P less than .05) from
      zero for the main effects of month, operator and(or) interpreter, and instrument.
      Increased level of operator skill did not improve the accuracy of FT or LMA
      measurements, whereas increased level of skill of the interpreter of scans did
      improve the accuracy of LMA estimations. There was no difference (P greater than
      .05) between ultrasound instruments in accuracy of estimating FT or LMA. The most
      accurate prediction of YG occurred at 12 mo and incorporated LW, hip height (HH),
      and ultrasound LMA (R2 = .95, SD = .14). The most accurate prediction of EBW
      occurred at 16 mo and incorporated LW, HH, and ultrasound FT (R2 = .99, SD = 6.65
      kg), whereas the most accurate equation for combined slaughter periods
      incorporated LW, HH, and ultrasound LMA (R2 = .99, SD = 20.71 kg). We conclude
      that scanning of LMA at 12 mo and of FT at 12 or 16 mo were sufficiently accurate
      to characterize groups of bulls; however, some individual measurements were quite
      inaccurate. Measurements at other months should not be considered accurate for
      either individuals or groups of bulls. Yield grade and EBW can be accurately
      estimated from live animal and ultrasound measurements, which may be useful in
      identifying Brangus cattle with superior cutability and may eliminate the need
      for serial slaughter in research projects.

PMID- 1429281
TI  - Effect of long- or short-term feeding of alpha-tocopheryl acetate to Holstein and
      crossbred beef steers on performance, carcass characteristics, and beef color
      stability.
AB  - Three experiments were conducted to examine the effects of vitamin E
      supplementation on feedlot cattle. Vitamin E supplementation did not affect
      feedlot performance or carcass characteristics of cattle fed a high-concentrate
      diet (P greater than .1). The major finding was the effectiveness of vitamin E in
      extending the color stability of displayed beef (P less than .01). Color
      stability during display of longissimus lumborum steaks from cattle supplemented
      with 300 IU/d for 266 d, 1,140 IU/d for 67 d, or 1,200 IU/d for 38 d was extended
      by 2.5 to 4.8 d. Gluteus medius steaks had an extended color display life of 1.6
      to 3.8 d. The accumulation of lipid oxidation products, but not aerobic microbes,
      associated with displayed longissimus lumborum was suppressed for muscle from
      vitamin E-supplemented steers. Taste panelists detected no difference among
      longissimus lumborum steaks from control and vitamin E-supplemented steers but
      found (P less than .01) steaks aged for 21 d to be more tender than steaks aged
      for 7 d. Supplementing cattle with vitamin E should reduce economic losses
      associated with discolored beef during retail display.

PMID- 1429282
TI  - Sensory, physical, and chemical properties of pork loin chops from somatotropin
      treated pigs of three stress classifications.
AB  - Forty-eight pigs of three known stress classifications were injected daily with
      porcine somatotropin (pST; 4 mg/d) or placebo. The effects of pST and stress
      classification on the sensory, physical and chemical characteristics of loin
      chops were observed. Chops from pST-treated animals were less tender and juicy
      than chops from control animals. Positive stress classification also
      significantly decreased juiciness but had no effect on tenderness and flavor. A
      significant interaction was observed for initial juiciness and sustained
      juiciness between chops from pST and stress-positive pigs. Whereas chops from
      carriers and normal pigs showed a reduction in juiciness traits with the pST
      treatment, among stress-positive animals both initial and sustained juiciness
      were increased with pST treatment. Treatment with pST had no effect on the fat,
      protein, and moisture content of the longissimus muscle. Furthermore, stress
      classification had no effect on the fat and moisture content of the longissimus
      muscle, but protein content was significantly higher in loin chops from stress
      positive animals. Chops from pST-treated animals had significantly higher maximum
      shear force values, required more energy to break the sample, and had higher
      yield point values than chops from control animals, but stress classification did
      not affect the shear force values significantly. Treatment of stress-susceptible
      animals with pST does not lead to an increased incidence of pale, soft, exudative
      meat and may improve juiciness attributes of chops from stress-positive animals.
      However, pST treatment of animals, in this trial, led to a reduction of juiciness
      and tenderness of pork loin chops.

PMID- 1429283
TI  - Effect of pH, temperature, and inhibitors on autolysis and catalytic activity of
      bovine skeletal muscle mu-calpain.
AB  - To improve our understanding of the regulation of calpain activity in situ during
      postmortem storage, the effects of pH, temperature, and inhibitors on the
      autolysis and subsequent proteolytic activity of mu-calpain were studied.
      Calpains (mu- and m-calpain) and calpastatin were purified from bovine skeletal
      muscle. All autolysis experiments were conducted in the absence of substrate at
      different pH (7.0, 6.2, and 5.8) and temperatures (25 and 5 degrees C). Autolysis
      of mu-calpain generated polypeptides with estimated masses of 61, 55, 40, 27, 23,
      and 18 kDa. The rate of autolysis was significantly increased with decreasing pH.
      The rate of degradation of the 80-kDa subunit was significantly decreased with
      decreasing temperature. However, degradation of the 30-kDa subunit was not
      affected by decreasing temperature. By conducting autolysis experiments at 5
      degrees C and immunoblotting of autolytic fragments with anti-80 kDa, it was
      demonstrated that with the exception of 18 kDa, which originates from 30 kDa, all
      other fragments probably originate from degradation of the 80-kDa subunit.
      Calpastatin, leupeptin, and E-64 did not inhibit the initial step of autolysis,
      but they did inhibit further breakdown of these fragments. However, zinc, which
      also inhibits the proteolytic activity of calpain, only reduced the rate of
      autolysis, but did not inhibit it. The possible significance of these results in
      terms of the regulation of calpain in postmortem muscle is discussed.

PMID- 1429284
TI  - Freezing and calcium chloride marination effects on beef tenderness and
      calpastatin activity.
AB  - Because freezing samples decreases calpastatin activity and the application of
      exogenous calcium activates the calpain proteolytic system, thereby improving
      tenderness, the objective of this study was to determine whether freezing would
      enhance the effects of CaCl2 marination on the tenderness of beef steaks.
      Longissimus steaks were obtained from 10 beef steers 6 d postmortem. One-half of
      the steaks were frozen at -30 degrees C for 6 wk. The remaining steaks were
      treated fresh; one-half were subjected to a 150 mM CaCl2 marinade for 48 h.
      Frozen steaks were thawed and subjected to the same treatment. Treatments
      consisted of 1) fresh control, 2) fresh marinated, 3) frozen control, and 4)
      frozen marinated. Samples were taken before and after treatment (6 and 8 d) for
      calpastatin activity determination and d 8 for SDS-PAGE. Warner-Bratzler shear
      force values were measured 8 d postmortem. Data were analyzed using a paired
      comparison t-test procedure. Results showed that freezing and marination
      significantly decreased calpastatin activity. A .35-kg improvement (P = .07) in
      Warner-Bratzler shear force was observed with freezing, whereas a .78-kg
      improvement (P less than .01) in tenderness was observed with marination.
      However, prior freezing enhanced the effects of marination. Therefore, the
      decrease in calpastatin activity seemed to allow greater proteolysis by the
      calpains with the application of Ca2+. The SDS-PAGE of myofibril preparations
      indicated that more small polypeptide fragments (28 to 32 kDa) appeared and a 95
      kDa fragment was more intense in the marinated samples than in control samples,
      indicating that proteolysis was enhanced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429285
TI  - Relationship of mode of porcine somatotropin administration and dietary fat to
      the growth performance and carcass characteristics of finishing pigs.
AB  - Ninety-six pigs were used to investigate the relationship of diet (control vs fat
      supplemented with equal energy:protein ratios), porcine somatotropin (pST)
      administration (non-treated; 2 mg/d, daily injection; and 2 mg/d, 6-wk implant),
      and sex (barrows and gilts) to performance and carcass characteristics. Diet and
      pST treatments were initiated at 87 kg of BW and continued for 38 d. Both the fat
      supplemented diet (P less than .001) and pST treatment (P less than .0001)
      improved feed efficiency. The effects of diet were accounted for by differences
      in energy density of the diets. Across diets, pST improved gain:feed ratio by 29
      and 16% in pigs treated by daily injection and the implant, respectively; the two
      modes of delivery resulted in different responses (P less than .01). Circulating
      insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels, determined from blood samples drawn
      on d 35, were increased 2.5-fold above those of controls in pigs treated by
      either daily injection or the implant. However, the elevation of glucose and
      decrease in blood urea nitrogen concentrations in response to pST were of a
      greater magnitude in pigs treated by daily injection. Similarly, reductions in
      backfat thickness and the rate of backfat accretion determined by ultrasound were
      greater in response to the daily injection of pST than in response to the
      implant. Lean meat ratio, calculated from measurements with a Fat-O-Meater probe,
      was increased by 6 and 13% by the implant and daily injection, respectively. It
      is concluded that although the use of an implant that delivers pST on a
      continuous basis was as effective as the same dose administered as a bolus
      injection for increasing IGF-I levels, it was less effective in improving feed
      efficiency and carcass quality.

PMID- 1429286
TI  - Effect of soy protein ingestion on total and specific immunoglobulin G
      concentrations in neonatal porcine serum measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay.
AB  - Crossbred neonatal pigs from spring and summer farrowings were used to evaluate
      the systemic humoral immune response in porcine serum after ingestion of soy
      protein. At 10 to 12 d of age (average BW 3.8 kg), pigs were randomly allotted to
      three treatment groups according to litter, weight, and sex. Treatments were
      intermittent gavage feedings two or three times daily for six consecutive days
      with nonfat dry milk (NFDM) or textured vegetable protein (TVP) and a nongavaged
      control group. Pigs were weaned at 20 to 22 d of age (average BW 5.7 kg) and fed
      a corn-soybean meal-based starter diet. Total serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and
      IgG concentrations specific for soy protein were measured by ELISA. Blood samples
      were taken at 1 d of age after colostrum intake and at 4-d intervals from the
      beginning of treatment to 31 d of age. When averaged from d 1 to 31, spring
      farrowed pigs had greater (P less than .005) total IgG and soy-protein-specific
      IgG concentrations than did summer-farrowed pigs (8.70 vs 6.51 mg/mL and 1.59 vs
      .55 micrograms/mL, respectively). Total serum IgG concentrations changed with
      time (P = .005); they initially decreased, then recovered after weaning. These
      changes were independent of treatment, sex, or farrowing season. Soy-protein
      specific IgG concentrations also changed with time (P = .003); however, this
      trend was dependent on season (P = .014). Summer-farrowed pigs exhibited a more
      rapid and severe decrease in serum IgG concentrations specific for soy protein
      than did spring-farrowed pigs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429287
TI  - Ideal amino acid pattern for 10-kilogram pigs.
AB  - Two growth assays and one nitrogen balance experiment were conducted to develop
      an ideal amino acid pattern for 10-kg pigs. Crossbred pigs were fed chemically
      defined amino acid diets containing four indispensable amino acid (AA) patterns:
      1) the Illinois final amino acid pattern (IFP), a recently developed AA profile
      for purified diets; 2) the Illinois ideal amino acid pattern (IIP), a
      modification of IFP; 3) the Wang and Fuller ideal amino acid pattern (WFIP); and
      4) the 1988 National Research Council (NRC) amino acid requirement pattern for 10
      kg pigs (NRCP). A mixture of dispensable AA consisting of glutamate, glycine, and
      proline that had been proven to be an efficient mixture of dispensable AA
      nitrogen was fed together with the indispensable AA patterns. Diets were made
      isonitrogenous and isoenergetic within experiments. In Exp. 1, pigs were given ad
      libitum access to experimental diets with AA levels set above the NRC AA
      requirements. Regardless of which AA pattern was fed, pigs had similar (P greater
      than .05) daily gains, daily feed intakes, and gain:feed ratios. In Exp. 2, all
      levels of indispensable and dispensable AA were reduced to 50% of levels present
      in Exp. 1. When pigs had ad libitum access to these diets, daily gains of pigs
      fed IIP were superior (P greater than .05) to those of pigs fed IFP or NRCP, but
      similar (P greater than .05) weight gains occurred in pigs fed IFP, WFIP, and
      NRCP. In Exp. 3, the efficiency of nitrogen utilization of the four indispensable
      AA patterns was evaluated by a nitrogen balance experiment in pigs equally fed
      the same experimental diets fed in Exp. 2. Pigs fed NRCP utilized nitrogen with
      an efficiency of 74%, which was less (P less than .001) than the efficiencies of
      79 to 80% obtained in pigs fed IFP, IIP, and WFIP. Nitrogen retained (grams) per
      gram of nitrogen intake from indispensable AA was greater (P less than .01) for
      IIP than for either IFP or WFIP. The results of these experiments indicate that
      WFIP contains excesses of leucine, valine, phenylalanine plus tyrosine,
      methionine plus cystine, and threonine for pigs between 10 and 20 kg BW. Also,
      NRCP is probably first-limiting in leucine and also limiting in other AA,
      resulting in lower nitrogen utilization than IIP. The pattern of indispensable AA
      in IIP (grams of AA/100 g lysine) is as follows: lysine (100), methionine+cystine
      (60), threonine (65), tryptophan (18), phenylalanine+tyrosine (95), leucine
      (100), isoleucine (60), valine (68), arginine (42), and histidine (32).

PMID- 1429289
TI  - Weight changes prepartum and presence of bulls postpartum interact to affect
      duration of postpartum anestrus in cows.
AB  - Our hypothesis was that cows with greater body condition at parturition would
      respond to the presence of bulls (biostimulation) by having shorter periods of
      postpartum anestrus than cows with a lesser body condition. Multiparous cows in
      good body condition at the initiation of the study were either maintained on a
      high dietary regimen or switched to a low dietary regimen during the 90 d
      preceding parturition. After parturition, half of the cows from each group were
      placed in pastures with sterile bulls, and the remaining half were placed in
      pastures without bulls. This study was replicated during a 2nd yr. Blood samples
      were collected twice weekly and assayed for concentrations of progesterone to
      estimate time of onset of luteal function after parturition. There was a
      significant interaction (P less than .05) between body condition at parturition
      and presence of bulls postpartum on the duration of postpartum anestrus. Cows of
      lesser body condition that were in the presence of bulls after calving initiated
      estrous cycles 14 d earlier than cows with lesser body condition that were
      isolated from bulls. In cows with a greater body condition, presence of bulls
      after calving only shortened postpartum anestrus by 6 d. Thus, we reject our
      initial hypothesis.

PMID- 1429288
TI  - Feeding wash water solids to sows during gestation and lactation: sow
      productivity, pig performance, and tissue compositions.
AB  - Diets containing 0, 10, or 20% dried wash water solids (WWS) from a milk
      processing plant were fed to 54 Yorkshire gilts (160 to 270 kg) for five
      parities. Feed intake, weight changes, and morbidity of sows were measured;
      number of pigs per litter, birth weight, and weight gain of pigs were also
      determined. Blood, tissue, and milk samples were taken from sows for
      hematological and mineral analyses, and tissue samples were taken from newborn
      pigs from each treatment per parity. Overall, initial sow weight, sow weight at
      weaning, and weight losses were not affected (P greater than .05) by treatment.
      At 107 d of gestation, overall weights decreased (P less than .05) linearly with
      level of WWS in the diet. The number of pigs per litter and weight of pigs were
      not affected (P greater than .10) by diet. Concentrations of NA (P less than .10)
      and Cd (P less than .05) were lower in kidney of sows fed 20% WWS, and
      concentrations of Zn were lower in bone and in kidney of sows fed the 20% WWS
      diet. The Sr and Ba concentrations increased (P less than .05, P less than .10)
      linearly in bone from sows with level of WWS in the diet. In pigs, concentrations
      of Mn in kidney and Zn in liver were lower for the 20% WWS treatment. In
      conclusion, feeding WWS to sows over five parities had minimal adverse effects on
      sow productivity and pig performance; the reduction in Zn concentrations in
      tissues of sows and pigs seemed to be related to the Ca content of WWS.

PMID- 1429290
TI  - Growth hormone increases whole-body protein turnover in growing pigs.
AB  - Ten pigs with an average initial live weight of 65 kg were used to investigate
      the effects of daily exogenous porcine pituitary growth hormone (pGH; .1 mg.kg
      1.d-1) for a 13-d period on N retention and whole-body protein turnover. Feed
      intake was restricted to both the control (treated with excipient) and pGH
      treated groups to ensure that animals in each group consumed equal amounts. Whole
      body protein turnover was estimated from the excretion of 15N in urinary urea and
      ammonia after a single oral dose of [15N]glycine. Nitrogen balance and whole-body
      N flux were increased by 35 to 40% with pGH treatment (P less than .001). Protein
      synthesis and breakdown were increased by 56 and 59% (P less than .001),
      respectively, in pGH-treated pigs relative to controls. These higher rates of
      protein turnover seemed to lower slightly the efficiency of the metabolic process
      for protein deposition. However, the absolute increment in protein synthesis rate
      was greater than that for breakdown, leading to the increased net N retention.
      Thus, pGH treatment improved the utilization of dietary amino acids for protein
      deposition.

PMID- 1429291
TI  - Regression of induced corpora lutea in mature cyclic gilts by human chorionic
      gonadotropin.
AB  - This study was conducted to determine whether chronic hCG treatment would cause
      regression of induced corpora lutea (CL) in mature cyclic gilts. Thirty-two
      mature gilts that had displayed one or more estrous cycles of 18 to 22 d were
      used. Sixteen gilts were hysterectomized (HYSTX) on d 6 to 9 (d 0 = onset of
      estrus) and their CL were marked with charcoal (spontaneous group). Sixteen gilts
      (induced group) were injected with 1,500 IU of pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin
      (PMSG) on d 6 and 500 IU of hCG on d 9 (day of hCG = d 0 of the induced cycle).
      Ovulation was assumed to occur on d 2 of the induced cycle. Induced gilts were
      HYSTX on d 8 to 9 (d 17 to 18 of the original spontaneous cycle) and their CL
      were marked with charcoal. Only gilts (n = 14) in which induced CL were present
      and in which the original CL had regressed were then subjected to treatment with
      saline or hCG. From d 10 to 29, gilts with spontaneous CL were injected daily
      with 500 IU of hCG (n = 8) or saline (n = 8). From d 10 to 29 of the induced
      cycle, induced gilts were injected daily with 500 IU of hCG (n = 6) or saline (n
      = 8). Jugular blood samples were collected every other day from all gilts
      beginning on the 1st d of daily hCG treatment and quantified for estradiol and
      progesterone by RIA. On the day after the last hCG injection, the number of
      charcoal-marked CL and charcoal-marked corpora albicantia (CA) were
      determined.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429292
TI  - Effect of intrauterine bacterial infusions and subsequent endometritis on
      prostaglandin F2 alpha metabolite concentrations in postpartum beef cows.
AB  - Multiparous Angus and crossbred Angus cows were used to determine the effect of
      induced endometritis on plasma concentrations of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto
      prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGFM) and progesterone (P4) and on duration of the
      estrous cycle of treatment. Beginning on the day of calving (d 0), blood samples
      were collected on alternate days. On three consecutive days, ranging from d 8 to
      14 of the first postpartum estrous cycle, uterine horns were inoculated
      transcervically with either 3 x 10(9) colony forming units (cfu) of Actinomyces
      pyogenes and 1.5 x 10(9) cfu of beta-hemolytic Escherichia coli (treated; n = 9)
      in sterile PBS or with sterile PBS alone (control; n = 9). Samples of uterine
      fluid were collected by transcervical aspiration twice weekly from just before
      the start of each series of inoculations until the end of the experiment.
      Endometrial biopsies were collected transcervically between d 4 to 6 and 11 to 13
      after inoculation. Based on clinical observations and results of bacterial
      cultures, all treated cows developed acute uterine infections. Controls did not
      develop uterine infections. Endometrial biopsies indicated that there were no
      significant diffuse or focal cellular reactions in response to the infection. The
      interestrous interval was greater (P less than .0003) for treated (27.7 +/- 1.0
      d) than for control (20.6 +/- 1.0 d) cows, but P4 concentrations were similar
      between the two groups. Mean PGFM concentration and PGFM profiles were similar (P
      greater than .10) between treated and control cows before bacterial infusions.
      Bacterial infusions increased mean PGFM concentration (P less than .0001) and
      changed the shape of the PGFM profile (P less than .02).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429293
TI  - Effects of bacterial inoculation of high-moisture ear corn on its aerobic
      stability, digestion, and utilization for growth by beef steers.
AB  - High-moisture ear corn (HMEC) was treated with specific bacterial inoculants and
      evaluated for its aerobic stability and utilization for growth by beef steers.
      Immediately after harvest, HMEC (65% DM) was ensiled in tower silos after being
      either untreated (control) or treated with the following inoculants: 1) Ecosyl
      (E); 2) Ecosyl plus Serratia rubidaea (E + SR); and 3) Ecosyl plus Streptococcus
      thermophilus (E + ST). A portion of HMEC was frozen immediately (-20 degrees C)
      and subsequently treated with eight bacterial inoculants before ensiling in
      laboratory silos; the fermented material was then exposed to air for 7 d for
      assessment of aerobic deterioration. The eight inoculants included the three used
      in the tower silos and four additional ones: Streptococcus thermophilus, Bacillus
      subtilis (BS), Serratia rubidaea, and a mixture of Ecosyl + B. subtilis (E + BS).
      The growth trial was conducted for 112 d with 32 crossbred steers (average BW 296
      kg). A digestion trial was conducted, according to a 4 x 4 Latin square design,
      using an additional four steers (average BW 367 kg). In both trials, steers were
      fed the same four diets containing inoculated (E, E + SR, and E + ST) or control
      HMEC. Upon exposure to air, Ecosyl-treated ensiled HMEC had the least increase in
      pH compared with other single inoculants; all inoculant treatments lessened (P
      less than .05) the increase in sample temperature compared with control. During
      aerobic exposure, treatment of HMEC with BS seemed to reduce the disappearance of
      water-soluble carbohydrates, whereas Ecosyl seemed to reduce lactic acid. Despite
      evidence of improved aerobic stability with Ecosyl and BS, inoculation of HMEC
      did not (P greater than .10) improve BW gain or feed efficiency; however, all
      inoculants reduced (P less than .05) digestibility of ADF.

PMID- 1429294
TI  - Effect of intraperitoneal administration of lysine and methionine on mohair yield
      and quality in Angora goats.
AB  - Eight mature Angora wethers (average BW 47.2 kg) were used in a 4 x 4 replicated
      Latin square design to evaluate responses to intraperitoneal (IP) administration
      of amino acids. The IP treatments consisted of saline (Control), methionine 1 g/d
      (Met), lysine 2 g/d (Lys), and methionine + lysine (Met + Lys). The amino acids
      dissolved in Control were infused continuously for the first 14 d of each 28-d
      period using peristaltic infusion pumps. Average d-28 grease and clean mohair
      yields (grams/100 square centimeters), and fiber diameter (micrometers) and
      length (centimeters) measurements during Control administration were 8.8, 7.6,
      40, and 2.3, respectively. Mean clean mohair yield and fiber diameter increased
      by 5.3% (P less than .039) and 2.5% (P less than .067), respectively, with Met
      administration but were decreased by 9.2% (P less than .033) and 3.8% (P less
      than .001), respectively, by Lys administration; however, mean fiber length was
      increased (P less than .014) 21.7% by Lys infusion. The goats did not exhibit
      increased grease (P greater than .939) and clean (P greater than .477) mohair
      yields and fiber diameter (P greater than .619) when treated with Met+Lys. A N
      balance trial was conducted during d 10 through 14 of each period. Total retained
      N (grams per day) during Control administration was 18.4 and 24% greater than Met
      (P greater than .281) and Lys (P less than .061), respectively. When expressed as
      a proportion of N intake, retained N was lowest (P less than .127) in the Lys
      infusion group. Jugular blood ammonia N and plasma glucose and total protein
      concentrations were not affected (P greater than .10) by treatment.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429295
TI  - Effects of bentonite on wool growth and nitrogen metabolism in fauna-free and
      faunated sheep.
AB  - Two experiments were carried out with sheep that originated from a fauna-free
      flock and were fed a soybean meal-corn silage diet with or without a bentonite
      supplement. One-half of the sheep fed each diet in each experiment were faunated
      with a mixed population of ruminal protozoa, whereas the other half of the sheep
      remained fauna-free until the end of both experiments. Wool growth and daily gain
      were measured in Exp. 1. (eight rams per treatment), which lasted 110 d, and the
      metabolic effects in the rumen and intestinal tract of protozoa and dietary
      bentonite supplement were tested with cannulated wethers (four wethers per
      treatment) in Exp. 2. The results of Exp. 1 showed decreased wool growth (P less
      than .05) due to the presence of protozoa in the rumen. Dietary supplementation
      with bentonite partly offset the decreased wool growth in sheep with protozoa,
      but there were no effects of dietary bentonite and no protozoa x bentonite
      interaction (P greater than .05). Daily gain was decreased by the dietary
      bentonite (P less than .05) supplement but was not affected (P greater than .05)
      by the ruminal presence of protozoa. In Exp. 2, protozoa increased (P less than
      .01) the ruminal concentrations of ammonia and decreased (P less than .05) the
      acetic:propionic acid molar ratio. Fractionation of N in the duodenal digesta
      flowing from the stomach to the small intestine showed that protozoa decreased (P
      less than .05) the flow of nonammonia N and bacterial N, and there was a protozoa
      x bentonite interaction for these effects (P less than .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429296
TI  - Implant and copper oxide needles for steers grazing Acremonium coenophialum
      infected tall fescue pastures: effects on grazing and subsequent feedlot
      performance and serum constituents.
AB  - Two experiments were conducted to compare the effects of a progesterone-estradiol
      implant (PEI) with no implant (NI) and 20 g of copper oxide needles (CuON) with
      no CuON on grazing, subsequent feedlot performance, and selected serum
      constituents of steers. In Exp. 1, 114 Limousin crossbred yearling steers (317 kg
      average initial BW) were stocked continuously on Acremonium coenophialum-infected
      tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)-ladino clover (Trifolium repens L.)
      pastures (C) or were rotated to bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers.)
      during summer months (R) of two consecutive years. Implant and copper treatments
      were applied within pasture. Blood samples were collected four times during each
      grazing season. Continuously stocked steers had greater (P less than .05) grazing
      gain, less (P less than .10) feedlot gain, and heavier (P less than .05) carcass
      weights than R steers did. Implanted steers had greater (P less than .05) pasture
      but lesser (P less than .05) feedlot gains than did NI steers. Prolactin
      concentrations were greater (P less than .05) from R than from C steers in late
      summer 1988. Ceruloplasmin was greater (P less than .01) with CuON than without
      on the last three and last two sampling dates in 1988 and 1989, respectively. In
      Exp. 2, blood samples were collected twice from 40 mixed-breed steers (283 kg
      average initial BW) receiving the same implant and copper treatments as in Exp. 1
      and grazing infected fescue for one season. Serum ceruloplasmin and copper
      concentrations were increased (P less than .01) by CuON, but other measurements
      did not differ among treatments. Summer grazing of bermuda grass increased serum
      copper, ceruloplasmin, and prolactin but decreased grazing performance.
      Implanting increased grazing performance. Copper oxide needles increased serum
      ceruloplasmin and copper concentrations but did not affect steer performance.

PMID- 1429297
TI  - A computer model to predict empty body weight in cattle from diet and animal
      characteristics.
AB  - A computer model was developed to predict empty BW in cattle as a function of
      diet (forage NDF, physical form of forage [hay vs silage and pasture], proportion
      of dietary concentrates) and animal (full BW) characteristics. The model was
      empty BW = full BW * (1 - GFILL), where GFILL is gut fill expressed as a fraction
      of full BW. An equation obtained from published data (GFILL = .05354 + .329 *
      NDF) was used to provide a base prediction of GFILL from the fraction of NDF in
      the forage. Predicted GFILL was then corrected for full BW, physical form of
      forage, and fraction of concentrates using multiplicative factors obtained from
      published data. The model was evaluated with data from 11 published experiments.
      Several breeds of cattle, a wide range of forage types, and diets with 0 to 93%
      concentrates were represented in these data. Observed values for empty BW were
      compared to model-predicted values and to values predicted by systems published
      by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) and National Research Council (NRC).
      Sums of squared deviations of predicted values from observed (n = 64) were 3,074,
      37,327, and 25,920 for the model, ARC, and NRC systems, respectively. After
      fitting predicted empty BW values to observed values, proportion of concentrates
      and forage NDF accounted for a significant (P less than .01) amount of the
      residual variation with the ARC and NRC systems, but not for the model. This
      finding suggests that the model will predict empty BW more accurately than the
      ARC and NRC systems with diets similar to those used in the evaluation.

PMID- 1429298
TI  - Quantification of intraruminal recycling of microbial nitrogen using nitrogen-15.
AB  - Studies were done to derive a technique to quantify intraruminal recycling of
      microbial nonammonia nitrogen (NAN). After dosing 15NH4+ into the rumen, ruminal
      NH3N and NAN pools were sampled over time for analyses of 15N enrichment.
      Compartmental analysis of both pools was used to quantify the percentage of
      microbial NAN that recycles in the rumen. Microbial NAN does not need to be
      fractionated from total NAN, assuming that only microbial NAN becomes labeled
      with 15N and that the ratio of microbial NAN:nonmicrobial NAN remains constant
      over time. Based on the data obtained from eight nonlactating cattle fed 85% corn
      silage diets at 1.5 to 1.0% BW, percentage of intraruminal recycling of microbial
      NAN was related to efficiency of bacterial protein synthesis (grams of CP/100 g
      of OM truly digested) in a curvilinear manner (y = 100 - .073x2). From this
      function, recycling was predicted to be approximately 75% for dairy cows
      consuming 50:50 forage:concentrate diets at 3.5% of BW. However, more data are
      needed to evaluate intraruminal recycling of microbial NAN using this technique
      under different dietary conditions.

PMID- 1429299
TI  - Technical note: stocking equivalents and stocking rate-gain relationships for
      steers and cow-calf pairs grazing oversown bermuda grass.
AB  - Grazing experiments may use steers or cow-calf pairs for measuring animal
      performance on pasture treatments, but the validity of extrapolation between
      these classes of cattle has not been verified. A grazing study was conducted in
      the spring and summer of both 1988 and 1989 to determine stocking equivalents and
      stocking rate-weight gain relationships for steers and cow-calf pairs grazing
      Coastal bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] pers.) oversown with rye (Secale
      cereale L.) and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.). Average daily gain and
      stocking rate (SR; 3.2, 4.2, 6.2, and 7.4 animals per hectare for steers and 1.7,
      2.5, 3.7, and 4.9 pairs per hectare for cow-calf pairs) were both adjusted so
      that comparisons could be made on an equal BW basis. Disk meter height readings
      were used as measurements of forage accessibility. Disk meter height responses to
      SR did not differ (P greater than .10) between steer and cow-calf paddocks. There
      was a linear (P less than .001) decrease in ADG as SR increased, but this decline
      was steeper (P less than .001) for steers than for cows or suckling calves.
      Steers tended to be more productive than calves at low SR but less productive at
      high SR. Disk meter heights for the range of SR used in the study did not differ
      (P greater than .10) for steers and cow-calf pairs at equivalent BW per hectare.
      Our study suggests that live BW is a reasonable basis for determining forage
      requirements of steers and cow-calf pairs under grazing conditions, but
      extrapolation of production between classes of livestock will not be reliable.

PMID- 1429300
TI  - Manipulation of amino acid supply to the growing ruminant.
AB  - Quality of protein (indicated by amino acid [AA] composition) that enters the
      small intestine (SI) of growing ruminants is dictated largely by the AA
      composition of microbial protein. The AA supply is well-balanced and, although
      individual AA can be experimentally determined to be first- or second-limiting,
      it seems that several AA (sulfur AA, lysine, histidine, and possibly threonine,
      valine, and isoleucine) may be colimiting in many circumstances. Quality of the
      postruminal AA supply can be altered by increasing (maximizing) net microbial
      protein synthesis, manipulating supplemental protein source, or feeding ruminally
      protected AA. Defaunating the rumen increases postruminal AA supply by increasing
      flow of both bacterial and nonbacterial AA. Defaunation has little effect on
      proportions of individual AA entering the SI. Different feed proteins vary
      greatly in the quantity of individual AA that they supply for absorption from the
      SI. Most proteins are a poor source of at least one essential AA; feeding
      combinations of proteins may be the most practical approach to supplying AA in
      optimal proportions. Feeding individual ruminally protected AA can alter the
      profile of AA reaching the SI, but work is needed to identify dietary conditions
      under which use of such products will be most beneficial.

PMID- 1429301
TI  - Peptide absorption: a review of current concepts and future perspectives.
AB  - Absorption of di- and tripeptides from the gastrointestinal tract is accepted as
      being an important biological phenomenon. The extent to which peptides are
      absorbed and the nutritional and metabolic significance of peptide absorption
      remain unclear. Evidence is strong for the existence of multiple peptide
      transport systems, including one type that is electrogenic in nature and that
      requires a protonmotive force and cotransports two H+ for every peptide
      transported. The rate of absorption of peptides can be responsive to level of
      dietary intake and level of dietary protein. Peptide absorption seems to be an
      important physiological process in ruminants, and this process may account for a
      large portion of absorbed amino acids. An important new observation is that the
      nonmesenteric portion of the portal-drained viscera of the ruminant is a major
      site of peptide absorption. These new observations may result in a reshaping of
      the currently accepted theory concerning protein utilization by ruminants.

PMID- 1429302
TI  - New concepts in fetal and placental amino acid metabolism.
AB  - Fetal amino acid nutrition and metabolism have been studied primarily in pregnant
      sheep. The umbilical uptake of amino acids changes during gestation, but at both
      mid- and late gestation the total supply exceeds that required for growth. Weight
      specific protein synthetic rate decreases with increasing gestational age, and
      these changes are proportional to the changes in metabolic rate. The use of
      multiple tracer methodology coupled with measurement of net tracer fluxes into
      and out of fetal and placental tissues can be used to delineate amino acid
      metabolism in considerable detail. Such studies demonstrate that even essential
      amino acids can be oxidized extensively by the fetus. The oxidation rate of
      leucine exceeds its rate of accretion in tissue proteins. Glycine metabolism is
      unique in several ways; there is a large umbilical uptake of glycine without a
      measurable uterine uptake. In late gestation there is no significant umbilical
      uptake of serine, although there is a significant uterine uptake, suggesting net
      uteroplacental utilization. Glycine is oxidized within the fetal liver and used
      for serum production. The interorgan exchange of amino acids between the fetal
      liver and placenta is clearly of major importance for serine and glycine
      metabolism and is likely to be of major importance for most nonessential amino
      acids.

PMID- 1429303
TI  - Control of the metabolic fate of amino acids in ruminants: a review.
AB  - In general, ruminants convert ingested feed protein (N) to body tissues with low
      efficiency (0 to 35%). Although some of this inefficiency is due to the
      peculiarities of ruminal action and digestion, a large proportion is associated
      with metabolic events in the tissues. In the fasted condition, amino acid
      catabolism is greater than in the maintenance-fed animal, and perhaps 40% of this
      loss is due to provision of carbon sources for gluconeogenesis. The contributions
      of other pathways to these basal losses are poorly quantified. Below maintenance
      intake, insulin seems to be a major determinant of the rate of protein loss,
      primarily through reduction of protein degradation (especially in muscle tissue)
      with an accompanied decrease in the rate of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)
      oxidation. At intakes above maintenance, protein anabolism and amino acid
      catabolism are more probably regulated by the growth hormone/insulin-like growth
      factor I (GH/IGF-I) axis, with the major control via alterations in protein
      synthesis. The actions of insulin and GH/IGF-I may provide overlapping regulatory
      mechanisms, which would explain the biphasic alterations in protein dynamics and
      amino acid catabolism observed for the ruminant between the fasted and ad libitum
      intake conditions. The BCAA may assume a key regulatory role in integrating the
      metabolism of peripheral tissues with the metabolic and oxidative functions of
      the liver. This integration seems well-coupled in the ruminant, for which the
      relationship between the extent of BCAA catabolism in peripheral and hepatic
      metabolism remains fairly constant under a range of nutritional and physiological
      conditions.

PMID- 1429304
TI  - The formation and control of dental plaque--an overview.

PMID- 1429305
TI  - Prevalence, biotypes, plasmid profile and antimicrobial resistance of
      Campylobacter isolated from wild and domestic animals from northeast Portugal.
AB  - The incidence of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli in wild and
      producing animals has been studied to evaluate their importance as potential
      reservoirs of campylobacter infection. These organisms were isolated from: 59
      chicken (60.2%), 65 swine (59.1%), 31 black rats (57.4%), 61 sparrows (45.5%), 21
      ducks (40.5%), 32 cows (19.5%) and 27 sheep (15.3%). Biotypes, plasmid and
      resistance profiles were studied in order to characterize the isolates. Biotypes
      I and II of C. jejuni were predominant in all reservoirs except swine, where C.
      coli I was more frequent. Plasmid prevalence was higher in strains isolated from
      swine (53.8%) and rats (45.5%). The size of the plasmids ranged from 1.3 to 82
      MDa. A 2.3 MDa plasmid was the most frequent, detected in all the reservoirs
      except ducks. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that 5.5% of the
      strains were resistant to ampicillin, 5.5% to tetracycline, 12.6% to erythromycin
      and 23.5% to streptomycin. Resistance to erythromycin (26.2%) and to streptomycin
      (58.4%) was particularly high in isolates from swine. Tetracycline resistance was
      encoded by a 33 or a 41 MDa plasmid and transferred by conjugation.

PMID- 1429306
TI  - Identification and characterization of helveticin V-1829, a bacteriocin produced
      by Lactobacillus helveticus 1829.
AB  - Lactobacillus helveticus 1829 produced an antimicrobial agent, designated
      helveticin V-1829, that demonstrated antagonistic activity against closely
      related species. The agent was excreted into MRS agar, and was present in the
      supernatant fluids from both overnight broth and clotted milk cultures. It was
      heat labile (inactivated by 50 degrees C for 30 min) and was stable over the pH
      range 2.5 to 6.5. Production of the substance was pH-dependent and maximum yields
      were obtained in MRS broth cultures maintained at pH 5.5. Helveticin V-1829 was
      partially purified following growth of the producing strain in a semi-defined MRS
      medium and precipitating the cell-free filtrate with ammonium sulphate to 30%
      saturation. The cleared supernatant fluid was then brought to 60% saturation and
      the resulting precipitate pelleted and dialysed in 0.3 mol/l phosphate buffer.
      The partially purified inhibitor was sensitive to several proteolytic enzymes,
      and it was bactericidal in its mode of action against indicator cells of Lact.
      helveticus 1844 and Lact. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus 1489, indicating that it
      was a bacteriocin. A DNA probe specific for the helveticin J structural gene
      failed to hybridize to total genomic DNA of Lact. helveticus 1829, indicating
      that helveticin V-1829 is not significantly related to helveticin J.

PMID- 1429307
TI  - Isolation and properties of a bacteriocin-producing Carnobacterium piscicola
      isolated from fish.
AB  - A facultative psychrotrophic lactic acid bacterium isolated from fresh fish was
      identified as Carnobacterium piscicola on the basis of carbohydrate utilization,
      G + C content and 16S RNA analysis. Its bacteriocin, designated carnocin UI49, is
      produced during the mid-exponential phase of growth at temperatures between 15
      degrees C and 34 degrees C. Carnocin UI49 is active against a large number of
      closely-related lactic acid bacteria including carnobacteria, lactobacilli,
      pediococci and lactococci. Furthermore, the bacteriocin has a bactericidic mode
      of action which results in lysis of sensitive cells. Maximum bactericidal
      activity is observed at 34 degrees C with a decrease in activity down to 15
      degrees C where it is completely abolished.

PMID- 1429308
TI  - Species of Pseudomonas obtained at 7 degrees C and 30 degrees C during aerobic
      storage of lamb carcasses.
AB  - A total of 268 strains of Pseudomonas isolated during storage life of lamb
      carcasses was identified to species level. One-hundred and thirteen strains
      obtained at 30 degrees C were Ps. fragi (51), Ps. lundensis (17), Ps. fluorescens
      biovars I (10), III (9) and VI (1), Ps. putida biovar A (8 strains) and
      unidentified (17 strains). Species and biovars isolated at 7 degrees C (155) were
      Ps. fragi (101), Ps. lundensis (32), Ps. fluorescens biovar I (6), Ps. putida
      biovar A (8) and unidentified (8). Numerical analysis (82% SSM, UPGMA) of
      'psychrotrophic' and 'mesophilic' strains resulted in the formation of nine and
      eight clusters respectively. The dendrograms obtained exhibited similar
      structures. Most of the strains of Ps. lundensis and Ps. fragi clustered
      together. Strains of this latter species also joined the type strain of Ps.
      testosteroni and appeared included with phenons containing the Ps. putida
      strains. There were clusters made up exclusively of strains assigned to one
      biovar or group (Ps. fluorescens biovars I and II and unidentified). A high level
      of similarity was observed between clusters of Ps. fluorescens biovar I and those
      containing the Ps. fragi-Ps. lundensis complex (> 74% SSM) and Ps. lundensis (>
      80%). The recovery of pseudomonads seemed to be affected by the sampling day.

PMID- 1429309
TI  - Incidence of pathogenic bacteria in raw milk in Ireland.
AB  - Raw milk from 70 farms was sampled over 13 months for salmonellas, listerias,
      Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and mastitic streptococci; total
      bacterial counts (TBC), coliforms and somatic cells were also counted. TBC < or =
      30,000/ml were obtained in 63% of samples. High count milks were found mainly
      during the winter months: 13% of samples had > 10(4) mastitis pathogens/ml of
      milk. The mean somatic cell count varied from 4.0 x 10(5) to 8.0 x 10(5)/ml
      throughout the year with highest counts during the late lactation period.
      Coliforms were present in all samples, but 65-71% of samples had < 100
      coliforms/ml. Up to 60% of supplies had < or = 10 E. coli/ml. One of the 589
      samples tested (0.1%) was positive for salmonellas. Yersinia enterocolitica and
      Y. enterocolitica-like organisms were isolated from 39% of samples with up to 68%
      of samples positive at some sampling periods. A total of 222 strains of yersinias
      were isolated; Y. enterocolitica (59%) was the most common strain followed by Y.
      fredriksenii (35%), Y. kristensenii (1.0%), Y. intermedia (4.5%) and Y. aldovae
      (0.5%). Listerias were isolated from 8.3% of samples tested; 4.9% were Listeria
      monocytogenes and 3.4% were L. innocua. There was a significant rise in the
      isolation rate between December and April from a base line of 0-5% during the
      spring and summer to 35-37% during the winter months while the cows were indoors.
      Of 66 silage samples tested from the farms involved in the survey 9% of samples
      were positive for listerias; 3% of these were L. monocytogenes and 6% were L.
      innocua.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429311
TI  - M13 DNA fingerprinting, a new tool for classification and identification of
      Lactobacillus spp.
AB  - The optimal conditions for the application of M13 DNA fingerprinting to the genus
      Lactobacillus were determined. Comparative fingerprint analysis of representative
      strains of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii, Lact. delbrueckii subsp.
      lactis, Lact. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Lact. helveticus and Lact. casei
      permitted the differentiation of species, subspecies and individual strains and
      the quantitative determination of their genetic relatedness. The results confirm
      the high specificity of M13 DNA fingerprinting and indicate that it might be used
      in the classification of Lactobacillus spp.

PMID- 1429310
TI  - Comparative study on the antimicrobial effects of Hexomedine and Betadine on the
      human skin flora.
AB  - Studies were carried out to detect the modifications, if any, on the peri
      umbilical flora of six healthy volunteers after two or three daily applications
      of Hexomedine solution (HEX) and Betadine solution (PVI) repeated for five
      consecutive days. A standardized scrubbing method was used for bacterial
      sampling. Surviving bacteria were selected with both selective and non-selective
      media, and then identified by gas chromatographic fatty acid analysis. Both
      antiseptics were highly effective, showing both immediate and residual
      antimicrobial activities. The use of HEX led to a slight increase in Gram
      positive cocci and a small decrease in coryneforms, but PVI produced a marked
      increase in Gram-positive cocci and a sharp decrease in coryneforms. The two
      antiseptics, however, caused no major alteration in the cutaneous microbial
      population. Indeed, neither the overgrowth of Gram-negative bacilli nor the
      emergence of resistant species was observed.

PMID- 1429312
TI  - Study of the bacterial flora of a non-carbonated natural mineral water.
AB  - Natural mineral water from a UK spring was monitored at various stages after it
      was pumped from the ground, through to bottling and during shelf life before
      consumption. Samples were collected in commercial PVC bottles, in PVC bottles
      previously sterilized and hand-filled and in glass bottles. The bacterial flora
      was counted on plate count agar (PCA) and on PCA diluted 10 times (PCA/10). The
      predominant bacteria were identified to genus level. Growth rates and nutrient
      types of isolates were determined by the nutrient-tolerance test (NT). The plate
      counts at the pre-bottling stage were low. During storage larger numbers of
      bacteria grew in glass than PVC bottles; the largest number grew in PVC bottles
      filled by hand. Most of the pigmented bacteria isolated were oligocarbotolerant.

PMID- 1429313
TI  - Applying statistical process control to clinical data: an illustration.

PMID- 1429314
TI  - Ongoing consultation as a method of improving performance of staff members in a
      group home.
AB  - A model of ongoing consultation was implemented in a community group home for 8
      adults with severe and profound mental retardation. Two consultants, highly
      experienced in working with people with mental retardation and in the procedures
      used in group homes, taught staff members to use a token reinforcement system, to
      engage the adults in a variety of activities, and to improve the content and
      style of the staff members' interactions with the adults. The consultants taught
      skills to 9 staff members through brief mini-workshops, direct observation of the
      staff members' use of the skills during regular activities in the group home, and
      individual verbal feedback regarding a staff member's performance of the skills.
      Evaluation of the ongoing consultation process by the 2 consultants showed it to
      be effective in improving the performance of the staff members and in changing
      the behaviors of the adults who lived in the home. Continued implementation of
      the process, however, appeared to be necessary for the behavior changes of staff
      members to be maintained at high levels.

PMID- 1429315
TI  - Increasing nurses' use of feedback to promote infection-control practices in a
      head-injury treatment center.
AB  - This study established regular implementation of a simple feedback procedure by
      supervisory nurses with their assistants at a head-injury treatment center. Five
      nurses were trained to distribute brief written comments to their assistants
      about infection-control practices, including using gloves to avoid contact with
      body fluids. Following low rates of written feedback, nurses met with the trainer
      weekly to set goals for using the system, to review feedback rates, and to
      examine contingent letters of appreciation. Written feedback increased from 0.09
      to 0.58 per day. When outcome data on glove use were subsequently added to the
      feedback provided to nurses, nurses' feedback on glove use increased and overall
      glove use by assistants increased by 36.7% for 66.7% of assistants who responded
      to feedback. Assistants rated feedback as highly accurate and indicated some
      interest in receiving future feedback. However, nurses and assistants expressed a
      preference for oral over written feedback.

PMID- 1429316
TI  - Dentist-implemented contingent escape for management of disruptive child
      behavior.
AB  - We evaluated the effectiveness of a dentist-implemented intervention in which
      brief escape from dental treatment was provided to manage disruptive child
      behavior during restorative dental treatment. Within a multiple baseline design
      across subjects, 4 children, aged 3 to 7 years, were provided temporary escape
      from dental treatment contingent upon brief periods of cooperative behavior.
      Disruptive behavior decreased when the appropriate escape contingency was used at
      least 80% of the time. The escape contingency required no more time than
      traditional management procedures (e.g., tell-show-do, reprimands and loud
      commands, restraint) to bring disruptive behavior under control. Independent
      ratings by two dentists provided social validation of the efficacy of the escape
      contingency.

PMID- 1429317
TI  - Problem solving to prevent work injuries in supported employment.
AB  - A problem-solving strategy was used to teach three groups of 3 individuals in
      supported employment how to prevent work-related injuries. The problem-solving
      strategy was taught in two training phases. The first training phase involved the
      use of cue cards, and the second involved the withdrawal of the cue cards.
      Interviews and staged generalization assessments in the participants' natural
      work environments were conducted before, during, and up to 12 weeks after
      training. In these assessments, situations were presented that were either
      similar or dissimilar to situations presented in training. Results of both the
      interviews and staged assessments indicated that the participants' newly acquired
      problem-solving skills generalized to similar and dissimilar situations.

PMID- 1429318
TI  - Musical reinforcement of practice behaviors among competitive swimmers.
AB  - This study determined whether music could be used as a reinforcer for increasing
      productive and decreasing nonproductive behavior of 6 competitive swimmers during
      the dry-land portion of practice session. The swimmers were randomly assigned to
      either the contingent reinforcement group, who received music for productive
      behavior, or the noncontingent group, who received music regardless of their
      training productivity. An ABAB design showed that a large and immediate increase
      in productive practice behavior and decrease in nonproductive practice behavior
      occurred during the contingent phase compared to the baseline phase. Subjects
      rated the musical reinforcement favorably and elected to have the procedure
      continued.

PMID- 1429319
TI  - Effects of a variable-ratio reinforcement schedule with changing criteria on
      exercise in obese and nonobese boys.
AB  - The effects of a variable-ratio schedule of reinforcement on pedaling a a
      stationary exercise bicycle were examined. Three obese and three nonobese 11-year
      old boys were individually tested five times weekly for approximately 12 weeks. A
      changing-criterion design was used in which each successive criterion was
      increased over mean performance rate in the previous phase by approximately 15%.
      The contingencies of the successive criteria resulted in systematic increases in
      rate of exercise for all children. Final variable-ratio rates were higher than
      those under fixed ratios found in previous research, with rates for 2 of the 3
      obese boys approximating those of the nonobese.

PMID- 1429320
TI  - Strategies to increase exercise-report correspondence by boys with moderate
      mental retardation: collateral changes in intention-exercise correspondence.
AB  - Correspondence between verbal and nonverbal behavior in an exercise room was
      taught to 4 13-year-old boys diagnosed with moderate mental retardation.
      Participants were asked prior to each exercise session which exercise machine(s)
      they intended to use. No contingencies on stating intentions (promising) were
      applied. Following the exercise session, participants were asked to say (report)
      which machine(s) they had used. Following the baseline condition, do-report
      correspondence training was introduced sequentially across participants. During
      do-report correspondence training, accurate reporting was reinforced. High rates
      of both do-report and promise-do correspondence were observed. Data were analyzed
      via a multiple baseline across subjects design and contingency-space analysis.
      Results are discussed with regard to observed changes in promise-do
      correspondence subsequent to observed changes in do-report correspondence.

PMID- 1429321
TI  - An analysis of a group teaching procedure for persons with developmental
      disabilities.
AB  - This study evaluated whether a concurrent group teaching procedure, in which all
      students respond simultaneously, could be used for persons with moderate or
      severe mental retardation. The teaching procedure used was the Task Demonstration
      Model, a program based on stimulus-control research and the fading techniques of
      behavioral psychology. Three teachers and three groups of students participated.
      Results showed that the teachers increased their rates of questions and
      instructions, positive feedback, and use of functional materials, but they
      reduced their rate of prompts to almost zero. Students increased their percentage
      and rate of correct responding as well as their engaged time. In addition,
      maladaptive responding, for which there were never any direct consequences,
      decreased from 45% to 10% for 8 of the 14 students. Results are discussed
      primarily in two areas: (a) changing stimulus control from teacher prompts to
      critical elements of the items being taught, and (b) reasons for the reduction of
      maladaptive behavior for 8 of the subjects.

PMID- 1429322
TI  - Brief functional assessment techniques to evaluate aberrant behavior in an
      outpatient setting: a summary of 79 cases.
AB  - Previous investigators have analyzed the maintaining conditions for aberrant
      behaviors using brief functional assessment procedures. These assessment
      procedures have been used in one of our outpatient clinics, the Self-Injurious
      and Aggressive Behavior Service. This study presents a descriptive summary of the
      results from 79 cases during a 3-year period. The outcomes of the brief
      assessment were evaluated across three variables: (a) referring topography, (b)
      control over behavior as evaluated through brief multielement designs, and (c)
      the identified maintaining conditions for aberrant behavior. The limitations and
      future utility of brief functional assessments for identifying distinct
      maintaining contingencies are discussed.

PMID- 1429323
TI  - Effects of a multifaceted training procedure on the acquisition and
      generalization of social behaviors in language-disabled deaf children.
AB  - Effects of a multifaceted training procedure were assessed on the acquisition and
      generalization of social behaviors with 9 language-disabled deaf children. The
      training procedure consisted of (a) child training and (b) supervision, feedback,
      and goal setting directed by teachers and residential staff. Target behaviors
      were turn waiting, initiating interaction, and interacting with others.
      Procedures to promote generality of effects and to determine the social validity
      of the procedures were used. Data were collected within a multiple baseline
      design across behaviors. Results showed a functional relationship between
      introduction of the training procedure and increases in percentage of appropriate
      target behaviors for all 9 children. The effects were maintained throughout a 5-
      to 10-week follow-up period.

PMID- 1429324
TI  - Covariation within functional response classes: implications for treatment of
      severe problem behavior.
AB  - Two studies examined the effects of a reductive treatment versus instruction
      based treatments on the generalized reduction of problem behaviors. Each study
      involved a detailed analysis of multiple problem behaviors performed by school
      aged youth with severe intellectual disabilities. The analysis examined the
      contrasting effects of one of two different positive intervention procedures
      (teaching a positive alternative behavior or providing additional teacher
      assistance during instruction) versus blocking and/or verbally reprimanding a
      problem behavior. The focus of each analysis was on the covariation of multiple
      problem behaviors within functional response classes. Results of the
      investigation indicated that when only one member of the response class was
      blocked, a collateral increase was observed in one or more different problem
      behaviors from the same response class. Alternatively, when 1 participant was
      taught a functionally equivalent mand response, all problem behaviors in the
      response class were reduced. Problem behaviors also were reduced for the
      remaining participant by presenting antecedent teacher assistance. Implications
      of the research extend to analysis of covariation within response classes and to
      procedures that result in generalized reduction of problem behaviors within a
      response class.

PMID- 1429325
TI  - Assessing choice making among children with multiple disabilities.
AB  - Some learners with multiple disabilities display idiosyncratic gestures that are
      interpreted as a means of making choices. In the present study, we assessed the
      validity of idiosyncratic choice-making behaviors of 3 children with multiple
      disabilities. Opportunities for each child to choose between food and drink were
      provided under two conditions. In one condition, the children were given the food
      or drink item corresponding to their prior choice. In the other condition, the
      teacher delivered the item opposite to that chosen. It was reasoned that valid
      choice-making behaviors would be reflected in a greater tendency to accept the
      chosen item and refuse the unchosen item. Direct observations revealed all
      children consistently indicated choices during both conditions. Choices of both
      the food and drink items were made by all 3 children. A reversal design
      demonstrated that acts of refusal were more frequent when choices were followed
      by delivery of the item opposite to that chosen. Similar assessment procedures
      may be effective in determining the function of idiosyncratic gestures exhibited
      by persons with multiple disabilities. For children lacking such skills,
      intervention to teach valid choice-making behaviors may be needed to complement
      assessment procedures.

PMID- 1429326
TI  - Detection of antibiotic resistance genes with DNA probes.

PMID- 1429327
TI  - Ofloxacin as the standard 4-quinolone in sensitivity tests.

PMID- 1429328
TI  - Ceftazidime disc content recommendation and susceptibility testing.

PMID- 1429329
TI  - Detection of glycopeptide resistance in clinical isolates of gram-positive
      bacteria.

PMID- 1429330
TI  - Activity of amoxycillin/clavulanic acid against Escherichia coli in vivo-
      correction.

PMID- 1429331
TI  - Classification of plasmid-encoded trimethoprim resistance genes.

PMID- 1429332
TI  - Selection of quinolone-resistant mutants of Haemophilus influenzae and
      Streptococcus pneumoniae.

PMID- 1429333
TI  - Faecal carriage of antibiotic-resistant enterococci in hospitalized and non
      hospitalized individuals.

PMID- 1429334
TI  - Extended spectrum beta-lactamase from Klebsiella oxytoca, not belonging to the
      TEM or SHV family.
AB  - In clinical isolates of Klebsiella oxytoca resistance to cefuroxime and aztreonam
      was mediated by a beta-lactamase, designated KH, (pI 5.25) which could be
      transferred into Escherichia coli by electroporation, but not by conjugation. The
      transformants produced two enzymes with pIs 5.25 and 8.4 respectively, and showed
      resistance to cefuroxime, aztreonam, cefotaxime and ceftazidime. Substrate and
      inhibition profiles indicated that KH beta-lactamase was different from TEM- or
      SHV-like enzymes, but similar to chromosomal K1 beta-lactamase. The enzyme
      profile with pI 8.4 was similar to the enzyme from the recipient and showed
      elevated activity in transformants. The plasmid profiles of the transformants
      were different from those of their donors. However, a plasmid fragment of the K.
      oxytoca isolate KH11 hybridized with a plasmid ranging in size from 4.8 to 7.8
      kilobases in all the transformants and most of the donors. Gene probes encoding
      TEM-1 or SHV-1 did not hybridize with plasmid DNA from the K. oxytoca isolates.
      Furthermore, a probe of the ampC gene did not hybridize with the plasmid but to
      DNA fragments of the same size in whole cell DNA preparations from the E. coli
      XAC recipient and the TKH11 transformants. This indicates that no gross
      rearrangements in the chromosomal beta-lactamase gene region had occurred in the
      transformants which could explain the increased expression of the pI 8.4 beta
      lactamase.

PMID- 1429335
TI  - In-vitro activity of ten antimicrobial agents against penicillin-resistant
      Streptococcus pneumoniae.
AB  - The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of ten antibiotics were determined
      by the agar dilution method for 40 strains of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus
      pneumoniae, all of which were clinical isolates from this laboratory. The
      antibiotics tested were clarithromycin, erythromycin, teicoplanin, vancomycin,
      ceftriaxone, cefodizime, azithromycin, ramoplanin, ciprofloxacin and MDL 62873.
      Of these agents, clarithromycin, vancomycin, teicoplanin, ceftriaxone, ramoplanin
      and MDL 62873 were the most active. The role of these antibiotics as alternatives
      to penicillin for the treatment of infections caused by penicillin-resistant S.
      pneumoniae is discussed.

PMID- 1429336
TI  - The antimicrobial susceptibility of Moraxella catarrhalis isolated in England and
      Scotland in 1991.
AB  - Between 1 January and 31 March 1991, 20 laboratories in England and Scotland sent
      a total of 413 consecutive clinical isolates of Moraxella catarrhalis to The
      London Hospital Medical College (LHMC). After confirmation of identity, the
      susceptibility of all isolates to 11 antimicrobial agents was determined. Of the
      375 (90.8%) isolates which were found at LHMC to be beta-lactamase-positive, 174
      produced zones of inhibition around 2 micrograms ampicillin disc which were
      greater than or equal to 20 mm in diameter and 252 were inhibited by less than or
      equal to 0.5 mg/L of ampicillin. However, 71 of these 375 had been reported to be
      ampicillin-susceptible by peripheral centres. While beta-lactamase had not been
      detected in 35 of these 71 isolates, the other 36 had been reported to be
      ampicillin-susceptible and beta-lactamase-positive. All 38 beta-lactamase
      negative isolates produced zones greater than or equal to 30 mm in diameter and
      were inhibited by less than or equal to 0.06 mg/L of ampicillin. No M.
      catarrhalis isolate was found to be resistant to co-amoxiclav, tetracycline,
      chloramphenicol or cefaclor. Two strains showed intermediate susceptibility to
      erythromycin (MIC 1 mg/L) and 27 required greater than or equal to 32 mg/L of
      sulphamethoxazole for inhibition. Resistance to trimethoprim was uniform (MICs 2
      128 mg/L). Two isolates showed intermediate susceptibility to cefixime (MIC 2
      mg/L) but none was resistant to the new oral cephalosporin cefetamet or to the
      oral carbacephem loracarbef.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429337
TI  - Effects of cefaclor, cefetamet and Ro 40-6890 on inflammatory responses of human
      granulocytes.
AB  - The effect of three cephalosporins (cefetamet, cefaclor and Ro 40-6890) upon
      human granulocytes and their ability to modulate the chemiluminescence response,
      phagocytose, kill bacteria and generate leukotrienes was studied. In the presence
      of the cephalosporins there was a significant increase in phagocytosis of
      Escherichia coli. The bactericidal activity of human granulocytes for several
      other bacteria was also enhanced. Cefetamet and cefaclor increased the
      chemiluminescence response of human neutrophils to Pseudomonas aeruginosa and
      Proteus mirabilis in contrast to Ro 40-68790, which decreased the
      chemiluminescence response. The cephalosporins decreased the synthesis of
      leukotrienes from human neutrophils after stimulation with Escherichia coli and
      Staphylococcus aureus. These data emphasize the immunomodulatory functions of
      various cephalosporins on cells involved in host defence.

PMID- 1429338
TI  - Concentrations of cefpodoxime in serum and bronchial mucosal biopsies.
AB  - Cefpodoxime proxetil is a new orally administered cephalosporin which has a
      favorable spectrum of activity against respiratory pathogens. Concentrations of
      cefpodoxime in serum and bronchial mucosal biopsy were measured in 13 patients
      without active respiratory tract infection undergoing fibreoptic bronchoscopy.
      Samples were taken between 1 and 6 h after a single oral dose of cefpodoxime
      proxetil equivalent to 200 mg of cefpodoxime base. In twelve patients who
      completed the study, mean serum concentrations were 1.7 mg/L (S.E.M. 0.4) and in
      ten patients mean bronchial biopsy concentrations were 0.9 mg/L (S.E.M. 0.2). The
      mean penetration was 54% (S.E.M. 6.1). Cefpodoxime was undetectable in biopsies
      from two patients. The majority of serum and biopsy concentrations were in excess
      of the MIC90S for Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae.
      Cefpodoxime proxetil may be worthy of further study in clinical trials in
      patients with respiratory infections.

PMID- 1429339
TI  - A controlled trial of selective decontamination of the digestive tract in
      intensive care and its effect on nosocomial infection.
AB  - Nosocomial infection is a major problem in intensive therapy units (ITUs) and a
      significant cause of mortality. Selective decontamination of the digestive tract
      (SDD) has been advocated as a means to reduce ITU morbidity and mortality. Ninety
      one patients in a general ITU underwent SDD, consisting of topical polymyxin E,
      tobramycin and amphotericin B administered throughout the unit stay together with
      parenteral ceftazidime for the first three days, and were compared with 84
      historical and 92 contemporaneous control patients who were treated
      conventionally. Twenty-seven historical and 32 contemporaneous control patients
      developed unit-acquired infections, in comparison with only three patients in the
      SDD group (P less than 0.01). Mortality in the SDD group (36%) was not
      significantly different from that in the other two groups (historical control
      40%, contemporaneous control 43%). Screening specimens revealed a significantly
      higher rate of colonization with resistant Acinetobacter spp. in the
      contemporaneous control than in the other two groups of patients; infection
      caused by resistant bacteria did not occur. SDD did not lead to a significant
      reduction in the use of systemically-administered antibiotics when compared with
      either control group. SDD may be used selectively in an ITU without ill effects
      on those patients not receiving SDD; nevertheless, microbiological monitoring is
      needed to detect emergence of resistant bacteria in the unit.

PMID- 1429340
TI  - Hematopoietic growth factors.
AB  - Recent advances in our understanding of the hemolymphopoietic growth factors has
      revolutionized knowledge of blood cell development, the immune system, and of
      tumor cell biology. However, the rapid translation of these insights from basic
      research to the clinic has been perhaps the most dramatic part of the story.
      Commercially available erythropoietin has become established for the treatment of
      the anemia of end-stage renal disease, and promises to be of value in the
      supportive care of patients with cancer and perhaps other chronic diseases. It
      likely will be increasingly utilized for enhancing autologous blood donation and
      for perioperative management. Both GM-CSF and G-CSF only recently released by the
      FDA for specific clinical indications, though there are a variety of potential
      applications (Table 12). It is clear that G-CSF is the therapy of choice for most
      neutropenias and that both agents have effects in diminishing the myelotoxicity
      and mucositis seen after aggressive chemoradiotherapy. However, it is important
      to note that as yet there is no evidence that the use of either G-CSF or GM-CSF
      has resulted in increased cure rates or, in fact, increased survival in patients
      with various malignancies. It would appear that both G-CSF and GM-CSF will, in
      fact, allow dose escalation and/or diminished toxicity of various
      chemotherapeutic regimens. However, there are important considerations in the
      overall place of these cytokines with regard to treatment of human disease. A
      major goal in the therapy of patients with malignancy is obviously prolongation
      of life and cure. If, in fact, escalation of doses of chemotherapeutic agents
      does not result in increased tumor responses or cures then the use of these
      growth factors will have a relatively trivial impact on the care of cancer
      patients. In addition, the disturbing observations of receptors for these growth
      factors on various tumor cell lines and of varying degrees of in vitro tumor cell
      proliferative responses raises the possibility that in some situations they may
      actually stimulate tumor growth. This is an unknown which has not been adequately
      evaluated in any clinical study to date and which may vary from tumor to tumor.
      For example, if these cytokines increase tumor growth rate by 20-30% (an effect
      which would probably not be detected in the clinical studies to date) while
      allowing an escalation of chemotherapy doses it is possible that there would be
      no significant beneficial effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1429341
TI  - T-cell activation-associated antigen expression by neoplastic T-cells.
AB  - In this study, a clinicopathologically and immunophenotypically diverse group of
      T-cell neoplasms were evaluated by one- and two-color flow cytometry and/or
      immunohistochemistry for the presence of eight antigens (T10, T9, IL2-R, EMA, HLA
      DR, LeuM1, Ki-1, and LeuM5) which are expressed in a hierarchical manner by
      phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-activated benign T cells. We found that 70 of the 72 T
      cell neoplasms (97%) expressed at least one of these eight T-cell activation
      associated antigens (T-AAgs) and that the number and type of T-AAgs expressed by
      the neoplastic T cells varied according to the clinicopathologic category of T
      cell neoplasia. All 5 T-cell lymphoblastic malignancies expressed T10 and T9; 2
      also expressed LeuM1. Twelve of 14 (86%) T cell chronic lymphocytic leukemias (T
      CLL) expressed two to four T-AAgs, most frequently T10 (86%) and HLA-DR (79%).
      The 26 cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) expressed between 2 and 5 T-AAgs, most
      commonly T9 (92%) and HLA-DR (92%), and least often T10 (12%) and EMA (15%).
      Twenty-six of 27 (96%) peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCL) expressed more than 4 T
      AAgs. Each of the T-AAgs were expressed by between 22% (LeuM5) and 85% (T9) of
      the PTCLs. Some T-AAgs were preferentially expressed by the PTCLs in association
      with other T-AAgs, such as EMA in association with IL2-R and Ki-1. In addition,
      LeuM5 was preferentially expressed by CD4- CD8+ T-cell neoplasms. However, only
      19 of the 72 (26%) T-cell neoplasms (3/5 lymphoblastic malignancies, 3/14 CLLs,
      0/26 CTCLs, 13/27 PTCLs) expressed T-AAg immunophenotypic profiles paralleling
      those expressed by normal peripheral blood T cells activated in vitro with PHA.
      These results suggest that T-AAg expression by neoplastic T cells does not often
      mirror the hierarchical order of expression by activated benign T cells, implying
      that neoplastic T cells do not usually represent the precise malignant
      counterpart of activated benign, normal T cells.

PMID- 1429342
TI  - In vitro study of erythropoiesis in patients with aplastic anemia and
      myelodysplastic syndromes: a possible tool for prospective determination of the
      clinical effectiveness of growth factors.
AB  - Effects of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEpo) and the combination of
      recombinant human interleukin-3 (rhIL-3) or recombinant human granulocyte
      macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rhGM-CSF) with rhEpo on erythroid colony
      formation were examined in vitro in 13 patients with aplastic anemia and 16 with
      myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The methylcellulose cultures of marrow cells
      from normals and the patients yielded no erythroid colonies in the absence of
      rhEpo. In normals, CFU-E and BFU-E colony formation was significantly increased
      by adding either rhIL-3 or rhGM-CSF with rhEpo, compared with rhEpo alone, and
      rhIL-3 was more potent than rhGM-CSF to form colony-forming units and burst
      forming units of erythroid (CFU-E) (BFU-E) colonies. By adding rhIL-3 with rhEpo,
      CFU-E colony formation was increased in half of patients with RA, compared with
      rhEpo alone, and by rhGM-CSF, in one third. Approximately one third or one fourth
      of the patients with MDS showed increased BFU-E colonies when rhIL-3 or rhGM-CSF
      were added to rhEpo. Cultures containing rhIL-3 or rhGM-CSF with rhEpo yielded
      larger numbers of BFU-E colonies in half of the patients with nonsevere aplastic
      anemia than those containing rhEpo alone. These observations suggest that the
      combination of these growth factors, especially rhIL-3 with rhEpo, is applicable
      to the treatment of anemia in some patients with aplastic anemia and MDS.

PMID- 1429343
TI  - Primary splenic presentation of plasma cell dyscrasia: report of two cases.
AB  - Primary splenic presentation of plasma cell tumors is extremely rare. Recently we
      observed two female patients with primary (initially solitary) plasmacytoma of
      the spleen. While the pathoanatomical diagnosis of plasmacytoma could be
      established easily, the clinical picture in both cases was puzzling and allowed
      no definitive diagnosis to be made. One of the patients exhibited a long-standing
      monoclonal gammopathy. Repeated bone marrow examinations in both patients
      revealed slight increase in plasma cells (between 5 and 10% of all nucleated
      cells), but no infiltrates of multiple myeloma. The leading clinical feature in
      both cases was pronounced splenomegaly (780 g and 1600 g). Histologically both
      spleens exhibited marked infiltration by pleomorphic plasma cells, with monotypic
      expression of IgG kappa in one case and of the light chain lambda in the other. A
      broad panel of monoclonal antibodies detecting various hemopoietic and
      nonhemopoietic antigens was used to determine the immunophenotype of the
      neoplastic plasma cells, but in both cases they reacted only with a minority of
      the antibodies applied. The bone marrow in both cases remained free of tumorous
      infiltrates, but the disease progressed a few months after splenectomy with
      infiltration of the liver in one case and of lymph nodes in the other. To
      summarize, these two cases are definitely not multiple myelomas but could
      represent a distinct entity among the plasma cell dyscrasias for which the
      preliminary term "disseminated plasmacytoma with primary splenic presentation" is
      proposed.

PMID- 1429344
TI  - Trisomy 4: clinical picture, hematology, and survival. Presentation of two cases
      and review of the literature.
AB  - Two patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) and trisomy 4 as the only
      cytogenetic aberration are presented. Including the two, a total of 31 cases with
      this karyotype have been described till now. A review of the 31 cases shows that
      they fall into two distinct age groups, a younger group of 10 patients (5-34
      years) and an older group of 21 patients (50-75 years). With four exceptions the
      diagnosis was ANLL in all cases, mostly FAB classes M2 and M4. At the time of
      diagnosis 18 had clinical signs of active infection. In 20 cases the peripheral
      leukocyte count was above 10 x 10(9)/L but not associated with presence/absence
      of infection. The median survival was 17 months from diagnosis. Independent
      prognostic factors were diagnosis (p = 0.01), peripheral leukocyte count (p =
      0.03), and percentage of metaphases with trisomy 4 (p = 0.04). The two age groups
      as well as presence/absence of infection at the time of diagnosis were without
      significant prognostic consequences.

PMID- 1429345
TI  - Predicting individual differences in complex skill acquisition: dynamics of
      ability determinants.
AB  - Substantial controversy exists about ability determinants of individual
      differences in performance during and subsequent to skill acquisition. This
      investigation addresses the controversy. An information-processing examination of
      ability-performance relations during complex task acquisition is described.
      Included are ability testing (including general, reasoning, spatial, perceptual
      speed, and perceptual/psychomotor abilities) and skill acquisition over practice
      on the terminal radar approach controller simulation. Results validate and extend
      Ackerman's (1988) theory of cognitive ability determinants of individual
      differences in skill acquisition. Benefits of ability component and task
      component analyses over global analyses of ability-skill relations are
      demonstrated. Implications are discussed for selection instruments to predict air
      traffic controller success and for other tasks with inconsistent information
      processing demands.

PMID- 1429346
TI  - The meaning of occupational stress items to survey respondents.
AB  - This study tested the effect of using the word stress in the measurement of self
      reported occupational stressors and strains. Employees from two organizations
      responded to a questionnaire that included specific occupational stressors,
      strains, and 16 items in which the word stress was used. Survey respondents
      tended to interpret the word stress to refer both to employees' strains or
      reactions to the work environment and to job stressors or elements of the
      environment itself. Implications of these findings for occupational stress
      research are discussed.

PMID- 1429347
TI  - The effects of goal difficulty on physiological arousal, cognition, and task
      performance.
AB  - Two laboratory experiments with 117 undergraduate students were conducted to
      examine (a) the effect of assigned goal difficulty on arousal (self-report and
      heart rate), cognition (perceived norm, self-efficacy strength, and personal
      goal), and behavioral (task performance) measures and (b) the role of heart rate
      as a mediator of the goal-difficulty-performance relation. All Ss performed a
      task requiring cognitive and physical responses. Results of both experiments
      demonstrated that assigned goal difficulty affected heart rate, cognition, and
      task performance and that heart-rate change was positively related to the
      cognitive and behavioral measures. Regression analyses suggested that a cognitive
      affective mechanism may mediate the goal-difficulty-performance relation.
      Discussion is focused on the theoretical and practical implications of
      integrating an arousal concept within goal-setting theory.

PMID- 1429348
TI  - Detection measures in real-life criminal guilty knowledge tests.
AB  - The present study provides a first attempt to compare the validity of the
      respiration line length (RLL) and skin resistance response (SRR) amplitude in
      real-life criminal guilty knowledge tests (GKTs). GKT records of 40 innocent and
      40 guilty Ss, for whom actual truth was established by confession, were assessed
      for their accuracy. When a predefined decision rule was used and inconclusive
      decisions were excluded, 97.4% of the innocent Ss and 53.3% of the guilty Ss were
      correctly classified with the SRR measure. For the RLL measure, the respective
      results were 97.2% and 53.1%. The combination of both measures improved detection
      of guilty Ss to 75.8% and decreased detection of innocent Ss to 94.1%. The
      combined measure seems to be a more useful means of identifying guilty suspects
      than each physiological measure alone. The results elaborate and extend those
      obtained in a previous field study conducted by Elaad (1990).

PMID- 1429349
TI  - Subliminal self-help audiotapes: a search for placebo effects.
AB  - Subliminal self-help audiotapes to aid weight loss were evaluated to determine if
      their apparent effectiveness is due to a placebo effect. All subjects were female
      students or staff who were both overweight and believed in the possible
      effectiveness of subliminal audiotapes. Three different groups of subjects were
      tested: One group listened to subliminal audiotapes purchased directly from a
      manufacturer, the 2nd group listened to comparable placebo tapes, and the 3rd
      group did not listen to any tapes at all. Each subject in each group was weighed
      once each week for 5 weeks. All 3 groups of subjects lost weight, and the average
      amount of weight lost by each group was approximately equivalent. These results
      provide no evidence that regular use of subliminal audiotapes leads to a placebo
      effect. Rather, the results suggest that regular use of subliminal audiotapes may
      simply make subjects more conscious of their weight.

PMID- 1429350
TI  - Modulation of the growth and morphology of a human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell
      line by growth factors.

PMID- 1429351
TI  - Test system for human tumor cell sensitivity to drugs on chicken chorioallantoic
      membranes.

PMID- 1429352
TI  - New embryonic cell line from Aedes krombeini (H.) (Diptera:Culicidae)

PMID- 1429354
TI  - Snake venom platelet inhibitor (rhodostomin) inhibits cell-attachment.

PMID- 1429353
TI  - Fate of antibody-neocarzinostatin conjugates bound to human colonic carcinoma
      cells in vitro.

PMID- 1429355
TI  - Long-term passage of human tissues in vitro as three-dimensional histolines.

PMID- 1429356
TI  - A new side-by-side diffusion cell for studying transport across epithelial cell
      monolayers.

PMID- 1429357
TI  - TGF-beta does not appear to mediate all effects of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13
      acetate on the anchorage-independent growth of murine epithelial JB6 cells.

PMID- 1429358
TI  - Is melatonin really an in vitro inhibitor of human breast cancer cell
      proliferation?

PMID- 1429359
TI  - Glucose consumption end point in primary histoculture indicates recovery of human
      tumors from drug treatment.

PMID- 1429360
TI  - Protein profiles of embryonic, adult and transformed frog kidney cells.

PMID- 1429361
TI  - Cells, lines and DNA fingerprinting.

PMID- 1429362
TI  - Optimization of estrogen growth response in MCF-7 cells.
AB  - The factors involved in estradiol-17 beta induced growth stimulation of MCF-7
      human breast cancer cells have been examined. Wild type MCF-7 cells (and clone
      E3) were shown to undergo slow growth in phenol-red-free medium containing
      specific calf sera. The E3 clone was used to document a mean 6-day growth
      stimulation of 3.35-fold (doubling time = 33 +/- 3 h) in cultures supplemented
      with 10(-11) M estradiol-17 beta. The serum batch utilized in the culture medium
      is most important in acquiring significant growth stimulation of MCF-7 cells by
      estradiol-17 beta. Regardless of the absence of phenol-red, only selected sera (2
      out of 14 tested) supported minimal growth of MCF-7 cells in the absence of added
      estradiol 17 beta (doubling time = 55 +/- 11 h). When a calf-serum-supplemented
      culture failed to display a complete growth response to estradiol-17 beta, it was
      due to the rapid growth of the cells in the control (minus estradiol-17 beta)
      flasks. Sera that promoted shorter doubling times for MCF-7 cells cultured in the
      absence of estradiol-17 beta were rendered less supportive of growth if treated
      with dextran-coated charcoal or when cultures were supplemented with the estrogen
      antagonist ICI 164,384 (10(-7) M). Pooled extracts of these sera were shown to
      contain stimulatory levels of estradiol-17 beta. Dextran-coated charcoal
      treatment of sera removed or deactivated factors (other than estradiol-17 beta)
      which were not only required for the growth of MCF-7 cells, but were necessary
      for estrogen-stimulated growth. Varying the serum-containing medium, buffer, and
      nutrient mix or the addition of insulin has no effect on the growth response of
      these cells to estradiol-17 beta. These investigations document the culture
      conditions required to produce a maximal and consistent proliferative effect of
      E2 on MCF-7 cells without exposing the serum constituent to damaging chemical or
      absorbent agents.

PMID- 1429363
TI  - Isolation and long-term maintenance of differentiated adult chicken hepatocytes
      in primary culture.
AB  - Adult chicken hepatocytes were obtained by an adaptation of the two step in situ
      collagenase perfusion. Usually 0.5 to 1 x 10(9) cells were obtained, with 75 to
      95% viability. Hepatocytes attached within 2 h when plated on plastic cell
      culture dishes and spread in 4 h, surviving for several months in a specific
      serum-free medium. These cells retained a typical parenchymal cell morphology and
      the ability to produce a specific protein (albumin) throughout the culture
      period. We hereby provide a suitable model for studying hepatic metabolism in
      birds.

PMID- 1429364
TI  - Nerve growth factor binding sites on hepatic parenchymal cells.
AB  - Nerve growth factor (NGF) binding sites on rat hepatocytes (HCs) in culture for
      24 to 48 h were characterized using 125I-NGF. Specific binding of 125I-NGF to HCs
      was saturable. Scatchard analysis indicated a single population of binding sites
      with a Kd of 5.5 nM and a Bmax of 540 fmol/mg protein. In isolated hepatocyte
      membranes, specific binding of 125I-NGF was also apparent with Kd and Bmax values
      of 10.8 nM and 3740 fmol/mg protein, respectively. Specific binding of 125I-NGF
      to HCs was displaced by excess, unlabeled NGF but not by up to 1000-fold excess
      of either insulin or epidermal growth factor. Internalization/sequestration of
      125I-NGF into HCs was measured as radioactivity present in solubilized cells
      after exposure to high salt and acid. These studies indicated 83 +/- 11% of 125I
      NGF was accumulated by internalization/sequestration at a concentration of 1 nM
      125I-NGF. Internalization was reduced to 43 +/- 4% when incubations were carried
      out at 4 degrees C. These results indicate the presence of a specific, low
      affinity binding site for NGF on hepatocytes in culture.

PMID- 1429365
TI  - Hormonal induction of functional differentiation and mammary-derived growth
      inhibitor expression in cultured mouse mammary gland explants.
AB  - A method for the cultivation of organ explants from abdominal mammary glands of
      virgin mice has been established. In a serum-free medium containing aldosterone,
      prolactin, insulin, and cortisol (APIH medium) mammary gland development was
      documented by lobuloalveolar morphogenesis. The hormonal requirements for in
      vitro expression of beta-casein and of the mammary-derived growth inhibitor
      (MDGI) were tested. To this end, a full length cDNA coding for mouse MDGI was
      prepared displaying strong homologies to a mouse heart fatty acid binding
      protein, which is also expressed in the mammary gland. MDGI and beta-casein
      transcripts were found to be absent in the mammary tissue from primed virgin
      mice, and were induced upon culture of mammary explants in the APIH medium. An
      immunohistochemical analysis with specific antibodies against MDGI and casein
      revealed a different pattern of expression for the two proteins. In the APIH
      medium, MDGI was expressed mainly in differentiating alveolar cells of the
      lobuloalveolar structures, whereas beta-casein was present in both ductules and
      alveoli. The relationship between functional differentiation and MDGI expression
      was further studied in explants from glands of late-pregnant mice. At this stage
      of development, MDGI is found both in ducts and in alveoli. If explants were
      cultured with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin, the lobuloalveolar
      structure was still present, whereas MDGI disappeared. Reinduction of MDGI
      expression was achieved by subsequent PIH treatment. Independent on developmental
      stage, EGF strongly inhibits MDGI mRNA expression. It is concluded that MDGI
      expression is associated with functional differentiation in the normal gland.

PMID- 1429366
TI  - Antioxidant enzymes in the differentiated Caco-2 cell line.
AB  - Injury to the gastrointestinal tract by oxygen dependent processes is important
      in ischemia, inflammatory bowel disease, and necrotizing enterocolitis. The Caco
      2 cell line is an important tool in assessing various gastrointestinal functions
      and offers a unique opportunity to assess gastrointestinal oxidant metabolism on
      a cellular level. However, some Caco-2 cell functions change with time after
      confluence. To determine if antioxidant enzyme activity changes during
      differentiation, Caco-2 cells were grown to confluence, and superoxide dismutase,
      glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and catalase activities and
      specific mRNA content were quantitated. With time after confluence the enzymes
      demonstrated a small, but statistically significant increase in activity. Neither
      superoxide dismutase nor glutathione peroxidase mRNA levels correlated with
      enzyme activity changes. Catalase mRNA levels increased as catalase activity
      increased. Thus, differentiated Caco-2 cells express superoxide dismutase,
      glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and catalase activities and the
      superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase genes. Superoxide
      dismutase activity and glutathione peroxidase activity do not correlate with mRNA
      levels, and suggest that regulation may be at a level other than transcription.
      The correlation between catalase activity and catalase mRNA suggests
      differentiation may occur at transcription. If Caco-2 cells are used to elucidate
      oxidative metabolism, changes in activities of antioxidant enzymes as a function
      of cell differentiation should be considered.

PMID- 1429367
TI  - Two unique human leukemic T-cell lines endowed with a stable cytotoxic function
      and a different spectrum of target reactivity analysis and modulation of their
      lytic mechanisms.
AB  - We have reported the establishment of two interleukin (IL)-2-dependent human
      leukemic cell lines (TALL-103/2 [CD3+TCR gamma delta +] and TALL-104 [CD3+ TCR
      alpha beta +]) which display major histocompatibility complex nonrestricted
      tumoricidal activity. Whereas TALL-103/2 cells lyse only natural killer cell
      susceptible targets, TALL-104 cells display a broad range of tumor target
      reactivity. In reverse antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC),
      lysis by both cell lines is triggered by monoclonal antibodies (mAb) recognizing
      CD3 and, to a lesser extent, CD2, but not CD8 or CD56 antigens. In conventional
      cytotoxic assays, the lytic activity of both cell lines is strictly Ca(2+)
      dependent. In reverse ADCC, lysis by TALL-103/2 cells is highly dependent on the
      presence of Ca2+, whereas TALL-104 cells seem to only partially require
      extracellular Ca2+. The cytoplasm of both cell lines contains azurophilic
      granules typical of cytotoxic cells. Northern blot analysis demonstrates mRNA
      expression of pore-forming protein (PFP; perforin) and serine esterases (SE). The
      magnitude of expression of these transcripts and of lytic activity depends on the
      doses of IL-2. Upon deprivation of IL-2, TALL-103/2 cells completely lose
      cytotoxic granules and function within 16 h, whereas TALL-104 cells progressively
      lose expression of PFP and SE mRNA, as well as killer activity, within 4 wk. Both
      anti-CD3 mAb and lysable target cells induce efficient BLT-esterase secretion
      from TALL-103/2 and TALL-104 cells analogous to findings with conventional
      cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The stable expression of tumoricidal activity over 2 yr
      in culture renders these cell lines unique and very useful for studies on the
      regulation of cell-mediated lysis in vitro and in animal models.

PMID- 1429368
TI  - Inducible expression of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, tumor
      necrosis factor-alpha, and interferon-gamma in two human cytotoxic leukemic T
      cell lines.
AB  - We investigated the ability of the TALL-103/2 and TALL-104 leukemic cell lines to
      produce lymphokines in response to activation signals, such as tumor cells and
      anti-CD3 (OKT3) or -CD2 (B67.1) monoclonal antibodies (mAb) or both. Both cell
      lines were found to produce high levels of interferon (IFN)-gamma, tumor necrosis
      factor (TNF)-alpha, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM
      CSF). The latter lymphokine is induced by lysable tumor cells and by immobilized
      OKT3 and B67.1 mAb only in the presence of interleukin (IL-2). IFN-gamma and TNF
      alpha are induced upon CD3 but not CD2 stimulation, both in the presence and
      absence of IL-2. Interestingly, the B67.1 mAb amplifies the OKT3-induced
      responses by 2- to 10-fold, bringing the IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha levels of
      production up to 200 U/ml. Thus, simultaneous triggering of the CD2 and CD3
      signaling pathways results in a very efficient lymphokine release. Of all the
      tumor cell lines tested as inducers, only K562 cells are able to stimulate the
      production of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha in TALL-103/2 and TALL-104 cells,
      especially upon culture in IL-2. Lymphokine mRNA expression after stimulation
      with mAb or K562 cells peaks at 2 h in both cell lines. No messages are
      detectable in TALL-103/2 cells at 8 h, whereas in TALL-104 cells, IFN-gamma and
      GM-CSF transcripts are still present at 8 and 20 h, respectively. The inducible
      and highly regulatable expression of lymphokine release by these cell lines
      provides a unique model for studying mechanisms of lymphokine induction by
      different biological agents.

PMID- 1429369
TI  - Phospholipids regulate growth and function of MDCK cells in hormonally defined
      serum free medium.
AB  - The effects of the simple phospholipids phosphatidic acid (PA) and
      lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) on the growth and function of Madin Darby Canine
      Kidney (MDCK) cells has been studied. We observed that PA and LPA not only
      stimulated the growth of MDCK cells (at 20 microM), but also stimulated the
      growth of normal rabbit kidney cells in serum free medium (albeit at a lower
      dosage of 5 microM). Evidence was obtained that PA interacts synergistically with
      insulin so as to elicit a growth stimulatory effect. Recently, extracellular PA
      and LPA were proposed to stimulate mitogenesis in several types of animal cells
      by binding to particular sites on the plasma membrane which are coupled to
      signaling mechanisms such as adenylate cyclase via a pertussis toxin sensitive,
      inhibitory guanosine triphosphate binding protein (Gi protein) (15). However,
      even when the pertussis toxin dosage was increased to 50 ng/ml, LPA still had a
      dramatic growth stimulatory effect on MDCK cells. In the absence of LPA pertussis
      toxin was slightly growth stimulatory to MDCK cells. Phospholipids such as PA and
      LPA have been observed to prevent prostaglandin-induced increases in adenylate
      cyclase activity in other cell types via their effects on such a pertussis toxin
      sensitive Gi protein. If PA and LPA act on MDCK cells in this manner, then these
      phospholipids may possibly prevent the effect of PGE1 on the growth of normal
      MDCK cells. However PGE1 was still growth stimulatory to normal MDCK cells. The
      effects of PA on PGE1 independent variants of MDCK cells, which have elevated
      intracellular cyclic AMP levels (22), were also examined. In the presence of PA,
      PGE1 remained growth inhibitory, rather than growth stimulatory to the PGE1
      independent cells. However, the PA dosage required to elicit an optimal growth
      response (5 microM) was dramatically reduced, as compared with normal MDCK cells
      (20 microM). This altered dosage requirement could be explained by the elevated
      intracellular cyclic AMP levels in the PGE1 independent variants. Like PGE1 and 8
      bromocyclic AMP, PA and LPA also significantly increased the initial rate of Rb+
      uptake by confluent monolayers of MDCK cells. The increase in the initial rate of
      Rb+ uptake could be explained by an increase in the ouabain-sensitive component
      of Rb+ uptake. An increase in the initial rate of ouabain-insensitive Rb+ uptake
      was also observed in LPA treated MDCK cell cultures.

PMID- 1429370
TI  - RB tumor suppressor gene expression responds to DNA synthesis inhibitors.
AB  - Expression of the RB tumor suppressor gene, whose function is putatively in
      controlling cell growth, may be regulated by S-phase specific inhibitors of DNA
      synthesis that are commonly used in cell synchronization and cancer chemotherapy.
      Relatively low concentrations of the agents, cytosine arabinoside,
      bromodeoxyuridine, 5-fluorouracil, hydroxyurea, methotrexate and retinoic acid,
      were tested. At low concentrations still permitting submaximal cell growth, these
      drugs all changed RB gene expression, causing either up or down regulation of RB
      expression to varying degrees. Despite their potential similarity as a class, the
      nucleotide analogues elicited differential effects. The drug-induced up or down
      regulation of RB expression did not correlate with changes in c-myc expression
      indicating that the changes are not a manifestation of general metabolic changes
      potentially associated with altered proliferation. Amongst the agents considered,
      retinoic acid was the only one that caused a significant parallel reduction in RB
      and c-myc expression in the HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells tested. The
      results thus show that even low concentrations of DNA synthesis inhibitors can
      have unpredictable affects on expression of growth regulatory genes.

PMID- 1429372
TI  - Government and other regulations of clinical practice.

PMID- 1429371
TI  - A simplified method for the culturing of primary adult rat and human hepatocytes
      as multicellular spheroids.
AB  - A simple and highly reproducible method was established for the culturing of
      adult rat and human hepatocytes as multicellular aggregates (spheroids). Purified
      rat and human liver parenchymal cells were cultured on nontissue culture
      (bacteriological) polystyrene petri dishes on a rotating platform. After an
      overnight incubation, the cells were found to form multicellular aggregates. The
      aggregates became spheroidal in shape after several days in culture. Histological
      sections of the spheroids showed an organized structure consisting of squamated
      cells on the outermost layer and cuboidal cells in the interior. Cellular
      structures characteristic of hepatocytes in the liver in vivo including bile
      canaliculi, peroxisomes, Golgi bodies, abundant mitochondria, and rough and
      smooth endoplasmic reticulum were observed with electron microscopy. The
      spheroids were found to be viable up to the longest time studied of approx. 1
      month in culture as demonstrated by their adherence and growth on collagen-coated
      substratum. The morphological resemblance between hepatocytes cultured as
      spheroids and the liver in vivo suggests that the spheroids may be a useful in
      vitro experimental model of the liver. Our simple method should allow hepatocytes
      to be cultured as spheroids easily in any laboratory equipped for cell culture.
      Our study here also is the first to report the culturing of human hepatocytes as
      spheroids.

PMID- 1429373
TI  - The senior physicians of Arkansas: a decade (almost!) in review.

PMID- 1429375
TI  - Arkansas Medical Society. New members.

PMID- 1429374
TI  - Arkansas HIV/AIDS report 1983-1992.

PMID- 1429376
TI  - Electrocardiogram of the month.

PMID- 1429377
TI  - Radiological case of the month. Small bowel obstruction--patient A. Adynamic
      ileus--patient B.

PMID- 1429378
TI  - TTL auto flash--Part 1: Calibration and compensation for close-up photography.

PMID- 1429379
TI  - "Gene in the bottle".

PMID- 1429380
TI  - A photographic apparatus designed to save time and labor. 1933.

PMID- 1429382
TI  - Colored lantern slides of photomicrographs from a single negative.1933.

PMID- 1429381
TI  - The reversal of 16 mm. positive film or movies for approximately a cent and one
      half per foot.1933.

PMID- 1429383
TI  - The invisible photographic screen.1933.

PMID- 1429384
TI  - The development of photographic chemistry.1933.

PMID- 1429385
TI  - Nicholas M. Graver receives Louis Schmidt Award.

PMID- 1429386
TI  - Understanding computer viruses.

PMID- 1429387
TI  - High resolution electronic imaging of the human body.

PMID- 1429388
TI  - Comments on the untoward effects of corticosteroids on the musculoskeletal
      system.

PMID- 1429389
TI  - The untoward effects of steroid treatment on the musculoskeletal system and what
      to do about them.
AB  - The focus of this review is the musculoskeletal side effects of corticosteroids.
      These untoward effects can be divided into high-dose phenomena (myopathy and
      aseptic necrosis) and low-dose problems (growth suppression and osteoporosis).
      For the clinician, the former group may be an uncommon experience whereas the
      latter group is highly predictable. The low-dose problems are subtle and
      asymptomatic, and they can occur in spite of alternate day dosing with steroids.
      Treatments available to prevent or treat these side effects in patients who are
      unable to discontinue steroids are reviewed.

PMID- 1429390
TI  - Airway response to inhaled fenoterol in hyperthyroid patients before and after
      treatment.
AB  - Bronchodilatory response to inhaled fenoterol was studied in 15 hyperthyroid
      patients before and after successful treatment with antithyroid drugs. Baseline
      forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) were
      lower than the predicted values in 12 and 11 patients, respectively. Improved
      values were seen after treatment for hyperthyroidism although statistical
      significance was not reached. Even if some improvement occurred in PEFR (a rise
      by 0.24-0.48 L/s) and FVC (increase of 73-78 ml) in the hyperthyroid state in
      response to fenoterol inhalation after various time intervals, the increase in
      different parameters of lung function was significantly more after the patients
      achieved euthyroid state (increases in FVC by 290-165 ml; in FEV1 by 333-193 ml;
      in peak expiratory flow (PEFR) by 0.75-0.52 L/s and in forced expiratory flow
      (FEF50%) by 0.55-0.31 L/s). In the euthyroid state the mean absolute improvements
      from the baseline values were significantly higher (< 0.05-0.001). These
      observations indicate that bronchodilatory response is impaired in the presence
      of excess thyroid hormones and improves after euthyroid state is achieved.

PMID- 1429392
TI  - House-dust mite allergy and eosinophilia in patients with asthma in Rangoon
      (Yangon).
AB  - Skin tests were done by prick and intradermal techniques, using house dust mite
      (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) antigen on 35 patients with early onset asthma,
      33 with late onset asthma, 43 with asthma and frequent cough with sputum
      production (chronic bronchitis) and 30 control subjects. Absolute blood
      eosinophil and sputum eosinophil (as percentage of leukocytes) counts were
      performed on each patient. Positive skin tests to house dust mite antigens were
      significantly more frequent in each of the patient groups (35-75%) than in
      control subjects (0%), but were not significantly different among the three
      groups of asthmatics. All three groups of asthmatics had significantly higher
      mean blood absolute eosinophil counts and sputum eosinophil counts than control
      subjects, eosinophilia being most frequent in patients with early onset asthma.
      These findings suggest the importance of exposure to house dust mite antigens in
      the development of asthma in patients in Rangoon (Yangon), Burma (Myanmar).

PMID- 1429391
TI  - Airway responses to repeated exercises detected by krypton-81m in asthmatic
      children.
AB  - A repeated exercise program was used to test 7 asthmatic children for changes in
      ventilation. These changes were examined by continuously inhaled Krypton-81m and
      compared in subjects with positive and negative refractoriness, as defined by
      forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). Three of the seven patients showed
      significant refractoriness (% reduction in FEV1 > 50%). After the first exercise,
      they showed one or two ventilation defects which improved after the second
      exercise. The patient with incomplete refractoriness showed similar results. On
      the contrary, subjects without refractoriness showed several ventilation defects
      which fluctuated after the second or third exercise program. One defected area
      improved after the second exercise session, but deteriorated after the third; and
      another area deteriorated after the second exercise and improved after the third.
      It was concluded that approximately half of the patients were refractory in view
      of FEV1, but that they were all refractory in view of regional ventilation 81mKr
      images.

PMID- 1429393
TI  - A life activities questionnaire for adult asthma.
AB  - The development, testing, and applicability of an instrument, the Life Activities
      Questionnaire for Adult Asthma is described that can be used to assess activity
      restriction in adults with asthma. It explains how items for the instrument were
      selected to insure the validity of the developed instrument. The reliability of
      the questionnaire is also discussed. The result is a valid and reliable paper-and
      pencil instrument that should have wide applicability as a component of quality
      of life measurement. This instrument has potential for functional use in clinical
      settings, research environments, and policy-making procedures.

PMID- 1429394
TI  - A protocol for aerosol therapy in acute hospitalized asthmatics.
AB  - The most important element in the treatment of acute hospitalized asthmatics is
      salbutamol administered via wet nebulization prescribed usually on a subjective
      evaluation of the patient's status. This study outlines a novel protocol that
      incorporates the FEV1 variable as the major objective parameter in a feedback
      loop. Data from patients admitted in the year prior to the initiation of the
      protocol (N = 348) were compared with similar data from patients hospitalized the
      year following institution of the protocol (N = 238). There were no withdrawals
      from the protocol due to adverse effects nor were there any deteriorations
      requiring ICU admission. A significant decrease in the length of hospitalization
      and the number of salbutamol prescriptions per hospitalization was observed
      after, relative to before, institution of the protocol (2.2 vs. 2.6 days; 2.3 vs.
      3.8; p < .05, respectively). It is concluded that this protocol is safe and
      efficient, and may also be more efficacious than a nonstandardized approach for
      treating the hospitalized asthmatic child.

PMID- 1429395
TI  - A mediastinal tumor in an asthmatic boy.

PMID- 1429396
TI  - Debunking the myths of adolescence: findings from recent research.
AB  - This review summarizes some of the important research findings on adolescence
      that have accumulated during the past two decades. Current understanding of the
      adolescent age-period is first discussed with particular attention to the
      previously held myths about adolescence. Second, a review of existing studies
      that have examined the problems and help-seeking behaviors of adolescents is
      presented. Overall, the majority of recent research findings suggest adolescence
      should not be characterized as a time of severe emotional upheaval and turmoil
      because the majority (80%) of adolescents manage this transition quite well.
      Nevertheless, a sizable proportion of youth (20%) do not fare so well, with many
      not receiving the help they may need.

PMID- 1429397
TI  - Children, adolescents, and substance abuse. Introduction.

PMID- 1429398
TI  - Hospitalized children of substance-abusing parents and physically and sexually
      abused children: a comparison.
AB  - The symptoms and diagnoses of 58 psychiatrically hospitalized children aged 12 or
      under who were children of substance abusing parents (COSAPs) were compared with
      a matched group of 51 children who were not COSAPs. These two groups were further
      subdivided according to history or lack of history of physical and/or sexual
      abuse. Symptoms and diagnoses of COSAPs and physically and/or sexually abused
      (P/SAs) children differed significantly from the hospitalized group who were
      neither COSAPs nor P/SAs. Being a COSAP and/or P/SA are strong correlates of
      psychiatric hospitalization for the children studied. Both high-risk groups
      should be awarded special diagnostic and treatment consideration that would
      include their systematic identification and focused treatment.

PMID- 1429399
TI  - Childhood psychopathology in families with multigenerational alcoholism.
AB  - The present study examined psychopathology in high-risk children (ages 8 to 18)
      from families with a multigenerational history of alcoholism and contrasted them
      with low-risk children from community control families. Similar rates of
      childhood disorders were found for the high- and low-risk groups whether or not
      the children lived with an alcoholic parent. These findings suggest that the
      increased psychopathology commonly reported for children of alcoholics arises
      from comorbidity within the extended family as a result of assortative mating.
      When comorbidity is reduced through the selection of families with only
      alcoholism, a different symptom picture emerges.

PMID- 1429400
TI  - Characteristics of adolescent psychiatric patients who engage in problematic
      behavior while intoxicated.
AB  - Although many adolescent psychiatric patients drink and use drugs, not all engage
      in problematic behaviors or experience social difficulties while intoxicated. The
      goal of this study was to identify characteristics of adolescent psychiatric
      patients for whom intoxication leads to behavioral, social, and medical problems.
      Alcohol-involved adolescent psychiatric inpatients were divided into high and low
      problem severity groups and compared on a number of measures. The groups did not
      differ in alcohol or drug consumption or psychiatric diagnoses. High problem
      severity was primarily associated with drinking in response to unpleasant affect
      and the belief that alcohol enhances social behavior. Explanations for the
      results are discussed, along with clinical implications.

PMID- 1429401
TI  - Psychiatric disorders in substance-abusing adolescent inpatients: a pilot study.
AB  - In a pilot study of 226 adolescents entering inpatient treatment because of a
      primary substance use disorder, 82% met DSM-III-R criteria for an Axis I
      psychiatric disorder. Of this population, 74% had two or more psychiatric
      disorders. Mood disorders were found in 61%, conduct disorders in 54%, and
      anxiety disorders in 43%. Substance induced organic mental disorders were found
      in 16%. The data argue strongly for the simultaneous evaluation of both substance
      use and psychiatric disorders in this type of adolescent population. The pilot
      study also demonstrates the relative frequency of dually diagnosed subgroups. The
      authors propose that the dual diagnosis subgrouping may have specific treatment
      implications involving a combined psychiatric and substance abuse treatment
      approach.

PMID- 1429402
TI  - Patterns of affective comorbidity in a clinical population of dually diagnosed
      adolescent substance abusers.
AB  - Patterns of affective comorbidity with substance abuse are examined in a sample
      of 156 adolescent psychiatric inpatients, ages 13 to 18 years old. Affective
      disorders, including adjustment disorder with depressed mood, were observed in
      51.3% of patients. A total of 30.7% of patients had comorbid major depression. In
      both males and females, secondary major depressive disorder was more common than
      its primary form. In this population, the primary-secondary paradigm did not
      predict either acute remission for depressive symptoms or distinct family history
      of comorbid disorders. Consistent with previous studies of adults, significantly
      more females had comorbid affective disorder and significantly more males had
      conduct disorder.

PMID- 1429403
TI  - Comparison between treatment completers and noncompleters among dually diagnosed
      substance-abusing adolescents.
AB  - The psychiatric and demographic characteristics that may distinguish treatment
      completers from noncompleters among hospitalized adolescents with substance abuse
      and comorbid psychiatric disorders were examined. Affective and adjustment
      disorders were more prevalent among treatment completers whereas non-completers
      were more likely to be assigned a conduct disorder diagnosis. There were no
      differences between the groups with respect to demographic and legal status,
      education level and lifetime psychiatric diagnosis in the parents or caretakers,
      living arrangements, treatment history, and perception of treatment benefits. A
      higher percentage of treatment completers than noncompleters received
      psychotropic medications. The factors contributing to treatment termination as
      well as the clinical and research implications of the findings are discussed.

PMID- 1429404
TI  - Obsessions and compulsions across time in 79 children and adolescents with
      obsessive-compulsive disorder.
AB  - Individual symptoms of 79 children and adolescents with severe obsessive
      compulsive disorder were obtained from chart review of at least two in-persons
      evaluations and recorded across an average of 7.9 years (range, 2 to 16).
      Symptoms were grouped according to the categories of the Yale-Brown Symptom
      Checklist. No significant age related trends were found with any one type of
      symptom, although patients with a very early onset of illness (less than 6 years
      old) were more likely to have compulsions than obsessions. Across the study
      period, patients reported symptoms from many different symptom categories, with
      47% of the patients displaying both washing and checking compulsions at some time
      during their illness. No patient maintained the same constellation of symptoms
      from presentation to follow-up. These data support the concept of obsessive
      compulsive disorder as an illness with varied clinical manifestations that
      individually change over time.

PMID- 1429405
TI  - An epidemiological study of obsessive-compulsive disorder and related disorders
      in Israeli adolescents.
AB  - Five hundred and sixty-two, 16- to 17-year-old consecutive inductees into the
      Israeli Army, constituting a random sample of their cohort, were screened for
      obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Tourette's syndrome, transient tics (TT),
      chronic multiple tics (CMT), and attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD).
      Two child psychiatrists interviewed the subjects, using screening items from
      structured interviews that implement DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria. For OCD, a
      point prevalence of 3.6% was found, 3.9% for ADHD, 1.8% for CMT, and 1.6% for TT.
      For ADHD, TT, and CMT, but not for OCD, there was a significantly higher
      prevalence for males than for females. Among the OCD individuals, there was an
      elevation of TT, CMT, and Tourette's syndrome relative to the population rates.

PMID- 1429407
TI  - DSM-III-R anxiety disorders in children: sociodemographic and clinical
      characteristics.
AB  - This study investigated the characteristics of each of the specific DSM-III-R
      (American Psychiatric Association, 1987) anxiety disorders in a clinic sample of
      188 anxiety disordered children. Characteristics examined included
      sociodemographic variables (age-at-intake, gender, and race of the child, and
      family marital and socioeconomic status) and clinical variables (disorder age-at
      onset and severity, and history of additional disorders). Findings are discussed
      in light of the contemporary literature on childhood anxiety disorders.

PMID- 1429408
TI  - Clinical phenomenology of child and adolescent dissociative disorders.
AB  - A comparison of two separately diagnosed samples of children and adolescents with
      dissociative disorders demonstrates good construct validity for these diagnoses
      in childhood. Descriptive analyses of the total sample reveal a clinical profile
      characterized by a plethora of affective, anxiety, conduct, posttraumatic, and
      dissociative symptoms. Children with multiple personality disorder (MPD) differ
      from those with dissociative disorder not otherwise specified (DDNOS) in having
      more amnesias, identity disturbances, and hallucinations. Adolescents were more
      symptomatic than children age 11 or younger and more likely to receive a
      diagnosis of multiple personality disorder.

PMID- 1429406
TI  - Double-blind, crossover trial of fluoxetine and placebo in children and
      adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
AB  - Rigorously designed clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of
      fluoxetine in adults with major depressive disorder and obsessive-compulsive
      disorder (OCD) but not in patients below 18 years old. This report describes a
      randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, fixed-dose (20 mg qd) trial of
      fluoxetine in 14 children and adolescents with OCD, ages 8 to 15 years old; the
      study was 20 weeks long with crossover at 8 weeks. Obsessive-compulsive symptom
      severity was measured on the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY
      BOCS) and the Clinician's Global Impression-Obsessive Compulsive Disorder scale
      (CGI-OCD). The CY-BOCS total score decreased 44% (N = 7, p = .003) after the
      initial 8 weeks of fluoxetine treatment, compared with a 27% decrease (N = 6, p =
      .13) after placebo. During the initial 8 weeks, the magnitude of improvement for
      the fluoxetine group significantly exceeded that for the placebo group as
      measured by the CGI-OCD (p = .01) but not by the CY-BOCS (p = .17). The most
      common drug side effects were generally well tolerated. The results suggest that
      fluoxetine is a generally safe and effective short-term treatment for children
      with OCD.

PMID- 1429409
TI  - Avoidant disorder and social phobia in children and adolescents.
AB  - The diagnoses of avoidant disorder and social phobia in children have received
      little research attention. Although DSM-III-R describes avoidant disorder and
      social phobia as data are available to support this notion. The current study
      examined characteristics of avoidant disorder and social phobia by comparing
      outpatient youngsters with avoidant disorder, social phobia, and avoidant
      disorder plus social phobia on demographic variables and patterns of comorbidity.
      The psychiatric groups were compared with matched normal controls on symptom
      measures of depression and fear. Findings indicated that the three psychiatric
      groups were strikingly similar on all but one variable, age at intake. These
      findings question the notion of avoidant disorder and social phobia as distinct
      disorders in children and adolescents.

PMID- 1429410
TI  - An integrated medical and psychiatric approach to conversion symptoms in a four
      year-old.
AB  - Conversion disorder is a challenging diagnosis in children and adolescents.
      Medical and psychiatric diagnoses need to be evaluated both separately and in
      relation to each other. This case highlights both the diagnostic criteria for a
      conversion disorder in a young child and the need for an integrated medical and
      psychiatric approach by physicians.

PMID- 1429411
TI  - Buspirone-associated mental status changes.
AB  - The pharmacological management of anxiety in children primarily has used
      antidepressants, such as imipramine. Buspirone, an atypical anxiolytic, has been
      shown to be of benefit in both adults and children. It has relatively few side
      effects and is generally well tolerated. Two cases are reported here involving
      children treated for anxiety with buspirone who subsequently suffered a possible
      psychotic deterioration.

PMID- 1429412
TI  - Recruitment and training of child and adolescent psychiatry residents from
      pediatrics.
AB  - This article describes a 21-year experience of recruiting and training child and
      adolescent psychiatry residents with pediatric backgrounds. Three grounds of
      physicians are compared: those with previous training in general psychiatry
      alone, those with previous training in both general psychiatry and pediatrics,
      and those with previous training in pediatrics alone. Residents with pediatric
      backgrounds compared favorably with those with general psychiatry training. Those
      with only pediatric training were not only able to successfully complete the
      residency, but also the majority entered the field of child psychiatry. The
      findings support accepting residents directly from pediatrics as a viable pathway
      into child psychiatry.

PMID- 1429413
TI  - Screening for psychosocial dysfunction in inner-city children: further validation
      of the Pediatric Symptom checklist.
AB  - A sample of 123 6- to 12-year-old outpatients at an inner-city pediatric clinic
      was screened for psychosocial dysfunction using the Pediatric Symptom Checklist
      (PSC), a brief parent-completed questionnaire. The prevalence of positive
      screening scores on the PSC was 22%, significantly higher than the rate found in
      lower middle to upper middle-class samples. Comparing PSC case classifications
      with comprehensive assessments made by clinicians, overall agreement was 92%
      (kappa = 0.82; sensitivity = 88%; specificity = 100%); a comparison with several
      other measures provided additional support for the validity of the PSC. The PSC's
      reliability over time was also acceptable. These findings provide preliminary
      evidence that the PSC is as valid and reliable for screening children from
      economically disadvantaged and minority backgrounds as it is for middle and upper
      middle-class populations.

PMID- 1429414
TI  - Prevalence and predictors of pervasive noncompliance with medical treatment among
      youths with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
AB  - School-age children were assessed longitudinally for up to 9 years, after the
      onset of their insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), to determine the time
      dependent risk of the psychiatric diagnosis of noncompliance with medical
      treatment and to examine protective and risk factors. The cumulative risk for
      this diagnosis over the 9 years was .45. Noncompliance tended to emerge in middle
      adolescence and was found to be protracted. Social competence, self-esteem, and
      aspects of family functioning at IDDM onset and initial psychiatric status did
      not predict noncompliance. However, noncompliance was associated with having
      major psychiatric disorder later in the course of IDDM.

PMID- 1429415
TI  - Depressive symptoms and adaptive style in children with cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This article explores the relationship between a repressive style of
      adaptation and depressive symptomatology. METHODS: Thirty-one adolescent cancer
      patients were compared with 83 healthy high school students. Subjects with
      repressive adaptation were identified as those reporting low anxiety and high
      defensiveness. Depressive symptomatology was measured by self-report. RESULTS:
      Patients with cancer reported significantly lower levels of depression, and a
      significantly higher proportion were identified as repressors. Repressor status
      accounted for significant variance in depression over that explained by illness.
      CONCLUSIONS: Adaptive style may be common in medically ill children and may
      directly and indirectly influence psychological and medical outcome.

PMID- 1429416
TI  - Profiles, correlates, and trajectories of intelligence in Prader-Willi syndrome.
AB  - Three aspects of intellectual functioning in persons with Prader-Willi syndrome
      were examined in two, related studies. In study 1, 21 subjects were evaluated
      with a psychometric instrument that assesses neuropsychological styles of
      cognitive processing, the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children. Prader-Willi
      subjects showed deficits in sequential processing, and strengths in academic
      achievement tasks such as reading and vocabulary. In contrast to previous reports
      on the syndrome, no relationship was found between weight and degree of
      intellectual impairment. Study 2 included a cross-sectional examination of the
      trajectory of IQ in 21 subjects aged 13 to 46 years, as well as a longitudinal
      analysis of 31 subjects aged 5 to 30 years who were tested twice with the same IQ
      test. No evidence of the previously described decline in IQ over time was noted
      in either the cross-sectional or longitudinal analyses. The implications of these
      findings for interventions are discussed.

PMID- 1429417
TI  - Adaptive and maladaptive behavior in Prader-Willi syndrome.
AB  - The development and profiles of adaptive and maladaptive behavior of 21
      adolescents and adults with Prader-Willi syndrome were cross-sectionally examined
      with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales and Achenbach's Child Behavior
      Checklist (CBCL). Adaptive strengths emerged for the group as a whole in daily
      living skills, and this strength became more pronounced with increasing age. A
      relative weakness was found in socialization, most notably in coping skills. CBCL
      findings indicated that externalizing behaviors were particularly heightened in
      adolescence and that many behaviors previously described as either emerging or
      worsening in adolescence also persist into the adult years (e.g., temper
      tantrums, arguing, irritability, stubbornness, lying, skin picking, obsessions,
      defiance). Certain elevated CBCL behaviors were unique to young versus old age
      groups, and aging in this syndrome may be associated with heightened confusion,
      withdrawal, and fatigue. The need to study adaptive and maladaptive features in a
      wider age range of subjects with Prader-Willi syndrome was emphasized.

PMID- 1429418
TI  - Psychopharmacogenetic aspects of Prader-Willi syndrome.
AB  - The study of genes, drugs, and behavior in three male adolescents with Prader
      Willi syndrome (PWS) revealed a clinical profile that raises questions about the
      indications for neuroleptic and appetite-suppressing medications in this
      condition. Evidence of the inadvisability of neuroleptic medication and of the
      pathophysiology of PWS has led to a remarkable control of violent outbursts and
      hyperphagia by carbamazepine in one patient afflicted with both PWS and
      Klinefelter's syndrome. Testosterone and behavioral therapy proved to be useful
      in the management of two patients. The present observations, which are supported
      by recent advances in the pathophysiology of satiety, suggest that PWS should be
      understood as a metabolic disorder and subjected to psychopharmacogenetic study.

PMID- 1429419
TI  - Specific frontal lobe deficits among women with the fragile X gene.
AB  - The neurocognitive phenotype of fragile X and its relation to cytogenetic
      expression were examined among 10 fragile X women with > or = 2% expression, 10
      0% obligate carriers, and 10 controls. Measures were obtained for intellectual
      ability, achievement, and verbal, nonverbal, memory, and frontal lobe functions.
      Results show that no group demonstrated deficits on verbal, nonverbal, or memory
      measures. In contrast, when controlling for effects of IQ, the expressing fragile
      X women exhibited (1) deficits on measures of frontal lobe functioning, and (2)
      enhanced performance on verbal, but not figural, memory. Frontal lobe deficits
      may account for behavioral and cognitive manifestations of fragile X.

PMID- 1429420
TI  - Clomipramine treatment of stereotypic behaviors and self-injury in patients with
      developmental disabilities.
AB  - The authors report an open clinical trial of clomipramine for chronic stereotypic
      and self-injurious behaviors in 11 consecutive patients with concomitant
      developmental disorders. Ten patients (91%) had marked decreases in rates of
      target behaviors. No seizures occurred despite the inclusion of six patients with
      previous histories of epileptic events, and improvement was evident regardless of
      level of mental retardation. These findings support both the clinical use of
      serotonergic medications in this population and the need for further research.

PMID- 1429421
TI  - Neuroleptic-induced catatonia as a stage in the progression toward neuroleptic
      malignant syndrome.
AB  - Neuroleptic-induced catatonia is reported in an adolescent patient who responded
      successfully to lorazepam. The authors propose five discrete stages toward the
      progression of neuroleptic malignant syndrome, each with a separate treatment.

PMID- 1429422
TI  - Hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder syndromes in China.

PMID- 1429423
TI  - AACAP parameters of practice: reinforcers or bribes?

PMID- 1429424
TI  - Growth deficits and desipramine.

PMID- 1429425
TI  - Mania and anticonvulsant therapy.

PMID- 1429426
TI  - Clomipramine side effects.

PMID- 1429427
TI  - Clozapine for refractory psychosis.

PMID- 1429428
TI  - A bulimia family survey.

PMID- 1429429
TI  - Neglect of Asperger's syndrome.

PMID- 1429430
TI  - Diversity among clinical isolates of Histoplasma capsulatum detected by
      polymerase chain reaction with arbitrary primers.
AB  - Clinical isolates of the fungal respiratory and systemic pathogen Histoplasma
      capsulatum have been placed in several different classes by using genomic
      restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs), but in general have not been
      distinguished further. We report here that a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
      based DNA fingerprinting method that has been termed arbitrary primer or random
      amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) PCR can distinguish among isolates in a single
      RFLP class. In this method, arbitrarily chosen oligonucleotides are used to prime
      DNA synthesis from genomic sites that they fortuitously match, or almost match,
      to generate strain-specific arrays of DNA fragments. Each of 29 isolates of RFLP
      class 2, the group endemic in the American Midwest, was distinguished by using
      just three arbitrary primers. In contrast, laboratory-derived S and E colony
      morphology variants of two strains were not distinguished from their R parents by
      using 18 such primers. Thus, the clinical isolates of H. capsulatum are quite
      diverse, but their genomes remain stable during laboratory culture. These
      outcomes suggest new possibilities for epidemiological analysis and studies of
      fungal populations in infected hosts.

PMID- 1429431
TI  - Clostridium sticklandii glycine reductase selenoprotein A gene: cloning,
      sequencing, and expression in Escherichia coli.
AB  - Gene grdA, which encodes selenoprotein A of the glycine reductase complex from
      Clostridium sticklandii, was identified and characterized. This gene encodes a
      protein of 158 amino acids with a calculated M(r) of 17,142. The known sequence
      of 15 amino acids around the selenocysteine residue and the known carboxy
      terminus of the protein are correctly predicted by the nucleotide sequence. An
      opal termination codon (TGA) corresponding to the location of the single
      selenocysteine residue in the polypeptide was found in frame at position 130. The
      C. sticklandii grdA gene was inserted behind the tac promotor of an Escherichia
      coli expression vector. An E. coli strain transformed with this vector produced
      an 18-kDa polypeptide that was not detected in extracts of nontransformed cells.
      Affinity-purified anti-C. sticklandii selenoprotein A immunoglobulin G reacted
      specifically with this polypeptide, which was indistinguishable from authentic C.
      sticklandii selenoprotein A by immunological analysis. Addition of the purified
      expressed protein to glycine reductase protein components B and C reconstituted
      the active glycine reductase complex. Although synthesis of enzymically active
      protein A depended on the presence of selenium in the growth medium, formation of
      immunologically reactive protein did not. Moreover, synthesis of enzymically
      active protein in a transformed E. coli selD mutant strain indicated that there
      is a nonspecific mechanism of selenocysteine incorporation. These findings imply
      that mRNA secondary structures of C. sticklandii grdA are not functional for UGA
      directed selenocysteine insertion in the E. coli expression system.

PMID- 1429432
TI  - Mutants carrying conditionally lethal mutations in outer membrane genes omsA and
      firA (ssc) are phenotypically similar, and omsA is allelic to firA.
AB  - We have previously identified the gene (the ssc gene) defective in the
      thermosensitive and antibiotic-supersusceptible outer membrane permeability
      mutant SS-C of Salmonella typhimurium and shown that this gene is analogous to
      the Escherichia coli gene firA (L. Hirvas, P. Koski, and M. Vaara, EMBO J.
      10:1017-1023, 1991). Others have tentatively implicated firA in a different
      function, mRNA synthesis. Here we report that the defect in the thermosensitive
      outer membrane omsA mutant of E. coli (T. Tsuruoka, M. Ito, S. Tomioka, A.
      Hirata, and M. Matsuhashi, J. Bacteriol. 170:5229-5235, 1988) is due to a
      mutation in firA; this mutation changed codon 271 from serine to asparagine. The
      omsA-induced phenotype was completely reverted by plasmids containing wild-type
      firA or ssc. Plasmids carrying the omsA allele, or an identical mutant allele
      prepared by localized mutagenesis, under the control of lac elicited partial
      complementation. Transcomplementation studies with plasmids carrying various
      mutant alleles of the S. typhimurium gene indicated that the ability of these
      plasmids to complement the omsA mutation was similar to their ability to
      complement the ssc mutation. The antibiotic-supersusceptible phenotype of the
      omsA mutant closely resembled that of the ssc mutant, i.e., the omsA mutant was
      supersusceptible to hydrophobic antibiotics and large-peptide antibiotics against
      which the intact outer membrane is an effective permeability barrier. As
      previously demonstrated with the omsA mutant, the outer membrane of the ssc
      mutant became selectively ruptured after incubation for 1 h at the growth
      nonpermitting temperature; 82% of the periplasmic beta-lactamase and less than 3%
      of the cytoplasmic marker enzyme were released into the medium. All of these
      findings are consistent with our concept that firA is an essential gene involved
      in generation of the outer membrane.

PMID- 1429433
TI  - Regulation of narK gene expression in Escherichia coli in response to
      anaerobiosis, nitrate, iron, and molybdenum.
AB  - The regulation of the narK gene in Escherichia coli was studied by constructing
      narK-lacZ gene and operon fusions and analyzing their expression in various
      mutant strains in response to changes in cell growth conditions. Expression of
      narK-lacZ was induced 110-fold by a shift to anaerobic growth and a further 8
      fold by the presence of nitrate. The fnr gene product mediates this anaerobic
      response, while nitrate control is mediated by the narL, narX, and narQ gene
      products. The narX and narQ gene products were shown to sense nitrate
      independently of one another and could each activate narK expression in a NarL
      dependent manner. We provide the first evidence that NarL and FNR interact to
      ensure optimal expression of narK. IHF and Fis proteins are also required for
      full activation of narK expression, and their roles in DNA bending are discussed.
      Finally, the availability of molybdate and iron ions is necessary for optimal
      narK expression, whereas the availability of nitrite is not. Although the role of
      the narK gene product in cell metabolism remains uncertain, the pattern of narK
      gene expression is consistent with a proposed role of NarK in nitrate uptake by
      the cell for nitrate-linked electron transport.

PMID- 1429435
TI  - Repression of Escherichia coli purB is by a transcriptional roadblock mechanism.
AB  - Escherichia coli purB is regulated by a repressor-operator interaction. The purB
      operator is 242 bp downstream from the transcription start site and overlaps
      condons 62 to 67 in the protein-coding sequence (B. He, J. M. Smith, and H.
      Zalkin, J. Bacteriol. 174:130-136, 1992). The mechanism by which the repressor
      operator interaction functions to repress transcription was investigated by a
      combination of promoter replacement experiments and RNA analyses. By using a trp
      promoter replacement that deleted 5' flanking DNA to position -986, purB
      expression was increased sevenfold, yet normal two- to threefold regulation was
      maintained. This indicates that repressor-operator control is independent of the
      purB promoter and other 5' flanking sequences. Transcriptional regulation was
      likewise independent of coupled translation. An approximately 260-nucleotide
      truncated in vivo purB mRNA was identified which was dependent upon repressor
      operator interaction. Thus, binding of purine repressor to the purB operator
      inhibits transcription elongation by a roadblock mechanism. The roadblock was not
      influenced by a sevenfold increase in promoter strength or by an operator
      mutation resulting in a 2.5-fold increase in repressor-operator affinity.

PMID- 1429434
TI  - Phenol hydroxylase from Trichosporon cutaneum: gene cloning, sequence analysis,
      and functional expression in Escherichia coli.
AB  - A cDNA clone encoding phenol hydroxylase from the soil yeast Trichosporon
      cutaneum was isolated and characterized. The clone was identified by
      hybridization screening of a bacteriophage lambda ZAP-based cDNA library with an
      oligonucleotide probe which corresponded to the N-terminal amino acid sequence of
      the purified enzyme. The cDNA encodes a protein consisting of 664 amino acids.
      Amino acid sequences of a number of peptides obtained by Edman degradation of
      various cleavage products of the purified enzyme were identified in the cDNA
      derived sequence. The phenol hydroxylase cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli
      to yield high levels of active enzyme. The E. coli-derived phenol hydroxylase is
      very similar to the T. cutaneum enzyme with respect to the range of substrates
      acted upon, inhibition by excess phenol, and the order of magnitude of kinetic
      parameters in the overall reaction. Southern blot analysis revealed the presence
      of phenol hydroxylase gene-related sequences in a number of T. cutaneum and
      Trichosporon beigelii strains and in Cryptococcus elinovii but not in
      Trichosporon pullulans, Trichosporon penicillatum, or Candida tropicalis.

PMID- 1429436
TI  - Formation of the LuxR protein in the Vibrio fischeri lux system is controlled by
      HtpR through the GroESL proteins.
AB  - The transcription of the luminescence (lux) system of Vibrio fischeri is
      regulated by the LuxR protein and an autoinducer. We previously showed that apart
      from these regulatory elements, the transcription of the lux system is negatively
      controlled by the LexA protein and positively controlled by the HtpR protein
      (sigma 32). This study was conducted in order to elucidate the mode of action of
      the HtpR protein. Using luxR-lacZ fused genes, we showed that the HtpR protein is
      essential for the maximum expression of beta-galactosidase activity in
      Escherichia coli lac mutant cells. Using this construct, we also demonstrated
      that luxR is preferentially expressed toward the end of the logarithmic phase of
      growth. Starvation and addition of ethanol significantly advanced the appearance
      of beta-galactosidase activity in htpR+ cells. The luminescence system of E. coli
      htpR+ cells harboring the pChv1 plasmid with a deletion in the luxI gene is
      induced in the presence of low and constant concentrations (150 pg/ml) of the
      inducer only at a late stage of the logarithmic phase of growth. When the
      cellular LuxR content is reduced, following 23 generations of exponential growth
      in Luria broth, a mid-log-phase culture does not respond to the inducer (150
      pg/ml). On the basis of the above observations we suggest that the HtpR protein
      controls the formation of V. fischeri LuxR protein. Preliminary findings indicate
      that the HtpR protein acts through the chaperonins GroESL. E. coli htpR/pChv1
      cells retained their full level of in vivo and in vitro luciferase activities in
      the presence of multiple copies of groESL genes. The possibility that GroESL
      proteins stabilize the native form of LuxR protein is discussed.

PMID- 1429437
TI  - Activity of mutant sigma F proteins truncated near the C terminus.
AB  - sigma F, the product of the spoIIAC gene of Bacillus subtilis, is homologous in
      amino acid sequence throughout most of its length with several other sigma
      factors of B. subtilis and Escherichia coli. However, 8 residues from the C
      terminus the homology abruptly breaks down, suggesting that the C-terminal tail
      of the protein may be dispensable. It is known that an amber mutation at the 11th
      codon (wild-type glutamine 245) from the C terminus abolishes the function of the
      sigma factor. We have now placed chain-terminating codons at the ninth codon
      (wild-type lysine 247), the eighth codon (wild-type valine 248), or the seventh
      codon (wild-type glutamine 249) from the C terminus. We have tested the resulting
      mutants for their capacity to sporulate and for their ability to transcribe from
      a promoter (spoIIIG) that is normally read by RNA polymerase bound to sigma F (E
      sigma F). The results indicate that a mutant sigma F lacking the terminal 7
      residues functions almost normally, which suggests that glutamine 249 is
      dispensable. By contrast, lysine 247 is crucial for the activity of sigma F:
      deletion of the 9 C-terminal residues totally inactivates the protein. When the
      terminal 8 residues were deleted, placing lysine 247 at the C terminus, the
      transcriptional activity of the factor is reduced by about 80%: we attribute this
      effect to neutralization of the positive charge of lysine 247 by formation of a
      salt bridge with the -COO- terminus.

PMID- 1429438
TI  - Ultrastructural examination of the lipopolysaccharides of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
      strains and their isogenic rough mutants by freeze-substitution.
AB  - The majority of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains synthesize two antigenically
      distinct types of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), namely, a serotype-specific B-band
      LPS and a common antigen A-band LPS. A-band LPS consists of uncharged poly-D
      rhamnan, which does not bind uranyl ions and is difficult to stain for electron
      microscopy; the highly charged B-band LPS is more easily visualized. We selected
      two wild-type strains, PAO1 (serotype O5) and IATS O6 (serotype O6), generated
      isogenic mutants from them, and examined the distribution of LPS on the surface
      of these organisms by freeze-substitution and electron microscopy. On PAO1 cells,
      which express both A-band and B-band LPSs, a 31- to 36-nm-wide fringe extending
      perpendicularly from the outer membrane was observed. A fine fibrous material was
      also observed on the surface of serotype O6 (A+ B+) cells, although this material
      did not form a uniform layer. When the LPS-deficient mutants, strains AK1401 (A+
      B-), AK 1012 (A- B-), rd7513 (A- B-), and R5 (an IATS O6-derived rough mutant; A-
      B-), were examined, no extraneous material was apparent above the bilayer.
      However, an asymmetrical staining pattern was observed on the outer leaflet of
      the outer membrane of each of these mutants, presumably conforming to the anionic
      charge distribution of the core region of the rough LPS. In all cases, expression
      of the LPS types was confirmed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis and silver staining. When optical densitometry on electron
      microscopy negatives was used to analyze the outer membrane staining profiles,
      subtle differences in the degrees of core deficiency among rough mutants were
      detectable. This is the first time an electron microscopy technique has preserved
      the infrastructure produced in the outer membrane by its constituent
      macromolecules. We conclude that freeze-substitution electron microscopy is
      effective in the visualization of LPS morphotypes.

PMID- 1429439
TI  - Fatty acids are precursors of alkylamines in Deinococcus radiodurans.
AB  - Deinococcus radiodurans contains novel phospholipids of which the structures of
      three have been previously described. These three lipids contain both fatty acids
      and alkylamines. Both the fatty acid and alkylamine constituents were found to be
      composed of a mixture of species, of which C15, C16, and C17 saturated and
      monounsaturated alkyl chains predominated. Alkylamines contained a relatively
      higher proportion of saturated species. Progression of bacterial growth through
      the mid-log to stationary phases was accompanied by an increase in the
      proportions of C15 and C17 alkyl chains in both fatty acid and alkylamine
      constituents. Radiolabeled palmitic acid was found to be rapidly incorporated
      into both fatty acid and alkylamine components of
      phosphatidylglyceroylalkylamine, which is the precursor of the more-complex
      phosphoglycolipids found in major amounts in D. radiodurans. After culturing D.
      radiodurans in the presence of a mixture of palmitic acids labeled with 14C and
      3H in the 1 and 9,10 positions, respectively, the same 14C/3H ratio was recovered
      in both fatty acid and alkylamine constituents, strongly suggesting that
      alkylamines are derived from intact fatty acids rather than by a de novo pathway.
      The results identify a novel product of fatty acid metabolism which has not to
      date been observed in any other organism.

PMID- 1429440
TI  - An internal region of rpoB is required for autogenous translational regulation of
      the beta subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase.
AB  - In order to delineate the region involved in feedback regulation of the RNA
      polymerase beta subunit (encoded by rpoB), a collection of rpoB-lacZ
      translational fusions with different endpoints both upstream and downstream of
      the rpoB start site was assembled on lambda phage vectors. The extent of
      translational repression of beta was monitored by measuring beta-galactosidase
      levels in monolysogens of the fusions under conditions of increased intracellular
      concentrations of beta and beta' achieved via the induction of rpoBC expression
      from a multicopy plasmid. A construct containing as little as 29 bp upstream of
      the start of rpoB exhibited repression of beta-galactosidase activity to the same
      extent as a construct encoding the full upstream region. A construct which
      carried only 70 bp of the rpoB structural gene exhibited very little repression,
      while constructs which carried 126 or 221 bp of rpoB exhibited approximately the
      same degree of repression as a construct which carried 403 bp. These data suggest
      that the sequences important for feedback regulation of beta translation extend
      more than 70 bp into rpoB but are completely contained within a region which
      spans the sequences from 29 bp upstream to 126 bp downstream of the translational
      start site.

PMID- 1429441
TI  - Phenotypes of sphingolipid-dependent strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - To study sphingolipid function(s) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we have
      investigated the effects of environmental stress on mutant (SLC) strains (R. C.
      Dickson, G. B. Wells, A. Schmidt, and R. L. Lester, Mol. Cell. Biol. 10:2176
      2181, 1990) that either contain or lack sphingolipids, depending on whether they
      are cultured with a sphingolipid long-chain base. Strains lacking sphingolipid
      were unable to grow at low pH, at 37 degrees C, or with high salt concentrations
      in the medium; these environmental stresses are known to inhibit the growth of
      some S. cerevisiae strains with a defective plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase. We found
      that sphingolipids were essential for proton extrusion at low pH and furthermore
      found that cells lacking sphingolipid no longer exhibited net proton extrusion at
      normal pH after a 1-min exposure to pH 3. Cells lacking sphingolipid appeared to
      rapidly become almost completely permeable to protons at low pH. The deleterious
      effects of low pH could be partially prevented by 1 M sorbitol in the suspension
      of cells lacking sphingolipid. Proton extrusion at normal pH (pH 6) was
      significantly inhibited at 39 degrees C only in cells lacking sphingolipid. Thus,
      the product of an SLC suppressor gene permits life without sphingolipids only in
      a limited range of environments. Outside this range, sphingolipids appear to be
      essential for maintaining proton permeability barriers and/or for proton
      extrusion.

PMID- 1429442
TI  - A locus that contributes to colonization of the intestinal tract by Bacteroides
      thetaiotaomicron contains a single regulatory gene (chuR) that links two
      polysaccharide utilization pathways.
AB  - Previously, we isolated two Tn4351-generated mutants of Bacteroides
      thetaiotaomicron (46-1 and CS3) that were unable to grow either on heparin or on
      chondroitin sulfate. This phenotype was unexpected, since the heparin and
      chondroitin sulfate utilization pathways had appeared from earlier studies to be
      independent of each other. Mutants 46-1 and CS3 were also of interest because
      both were unable to compete successfully with wild-type B. thetaiotaomicron in
      the intestinal tracts of germfree mice. Thus, both appeared to have a
      colonization defect. We have now cloned the chromosomal locus in which the
      transposon insertions in 46-1 and CS3 occurred. Southern blot analysis showed
      that the Tn4351 insertions in 46-1 and CS3 were about 100 bp apart. Using
      complementation and insertional mutagenesis, we localized the region affected by
      the 46-1 and CS3 insertions to within 2.5 kbp. This DNA segment was sequenced and
      found to contain a 401-codon open reading frame (ORF1) and the N-terminal segment
      of a second open reading frame (ORF2), which was downstream of ORF1 and
      transcribed in the same direction. The deduced amino acid sequence of ORF1 showed
      significant homology to that of a putative positive regulator of an arylsulfatase
      gene in Klebsiella aerogenes. ORF2 was at least 381 amino acids long and did not
      exhibit homology to any proteins in the data bases searched. Transposon
      insertions in both mutants 46-1 and CS3 disrupted ORF1. The results of
      insertional mutagenesis and complementation experiments indicated that ORF2 was
      not essential for growth on chondroitin sulfate or heparin. Thus, the chondroitin
      sulfate-negative and heparin-negative phenotypes of 46-1 and CS3 appear to be due
      to the interruption of a regulatory gene encoded by ORF1 and not to a polar
      effect of the insertions on a downstream gene(s). The gene encoding ORF1 has been
      designated chuR, for regulation of chondroitin sulfate and heparin utilization.
      Transcriptional fusion studies showed that the expression of chuR occurred at the
      same level under inducing and noninducing conditions, in contrast to the
      regulated expression of structural genes of the chondroitin sulfate utilization
      system. chuR was not autoregulated, nor was its expression affected by a mutation
      (46-4) that eliminated the expression of all chondroitin sulfate utilization
      genes but did not affect the utilization of heparin.

PMID- 1429443
TI  - Regulation of the BamHI restriction-modification system by a small intergenic
      open reading frame, bamHIC, in both Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis.
AB  - BamHI, from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens H, is a type II restriction-modification
      system recognizing and cleaving the sequence G--GATCC. The BamHI restriction
      modification system contains divergently transcribed endonuclease and methylase
      genes along with a small open reading frame oriented in the direction of the
      endonuclease gene. The small open reading frame has been designated bamHIC (for
      BamHI controlling element). It acts as both a positive activator of endonuclease
      expression and a negative repressor of methylase expression of BamHI clones in
      Escherichia coli. Methylase activity increased 15-fold and endonuclease activity
      decreased 100-fold when bamHIC was inactivated. The normal levels of activity for
      both methylase and endonuclease were restored by supplying bamHIC in trans. The
      BamHI restriction-modification system was transferred into Bacillus subtilis,
      where bamHIC also regulated endonuclease expression when present on multicopy
      plasmid vectors or integrated into the chromosome. In B. subtilis, disruption of
      bamHIC caused at least a 1,000-fold decrease in endonuclease activity; activity
      was partially restored by supplying bamHIC in trans.

PMID- 1429444
TI  - Characterization of the Escherichia coli membrane domain responsible for binding
      oriC DNA.
AB  - It has previously been shown that hemimethylated DNA from the Escherichia coli
      replication origin (oriC) binds with high specificity to membrane fractions
      isolated from disrupted cells. In this article, the membrane localization of oriC
      binding activity was studied by subjecting crude membrane preparations to
      successive cycles of sedimentation and flotation gradient analysis. This revealed
      that approximately two-thirds of the membrane-associated oriC-binding activity of
      the cell was not associated with the outer membrane fraction as previously
      suggested but was recovered instead in a unique membrane fraction (OCB1) whose
      buoyant density and protein profile differed from those of both inner and outer
      membranes. The specific activity of oriC binding in OCB1 was approximately
      fivefold higher than the activity of the isolated outer membrane peak. It is
      likely that membrane fraction OCB1 includes the membrane domain responsible for
      the binding of hemimethylated oriC to the cell envelope in intact cells.

PMID- 1429445
TI  - Chromosomal structure of the halophilic archaebacterium Halobacterium salinarium.
AB  - The chromosomal structure of the extremely halophilic archaebacterium
      Halobacterium salinarium was examined. Sheared chromosomes prepared from the
      bacteria in the late exponential phase were separated into two peaks (peaks I and
      II) by sucrose gradient centrifugation, suggesting that the chromosomes consist
      of two parts differing in quality. The UV spectra of peaks I and II resembled
      those of DNA and eukaryotic chromatin, respectively. Electron microscopic
      observations revealed that the major component of peak I was protein-free DNA,
      while the major components of peak II were rugged thick fibers with a diameter of
      17 to 20 nm. The rugged fibers basically consisted of bacterial nucleosome-like
      structures composed of DNA and protein, as demonstrated in experiments with
      proteinase and nuclease digestion. Whole-mount electron microscopic observations
      of the chromosomes directly spread onto a water surface revealed a configuration
      in which the above-described regions were localized on a continuous DNA fiber.
      From these results it is concluded that the H. salinarium chromosome is composed
      of regions of protein-free DNA and DNA associated with nucleosome-like
      structures. Peaks I and II were predominant in the early exponential phase and
      stationary phase, respectively; therefore, the transition of the chromosome
      structure between non-protein-associated and protein-associated forms seems to be
      related to the bacterial growth phase.

PMID- 1429446
TI  - Multiple forms of bile salt hydrolase from Lactobacillus sp. strain 100-100.
AB  - Four isozymes of bile salt hydrolase (BSH) have been purified from the cytosol of
      cells of Lactobacillus sp. strain 100-100. The four proteins were designated BSH
      A, B, C, and D. They eluted from anion-exchange high-pressure liquid
      chromatography columns at 0.15, 0.18, 0.21, and 0.25 M NaCl, respectively. They
      are catalytically similar, except that the Vmax of BSH D is about 10-fold lower
      than those of the other three isozymes. All four proteins consist of one or two
      polypeptides. The peptides have molecular weights of 42,000 and 38,000 and are
      designated alpha and beta, respectively. The approximate native molecular weights
      of BSH A, B, C, and D are 115,000, 105,000, 95,000, and 80,000, respectively. The
      native proteins are probably trimers; the four isozymes are the array of possible
      subunit combinations alpha 3, alpha 2 beta 1, alpha 1 beta 2, and beta 3 for A,
      B, C, and D, respectively. The two subunits are antigenically distinct.
      Polyclonal antibodies raised against BSH A (all alpha peptide) react in Western
      blots (immunoblots) only with proteins containing the alpha peptide; such
      antibodies raised against BSH D (all beta peptide) react only with proteins
      containing the beta peptide. The amino acid compositions of the two peptides
      differ. This is the first report of a bacterium that makes four BSH isozymes.

PMID- 1429447
TI  - The helix-turn-helix motif of sigma 54 is involved in recognition of the -13
      promoter region.
AB  - Residue Arg-383 in the proposed helix-turn-helix motif of the novel RNA
      polymerase sigma factor sigma 54 has been changed by site-directed mutagenesis to
      all possible alternative amino acids. Only two mutants, RK383 and RH383, are
      active in promoting transcription from either the glnAp2 promoter or the nifL
      promoter. We constructed a set of mutant derivatives of glnAp2 such that each
      base in the conserved GG and GC doublets at -24 and -12 was changed to all
      possible alternatives. All 12 mutant glnAp2 promoters showed a marked promoter
      down phenotype with wild-type sigma 54, but RK383 suppressed changes of both G to
      C and G to T at -13. This result suggests that the sigma 54 helix-turn-helix is
      involved in recognition of the -13 region of sigma 54-dependent promoters.

PMID- 1429448
TI  - Physical map of the Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum Marburg chromosome.
AB  - A physical map of the Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum Marburg chromosome was
      constructed by using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of restriction fragments
      generated by NotI, PmeI, and NheI. The order of the fragments was deduced from
      Southern blot hybridization of NotI fragment probes to various restriction
      digests and from partial digests. The derived map is circular, and the genome
      size was estimated to be 1,623 kb. Several cloned genes were hybridized to
      restriction fragments to locate their positions on the map. Genes coding for
      proteins involved in the methanogenic pathway were located on the same segment of
      the circular chromosome. In addition, the genomes of a variety of thermophilic
      Methanobacterium strains were treated with restriction enzymes and analyzed by
      pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The sums of the fragment sizes varied from
      1,600 to 1,728 kb among the strains, and widely different macrorestriction
      patterns were observed.

PMID- 1429449
TI  - Cloning of a metalloprotease gene involved in the virulence mechanism of Vibrio
      anguillarum.
AB  - Genetic evidence has previously suggested that a zinc metalloprotease is involved
      in the invasive mechanism of the fish pathogen Vibrio anguillarum NB10. In this
      study, the metalloprotease gene was cloned and sequenced. The sequence encodes a
      polypeptide (611 amino acids) that contains a putative signal sequence followed
      by a large leader sequence and the mature protein (44.6 kDa). Since the purified
      protein has a molecular mass of 36 kDa instead of the predicted 44.6 kDa, the
      mature protein is most likely processed a third time. Comparative analyses of the
      protein sequence showed high homologies to other bacterial metalloproteases
      within the zinc-binding and active-site regions. The Vibrio cholerae
      hemagglutinin/protease and the Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase were exceptions in
      that the homology extended throughout the entire putative preproprotein. A
      chromosomal metalloprotease mutant was made via the integration of foreign DNA
      into the protease gene. This mutant did not secrete the metalloprotease, as
      determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide protein analysis and by
      growth on gelatin agar. Transcomplementation of the chromosomal mutation revived
      the secretion of the metalloprotease and its activity on gelatin agar.
      Interestingly, when supernatant proteins were analyzed by gelatin-SDS
      polyacrylamide electrophoresis, two different proteases (75 and 30 kDa) were
      detected in the mutant strain but not in the transcomplemented strain or the wild
      type strain. Moreover, fish infection studies were done, and implications for the
      role of the metalloprotease in the virulence mechanism of V. anguillarum are
      discussed.

PMID- 1429450
TI  - Use of chromosomal gene fusions to investigate the role of repetitive DNA in
      regulation of genes involved in lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis in Haemophilus
      influenzae.
AB  - The lic3 locus of Haemophilus influenzae consists of four open reading frames.
      The derived amino acid sequences of orf2 and orf4 exhibit homology to Escherichia
      coli GalE and AdK, respectively. The functions of orf1 and orf3 remain unknown.
      orf1 contains multiple tandem repeats of the tetrameric DNA sequence CAAT near
      the 5' end. Two possible translational starts (ATG1 and ATG2) lie upstream. We
      have used lacZ fusions to investigate whether changes in the number of CAAT
      repeats in conjunction with differential usage of the upstream frames control the
      expression of lic3-orf1. Phase-variable expression of lacZ was observed for
      individual colonies and could be related to variable numbers of CAAT repeats. Of
      the three possible upstream frames, only one, containing the more downstream of
      the two possible ATG start codons (ATG2), is used for strong expression of lacZ.
      Utilization of the more upstream ATG (ATG1) or ATG2 was observed with medium
      level expression, while utilization of any of the three possible frames was
      observed when lacZ was expressed at low to undetectable levels, indicating that
      other mechanisms may affect expression. To investigate this, lacZ was fused in
      frame with ATG2 of lic3-orf1, with concomitant deletion of the repeats. Phase
      variable expression was still observed, supporting the view that an alternative
      level of control operates in conjunction with the repeat mechanism.

PMID- 1429451
TI  - Identification of a new gene, tmoF, in the Pseudomonas mendocina KR1 gene cluster
      encoding toluene-4-monooxygenase.
AB  - Five genes, tmoABCDE, encoding toluene-4-monooxygenase (T4MO) were previously
      mapped to a 3.6-kb region of a 10.2-kb SacI DNA fragment isolated from
      Pseudomonas mendocina KR1 (K.-M. Yen, M. R. Karl, L. M. Blatt, M. J. Simon, R. B.
      Winter, P. R. Fausset, H. S. Lu, A. A. Harcourt, and K. K. Chen, J. Bacteriol.
      173:5315-5327, 1991). In this report, we describe the identification and
      characterization of a DNA region in the SacI fragment whose expression enhances
      the T4MO activity determined by the tmoABCDE gene cluster. This region was mapped
      immediately downstream of the putative transcription termination sequence
      previously located at the end of the tmoABCDE gene cluster (Yen et al., J.
      Bacteriol., 1991) and was found to stimulate T4MO activity two- to threefold when
      expressed in Escherichia coli or Pseudomonas putida. Determination of the
      nucleotide sequence of this region revealed an open reading frame (ORF) of 978
      bp. Expression of the ORF resulted in the synthesis of an approximately 37-kDa
      polypeptide whose N-terminal amino acid sequence completely matched that of the
      product predicted from the ORF. The ORF thus defines a gene, which has now been
      designated tmoF. The TmoF protein shares amino acid sequence homology with the
      reductases of several mono- and dioxygenase systems. In addition, the reductase
      component of the naphthalene dioxygenase system, encoded by the nahAa gene of
      plasmid NAH7 from P. putida G7, could largely replace the TmoF protein in
      stimulating T4MO activity, and TmoF could partially replace the NahAa protein in
      forming active naphthalene dioxygenase. The overall properties of tmoF suggest
      that it is a member of the T4mo gene cluster and encodes the NADH:ferredoxin
      oxidoreductase of the T4MO system.

PMID- 1429452
TI  - Regulation of partitioned sterol biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - Using yeast strains with null mutations in structural genes which encode delta
      aminolevulinic acid synthetase (HEM1), isozymes of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl
      coenzyme A (HMG1 and HMG2), squalene epoxidase (ERG1), and fatty acid delta 9
      desaturase (OLE1), we were able to determine the effect of hemes, sterols, and
      unsaturated fatty acids on both sterol production and the specific activity of 3
      hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
      We found that the HMGR isozymes direct essentially equal amounts of carbon to the
      biosynthesis of sterols under heme-competent conditions, despite a huge disparity
      (57-fold) in the specific activities of the reductases. Our results demonstrate
      that palmitoleic acid (16:1) acts as a rate-limiting positive regulator and that
      ergosterol acts as a potent inhibitor of sterol production in strains which
      possess only the HMGR1 isozyme (HMG1 hmg2). In strains which contain only the
      HMGR2 isozyme (hmg1 HMG2), sterol production was inhibited by oleic acid (18:1)
      and to a lesser degree by ergosterol. The specific activities of the two
      reductases (HMGR1 and HMGR2) were found to be differentially regulated by hemes
      but not by ergosterol, palmitoleic acid, or oleic acid. The disparate effects of
      unsaturated fatty acids and sterols on these strains lead us to consider the
      possibility of separate, compartmentalized isoprenoid pathways in S. cerevisiae.

PMID- 1429454
TI  - The terminal reductases for selenate and nitrate respiration in Thauera selenatis
      are two distinct enzymes.
AB  - A number of approaches have been used to show that a recently isolated selenate
      respiring bacterium, Thauera selenatis, is able to synthesize both a selenate
      reductase (SR) and a nitrate reductase (NR). (i) The pH optimum of the SR was
      found to be 6.0; that of the NR was 7.0. (ii) The presence of nitrate did not
      inhibit selenate reduction in selenate-grown cells. (iii) In cell extracts, the
      highest SR or NR activity was observed in cells grown with the respective
      electron acceptor. (iv) Mutants that were unable to grow with nitrate as the
      terminal electron acceptor and lacked NR activity were isolated; these mutants
      grew normally with selenate and synthesized SR. (v) The SR was found in the
      periplasmic space of the cell, whereas the NR was present in the cytoplasmic
      membrane. A hypothetical electron transport system involving the SR is described.

PMID- 1429453
TI  - Construction of an EcoRI restriction map of Mycoplasma pneumoniae and
      localization of selected genes.
AB  - A restriction map of the genome of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, a small human
      pathogenic bacterium, was constructed by means of an ordered cosmid library which
      spans the complete bacterial chromosome. The positions of 143 endonuclease EcoRI
      restriction fragments were determined and aligned with the physical map. In
      addition, restriction sites for the rare-cutting enzymes XhoI (25 sites), ApaI
      (13 sites), NotI (2 sites), and SfiI (2 sites) were included. The resulting map
      consists of 185 restriction sites, has a mean resolution of 4.4 kbp, and predicts
      a genome size of 809 kbp. In addition, several genes were identified and mapped
      to their respective genomic EcoRI restriction fragments.

PMID- 1429455
TI  - The gene encoding a Prevotella loescheii lectin-like adhesin contains an
      interrupted sequence which causes a frameshift.
AB  - We cloned and sequenced the Prevotella loescheii gene plaA, which encodes a
      lectin-like adhesin that mediates the coaggregation of P. loescheii 1295 with
      Streptococcus oralis 34. A probe derived from the N-terminal amino acid sequence
      of the purified adhesin was used to identify the plaA gene from a P. loescheii
      genomic library constructed in lambda GEM-11. Sequence analysis of plaA indicates
      that the initial translation product contains a 22-amino-acid leader. The reading
      frame of the plaA gene is interrupted after amino acid 28 of the mature protein
      by a TAA termination codon. Amplification of the P. loescheii genomic DNA in the
      region surrounding this codon by the polymerase chain reaction followed by DNA
      sequencing of the cloned DNA fragment established that this stop codon was not an
      experimental artifact. A frameshift beginning 29 bp downstream of the ochre
      terminator was required to access the only large open reading frame in the gene.
      Amino acid sequences of six purified peptides derived by limited proteolysis of
      adhesin with endoproteinase Lys-C matched the downstream amino acid sequence
      derived by translation of the large open reading frame. The gene coding sequence
      of 2.4 kb contains sufficient information for the synthesis of an 89-kDa protein.
      A putative rho-independent terminator (delta G = -25.5 kcal/mol [ca. -107
      kJ/mol]) was detected 38 bp downstream from the plaA stop codon.

PMID- 1429456
TI  - The Calvin cycle enzyme pentose-5-phosphate 3-epimerase is encoded within the cfx
      operons of the chemoautotroph Alcaligenes eutrophus.
AB  - Several genes (cfx genes) encoding Calvin cycle enzymes in Alcaligenes eutrophus
      are organized in two highly homologous operons comprising at least 11 kb. One cfx
      operon is located on the chromosome; the other is located on megaplasmid pHG1 of
      the organism (B. Bowien, U. Windhovel, J.-G. Yoo, R. Bednarski, and B. Kusian,
      FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 87:445-450, 1990). Corresponding regions of about 2.7 kb
      from within the operons were sequenced. Three open reading frames, designated
      cfxX (954 bp), cfxY (765 bp), and cfxE (726 bp), were detected at equivalent
      positions in the two sequences. The nucleotide identity of the sequences amounted
      to 94%. Heterologous expression of the subcloned pHG1-encoded open reading frames
      in Escherichia coli suggested that they were functional genes. The observed sizes
      of the gene products CfxX (35 kDa), CfxY (27 kDa), and CfxE (25.5 kDa) closely
      corresponded to the values calculated on the basis of the sequence information.
      E. coli clones harboring the cfxE gene showed up to about 19-fold-higher
      activities of pentose-5-phosphate 3-epimerase (PPE; EC 5.1.3.1) than did
      reference clones, suggesting that cfxE encodes PPE, another Calvin cycle enzyme.
      These data agree with the finding that in A. eutrophus, PPE activity is
      significantly enhanced under autotrophic growth conditions which lead to a
      derepression of the cfx operons. No functions could be assigned to CfxX and CfxY.

PMID- 1429458
TI  - A-signalling and the cell density requirement for Myxococcus xanthus development.
AB  - Mutations in any of three asg (A-signalling) loci cause fruiting body development
      of Myxococcus xanthus to arrest at about the 2-h stage. Development can be
      restored to asg mutants by the addition of conditioned buffer in which wild-type
      cells have been developing or of A-factor purified from the conditioned buffer.
      Two forms of A-factor have been identified: heat-stable A-factor, which is
      composed of amino acids and peptides, and heat-labile A-factor, which consists of
      at least two proteases. A-factor is found in conditioned buffer in rough
      proportion to the cell density. As decreasing amounts of either form of A-factor
      are added, the developmental response of asg cells decreases until a threshold
      concentration is reached, below which no response is detected. In addition, wild
      type cells fail to develop when their density is decreased below the point at
      which the level of A-factor is predicted to fall short of this threshold. The
      development of low-density asg+ cells can, however, be restored by the addition
      of either form of A-factor. These experiments show that A-factor is important for
      the development of wild-type cells. Moreover, the development of an asgB mutant
      that produces 5 to 10% the wild-type level of A-factor can be restored when the
      cell density is increased 10-fold above the standard density. We propose that the
      A-signal is used by M. xanthus to specify the minimum cell density required for
      the initiation of development. Differences in the response to A-factor between
      different asg mutants suggest that the different asg loci govern A-factor
      production in diverse ways.

PMID- 1429457
TI  - Kinetics and sequence specificity of processing of prepilin by PilD, the type IV
      leader peptidase of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
AB  - PilD, originally isolated as an essential component for the biogenesis of the
      type IV pili of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, is a unique endopeptidase responsible for
      processing the precursors of the P. aeruginosa pilin subunits. It is also
      required for the cleavage of the leader peptides from the Pdd proteins, which are
      essential components of an extracellular secretion pathway specific for the
      export of a number of P. aeruginosa hydrolytic enzymes and toxins. Substrates for
      PilD are initially synthesized with short, i.e., 6- to 8-amino-acid-long, leader
      peptides with a net basic charge and share a high degree of amino acid homology
      through the first 16 to 30 residues at the amino terminus. In addition, they all
      have a phenylalanine residue at the +1 site relative to the cleavage site, which
      is N methylated prior to assembly into the oligomeric structures. In this study,
      the kinetics of leader peptide cleavage from the precursor of the P. aeruginosa
      pilin subunit by PilD was determined in vitro. The rates of cleavage were
      compared for purified enzyme and substrate as well as for enzyme and substrate
      contained within total membranes extracted from P. aeruginosa strains
      overexpressing the cloned pilD or pilA genes. Optimal conditions were obtained
      only when both PilD and substrate were contained within total membranes. PilD
      catalysis of P. aeruginosa prepilin followed normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics,
      with a measured apparent Km of approximately 650 microM, and a kcat of 180 min-1.
      The kinetics of PilD processing of another type IV pilin precursor, that from
      Neisseria gonorrhoeae with a 7-amino-acid-long leader peptide, were essentially
      the same as that measured for wild-type P. aeruginosa prepilin. Quite different
      results were obtained for a number of prepilin substrates containing
      substitutions at the conserved phenylalanine at the +1 position relative to the
      cleavage site, which were previously shown to be well tolerated in vivo.
      Substitutions of methionine, serine, and cysteine for phenylalanine show that Km
      values remain close to that measured for wild-type substrate, while kcat and
      kcat/Km values were significantly decreased. This indicates that while the
      affinity of enzyme for substrate is relatively unaffected by the substitutions,
      the maximum rate of catalysis favors a phenylalanine at this position.
      Interesting, PilD cleavage of one mutated pillin (asparagine) resulted in a lower
      Km value of 52.5 microM, which indicates a higher affinity for the enzyme, as
      well as a lower kcat value of 6.1 min m(-1). This suggests that it may be
      feasible to design peptide inhibitors of PilD.

PMID- 1429459
TI  - Use of the tac promoter and lacIq for the controlled expression of Zymomonas
      mobilis fermentative genes in Escherichia coli and Zymomonas mobilis.
AB  - The Zymomonas mobilis genes encoding alcohol dehydrogenase I (adhA), alcohol
      dehydrogenase II (adhB), and pyruvate decarboxylase (pdc) were overexpressed in
      Escherichia coli and Z. mobilis by using a broad-host-range vector containing the
      tac promoter and the lacIq repressor gene. Maximal IPTG (isopropyl-beta-D
      thiogalactopyranoside) induction of these plasmid-borne genes in Z. mobilis
      resulted in a 35-fold increase in alcohol dehydrogenase I activity, a 16.7-fold
      increase in alcohol dehydrogenase II activity, and a 6.3-fold increase in
      pyruvate decarboxylase activity. Small changes in the activities of these enzymes
      did not affect glycolytic flux in cells which are at maximal metabolic activity,
      indicating that flux under these conditions is controlled at some other point in
      metabolism. Expression of adhA, adhB, or pdc at high specific activities (above 8
      IU/mg of cell protein) resulted in a decrease in glycolytic flux (negative flux
      control coefficients), which was most pronounced for pyruvate decarboxylase.
      Growth rate and flux are imperfectly coupled in this organism. Neither a twofold
      increase in flux nor a 50% decline from maximal flux caused any immediate change
      in growth rate. Thus, the rates of biosynthesis and growth in this organism are
      not limited by energy generation in rich medium.

PMID- 1429460
TI  - Lysine biosynthesis in selected pathogenic fungi: characterization of lysine
      auxotrophs and the cloned LYS1 gene of Candida albicans.
AB  - The alpha-aminoadipate pathway for the biosynthesis of lysine is present only in
      fungi and euglena. Until now, this unique metabolic pathway has never been
      investigated in the opportunistic fungal pathogens Candida albicans, Cryptococcus
      neoformans, and Aspergillus fumigatus. Five of the eight enzymes (homocitrate
      synthase, homoisocitrate dehydrogenase, alpha-aminoadipate reductase,
      saccharopine reductase, and saccharopine dehydrogenase) of the alpha-aminoadipate
      pathway and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, a glycolytic enzyme used as a
      control, were demonstrated in wild-type cells of these organisms. All enzymes
      were present in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the pathogenic organisms except C.
      neoformans 32608 serotype C, which exhibited no saccharopine reductase activity.
      The levels of enzyme activity varied considerably from strain to strain.
      Variation among organisms was also observed for the control enzyme. Among the
      pathogens, C. albicans exhibited much higher homocitrate synthase, homoisocitrate
      dehydrogenase, and alpha-aminoadipate reductase activities. Seven lysine
      auxotrophs of C. albicans and one of Candida tropicalis were characterized
      biochemically to determine the biochemical blocks and gene-enzyme relationships.
      Growth responses to alpha-aminoadipate- and lysine-supplemented media,
      accumulation of alpha-aminoadipate semialdehyde, and the lack of enzyme activity
      revealed that five of the mutants (WA104, WA153, WC7-1-3, WD1-31-2, and A5155)
      were blocked at the alpha-aminoadipate reductase step, two (STN57 and WD1-3-6)
      were blocked at the saccharopine dehydrogenase step, and the C. tropicalis mutant
      (X-16) was blocked at the saccharopine reductase step. The cloned LYS1 gene of C.
      albicans in the recombinant plasmid YpB1078 complemented saccharopine
      dehydrogenase (lys1) mutants of S. cerevisiae and C. albicans. The Lys1+
      transformed strains exhibited significant saccharopine dehydrogenase activity in
      comparison with untransformed mutants. The cloned LYS1 gene has been localized on
      a 1.8-kb HindIII DNA insert of the recombinant plasmid YpB1041RG1. These results
      established the gene-enzyme relationship in the second half of the alpha
      aminoadipate pathway. The presence of this unique pathway in the pathogenic fungi
      could be useful for their rapid detection and control.

PMID- 1429461
TI  - Analysis of eight out genes in a cluster required for pectic enzyme secretion by
      Erwinia chrysanthemi: sequence comparison with secretion genes from other gram
      negative bacteria.
AB  - Many extracellular proteins produced by Erwinia chrysanthemi require the out gene
      products for transport across the outer membrane. In a previous report (S. Y. He,
      M. Lindeberg, A. K. Chatterjee, and A. Collmer, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA
      88:1079-1083, 1991) cosmid pCPP2006, sufficient for secretion of Erwinia
      chrysanthemi extracellular proteins by Escherichia coli, was partially sequenced,
      revealing four out genes sharing high homology with pulH through pulK from
      Klebsiella oxytoca. The nucleotide sequence of eight additional out genes reveals
      homology with pulC through pulG, pulL, pulM, pulO, and other genes involved in
      secretion by various gram-negative bacteria. Although signal sequences and
      hydrophobic regions are generally conserved between Pul and Out proteins, four
      out genes contain unique inserts, a pulN homolog is not present, and outO appears
      to be transcribed separately from outC through outM. The sequenced region was
      subcloned, and an additional 7.6-kb region upstream was identified as being
      required for secretion in E. coli. out gene homologs were found on Erwinia
      carotovora cosmid clone pAKC651 but were not detected in E. coli. The outC
      through-outM operon is weakly induced by polygalacturonic acid and strongly
      expressed in the early stationary phase. The out and pul genes are highly similar
      in sequence, hydropathic properties, and overall arrangement but differ in both
      transcriptional organization and the nature of their induction.

PMID- 1429462
TI  - Purification of two chitinases from Rhizopus oligosporus and isolation and
      sequencing of the encoding genes.
AB  - Two chitinases were purified from Rhizopus oligosporus, a filamentous fungus
      belonging to the class Zygomycetes, and designated chitinase I and chitinase II.
      Their N-terminal amino acid sequences were determined, and two synthetic
      oligonucleotide probes corresponding to these amino acid sequences were
      synthesized. Southern blot analyses of the total genomic DNA from R. oligosporus
      with these oligonucleotides as probes indicated that one of the two genes
      encoding these two chitinases was contained in a 2.9-kb EcoRI fragment and in a
      3.6-kb HindIII fragment and that the other one was contained in a 2.9-kb EcoRI
      fragment and in a 11.5-kb HindIII fragment. Two DNA fragments were isolated from
      the phage bank of R. oligosporus genomic DNA with the synthetic oligonucleotides
      as probes. The restriction enzyme analyses of these fragments coincided with the
      Southern blot analyses described above and the amino acid sequences deduced from
      their nucleotide sequences contained those identical to the determined N-terminal
      amino acid sequences of the purified chitinases, indicating that each of these
      fragments contained a gene encoding chitinase (designated chi 1 and chi 2,
      encoding chitinase I and II, respectively). The deduced amino acid sequences of
      these two genes had domain structures similar to that of the published sequence
      of chitinase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, except that they had an additional C
      terminal domain. Furthermore, there were significant differences between the
      molecular weights experimentally determined with the two purified enzymes and
      those deduced from the nucleotide sequences for both genes. Analysis of the N-
      and C-terminal amino acid sequences of both chitinases and comparison of them
      with the amino acid sequences deduced from the nucleotide sequences revealed
      posttranslational processing not only at the N-terminal signal sequences but also
      at the C-terminal domains. It is concluded that these chitinases are synthesized
      with pre- and prosequences in addition to the mature enzyme sequences and that
      the prosequences are located at the C terminal.

PMID- 1429463
TI  - S-layer protein gene of Lactobacillus brevis: cloning by polymerase chain
      reaction and determination of the nucleotide sequence.
AB  - The surface (S)-layer protein of Lactobacillus brevis was isolated, purified, and
      characterized. The S-layer protein is the major protein of the cell, with an
      apparent molecular mass of 46 kDa in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Immunogold electron microscopy with polyclonal
      antiserum against the isolated 46-kDa protein was used to confirm the surface
      location of this protein. N-terminal amino acid sequences of the intact 46-kDa
      protein and its tryptic peptides were determined. The gene of the S-layer protein
      was amplified from the genome of L. brevis by polymerase chain reaction with
      oligonucleotides, synthesized according to the N-terminal amino acid sequences,
      as primers. The polymerase chain reaction fragments containing the entire S-layer
      gene and its regulatory regions were sequenced. Nucleic acid sequence analysis
      revealed one open reading frame with a capacity to encode a protein of 48,159 Da.
      From the regulatory region of the gene, two subsequent promoters and a ribosome
      binding site, showing typical features of prokaryotic consensus sequences, were
      found. The coding region contained a characteristic gram-positive-type signal
      peptide of 30 amino acids. Removal of the signal peptide results in a polypeptide
      of 435 amino acids, which is in excellent agreement with the size of the S-layer
      protein determined by SDS-PAGE. The size and the 5' end analyses of the S-layer
      transcripts confirmed the monocistronic nature of the S-layer operon and the
      functionality of the two promoters found.

PMID- 1429464
TI  - Microcin 25, a novel antimicrobial peptide produced by Escherichia coli.
AB  - Microcin 25, a peptide antibiotic excreted by an Escherichia coli strain isolated
      from human feces, was purified to homogeneity and characterized. Composition
      analysis and data from gel filtration indicated that microcin 25 may contain 20
      amino acid residues. It has a blocked amino-terminal end. Microcin synthesis and
      immunity are plasmid determined, and the antibiotic was produced in minimal
      medium when the cultures entered the stationary phase of growth. The peptide
      appears to interfere with cell division, since susceptible cells filamented when
      exposed to it. This response does not seem to be mediated by the SOS system.

PMID- 1429466
TI  - Assay, purification, and characterization of cobaltochelatase, a unique complex
      enzyme catalyzing cobalt insertion in hydrogenobyrinic acid a,c-diamide during
      coenzyme B12 biosynthesis in Pseudomonas denitrificans.
AB  - Hydrogenobyrinic acid a,c-diamide was shown to be the substrate of
      cobaltochelatase, an enzyme that catalyzes cobalt insertion in the corrin ring
      during the biosynthesis of coenzyme B12 in Pseudomonas denitrificans.
      Cobaltochelatase was demonstrated to be a complex enzyme composed of two
      different components of M(r) 140,000 and 450,000, which were purified to
      homogeneity. The 140,000-M(r) component was shown to be coded by cobN, whereas
      the 450,000-M(r) component was composed of two polypeptides specified by cobS and
      cobT. Each component was inactive by itself, but cobaltochelatase activity was
      reconstituted upon mixing CobN and CobST. The reaction was ATP dependent, and the
      Km values for hydrogenobyrinic acid a,c-diamide, Co2+, and ATP were 0.085 +/-
      0.015, 4.2 +/- 0.2, and 220 +/- 36 microM, respectively. Spectroscopic data
      revealed that the reaction product was cob(II)yrinic acid a,c-diamide, and
      experiments with a coupled-enzyme incubation system containing both
      cobaltochelatase and cob(II)yrinic acid a,c-diamide reductase (F. Blanche, L.
      Maton, L. Debussche, and D. Thibaut, J. Bacteriol. 174:7452-7454, 1992) confirmed
      this result. This report not only provides the first evidence that
      hydrogenobyrinic acid and its a,c-diamide derivative are indeed precursors of
      adenosylcobalamin but also demonstrates that precorrin-6x, precorrin-6y, and
      precorrin-8x, three established precursors of hydrogenobyrinic acid (D. Thibaut,
      M. Couder, A. Famechon, L. Debussche, B. Cameron, J. Crouzet, and F. Blanche, J.
      Bacteriol. 174:1043-1049, 1992), are also on the pathway to cobalamin.

PMID- 1429465
TI  - Physiological consequences of DnaK and DnaJ overproduction in Escherichia coli.
AB  - The physiological consequences of molecular chaperone overproduction in
      Escherichia coli are presented. Constitutive overproduction of DnaK from a
      multicopy plasmid containing large chromosomal fragments spanning the dnaK region
      resulted in plasmid instability. Co-overproduction of DnaJ with DnaK stabilized
      plasmid levels. To examine the effects of altered levels of DnaK and DnaJ in a
      more specific manner, an inducible expression system for dnaK and dnaJ was
      constructed and characterized. Differential rates of DnaK synthesis were
      determined by quantitative Western blot (immunoblot) analysis. Moderate levels of
      DnaK overproduction resulted in a defect in cell septation and formation of cell
      filaments, but co-overproduction of DnaJ overcame this effect. Further increases
      in the level of DnaK terminated culture growth despite increased levels of DnaJ.
      DnaK overproduction was found to be bacteriocidal, and this effect was also
      partially suppressed by DnaJ. The bacteriocidal effect was apparent only with
      cultures which were allowed to enter stationary phase, indicating that DnaK
      toxicity is growth phase dependent.

PMID- 1429467
TI  - Purification and characterization of Cob(II)yrinic acid a,c-diamide reductase
      from Pseudomonas denitrificans.
AB  - An NADH-dependent flavoenzyme exhibiting cob(II)yrinic acid a,c-diamide reductase
      activity was purified 6,300-fold to homogeneity from Pseudomonas denitrificans
      and sequenced at its N terminus. This enzyme of the cobalamin biosynthetic
      pathway reduced to the Co(I) state all of the Co(II)-corrinoids isolated from
      this microorganism.

PMID- 1429468
TI  - Sequence of the S-layer gene of Thermus thermophilus HB8 and functionality of its
      promoter in Escherichia coli.
AB  - The nucleotide sequence of the slpA gene, which is responsible for the synthesis
      of the S-layer protein of Thermus thermophilus HB8, is described. This gene is
      transcribed as a unit in which the coding region is preceded by a 127-base-long
      leader mRNA sequence. The promoter region is also recognized by the RNA
      polymerase of Escherichia coli because of the presence of homologous -35 and -10
      boxes. Homologies with other promoters from Thermus spp. are also presented.

PMID- 1429469
TI  - Molecular characterization of a second abortive phage resistance gene present in
      Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis ME2.
AB  - The fifth phage resistance factor from the prototype phage-insensitive strain
      Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis ME2 has been characterized and sequenced. The
      genetic determinant for Prf (phage resistance five) was subcloned from the
      conjugative plasmid pTN20, which also encodes a restriction and modification
      system. Typical of other abortive resistance mechanisms, Prf reduces the
      efficiency of plaquing to 10(-2) to 10(-3) and decreases the plaque size and
      burst size of the small isometric-headed phage p2 in L. lactis subsp. lactis
      LM0230. However, normal-size plaques occurred at a frequency of 10(-4) and
      contained mutant phages that were resistant to Prf, even after repeated
      propagation through a sensitive host. Prf does not prevent phage adsorption or
      promote restriction and modification activities, but 90% of Prf+ cells infected
      with phage p2 die. Thus, phage infections in Prf+ cells are aborted. Prf is
      effective in both L. lactis subsp. lactis and L. lactis subsp. cremoris strains
      against several small isometric-headed phages but not against prolate-headed
      phages. The Prf determinant was localized by Tn5 mutagenesis and subcloning. DNA
      sequencing identified a 1,056-nucleotide structural gene designated abiC. Prf+
      expression was obtained when abiC was subcloned into the lactococcal expression
      vector pMG36e. abiC is distinct from two other lactococcal abortive phage
      resistance genes, abiA (Hsp+, from L. lactis subsp. lactis ME2) and abi416 (Abi+,
      from L. lactis subsp. lactis IL416). Unlike abiA, the action of abiC does not
      appear to affect DNA replication. Thus, abiC represents a second abortive system
      found in ME2 that acts at a different point of the phage lytic cycle.

PMID- 1429470
TI  - Glycine betaine and potassium ion are the major compatible solutes in the
      extremely halophilic methanogen Methanohalophilus strain Z7302.
AB  - Methanohalophilus strain Z7302 was previously isolated from a hypersaline
      environment and grows over a range of NaCl concentrations from 1.7 to 4.4 M. We
      examined the relationships between cell growth rate, cell volume, and
      intracellular solute concentrations with increasing salinity. This extremely
      halophilic methanogen synthesized three zwitterionic compounds, beta-glutamine, N
      epsilon-acetyl-beta-lysine, and glycine betaine, and also accumulated potassium
      ion as compatible solutes to balance the external and internal osmotic pressures.
      Potassium and glycine betaine were the predominant compatible solutes when
      Methanohalophilus strain Z7302 was grown at high external NaCl concentrations and
      approached intracellular levels of 3 and 4 M, respectively.

PMID- 1429471
TI  - Analysis of mutations in cyclodextrin glucanotransferase from Bacillus
      stearothermophilus which affect cyclization characteristics and thermostability.
AB  - Cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase; EC 2.4.1.19) produces cyclodextrin from
      starch. The CGTase molecule is composed of four globular domains, A, B, C, and D.
      In order to gain better understanding of the amylolytic and cyclization
      mechanisms of CGTase, mutant CGTases were constructed from a CGTase gene (cgt1)
      of Bacillus stearothermophilus NO2. Cgt1-F191Y (Phe at position 191 was replaced
      by Tyr), Cgt1-F191Y-F255Y, Cgt1-W254V-F255I, Cgt1-W254V, and Cgt1-F255I were
      constructed for the analysis of the NH2-terminal region. It was revealed that
      amino acids surrounding a spiral amylose are important for cyclization
      characteristics and that hydrophobic amino acids just after the Glu catalytic
      site play an important role in the hydrolysis characteristics of the enzyme.
      Mutant CGTases Cgt1-T591F and Cgt1-W629F were also constructed to study the role
      of a second substrate-binding site in domain D, and it was suggested that
      substrate binding at both domains A and D stabilized the enzyme and optimized
      cyclodextrin production.

PMID- 1429472
TI  - A region of the broad-host-range plasmid RK2 causes stable in planta inheritance
      of plasmids in Rhizobium meliloti cells isolated from alfalfa root nodules.
AB  - We demonstrate for the first time that the broad-host-range stabilization loci
      from plasmid RK2 cause total retention of plasmids in cells of Rhizobium meliloti
      during symbiosis with alfalfa. Two derivatives of plasmid RK2, pRK290 and a 7.3
      kb mini-RK2 plasmid, were stabilized in R. meliloti cells isolated from root
      nodules by the insertion of a 3.2-kb DNA fragment or a smaller 0.8-kb DNA
      fragment derived from the RK2 stabilization region.

PMID- 1429473
TI  - A comparative study of nonparaphilic sexual addictions and paraphilias in men.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A definition of nonparaphilic sexual addiction (NPSA) is offered and
      the literature suggesting comorbidity between NPSA and paraphilias (PAs) is
      reviewed. We describe a study to clarify the relationship between NPSA and PA.
      METHOD: Thirty consecutive male respondents to an advertisement (PA: N = 15;
      NPSA: N = 15) were evaluated. The frequency of sexual behaviors, total sexual
      outlet, intensity of sexual desire, time spent in unconventional sexual
      behaviors, and a total sexual interest ratio were measured. Group differences
      were statistically examined using the Fisher's exact probability test (one
      tailed). Concomitant psychological, social, work, financial, legal, and medical
      sequelae were ascertained. RESULTS: The most prevalent lifetime sexual behaviors
      in both groups were NPSAs, especially compulsive masturbation, ego-dystonic
      promiscuity, and dependence on pornography. Mean total sexual outlet in both
      groups was approximately three times that of a comparable "normal" male sample.
      Components of total sexual outlet were reported in a nonnormative distribution
      pattern, and NPSA/PA sexual behaviors eclipsed conventional sexual activities in
      all measures. Group differences in measures of sexual behavior frequency,
      intensity, and time consumed by these behaviors were not statistically
      significant. CONCLUSION: The cormorbid presence of multiple NPSAs in 93% of the
      paraphilic men accompanied by comparable sexual and psychosocial sequelae
      suggests that NPSAs may represent a culturally adapted form of psychopathology
      that can also be manifested as PAs. A definition of hypersexual desire is
      offered, and a relationship between hypersexual desire and unconventional sexual
      outlet is suggested.

PMID- 1429474
TI  - Fluoxetine treatment of nonparaphilic sexual addictions and paraphilias in men.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Paraphilias (PAs) and non-paraphilic sexual addictions (NPSAs) may be
      behaviors that share a common perturbation of central serotonin neuroregulation
      as a component of their pathophysiology. Fluoxetine was selected as an agent that
      might mitigate these behaviors, based on the observations that PAs and NPSAs are
      associated with depression, compulsion, impulsivity, and disinhibited aggression.
      METHOD: Twenty men (PA, N = 10; NPSA, N = 10) recruited through newspaper
      advertisement were evaluated for depression and sexual behaviors at baseline and
      4-week intervals while receiving fluoxetine pharmacotherapy in an open trial.
      Sixteen men completed the drug trial. Outcome was determined at 12 weeks using a
      single-factor, repeated-measures design and an analysis of variance. The general
      linear models procedure was used to test each of nine dependent measures.
      RESULTS: Nineteen (95%) of 20 men met non-exclusionary DSM-III-R criteria for
      dysthymia and 11 men (55%) met criteria for current major depression. At
      baseline, the paraphilic and the nonparaphilic subgroups were comparable in most
      intergroup measures of sexual function except total sexual outlet. PAs shared
      extensive comorbidity with NPSAs (100%). At outcome, statistically significant
      effects (p < .05) of fluoxetine were found in both groups over time for all
      variables pertaining to depression and PA/NPSA sexual behaviors. Statistically
      significant reduction in PA/NPSA response was evident by Week 4, while
      conventional sexual behavior was not adversely affected by pharmacotherapy.
      CONCLUSION: Men seeking treatment for PAs/NPSAs reported current depressive
      symptoms accompanied by a positive history of mood disorders, especially
      dysthymia and major depression. Fluoxetine selectively reduced both PA and NPSA
      behaviors in men reporting the presence of mild-severe depressive symptoms.
      Treatment response of PAs/NPSAs at outcome was independent of baseline depression
      score. Enhancement of central serotonin neurotransmission by fluoxetine may
      ameliorate symptoms of mood disorder, heightened sexual desire, and
      compulsivity/impulsivity associated with these conditions.

PMID- 1429475
TI  - Gradual versus rapid dawn simulation treatment of winter depression.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Bright light therapy has been shown to be effective in treating
      winter depression. Dawn simulation, a low-illuminance light that gradually
      increases in intensity while the person sleeps, decreased depression in an
      uncontrolled study. The present study compares a gradual dawn signal with a
      hypothesized placebo condition, a rapid dawn signal. METHOD: In a 4-week,
      randomized crossover design, nine patients with winter depression were treated
      with a gradual, 2.5-hour dawn simulation for 1 week and a rapid, 10-minute dawn
      simulation for 1 week. Both dawns had a maximum illuminance of 275 lux. At the
      end of each baseline week and treatment week, blind raters assessed the level of
      depression. RESULTS: Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression mean scores
      significantly decreased for both the gradual dawn (17.7 to 5.9, p < .05) and the
      rapid dawn (17.2 to 7.0, p < .05) condition. The improvement was similar for both
      treatments. Early morning awakening was significantly (p < .01) more common with
      the gradual dawn (7/9) than with the rapid dawn (1/9) condition. CONCLUSION:
      Depression decreased under both dawn simulations. Because the degree of
      improvement was similar, a placebo effect rather than the efficacy of dawn
      simulation might explain the results. However, a mere placebo effect is an
      unlikely explanation. The degree of improvement was similar to that shown in
      studies of bright light therapy and clearly superior to previous "placebo"
      control conditions. The side effects from the gradual dawn may have obscured a
      potential superiority of the gradual dawn over the rapid dawn.

PMID- 1429476
TI  - Psychiatric comorbidity and suicidality among intravenous drug users.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Prevalence of lifetime psychiatric comorbidity and history of
      attempted suicide among intravenous drug users was investigated. METHOD: One
      thousand sixty-two relatives of hospitalized alcoholics, felons, and control
      subjects were administered a structured interview that gathered data on lifetime
      psychiatric symptoms and psychoactive drug use. Psychiatric diagnoses were based
      on interview information, medical records, and family history data. Comparisons
      were made between 411 subjects who used no illicit drugs, 329 cannabis users, 230
      subjects who had used psychoactive drugs other than cannabis more than five times
      but had never injected drugs, and 92 intravenous drug users. RESULTS: Any history
      of injecting drugs increased the odds of being diagnosed with antisocial
      personality disorder by a factor of 21.01, alcoholism by 4.42, and unipolar
      depression by 3.02. A diagnosis of antisocial personality disorder increased the
      odds of having injected drugs by a factor of 27.19, while diagnoses of alcoholism
      or unipolar depression conveyed odds for injecting drugs of 4.62 and 3.70,
      respectively. Intravenous drug use was associated with an 8.27-fold increase in
      odds for a suicide attempt compared with no drug use. CONCLUSION: Rates of
      alcoholism, depression, and antisocial personality disorder, but not other
      psychiatric disorders (other than drug dependence), are significantly elevated in
      intravenous drug users. Moreover, among drug users, the decision to inject is
      differentially made by those with antisocial personality disorder. A history of
      suicide attempt is common among intravenous drug users, but injecting appears to
      convey little additional risk above substantial but non-intravenous drug use.

PMID- 1429477
TI  - Potassium supplementation in lithium patients: a timely intervention or premature
      speculation?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Preventing and/or treating renal and other complications of long-term
      lithium therapy remains a challenge to clinicians. A review of studies in animals
      and anecdotal reports in humans suggests that potassium may have therapeutic
      value in this regard. METHOD: The Lithium Information Center data base of over
      20,000 articles was searched under the title and subject heading of "potassium."
      Pertinent articles from the 303 references obtained served as the basis for this
      review. RESULTS: Studies in rats found that dietary potassium supplementation
      reduced adverse effects of lithium on growth and renal function and morphology.
      Loss of intracellular potassium may contribute to lithium-induced
      electrocardiographic ST-T wave changes. Little work has been done in humans to
      evaluate the potential benefit of potassium supplementation. CONCLUSION:
      Hypokalemia should be avoided or corrected in patients taking lithium. The role
      of potassium supplementation in preventing renal and other complications in the
      presence of normokalemia requires further investigation.

PMID- 1429478
TI  - Tricyclic antidepressant triggers mania in patient with organic affective
      disorder.

PMID- 1429479
TI  - Carbamazepine-associated thrombocytopenia.

PMID- 1429480
TI  - A fluvoxamine-induced frontal lobe syndrome in a patient with comorbid Gilles de
      la Tourette's syndrome and obsessive compulsive disorder.

PMID- 1429481
TI  - A case of early-onset Pick's disease.

PMID- 1429482
TI  - Acute tryptophan depletion: a method of studying antidepressant action.
AB  - Serotonin (5-HT) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of depressive
      syndromes and in the mechanism of antidepressant drug action. Rapid dietary
      depletion of tryptophan (TRP) provides a paradigm for studying the role of 5-HT
      in depressed patients. Drug-free depressed patients do not show mood changes
      during TRP depletion but about one third have a clinically apparent, transient
      improvement in mood on return to normal TRP intake. Depressed patients in
      clinical remission after 6 to 8 weeks of antidepressant therapy experience a
      transient depressive relapse during acute TRP depletion. The significance of
      these findings will be discussed. Tryptophan depletion in other psychiatric
      syndromes will also be reviewed.

PMID- 1429483
TI  - Basic advances in serotonin pharmacology.
AB  - Several advances in serotonin pharmacology have implications for psychiatry. The
      introduction of selective inhibitors of serotonin uptake into clinical use has
      established more firmly the relevance of brain serotonin neurons to depressive
      illness and is permitting an exploration of other therapeutic consequences of
      amplifying serotonergic function. A recent major advance in basic pharmacology
      has been the definition and characterization of multiple serotonin receptor
      subtypes in brain. Highly selective agonists and antagonists at these receptor
      subtypes are being developed as candidate drugs for therapy and as pharmacologic
      probes for assessing functionality of brain serotonin neurons in disease.
      Improved pharmacologic specificity will provide better tools for eliciting
      measurable responses mediated by brain serotonin receptors and for imaging key
      presynaptic and postsynaptic constituents of serotonin neuronal systems. Advances
      in serotonin pharmacology should therefore expand our understanding of
      serotonin's roles as a brain neurotransmitter in health and disease and lead to
      improved therapeutic agents.

PMID- 1429484
TI  - Serotonin activity in psychotic (delusional) major depression.
AB  - Psychotic (delusional) major depression is a distinct syndrome with marked
      morbidity. Previous studies have emphasized the role that glucocorticoids and
      dopamine may play in the pathogenesis of the disorder as well as in its response
      to treatment. In addition to reviewing data on these two systems, the possible
      role serotonin (5-HT) may play is also reviewed. Studies indicate increased 5-HT
      reuptake into platelets and elevated cerebrospinal fluid levels of the serotonin
      metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) are found in patients with this
      disorder. In addition, amoxapine, a four-ringed antidepressant with 5-HT2
      antagonistic properties, has been reported to be effective in treating patients
      with this disorder. The implications of these findings vis-a-vis a role for
      serotonin in delusional major depression are discussed. Future studies on
      serotonin as well as on 5-HT2 antagonists in delusional depression are warranted.

PMID- 1429485
TI  - Serotonergic antidepressants and their efficacy in obsessive compulsive disorder.
AB  - Since 1985, major advances have been made in the pharmacologic treatment of
      obsessive compulsive disorder. Clomipramine is undoubtedly effective. Other
      selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as fluvoxamine and sertraline, seem
      effective as well. Fluoxetine's efficacy has been principally based on convincing
      open-label studies and clinical practice. No large controlled studies have been
      published. A preliminary analysis of a double-blind trial in which 51 obsessive
      compulsive disorder patients were randomly assigned to either placebo or three
      fixed doses of fluoxetine reveals that the drug is decisively helpful.
      Unexpectedly, the 20-mg/day dose was as effective as the 40- or 60-mg/day dose.
      Although these findings further advance our understanding of short-term
      pharmacologic treatments, few data are available regarding maintenance doses,
      relapse, and efficacy of adjunctive treatments.

PMID- 1429486
TI  - Therapeutic apheresis in Canada. The Canadian Apheresis Study Group.

PMID- 1429487
TI  - Collection of blood mononuclear cells by leukapheresis for transplantation in a
      Yucatan miniature swine model.
AB  - A large animal model is needed to evaluate new apheresis technologies. These
      technologies include novel methods of harvesting the blood mononuclear cell
      population which contains the hematopoietic stem cells needed to restore
      hematopoiesis in recipients of hematopoietically lethal therapy and the use of
      cytokines to provide a safe and predictable method of manipulating these
      circulating hematopoietic stem cells. We describe the methods used to collect
      mononuclear cells by leukapheresis from Yucatan miniature swine. These animals
      are of sufficient size to tolerate the procedures and have many physiologic and
      hematologic similarities to man. They are of good temperament and are easily
      trained. Long-term venous access was obtained using single lumen silicone rubber
      catheters placed in the inferior vena cava. The animals were apheresed while
      fully awake using a Haemonetics Model V50 machine and a modified lymphocyte
      collection protocol. The procedure was highly efficient for the collection of
      mononuclear cells and a 10 pass procedure yielded a product which contained 19.7
      x 10(9) mononuclear cells, 10.7 x 10(9) granulocytes, and 17 ml of erythrocytes
      in a volume of approximately 100 ml. This product can be cryopreserved and used
      for subsequent transplantation. The content of four apheresis procedures provides
      hematopoietic reconstitution of lethally irradiated swine on a time scale
      equivalent to transplantation of optimal numbers of bone marrow cells.

PMID- 1429488
TI  - Three years with a national apheresis registry.
AB  - The large number of unsolved problems in plasma exchange therapy makes an
      apheresis registry appear useful. The results of such an open prospective
      observational study from 1987 to 1989 in East Germany are presented in this
      paper. With 1,945 procedures in a total of 419 patients (on average 4.1
      treatments per patient) about 80% of all treatments in the country were
      registered. Exchange volume averaged 2.7 (+/- 0.78) l or 43 (+/- 13.9) ml/kg body
      weight. Substitutes were albumin (51% of the cases), FFP (22%), and both (22%).
      Nephrological (25%) and neurological (23%) diagnoses prevailed among the treated
      diseases. Haematologic diseases (12%) were underrepresented and hepatic coma
      (20%) was overrepresented. Minor side effects occurred in 22% of all treatments
      and severe complications in 38 treatments (2%). Four fatalities probably resulted
      from plasmapheresis therapy. The registry permits an assessment of the treatment
      results and of several trends during the period of observation.

PMID- 1429489
TI  - Ten years experience with therapeutic apheresis in a community hospital.
AB  - A retrospective study was carried out on 2,500 therapeutic hemapheresis
      procedures performed at a community teaching hospital from 1980 to 1990. Seventy
      six percent of the procedures consisted of plasmapheresis (PE). The most
      frequently treated conditions were myasthenia gravis (MG), Guillain-Barre
      syndrome (GB), hyperviscosity (HV), and thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura
      (TTP). Therapeutic results and clinical implications for these four conditions
      are discussed.

PMID- 1429490
TI  - Plasma exchange versus an affinity column for cholesterol reduction.
AB  - The recent introduction of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)/very low-density
      lipoprotein (VLDL) selective-removal systems offers an alternative to plasma
      exchange (PE). For the last 10 years, we have treated a male homozygous
      hypercholesterolemia type IIA patient with PE using 5% normal serum albumin (NSA)
      replacement, PE using 6% hydroxyethyl starch (HES) replacement, single dextran
      sulfate cellulose bead affinity column (DSAC) (Kaneka LA-40), and double DSAC.
      This report compares the performance of these systems in cholesterol reduction
      (total, LDL+VLDL, and high-density lipoprotein [HDL] and their effect on the
      total protein, albumin, and hematocrit levels. The number of procedures and
      average volume of plasma treated using PE-NSA, PE-HES, 1-DSAC, and 2-DSAC were
      113, 64, 15, 90 and 3,939, 3,270, 3,519, and 3,588 ml, respectively. The average
      pretreatment total cholesterol levels were baseline 864 mg/dL, PE-NSA 606 mg/dL,
      PE-HES 610 mg/dL, 1-DSAC 467 mg/dL, and 2-DSAC 395 mg/dL with plasma reductions
      of 59%, 57%, 47%, and 55%, respectively. Average LDL+VLDL plasma reductions were
      PE-NSA 58%, PE-HES 59% (N = 1), 1-DSAC 46%, and 2-DSAC 56%. Average HDL plasma
      reductions were PE-NSA 58%, PE-HES 69% (N = 1), 1-DSAC 5%, and 2-DSAC 17%. The
      average total cholesterol and LDL+VLDL reductions were comparable for both types
      of PE and the 2-DSAC system. The average HDL loss was 53% lower for the DSAC
      systems than for PE systems.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429491
TI  - An unexpected complication following immunoadsorption with a staphylococcal
      protein A column.
AB  - Extracorporeal immune adsorption with staphylococcal protein A (SPA) columns can
      remove immune complexes and immunoglobulins in the treatment of a variety of
      diseases. We present the case of an elderly man with neuropathy associated with
      monoclonal gammopathy, treated by 3 on-line SPA procedures. At the completion of
      these treatments his neuropathy relapsed, progressing to near-total paralysis.
      Return to a baseline clinical status required several months. The reason for this
      severe relapse is not clear. Possible explanations include SPA activation of T
      lymphocytes, with release of gamma interferon and increased antigen recognition,
      or removal of an antiidiotype control mechanism. We advise caution in the
      application of immunoadsorption to conditions in which it has not yet been
      evaluated.

PMID- 1429492
TI  - Donor reactions during DDAVP-stimulated plasmapheresis.
AB  - Donor exposure can be strikingly reduced for patients with classical hemophilia A
      and von Willebrand's disease when large volumes of potent cryoprecipitated AHF
      are prepared from donors following DDAVP (1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin)
      stimulation and automated plasmapheresis--a procedure called "plasma exchange
      donation." Although this procedure has been reported to be relatively safe for
      donors, data are limited. Accordingly, we studied 20 donors during 48 procedures
      using DDAVP (0.3 micrograms/kg IV) followed by 2-3 L plasma collection.
      Replacement fluid for each initial plasma exchange donation was plasma protein
      fraction; autologous cryoprecipitate-poor plasma was used for subsequent
      procedures. Mild reactions, particularly facial flushing, were noted in all 48
      procedures. No procedure was discontinued, but four were modified due to either
      an increased pulse rate (> or = 20/min from baseline) or a fall in systolic or
      diastolic blood pressure (> or = 20 mm Hg from baseline). No donor was deferred
      or withdrew from the program. Based on our modest experience, DDAVP stimulated
      plasma exchange donation appears to be a safe and effective method for collecting
      large quantities of plasma from which potent cryoprecipitated AHF can be
      prepared.

PMID- 1429493
TI  - Selective removal of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody in the low temperature
      operation of membrane plasma fractionation.
AB  - The removal of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody (anti-AChR Ab) by the plasma
      fractionator, Kuraray EVAL 2A, was measured as a function of the filtration
      temperature (4 and 37 degrees C). Plasmas procured from eight myasthenia gravis
      (MG) patients undergoing routine plasma exchanges (PE: membrane plasma
      filtration: n = 4, and centrifugation: n = 4) were used in the studies. Plasma
      flow rate was 20 ml/min, and plasma perfusion in single pass was terminated when
      the transmembrane pressure of the filter reached 300 mm Hg. Solute concentration
      data from before and after perfusion were used to assess the sieving coefficient
      (SC) of each solute. Results show that the SCs for anti-AChR Ab and albumin were
      significantly (P < .0002) lower at 4 degrees C (0.15 and 0.52, respectively) as
      compared to 37 degrees C (0.44 and 0.72, respectively). The SC of anti-AChR Ab
      (0.15) was significantly lower than the SC of IgG (0.42; P < .006) at 4 degrees
      C, even though it also belongs to the IgG class. The ratio of the SC of anti-AChR
      Ab to albumin at 4 degrees C (0.29) was significantly lower than that at 37
      degrees C (0.57; P < .003). These data indicate that the selectivity of removal
      of anti-AChR Ab from albumin is higher at 4 degrees C than that at 37 degrees C.
      The volume treated at 4 degrees C was significantly lower than that treated at 37
      degrees C, and it was less than that required for a clinical treatment; however,
      it was shown that filter backwashing is possible without loss of solute removal
      selectivity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429494
TI  - Backwashing procedure for on-line reuse of a plasma fractionator in
      cryofiltration.
AB  - During membrane plasma fractionation therapy there are reported incidences of
      membrane plugging requiring the corrective actions of either filter replacement
      or backwashing (BW) in order to continue the treatment. In this preliminary
      study, a simple BW procedure to allow for on-line reuse of the filter (Asahi
      AP06M) during the treatment was evaluated to assess its efficacy and safety in
      cryofiltration (CF). Evaluations were carried out on two patients treated for
      rheumatoid arthritis. Seven tests, each using 1 L or 2 L warmed saline as a BW
      solution were performed to evaluate the decrease of the transmembrane pressure
      (TMP) between just before and after backwashing and TMP change during
      cryofiltration procedures between before and after backwashing. Sieving
      coefficients of total protein, albumin, immunoglobulins (G, M, A), fibrinogen,
      and rheumatoid factor were also calculated at 1,000 ml plasma volume processed.
      Results showed statistically significant decreases of TMP from 300 mm Hg to 70 mm
      Hg between just before and after both backwashing procedures, and that there were
      no significant changes in the TMP increase during the cryofiltration procedure
      between pre- and post-BW. The protein sievings were not significantly affected by
      BW. The use of a second liter for rinsing did not reduce the inlet pressure
      further suggesting that 1 L BW was adequate. The accumulated solutes did not
      affect significantly the effective mean pore size. The BW procedure did not
      affect the overall patient safety during therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1429495
TI  - Apheresis for severe malaria complicated by cerebral malaria, acute respiratory
      distress syndrome, acute renal failure, and disseminated intravascular
      coagulation.
AB  - Malaria has become a very uncommon disease in Italy. Recently a variety of
      circumstances, such as travel to tropical countries as well as immigration from
      Asia and Africa, have combined to increase the number of malaria cases recorded
      annually. In this report we describe the use of red cell exchange transfusion and
      plasma exchange in the treatment of a patient with hyperparasitemic malaria (51%
      erythrocytes or more parasitized). When first observed the patient was in shock
      and had signs of cerebral malaria, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and
      acute respiratory distress syndrome, which in the following 2 days were
      complicated by acute renal failure. After mefloquine therapy combined with 3 red
      blood cell exchanges, 2 plasma exchanges, and 10 dialysis sessions over 14 days,
      the patient recovered completely. This case of severe malaria with multiple
      complications, treated with mefloquine in conjunction with both exchange
      transfusion and plasmapheresis, had a successful outcome and lends further
      support to the possible beneficial role of exchange transfusion in complicated
      malaria.

PMID- 1429496
TI  - Simplified blood access method for immunoadsorption.

PMID- 1429497
TI  - Vanadate stimulates D-glucose transport into sarcolemmal vesicles from rat
      skeletal muscles.
AB  - Vanadate is known to have various insulin-like actions including activation of D
      glucose uptake into the skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. In this study, we
      examined the effect of orthovanadate on D-glucose uptake into sarcolemmal
      vesicles prepared from rat hind limb skeletal muscles. In the presence of 10 mM
      vanadate, the initial rate of D-glucose uptake into sarcolemmal vesicles was
      enhanced 4-5 times above the basal value. Half-maximal concentration for this
      effect of vanadate was 3 mM. The D-glucose uptake was also stimulated by
      metavanadate, but not by selenite, selenate, or molybdate. When vanadate was
      removed from the vesicles by dilution and centrifugation, D-glucose uptake into
      the vesicles returned to the basal level, indicating that the effect of vanadate
      was reversible. Saturation curves showed that the Vmax value for the D-glucose
      uptake was enhanced more than 4-fold by 10 mM vanadate. Therefore, the activation
      of D-glucose uptake was due, at least in part, to a large increase in the Vmax
      value. These results suggest that vanadate increases the intrinsic activity
      (turnover number) of skeletal muscle glucose transporters in a reversible manner.

PMID- 1429498
TI  - Amino acid sequence and disulfide-bridge location of canine haptoglobin.
AB  - The complete amino acid sequence and disulfide-bridge location of canine
      haptoglobin (Hp) were determined by analyzing various fragments produced
      chemically and/or enzymatically. Canine Hp consists of two light (L) and two
      heavy (H) chains with 83 and 245 amino acid residues, respectively. It has three
      potential oligosaccharide-binding sequences, Asn-X-Ser/Thr, one in the L chain
      and two in the H chain. All of them are glycosylated. Comparison of the amino
      acid sequences between canine Hp and human Hp shows 68 and 85% homology for L
      chains and H chains, respectively. About 20% of the canine L chain still retains
      a carboxyl-terminal arginine residue, which is completely removed during
      maturation in human L-chain. The half-cystine residue at position 15 in the L
      chain, which participates in the inter-L chain disulfide bridging in human Hp,
      has been replaced by a leucine residue in canine Hp. Therefore, an LH unit in
      canine Hp may be joined to another LH unit by a noncovalent (mainly hydrophobic)
      interaction to form the complete molecule. The disulfide bridges in canine Hp
      link Cys-34L to Cys-68L, Cys-72L to Cys-105H, Cys-148H to Cys-179H, and Cys-190H
      to Cys-220H, as in the case of human Hp.

PMID- 1429499
TI  - Hepatic triiodothyronine sulfation and its regulation by growth hormone and
      triiodothyronine in rats.
AB  - The regulatory mechanism of cytosolic sulfation of T3 has been studied in rat
      liver. Sulfation of T3 is sexually differentiated in adult rats of Sprague-Dawley
      (SD), Fisher 344, and ACI strains. In SD strain, the male animals showed 4 times
      higher sulfating activity than did the females. The specific activity was
      decreased by hypophysectomy of male adult rats, but was not affected in the
      females. Thus, the sex-difference was abolished in the hypophysectomized
      condition. Supplement of human GH intermittently twice daily for 7 days, to mimic
      the male secretory pattern, increased T3 sulfating activity in both sexes of
      hypophysectomized rats, whereas continuous infusion to mimic a female secretory
      pattern had no appreciable effect. Cytosolic sulfation of T3 was decreased by 25
      to 30% by thyroidectomy or propylthiouracil treatment of male adult rats, and was
      restored by the supplementation of T3 (50 micrograms/kg daily for 7 days) to
      thyroidectomized rats. Administration of T3 in hypophysectomized rats almost
      completely restored the sulfating activity in the males and increased the
      activity in the females. Cytosolic T3 sulfation was inhibited by the addition of
      known inhibitors of phenol sulfotransferase, pentachlorophenol or 2,6-dichloro-4
      nitrophenol. These results indicate a role of pituitary GH in hepatic sulfation
      of thyroid hormones in rats. The data obtained also raise the possibility that GH
      may modify the effect of thyroid hormones on the pituitary by a feed-back
      mechanism through changing the level of a sex-dominant phenol sulfotransferase(s)
      in rat livers. T3 was also sulfated in hepatic cytosols of mouse, hamster,
      rabbit, dog, monkey, and human.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429500
TI  - Release of O-linked sugar chains from glycoproteins with anhydrous hydrazine and
      pyridylamination of the sugar chains with improved reaction conditions.
AB  - A method for preparation of pyridylamino (PA-) derivatives of O-linked sugar
      chains from glycoproteins was developed. A glycopeptide containing O-linked Gal
      beta 1-3GalNAc was prepared from fetuin and treated with anhydrous hydrazine
      followed by N-acetylation of free amino groups. Sugar chains released were
      pyridylaminated with improved reaction conditions and excess reagents were
      removed by gel filtration. Gal beta 1-3GalNAc-PA obtained together with PA-Gal as
      a by-product was quantified by HPLC. Conditions for the hydrazine treatment were
      investigated and the treatment at 40 degrees C for 350 h gave the best results
      for releasing O-linked sugar chains. The total yield of Gal beta 1-3GalNAc-PA
      from the glycopeptide was 53% under the established conditions and that of PA-Gal
      was 18%. The present method was applied to a glycoprotein, and the expected PA-O
      linked sugar chains were obtained. Under these conditions, N-linked sugar chains
      were also released.

PMID- 1429501
TI  - Evidence for a single catalytic site of honeybee alpha-glucosidase I by chemical
      modification with diethylpyrocarbonate.
AB  - Honeybee alpha-glucosidase I was inactivated with diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC).
      The inactivation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. The rate of the loss of
      activity was decreased by the addition of a substrate, maltose. Since there was
      no spectral change in the tyrosine absorption region, it was recognized that DEPC
      did not react with this residue. The alpha-glucosidase had one free sulfhydryl
      group, which was not involved in the catalytic reaction, and was not modified by
      DEPC. On the other hand, the specific reaction of DEPC with a histidyl residue
      was spectrophotometrically confirmed by an increase in absorption near 240 nm,
      and the activity of the inactivated enzyme was restored by hydroxylamine. The
      modification rate of one histidyl residue by DEPC was almost equal to the rate of
      the activity loss. These results indicate that there is one histidyl residue at
      or near the catalytic site, and that honeybee alpha-glucosidase I has a single
      active site.

PMID- 1429503
TI  - The interaction of elderberry (Sambucus sieboldiana) bark lectin and
      sialyloligosaccharides as detected by 1H-NMR.
AB  - The interaction of Japanese elderberry bark lectin (Sambucus sieboldiana
      agglutinin, SSA) with carbohydrate was investigated by 1H-NMR. When a low
      affinity ligand, methyl beta-D-galactoside (beta MeGal), was mixed with SSA, each
      proton signal of beta MeGal was broadened. The signal of H-4 was markedly broad,
      while those of H-1, OCH3, and H-2 of beta MeGal were rather sharp. The specific
      broadening of Gal H-4 was more evident when SSA was mixed with methyl-beta-D
      lactoside (beta MeLac). Position-dependent signal broadening suggests that beta
      MeGal binds to SSA such that H-4 is closely involved in the contact region, but H
      1, OCH3, and H-2 are far from this region. In the case of a high affinity ligand,
      Neu5Ac(alpha 2-6)Gal(beta 1-4)Glc(= N6L), ligand signals of the SSA-N6L mixture
      did not change at all. But when a small amount of N6L was added to the SSA-beta
      MeGal mixture, the broad signals of bound beta MeGal became dramatically sharp.
      This indicates that the added N6L molecules liberated the bound beta MeGal from
      SSA. On the other hand, the sialyllactose with the alpha(2-3)-linkage(= N3L)
      could not substitute for bound beta MeGal because of its lower affinity. This
      demonstrates that the competitive binding experiment between two ligands is a
      useful technique to detect the interaction of lectins with high affinity ligands
      which could not be observed directly by NMR signal broadening and/or chemical
      shift change.

PMID- 1429502
TI  - Evidence that three histidine residues of a base non-specific and adenylic acid
      preferential ribonuclease from Rhizopus niveus are involved in the catalytic
      function.
AB  - In order to study the structure-function relationship of an RNase T2 family
      enzyme, RNase Rh, from Rhizopus niveus, we investigated the roles of three
      histidine residues by means of site-specific mutagenesis. One of the three
      histidine residues of RNase RNAP Rh produced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by
      recombinant DNA technology was substituted to a phenylalanine or alanine residue.
      A Phe or Ala mutant enzyme at His46 or His109 showed less than 0.03%, but a
      mutant enzyme at His104 showed 0.54% of the enzymatic activity of the wild-type
      enzyme with RNA as a substrate. Similar results were obtained, when ApU was used
      as a substrate. The binding constant of a Phe mutant enzyme at His46 or His109
      towards 2'-AMP decreased twofold, but that at His104 decreased more markedly.
      Therefore, we assumed that these three histidine residues are components of the
      active site of RNase Rh, that His104 contributes to some extent to the binding
      and less to the catalysis, and that the other two histidine residues and one
      carboxyl group not yet identified are probably involved in the catalysis. We
      assigned the C-2 proton resonances of His46, His104, and His109 by comparison of
      the 1H-NMR spectra of the three mutant enzymes containing Phe in place of His
      with that of the native enzyme, and also determined the individual pKa values for
      His46 and His104 to be 6.70 and 5.94. His109 was not titrated in a regular way,
      but the apparent pKa value was estimated to be around 6.3. The fact that addition
      of 2'-AMP caused a greater effect on the chemical shift of His104 in the 1NMR
      spectra as compared with those of the other histidine residues, may support the
      idea described above on the role of His104.

PMID- 1429504
TI  - Molecular evolution of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase for C4 photosynthesis in
      maize: comparison of its cDNA sequence with a newly isolated cDNA encoding an
      isozyme involved in the anaplerotic function.
AB  - Molecular events associated with the evolution of an enzyme for C4 photosynthesis
      were investigated. In maize, at least three isozymes of phosphoenolpyruvate
      carboxylase [EC 4.1.1.31] are known: the C4-form, the C2-form and the root-form,
      being named according to their physiological roles and pattern of tissue
      distribution [Ting, I.P. & Osmond, C.B. (1973) Plant Physiol. 51, 448-453]. A
      cDNA clone which presumably encodes the C3-form isozyme was newly isolated and
      analyzed. Comparison of the sequences of the C3-form and C4-form isozymes
      revealed that (i) the homologies in the nucleotide and deduced amino acid
      sequences were 71 and 77%, respectively, and (ii) the gene for the C4-form
      isozyme evolved under strong G/C pressure. The genes for these isozymes were
      found to be located apart on different chromosomes. A phylogenetic tree was
      constructed using 8 amino acid sequences of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylases from
      various sources. The topology of the tree indicated that, at least in monocots
      such as maize and sorghum, the genes for the C4-form and C3-form isozymes
      diverged from their common ancestral gene earlier than the monocot-dicot
      divergence (about 2 x 10(8) yr ago), though the divergence of maize (C4 plant)
      from wheat (C3 plant) is supposed to have occurred much later (6 x 10(7) yr ago).

PMID- 1429505
TI  - Further studies on chimeric P450 2C2/2C14 having testosterone 16 beta-hydroxylase
      activity which is absent in the parental P450s.
AB  - cDNAs for various chimeras between P450 2C2, P450 2C14, P450 2B5, and P450 2E1
      were constructed, the chimeric P450s were expressed in yeast cells, and their
      catalytic activities were compared in the reconstituted system containing
      partially purified P450 preparations. The chimera P450(2Hc3), consisting of the
      462 amino-terminal residues of P450 2C2 and the remaining 28 residues of P450
      2C14, had testosterone 16 beta-hydroxylase activity, which is not seen in either
      of the parental P450s, in addition to higher activities of laurate (omega-1)
      hydroxylation and benzphetamine N-demethylation than the parental P450s [Uno, T.
      et al. (1990) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 167, 498-503]. When either of the
      segments from P450 2C2 and P450 2C14 in this chimera was replaced with the
      corresponding sequences of P450 2E1 or when the 35 carboxy-terminal residues of
      P450(2Hc3) were replaced with those of P450 2B5, the 16 beta-hydroxylase activity
      disappeared. When the 262 amino-terminal residues, except for residues 90-125
      (region 90-125), of P450(2Hc3) were replaced with those of P450 2C14, the
      resulting chimera retained both testosterone 16 beta- and laurate (omega-1)
      hydroxylase activities. Further replacing the region 90-125 with that of P450
      2C14 resulted in disappearance of the 16 beta-hydroxylase activity and profound
      decrease in the (omega-1)-hydroxylase activity. Testosterone 16 beta
      hydroxylation was inhibited by laurate and laurate (omega-1)-hydroxylation by
      testosterone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429506
TI  - Thermostable, salt tolerant, wide pH range novel chitobiase from Vibrio
      parahemolyticus: isolation, characterization, molecular cloning, and expression.
AB  - A chitobiase gene from Vibrio parahemolyticus was cloned into plasmid pUC18 in
      Escherichia coli strain DH5 alpha. The plasmid construct, pC120, contained a 6.4
      kb Vibrio DNA insert. The recombinant gene expressed chitobiase [EC 3.2.1.30]
      activity similar to that found in the native Vibrio. The enzyme was purified by
      ion exchange, hydroxylapatite and gel permeation chromatographies, and exhibited
      an apparent molecular weight of 80 kDa on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
      Chitobiose and 6 more substrates, including beta-N-acetyl galactosamine
      glycosides, were hydrolyzed by the recombinant chitobiase, indicating its
      putative classification as an hexosaminidase [EC 3.2.1.52]. The enzyme was
      resistant to denaturation by 2 M NaCl, thermostable at 45 degrees C and active
      over a very unusual (for glycosyl hydrolases) pH range, from 4 to 10. The
      purified cloned chitobiase gave 4 closely focussed bands on an isoelectric
      focusing gel, at pH 4 to 6.5. The N-terminal 43 amino acid sequence shows no
      homology with other proteins in commercial databanks or in the literature, and
      from its N-terminal sequence, appears to be a novel protein, unrelated in
      sequence to chitobiases from other Vibrios reported and unrelated to
      hexosaminidases from other organisms.

PMID- 1429507
TI  - A soluble protease identified from rat kidney degrades endothelin-1 but not
      proendothelin-1.
AB  - Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent peptidic vasoconstrictor. This peptide has been
      shown to be cleared rapidly by the kidney. The purpose of the present study was
      to assess the involvement of renal proteolytic enzymes in the
      clearance/degradation of ET-1. Incubation of ET-1 with the cytosolic fraction of
      rat kidney homogenate resulted in a decrease of contractile activity on rabbit
      aortic rings when compared to the untreated ET-1. This cytosolic fraction was
      chromatographed by anion-exchange and concanavalin A columns. The partially
      purified enzyme cleaved off the C-terminal tryptophan of ET-1 rapidly, resulting
      in a peptide which is three orders of magnitude weaker in potency than ET-1 in
      causing smooth muscle contraction. In contrast, proendothelin-1 was not degraded
      by this endothelin degradation enzyme (EDE). The effects of EDE on other
      vasoactive peptides were also examined. The C-terminal tyrosine of atrial
      natriuretic peptide was cleaved by EDE, but the biological activity of the
      resulting peptide was not significantly changed. Angiotensin II was not a
      substrate for EDE. The EDE was shown to be different from both carboxypeptidases
      A and B based on the HPLC analysis of the degradation products of ET-1 produced
      by these enzymes. In addition, these enzymes displayed different sensitivities
      toward a carboxypeptidase inhibitor from potato tuber. These results suggest that
      this previously unidentified enzyme inactivates ET-1 effectively and that it may
      play a role in modulating the levels of ET-1 in the kidney.

PMID- 1429508
TI  - Farnesyl diphosphate synthase and solanesyl diphosphate synthase reactions of
      diphosphate-modified allylic analogs: the significance of the diphosphate linkage
      involved in the allylic substrates for prenyltransferase.
AB  - Diphosphate-modified substrates for prenyltransferase were synthesized and
      examined as substrates for the prenyltransferase reaction. They were
      dimethylallyl methylenediphosphonate, geranyl methylenediphosphonate, geranyl
      imidodiphosphate, geranyl phosphosulfate, farnesyl methylenediphosphonate,
      farnesyl imidodiphosphate, and farnesyl phosphosulfate. All of them except
      dimethylallyl methylenediphosphonate were accepted as substrates by solanesyl
      diphosphate synthase to give solanesyl diphosphate and the former four analogs
      were also accepted as substrates by farnesyl diphosphate synthase to give
      farnesyl diphosphate. The Km values of both enzymes for the
      methylenediphosphonate and imidodiphosphate analogs were comparable to those of
      the corresponding diphosphate substrates, but the phosphosulfate analogs showed
      much greater Km values than the diphosphate substrates. On the other hand, the
      Vmax values for these artificial substrates were all smaller than those for the
      corresponding natural substrates. Kinetic experiments with the analogs showed
      that the ionization-condensation-elimination mechanism proposed for the farnesyl
      diphosphate synthase reaction holds also for the solanesyl diphosphate synthase
      reaction and that the diphosphoryl structure, capable of chelating with divalent
      cations, is important topologically and kinetically rather than
      thermodynamically.

PMID- 1429509
TI  - Synthetic reaction of Cellvibrio gilvus cellobiose phosphorylase.
AB  - The synthetic reactions of the cellobiose phosphorylase from Cellvibrio gilvus
      were investigated in detail. It was found that, besides D-glucose, some sugars
      having substitution or deletion of the hydroxyl group at C2 or C6 of the D
      glucose molecule could serve as a glucosyl acceptor, though less effectively than
      D-glucose. The enzyme showed higher activity with beta-D-glucose than with the
      alpha-anomer as an acceptor. This result indicates that it recognizes the
      anomeric hydroxyl group not involved directly in the reaction. beta-D-Cellobiose
      was also phosphorolyzed faster than the alpha-anomer. Substrate inhibition was
      observed with D-glucose, 6-deoxy-D-glucose, or D-glucosamine as an acceptor, with
      D-glucose being most inhibiting. This inhibition was studied in detail and it was
      found that D-glucose competes with alpha-D-glucose-1-phosphate for its binding
      site. A model of competitive substrate inhibition was proposed, and the
      experimental data fit well to the theoretical values that were calculated in
      accordance with this model.

PMID- 1429510
TI  - Chemical synthesis, molecular cloning, and expression of the gene coding for the
      Trichosanthes trypsin inhibitor--a squash family inhibitor.
AB  - The gene coding for a Trichosanthes trypsin inhibitor analog (Ala-6-TTI) in which
      methionine at position 6 was replaced by alanine was synthesized chemically. The
      synthetic gene was cloned into plasmid pWR590-1 and expressed in Escherichia coli
      as a fusion protein composed of beta-galactosidase fragment of 590 amino acid
      residues and (Ala-6)-TTI, with methionine as a connecting residue. After cyanogen
      bromide cleavage and reduction of the fusion protein, followed by refolding with
      trypsin-Sepharose 4B as a matrix and affinity chromatography on the immobilized
      enzyme, the fully active (Ala-6)-TTI was obtained. The trypsin inhibitory
      activity and amino acid composition of the recombinant (Ala-6)-TTI were
      consistent with those of the natural one. The (Ala-6)-TTI gene was also cloned
      into the secretion expression vector, pVT102U/alpha, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
      In order to make the reading frame of the gene compatible with the vector, a
      nucleotide was inserted into the (Ala-6)-TTI gene via site-directed mutagenesis.
      The secreted (Ala-6)-TTI was purified and found to be correctly processed at the
      junction between the alpha-factor leader peptide and (Ala-6)-TTI downstream. Of
      the two expression systems, the latter is more advantageous in the high yield
      (greater than 2 mg/liter), easy purification and needlessness of disulfide
      refolding.

PMID- 1429511
TI  - Novel structure of the N-acetylgalactosamine containing N-glycosidic carbohydrate
      chain of batroxobin, a thrombin-like snake venom enzyme.
AB  - The structure of the Asn-linked carbohydrate chain of batroxobin, a thrombin-like
      enzyme from Bothrops atrox moojeni snake venom, has been determined. The sugar
      chain was isolated from batroxobin by hydrazinolysis followed by pyridylamination
      (PA). The PA-oligosaccharide chain was purified by HPLC on an anion exchange or
      reverse phase columns, and its structure was examined by sequential
      exoglycosidase digestion, 600 MHZ 1H NMR spectroscopy and methylation analysis.
      The results indicate that the oligosaccharide chain has the following structure
      involving a novel linkage, NeuAc alpha 2----3GalNAc.

PMID- 1429512
TI  - A simple and efficient amplification method of DNA with unknown sequences and its
      application to microdissection/microcloning.
AB  - An alternative method for amplification of DNA with unknown sequences was
      developed. This involves the direct ligation of a primer oligodeoxyribonucleotide
      itself to restricted DNA fragments with unknown sequences to be amplified by PCR.
      The oligonucleotide need not be phosphorylated and need not be annealed with its
      complementary oligonucleotide in advance for ligation. The ligation reaction
      seems to be independent of the concentration of unknown DNA, proceeds in short
      time, and is efficient. The ligation efficiency was more than 30% at a low
      concentration, 10 fg/microliters, of DNA. This method was applied to a
      microdissection/microcloning of the short arm of human chromosome 2. Of 65 clones
      screened for the highly repetitive sequences with total human genomic DNA, eleven
      (17%) were positive. Their inserts ranged in size from 150 to 1,200 bp (average,
      460 bp). In Southern blot analysis, thirty consecutive clones all detected
      signals common to both total human genomic DNA and mouse-human hybrid cell DNA
      containing only chromosome 2 of human origin. Among them, 24 (80%) were unique
      sequences, and 6 (20%) were multi-copy (or intermediate-repeat) sequences. Thus,
      this method is simple and efficient, and provides an alternative way to amplify
      unknown DNA.

PMID- 1429513
TI  - Evidence for conversion of human salivary alpha-amylase family A to family B by
      an enzyme action.
AB  - SDS-PAGE showed that human salivary alpha-amylase family A (HSA-A) was converted
      to family B (HSA-B) in human saliva. This conversion did not occur in the
      supernatant of saliva which had been centrifuged at 105,000 x g for 60 min. An
      enzyme which catalyzed the conversion existed in the insoluble fraction of human
      saliva. The enzyme was solubilized with nonionic or zwitterionic detergents, and
      showed the maximum activity around pH 6. It was stable between pH 4 and 10, and
      at a temperature lower than 40 degrees C. The enzyme reduced the molecular weight
      of HSA-A (62,000) to the same molecular weight (58,000) as that of HSA-B without
      forming any intermediate. It also changed the PAGE pattern of multiple forms of
      HSA-A to the same pattern as that of HSA-B. It was not inhibited by protease
      inhibitors, and it did not destroy the reactivity of HSA-A with anti-human
      salivary alpha-amylase antiserum. The enzyme diminished the reactivity of HSA-A
      with concanavalin A. These results indicate that HSA-A was converted to HSA-B
      through the release of sugar chains by the action of the enzyme in the insoluble
      fraction of human saliva.

PMID- 1429514
TI  - Nucleotide sequences and characterization of liv genes encoding components of the
      high-affinity branched-chain amino acid transport system in Salmonella
      typhimurium.
AB  - A 7.6-kb fragment of Salmonella typhimurium LT2 containing the liv gene cluster,
      which specifies the high-affinity branched-chain amino acid transport system (LIV
      I), has been isolated. The upstream region contains the livB and livC genes
      encoding the leucine-isoleucine-valine-threonine and leucine-specific binding
      proteins, respectively. In this study, the nucleotide sequence of the 4-kb
      downstream segment was determined and found to contain four reading frames,
      designated as livA, livE, livF, and livG, that encode putative membrane
      associated proteins. The livA and livE genes encode hydrophobic proteins composed
      of 308 and 425 amino acid residues, respectively. The livF and livG genes encode
      hydrophilic proteins of 255 and 237 amino acids, respectively; both the proteins
      contain consensus amino acid sequences found in proteins with ATP-binding sites.
      These four genes linked together have a potential rho-independent transcriptional
      terminator adjacent to the 3'-end of livG. No promoter sequence was found in the
      immediate upstream region of the livAEFG cluster. The livA, livE, livF, and livG
      gene products were identified as proteins with apparent M(r)s of 25,500, 34,500,
      28,000, and 26,000, respectively, by SDS-polyacryl-amide gel electrophoresis. The
      deduced amino acid sequences of these four proteins showed strong homology to
      those of the corresponding membrane-associated proteins required for the high
      affinity branched-chain amino acid transport systems from both Escherichia coli
      and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

PMID- 1429515
TI  - Detection of human urinary alpha-amylase encoded by the AMY2B gene using a
      fluorogenic substrate, FG5P.
AB  - The existence of alpha-amylase (HXA) encoded by alpha-amylase gene AMY2B in
      healthy humans was examined using a fluorogenic substrate, FG5P (FG-G-G-G-G-P:
      FG, 6-deoxy-6-[(2-pyridyl)amino]-D-glucose residue; G, glucose residue; P, p
      nitrophenyl residue; -, alpha-1,4-glycosidic bond). Chromatofocusing of urine
      from a healthy human was carried out. FG5P was digested with the fractions
      exhibiting alpha-amylase activity and each digest at an early stage was analyzed
      by HPLC. FG5P was hydrolyzed to FG3 (FG-G-G) and p-nitrophenyl alpha-maltoside (G
      G-P), and to FG4 (FG-G-G-G) and p-nitrophenyl alpha-glucoside (G-P). The molar
      ratios of FG4 to FG3 (FG4/FG3) in the digests with basic fractions were larger
      than those in the digests of human pancreatic alpha-amylase (HPA, 1.11) and human
      salivary alpha-amylase (HSA, 0.51). Considering that the value for the AMY2B gene
      product with yeast (yHXA) is 1.88, a value of more than 1.11 implies that HXA
      exists. The amount of HXA was determined after removal of HSA on an anti-human
      salivary alpha-amylase antibody bound column. The FG4/FG3 values for six urine
      samples free from HSA were 1.23-1.26. Assuming that the FG4/FG3 value for HXA is
      the same as that for yHXA, the ratios of HXA and HPA were estimated to be 1:5.4
      4.1. The results obtained showed that the AMY2B gene is usually expressed as HXA
      in healthy humans.

PMID- 1429516
TI  - Expression in Escherichia coli and a functional study of a beta-troponin T 25 kDa
      fragment of rabbit skeletal muscle.
AB  - A 25 kDa fragment of beta-type troponin T (beta-TnT) was expressed in Escherichia
      coli, and its function as a component of the regulatory system for actomyosin
      ATPase was compared with that of the authentic counterpart, the full length alpha
      TnT. The expressed species, designated as beta-TnT(N'-208), consists of 208
      residues. It lacks the entire variable region at the amino-terminus and, near the
      carboxyl-terminus, a segment of 14 residues is changed from the alpha-type to the
      beta-type sequence. Functional tests indicated that the truncated beta-TnT was
      not distinguishable from the full length alpha-TnT, suggesting that neither
      deletion of the variable N-terminal region nor alteration of the type has a
      significant effect on the regulatory action of TnT.

PMID- 1429517
TI  - Activation and stabilization of UDP-glucuronyltransferase by
      lysophosphatidylcholine.
AB  - Interactions between purified UDP-glucuronyltransferase from 3-methylcholanthrene
      treated rat liver microsomes (named GT-1) and lysophosphatidylcholine, which is
      essential for expression of GT-1 activity, were examined. Phospholipid-free GT-1,
      which could not express its full activity [Yokota et al. (1988) J. Biochem. 104,
      531-536], was activated fully by addition of lysophosphatidylcholine (0.04 mM
      final concentration) into the assay medium. Lysophosphatidylcholine also
      protected GT-1 effectively against heat inactivation.
      Palmitoyllysophosphatidylcholine and stearoyllysophosphatidylcholine were most
      successful for the activation and stabilization of GT-1. On treatment of GT-1
      with carboxypeptidase Y, the transferase was inactivated immediately, but the
      treatment in the presence of lysophosphatidylcholine affected the activity only a
      little. Lysophosphatidylcholine was also found to protect GT-1 against cleavage
      by carboxypeptidase Y. On treatment of GT-1 with trypsin or aminopeptidase T, the
      activity was lost and GT-1 protein could be digested even when
      lysophosphatidylcholine was present. It is suggested that UDP
      glucuronyltransferase forms an active and stable conformation, in which the
      carboxy-terminal region is protected against protease, with
      lysophosphatidylcholine.

PMID- 1429518
TI  - Biochemical and immunological characterization of the DNA binding protein (RBP-J
      kappa) to mouse J kappa recombination signal sequence.
AB  - We have investigated whether J kappa recombination signal sequence (RS) binding
      protein (RBP-J kappa) has any partial catalytic activities involved in the VDJ
      recombination reaction, such as cleavage, ligation, and bending of DNA. Murine
      RBP-J kappa protein purified by J kappa-RS affinity chromatography did not show
      DNA cleavage activities but contained a strong DNA ligase activity. To obtain a
      large amount of purified RBP-J kappa protein, recombinant RBP-J kappa was
      synthesized in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein and also in silkworm cells.
      Although recombinant RBP-J kappa produced in silkworm cells could bind J kappa
      RS, it failed to show either ligase or DNA bending activity. Since the DNA
      affinity-purified RBP-J kappa has the ligase activity, the RBP-J kappa protein
      may form a complex with a ligase in vivo. We have raised monoclonal antibodies
      against the RBP-J kappa fusion protein which was synthesized in E. coli and
      unable to bind J kappa-RS. Using the anti-RBP-J kappa monoclonal antibody we have
      shown that the RBP-J kappa protein is expressed ubiquitously in mammalian
      tissues. The ubiquitous expression of the RBP-J kappa protein is consistent with
      the hypothesis that the RBP-J kappa protein may have dual function [Furukawa et
      al. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 23334-23340].

PMID- 1429519
TI  - Cell density-dependent regulation of albumin synthesis and DNA synthesis in rat
      hepatocytes by hepatocyte growth factor.
AB  - Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a potent mitogen for mature hepatocytes, has been
      considered to act as a hepatotropic factor for liver regeneration. We examined
      the effect of HGF on albumin synthesis and DNA synthesis of adult rat hepatocytes
      cultured at various cell densities. HGF stimulated albumin synthesis of
      hepatocytes by 40-60% when they were cultured at higher cell densities such that
      there was tight cell-cell contact. But at lower cell densities HGF failed to
      stimulate albumin synthesis. In contrast, the stimulatory effect of HGF on DNA
      synthesis of hepatocytes was more potent at lower than at higher cell densities:
      HGF did not stimulate DNA synthesis of hepatocytes cultured at confluent cell
      density. Thus, HGF seems to stimulate both albumin synthesis and DNA synthesis of
      hepatocytes, in a reciprocal relationship depending on cell density. When the
      effects of various cytokines were examined, epidermal growth factor, transforming
      growth factor-alpha, and acidic fibroblast growth factor also stimulated albumin
      synthesis by 20-30%. However, transforming growth factor-beta 1, basic fibroblast
      growth factor, and interleukin-1 beta had no effect on albumin synthesis, while
      interleukin-6 inhibited it by 42%. Thus HGF was the most potent in stimulating
      albumin synthesis in these cytokines. Since HGF is markedly increased in the
      liver or plasma following various liver insults, HGF may be involved in liver
      regeneration through the potential to stimulate both cell growth and liver
      specific functions such as albumin synthesis in a cell density-dependent manner.

PMID- 1429520
TI  - Effects of salts on thermolysin: activation of hydrolysis and synthesis of N
      carbobenzoxy-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester, and a unique change in the
      absorption spectrum of thermolysin.
AB  - It has been reported that neutral salts such as NaCl activate the thermolysin
      catalyzed hydrolysis of substrates containing glycine at the P1 position
      (carboxylic side of the cleavage bond) [Holmquist, B. & Vallee, B.L. (1976)
      Biochemistry 15, 101-107]. In this paper, we demonstrate that high concentrations
      (1-4 M) of neutral salts greatly enhance the thermolysin activity in both
      hydrolysis and synthesis of N-carbobenzoxy-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl
      ester (ZAPM), a precursor of a peptide sweetener, aspartame, in which the L
      aspartyl residue is the P1 residue. The enzyme activity is enhanced with an
      increase in salt concentration in a pseudo-exponential fashion. The degree of
      activation by salts was in the order LiCl > NaCl > KCl. The rate of ZAPM
      hydrolysis in the presence of 3.8 M NaCl was 6-7 times higher than that in its
      absence, and 50 times or more activation is expected in saturated NaCl solution.
      The activation is brought about solely through an increase in the catalytic
      constant (kcat), and the Michaelis constant (Km) is not affected at all by the
      presence of NaCl. On mixing thermolysin with NaCl, a unique absorption difference
      spectrum suggesting a conformational change of the enzyme was observed. The
      intensity increased in a pseudo-exponential fashion with increase of NaCl
      concentration up to 3 M, and this dependence is similar to that of the enzyme
      activity.

PMID- 1429521
TI  - Predicted secondary and tertiary structures of carp gamma-crystallins with high
      methionine content: role of methionine residues in the protein stability.
AB  - A systematic structural comparison of several carp gamma-crystallins with high
      methionine contents was made by the secondary-structure prediction together with
      computer model-building based on the established X-ray structure of calf gamma-II
      crystallin. The overall surface hydrophilicity profile and the distribution of
      helices, beta-sheets, and beta-turns along the polypeptide chains are very
      similar among these carp gamma-crystallins. In addition, their general
      polypeptide packing is close to the characteristic 2 domain/4 motif Greek key
      three-dimensional conformation depicted for the calf gamma-II crystallin.
      Interestingly, most hydrophobic methionine residues are located on the protein
      surface with only a few buried inside the protein surface or in the interface
      between two motifs of each domain. The exposed hydrophobic and polarizable
      methionine cluster on the protein surface may have a bearing on the crystallin
      stability and dense packing in the piscine species, and probably also provides a
      malleable nonpolar surface for the interaction with other crystallin components
      for the maintenance of a clear and transparent lens.

PMID- 1429522
TI  - Purification, analysis, and enzymatic activity of recombinant human synovial
      fluid phospholipase A2 and N-terminal variants.
AB  - Recombinant human synovial fluid phospholipase A2 (rPLA2) and several variants
      with N-terminal sequences modified by addition or deletion of one or two amino
      acid residues (ala or Met; Des-Asn1, Leu2) have been expressed in mammalian cells
      and in Escherichia coli, respectively, purified to homogeneity, and
      characterized. The observed values for the molecular mass of rPLA2 and variants
      are in complete agreement with the predicted values for a correctly folded
      structure containing seven disulfide bridges. Moreover, the relative proportions
      of the various types of secondary structures of the variants of rPLA2, as
      measured by CD spectroscopy, are similar to that found for native porcine
      pancreatic PLA2, indicating that the recombinant proteins are correctly folded.
      Enzymatic activities of rPLA2 with modified N-termini decreased to 1.3-0.005% of
      the activity of the mature rPLA2, emphasizing a key role of the N-terminus for
      catalytic activity.

PMID- 1429523
TI  - Studies on the uronic acid-containing glycoproteins of Fusarium sp. M7-1: IV.
      Isolation and identification of four novel oligosaccharide units derived from the
      acidic polysaccharide chain.
AB  - Four novel oligosaccharide units were isolated from the acetolysis products of
      the acidic polysaccharide chain derived from the glycoproteins of Fusarium sp. M7
      1. Their chemical structures were resolved mainly by 1H-NMR spectrometry in
      combination with methylation analysis and mass spectrometry. The results indicate
      that these oligosaccharide units originated from the side chains, GlcNAc alpha 1-
      >4GlcA alpha 1-->2(GlcNac alpha 1-->4)GlcA alpha 1-->2Gal, GlcNAc alpha 1-->4GlcA
      alpha 1-->2(GlcNAc alpha 1-->4)GlcA alpha 1-->2(GlcNac alpha 1-->4)GlcA alpha 1-
      >2Gal, ChN<--P--> 6Man beta 1-->4GlcA alpha 1-->2Gal, and Man beta 1-->2(ChN<--P-
      >6)Man beta 1-->4GlcA alpha 1-->2Gal linked together with the other units
      reported previously [Jikibara et al. (1992) J. Biochem. 111, 236-243] through
      beta 1-->6galactofuranoside linkages in the acidic polysaccharide chain.

PMID- 1429524
TI  - High-yield production of recombinant endothelin-1.
AB  - A fusion protein (pETB-42P), which encodes the 42-amino acid leader peptide and
      the 38-amino acid peptide of human big endothelin (ET)-1, was synthesized in
      Escherichia coli, isolated as inclusion bodies, and purified by DEAE
      chromatography. Trypsin digestion of the purified pETB-42P gave big ET-1(1-37) in
      a yield of 70%; then pepsin digestion of the purified big ET-1(1-37) gave ET-1(1
      21) in a yield of 74% (overall yield: 52%). Sequential trypsin and pepsin
      digestions of the purified fusion protein in the same reaction vessel also
      allowed recovery of ET-1 in a yield of 60%. One milligram of ET-1 or 2.0 mg of
      big ET-1(1-37) was obtained from 1.8 liters of culture broth. Recombinant ET-1
      thus obtained was identical to authentic ET-1 in terms of amino acid sequence and
      vasoconstrictor potency, and recombinant big ET-1(1-37) had almost the same in
      vitro and in vivo biological activities as big ET-1(1-38).

PMID- 1429525
TI  - The primary structure of the Cytisus scoparius seed lectin and a carbohydrate
      binding peptide.
AB  - The complete amino acid sequence of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactose-binding
      Cytisus scoparius seed lectin II (CSII) was determined using a protein sequencer.
      After digestion of CSII with endoproteinase Lys-C or Asp-N, the resulting
      peptides were purified by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography
      (HPLC) and then subjected to sequence analysis. Comparison of the complete amino
      acid sequence of CSII with the sequences of other leguminous seed lectins
      revealed regions of extensive homology. The amino acid residues of concanavalin A
      (Con A) involved in the metal binding site are highly conserved among those of
      CSII. A carbohydrate-binding peptide of CSII was obtained from the endoproteinase
      Asp-N digest of CSII by affinity chromatography on a column of GalNAc-Gel. This
      peptide was retained on the GalNAc-Gel column and was presumed to have affinity
      for the column. The amino acid sequence of the retarded peptide was determined
      using a protein sequencer. The retarded peptide was found to correspond to the
      putative metal-binding region of Con A. These results strongly suggest that this
      peptide represents the carbohydrate-binding and metal ion-binding sites of CSII.

PMID- 1429526
TI  - Induction and characterization of two types of ATPase on rat liver peroxisomes.
AB  - Clofibrate increased oligomycin-resistant ATPase activity in peroxisomes more
      than 17-fold (5.15 +/- 0.71 milliunits/mg protein) in rat liver. The activity was
      dependent on divalent cations (Mg2+ > Ca2+) with an optimum pH of 7.5. This
      activity was partially inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), 4,4'
      dithiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS), silicotungstic acid (STA), and
      high concentrations of N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD). Proteinase K
      digestion of intact peroxisomes severely reduced the NEM-sensitive activity, but
      little affected the NEM-resistant activity. NEM-sensitive and -resistant ATPases
      showed Km values for ATP of 780 and 73 microM, respectively. The NEM-sensitive
      activity was inhibited completely by DIDS, 7-chloro-4- nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3
      diazole (NBD-Cl), tributyltin chloride (TBT), and quercetin, and partially by
      DCCD and STA, whereas the NEM-resistant activity was totally insensitive to these
      chemicals except for STA. These activities had unique requirements for divalent
      cations, anions, and substrates, respectively. They were partially separated by
      gel filtration chromatography and had molecular masses of 520 kDa (NEM-sensitive
      enzyme) and 450 kDa (NEM-resistant enzyme), respectively.

PMID- 1429527
TI  - Distribution of 1,5-anhydro-D-glucitol in normal, diabetic, and perfused rat
      bodies.
AB  - The concentration of 1,5-anhydro-D-glucitol (AG) was determined in various organs
      and tissues of normal rats and rats rendered diabetic with streptozocin, using an
      AG-assay method in which AG was extracted after acid hydrolysis of the whole
      tissues. The organs and tissues examined included skin, muscle, liver, and
      kidney. The plasma of control rats contained 3-12 micrograms/ml of AG. In these
      rats, all the organs examined also contained AG at concentrations not much lower
      than that in the corresponding plasma, except for adipose tissues and testis,
      which have relatively small water spaces; the latter two contained AG at
      relatively low concentrations. In contrast, both the plasma and various organs of
      the diabetic rats contained only trace amounts of AG. The whole body perfusion of
      control rats depleted AG from most of the organs, the exception being spleen, the
      circulation system of which is known to have a structure that is difficult wash
      by means of perfusion. These observations indicated that AG readily diffused into
      the inter- and intra-cellular water spaces from the circulation. Accordingly, the
      plasma membranes of the cells in these organs were suggested to be permeable to
      AG.

PMID- 1429528
TI  - Biosynthesis of the blood group P antigen-like GalNAc beta 1-->3Gal beta 1-
      >4GlcNAc/Glc structure: a novel N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase in human blood
      plasma.
AB  - Human blood group O plasma was found to contain an N
      acetylgalactosaminyltransferase which catalyzes the transfer of N
      acetylgalactosamine from UDP-GalNAc to Gal beta 1-->4Glc, Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc,
      asialo-alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, and Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc beta 1-->3Gal beta 1-
      >4Glc-ceramide, but not to Gal beta 1-->3GlcNAc. The enzyme required Mn2+ for its
      activity and showed a pH optimum at 7.0. The reaction products were readily
      hydrolyzed by beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase and released N-acetylgalactosamine.
      Apparent Km values for UDP-GalNAc, Mn2+, lactose, N-acetyllactosamine, and
      terminal N-acetyllactosaminyl residues of asialo-alpha 1-acid glycoprotein were
      0.64, 0.28, 69, 20, and 1.5 mM, respectively. Studies on acceptor substrate
      competition indicated that all the acceptor substrates mentioned above compete
      for one enzyme, whereas the enzyme can be distinguished from an NeuAc alpha 2-
      >3Gal beta-1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase, which also occurs in human
      plasma. The methylation study of the product formed by the transfer of N
      acetylgalactosamine to lactose revealed that N-acetylgalactosamine had been
      transferred to the carbon-3 position of the beta-galactosyl residue. Although the
      GalNAc beta 1-->3Gal structure is known to have the blood group P antigen
      activity, human plasma showed no detectable activity of Gal alpha 1-->4Gal beta
      1,3-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase, which is involved in the synthesis of the
      major P antigen-active glycolipid, GalNAc beta 1-->3Gal alpha 1-->4Gal beta 1-
      >4Glc-ceramide. Hence, the GalNAc beta 1-->3Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc/Glc structure is
      synthesized by the novel Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc/Glc beta-1,3-N
      acetylgalactosaminyltransferase.

PMID- 1429529
TI  - Characterization of endothelin receptors ETA and ETB expressed in COS cells.
AB  - The cloned cDNA genes for endothelin receptors ETA and ETB were expressed in COS
      cells, and the binding characteristics of the two receptors with three isopeptide
      ligands (ET-1, ET-2, and ET-3) were examined in detail. The results indicated
      that the stability of receptor-ET-1 complexes formed with ETA and ETB were
      significantly different from each other, while their affinities to ET-1 were
      similar. The preformed ETA-ET-1 complex readily dissociated upon SDS-PAGE, as did
      many of the other receptors so far studied, while the ETB-ET-1 complex survived
      SDS-PAGE when it was run at low temperature (approximately 4 degrees C). Clear
      differences in stability were also shown in comparative studies of acid treatment
      of the two types of complexes. Only the ETB-ET-1 complex was resistant to acid
      treatment (0.2 M acetic acid, 0.5 M NaCl), and its 50 kDa monomeric receptor
      ligand complex remained intact. The ETB-ET-1 complex (50 kDa) formed at 4 degrees
      C on the surface of COS cells, however, was susceptible to limited proteolysis at
      37 degrees C that reduced the molecular size of the complex to a distinct 35 kDa.
      No such size reduction was observed with the preformed ETA-ET-1 complex. The
      overall structure of two endothelin receptors, as deduced from the sequence of
      cloned cDNAs, is similar in many respects. However, the present findings
      demonstrate distinct differences in the biochemical nature of the two receptors,
      which suggest their distinct biological functions.

PMID- 1429530
TI  - Actin-actin contact: inhibition of actin-polymerization by subdomain 4 peptide
      fragments.
AB  - F-Actin was digested with alpha-chymotrypsin in 6 M urea, and two peptide
      fragments from subdomain 4 of actin molecule [Kabsch, W., Mannherz, H.G., Suck,
      D., Pai, E.F., & Holmes K.C. (1990) Nature 347, 37-44] were purified by reverse
      phase HPLC and Sephadex G-50 gel filtration. The peptide fragments were
      identified as segments from Arg-177 to Tyr-198 (2.6-kDa peptide) and from Ser-199
      to Tyr-279 (9.1-kDa peptide). Their effects on actin polymerization induced by 50
      or 100 mM KCl were studied by measuring the increase in viscosity by the falling
      ball method. The 2.6-kDa peptide decreased the rate of actin polymerization and
      increased the critical concentration for the polymerization. Based on the atomic
      model of the actin filament [Holmes, K.C., Popp, D., Gebhard, W., & Kabsch, W.
      (1990) Nature 347, 44-49], the peptide is presumed to bind to the barbed end of
      the actin filament and inhibit the polymerization. By assuming that the peptide
      affected the rate of association of the actin monomer to the end of the actin
      filament, well-fitting curves for the polymerization kinetics were calculated.
      Computer-assisted results indicated that the dissociation constant of the 2.6-kDa
      peptide for F-actin is 200 to 260 microM. In contrast, the 9.1-kDa peptide only
      slightly inhibited actin polymerization. These results suggest that the actin
      actin interface in the region between Arg-177 and Tyr-198 has a stronger
      interaction than those between Ser-199 and Tyr-279. The amino acid sequence L-T-D
      Y-L present in the 2.6-kDa segment is homologous to a common sequence in the F
      actin capping domain of various actin-binding proteins.

PMID- 1429531
TI  - Possible involvement of cathepsin L in processing of rat liver hexokinase to
      eliminate mitochondria-binding ability.
AB  - A previously found proteinase possibly involved in the modification of hexokinase
      to eliminate the mitochondria-binding ability without appreciable change in the
      catalytic activity (called hexokinase-processing enzyme hereafter), was purified
      by sequential chromatographies from rat liver and its properties were examined.
      The hexokinase-processing enzyme had carbohydrate moieties as evidenced by
      adsorption on immobilized concanavalin A, and had a molecular weight of about
      23,000 as estimated by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration chromatography.
      Benzyloxycarbonyl-phenylalanyl-L-arginine-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide (Z-Phe-Arg
      MCA)-hydrolyzing activity was co-purified with this processing activity
      throughout the purification, while the hydrolyzing activity for benzyloxycarbonyl
      L-arginyl-L-arginine-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide (Z-Arg-Arg-MCA) was not. The
      processing activity, as well as Z-Phe-Arg-MCA hydrolyzing activity, was highly
      sensitive to cysteine proteinase inhibition, for example, by leupeptin and N-[N-3
      (trans-carboxirane-2-carbonyl)-L-leucyl]agmatine (E-64). Furthermore, the enzyme
      preparation reacted with an antibody against cathepsin L purified from rat
      kidney. These results indicated that cathepsin L may be involved in the above
      mentioned processing of hexokinase.

PMID- 1429532
TI  - 1H-NMR comparative study of the active site in shark (Galeorhinus japonicus),
      horse, and sperm whale deoxy myoglobins.
AB  - 1H-NMR spectra of deoxy myoglobins (Mbs) from shark (Galeorhinus japonicus),
      horse, and sperm whale have been studied to gain insights into their active site
      structure. It has been demonstrated for the first time that nuclear Overhauser
      effect (NOE) can be observed between heme peripheral side-chain proton resonances
      of these paramagnetic complexes. Val-E11 methyl and His-F8 C delta H proton
      resonances of these Mbs were also assigned from the characteristic shift and line
      width. The hyperfine shift of the former resonance was used to calculate the
      magnetic anisotropy of the protein. The shift analysis of the latter resonance,
      together with the previously assigned His-F8 N delta H proton resonance, revealed
      that the strain on the Fe-N epsilon bond is in the order horse Mb approximately
      whale Mb < shark Mb and that the hydrogen bond strength of the His-F8 N delta H
      proton to the main-chain carbonyl oxygen in the preceding turn of the F helix is
      in the order shark Mb < horse Mb < whale Mb. Weaker Feporphyrin interaction in
      shark Mb was manifested in a smaller shift of the heme methyl proton resonance
      and appears to result from distortion of the coordination geometry in this Mb.
      Larger strain on the Fe-N epsilon bond in shark Mb should be to some extent
      attributed to its lowered O2 affinity (P50 = 1.1 mmHg at 20 degrees C), compared
      to whale and horse Mbs.

PMID- 1429533
TI  - Study on the interaction between soybean beta-amylase and substrate by the
      stopped-flow method.
AB  - The hydrolysis of substrates (maltoheptaose, maltopentaose, and maltotetraose)
      catalyzed by soybean beta-amylase [EC 3.2.1.2] at pH 5.4 and 25 degrees C was
      followed by monitoring small changes in the quenching of fluorescence due to
      tryptophan residues by the stopped-flow method. By analysis of whole time course,
      the dissociation constants, KdS, of enzyme-substrate and enzyme-product complexes
      were reasonably evaluated; and the difference in fluorescence intensities per mol
      between the enzyme-complex (ES or EP) and the free enzyme, delta F, was
      determined. The molecular activity, k0, was also determined by a new method of
      half time analysis. The KdS and k0 values are in good agreement with our kinetic
      data reported previously. The delta Fs of substrates were of smaller magnitude
      than those of products (G2 and G3), which means that the higher the binding
      affinity of the ligand is, the smaller the delta F value is. This indicates that
      at least two tryptophan residues must be located in the active site if the enzyme
      is rigid, or that if there is only one, the active site must undergo a structural
      change caused by the binding of ligand.

PMID- 1429534
TI  - F-type ATPases. Introduction.

PMID- 1429535
TI  - Quaternary structure of ATP synthases: symmetry and asymmetry in the F1 moiety.
AB  - It has been proposed that during ATP synthesis/hydrolysis F1 ATPases experience a
      complex pattern of nucleotide binding and release during the catalytic cycle
      (binding change mechanism). This type of mechanism has implications that can be
      correlated with the structure of the enzyme. F1-ATPases (stoichiometry alpha 3
      beta 3 gamma delta epsilon) are essentially a symmetrical trimer of pairs of the
      major subunits (alpha and beta); the minor subunits (gamma, delta and epsilon)
      are in single copies and interact with the trimer in an asymmetrical fashion. The
      asymmetry introduced by the minor subunits has important structural and
      functional consequences: (1) it introduces differences between the potentially
      equivalent binding and catalytic sites in the major subunits, (2) it restricts
      the ways in which a binding change mechanism can occur, and (3) it governs the
      way in which the F1 interacts with the (asymmetrical) F0 sector.

PMID- 1429536
TI  - Structure of the Escherichia coli ATP synthase and role of the gamma and epsilon
      subunits in coupling catalytic site and proton channeling functions.
AB  - The structure of the Escherichia coli ATP synthase has been studied by electron
      microscopy and a model developed in which the alpha and beta subunits of the F1
      part are arranged hexagonally (in top view) alternating with one another and
      surrounding a central cavity of around 35 A at its widest point. The alpha and
      beta subunits are interdigitated in side view for around 60 A of the 90 A length
      of the molecule. The F1 narrows and has three-fold symmetry at the end furthest
      from the F0 part. The F1 is linked to F0 by a stalk approximately 45 A long and
      25-30 A in diameter. The F0 part is mostly buried in the lipid bilayer. The gamma
      subunit provides a domain that extends into the central cavity of the F1 part.
      The gamma and epsilon subunits are in a different conformation when ATP + Mg2+
      are present in catalytic sites than when ATP + EDTA are present. This is
      consistent with these two small subunits switching conformations as a function of
      whether or not phosphate is bound to the enzyme at the position of the gamma
      phosphate of ATP. We suggest that this switching is the key to the coupling of
      catalytic site events with proton translocation in the F0 part of the complex.

PMID- 1429537
TI  - The alpha beta complexes of ATP synthase: the alpha 3 beta 3 oligomer and alpha 1
      beta 1 protomer.
AB  - The basic structures of the catalytic portion (F1, alpha 3 beta 3 gamma delta
      epsilon) of ATP synthase are the alpha 3 beta 3 hexamer (oligomer with
      cooperativity) and alpha 1 beta 1 heterodimer (protomer). These were
      reconstituted from the alpha and beta subunits of thermophilic F1 (TF1), and the
      alpha 3 beta 3 hexamer was crystallized. On electrophoresis, both the dimer and
      hexamer showed bands with ATPase activity. Using the dimer and hexamer, we
      studied the nucleotide-dependent rapid molecular dynamics. The formation of the
      hexamer required neither nucleotide nor Mg. The hexamer was dissociated into the
      dimer in the presence of MgADP, while the dimer was associated into the hexamer
      in the presence of MgATP. The hexamer, like mitochondrial F1 and TF1, showed two
      kinds of ATPase activity: one was cooperative and was inhibited by only one BzADP
      per hexamer, and the other was inhibited by three BzADP per hexamer.

PMID- 1429538
TI  - Identification of subunits required for the catalytic activity of the F1-ATPase.
AB  - F1 (alpha beta) complexes containing equimolar ratios of the alpha and beta
      subunits have been shown to function as active ATPases, whereas individually
      isolated alpha and beta subunits show no real ATPase activity. These results
      indicate that the single-copy subunits are not required for F1-ATPase activity.
      The minimal F1 (alpha beta)-core complexes exhibit, however, lower rates and some
      different properties from those of their parent whole F1 or alpha 3 beta 3 gamma
      complexes. It is therefore concluded that for obtaining a full spectrum of the
      characteristic functional properties of an F1-ATPase the presence of the F1-gamma
      subunit is also required. The implications of these findings on the subunit
      location of both catalytic and noncatalytic nucleotide binding sites is
      discussed.

PMID- 1429539
TI  - A model for the catalytic site of F1-ATPase based on analogies to nucleotide
      binding domains of known structure.
AB  - An updated topological model is constructed for the catalytic nucleotide-binding
      site of the F1-ATPase. The model is based on analogies to the known structures of
      the MgATP site on adenylate kinase and the guanine nucleotide sites on elongation
      factor Tu (Ef-Tu) and the ras p21 protein. Recent studies of these known
      nucleotide-binding domains have revealed several common functional features and
      similar alignment of nucleotide in their binding folds, and these are used as a
      framework for evaluating results of affinity labeling and mutagenesis studies of
      the beta subunit of F1. Several potentially important residues on beta are noted
      that have not yet been studied by mutagenesis or affinity labeling.

PMID- 1429540
TI  - A glycine-rich sequence in the catalytic site of F-type ATPase.
AB  - Affinity labeling and genetic studies on the glycine-rich sequence of the beta
      subunit of E. coli F-type ATPase are discussed. A model of the structure of the
      enzyme near the gamma phosphate moiety is proposed.

PMID- 1429541
TI  - Functional sites in F1-ATPases: location and interactions.
AB  - This review focuses on the location and interaction of three functional sites in
      F1-ATPases. These are catalytic sites which are located in beta subunits,
      noncatalytic nucleotide-binding sites which are located at interfaces of alpha
      and beta subunits and modulate the hydrolytic activity of the enzyme, and a site
      that binds inhibitory amphipathic cations which is at an interface of alpha and
      beta subunits. The latter site may participate in transmission of conformational
      signals between catalytic sites in F1 and the proton-conducting apparatus of F0
      in the intact ATP synthases.

PMID- 1429542
TI  - Catalytic sites of Escherichia coli F1-ATPase.
AB  - The catalytic site of Escherichia coli F1-ATPase is reviewed in terms of
      structure and function. Structural prediction, biochemical analyses, and
      mutagenesis experiments suggest that the catalytic site is formed primarily by
      residues 137-335 of beta-subunit. Subdomains of the site involved in phosphate
      bond cleavage/synthesis and adenine-ring binding are discussed. Ambiguities
      inherent in steady-state catalytic measurements due to catalytic site
      cooperativity are discussed, and the advantages of pre-steady-state ("unisite")
      techniques are emphasized. The emergence of a single high-affinity catalytic site
      occurs as a result of F1-oligomer assembly. Measurements of unisite catalysis
      rate and equilibrium constants, and their modulation by varied pH,
      dimethylsulfoxide, and mutations, are described and conclusions regarding the
      nature of the high-affinity catalytic site and mechanism of catalysis are
      presented.

PMID- 1429543
TI  - Kinetic studies of ATP synthase: the case for the positional change mechanism.
AB  - The mitochondrial ATP synthases shares many structural and kinetic properties
      with bacterial and chloroplast ATP synthases. These enzymes transduce the energy
      contained in the membrane's electrochemical proton gradients into the energy
      required for synthesis of high-energy phosphate bonds. The unusual three-fold
      symmetry of the hydrophilic domain, F1, of all these synthases is striking. Each
      F1 has three identical beta subunits and three identical alpha subunits as well
      as three additional subunits present as single copies. The catalytic site for
      synthesis is undoubtedly contained in the beta subunit or an alpha, beta
      interface, and thus each enzyme appears to contain three identical catalytic
      sites. This review summarizes recent isotopic and kinetic evidence in favour of
      the concept, originally proposed by Boyer and coworkers, that energy from the
      proton gradient is exerted not directly for the reaction at the catalytic site,
      but rather to release product from a single catalytic site. A modification of
      this binding change hypotheses is favored by recent data which suggest that the
      binding change is due to a positional change in all three beta subunits relative
      to the remaining subunits of F1 and F0 and that the vector of rotation is
      influenced by energy. The positional change, or rotation, appears to be the slow
      step in the process of catalysis and it is accelerated in all F1F0 ATPases
      studied by substrate binding and by the proton gradient. However, in the
      mammalian mitochondrial enzyme, other types of allosteric rate regulation not yet
      fully elucidated seem important as well.

PMID- 1429544
TI  - Interaction of beef-heart mitochondrial F1-ATPase with immobilized ATP in the
      presence of dimethylsulfoxide.
AB  - Dimethylsulfoxide [Me2SO, 30% (v/v)] promotes the formation of ATP from ADP and
      phosphate catalyzed by soluble mitochondrial F1-ATPase. The effects of this
      solvent on the interaction of beef-heart mitochondrial F1 with the immobilized
      ATP of Agarose-hexane-ATP were studied. In the presence of Me2SO, F1 bound less
      readily to the immobilized ATP, but once bound was more difficult to elute with
      exogenous ATP. This suggests that not only was the binding affinity for adenine
      nucleotide at the first binding site affected but that adenine nucleotide binding
      affinity at the second and/or third sites, which interact cooperatively with the
      first site to release bound nucleotide, was also affected. A reduction in the
      binding of [3H]ADP to these sites was shown. A change in the conformation of F1
      in 30% (v/v) Me2SO was demonstrated by crosslinking and by the increased
      resistance of the enzyme to cold denaturation.

PMID- 1429545
TI  - Peter Mitchell, 1920-1992.

PMID- 1429546
TI  - Efraim Racker, 1913-1991.

PMID- 1429547
TI  - Mordhay Avron, 1931-1991.

PMID- 1429548
TI  - Transcriptional regulation of heat shock genes. A paradigm for inducible genomic
      responses.
AB  - The heat shock response offers an ideal paradigm to understand how the cell
      recognizes and responds to acute and chronic exposures to environmental and
      physiological stress. Of the numerous inducible genomic responses, the heat shock
      response has contributed fascinating insights into the molecular and cellular
      mechanisms of adaptation, ranging from the regulation of heat shock gene
      expression to the function of stress proteins. The recent cloning of multiple
      heat shock transcription factor (HSF) genes in higher eukaryotes and studies on
      the biochemical and cellular properties of HSFs have revealed several novel
      features of the transcriptional response.

PMID- 1429549
TI  - The Wilms' tumor gene product, WT1, represses transcription of the platelet
      derived growth factor A-chain gene.
AB  - The Wilms' tumor locus on chromosome 11p13 contains a tumor suppressor gene, wt1,
      which encodes a DNA binding protein (WT1) with four zinc fingers and a glutamine
      proline-rich N terminus and which functions as a repressor of transcription. The
      platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) A-chain gene encodes a potent growth
      factor, which is expressed in high levels in a number of tumor cell lines. We
      initiated a search for WT1 target genes and now report that WT1 strikingly
      represses transcription of the PDGF A-chain gene in transient transfection assays
      and that the WT1 protein interacts directly with a highly G+C-rich region of the
      PDGF A-chain promoter in gel mobility shift assays. The results suggest that WT1
      may function to repress expression of the PDGF A-chain gene and that loss of this
      or related repressor activities may contribute to the abnormal growth of Wilms'
      tumors.

PMID- 1429550
TI  - Purification of 2,3-oxidosqualene cyclase from rat liver.
AB  - A rapid and simple purification of milligram amounts of 2,3-oxidosqualene
      cyclase, an integral membrane enzyme that catalyzes the cyclization of squalene
      epoxide to lanosterol, is reported. Several nonionic detergents (Triton X-100,
      Tween 80, Emulphogene, and lauryl maltoside) were evaluated for solubilization of
      oxidosqualene cyclase from rat liver microsomes. At a detergent concentration of
      5 mg/ml, lauryl maltoside was approximately 10 times more effective than
      Emulphogene in the solubilization of oxidosqualene cyclase; Triton X-100 and
      Tween 80 were less effective than Emulphogene as judged by the relative specific
      activities of the solubilized enzyme. Treatment of microsomes with lauryl
      maltoside resulted in a selective solubilization of the cyclase with concomitant
      activation of the enzyme. The solubilized enzyme was purified to homogeneity by
      fast protein liquid chromatography. The purified enzyme consists of a single
      subunit that has an apparent molecular weight of 65,000 as determined by sodium
      dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme obeys saturation
      kinetics and the apparent Km of (2,3)-oxidosqualene is 15 microM; the apparent
      kcat/Km is 200 M-1.min-1. An improved assay of the enzyme that utilizes high
      performance liquid chromatography methods is also described.

PMID- 1429551
TI  - Electrogenic uptake of gamma-aminobutyric acid by a cloned transporter expressed
      in Xenopus oocytes.
AB  - GAT-1, a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter cloned from rat brain, was
      expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Voltage-clamp measurements showed concentration
      dependent, inward currents in response to GABA (K0.5 4.7 microM). The transport
      current required extracellular sodium and chloride ions; the Hill coefficient for
      chloride was 0.7, and that for sodium was 1.7. Correlation of current and
      [3H]GABA uptake measurements indicate that flux of one positive charge occurs per
      molecule of GABA transported. Membrane hyperpolarization from -40 to -100 mV
      increased the transport current approximately 3-fold. The results indicate that
      the transport of one molecule of GABA involves the co-transport of two sodium
      ions and one chloride ion.

PMID- 1429552
TI  - Distal pocket residues affect picosecond ligand recombination in myoglobin. An
      experimental and molecular dynamics study of position 29 mutants.
AB  - Time courses for intramolecular NO and O2 recombination to native and three
      position 29 mutants of sperm whale myoglobins were measured after laser
      photolysis on picosecond and nanosecond time scales. The rates for the first
      phase of NO recombination were 1.8, 2.5, 29, and > or = 100 ns-1 for Ala29,
      Val29, Leu29 (native), and Phe29 myoglobin, respectively, at room temperature.
      This order is not correlated with the overall association rate constants for NO
      binding which were all in the range 20-50 x 10(6) M-1 s-1 and is the opposite of
      that observed for the rate constants for the overall thermal dissociation of NO
      which were 5.0, 2.8, 0.98, and 0.21 x 10(-4) s-1 for Ala29, Val29, Leu29
      (native), and Phe29 myoglobin, respectively, at 20 degrees C. This inverse
      correlation suggests that photo- and thermally dissociated ligand molecules
      experience similar kinetic and equilibrium barriers to rebinding. The larger side
      chains of Leu29 and Phe29 inhibit rapid movement of the ligand away from the iron
      atom facilitating geminate recombination. The smaller side chains of Val29 and
      Ala29 increase the space available to the ligand, decreasing the rate of geminate
      recombination and enhancing complete dissociation. Diffusion of NO in the distal
      pocket of myoglobin was simulated using a variant of the molecular dynamics
      program CHARMM that includes the locally enhanced sampling protocol (Elber, R.,
      and Karplus, M. (1991) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 112, 9161-9175; Roitberg, A., and Elber,
      R. (1991) J. Chem. Phys. 95, 9277-9287) and the x-ray structures of Carver et al.
      (Carver, T. E., Brantley, R. E., Jr., Singleton, E. W., Arduini, R. M., Quillin,
      M. L., Phillips, G. N., Jr., and Olson, J. S. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 14443
      14450). Both accelerated (5,000 K) and room temperature ligands were used, and
      comparisons were made between simulations with a complete hydration shell
      surrounding the protein and those with only eight water molecules near the distal
      histidine. Photodissociated ligands initially move away from the heme plane, past
      Leu29, and toward Leu32, Phe33, Ile107, and Ile111. These theoretical results
      confirm that a complete description of picosecond ligand recombination must
      include the dynamics of ligand movement in the distal portion of the heme pocket.

PMID- 1429553
TI  - Down-regulation of interleukin 6 receptors of mouse myelomonocytic leukemic cells
      by leukemia inhibitory factor.
AB  - We examined the effect of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) on the expression of
      interleukin 6 receptors (IL-6R) on mouse myelomonocytic leukemic M1 cells.
      Binding studies using 125I-labeled human and murine IL-6 revealed that LIF caused
      a decrease in IL-6 binding to M1 cells. The decrease became evident within 1 h,
      and the maximum decrease was observed at 3-6 h. Scatchard plot analysis revealed
      that M1 cells had a single class of high affinity receptors for IL-6 and that LIF
      induced decrease in IL-6 binding was due to a decrease in the number of IL-6R on
      the cell surface and not to changes in their affinity. The affinity of IL-6R on
      M1 cells to human IL-6 (Kd = 2.25 nM) was about 10-fold lower than that to murine
      IL-6 (Kd = 200 pM). The amount of IL-6 secreted into culture media by M1 cells
      that were treated with LIF for up to 12 h was not enough to cause receptor down
      regulation. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that IL-6R mRNA was down
      regulated by LIF treatment, and similar regulation was also observed when the
      cells were treated with IL-6. The time course of the IL-6R mRNA level was similar
      to that of IL-6R expression on the cell surface, suggesting that the main
      mechanism responsible for the loss of high affinity IL-6R was the regulation of
      IL-6R mRNA. Although the half-life of IL-6R on the cell surface was about 30 min,
      the addition of LIF reduced it to 16 min, suggesting the existence of an
      additional mechanism responsible for the loss of high affinity IL-6R on the cell
      surface.

PMID- 1429554
TI  - The stereospecific interaction between chlorophylls and chlorophyllase. Possible
      implication for chlorophyll biosynthesis and degradation.
AB  - Chlorophyllase-catalyzed hydrolysis and esterification of chlorophylls,
      bacteriochlorophylls, and their free acids, respectively, depend on the
      configuration around the C-13(2) atom of the corresponding substrate. The data
      suggest that the enzyme interacts preferentially with compounds having the
      isocyclic carbomethoxy and the C-17 propionic residues facing opposite sides of
      the porphyrin macrocycle. The relevance of this observation to chlorophyll
      biosynthesis and degradation in vivo is briefly discussed.

PMID- 1429555
TI  - Reversible membrane association of neutrophil 5-lipoxygenase is accompanied by
      retention of activity and a change in substrate specificity.
AB  - Ionophore activation of the human polymorphonuclear neutrophil results in
      eicosanoid synthesis and the accumulation of inactive 5-lipoxygenase in a
      membrane compartment. We report here that inhibition of self-inactivation of 5
      lipoxygenase in ionophore-treated neutrophils with the reversible inhibitor
      zileuton, results in the accumulation of active 5-lipoxygenase in the membrane
      fraction. In zileuton plus ionophore-treated cells, 77% of the specific activity
      of the cytosolic enzyme from resting cells was diverted to the membrane fraction
      compared to 22% of the activity translocated when ionophore alone was used to
      activate the neutrophils. Accumulation of active membrane-associated 5
      lipoxygenase was inhibited and reversed by the 5-lipoxygenase translocation
      inhibitor MK-886. The membrane-associated 5-lipoxygenase was two times more
      efficient in the production of leukotriene A4 from arachidonate-derived 5
      hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid than the cytosolic enzyme. Unlike the cytosolic
      enzyme, membrane-associated 5-lipoxygenase could metabolize 12(S)- and 15(S)
      hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid to 5(S),12(S)- and 5(S),15(S)
      dihydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, respectively. The ability to metabolize hydroxy
      fatty acids was dependent upon 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein association, but
      was lost if 5-lipoxygenase was eluted from the membrane by MK-886. These studies
      reveal for the first time that significant quantities of active 5-lipoxygenase
      can be detected in the membrane fraction of activated neutrophils and show that
      membrane association can alter the substrate specificity of 5-lipoxygenase which
      is further evidence for the role of the membrane-associated enzyme in the
      synthesis of 5-lipoxygenase metabolites.

PMID- 1429556
TI  - Identification of actin and HSP 70 as cyclosporin A binding proteins by
      photoaffinity labeling and fluorescence displacement assays.
AB  - A novel family of cyclosporin A (CsA) binding proteins was identified by using
      the biologically active, radioiodinated photoaffinity probe [D-Lys-N epsilon-(4
      azido-3-[125I]iodophenyl)propionyl)]8-CsA. In addition to cyclophilin, proteins
      with molecular masses of 43 kDa and approximately 50-55 kDa were labeled in
      Jurkat extracts and bovine calf thymus. Sequence analysis of the 43-kDa protein
      purified from calf thymus and subsequent Western analysis of CsA affinity
      purified material from Jurkat extracts identified the 43-kDa component as actin.
      [D-Lys-N epsilon-(5-dimethylamino-1-naphthalenesulfonyl)]8-CsA, a fluorescent
      analogue of CsA, was prepared and used to measure the binding constants of
      cyclosporin derivatives to actin by means of a new fluorescence displacement
      assay. [D-Lys-N epsilon-(5-dimethylamino-1-naphthalenesulfonyl)]8-CsA and [N
      delta-t-butoxycarbonyl diaminobutyryl)]8-CsA bind to bovine actin at
      physiologically relevant concentrations, with dissociation constants of 60 +/- 33
      and 570 +/- 380 nM, respectively. Because the ATPase fragment of heat shock
      cognate 70 (HSC 70) is structurally related to actin, the yeast homologue SSA1
      was tested and found to be radiolabeled by the cyclosporin A photoaffinity
      reagent. The binding constant for [D-Lys-N epsilon-(5-dimethylamino-1
      naphthalenesulfonyl)]8-CsA to SSA1 was determined and is 53 +/- 48 nM. These
      results indicate that actin and the 70-kDa heat shock protein family contain a
      structurally related domain for binding of cyclosporin A-related peptides.

PMID- 1429557
TI  - Parallel control of hepatic proteolysis by phenylalanine and phenylpyruvate
      through independent inhibitory sites at the plasma membrane.
AB  - Intracellular protein degradation in the rat hepatocyte is regulated by 7 amino
      acids of which Leu, Gln, and Tyr play major roles. Although Phe is known to
      inhibit proteolysis as effectively as Tyr at high concentrations, it has not been
      regarded as an active regulator because of its rapid hydroxylation to Tyr. We now
      show that proteolytic responses to Phe during liver perfusion differ strikingly
      from effects of the multiphasic regulators Leu, Gln, and Tyr in eliciting mirror
      image responses at half-normal and normal plasma concentrations. Since response
      curves to phenylpyruvate and Phe were identical, we considered the possibility
      that phenylpyruvate mediated its anomalous inhibition intracellularly. However,
      when phenylpyruvate was produced from phenyllactate intracellularly at a rate
      providing the same rate of transamination (and intracellular concentration) as
      that derived from the uptake of phenylpyruvate, no response was obtained. Hence,
      the effect of phenylpyruvate was not initiated within the cell but more likely
      from the plasma membrane. Comparable evidence for Phe is less direct. Recent
      findings indicate that recognition sites for Leu and Gln are located at the
      plasma membrane. Since Phe augments the concerted inhibition by Leu and Gln at 4
      fold normal levels, Phe is probably recognized in close proximity to them.
      However, the failure of phenylpyruvate to substitute for Phe in this interaction
      suggests that proteolytic inhibition by phenylpyruvate and Phe is mediated
      through similar, although independent, plasma membrane sites.

PMID- 1429558
TI  - Control of hepatic proteolysis by leucine and isovaleryl-L-carnitine through a
      common locus. Evidence for a possible mechanism of recognition at the plasma
      membrane.
AB  - Deprivation-induced proteolysis in the perfused rat liver is controlled through
      the multiphasic action of 7 regulatory amino acids of which L-leucine plays the
      dominant role. Recently, isovaleryl-L-carnitine (IVC) was shown to mimic the
      leucine's effects, suggesting that the two molecules share structural features
      that are recognized at a common site(s). In this study we find that each evokes
      identical responses consisting of inhibitory effects at 0.08 and 0.8 mM,
      separated by a sharp zonal loss of inhibition at 0.15 mM. As monitored by density
      shifts of beta-hexosaminidase in colloidal silica gradients, macroautophagy is
      suppressed by both. Responses to Leu and IVC at 0.08 and 0.15 mM are
      stereospecific and require a reactive group at the alpha-carbon (or equivalent)
      and a high degree of branched chain specificity. In addition, 0.5 mM Ala
      coregulates with IVC and Leu by decreasing the zonal loss at 0.15 mM. The fact
      that the multiphasic responses can be duplicated with equimolar mixtures of Leu +
      IVC indicates that both react at the same site(s). IVC is readily taken up by a
      saturable process, but owing to its rapid hydrolysis in the cell, the ratio of
      internal to external IVC remains low over a 4-fold concentration range. These
      findings, together with a kinetic analysis of concerted responses to regulatory
      amino acids, suggest that the recognition sites are at a position in the cell,
      possibly at the plasma membrane, to react reversibly with plasma amino acids.

PMID- 1429559
TI  - The lymphoma transmembrane glycoprotein GP85 (CD44) is a novel guanine nucleotide
      binding protein which regulates GP85 (CD44)-ankyrin interaction.
AB  - In this study, we have used photoaffinity labeling by [32P]azido-GTP as well as
      [32P]ADP-ribosylation by pertussis toxin (PT) and cholera toxin (CT) to identify
      GTP-binding proteins associated with mouse T-lymphoma plasma membranes. Our
      results indicate that GP85 (CD44) can be photoaffinity labeled by [32P] azido-GTP
      and [32P]ADP-ribosylated by both PT and CT. Using purified GP85 (CD44) obtained
      by Triton X-100 extraction, wheat germ agglutinin-Sepharose, and anti-GP85 (CD44)
      antibody affinity chromatographies, we have further characterized GP85 (CD44) as
      a GTP-binding protein. GP85 (CD44) is found to bind guanosine 5'-3-O
      (thio)triphosphate (GTP gamma S) in a time- and dose-dependent manner with a
      dissociation constant of 0.83 nM. Importantly, GP85 (CD44) appears to display a
      GTPase activity which hydrolyzes [gamma-32P]GTP at a rate of 0.011 mol of Pi
      released/mol of GP85 (CD44)/min. This GTPase activity can be readily inhibited by
      PT- or CT-mediated ribosylation of GP85 (CD44). Most interestingly, GTP binding
      significantly enhances the interaction of purified GP85 (CD44) with ankyrin,
      whereas ADP-ribosylation of GP85 (CD44) by PT or CT inhibits the GTP-induced
      increase in ankyrin binding to GP85 (CD44). In addition to GP85 (CD44) being the
      first reported transmembrane GTP-binding protein, these results suggest that GTP
      plays an important role in promoting the interaction between GP85 (CD44) and its
      underlying membrane cytoskeleton through ankyrin.

PMID- 1429560
TI  - L-threonine transport in pig jejunal brush border membrane vesicles. Functional
      characterization of the unique system B in the intestinal epithelium.
AB  - Uptake and inhibitory kinetics of [3H]L-threonine were evaluated in preparations
      of pig jejunal brush border membrane vesicles. Uptake of [3H]L-threonine under O
      trans, Na+ gradient, and O-trans, Na(+)-free conditions was best described by
      high affinity transport (Km < 0.01 mM) plus a nonsaturable component. The maximal
      velocity of transport was 3-fold greater under Na+ gradient conditions. 100 mM
      concentrations of all of the dipolar amino acids and 2-aminobicyclo[2.2.1]heptane
      2-carboxylic acid caused complete inhibition of [3H]L-threonine transport under
      Na+ gradient and Na(+)-free conditions. Imino acids, anionic amino acids,
      cationic amino acids, and methylamino-isobutyric acid caused significant partial
      inhibition of L-threonine uptake. Inhibitor concentration profiles for proline
      and lysine were consistent with low affinity competitive inhibition. The Ki
      values of alanine and phenylalanine approximated 0.2 and 0.5 mM, respectively,
      under both Na+ gradient and Na(+)-free conditions. These data indicate that the
      transport system available for L-threonine in the intestinal brush border
      membrane (system B) is functionally distinct from other amino acid transport
      systems. Comparison of kinetics parameters in the presence and absence of a Na+
      gradient suggests that both partially and fully loaded forms of the carrier can
      function to translocate substrate and that Na+ serves to accelerate L-threonine
      transport by a mechanism that does not involve enhanced substrate binding.

PMID- 1429561
TI  - Lactose transport system of Streptococcus thermophilus. Functional reconstitution
      of the protein and characterization of the kinetic mechanism of transport.
AB  - The kinetic mechanism of the lactose transport system of Streptococcus
      thermophilus was studied in membrane vesicles fused with cytochrome c oxidase
      containing liposomes and in proteoliposomes in which cytochrome c oxidase was
      coreconstituted with the lactose transport protein. Selective manipulation of the
      components of the proton (and sodium) motive force indicated that both a membrane
      potential and a pH gradient could drive transport. The galactoside/proton
      stoichiometry was close to unity. Experiments which discriminate between the
      effects of internal pH and delta pH as driving force on galactoside/proton
      symport showed that the carrier is highly activated at alkaline internal pH
      values, which biases the transport system kinetically toward the pH component of
      the proton motive force. Galactoside efflux increased with increasing pH with a
      pKa of about 8, whereas galactoside exchange (and counterflow) exhibited a pH
      optimum around 7 with pKa values of 6 and 8, respectively. Imposition of delta pH
      (interior alkaline) retarded the rate of efflux at any pH value tested, whereas
      the rate of exchange was stimulated by an imposed delta pH at pH 5.8, not
      affected at pH 7.0, and inhibited at pH 8.0 and 9.0. The results have been
      evaluated in terms of random and ordered association/dissociation of galactoside
      and proton on the inner surface of the membrane. Imposition of delta psi
      (interior negative) decreased the rate of efflux but had no effect on the rate of
      exchange, indicating that the unloaded transport protein carries a net negative
      charge and that during exchange and counterflow the carrier recycles in the
      protonated form.

PMID- 1429563
TI  - Purification and partial characterization of candidate antidiuretic hormone water
      channel proteins of M(r) 55,000 and 53,000 from toad urinary bladder.
AB  - Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) increases toad bladder granular cell apical membrane
      osmotic water permeability (Pf) by insertion of cytoplasmic vesicles containing
      water channels into the apical membrane. Termination of ADH stimulation results
      in endocytosis of water channel-containing membrane. In previous work, we have
      purified water channel-containing vesicles and demonstrated that they contain 12
      major protein bands when analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). On the basis of vectorial labeling studies of
      granular cells and purified vesicles, we have proposed previously that vesicle
      proteins of 55, 53, and 17 kDa are ADH water channel components. In this report,
      we have purified and analyzed these three proteins using a combination of SDS
      PAGE, peptide mapping, amino acid composition, and amino-terminal analyses. The
      55- and 53-kDa proteins are distinct protein species possessing a high degree of
      structural similarity. Both possess a large content of cysteine. The 17-kDa
      protein appears to be a proteolytic fragment of the 53-kDa protein. None of these
      three proteins is phosphorylated or contains large amounts of covalently linked
      carbohydrate. ADH-elicited Pf is inhibited by the organic mercurial reagent
      fluorescein mercuric acetate (FMA). Exposure of water channel-containing vesicles
      to FMA labels selectively four vesicle proteins of 92, 55, 53, and 29 kDa while
      reducing vesicle Pf by 82%. The combination of FMA and 2-mercaptoethanol or
      exposure to another mercurial reagent, n-ethylmaleimide, does not inhibit vesicle
      Pf. Together, these data provide additional evidence for the role of the 55- and
      53-kDa proteins as components of the ADH water channel. These candidate ADH water
      channel proteins are distinct from a 28-kDa candidate water channel protein (CHIP
      28) isolated recently from human erythrocyte membranes and kidney proximal tubule
      by Agre and co-workers (Preston, G. M., Carroll, T. P., Guggino, W. B., and Agre,
      P. (1992) Science 256, 385-387).

PMID- 1429562
TI  - The regulation of the human tumor necrosis factor alpha promoter region in
      macrophage, T cell, and B cell lines.
AB  - The 1311-base pair human tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha promoter region was
      fused to the luciferase (Luc) reporter gene and studied in a transient
      transfection system in three TNF producing cell lines, the U937 macrophage cell
      line, the MLA 144 T cell line, and the 729-6 B cell line. This full length
      promoter construct can be induced by phorbol 13-myristate acetate (PMA) in each
      of these cell types. Analysis of a series of 5'-truncations showed several peaks
      of basal and PMA induced activity suggesting the presence of several positive and
      negative regulatory elements. A PMA responsive element was localized to a region
      between -95 and -36 bp relative to the transcription start site. Within this
      region, single AP-2- and AP-1-like consensus sequences were noted. These AP-2 and
      AP-1 sites were each modified with a double point mutation. A modest (20-50%)
      reduction in TNF promoter activity was observed with the AP-2 site mutation.
      However, mutation of the AP-1 site markedly diminished both the basal and PMA
      activated promoter activity. Also co-transfections of the wild-type promoter
      construct with an AP-1/c-jun expression vector resulted in augmented basal and
      PMA-induced promoter activity.

PMID- 1429564
TI  - 1.9-A resolution structure of fasciculin 1, an anti-acetylcholinesterase toxin
      from green mamba snake venom.
AB  - The crystal structure of fasciculin 1, a potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitor
      from green mamba snake venom, has been solved by the multiple isomorphous
      replacement method complemented with anomalous scattering and subsequently
      refined at 1.9-A resolution. The overall structure of fasciculin is similar to
      those of the short alpha-neurotoxins and cardiotoxins, with a dense core rich in
      disulfide bridges and three long loops disposed as the central fingers of a hand.
      A comparison of these three prototypic toxin types shows that fasciculin 1 has
      structural features that are intermediate between those of the other two
      molecules. Its core region, which can be defined as a continuous stretch of
      conserved residues, is very similar to that of erabutoxin b, whereas the
      orientation of its long loops resembles that of cardiotoxin VII4. This result
      introduces a new element in the study of phylogenetic relationships of snake
      toxins and suggests that, after divergency from an ancestral gene, convergent
      evolution may have played an important factor in the evolution of these proteins.
      In fasciculin 1, several arginine and lysine residues are well ordered and
      relatively exposed to the solvent medium and may play a role in the binding to
      the peripheral site of acetylcholinesterases.

PMID- 1429566
TI  - On the mechanisms of the formation of L-alloisoleucine and the 2-hydroxy-3
      methylvaleric acid stereoisomers from L-isoleucine in maple syrup urine disease
      patients and in normal humans.
AB  - 2-Keto-3-methylvaleric acid (KMVA) has been found not to undergo spontaneous keto
      enol tautomerization in neutral aqueous solution, alone or in the presence of
      large concentrations of pyridoxamine or pyridoxamine-5-phosphate. This finding
      denies the commonly held suppositions that 3R-KMVA is derived spontaneously from
      3S-KMVA in vivo, and that L-alloisoleucine is the product of the reamination of
      this 3R-KMVA. Evidence presented here suggests that racemization of the 3-carbon
      of L-isoleucine occurs during transamination, that L-alloisoleucine is an
      inherently unavoidable by-product of L-isoleucine transamination (and vice
      versa), and that a KMVA enol is not obligate in this racemization. The four
      stereoisomers of 2-hydroxy-3-methylvaleric acid have been synthesized and the
      mass spectra of their trimethylsilyl derivatives recorded. An achiral
      methylsilicone column was used to separate the diastereomeric pairs and to
      determine their relative ratios in plasma and urine from normal controls and two
      maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) patients. The urinary ratio of the two
      diastereomers is different from that for plasma, both in normals and in MSUD
      patients. The plasma ratios may provide a rapid and simple measure of residual
      branched chain 2-keto acid dehydrogenase activity in MSUD patients.

PMID- 1429565
TI  - Alternative exon usage and processing of the major histocompatibility complex
      encoded proteasome subunits.
AB  - The finding that two subunits of the proteasome, LMP2 and LMP7, are encoded in
      the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) has linked the proteasome which
      represents a major extralysosomal proteolytic system to the processing of
      intracellular antigens. Here we describe a second form of the human LMP7 cDNA,
      LMP7-E2, which has been identified during the characterization of novel genes in
      the MHC. The analysis of the genome organization of LMP7 revealed that LMP7-E1
      and LMP7-E2 arise by alternative exon usage. Using specific antibodies against
      LMP2 and LMP7, we show that they are co-expressed with class I MHC molecules as
      well as a putative peptide transporter. The polypeptides encoded by LMP7 and LMP2
      undergo proteolytic processing when incorporated into proteasomes, and the LMP7
      precursor is derived mainly from LMP7-E2. Furthermore, our data suggest that LMP7
      and LMP2 are mutually dependent for their incorporation into the proteasomal
      complex.

PMID- 1429567
TI  - Negative complementation in aspartate transcarbamylase. Analysis of hybrid enzyme
      molecules containing different arrangements of polypeptide chains from wild-type
      and inactive mutant catalytic subunits.
AB  - A comprehensive set of hybrid molecules of aspartate transcarbamylase (ATCase)
      from Escherichia coli has been constructed of wild-type and mutationally altered
      catalytic chains. The mutant enzymes that were virtually devoid of activity
      contained a replacement of Gly-128 in the catalytic polypeptide chains by either
      Asp or Arg. The kinetic properties of these hybrid enzyme-like molecules were
      analyzed to evaluate the basis for the unusual quaternary constraint demonstrated
      by an intersubunit hybrid containing one wild-type catalytic subunit, one
      inactive mutant subunit (containing the Gly to Asp replacement), and three wild
      type regulatory subunits. A similar intersubunit hybrid was constructed from the
      wild-type catalytic subunit and the mutant in which Gly-128 was replaced by Arg,
      and it too demonstrated a pronounced decrease in activity relative to that
      expected for a hybrid containing three active sites. Moreover, neither of these
      hybrid holoenzymes exhibited the cooperativity with respect to aspartate that is
      characteristic of wild-type ATCase. In contrast, hybrid holoenzymes containing at
      least one wild-type chain in each catalytic subunit showed cooperativity. Also,
      hybrid enzymes containing different arrangements of five, four, three, or two
      wild-type catalytic chains with an appropriate complement of mutant chains had
      specific activities proportional to the number of wild-type chains in the
      holoenzymes. Exceptions were observed only in hybrids in which one of the two
      subunits in the holoenzyme was composed completely of mutant catalytic chains.
      For these hybrids the negative complementation was manifested as a much lower
      enzyme activity than expected from the number of wild-type chains in the enzyme
      and the loss of cooperativity. Thus, the activity and allosteric properties of
      these hybrids is dependent on the arrangement of catalytic chains in the
      holoenzyme, in contrast to results obtained for hybrids containing native and
      chemically modified catalytic chains. Intrasubunit hybrid catalytic trimers
      containing one or two wild-type chains exhibited one-third and two-thirds the
      activity of the intact wild-type catalytic subunit, respectively, indicating the
      dominant negative effect that was seen in intersubunit hybrid holoenzymes is
      absent within trimers.

PMID- 1429568
TI  - Basic fibroblast growth factor is internalized through both receptor-mediated and
      heparan sulfate-mediated mechanisms.
AB  - Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was internalized at a rapid rate by Chinese
      hamster ovary (CHO) cells that do not express significant numbers of high
      affinity receptors for bFGF as well as CHO cells that have been transfected with
      cDNA encoding FGF receptor-1 or FGF receptor-2. Internalization of bFGF was
      completely blocked by the addition of 10 micrograms/ml heparin in the parental
      CHO cells but only partially inhibited in cells expressing transfected FGF
      receptors. Bovine aortic endothelial cells also exhibit heparin-sensitive and
      heparin-resistant internalization of bFGF. The internalization of bFGF through
      the heparin-resistant pathway in CHO cells was efficiently competed by addition
      of unlabeled bFGF, was proportional to the number of receptors expressed, and
      approached saturation, suggesting that the heparin-resistant internalization was
      due to high affinity receptors. Internalization of bFGF through the heparin
      sensitive pathway was not efficiently competed by unlabeled bFGF and did not
      approach saturation at concentrations of bFGF up to 50 ng/ml, properties similar
      to the interaction of bFGF with low affinity heparan sulfate binding sites on the
      cell surface. Internalization of bFGF in CHO cells not expressing FGF receptors
      was inhibited by heparin, heparan sulfate, and dermatan sulfate, the same
      glycosaminoglycans that block binding to cell-surface heparin sulfates.
      Internalization of bFGF in the parental CHO cells was inhibited at the same
      concentrations of heparin that block binding to cell-surface heparan sulfates.
      Finally, inhibition of the sulfation of CHO cell heparan sulfates by the addition
      of chlorate or digestion of CHO cell heparan sulfates with heparinase inhibited
      bFGF internalization in the parental CHO cells. These results demonstrate that
      bFGF can be internalized through a direct interaction with cell-surface heparan
      sulfates. Thus, there are two pathways for internalization of bFGF: high affinity
      receptor-mediated and heparan sulfate-mediated.

PMID- 1429569
TI  - Reversal of the desensitized state of pig ovarian follicular human
      choriogonadotropin-sensitive adenylylcyclase by guanosine 5'-O-(2
      thiodiphosphate).
AB  - We investigated the stability of the desensitized state of the human
      choriogonadotropin (hCG)-sensitive adenylylcyclase of the pig ovarian follicle. A
      20,000 x g membrane preparation of pig follicular membranes was incubated under
      conditions which resulted in the hormone-induced desensitization of the hCG
      responsive adenylylcyclase. The desensitized state was maintained upon subsequent
      incubation of the membranes with GTP, GDP, GMP, ATP, ADP, AMP, CTP, UTP, adenyl
      5'-yl imidodiphosphate (AMP-P(NH)P), and adenyl (beta, gamma-methylene)
      diphosphonate (AMP-P(CH2)P); however, the desensitized state was reverted to a
      fully active state upon incubation with guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (GDP
      beta S) and guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S). The reversal
      effect of GDP beta S on hCG-responsive adenylylcyclase activity was time- and
      temperature-dependent, and showed a selectivity for GDP beta S over adenosine 5'
      O-(2-thiodiphosphate) (ADP beta S) (half-maximal effective dose of 12 microM
      versus 260 microM, respectively). GDP beta S had no effect on the binding
      affinity or apparent number of luteinizing hormone (LH)/CG receptors or on the
      dissociation rate of 125I-hCG from the receptor. GDP beta S promoted an hCG- and
      time-dependent release of guanine nucleotides from the membranes. A model is
      proposed which accounts for the unique characteristics of LH/CG-sensitive
      adenylylcyclase desensitization and subsequent reactivation by GDP beta S.

PMID- 1429570
TI  - Interleukin-1-inducible genes in endothelial cells. Cloning of a new gene related
      to C-reactive protein and serum amyloid P component.
AB  - Differential screening of a cDNA library constructed from human umbilical vein
      endothelial cells exposed for 1 h to interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) has led to
      the identification of a novel gene (PTX3) related to pentaxins (C-reactive
      protein and serum amyloid P component in man), a subclass of acute phase
      proteins. Sequencing of the full-length cDNA clone and RNase mapping revealed
      that the PTX3 transcript is 1861 base pairs long and has a unique transcription
      start site. The predicted protein sequence of 381 amino acids is highly similar
      to pentaxins in its COOH-terminal half where it also contains a typical 8-amino
      acid "pentaxin signature" sequence. The NH2-terminal half of PTX3 shows no
      similarity to any known protein sequence and initiates with a putative signal
      peptide indicating that PTX3 is secreted. The genome of PTX3 is organized into
      three exons. Interestingly, the region of homology between PTX3 and pentaxins
      corresponds to the third PTX3 exon. The PTX3 gene has been localized on human
      chromosome 3 band q25 by Southern blots of somatic cell hybrids and by in situ
      hybridization. The PTX3 mRNA is induced in endothelial, hepatic, and fibroblastic
      cells by IL-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha but not by IL-6 and interferon
      gamma. PTX3 may represent a novel marker of inflammatory reactions, particularly
      those involving the vessel wall.

PMID- 1429571
TI  - The identification of a domain in Escherichia coli elongation factor Tu that
      interacts with elongation factor Ts.
AB  - A method has been developed to search for the elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu)
      domain(s) that interact with elongation factor Ts (EF-Ts). This method is based
      on the suppression of Escherichia coli EF-Tu-dominant negative mutation K136E, a
      mutation that exerts its effect by sequestering EF-Ts. We have identified nine
      single-amino acid- substituted suppression mutations in the region 146-199 of EF
      Tu. These mutations are R154C, P168L, A174V, K176E, D181G, E190K, D196G, S197F,
      and I199V. All suppression mutations but one (R154C) significantly affect EF-Tu's
      ability to interact with EF-Ts under equilibrium conditions. Moreover, with the
      exception of mutation A174V, the GDP affinity of EF-Tu appears to be relatively
      unaffected by these mutations. These results suggest that the domain of residues
      154 to 199 on EF-Tu is involved in interacting with EF-Ts. These suppression
      mutations are also capable of suppressing dominant negative mutants N135D and
      N135I to various degrees. This suggests that dominant negative mutants N135D and
      N135I are likely to have the same molecular basis as the K136E mutation. The
      method we have developed in this study is versatile and can be readily adapted to
      map other regions of EF-Tu. A model of EF-Ts-catalyzed guanine-nucleotide
      exchange is discussed.

PMID- 1429573
TI  - Characterization of a gain of function mutation of integrin alpha IIb beta 3
      (platelet glycoprotein IIb-IIIa).
AB  - Integrin alpha IIb beta 3 (platelet glycoprotein IIb-IIIa) is a prototype of
      integrins involved in cellular adhesive functions. As part of a structure
      function analysis of this molecule, we constructed a mutant, designated alpha IIb
      beta 3 (beta 1-2), by replacing 6 amino acids within a putative ligand binding
      domain of the beta 3 subunit with sequences derived from beta 1. The alteration
      did not affect the capacity of beta 3(beta 1-2) to combine with transfected alpha
      IIb, nor did it cause it to combine with endogenous alpha 5. Integrin alpha IIb
      beta 3(beta 1-2) was in a "resting" state on Chinese hamster ovary cells as
      judged by minimal binding of an activation-specific anti-alpha IIb beta 3, PAC1.
      Nevertheless, cells expressing alpha IIb beta 3(beta 1-2) spontaneously bound
      fibrinogen with low affinity (Ka = (4.85 +/- 0.84) x 10(6) M-1). Activation with
      an anti-beta 3 antibody (monoclonal antibody 62) resulted in a 10-fold increase
      in fibrinogen binding affinity (Ka = (4.55 +/- 0.77) x 10(7) M-1), which was 3
      fold greater than fibrinogen binding to activated wild type alpha IIb beta 3 (Ka
      = (1.66 +/- 0.33) x 10(7) M-1, F = 7.46, p = 0.008). The mutant receptor also
      bound fibrinogen mimetic peptide ligands with enhanced affinity as measured by
      the conformation-specific antibody, anti-LIBS1. This indicates that the increased
      affinity for fibrinogen was caused by enhanced interaction of alpha IIb beta
      3(beta 1-2) with known recognition sequences in fibrinogen. Thus, this gain of
      function mutant augments ligand binding function, supporting a role for this
      region of the beta subunit in ligand binding to integrins.

PMID- 1429572
TI  - Tissue factor residues 157-167 are required for efficient proteolytic activation
      of factor X and factor VII.
AB  - The cell surface receptor tissue factor (TF) initiates coagulation by supporting
      the proteolytic activation of factors X and IX as well as VII to active serine
      proteases. Architectural similarity of TF to the cytokine receptor family
      suggests a strand-loop-strand structure for TF residues 151-174. Site-directed
      Ala exchanges in the predicted surface loop demonstrated that residues Tyr157,
      Lys159, Ser163, Gly164, Lys165, and Lys166 are important for function. Addition
      of side chain atoms at the Ser162 position decreased function, whereas the Ala
      exchange was tolerated. The dysfunctional mutants bound VII with high affinity
      and fully supported the catalysis of small peptidyl substrates by the mutant
      TF.VIIa complex. Lys159-->Ala substitution was compatible with efficient
      activation of factor X, whereas the Try157-->Ala exchange and mutations in the
      carboxyl aspect of the predicted loop resulted in diminished activation of factor
      X. The specific plasma procoagulant activity of all functionally deficient
      mutants increased 7- to 200-fold upon the supplementation of VIIa suggesting that
      TF residues 157-167 also provide important interactions that accelerate the
      activation of VII to VIIa. These data are consistent with assignment of the TF
      157-167 region as contributing to protein substrate recognition and cleavage by
      the TF.VIIa complex.

PMID- 1429574
TI  - Selenomethionyl dihydrofolate reductase from Escherichia coli. Comparative
      biochemistry and 77Se nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
AB  - The biosynthetic replacement of Met residues by selenomethionine (SeMet)
      facilitates the determination of three-dimensional structure by multiwavelength
      anomalous diffraction (Yang, W., Hendrickson, W. A., Crouch, R.J., and Satow, Y.
      (1990) Science 249, 1398-1405). In an effort to examine any biochemical effects
      due to the replacement of Met residues by SeMet, we chose to compare the kinetic
      and binding properties of selenomethionyl dihydrofolate reductase with those of
      the wt enzyme. There are 5 Met residues in Escherichia coli dihydrofolate
      reductase with 2 located in the Met-20 loop, which is a sequence of residues
      forming a lid over the active site. Utilizing plasmid pWT8, which affords 10-15%
      soluble protein as E. coli dihydrofolate reductase, we readily isolated both the
      SeMet and wt enzymes from E. coli DL41 utilizing a novel purification protocol.
      Both enzymes exhibited essentially the same kinetic and binding properties,
      including specific activities (45 mumol/min/mg), Km (7,8-dihydrofolate = 0.39
      microM; NADPH = 2.0 microM), kcat (13.5/s), and 1:1 noncovalent inhibitory
      binding ratios with methotrexate. The inhibitory effects of divalent and
      monovalent cations on activity were also assessed, with the SeMet-containing
      enzyme exhibiting a uniformly greater sensitivity than the wt enzyme. We conclude
      that the biochemical properties of dihydrofolate reductase are virtually
      unperturbed by SeMet inclusion. Analysis of SeMet dihydrofolate reductase by 77Se
      nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed five distinct resonances, thus
      indicating the potential value of this technique in employing selenium as a
      nonperturbing NMR probe of protein structure and function.

PMID- 1429575
TI  - Crystal structure disposition of thymidylic acid tetramer in complex with
      ribonuclease A.
AB  - The crystal structure of ribonuclease A with bound thymidylic acid tetramer is
      reported at 2.5-A resolution. The diffusion of the tetramer into native
      orthorhombic crystals of the ribonuclease allows for the formation of a
      structurally stable complex where the single-stranded nucleic acid enters and
      leaves the enzyme's catalytic region in a persistent 5'-3' direction. The binding
      of the tetramer to the enzyme's surface is facilitated and mediated by
      electrostatic interactions between basic protein residues and nucleotide
      phosphates. Two pyrimidine nucleotides are bound to the enzyme's active site in a
      manner similar to that observed for other complexes between ribonuclease A and
      nucleic acid oligomers.

PMID- 1429576
TI  - Identification of the essential histidine residue at the active site of
      Escherichia coli dehydroquinase.
AB  - The shikimate pathway enzyme 3-dehydroquinase is very susceptible to inactivation
      by the group-specific reagent diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEP). Inactivation follows
      pseudo first-order kinetics and exhibits a second-order rate constant of 148.5 M
      1 min-1. An equilibrium mixture of substrate and product substantially protects
      against inactivation by DEP, suggesting that residues within the active site are
      being modified. Complete inactivation of the enzyme correlates with the
      modification of 6 histidine residues/subunit as determined by difference
      spectroscopy at 240 nm. Enzymic activity can be restored by hydroxylamine
      treatment, which is also consistent with the modification occurring at histidine
      residues. Using the kinetic method of Tsou (Tsou, C.-L. (1962) Sci. Sin. 11, 1535
      1558), it was shown that modification of a single histidine residue leads to
      inactivation. Ligand protection experiments also indicated that 1 histidine
      residue was protected from DEP modification. pH studies show that the pKa for
      this inactivation is 6.18, which is identical to the single pKa determined from
      the pH/log Vmax profile for the enzyme. A single active site peptide was
      identified by differential peptide mapping in the presence and absence of ligand.
      This peptide was found to comprise residues 141-158; of the 2 histidines in this
      peptide (His-143 and His-146), only one, His-143, is conserved among all type I
      dehydroquinases. We propose that His-143 is the active site histidine responsible
      for DEP-mediated inactivation of dehydroquinase and is a good candidate for the
      general base that has been postulated to participate in the mechanism of this
      enzyme.

PMID- 1429578
TI  - Bidirectional mechanism of plasma membrane transport of reduced glutathione in
      intact rat hepatocytes and membrane vesicles.
AB  - We determined the trans effects of extracellular reduced glutathione (GSH) on the
      rate of efflux of endogenous labeled GSH from freshly isolated rat hepatocytes.
      The presence of GSH (10 mM) in the medium significantly stimulated the fractional
      rate of efflux of [35S]GSH from 5.2 to 12.6%/15 min (p < 0.01). This effect was
      concentration-dependent, had sigmoid type of kinetics (D50 of 0.32 mM), and was
      reversible upon removal of external GSH. trans-Stimulation (counter-transport)
      was also observed with 5 mM oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and ophthalmic acid
      (fractional [35S] GSH efflux: 13.4% +/- 4.1 and 8.8% +/- 2.3 in 15 min,
      respectively, compared with control: 4.7 +/- 2.5/15 min). Bromosulphthalein
      glutathione (BSP-GSH, 5 mM) in Krebs buffer inhibited the fractional [35S]GSH
      efflux (1.1%/15 min), whereas in Cl(-)-free buffer, GSH efflux was stimulated
      (14.2%/15 min) compared with control. trans-Stimulation was independent of
      chloride. BSP-GSH cis-inhibited and trans-stimulated the initial rate of GSH
      transport in basolateral-enriched membrane vesicles (bLPM) but not in canalicular
      enriched membrane vesicles (cLPM). gamma-Glutamyl compounds also cis-inhibited
      and trans-stimulated GSH transport in bLPM vesicles. GSH-depleted hepatocytes
      incubated with 10 mM [35S]GSH accumulated more GSH than repleted cells, but the
      initial rate of uptake of radioactivity was faster in repleted cells. In
      contrast, repleted hepatocytes incubated with tracer or 50 microM [35S]GSH did
      not take up GSH. Thus, the sinusoidal membrane GSH transporter exhibits low
      affinity kinetics with sigmoid features for both GSH uptake and trans-stimulation
      of efflux, explaining the lack of uptake of GSH at low physiologic extracellular
      concentrations. Therefore, our findings support and explain the widely held view
      that GSH transport is unidirectional under physiologic conditions. However, the
      efflux of GSH may also occur in exchange for the uptake of organic anions and
      gamma-glutamyl compounds.

PMID- 1429577
TI  - Agonist-induced phosphorylation and desensitization of human m2 muscarinic
      cholinergic receptors in Sf9 insect cells.
AB  - The human m1 (hm1) and m2 (hm2) muscarinic cholinergic receptors (mAChR)
      expressed in Sf9 insect cells using recombinant baculovirus were tested for their
      ability to undergo agonist-dependent phosphorylation and desensitization. The
      muscarinic agonist carbachol induced phosphorylation of the hm2 mAChR in the Sf9
      cells incubated with 32P(i) to an extent of 4-5 mol of phosphate/mol of receptor.
      In contrast, no phosphorylation of the hm1 mAChR was observed. The hm2 mAChR
      stimulated [35S]GTP gamma S binding to, and GTPase activity of, the insect cell G
      proteins. These receptor-mediated activities were reduced by 50% in membranes
      prepared from agonist-treated cells compared to control, suggesting that the
      agonist-induced phosphorylation of the hm2 mAChR resulted in desensitization of
      the receptors. No role for protein kinase C or cyclic nucleotide-dependent
      kinases in receptor phosphorylation and desensitization was suggested from
      studies using agents known to modulate the activity of these enzymes. However,
      pertussis toxin was found to completely eliminate the interaction of the hm2
      receptors with the insect cell G-proteins, but did not perturb the ability of
      carbachol to induce agonist-dependent phosphorylation of the receptors. These
      results suggested that G-proteins and/or G-protein-activated signalling were not
      necessary for the agonist-induced phosphorylation of the receptors. Overall, the
      data indicated that the human m2 (but not the human m1) mAChR expressed in Sf9
      insect cells undergo phosphorylation and desensitization in an agonist-dependent,
      G-protein-independent fashion by an endogenous insect cell kinase. The results
      demonstrated that a human G-protein-linked receptor is regulated in insect cells
      in a manner that is similar to that involving members of the G-protein receptor
      kinase family.

PMID- 1429579
TI  - Nucleobase transporter-mediated permeation of 2',3'-dideoxyguanosine in human
      erythrocytes and human T-lymphoblastoid CCRF-CEM cells.
AB  - Several 2',3'-dideoxynucleosides (ddNs), agents that inhibit the replication of
      human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B virus, enter mammalian cells by
      simple diffusion. In this report, we show that the membrane permeation of 2',3'
      dideoxyguanosine (ddG) in human erythrocytes and CCRF-CEM cells, in contrast with
      that of other ddNs, is transporter-mediated. Inward fluxes of ddG in both cell
      types were inhibited by adenine, hypoxanthine, and acyclovir, but not by
      inhibitors of nucleoside transport (nitrobenzylthioinosine, dipyridamole,
      dilazep). Fluxes of ddG in human erythrocytes were attributable to a single, rate
      saturable process (Km, 380 +/- 90 microM and Vmax, 7.9 +/- 0.8 pmol/s/microliter
      cell water) that was competitively inhibited by adenine (Ki, 16 microM). These
      results showed that ddG entered human erythrocytes and CCRF-CEM cells by a
      transporter-mediated process that was also the basis for entry of purine
      nucleobases. In contrast, inward fluxes of 2,6-diaminopurine-2',3'
      dideoxyriboside (ddDAPR), a prodrug of ddG, were not affected by purine
      nucleobases or nucleoside transport inhibitors in either cell type. Thus, the
      permeation properties of ddDAPR resembled those of 2',3'-dideoxyadenosine, a
      diffusional permeant (cell uptake is transporter-independent), and contrasted
      with those of ddG, the deamination product of ddDAPR. This study demonstrated
      that the nucleobase moiety of ddNs is an important determinant of membrane
      permeation.

PMID- 1429580
TI  - Stopped-flow kinetic study of vitamin E regeneration reaction with biological
      hydroquinones (reduced forms of ubiquinone, vitamin K, and tocopherolquinone) in
      solution.
AB  - A kinetic study of the regeneration reaction of vitamin E (tocopherol) with eight
      biological hydroquinones (HQs) (ubiquinol-10 (Q10H2 1); ubiquinol-0 (Q0H2 2);
      vitamin K1 HQ (VK1H2 3); vitamin K3 HQ (VK3H2 4); alpha-, beta-, and gamma
      tocopherol-HQs (alpha-, beta-, and gamma-TQH2 5-7); and 2,3,5-trimethyl-1,4-HQ
      (TMQH2 8)) in solution was performed. The second-order rate constants (k4) for
      the reaction of HQs 1-8 with alpha-tocopheroxyl and 5,7-diisopropyltocopheroxyl
      radicals in ethanol, benzene, and isopropyl alcohol/water (5:1, v/v) solutions
      were measured with a stopped-flow spectrophotometer. The order of magnitude of k4
      values obtained for HQs is VK1H2 > VK3H2 > alpha-TQH2 > beta-TQH2 approximately
      gamma-TQH2 approximately TMQH2 > Q10H2 > Q0H2, being independent of the kinds of
      tocopheroxyl radicals and the polarity of the solvents. The log of the k4 values
      obtained for HQs was found to correlate with their peak oxidation potentials.
      Comparing the k2 value (2.68 x 10(6) M-1 s-1 obtained for the reaction of alpha
      tocopheroxyl with vitamin C (sodium ascorbate) with those (k4 = 2.54 x 10(5) and
      8.15 x 10(5) M-1 s-1) obtained for the reaction of alpha-tocopheroxyl with Q10H2
      and alpha-TQH2 in isopropyl alcohol/water mixtures, the former is approximately
      11 and 3 times as reactive as the latter, respectively. On the other hand, the k2
      value obtained for sodium ascorbate is smaller than the k4 values obtained for
      VK1H2 and VK3H2. These results suggest that mixtures of vitamin E and these HQs
      (as well as those of vitamins E and C) may function synergistically as
      antioxidants in various tissues and mitochondria.

PMID- 1429581
TI  - Identification of xenin, a xenopsin-related peptide, in the human gastric mucosa
      and its effect on exocrine pancreatic secretion.
AB  - One of the peptides previously discovered in amphibians is the octapeptide
      xenopsin. As immunohistochemistry has also indicated the presence of xenopsin
      immunoreactivity in man, we extracted in the present investigation xenopsin
      immunoreactive material from human gastric mucosa and purified it to homogeneity
      with several high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) reverse phase and ion
      exchange chromatographic steps. The eluates were monitored with a
      radioimmunoassay for amphibian xenopsin. Determination of the amino acid sequence
      revealed a 25-amino acid peptide having 6 C-terminal amino acids in common with
      amphibian xenopsin. The sequence of this peptide, termed xenin 25, is M-L-T-K-F-E
      T-K-S-A-R-V-K-G-L-S-F-H-P-K-R-P-W-I-L. The peptide was custom-synthesized. Mass
      spectrometry of the synthetic and the extracted peptide revealed identical
      molecular mass. Purification of 250 ml of human postprandial plasma with Sep-Pak
      C18 cartridges, reverse phase HPLC, and ion exchange chromatography demonstrated
      circulating xenin immunoreactivity at a retention time identical to xenin 25. The
      amount of xenin immunoreactivity at the position of xenin 25 on C18-HPLC
      increased significantly after a meal. A radioimmunoassay utilizing antibodies to
      xenin 25 and a 125I-labeled analogue of xenin 25 was used to measure
      immunoreactive xenin in the plasma of 10 volunteers. There was a significant rise
      of xenin immunoreactivity in the plasma after a meal. Intravenous infusion of the
      synthetic peptide in dogs stimulated exocrine pancreatic secretion beginning at a
      dose of 4 pmol/kg/min. The maximal effect was seen with 64 pmol/kg/min. We have
      detected, therefore, a new peptide, xenin 25, in human gastric mucosa; we have
      provided evidence for the presence of this peptide in the human circulation, and
      have shown a rise of plasma xenin concentrations after a meal. This peptide
      stimulates exocrine pancreatic secretion. Its physiologic role deserves further
      investigation.

PMID- 1429582
TI  - Affinity purification and characterization of myristoylated alanine-rich protein
      kinase C substrate (MARCKS) from bovine brain. Comparison of the cytoplasmic and
      the membrane-bound forms.
AB  - A major in vivo substrate of Ca(2+)-phospholipid-dependent protein kinase
      (myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate (MARCKS)) has been purified to
      apparent homogeneity from the particulate as well as from the cytoplasmic
      fractions of calf brain using a calmodulin affinity column. The two preparations
      were characterized and compared with various biochemical and biophysical
      techniques. Although they behave similarly in various chromatographic procedures
      during purification, their elution positions from the gel filtration column are
      markedly different. Stokes radii of 85 and 45 A were measured for the cytoplasmic
      and membrane MARCKS, respectively. Once purified, however, they show a similar
      small Stokes radius (45 A), suggesting the dissociation of a component or a
      drastic conformational change in the cytoplasmic preparation during purification.
      The electrospray mass spectroscopic analysis of the two preparations revealed the
      existence of at least three major subpopulations with molecular mass differences
      of 80 daltons, which suggests the presence of protein phosphorylated in different
      degrees. The cytoplasmic preparation contains more phosphorylated species
      compared with the membrane preparation, whereas the calculated molecular weight
      of each peak was indistinguishable between the two preparations. Correspondingly,
      when the two preparations were phosphorylated by purified protein kinase C in
      vitro, more phosphate groups were transferred to the membrane preparation (4
      mol/mol) than to the cytoplasmic preparation (2.9 mol/mol). A significant
      difference was also observed in the inhibition of calmodulin of the
      phosphorylation reaction. On the other hand, the circular dichroism of the two
      preparations showed similar spectra rich in random coil with little contribution
      of alpha-helix (approximately 10%), suggesting that there is not a significant
      difference in the overall conformation. These results clearly established that
      the two preparations are the same protein coded by a single gene but they differ
      in their degree of phosphorylation, and that the difference observed in their
      Stokes radius is due to the presence of an unidentified factor that is removed
      from the cytoplasmic MARCKS during purification.

PMID- 1429583
TI  - Kinetics of Ca2+ release and contraction induced by photolysis of caged D-myo
      inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in smooth muscle. The effects of heparin, procaine,
      and adenine nucleotides.
AB  - The kinetics of Ca2+ release and contraction induced by photolytic release of
      inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) were determined in permeabilized smooth
      muscle. The rate of Ca2+ release was half-maximal at 1 microM InsP3. The
      concentration-dependent delay of Ca2+ release at saturating InsP3 concentration
      was approximately 10 ms and within the uncertainty of the measurements. The
      relationship between the delay and InsP3 concentration showed no evidence of a
      high level (n = 4 or higher) of cooperativity but could not distinguish between
      no cooperativity (n = 1) or a low level (n = 2) of cooperativity. Submaximal
      [InsP3] caused only partial Ca2+ release from the InsP3-sensitive stores. InsP3
      induced Ca2+ release was markedly potentiated by ATP or by adenosine 5'
      (beta,gamma-methylene-triphosphate), but neither the rate nor the amplitude of
      release was significantly affected by procaine (2-5 mM). Heparin increased the
      delay between photolysis and Ca2+ release, indicating that the off rate of inert
      ligand(s) bound to InsP3 receptors may contribute to the physiological delay in
      Ca2+ release. There was a much longer (370 ms +/- 45 S.E.) delay between the rise
      of Ca2+ and force development, presumably reflecting events preceding and
      associated with myosin light chain phosphorylation.

PMID- 1429584
TI  - Phosphate transport by capillaries of the blood-brain barrier.
AB  - Capillaries were isolated from bovine brain cortex and used for phosphate
      transport studies. The influx of phosphate through capillary membranes was
      studied by incubation with [32Pi]phosphate followed by a rapid filtration
      technique. Phosphate uptake by brain capillaries was mediated by a saturable high
      affinity system which is independent of the sodium concentration in the
      incubation medium. The apparent half-saturation constant (Km) and maximal influx
      (Vmax) were estimated to 160 microM and 0.37 nmol/mg protein/30 s. Transport was
      inhibited by the phosphate analogues arsenate and phosphonoformic acid with
      apparent inhibition constants of 5 and 11 mM, respectively. The metabolic
      inhibitors cyanide and ouabain had no effect on the transport activity.
      Competition experiments showed that phosphate uptake was inhibited up to 41% by
      various anions (pyruvate, acetate, citrate, glutamate, and sulfate). In addition,
      phosphate uptake was significantly decreased by two selective inhibitors of
      anionic exchangers, 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid and 4
      acetamido-4'-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid. Chloride was not a
      substrate of the phosphate carrier as the replacement of external chloride, by
      nitrate, thiocyanate, or gluconate, did not increase phosphate transport.
      Aminohippuric acid and N'-methylnicotinamide, two specific substrates of anionic
      and cationic drug exchangers, did not compete with the phosphate carrier of
      cerebral capillaries. However, trans-stimulation with bicarbonate increased
      phosphate transport by 28%, and this stimulation was inhibited by 1 mM 4,4'
      diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid, suggesting that the carrier of the
      cerebral capillaries could exchange phosphate with bicarbonate.

PMID- 1429585
TI  - Glutaraldehyde cross-links Lys-492 and Arg-678 at the active site of sarcoplasmic
      reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase.
AB  - It has been shown previously that glutaraldehyde cross-links the Ca(2+)-ATPase of
      sarcoplasmic reticulum intramolecularly at the active site, involving residues
      participating in nucleotide binding and the conformational change that results in
      Ca2+ release to the vesicle lumen and formation of ADP-insensitive E2-P (Ross, D.
      C., Davidson, G. A., and McIntosh, D. B. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 4613-4621).
      This study shows that 10 nmol of [14C]glutaraldehyde/mg of protein attached
      irreversibly to the ATPase under conditions optimal for formation of the
      intramolecular cross-link. Half of this amount (i.e. 1 mol/mol ATPase) was
      inhibited by nucleotide binding. Thermolysin digestion of derivatized vesicles
      released two nucleotide-sensitive 14C-labeled species, which were isolated and
      identified as FSRDR*S AND FSRDR*S FA* FA*VEPS where the missing residues are Lys
      492 and Arg-678. The majority of the 14C label was released in the sixth cycle of
      both Edman degradations, confirming the cross-link position. Lys-492 and Arg-678
      are evidently close together in the active site, but their distance apart in the
      linear sequence suggests that they may arise from separate domains, which
      together constitute an ATP binding cleft. Residues in both regions, and Lys-492
      in particular (McIntosh, D.B., Woolley, D.G., and Berman, M.C. (1992) J. Biol.
      Chem. 267, 5301-5309), have been derivatized by nucleotide-based affinity probes.
      Mutations of both of these residues in some of the bacterial P-type ATPases
      suggest that they do not play an essential catalytic role, and the inability of
      the cross-linked ATPase to form E2-P and to release Ca2+ to the lumen is probably
      because an essential tertiary structural movement at the active site is blocked.

PMID- 1429586
TI  - The CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein trans-activates the human cholesteryl ester
      transfer protein gene promoter.
AB  - The plasma cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), primarily synthesized in
      the liver of several species, is expressed at very low levels in a number of
      transformed human liver cell lines. The human CETP gene promoter contains a
      sequence that closely resembles the binding site for the transcription factor
      CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP). This site is capable of binding C/EBP, as
      shown by electrophoretic mobility shift and DNase I footprint analyses. Transient
      expression of the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene under the
      control of the human CETP gene promotor gave low activities in the human hepatoma
      cell line, HepG2. However, in the presence of C/EBP, CAT activity was markedly
      elevated indicating that CETP gene promoter activity was enhanced. In primary
      cultures of isolated hepatocytes, CETP mRNA was lost rapidly and in parallel with
      the C/EBP mRNA. C/EBP may play an important role in the proper maintenance of
      CETP gene promoter activity, and its low levels in proliferating or cultured
      cells may account for the low level of the CETP gene expression in immortalized
      human liver cell lines or cultured hepatocytes.

PMID- 1429587
TI  - COMP (cartilage oligomeric matrix protein) is structurally related to the
      thrombospondins.
AB  - Cloning and sequence analysis of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) cDNA,
      representing a cartilage pentameric protein, revealed a protein of 755 amino acid
      residues with a calculated molecular mass of 82,700 Da. Expression of the cDNA in
      COS cells showed that COMP is a homopolymer composed of five identical disulfide
      linked subunits. COMP is homologous to the carboxyl-terminal half of
      thrombospondin, and the homologies include 89% and 54% of the residues in COMP
      and thrombospondin, respectively. The similarities are most pronounced in the
      carboxyl-terminal domains and in the calcium binding type 3 repeat domains in
      which about 60% of the amino acid residues are identical. In the type 2/epidermal
      growth factor repeat domains the two proteins contain 41% identical residues. The
      sequence of the amino-terminal 84-amino acid residues is unique for COMP.
      Comparison of the amino acid sequences in the type 2 and type 3 repeat domains of
      COMP and the thrombospondins shows that COMP is the product of a unique gene and
      not the result of an alternatively spliced thrombospondin gene.

PMID- 1429588
TI  - Insertion of an intracisternal A particle within the 5'-regulatory region of a
      gene encoding folate-binding protein in L1210 leukemia cells in response to low
      folate selection. Association with increased protein expression.
AB  - We have previously described a subline of L1210 murine leukemia cells (LL1)
      selected in a low level of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate which overexpresses a
      membrane-bound folate-binding protein (FBP1) and exhibits a rearrangement at the
      locus encoding this protein. Genomic clones containing the entire FBP1-encoding
      DNA from both L1210 and LL1 were isolated and characterized. Sequence analysis
      indicates that, with exception of the 5'-region, the FBP1-encoding locus in both
      cell lines is identical. The rearrangement in LL1 results from the insertion of
      an intracisternal A particle (IAP) in the head-to-head (antisense) orientation 72
      base pairs (bp) upstream of the FBP1 ATG start codon. The IAP likely provides an
      alternative promoter for FBP1 expression which may produce a novel transcript
      with enhanced stability. Presence of the IAP appears to inactivate or relocate
      normal cis-acting regulatory sequences as expression of the FBP1 transcript in
      LL1 is not regulated by the folate status of the cell.

PMID- 1429589
TI  - Enzymatic transfer of a preassembled trisaccharide antigen to cell surfaces using
      a fucosyltransferase.
AB  - The Lewis alpha (1-->3/4)-fucosyltransferase (Le-FucT) is known to fucosylate
      both Type I (beta Gal(1-->3) beta GlcNAc) and Type II (beta Gal(1-->4) beta
      GlcNAc) sequences even when these are sialylated at OH-3 or fucosylated at OH-2
      of the terminal Gal residues. These acceptor sequences are ubiquitous on
      mammalian cell-surface glycoproteins and glycolipids. The Le-FucT enzyme is
      therefore a potential candidate as a universal reagent for the modification of
      cell surfaces. We have found that a readily accessible, partially purified Le
      FucT from human milk, which normally uses GDP-fucose (a 6-deoxy sugar) as the
      donor for the transfer of a single fucose residue, will also transfer a fucose
      residue substituted on C-6 by a very large sterically demanding structure, in
      this instance, a synthetic blood group antigen. As a demonstration of the ability
      of the Le-FucT to modify glycoconjugates in a mild and specific manner, we
      chemically synthesized the complex sugar-nucleotide alpha Gal(1-->3) [alpha Fuc(1
      ->2)]-beta Gal-O-(CH2)8COHN(6)-beta-L-fucose-GDP (13) which is a GDP-fucose
      analog where the human blood group B trisaccharide antigen is covalently linked
      to C-6 of fucose through an amino group. It is shown that, in enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assays, the Le-FucT uses both immobilized beta Gal(1-->3) beta
      GlcNAc-bovine serum albumin conjugates and fetuin as acceptor substrates and
      renders them blood group B-active as detected by a monoclonal anti-B blood
      grouping antibody. The fucose residue to which the B-trisaccharide is linked
      therefore becomes covalently attached to the acceptor oligosaccharide chains of
      those glycoproteins. Incubation of type "O" erythrocytes with the Le-FucT and
      complex donor 13 results in the covalent transfer of alpha Gal(1-->3) [alpha
      Fuc(1-->2)] beta Gal-O-(CH2)8COHN(6)-beta-L-Fuc to cell-surface acceptors since
      the cells become phenotypically "B" and are agglutinated by the same antibody. It
      is proposed that the Le-FucT represents a powerful new tool with the ability to
      label animal cell surfaces with preassembled oligosaccharide and possibly also
      other complex recognition markers.

PMID- 1429590
TI  - Purification of an 11 S regulator of the multicatalytic protease.
AB  - We have identified and purified a protein complex from human red blood cells that
      activates the multicatalytic protease (MCP). The complex, which we call the
      regulator, sediments at 11 S and is composed of 30-kDa subunits. The regulator
      does not hydrolyze fluorogenic peptides, but when multicatalytic protease and
      regulator are combined, MCP cleaves succinyl-Leu-Leu-Val-Tyr-7-amido-4
      methylcoumarin and Leu-Leu-Glu-p-nitroanilide as much as 60-fold faster.
      Hydrolysis of several other fluorogenic peptides is stimulated to a lesser
      extent, and activated MCP does not degrade ubiquitin-lysozyme conjugates, bovine
      serum albumin, or lysozyme. Latent and activated forms of MCP display similar
      sensitivity to protease inhibitors, suggesting that activation does not generate
      new kinds of catalytic sites. In addition, ATP suppresses peptide hydrolysis by
      activated and latent MCPs to the same extent. Activation involves binding of
      regulator to MCP, and activated MCP migrates slower on native acrylamide gels.
      Dissociation of the MCP regulator complex during prolonged sedimentation on
      glycerol gradients releases active regulator and MCP molecules capable of being
      reactivated. Moreover, two-dimensional electrophoresis does not reveal changes in
      MCP or regulator subunits following activation. Thus, activation appears to
      result from reversible association of regulator subunits with MCP.

PMID- 1429591
TI  - Site-specific frameshift mutagenesis by a propanodeoxyguanosine adduct positioned
      in the (CpG)4 hot-spot of Salmonella typhimurium hisD3052 carried on an M13
      vector.
AB  - Malondialdehyde induces frameshift mutations in Salmonella typhimurium strain
      hisD3052. The ability of propanodeoxyguanosine (PdG), a structural analog of the
      major malondialdehyde-deoxyguanosine adduct, to induce site-specific frameshift
      mutations was tested in the (CpG)4 hot-spot of hisD3052 carried on an M13 vector
      (M13MB102). PdG was introduced at position 6248 of duplex M13MB102 by ligation of
      the oligonucleotide 5'-CGC(PdG)CGGCATG-3' into a heteroduplex containing an 11
      nucleotide gap in the (-)-strand between the SphI and BssHII restriction sites
      and deoxyuridine in place of thymidine in the (+)-strand. Ligation proceeded with
      70% efficiency, and closed circular duplex DNA molecules were isolated in 40%
      yield. The adducted genome was sensitive to cleavage by SphI but resistant to
      cleavage by BssHII. Transformation of Escherichia coli strain JM105 with adducted
      M13MB102 led to 25% reduced survival relative to unadducted M13MB102 and produced
      frameshift mutations in 2.5% of the progeny phage. All of the mutations were
      deletions, and 70% occurred by deletion of CpG. Unadducted genomes exhibited a 40
      fold lower mutation frequency, and all the mutations were single-base deletions
      at the sites of ligation of the 11-mer. These results illustrate that PdG, a
      structural analog of the major malondialdehyde-deoxyguanosine adduct, induces
      frameshift mutations in M13MB102 and that single-stranded nicks are efficient
      premutagenic lesions in this recombinant bacteriophage.

PMID- 1429592
TI  - The post-translational processing and intracellular sorting of PC2 in the islets
      of Langerhans.
AB  - Proinsulin conversion in the insulin secretory granule is mediated by two
      sequence-specific endoproteases related to the Kex2 homologues, PC2 and PC3
      (Bennett, D. L., Bailyes, E. M., Nielsen, E., Guest, P. C., Rutherford, N. G.,
      Arden, S. D., and Hutton, J. C. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 15229-15236; Bailyes,
      E. M., Bennett, D. L., and Hutton, J. C. (1992) Enzyme, in press). Radiolabeling
      studies using isolated rat islets showed that PC2 was synthesized initially as a
      76-kDa glycoprotein which was converted by limited proteolysis to the mature 64
      66-kDa form. Conversion was initiated approximately 1 h after synthesis and
      proceeded via intermediates of 71, 68, and 66 kDa with a t1/2 of 140 min. Release
      of only the 66- and 64-66-kDa radiolabeled forms of PC2 was induced by glucose
      and then only at times more than 2 h following synthesis. Proinsulin conversion,
      by contrast, was more rapid (delay = 30 min, t1/2 = 60 min), and release
      commenced as soon as 1 h after synthesis with the secreted material being
      comprised of the precursor, intermediate, and mature forms of insulin.
      Ultrastructural analysis of islet beta cells showed that PC2 was concentrated in
      secretory granules. Subcellular fractionation combined with immunoblot analysis
      showed that insulinoma secretory granules contained only the mature 64-66-kDa
      form of PC2, whereas fractions enriched in Golgi and endoplasmic reticulum
      contained a mixture of the 76- and 66-kDa forms of the enzyme. These results
      indicate that post-translational proteolysis of PC2 is initiated before sorting
      into the regulated pathway of secretion and that the relative proportions of
      proinsulin and PC2 packaged into secretory granules will change with
      physiological conditions.

PMID- 1429593
TI  - Molecular cloning of AMP deaminase isoform L. Sequence and bacterial expression
      of human AMPD2 cDNA.
AB  - Human AMPD2 cDNA clones have been isolated from T-lymphoblast and placental
      lambda gt11 libraries utilizing a previously cloned rat partial AMPD2 cDNA as the
      probe. Alignment analysis of all cDNA clones indicates the presence of
      intervening sequences in several placental isolates. This has been confirmed by
      sequencing human AMPD2 genomic clones. Intervening sequences can be removed from
      the cDNA clones by restriction with endonucleases at unique sites within the
      proposed open reading frame. This results in a 3292-base pair cDNA proposed to
      contain the entire AMPD2 open reading frame, which would encode a 760-amino acid
      polypeptide with a predicted subunit molecular mass of 88.1 kDa. Nucleotide and
      predicted amino acid comparisons with the 264 base pairs of proposed coding
      sequences in the rat AMPD2 cDNA demonstrate 91% similarity and identity,
      respectively. A comparison of the predicted human AMPD1 and AMPD2 polypeptides
      demonstrates homology in their C-terminal domains. Included in this region is the
      conserved motif, SLSTDDP, proposed to be part of the catalytic site of all AMP
      deaminases. In contrast, the predicted N-terminal domains of the human AMPD1 and
      AMPD2 polypeptides are unique. When placed in a prokaryotic expression vector,
      the human AMPD2 cDNA expresses AMP deaminase activity which can be precipitated
      with polyclonal antisera specific for isoform L.

PMID- 1429594
TI  - In vitro catalysis of oxidative folding of disulfide-bonded proteins by the
      Escherichia coli dsbA (ppfA) gene product.
AB  - It was shown previously that the Escherichia coli gene ppfA (dsbA) encodes a
      periplasmic protein, and its inactivation leads to a deficiency in disulfide bond
      formation of envelope proteins (Kamitani, S., Akiyama, Y., and Ito, K. (1992)
      EMBO J. 11, 57-62; Bardwell, J. C. A., McGovern, K., and Beckwith, J. (1991) Cell
      67, 581-589). The DsbA/PpfA protein was overproduced, purified, and examined for
      its activities in vitro. Its abundance in a wild-type cell was estimated to be
      about 850 molecules which probably exist as homodimers as suggested by size
      exclusion chromatography. Purified DsbA markedly stimulated disulfide bond
      formation of E. coli alkaline phosphatase, either in vitro synthesized or
      purified and denatured, as well as of reduced bovine ribonuclease A. The DsbA
      catalyzed rapid disulfide bond formation occurred after a lag period which
      appeared to be determined by the redox state of the reaction mixture and
      concentration of DsbA. Inclusion of higher concentrations of oxidized glutathione
      or DsbA shortened the lag period. We propose that DsbA, which proved to directly
      catalyze disulfide bond formation, may also have a role in maintaining the
      bacterial periplasm oxidative.

PMID- 1429595
TI  - A macrophage Fc receptor for IgG is also a receptor for oxidized low density
      lipoprotein.
AB  - The internalization of oxidized low density lipoprotein (OxLDL) by macrophages is
      hypothesized to contribute to foam cell formation and eventually to
      atherosclerotic lesion formation. OxLDL is a ligand for the acetylated low
      density lipoprotein (AcLDL) receptor, however, our data show that this receptor
      accounts for less than half of OxLDL uptake by mouse macrophages, suggesting
      additional receptors for OxLDL. We have developed a novel expression cloning
      strategy in order to isolate clones encoding OxLDL receptors. In addition to the
      AcLDL receptor, we isolated a molecular clone for a structurally unrelated
      receptor capable of mediating the high affinity uptake of OxLDL following
      transfection into cells. This receptor has been identified as the mouse Fc gamma
      RII-B2, a member of a family of receptors known to mediate immune complex uptake
      through recognition of the Fc region of IgG. The uptake of OxLDL by cells
      transfected with the Fc gamma RII-B2 clone is not blocked by AcLDL but is blocked
      by the anti-Fc gamma RII monoclonal antibody, 2.4G2.

PMID- 1429597
TI  - Transcriptional cross-talk: nuclear factors CREM and CREB bind to AP-1 sites and
      inhibit activation by Jun.
AB  - The proteins Fos and Jun dimerize to constitute the transcription factor AP-1
      which is known to respond to treatment with phorbol esters. AP-1 binds to 12-O
      tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-responsive elements (TREs) palindromic sequences.
      cAMP-responsive elements (CREs) are very similar to TREs and CRE-binding proteins
      are similar in structure to Fos and Jun. Thus, the two main signal transduction
      pathways have closely related nuclear effectors which could possibly overlap
      and/or cross-talk. The gene CRE modulator (CREM) encodes both antagonists and an
      activator of the cAMP transcriptional response by alternative splicing. In this
      report we show that CREM antagonists are able to block the transcriptional
      activation elicited by c-Jun. The mechanism by which this repression is obtained
      does not require heterodimerization between CREM and the Fos and/or Jun proteins.
      In contrast, we show that both CREM and CRE-binding proteins (CREB) are able to
      bind TREs and therefore compete with c-Jun for this site. Removal of the
      phosphorylation domain in CREM does not affect the down-regulatory function. We
      also show that c-Fos does not affect the inhibitory function of CREM on c-Jun and
      that the transcriptional activation elicited by the other members of the jun
      family (JunB, JunD, and v-Jun) is also down-regulated by CREM.

PMID- 1429596
TI  - Isolation, cDNA cloning, and characterization of an 18-kDa hemagglutinin and
      amebocyte aggregation factor from Limulus polyphemus.
AB  - An 18-kDa hemagglutinin which possesses the property of inducing both aggregation
      of amebocytes and agglutination of erythrocytes has been isolated from Limulus
      polyphemus amebocytes and purified by ion exchange chromatography. This
      nonglycosylated, single chain polypeptide with an M(r) of 18,506 and isoelectric
      point of 8.3 is stored exclusively in the large secretory granules of amebocytes.
      Based on the partial N-terminal amino acid sequence of 63 residues, DNA probes
      have been synthesized for screening a pBR322 cDNA library constructed from
      Limulus amebocytes. The cDNA coding for this protein reveals the presence of a 19
      residue signal peptide preceding the 153-residue open reading frame. Northern
      blot analysis indicates the presence of a single mRNA species. The primary
      structure derived from the corresponding cDNA sequence reveals an internal
      homology consisting of two consensus sequences, Val-Asn-Asp/Ser-Trp-Asp and Glu
      Asp-Arg-Arg-Trp. The formation of 5 disulfide bonds between 10 half-cysteines
      divides the molecule into three looped domains each containing the Glu-Asp-Arg
      Arg-Trp repeating unit. One of the novel features of this protein is that it
      shares 37% identity with a 22-kDa mammalian extracellular matrix protein isolated
      from fetal bovine skin (Neame, P.J., Choi, H.U., and Rosenberg, L.C. (1989) J.
      Biol. Chem. 264, 5474-5479). The two proteins exhibit a similar pattern of looped
      domains, each domain containing a homologous consensus sequence (i.e. Glu-Asp-Arg
      Arg-Trp). The overall structure of both proteins seems to be highly related, with
      the exception of an N-terminal tyrosine-rich region present only in the mammalian
      extracellular matrix protein. The functional properties of the two proteins are
      similar in that the Limulus 18-kDa protein agglutinates horse erythrocytes and
      aggregates Limulus amebocytes, and the mammalian 22-kDa protein is an effective
      adhesion promoter for dermal fibroblasts. On the basis of these unique
      properties, the newly characterized hemagglutinin has been termed Limulus 18K
      agglutination-aggregation factor (18K-LAF).

PMID- 1429598
TI  - Mass spectrometric analysis of the HMGY protein from Lewis lung carcinoma.
      Identification of phosphorylation sites.
AB  - The primary structure of the Lewis lung carcinoma protein HMGY belonging to the
      nuclear group of proteins HMGI (high mobility group I) was determined using
      electrospray and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. It was demonstrated
      that the sequence of the tumor protein corresponds to the amino acid sequence
      derived from the cDNA from cultured cells and that the N-terminal serine residue
      is N-acetylated. Moreover, the two high performance liquid chromatography
      purified forms Y1 and Y2 of the protein HMGY were shown to differ at the level of
      serine phosphorylation, since they contain three phosphate and two phosphate
      groups, respectively, in the C-terminal region. No other modification was
      detected in the remaining part of the molecule.

PMID- 1429599
TI  - Activation of protein kinase C accelerates internalization of transferrin
      receptor but not of major histocompatibility complex class I, independent of
      their phosphorylation status.
AB  - Phosphorylation of membrane glycoproteins has often been invoked as a determinant
      of receptor internalization and receptor trafficking in a more general sense.
      Here we have studied the trafficking of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)
      Class I molecules and transferrin receptor (Tfr) related to their phosphorylation
      status in the human lymphoblastoid cell line JY. High resolution isoelectric
      focusing (IEF) allows the visualization of phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated
      protein species simultaneously, using protein backbone-labeling. Analysis on IEF
      was combined with a neuraminidase protection assay, in which sialic acid
      modification of the N-linked glycans present on Tfr and Class I molecules is used
      as a reporter group for cell surface expression. Phosphorylation of Class I heavy
      chains and Tfr was induced by exposure of cells to the phorbol ester
      tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate. We show that 1) phosphorylation of MHC Class I
      molecules is restricted to the cell surface fraction, 2) phosphorylation of MHC
      Class I molecules by protein kinase C (PKC) is not correlated with their
      internalization, as no internalization of Class I molecules, phosphorylated or
      non-phosphorylated, could be detected, 3) the initial rate, but not the final
      extent of the internalization of Tfr is affected by activation of PKC, and 4)
      phosphorylated Tfr behaves in a manner identical to non-phosphorylated Tfr in
      terms of internalization. The effect of activation of PKC on internalization of
      Tfr therefore most likely takes place at the level of the internalization
      machinery. Our data concerning the internalization of MHC Class I molecules
      contrast with earlier studies describing constitutive internalization in the B
      lymphoblastoid cell line A 46 and in HPB-ALL cells.

PMID- 1429600
TI  - Initiation of DNA replication in ColE1 plasmids containing multiple potential
      origins of replication.
AB  - We have investigated the frequency of replication origin usage in bacterial
      plasmids containing more than one potential origin. Escherichia coli recA- cells
      were selectively transformed with pBR322 monomers, dimers, or trimers. Plasmid
      DNA was isolated and digested with a restriction enzyme that cut the monomer only
      once, and the replicative intermediates (RIs) were analyzed by neutral/neutral
      two-dimensional agarose gel electrophoresis. Evidence for initiation outside the
      linearized plasmid was found only for oligomers. Moreover, in dimers, the
      intensity of the signal indicative for external initiation was equivalent to that
      reflecting internal initiation, whereas it was approximately twice as strong in
      trimers. To determine whether initiation could occur simultaneously at two
      origins in a single plasmid, we studied the replication of a neodimer in which
      both units could be unambiguously distinguished. The results showed that although
      both origins were equally competent to initiate replication, only one was active
      per plasmid. These observations strongly suggest that in ColE1 plasmids,
      replication initiates at a single site even when there are several identical
      potential origins per plasmid. In addition to the conventional two-dimensional
      gel patterns, novel specific patterns were observed with intensities that varied
      from one DNA sample to another. These unique patterns were the result of breakage
      of the RIs at a replication fork. This type of breakage changes both the mass and
      shape of RIs. When the entire population of RIs is affected, a new population of
      molecules is formed that may generate a novel pattern in two-dimensional gels.

PMID- 1429601
TI  - Characterization of the Escherichia coli uracil-DNA glycosylase.inhibitor protein
      complex.
AB  - The Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage PBS2 uracil-DNA glycosylase inhibitor (Ugi)
      protein was characterized and shown to form a stable complex with Escherichia
      coli uracil-DNA glycosylase (Ung). As determined by mass spectrometry, the Ugi
      protein had a molecular weight of 9,474. We confirmed this value by sedimentation
      equilibrium centrifugation and determined that Ugi exists as a monomeric protein
      in solution. Amino acid analysis performed on both Ugi and Ung proteins was in
      excellent agreement with the amino acid composition predicted from the respective
      nucleotide sequence of each gene. The Ung.Ugi complex was resolved from its
      constitutive components by nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and
      shown to possess a 1:1 stoichiometry. Analytical ultracentrifugation studies
      revealed that the Ung.Ugi complex had a molecular weight of 35,400, consistent
      with the complex containing one molecule each of Ung and Ugi. The acidic
      isoelectric points of the protein species were 6.6 (Ung) and 4.2 (Ugi), whereas
      the Ung.Ugi complex had an isoelectric point of 4.9. Dissociation of the Ung.Ugi
      complex by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed no apparent alteration
      in the molecular weight of either polypeptide subsequent to binding. Furthermore,
      when the Ung.Ugi complex was treated with urea and resolved by urea
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, both uracil-DNA glycosylase and inhibitor
      activities were recovered from the dissociated complex. Thus, the complex seems
      to be reversible. In addition, we demonstrated that the Ugi interaction with Ung
      prevents enzyme binding to DNA and dissociates uracil-DNA glycosylase from a
      preformed DNA complex.

PMID- 1429602
TI  - An amino acid substitution (Gly853-->Glu) in the collagen alpha 1(II) chain
      produces hypochondrogenesis.
AB  - The spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia subclassification of bone dysplasias includes
      achondrogenesis, hypochondrogenesis, and spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita.
      The phenotypic expression of these disorders ranges from mild to perinatal lethal
      forms. We report the detection and partial characterization of a defect in type
      II collagen in a perinatal lethal form of hypochondrogenesis. Electrophoresis in
      sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide of CB peptides (where CB represents
      cyanogen bromide) from type II collagen of the diseased cartilage showed a
      doublet band for peptide alpha 1(II)CB10 and evidence for post-translational
      overmodification of the major peptides (CB8, CB10, and CB11) seen as a retarded
      electrophoretic mobility. Peptide CB10 was digested by endoproteinase Asp-N; and
      on reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography, fragments of abnormal
      mobility were noted. Sequence analysis of a unique peptide D12 revealed a single
      amino acid substitution (Gly-->Glu) at position 853 of the triple helical domain.
      This was confirmed by sequence analysis of amplified COL2A1 cDNA, which revealed
      a single nucleotide substitution (GGA-->GAA) in 5 of 10 clones. Electron
      micrographs of the diseased cartilage showed a sparse extracellular matrix and
      chondrocytes containing dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum, which suggested
      impaired assembly and secretion of the mutant protein. This case further
      documents the molecular basis of the spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia spectrum of
      chondrodysplasias as mutations in COL2A1.

PMID- 1429603
TI  - Identification of a novel type of processing sites in the precursor for the sea
      anemone neuropeptide Antho-RFamide (<Glu-Gly-Arg-Phe-NH2) from Anthopleura
      elegantissima.
AB  - Neuropeptides are synthesized as large precursor proteins that undergo
      posttranslational cleavages and modifications to produce bioactive peptides.
      Here, we have cloned two closely related precursor proteins for the sea anemone
      neuropeptide Antho-RFamide (<Glu-Gly-Arg-Phe-NH2) from Anthopleura elegantissima.
      The first precursor (435 amino acids long) contains 13 copies of immature Antho
      RFamide (Gln-Gly-Arg-Phe-Gly) and nine other, Antho-RFamide-related neuropeptide
      sequences that are in the C-terminal part of the protein. The second precursor
      (429 amino acid residues) harbors 14 copies of immature Antho-RFamide and eight
      other related peptide sequences. Each copy of Antho-RFamide or Antho-RFamide
      related peptide is followed, at its C-terminal side, by a single Arg residue,
      which is an established signal for posttranslational cleavage. At the N terminus
      of each Antho-RFamide sequence, however, basic residues are lacking, and instead
      one or more acidic residues occur. These acidic residues are the cleavage sites
      for a new type of processing enzyme occurring in neurons. This enzyme could
      either be an amino- or endopeptidase hydrolyzing at the C-terminal side of Asp or
      Glu residues. The N-terminal regions of the two precursor proteins harbor eight
      copies of the putative neuropeptide sequence Pro-Gln-Phe-Trp-Lys-Gly-Arg-Phe-Ser
      and three additional, closely related sequences. The total number of all
      established and putative neuropeptides that may be cleaved from the precursors is
      33. Thus, the Antho-RFamide precursors beong to the most complex peptide
      precursor proteins known so far.

PMID- 1429604
TI  - Replacement of intracellular C-terminal domain of GLUT1 glucose transporter with
      that of GLUT2 increases Vmax and Km of transport activity.
AB  - The intracellular C-terminal domain is diverse in size and amino acid sequence
      among facilitative glucose transporter isoforms. The characteristics of glucose
      transport are also divergent, and GLUT2 has far higher Km and Vmax values
      compared with GLUT1. To investigate the role of the intracellular C-terminal
      domain in glucose transport, we expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells the
      mutated GLUT1 protein whose intracellular C-terminal domain was replaced with
      that of GLUT2 by means of engineering the chimeric cDNA. Cytochalasin B, for
      which GLUT2 protein has much lower affinity, bound to this chimeric protein in a
      fashion similar to GLUT1. In contrast, greater transport activity was observed in
      this chimeric glucose transporter compared with the wild-type GLUT1 at 10 mM 2
      deoxy-D-glucose concentration. The kinetic studies on 2-deoxy-D-glucose uptake
      revealed a 3.8-fold increase in Km and a 4.3-fold increase in Vmax in this
      chimeric glucose transporter compared with the wild-type GLUT1. Thus, replacement
      of the intracellular C-terminal domain confers the GLUT2-like property on the
      glucose transporter. These results strongly suggest that the diversity of
      intracellular C-terminal domain contributes to the diversity of glucose transport
      characteristics among isoforms.

PMID- 1429605
TI  - Bending of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae 5S rRNA gene in transcription factor
      complexes.
AB  - Bending of the yeast 5S rRNA gene by its transcription factors (TF) IIIA, IIIC,
      and IIIB has been investigated by two electrophoretic methods that exploit the
      anomalous mobility of bent DNA in tight gel networks. A minor bend is induced by
      TFIIIA, and a very strong bend, centered at its upstream DNA-binding site, is
      induced by TFIIIB. Despite binding to different DNA sequences on the 5S rRNA gene
      and the previously analyzed tRNA(Glu) gene, TFIIIB generates nearly identical
      bends in each site. Fully assembled transcription factor complexes bend the 5S
      rRNA gene in the same net direction as does TFIIIB alone.

PMID- 1429606
TI  - Proline-directed phosphorylation of human Tau protein.
AB  - The primary sequence of the microtubule-associated protein tau contains multiple
      repeats of the sequence -X-Ser/Thr-Pro-X-, the consensus sequence for the proline
      directed protein kinase (p34cdc2/p58cyclin A). When phosphorylated by proline
      directed protein kinase in vitro, tau was found to incorporate up to 4.4 mol of
      phosphate/mol of protein. Isoelectric focusing of the tryptic phosphopeptides
      demonstrated the presence of five distinct peptides with pI values of
      approximately 6.9, 6.5, 5.6-5.9, 4.7, and 3.6. Mapping of the tryptic
      phosphopeptides by high performance liquid chromatography techniques demonstrated
      three distinct peaks. Data from gas phase sequencing, amino acid analysis, and
      phosphoamino acid analysis suggest that proline-directed protein kinase
      phosphorylates tau at four sites. Each site demonstrates the presence of a
      proline residue on the carboxyl-terminal side of the phosphorylated residue. Two
      phosphorylation sites are located adjacent to the three-repeat microtubule
      binding domain that has been found to be required for the in vivo co-localization
      of tau protein to microtubules. Two other putative phosphorylation sites are
      located within the identified epitope of the monoclonal antibody Tau-1.
      Phosphorylation of these sites altered the immunoreactivity of tau to Tau-1
      antibody. Since the neuronal microtubule-associated protein tau is multiply
      phosphorylated in Alzheimer's disease, and Tau-1 immunoreactivity is similarly
      reduced in neurofibrillary tangles and enhanced after dephosphorylation,
      phosphorylation at one or more of these sites may correlate with abnormally
      phosphorylated sites in tau protein in Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1429607
TI  - The chicken alpha 1 (XI) collagen gene is widely expressed in embryonic tissues.
AB  - Complementary DNA and genomic DNA clones corresponding to the chicken alpha 1
      (XI) collagen gene were isolated and characterized. These recombinant DNA clones
      covered 2667 base pairs of the mRNA and encode 624 amino acids of the triple
      helical region plus the entire carboxyl-terminal propeptide. Northern blot
      analysis showed a major band of approximately 6.5 kilobases and a minor band of
      approximately 7.5 kilobases. A combination of Northern blot and in situ
      hybridization analyses showed that, in addition to its presence in cartilage,
      this mRNA also is present in a wide variety of chicken noncartilaginous embryonic
      tissues including brain, heart, skeletal muscle, calvaria, and skin, but was not
      detected in liver. Type II collagen mRNA has also been detected at low levels in
      these same tissues. Also, similar to the mRNA for the alpha 1 chain for type II
      collagen, the alpha 1 (XI) collagen mRNA is detected in limb mesenchyme prior to
      condensation and differentiation of the core mesenchyme into cartilage.

PMID- 1429608
TI  - Functional domains of aromatase cytochrome P450 inferred from comparative
      analyses of amino acid sequences and substantiated by site-directed mutagenesis
      experiments.
AB  - Several functional domains, especially the active site regions, in aromatase
      cytochrome P450 were inferred by alignment of amino acid sequences of the enzyme
      from five species, human, rat, mouse, chicken, and trout, and that of Pseudomonas
      putida cytochrome P450cam, whose x-ray structure has been determined (Poulos,
      T.L., Finzel, B.C., and Howard, A.J. (1987) J. Mol. Biol. 195, 687-700). The
      predicted functions of these domains have been evaluated by site-directed
      mutagenesis. Eighteen mutants, including seven new mutants, have been generated
      in this laboratory. The seven newly prepared mutants are Q123E, Q123H, T310S,
      T310C, R365K, R365A, and N delta 20 (a mutant without the first 20 amino acids).
      The preparation and characterization of these new mutants are described. The
      structural model described in this paper should be very useful for future
      structure-function studies of aromatase by site-directed mutagenesis.

PMID- 1429609
TI  - Polar glycosphingolipids in annelida. A novel series of glycosphingolipids
      containing choline phosphate from the earthworm, Pheretima hilgendorf.
AB  - A novel series of glycosphingolipids containing choline phosphate has been
      demonstrated in whole tissues of the earthworm, Pheretima hilgendorfi. The thin
      layer chromatographic pattern of the total polar glycolipids revealed the
      presence of more than three components with positive reactions toward orcinol
      sulfuric acid (sugar), molybdate (phosphate), and Dragendorff's (choline) spray
      reagents. Two of these polar glycolipids (PGL1 and PGL2) were purified by the use
      of successive column chromatography on QAE-Sephadex A-25 and silicic acid
      (Iatrobeads) and detected during elution by the presence of galactose-bound
      choline phosphate. The structural elucidation of the oligosaccharide moieties was
      performed by compositional sugar analysis, hydrogen fluoride degradation, proton
      magnetic resonance spectroscopy, fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry, and
      methylation analysis. Thus, the structures of PGL1 and PGL2 were deduced to be as
      follows: cholinephosphoryl-->6Gal beta 1-1Cer and cholinephosphoryl-->6Gal beta 1
      6Gal beta 1-1Cer. Although the oligosaccharide structures of both PGL1 and PGL2
      have previously been found in other organisms, the presence of a choline
      phosphate group as an oligosaccharide substituent is the first finding in nature.
      The main molecular species of the ceramide moieties were composed of beheninyl-
      and lignocerinyloctadecasphingenines and their nonadecasphingenine homologues.

PMID- 1429610
TI  - Distinct steps in the penetration of adenylate cyclase toxin of Bordetella
      pertussis into sheep erythrocytes. Translocation of the toxin across the
      membrane.
AB  - Adenylate cyclase (AC) toxin from Bordetella pertussis penetrates eukaryotic
      cells and upon activation by calmodulin generates unregulated levels of
      intracellular cAMP. The process of toxin penetration into sheep erythrocytes was
      resolved into three consecutive steps including insertion, translocation, and
      intracellular cleavage. Insertion of the toxin into the cell membrane occurred
      over a wide temperature range (4-36 degrees C). In contrast, translocation of the
      toxin, i.e. transfer of the NH2-terminal catalytically active fragment across the
      membrane, occurred only above 20 degrees C and was highly temperature-dependent.
      While a single exposure of the toxin to Ca2+ was sufficient for its insertion
      into the plasma membrane, toxin translocation required exogenous Ca2+ at mM
      concentrations. Translocation was not affected by pretreatment of cells with
      trypsin, N-ethylmaleimide, and sodium carbonate at alkaline pH. The NH2-terminal
      fragment of the toxin was cleaved in the cell releasing the 45-kDa active AC into
      the cytosol. The cleavage was blocked by treatment of cells with N
      ethylmaleimide. It is hypothesized that the COOH-terminal portion of the toxin
      creates in the membrane a channel through which the NH2-terminal fragment is
      translocated.

PMID- 1429611
TI  - Studies of the sites of intracellular degradation of apolipoprotein B in Hep G2
      cells.
AB  - We previously reported that treatment of Hep G2 cells with oleate significantly
      increased apolipoprotein B (apoB) secretion by reducing early intracellular
      degradation of nascent apoB. In the current study, inhibitors of secretory
      protein transport (brefeldin A and monensin), cell fractionation studies, and
      protease protection assays were utilized to determine the location of apoB
      degradation and to better define the mechanism whereby oleate treatment reduces
      nascent apoB intracellular degradation. When cells were treated with brefeldin A,
      which blocks endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to Golgi protein transport, apoB
      degradation continued in control cells, suggesting that apoB is degraded in the
      ER. When oleate-treated cells were blocked with brefeldin A, oleate failed to
      protect apoB from intracellular degradation. The effects of brefeldin A were not
      due to effects on lipid synthesis as brefeldin A did not inhibit the synthesis of
      triglyceride, phospholipid, free cholesterol, or cholesteryl ester in control
      cells and did not prevent the increases in triglyceride (14-fold) and
      phospholipid (1.4-fold) synthesis seen in oleate-treated cells. Simultaneous
      treatment of cells with brefeldin A and nocodazole, which inhibits retrograde
      transport of proteins from Golgi to ER, added to the evidence for the ER as the
      site of apoB degradation. This conclusion received further support from
      experiments in which cells were treated with monensin, a Na+ ionophore which
      halts protein secretion at the level of the trans-Golgi network. Early
      degradation of nascent apoB (between 10 and 20 min of chase) was observed in
      monensin-treated cells, but then cellular apoB degradation ceased and apoB was
      stable during the remaining chase period. More apoB accumulated in the Golgi of
      cells that had been treated with oleate and monensin. These results suggest that
      ER degradation occurs in monensin-treated cells, but then stops as apoB is
      transferred to the Golgi. The results obtained in whole cells were confirmed in
      studies using isolated ER and Golgi, which indicated that ER contains a
      proteolytic activity which degrades apoB, in vitro, whereas Golgi does not. ApoB
      degradation in isolated ER was not reduced by pretreatment with oleate. Finally,
      protease protection assays carried out with isolated microsomes indicated that a
      majority of the apoB in both control or oleate-treated HepG2 cells was located on
      the cytosolic side of the membranes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1429612
TI  - Crystallographic and biochemical studies of the (inactive) Lys-49 phospholipase
      A2 from the venom of Agkistridon piscivorus piscivorus.
AB  - Chemical, genetic, and structural studies have defined a critical role for Asp-49
      in the calcium-mediated activation of extracellular phospholipases A2 (PLA2). In
      1984, a new class of PLA2 was isolated in which this invariant aspartate was
      replaced with a lysine (Maragnore, J.M., Merutka, G., Cho, W., Welches, W.,
      Kezdy, F.J., and Heinrikson, R.L. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 13839-13843;
      Maragnore, J.M., and Heinrikson, R.L. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 4797-4804). The
      enzymatic activity of Lys-49 PLA2s has been questioned based on biochemical,
      mutational, and structural studies (van den Bergh, C.J., Slotboom, A.J., Verheij,
      H.M., and de Haas, G.H. (1988) Eur. J. Biochem. 176, 353-357). In this paper, we
      describe the structures of two crystal forms of the Lys-49 PLA2 isolated from the
      venom of Agkistridon piscivorus piscivorus. The refined models, along with
      complementary biochemical analysis, clarify the structural basis for the
      enzymatic inactivity of Lys-49 proteins.

PMID- 1429613
TI  - A simple, rapid method for purification of epsilon-subunit, coupling factor 6,
      subunit d, and subunit e from rat liver H(+)-ATP synthase and determination of
      the complete amino acid sequence of epsilon-subunit.
AB  - The rat liver mitochondrial epsilon-subunit, coupling factor 6, subunit d, and
      subunit e of H(+)-ATP synthase, which are all extra subunits with no counterparts
      in Escherichia coli, were purified by reverse-phase high performance liquid
      chromatography. The complete amino acid sequence of the rat epsilon-subunit was
      determined by automated Edman degradation of the whole protein and derived
      peptides. The protein contains 50 amino acids and has a molecular mass of 5635
      kDa. It is a basic hydrophilic protein with an isoelectric point of 10.5. The
      sequence of the rat epsilon-subunit is highly homologous with that of the epsilon
      subunit of bovine heart and slightly similar to those of the epsilon-subunit of
      the yeast and sweet potato mitochondria. However, it has no homology with any
      subunit of bacterial or chloroplast H(+)-ATP synthase.

PMID- 1429614
TI  - Structural characterization of free glycolipids which are potential precursors
      for glycophosphatidylinositol anchors in mouse thymoma cell lines.
AB  - Biosynthesis of glycophosphatidylinositol-anchored membrane glycoproteins
      proceeds through the attachment of a preformed glycolipid onto a C-terminal amino
      acid rapidly after translation. Here we describe the structural analysis of two
      very polar glycolipids which can be observed after metabolic labeling of lymphoma
      cell lines S1A and EL-4 with either tritiated myo-inositol, mannose, or
      ethanolamine. These lipids are not made by mutant cells deficient in the
      biosynthesis of glycophosphatidylinositol anchors. The lipids were isolated, and
      their carbohydrate moiety was characterized using hydrofluoric acid
      dephosphorylation, nitrous acid deamination, acetolysis, exoglycosidase
      treatments, and combinations thereof to produce labeled fragments which could be
      analyzed by paper chromatography. Results are compatible with the structure (X-
      >)Man alpha 1,2 Man alpha 1,6(Y-->)Man alpha-GlcN-acylinositol, X and Y being
      hydrofluoric acid-sensitive substituents (most likely phosphoethanolamine). The
      anchor oligosaccharide of the glycophosphatidylinositol protein anchors of S1A
      cells was isolated, similarly characterized, and found to contain the identical
      carbohydrate structure. Pulse-chase experiments indicate that the very polar
      glycolipids have half-lives which are much longer than the one of
      phosphatidylinositol. The results suggest that these very polar glycolipids
      represent supernumerary precursor glycolipids which did not get transferred onto
      proteins or represent processed forms of such precursors.

PMID- 1429615
TI  - Glutamate dehydrogenase from the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus. Thermal
      denaturation and activation.
AB  - Pyrococcus furiosus is a marine hyperthermophile that grows optimally at 100
      degrees C. Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) from P. furiosus is a hexamer of
      identical subunits and has an M(r) = 270,000 +/- 5500 at 25 degrees C. Electron
      micrographs showed that the subunit arrangement is similar to that of GDH from
      bovine liver (i.e. 3/2 symmetry in the form of a triangular antiprism). However,
      GDH from P. furiosus is inactive at temperatures below 40 degrees C and undergoes
      heat activation above 40 degrees C. Both NAD+ and NADP+ are utilized as
      cofactors. Apparently the inactive enzyme also binds cofactors, since the enzyme
      maintains the ability to bind to an affinity column (Cibacron blue F3GA) and is
      specifically eluted with NADP+. Conformational changes that accompany activation
      and thermal denaturation were detected by precision differential scanning
      microcalorimetry. Thermal denaturation starts at 110 degrees C and is completed
      at 118 degrees C. delta(cal) = 414 Kcal [mol GDH]-1. Tm = 113 degrees C. This
      increase in heat capacity indicates an extensive irreversible unfolding of the
      secondary structure as evidenced also by a sharp increase in absorbance at 280 nm
      and inactivation of the enzyme. The process of heat activation of GDH from 40 to
      80 degrees C is accompanied by a much smaller increase in absorbance at 280 nm
      and a reversible increase in heat capacity with delta(cal) = 187 Kcal [mol GDH]-1
      and Tm = 57 degrees C. This absorbance change as well as the moderate increase in
      heat capacity suggest that thermal activation leads to some exposure of
      hydrophobic groups to solvent water as the GDH structure is opened slightly. The
      increase in absorbance at 280 nm during activation is only 12% of that for
      denaturation. Overall, GDH appears to be well adapted to correspond with the
      growth response of P. furiosus to temperature.

PMID- 1429616
TI  - Isoprenoid requirement for intracellular transport and processing of murine
      leukemia virus envelope protein.
AB  - Lovastatin blocks the biosynthesis of the isoprenoid precursor, mevalonate. When
      Friend murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells are cultured in medium containing
      lovastatin, the precursor of murine leukemia virus envelope glycoprotein
      (gPr90env) fails to undergo proteolytic processing, which normally occurs in the
      Golgi complex. Consequently, newly synthesized envelope proteins are not
      incorporated into viral particles that are shed into the culture medium. gPr90env
      appears to be localized in a pre-Golgi membrane compartment, based on its
      enrichment in subcellular fractions containing NADPH-cytochrome c reductase
      activity and the sensitivity of its carbohydrate chains to digestion with
      endoglycosidase H. Arrest of gPr90env processing occurs at concentrations of
      lovastatin that are not cytostatic, and the effect of the inhibitor is prevented
      by addition of mevalonate to the medium. The low molecular mass GTP-binding
      proteins, rab1p and rab6p, which are believed to function in early steps of the
      exocytic pathway, are normally modified posttranslationally by geranylgeranyl
      isoprenoids. However, in MEL cells treated with 1 microM lovastatin,
      nonisoprenylated forms of these proteins accumulate in the cytosol prior to
      arrest of gPr90env processing. These observations suggest that lovastatin may
      prevent viral envelope precursors from reaching the Golgi compartment by blocking
      the isoprenylation of rab proteins required for ER to Golgi transport.

PMID- 1429617
TI  - rab15, a novel low molecular weight GTP-binding protein specifically expressed in
      rat brain.

PMID- 1429618
TI  - The gene for stinging nettle lectin (Urtica dioica agglutinin) encodes both a
      lectin and a chitinase.

PMID- 1429619
TI  - Expression of 7 alpha-hydroxylase in non-hepatic cells results in liver
      phenotypic resistance of the low density lipoprotein receptor to cholesterol
      repression.
AB  - The goal of this study was to understand why the expression of low density
      lipoprotein (LDL) receptors by the liver is poorly down-regulated by cholesterol.
      We examined the hypothesis that 7 alpha-hydroxylase may indirectly induce the
      expression of the LDL receptor by metabolizing, i.e. inactivating oxysterol
      repressors. Non-hepatic Chinese hamster ovary cells, transfected with a plasmid
      encoding 7 alpha-hydroxylase, expressed both the mRNA and functional activity of
      this liver-specific enzyme. In the presence of 5% serum, expression of the LDL
      receptor by transfected cells was > 20 times that of non-transfected cells
      despite a 50% increased content of cholesterol ester. Both cell types displayed
      an almost complete repression of the LDL receptor by the oxysterol 25
      hydroxycholesterol, suggesting that transcriptional control of the LDL receptor
      gene remained intact in the transfected cells. However, only cells expressing 7
      alpha-hydroxylase showed a derepression of the LDL receptor with time. This
      transient sensitivity to 25-hydroxycholesterol repression was attributed to a 3
      fold greater rate of metabolism of [3H]25-hydroxycholesterol. The paradoxical
      induction of LDL receptor mRNA in transfected cells having greater amounts of
      cholesterol esters suggests that 7 alpha-hydroxylase may preferentially use
      oxysterols rather than cholesterol as substrates. The combined data are
      consistent with the proposal that 7 alpha-hydroxylase indirectly induces the LDL
      receptor gene by metabolizing (inactivating) oxysterol repressors. Liver-specific
      expression of 7 alpha-hydroxylase can account for the relative resistance of
      hepatic LDL receptors to down-regulation.

PMID- 1429621
TI  - Tripartite functional assembly of a large class I aminoacyl tRNA synthetase.
AB  - A 939-amino acid monomeric class I tRNA synthetase has been split into three
      inactive peptides. The three peptides spontaneously assemble in vivo to
      reconstitute active protein. Active tripartite complexes were demonstrated in
      vitro. The tripartite assembly of this synthetase increases by several-fold the
      size of a polypeptide that has been demonstrated to be assembled from more than
      two constituent pieces. The results indicate that contemporary single-chain tRNA
      synthetases or other large proteins could in principle develop from intermediates
      composed of non-covalent assemblages of multiple peptides.

PMID- 1429620
TI  - Subunit 4 of the 26 S protease is a member of a novel eukaryotic ATPase family.
AB  - Ubiquitinated proteins are degraded by a 26 S ATP-dependent protease. SDS
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of the purified 26 S enzyme reveals
      more than 20 polypeptides ranging in apparent molecular masses from 20 to 110
      kDa. Although many of the subunits smaller than 30 kDa are members of the
      multicatalytic protease family, the identity and function of the larger
      polypeptides have remained unknown. We report here the cDNA sequence for subunit
      4, a 51-kDa chain of the 26 S protease. Subunit 4 belongs to a recently
      identified eukaryotic ATPase family, which includes proteins involved in
      peroxisome formation, secretion, and human immunodeficiency virus gene
      expression. Subunit 4 also shows weak similarity to ClpA, the ATP-binding subunit
      of the Escherichia coli protease, Clp.

PMID- 1429622
TI  - The amino terminus of nerve growth factor is involved in the interaction with the
      receptor tyrosine kinase p140trkA.
AB  - The amino terminus of nerve growth factor (NGF) is susceptible to proteolytic
      cleavage. A comparison of the bioactivity of highly purified full-length
      recombinant human (1-118)rhNGF and NH2-terminal truncated (10-118)rhNGF revealed
      lower potency of (10-118)rhNGF with regard to early NGF responses in neuron-like
      PC12 cells. Approximately 50 times higher concentrations of (10-118)rhNGF than (1
      118)rhNGF were required to elicit the same extent of tyrosine phosphorylation of
      key enzymes in different second messenger pathways, i.e. the NGF receptor
      tyrosine kinase p140trkA, phospholipase C gamma-1, and the extracellular signal
      regulated kinase ERK1. A similar reduced potency for induction of the
      transcription factor c-Fos was observed with (10-118)rhNGF compared to (1
      118)rhNGF. The lower potency of (10-118)rhNGF in triggering early responses
      correlated with its 40-fold lower affinity for PC12 cells. Whereas (10-118)rhNGF
      had a more than 300-fold lower affinity for the high affinity receptor p140trkA
      than (1-118)rhNGF, amino-terminal truncation of NGF changed its affinity for the
      low affinity receptor p75NGFR only slightly (5-10-fold). These observations
      suggest that amino acids 1-9 of NGF are important for binding to the signal
      transducing receptor p140trkA. Proteolytic cleavage of the NGF amino terminus,
      therefore, reduces its potency in starting several second messenger pathways
      leading to neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells.

PMID- 1429623
TI  - Preferential cleavage of des-31,32-proinsulin over intact proinsulin by the
      insulin secretory granule type II endopeptidase. Implication of a favored route
      for prohormone processing.
AB  - Two Ca(2+)-dependent endopeptidase activities are involved in proinsulin to
      insulin conversion: type I cleaves COOH-terminal to proinsulin Arg31-Arg32 (B
      chain/C-peptide junction); and type II preferentially cleaves at the Lys64-Arg65
      site (C-peptide/A-chain junction). To further understand the mechanism of
      proinsulin processing, we have investigated types I and II endopeptidase
      processing of intact proinsulin in parallel to that of the conversion
      intermediates, des-31,32-proinsulin and des-64,65-proinsulin. The type I
      processed des-64,65-proinsulin and proinsulin at the same rate. In contrast, the
      type II endopeptidase processed des-31,32-proinsulin at a much faster rate (> 19
      fold; p < 0.001) than it did intact proinsulin. Furthermore, unlabeled proinsulin
      concentrations required for competitive inhibition of 125I-labeled des-64,65
      proinsulin and 125I-proinsulin processing by a purified insulin secretory granule
      lysate were similar (ID50 = 14-16 microM), whereas inhibition of 125I-labeled des
      31,32-proinsulin processing required a higher nonradiolabeled proinsulin
      concentration (ID50 = 197 microM). Synthetic peptides corresponding to the
      sequences surrounding Lys64-Arg65 (AC-peptide/substrate) and Arg31-Arg32 (BC
      peptide/substrate) of human proinsulin were synthesized for use as specific
      substrates or competitive inhibitors. Cleavage of the BC-substrate by type I and
      AC-substrate by type II was COOH-terminal of the dibasic sequence, with similar
      Ca(2+)-and pH requirements previously observed for proinsulin cleavage. Apparent
      Km and Vmax for type I processing of the BC-substrate was Km = 20 microM; Vmax =
      22.8 pmol/min, and for type II processing of the AC-substrate was Km = 68 microM;
      Vmax = 97 pmol/min. In competitive inhibition assays, the BC-peptide similarly
      blocked insulin secretory granule lysate processing of des-64,65-proinsulin and
      proinsulin (ID50 = 45-55 microM), but did not inhibit des-31,32-proinsulin
      processing. However, the AC-peptide preferentially inhibited insulin secretory
      granule lysate processing of des-31,32-proinsulin (ID50 = microM) compared to
      proinsulin (ID50 = 330 microM), and not des-64,65-proinsulin. We conclude that
      the type I endopeptidase recognized des-64,65-proinsulin and proinsulin as
      similar substrates, whereas the type II endopeptidase has a stronger preference
      for des-31,32-proinsulin compared to intact proinsulin. Furthermore, we suggest
      that in intact proinsulin there exists a constraint to efficient processing that
      is relieved following type I processing. Structural flexibility, in addition to
      the presence of Lys64-Arg65, therefore appears to be important for type II
      endopeptidase specificity and may provide a molecular basis for a preferential
      route of proinsulin conversion via des-31,32-proinsulin.

PMID- 1429624
TI  - Interaction between the Saccharomyces cerevisiae CDC25 gene product and mammalian
      ras.
AB  - In order to characterize the interaction between the Saccharomyces cerevisiae
      Cdc25 protein and Harvey-ras (p21H-ras), we have constructed a yeast strain
      disrupted at the RAS1 and RAS2 loci, expressing both p21H-ras and the catalytic
      domain of the bovine GTPase activating protein (GAP) and containing the cdc25-2
      mutation. Such a strain exhibits a temperature-sensitive phenotype. The shift to
      the nonpermissive temperature is accompanied by the loss of guanyl nucleotide
      dependent activity of adenylylcyclase in vitro. The temperature-sensitive
      phenotype can be rescued by CDC25 itself, as well as by a plasmid containing a
      truncated SDC25 gene. In addition, wild type CDC25 significantly improves the
      guanyl nucleotide response observed in the background of the cdc25ts allele at
      the permissive temperature in a dosage-dependent manner and restores the guanyl
      nucleotide response at the restrictive temperature. Both CDC25 and a truncated
      SDC25 also restored p21H-ras-dependent guanyl nucleotide response in a strain
      isogenic to the one described above but containing a disrupted CDC25 locus
      instead of the temperature-sensitive allele. These results suggest that the S.
      cerevisiae Cdc25 protein interacts with p21H-ras expressed in yeast by promoting
      GDP-GTP exchange. It follows that the yeast system can be used for characterizing
      the interaction between guanyl nucleotide exchangers of Ras proteins and
      mammalian p21H-ras.

PMID- 1429625
TI  - Identification of an essential region for growth signal transduction in the
      cytoplasmic domain of the human interleukin-4 receptor.
AB  - Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is a pleiotropic lymphokine which plays an important role in
      the immune system by regulating proliferation and differentiation of a wide
      variety of lymphoid and myeloid cells. These biological effects are manifested
      via binding of IL-4 to specific membrane-associated high affinity receptors.
      While the IL-4 receptor (IL-4R) cDNA expresses high affinity binding sites when
      transfected in COS7 cells, its intracellular domain lacks consensus motifs for
      known signal transducing molecules such as a tyrosine kinase. In this study, we
      use a DNA deletion approach to explore the mechanism of signal transduction
      utilized by the human IL-4R cDNA expressed in a murine pro-B cell line, Ba/F3
      cells. Using this system, we have identified the critical region of the
      cytoplasmic domain of human IL-4R for human IL-4-induced transduction of a growth
      signal in these cells. Our data indicate that the critical region for signal
      transduction is located between amino acid residues 433-473 numbering from the
      carboxyl terminus. This region is highly conserved between mouse and human IL-4R
      but lacks homology with other cytokine receptors. Our studies additionally
      demonstrate that the cytoplasmic domain is not essential for forming high
      affinity IL-4-binding sites nor for ligand internalization.

PMID- 1429626
TI  - The crystal structures at 2.2-A resolution of hydroxyethylene-based inhibitors
      bound to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease show that the inhibitors
      are present in two distinct orientations.
AB  - As part of a structure-based drug design program directed against enzyme targets
      in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), we have determined the three
      dimensional structures of the HIV type 1 protease complexed with two
      hydroxyethylene-based inhibitors. The inhibitors (SKF 107457 and SKF 108738) are
      hexapeptide substrate analogues with the scissile bond being replaced by a
      hydroxyethylene isostere. The structures were determined using x-ray diffraction
      data to 2.2 A measured at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source on hexagonal
      crystals of each of the complexes. The structures have been extensively refined
      using a reciprocal space least-squares method to conventional crystallographic R
      factors of 0.186 and 0.159, respectively. The protein structure differs from that
      in the unliganded state of the enzyme and is most similar to that of the
      structure of the other reported (Jaskolski, M., Tomasselli, A. G., Sawyer, T. K.,
      Staples, D. G., Heinrikson, R. L., Schneider, J., Kent, S. B. H., and Wlodawer,
      A. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 5889-5907) hydroxyethylene-based inhibitor complex.
      Unlike in that structure, however, the inhibitors are observed, in the present
      crystal structures, in two equally abundant orientations that are a consequence
      of the homodimeric nature of the enzyme coupled with the asymmetric structures of
      the inhibitors. Although the differences between the two inhibitors used in the
      present study are confined to the P1' site, the van der Waals interactions made
      by the inhibitor atoms with the amino acid residues in the protein differ
      throughout the structures of the inhibitors.

PMID- 1429627
TI  - The organization and expression of essential transcription translation component
      genes in the extremely thermophilic eubacterium Thermotoga maritima.
AB  - A 5789-nucleotide-long EcoRI fragment from the genome of Thermotoga maritima,
      identified by cross-hybridization to L11, L1, L10, and L12 ribosomal protein gene
      sequences from Escherichia coli, was cloned and sequenced. The fragment encodes
      five tRNAs (tRNA(met1), anticodon complementary to AUG; tRNA(met2), AUG;
      tRNA(thr), ACA; tRNA(tyr), UAC; tRNA(trp), UGG), the transcription termination
      antitermination factor nusG, the four 50 S subunit ribosomal proteins L11, L1,
      L10, and L12, and the amino-terminal portion of the RNA polymerase beta subunit
      protein. The five tRNA genes, the nusG gene, and the L11, L1, L10, and L12
      ribosomal protein genes form a complex transcription unit. Transcripts appear to
      be initiated from an upstream promoter, P1, located in front of the tRNA(met1)
      gene and from three internal promoters: P2 is located immediately in front of the
      tRNA(met2) gene; PL10 is near the beginning of the L1-L10 intergenic space, and
      PL12 is at the end of the L10 gene sequence. The tRNA sequences are excised from
      the leader regions of the P1- and P2-initiated transcripts. Three putative but
      potentially important regulatory sequences were identified within this operon: an
      L1 translational control site, a transcription attenuator, and a strong rho
      independent terminator. The strong terminator located distal to the L12 gene
      overlaps a fifth promoter, P beta, which is used to initiate transcripts of the
      downstream RNA polymerase beta subunit gene. The T. maritima NusG protein
      exhibits 43% amino acid sequence identity when aligned to the E. coli protein;
      the alignment is interrupted by a large 171-amino acid-long insertion into the T.
      maritima protein after codon 45.

PMID- 1429628
TI  - Appendix. Sequence of the beta-subunit of oxaloacetate decarboxylase from
      Klebsiella pneumoniae: a correction of the C-terminal part.

PMID- 1429629
TI  - Maltose chemotaxis involves residues in the N-terminal and C-terminal domains on
      the same face of maltose-binding protein.
AB  - The periplasmic maltose-binding protein (MBP) of Escherichia coli is the
      recognition component of the maltose chemoreceptor and of the active transport
      system for maltose. It interacts with the Tar chemotactic signal transducer and
      the integral cytoplasmic-membrane components (the MalF and MalG proteins) of the
      maltose transport system. Maltose binds in a cleft between the globular N
      terminal and C-terminal domains of MBP, which are connected by a moveable hinge.
      The two domains undergo a large motion relative to one another as the protein
      moves from the open, unbound state to the closed, ligand-bound state. We
      generated, by doped-primer mutagenesis, amino acid substitutions that
      specifically disrupt the chemotactic function of MBP. These substitutions cluster
      in two well-defined regions that are nearly contiguous on the surface of MBP in
      its closed conformation. One region is in the N-terminal domain and one is in the
      C-terminal domain. The distance between the two regions is expected to change
      substantially as the protein goes from the open to the closed form. These results
      support a model in which ligand binding brings two recognition sites on MBP into
      the proper spatial relationship to interact with complementary sites on Tar.
      Mutations in MBP that appear to cause defects in interaction with MalF and MalG
      are distributed differently from mutations that primarily affect maltose taxis.
      We conclude that the regions of MBP that contact Tar and those that contact MalF
      and MalG are adjacent on the face of the protein opposite the hinge connecting
      the two domains and that those regions are largely, although perhaps not
      entirely, distinct.

PMID- 1429630
TI  - Fluoroaluminate complexes are bifunctional analogues of phosphate in sarcoplasmic
      reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase.
AB  - The mechanism of inhibition of the sarcoplamc reticulum (SR) Ca(2+)-ATPase by the
      fluoroaluminate complexes was investigated. First, AlF4- was shown to bind to the
      Ca(2+)-free conformation of the enzyme by a slow quasi-irreversible process. The
      rate constants of the reaction are k+ = 16 x 10(3) M-1 s-1 and k- < 1.5 10(-3) s
      1. We directly measured a stoichiometry of about 4.8 nmol of AlF4- bound/mg of
      protein. Mg2+ was a necessary cofactor for the reaction with a dissociation
      constant of 3 mM. It was demonstrated (Dupont, Y., and Pougeois, R. (1983) FEBS
      Lett. 156, 93-98) that phosphorylation by P(i) induced a dehydration of the
      catalytic site. The same process has been shown here to occur upon AlF4- binding
      either by the use of Me2SO or by demonstration of an increase of bound 2',3'-O
      (2,4,6-trinitrocyclohexadienyldene)adenosine triphosphate fluorescence.
      Phosphorylation by P(i) is inhibited by the binding of AlF4-. Second, a
      fluoroaluminate complex, presumably AlF4-, was also shown to bind to the Ca(2+)
      bound conformation of the Ca(2+)-ATPase in the presence of ADP and stabilize a
      E1.Ca2.ADP.AlFx complex. The dissociation constant of the nucleotidic site for
      ADP was shifted to the micromolar range. The Ca2+ ions bound on the external high
      affinity sites became occluded upon binding of (ADP + AlFx). We propose that AlF4
      mimics P(i) binding to the Ca(2+)-free conformation of the ATPase and stabilizes
      an intermediate similar to the acyl-phosphate derivative; it also acts as an
      analogue of the gamma-phosphate of ATP and stabilizes an E1.[Ca2].ADP.AlF4
      complex where the Ca2+ ions are occluded.

PMID- 1429631
TI  - Overexpression, site-directed mutagenesis, and mechanism of Escherichia coli acid
      phosphatase.
AB  - Site-directed mutagenesis was used to examine the catalytic importance of 2
      histidine and 4 arginine residues in Escherichia coli periplasmic acid
      phosphatase (EcAP). The residues that were selected as targets for mutagenesis
      were those that were also conserved in a number of high molecular weight acid
      phosphatases from eukaryotic organisms, including human prostatic and lysosomal
      acid phosphatases. Both wild type EcAP and mutant proteins were overproduced in
      E. coli using an expression system based on the T7 RNA polymerase promoter, and
      the proteins were purified to homogeneity. Examination of the purified mutant
      proteins by circular dichroism and proton NMR spectroscopy revealed no
      significant conformational changes. The replacement of Arg16 and His17 residues
      that were localized in a conserved N-terminal RHGXRXP motif resulted in the
      complete elimination of EcAP enzymatic activity. Critical roles for Arg20, Arg92,
      and His303 were also established because the corresponding mutant proteins
      exhibited residual activities that were not higher than 0.4% of that of wild type
      enzyme. In contrast, the replacement of Arg63 did not cause a significant
      alteration of the kinetic parameters. The results are in agreement with a
      previously postulated distant relationship between acid phosphatases,
      phosphoglycerate mutases, and fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase. These and earlier
      results are also consistent with the conclusion that 2 histidine residues
      participate in the catalytic mechanism of acid phosphatases, with His17 playing
      the role of a nucleophilic acceptor of the phospho group, whereas His303 may act
      as a proton donor to the alcohol or phenol.

PMID- 1429632
TI  - Nonproteolytic "activation" of prorenin by active site-directed renin inhibitors
      as demonstrated by renin-specific monoclonal antibody.
AB  - Incubation of human plasma prorenin (PR), the enzymatically inactive precursor of
      renin (EC 3.4.23.15), with a number of nonpeptide high-affinity active site
      directed renin inhibitors induces a conformational change in PR, which was
      detected by a monoclonal antibody that reacts with active renin but not with
      native inactive PR. This conformational change also occurred when inactive PR was
      activated during exposure to low pH. Nonproteolytically acid-activated PR, and
      inhibitor-"activated" PR, as well as native PR, were retained on a blue Sepharose
      column, in contrast to proteolytically activated PR. Kinetic analysis of the
      activation of plasma prorenin by renin inhibitor (INH) indicated that native
      plasma contains an open intermediary form of prorenin, PRoi, in which the active
      site is exposed and which is in rapid equilibrium with the inactive closed form,
      PRc. PRoi reacts with inhibitor to form a reversible complex, PRoi.INH, which
      undergoes a conformational change resulting in a tight complex of a modified open
      form of prorenin, PRo, and the inhibitor, PRoi.INH-->PRo.INH. The PRoi-to-PRo
      conversion leads to the expression of an epitope on the renin part of the
      molecule that is recognized by a renin-specific monoclonal antibody. Presumably,
      PRo corresponds to the enzymatically active form of PR that is formed during
      exposure to low pH. Thus, it seems that the propeptide of PR interacts with the
      renin part of the molecule not only at or near the enzyme's active site but also
      at some distance from the active site. Interference with the first interaction by
      renin inhibitor leads to destabilization of the propeptide, by which the second
      interaction is disrupted and the enzyme assumes its active conformation. The
      results of this study may provide a model for substrate-mediated prorenin
      activation and increase the likelihood that enzymatically active prorenin is
      formed in vivo.

PMID- 1429633
TI  - Coordination structure of the ferric heme iron in engineered distal histidine
      myoglobin mutants.
AB  - Recombinant human myoglobin mutants with the distal His residue (E7, His64)
      replaced by Leu, Val, or Gln residues were prepared by site-directed mutagenesis
      and expression in Escherichia coli. Electronic and coordination structures of the
      ferric heme iron in the recombinant myoglobin proteins were examined by optical
      absorption, EPR, 1H NMR, magnetic circular dichroism, and x-ray spectroscopy.
      Mutations, His-->Val and His-->Leu, remove the heme-bound water molecule
      resulting in a five-coordinate heme iron at neutral pH, while the heme-bound
      water molecule appears to be retained in the engineered myoglobin with His-->Gln
      substitution as in the wild-type protein. The distal Val and distal Leu ferric
      myoglobin mutants at neutral pH exhibited EPR spectra with g perpendicular values
      smaller than 6, which could be interpreted as an admixture of intermediate (S =
      3/2) and high (S = 5/2) spin states. At alkaline pH, the distal Gln mutant is in
      the same so-called "hydroxy low spin" form as the wild-type protein, while the
      distal Leu and distal Val mutants are in high spin states. The ligand binding
      properties of these recombinant myoglobin proteins were studied by measurements
      of azide equilibrium and cyanide binding. The distal Leu and distal Val mutants
      exhibited diminished azide affinity and extremely slow cyanide binding, while the
      distal Gln mutant showed azide affinity and cyanide association rate constants
      similar to those of the wild-type protein.

PMID- 1429634
TI  - The identification and characterization of a GDP-dissociation inhibitor (GDI) for
      the CDC42Hs protein.
AB  - The ras-related protein, CDC42Hs, is a 22-kDa GTP-binding protein which is the
      human homolog of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast-cell-division cycle protein. In
      attempting to isolate and biochemically characterize mammalian proteins capable
      of regulating various activities of CDC42Hs, we have identified an activity in
      bovine brain cytosol which effectively inhibits the dissociation of [3H]GDP from
      the platelet- or the Spodoptera frugiperda-expressed CDC42Hs protein. The
      purification of this activity was achieved by a series of steps which included
      ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-Sephacel, Mono-Q, and Mono-S
      chromatographies. The purified CDC42Hs regulatory protein has an apparent
      molecular weight of 28,000, and cyanogen bromide-generated peptide sequences of
      this protein were identical to sequences from the carboxyl-terminal portion of
      rho-GDP-dissociation inhibitor (rho-GDI) (Fukumoto, Y., Kaibuchi, K., Hori, Y.,
      Fujioka, H., Araki, S., Ueda, T., Kikuchi, A., and Takai, Y. (1990) Oncogene 5,
      1321-1328). In addition, an Escherichia coli-expressed, glutathione S-transferase
      rho-GDI fusion protein fully substitutes for the GDI which we have purified from
      bovine brain in its ability to inhibit GDP dissociation from CDC42Hs. These
      findings suggest either that a common regulatory protein (GDI) is capable of
      inhibiting GDP dissociation from the rho and CDC42Hs proteins or that these two
      GTP-binding proteins interact with GDI proteins of very similar structure. The
      purified brain GDI protein shows little ability to inhibit GDP dissociation from
      the E. coli-expressed CDC42Hs and is capable of only a very weak inhibition of
      the dissociation of [35S]guanosine 5'-3-O-(thio)triphosphate (GTP gamma S) from
      the Spodoptera frugiperda-expressed CDC42. However, brain GDI very effectively
      inhibits the ability of the human dbl oncogene product to catalyze GDP
      dissociation from CDC42Hs. In addition to influencing guanine nucleotide
      association with CDC42Hs, the purified brain GDI protein also appears to catalyze
      the dissociation of CDC42Hs from the plasma membranes of human placenta and human
      epidermoid carcinoma (A431) cells. This effect by the GDI protein is observed
      whether the membrane-associated CDC42Hs is preincubated with GDP, GTP gamma S, or
      no guanine nucleotides, and occurs over a similar concentration range as that
      necessary for the inhibition of the intrinsic GDP dissociation.

PMID- 1429635
TI  - Identification by site-directed mutagenesis of two lysine residues in cholesterol
      side chain cleavage cytochrome P450 that are essential for adrenodoxin binding.
AB  - Utilizing site-directed mutagenesis and an Escherichia coli expression system for
      bovine cholesterol side chain cleavage cytochrome P450, lysine residues at 377
      and 381 are found to play crucial roles in binding bovine adrenodoxin, required
      for transfer of electrons to mitochondrial P450s. These lysine residues are
      conserved among mitochondrial P450s and have been implicated previously by
      chemical modification studies as being important for adrenodoxin binding. In the
      present study, site-directed mutagenesis producing either neutral or positive
      amino acids at 377 or 381 has no effect on the structure of side chain cleavage
      cytochrome P450 as determined spectrally or on the enzymatic conversion of
      cholesterol to pregnenolone. However, the estimated Ks of adrenodoxin binding is
      increased approximately 150-600-fold depending on the particular mutation.
      Therefore these conserved positively charged residues in mitochondrial P450s are
      the key sites for adrenodoxin binding which is electrostatic in nature.

PMID- 1429636
TI  - Activation of the acetyl-coenzyme A:lysoplatelet-activating factor
      acetyltransferase regulates platelet-activating factor synthesis in human
      endothelial cells.
AB  - Platelet-activating factor (1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine; PAF)
      is a phospholipid with many physiological actions. It is synthesized by
      endothelial cells and a variety of others in response to stimulation with
      receptor-mediated agonists. In endothelial cells it remains associated with the
      surface of the cell and serves as a signal for adhesive interactions with
      leukocytes. Thus, its synthesis must be precisely regulated. In previous work we
      have shown that PAF synthesis is regulated at the initiating step, a
      phospholipase A2. Here we demonstrate that the subsequent step of PAF synthesis,
      the acetyl-CoA:lyso-PAF acetyltransferase, is rapidly activated when cells are
      exposed to thrombin or other agonists. We found that the activity increased from
      basal values (5 nmol/mg/min) to approximately 3-fold higher within 1 min
      following the addition of agonists. The enzyme activity returned to basal levels
      within 10 min. The pattern of activation and inactivation suggested covalent
      modification of the enzyme. This was supported in experiments in which we showed
      that homogenates had stable enhanced activity and that there was no evidence for
      an activator or inhibitor. Pretreatment of the cells with vanadate, an inhibitor
      of protein phosphatases, markedly prolonged the activation state. In subsequent
      studies we pretreated intact cells with vanadate to block inactivation of the
      enzyme and then measured the accumulation of PAF in response to thrombin. We
      found that it was markedly augmented and prolonged. From this we conclude that
      the synthesis of PAF in intact cells is regulated by the activity of the
      acetyltransferase. We characterized requirements for activation of
      acetyltransferase and found that it was not dependent on the influx of
      intracellular calcium but that calcium entry did influence the length of time for
      which the enzyme was activated. The acetyltransferase in endothelial cells was
      shown to be a specific enzyme that did not catalyze the transfer of long chain
      acyl groups from acyl-CoA to lysophospholipids and demonstrated modest
      specificity for the acceptor lysophospholipids. These results suggest that
      activation of the acetyltransferase is a crucial determinant of the amount of PAF
      synthesized in activated endothelial cells.

PMID- 1429637
TI  - Autophosphorylation of protein kinase C may require a high order of protein
      phospholipid aggregates.
AB  - The activation of protein kinase C (PKC) usually displays cofactor requirements
      that include phosphatidylserine (PS), diacylglycerol, and calcium. A complicating
      factor is that good exogenous substrates of PKC are polycationic proteins or
      peptides that form aggregates with PS in the assay. This study examined the
      autophosphorylation of PKC using assays with phospholipid provided in the form of
      vesicles or phospholipid-Triton mixed micelles. The results showed a close
      correlation between PKC autophosphorylation and the formation of aggregated assay
      components. Aggregation occurred primarily by the action of Mg2+ on phospholipids
      and appeared to underlie a number of major features of PKC autophosphorylation.
      For example, autophosphorylation required higher concentrations of PS than
      phosphorylation of exogenous substrates. This appeared to be the result of the
      different PS requirements of aggregation by divalent metal ions and cationic
      substrates. An unanticipated result was that aggregation of mixed micelles showed
      specificity for PS, high cooperativity with respect to several agents, and a
      requirement for calcium. These parameters were remarkably similar to those
      describing PKC autophosphorylation. Several major implications are evident in
      this study. Since the autophosphorylation assay is not a well defined system of
      monodisperse materials, autophosphorylation of PKC may proceed by intra- or
      interpeptide mechanism. The uniform correlation between aggregation and
      production of PKC activity suggested that kinetic parameters may represent
      interactions of assay components other than the enzyme. Aggregation, which
      appeared necessary for in vitro activation of PKC, may represent the expression
      of important but undefined in vivo requirements for this enzyme's function.

PMID- 1429638
TI  - Identification of critical amino-terminal regions of XylS. The positive regulator
      encoded by the TOL plasmid.
AB  - The XylS protein is the positive regulator of the promoter controlling the meta
      cleavage pathway (Pm) for catabolism of certain alkylbenzoates on the TOL plasmid
      of Pseudomonas. Transcription from Pm is mediated by XylS either in the presence
      of benzoate effectors or through XylS hyperproduction. Two regions of the NH2
      terminus of XylS (residues 37-45) had been predicted to be involved in effector
      control of XylS transcriptional activation. Different methods were used to induce
      mutations in this region, including genetic selections (where Pm controlled a
      tetracycline resistance gene), bisulfite mutagenesis at a unique restriction
      site, and extensive oligonucleotide mutagenesis at residues 41 and 45. The
      mutants fell into four classes based on their phenotypes with respect to effector
      mediated activation of a Pm-lacZ fusion: (a) effector profiles similar to wild
      type, (b) no Pm stimulation with benzoates, (c) altered effector specificity, and
      (d) higher basal Pm activities, in some cases including changes in effector
      specificity. In some mutants, higher basal Pm activity was apparently due to
      mutations that increased XylS stability. Substitutions at Arg-41 resulted in all
      four mutant phenotypes, indicating that this is a critical residue in XylS for
      effector stimulation of transcription activity.

PMID- 1429639
TI  - Human placental brush-border membrane Na(+)-pantothenate cotransport.
AB  - Membrane transport pathways for transplacental transfer of the water-soluble
      vitamin pantothenate were investigated by assessing the possible presence of a
      Na(+)-pantothenate cotransport mechanism in the maternal facing membrane of human
      placental epithelial cells. The presence of Na(+)-pantothenate cotransport was
      determined from radiolabeled tracer flux measurements of pantothenate uptake
      using preparations of purified brush-border membrane vesicles. Compared with
      other cations the imposition of an inward Na+ gradient stimulated vesicle uptake
      of pantothenate to levels approximately 40-fold greater than those observed at
      equilibrium. The observed stimulation of pantothenate uptake was not the result
      of indirect electrostatic coupling to an inside positive Na+ diffusion potential.
      In the absence of Na+ and pantothenate concentration gradients an inside negative
      voltage difference induced a Na(+)-dependent net influx of pantothenate,
      suggesting the presence of an electrogenic Na(+)-pantothenate cotransport
      mechanism. The effect of biotin on the kinetics of Na(+)-dependent pantothenate
      uptake and the effect of pantothenate on the kinetics of Na(+)-dependent biotin
      uptake suggested that placental absorption of biotin and pantothenate from the
      maternal circulation occurs by a common Na+ cotransport mechanism in apical brush
      border membrane.

PMID- 1429640
TI  - Energetics of lectin-carbohydrate binding. A microcalorimetric investigation of
      concanavalin A-oligomannoside complexation.
AB  - Despite years of study, a comprehensive picture of the binding of the lectin from
      Canavalia ensiformis, concanavalin A, to carbohydrates remains elusive. We report
      here studies on the interaction of concanavalin A with methyl 3,6-di-O-(alpha-D
      mannopyranosyl)-alpha-D-mannopyranoside, the minimum carbohydrate epitope that
      completely fills the oligosaccharide binding site, and the two conceptual
      disaccharide "halves" of the trisaccharide, methyl 3-O-(alpha-D-mannopyranosyl)
      alpha-D-mannopyranoside and methyl 6-O-(alpha-D-mannopyranosyl)-alpha-D
      mannopyranoside, using titration microcalorimetry. In all cases the interaction
      of protein and carbohydrate is enthalpically driven, with an unfavorable entropic
      contribution. The choice of concentration scales has an important impact on both
      the magnitude and, in some cases, the sign of the entropic component of the free
      energy of binding. The thermodynamic data suggest binding of the two
      disaccharides may take place in distinct sites, as opposed to binding in a single
      high affinity site. In contrast to carbohydrate-antibody binding, delta Cp values
      were small and negative, pointing to possible differences in the motifs used by
      the two groups of proteins to bind carbohydrates. The thermodynamic data are
      interpreted in terms of solvent reorganization. Cooperativity during lectin
      carbohydrate binding was also investigated. Significant cooperativity was
      observed only for binding of the trisaccharide, and gave a Hill plot coefficient
      of 1.3 for dimeric protein.

PMID- 1429641
TI  - The tricarboxylic acid cycle in Dictyostelium discoideum. I. Formulation of
      alternative kinetic representations.
AB  - Enzyme systems within living cells have recently been shown to be highly ordered
      structures that violate classic assumptions of the Michaelis-Menten formalism,
      which originally was developed for the characterization of isolated reactions in
      vitro. This evidence suggests that a thorough examination of alternative kinetic
      formalisms for integrated biochemical systems is in order. The purpose of this
      series of papers is to assess the utility of an alternative power-law formalism
      by carrying out a detailed comparative analysis of a relatively large,
      representative system--the tricarboxylic acid cycle of Dictyostelium discoideum.
      This system was chosen because considerable experimental information already has
      been synthesized into a detailed kinetic model of the intact system. In this
      first paper, we set the stage for subsequent analysis within the framework of the
      power-law formalism: we review the underlying theory, emphasizing recent
      developments, formulate the model in terms that are convenient for the analysis
      to follow, and develop the system representation in both the Michaelis-Menten and
      power-law forms. In the second paper (Shiraishi, F., and Savageau, M. A. (1992)
      J. Biol. Chem. 267, 22919-22925), these alternative representations are shown to
      be internally consistent and locally equivalent. The third paper (Shiraishi, F.,
      and Savageau, M. A. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 22926-22933) provides a complete
      analysis of the steady state behavior and also treats the dynamic behavior of the
      model.

PMID- 1429642
TI  - The tricarboxylic acid cycle in Dictyostelium discoideum. II. Evaluation of model
      consistency and robustness.
AB  - When kinetic models of complex biochemical systems are reconstructed from
      knowledge of the component reactions that have been characterized in vitro, or
      when values must be assumed for some of the parameters, errors are invariably
      encountered, and, as a consequence, the resulting model is frequently internally
      inconsistent. The simplest and most basic manifestations of such logical
      inconsistency are the failure of the model to exhibit a steady state or to yield
      a steady state that is in agreement with the actual steady state of the
      integrated system, or to yield a steady state that is dynamically stable. Models
      that are consistent may nonetheless be lacking in robustness, which is manifested
      as a pathological sensitivity to small changes in the values of their parameters.
      In this paper, we examine the current model of the tricarboxylic acid cycle in
      Dictyostelium discoideum (see Shiraishi, F., and Savageau, M. A. (1992) J. Biol.
      Chem. 267, 22912-22918) with regard to these basic indicators of model quality.
      This may be viewed as a preliminary analysis; the object is to determine whether
      or not the model is reasonable and worthy of a more refined analysis and, if not,
      to diagnose the areas in need of modification before further analysis is
      undertaken. The results demonstrate that the current model of the tricarboxylic
      acid cycle is self-consistent and possesses a steady state that is in agreement
      with experimental evidence. However, the results also suggest that this model is
      not very robust. The high sensitivities of parameters influencing pyruvate
      metabolism indicate that the experimental characterization of these reactions
      might be fruitfully re-examined. These high sensitivities lead us to predict that
      this model of the tricarboxylic acid cycle should be accurate only over a very
      narrow range in variation of the independent variables. This is verified by the
      results presented in the following paper (Shiraishi, F., and Savageau, M. A.
      (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 22926-22933).

PMID- 1429643
TI  - The tricarboxylic acid cycle in Dictyostelium discoideum. III. Analysis of steady
      state and dynamic behavior.
AB  - The examination of model robustness in the previous paper (Shiraishi, F., and
      Savageau, M. A. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 22919-22925 led to the suggestion that
      the current model for the tricarboxylic acid cycle in Dictyostelium discoideum is
      ill-determined with respect to one or more of the features reflecting pyruvate
      metabolism. This conclusion is further supported here by results of steady state
      and dynamic analyses. The tricarboxylic acid cycle, according to the current
      model, is poised on a knife's edge with its behavior rigidly determined; any
      alteration of the system's components leads to nonviable behavior, as exemplified
      by explosive accumulation of pyruvate and loss of steady state in response to a
      minute change in the level of malate dehydrogenase. With the additional results
      in this paper, we are able to refine the diagnosis of the problem and suggest
      three different areas of the current model that might profitably be re-examined
      by experiment. These include the kinetics of the reactions at the malate branch
      point, the turnover times for the alanine, glutamate, and aspartate pools in
      vivo, and the dynamic mass balances for the cofactor NAD. We also suggest a
      minimal modification in the current model that could alleviate or circumvent some
      of these problems.

PMID- 1429644
TI  - The tricarboxylic acid cycle in Dictyostelium discoideum. IV. Resolution of
      discrepancies between alternative methods of analysis.
AB  - Experimental studies of enzyme kinetics in vitro and metabolic fluxes in vivo
      have been used by Wright and her colleagues to develop a detailed kinetic model
      of the tricarboxylic acid cycle in Dictyostelium discoideum. This model has
      recently been been analyzed by two different methods (Albe, K. R., and Wright, B.
      E. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 3106-3114; Shiraishi, F., and Savageau, M. A.
      (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 22926-22933 in an effort to determine the response of
      individual fluxes and metabolite concentrations to changes in levels of the
      enzymes that constitute the system. Individual responses were found to differ
      significantly in magnitude as well as in sign. Perhaps the most glaring
      difference concerns the influence of the enzyme succinate dehydrogenase on the
      flux through the cycle; in one study, it has the maximum influence, whereas, in
      the other, it has absolutely no influence. In this paper, we provide a resolution
      of these discrepancies. We have reconstructed the methodology of Albe and Wright
      and have been able to reproduce their results in detail. We show that their
      methodology does not yield a valid steady state analysis, and, consequently, that
      the conclusions drawn from their analysis must be called into question. First,
      they concluded that their model is realistic and predictive. It is now clear that
      their model is ill-determined and has a steady state only for unrealistically
      narrow conditions. Second, they concluded that their analysis is valid for
      variations of less than 2% in the levels of the enzymes because they could
      satisfy summation relationships considered to be mathematically inevitable. It is
      now clear that these relationships are neither necessary nor sufficient for
      establishing the validity of an analysis or the appropriateness of a biochemical
      model. Third, they concluded on the basis of their empirical methodology that
      certain enzymes are most important in influencing flux through the cycle. It is
      now clear that these results are inaccurate because of deficiencies in their
      methodology. Finally, they concluded that steady state analyses cannot be carried
      out experimentally because of the small variations required in enzyme levels. It
      is now clear that the requirement for such small variations reflects the ill
      determined character of the underlying model and is not a necessary property of
      the real system.

PMID- 1429645
TI  - Excitation energy transfer from phycocyanin to chlorophyll in an apcA-defective
      mutant of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.
AB  - A greenish mutant of the normally blue-green cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC
      6803, designated UV6p, has been isolated and characterized. UV6p possesses
      functional photosystems I and II (PSI and PSII) but lacks normal light harvesting
      phycobilisomes because allophycocyanin is absent and core-specific linker
      proteins are almost entirely absent. The mutation responsible for the UV6p
      phenotype has been identified; it is a base substitution which results in the
      creation of a termination codon within the coding region of the apcA gene.
      Phycocyanin (PC) and phycobilisome rod linker proteins are present in UV6p and,
      despite the absence of core components, at least 35% of the PC is associated with
      rod linker proteins. At 77 K, light absorbed by PC of UV6p elicits PSI
      fluorescence comparable to that of wild type cells but produces greatly
      diminished PSII fluorescence. The results indicate that the assembly of rods is
      independent of cores and that light energy absorbed by rods can be transferred
      principally and directly to PSI. This energy transfer pathway, which may also be
      present in wild type, may have a regulatory role in maintaining the balance of
      input of excitation energy into PSI versus PSII during photosynthesis.

PMID- 1429646
TI  - Association of a receptor and G-protein-regulated phospholipase C with the
      cytoskeleton.
AB  - Approximately 98% of turkey erythrocyte phospholipase C (PLC) is cytosolic and is
      released by hypotonic lysis of the cells and extensive washing of the resultant
      erythrocyte ghosts. Well washed turkey erythrocyte ghosts retain a fraction of
      tightly associated PLC, which is activated by the P2y-purinergic receptor and G
      protein present in ghost membranes. The particulate PLC is sufficient to couple
      to all the available purinergic receptor-regulated G-protein. In contrast to
      ghosts, turkey erythrocyte plasma membrane preparations contain no detectable
      PLC. To investigate the subcellular location of the ghost-associated PLC,
      cytoskeletons were prepared by Triton X-100 extraction of turkey erythrocyte
      ghosts. The ghost-associated PLC was quantitatively recovered in cytoskeleton
      preparations. Cytoskeleton-associated PLC was solubilized by sodium cholate
      extraction, partially purified, and shown to reconstitute with PLC-free plasma
      membrane preparations in an agonist and guanine nucleotide-dependent fashion,
      indicating that the cytoskeleton-associated PLC is G-protein-regulated.
      Dissociation of erythrocyte ghost cytoskeletons with the actin-binding protein
      DNase 1 resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of agonist and guanine nucleotide
      stimulated PLC responses in ghosts and caused release of PLC from ghost or
      cytoskeleton preparations. These data demonstrate the specific association of a
      receptor and G-protein-regulated PLC with a component of the detergent-insoluble
      cytoskeleton and indicate that the integrity of the actin cytoskeleton is
      important for localization and effective coupling of PLC to the relevant G
      protein.

PMID- 1429647
TI  - The effects of smooth muscle caldesmon on actin filament motility.
AB  - The movement of reconstituted thin filaments over an immobilized surface of
      thiophosphorylated smooth muscle myosin was examined using an in vitro motility
      assay. Reconstituted thin filaments contained actin, tropomyosin, and either
      purified chicken gizzard caldesmon or the purified COOH-terminal actin-binding
      fragment of caldesmon. Control actin-tropomyosin filaments moved at a velocity of
      2.3 +/- 0.5 microns/s. Neither intact caldesmon nor the COOH-terminal fragment,
      when maintained in the monomeric form by treatment with 10 mM dithiothreitol, had
      any effect on filament velocity; and yet both were potent inhibitors of actin
      activated myosin ATPase activity, indicating that caldesmon primarily inhibits
      myosin binding as reported by Chalovich et al. (Chalovich, J. M., Hemric, M. E.,
      and Velaz, L. (1990) Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 599, 85-99). Inhibition of filament
      motion was, however, observed under conditions where cross-linking of caldesmon
      via disulfide bridges was present. To determine if monomeric caldesmon could
      "tether" actin filaments to the myosin surface by forming an actin-caldesmon
      myosin complex as suggested by Chalovich et al., we looked for caldesmon
      dependent filament binding and motility under conditions (80 mM KCl) where
      filament binding to myosin is weak and motility is not normally seen. At
      caldesmon concentrations > or = 0.26 microM, actin filament binding was increased
      and filament motion (2.6 +/- 0.6 microns/s) was observed. The enhanced motility
      seen with intact caldesmon was not observed with the addition of up to 26 microM
      COOH-terminal fragment. Moreover, a molar excess of the COOH-terminal fragment
      competitively reversed the enhanced binding seen with intact caldesmon. These
      results show that tethering of actin filaments to myosin by the formation of an
      actin-caldesmon-myosin complex enhanced productive acto-myosin interaction
      without placing a significant mechanical load on the moving filaments.

PMID- 1429648
TI  - Identification of cross-linking sites in bovine cartilage type IX collagen
      reveals an antiparallel type II-type IX molecular relationship and type IX to
      type IX bonding.
AB  - Type IX collagen functions in covalent cross-linkage to type II collagen in
      cartilage (Eyre, D. R., Apone, S., Wu, J. J., Ericsson, L. H., and Walsh, K. A.
      (1987) FEBS Lett. 220, 337-341). To understand this molecular relationship
      better, an analysis of all cross-linking sites labeled by [3H]borohydride was
      undertaken using the protein prepared from fetal bovine cartilage. Sequence
      analysis of tryptic peptides containing the 3H-labeled cross-links showed that
      each of the chains of type IX collagen, alpha 1(IX), alpha 2(IX), and alpha
      3(IX), contained a site of cross-linking at the amino terminus of the COL2 triple
      helix to which the alpha 1(II)N-telopeptide could bond. The alpha 3(IX)COL2
      domain alone also had an attachment site for the alpha 1(II)C-telopeptide. The
      distance between the alpha 1(II)N-telopeptide and alpha 1(II)C-telopeptide
      interaction sites, 137 residues, is equal to the length of the hole zone (0.6D)
      in a type II collagen fibril. This implies an antiparallel type II to type IX
      cross-linking relationship. Peptide analysis also revealed an unknown amino acid
      sequence linked to the COL2 cross-linking domains in both the alpha 1(IX) and
      alpha 3(IX) chains. Using antibodies to this novel peptide, its origin in the
      collagen alpha 3(IX)NC1 domain was established. In summary, the results confirm
      extensive covalent cross-linking between type IX and type II collagen molecules
      and reveal the existence of type IX-type IX bonding. These data provide a
      molecular basis for the proposed function of type IX collagen as a critical
      contributor to the mechanical stability and resistance to swelling of the
      collagen type II fibril framework of cartilage.

PMID- 1429649
TI  - The ATP-independent pathway in red blood cells that degrades oxidant-damaged
      hemoglobin.
AB  - Studies were carried out to characterize further the cytoplasmic ATP- and
      ubiquitin-independent proteolytic system in red blood cells that degrades
      hemoglobin damaged by exposure to oxidants (Fagan, J. M., Waxman, L., and
      Goldberg, A. L. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 5705-5713). Several proteases were
      ruled out as having a major role in the degradation of oxidant-treated hemoglobin
      (Ox-Hb). Acid hydrolases are not active in this process since the degradation of
      Ox-Hb has a pH optimum between 6 and 8. The calpains are also not involved since
      inhibitors of cysteine proteases (leupeptin and trans-epoxysuccinyl-L-leucylamido
      (3-methyl)butane) did not diminish the increased proteolysis in intact
      erythrocytes treated with oxidants or in lysates to which Ox-Hb was added. The
      degradation of Ox-Hb was unaffected by inhibitors of serine and aspartic
      proteases. Removal of the high M(r) multicatalytic proteinase by
      immunoprecipitation also did not significantly affect the degradation of Ox-Hb in
      erythrocyte lysates. The degradation of Ox-Hb was sensitive to metal chelators
      and sulfhydryl-modifying reagents but not to specific inhibitors of known
      metalloproteases. Insulin, which is rapidly degraded in lysates, completely
      blocked the degradation of Ox-Hb. Insulin- and Ox-Hb-hydrolyzing activity was
      also inhibited following immunoprecipitation of the 100-kDa metalloinsulinase.
      The metalloinsulinase, which is inhibited by sulfhydryl-modifying reagents and
      which requires divalent metals, may therefore participate in the degradation of
      hemoglobin damaged by oxidants in erythrocytes.

PMID- 1429650
TI  - Analysis of the amino acid sequence of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa galactophilic
      PA-I lectin.
AB  - Based on the NH2-terminal 30-amino acid sequence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
      galactophilic PA-I lectin, two degenerate primer oligonucleotides were
      synthesized and used in polymerase chain reaction with the bacterial chromosomal
      DNA as a template. A predominant DNA fragment of the appropriate size was
      radiolabeled and used as a probe for screening a P. aeruginosa genomic lambda
      gt11 library. One positive clone carrying an insert of about 630 base pairs
      encompassing the entire PA-I lectin gene was isolated and found to contain a 369
      base pair open reading frame between an initiation codon (19 base pairs
      downstream from the insertion site, subsequent to a Shine-Dalgarno sequence) and
      two consecutive stop codons, followed by an oligo (seven) A sequence, in a
      partial dyad symmetry. The deduced amino acid sequence shows excellent agreement
      with the quantitative amino acid analysis and a perfect match with the NH2
      terminal amino acid sequence of the purified lectin. It reveals that the PA-I
      lectin subunit contains 121 amino acids (M(r) 12,754; pI 4.94) with a predominant
      central hydrophilic core between two hydrophobic domains. Secondary structure
      algorithms predict that it is rich in beta sheets and contains several highly
      antigenic epitopes, but no signal peptide. In the carboxyl region a potential
      glycosylation site (Asn-Asn-Ser) was identified. Comparative analyses of this
      lectin sequence with those of lectins from other sources, reported in the protein
      and gene data banks, did not reveal any extensive homology.

PMID- 1429651
TI  - Subunit folding and alpha delta heterodimer formation in the assembly of the
      nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Comparison of the mouse and human alpha
      subunits.
AB  - We have used the mouse alpha (alpha M) and human alpha (alpha H) subunits to
      investigate the molecular mechanisms of assembly of the mammalian acetylcholine
      receptor (AChR) transiently expressed in COS cells. COS cells expressing hybrid
      receptors incorporating alpha H along with other mouse subunits exhibited a 2
      fold higher level of surface alpha-bungarotoxin (BuTx) binding than cells
      expressing the wild-type mouse AChR. When expressed either alone or with the
      delta subunit in COS cells, alpha H acquired the BuTx binding conformation (alpha
      Tx) more efficiently than did alpha M. By oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis we
      showed that 2 residues in the amino-terminal domain were responsible for the
      differences between alpha M and alpha H. Alpha MST, the modified mouse alpha
      subunit, both folded more efficiently to form alpha Tx and was more effective in
      forming a stable alpha delta heterodimer than was alpha M. The kinetics of alpha
      Tx and alpha delta heterodimer formation revealed that the delta subunit
      increased the conversion of immature forms of the alpha subunit into the BuTx
      binding form and therefore provides evidence for interaction between the delta
      subunit and the immature form of the alpha subunit. These results provide
      evidence of the importance of the amino-terminal domains of the AChR subunits in
      the assembly process.

PMID- 1429652
TI  - Incorporation of cytosine arabinoside monophosphate into DNA at internucleotide
      linkages by human DNA polymerase alpha.
AB  - The incorporation of cytosine arabinoside monophosphate (araCMP) into DNA at
      internucleotide linkages by DNA polymerase alpha (DNA pol alpha) has been
      investigated by using oligonucleotide primed DNA templates. The products of
      reactions catalyzed by DNA pol alpha in vitro were analyzed on polyacrylamide
      gels to measure insertion of araCMP, extension from an araCMP 3' terminus, and
      binding of the enzyme to an araCMP 3' terminus. The results show that insertion
      of araCMP opposite dGMP in the DNA template is about 3-fold less efficient than
      insertion of dCMP. Extension from an araCMP 3' terminus by addition of the next
      complementary nucleotide is approximately 2000-fold less efficient than extension
      from a correctly base-paired 3' terminus. In the absence of the second substrate,
      dNTP, DNA pol alpha binds with approximately equal affinities to DNA templates
      that contain oligonucleotide primers with araCMP or dCMP positioned at the 3'
      terminus. In the presence of dNTP, the enzyme extends the araCMP 3' terminus or
      dissociates, but it is not trapped at the araCMP 3' terminus in a nonproductive
      ternary complex as is observed at the ddCMP 3' terminus. To determine if slow
      phosphodiester bond formation contributes to the observed extension rate from the
      araCMP 3' terminus by DNA pol alpha, oligonucleotide primers with araCMP
      positioned at the 3' terminus were elongated by addition of the alpha
      phosphorothioate analogue of the next complementary nucleotide. The rate of
      extension from araCMP by addition of 2'-deoxyadenosine 5'-O-phosphorothioate
      (dAMP alpha S) was 6-fold slower than by addition of dAMP, indicating that bond
      formation is partially rate limiting in the extension reaction. Thus, inefficient
      extension from the araCMP 3' terminus is the major determinant contributing to
      the low incorporation frequency of araCMP into DNA by DNA pol alpha, and this
      inefficiency can be attributed, in part, to slower phosphodiester bond formation
      at the araCMP 3' terminus.

PMID- 1429653
TI  - Two genetically expressed troponin T fragments representing alpha and beta
      isoforms exhibit functional differences.
AB  - The carboxyl-terminal isoforms of troponin T (TnT), alpha and beta, differing in
      the sequence of a region near the COOH terminus, arise from alternative splicing
      of a primary transcript of the TnT gene and are expressed in a tissue-specific
      and developmentally regulated manner (Medford, R. M., Nguyen, H. T., Destree, A.
      T., Summers, E., and Nadal-Ginard, B. (1984) Cell 38, 409-421). To date, the beta
      isoform has not been studied directly at the protein level. To explore the
      potential functional differences between the alpha and beta sequences, we
      isolated two rabbit skeletal TnT cDNA clones: a full-length cDNA for a beta
      isoform and a partial-length cDNA for an alpha isoform. Two restriction fragments
      derived from the cDNA clones were used to direct overexpression, in Escherichia
      coli, of two TnT fragments, T2p-alpha and T2p-beta, each containing the last 108
      amino acid residues of the alpha or beta isoform of TnT. Using purified T2p-alpha
      and T2p-beta along with fluorescent derivatives of troponin C (TnC) and alpha
      alpha-tropomyosin (Tm), we showed that T2p-alpha bound more strongly to TnC than
      did T2p-beta both in the presence and absence of Ca2+, and exhibited a higher
      affinity for Tm than did T2p-beta. More interestingly, the Ca2+ affinities of the
      Ca(2+)-specific regulatory sites of TnC in the T2p-alpha. TnC complex were found
      to be 3-fold higher than in T2p-beta.TnC complex. These results support the
      hypothesis that the sequence divergence between the alpha and beta isoforms of
      TnT may have functional significance in possibly contributing to the
      determination of the Ca2+ sensitivity of muscle fibers.

PMID- 1429654
TI  - Dominant negative mutants of ornithine decarboxylase.
AB  - Conserved lysines of mouse ornithine decarboxylase were individually mutated to
      arginines. The mutations at amino acid residues 69, 115, and 169 greatly reduced
      or abolished enzymatic activity. Lysine 69 is the site of Schiff base formation
      with the cofactor pyridoxal phosphate; the functional role of the other two
      lysines essential for activity is not known. Coexpression of wild type ornithine
      decarboxylase along with the lysine 115 to arginine mutant reduced the activity
      of the former without diminishing the amount of wild type protein. This form of
      negative complementation was seen when wild type and mutant protein were
      coexpressed either by in vitro translation or in bacteria. The data are
      consistent with the conclusion that a wild type and mutant subunit form a
      heterodimer that is enzymatically inactive.

PMID- 1429655
TI  - Opening of the replication origin of Escherichia coli by DnaA protein with
      protein HU or IHF.
AB  - Opening of the three tandem repeats of a 13-mer in the replication origin (oriC)
      of Escherichia coli is a prime event in the replication in vitro of
      minichromosomes (Bramhill, D., and Kornberg, A. (1988) Cell 54, 915-918). DnaA,
      the initiator protein, requires protein HU or IHF, along with a millimolar level
      of ATP and negative superhelical density in the plasmid to open this region. The
      extent of opening, as judged by cleavage by a single-strand-specific endonuclease
      (i.e. P1 nuclease), correlated closely with replication of the oriC plasmid. In
      an initial complex, preceding opening of the 13-mers, the footprint of DnaA
      protein bound by ATP covered its four 9-mer recognition sequences. The footprint
      of the nucleotide-free form of the protein, by contrast, was more extensive and
      thus, less specific.

PMID- 1429656
TI  - Opposed actions of regulatory proteins, DnaA and IciA, in opening the replication
      origin of Escherichia coli.
AB  - The opening of the three tandem 13-mers (iterons) in the replication origin
      (oriC) of Escherichia coli by DnaA protein, assisted by protein HU or IHF (Hwang,
      D. S., and Kornberg, A. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 23083-23086), represents an
      essential early stage in the initiation of chromosomal replication (Bramhill, D.,
      and Kornberg, A. (1988) Cell 54, 915-918). We now show by mutational alterations
      of the 13-mer region that oriC function, both in vitro and in vivo, requires AT
      richness in the left 13-mer and sequence specificity in the middle and right 13
      mers. Interactions of DnaA protein with the middle and right 13-mers are crucial
      for the opening of the region. Binding of the protein to the top strand of the 13
      mers appeared to maintain single-strandedness in the bottom strand. IciA protein,
      the inhibitor of initiation, binds the three 13-mers and blocks the opening of
      the region. The degrees of inhibition by IciA protein of 13-mer opening and of
      oriC plasmid replication observed with mutant forms of the 13-mers could be
      correlated with the binding affinity of IciA protein. Whereas the binding of IciA
      protein to the 13-mers did not affect the binding of DnaA protein to its four 9
      mers boxes, interaction of DnaA protein with the 13-mers was blocked. The
      selective interactions of DnaA and IciA proteins with the 13-mer region appear to
      be components of the on/off switch that controls initiation of E. coli
      chromosomal replication.

PMID- 1429657
TI  - Biochemical and genetic dissection of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA polymerase
      C53 subunit through the analysis of a mitochondrially mis-sorted mutant
      construct.
AB  - RPC53 has previously been shown to encode an essential subunit required for tRNA
      gene transcription by RNA polymerase C in vivo (Mann, C., Micouin, J.-Y.,
      Chiannilkulchai, N., Treich, I., Buhler, J.-M., and Sentenac, A. (1992) Mol.
      Cell. Biol. 12, in press). In this paper, we have determined that an unusual rho+
      lethality associated with the rpc53::HIS3-1 disruption mutation is due to the
      inadvertent formation of a Pet56-C53 fusion protein. This fusion protein is
      missorted to mitochondria, thereby reducing the quantity of the C53 subunit
      available for RNA polymerase C assembly. We show that the carboxyl-terminal
      region of C53 contains the essential functional domain of the subunit and that a
      mutant RNA polymerase containing only this domain is thermolabile for its
      function in vivo and in vitro. The thermolability of the carboxyl-terminal C53
      domain is suppressed by five different genes on multicopy plasmids, including
      RPC160, encoding the largest subunit of RNA polymerase C and SSD1/SRK1, which has
      been implicated in the activity of protein phosphatases.

PMID- 1429658
TI  - cDNA cloning of MEV, a mutant protein that facilitates cellular uptake of
      mevalonate, and identification of the point mutation responsible for its gain of
      function.
AB  - We report the expression cloning of pMev, a cDNA that facilitates cellular uptake
      of mevalonate. pMev was isolated from the met-18b-2 clone of Chinese hamster
      ovary (CHO) cells, which were selected for growth in low concentrations of
      mevalonate when synthesis is blocked by compactin (Faust, J. R., and Krieger, M.
      (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 1996-2004). pMev encodes a 494-residue protein, Mev,
      that is predicted to have 12 membrane-spanning regions, consistent with a
      membrane transporter. Surprisingly, levels of Mev mRNA and protein are similar in
      CHO and met-18b-2 cells. The Mev gene differs from the wild-type gene by a single
      base change that substitutes a cysteine for phenylalanine in the 10th membrane
      spanning region. met-18b-2 cells are heterozygous for this dominant gain-of
      function mutation. Transfection of a cDNA encoding pMev, but not the wild-type
      cDNA, elicited a marked increase in [3H]mevalonate uptake and incorporation into
      cellular lipids in stably and transiently transfected cells. The availability of
      pMev will facilitate studies of [3H]mevalonate incorporation into trace products,
      including p21ras and other prenylated proteins.

PMID- 1429659
TI  - Sphingosine-1-phosphate, a metabolite of sphingosine, increases phosphatidic acid
      levels by phospholipase D activation.
AB  - Sphingosine and sphingosine-1-phosphate, metabolites of membrane sphingolipids,
      have recently been shown to stimulate release of calcium from internal sources
      and to increase proliferation of quiescent Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts (Zhang, H.,
      Desai, N. N., Olivera, A., Seki, T., Brooker, G., and Spiegel, S. (1991) J. Cell
      Biol. 114, 155-167). The present study demonstrates that mitogenic concentrations
      of sphingosine induce early increases in sphingosine-1-phosphate levels which
      precede the increase in the potent mitogen, phosphatidic acid. Sphingosine-1
      phosphate itself induces a more rapid increase in phosphatidic acid, thus
      suggesting that it may mediate the effects of sphingosine on phosphatidic acid
      accumulation. The concentration dependence for the formation of phosphatidic acid
      induced by sphingosine-1-phosphate correlates with its effect on DNA synthesis.
      Similar to sphingosine, sphingosine-1-phosphate also stimulates the activity of
      phospholipase D, although a significant effect is observed at a much lower
      concentration. However, in contrast to previous reports with sphingosine,
      sphingosine-1-phosphate does not inhibit the phosphatidic acid phosphohydrolase
      activity in cell homogenates. Thus, in addition to its effect on mobilization of
      calcium, sphingosine-1-phosphate can increase the level of phosphatidic acid,
      most likely via activation of phospholipase D. We suggest that sphingosine-1
      phosphate mediates the effect of sphingosine on phosphatidic acid accumulation in
      Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts and may regulate cellular proliferation by affecting
      multiple transmembrane signaling pathways.

PMID- 1429660
TI  - Activation of S6 kinase by repeated cycles of stretching and relaxation in rat
      glomerular mesangial cells. Evidence for involvement of protein kinase C.
AB  - Quiescent rat glomerular mesangial cells were exposed to repeated cycles of
      stretching and relaxation, and the effects on the rate of collagen production,
      proliferation, and S6 kinase activity were investigated. Stretch/relaxation
      induced increases in production of both collagen and non-collagenous proteins.
      Proliferation of mesangial cells was stimulated by stretch/relaxation and
      epidermal growth factor, but not by angiotensin II; however, administration of
      angiotensin II augmented stretch/relaxation-induced cell proliferation. Cytosolic
      S6 kinase activity was stimulated by stretch/relaxation, angiotensin II,
      epidermal growth factor, or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. The increased S6
      kinase activity was detectable within 30 min after initiation of
      stretch/relaxation and was blocked by either inhibitors of protein kinase C or
      prior down-regulation of protein kinase C following prolonged incubation with
      phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Both translocation of protein kinase C from the
      cytosolic to the membrane fraction and phosphorylation of an endogenous 80-kDa
      protein were observed within 5 min of initiation of stretch/relaxation. These
      results demonstrate that in mesangial cells, mechanical factors alone can induce
      increases in production of collagen and non-collagenous proteins and in cell
      proliferation. The observation that stretch/relaxation induced stimulation of S6
      kinase activity through protein kinase C-dependent mechanisms suggests that
      activation of protein kinase C may be a key event in initiating adaptive
      responses of mesangial cells to increased workload.

PMID- 1429661
TI  - 3'-->5' exonuclease in Drosophila mitochondrial DNA polymerase. Substrate
      specificity and functional coordination of nucleotide polymerization and mispair
      hydrolysis.
AB  - A mispair-specific 3'-->5' exonuclease copurifies quantitatively with the near
      homogeneous Drosophila gamma polymerase (Kaguni, L.S., and Olson, M.W. (1989)
      Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 86, 6469-6473). The exonuclease and polymerase
      exhibit similar reaction requirements and optima, suggesting functional
      coordination of their activities. Under nonpolymerization conditions, the 3'-->5'
      exonuclease hydrolyzes 3'-terminal mispairs approximately 15-fold more
      efficiently than 3'-terminal base pairs on primed single-stranded DNA substrates,
      whereas it does not discriminate between any of three specific mispairs
      (dAMP:dAMP;dGMP:dGMP; dGMP:dAMP). Under polymerization conditions, gamma
      polymerase does not extend a 3'-terminal mispair from the "stationary" state,
      even in the presence of a large excess of the next correct nucleotide. Instead,
      3'-terminal mispairs are hydrolyzed quantitatively by the 3'-->5' exonuclease
      over the reaction time course. During DNA synthesis by gamma polymerase in the
      "polymerization" mode, limited misincorporation and subsequent mispair extension
      do occur. Here, it appears that misincorporation and not mispair extension is
      rate-limiting. Template-primer challenge experiments suggest that the mechanism
      of template-primer transfer from the 3'-->5' exonuclease active site to the DNA
      polymerase active site is intermolecular; transfer from the exonuclease to
      polymerase mode appears to require dissociation and reassociation of
      mitochondrial DNA polymerase.

PMID- 1429662
TI  - Assembly and secretion of fibrinogen. Degradation of individual chains.
AB  - Hep G2 cells produce surplus A alpha and gamma fibrinogen chains. These excess
      chains, which are not secreted, exist primarily as free gamma chains and as an A
      alpha-gamma complex. We have determined the intracellular location and the
      degradative fate of these polypeptides by treatment with endoglycosidase-H and by
      inhibiting lysosomal enzyme activity, using NH4Cl, chloroquine, and leupeptin.
      Free gamma chain and the gamma component of A alpha-gamma are both cleaved by
      endoglycosidase-H, indicating that the gamma chains accumulate in a pre-Golgi
      compartment. Lysosomal enzyme inhibitors did not affect the disappearance of free
      gamma chains but inhibited A alpha-gamma by 50%, suggesting that A alpha-gamma is
      degraded in lysosomes. The degradative fate of individual chains was determined
      in transfected COS cells which express but do not secrete single chains.
      Leupeptin did not affect B beta chain degradation, had very little affect on
      gamma chain, but markedly inhibited A alpha chain degradation. Antibody to
      immunoglobulin heavy chain-binding protein (GRP 78) co-immunoprecipitated B beta
      but not A alpha or gamma chains. Preferential binding of heavy chain-binding
      protein to B beta was also noted in Hep G2 cells and in chicken hepatocytes.
      Taken together these studies indicate that B beta and gamma chains are degraded
      in the endoplasmic reticulum, but only B beta is bound to BiP. By contrast A
      alpha chains and the A alpha-gamma complex undergo lysosomal degradation.

PMID- 1429663
TI  - Sequence of the fifth largest subunit of RNA polymerase II from plants.
AB  - An affinity-purified antibody raised against the fifth largest subunit of
      cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) RNA polymerase II was used to screen an
      expression library and isolate an Arabidopsis thaliana cDNA clone. This cDNA
      clone was used to isolate a soybean (Glycine max) cDNA clone, and both clones
      were sequenced. The open reading frames contain 176 amino acids and predict
      polypeptides of 19.5 and 19.6 kDa for Arabidopsis and soybean, respectively. The
      amino acid sequences of the Arabidopsis and soybean polypeptides are 91.5%
      identical. The fifth largest subunit in plant RNA polymerase II is present at
      unit stoichiometry in purified enzyme and does not dissociate from the holoenzyme
      during nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The gene encoding the
      19.5-kDa subunit has been isolated and sequenced from Arabidopsis. The gene is
      single copy and contains five introns. The size of the mRNA encoding this RNA
      polymerase II subunit in Arabidopsis and soybean is approximately 1 kilobase.
      None of the published yeast or animal RNA polymerase subunit sequences show
      similarity to the fifth largest subunit in plants.

PMID- 1429664
TI  - Strand-selective repair of DNA damage in the yeast GAL7 gene requires RNA
      polymerase II.
AB  - We examined the role of transcription in directing repair of DNA damage in active
      genes by comparing the repair of thymine glycols produced by H2O2 and of UV
      induced pyrimidine dimers on each strand of the GAL7 gene of Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae. Repair of both thymine glycols and pyrimidine dimers on the
      transcribed strand of the gene occurs two to three times faster than on its
      nontranscribed strand or in the genome overall. When the gene is inactive, no
      preferential or strand-selective repair is observed. Using a yeast strain
      containing a temperature-sensitive mutation in one of the subunits of RNA
      polymerase II, we find that inactivating RNA polymerase II by shifting the cells
      to the nonpermissive temperature during repair eliminates the strand selectivity
      of repair under conditions where repair on the nontranscribed strand of the gene
      and in the genome overall are only slightly affected. Our observation of strand
      selective repair of thymine glycols in the GAL7 gene is the first evidence that
      this repair process occurs for a nonbulky lesion. In addition, we demonstrate
      that the transcriptional complex plays a critical role in directing repair to the
      transcribed strand of active genes.

PMID- 1429665
TI  - The Q205LGo-alpha subunit expressed in NIH-3T3 cells induces transformation.
AB  - The growth functions of the heterotrimeric G protein G(o) was studied by
      expression in heterologous systems. The alpha-subunit of G(o) was mutated to
      convert Gln-205 to Leu (Q205L). Mutation of this conserved glutamine residue in G
      protein alpha-subunits is thought to persistently activate G proteins by
      inhibiting their GTPase activity. The wild type and mutant G(o)-alpha subunits
      were expressed in NIH-3T3 fibroblasts. These cells do not contain any measurable
      amounts of G(o)-alpha mRNA or protein. Transfection of wild type or Q205LG(o)
      alpha subunit cDNA under the control of a dexamethasone-inducible promoter
      results in dexamethasone-dependent transcription of the mRNA and expression of
      the protein. The Q205LG(o)-alpha, but not wild type G(o)-alpha, stimulates
      mitogenesis in NIH-3T3 fibroblasts without significantly stimulating
      phospholipase C activity. Continuous expression of mutant G(o)-alpha induces
      focus formation, whereas transfections with vector alone or vector containing the
      native G(o)-alpha cDNA were without significant transforming effect in NIH-3T3
      cells. Q205L G(o)-alpha did not induce focus formation in RAT-1 fibroblasts.
      Q205LG(o)-alpha-transformed NIH-3T3 cells are capable of anchorage-independent
      growth, as assessed by colony formation in soft agar. Q205LG(o)-alpha transformed
      cells induced tumors when injected into Nu/Nu mice. These results indicate that
      mutant G(o)-alpha subunits whose GTPase activity is presumably inhibited can
      induce the neoplastic transformation of NIH-3T3 cells in a phospholipase C
      independent manner.

PMID- 1429666
TI  - Differential effects of heat shock and UVB light upon stress protein expression
      in epidermal keratinocytes.
AB  - Heat stress and ultraviolet light in the UVB range ("sunburn spectrum," 290-320
      nm) were found to alter the synthesis of specific proteins in cultured
      keratinocytes derived from mouse skin. Using giant two-dimensional gels,
      approximately 2,000 cellular polypeptides labeled with [35S]methionine at 4-5 h
      after exposure to heat or to UVB were analyzed. Cells conditioned at sublethal
      temperatures (42 degrees C for 1 h, or 47 degrees C for 15 min) developed
      thermotolerance, while cells conditioned with UVB did not develop
      thermotolerance. Under these heat or UVB conditions, 19 stress proteins were
      observed. Proteins fell into three classes based upon their inducibility by heat
      or UVB, dose-response, and induction mechanism (transcriptional versus post
      transcriptional) as defined by metabolic blockade with cordycepin (3'
      deoxyadenosine). Class 1 proteins were inducible only by heat shock. They
      included three major heat-shock proteins (hsp 72, hsp 78, hsp 90) and a 42.5-kDa,
      pI 5.43 protein, and all were induced at the transcriptional level. Class 2
      proteins were inducible by heat and by UVB. These included hsp 110 and eight
      additional polypeptides. All but one were affected by heat at the post
      transcriptional level and were induced by UVB at both low (20 mJ/cm2) and high
      (80 mJ/cm2) doses. Class 3 proteins were inducible only at high UVB doses
      (survival < 10%). Class 1 and Class 2 proteins could be functionally involved in
      thermotolerance, while Class 3 proteins are more likely related to damage or cell
      death.

PMID- 1429667
TI  - N-myristoylation of the rod outer segment G protein, transducin, in cultured
      retinas.
AB  - Bovine retinas incubated with [3H]myristic acid incorporated detectable
      radiolabel into only a few proteins. The most heavily labeled was the alpha
      subunit of the rod outer segment G protein transducin (Gt alpha). The
      radiolabeled protein was specifically eluted from illuminated membranes in the
      presence of GTP, displaying the unique solubility properties of Gt alpha. It
      comigrated with Gt alpha in electrophoresis and chromatography and was
      immunoprecipitated by Gt alpha-specific antibodies. The radiolabel was confirmed
      by hydrolysis, chemical derivatization, and chromatography to be amide-linked
      myristic acid. The solubility of the myristoylated Gt alpha indicates that
      myristoylation is not sufficient to cause tight membrane association of this
      normally membrane-bound subunit. Incorporation of [3H]myristate was blocked by
      the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, suggesting that that fatty acid
      group is introduced during or soon after translation in the rod inner segment.

PMID- 1429668
TI  - Characterization of recombinant von Willebrand factor corresponding to mutations
      in type IIA and type IIB von Willebrand disease.
AB  - Type IIA and IIB von Willebrand disease (vWD) result from defects in von
      Willebrand factor (vWF). Although both type IIA and IIB vWD are characterized by
      the absence of high molecular weight multimers in plasma, vWF from patients with
      type IIA vWD demonstrates a decreased affinity for the platelet receptor
      glycoprotein Ib (GPIb), whereas vWF from patients with type IIB vWD show an
      increased affinity for GPIb. To investigate how structural alterations in vWF
      affect its interaction with GPIb, we reproduced the reported potential mutations
      in type IIA and IIB vWD in vWF cDNA and expressed the recombinant proteins in COS
      1 cells. The type IIA vWF potential mutation was represented by a G-->A
      transversion which results in the substitution of Lys for Glu at position 875 in
      the mature vWF subunit (rvWFLys875). The type IIB vWF mutation corresponds to a
      duplicated ATG codon, resulting in three contiguous methionines starting at
      position 540-541 in the normal vWF sequence (rv-WFduplMet540-541). The subunit
      composition and multimeric structure of both mutant proteins were similar to the
      wild-type rvWF. The rvWFLys875 bound to fixed platelets in the presence of
      ristocetin similar to wild-type rvWF. The rvWFduplMet540-541 bound to fixed
      platelets in the absence of agonist. The rvWFLys875 appears to interact normally
      with GPIb, and the decreased affinity for the platelet receptor observed in
      plasma is probably a consequence of prior reduction in multimeric size resulting
      from the defect. In contrast, the duplication of Met540-541 increases the
      reactivity of vWF for its platelet receptor.

PMID- 1429669
TI  - Paneth cells of the human small intestine express an antimicrobial peptide gene.
AB  - Mucosal surfaces of several organ systems are important interfaces for host
      defense against microbes. Recent evidence suggests that antimicrobial peptides
      contribute to the defense of these surfaces. Defensins are one family of
      antimicrobial peptide, but their known distribution in humans has been limited to
      four members found in cells of myeloid origin. We sought to determine if the
      human defensin family was more complex. We found that the family of human
      defensins is diverse and is not restricted to expression in leukocytes. Southern
      blot and genomic clone analyses reveal that numerous defensin-related sequences
      are present in the human genome. A gene for a new human defensin family member
      was characterized. This gene, designated human defensin-5, is highly expressed in
      Paneth cells of the small intestine. This is the first example of an
      antimicrobial peptide gene expressed in an epithelial cell in humans. The data
      support the hypotheses that epithelial defensins equip the human small bowel with
      a previously unrecognized defensive capability which would augment other
      antimicrobial defenses.

PMID- 1429670
TI  - Amino acid sequence of the human protein synthesis initiation factor eIF-4 gamma.
AB  - Eukaryotic protein synthesis initiation factor (eIF) 4 gamma, also known as p220,
      is a component of the protein complex eIF-4, which is involved in the recognition
      of the mRNA cap, ATP-dependent unwinding of 5'-terminal secondary structure and
      recruitment of mRNA to the ribosome. Peptide sequence data from rabbit
      reticulocyte eIF-4 gamma was used to synthesize oligonucleotide probes and
      polymerase chain reaction primers. These were used to screen lambda-cDNA
      libraries from rabbit and human brain, yielding a partial rabbit and a complete
      human cDNA sequence of 5.1 kilobases. Northern blot and primer extension analysis
      indicated that the cDNA sequence was complete. To confirm that the cDNA
      represented that of eIF-4 gamma, three peptides were synthesized based on cDNA
      sequences and used to produce anti-peptide antibodies. The antibodies
      specifically recognized intact eIF-4 gamma and its cleavage products following
      poliovirus infection. The eIF-4 gamma mRNA contains AUG codons at nucleotides 6,
      67, 90, 165, and 369, but only the last is followed by a long open reading frame.
      The eIF-4 gamma polypeptide is 154 kDa (1396 amino acid residues) and contains
      sequence motifs of potential interest: a sequence (AGLGPR) that is similar to the
      substrate recognition sequence of protease 2A from rhinovirus serotype 14, five
      PEST regions with scores greater than 10, which are characteristic of rapidly
      degraded proteins, stretches of polyglutamic acid, and numerous potential
      phosphorylation sites.

PMID- 1429672
TI  - Processing and secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha in endotoxin-treated Mono
      Mac 6 cells are dependent on phorbol myristate acetate.
AB  - Lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin) is a potent stimulator of tumor necrosis
      factor alpha (TNF alpha) synthesis and secretion in mouse macrophage tumor cells
      (Golenbock, D. T., Hampton, R. Y., Qureshi, N., Takayama, K., and Raetz, C. H. R.
      (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 19490-19498). In contrast, addition of LPS (10 ng/ml)
      to human monomyelocytic (Mono Mac 6) cells induces very little production of TNF
      alpha, as judged by immunoassay of the growth medium. When 30 ng/ml 4-beta
      phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) is added together with LPS, large amounts
      of TNF alpha are secreted. PMA alone is inactive. Maximal TNF alpha levels in the
      medium are achieved at 1 ng/ml of LPS. Protein kinase C inhibitors, such as H7 (1
      (5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine), staurosporine, and sphingosine,
      reduce TNF alpha secretion stimulated by PMA. The effect of PMA has been
      investigated at each stage of TNF alpha biogenesis. Treatment of Mono Mac 6 cells
      with LPS alone results in rapid, transient, and full expression of TNF alpha
      mRNA. Concomitant addition of PMA does not increase TNF alpha mRNA synthesis any
      further, but it prolongs the half-life of TNF alpha mRNA about 3-fold. However,
      mRNA stabilization does not account for the striking effect of PMA on TNF alpha
      secretion. Analysis of TNF alpha synthesis and secretion by immunoprecipitation
      indicates that LPS alone is fully effective in stimulating the formation of the
      intracellular 26-kDa TNF alpha precursor. LPS alone is not sufficient to allow
      processing of the precursor and secretion of mature 17-kDa TNF alpha. The rate of
      TNF alpha secretion observed immediately after the addition of PMA to LPS
      pretreated cells is similar to the maximum rate from LPS/PMA-treated cells, but
      without the lag observed in cells after being exposed to LPS and PMA
      simultaneously. In summary, PMA is required for the completion of TNF alpha
      precursor processing and secretion in LPS-treated human Mono Mac 6 cells, whereas
      murine RAW cells are able to complete the terminal steps of TNF alpha processing
      in the absence of PMA.

PMID- 1429671
TI  - Characterization of transport-mediated methotrexate resistance in human tumor
      cells with antibodies to the membrane carrier for methotrexate and
      tetrahydrofolate cofactors.
AB  - An earlier report (Matherly, L. H., Czajkowski, C. A., and Angeles, S. M. (1991)
      Cancer Res. 51, 3420-3426) described a K562 human erythroleukemia line
      (K562.4CF), characterized by an elevated uptake capacity for methotrexate (MTX)
      and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate, and the identification of a highly glycosylated
      membrane transporter (GP-MTX) by radioaffinity labeling with N-hydroxysuccinimide
      [3H] methotrexate. In the present study, radioaffinity-labeled GP-MTX from
      K562.4CF cells was isolated by Ricinus communis agglutinin I-agarose affinity
      chromatography, coupled with gel filtration and preparative electrophoresis.
      Antiserum to the purified, radio-labeled protein was raised in a rabbit and
      screened by immunoblot analysis of K562.4CF plasma membrane proteins or purified
      GP-MTX. The antiserum detected a broad GP-MTX band centered at 92 kDa on 7.5%
      gels. On 4-10% gels, the apparent molecular mass for GP-MTX shifted to 99 kDa.
      Antiserum specificity was established by quantitatively converting the
      immunoreactive glycoprotein in plasma membrane homogenates to its N- and O
      deglycosylated forms with N- and O-glycanases, respectively. Whereas the
      methotrexate uptake capacity of K562.4CF cells was elevated 6.1-fold over
      parental cells, the GP-MTX content on immunoblots was increased approximately 3
      fold. For two methotrexate-resistant K562 lines (33- and 70-fold), decreased drug
      uptake (28 and 18% of parental levels) closely correlated with their reduced GP
      MTX contents. A GP-MTX isoform was also detected on immunoblots of membrane
      proteins from CCRF-CEM human lymphoblastic leukemia cells. With a transport
      impaired CCRF-CEM line (13% of wild type uptake), an aberrant electrophoretic
      migration for GP-MTX was observed, establishing the presence of structural
      modifications in the transport protein. These structural differences were
      independent of carrier glycosylation since they were detected following the
      glycosidase treatments. These findings implicate important roles for distinct
      carrier-specific alterations in the expression of diminished drug transport in
      methotrexate-resistant human tumor cells.

PMID- 1429673
TI  - Assembly regulatory domain of glial fibrillary acidic protein. A single
      phosphorylation diminishes its assembly-accelerating property.
AB  - Phosphorylation of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) induces disassembly of
      the filaments. An amino-terminal fragment of bovine GFAP (G-Hf) was produced by
      lysylendopeptidase digestion. G-Hf formed ribbon-like filaments in the presence
      of GFAP even in low ionic strength, whereas the fragment itself did not form any
      structures. Only one (PK3) of the five V8 protease fragments of G-Hf accelerated
      GFAP assembly to the same degree as G-Hf did, whereas the other fragments did
      not. When PK3 was cleaved into two fragments, it lost the assembly-accelerating
      property. The sequence of PK3 was determined as RRRVTSATRRSYVSSSE, which
      corresponded to residues 3-19 of porcine GFAP. It was concluded that PK3 contains
      a sequence indispensable for GFAP assembly and that neither PK1 (RRRVTS) nor PK2
      (ATRRSYVSSSE) included all of the sequence. A single phosphorylation of PK3 by
      cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase diminished its assembly-accelerating
      property. The phosphorylation site was determined as Ser-12 of porcine GFAP. It
      was shown that single phosphorylation of the amino-terminal head domain, which
      contains an indispensable sequence for GFAP assembly, might be sufficient for
      GFAP disassembly.

PMID- 1429674
TI  - A monoclonal antibody against a Na(+)-L-glutamate cotransporter from rat brain.
AB  - A monoclonal mouse IgM antibody (Z8E9) was raised against the Na(+)-L-glutamate
      cotransporter from rat brain. In a preparation of brain plasma membrane vesicles,
      Z8E9 binds specifically to a polypeptide with an apparent molecular weight of
      70,000 and inhibits Na+ gradient-dependent L-glutamate cotransport (up to 50%) in
      brain membrane vesicles. In the membrane vesicles, the antibody does not alter
      the membrane permeability for Na+ and K+ nor the Na+ gradient-dependent uptake of
      gamma-aminobutyric acid. Kinetic experiments showed that Z8E9 does not alter the
      K0.5 values for L-glutamate and Na+ activation of L-glutamate transport. However,
      an apparent cooperativity observed for L-glutamate activation was increased, and
      the Vmax of L-glutamate transport was decreased. Immunostaining of rat cerebellum
      identified antigenic sites of Z8E9 in Golgi epithelial cells and astrocytes (by
      light and electron microscopy), whereas no labeling at nerve terminals was
      detected. The data suggest that a component of a Na(+)-L-glutamate cotransporter
      subtype has been identified that is specific for glia cells in brain.

PMID- 1429675
TI  - Mechanisms of subcellular cytosolic Ca2+ signaling evoked by stimulation of the
      vasopressin V1a receptor.
AB  - Receptor activation may result in distinct subcellular patterns of Ca2+ release.
      To define the subcellular distribution of Ca2+i signals induced by stimulation of
      the vasopressin V1a receptor, we expressed the cloned receptor in Xenopus
      oocytes. Oocytes were then loaded with fluo-3 and observed using confocal
      microscopy. Vasopressin induced a single concentric wave of increased Ca2+ that
      radiated inward from the plasma membrane. With submaximal stimulation, however,
      regions of the Ca2+ wave spontaneously reorganized into repetitive (oscillatory)
      waves. Focal stimulation of a small part of the plasma membrane resulted in a
      Ca2+ wave which began at the point of stimulation, radiated toward the center of
      the cell, then reorganized into multiple foci of repetitive, colliding waves and
      spirals of increased Ca2+i. The pattern of Ca2+ signaling induced by focal or
      global stimulation was not altered in Ca(2+)-free medium, although signals did
      not propagate as fast. Finally, subcellular Ca2+ signaling patterns induced by
      vasopressin were inhibited by caffeine, while neither vasopressin nor
      microinjection of inositol trisphosphate blocked caffeine-induced increases in
      cytosolic Ca2+. Thus, stimulation of the V1a receptor in this cell system induces
      a complex pattern of Ca2+ signaling which is influenced by (1) the magnitude of
      the stimulus, (2) the distribution of the surface receptors that are stimulated,
      and (3) mobilization of Ca2+ from the extracellular space as well as from two
      distinct endogenous Ca2+ pools. The manner in which a single type of receptor is
      activated may represent an important potential mechanism for subcellular Ca2+i
      signaling.

PMID- 1429676
TI  - Differential regulation of the atrial isoforms of the myosin light chains during
      striated muscle development.
AB  - We have isolated a cDNA that encodes the human regulatory myosin light chain
      isoform predominant in adult atrial muscle. The cDNA contains an open reading
      frame of 175 amino acids and encodes a hydrophilic protein of a largely helical
      structure with two potential phosphorylation sites. The protein is different from
      any other regulatory myosin light chain so far described and is the product of a
      previously uncharacterized single copy gene. An isoform-specific probe was used
      to analyze the expression of this isoform in adult muscle and in cardiac and
      skeletal muscle development in vivo and in vitro. Parallel analysis of the
      corresponding human alkali myosin light chain (predominant in adult atrium)
      showed that both isoforms are expressed in early heart development, in both
      atrium and ventricle. Although the atrial alkali light chain is expressed
      throughout embryonic striated muscle development, the regulatory myosin light
      chain was not detected in skeletal myogenesis in vivo or in vitro. Thus the
      atrial isoforms are not universally or exclusively "paired" and can be
      independently regulated. We propose that the manner in which these particular
      isoforms fulfill the functional requirements of the muscle at different
      developmental times may have direct impact on their regulation.

PMID- 1429677
TI  - Contrasting mechanisms for suppression of macrophage cytokine release by
      transforming growth factor-beta and interleukin-10.
AB  - Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta and interleukin (IL)-10 inhibited
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophage production of the inflammatory
      cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF), IL-1 alpha, and IL-1 beta by
      contrasting post-transcriptional mechanisms. TGF-beta acted slowly and late, as
      it required 12-16 h to exert a suppressive effect, and inhibited TNF production
      even when added 6 h after LPS. TGF-beta affected neither the level of TNF mRNA,
      the release of preformed TNF nor the degradation of TNF. Thus, TGF-beta appeared
      to inhibit translation of TNF mRNA. IL-10 not only suppressed TNF release to a 25
      fold greater extent than TGF-beta, but also inhibited release of IL-1. In
      contrast to TGF-beta, IL-10 acted on an early step in cytokine production, its
      effect being maximal 3 h after addition of LPS. Unlike TGF-beta, IL-10 markedly
      suppressed TNF, IL-1 alpha, and IL-1 beta mRNA levels. However, this was
      accomplished without suppressing transcription of the corresponding genes.
      Moreover, cycloheximide antagonized the IL-10-dependent reduction in cytokine
      mRNA levels. Thus, IL-10 may induce a ribonuclease active on cytokine transcripts
      or may induce a protein that enhances the susceptibility of TNF, IL-1 alpha, and
      IL-1 beta mRNAs to ribonucleolytic action. We conclude that IL-10 and TGF-beta
      induce different phenotypes of macrophage deactivation, and deactivate
      macrophages by different mechanisms: IL-10 promotes degradation of cytokine mRNA,
      while TGF-beta primarily suppresses translation.

PMID- 1429678
TI  - Evidence for two conformers of the beta subunit of tryptophan synthase in
      solution.
AB  - To explain our finding that the dimeric beta subunit of tryptophan synthase is
      only 50% inactivated by beta-chloro-L-alanine (Ahmed, S. A., Ruvinov, S. B.,
      Kayastha, A. M., and Miles, E. W. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 21548-21557), we
      have extended our investigation using spectroscopic, steady-state kinetic, and
      electrophoretic methods. The spectroscopic properties of the half-active beta 2
      dimer and the reactivation after alkali treatment show that the inactivation
      proceeds by an "enamine" mechanism. Although the fully active beta 2 dimer
      associates with the tryptophan synthase alpha subunit to form alpha 2 beta 2
      complex, the inactive beta subunits in the half-active enzyme associate weakly or
      not at all with the alpha subunit. Our results provide evidence for two
      conformers of the beta subunit in solution: one is rapidly inactivated by beta
      chloro-L-alanine and the other is not inactivated. Thermal inactivation studies
      and non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the half-active enzyme
      show that the beta 2 dimer exists in both homologous and heterologous
      combinations of these two forms. After removal of the reaction products and
      unreacted beta-chloro-L-alanine from the half-active beta 2 dimer by gel
      filtration, further incubation with beta-chloro-L-alanine results in the loss of
      50% of the remaining activity. This result suggests that the subunits undergo
      rearrangement via an intermediate monomer form to regenerate the two conformers
      of the active beta subunit. This mechanism of rearrangement is supported by our
      finding that the extent of inactivation increases at lower concentrations of the
      beta 2 dimer.

PMID- 1429679
TI  - alpha A-crystallin is expressed in non-ocular tissues.
AB  - alpha-Crystallin, the predominant structural protein of the ocular lens, has been
      considered to be composed of two subunits, alpha A-crystallin and alpha B
      crystallin. Of these two, alpha B-crystallin has been previously shown to be an
      extralenticular protein while alpha A-crystallin has been considered to be a lens
      specific polypeptide. Using an antiserum directed against an N-terminal peptide
      of alpha-crystallin, we have detected a 20-kDa protein in various rat tissues
      including the brain, liver, lung, spleen, skin, and small intestine and in a
      number of established epithelial and fibroblast cell lines. PCR analysis of
      poly(A)-enriched RNA and Southern blot analysis indicated the presence of alpha A
      crystallin mRNA sequences in different non-lenticular tissues. Among the non
      ocular tissues examined, spleen showed the highest levels of alpha A-crystallin
      protein and mRNA. The identity of alpha A-crystallin sequences in the spleen was
      established by cloning and sequencing a polymerase chain reaction-amplified
      region of alpha A-crystallin mRNA. Sequences derived from spleen and eye revealed
      almost 100% identity at the nucleotide level. Interestingly, alpha A-crystallin
      and alpha B-crystallin seem to exist in an inverse quantitative relationship in
      the spleen and the heart, the two non-ocular tissues where they show highest
      concentrations, respectively. The known conserved evolution of alpha A-crystallin
      and the definitive demonstration of the non-ocular expression of this polypeptide
      suggest important non-crystallin functions for this protein.

PMID- 1429680
TI  - Ubiquitin-specific proteases of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Cloning of UBP2 and
      UBP3, and functional analysis of the UBP gene family.
AB  - In eukaryotes, both natural and engineered ubiquitin (Ub) fusions to itself or
      other proteins are cleaved by processing proteases after the last (Gly76) residue
      of ubiquitin. YUH1 and UBP1, the genes for two ubiquitin-specific proteases of
      the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, have been cloned previously and shown to
      encode nonhomologous proteins. Using an Escherichia coli-based genetic screen, we
      have isolated two other yeast genes for ubiquitin-specific proteases, named UBP2
      and UBP3. Ubp2 (1,264 residues), Ubp3 (912 residues), and the previously cloned
      Ubp1 (809 residues) are largely dissimilar except for two short regions
      containing Cys and His which encompass their putative active sites. Neither of
      these proteases has sequence similarities to Yuh1. Both Ubp2 and the previously
      identified Ubp1 cleave in vitro at the C terminus of the ubiquitin moiety in
      natural and engineered fusions irrespective of their size, poly-Ub being the
      exception. However, both Ubp1 and Ubp2 are also capable of cleaving poly-Ub when
      coexpressed with it in E. coli, suggesting that such cleavage is largely
      cotranslational. Although inactive in E. coli extracts, Ubp3 was active with all
      of the tested ubiquitin fusions except poly-Ub when coexpressed with them in E.
      coli. Null yuh1 ubp1 ubp2 ubp3 quadruple mutants are viable and retain the
      ability to deubiquitinate ubiquitin fusions, indicating the presence of at least
      one more ubiquitin-specific processing protease in S. cerevisiae.

PMID- 1429681
TI  - Purification and properties of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA polymerase II general
      initiation factor a.
AB  - RNA polymerase II initiation factor a was purified to apparent homogeneity from
      yeast whole cell extract and consisted of two highly charged polypeptides with
      apparent masses of 66 and 43 kDa. Separation and renaturation of the subunits
      showed that both were required for transcription activity. The native mass of
      factor a was estimated to be 240-260 kDa by gel filtration, but its sedimentation
      rate in a glycerol gradient was similar to that of a much smaller globular
      protein, suggesting an extended conformation. Factor a was required for
      utilization of six different eukaryotic promoters in vitro, indicating a general
      role in promoter-directed transcription by yeast RNA polymerase II.

PMID- 1429682
TI  - G protein beta gamma subunits synthesized in Sf9 cells. Functional
      characterization and the significance of prenylation of gamma.
AB  - Heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins)
      consist of a nucleotide-binding alpha subunit and a high-affinity complex of beta
      and gamma subunits. There is molecular heterogeneity of beta and gamma, but the
      significance of this diversity is poorly understood. Different G protein beta and
      gamma subunits have been expressed both singly and in combinations in Sf9 cells.
      Although expression of individual subunits is achieved in all cases, beta gamma
      subunit activity (support of pertussis toxin-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation of rGi
      alpha 1) is detected only when beta and gamma are expressed concurrently. Of the
      six combinations of beta gamma tested (beta 1 or beta 2 with gamma 1, gamma 2, or
      gamma 3), only one, beta 2 gamma 1, failed to generate a functional complex. Each
      of the other five complexes has been purified by subunit exchange chromatography
      using Go alpha-agarose as the chromatographic matrix. We have detected
      differences in the abilities of the purified proteins to support ADP-ribosylation
      of Gi alpha 1; these differences are attributable to the gamma component of the
      complex. When assayed for their ability to inhibit calmodulin-stimulated type-I
      adenylylcyclase activity or to potentiate Gs alpha-stimulated type-II
      adenylylcyclase, recombinant beta 1 gamma 1 and transducin beta gamma are
      approximately 10 and 20 times less potent, respectively, than the other complexes
      examined. Prenylation and/or further carboxyl-terminal processing of gamma are
      not required for assembly of the beta gamma subunit complex but are indispensable
      for high affinity interactions of beta gamma with either G protein alpha subunits
      or adenylylcyclases.

PMID- 1429683
TI  - Alanine scanning mutagenesis identifies surface amino acids on domain II of
      Pseudomonas exotoxin required for cytotoxicity, proper folding, and secretion
      into periplasm.
AB  - Pseudomonas exotoxin A (PE) is a single polypeptide chain that contains 613 amino
      acids and is arranged into three major structural domains. Domain Ia is
      responsible for cell recognition, domain II for translocation of PE across the
      membrane, and domain III for ADP-ribosylation of elongation factor 2. Recombinant
      PE can be produced in Escherichia coli and is efficiently secreted into the
      periplasm when an OmpA signal sequence is present. To investigate the role of the
      amino acids located on the surface of domain II in the action of the toxin
      against mammalian cells, we substituted alanine for each of the 27 surface amino
      acids present in domain II. Surprisingly, all 27 mutant proteins had some
      alteration in cytotoxicity when tested on human A431 or MCF7 cells or mouse L929
      cells. Native PE has a compact structure and therefore is relatively protease
      resistant and very little ADP-ribosylation activity is detected in the absence of
      the denaturing agents like urea and dithiothreitol. Several of the mutations
      resulted in altered protease sensitivity of the toxin. Seven of the mutant
      molecules exhibited ADP-ribosylation activity without urea and dithiothreitol,
      indicating they are partially unfolded. Out of these seven mutants, six had
      increased cytotoxic activity on at least one of the target cell lines and the
      other retained its native cytotoxic potency.

PMID- 1429684
TI  - The new enzymology of precursor processing endoproteases.

PMID- 1429685
TI  - Cell adhesion or integrin clustering increases phosphorylation of a focal
      adhesion-associated tyrosine kinase.
AB  - We have recently shown that changes in tyrosine phosphorylation of a 130-kDa
      protein(s) (pp130) may be involved in integrin signaling (Kornberg, L., Earp,
      H.S., Turner, C., Prokop, and Juliano, R. L. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.
      88, 8392-8396). One component of the pp130 protein complex reacts with an
      antibody generated against p125fak, which is a focal contact-associated tyrosine
      kinase (Schaller, M.D., Borgman, C. A., Cobb, B. S., Vines, R. R., Reynolds, A.
      B., and Parsons, J. T. (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89, 5192-5196). Both
      antibody-mediated integrin clustering and adhesion of KB cells to fibronectin
      leads to increased tyrosine phosphorylation of p125fak. The phosphorylation of
      p125fak is coincident with adhesion of cells to fibronectin and is maximal prior
      to cell spreading. Tyrosine phosphorylation of p125fak is induced when KB cells
      are allowed to adhere to fibronectin, collagen type IV, or laminin, but is not
      induced on polylysine. When KB cells are subjected to indirect immunofluorescence
      microscopy, p125fak colocalizes with talin in focal contacts. These data provide
      additional evidence that tyrosine kinases are involved in integrin signaling.

PMID- 1429686
TI  - Expression of a transmembrane phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibits cellular
      response to platelet-derived growth factor and insulin-like growth factor-1.
AB  - Tyrosine phosphorylation is a mechanism of signal transduction shared by many
      growth factor receptors and oncogene products. Phosphotyrosine phosphatases
      (PTPases) potentially modulate or counter-regulate these signaling pathways. To
      test this hypothesis, the transmembrane PTPase CD45 (leukocyte common antigen)
      was expressed in the murine cell line C127. Hormone-dependent autophosphorylation
      of the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and insulin-like growth factor-1
      (IGF-1) receptors was markedly reduced in cells expressing the transmembrane
      PTPase. Tyrosine phosphorylation of other PDGF-dependent phosphoproteins (160,
      140, and 55 kDa) and IGF-1-dependent phosphoproteins (145 kDa) was similarly
      decreased. Interestingly, the pattern of growth factor-independent tyrosine
      phosphorylations was comparable in cells expressing the PTPase and control cells.
      This suggests a selectivity or accessibility of the PTPase limited to a subset of
      cellular phosphotyrosyl proteins. The maximum mitogenic response to PDGF and IGF
      1 in cells expressing the PTPase was decreased by 67 and 71%, respectively. These
      results demonstrate that a transmembrane PTPase can both affect the tyrosine
      phosphorylation state of growth factor receptors and modulate proximal and distal
      cellular responses to the growth factors.

PMID- 1429687
TI  - Interleukin-1 alpha induces the accumulation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 and
      the release of prostaglandin E2 in human fibroblasts.
AB  - Treatment of the human lung fibroblast cell line, WI-38, with interleukin-1 alpha
      (IL-1 alpha) results in a large increase in the production of cytosolic
      phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). The IL-1-induced
      accumulation of cPLA2 is closely correlated with increased PGE2 release. In
      contrast to cPLA2, the level of cyclooxygenase remains unchanged following IL-1
      alpha treatment. The glucocorticoid, dexamethasone, blocks the IL-1 alpha
      mediated increases in both cPLA2 and PGE2 without affecting the cyclooxygenase
      level. Taken together, these data suggest that in these cells, the regulation of
      prostaglandin production by IL-1 and glucocorticoid can be attributed to the
      level of cPLA2. These results provide a new mechanism for the effect of IL-1 and
      glucocorticoids on eicosanoid synthesis and provide additional support for an
      important role of cPLA2 in the inflammatory response.

PMID- 1429688
TI  - A rise and fall in 1,2-diacylglycerol content signal hexamethylene bisacetamide
      induced erythropoiesis.
AB  - Previous studies have suggested a role for protein kinase C (PKC) during
      induction of murine erythroleukemia cell (MELC) differentiation by hexamethylene
      bisacetamide (HMBA) (Melloni, E., Pontremoli, S., Viotti, P. L., Patrone, M.,
      Marks, P. A., and Rifkind, R. A. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 18414-18418). The
      present studies assess the effect of HMBA on the content of 1,2-diacylglycerol
      (DG), the physiologic activator of PKC, in MELC variants. Exposure of parental
      Sc9 cells to HMBA induced a rapid rise and fall in DG content. The DG level
      increased within seconds from 225 pmol.10(6) cells-1 to a maximum of 305
      pmol.10(6) cells-1 at 5 min. Thereafter, DG content fell reaching control levels
      at 30 min and 46% of control at 4 h. Similar DG elevations were detected in HMBA
      resistant, phorbol ester-resistant, and vincristine-resistant MELC lines. Early
      DG elevation was followed by the characteristic rapid fall in both the phorbol
      ester-resistant and vincristine-resistant lines, both of which differentiate
      rapidly in response to HMBA. In contrast, in an HMBA-resistant MELC the DG level
      failed to fall for at least 10 h. Selection of HMBA-resistant cells for
      vincristine resistance restores both HMBA sensitivity and the rapid fall in DG
      content. Addition of a synthetic DG, 1-oleyl-2-acetyl glycerol (OAG), along with
      HMBA and every 2 h for the next 48 h blocked differentiation, as measured by
      accumulation of benzidine-reactive cells or by the commitment assay in methyl
      cellulose. However, if addition of OAG was delayed for just a few minutes, until
      endogenous DG levels began to fall, differentiation was no longer inhibited.
      Rapid elevation of DG content is the earliest reported event during HMBA action
      and a subsequent fall in the DG content appears to be a critical step in the
      process of commitment to terminal differentiation.

PMID- 1429689
TI  - Caffeine inhibits the agonist-evoked cytosolic Ca2+ signal in mouse pancreatic
      acinar cells by blocking inositol trisphosphate production.
AB  - The inhibitory effects of caffeine on receptor-activated cytosolic Ca2+ signal
      generation in isolated mouse pancreatic acinar cells were investigated. Using the
      ability of caffeine to quench Indo-1 fluorescence we measured simultaneously the
      free intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and the intracellular caffeine
      concentration ([caffeine]i). We also measured inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate
      (InsP3) production with a radioreceptor assay. When caffeine was added to the
      extracellular solution during a sustained receptor-activated increase in [Ca2+]i,
      [caffeine]i rose to its steady level within a few seconds. This was accompanied
      by a decrease of [Ca2+]i, which started only after [caffeine]i had reached an
      apparent threshold concentration (about 2 mM in the case of 0.5 microM
      acetylcholine (ACh) stimulation). Above this [caffeine]i level there was a linear
      relationship between [caffeine]i and [Ca2+]i. Throughout the caffeine exposure
      [Ca2+]i remained at a steady low level. Following removal of caffeine from the
      bath, [caffeine]i decreased to zero within seconds. There was no significant
      increase in [Ca2+]i until [caffeine]i had been reduced to the threshold level
      (about 2 mM at 0.5 microM ACh). Caffeine inhibited Ca2+ signals evoked by ACh,
      cholecystokinin, and ATP and also inhibited signals generated in the absence of
      external Ca2+. Caffeine application had the same effect as removal of agonist
      allowing recovery from apparent desensitization. Caffeine inhibited the agonist
      evoked production of InsP3 in a dose-dependent manner. Our results demonstrate
      the acute and reversible dose-dependent inhibition of agonist-evoked cytosolic
      Ca2+ signal generation due to rapid intracellular caffeine accumulation and
      washout. The inhibition can be explained by the reduction of agonist-evoked InsP3
      production.

PMID- 1429690
TI  - Botulinum neurotoxins are zinc proteins.
AB  - The available amino acid sequences of 150-kDa botulinum and tetanus neurotoxins
      show the presence of a closely homologous segment in the middle of the light
      chain (NH2-terminal 50 kDa), which is the intracellularly active portion of the
      toxin. This segment contains the zinc binding motif of metalloendopeptidases,
      HEXXH. Atomic adsorption analysis of botulinum neurotoxins (serotypes A, B, and
      E) made on the basis of this observation demonstrated the presence of one zinc
      atom/molecule of 150-kDa neurotoxin. Conditions were found for the removal of the
      zinc ion with chelating agents and for the restoration of the normal metal
      content. The conserved segment, which includes the zinc binding motif, was
      synthesized and shown to bind [65Zn]2+. Chemical modification experiments
      indicated that two histidines and no cysteines are involved in Zn2+ coordination
      in agreement with a probable catalytic role for the zinc ion. The present
      findings suggest the possibility that botulinum neurotoxins are zinc proteases.

PMID- 1429691
TI  - Conformational studies of the interdomain linker peptides in the dihydrolipoyl
      acetyltransferase component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex of
      Escherichia coli.
AB  - Two peptides (PEP1, 26 residues, and PEP2, 22 residues) were synthesized with
      amino acid sequences identical to two of the long segments of polypeptide chain
      rich in alanine, proline, and charged amino acids that link the lipoyl domains
      together in the dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase component of the pyruvate
      dehydrogenase multienzyme complex of Escherichia coli. The circular dichroism and
      400-MHz 1H NMR spectra of the peptides indicated that they lacked regular
      secondary structure. Even in the presence of 45% (v/v) hexafluoroisopropanol,
      they appeared to acquire a helical content of only 23-25%. However, 13C NMR
      spectroscopy revealed that the Ala-Pro peptide bonds were all (> 95%) in the
      trans configuration, compared with a value of 87% for the Ala-Pro bond in the
      model peptide AAPA, which is a recurrent sequence motif in PEP1 and PEP2.
      Likewise in peptides representing the N- and C-terminal halves of peptide PEP2,
      the Ala-Pro bonds were again all (> 95%)-trans, suggesting that peptide length is
      the essential determinant of the cis:trans ratio. Antisera were raised against
      peptides PEP2 and PEP3, the latter representing a third interdomain segment of
      polypeptide chain (Radford, S. E., Laue, E. D., Perham, R. N., Martin, S. R., and
      Appella, E. (1989a) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 767-775). Despite extensive sequence
      similarity among peptides PEP1, PEP2, and PEP3, only limited immunological cross
      reactivity was observed, which suggests that the antigenic epitope(s) in the
      peptides are different and distinct. It is likely that these peptides are
      representative of a class of inter-domain linkers or spacers found in a wide
      variety of proteins and endowed with varying degrees of flexibility and stiffness
      to match their particular biological purpose.

PMID- 1429692
TI  - Fatty acid ethyl ester synthase in rat adipose tissue and its relationship to
      carboxylesterase.
AB  - Fatty acid ethyl ester (FAEE) synthase was obtained from rat adipose tissue in an
      electrophoretically homogeneous form. The enzyme associated with carboxylesterase
      activity was purified by acetone precipitation followed by successive
      chromatographies on DEAE-cellulose, phenyl-Sepharose, and Sephadex G-100 gel. The
      two activities in rat adipose tissue were associated as judged by their co
      elution profiles, co-purifications at different steps, co-precipitations by
      antibody raised against purified FAEE synthase, and identical profiles of
      inhibition by diisopropyl fluorophosphate. The enzyme catalyzed the hydrolyses of
      both tri- and monoacylglycerols, and the susceptibilities of substrates increase
      with decreasing acyl chain length of the fatty acid moiety. Ethyl oleate
      hydrolyzing activity was about one-eighth of the synthesizing activity. The N
      terminal amino acid sequence of the first 27 residues of the purified enzyme was
      identical to that of the carboxylesterase from rat liver. With a polyclonal
      rabbit antibody against the rat adipose tissue FAEE synthase, the enzyme was
      demonstrated in the liver, lung, and testis, but not in the kidney. The antibody
      removed the FAEE-synthesizing activities in adipose tissue (86%), liver (23%),
      lung (62%), and testis (82%). These results suggest that carboxylesterase
      contributes to the nonoxidative ethanol metabolism (FAEE synthesis) in various
      organs.

PMID- 1429693
TI  - A fluorescently labeled intestinal fatty acid binding protein. Interactions with
      fatty acids and its use in monitoring free fatty acids.
AB  - The fatty acid-binding protein from rat intestine (I-FABP) has been covalently
      modified with the fluorescent compound Acrylodan. Acrylodan was found to label
      Lys27, one of the few amino acid residues found by x-ray diffraction studies to
      change orientation upon fatty acid (FA) binding to I-FABP. Binding of FA to this
      Acrylodan-modified I-FABP (ADIFAB) induces a large shift in fluorescence emission
      wavelength from 432 to 505 nm. As a consequence, the ratio of emission
      intensities provides a direct measure of the concentration of FA bound to the
      protein. Binding of FA is well described by single site equilibrium for FA
      concentrations below the critical micelle concentration. ADIFAB dissociation
      constants (Kd) determined at 37 degrees C and at concentrations below the
      critical micelle concentration for oleate, palmitate, linoleate, arachidonate,
      and linolenate were, respectively, 0.28, 0.33, 0.97, 1.6, and 2.5 microM. The
      variation of these Kd values with FA molecular species is highly correlated with
      the solubility of the FA in water, suggesting that all these FA bind with a
      similar conformation in the I-FABP binding site. The ADIFAB response together
      with the measured equilibrium constants allows a direct determination of the
      concentration of long chain free fatty acid (FFA) in the concentration range,
      depending upon the FA molecular species, between 1 nM and > 20 microM. As an
      example of its use as a probe to measure FFA levels, ADIFAB is used here to
      monitor the time course for FFA release from IgE receptor- and ionomycin
      activated rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) cells.

PMID- 1429694
TI  - Regulation of integrin gene expression by substrate adherence.
AB  - Under substrate adherent conditions, integrin gene expression can be regulated by
      transforming growth factor-beta, interleukin-1 beta, and prostaglandins. This
      report demonstrates a new mechanism that can differentially control the
      expression of several integrins. When MG-63 osteosarcoma cells are maintained in
      suspension, up-regulation of several integrin alpha-subunits takes place. Within
      as little as 4 h, the mRNA levels for both the alpha 2- and alpha 4-subunits are
      increased 4- and 6-fold, respectively. It was found that mRNA levels for the
      alpha 2-, alpha 4-, and alpha v-subunits were markedly increased in several
      differentiated cell lines under nonadherent conditions; however, cells that did
      not express a given integrin under substrate adherent conditions also did not
      express this integrin when maintained in suspension. The alpha 5-subunit did not
      upregulate during suspension growth. By immunocytochemistry, changes in integrin
      mRNA levels were confirmed at the protein level. Both cytochalasin B and a
      phorbol ester were found to induce the expression of the alpha 2-subunit, but not
      the alpha 4- and alpha 5-subunits, in a dose-dependent fashion. Many
      investigators have documented changes in gene expression that result from changes
      in "cell shape." These phenomena may result from up-regulation of integrin gene
      expression induced by the lack of substrate adherence.

PMID- 1429695
TI  - Total metabolic flow of glycosphingolipid biosynthesis is regulated by UDP
      GlcNAc:lactosylceramide beta 1-->3N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase and CMP
      NeuAc:lactosylceramide alpha 2-->3 sialyltransferase in human hematopoietic cell
      line HL-60 during differentiation.
AB  - We have previously reported that ganglioside GM3 was remarkably increased during
      monocytoid differentiation of human myelogenous leukemia cell line HL-60 cells
      and that neolacto series gangliosides (NeuAc-nLc) were enriched during
      granulocytoid differentiation. In addition, HL-60 was differentiated into
      monocytic lineage by exogenous GM3 and into granulocytoid by NeuAc-nLc. In the
      present report, the enzymatic bases of glycosphingolipid biosynthesis in HL-60
      during differentiation induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and all
      trans-retinoic acid were investigated. The following results were of particular
      interest. (i) Lactosylceramide alpha 2-->3 sialyltransferase (GM3 synthase) was
      remarkably up-regulated during monocyte differentiation, while the GM3 synthase
      level did not change in granulocytic differentiation. (ii) By contrast,
      lactosylceramide beta 1-->3N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (Lc3Cer synthase) was
      down-regulated during monocytic differentiation, while the activity of Lc3Cer
      synthase was found to increase in granulocytic differentiation. (iii) The
      activities of four downstream glycosyltransferases (for synthesis of NeuAc-nLc)
      were found to increase or to remain unchanged during monocytic and granulocytic
      differentiation. These results strongly suggested the following. The dramatic GM3
      increase and the decrease of NeuAc-nLc during monocytic differentiation are the
      consequences of the up-regulation of GM3 synthase and the down-regulation of
      Lc3Cer synthase, although the downstream enzymes are ready to catalyze their
      enzyme reactions. The notable increase of NeuAc-nLc and the relative decrease of
      GM3 during granulocytic differentiation are the results of the unchanged level of
      GM3 synthase and the up-regulation of Lc3Cer synthase together with the
      activation of the downstream glycosyltransferases. These results suggest that
      these two key upstream glycosyltransferases, GM3 synthase and Lc3Cer synthase,
      play critical roles in regulating the glycosphingolipid biosynthesis in HL-60
      cells during differentiation. This switching mechanism of these two
      glycosyltransferases, together with our previous findings, might be one of the
      most important parts of the determining system of differentiation direction in
      human myeloid cells into monocytic or granulocytic lineages.

PMID- 1429696
TI  - Sequence-specific interaction between S1F, a spinach nuclear factor, and a
      negative cis-element conserved in plastid-related genes.
AB  - The nuclear gene rps1 coding for the spinach plastid ribosomal protein CS1
      exhibits both a constitutive and leaf-specific expression pattern. In contrast to
      other chloroplast-related genes like rbcS and cab, the leaf induction of rps1
      expression is light-independent. These unique features of rps1 expression provide
      good models to study the mechanisms regulating plastid development and
      differentiation in higher plants. We report on the identification of a spinach
      leaf nuclear factor, designated S1F, interacting with the rps1 promoter. The S1F
      binding site is conserved in the promoter region of many plastid-related genes,
      including rbcS, cab, and rpl21. A binding activity similar to S1F was detected in
      nuclear extract from dark-grown de-differentiated soybean suspension cells.
      Through site-specific mutagenesis and transient expression in soybean cell
      protoplasts, we show that the S1F binding site is a negative element down
      regulating the promoter activity of rps1. A ligated tetramer of S1F site was able
      to repress activity of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35 S promoter extending the
      negative function of the S1F binding site on promoter activity.

PMID- 1429697
TI  - Sphingolipids are essential for the growth of Chinese hamster ovary cells.
      Restoration of the growth of a mutant defective in sphingoid base biosynthesis by
      exogenous sphingolipids.
AB  - We previously isolated a temperature-sensitive Chinese hamster ovary cell mutant
      (strain SPB-1) with thermolabile serine palmitoyltransferase, which is involved
      in the first step of sphingolipid synthesis (Hanada, K., Nishijima, M., and
      Akamatsu, Y. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 22137-22142). In this study, sphingolipid
      deficient culture medium was used to examine the effect of exogenous
      sphingolipids on the cell growth of SPB-1. When cultivated in the sphingolipid
      deficient medium, SPB-1 cells ceased growing at non-permissive temperatures.
      Under these conditions, de novo sphingolipid synthesis ceased in the SPB-1 cells,
      resulting in a decrease in levels of sphingomyelin and ganglioside sialyl
      lactosylceramide (GM3), whereas the parental CHO-K1 cells grew logarithmically
      with normal sphingolipid synthesis. Exogenous sphingosine restored the contents
      of both sphingomyelin and GM3 in the SPB-1 cells near to the parental levels
      through metabolic utilization and allowed the mutant cells to grow even at the
      non-permissive temperature. Similarly, exogenous sphingomyelin restored the
      sphingomyelin levels and only partly the GM3 levels and also suppressed the
      temperature-sensitivity of the SPB-1 cell growth. In contrast, exogenous
      glucosylceramide, which restored the GM3 levels but not the sphingomyelin levels,
      failed to suppress the temperature sensitivity of the SPB-1 cell growth.
      Combination of exogenous sphingomyelin with ceramide, glucosylceramide, GM3, or
      sphingoid bases did not show any synergistic or additive effect on the SPB-1 cell
      growth enhancement, compared with sphingomyelin alone. The results indicated that
      the temperature sensitivity of the SPB-1 cell growth was due to the lack of
      cellular sphingolipids, possibly that of sphingomyelin.

PMID- 1429698
TI  - Refinement of the structure of Escherichia coli-derived rat intestinal fatty acid
      binding protein with bound oleate to 1.75-A resolution. Correlation with the
      structures of the apoprotein and the protein with bound palmitate.
AB  - The structure of rat intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) with bound
      oleate (C18:1) has been refined with x-ray diffraction data to a resolution of
      1.75 A. The protein contains 10 anti-parallel beta strands composed of 99
      residues and 2 short helices of 14 residues. Oleate is located in the interior of
      the protein in a bent conformation with C1-C12 more ordered than C13-C18. Two of
      the eight ordered waters in I-FABP:oleate are part of a hydrogen bond network
      that includes the carboxylate of oleate, the guanidinium group of Arg106, the
      nitrogen of the indole group of Trp82, and the side chain of Gln115. Most of the
      methylenes of bound oleate reside in a crevice formed by hydrophobic and aromatic
      side chains. Tyr70 and Tyr117 envelop the acyl chain from C3 to C8 forming
      contacts with both the convex and concave faces of its van der Waals surface. The
      hydroxyls of each phenolic side chain hydrogen bond to ordered water molecules.
      Two ordered waters make van der Waals contact with the concave face of the bound
      fatty acid. The omega-terminal methyl of oleate is oriented so that it points
      toward the center of the benzene of Phe55 allowing it to form van der Waals
      interactions with its component methylenes. Comparison of the structure of I
      FABP:oleate with a recently refined 1.19-A model of apoI-FABP and an earlier 2.0
      A model of I-FABP:palmitate revealed a remarkable degree of similarity in the
      positions of their main chain and side chain atoms and in the conformations of
      the bound oleate and palmitate. The principal differences were confined to a few
      discrete regions of the protein. The helical domain, the type I turn between beta
      strands C and D, and the ring of Phe55 together form a solvent-accessible portal
      to the interior of the protein. They are repositioned in I-FABP:oleate (and I
      FABP:palmitate) so that the binding cavity is even more accessible to solvent and
      its volume is increased. The side chain of Phe55 which shows discrete disorder in
      the apoprotein functions as an omega-terminal "sensing device": moving
      progressively outward toward the surface as the chain length of the bound fatty
      acid increases by 2 methylenes. Tyr70 and Tyr117 which also show discrete
      disorder in the apoprotein structure due to rotation around their C alpha-C beta
      bonds, are stabilized in a single, well ordered position in the
      holoproteins.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1429699
TI  - Feedback inhibition of phosphatidate phosphatase from spinach chloroplast
      envelope membranes by diacylglycerol.
AB  - Because the envelope phosphatidate phosphatase plays a pivotal role in
      chloroplast glycerolipid metabolism, we have analyzed whether diacylglycerol
      could be a regulatory factor of the enzyme. Using isolated envelope membranes in
      which the level of diacylglycerol was modified by thermolysin treatment of intact
      chloroplasts to destroy the galactolipid:galactolipid galactosyltransferase, we
      have demonstrated that phosphatidate phosphatase activity was reduced when the
      membrane was enriched in diacylglycerol. All 1,2-diacylglycerol molecular species
      assayed were demonstrated to inhibit the enzyme to about the same extent. Kinetic
      studies with envelope from thermolysin-treated chloroplasts were performed in the
      absence and presence of diacylglycerol, and diacylglycerol was shown to be a
      powerful competitive inhibitor of the reaction. Finally, using isolated intact
      spinach chloroplasts, we have demonstrated that in situ phosphatidate phosphatase
      activity can be modulated by the level of diacylglycerol present in the membrane.
      The relevance of phosphatidate phosphatase inhibition by diacylglycerol in the
      regulation of chloroplast glycerolipid biosynthesis is discussed.

PMID- 1429700
TI  - Inhibition of ascorbic acid transport in human neutrophils by glucose.
AB  - Because of the structural similarity between glucose and ascorbic acid, we
      investigated the effect of glucose on uptake and accumulation of ascorbic acid in
      isolated normal human neutrophils. Ascorbic acid accumulation was determined
      using high-performance liquid chromatography with coulometric electrochemical
      detection, in conjunction with liquid scintillation spectrometry. Ascorbic acid
      accumulation in neutrophils is mediated by a high and a low affinity transport
      activity. In neutrophils from different volunteers, glucose inhibited uptake and
      accumulation of ascorbic acid by both transport activities 3-9-fold. The
      mechanism of inhibition was different for each transport activity: inhibition of
      the high affinity transport activity was noncompetitive, while inhibition of the
      low affinity activity was competitive. Glucose-induced inhibition of both
      ascorbic acid transport activities occurred in neutrophils of all donors tested
      and was fully reversible. Although the mechanism of ascorbic acid accumulation
      appeared to be different than that for glucose transport, other monosaccharides
      and glucose transport inhibitors also inhibited ascorbic acid accumulation. These
      are the first data to suggest that ascorbic acid accumulation in neutrophils can
      be regulated by compounds of similar structure.

PMID- 1429701
TI  - Reducing sugars can induce the oxidative inactivation of rhodanese.
AB  - The enzyme rhodanese (thiosulfate sulfurtransferase, EC 2.8.1.1) is inactivated
      on incubation with reducing sugars such as glucose, mannose, or fructose, but is
      stable with non-reducing sugars or related polyhydroxy compounds. The enzyme is
      inactivated with (ES) or without (E) the transferable sulfur atom, although E is
      considerably more sensitive, and inactivation is accentuated by cyanide.
      Inactivation of E is accompanied by increased proteolytic susceptibility, a
      decreased sulfhydryl titer, a red-shift and quenching of the protein
      fluorescence, and the appearance of hydrophobic surfaces. Superoxide dismutase
      and/or catalase protect rhodanese. Inactive enzyme can be partially reactivated
      during assay and almost completely reactivated by incubation with thiosulfate,
      lauryl maltoside, and 2-mercaptoethanol. These results are similar to those
      observed when rhodanese is inactivated by hydrogen peroxide. These observations,
      as well as the cyanide-dependent, oxidative inactivation by phenylglyoxal, are
      explained by invoking the formation of reactive oxygen species such as superoxide
      or hydrogen peroxide from autooxidation of alpha-hydroxy carbonyl compounds,
      which can be facilitated by cyanide.

PMID- 1429702
TI  - Phospholipase D mimics platelet-derived growth factor as a competence factor in
      vascular smooth muscle cells.
AB  - Recent studies have suggested the importance of phosphatidylcholine (PC)
      metabolism in growth factor-stimulated cells. In these cells, PC is hydrolyzed
      not only by PC-specific phospholipase C but also by phospholipase D (PLD). In the
      present investigation, we show that the simple addition of PC-hydrolyzing PLD
      from Streptomyces chromofuscus to the culture medium of vascular smooth muscle
      cells elicits choline release into the medium accompanied by the formation of
      phosphatidic acid. In the presence of ethanol, this treatment elicits a formation
      of phosphatidylethanol (PEt) at the expense of phosphatidic acid. Furthermore, we
      show here that exogenous addition of S. chromofuscus PLD induces a marked DNA
      synthesis in quiescent vascular smooth muscle cells. This DNA synthesis induced
      by S. chromofuscus PLD is, like platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-elicited
      DNA synthesis, largely dependent on the presence of insulin. In addition, S.
      chromofuscus PLD-induced PEt formation and DNA synthesis were not affected by
      protein kinase C down-regulation, whereas PDGF-induced PEt formation and DNA
      synthesis were significantly inhibited. These observations strongly suggest that
      protein kinase-dependent activation of PLD is involved in mitogenic signal in
      PDGF-stimulated cells and that exogenously added PLD acts as a competence factor
      in the same way as PDGF.

PMID- 1429704
TI  - The mechanism of ATP inhibition of wild type and mutant phosphofructo-1-kinase
      from Escherichia coli.
AB  - Escherichia coli 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase was inhibited by high concentrations of
      ATP at alkaline pH. The mechanism of the inhibition was studied with two mutants
      generated by site-directed mutagenesis; I126A, with a Km for fructose-6-P that
      was more than two orders of magnitude higher than that of wild type but with
      minimal changes in kcat and Km for ATP, and R72H, with little change in substrate
      half-saturation concentrations but with a kcat that was 300-fold lower that of
      wild type enzyme. ATP and fructose-6-P interacted in a mutually antagonistic
      manner; that is ATP decreased the apparent affinity for fructose-6-P and vice
      versa. The half-saturation concentrations for both substrates, most strikingly
      fructose-6-P, increased with increasing pH while the kcat increased. Studies with
      I126A suggested that ATP inhibition was not dependent on a dissociable group with
      a pK in the alkaline range and that the inhibition was not caused by abortive
      binding of substrate to the wrong substrate site. Inhibition was not the result
      of differential affinity of ATP for the R and T states of the enzyme. The low
      kcat mutant, R72H, did not display ATP inhibition. These data indicate that ATP
      inhibition results from substrate antagonism coupled with a steady state random
      mechanism wherein the high rate of catalysis does not permit equilibration of
      substrates.

PMID- 1429703
TI  - Effects of ecotropic murine retroviruses on the dual-function cell surface
      receptor/basic amino acid transporter.
AB  - The widely expressed Na(+)-independent transporter for basic amino acids (system
      y+) is the cell surface receptor (ecoR) for ecotropic host-range mouse
      retroviruses (murine leukemia viruses (MuLVs)), a class of retroviruses that
      naturally infects only mice or rats. Accordingly, expression of mouse ecoR cDNA
      in mink CCL64 fibroblasts yields cells (CEN cells) that have y+ transporter
      activity above the endogenous background and that bind and are infected by
      ecotropic MuLVs. The effect of ecotropic MuLV infection on expression of y+
      transporter was analyzed in mouse and in mink CEN fibroblasts. Chronic infection
      with ecotropic MuLVs caused 50-70% loss (down-modulation) of mouse y+ transporter
      in plasma membranes, detected as a reduced Vmax for uptake and outflow of L
      [3H]arginine with no effect on Km values. Down-modulation was specific for mouse
      y+ and did not affect other transporters or the endogenous mink y+, suggesting
      that it results from specific interaction between mouse y+ and the viral envelope
      glycoprotein gp70 in the infected cells. Because this partial loss of mouse y+
      from cell surfaces is insufficient to explain the complete interference to
      superinfection that occurs in cells chronically infected with ecotropic MuLVs,
      alternative explanations for interference are proposed. In contrast to the y+
      down-modulation caused by chronic infection, binding of extracellular envelope
      glycoprotein gp70 at 37 degrees C resulted in noncompetitive inhibition of amino
      acid import by mouse y+ but had no effect on export through this same transporter
      or on any transporter properties of mink y+. The effects of gp70 on transport
      kinetics suggest that it slows the rate-limiting step of the amino acid import
      cycle, a conformational transition of the empty transporter in which the binding
      site moves from the inside back to the outside of the cell, and that gp70 has no
      effect on the rate-limiting step of the amino acid export cycle. Infected cells
      retain substantial y+ activity. Moreover, the virus binding site on ecoR is in a
      mobile region that changes conformation during the amino acid transport cycle.

PMID- 1429705
TI  - Oxidative fragmentation of collagen and prolyl peptide by Cu(II)/H2O2. Conversion
      of proline residue to 2-pyrrolidone.
AB  - Oxidative degradation of collagen and the model peptides by Cu(II)/H2O2 has been
      studied. The depolymerization of collagen was predominantly observed by use of
      gel filtration chromatography. Polyproline was used as a model for collagen, and
      the oxidative modification was examined by amino acid analysis. Glutamic acid and
      gamma-aminobutyric acid were identified in the hydrolysates of oxidized
      polyproline. The formation of glutamic acid was reduced by treatment with NaBH4.
      The model peptide, (Pro-Pro-Gly)10, was also degraded by Cu(II)/H2O2, and a new N
      terminal glycine was generated in proportion to the reaction time. Hydroxyl
      radical scavengers show only partial inhibition of the degradation of (Pro-Pro
      Gly)10. In order to estimate the fragmentation mechanism, we used N-tert
      butoxycarbonyl (Boc)-L-prolylglycine as a model for collagen and (Pro-Pro-Gly)10.
      The degradation products were isolated and characterized. Then N-tert-Boc-2
      pyrrolidone, which provides gamma-aminobutyric acid by acid hydrolysis, was
      identified. The formation of a 2-pyrrolidone compound from oxidized Boc-L
      prolylglycine is direct evidence for the scission of the peptide bond. The time
      dependent formation of N-tert-Boc-2-pyrrolidone and liberation of glycine from N
      tert-Boc-L-prolylglycine exposed to Cu(II)/H2O2 was observed. These results
      suggest that the cleavage of the peptide bond (Pro-Gly) was caused by oxidation
      of the proline residue, which led to the formation of the 2-pyrrolidone compound.
      We confirmed that proline oxidation leads to the fragmentation of proteins,
      accompanied by the formation of a 2-pyrrolidone structure.

PMID- 1429706
TI  - Coagulant properties of hybrid human/porcine factor VIII molecules.
AB  - Human and porcine factor VIII (fVIII) are activated by thrombin to form a
      heterotrimer composed of subunits designated A1 and A2 derived from the fVIII
      heavy chain (HC) and a subunit designated A3-C1-C2 derived from the fVIII light
      chain (LC). Human and porcine fVIII were activated at the same rate to the same
      peak levels but dissociation of the A2 subunit and concomitant loss of fVIIIa
      activity at pH 7.4 and 22 degrees C was 3-fold faster with human fVIIIa compared
      to porcine fVIIIa (0.35 min-1 versus 0.12 min-1, respectively). To determine
      structural requirements for the increased activity of porcine fVIII, plasma
      derived hybrid human/porcine fVIII molecules were isolated. Porcine HC/human LC
      (pHC/hLC) fVIII had 44-fold higher coagulant activity than reconstituted human
      fVIII (hHC/hLC), 40-fold higher activity than hHC/pLC, and slightly (1.4-fold)
      higher activity than reconstituted porcine fVIII (pHC/pLC). Additionally, human
      and porcine A2 subunits and inactive A1/A3-C1-C2 human and porcine dimers were
      isolated and reconstitution experiments were done. Addition of the porcine A2
      subunit to the human A1/A3-C1-C2 dimer produced coagulant activity similar to
      that found with porcine fVIIIa and superior to human fVIIIa. These results
      suggest that human fVIII has weaker coagulant activity than porcine fVIII due to
      faster dissociation of the A2 subunit and that the A2 subunit itself is
      responsible for the difference.

PMID- 1429707
TI  - The 48-kDa subunit of the mammalian oligosaccharyltransferase complex is
      homologous to the essential yeast protein WBP1.
AB  - Oligosaccharyltransferase has been purified from canine microsomal membranes as a
      protein complex with three nonidentical subunits of 66, 63/64, and 48 kDa. The 66
      and 63/64-kDa subunits were found to be identical to ribophorins I and II,
      respectively. The ribophorins are integral membrane glycoproteins that were
      previously shown to be localized exclusively to the rough endoplasmic reticulum.
      The 48-kDa subunit (OST48) of the oligosaccharyltransferase complex is not a
      glycoprotein and is not recognized by antibodies to either ribophorin. Here, we
      describe the characterization of a cDNA clone that encodes OST48. Like
      ribophorins I and II, OST48 was found to be an integral membrane protein, with
      the majority of the polypeptide located within the lumen of the endoplasmic
      reticulum. OST48 does not show significant amino acid sequence homology to either
      ribophorin I or II. A 45-kDa integral membrane protein, designated WBP1, from the
      yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was found to be 25% identical in sequence to
      OST48. Recently, WBP1 was shown to be essential for in vivo and in vitro
      expression of oligosaccharyltransferase activity in yeast. We conclude that OST48
      and WBP1 are homologous gene products.

PMID- 1429708
TI  - The effects of stem I and loop A on the processing of 5 S rRNA from Drosophila
      melanogaster.
AB  - The 135-nucleotide Drosophila melanogaster 5 S RNA precursor is processed by
      removal of 15 nucleotides from its 3' end before incorporation into the large
      ribosomal subunit. Mature 5 S RNA consists of five helical stem-loops; stem IV
      and part of V are dispensable, whereas stem III and the 1/118 G-C base pair
      closest to the processing site at nucleotide 120 are required for processing
      (Preiser, P., and Levinger, L. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 7509-7516; Preiser, P.,
      and Levinger, L. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 23602-23605). We have investigated
      the effects of stem I and loop A transversions, transitions, selected additions
      and deletions on 5 S RNA processing. Stem I single substitutions generally
      prevent processing, whereas compensatory double substitutions restore a range of
      processing rates. Proximal to the processing site, stem I double substitutions
      inhibit processing. In the distal portion of stem I and loop A, the processing
      effect of paired sequence changes varies widely in an irregular pattern. The
      7/112 GU pair and nucleotide 13A least tolerate sequence changes; several
      mutations clustered close to the stem I-loop A boundary stimulate processing. We
      interpret these results in terms of the RNA helix path and possible RNA-protein
      contacts.

PMID- 1429709
TI  - Manganese(II) oxidation by manganese peroxidase from the basidiomycete
      Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Kinetic mechanism and role of chelators.
AB  - Manganese oxidation by manganese peroxidase (MnP) was investigated.
      Stoichiometric, kinetic, and MnII binding studies demonstrated that MnP has a
      single manganese binding site near the heme, and two MnIII equivalents are formed
      at the expense of one H2O2 equivalent. Since each catalytic cycle step is
      irreversible, the data fit a peroxidase ping-pong mechanism rather than an
      ordered bi-bi ping-pong mechanism. MnIII-organic acid complexes oxidize terminal
      phenolic substrates in a second-order reaction. MnIII-lactate and -tartrate also
      react slowly with H2O2, with third-order kinetics. The latter slow reaction does
      not interfere with the rapid MnP oxidation of phenols. Oxalate and malonate are
      the only organic acid chelators secreted by the fungus in significant amounts. No
      relationship between stimulation of enzyme activity and chelator size was found,
      suggesting that the substrate is free MnII rather than a MnII-chelator complex.
      The enzyme competes with chelators for free MnII. Optimal chelators, such as
      malonate, facilitate MnIII dissociation from the enzyme, stabilize MnIII in
      aqueous solution, and have a relatively low MnII binding constant.

PMID- 1429710
TI  - The interaction of human factor VIIa with tissue factor.
AB  - The interaction of factor VIIa with tissue factor (TF) results in an increase in
      the catalytic efficiency for the hydrolysis of several synthetic peptidyl p
      nitroanilide substrates by factor VIIa. The binding of human recombinant factor
      VIIa to recombinant human TF incorporated into vesicles containing
      phosphatidylcholine (TF/PC) or phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylserine (TF/PCPS)
      was studied using the increased rate of H-D-phenylalanyl L-pipecoyl L-arginine p
      nitroanilide (S2238) hydrolysis as a signal for the interaction. The saturable
      dependence of rate on increasing concentrations of factor VIIa or TF/PCPS yielded
      no obvious evidence for cooperativity and could be analyzed according to the
      interaction of factor VIIa with independent noninteracting sites (Kd = 259 +/- 60
      pM, n = 1.05 +/- 0.12 mol of factor VIIa/mol of TF at saturation). Identical
      titration curves and equilibrium parameters were derived from titrations using
      TF/PC or TF in the absence of phospholipids, indicating that possible protein
      membrane interactions do not further stabilize the extrinsic Xase complex. The
      dissociation constant for the interaction of factor VIIa with TF/PCPS inferred
      from measurements of factor X activation (Kd = 197 +/- 38 pM) was comparable with
      the values obtained from measurements of S2238 hydrolysis. In contrast to the
      membrane-independent nature of the enzyme-cofactor interaction, the rate of
      factor X activation was reduced by approximately 50-fold when the enzyme complex
      was assembled using solution-phase TF. Collectively, the result indicate that the
      membrane dependence of extrinsic Xase function primarily results from an
      influence of the membrane surface on factor X utilization.

PMID- 1429711
TI  - Mutational mapping of the catalytic activities of human tyrosinase.
AB  - Tyrosinase (EC 1.14.18.1) is a copper-containing metalloglycoprotein that
      catalyzes several steps in the melanin pigment biosynthetic pathway; the
      hydroxylation of tyrosine to L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (dopa) and the
      subsequent oxidation of dopa to dopaquinone. It has been proposed that tyrosinase
      is also able to oxidize 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI), a later product in the
      melanogenic pathway, to indole-5,6-quinone. Tyrosinase enzymatic activity is
      deficient in patients with classic type I oculocutaneous albinism (OCA), and more
      than 50 distinct mutations have now been identified in the tyrosinase genes of
      such patients. To determine the effects of the various tyrosinase gene mutations
      on the catalytic activities of the enzyme, we carried out site-directed
      mutagenesis of human tyrosinase cDNA, transiently expressed the mutant cDNAs in
      transfected HeLa cells, and assayed the resultant encoded proteins for tyrosine
      hydroxylase, dopa, and DHI oxidase activities, and resulting melanin production.
      The tyrosine hydroxylase activity of normal tyrosinase is thermostable, whereas
      its dopa oxidase and DHI oxidase activities are temperature-sensitive. Although
      all amino acid substitutions tested generally affected the dopa oxidase and DHI
      oxidase activities in parallel, several exerted distinctly different effects on
      the tyrosine hydroxylase activities. Together, these results confirm the DHI
      oxidase activity of mammalian tyrosinase and suggest that the dopa oxidase and
      DHI oxidase activities of tyrosinase share a common catalytic site, whereas the
      tyrosine hydroxylase catalytic site is at least partially distinct in the
      tyrosinase polypeptide.

PMID- 1429712
TI  - Ligand binding characteristics of the major mistletoe lectin.
AB  - Carbohydrate binding specificity of the galactose-specific, major lectin of
      mistletoe extract (ML-1) was studied by an inhibition assay using
      monosaccharides, monosaccharide derivatives, disaccharides, and compounds
      containing multiple galactosyl terminals. The results indicate that 1) both alpha
      and beta-galactosyl residues are recognized equally well; 2) each of the
      hydroxyl groups of galactose contributes to varying degrees to the binding
      process, the 4-OH being the most important and the 6-OH the least important
      hydroxyl group; 3) disaccharide sequences of Gal beta 2Gal and Gal beta 3Gal have
      much higher affinity than galactose, whereas affinity of all other Gal
      disaccharides is only slightly better than galactose; 4) macromolecular ligands
      having 10 or more terminal galactosyl residues have 500-fold higher affinity than
      Gal; and 5) a group on ML-1 with pK alpha of 4.8 appears to be involved in the
      binding of ligand.

PMID- 1429713
TI  - Effects of the amino-terminal regions of tropomyosin and troponin T on thin
      filament assembly.
AB  - Bacterially expressed alpha-tropomyosin lacks the amino-terminal acetylation
      present in muscle tropomyosin and binds poorly to actin (Hitchcock-DeGregori, S.
      E., and Heald, R. W. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 9730-9735). Using a linear
      lattice model, we determined the affinity (Ko) of unacetylated tropomyosin or
      troponin-unacetylated tropomyosin for an isolated site on the actin filament and
      the fold increase in affinity (y) when binding is to an adjacent site. The
      absence of tropomyosin acetylation decreased Ko 2 orders of magnitude in the
      absence of troponin. Tropomyosin acetylation also enhanced troponin-tropomyosin
      binding to actin, not by increasing cooperativity (y), but rather by increasing
      Ko. These results suggest that the amino-terminal region of tropomyosin is a
      crucial actin binding site. Troponin promoted unacetylated tropomyosin binding to
      actin, increasing Ko more than 1,000-fold. Troponin70-259, which lacks the
      troponin T peptide (1-69) spanning the overlap between adjacent tropomyosins,
      behaved similarly to intact troponin. Cooperative interactions between adjacent
      troponin-tropomyosin complexes remained strong despite the use of a
      nonpolymerizable tropomyosin and a troponin unable to bridge neighboring
      tropomyosins physically. The Ko for troponin70-259-unacetylated tropomyosin was
      500-fold greater than for troponin159-259-unacetylated tropomyosin, indicating
      that troponin T residues 70-158 are critical for anchoring troponin-tropomyosin
      to F-actin. The mechanism of cooperative thin filament assembly is discussed.

PMID- 1429714
TI  - Isolation and sequencing of cDNAs and genomic DNAs encoding the alpha 4 chain of
      basement membrane collagen type IV and assignment of the gene to the distal long
      arm of human chromosome 2.
AB  - We cloned three overlapping cDNAs covering 2,452 base pairs encoding a new
      basement membrane collagen chain, alpha 4(IV), from rabbit corneal endothelial
      cell RNA. Nucleotide sequence analysis demonstrated that the clones encoded a
      triple-helical domain of 392 1/3 amino acid residues and a carboxyl non-triple
      helical (NC1) domain of 231 residues. We also isolated a genomic DNA fragment for
      the human alpha 4(IV) chain, which contained two exons encoding from the carboxyl
      end of the triple-helical domain to the amino end of the NC1 domain.
      Identification of the clones was based on the amino acid sequence identity
      between the cDNA-deduced amino acid sequence and the reported amino acid sequence
      obtained from a fragment of the alpha 4(IV) collagen polypeptide M28+ (Butkowski,
      R. J., Shen, G.-Q., Wieslander, J., Michael, A. F., and Fish, A. J. (1990) J.
      Lab. Clin. Med. 115, 365-373). When compared with four other type IV collagen
      chains, the NC1 domain contained 12 cysteinyl residues in positions identical to
      those of the residues in those chains. The domain demonstrated 61, 70, 55, and
      60% amino acid similarity with human alpha 1, human alpha 2, bovine alpha 3, and
      human alpha 5 chains, respectively. The human genomic DNA fragment allowed us to
      map the alpha 4(IV) gene (COL4A4) to the 2q35-2q37.1 region of the human genome.

PMID- 1429715
TI  - Expression, purification, and physicochemical characterization of a recombinant
      Yersinia protein tyrosine phosphatase.
AB  - The Yersinia protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) Yop51, a C235R point mutation
      (Yop51*), and a protein lacking the first 162 amino acids at the NH2 terminus
      (Yop51*delta 162) have been overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified to
      homogeneity through the use of CM Sephadex C25 cation exchange chromatography
      followed by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration. Greater than 50 mg of homogeneous
      Yop51* and Yop51*delta 162 can be obtained from a single liter of bacterial
      culture, whereas the same procedure yields only 5 mg of pure Yop51. Large,
      diffraction-quality crystals have been obtained for Yop51*delta 162. Size
      exclusion chromatography, sedimentation equilibrium, and enzyme concentration
      dependence experiments have established that the Yersinia PTPases exist and
      function as monomers in solution. Yop51 and Yop51* display identical UV, CD, and
      fluorescence spectra and have identical kinetic and structural stability
      properties. These full-length Yersinia PTPases have 31% alpha-helix, an emission
      maximum of 342 nm, a turn-over number of 1200 s-1 at pH 5.0, 30 degrees C, and an
      unfolding delta G value of 6 kcal/mol at 25 degrees C. Yop51*delta 162 has very
      similar kinetic and fluorescence characteristics to the full-length molecules,
      whereas its CD and UV spectra show noticeable differences due to the elimination
      of 162 NH2-terminal residues. The Yersinia PTPases are by far the most active
      PTPases known, and their kinetic parameters are extremely sensitive to the ionic
      strength of reaction medium.

PMID- 1429716
TI  - In vivo phosphorylation of the yeast uracil permease.
AB  - The uptake of uracil by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is mediated by a
      specific permease encoded by the FUR4 gene. This uracil permease is a
      multispanning membrane protein that follows the secretory pathway to the plasma
      membrane. We have used in vivo pulse labeling and immunoprecipitation to show
      that the uracil permease is phosphorylated. Phosphoamino acid analysis indicates
      that the phosphorylation occurs on seryl residues. Experiments with temperature
      sensitive secretory mutants, blocked at successive steps of the secretory
      pathway, have established that the phosphorylation of the permease takes place at
      the plasma membrane. Under steady state conditions, Western immunoblotting showed
      multiple phosphorylated permease species. Their relative abundance appeared
      susceptible to metabolic conditions. This study is, therefore, a first step
      toward identifying a molecular mechanism involved in the post-translational
      control of a yeast transporter.

PMID- 1429717
TI  - Characterization of the human epidermal profilaggrin gene. Genomic organization
      and identification of an S-100-like calcium binding domain at the amino terminus.
AB  - Filaggrin is an intermediate filament-associated protein which functions to
      aggregate keratin intermediate filaments in the stratum corneum of mammalian
      epidermis. It is synthesized as a large precursor protein, profilaggrin, that
      consists of multiple filaggrin units and is localized in keratohyalin granules.
      In this report, we describe the characterization of cosmid genomic clones
      containing the human profilaggrin gene coding for 11 complete filaggrin repeats
      of 324 amino acids each. At the amino- and carboxyl-terminal ends of human
      profilaggrin are leader and tail peptide sequences of 293 and 157 amino acids,
      respectively, which differ from filaggrin. The leader peptide is composed of two
      distinct domains: an 81-residue segment which shows significant homology to the S
      100 family of EF hand-containing calcium-binding proteins, and a hydrophilic
      second domain of 212 residues. The gene is divided into three exons, with one
      intron (approximately 9.6 kilobase pairs) in the 5' noncoding region and a second
      one of 570 base pairs between the EF hands. The position of intron 2 is identical
      to that of other members of the S-100-like family. The presence of an S-100-like
      domain suggests that profilaggrin binds calcium and that the calcium binding
      domain is functionally significant in the formation of keratohyalin and/or the
      subsequent processing of profilaggrin to filaggrin, both of which may be calcium
      dependent events.

PMID- 1429718
TI  - Purification, characterization, cloning, and expression of a glutamic acid
      specific protease from Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 14580.
AB  - A glutamic acid-specific protease has been purified to homogeneity from Bacillus
      licheniformis ATCC 14580 utilizing Phe-Leu-D-Glu-OMe-Sepharose affinity
      chromatography and crystallized. The molecular weight of the protease was
      estimated to be approximately 25,000 by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
      This protease, which we propose to call BLase (glutamic acid-specific protease
      from B. licheniformis ATCC 14580), was characterized enzymatically. Using human
      parathyroid hormone (13-34) and p-nitroanilides of peptidyl glutamic acid and
      aspartic acid, we found a marked difference between BLase and V8 protease, EC
      3.4.21.9, although both proteases showed higher reactivity for glutamyl bonds
      than for aspartyl bonds. Diisopropyl fluorophosphate and benzyloxycarbonyl Leu
      Glu chloromethyl ketone completely inhibited BLase, whereas EDTA reversibly
      inactivated the enzyme. The findings clearly indicate that BLase can be
      classified as a serine protease. To elucidate the complete primary structure and
      precursor of BLase, its gene was cloned from the genomic DNA of B. licheniformis
      ATCC 14580, and the nucleotide sequence was determined. Taking the amino-terminal
      amino acid sequence of the purified BLase into consideration, the clones encode a
      mature peptide of 222 amino acids, which follows a prepropeptide of 94 residues.
      The recombinant BLase was expressed in Bacillus subtilis and purified to
      homogeneity. Its key physical and chemical characteristics were the same as those
      of the wild-type enzyme. BLase was confirmed to be a protease specific for
      glutamic acid, and the primary structure deduced from the cDNA sequence was found
      to be identical with that of a glutamic acid-specific endopeptidase isolated from
      Alcalase (Svendsen, I., and Breddam, K. (1992) Eur. J. Biochem. 204, 165-171),
      being different from V8 protease and the Glu-specific protease of Streptomyces
      griseus which consist of 268 and 188 amino acids, respectively.

PMID- 1429719
TI  - Progesterone blocks cholesterol translocation from lysosomes.
AB  - Fluorescent microscopic examination of fibroblasts cultured with low density
      lipoprotein (LDL) and progesterone (10 micrograms/ml) for 24 h revealed extensive
      filipin-cholesterol staining of perinuclear lysosomes. Levels of unesterified
      cholesterol were 2-fold greater than in fibroblasts cultured with LDL alone.
      Progesterone strongly blocked cholesteryl ester synthesis. When cellular uptake
      of LDL was monitored in the presence of 58035, a specific inhibitor of acyl
      CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase, excess unesterified cholesterol was not stored
      in lysosomes. Discontinuation of LDL uptake in conjunction with progesterone
      washout markedly reversed the filipin-cholesterol staining of lysosomes. Reversal
      of the lysosomal cholesterol lipidosis was associated with a rapid burst of
      cholesteryl ester synthesis and a normalization of the cellular levels of free
      and esterified cholesterol. In contrast to normal cells, progesterone removal
      from Niemann-Pick C fibroblasts did not reverse the lysosomal cholesterol
      accumulation of these mutant cultures. The metabolic precursor of progesterone,
      pregnenolone, also induced extensive accumulation of cholesterol in lysosomes.
      Other steroids induced less vacuolar cholesterol accumulation in the following
      decreasing order: corticosterone and testosterone, promegestone, RU 486. The
      relative inhibition of cellular cholesterol esterification by the steroids
      paralleled their respective abilities to sequester cholesterol in lysosomes
      rather than their inhibition of acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase activity in
      cell-free extracts. The progesterone-related inhibition and restoration of
      lysosomal cholesterol trafficking is a useful experimental means of studying
      intracellular cholesterol transport. A particularly important feature of its
      utility is the facile reversibility of the steroid-induced block. The lysosomal
      cholesterol lipidosis established with a hydrophobic amine, U18666A, was not as
      readily reversed.

PMID- 1429720
TI  - Ovarian cancer alpha 1,3-L-fucosyltransferase. Differentiation of distinct
      catalytic species with the unique substrate, 3'-sulfo-N-acetyllactosamine in
      conjunction with other synthetic acceptors.
AB  - Several N-acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) derivatives were tested as acceptors for
      alpha 1,3-L-fucosyltransferase present in human ovarian cancer sera and ovarian
      tumor. The enzyme of the soluble fraction of tumor was purified to apparent
      homogeneity by chromatography on bovine IgG glycopeptide-Sepharose followed by
      Sephacryl S-200 (M(r) < 67,000). As compared with 2'-methyl LacNAc, 3'-sulfo
      LacNAc was about 5-fold more sensitive in measuring alpha 1,3-fucosyltransferase
      in sera (Km, 3'-sulfo LacNAc, 0.12 mM; 2'-methyl LacNAc, 6.67 mM). When ovarian
      cancer serum was the enzyme source, either the sulfate group or a sialyl moiety
      at C-3' of LacNAc enhanced the acceptor ability (341 and 242%, respectively),
      whereas the sulfate group at C-2' or C-6' reduced the activity (22-36%); sulfate
      at C-6 or fucose at C-2' increased the activity (172 and 253%). The beta
      benzylation of the reducing end, in general, increased the activity 2-3-fold. The
      enzyme of the soluble fraction of tumor exhibited more activity toward 3'-sulfo
      LacNAc (447%), 2'-fucosyl-LacNAc (436%), and 6-sulfo LacNAc (272%). Very low
      activity was observed with 3'-sialyl LacNAc (12.4%), 2'-sulfo LacNAc (33%), and
      6'-sulfo LacNAc (5%); Fuc alpha 1,2Gal beta 1,3GlcNAc beta-O-p-nitrophenyl
      (166%), 2-methyl Gal beta 1,3GlcNAc beta-O-benzyl (204%), and 3-sulfo Gal beta
      1,3GlcNAc (415%) also acted as acceptors, indicating the coexistence of alpha 1,3
      and alpha 1,4-fucosyltransferase. The tumor particulate enzyme behaved entirely
      different, exhibiting low activity with 3'-sulfo LacNAc (39%) and 2'-fucosyl
      LacNAc (148%); 3'-sialyl, 6'-sulfo, 6-sulfo, or 2'-sulfo LacNAc were 3, 43, 53,
      and 10% active, respectively. Thus, the ovarian cancer serum alpha 1,3
      fucosyltransferase acts equally well on H-type 2,3'-sialyl LacNAc and 3'-sulfo
      LacNAc, but not on H-type 1. The enzyme of soluble tumor fraction acts on H-type
      2,3'-sulfo LacNAc as well as H-type 1 but poorly on 3'-sialyl LacNAc. The tumor
      particulate enzyme acts on H-type 2 but poorly on 3'-sulfo or 3'-sialyl LacNAc
      and is inactive with H-type 1. When normal serum was examined with synthetic
      acceptors, > 80% activity was found as alpha 1,2-fucosyltransferase and the rest
      as alpha 1,3-fucosyltransferase. A screening of 21 ovarian cancer and 3 normal
      sera (3'-sulfo LacNAc as acceptor) showed 17-572% increase (average increase,
      188%) of alpha 1,3-fucosyltransferase activity in cancer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      400 WORDS)

PMID- 1429721
TI  - Glucose transporter oligomeric structure determines transporter function.
      Reversible redox-dependent interconversions of tetrameric and dimeric GLUT1.
AB  - This study investigates the relationship between human erythrocyte glucose
      transport protein (GLUT1) oligomeric structure and glucose transporter function.
      Oligomeric structure was analyzed by hydrodynamic studies of cholate-solubilized
      GLUT1, by chemical cross-linking studies of membrane-resident GLUT1 and by using
      conformation-specific antibodies. Transporter function (substrate binding) was
      analyzed by equilibrium cytochalasin B and D-glucose binding measurements.
      Erythrocyte-resident glucose transporter is a GLUT1 homotetramer, binds 1 mol of
      cytochalasin B/2 mol of GLUT1, and presents at least two binding sites to D
      glucose. Native structure and function appear to be stabilized by intramolecular
      disulfide bonds and are preserved during GLUT1 purification by the omission of
      reductant. Native structure is independent of in vitro and in vivo membrane GLUT1
      density but is transformed to dimeric GLUT1 by alkaline reduction. Dimeric GLUT1
      binds 1 mol of cytochalasin B/mol of GLUT1, presents a single population of
      binding sites to D-glucose, and is obtained upon GLUT1 purification in the
      presence of reductant. Native structure and function are restored by treatment of
      dimeric GLUT1 with glutathione-disulfide (K0.5 glutathione disulfide = 29
      microM). We propose that native structure is established prior to transporter
      translocation to the plasma membrane and that intrasubunit disulfide bonds
      promote cooperative subunit interactions that stabilize transporter structure and
      function.

PMID- 1429722
TI  - Creation of Null/+ mutants of the alpha-tubulin gene in Leishmania enriettii by
      gene cluster deletion.
AB  - Tubulins are abundant structural proteins in the Leishmania parasite, and tubulin
      genes are examples of highly expressed genes, which are present in multiple
      copies arranged in tandem repeats. Functional analysis of such multicopy genes
      using genetic manipulation has not yet been possible. Here we describe a method
      for creating deletions of alpha-tubulin gene clusters by targeted gene
      replacement and report the isolation of null/+ mutants deleted for either of the
      two allelic tubulin clusters. We also report null/null mutants in which both
      clusters have been deleted from their chromosomal loci and in which alpha-tubulin
      genes are present as episomal elements. Characterization of tubulin mRNA
      expression in these mutants indicated a posttranscriptional up-regulation of
      alpha-tubulin mRNA stability in null/+ mutants which contained only one-third the
      normal number of alpha-tubulin genes. A parallel increase in beta-tubulin mRNA
      levels indicated coordinate regulation of tubulin mRNA in Leishmania.

PMID- 1429723
TI  - Differential processing of osteopontin transcripts in rat kidney- and osteoblast
      derived cell lines.
AB  - Using immunoprecipitation and tryptic peptide microsequencing we confirmed the
      identity of normal rat kidney (NRK) cell-secreted 69-kDa major phosphoprotein as
      osteopontin (OP). We then immunoselected a 1.4-kilobase pair (kb) OP cDNA from a
      lambda gt11 library prepared from Kirsten sarcoma virus-transformed NRK (KNRK)
      cellular mRNA, using rabbit anti-69-kDa OP serum. Sequence analysis of this cDNA
      revealed the presence of a 52-nucleotide-long insert in the 5'-noncoding region,
      which was absent in OP cDNA cloned from the cDNA library of ROS 17/2.8 rat
      osteosarcoma cells. The insert sequence is flanked by putative intron splice
      junctions and is located 15-nucleotide upstream of the translational initiation
      site. An insert-specific 30-mer oligonucleotide probe hybridized to a single 1.5
      kb RNA species from both NRK and KNRK cells, but not from ROS 17/2.8 cells.
      However, Southern analysis showed the presence of this insert sequence in the
      genomic DNA of both NRK and ROS 17/2.8 cells. Furthermore, PCR amplification of
      the insert-containing region using genomic DNAs from both NRK and ROS 17/2.8
      cells gave products of identical size and sequence. Since OP is a single copy
      gene, these data provide strong evidence for differential cell type-specific
      processing of OP transcripts. In addition, we demonstrate that, in contrast to
      most transformed cells, levels of OP expression are significantly reduced in KNRK
      cells as compared to NRK cells.

PMID- 1429724
TI  - Studies of the catalytic activities and substrate specificities of Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae myristoyl-coenzyme A: protein N-myristoyltransferase deletion mutants
      and human/yeast Nmt chimeras in Escherichia coli and S. cerevisiae.
AB  - Saccharomyces cerevisiae myristoyl-CoA:protein N-myristoyltransferase (Nmt1p) is
      an essential, 455-residue, monomeric enzyme. Amino- and carboxyl-terminal
      deletion mutants of Nmt1p were genetically engineered to determine the minimal
      domain necessary to maintain catalytic activity. Enzyme activity was assessed by
      (i) sequentially inducing Nmt1p or its mutant derivatives and one of two
      eukaryotic substrates for the wild type enzyme (S. cerevisiae Gpa1p and rat Go
      alpha) in Escherichia coli, a bacterium with no endogenous myristoyltransferase
      activity, and monitoring Nmt-dependent incorporation of exogenous [3H]myristate
      into the G protein alpha subunits or (ii) an in vitro enzyme assay using lysates
      prepared from bacteria producing wild type or mutant Nmts. The data indicate that
      the minimal catalytic domain of Nmt1p is located between Ile59-->Phe96 and Gly451
      ->Leu455. Analyses of the ability of mutant nmtps to rescue the lethal phenotype
      of an nmt1 null allele in a haploid strain of yeast grown on rich media, with or
      without blockade of cellular fatty acid synthetase, suggest that the amino
      terminal 59 residues of Nmt1p may play an important noncatalytic role,
      functioning as a targeting signal so this cytosolic enzyme can access cellular
      myristoyl-CoA pools generated from activation of exogenous C14:0 by acyl-CoA
      synthetase(s). Moreover, there appear to be differences in the location or
      accessibility of myristoyl-CoA pools derived from fatty acid synthetase and acyl
      CoA synthetases. The E. coli co-expression system was used to map structural
      elements that determine differences in the peptide substrate specificities of
      Nmt1p and the orthologous human Nmt. Rat Go alpha is a substrate for both
      enzymes, whereas human Gz alpha is a substrate only for human NMT. Studies of a
      series of chimeric enzymes composed of elements from the amino- or carboxyl
      terminal portions of human and yeast Nmts indicate that (i)
      recognition/utilization of Gz alpha involves elements distributed from the amino
      terminal half through the region defined by Leu352-->Lys410 of the 416 residue
      human enzyme and (ii) formation of a fully functional peptide binding site and a
      fully functional myristoyl-CoA binding site in either of these enzymes requires
      contributions from both their amino-terminal and carboxyl-terminal halves.

PMID- 1429725
TI  - The purification of a human mismatch-binding protein and identification of its
      associated ATPase and helicase activities.
AB  - A mismatch-binding protein has been purified an estimated 4500-fold from HeLa
      nuclear extracts using four different chromatographic steps. Two polypeptides of
      apparent molecular weight of 160,000 and 100,000 were present in the final
      affinity-purified fraction as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide
      gel electrophoresis. Partial proteolytic clipping of the protein-DNA complexes
      visualized after UV treatment indicated that the 100-kDa polypeptide is most
      likely a degradation product of the 160-kDa polypeptide. UV cross-linking
      experiments have shown that both these polypeptides bind specifically to
      oligonucleotide duplexes containing G/T mismatches. Direct DNA binding studies
      and band-shift competition assays showed that although the mismatch-binding
      protein binds with highest affinity to oligonucleotides containing G/T
      mismatches, it is also capable of binding to oligonucleotides containing other
      mispairs. The purified protein has an associated Mg(2+)-dependent ATPase
      activity, which is markedly enhanced in the presence of single-stranded DNA. A
      helicase capable of unwinding a 34-mer oligonucleotide, annealed to a
      complementary sequence in single-stranded M13, also copurified with the mismatch
      binding protein. This reaction occurs in an ATP- and magnesium-dependent manner.

PMID- 1429726
TI  - Isolation of a large aggregating proteoglycan from human brain.
AB  - A large proteoglycan (365 kDa), identified with monoclonal antibodies raised
      against chondroitin sulfate, was isolated from human brain. The isolation
      required anion-exchange chromatography followed by gel filtration through a
      Sephacryl S-500 column. The proteoglycan bound specifically to [3H]hyaluronate
      (HA). The binding was not reduced by high salt concentrations (up to 4 M) and was
      inhibited at low pH (< 4.0). The binding was inhibited by the octamer and decamer
      (but not the hexamer) oligosaccharides of HA. Limited proteolysis of the
      proteoglycan gave rise to a relatively stable polypeptide (80 kDa). The amino
      terminal sequence of the 80-kDa polypeptide was identical to the cDNA-derived
      amino-terminal sequence of versican, a large human fibroblast proteoglycan. A
      monoclonal antibody raised against bovine proteoglycans and recognizing the
      versican core protein reacted by immunoblotting with the proteoglycan isolated
      from human brain. The antibody was used to localize the proteoglycan in acetone
      fixed cryostat sections of bovine spinal cord. The localization of the
      proteoglycan in the central nervous system was identical to that previously
      reported for glial hyaluronate-binding protein (GHAP), a 60-kDa glycoprotein of
      the brain extracellular matrix (ECM). However, a major difference was observed
      with respect to the sensitivity of the two antigens to hyaluronidase. As
      previously reported, GHAP was released from the tissue by hyaluronidase
      digestion, whereas the proteoglycan persisted under these conditions. We conclude
      that the protein-hyaluronate aggregates in brain ECM contain both GHAP and
      versican, that GHAP is only retained in the ECM by its interaction with
      hyaluronate, and that the proteoglycan is anchored in some other manner and
      probably connects cell surfaces with the ECM since it was not released by
      hyaluronidase digestion.

PMID- 1429727
TI  - Immunoglobulin kappa gene enhancers synergistically activate gene expression but
      independently determine chromatin structure.
AB  - Previous studies have located transcriptional enhancer elements within both the
      intron and 3'-region of the mouse kappa immunoglobulin gene. Here we address the
      role of these two enhancers in specifying gene activity and specific chromatin
      structures. MOPC41 kappa gene constructs, either intact or containing deletions
      of one or both enhancers, were introduced into S194 mouse plasmacytoma cells for
      transient and stable expression studies. Transient expression assays revealed
      that the basal level expression exhibited by enhancerless constructs was
      activated 100-200-fold by the two enhancers together in a synergistic fashion. A
      similar trend was observed when both enhancers were present in stably integrated
      constructs, although the synergy was less pronounced. Analysis of DNase I
      hypersensitive sites in the chromatin revealed that stably integrated constructs
      established hypersensitive sites about the enhancer sequences. These sites
      demonstrated the same nuclease susceptibility as those associated with the
      endogenous gene(s), and their establishment was independent of the presence of
      the other enhancer. Thus, although both enhancers are required for maximal gene
      expression, the elements act independently in determining specific chromatin
      structures.

PMID- 1429729
TI  - Protein translocation in the endoplasmic reticulum. Ultraviolet light induces the
      noncovalent association of nascent peptides with translocon proteins.
AB  - We have photolyzed cell-free translation systems synthesizing beta-lactamase with
      254-nm ultraviolet light. In the presence of canine rough microsomes (RM),
      incomplete chains of beta-lactamase became enriched relative to the full-length
      molecule in pellet fractions obtained following photolysis and alkaline carbonate
      extraction. In addition, high molecular weight aggregates were present on SDS
      polyacrylamide gels and occurred only when translocation-competent microsomal
      membranes were used in translation mixtures. The incomplete chains and high
      molecular weight aggregates were not obtained when RM were inactivated by
      reaction with N-ethylmaleimide. The incomplete chains did not bind to
      concanavalin A-Sepharose, indicating that they had not sedimented as a result of
      being covalently cross-linked to membrane glycoproteins. Both photolysis and
      alkaline carbonate extraction were required to produce the results. Nascent
      peptides that were not exposed to alkaline carbonate following photolysis did not
      appear as high molecular weight bands on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. The high
      molecular weight aggregates therefore represent denatured protein complexes that
      contain nascent peptides and microsomal translocon proteins. The results suggest
      that the translocon is a large proteinaceous complex and that at least a portion
      of it, when denatured, migrates at a molecular mass of approximately 205 kDa.

PMID- 1429728
TI  - Identification of basic residues involved in activation and calmodulin binding of
      rabbit smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase.
AB  - It is postulated that basic residues in the regulatory region of myosin light
      chain kinase are important for conferring autoinhibition by binding to the
      catalytic core. To investigate this proposal, 10 basic amino acids within the
      regulatory region of rabbit smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase (Lys961
      Lys979) were replaced either singularly or in combination with acidic or nonpolar
      residues by site-directed mutagenesis. All active mutant kinases were dependent
      on Ca2+/calmodulin for catalytic activity. None of the mutants was active in the
      absence of Ca2+/calmodulin, suggesting that the autoinhibitory region has not
      been defined completely. Charge reversal mutants at Arg974, Arg975, and Lys976
      resulted in loss of high affinity binding of calmodulin and increased the
      concentration of calmodulin required for half-maximal activation (KCaM). The
      charge reversal mutant at Lys979 also increased KCaM but to a lesser extent.
      Charge reversal mutants at Lys965 and Arg967 resulted in an inactive myosin light
      chain kinase that could not be proteolytically activated. When these residues
      were mutated to Ala, the expressed kinase was dependent upon Ca2+/calmodulin for
      activity and exhibited a decrease in KCaM. Charge reversal mutants in Lys961 and
      Lys962 also had decreased KCaM values. These basic residues amino-terminal of the
      calmodulin binding domain may play an important role in the activation of the
      kinase.

PMID- 1429730
TI  - The phosphorylation of kinesin regulates its binding to synaptic vesicles.
AB  - Membrane organella are transported bidirectionally in cells, and the axonal
      transport system has provided an ideal model system for studying this
      bidirectional transport. Kinesin and cytoplasmic dynein were identified as
      candidates for the motor molecules of fast axonal transport, which transport
      organella along microtubules anterogradely and retrogradely. However, the
      mechanism that controls this bidirectional transport is unknown. Our previous
      work revealed that kinesin in axons was associated abundantly with anterogradely
      transported membranous organella, most of which are believed to be precursors of
      synaptic vesicles and axonal plasma membranes, while the fractions bound to
      retrogradely transported ones were very small (Hirokawa, N., Sato-Yoshitake, R.,
      Kobayashi, N., Pfister, K. K., Bloom, G. S., and Brady, S. T. (1991) J. Cell
      Biol. 114, 295-302). Here we demonstrated in vitro that the binding of kinesin to
      synaptic vesicles was concentration-dependent and saturable and could be released
      by high salt concentration. When kinesin was phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent
      protein kinase, its binding to symaptic vesicles was significantly reduced. By
      motility assay and by statistical analysis using electron microscopy, we further
      revealed that synaptic vesicles preincubated with phosphorylated kinesin
      associated less frequently with microtubules than synaptic vesicles preincubated
      with unphosphorylated kinesin. The phosphorylation of kinesin should therefore
      play an essential role in regulating the direction of fast axonal transport by
      inhibiting its binding to membrane organella, thus releasing it from membrane
      organella at nerve terminals.

PMID- 1429731
TI  - The carboxyl terminus of RAP30 is similar in sequence to region 4 of bacterial
      sigma factors and is required for function.
AB  - Transcription factor beta gamma (RAP30/74) from rat liver was previously shown in
      biochemical studies to control the binding of RNA polymerase II to promoters by a
      mechanism analogous to that utilized by bacterial sigma factors, by decreasing
      the affinity of polymerase for nonpromoter sites on DNA and by increasing the
      affinity of the enzyme for the preinitiation complex (Conaway, R. C., Garrett, K.
      P., Hanley, J. P., and Conaway, J. W. (1991) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 88,
      6205-6209). By constructing and analyzing mutants of beta gamma, we have
      identified a novel functional domain located in the carboxyl terminus of the
      gamma (RAP30) subunit. This domain shares sequence similarity with region 4 of
      bacterial sigma factors; in particular, it exhibits striking similarity to the
      carboxyl-terminal regions 4.1 and 4.2 of SpoIIIC (Bacillus subtilis sigma k).
      Evidence from biochemical studies argues that a mutant gamma (RAP30), lacking
      amino acid sequences similar to sigma homology region 4.2, is able to assemble
      with the beta (RAP74) subunit to form a mutant beta gamma (RAP30/74) with
      impaired ability to interact with RNA polymerase II.

PMID- 1429732
TI  - Alzheimer beta A4-amyloid protein precursor in immunocompetent cells.
AB  - The mechanism of proteolytic breakdown of the beta A4-amyloid protein precursor
      (APP) has attracted much attention because of its relevance for Alzheimer's
      disease. Apart from the pathological role of APP in the amyloidogenesis, many
      efforts have been made to identify the functional significance of this widely
      expressed protein in various biological processes. Employing biochemical
      techniques, we demonstrate that APP is involved in the initiation of the immune
      response. Upon stimulation, it is expressed by the major functional types of T
      lymphocytes, i.e. CD4+ and CD8+ cells. As was demonstrated for the CD4+ lymphoid
      cell line H9, APP is predominantly secreted. The remaining COOH-terminal
      fragments generated upon secretion were highly unstable. Of the APP produced by
      immunocompetent cells, considerable amounts were shown to be leukocyte-derived
      APP (L-APP). In addition, we were able to identify the KPI-containing L-APP
      isoform, L-APP733, as the major expressed L-APP isoform in immunocompetent cells,
      including rat microglial cells and astrocytes. The L-APP expression pattern of
      these cells showed high similarity. These findings seem to be indicative of an
      important function of APP within the immune system. Therefore, APP may be
      involved in various immunopathogenic conditions of the periphery and in the
      central nervous system.

PMID- 1429733
TI  - Interaction between protein kinase C-dependent and G protein-dependent pathways
      in the regulation of natural killer cell granule exocytosis.
AB  - The binding of natural killer (NK) cells to either susceptible tumor cells or
      antibody-coated targets results in rapid activation of phospholipase C (PLC) in
      NK cells. PLC activation generates inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate and sn-1,2
      diacylglycerol as second messengers, which, in turn, increase intracellular free
      calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]i) and protein kinase C (PKC) activity,
      respectively. These proximal signals initiate a cascade of as yet undefined
      biochemical events, leading eventually to the exocytosis of preformed cytotoxic
      granules. To investigate the signal transduction pathways involved in granule
      exocytosis, we utilized streptolysin-O-permeabilized human NK cells as our
      experimental model. Our initial studies indicated that the separate activation of
      either PKC (using the phorbol ester, PMA) or G protein-dependent pathways (using
      guanosine-5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP gamma S)) stimulated granule exocytosis
      in a time-, concentration-, and Ca(2+)-dependent manner. PMA-stimulated
      exocytosis was inhibited by staurosporine or a PKC pseudosubstrate antagonist
      peptide, but was not affected by GDP. In contrast, GTP gamma S-stimulated
      exocytosis was effectively inhibited by GDP, but not by staurosporine or the PKC
      pseudosubstrate antagonist. These observations suggest that NK cell exocytosis
      can be stimulated by at least two separate pathways; one involving PKC and the
      other involving a G protein. However, co-stimulation with PMA and GTP gamma S
      synergistically enhanced exocytosis, suggesting that even though the two
      exocytotic pathways were biochemically distinct, cross-talk between the two
      pathways may potently influence the exocytotic process. These results define a
      regulatory role for PKC- and G protein-dependent pathways during granule
      exocytosis from NK cells.

PMID- 1429734
TI  - A key role for a 145-kDa cytosolic protein in the stimulation of Ca(2+)-dependent
      secretion by protein kinase C.
AB  - Cytoplasmic Ca2+ is a major regulator of exocytosis in secretory cells; however,
      the Ca(2+)-dependent mechanisms that trigger secretion have not been elucidated.
      Protein kinase C (PKC) has been proposed to be an important Ca(2+)-dependent
      component of this regulation; however, the effects of this enzyme on the
      exocytotic apparatus have not been identified. We developed a PKC-deficient, semi
      intact PC12 cell system in which direct stimulatory effects of purified PKC on
      Ca(2+)-dependent norepinephrine secretion were studied. The reconstitution of
      optimal Ca(2+)-activated norepinephrine secretion by semi-intact PC12 cells
      required the addition of MgATP and cytosolic proteins. PKC-deficient cytosol
      exhibited reduced reconstituting activity that was fully restored by the addition
      of purified PKC. The restoration of Ca(2+)-dependent norepinephrine secretion by
      PKC required the presence of other proteins in the cytosol, in particular, a high
      molecular weight protein. The high molecular weight protein was identified as
      p145, a recently characterized 145-kDa brain protein. The addition of PKC
      enhanced phosphorylation of p145 under conditions of fully reconstituted Ca(2+)
      activated norepinephrine secretion. The results indicate that 1) PKC is neither
      necessary nor sufficient for Ca(2+)-activated secretion, whereas other cytosolic
      proteins are required; and 2) the stimulation of Ca(2+)-activated secretion by
      PKC is dependent upon cytosolic proteins such as p145 and may be largely mediated
      through the phosphorylation of p145.

PMID- 1429735
TI  - Vitamin A is a key regulator for cell growth, cytokine production, and
      differentiation in normal B cells.
AB  - In the present paper we demonstrate that retinol-retinol-binding protein and
      chylomicron remnant retinyl esters in concentrations normally found in human
      plasma inhibit growth of normal human B lymphocytes. Physiological concentrations
      of retinoic acid (about 30 nM) were less active than physiological concentrations
      of retinol (about 3 microM). Pharmacological concentrations of retinol and
      retinoic acid were more active than the concentrations normally found in plasma.
      Retinol (3 microM) inhibited anti-IgM-mediated DNA synthesis as measured by
      [3H]thymidine uptake at 72 h by 78%. Furthermore, we found that the cells were
      blocked in the mid-G1 phase of the cell cycle. Thus, neither MYC up-regulation
      measured at 3 h nor the expression of the early activation antigen 4F2 was
      reduced by retinol, whereas the late activation markers (transferrin receptor
      expression and actinomycin D staining at 48 h of stimulation) were markedly
      inhibited. Retinol reduced the interleukin 6 production induced by anti-IgM and
      interleukin 4 after 48 h, whereas the induction of interleukin 6 and tumor
      necrosis factor by O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and ionomycin was less
      affected. We also noted that the retinoids reduced the formation of plaque
      forming cells (i.e. Ig synthesis). These data imply that vitamin A present in
      human plasma is a normal modulator of B cell function.

PMID- 1429736
TI  - Structure and expression of the Kas12 gene encoding a beta-ketoacyl-acyl carrier
      protein synthase I isozyme from barley.
AB  - The beta-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) synthase I in the plant fatty acid
      synthetase catalyzes the condensations of acetate units to a growing acyl-ACP
      leading to the synthesis of palmitoyl-ACP. Barley chloroplasts contain three
      cerulenin sensitive beta-ketoacyl-ACP synthase I isoforms, alpha 2, alpha beta,
      and beta 2. The Kas12 gene encoding the beta 2 isozyme has been isolated and
      sequenced. The gene spans 3.8 kilobases and contains seven exons separated by six
      intervening sequences varying from 75 to 1008 base pairs in length. The mosaic
      gene structure is different compared with that of the beta-ketoacyl synthase in
      the multifunctional rat and goose fatty acid synthetases. Southern blot analyses
      of genomic DNA from barley, wheat, and the barley-wheat chromosome addition lines
      indicate that Kas12 is a single copy gene located on chromosome 2. Primer
      extension analyses identified four transcription start sites located 168-171
      nucleotides upstream from the translation initiation codon. The Kas12 promoter
      lacks an appropriately positioned TATA box and contains a GC-rich region
      including two GC elements similar to the Sp1 transcription factor-binding site.
      In this regard Kas12 closely resembles a set of ubiquitously expressed eucaryotic
      genes. In accord with this deduction, polymerase chain reaction analysis showed
      that the Kas12 transcript is present in barley roots, germinating embryos,
      developing kernels, and leaves.

PMID- 1429737
TI  - Electrophoretic studies on the assembly of the nitrogenase molybdenum-iron
      protein from the Klebsiella pneumoniae nifD and nifK gene products.
AB  - The electrophoretic properties of the molybdenum-iron (MoFe) protein component of
      nitrogenase and an iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMoco)-reactivatable apoMoFe
      protein from Klebsiella pneumoniae were examined under anaerobic ([O2] < 5 ppm),
      nondenaturing conditions. In wild type K. pneumoniae extracts, two immunoreactive
      species migrating more slowly than purified MoFe protein were detected using anti
      MoFe protein antibodies. The uppermost species comigrates with the apoMoFe
      protein produced by a K. pneumoniae mutant unable to synthesize FeMoco (UN106)
      and by Escherichia coli harboring the plasmids pVL222+pVL15 (nifHDKTYUSWZM+A). In
      vitro FeMoco titration of the UN106 and pVL222+pVL15 extracts increases the
      electrophoretic mobility of the apoMoFe protein to that of purified MoFe protein
      in a two-step process giving rise to a species of intermediate mobility between
      the apo- and holoMoFe proteins. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis showed that a
      20-kDa peptide is associated with the apoMoFe protein and with the intermediate
      species, but not with the holoMoFe protein. N-terminal sequencing identified this
      associated peptide as the nifY gene product, which we propose is acting as a
      temporary enforcer of the apoMoFe protein structure required for cofactor binding
      that is released upon FeMoco activation. This FeMoco-induced mobility shift was
      used to characterize the mutant apoMoFe proteins produced in E. coli as a result
      of deleting the various nitrogen fixation (nif) genes from the plasmid pVL222. E.
      coli extracts bearing plasmids deleted in nifH, nifS, nifTYUM, or nifWZM exhibit
      less than 10% of the apoMoFe protein activity of derepressed UN106 and contain an
      immunoreactive species whose electrophoretic mobility is increased upon addition
      of FeMoco from that of apoMoFe protein to that of holoMoFe protein in a single
      step. Anaerobic nondenaturing gel electrophoresis of 55Fe-labeled E. coli
      extracts followed by autoradiography showed that these inactive apoMoFe species
      do not contain iron, indicating that the P-clusters are absent. We therefore
      propose that NifH, S, U, W, Z, and M are all involved, to varying degrees, in P
      cluster assembly. In addition, the presence of the P-clusters does appear to be
      necessary for the two-step FeMoco activation of the apoMoFe protein to occur.

PMID- 1429738
TI  - Pseudomonas exotoxin A-epidermal growth factor (EGF) mutant chimeric protein as
      an indicator for identifying amino acid residues important in EGF-receptor
      interaction.
AB  - Epidermal growth factor (EGF) was fused to the carboxyl end of a modified
      pseudomonas exotoxin A that has its toxin binding domain deleted. This chimeric
      toxin designated as PE(delta Ia)-EGF kills A431 cells through the EGF receptor
      mediated pathway. In this study, we used a random mutagenesis approach to make
      point mutations on EGF, followed by replacing the wild type EGF in PE(delta Ia)
      EGF with these EGF mutants. We have constructed 14 different PE(delta Ia)
      EGFmutants, and examined their EGF receptor binding activity as well as their
      cytotoxicity to A431 cells. Our results showed that individual mutations of Val19
      to Glu and Val34 to Asp in the EGF domain of PE(delta Ia)-EGFmutants resulted in
      an increase in the binding affinity to EGF receptor and cytotoxicity to A431
      cells. On the other hand, individual mutations of His16 to Asp and Gly18 to Ala
      in the EGF domain of PE(delta Ia)-EGFmutants lead to a decrease in the binding
      affinity to EGF receptor and cytotoxicity to A431 cells. In addition, mutations
      of any of the cysteine residues of EGF in PE(delta Ia)-EGFmutants resulted in the
      loss of their binding activity to EGF receptor and a corresponding loss of their
      cytotoxicity. This study indicates that the cytotoxicity of PE(delta Ia)
      EGFmutant to EGF receptor-bearing cells may be used as an indicator to screen
      mutations of EGF important in EGF-receptor interactions.

PMID- 1429739
TI  - Purification and activation of brain sulfotransferase.
AB  - Galactosylceramide sulfotransferase (EC 2.8.2.11) catalyzes the biosynthesis of
      sulfatide from galactocerebroside and adenosine 3'-phosphate 5'-phosphosulfate
      (PAPS). This enzyme is developmentally controlled, reaching a maximum activity in
      the brains of mice corresponding to that of maximum myelination. The product,
      sulfatide, is an important component of myelin. This transferase from mouse brain
      has been purified 2600-fold using a combination of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate- and
      ATP-ligated columns. The purified enzyme yielded a single band following SDS
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with an apparent M(r) of 31,000. The entire
      purification procedure can be completed in 1 day. The pH optimum for the enzyme
      is 7.0. The Km for PAPS is 1.2 x 10(-6) M, and the Km for cerebroside is 2.6 x
      10(-5) M. Cerebroside concentrations > 80 pmol/ml are inhibitory. Enzyme
      preparations were associated with several lipids. Vitamin K+P(i) activated
      purified preparations of the sulfotransferase and maintained enzyme activity
      during storage at -80 degrees C.

PMID- 1429740
TI  - Structure of the gene encoding dihydrolipoyl transacylase (E2) component of human
      branched chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex and characterization of an
      E2 pseudogene.
AB  - We have determined the structural organization of the dihydrolipoyl transacylase
      (E2) gene of the human branched chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex. The
      single copy E2 gene spans approximately 68 kilobases of genomic DNA. The complete
      coding region consisting of the 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions, the
      mitochondrial targeting sequence (61 amino acids), and the mature E2 sequence
      (421 amino acids) are encoded by 11 exons ranging from 62 to 2239 base pairs. All
      the donor and acceptor splice sites conform to the gt-ag rule. Sequence analysis
      of the promoter-regulatory region showed the presence of a "CAAT box"-like
      sequence 537 bases upstream of the transcription initiation site. The "TATA box"
      like sequence is absent. Also located in this region are sequences resembling
      glucocorticoid-responsive and cAMP-responsive elements, fat-specific elements,
      and Sp1- and AP-2-binding sites. Several sets of direct and inverted repeats are
      also present. Promoter assays using human hepatoma cells (Hep-G2) and Swiss mouse
      preadipocytes (3T3-L1) showed that a 4.1-kilobase PstI fragment upstream of the
      transcription start site confers high expression of the luciferase reporter gene.
      Moreover, an intronless E2 pseudogene was isolated. It corresponds to the
      complete mitochondrial presequence and the lipoyl-bearing domain that are encoded
      by exons I through IV of the functional E2 gene. However, the E2 pseudogene
      contains multiple base changes, deletions, and insertions, and is flanked by
      short direct repeats. The data indicate that the E2 pseudogene is a retroposon.

PMID- 1429741
TI  - Purification of Limulus polyphemus proclotting enzyme.
AB  - Horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus and Tachypleus tridentatus) possess a
      proteolytic blood coagulation system within their amebocytes that, after release
      and endotoxin activation, generates a polymerized insoluble coagulin clot.
      Clotting enzyme from horseshoe crab amebocyte lysate is the protease that
      activates the clottable protein (coagulogen) which then forms the coagulin clot.
      Comparison of the previously published descriptions of this enzyme has revealed
      significantly discordant biochemical characteristics. We purified a 60-kDa
      proclotting enzyme from L. polyphemus amebocyte lysate to a single band on
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. After electrophoresis, evaluation of
      enzymatic activity of this protein within gels demonstrated that the band of
      purified protein corresponded to enzymatic activity, as detected by amidolytic
      activity for chromogenic substrates and by gelation of coagulogen applied to the
      gel. The enzymatic activity was inhibited by serine protease inhibitors. The
      purified proclotting enzyme had a molecular weight and amino acid composition
      different from the previously published characterizations of proclotting enzymes
      from both L. polyphemus and T. tridentatus.

PMID- 1429742
TI  - Deletion of the pro-alpha 1(I) N-propeptide affects secretion of type I collagen
      in Chinese hamster lung cells but not in Mov-13 mouse cells.
AB  - We have introduced two mutations into a full-length human pro-alpha 1(I) cDNA
      that delete 114 amino acids or the entire 139 amino acids of the N-propeptide
      domain. Wild-type and mutated versions of the cDNA were introduced into cultured
      Chinese hamster lung (CHL) cells, which do not produce endogenous type I
      collagen, and into Mov-13 mouse cells, which produce endogenous pro-alpha 2(I)
      chains but not pro-alpha 1(I) chains. As judged by resistance to proteases,
      neither mutation impaired intracellular triple helical assembly of human alpha
      1(I) homotrimers in CHL cells, or of chimeric type I collagen comprised of human
      alpha 1(I) and mouse alpha 2(I) chains in Mov-13 cells. Thus, the N-propeptide is
      not necessary for intracellular assembly of the main helical collagen domain of
      type I collagen. In CHL cells the rate of secretion of the mutant homotrimers was
      greatly reduced as compared to wild type homotrimers, and by immunofluorescence
      and immunoelectron microscopy, the mutant chains were shown to be accumulated in
      large vesicular expansions of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. When such cells
      were retransfected with cDNA encoding wild-type human alpha 2(I) chains, mutant
      alpha 1(I) chains were not rescued and heterotrimers containing the mutant chains
      were also retained in the intracellular vesicles. By contrast, deletion of the N
      propeptide did not affect secretion of heterotrimers containing mutant chains
      from Mov-13 cells. Thus, an intact N-propeptide appears necessary for efficient
      secretion of type I collagen from some but not all cell types.

PMID- 1429743
TI  - Effects of folate receptor expression following stable transfection into wild
      type and methotrexate transport-deficient ZR-75-1 human breast cancer cells.
AB  - Two biochemically distinct systems, the high affinity folate receptor and the
      lower affinity reduced-folate carrier, have each been implicated in mediating the
      transport of folates and antifolates into cells. Previous studies from our
      laboratory have shown that methotrexate accumulation into wild type (WT) ZR-75-1
      human breast cancer cells involves a system with characteristics of the reduced
      folate carrier, that this system is deficient in methotrexate resistant (MTXR) ZR
      75-1 cells in which methotrexate transport is undetectable and that neither
      breast cancer cell line expresses folate receptors. In this report we examined
      the possible interaction of the reduced-folate carrier with folate receptors by
      stably transfecting both WT ZR-75-1 and MTXR ZR-75-1 cells with an expression
      vector containing a folate receptor cDNA. Clones of stably transfected MTXR ZR-75
      1 and WT ZR-75-1 cells expressing comparable levels of folate receptors were
      studied and compared to the nontransfected cell lines. Although nontransfected WT
      and MTXR ZR-75-1 cell lines require concentrations > or = 100 nM folic acid for
      growth, the expression of folate receptors in transfected WT and MTXR ZR-75-1
      cells permitted the growth of both cell lines in low concentrations (1 nM) of
      folic acid. While the defect in the reduced-folate carrier system in MTXR ZR-75-1
      cells inhibits their growth in medium containing low concentrations of folinic
      acid (< or = 1 microM), MTXR ZR-75-1 cells expressing folate receptors display
      uninhibited growth in 1 nM folinic acid. The accumulation of folic acid, folinic
      acid, and methotrexate is enhanced in folate receptor-transfected WT ZR-75-1
      cells and MTXR ZR-75-1 cells. Furthermore, the accumulation of folates and
      antifolate was similar in both transfected WT and MTXR ZR-75-1 cell lines that
      expressed folate receptors. This suggests that alterations in the reduced-folate
      carrier do not affect folate receptor function. We also examined the effect of
      folate receptor expression on the sensitivity of WT and MTXR ZR-75-1 cells to
      methotrexate and to the lipophillic antifolate trimetrexate. Increased folate
      receptor expression decreased the sensitivity of WT ZR-75-1 cells toward the
      antifolate trimetrexate, presumably through increased uptake of reduced folates.
      Although the expression of the folate receptor enhanced the growth of both cell
      lines in low folate concentrations, it did not affect the sensitivity of either
      WT or MTXR ZR-75-1 cells to methotrexate.

PMID- 1429744
TI  - Structure of triphosphonoglycosphingolipid containing N-acetylgalactosamine 6-O-2
      aminoethylphosphonate in the nervous system of Aplysia kurodai.

PMID- 1429745
TI  - Agonist action of indole derivatives at 5-HT1-like, 5-HT3, and 5HT4 receptors in
      vitro.
AB  - 1. The potency of indole analogues has been studied, in vitro, at 5
      hydroxytryptamine4 (5-HT4) receptors mediating contractions of guinea-pig ileum
      and relaxation of rat oesophagus. These have been compared to other 5-HT
      receptors in canine saphenous vein (5-HT1-like), rabbit aorta (5-HT2), and guinea
      pig ileum (5-HT3). 2. At receptors mediating 5-HT4 responses in ileum and
      oesophagus, the rank orders of potency were similar. These rank orders differed
      from those observed at 5-HT1-like, 5-HT2, and 5-HT3 receptors. In particular, 5
      hydroxy N,N, dimethyltryptamine but not 5-methoxy N,N, dimethyltryptamine acted
      as agonists at 5-HT4 receptors. At 5-HT1-like, 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 receptors these
      compounds were both active. 3. The 5-HT receptors mediating contractions of
      canine cephalic vein exhibited a rank order profile similar to that observed at
      receptors mediating contractions of canine saphenous vein, suggesting stimulation
      of a 5-HT1-like receptor. 4. The rank order of potency of the substituted indoles
      differed at 5-HT receptors mediating responses in canine saphenous vein, rabbit
      aorta and guinea-pig ileum (determined in the presence of 5-methoxytryptamine to
      desensitize 5-HT4 receptors), suggesting the presence of three distinct
      receptors. Indeed, at 5-HT3 receptors in the ileum, only three agonists (5-HT, 2
      methyl-5-HT and 5-hydroxy N,N, dimethyltryptamine) elicited a response, while all
      remaining compounds were inactive. 5. It is concluded that rank orders of indole
      potency can prove useful in the delineation of 5-HT subtypes and together with
      differential antagonist affinities support the existence of four 5-HT receptor
      subtypes.

PMID- 1429746
TI  - Gangliosides prevent the dimethyl sulphoxide-induced increases in [3H]
      noradrenaline release from rat isolated atria.
AB  - 1. In the rat isolated atria labelled with [3H]-noradrenaline ([3H]-NA), the
      exposure to 1-4% v/v dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) during 15 min caused a
      concentration-dependent increase in the spontaneous outflow of tritiated
      products, which reached up to 50% with 2% DMSO and up to 100% with 4% DMSO. These
      effects were entirely prevented by a 2 h in vitro pretreatment with 50 microM
      bovine brain gangliosides mixture (BBG). 2. The pattern of the spontaneous
      release of tritiated products was 17.5 +/- 1.9% of [3H]-NA; 38.7 +/- 2.1% of [3H]
      3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol ([3H]-DOPEG); 36.1 +/- 2.4% of [3H]-O-methylated
      deaminated metabolites ([3H]-OMDA); 4.7 +/- 0.9% of [3H]-3,4-dihydroxymandelic
      acid ([3H]-DOMA) and 2.9 +/- 0.2% of [3H]-NMN. After 10 min exposure to 2% DMSO,
      the increase in basal outflow by this agent consisted of 7.4 +/- 2.5% [3H]-NA and
      89.0 +/- 3.6% [3H]-DOPEG. The 2 h preincubation with 50 microM BBG protected from
      the increase of total radioactivity and also from the metabolic alterations
      caused by DMSO. The BBG per se did not modify either the basal efflux or the
      metabolic fate of the [3H]-transmitter. 3. In addition to enhancing the
      spontaneous outflow of radioactivity, the exposure to 2% v/v DMSO increased by
      400% the overflow of the [3H]-transmitter elicited by nerve stimulation.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429747
TI  - Contribution of vagal blockade to the tachycardia induced by the antimuscarinic
      agents atropine and pirenzepine.
AB  - 1. The cardiac cholinergic blockade and the chronotropic effect of the widely
      differing antimuscarinic drugs atropine and pirenzepine were investigated in the
      dog. 2. In conscious dogs, suppression of the parasympathetic system with
      atropine (0.2 mg kg-1 h-1) causes marked brief cardioacceleration (234 +/- 13
      beats min-1) while pirenzepine (3 mg kg-1 h-1) causes moderate but persistent
      cardioacceleration (179 +/- 13 beats min-1). After suppression of the influence
      of the cardiac sympathetic system these cardioaccelerator effects are attenuated,
      particularly those of pirenzepine. 3. The effects of vagal stimulation are
      blocked completely and persistently by both agents. 4. When the cardioinhibitory
      action of the vagus nerve is blocked by pirenzepine the induced tachycardia can
      be increased by atropine, which causes an additional cardioacceleration (25 +/- 9
      beats min-1). 5. These results show that the tachycardia induced by
      antimuscarinic agents is not only due to vagal blockade. The different mechanisms
      which may be involved are discussed. The results suggest that pirenzepine can
      suppress cholinergic influence on the heart more electively than atropine, which
      induced an 'excess tachycardia'. Also, intrinsic heart rate can be approached
      more closely when pirenzepine is used to suppress the parasympathetic system,
      than with atropine.

PMID- 1429748
TI  - Influence of the substrate binding characteristics of fibronectin on corneal
      epithelial cell outgrowth. Student Research Award in the Doctoral Degree
      Candidate Category, Fourth World Biomaterials Congress (18th annual meeting of
      the Society for Biomaterials), Berlin, Germany, April 24-28, 1992.
AB  - The outgrowth of corneal epithelial cells onto a polymeric substrate is expected
      to be the primary event in the epithelialization of a synthetic corneal graft.
      Circular corneal buttons (5 mm) were punched from excised rabbit corneas and
      placed onto bare substrates or substrates preadsorbed with fibronectin (fn),
      albumin, or binary mixtures of both fn and albumin. Cell outgrowth areas were
      measured after culturing the buttons for 4 days in serum-free medium. Fibronectin
      adsorption to the materials was measured from pure and binary solutions with 125I
      radiolabeled fibronectin. A parameter thought to be related to the binding
      strength of fn to polymeric substrates was measured in parallel experiments by
      partial elution of the adsorbed fn by 3% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Following
      pure solution fibronectin adsorption a range of outgrowth areas was measured
      (from 0.86 +/- 0.03 cm2 for glass to 1.49 +/- 0.03 cm2 for TCPS). On all of the
      materials tested cell outgrowth areas increased following fn preadsorption and
      decreased following albumin preadsorption relative to bare surfaces (p less than
      0.05). Following preadsorption with binary protein mixtures cell outgrowth areas
      increased with fibronectin adsorption, however, the outgrowth areas were not
      determined solely by the concentration of fn adsorbed onto the surfaces. This
      result suggested that the biological efficiency of the adsorbed fibronectin was
      substrate-dependent. When the cell outgrowth data were cross-plotted against fn
      retention following SDS elution, the outgrowth areas were found to increase along
      with increases in fn retention. Based on these data we suggest that epithelial
      cell outgrowth may be partially governed by the tightness of binding between the
      fn molecules and the underlying substrate.

PMID- 1429749
TI  - In vitro synergistic, antagonistic, and duration of exposure effects of metal
      cations on eukaryotic cells.
AB  - Effects of duration of exposure of single metal cations (Ag+1, Cd+2, Cu+2, Ga+3,
      Ni+2, and Zn+2) on 3H-thymidine (3H-Tdr) incorporation and 3-[4,5-dimethyl
      thiazol-2yl-]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide-formazan (MTT-f) production in
      cultured murine fibroblasts (Balb/c 3T3) were investigated, and the synergistic
      and antagonistic effects of two metal cations applied simultaneously to the
      fibroblasts were assessed. The effects of duration of exposure were quantified
      using TC50 values (concentration of an element required to cause 50% toxicity
      compared with controls) measured after 24, 48, or 72 h. Using MTT-f production,
      Cd+2, Cu+2, Ga+3, and Ni+2 showed significantly lower TC50 values with increasing
      time of exposure, whereas the TC50 values for Ag+1 and Zn+2 remained constant.
      The TC50 values using 3H-Tdr incorporation exhibited a similar pattern with time
      of exposure, but the effects were less pronounced. The TC50 values for 3H-Tdr and
      MTT-f tended to equalize at 72 h. All combinations of cations tested (Ag-Cu, Ag
      Zn, Ag-Ni, Cu-Zn, Cu-Ni, Ga-Ni, and Cu-Cd) exhibited synergistic and antagonistic
      effects as measured by MTT-f production. Synergistic and antagonistic effects
      were not necessarily mutually exclusive in the same system.

PMID- 1429750
TI  - Effect of surface processing on the attachment, orientation, and proliferation of
      human gingival fibroblasts on titanium.
AB  - The adhesion, orientation, and proliferation of human gingival fibroblasts was
      studied on electropolished (elpTi), etched (etchTi), and sandblasted (sblTi)
      titanium surfaces. The texture, chemical state, and composition of the titanium
      surfaces were analyzed using a surface tracing instrument and electron
      spectroscopy for chemical analysis. Considerable differences were evident in the
      surface texture and chemical composition of the differently treated titanium
      plates. Electropolishing produced the smoothest and cleanest surface. Human
      gingival fibroblasts attached, spread, and proliferated on all titanium surfaces.
      However, cells on elpTi exhibited an extremely flat morphology and seemed to form
      cellular bridges with adjacent cells, whereas the etchTi and sblTi surfaces
      harbored both round and flat cells with many long processes. Cells on elpTi
      appeared to grow in thick layers with no specific orientation, whereas on etchTi
      surfaces they were migrating along the parallel, irregular minor grooves caused
      by mechanical polishing, and on sblTi surfaces they seemed to grow in clusters.
      Stress-fiber type actin bundles and vinculin-containing focal adhesions were
      present in cells spreading on elpTi and etchTi surfaces but not in cells
      spreading on sblTi surfaces. Cell shape, orientation, and proliferation appear to
      depend on the texture of the titanium surface and probably also on the properties
      of the oxide layer and adjacent bulk material. Our findings suggest that smooth
      or finely grooved titanium surfaces could be optimal in implants adjacent to soft
      tissues as they support the attachment and growth of human gingival fibroblasts.

PMID- 1429751
TI  - Cell-type-specific adhesion mechanisms mediated by fibronectin adsorbed to
      chemically derivatized substrata.
AB  - Plasma fibronectin (pFN) adhesion mechanisms on inert substrata were evaluated
      for murine fibroblasts (3T3) and human neuroblastoma (Platt) cells using glass
      coverslips chemically derivatized with a self-assembled monolayer of aliphatic
      chains terminated with a specific endgroup to interact with adsorbed pFN: [CH3],
      [SH], [SCOCH3], [NH2], [SO3H], or underivatized glass [SiOH]. All surfaces bound
      similar amounts of pFN and facilitated attachment of both cell types within
      narrow ranges. However, spreading/differentiation responses of cells differed
      considerably among the surfaces. While 3T3 cells spread and developed
      microfilament stress fibers comparably on all surfaces, inclusion of an RGDS
      containing synthetic peptide in the medium revealed variation in resistance to
      stress fiber formation mediated by an RGDS-recognizing integrin: [NH2] greater
      than [CH3] much greater than [SiOH],[SH],[SCOCH3]. Different patterns of neurite
      formation were observed for neuroblastoma cells: [SiOH], [SO3H] greater than
      [SCOCH3],[SH] much greater than [CH3] greater than [NH2]. Similarity in cell
      responses to both [CH3] and [NH2] surfaces argues against a pattern dependent
      upon the hydrophobicity of substrata. When pFN was diluted to a subsaturable
      concentration with albumin for adsorption, neuroblastoma responses changed
      significantly from those observed on pFN-saturated surfaces, for both spreading
      and neurite generation: [NH2],[SO3H] much greater than [SH], [SCOCH3] greater
      than [SiOH],[CH3]. Responses to the pFN: albumin mixture were markedly improved
      from responses after sequential adsorptions, demonstrating "optimization" of pFN
      conformation (not merely binding) by coadsorption of albumin molecules. In most
      cases, the [NH2] surface yielded responses distinctively different from the other
      surfaces. Overall, these data suggest many variations in the conformation of pFN
      molecules adsorbed to specific inert surfaces, as well as variations in the
      responses of cell surface receptors to conformationally specific pFNs. They also
      reveal cell-type-specific changes in differentiated cell responses on derivatized
      substrata, mediated by different classes of cell surface receptors for the two
      cell types, and provide optimism for regulating FN-dependent adhesion mechanisms
      in either positive or negative contexts on biomaterial surfaces derivatized with
      one or more of these chemical end-groups.

PMID- 1429752
TI  - Polypropylene small-diameter vascular grafts.
AB  - Polypropylene's physical properties (e.g., high tensile strength) and relatively
      inert behavior suggest that fabrication into an arterial substitute may result in
      an efficacious prosthesis. Grafts were woven from polypropylene yarn into
      conduits 4 mm I.D. x 50 mm in length. Control grafts were Dacron and ePTFE.
      Baseline platelet aggregometry on all dogs was performed with 10(-5) M ADP.
      Aspirin and dipyridamole were given for three days preoperatively and maintained
      for 2 weeks after surgery. Fifty-four grafts were placed into the aortoiliac
      position, two different graft materials per dog. The grafts were explanted at
      intervals of 2 weeks through 16 months; photographed for thrombus-free surface
      area determinations; and preserved for light, scanning, and transmission electron
      microscopy. Late (4-16 month) patency was 81% (13/16) for polypropylene, 69%
      (9/13) for Dacron, and 20% (1/5) for ePTFE. These data include one year patencies
      of 11/12 (92%) for polypropylene and 7/10 (70%) for Dacron. Late patency for
      polypropylene grafts was better than for PTFE (p less than 0.05). Platelet
      aggregation status did not predict graft patency. Light microscopy of 2-week
      polypropylene explants showed inner capsules composed of myofibroblasts and
      macrophages, with patchy areas of endothelial cells lining the lumen. By 1 month,
      a confluent endothelialized surface was seen in all polypropylene explants.
      Progressive thickening of inner capsules with myofibroblasts and collagen
      continued through 4 months, reaching a mean thickness of 142 +/- 50 microns
      (compared to 150 +/- 30 microns for Dacron). These findings suggest potential
      clinical efficacy for polypropylene as an arterial substitute.

PMID- 1429753
TI  - Polyurethanes bearing pendant amino acids: fibrinogen adsorption and coagulant
      properties.
AB  - Segmented polyurethanes based on 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate and
      polypropylene oxide and chain extended with a sulfonated diamine were derivatized
      by reaction of sulfonate groups in the polymer with amino acids. The chemical
      composition of the derivatized polymers was determined by elemental analysis.
      Tensile stress-strain measurements indicated a slight increase in modulus and
      elongation with incorporation of amino acids. Water uptake at room temperature
      showed little change following derivatization, but at 70 degrees C increased
      significantly. Water contact angles were not influenced by the presence of amino
      acids, but electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis data showed an increase in
      hard segment content in the near-surface layers so that bulk and surface
      compositions were more nearly the same in the amino-acid-containing materials.
      Fibrinogen adsorption from plasma, shown previously to be high on the sulfonated
      polyurethanes, was reduced by derivatization, due probably to the decrease in
      free sulfonate content. Thrombin times of plasma in contact with these materials
      were essentially the same for the derivatized and underivatized materials.

PMID- 1429754
TI  - Theoretical analysis on cell size distribution and kinetics of foreign-body giant
      cell formation in vivo on polyurethane elastomers.
AB  - The nature of in vivo leukocyte adhesion and foreign-body giant cell (FBGC)
      formation on polyurethanes was studied through theoretical and statistical
      analyses in terms of cell size distribution, density changes, and kinetics of
      FBGC formation. The results showed that the size distribution of FBGCs followed a
      "most probable" distribution. During FBGC formation, the densities of FBGCs
      changed with time. At an early stage, the number of FBGCs increased with time to
      a maximum at the expense of macrophages. As more FBGCs were formed and less
      macrophages were present, the fusion of FBGCs among themselves became
      significant. This, in turn, caused a gradual decrease of FBGC density with time.
      The rate of FBGC formation was characterized by a rate constant that represented
      certain characteristics of cell fusion and FBGC formation and the density of
      initial FBGC-forming macrophages that were a small fraction of leukocytes
      adhering to the surface. The direct correlations of surface cracking and pitting
      and adherent FBGCs demonstrated the influence of phagocytic actions of FBGCs on
      the biostability of implanted polyurethanes. While the cracking was thought to be
      caused by oxidative degradation facilitated by oxygen ion/radical release of
      FBGCs, the pitting appeared to result from the Methacrol 2138F aggregates
      diffusing out of the polymer in an acidic microenvironment under FBGCs, which in
      turn could be enhanced by the surface degradation and cell phagocytosis. The
      added Santowhite powder in polyurethane had a significant influence on FBGC
      formation: It reduced FBGC density and rate of FBGC formation by reducing
      leukocyte adhesion and the number of macrophages participating in FBGC formation.

PMID- 1429755
TI  - Synthesis of antibiotic-loaded hydroxyapatite beads and in vitro drug release
      testing.
AB  - Various forms of hydroxyapatite (HAP) materials have been developed for use as
      bone grafts. Since the risk of local infection is associated with surgery, it
      seems reasonable to incorporate drugs such as antibiotics into implant materials.
      We therefore investigated the characteristics of drug incorporation into a
      spherical porous HAP bead (diameter = 8.48 mm, bulk porosity = 0.439) and its in
      vitro release behavior. Cefotiam (CTM) was used as a model antibiotic. Because of
      nonuniform pore distribution in the bead, distribution of CTM was estimated from
      the amounts of CTM experimentally determined at three different sites: the
      surface, halfway to the center, and the center of the beads. The results
      indicated that 90% of the drug was incorporated in the concentric outer 0.387
      (radius = 1) section of the bead. CTM was released with a short lag time when the
      dry HAP bead was placed in water. Incorporation of CTM with egg
      phosphatidylcholine eliminated initial lag time and decreased the release rate of
      the drug from the bead. The lipid load was useful in controlling the release of
      CTM from the beads. In addition, to protect relatively unstable drugs from
      humidity and avoid contamination of drug-incorporated HAP beads an apparatus was
      designed with which the beads could be enclosed in vials in vacuo and under
      aseptic conditions on a bench-scale basis.

PMID- 1429756
TI  - Synthesis and nonthrombogenicity of polymer membrane with surface-graft polymers
      carrying thrombin inhibitor.
AB  - An acrylamide derivative of a thrombin inhibitor was synthesized and graft
      polymerized to the surfaces of polymer membranes. The thrombin-inhibitor activity
      was unaffected by the introduction of an acryloyl group. The surface-graft
      membrane deactivated thrombin markedly and suppressed adhesion of platelets,
      resulting in a high nonthrombogenicity. Immersion of polymer membranes blended
      with the thrombin inhibitor in phosphate-buffered saline for 10 d resulted in the
      loss of nonthrombogenicity, while the polymer membranes grafted with the thrombin
      inhibitor derivative maintained the nonthrombogenicity over a long period.

PMID- 1429757
TI  - Influence of calcium concentration on the dentin wettability by an adhesive.
AB  - Plane dentin surfaces were abraded perpendicular to the radicular axis of sound
      human molars. They were cleaned to reveal the tubules, and the morphological
      features of each surface were studied microscopically. For a first series of
      teeth, the Vickers microhardness of the dentin surfaces was measured and the
      calcium and phosphorus composition was determined by electron microprobe
      analysis. For a second series, the microhardness and wettability of the surface
      by the Scotchbond adhesive were compared. Positive correlations were found
      between the following parameters: degree of minerality, dentin compactness,
      hardness, and spreading capability of the adhesive.

PMID- 1429758
TI  - Relations between in vitro cytotoxicity and crosslinked dermal sheep collagens.
AB  - Collagen-based biomaterials have found various applications in the biomedical
      field. However, collagen-based biomaterials may induce cytotoxic effects. This
      study evaluated possible cytotoxic effects of (crosslinked) dermal sheep collagen
      (DSC) using a 7-d-methylcellulose cell culture with human skin fibroblasts. Non
      crosslinked DSC (NDSC), hexamethylene-diisocyanate-crosslinked DSC (HDSC), and
      glutaraldehyde-crosslinked DSC (GDSC), their extracts (1 x 10 d to 4 x 10 d
      extracts), or the corresponding extracted DSC samples were tested. Cell growth
      was evaluated by cell counting, while cell morphology was assessed by light
      microscopy and transmission-electron microscopy. Both GDSC and, to a lesser
      extent, HDSC, induced cytotoxicity, observed as inhibited cell growth and deviant
      cell morphology. The deviant morphology consisted of extensive accumulations of
      lipid, reduction in the amount and dilatation of rough endoplasmatic reticulum,
      increased inclusions of cell remnants, and relatively rounded cell membranes.
      With HDSC, both primary cytotoxicity, due to extractable products from the
      material, and secondary cytotoxicity, possibly due to a release of cytotoxic
      products resulting from enzymatic cell-biomaterial interactions, could be
      discriminated. With GDSC, however, no clear distinction between primary and
      secondary cytotoxicity could be made. With NDSC, only primary cytotoxicity,
      measured as low inhibition of cell proliferation, but without deviant morphology,
      was observed. These remarkable differences in cytotoxicity are discussed in
      relation to residual agents and specific crosslinks present in DSCs as a
      consequence of processing and the crosslinking agents used. The residual agents
      and the specific crosslinks give rise to differences in direct release of
      products and in sensitivity to hydrolysis and enzymatic breakdown.

PMID- 1429759
TI  - Short-term response of brain tissue to cerebrospinal fluid shunts in vivo and in
      vitro.
AB  - The purpose of the studies was to determine how gross physical characteristics of
      cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunts and the cellular proliferative response to
      shunts contribute to shunt obstruction. Ventricular catheters with round holes,
      slots, and flanges were implanted into the lateral ventricles of rabbits for 4
      weeks. All shunt designs were subject to ingrowth of tissue from the ventricle
      wall or choroid plexus. There were no qualitative or quantitative differences
      between normal and hydrocephalic rabbits. Astroglial cells from newborn mice were
      cultured on shunt catheters for 2 or 4 weeks. The growth of these cells was poor,
      probably because the cells cannot attach well to the silicone rubber substrate.
      Contact between the shunt catheter and vascularized brain tissue is the most
      important factor in the genesis of shunt obstruction.

PMID- 1429760
TI  - Hydroxylapatite coating of porous implants improves bone ingrowth and interface
      attachment strength.
AB  - The effect of a plasma-sprayed hydroxylapatite (HA) coating on the degree of bone
      ingrowth and interface shear attachment strength was investigated using a canine
      femoral transcortical implant model. Cylindrical implants were fabricated by
      sintering spherical Co-Cr-Mo particles 500-710 microns in diameter; the nominal
      implant dimensions were 5.95 +/- 0.05 mm diameter by 18 mm in length. One half of
      each implant was coated with hydroxylapatite, 25-30 microns in thickness, by a
      plasma-spray technique. Using strict aseptic technique, the implants were placed
      through both femoral cortices into defects approximately 0.05 mm undersized.
      After 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 18, 26, and 52 weeks, the implants were harvested and
      subjected to mechanical pullout testing and undecalcified histologic evaluation.
      The application of the HA coating to porous implants enhanced both the amount of
      bone ingrowth and the interface attachment strength at all time periods. These
      differences were statistically significant for the percent of bone ingrowth at
      the 4-, 6-, 12-, 18-, 26-, and 52-week time periods, and interface shear strength
      values were significantly different at the 6-, 8-, 12-, 18-, and 26-week time
      periods. The rate of development of interface strength and bone ingrowth was also
      more rapid for the HA-coated implants. No evidence of any disruption, mechanical
      failure, or biologic resorption of the HA coating was observed. The results of
      the present study--demonstrating a beneficial effect of the HA coating at all
      time periods--are believed to be due to the use of paired comparisons, which
      allow assessment of subtle differences that might otherwise have been obscured by
      normal biological variability.

PMID- 1429761
TI  - Microhardness measurements of renal calculi: regional differences and effects of
      microstructure.
AB  - Microhardnesses of five types of renal calculi: calcium apatite (82.5%)/magnesium
      ammonium phosphate hydrogen (10%)/calcium oxalate monohydrate (7.5%); calcium
      apatite (95%)/calcium oxalate monohydrate (5%); magnesium ammonium phosphate
      hydrogen (90%)/calcium apatite (10%); calcium oxalate monohydrate (85%)/calcium
      apatite (15%); and cystine (100%) were measured. Using Knoop and Vickers
      indenters the effects of chemical composition and microstructure on the
      microhardness measurement were assessed. Calcium oxalate monohydrate, magnesium
      ammonium phosphate hydrogen, and cystine stones, without apparent structure
      pattern, showed neither regional nor directional differences in their
      microhardness. In contrast, calcium apatite stones, with distinctly concentric
      laminae structure, showed regional variations which were correlated with the
      chemical composition of stone constituents. Scanning electron microscopy of the
      indenter impressions were taken to help in interpreting the directional
      dependence in Knoop hardness measurements with respect to the microstructure of
      the calculi. Vickers measurements showed the crystalline stones were isotropic
      within a layer. Combined results of Knoop and Vickers measurements indicate that
      the anisotropic Knoop hardness readings seen in the laminated regions were
      structural but not material-based. Implications of the results for the
      fragmentation of renal calculi in extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy are
      discussed.

PMID- 1429762
TI  - In vitro corrosion fatigue of 316L cold worked stainless steel.
AB  - The corrosion resistance of 316L cold worked stainless steel depends upon its
      thin protective oxide layer; and if this is partially broken down, corrosion
      resistance depends upon its tendency for repassivation. Since the intended
      function of stainless-steel implants is to sustain musculoskeletal forces,
      research toward the stability of the oxide film during dynamic loading in
      simulated bodylike fluids is warranted. A pilot corrosion fatigue study was,
      therefore, performed on uniaxial tension fatigue specimens cycled to various
      maximum stress levels near their yield point while immersed in 37 degrees C
      isotonic saline solution, and combined with the electrochemical insult of (a)
      imparting an 800 mV vs. SCE anodic potential for 20 s to stimulate local film
      breakdown, and then (b) returning to a constant 200 mV vs. SCE anodic potential
      and maintaining that potential during cyclic loading until the specimens broke in
      two. During the anodic polarization by continuously monitoring the current it was
      possible to (a) observe the repassivation and corrosion behavior following
      stimulation, and (b) detect crack initiation, crack propagation and failure
      onset. The combined effects of accelerated corrosion and mechanical fatiguing
      disturbed the repassivation tendency and reduced the crack initiation times and
      the fatigue lives as compared to air and saline controls. As the maximum cyclic
      load levels were increased, the fatigue lives were further foreshortened.

PMID- 1429763
TI  - Tensile testing of tubular vascular grafts produced by thermal compression fusion
      of flat collagenous materials.
AB  - A novel process of fusion bonding for the production of vascular grafts has been
      investigated. This process, based on the application of pressure and heat in a
      sophisticated way, has been used for the bonding of the longitudinal edges of
      flat dermal sheep collagen into tubular forms. The method produces continuous
      overlapping joints which are expected to overcome the problem of coagulation, as
      occurs in grafts produced by suturing. The values of the measured shear strength
      of the bond vary from 750 +/- 30 kPa to 940 +/- 32 kPa, depending on tube
      diameter and overlap length (n = 5). These values are much higher than calculated
      values of the stress in thin-walled tubes caused by a high static blood pressure,
      indicating a high safety factor for the fusion-bonded vascular grafts.

PMID- 1429764
TI  - PEO enhancement of platelet deposition, fibrinogen deposition, and complement C3
      activation.
AB  - Whereas it has been commonly thought that adding polyethylene oxide PEO to a
      surface would diminish the capacity of the surface to cause deposition of
      platelets and of fibrinogen, and to activate complement C3, we present data
      showing exactly the opposite. These unexpected results are obtained with low
      molecular weight (2000) PEO, and are not found with higher molecular weight
      (20,000) PEO.

PMID- 1429765
TI  - Calcification of implanted vascular tissues associated with elastin in an
      experimental animal model.
AB  - We have previously studied the process of calcification in bioprosthetic porcine
      heart valves crosslinked with glutaraldehyde. Observations using light microscopy
      had indicated that calcification of elastic fibers occurs in implanted heart
      valves, in addition to calcification associated with collagen fibers. To
      determine the contribution of elastin to the process of calcification, small
      pieces of rabbit aorta were cross-linked with 0.2% glutaraldehyde, rinsed in
      buffer, and implanted subcutaneously in young adult male rats. Cross-linked
      jugular vein implants were included as controls. After an implantation period of
      1 month or longer, we observed many areas of calcification in the aortic media
      associated with elastin and fewer such areas associated with collagen. The
      elastin-rich aortic tissues accumulated more calcium than venous tissues. Calcium
      deposits appeared similar in both allogenic and xenogeneic implants. Calcified
      areas viewed under the electron microscope included intercellular nonfibrous
      material. Calcified areas involved predominantly the outer layers of elastic
      fibers. Calcific deposits included needle-like crystals of hydroxyapatite but
      often consisted of an amorphous flocculant material surrounded by crystals. The
      close spatial relationship of hydroxyapatite crystals and elastic membranes seen
      in this study may be relevant to the initiation of dystrophic calcification in
      glutaraldehyde cross-linked aortic grafts.

PMID- 1429766
TI  - Introducing a selectively biodegradable filament wound arterial prosthesis: a
      short-term implantation study.
AB  - This article introduces a new compliant and selectively biodegradable filament
      wound vascular graft and reports the findings of a short-term implantation study.
      A basic feature of filament winding is its ability to tailor and better control
      the mechanical properties of the prosthesis, so that a closer match with the
      anisotropic properties of native arteries is achieved. The elastomeric vascular
      grafts comprise poly(ether urethane urea) fibers (Lycra) embedded in a two
      component matrix consisting of poly(ether urethane) (Pellethane) and a highly
      flexible poly(ethylene glycol)/poly(lactic acid) biodegradable segmented
      copolymer (PELA). Typical tensile modulus values fall in the few megapascals
      (MPa) range, this being comparable to that of natural arteries. The wound graft
      exhibits excellent handling and suturability characteristics as well as enhanced
      burst strength. Furthermore, due to its biodegradable constituent, the prosthesis
      combines minimal intraoperative blood loss and high healing porosity. The graft
      displays initially negligible in vitro water permeation, which increases
      gradually with time. In this short-term study, the prostheses were implanted in
      the canine carotid, and their biological performance was compared to that of
      expanded Gore-Tex. The luminal surface of the wound grafts was coated with a thin
      layer of pseudointima, strongly adhered to the prosthesis surface. Contrasting
      with the very stiff Gore-Tex grafts, the filament wound prostheses retained their
      high compliance, being highly pulsatile upon explanation. Histological studies
      fully corroborated these findings, underscoring the healing properties of these
      new filament wound vascular prostheses.

PMID- 1429767
TI  - Antisera binding onto metals immersed in human plasma in vitro.
AB  - Titanium (Ti), silicon (Si), silver (Ag), vanadium (V), gold (Au), and chromium
      (Cr) surfaces were made hydrophilic by radiofrequency plasma treatment. The
      binding of antifibrinogen (a-fib) and anti-high-molecular-weight kininogen (a
      HMWK) after incubation of surfaces in 10% human blood plasma was investigated
      with ellipsometry. Ti and Si surfaces bound a-HMWK but no detectable amounts of a
      fib, whereas the other metals bound both types of antisera. Protein adsorption in
      a fluid gradient produced under a convex lens indicated that the small deposition
      of a-fib on Ti and Si surfaces is probably a result of protein displacement. This
      displacement was not evident at lens positions simulating low plasma
      concentrations where large amounts of a-fib adsorbed. Surfaces washed
      sequentially in trichloroethane, acetone, and ethanol produced more hydrophobic
      surfaces and resulted in slower rates of a-fib displacement. These studies would
      indicate that some metals form complexes with specific plasma proteins or,
      alternatively, that different metals may bind equal amounts of plasma proteins
      which express differing antigenicities toward their surroundings.

PMID- 1429768
TI  - Human neutrophil response to short-term exposure to F-75 cobalt-based alloy.
AB  - The effect of biomaterials on the activation of human neutrophils was studied.
      Human neutrophils were incubated with F-75 cobalt-based alloy or polystyrene
      microspheres of a nonphagocytosable size with two times total neutrophil plane
      surface area. Scanning and transmission electron microscope (SEM, TEM), energy
      dispersive x-ray microanalysis (EDX), and graphite furnace atomic absorption
      spectroscopy (GFAAS) were used to analyze changes in cellular morphology and
      metal content. This report presents evidence that human PMNs display
      morphological changes related to foreign material challenge, including activation
      on F-75 bead surfaces, pinocytosis of corrosion products, formation of
      intracellular vacuoles, degranulation, etc. Moreover, when PMNs were present, the
      corrosion release rate of F-75 increased as much as three times over cell-free
      controls.

PMID- 1429769
TI  - Prevention of tissue calcification on bioprosthetic heart valve by using epoxy
      compounds: a study of calcification tests in vitro and in vivo.
AB  - Calcification is the principal cause of the clinical failures of the
      bioprosthetic heart valves fabricated from glutaraldehyde pretreated porcine
      aortic valves or bovine pericardium. In this paper, we compared the calcification
      on various types of bovine pericardiums pretreated with two hydrophilic epoxy
      compounds adding GA post-treatment (EP 1 and EP 2), glutaraldehyde (GA)- and
      nontreated pericardium (Fresh), respectively, by in vitro and in vivo tests.
      Significant decrease of calcification was found by pretreatment with both epoxy
      compounds rather than with glutaraldehyde: 0.250 +/- 0.001 (Fresh), 0.276 +/-
      0.058 (EP 1), 0.302 +/- 0.071 (EP 2), and 0.478 +/- 0.172 (GA) micrograms (Ca)/mg
      (dried tissue), respectively, after 20 days dipping in a simulating serum
      solution in vitro; 115.13 +/- 60.11 (Fresh), 129.84 +/- 51.08 (EP 1), 167.39 +/-
      20.81 (EP 2), and 205.19 +/- 16.86 (GA) micrograms/mg, respectively, after 3
      months subcutaneous implantation in rabbits. The in vitro method for evaluating
      calcification designed by us gave the similar order among four samples with that
      obtained by in vivo test. Because the bovine pericardium pretreated with the
      epoxy compounds adding GA post-treatment possesses the greater tenacity than that
      pretreated only with epoxy compounds or GA, meanwhile the calcification is also
      significantly decreased with this pretreatment, it may be expected that the
      bovine pericardium with this pretreatment will have the greater anticalcification
      and durability in dynamic stress.

PMID- 1429770
TI  - Polymeric hydrogels for soft contact lenses.

PMID- 1429771
TI  - Effect of child survival on contraceptive use in Bangladesh.
AB  - A study in Bangladesh showed that couples who lost a child often stopped
      practising contraception in order to have another child. Logistic regression
      analysis revealed that contraceptive continuation was related to maternal age,
      parity, husband's education and the sex of the last child.

PMID- 1429772
TI  - Estimating infant mortality rates prospectively in Honduras.
AB  - In order to determine the validity of infant mortality estimates based on
      retrospective reporting, the Honduran Ministry of Health carried out a follow-up
      survey of women interviewed in a 1987 national survey. Women were interviewed
      approximately 14 months after the baseline survey and were asked about the
      outcomes of their pregnancies and the survival status of their young children.
      The overall infant mortality rate calculated from the follow-up survey was lower
      than that obtained from the baseline survey, due to the particularly low rate
      among the group of women who were pregnant at the time of the baseline survey.
      Possible explanations for this low rate are discussed.

PMID- 1429773
TI  - A hazard logit model analysis of covariates of childhood mortality in Matlab,
      Bangladesh.
AB  - In a prospective study in Matlab, a rural area in Bangladesh, the relationship
      between a variety of covariates and childhood mortality was examined. Economic
      status of household, education of mother, sex of the children, health
      intervention programmes, age of mother, and live birth order of the children were
      identified as having a statistically significant impact on child survival when
      the effect of age was controlled. The effects of sex of the children, health
      programmes, age of mother, and birth order were found to be dependent on the age
      of the children, but the effect of mother's education was dependent on sex of the
      children.

PMID- 1429774
TI  - Determinants of current contraceptive use among Ghanaian women at the highest
      risk of pregnancy.
AB  - This study uses data from the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) of 1988
      to examine factors determining the continued low levels of contraceptive use in
      Ghana. The women currently using efficient contraception are those who have
      sexual intercourse regularly, who discuss family planning with their partner,
      whose husbands approve of the use of family planning, and who live in the
      northern sector of the country. The finding that husband's approval is an
      important determinant of efficient contraceptive use has significant policy
      implications for Ghana and other African countries, to motivate both husbands and
      wives to share fertility control responsibilities.

PMID- 1429775
TI  - Some determinants of population variation in cortisol levels in a British urban
      community.
AB  - Urinary cortisol excretion rates were determined from three urine samples given
      over 2 days, a rest day and a working day, by 51 men and 50 women. Each subject
      also completed a questionnaire relating to life style factors and to perceived
      levels of stress, busyness and happiness on each day. In men, an association
      between raised cortisol and high levels of stress was found. In women, high
      levels of busyness were associated with low cortisol excretion rates. The
      subjective experiences measured accounted for around 10-20% of cortisol variation
      in this naturalistic setting.

PMID- 1429776
TI  - Secular trends of twinning rate in Sweden.
AB  - The change in parity and maternal age in Sweden accounts for the decline in the
      twinning rate from the 19th century to the middle of the 20th century. The later
      decline in twinning rate cannot be explained by changes in maternal age and
      parity. Fecundity appears to be higher in mothers of twins than in other mothers.

PMID- 1429777
TI  - Socioeconomic factors affecting the longevity of the Japanese population: a study
      for 1980 and 1985.
AB  - The effects of urbanisation, low income and rejuvenation of the population on
      life expectancy at birth and at 20, 40 and 65 years of age for males and females
      in Japan were examined twice, in 1980 and 1985. For males, urbanisation was the
      major factor determining life expectancy at birth and at age 20 years, and low
      income was the key determinant of decreased life expectancy except at 65 years of
      age. For females high income was the factor significantly decreasing life
      expectancy at 65 years of age in 1980, and rejuvenation of the population
      inversely influenced life expectancy except at birth in 1985. Life expectancy for
      all age groups in 1985 was significantly longer than in 1980 for both males and
      females.

PMID- 1429778
TI  - Geographical distribution of some Danish surnames: reflections of social and
      natural selection.
AB  - Geographical differences in the frequencies of eight common surnames in Jutland
      (Denmark) are analysed using data from telephone directories of 121 exchanges.
      All the names showed a significant geographical surplus variance, which was
      divided into trend and patchiness components reflecting the history of the names.
      The surplus variance of surnames with restricted areas of origin was dominated by
      a large trend component; for surnames with an originally more even distribution,
      the patchiness component was dominant. The patterns of distribution were affected
      by processes which modelled natural selection with linkage disequilibrium. The
      combined patchiness within the clusters of exchanges gave information about
      patterns of local migration and level of social integration in the communities.
      Areas situated in boundary regions show high levels of patchiness.

PMID- 1429779
TI  - Prevalence and determinants of caesarean section in Jamaica.
AB  - The prevalence and determinants of primary caesarean section in Jamaica were
      estimated from a survey of women aged 14-49 years. Among 2328 women reporting
      2395 live hospital births during the period January 1984 to May 1989, the
      prevalence of caesarean section was 4.1%. Repeat caesarean sections accounted for
      1.3% of the hospital births during that period. Of the medical complications
      studied, prolonged labour and/or cephalopelvic disproportion carried the highest
      risks of primary caesarean section, followed by breech presentation, maternal
      diabetes, a high birth-weight baby, maternal hypertension, and a low birth-weight
      baby. The risk of primary caesarean section increased with maternal age,
      decreased with parity, was higher for urban than for rural residents, and was
      higher for births in private versus government hospitals.

PMID- 1429780
TI  - Measurement of child mortality in association with a multipurpose birth
      certificate programme in the Southern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea.
AB  - A simple and inexpensive method for monitoring child mortality in association
      with birth registration was introduced into the Southern Highlands of Papua New
      Guinea. Eight thousand two hundred and one newborn infants were registered in
      1988, approximately 77% of all children born in that year. The risk of death by
      age 2 was determined from reports given by the mother on the present status of a
      previously born child at the time of a recent delivery or during clinic
      registration of the current birth. This was 91 per 1000 for the province and
      corresponds to a risk of death by age 1 of 77/1000 by extrapolation using
      standard lifetables. This method was validated by comparison with a continuing
      demographic surveillance system covering 30,000 people in the western part of the
      province. The new birth certificate has been an incentive to increase supervised
      delivery rates and to generate a register that can be used to increase
      vaccination coverage.

PMID- 1429781
TI  - Cognitive and educational attainment in different ethnic groups.
AB  - The educational attainment of over 2000 children aged 7-15 years from six
      different ethnic groups was assessed. Children of Pakistani and of Bangladeshi
      origin tended to obtain the lowest mean scores on all tests, often well below
      those of West Indian children, who tended to perform as well as Indian children
      and often no worse than the indigenous majority. There were few signs of any
      reliable trends over age. Differences were more pronounced on tests of reading
      and vocabulary than on tests of mathematics but, on tests of non-verbal
      reasoning, most ethnic minorities also obtained low scores. Many of these
      differences were associated with differences in social and family circumstances.

PMID- 1429782
TI  - Relations between fertility, body shape and menopause in Austrian women.
AB  - The influence of number and date of pregnancies, births, and spontaneous and
      induced abortions on body shape, age at menopause and menopausal symptoms have
      been studied for 110 postmenopausal Viennese women. A significant correlation
      between fertility and age at menopause was not found, but several menopausal
      symptoms showed statistically significant correlations with fertility. With a
      higher number of pregnancies the individual symptoms became more severe.

PMID- 1429783
TI  - Compression plating for non-union after failed external fixation of open tibial
      fractures.
AB  - Fifty non-unions of the tibia that were present in forty-nine patients after
      external fixation and immobilization in a cast for a high-energy fracture were
      subsequently treated by compression plating. Initially, there were forty-six open
      fractures and four closed fractures with a compartment syndrome. Twenty-two non
      unions (44 per cent) had early soft-tissue reconstruction (thirteen rotational
      and nine free flaps). The duration of external fixation averaged ten weeks, and
      the mean time from injury to plating was eight months. None of the non-unions
      were infected at the time of plating. The average preoperative deformity in the
      sagittal (anterior-posterior) plane was 8 degrees and in the frontal (medial
      lateral) plane, 9 degrees; after plate fixation, the residual angulation averaged
      3 and 2 degrees. Autogenous bone graft was used in thirty-nine of the fifty non
      unions. The patients were followed for an average of twenty-four months. Forty
      six (92 per cent) of the non-unions united, in an average of seven months,
      without further intervention. In four patients (8 per cent), the plate broke,
      necessitating re-plating in three and external fixation in one (the latter
      patient had an infected non-union). A deep infection developed in three patients
      (6 per cent). Ultimately, forty-eight non-unions (96 per cent) healed without
      evidence of infection. Plate osteosynthesis is an effective method of treatment
      for patients who have had an open fracture of the tibia that has failed to unite
      after external fixation and immobilization in a cast.

PMID- 1429784
TI  - Indirect reduction and tension-band plating of tibial non-union with deformity.
AB  - Thirty-three patients who had a maligned non-union of the tibial diaphysis were
      treated by limited open exposure, indirect reduction with a femoral distractor,
      tension-band plating, lag-screw fixation, and autogenous bone-grafting. The time
      from the injury to treatment of the non-union averaged twenty-nine months. Twenty
      two of the fractures were originally open and sixteen fractures had had a
      previous infection before treatment of the non-union. The non-unions were
      classified as hypertrophic in eight patients, oligotrophic in eighteen, and
      atrophic in seven. All had severe deformity, or the nature or level of the non
      union, or both, precluded intramedullary nailing as a treatment option. All
      thirty-three non-unions healed at an average of four months; the average length
      of follow-up was nineteen months. The deformity was corrected, within acceptable
      limits, in thirty-two of the patients. Full motion of the knee was achieved in
      twenty-nine patients and of the ankle, in eighteen. Complications included four
      instances of superficial skin breakdowns, one deep infection, and one fracture of
      the plate. For non-unions of the tibial diaphysis with deformity that are not
      amenable to intramedullary nailing, the techniques of limited exposure, indirect
      reduction, tension-band plating, and bone-grafting can yield excellent anatomical
      and functional results.

PMID- 1429785
TI  - The effect of functional knee-braces on strain on the anterior cruciate ligament
      in vivo.
AB  - Functional knee-braces are widely used to protect injured or reconstructed
      anterior cruciate ligaments, despite the fact that few scientific data support
      their efficacy. We studied seven functional braces, representative of both the
      typical custom-fit and off-the-shelf designs. The braces were tested on subjects
      who had a normal anterior cruciate ligament and were scheduled for arthroscopic
      meniscectomy or exploration of the knee under local anesthesia. After the
      operative procedure, a Hall-effect strain-transducer was applied to the anterior
      cruciate ligament. Under low anterior shear loads, two braces provided some
      protective strain-shielding effect compared with no brace, but this strain
      shielding effect did not occur at the higher anterior shear loads expected during
      the high-stress activities common to athletic events. The DonJoy, Townsend,
      C.Ti., and Lenox Hill braces demonstrated a strain-shielding effect on the
      anterior cruciate ligament with an internal torque of five newton-meters applied
      to the tibia. None of the braces had any effect on strain on the anterior
      cruciate ligament during active range of motion of the knee from 10 to 120
      degrees or during isometric contraction of the quadriceps. Wearing of a brace did
      not produce an increase in the value for strain on the anterior cruciate
      ligament. For the activities that were evaluated in this study, none of the
      braces produced adverse effects on the anterior cruciate ligament, and there were
      no significant differences in the strain on the anterior cruciate ligament
      between the use of a custom-fit or an off-the-shelf brace design. There were no
      apparent advantages of the more expensive custom-made braces compared with the
      off-the-shelf designs.

PMID- 1429786
TI  - Comparison of reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament with and without a
      Kennedy ligament-augmentation device. A randomized, prospective study.
AB  - In a randomized, prospective study, sixty-four patients who were operated on for
      a torn anterior cruciate ligament were divided into two groups: thirty patients
      (the control group) had repair with the Marshall-MacIntosh technique alone, and
      thirty-four patients had repair with the same technique but with the addition of
      a Kennedy ligament-augmentation device. The preoperative characteristics were
      essentially identical in the two groups. The postoperative management, resumption
      of athletic activities, and occurrence of complications were also similar. All
      patients were followed for more than two years. No significant functional or
      clinical difference between the two groups was found with respect to residual
      laxity determined either from dynamic radiographs or with the KT-1000
      arthrometer. There was no evidence that the addition of the Kennedy ligament
      augmentation device gave results that were superior to those obtained with the
      Marshall-MacIntosh technique alone.

PMID- 1429787
TI  - Isokinetic and isometric measurement of strength of external rotation and
      abduction of the shoulder.
AB  - The strength of active external rotation and of abduction of the shoulder when
      the humerus was in the plane of the scapula (30 degrees of horizontal flexion
      anterior to the coronal plane) was measured isokinetically and isometrically in
      thirty-nine normal volunteers, who were stratified by age and sex. The angles at
      which peak torque was produced were similar when tested isokinetically and
      isometrically; these angles were similar for external rotation (at 60 and 30
      degrees of internal rotation) and for abduction (at 30 and 60 degrees of
      abduction). Isometric peak torque was greater than slow-speed (90 degrees per
      second) isokinetic peak torque, which in turn was greater than fast-speed (210
      degrees per second) isokinetic peak torque. There were highly significant
      differences in strength, measured isokinetically and isometrically, between
      younger and older men and between older men and older women. The variability of
      normal values for torque was similar in each group. Repeat testing demonstrated a
      high reliability of isokinetic measurements and of isometric measurements at
      angles within the range of the production of peak torque. Complete testing was
      performed in four normal volunteers before and after a block of the suprascapular
      nerve. The supraspinatus and infraspinatus components of the rotator cuff
      contributed a variable proportion to the total strength of abduction (25 to 50
      per cent) and external rotation (50 to 75 per cent) throughout the range of
      motion. This study demonstrated that both isokinetic and isometric testing in the
      scapular plane are valid methods for measurement of the strength of external
      rotation and abduction of the shoulder. The data support standardization of the
      positions for testing the strength of motions of the shoulder: isometric strength
      of external rotation should be measured in the scapular plane with the shoulder
      in 45 degrees of abduction and 45 degrees of internal rotation; isometric
      strength of abduction, in the scapular plane with the shoulder in 45 degrees of
      abduction; and isokinetic strength of external rotation and abduction, in the
      scapular plane at 90 degrees per second.

PMID- 1429788
TI  - Operative correction of an unstable total hip arthroplasty.
AB  - We reviewed the results of reoperation in ninety-five patients who had acute
      subluxation (ten patients) or dislocation (eighty-five patients) of the hip after
      conventional cemented total hip-replacement arthroplasty. Postoperatively, fifty
      eight patients (61 per cent) had no subsequent dislocation or subluxation. Seven
      of thirty-seven patients who had had recurrent dislocation had occasional
      subluxation during follow-up. Of the remaining thirty patients in whom
      instability persisted after the reoperation, twenty-eight had at least one
      dislocation, and nine had bothersome subluxation. Ten of these thirty-seven
      patients had another operation for the persistent instability. The causes of
      instability were classified as malrotation of the component, disruption of the
      trochanteric-abduction mechanism, impingement, or multiple and unknown, and
      appropriate treatment was provided. The component was revised in forty-five
      patients, revision and advancement of the trochanteric component was done in
      twenty-five patients, and impinging bone or cement was removed from six patients;
      a combination of these procedures was done in nineteen patients. Over-all, fifty
      eight procedures (61 per cent) were successful (no additional subluxations or
      dislocations). We concluded that the results of operative treatment for an
      unstable total hip replacement can be optimized when a precise determination of
      the cause of the instability is made and appropriate measures are applied.

PMID- 1429789
TI  - Prophylaxis with indomethacin for heterotopic ossification after Chiari osteotomy
      of the pelvis.
AB  - One hundred patients who had painful dysplasia of the hip were treated with a
      Chiari osteotomy of the pelvis, and the postoperative radiographs were reviewed
      for the development of heterotopic ossification. Sixty patients did not receive
      indomethacin postoperatively, and eighteen (30 per cent) had heterotopic
      ossification of at least class 1; forty patients received indomethacin for two
      weeks postoperatively, and only three (8 per cent) of them had heterotopic
      ossification. This difference was significant (p < 0.025). No class-3 or 4
      heterotopic ossification was seen in the patients who were given indomethacin.
      The prevalence of side-effects was relatively low, and no delayed union of the
      osteotomy was observed in any patient. We concluded that indomethacin, in the
      dosage schedule and regimen that we used, provides effective prophylaxis for
      heterotopic ossification after a Chiari pelvic osteotomy.

PMID- 1429790
TI  - One-stage correction of the spastic dislocated hip. Use of pericapsular
      acetabuloplasty to improve coverage.
AB  - We performed a combined one-stage approach for the treatment of eighteen spastic
      subluxated or dislocated hips in eleven children who had cerebral palsy. All
      patients were between five and thirteen years old and had spastic subluxation or
      dislocation of the hip and severe acetabular dysplasia. The operation consisted
      of release of the adductors, psoas, and proximal hamstrings; a femoral-shortening
      varusderotation osteotomy; and a pericapsular pelvic osteotomy. The pelvic
      osteotomy was designed to increase superolateral coverage of the femoral head in
      the elongated acetabulum, which had erosion of the superior and lateral aspects.
      At the latest follow-up (mean duration, six years and ten months), seventeen of
      the eighteen hips remained anatomically reduced.

PMID- 1429791
TI  - Improved preservation of skeletal muscle in amputated limbs using pulsatile
      hypothermic perfusion with University of Wisconsin solution. A preliminary study.
AB  - To determine whether pulsatile hypothermic perfusion with University of Wisconsin
      preservation solution is superior to topical cooling as a method for the
      preservation of amputated limbs, six pairs of amputated canine limbs were
      preserved for twelve to fifteen hours. One limb of each pair was subjected to
      topical cooling and the other, to pulsatile hypothermic perfusion with University
      of Wisconsin solution. The bioenergetic status of the limbs was monitored by
      31phosphorus magnetic-resonance spectroscopy, and histological evaluation was
      performed to assess ischemic changes in the preserved tissue. The pH and tissue
      levels of adenosine triphosphate declined three times more slowly in the limbs
      that were preserved by pulsatile hypothermic perfusion than in the topically
      cooled limbs. Consistent with these findings, the perfused limbs also had less
      histological evidence of ischemic injury. The data from this in vitro study show
      that pulsatile hypothermic perfusion with University of Wisconsin solution, in
      combination with an optimum degree of topical cooling, is superior to topical
      cooling alone as a method of preserving the bioenergetic status of amputated
      limbs.

PMID- 1429792
TI  - Juvenile hallux valgus. A conservative approach to treatment.
AB  - A conservative method consisting of use of a thermoplastic splint at night as
      well as passive and active exercises was used for the treatment of hallux valgus
      in fifty-six children and teen-agers who were between one month and sixteen years
      old. The splint was remodeled periodically. At the time of follow-up, which
      ranged from two to six years, the metatarsophalangeal joint angle or the
      intermetatarsal angle, or both, had improved in approximately half of the feet.
      No recurrences were detected among the patients who improved.

PMID- 1429793
TI  - Changes in growth-plate morphology associated with rejection of rat-limb
      allografts.
AB  - Histological and electron microscopic studies were performed to demonstrate the
      changes in the morphology of the growth plate that occur in allografts obtained
      from the limbs of growing rats. A genetically defined model was used in which the
      right hindlimbs of Lewis rats were orthotopically transplanted into Fischer-344
      recipient rats. These strains are matched for major histocompatibility antigens
      but mismatched for minor histocompatibility antigens. The disparity at the minor
      histocompatibility complex between the Lewis donors and the Fischer recipients
      creates a weak histocompatibility barrier to transplantation. Lewis-to-Lewis
      syngeneic limb grafts were used as controls. The proximal parts of the
      transplanted tibiae were excised during acute rejection of the allograft on days
      1, 5, 8, 11, 14, and 28 postoperatively. During rejection, a widened zone of
      calcified cartilage in the growth plate was observed at eleven days; this zone
      increased progressively thereafter. The number of chondroclasts in the primary
      spongiosa of the metaphysis had decreased significantly at eleven days, and
      chondroclasts had disappeared completely at fourteen days, in association with
      mononuclear cell infiltration. Electron microscopic examination revealed inactive
      morphology in some chondroclasts at eight days, and the number of inactive
      chondroclasts had increased significantly on day 11. At fourteen days, there were
      no viable chondroclasts in the primary spongiosa, and only remnants of
      degenerated chondroclasts were present. These findings suggest that the
      chondroclasts were early targets of rejection and their loss resulted in the
      cessation of resorption of the calcified cartilage. However, the proliferation
      and maturation of chondrocytes in the growth plate and the calcification of the
      matrix continued, despite progression of rejection in the metaphysis. Thus,
      survival of the chondrocytes and rejection of the chondroclasts apparently led to
      the formation of a widened calcifying zone in the growth plate.

PMID- 1429794
TI  - Distal lengthening of the hamstrings in patients who have cerebral palsy. Long
      term retrospective analysis.
AB  - One hundred and twenty-six patients who had cerebral palsy and who had been
      managed with distal lengthening of the hamstrings were followed for three to
      fourteen years so that the long-term results of the procedure could be
      determined. Twenty-four of sixty-two patients who could not walk before the
      procedure were able to walk about the house postoperatively. Mild recurvatum
      developed in only ten patients, and twenty-two patients had a reoperation because
      of recurrence. Although straight-leg raising and the popliteal angle had improved
      markedly at one year in all but two patients, both parameters regressed gradually
      over time. Of several selected variables, only limitation of straight-leg raising
      preoperatively was of statistical significance (p < 0.001) for the prediction of
      recurrence. Age, preoperative walking ability, concomitant operations, and
      postoperative immobilization had no significant effect on the rates of recurrence
      or recurvatum.

PMID- 1429795
TI  - The Ellison iliotibial-band transfer for a torn anterior cruciate ligament of the
      knee. Long-term follow-up.
AB  - We studied the long-term results of the Ellison technique of extra-articular
      transfer of the iliotibial band, without advancement of the biceps tendon, as the
      sole operative treatment for a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Thirty-two
      patients (thirty-two knees) were evaluated an average of eleven years (range,
      seven to fifteen years) after the operation. The average age at the time of the
      operation was twenty-two years (range, sixteen to thirty-four years). Eighteen
      patients (56 per cent) had a modified Lysholm score of less than 84 points,
      indicating symptoms during the activities of daily living. Only six patients (19
      per cent) had a subjectively normal knee (a modified Lysholm score of more than
      94 points). The most common reason for a poor subjective score was the presence
      of symptoms of instability, in twenty-four patients (75 per cent). Twenty-four
      patients (75 per cent) had a positive pivot-shift test and twenty-nine patients
      (91 per cent), a positive Lachman test. Twelve patients (38 per cent) had severe
      (grade 3 or 4) radiographic changes. The radiographs of the knee appeared normal
      (grade 0) in only eight patients (25 per cent). There was a significant
      association between a meniscal injury and radiographic changes (p < 0.05).
      Fourteen patients (44 per cent) had subsequent procedures due to persistent
      instability or pathological changes in the articular cartilage or in a meniscus.
      There was a significant decline in the subjective and objective knee scores in
      the twenty-one patients who were evaluated at both two and eleven years. The
      number of patients who had a positive pivot-shift test increased from five (24
      per cent) to sixteen (76 per cent). Subjectively, the number of patients who had
      a good result decreased from fourteen (67 per cent) to five (24 per cent).
      Objectively, nine patients (43 per cent) had a rating of good at two years; this
      fell to three (14 per cent) at eleven years. Symptomatic instability, pain, and a
      positive pivot-shift test were the most common reasons for a poor result. Because
      of the decline in the subjective and objective scores, we no longer recommend the
      Ellison procedure as the sole operative treatment for a torn anterior cruciate
      ligament of the knee.

PMID- 1429796
TI  - Compression of the left main-stem bronchus in a patient who had Duchenne muscular
      dystrophy. A case report.

PMID- 1429797
TI  - Identification of non-metallic foreign bodies in soft tissue: Eikenella corrodens
      metatarsal osteomyelitis due to a retained toothpick. A case report.

PMID- 1429798
TI  - Neuropathic arthropathy associated with neurofibromatosis. A case report.

PMID- 1429799
TI  - Charcot joint disease of the shoulders in a patient who had familial sensory
      neuropathy with anhidrosis. A case report.

PMID- 1429801
TI  - Non-union of fractures of the mid-shaft of the clavicle. Treatment with a
      modified Hagie intramedullary pin and autogenous bone-grafting.

PMID- 1429800
TI  - A normal data base of posteroanterior roentgenographic measurements of the wrist.
AB  - In 120 adults, we measured the dominant wrist on posteroanterior roentgenograms
      in order to determine the normal dimensions and variations according to age and
      sex. Men and women were equally represented as were two age-groups (twenty-five
      to forty years and forty-one to sixty years). The roentgenograms were made, with
      standard exposure and development techniques, with the wrist and forearm in a
      neutral position and the x-ray tube aligned vertical to the radial styloid. The
      roentgenogram that was made with the wrist in the mid-coronal plane was digitized
      and was used to measure distances between specified landmarks. The mean ulnar
      variance was -0.9 millimeter (normal range, -4.2 to 2.3 millimeters). The average
      carpal height ratio was 53 per cent (normal range, 46 to 61 per cent). The mean
      radial inclination was 24 degrees (range, 19 to 29 degrees). The carpal-radial
      and carpal-ulnar ratios were smaller in women. The width of the distal radio
      ulnar joint was reduced in the older subjects. There was a significant positive
      relationship (p < 0.0001) between the maximum force reached and the length of the
      third metacarpal. We believe that information concerning the normal
      roentgenographic measurements and relationship between the bones of the wrist can
      be used (1) to follow the progression of carpal instabilities, osteonecrosis,
      osteoarthrosis, or rheumatoid arthritis; (2) in clinical research; and (3) in the
      design of wrist implants.

PMID- 1429803
TI  - Release and excretion of metal in patients who have a total hip-replacement
      component made of titanium-base alloy.

PMID- 1429802
TI  - Radial wedge osteotomy for Kienbock disease.

PMID- 1429804
TI  - 9th Combined Meeting of the Orthopaedic Associations of the English-Speaking
      World. Toronto, Canada, June 21-26, 1992. Abstracts.

PMID- 1429805
TI  - British Scoliosis Society. Belfast, United Kingdom, March 20, 1992. Abstracts.

PMID- 1429806
TI  - British Orthopaedic Research Society, meeting. Nottingham, United Kingdom, April
      2-3, 1992. Abstracts.

PMID- 1429807
TI  - Growth hormone and cortisol secretion in patients with burn injury.
AB  - A prospective study of growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), and
      cortisol secretion was undertaken in six adults with burn injury. Serum
      concentrations of growth hormone and IGF-1 were low in all patients during the
      first 2 weeks of hospitalization. The mean growth hormone level was 4.35 +/- 0.83
      micrograms/L on day 1 and 1.70 +/- 0.50 micrograms/L on day 13. The mean serum
      concentration of IGF-1, which reflects overall growth hormone secretion, was 0.43
      +/- 0.09 U/ml on day 1 and 0.61 +/- 0.11 U/ml on day 13; these values are
      distinctly low. After 3 to 4 weeks, IGF-1 concentrations increased to the mid
      normal range, whereas growth hormone values did not change. Morning plasma
      cortisol concentrations were modestly elevated; however, urine free cortisol
      concentrations, which reflect total cortisol secretion, were elevated 2 to 28
      times above normal values at the time of admission (mean, 443.5 +/- 323.7
      nmol/L). Urinary free cortisol concentrations remained elevated after 2 weeks
      (mean, 230.5 +/- 94.5 nmol/L). Patients with burn injury have inappropriately low
      growth hormone secretion and IGF-1 production in spite of the stress of the
      injury and more than adequate nutritional therapy.

PMID- 1429808
TI  - The effects of epinephrine, ibuprofen, and tetrachlorodecaoxide on cutaneous
      microcirculation in thermally injured hamsters.
AB  - Fluctuations in the diameter of selected arterioles in the cutaneous
      microcirculation of Syrian golden hamster dorsal skin flap chambers, which ranged
      in size from 10 to 70 microns at different branching order sites, were measured
      before burn, at the same sites after burn and after injection of the drug. Three
      different drugs epinephrine (administered intravenously), ibuprofen (administered
      intravenously), and tetrachlorodecaoxide (administered intravenously and
      topically) were evaluated. Results show that the response to thermal injury in
      the control group involved extensive vasodilation in the arterioles, prolonged
      flow irregularities including flow obstructions and stasis, and a decrease in the
      level of vasoactivity of the microvessels. In two treatment groups, the ibuprofen
      and tetrachlorodecaoxide groups, significant improvement as indicated by reduced
      vasodilation and edema and improved microcirculatory blood flow after injury were
      observed. Further testing of tetrachlorodecaoxide as a topically applied wound
      dressing is indicated.

PMID- 1429809
TI  - Reversible burn injury.
AB  - Treatment of the patient with burns has advanced dramatically during the last
      several decades. Patients with burns that cover a greater percentage of the body
      surface area are now surviving. Cardiac, pulmonary, and vascular insults are
      better understood and more adequately treated. Nutritional requirements of the
      patient with burns can be fulfilled, and physical therapy is providing improved
      quality of life. In spite of these advances, care of burned tissue has progressed
      only moderately. The introduction of silver nitrate and other topical antibiotics
      and early excision significantly improved burn care. Other advances are not in
      widespread use in spite of research data that detail beneficial alternatives or
      additions to current therapies. Specifically, reversal of burn injury is
      possible. The research in this field had progressed considerably to the present.
      Reversal of dermal vascular occlusion in burned tissue seems to preserve that
      tissue.

PMID- 1429811
TI  - Management of cutaneous manifestations of extensive purpura fulminans in a burn
      unit.
AB  - Purpura fulminans is a rare disease, which may have devastating cutaneous
      manifestations. It usually follows an infectious illness, and although it most
      commonly occurs in children, it can occur in adults. The pathogenesis may be
      related to a relative deficiency of protein C and/or protein S. A case of an
      adult male is presented to illustrate the management of the severe full-thickness
      skin loss and the use of surgical excision and allograft in this disease.

PMID- 1429810
TI  - Antibiotic iontophoresis in the management of burned ears.
AB  - Severe deformities of the ears are a distressing problem after burn injury.
      Successful management of chondritis has been elusive. Antibiotic iontophoresis
      has been used in the management of burned ears in patients who have been admitted
      to the St. Vincent Medical Center Burn Unit since 1983. There were 145 ear burns
      in 92 consecutive patients who received prophylactic penicillin or gentamicin
      iontophoresis and who were admitted from 1983 through 1990. A retrospective
      analysis of all patients who were admitted to the burn unit from 1967 to 1983 was
      done to review the outcome for patients with burned ears when conventional
      treatment was used. The incidence of infection, need for chondrectomy, and ear
      infection were virtually eliminated by management with antibiotic iontophoresis.
      In addition, no complications were noted when antibiotic iontophoresis was used.
      Antibiotic iontophoresis provides a safe, simple, and effective way to manage
      burned ears and thereby limits postburn ear deformities.

PMID- 1429812
TI  - Automobile carburetor- and radiator-related burns.
AB  - Seventy-nine persons who had sustained automobile engine carburetor- and radiator
      related burns were admitted to Grady Memorial Hospital Burn Unit between June 1,
      1984 and September 30, 1990. Forty patients with carburetor-priming flame burns
      had a mean age of 31.5 years, a mean burn size of 13.4% total body surface area,
      and a mean length of stay of 13.8 days. There were 37 male patients. Four
      patients had an inhalation injury. Twenty-two surgical procedures were performed
      on 13 patients. One patient was an innocent bystander, and one patient died. The
      clothing of 16 patients had ignited, which resulted in larger, deeper burns and
      in one death. Burns predominantly involved the right sides of the face, head, and
      torso; the right upper extremity; and the right hand. Thirty-nine patients had
      scald burns that were associated with uncapping a radiator. These patients had a
      mean age of 29.6 years, a mean burn size of 8.9% total body surface area, and a
      mean length of stay of 6.4 days. There were 36 male patients and three innocent
      bystanders. One autografting procedure was performed, and there were no deaths in
      this group of patients. The burn-prone person is the young adult male. The
      circumstances that result in such dangerous behavior are predictable, and
      resultant burn injuries are preventable.

PMID- 1429813
TI  - Burns caused by automobile radiators: a continuing problem.
AB  - In spite of the fact that injury warning labels have been placed on radiator caps
      for the last 15 years, automobile radiator scald burns continue to be a burn
      prevention problem. The temperature of radiator fluid may be as high as 100
      degrees F to 250 degrees F in a properly functioning car and higher in an
      overheated vehicle. From 1974 to 1990, 100 patients with burns that were caused
      by automobile radiators have been admitted to the Parkland Memorial Hospital Burn
      Unit (1.5% of acute admissions). Eighty-two percent of the injuries occurred in
      the summer months, and 93% of the patients were male. Mean age was 31 +/- 17
      years (range, 8 months to 79 years), and mean burn size was 11.3% total body
      surface area (TBSA) (range, 1% to 32%) with a mean full-thickness burn size of
      0.6% TBSA. Length of stay was 7 +/- 7.4 days (range, 1 to 38 days). Burns to the
      face, neck, and trunk necessitated most admissions. Although there were no
      deaths, five patients required intensive care for airway monitoring; mean length
      of stay was 6 days. One patient required endotracheal intubation for a total of
      11 days. Ten patients required one or more skin grafting procedures, and three
      patients required burn resuscitation. Four patients sustained minor ocular
      injuries. A subgroup of patients demands special review: 10 children younger than
      10 years of age (mean age, 4.1 years) of which 70% were boys. Mean burn size was
      15.5% TBSA; mean full-thickness burn size was 2.4% (four times larger than the
      mean burn size for the adult population).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429814
TI  - The burn unit experience at Grady Memorial Hospital: 844 cases.
AB  - Between February 20, 1987 and July 13, 1990, 844 patients were admitted to the
      Grady Memorial Hospital Burn Unit. Mean age was 25.5 years, mean burn size 16.5%
      total body surface area, mean survivor hospital length of stay 15.9 days, and an
      overall survival 90.5%. Seventy-three percent were male. One half of the burns
      were less than 10% total body surface area. Almost half (48.5%) of the patients
      had flame burns, which accounted for 88.8% of the 80 deaths. The peak burn
      incidence occurred in infants and children as a result of scalds. If those with
      toxic epidermal necrolysis (n = 5), those without skin injury (n = 13), and those
      who were allowed to die (n = 16) are excluded, survival was 92.2%. Survival in 62
      patients with inhalation injury (55.23%) was significantly less than that in 474
      patients without inhalation injury (98.10%) (p less than 0.0001). The three
      variables--age, burn size, and inhalation injury--each influenced survival
      significantly but appeared to be dependent on each other; all three tended to
      increase or decrease together. Logistic regression equations to predict survival
      were developed.

PMID- 1429815
TI  - The relationship of burn wound fluid to serum creatinine and creatinine
      clearance.
AB  - A case is presented with emphasis on creatinine clearance and burn wound closure.
      It suggests that the burn wound acts as an extrarenal site for creatinine loss.
      As a result, renal creatinine clearance may be falsely elevated while the burn
      wound is open, and closure of the burn wound may affect creatinine clearance.

PMID- 1429816
TI  - Major thermal burn as a result of intraoperative heating blanket use.
AB  - A 72-year-old woman sustained a 30% full-thickness total body surface area burn
      as a result of a malfunction in a heating blanket during coronary artery bypass
      surgery. Early burn wound excision and wound closure with skin grafts were
      performed. The patient experienced wide swings in systolic blood pressure. She
      was treated with antibiotics and received maximal mechanical support. However,
      cardiac collapse occurred, and the patient died on the tenth day after burn
      injury. Previous case reports have discussed only minor burns that resulted from
      heating blanket use. The magnitude of this injury and the death that resulted
      from it highlight the importance of preoperative and intraoperative equipment
      checks and careful intraoperative core temperature monitoring.

PMID- 1429817
TI  - Multiple brain abscesses complicating treatment of a severe burn injury: an
      unusual case report.
AB  - Death after burn injury is usually due to complications, of which bacterial
      causes are dominant. We treated a patient with a burn injury who had the unusual
      complication of multiple brain abscesses, which were caused by methicillin
      resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The patient, a 27-year-old man, had MRSA
      septicemia on day 9 and pneumonia on day 18. Hemiparesis, which was the first
      manifestation of brain abscesses, occurred on day 27. Although antibiotics were
      administered aggressively, the infection was never resolved, and the patient died
      on day 50. Brain abscesses and MRSA infection are still major problems in the
      treatment of burns. This is the first report of (metastatic) multiple brain
      abscesses complicating treatment of a burn injury.

PMID- 1429818
TI  - Positioning screen.

PMID- 1429819
TI  - Personal emergency response systems.
AB  - A personal response system is a signaling device that summons help during an
      emergency. Although personal response systems vary widely, there are three
      components. The first component is the electronic hardware in the home, which
      consists of portable and installed sensors and the control console. The second
      component is the emergency response center, which is either provider-based or
      manufacturer-based. The third component involves the dispatch of appropriate
      assistance. The primary users of personal response systems are women in their
      seventies and eighties who live alone and who have cardiac and musculoskeletal
      problems, which make them prone to falls. The frequency of personal response
      system use varies from an average of 0.44 to 0.84 emergencies per subscriber per
      year. Program coordinators believe that personal response systems help to delay
      institutionalization, reduce admissions to hospitals, substantially shorten
      hospital stays, and reduce the duration of home attendant services. The most
      favorable impact of the personal response system has been its psychologic value
      to the users and their families.

PMID- 1429820
TI  - Splinting the pediatric Palmar burn.
AB  - Children younger than 4 years of age who have sustained deep palmar burns pose a
      significant challenge to the burn care team. Flexion contractures of the palm and
      digits are all too common because the hand is maintained in flexion when at rest
      and while engaged in functional activities. A splint that positions the wrist in
      extension and the metacarpophalangeal joints of digits 2 to 5 in some
      hyperextension was evaluated. Nine patients with acute burns and two patients who
      required palmar reconstruction were studied. (The total number of hands was 15.)
      With this splinting technique, we have successfully maintained the antideformity
      position in patients with acute injuries and in those who have undergone
      reconstructive procedures.

PMID- 1429821
TI  - The benefits of plaster casting for lower-extremity burns after grafting in
      children.
AB  - Plaster casts are frequently used for immobilization of extremities after
      grafting in our burn center. A retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate the
      efficacy of this technique versus posterior splinting in children with burns
      below the knee. Thirty-six of 165 patients who required skin grafts from October
      1986 to October 1989 received skin grafts to the lower extremity below the knee.
      Twenty patients (56%) were casted and 16 (44%) were not. Various parameters were
      analyzed in order to compare the casted versus noncasted groups. Several
      statistical techniques were used to compare the two groups. The casted group had
      younger children, more rapid wound closure, fewer therapy treatments, and more
      complete graft take. When sheet and meshed grafts were compared, the same
      variables were significantly improved for only the group that received meshed
      grafts. The use of plaster casting after skin grafting is a cost-effective method
      of improving patient care.

PMID- 1429822
TI  - Continuous enteral feeding and short fasting periods enhance perioperative
      nutrition in patients with burns.
AB  - Both retrospective and prospective analyses of the effects of various fasting
      regimens were carried out on the achievement of calculated caloric needs of
      patients with severe burns. The records of patients who received enteral feedings
      while undergoing burn debridements were divided into three groups and
      retrospectively analyzed to determine the effect that duration of fasting had an
      achievement of caloric needs and on the risks of aspiration. Patients in two
      other groups were prospectively studied to determine the safety and efficacy of
      stopping continuous enteral feedings 1 and 4 hours before surgery, respectively.
      Techniques of airway management and anesthetic induction were left to the
      discretion of the attending anesthesiologist. In the retrospective analysis,
      patients in group I, who fasted for 2 hours achieved 28% of their calculated 24
      hour caloric goals compared with 11% in those who fasted for 2 to 8 hours (group
      II) and 6% in those who fasted for more than 8 hours (group III) before surgery
      (p less than 0.001). In the prospective portion of the study, patients who fasted
      for 1 hour before anesthesia was induced achieved 30% of their caloric needs,
      whereas those who fasted for 4 hours achieved 15% of their target nutritional
      needs (p = 0.0001). No patient had evidence of pulmonary aspiration. We conclude
      that controlled enteral feedings and shortened preoperative fasting periods can
      safely enhance nutritional support in patients with burns.

PMID- 1429823
TI  - The effect of instruction on burn prevention in eighth-grade students in
      preparation for babysitting.
AB  - New parents quickly discover that the greatest resource for child care at the
      least cost are teenage babysitters. These sitters assume the responsibility for
      burn prevention of young children. This study tested the effect of a burn
      prevention presentation on pre- and posttest scores of eighth-grade students (N =
      119) from five sections of a science class. Students were between the ages of 12
      and 14 years and 99 of them (83.2%) were babysitters. Multiple analysis of
      variance was calculated, and differences were seen between information regarding
      burns from hot bath water, cigarette lighters, and baby bottles that were heated
      in microwave ovens; however, the differences were not significant. This study
      concluded that eighth-grade students learned burn prevention before they entered
      the eighth grade but that there is a need to update these babysitters on burn
      prevention and new hazards such as cigarette lighters and microwave ovens.

PMID- 1429824
TI  - The impact of burn injury: a preliminary investigation.
AB  - Thirty-eight individuals who had been previously hospitalized for burn injuries
      were interviewed about the problems that they had experienced as a result of
      their injuries, their rehabilitation goals, and factors that they believed had
      influenced either the rate or extent of their recovery. The problems that were
      most frequently mentioned by participants were compared with problem areas that
      are covered by the Burn-Specific Health scale, which is a standardized measure
      designed to assess the impact of burn injury. Our findings suggest that although
      many problem areas are well covered by the Burn-Specific Health scale, other
      areas are covered less well. Thus more work is needed to refine the scale to
      capture more fully the wide variety of problems that are experienced by survivors
      of burn injuries. In general, patients' rehabilitation goals reflected the types
      of problems they experienced. Support from health care providers was the most
      frequently mentioned facilitator to recovery, which emphasizes the importance of
      the patient-provider relationship.

PMID- 1429825
TI  - The role of folates in the development of methotrexate resistance in human
      leukemia cell line K562.
AB  - The effect of reduced and oxidized folates on the development of methotrexate
      (MTX) resistance has been examined in human leukemia cell line K562 (K562/S).
      K562/S cells were made resistant to MTX by soft-agar cloning either in RPMI-1640
      medium (K562/MTX-PGA) or in folic-acid-free RPMI-1640 medium containing 10 nM
      leucovorin (K562/MTX-LV). The optimal concentrations of leucovorin for the growth
      of K562/S, K562/MTX-PGA and K562/MTX-LV cells were 1 nM, 5 nM and 10 nM
      respectively. K562/MTX-PGA cells were 24-fold resistant to MTX as noted by
      impaired MTX transport. In contrast, K562/MTX-LV cells were 26-fold resistant to
      MTX as noted by gene amplification of dihydrofolate reductase. Furthermore cross
      resistance to cytosine arabinoside was only demonstrated in K562/MTX-PGA, while
      the K562/MTX-LV cells showed no significant cross-resistance to cytosine
      arabinoside. These results suggest that the type and level of folates used during
      the development of MTX resistance may play a role in the mechanism for MTX
      resistance. Leukemia cells that are grown in leucovorin might serve as a model
      for acquired MTX resistance in vivo.

PMID- 1429826
TI  - Effect of age on development of tumours in the intrasplenic ovarian grafts in
      ovariectomized rats.
AB  - Female rats at the age of 1, 3, and 14-16 months ("young", "adult" and "old"
      groups respectively) were bilaterally ovariectomized and one of the removed
      ovaries was autoimplanted into the spleen. The total intrasplenic ovarian tumour
      incidence was equal in the rats subjected to the operation at 3 and 14-16 months
      (77.4% and 80.6% respectively) and tumours developed more frequently in rats
      exposed to surgery at the age of 1 month (94.5%), P < 0.05. The incidence of
      Sertoli and Leydig cell tumours was increased and their latency was decreased in
      the old group in comparison to the adult one. In rats exposed to the operation at
      the age of 3 months, granulosotheca cell tumours developed more frequently than
      other tumour types, and in the young group thecomas were discovered more often
      than in both older groups. Dysgerminomas and luteomas were discovered only in
      intrasplenic grafts of rats of the young group. It is supposed that the
      differences in structure and proliferative activity of various ovarian tissues
      between young, adult and old rats at the moment of intrasplenic transplantation,
      as well as the differences in their response to gonadotropic stimulation play a
      significant role in the development of ovarian tumours of varied histogenesis in
      the intrasplenic ovarian grafts.

PMID- 1429827
TI  - Phase II trial of 5-fluorouracil, high-dose leucovorin calcium, and dipyridamole
      in advanced prostate cancer.
AB  - To examine the effect of altering intracellular folate pools on the efficacy of 5
      fluorouracil (FUra) in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer, we performed a
      phase II trial of FUra (300-370 mg m-2 day-1 x 5 as an i.v. bolus) combined with
      high-dose folinic acid (500 mg m-2 day-1 x 5.5 days by continuous i.v. infusion)
      and dipyridamole (75 mg p.o. every 6 h x 5.5 days) administered on a 28-day
      schedule in patients with stage D2 disease. A group of 13 patients have been
      treated. The median age was 68 years (range 48-78 years); the performance status
      ranged from 50% to 90%. Among 12 evaluable patients, there were no objective
      responders; the median time to progression was 1.9 months. Median survival after
      entry on this trial was 8.6 months. Treatment with FUra, high-dose folinic acid
      and dipyridamole was well tolerated. Only one episode each of grade 3 leukopenia,
      granulocytopenia, and thrombocytopenia was observed. These results suggest that,
      despite previous trials demonstrating activity for FUra in stage D2 prostate
      cancer, this disease may be relatively resistant to fluoropyrimidines and, thus,
      less amenable to biochemical modulation with high-dose folinic acid and
      dipyridamole.

PMID- 1429828
TI  - p53 point mutations in primary human gastric carcinomas.
AB  - p53 point mutations in primary gastric carcinomas were analyzed by performing
      cDNA deoxynucleotide sequencing of the gene. Out of 16, 9 (56.3%) primary gastric
      carcinoma cases, including early cancer, showed one or more p53 point mutations
      in their open-reading frame, and 4 out of 9 cases had a p53 point mutation within
      highly conserved domains. The characteristics of the p53 mutation spectrum
      observed in primary tumors were (a) frequent mutation at an A:T pair (50%, 7 out
      of 14 mutations), (b) high transversion incidence (29%, 4 out of 14 mutations),
      (c) no transition at CpG, and (d) no G:C to T:A transversion. Our results suggest
      that p53 mutation is a common event in gastric carcinoma occurring from the early
      stage of progression with its specific mutation spectrum.

PMID- 1429829
TI  - Neutron-capture therapy of murine ascites tumor with gadolinium-containing
      microcapsules.
AB  - Gadolinium-containing microcapsules were evaluated as an agent for gadolinium
      neutron-capture therapy. Mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with 10(7)
      Ehrlich ascites tumor cells and gadolinium microcapsules and exposed to thermal
      neutrons for 12 min (approximately 1.86 x 10(12) neutrons cm-2). Significantly
      more mice given gadolinium microcapsules than those given placebo microcapsules
      or control survived for 60 days and considerably longer (P < 0.0001), indicating
      that gadolinium neutron-capture reactions effectively suppressed the growth of
      ascites tumor cells in mice. The results suggest that these microcapsules are an
      effective gadolinium carrier for neutron-capture therapy.

PMID- 1429831
TI  - Investigations of droloxifene and other hormone manipulations on N
      nitrosomethylurea-induced rat mammary tumours. 1. Influence on tumour growth.
AB  - The effect of droloxifene, a new anti-oestrogenic drug, on N-nitrosomethylurea
      induced mammary tumours of Sprague-Dawley rats was investigated and compared with
      that of tamoxifen. The response of tumour growth to ovariectomy or to treatment
      with aminoglutethimide or high doses of oestradiol was also studied. Ovariectomy
      was by far the most effective treatment for mammary-tumour-bearing animals. More
      than 75% of the tumours in ovariectomized rats did not grow progressively but
      remained in remission for up to 12 weeks after castration when the experiment was
      terminated. The inhibitory effects of droloxifene and tamoxifen on mammary tumour
      growth were similar, but body weight loss of animals treated with tamoxifen was
      more marked than that of animals treated with droloxifene at the same dose and
      schedule.

PMID- 1429830
TI  - Drug resistance in oncology: from concepts to applications.
AB  - The complex problem of drug resistance is discussed with respect to host
      toxicity, to tumor characteristics (kinetic resistance, heterogeneity of cell
      subpopulations, hypoxia, mutation and gene amplification), and to the medication
      itself (pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic resistance: cell membrane,
      intracellular metabolism, intracellular target). After detailing each type of
      resistance, the possibilities of fighting against drug resistance are explored
      (dealing with host toxicity, tumor characteristics and drugs--intensifying
      therapy, multiple drug therapy, biochemical modulation, particular modalities of
      drug administration). Finally, perspectives of research and development of new
      drugs are summarized.

PMID- 1429832
TI  - Investigations of droloxifene and other hormonal manipulations on N
      nitrosomethylurea-induced rat mammary tumours. 2. Influence on oestrogen
      receptor.
AB  - In N-nitrosomethylurea-induced rat mammary tumours, tamoxifen is found to compete
      at the binding sites of the oestradiol receptor if a receptor determination is
      performed 1 day following the last drug application to animals. Despite a higher
      binding affinity of droloxifene (3-OH-tamoxifen) to oestradiol receptor, compared
      to tamoxifen, its influence on the measurable receptor quantity is only very weak
      or not demonstrable. Therefore, binding affinity is not a valid explanation for
      the different influences of the two anti-oestrogens on the receptor. These only
      can be attributed to different behaviour patterns of both substances in relation
      to their half-lives and metabolism and accumulation in the organism. Owing to the
      short half-life of droloxifene, even 1 day after the last application too little
      drug is available to compete for oestradiol binding sites. In the case of both
      anti-oestrogenic substances, cessation of drug application for 8 weeks abolished
      any influence on the oestradiol receptor. Furthermore, failure of
      aminoglutethimide to influence the oestradiol receptor could be observed because
      this substance does not act via this receptor. The experiments performed confirm
      literature data regarding the effect of aminoglutethimide therapy on oestradiol
      receptors in breast tumour tissue of human beings. In summary: receptor
      investigations of N-nitrosomethylurea-induced rat mammary tumours, used as a
      model to test therapy regimens with droloxifene or other drugs with a short half
      life, may be of limited value only.

PMID- 1429833
TI  - Pathway of incorporation of microinjected lamin A into the nuclear envelope.
AB  - When microinjected into the cytoplasm of 3T3 cells, biotinylated human lamin A
      rapidly enters the nucleus and gradually becomes incorporated into the nuclear
      lamina region as determined by immunofluorescence. The incorporation of the
      microinjected material takes several hours and progresses through a series of
      morphologically identifiable stages. Within minutes after microinjection, lamin A
      is found in spots distributed throughout the nucleus, except in nucleolar
      regions. Over a time course of up to 6 h, these spots appear to decrease in size
      and number as the biotinylated lamin A becomes associated with the endogenous
      nuclear lamina. Eventually, the typical nuclear rim staining pattern normally
      revealed by immunofluorescence with nuclear lamin antibodies is seen with
      antibiotin. This latter rim staining property is passed on to daughter cells
      following mitosis. These results indicate that the microinjected biotinylated
      nuclear lamin A retains those properties required for its integration into the
      lamina, as well as those necessary for the disassembly and subsequent reassembly
      of the nuclear lamina during cell division. The initial rapid accumulation into
      foci and the subsequent slower incorporation into the nuclear lamina appear to be
      analogous to the stages of incorporation following the microinjection of
      cytoskeletal intermediate filament proteins such as vimentin and keratin
      (Vikstrom, K., G. G. Borisy, and R. D. Goldman. 1989. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA.
      86:549-553; Miller, R. K., K. Vikstrom, and R. D. Goldman. 1991. J. Cell Biol.
      113:843-855). Foci are also observed in some uninjected cells using nuclear lamin
      antibodies, indicating that these features are a genuine component of nuclear
      substructure. Evidence is presented that shows the appearance of these nuclear
      structures is cell cycle dependent.

PMID- 1429834
TI  - NOP3 is an essential yeast protein which is required for pre-rRNA processing.
AB  - The four nucleolar proteins NOP1, SSB1, GAR1, and NSR1 of Saccharomyces
      cerevisiae share a repetitive domain composed of repeat units rich in glycine and
      arginine (GAR domain). We have cloned and sequenced a fifth member of this
      family, NOP3, and shown it to be essential for cell viability. The NOP3 open
      reading frame encodes a 415 amino acid protein with a predicted molecular mass of
      45 kD, containing a GAR domain and an RNA recognition motif. NOP3-specific
      antibodies recognize a 60-kD protein by SDS-PAGE and decorate the nucleolus and
      the surrounding nucleoplasm. A conditional lethal mutation, GAL::nop3, was
      constructed; growth of the mutant strain in glucose medium represses NOP3
      expression. In cells depleted of NOP3, production of cytoplasmic ribosomes is
      impaired. Northern analysis and pulse-chase labeling indicate that pre-rRNA
      processing is inhibited at the late steps, in which 27SB pre-rRNA is cleaved to
      25S rRNA and 20S pre-rRNA to 18S rRNA.

PMID- 1429835
TI  - GTP-binding mutants of rab1 and rab2 are potent inhibitors of vesicular transport
      from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi complex.
AB  - We have examined the role of ras-related rab proteins in transport from the ER to
      the Golgi complex in vivo using a vaccinia recombinant T7 RNA polymerase virus to
      express site-directed rab mutants. These mutations are within highly conserved
      domains involved in guanine nucleotide binding and hydrolysis found in ras and
      all members of the ras superfamily. Substitutions in the GTP-binding domains of
      rab1a and rab1b (equivalent to the ras 17N and 116I mutants) resulted in proteins
      which were potent trans dominant inhibitors of vesicular stomatitis virus
      glycoprotein (VSV-G protein) transport between the ER and cis Golgi complex.
      Immunofluorescence analysis indicated that expression of rab1b121I prevented
      delivery of VSV-G protein to the Golgi stack, which resulted in VSV-G protein
      accumulation in pre-Golgi punctate structures. Mutants in guanine nucleotide
      exchange or hydrolysis of the rab2 protein were also strong trans dominant
      transport inhibitors. Analogous mutations in rab3a, rab5, rab6, and H-ras did not
      inhibit processing of VSV-G to the complex, sialic acid containing form
      diagnostic of transport to the trans Golgi compartment. We suggest that at least
      three members of the rab family (rab1a, rab1b, and rab2) use GTP hydrolysis to
      regulate components of the transport machinery involved in vesicle traffic
      between early compartments of the secretory pathway.

PMID- 1429836
TI  - The VPS1 protein, a homolog of dynamin required for vacuolar protein sorting in
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is a GTPase with two functionally separable domains.
AB  - The product of the VPS1 gene, Vps1p, is required for the sorting of soluble
      vacuolar proteins in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We demonstrate here that
      Vps1p, which contains a consensus tripartite motif for guanine nucleotide
      binding, is capable of binding and hydrolyzing GTP. Vps1p is a member of a
      subfamily of large GTP-binding proteins whose members include the vertebrate Mx
      proteins, the yeast MGM1 protein, the Drosophila melanogaster shibire protein,
      and dynamin, a bovine brain protein that bundles microtubules in vitro.
      Disruption of microtubules did not affect the fidelity or kinetics of vacuolar
      protein sorting, indicating that Vps1p function is not dependent on microtubules.
      Based on mutational analyses, we propose a two-domain model for Vps1p function.
      When VPS1 was treated with hydroxylamine, half of all mutations isolated were
      found to be dominant negative with respect to vacuolar protein sorting. All of
      the dominant-negative mutations analyzed further mapped to the amino-terminal
      half of Vps1p and gave rise to full-length protein products. In contrast,
      recessive mutations gave rise to truncated or unstable protein products. Two
      large deletion mutations in VPS1 were created to further investigate Vps1p
      function. A mutant form of Vps1p lacking the carboxy-terminal half of the protein
      retained the capacity to bind GTP and did not interfere with sorting in a wild
      type background. A mutant form of Vps1p lacking the entire GTP-binding domain
      interfered with vacuolar protein sorting in wild-type cells. We suggest that the
      amino-terminal domain of Vps1p provides a GTP-binding and hydrolyzing activity
      required for vacuolar protein sorting, and the carboxy-terminal domain mediates
      Vps1p association with an as yet unidentified component of the sorting apparatus.

PMID- 1429837
TI  - Localization of dystrophin gene transcripts during mouse embryogenesis.
AB  - The spatial and temporal expression of the dystrophin gene has been examined
      during mouse embryogenesis, using in situ hybridization on tissue sections with a
      probe from the 5' end of the dystrophin coding sequence. In striated muscle,
      dystrophin transcripts are detectable from about 9 d in the heart and slightly
      later in skeletal muscle. However, there is an important difference between the
      two types of muscle: the heart is already functional as a contractile organ
      before the appearance of dystrophin transcripts, whereas this is not the case in
      skeletal muscle, where dystrophin and myosin heavy chain transcripts are first
      detectable at the same time. In the heart, dystrophin transcripts accumulate
      initially in the outflow tract and, at later stages, in both the atria and
      ventricles. In skeletal muscle, the gene is expressed in all myocytes
      irrespective of fiber type. In smooth muscle dystrophin transcripts are first
      detectable from 11 d post coitum in blood vessels, and subsequently in lung
      bronchi and in the digestive tract. The other major tissue where the dystrophin
      gene is expressed is the brain, where transcripts are clearly detectable in the
      cerebellum from 13 d. High-level expression of the gene is also seen in
      particular regions of the forebrain involved in the regulation of circadian
      rhythms, the endocrine system, and olfactory function, not previously identified
      in this context. The findings are discussed in the context of the pathology of
      Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

PMID- 1429838
TI  - An unconventional myosin heavy chain gene from Drosophila melanogaster.
AB  - As part of a study of cytoskeletal proteins involved in Drosophila embryonic
      development, we have undertaken the molecular analysis of a 140-kD ATP-sensitive
      actin-binding protein (Miller, K. G., C. M. Field, and B. M. Alberts. 1989. J.
      Cell Biol. 109:2963-2975). Analysis of cDNA clones encoding this protein revealed
      that it represents a new class of unconventional myosin heavy chains. The amino
      terminal two thirds of the protein comprises a head domain that is 29-33%
      identical (60-65% similar) to other myosin heads, and contains ATP-binding, actin
      binding and calmodulin/myosin light chain-binding motifs. The carboxy-terminal
      tail has no significant similarity to other known myosin tails, but does contain
      a approximately 100-amino acid region that is predicted to form an alpha-helical
      coiled-coil. Since the unique gene that encodes this protein maps to the polytene
      map position 95F, we have named the new gene Drosophila 95F myosin heavy chain
      (95F MHC). The expression profile of the 95F MHC gene is complex. Examination of
      multiple cDNAs reveals that transcripts are alternatively spliced and encode at
      least three protein isoforms; in addition, a fourth isoform is detected on
      Western blots. Developmental Northern and Western blots show that transcripts and
      protein are present throughout the life cycle, with peak expression occurring
      during mid-embryogenesis and adulthood. Immunolocalization in early embryos
      demonstrates that the protein is primarily located in a punctate pattern
      throughout the peripheral cytoplasm. Most cells maintain a low level of protein
      expression throughout embryogenesis, but specific tissues appear to contain more
      protein. We speculate that the 95F MHC protein isoforms are involved in multiple
      dynamic processes during Drosophila development.

PMID- 1429840
TI  - Host cell factors controlling vimentin organization in the Xenopus oocyte.
AB  - To study vimentin filament organization in vivo we injected Xenopus oocytes,
      which have no significant vimentin system of their own, with in vitro-synthesized
      RNAs encoding Xenopus vimentins. Exogenous vimentins were localized primarily to
      the cytoplasmic surface of the nucleus and to the subplasma membrane "cortex." In
      the cortex of the animal hemisphere, wild-type vimentin forms punctate structures
      and short filaments. In contrast, long anastomosing vimentin filaments are formed
      in the vegetal hemisphere cortex. This asymmetry in the organization of exogenous
      vimentin is similar to that of the endogenous keratin system (Klymkowsky, M. W.,
      L. A. Maynell, and A. G. Polson. 1987. Development (Camb.). 100:543-557), which
      suggests that the same cellular factors are responsible for both. Before germinal
      vesicle breakdown, in the initial stage of oocyte maturation, large vimentin and
      keratin filament bundles appear in the animal hemisphere. As maturation proceeds,
      keratin filaments fragment into soluble oligomers (Klymkowsky, M. W., L. A.
      Maynell, and C. Nislow. 1991. J. Cell Biol. 114:787-797), while vimentin
      filaments remain intact and vimentin is hyperphosphorylated. To examine the role
      of MPF kinase in the M-phase reorganization of vimentin we deleted the conserved
      proline of vimentin's single MPF-kinase site; this mutation had no apparent
      effect on the prophase or M-phase behavior of vimentin. In contrast, deletion of
      amino acids 19-68 or 18-61 of the NH2-terminal "head" domain produced proteins
      that formed extended filaments in the animal hemisphere of the prophase oocyte.
      We suggest that the animal hemisphere cortex of the prophase oocyte contains a
      factor that actively suppresses the formation of extended vimentin filaments
      through a direct interaction with vimentin's head domain. During maturation this
      "suppressor of extended filaments" appears to be inactivated, leading to the
      formation of an extended vimentin filament system.

PMID- 1429841
TI  - Newly assembled microtubules are concentrated in the proximal and distal regions
      of growing axons.
AB  - We have investigated the sites of microtubule (MT) assembly in neurons during
      axon growth by taking advantage of the relationship between the proportion of
      tyrosinated alpha-tubulin (tyr-tubulin) in MTs and their age. Specifically, young
      (newly assembled) MTs contain more tyr-tubulin than older (more long-lived) MTs.
      To quantify the relative proportion of tyr-tubulin in MTs, cultured rat
      sympathetic neurons were permeabilized under conditions that stabilize existing
      MTs and remove unassembled tubulin. The MTs were then double-stained with
      antibodies to tyr-tubulin (as a measure of the amount of tyr-tubulin in MTs) and
      to beta-tubulin (as a measure of total MT mass), using immunofluorescence
      procedures. Cells were imaged with a cooled charge-coupled device camera and the
      relative proportion of tyr-tubulin in the MTs was quantified by computing the
      ratio of the tyr-tubulin fluorescence to the beta-tubulin fluorescence using a
      novel application of digital image processing and analysis techniques. The amount
      of tyr-tubulin in the MTs was highest in the cell body and at the growth cone;
      peak ratios in these two regions were approximately 10-fold higher than for the
      axon shaft. Moving out from the cell body into the axon, the tyr-tubulin content
      declined over an average distance of 40 microns to reach a constant low value
      within the axon shaft and then rose again more distally, over an average distance
      of 110 microns, to reach a peak at the growth cone (average axon length = 358
      microns). These observations indicate that newly assembled MTs are concentrated
      in the proximal and distal regions of growing axons and therefore that the cell
      body and growth cone are the most active sites of MT assembly dynamics in neurons
      that are actively extending axons.

PMID- 1429839
TI  - A 62-kD protein required for mitotic progression is associated with the mitotic
      apparatus during M-phase and with the nucleus during interphase.
AB  - A protein of 62 kD is a substrate of a calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein
      kinase, and both proteins copurify with isolated mitotic apparatuses (Dinsmore,
      J. H., and R. D. Sloboda. 1988. Cell. 53:769-780). Phosphorylation of the 62-kD
      protein increases after fertilization; maximum incorporation of phosphate occurs
      during late metaphase and anaphase and correlates directly with microtubule
      disassembly as determined by in vitro experiments with isolated mitotic
      apparatuses. Because 62-kD protein phosphorylation occurs in a pattern similar to
      the accumulation of the mitotic cyclin proteins, experiments were performed to
      determine the relationship between cyclin and the 62-kD protein. Continuous
      labeling of marine embryos with [35S]methionine, as well as immunoblots of marine
      embryo proteins using specific antibodies, were used to identify both cyclin and
      the 62-kD protein. These results clearly demonstrate that the 62-kD protein is
      distinct from cyclin and, unlike cyclin, is a constant member of the cellular
      protein pool during the first two cell cycles in sea urchin and surf clam
      embryos. Similar results were obtained using immunofluorescence microscopy of
      intact eggs and embryos. In addition, immunogold electron microscopy reveals that
      the 62-kD protein associates with the microtubules of the mitotic apparatus in
      dividing cells. Interestingly, the protein changes its subcellular distribution
      with respect to microtubules during the cell cycle. Specifically, during mitosis
      the 62-kD protein associates with the mitotic apparatus; before nuclear envelope
      breakdown, however, the 62-kD protein is confined to the nucleus. After anaphase,
      the 62-kD protein returns to the nucleus, where it resides until nuclear envelope
      disassembly of the next cell cycle.

PMID- 1429842
TI  - Calcium influx into neurons can solely account for cell contact-dependent neurite
      outgrowth stimulated by transfected L1.
AB  - We have used monolayers of control 3T3 cells and 3T3 cells expressing transfected
      human L1 as a culture substrate for rat PC12 cells and rat cerebellar neurons.
      PC12 cells and cerebellar neurons extended longer neurites on human L1 expressing
      cells. Neurons isolated from the cerebellum at postnatal day 9 responded equally
      as well as those isolated at postnatal day 1-4, and this contrasts with the
      failure of these older neurons to respond to the transfected human neural cell
      adhesion molecule (NCAM). Human L1-dependent neurite outgrowth could be blocked
      by antibodies that bound to rat L1 and, additionally, the response could be fully
      inhibited by pertussis toxin and substantially inhibited by antagonists of L- and
      N-type calcium channels. Calcium influx into neurons induced by K+ depolarization
      fully mimics the L1 response. Furthermore, we show that L1- and K+(-)dependent
      neurite outgrowth can be specifically inhibited by a reduction in extracellular
      calcium to 0.25 microM, and by pretreatment of cerebellar neurons with the
      intracellular calcium chelator BAPTA/AM. In contrast, the response was not
      inhibited by heparin or by removal of polysialic acid from neuronal NCAM both of
      which substantially inhibit NCAM-dependent neurite outgrowth. These data
      demonstrate that whereas NCAM and L1 promote neurite outgrowth via activation of
      a common CAM-specific second messenger pathway in neurons, neuronal
      responsiveness to NCAM and L1 is not coordinately regulated via posttranslational
      processing of NCAM. The fact that NCAM- and L1-dependent neurite outgrowth, but
      not adhesion, are calcium dependent provides further evidence that adhesion per
      se does not directly contribute to neurite outgrowth.

PMID- 1429844
TI  - Thyroid hormone, insulin, and glucocorticoids are sufficient to support
      chondrocyte differentiation to hypertrophy: a serum-free analysis.
AB  - Chondrocytes from chicken embryo tibia can be maintained in culture as adherent
      cells in Coon's modified Ham's F-12 medium supplemented with 10% FCS. In this
      condition, they dedifferentiate, losing type II collagen expression in favor of
      type I collagen synthesis. Their differentiation to hypertrophy can be obtained
      by transferring them to suspension culture. Differentiation is evidenced by the
      shift from type I to type II and type IX collagen synthesis and the following
      predominant expression of type X collagen, all markers of specific stages of the
      differentiation process. To identify the factors required for differentiation, we
      developed a serum-free culture system where only the addition of triiodothyronine
      (T3; 10(-11) M), insulin (60 ng/ml), and dexamethasone (10(-9) M) to the F-12
      medium was sufficient to obtain hypertrophic chondrocytes. In this hormonal
      context, chondrocytes display the same changes in the pattern of protein
      synthesis as described above. For proper and complete cell maturation, T3 and
      insulin concentrations cannot be modified. Insulin cannot be substituted by
      insulin-like growth factor-I, but dexamethasone concentration can be decreased to
      10(-12) M without chondrogenesis being impaired. In the latter case, the
      expression of type X collagen and its mRNA are inversely proportional to
      dexamethasone concentration. When ascorbic acid is added to the hormone
      supplemented medium, differentiating chondrocytes organize their matrix leading
      to a cartilage-like structure with hypertrophic chondrocytes embedded in lacunae.
      However, this structure does not present detectable calcification, at variance
      with control cultures maintained in FCS. Accordingly, in the presence of the
      hormone mixture, the differentiating chondrocytes have low levels of alkaline
      phosphatase activity. This report indicates that T3 and insulin are primary
      factors involved in the onset and progression of chondrogenesis, while
      dexamethasone supports cell viability and modulates some differentiated
      functions.

PMID- 1429843
TI  - Laminin in the male germ cells of Drosophila.
AB  - To study genes that may be crucial for the male germ cell development of
      Drosophila we screened a cDNA expression library with a polyclonal antiserum
      against testis proteins of Drosophila hydei. We identified a cDNA fragment that
      exhibited a complete sequence similarity with the cDNA of the laminin B2 chain,
      an important component of the extracellular matrix. Transcripts of laminin B2
      were detected in the RNA of male germ cells with the polymerase chain reaction
      and by in situ hybridization. We studied the reaction of different polyclonal
      antibodies including those against a Drosophila laminin B2-lac fusion protein,
      the entire Drosophila laminin complex, or against the mouse laminin complex and
      against laminin A and B1 chains with specific structures in developing male germ
      cells of Drosophila. Antigenic sites against laminin B2 were found in the
      lampbrush loops in primary spermatocyte nuclei, in nuclei of spermatids, and in
      heads of spermatozoa. The axonemes of elongating spermatids react with antibodies
      against the Drosophila laminin B1, B2 and laminin A chains. The possible
      biological functions of the laminin in the male germ cells of Drosophila are
      discussed.

PMID- 1429845
TI  - The breast cancer-associated stromelysin-3 gene is expressed during mouse mammary
      gland apoptosis.
AB  - We have cloned from a mouse placenta cDNA library a mouse homologue of the human
      stromelysin-3 (ST3) cDNA, which codes for a putative matrix metalloproteinase
      expressed in breast carcinomas. The ST3 protein is well conserved between humans
      and mice, and the pattern of ST3 gene expression is similar in both species, and
      shows expression in the placenta, in the uterus, and during limb bud
      morphogenesis. We show that the ST3 gene can also be expressed in the normal
      mouse mammary gland. ST3 gene expression was not detected during mammary growth,
      neither in virgin nor in pregnant mice, but was specifically observed during
      postlactating involution of the gland, an apoptotic process associated with
      intense extracellular matrix remodeling. ST3 transcripts were found in
      fibroblasts immediately surrounding degenerative ducts, suggesting that ST3 gene
      expression may be associated with the basement membrane dissolution, which occurs
      during mammary gland involution. Since the ST3 gene is also specifically
      expressed in fibroblastic cells surrounding invasive neoplastic cells of breast
      carcinomas, we suggest that ST3 is implicated in extracellular matrix remodeling
      processes common to mammary apoptosis and breast cancer progression.

PMID- 1429846
TI  - Norepinephrine stimulates the direct breakdown of phosphatidyl inositol in rat
      tail artery.
AB  - When segments of rat tail artery were labeled with [3H]inositol and then
      stimulated with norepinephrine (NE), the inositol phosphates produced were
      primarily IP and IP2, together with a small but significant amount of
      Ins(1,4,5)P3 and a very small amount of Ins(1,3,4,5)P4. It has been unclear in
      many studies whether or not the relatively large levels of IP and IP2 produced in
      [3H]inositol-labeled tissue represent indirect products of phosphatidyl
      inositol(4,5)bis phosphate breakdown (through Ins(1,4,5)P3) or direct products of
      phosphatidyl inositol 4 monophosphate and phosphatidyl inositol breakdown. In
      order to answer this question tail artery segments were prelabeled with
      [3H]inositol and then permeabilized with beta escin and stimulated with
      norepinephrine and GTP gamma S, so that increases in IP, IP2, and Ins(1,4,5)P3
      were still observed. If these permeable segments were stimulated with agonist in
      the presence of compounds known to inhibit Ins(1,4,5)P3 5-phosphatase, such as
      glucose 6P, (2,3)diphosphoglycerate, or Ins(1,4,5)P3, the levels of labeled
      Ins(1,4,5)P3 and labeled IP2 were increased, while the level of stimulated
      labeled IP was unchanged. This indicated that some of the IP2 and IP formed in
      these cells was produced from PIP2 but that some of these compounds might be
      formed from PIP or PI. When the isomers of inositol monophosphate, Ins 1P and Ins
      4P, were separated by HPLC, it was shown that after prelabeled tail artery was
      stimulated by norepinephrine for periods of 1-2 min, the predominant isomer
      formed was Ins 4P, indicating either PIP2 or PIP as the source. However, after 5
      20 min stimulation, both Ins 1P and Ins 4P were formed in equal amounts,
      suggesting that during sustained stimulation of smooth muscle PI itself was
      broken down directly. Therefore it appears that within 1-2 min of norepinephrine
      addition to vascular smooth muscle the bulk of the IP and IP2 produced are
      derived from PIP2 via IP3, while after 20 min of norepinephrine treatment much of
      the IP comes directly from PI. This suggests that the regulation of PLC in this
      tissue is more complicated than has been previously believed.

PMID- 1429848
TI  - Cellular and molecular regulation of factor V expression in human megakaryocytes.
AB  - The mechanisms responsible for regulating FV expression in normal human
      megakaryocytes are unknown. To test the hypothesis that they are related to cell
      maturation events, we correlated human megakaryocyte FV antigen content with
      several putative maturation markers including cell size, morphologic stage of
      development, and ploidy level. Mature megakaryocytes were isolated from normal
      marrow by counterflow centrifugal elutriation. The cells were immunofluorescently
      labeled with a monoclonal antibody probe (B10) directed against the FV connecting
      peptide (150 kDa) and then reacted with Chromomycin A3 to allow for simultaneous
      DNA quantitation in the same cell. After processing, individual cells were stages
      and sized. FV antigen and nuclear DNA levels (ploidy) were measured by
      microphotometric measurements of total cytoplasmic or nuclear fluorescence. A
      total of 1,006 cells were examined, of which 12% were stage I, 8% were stage II,
      35% were stage III, and 45% were stage IV. The geometric mean diameter (+/- SD)
      of cells in these stages was 48.3 +/- 11.8 microns2, 54.9 +/- 14.4 microns2, 61.7
      +/- 20.02 microns2, and 56.7 +/- 13.2 microns2, respectively. Respective ploidy
      values in arbitrary fluorescence units, where 2 N = 5%, were 28.2 +/- 18.2%, 31.4
      +/- 19.3%, 54.3 +/- 26.6%, and 33.2 +/- 22.7%. Calculated correlation
      coefficients (r) and coefficient of determination (r2) values suggested that FV
      antigen levels varied independently of any of the maturation markers studied.
      However, FV antigen levels could be upregulated by 24 h exposure to 8 nM phorbol
      myristate acetate (PMA). Presence of FV mRNA in a pure population of
      megakaryocytes was demonstrated by in situ hybridization and the polymerase chain
      reaction. Relative levels of megakaryocyte FV mRNA, as assessed by in situ
      hybridization, failed to reveal a detectable change after PMA exposure in spite
      of an increase in detectable protein. These data suggest that FV synthesis may be
      regulated at the post-transcriptional level and that it is subject to regulatory
      influences which are not coordinately linked to development of other terminal
      maturation markers.

PMID- 1429847
TI  - Growth on type I collagen promotes expression of the osteoblastic phenotype in
      human osteosarcoma MG-63 cells.
AB  - Using MG-63 cells as a model system capable of partial osteoblastic
      differentiation, we have examined the effect of growth on extracellular matrix.
      MG-63 cell matrix and purified type I collagen induced a morphological change
      characterized by long cytoplasmic processes reminiscent of those seen in
      osteocytes. Concurrent biochemical changes involving bone marker proteins
      included increased specific activity of cell-associated alkaline phosphatase and
      increased secretion of osteonectin (up to 2.5-fold for each protein); all changes
      occurred without alterations in the growth kinetics of the MG-63 cells. The
      increase in alkaline phosphatase activity was maximal on days 6-8 following
      seeding; increased osteonectin secretion was most prominent immediately following
      seeding; all changes decreased as cells reached confluence. Growing cells on type
      I collagen resulted in an increased induction of alkaline phosphatase activity by
      1,25(OH)2D3 (with little change in the 1,25(OH)2D3 induction of osteonectin and
      osteocalcin secretion), and increased TGF-beta induction of alkaline phosphatase
      activity as well (both TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta 2). Both the 1,25(OH)2D3 and TGF
      beta effects appeared to be synergistic with growth on type I collagen. These
      studies support the hypothesis that bone extracellular matrix may play an
      important role in osteoblastic differentiation and phenotypic expression.

PMID- 1429849
TI  - Differential regulation of glucose transporter 1 and 2 mRNA expression by
      epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor-beta in rat hepatocytes.
AB  - We have examined by Northern blot analysis the expression of two members of the
      glucose transporter family of genes (GLUT-1 and GLUT-2) in regenerating liver and
      in hepatocytes cultured under various conditions. GLUT-1, although thought to be
      a growth-associated gene, is not expressed in normal or regenerating liver,
      whereas GLUT-2, a liver-specific gene, is abundant in normal liver and gradually
      up-regulated during liver regeneration. Conversely, in hepatocytes cultured
      conventionally on dried rat tail collagen (RTC) in the presence of EGF and
      insulin, which potentiate proliferation, GLUT-1 mRNA is rapidly and abundantly
      expressed, whereas GLUT-2 is depressed. To investigate the causes of this
      "switch" in glucose transporter expression seen when hepatocytes are removed from
      the liver and cultured under the conventional proliferative conditions, we
      examined the effects of specific growth factors and extracellular matrices on
      cultured hepatocytes. EGF, a potent liver mitogen, although causing a threefold
      induction of GLUT-1, was found to have no effect on GLUT-2 expression, suggesting
      that the increase in GLUT-2 seen in regenerating liver is not due to EGF.
      Inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide in cultured hepatocytes does not
      prevent the induction of GLUT-1 mRNA. In addition, treatment of cells with
      cycloheximide appears to stabilize the GLUT-2 mRNA, preventing the usual down
      regulation of this gene in cultured hepatocytes. The expression of the two
      glucose transporter mRNAs also differed when the hepatocytes were adherent to
      particular cell matrices. Culture of hepatocytes on a reconstituted basement
      membrane gel matrix (EHS) is known to restrain their growth and mediate high
      levels of differentiated hepatocytic functions that are lost under conventional
      culture conditions. Unlike cells on RTC, hepatocytes on EHS expressed low levels
      of GLUT-1 mRNA, and decreased GLUT-2 mRNA. TGF-beta, an attenuator of DNA
      synthesis, when added to cultures on RTC, substantially down-regulated GLUT-2 but
      had no effect on GLUT-1. We propose that the effectors, EGF, TGF-beta and
      basement membrane components, play a significant role in the regulation of
      expression of GLUT-1 and GLUT-2 in hepatocytes.

PMID- 1429850
TI  - Methylation of atypical protein aspartyl residues during the stress response of
      HeLa cells.
AB  - A protein carboxyl methyltransferase (PCMT), which specifically modifies atypical
      protein L-isoaspartyl and D-aspartyl residues, is widely distributed in
      eucaryotic cells, but the factors that regulate its activity in vivo have not
      been identified. It has been proposed that the PCMT initiates the repair of
      structurally damaged proteins. To test the possibility that the concentration of
      structurally abnormal cellular proteins affects PCMT activity, protein carboxyl
      methylation reactions were studied in HeLa cells exposed to various stresses that
      increase the extent of protein unfolding in cells. Protein carboxyl methylation
      rates increased 70-80% during incubations at 42 degrees C and remained elevated
      for periods of up to 8 hr. This sustained increase was greater than that
      predicted from thermal effects on the enzyme alone and may reflect the exposure
      of atypical aspartyl sites as proteins unfold as well as increased rates of
      protein deamidation and isomerization at elevated temperatures. Methylation rates
      showed no increases following 12 hr incubations with the amino acid analogs L
      azetidine-2-carboxylic acid or L-canavanine. Northern blot analysis of RNA
      preparations from control and stressed cells revealed three major transcripts for
      the PCMT in HeLa cells, which are 1.6, 2.6, and 4.5 kb in length. The
      concentrations of all three transcripts decreased by approximately 20% from
      control levels during heat shock. No changes in PCMT transcript concentrations
      were observed during incubation with the amino acid analogs. By contrast, large
      increases in the concentrations of hsp70 and ubiquitin transcripts were observed
      following either heat or chemical stresses. The results demonstrate that the PCMT
      is a constitutive component of cells whose function is required under normal
      conditions as well as during stress conditions, which accelerate structural
      damage to cellular proteins.

PMID- 1429851
TI  - Leukemia inhibitory factor and interleukin-11 promote maturation of murine and
      human megakaryocytes in vitro.
AB  - The growth-promoting activities of optimally stimulating concentrations of
      leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and interleukin-11 (IL-11), a stromal cell
      derived cytokine, on megakaryocytes in liquid marrow cultures were compared to
      interleukin-6 (IL-6), a known megakaryocytes maturation factor. Maximally
      stimulating concentrations of LIF (25 ng/ml), IL-11 (10 ng/ml), or IL-6 alone (10
      ng/ml) promoted an 81, 157, and 153% increase, respectively, in
      acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity in murine serum-free cultures compared with
      controls (n = 5). In combination with 25 U/ml murine interleukin-3 (IL-3), LIF,
      IL-6, and IL-11 showed increases, respectively, of 35%, 49%, and 174% in AchE
      activity compared with IL-3 alone (n = 4). Flow cytometric analysis of 4-day-old
      cultures showed that LIF alone had minimal effect on megakaryocytic ploidy,
      whereas IL-11 and IL-6 alone markedly augmented high ploidy cells. Enumeration of
      cells stained for AchE showed that IL-11 increased the numbers of Mks in
      comparison to LIF, IL-6 or controls by up to 59%. Moreover, a twofold increment
      in Mk number was noted when IL-11 was used in combination with IL-3 (compared
      with either IL-3 alone of IL-3+IL-6). Flow cytometric ploidy analysis of 8-day
      old human liquid marrow cultures showed that either LIF, IL-11, or IL-6 alone
      markedly augmented the percentage of 32N cells compared with cultures containing
      only human IL-3. The data suggest that LIF and IL-11 promote murine and human Mk
      maturation in vitro, although the effect of IL-11 exceeds that of LIF in mice.
      Despite the comparable influence of IL-11 and IL-6 on Mk ploidy, IL-11 has the
      additional characteristic of enhancing the number of Mks, particularly in
      combination with IL-3.

PMID- 1429852
TI  - Effect of L-fucose on proliferation and myo-inositol metabolism in cultured
      cerebral microvessel and aortic endothelial cells.
AB  - Decreased myo-inositol metabolism possibly contributes to the development of
      diabetic complications including micro and macrovascular disease. Previous
      studies have shown that hyperglycemia may be partially responsible for this
      defect. We have found that L-fucose, a monosaccharide present in low
      concentrations in normal circulation and found to be elevated in diabetes, causes
      defects in cultured endothelial cells, including alterations in myo-inositol
      metabolism and proliferation. Murine cerebral microvessel and bovine aortic
      endothelial cells take up L-fucose from the medium in a time and concentration
      dependent manner. Both acute and chronic exposure of these cultured endothelial
      cells to media containing L-fucose at concentrations that may exist in diabetic
      sera cause a significant decrease in the accumulation of myo-inositol and its
      incorporation into inositol phospholipids. There is a concomitant decrease in the
      intracellular levels of myo-inositol. Kinetic analysis of the effect of L-fucose
      on myo-inositol uptake suggests that L-fucose competitively inhibits the
      transport of myo-inositol, exhibiting a Ki in the range of 1.6-4.1 mM for both
      cell types. Endothelial cells exposed to L-fucose concentrations of 0.5-20 mM
      exhibit depressed rates of proliferation in a concentration-dependent fashion.
      Furthermore, L-fucose causes a concentration-dependent decrease in synthesis of
      proteoglycan by cultured cerebral microvessel endothelial cells as measured by
      incorporation of 35S; however, this effect is not observed in the aortic
      endothelia. These data suggest that L-fucose at concentrations that may exist in
      diabetic sera may impair myo-inositol metabolism and proliferation of the
      vascular endothelium.

PMID- 1429853
TI  - Hepatocyte growth factor induces calcium mobilization and inositol phosphate
      production in rat hepatocytes.
AB  - The effects of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on intracellular Ca2+ mobilization
      were studied using fura-2-loaded single rat hepatocytes. Hepatocytes
      microperfused with different amounts of HGF responded with a rapid concentration
      dependent rise in the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration with a maximum increase
      of 142% at 80 ng/ml of HGF. The lag period of the Ca2+ response was decreased
      with increasing HGF concentrations, being 64 +/- 12 s, 42 +/- 6 s, and 14 +/- 2
      s, respectively, with 8, 20, and 80 ng/ml of HGF. The detailed pattern of Ca2+
      transients, however, was variable. Out of 16 cells tested using 20 ng/ml of HGF,
      68% showed sustained oscillatory responses, whereas other cells showed a
      sustained increase in the cytosolic-free Ca2+ upon exposure to HGF, which was
      dependent on the presence of extracellular Ca2+. HGF also induced Ca2+ entry
      across the plasma membrane. Mobilization of Ca2+ by HGF was accompanied by a
      rapid accumulation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins 1,4,5-P3). The effects of
      HGF and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were comparable and partly additive for Ins
      1,4,5-P3 production and for the sustained phase of Ca2+ mobilization.
      Preincubation of cells with 10 microM of genistein to inhibit protein tyrosine
      kinases abolished the HGF-induced Ca2+ response and also inhibited HGF-induced
      Ins 1,4,5-P3 production in rat liver cells. These data indicate that early events
      in the signal transduction pathways mediated by HGF and EGF have in common the
      requirements for tyrosine kinase activity, Ins 1,4,5-P3 production, and Ca2+
      mobilization.

PMID- 1429854
TI  - Different organizational states of fodrin in cultured MDCK cells are induced by
      treatment with low pH, calmodulin antagonist TFP, and tumor promoter PMA.
AB  - We have investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying dynamic organization of
      the fodrin network by treating the epithelial MDCK cells with various agents
      affecting intracellular pH, intracellular calcium ion concentration,
      intracellular calmodulin, and protein kinase C (PKC) activity. Elevation of
      intracellular calcium level by A23187 or treatment with trifluoperazine (TFP), a
      calmodulin inhibitor, did not have any drastic effect on the fodrin distribution
      as judged by immunofluorescence microscopy. A long-term incubation with phorbol
      12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), a protein kinase C activator, in contrast,
      released fodrin from the lateral walls of the MDCK cells, leading to a diffuse
      cytoplasmic distribution. TFP, along with PMA, accelerated destabilization of the
      fodrin skeleton. Treatment with TFP alone rapidly released the cells from the
      substratum, which, however, could be prevented by PMA. We have previously shown
      that lowering of intracellular pH (< 6.5) leads to a removal of fodrin from its
      basolateral residence (Eskelinen et al., 1992) and that this translocation is
      reversed upon returning normal pH. We now show that the rebuilding of the
      membrane skeleton can be prevented if TFP is added to the acidified cells.
      Moreover, in TFP-treated acidified cells, fodrin shows a clusterlike organization
      similar to that observed in resting lymphocytes. We also noticed that
      interconversions between these different organizational states of fodrin are
      independent of the intracellular calcium concentration. Thus manipulation of the
      intracellular pH and treatment with TFP and PMA reveals different organizational
      states of the fodrin skeleton. This suggests that fodrin may participate in PMA-,
      TFP- and pH-sensitive signal transduction pathways.

PMID- 1429855
TI  - Constitutive HSP70: oligomerization and its dependence on ATP binding.
AB  - The constitutive HSP70 purified from CHO cells, which indicated a single band in
      SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, showed multiple bands in native
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These results indicate that the protein may
      exist in oligomeric forms. After crosslinking the oligomers with glutaraldehyde,
      SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed three protein bands of molecular
      weight 70 kDa, 153 kDa, and 200 kDa corresponded to monomer, dimer, and trimer,
      respectively. The relative amount of oligomeric forms was dependent upon ATP
      concentrations: it increased upon hydrolysis of ATP or decreased upon incubation
      with high concentrations of ATP (1-10 mM). Autoradiographic analysis of the
      native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of HSP70 following incubation with
      [gamma-32P]ATP revealed that ATP bound to only monomer. These results suggest
      that the equilibrium between oligomeric forms is dependent on ATP concentrations.
      Nonetheless, during heat shock, both monomer and oligomer might be
      indistinguishably associated with some proteins, probably denatured proteins.

PMID- 1429856
TI  - Growth factors produced by human embryonic kidney cells that influence
      megakaryopoiesis include erythropoietin, interleukin 6, and transforming growth
      factor-beta.
AB  - Partially purified protein preparations containing megakaryocyte growth factor
      activity were prepared from human embryonic kidney (HEK) cell conditioned medium
      using ammonium sulfate precipitation, Cibicron blue affinity chromatography, and
      wheatgerm lectin affinity chromatography. Treatment of these preparations with
      neutralizing antibodies directed against erythropoietin (EPO) and interleukin 6
      (IL6) resulted in a dramatic reduction in their capacity to stimulate
      megakaryocyte maturation in vitro. The presence of EPO in these preparations was
      confirmed by both immunoblotting and use of a mouse spleen erythroid progenitor
      cell proliferation assay routinely used to quantitate EPO activity in vitro.
      Northern blot analysis of HEK cell-derived mRNA with IL6 DNA probes revealed the
      presence of an IL6 transcript with a molecular size of 1.3 kb. Analysis of the
      HEK cell-derived preparation by ELISA confirmed the presence of immunologically
      reactive IL6. In addition, it was shown that purified recombinant human EPO and
      IL6 stimulated megakaryocyte maturation in the in vitro assay used in this study.
      These data indicate that the activity in HEK cell conditioned medium that
      stimulates megakaryocyte maturation in vitro is predominantly due to the presence
      of IL6 and EPO. Immunoneutralization studies of another HEK cell-derived
      preparation, which was inhibitory in the megakaryocyte maturation assay,
      demonstrated that it contained transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta), a
      potent inhibitor of megakaryocyte maturation. Taken together, these studies
      indicate that HEK cell conditioned medium, which has previously been reported to
      contain megakaryocyte growth factor activity, is comprised of a complex mixture
      of growth and differentiation factors, some of which promote and others that
      inhibit the process of megakaryopoiesis.

PMID- 1429857
TI  - Transformed growth phenotype of mouse mammary epithelium in primary culture
      induced by specific fetal mesenchymes.
AB  - When mesenchyme from fetal mammary or salivary gland is implanted into adult
      mouse mammary gland, adjacent epithelium responds with intense hyperplasia. The
      hyperplastic cells are more vulnerable than are non-stimulated cells to
      transformation in vivo by a chemical carcinogen or by mammary tumor virus. This
      system provides a potentially useful model for determining how stroma contributes
      to mammary tumorigenesis. We have developed co-culture systems and used them to
      investigate in more detail the nature of the signal produced by the mesenchyme
      cells. Monolayers of mesenchyme cells were prepared on tissue-culture wells. The
      mesenchyme cells were trapped on the surface by a thin overlay of agarose.
      Primary mammary epithelial cells were cultured atop this barrier layer, either as
      organoids in collagen gels for assessment of anchorage-dependent growth, or as
      single-cell dispersions in soft agarose for assessment of anchorage-independent
      growth. Our procedures for assay of anchorage-independent growth allow us for the
      first time to detect and measure this transformation-defining characteristic in
      non-immortalized mammary epithelial cells in primary culture. Fetal mammary fat
      pad precursor tissue and fetal salivary mesenchyme both stimulated anchorage
      dependent growth of mammary epithelium, with cell number increasing as much as
      fifteenfold during a 6-day culture period. These same fetal tissues also
      stimulated anchorage-independent growth of the mammary epithelial cells, with
      colony-forming efficiencies of up to 40% in co-cultures with salivary mesenchyme.
      No colonies formed in the absence of mesenchyme. Cells of colonies contained
      keratin, which indicates that the colonies grew from epithelial cells and not
      from a contaminant of another cell type. When co-cultured epithelial cells were
      subsequently re-cultured in the absence of mesenchyme, they lost their ability to
      grow independent of anchorage. No colonies grew in co-cultures with fetal cells
      from heart, kidney, or lung, which is consistent with the lack of stimulation by
      these tissues in the mammary gland in vivo. A tumor promoter, 12-O
      tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA), also caused anchorage-independent growth of
      the dispersed mammary epithelial cells. Culture medium conditioned by primary or
      early-passage salivary mesenchyme cells was capable of stimulating growth under
      both anchorage-dependent and anchorage-independent conditions, confirming that
      these effects are mediated by a paracrine factor. The results indicate that
      stimulatory fetal mesenchymes produce soluble molecules that act analogously to
      transforming growth factors.

PMID- 1429858
TI  - Ligand-induced protein tyrosine kinase activity in living cells coexpressing
      intact EGF receptors and receptors with an extensive cytosolic deletion.
AB  - A population of stable NIH 3T3 transfectants with two molecular weight classes of
      membrane-bound EGF receptors encoded by a human EGF receptor cDNA has been
      identified and characterized. In addition to intact EGF receptors, these cells
      also express a molecule with an extensive cytosolic deletion. This deletion
      includes the ligand-activated intrinsic protein tyrosine kinase catalytic domain.
      Treatment with EGF caused dimerization of intact and truncated receptors,
      allowing us to assess protein tyrosine kinase activity in the heterodimer
      isolated from living cells. In contrast to homodimeric complexes with intact EGF
      receptor only, heterodimers were deficient in protein tyrosine kinase activity.
      Moreover, physical association between intact and truncated molecules suppressed
      receptor auto-phosphorylation by EGF receptor protein tyrosine kinase activated
      by antibody binding in vitro. Evidence presented here supports the idea that
      protein tyrosine kinase activation is facilitated by interaction between adjacent
      receptor molecules with intact catalytic domains. Furthermore, molecules with
      cytoplasmic deletions that are physically associated with kinase-active EGF
      receptors appear to behave as dominant negative mutations. The HerC cl cells used
      in this study were selected with methotrexate to amplify the EGF receptor cDNA,
      and in that sense may resemble certain tumor-derived cells characterized by
      overexpressed and rearranged EGF receptor genes.

PMID- 1429859
TI  - Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule, PECAM-1, modulates cell migration.
AB  - Cell migration is an important process in such phenomena as growth, development,
      and wound healing. The control of cell migration is orchestrated in part by cell
      surface adhesion molecules. These molecules fall into two major categories: those
      that bind to extracellular matrix and those that bind to adjacent cells. Here, we
      report on the role of a cell-cell adhesion molecule, platelet-endothelial cell
      adhesion molecule-1, (PECAM-1), a member of the lg superfamily, in the modulation
      of cell migration and cell-cell adhesion. PECAM-1 is a 120-130 kDa integral
      membrane protein that resides on endothelial cells and localizes at sites of cell
      cell contact. Since endothelial cells express PECAM-1 constitutively, we studied
      the effects of PECAM-1 on cell-cell adhesion and migration in a null-cell
      population. Specifically, we transfected NIH/3T3 cells with the full length PECAM
      1 molecule (two independent clones). Transfected cells containing only the
      neomycin resistance gene, cells expressing a construct coding for the
      extracellular domain of the molecule, and cells expressing the neu oncogene were
      used as controls. The PECAM-1 transfectants appeared smaller and more polygonal
      and tended to grow in clusters. Indirect immunofluorescence of PECAM-1
      transfectants showed peripheral staining at sites of cell-cell contact, while the
      extracellular domain transfectants and the control cells did not. In two
      quantitative migration assays, the full-length PECAM-1 transfectants migrated
      more slowly than control cells. Thus, PECAM-1 transfected into a null cell
      appears to localize to sites of cell-cell contact, promote cell-cell adhesion,
      and diminish the rate of migration. These findings suggest a role for this cell
      cell adhesion molecule in the process of endothelial cell migration.

PMID- 1429860
TI  - The prospects for domesticating milk protein genes.
AB  - It is possible to convert milk glands of transgenic animals into bioreactors
      producing heterologous proteins such as scarce human pharmaceuticals. To
      predictably and successfully engineer the milk gland, we will need a thorough
      understanding of its physiology. Expression studies in transgenic animals have
      located mammary specific and hormone inducible transcription elements in the
      promoter/upstream regions of milk protein genes, and transfection studies in cell
      lines or primary cells have identified constitutive and hormone inducible
      elements. Most importantly, it appears that in addition to individual promoter
      based transcription elements structural features of milk protein chromosomal loci
      may contribute to the tight developmental and hormonal regulation. I will discuss
      milk protein gene regulation with emphasis on regulatory differences between
      genes and species, and the possibility that transcription elements function only
      properly within genetically defined chromatin domains. Novel strategies to build
      mammary expression vectors and to test their functionality without pursuing the
      standard transgenic route will be presented. Finally, I will discuss homologous
      recombination with the goal to target milk protein genes. Only through the
      domestication of milk protein genes will we be able to use their full potential
      in the mammary bioreactor.

PMID- 1429861
TI  - Isolation of recombinant proteins from milk.
AB  - Milk is a complex bio-colloid which presents some unique problems for the protein
      isolation chemist, but the majority of the processing criteria for purifying
      recombinant proteins are the same as with any complex biological mixture. The
      casein micelles and fat globules behave as separate phases; they prevent
      filtration of the milk and interfere with the usual separation methods. The usual
      first step is to centrifuge the milk to remove the fat and precipitate the casein
      micelles with low pH or precipitating agents. Some recombinant proteins may
      associate to some degree with the micelles which may necessitate solubilizing
      them with chelating agents. If the majority of the product protein associates
      with either the fat or micelles, this can be used to advantage. Once the casein
      micelles have been removed or disrupted, the clarified milk can be processed by
      the usual separation methods. There also are proteases in milk which can degrade
      recombinant proteins. The greatest advantage of producing recombinant proteins in
      milk is the high concentration which can be obtained. The high levels of product
      protein can alleviate many problems associated with the application of classical
      purification strategies to transgenic milk proteins.

PMID- 1429862
TI  - The phosphatidylinositol transfer protein in 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells is
      associated with the Golgi system.
AB  - By use of indirect immunofluorescence it was shown that the phosphatidylinositol
      transfer protein (PI-TP) in 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells is associated with the
      Golgi system. This was concluded from double-labeling experiments with TRITC
      labeled Ricin which binds to sugar residues that are specifically processed in
      the Golgi system. Independent evidence for this association was provided by the
      fact that dissociation of the Golgi system by brefeldin A was reflected in an
      extensive redistribution of PI-TP labeling. In addition, PI-TP is localized in
      the cytoplasm and in the nucleus. In exponentially growing cells an enhanced
      labeling of PI-TP was observed in the cytosol and in the cytosol and in the Golgi
      system in comparison with quiescent cells. By Western blot analysis and by
      transfer activity assays, it was confirmed that the concentration of PI-TP was
      increased in exponentially growing cells. These results strongly suggest that PI
      TP fulfills a role in the functioning of the Golgi complex.

PMID- 1429863
TI  - Interaction of multiple factors with a GC-rich element within the mitogen
      responsive region of the human transferrin receptor gene.
AB  - Nuclear factors from HeLa cells were isolated by elution of DNA-cellulose bound
      proteins with a double stranded synthetic oligonucleotide corresponding to the
      region from -34 to -79 of the human transferrin receptor (TR) gene promoter. The
      eluted proteins were further purified and separated from the oligonucleotide by
      ion exchange chromatography. Proteins within the resulting fraction bound with
      specificity to the TR promoter. Retardation gel analysis and competition with
      specific double-stranded oligonucleotides show that multiple factors present in
      this fraction compete for binding within the same region of the TR promoter.
      Footprinting experiments demonstrate that these factors contact a GC-rich element
      that is within the region that is required for enhanced expression of the gene in
      proliferating cells. One of the factors protects an extended DNA sequence but
      still contacts the GC-rich element.

PMID- 1429864
TI  - Nuclear-cytoskeletal interactions: evidence for physical connections between the
      nucleus and cell periphery and their alteration by transformation.
AB  - The overall coordination of cell structure and function that results in gene
      expression requires a spatial and temporal precision that would be unobtainable
      in the absence of structural order within the cell. Cells contain extensive and
      elaborate three-dimensional skeletal networks that form integral structural
      components of the plasma membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus. These skeletal
      networks form a dynamic tissue matrix are composed of the nuclear matrix,
      cytoskeleton, and extracellular matrix. The tissue matrix is an interactive
      network which undergoes dynamic changes as cells move and change shape.
      Pathologists have long recognized cancer in pathologic specimens based on the
      altered morphology of tumor cells compared to their normal counterparts. The
      structural order of cells appears to be altered in transformed cells. This
      structural order is reflected in the altered morphology and motility observed in
      transformed cells compared to their normal counterparts, however, it is unclear
      whether the structural changes observed in cancer cells have any functional
      significance. We report here on the nature of the physical connections between
      the nucleus and cell periphery in nontransformed cells and demonstrate that the
      nucleus is dynamically coupled to the cell periphery via actin microfilaments. We
      also demonstrate that the dynamic coupling of the nucleus to the cell periphery
      via actin microfilaments is altered in Kirsten-ras transformed rat kidney
      epithelial cells. This loss of structure-function relationship may be an
      important factor in the process of cell transformation.

PMID- 1429865
TI  - Altered DNA/protein complexes specific for the beta-interferon regulatory region
      observed in murine embryonal carcinoma F9 cells.
AB  - Murine embryonal carcinoma (EC) F9 cells do not produce interferon (IFN) at the
      protein or RNA level in response to inducing agents, while retinoic acid
      differentiated F9 cells do produce IFN. A probe was constructed spanning
      positions -104 to -39 of the human beta-IFN upstream regulatory region to examine
      this developmental control at the level of a transcriptional regulatory
      mechanism. Gel mobility shift analyses were used to examine this molecular
      mechanism to determine whether the differential expression of positive or
      negative trans-acting factors may act to control beta-IFN expression in
      undifferentiated EC cells. These analyses showed that while nuclear extracts from
      poly-I,C induced L929 cells, in the IFN producing cell line, showed two shifted
      bands, nuclear extracts from both induced and uninduced F9 cells showed only one
      shifted band using the -104/-39 probe. While this single shifted band co-migrated
      with the faster migrating species of L929 cell extracts, competition analysis
      revealed differences between the two complexes. An oligonucleotide representing
      the positive regulatory domain PRDII competed efficiently for the probe when
      induced F9 cell extracts were examined, but failed to compete when induced L929
      cell extracts were examined. In contrast, an oligonucleotide representing the
      positive regulatory domain PRDI competed very well when induced L929 cell
      extracts were examined but had only a minimal effect when induced F9 cell
      extracts were examined. These data suggest the involvement of developmentally
      regulated transcriptional factor(s) which have yet to be characterized.

PMID- 1429866
TI  - TPA has no influence on the expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms in cultured
      adult cardiac muscle cells.
AB  - The effect of a tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), on
      the expression of myosin heavy chain isoforms in cultured rat cardiac ventricular
      muscle cells was studied. The previous preliminary report [Claycomb WC (1988):
      "Biology of Isolated Adult Cardiac Myocytes." In Clark WA, Decker RS, Borg TK
      (eds): New York: Elsevier, pp 284-287] indicated that TPA turns off the
      expression of myosin heavy chain genes in cultured adult cardiac myocytes.
      Electrophoretic and immunocytochemical analyses were carried out in the present
      studies. The myosin heavy chain isoform profiles of cardiac myocytes exposed to
      TPA at concentrations of 50-250 ng/ml culture medium for varying periods were
      similar to those of controls that were grown in the absence of TPA, showing
      predominant isoform V1. Immunofluorescence microscopy with monoclonal antibodies
      to cardiac ventricular isomyosin revealed the structural organization of myosin
      in TPA-treated cells. The organization of myosin was variable among different
      myocytes and within a single myocyte. Immunofluorescence microscopy was extended
      to the examination of the organization of alpha-actinin which did not differ from
      that of myosin in some myocytes. In contrast to the previous report [Claycomb,
      1988], this study has demonstrated that TPA has no influence on the expression of
      myosin heavy chain isoforms in cultured adult ventricular cardiac muscle cells.

PMID- 1429867
TI  - Alpha-1 antitrypsin response of stimulated alveolar macrophages.
AB  - Alpha-1 antitrypsin messenger RNA (A1AT mRNA) was determined in alveolar
      macrophages and in peripheral blood monocytes of healthy individuals using a
      sensitive RNase protection assay. Determinations were made of bacterial
      lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated and unstimulated cells. We found that the
      amount of A1AT mRNA increased 7.3 and 14 times after 4 h of incubation with LPS
      for monocytes and macrophages, respectively (relative to total RNA). The increase
      was 12.3 and 14.8 times, respectively, when expressed as increase per cell. In
      both cell types there was wide interindividual variation in LPS response: 2-36
      and 5-12 times for monocytes and macrophages, respectively. The possible
      significance of A1AT production of monocytes and macrophages may be the local
      control of granulocytic proteases such as elastase and cathepsin G.

PMID- 1429868
TI  - Bistratene A: a novel compound causing changes in protein phosphorylation
      patterns in human leukemia cells.
AB  - Bistratene A, a polyether toxin isolated from the colonial ascidian Lissoclinum
      bistratum, causes incomplete differentiation of human leukemia (HL-60) cells
      apparently through a mechanism not involving protein kinase C. In view of the
      importance of phosphorylation/dephosphorylation in cellular growth and
      differentiation we have investigated protein phosphorylation in these cells
      following exposure to bistratene A, using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis. Marked increases in the phosphorylation of a protein of 20 kDa,
      pl 6.7, and a basic protein of 25 kDa were observed after incubation with
      bistratene A. A comparison was made with cells treated with 12-O
      tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate and bryostatin 5. While changes in
      phosphorylation patterns were observed with these two compounds, the 20 kDa and
      25 kDa proteins did not undergo phosphorylation changes. The 20 kDa protein was
      induced rapidly by very low concentrations of bistratene A reaching near maximal
      levels with 10 nM at 15 min exposure. This protein was found to be localised to
      the cytoplasm. Phosphoaminoacid analysis demonstrated that the majority of 32P
      was present in serine and tyrosine residues. The increased phosphorylation of the
      20 kDa protein appeared to be due to hyperphosphorylation of existing protein
      although there was some increase in the amount of the protein. These results
      suggest that bistratene A will be a useful tool with which to investigate
      cellular differentiation mechanisms.

PMID- 1429869
TI  - Effect of monensin on the sulfation of heparan sulfate proteoglycan from
      endothelial cells.
AB  - Monensin is a monovalent metal ionophore that affects the intracellular
      translocation of secretory proteins at the level of trans-Golgi cisternae.
      Exposure of endothelial cells to monensin results in the synthesis of heparan
      sulfate and chondroitin sulfate with a lower degree of sulfation. The inhibition
      is dose dependent and affects the ratio [35S]-sulfate/[3H]-hexosamine of heparan
      sulfate from both cells and medium, with no changes in their molecular weight. By
      the use of several degradative enzymes (heparitinases, glycuronidase, and
      sulfatases) the fine structure of the heparan sulfate synthesized by control and
      monensin-treated cells was investigated. The results have shown that among the
      six heparan sulfate disaccharides there is a specific decrease of the ones
      bearing a sulfate ester at the 6-position of the glucosamine moiety. All other
      biosynthetic steps were not affected by monensin. The results are indicative that
      monensin affects the hexosamine C-6 sulfation, and that this sterification is the
      last step of the heparan sulfate biosynthesis and should occur at the trans-Golgi
      compartment.

PMID- 1429870
TI  - Modification of blood group A antigen expression in a pancreatic cancer cell line
      (PC-1) by inhibitors of N-glycan processing.
AB  - Pancreatic adenocarcinomas induced in Syrian hamsters by treatment with N
      nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl) amine express blood group A antigen, which is absent in
      normal pancreatic cells. On membrane glycoproteins purified from tumors, blood
      group A antigen has been found to be expressed on multiantennary Asn-linked
      complex glycans. In this study, we investigated the effect of inhibitors of Asn
      glycan processing on blood group A antigen bearing glycan structures in a cell
      line (PC-1) established from a primary induced pancreatic cancer. Expression of
      blood group A antigen on cells and in membrane preparations was blocked by
      treatment with 1-deoxymannojirimycin, an inhibitor of mannosidase I, but was
      retained after treatment with swainsonine, an inhibitor of mannosidase II.
      However, swainsonine treatment altered the glycan structure associated with blood
      group A antigen from an endoglycosidase H resistant type to a sensitive type,
      indicating that the blood group A structure might shift from a complex type to a
      hybrid type glycan by this treatment. These results demonstrate that Asn-linked
      glycans carry the major blood group A antigens in PC-1 cells.

PMID- 1429871
TI  - Collagen increases the synthesis of membrane-associated proteoglycans produced by
      Sertoli cells.
AB  - Sertoli cells in culture produce two isoforms of proteoglycans which are found in
      the culture medium and associated with the cell membrane. The amount of both
      types of proteoglycans increased when Sertoli cells were plated on type I
      collagen-coated dishes as compared to uncoated dishes. The effect is due to an
      increase in the synthesis of proteoglycans rather than a diminished rate of
      degradation of these molecules. The collagen substrate also affects the
      distribution of these macromolecules; an increase in the amount of membrane
      associated proteoglycans occurs at the expense of the proteoglycans released to
      the culture medium.

PMID- 1429872
TI  - Glucocorticoid and retinoid regulation of alpha-2 type I procollagen promoter
      activity.
AB  - Glucocorticoids decrease type I procollagen synthesis by decreasing the steady
      state levels of procollagen mRNAs and mRNA synthesis. The present studies were
      undertaken to determine the functional sequences of the pro alpha 2(I) collagen
      gene required for the glucocorticoid-mediated decrease of type I procollagen mRNA
      synthesis. Embryonic mouse fibroblasts were stably transfected with the pR40 DNA
      CAT construct containing the 5' flanking region fragment from -2048 to +54 and
      the intronic fragment from +418 to +1524 of the mouse alpha 2(I) collagen gene.
      Dexamethasone treatment of these pR40 transfected fibroblasts resulted in a
      significant decrease in CAT activity which agrees with the glucocorticoid
      mediated decrease of the steady state levels of type I procollagen mRNAs. To
      determine the possible role of the first intron fragment in the dexamethasone
      mediated decrease of CAT activity, pR36, a CAT plasmid containing the first
      intron fragment and the SV40 early promoter, was transfected into mouse
      fibroblasts and treated with dexamethasone. No significant decrease in CAT
      activity was observed. The dexamethasone-mediated response was then localized
      within the 5' flanking region by preparing a series of constructs containing
      internal deletions and transfecting these plasmids into mouse fibroblasts. The
      regions -2048 to -981 and -506 to -351 were required for the dexamethasone
      response of gene activity. However, the DNA stretch from -981 to -506 was not.
      Analysis of the DNA sequences of these regions revealed a single GRE at -1023 to 
      1018 and a modified doublet at -873 to -856.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429873
TI  - Nucleoprotein complexes released from lymphoma nuclei that contain the abl
      oncogene and RNA and DNA polymerase and RNA primase activities.
AB  - We report on the discovery and isolation of DNA- and RNA-containing
      macromolecular nuclear complexes whose purified major DNA possessed
      electrophoretic mobilities of approximately 90 and approximately 25 kbp. The
      deoxyribonucleoprotein-ribonucleoprotein complexes contain RNA and DNA polymerase
      and primase activities and were isolated from nuclei of murine RAW117 large-cell
      lymphoma cells by restriction digestion with Msp-I, gentle extraction with
      solutions containing MgCl2, but without chelating agents, and low ionic strength
      gel electrophoresis. Two-dimensional (isoelectric focusing/M(r)) gel
      electrophoresis and silver staining of the proteins of the complexes after
      treatment with DNase I indicated the presence of approximately 30 protein
      components. In vitro DNA and RNA polymerase/primase assays showed that the
      DNP/RNP complexes had very high enzyme specific activities. Using the DNP/RNP
      complexes a discrete DNA polymerase alpha product of approximately 85 kbp was
      synthesized that was not synthesized in the presence of the DNA polymerase alpha
      inhibitor aphidicolin. RNA polymerase assays in the presence of excess alpha
      amanitin indicated that the complexes possessed significant RNA polymerase I
      activity. Preparing the complexes at various times after the release of cells
      from a double thymidine block showed the complexes as well as the complex
      associated enzyme activities to be cell-cycle dependent. The DNA and RNA
      polymerase-related activities were highest in late S phase, 7 and 9 h,
      respectively, after release from the double thymidine block. The complexes
      synthesized a specific in vitro DNA polymerase product using endogenous substrate
      and nucleotide precursors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429874
TI  - Leukoregulin, a T-cell derived cytokine, upregulates stromelysin-1 gene
      expression in human dermal fibroblasts: evidence for the role of AP-1 in
      transcriptional activation.
AB  - Leukoregulin (LR), a product of activated T-cells, has been recently shown to
      modulate the metabolism of extracellular matrix components in human skin
      fibroblast cultures (Mauviel et al., J Cell Biol 113:1455-1462, 1991). In this
      study we focused our attention on the effects of LR on the expression of
      stromelysin-1 gene. This matrix metalloprotease has a broad spectrum of
      degradative activity and it is also required for maximal activation of
      interstitial collagenase. Incubation of skin fibroblast cultures with LR resulted
      in a dose- and time-dependent elevation of stromelysin-1 mRNA levels, the maximum
      enhancement being up to approximately sevenfold. This effect was abolished by
      cycloheximide, suggesting a requirement for ongoing protein synthesis. Transient
      cell transfections with a promoter/reporter gene construct containing 1.3 kb of
      5' flanking DNA of the human stromelysin-1 gene linked to the chloramphenicol
      acetyl transferase (CAT) gene, indicated enhancement of promoter activity by LR.
      This enhancement was abolished by a single base substitution in the AP-1 binding
      site of the promoter. Furthermore, gel mobility shift assays demonstrated
      enhanced AP-1 binding activity in nuclear extracts from cells incubated with LR.
      However, LR did not alter the activity of a construct containing three AP-1
      sequences in front of the thymidine kinase promoter linked to the CAT gene. These
      results collectively suggest that activation of stromelysin-1 gene expression by
      LR is mediated by AP-1 regulatory elements which are necessary, but not
      sufficient, for gene response.

PMID- 1429875
TI  - Differential regulation of H4 histone gene expression in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes
      during arrest of proliferation following contact inhibition or differentiation
      and its modulation by TGF beta 1.
AB  - The aim of this study was to address whether there is a fundamental difference in
      regulation of histone gene expression in cells that have become quiescent but
      retain the ability to proliferate, compared with those cells that have
      differentiated. We compared multiple levels of regulation of histone gene
      expression during 3T3-L1 pre-adipocyte differentiation. Confluent cells induced
      to differentiate by treatment with insulin, dexamethasone, and
      isobutylmethylxanthine initially exhibited an increased proliferative response
      compared with cells given serum alone. This initial differentiation response was
      associated with a twofold increase in both histone gene transcription and
      cellular histone mRNA levels, as well as with enhanced sequence-specific binding
      of nuclear factors to the proximal cell-cycle-regulatory element of the H4
      histone promoter. Transforming growth factor beta 1, an inhibitor of 3T3-L1
      differentiation, increased both the percentage of proliferating cells and the
      cellular levels of histone mRNA when given in addition to serum stimulation, but
      no enhancement of these parameters was observed upon addition of TGF beta 1 to
      the differentiation treatment. Interestingly, although TGF beta 1 enhanced
      binding of nuclear factors to the proximal cell cycle regulatory element of the
      histone promoter, these protein/DNA interactions were not associated with an
      increase in histone transcription. Our results are consistent with the down
      regulation of histone gene expression at confluency being controlled primarily at
      the post-transcriptional level, in contrast to an increased involvement of
      transcriptional down-regulation at the onset of differentiation.

PMID- 1429877
TI  - Evidence for the presence of complex high-molecular mass N-linked
      oligosaccharides in intranuclear glycoproteins from HeLa cells.
AB  - Nonhistone proteins were extracted in 0.4 M NaCl from membrane-depleted nuclei of
      HeLa cells grown in the presence or the absence of [5,6-3H]fucose. Control
      experiments strongly suggest that most extracted proteins were indeed nuclear
      components. Several proteins, present in the 0.4 M NaCl nuclear extract, with
      M(r) ranging from 35,000 to 115,000 were identified on Western blots as
      fucosylated glycoproteins owing to their binding to the fucose-specific lectin,
      Ulex europeus agglutinin I. Results of experiments involving mild alkaline
      treatment and peptide N-glycosidase F digestion showed that the carbohydrate
      moieties of these fucosylated nuclear glycoproteins were N-linked to the
      polypeptide backbone. Analysis of the N-glycans revealed the presence of two
      populations of sialylated oligosaccharides on the basis of their relative
      molecular masses. The sensitivity of the high-M(r) oligosaccharides to endo-beta
      galactosidase and their incorporation of [3H]glucosamine suggest that they could
      contain repeating N-acetyllactosamine units. [3H]Fucose incorporated into nuclei
      was confined to the nucleoli, as judged by autoradiography of sections cut
      through cells grown in the presence of [3H]fucose. Electron microscopy
      autoradiography showed that the fibrillar centers were never labeled, while
      silver grains were observed on the dense and the granular components of nucleoli.
      Taking into account of these data most nuclear fucosylated glycoproteins
      extracted in 0.4 M NaCl might be nucleolar ribonucleoproteins.

PMID- 1429876
TI  - A cell attachment peptide from human C-reactive protein.
AB  - The serum acute phase reactant, C-reactive protein (CRP), is selectively
      deposited at sites of tissue damage and degraded by neutrophils into biologically
      active peptides. A synthetic peptide corresponding to residues 27-38 present in
      each of the five identical subunits of CRP mediated cell attachment activity in
      vitro. Although the CRP-derived peptide contains a Tuftsin (TKPR)-like sequence
      at its amino-terminus, the Tuftsin tetrapeptide itself, as well as several
      synthetic peptides of CRP, failed to inhibit the cell-attachment activity to the
      CRP-derived peptide. Peptides containing the sequences responsible for the cell
      attachment activity of the extracellular matrix proteins, fibronectin (Fn) and
      laminin, failed to inhibit the CRP-derived peptide cell attachment activity.
      However, the addition of the RGDS and RGDSPASSLP cell-binding peptides of Fn to
      cells enhanced attachment to the active peptide from CRP. In the converse
      experiment, the cell-binding peptide of CRP did not influence cell attachment to
      Fn or laminin. A peptide corresponding to the same stretch of amino acid residues
      within the homologous Pentraxin, serum amyloid P-component (SAP), displayed
      nearly identical cell-attachment activity. Several monoclonal antibodies (mAb)
      specific for the CRP-derived cell-binding peptide neutralized its cell-attachment
      activity. These mAbs reacted with intact CRP and neutralized the cell-binding
      activity of CRP itself. The findings suggest that a peptide with cell-binding
      activity could be generated from the breakdown of CRP and then contribute
      directly to cellular events leading to tissue repair.

PMID- 1429878
TI  - Homeotic protein binding sites, origins of replication, and nuclear matrix
      anchorage sites share the ATTA and ATTTA motifs.
AB  - Nuclear matrix organizes the mammalian chromatin into loops. This is achieved by
      binding of nuclear matrix proteins to characteristic DNA landmarks in introns as
      well as proximal and distal sites flanking the 5' and 3' ends of genes. Matrix
      anchorage sites (MARs), origins of replication (ORIs), and homeotic protein
      binding sites share common DNA sequence motifs. In particular, the ATTA and ATTTA
      motifs, which constitute the core elements recognized by the homeobox domain from
      species as divergent as flies and humans, are frequently occurring in the matrix
      attachment sites of several genes. The human apolipoprotein B 3' MAR and a
      stretch of the Chinese hamster DHFR gene intron and human HPRT gene intron shown
      to anchor these genes to the nuclear matrix are mosaics of ATTA and ATTTA motifs.
      Several origins of replication also share these elements. This observation
      suggests that homeotic proteins which control the expression level of many genes
      and pattern formation during development are components of the nuclear matrix.
      Thus, the nuclear matrix, known as the site of DNA replication, might sculpture
      the crossroads of the differential activation of origins during development and S
      phase and the control of gene expression and pattern formation in embryogenesis.

PMID- 1429879
TI  - The rapid nongenomic actions of 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 modulate the
      hormone-induced increments in osteocalcin gene transcription in osteoblast-like
      cells.
AB  - We have previously shown that one of the rapid nongenomic actions of 1 alpha,25
      dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3), the increase in intracellular calcium
      (Ca2+), accompanies the increased osteocalcin (OC) mRNA steady-state levels in
      rat osteosarcoma cells. To determine the functional significance of the
      nongenomic actions, we have measured changes in intracellular Ca2+ as an
      indicator of the rapid effects and have assessed the effect of inhibition of the
      rapid increase in cellular Ca2+ by the inactive epimer, 1 beta, 25
      dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1 beta,25-(OH)2D3), on OC mRNA steady-state levels and
      transcription. 1 beta,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 inhibited 1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3 induced
      increases in intracellular Ca2+ and OC mRNA transcription at 1 hr and OC mRNA
      steady state levels at 3 hr. 1 beta,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 did not alter the
      binding of the vitamin D receptor complex to the vitamin D responsive element of
      the OC gene. The results demonstrate the functional importance of the rapid,
      nongenomic actions of 1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3 in the genomic activation of the OC gene
      by the hormone in rat osteoblast-like cells, perhaps by modifying subtle
      structural and/or functional properties of the vitamin D-receptor DNA complex or
      by affecting other protein DNA interactions that support OC gene transcription.

PMID- 1429880
TI  - The mammalian iris-ciliary complex affects organization and synthesis of
      cytoskeletal proteins of organ and tissue cultured lens epithelial cells.
AB  - A water soluble growth inhibitor was isolated from the mammalian ocular iris
      ciliary complex. The molecular weight of this protein is 10 kD or lower as
      determined by ultrafiltration fractionation. The iris-ciliary (IC) complex water
      soluble protein(s) significantly inhibits synthesis of lower molecular weight
      proteins of the epithelial cells of the organ cultured mammalian ocular lens. It
      was also found that this inhibitory effect of IC is mediated via the structural
      organization of the lens. Monolayer cultures of the lens epithelial cells exposed
      to IC did not manifest any inhibition of their protein synthesis. Moreover, these
      tissue cultured lens epithelial (TCLE) cells showed a significant increase in
      their protein synthetic activities in response to the presence of IC factors in
      the culture medium. It is postulated that the IC activity is modulated via either
      the lens capsule, an extracellular matrix, or due to the specific organization of
      the intact lens. The specific effects of IC on the cytoskeletal organization and
      synthesis in the organ cultured lens epithelial (OCLE) and TCLE cells were also
      examined. Both groups, treated with IC factors, manifested significant
      alterations in their protein synthetic activities and cytoskeletal architecture.
      The 3H-leucine incorporation experiments showed that alpha-actin and alpha
      tubulin synthesis is partially inhibited by IC factors in OCLE cells but vimentin
      synthesis is not, whereas in TCLE cells all of them showed increased synthesis in
      response to IC factors. Turnover rates of these proteins in both OCLE and TCLE
      cells were also computed. The immunofluorescence and microscopic evaluation of
      OCLE and TCLE cells exposed to IC factors illustrated significant alteration in
      the cytoarchitecture of the filaments. We demonstrate that an inhibitor(s)
      molecule of 10 kD or lower size isolated from IC inhibited protein synthesis of
      OCLE cells and stimulated protein synthesis in TCLE cells. The IC factor also
      affects the synthesis and organization of cytoskeletal filaments of both the OCLE
      and TCLE cells.

PMID- 1429881
TI  - Replacement of lysine-181 by aspartic acid in the third transmembrane region of
      endothelin type B receptor reduces its affinity to endothelin peptides and
      sarafotoxin 6c without affecting G protein coupling.
AB  - A conserved aspartic acid residue in the third transmembrane region of many of
      the G protein-coupled receptors has been shown to play a role in ligand binding.
      In the case of endothelin receptors, however, a lysine residue replaces this
      conserved aspartic acid residue. To access the importance of this residue in
      ligand binding, we have replaced it with an aspartic acid in the rat endothelin
      type B (ETb) receptor by PCR mediated mutagenesis. The binding characteristics
      and functional properties of both the wild type and mutant receptors were
      determined in COS-7 cells transiently expressing the cloned receptor cDNAs. Using
      125I-ET-1 as the radioactive peptide ligand in displacement binding studies, the
      wild type receptor displayed a typical non-isopeptide-selective binding profile
      with similar IC50 values (0.2-0.6 nM) for all three endothelin peptides (ET-1, ET
      2, and ET-3) and sarafotoxin 6c (SRTX 6c). Interestingly, the mutant receptor
      showed an increase in IC50 values for ET-1 (5 nM), ET-2 (27 nM), and ET-3 (127
      nM) but displayed a much larger increase in IC50 value for SRTX 6c (> 10 uM). The
      lysine mutant receptor still elicited full inositol phosphate (IP) turnover
      responses in the presence of saturating concentrations of endothelins (10 nM of
      ET-1, 100 nM of ET-2, or 1 uM of ET-3), indicating that the mutation (K181D) did
      not affect the coupling of mutant receptor to the appropriate G protein. These
      results demonstrate that lysine-181 on the receptor is important for binding ET
      peptides; however, it is required for binding the ETb selective agonist-SRTX 6c.

PMID- 1429882
TI  - Stable expression of a cDNA encoding a human beta 1 --> 3galactosyltransferase
      responsible for lacto-series type 1 core chain synthesis in non-expressing cells:
      variation in the nature of cell surface antigens expressed.
AB  - Transient expression of a human colonic adenocarcinoma Colo 205 cell derived cDNA
      in cell lines which ordinarily express only neolacto-series glycolipids has
      resulted in the expression of a beta 1 --> 3galactosyltransferase gene
      responsible for synthesis of glycolipids based upon the lacto-series type 1 core
      chain. Calcium phosphate transfected cells were panned on anti-IgM coated plates
      after initial treatment with a combination of monoclonal antibodies specific for
      type 1 chain terminal structures (TE-3) and a very broadly specific antibody
      reactive with multiple type 1 chain derivatives (TE-2). Adherent cells after
      panning were capable of efficiently transferring Gal in beta 1 --> 3-linkage to
      the acceptor glycolipid Lc3. Using these reagents, clones of stably transfected
      human colonic adenocarcinoma HCT-15 cells were produced and isolated. Parental
      HCT-15 cells do not express type 1 chain based antigens. The nature of the type 1
      chain based antigens produced in each of these clones was analyzed by solid phase
      antibody binding assays. Three types of behavior were observed. Formation of type
      1 terminal structures that were either exclusively sialylated or fucosylated, or
      a mixture of sialylated and fucosylated determinants occurred. In contrast, no
      difference in type 2 antigen expression between any clone and the parental cells
      was observed. These data suggest that coordination of subsequent reactions
      capable of modifying type 1 chain structures is not the same in all clones. The
      relationship of these results to aspects of cellular regulation of carbohydrate
      biosynthesis is discussed.

PMID- 1429883
TI  - Comparison of the mouse L32 ribosomal protein promoter elements in mouse
      myoblasts, fibers, and L cells.
AB  - The sequences required for the maximal expression of the mouse L32 ribosomal
      protein gene and the binding of nuclear factors to L32 promoter elements were
      analyzed in mouse myoblasts, fibers, and L cells. Various L32 r-protein promoter
      sequences were linked to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene (CAT), and
      the expression of the chimeric genes was measured transiently or after their
      incorporation into the genome. The sequence requirements for maximal expression
      of the L32 gene are very similar among the various cells and include the
      previously identified L32 core promoter from approximately -150 to +75. Only the
      promoter regions between -45 and +11 displays significant cell type specific
      differences. Relative to the maximal activity in each cell type, the expression
      of the L32-CAT gene containing the -45 to +11 region is greater in L cells than
      in myoblasts or fibers. This difference is correlated with the increased activity
      of an L cell nuclear factor(s) that binds to this fragment. In addition, our
      results show that deletion of sequences between -981 and -141 causes a 50-70%
      reduction of the expression of the L32-CAT gene in myoblasts, fibers and L cells.
      The transcription of all the L32-CAT genes examined decrease after myoblasts
      differentiate into fibers in a manner similar to the endogenous L32 gene, but we
      were unable to distinguish between sequences involved in controlling the
      expression of the L32 gene during myoblast differentiation and those sequences
      required for maximal promoter activity. However, gel mobility shift assays showed
      differences in the binding of myoblast and fiber factors to the four promoter
      fragments examined. The possible role of these factor binding differences in
      controlling L32 transcription is discussed.

PMID- 1429884
TI  - Poly ADP-ribosylation: a histone shuttle mechanism in DNA excision repair.
AB  - In DNA excision repair of mammalian cells, the processing of ADP-ribose by the
      poly ADP-ribosylation system of chromatin is stimulated several thousand-fold.
      Most of this turnover is associated with the automodification reaction of the
      nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and the degradation of polymerase
      bound polymers by the enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase. The
      automodification cycle catalyzes a temporary dissociation from and reassociation
      of histones with DNA. It is proposed that this mechanism, termed "histone
      shuttle", may guide specific proteins to sites of repair. In addition, histone
      shuttling driven by the poly ADP-ribosylation system seems to be involved in
      nucleosomal unfolding of chromatin in DNA excision repair.

PMID- 1429885
TI  - Synchronization of hair cell regeneration in the chick cochlea following noise
      damage.
AB  - Pure-tone overstimulation for prolonged time leads to hair cell death in
      frequency-specific regions of the cochlear epithelium. Unlike mammals, birds
      replace missing hair cells by stimulating mitosis in an uncharacterized precursor
      cell. Regenerated hair cells, initially identifiable by their immature
      stereocilia and small surface areas, differentiate into mature cells in a manner
      which parallels embryonic development. In the current study, we examined whether
      hair cell regeneration is initiated during noise exposure or after the end of
      acoustic trauma. We exposed 7-to 15-day-old chicks to a 1500 Hz pure tone at 120
      dB SPL (re 20 muPa) for 4, 12, and 24 hours and examined the recovering cochlear
      epithelium with scanning electron microscopy to determine when regenerated hair
      cells were first identifiable. The earliest evidence of new hair cells appeared
      roughly 96 hours after the onset of 4-, 12-, and 24-hour exposures. Our previous
      studies initially identified new hair cells 96 hours after the start of a 48-hour
      exposure. Therefore, hair cell regeneration follows a similar time course
      relative to the onset of noise exposure, regardless of the ultimate duration of
      exposure. Since we estimate that hair cells take at least 48 hours after their
      genesis to form immature stereocilia, the signal which induces hair cell
      precursors to re-enter the cell cycle and to divide probably has its initial
      effects very early during the exposure period. (A previous report of these data
      was given at the 1991 American Society for Cell Biology conference.)

PMID- 1429886
TI  - Evolution and the meaning of metaphase.
AB  - We used an evolutionary test to ask whether the congression of chromosomes to the
      spindle equator is important in itself or just a mitotic happenstance. If
      congression matters, then it might evolve if absent initially. Previous workers
      established that newly made trivalents, meiotic units of three chromosomes,
      generally do not congress to the spindle equator. Instead, these young trivalents
      lie close to the pole to which two of the three chromosomes are oriented. We
      studied ancient sex-chromosome trivalents that arose hundreds of thousands to
      several million years ago in several species of praying mantids and one
      grasshopper. All these old trivalents lie near the spindle equator at metaphase;
      some of them congress as precisely to the equator as the ordinary chromosomes in
      the same cells. We conclude that congression evolved independently two or three
      times in the materials studied. Therefore, the metaphase position of chromosomes
      midway between the poles appears to matter, but why? In the praying mantids, the
      evident answer is that metaphase is a quality-control checkpoint. Sometimes the
      three chromosomes are not associated in a trivalent but rather are present as a
      bivalent plus an unpaired chromosome, which lies near one pole. Earlier workers
      showed that such cells are blocked in metaphase and eventually degenerate; this
      prevents the formation of sperm with abnormal combinations of sex chromosomes. We
      suggest that the quality-control system would have trouble distinguishing an
      unpaired chromosome from an uncongressed, newly arisen trivalent, both of which
      would lie near a spindle pole. If so, the confused quality-control system would
      block anaphase imprudently, causing a loss of cells that would have produced
      normal sperm. Hence, we conclude that the congression of the trivalent to the
      equator probably evolved along with the metaphase quality-control checkpoint. The
      mechanism of congression in old trivalents is uncertain, but probably involves an
      interesting force-sensitive regulation of the motors associated with particular
      chromosomes. We also examined the congression of two newly made quadrivalents
      when they orient with three kinetochores to one pole and one to the other. As
      others have described, one of these quadrivalents does not congress, while the
      other quadrivalent comes closer than expected to the spindle equator. Such
      variation in the extent of congression may provide materials on which natural
      selection can act, leading to the evolution of congression. The trivalents of
      praying mantids are attractive materials for further studies of the mechanism of
      congression and of the idea that metaphase is a checkpoint for progression
      through the cell cycle.

PMID- 1429887
TI  - Stimulus-dependent relocation of the microtubule organizing center in human
      polymorphonuclear leukocytes.
AB  - Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) exhibit extensive directional migration
      (chemotaxis) and phagocytic activities. We have developed an in vitro model to
      evaluate the organization of the microtubule organizing center (MTOC) in PMNs as
      the latter interact with various substrata, including immobilized antigen
      antibody complexes. PMNs were layered on poly-L-lysine substrata containing
      ferritin (PL+F) or ferritin-antiferritin complex (PL+F+AF) and the location of
      MTOCs was determined by indirect immunofluorescence of tubulin using conventional
      epifluorescence microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The MTOCs in
      the majority of the PMNs attached to PL+F occupied an apical location (81.29% +/-
      3.34%), while in the majority of PMNs layered onto PL+F+AF, a basal location
      (79.37% +/- 5.26%) was observed. Following disruption of microtubules (MTs) by
      nocodazole before layering the cells on the substrata, the proportions of PMNs
      with apical MTOCs were 65.2% +/- 6.27% for PL+F and 47.2% +/- 4.1% for PL+F+AF
      substrata, while the proportions of PMNs with basal MTOCs were 26.11% +/- 8.89%
      for PL+F and 39.6% +/- 4.4 for PL+F+AF substrata. The results indicate that MTOCs
      in human PMNs in vitro (i) occupied a 'pre-defined' apical location; (ii)
      translocated to a 'newly defined' basal location upon stimulation with
      immobilized antigen-antibody complex; (iii) and depended on intact MTs for
      placement of MTOCs in both situations.

PMID- 1429888
TI  - Relocation of nucleolar proteins around chromosomes at mitosis. A study by
      confocal laser scanning microscopy.
AB  - The behaviour of nucleolar antigens known to associate with chromosomes at
      mitosis was investigated in mammalian cells (HeLa, HEp-2, PtK1, CHO) by
      immunofluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Serial optical
      sections through mitotic cells, from prophase to telophase, were used to generate
      three-dimensional images of the antigen distribution. Our results indicate that,
      at the onset of mitosis, these antigens leave the nucleoli in a highly ordered
      manner to form a network extending from the nucleoli towards the nuclear
      envelope. The migration begins at very early prophase, when the condensation of
      the chromosomes is not yet visible. After completion of the migration at late
      prophase, the labelling is found at the chromosome periphery. The antigens remain
      distributed as a sheath surrounding the chromosomes from prophase to telophase.
      Therefore, the proteins involved in the formation of this perichromosomal layer
      have different behaviour than those of the prenucleolar bodies. The antigens
      appear to interact strongly with chromosomes, since they are not lost during
      chromosome isolation in hypotonic buffer. Each chromosome is entirely covered
      from one telomere to the other, except in the centromeric region. Thus the
      relocation of these nucleolar proteins does not appear to be the result of a
      passive accumulation at the chromosome periphery, but seems rather to be due to
      an active targeting to specific sites. Consequently, these proteins may have a
      determining function in the progression of the cells through mitosis, possibly by
      participating in the protection and stabilization of the chromosomes.

PMID- 1429889
TI  - Microinjection of antibodies against talin inhibits the spreading and migration
      of fibroblasts.
AB  - Talin is believed to be one of the key proteins involved in linking actin
      filaments to extracellular matrix receptors in focal adhesions. Our strategy for
      studying the function of talin has been to inactivate talin in living fibroblasts
      in tissue culture through the microinjection of affinity-purified, polyclonal
      anti-talin antibodies. The effect of the injected anti-talin antibodies on cell
      spreading was found to depend on how recently the cells had been plated. Cells
      that were in the process of spreading on a fibronectin substratum, and which had
      newly developed focal adhesions, were induced to round up and to disassemble many
      of the adhesions. However, if fibroblasts were allowed to spread completely
      before they were microinjected with the anti-talin antibody, focal adhesions
      remained intact and the flat morphology of the cells was unaffected. The
      percentage of cells that were able to maintain a spread morphology despite the
      injection of anti-talin antibodies increased during the first few hours after
      plating on fibronectin substrata. Fibroblasts that were allowed to spread
      completely before microinjection with the anti-talin antibody retained both
      intact focal adhesions and a flat, well-spread morphology, but failed to migrate
      effectively. Our experiments do not directly address the role of talin in mature
      focal adhesions, but they indicate that talin is essential for the spreading and
      migration of fibroblasts on fibronectin as well as for the development and
      initial maintenance of focal adhesions on this substratum.

PMID- 1429890
TI  - Mammalian skeletal muscle C-protein: purification from bovine muscle, binding to
      titin and the characterization of a full-length human cDNA.
AB  - We report a fast method for the isolation of homogeneous C-protein from bovine
      skeletal muscle. In electron micrographs C-protein appears as short rods with a
      relatively uniform length of about 50 nm. Protein sequencing shows a single N
      terminal sequence. Radio-labelled C-protein strongly decorates titin II and
      myosin rods but not myosin heads. Binding to titin II is retained in preparations
      lacking titin-associated proteins. Antibodies to bovine C-protein were used to
      screen a lambda gt11 cDNA library constructed from fetal human skeletal muscle.
      Clone HC38 is 3833 bp long and encodes a protein of 1138 amino acid residues. The
      start of the predicted sequence fits the N-terminal sequence of the bovine
      protein. All partial sequences obtained from the bovine protein (348 residues)
      and the sequence deduced from a partial chicken cDNA (Einheber and Fischman,
      1990) can be aligned along the human sequence. The sequences of human and chicken
      C-proteins share 50% identity and 70% similarity. Along the repeat patterns of
      the human protein the fibronectin (Fn)-like domains are better conserved than the
      immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains. Regions of strong divergence between chicken
      fast C-protein and human slow C-protein may represent differences in C-protein
      isoforms.

PMID- 1429891
TI  - Formation of skeletal muscle in vivo from the mouse C2 cell line.
AB  - The C2 muscle cell line is myogenic in vitro and has been extensively used in
      studies of muscle cell differentiation. Here, we have investigated the
      myogenicity in vivo of C2 cells implanted into suitable sites in the mouse. Large
      amounts of new muscle were formed when C2 cells were implanted into sites in nude
      mice which were undergoing regeneration following whole muscle grafting and in
      scaffolding of freeze-killed muscle or vicryl suture in the anterior tibial
      compartment. When implanted into regenerating muscle, C2 cells fused with the
      host muscle to form mosaic fibres; when implanted into inert sites, they formed
      muscle of largely donor origin. C2-derived muscle fibres appeared to become
      innervated, but the progression of N-CAM (neural cell adhesion molecule) isoform
      changes in such regenerates indicated that they did not become fully mature.
      Proliferating, undifferentiated cells of C2 origin form tumours in older grafts;
      however, this was more pronounced in the absence of competition from host muscle
      cells. In the short term, C2 cells can form large amounts of muscle in vivo for
      biochemical analysis. In addition, C2 cells are easily manipulable in vitro;
      genes of interest may be transfected into them prior to implantation of the cells
      into skeletal muscle and the effects of these genes in vivo may thus be examined.

PMID- 1429892
TI  - An evaluation of cell separation techniques in a model mixed cell population.
AB  - Muscle precursor cells may act not only as a means of inserting normal genes into
      diseased muscle fibres, in order to correct or alleviate a genetically inherited
      myopathy, but recent demonstrations have shown they may prove an invaluable tool
      for the expression of, and systemic dissemination of, non-muscle gene products.
      If muscle precursor cells are proved to act as such widespread vectors in terms
      of gene therapy, then it is imperative that methods are properly elucidated to
      produce large populations of pure viable myogenic cells for such purposes. In the
      past, many methods of cell separation have been investigated but carry with them
      the problems of either a lack of myogenic purity of the population or poor
      percentage recovery of the original cell population. In the present work we have
      investigated two methods for segregating myogenic from non-myogenic cells and
      have critically reviewed the efficiency of separation of the two techniques used.
      To obtain a quantitative measure of separation efficiency, segregation was
      carried out on a 1:1 mixture of murine C2 myogenic and murine 3T3 fibroblastic
      cells. To distinguish between C2 and 3T3 cells, the latter were prelabelled with
      the fluorescent strain carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimyl ester (CFSE). Once
      incorporated into the cell, CFSE remains there, thus preventing transfer of the
      label to C2 cells. Both methods of separation used depend on the affinity of
      myogenic cells for the monoclonal antibody Mab H28, which specifically binds to
      the mouse neuronal cell adhesion molecule N-CAM, but differ in that one method,
      "panning", completes segregation by adherence of N-CAM positive cells to a dish
      precoated with secondary IgG antibody whereas in the other separation proceeds by
      the use of commercially available IgG-coated magnetic beads. Results indicate
      magnetic bead separation to be more efficient than panning if the beads are
      precoated with 0.1% gelatin.

PMID- 1429893
TI  - Aortic endothelial cell heterogeneity in vitro. Lack of association between
      morphological phenotype and collagen biosynthesis.
AB  - Previous reports dealing with the characterisation of endothelial cells derived
      from the same tissue have produced apparently conflicting results in fundamental
      cellular attributes such as matrix biosynthesis and the ability to form sprouts
      in vitro. One potential explanation for this discrepancy is that endothelial
      cells actually comprise a heterogeneous population of cells displaying a
      significant degree of intra-site variation in phenotype. In order to address this
      question, we have characterised both cloned and uncloned lines of bovine aortic
      endothelial cells with respect to (a) their ability to adopt both the cobblestone
      and sprouting cell phenotypes and (b) matrix biosynthesis by cells displaying
      these two phenotypes. Data are presented indicating that all of the 18 cloned and
      20 uncloned cell lines examined were capable of undergoing a reversible
      transition between the cobblestone and sprouting cell phenotypes in response to
      culture conditions. In all cases, sprouting occurred spontaneously in the
      presence of either serum or platelet-poor plasma and did not require the addition
      of exogenous factors to the medium. Twelve lines of cells were examined with
      respect to protein biosynthesis; these lines produced different types of
      collagens in differing proportions. The pattern of collagen synthesis displayed
      by every cell line was stable and did not vary with either passage number or
      batch of serum. The presence of a 3-D gel of native type I collagen increased
      specifically the synthesis of type IV collagen by one cell line. However, in four
      other cell lines, even though total synthesis was increased, the type of proteins
      secreted by these cells was not altered.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429894
TI  - Changes in cell surface expression of fibronectin and fibronectin receptor during
      liver regeneration.
AB  - The surface expression of fibronectin and its major integrin receptor in liver,
      integrin alpha 5 beta 1, was studied during liver regeneration after partial
      hepatectomy. Using immunoblotting, plasma membranes isolated from livers at
      different regeneration stages were found to contain 6- to 8-fold elevated levels
      of fibronectin, alpha 5 and beta 1 at 12-24 h after the operation. Normal levels
      were gradually restored during the following 8-9 days. The membrane-associated
      fibronectin lacked the ED-A domain, suggesting that it consisted of plasma
      fibronectin. A prominent fibronectin fragment (180 kDa) was present at 12-24 h
      after surgery, possibly reflecting turnover of the pericellular matrix during
      cell division. Indirect immunohistochemical staining of liver sections revealed
      beta 1 and fibronectin mainly in the sinusoidal region of the hepatocyte plasma
      membrane. The distribution was not markedly altered during liver regeneration.
      The results suggest that the fibronectin-mediated contacts between the cells and
      the extracellular matrix increase during the pre-replicative and proliferative
      phases of liver regeneration. The significance of these results for the growth
      and for the structure of the liver during regeneration and development is
      discussed.

PMID- 1429895
TI  - Alteration in glycosaminoglycan metabolism and surface charge on human umbilical
      vein endothelial cells induced by cytokines, endotoxin and neutrophils.
AB  - There is increasing evidence that the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) component of the
      vascular endothelium is important in regulating vascular permeability,
      thromboresistance and cellular interactions. We have investigated the GAG
      metabolism of cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in response
      to a range of inflammatory stimuli. Using both chemical measurement of cellular
      and supernatant GAGS and 35S labelling to identify newly synthesised GAGS,
      interleukin 1 (IL1), tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and interferon gamma (IFN
      gamma) were shown to influence sulphated GAG metabolism significantly. IL1 and
      TNF caused a marked increase in culture supernatant GAGS and a concomitant
      reduction in cell-associated GAGS. This was shown histochemically to be
      associated with a marked reduction and redistribution of endothelial surface
      anionic sites. The addition of neutrophils to HUVEC pretreated with Escherichia
      coli endotoxin, IL1 or TNF resulted in a further reduction in both cellular GAGS
      and surface anionic sites. These results suggest that changes in endothelial cell
      GAG metabolism during inflammation may contribute to the disturbance of vascular
      endothelial homeostasis associated with infectious and inflammatory states.

PMID- 1429896
TI  - Molecular characterisation of the gene for the 180 kDa subunit of the DNA
      polymerase-primase of Drosophila melanogaster.
AB  - We have cloned and sequenced the gene for the 180 kDa subunit of the a polymerase
      from Drosophila melanogaster. The protein shows high similarity to the 180 kDa
      subunits from other species. Comparative expression analysis for the transcript,
      protein and enzymic activity suggests that control occurs mainly at the level of
      transcription. In situ analyses of the RNA suggest that high levels of the
      transcript are synthesised in the ovaries and deposited uniformly in the egg.
      Immunolocalisation of the 180 kDa polypeptide in whole embryos shows that its
      location is mainly nuclear; however, dispersal of the protein can be seen to
      occur during mitotic phases of the cell cycle.

PMID- 1429897
TI  - Isoprenylation of rab proteins on structurally distinct cysteine motifs.
AB  - rab proteins are low molecular weight GTP-binding proteins highly related to
      Ypt1p and Sec4p, which are involved in the control of secretion in yeast
      Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Morphological and biochemical studies have shown that
      rab proteins are membrane associated and are localized to specific
      subcompartments along the exocytic and endocytic pathway. Membrane association
      requires the presence of C-terminal cysteine residues. The present report
      indicates that the structurally distinct cysteine motifs of rab proteins are
      subjected to isoprenylation both in vitro and in vivo. Studies on deletion
      mutants suggest that an intact C-terminal end is required for the association of
      rab proteins with the membrane and is necessary for the post-translational
      modification. Finally, we show that the isoprenoid transferase which modifies rab
      termini is different from the enzyme which farnesylates nuclear lamins and ras
      proteins in vitro.

PMID- 1429898
TI  - M-CSF-induced macropinocytosis increases solute endocytosis but not receptor
      mediated endocytosis in mouse macrophages.
AB  - Although coated vesicles can mediate both solute and receptor-mediated
      endocytosis, there are other kinds of endocytic vesicles that contribute to these
      processes. The relative contributions of these other organelles, particularly
      regarding solute influx, remains unsettled. Here we describe a physiological
      uncoupling of solute and receptor-mediated endocytosis that occurs during growth
      factor-stimulated macropinocytosis. We examined how recombinant human macrophage
      colony-stimulating factor (rM-CSF), which rapidly stimulates solute endocytosis
      in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages, affected ligand internalization via
      receptor-mediated endocytosis. Although rM-CSF stimulated internalization and
      accumulation of Lucifer Yellow (LY), a probe for solute endocytosis, it had no
      effect on accumulation of fluorescent acetylated low-density lipoprotein (acLDL),
      a ligand for the macrophage scavenger receptor, or on the endocytosis of 125I
      labelled diferric transferrin. Video microscopy revealed that rM-CSF immediately
      induced active cell ruffling and the formation of phase-bright macropinosomes.
      Nocodazole pretreatment of macrophages inhibited both ruffling and
      macropinocytosis. Macropinosomes were fluorescently labelled by incubating
      macrophages briefly with probes for both solute endocytosis (fluorescent
      dextrans) and ligand endocytosis (fluorescein-labelled transferrin or diI
      labelled acLDL). Macrophages incubated for one or two minutes formed
      macropinosomes that were labelled predominantly with the fluorescent solute
      probes but with little or none of the ligand probes; the latter were localized
      within smaller pinosomes. When cells pulsed with the fluorescent probes were
      washed and chased for an additional two minutes, solute and ligand probes
      occasionally co-localized in macropinosomes. Nocodazole inhibited
      macropinocytosis with little apparent effect on endocytosis via smaller vesicles.
      These experiments show that macropinosome formation is dependent on microtubules
      and also that the macropinosomes induced by rM-CSF are solute-rich and receptor
      poor. Macropinosomes differ from coated vesicles in these respects, and therefore
      provide a physiologically regulated mechanism for uncoupling solute and receptor
      mediated endocytosis.

PMID- 1429899
TI  - Endocytosis: what goes in and how?

PMID- 1429900
TI  - Chromosomes attain a metaphase position on half-spindles in the absence of an
      opposing spindle pole.
AB  - To examine the relative roles of chromosomes, spindle poles and microtubules in
      the formation of the metaphase spindle and metakinesis, I have experimentally
      placed an extra centrosome-free pronucleus close to a forming bipolar spindle in
      a living cell. The chromosomes from the extra nucleus induce the formation of an
      extra half-spindle from one pole of the otherwise normal bipolar spindle with
      chromosomes positioned at the putative metaphase plate. I conclude that
      chromosomes determine the location of half-spindles by sustaining a higher than
      normal density of microtubules. These results are surprising for two reasons:
      first, because previous in vivo experiments in tissue culture cells show that
      mono-oriented chromosomes with functional attachments to spindle microtubules do
      not support half-spindle formation but oscillate unstably or move to one spindle
      pole. Additionally, the generally accepted view is that chromosomes attain a
      metastable condition at the metaphase plate as a result of a balance between
      forces directed to opposite spindle poles. However, our observation that
      chromosomes on extra half-spindles attain a metastable position in the absence of
      an opposing spindle pole, suggests that Ostergren's model does not account for
      metakinesis in sea urchin embryos.

PMID- 1429902
TI  - Double localization of F-actin in chemoattractant-stimulated polymorphonuclear
      leucocytes.
AB  - Uniform concentrations of chemoattractants such as formylpeptides induced a
      morphological polarization of human polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs) and a
      concentration of F-actin at the cell front. They also induced a transient
      increase in filamentous actin (F-actin) which preceded the cell shape change. We
      combined fluorescence microscopy and image analysis to study the localization of
      F-actin, as revealed by a specific probe (bodipyTM phallacidin) in suspended PMNs
      stimulated by chemoattractants. F-actin exhibited remarkable concentration in
      focal points after a 30 s exposure to 10(-8) M formylmethionyl-leucyl
      phenylalanine (fMet-Leu-Phe), although no shape change of PMNs was detectable. A
      10-min incubation with formylpeptide (10(-6) to 10(-9) M) induced the
      morphological polarization of PMNs and the appearance of a principal focus of F
      actin in the cell head region and a secondary focus in the cell posterior end.
      The distribution of F-actin-associated fluorescence in 2D images of polarized
      PMNs might be due to an actual concentration of F-actin in privileged areas, to a
      local concentration of plasma membrane drawing filamentous actin or to variations
      in the cell volume. Then, we studied the distribution of a cytoplasmic marker,
      fluorescein diacetate and a membrane probe, TMA-DPH, in unstimulated rounded PMNs
      and in spherical and morphologically polarized PMNs stimulated by formylpeptide.
      The distribution of neither of these probes was correlated with F-actin
      distribution, especially in rounded PMNs stimulated 30 s with 10(-8) M fMet-Leu
      Phe, suggesting that F-actin was concentrated in two foci located in the cell
      head region and in the cell posterior end. In addition, zymosan-activated serum
      induced the morphological polarization of PMNs and the appearance of two foci of
      filamentous actin, demonstrating that binding of formylpeptide to its specific
      receptor was not required for F-actin reorganization. We conclude that the
      accumulation of F-actin probably resulted from local filament assembly and put
      forward the hypothesis that microfilament reorganization in two centres drives
      the morphological polarization of PMNs.

PMID- 1429901
TI  - A gene family consisting of ezrin, radixin and moesin. Its specific localization
      at actin filament/plasma membrane association sites.
AB  - Radixin is a barbed end-capping actin-modulating protein which was previously
      reported to be concentrated at cell-to-cell adherens junctions (AJ) and cleavage
      furrows. Recently, cDNA encoding mouse radixin was isolated, showing that radixin
      is highly homologous to but distinct from ezrin. From mouse teratocarcinoma cells
      we isolated and analyzed cDNA encoding another radixin-related protein. Sequence
      analysis has demonstrated that this protein is a mouse homologue of human moesin
      (98.3% identity) and that it shares 71.7% and 80.1% identity with ezrin and
      radixin, respectively. Translation experiments in vitro combined with immunoblot
      analyses led us to conclude that there is a gene family consisting of ezrin,
      radixin and moesin. These members are coexpressed in various types of cells.
      Then, by immunofluorescence microscopy, we closely analyzed their distribution
      using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, which could recognize all three
      members. In addition to cell-to-cell AJ and cleavage furrows, it was shown that
      they were concentrated at microvilli and ruffling membranes in various types of
      cells. Furthermore, the cell-to-substrate AJ (focal contacts) were clearly
      stained by anti-radixin pAb only after the apical/lateral membranes and cytoplasm
      were removed by the zinc method. We conclude that at least one of the members of
      the ezrin-radixin-moesin family is concentrated at specific regions where actin
      filaments are densely associated with plasma membranes.

PMID- 1429904
TI  - Association of myosin with the connecting cilium of rod photoreceptors.
AB  - The cilium of a vertebrate photoreceptor cell connects the phototransductive
      outer segment of the cell to the inner segment. Previous studies have shown that,
      within the connecting cilium, there is a small cluster of actin filaments, which
      play a critical role in the formation of new disk membranes. Here, we have
      detected a polypeptide in rat rod outer segments that is recognized by myosin
      heavy chain antibodies and was found to possess other characteristics of
      conventional non-muscle myosin heavy chain: it comigrates in SDS-PAGE with non
      muscle myosin heavy chain; it associates with the cytoskeleton of rod outer
      segments in an ATP-sensitive manner; and it binds to purified actin filaments in
      the absence of ATP. Myosin ATPase activity was also detected in isolated rod
      outer segments. Electron immunomicroscopy revealed that myosin is present in the
      small actin-containing domain within the connecting cilium at the site of disk
      membrane morphogenesis. These results pose the possibility that an actin-myosin
      contractile mechanism functions in the formation of new photoreceptor disk
      membranes.

PMID- 1429903
TI  - Tubulin in bovine retinal rod outer segments.
AB  - Bovine rod outer segment (ROS) preparations contain a major 58 kDa protein
      doublet that was identified by immunoblot as tubulin. Quantification by gel
      densitometry showed that the total amount of tubulin was 5- to 10-fold higher
      than that attributable to the rod axoneme, suggesting additional role(s) for
      tubulin in photoreceptor cells. Approximately 20% of this nonaxonemal tubulin
      (15% of total tubulin) is tightly associated with outer segment membranes. This
      fraction remains membrane-associated after extensive low- or high-salt washing,
      requiring detergents or protein denaturants for release from ROS membranes.
      Unlike ROS soluble tubulin it associates tightly with liposomes upon detergent
      solubilization and reconstitution. The ROS membrane-associated tubulin is highly
      enriched in isolated ROS plasma membrane fractions compared to the total outer
      segment membrane pool and can be localized to the plasma membrane but not to
      disks by immunofluorescent staining, suggesting a possible role in the structure
      or electrophysiology of the rod outer segment plasma membrane.

PMID- 1429905
TI  - Radial movement of lysosomes along microtubules in permeabilized macrophages.
AB  - In murine bone marrow-derived macrophages, lysosomes often form tubulovesicular
      compartments, whose extended distribution in the cytoplasm depends on the
      integrity of cytoplasmic microtubules. When macrophages with fluorescently
      labeled lysosomes were plated onto coverslips opsonized with IgG, they engaged
      that surface in a phagocytic response (frustrated phagocytosis). The tubular
      lysosomal compartment of these cells collected in a central, perinuclear region,
      despite the continued presence of a radiating array of cytoplasmic microtubules.
      Using methods developed in the study of melanophores, we permeabilized
      macrophages engaged in frustrated phagocytosis, then re-activated lysosome
      extension along microtubules. Permeabilization was selective for plasma
      membranes, in that high molecular weight probes such as trypan blue or IgG could
      enter cells, while fluorescent probes previously loaded into lysosomes via
      endocytosis remained contained therein. Addition of 2 mM ATP, GTP or UTP to these
      permeabilized cell models produced centrifugal extension of tubular lysosomes.
      Selective depletion of ATP, using Escherichia coli glycerol kinase, inhibited ATP
      dependent extension but not that which occurred with GTP or UTP, indicating that
      the mechanism of radial movement can use any of these three nucleotide
      triphosphates. Extension was independent of pH between 6.8 and 7.4, and was
      inhibited by AMP-PNP and by GMP-PNP. Depolymerization of cytoplasmic microtubules
      with nocodazole prevented subsequent ATP-inducible lysosome extension, whereas
      preincubation of cells with cytochalasin D did not inhibit the response. These
      results are consistent with the in vitro mechanochemical properties of kinesin
      (Cohn et al., 1989), and support earlier evidence, obtained in living cells, that
      kinesin is the mechanochemical motor of lysosome extension along microtubules in
      macrophages.

PMID- 1429906
TI  - Characterization of early and late endocytic compartments of the transferrin
      cycle. Transferrin receptor antibody blocks erythroid differentiation by trapping
      the receptor in the early endosome.
AB  - We describe a detailed morphological characterization of the endocytic pathway in
      differentiating chicken erythroblasts transformed by a temperature-sensitive
      mutant of avian erythroblastosis virus (AEV). These cells express high levels of
      transferrin receptors (TfR) when induced to differentiate at 42 degrees C.
      Biochemical analysis showed that most (approximately 90%) of the internalized
      125I-Tf recycled within approximately 30 min while a smaller fraction of 125I-Tf
      required up to 2 h for recycling. By immunocytochemistry, the bulk of Tf and TfR
      was localized at the plasma membrane and in tubuloreticular early endosomes. This
      structure contained coated buds that labelled with an antibody specific for the
      clathrin light chain. Decreasing amounts of both Tf and TfR were detected in two
      distal compartments, spherical endosome vesicles resembling multivesicular bodies
      and the prelysosomal compartment (PLC) enriched in cation-independent mannose 6
      phosphate receptor. As shown by fluorescent (FITC-Tf) labelling of living cells,
      the movement of Tf/TfR complex into these late structures was accompanied by a
      significant drop in pH from about 6, the value displayed by early endosomes, to
      values below pH 5.0. Since no detectable 125I-Tf degradation was observed during
      a 4 h period we believe that the Tf/TfR detected in these late endocytic
      structures avoids degradation and recycles back to the cell surface. The addition
      of an anti-TfR monoclonal antibody to the culture medium of these cells blocks
      their differentiation. Under this condition the antibody-TfR complex was trapped
      in an early endosome compartment that enlarged to more than twice its normal
      size. However, this condition did not affect the transport kinetics of
      horseradish peroxidase from the medium to the PLC.

PMID- 1429907
TI  - Development and characterisation of a rat brain capillary endothelial culture:
      towards an in vitro blood-brain barrier.
AB  - Primary culture of rat brain endothelial cells is described, based on the method
      of C. C. W. Hughes and P. L. Lantos. The cells have been characterised using
      morphological and immunocytochemical techniques, and systematic studies
      undertaken to determine the optimal culture medium and conditions required to
      grow the cells at high purity on a variety of substrata. The endothelial cells
      have a spindle-shaped morphology, and proliferate as plaques from small clusters
      of cells associated with capillary fragments in the starting material. Tight
      junction-like cell:cell appositions are seen at the electron-microscopic level.
      The cells show characteristic staining for antigens recognized by antibodies
      against von Willebrand factor (Factor VIII-related antigen), angiotensin
      converting enzyme (ACE), the transferrin receptor (Ox-26), actin and vimentin.
      They also show binding of the lectin from Ulex europaeus (UEA I). Potential
      contaminating cells include smooth muscle, fibroblasts, pericytes and meningeal
      cells. Contaminants can be kept to < ca. 5% by careful removal of large vessels
      and meninges during dissection, by brief treatment with Ca(2+)- and Mg(2+)-free
      saline, by growth in medium supplemented with plasma-derived serum treated for
      removal of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and by occasional use of medium
      in which D-valine is substituted for L-valine. Cells attach well to collagen
      coated plastic, less well to glass. Cells can be grown on transparent collagen
      filters (ICN, Cellagen and Costar, Transwell-Col), and on microcarrier beads
      (Pharmacia, Cytodex-3). The culture has proved to be a useful preparation for
      studies of cellular physiology, pharmacology and biochemistry of the brain
      endothelium, and represents a first step in producing an in vitro model of the
      rat blood-brain barrier.

PMID- 1429908
TI  - Integrin subunit expression by human osteoblasts and osteoclasts in situ and in
      culture.
AB  - The extracellular matrix may be considered as an insoluble local mediator which
      plays an important role in regulating cell function. Communication between the
      cell and its matrix occurs via the integrins, a family of transmembrane proteins
      composed of non-covalently linked alpha and beta subunits. The aim of this study
      was to establish which integrins are present on human bone cells in situ and in
      culture, using cryostat sections of undecalcified human bone, osteoclastoma
      tissue and cultured human osteoblasts. Integrin subunit expression was identified
      indirectly using alkaline phosphatase anti-alkaline phosphatase conjugates and
      FITC-labelled secondary antibodies. Subunits expressed by cultured human
      osteoblast-like cells were then quantified by FACS analysis. Staining patterns
      observed in situ show that osteoblasts and osteoclasts possess different integrin
      subunits. Osteoblasts primarily express alpha 1, alpha 3 and beta 1 and weakly
      express alpha 2. Osteoclasts express alpha 2, alpha V, beta 1 and beta 3.
      Subunits alpha 4, alpha 5, alpha 6, alpha L, alpha M and beta 2 were not
      expressed by either of these cell types. Expression of beta 1 by all cells of the
      osteoblastic lineage was constitutive, but alpha 1 and alpha 3 subunits were
      expressed by osteoblasts actively synthesizing bone and some of the osteoblast
      lining cells. All integrin subunits identified on osteoblasts in situ were
      maintained on culture but there was an increased expression of alpha 2 and alpha
      V subunits were weakly positive. Expression of alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha V and beta
      1 subunits was independent of cell density but expression of alpha 1 was much
      greater in confluent cultures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1429909
TI  - Cell guidance by micropatterned adhesiveness in vitro.
AB  - Tracks of adhesiveness are believed to be involved in guiding morphogenetic cell
      migrations. Here, electronics microfabrication technology was used to manufacture
      patterns of alternating tracks of adhesive and non-adhesive substratum (untreated
      fused quartz and adjacent parallel tracks of hydrophobic treatment) of varying
      period (4, 6, 12, 24 and 50 microns). These experimental substrata were used to
      model, in vitro, possible differentially adhesive guidance cues. The effect of
      such patterned substrata was assessed using fibroblastic BHK cells and epithelial
      MDCK cells. Cells were oriented and elongated by these surfaces. Their
      responsiveness was dependent on cell type, cell-cell interactions, and the
      geometry of the patterns. Alignment of BHK cells increased with increasing
      pattern period. Single MDCK cells aligned to all pattern periods, their
      elongation being period-dependent, whereas colonies were mainly unaffected. These
      in vitro data have important implications, which are discussed with regard to in
      vivo guidance cues. The ability of cells to bridge over non-adhesive regions will
      influence the effectiveness of linear cues, and will be important for
      guideposting. The geometry of patterns of differential adhesion is here shown to
      be an important factor in determining the precision with which local guidance of
      cells may be controlled.

PMID- 1429910
TI  - The role of the cytoskeleton and intercellular junctions in the transcellular
      membrane protein polarity of bovine aortic endothelial cells in vitro.
AB  - This project examines the transcellular membrane protein polarity of bovine
      aortic endothelial cell (BAEC) monolayers in vitro with respect to the roles that
      intercellular junctions (as defined by comparing confluent and subconfluent
      monolayers) and the submembranous cytoskeleton play in controlling this
      phenomenon. Plasma membrane (PM) proteins obtained from apical (AP) and
      basolateral (BL) PM domains of confluent BAEC monolayers were isolated using the
      cationic colloidal silica technique and resolved by two-dimensional gel
      electrophoresis (2-D PAGE). To facilitate the identification of domain-specific
      PM proteins, an isoelectric point/molecular weight database of the proteins from
      AP and BL PM domains was constructed. Domain-specific PM proteins were assessed
      for their interaction with the cytoskeleton by determining whether they co
      isolated with a Triton X-100 detergent-resistant cytoskeletal/extracellular
      matrix fraction. The maintenance of polarized PM protein segregation by
      intercellular junctional complexes was determined by comparing AP and BL protein
      patterns of confluent monolayers with patterns generated by subconfluent
      monolayers, which lack such junctional structures. Proteins isolated from AP and
      BL PM domains from both confluent states were immunoblotted with antibodies to
      angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and collagen receptors (CR). ACE was
      restricted exclusively to the AP PM domain in the subconfluent condition, even
      though no apparent cytoskeletal interaction was observed. CRs, found to interact
      with the cytoskeleton in either confluence state, were predominantly segregated
      to the BL PM domain regardless of the presence or absence of cell-cell contact.
      Membrane proteins found by 2-D PAGE to be asymmetrically distributed in the
      absence of intercellular junctions were assessed for cytoskeletal interaction by
      their inability to be extracted by Triton X-100 from monolayers in the
      subconfluent state. Computer cross-referencing of 2-D PAGE peak lists and
      immunodetection generated from the above fractionation protocols identifies a set
      of four proteins associated with the cytoskeleton that remain segregated in the
      proper domain, and five proteins associated with the cytoskeleton that become
      equally distributed between AP and BL PM domains in the absence of intercellular
      junctions. Additionally, six proteins not associated with the cytoskeleton remain
      asymmetrically distributed to the AP domain in the subconfluent state. The data
      suggest that BAEC monolayers have unknown mechanisms, apart from intercellular
      junctions expressed at confluency or cytoskeletal binding, for maintaining
      transcellular PM protein polarity.

PMID- 1429911
TI  - Dimeric transcription factor families: it takes two to tango but who decides on
      partners and the venue?
AB  - Dimeric transcription factors that bind to DNA are often grouped into families on
      the basis of dimerization and DNA-binding specificities. cDNA cloning studies
      have established that members of the same family have structurally related
      dimerisation and DNA-binding domains but diverge in other regions that are
      important for transcriptional activation. These features lead to the
      straightforward suggestion that although all members of a family bind to similar
      DNA elements, individual members exhibit distinct transcriptional effector
      functions. This simple view is now supported by experimental evidence from those
      systems that have proved amenable to study. There are however some largely
      unaddressed questions that concern the mechanisms that allow family members to go
      about their business without interference from their highly related siblings.
      Here I will discuss some insights from studies of the bZIP class of transcription
      factors.

PMID- 1429912
TI  - Who's minding your genes?

PMID- 1429913
TI  - Recent advances in the treatment of otitis media.
AB  - Otitis media (OM) continues to be a major cause of morbidity in infants and
      children. Antibiotics are presently the mainstay of treatment. A variety of
      agents including vaccinations against the most common causative organisms,
      prednisone, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, intravenous immune globulin,
      antihistamines, decongestants, and topical antibiotics have been investigated.
      This review will address the recent developments in the treatment and prevention
      of OM.

PMID- 1429914
TI  - Progress in self treatment for psoriasis vulgaris.
AB  - Chronic plaque psoriasis is by far the most frequent form of the disease and is
      usually amenable to home treatment. The therapeutic armamentarium for self
      treatment of psoriasis has, until recently, been limited to emollients, tar,
      dithranol and topical corticosteroids. Although limited progress has been made in
      improving formulations and treatment regimes for these compounds, they still have
      significant drawbacks in terms of either unwanted effects or cosmetic
      acceptability. Topical vitamin D analogues offer a new, effective, convenient and
      safe option for self-treatment of psoriasis. Most research has been performed on
      calcipotriol. This has compared well to beta-methasone valerate and short-contact
      dithranol in controlled studies. Skin irritation is frequently noticed by
      patients, but rarely requires treatment to be discontinued. The mechanism of
      action appears most likely to be a direct regulation of keratinocyte
      proliferation and differentiation. Calcipotriol has relatively little effect on
      calcium metabolism and appears to be safe when used according to established
      guidelines but hypercalcaemia may develop if excessive quantities are used.

PMID- 1429915
TI  - Sorption studies of dipotassium clorazepate salt (Tranxene) and midazolam
      hydrochloride (Hypnovel) in polyvinyl chloride and glass infusion containers.
AB  - The compatibilities of dipotassium clorazepate and midazolam hydrochloride with
      polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bags have been studied and compared with those observed
      with glass flasks. At room temperature, dipotassium clorazepate showed chemical
      instability which was independent of the container. At 4 degrees C, dipotassium
      clorazepate showed no decrease in concentration over 12 h, both in 5% dextrose
      solution and 0.9% sodium chloride solutions. When stored for longer periods of up
      to 72 h, a slight decrease not exceeding 5% was observed. The compatibility of
      midazolam with the PVC bags was found to be good at room temperature. It was
      slightly better in 5% dextrose solution than in 0.9% sodium chloride solution.
      High sorption of the drug was observed at pH 7.0 when the primary ring structure
      is maintained. The results make it possible for the hospital pharmacist to
      prepare dipotassium chlorazepate salt and midazolam admixtures up to 3 days
      before administration, provided the former are stocked in a refrigerator and the
      latter are prepared in dextrose isotonic solutions.

PMID- 1429916
TI  - Pilot study to compare the bronchodilator and metabolic responses to terbutaline
      infusion in seven asthmatic subjects--are they correlated?
AB  - We compared the changes in peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), plasma potassium and
      plasma glucose during and after an infusion of the beta 2-agonist, terbutaline,
      in seven asthmatic subjects. Our aim was to establish whether these metabolic
      parameters could be correlated with PEFR. The percentage changes in PEFR were
      significantly correlated with the percentage changes in glucose (r = 0.60, P less
      than 0.001) and potassium (r = -0.64, P less than 0.001). Values for glucose and
      potassium changes were also correlated significantly with each other (r = 0.86, P
      less than 0.001). This suggests that in asthmatic subjects on beta 2-agonist
      treatment, plasma potassium could be used as a surrogate marker for beta 2
      activity at bronchi. It also implies that the most effective beta 2-agonist
      bronchodilators will produce the greatest fall in plasma potassium. Further
      studies with a larger number of patients are needed to confirm this.

PMID- 1429917
TI  - Determination of dissociation constants of some pharmaceutical compounds using
      derivative spectrophotometry.
AB  - Derivative spectrophotometry is applied to the determination of the dissociation
      constants (pKa) of some weakly dissociating compounds. The pKa value(s) can be
      calculated by measuring the amplitude of derivative maxima (D) at the selected
      wavelengths for the dissociated, undissociated and partially dissociated forms of
      the compound. A graphical technique, based on plotting the derivative
      spectrophotometric titration curves and interpolating pKa at D1/2 is also
      presented. Both methods are applied to pharmaceutical compounds with single and
      double dissociation constants. The results are in good agreement with the
      reported pKa values of the investigated compounds.

PMID- 1429918
TI  - A survey of prescription label preferences among community pharmacy patrons.
AB  - Fifty-five randomly selected community pharmacy patrons were surveyed regarding
      their preferences between four different prescription labels. The variables
      displayed on the four labels were: (i) laser printed, (ii) dot-matrix printed,
      (iii) glossy surface, and (iv) matt surface. The study population was stratified
      by age and gender. Statistical analysis of the results indicated a clear
      preference by all groups for the laser printed labels (P less than 0.001), and
      the only other statistically significant finding was the preference for the matt
      surface (P less than 0.05) of females between the ages of 16 and 39. The
      implications for these differences on label readability are discussed, and
      recommendations are offered for the use of improved laser technology for computer
      generated prescription labels.

PMID- 1429919
TI  - Development of a stable oral liquid dosage form of spironolactone.
AB  - A clear, stable, oral liquid dosage form of spironolactone has been developed.
      Solubility profiles of spironolactone were obtained in several co-solvent blends.
      Using this data, a co-solvent blend containing polyethylene glycol 400 (30% v/v),
      propylene glycol (10% v/v), glycerin (10% v/v) and ethyl alcohol (10% v/v) was
      used to solubilize spironolactone at a concentration of 2 mg/ml. The final
      formulation contained sweetening agents (sucrose, saccharin sodium), flavours
      (cherry, sweet), a desensitizing agent (menthol), a dye (FD&C Red #40) and a
      preservative (benzoic acid) to incorporate the desired organoleptic and
      preservative properties. A phosphate buffer was used to maintain a pH value of
      4.5 (pH of maximum stability as reported earlier) to minimize hydrolysis. The
      final dosage form was stable for at least 93 days at 40 degrees C (loss of
      potency less than 4%). According to FDA guidelines, a tentative expiration date
      of 2 years at 25 degrees C is justifiable.

PMID- 1429920
TI  - Influence of age and co-medication on steady-state phenobarbital serum level-dose
      ratios in Japanese paediatric patients.
AB  - The effects of age and co-medication on steady-state phenobarbital (PB) level
      dose (L/D) ratios were evaluated retrospectively in 539 paediatric patients. The
      PB L/D ratio increased significantly with age up to 15 years. Associated anti
      epileptic therapy affected the PB L/D ratio, which was significantly increased in
      patients on polypharmacy as compared to patients on monopharmacy. Therefore,
      routine monitoring of PB serum levels is extremely useful, particularly in the
      paediatric age group, and in patients who require associated anti-epileptic
      medication.

PMID- 1429921
TI  - [Value an immediate histological study of the lymph nodes at the time of surgical
      treatment of cancer of the uterine cervix].
AB  - From 1978 to 1989, 500 external iliac lymph node dissections were carried out at
      the Institut Curie during surgery for cancers of the uterine cervix. The
      percentage of error of the histological study of the lymph node was 2.8%,
      including 13 false-negative findings and 1 false-positive. In 1.8% of cases (9),
      there were doubts as to lymph node invasion, and no confirmation was possible.
      The most frequent cause of error was the failure to recognize partial invasion of
      a lymph node. Fibrosis and necrosis secondary to preoperative radiation therapy
      make the intraoperative histological study more difficult.

PMID- 1429922
TI  - [Linitis plastica of the proximal part of the duodeno-jejunal angle. Apropos of a
      case].
AB  - The authors report the first case to date of primary linitis plastica localised
      to the proximal part of the small bowel. A 44-year-old man with a one-month
      history of vague abdominal symptoms was treated for a proximal jejunum
      perforation due to a linitis plastica and died 2 months later.

PMID- 1429923
TI  - [Intestinal ascariasis. A rare cause of obstruction of the small intestine].
AB  - Ascariasis is a benign and common disease in tropical areas. Due to its
      endemicity and high prevalence, serious abdominal complications requiring urgent
      and versatile surgical therapy do occur. An observation of intestinal obstruction
      by ascaris bundle, diagnosed during operation, is reported. The postoperative
      course was uneventful.

PMID- 1429924
TI  - [Gunshot wounds of the ureter].
AB  - Lesions of the ureter caused by penetrating wounds of the abdomen rare a are
      complication of abdominal gunshot wounds, of which the reported incidence is 2 to
      17%. The preoperative diagnosis is difficult and unrecognized initially in every
      third case. There are no early clinical signs of ureteral lesions. There is often
      no hematuria. Only IVP can make the preoperative diagnosis possible. As a matter
      of fact, the diagnosis will often be established by the surgical exploration made
      during the laparotomy required by the extent of the associated lesions. The
      ureteral blast contusion is an important cause of secondary necrosis with
      fistula. The treatment is mainly based on ureteroureterostomy after debridement.
      The transanasmotic drainage of urine is controversial. Mortality results from
      associated abdominal lesions and morbidity consists in a risk of secondary
      nephrectomy.

PMID- 1429925
TI  - [Volvulus of the sigmoid colon. Emergency resection and anastomosis].
AB  - Eleven cases of sigmoid volvulus in patients aged 76 years in average, without
      visible signs of necrosis on endoscopy, are reported. All patients were treated
      within 6 to 48 hours by colic resection and immediate restoration of continuity
      with a mechanical anastomosis. Morbidity was low, including one case of
      evisceration and one of pneumonia, and there was no mortality after three months.
      Early resection seems to prevent the risks of necrosis and recurrence, and to
      have a good prognosis for survival.

PMID- 1429926
TI  - [Cockett's syndrome caused by an ectopic kidney. Apropos of two cases].
AB  - Two original cases of Cockett's syndrome caused by an ectopic and/or malformed
      kidney are reported. Intravenous pyelography and computed tomography allow
      establishing the diagnosis. The choice of the therapy depends on the patency of
      the left common iliac vein.

PMID- 1429927
TI  - [Intestinal invagination in adults. Apropos of a case of idiopathic ileocolic
      invagination].
AB  - Intestinal intussusception is a rare condition in adults, in whom it is caused by
      an organic lesion in 60% of all cases. On the basis of one case of ileocolic
      intussusception in a 64-year-old patient, the author reviews the literature and
      sums up the clinicopathological data, as well as the elements of the clinical
      diagnosis and, most importantly, of the radiological diagnosis for which enema
      with hydrosoluble contrast media is the method of choice. The treatment mainly
      consists in intestinal resection with anastomosis.

PMID- 1429928
TI  - [Idiopathic segmental infarction of the greater omentum. Apropos of a new case].
AB  - Idiopathic segmental infarction of the greater omentum is an unusual cause of
      acute abdomen. The preoperative diagnosis is difficult. Before laparotomy the
      diagnosis is hardly ever considered; the authors report a personal case and
      describe etiologic hypotheses and the clinical picture of this disease.

PMID- 1429929
TI  - [Arthroscopy of the shoulder].
AB  - Arthroscopy of the shoulder is currently gaining importance because of the
      diagnostic aid it can provide to understand the pathology of this complex joint,
      and also because of the technical possibilities it offers for treatment. From a
      diagnostic point of view, it has allowed, for example, a better understanding of
      the anatomical lesions observed in instability, or a better analysis of partial
      rotator cuff lesions. The therapeutic possibilities are the reason for the
      current enthusiasm for this endoscopic technique: removal of a foreign body,
      articular washing, synovectomy, ligament reinsertion of abrasion are now
      accessible with some training. The two indications of shoulder arthroscopy that
      are most resorted to are the endoscopic treatment of some cases of shoulder
      instability with reinsertion of disinserted elements at the anterior capsular
      ligamentous level, and anterosuperior decompression of the rotator cuff when
      there is a conflict between this tendinous area and the acromiocoracoid
      osteoligamentous dome.

PMID- 1429930
TI  - [Iliac eventration after posterior iliac bone removal. An original technique of
      reconstruction].
AB  - A tricortical bone graft removal from the iliac crest causes a parietal defect
      that may be complicated by iliac or iliolumbar eventration, according to the
      extent of the bone loss. On the basis of their experience with a particularly
      characteristic clinical case, the authors describe an original reconstruction
      technique. The surgical techniques aimed at parietal restoration described in the
      literature include either the use of foreign materials or of those provided by
      the patient (skin, fascia lata, etc.), or the use of the surrounding anatomical
      elements to reconstruct a solid wall. Most of these procedures may be difficult
      to implement if the loss of substance is extensive, or in a posterior site. Thus,
      in order to prevent possible recurrence in case of major bone defects, we propose
      to combine the cure of the eventration with a restoration of bone continuity with
      a cold-conserved allograft and the reconstruction of the musculoaponeurotic
      curtain by the translation of the lumbosacral fascia. This procedure allowed
      obtaining a very satisfactory result, which was stable after 18 months both as
      regards parietal reconstruction and as regards pain, owing to the restoration of
      balance in the paraspinal muscular support.

PMID- 1429931
TI  - [Technique of percutaneous drainage under ultrasound guidance for acute
      cholecystitis].
AB  - Gallbladder percutaneous drainage under ultrasound guidance could offer an
      interesting option compared to surgery in multi-systemic disease patients with
      acute cholecystitis and who are considered as high-risk patients towards
      anesthesia and surgery. The authors describe this technics which is an easy,
      quick and eventually repetitive procedure with no major complications.

PMID- 1429932
TI  - [Spigelian hernia and common mesentery. Apropos of a case].

PMID- 1429933
TI  - Accuracy in establishing identity in edentulous individuals by means of intraoral
      radiographs.
AB  - The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of accuracy in establishing
      identity in edentulous individuals by using occlusal "ante- and postmortem"
      radiographs of the maxilla. Twelve examiners with the following background; six
      dental radiologists, four other specialists in dentistry and two dental students
      were asked to combine the radiographs. The results showed that six of the 12
      observers were able to correctly establish identity for all 20 cases. Five of
      these observers were dental radiologists and one of them was a prosthodontist.
      The other specialists made 3-8 identifications. The senior and the junior dental
      students made two and four incorrect identifications. The findings from this
      study emphasise the importance of having more than one forensic specialist
      signing the identification form. The results also indicate that examiners well
      trained in oral radiology are able to determine a positive identity even in cases
      where the teeth are not present.

PMID- 1429934
TI  - Dental identification after the Dash 7 aircraft accident at Torghatten, Northern
      Norway, May 6th, 1988.
AB  - The accident occurred when a Dash 7 aircraft hit a steep mountain side and fell
      approximately 70 meters. A fire broke out immediately and all 33 passengers and
      three crew members perished. Most of the victims were found in or near the
      wreckage and burnt by the fire. The identifications were carried out by the
      Norwegian Identification Commission which included four dentists. One dentist,
      together with a pathologist, co-operated with the police at the site of the
      accident. All 36 victims were identified and in 32 cases (89%) dental identity
      was established. This success was mainly due to systematic radiographic
      recordings of the victims and a comparison with ante-mortem radiographs. The
      Norwegian computer programme for identification was successfully tested during
      this investigation.

PMID- 1429935
TI  - International co-operation in a dental identification.
AB  - A case of international identification of an unknown male, where the teeth were
      essential in establishing identity is described. A noteworthy aspect of the
      procedure was the teamwork between the police and other authorities, and the
      forensic odontologist and medical examiners in Albania and Sweden. In Albania a
      forensic medical examiner handled the dental examination, since forensic
      odontology is not yet acknowledged. The importance of having dental and medical
      ante-mortem registers for missing persons in every country is stressed. This is
      best administered in co-operation with the police authorities.

PMID- 1429936
TI  - Exhumation following incorrect identification. A case report.
AB  - The exhumation of two victims of a light aircraft accident was performed in
      February 1991 at Oudtshoorn, Cape. The exhumation was ordered by the magistrate
      on request of the parents of one of the victims who suspected that their son had
      been wrongly identified at the postmortem examination. At the pre-burial autopsy
      all the victims were positively identified, but the identity of two of the
      victims was subsequently reconsidered and reversed because one of them wore a
      silver bracelet. Burial then took place. The exhumation was ordered one month
      after the accident at which stage the bodies were in an advanced state of
      decomposition. Oral autopsies were performed on each of the victims, the jaws
      were radiographed and postmortem dental records drawn up. Dental records were
      obtained from the dentists who treated them and the information from these
      records was used to draw up ante-mortem dental records. A comparison between the
      postmortem and ante-mortem records showed that the victims were incorrectly
      identified and reburial in the correct graves was subsquently carried out. This
      case again emphasies the importance of dental identification in cases of severe
      burning, multilation or decomposition in order to avoid mistaken identity and
      incorrect burial in the future.

PMID- 1429937
TI  - A not-so-distant mirror.

PMID- 1429938
TI  - Animal research--sensibilities and sense.

PMID- 1429939
TI  - Healthcareopathy: a multifactorial disease.

PMID- 1429940
TI  - Prevention of sudden cardiac death.
AB  - Since the vast majority of these deaths are triggered by arrhythmias, the first
      step in prevention is to understand the risk factors for malignant rhythms. The
      second is to identify patients who may benefit from preventive intervention.
      Finally, who should get drugs, who automatic cardioverter-defibrillator
      implantation. The determinants of that choice remain to be elucidated.

PMID- 1429941
TI  - Management of HIV infection: a summary of summaries (I).
AB  - Often the hardest task in managing HIV-infected patients is keeping up-to-date on
      the latest in HIV care. Presented here is a summary of 32 current, accessible
      articles for the primary care physician.

PMID- 1429942
TI  - Long-term survival in primary pulmonary hypertension.

PMID- 1429944
TI  - Where have all the good cases gone?

PMID- 1429943
TI  - Acute myocardial infarction or pericarditis?

PMID- 1429945
TI  - Painful ophthalmoplegia in a patient with SLE.

PMID- 1429946
TI  - Coronary heart disease in women: a 'new' problem.
AB  - Recent reports of "sex bias" in the management of heart disease serves to focus
      on a more fundamental problem. Too little is known about the biology of heart
      disease in women or the reasons for striking differences in women's risks,
      prognosis, and treatment outcome--medical or surgical. Studies more sharply
      focused on these issues could improve treatment for half of the patient
      population.

PMID- 1429947
TI  - The acquisition of Italian morphology: implications for models of language
      development [see comment].
AB  - This study explores the spontaneous acquisition of Italian inflectional
      morphology by three children (age range I;4-3;O). Longitudinal, free speech
      samples are examined, focusing on the development of the morphological paradigms
      of Italian verbs, pronouns and articles. Data analysis is conducted using
      criteria appropriate to allow reliable cross-linguistic comparisons with data
      from English. By this means we evaluate the plausibility of a nativist, parameter
      setting account of language development in Italian and English, as recently
      proposed for these two languages. Results show that the general developmental
      patterns observed in Italian are not significantly different from those found in
      English. These findings are not consistent with current interpretations of
      parameter-setting accounts of language development. Alternative explanatory
      models are discussed.

PMID- 1429948
TI  - Comprehension and production of gesture in combination with speech in one-word
      speakers.
AB  - This study explores the role that gesture plays in the earliest stages of
      language learning. We describe how one-word speakers use gesture in combination
      with speech in their spontaneous communications, and interpret gesture presented
      in combination with speech in an experimental situation. Forty one-word speakers
      (ages 1;2.22 to 2;4.6) were videotaped in a free-play session which provided data
      on the child's spontaneous gesture and speech production. The children were also
      given a comprehension task in which the presence and absence of gesture were
      systematically varied in relation to speech. We found that (1) all of the
      children spontaneously produced gestures in combination with speech, and (2) all
      of the children were able to understand gesture when it was presented in
      combination with speech, not only when the gesture was redundant with speech but
      also when the gesture substituted for speech. These data suggest that, even at
      this young age, gesture naturally forms an integrated system with speech in both
      production and comprehension.

PMID- 1429949
TI  - Discourse and the acquisition of eat.
AB  - English has several classes of transitive verbs which can optionally appear
      without an undergoer. Despite their similar syntactic subcategorization, there
      are at least three different semantic subclasses that allow undergoer omission.
      Information sources based on surface structure, for example, syntactic
      bootstrapping, cannot inform the child of the semantic representation of these
      verbs. The focus of this paper is the acquisition of a single English verb, eat.
      The transcripts of 40 children, who were audiotaped monthly from 1;0 to 3;0,
      showed that eat was the first member of this verb class to be acquired. Some 1276
      eat sentences were analysed for the presence of overt undergoer arguments across
      levels of cumulative verb lexicon (CVL) size, and two discourse conditions: (1)
      UNDERGOER ACCESSIBLE and (2) OPEN (to undergoer omission). Results indicate that
      undergoer omission became associated with discourse conditions when CVL size rose
      above 75 types, at MLU approximately 2.4 and age approximately 2;3. This suggests
      that two-year-old children are sensitive to a relationship between undergoer
      omission and discourse context.

PMID- 1429950
TI  - Phonological characteristics of words young children try to say.
AB  - To examine the possible persistence of phonological selectional constraints on
      young children's lexical choices, the words attempted in the conversational
      speech of a longitudinal sample of 12 normally-developing preschoolers from age
      2;0 to 5;0 were scored for syllabic length, presence of consonant clusters, and
      distribution of constituent phonemes. Except at the youngest ages, few
      developmental changes in target word characteristics were seen, and the observed
      differences were largely accounted for by syntactic, lexical, and pragmatic
      factors. The results suggest that selectional constraints persist only briefly in
      the course of language acquisition.

PMID- 1429951
TI  - Mental terms in mothers' and children's speech: similarities and relationships.
AB  - In this study, mental terms in mothers' and their children's speech at two and
      three years of age were studied in order to examine the relationships between
      maternal and child use. Nineteen mother and child dyads were videotaped for one
      hour on each of two days when the children were 2;0 and again for two one-hour
      sessions on separate days when they were 3;0, and mental terms were noted. The
      utterances in which mental terms were used were coded for function. Results
      supported the existing picture of children's mental term use. Few terms appeared
      at 2;0, but many were used at 3;0 with think and know predominating. Mental terms
      occurred more commonly in utterances used to regulate the interaction between the
      participants than in utterances referring to mental states. Children's mental
      term use mirrored that of their mothers. Further, mothers' use of mental terms
      for particular functions when their children were 2;0 predicted their children's
      use at 3;0. While allowing no conclusions about causation, our findings suggest
      that the development of mental state language, and thus presumably a theory of
      mind, is fostered by the linguistic environment. Specifically, it is argued that
      the tendency of mothers to focus their children's attention on mental processes
      by talking about them and, more importantly, by using utterance types which
      conceivably direct the children to reflect on their own mental states, is
      associated with children's use of mental terms.

PMID- 1429952
TI  - Can bilingual two-year-olds code-switch?
AB  - Sociolinguists have investigated language mixing as code-switching in the speech
      of bilingual children three years old and older. Language mixing by bilingual two
      year-olds, however, has generally been interpreted in the child language
      literature as a sign of the child's lack of language differentiation. The present
      study applies perspectives from sociolinguistics to investigate the language
      mixing of a bilingual two-year-old acquiring Norwegian and English simultaneously
      in Norway. Monthly recordings of the child's spontaneous speech in interactions
      with her parents were made from the age of 2;0 to 2;7. An investigation into the
      formal aspects of the child's mixing and the context of the mixing reveals that
      she does differentiate her language use in contextually sensitive ways, hence
      that she can code-switch. This investigation stresses the need to examine more
      carefully the roles of dominance and context in the language mixing of young
      bilingual children.

PMID- 1429953
TI  - The development of children's knowledge structures: events, slots, and
      taxonomies.
AB  - Seventeen preschool (age range 2; 10-3;6), 26 kindergarten (age range 5;5-6;7),
      and 26 fourth-grade (age range 9;5-10;5) children's knowledge structures were
      examined with a word association task and a match-to-sample picture task to
      determine whether or not children used slot-filler categories as a mediating
      structure between event-based and taxonomic knowledge structures, as proposed by
      Nelson (1985, 1986). In general, preschool children were able to provide event
      based, but not slot-filler or taxonomic, relations; kindergarten children were
      able to provide event-based or slot-filler relations, but very few taxonomic
      relations; and fourth-grade children were able to provide all three relations.
      These findings support Nelson's hypothesis that taxonomic knowledge structures
      are derived from event-based knowledge structures with the aid of slot-filler
      categories.

PMID- 1429954
TI  - Interpreting and responding to spoken language: children's recognition and use of
      a speaker's goal.
AB  - This study had two purposes. The first was to examine age differences in the
      extent to which children infer and use a speaker's interpersonal goal to
      understand speech acts. To this end, the subjects responded to Do you have...?
      requests in a role-playing task. The goal behind such a request is implicit in
      the speaker's choice of noun phrase. We sought to determine whether children,
      like adults, use the noun phrase to infer the speaker's goal and thereby decide
      whether the request is a yes-no question or a directive. The second purpose was
      to examine age differences in the extent to which children select responses that
      carry implications appropriate to the speaker's interpersonal goal. To do this,
      Do you have...? requests containing general category labels were addressed to the
      children when they possessed all the category exemplars and when they possessed
      only a few exemplars. A simple yes implies that the listener has nearly all
      exemplars and, therefore, is inappropriate for the speaker's goal in the latter
      situation. The subjects were six-, seven-, nine-, and eleven-year-olds and
      adults, with 12 subjects per age. Only the eleven-year-olds and the adults used
      the speaker's noun phrase and considered the implications of yes.

PMID- 1429955
TI  - Morphosyntactic development in Italian and its relevance to parameter-setting
      models: comments on the paper by Pizzuto & Caselli.
AB  - Pizzuto & Caselli (1992) claim that data from the morphosyntactic development of
      Italian-speaking children are inconsistent with nativist, parameter-setting
      models of language development. In the present Note it is argued that much of the
      data which Pizzuto & Caselli adduce is irrelevant to the specific hypotheses they
      are evaluating and that those data which are relevant fully support parameter
      setting and linguistic-theoretic models, contrary to their claims.

PMID- 1429956
TI  - The Human Communication Research Centre dialogue database.
AB  - The HCRC dialogue database consists of over 700 transcribed and coded dialogues
      from pairs of speakers aged from seven to fourteen. The speakers are recorded
      while tackling co-operative problem-solving tasks and the same pairs of speakers
      are recorded over two years tackling 10 different versions of our two tasks. In
      addition there are over 200 dialogues recorded between pairs of undergraduate
      speakers engaged on versions of the same tasks. Access to the database, and to
      its accompanying custom-built search software, is available electronically over
      the JANET system by contacting liz@psy.glasgow.ac.uk, from whom further
      information about the database and a user's guide to the database can be
      obtained.

PMID- 1429957
TI  - The natural history and treatment of child and adolescent affective disorders.

PMID- 1429958
TI  - Sleep studies in children with a mental handicap.

PMID- 1429959
TI  - A comparison of twins and singletons with child psychiatric disorders: an Item
      Sheet study.
AB  - An important assumption underlying the twin method of comparing MZ and DZ twins
      is that results from twin samples can be generalized to the larger singleton
      population. This study uses Item Sheet data on child psychiatric patients to
      compare twins and singletons on demographic, diagnostic and symptomatic
      variables. Although little difference was found between the two groups, conduct
      disorders were significantly over-represented in the twin population. The
      significance of this finding is discussed. This study lends overall support for
      the use of the twin method in child psychiatric samples.

PMID- 1429960
TI  - Behavioural and cognitive characteristics of conduct disordered-hyperactive boys
      from age 6 to 11: a multiple informant perspective.
AB  - Three subgroups of kindergarten boys (stable conduct disordered-hyperactive
      (SCDH), stable conduct disordered (SCD), stable non-deviant control (SC)) were
      defined and followed up three, four and five years later in primary school. Using
      assessments from multiple informants (teachers, mothers, peers, self), the
      results showed that SCDH boys were more hyperactive (i.e. overactive/inattentive)
      and displayed a greater diversity of conduct problems in school and home at
      follow-up compared to the other groups. These results and the fact that during
      early adolescence SCDH boys tend to develop a worse prognosis than SCD boys
      suggest that they should be distinguished.

PMID- 1429961
TI  - A motor presetting study in hyperactive, learning disabled and control children.
AB  - Motor presetting was investigated in hyperactive children, learning disabled
      children and normal controls. The reaction time of the hyperactive group was more
      sensitive to increases in interstimulus interval (event rate) than was that of
      the learning disabled and the controls. This finding indicates that hyperactive
      children have difficulty with motor presetting.

PMID- 1429962
TI  - Observations of hyperactive behaviour during vigilance.
AB  - A sustained attention deficit implies a deficit originating in the course of a
      task. A series of studies previously indicated that task inefficiency in
      hyperactive children is independent of task duration. The present study shows
      that differences in body activity between hyperactive and control children are
      also independent of task duration. However, the groups did differ in visual
      behaviour, i.e. hyperactive children did look away from the task more frequently
      as time proceeds. This visual behaviour did not interfere with task accuracy. It
      is argued that the results indicate that hyperactive children may have prevented
      a further deterioration of task efficiency over time through self stimulation.

PMID- 1429963
TI  - The performance of hyperactive and control preschoolers on a new computerized
      measure of visual vigilance: the Preschool Vigilance Task.
AB  - This study examines the ability of a new visual vigilance task, the Preschool
      Vigilance Task (PVT), to differentiate between hyperactive and control
      preschoolers. The PVT was designed to be an objective measure of attention
      specifically for use with the preschool-age population. Hyperactive and control
      preschoolers were tested on the PVT and the Continuous Performance Task (CPT).
      Results indicated that both were useful in differentiating between hyperactive
      and control preschoolers. Implications for the utility of the PVT and future
      research directions are discussed.

PMID- 1429964
TI  - School-age children's perceptions of coping with distress: strategies for emotion
      regulation and the moderation of adjustment.
AB  - An inventory was developed to assess children's perceptions of what they did to
      feel better in stressful situations, and to examine the role of these perceptions
      in moderating the relationship between stress and outcome. A total of 345 6-12
      year old children from diverse backgrounds were interviewed. Children's
      perceptions of what they do to relieve distress could be organized into six
      factors including the use of social support, distraction/avoidance, and other
      categories of coping which show continuity with those identified for infants and
      toddlers. Several types of coping served as compensatory moderators of the
      relationship between stress and self-worth.

PMID- 1429965
TI  - Formal thought disorder in pediatric complex partial seizure disorder.
AB  - We compared the formal thought disorder ratings of 27 children with complex
      partial seizure disorder, 31 schizophrenic children and 58 normal children. The
      epileptic children with fullscale IQ scores below 100 had significantly more
      formal thought disorder than normal children with a similar IQ. The severity of
      their formal thought disorder was related to the age of seizure onset, seizure
      control and a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorder. The schizophrenic
      children had thought disorder irrespective of IQ scores. The cognitive correlates
      of their formal thought disorder scores differed from those of the epileptic
      children. Possible anatomical substrates of thought disorder in childhood complex
      partial seizure disorder and schizophrenia are discussed.

PMID- 1429966
TI  - Stable isotope dilution mass spectrometry for the simultaneous determination of
      cortisol, cortisone, prednisolone and prednisone in plasma.
AB  - A capillary gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method for the simultaneous
      determination of cortisol, cortisone, prednisolone and prednisone in human plasma
      is described. [1,1,19,19,19-2H5]Cortisol, [1,1,19,19,19-2H5]cortisone,
      [1,19,19,19-2H4]prednisolone and [1,19,19,19-2H4]prednisone were used as internal
      standards. Formation of the bismethylenedioxy-3-heptafluoro-n-butyryl (BMD-HFB)
      derivatives made possible the separation of the four corticosteroids with good
      gas chromatographic behaviour. The new double derivatization has been
      demonstrated to be of value for sensitive and selective quantification by this
      technique. Detection was performed by monitoring the molecular ion (M+) of the
      BMD-HFB derivatives for cortisone and prednisolone, the [M - 18]+ ion for
      cortisol, and the [M - 30]+ ion for prednisone. The method requires no complex
      corrections for contributions and provides good accuracy and precision.

PMID- 1429967
TI  - Chemiluminescence high-performance liquid chromatography for the determination of
      hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulphate and dermatan sulphate.
AB  - A sensitive chemiluminescence high-performance liquid chromatographic method has
      been developed for the determination of hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulphate and
      dermatan sulphate as their unsaturated disaccharide-dansylhydrazine derivatives
      involving an effective sample clean-up system. The dansylhydrazones of the
      unsaturated disaccharides derived from the hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulphate
      and dermatan sulphate by chondroitinase ABC and/or chondroitinase ACII, were
      separated by reversed-phase chromatography using a mixture of 0.1 M sodium
      acetate buffer (pH 6.0) and 80% acetonitrile on a column (250 mm x 4.0 mm I.D.)
      packed with amide-80 silica beads (5 microns diameter). For post-column elution
      in the chemiluminescence system, 1 mM bis[2-(3,6,9-trioxadecanyloxycarbonyl)-4
      nitrophenyl]oxalate and 3mM hydrogen peroxide in acetonitrile were used. The
      detection limit of each glycosaminoglycan was 100 fmol. The method was applicable
      to the determination of the levels of hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulphate and
      dermatan sulphate in rat peritoneal mast cells.

PMID- 1429968
TI  - Determination of sialic acids in human serum by reversed-phase liquid
      chromatography with fluorimetric detection.
AB  - A simple, rapid and highly sensitive reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method
      has been developed for the determination of sialic acids in human serum. The
      sialic acids, released by hydrolysis of serum, are converted in borate buffer
      with malononitrile to highly fluorescent compounds. The reaction mixture is
      separated isocratically within 5 min using an octadecyl-bonded silica column and
      a mobile phase of methanol and ammonium acetate buffer (15:85, v/v; pH 5.5).
      Measurement of the fluorescence intensity of the reaction mixture at 434 nm with
      irradiation at 357 nm allowed determination of 30-1000 ng/ml of sialic acids with
      high reproducibility. The limit of detection was 2 ng/ml. Intra-day and inter-day
      coefficients of variation for assaying 300 ng/ml N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA)
      were 1.5% (n = 9) and 2.6% (n = 7), respectively. The recoveries of NANA were
      98.5-101.1% for serum. The method has been used for clinical determinations.

PMID- 1429969
TI  - Measurement of free amino acid levels in ultrafiltrates of blood plasma by high
      performance liquid chromatography with automatic pre-column derivatization.
AB  - Although there are many techniques available for the analysis of amino acids,
      deproteinization is still one of the major problems in the analysis of amino
      acids in physiological fluids. The method used to prepare the plasma and to
      remove the plasma protein has a marked effect on the final results. The most
      widely used method of deproteinization is precipitation with 5-sulphosalicyclic
      acid followed by centrifugation to remove the precipitated protein. We have not
      had success in using this deproteinization agent for the analysis of plasma amino
      acids by a high-performance liquid chromatographic method with automatic pre
      column o-phthaldialdehyde-3-mercaptopropionic acid and 9-fluorenylmethyl
      chloroformate derivatization because of the adverse effect of the
      sulphosalicyclic acid supernatant on the quantitation and separation.
      Ultrafiltration was used as an alternative method for the preparation of plasma
      samples in this experiment. The results were satisfactory for the analysis of
      plasma amino acids in 1500 samples during a period of four years. Some factors
      that might influence the results of the ultrafiltration were investigated.

PMID- 1429971
TI  - Improved gas chromatographic assay for the simultaneous determination of
      nitroglycerin and its mono- and dinitrate metabolites.
AB  - A sensitive, specific capillary gas chromatographic-electron-capture detection
      method for the simultaneous determination of nitroglycerin (GTN), 1,2- and 1,3
      glyceryl dinitrate (1,2-GDN and 1,3-GDN, respectively) and 1- and 2-glyceryl
      mononitrate (1-GMN and 2-GMN, respectively) is reported. The minimum quantifiable
      concentration for GTN, GDNs and GMNs is 0.4 ng/ml in plasma, with extraction
      recoveries for GMNs greater than 76% and for GTN and the GDNs greater than 95%.
      Over the full range of quantifiable concentrations the inter-run assay precision
      and accuracy were less than 13 and 11%, respectively, for all five nitrates.
      Similar intra-run assay precision and accuracy values were found. The method was
      employed in the preliminary in vitro examination of GTN, GDN and GMN kinetics in
      human blood. Following addition of GTN to human blood, the ratio of 1,2-GDN to
      1.3-GDN maximum concentrations (Cmax) was ca. 7:1, reflecting preferential
      denitration of the GTN molecule at the primary positions, while the Cmax ratio
      for 2-GMN to 1-GMN in this system was ca. 6:1, representing a highly selective if
      not specific primary denitration of the 1,2-GDN molecule. Following the
      intravenous administration of 1,2-GDN to five healthy male volunteers, 2-GMN/1
      GMN Cmax ratios averaged 8.8:1, representing a highly selective but not specific
      formation of 2-GMN from the 1,2-GDN molecule. The assay will find utility in in
      vitro studies attempting to address the molecular pharmacology of GTN and its
      metabolites, and in in vivo clinical pharmacology studies attempting to address
      the relationship between pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of GTN and its
      metabolites.

PMID- 1429970
TI  - Characterization of thyroxine-albumin binding using high-performance affinity
      chromatography. I. Interactions at the warfarin and indole sites of albumin.
AB  - A high-performance affinity column containing immobilized human serum albumin
      (HSA) was used to study the binding of thyroxine at the warfarin and indole sites
      of HSA. Frontal analysis, using R-warfarin and L-tryptophan as probes for these
      sites, demonstrated that the immobilized HSA had binding behavior equivalent to
      that observed for HSA in solution. By injecting R-warfarin or L-tryptophan in the
      presence of excess thyroxine, it was found that thyroxine was binding directly to
      both types of site. The warfarin and indole sites had relatively strong binding
      for thyroxine, with association constants at 37 degrees C of 1.4 x 10(5) and 5.7
      x 10(5) M-1, respectively. The value of delta G for these sites ranged from -7 to
      -8 kcal/mol and had a significant entropy component. The techniques used in this
      study are not limited to thyroxine-HSA interactions, but should also be valuable
      in examining the site-specific binding of other drugs and hormones to HSA.

PMID- 1429972
TI  - Chiral separation of barbiturates and hydantoins by reversed-phase high
      performance liquid chromatography using a 25 or 50 mm short ODS cartridge column
      via beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes.
AB  - A high-performance liquid chromatographic method on a 25 or 50 mm short ODS
      cartridge column has been developed for the resolution of the enantiomers of some
      optically active barbiturates and hydantoins in human serum. beta-Cyclodextrin
      was used in the mobile phase. This method also seems to be an easy and effective
      way to test whether beta-cyclodextrin would be a useful chiral discriminator for
      a particular racemate.

PMID- 1429973
TI  - High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of amphotericin B in plasma,
      blood, urine and tissues for pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution studies.
AB  - A sensitive and reproducible high-performance liquid chromatographic method was
      developed to assay ampherotericin B in plasma, blood, urine and various tissue
      samples. Amphotericin B was isolated from each sample matrix by solid-phase
      extraction (Bond-Elut). The eluate from Bond-Elut containing amphotericin B was
      injected onto a reversed-phase C18 column (Waters, mu Bondpak, 10 microns, 300 mm
      x 3.9 mm I.D.) with a mobile phase of 45% acetonitrile in 2.5 mM Na2EDTA at 1
      ml/min. Detection of amphotericin B was by ultraviolet absorption at 382 nm.
      Blood and tissues were homogenized and extracted with methanol prior to Bond-Elut
      extraction. The extraction efficiencies of amphotericin B from plasma, blood and
      tissues were approximately 90, 70 and 75%, respectively. The sensitivity of the
      assay was less than or equal to 5 ng/ml for plasma, less than or equal to 25
      ng/ml for blood, 2.5 ng/ml for urine and 50 ng/g for tissues. The linearity of
      the assay method was up to 2.5 micrograms/ml for plasma, 5 micrograms/ml for
      blood, 500 ng/ml for urine and 500 micrograms/g for tissues. The assay was
      reproducible with an intra-day coefficient of variation (C.V., n = 3) of less
      than 5% in general for plasma, blood and tissues. The inter-day C.V. of the assay
      was less than 5% for plasma (n = 5), less than 10% for blood (n = 4) and less
      than 5% for tissues (n = 3). The overall variability in the urine assay was
      generally less than 10%. This method has demonstrated significant improvement in
      the sensitivity and reproducibility in assaying amphotericin B in plasma and
      especially in blood, urine and tissues. We have employed this assay to compare
      the pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution profiles of amphotericin B in rats
      and dogs following administration of Fungizone and ABCD (amphotericin B
      cholesteryl sulfate colloidal dispersion), a lipid-based dosage form. In
      addition, the assay method for plasma and urine samples can also be applied to
      pharmacokinetics studies of amphotericin B in man.

PMID- 1429974
TI  - High-performance liquid chromatographic assay for amiodarone N-deethylation in
      microsomes of rat liver.
AB  - A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic assay using ultraviolet
      detection is described for determining the production of the major N-dealkylated
      metabolite of amiodarone in rat liver microsomes. The principal advantages of
      this method are its simple sample preparation (protein precipitation by
      acetonitrile), low detection limit for N-desethylamiodarone (0.05 mumol/l) and
      relatively short analysis time (16 min). Its analytical applicability is
      demonstrated by the comparison of the kinetic parameters (maximum velocity and
      Michaelis-Menten constant) between Sprague-Dawley and Dark-Agouti rats.

PMID- 1429975
TI  - Determination of the pyridinium metabolite derived from haloperidol in brain
      tissue, plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with
      fluorescence detection.
AB  - A sensitive and selective method for the determination of the pyridinium
      metabolite (HPP+) derived from the antipsychotic drug haloperidol (HP) in brain
      tissue, plasma and urine using high-performance liquid chromatography with
      fluorescence detection is described. The HPP+ present in biological samples was
      extracted using a Sep-Pak C18 cartridge. Recoveries of HPP+ ranged from 78 to
      90%. Final separation and quantitative estimations of HPP+ were achieved on a C18
      reversed-phase column employing a mobile phase of acetonitrile-30 mM ammonium
      acetate (40:60, v/v) containing 10 mM triethylamine and adjusted to pH 3 with
      trifluoroacetic acid. The fluorescence detection utilized an excitation
      wavelength of 304 nm and an emission wavelength of 374 nm. Standard curves were
      linear in the range of 2.5-100 ng/ml for brain tissue homogenate and plasma
      samples and 10-500 ng/ml for urine samples. The detection limit of HPP+ was about
      1 ng/ml in all biological samples. The concentrations of HPP+ in brain tissue,
      plasma and urine from HP-treated rats were determined using this method.

PMID- 1429976
TI  - On-line solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatographic
      determination of nortriptyline and amitriptyline in serum.
AB  - An isocratic reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method with
      on-line solid-phase extraction for the simultaneous determination of
      amitriptyline and nortriptyline in serum has been developed. A 250-microliters
      serum sample is injected directly onto a commercially available CN cartridge and,
      after a washing step, the retained solutes are backflushed onto a bonded-phase CN
      column using a column-switching technique and a mobile phase composed of
      acetonitrile (26%) and 0.05 M phosphate buffer with diethylamine. Serum is
      diluted with 0.1 M sodium lauryl sulphate and centrifuged before the injection.
      Detection at 210 nm ensures sufficient sensitivity. The recovery is almost
      quantitative and the relative standard deviation ranges from 2.8 to 8.0% for
      concentrations of 200-40 ng/ml. Being rapid and simple, the method is convenient
      for routine use.

PMID- 1429977
TI  - Simultaneous determination of omeprazole and its metabolites in plasma and urine
      by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with an alkaline
      resistant polymer-coated C18 column.
AB  - Omeprazole (OPZ) is a proton pump inhibitor in gastric parietal cells. A reversed
      phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed that enables
      concentrations of OPZ and its major metabolites, omeprazole sulphone (OPZ-SFN)
      and hydroxy-omeprazole (H-OPZ), to be determined simultaneously in plasma and
      that of H-OPZ in urine. To prevent decomposition of OPZ, all the processes
      (extraction, injection and elution) were carried out under alkaline conditions.
      Recoveries of the analytes and internal standard were greater than 93.1%. The
      intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were less than 9.1 and 6.4% for
      plasma samples and less than 2.9 and 3.9% for urine samples, respectively. The
      minimum determinable concentration (relative standard deviation 10-15%) was 10
      ng/ml for all analytes in plasma and H-OPZ in urine samples. The clinical
      applicability of this assay method was evaluated by determining plasma
      concentration-and urinary excretion-time courses of the respective analyte(s) in
      four healthy volunteers after an oral dose of 20 mg of OPZ. The present assay is
      considered to be simple, precise and accurate and suitable for the study of the
      kinetic disposition and metabolism of OPZ, which is an extensively metabolized
      drug in the human liver.

PMID- 1429978
TI  - High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of N-[2(S)-(mercaptomethyl)
      3-(2-methylphenyl)-1-oxopropyl]-L-methionine, the active plasma metabolite of a
      prodrug atriopeptidase inhibitor (SCH 42495), using a thiol selective (Au/Hg)
      amperometric detector.
AB  - A high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for the determination of N-[2(S)
      (mercaptomethyl)-3-(2-methylphenyl)-1-oxopropyl]-L-methionine (SCH 42354; II),
      the active metabolite of the atriopeptidase inhibitor prodrug, N-[2(S)
      (acetylthiomethyl)-3-(2-methylphenyl)-1-oxopropyl]-L-methi onine ethyl ester (SCH
      42495; I), in human plasma was validated for use in clinical pharmacokinetic
      studies. Plasma (200 microliters) was processed by protein precipitation with
      acetone containing the internal standard, N-[2(S)-(mercaptomethyl)-3-(2
      methylphenyl)-1-oxopropyl]-L- ethionine (III). Compound II was recovered (ca.
      90%) in the supernatant after centrifugation and prepared for injection by the
      addition of 0.15 M monochloroacetic acid containing 0.2 mM EDTA. Separation of II
      and III was accomplished on commercially available reversed-phase C8 columns
      designed for the separation of basic compounds. Both compounds were detected
      using amperometric detection (+0.125 V versus Ag/AgCl) on a thin-layer Au/Hg
      amalgam electrode. The lower limit of quantitation was 10 ng/ml, where the inter
      assay precision (coefficient of variation) was +/- 11.4% and the inter-assay
      accuracy (bias) was +1.0%. No endogenous interferences were observed in the
      extracts obtained from drug-free plasma. The detector response (using either peak
      area or height ratios of II to III) was linear from 0.01 to 1.0 micrograms/ml.
      Compound II was stable in plasma supplemented with EDTA and sodium
      hydrogensulfite for at least 3 months when stored frozen at -78 degrees C; no
      significant decomposition of II was observed following three freeze-thaw cycles.
      The feasibility of this liquid chromatographic assay with electrochemical
      detection was demonstrated with plasma samples from hypertensive subjects
      administered 100 mg of compound I.

PMID- 1429979
TI  - Determination of cystathionine and perhydro-1,4-thiazepine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid
      in the urine of a patient with cystathioninuria using column liquid
      chromatography-mass spectrometry.
AB  - A method for the measurement of cystathionine and perhydro-1,4-thiazepine-3,5
      dicarboxylic acid in the urine of a patient with cystathioninuria has been
      developed, using column liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Cystathionine
      and perhydro-1,4-thiazepine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid were determined by scanning the
      [M + H]+ ions of each compound. The recoveries were 80-92.4% for cystathionine
      and 80-100% for perhydro-1,4-thiazepine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid after ion-exchange
      treatment. The results agreed well with those obtained using an amino acid
      analyser. The concentrations found for cystathionine and perhydro-1,4-thiazepine
      3,5-dicarboxylic acid were 1.289 +/- 0.099 mg/ml and 0.310 +/- 0.0067 mg/ml,
      respectively.

PMID- 1429980
TI  - High-performance liquid chromatographic microassay for methyl ethyl ketone in
      urine as the 2,4-dinitrophenyl-hydrazone derivative.
AB  - We report a high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure for determining
      methyl ethyl ketone in urine. The method is based on pre-column derivatization
      with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine and liquid-liquid extraction of the derivative.
      The analyte is chromatographically separated from other urine constituents in
      less than 12 min and is detected by UV absorption at 360 nm. Peak height and
      concentration are linearly related. The relative standard deviation assessed for
      within-day imprecision was 3.2% at the 2.21 mg/l level. The mean analytical
      recovery from urines spiked with 1.0 mg/l ketone was 96.0 +/- 6.1%. The simple
      sample handling, the small volume of urine required and the short amount of time
      taken for the whole procedure make it suitable for routine biomonitoring of
      exposure to methyl ethyl ketone in industrial workers. The concentration in urine
      from nine non-exposed controls was less than 0.1 mg/l. The concentrations
      measured in urine samples from 60 exposed workers ranged from 0.1 to 1.1 mg/l and
      from 0.3 to 3.6 mg/l at the before- and the end-shift collections, respectively.

PMID- 1429982
TI  - Determination of urinary 5-hydroxytryptophol by high-performance liquid
      chromatography with electrochemical detection.
AB  - A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the routine determination of
      elevated urinary levels of the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxytryptophol (5-HTOL)
      is described. Urine samples were treated with beta-glucuronidase, and 5-HTOL was
      isolated by solid-phase extraction on a small Sephadex G-10 column prior to
      injection onto an isocratically eluted C18 reversed-phase column. Detection of 5
      HTOL was performed electrochemically at +0.60 V vs. Ag/AgCl. The limit of
      detection was ca. 0.05 microM, and the intra-assay coefficients of variation were
      below 6% with urine samples containing 0.2 and 2.1 microM 5-HTOL and a standard
      solution of 2.0 microM (n = 5). The recovery of 5-HTOL after the sample clean-up
      procedure was close to 100%. A good correlation (r2 = 0.97; n = 12) was obtained
      between the present method and a sensitive and specific gas chromatographic-mass
      spectrometric method. The total (free plus conjugated) 5-HTOL levels in urine
      were normally below 0.2 microM, but after an acute dose of alcohol they increased
      to 0.5-15 microM.

PMID- 1429981
TI  - Determination of cholesterol in sub-nanomolar quantities in biological fluids by
      high-performance liquid chromatography.
AB  - A highly sensitive method for the determination of cholesterol in biological
      fluids is described. Unsaponifiable lipids from rat serum and thoracic duct lymph
      chylomicron samples were treated with cholesterol oxidase. The product of the
      enzymatic reaction, delta 4-cholestenone, was analysed by normal-phase high
      performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using hexane-isopropanol (95:5, v/v) as
      a mobile phase and detected with a UV spectrophotometer at 240 nm. When the
      standard samples containing varying amounts of cholesterol (0.15-3 nmol) were
      treated with cholesterol oxidase and analysed by HPLC (injected amounts 0.09-1.8
      nmol of cholesterol), the peak areas increased proportionally with the amounts of
      authentic cholesterol with a correlation coefficient of 0.996. The values in
      these biological fluids determined by the HPLC method were identical to those
      obtained by enzymatic-colorimetric or gas chromatographic methods. Moreover, the
      detection limit (0.09 nmol) of the present method (0.15 nmol are required for the
      sample preparation) is lower than those of conventional methods (approximately 30
      nmol). Because of the excellent sensitivity and reproducibility, this method is
      well suited for the determination of cholesterol in biological fluids where
      cholesterol concentration is low.

PMID- 1429983
TI  - High-performance liquid chromatographic separation of human apolactoferrin and
      monoferric and diferric lactoferrins.
AB  - A simple chromatographic separation of the different molecular forms of human
      milk lactoferrin according to their iron contents is described. The appropriate
      conditions were developed with a Mono-S cation-exchange column linked to an
      automated Urtrochrom GTi system. The pure lactoferrin with different iron binding
      (apolactoferrin, monoferric lactoferrin and diferric lactoferrin) separated into
      three peaks. The three peaks were eluted from the Mono-S column with 0.88, 0.97
      and 1.05 M sodium chloride in 10 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0).

PMID- 1429984
TI  - Determination of 4,4'-methylenedianiline in hydrolysed human urine by micro
      liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection.
AB  - 4,4'-Methylenedianiline was determined in human urine by micro liquid
      chromatography with ultraviolet detection. The combination of a thorough work-up
      and the high mass sensitivity of micro liquid chromatography gave the method very
      high sensitivity. Derivatization with pentafluoropropionic anhydride enhanced the
      resolution of the 4,4'-dimethylenedianiline peak. The detection limit, defined as
      blank plus three times the standard deviation of the blank, was 2 nmol/l of
      urine, for 10-microliters injection volumes. The detection limit, defined as
      three times the noise, was about ten times better. The within- and between-assay
      coefficients of variation were 4 and 6%, respectively, for samples containing 40
      nmol/l. The method was applied for the monitoring of excreted 4,4'
      methylenedianiline in urine, during epicutaneous skin hypersensitivity testing
      (patch testing).

PMID- 1429985
TI  - Determination of trimethoprim and its oxidative metabolites in cell culture media
      and microsomal incubation mixtures by high-performance liquid chromatography.
AB  - A high-performance liquid chromatographic method is presented for the
      determination of trimethoprim (TMP), 3'-hydroxy-TMP, 4'-hydroxy-TMP, alpha
      hydroxy-TMP and two TMP N-oxides. The last two metabolites appear to decompose on
      liquid extraction. TMP and its oxidative metabolites are separated using a C18
      radial-compression column and quantified by UV detection at 230 nm. Calibration
      curves are linear from 0.5 to at least 50 microM. The limit of detection is 0.05
      0.15 micrograms/ml. In in vitro rat liver metabolism studies. 3'- and 4'
      hydroxylation of TMP appear to be important metabolic pathways whereas TMP N
      oxides are minor metabolites.

PMID- 1429986
TI  - Stereospecific high-performance liquid chromatographic assay of metoprolol.
AB  - A valid, sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic technique is reported
      for the separation of the two enantiomers of metoprolol in human plasma. The
      procedure involves pre-column derivatization with the homochiral reagent S-(+)-1
      (1-naphthyl)ethyl isocyanate. Once formed, the diastereomers are separated using
      normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Fluorescence detection (220
      nm excitation; no emission filter) was utilized, resulting in baseline resolution
      (Rs greater than 1.5). The peaks corresponding to metoprolol enantiomers were
      free from interference throughout the examined range of 5-500 ng/ml; accuracy and
      precision were within approximately 10%. Analysis of a plasma sample collected
      from a healthy volunteer demonstrated that the assay is applicable to clinical
      studies.

PMID- 1429987
TI  - Improved high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for the stereoselective
      determination of mexiletine in plasma.
AB  - A simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure for
      resolution of mexiletine enantiomers has been developed. Proteins from plasma
      samples containing RS-mexiletine were precipitated with a mixture of barium
      hydroxide and zinc sulphate before extraction under alkaline conditions with
      diethyl ether. Organic extracts were evaporated to dryness, and the residues
      reconstituted with 0.03 M hydrochloric acid (20 microliters). Derivatization with
      o-phthalaldehyde N-acetyl-L-cysteine reagent was performed after alkalinization
      with 0.1 M sodium borate. An aliquot of the resulting solution was injected onto
      a reversed-phase C18 column and resolution of mexiletine diastereoisomeric
      derivatives was achieved with a mobile phase consisting of methanol-50 mM sodium
      acetate (65:35), at a flow-rate of 1 ml/min. The retention times of S-(+)- and R
      (-)-mexiletine diastereoisomeric peaks were 14 and 15 min, respectively. Product
      elution was monitored by fluorescence detection using excitation and emission
      wavelengths fixed at 350 and 445 nm, respectively. Calibration curves were linear
      over the concentration range 2.5-500 ng/ml for each enantiomer (r greater than
      0.99). The assay is shown to be suitable for pharmacokinetic studies after
      administration of a single oral dose of 200 mg of RS-mexiletine hydrochloride to
      healthy volunteers.

PMID- 1429988
TI  - Quantification of a decapeptide anticoagulant in rat and monkey plasma by high
      performance liquid chromatography.
AB  - A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed to
      quantify a decapeptide anticoagulant in rat and monkey plasma. The compound and
      internal standard, a nonapeptide analogue, were extracted from plasma with an
      amino solid-phase extraction column with an extraction efficiency in the range 75
      90%. A C18 analytical column was used to separate the analytes by gradient
      elution followed by ultraviolet detection at 215 nm. Quantification of the
      decapeptide over the concentration range 0.1-10.1 micrograms/ml resulted in an
      assay relative error and relative standard deviation both less than 10%. The
      anticoagulant decapeptide was stable in both rat and monkey plasma frozen at -20
      degrees C.

PMID- 1429989
TI  - Determination of active 5-(N,N-hexamethylene)amiloride in pig plasma.
AB  - A simple, cheap and specific quantitative method for the determination of the
      selective Na+/H+ exchange inhibitor, 5-(N,N-hexamethylene)amiloride, in plasma
      and aqueous solutions has been developed. The method involves extraction with
      ethyl acetate, thin-layer chromatography and spectrofluorodensitometry. The
      compound was separated from several unidentified metabolites in plasma. The
      detection limit was 6 x 10(-7) M. The calculated metabolic extraction by the
      liver was 29%, and the plasma half-life was 12.8 min. The free, active
      concentration of 5-(N,N-hexamethylene)amiloride was 19.4% of the total
      concentration, as determined by equilibrium dialysis.

PMID- 1429990
TI  - Quantitative analysis of inositol lipids and inositol phosphates in synaptosomes
      and microvessels by column chromatography: comparison of the mass analysis and
      the radiolabelling methods.
AB  - Chromatographic methods that measure both the mass and the radiolabelling of
      various inositol lipids and inositol phosphates in tissues have been developed.
      The mass of phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns), phosphatidylinositol-4-monophosphate
      [PtdIns(4)P] and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2] was
      quantitated by measuring the inorganic phosphate, whereas inositol monophosphate
      (IP), inositol bisphosphate (IP2), inositol trisphosphate (IP3) and inositol
      tetrakisphosphate (IP4) were quantitated by using an enzymic method. The
      radiolabelling of various inositol lipids and inositol phosphates was determined
      by incubating the tissue samples with [3H]myo-inositol, separating individual
      inositol lipids and inositol phosphates, and measuring the radioactivity in each
      compound. Although the mass analysis method was sensitive enough to measure low
      levels of inositol lipids or inositol phosphates, the method was laborious and
      time-consuming. Compared with the enzymic method, the radiolabelling method was
      simple and fast, but it gave variable results. This study demonstrated
      differences in inositol lipid and inositol phosphate levels by radiolabelling and
      mass measurements, and agonist-stimulated phosphatidylinositol turnover of
      synaptosomes versus the blood-brain barrier as represented by microvessels.
      Although the mass of PtdIns, PtdIns(4)P and PtdIns(4,5)P2 was comparable in
      synaptosomes and microvessels, the incorporation of [3H]myo-inositol into
      phosphorylated PtdIns in microvessels was less than that in synaptosomes.

PMID- 1429991
TI  - Solid-phase extraction for the high-performance liquid chromatographic
      determination of indomethacin, suxibuzone, phenylbutazone and oxyphenbutazone in
      plasma, avoiding degradation of compounds.
AB  - A solid-phase extraction method was validated for the simultaneous high
      performance liquid chromatographic determination of indomethacin, suxibuzone,
      phenylbutazone, oxyphenbutazone and their degradation products. Indomethacin was
      added as internal standard to plasma samples, which were then acidified with
      citrate buffer and passed through a phenyl cartridge. The drugs were eluted with
      hexane-diethyl ether (1:1, v/v), and the organic extract was taken to dryness.
      The residue was dissolved in methanol and chromatographed on a C18 column with
      ultraviolet detection at 240 nm. The elution was isocratic with a mobile phase of
      0.02 M ammonium sulphate-acetonitrile (45:55, v/v), pH 3. For indomethacin,
      suxibuzone, phenylbutazone and oxyphenbutazone the limit of quantitation was 0.05
      microgram/ml. The linearity was checked between 0.05 and 100 micrograms/ml (r =
      0.999); within this range the recovery was higher than 90% and the accuracy
      showed relative errors of less than 7.5%. The main advantage of this method is
      the avoidance of degradation by using citrate buffer instead of the usual 5 M
      hydrochloric acid to acidify the plasma. The method is also more specific and
      less time-consuming than the previously reported liquid-liquid extraction, and
      could possibly be automated.

PMID- 1429992
TI  - Liquid chromatography of the potential memory-enhancing agent CL 275,838 and its
      main metabolites, using a post-column photochemical reactor and fluorimetric
      detection.
AB  - On irradiation with short-wavelength ultraviolet light, the potential memory
      enhancing compound CL 275,838 (I) and its desbenzyl derivative CL 286,527
      (metabolite II) are cleaved into the highly fluorescent derivative CL 228,346
      (metabolite IV). This reaction was exploited for the sensitive and selective
      detection of these compounds in human and animal plasma, after reversed-phase
      high-performance liquid chromatography on a Supelco LC18 DB column (15 cm x 4.6
      mm I.D.) at room temperature. The parent compound and its metabolites were
      isolated from plasma constituents using the Sep-Pak C18 Plus cartridge, with
      satisfactory recovery (76-90%) and selectivity. The detection limits were ca.
      1.25, 5 and 0.3 ng/ml for I, II and IV, respectively, using 1 ml of plasma. The
      validation procedure, which includes analysis of multiple ascending calibration
      curves based on between-day values and replicate analysis of quality control
      samples analysed with each standard curve, indicated acceptable precision and
      accuracy of the method within the concentration ranges investigated, the overall
      coefficient of variation and relative error being less than 10%. The method was
      successfully applied to plasma samples from healthy volunteers and animals after
      single of multiple doses of compound I. Metabolites II and IV were detectable in
      plasma of all species, the former at higher concentrations than the parent
      compound and metabolite IV. Together with the fact that metabolite II retains
      much of the parent compound's biological activity in vivo and in vitro, this
      suggests that it may contribute to the pharmacological effects of compound I.

PMID- 1429993
TI  - Assay of sialidase activity using ion-exchange chromatography and acidic
      ninhydrin reaction.
AB  - A new assay method for sialidase (EC 3.2.1.18) activity using ion-exchange
      chromatography and acidic ninhydrin reaction has been developed. Fetuin, 4
      methylumbelliferyl-N-acetylneuraminic acid (MUB-NANA), gangliosides and N
      acetylneuramin-lactose were examined as substrates. Free sialic acid liberated
      from these substrates by sialidase reaction was isolated with a Dowex 1-X8 column
      (trifluoroacetate form, 1.5 cm x 0.5 cm I.D.) and determined by acidic ninhydrin
      reaction. Among the substrates tested, MUB-NANA was the best in the present
      method, N-Acetylneuramin-lactose could not be used as the substrate, because it
      was not separated from liberated sialic acid under the conditions used. The
      recovery of N-acetylneuraminic acid was above 88%, and the sensitivity of the
      method was 20 nmol in 300 microliters of the reaction mixture. The method was
      applied to the sialidase assay during its purification from rat skeletal muscle,
      and a Michaelis constant of 1.15 mM was obtained with MUB-NANA as the substrate.
      The method using the acidic ninhydrin reaction was simple and exhibited good
      reproducibility.

PMID- 1429994
TI  - Thin-layer chromatographic detection of zeranol and estradiol in fortified plasma
      and tissue extracts with Fast Corinth V.
AB  - In an attempt to improve sensitivity of thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) analysis
      and selectivity of visualizing agents for detection of estrogenic anabolic
      hormones, several dyes were screened for their chromogenic interactions with
      estrone, estradiol, diethylstilbestrol (DES), zeranol (zearalanol), zearalanone,
      and mycotoxins, zearalenone and zearalenol. Fast Corinth V salt was selected for
      its relatively high sensitivity. These anabolic compounds were separated by TLC
      and visualized with Corinth V and the results compared to iodine and starch
      visualization. Fortified bovine plasma and tissues (kidney, liver and muscle) and
      chicken muscles were analyzed after a clean-up procedure using solid-phase dual
      columns of alumina and anion-exchange resin. Iodine-starch clearly detected 4 ng
      of estradiol and DES while zeranol and zearalenone were detected at higher levels
      (10 ng). Fast Corinth V showed distinct spots with 2 ng of zeranol and 4 ng of
      zearalenone while faint spots were observed with estradiol and estrone standards.
      DES was not detectable at these levels. Less background interference was observed
      with Corinth V than with iodine-starch. The former confirmed spots detected by
      iodine-starch. This study suggests its selectivity for detection of zeranol and
      its metabolite, zearalanone, in the presence of steroidal compounds.

PMID- 1429995
TI  - Multidimensional high-performance liquid chromatography on Pinkerton ISRP and
      RP18 columns: direct serum injection to quantify creatinine.
AB  - A two-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the
      determination of creatinine with direct serum injection without sample
      pretreatment has been developed. The column-switching technique allowed a switch
      from columns packed with internal surface reversed-phase (ISRP) material to
      columns of almost any other material, even if the eluents necessary in a
      particular case do not appear to be directly compatible. A Pinkerton ISRP column,
      which stands out because of its very good stability when loaded with undiluted
      serum samples, was used as precolumn. The creatinine-containing fraction was
      switched to a reversed-phase Shandon RP18 column and was focused there by
      alteration of the eluent from pH 6.5 to phosphoric acid-ion-pair reagent. The
      separation occurs via a pH gradient, with ultraviolet detection at 234 nm. This
      method stands out particularly for its good long-term stability, simple sample
      handling without pretreatment, high selectivity, a broad linearity (0.3-30 mg/dl
      creatinine), good reproducibility (inter-assay coefficient of variation less than
      3%) and high recovery (97-100%) relative to values obtained with gas
      chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PMID- 1429996
TI  - Preparation of samples for high-performance liquid chromatography of inositol
      phosphates.
AB  - A simple method is described for the removal of extraneous material from tissue
      extracts prior to anion-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography of
      inositol phosphates. Samples are prepared by extraction with trichloroacetic acid
      or perchloric acid followed by removal of the excess acid. The extracts are then
      passed through small Dowex-50 cation-exchange columns and eluted with water.
      Dowex-50 pretreatment removes most of the ultraviolet absorbing material and
      cations from the samples but does not alter the content of inositol phosphates.
      This treatment results in improved reliability of chromatography, especially with
      respect to weakly retained molecules such as adenosine 5'-phosphate and the
      isomers of inositol monophosphate. In addition, sample pretreatment improves the
      useful lifetime of the analytical anion-exchange columns.

PMID- 1429997
TI  - One-dimensional thin-layer chromatographic separation of phospholipids and
      lysophospholipids from tissue lipid extracts.
AB  - A modified one-dimensional thin-layer chromatographic procedure is presented for
      the separation from tissues of five phospholipids (phosphatidylserine,
      phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylcholine and
      sphingomyelin) and three lysophospholipids (lysophosphatidylserine,
      lysophosphatidylethanolamine and lysophosphatidylcholine). This is achieved by
      simple involvement of 0.4% ammonium sulphate in silica gel H and of acetone in a
      developing solvent as chloroform-methanol-acetic acid-acetone-water (40:25:7:4:2,
      v/v). The procedure is simple and the separation is reproducible. The weakness of
      this method is the partial degradation of phosphatidylethanolamine to
      lysophosphatidylethanolamine, but a method to prevent this degradation is also
      presented.

PMID- 1429998
TI  - High-performance liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric assay of busulfan in
      serum and cerebrospinal fluid.
AB  - A liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric method has been developed to
      determine busulfan concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid and serum of some
      children undergoing bone marrow autotransplantation. After two liquid-liquid
      extraction steps with dichloromethane on a biological matrix, the separation of
      busulfan was carried out by isocratic reversed-phase chromatography. The mass
      spectrometric system was operated in electron-impact mode. Principal ions at m/z
      175, 111 and 79 were observed for busulfan, but only m/z 175 was chosen for the
      quantification of the analyte. The retention time of busulfan was 2.5 min. The
      detection limit of 100 ng/ml allowed the determination of cerebrospinal fluid and
      serum busulfan concentrations during the four days of high-dose (1 mg/kg)
      treatment prior to autotransplantation in five child patients.

PMID- 1429999
TI  - Determination of the R-(-) and S-(+) enantiomers of the monohydroxylated
      metabolite of oxcarbazepine in human plasma by enantioselective high-performance
      liquid chromatography.
AB  - An enantioselective liquid chromatographic assay for the simultaneous
      determination of the S-(+) and R-(-) enantiomers of the monohydroxylated
      metabolite of oxcarbazepine in human plasma is described. The metabolite is the
      active principle. The method is based on the extraction of plasma with diethyl
      ether-dichloromethane (2:1, v/v), separation of the organic phase, evaporation of
      the solvent and dissolution of the residue in the mobile phase. The two
      enantiomers were resolved on a Chiralcel OD (250 mm x 4.6 mm I.D.) high
      performance liquid chromatographic column. The separation was achieved by
      isocratic elution with n-hexane-2-propanol (77:23, v/v). The flow-rate of the
      mobile phase was 1.0 ml/min and the two enantiomers were detected by ultraviolet
      absorbance at 210 nm. The analytical method is suitable for the quantitative and
      simultaneous determination of the two enantiomers in plasma at concentrations
      down to 0.4 mumol/l after administration of oxcarbazepine.

PMID- 1430001
TI  - Measurement of halofantrine and its major metabolite desbutylhalofantrine in
      plasma and blood by high-performance liquid chromatography: a new methodology.
AB  - A new high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for the measurement of
      halofantrine and desbutylhalofantrine in plasma and whole blood is described. The
      method involves a smaller sample volume, simplified sample pre-treatment and a
      shorter run-time, and is adaptable to the measurement of samples dried onto
      filter paper strips. Using this method, which is both selective and sensitive,
      plasma concentration versus time profiles for both substances have been
      investigated following a single oral dose (500 mg) of halofantrine hydrochloride
      to a healthy adult volunteer. In addition, a clinical study designed to evaluate
      the disposition and elimination of the two compounds in children with non-severe
      falciparum malaria is in progress.

PMID- 1430000
TI  - Measurement of dothiepin and its major metabolites in plasma by high-performance
      liquid chromatography.
AB  - This paper describes a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic
      method which will simultaneously measure dothiepin and its three major
      metabolites (northiaden, northiaden-S-oxide and dothiepin-S-oxide) in plasma
      using trimipramine as internal standard. Sample preparation involved a basic
      extraction using diethyl ether followed by an acid back-extraction. The method we
      report is linear over the range 50-1000 ng/ml (r = 0.999), for all analytes.
      Total imprecision is less than 11% (coefficient of variation) and accuracy is
      greater than 94% (n = 20). Recovery of analytes varied considerably from 51.7%
      for northiaden-S-oxide to 90.2% for dothiepin-S-oxide.

PMID- 1430002
TI  - Determination of dextropropoxyphene and norpropoxyphene in plasma by high
      performance liquid chromatography.
AB  - A simple and sensitive procedure for the routine assay of the analgesic drug
      dextropropoxyphene and its main metabolite, norpropoxyphene, in plasma is
      described. After liquid-liquid extraction from alkalinized plasma and back
      extraction into a small volume of an acidic aqueous phase, the aqueous phase was
      injected into a column packed with 3-microns octadecylsilica particles.
      Ultraviolet absorbance detection at 210 nm was used. Concentrations down to 2 nM
      could be determined for both compounds; at this level, the intra-assay
      coefficient of variation was 5%.

PMID- 1430003
TI  - High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of angiotensin II receptor
      antagonists in human plasma and urine. I. DuP 532 (L-694,492).
AB  - A sensitive reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method with
      ultraviolet detection was developed for the analysis of a new angiotensin II
      receptor antagonist, DuP 532 (L-694,492), in human plasma and urine. The analyte
      and internal standard are extracted from plasma and urine at a pH between 3.3 to
      3.6 by liquid-liquid extraction and analyzed on a C6 column with ultraviolet
      detection at 254 nm. The mobile phase is composed of acetonitrile and phosphate
      buffer at pH 2.5. The limits of quantification are 6 and 7.5 ng/ml for plasma and
      urine, respectively.

PMID- 1430004
TI  - Affinity purification of proteinases by a combination of immobilized peptidyl
      aldehyde and semicarbazone.
AB  - D-Phe-Phe-argininal semicarbazone and Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Leu-Arg-argininal
      semicarbazone were prepared using the solution phase synthesis method and
      characterized by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
      The tripeptide and heptapeptide semicarbazones were individually immobilized on
      affi-Gel 15 resulting in two affinity columns called S3 and S7, respectively. A
      third affinity column was obtained by hydrolysing the semicarbazone moiety in
      column S3 to aldehyde (column A3). Serine proteinases such as trypsin or rat
      plasma kallikrein almost quantitatively bind to either S3 or A3 affinity columns.
      Under optimized conditions, more than 97% of trypsin bound to both columns S3 and
      A3. At a lower ionic strength and higher pH, 80-85% of rat plasma kallikrein
      bound to the same columns. Elution of both enzymes was achieved using mild
      conditions at near neutral pH and in the presence of a small amount of
      denaturant. Both proteinases were identified and characterized by high
      performance liquid chromatography, sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis and by their substrate specificity and inhibition profiles. A
      single purification (six-to seven-fold) step using either column S3 or A3 allowed
      the preparation of pure trypsin from commercial sources. Starting from rat plasma
      partially purified by a phenyl boronate column, fractionation on the S3 column
      allowed approximately an 87-fold purification of rat plasma kallikrein. However,
      serial purification of rat plasma kallikrein on column S7 followed by column A3
      resulted in a purification factor of about 455.

PMID- 1430005
TI  - Modified nucleosides in human serum.
AB  - Methylated purines and pyrimidines derived from the degradation of transfer
      ribonucleic acid have been shown to be excreted in abnormal amounts in the urine
      of patients with cancer. Recent technology developed by Gehrke and Kuo has
      allowed the separation and quantification of modified nucleosides in serum using
      reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array
      measurement. Serum levels of ten modified nucleosides were measured in 37 normal
      healthy adults to establish normal values and to correlate activity with age and
      sex. In addition, serum levels of patients with several malignancies were
      measured to determine activity in these diseases. Levels of modified nucleosides
      in normal individuals were consistently reproducible and showed no significant
      variation among males versus females or with age. Patients with malignant
      diseases showed consistent elevations and these were highest in patients with
      more advanced disease. The evidence of no significant differences in the mean
      levels of modified nucleosides in serum with age or sex in normal adults and
      elevations in patients with malignancies demonstrate the potential value of
      modified nucleosides as cancer biomarkers.

PMID- 1430006
TI  - High-performance liquid chromatographic method for routine determination of
      vitamins A and E and beta-carotene in plasma.
AB  - A simple and reliable reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic
      (HPLC) method for the routine determination of vitamins A and E and beta-carotene
      in plasma (or serum) with wavelength-programmed ultraviolet-visible absorbance
      detection is described. A 200-microliters aliquot of serum or plasma sample,
      after deproteinization with ethanol, and containing tocopherol acetate as
      internal standard, was extracted with butanol-ethyl acetate. Sodium sulphate was
      added for dehydration. Analytes of extracted samples were found to be stable for
      at least four days. A 10-microliters aliquot of this organic extract was used for
      HPLC analysis. The mobile phase was methanol-butanol-water (89.5:5:5.5, v/v) and
      the flow-rate was set at 1.5 ml/min. The analytes of interest were well separated
      from other plasma constituents within 22 min at 45 degrees C. The lowest
      detection limits of vitamins A and E and beta-carotene were 0.02, 0.5 and 0.1
      microgram/ml, respectively. The recovery and reproducibility of the present
      method were around 90%. The method is sensitive, specific and can be used for
      epidemiological studies and for routine determination of vitamin deficiency.
      Several important factors that may affect the analysis are also discussed in this
      paper.

PMID- 1430007
TI  - Direct assay of glutathione peroxidase activity using high-performance capillary
      electrophoresis.
AB  - A fast, sensitive and direct method has been developed for the determination of
      glutathione peroxidase activity (both selenium- and non-selenium-dependent) in
      cell-free preparations. The assay is based on the separation and quantitation of
      reduced and oxidized glutathione by capillary electrophoresis. The
      electrophoretic separation buffer was 100 mM sodium tetraborate (pH 8.2)
      containing 100 mM sodium dodecylsulphate. A micellar electrokinetic mechanism
      took place under these conditions, and a total mass recovery was observed for
      both peptides. The reproducibility of migration times was excellent (less than 3%
      variability). A linear detector response range was observed in the range 5-50
      U/ml, and both the reproducibility and accuracy were satisfied. Samples out of
      this linear range could be analysed by either increasing the reaction time or
      diluting the enzyme preparation. The results obtained with the new direct
      capillary electrophoresis assay were compared with those derived from a reversed
      phase high-performance liquid chromatographic and spectrophotometric coupled
      assay. A very good agreement was found between the two direct assay methods in
      all samples. Capillary electrophoresis is a versatile technique that allows the
      automation of the glutathione peroxidase assay in a reproducible manner and
      within a relatively short time with sufficient accuracy and precision.

PMID- 1430008
TI  - Diuretic screening in human urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry: use of
      a macroreticular acrylic copolymer for the efficient removal of the coextracted
      phase-transfer reagent after derivatization by direct extractive alkylation.
AB  - A simple and efficient procedure has been developed for the derivatization of
      diuretic agents in human urine by direct extractive alkylation and their
      detection by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The procedure is an
      improvement over previous extractive alkylation methods because of the
      development of a simple clean-up step using a macroreticular acrylic copolymer
      (SM-7 resin) to remove the coextracted phase-transfer reagent from the organic
      phase after derivatization. With 1 ml of sample the method gives detection limits
      in the range 10-50 ng/ml for acetazolamide, probenecid, dichlorphenamide,
      hydroflumethiazide, furosemide, chlorthalidone, bumetanide, hydrochlorothiazide,
      quinethazone, bendroflumethiazide, metolazone and cyclopenthiazide.

PMID- 1430009
TI  - Determination of three metabolites of a new angiotensin-converting enzyme
      inhibitor, imidapril, in plasma and urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
      using multiple ion detection.
AB  - A specific and sensitive gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method for the
      determination of three metabolites of the angiotensin-converting enzyme
      inhibitor, imidapril, in plasma and urine was developed. The metabolites were
      isolated from plasma and urine using a Bond Elut C18 solid-phase extraction
      cartridge. The isolated metabolites were converted to sensitive derivatives by
      pentafluorobenzyl bromide and heptafluoro-n-butyric acid anhydride. Following
      derivatization, the sample solutions were analysed by wide-bore column gas
      chromatography-mass spectrometry with multiple ion detection. The detection
      limits of the three metabolites were each 1 ng/ml in plasma and 5 ng/ml in urine.
      Analysis of the spiked plasma and urine samples demonstrated the good accuracy
      and precision of the method. This method was very useful for use in
      pharmacokinetic and bioavailability studies of the three metabolites of imidapril
      in humans.

PMID- 1430010
TI  - Analytical and semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatographic
      separation and assay of hydroxychloroquine enantiomers.
AB  - (+/-)-Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is an antimalarial and anti-arthritic drug which
      is administered as the racemate. An accurate, precise and sensitive high
      performance liquid chromatographic assay was developed for the determination of
      HCQ enantiomers in samples from human plasma, serum, whole blood, and urine.
      After addition of (+/-)-chloroquine (internal standard), samples of blood
      component (0.5 ml) or urine (0.1 ml) were alkalinized and extracted with 5 ml of
      diethyl ether. After solvent evaporation the residues were derivatized with (+)
      di-O-acetyl-L-tartaric anhydride at 45 degrees C for 30 min. The resulting
      diastereomers were then resolved using a C8 analytical column with a mobile phase
      consisting of 0.05 M KH2PO4 (pH 3)-methanol-ethanol-triethylamine (78:22:1:0.08).
      The ultraviolet detection wavelength was set at 343 nm. The derivatized HCQ
      enantiomers eluted in less than 40 min, free of interfering peaks. Excellent
      linear relationships (r2 > 0.997) were obtained between the area ratios and the
      corresponding plasma concentrations over a range of 12.5-500 ng/ml. The
      diastereomers could be hydrolysed using microwave energy and neutral pH, which
      enabled us to resolve the enantiomers on a semi-preparative (C18 column) scale.
      The method was suitable for the analysis and semi-preparative separation of HCQ
      enantiomers.

PMID- 1430011
TI  - Determination of vinorelbine (Navelbine) in tumour cells by high-performance
      liquid chromatography.
AB  - A high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the
      determination within tumour cells of a new vinca alkaloid, vinorelbine.
      Extractions of vinorelbine from cells were carried out using absolute ethanol.
      The extracts were injected into a reversed-phase system consisting of two Novapak
      C18 columns connected in series. The mobile phase was acetonitrile-phosphate
      buffer, pH 2.7 (60:40, v/v). Using a fluorescence detection, the limit of
      determination was 8 pmol injected. This method would be suitable for studying the
      cellular pharmacokinetics of vinorelbine in patients.

PMID- 1430012
TI  - Multiple peak formation from reversed-phase liquid chromatography of recombinant
      human platelet-derived growth factor.
AB  - Reversed-phase liquid chromatography of recombinant platelet-derived growth
      factor (PDGF) results in the appearance of at least four distinguishable peaks.
      The relative areas of these peaks are, in part, dependent upon the gradient time
      and the temperature. Isolation and reinjection of each peak gave chromatographic
      profiles comparable to that obtained from unfractionated PDGF. Increasing the
      temperature above 60 degrees C resulted in a single peak that, when isolated and
      reinjected at ambient temperature, produced a chromatogram comparable to PDGF
      which had not been exposed to elevated temperature. Sodium dodecyl sulfate
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that all four peaks had the same
      molecular mass as PDGF and were active as determined by a PDGF mitogenic
      bioassay. These results indicate that multiple conformations of PDGF are present
      and we postulate that their appearance may be a result of isomeric structures
      arising from the presence of Pro-Pro bonds within the primary structure of the
      protein.

PMID- 1430013
TI  - Determination of sterols, erythrodiol, uvaol and alkanols in olive oils using
      combined solid-phase extraction, high-performance liquid chromatographic and high
      resolution gas chromatographic techniques.
AB  - A method is described for the determination of the sterol, erythrodiol, uvaol and
      alkanol content in olive oils by means of solid-phase extraction and high
      performance liquid chromatography, instead of liquid-liquid and thin-layer
      chromatographic separations, the following step being high-resolution gas
      chromatographic separation. This type of procedure allows the simultaneous
      analysis of a larger number of samples and a substantial reduction in manual
      operations. Comparisons were made between the two methods on 100 different olive
      oils and with a statistical analysis of the results (Student's t-test).

PMID- 1430014
TI  - Determination of aminoglycoside antibiotics in pharmaceuticals by capillary zone
      electrophoresis with indirect UV detection coupled with micellar electrokinetic
      capillary chromatography.
AB  - Aminoglycoside antibiotics can be determined by capillary zone electrophoresis
      (CZE) with indirect UV detection in the anionic mode with a reversed
      electroosmotic flow (EOF) by addition of FC 135 to the background electrolyte.
      The effective mobilities of thirteen aminoglycoside antibiotics were determined
      as a function of pH. Applying CZE with indirect UV detection in the anionic mode
      and reversed EOF coupled with micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography
      with the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, both neutral and
      charged antibiotics can be determined in combined pharmaceuticals. As an example,
      neomycin and hydrocortisone were determined in Otosporin eardrops.

PMID- 1430015
TI  - Determination of coenzyme Q by non-aqueous reversed- phase liquid chromatography.
AB  - A non-aqueous reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method for determination of
      coenzyme Q10 in pharmaceutical formulations has been developed. The reversed
      phase system provides better reproducibility and better selectivity for the
      separation of coenzyme Q10 analogues and degradation products than studied normal
      phase systems. Furthermore, the non-aqueous mobile phase showed a very good
      solubility and provides a greater variety of work-up solvents for the lipophilic
      formulations than aqueous mobile phases. Validation studies showed detector
      response linearity over a concentration range of 0.2-100 micrograms/ml. The lower
      limit of detection was 2 ng on-column. The intra-assay precision (relative
      standard deviation) for a soybean oil formulation was 2.0% (n = 11).

PMID- 1430016
TI  - Determination of ascorbic acid in elemental diet by high-performance liquid
      chromatography with electrochemical detection.
AB  - Determination of ascorbic acid in a multi-component elemental diet was performed
      by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. This
      method is suitable for the routine determination of ascorbic acid in elemental
      diet because it is simple, rapid, sensitive, highly selective and reproducible.
      The calibration graph of ascorbic acid was linear in the range 0-1.0 micrograms.
      The recovery of ascorbic acid was over 95% by the standard addition method. There
      was good agreement between the concentrations of ascorbic acid stated and found.

PMID- 1430018
TI  - Effect of total percent polyacrylamide in capillary gel electrophoresis for DNA
      sequencing of short fragments. A phenomenological model.
AB  - Polyacrylamide capillary gels were prepared with constant (5% C) cross-linker
      concentration and with total acrylamide concentration ranging from 2.5 to 6% T.
      At each acrylamide concentration, peak spacing was constant for DNA sequencing
      fragments ranging from 25 to 250 nucleotides in length. Peak spacing increased
      linearly with the total acrylamide concentration. The intercept of the retention
      time vs. fragment length plot was independent of % T. Ferguson plots were
      constructed for short DNA fragments; the polyacrylamide pore size falls in the
      2.5 to 3.5 nm range for the gels studied. Theoretical plate count is independent
      of total acrylamide concentration; longitudinal diffusion, and not thermal
      gradients, limit the plate count. A phenomenological model is presented that
      predicts retention time, plate count, and resolution for sequencing fragments
      ranging in size from 25 to 250 bases and gels that range from 2.5 to 6% total
      acrylamide.

PMID- 1430017
TI  - Application of capillary isoelectric focusing with universal concentration
      gradient detector to the analysis of protein samples.
AB  - The design of a new capillary isoelectric focusing (cIEF) instrument, composed of
      a rugged cartridge holding a short piece of capillary and a universal,
      inexpensive concentration gradient detector, was optimized and applied to the
      analysis of various protein samples. High-efficiency cIEF separations with sub
      femtomole detection limits for absolute amounts were obtained using 10 microns
      I.D. capillaries with large O.D.-to-I.D. ratios. An electric field strength of 1
      kV/cm applied in the focusing step resulted in a 10(-8) M on-column concentration
      detection limit, which corresponded to 10(2) amol absolute amount of proteins.
      The detection volume was estimated to be 2 pl, which is among the smallest values
      reported to date for any optical or spectroscopic detector. When a 6-cm long
      capillary was used, proteins with isoelectric points ranging from 4.7 to 8.8
      could be analyzed in about 5 min, the shortest analysis time ever reported for
      cIEF. Compared with commercial cIEF instruments with UV-visible absorbance
      detectors, the instrument is easier to use and has lower detection limits and
      better resolution. Several protein mixtures and real samples were separated with
      this instrument.

PMID- 1430019
TI  - Influence of pH on the migration properties of oligonucleotides in capillary gel
      electrophoresis.
AB  - The effect of pH on the electrophoretic migration properties of single-stranded
      oligodeoxyribonucleotides in capillary gel electrophoresis was investigated.
      Different homooligodeoxyribonucleotides of equal chain length showed significant
      differences in relative migration when the pH of the gel buffer was varied from
      pH 6 to 8, parallel with the running buffer. A similar variation in migration
      order was observed during the electrophoretic equilibration of a pH 8 gel-filled
      capillary column with a pH 6 running buffer. In the latter instance, the current
      reached the new level after 20 min of electrophoretic equilibration with the pH 6
      running buffer. However, it was observed that the migration order characteristic
      of the pH 6 gel was achieved only after 4 h of electrophoretic equilibration. To
      avoid this time-consuming equilibration process, these results suggest that gel
      filled capillary columns should be prepared with the same buffer (composition and
      pH) that will be used as the running buffer during the separations.

PMID- 1430020
TI  - Determination of vasoactive intestinal peptide in rat brain by high-performance
      capillary electrophoresis.
AB  - A high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) method for determining
      vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in rat brain was developed. Cerebral cortex
      was first extracted by solid-phase extraction and purified by reversed-phase high
      performance liquid chromatography. The VIP-rich fraction was further analysed by
      capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and micellar electrokinetic chromatography
      using a commercial HPCE instrument with UV detection. The identity of the peak of
      endogenous VIP was confirmed by performing multiple CZE analyses at different pH
      values. This HPCE method allows VIP to be detected and measured with good
      molecular specificity and could represent a reference method to validate data
      obtained by radioimmunoassay.

PMID- 1430021
TI  - Monitoring excitatory amino acid release in vivo by microdialysis with capillary
      electrophoresis-electrochemistry.
AB  - Capillary electrophoresis (CE) with electrochemical detection (ED) was used to
      determine extracellular levels of aspartate, glutamate and alanine in samples
      from the frontoparietal cortex of the rat which were obtained by microdialysis.
      The method was used to monitor the effect on the overflow of the excitatory amino
      acids aspartate and glutamate of an influx of high concentrations of potassium
      ion. Samples were derivatized with naphthalenedialdehyde-cyanide prior to
      analysis. Detection limits for aspartate and glutamate were 80 and 100 nM,
      respectively. CE-ED is extremely useful for the analysis of microdialysis samples
      because of the very small sample volumes required by this analytical technique.
      The use of ED provides the requisite sensitivity and allows verification of peak
      purity by voltammetry.

PMID- 1430023
TI  - Capillary electrophoretic determination of the protease Savinase in cultivation
      broth.
AB  - The highly basic washing enzyme Savinase and various analogues were analysed by
      micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) and electrophoresis. Broth samples
      were withdrawn during the cultivation of Savinase by recombinant microorganisms.
      Savinase peak areas obtained by MEKC-electrophoretic analysis were normalized
      with respect to migration time and compared with traditional enzyme activity
      measurements. The electropherograms indicated thermal degradation of the Savinase
      molecule at high field strengths. Baseline separation of Savinase and two
      analogues was achieved.

PMID- 1430022
TI  - Effect of buffer constituents on the determination of therapeutic proteins by
      capillary electrophoresis.
AB  - Capillary electrophoresis has proved to be a versatile method for the
      determination of proteins, peptides and amino acids in pharmaceutical
      formulations. For quantification of the capillary electrophoresis data, however,
      significant errors may result if the analysis is performed using improper
      separation conditions. The peak area response for protein analytes, which is
      generally low in conventional UV detection, may also vary dramatically depending
      on the nature of the buffer used in the separation. This paper describes the
      effects of various buffer constituents and analytical conditions on the capillary
      electrophoretic separation and quantification of a humanized monoclonal antibody
      in bulk form and in a typical therapeutic formulation. For optimum peak area
      response and reproducibility, protein derivatization with an appropriate
      chromophore (e.g., fluorescamine) and separation in the presence of a moderate
      ionic strength buffer containing lithium chloride, tetramethylammonium chloride
      or trimethylammonium propylsulfonate is recommended. General guidelines for the
      determination of proteins by capillary electrophoresis and a rationale for the
      use of internal standards to improve the quantification of data are also
      discussed.

PMID- 1430024
TI  - Separation of phosphorylated histone H1 variants by high-performance capillary
      electrophoresis.
AB  - High-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) was used to separate
      successfully distinct phosphorylated derivatives of individual histone H1
      variants. With an untreated capillary (50 cm x 75 microns I.D.) the
      electrophoresis was performed in about 15 min. Inconvenient interactions of these
      highly basic proteins with the capillary wall were eliminated by using 0.1 M
      sodium phosphate buffer (pH 2.0) containing 0.03% hydroxypropylmethylcellulose.
      Under these experimental conditions the histone H1 variants H1b and H1c obtained
      from mitotic enriched NIH 3T3 fibroblasts and isolated by reversed-phase high
      performance liquid chromatography were clearly separated in their non
      phosphorylated and different phosphorylated forms. This result was confirmed by
      acid-urea gel electrophoresis, comparison with non-phosphorylated histones H1b
      and H1c, isolated from quiescent NIH 3T3 cells, and incubation of multi
      phosphorylated histone H1b with alkaline phosphatase and subsequent acid-urea and
      capillary electrophoresis. The results illustrate that the application of HPCE to
      the analysis of histone modifications provides a new alternative to traditional
      gel electrophoresis.

PMID- 1430025
TI  - Ultramicro enzyme assays in a capillary electrophoretic system.
AB  - This paper describes an ultramicro method for achieving enzyme assays. Enzyme
      saturating concentrations of substrate, coenzyme when appropriate, and running
      buffer were mixed and used to fill a deactivated fused-silica capillary in a
      capillary zone electrophoresis apparatus. The enzyme glucose-6-phosphate
      dehydrogenase was injected by either electrophoresis or siphoning and mixed with
      the reagents in the capillary by electrophoretic mixing. Enzyme activity was
      assayed by electrophoresing the product, reduced nicotinamide adenine
      dinucleotide phosphate, to the detector where it was detected at 340 nm. Under
      constant potential, the transport velocity of enzyme and the product was
      generally different. This caused product to be separated from the enzyme after it
      was formed. Because product formation was much faster than the rate of enzyme
      product separation, product accumulated. The amount of accumulated product was
      inversely related to operating potential. In the extreme case, the operating
      potential was zero. Zero potential assays were generally carried out by
      electrophoresing the enzyme partially through the capillary and then switching to
      zero potential. This capillary was left at zero potential for several minutes to
      allow additional product to accumulate. After this additional amplification step,
      potential was again applied and the product transported to the detector. Product
      formed under constant potential appears as a broad peak with a flat plateau. When
      the voltage is switched to zero at intermediate migration distance, a peak will
      be observed on top of this plateau. Either the eight of the plateau or the area
      of the peak may be used to determine enzyme concentration. The lower limit of
      detection was 4.6.10(-17) mol of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

PMID- 1430026
TI  - Capillary electrophoresis of hemoglobins and globin chains.
AB  - Capillary isoelectric focusing (cIEF) and free zone capillary electrophoresis
      were evaluated for separation of native hemoglobins and globin chains. High
      resolution separations of adult human hemoglobin A, fetal human hemoglobin F, and
      hemoglobin variants S and C were obtained using cIEF with cathodic mobilization.
      Absorbance detection in the UV and visible regions were compared, and on-line
      fast UV or visible-wavelength scanning detection was used to obtain spectral
      information on separated components. Globin chain analysis was performed on the
      same hemoglobin species by free zone capillary electrophoresis following
      precipitation of the protein with acidic acetone. Free zone separations were
      carried out at low pH in the presence of 7 M urea.

PMID- 1430027
TI  - Attachment of a single fluorescent label to peptides for determination by
      capillary zone electrophoresis.
AB  - Complicated electropherograms are produced in the separation of fluorescently
      labeled peptides. Incomplete labeling of epsilon-amino groups on lysine residues
      results in the production of 2n-1 reaction products, where n is the number of
      alpha and epsilon amino groups in the peptide. A single label is attached to the
      peptide by first taking the peptide through one cycle of the Edman degradation
      reaction. All epsilon-amino groups are converted to the phenyl thiocarbamyl and
      the cleavage step exposes one alpha-amino group at the N-terminus of the peptide;
      the fluorescent label is attached to the N-terminus.

PMID- 1430028
TI  - Analysis of antiepileptic drugs in human plasma using micellar electrokinetic
      capillary chromatography.
AB  - We describe a method for the simultaneous determination of antiepileptic drugs
      (ethosuccimide, phenytoin, primidone, phenobarbital, carbamazepine and valproic
      acid) by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography using sodium dodecyl
      sulphate as the micellar phase. Factors affecting the micellar electrokinetic
      separation were studied for the quantitative determination of these drugs in
      human plasma. The confirmation of the peaks and the specificity of the method
      were investigated by combining multiwavelength detection with micellar
      electrokinetic capillary chromatography.

PMID- 1430029
TI  - Study of protein-drug binding using capillary zone electrophoresis.
AB  - CApillary zone electrophoresis was tested for its suitability for studying
      protein-drug binding. Three methods were investigated, viz., the Hummel-Dreyer
      method, the vacancy peak method and frontal analysis. Frontal analysis appeared
      to be the preferred method.

PMID- 1430030
TI  - Chiral separations of basic drugs and quantitation of bupivacaine enantiomers in
      serum by capillary electrophoresis with modified cyclodextrin buffers.
AB  - Modified cyclodextrin derivatives were evaluated as the buffer additives in
      capillary electrophoresis of several racemic pharmaceutical bases. Uncoated and
      polyacrylamide-modified silica capillaries were compared for their effectiveness
      in the enantiomeric resolution and migration reproducibility of model solutes.
      Using cationic detergents in the mixed-micellar mode, optimized separations of
      the racemic drug bupivacaine are demonstrated in a spiked serum sample at the
      therapeutic level. Precision, linearity and sensitivity of the method appear
      adequate for reliable quantitation required in pharmacokinetic and clinical
      studies.

PMID- 1430031
TI  - Chiral separation by capillary electrophoresis with oligosaccharides.
AB  - Maltodextrins, i.e., mixtures of linear alpha-(1-4)-linked D-glucose polymers,
      were found to be effective as chiral electrolyte modifiers to perform direct,
      rapid separations by capillary electrophoresis of racemic mixtures of 2
      arylpropionic acid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compounds and coumarinic
      anticoagulant drugs, and also diastereomeric cephalosporin antibiotics.
      Enantioselectivity seemed to be dependent on an as yet unidentified combination
      of variables.

PMID- 1430032
TI  - High-performance capillary electrophoresis of unsaturated oligosaccharides
      derived from glycosaminoglycans by digestion with chondroitinase ABC as 1-phenyl
      3-methyl-5-pyrazolone derivatives.
AB  - This paper proposes a new method for simultaneous analysis of unsaturated
      disaccharides derived from glycosaminoglycans by enzymatic digestion with
      chondroitinase ABC, based on high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) of
      their 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone derivatives. The O-sulphate group is stable
      in this derivatization, and this method allows reproducible microdetermination of
      glycosaminoglycans. This paper also demonstrates the applicability of this method
      to estimation of urinary chondroitin sulphates. Urinary creatinine as an inherent
      internal standard could also be estimated by HPCE, though in another mode of
      separation, i.e. ion-exchange electrokinetic chromatography.

PMID- 1430033
TI  - Separation of natural and synthetic heparin fragments by high-performance
      capillary electrophoresis.
AB  - The application of capillary electrophoresis (CE) for the analysis of natural and
      synthetic low-molecular-mass heparin fragments at low pH is described. It is
      demonstrated that under the applied conditions the separation is based on charge,
      charge distribution and molecular mass of the heparin molecules, yielding a high
      resolution. It is shown that the presence of sodium chloride in the sample
      solution has hardly any effect on the CE performance. However, the pH of the
      electrophoresis buffer is a critical parameter. The resolutions obtained with CE
      and high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) are compared for
      various heparin fragments and it is concluded that, at least for this type of
      molecule, CE forms an attractive alternative to HPAEC.

PMID- 1430034
TI  - Sodium dodecyl sulfate-capillary gel electrophoresis of proteins using non-cross
      linked polyacrylamide.
AB  - Proteins with relative molecular masses of 14,000 to 205,000 were separated by
      sodium dodecyl sulfate-capillary gel electrophoresis (SDS-CGE) using non-cross
      linked linear polyacrylamide gels on both coated and uncoated fused-silica
      capillaries. It was determined that viscosity of the acrylamide solution was a
      major factor affecting column stability with linear acrylamide gels. When the
      viscosity of the acrylamide solution reaches 100 cP, electro-osmotically driven
      displacement of the gels is insignificant. Uncoated capillaries provided better
      resolution, stability, and reproducibility than surface coated capillaries when
      the concentration of linear polyacrylamide was greater than 4%. At lower gel
      concentrations, non-cross-linked polyacrylamide is easily displaced from the
      columns. A calibration plot of log molecular mass vs. mobility with non-linear
      polyacrylamide was linear, which indicated that resolution was equivalent to that
      obtained with cross-linked acrylamide. Separations with model proteins indicated
      that baseline resolution between protein species that vary 10% in molecular mass
      can be achieved.

PMID- 1430036
TI  - Indirect photometric detection of polyamines in biological samples separated by
      high-performance capillary electrophoresis.
AB  - A rapid separation of polyamines and some related amino acids in cultured tumor
      cells by high-performance capillary zone electrophoresis with indirect
      photometric detection is demonstrated. 60 cm x 75 microns I.D. fused-silica
      capillary was used for the separation and quinine sulfate was used as a
      background electrolyte (BGE). Several polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and
      spermine), amino acids (lysine, arginine, histidine) and simple cations (K+, Na+)
      were easily separated in less than 10 min. Using the indirect photometric
      detection method, femtomole amounts of polyamines extracted from the tumor cells
      were detected from nanoliter injection volumes, and the signal response was
      linear over two orders of magnitude.

PMID- 1430037
TI  - 9-Fluoreneacetyl-tagged, solid-phase reagent for derivatization in direct plasma
      injection.
AB  - We describe here a resin-based derivatization reagent, containing a 9
      fluoreneacetyl tag on a controlled-pore substrate, for direct injection analysis
      of amphetamine in plasma. On-line, pre-column derivatization was performed by
      direction injection of diluted plasma sample into an sodium dodecyl sulfate
      containing mobile phase. Amphetamine was trapped in the hydrophobic
      derivatization column and derivatized at elevated temperature by the activated
      solid-phase reagent. The derivatized 9-fluoreneacetyl amphetamide was separated
      by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with a step gradient and
      determined by fluorescence detection. The synthesis scheme, characterization, and
      optimization of the derivatization conditions for the solid-phase reagent are
      described. The method was evaluated by reproducibility tests and single blind
      spiking analysis. This solid-phase reagent combined with a surfactant containing
      mobile phase provided a sensitive and simple procedure for on-line derivatization
      in direct injection analysis of biological fluids.

PMID- 1430035
TI  - Assessment of the capabilities of capillary zone electrophoresis for the
      determination of hippuric and orotic acid in whey.
AB  - A rapid method was developed for the simultaneous determination of hippuric and
      orotic acid in rennet whey by capillary zone electrophoresis using an uncoated
      capillary utilizing a 0.04 M amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol (AMPD)-N,N-bis(2
      hydroxyethyl) glycine (BICINE) buffer (pH 8.8) with UV detection at 254 and 280
      nm. Whey proteins were removed by ultrafiltration. The method was evaluated for
      external, internal and standard addition procedures for both peak areas and peak
      heights. The use of an internal standard (sorbic acid) eliminated injection
      errors and gave, when applied to peak areas, the same levels for hippuric and
      orotic acid in those obtained with high-performance liquid chromatography.
      Relative standard deviations were 1-2%. Peak heights gave erratic results owing
      to sample matrix effects on peak widths.

PMID- 1430038
TI  - High-performance liquid chromatography of oligosaccharide alditols and
      glycopeptides on a graphitized carbon column.
AB  - The chromatographic behaviour of oligosaccharide alditols and glycopeptides
      containing neutral and acetamido sugars and sialic acid has been investigated on
      a HyperCarb porous graphitised carbon column. The alditols were substantially
      retained and could be eluted in 0-25% acetonitrile-0.05% trifluoroacetic acid in
      0.05% aqueous trifluoroacetic acid between 3-30 min for mono- to hexasaccharides.
      Elution patterns were based on both size, charge and linkage such that isomeric
      compounds could be separated from each other.

PMID- 1430039
TI  - Rapid method for the determination of glutathione transferase isoenzymes in crude
      extracts.
AB  - The analysis of glutathione transferase (GST) isoenzyme patterns is of interest
      in many fields as hepatic glutathione transferase activity is increased by
      exposure to a variety of xenobiotics and its isoenzymatic forms are induced
      differentially. A high-performance liquid chromatography method has been
      developed for the rapid determination of individual isoenzyme levels in crude
      extracts using an anion-exchange column connected to an on-line system to
      automatically detect GST activity with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene as the
      substrate. When 50-200 microliters of a cytosolic fraction of fish liver
      containing up to 15 mg/ml of protein and less than 2 units of GST were injected,
      a high resolution and highly reproducible chromatogram was obtained. The activity
      profile determined automatically showed eight to twelve peaks (depending on the
      sample) that were quantified and could be classified into three groups. Starting
      from intact tissue, a complete isoenzyme pattern could be obtained in less than 3
      h. The method has been applied to ecotoxicological studies with fish samples.

PMID- 1430040
TI  - Separation of dideoxyribonucleosides in trace amounts by automated liquid
      chromatography and capillary electrophoresis.
AB  - No satisfactory high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method is
      currently available for the separation of the major dideoxyribonucleosides (ddNs)
      and their derivatives. A method involving HPLC has been developed for the
      separation of five major ddNs [ddA, ddC, ddI, azT and 2',3'-dideoxy-2',3'
      didehydrothymidine (d4T)]. Elution of the common and modified components of DNA
      was also examined under the selected separation conditions of HPLC. The elution
      characteristics of these compounds were studied using serum plasma samples spiked
      with ddN derivatives. In addition, capillary electrophoresis (CE) was
      investigated for the separation of ddNs and their derivatives. Picomolar amounts
      of the five major ddNs and the metabolic product of azT [5'-O-glucuronide-3'
      azido-3'-deoxythymidine (Glo-azT)] were satisfactorily resolved in 10 min by
      using a modification of CE. The spectral properties of the ddNs were
      characterized under different pH conditions and compared with those of their
      parent deoxyribonucleosides (dNs) because these compounds are commonly measured
      in HPLC by their spectral properties. The spectra of ddC and ddT derivatives
      resemble very closely those of dC and dT, but those of ddA and ddI differ to some
      extent from their parent dNs. The HPLC method was extensively examined for
      satisfactory resolutions of these compounds. For example, an isocratic elution
      method, although simple, failed to resolve these compounds and ion-pair
      chromatography did not offer any advantage. Gradient elution involving buffered
      solutions and increasing amounts of an organic modifier yielded satisfactory
      results. Methanol appeared to be the organic modifier of choice. A reversed-phase
      matrix with smaller than octadecyl alkyl chains did not produce the necessary
      interactions. Uniform spherical beads of smaller diameter produced superior
      resolutions. The separation of these compounds on three commercially available
      columns is discussed. The separation of human plasma samples spiked with
      dideoxynucleoside derivatives by HPLC was accomplished in ca. 16 min. The
      presence of the dNs did not interfere in their separations.

PMID- 1430041
TI  - Chiral high-performance liquid chromatographic separations of vinca alkaloid
      analogues on alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and human serum albumin columns.
AB  - Separations of the stereoisomers of a series of tetracyclic and pentacyclic vinca
      alkaloid analogues having two or three chiral centres were performed on Chiral
      AGP and Chiral-HSA high-performance liquid chromatographic columns. Phosphate
      buffers with pH 5-7 containing 5-35% acetonitrile or 2-propanol were used as
      mobile phases. The results were in accordance with previous binding data obtained
      with native AGP and on an HSA-Sepharose column. Whereas on Chiral-AGP the
      retention of the trans isomers having 1(R),12b(S)-indolo[2,3-a]quinolizidine or
      the corresponding 3(S),16(R)-eburnane absolute configurations was exceedingly
      high, on Chiral-HSA the trans isomers, independently of their absolute
      configurations, were more retained. Eburnane-type compounds could also be
      separated according to the configuration of the chiral centre at position 14. A
      comparison of the chromatographic properties of the vinca alkaloids on the Chiral
      AGP and Chiral-HSA columns demonstrates that these compounds are bound with
      higher affinity to the AGP phase. The AGP column resolves a very broad range of
      vinca alkaloids compared with the HSA column. Higher stereoselectivity and a much
      better chromatographic performance were also obtained on the Chiral-AGP column.

PMID- 1430042
TI  - Enhancement of detection sensitivity and cleanup selectivity for tobramycin
      through pre-column derivatization.
AB  - Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, UV detection and reversed
      phase solid-phase extraction (SPE) as analytical methods for pharmaceutical
      compounds face a challenge when the compound is rather polar and lack UV
      absorptivity. A good example is tobramycin. To overcome these problems, a method
      has been developed using pre-column derivatization of tobramycin with o
      phthalaldehyde and automated with an autosampler with microrobotic routines. The
      detection enhancement of the derivatives was achieved by using fluorescence
      detection which was forty times more sensitive than using UV detection. Recovery
      studies of standards and spiked serum samples show that pre-SPE derivatization
      significantly enhances the recoveries (by at least a factor of 3) and the quality
      of cleanup over post-SPE derivatization.

PMID- 1430043
TI  - Column liquid chromatography and microbiological assay compared for determination
      of cefadroxil preparations.
AB  - A reversed-phase column liquid chromatographic method was developed for the assay
      of cefadroxil in bulk drugs and pharmaceutical preparations. An equation was
      derived showing a linear relationship between peak-area ratios of cefadroxil to
      dimethylphthalate (internal standard) and the cefadroxil concentration over a
      range of 0.02-0.8 mg/ml (r = 0.9999). Standard addition recoveries were generally
      greater than 97.7%. The coefficients of variation in the within-day assay were
      between 0.36 and 0.65, and in the between-day assay was 0.71%. The column liquid
      chromatographic assay results were compared with those obtained from a
      microbiological assay, which indicated that the proposed method is a suitable
      substitute for the microbiological method for potency assays and stability
      studies of cefadroxil preparations.

PMID- 1430045
TI  - Determination of Penicillium roqueforti toxin by reversed-phase high-performance
      liquid chromatography.
AB  - A method for the detection and quantification of Penicillium roqueforti toxin
      (PRT) using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography has been
      established. The limit of quantitation of this method was 3 ng of PRT, while the
      limit of detection was 2 ng of toxin. The precision of the analysis based on
      numerous runs was good. Retention times for PRT were highly reproducible with an
      average coefficient of variation of about 1.6%. Analysis of PRT in liquid and
      solid samples showed no interference of the sample matrix. The accuracy of the
      method was 98.6%, with mean PRT recoveries of 96.8%, and 100.4% for the spiked
      culture medium and blue cheese extracts, respectively.

PMID- 1430044
TI  - Chiral separation of nipecotic acid amides.
AB  - 1-Decyl-3-(N,N-diethylcarbamoyl)piperidine (1) and alpha,alpha'-bis[3-(N-benzyl-N
      methylcarbamoyl)piperidinol]-p-xyle ne (2) represent mono-N-substituted and bis-N
      substituted carbamoylpiperidines, or nipecotic acid amides, respectively.
      Initially, several attempts were made to resolve these compounds using beta
      cyclodextrin, cellulose carbamate and Pirkle-type columns. However, the
      interactions of the stereoisomers of the two compounds with these stationary
      phases did not differ enough to permit satisfactory separations. Baseline
      resolution was achieved using an alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) chiral column.
      The mobile phase was phosphate buffer (pH 7.0). Tetrabutylammonium (TBA) was used
      as the cationic modifier and ethanol as the uncharged modifier. Circular
      dichroism was used to identify the enantiomers. Compound 1 was resolved into
      positive and negative enantiomers and 2 into positive and negative enantiomers
      and a meso diastereomer. The influence of pH, buffer ionic strength, cationic and
      uncharged modifier concentrations on retention, chiral selectivity and resolution
      were evaluated. Based on the results, it is suggested that both ionic and
      hydrophobic interactions may be responsible for retention and resolution.

PMID- 1430046
TI  - Chromatographic analysis of cis- and trans-mevinphos in poisoned wildlife.
AB  - A method is described for the analysis of the cis- and trans-isomers of mevinphos
      in baits and avian tissues. The procedure involves extraction of the mevinphos
      isomers with acetone-dichloromethane (1:1) followed by clean-up on alumina. Bait
      samples were initially screened by thin-layer chromatography and identity of
      extracts confirmed by infrared spectrophotometry and gas chromatography-mass
      spectrometry.

PMID- 1430047
TI  - Solid-phase extraction and HPLC determination of 4-vinyl guaiacol and its
      precursor, ferulic acid, in orange juice.
AB  - This study is undertaken to develop a simplified, rapid method to determine both
      immediate and potential off odors due to 4-vinyl guaiacol and its odorless
      precursor, ferulic acid, from a single sample preparation and chromatographic
      analysis. Orange juice sample preparation consists of a simple, C18 solid phase
      extraction. Utilizing a 5-microns, 25-cm, C18 column, both compounds can be
      separated within 40 min using a one-step, linear gradient beginning with an
      aqueous 12% tetrahydrofuran (THF)-5% acetonitrile mixture and ending with 35%
      aqueous THF. Hesperidin and nariutin have been identified as the compounds that
      interfered with the ultraviolet (UV) determination of sinapic and caffeic acids.
      Fluorescence detection with wavelength programming offers optimal sensitivity and
      selectivity. Recoveries of 4-vinyl guaiacol and ferulic acid range from 90 to
      103%. Detection limits are 1 ppm and 5 ppm for ferulic acid and 4-vinyl guaiacol,
      respectively. Other hydroxycinnamic acids such as coumaric, sinapic, and caffeic
      acids may also be determined from the same chromatogram.

PMID- 1430048
TI  - Fractionation by SFE and microcolumn analysis of the essential oil and the bitter
      principles of hops.
AB  - Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is evaluated and optimized for the
      enrichment and fractionation of the essential oil and the bitter principles of
      hops (Humulus lupulus), both of which contribute to the flavor of beer. Profiles
      of the essential oil of different hop varieties are compared. The bitter
      principles, the humulones and lupulones, are analyzed by miniaturized liquid
      chromatography (micro-LC) and by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC).

PMID- 1430049
TI  - GC-MS identification of amine-solvent condensation products formed during
      analysis of drugs of abuse.
AB  - The use of methanol or ethanol as the injection solvent for the gas
      chromatographic-mass spectral (GC-MS) analysis of low molecular weight amine
      drugs of abuse results in the formation of additional components in the sample.
      Primary amines, such as amphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine, and
      phenethylamine, yield imines upon injection as methanol or ethanol solutions. In
      methanol, the imine formed has a mass that is 12 mass units higher than the
      parent compound. In ethanol, the products formed have 26 additional mass units.
      Secondary amines appear to undergo methylation under similar conditions with
      methanol as the injection solvent. These products are absent from the analysis of
      equivalent amine samples dissolved in chloroform.

PMID- 1430050
TI  - Multiresidue analysis of anabolic agents in muscle tissues and urines of cattle
      by GC-MS.
AB  - The illegal use of anabolic steroids in livestock breeding has taken enormous
      proportions the last few decades. To protect the consumer against possible
      harmful effects due to the consumption of contaminated meat or meat products, a
      multiresidue analysis of anabolic steroids has been developed for muscle tissues
      and urine. The pretreatment of the meat and urine samples consists of an
      enzymatic digestion, liquid or solid-phase extraction, and finally high
      performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fractionation. Five fractions or windows
      are collected, each containing a number of analytes. The residues are derivatized
      prior to the detection by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Both gas
      chromatographic retention data and mass spectral data are used for identification
      of nortestosterone, testosterone, estradiol, ethynylestradiol, trenbolone,
      zeranol, diethylstilbestrol, boldenone, methandienone, methyltestosterone,
      megestrol acetate, chlormadinone acetate, medroxyprogesterone acetate,
      chlorotestosterone, progesterone, and chlorotestosterone acetate. The limit of
      detection varies from matrix to matrix and from analyte to analyte but is, in the
      most favorable case, on the order of 0.3 ppb (micrograms/kg).

PMID- 1430051
TI  - Separation of glucuronides from urine by coupled-column separation using
      underivatized silica as precolumn.
AB  - Glucuronides are separated from urine by coupled-column separations (CCSs). The
      fraction containing the glucuronide(s) is transferred on-line from a silica
      precolumn to the analytical column (octadecyl derivatized silica), enriched, and
      separated by ion-pair chromatography. The retention and selectivity on the
      precolumn are controlled by pH, buffer components, organic modifier, and ion-pair
      agent. After the injection of filtered urine samples, glucuronides with different
      chemical properties can be separated. The total analysis of morphine-3
      glucuronide and morphine-6-glucuronide is accomplished in less than six minutes,
      with UV detection at 210 nm.

PMID- 1430052
TI  - Serological detection of HBeAg and anti-HBe using automated microparticle enzyme
      immunoassays.
AB  - Fully automated microparticle enzyme immunoassays (EIA) were developed for the
      detection of HBeAg (IMx HBe) and antibodies against HBeAg (IMx anti-HBe),
      respectively. Specimens from blood donors, diagnostic and hospital patients and
      individuals with a variety of infectious and immune diseases were tested both in
      house and at four clinical sites. The overall agreement between IMx HBe and
      Abbott HBe RIA/EIA was 99.7% (2985 of 2994) and between IMx anti-HBe and anti-HBe
      RIA/EIA was 95.8% (2330 of 2432). Almost all anti-HBe discordant specimens
      (94.1%, 96 of 102) were reactive by IMx anti-HBe but negative by anti-HBe
      RIA/EIA. off anti-HBe discordant specimens were also reactive for anti-HBc. The
      IMx anti-HBe assay was 2- to 4-fold more sensitive than the current RIA as
      determined by serial dilution of anti-HBe reactive specimens. The ability of
      these IMx assays to detect HBeAg and anti-HBe in 199 HBsAg reactive specimens was
      also evaluated. 43.7% (87 of 199) and 66.3% (132 of 199) specimens were reactive
      for HBeAg and anti-HBe by IMx, respectively. Only one specimen was negative for
      both IMx assays compared to 14 (7.0%) non-reactive for both HBe and anti-HBe RIA.
      There were 24 specimens (12.1%) positive for both HBeAg and anti-HBe by IMx
      compared to 1 (0.5%) positive by the corresponding RIAs. This increased
      detectability of anti-HBe in HBsAg carriers using IMx anti-HBe may result from
      increased sensitivity for 'free' anti-HBe and/or increased ability to detect anti
      HBe in immune complex. IMx anti-HBe also detected more reactives among volunteer
      blood donor specimens reactive for anti-HBc but negative for HBsAg (55.5%, 86 of
      155), compared to RIA (38.7%, 60 of 155). IMx anti-HBe may be useful in
      confirming prior exposure to HBV in blood screened positive by Corzyme.

PMID- 1430053
TI  - Affinity purification of the structural proteins of a fish Rhabdovirus by the use
      of monoclonal antibodies.
AB  - A simple procedure for optimization of affinity chromatography is described for
      parallel purification of four structural proteins of viral haemorrhagic
      septicaemia virus. Monoclonal antibodies to be used as affinity reagents were
      characterized initially with respect to elution conditions by enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay. Subsequently, immobilized antibodies were tested in a
      microscale nonradioactive direct immunoprecipitation assay, in order to establish
      optimal conditions for affinity purification of the viral proteins.

PMID- 1430054
TI  - An evaluation of two simple synthetic peptide based anti-HIV assays.
AB  - Two simple synthetic peptide based assays for anti-HIV (Agen SimpliRED and
      Genetic Systems GENIE) were evaluated for their ability to distinguish samples
      that contained anti-HIV-1 from samples that did not. The anti-HIV negative
      samples were from uninfected subjects that had either given false positive
      reactions on existing screening assays or indeterminate reactivity on Western
      blot. The anti-HIV-1 positive samples had been shown to contain antibody by a
      number of assays, and clinical details of the patients were known. The SimpliRED
      and GENIE assays demonstrated similar performances, with sensitivities of 99.77%
      and 100%, and specificities of 97.78% and 99.16%, respectively.

PMID- 1430055
TI  - Immuno-electron microscopical detection of tomato spotted wilt virus and its
      nucleocapsids in crude plant extracts.
AB  - Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) particles were identified in thin sections and
      in crude extracts of leaves from plants infected with different TSWV isolates,
      using gold labelled protein A and antibodies prepared against purified virus
      particles or against nucleocapsid preparations. In addition, both in thin
      sections and in dip preparations aggregates were detected using either gold
      labelled antiserum. These aggregates were not detected using antisera against
      envelope proteins or against the non-structural protein NSs. They were the only
      detectably labelled material in preparations made from plants infected by
      morphologically defective isolates of TSWV, i.e. isolates that did not produce
      enveloped particles. The aggregates were discerned in dip preparations as cloudy
      amorphous structures having a cottonwool boll-like appearance. These 'cotton
      bolls' were interpreted as being the in vitro structures of the nucleocapsid
      aggregates occurring in plant cells infected by isolates maintained by mechanical
      inoculation and are the only structures in cells infected by morphologically
      defective isolates (Ie, 1982; Kitajima et al., 1992). The detection of the
      'cotton boll-like' structures in crude extracts provides an adequate and rapid
      method to establish the presence of nucleocapsid aggregates in cells of infected
      plants, irrespective of whether they are infected by morphologically defective
      isolates or not.

PMID- 1430056
TI  - Development of a sensitive ELISA for HIV-1 p24 antigen using a fluorogenic
      substrate for monitoring HIV-1 replication in vitro.
AB  - A two-site sandwich fluorescent-ELISA was optimized for the detection of HIV-1
      p24 antigen produced by lymphoid cells infected with HIV-1 in vitro. To improve
      the sensitivity of the ELISA, a combination of streptavidin-beta-galactosidase
      and a fluorogenic substrate (4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside) was
      employed for the enzymatic detection stage. Using recombinant p24 as standard
      antigen, a two-step assay detected as little as 0.7 pg/ml (3.10(-14) M) with an
      upper limit of 10,000 pg/ml. This detection range (approx. 50-70-times greater
      than ELISAs using a chromogenic detection) permitted an accurate and
      straightforward quantitation of p24 in culture supernatants. Overall, the
      fluorescent-ELISA had increased detectability, sensitivity and efficiency over
      existing ELISAs for HIV-1 p24.

PMID- 1430057
TI  - Type-specific identification of influenza viruses A, B and C by the polymerase
      chain reaction.
AB  - The aim of this study was to develop a polymerase chain reaction for specific
      detection of influenza A, B, and C RNA genomes. Three primer sets were selected
      from conserved regions of the genome coding for the non-structural proteins and
      were tested on 61 influenza A (22 H1N1, 9 H2N2, and 30 H3N2), 11 influenza B, and
      three influenza C isolates. Specific amplified products were obtained with all
      these strains after electrophoresis on a 2% agarose gel. The specificity of the
      reaction was increased by hybridization with oligonucleotide probes. When nucleic
      acids from a variety of micro-organisms from the respiratory tract were subjected
      to the PCR with these primers, no specific amplified products were generated. The
      sensitivity of the technique was found to be at the subpicogram level. The RNA
      PCR was applied to 21 clinical specimens from patients with a culture/IF proven
      influenza infection. Six influenza A positive patients and 13 influenza B
      positive patients could be confirmed in the RNA-PCR. In two cases, influenza B
      positive IF specimens were found negative by the PCR. No virus could be isolated
      on eggs or tissue culture from these samples. RNA-PCR is a specific and sensitive
      technique for the detection of influenza virus genomes.

PMID- 1430058
TI  - A solid-phase enzyme-linked assay for influenza virus receptor-binding activity.
AB  - Receptor-binding properties of influenza viruses are usually characterized by the
      ability of viruses to interact with more or less defined sialic acid-containing
      carbohydrates, glycoproteins, or glycolipids assayed by haemagglutination (HA) or
      HA inhibition (HAI) tests. To overcome some drawbacks of these tests a solid
      phase enzyme linked assay analogous to sandwich ELISA was developed. The virus is
      adsorbed specifically to the well of plastic microtitre plates coated with
      fetuin, and the binding of horseradish peroxidase (HRP)labelled
      sialylglycoproteins (SGPs) by the solid phase-attached virions is measured. The
      binding of unlabelled compounds is measured by competition with the attachment of
      a standard fetuin-HRP conjugate. The assay is easy to perform, quantitative
      (allows the determination of affinity constants), and sensitive (even the weak
      binding of free N-acetylneuraminic acid with Kd about 10(-1)-10(-2) M(-1) can be
      studied). Due to a higher stability of components of the present test system, as
      compared to red blood cells, the influence of pH, ionic strength, and other
      factors on virus-receptor interaction can also be investigated.

PMID- 1430059
TI  - Persistence of specific IgM and low avidity specific IgG1 following primary
      rubella.
AB  - Persistence of specific IgM in sera following primary rubella infection was
      compared with the maturation of the specific IgG1 response. 206 sera, from 171
      patients with primary rubella, taken 1 day to 2.5 years after onset of illness,
      were tested. Rubella-specific IgM was detected by M-antibody capture
      radioimmunoassay in 100% of sera taken 15-28 days after onset, but in only 9%
      taken 3-4 months after onset. However, using the diethylamine (DEA) shift value
      (DSV) method, low avidity specific IgG1 was detected in 91% sera taken at 3-4
      months and at 5-7 months 21% of sera remained positive. Using an avidity index
      method, with urea in the wash buffer, none of the sera were positive for low
      avidity specific IgG1 beyond 3 months after onset. With DEA in the wash buffer,
      the number of sera positive rose to 38% at 3-4 months. Thus, the DSV method for
      detecting low avidity specific IgG1 is a useful additional test for confirming or
      refuting a diagnosis of primary rubella and is of particular value for assessing
      pregnant patients.

PMID- 1430060
TI  - A sensitive assay for detection and measurement of neutralising antibody to human
      immunodeficiency virus.
AB  - An assay based on the inhibition of syncytium formation in C8166 cells was
      developed to measure low levels of neutralising antibody (NT-AB) to human
      immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and to detect cross-reactivity between virus
      strains. The relationship between virus challenge and antibody titre was
      represented by a tripartite curve which was essentially linear over moderate
      levels of virus input. Based on these findings, antibody titres were standardised
      against 100 TCID50 of challenge virus. However, lower virus inocula were found to
      detect minimum levels of antibody. Reproducibility of antibody titres between
      tests was high, with variation generally lying within one dilution step. The
      improved sensitivity of the technique allowed detection of NT-ABs in animals
      immunised with immune-stimulating complexes (ISCOMS) incorporating HIV antigens.
      Consistent levels of cross-reactivity between HIV strains was demonstrated,
      indicating the presence of distinct viral groups, from which dominant isolates
      may be chosen for use in vaccination studies.

PMID- 1430061
TI  - 3' terminal nucleotide sequence of human astrovirus type 1 and routine detection
      of astrovirus nucleic acid and antigens.
AB  - Human astrovirus type 1 was purified by caesium chloride density-gradient
      centrifugation and the virus was located using an immunodot blot technique with
      polyclonal rabbit serum, which reacted with all five serotypes. The virus banded
      with a density of 1.33 g/ml. RNA was extracted from the purified virus, converted
      into double-stranded cDNA, using an oligo(dT) primer, and cloned into plasmid and
      M13 vectors. The sequence of the 3' end of astrovirus RNA adjacent to the poly(A)
      tract was determined. This sequence showed no significant homology with the
      equivalent region of other positive-sense RNA viruses. Synthetic oligonucleotide
      primers were designed to amplify specifically astrovirus type 1 RNA in a
      polymerase chain reaction.

PMID- 1430062
TI  - A streptavidin-biotin-enhanced nitrocellulose enzyme immunoassay for the
      detection of rhabdovirus of penaeid shrimps from infected animals.
AB  - A streptavidin-biotin-enhanced nitrocellulose enzyme immunoassay was developed
      for the detection of the rhabdovirus of penaeid shrimps (RPS) in the tissues of
      infected animals. Initial tests indicate that the assay was capable of detecting
      as few as ten plaque-forming units of virus.

PMID- 1430063
TI  - A highly sensitive immunocapture polymerase chain reaction method for plum pox
      potyvirus detection.
AB  - A highly sensitive assay, based on polymerase chain reaction amplification of
      cDNA synthesized from the viral RNA of antibody-captured viral particles, has
      been developed for plum pox potyvirus (PPV) detection. The reaction, called
      immunocapture/PCR (IC/PCR), yields a specific 243-bp product. The immunocapture
      step, by allowing the use of large sample volumes and by the viral particle
      prepurification it achieves, dramatically increases the sensitivity of the assay.
      As few as 8000 target viral particles per ml of plant extract could be detected
      by IC/PCR. When compared to direct PCR (Wetzel et al., 1991), molecular
      hybridization using 32P-labeled cRNA probes and ELISA, this result corresponds to
      a 250-fold, 625-fold and 5000-fold increased sensitivity, respectively. The high
      sensitivity of IC/PCR was confirmed during an indexing trial with field samples
      collected from naturally infected trees. This very powerful technique should have
      wide ranging applications for the detection of a number of other viruses and
      pathogens for which specific antisera and sequence data are available.

PMID- 1430064
TI  - Is the IEMA combined incubator/shaker device preferable to a waterbath for
      incubating enzyme immunoassays?
AB  - An incubator/shaker device proved to be a convenient alternative to a waterbath
      for the incubation of enzyme immunoassays (EIA). The device achieved effective
      and even heat transfer. In two of five EIAs it increased reactivity and in three
      of five EIAs it slightly increased the discrimination between seronegative and
      seropositive specimens though, for the samples investigated, extra sensitivity
      was not thereby achieved. At a high shaking frequency (1400 rpm) there was cross
      contamination between wells, but this did not occur at 900 rpm. The relative
      contributions of heating and of shaking to the incubation of EIAs deserve further
      investigation.

PMID- 1430065
TI  - A novel, spectrophotometric microneutralization assay for respiratory syncytial
      virus.
AB  - We describe a simple and rapid microneutralization assay for respiratory
      syncytial virus (RSV) based on the colorimetric quantitation of the conversion of
      3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) to a formazan
      product by the mitochondria of viable cells. Conditions for RSV infectivity were
      first optimized for sensitivity and reproducibility based on cell density and on
      RSV concentration as a function of multiplicity of infection (MOI) and time post
      infection and the resulting optical densities were shown to be inversely
      proportional to MOI. For RSV neutralization, dilutions of heat-inactivated human
      plasma were preincubated with RSV and complement prior to infection of cells in
      microtiter plates. Following MTT dye conversion, 50% RSV neutralization titers
      were determined by linear regression analysis of the optical density values and
      endpoints were markedly influenced by MOI. The MTT-based assay was shown to be
      comparably sensitive to the plaque reduction assay for quantitation of
      neutralizing antibody, but more readily adaptable to the screening of a large
      number of samples. Finally, we demonstrated that the MTT microneutralization
      assay for RSV was useful for quantitation assay of neutralization activity in
      sera of mice and cotton rats.

PMID- 1430066
TI  - A statistical method for the detection of false positives and false negatives in
      microtitre format PCR assays.
AB  - A method is described which can be used to determine whether a series of PCR
      reactions carried out in a microtitre plate are inherently unlikely to have
      occurred by chance, and hence to show 'false' results. The method is an extension
      of the familiar 'runs test' which can be used for tube-based PCRs. A Monte Carlo
      simulation program is discussed which can be used to generate expected
      probability distributions for either symmetric or asymmetric plate designs. In
      addition, systematic departures from a random pattern due to 'edge effects' can
      be detected.

PMID- 1430067
TI  - Viral susceptibility of an immortalized human microvascular endothelial cell
      line.
AB  - CDC/EU.HMEC-1 is the first immortalized human microvascular endothelial cell line
      that retains morphologic, phenotypic, and functional characteristics of a normal
      human microvascular endothelial cell. This study evaluates a variety of viruses
      and their effects on this human endothelial cell line. The data indicate that
      adenoviruses, some herpesviruses, reoviruses and most picornaviruses grow well in
      HMEC-1, with distinctive cytopathic effects. The paramyxoviruses, however, do not
      appear to propagate, nor does HIV. The findings indicate that microvascular
      endothelial cells may act as a reservoir of these viruses; it also suggests the
      possibility that microvascular endothelium could be involved in the processing
      and presentation of antigen to immune cells.

PMID- 1430068
TI  - Highly sensitive digoxigenin-labelled DNA probe for the detection of potato
      spindle tuber viroid.
AB  - A molecular probe pSPAv6.2(+), with concatameric insert representing 6.2-times
      repeated copy of potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTV) RNA, was labelled with
      digoxigenin and used to detect PSTV by dot-blot hybridization assay. The probe
      was highly sensitive and specific, detecting as little as 2.5 pg of PSTV RNA.
      Both severe and mild PSTV strains were detectable in 64-512-times diluted crude
      extracts from infected tomato leaves, and potato leaves, sprouts, and seeds. For
      extraction of plant tissue three buffers were compared to determine the lowest
      non-specific background and the highest sensitivity. The results showed that the
      digoxigenin-labelled probe is as sensitive as the 32P-labelled probe and can
      replace radioactive techniques in PSTV detection. With such high sensitivity, the
      probe is also potentially useful for detecting the viroid in composite samples of
      mass-indexing programs.

PMID- 1430069
TI  - Recombinant parvovirus B19 capsids as a new substrate for detection of B19
      specific IgG and IgM antibodies by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
AB  - A new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of B19-specific IgG and
      IgM antibodies was established using B19 capsids synthesized in a baculovirus
      expression system. These B19 capsids, consisting of either coat protein VP2 alone
      or of both VP1 and VP2, have been shown to be similar to native virus in size and
      appearance. The results obtained for the detection of B19-specific antibodies
      showed good correlations with a radioimmunoassay which uses native B19 virus and
      an immunofluorescence assay based on insect cells expressing coat protein VP1.
      The course of the antibody response could be followed by determining the titers
      of sequential serum samples taken after a recent B19 infection. Both types of
      recombinant capsids form an excellent source of antigen for the detection of both
      B19 IgG and IgM antibodies and are a very promising substitute for native virus.

PMID- 1430070
TI  - Competitive polymerase chain reaction using an internal standard: application to
      the quantitation of viral DNA.
AB  - A general strategy for the construction of an internal standard for the
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is described together with its application in the
      evaluation of clinical samples. This internal standard is a plasmid containing a
      modified target sequence that is co-amplified with the native target using the
      same set of primers. The co-amplification reaction will generate two fragments of
      different size that are readily separated without the need for restriction enzyme
      digestion. Thereafter, they are detected and quantitated by hybridization to the
      same probe. Detection of HIV proviral DNA was chosen as a model for this
      competitive PCR. The assay proved to be a sensitive tool for the detection of PCR
      inhibitors and allowed quantitation of HIV with a 20-30% variation coefficient.
      Despite limitations that appear inherent to the amplification process, internal
      standards appear to be useful tools for quantitative analysis by PCR.

PMID- 1430071
TI  - Comparison of eight different procedures for harvesting avian reoviruses grown in
      Vero cells.
AB  - 14 avian reovirus isolates adapted to replicate in an African green monkey (Vero)
      cell line were studied for the nature of their replication. The growth curves of
      5 viruses showed them to be highly cell-associated in Vero cells. Different
      procedures were examined for releasing the cell-associated virus following
      propagation in Vero cells, including several freeze-thaw cycles, treatment with
      sterile distilled deionized water (ddH2O), freon extraction, and trypsin
      treatment. Treatment of virus infected cultures with ddH2O was the most
      effective, and trypsin treatment was the least effective procedure for
      dissociation of virus from cells. Treatment of virus infected cultures with ddH2O
      is a simple and effective procedure which can be used where large amounts of
      virus are required for experimental purposes.

PMID- 1430072
TI  - A rapid chemiluminescent detection method for barley yellow dwarf virus.
AB  - Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV-PAV-IL) was detected with biotinylated in vitro
      transcript cDNA using a chemiluminescent substrate on nylon membranes. Signals
      were detected on X-ray film and quantified using either a densitometer or an
      ELISA plate reader. The time required for sample preparation was reduced so that
      the entire protocol could be completed in two days. The in vitro transcript
      probes could detect 1 ng of purified virus and as little as 1 microliter of sap
      extracts prepared from infected oat shoots.

PMID- 1430073
TI  - The assessment of nucleotide sequence diversity by the polymerase chain reaction
      is highly reproducible.
AB  - The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is often used to assess the diversity of
      viral nucleotide sequences present in various biological samples (e.g., blood and
      tissues). However, it is not clear how reproducible this approach may be. DNA was
      extracted from the peripheral blood lymphocytes of a macaque that had been
      infected, experimentally, with SIVmac251-32H 6 months previously. The nef gene
      was then amplified by the PCR on three separate occasions from this same template
      preparation. A panel of clones was prepared from the product of each PCR, the
      entire nef gene was sequenced and the sequences obtained compared with each
      other. Phenogram analysis revealed that within each panel the same degree of
      sequence diversity was observed between clones. Furthermore, when the sequences
      obtained from all three panels were compared, the overall sequence diversity
      observed was no greater than that observed for each panel individually. These
      data indicate that the analysis of sequence diversity in SIV 'quasi-species'
      populations by the PCR is reliable and, more important, reproducible.

PMID- 1430074
TI  - A nylon membrane enzyme immunoassay for rapid diagnosis of influenza A infection.
AB  - A new membrane-enzyme immunofiltration assay (MIFA) was developed for rapid
      diagnosis of influenza A infection. The pretreated specimens were dispensed into
      a 1.2 micron Biodyne B nylon membrane-bottomed microplate and vacuum filtration
      was applied. Blocking solution, peroxidase-conjugated anti-influenza A
      nucleoprotein monoclonal antibody, washing buffer and substrate were added in
      that order. The assay was completed within 30 min. Out of 103 nasopharyngeal
      swabs collected in transport medium, 31 isolates of influenza A virus were
      obtained and 22 specimens were detected directly by the MIFA technique. The 9
      isolation-positive MIFA-negative specimens required 6 days or more for viral
      detection in cell culture, and probably contained a very low quantity of virus.
      The 72 cell culture negative specimens were also negative by MIFA. Comparison
      with a classical immunocapture assay (ICA) gave a better sensitivity for MIFA, as
      only 15/103 specimens were positive by ICA. MIFA is a rapid test with 71%
      sensitivity and 100% specificity. It was also very useful to test the cell
      culture supernatants, as a sensitivity of 100% was obtained with MIFA when the
      immunofluorescence technique was positive. The same technique could be readily
      carried out on the same plate for other respiratory viruses since capture
      antibody is not used.

PMID- 1430075
TI  - Clinical review 39: Paget's disease of bone.

PMID- 1430076
TI  - Role of insulin-like growth factor-1 in reversing catabolism.

PMID- 1430077
TI  - Effect of increasing doses of recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-I on
      glucose, lipid, and leucine metabolism in man.
AB  - The metabolic effects of recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I)
      were assessed in five groups of normal male overnight-fasted volunteers receiving
      infusions of either 0, 5, 7.5, 15, or 30 micrograms/kg.h IGF-I during 8 h,
      resulting in total plasma IGF-I concentrations 127 +/- 7, 247 +/- 30, 389 +/- 39,
      573 +/- 62, 620 +/- 105 ng/ml, respectively. Glucose consumption (euglycemic
      glucose clamp) increased dose dependently during IGF-I infusion (P < 0.001) up to
      6.7 +/- 1.3 mg/kg. min in the 30 micrograms/kg.h group. Plasma triglyceride
      concentrations decreased with increasing doses of IGF-I (P < 0.03); the fall was
      43% in the 30 micrograms/kg.h group. Plasma free fatty acid concentrations
      decreased during 7.5, 15, and 30 micrograms/kg.h IGF-I by 23%, 34%, and 48%,
      respectively. IGF-I lowered plasma beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations in a dose
      dependent manner (P < 0.025). Plasma concentrations of leucine and alpha
      ketoisocaproate decreased dose dependently (P < 0.001 and P < 0.015). Whole body
      leucine flux (1-13C-leucine infusion technique) decreased with increasing doses
      of IGF-I by 41% during 30 micrograms/kg.h, indicating decreased whole body
      protein breakdown. Leucine oxidation into 13CO2 decreased with increasing doses
      of IGF-I (P < 0.045) by 57% in the 30 micrograms/kg.h group, suggesting
      inhibition of irreversible loss of leucine. Plasma C-peptide and insulin
      concentrations decreased dose dependently (P < 0.005 and P < 0.02), indicating
      diminished insulin secretion. Thus, acute elevation of plasma IGF-I
      concentrations in man results in metabolic effects which are qualitatively
      similar to those described previously of insulin.

PMID- 1430078
TI  - Low dose recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-I fails to affect protein
      anabolism but inhibits islet cell secretion in humans.
AB  - The in vivo effects of recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-I (rhIGF-I)
      on whole body protein metabolism were studied to ascertain whether rhIGF-I has
      comparable effects as those reported with rhGH use in humans. The doses of rhIGF
      I chosen achieved similar plasma IGF-I concentrations as those achieved after 7
      days of rhGH injections. Eight normal volunteers were studied using [1-13C]- and
      [1-14C]leucine tracers, before, 4 h, and 28 h after a continuous infusion of
      rhIGF-I at 5 micrograms kg-1 h-1 (n = 6) and 10 micrograms kg-1 h-1 (n = 2). Two
      additional subjects were studied in a protein catabolic state after 7 days of
      high dose (0.8 mg kg-1 day-1) glucocorticosteroid administration. Plasma
      concentrations of rhIGF-I were similar using either 5 or 10 micrograms kg-1 h-1
      and increased to values approximately 300% above baseline by 28 h of infusion. No
      decrease in the plasma glucose concentration was observed during the 28-h
      infusion; however, plasma insulin, C-peptide, and glucagon concentrations
      significantly decreased, whereas plasma free fatty acids were not affected. No
      changes were observed in the rate of proteolysis (as estimated by the rate of
      leucine appearance), the rate of leucine oxidation, or the rate of protein
      synthesis in the absence or presence of glucocorticosteroid treatment. Plasma
      concentrations of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 did not change
      during the rhIGF-I infusion whereas they increased 50% in subjects who received
      rhGH, and in whom rhGH caused a potent protein anabolic effect. These results
      suggest that rhIGF-I may have a somatostatin-like effect. In addition, we found
      that rhIGF-I infusion is insufficient to promote protein anabolism. This may be
      due to the failure of rhIGF-I alone to induce a pivotal GH-dependent cofactor(s)
      necessary for IGF-I to elicit an anabolic effect on protein metabolism in humans.

PMID- 1430079
TI  - Temporal pattern of pancreatic insulin and C-peptide secretion and of plasma
      glucose levels after nutritional stimulation.
AB  - The dependency of the secretory pattern of insulin and C-peptide on either oral
      ingestion of the energy substrates glucose and protein or gastric distension was
      determined in nine healthy male subjects. To analyze secretion dynamics, high
      frequency blood sampling, computed estimation of individual hormone half-lives,
      deconvolution of data, and pulse analysis of the deconvoluted data by the Cluster
      program were used. After stimulation with oral glucose and protein, baseline
      insulin, C-peptide, and glucose levels increased in parallel, forming two or
      three large increases (macropulses), with a mean duration of 63.8 min. The
      frequency of high frequency insulin and C-peptide pulses was unchanged, whereas a
      significantly increased amplitude formed the basis of insulin/C-peptide
      macropulses after both oral stimulations. No changes in baseline insulin/C
      peptide concentrations or in amplitude or frequency were observed after a
      challenge with 400 mL H2O (n = 3). Gastric distension with an equal volume of H2O
      (400 mL) did not influence pancreatic hormone secretion. Insulin and C-peptide
      secretions were pulsatile, with a frequency of approximately one pulse per 12 min
      correlated to C-peptide pulses. When calculated by multiple regression analysis
      glucose, insulin and C-peptide plasma levels increased simultaneously after the
      challenge with either glucose or protein, suggesting a neuronal or humoral
      intestinal-pancreatic regulation of pancreatic hormone secretion. These findings
      suggest that high frequency insulin and C-peptide pulses form the basis of
      insulin and C-peptide plasma levels after meal stimulation.

PMID- 1430081
TI  - Acute effects of testosterone infusion and naloxone on luteinizing hormone
      secretion in normal men.
AB  - To evaluate the role of endogenous opioid pathways in the acute suppression of LH
      secretion by testosterone (T) infusion in men, we studied eight normal healthy
      volunteers who received a saline infusion, followed 1 week later by a T infusion
      (960 nmol/h) starting at 1000 h and lasting for 33 h. After 2 h of infusion (both
      saline and T), four iv boluses of saline were given hourly, and after 26 h of
      infusion, four hourly iv boluses of naloxone were given. Blood was obtained every
      15 min for LH and every 30 min for T. T infusion increased the mean plasma T
      concentration 2.1-fold (18.7 +/- 2.1 to 39.5 +/- 3.5 nmol/L, saline vs. T
      infusion, P < 0.01). The mean plasma LH concentration was 7.9 +/- 0.5 IU/L during
      the saline control study and was decreased to 6.9 +/- 0.6 IU/L by the infusion of
      T (P < 0.05). LH pulse frequency was similar during both saline and T infusions
      (0.48 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.43 +/- 0.04 pulses/man.h, saline vs. T infusion). The mean
      LH pulse amplitude decreased from 4.3 +/- 0.4 IU/L during saline infusion to 3.3
      +/- 0.2 IU/L during T infusion (P < 0.05). The administration of naloxone
      increased the mean plasma LH concentration significantly during saline infusion
      (7.6 +/- 0.4 to 10.0 +/- 0.9 IU/L, saline vs. naloxone boluses, P < 0.01), but
      not during T infusion (6.9 +/- 0.6 vs. 7.3 +/- 0.6 IU/L). LH pulse frequency
      increased significantly after the administration of naloxone during both saline
      and T infusions (0.54 +/- 0.04 to 0.71 +/- 0.08 pulses/man.h, saline vs. naloxone
      boluses during saline infusion, and 0.46 +/- 0.08 to 0.60 +/- 0.07 pulses/man.h
      during T infusion; P < 0.05). LH pulse amplitude was suppressed by T infusion,
      but administration of naloxone did not reverse this suppression. The mean
      amplitude of the LH response to exogenous GnRH (250 ng/kg) was decreased by T
      infusion from 48 +/- 13.5 to 31.2 +/- 8.5 IU/L (P < 0.01). Therefore, in men, the
      administration of naloxone increases LH pulse frequency during both saline and T
      infusions, but the acute suppression of LH pulse amplitude seen with T infusion
      was not reversed by naloxone. This pattern contrasts sharply with the effects of
      T infusion in pubertal boys, as elucidated by our earlier studies. The negative
      feedback effects of T on LH secretion are primarily hypothalamic in early
      pubertal boys and change to pituitary suppression in men.

PMID- 1430080
TI  - Testosterone buciclate (20 Aet-1) in hypogonadal men: pharmacokinetics and
      pharmacodynamics of the new long-acting androgen ester.
AB  - Due to unfavorable pharmacokinetics of the available androgen esters for
      substitution therapy of male hypogonadism, there is a demand for new testosterone
      (T) preparations producing constant serum levels in the physiological range. To
      assess the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the new ester testosterone
      buciclate (TB) [20 Aet-1] in hypogonadal men a clinical phase I-study was
      performed. After two control examinations 8 male patients with primary
      hypogonadism were randomly assigned to 2 treatment groups (n = 2 x 4) given
      single doses of either 200 (group I) or 600 mg (group II) TB im. Blood samples
      were obtained 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 days post injection and then weekly in the course
      of 4 months. In group I serum androgen levels did not rise to normal values.
      However, in group II androgens increased significantly and were maintained in the
      normal range up to 12 weeks with maximal serum levels of 13.1 +/- 0.9 nmol/L
      (mean +/- SE) in study week 6. No initial peak release of T was observed in
      either study group. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed a terminal elimination t1/2
      beta of 29.5 +/- 3.9 days and a mean residence time of 65.0 +/- 9.9 days in group
      II. In one patient in group II dihydrotestosterone levels slightly exceeded the
      upper normal limit during the study course. Sex hormone-binding globulin remained
      unchanged and estradiol serum levels never exceeded the normal range in any
      patient. In group II gonadotropins were significantly suppressed, whereas no
      change was seen in group I. A significant increase in body weight, hematological
      parameters, and libido/potency was observed after TB injection which was more
      pronounced in the higher dose group. Regardless of the dose administered, no
      significant change was seen in uroflow, prostate volume measured by transrectal
      ultrasonography, or prostate specific antigen. No adverse side-effects including
      changes in clinical chemistry were observed. In conclusion, single injections of
      600 mg TB in hypogonadal patients show favorable pharmacokinetics and
      pharmacodynamics. This new long-acting T ester is a promising new agent for
      substitution therapy of male hypogonadism and for male contraception.

PMID- 1430082
TI  - Autoantibody to human prolactin in patients with idiopathic hyperprolactinemia.
AB  - We have demonstrated the presence of anti-PRL autoantibody in 5 patients with
      idiopathic hyperprolactinemia. The clinical features were suggestive of a weak
      biological activity of PRL, such as regular menses and no galactorrhea. Total PRL
      levels were markedly elevated (685 +/- 386 micrograms/L) (mean +/- SD) and the
      proportion of the bound form was 90.7 +/- 7.1%. Scatchard analysis revealed a low
      affinity, high-capacity antibody: the association constant was 0.73 +/- 0.56 x
      10(7) mol-1 and the maximal binding capacity was 2139 +/- 1792 micrograms/L. Gel
      filtration study showed that a substantial amount of PRL (64.6 +/- 19.5%) was
      eluted at the position of 150,000-170,000 mol wt PRL (big-big PRL).
      Immunoprecipitation study using the chain-specific antibodies showed that the
      anti-PRL autoantibody belonged to kappa-type immunoglobulin G. These results may
      indicate that there exists autoantibody-related hyperprolactinemia, especially in
      those with particularly high serum PRL levels, who had previously been diagnosed
      as "idiopathic" hyperprolactinemia.

PMID- 1430083
TI  - Synthesis and release of endothelin-1 by human decidual cells.
AB  - We have studied whether a novel vasoconstrictor, endothelin-1 (ET-1), is
      synthesized by and released from human decidual cells in early pregnancy, and
      whether ET-1 acts directly on their own cells. It was observed that ET-1-like
      immunoreactivity (ET-1-LI) was released from cultured decidual, but not villous,
      cells, as a function of time. Reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography
      of the conditioned media from the decidual cells revealed a major peak of ET-1-LI
      coeluting with standard ET-1. Phorbol myristate acetate, a protein kinase C
      activator, dose-dependently increased the release of ET-1-LI from the decidual
      cells, while a protein kinase C inhibitor, H7, significantly attenuated the
      stimulatory effect of phorbol myristate acetate on ET-1-LI release. Northern blot
      analysis demonstrated the expression of messenger RNA for prepro-ET-1 in the
      decidual tissue, but no such messenger RNA was observed in the villous tissue.
      The human decidual tissue contained a noninteracting, single class of binding
      sites demonstrating higher affinity for ET-1 and ET-2 than ET-3. This would be
      most consistent with the ETA receptor subtype. An ET-1-induced, dose-dependent
      accumulation of total inositol phosphates was also observed in human decidual
      cells prelabeled with myo-[3H]inositol. The present results demonstrate for the
      first time that human decidual cells in early pregnancy can synthesize and
      release ET-1. These cells also possess specific functional receptors for ET-1
      which are coupled to phosphoinositide hydrolysis. Thus our data suggest a
      possible role for ET-1 in autocrine and/or paracrine function in human decidual
      cells.

PMID- 1430084
TI  - Growth hormone (GH)-binding protein regulation by estrogen, progesterone, and
      gonadotropins in human: the effect of ovulation induction with menopausal
      gonadotropins, GH, and gestation.
AB  - The recently described serum GH-binding protein (GH-BP) may reflect the GH
      receptor level. To assess the serum GH-BP levels under various physiological and
      supraphysiological levels of sex steroids, we have evaluated its concentration in
      26 patients undergoing 34 cycles of ovulation induction with either human
      menopausal gonadotropins (hMG)/hCG or GH/hMG/hCG. The latter ovulation induction
      protocol was undertaken in "Clonidine negative" patients in a prospective,
      randomized, crossed-over manner, between GH/hMG/hCG or hMG/hCG. The increase in
      GH-BP levels in patients' sera undergoing ovulation induction directly correlated
      with peripheral estradiol (E2) (r = 0.577; P < 0.001), and with peripheral
      progesterone (P4) (r = 0.542; P < 0.001; n = 174) concentrations in hMG/hCG
      cycles, and also in GH/hMG/hCG cycles (r = 0.669, P < 0.001 for E2, and r =
      0.722, P < 0.001 for P4, n = 84). GH-BP levels did not change significantly in
      response to 0.15 mg Clonidine ingestion. The baseline GH-BP levels significantly
      correlated with the body mass index of 47 patients (r = 0.547; P < 0.001). The
      insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentrations increased in correlation with
      increasing E2 levels up to 5500 pmol/L but decreased thereafter, at very high E2
      concentrations. In gestations generated by ovulation induction with hMG/hCG or
      GH/hMG/hCG, longitudinal measurements of GH-BP levels showed an initial sharp
      increase during early gestation, followed by a gradual decrease beginning around
      the end of the first trimester and continuing during the mid and late trimesters.
      In normal spontaneous pregnancies, GH-BP levels, measured from the fifth week
      until term, were negatively correlated with gestational age (r = -0.581; P <
      0.001; n = 84). This pattern is highly suggestive of the possibility that GH-BP
      is coregulated not only with E2 and P4 but also with hCG, and possibly other
      gonadotropins as well. Indeed, in patients with "resistant ovaries",
      pharmacological amounts of hMG failed to increase E2 concentrations but
      moderately increased GH-BP levels. These data provide good indirect evidence for
      coregulation of the GH-BP with both sex steroids and gonadotropins. The mid and
      late trimesters decrease in GH-BP levels in spite of increasing sex steroids
      concentrations, may be attributed to the decreasing hCG concentrations, and/or to
      the increasing secretion of placental lactogen (PL) and placental GH with the
      advancing gestation.

PMID- 1430085
TI  - Effects of unopposed conjugated equine estrogen on lipoprotein composition and
      apolipoprotein-E distribution.
AB  - Administration of conjugated equine estrogen to 31 postmenopausal women for 3
      months produced 14.6% and 9.4% decreases in low density lipoprotein cholesterol
      (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein-B (apoB), and 11.5%, 12.7%, and 9.6% increases in high
      density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), apoA-I and apoA-II, respectively.
      Phospholipids of HDL2 and HDL3 were increased 57.9% and 19.3%, respectively,
      while relatively small increases in cholesterol of the two subfractions were not
      significant. Compositions of LDL and HDL and its subfractions were altered
      substantially with estrogen treatment. The proportion of LDL triglyceride to LDL
      C was increased. The phospholipid content in both the HDL2 and HDL3 subfractions
      (compared to cholesterol) was increased significantly (34.8% and 10.7%,
      respectively), while the triglyceride content was increased only in the HDL2
      subfraction (43.6%). Estrogen use also caused a 9.1% reduction in total apoE
      levels and a redistribution of apoE to the very low density lipoprotein (VLDL)
      from the LDL plus HDL fraction, resulting in a significant 19.5% decrease in apoE
      in the LDL plus HDL fraction. Changes in apoE in the VLDL fraction were
      associated positively with changes in the cholesterol levels of the VLDL fraction
      and inversely with changes in LDL-C and apoB levels, while changes in apoE in the
      LDL plus HDL fraction were associated positively with changes in the levels of
      HDL-C. Thus, estrogen causes alterations in lipoproteins that could potentially
      affect their metabolism and/or function.

PMID- 1430086
TI  - Sustained improvement in growth velocity and recovery from suboptimal growth
      hormone (GH) secretion after treatment with human pituitary GH-releasing hormone
      (1-44)-NH2.
AB  - The sustained effect of human pancreatic GH-releasing hormone [hpGHRH-(1-44)-NH2]
      on growth rate and GH secretory patterns was studied in 14 patients (10 males and
      4 females; aged 10-16 yr; all Tanner stage I or II). Nine children had inadequate
      spontaneous GH secretion (ISGHS), while 5 had classic GH deficiency. Seven of 9
      patients with ISGHS and 1 of 5 patients with GH deficiency were given 2 sc
      injections/day of 5 micrograms/kg GHRH for 2-3 months; the others received 5
      pulses of GHRH (5 micrograms/kg BW.pulse) for 6 nights a week for 2-13 months,
      given every 3 h. Six of the nine ISGHS patients increased their growth velocity
      in response to GHRH therapy. These same six patients maintained an increased
      growth velocity for up to 24 months after GHRH was discontinued. The remaining
      three ISGHS patients did not show a significant growth response to GHRH
      administration. Neither a temporary nor a sustained growth response was
      correlated with spontaneous overnight GH secretion in these patients. In
      contrast, three of five classical GH deficiency patients exhibited increased
      growth velocity while undergoing GHRH therapy, but growth returned to
      preintervention rates upon discontinuation of treatment. The other two of the
      five classic GH deficiency patients failed to demonstrate any growth response to
      GHRH treatment. The increased growth velocity that was sustained for long
      intervals even after discontinuation of GHRH in ISGHS patients may indicate
      restoration of normal regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary GH secretion axis.

PMID- 1430088
TI  - Frame shift by insertion of 2 basepairs in codon 394 of CYP11B1 causes congenital
      adrenal hyperplasia due to steroid 11 beta-hydroxylase deficiency.
AB  - Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is an autosomal recessive disorder of
      corticosteroid biosynthesis primarily caused by a deficiency in either of two
      heme-containing cytochrome P450-enzymes: steroid 21- or 11 beta-hydroxylase
      (causing approximately 90% and 5-8% of classical CAH cases, respectively).
      Depending on the patient's gender, the affected enzyme, and the extent of
      enzymatic dysfunction, symptoms include adrenal hyperplasia, androgen excess,
      virilization, growth disturbance, and electrolyte imbalance. To define the
      molecular basis of steroid 11 beta-hydroxylase-deficient CAH, we cloned and
      sequenced the CYP11B1 gene (encoding 11 beta-hydroxylase) of a female patient
      afflicted with this disorder. Exon 7 contained a 2-basepair insertion in codon
      394, leading to a reading frame shift, multiple incorrect codons, and a premature
      stop in codon 469, resulting in complete destruction of the enzyme's heme-binding
      domain. Due to parental consanguinity, this defect was homozygous and, therefore,
      provides a full molecular explanation for this disease.

PMID- 1430087
TI  - Existence of multiple peaks in plasma ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone after
      oral administration of a contraceptive pill.
AB  - Previous measurements of plasma ethinyl estradiol (EE2) and norethindrone (NE)
      over 24 h after oral administration of a contraceptive pill have demonstrated a
      single steroid peak occurring 1-2 h after pill ingestion, with a gradual decline
      over the next 22 h. In the present study plasma concentrations of EE2 and NE were
      measured 0, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 2, 4, 12, and 24 h after oral ingestion of a
      contraceptive pill containing 35 micrograms EE2 and 1 mg NE at 0, 3, 6, and 9
      months of use in 58 normal healthy women. Contrary to previous reports, analysis
      of the 464 steroid curves (58 subjects x 4 time periods x 2 steroids) revealed
      the presence of multiple hormone peaks. Two peaks of EE2 were identified in 44.8%
      of women during the first pill cycle and in 75.9%, 55.2%, and 67.2% of women
      after 3, 6, and 9 months of pill use. Two hormone peaks of NE were observed in
      29.3% of women during the first cycle and in 36.2%, 50%, and 44.8% at 3, 6, and 9
      months, respectively. Existence of these multiple peaks at the frequency observed
      has not previously been reported. Further quantification of the frequency and
      magnitude of these peaks could be helpful in explaining differences in biological
      responses associated with pill use.

PMID- 1430090
TI  - Screening for Y-derived sex determining gene SRY in 40 patients with Turner
      syndrome.
AB  - In Turner patients, the presence of a Y chromosome or derivative Y is correlated
      with the risk of gonadoblastoma induction. "Marker" chromosomes originating from
      Y, may not show characteristic fluorescence and then be very difficult to
      identify by conventional cytogenetic techniques, although they still predispose
      the patients to gonadal tumors. Using polymerase chain reaction of the gene from
      the sex-determining region of the Y chromosome, we screened 40 Turner patients
      (thirty seven 45X and three 45X,46XX) for the presence of Y chromosomal DNA. We
      were able to identify karyotypically unrecognized Y chromosome material in 1
      patient out of the 40 studied. In this patient mild clinical and biological
      hyperandrogenism was observed. Reliability of our technique was ascertained by
      the detection of the expected 648 base pairs amplified DNA fragment in all normal
      male controls as well as in 3 Turner patients with confirmed 45X,46XY mosaicism.
      Despite the low frequency of unrecognized Y chromosome material (1 case over 40
      in our experience), our data suggest that polymerase chain reaction of the gene
      from the sex-determining region of the Y chromosome is worthy of being performed
      in Turner patients considering the potential risk of the presence of a Y
      chromosome.

PMID- 1430089
TI  - The effects of human proinsulin on glucose turnover and intermediary metabolism
      in insulin-dependent-diabetes mellitus.
AB  - We have compared the action of human proinsulin and insulin on glucose turnover,
      intermediary carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism in insulin-dependent-diabetic
      (IDDM) subjects. Six, young, weight-matched (23 +/- 2 kg-2) IDDM subjects
      underwent separate hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamps. Three, low dose, iv
      infusions of both insulin and proinsulin were used to construct dose response
      curves. The proinsulin infusions were chosen to give steady state levels
      approximately or equal to 20-fold higher on a molar basis than insulin, based on
      previous findings that proinsulin has only 5-10% the biological potency of
      insulin. Hepatic glucose production, measured using [6'6'2H2]glucose, was
      suppressed equally by proinsulin and insulin at the three dose levels; (I1) 2.8
      +/- 0.7 (P1) 3.3 +/- 0.6, (I2) 2.3 +/- 0.9 (P2) 3.3 +/- 1.1, (I3) -2.0 +/- 1.7
      (P3) -1.1 +/- 0.6 mumol/kg min-1. Percentage elevation of glucose disposal was
      significantly increased during the insulin infusions compared to proinsulin; (I1)
      132 +/- 12 (P1) 78 +/- 4 p < 0.01; (I2) 157 +/- 18 (P2) 104 +/- 14; P < 0.05;
      (I3) 242 +/- 23 (P3) 159 +/- 24 p = 0.02. Dose response curve analysis
      demonstrated that proinsulin stimulated glucose disposal approximately or equal
      to 3.7% whereas suppression of HGP was congruent to 5.7% compared to insulin.
      Proinsulin had a significantly weaker effect than insulin, at the lowest infusion
      dose, in percent suppression of plasma nonesterified fatty acids (I1 34 +/- 4, P1
      14 +/- 15%; P < 0.05), blood glycerol (I1 47 +/- 4, P1 30 +/- 3%; P < 0.01) and 3
      hydroxybutyrate levels (I1 81 +/- 7, P1 42 +/- 17%; P < 0.05). Proinsulin caused
      significant net reductions in blood lactate levels compared to insulin at each
      infusion dose; (P1) -130 +/- 34, (I1) -32 +/- 30 mumol/L (P < 0.05) (P2) -139 +/-
      76 (I2) +8 +/- 65 mumol/L (P < 0.05) (P3) 48 +/- 60 (I3) 230 +/- 64 mumol/L (P <
      0.05). We conclude that in IDDM: 1) proinsulin has a preferential effect on the
      liver compared to muscle, in terms of glucose handling; 2) proinsulin may have a
      different effect on lactate metabolism compared to insulin; 3) proinsulin at the
      lowest dose resulted in an inability to suppress lipolysis and ketogenesis; 4)
      glucose turnover can be underestimated using [6'6'2H2]glucose.

PMID- 1430091
TI  - Effect of physiological hyperinsulinemia on counterregulatory hormone responses
      during hypoglycemia in humans.
AB  - We evaluated the effect of continuous physiological hyperinsulinemia on
      counterregulatory hormone responses in seven healthy subjects, each studied on
      two occasions. Hormone responses were measured during identical 2-h periods of
      hypoglycemia (plasma glucose target 3.5 mmol/L) at insulin levels of 350 pmol/L
      or 640 pmol/L. During hypoglycemia, there were significant (50-1400%) increases
      in glucagon, epinephrine, norepinephrine, GH, and cortisol which were comparable
      in the two groups. We further evaluated the influence of the duration of mild
      hyperinsulinemia on the responses in an additional group of normal subjects (n =
      7). Brief (30 min) exposure to insulin was compared to a prolonged (3.5 h)
      insulin infusion, each followed by identical hypoglycemia. Plasma insulin
      (approximately 350 pmol/L) and plasma glucose (target 3.3 mmol/L) were similar in
      both groups. The increases in epinephrine, norepinephrine, GH, and cortisol
      during hypoglycemia were virtually identical in the two groups. However, the
      secretion of glucagon was blunted following prolonged hyperinsulinemia,
      increasing to levels of 249 +/- 17 ng/L in the brief studies and to only 185 +/-
      20 ng/L in the prolonged studies (P < 0.005). The insulin-induced decrement in
      plasma amino acids were similar in the two studies and could not account for the
      impaired glucagon secretory response. CONCLUSIONS: 1) Brief exposure to even high
      physiological levels of insulin do not alter the magnitude of counterregulatory
      hormone secretion during hypoglycemia; 2) prolonged hyperinsulinemia results in a
      selective blunting of the plasma glucagon response to hypoglycemia, perhaps due
      to a direct suppressive effect of insulin on alpha-cell secretion.

PMID- 1430092
TI  - Serum growth hormone (GH)-binding protein and insulin-like growth factor-I levels
      in Turner's syndrome before and during treatment with recombinant human GH and
      ethinyl estradiol.
AB  - Serum levels of GH-binding protein (GH-BP) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF
      I) were measured in 14 adolescent girls with Turner's syndrome (TS) before and
      during treatment with recombinant human GH (rhGH) and oral ethinyl estradiol
      (EE2). Before treatment, the mean +/- SE GH-BP level in TS patients was 33.2 +/-
      2.0%; this was higher (P < 0.05) than that in bone age-matched (27.9 +/- 1.1%; n
      = 13) or chronological age-matched (28.1 +/- 0.8%; n = 17) control girls. The
      mean +/- SE IGF-I level in TS girls (283 +/- 26 micrograms/L) was comparable to
      that in bone age-matched controls (255 +/- 17 micrograms/L), but lower (P <
      0.005) than that in chronological age-matched pubertal controls (568 +/- 35
      micrograms/L). In 7 TS girls treated with daily sc injections of rhGH in a dose
      of 0.8 U/kg.week for 18 months, serum levels of IGF-I increased from 330 +/- 39
      to 707 +/- 48 micrograms/L after 3 months of treatment and remained elevated for
      the entire observation period (P < 0.002). In contrast, GH-BP levels did not
      change significantly. In 7 other TS girls, puberty was induced after 2 yr of
      daily sc injections with rhGH (1 U/kg.week) by adding 100 ng/kg.day EE2, orally,
      during ongoing rhGH therapy. During 18 months of pubertal induction, serum GH-BP
      levels increased gradually from 31.4 +/- 2.7% at the start of EE2 treatment to a
      maximum of 49.2 +/- 0.8% after 1 yr (P < 0.001). Serum IGF-I levels, in contrast,
      did not change significantly. These results show that in adolescent TS patients
      1) pretreatment serum GH-BP levels are higher than in bone age-matched or
      chronological age-matched control girls, and IGF-I levels are similar to those in
      bone age-matched but lower than those in chronological age-matched controls; 2)
      during rhGH treatment GH-BP levels do not change, whereas IGF-I levels increase
      significantly; and 3) oral EE2 treatment during ongoing rhGH treatment increases
      GH-BP levels markedly, but does not modify IGF-I levels.

PMID- 1430093
TI  - Clinically nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma and octreotide response to long term
      high dose treatment, and studies in vitro.
AB  - We have studied seven patients with a clinically nonfunctioning or alpha-subunit
      secreting pituitary macroadenoma, four of whom received long term, high dose
      octreotide treatment. We have attempted to correlate the presence of somatostatin
      receptors (SS-R) in the adenomas and the outcome of octreotide treatment, as
      measured by tumor size, improvements in visual field defects, and hormonal
      response. The presence of SS-R in the pituitary adenomas was demonstrated in vivo
      using [111indium]octreotide scintigraphy and in vitro by autoradiography of
      tissue fragments obtained after transsphenoidal surgery. Adenomas from six of the
      seven subjects were SS-R positive. High dose (1200 micrograms, sc, daily)
      octreotide treatment was given to four subjects, three of whom were SS-R
      positive. Improvement of the visual field defects was observed in three of four
      patients (including the SS-R-negative subject), although no computed tomographic
      scan-assessed tumor size reduction was found. Two of four patients showed small
      but significant reductions in serum FSH concentrations (to 83% and 93% of initial
      values) with treatment. These in vivo responses to high dose octreotide treatment
      could not be predicted by pretreatment responses to 200 micrograms TRH or 100
      micrograms octreotide. Tissue fragments for cell culture were obtained from six
      patients, and in vitro release of gonadotropins and/or alpha-subunit could be
      demonstrated in five cultures. In vitro, octreotide (10 nmol/L) significantly
      decreased gonadotropiin or subunit release in three of five cultures, whereas
      bromocriptine (10 nmol/L) significantly reduced the release in four of five
      cultures and to a significantly greater extent than octreotide. In conclusion, in
      six of seven patients with a clinically nonfunctioning or alpha-subunit-secreting
      pituitary adenoma, SS-R were demonstrated in the tumor. In vitro incubation of
      adenoma cells with octreotide resulted in mild inhibition of gonadotropin or
      alpha-subunit release. Although in vivo long term treatment with high doses of
      octreotide did not result in substantial tumor size reduction, improvement of
      visual field defects was observed in three of four subjects.

PMID- 1430094
TI  - Suppression of human spermatogenesis by testosterone implants.
AB  - Hormonally induced azoospermia is an effective, reversible form of male
      contraception; however, some men treated with weekly im testosterone enanthate
      (TE) injections fail to become azoospermic. As weekly injections cause widely
      fluctuating and supraphysiological testosterone levels, we tested the hypothesis
      that more stable, physiological testosterone levels would consistently produce
      azoospermia. Using a depot testosterone formulation which provides stable,
      physiological range testosterone levels for up to 6 months, we studied nine men
      before and after insertion of six 200 mg testosterone implants under the
      abdominal wall skin and compared the results with 38 men treated in a previous
      study with weekly im injections of 200 mg TE. Testosterone implants suppressed
      sperm output to near-azoospermia between the second to fourth postimplant months
      returning to normal by the sixth postimplant month. The fall in sperm output at
      the first month was greater after testosterone implants than TE injections (58%
      vs. 17%, P = 0.011) but similar proportions of men became azoospermic (5/9 vs.
      25/38) or severely oligozoospermic (< 1 million/ml; 9/9 vs. 37/38). Plasma
      testosterone and estradiol levels remained mostly within the eugonadal range
      after implants but were markedly supraphysiological during TE injections. Both
      treatments suppressed immunoreactive LH and FSH to undetectable levels by
      ultrasensitive fluoroimmunoassay. Sex hormone-binding globulin levels were
      decreased and PRL levels increased by TE injections but neither was changed by
      testosterone implants. Prostate-specific antigen demonstrated a small rise of
      marginal significance (P = 0.065) after testosterone implants. Fewer men
      experienced acne after implants (0/9 vs. 25/38, p = 0.0004). Therefore a depot
      testosterone preparation with quasi-zero-order release demonstrates higher dose
      efficiency with similar (but not uniform) efficacy at inducing azoospermia but
      may cause fewer androgenic side-effects than weekly TE injections.

PMID- 1430095
TI  - The role of chorionic gonadotropin in transient hyperthyroidism of hyperemesis
      gravidarum.
AB  - Biochemical evidence of hyperthyroidism is frequently encountered in hyperemesis
      gravidarum, but its relationship to the cause of hyperemesis is unknown. We
      studied the relationship of serum hCG, thyroid function, and severity of vomiting
      among 57 hyperemesis patients and 57 controls matched for gestational age. TSH
      was suppressed in 60% of hyperemesis patients and 9% of controls. hCG correlated
      directly with free T4(r = 0.45, P < 0.001) and inversely with TSH (r = -0.48, P <
      0.001). Hyperemesis patients had significantly greater mean serum hCG, free T4,
      total T3, and estradiol, and lesser serum TSH compared to controls. Hyperemesis
      patients with suppressed TSH had significantly greater free T4 and hCG compared
      to those with TSH in the normal range. Control and hyperemesis subjects were
      divided into four groups based on the severity of vomiting. The degree of
      biochemical hyperthyroidism and hCG concentration varied directly with the
      severity of vomiting. Unextracted serum was tested for thyrotropic activity by
      measuring its effect on iodide uptake in cultured FRTL-5 rat thyroid cells.
      Thyrotropic activity correlated with serum hCG (r = 0.50, P < 0.001). These data
      show that biochemical hyperthyroidism is a common finding in patients with
      hyperemesis gravidarum and suggest that hCG is the thyroid stimulator in this
      state. The increased estradiol concentration in patients with hyperemesis
      gravidarum may be attributed to the effects of hCG on steroidogenesis.

PMID- 1430096
TI  - Immunoradiometric analysis of circulating human glycosylated and nonglycosylated
      prolactin forms: spontaneous and stimulated secretions.
AB  - The monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) obtained in mice immunized with human PRL
      coupled to an anti-PRL MAb were screened for their ability to distinguish the
      glycosylated (G-) and nonglycosylated (NG-) forms of PRL. The 431-29 MAb
      exhibited high affinity binding for NG-PRL but little or no cross-reactivity to G
      PRL. Using this antibody in conjunction with other MAbs which equally recognized
      both forms, we developed 2 immunoradiometric assays which were used to determine
      the amount of G- and NG-PRL in plasma. In 85 normal subjects, NG-PRL baseline
      levels averaged 6.6 +/- 3 micrograms/L, and represented 76 +/- 8% of the total
      PRL immunoreactivity. In 74 pregnant women, this proportion was significantly
      higher during the last 2 trimesters (84 +/- 4% and 85 +/- 6%), as compared to the
      first trimester (76 +/- 7%). In 6 healthy volunteers studied over 24 h, 79% of
      the NG-PRL peaks detected using the cluster algorithm occurred concomitantly to a
      G-PRL peak. The mean NG-PRL/PRL ratio was significantly higher during NG-PRL
      pulses (81 +/- 9%) than during valleys (71 +/- 12%). Similarly, this ratio was
      significantly increased during TRH or metoclopramide stimulated PRL secretion (to
      88 +/- 7% and 86 +/- 6%, respectively). We conclude that 1) NG-PRL is the
      predominant immunoassayable form of PRL in plasma; 2) both G- and NG-PRL are
      cosecreted but NG-PRL is the main PRL form released during spontaneous or
      pharmacologically induced PRL secretion.

PMID- 1430097
TI  - Regulation of immunoreactive inhibin patterns in baboon pregnancy: maternal,
      placental, and fetal considerations.
AB  - To better understand the sources and regulation of circulating inhibin during
      primate pregnancy, immunoreactive inhibin was measured in sera obtained from the
      maternal saphenous vein, uterine vein, and the fetus at varying times of baboon
      pregnancy. In both intact and fetectomized (fetus removed on day 100 of
      gestation; term = 184 days) animals, maternal serum inhibin concentrations were
      relatively constant between day 80 (first sampling day) and day 110 of gestation,
      after which they then steadily increased until days 155-165 (end of sampling).
      The increase in inhibin concentrations was significantly less in the fetectomized
      animals than in the intact baboons. Restoration of estrogen levels in the
      fetectomized animals did not significantly alter the circulating inhibin
      concentrations. Similarly, administration of the estrogen antagonist MER-25 to
      intact animals in the last trimester had no effect on maternal serum inhibin
      concentrations. Inhibin concentrations in uterine venous blood collected on day
      100 of gestation were not significantly different from those in the maternal
      saphenous vein. However, the inhibin concentrations of uterine venous blood
      collected late in gestation (days 155-165) in either intact or fetectomized
      animals were significantly higher than the corresponding maternal venous
      concentrations, suggesting that the uteroplacental tissue becomes a source of
      circulating inhibin during the third trimester of pregnancy. Consistent with this
      suggestion was the detection of inhibin alpha-subunit mRNA in the placentae of
      intact or fetectomized animals obtained late in pregnancy, but its absence at
      midgestation. Immunoreactive inhibin concentrations were about 16 times higher
      (6500 +/- 831 mu Leq/mL) in fetal blood than in maternal blood (411 +/- 23 mu
      Leq/mL) at midgestation. The fetal blood concentrations significantly decreased
      to about 2800 mu Leq/mL by days 160-165 of gestation, but were still greater than
      those in the mother (approximately 1000 mu Leq/mL). The umbilical arterial and
      venous concentrations were the same as the fetal blood concentration of inhibin.
      The role of the baboon fetal adrenal in inhibin production was studied. Fetal
      adrenals collected from days 59, 135, and 167 of gestation contained the mRNA for
      the inhibin alpha-subunit in relatively high abundance. The in utero
      administration of ACTH for 30 min to five fetuses at midgestation (days 100-110)
      apparently did not alter the fetal concentration of immunoreactive inhibin. In
      summary, maternal serum inhibin levels increase during the last trimester of
      baboon pregnancy. This is suggested to be due to an increasing contribution of
      placental inhibin secretion, which is regulated not by placental estrogen
      production but, perhaps, by placental growth.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1430098
TI  - Gestational age-dependent dual action of epidermal growth factor on human
      placenta early in gestation.
AB  - In order to better understand the role of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the
      regulation of placental growth and function, effects of EGF on proliferative
      activity and differentiated function of trophoblast were examined. Explants from
      very early (4-5 week) placentas and early (6-7 week, 8-9 week, 10-12 week)
      placentas were respectively cultured under a serum-free condition in the absence
      or presence of EGF (100 micrograms/L) for the first 48 h, and the cultures were
      continued for subsequent 72 h without EGF. The proliferative potential and
      differentiated function of trophoblast were assessed by immunohistochemical Ki-67
      staining and by determining the ability to secrete human CG (hCG) and human
      placental lactogen (hPL), respectively. Quantitative estimates of proliferative
      activity based on mean percentage of Ki-67 positive nuclei showed that EGF
      stimulated proliferative potential of cytotrophoblast in very early (4-5 week)
      placental explants. The EGF stimulation of trophoblast proliferation was apparent
      at a 12-h EGF-treated period. By contrast, early (6-12 week) placental explants
      did not respond to EGF with increase in trophoblast proliferation. Instead, in
      early placental explant culture EGF stimulated hCG and hPL secretion with a lag
      period of 72 h, whereas very early placental explants did not respond to EGF with
      increase in hCG and hPL secretion. These results suggest that EGF exerts
      gestational age-dependent dual action on the first-trimester placenta: one is to
      stimulate trophoblast proliferation in 4-5 week placenta and the other is to
      stimulate differentiated trophoblast function in 6-12 week placenta.

PMID- 1430099
TI  - Demonstration and localization of growth hormone receptor in human skin and skin
      fibroblasts.
AB  - Clinical evidence suggests that skin is responsive to GH status in vivo. We
      sought to demonstrate the presence of GH receptors in human skin and in cultured
      skin fibroblasts using the techniques of immunohistochemistry and northern
      blotting. Human foreskin was obtained at surgery for preparation of sections and
      primary fibroblast cultures. Skin sections and fibroblast monolayers were
      immunostained using a monoclonal antibody which recognizes the hGH receptor (MAb
      263). Positive immunoperoxidase staining was seen in all epidermal layers except
      the stratum corneum, in dermal sweat and sebaceous glands, and in dermal
      fibroblasts. In cultured fibroblasts capping of surface GH receptor was observed
      after aqueous formaldehyde fixation, whereas fixation in Carnoy's solution
      resulted in granular cytoplasmic staining. Fibroblast poly A+ RNA was prepared
      from cultured skin fibroblasts, separated by denaturing agarose gel
      electrophoresis, blotted onto nitrocellulose, and hybridized to a 32P-labeled,
      847 base pair (bp) hGH receptor complementary DNA (cDNA) clone. Human liver and
      non-pregnant rabbit liver total RNA were used as controls. Fibroblast poly A+ RNA
      contained a single hybridizing species of approximately 5.2 kilobase. Human liver
      total RNA also contained a single hybridizing species of 4.9 kilobase. We have
      demonstrated the presence of GH receptor protein in human skin and growth hormone
      receptor mRNA and protein in cultured human skin fibroblasts. These observations
      suggest that GH may indeed have a direct role in modulating keratinocyte and
      fibroblast function.

PMID- 1430100
TI  - Localization of renin gene expression to monkey ovarian theca cells by in situ
      hybridization.
AB  - To investigate the sites of renin gene expression and localization of renin in
      primate ovaries, five cynomolgus (Macaca fascicularis) and one rhesus (Macaca
      mulatta) monkey were treated with gonadotropins to induce multiple follicle
      development. One ovary was removed before hCG injection (1200 IU) from three
      monkeys and one ovary was removed 36 h after hCG administration from three
      monkeys. In three monkeys, the remaining ovary was removed 3, 5, and 7 days after
      injection of hCG. To detect and localize renin messenger RNA, 35S-radiolabelled
      1.1 kb length complementary DNA and RNA probes of human renin were used for in
      situ hybridization. To compare the synthesis with the presence and the storage of
      renin or prorenin, renin antigen was assessed by immunohistochemistry in the same
      tissues using a polyclonal antibody against human renin (R15). Renin mRNA was
      detected by in situ hybridization only in ovaries collected within 5 days of
      exposure to hCG. All such ovaries exhibited a positive signal. Renin mRNA was
      localized to the theca interna and theca lutein cells. Positive cells were
      observed in a few growing antral follicles, in occasional mature preovulatory
      follicles, in corpus luteum, and most strikingly in atretic follicles. No signal
      was detected in primordial, primary, or in small antral follicles of ovaries
      exposed to hCG. In contrast with the in situ hybridization data, no signal was
      detected by immunohistochemistry using antirenin antibodies which exhibited a
      positive signal in monkey kidney. These results indicate that hCG turns on renin
      gene expression. Renin is synthesized without significant intracellular storage
      in monkey ovarian theca interna cells and in corpus luteum. The absence of
      storage of renin is consistent with the high concentrations of prorenin found in
      ovarian follicular fluid of hCG stimulated primates and with our knowledge of
      cellular renin processing which indicate that prorenin is secreted constitutively
      as it is synthesized.

PMID- 1430101
TI  - In memoriam Gerald D. Aurbach.

PMID- 1430102
TI  - Polyvalent immunoglobulin for intravenous use interferes with cell proliferation
      in vitro.
AB  - Intravenous immunoglobulin is used to an increasing extent in various immune
      mediated diseases, but its mechanism(s) of action in vivo is incompletely
      understood. Previous studies have shown that intravenous immunoglobulin may
      interfere with autoantibodies and their production by B cells and also inhibit Fc
      mediated antibody-dependent cytotoxicity. Here we describe a novel effect of
      intravenous immunoglobulin on proliferation of in vitro activated peripheral
      blood lymphocytes and autonomously growing cell lines of various origin.
      Independently of whether proliferation was autonomous or induced by antigen
      specific or antigen-nonspecific reagents, proliferation was inhibited in a dose
      dependent fashion, as measured by reduced 3H-thymidine and BrdU uptake and cell
      counting. The effect was not due to cytotoxic effects of intravenous
      immunoglobulin and was reversible after removing the intravenous immunoglobulin
      by washing. The IgG levels required for this inhibition of proliferation are
      supraphysiological but are reached in vivo during treatment with intravenous
      immunoglobulin.

PMID- 1430103
TI  - An immunodominant haptenic epitope of carbamazepine detected in serum from
      patients given long-term treatment with carbamazepine without allergic reaction.
AB  - An anticarbamazepine antibody was detected in the serum of a patient with severe
      carbamazepine-induced serum sickness. We found that the patient's T cells and IgG
      antibody recognized an epitope which appeared in subjects showing an allergic
      reaction, as well as that in subjects who showed no allergic reaction, after long
      term carbamazepine therapy. These results show that an anti-carbamazepine immune
      response does not occur in the majority of subjects who undergo long-term
      carbamazepine therapy without developing allergic symptoms, although the
      immunodominant haptenic epitope of carbamazepine is present in their sera.

PMID- 1430104
TI  - The influence of aging on the induction and manifestations of experimental
      systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - The influence of age on autoimmunity was studied in a model in which experimental
      systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is induced in normal mice by the injection of
      a human monoclonal anti-DNA antibody expressing a common idiotype designated 16/6
      Id. The resulting disease is expressed by the production of a variety of
      autoantibodies and clinical manifestations characteristic to human SLE. Female
      BALB/c mice, at ages of 2 and 12 months, were immunized with the 16/6 Id. Mice
      were tested periodically for the presence of autoantibodies. The production of
      all autoantibodies tested was significantly lower in the older mice as compared
      to the group of young mice. Clinical manifestations which included leukopenia,
      increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate and proteinuria were similar in both age
      groups. Kidney evaluations revealed differences among the two groups of mice.
      While in all kidney sections of young mice multiple immune complex deposits were
      detected, in the group of older mice half had similar pathology while the rest
      either were negative or had only segmental and partial glomerular immune complex
      depositions. Thus, aging is associated with a decrease in the capacity to respond
      to the pathogenic anti-DNA, 16/6 Id, by the production of antibodies and
      autoantibodies and in the expression of a milder disease.

PMID- 1430105
TI  - Effects of alpha-interferon on gamma-interferon production of peripheral blood
      mononuclear cells in hepatitis B virus carriers.
AB  - We studied gamma-interferon production of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated
      peripheral blood mononuclear cells in response to alpha-interferon in hepatitis B
      virus carriers and healthy individuals. The magnitude of gamma-interferon
      production was significantly higher in patients with anti-HBe antibody than in
      patients with HBe antigen and healthy individuals. Furthermore, alpha-interferon
      augmented the production of gamma-interferon of peripheral blood mononuclear
      cells from patients with active liver injury [serum alanine aminotransferase
      (ALT), greater than 40 U/L], but not that from patients with inactive liver
      injury (serum ALT, less than 40 U/L) or healthy individuals. These results
      suggested that alpha-interferon could enhance the cellular immune response
      against hepatitis B virus by augmenting the endogenous production of gamma
      interferon in patients with active liver injury, implying that the responsiveness
      to alpha-interferon might be responsible for liver cell injury.

PMID- 1430106
TI  - Disease severity in rheumatoid arthritis: relationships of plasma tumor necrosis
      factor-alpha, soluble interleukin 2-receptor, soluble CD4/CD8 ratio, neopterin,
      and fibrin D-dimer to traditional severity and functional measures.
AB  - Rheumatoid arthritis is a complex inflammatory disease of unknown cause. Although
      various laboratory and clinical measurements are useful in managing these
      patients, there is a need for better tests to quantitatively assess disease
      activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of certain
      immune and inflammation (I-I) parameters with four traditional disease severity
      measures and a functional measure in rheumatoid arthritis patients. A single set
      of patient blood samples was analyzed, and four traditional disease severity
      measures and patient functional statuses were determined from 64 consecutive
      outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis. Plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF),
      soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), sCD4 and sCD8 (and the sCD4/sCD8 ratio),
      neopterin, and fibrin D-dimer were analyzed in relationship to Westergren
      erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), physician assessment of disease activity,
      joint pain count, grip strength, and Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale (AIMS)
      scores. Rheumatoid arthritis patients had higher mean levels of all I-I measures
      (except sCD4) compared to healthy subjects. Initial significant correlations
      between TNF, sIL-2R, and D-dimer and several disease severity and functional
      measures were detected. When we controlled for the covariates age, gender, race,
      and medications, regression analyses indicated that, as a group, the I-I measures
      were significantly related to grip strength, physician disease severity rating,
      ESR, and total joint pain. When the predictive values of the I-I measures were
      tested controlling for the covariates and ESR, D-dimer was independently and
      significantly associated with variability in grip strength, physician disease
      severity, and AIMS physical disability, while TNF was associated with a
      significant amount of variability in total joint pain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1430107
TI  - Cold-dependent activation of complement: recognition, assessment, and mechanism.
AB  - Cold-dependent activation of complement (CDAC) is a phenomenon characterized by
      low hemolytic complement activity in chilled serum. Complement component levels
      are normal when measured immunologically, and there is normal hemolytic activity
      in EDTA plasma or serum maintained at 37 degrees C. Little attention has been
      paid to CDAC except in Japan, and current unfamiliarity with it, even by clinical
      immunologists, can lead to confusion and unnecessary laboratory tests. A 66-year
      old patient with a complex medical history is described whose complement tests
      showed abnormalities characteristic of CDAC. Evidence for classical complement
      pathway activation in the cold was obtained by CH50 measurements, by hemolytic C4
      determinations, by C4a, C3a, and C4d generation, and by quantitating C1s-C1r-(C1
      inhibitor)2 complexes. A good correlation was observed among these parameters.
      Cryoprecipitates were absent. CDAC activity has persisted for over 5 years and is
      greater at 13 than at 4 degrees C. Activation is ablated by heating at 56 degrees
      C and restored by the addition of C1 to the heated serum. Adsorption by
      streptococcal protein G-Sepharose and precipitation by 2.5% polyethylene glycol
      support the hypothesis that CDAC is caused by aggregated IgG. The CDAC factor(s)
      also induces complement activation in normal serum but has not interfered with
      Raji cell or C1q binding tests or with FACS analysis. More limited studies of a
      second individual experiencing CDAC yielded similar results.

PMID- 1430109
TI  - [Diagnosis of vertigo].

PMID- 1430108
TI  - Expression of a functional p75 interleukin-2 receptor on lung lymphocytes from
      patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection.
AB  - Lung involvement in patients affected by HIV-1 infection is characterized by an
      alveolitis sustained by the accumulation of CD8+ T lymphocytes. To investigate
      whether in situ T cell growth plays a relevant role in the pooling of CD8+
      lymphocytes, we have analyzed the activity of two lymphokines involved in the
      mechanisms of T cell proliferation, i.e., interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-4.
      To this aim, following appropriate triggering and blocking, the expression and
      the functional role of IL-2 receptors (IL-2R) (both p55 and p75 chains) and IL-4
      receptors have been analyzed on T lymphocytes obtained from the bronchoalveolar
      lavage (BAL) of 16 HIV-1+ patients. Molecular and phenotypic studies we performed
      demonstrated that CD8+ lymphocytes from the BAL of HIV-1 + patients strongly
      expressed the p75 chain of IL-2 receptor, while neither p55 mRNA nor its surface
      membrane product (Tac antigen) was detectable; in addition, there was no
      expression of IL-4 receptors. IL-2 stimulation was able to induce T cell growth
      in a dose-dependent manner, whereas IL-4 did not. Finally, using mAbs which
      specifically block the p55 or p75 IL-2R, we showed that both subunits of IL-2R
      were involved in the proliferative activity of lung lymphocytes. The results
      obtained in the present study directly demonstrate that BAL T lymphocytes of HIV
      1 + patients express a fully functional IL-2 receptor apparatus, pointing to the
      role for this lymphokine in maintaining the alveolitis taking place in the lungs
      of AIDS patients.

PMID- 1430110
TI  - [The clinical application of rotational stereo digital angiography to the field
      of neurosurgery].
AB  - A new system for 3-dimensional angiography, named "Rotational stereo digital
      angiography" (RSDA), was applied to 36 patients with neurosurgical lesions. This
      system consists of a new rotating X-ray apparatus and a digital processor, and
      accumulates 144 projectional images in 2.2 seconds during a 180 degree transverse
      rotation of the X-ray device. These images are digitally processed and displayed
      on two CRT's at 5 different degrees so that a rotating image of the angiogram is
      observed. Thirteen cerebral aneurysms, 16 brain and skull tumors, and 7 other
      neurosurgical lesions were examined with this system and compared with
      conventional angiography. The aneurysms were examined to 1) identify the
      aneurysm, 2) demonstrate the shape of the aneurysm, 3) demonstrate the aneurysmal
      neck, and 4) illustrate the relationship between the aneurysm and the mother
      vessels. The tumors were examined to 1) demonstrate the tumor stain, 2) identify
      the feeding arteries, 3) identify the draining veins, and 4) illustrate the
      relationship between the lesion and the major vessels. Similarly, 1)
      demonstration of the lesion, and 2) illustration of the relationship between the
      lesion and the major vessels were examined for other lesions. The findings in
      RSDA and conventional angiography were classified into -, +/-, +, or +2 with
      regard to the readiness to the aspects described above. They were then
      statistically compared. According to the statistic analysis, RSDA is
      significantly more illustrative for aneurysms than conventional angiography. For
      tumors and for other lesions, there was no significant difference between RSDA
      and conventional angiography. These results indicate the usefulness of RDSA in
      the field of neurosurgery.

PMID- 1430111
TI  - Effect of exposure to benzene on natural killer (NK) cell activity and
      interleukin-2 (IL-2) production of C57BL/6 mice.
AB  - To investigate the effect of benzene on murine splenic natural killer (NK) cell
      activity and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production, we exposed C57 BL/6 mice to benzene
      for 28 days. Benzene exposure via drinking water at doses of 27 and 154 mg/kg/day
      yielded the following results. 1) A decrease of spleen cell number was detected
      on the 14th day of benzene exposure at 154 mg/kg/day, and on the 21st and 28th
      day of exposure at both 27 mg/kg/day and 154 mg/kg/day. 2) NK activity per viable
      spleen cell was temporarily enhanced on the 21st day of exposure at doses of 27
      and 154 mg/kg/day, thereafter returned to control levels. 3) IL-2 production was
      inhibited after 28 days of benzene exposure at 27 and 154 mg/kg/day. After ending
      exposure at doses of 27 mg/kg/day for 28 days, the decreased spleen cell number
      began to return to control levels from the 14th day on, and reduced IL-2
      production returned to control levels. These results suggest that, NK cells are
      resistant to benzene toxicity, while IL-2 producing cells are sensitive. Thus, an
      imbalance in immune system was caused by toxic benzene action.

PMID- 1430112
TI  - [Urodynamic abnormalities in patients with lumbar diseases. With special
      reference to autonomic dysfunction].
AB  - In order to investigate urinary dysfunction in lumbar disease from the point of
      view of autonomic dysfunction, urodynamic examinations and sympathetic skin
      responses (SSR) were evaluated in patients with lumbar diseases. Cystometry and
      uroflowmetry were performed as urodynamic examinations on 40 patients with lumbar
      diseases including intervertebral disc herniation (IDH), spinal canal stenosis
      (SCS), and spondylolisthesis with spondylolysis. SSR of the feet were recorded in
      6 healthy men, as controls, and in 10 patients with IDH; The latencies and
      amplitudes of SSR were compared. Eighty percent of the patients showed some
      abnormality in the urodynamic examinations that indicated an occult neurogenic
      bladder. Also, the mean and maximal amplitudes were significantly lower in the
      patients with IDH than in the controls (p < 0.01). While the occurrence of a
      neurogenic bladder was considered to be a parasympathetic dysfunction,
      abnormalities in SSR were considered to be sympathetic dysfunctions. It was
      therefore considered that autonomic dysfunction was present in the bladder and
      lower extremities of patients with lumbar diseases.

PMID- 1430113
TI  - [Spatial and quantitative analysis of the QRS and T waves by Frank-lead
      orthogonal electrocardiography in normal children. Comparative study in an early
      and late cord-clamping groups in newborns].
AB  - We studied a spatial and quantitative analysis of QRS and T waves by Frank-lead
      orthogonal electrocardiography (afterwards; ECG) in 50 cases of normal newborns,
      30 cases of infants, 50 cases of adults, and also the variation in age was
      investigated. In the newborns, the comparative study was made serially,
      longitudinally in 21 infants with an early clamping of the cord and 29 infants
      with a late clamping of the cord. The results are mainly as follows. 1) The
      parameters reflecting the cardiac electromotive force of the right ventricle such
      as Sx, Qz and Sx+Qz decreased with aging. 2) Rx, i.e., the maximum leftward
      projection of QRS vector increased until the children, probably because the left
      ventricle was dominant in their growth and development and in the increased
      amount of work. A subsequent reduced value in the adults was considered to be
      mainly due to an increase of the distance between the heart and electrode by the
      increase in the thorax, particularly the transverse diameter and due to the
      growth in subcutaneous fat and muscle. 3) The values of Rx/Sx increased with
      aging. Rx and Sx in the adults were less than those in the children, but Rx/Sx
      was larger than that of Rx because Sx was less than Rx. 4) Age-related changes of
      Tz was most characteristic and was negative up to several days after birth. T
      vector was in forward direction and then turned positive (in backward). This was
      greatest at the period of the infants. Subsequently, it turned negative in the
      childhood, and extent was maximum in the adults.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1430114
TI  - [A study to increase the therapeutic effects of adoptive immunotherapy in vivo.
      Influence on the generation of lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells and
      therapeutic effects of LAK cells with anti-tumor drug (cyclophosphamide)].
AB  - To enhance the effect of adoptive immunotherapy (AIT), we investigated the
      induction and characteristics of lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells and also
      analyzed the combined effects of AIT with an antitumor drug (cyclophosphamide:
      CPA) in mice models. LAK cells were generated from C57/BL/6 (B6) spleen cells.
      The spleen cells were passed through a nylon wool column and cultured in RPMI
      1640 medium containing 10% FCS and 2 x 10(3) units of human recombinant IL-2 (hr
      IL-2) for up to 14 days. During this period, the time kinetic analyses of the LAK
      cells' cytotoxicity and motility were performed. The cytotoxicities against Lewis
      Lung Carcinoma (3LL), evaluated by standard 51Cr release assay, gradually
      increased during the cultured period, and the motilities, determined by a
      modified version of the Boyden chamber method, greatly increased within the first
      7 days' incubation. Based on these in vitro findings, we examined the efficacy of
      AIT alone or in combination with chemotherapy (CPA) in in vivo studies. AIT was
      performed in the following way: LAK cells were intravenously infused and rIL-2
      was intraperitoneally administered for 5 consecutive days following LAK cell
      administration. CPA was intraperitoneally administered. The therapy protocols
      were as follows. There were seven experimental groups. Group I; the mice were
      infused with 3-day cultured LAK cells (3DLAKs) on the second day after tumor
      inoculation (day 2). Group II; the mice were infused with 3DLAKs on day 5. Group
      III; 10-day cultured LAK cells (10DLAKs) on day 2. Group IV; 10DLAKs on day 5.
      Group V (AIT and CPA combination); AIT (10DLAKs) was started on day 5 followed by
      CPA on day 10. Group VI; CPA was performed on day 5 followed by AIT (10DLAKs) on
      day 10. Group VII; CPA was performed on day 5 without AIT. Each group consisted
      on 15 mice. The therapeutic efficacies were evaluated by calculating the median
      survival time of each group. The results of these experiments were as follows
      (mean +/- SD); Group I's median survival time was 16.8 +/- 3.2 days, Group II
      15.1 +/- 2.1 days, Group III 19.2 +/- 5.4 days, Group IV 16.1 +/- 4.8 days, Group
      V 23 +/- 6.3 days, Group VI 32 +/- 8.4 days and Group VII 22 +/- 5.1 days. These
      results suggested that the efficacy of AIT is closely related to the LAK cells'
      cytotoxicity and motility. Although AIT alone in the advanced tumor bearing host
      had a limited effect, combination with CPA improved it's efficacy.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1430115
TI  - [Pathology of the grafted liver].

PMID- 1430116
TI  - [Current status of chronic dialysis and its several complications].

PMID- 1430117
TI  - The fertilization and development of mouse oocytes following cortical granule
      discharge in the presence of a protease inhibitor.
AB  - The effect of leupeptin, a serine protease inhibitor, on the fertilization and
      development potential of oocytes stimulated to undergo cortical granule
      exocytosis has been investigated. An in-vitro bioassay system was used in which
      mouse oocytes were exposed to calcium ionophore, A23187, in the presence and
      absence of leupeptin, before their fertilization and development to the
      blastocyst stage was assessed. We have demonstrated that the presence of
      leupeptin in the incubation medium, at concentrations of 1 micrograms/ml and 10
      micrograms/ml during the first 10 min of cortical granule exocytosis, reversed
      the ionophore-induced decrease in the capacity of oocytes to fertilize and
      develop to blastocysts. The induction of exocytosis of cortical granules by
      calcium ionophore was confirmed using fluorescence microscopy. Using this
      technique, we also confirmed that leupeptin did not inhibit ionophore-induced
      cortical granule exocytosis, thus supporting the contention that leupeptin acted
      upon released cortical exudate. It was concluded that leupeptin acted by
      inhibiting proteases released into the perivitelline space during the early
      stages of cortical granule exocytosis. Based on these results it was proposed
      that leupeptin could be used to prevent premature loss of fertility of human
      oocytes which are inadvertently activated under in-vitro conditions.

PMID- 1430118
TI  - Effect of the number of inseminated spermatozoa on subsequent human and mouse
      embryonic development in vitro.
AB  - It has been shown, in both human and mouse in-vitro fertilization (IVF), that an
      excess number of spermatozoa in the insemination medium leads to reduced
      fertilization rates. In this study, we evaluated human embryonic development
      after dividing the oocytes of each of 62 IVF attempts into two groups on the
      basis of insemination with two widely used concentrations (50,000 and 100,000
      spermatozoa/ml). The embryonic growth was retarded in the group inseminated with
      100,000 spermatozoa/ml: significantly fewer fast developing embryos (4-cell and 5
      to 8-cell stages) were found (53.4% in the 100,000/ml group and 65.5% in the
      50,000 group; P less than 0.05). In two experimental series, mouse embryonic
      development was evaluated in the presence of 0, 50,000, 100,000 and 500,000
      spermatozoa per ml. In the first series, the spermatozoa were present during 5-20
      h after insemination, while in the second series, the spermatozoa were present
      during the whole culture period of 120 h. The development of mouse embryos was
      impaired when 500,000/ml spermatozoa were present during the whole culture
      period. In contrast with human IVF results, the presence of up to 500,000
      spermatozoa during the first 20 h after insemination did not have any significant
      detrimental effect on blastocyst formation in the mouse.

PMID- 1430119
TI  - Gene activity and cleavage arrest in human pre-embryos.
AB  - There is a high rate of spontaneous cleavage arrest around the four- to eight
      cell stage of human development in vitro. Since this coincides with the time of
      activation of the embryonic genome it has been suggested that cleavage arrest may
      occur as a consequence of failure of gene activation. Gene expression in human
      pre-embryos is associated with an alpha-amanitin sensitive, qualitative change in
      protein synthesis. In order to ascertain the role of gene expression in cleavage
      arrest, we have examined the protein synthetic patterns of human pre-embryos
      which have undergone spontaneous cleavage arrest in vitro. Of 54 cleavage
      arrested embryos, 27 demonstrated evidence of synthesis of proteins sensitive to
      alpha-amanitin, suggesting that cleavage arrest is not always accompanied by
      failure of activation of the genome. Our results would also suggest that
      activation of gene expression is simply related to neither cell number nor time
      spent in culture since fertilization, but may be related to continuing
      karyokinesis.

PMID- 1430120
TI  - Factors controlling spontaneous human chorionic gonadotrophin in superfused first
      trimester placental explants.
AB  - We have recently reported that secretion of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG)
      by placental explants in superfusion is pulsatile. In this study, the factors
      involved in regulation of spontaneous pulsatility were examined. In superfusion,
      observed secretion of HCG by isolated cells was continuous, without spontaneous
      episodic hormonal secretion. However, this was not due to diminished viability of
      the cells since these cells continued to secrete sex steroids. In addition, the
      stimulatory response of HCG to a highly effective dose of 10(-9) M gonadotrophin
      releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue was also maintained. Preincubation of explants
      with low concentrations of cycloheximide (10(-6)M) markedly reduced baseline HCG
      levels as well as pulse amplitude, suggesting that episodic hormone secretion is
      in part dependent on protein synthesis. Moreover, preincubation of explants with
      labelled leucine has shown that the secretion of placental proteins is also
      episodic in superfusion. The pattern was similar but not identical to that of
      HCG. Addition of 1 min pulses of CaCl2 caused a significant release of HCG by
      superfused explants, suggesting that HCG secretion occurs through the release of
      storage granules. It was concluded that for the expression of spontaneous
      pulsatile secretion of HCG cell to cell contact/communication is necessary. HCG
      secretion is likely to reflect exocytosis of storage granules. HCG pulsatility is
      partly dependent on protein synthesis and this intermittent type of secretion can
      be documented by overall protein secretion by the superfused explant.

PMID- 1430121
TI  - 'Chemical curettage' using intrauterine methotrexate injection.
AB  - A 22-year-old woman with multiple urogenital anomalies presented for the second
      time with a blighted ovum situated in the rudimentary right horn of a uterus
      communicans bicornis. A dilatation and curettage was not possible owing to the
      inaccessibility of this horn. The first blighted ovum was aborted in 1989 (at age
      21 years) following the use of intramuscular prostaglandin therapy. On this
      occasion, therapy was by the transvaginal, intrauterine (intra-amniotic)
      instillation of 100 mg methotrexate and a complete abortion of the products of
      conception occurred. Similar to the treatment of ectopic pregnancy, in certain
      cases, termination of intrauterine pregnancies using local methotrexate injection
      may be considered.

PMID- 1430122
TI  - When genes determine motherhood: problems in gestational surrogacy.
AB  - Gestational surrogacy in which a commissioning couple's egg and spermatozoon are
      united in vitro and the resulting embryo is implanted in a woman's uterus is, of
      all the new methods for overcoming infertility, the most genetically appealing.
      This is because the genes are often perceived as determining all aspects of human
      health, disease and even behaviour. Having a child with the genes of both parents
      has become far more attractive to most infertile couples than having one who is
      only genetically related to the father. However, gestational surrogacy has
      created a situation where one child has two mothers, each one claiming to be the
      'true' mother having exclusive parental rights. Surrogacy arrangements also raise
      the question of the meaning of motherhood.

PMID- 1430123
TI  - The fraud conviction of Cecil B. Jacobson.

PMID- 1430124
TI  - Annual and sub-annual rhythms in human conception rates: time-series analyses
      show annual and weekday but no monthly rhythms in daily counts for last normal
      menses.
AB  - Methods of time-series analysis, which are widely used to good effect in physical
      sciences and econometrics, have found little use in much-needed analyses of
      cyclical biological phenomena. Here we apply those methods to analyses of
      rhythmic patterns in human conception rates. Our results confirm the annual
      periodicity of monthly counts of total viable conceptions, demonstrate a weekday
      rhythm reflecting interaction of conjugal coital rhythms with individual
      menstrual fertility cycles, and find no evidence of any other significant
      repeating pattern.

PMID- 1430125
TI  - The endometrial capillaries during the normal menstrual cycle: a morphometric
      study.
AB  - The areas of the capillary lumen, the entire capillary, the endothelial cells and
      the adventitia, as well as the thickness of the endothelial cell layer and the
      adventitia were studied using morphometric methods in endometrial samples from 34
      fertile women who had a hormonal profile compatible with normal ovarian function.
      The biopsies were grouped around the luteinizing hormone surge. The results were
      calculated as mean values of 72-h periods and related to the mean levels of
      oestradiol and progesterone circulating in plasma 72 h prior to the biopsy. The
      results indicated that the sub-epithelial capillary plexus of the human
      endometrium undergoes dynamic changes during the normal menstrual cycle with a
      significant dilatation of the vessels during the post-ovulatory phase. A
      significant correlation was found between the area of the capillary lumen and the
      mean level of progesterone circulating in the plasma 72 h prior to the biopsy (P
      = 0.037). We conclude that the ovarian steroids produced during the normal
      menstrual cycle are likely to influence sub-epithelial vascularization causing
      dilatation in the post-ovulatory phase. This dilatation of the sub-epithelial
      capillaries may be related to the development of oedema appearing in the stroma
      at the time of the expected implantation. The possible functional significance of
      the capillary dilatation in terms of implantation, however, needs to be further
      investigated.

PMID- 1430127
TI  - Biochemical analysis of cervical mucus by nuclear magnetic resonance
      spectroscopy.
AB  - Biochemical evaluation of cervical mucus is difficult due to the characteristic
      rheological properties of this hydrogel. The application of high resolution
      nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy proved to be a valuable new method for
      differentiated biochemical analyses of human cervical mucus. A particular
      advantage is that it is non-destructive, that it can be applied to specimens of
      small volume and that no sample preparation, such as solubilization, is
      necessary.

PMID- 1430126
TI  - The aetiology of galactorrhoea in women with regular menstruation and normal
      prolactin levels.
AB  - Fourteen primary infertile women with expressible galactorrhoea associated with
      regular ovulatory cycles and normal basal prolactin levels (group A) were matched
      for age and weight with 14 infertile women with regular menstruation but no
      galactorrhoea (group B). Both groups showed equivalent increases in prolactin
      levels after stimulation with 200 micrograms thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH)
      during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. Patients in group
      A had a greater increase in luteinizing hormone levels after 100 micrograms i.v.
      injection of a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone during the follicular phase
      (P less than 0.05). Following a 60 mg oral dose of buspirone hydrochloride on day
      22 of the menstrual cycle, patients in group A had a greater increase in
      prolactin levels than patients in group B (P less than 0.01). This reflects hyper
      responsive 5-hydroxytryptamine type 1A (5HT1A) receptors in group A patients and
      may explain the presence of galactorrhoea in these patients despite normal basal
      and post-TRH prolactin levels.

PMID- 1430128
TI  - Androstenedione as a predictor of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.
AB  - Serum concentrations of testosterone, 4-androstene-3,17-dione (androstenedione),
      dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) and its sulphate and sex hormone-binding globulin
      (SHBG) were measured in 30 ovulatory women before and after down-regulation with
      gonadotrophin releasing-hormone analogue, prior to ovarian stimulation in a
      programme of in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. Nine of the women
      developed ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) while the others did not.
      Pretreatment values of androstenedione and the androstenedione:DHA ratios were
      higher and the testosterone:androstenedione ratios lower in the OHSS women. The
      decrease in androstenedione levels during down-regulation was greater and the
      absolute levels following down-regulation were lower in the OHSS group. Higher
      levels of SHBG and lower testosterone:SHBG ratios, an index of biologically
      active testosterone, were observed in the OHSS group. The isolated elevation in
      pretreatment androstenedione levels and the high SHBG levels make the OHSS group
      different from patients with polycystic ovarian disease. Pretreatment values of
      testosterone:androstenedione or testosterone/SHBG:androstenedione ratios and/or
      the decrease in androstenedione during down-regulation may be used as markers,
      prior to stimulation, for identifying women at risk of developing OHSS.

PMID- 1430129
TI  - Impaired glucose effectiveness in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.
AB  - Insulin resistance and glucose intolerance are common features of polycystic
      ovary syndrome (PCOS). We have investigated the effect of glucose on the
      fractional glucose disappearance in patients with PCOS and in age- and weight
      matched control subjects. The minimal model method as applied to a frequently
      sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test was employed. The insulin sensitivity
      index (Si) and glucose effectiveness (SG) were calculated with the MINMOD
      program. Testosterone, androstenedione and free testosterone concentrations were
      significantly higher in PCOS subjects. Glucose-induced glucose clearance (SG) and
      insulin sensitivity were significantly lower in PCOS subjects than controls [SG:
      2.7 +/- 0.3 versus 1.8 +/- 0.1 x 100/min; P less than 0.01; Si: 133.4 +/- 20.0
      versus 65.6 +/- 6.4/min (nmol/ml)]. Six PCOS women had an SG value within the
      normal range (greater than 2.0 x 100/min) but had a similar Si to that found in
      PCOS women with abnormal SG. We suggest that independent alterations in both
      glucose- and insulin-mediated glucose uptake occur in patients with PCOS. The
      underlying disturbance in glucose effectiveness may be similar to that found in
      familial non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

PMID- 1430130
TI  - The correlation between interleukin 2 and soluble interleukin 2 receptors to
      oestradiol, progesterone and testosterone levels in periovulatory follicles of in
      vitro fertilization patients.
AB  - The present study was performed to evaluate the correlation between follicular
      fluid levels of interleukin 2 (IL-2) and IL-2 soluble receptor (sIL-2R),
      oestradiol, progesterone and testosterone levels, oocyte fertilization, embryo
      quality and pregnancy rates. Twenty-eight patients with a pure tubal factor and
      undergoing in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer were randomly chosen and
      treated with gonadotrophin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) in the midluteal
      phase (long protocol) coupled with follicular phase administration of human
      menopausal gonadotrophin. Transvaginal follicular aspiration was performed 36 h
      after human chorionic gonadotrophin administration, followed 48 h later by embryo
      transfer. One hundred and twenty-three follicular fluids were sampled. The mean
      follicular fluid levels (+/- SD) were 2.30 +/- 0.80 fmol for IL-2, 458.2 +/-
      236.0 units/ml for sIL-2R, 28.5 +/- 58.1 ng/ml for oestradiol, 2360.5 +/- 2846
      ng/ml for progesterone and 7.22 +/- 7.08 ng/ml for testosterone. There was a
      significant (P less than 0.01) correlation between IL-2 and testosterone levels.
      No correlation was found between the lymphokines and serum oestradiol, follicular
      fluid progesterone, oocyte fertilization, embryo quality and pregnancy. It may be
      concluded that significant concentrations of IL-2 and sIL-2R exist in follicular
      fluid. Wide variations in follicular IL-2 and sIL-2R concentrations of different
      follicles were found in the same patients.

PMID- 1430131
TI  - Spontaneous luteinizing hormone surges can be reliably prevented by the timely
      administration of a gonadotrophin releasing hormone antagonist (Nal-Glu) during
      the late follicular phase.
AB  - A new gonadotrophin releasing hormone antagonist (Nal-Glu) was used during the
      late follicular phase of the natural cycle in order to prevent spontaneous surges
      of luteinizing hormone (LH). Eight regularly ovulating women (group 1) received
      two injections of Nal-Glu (5 mg) administered 48 h apart when plasma oestradiol
      levels exceeded 125 pg/ml. Human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG, 225 IU) was
      administered simultaneously with Nal-Glu and repeated every 12 h thereafter until
      either a spontaneous LH surge occurred or human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG,
      5000 IU) was administered. HCG was arbitrarily administered 48 h after the second
      Nal-Glu injection. Six other women (group 2) receiving only HMG served as
      controls. In seven of the eight women in group 1, LH and progesterone remained
      low for 96 h following Nal-Glu, i.e. until HCG administration. In the remaining
      woman in this group, LH started to rise 12 h before HCG injection. In this group,
      Nal-Glu did not interfere with follicular development or the plasma profile of
      oestradiol. All women developed one single dominant follicle with the exception
      of one subject who had already spontaneously developed two dominant follicles
      prior to administration of Nal-Glu and HMG. In group 2, LH rose spontaneously in
      all women before the planned HCG injection. The luteal phase was apparently not
      altered by Nal-Glu. These results suggest that Nal-Glu administration during the
      late follicular phase of natural cycles supported by HMG, can prevent the
      spontaneous LH surge while not interfering with follicular growth.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1430132
TI  - Early changes of affinity and binding sites of progesterone and oestrogen
      receptors in decidua exposed to RU 486.
AB  - Sixty patients with 6-7 weeks of amenorrhoea were randomly allocated to three
      groups. The women in the first group (control) took a placebo 24 h before
      undergoing a vacuum aspiration. The patients in the second and third groups were
      given 200 mg of RU 486 orally, 12 or 24 h before surgical interruption of their
      pregnancy. Decidua were collected and frozen in liquid nitrogen. By Scatchard
      plot analysis, the number of cytosolic binding sites (1798 +/- 803 fmol/mg DNA)
      of progesterone in decidua in the control group was significantly reduced (P less
      than 0.01) to 696 +/- 408 or 626 +/- 179 fmol/mg DNA by RU 486 treatment for 12
      or 24 h respectively. The dissociation constants of both cytosolic and nuclear
      progesterone receptors in RU 486-exposed decidua were increased (P less than
      0.01). The number of nuclear binding sites of oestrogen receptor was
      significantly higher (P less than 0.05) in decidua with RU 486 treatment for 12 h
      (178 +/- 77 fmol/mg DNA) compared to the control (89 +/- 32 fmol/mg DNA). The
      results suggest that RU 486 might regulate progesterone and oestrogen receptors
      in the decidua of early human pregnancy, either directly or indirectly.

PMID- 1430133
TI  - Consecutive versus alternating cycles of ovarian stimulation using human
      menopausal gonadotrophin.
AB  - Ovarian stimulation is an effective treatment for patients with ovulatory
      dysfunction and unexplained infertility. An initial report has suggested that
      consecutive cycles of ovarian stimulation can be employed without causing a
      diminished response in the second cycle. However, this observation has neither
      been confirmed nor has a regimen of consecutive stimulation cycles been compared
      to one of alternating stimulation cycles. Accordingly, 44 consecutive and 54
      alternating cycles of stimulation were evaluated in patients (n = 42) who were
      treated with human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG) alone. Human chorionic
      gonadotrophin (HCG) 10,000 IU was administered i.m. when at least one follicle
      exceeded 16 mm in mean diameter, and this was followed by either intercourse or
      intrauterine insemination. Using each patient as her own control, we were unable
      to demonstrate any differences in mean HMG dose requirements, endocrine
      parameters or follicular development on the day of HCG administration, or
      ovulation rates in the second consecutive cycle compared to the second
      alternating cycle. Clinical pregnancies resulted significantly more often in a
      consecutive cycle (8/22) than in an alternating cycle (2/27, P = 0.029). We
      conclude that consecutive cycles of ovarian stimulation with HMG are not
      detrimental and may, in fact, result in increased cycle fecundity compared to
      alternating stimulation cycles.

PMID- 1430134
TI  - The 24 h pattern of pulsatile luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone
      and prolactin release during the first 8 weeks of lactational amenorrhoea in
      breastfeeding women.
AB  - In women, breastfeeding results in a variable period of ovarian inactivity which
      is apparently related to suppression of the normal pulsatile release of
      luteinizing hormone (LH). However, pulse profiles had only been studied during
      the daytime. Since resumption of pulsatile LH secretion during puberty is
      initiated at night, the present study determined the pattern of pulsatile LH
      secretion in relation to that of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and
      prolactin, and suckling and ovarian activity at 4 and 8 weeks postpartum in 20
      fully breastfeeding women with lactational amenorrhoea. Blood samples were
      withdrawn at 10 min intervals for 24 h from 0900 h to 0900 h at either 4 weeks (n
      = 9) or 8 weeks (n = 11) postpartum, while the mothers and babies continued their
      normal pattern of suckling activity. At 4 weeks postpartum, no LH pulses occurred
      over 24 h in six of the nine women while one (n = 1) or two (n = 2) LH pulses
      occurred in three of the nine women. In contrast, LH pulses were present in nine
      of the 11 women at 8 weeks postpartum. The pulse frequency varied considerably
      from two to eight pulses over the 24 h and there was no influence of the time of
      day or sleep on the time of the pulse release. Lactational amenorrhoea was
      maintained for at least 10 weeks afterwards and there was no relationship between
      the time of resumption of ovarian activity and the presence or absence of
      pulsatile LH secretion at 4 or 8 weeks postpartum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1430135
TI  - Density differences between spermatozoa with antisperm autoantibodies and
      spermatozoa covered with antisperm antibodies from serum.
AB  - Autoantibody-carrying spermatozoa from infertile men were processed using a
      discontinuous Percoll gradient. The treatment yielded a sperm fraction with
      significantly reduced antibody loading on the sperm head but did not affect
      antibody binding to the sperm tail. The immunodepleted sperm preparation
      demonstrated fertilizing ability when used in in-vitro fertilization. Normal,
      antibody-free semen samples were coated in vitro with antisperm antibodies from
      serum, followed by Percoll gradient centrifugation. No significant separation of
      antibody-free spermatozoa was obtained, regardless of the antibody binding site.

PMID- 1430136
TI  - Outcome of treatment subsequent to the elective cryopreservation of all embryos
      from women at risk of the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.
AB  - From 1st June 1989 to 31st May 1991, 78 women with a serum oestradiol level
      greater than 3500 pg/ml on the day of the ovulatory trigger, following pituitary
      suppression with buserelin and ovarian stimulation with human menopausal
      gonadotrophins (HMG), had all their embryos electively cryopreserved at the
      pronucleate stage to minimize the risk of developing ovarian hyperstimulation
      syndrome (OHS). Treatment with buserelin was continued in the luteal phase. A
      median of 19 oocytes (range 7-43) was obtained and 12 embryos (range 1-37) frozen
      per cycle. Twenty-one (27%) women developed OHS (six severe). Women developing
      OHS had higher (P less than 0.05) serum oestradiol concentrations on the 7th day
      after oocyte retrieval, compared to those who did not. No differences were found
      for any of the following criteria: aetiology of infertility, age, total dose of
      HMG, number of oocytes, fertilization rate or freeze-thaw survival of embryos.
      Subsequently, 125 frozen-thawed embryo replacements have been undertaken, using
      buserelin and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) (n = 93) or natural cycles (n =
      32). The overall freeze-thaw survival and implantation rates per embryo were 71.8
      and 11.7%, respectively. The pregnancy rates in natural cycles (19%) and
      buserelin/HRT cycles (29%) were not significantly different.

PMID- 1430137
TI  - Ovarian torsion: a complication of GIFT. A report on two cases and literature
      review.
AB  - Two cases of ovarian torsion after gamete intra-Fallopian transfer are described
      and the roles of ovarian manipulation during the procedure, ovarian
      hyperstimulation and pregnancy as predisposing factors are discussed. The
      relevant literature is reviewed.

PMID- 1430138
TI  - Results of routine syphilitic and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serology in
      infertility.
AB  - While it has been accepted practice to screen women undergoing infertility
      evaluation for syphilis, there are few data in the literature regarding the
      seroprevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in infertile
      patients despite the increasing number of HIV-positive women. In the present
      study, six out of 2137 infertility patients were seropositive for syphilis
      (0.28%) and four out of 791 were HIV positive (0.5%). All four women with HIV
      antibodies had negative tests for syphilis and none of them related any risk
      factor for HIV infection on their initial visit. The 0.5% sero-positivity rate
      found in our study warrants routine HIV testing in infertile patients.

PMID- 1430139
TI  - The usefulness of endometrial biopsy for luteal phase evaluation in infertility.
AB  - To assess the usefulness of the late luteal phase endometrial biopsy in
      infertility, we evaluated a total of 1492 biopsies performed in 1055 patients. Of
      these women, 699 underwent one biopsy during spontaneous ovulatory cycles, 288
      had two, 57 had three, nine had four, and five biopsies were done in two
      patients. As controls we included 45 fertile women who were requesting
      contraception. We analysed histological dating of the endometrium and its
      abnormality rates in first and successive biopsy specimens, as well as the
      association of the pregnancy outcome with the endometrial patterns and treatment
      for luteal phase deficiency (LPD). Our results show firstly that diagnosis of LPD
      in both infertile and fertile women represents only a chance event; secondly,
      histological endometrial adequacy or inadequacy in the cycle of conception or in
      previous cycles is not related to the outcome of pregnancy in infertile patients.
      Finally, treatment of LPD does not improve pregnancy outcome in infertile women.
      Thus, luteal phase evaluation by histological dating of the endometrium is not
      worthwhile.

PMID- 1430140
TI  - An evaluation of couples with failure of fertilization in vitro.
AB  - Attempts at in-vitro fertilization (IVF) may be used as a method of evaluating
      whether in a given couple, the inability of the sperm to fertilize the oocyte may
      be the cause of infertility. We evaluated all IVF patients in our practice who
      had at least one cycle with no fertilization to determine how often this was an
      isolated event or was repeated in multiple cycles; would poor semen quality be
      found as a frequent cause; and how well can a donor sperm or oocyte 'probe'
      uncover which of the two is the problem? Of 35 couples who used their own gametes
      exclusively, 30 (85.7%) had at least one cycle with zero fertilization; 42.5% of
      those failing to fertilize in cycle 1 and 35% of those failing in cycle 2 had a
      subnormal concentration of motile spermatozoa, morphology or hypo-osmotic
      swelling test scores. The pregnancy rate per cycle with both husband's and wife's
      gametes was only 2.3% (3/130), but was 8.3% for those using donor spermatozoa
      (3/36) and 18.2% (2/11) for donor oocytes. Thus, failing to fertilize in a given
      cycle does not necessarily predict failure to fertilize in a subsequent cycle,
      but does predict a poor fertility outcome unless donor gametes are used.

PMID- 1430141
TI  - Costs in relation to effects of in-vitro fertilization.
AB  - A comparison has been made between in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and its most
      important alternative, tubal surgery. Medical results and financial costs have
      been taken into consideration. It is concluded that IVF must be regarded as a
      regular fertility treatment. The cost-effectiveness of IVF, in terms of the
      average treatment costs per full-term pregnancy, is approximately NLG 25,000,
      which is in line with that of tubal surgery. The deviation around the average is
      large, both for IVF and for tubal surgery.

PMID- 1430142
TI  - Effects of indoleamines on sperm motility in vitro.
AB  - Indoleamines are products of the pineal gland and are postulated to play an
      antigonadotrophic role in the reproductive system of mammals. In humans,
      indoleamines have been localized in tissue fluids such as plasma, serum and
      cerebrospinal fluid. Because indoleamines exhibit antigonadotrophic properties,
      the authors examined whether these agents cause inhibitory effects on sperm
      motility. In this study, time and dose-dependent inhibition of sperm motility by
      indoleamines was observed. Furthermore, the presence of indoles in incubation
      medium decreased sperm velocity. These data suggest that the presence of high
      doses of indoles in reproductive fluids may inhibit sperm motility and velocity.

PMID- 1430143
TI  - Spontaneous and ionophore induced acrosome reaction in asthenozoospermic
      infertile semen.
AB  - Spontaneous and ionophore-induced ability of spermatozoa to acrosome-react was
      examined in asthenozoospermic infertile patients and fertile donors. Spermatozoa
      were washed free of seminal plasma and capacitated in B2 medium for 2 h at 37
      degrees C. Subsequently 5, 10, 20 and 30 microM A23187 (final concentrations)
      were added to equal aliquots of these samples and incubated for an additional 30
      min. The acrosome reaction was then determined by the triple stain technique. The
      percentage of spontaneous reaction (no ionophore) in asthenozoospermic samples
      was similar to that in fertile samples (4.2 and 3.8, respectively). However, the
      ionophore-induced reaction rate remained significantly lower in asthenozoospermic
      samples than in normozoospermic samples.

PMID- 1430144
TI  - Pronuclear, cleavage and blastocyst histories in the attempted preimplantation
      diagnosis of the human hydatidiform mole.
AB  - We report a study of fertilization, syngamy and embryonic development in 14
      oocytes from a woman with four previous pregnancies involving complete
      hydatidiform moles. Serial observations of pronuclear movements and syngamy were
      compared to those in a group of 10 multipronucleate embryos from other patients.
      One embryo and possibly two others developed normally or near-normally. The
      others displayed immediate cleavage or had one or three pronuclei. The
      tripronucleate eggs displayed various anomalous forms of growth. The
      unipronucleate eggs passed through a double form of syngamy, which might have
      involved chromosome doubling, and could have developed as androgenetic diploids.
      We suggest a hypothesis to explain these unusual observations.

PMID- 1430145
TI  - Is the human oocyte plasma membrane polarized?
AB  - Using scanning electron microscopy, we have shown that the plasma membrane of the
      human metaphase II oocyte is organized in evenly spaced, short microvilli of 1-3
      microns in length. In contrast to other mammals studied to date, there is no
      microvillus-free area overlying the metaphase spindle and there were no other
      indications of polarization at this level of organization. Functional polarity of
      the plasma membrane, studied using localized microsurgery of the zona pellucida
      followed by insemination, suggests that sperm fusion and entry in the human may
      occur anywhere over the oocyte surface. Aged oocytes and those exposed to acidic
      Tyrode's solution had surfaces which were not homogeneously covered by
      microvilli. Oocytes exposed to a sucrose solution and subzonally injected with
      spermatozoa showed evidence of partial cortical granule exocytosis.

PMID- 1430146
TI  - Abstracts of the 8th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction
      and Embryology. The Hague, The Netherlands, 5-8 July 1992.

PMID- 1430147
TI  - Morphology of demyelination in the human central nervous system.
AB  - The principles of the neuropathological classification of disorders of central
      nervous system myelin are recalled. They are illustrated by a few selected
      examples. Dysmyelination is characterized by the production of an abnormal and
      unstable myelin sheath; it is often associated with hypomyelination (paucity of
      myelin formation) and is due to metabolic disorders. It is the main process in
      leukodystrophies. Storage of different lipids (e.g. sulfatides, long-chain fatty
      acids) or associated pathology of various cell types (in Alexander's disease, for
      example) are used for classifying these disorders. Biochemical and genetic
      characterizations are presently ongoing. Demyelination is the destruction of
      apparently normal myelin. It is often followed by remyelination. Our present
      knowledge on the neuropathology of multiple sclerosis, the most common
      demyelinating disease, is summarized. Cell-mediated demyelination affects the
      myelin sheaths for an obscure reason. The causes of the multifocal and sharply
      demarcated plaques, and of the fading of the remyelination process at the edge of
      some plaques, are not clear. A few examples of demyelinating diseases of known
      etiology and of various mechanisms are given. The similarities between acute
      disseminated leukoencephalitis and experimental autoimmune encephalitis are
      stressed. In progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, chronic infection of
      oligodendrocytes by JC virus induces poorly defined areas of demyelination. In
      AIDS, the pathogenesis of the myelin change is unclear. Macrophages may be
      responsible. Toxic and vascular disorders provide also good models for the
      understanding of mechanisms of demyelination.

PMID- 1430148
TI  - Macrophage responses and myelin clearance during Wallerian degeneration:
      relevance to immune-mediated demyelination.
AB  - Macrophages are important effector cells in immune-mediated demyelination.
      Current concepts regarding their entry and activation focus on the effects of T
      cell-derived cytokines. This presentation describes the responses of macrophages
      and microglia to a non-inflammatory, non-immune injury, Wallerian degeneration.
      During Wallerian degeneration in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), macrophages
      are promptly and abundantly recruited from the circulation, and myelin clearance
      is prompt. In the central nervous system (CNS), the appearance of macrophages is
      markedly slower, and entry from the circulation is modest or absent. Myelin
      clearance is similarly delayed. The nature of the factors promoting macrophage
      entry and activation in Wallerian degeneration, and the bases for the differences
      between PNS and CNS, are relevant to current issues in immune-mediated
      demyelination.

PMID- 1430149
TI  - Stromal macrophages of the choroid plexus situated at an interface between the
      brain and peripheral immune system constitutively express major
      histocompatibility class II antigens.
AB  - Using immunocytochemistry we have shown that there is a population of macrophages
      within the stroma of the choroid plexus of rats and mice which expresses high
      levels of major histocompatibility complex Class II antigens. In whole mount
      preparations of the choroid plexus, the morphology and regular distribution of
      these cells is similar to the Langerhans cells of the skin. These cells reside at
      an important interface between the central nervous system and the peripheral
      immune system and their possible role in immune-mediated diseases of the central
      nervous system is discussed.

PMID- 1430150
TI  - The role of macrophages in demyelination.
AB  - Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an autoimmune inflammatory
      disease of the central nervous system (CNS). In particular in the CsA-induced
      chronic relapsing form (CREAE), pronounced demyelination occurs, in temporal
      association with relapses. It is still a matter of discussion which cell type
      ultimately is responsible for the actual process of demyelination. Macrophages,
      cytotoxic T lymphocytes and also astrocytes are possible candidates. In this
      short overview, the role of macrophages in the pathogenesis of EAE is discussed.
      It is shown that in particular, newly recruited macrophages play a crucial role
      in the generation of clinical signs. Possible mechanisms by which macrophages are
      involved in the pathogenesis of demyelinating diseases are presented.

PMID- 1430151
TI  - Production of macrophage colony-stimulating factor by astrocytes and brain
      macrophages.
AB  - Morphological hallmarks of inflammatory and degenerative diseases of the brain
      are hypertrophy of astrocytes and accumulation of macrophages recruited from
      circulating blood monocytes and/or from resident macrophages, the so-called
      microglial cells. Recently, production of granulocyte-macrophage colony
      stimulating factor (GM-CSF) by astrocytes has been suggested to contribute to the
      macrophage response. Here we report that in addition to GM-CSF, murine astrocytes
      also produce macrophage (M)-CSF upon stimulation with tumor necrosis factor
      alpha, interleukin-1 and lipopolysaccharides. The bioactivity detected in
      supernatant of astrocytes was characterized using the M-CSF-dependent cell line M
      NFS-60 and neutralizing anti-M-CSF antibodies. RNase protection analysis showed M
      CSF mRNA already in unstimulated astrocytes without striking up-regulation by the
      stimuli. Thus, in astrocytes the expression of the M-CSF gene is predominantly
      regulated at the posttranscriptional level.

PMID- 1430152
TI  - Cytokines in neuroinflammatory disease: role of myelin autoreactive T cell
      production of interferon-gamma.
AB  - Many cytokines must be considered as effector and immunoregulatory molecules in
      neuroinflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and experimental
      allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). We have studied the potential role of
      interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in the pathogenesis of these diseases, since this
      cytokine has a number of important effects such as macrophage activation,
      induction of MHC class I and class I antigens, and T cell homing. An immunospot
      assay that allows enumeration of single cells secreting IFN-gamma after short
      term culture in vitro of mononuclear cell suspensions has been used. In EAE,
      increased numbers of IFN-gamma-secreting cells (IFN-gamma-sc) appear in the
      central nervous system shortly before onset of clinical signs. Such cells also
      increased during pharmacologically induced relapse of EAE. In later stages of
      EAE, memory T cells that produced IFN-gamma in response to presented antigen,
      recognized multiple regions of the myelin basic protein (MBP), showing that (i)
      myelin autoreactive T cells have the functional ability to produce this cytokine,
      (ii) the concept of immunodominance as to autoantigen peptide reactivity is non
      absolute and time-dependent. In multiple sclerosis (MS) there are increased
      numbers of IFN-gamma-sc among the CSF cells. Also, there are increased numbers of
      memory T cells, strongly enriched to the cerebrospinal fluid, which upon
      recognition of several myelin antigens and several MBP peptide stretches, produce
      IFN-gamma. Taken together, the data are consistent with a role for IFN-gamma as a
      key mediator in inflammatory demyelinating diseases.

PMID- 1430153
TI  - Multiple sclerosis and vitamin B12 metabolism.
AB  - Multiple sclerosis (MS) is occasionally associated with vitamin B12 deficiency.
      Recent studies have shown an increased risk of macrocytosis, low serum and/or CSF
      vitamin B12 levels, raised plasma homocysteine and raised unsaturated R-binder
      capacity in MS. The aetiology of the vitamin B12 deficiency in MS is often
      uncertain and a disorder of vitamin B12 binding or transport is suspected. The
      nature of the association of vitamin B12 deficiency and MS is unclear but is
      likely to be more than coincidental. There is a remarkable similarity in the
      epidemiology of MS and pernicious anaemia. Vitamin B12 deficiency should always
      be looked for in MS. The deficiency may aggravate MS or impair recovery. There is
      evidence that vitamin B12 is important for myelin synthesis and integrity but
      further basic studies are required.

PMID- 1430154
TI  - The differentiation of glial cell progenitor populations following
      transplantation into non-repairing central nervous system glial lesions in adult
      animals.
AB  - The non-repairing nature of the locally x-irradiated ethidium bromide (EB)
      induced demyelinating white matter lesion has been further validated by showing
      that injections of two cultures which promote host remyelination of EB lesions in
      normal tissue do not do so in x-irradiated lesions. The behaviour of an oncogene
      immortalized glial cell line and a growth-factor-expanded glial progenitor
      population have been examined following transplantation into the non-repairing EB
      lesion. Our studies indicate that the selected glial cell populations were each
      capable of establishing glial environments around demyelinated axons. Extensive
      oligodendrocyte remyelination with little astrocytic presence was observed in
      lesions transplanted with growth-factor-expanded optic nerve progenitors, while
      less extensive oligodendrocyte remyelination with the establishment of astrocyte
      like cells was found in lesions transplanted with ts A58-SV40T immortalized glial
      cells. Prolonged expansion of both populations resulted in a loss of
      differentiation to normal glial phenotypes.

PMID- 1430155
TI  - Central nervous system demyelination and remyelination in multiple sclerosis and
      viral models of disease.
AB  - The mechanisms of myelin injury and repair were studied in acute multiple
      sclerosis lesions and in a murine model of demyelination induced by a virus.
      Injury to oligodendrocytes resulting in degeneration of inner glial loops and
      inner myelin lamellae (dying-back oligodendrogliopathy) was observed by electron
      microscopy in brain biopsies of acute demyelinating lesions. Attempts at central
      nervous system remyelination as manifested by thinly myelinated axons and
      proliferation of oligodendrocytes were observed at the edge of many acute
      plaques. To develop therapeutic strategies to inhibit demyelination or promote
      remyelination, mice infected intracranially with Theiler's virus (a picornavirus)
      were studied. Experimental manipulation of Theiler's virus-infected mice by
      treatment during chronic demyelinating disease with immunoglobulins directed at
      normal spinal cord antigens or with monoclonal antibodies which deplete CD4 or
      CD8-positive T cells resulted in augmentation of new myelin synthesis. These
      observations suggest that disturbances in the myelinating function of
      oligodendrocytes, events not accompanied by death of these cells, may be among
      the earliest pathological events in multiple sclerosis. Experiments using the
      Theiler's virus model of demyelination indicate that manipulation of the immune
      response has the potential to promote central nervous system remyelination and
      functional recovery in multiple sclerosis.

PMID- 1430156
TI  - The effects of high-dose methylprednisolone on gadolinium-enhanced magnetic
      resonance imaging and cerebrospinal fluid measurements in multiple sclerosis.
AB  - Blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption is probably the first event in the lesion
      development in multiple sclerosis (MS). This stage can be visualized by
      gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the brain. Serial MR
      imaging studies have indicated a continuous spectrum of disease activity with
      waxing and waning of acute lesions, even in clinically stable MS patients. High
      dose intravenous methylprednisolone (MP) has a beneficial clinical effect;
      reduces gadolinium enhancement, indicating improvement of BBB integrity; and, in
      MS patients, decreases intrathecal immunoglobulin synthesis with reduction of
      cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) myelin basic protein (MBP). A correlative triad is
      noted between gadolinium enhancement, clinical improvement, and decrease of CSF
      MBP following MP treatment, indicating a relationship between restoration of BBB
      integrity, clinical improvement and decrease of myelin breakdown. It is not clear
      whether MP interferes primarily with the process of demyelination or reacts non
      specifically with its mediators.

PMID- 1430158
TI  - Macrophages and the glucocorticoids.
AB  - Macrophages fulfill such functions as (i) housekeeping and scavenging, (ii)
      protective and defense, and (iii) memory. Glucocorticoids are hormones also used
      as anti-inflammatory and immuno-suppressive drugs. They act on the many functions
      of macrophages, mainly by interfering with functions (ii) and (iii).
      Glucocorticoids interfere with these macrophage functions by modulating the
      production of inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, phospholipid-derived
      mediators, proteases, oxygen metabolites. For inducing these effects,
      glucocorticoids interact with their receptors, transcription factors that
      recognize specific genomic sequences, glucocorticoid responsive elements (GRE).
      Glucocorticoids modulate the transcription of genes in association with other
      transcription factors such as Fos, Jun, CREB, These combinatorial associations-
      differing according to the differentiation and/or activation state of the cell-
      may therefore produce a fine-tuning of the induction or repression of genes.
      These mechanisms shed new light for understanding the complexity of
      glucocorticoid effects on macrophage function in the inflammatory reaction.

PMID- 1430157
TI  - Glucocorticoid regulation of eicosanoid production by glial cells under basal and
      stimulated conditions.
AB  - We measured the production of two eicosanoids, prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane
      B2, by rat glial cell cultures under basal conditions, following stimulation with
      phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate and the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide,
      and following treatment with synthetic glucocorticoids. Stimulation of rat glial
      cells in culture with either phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate or
      lipopolysaccharide caused a 1.5-5.0-fold increase in prostaglandin E2 production,
      but did not affect thromboxane production. Pretreatment of the cultures with
      dexamethasone markedly inhibited the stimulated production of prostaglandin E2
      but had only a modest effect on basal production. Dexamethasone did not affect
      the activity of the enzyme protein kinase C, a putative regulator of eicosanoid
      synthesis. Our findings show that glucocorticoids have the potential to modulate
      central nervous system eicosanoid production particularly under conditions of
      stimulated production, such as inflammatory and demyelinating disorders. This
      mechanism may explain, at least in part, the therapeutic benefit of
      glucocorticoids in patients with multiple sclerosis.

PMID- 1430159
TI  - Development and regeneration in the O-2A lineage: studies in vitro and in vivo.
AB  - This brief review discusses selected aspects of our studies on the control of
      division and differentiation of the glial precursor cells which give rise to
      oligodendrocytes. For more extensive reviews on this topic, the reader is
      referred to recent reviews by Raff (1989), Richardson et al. (1991), Noble (1991)
      and Noble et al. (1991).

PMID- 1430160
TI  - Air-rotor stripping and lower incisor extraction treatment.

PMID- 1430161
TI  - 1991 JCO orthodontic practice study. 3. Practice growth.

PMID- 1430162
TI  - Oral hygiene compliance: a clinical investigation.

PMID- 1430163
TI  - Efficient and effective infection control.

PMID- 1430164
TI  - Remodeling: exterior additions.

PMID- 1430165
TI  - Evaluation of maxillary disjunction with bone densitometry.

PMID- 1430166
TI  - Horizontal growth of the soft-tissue nose relative to maxillary growth.

PMID- 1430167
TI  - The asymmetrical "T" archwire.

PMID- 1430168
TI  - Clinical considerations in the use of protraction headgear.

PMID- 1430169
TI  - Orthodontic associateships: how to succeed.

PMID- 1430170
TI  - Do sealants seal? An SEM investigation.

PMID- 1430171
TI  - Forced eruption: an alternative to extraction or periodontal surgery.

PMID- 1430172
TI  - Orthodontic pliers.

PMID- 1430173
TI  - Swivel key for palatal expansion appliances.

PMID- 1430174
TI  - The tip-edge concept: eliminating unnecessary anchorage strain.

PMID- 1430175
TI  - A bonded space maintainer.

PMID- 1430176
TI  - Molar distalization with superelastic NiTi wire.

PMID- 1430177
TI  - Management skills linked to the profitability of large practices.

PMID- 1430178
TI  - How to keep cement from blocking a molar tube.

PMID- 1430179
TI  - Effective use of a treatment communications coordinator.

PMID- 1430180
TI  - Overjet reduction with a preadjusted appliance system.

PMID- 1430181
TI  - Pain in the early stages of orthodontic treatment.

PMID- 1430182
TI  - Molar uprighting with crossed tipback springs.

PMID- 1430183
TI  - Cephalometric evaluation of skeletal open- and deep-bite tendencies.

PMID- 1430184
TI  - A new approach to staying on time.

PMID- 1430185
TI  - Designing adult areas.

PMID- 1430187
TI  - Use of stamped chart notations to enhance patient compliance.

PMID- 1430186
TI  - Class II bimaxillary protrusion treated with magnetic forces.

PMID- 1430188
TI  - Occlusograms in orthodontic treatment planning.

PMID- 1430189
TI  - Modified Nance appliance for unilateral molar distalization.

PMID- 1430190
TI  - Patient motivation and education products.

PMID- 1430191
TI  - Indirect fabrication of a bonded lower lingual retainer.

PMID- 1430192
TI  - Class II treatment with elastodontics.

PMID- 1430193
TI  - Frictional properties of metal and ceramic brackets.

PMID- 1430194
TI  - Cancer risks from germline p53 mutations.

PMID- 1430195
TI  - Modulation of transforming growth factor-beta 1 antiproliferative effects on
      endothelial cells by cysteine, cystine, and N-acetylcysteine.
AB  - Early passaged bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells exposed to 0.1-2.0 ng/ml
      transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) showed concentration-dependent
      growth inhibition, as assessed by [3H]thymidine labeling and cell counts, over a
      96-h interval. Most of the inhibition of [3H]thymidine labeling measured at 96 h
      persisted when the medium was replaced with TGF-beta 1-free medium after 24 h,
      but the inhibition of labeling was prevented by the presence of anti-TGF-beta 1
      antibody in the replacement medium. Additions of 2 mM cysteine, 1 mM cystine, or
      2 mM N-acetylcysteine at the time of the initial addition of TGF-beta 1 blocked
      the inhibitory effect of TGF-beta 1 on [3H]-thymidine labeling when this was
      assessed after 72-96 h, but not at earlier times. Prevention of the inhibitory
      effect on cellular proliferation produced by cysteine, cystine and N
      acetylcysteine was associated with elevation of cellular glutathione that was
      present at 48-96 h. There was no evidence for direct inactivation of TGF-beta 1
      by the thiol-amino acids. Conditioned medium from TGF-beta 1-treated endothelial
      cells inhibited proliferation of mink lung carcinoma (CCL64) cells, supporting a
      previously reported concept of autocrine production of TGF-beta 1 by the
      endothelial cells. The inhibitory action of the conditioned medium was partially
      prevented when 1 mM cysteine was added during conditioning. Thus, TGF-beta 1
      treatment of endothelial cells appears to set off autocrine production by these
      cells of TGF-beta 1 that perpetuates the inhibition of cellular proliferation.
      Replenishment of cellular glutathione with thiol-amino acids counteracts the
      growth-inhibitory effect of TGF-beta 1 through a currently undefined mechanism.

PMID- 1430196
TI  - Paradoxical withdrawal of reflex vasoconstriction as a cause of hemodialysis
      induced hypotension.
AB  - Acute hypotension is an important complication of hemodialysis, but the
      underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Because hemorrhage-induced
      hypovolemia can trigger a sudden decrease in sympathetic activity resulting in
      bradycardia and vasodilation, we hypothesized that hemodialysis-induced
      hypovolemia also can trigger the same type of vasodepressor reaction, which would
      exacerbate the volume-dependent fall in blood pressure. We therefore measured
      blood pressure, vascular resistance, and sympathetic nerve activity (intraneural
      microelectrodes) during sessions of maintenance hemodialysis in 7 patients with
      and 16 patients without a history of hemodialysis-induced hypotension. During
      hemodialysis, blood pressure at first remained unchanged as calf resistance
      increased in both hypotension-resistant (from 37 +/- 4 to 49 +/- 5 U, P < 0.05)
      and hypotension-prone (from 42 +/- 6 to 66 +/- 12 U, P < 0.05) patients;
      sympathetic activity increased comparably in the subset of patients in whom it
      could be measured. With continued hemodialysis, calf resistance and sympathetic
      activity increased further in the hypotension-resistant patients, but in the
      hypotension-prone patients the precipitous decrease in blood pressure was
      accompanied by decreases in sympathetic activity, vascular resistance, and heart
      rate as well as symptoms of vasodepressor syncope. On an interdialysis day, both
      groups of patients increased vascular resistance normally during unloading of
      cardiopulmonary baroreceptors with lower body negative pressure and increased
      heart rate normally during unloading of arterial baroreceptors with infusion of
      nitroprusside. These findings indicate that in a group of hemodialysis patients
      without diabetes or other conditions known to impair autonomic reflexes,
      hemodialysis-induced hypotension is not caused by chronic uremic impairment in
      arterial or cardiopulmonary baroreflexes but rather by acute, paradoxical
      withdrawal of sympathetic vasoconstrictor drive producing vasodepressor syncope.

PMID- 1430197
TI  - Sporadic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy due to de novo myosin mutations.
AB  - Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurs as an autosomal dominant familial disorder or
      as a sporadic disease without familial involvement. While missense mutations in
      the beta cardiac myosin heavy chain (MHC) gene account for approximately half of
      all cases of familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the molecular causes of
      sporadic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are unknown. To determine whether beta
      cardiac MHC mutations are also associated with sporadic disease, we screened this
      gene in seven individuals with sporadic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Mutations in
      the beta cardiac MHC genes were identified in two probands with sporadic disease.
      In that their parents were neither clinically nor genetically affected, we
      conclude that mutations in each proband arose de novo. Transmission of the
      mutation and disease to an offspring occurred in one pedigree, predicting that
      these are germline mutations. The demonstration of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
      arising within a pedigree coincident with the appearance of a de novo mutation
      provides compelling genetic evidence that beta cardiac MHC mutations cause this
      disease. We suggest that de novo mutations account for some instances of sporadic
      hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and that these mutations can be transmitted to
      children. The clinical benefits of defining mutations responsible for familial
      hypertrophic cardiomyopathy should also be available to some patients with
      sporadic disease.

PMID- 1430198
TI  - Regulation of lipoprotein lipase in the diabetic rat.
AB  - Diabetes mellitus is associated with a reduction of lipoprotein lipase (LPL)
      activity and development of hypertriglyceridemia. In the current experiments the
      mechanisms involved in the regulation of LPL have been examined in control rats,
      streptozocin-induced diabetic rats, and diabetic rats treated chronically or with
      a single injection of insulin. Diabetes decreased adipose tissue LPL activity
      partially by decreasing immunoreactive LPL protein and the steady-state levels of
      LPL mRNA, but primarily by reducing the catalytic activity of LPL. Both chronic
      and acute insulin increased adipose tissue LPL activity by correcting the defect
      in the catalytic activity of LPL and increasing immunoreactive LPL protein;
      however, only chronic insulin restored LPL mRNA levels to normal. In the heart,
      LPL activity tended to be elevated with diabetes in parallel to an increase in
      immunoreactive LPL protein even though levels of LPL mRNA declined. Both chronic
      and acute insulin normalized LPL activity and immunoreactive LPL protein, while
      only chronic insulin corrected the levels of LPL mRNA. No changes in the
      catalytic activity of LPL in heart were detected among the groups. Thus, diabetes
      and insulin treatment regulate LPL expression pretranslationally,
      translationally, and post-translationally, with tissue-specific differences
      apparent in the mechanisms involved.

PMID- 1430199
TI  - Glutaric acidemia type II. Heterogeneity in beta-oxidation flux, polypeptide
      synthesis, and complementary DNA mutations in the alpha subunit of electron
      transfer flavoprotein in eight patients.
AB  - We studied metabolic, polypeptide and genetic variation in eight glutaric
      acidemia type II (GA II) patients with electron transfer flavoprotein (ETF)
      deficiency. As measured by 3H-fatty acid oxidations in fibroblasts, beta
      oxidation pathway flux correlated well with clinical phenotypes. In six patients
      with severe neonatal onset GA II, oxidation of [9,10(n)-3H]-palmitate ranged from
      2% to 22% of control and of [9,10(n)-3H]myristate, from 2% to 26% of control. Of
      two patients with late onset GA II, one had intermediate residual activities with
      these substrates and the other normal activities. Radiolabeling and
      immunoprecipitation studies revealed that three of the six neonatal onset GA II
      patients had greatly diminished or absent alpha- and beta-ETF subunits,
      consistent with a failure to assemble a stable heterodimer. Another neonatal
      onset patient showed normal synthesis of beta-ETF but decreased synthesis of
      alpha-ETF. Two neonatal onset and two late onset GA II patients showed normal
      synthesis of both subunits. Analysis of the pre-alpha-ETF coding sequence
      revealed seven different mutations in the six patients with neonatal onset GA II.
      The most common mutation was a methionine for threonine substitution at codon 266
      found in four unrelated patients, while all the other mutations were seen in
      single patients. No mutations were detected in the two patients with late onset
      GA II.

PMID- 1430200
TI  - Homozygous 4.1(-) hereditary elliptocytosis associated with a point mutation in
      the downstream initiation codon of protein 4.1 gene.
AB  - We studied a 43 yr-old Spanish patient with homozygous 4.1(-) hereditary
      elliptocytosis. Any form of protein 4.1 was missing in the red cells. Spectrin
      and actin were slightly, yet significantly, diminished. Alterations appeared at
      the level of proteins 4.5 and 4.9. Glycophorin C was sharply reduced. The
      abnormal allele was associated with the -++-- haplotype (Pvu II, Bgl II, Bgl II,
      Pvu II, Pvu II). mRNA 4.1(-) had an apparently normal size but was diminished by
      about two-thirds. Because the abnormal phenotype pertained to the red cell, we
      sequenced the 4.1 cDNA regions that appear critical to this cell type. The
      ultimate change turned out to be a point mutation of the downstream translation
      initiation codon (AUG-->AGG). No disorders in other cell types could be related
      with certainty to the present 4.1(-) HE allele.

PMID- 1430201
TI  - Neuroendocrine mechanism of onset of puberty. Sequential reduction in activity of
      inhibitory and facilitatory N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors.
AB  - In humans and in several animal species, puberty results from changes in
      pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion in the hypothalamus. In
      particular, the frequency of pulsatile GnRH secretion increases at the onset of
      puberty, as can be shown by using hypothalamic explants of male rats of 15 and 25
      d. Previous observations from us and others suggested that the initiation of
      puberty could involve a facilitatory effect of excitatory amino acids mediated
      through N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. We found that GnRH secretion could
      be activated through NMDA receptors only around the time of onset of puberty (25
      d). The aim of this study was to clarify why this activation did not occur
      earlier (at 15 d) and could no longer be observed by the end of puberty (at 50
      d). We studied GnRH secretion in the presence of MK-801, a noncompetitive
      antagonist of NMDA receptors or AP-5, a competitive antagonist. We showed that,
      in the hypothalamus of immature male rats (15 d), a highly potent inhibitory
      control of pulsatile GnRH secretion in vitro was mediated through NMDA receptors.
      These data were confirmed in vivo because administration of the antagonist MK-801
      (0.001 mg/kg) to immature male rats resulted in early pubertal development. Onset
      of puberty (25 d) was characterized by the disappearance of that NMDA receptor
      mediated inhibition, thus unmasking a facilitatory effect also mediated through
      NMDA receptors. During puberty, there was a reduction in activity of this
      facilitatory control which was no longer opposed by its inhibitory counterpart.
      We conclude that a sequential reduction in activity of inhibitory and
      facilitatory NMDA receptors provides a developmental basis for the neuroendocrine
      mechanism of onset of puberty.

PMID- 1430202
TI  - Blood volume and body fluid compartments in lambs with aortopulmonary left-to
      right shunts.
AB  - A left-to-right shunt is accompanied by an increased plasma and blood volume.
      Since this is likely realized through renin/aldosterone-mediated salt and water
      retention, other body fluid compartments may be changed too. Therefore, we
      studied blood volume and body fluid compartments by a single-injection, triple
      indicator dilution technique in nine 8-wk-old lambs with an aortopulmonary left
      to-right shunt (55 +/- 3% of left ventricular output; mean +/- SEM) and in 11
      control lambs, 2.5 wk after surgery. Systemic blood flow was maintained at the
      same level as in control lambs, but the aortic pressure of the shunt lambs was
      lower. Blood volume in shunt lambs was larger than in control lambs (110 +/- 6
      vs. 84 +/- 7 ml/kg, P < 0.001) through an increase in plasma volume, which
      correlated significantly with the magnitude of the left-to-right shunt (r = 0.81,
      P < 0.01). Red blood cell volume was equal to that of control lambs. Evidence was
      obtained that the increase in plasma volume was induced by a transient increase
      in renin (8.0 +/- 2.2 vs. 1.6 +/- 0.2 nmol.l-1.h-1; P < 0.02) and aldosterone
      (0.51 +/- 0.14 vs. 0.24 +/- 0.09 nmol/liter) concentrations. Interstitial water
      volume, however, was not significantly different from that in control lambs. The
      amount of intravascular protein was significantly higher than in control lambs
      (5.0 +/- 0.3 vs. 3.5 +/- 0.2 g/kg body mass, P < 0.001). There were no
      significant differences in intracellular and total body water volumes between the
      two groups. We conclude that the increased amount of intravascular protein
      confines the fluid retained by the kidneys to the vascular compartment.

PMID- 1430203
TI  - Importance of peripheral insulin levels for insulin-induced suppression of
      glucose production in depancreatized dogs.
AB  - It is generally believed that glucose production (GP) cannot be adequately
      suppressed in insulin-treated diabetes because the portal-peripheral insulin
      gradient is absent. To determine whether suppression of GP in diabetes depends on
      portal insulin levels, we performed 3-h glucose and specific activity clamps in
      moderately hyperglycemic (10 mM) depancreatized dogs, using three protocols: (a)
      54 pmol.kg-1 bolus + 5.4 pmol.kg-1.min-1 portal insulin infusion (n = 7;
      peripheral insulin = 170 +/- 51 pM); (b) an equimolar peripheral infusion (n = 7;
      peripheral insulin = 294 +/- 28 pM, P < 0.001); and (c) a half-dose peripheral
      infusion (n = 7), which gave comparable (157 +/- 13 pM) insulinemia to that seen
      in protocol 1. Glucose production, use (GU) and cycling (GC) were measured using
      HPLC-purified 6-[3H]- and 2-[3H]glucose. Consistent with the higher peripheral
      insulinemia, peripheral infusion was more effective than equimolar portal
      infusion in increasing GU. Unexpectedly, it was also more potent in suppressing
      GP (73 +/- 7 vs. 55 +/- 7% suppression between 120 and 180 min, P < 0.001). At
      matched peripheral insulinemia (protocols 2 and 3), not only stimulation of GU,
      but also suppression of GP was the same (55 +/- 7 vs. 63 +/- 4%). In the diabetic
      dogs at 10 mM glucose, GC was threefold higher than normal but failed to decrease
      with insulin infusion by either route. Glycerol, alanine, FFA, and glucagon
      levels decreased proportionally to peripheral insulinemia. However, the decrease
      in glucagon was not significantly greater in protocol 2 than in 1 or 3. When we
      combined all protocols, we found a correlation between the decrements in glycerol
      and FFAs and the decrease in GP (r = 0.6, P < 0.01). In conclusion, when
      suprabasal insulin levels in the physiological postprandial range are provided to
      moderately hyperglycemic depancreatized dogs, suppression of GP appears to be
      more dependent on peripheral than portal insulin concentrations and may be mainly
      mediated by limitation of the flow of precursors and energy substrates for
      gluconeogenesis and by the suppressive effect of insulin on glucagon secretion.
      These results suggest that a portal-peripheral insulin gradient might not be
      necessary to effectively suppress postprandial GP in insulin-treated diabetics.

PMID- 1430204
TI  - Mesenchymal cells isolated after acute lung injury manifest an enhanced
      proliferative phenotype.
AB  - After acute lung injury, mesenchymal cells migrate into the alveolar airspace
      where they proliferate and deposit connective tissue macromolecules. Early in the
      disease process, inflammatory cell-derived trophic factors modulate these
      mesenchymal cell functions. However, in those patients who die, even as the
      inflammatory response abates, the fibroproliferative response continues,
      resulting in extensive intraalveolar fibrosis. We therefore hypothesized that
      lung mesenchymal cells obtained from individuals dying with acute alveolar
      fibrosis would manifest an enhanced proliferative capacity that was independent
      of persistent exogenous signals. To examine this hypothesis, the in vitro growth
      properties of mesenchymal cells prepared from patients dying with acute lung
      injury (n = 3) were analyzed in defined medium and compared with those of
      mesenchymal cells similarly prepared from patients dying with histologically
      normal lungs (n = 3). Isolates were characterized as mesenchymal cells by using
      morphological and immunohistochemical criteria. In accord with the hypothesis,
      mesenchymal cells isolated from lung-injured patients doubled within 3 d in the
      complete absence of exogenous peptide growth factors, reaching a saturation
      density of approximately 15 x 10(3) cells/cm2. As expected, lung mesenchymal
      cells from normal individuals failed to significantly increase in number.
      Consistent with this proliferative phenotype, the immediate early cell division
      cycle genes c-fos and c-jun were constitutively expressed in each cell strain
      prepared from injured lungs, but not in those from control lungs. The observed
      proliferative phenotype was stable through the fifth subcultivation of the cells.
      Despite these proliferative properties, three separate criteria indicated the
      mesenchymal cells from injured lungs were not transformed: normal karyotype;
      finite lifespan in vitro (9-10 subcultivations); and inability to disseminate in
      mice with severe combined immunodeficiency. These data support the hypothesis
      that mesenchymal cells manifest an enhanced proliferative state after acute lung
      injury.

PMID- 1430205
TI  - Cardiac contractile dysfunction during mild coronary flow reductions is due to an
      altered calcium-pressure relationship in rat hearts.
AB  - Coronary artery stenosis or occlusion results in reduced coronary flow and
      myocardial contractile depression. At severe flow reductions, increased inorganic
      phosphate (Pi) and intracellular acidosis clearly play a role in contractile
      depression. However, during milder flow reductions the mechanism(s) underlying
      contractile depression are less clear. Previous perfused heart studies
      demonstrated no change of Pi or pH during mild flow reductions, suggesting that
      changes of intravascular pressure (garden hose effect) may be the mediator of
      this contractile depression. Others have reported conflicting results regarding
      another possible mediator of contractility, the cytosolic free calcium (Cai). To
      examine the respective roles of Cai, Pi, pH, and vascular pressure in regulating
      contractility during mild flow reductions, Indo-1 calcium fluorescence and 31P
      magnetic resonance spectroscopy measurements were performed on Langendorff
      perfused rat hearts. Cai and diastolic calcium levels did not change during flow
      reductions to 50% of control. Pi demonstrated a close relationship with developed
      pressure and significantly increased from 2.5 +/- 0.3 to 4.2 +/- 0.4 mumol/g dry
      weight during a 25% flow reduction. pH was unchanged until a 50% flow reduction.
      Increasing vascular pressure to superphysiological levels resulted in further
      increases of developed pressure, with no change in Cai. These findings are
      consistent with the hypothesis that during mild coronary flow reductions,
      contractile depression is mediated by an altered relationship between Cai and
      pressure, rather than by decreased Cai. Furthermore, increased Pi and decreased
      intravascular pressure may be responsible for this altered calcium-pressure
      relationship during mild coronary flow reductions.

PMID- 1430206
TI  - Acquisition and synthesis of folates by obligate intracellular bacteria of the
      genus Chlamydia.
AB  - We undertook studies focused on folate acquisition by Chlamydia trachomatis L2,
      Chlamydia psittaci 6BC, and C. psittaci francis. Results from in situ studies,
      using wild-type host cells, confirmed that C. trachomatis L2 and C. psittaci 6BC
      are sensitive to sulfonamides whereas C. psittaci francis is resistant. In
      addition C. trachomatis L2 and C. psittaci francis were inhibited by methotrexate
      in situ whereas C. psittaci 6BC was not. In contrast to C. trachomatis, neither
      C. psittaci strain was affected by trimethoprim. Surprisingly our results
      indicate that all three strains are capable of efficient growth in folate
      depleted host cells. When growing in folate-depleted cells C. psittaci francis
      becomes sensitive to sulfonamide. The ability of all three strains to carry out
      de novo folate synthesis was demonstrated by following the incorporation of
      exogenous [3H]pABA into intracellular folates and by detecting dihydropteroate
      synthase activity in reticulate body crude extract. Dihydrofolate reductase
      activity was also detected in reticulate body extract. In aggregate the results
      indicate that C. trachomatis L2, C. psittaci francis, and C. psittaci 6BC can all
      synthesize folates de novo, however, strains differ in their ability to transport
      preformed folates directly from the host cell.

PMID- 1430207
TI  - Inhibition of lung epithelial cell proliferation by hyperoxia.
      Posttranscriptional regulation of proliferation-related genes.
AB  - The alveolar surface of the lung is a major target for oxidant injury. After
      injury, repair of the alveolar epithelium is dependent on the ability of
      epithelial type 2 (T2) cells to proliferate. The regulation of T2 cell
      proliferation and the effect of reactive oxygen (O2) species on this lung cell
      proliferation have not been well defined. To investigate this process we focused
      on the regulation of two late cell cycle genes, histone and thymidine kinase, in
      T2 cells and fibroblasts exposed in vitro to varying periods of hyperoxia (95%
      O2). Hyperoxia for 24 to 48 h arrested cell proliferation in a SV40T-immortalized
      T2 cell line we have developed and in primary and SV40T-immortalized lung
      fibroblasts. Despite the cessation of proliferation, histone and TK mRNA
      continued to be expressed at high levels; mRNA half-lives were markedly prolonged
      but neither protein was translated. Thus proliferation arrest induced by
      hyperoxia was associated with posttranscriptional control of at least two late
      cell cycle-related genes. This form of proliferation arrest is also seen when
      primary and SV40T-T2 cells but not fibroblasts are serum deprived, suggesting
      that T2 cells in vitro may be uniquely sensitive to alterations in their redox
      state and that these alterations in turn affect translational control of a subset
      of proliferation-related genes.

PMID- 1430208
TI  - New insights on the mechanism(s) of the dominant negative effect of mutant
      thyroid hormone receptor in generalized resistance to thyroid hormone.
AB  - Generalized resistance to thyroid hormone (GRTH) is a syndrome of hyposensitivity
      to triiodothyronine (T3) that displays autosomal dominant inheritance. The
      genetic defect commonly lies in the ligand-binding domain of one of the TR beta
      alleles. Since there are two major thyroid hormone receptor (TR) isoforms, TR
      alpha and TR beta, it is not known how the mutant receptor mediates a dominant
      negative effect. Previously, we showed that T3 caused dissociation of TR
      homodimers and TR alpha/TR beta dimers from several thyroid hormone response
      elements (TREs). Hence, we used the electrophoretic mobility shift assay to
      compare the effect of T3 on the DNA binding of mutant TR beta-1 (Mf-1) from a
      kindred with GRTH with normal TR beta. Mf-1 bound better as a homodimer than TR
      beta, but dissociated from DNA only at high T3 concentrations. Both receptors
      heterodimerized with nuclear auxiliary proteins. They also dimerized with TR
      alpha and with each other. Surprisingly, T3 disrupted the DNA binding of the Mf
      1/TR isoform dimers. Thus, mechanisms for the dominant negative effect by mutant
      TRs likely involve either increased binding to TREs by mutant homodimers that
      cannot bind T3 (hence cannot dissociate from DNA) and/or the formation of
      inactive mutant TR/nuclear protein heterodimers.

PMID- 1430209
TI  - Induction of thrombospondin 1 by retinoic acid is important during
      differentiation of neuroblastoma cells.
AB  - Neuroblastoma, a malignant neoplasm that arises in the adrenal medulla or
      sympathetic ganglion, is one of the most common solid tumors of childhood.
      Reports that neuroblastomas spontaneously mature to form benign ganglioneuromas
      have prompted investigations into the efficacy of using agents that induce
      neuronal differentiation in the treatment of this malignancy. Retinoic acid is
      one agent in particular that has been shown to induce growth inhibition and
      terminal differentiation of neuroblastoma cell lines in vitro. Using the human
      neuroblastoma cell line SMH-KCNR, we have investigated the role of the
      extracellular matrix protein thrombospondin in retinoic acid induced
      neuroblastoma differentiation. Treatment with retinoic acid results in a rapid
      induction (within 4 h) of thrombospondin (TSP) message which is independent of
      intervening protein synthesis and superinducible in the presence of
      cycloheximide. This suggests that TSP functions as a retinoic acid inducible
      immediate early response gene. A concomitant increase in both cell associated and
      soluble forms of TSP protein can be detected within 24 h of retinoic acid
      treatment. A functional role for TSP in SMH-KCNR differentiation was established
      in experiments which showed that exposure to anti-TSP monoclonal antibodies delay
      retinoic acid differentiation for 48 h. At the time the cells overcome the
      effects of TSP inhibition, laminin production becomes maximal. Treatment of the
      cells with a combination of anti-TSP and antilaminin antibodies results in
      complete inhibition of differentiation.

PMID- 1430210
TI  - Animal cell mutants represent two complementation groups of peroxisome-defective
      Zellweger syndrome.
AB  - Generalized peroxisome-deficient disorders including cerebro-hepato-renal
      Zellweger syndrome, neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy, and infantile Refsum disease
      are autosomal recessive diseases, where catalase-containing particles
      (peroxisomes) are morphologically absent. We previously isolated two Chinese
      hamster ovary (CHO) cell mutants (Z24 and Z65) that resemble the fibroblasts from
      patients with such diseases, in their defective peroxisome assembly (Tsukamoto,
      T., S. Yokota, and Y. Fujiki. 1990. J. Cell Biol. 110:651-660). Here we report
      isolation by the P9OH/UV method of a peroxisome-deficient CHO mutant, ZP92, of
      the third complementation group distinct from those of Z24 and Z65. Peroxisomal
      membrane ghosts were noted by immunochemical staining in all of the CHO mutants.
      Complementation analysis by cell fusion of the CHO mutants with cultured
      fibroblasts from patients with generalized peroxisomal disorders revealed that
      two CHO mutants (Z24 and ZP92) represent the human complementation groups, E (the
      same as group 1 in the U.S.) and C (the same as group 4), respectively. These CHO
      cell mutants are an apparently relevant animal cell model for studies on the
      molecular bases and primary defects of human peroxisome-deficient diseases.

PMID- 1430211
TI  - Identification of rifampin-inducible P450IIIA4 (CYP3A4) in human small bowel
      enterocytes.
AB  - Enzymes within the P450IIIA (CYP3A) subfamily appear to account for significant
      "first pass" metabolism of some drugs in the intestine. To identify which of the
      known P450IIIA genes are expressed in intestine, enterocyte RNA was hybridized on
      Northern blots with synthetic oligonucleotides complementary to hypervariable
      regions of hepatic P450IIIA4, P450IIIA5, and P450IIIA7 cDNAs. Hybridization was
      detected only with the P450IIIA4-specific oligonucleotide. The identity of the
      hybridizing mRNA was confirmed to be P450IIIA4 by direct sequencing of a DNA
      fragment amplified from enterocyte cDNA by the polymerase chain reaction. To
      determine if enterocyte P450IIIA4 is inducible, biopsies of small bowel mucosa
      were obtained from five volunteers before and after they received 7d of treatment
      with rifampin, a known inducer of P450IIIA4 in liver. Rifampin treatment resulted
      in a five- or eightfold mean increase (P < 0.05) in the biopsy concentration of
      P450IIIA4 mRNA when normalized for content of sucrase isomaltase or intestinal
      fatty acid binding protein mRNAs, respectively. Rifampin also induced P450IIIA
      immunoreactive protein in enterocytes in each of the subjects, as judged by
      immunohistochemistry, and resulted in a 10-fold increase in P450IIIA4-specific
      catalytic activity (erythromycin N-demethylation) in the one patient studied. Our
      identification of inducible P450IIIA4 in enterocytes may in part account for drug
      interactions characteristic of P450IIIA4 substrates and suggests a strategy for
      controlling entry into the body of a major class of xenobiotics.

PMID- 1430212
TI  - Mechanism of hypertriglyceridemia in human apolipoprotein (apo) CIII transgenic
      mice. Diminished very low density lipoprotein fractional catabolic rate
      associated with increased apo CIII and reduced apo E on the particles.
AB  - Hypertriglyceridemia is common in the general population, but its mechanism is
      largely unknown. In previous work human apo CIII transgenic (HuCIIITg) mice were
      found to have elevated triglyceride levels. In this report, the mechanism for the
      hypertriglyceridemia was studied. Two different HuCIIITg mouse lines were used: a
      low expressor line with serum triglycerides of approximately 280 mg/dl, and a
      high expressor line with serum triglycerides of approximately 1,000 mg/dl.
      Elevated triglycerides were mainly in VLDL. VLDL particles were 1.5 times more
      triglyceride-rich in high expressor mice than in controls. The total amount of
      apo CIII (human and mouse) per VLDL particle was 2 and 2.5 times the normal
      amount in low and high expressors, respectively. Mouse apo E was decreased by 35
      and 77% in low and high expressor mice, respectively. Under electron microscopy,
      VLDL particles from low and high expressor mice were found to have a larger mean
      diameter, 55.2 +/- 16.6 and 58.2 +/- 17.8 nm, respectively, compared with 51.0 +/
      13.4 nm from control mice. In in vivo studies, radiolabeled VLDL fractional
      catabolic rate (FCR) was reduced in low and high expressor mice to 2.58 and 0.77
      pools/h, respectively, compared with 7.67 pools/h in controls, with no
      significant differences in the VLDL production rates. In an attempt to explain
      the reduced VLDL FCR in transgenic mice, tissue lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity
      was determined in control and high expressor mice and no differences were
      observed. Also, VLDLs obtained from control and high expressor mice were found to
      be equally good substrates for purified LPL. Thus excess apo CIII in HuCIIITg
      mice does not cause reduced VLDL FCR by suppressing the amount of extractable LPL
      in tissues or making HuCIIITg VLDL a bad substrate for LPL. Tissue uptake of VLDL
      was studied in hepatoma cell cultures, and VLDL from transgenic mice was found to
      be taken up much more slowly than control VLDL (P < 0.0001), indicating that
      HuCIIITg VLDL is not well recognized by lipoprotein receptors. Additional in vivo
      studies with Triton-treated mice showed increased VLDL triglyceride, but not apo
      B, production in the HuCIIITg mice compared with controls. Tissue culture studies
      with primary hepatocytes showed a modest increase in triglyceride, but not apo B
      or total protein, secretion in high expressor mice compared with controls. In
      summary, hypertriglyceridemia in HuCIIITg mice appears to result primarily from
      decreased tissue uptake of triglyceride-rich particles from the circulation,
      which is most likely due to increased apo CIII and decreased apo E on VLDL
      particles. the HuCIIITg mouse appears to be a suitable animal model of primary
      familial hypertriglyceridemia, and these studies suggest a possible mechanism for
      this common lipoprotein disorder.

PMID- 1430213
TI  - Interphase cytogenetics for the detection of the t(11;22)(q24;q12) in small round
      cell tumors.
AB  - Among the small round cell tumors differential diagnosis is particularly
      difficult for their undifferentiated or primitive character. In this mixed group
      of tumors, only the primitive neuroectodermal tumors, which include Ewing's
      sarcoma (ES), show the unique and consistent feature of the (11;22)(q24;q12)
      translocation, which can therefore be considered a hallmark of these neoplasias.
      We analyzed four primitive neuroectodermal tumor cell lines, one osteosarcoma
      cell line, and 11 patients by fluorescent in situ hybridization with cosmid
      clones 23.2 and 5.8, bracketing the t(11;22) at 11q24. Metaphase spreads from
      tumor cell lines, and from biopsy specimens of three patients with ES were
      analyzed. In the remaining eight patients comprising five ES, two small cell
      osteosarcomas and one chronic osteomyelitis, only nuclei preparations were
      available for analysis. We detected the t(11;22) in interphase nuclei of the four
      primitive neuroectodermal tumor cell lines, of three patients in which the
      karyotype demonstrated the translocation and in five cases of ES in which
      cytogenetic analysis had not been possible. Two cases of small cell osteosarcoma
      and one chronic osteomyelitis were also analyzed and were both normal with
      respect to the t(11;22). By analyzing cell lines and small round cell tumor
      samples by fluorescent in situ hybridization, we established that interphase
      cytogenetics is a rapid alternative to chromosomal analysis for the detection of
      the t(11;22) and represents an invaluable tool for the differential diagnosis of
      small round cell tumors.

PMID- 1430215
TI  - Regulation of insulin-like growth factor-I and its receptor in rat aorta after
      balloon denudation. Evidence for local bioactivity.
AB  - Local production of growth factors may play a major role in vascular repair after
      injury. We examined the regulation of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and
      its specific membrane receptor in balloon-denuded rat aorta. Aortic IGF-I mRNA
      and radioimmunoassayable IGF-I content increased severalfold after balloon
      denudation with a peak at 7 d after injury. This coincided with a reciprocal 25%
      decrease in IGF-I receptor mRNA content and a 40% decrease in total 125I-IGF-I
      binding. Scatchard analysis indicated a single class of binding sites, with a
      decrease in receptor number at 7 d compared to control and no change in affinity.
      By in situ hybridization the predominant site of IGF-I expression in the normal
      and the denuded vessel wall was the medial smooth muscle cell. After denudation
      there was a relative decrease in IGF-I receptor mRNA in the medial cells as
      compared to the neointima, suggesting that the site of IGF-I action was
      predominantly in the medial layer. These data suggest that local expression and
      action of IGF-I are significant in the promotion of smooth muscle cell
      proliferation after arterial injury.

PMID- 1430214
TI  - Distinct sites of production and deposition of the putative cell death marker
      clusterin in the human thymus.
AB  - Clusterin is a multifunctional protein endowed with cell-aggregating, complement
      inhibitory, and lipid-binding properties. Since several studies have demonstrated
      highly increased clusterin gene expression in epithelial and nervous tissues
      regressing as a consequence of tissue involution and apoptotic cell death,
      clusterin is also considered as a specific marker of dying cells. To determine
      whether clusterin expression is also upregulated during thymocyte death occurring
      during the negative selection process we analyzed the cellular distribution of
      clusterin mRNA and protein by in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry in
      the human thymus. We observed that the expression of clusterin mRNA was confined
      to cells present in the thymic medulla, concentrated mainly around Hassal's
      bodies. Immunostaining of adjacent sections with antikeratin Ab revealed that
      cells containing clusterin mRNA were predominantly epithelial. By contrast no
      clusterin mRNA was found in thymocytes by in situ hybridization and Northern blot
      analysis of total RNA from purified thymocyte populations. Clusterin protein
      colocalized with the membrane attack complex of complement and vitronectin in the
      center of the largest Hassal's bodies, but was not detectable by
      immunocytochemistry in or at the surface of epithelial cells. Our results
      demonstrate that clusterin gene expression does not take place in apoptotic
      thymocytes, and therefore that clusterin synthesis by the dying cell is probably
      not a prerequisite to its death. However, synthesis of clusterin by medullary
      epithelial cells may be related to their terminal differentiation, and,
      furthermore, its presence in Hassal's bodies raises the possibility that the
      secreted protein is involved in the disposal of cell debris resulting from
      thymocyte apoptosis.

PMID- 1430217
TI  - Distinct localization of collagenase and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases
      expression in wound healing associated with ulcerative pyogenic granuloma.
AB  - To examine the role of metalloproteinases in tissue remodeling associated with
      wound healing, we used in situ hybridization to localize the expression of
      collagenase and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) in samples of
      pyogenic granuloma. Strong hybridization for collagenase mRNA was detected in
      basal keratinocytes near the advancing edge of all ulcerative lesions, but no
      collagenase mRNA was seen in samples without ulceration. Distinct from the sites
      of collagenase expression, TIMP mRNA was detected in stromal cells and in cells
      surrounding proliferating vessels. No collagenase mRNA was found in the epidermis
      of healthy skin, although occasional stromal cells contained collagenase or TIMP
      mRNAs, and TIMP mRNA was detected in hair follicles and sebaceous glands. Our
      results suggest that basal keratinocytes adjacent to wounded epidermis are
      critically involved in matrix remodeling, much more so than adjacent or
      underlying dermal fibroblasts. Furthermore, as several reports have suggested,
      TIMP may play a role in angiogenesis. Finally, in contrast to findings from other
      models which indicate that collagenase and TIMP proteins are secreted by the same
      cells, our data also demonstrate that these proteins can be produced in vivo
      independently of each other.

PMID- 1430216
TI  - Intraglomerular pressure and mesangial stretching stimulate extracellular matrix
      formation in the rat.
AB  - To define the interplay of glomerular hypertension and hypertrophy with mesangial
      extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, we examined the effects of glomerular
      capillary distention and mesangial cell stretching on ECM synthesis. The volume
      of microdissected rat glomeruli (Vg), perfused ex vivo at increasing flows, was
      quantified and related to the proximal intraglomerular pressure (PIP). Glomerular
      compliance, expressed as the slope of the positive linear relationship between
      PIP and Vg was 7.68 x 10(3) microns 3/mmHg. Total Vg increment (PIP 0-150 mmHg)
      was 1.162 x 10(6) microns 3 or 61% (n = 13). A 16% increase in Vg was obtained
      over the PIP range equivalent to the pathophysiological limits of mean
      transcapillary pressure difference. A similar effect of renal perfusion on Vg was
      also noted histologically in tissue from kidneys perfused/fixed in vivo. Cultured
      mesangial cells undergoing cyclic stretching increased their synthesis of
      protein, total collagen, and key components of ECM (collagen IV, collagen I,
      laminin, fibronectin). Synthetic rates were stimulated by cell growth and the
      degree of stretching. These results suggest that capillary expansion and
      stretching of mesangial cells by glomerular hypertension provokes increased ECM
      production which is accentuated by cell growth and glomerular hypertrophy.
      Mesangial expansion and glomerulosclerosis might result from this interplay of
      mechanical and metabolic forces.

PMID- 1430218
TI  - Distribution of apolipoprotein(a) in the plasma from patients with lipoprotein
      lipase deficiency and with type III hyperlipoproteinemia. No evidence for a
      triglyceride-rich precursor of lipoprotein(a).
AB  - Lipoprotein(a) consists of a low-density lipoprotein containing apolipoprotein
      (apo) B-100 and of the genetically polymorphic apo(a). It is not known where and
      how lipoprotein(a) is assembled and whether there exists a precursor for
      lipoprotein(a). We have determined the phenotype, concentration, and distribution
      of apo(a) in plasma from patients with lipoprotein lipase (LPL) deficiency (type
      I hyperlipoproteinemia, n = 14), in apo E 2/2 homozygotes with type III
      hyperlipoproteinemia (n = 12) and in controls (n = 16). In the two genetic
      conditions, there is grossly impaired catabolic conversion of apo B-100
      containing precursor lipoproteins to low-density lipoproteins. Considering apo(a)
      type, the plasma concentration of apo(a) was normal in type III patients but
      significantly reduced in LPL deficiency. Despite the defects in the catabolism of
      other apo B-containing lipoproteins, the distribution of apo(a) was only
      moderately affected in both metabolic disorders, with 66.7% (type I) and 74.7%
      (type III) being present as the characteristic lipoprotein(a) in the density
      range of 1.05-1.125 g/ml (controls 81.6%). The remainder was distributed between
      the triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (type I 12.4%, type III 8.5%, controls 4.7%)
      and the lipid-poor bottom fraction (type I 19.3%, type III 15.3%, controls
      12.6%). In all conditions most apo(a) (57-88%) dissociated from the triglyceride
      rich lipoproteins upon recentrifugation and was recovered as lipoprotein(a).
      These data suggest that lipoprotein(a) is not generated from a triglyceride-rich
      precursor. Lipoprotein(a) may be secreted directly into plasma or may be formed
      by preferential binding of secreted apo(a) to existing low-density lipoprotein.

PMID- 1430220
TI  - Compartmentation of hexokinase in rat heart. A critical factor for tracer kinetic
      analysis of myocardial glucose metabolism.
AB  - Radiolabeled analogues of 2-deoxyglucose are widely used to trace glucose
      metabolism in cell cultures, whole organs, and intact animals, although kinetic
      differences in transport and phosphorylation between these compounds and glucose
      exist. The present studies were undertaken to determine the effects of insulin
      stimulation on the phosphorylation of 2-deoxyglucose compared to glucose in the
      intact, saline-perfused working rat heart. Rates of glucose utilization
      determined from tritiated glucose differed from rates estimated from the
      accumulation of [14C]2-deoxyglucose in a nonconstant manner when comparing rates
      in the absence or presence of physiologic levels of insulin (13 microU/ml). The
      fraction of monophosphorylated hexoses that was accounted for by [14C]2
      deoxyglucose 6-phosphate was dramatically decreased in hearts perfused in the
      presence of insulin. Additionally, hexokinase activity associated with the
      mitochondrial fraction of tissue extracts was increased in hearts stimulated by
      insulin. While this redistribution of hexokinase to the mitochondria did not
      affect the apparent affinity constant for glucose, hexokinase bound to
      mitochondria exhibited an 8.5-fold decrease in the affinity for 2-deoxyglucose
      when compared with hexokinase present in the cytosolic fraction. The findings are
      consistent with an insulin-mediated preferential uptake and phosphorylation of
      glucose compared to deoxyglucose. The results also imply that the redistribution
      of hexokinase and the differential effect of insulin on its affinity for tracer
      and tracee are responsible for changes in the "lumped constant" (i.e., the
      correction factor used to equate 2-deoxyglucose to glucose uptake). These changes
      must be taken into account when regional myocardial glucose metabolism is
      assessed by the 2-deoxyglucose method.

PMID- 1430219
TI  - Natriuretic peptide receptor mRNAs in the rat and human heart.
AB  - Functional studies indicate that atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), a member of
      the natriuretic peptide family, has direct effects on cardiac muscle cells.
      However, conventional ligand-binding studies designed to establish the presence
      of natriuretic peptide-binding sites in the heart have yielded conflicting
      results. There are discrepancies also between the latter and the receptor
      distribution predicted from the pattern of the mRNA transcripts localized by in
      situ hybridization. Here we have employed the technique of cDNA amplification
      with the polymerase chain reaction to confirm the presence of natriuretic peptide
      A, B, and C receptor mRNAs in rat and human cardiac tissue. In the rat heart, the
      distribution of the A and B receptor transcripts appears to be relatively
      homogeneous; in contrast, the C type mRNA is concentrated principally in the
      atria, with no difference between the left and right sides of the heart. A and B
      receptor DNA products were obtained after amplification of left, but not right,
      ventricular cDNA from the heart of a 16-yr-old male with cystic fibrosis; the
      yield of C receptor DNA was similar for both ventricles. If these mRNA
      transcripts are translated into functional receptors in the rat and human heart,
      ANP and the other natriuretic peptides may have direct effects on cardiac
      function, including regulation of natriuretic peptide release via a short
      feedback loop, modulation of contractility of the heart, or activation of cardiac
      reflexes.

PMID- 1430221
TI  - Alterations in the protein composition of maturing phagosomes.
AB  - We investigated the protein composition of J774-E clone macrophage phagosomes
      isolated at different stages of phagolysosome biogenesis. Phagosomes formed by
      internalizing antibody-coated Staphylococcus aureus for 3 min followed by chase
      for 0, 4, 9, or 15 min were isolated by density gradient centrifugation.
      Enrichment and purity of the phagosome preparations were quantitated by
      radiolabeled ligand recovery, enzyme markers, and electron microscopy. One
      dimensional SDS-PAGE analyses of the isolated phagosomes revealed virtually
      identical protein compositions. However, Western blot analyses with antibodies
      directed against selected proteins of known itineraries along the endocytic
      pathway demonstrated distinct differences in phagosome protein compositions.
      Accumulating within the maturing phagosome were the 31-kD subunit of the vacuolar
      proton pump, cathepsin D,beta-glucuronidase, the cation dependent mannose 6
      phosphate receptor, and LAMP-1. Decreasing within the maturing phagosome were the
      FcII receptor, the mannose receptor, and alpha-adaptin. These results indicate
      that although the macrophage phagosome's total protein composition changes little
      during phagolysosome formation, the maturing phagosome both receives and
      eliminates, possibly by protein recycling, specific membrane and sequestered
      proteins.

PMID- 1430222
TI  - Glucose-induced downregulation of angiotensin II and arginine vasopressin
      receptors in cultured rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells. Role of protein
      kinase C.
AB  - Early diabetes mellitus is characterized by impaired responses to pressor
      hormones and pressor receptor downregulation. The present study examined the
      effect of elevated extracellular glucose concentrations on angiotensin II (AII)
      and arginine vasopressin (AVP) receptor kinetics in cultured rat vascular smooth
      muscle cells (VSMC). Scatchard analysis of [3H]AVP and 125I-AII binding to
      confluent VSMC showed that high glucose concentrations (20 mM) similarly
      depressed AVP and AII surface receptor Bmax but did not influence receptor Kd.
      This receptor downregulation was not reproduced by osmotic control media
      containing either L-glucose or mannitol. Receptor downregulation was maximal at a
      glucose concentration of 15-20 mM and required 24-48 h for a maximum effect.
      Normalization of the extracellular glucose concentration allowed complete
      recovery of AVP and AII binding within 48 h. Receptor downregulation was
      associated with depressed AVP and AII-stimulated intracellular signaling and cell
      contraction. High glucose concentrations induced a sustained activation of
      protein kinase C (PKC) in VSMC, which was prevented by coincubation with H-7. H-7
      also markedly attenuated glucose-induced downregulation of AVP and AII receptors
      on VSMC. This study demonstrates a novel cellular mechanism whereby high
      extracellular glucose concentrations directly and independently downregulate
      pressor hormone receptors and their function on vascular tissue via glucose
      stimulated PKC activation.

PMID- 1430223
TI  - Lipoprotein lipase enhances binding of lipoproteins to heparan sulfate on cell
      surfaces and extracellular matrix.
AB  - Lipoprotein lipase enhances binding at 4 degrees C of human plasma lipoproteins
      (chylomicrons, VLDL, intermediate density lipoprotein, LDL, and HDL3) to cultured
      fibroblasts and hepG-2 cells and to extracellular matrix. Heparinase treatment of
      cells and matrix reduces the lipoprotein lipase enhanced binding by 90-95%.
      Lipoprotein lipase causes only a minimal effect on the binding of lipoproteins to
      heparan sulfate deficient mutant Chinese hamster ovary cells while it promotes
      binding to wild type cells that is abolished after heparinase treatment. With
      125I-LDL, lipoprotein lipase also enhances uptake and proteolytic degradation at
      37 degrees C by normal human skin fibroblasts but has no effect in heparinase
      treated normal cells or in LDL receptor-negative fibroblasts. These observations
      prove that lipoprotein lipase causes, predominantly, binding of lipoproteins to
      heparan sulfate at cell surfaces and in extracellular matrix rather than to
      receptors. This interaction brings the lipoproteins into close proximity with
      cell surfaces and may promote metabolic events that occur at the cell surface,
      including facilitated transfer to cellular receptors.

PMID- 1430224
TI  - Leukemia inhibitory factor levels are elevated in septic shock and various
      inflammatory body fluids.
AB  - Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) has many biological actions which parallel those
      of IL-1, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, but its role in the pathogenesis
      of human disease is unknown. A specific radioreceptor competition assay capable
      of detecting LIF at concentrations above 1 ng/ml (45 pM) was developed. To
      identify disease states in which LIF might be involved, a cross-sectional survey
      of serum and body fluids from approximately 1,500 subjects with a variety of
      diseases was performed using the LIF radioreceptor competition assay. Serum LIF
      concentrations were transiently elevated (2-200 ng/ml) in six subjects with
      meningococcal or Gram-negative septic shock, and in a subject with idiopathic
      fulminant hepatic failure. Moderately elevated LIF concentrations (> 10 ng/ml)
      were detected in cerebrospinal fluid from subjects with bacterial meningitis, in
      effusions associated with pneumonia and peritonitis, and in amniotic fluid from a
      woman with chorioamnionitis. Low LIF concentrations (1-10 ng/ml) were present in
      synovial fluid from subjects with inflammatory arthritis, amniotic fluid from
      women in labor, and some reactive, chronic inflammatory and malignant effusions
      and cyst fluids, but rarely in transudates. These initial findings suggest that
      LIF might be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammation and septic shock.

PMID- 1430225
TI  - An amino acid polymorphism within the RGD binding domain of platelet membrane
      glycoprotein IIIa is responsible for the formation of the Pena/Penb alloantigen
      system.
AB  - The human Pena/Penb alloantigen system represents a naturally occurring
      polymorphism of human platelet membrane glycoprotein (GP) IIIa, and has
      previously been implicated in the onset of two important clinical syndromes,
      neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenic purpura and posttransfusion purpura. To
      investigate the molecular basis of the polymorphism underlying the Pen
      alloantigen system, we used the polymerase chain reaction to amplify platelet
      derived GPIIIa mRNA transcripts. DNA sequence analysis of amplified GPIIIa cDNAs
      from nucleotides 161 to 1341 (encompassing amino acid residues 22-414) revealed a
      G526<==>A526 polymorphism that segregated precisely with Pen phenotype in twelve
      other individuals examined. This nucleotide substitution results in an Arg (CGA)
      to Gln (CAA) polymorphism at amino acid 143 of GPIIIa. Interestingly, this
      polymorphic residue is located within the putative RGD binding site (residues 109
      171) of GPIIIa. Platelet aggregation patterns of a Penb/b individual, however,
      were nearly normal in response to all physiological agonists tested, indicating
      that this polymorphism does not grossly affect integrin function. Short synthetic
      peptides encompassing residue 143 were unable to mimic either the Pena or Penb
      antigenic determinants, suggesting that the Pen epitopes are dependent upon
      proper folding of the polypeptide chain. Finally, we constructed allele-specific
      recombinant forms of GPIIIa that differed only at amino acid residues 143.
      Whereas anti-Pena alloantibodies were able to recognize the Arg143 recombinant
      form of GPIIIa, anti-Penb antibodies were not. Conversely, anti-Penb
      alloantibodies were reactive only with the Gln143 isoform of the GPIIIa molecule.
      It thus appears that amino acid 143 of GPIIIa is not only associated with Pen
      phenotype, but specifically controls the formation and expression of the Pen
      alloantigenic determinants.

PMID- 1430227
TI  - Low molecular weight iron and the oxygen paradox in isolated rat hearts.
AB  - Little is known about changes in the amount of iron in the intracellular low
      molecular weight pool, which catalyzes the Fenton reactions during reperfusion
      after ischemia. In this study a new approach is presented to measure low
      molecular weight iron and it is applied to normal hearts during ischemia and to
      iron-loaded hearts during anoxia and reoxygenation. The results of this study
      show that (a) during ischemia in normal hearts a progressive 30-fold increase
      occurs in low molecular weight iron after 45 min of ischemia, whereas (b) during
      45 min of anoxic perfusion the low molecular weight iron does not increase. This
      means that the reductive release from the storage protein ferritin is greatly
      enhanced by the acidification that occurs during ischemia. (c) Anoxic perfusion
      of iron-loaded hearts does increase low molecular weight iron and there is a
      further increase upon reoxygenation, which is prevented by (+)-cyanidanol-3.
      Based on these findings it is concluded that oxygen deprivation enhances the
      susceptibility of rat hearts to oxygen radicals by increasing the amount of
      catalytic, ferrous iron in the low molecular weight pool.

PMID- 1430226
TI  - Inhibition of smooth muscle cell proliferation in injured rat arteries.
      Interaction of heparin with basic fibroblast growth factor.
AB  - Heparin inhibits smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation after arterial injury by
      mechanisms that have yet to be defined. Since the initiation of SMC proliferation
      is mediated by basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), we have investigated the
      possibility that heparin inhibits SMC proliferation by displacing bFGF from the
      arterial wall. Using a rat carotid artery model of balloon catheter injury, we
      demonstrate that a bolus injection of heparin depletes the arterial wall of both
      systemically administered bFGF and of endogenous bFGF. Heparin, however, does not
      reduce the bFGF content of unmanipulated arteries. Further, a single injection of
      heparin given at the time of balloon injury reduces SMC proliferation by 55% but
      has no effect when given 6 h after injury. SMC proliferation induced in a denuded
      artery by injection of bFGF is inhibited almost completely by a bolus injection
      of heparin; however, pretreatment with a bolus of heparin does not prevent SMC
      from responding to a subsequent bolus of bFGF. These experiments suggest that
      heparin can inhibit SMC proliferation in part by removal of released bFGF from
      sites of injury.

PMID- 1430228
TI  - Role of transforming growth factor-beta in maintenance of function of cultured
      neonatal cardiac myocytes. Autocrine action and reversal of damaging effects of
      interleukin-1.
AB  - The three isoforms of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) have previously
      been implicated in embryonic development of the heart as well as in repair of
      myocardial damage after ischemia/reperfusion injury. TGF-beta 1 has also been
      localized intracellularly to both mitochondria and contractile filaments of
      cardiac myocytes, although its role in these structures has not been defined. We
      now report that exogenous TGF-beta stabilizes the beating rate of neonatal rat
      cardiac myocytes cultured on fibroblast matrix, and sustains their spontaneous
      rhythmic beating in serum-free medium. Moreover, using blocking antibodies to TGF
      beta, we show that endogenous TGF-beta secreted by these myocytes acts in an
      autocrine fashion to maintain their beating rate. In contrast, IL-1 beta, an
      inflammatory mediator secreted by immune cells during myocardial injury, inhibits
      the beating of cardiac myocytes, and TGF-beta can overcome this inhibition. The
      antagonistic effects of TGF-beta and IL-1 were not observed when the myocytes
      were cultured on gelatin, as compared to native fibroblast matrix. The data
      indicate that TGF-beta is an important regulator of contractile function of the
      heart and have significant implications for understanding cardiac physiology in
      health and disease.

PMID- 1430229
TI  - Enhancement of fibrinolysis in vitro by ultrasound.
AB  - The effect of ultrasound on the rate of fibrinolysis has been investigated using
      an in vitro system. Plasma or blood clots containing a trace label of 125I fibrin
      were suspended in plasma containing plasminogen activator and intermittently
      exposed to continuous wave 1-MHz ultrasound at intensities up to 8 W/cm2. Plasma
      clot lysis at 1 h with 1 microgram/ml recombinant tissue plasminogen activator
      (rt-PA) was 12.8 +/- 1.2% without ultrasound and was significantly (P = 0.0001)
      increased by exposure to ultrasound with greater lysis at 1 W/cm2 (18.0 +/-
      1.4%), 2 W/cm2 (19.3 +/- 0.7%), 4 W/cm2 (22.8 +/- 1.8%), and 8 W/cm2 (58.7 +/-
      7.1%). Significant increases in lysis were also seen with urokinase at ultrasound
      intensities of 2 W/cm2 and above. Exposure of clots to ultrasound in the absence
      of plasminogen activator did not increase lysis. Ultrasound exposure resulted in
      a marked reduction in the rt-PA concentration required to achieve an equivalent
      degree of lysis to that seen without ultrasound. For example, 15% lysis occurred
      in 1 h at 1 microgram/ml rt-PA without ultrasound or with 0.2 microgram/ml with
      ultrasound, a five-fold reduction in concentration. Ultrasound at 1 W/cm2 and
      above also potentiated lysis of retracted whole blood clots mediated by rt-PA or
      urokinase. The maximum temperature increase of plasma clots exposed to 4 W/cm2
      ultrasound was only 1.7 degrees C, which could not explain the enhancement of
      fibrinolysis. Ultrasound exposure did not cause mechanical fragmentation of the
      clot into sedimentable fragments, nor did it alter the sizes of plasmic
      derivatives as demonstrated by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. We
      conclude that ultrasound at 1 MHz potentiates enzymatic fibrinolysis by a
      nonthermal mechanism at energies that can potentially be applied and tolerated in
      vivo to accelerate therapeutic fibrinolysis.

PMID- 1430230
TI  - Retinoid protection against x-ray-induced chromatid damage in human peripheral
      blood lymphocytes.
AB  - Oral administration of isotretinoin (13-cis retinoic acid) was shown previously
      (Kraemer, K. H., J. J. DiGiovanna, A. N. Moshell, R. E. Tarone, and G. L. Peck.
      1988. N. Engl. J. Med. 318:1633-1637) to reduce the frequency of skin cancers in
      xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) patients. The mechanism of protection was unclear. In
      the present study, x-ray-induced chromatid damage in PHA-stimulated blood
      lymphocytes from five XP patients receiving isotretinoin was approximately half
      that in blood samples from the same patients before or subsequent to treatment.
      The x-ray-induced chromatid damage in blood lymphocytes from a normal control was
      reduced significantly by cocultivation with blood or plasma from an XP patient
      receiving isotretinoin or by addition of 10(-6) M isotretinoin to cultures 1 h
      before x-irradiation. A similar reduction in x-ray-induced chromatid damage was
      reported previously by adding to the culture medium, mannitol, a scavenger of the
      free hydroxyl radical, or catalase, which decomposes hydrogen peroxide; both of
      these products are generated during ionizing radiation. The present observations
      suggest that isotretinoin acts as a scavenger of such radiation products, thereby
      providing protection against x-ray-induced chromatid damage.

PMID- 1430231
TI  - Immune complex processing in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. In vivo
      imaging and clearance studies.
AB  - Abnormal processing of immune complexes (IC) may be important in the pathogenesis
      of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The clearance of large soluble IC
      (comprising hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)/anti-HBsAg) radiolabeled with
      123I was examined in 12 normal subjects and 10 patients with SLE. IC localization
      was analyzed by static and dynamic gamma-scintigraphy. Initial IC clearance from
      blood was more rapid in patients (median t1/2 = 2.15 min) than normals (median
      t1/2 = 5.15 min) due to more rapid uptake in the liver. However, in the SLE
      group, up to 12% of complexes were released from the liver after 30-50 min.
      Splenic uptake of immune complexes was reduced in the patients and there was
      reduced ability to retain IC in this organ. Plasma complement levels and
      erythrocyte complement receptor type 1 numbers were reduced in the patients,
      resulting in defective opsonization of IC and reduced red cell binding in vivo.
      These observations support the hypothesis that IC handling is abnormal in SLE.

PMID- 1430233
TI  - Mutations in the ligand-binding domain of the androgen receptor gene cluster in
      two regions of the gene.
AB  - We have analyzed the nucleotide sequence of the androgen receptor from 22
      unrelated subjects with substitution mutations of the hormone-binding domain.
      Eleven had the phenotype of complete testicular feminization, four had incomplete
      testicular feminization, and seven had Reifenstein syndrome. The underlying
      functional defect in cultured skin fibroblasts included individuals with absent,
      qualitative, or quantitative defects in ligand binding. 19 of the 21 substitution
      mutations (90%) cluster in two regions that account for approximately 35% of the
      hormone-binding domain, namely, between amino acids 726 and 772 and between amino
      acids 826 and 864. The fact that one of these regions is homologous to a region
      of the human thyroid hormone receptor (hTR-beta) which is a known cluster site
      for mutations that cause thyroid hormone resistance implies that this
      localization of mutations is not a coincidence. These regions of the androgen
      receptor may be of particular importance for the formation and function of the
      hormone-receptor complex.

PMID- 1430234
TI  - Novel Fc gamma receptor I family gene products in human mononuclear cells.
AB  - Unlike the human Fc gamma RII and Fc gamma RIII families, which exhibit
      considerable diversity at both the nucleic acid and protein levels, the human Fc
      gamma RI family has only a single recognized product expressed as a 70-kD cell
      surface receptor with high affinity for monomeric IgG (hFc gamma RIa1). Using
      both polymerase chain reaction-based amplification and Northern hybridization, we
      document multiple interferon-gamma-inducible hFc gamma RI RNA transcripts in
      human mononuclear cells and neutrophils. The sequences of two of these Fc gamma
      RI related transcripts indicate that they are alternatively spliced products of a
      second Fc gamma RI family gene, termed Fc gamma RIB. The cDNA derived from the
      larger of these transcripts, termed hFc gamma RIb1, encodes a surface molecule
      that is not recognized by Fc gamma RI specific monoclonal antibodies when
      transfected into COS-7 cells. Unlike the interferon-gamma-inducible hFc gamma RIA
      gene product, hFc gamma RIb1 does not bind monomeric IgG with high affinity.
      However, both hFc gamma RIa1 and hFc gamma RIb1 do bind aggregated human IgG.
      Previously unrecognized diversity within the hFc gamma RI family includes an
      interferon-gamma-inducible, putative low affinity Fc gamma receptor that may play
      an important role in the mechanism by which Fc gamma receptors participate in the
      humoral immune response.

PMID- 1430232
TI  - Plasma lipoprotein metabolism in transgenic mice overexpressing apolipoprotein E.
      Accelerated clearance of lipoproteins containing apolipoprotein B.
AB  - We have reported that transgenic mice overexpressing rat apo E shows marked
      reduction of plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels due to the disappearance
      of VLDL and LDL. In this study, we investigated the metabolism of plasma
      lipoproteins in transgenic mice. After intravenous injection, the rates of
      clearance of 125I-VLDL and 125I-LDL were 3.0- and 2.4-fold greater in transgenic
      mice than in controls, respectively. Furthermore, clearance of chylomicron
      remnants estimated by oral retinyl palmitate-loading test was markedly enhanced
      in transgenic mice. The hepatic expression of LDL receptors by immunoblot
      analysis was similar in both groups. These data suggest that elimination of
      lipoproteins containing apo B was due to enhanced clearance of these lipoproteins
      enriched with apo E through hepatic LDL receptors. When fed a high cholesterol
      diet, controls showed twofold elevation of plasma cholesterol levels with marked
      increases in VLDL and LDL cholesterol on gel filtration chromatography. In
      contrast, cholesterol-fed transgenic mice showed resistance against these
      increases. High cholesterol feeding decreased the activity of hepatic LDL
      receptors and had no effect on enhancement of chylomicron remnant clearance in
      transgenic mice. Thus, overexpression of apo E facilitates metabolism of
      lipoproteins containing apo B presumably primarily via the LDL receptor pathway
      and possibly through an interaction with the chylomicron remnant receptor.

PMID- 1430236
TI  - Two distinct mechanisms for bilirubin glucuronide transport by rat bile
      canalicular membrane vesicles. Demonstration of defective ATP-dependent transport
      in rats (TR-) with inherited conjugated hyperbilirubinemia.
AB  - Bilirubin is conjugated with glucuronic acid in hepatocytes and subsequently
      secreted in bile. The major conjugate is bilirubin diglucuronide. Using sealed
      vesicles which are primarily derived from the canalicular (CMV) and sinusoidal
      (SMV) membrane vesicle domains of the plasma membrane of hepatocytes, we
      demonstrated that bilirubin glucuronides are transported by CMV by both ATP- and
      membrane potential-dependent transport systems. In CMV from normal rats, these
      processes are additive. In CMV from TR- rats, which have an autosomal recessively
      inherited defect in biliary secretion of nonbile acid organic anions, ATP
      dependent transport of bilirubin diglucuronide was absent whereas the membrane
      potential driven system was retained. Other canalicular ATP-dependent transport
      systems, which were previously described for organic cations and bile acids, are
      functionally retained in TR- rats. Our study indicates that bilirubin
      glucuronides are primarily secreted into the bile canaliculus by an ATP-dependent
      mechanism which is defective in an animal model of the human Dubin-Johnson
      syndrome.

PMID- 1430235
TI  - Human insulin-like growth factor I receptor function in pituitary cells is
      suppressed by a dominant negative mutant.
AB  - Hybrid receptors were studied in GC rat pituitary cells overexpressing either
      wild-type 950Tyr (WT) human insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) receptors or
      mutant human IGF-I receptors truncated at position 952 in the beta subunit
      transmembrane region (952STOP). 125I-IGF-I binding was increased in both 950Tyr
      (WT) (14-fold) and truncated human IGF-I receptor (952STOP) stable transfectants
      (50-fold), when compared to untransfected cells that contained endogenous rat IGF
      I receptors. Metabolic cell labeling followed by immunoprecipitation with
      monoclonal alpha and beta subunit-specific antibodies revealed the presence of
      hybrid rat/truncated human receptors, truncated transfected human receptors, and
      WT human IGF-I holotetramers. Both mutant and hybrid receptors were degraded
      slower than 950Tyr (WT) receptors (> 16 h). Despite their markedly increased
      ligand binding and prolonged receptor half-life, 952STOP transfectants failed to
      transduce the IGF-I signal to suppress growth hormone (GH). Also, they neither
      underwent autophosphorylation nor phosphorylated endogenous proteins. The
      expected suppression of GH by endogenous rat IGF-I receptors was completely
      abrogated in 952STOP transfectants (P < 0.001 compared to untransfected cells).
      Mutant 952STOP cells were therefore completely devoid of biological signaling to
      GH despite the presence of endogenous rat IGF-I receptors. Thus mutant IGF-I
      receptors block ligand-mediated endogenous rat IGF-I signaling by functioning as
      a dominant negative forming nonfunctional human/rat hybrid receptors. Defective
      IGF-I receptors may function therefore as dominant negative phenotypes which
      suppress normal receptor responses in pituitary cells.

PMID- 1430237
TI  - Development of concanavalin A-enzyme immunosorbent assay for glycated haptoglobin
      using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies.
AB  - Two-site lectin-haptoglobin-enzyme immunosorbent assay (L-Hp-ELISA), is
      described. Haptoglobin binding to Concanavalin A, immobilized to polystyrene
      microtiter plate, was estimated by anti-haptoglobin polyclonal and monoclonal
      antibodies conjugated with horse-radish peroxidase. The range of haptoglobin
      binding to Concanavalin A, measured by the L-Hp-ELISA was 25 to 300 ng/ml using
      polyclonal, and 50 to 600 ng/ml using monoclonal anti-haptoglobin antibodies,
      respectively.

PMID- 1430238
TI  - Development of radioimmunoassay for TG-51, a new anti-ulcer drug, and its
      application.
AB  - A sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay for a new anti-ulcer drug TG-51 has
      been developed and applied to the evaluation of its pharmacokinetics in humans.
      The antiserum was raised in rabbits against an immunogen of N-Acetyl-TG-51
      coupled to human serum albumin. The radioactive compound was prepared by
      acetylating TG-51 with 3H-Acetic anhydride. The separation of free and antibody
      bound N-Acetyl-TG-51 was performed by the dextran coated charcoal technique. TG
      51 in biological fluids could be quantitatively converted to N-Acetyl-TG-51 prior
      to radioimmunoassay. This assay system made it possible to ascertain values of 3
      ng/ml of TG-51 in plasma using 100 microliters of samples. Results were in good
      agreement with a high performance liquid chromatography method (HPLC), and the
      detection limit was raised 25 fold. The accuracy and repoducibility were also
      satisfactory. By use of this assay method, plasma levels of TG-51 could be
      determined after a single oral administration of clinical doses of human
      volunteers.

PMID- 1430239
TI  - Rapid assay for immune complex bound antigens from urine of cancer patients.
AB  - Concentrated urine from patients with various types of cancer was fractionated by
      S-500 gel filtration chromatography to yield high molecular weight (mw) immune
      complexes (IC) and lower mw immunoglobulin (Ig) fractions. Column fractions were
      assayed for the presence of IgM and IgG by immunoblot probing using anti-human
      IgM and anti-human IgG alkaline phosphatase conjugates. These results were used
      to define IC fractions (those from high mw S-500 fractions which were positive
      for immunoglobulin) and Ig fractions (those from medium mw S-500 fractions which
      were positive for immunoglobulin). Antigen components of high mw S-500 IC
      fractions were then determined by immunoblot probe using medium mw S-500 Ig
      fractions as the antibody probe (i.e. autoantibody). This method for
      identification of immune complex antigens has the potential to probe for tumor
      associated antigens, autoantigens, or foreign antigens from starting material
      which contains both immune complex and free immunoglobulin.

PMID- 1430240
TI  - An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of trypanosomal
      antigens in goat serum using a monoclonal antibody.
AB  - An IgM murine monoclonal antibody (MAb) TEA 1/23.3.4.6 raised against circulating
      trypanosome antigens was used in a sandwich ELISA to assay trypanosomal antigens
      in a trypanosome lysate preparation and in sera from goats infected with
      Trypanosoma brucei evansi. As little as 1.25 ug/ml of trypanosomal antigen could
      be detected by this assay. Following infection, trypanosomal antigens were first
      detected in goat serum 24 hours after the intravenous (i/v) or 6 days after the
      intramuscular (i/m) inoculation of trypanosome parasites. Antigen levels remained
      detectable during the course of infection. After treatment with diminazene
      aceturate, antigens dropped to undetectable levels between day 12 to 41,
      suggesting that this assay offers a promising approach to the diagnosis of
      African Trypanosomiasis.

PMID- 1430241
TI  - A rapid and sensitive heterogeneous immunoelectrochemical assay using disposable
      electrodes.
AB  - In this novel enzyme-tagged immuoelectrochemical assay, disposable carbon felt
      discs serve both as electrodes and as the heterogeneous solid phase. Antibodies
      are immobilized on the carbon felt via a diaminoalkane-biotin-avidin-biotin
      bridge. Alkaline phosphatase is used as a label. Bound antibodies are monitored
      by following the electro-oxidation of aminophenol, produced enzymatically from p
      amino-phenyl phosphate by the immobilized alkaline phosphatase at the electrode
      surface. A model system designed for determination of mouse IgG concentration
      yielded a calibration curve ranging from 10 pg/ml to 100 micrograms/ml. This
      assay can be performed rapidly and a single determination completed within 20
      minutes. The system is useful also for rapid quantitation of a small number
      (approximately 80 organisms per ml) of bacteria.

PMID- 1430242
TI  - Monoclonal antibodies to porcine tumor necrosis factor alpha: development of an
      enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
AB  - Five hybridomas (4F4, 14H1, 9B4, 6E10, and 8G7) secreting antibodies to porcine
      tumor necrosis factor alpha (PTNF-alpha) were obtained from one fusion. Four of
      the 5 monoclonal antibodies (Mab) recognized recombinant PTNF-alpha (rPTNF-alpha)
      on western blot and were able to neutralize both rPTNF-alpha and native (released
      by porcine macrophages) PTNF (nPTNF-alpha, only 4F4, 14H1, and 9B4 tested for the
      neutralization of nPTNF-alpha) in vitro. A sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay (ELISA) for PTNF-alpha was developed using Mab 4F4 and purified rabbit
      polyclonal antibodies against PTNF-alpha. The test detected PTNF-alpha
      concentrations as low as 400 pg/ml and did not cross react with native porcine
      TNF-beta, recombinant human TNF-alpha, recombinant mouse TNF-beta or native mouse
      TNF-alpha. The Mabs and the ELISA should be useful for assessing PTNF-alpha
      levels in swine serum during disease processes and possibly for alleviation of
      toxic effects of TNF-alpha.

PMID- 1430243
TI  - Development of a direct and indirect chemiluminescence immunoassay for the
      detection of an organophosphorus compound.
AB  - The following study describes the development of two immunoassays for the
      semiquantitative determination of the organophosphorus compound methyl phosphonic
      acid, p-aminophenyl 1,2,2-trimethyl-propyl diester (MATP). These assays are a
      direct competitive, labelled-hapten, enzyme immunoassay and a competitive enzyme
      immunoassay with indirectly labelled antibody, both with luminescence
      determination of peroxidase. A camera luminometer was used to determine final
      signal strength. A constant light reaction was reached using luminol (5-amino-2,3
      dihydro-1,4-phalazinedione), and by adding coumaric acid as an enhancer. A five
      minute interval was selected as exposure time. This phototechnical system makes a
      semiquantitative detection of MATP possible. The detection limits for both assays
      were at 10(-6)mol/l MATP. With the help of a microtiter luminometer (reader) the
      detection limit was reduced to 5 x 10(-8) mol/l MATP, by measuring the real
      intensity of the chemiluminescence signal.

PMID- 1430244
TI  - Non-specific immunoglobulin interactions may lead to false-positive results in
      assays for human anti-mouse monoclonal antibodies (HAMA).
AB  - This abstract demonstrates that non-specific immunoglobulin interactions, of the
      F(ab')2 region and Fc piece of human IgG may lead to false-positive results in
      patients being monitored for naturally occurring (pre-existing) or induced human
      anti-mouse monoclonal Ig antibodies (HAMA). Patient sera tested before
      administration of murine monoclonal antibodies for immunoscintography or
      immunotherapy showed 'positive' results when screened by specific ELISA for the
      presence of pre-existing antibodies to murine immunoglobulin. However, only serum
      from a patient which had previously received murine monoclonal antibody for
      immunotherapy, was it possible to show specificity by competitive inhibition.
      Thus, the use of competitive inhibition by specific antigen (mouse Ig
      isotype/subtype), sera positive for HAMA or pre-existing HAMA can be
      distinguished from false-positive reactions.

PMID- 1430245
TI  - Production and utilisation of antibodies directed against oestrone sulphate using
      specific hapten synthesis.
AB  - Oestrone-3-sulphate (E13S) is an important metabolite of oestrone. Studies in
      cattle had previously shown that it is synthesised in the gravid uterus by the
      foetus, but not by the corpus luteum. Progesterone measurement in milk by
      radioimmunoassay (RIA) is routinely carried out in some laboratories as a
      pregnancy test for cattle. The major drawback of progesterone measurement in
      milk, by RIA, as a pregnancy test was the failure to detect the lack of conceptus
      in those cows where early embryonic death had occurred but the corpus luteum
      still persisted thereby giving false positive results. We have developed a direct
      RIA for E13S by raising antibodies to an immunogen prepared from a specific
      hapten synthesised by an unambiguous chemical synthesis. The sensitivity of the
      RIA in milk was found to be 0.368 nmol/l. The levels of E13S in non-pregnant cows
      are undetectable but during a viable pregnancy, the levels are elevated to
      greater than 0.40 nmol/l by day 100. There was no cross-reactions in the assay
      with any free oestrogens. The measurement of this metabolite of oestrone promises
      to provide an accurate marker for the detection of a viable conceptus in cattle.

PMID- 1430246
TI  - Technical note: is there a season for iodinating relaxin?
AB  - We report a loss of antibody binding in our porcine relaxin radioimmunoassay that
      has occurred during the coldest periods of the past three winters. We do not know
      the reason for this seasonal variation but we have eliminated cold deterioration
      of the iodide used for radioiodination and equipment failures as explanations.

PMID- 1430247
TI  - The prediction and control of behavior revisited: a review of the matching law.
AB  - Experimental research conducted over the past 3 decades in relation to behavioral
      allocation and choice, collectively known as matching law research, is analyzed
      in this paper. The importance of the matching law for areas ranging from
      experimental to clinical psychology and psychiatry is discussed in relation to
      empirical findings that bear upon the validity and utility of the matching law
      for both the prediction and control of human behavior as well as for
      psychological and scientific inquiry in general.

PMID- 1430248
TI  - Cognitive therapy: a misunderstanding of B. F. Skinner.

PMID- 1430249
TI  - Attitudes of Arabic psychology students toward behavior modification.
AB  - Several American studies have investigated attitudes toward behavior
      modification. As there are no data on perceptions of this approach in other
      countries, this study was undertaken to examine such attitudes in Arab countries.
      The attitudes of 102 undergraduate psychology students at the University of
      Jordan were assessed. The results showed that behavior modification is favorably
      received. No significant differences were found between male and female students,
      or among second, third, and fourth year students. However, significant
      differences were found between students who had taken a behavior modification
      course and those who had not.

PMID- 1430250
TI  - Skin temperature biofeedback: evaluation of non-clinical children's responses.
AB  - The present study evaluated the extent to which children are able to learn to
      increase skin temperature with biofeedback training. Forty-nine children (ages 7
      16) were randomly assigned to either standard biofeedback, novel biofeedback or
      control groups, which met for 16, 16, and 5 sessions, respectively. Results
      indicated children in the novel biofeedback group significantly increased their
      skin temperature as compared with the control group. The biofeedback groups
      exhibited significant skin temperature control during feedback. Results provide
      normative data on what to expect from children receiving skin temperature
      biofeedback.

PMID- 1430251
TI  - Behavioral intervention to reduce water intake in the syndrome of psychosis,
      intermittent hyponatremia, and polydipsia.
AB  - We describe a non-intensive behavioral intervention using an A-B design with
      extended follow-up on an open psychiatric unit to reduce water intake in a 52
      year-old man with the syndrome of psychosis, intermittent hyponatremia, and
      polydipsia. A reinforcement schedule contingent upon weight gain secondary to
      water intake was employed. Mean diurnal weight gain was 7.1 pounds during a 23
      week baseline which dropped to 4.1 pounds following 23 weeks of treatment and at
      a 1-year follow-up. Estimated fluid consumption dropped from 10 liters to 4
      liters daily and incidents of hyponatremia decreased by 62%.

PMID- 1430252
TI  - The efficacy of rational emotive therapy in adults: clinical fact or psychometric
      artifact?
AB  - The efficacy of Rational-Emotive Therapy (RET) in reducing maladjustment, while
      insistently touted by its advocates, has not been unambiguously demonstrated in
      outcome research. Previous reviews have generally been quite partisan and
      subjective, and have not reflected available research. The object of the present
      review was to determine the extent to which RET significantly improved adjustment
      of adult subjects on different outcome measures in comparison with wait-list,
      placebo, and other treatment conditions. In 75 outcome reports, RET was effective
      in only about 25% of comparisons. Its main effect was to reduce scores of self
      reported irrationality and dysphoria. Little change was noted in behavioral
      measures. The few comparisons favoring RET could be attributed to psychometric
      artifacts rather than to the reduction of irrational beliefs.

PMID- 1430253
TI  - The changing practice of pathology.

PMID- 1430254
TI  - Bone marrow histology. 3: Value of bone marrow core biopsy in acute leukaemia,
      myelodysplastic syndromes, and chronic myeloid leukaemia.

PMID- 1430255
TI  - Monoclonal antibody JC1: new reagent for studying cell proliferation.
AB  - AIM: To characterise a newly developed mouse monoclonal antibody JC1 which
      recognises a nuclear antigen present in proliferating cells in normal tissues and
      neoplastic lesions, and which is absent in resting cells. METHODS: The
      methodology was established using a representative range of frozen sections from
      normal tissues and from certain tumours which were immunostained with antibodies
      Ki67 and JC1. The molecular weight of the antigen recognised by JC1 was obtained
      by western blot analysis and this was compared with that of Ki67. IM-9 cell
      lysates containing Ki67 derived plasmids were also tested with JC1 antibody.
      RESULTS: Biochemical investigation indicated that the antigen recognised by JC1
      gives two molecular weight bands of 212 and 123 kilodaltons, which is distinct
      from the well characterised anti-proliferation monoclonal antibody Ki67 (395-345
      kilodaltons). In addition recombinant Ki67 protein is not recognised by JC1.
      Immunohistological reactivity was seen in areas known to contain numerous
      proliferating cells such as lymphoid germinal centres, splenic white matter,
      cortical thymocytes and undifferentiated spermatogonia. In tumours many cells
      from adenocarcinomas, oat cell carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas of lung, and
      seminomas were labelled by JC1 with a distribution and proportion similar to that
      seen with Ki67. In normal tissues the only apparent difference was in testis
      where JC1 stained a considerably greater number of cells than Ki67. In all cases
      studied the new antibody showed nuclear reactivity only. JC1 did not show any
      cytoplasmic crossreactivity with squamous cells as is frequently seen with Ki67.
      CONCLUSION: Antibody JC1, which recognises a nuclear antigen present in
      proliferating cells, should provide a useful adjunct to Ki67 as a marker of
      proliferation especially in those cases such as squamous cell carcinomas where a
      Ki67 index cannot be determined.

PMID- 1430256
TI  - Demonstration of HIV-1 infected cells in human placenta by in situ hybridisation
      and immunostaining.
AB  - AIMS: To show the presence of HIV infected cells in the placentas and membranes
      exposed to HIV during pregnancy, and to trace the possible transmission routes
      from mother to fetus. METHODS: Twenty three therapeutic abortions and 11 term
      placentas were investigated for the presence of HIV antigen by immunostaining
      with HIV core protein specific antibodies and HIV nucleic acids by in situ
      hydridisation (ISH) with a 35S-labelled HIV specific RNA probe. RESULTS: HIV
      antigen as well as HIV RNA positive cells were rarely found in placental tissue
      and membranes. In therapeutic abortions HIV antigen was shown in 10 out of 23
      placentas, HIV RNA in two. HIV antigen was detected in five out of 11 term
      placentas and HIV RNA in two. Infected cell types comprised syncytiotrophoblasts,
      Hofbauer cells, amnionic epithelium, chorionic macrophages as well as maternal
      lymphocytes in the intervillous space and decidua. CONCLUSION: These data suggest
      that the transmission routes are: (1) a haematogenous route from the maternal
      intervillous space to villous stromal cells; (2) from chorion laeve to amnionic
      fluid and vice versa. Two additional transmission routes are partly suggested by
      the data: (1) in early gestation by direct extension from basal decidua to
      budding trophoblastic cells; (2) from the capsular decidua to chorion laeve and
      chorionic plate, entering the fetal circulation via the small veins.

PMID- 1430257
TI  - Cell sizing in chronic lymphoproliferative disorders: an aid to differential
      diagnosis.
AB  - AIMS: To determine if leucocyte volume distribution analysis (LVDA), obtained
      using a Coulter Counter Model S Plus IV, can be used to aid differentiation of
      chronic lymphoproliferative disorder (CLPD) subtypes. METHODS: Mean lymphocyte
      volume and lymphocyte distribution width were measured on each patient (n = 90)
      using a hard copy of an amplified LVDA histogram. The mean lymphocyte volume was
      taken as the mean of the values on either side of the peak at half maximum
      height. The lymphocyte distribution width was taken as the range of cell values
      between the two values used to calibrate the mean lymphocyte volume. A template
      showing typical histograms from commonly occurring CLPD was also produced on an
      acetate sheet. This was used to examine the histogram from each new patient to
      evaluate its usefulness as an alternative to the calculation of mean lymphocyte
      volume and lymphocyte distribution width. RESULTS: Mean lymphocyte volume and
      lymphocyte distribution width were significantly higher in B cell lymphocytic
      leukaemia of mixed cell type (B CLL/PL), B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with
      peripheral blood spill, hairy cell leukaemia and T cell prolymphocytic leukaemia
      than in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B CLL). The mean lymphocyte volume,
      but not the lymphocyte distribution width, was also significantly higher in T
      cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia than in B CLL. The template gave an immediate
      preliminary indication of possible subtype(s) of disorder and could be used as an
      alternative to measurement of mean lymphocyte volume and lymphocyte distribution
      width. CONCLUSIONS: Electronic haematology analysers producing an LVDA provide a
      useful, cost effective cell sizing analysis which can aid the differentiation of
      subtypes of CLPD.

PMID- 1430258
TI  - ICAM-1 expression in renal disease.
AB  - AIM: To determine the role of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in
      immune mediated damage in glomerulonephritis, and whether its expression
      correlates with disease activity. METHODS: Fifty three renal biopsy specimens
      from a range of non-immune renal disease and low grade and high grade
      glomerulonephritides were stained with ICAM-1. Positivity was assessed in the
      tubules. Tubular damage and accompanying interstitial inflammation were also
      noted. The ICAM-1 positivity in damaged and undamaged tubules was correlated with
      the three groups of renal disease. RESULTS: ICAM-1 positivity in undamaged
      tubules was observed in glomerulonephritis, and this showed a strong correlation
      with disease activity. In contrast, ICAM-1 positivity on damaged tubules
      correlated with evidence of chronic tubular damage, and was seen in a large
      proportion of cases, regardless of the underlying disease. There was no
      correlation between ICAM-1 positivity and a local lymphocytic infiltrate.
      CONCLUSION: ICAM-1 probably has an important role in the pathogenesis of
      glomerulonephritis. Its expression may be secondary to cytokines released by
      cells participating in the glomerular damage. As these cytokines also influence
      tubule function, tubular ICAM-1 expression may be a marker of the extent of
      tubular disturbance in glomerulonephritis.

PMID- 1430259
TI  - Nucleolar organiser regions (AgNORS) in anal intraepithelial neoplasia and
      invasive anal squamous cell carcinoma.
AB  - AIM: To evaluate the usefulness of counting nucleolar organiser region associated
      proteins (AgNORs) in the management of anal squamous neoplasia. METHOD: Using a
      silver staining technique for NOR associated proteins, 32 routinely processed
      paraffin wax embedded sections of anal epithelium were assessed. These consisted
      of normal anal epithelium (n = 9), anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) grades I
      (n = 5), and III (n = 13), and invasive squamous neoplasia of the anus (n = 5).
      RESULTS: The median AgNOR counts for every 100 cells are as follows: normal anal
      epithelium 2.15 (95% CI 1.89-3.94); AIN I 3.21 (95% CI 2.89-7.14); AIN III 4.32
      (95% CI 4.00-8.10); and invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the anus 5.51 (95% CI
      2.48-10.62). There were significant differences between AgNOR counts in anal
      cancer and normal epithelium (p < 0.05; Mann-Whitney U test)), AIN III and normal
      anal epithelium (p < 0.005), and AIN III and AIN I (p < 0.05). No significant
      differences were observed between AIN I and normal anal epithelium, anal cancer
      and AIN I, and anal cancer and AIN III. There was a considerable degree of
      overlap among the different groups. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the strong association
      between AgNOR values and degree of dysplasia, the variability within pathological
      grade may preclude the adoption of this technique on its own as a prognostic
      indicator. It may, however, be useful in conjunction with other markers of
      neoplastic growth such as c-myc oncogene amplification or overexpression as a
      marker of disease progression in AIN and invasive anal squamous cell cancer.

PMID- 1430260
TI  - Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in situ in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
AB  - AIMS: To assess the presence of carcinoma in situ (CIS) in patients with
      nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and to see if the number of biopsy sites
      facilitates detection of CIS. METHODS: Formalin fixed, paraffin wax embedded
      biopsy specimens (n = 285) from 187 patients with NPC in 1987 were studied for
      the presence of CIS as well as for the histological assessment of the subtype of
      CIS. RESULTS: Fifteen (8.0%) patients had CIS, representing 8.3% of all new
      patients with NPC and 11.6% of patients with persistent disease or relapse. CIS
      was undifferentiated or poorly differentiated, no cases of well differentiated
      squamous cell CIS were identified. There was no significant difference in the
      incidence of CIS when multiple endoscopic biopsy specimens were taken rather than
      single forceps biopsy specimens. CONCLUSIONS: CIS can only be identified in a few
      patients with NPC largely because of late presentation with advanced disease at
      the time of diagnosis and the focal nature of the dysplastic process. The
      presence of dysplasia in relapses of NPC suggests that these tumours may be
      second growths rather than regrowths of a primary tumour.

PMID- 1430261
TI  - Modified latex agglutination test for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in eluates
      from Guthrie cards.
AB  - AIMS: To determine whether the Eiken particle agglutination test could be
      modified to make it sufficiently sensitive to screen blood samples collected on
      Guthrie cards for the presence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii; to evaluate
      the specificity of the modified system; and to compare seroepidemiological data
      on the prevalence of T gondii in pregnant women. METHODS: Simulated dried blood
      spots were prepared from sera from pregnant women booking for antenatal care.
      Eluates from the simulated dried blood spot cards and sera were tested in
      parallel using the modified test (1 in 5 dilution of latex) and the standard
      assay (neat latex particles) and endpoints determined. Guthrie card eluates, from
      neonates in three Thames regions, were then tested using the modified test.
      RESULTS: The modified test produced a 4.21-fold increase in antibody titre in 85
      sera when tested in parallel with the standard test. Eluates of 168/170 from
      simulated dried blood spots derived from seropositive patients gave a positive
      result in the modified test. The two eluates which gave a negative result were
      derived from patients with an equivocal titre of 1/16 in the standard serum test.
      Of the eluates derived from serum negative patients all 103 were negative at a
      dilution of 1 in 4 in the modified test. The seroprevalence of antibodies to T
      gondii in pregnancy was 21.8% using the standard test. A similar value of 20.5%
      was obtained when dried blood spots from neonates in a similar region of London
      were tested by the modified test. CONCLUSIONS: The modified Eiken Toxo-reagent
      test is sensitive, simple, and economic for screening large numbers of dried
      blood spots. The procedure could be easily semiautomated and the technique
      applied to the mass screening of neonatal blood samples collected on Guthrie
      cards to determine the seroprevalence of T gondii in pregnant women.

PMID- 1430262
TI  - Use of the polymerase chain reaction to detect Toxoplasma gondii in human blood
      samples.
AB  - AIMS: To assess the value of detecting Toxoplasma gondii in human blood samples
      using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). METHODS: Blood samples in lithium
      heparin were examined from 34 patients with suspected toxoplasmosis, and six
      healthy volunteers with or without the addition of doubling dilutions of
      toxoplasma tachyzoites. Products of a nested PCR, using oligonucleotide primers
      of the B1 gene, were analysed by electrophoresis and stained by ethidium bromide.
      The primary product was 194 base pairs in length; the nested products were 160 or
      97 base pairs. RESULTS: When toxoplasma tachyzoites were added to the leucocytes
      of six different volunteers, eight to 16 parasites were detected by nested PCR in
      one experiment and one to four parasites in eight experiments. All nine
      experiments were negative in samples without added tachyzoites. Of 34 patients,
      PCR was negative in 13 with recent lymphadenopathy; nine with persisting IgM,
      including two pregnant patients; four with reactivated infection due to
      immunodeficiency; and five with no evidence of active infection. Positive PCR
      results were found in three patients with reactivated infection. There was only
      one discrepancy between PCR and animal culture results; this was in an
      immunocompromised patient with a positive PCR and negative culture. CONCLUSIONS:
      The PCR technique was rapid, sensitive, and specific in human blood samples.
      Negative PCR results in patients with persisting IgM suggested that the fetus was
      not at risk, or that treatment was not indicated in myalgic encephalomyelitis
      like illness. PCR results in immunocompromised patients permitted appropriate
      management--no treatment if negative, treatment if positive.

PMID- 1430263
TI  - Laboratory examination for Cryptosporidium spp in Scotland.
AB  - AIMS: To ascertain the present practices of Scottish microbiological laboratories
      for examining faecal samples for Cryptosporidium spp and to compare these with
      practices elsewhere. METHOD: A questionnaire was circulated to all 35 Scottish
      NHS bacteriological laboratories, where human stool samples are subjected to
      routine microbiological examination, to determine current laboratory testing
      methods and selection criteria used to examine faecal specimens for
      Cryptosporidium spp. RESULTS: All laboratories responded, of which the first
      began testing in 1984 and the last in 1990. At 15 sites all diagnostic stool
      samples submitted are routinely examined for Cryptosporidium spp. Elsewhere,
      selection criteria, principally based on age, specific request, and foreign
      travel, are used. The age distribution of Scottish cases differed significantly
      from that of the PHLS study of 16 laboratories (p < 0.001), probably as a result
      of the selection criteria used. The phenol-auramine staining procedure is used by
      19 laboratories, with modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining used by 14 laboratories;
      eight used a second, confirmatory method. CONCLUSIONS: Currently applied
      selection criteria for examination of stools for Cryptosporidium in Scotland do
      not accord with published epidemiological data. Specimen selection based on age
      of patient and stool consistency may lead to cases of public health importance
      being missed. Nationally agreed criteria for testing of human samples based on
      epidemiological evidence are required.

PMID- 1430264
TI  - Antithrombin III deficiency and cerebrovascular accidents in young adults.
AB  - A young man with antithrombin III (AT-III) deficiency sustained a cerebellar
      venous infarct and recovered following treatment with AT-III concentrate. A
      family study showed that other members were affected. AT-III deficiency in this
      family was found to be due to a new variant AT-III TRURO 1. Young patients with
      strokes should be screened for thrombophilia.

PMID- 1430265
TI  - Tissue artefacts caused by sponges.
AB  - Artefacts which occur during the processing of small biopsy specimens can cause
      sufficient tissue distortion to impair interpretation and can be a considerable
      source of nuisance. Triangular artefacts were noted in renal and liver biopsy
      specimens which were caused by foam sponges in embedding cassettes. Scanning
      electron microscopic examination of the sponges showed they comprised a mesh of
      scimitar-shaped rigid spikes which closely match the artefacts seen in the
      tissues.

PMID- 1430266
TI  - Alternative method of sampling placentas for the assessment of uteroplacental
      vasculature.
AB  - A new method for the taking and embedding of placental blocks to obtain maximum
      information regarding the uteroplacental vasculature was developed. This method
      involves taking en face blocks of the basal plate of the placenta. Results show
      that normal and abnormal maternal vessels are clearly delineated. In addition to
      conventional full thickness blocks, which provide information about the chorionic
      plate such as inflammation and meconium pigment uptake, and about the parenchyma
      in the other zones remote from the basal plate of the placenta, it is recommended
      that en face blocks be taken for histological assessment of the placenta.

PMID- 1430267
TI  - Tubulovillous adenoma arising 30 years after ileocystoplasty.
AB  - The possibility of recurrent colonic metaplasia occurring as a complication of
      pelvic ileal pouches after ileo-rectal anastomosis has been raised. Several
      reports have documented malignant bladder tumours developing in patients many
      years after an ileocystoplasty. The case of a 50 year old man, who developed a
      tubulovillous adenoma in the ileal patch 30 years after an ileocystoplasty had
      been performed to enlarge a tuberculous shrunken bladder, is reported. The
      adjacent small intestinal mucosa showed features suggestive of colonic
      metaplasia.

PMID- 1430268
TI  - Abnormal haemoglobin electrophoresis caused by BW 12C.
AB  - BW 12C, a substituted benzaldehyde, stabilises haemoglobin in the oxy
      conformation and has attracted interest as an anti-sickling agent. The drug
      causes a left shift in the oxygen saturation curve and may induce tumour anoxia
      and enhance the effect of cytotoxic drugs. During clinical trials in patients
      with cancer abnormal bands on haemoglobin electrophoretic strips were observed.
      This made correct diagnosis of abnormal haemoglobins impossible. Solubility tests
      for sickling disorders (Itano) also proved unreliable.

PMID- 1430269
TI  - Diagnosis of toxoplasma infection in cardiac transplant recipients using the
      polymerase chain reaction.
AB  - Cardiac biopsy samples taken from transplant recipients around the time of
      primary toxoplasma infection were investigated by conventional histology and
      amplification of the P30 gene of Toxoplasma gondii by the polymerase chain
      reaction (PCR). Toxoplasma was detected more frequently by PCR than histology
      which may reflect the enhanced sensitivity of the former technique. Further
      studies are required to determine the optimal amount of tissue which should be
      examined by each technique and to develop a PCR assay capable of distinguishing
      between quiescent infection and active toxoplasmosis.

PMID- 1430270
TI  - Renal AA amyloidosis in a patient with Bence Jones proteinuria and ankylosing
      spondylitis.
AB  - A patient with a 10 year history of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined
      significance and Bence Jones proteinuria, and a 44 year history of ankylosing
      spondylitis, developed a nephrotic syndrome secondary to renal amyloidosis.
      Clinically the amyloidosis was ascribed to Bence Jones proteinuria rather than to
      the burnt out ankylosing spondylitis. However, histochemical and
      immunofluorescence staining techniques used to type the amyloid fibrils showed AA
      amyloidosis, implicating ankylosing spondylitis rather than monoclonal gammopathy
      as the underlying cause of the patient's systemic amyloidosis and consequent
      nephrotic syndrome. It is recommended that immunostaining of amyloid become a
      routine procedure to detect occult or apparently inactive disease.

PMID- 1430271
TI  - Lobular carcinoma in a mammary hamartoma.
AB  - Mammary hamartomas are uncommon breast lesions, sometimes presenting as
      mammographic abnormalities which require pathological clarification. Previous
      cases have all been benign. A unique case of mammary hamartoma containing
      atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH), lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), and foci of
      microinvasive lobular carcinoma is presented. The need for adequately sampling
      macroscopically innocuous breast lesions is emphasised.

PMID- 1430272
TI  - Screening of urinary tract infections by ELISA.

PMID- 1430273
TI  - The action of vitamin B12.

PMID- 1430274
TI  - c-erb-B-2 expression in male breast carcinoma.

PMID- 1430275
TI  - Glove puncture in the post mortem room.

PMID- 1430276
TI  - Risk of inhaling cyanide during necropsy examination.

PMID- 1430277
TI  - The teaching of death certification.

PMID- 1430278
TI  - A computer-assisted method for making linear radiographic measurements using
      stored regions of interest.
AB  - Accurate detection of changes in alveolar bone height requires radiographic
      measuring methods with a reliability of standard deviation (SD) of 0.15 mm or
      better. No periodontal digital imaging system has reached this reliability,
      although 3 analogue methods have achieved this goal. However, existing linear
      methods are time-consuming, difficult to use, unsuitable for measuring all
      possible (unsharp) anatomical sites and do not provide a confidence estimate for
      sites of change observed in serial standardized films. A rapid computer-assisted
      method using stored image regions of interest (ROI) has been developed which
      allows retest measurements for all possible sites and automatically calculates a
      90%, 95%, 98%, or 99% confidence threshold value, derived from duplicate
      measurement variation, for sites of apparent crest height change. 28 examiners,
      with minimal training in operating the system, measured 14 different cement
      enamel junction to crest height distances from a standard bitewing image, with
      and without the ROI method. The measurements were repeated 4 weeks later. 13/14
      sites achieved an intra-examiner SD threshold of less than or equal to 0.15 mm
      with the ROI method but 0/14 without. A higher inter-examiner SD threshold of
      less than or equal to 0.22 mm was achieved for 13/14 sites using ROI and 0/14
      without (p less than 0.001). The measurement of crest height changes in a region
      of previous severe vertical bone loss is demonstrated using serial films. The
      potential for using trabecular bone patterns as reference sites in regions where
      traditional measurement points are absent is demonstrated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1430279
TI  - Effects of ultrasonic and sonic scalers on dental plaque microflora in vitro and
      in vivo.
AB  - The effects of ultrasonic and sonic scalers on the subgingival microflora were
      investigated in vitro and in vivo. In the in vitro investigation, 27 plaque
      samples collected from periodontal pockets were submitted to ultrasonic and sonic
      vibrations for 10, 30 and 60 s. Bacterial suspensions were examined by darkfield
      microscopy to detect qualitative changes and cultured to evaluate the total
      number of cultivable bacteria. Microscopic counts following both instrumentations
      showed a decrease in the proportions of spirochetes and motile rods and an
      increase in the % of coccoids and rods. The changes were directly related to the
      time-period of instrumentation. Comparison between both types of instrumentation
      showed significant differences and more pronounced changes were observed with the
      ultrasonic than the sonic scaler. Spirochetes and motile rods were reduced to
      approximately 0.1% after ultrasonic treatment versus 24.7% after sonic
      instrumentation. Cultural observations showed a marked increase in total number
      of colony-forming units following both treatments. The clinical investigation
      included 66 periodontal pockets which were instrumented subgingivally for 10 and
      30 s with ultrasonic or sonic scalers. Qualitative changes were similar to those
      observed in vitro, i.e., reduction in spirochete and motile rod counts as well as
      the other morphotypes with an increase in coccoid cells. Total counts of bacteria
      were reduced following debridement. No difference in the microscopic or cultural
      data was found between ultrasonic and sonic instrumentation.

PMID- 1430280
TI  - Cleaning effectiveness of chewing sticks among Tanzanian schoolchildren.
AB  - The oral hygiene of habitual chewing stick and toothbrush users who participated
      in an oral health education (OHE) programme in schools was evaluated. The study
      comprised all chewing stick users (n = 45) in standard 4 in 8 randomly selected
      experimental schools and all chewing stick users (n = 17) in standard 4 in 4
      randomly selected control schools. Each chewing stick user was randomly matched
      with a toothbrush user of the same sex, age and school. Their ages ranged from 10
      to 13 years with a mean of 11.5 years. The children in standard 4 of the 8
      experimental schools received OHE. Among many topics aiming to improve oral
      health of children, the practice of systematic brushing was taught. The children
      practised weekly brushing sessions in schools under the supervision of instructed
      teachers. At baseline, the chewing stick users exhibited statistically
      significant more plaque, but their gingival condition was comparable with their
      matched toothbrush counter-parts. After 3 months, the chewing stick and the
      toothbrush users in the experimental schools, had reduced their plaque and
      gingival bleeding scores significantly to the same extent, whereas no substantial
      changes in oral hygiene occurred in the control group. The findings show that
      schoolchildren who participated in a school programme that emphasizes effective
      toothbrushing were able to improve their oral hygiene regardless of whether they
      were habitual chewing stick or toothbrush users.

PMID- 1430281
TI  - Associations between volume and flow rate of gingival crevicular fluid and
      clinical assessments of gingival inflammation in a population of British male
      adolescents.
AB  - Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) sampling was performed on 2 occasions separated
      by 1 year, at 2 sites in the mouths of 102 male adolescents, mean age 17.85
      years. Samples were collected onto 5 filter paper strips which were sequentially
      applied to the mouth of the crevice over a 9-min collection period. Volume and
      flow rates of GCF were determined for each site and were compared with clinical
      measurements of plaque, gingival colour, bleeding, gingival index (GI) and pocket
      depth, using a general linear models (GLM) procedure. While the initial volume of
      GCF showed no association with any clinical measurement, there was an association
      between flow rate of GCF and gingival colour. The volume of GCF collected in the
      final, 5th sample was associated with the GI. The sample site strongly influenced
      all measures of GCF volume. It is proposed that the flow rate of GCF may be a
      better indicator of gingival inflammation than the more imprecise clinical
      assessments of inflammation, since GCF flow rates more precisely reflect changes
      in tissue permeability. The association between the final sample, collected after
      9 min, and clinical measurements, was probably a reflection of the association
      between clinically-detectable inflammation and the susceptibility of the site to
      mild irritation.

PMID- 1430282
TI  - Bleeding on probing as it relates to probing pressure and gingival health in
      patients with a reduced but healthy periodontium. A clinical study.
AB  - A previous study demonstrated that the bleeding on probing (BOP) test using
      uncontrolled forces may result in a proportion of false positive readings when
      used as a parameter for inflammation. A strong possibility exists for the
      traumatization of clinically healthy gingival tissues if a probing force
      exceeding 0.25 N is applied. While these results originated form young dental
      hygienists exhibiting excellent oral hygiene, the aim of the present study was to
      evaluate the relationship between probing pressures and gingival conditions in
      patients with a history of treated periodontal disease, i.e., in situations with
      a reduced but healthy periodontium. 10 patients who had been enrolled in a
      periodontal maintenance program following treatment of moderate to advanced
      chronic inflammatory periodontal disease consented to participate in the study.
      They were all selected on the basis of a record of excellent oral hygiene
      practices for at least 2-6 years and almost complete absence of clinical
      inflammation following successful periodontal therapy. Applying a probing force
      of 0.125, 0.25, 0.375 and 0.5 N in the 4 jaw quadrants, respectively, at 2
      different occasions with an interval of 10 days, bleeding on probing was
      assessed. Oral hygiene and gingival conditions were determined using the criteria
      of the plaque and gingival index systems. All subjects showed significant
      increases in mean BOP% with increasing probing force applied (2.5%-7.9%).
      Regression analysis revealed an almost linear correlation and a significant
      correlation coefficient between BOP% and probing force. Almost identical slope
      inclinations were found when the 6 subjects with the lowest mean BOP% at 0.25 N
      were compared with the regression analysis of the total group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1430283
TI  - The use of irradiated-crosslinked human collagen membrane in guided tissue
      regeneration.
AB  - Irradiated glutaraldehyde-crosslinked human collagen membrane was evaluated for
      its effects on new attachment formation in clinical trials, using the principle
      of guided tissue regeneration (GTR). 19 adult periodontitis patients with 52
      matched bilateral periodontal defects received scaling and polishing with oral
      hygiene instruction. The bilateral periodontal defects were treated by reflecting
      a flap with collagen membrane (test) or flap reflection alone (control). Plaque
      (P1I) and gingival index (GI) scorings, probing pocket depth (PPD) and probing
      attachment level (PAL) along with classification of furcation involvement (FI)
      and bony defects were made at pre- and post surgery (6 weeks, 3 and 6 months).
      Improvement of P1I and GI scores was seen in both test and control sites
      following the surgical therapy. Reductions in PPD and PAL were significantly (p
      less than 0.001) more pronounced at 6 months in the test sites compared to the
      controls. The 2 Class I furcations in the graft-treated teeth showed complete
      resolution, while the corresponding furcations in the control teeth showed
      incomplete closure. The use of human collagen membrane based on the GTR technique
      for treatment of human periodontal defects provided greater gain of clinical
      attachment than when flap surgery alone was undertaken.

PMID- 1430284
TI  - Buccal attachment loss in Swedish adolescents.
AB  - A case referent study was performed to identify factors connected with loss of
      buccal attachment in adolescents. The study group was identified among 18-year
      olds who had participated 2 years earlier in a study of periodontal conditions in
      adolescents. The criterion for inclusion in the case group was buccal attachment
      loss (greater than or equal to 1 mm) in one or more sites. Information on 28
      variables, identified earlier as being related to recessions, was collected in a
      clinical examination, interview and observation. The referent group consisted of
      66 subjects and the case group of 71 subjects. The case group comprised 2
      subgroups, one identified as having buccal attachment loss in 1987 and the other
      with attachment loss occurring in the years 1987-89. Statistical analyses, using
      the chi 2 test, logistic regression and a variance component model, were
      performed to detect factors related to buccal attachment loss. These factors were
      thin alveolar tissue, narrow width of the attached gingiva and presence of teeth
      with buccal displacement. The results indicate that the anatomy of the buccal
      alveolar process is related to the presence of buccal attachment loss in
      populations with a high level of oral hygiene. To evaluate the importance of
      possible risk factors or etiological factors for development of buccal loss of
      tooth support, prospective epidemiological or experimental studies are needed.

PMID- 1430285
TI  - The relation between periodontitis and systemic bone mass in women between 46 and
      55 years of age.
AB  - It has been suggested that periodontitis and systemic bone mass might be related.
      In order to evaluate this possible relationship, we performed an intra-oral
      examination and measured lumbar bone mineral density (lumbar BMD) and metacarpal
      cortical thickness (MCT) in 286 female volunteers between 46 and 55 years of age.
      In addition, the alveolar bone height was measured on bite wing radiographs of
      the dentate subjects. Of the subject, n = 60 (21%) were edentulous. Compared to
      the dentate subjects, the lumbar BMD and MCT of the edentulous women were not
      significantly different. In the dentate subjects, no significant correlation was
      observed between the clinical parameters of periodontitis (mean probing depth,
      occurrence of bleeding after probing and number of missing teeth) and the bone
      mass parameters (lumbar BMD and MCT); nor was a significant relation observed
      between the bone mass measurements and alveolar bone height. We therefore suggest
      that systemic bone mass is not an important factor in the pathogenesis of
      periodontitis.

PMID- 1430286
TI  - Gingivectomy versus flap surgery: the effect of the treatment of infrabony
      defects. A clinical and radiographic study.
AB  - The aim of this paper was to compare the short-term results of gingivectomy (GV)
      and modified Widman flap (MWF) surgery in the treatment of infrabony defects. 14
      patients with 68 bilateral infrabony defects were selected. At baseline, and 3
      and 6 months postoperatively, assessments of oral hygiene, gingival conditions,
      bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth and attachment level, were recorded.
      Conventional radiograps were obtained in a way that assured a reproducible
      projection geometry. In a split-mouth design, one jaw quadrant was randomly
      treated with GV, while the contralateral with a MWF. The changes of the bone
      tissue were assessed by means of conventional and subtraction images by 2
      observers. The interobserver agreement of the conventional and subtraction
      technique was studied. The majority of the sites demonstrated a significant
      improvement in gingival conditions and a reduction in bleeding. For both
      treatments, probing depths were reduced by an average of 3 mm, while a mean of
      1.22-1.35 mm of probing attachment gain was obtained. The GV resulted in slightly
      more gingival recession (1.90 mm) than the MWF (1.60 mm). The radiographic
      examination demonstrated gain of bone in 7 defects treated with GV and in 9
      defects treated with MWF. This study demonstrated that pockets associated with
      infrabony defects can be successfully treated by both treatment modalities.
      Furthermore, bone gain can occur after treatment but not in a predictable manner.

PMID- 1430287
TI  - Periodontal diseases and HIV infection. A review of the literature.
AB  - There have been many references in the literature to HIV-related periodontal
      diseases, which although poorly substantiated, seem to have established them as
      part of the expected range of HIV-associated conditions. The original studies
      have produced conflicting reports which may stem from shortcomings in design.
      Consequently, the picture remains confused with respect to the classification,
      epidemiology, microbiology, natural history and management of HIV-related
      periodontal diseases. Future studies should give greater attention to sampling
      methods, the use of control groups and defining criteria. This will allow
      comparison of data between centres and facilitate study of what may be an
      uncommon disease.

PMID- 1430288
TI  - Remodelling of periodontal tissues adjacent to sites treated according to the
      principles of guided tissue regeneration (GTR).
AB  - The aim of the present study was to assess the remodelling of alveolar bone
      adjacent to periodontal sites following therapy according to the principles of
      guided tissue regeneration (GTR) using computer-assisted densitometric image
      analysis (CADIA), and to compare the radiographic results to traditional clinical
      parameters. As required for digital subtraction analyses, periodically
      reproducible radiographs were obtained using a modification of the Rinn System
      and individual acrylic bite blocks for periodical identical radiographs. Ideally,
      a digital subtraction image from a site where absolutely no change in density had
      occurred would show a perfect cancellation of the structures. An average grey
      level value of 128 (the middle of the digitizer grey level range set by software)
      would show up at each pixel. Areas with grey levels < 128 in the subtraction
      image would indicate loss in density and grey levels > 128 would indicate
      increase in density. Within the subtraction images, areas were defined using the
      cursor to draw "regions of interest" (ROI) projected on the bony defect exposed
      to GTR covering the crestal bone as well as the region of potential "bonefill".
      The mean, median, the standard deviation and range of the grey levels of pixels
      within a particular ROI were calculated. Similarly sized ROI were drawn in bone
      areas not exposed to the GTR procedure serving as controls. The differences in
      the mean grey levels of all pixels within a particular ROI between the baseline,
      3 and 12 months images were calculated for documentation of gain or loss in
      density. From 14 patients, standardized radiographs were available from baseline,
      3 months and 12 months postsurgically, depicting one infraosseous defect before
      and after treatment according to the principles of GTR. The densitometric changes
      observed in these defects were compared to the clinically assessed changes
      measured at the site with the deepest baseline pocket depth. A mean clinical
      attachment gain of 2.36 mm after 3 and 3.22 mm after 12 months was measured. This
      was associated with a mean reduction in the PPD amounting to 3.36 mm and 3.79 mm,
      respectively. The changes in the level of the FGM were rather small considering
      the deep original mean PPD of 7.07 mm. Over the first months, a mean recession of
      1.14 mm was observed which was followed by a coronal displacement of 0.43 mm.
      With respect to the remodelling of the alveolar bone adjacent to the defects
      assessed by means of CADIA, the most pronounced changes occurred when comparing
      the baseline to the 12 months radiographs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1430289
TI  - Validity issues in split-mouth trials.
AB  - The main purpose of the split-mouth design is to remove all components related to
      differences between subjects from the treatment comparisons. By making within
      patient comparisons, rather than between-patient comparisons, the error variance
      (noise) of the experiment can be reduced, thereby obtaining a more powerful
      statistical test. Unfortunately, comparisons made on a within-patient basis have
      potential disadvantages. Treatments may have effects on experimental units other
      than those which they were assigned to (carry-across effects). Such effects
      cannot be estimated from split-mouth data. Neither can treatment effects be
      estimated. The estimable parameter in a split-mouth design is the treatment
      effect plus the sum of all carry-across effects. Unless a priori knowledge
      indicates that no carry-across effects exist, reported estimates of treatment
      efficacy are potentially biased. In the design of split-mouth clinical trials,
      potential gain in precision should be carefully weighed against a potential
      decrease in validity.

PMID- 1430290
TI  - Periodontal status in insulin-dependent diabetic adolescents.
AB  - A cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate the periodontal status of 85 12
      18 year-old French adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM) and 38
      healthy controls in the same age group. The clinical examination consisted of
      plaque control and gingival inflammation evaluation and probing attachment level.
      The interproximal marginal bone level was assessed with bitewing radiographs
      taken on the first molars and on areas presenting an attachment loss over 2 mm.
      Diabetic children had significantly more gingival inflammation than children
      without diabetes, in spite of similar plaque scores. No significant relation
      between gingival condition and age, Tanner's index, HbAlc level or disease
      duration could be demonstrated. None of the subjects had sites with attachment
      loss > or = 3 mm or radiographic signs of periodontitis.

PMID- 1430291
TI  - Guided tissue regeneration using biodegradable membranes of polylactic acid or
      polyurethane.
AB  - The purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate the use of biodegradable
      membranes of polylactic acid or polyurethane for obtaining regeneration following
      treatment of circumferential periodontal defects in monkeys with the "guided
      tissue regeneration" procedure. Orthodontic elastic bands were placed around
      selected test and control teeth in 4 monkeys in order to induce breakdown of the
      periodontal tissues. When the destruction of the supporting tissues had
      progressed to a level corresponding to approximately half the length of the
      roots, the elastic bands were removed. After 1 to 8 months, full thickness flaps
      were raised on the buccal and lingual aspects of both test and control teeth. The
      exposed root surfaces were scaled and a notch was prepared in the root surface at
      the level of the reduced bone crest. Membranes of polylactic acid or polyurethane
      were placed circumferentially around the test teeth, while no membranes were
      placed around the control teeth. The tissue flaps were then sutured in a
      coronally displaced position. The surgical procedures and sacrifice of the
      animals were scheduled to provide observation times of 1, 4 and 8 months. During
      the healing period, various complications such as recession of the flap margins
      and exposure or exfoliation of the membranes were noticed. The histological
      analysis showed that the amount of new connective tissue attachment on test and
      control teeth did not differ and was restricted to the most apical part of the
      lesions. The bio-degradable membranes could be identified in a few specimens, and
      they were always surrounded by an epithelial layer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1430292
TI  - Histological evaluation of surgically treated oral tissues after application of a
      photocuring periodontal dressing material. An animal study.
AB  - At present no information is available about biological effects on oral tissues
      of the photocuring periodontal dressing Barricaid. This animal study examines
      histologically the tissue responses of surgical areas covered during 7 days with
      either Barricaid, the eugenol-containing dressing Ward's Wondrpak or the bionert
      control gel Carboxyl Methyl Cellulose. One group was studied immediately after
      the removal of the dressings; in the other group, further healing was permitted
      for another week. Results after 7 days indicate acute inflammatory reactions in
      the test areas without significant differences between the 2 periodontal dressing
      materials. The control areas showed to a lesser degree basically the same tissue
      response. In the 2nd week, generally all areas healed. After 14 days, no
      differences between test- and control sites could be detected. From a biological
      point of view, these findings suggest no contra-indication for application of
      this photocuring dressing material after periodontal surgery.

PMID- 1430293
TI  - Endodontic infection and calcium hydroxide-treatment. Effects on periodontal
      healing in mature and immature replanted monkey teeth.
AB  - Large experimental defects with marginal communication, and small isolated
      experimental defects were created on the root surfaces of extracted monkey
      lateral incisors with either open or closed apices. The pulp tissue was either
      infected or removed, and calcium hydroxide placed in the root canal. The teeth
      were then replanted and the healing pattern evaluated histomorphometrically after
      20 weeks. From the results, it was concluded that (1) an intrapulpal infection
      promotes marginal epithelial down-growth on a denuded dentin surface irrespective
      of tooth developmental stage, and that (2) the periodontal healing potential
      after calcium hydroxide-treatment appears to be higher in teeth with open apices
      compared with teeth with closed apices, where ankylosis was promoted as opposed
      to teeth with open apices where significantly more reparative cementum was found.

PMID- 1430294
TI  - Progression of periodontal disease in patients with mild to moderate adult
      periodontitis.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to determine the progression rate of periodontal
      disease in patients treated for localized or generalized mild to moderate adult
      periodontitis. 52 patients with a mean age of 53.7 years (S.D. 12.6 years) were
      instructed in optimal home care procedures and exposed to initial periodontal
      therapy, before reconstructive therapy was initiated. Following completion of the
      prosthetic procedures, supportive therapy was offered to a limited extent and
      maintenance visits were irregularly scheduled corresponding to traditional dental
      care. Clinical periodontal parameters from 4 sites per tooth were assessed at the
      initial examination, at the time of reevaluation after initial therapy and at the
      re-examination after 8-years. Full sets of intraoral radiographs from the initial
      and the 8-year re-examination were analyzed with respect to changes in the
      radiographic alveolar bone height as a % of the total tooth length. As the result
      of the home care instructions, the mean plaque index (plaque control record)
      amounted to 21% at the end of initial periodontal therapy. 8 years later, the re
      examination revealed a mean plaque index of 49% and a mean gingival bleeding
      index of 24%. At the initial examination, the 52 patients presented with an
      average of 18.7 teeth. During treatment, 26 teeth were sacrificed and 19 teeth
      were lost over the 8 years of supportive therapy. Bicuspids were the most
      frequent teeth to be lost over the observation period. As a result of initial
      therapy, the mean pocket probing depths decreased significantly. However, after 8
      years, only minor differences were found when compared to the initial
      examination.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1430295
TI  - Marginal bone level in the normal primary dentition.
AB  - The aim of the present study was to establish the normal range for the
      radiographic distance between the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) and the marginal
      bone level (MBL) in the primary dentition, and to relate this distance to various
      physiological and pathological factors. 128 children at the ages 7, 8 and 9 years
      took part in the study. Clinical and radiographic examinations of the mesial and
      distal surfaces of all primary molars and the distal surface of the primary
      canines were performed. The clinical examination included measurements of the
      amounts of plaque, bleeding on probing, probing depth and probing attachment
      loss. In addition, increased mobility of the primary teeth and stage of eruption
      of the neighbouring permanent teeth were recorded. The radiographic examination
      included measurements of the CEJ-MBL distance and the remaining root length.
      Also, exfoliating teeth, presence of proximal dentin caries, restorations and
      calculus were recorded from the radiographs. Associations between various
      explanatory variables and the CEJ-MBL distance were tested with both a chi 2 test
      and a variance components analysis. The mean CEJ-MBL distance for all primary
      tooth surfaces was 1.0 mm. Individual surfaces displayed distances ranging from
      0.0-4.0 mm. Of the variables tested for association with the CEJ-MBL distance,
      eruption of neighbouring permanent tooth and exfoliation of neighbouring primary
      tooth seemed to be associated with large CEJ-MBL distances. When surfaces with
      these characteristics were excluded, a CEJ-MBL range of 0.0-2.0 mm was
      obtained.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1430296
TI  - The effect of using a pre-brushing mouthwash (Plax) on oral hygiene in man.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate whether the use of a pre-brushing
      mouthwash (Plax) improved subjects' oral hygiene over a 2-week period. In a
      double-blind placebo controlled cross-over study, 33 adult subjects (mean age
      35.3 years) used either Plax or a placebo mouthwash for 30 s prior to
      toothbrushing during a 2-week period. After a washout period of 4 weeks, the
      subjects used the other mouthwash in the same way. The modified plaque index of
      Quigley and Hein (QHI) was recorded for 16 teeth (16, 14, 13, 11, 21, 23, 24, 26,
      36, 34, 33, 31, 41, 43, 44, 46) at each visit. The bleeding index (BI) was
      recorded at the beginning and end of the study. Results were analysed using a
      paired one-tailed t-test. Neither plax nor placebo mouthwashes reduced plaque
      scores significantly (p > 0.05) below baseline. There was no statistically
      significant difference between the mean BI at the beginning of the trial (0.42)
      and at the end (0.44). These results suggest that the routine use of Plax is not
      a useful adjunct to toothbrushing.

PMID- 1430297
TI  - Clinical pharmacology: medicine or pharmacology.

PMID- 1430298
TI  - Workshop on problem-based learning as a method for teaching clinical pharmacology
      and therapeutics in medical school.

PMID- 1430299
TI  - Oral absolute bioavailability and intravenous dose-proportionality of cefprozil
      in humans.
AB  - The absolute bioavailability (F) and dose proportionality of cefprozil were
      investigated in a parallel design study with an embedded two-way crossover leg.
      Twenty-four healthy male subjects divided into 3 dosing groups received a single
      250-, 500-, or 1000-mg dose of cefprozil by a 30-minute intravenous infusion.
      Subjects assigned to the 500-mg dose group also received a 500-mg oral dose of
      cefprozil in crossover manner with a wash-out period of 7 days between each
      treatment. Cefprozil consists of cis and trans isomers in an approximate 90:10
      ratio. Serial blood and urine samples were collected and analyzed for the
      concentrations of the cis and trans isomers of the cephalosporin using high
      pressure liquid chromatographic assay with UV detection methods. After the 250-,
      500-, and 1000-mg intravenous administration of cefprozil, the peak
      concentrations were 13.2, 26.0, and 48.5 micrograms/mL, and area under the plasma
      concentration versus time profiles were 17.2, 31.4, and 58.1 micrograms.hour/mL,
      respectively, for the cis isomer increasing in a dose proportional manner. Total
      body clearance, renal clearance, and volume of distribution at steady state,
      adjusted for body weight, were not significantly different among all groups. Mean
      residence time, elimination half-life, and urinary recovery were invariant with
      the dose. Based on the plasma and urine data, the estimates of F were 89% and 94%
      for the cis isomer, respectively. The plasma concentrations of the trans isomer
      were about 1/10th of the cis isomer, and all parameters were similar to those
      observed for the cis isomer. In summary, cefprozil exhibits linear
      pharmacokinetics and is essentially completely absorbed after oral
      administration.

PMID- 1430300
TI  - Sustained antihypertensive activity of diltiazem SR: double-blind, placebo
      controlled study with 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.
AB  - A new polymeric matrix technology provides a sustained-release formulation of
      diltiazem hydrochloride (diltiazem SR) suitable for once-daily therapy. The
      efficacy and safety of diltiazem SR were evaluated in a multicenter, randomized,
      double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study. After a single-blind,
      placebo lead-in period, 275 patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension
      were assigned to receive placebo or diltiazem SR 120, 240, 360, or 480 mg once
      daily for 4 weeks. The efficacy evaluation was based on office and 24-hour
      ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Twenty-four hours after the last dose in
      the 4-week, double-blind treatment period, the mean reduction from baseline in
      supine diastolic blood pressure ranged from 5.1 to 10.6 mm Hg in the diltiazem SR
      120- to 480-mg groups, resulting in a significant linear trend across all
      treatments (P less than .001). Reductions in systolic blood pressure were
      similar. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, performed in 138 patients,
      confirmed the dose-response relationship and showed consistent antihypertensive
      activity throughout the 24-hour dosing interval. The percentage of patients
      reporting adverse events was similar in the placebo- and active-treated groups.
      The results of this study indicate that diltiazem SR is well tolerated, lowers
      blood pressure in a dose-related manner, and provides sustained activity
      throughout the 24-hour dosing interval.

PMID- 1430301
TI  - Circadian changes of valproate kinetics depending on meal condition in humans.
AB  - The objective of this study was to examine the effect of meal condition on
      circadian changes in valproic acid (VPA) kinetics. Two experiments were performed
      in 16 healthy men that were synchronized with diurnal activity and nocturnal rest
      as their routine life. In both experiments, four 200-mg tablets of VPA were given
      orally on two occasions in the morning (8:30 AM) or in the evening (8:30 PM). In
      each study, a randomized, single-dose, two-way crossover design was used, and 2
      weeks elapsed between morning and evening trials. In experiment 1, eight subjects
      took a light meal as breakfast between 8:00 and 8:15 AM and a heavy meal as
      dinner between 6:00 and 6:30 PM to fit the subject's usual food amount. The mean
      peak plasma concentration (Cmax) was significantly higher (P less than .01), the
      time to peak concentration (tmax) was shorter (P less than .05), and the
      absorption rate (Ka) was larger (P less than .05) after the morning dose than
      after the evening dose. In experiment 2, the size and contents of meal in
      breakfast and dinner were prepared in the same manner as the standard breakfast
      for the subjects. Namely, eight subjects took the same light meal between 8:00
      and 8:15 AM in the morning and between 8:00 and 8:15 PM in the evening. There was
      no significant circadian change in VPA kinetics under this same meal condition.
      These results suggest that the differences of meal condition between morning and
      evening in our daily life play a major role in the mechanism underlying the
      circadian changes of VPA absorption in man.

PMID- 1430302
TI  - Impact of food on the bioavailability of encainide.
AB  - The bioavailability of drugs that undergo extensive presystemic hepatic
      metabolism may be increased by concomitant ingestion with food. The effect of
      food on the bioavailability of encainide, a class IC antiarrhythmic agent, was
      evaluated in 14 healthy subjects in this randomized crossover study. The subjects
      received encainide 35 mg every 8 hours for 7 days and were randomized to receive
      their test dose of encainide with food or after an overnight fast. Encainide area
      under-the-concentration versus time curve (AUCs) were detectable in 3 of 14
      subjects after fasting and in 7 of 14 after feeding. Although food increased the
      mean encainide AUC by more than threefold, this increase did not reach
      statistical significance because of the large number of subjects with
      indeterminate encainide AUCs. Food did significantly increase the AUC of O
      demethyl-encainide (ODE), but not the AUC of methoxy-O-demethyl-encainide (MODE).
      Despite the increase in ODE AUC, no significant effect on the surface
      electrocardiogram 2 hours after dose administration could be detected. Food may
      increase the bioavailability of encainide and one of its active metabolites
      (ODE). The clinical relevance of this pharmacodynamic effect warrants further
      evaluation.

PMID- 1430303
TI  - Chronopharmacology of furosemide in the elderly.
AB  - The authors have previously reported the time-dependent change in the diuretic
      effects of furosemide, a loop diuretic agent, in young and middle-aged subjects.
      The current study was undertaken to examine an influence of aging on this
      chronopharmacologic phenomenon. Ten milligrams furosemide was given intravenously
      to 12 elderly subjects (greater than 70 years of age) at 9:00 AM (day trial) or
      at 9:00 PM (night trial) by a cross-over design. One-hour urine samples were
      collected for 3 hours after each administration, and urine volume and urinary
      excretions of sodium and furosemide were determined. Urine volume and urinary
      sodium excretion increased after furosemide administration. Contrary to the
      findings in the young and middle-aged subjects, no significant differences were
      observed in these parameters at any observation period between the day and night
      trials in the elderly subjects. Urinary furosemide excretion of the day and night
      trials did not significantly differ. These results suggest that the
      chronopharmacologic profiles of furosemide are altered in the elderly.

PMID- 1430304
TI  - Advances in Cardiovascular Pharmacology: Protocol Design and Methodology.
      Proceedings of the 11th annual symposium. Atherosclerosis and Drug Development
      for Ischemic Heart Disease.

PMID- 1430305
TI  - A new specific antibody reveals octopamine-like immunoreactivity in cockroach
      ventral nerve cord.
AB  - An antiserum was raised in rabbits immunized with octopamine conjugated to
      thyroglobulin. The specificity of this antiserum for octopamine is shown by dot
      blot immunoassay analysis. The antiserum does not crossreact with dopamine,
      noradrenaline, and serotonin, but slight crossreactivity with the amine tyramine
      at high concentrations was observed. The tyramine crossreactivity could be
      eliminated by preabsorption with a tyramine-glutaraldehyde-BSA conjugate. Using
      this antiserum, we describe the topographical distribution of octopamine
      immunoreactive (ir) neuronal elements in wholemounts and paraffin sections of the
      ventral nerve cord of the American cockroach. The pattern of octopamine
      immunostaining is completely different from that obtained with an antidopamine
      serum, and can be blocked by preabsorbing the antioctopamine serum with BSA
      conjugated octopamine. Cell bodies and dendritic processes of putatively
      octopaminergic dorsal (DUM) and ventral (VUM) unpaired median neurons were
      clearly octopamine-ir in all ganglia examined. The numbers of stained DUM somata
      in the mesothoracic, metathoracic, and terminal ganglion of females correspond to
      those of peripherally projecting DUM cells revealed previously by retrograde
      tracing (Gregory, Philos Trans R Soc Lond [Biol] 306:191, 1984; Tanaka and
      Washio, Comp Biochem Physiol 91A:37, 1988; Stoya et al., Zool Jb Physiol 93:75,
      1989). In addition, various, previously unknown, paired cells with octopamine
      like immunoreactivity were found in all ventral ganglia except abdominal ganglia
      3-6. Some of these probably project intersegmentally.

PMID- 1430306
TI  - Functional degeneration of isolated central stumps of crayfish sensory axons.
AB  - In the crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, nerve 5 carries primarily sensory axons
      from the tail fan to the 6th abdominal ganglion where they synaptically activate
      interneuron A. Since the sensory neurons have their somata located at the
      periphery, transection of nerve 5 part way to the ganglion allowed us to examine
      the fate of their soma-less central stumps. Up to 3 weeks postlesion the response
      to stimulation of nerve 5 consisted of a brief latency spike in interneuron A,
      similar to that in control animals and to stimulation of the intact nerve 4.
      Stimulation of the lesioned nerve 5 beyond 3 weeks failed to fire interneuron A.
      This loss of function was correlated to loss of axons in nerve 5 deduced by
      comparing the numbers in the lesioned nerve 5 to its contralateral intact
      counterpart. The numbers are about equal in the paired nerves but rapidly decline
      on the lesioned side to 50% within 1 week, 20% within 3 weeks, and less than 10%
      in subsequent weeks. This loss affects all size classes of axons. However, in the
      3 week lesioned nerve large glial infoldings subdivided some of the larger axons
      and single nuclei were seen in a few of the medium-sized axons. Possibly
      subdivision of large axons by glial infolding may introduce glial nuclei into
      axons.

PMID- 1430307
TI  - Distribution of the mRNA for a metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR1) in the
      central nervous system: an in situ hybridization study in adult and developing
      rat.
AB  - Distribution of the mRNA for a metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR1), which is
      linked to phosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis, was investigated in adult and
      developing rat central nervous system (CNS) by in situ hybridization. Transcripts
      of mGluR1 were specifically localized to neurons and widely distributed
      throughout the adult rat brain. Most intensely labeled neurons were Purkinje
      cells of the cerebellum, mitral and tufted cells of the olfactory bulb, and
      neurons in the hippocampus, lateral septum, thalamus, globus pallidus,
      entopeduncular nucleus, ventral pallidum, magnocellular preoptic nucleus,
      substantia nigra, and dorsal cochlear nucleus. Moderately labeled neurons were
      seen in high density in the dentate gyrus, striatum, islands of Calleja,
      superficial layers of the retrosplenial, cingulate and entorhinal cortices,
      mammillary nuclei, red nucleus, and superior colliculus. In the developing rat
      brain, the level of mGluR1 expression gradually increased during early postnatal
      days in accordance with the maturation of neuronal elements. These results show
      prominent expression of mGluR1 in the major targets of putative glutamatergic
      pathways and unique distribution pattern of mGluR1 distinct from those reported
      for ionotropic subtypes of glutamate receptors, suggesting specific roles of
      mGluR1 in the glutamatergic system.

PMID- 1430308
TI  - Projections of leg proprioceptors within the CNS of the fly Phormia in relation
      to the generalized insect ganglion.
AB  - We previously reported a modality-specific layering of leg sensory axons in the
      CNS of the flies Phormia regina and Drosophila melanogaster with tactile and
      gustatory axons projecting into a ventral layer and the proprioceptive hair plate
      axons into an intermediate layer. Here the description is expanded to include the
      afferent projections of campaniform sensilla on the legs and wings of Phormia.
      The leg campaniform sensilla produce a number of patterns of projections within
      an intermediate layer of their ganglion, some of which project intersegmentally
      into the other thoracic ganglia. One of these patterns is shared by the hair
      plate sense organs. Selected wing campaniform sensilla were also stained and
      showed that there is little or no overlap between the projections of leg and wing
      campaniform sensilla. Similarities with the arrangement of campaniform sensilla
      and their central processes in Drosophila melanogaster are discussed. To apply
      the results of this study to a broader range of insects we provide an atlas of
      the fly CNS and compare it with the locust, which has been the model for much
      insect neuroanatomy and neurophysiology.

PMID- 1430309
TI  - Distribution of protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) in the vertebrate retina:
      evidence that immunoreactivity is restricted to mammalian horizontal and ganglion
      cells.
AB  - Using light microscopic immunocytochemistry, we have studied the distribution of
      protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5), a neuron-specific protein first extracted
      from human brain (Doran et al., '83:J. Neurochem. 40:1542-1547), in the
      vertebrate retina. Retinas were obtained from frog, chicken, rat, rabbit, cow,
      cat, dog, and human. No immunoreactivity was observed in frog and only a faint
      staining was present in chicken. In mammalian retinas, a strong positive reaction
      was restricted to horizontal and ganglion cells, with minor interspecies
      variations. Immunostaining was present throughout the cell body and the dendritic
      tree in horizontal cells. At the level of retinal ganglion cells, immunolabel was
      particularly abundant in cell bodies and axons forming the optic nerve. Only the
      main dendrites were stained, the remainder of the dendritic tree giving rise to a
      diffuse punctate reaction in the inner plexiform layer. In rats, displaced
      amacrine cells, which are known to contribute largely (40-50%) to the total
      neuronal population within the ganglion cell layer (Perry, '81: Neuroscience
      6:931-944) were not immunoreactive, as demonstrated from (i) analysis of the
      morphology, cell size and cell density of immunoreactive neurons in wholemounts;
      (ii) colocalization of retrograde label and PGP 9.5 immunoreactivity in about 80%
      of ganglion cells after injection of peroxidase into the optic nerve; and (iii)
      reduction of immunoreactivity in the inner plexiform and ganglion cell layers
      following optic nerve transection. Western blot analysis of extracts from rabbit
      retinas indicated that the immunoreactive species is PGP 9.5 or a closely related
      molecule. Recent studies have demonstrated that PGP 9.5 is a ubiquitin carboxyl
      terminal hydrolase (Wilkinson et al., '89:Science 246:670-673). The present
      results, therefore, suggest that differences in the ubiquitination process exist
      between retinal neurons.

PMID- 1430310
TI  - Neurons in the cockroach nervous system reacting with antisera to the
      neuropeptide leucokinin I.
AB  - Antisera were raised against the myotropic neuropeptide leucokinin I, originally
      isolated from head extracts of the cockroach Leucophaea maderae. Processes of
      leucokinin I immunoreactive (LKIR) neurons were distributed throughout the
      nervous system, but immunoreactive cell bodies were not found in all neuromeres.
      In the brain, about 160 LKIR cell bodies were distributed in the protocerebrum
      and optic lobes (no LKIR cell bodies were found in the deuto- and tritocerebrum).
      In the ventral ganglia, LKIR cell bodies were seen distributed as follows: eight
      (weakly immunoreactive) in the subesophageal ganglion; about six larger and
      bilateral clusters of 5 smaller in each of the three thoracic ganglia, and in
      each of the abdominal ganglia, two pairs of strongly immunoreactive cell bodies
      were resolved. Many of the LKIR neurons could be described in detail. In the
      optic lobes, immunoreactive neurons innervate the medulla and accessory medulla.
      In the brain, three pairs of bilateral LKIR neurons supply branches to distinct
      sets of nonglomerular neuropil, and two pairs of descending neurons connect the
      posterior protocerebrum to the antennal lobes and all the ventral ganglia. Other
      brain neurons innervate the central body, tritocerebrum, and nonglomerular
      neuropil in protocerebrum. LKIR neurons of the median and lateral neurosecretory
      cell groups send axons to the corpora cardiaca, frontal ganglion, and
      tritocerebrum. In the muscle layer of the foregut (crop), bi- and multipolar LKIR
      neurons with axons running to the retrocerebral complex were resolved. The LKIR
      neurons in the abdominal ganglia form efferent axons supplying the lateral
      cardiac nerves, spiracles, and the segmental perivisceral organs. The
      distribution of immunoreactivity indicates roles for leucokinins as
      neuromodulators or neurotransmitters in central interneurons arborizing in
      different portions of the brain, visual system, and ventral ganglia. Also, a
      function in circuits regulating feeding can be presumed. Furthermore, a role in
      regulation of heart and possibly respiration can be suggested, and probably
      leucokinins are released from corpora cardiaca as neurohormones. Leucokinins were
      isolated by their myotropic action on the Leucophaea hindgut, but no innervation
      of this portion of the gut could be demonstrated. The distribution of leucokinin
      immunoreactivity was compared to immunolabeling with antisera against vertebrate
      tachykinins and lysine vasopressin.

PMID- 1430311
TI  - Localization of 3H-nicotine, 125I-kappa-bungarotoxin, and 125I-alpha-bungarotoxin
      binding to nicotinic sites in the chicken forebrain and midbrain.
AB  - We have previously localized cholinergic cell bodies and fibers within the
      midbrain of the chicken with choline acetyltransferase immunohistochemistry. In a
      continuing effort to characterize the central cholinergic system, the present
      study examines the distribution of various nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in
      the forebrain and midbrain of the chicken. The binding of 3H-nicotine, 125I-kappa
      bungarotoxin, and 125I-alpha-bungarotoxin was localized by film autoradiography
      in adjacent sections of the adult chicken brain, allowing a comparison of the
      distribution of different classes of nicotinic binding sites within the brain.
      Although all three ligands were often co-localized, there were areas that bound
      3H-nicotine but not the 125I-neurotoxins, or vice versa. Very high densities of
      all three ligands were found in the hyperstriatum ventrale; the nucleus
      geniculatus lateralis, pars ventralis; the griseum tectale; the nucleus
      dorsolateralis anterior thalami; the nucleus lentiformis mesencephali, pars
      lateralis and pars medialis; the periventricular organ; and the stratum griseum
      et fibrosum superficiale, layer f of the optic tectum. The nucleus spiriformis
      lateralis had the highest levels of 3H-nicotine binding in the chicken brain, but
      it did not bind either of the two snake neurotoxins. On the other hand, high
      levels of both 125I-alpha-bungarotoxin and 125I-kappa-bungarotoxin binding were
      found in the nucleus semilunaris and the nucleus ovoidalis, but these areas
      contained little or no 3H-nicotine binding. No unique 125I-kappa-bungarotoxin
      sites, unrecognized by 125I-alpha-bungarotoxin, were identified by the low
      resolution autoradiography performed in this study. In general, nicotinic
      receptors were found in areas that have been reported to contain cholinergic cell
      bodies or fibers. Comparison of our results with the expression of neuronal
      nicotinic receptor subunits, as determined by in situ hybridization, suggests
      that many of the high affinity 3H-nicotine sites are localized presynaptically,
      as, for example, in the retinorecipient nuclei and the nucleus interpeduncularis.
      The lack of 125I-kappa-bungarotoxin binding in the presence of alpha-bungarotoxin
      indicates that the chicken brain has only very low levels of a unique kappa
      bungarotoxin site. This is in marked contrast to chicken, frog, and rat autonomic
      ganglia, where a unique kappa-neurotoxin-sensitive receptor has been identified
      and shown to mediate nicotinic neurotransmission.

PMID- 1430312
TI  - Novel developmental boundary in the cerebellum revealed by zebrin expression in
      the lurcher (Lc/+) mutant mouse.
AB  - The cerebellar cortex contains at least two classes of Purkinje cells, which are
      organized into alternating arrays of parasagittal bands. The clearest
      demonstration of this compartmentation is the pattern of expression of a family
      of polypeptide antigens, the zebrins, which are expressed selectively by Purkinje
      cell subsets. Furthermore, anterograde tracing experiments show that the zebrin
      compartments are closely correlated with both afferent and efferent projection
      maps. The further subdivision of long parasagittal bands into smaller modules may
      occur through several different mechanisms, including the intrinsic cerebellar
      lobulation and the selective distribution of afferent terminal fields. However,
      while the longitudinal subdivisions are straightforwardly shown, the mediolateral
      boundaries are more subtle. In this report we describe a novel mediolateral and
      anteroposterior compartmentation boundary in mice, running across lobule VIII,
      that is revealed by the consequences of the lurcher (Lc/+) allele for zebrin
      expression. In normal mice zebrin compartmentation develops in several discrete
      stages: until postnatal day 5 (PD5) there is no zebrin expression; from PD5-PD7
      zebrin is found only in the posterior lobe vermis, with immunoreactive Purkinje
      cells in lobules X, IX, and VIII but not elsewhere; from PD7-PD12 most Purkinje
      cells in the vermis become zebrin+; from PD12-PD15 immunoreactivity also appears
      in the hemispheres so that almost all Purkinje cells now are zebrin+; and
      finally, from PD15-PD25 zebrin is gradually suppressed in those Purkinje cells
      that are zebrin- in the adult until the mature pattern of parasagittal
      compartments is revealed. In the Lc/+ mutant the normal developmental progression
      is interrupted at around PD7. As a result, the pattern of zebrin expression
      becomes frozen at that stage when immunoreactive Purkinje cells are confined
      exclusively to the posterior lobe vermis. A reproducible boundary between
      expressing and nonexpressing zones runs mediolaterally across the dorsal surface
      of lobule VIII. Apart from zebrin expression itself, there are no obvious
      structural correlates of this transition. This mediolateral boundary identifies a
      developmental unit in the posterior lobe vermis of the cerebellum, and provides
      further evidence that the cerebellum is a highly heterogeneous structure.

PMID- 1430313
TI  - Survival and integration of bovine chromaffin cells transplanted into rat central
      nervous system without exogenous trophic factors.
AB  - Our previous studies have demonstrated that suspension grafts of isolated bovine
      chromaffin cells survive in the periaqueductal gray (PAG) of rat midbrain for up
      to 1 year after transplantation. The current study aimed to determine whether
      this type of graft could survive transplantation into sites other than the PAG
      that can benefit from chromaffin cell secretory products. In this study, electron
      microscope analysis showed that chromaffin cells implanted into the frontal
      neocortex, striatum, PAG, or the subarachnoid space overlying the spinal cord
      survived for at least 8 weeks without evidence of degeneration.
      Intraparenchymally placed grafts appeared relatively avascular and well
      integrated within the host parenchyma. When blood vessels were found, they were
      primarily at the host-graft border and were of the nonfenestrated central nervous
      system (CNS) type. Numerous synapses were present between the grafted cells and
      host neuronal processes. In addition, extensive intercommunication, via gap
      junction-like structures, was common in the grafts. Morphologic evidence of
      granular secretion was most commonly seen in striatal grafts. In contrast,
      subarachnoid grafts displayed minimal interaction with the host spinal tissue and
      were heavily vascularized with fenestrated capillaries. Despite morphologic
      differences between intra- and extraparenchymal grafts, this study demonstrates
      that isolated suspensions of bovine chromaffin cells survive transplantation into
      CNS sites without exogenous trophic factors and suggests that these cells are
      potential candidates for neural transplantation into these regions.

PMID- 1430314
TI  - Rapid rearrangement of intrinsic tangential connections in the striate cortex of
      normal and dark-reared kittens: lack of exuberance beyond the second postnatal
      week.
AB  - Clustered intrinsic connections in the kitten striate cortex originate from an
      unclustered, diffusely organized pattern prevailing during the first postnatal
      week. We have studied the progress of this reorganization and its dependence on
      visual input by determining the topographies of the intrinsic tangential
      connections at various postnatal ages by means of axonal tracing methods. Neurons
      were labeled either by diffusion of the carbocyanin dye DiI in animals ranging in
      age between 1 day and 30 days, or by retrograde transport of fluorescent
      microspheres in animals ranging in age between 7 days and 11 months. Quantitative
      evaluation of retrogradely labeled neurons revealed that during the first
      postnatal week, intrinsic tangential connections are organized in an unclustered
      fashion. During the second postnatal week a rapid rearrangement of connections
      occurs and is complete around postnatal day 11. The main events taking place
      during the course of this rearrangement are a decrease in the density of
      tangential connections and an arrangement of them in a clustered fashion. Once
      the clusters have been formed, the periodicity of the clustered pattern of
      connections and the size and distinctness of the clusters do not change. This
      means that the system of clustered tangential connections is adult-like at the
      end of the second postnatal week. Dark rearing affects neither the rapid
      rearrangement of horizontal connections into an adult-like system of clusters,
      nor the integrity of this clustered topography until the end of the first
      postnatal month. The overall distribution and the lateral extent of the
      tangential connections remain about the same during the postnatal period and are
      not affected by dark rearing until the end of the first postnatal month. We
      conclude that the clustered system of tangential connections in the cat's striate
      cortex is determined innately.

PMID- 1430315
TI  - Muller cells in vascular and avascular retinae: a survey of seven mammals.
AB  - Eight monoclonal antibodies were used to label Muller cells in four mammals that
      have vascular retinae (cats, dogs, humans, and rats) and in three with avascular
      retinae (echidnas, guinea pigs, and rabbits). Muller cells were found to have a
      fairly uniform retinal distribution in seven species, with a mean density of
      8,000-13,000 cells mm-2. Muller cells in avascular retinae differ from their
      vascular counterparts in four respects. First, they are shorter than those in
      vascular retinae. This difference is mainly due to a reduction in the thickness
      of the outer nuclear layer. Second, the trunks of Muller cells in avascular
      retinae tend to be thicker, although those in echidnas are an exception to this
      trend. Third, Muller cell rootlets in avascular retinae follow a more tortuous
      course than those in vascular retinae, reflecting the fact that photoreceptor
      nuclei in the two types of retina have different shapes and stacking patterns.
      Fourth, due to a reduction in the density of photoreceptors in avascular retinae,
      there are fewer neurones per Muller cell. Although these four features may enable
      Muller cells to assist the nutrition of neurones in the inner layers of avascular
      retinae, they are unlikely to be morphological specializations that have evolved
      for that purpose. Rather, these features appear to be a direct consequence of the
      fact that avascular retinae are thinner and have a differently organised outer
      nuclear layer. These features aside, Muller cells in avascular retinae closely
      resemble their counterparts in vascular retinae.

PMID- 1430316
TI  - Prenatal formation of the normal mouse corpus callosum: a quantitative study with
      carbocyanine dyes.
AB  - Judgment of abnormalities in fetal cortical axon development is more sensitive
      when a good standard of normal ontogeny is established. The recent availability
      of postmortem tract tracing methods has greatly improved the observation of axon
      extension and growth cone morphology in mouse fetuses, which allows much stronger
      statements about the timing of crucial steps in the formation of the corpus
      callosum in particular. The first outgrowth and crossing of midplane by axons of
      the corpus callosum (CC) were examined in 153 normal mouse embryos and fetuses of
      the hybrid cross B6D2F2/J with carbocyanine dyes applied to brains fixed by
      perfusion. In most brains a crystal of DiI was inserted into either frontal,
      parietal, temporal, or occipital cortex in one hemisphere, and a crystal of DiA
      was placed into a different site in the opposite hemisphere. Although dye
      diffusion obscured the emergence of axons, linear regression analysis revealed
      that the first callosal axons emerged from their cortical cells of origin at
      about 0.4 g body weight or 15.5 days after conception for all four sites.
      Subsequent axon growth rate was substantially faster for those from frontal
      cortex (3.2 mm/day) than occipital cortex (1.8 mm/day). Axons from frontal cortex
      crossed the cerebral midplane first (0.69 g, E16.3), followed by those from
      parietal (0.74 g), temporal (0.77 g) and occipital cortex (0.92 g, E16.9). Prior
      to crossing midplane, the pioneering CC axons were usually 200 microns or less in
      advance of the main bundle, but when they crossed midplane and encountered CC
      axons growing from homotopic sites in the opposite hemisphere, the pioneering
      axons were often 0.5 to 2.5 mm ahead of the main bundle. Growth cones were
      usually large and complex until they had crossed midplane and were thereafter
      smaller with simple and flat morphologies. The topography of axons in the CC at
      midplane was organized according to cortical region of origin from the very
      beginning, when the CC was only a small cap over the hippocampal commissure and
      dorsal septum. The quantitative results provide a convenient standard for normal
      callosal development in mice and should facilitate comparative studies.

PMID- 1430317
TI  - Distribution of corticotropin-releasing factor-like immunoreactivity in squirrel
      monkey (Saimiri sciureus) amygdala.
AB  - Previous anatomical studies of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-like
      immunoreactivity in rat brain have reported prominent clustering of neuronal
      elements containing this peptide within the amygdala. The highest concentrations
      of both CRF-positive cells and fibers were evident in the central nucleus, an
      observation consistent with the putative role of this peptide in autonomic and
      endocrine regulation. In addition, lower densities of CRF-positive somata and
      processes have been noted in other amygdaloid nuclei. However, the distribution
      of CRF-like immunoreactivity in the amygdala has not been described for any
      primate species. Such a description would be of interest since substantial
      differences in the distribution of CRF in rodent and primate have been reported
      for other brain regions. The present study uses immunohistochemical methods, with
      a polyclonal antiserum directed against the human form of CRF, to determine the
      distribution of this peptide in non-colchicine-treated monkeys (Saimiri
      sciureus). Within the amygdaloid complex, the most numerous and concentrated
      collections of CRF-positive neurons were seen in the basal and lateral nuclei.
      The highest densities of CRF-positive fibers and terminals were seen in the
      lateral and central amygdaloid nuclei. Moderately dense plexuses of CRF-positive
      fibers also were seen in layer Ia of the periamygdaloid cortex, nucleus of the
      lateral olfactory tract, anterior and posterior cortical nuclei, and the medial
      nucleus. Thus, the distribution of CRF-like immunoreactivity differs
      substantially in monkey and rat amygdala. Since CRF-positive perikarya in monkey
      are most prominent in nuclei with pronounced interconnections with neocortex,
      these differences may be an integral component of the increased cortical
      development that characterizes the primate brain.

PMID- 1430318
TI  - Lucifer yellow, retrograde tracers, and fractal analysis characterise adult
      ferret retinal ganglion cells.
AB  - The dendritic morphology of retinal ganglion cells in the ferret was studied by
      the intracellular injection of lucifer yellow in fixed tissue. Ganglion cells
      were identified by the retrograde transport of red or green fluorescent
      microspheres that had been injected into different target nuclei, usually the
      lateral geniculate nucleus or superior colliculus. This approach allows the
      comparison of dendritic morphologies of ganglion cells in the same retina with
      different central projections and also identifies cells with branching axons. The
      digitised images of dendritic arbors were analysed quantitatively by a variety of
      measures. Dendritic complexity was assessed by calculating the fractal dimension
      of each arbor. The ferret has distinct alpha, beta, and gamma morphological
      classes of cells similar to those found in the cat. The gamma cell class was
      morphologically diverse and could be subdivided into "sparse," "loose," and
      "tight" groups, reflecting increasing dendritic complexity. Whereas the beta cell
      projection was limited to the lateral geniculate nucleus alone, alpha and gamma
      cells could project to either or both nuclei. Retinal ganglion cells labelled
      from the pretectal nuclei formed a morphologically distinct class of retinal
      ganglion cells. The ipsilateral projection lacked alpha cells and the most
      complex, "tight" gamma cells. However, ipsilaterally projecting "loose" gamma
      cells overlapped alpha cells in both soma and dendritic dimensions. Different
      morphological classes of retinal ganglion cells hence show characteristic axon
      behaviour both in their decussation at the chiasm and in which targets they
      innervate. Fractal measures were used to contrast variation within and between
      these identified classes.

PMID- 1430319
TI  - The shell region of the nucleus ovoidalis: a subdivision of the avian auditory
      thalamus.
AB  - The connectivity of a region surrounding the established thalamic auditory
      nuclei, n. ovoidalis (Ov) and n. semilunaris parovoidalis (SPO), was explored in
      the ring dove by using the anterograde tracers, Phaseolus vulgaris
      leucoagglutinin (PHAL) and biocytin, and the retrograde tracer, fluorogold. The
      Ov-SPO surround received a projection from a cell group along the interface of
      the auditory midbrain and the n. intercollicularis, as revealed with PHAL and
      biocytin, and was composed of neurons exhibiting a common morphology. These
      features and the presence of overlapping projections from different portions of
      the Ov-SPO surround suggest that this region comprises a functionally discrete
      area, which we term the Ov shell. Single unit recording within the shell
      established the existence of acoustically responsive units. Both PHAL and
      fluorogold labeling revealed a robust projection from the Ov shell to the
      caudomedial hypothalamus. Major telencephalic projections of the shell terminated
      within the ventral paleostriatal complex, "end-zones" of the field L, the
      caudomedial hyperstriatum ventrale, and regions immediately dorsal and lateral to
      the auditory neostriatum. Except for a portion of the shell bordering medial
      ovoidalis, PHAL injections into the shell also labeled fibers within the
      caudolateral neostriatum and along the lateral neostriatal rim. The connectivity
      of the Ov shell suggests that this region may integrate auditory pathways with
      brain regions associated with endocrine mediated behavior. In addition, the shell
      may constitute a source of converging input to several levels of central auditory
      pathways.

PMID- 1430320
TI  - Development of the olivocerebellar projection in the rat: I. Transient
      biochemical compartmentation of the inferior olive.
AB  - In the present study the early phases of the development of the inferior olive
      were examined by using immunocytochemical techniques. We observed that, from
      embryonic day 16 onward, antibodies against the calcium binding proteins
      parvalbumin and calbindin and the calcitonin gene related peptide stain partially
      overlapping territories of the inferior olive. This staining delimits a
      biochemical zonation of the inferior olive which is combinatory and transient. We
      have previously observed a biochemical parcellation of the cerebellar Purkinje
      cells which, like that of the inferior olive, is first observed at E16, involves
      the combined expression of marker proteins and is also transient. In order to
      know whether the biochemical compartmentations of the cerebellum and inferior
      olive arise independently, the time course of the development of the
      olivocerebellar projection was studied by anterograde and retrograde in vitro
      axonal tracing by using the fluorescent carbocyanine dye DiI. The olivocerebellar
      axons were found to reach the limit of the cerebellar plate at E16 and to enter
      it at E17. Even at this age the great majority of the climbing fibers are tightly
      fasciculated, which minimizes their interactions with the PC clusters. These
      observations indicate that the topographical heterogeneity of Purkinje cells and
      inferior olive neurons arise independently. The transient biochemical
      individualization of subgroups of neurons during development could contribute to
      recognition mechanisms.

PMID- 1430321
TI  - Development of the olivocerebellar projection in the rat: II. Matching of the
      developmental compartmentations of the cerebellum and inferior olive through the
      projection map.
AB  - A transient biochemical parcellation has been observed by immunocytochemical
      methods, during the perinatal development of both the inferior olive and the
      cerebellum. In the present study, we sought a relationship between this
      developmental compartmentation and the organization of the olivocerebellar
      projection. In the inferior olive, a transient parvalbumin immunoreactivity
      restricted to the dorsal cap of the medial accessory olive is observed around
      birth. The climbing fiber projection of the dorsal cap was identified in the
      cerebellum of newborn rats based on its parvalbumin immunoreactivity. The pattern
      of this projection, restricted to lobules IX and X of the vermis, and to the
      flocculus, is indistinguishable from that of the adult medial accessory olive,
      which was previously described from axonal tracing experiments. The parvalbumin
      immunoreactive climbing fibers were followed between birth and postnatal day 7.
      In the caudal vermis, Purkinje cell subpopulations can be identified between
      embryonic day 20 and postnatal day three, on the basis of their differential
      immunostaining with an antibody directed against a specific peptide, PEP 19. In
      lobule X, the parvalbumin immunoreactive climbing fibers form two sagittal bands
      on each side of the midline, one medial and one lateral. The medial parvalbumin
      immunoreactive climbing fiber band is coextensive with a PEP 19 negative Purkinje
      cell cluster, indicating a clear relationship between the biochemical
      parcellations of the cerebellum and inferior olive.

PMID- 1430322
TI  - Myelin-axon relationships in the rat phrenic nerve: longitudinal variation and
      lateral asymmetry.
AB  - It is known that the myelin sheath thickness-axon perimeter relationship varies
      between peripheral nerves. This study examines the possibility that that
      relationship may vary between levels along a given nerve or between corresponding
      levels of the right and left examples of the same nerve. The relationship is
      examined for large and small fibre classes at well separated upper and lower
      intrathoracic levels in the rat phrenic nerve. The study shows that the myelin
      axon relationship differs between levels along the same nerve bundle in the same
      (intrathoracic) environment. Thus, for a given increase in the perimeter of large
      axons, sheath thickness increases significantly more at lower than at upper
      levels. In addition, myelin sheath thickness shows a statistically significant
      lateral asymmetry in favour of the left side for the large fibre class at the
      upper thoracic level. The setting of the myelin sheath thickness-axon perimeter
      relationship also differs between the large and small fibre classes at each level
      examined. Large fibres have proportionately thicker sheaths than small fibres and
      this difference is reflected in the significantly smaller g-ratio of the former.
      Systematic differences in the setting of the myelin sheath thickness-axon
      perimeter relationship between large and small fibre classes may be a widely
      occurring phenomenon. It may be concluded that the myelin-axon relationship
      varies significantly both within and between nerves and also between fibre
      classes. Accordingly, morphometric studies of normal or pathological nerves
      should take into account possible consistent longitudinal variation or lateral
      asymmetry in fibre parameters and myelin-axon relationships within a given nerve
      bundle or fibre class, in order to avoid introducing systematic bias and to
      minimize variance between samples.

PMID- 1430323
TI  - Time of origin of cortico-collicular projection neurons in the rat visual cortex.
AB  - The time of origin and the radial gradient of neurogenesis of cortico-collicular
      neurons have been studied in the rat visual area 17. We used a combined technique
      for the histochemical detection of the retrogradely transported horseradish
      peroxidase from the superior colliculus and the autoradiographic detection of the
      [3H]-thymidine administered during the gestational period. The cortico-collicular
      neurons of visual area 17 are located in layer V and are generated on gestational
      day (GD) 15 (59.78%), GD 16 (36.21%), and GD 17 (4.01%). This finding reveals
      that, for the cortico-collicular neuronal population, the birth date is well
      correlated with the laminar position in the adult animal. To see whether the
      cortico-collicular neurons located at various radial levels of layer V are
      generated concurrently, or whether they follow an "inside-out" pattern of
      positioning, we divided layer V into three (upper, middle and lower) sublaminae.
      Most cortico-collicular neurons located in the lower two-thirds of layer V are
      generated on GD 15 (65%), whereas the neurons located in the upper third of the
      layer are generated both on GD 15 and GD 16 in almost equal proportions (52.53%
      and 44.39%, respectively).

PMID- 1430324
TI  - Effects of sex and androgen treatment on dendritic dimensions of neurons in the
      sexually dimorphic preoptic/anterior hypothalamic area of male and female
      ferrets.
AB  - A sexually dimorphic group of cells at the dorsal border of the preoptic/anterior
      hypothalamic area (POA/AH) of ferrets has been previously identified in Nissl
      stained tissue. In this study, Golgi-stained tissue was examined in order 1) to
      determine whether sex differences exist in dendritic dimensions of neurons from
      this region, and 2) to assess the effects of adult androgen treatment on
      dendritic morphology in ferrets of both sexes. Brains from adult ferrets given
      daily injections of testosterone propionate (5 mg/kg body weight) or oil vehicle
      for 5 weeks after gonadectomy were impregnated by Golgi-Cox procedures. After
      sectioning at 120 microns, 78 multipolar neurons were selected from the sexually
      dimorphic POA/AH of 12 ferrets and reconstructed in three dimensions with the aid
      of a computer-assisted neuron tracing system. Large sex differences were observed
      in somal area and most aspects of dendritic morphology, including total length,
      number of branches, and total dendritic surface area. Androgen also appeared to
      accentuate dendritic arborization in both sexes, but this effect was weaker than
      the sex effect, more apparent in males than females, and restricted to fewer
      variables. The most statistically significant effects of adult androgen treatment
      in males were found for total dendritic surface area and percentage of fourth
      order dendrites, and in females, average dendritic thickness. These data show
      that strong sex differences exist in dendritic structure of neurons in the
      POA/AH, and suggest that alterations in levels of gonadal steroids in adulthood
      may promote synaptic remodeling in a region of the brain involved in the control
      of sexually dimorphic behaviors.

PMID- 1430325
TI  - Projections from the lateral nucleus to the basal nucleus of the amygdala: a
      light and electron microscopic PHA-L study in the rat.
AB  - A recent study, carried out in the monkey brain demonstrated a hitherto
      undescribed projection from the lateral to the basal nucleus of the amygdaloid
      complex. In the present study, we used light and electron microscopic techniques
      to determine whether a similar connection exists in the rat brain and to define
      what type(s) of synaptic contacts are produced by fibers of this projection.
      Injections of the lectin tracer Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) were
      placed into several levels of the lateral nucleus and the distribution of fibers
      in the basal (basolateral) nucleus was evaluated. All lateral nucleus injections
      resulted in labeled fibers in the basal nucleus, though the density and
      distribution of labeled fibers depended on the position of the injection site
      within the lateral nucleus. In general, the heaviest labeling of the basal
      nucleus was observed after injections at midrostrocaudal levels of the lateral
      nucleus, especially when the injection was located ventrally. Fibers originating
      from cells labeled by these injections were observed throughout much of the
      rostrocaudal extent of the basal nucleus. Rostrally situated injections resulted
      in substantially lower levels of labeled fibers in the basal nucleus. Injections
      placed caudally in the lateral nucleus resulted in light to medium levels of
      labeled fibers in the basal nucleus; the terminal field in these cases did not
      extend as far rostrally as after the rostral and midlevel injections. Electron
      microscopic analysis of PHA-L labeled fibers revealed that they contributed
      synapses to the basal nucleus. The majority of PHA-L labeled terminals formed
      asymmetric contacts on dendritic spines or shafts; a smaller number of PHA-L
      labeled terminals formed symmetrical synapses.

PMID- 1430326
TI  - Photic regulation of Fos-like immunoreactivity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of
      the mouse.
AB  - In mammals, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus functions as
      the primary pacemaker of the circadian system. Light has been shown to induce Fos
      like immunoreactivity (Fos-LI) in the SCN of rats and hamsters. The purpose of
      the present study was to evaluate extensively the effect of light on Fos-LI in
      the mouse SCN. Brief pulses of light administered to animals otherwise in
      constant darkness were found to induce Fos-LI. This photic induction was
      unaffected by the rd mutation, which causes the profound loss of photoreceptors
      but fails to affect circadian responses to light. Light regulation of Fos-LI was
      dependent upon the phase of the circadian cycle in which the light pulse was
      administered. Phases at which light causes phase shifts of the circadian system
      were permissive for Fos-LI induction (CT 16 and 24), while phases in which light
      does not cause phase shifts were not permissive (CT 6 and 9). The time course of
      the induction at CT 16 was also described. In a light/dark cycle, Fos-LI was
      found to be rhythmically expressed with Fos-LI elevated soon after the lights
      came on but remaining low throughout the rest of the cycle. However, this rhythm
      is a direct consequence of the light because in constant darkness Fos-LI was
      always low. These results have implications regarding the possible functional
      roles of Fos in the circadian system and add to our understanding of light
      regulation of circadian physiology in the mouse.

PMID- 1430327
TI  - Connections of the posterior nucleus of the amygdala.
AB  - The connections of a relatively homogeneous band of neurons in the caudal
      amygdala have been examined with anterograde and retrograde axonal tracing
      methods in the rat. This region, called here the posterior nucleus of the
      amygdala (PA), corresponds in part to an area that has been referred to as the
      cortico-amygdaloid transition area, posterior part of the medial nucleus of the
      amygdala, amygdalo-hippocampal transition area, and posteromedial basal nucleus.
      Experiments with fluorogold and phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHAL)
      indicate that the major neuronal input to the PA arises in the ventral
      premammillary nucleus, and that substantial projections also arise in olfactory
      related areas such as the medial nucleus of the amygdala, bed nucleus of the
      accessory olfactory tract, and posterior cortical nucleus of the amygdala, as
      well as in the ventral subiculum and adjacent parts of hippocampal field CA1.
      Other seemingly minor inputs, including cholinergic fibers from the substantia
      innominata, dopaminergic fibers from the ventral tegmental area, and
      serotoninergic fibers from the dorsal nucleus of the raphe, were also identified.
      The efferent projections of the PA as determined with the PHAL method appear to
      follow five major routes: 1) a relatively small group of laterally directed
      fibers innervates the dorsal endopiriform nucleus, and a few of these fibers
      reach cortical area TR and the lateral entorhinal area; 2) another small group of
      fibers courses medially to innervate the ventral subiculum and adjacent parts of
      field CA1; 3) many fibers course ventrally to innervate the outer molecular layer
      of the medial part of the posterior cortical nucleus of the amygdala; 4) a
      moderate group of fibers courses rostrally to innervate primarily the
      posterodorsal part of the medial nucleus of the amygdala, although some fibers
      continue on to end less densely in rostral parts of the medial nucleus of the
      amygdala before leaving the amygdala through the ansa peduncularis; and 5) the
      major output of the PA courses through the stria terminalis. One branch of this
      pathway massively innervates the principal nucleus of the bed nuclei of the stria
      terminalis before entering the medial hypothalamus, where it ends massively in
      the anteroventral periventricular and medial preoptic nuclei, ventrolateral part
      of the ventromedial nucleus and adjacent parts of the basal lateral hypothalamic
      area, and ventral premammillary nucleus. The other branch sends fibers to the
      ventral lateral septal nucleus, nucleus accumbens, olfactory tubercle, and
      infralimbic area of the prefrontal cortex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1430328
TI  - Projections of the ventral subiculum to the amygdala, septum, and hypothalamus: a
      PHAL anterograde tract-tracing study in the rat.
AB  - The projections of the ventral subiculum are organized differentially along the
      dorsoventral (or septotemporal) axis of this cortical field, with more ventral
      regions playing a particularly important role in hippocampal communication with
      the amygdala, bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (BST), and rostral hypothalamus.
      In the present study we re-examined the projection of the ventral subiculum to
      these regions with the Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHAL) method in the
      rat. The results confirm and extend earlier conclusions based primarily on the
      autoradiographic method. Projections from the ventral subiculum course either
      obliquely through the angular bundle to innervate the amygdala and adjacent parts
      of the temporal lobe, or follow the alveus and fimbria to the precommissural
      fornix and medial corticohypothalamic tract. The major amygdalar terminal field
      is centered in the posterior basomedial nucleus, while other structures that
      appear to be innervated include the piriformamygdaloid area, the posterior
      basolateral, posterior cortical, posterior, central, medial, and intercalated
      nuclei, and the nucleus of the lateral olfactory tract. Projections from the
      ventral subiculum reach the BST mainly by way of the precommissural fornix, and
      provide rather dense inputs to the anterodorsal area as well as the transverse
      and interfascicular nuclei. The medial corticohypothalamic tract is the main
      route taken by fibers from the ventral subiculum to the hypothalamus, where they
      innervate the medial preoptic area, "shell" of the ventromedial nucleus,
      dorsomedial nucleus, ventral premammillary nucleus, and cell-poor zone around the
      medial mammillary nucleus. We also observed a rather dense terminal field just
      dorsal to the suprachiasmatic nucleus that extends dorsally and caudally to fill
      the subparaventricular zone along the medial border of the anterior hypothalamic
      nucleus and ventrolateral border of the paraventricular nucleus. The general
      pattern of outputs to the hypothalamus and septum is strikingly similar for the
      ventral subiculum and suprachiasmatic nucleus, the endogenous circadian rhythm
      generator.

PMID- 1430329
TI  - Projections of the ventral premammillary nucleus.
AB  - The projections of the ventral premammillary nucleus (PMv) have been examined
      with the Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHAL) method in adult male rats. The
      results indicate that the nucleus gives rise to two major ascending pathways and
      a smaller descending pathway. One large ascending pathway terminates densely in
      most regions of the periventricular zone of the hypothalamus, with the notable
      exception of the suprachiasmatic, suprachiasmatic preoptic, and median preoptic
      nuclei. This pathway is in a position to influence directly many cell groups
      known to regulate anterior pituitary function. The second large pathway ascends
      through the medial zone of the hypothalamus and densely innervates the
      ventrolateral part of the ventromedial nucleus and adjacent basal parts of the
      lateral hypothalamic area, medial preoptic nucleus, principal nucleus of the bed
      nuclei of the stria terminalis, ventral lateral septal nucleus, posterodorsal
      part of the medial nucleus of the amygdala, posterior nucleus, and immediately
      adjacent regions of the posterior cortical nucleus of the amygdala. It is already
      known that these regions are major components of the sexually dimorphic circuit,
      and, interestingly, that they provide the major neural inputs to the PMv. The
      smaller descending projection from the PMv seems to innervate preferentially the
      posterior hypothalamic nucleus, although a small number of fibers appear to end
      in the tuberomammillary nucleus, supramammillary nucleus, specific regions of the
      medial mammillary nucleus, interfascicular nucleus, interpeduncular nucleus,
      periaqueductal gray, dorsal nucleus of the raphe, laterodorsal tegmental nucleus,
      Barrington's nucleus, and locus coeruleus. Relatively sparse terminal fields
      associated with ascending fibers were also observed in the dorsomedial nucleus of
      the hypothalamus; in the nucleus reuniens, parataenial nucleus, paraventricular
      nucleus of the thalamus, and mediodorsal nucleus; in the central nucleus of the
      amygdala, anterodorsal part of the medial nucleus of the amygdala, posterior part
      of the basomedial nucleus of the amygdala; and in the ventral subiculum and
      adjacent parts of hippocampal field CA1, and the infralimbic and prelimbic areas
      of the medial prefrontal cortex. Taken as a whole, the evidence suggests that the
      PMv receives two major inputs--one from the sexually dimorphic circuit, and the
      other from the blood in the form of gonadal steroid hormones--and gives rise to
      two major outputs: one (perhaps feed-forward) to the neuroendocrine
      (periventricular) zone of the hypothalamus, and the other (perhaps feed-back) to
      the sexually dimorphic circuit.

PMID- 1430330
TI  - Embryonic development of synapses on spiking local interneurones in locust.
AB  - The development of synapses on an identified population of spiking local
      interneurones in the thoracic ganglia of embryonic locusts was examined by means
      of intracellular horseradish peroxidase injection and electron microscopy. In
      adult locusts, spiking local interneurones of the midline group receive direct
      inputs onto a ventral field of branches from leg mechanosensory afferents and in
      turn make output synapses, mainly from a dorsal field of branches, directly upon
      leg motor neurones, nonspiking local interneurones, and intersegmental
      interneurones. The aim of this study is to examine the development of these
      connections. These interneurones are born relatively late in embryogenesis and
      are not identifiable until approximately 55% of development. At this time (55
      60%) only simple filopodial contacts or punctate contacts are evident between the
      stained interneurones and other neurones. By 65-70% embryogenesis, vesicles are
      found adjacent to regions where apposed membranes are symmetrically thickened
      with amorphous electron-dense material. These symmetrical contacts lack distinct
      presynaptic bar-shaped densities and therefore, are not considered to be
      synapses. At this stage, the interneurones do not produce action potentials upon
      intracellular injection of depolarising current. Morphologically identifiable
      synapses, with vesicles, a presynaptic bar, and relatively little postsynaptic
      density, are first evident at 70-75%, coincident with the time of arrival of the
      majority of leg mechanosensory afferents into the central nervous system. At this
      stage, action potentials and synaptic potentials are also recorded for the first
      time. The midline spiking interneurones thus become electrically excitable when
      synapses are first recognisable, at approximately 70% embryogenesis. Most of the
      synapses found on the interneurones are outputs. The ratio of outputs to inputs
      on ventral branches is 7.5:1 which contrasts markedly to the adult ratio of 1:2.
      By 85-90%, output synapses still predominate on the ventral branches, but the
      ratio of outputs to inputs is reduced to almost 2:1. Dorsal branches have
      predominantly output synapses throughout embryogenesis. The ratio of dorsal
      outputs to inputs at 85-90% is 8.5:1 which compares with the adult ratio of
      6.5:1. At this stage, action potentials and synaptic activity are always
      recorded.

PMID- 1430331
TI  - Topographic organization of cortical and subcortical projections to posterior
      cingulate cortex in the cat: evidence for somatic, ocular, and complex
      subregions.
AB  - The posterior cingulate area (CGp) of the cat consists of cortex on the exposed
      cingulate gyrus and in the adjacent ventral bank of the splenial sulcus. We have
      placed deposits of distinguishable fluorescent tracers at multiple restricted
      sites in CGp and have analyzed the distribution throughout the forebrain of
      neurons labeled by retrograde transport. Cortical projections to CGp arise (in
      approximately descending order of strength) from anterior cingulate cortex;
      prefrontal cortex and premotor areas including the frontal eye fields; visual
      areas including especially areas 7 and 20b; parahippocampal areas; insular
      cortex; somesthetic areas; and auditory areas. Corticocortical pathways are
      organized topographically with respect to the posterior-anterior axis in CGp.
      Projections from prefrontal cortex and other areas with complex (as opposed to
      sensory, motor, or limbic) functions are concentrated posteriorly; projections
      from visual and oculomotor areas are concentrated at an intermediate level; and
      projections from areas with somesthetic and somatomotor functions are
      concentrated anteriorly. Thalamic projections to CGp arise from the anterior
      nuclei (AD, AV, and AM), from restricted portions of the ventral complex (VAd,
      VAm, and VMP), from discrete sectors of the lateral complex (LD, LPs, and LPm),
      from the rostral crescent of intralaminar nuclei (CM, PC, and CL), and from the
      reuniens nucleus. Projections from AM, VAd, LD, and LPs are spatially ordered in
      the sense that more ventral thalamic neurons project to more anterior cortical
      sites. Projections from AV and AD are stronger at more posterior cortical sites
      but do not show other signs of topographic ordering. Projections from LPm, CM,
      PC, CL, and RE are diffuse. We conclude (1) that cortical afferents of CGp derive
      predominantly from neocortical areas including those with well established
      sensory and motor functions; (2) that limbic projections to CGp originate
      primarily in structures, including the hippocampus, which are associated with
      memory, as opposed to structures, including the amygdala, which are associated
      with emotional and instinctual behavior; and (3) that CGp contains subregions in
      which complex, ocular, or somatic afferents predominate.

PMID- 1430332
TI  - Acetylcholinesterase reactivity in the frontal cortex of human and monkey:
      contribution of AChE-rich pyramidal neurons.
AB  - Light and electron microscopic histochemistry were used to analyze the
      distribution of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the frontal cortex of
      macaque monkey and human. In prefrontal, premotor, prelimbic, and medial
      paralimbic areas, AChE reactivity showed a characteristic bilaminar appearance
      due to a combination of positive neuronal and fiber labeling in deep layer III
      and layer V. In addition, layer I contained dense AChE-reactive fiber plexuses
      labeled throughout the frontal areas. One of the major issues addressed in this
      study was whether pyramidal neurons in the nonhuman primate cortex express AChE
      reactivity, as has been reported for humans. Three different histochemical
      methods were applied to provide confidence in the reliability of the results.
      Light microscopic analysis revealed strongly reactive, intensely stained
      pyramidal neurons in monkey as well as in the human. Further, these AChE-rich
      neurons exhibited the same pattern of laminar and regional variation in both
      species. In the prefrontal and premotor areas, AChE-rich pyramidal neurons
      predominated in layer III. In the motor cortex, they were also concentrated in
      layer III, but numerous AChE-rich pyramids were observed in layer V. In contrast,
      medial paralimbic areas had more AChE-rich neurons in layer V than in layer III.
      Finally, at the electron microscopic level, the subcellular distribution of AChE
      histochemical product in pyramidal neurons was identical in both monkey and
      human. The only difference noted between the two species was that the density of
      AChE-rich pyramidal neurons was greater in humans than in monkeys. Since nonhuman
      primates possess a system of AChE-reactive pyramidal neurons similar to human,
      they provide a potentially useful animal model for analyzing acetylcholinesterase
      neuronal systems in the cortex, which are compromised in various
      neuropathological diseases like Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1430333
TI  - Normal development and effects of neonatal infraorbital nerve damage upon the
      innervation of the trigeminal brainstem complex by primary afferent fibers
      containing calcitonin gene-related peptide.
AB  - Immunocytochemistry was used to study the normal development and response to
      infraorbital nerve (ION) damage of the innervation of the trigeminal (V)
      brainstem complex by axons recognized by an antibody directed against calcitonin
      gene-related peptide (CGRP). CGRP-like immunoreactivity (CGRPLI) was present in
      axons that occupied the outer V spinal tract (TrV) at all levels of the V
      brainstem complex. Almost no fibers terminated within V nucleus principalis
      (PrV), but there was dense CGRPLI in the supratrigeminal nucleus. There was also
      very little CGRPLI within rostral V subnucleus oralis (SpO). However, in the
      caudal one-half of the nucleus, a dense elongated patch of immunoreactivity was
      consistently present just medial to TrV. Only occasional CGRP-positive axons
      could be seen within V subnucleus interpolaris (SpI), but the paratrigeminal
      nucleus contained dense immunoreactivity. Trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (SpC)
      also contained CGRPLI that was very dense in lamina I and the outer portion of
      lamina II. Scattered terminals were also present in layers III and IV and dense
      terminal clusters were in lamina V. CGRP-immunoreactive neurons were present in
      the V ganglion by embryonic (E-) day 16 and immunoreactive axons could be seen in
      the V brainstem complex on E-17. At birth, CGRP-positive axons in the V brainstem
      complex had achieved a distribution very similar to that in adult rats. The major
      difference between the patterns of labelling in neonates and adults was the
      presence of relatively large numbers of CGRP-positive fibers in ventral PrV and
      SpO of the former animals. The disappearance of these fibers was completed by the
      middle of the third postnatal week. Transection of the ION on the day of birth
      had little effect upon CGRP in SpO, SpI, and SpC, but it did result in an
      increase in CGRP-positive fibers in PrV ipsilateral to the damaged nerve. When
      considered together with previous findings, these results suggest that CGRP
      positive axons express this peptide well after they have entered the V brainstem
      complex and that the central terminal field of these fibers is not substantially
      altered by a manipulation which results in the death of nearly 60% of all V
      primary afferent neurons.

PMID- 1430334
TI  - The superficial plexiform layer: a third retinal association area.
AB  - Electron microscopy enables the identification of a new association area in the
      mammalian retina. It is a region whose processes and synaptic junctions form a
      diffuse and intermittent layer bridging the boundary between the optic nerve
      fibre layer and ganglion cell layer. It involves displaced amacrine cells,
      retinal ganglion cells and probably interplexiform cell processes. Because it is
      close to the vitreal surface of the retina and has several properties of a
      plexiform layer, it has been named the superficial plexiform layer. It is much
      more sparse than the outer or inner plexiform layers in the rabbit, but contains
      a significant and substantial density of 6,100 synapses/mm2 near the visual
      streak. Morphological criteria distinguish two classes of synapses in the new
      association area. One has features of Colonnier's symmetric type and is formed by
      amacrine-like processes or their terminals, onto other amacrine-like processes or
      the cell bodies, dendrites and axon hillocks of some large ganglion cells. It
      makes up 79% of the population at a density of 4,800 synapses/mm2 in the examined
      sample. The second class arises from large processes of the fibre layer, which
      resemble axons rather than amacrine cell branches, has Colonnier's asymmetric
      form, and synapses onto a variety of other neuronal processes and cells. At a
      local density of 1,300/mm2 this type forms 21% of the population. A series of
      experiments including Wallerian degeneration, retrograde degeneration, electron
      microscopy and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) transport was employed to determine
      the nature of the large synapse-forming processes of the fibre layer that were
      the most amenable to investigation. It is concluded that the processes project
      into the optic nerve because they can be filled with HRP by retrograde transport
      from the end of the transected optic nerve. Although this result is based on
      limited evidence, it is complemented by the observation that the majority of the
      fibres undergo retrograde degeneration within 25 days of optic nerve section. It
      is concluded that the processes are either centrifugal fibres or the axons of
      retinal ganglion cells. The persistence of a relatively normal density of synapse
      forming large fibres for seven days after optic nerve section, without Wallerian
      degeneration, argues that they are not the terminals of centrifugal axons. This
      conclusion is complemented by a separate class of profiles that did degenerate in
      this short period and are concluded to represent the centrifugal fibres. The
      large synapsing processes of the fibre layer are concluded to be the axons of
      some large ganglion cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1430335
TI  - Projections to the medial superior olive from the medial and lateral nuclei of
      the trapezoid body in rodents and bats.
AB  - In this study we present direct evidence of axonal projections from both the
      medial and lateral nuclei of the trapezoid body to the medial superior olive.
      Projections were traced by intracellularly labeling cells and axons in a tissue
      slice preparation of two rodent species, Mus musculus and Meriones unguiculatus
      and two bat species, Eptesicus fuscus and Pteronotus parnellii. The main axon of
      most principal cells in the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body gives off one or
      more collateral branches which arborize within the medial superior olive. These
      collateral axons form small bouton-like swellings which primarily contact somata
      within the central cell column in the medial superior olive. Likewise, labeled
      elongate and multipolar cells of the lateral nucleus of the trapezoid body send
      axons to both the medial and lateral superior olives. These axons also form
      perisomatic contacts in both target nuclei. These two sets of projections may
      relay ascending input to the medial superior olive and the lateral superior
      olive; the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body is known to relay input from the
      contralateral ventral cochlear nucleus, and the lateral nucleus of the trapezoid
      body may relay input from the ipsilateral ventral cochlear nucleus. These
      projections offer two routes for indirect, possibly inhibitory input to reach the
      medial superior olive from both cochlear nuclei. These indirect, inhibitory
      pathways may parallel the direct excitatory projections the medial superior olive
      receives from each cochlear nucleus.

PMID- 1430336
TI  - Ultrastructural development of the medial superior olive (MSO) in the ferret.
AB  - When ferrets are born, four weeks before the onset of hearing, few synapses are
      evident in the medial superior olive (MSO). The synapses present are immature and
      almost exclusively found in the neuropil. The MSO somata are virtually devoid of
      synaptic contacts but are contacted by fine glial processes that increasingly
      ensheathe the somata during the first postnatal week. By P12, somatic
      synaptogenesis in the MSO is evident. Initially the terminals contain vesicles of
      irregular shape, size, and distribution. The glial lamellae appear to withdraw as
      the synaptic contacts form but continue to cover the asynaptic portions of the
      cell surface. The lamellae frequently extend from ensheathing the soma to
      encapsulate the immature terminals. During the next two weeks, synaptic density
      and terminal encapsulation proceed until the somata is surrounded by encapsulated
      synaptic terminals as in the adult ferret MSO. While most immature terminals
      contain round vesicles, during the first postnatal week some terminals with
      nonround vesicles can be distinguished. The first distinction between types of
      nonround vesicle-containing terminals, i.e., pleiomorphic and ovoid, is in the
      second postnatal week. This distinction becomes increasingly clear and by the end
      of the first postnatal month, terminal types can be reliably categorized. These
      observations indicate that: (1) synapses are present in the MSO neuropil one
      month prior to the onset of hearing, (2) the major period of synaptogenesis
      begins approximately two weeks prior to the onset of hearing, and (3) glial
      lamellae ensheathe MSO somata prior to the onset of somatic synaptogenesis,
      withdraw as synapses form, and subsequently re-extend to encapsulate newly formed
      synapses.

PMID- 1430337
TI  - Early postnatal alcohol exposure acutely and permanently reduces the number of
      granule cells and mitral cells in the rat olfactory bulb: a stereological study.
AB  - This study demonstrates that exposure to alcohol during a period of rapid brain
      growth can lead to severe and permanent deficits in the number of granule cells
      and mitral cells in the main olfactory bulb. Sprague-Dawley rat pups were reared
      artificially and were administered alcohol over postnatal days (PD) 4 through 9,
      a period of brain development comparable to part of the human third trimester.
      The daily alcohol dose of 6.6 g/kg was concentrated into two of the twelve daily
      feedings, producing high peak blood alcohol concentrations followed by near total
      clearance. Pups were either sacrificed on PD10 or were allowed to grow to
      adulthood and sacrificed on PD115. The total number of granule cells and mitral
      cells in the main olfactory bulb were estimated with the aid of unbiased
      stereological principles and systematic sampling techniques. Exposure to alcohol
      resulted in significant reductions in the number of both granule cells and mitral
      cells on PD10. Significant deficits in both neuronal populations remained on
      PD115. The results support the hypothesis that alcohol exposure can kill
      developing neurons and lead to permanent neuronal deficits. Substantial
      developmental changes also occurred in the total number of mitral cells and
      granule cells between PD10 and PD115 in the control groups. In untreated rats,
      the number of granule cells increased from 2.20 x 10(6) on PD10 to 5.06 x 10(6)
      on PD115, while the number of mitral cells decreased from 5.30 x 10(4) to 4.33 x
      10(4) over the same time period. These results demonstrate that there is a
      natural loss of mitral cells during postnatal development at the same time that
      granule cell number is increasing.

PMID- 1430338
TI  - Distribution of the peptide Ala-Pro-Gly-Trp-NH2 (APGWamide) in the nervous system
      and periphery of the snail Lymnaea stagnalis as revealed by immunocytochemistry
      and in situ hybridization.
AB  - Immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization were used to identify 200-250
      central neurons that synthesize and contain the peptide APGWamide in the central
      nervous system of Lymnaea. The majority of these cells reside within the right
      anterior lobe of the cerebral ganglion and most appear to have projections to the
      ventral lobe of the ganglion. The neurites then branch to innervate the lobe and
      to send further projections into the penial nerve and to the PeIb cluster of the
      right pedal ganglion. The right ventral lobe also contains a cluster of about 30
      40 somata, which apparently synthesize and contain APGWamide. Other populations
      of cells found in both the right and left anterior lobes project ipsilaterally to
      the pleural, parietal, and visceral ganglia. Prominent somata are also located in
      clusters in the visceral and right parietal ganglia. These cells project
      ipsilaterally into caudal neuropilar regions of the cerebral ganglia. Peripheral
      projections of central neurons form a dense plexus of varicose, APGWamide
      containing fibres in superficial layers of the penis and preputium. Other
      peripheral projections were noted in the prostate and vas deferens. No
      peripherally located cell bodies appeared to contain or synthesize the peptide.
      The results show that APGWamide is widely present in the central nervous system
      and male reproductive organs and suggest that it plays a major role in control of
      reproduction.

PMID- 1430339
TI  - Immunocytochemical identification of primary olfactory afferents in rainbow
      trout.
AB  - We have used a combination of techniques to analyze the primary olfactory
      projection in trout: anterograde tract tracing with horseradish peroxidase (HRP)
      and immunocytochemistry with antisera to olfactory marker protein (OMP) and to
      keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). HRP labeling and the OMP antiserum revealed a
      subset of ciliated receptor neurons with a wide dendrite that lacked the
      protruding knob found on other receptor neurons. The organization of the primary
      olfactory axons was clearly revealed by antisera to KLH, which reacted with no
      other neurons. When visualized with anti-KLH, fascicles of olfactory axons
      penetrated the basal lamina of the olfactory rosette at scattered sites and
      converged to form the olfactory nerve. Fascicles within the olfactory nerve
      traveled parallel to the long axis of the nerve until resorted by extensive
      intermixing as they entered the olfactory bulb. Within the olfactory bulb, most
      axons terminated in nine discrete terminal fields in the glomerular layer;
      however, a few olfactory nerve axons projected into the ventral medial
      telencephalon. Fascicles supplying each terminal field in the glomerular layer
      followed distinctive trajectories within the olfactory nerve layer. Axons ending
      in two terminal fields made brush-like terminations rather than the glomerular
      terminations characteristic of the remaining seven fields. After unilateral
      olfactory nerve transection, returning olfactory axons reestablished the normal
      pattern of terminal fields within 14 weeks. It is likely that the organization of
      afferents in the trout olfactory bulb is similarly well regulated during normal
      receptor cell replacement.

PMID- 1430340
TI  - Morphological types of ganglion cells in the dog and wolf retina.
AB  - The morphological types of ganglion cells in the dog and wolf retina were studied
      by intracellular staining with Lucifer Yellow. These retinae contain a range of
      ganglion cell types that closely correspond to those found in cat retina: alpha
      cells with large somata and large, relatively densely branched dendritic trees;
      beta cells with medium-sized somata and small, densely branched dendritic trees;
      and a variety of other types with smaller somata and varying dendritic branching
      patterns and dendritic field sizes. The correspondence of canine and cat ganglion
      cell types strengthens the view that there is a common set of ganglion cell types
      in carnivores. Alpha and beta cell dendritic trees of dog and wolf are
      monostratified in either the inner or the outer part of the inner plexiform
      layer, suggesting an on/off dichotomy in the response to light. Dendritic field
      sizes of dog alpha and beta cells increase from the central area to peripheral
      retina: alpha cell fields from 160-200 microns to about 1,100 microns diameter,
      and beta cell fields from 25 microns to about 360 microns diameter. These sizes
      are quantitatively very similar to those found in cat retina. The close
      qualitative and quantitative morphological correspondence of cat and dog ganglion
      cells suggests that they are also functionally very similar. It is likely that
      dog alpha cells have brisk-transient (Y), and dog beta cells brisk-sustained (X)
      concentric receptive fields. From the smallest beta cell sizes it is concluded
      that the visual acuity of the dog may be as good as that of the cat.

PMID- 1430341
TI  - Heterogeneity of sensory hair cells in a fish ear.
AB  - The ultrastructure of sensory hair cells in the utricle of the cichlid fish,
      Astronotus ocellatus, the oscar, was studied by transmission electron microscopy
      of serial ultrathin sections from different regions of the epithelium. Two
      distinctly different types of hair cell were found, one located in the striolar
      region of the epithelium and the other in the extrastriolar region. Striolar hair
      cells have a well-defined perinuclear cisterna located just below the nucleus,
      and large perinuclear mitochondria. Synaptic bodies of striolar cells are small
      and located in clusters, while those in extrastriolar cells are relatively large
      and individually dispersed. The extrastriolar hair cell closely resembles the
      amniote type II hair cell. On the basis of these data, and consistent with
      earlier studies, it appears that the striolar hair cells closely resemble amniote
      type I hair cells in many significant ways. Thus we have called them type I-like
      cells. The extrastriolar hair cells appear to be typical of eighth nerve
      mechanoreceptors commonly described for fish and closely resemble the amniote
      type II hair cell.

PMID- 1430342
TI  - A microbiological, histopathological and immunohistological study of the
      intragastric inoculation of Listeria monocytogenes in mice.
AB  - The course of murine infection after intragastric inoculation of L. monocytogenes
      was investigated by immunocytochemical, histopathological and microbiological
      techniques. L. monocytogenes antigen was observed in epithelial cells of
      intestinal mucosa overlying Peyer's patches, but not in mucosa devoid of them.
      This suggests that penetration of L. monocytogenes into the host organism may
      take place through epithelium overlying Peyer's patches. The efficiency of
      bacterial penetration appeared to be low, as shown by the small amounts of L.
      monocytogenes antigen detected and the low counts of bacteria in organs. Gross or
      histopathological lesions in the intestinal tract were not observed. The presence
      of L. monocytogenes in spleen, liver and in maxillary and mesenteric lymph nodes,
      confirmed that the systemic course of infection by this route of inoculation is
      similar to that of the parenteral routes. The results emphasize the subclinical
      character of murine listeriosis by the oral route.

PMID- 1430343
TI  - Comparative histopathological study of rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) and
      European brown hare syndrome (EBHS).
AB  - Histopathological lesions due to rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) and European
      brown hare syndrome (EBHS) were studied in 35 rabbits and seven hares. Both
      rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and hares (Lepus europeus) regularly showed
      severe necrotizing hepatitis. In RHD, coagulation necrosis, mainly confined to
      the periphery of the lobules, was consistently found. In EBHS, lytic necrosis
      affecting the whole lobule was conspicuous, at least in severe cases.
      Particularly in EBHS, necrotic hepatocytes exhibited a special kind of
      karyorrhexis. In rabbits with a subacute or subclinical form of disease, early
      liver cirrhosis was observed. Depletion of lymphocytes was a regular feature in
      spleens of rabbits and was frequently found in hares. In RHD, disseminated
      intravascular coagulation (DIC) and haemorrhages in different organs, especially
      in kidneys and lungs were constant findings. DIC was never seen in EBHS and
      haemorrhages were an infrequent finding.

PMID- 1430344
TI  - Epithelioid sarcoma in a dog.
AB  - A tumour in an 11-year-old male crossbred Fox Terrier, showing the clinical and
      pathological features of epithelioid sarcoma in man is reported. Clinical
      aspects, location, peculiar pattern of spread and evolution, together with
      histopathological and immunohistological findings of this rare tumour simulating
      a granuloma are described. Controversial histogenesis is discussed.

PMID- 1430345
TI  - Cell-mediated immune response in rotavirus-infected calves: leucocyte migration
      inhibition assay.
AB  - The cell-mediated immune (CMI) response was determined in rotavirus-infected
      calves by leucocyte migration inhibition assay with blood, spleen, mesenteric
      lymph node and intestinal lymphocytes. The inhibition of migration was more
      prominent in intestinal and mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes than in spleen and
      blood. In rotavirus-infected calves, the assay indicated the presence of CMI
      response which was more prominent at the local site of infection.

PMID- 1430346
TI  - Detection of the binding of IgG2a and IgG2b on the surface of macrophages from
      mice chronically infected with lactic dehydrogenase virus.
AB  - This study showed that sera from mice chronically infected with lactic
      dehydrogenase virus (LDV) contained virus-antibody complexes (IC). IgG2a and
      IgG2b, but not IgG1, IgG3, IgM or IgA, were demonstrated on the surface of
      macrophages from chronically infected mice. These results suggest that IC in the
      circulation may bind to Fc receptors for IgG2a and IgG2b on the surface of
      macrophages and lead to the modulation of macrophage function seen in chronically
      LDV-infected mice.

PMID- 1430347
TI  - Effect of prostaglandin E2 on plasma lactic dehydrogenase activity in (NZB x
      NZW)F1 mice with a chronic infection of lactic dehydrogenase virus.
AB  - The effect of prostaglandin E2(PGE2) on blood LDH values was investigated in (NZB
      x NZW)F1 mice with or without an established infection with lactic dehydrogenase
      virus (LDV). Plasma LDH decreased in infected mice treated with PGE2, but
      increased in infected mice treated with indomethacin, an inhibitor of PGE2.
      However no significant effect on LDH occurred in uninfected mice treated with
      PGE2 or indomethacin. To investigate the mechanisms of decreased LDH activities
      resulting from treatment with PGE2, clearance tests were performed. Clearance of
      LDH-5, but not LDH-1, was faster in PGE2-treated mice than in non-treated mice,
      whether or not they were infected with LDV. The results suggest that enhanced
      clearance of LDH-5 in mice treated with PGE2 may account for the fall in plasma
      LDH in LDV-infected mice.

PMID- 1430348
TI  - Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae infection in Zimbabwean goats and sheep.
AB  - The prevalence of Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (MO) in three Communal Lands flocks of
      goats on the outskirts of Harare is described. In a single sampling of nasal
      swabs from 172 randomly selected, apparently healthy goats, 112 animals were
      identified as carriers of MO. The three flocks had a history of occasional
      deaths, following chronic and subacute pneumonia associated with isolation of MO
      as the only identifiable pathogen. Attempts to induce clinical pneumonia in
      groups of 6 to 8-week-old kids and lambs with local isolates of MO were not
      successful. However, MO was consistently cultured from the trachea, lungs, lymph
      node and thymus of some test animals. Cuffing interstitial pneumonia was also
      observed in these animals. Infection of the thymus occurred; this has not
      previously been reported with any Mycoplasma sp. The animals did not produce
      detectable serum antibodies to MO nor were they reactive to MO antigen in a
      tuberculin-type hypersensitivity test. The possibility that a state of
      immunotolerance may have been responsible for failure to develop clinical
      pneumonia is discussed.

PMID- 1430349
TI  - Localization of African swine fever viral antigen, swine IgM, IgG and C1q in lung
      and liver tissues of experimentally infected pigs.
AB  - An immunohistological study was carried out on lungs and livers of pigs
      experimentally infected with two different African swine fever virus (ASFV)
      isolates. ASFV antigen, swine immunoglobulins (IgM and IgG) and (Clq) complement
      were demonstrated in both organs at different stages of infection. The ASFV
      antigen was mainly found in mononuclear phagocytic system (MPS) cells.
      Immunoglobulins and complement were observed in plasma, infected and non-infected
      phagocytic cells and cell debris. These findings suggest the presence, in acute
      infection, of immune complexes which may be involved in immunopathogenic
      mechanisms.

PMID- 1430350
TI  - Antibody response and antibody affinity maturation in cats with experimental
      proliferative immune complex glomerulonephritis.
AB  - An experimental model of proliferative glomerulonephritis (GN) in the cat, which
      closely resembles human proliferative forms of GN, has been used to study the
      role of antibody and antibody affinity in the development of immune complex
      mediated renal disease. The serum IgG and IgM antibody response to antigen,
      average antibody affinity (avidity) and affinity heterogeneity of the IgG and IgM
      populations was assessed at varying times after commencement of chronic
      immunization with the antigen, human serum albumin (HSA), by enzyme immunoassay.
      Cats could be classified according to whether they were "low", "intermediate" or
      "high" IgG responders, by quantification of serum IgG values. Cats with the
      lowest serum IgG values failed to develop glomerulonephritis. However, there was
      no relationship between actual IgG values and the severity of the induced
      disease. In contrast to IgG, there was no division of cats into low or high IgM
      anti-HSA responders. Again, cats with the lowest IgM values failed to develop GN,
      but, more interestingly, a late, marked increase in serum IgM anti-HSA occurred
      only in cats that developed clinical signs of GN (anterior uveitis and nephrotic
      syndrome). Maturation of average, functional IgG affinity (avidity) for HSA
      following chronic immunization was clearly demonstrated for all cats. At the end
      of the experiment, all cats had IgG of high affinity for HSA and the average
      affinity heterogeneity of the IgG populations was less than in measurements taken
      earlier. Values of IgG affinity at the end of the experiment were very similar
      both in cats which developed GN and in those which remained clinically,
      biochemically and pathologically normal. In contrast to IgG antibody, some cats
      developed IgM of increased affinity, whilst others produced antibody of reduced
      affinity, following chronic immunization. There was no correlation between the
      development of disease and the production of either low or high affinity IgM
      antibody. Data indicated that an alteration in IgM affinity occurred at a late
      stage, as serum IgM levels increased, in cats which progressed to develop GN.
      These findings suggested that an increase in both serum IgG and IgM anti-HSA
      values, in particular IgM, was associated with the development of a more severe
      immune complex renal disease in these cats. Although there was no evidence that
      differences in the average affinity of either the IgG or IgM antibody populations
      for HSA, were associated with the development of disease, the increase in IgM
      values was also accompanied by a concomitant alteration in IgM affinity for
      antigen.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1430351
TI  - Soft tissue reconstruction with skin grafting.
AB  - Free skin grafts for soft tissue reconstruction can be classified into three
      types: full-thickness skin grafts, split-thickness skin grafts, and composite
      grafts. The indications, techniques, donor site considerations, and postoperative
      complications of each type of skin graft are reviewed.

PMID- 1430352
TI  - Expression of adhesion proteins involved in cell-cell and cell-matrix
      interactions in the skin of patients with progressive systemic sclerosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lymphocytic infiltration and activation of connective tissue
      metabolism in the early phase of progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS,
      scleroderma) may be critically influenced by cellular adhesion molecules (CAMs),
      which mediate cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. OBJECTIVE:
      The tissue distribution might demonstrate a pathogenetic role of these adhesion
      molecules in early edematous and chronic fibrotic scleroderma. METHODS: We
      investigated by immunohistochemical techniques the in situ expression and
      distribution of beta 1 and beta 2 integrins, selectins, and CAMs of the
      immunoglobulin superfamily in patients with scleroderma. RESULTS: In the early
      disease stage a moderate percentage of perivascular CD3+/CD4+/TCR alpha/beta +
      lymphocytes showed expression of the alpha 3, alpha 5, and beta 1 chains and, to
      a lesser degree, of the alpha 1, alpha 2, alpha 4 and alpha 6 subunits. In
      contrast to chronic PSS, LFA-1 alpha, LFA-1 beta and ICAM-1 expression on
      mononuclear infiltrating cells was seen more frequently in acute scleroderma.
      Different percentages of fibroblasts expressed alpha 1-, alpha 3-, alpha 5- and
      beta 1-integrin chains. In acute PSS ICAM-1 was expressed especially by
      fibroblasts located around perivascular inflammatory infiltrates as well as by
      endothelial cells (ECs). A few ECs expressed alpha 2 beta 1 integrins.
      CONCLUSION: Our observations suggest that CAMs are intimately involved in early
      pathogenetic events in scleroderma, mediating cellular interactions between
      lymphocytes, ECs, and fibroblasts, as well as homing and tissue targeting of
      mononuclear infiltrating cells.

PMID- 1430353
TI  - Serum androgens and depression in women with facial hirsutism.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies on the psychopathologic aspects of hirsutism are sparse.
      Attempts to correlate these aspects with either the extent of the facial
      hirsutism and/or circulating serum androgens are virtually nonexistent. This
      study evaluates the psychopathologic aspects of hirsutism and correlates these
      findings with the extent of the facial hirsutism as well as with the circulating
      serum androgens. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to assess the psychopathologic
      aspects of facial hirsutism and to determine whether any correlation exists
      between these findings and either the extent of the facial hirsutism or the
      circulating serum androgens. METHODS: Twenty consecutive women with facial
      hirsutism were studied by administration of psychologic tests (DeRogatis Symptom
      Inventory and the Affects Balance Scale). The results of these tests were
      correlated with the grade of facial hirsutism as well as serum levels of total
      testosterone (T), biologically active testosterone (BT), free testosterone (FT),
      dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), and
      androstenedione (A-dione). RESULTS: Significant levels of depression were found.
      No correlation was found between the psychopathologic measurements and the extent
      of facial hirsutism or serum levels of T, DHEA, DHEA-S, and A-dione. Significant
      correlations were found between depression and serum levels of FT and BT.
      CONCLUSION: There is an increased incidence of depression in facially hirsute
      women and this correlates with their circulating active testosterone levels and
      not with the extent of their facial hirsutism.

PMID- 1430354
TI  - Effectiveness of various barrier preparations in preventing and/or ameliorating
      experimentally produced Toxicodendron dermatitis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Despite extensive research on hyposensitization and prior application
      of topical barrier preparations, efforts to prevent Toxicodendron dermatitis have
      been only minimally successful. OBJECTIVE: Seven different barrier creams were
      evaluated for topical protection against experimentally produced Toxicodendron
      dermatitis in a randomized, double-blind study. METHODS: Twenty patients had the
      seven barrier creams randomly applied to eight test sites (one untreated area as
      control) on each forearm before application of the Toxicodendron extract.
      Development of Toxicodendron dermatitis was followed for 8 days, with
      measurements of erythema, induration, vesiculation, and global severity taken at
      each site on days 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 after Toxicodendron application. RESULTS: The
      barrier creams Stokogard, Hollister Moisture Barrier, and Hydropel significantly
      reduced the erythema, induration, and global severity of Toxicodendron dermatitis
      and did not differ from each other. The percent reductions in global dermatitis
      severity per day of assessment for the seven barriers in order of effectiveness
      were as follows: Stokogard, 59%; Hollister Moisture Barrier, 52%; Hydropel, 48%;
      Ivy Shield, 22%; Shield Skin, 13%; Dermofilm, 13%; and Uniderm, -9%. During the 8
      day period, a significantly greater number of test sites pretreated with
      Stokogard, Hollister Moisture Barrier, and Hydropel were free of dermatitis
      compared with control sites and sites treated with the other four barriers.
      CONCLUSION: The results indicate that Stokogard, Hollister Moisture Barrier, and
      Hydropel are effective in the prevention of Toxicodendron dermatitis.

PMID- 1430355
TI  - A characteristic cutaneous direct immunofluorescent pattern associated with Ro(SS
      A) antibodies in subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Antibodies to Ro(SS-A) are present in most patients with subacute
      cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE). Patients with SCLE also have cutaneous
      immune deposits. However, no correlation of Ro(SS-A) antibodies with immune
      deposits in skin biopsy specimens has been described. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of
      this study is to describe characteristic direct immunofluorescence (IF) findings
      in 32 patients and their association with serum antibodies and clinical
      diagnosis. METHODS: Serum from patients with characteristic cutaneous direct IF
      findings was examined for antinuclear antibodies by indirect IF and for
      antibodies to ribonucleoprotein, Sm, Ro(SS-A), and La(SS-B) by gel
      immunodiffusion. RESULTS: Twenty-two of 32 patients who exhibited discrete
      speckled IgG staining predominantly, but not exclusively, of the basal cell
      cytoplasm had SCLE. Ro(SS-A) antibodies were identified in 23 of 26 patients and
      Ro(SS-A) and/or La(SS-B) in 25 of 26 patients. CONCLUSION: Direct IF staining
      characterized by discrete speckled IgG deposits in the basal cell cytoplasm is
      associated with Ro(SS-A) antibodies and SCLE.

PMID- 1430356
TI  - North Carolina tanning operators: hazard on the horizon?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Previous small studies have demonstrated that operators of commercial
      tanning equipment may not be adequately trained. Most states have no training
      requirements for tanning operators. This study was designed to assess the
      medically relevant knowledge of cosmetic tanning salon operators and relate these
      to demographic variables. METHODS: A written, anonymous questionnaire was
      distributed to 984 attendees of the first required operator training seminars
      conducted in North Carolina. Between July 1990 and June 1991, proprietors and
      their employees of the commercial tanning industry who attended these seminars
      were surveyed. No conference attendee refused to complete the questionnaire.
      Demographic information and responses to the medical information section of the
      questionnaire were scored by computer. RESULTS: Important findings included that
      71% of surveyed operators had never received any training for their current
      position. Operators of cosmetic tanning equipment were often unaware of
      contraindications to tanning such as photosensitizing drugs and specific medical
      conditions. Few operators recognized methoxsalen (26%) or trisoralen (34%) or
      their respective proprietary names as contraindications to tanning. Operator
      knowledge was not related to their educational achievement, previous tanning
      salon experience, or prior tanning industry-sponsored training. Children younger
      than 10 years old were tanned by 2.6% of the operators. CONCLUSION: These data
      suggest that the public may be at risk for UV light-induced diseases and burns
      because of operator lack of knowledge.

PMID- 1430357
TI  - Photosensitivity induced by fibric acid derivatives and its relation to
      photocontact dermatitis to ketoprofen.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Photosensitivity reactions to fibric acid derivatives are not well
      understood and have been rarely reported. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to
      describe two cases of photosensitivity, one induced by fenofibrate and one by
      bezafibrate; to study the in vivo photosensitizing potential of these drugs; and
      to evaluate the possibility of cross-reactivity between fenofibrate and
      ketoprofen. METHODS: Patch and photopatch tests with fibric acid derivatives and
      ketoprofen were performed in the patients, in 12 normal volunteers, and in 7
      patients with photopatch-proven photocontact dermatitis to ketoprofen.
      Phototesting studies were performed both while the patients were taking the drugs
      and after withdrawal of them, as well as in a group of 18 hyperlipemic volunteers
      without history of photosensitivity who were taking therapeutic doses of
      fenofibrate or bezafibrate for 2 to 3 months. RESULTS: Positive photopatch test
      responses to ketoprofen and to fenofibrate were obtained only in the first
      patient, who also had a weaker positive ordinary patch test response to the
      latter. Five patients photosensitized to ketoprofen also had a positive patch
      test to fenofibrate. Phototesting studies were abnormal in both patients but
      normal in all volunteers. CONCLUSION: An association between systemic
      photosensitivity to fenofibrate and photocontact sensitivity to ketoprofen seems
      to exist. The structural similarities of these chemicals favor cross-reactivity.

PMID- 1430358
TI  - The site of blister formation in dermatitis herpetiformis is within the lamina
      lucida.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Because the initial neutrophilic infiltrate in dermatitis
      herpetiformis is within the dermal papillae, most investigators have assumed the
      vesicles occur in this same area. This was supported by electron microscopy
      studies. In 1983 Klein et al. refuted this concept, suggesting that vesicle
      formation was within the lamina lucida above the lamina densa. Despite this
      study, current literature continues to state that blister formation is below the
      lamina densa. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the ultrastructural site of
      blister formation in early and late vesicles of dermatitis herpetiformis.
      METHODS: We evaluated eight biopsy specimens from four patients by immunomapping
      with antibodies to bullous pemphigoid antigen, laminin, type IV collagen, and
      epidermolysis bullosa acquisita antigen. RESULTS: In both early and late vesicles
      blister formation was found to be above the lamina densa in the lamina lucida.
      CONCLUSION: These findings are contrary to the commonly held concept that the
      blister in dermatitis herpetiformis is below the lamina densa and confirm the
      findings of Klein et al. that the site of blister formation in dermatitis
      herpetiformis is above the lamina densa within the lamina lucida.

PMID- 1430359
TI  - Verification of a formula for determination of preexcision surgical margins from
      fixed-tissue melanoma specimens.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Recently our group reported on the shrinkage of 199 malignant
      melanoma surgical-excision specimens. In that report, a multivariate analysis
      revealed that the age of the patient was the only factor that significantly
      affected the percentage shrinkage of a surgical specimen. In addition, a formula
      was presented that extrapolates the actual surgical margins (in vivo) from the
      (contracted) fixed-tissue pathology report measurement and the reported in vivo
      lesion diameter. OBJECTIVE: The goals of this study are to verify that shrinkage
      of surgical specimens is approximately 20% and that the margin formula can be
      successfully applied to a different group of patients. METHODS: Four hundred
      seven patients with malignant melanoma were prospectively enrolled to measure
      preexcision (outlined with ink) surgical margins, fixed-tissue (contracted)
      surgical margins, and overall specimen shrinkage. RESULTS: It is verified that
      overall shrinkage of cutaneous surgical specimens is approximately 20%. Surgical
      specimens from patients younger than 50 years of age have approximately 25%
      shrinkage. Those specimens from patients 50 to 59 years of age have approximately
      20% shrinkage and those from patients 60 years of age or older have about 15%
      shrinkage. The surgical margins predicted by the margin formula were within +/-
      3.5 mm of the actual measured surgical margin 86.5% of the time. CONCLUSION: The
      actual surgical margins (in vivo) of a malignant melanoma can be reasonably
      estimated from the fixed-tissue pathology measurement via the margin formula. The
      shrinkage of a surgical specimen is 15% to 25% depending on the patient's age.

PMID- 1430360
TI  - Treatment of telangiectases and other benign vascular lesions with the 577 nm
      pulsed dye laser.
AB  - BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of
      the 577 nm pulsed dye laser in the treatment of various vascular lesions of the
      face. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to make observations on the effects of different
      variables that could affect response. METHODS: Ninety-two adults with
      telangiectases of the face were sequentially selected for treatment according to
      a protocol previously established. Evaluation consisted of visual inspection by
      two investigators, and before and after photographs at 2-months intervals. A few
      patients with other vascular lesions were also treated and reported. RESULTS:
      Ninety-one percent of the patients (84 of 92) showed good to excellent response
      after a single treatment. Recurrence occurred in 2%. Atrophy of the skin occurred
      in 2%. Venous lakes, pyogenic granulomas, and mucosal vascular malformations
      showed significant improvement. CONCLUSION: The 577 nm pulsed dye laser is
      effective and safe for vascular lesions of the face.

PMID- 1430361
TI  - Topical treatment of Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania
      major: a double-blind control study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: A controlled study of the efficacy of topical paromomycin sulfate
      (PR) and methylbenzethonium chloride (MBCl) in cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) has
      not yet been performed. OBJECTIVE: The therapeutic effect of an ointment
      containing 15% PR and either 12% or 5% MBCl (15/12 or 15/5 P-ointment) on
      patients suffering from Old World CL was examined in a randomized, double-blind,
      cross-over study. METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with Old World CL caused by
      Leishmania major were treated topically, twice daily, for 10 to 20 days with
      15/12 or 15/5 P-ointment and 10 to 20 days with a placebo ointment to achieve a
      total of 30 days of treatment in all groups. RESULTS: In the P-ointment-treated
      groups, 74.2% (29 of 39 patients) of the patients were cured versus 26.6% (4 of
      15 patients) in the placebo-treated group. Little difference was found between
      the 15/12 and 15/5 P-ointment groups. CONCLUSION: In most of the patients treated
      with the active ingredients, total elimination of the parasites was achieved
      within the first 10 days of treatment.

PMID- 1430362
TI  - Immunohistochemical examination of lichen nitidus suggests that it is not a
      localized papular variant of lichen planus.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lichen nitidus is believed, by some, to be a variant of lichen
      planus, and by others to be a distinct entity. OBJECTIVE: We examined five cases
      of lichen nitidus with immunohistochemical reagents designed to characterize the
      dermal inflammatory infiltrate in an attempt to resolve the uncertainty. METHODS:
      We stained formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections with the following
      antibodies: L26, A6, KP1, BerH2, OPD4, and HECA-452. RESULTS: The inflammatory
      infiltrate was 90% A6+, with few L26+ cells. In contrast to lichen planus, KP1+
      macrophages were seen and fewer of the lymphocytes demonstrated HECA-452. Fifty
      percent to 80% of lymphocytes were OPD4 positive, similar to that usually seen in
      lichen planus. Rare Ki-1+ cells were seen in one case. CONCLUSION: We believe
      that the pattern of a mixed cellular infiltrate characterized by macrophages and
      a helper T cell response with few HECA-452+ cells is somewhat different from the
      pattern seen in lichen planus, wherein almost all of the cells are CD4+/HECA-452+
      lymphocytes. This suggests a different immunologic pathogenesis.

PMID- 1430363
TI  - Basaloid follicular hamartoma: solitary and multiple types.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Multiple skin tumors often show autosomal dominant inheritance;
      solitary neoplasms are typically nonhereditary. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this
      study was to investigate a possible hereditary pattern in patients with multiple
      and solitary basaloid follicular hamartomas. METHODS: Four new familial cases of
      multiple basaloid follicular hamartomas and 56 solitary nonhereditary examples
      were identified and their inheritance pattern recorded. RESULTS: Clinically,
      basaloid follicular hamartomas were typically 1 to 2 mm, smooth facial papules.
      Histologically, they were well-circumscribed lesions composed of anastomosing
      strands of squamoid and basaloid cells in a loose stroma. Horn cysts and
      pigmentation were common. No significant association with other cutaneous or
      internal disease was found. CONCLUSION: Basaloid follicular hamartoma, a unique
      benign follicular tumor, was often diagnosed previously as trichoepithelioma or
      basal cell carcinoma. It is another cutaneous neoplasm in which patients with
      multiple lesions show autosomal dominant inheritance, whereas solitary growths
      with identical clinical, microscopic, and biologic features are nonhereditary.

PMID- 1430365
TI  - Oral hairy leukoplakia unassociated with human immunodeficiency virus: pseudo
      oral hairy leukoplakia.

PMID- 1430364
TI  - Surgical margins for excision of primary cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: No guidelines for the margin of resection of cutaneous squamous cell
      carcinoma have been based on data measuring subclinical tumor extension, as have
      been formulated for basal cell carcinoma. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: Guidelines for
      appropriate margins of excision of primary cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma were
      formulated on the basis of a prospective study of subclinical microscopic tumor
      extension. RESULTS: Four millimeter margins were adequate for most squamous cell
      carcinomas. However, certain tumor characteristics were associated with a greater
      risk of subclinical tumor extension and included size of 2 cm or larger,
      histologic grade 2 or higher, invasion of the subcutaneous tissue, and location
      in high-risk areas. CONCLUSION: Minimal margins of excision of 4 mm around the
      clinical borders of the squamous cell carcinoma are proposed for all but the high
      risk tumors, in which at least a 6 mm margin is recommended.

PMID- 1430366
TI  - Woolly hair nevus syndrome.

PMID- 1430367
TI  - Pityriasis rubra pilaris in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus
      infection.

PMID- 1430368
TI  - Annually recurring acroerythema and hereditary lactate dehydrogenase M-subunit
      deficiency.

PMID- 1430369
TI  - Kaposi's varicelliform eruption in a patient with pityriasis rubra pilaris.

PMID- 1430370
TI  - Human infestation with Cochliomyia hominivorax, the New World screwworm.

PMID- 1430371
TI  - Rapidly progressive penile ulcer: an unusual manifestation of Kaposi's sarcoma.

PMID- 1430372
TI  - Coma blisters in a patient with diabetic ketoacidosis.

PMID- 1430373
TI  - Malignancy-associated tripe palms.

PMID- 1430374
TI  - Kaposi's sarcoma occurring de novo in the surgical scar in a heart transplant
      recipient.

PMID- 1430375
TI  - Pyoderma gangrenosum in infancy.

PMID- 1430376
TI  - Annular erythema associated with Sjogren's syndrome.

PMID- 1430377
TI  - Follicular thyroid carcinoma metastatic to the skin.

PMID- 1430378
TI  - Essential thrombocythemia and idiopathic cold agglutinin disease: two additional
      disorders associated with intravascular coagulation necrosis of the skin.

PMID- 1430379
TI  - Melanocytic nevus density in Asian, Indo-Pakistani, and white children.

PMID- 1430380
TI  - Bullous pemphigoid and severe erythrodermic psoriasis: combined low-dose
      treatment with cyclosporine and systemic steroids.

PMID- 1430381
TI  - Systemic therapy with cyclosporine.

PMID- 1430382
TI  - Sebaceous carcinomas of the ocular adnexa and the Muir-Torre syndrome.

PMID- 1430383
TI  - Thinning of the ozone layer: facts and consequences.
AB  - The ozone layer is showing small but definite signs of depletion. Despite this,
      significantly increased UV radiation transmission at ground level has been found
      only in the Antarctic and Arctic regions. The potential for increased
      transmission of UV radiation will exist for the next several hundred years.
      Although little damage from increased UV radiation has occurred so far, the
      potential for long-term problems is great. The natural history of ozone and the
      causes and consequences of, and possible solutions to ozone depletion are
      examined in this article.

PMID- 1430384
TI  - Psoriasis and human immunodeficiency virus infection.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Psoriasis associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
      infection has been reported to be severe and perhaps associated with decreased
      survival. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to document the natural history, response to
      therapy, and effect of psoriasis and its treatment on survival in HIV-infected
      patients with psoriasis. METHODS: This was an observational cohort study of 50
      persons with psoriasis and HIV infection followed up during a 2-year period.
      RESULTS: In one third of the patients the psoriasis appeared before 1978, the
      year when HIV seroconversion began in San Francisco (group I). In two thirds
      psoriasis developed after 1978 (group II). Group I had a lower mean age of onset
      (19 vs 36 years) and more commonly had a family history of psoriasis.
      Palmoplantar and inverse psoriasis were more common in group II. Severe psoriasis
      occurred in one fourth of this group (12 of 50 patients). The median survival in
      this group after diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was 19
      months, which is comparable to the median survival for all AIDS patients
      diagnosed in San Francisco between 1984 and 1990. CONCLUSION: Psoriasis in the
      setting of HIV disease may be mild, moderate, or severe. Standard therapies and
      zidovudine are effective in management. Survival does not seem to be adversely
      affected by the presence of psoriasis or its therapy.

PMID- 1430385
TI  - Differences in direct immunofluorescence staining patterns in epidermolysis
      bullosa acquisita and bullous pemphigoid.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Both bullous pemphigoid (BP) and epidermolysis bullosa acquisita
      (EBA) are characterized by linear IgG deposits along the basement membrane zone
      (BMZ). Although these diseases can be distinguished by special tests, the
      staining pattern on direct immunofluorescence (DIF) is identical. OBJECTIVE: The
      purpose of the present study was to reevaluate DIF as a diagnostic tool in
      differentiating EBA from BP. METHODS: We performed DIF studies on biopsy
      specimens from eight consecutive patients with EBA and 18 consecutive patients
      with BP. RESULTS: In five of eight cases of EBA, C3 deposition was essentially
      absent. IgG was the predominant class of immunoglobulins in the deposits and was
      present along the BMZ in all eight cases. C3 was present in 17 of 18 cases of BP.
      IgG was the predominant immunoglobulin present in 15 of these 18. CONCLUSION:
      Patients with EBA are more likely to have linear IgG staining along the BMZ
      without concomitant C3 deposition than are patients with BP. This difference may
      be a function of the ability of the autoantibodies to fix complement.

PMID- 1430386
TI  - Small-diameter malignant melanoma: a common diagnosis in New South Wales,
      Australia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The "ABCDE" guide developed at the New York University Medical Center
      and Harvard Medical School has proved useful in the detection of early malignant
      melanomas. This guide stipulates that melanomas usually are more than 6 mm in
      maximal diameter and are elevated. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine
      whether these size criteria applied in Australia. METHODS: The records of 1150
      melanoma patients at the Sydney Melanoma Unit between June 1989 and September
      1991 were reviewed. RESULTS: Almost one third of the 1150 melanomas (358) were 6
      mm or less in maximal diameter, and the median thickness of these 358 melanomas
      was 0.8 mm. CONCLUSION: The "ABCDE" guide to the signs of early melanoma may have
      to be modified to include smaller diameter, clinically impalpable melanomas.
      There appears to be a close correlation between patient age at diagnosis and both
      lesion diameter and thickness. Because increases in diameter occurred more
      rapidly than increases in thickness, subtle increases in lesion diameter may
      provide a better clue to earlier diagnosis.

PMID- 1430387
TI  - Hydrocortisone sensitivity: clinical features of fifty-nine cases.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Hypersensitivity to topical steroids is becoming increasingly
      recognized. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to establish factors associated with
      allergy to topical hydrocortisone. METHODS: Data from 59 consecutive patients
      allergic to hydrocortisone were compared with 199 consecutive patients who were
      not allergic to hydrocortisone. RESULTS: Patients with stasis dermatitis and leg
      ulceration were significantly more likely to be allergic to hydrocortisone. In
      patients with hand eczema, in whom hydrocortisone sensitivity was less common,
      hydrocortisone was still a common allergen, occurring as frequently as wool
      alcohols and colophony. In four patients with atopic eczema, hydrocortisone was
      the only allergen. Duration of dermatitis was not important in determining the
      presence of hydrocortisone allergy. However, patients allergic to hydrocortisone
      were more likely to have multiple allergies when compared with control subjects.
      CONCLUSION: Allergy to topical hydrocortisone is associated with stasis
      dermatitis and multiple positive patch test reactions.

PMID- 1430388
TI  - Perioral dermatitis in childhood.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although perioral dermatitis has been well described in young women,
      little has been reported about this condition in children. OBJECTIVE: The purpose
      of this study was to define more clearly the features of perioral dermatitis in
      childhood. METHODS: Fourteen children with perioral dermatitis were assessed for
      clinical features, therapeutic response, and possible etiologic factors. RESULTS:
      Fourteen cases of perioral dermatitis were seen in 16 months, far exceeding the
      expected prevalence in childhood. Although the childhood variant shares many
      characteristics with the adult form, children often have periocular and perinasal
      lesions, as well as a higher relative incidence in boys. Mid- to high-potency
      topical corticosteroids were used in seven of the patients (50%) and likely
      contributed to the pathogenesis. All children responded rapidly to treatment.
      CONCLUSION: Perioral dermatitis in childhood, often iatrogenic, is more common
      than previously reported.

PMID- 1430390
TI  - Pigmented Spitz nevi: improvement of the diagnostic accuracy by epiluminescence
      microscopy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Pigmented Spitz nevi have distinct clinical features but often may be
      difficult to differentiate from malignant melanoma by clinical criteria.
      OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to use a new noninvasive diagnostic
      approach to improve the clinical diagnosis of Spitz nevi. METHODS:
      Epiluminescence microscopy (ELM) is a new, noninvasive technique for which
      criteria for the diagnosis of melanocytic tumors, benign and malignant, recently
      have been established. These criteria were tested in an investigation of 54
      pigmented Spitz nevi. RESULTS: With ELM the accuracy of clinical diagnosis of
      pigmented Spitz nevi improved from 56% (clinical) to 93% (ELM). CONCLUSION: Our
      findings suggest that ELM criteria are useful to improve the accuracy of clinical
      diagnosis of Spitz nevi.

PMID- 1430389
TI  - Unilateral laterothoracic exanthem in children: a new disease?
AB  - BACKGROUND: We have examined 18 children with a similar laterothoracic exanthem
      that appears to represent a distinct entity. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to
      describe the characteristic signs and clinical course of this eruption and its
      epidemiology data. METHODS: We observed the clinical course of the eruption in
      each child. RESULTS: The eruption has characteristic features. It occurs in a
      homogeneous age group (mean 23.3 months). It is initially unilateral and
      localized close to the axilla. The basic lesion is eczematous or scarlatiniform.
      The eruption evolves in two phases: it spreads centrifugally during the first 8
      days and becomes more widespread on the tenth to fifteenth days, with predominant
      involvement on the half of the body initially affected. The lesions resolve
      spontaneously within 4 weeks. The long-term course is uneventful. CONCLUSION: The
      similarity of the cases suggests the existence of a new clinical entity. Many
      features favor a viral origin.

PMID- 1430391
TI  - Atypical melanocytic nevi. Clinical and histopathologic predictors of residual
      tumor at reexcision.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The appropriate method for surgical management of melanocytic lesions
      with disordered architecture and melanocytic atypia (formerly dysplastic nevi)
      has been controversial. Physicians often reexcise these lesions after primary
      removal because of their potential relation to malignant melanoma. The outcomes
      of these reexcisions and the original biopsy specimens have not been previously
      examined. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine reexcision
      specimens and their respective original specimens to determine whether there were
      any characteristics predictive of the presence of residual nevus cells (RNCs) on
      reexcision. METHODS: One hundred eighty-nine reexcision specimens of atypical
      melanocytic lesions were evaluated for this study. The original specimens were
      examined for specific histopathologic features without knowledge of the findings
      on reexcision. Clinical characteristics were also examined. RESULTS: Of the 189
      reexcision specimens, 47 (24.9%) contained RNCs. The proportion of specimens with
      RNC on reexcision was significantly greater if the original lesion was removed by
      punch biopsy rather than by shave or elliptical excision (38.3% vs 22.0% vs
      10.5%, respectively; p < 0.03). Lesions located on the chest had a higher
      likelihood of RNCs than those on the back or leg (52.2% vs 21.7%; p = 0.009;
      52.2% vs 9.7%, p < 0.002, respectively). Mean age was greater in those with RNCs
      at reexcision than those without (43.6 vs 37.9 years, respectively; p < 0.0001).
      The proportion of specimens with RNCs at reexcision was greater in those that had
      both lateral margins involved than in those that had nevus cells in either one or
      neither of the lateral margins in the original biopsy specimens (39.7% vs 24.0%
      vs 7.8%, respectively; p = 0.0005). One of the 189 reexcision specimens (0.5%)
      contained melanoma, although the original histopathologic diagnosis was an
      atypical melanocytic nevus. CONCLUSION: We identified several clinical and
      histopathologic factors that are strongly associated with the presence of RNCs on
      reexcision.

PMID- 1430392
TI  - Role of foods in the pathogenesis of chronic paronychia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Chronic paronychia is a condition that is pathologically
      characterized by spongiotic inflammation; it can be exacerbated by various and
      concomitant factors. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess whether
      chronic paronychia in food handlers may have clinical, pathologic, and
      immunohistochemical similarities with immediate contact dermatitis caused by
      foods. METHODS: Twenty food handlers affected by chronic paronychia were
      submitted to patch tests with the fresh foods that were suspected of being the
      cause of the dermatitis. RESULTS: Nine patients had a positive reaction to a 20
      minute open patch test with fresh foods applied on the proximal nailfold. In two
      patients the pathologic study of the positive open patch test site showed
      acanthosis, exocytosis, and spongiosis of the epidermis and the presence of an
      inflammatory lymphocytic infiltrate in the dermis. CONCLUSION: Our results
      confirm the view that an immediate hypersensitivity reaction to foods can be
      responsible for some cases of chronic paronychia in food handlers.

PMID- 1430393
TI  - Malignant tumors in patients with psoriasis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There is strong epidemiologic evidence that psoriasis treatments may
      cause nonmelanoma skin cancer and possibly other types of cancer. OBJECTIVE: This
      study from Denmark reports the cancer incidence in 6910 patients with psoriasis
      discharged from the hospital from 1977 through 1987. METHODS: Patients were
      identified in the National Hospital Discharge Register and information on cases
      of cancer was obtained through the files of the Danish Cancer Registry; observed
      figures were compared with those expected on the basis of cancer incidence rates
      for the national population. RESULTS: A 2.5-fold increased risk was observed for
      nonmelanoma skin cancer in men and women, with no preponderance of any specific
      histologic subtype of cancer. In addition, excesses were seen of lung cancer in
      men (relative risk [RR] = 1.4) and women (RR = 1.6), of cancer of the larynx and
      pharynx in men (RR = 2.8 and 3.9), and of colon and kidney cancer in women (RR =
      1.6 and 2.3). CONCLUSION: The effect of cigarette smoking on the risk for
      noncutaneous cancer could not be assessed in this study; however, antipsoriatic
      treatment such as ionizing radiation and oral arsenicals must be considered as a
      possible cause of colon cancer, which has been observed in excess in two other
      studies of psoriatic patients.

PMID- 1430394
TI  - The effect of intralesional 5-fluorouracil therapeutic implant (MPI 5003) for
      treatment of basal cell carcinoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) are usually treated with ablative
      procedures. A nonsurgical treatment alternative would be of value in selected
      patients. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the safety and efficacy of a new preparation
      for intralesional sustained-release chemotherapy with MPI 5003, 5-Fluorouracil
      Therapeutic Implant, for treatment of BCCs. METHODS: Two doses of intralesional
      MPI 5003 (0.25 and 0.5 ml) were compared in a double-blind study of 20 patients
      with biopsy-proven BCC. One BCC per patient was treated weekly for up to 6 weeks
      and followed up monthly for 3 months until excisional biopsy for histologic
      examination. Before excision the cosmetic appearance of the test site was graded.
      RESULTS: Eighty percent of 10 BCCs treated with 0.5 ml of MPI 5003 had
      histologically confirmed cures as compared with 60% of 10 tumors treated with the
      lower dose (0.25 ml). Cosmetic assessments before excision were typically good to
      excellent. No systemic side effects occurred. CONCLUSION: Results indicate the
      potential of MPI 5003 for targeted local chemotherapy for BCC.

PMID- 1430395
TI  - Extracorporeal photopheresis for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Many regimens are used for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), but with
      advanced disease response rates and patient survival are not adequate with any
      current therapy. Recently extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP) was proposed as
      an alternative therapy. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose is to present the results of ECP
      in patients with CTCL refractory to other treatments. METHODS: Patients with CTCL
      received ECP at 3- to 5-week intervals for at least 6 months. All patients except
      one were in stage T2 (patch/plaque) or higher. Eight patients had extracutaneous
      disease involving lymph nodes (six patients), bone marrow (five), or Sezary cells
      (six). The interval between initial symptoms and diagnosis was 5.9 +/- 1.9 years
      (mean +/- standard error of the mean) and the interval between diagnosis and ECP
      was 2.2 +/- 0.4 years. RESULTS: A complete response (disappearance of all
      lesions) was obtained in five patients (25%) and a partial response
      (disappearance of at least 50% of lesions) in six patients (30%). Four patients
      (20%) showed stabilization of their disease and five progressed (25%). The only
      variable that predicted responders versus nonresponders was the number of ECP
      sessions (p < 0.05 by multivariate logistic regression). In contrast, no separate
      beneficial effect of adjunctive chemotherapy (p > 0.5) or electron beam therapy
      (p > 0.1) was found. CONCLUSION: Long-term ECP may be an effective alternative
      treatment for CTCL refractory to other therapies and is likely to be even more
      useful when combined with other modalities.

PMID- 1430396
TI  - Carbon dioxide laser treatment of actinic cheilitis. Clinicohistopathologic
      correlation to determine the optimal depth of destruction.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The carbon dioxide laser is an effective modality for the treatment
      of actinic cheilitis, but the number of passes required is unknown. After each
      pass different visual tissue qualities are observed. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was
      to identify and characterize histologically the tissue zones seen after laser
      impact and thereby to determine the optimal depth of destruction of diseased
      tissue. METHODS: Twenty-three biopsy specimens from 14 patients were obtained
      from zones of different tissue qualities after one and three passes with the
      laser. Specimens were histologically examined for the presence or absence of
      diseased epithelium and degree of thermal necrosis. RESULTS: Complete destruction
      of the epithelial layer was observed in all specimens irrespective of the number
      of laser passes. The amount of dermal homogenization increased with multiple
      passes. CONCLUSION: Treatment to the first or second surgical zone is effective
      for actinic cheilitis.

PMID- 1430397
TI  - An analysis of interobserver recognition of the histopathologic features of
      dysplastic nevi from a mixed group of nevomelanocytic lesions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The diagnostic criteria for the histopathologic recognition of the
      dysplastic nevus are defined, but difficult to apply in practice. However, the
      use of skin biopsy is on the increase to search for this nevus because of a
      possible role in melanomagenesis. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to determine the degree
      of observer reproducibility in the detection of histologic nevomelanocytic
      dysplasia as measured across multiple observers and to test whether each observer
      was precise over a wide sample population. A second aim was to gain some measure
      of the threshold a person has for such lesions. METHODS: Histologic specimens
      from 50 coded nevomelanocytic tumors, which included a group of dysplastic nevi,
      were independently read by five observers in a blinded fashion. At study
      completion, the same 50 cases were read again by a melanoma reference pathologist
      and results analyzed by Cohen's kappa to assess agreement and interobserver
      variation. RESULTS: Corrected rates of agreement for dysplastic nevi ranged from
      0.32 to 0.71. CONCLUSION: Continued study and experience are required for
      precision and reproducibility in the histologic recognition of dysplastic nevi.

PMID- 1430398
TI  - Rothmund-Thomson syndrome: review of the world literature.
AB  - Rothmund-Thomson syndrome is a rare, inherited disorder characterized by
      poikilodermatous skin changes that appear in infancy. The inheritance is
      autosomal recessive. Patients exhibit variable features including skeletal
      abnormalities, juvenile cataracts, and a higher than expected incidence of
      malignancy. This extensive review of the world literature clarifies aspects of
      the inheritance, incidence of characteristic features, and malignant potential of
      this disease. Insight into its origin is provided through a review of the
      clinical and in vitro studies of endocrine function and possible DNA repair
      abnormalities.

PMID- 1430399
TI  - Unilateral dermatomal pigmentary dermatosis: a variant dyschromatosis?

PMID- 1430400
TI  - Crohn's disease of the vulva.

PMID- 1430401
TI  - Identical twins with identical alopecia areata.

PMID- 1430402
TI  - Multiple keratoses and squamous cell carcinoma from cutting oil.

PMID- 1430403
TI  - Fumaric acid therapy in psoriasis: results and side effects of 2 years of
      treatment.

PMID- 1430404
TI  - Traumatic folliculitis of the legs: a persistent case associated with use of a
      home epilating device.

PMID- 1430405
TI  - Scurvy: a case in a young healthy woman.

PMID- 1430406
TI  - Surface microscopy in the diagnosis of micropapular cutaneous metastatic
      melanoma.

PMID- 1430407
TI  - Vulvar melanosis and lentiginosis: a case report.

PMID- 1430408
TI  - PUVA treatment of pigmented purpuric lichenoid dermatitis (Gougerot-Blum)

PMID- 1430409
TI  - The Rumpel-Leede sign associated with drug-induced erythema multiforme.

PMID- 1430410
TI  - Ozone depletion: the biologic consequences.

PMID- 1430411
TI  - Effect of ketoconazole in the hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance and acanthosis
      nigricans (HAIR-AN) syndrome.

PMID- 1430412
TI  - Topical mechlorethamine in the treatment of mycosis fungoides.

PMID- 1430413
TI  - Onset of psoriasis in the tenth decade of life.

PMID- 1430414
TI  - Severe sun sensitivity and the presence of antinuclear antibodies in patients
      with polymorphous light eruption-like lesions.

PMID- 1430415
TI  - Metastatic basal cell carcinoma.

PMID- 1430416
TI  - Biology of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

PMID- 1430417
TI  - Mid-dermal elastolysis.

PMID- 1430418
TI  - Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) stanniocalcin inhibits in vitro intestinal
      calcium uptake in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua).
AB  - Chum salmon (oncorhynchus keta) stanniocalcin was purified, partially identified
      and tested for bioactivity in an assay on the intestinal calcium uptake in a
      marine teleost (Gadus morhua). Basic ethanol extraction, ion exchange
      chromatography, gel filtration and reverse-phase high-performance liquid
      chromatography resulted in the isolation of a homogeneous glycoprotein that
      appears as a 46-kDa product under nonreducing conditions and as a 23-kDa product
      under reducing conditions after sodium dodecylsulphate-polyacrylamide gel
      electrophoresis. The glycoprotein is likely to be a homodimer composed of two
      subunits of 23 kDa each. Further characterization indicates homology to
      Australian eel, sockeye salmon, coho salmon and rainbow trout stanniocalcin, and
      the glycoprotein is thus concluded to be stanniocalcin. Stanniocalcin-like
      immunoreactivity was demonstrated in the corpuscles of Stannius of the Atlantic
      cod, with a specific antiserum raised against purified chum salmon stanniocalcin.
      The physiological importance and the biological activity of chum salmon
      stanniocalcin was tested by evaluating its effect on intestinal calcium uptake by
      the Atlantic cod in vitro. The intestine was perfused, both vascularly and
      through the intestinal lumen, and the calcium mucosa-to-serosa flux was measured
      using 45Ca2+ as a tracer. Stanniocalcin decreased the intestinal calcium uptake
      in a dose-related manner by 13.5% and 22.4% at doses of 2.2 and 10.9 nM
      stanniocalcin, respectively. The results establish the intestine as a target
      organ for stanniocalcin in marine teleosts.

PMID- 1430419
TI  - Sodium-dependent short-circuit current across the yolk sac membrane during
      embryonic development in normal and shell-less cultured chicks.
AB  - The transepithelial electrical characteristics of the isolated yolk sac membrane
      of normal in ovo or shell-less cultured chick embryos were investigated. In
      normal chicks the potential difference (blood side positive relative to yolk
      side) and short-circuit current of the membrane increased during development.
      Ouabain (10(-4) M) on the blood side (basolateral side, serosal side)
      significantly decreased potential difference and short-circuit current but was
      without effect on the yolk side (brush border side, mucosal side). Substitution
      of choline for Na+ in the bathing solutions abolished the potential difference
      and the short-circuit current; when Na+ replaced choline this effect was
      reversed. Amiloride added to both sides of the yolk sac membrane had no effect on
      potential difference or short-circuit current. Injection of aldosterone (50
      micrograms) and T3 (10 microM) into yolk did not induce amiloride sensitivity.
      The short-circuit current was not altered by addition of either glucose or
      alanine to the bath. The short-circuit current of the yolk sac membrane of shell
      less cultured embryos was significantly lower than that of normal controls.
      Addition of Ca2+ to the serosal bathing medium did not reverse the foregoing
      condition, but decreased the short-circuit current. It is concluded that the yolk
      sac short-circuit current is Na+ dependent and increases with developmental age
      in the chick embryo.

PMID- 1430420
TI  - Seasonal changes in the activation of crossbridge motions of isolated thick
      filament from Limulus striated muscle.
AB  - In dynamic light scattering, measurements of the intensity-intensity time
      correlation function from a suspension of rod-like particles of length L could
      reveal dynamical information related to translational and internal motions of
      those particles. For a suspension of thick filaments isolated from the myosin
      regulated, striated muscles of Limulus at KL greater than 1 (where K is the
      scattering vector), the average characteristic linewidth (gamma) increased with
      the addition of Ca2+ or with the depletion of ATP. The increase in the gamma with
      the addition of Ca2+ could be due to the presence of energy-requiring, high
      frequency motions of the crossbridges activated by Ca2+. The increase in gamma
      which occurred with the depletion of ATP was assumed to be mainly due to the
      thermal motions of the crossbridges after they had moved radially away from the
      filament backbone. The percentage increase in gamma following the addition of
      Ca2+ was found to be seasonal, i.e., values of gamma obtained from thick
      filaments isolated between the middle of June and the middle of September were
      smaller than those obtained during the rest of the year. The effect of
      temperature on the percentage increase in gamma was also different. The increase
      showed a maximum at about 35 degrees C during the summer and at about 25 degrees
      C at other times. However, the percentage increase in gamma developed under ATP
      depleted conditions showed no temperature-related maximum. The number of bound
      Ca2+ per myosin molecule was 1 during the summer and 2 at other times.

PMID- 1430421
TI  - Effect of steroid hormones on serotonin, norepinephrine and epinephrine contents
      in the pineal-paraphyseal complex of the soft-shelled turtle (Lissemys punctata
      punctata).
AB  - Steroids (testosterone, oestrogen, progesterone, corticosterone, dexamethasone
      and deoxycorticosterone) were administered intramuscularly (0.1 mg.100 g bw-1) on
      seven consecutive days to juvenile male soft-shelled turtles. Serotonin,
      norepinephrine and epinephrine contents of the pineal-paraphyseal complex were
      measured spectrofluorometrically 24 h after the last injection. Testosterone and
      oestrogen decreased serotonin, norepinephrine and epinephrine levels.
      Progesterone treatment resulted in an increase of serotonin level and a fall in
      norepinephrine and epinephrine levels. Corticosterone treatment caused an
      increase of serotonin level and a decrease of norepinephrine and epinephrine
      levels. Dexamethasone failed to alter serotonin content, increased norepinephrine
      and decreased epinephrine levels. Deoxycorticosterone decreased serotonin and
      elevated epinephrine content.

PMID- 1430422
TI  - Relationship between a long-term treatment of 2-mercaptoethanol and protein
      metabolism in the ageing rat.
AB  - Female RLEF1/Lati rats were chronically treated with 2-mercaptoethanol in a dose
      of 13 micrograms.100 g bw-1.day-1 dissolved in drinking water. During a 48-h
      experiment 15N-labelled glycine was given orally in a dose of 5 mg 15N.kg bw-1
      and urine samples were collected and analysed by an emission spectrometric
      isotope method. Protein synthesis and nitrogen excretion rate constants were
      calculated according to the three-pool model, and 3-methylhistidine excretion
      rates were also determined. 2-Mercaptoethanol appears to influence protein
      metabolism; however, the slower rates of protein synthesis proved to be apparent
      in almost all groups of treated rats. Protein synthesis and nitrogen excretion
      rate constants have exceptionally high values in 2-year-old rats, possibly
      explained by the occurrence of hypercompensation mechanisms in old age. These
      were reflected by the excretion rates of 3-methylhistidine which were reduced as
      a result of sulphhydryl group interactions in age-dependent cellular metabolic
      changes.

PMID- 1430423
TI  - Digestive tract morphology and digestion in the wombats (Marsupialia:
      Vombatidae).
AB  - Wombats consume grasses and sedges which are often highly fibrous. The morphology
      of the digestive tract and the sequence of digestion were studied in two species
      of wombats from contrasting habitats: Vombatus ursinus from mesic habitats and
      Lasiorhinus latifrons from xeric regions. Studies were performed on wild wombats
      consuming their natural winter diets, and on captive wombats fed a high-fibre
      pelleted straw diet. Vombatus had a shorter digestive tract (9.2 vs 12.5 times
      body length) of greater capacity (wet contents 17.9 vs 13.7% body weight) than
      Lasiorhinus. The most capacious region of the digestive tract was the proximal
      colon (62-79% of contents). The proportional length and surface area of the
      proximal colon were greater in Vombatus, but those of the distal colon were
      greater in Lasiorhinus. These digestive morphologies may reflect adaptations for
      greater capacity and longer retention of digesta in Vombatus, but greater
      absorption and lower faecal water loss in Lasiorhinus. Apparent digestion along
      the digestive tract was estimated by reference to lignin. The proximal colon was
      the principal site of fibre and dry matter digestion, whereas nitrogen was mainly
      digested in the small intestine. Depot fats in captive wombats were highly
      unsaturated and reflected those in the diet. Therefore, lipids, proteins and
      soluble carbohydrates in the plant cell contents were digested and absorbed in
      the stomach and small intestine. Conversely, dietary fibre was probably retained
      and digested by microbial fermentation along the proximal colon.

PMID- 1430424
TI  - Hindgut fermentation in the wombats: two marsupial grazers.
AB  - The wombats Vombatus ursinus and Lasiorhinus latifrons have a capacious proximal
      colon with only a vestigial caecum. The pattern of microbial fermentation in the
      hindgut of both species was studied in captive animals fed a pelleted straw diet
      and in wild wombats feeding on their natural winter diets. Digesta pH was low in
      the stomach but near neutrality along the hindgut, indicating effective
      absorption and/or buffering of the colonic contents. Initial proportions and
      production rates of short chain fatty acids in vitro reflected the fermentation
      of plant cell walls. Proportions of isobutyrate, isovalerate and n-valerate
      increased towards the distal colon indicating proteolysis and subsequent
      fermentation of amino acids. The low ammonia content of digesta fluid suggested
      that ammonia released from these amino acids was absorbed and utilized by the
      wombats and their gut microbes. Wild wombats had higher concentrations and
      production rates of short chain fatty acids than captive animals, which was
      consistent with the higher apparent digestibility of their natural diet. The
      energy from short chain fatty acids in captive animals was 30-33% of digestible
      intake. Energy intakes were low and similar to resting metabolic rates estimated
      for marsupials. Actual resting metabolic rates of the wombats are probably lower
      than these estimates, and the proportion of energy derived from fermentation
      substantially higher than the 53-61% estimated in wild wombats. The energy from
      fermentation clearly enables wombats to utilize diets high in fibre.

PMID- 1430425
TI  - Intraosseous meningioma: CT and MR appearance.

PMID- 1430426
TI  - Intraosseous pneumatocyst of the ilium: CT findings.

PMID- 1430427
TI  - Use of fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) pulse sequences in MRI of the
      brain.
AB  - Fluid attenuated inversion recovery pulse sequences with a long echo time (TE)
      have been used to image the brain in one volunteer and four patients. The long
      inversion time used with this sequence suppresses the signal from CSF and the
      long TE produces very heavy T2 weighting. The marked reduction in flow artefact
      from CSF and the high T2 weighting enabled anatomical detail to be seen within
      the brain stem and produced high lesion contrast in areas close to CSF. Lesions
      were demonstrated with greater conspicuity than with conventional T2-weighted
      sequences in patients with cerebral infarction, low grade astrocytoma, and
      diplegia.

PMID- 1430428
TI  - Contrast enhanced area of posterior pituitary gland in early dynamic MRI exceeds
      hyperintense area on T1-weighted images.
AB  - Seventeen normal pituitary glands were studied by midline sagittal (and in one
      case axial) dynamic MRI before and immediately after injection of Gd-DTPA, using
      spin-echo sequences with a short repetition time. Images were obtained at 1 min
      intervals for 6 min at 1.5 T. A well-defined focal area with marked enhancement
      was seen in the posterior portion of the pituitary gland on the first image after
      injection of Gd-DTPA. The size of the early enhancing area in the posterior
      pituitary (EEPP) was compared with the high signal of the posterior pituitary
      (HSPP) on the precontrast image. The EEPP was larger than the HSPP in 10 cases
      (59%). The two were equal in size in seven cases (41%). The EEPP was anteriorly
      convex in 11 cases (65%), whereas HSPP was anteriorly convex in 4 cases (24%). We
      believe that EEPP closely represents the real extent of the posterior lobe. Our
      results support the hypothesis that HSPP may involve only a portion of the
      posterior pituitary.

PMID- 1430429
TI  - Intravascular thrombosis as a possible cause of transient cortical brain lesions:
      CT and MRI.
AB  - Cortical brain lesions were identified on MRI and CT in 14 patients with a
      variety of diseases. Each of these patients developed neurologic symptoms, the
      most prominent of which were seizures, depressed mental status, and blurred
      vision or cortical blindness. Both the imaging and the neurologic abnormalities
      resolved spontaneously within a period ranging from 5 to 30 days. Due to location
      and evolution of the lesions over time we hypothesize that they are secondary to
      small cortical venous thromboses.

PMID- 1430430
TI  - Glioependymal cysts: CT and MR findings.
AB  - Four patients with intracranial glioependymal cysts were evaluated in our
      institution in the last 7 years. All underwent surgical drainage and biopsy of
      the cyst wall. Cranial CT revealed a uniformly hypodense lesion with no contrast
      enhancement in all cases. Magnetic resonance imaging studies revealed a well
      defined cyst that was isointense to CSF on T1-weighted images and iso- or mildly
      hyperintense to CSF on proton density and T2-weighted images. In one case, a
      fluid-fluid level was demonstrated within the cavity, indicating the presence of
      fluid with a high protein content. A diagnosis of glioependymal cysts can be
      suggested based on CSF-like intensity patterns on T1-weighted images and iso- or
      mild hyperintensity on T2-weighted images.

PMID- 1430431
TI  - Degeneration of the posterior columns of the spinal cord: postmortem MRI and
      histopathology.
AB  - Postmortem MR images of two cases of posterior column degeneration were
      correlated with histopathological findings. The abnormal MR findings were volume
      loss and high signal intensity of the posterior columns associated with mild
      deformity of the dorsal surface of the spinal cord, corresponding to tract
      degeneration on histopathological examination. These results strongly suggest
      that further development of MR technique will permit in vivo detection of
      posterior column degeneration.

PMID- 1430432
TI  - Midline anterior atlas clefts: CT findings.
AB  - Anterior atlas clefts (AACs) are rare developmental variants that may mimic
      fractures. Due to the potential severe implications of craniocervical junction
      trauma, expeditious differentiation between a Jefferson burst fracture and a
      congenital cleft is essential in trauma patients. Three cases of AAC are
      presented. Two cases demonstrated incidental AACs; the third case was associated
      with a Jefferson burst injury. Computed tomography is most helpful in evaluating
      the integrity of the atlas; however, plain radiography or pluridirectional
      tomography are best for evaluating displacement of the lateral masses of C1 in
      relation to C2.

PMID- 1430433
TI  - The benign fibroosseous lesion: its association with paranasal sinus mucoceles
      and its MR appearance.
AB  - Although fibrous dysplasia and ossifying fibroma of the facial bones may, with
      some difficulty, be distinguishable pathologically, they are inseparable
      radiographically. Based on a study of 30 patients, there was no good or reliable
      imaging correlation with the histology and the degree of ossification or the
      bone(s) involved. Therefore, "benign fibroosseous lesion" has been proposed by
      several noted bone authorities as the term for these entities. Eleven patients
      had MRI and the overall signal intensities were low on both T1-weighted and T2
      weighted sequences. Areas of high signal intensity on T2-weighted imaging
      correlated with either cysts within the lesion or the presence of mucocele,
      especially in the frontoethmoid region. Four such mucoceles are presented. The
      coexistence of mucoceles and benign fibroosseous lesions may be more common than
      previously reported. It is both realistic and appropriate for the radiologist to
      diagnose these entities as benign fibroosseous lesions and leave the final
      histologic diagnosis to the pathologist who can diagnose most such cases, albeit
      with some difficulty. Sites of high signal intensity on T2-weighted imaging in
      the frontoethmoid area should raise the possibility of a coexistent mucocele.

PMID- 1430434
TI  - Evaluation of soft palate function with MRI: application to the cleft palate
      patient.
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging was employed to evaluate soft palate function in four
      normal volunteers and four patients with surgically repaired cleft palate, using
      a GE Signa clinical scanner at 1.5 T and a custom designed receive coil with a
      sensitivity profile encompassing from the nasopharynx to the larynx. Midsagittal
      images were obtained using spoiled gradient recalled acquisition at steady state
      while the subject phonated the following sounds: (a) MMM, (b) SSS, (c) DAH, and
      (d) EEE. An image at rest with normal breathing was also obtained. The soft
      palate and its relationship to the airway and the posterior pharyngeal wall were
      clearly visualized in all cases. Phonation of the prescribed sounds demonstrated
      the normal range of soft palate motion. The images also depicted the ability of
      the soft palate to divert airflow to the nasopharynx. Interpretation of
      functional MRI may be of value in evaluation of surgical results, guidance of
      speech therapy, and surgical planning in the cleft palate patient. This
      noninvasive alternative to conventional methods of visualization provides
      advantages in resolution, repeatability, and patient comfort.

PMID- 1430435
TI  - Pseudoaneurysms at aortic cannulation site after coronary artery bypass graft: MR
      findings.
AB  - Pseudoaneurysm at the aortic cannulation site is a rare but potentially fatal
      complication of coronary artery bypass surgery. We present two cases in which MRI
      provided significant information regarding the anatomy and extent of a
      pseudoaneurysm. In one case both spin-echo imaging and cine MRI with and without
      gradient moment nulling (flow compensation) were used. The absence of gradient
      moment nulling in cine MRI provides additional contrast between flowing and
      static blood. This contrast may complement conventional cine images with gradient
      moment nulling, providing further information.

PMID- 1430437
TI  - Anomalous left brachiocephalic vein: CT findings.
AB  - Eight cases of anomalous position of the left brachiocephalic vein were
      demonstrated by CT. Six coursed downward lateral to and below the aortic arch to
      enter the superior vena cava (SVC). Two cases were double left brachiocephalic
      veins. The superior branch was in the normal position, but the inferior vessel
      coursed below the aortic arch. Most of these subaortic left brachiocephalic veins
      enter the SVC at the same level or caudal to the azygous arch. Only two cases
      were associated with congenital heart disease. This anomalously positioned vessel
      is asymptomatic but must be distinguished from the pulmonary artery and
      persistent left SVC, especially when open heart surgery for cardiac malformations
      is being considered.

PMID- 1430436
TI  - Airway obstruction by right aortic arch with right-sided patent ductus
      arteriosus: demonstration by MRI.
AB  - An unusual cause of airway obstruction was demonstrated by MRI in two infants
      with congenital heart disease. The two infants experienced airway obstruction
      caused by a right aortic arch with right-sided patent ductus arteriosus. The
      diagnosis was established by MRI prior to surgery; angiography did not
      demonstrate the critical relationship between the large ductus and the airway.
      Axial, sagittal, and coronal MRI displayed the right arch, dilated ductus, and
      the compression of the proximal right bronchus and distal trachea by the ductus.
      Surgical findings confirmed the MR diagnosis. Thus, MRI can be used to localize
      the site of airway obstruction and to demonstrate unusual types of vascular
      anomalies.

PMID- 1430438
TI  - CT evaluation of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.
AB  - Eight patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTPH) that had
      been demonstrated by perfusion lung scan, pulmonary arteriography, and right
      heart catheterization had their pulmonary circulation evaluated by CT. Eight
      subjects without lung pathology were also studied for comparison. High resolution
      CT from apex to base with 1 cm thick sections after intravenous injection of
      contrast medium was performed in each individual. Emboli lodged in main pulmonary
      arteries on arteriography were regularly shown by CT, whereas those in segmental
      or smaller arteries were not detected. Diameters of the main pulmonary arteries
      measured on CT correlated with systolic pulmonary artery pressure (p < 0.001).
      The ratio between diameters of segmental arteries and the corresponding bronchi
      (A/B ratio) on CT was > 1 in 72 of 144 examined pulmonary segments (18 segments
      for each patient) in patients with CTPH. The ratio was > 1 in only 10 of 144
      examined segments in normal control subjects. Dilatation of bronchial arteries
      was present in four of eight patients with CTPH. The parenchymal density in
      patients with CTPH was significantly higher in the axial than in the middle or
      peripheral lung compartments. In conclusion, CT may help with the diagnosis of
      CTPH by detecting thrombi of main arteries and by showing characteristic
      findings; moreover, it is accurate in estimating pulmonary arterial pressure
      secondary to thromboembolic obstruction.

PMID- 1430439
TI  - CT findings in "pseudoalveolar" sarcoidosis.
AB  - To determine the specific high resolution CT (HRCT) features for "pseudoalveolar"
      sarcoidosis, we reviewed HRCT of 10 patients with pathologically proven
      sarcoidosis. On HRCT the lesions of pseudoalveolar sarcoidosis were shown as
      homogeneous or inhomogeneous opacities 1-4 cm in diameter located either along
      the bronchovascular bundles or in the lung periphery adjacent to the pleural
      surface. The margin was irregular, and numerous nodules 1-2 mm in diameter were
      observed in the surrounding lung. Air bronchograms were observed in 6 patients.
      In addition to these lesions, other CT abnormalities such as nodules, groundglass
      opacities, thickened bronchovascular bundles, and interlobular septa were found
      in all 10 cases. Good response of pseudoalveolar sarcoid lesions to
      administration of corticosteroid was observed in all three cases in which follow
      up CT was available.

PMID- 1430440
TI  - Use of nutritional support formula as a gastrointestinal contrast agent for MRI.
AB  - The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential utility of a
      nutritional support formula to serve as a practical means of enhancing the
      gastrointestinal tract on abdominal MR images. Nutritional support formula
      (Ensure Plus) was administered to 29 patients prior to abdominal MRI. Standard T1
      weighted and T2-weighted pulse sequences were performed, in addition to fat
      suppression and inversion recovery sequences in selected patients. Images in
      these patients were evaluated for degree and uniformity of gastrointestinal tract
      enhancement and delineation of the bowel wall and pancreas. Results were compared
      with those obtained in 10 control patients. Marked enhancement of gastric
      contents was present in nearly all patients who received nutritional support
      formula on both T1-weighted and T2-weighted sequences, with mild to moderate
      enhancement of small bowel and colon in most patients. Although gastrointestinal
      and respiratory motion artifacts often limited bowel wall delineation, excellent
      delineation of the gastric wall and pancreas was provided. Phantom experiments
      demonstrated that gastrointestinal tract enhancement with nutritional support
      formula is due to the paramagnetic trace elements, corn syrup, and lipid material
      it contains. Such a formula requires no preparation, is safe, inexpensive,
      palatable, readily available, and represents a practical means of enhancing the
      gastrointestinal tract on MRI.

PMID- 1430441
TI  - CT findings after hepatic chemoembolization.
AB  - Hepatic arterial chemoembolization (CE) with a mixture of particulate collagen
      and chemotherapeutic agents was evaluated as therapy for hepatic metastases from
      colorectal carcinoma. This article describes the characteristics sequential
      pattern of change seen on liver CT scans following CE. Thirty CT scans were
      performed on seven patients who had undergone a total of 11 CE procedures. All
      patients had baseline, immediate postprocedural, and follow-up CT exams at 1 to 2
      month intervals following CE. Immediate post-procedural CT scans mapped the area
      of embolization owing to the density of the contrast mixed with the CE agents.
      Some lesions seen easily on baseline were more difficult to see as they became
      isodense with normal liver. Reflux of embolic material into the cystic artery and
      gallbladder wall was also observed on postprocedural scans in three patients. In
      all patients, early follow-up scans (1 month after CE) demonstrated changes in
      lesions seen on baseline scans consistent with tumor necrosis. This was
      corroborated by a decrease in carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels. In three
      patients, however, low attenuation regions developed in areas in which there had
      been no lesion before. The significance of these is uncertain, but the low CEA
      values and the subsequent evolution in appearance of these sites on CT suggest
      that they were regions of hepatic ischemia/infarction as opposed to heretofore
      unidentifiable metastases, now "unmasked." Intermediate follow-up scans (2-3
      months) revealed maximal effect on tumor volume, with a decrease of > or = 25% in
      five of seven patients (71%). Late follow-up scans (> or = 3 months after the
      last CE) confirmed recurrent disease and new lesions in all cases.

PMID- 1430442
TI  - Agenesis of the dorsal pancreas with polysplenia syndrome: CT features.

PMID- 1430443
TI  - Infarction of the kidney: role of contrast enhanced MRI.
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging was performed on nine kidneys in six patients with
      renal infarction caused by renal arterial embolism secondary to cardiac valvular
      disease. The time interval between the onset of the symptoms attributable to
      renal infarction and the date of MRI was 2-23 days. On both T1- and T2-weighted
      images the signal intensity of the infarcted area was lower than that of the
      noninfarcted area in six kidneys and higher in three kidneys. Postcontrast T1
      weighted images demonstrated the extent of the infarction except in the kidney in
      which the infarcted areas had high signal intensity on precontrast T1-weighted
      images.

PMID- 1430444
TI  - MRI of the renal veins: assessment of nonneoplastic venous thrombosis.
AB  - Nonneoplastic renal vein thrombosis (RVT) is a clinical dilemma that poses a
      problem both from a clinical and diagnostic imaging perspective. An accurate
      noninvasive study to diagnose nonneoplastic RVT would be desirable. Magnetic
      resonance flow imaging is a noninvasive method of assessing vascular patency and
      depiction of thrombus. Its use for detection of nonneoplastic RVT is reviewed and
      our experience illustrated. We reviewed retrospectively the MRI studies in 41
      patients evaluated for RVT and correlated them with other imaging studies where
      possible. Twenty patients had either ultrasound or venography. There were no
      correlative imaging studies done in 21 patients, 19 of whom had normal MRI, with
      normal clinical follow-up. In others there was good agreement between MRI and
      ultrasound in 16 of 19 cases. There were five patients with renal venography, of
      which the MRI agreed with the results in 3 of 5. Magnetic resonance imaging
      offers a noninvasive approach to the difficult diagnostic dilemma of RVT.

PMID- 1430445
TI  - CT and MRI of mycotic aneurysms of the abdominal aorta.
AB  - In two of three patients with mycotic aneurysms of the abdominal aorta, diagnosis
      was delayed, with a fatal outcome in one patient. A combination of studies, such
      as indium white blood cell scanning, and anatomical imaging modalities, such as
      CT and MRI, may be necessary to arrive at the correct diagnosis.

PMID- 1430446
TI  - Hypointense boundary layer between slow flow and mural thrombus on spin-echo MR.
AB  - To evaluate the ability of spin-echo MRI to differentiate between slow flow and
      mural thrombus in aortic diseases, we reviewed the spin-echo MRI of 10 patients
      with intraaortic thrombus that had been documented by CT in 8 patients and
      aortography in 2 patients. Six patients had aortic aneurysms with mural thrombi,
      and four had aortic dissections with adherent mural thrombi within the false
      lumen. Five of seven gated oblique sagittal or coronal T1-weighted studies
      demonstrated hyperintense slow flow signal within the residual lumen. This
      hyperintense slow flow signal was accompanied by a parallel hypointense rim due
      to a boundary layer dephasing phenomenon. Eight axial T2-weighted MR studies
      demonstrated a hypointense zone due to fresh clot at the edge of a mural thrombus
      on even-echo images consistently. The hypointense boundary layer between slow
      flow and mural thrombus on either gated T1-weighted MRI or second-echo T2
      weighted MRI not only predicted the presence of flow within the residual lumen
      but also clearly separated the area of slow flow from that of mural thrombus in 9
      of 10 patients. Proper interpretation of spin-echo images may obviate the need
      for phase display imaging or gradient-echo imaging in differentiating between
      slow flow and mural thrombus.

PMID- 1430447
TI  - Bone marrow edema of the hip: MR findings after core decompression.
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging is an extremely sensitive technique for evaluation of
      bone marrow changes at an early stage of avascular necrosis (AVN) of the hip. We
      therefore examined 11 painful hips whose clinical symptoms led us to suspect
      idiopathic AVN. The radiographs of all of these either were normal or
      demonstrated a minimal decrease in radiodensity. Magnetic resonance demonstrated
      diffuse signal loss of the bone marrow at short TR/TE images of the femoral head
      in all hips, with various extensions in the head, neck, and intertrochanteric
      area. These regions turned iso- to hyperintense on long TR/TE images compatible
      with bone marrow edema (BME). Focal abnormalities characteristic for AVN were not
      seen in any of the cases. Radionuclide studies performed in six cases were
      positive. All patients underwent core decompression treatment. Hydrostatic bone
      marrow pressure measurement and intraosseous venography were positive in five
      cases when measured. Histology available in eight cases confirmed the presence of
      BME. Furthermore, the bone changes corresponded to those of early AVN. Follow-up
      examinations after core decompression with MR showed normal signal intensity in
      all cases. Magnetic resonance represents a viable diagnostic tool for BME and can
      monitor the therapeutic success of core decompression. Whether BME of the femoral
      head constitutes a distinct transient syndrome or represents an early form of AVN
      is controversial at present. Our findings support those who believe that BME may
      represent an initial stage of idiopathic AVN.

PMID- 1430448
TI  - MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery.
AB  - Magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound surgery provides a minimally
      invasive controlled method for selectively destroying deep-lying tissue. A
      thermal analysis of focused ultrasound provides an estimate of the time-dependent
      temperature distribution and thermal dose required for ultrasound surgery. The
      temperature distribution is estimated by accumulating heat sources, considering
      the effects of thermal conductivity, heat content, and perfusion. In this study,
      both gel phantoms and excised in vitro bovine muscle specimens were imaged in a
      1.5 T MR system while heated with a 5 cm diameter, 10 cm focal length, 1.1 MHz
      transducer. During sonication, the thermal effects were observed with T1-weighted
      pulse sequences. Below a critical temperature, the heat zone appeared as a dark
      spot that moved with the focal spot. Above a critical thermal dose, the in vitro
      tissue was irreversibly altered and the focal lesion was observed on both the MR
      image and the specimen slice.

PMID- 1430449
TI  - Method for registering brain SPECT and MR images.
AB  - We have developed a simple method for locating functional regions of interest on
      successive SPECT scans obtained at different times and for locating
      neuroanatomical regions defined with MR on functional images obtained with SPECT.
      Plastic molds are made for each external auditory meatus and the glabella. A
      pocket is then made in each mold in which either a 57Co disk (for SPECT) or an
      identical disk containing CuSO4 solution (for MRI) can be placed. Transaxial
      tomographic slices are reconstructed with the same slice thickness in the two
      modalities. The SPECT software rotates both SPECT and MRI reconstructed images so
      that the three 57Co markers lie in one SPECT reference plane and the three CuSO4
      markers lie in one MRI reference plane. Corresponding SPECT and MR images may
      then be displayed simultaneously to locate chosen regions of interest. The
      technique was validated by taping test markers to the forehead of 12 subjects;
      the difference between the positions of the centers of the test markers on SPECT
      and MR scans was within 1 SPECT acquisition pixel size.

PMID- 1430450
TI  - Diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis: CT findings in an adult.
AB  - Diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis (DNH) is a rare disorder that usually presents
      in infancy and has a high mortality rate. We report a long-term adult survivor of
      DNH who presented with multiple calcifications in the bowel wall, liver, spleen,
      and adrenal glands on CT. Diffuse neonatal hemangiomatosis needs to be added to
      the causes of visceral calcifications.

PMID- 1430451
TI  - Primary extraosseous pulmonary osteogenic sarcoma: CT findings.
AB  - This is a report of a primary extraosseous osteogenic sarcoma of the lung. The
      patient presented with fever and productive cough. Chest radiography and CT
      showed a cavitary lesion with an air-fluid level. The lesion was treated as an
      abscess. Despite aggressive antibiotic therapy and drainage, the patient
      continued to deteriorate rapidly. At autopsy the lesion was found to be a primary
      extraosseous pulmonary osteogenic sarcoma.

PMID- 1430452
TI  - Calcified intrahepatic portal vein thrombus: distinction from intrahepatic
      choledocholithiasis.
AB  - In a case of calcified intrahepatic portal vein thrombus CT demonstrated a
      branching calcified intrahepatic mass with peripheral enhancement following
      dynamic bolus contrast medium administration. The distinction from intrahepatic
      choledocholithiasis was made with normal cholangiography. Calcified portal vein
      thrombus should be considered an unusual cause of branching calcified
      intrahepatic mass on CT.

PMID- 1430453
TI  - Inflammatory pseudotumor of the spleen: MR findings.
AB  - Inflammatory pseudotumor of the spleen is an unusual lesion often mistaken
      preoperatively for other masses. Isolated inflammatory pseudotumors of the spleen
      are rare. We report a proven case examined with ultrasound, CT, single photon
      emission CT, and MRI.

PMID- 1430454
TI  - Intrapancreatic accessory spleen mimicking pancreatic mass on CT.
AB  - Accessory spleens occur in approximately 10% of the population and are usually
      located in the region of the splenic hilum. In 16% of patients the accessory
      spleen will be located within the pancreatic tail. The diagnosis of an
      intrapancreatic accessory spleen can be suggested when CT, with and without
      intravenous contrast agent, demonstrates that the mass enhances in a manner
      identical to the spleen.

PMID- 1430455
TI  - Gastroschisis: prenatal CT diagnosis.
AB  - The prenatal sonographic findings of gastroschisis are well defined. This report
      describes the CT appearance of fetal gastroschisis discovered as an incidental
      finding when a 25-year-old pregnant woman underwent CT for blunt abdominal
      trauma.

PMID- 1430456
TI  - Amyloid deposition in seminal vesicles mimicking tumor invasion from bladder
      cancer: MR findings.
AB  - Amyloid deposition in the seminal vesicle is a not unusual finding at autopsy. A
      case of MR findings of amyloid deposition in the seminal vesicles with urinary
      bladder cancer is reported. Invasion of the seminal vesicle could not be excluded
      on T2-weighted imaging, but gadopentetate dimeglumine may be useful in its
      ability to differentiate amyloid deposition from seminal vesicle tumor invasion.

PMID- 1430457
TI  - Gadolinium-enhanced MRI of pigmented villonodular synovitis of the knee.

PMID- 1430458
TI  - CT and MRI of arachnoid cyst with complicating intracystic and subdural
      haemorrhage.

PMID- 1430459
TI  - Cortical and CSF hyperdensity after iodinated contrast medium overdose: CT
      findings.

PMID- 1430460
TI  - Program characteristics influencing nurse selection of CE offerings.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to identify program characteristics that influence
      decision-making in the selection of continuing education (CE) offerings by
      registered nurses licensed in a state with mandatory CE. A sample of 238 nurses
      were asked to identify the level of importance for 35 CE program characteristics
      on a Likert-like scale. The data indicated that all characteristics were of some
      importance to participants, with high levels of importance given to items
      demonstrating professional values. The findings suggest that even though CE may
      be mandatory, nurses still select educational offerings on the basis of quality
      and contribution to their professional practice.

PMID- 1430461
TI  - Nurses and adult educational philosophy: a comparison of nurses and non-nurses in
      a graduate adult education program.
AB  - A sample of 90 students enrolled in a graduate program in adult education
      completed three instruments examining adult education philosophies during a
      related course. There were no significant differences between the nurse educators
      and the non-nurses on any of the three instruments or on any of their components.
      This finding contradicts previous research suggesting that nurse educators do not
      generally incorporate adult learning methods into their courses.
      Intercorrelations were computed among all the variables. One unanticipated
      finding was the significant relationship between age and congruence with adult
      learning principles.

PMID- 1430462
TI  - Organizational models and staff preparation: a survey of staff development
      departments.
AB  - A national survey of staff development (SD) departments of hospitals was
      conducted to determine the organizational models (centralized, decentralized, or
      combination) used. The survey asked about departmental organization, instructor
      role, staff title, core responsibilities, percentage of work for various
      departments, SD department head and staff educational preparation, and
      demographic data. This article discusses the data obtained from the 48 responses
      (41%) that pertain to the organizational model (26 or 54% used combination model)
      and staff preparation (master's degree was most prevalent). The data and survey
      approach could be used by a SD department when choosing an organizational model.

PMID- 1430463
TI  - Ten common-sense teaching strategies for effective inservice presentation by
      staff nurses.
AB  - Staff nurses are currently being given the opportunity to present inservice
      offerings as a criterion for the professional performance evaluation.
      Unfortunately, staff nurses, even those with baccalaureate preparation, generally
      have not been prepared in strategies for effective teaching. Consequently, many
      staff nurses either avoid this opportunity altogether or may proceed with the
      "seat of the pants" approach, making learning a chance event. This article sets
      forth 10 common-sense teaching strategies for effective inservice education
      presentations with the goal of encouraging and empowering staff nurses to share
      their particular area of expertise with their peers.

PMID- 1430464
TI  - A comparison of educational methods to enhance nursing performance in pain
      assessment.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to identify an effective method of teaching nurses
      to assess and document pain severity using a numerical rating scale prior to
      narcotic administration. Nurses received a combination of educational methods.
      Although overall nurse performance using the pain scale was low, nurses receiving
      video were significantly more likely to use the scale, a finding that remained
      significant after controlling for nurses' education and years of experience, and
      for patient age and acuity.

PMID- 1430465
TI  - An overview of nursing ethics for nurse educators.
AB  - Nursing ethics is a topic included in most health care institutions as a
      requirement for accreditation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of
      Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO). This article provides an overview of nursing
      ethics in a format that allows the reader to understand the basic principles
      while applying the information to daily work situations in a format for use in a
      classroom environment. The issue of dilemma recognition is addressed as well as
      mechanisms that may be used to facilitate dilemma resolution. Information is also
      provided for use in the development of skills in ethical decision-making.

PMID- 1430466
TI  - Long-term care nurses identify educational needs regarding quality assessment and
      improvement.
AB  - An increasing demand is being placed on nurses who are practicing in long-term
      care settings to conduct and/or participate in quality assessment and improvement
      (QAI) activities. A local survey of directors of nursing in long-term care
      indicated both personal interest and interest on the part of their staff nurses
      to attend continuing education (CE) programs regarding quality of care to
      increase their competencies in this area. Specific interest areas and
      recommendations for an educational offering regarding quality assessment and
      improvement for long-term care nurses are described.

PMID- 1430467
TI  - The basics of instructional design.

PMID- 1430468
TI  - Fibrous proliferations of infancy and childhood.

PMID- 1430469
TI  - Mutant p53 expression in solar keratosis: an immunohistochemical study.
AB  - Thirty-eight solar keratoses from 32 patients were studied for expression of
      mutant p53 protein by an immunohistochemical technique. Twenty-eight of the 38
      solar keratoses (73.7%) showed positive and variable nuclear labelling, whereas
      10 specimens were immunonegative. The nuclear immunopositivity which was seen in
      all variants was mostly diffuse in distribution. The adjacent "normal" epidermis
      of 8 keratoses showed positive mutant p53 labelling. Eight of the keratoses were
      associated with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of which only two were
      immunopositive. Cytoplasmic labelling was never a feature. The study demonstrates
      that mutant p53 protein is commonly expressed in all variants of solar keratosis
      and that its expression correlates with atypical keratinocyte proliferation. It
      is proposed that the demonstration of mutant p53 in the adjacent normal epidermis
      may be a potential marker of early neoplastic transformation.

PMID- 1430470
TI  - Immunohistochemical distribution of aromatase and 3B-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase
      in human hair follicle and sebaceous gland.
AB  - Human hair follicles (HF) and sebaceous glands (SG) were assessed for the
      presence and distribution of the cytochrome P-450-aromatase (AR) and 3B
      hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3B-HSD) enzymes. Immunohistochemical methods were
      used to examine both enzymes in male and female human skin specimens at various
      ages and different body sites. AR was found in the external root sheath of
      anagen, terminal HF, and in SG, whereas the 3B-HSD was found only in the SG. AR
      was rarely found in telogen HF. The expression of both enzymes, AR and 3B-HSD,
      did not vary with body site or sex. Localizing AR in the external root sheath of
      anagen HF suggests that AR may have a function in the HF cycle. We hypothesize
      that AR may be one of many enzymes or factors that play a role in the HF cycle by
      regulating the level of androgens formed locally, whereas 3B-HSD is localized in
      SG, converting weak androgen precursors to potent androgens, stimulating
      lipogenesis.

PMID- 1430471
TI  - Cutaneous manifestations of measles in AIDS.
AB  - In immunocompetent patients, infection by the measles (rubeola) paramyxovirus
      produces fever, cough, coryza, Koplik's spots, and, on the skin, a macular
      erythema that can become confluent. The erythema has a striking cephalocaudal
      spread and clearing. The diagnosis of measles on a skin biopsy and the
      distinction from an erythema multiforme type of drug eruption can be difficult.
      We studied a skin biopsy from a patient with the acquired immunodeficiency
      syndrome (AIDS) who presented with measles. In contrast to erythema multiforme,
      the measles biopsy has necrosis of clusters of keratinocytes in the high spinous
      layer and granular layer of the epidermis, whereas erythema multiforme has
      necrosis of basal keratinocytes. Multinucleated keratinocytes may or may not be
      prominent in the measles biopsy. Cytoplasmic swelling of the keratinocytes in the
      granular layer may be present even when multinucleated cells are sparse.
      Immunoperoxidase reactivity for measles virus protein is present in intranuclear
      inclusions and in the cytoplasm of infected upper spinous keratinocytes. There
      were more cells with positive staining in the biopsy from the AIDS patient than
      in another biopsy from an immunocompetent patient with measles. The AIDS patient
      was seronegative for measles throughout the course of the illness. The
      examination of the skin biopsy can be very important in the diagnosis of measles
      in AIDS patients or immunocompromised patients who may not develop the usual
      diagnostic serology.

PMID- 1430472
TI  - Angiotropic malignant melanoma. Report of two cases.
AB  - Two cases of malignant melanoma are described that showed focal perineural
      invasion and exhibited striking tropism for small and medium-sized vessels,
      primarily veins. The melanoma cells proliferated within the vessel walls,
      expanding and replacing the muscle layer but sparing the endothelia.
      Intravascular invasion was not seen. Immunohistochemical studies confirmed the
      pattern of growth within vessel walls and the integrity of their endothelia. In
      one of the cases, similar vascular tropism was encountered in a capsular vein
      from a regional lymph node. We propose the term "angiotropic malignant melanoma"
      for this phenomenon and suggest that angiotropism may be a rare mechanism for
      melanoma spread and progression.

PMID- 1430473
TI  - Pleomorphic lipoma. Case report and discussion of "atypical" lipomatous tumors.
AB  - A case of pleomorphic lipoma is described. Pleomorphic lipoma is included in the
      "atypical" lipoma classification. Because of its atypical microscopic appearance,
      it must be differentiated from liposarcoma. We will discuss pleomorphic lipoma
      and its position in the classification of atypical fatty tumors.

PMID- 1430474
TI  - Multiple sclerotic fibromas of the skin. A cutaneous marker of Cowden's disease.
AB  - Multiple hamartoma syndrome, or Cowden's disease, is a rare genodermatosis with
      multiple organ system involvement in which malignancy, particularly of breast and
      thyroid, may develop. Multiple trichilemmomas have been classically regarded as
      the cutaneous hallmark of this disease. We here emphasize multiple sclerotic
      fibromas of the skin as another specific cutaneous marker of this entity, which
      may also be helpful in an early diagnosis.

PMID- 1430475
TI  - Biochemical activities of Bacillus species isolated from flat sour evaporated
      milk.
AB  - Forty strains of bacilli were isolated from flat sour evaporated milk and were
      characterized as Bacillus stearothermophilus (5 strains), Bacillus licheniformis
      (10 strains), Bacillus coagulans (15 strains), Bacillus macerans (5 strains), and
      Bacillus subtilis (5 strains). The hydrolases of these strains were examined with
      the API ZYM system, and the ability of these strains to produce acid in milk
      incubated at different temperatures was also examined. Esterase, esterase lipase,
      lipase, valine aminopeptidase, phosphoamidase, beta-glucuronidase, and beta
      glucosidase were the activities found in all strains tested; they were strain
      dependent and ranged between 1 and 5 by the API ZYM test. The same strains
      produced various concentrations of acid in milk. These organisms may be
      responsible for the flat sour spoilage in evaporated milk.

PMID- 1430476
TI  - Northern and in situ hybridization analyses of the effects of somatotropin on
      bovine mammary gene expression.
AB  - We investigated the potential roles of insulin-like growth factor-I and epidermal
      growth factor, both multifunctional regulators of mammary physiology, in
      somatotropin-stimulated lactation of dairy cattle. One insulin-like growth factor
      I mRNA (7.4 kb) was detected in lactating mammary tissue; however, it became
      undetectable after somatotropin administration. Four type I insulin-like growth
      factor receptor mRNA (11.3, 6.2, 4.9, and 3.3 kb) were detected in mammary tissue
      and primarily expressed in alveolar epithelial cells. All of these receptor mRNA
      markedly decreased in mammary tissue from somatotropin-treated animals, although
      the cellular distribution pattern of receptor gene expression did not change. One
      epidermal growth factor receptor mRNA (10.5 kb) was present in mammary tissue and
      predominantly expressed in alveolar epithelial cells. Epidermal growth factor
      receptor mRNA decreased after somatotropin administration. The results from this
      study are consistent with the idea that the stimulatory effect of somatotropin
      during lactation is in part due to its ability to regulate the expression of
      specific genes or the stability of their mRNA in mammary tissue. The data also
      suggest roles for insulin-like growth factor-I and epidermal growth factor, as
      well as their homologous receptors, in controlling cellular changes in the
      mammary gland during somatotropin-stimulated lactation.

PMID- 1430477
TI  - Use of augmented cultural techniques in the diagnosis of the bacterial cause of
      clinical bovine mastitis.
AB  - Preculture incubation, preculture freezing, and increased plate inoculation
      volumes were tested in an attempt to increase the recovery rate of pathogens in
      milk from cases of clinical bovine mastitis. Culture of milk from 291 cases of
      clinical bovine mastitis was performed using standard milk culture techniques
      (.01 ml of fresh milk streaked on trypticase soy agar plates with 5% sheep blood
      and .1% esculin). The sensitivity of this method was compared with that of
      cultures performed using augmented techniques: 4 and 18 h of preculture
      incubation; preculture freezing of samples overnight at -20 degrees C; and
      increasing the plate inoculation volume to .05 and .1 ml for fresh, incubated,
      and frozen samples. Preculture incubation and larger plate inoculation volumes
      significantly increased the recovery rate of bacterial pathogens over the
      standard culture method. The greatest improvement in sensitivity without a
      concomitant increase in contamination was achieved when samples were incubated
      for 4 h and plates were inoculated with .1 ml of the sample. Recovery was
      enhanced significantly by this method for several organisms, including
      environmental streptococci and coliform bacteria. Freezing milk before culture
      yielded a significantly higher positive culture rate overall, but freezing did
      not affect the positive culture rate of any individual bacterial species.

PMID- 1430478
TI  - Effects of a prostaglandin F2 alpha synchronization program in lactating dairy
      cattle.
AB  - A comparison was made between two different methods of reproductive management in
      the dairy cow. One protocol administered prostaglandin to open cows weekly; the
      other administered prostaglandin to open cows with a corpus luteum identified by
      rectal palpation. Survival analysis was used to analyze the data. Cows receiving
      weekly doses of prostaglandin had a 30% higher pregnancy rate (number of
      pregnancies per time) than the cows receiving prostaglandin based on rectal
      palpation of a corpus luteum. The average number of days to first insemination
      was shorter in cows given prostaglandin weekly.

PMID- 1430479
TI  - Effects of voltages on cows over a complete lactation. 1. Milk yield and
      composition.
AB  - The effect of long-term voltage exposure on milk yield and composition was
      assessed. Forty cows in second to fifth lactation were used. Four groups of 10
      Holstein cows were exposed to either 0, 1, 2, or 4 V throughout an entire
      lactation. Each group was housed in a free-stall environment with bunk feed and
      water provided for ad libitum intake. Voltages (AC, 60 Hz) were applied between
      waterers and a metal grid. Cows could not drink without placing their front
      hooves on the metal grid. Individual records were maintained for milk weights,
      milk fat, protein, and somatic cell counts. Average actual (7312, 8527, 6938, and
      7725 kg for groups exposed to 0, 1, 2, or 4 V, respectively) and mature
      equivalent (7802, 9281, 7308, and 8911 kg for groups exposed to 0, 1, 2, or 4 V,
      respectively) milk weights for 305 d showed no significant differences between
      groups exposed or unexposed to voltage. Average actual milk yields for 305 d in
      the previous lactations were 8016, 8163, 7679, and 7876 kg for groups exposed to
      0, 1, 2, or 4 V, respectively. Somatic cell counts, milk fat, and protein showed
      no significant differences between groups exposed or unexposed to voltage. Feed
      and water intakes were not affected by voltage.

PMID- 1430480
TI  - Effects of voltages on cows over a complete lactation. 2. Health and
      reproduction.
AB  - For the effects of voltages on health and reproduction, 40 cows in second to
      fifth lactation were divided into four groups of 10. These included a control
      group that was not subjected to voltages and three treatment groups that were
      given either 1, 2, or 4 V at the water bowl. Cows in the treatment groups were
      exposed during the entire lactation to voltage whenever they drank. Voltages did
      not sufficiently affect milk yield. General health parameters studied were
      mastitis, hoof problems, and changes in body weight. Reproductive and calving
      parameters examined were days to first breeding, days open, services per
      conception, response to PGF2 alpha, calving intervals, visible abortion, and
      calves born dead. Voltages did not significantly influence cow health or
      reproductive performance.

PMID- 1430481
TI  - Cow sensitivity to electricity during milking.
AB  - Alternating currents were delivered to lactating cattle through the milk during
      milking. Electrodes were placed at the top of each short milk tube and jointed
      for one electrical contact. A metal grid on which the cows' rear hooves stood
      during milking was the second contact. Constant voltages (0 to 16 V) applied to
      contacts showed first lactation cows to be more sensitive than multiple lactation
      cows. First lactation cows kicked milking machines at 8 V (currents greater than
      5 mA), and multiple lactation cows kicked at 16 V (currents greater than 8 mA).
      At lower voltages, there were no consistent significant differences in milking
      duration, milk yield, or composition for primary or residual milk. Application of
      constant currents of 5 mA for first lactation cows and 8 mA for multiple
      lactation cows produced no undesired behaviors but did result in some differences
      in production variables. Milking duration decreased during application of
      constant current to first lactation cows. Blood cortisol monitored in the
      multiple lactation cows during trial 2 showed a significant increase during
      milking but was equivalent or less during application of current. This study
      demonstrates that currents of 5 mA or less, delivered through the milk line, did
      not produce any direct economic effect. To produce this current, voltages on the
      milk pipe line would have to be in excess of 125 V (obvious human safety hazard)
      or in excess of 5 V on the claw of the milking cluster.

PMID- 1430482
TI  - Evaluation of pearl millet and field peas plus triticale silages for midlactation
      dairy cows.
AB  - A mixture of field peas and triticale was planted in spring, harvested as silage,
      and followed by a double crop of pearl millet, which also was harvested as
      silage. Eighteen Holstein cows were fed diets based on pea with triticale, pearl
      millet, or alfalfa plus corn silages. Dry matter digestibility of the pea with
      triticale diet was higher than for control (71.1 vs. 66.9%), but DM digestibility
      was not different between control and pearl millet diets. Milk production was not
      affected by diets containing pea with triticale or pearl millet compared with
      control diets (25.2, 23.2, and 24.5 kg/d). Cows fed pea with triticale produced
      milk with a higher concentration of fat (4.59 vs. 3.35%) and more FCM (27.3 vs.
      22.1 kg/d) than those fed the control diet. However, cows fed the control diet
      gained more BW than those receiving pea with triticale or pearl millet diets.
      Partitioning of energy between body stores and milk production was different
      between cows fed pea with triticale and control diets; however, total energy use
      was not different (32.4 vs. 30.5 Mcal of NE(L)/d). Differences in energy
      partitioning may have been caused partly by differences in ruminal fermentation
      of the respective diets.

PMID- 1430484
TI  - Effect of graded concentrations of gossypol on calf performance: toxicological
      and pathological considerations.
AB  - The effects of feeding diets containing 0, 100, 200, 400, or 800 ppm of free
      gossypol were examined in 60 Holstein bull calves from 1 to 120 d of age. The
      concentrations of free gossypol were varied by varying amounts of cottonseed
      meals from three different sources. Cottonseed meal totaled 31% of each treatment
      ration. Feed consumption, BW, and blood parameters were collected on all calves
      at 30-d intervals throughout the trial. There were no significant differences
      between the groups for feed consumption, BW, or average daily gain. Changes in
      the group means for hematology and chemistry variables examined were modest and
      insufficient to distinguish diagnostically between safe and unsafe free gossypol
      concentrations for the different groups. Clinical evidence of disease was limited
      to the calves fed 400 or 800 ppm of free gossypol after 90 d of age. One calf in
      the group fed 400 ppm and 4 in the group fed 800 ppm died as a result of
      circulatory failure associated with gossypol consumption. We conclude from this
      study that a ration containing up to 200 ppm of free gossypol is safe, 400 ppm of
      free gossypol is toxic, and 800 ppm of free gossypol results in death losses.
      These results are compatible with previously reported naturally occurring
      toxicological outbreaks.

PMID- 1430483
TI  - Dietary cation-anion balance and cation source effects on production and acid
      base status of heat-stressed cows.
AB  - Two 4 x 4 replicated Latin square studies, each containing 8 lactating Holstein
      cows, were conducted simultaneously in south Georgia during the summer. The
      effects of dietary cation source (Na or K) and increasing dietary cation-anion
      balance (milliequivalents of Na + K - Cl per kilogram of feed DM) within cation
      source (control = 120.4 meq/kg of feed DM; Na source = 219.7, 347.8, 464.1 meq/kg
      of feed DM; K source = 231.2, 352.6, 456.0 meq/kg of feed DM) were determined on
      performance and acid-base chemistry during hot, humid weather. Cow body
      temperatures were elevated by environmental conditions but were not affected by
      dietary cation-anion balance. Differences in body temperature from dietary cation
      source probably were related to differences in cow BW. Intake of DM increased
      linearly, but yields of milk and FCM did not change with increasing dietary
      cation-anion balance, and cation source had no effect. Milk fat and protein
      percentages were not altered by dietary cation-anion balance, and greater milk
      fat and protein percentages from cows offered the Na versus K source diets
      probably were due to differences between cows in the two Latin squares.
      Alterations in blood acid-base chemistry with increasing dietary cation-anion
      balance were as expected. Greater blood buffering capacity, indicated by blood
      base excess and bicarbonate content, may be responsible for the improved feed
      intake.

PMID- 1430485
TI  - Estimation of heterogeneous variances using empirical Bayes methods: theoretical
      considerations.
AB  - Procedures are described to estimate variances when heterogeneity of genetic and
      residual dispersion parameters exists for some criterion. Genetic and residual
      variances are considered to follow distributions with either known or unknown
      parameters. The estimates of variances obtained are weighted averages of the
      corresponding parameter and of a data-based statistic. Although the techniques
      presented are largely inspired by Bayesian ideas, the procedures can be given a
      frequentist interpretation, and the parameters of the prior distributions can be
      estimated from the data at hand. Techniques are described and illustrated for
      situations in which animals are related or unrelated across herds. We conjecture
      that the proposed estimators have smaller mean squared error than those obtained
      by grouping observations in some way and then applying REML within each group.

PMID- 1430486
TI  - Estimation of heterogeneous within-herd variance components using empirical Bayes
      methods: a simulation study.
AB  - Genetic evaluation using BLUP can accommodate heterogeneous variances if the
      necessary variance components are known; this may require estimation of variance
      components within each heterogeneous subclass. Properties of sire and residual
      variance estimates obtained by an empirical Bayes approach, which combines within
      herd and prior estimates, were examined via simulation. Prior estimates were
      obtained using REML across herds, as if variances were homogeneous. Convergence
      was improved by incorporation of prior information such that variance component
      estimates could be obtained in within-herd situations for which a REML algorithm
      failed to converge. Accuracy of sire variance estimates was greatest when both
      within-herd and prior information were used, but improvement in accuracy of
      residual variance estimates associated with incorporation of prior information
      was minimal. Correlations between sires' standardized true transmitting abilities
      and PTA that used empirical Bayes variance estimates were larger than those
      obtained when heterogeneity was ignored. Proportions of sires selected, based on
      standardized PTA, from environments with differing genetic and residual variances
      became more uniform as the relative weight placed on within-herd data in variance
      estimation increased. Thus, useful variance component estimates can be obtained
      within individual herds by using empirical Bayes methods with across-herd
      estimates as prior information; this may allow prediction of breeding values that
      are less influenced by heterogeneous variances.

PMID- 1430487
TI  - A method for combining United States and Canadian bull evaluations.
AB  - Canadian and US genetic evaluations for July 1991 were combined for 3304 Holstein
      bulls evaluated in Canada that had US progeny or a cross-reference code. Canadian
      evaluations of the bulls and their sires and dams were converted to US PTA.
      Combined PTA were weighted averages of progeny information from both countries
      and parent average. Parent average was recomputed from the sire's combined
      evaluation and the dam's evaluation with the most daughter equivalents. Bulls
      were processed in birth year order so that combined evaluation of sire was
      available. Progeny contribution was adjusted to remove the influence of the
      bull's evaluation on progeny evaluations through their parent averages, which
      left only the portion that was due to progeny records and grandprogeny
      information. A weighted average of adjusted progeny contributions was combined
      with parent average to form a combined PTA more accurately than possible by
      averaging domestic and converted PTA. Combined reliability was computed by
      summing daughter equivalents from progeny and from updated evaluations of
      parents. Canadian daughter equivalents were multiplied by .9 to approximate US
      values. Combined evaluations simplify bull selection by providing comparable and
      complete information for bulls evaluated in two countries.

PMID- 1430488
TI  - Timing of insemination in dairy heifers.
AB  - Data representing 676 AI of 372 virgin dairy heifers during 1984 to 1987 at the
      University of Illinois were analyzed by analysis of variance to determine the
      effect of timing of AI on conception rate. Standing to be mounted, bawling, and
      attempting to mount were the three criteria used for determining the presence of
      estrus. More than 90% of the observations were conducted by one herdsperson
      between 0700 and 1600 h daily. Heifers were artificially inseminated with frozen
      semen from 58 bulls by one of two technicians. Conception rate on first AI was
      56%, determined by return to estrus or 33- to 50-d rectal palpation for
      pregnancy. Conception rate to second and later AI was near 40%. Eighty-six
      percent of the heifers conceived during the trial. The average interval between
      first observation of standing estrus and AI was 10.5 h; the range was 15 min to
      33 h. The model discussed contained six variables: time interval between first
      observation of standing estrus and AI (group), breed, sire within breed, year
      bred, season bred, and inseminator. The analysis of variance of conception to
      first AI showed timing of AI and service sire as the two most significant
      effects. Conception to first AI was worst when AI occurred 13.5 to 33 h after
      first observation of estrus. No factors considered were significant sources of
      variation for second or later AI.

PMID- 1430489
TI  - Current status and potential of embryo transfer and reproductive technology in
      dairy cattle.
AB  - Significant use of embryo transfer in dairy cattle commenced with the
      introduction of nonsurgical embryo recovery in the mid-1970s and developed with
      the use of nonsurgical transfers in the late 1970s. Numbers of registered
      Holstein calves from embryo transfer doubled yearly through 1980, after which the
      rate of increase slowed; the total reached nearly 19,000 calves in 1990. However,
      the efficacy of superovulation procedures and commercial success rates of
      transferred fresh embryos have not improved the past 10 to 15 yr. Fertilization
      rates in superovulated donors remain low. Although embryo-splitting techniques
      were perfected in the early 1980s, they are not used widely. A practical,
      commercial embryo-sexing procedure remains unavailable. Recent significant
      improvement is apparent in the technology of ultrasound-guided oocyte collection
      and in vitro oocyte maturation, fertilization, and embryo culture. In the future,
      this technology may be used in conjunction with sperm separated by sex with a
      flow cytometer. Modest numbers of embryo clones have been produced in several
      commercial programs via nuclear transfer techniques. However, the efficiency of
      gene transfer experiments involving ova of cattle and other domestic species has
      been low. Recently, DNA probe technology has begun to provide genotype
      information for cattle and will ultimately be applied to embryos.

PMID- 1430490
TI  - Structure of breeding programs to capitalize on reproductive technology for
      genetic improvement.
AB  - Potential rates of genetic progress are limited by biological constraints, which
      along with genetic parameters determine the structure of breeding programs to be
      employed for maximum genetic improvement. The objective here is to determine
      whether current progeny-testing programs in dairy cattle, which have been
      dictated and constrained by low female reproductive rates, need to be changed to
      capitalize on new reproductive technologies and how these changes should be
      implemented. Many differences between breeding programs diminish when selection
      on animal model genetic evaluations across all age and population groups is
      adopted as a strategy. Progeny-testing schemes then evolve toward dispersed open
      nucleus breeding schemes when multiple ovulation and embryo transfer is used on
      bull-dams. Nucleus breeding schemes have been advocated to capitalize on embryo
      transfer technology. In nucleus breeding schemes utilizing high reproductive
      rates, inbreeding, rather than reproductive rate, poses a limit to genetic
      progress, and strategies that maximize response to selection while limiting
      inbreeding need to be employed. One strategy is mating each dam to several sires
      rather than only one sire. In vitro embryo production techniques can be used to
      facilitate such mating strategies. Large-scale in vitro embryo production
      programs, in which large numbers of embryos per female are tested in the
      commercial population, offer the greatest potential for genetic gain with low
      rates of inbreeding. Cloning has an impact mainly on methods for dissemination of
      genetic improvement. Breeding herds, genetically inferior to marketed clones, are
      needed for continuous genetic gain. Reproductive technologies offer the potential
      for genetic improvement. Whether new breeding programs require changes in
      population structure, e.g., by creation of nucleus breeding herds, depends mainly
      on logistics and on quantity and quality of field information.

PMID- 1430491
TI  - Use of reproductive technology to estimate variances and predict effects of gene
      interactions.
AB  - Advanced reproductive techniques are creating the large numbers of close
      relatives needed to study gene interactions. Identical triplets, a set of 26 full
      sisters, a family of 4215 three-quarter sisters (same sire and maternal
      grandsire), a family of 76,698 half sisters, and 1.6 million granddaughters of
      Round Oak Rag Apple Elevation now have lactation records. Similarity of closest
      relatives might be explained by similar nonadditive as well as additive genetic
      merit. The 23,015 families of full sisters with mean family size of 3 provide
      nearly as much information about dominance variation as do the 55,779 families of
      three-quarter sisters with mean family size of 13; the 79 families of clones
      provide little information by comparison. Hypothetically, REML analysis of all US
      Holstein data could provide estimates of dominance and additive x additive
      variance with standard errors approximately 1% of phenotypic variance, but
      estimates of any higher order interactions would have standard errors greater
      than 10%. The tilde-hat approximation proved to be incompatible with animal
      models but was used for sire-maternal grandsire analysis of 765,868 first
      lactation records. Dominance variance was estimated as 3.5% of phenotypic
      variance for milk and 3.3% for fat with standard error of 4.2%. With constant
      data set size, variances are estimated most precisely if family sizes equal 1
      plus ratio of within-family to between-family variance. An animal model
      evaluation including dominance relationships for 581,670 animals was computed,
      but gene interactions from distant ancestor pairs were ignored. Mating advice and
      improved additive predictions, especially for clones, could be obtained by
      including dominance in models.

PMID- 1430492
TI  - Optimal effective population size for the global population of black and white
      dairy cattle.
AB  - The replacement of other black and white cattle strains by the North American
      Holstein breed, which itself is dominated by a small number of elite sires, has
      reduced the genetic diversity of the global population. Intense selection on a
      global basis leads to rapid genetic improvement but reduces effective population
      size. The optimal global effective population size was chosen to maximize the net
      present value of all future benefits from the breeding program. Two separate
      discount rates were used to reflect concerns about the long-term costs of small
      effective population size. This led to a higher optimal number of bull-sires than
      in past analyses. The optimum was sensitive to the magnitude of inbreeding
      depression and to the discount rates, but not to the variance caused by new
      mutations and the size of the world population. The genetic correlation between
      the breeding objectives of different AI studs controls the extent to which they
      all select the same sires of sons and, hence, affects the global effective
      population size. The prediction is made that different countries will select
      partially different sires, but genetically isolated strains will not reemerge. A
      better global breeding program is likely when selection of sires takes account of
      inbreeding depression and small genotype by environment interactions.

PMID- 1430493
TI  - Achievement. Fear of success--fear of failure.

PMID- 1430495
TI  - Sealing of occlusal hidden caries lesions: an alternative for curative treatment?
AB  - The bacterial composition of the dentine of thirty molars with sealed occlusal
      surfaces (Delton tinted) was examined. Undiagnosed hidden caries was present at
      the time of treatment. Although clinically assessed as good (age 3.4 years, s.d.
      2.1), 47 percent of the sealants had a marginal defect, when assessed with SEM.
      The dentine of the treated teeth was of a soft consistency. The median of the
      number of microorganisms was 400 (range 0-3.10(5)) cfu per sample. Mutans
      streptococci and lactobacilli were found in 53 percent of the samples. No
      relationship was found between the number of microorganisms and the marginal
      adaptation of the sealant, when examined under SEM; neither was a relationship
      found between the age of the sealant and the number of microorganisms (Kendall's
      Tau-C = 0.17, n.s. and -0.01, n.s., respectively). At present, there are
      insufficient grounds for treating nonvisible lesions (with a radiolucency on the
      bitewing) with a resin sealant.

PMID- 1430494
TI  - Preventive measures and caries progression: an in vitro study on fissures and
      smooth surfaces of human molars.
AB  - The aim of this study was to compare pit-and fissure sealants with fluoride
      treatments in their effectiveness to inhibit or reduce the progression of enamel
      lesions, particularly in the fissure region. The effects of fissure probing as
      used in diagnosis were compared with in the same protocol. Using a combination of
      image analysis of X-ray pictures of full crowns and a light microscopic
      evaluation of cross-sections provided information on the three dimensional spread
      of enamel demineralization. Pit-and-fissure sealants were superior in protecting
      enamel against progression of demineralization, as long as the walls of the
      fissures were well covered. The protection against demineralization offered by
      fluoride was mainly restricted to the smooth enamel surfaces; in fissures no
      protection could be measured. Surface defects of the enamel caused by probing or
      abrasion aided the progress of the lesion.

PMID- 1430496
TI  - Glass ionomer/resin preventive restoration.

PMID- 1430497
TI  - Hereditary dentinogenesis imperfecta: a treatment program using an overdenture.
AB  - The aim of treatment in cases of dentinogenesis imperfecta is to improve the
      esthetic appearance and maintain the oral masticatory apparatus in a healthy and
      functional state. In the growing child, it was decided to maintain the teeth for
      as long as possible under an overdenture, until such time when a permanent
      prosthetic solution can be decided upon.

PMID- 1430499
TI  - Possible hazards of the transpalatal bar: report of cases.

PMID- 1430498
TI  - Teenage luxation injury: report of case.
AB  - The endodontic, restorative, and orthodontic treatment sequence of the accidental
      injury of three maxillary incisors has been presented. The treatment objective
      was to achieve an esthetically acceptable result for a young adult, until a
      definitive fixed prosthetic restoration can be planned. The ankylosed maxillary
      right permanent central incisor (11) is being maintained for reasons of arch
      length space and alveolar bone height.

PMID- 1430500
TI  - Dens evaginatus: report of case of continued root development after Ca(OH)2
      apexification.

PMID- 1430501
TI  - Effect of APF gel on a glass ionomer cement: an SEM study.
AB  - This SEM study evaluated the micromorphological effect of a 1.23 percent
      acidulated phosphate fluoridated gel (Oral B)(APF) on the surface of a glass
      ionomer cement (Ketac-Fil). Glass ionomer (GI) cylinders (area 6.69 mm) were
      prepared and divided into seven groups of ten specimens each: Group 1, glaze, no
      polishing; Group 2, glaze, polishing, glaze; Group 3, glaze, no polishing, APF
      for four minutes; Group 4, glaze, polish, glaze, APF for four minutes; Group 5,
      no glaze, no polish, APF for four minutes; Group 6, no glaze, polish, APF for
      four minutes; Group 7, glaze, polish, two coats of glaze, APF for four minutes.
      The glass ionomer was handled according to manufacturer's instructions, except
      for groups 5 and 6, where no glaze was used. Polishing was done with medium Sof
      Lex discs, using slow-speed and water. The glaze resin (Ketac-Glaze) was painted
      with a brush over the GI surface and cured with visible light (Demetron) for
      thirty seconds. In Group 7, the first coat was cured and then the second coat was
      applied. The APF was applied with a cotton applicator for four minutes, rinsed,
      and dried. All specimens were then mounted on aluminum stubs, coated, and
      evaluated under the SEM. The results indicated that the glaze tends to contract
      or incorporate into the GI matrix in all groups. When APF was used over the GI,
      the amount of glaze remaining over the surface was diminished, exposing the GI
      surface. When two coats of the glaze were used, minimal GI surface was exposed
      after APF treatment.

PMID- 1430502
TI  - Increasing interest in pediatric dentistry?
AB  - Increasing numbers of senior dental students anticipate careers in pediatric
      dentistry. A review is provided of the evolving dental student interests and some
      insight into these developments--particularly in terms of the increasing numbers
      of women in dental programs.

PMID- 1430503
TI  - The relationship of the changing structure of families and the health of
      children.
AB  - The changing family structure impacts on the physical and mental health,
      emotional state and academic performance of children. Children reared in other
      than a family with both biological parents have increased difficulties. Pediatric
      dentists will need to consider these realities in their treatment of an
      increasing diverse population of children.

PMID- 1430504
TI  - The assessment of two oral sedation drug regimens in pediatric dental patients.
AB  - Oral sedation remains a common method for managing uncooperative and/or extremely
      fearful pediatric patients requiring dental treatment. The purpose of this
      retrospective review is to report on the adverse reactions associated with the
      use of two oral sedation drug regimens commonly employed in pediatric dental
      patients. Of a combined total of 73 different patient records, 112 sedation cases
      from the pediatric dental program at the University of Alabama School of
      Dentistry were reviewed for this report. The two drug regimens were (1) chloral
      hydrate/promethazine and (2) meperidine/promethazine. Documentation was taken
      from the sedation cases, which included the following: (1) age, (2) weight, (3)
      the drug regimen and dosages, (4) the use of nitrous oxide, (5) the effectiveness
      rating of each sedation, and (6) adverse reactions. The adverse reactions
      included emesis and oxygen desaturation (hypoxemia) the latter being determined
      by the use of a pulse oximeter. The results of the study revealed that
      approximately 48 percent of the sedation cases with pulse oximetry recordings
      experienced mild to moderate hypoxemia, and in 6.2 percent of the cases, emesis
      occurred. The review and statistical analysis of the sedation ratings using the
      nonparametric analog of the t-test indicated no significant difference of
      effectiveness between the two drug regimens. This study shows that oxygen
      desaturation occurs frequently in pediatric dental patients being treated with
      conscious oral sedation techniques and that the prevalence of adverse reactions
      was similar for the drug regimens evaluated.

PMID- 1430505
TI  - Caries preventive effect of high fluoride and xylitol containing dentifrices.
AB  - Dental examinations were conducted in 1987 on 520 of the 753 children who fully
      participated in a three-year field-trial, 1983-1986, of the anticaries effect of
      dentifrices containing fluoride and xylitol. The prevalence of decayed (D),
      missing (M) and filled (F) permanent teeth differed significantly among the five
      treatment groups. Caries prevalence was inversely related to the level of
      fluoride, 1250, 2500 and 5000 ppm, in the dentifrice used, but was not associated
      with the presence or absence of 15 mg percent xylitol. The age, number of
      children, and number of erupted teeth were unequally dispersed among treatment
      groups. The DMF teeth scores showed non-normal distributions and nonhomogeneous
      variances. Following an exploratory scrutiny, the DMFT data were transformed to
      normal distributions for intra- and inter-treatment-group evaluation. All groups
      showed positive, significant regressions of DMF scores with the age of the
      children and an inverse significant regression with DMFT scores in relation to
      the fluoride content of the dentifrice under test.

PMID- 1430506
TI  - Dental biomechanics and the dental curriculum.
AB  - Attention is drawn to the numerous biomechanical concepts which provide the
      scientific basis for the many precepts taught in the various branches of clinical
      dentistry. It is suggested that dental biomechanics should logically be a subject
      area in its own right and that a practical way to achieve this would be for it to
      be gradually incorporated into the allied and complementary subject of dental
      materials science.

PMID- 1430507
TI  - Assessment of elderly people on entry to residential homes and continuing care
      arrangements.
AB  - Increasing numbers of elderly people are entering private residential homes in
      the UK. Results of surveys show poor oral health in this group. A survey was
      therefore conducted of 50 residential homes (housing 1337 residents) to determine
      assessment on entry and continuing care provision. In 38 per cent of homes no
      written notes were made of the initial assessment. Topics of dental interests
      were infrequently assessed on entry (only 16 per cent of carers examined the oral
      cavity, 52 per cent assessed the subject's ability to care for their dentures).
      Medical topics (mobility, incontinence, eyesight, etc) were all assessed in more
      than 80 per cent of subjects. Suggestions are made for utilization of an easy
      assessment questionnaire and improved denture naming arrangements. The importance
      of regular check-ups, education and publicity for this group is stressed.

PMID- 1430508
TI  - Finishing of amalgam restorations: a three-year clinical study.
AB  - Class I and Class II amalgam restorations were placed in the permanent teeth of
      66 patients, each of whom received a minimum of three restorations. At least one
      of these restorations was carved-only, at least one was immediately finished
      (using a prophylaxis paste on rubber cups at low speed, 8 or 10 min after
      trituration), and at least one restoration was polished (using finishing burs and
      polishing points, more than 24 h after placement). The number of restorations
      available for assessment of marginal fracture using the 11-unit photographic
      scale developed by Mahler was 253 at baseline, 249 at 1-year and 2-year recalls
      and 228 at the 3-year recall. Although polished restorations exhibited greater
      initial (baseline) marginal fracture, at 1-year, 2-year and 3-year recalls the
      restorations were found to exhibit a similar amount of marginal fracture
      regardless of the finishing technique. The amount of perceived marginal fracture
      increased steadily after 1 year. The immediate finishing of amalgam restorations
      showed no long-term benefit over the other techniques and has little to commend
      it. The clinical finishing of amalgam restorations is discussed in the light of
      this and other research.

PMID- 1430509
TI  - Dental anxiety and attendance in the north-west of England.
AB  - The aim of this study was to record the level of anxiety and last recorded visit
      for a dental check-up of a random sample of 300 workers at three sites in the
      North-west of England. All subjects were asked to complete a short written
      questionnaire and 255 (85 per cent) usable forms were returned. The mean level of
      anxiety using the Corah Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) (N.L. Corah, 1969, J. Dent.
      Res. 48, 596) was 9.1. Females had a statistically higher mean DAS than males but
      there was no correlation between DAS and either age or occupational status. Those
      subjects who claimed not to have had a check-up in the past year had a
      significantly higher mean DAS than those who claimed to have been in the past
      year. Multiple regression analysis showed that the reported time interval since
      the last check-up was the most important predictor of the DAS score. The
      implications of the results are considered for the future of restorative
      dentistry.

PMID- 1430510
TI  - Cardiopulmonary performance following changes in position and the administration
      of intravenous Diazemuls.
AB  - Twenty healthy volunteers entered a study to assess cardiopulmonary responses, as
      measured by pulse oximetry, following changes in posture in the dental chair and
      the administration of Diazemuls (diazepam) in doses sufficient to instill
      sedation (up to a maximum dose of 20 mg) in the volunteers to a degree such that
      ptosis was seen. The results indicate that SaO2 values remained above 95 per cent
      throughout the study. It is concluded that although changes in SaO2 and pulse
      rate do occur, these differences are not important in healthy individuals,
      although they may be more serious in patients with pre-existing cardiopulmonary
      disease.

PMID- 1430512
TI  - A preliminary investigation into the effect of increased occlusal vertical
      dimension on mandibular movement during speech.
AB  - Current methods of determining whether a patient will accommodate to an increased
      occlusal vertical dimension rely on a largely subjective assessment of the
      mandibular rest position and capacity to adapt whilst wearing a temporary
      appliance. The purpose of this preliminary study was to establish if mandibular
      movement during speech may provide an objective criterion in the assessment of
      adaptation to increases in occlusal vertical dimension. The closest speaking
      space, measured as the vertical distance between an incisor point and centric
      occlusion, as determined during pronunciation of sibilant speech sounds was
      chosen to depict mandibular movement. The closest speaking space was determined
      using a Sirognathograph for six young adult subjects and varied from a mean of
      1.0 to 3.3 mm. An acrylic splint covering the entire occlusal surface of the
      lower arch, designed to increase the occlusal vertical dimension by 4 mm in the
      incisor region, was then cemented on each subject's mandibular arch. The closest
      speaking space was again determined after 5 days continuous wear of the splint
      and the mean values found to have decreased to a range of 0.0-1.0 mm. The
      differences between the mean values for the closest speaking space for each
      subject before and after splint wear were statistically significant. It was
      postulated that this method may lead towards an objective basis for deciding if
      patients will adapt to an increase in occlusal vertical dimension.

PMID- 1430511
TI  - Predictions of restoration deterioration.
AB  - This study evaluated the application of a mixture model involving a Weibull
      distribution function to predict the median times for restorations of three
      dental restorative materials to achieve unsatisfactory rating scores for six
      clinical factors. The accuracy of the method was assessed graphically against the
      known actuarial long-term deterioration observations of 1813 amalgam, 1774
      anterior resin composite and 474 glass polyalkenoate (ionomer) cement
      restorations, assessed over periods of up to 20, 18 and 14 years, respectively.
      Of the six clinical factors investigated (which included marginal fracture), only
      four had sufficient long-term unsatisfactory rating score data to enable their
      median times to be predicted. These predicted times were: for amalgam
      restorations, surface roughness 32.5 years and surface tarnishing 16.0 years; for
      resin composites, marginal staining 25.4 years and colour mismatch 14.2 years;
      and for glass polyalkenoate (ionomer) cements, marginal staining 17.6 years and
      colour mismatch 3.6 years. The known and predictive unsatisfactory rating score
      results were generally in close agreement. However, it was not possible to
      predict median times for unsatisfactory rating scores associated with very slowly
      deteriorating restoration factors. The actual replacement rates of the amalgam
      restorations were too low to obtain their median survival time. However, for the
      faster failing resin composites this time was 7.9 +/- 0.5 years, and for the
      glass polyalkenoate (ionomer) cements 2.2 +/- 0.2 years. The relationship of
      restoration deterioration to restoration replacement and dental health requires
      further analysis.

PMID- 1430514
TI  - Close range photogrammetry--a clinical dental research tool.
AB  - Photogrammetry is the art, science and technology of obtaining reliable
      information about physical objects through processes of recording and
      interpreting photographic images. This review outlines the principles of the
      technique and summarizes the various methodologies and applications in clinical
      dental research.

PMID- 1430513
TI  - Dentine bonding agents--characteristic bond strength as a function of dentine
      depth.
AB  - The tensile bond strength to dentine of four dentine bonding agents has been
      measured at various depths within dentine and the results analysed using Weibull
      analysis. There were significant differences in the bond strength values among
      the four products particularly with near-surface dentine. Despite the differences
      in chemical composition among the materials the trend of decreasing bond strength
      with increasing depth of dentine was common to them all. This suggests that the
      underlying mechanism of adhesion may be common to all four products despite their
      differing chemical compositions.

PMID- 1430515
TI  - A denture base resin with low water absorption.
AB  - The aim of this study was to investigate poly(isobutyl methacrylate) as a
      potential denture base material. It was found to have very low water absorption
      but poor mechanical properties and a low glass transition temperature. The latter
      features render the material itself unsuitable for use as a denture base
      material, but indicated that isobutyl methacrylate may be a useful co-monomer for
      reducing water absorption.

PMID- 1430517
TI  - Closure of Loyola dental school.

PMID- 1430516
TI  - Bonding characteristics of a phosphonated anaerobic adhesive to amalgam.
AB  - The shear bond strength of a phosphonated anaerobic resin dental adhesive
      (Panavia-Ex) to amalgam was determined and clinically important parameters
      affecting the bond strength: amalgam type, surface finish and corrosion, were
      investigated. It is possible to bond to high copper set amalgam using this
      adhesive with a clinically useful shear bond strength. Three copper-enriched,
      single composition alloys were studied. One was a spherical alloy and two were
      lathe cut. The bond strength to one of the lathe-cut alloys was significantly
      lower than to the other two alloys. A significantly higher bond strength to aged
      lathe-cut amalgam than to fresh amalgam was found. However, Weibull analysis
      indicated that these latter changes were less consistent and indicated patchy,
      localized changes in the amalgam surface. The bond strength to the spherical
      alloy was significantly reduced by polishing with a finishing bur or Prophy-Jet.
      Therefore when bonding to a large amalgam restoration with such a phosphonated
      anaerobic adhesive, no polishing of the amalgam should be undertaken.

PMID- 1430518
TI  - The continuing education business.
AB  - The success and potential of school-based continuing dental education programs
      has been limited because they are based on an inappropriate model. The
      information needs of practicing professionals are quite different from the needs
      of students preparing for licensure. This article describes four purposes served
      by information: (a) education, (b) certification, (c) network building, and (d)
      decision support. Dental education focuses on the first two while a broader view
      with emphasis on the latter two is appropriate for continuing education. The
      business of educating professionals is different from the business of educating
      candidates for the profession. An alternative conception of continuing dental
      education is presented based on the needs of its clients.

PMID- 1430519
TI  - Implications of geriatric concepts for the prosthodontic curriculum.

PMID- 1430520
TI  - Setting a standard on the pilot National Board Dental Examination.
AB  - Norm-referenced and criterion-referenced approaches to setting a standard, or
      minimum passing score, were used with the pilot Part II National Board Dental
      Examination. The criterion-referenced approach used with the pilot is based on
      the Rasch measurement model. The standards and associated failure rates were
      found to be similar for both approaches. These findings as well as the advantages
      associated with using the Rasch model suggest that this criterion-referenced
      approach to setting a standard on the restructured Part II examination is
      appropriate.

PMID- 1430522
TI  - A survey of Nebraska high school guidance counselors concerning student
      recruitment in dental education.

PMID- 1430521
TI  - The influence of advanced general dentistry training on practice patterns of Iowa
      dental graduates.

PMID- 1430523
TI  - Teaching photography in dental schools.

PMID- 1430525
TI  - Is a career in research oriented academics for you?

PMID- 1430524
TI  - Statement on the dedication of SUNY-Stony Brook's new building for the School of
      Dental Medicine.

PMID- 1430526
TI  - Curriculum guidelines for postdoctoral oral diagnosis/oral medicine. Section on
      Oral Diagnosis/Oral Medicine of the American Association of Dental Schools and
      the Organization of Teachers of Oral Diagnosis.

PMID- 1430527
TI  - Curriculum guidelines for predoctoral oral pathology. Section on Pathology of the
      American Association of Dental Schools.

PMID- 1430528
TI  - Dental students' self-assessed competence in geriatric dentistry.
AB  - This study measured the self-assessed confidence levels of four classes of dental
      students (n = 172) exposed to both didactic and clinical training regarding
      geriatric patients. It was found that after completing a two-term (20-week)
      didactic course in their junior year, and a five-week clinical course with
      geriatric patients in their senior year, dental students graduating from this
      university between 1987 and 1990 perceived significant improvements in their
      abilities to manage geriatric patients in all areas assessed, most notably in
      their treatment planning skills, in coordinating preventive dentistry programs,
      in referring patients to appropriate community resources, and in providing dental
      care in alternative settings. Greatest self-assessed improvements were exhibited
      between pre-didactic and post-didactic assessments, with a tendency to stabilize
      rather than improve after the clinical experience. Interestingly, this study
      found that the students' self-assessed changes between post-didactic training and
      post-clinical training were significant in only one area--their ability to manage
      the medical emergencies of elderly patients, including a patient's death in the
      dental chair. No differences were found between students who completed the
      clinical course early in their senior year with those who took it later; nor did
      differences emerge among the four classes. Clinical teaching in geriatrics may be
      an opportunity to practice skills and reinforce knowledge that has been gained in
      didactic courses, not necessarily a place to enhance perceived competence.

PMID- 1430529
TI  - Determinants of dentists' geographic distribution.
AB  - Practice location may have greater economic importance today for dental students
      and dentists who are considering relocation and/or expansion to new sites than in
      the past. Yet, a literature review easily leads to the inference that practice
      location decisions are far too complicated and individualistic for there to be
      any systematic pattern of dentists' geographic distribution. This paper specifies
      and estimates an economic model that attempts to explain the distribution of
      dentists in particular market areas in the state of Connecticut and to test the
      hypothesis that the distribution, rather than exhibiting randomness, adheres to
      the prediction of theory. The findings show that the geographic distribution of
      dentists is significantly related to a few key variables. Given these results,
      and because this model can be applied to other areas and uses data that are
      readily available for any market area, it may be useful for educators involved in
      helping dental students with their practice location decisions.

PMID- 1430531
TI  - Preliminary evaluation of an educational outcomes assessment process for dental
      interpretive radiography.

PMID- 1430530
TI  - Instrument effects on smoothness discrimination.
AB  - Dental and dental hygiene faculty must select instruments to be used for root
      surface evaluation during scaling and root planing procedures. Because little
      information has been reported comparing the effectiveness of various instruments
      for this task, selection is based on subjective opinions. This study examined
      differences in the ability of 30 experienced and 32 inexperienced dental hygiene
      clinicians to differentiate degrees of surface smoothness using five different
      dental instruments. The relative smoothness test consisted of a set of ten paired
      abrasive strips of different or the same grit size. Repeated measures ANOVA
      revealed significance for both main effects, instrument used and experience
      level. All subjects made more correct assessments with the Williams probe, 3A
      explorer and Moffitt-MD probe than with the #17 explorer. There was no
      significant difference between the 3CH explorer and the other four instruments.
      Experienced clinicians scored significantly higher than students on the relative
      smoothness test. Instrument selection could affect the end products achieved by
      clinicians, as well as affecting validity and reliability of current clinical
      evaluation mechanisms.

PMID- 1430532
TI  - Long-term retention after self-instructional methods.

PMID- 1430533
TI  - Faculty participation as students in dental school academic programs.

PMID- 1430534
TI  - An introductory course in dental computing and research methods.

PMID- 1430535
TI  - Curriculum guidelines for neuroanatomy. Section on Anatomical Sciences of the
      American Association of Dental Schools.

PMID- 1430536
TI  - Curriculum guidelines for predoctoral biochemistry. Section on Biochemistry and
      Nutrition of the American Association of Dental Schools.

PMID- 1430537
TI  - Curriculum guidelines for predoctoral periodontics. Section on Periodontics of
      the American Association of Dental Schools.

PMID- 1430538
TI  - Trichloroacetic acid peel of molluscum contagiosum in immunocompromised patients.
AB  - Seven human immunodeficiency virus-(HIV) positive patients with biopsy proved
      extensive facial molluscum contagiosum were treated with trichloroacetic acid
      peels. Peels were performed with 25 to 50% trichloroacetic acid (average 35%) and
      were repeated every 2 weeks as needed. A total of 15 peels were performed with an
      average reduction in lesion counts of 40.5% (range 0 to 90%). No spread of
      molluscum lesions, scarring, or secondary infection developed at 2 months' follow
      up. Trichloroacetic acid peeling in concentrations of 35% or less appears to be a
      safe, effective, adjuvant therapy in the treatment of extensive molluscum
      contagiosum in immunocompromised patients.

PMID- 1430539
TI  - EMLA. A new and effective topical anesthetic.
AB  - A eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (EMLA) contains 2.5% lidocaine and 2.5%
      prilocaine in an oil and water emulsion and has been found to give effective,
      safe analgesia on normal and diseased skin, making it useful for numerous medical
      and surgical procedures, such as anesthesia for superficial surgery, split
      thickness skin grafts, venipuncture, argon laser treatment, epilation, and
      debridement of infected ulcers. Other indications have included use in
      postherpetic neuralgia, hyperhidrosis, painful ulcers, and inhibition of itching
      and burning. To be effective, EMLA should ideally be applied to the desired area
      for at least 1 hour under an occlusive dressing. The medication has been approved
      since May 1991 in Canada for use on intact skin and has been available in Europe
      for many years. This study discusses the background, efficacy, and current and
      potential uses of EMLA.

PMID- 1430540
TI  - Restoration of curved earlobe configuration with scar tissue advancement flap
      combined with second-intention wound healing.
AB  - Reconstruction of earlobe curvature in a scar-deformed and displaced earlobe was
      accomplished by a combination of 1) hypertrophic scar debulking, 2) partial
      defect closure by scar tissue flap advancement to re-establish the cephalic
      extent of the neck at the infralobular crease, and 3) second-intention healing of
      the noncovered lower earlobe, preserving its surgically re-established curved
      configuration. Although this article specifically addresses scarring deformities
      of the earlobe, the same principles could be applied to congenital,
      noncicatricial tenting deformities.

PMID- 1430541
TI  - Efficacy of double gloving as a protection against blood exposure in dermatologic
      surgery.
AB  - Double gloving has been widely suggested as a means of decreasing exposure to
      blood and other body fluids. However, most dermatologists do not routinely follow
      this practice when performing surgical procedures because it reduces manual
      dexterity and increases costs. To determine whether double gloving should be
      routinely practiced in dermatologic surgery, pairs of sterile surgical gloves
      worn during weekly UCLA dermatologic surgery clinics were collected over a period
      of 3 months and examined for perforations. The procedures gloves were used for
      ranged from excision of benign lesions, lasting 15 minutes, to hair transplants,
      lasting 3 hours. Upon completion of the procedures, 8 (5.5%) of 144 pairs of
      single gloves, 2 (3.7%) of 54 pairs of double inner gloves, and 3 (5.5%) of 54
      pairs of double outer gloves were found to have perforations. There were no
      instances of both the double outer and the double inner gloves having
      perforations when worn on the same hand. This suggests that double gloving offers
      a protective advantage by providing extra protection for both the surgeon and the
      patient during dermatologic surgery.

PMID- 1430542
TI  - Dissecting folliculitis of the scalp. A case report of combined treatment using
      tissue expansion, radical excision, and isotretinoin.
AB  - Dissecting folliculitis of the scalp can develop into an extensive, hypertrophic
      scarred lesion that is unresponsive to routine treatment. In these situations,
      radical excision of the affected area and concurrent perioperative treatment with
      isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) may be effective. The authors describe a
      case, illustrating the successful clinical application of this technique.

PMID- 1430543
TI  - Predisposing factors of varicose and telangiectatic leg veins.
AB  - Presented is an epidemiologic study on predisposing factors in telangiectatic and
      varicose leg veins on 500 female patients. Genetic predisposition,
      hyperestrogenemic states, standing vocations, and obesity were found to be the
      major predisposing factors. Recognition of these factors may help to prevent
      further progression of proliferative venous disease after sclerotherapy in
      susceptible individuals.

PMID- 1430544
TI  - Influence of estrogens and progesterone on the venous system of the lower limbs
      in women.
AB  - Treatments with estrogens and progestogens are suspected of causing vascular
      complications either directly or by metabolic consequences. Although many studies
      have demonstrated an increased incidence of arterial and deep venous thrombosis,
      since 1970 the dose of estrogens and progesterones have been lowered with a
      proportional lowering of side effects. After classification of estrogens and
      progestogens, we studied their peripheral vascular effects. In our study, we
      demonstrated that the effects of estroprogestogen treatment on the superficial
      venous system depend on the dose of estrogen and progestogen.

PMID- 1430545
TI  - Recurrent varicose veins. Part 2: Injection of incompetent perforating veins
      using ultrasound guidance.
AB  - Treatment options following duplex evaluation of recurrent varicose veins are
      discussed and a method of injecting incompetent perforating veins using
      ultrasound guidance is described. The results of duplex evaluation 6 months
      postinjection using this technique are presented. These early results indicate
      that sclerosant injection employing ultrasound guidance is an effective and safe
      method of treating incompetent perforating veins.

PMID- 1430546
TI  - Modifications of electrosurgery electrodes.
AB  - Dermatologists often find that electrosurgical electrodes that are commercially
      available do not always suit their specific clinical requirements. Some
      physicians modify electrodes to achieve specific electrosurgical effects. The
      more popular modifications have given rise to new varieties of commercially
      available electrodes.

PMID- 1430547
TI  - Stents for nasal vestibule.
AB  - A method employing vinyl polysiloxane and polyethylene chemical tubing to make
      nasal stents is described. Vinyl polysiloxane stents, when well molded, are
      comfortable and easily tolerated. The technique has been useful for maintaining
      patent nares and enhancing graft viability.

PMID- 1430548
TI  - Running vertical mattress suturing technique.
AB  - The running vertical mattress suturing technique is a quick and simple method of
      providing skin edge eversion that is equivalent to the simple vertical mattress
      technique. The running stitch is relatively easy to master and provides excellent
      apposition of wound edges.

PMID- 1430549
TI  - Iontophoretic administration of lidocaine anesthesia in office practice. An
      appraisal.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Obtaining anesthesia for dermatologic, office-based surgeries often
      involves the pain of needle stick and burning upon injection of local anesthetic
      agents. No truly effective method for obtaining painless anesthesia is well
      accepted in the United States. OBJECTIVE: A study was carried out using
      iontophoresis of lidocaine with epinephrine to determine the practicality of this
      method of delivering local anesthesia prior to invasive procedures in dermatology
      offices. METHODS: A two-center, open-label study was undertaken using
      iontophoretic administration of 4% lidocaine with epinephrine 1:50,000 before
      painful procedures occurring in the dermatologists' office. RESULTS: Ninety-four
      procedures in 64 patients were evaluated. Both patients and physicians recorded
      51% of procedures as painless, 36% as minor (partial), and 14% causing moderate
      to severe pain. Iontophoretic local anesthesia was 80 to 100% effective for pain
      relief for injections, abrasions, laser surgery, and cautery; it was
      significantly less effective in effecting pain relief for dermal excisions.
      CONCLUSIONS: Iontophoretic administration of anesthesia is a useful adjunct to
      the armamentarium of dermatologists performing surgical procedures in their
      office.

PMID- 1430550
TI  - Single hair transplantation using the Choi hair transplanter.
AB  - A new procedure for single hair transplantation using the Choi hair transplanter
      is presented. This operation provides obvious cosmetic advantages in hairline
      refinement and the reconstruction of eyebrows, eyelashes, beards, and pubic
      escutcheon. The surgical technique is described in detail.

PMID- 1430551
TI  - Primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma. Diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: An elderly woman with B-cell lymphoma confined to the skin of the
      lower extremity was treated with combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
      She relapsed with new skin lesions outside the original radiation port that
      responded to additional radiation therapy and remains in remission 12 months
      after her last treatment. OBJECTIVE: This article investigates the diagnosis,
      treatment, and prognosis of primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma. METHODS: The
      relevant literature was researched through computer data bases and
      bibliographies. RESULTS: Patients who present with localized lesions of primary
      cutaneous B-cell lymphoma have a favorable prognosis regardless of the type of
      therapy, although relapses may occur in the absence of systemic disease.
      CONCLUSION: We advocate the use of local therapies as initial treatment in
      patients with localized primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma.

PMID- 1430552
TI  - Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) ploidy and proliferative characteristics of
      metastatic squamous cell carcinoma determined by flow cytometric analysis.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) index and the proliferative index
      (the fraction of cells in the S phase) can be independent prognostic indicators
      of the biologic aggressiveness of certain malignant neoplasms. OBJECTIVE: To
      determine whether the DNA index or proliferative index could predict metastases
      in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: Nineteen different metastases from
      15 patients with primary cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were reviewed,
      graded, and had DNA proliferative indexing performed by fluorescent activated
      cytometry. A control group of 13 patients with primary cutaneous SCC without
      metastases were studied in a similar manner. RESULTS: No significant difference
      between the metastatic and the nonmetastatic SCC groups for either DNA index or
      proliferative index (non-paired t-test) was observed. No correlative association
      with histologic grading with DNA index or proliferative index was observed for
      either group. CONCLUSION: We conclude that aneuploidy and S-phase fraction by
      fluorescent activated cytometry are not significant predictors of potential
      metastases in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

PMID- 1430553
TI  - Microlipoinjection for the elevation of depressed full-thickness skin grafts on
      the nose.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Full-thickness skin grafts on the dorsum of the nose may heal
      depressed and might benefit from elevation. Microlipoinjection has been used to
      elevate depressed tissue; however, the long-term persistence of the augmentation
      is questioned. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether microlipoinjection beneath
      depressed full-thickness grafts on the dorsum of the nose can provide effective
      and persistent graft elevation. METHODS: Microlipoinjection was performed at one
      to three sessions under depressed full-thickness skin grafts on the nose of four
      patients. Their appearance was assessed clinically and photographically for the
      amount of correction at their last postmicrolipoinjection visit. RESULTS: All
      four patients had clinically significant elevation of their full-thickness skin
      graft. In the two patients followed for over 3 years, significant augmentation
      persisted. CONCLUSION: Microlipoinjection can provide cosmetically useful soft
      tissue augmentation under depressed full-thickness skin grafts; this augmentation
      can persist.

PMID- 1430554
TI  - The importance of bicarbonate in large volume anesthetic preparations. Revisiting
      the tumescent formula.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The tumescent local anesthetic approach is now being used more widely
      in dermatologic surgery. Although the original formula contains 12.5 mEq sodium
      bicarbonate per 50 mL of lidocaine, traditionally buffered solutions contain 1
      mEq per 10 mL. OBJECTIVE: This study examines the effects of changing the
      concentrations of sodium bicarbonate in the tumescent formula. METHODS: Various
      concentrations of sodium bicarbonate in tumescent anesthetic preparations were
      measured for pH. RESULTS: Tumescent anesthetic preparations containing 5 mEq/L
      have a more physiologic pH (7.41) than the classic formula of 12.5 mEq/L (7.73).
      Clinical use of this reduced sodium bicarbonate solution showed no difference
      from the original formula. CONCLUSIONS: Sodium bicarbonate can be used in a 1 mEq
      per 10 mL of lidocaine ratio similar to other buffered anesthetic solutions. This
      solution is physiologic in pH. However, some thought should also be given to the
      pKa of lidocaine, which is at pH 7.9. To achieve this even higher concentration
      (20 mEq/L) bicarbonate must be added to the tumescent solution. Thought must be
      given to these concepts when tumescent solutions are used in large volumes.

PMID- 1430555
TI  - Scar wars strategies. Target collagen.
AB  - Hypertrophic scarring and keloid formation are clinical problems with effectively
      limited solutions. Although numerous methods have been devised to combat them,
      this article focuses on promising pharmacologic strategies that target collagen
      metabolism. Laboratory investigations of amino-acid analogs, procollagen
      peptides, D-penicillamine, and pentoxifylline have demonstrated them to be
      effective inhibitors of collagen synthesis in cultured cells and/or in animal
      models. Clinical trials of intralesional administration of interferons have shown
      impressive reductions in the size and collagen production of keloids.
      Furthermore, interference of extracellular matrix-enhancing cytokines, such as
      TGF-beta, may be an effective solution to keloids and hypertrophic scars.
      Additional research of soluble cytokine receptors, autoantibodies to cytokines,
      cytokine receptor antagonists, and cytokine-binding molecules may lead to the
      development of better therapeutic agents.

PMID- 1430556
TI  - The postoperative use of wound adhesives. Gum mastic versus benzoin, USP.
AB  - Our results, combined with the work of previous authors, show that gum mastic not
      only offers superior adhesive qualities compared with benzoin, USP but also has a
      lower incidence of postoperative contact dermatitis and subsequent skin
      discoloration. In light of the widespread use of surgical adhesives, this study
      is important in documenting the low incidence of complications and the advantages
      of gum mastic compared with benzoin, USP.

PMID- 1430557
TI  - Modified electrosurgical adapters.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Allegedly because of concerns over worker safety in removing spent
      needles from the Bernsco adapter a new, modified Luer-lok adapter has been
      introduced by the manufacturer. However, the new adapter frequently holds needles
      too loosely. OBJECTIVE: To introduce a modification of the original adapter
      design. METHODS: The end to be inserted into the needle hub was hollowed and
      trisected to allow flexibility of the phalanges. A small hole is drilled in the
      distal shaft to allow the placement of a spiral wire, allowing a snug fit even in
      older, well used electrosurgical handles. CONCLUSION: The modified
      electrosurgical adapter may facilitate needle removal and increase surety of fit
      with most electrosurgical handles.

PMID- 1430558
TI  - Alginates. A "new" dressing alternative.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Currently, a wide variety of bio-occlusive dressing materials are
      available. In general, these dressing materials provide a moist wound healing
      environment that has been shown to promote healing in both human and animal
      studies. To effectively use these dressings the clinician must have a full
      understanding of the properties of the materials as well as the pathophysiology
      of the particular wound. Most recently, a "new" biosynthetic dressing material,
      the alginates, has become available. OBJECTIVE: To highlight proper use of
      alginate dressings for the management of acute and chronic wounds. METHODS: Case
      study and literature review. RESULTS: Alginates were shown to be effective in a
      wide variety of acute and chronic wounds. CONCLUSION: Alginates possess several
      unique properties that should prove useful to the dermatologic surgeon as well as
      the dermatologist. Proper patient selection and use of this "new" dressing
      material, as well as a review of the literature is presented.

PMID- 1430559
TI  - The paramedian scalp reduction with posterior Z-plasty. A technique to minimize
      the "slot" defect.
AB  - BACKGROUND: One consistent and undesired sequela resulting from scalp reductions
      has been the "slot" or "trough" defect, referring to the scar following the final
      reduction. Attempts to correct this have not been entirely satisfactory.
      OBJECTIVE: To present an approach to minimize the "slot" defect that consists of
      staged modified paramedian scalp reductions combined with a large posterior Z
      plasty during the final reduction. METHODS: A paramedian crescent-shaped ellipse
      was marked onto the patient's scalp parallel and adjacent to the existing fringe
      hair. Subsequent reductions were performed in a similar manner approximately 2
      months apart. The final reduction consisted of mobilization and transposition of
      the large flaps used in the posterior Z-plasty. RESULTS: Patients who underwent
      the staged modified paramedian reductions combined with a posterior Z-plasty had
      significant minimization and adequate camouflage of the undesirable "slot."
      CONCLUSION: Combining a large posterior Z-plasty with a paramedian reduction
      minimizes the slot defect.

PMID- 1430560
TI  - Fixed-tissue micrographic surgery in the treatment of cutaneous melanoma. An
      overlooked cancer treatment strategy.
AB  - Many physicians have overlooked the value of adding zinc chloride tissue fixation
      prior to Mohs micrographic surgery, partly because of the absence of randomized
      clinical comparison trials. Nevertheless, historic control data indicate a
      survival benefit in the treatment of cutaneous melanoma. Three possible
      mechanisms are: 1) prevention of release of viable cells into circulation during
      surgery, 2) avoidance of disruption of clinically invisible satellite deposits,
      and 3) stimulation of a local inflammatory reaction and possible immune response.

PMID- 1430561
TI  - Special issue: Oculopastic surgery.

PMID- 1430562
TI  - Eyelid anatomy.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The following anatomic information concerning the complex structure
      of the eyelids is distilled from gross and histologic study as well as surgical
      experience. OBJECTIVE: Our aim is to familiarize the reader with eyelid anatomy.
      CONCLUSION: Appropriate shape, contour, height and mobility of the lids are
      essential to adequate protection and function of the eyes as well as overall
      appearance. A thorough understanding of eyelid anatomy is therefore necessary to
      achieve optimal surgical results. For the purpose of this discussion the eyelids
      can be divided into the following structural planes: 1) skin and subcutaneous
      tissue; 2) orbicularis muscle and submuscular fibroadipose layer; 3) orbital
      septum; 4) preaponeurotic fat; 5) eyelid retractors; and 6) the tarsi and
      conjunctiva.

PMID- 1430563
TI  - Oculoplastic surgery. An overview.
AB  - BACKGROUND. The interface between the subspecialties of dermatologic surgery and
      oculoplastic surgery is broad. However, there are many commonly seen oculoplastic
      conditions that are not foremost in the mind of the dermatologic surgeon.
      OBJECTIVES. Common oculoplastic problems are detailed in this article and should
      provide the reader with a basis for understanding the wide spectrum of
      oculoplastic problems encountered in practice.

PMID- 1430564
TI  - Lumps and bumps of the eyelids and their management.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Tumors of the eyelids, because of their location and variety, can
      present management problems. OBJECTIVE: To describe tumors of the eyelid, their
      identification, and their management. CONCLUSION: All tumors and inflammations of
      the lids, except those that are easily diagnosed, should be biopsied and sent for
      histologic administration.

PMID- 1430565
TI  - Benign eyelid lesions.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Benign eyelid lesions include a diverse group of tumors, infections,
      and degenerative lesions that require specialized care for identification and
      treatment. OBJECTIVE: Diagnosis of benign eyelid lesions based on their clinical
      characteristics with pathological confirmation by biopsy where indicated.
      METHODS: Clinical evaluation, biopsy, and treatment with medication, surgery, and
      laser surgery are utilized. RESULTS: Improvement or complete resolution of these
      eyelid lesions is possible. CONCLUSION: Special care is necessary to avoid ocular
      complications that could compromise vision, comfort, and cosmesis.

PMID- 1430566
TI  - Malignant lesions of the eyelids.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The ocular adnexal area contains virtually every tissue type; nearly
      any type of malignant tumor may develop in this area. However, the vast majority
      of malignant eyelid tumors are carcinomas. Three types of carcinomas produce most
      of the malignancies in this group. They are: basal cell carcinomas, squamous cell
      carcinomas, and sebaceous cell carcinomas. OBJECTIVE: The management of these
      three tumors is discussed. METHODS: A review of current treatment options for
      eyelid malignancies was performed. RESULTS: A summary of the current treatment of
      the three most common eyelid carcinomas is discussed. CONCLUSION: With early
      recognition and appropriate management of eyelid malignancies, an extremely
      favorable prognosis can be obtained. The management is twofold and consists of
      curing the patient of the malignancy and then restoring the form and function of
      the eyelid in order to save the eye if possible.

PMID- 1430567
TI  - Closure of eyelid defects.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Repair of eyelid defects can be achieved by an array of procedures.
      OBJECTIVE: To provide a basic approach to repairing eyelid defects. METHODS:
      Defects are categorized by size. The method of repair for each defect is
      described. CONCLUSION: By selecting the proper method of closure, with due
      consideration of the size, location, and configuration of the defect, the
      cutaneous surgeon can repair eyelid defects whilst maintaining the best possible
      function and cosmetic appearance.

PMID- 1430568
TI  - Periocular flaps.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Most flaps used in periocular reconstruction are random pattern
      flaps. OBJECTIVE: To discuss the principles of periocular flaps as they relate to
      oculoplastic surgery, with an emphasis on reconstruction of the eyelids and
      ocular adnexa. METHODS: The advantages, disadvantages, and techniques of
      reconstruction are reviewed. CONCLUSION: The ability to conceptualize and utilize
      flaps in periocular surgery enormously extends the surgeon's capabilities to
      produce optimal results for the patient.

PMID- 1430569
TI  - Lateral canthoplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND. Lateral canthoplasty is one of the most valuable procedures in
      ophthalmic plastic surgery and has a variety of indications. These include the
      repair of ectropion, paralytic lagophthalmos, and eyelid retraction. The
      procedure can also be used in the prevention of some of the above entities, in
      the delivery of orbital tumors, and is a valuable adjunct in lower
      blepharoplasty. The tarsal strip procedure is probably the most popular technique
      of horizontal shortening of the eyelid. OBJECTIVE. Indications for this procedure
      are reviewed. The technique as I perform it is described in detail.

PMID- 1430570
TI  - Considerations in aesthetic eyelid surgery.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Successful aesthetic eyelid surgery is based upon multiple complex
      factors that, when put together, yield a pleasing result. Beauty is inherently
      related to normal eyelid function and symmetry. OBJECTIVE: To review the critical
      issues facing the aesthetic surgeon, and to propose a systematic method of
      assessing the patient preoperatively. METHODS: This article first examines the
      general considerations for aesthetic eyelid surgery, followed by specific
      concerns within each anatomic area. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The critical task in
      aesthetic eyelid surgery is to reconstitute or preserve the normal structure and
      function of the eyelids. This is especially true in the multicontoured areas. It
      is essential for the surgeon to define the problems in a hierarchal fashion, and
      plan the surgery accordingly. Thus, not all patients can achieve the desired
      results in one sitting. The goal of aesthetic surgery is to avoid the telltale
      signs of surgery and to help the patient attain a youthful and energetic
      appearance for his or her age bracket.

PMID- 1430571
TI  - Upper eyelid blepharoplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The surgical removal of redundant upper eyelid skin along with the
      excision of prolapsed anterior orbital fat is one of the most popular elective
      cosmetic surgical procedures performed today. OBJECTIVE: To provide a brief
      overview of patient selection and upper eyelid blepharoplasty technique.
      CONCLUSION: Through careful patient selection and preoperative evaluation in
      addition to a thorough knowledge of eyelid and orbital anatomy, good outcomes
      from upper eyelid blepharoplasty can be obtained.

PMID- 1430572
TI  - Lower eyelid blepharoplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Lower eyelid blepharoplasty is a frequently performed procedure to
      reverse partially gravitational aging effects on eyelid tissues. Careful
      planning, proper execution, and appropriate management of potential postoperative
      complications will generally result in a happy and satisfied patient. However, in
      any surgical procedure that is primarily aesthetic in nature, the surgeon needs
      to be constantly aware of factors that may compromise the functional integrity of
      the eyelid. A patient with altered visual function or ocular discomfort is no
      longer primarily concerned about the final aesthetic appearance of even the most
      perfectly executed, technically correct blepharoplasty procedure. OBJECTIVE: To
      describe the preoperative evaluation, surgical technique, and postoperative
      complications of lower eyelid blepharoplasty. Specific attention will be given to
      lower eyelid retraction and ectropion following blepharoplasty. CONCLUSION:
      Successful lower eyelid blepharoplasty surgery can be a source of both patient
      and physician satisfaction. As long as patient expectations are consistent with
      realistic surgical goals, lower eyelid blepharoplasty is an important aspect of
      overall facial aesthetic surgery.

PMID- 1430573
TI  - The preseptal and the retroseptal approaches in transconjunctival blepharoplasty.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although transconjunctival blepharoplasty was first described in the
      beginning of this century, it did not start to become popular until recently.
      OBJECTIVE: To describe the best approaches to transconjunctival blepharoplasty
      and their applications. CONCLUSIONS: There are two distinct approaches in this
      technique: the preseptal and the retroseptal. While not easier in execution, and
      at times it can be more difficult than the transcutaneous approach, the
      transconjunctival blepharoplasty has definite advantages. It belongs in the
      armamentarium of surgical procedures of all physicians performing cosmetic
      surgery.

PMID- 1430574
TI  - Nuances in ophthalmic plastic surgery. A dermatologic surgeon's perspective.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Presented several nuances in the performance of cosmetic upper,
      lower, and lateral eyelid surgery. OBJECTIVE: To provide slight modifications in
      the performance of cosmetic upper and lower eyelid surgery that may be timesaving
      and outcome-enhancing. Lateral eyelid tightening is discussed. The expected
      outcomes and best candidates for surgery are also described. METHODS: Methods
      vary with the individual procedure. However, expertise in the traditional methods
      of cosmetic eyelid surgery is integral to success with the modified techniques.
      RESULTS: Results vary with the individual procedure, the surgeon's expectations,
      and the surgeon's interpretation of the patient's expectations, as well as other
      factors. CONCLUSION: Modifications of traditional cosmetic eyelid surgical
      procedures may benefit the patient following careful planning and technique
      execution.

PMID- 1430575
TI  - Complications of blepharoplasty and their management.
AB  - BACKGROUND. Blepharoplasty is the most frequently performed cosmetic procedure on
      the face. Although complications are rare, their consequences can be devastating
      both the for patient and the surgeon. OBJECTIVE. The complications of
      blepharoplasty and their management are reviewed.

PMID- 1430577
TI  - [Body temperature, internal energy and the probability of the existence of warm
      blooded animals and man].
AB  - Based on statistical peculiarities of the existence of two-leveled thermodynamic
      systems, it was shown that the probability of existence for warm-blooded
      organisms is determined by body temperature, energy of metabolism, and
      thermodynamic potentials of critical increase and decrease in the body
      temperature. It was established that the dynamics of human death rate from the
      birth to extreme old age is conditioned by age-related changes in the energy of
      metabolism. It was shown that maintenance of the metabolic level in aging is very
      important for the life prolongation.

PMID- 1430579
TI  - [The bilateral asymmetry of the number of bristles in Drosophila occurring under
      the influence of methotrexate].
AB  - The data are analyzed on the bilateral asymmetry of the number of dorsal and
      scutellar chaeta observed under the action of methotrexate in Drosophila of wild
      strain. It was shown that the incidence of asymmetric specimens induced by
      methotrexate was abruptly increased as compared to the control. The asymmetry was
      found to have a statistically significant trend to left side both of the control
      and the variants of treatment. There was no sex difference revealed between
      targets of the asymmetry.

PMID- 1430578
TI  - [A symmetrical approach to the analysis of cardiocyte electrical and contractile
      activity].
AB  - Based on the systemic symmetrical approach, experimentally determined parameters
      of action potential and contractile response of frog myocardial strip were
      analyzed prior to and after the administration of several physiologically active
      drugs (caffeine, neoepinephrine, nembutal, ouabain) into the perfusate. It was
      shown that the satisfactory functional state of preparation was characterized by
      an interrelation between parameters in the form of a harmonic proportion with
      relatively constant coefficient. When the functional state of subject is affected
      by a physiologically active substance, the interrelation between the parameters
      is considerably changed. Based on the analysis of the data of literature, it was
      found that the interrelation between temporary parameters of action potential in
      various structures from human heart has the form of a harmonic proportion with a
      constant coefficient close to the invariant of "Gold Wurf" proportion. The
      similarity is underlined of principles of cardiac function temporary arrangement
      at levels of cell, organ and organism.

PMID- 1430576
TI  - [The effect of chemotherapy on the total unsaturation and composition of plasma
      phospholipids and erythrocytes in patients with disseminated breast cancer].
AB  - The total unsaturation and composition of blood phospholipids were studied in
      patients with disseminated breast cancer prior to and after chemotherapy. It was
      shown that the level of double bonds in blood lipids was quite definitely related
      to the effect of treatment and may have an independent prognostic significance. A
      correlation was established between the survival of patients and the character of
      changes in the level of double bonds after chemotherapy. The treatment did not
      influence the relative content of different fractions and the oxidizability of
      plasma phospholipids and erythrocytes.

PMID- 1430580
TI  - [The technology for isolating the avian myeloblastosis virus in high titers from
      leukosis-free chicks].
AB  - In order to enhance the outcome of high-quality reverse transcriptase enzyme, an
      efficient biotechnology was developed of accumulating and isolating the avian
      myeloblastosis virus (AMV) in high titres from blood plasma of leukosis-free
      chickens. When commercial chickens are infected in most sensitive one-day age,
      the virus titre does not exceed the value of 10(12) particles per 1 ml of plasma.
      We used 3-4-day old leukosis free chickens and achieved a stable average titre of
      the virus of 5.10(12) particles/ml due to adaptation of the virus to such
      chickens and their selection for a high sensitivity to AMV.

PMID- 1430581
TI  - Breathing pattern analysis.

PMID- 1430582
TI  - Protein C and S deficiency in severe infectious purpura of children: a
      collaborative study of 40 cases.
AB  - We studied, in 40 children (mean age: 52 months) with severe infectious purpura,
      the relationships between protein C (PC) and protein S (PS) levels, and shock,
      disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and outcome. We determined, on
      admission, PC antigen (ELISA) and activity (chromogenic test), and total PS
      (ELISA). Results were expressed as % of normal adult values. Statistical analysis
      was performed with SAS. Thirty children were in shock, 20 had DIC. All children
      with DIC, and 10 without DIC were in shock. Of 20 children who were in shock and
      had DIC, 7 died and 3 had an amputation. PC antigen was significantly decreased
      in shock children (p less than 0.05), in children with DIC (p less than 0.0005),
      and in non-survivors (p less than 0.05). PC activity was significantly decreased
      in shock children (p less than 0.05), in children with DIC (p less than 0.0005),
      and in non-survivors (p less than 0.005). Total PS was not decreased in shock
      children, but was significantly decreased in children with DIC (p less than
      0.005), and in non-survivors (p less than 0.005). We conclude that PC and PS
      levels were decreased in our children, and that PC levels were significantly
      decreased in the presence of shock, DIC, and fatal outcome. PC and antithrombin
      III (AT III) supplementation, should be evaluated in children with severe
      infectious purpura with shock and DIC.

PMID- 1430583
TI  - Oxygen consumption after cardiac surgery--a comparison between calculation by
      Fick's principle and measurement by indirect calorimetry.
AB  - Oxygen consumption calculated by Fick's principle (cVO2) was compared to oxygen
      consumption measured (mVO2) by indirect calorimetry (Deltatrac Metabolic
      Computer) in 10 patients in the post-operative period after cardiac surgery. For
      50 pairs of measurements the mean difference (mVO2-cVO2) was 34 +/- 27 ml/min.m2.
      The limits of agreement were -20 ml/min.m2 to 88 ml/min.m2. These results showed
      that cVO2 and mVO2 were not interchangeable in this study.

PMID- 1430584
TI  - Uncertain relevance of gastric colonization in the seriously ill.
AB  - We have studied the temporal relationship for the same micro-organisms between
      gastric colonization and both nasopharyngeal colonization and major clinical
      infections in 100 consecutive, long-stay, intensive care patients. 67% of
      patients developed positive gastric cultures, mainly with aerobic Gram-negative
      bacilli and C. albicans; 33% developed positive nasopharyngeal cultures with
      similar organisms, but in only 8% was the same organism previously cultured from
      the stomach; 48% of patients developed infections, mainly respiratory, but
      commonly with different organisms. The presence of a positive gastric culture was
      not associated with gastric pH, bleeding, severity of illness, or mortality. The
      results fail to confirm that an ascending migration of organisms from the stomach
      is.frequent or that there is a relationship between gastric colonization and
      clinical infections. Firm therapeutic recommendation in these areas may be
      premature.

PMID- 1430585
TI  - Role of selective digestive decontamination (SDD) in the prevention of nosocomial
      pneumonia (NP): is gastric decontamination necessary?
AB  - In the course of a prospective selective digestive decontamination (SDD) trial to
      prevent nosocomial pneumonia (NP) during mechanical ventilation (MV), we carried
      out serial cultures of gastric aspirate to assess the importance of gastric
      colonization for potential respiratory pathogens and its relationship to the
      simultaneous gastric pH, to whether the patients were receiving Sucralfate or
      Ranitidine and to the nutritional biochemical parameters. If NP developed, a
      bronchial sample was taken by fibreoptic bronchoscopy to determine the causal
      organisms and its relationship to the previous gastric isolated. Results show: 1)
      Increase in aerobic Gram negative bacilli colonization during hospitalization. 2)
      Direct relationship between colonization level and gastric pH. 3) Greater pH in
      ranitidine vs sucralfate group. 4) Low incidence of NP (11%), the majority of
      these (66%) being early. 5) No bacteriological correlation between gastric
      colonization and aetiological agents of NP. 6) Close relationship between
      pharyngeal colonization and causative germs of pulmonary infection (40%).

PMID- 1430586
TI  - Reestimation of the effects of inorganic phosphates on the equilibrium between
      oxygen and hemoglobin.
AB  - In a previous paper, published in this journal, we showed that the data obtained
      in patients with severe ketoacidosis suggest that inorganic phosphates (K2HPO4)
      can increase their P50 and therefore enhance tissue oxygenation without
      concomitant alteration of the 2,3 diphosphoglycerate (DPG). In order to test the
      hypothesis that K2HPO4 could influence the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve (ODC)
      by a mecanism which was not DPG mediated we have measured the total ODC on whole
      blood with and without addition of 13-80 mmol/l of inorganic phosphates. On
      average, the level of DPG remained unchanged when the P50 with K2HPO4 was
      significantly higher (p greater than 0.001) (P50 = 29.9 +/- 3.7 mmHg) than when
      phosphates were not administered (P50 = 25.5 +/- 2.8 mmHg). The relationship
      between P50 (mmHg) and K2HPO4 (= X mmol/l) was delta P50 = -2.97 10(-3)(X)2
      +0.26(X)-0.42 (r = 0.78). Seeing that phosphates have an immediate action on the
      ODC, we calculated in our ketoacidosis patients, the relationship between the
      P50, the inorganic phosphates (P(i) in mg%) and the DPG in mumol/gHb. Both
      factors exert a highly significant effect (p less than 0.001) on the P50,
      according to the following equation: P50 = 0.35 DPG +0.26 P(i) + 18.92 (r =
      0.73). Our data are important in two points. First it is useful to add inorganic
      phosphates to the treatment of patients with severe ketoacidosis in order to
      enhance their tissue oxygenation. Second they recall that the ODC is not only
      determined by the classical effects of temperature, pH and DPG but also by
      inorganic anions, like phosphates as described by Benesh and Benesh in their
      pioneering work.

PMID- 1430587
TI  - Tidal volume, breathing frequency, and oxygen consumption at different pressure
      support levels in the early stage of weaning in patients without chronic
      obstructive pulmonary disease.
AB  - The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of different PSV levels
      on VT, F, VO2 in the early weaning phase of patients without chronic obstructive
      pulmonary disease. These parameters were tested for the predictive power for the
      success of the weaning. Patients on SIMV were studied during the first weaning
      attempt with PSV. Depending on their ventilatory support demands after 24 h they
      were divided into responders (patients breathing on CPAP) and nonresponders
      (patients being on a more invasive ventilatory mode). 14 ICU patients without pre
      existing pulmonary disease being ventilated for at least 3 days entered the
      study. 2 of them could be studied a second time after failing the first weaning
      attempt. Beside the level of ventilatory support no other changes (drugs,
      nutrition) were allowed. VO2, VT, F were measured by a computer controlled,
      metabolic unit connected to the expiratory port of a Siemens Servo Ventilator. In
      addition, airway pressures, arterial pressure and heart rate were recorded. The
      measurements were performed at PSV of 5, 10 and 20 cmH2O. Arterial blood-gases
      were drawn at the end of each 60 min lasting PS period. Responders and
      nonresponders could be separated by the response of VO2, VT and F to a change in
      PS 10 to PS 20 cmH2O. Patients who significantly increased VT and significantly
      decreased F did not fulfil our weaning criteria. Our responders did not show a
      significant change in these two parameters, but a significant increase in VO2 at
      PS 20 cmH2O could be observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1430588
TI  - Fat emulsions containing medium chain triglycerides in patients with sepsis
      syndrome: effects on pulmonary hemodynamics and gas exchange.
AB  - Fat emulsions containing medium chain triglycerides (MCT) have recently been
      introduced into clinical practice as a component of total parenteral nutrition.
      Since several authors reported increased pulmonary artery pressure and impaired
      gas exchange during intravenous (i.v.) fat use, in particular in septic patients,
      we studied the pulmonary hemodynamic and gas exchange effects of i.v. fat
      containing MCT and long chain triglycerides (LCT) in patients with sepsis
      syndrome. As the effects of fat emulsions have been attributed to increased
      formation of prostanoids, the production of thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin was
      investigated by the determination of urinary thromboxane B2 and 6-keto
      prostaglandin F2 alpha, respectively. The i.v. fat use did not induce any
      alterations in pulmonary hemodynamics and gas exchange, the distribution of
      ventilation and perfusion nor urinary prostaglandin content. We conclude that fat
      emulsions containing MCT induce little alterations in pulmonary hemodynamics and
      gas exchange. This result is probably due to reduced prostaglandin formation
      because fat emulsions containing MCT provide less prostaglandin precursors than
      pure LCT emulsions.

PMID- 1430589
TI  - High volume hemofiltration improves right ventricular function in endotoxin
      induced shock in the pig.
AB  - This study assessed the influence of continuous high volume hemofiltration on
      right ventricular function of pigs with endotoxin induced shock. Eighteen
      anesthetized and ventilated pigs were studied for 240 min after the start of
      infusion of 0.5 mg/kg endotoxin over 30 min. Right ventricular ejection fraction
      (RVEF) was measured by rapid response thermodilution technique. After endotoxin
      infusion, the pigs were randomly divided into 3 groups: group 1 as a control
      group, receiving endotoxin only, group 2 to observe the effects of zero balance
      high volume veno-venous hemofiltration with removal of ultrafiltrate at a rate of
      6000 ml/h, and group 3 to evaluate the effect of the extracorporeal circuit
      itself on RVEF. The decline of RVEF in group 2 was less than in group 1 (0.04 +/-
      0.02 vs 0.21 +/- 0.03 (mean +/- SEM); p less than 0.001). The decline of RVEF in
      group 3 (0.24 +/- 0.02) was more pronounced than that in group 1 (p less than
      0.05). The differences in the course of RVEF between group 1 and group 2 could
      not be explained by differences in heart rate, preload or afterload. Cardiac
      output and mean arterial pressure were significantly higher in group 2 than in
      group 1 (p less than 0.01). It is concluded that in this model, high volume
      hemofiltration improves RVEF and cardiac performance by removal of vasoactive
      mediators, responsible for myocardial depression.

PMID- 1430590
TI  - Treatment of severe tetanus by intrathecal injections of baclofen without
      artificial ventilation.
AB  - A study was conducted to evaluate repeated intrathecal injections of baclofen,
      without artificial ventilation, in the treatment of severe tetanus. Ten patients,
      5 men and 5 women, with a mean age of 34 +/- 7 years, were included in the study.
      The dose of baclofen injected was 1000 micrograms between the ages of 16 and 55
      years, 800 micrograms over the age of 55 years and 500 micrograms under the age
      of 16 years. The efficacy was assessed on the basis of the resolution of
      contractures and paroxysms and the initial dose was reinjected prior to the
      reappearance of these symptoms. Treatment was discontinued in the case of central
      nervous system depression or inefficacy. The first injection was effective in 9
      cases for 24-48 h. The haemodynamic safety was always good. Five patients
      developed central depression with coma and respiratory depression, requiring
      artificial ventilation in 3 cases and reversed by flumazenil in 2 cases. Five
      patients were treated exclusively with baclofen with 4 cures. Five patients had
      to be ventilated with only one cure. This study confirms earlier studies
      concerning the efficacy of intrathecal baclofen in tetanus. However, the
      frequency of episodes of respiratory depression prevents the recommendation of
      repeated injections when respiratory intensive care facilities are not available.

PMID- 1430591
TI  - Diagnosis of gallbladder perforation in acute acalculous cholecystitis in
      critically ill patients.
AB  - In the presence of ascites ultrasound is not appropriate to distinguish between
      gallbladder perforation and acute acalculous cholecystitis. However, the correct
      and early diagnosis of gallbladder perforation is important for the treatment and
      prognosis. We report 4 critically ill patients with ascites. All patients had
      evidence of gallbladder perforation by ultrasound and underwent cholecystectomy:
      2 patients had gallbladder perforation, but 2 had acalculous cholecystitis
      without perforation. Markedly elevated serum alkaline phosphatase was the only
      discriminating finding indicating gallbladder perforation.

PMID- 1430592
TI  - Severe acute myocardial infarction during a staphylococcal septicemia with
      meningoencephalitis. A possible contraindication to thrombolytic treatment.
AB  - We report the first case of lethal intracranial haemorrhage complicating a
      treatment by rt-PA in a patient presenting with a simultaneous staphylococcal
      septicemia with meningoencephalitis and an acute myocardial infarction with
      cardiogenic shock. The presence of microvascular lesions in the central nervous
      system seems to be important risk factor for intracranial haemorrhage and we
      recommend extreme caution in the use of thrombolytic treatment in septicemic
      patients with acute myocardial infarction, particularly when neurological
      symptoms are present.

PMID- 1430593
TI  - Transient non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema following massive ingestion of ethylene
      glycol butyl ether.
AB  - A case of acute poisoning with ethylene glycol butyl ether (EGBE) is reported in
      a chronic alcohol abuser. On admission the 53-year-old patient was comatose with
      metabolic acidosis, shock, and noncardiogenic pulmonary edema confirmed by
      haemodynamic study. Following supportive treatment and haemodialysis the outcome
      was favorable. The relationship between respiratory failure and EGBE is examined.

PMID- 1430594
TI  - Disturbance of cerebral autoregulation after global ischemia and the stabilizing
      role of adenosine.

PMID- 1430595
TI  - Can purgation therapy be an adjunct to SDD?

PMID- 1430596
TI  - Bradycardias after tracheal disconnection.

PMID- 1430597
TI  - Who was Morton Prince?
AB  - Morton Prince, a Boston neurologist, founded the Journal of Abnormal Psychology
      in 1906 as an outlet especially for those who took a psychogenic view of neurotic
      disorders. Through experiments with hypnotism, he added appreciably to knowledge
      of subconscious and coconscious mental processes; The Dissociation of a
      Personality (Prince, 1905) still ranks as a classic. He early saw that studying
      normal people in the depth and detail with which one studied patients could make
      significant contributions to our whole understanding of human nature. Before his
      death he established and briefly directed the Harvard Psychological Clinic,
      devising the research environment out of which presently sprang major
      contributions to the study of personality.

PMID- 1430598
TI  - Morton Prince on anxiety disorders: intellectual antecedents of the cognitive
      approach to panic?

PMID- 1430599
TI  - A clinical study of a case of phobia. 1912.

PMID- 1430600
TI  - Relation between self-reported affect and drug urges and cravings in continuing
      and withdrawing smokers.
AB  - In 2 experiments we investigated the effects of withdrawal and stress on the
      affective correlates of urges to smoke. In both, habitual cigarette smokers were
      divided into continuing and withdrawing smoker groups. In the 1st study, 44
      adults reported current mood, urge, and expectations over a 24-hr period. In the
      2nd, a controlled laboratory study, urge, affect, and physiological data were
      obtained from continuing and withdrawing groups (N = 64) exposed to high- or low
      stress conditions. Urges among withdrawing smokers were positively associated
      with negative affect and negatively associated with positive affect; continuing
      smokers reported urges that were directly associated with positive affect and
      unrelated to negative affect. Stress and withdrawal produced urge self-reports
      that were related to negative affect. Moreover, subjects who smoked after
      exposure to withdrawal and stress reported greater pleasure and arousal than did
      other subjects.

PMID- 1430601
TI  - Delay of gratification in psychopathic and nonpsychopathic offenders.
AB  - Delay of gratification is a prototypical measure of self-control that merits
      systematic investigation in psychopaths. White male prisoners were provided with
      repeated opportunities to select an immediate response with uncertain reward or a
      delayed response with a higher rate of reward under one of three incentive
      conditions. Psychopaths' performance depended on their level of trait anxiety and
      incentive condition: Whereas low-anxious psychopaths were relatively unwilling to
      delay when omission of expected rewards also incurred monetary punishments, they
      displayed relatively superior performance when the task involved rewards only.
      Findings complement those for passive avoidance learning in psychopaths and
      suggest that inhibitory self-control in low-anxious psychopaths is somewhat
      impaired under conditions involving a combination of monetary rewards and
      punishments.

PMID- 1430602
TI  - Depressed patients with dysfunctional families: description and course of
      illness.
AB  - Sixty-eight depressed patients were subdivided according to their family's level
      of family functioning into functional and dysfunctional groups. Patients from
      dysfunctional families did not differ from those from functional families on
      measures of severity of depression, chronicity of depression, depression
      subtypes, other nonaffective psychiatric diagnoses, history of depression, or
      neuroendocrine functioning. Patients from dysfunctional families did have
      significantly higher levels of neuroticism. A 12-month follow-up of these
      patients indicated that depressed patients with dysfunctional families had a
      significantly poorer course of illness, as manifested by higher levels of
      depression, lower levels of overall adjustment, and a lower proportion of
      recovered patients. Thus, impaired family functioning appears to be an important
      prognostic factor in major depression.

PMID- 1430603
TI  - Sequential analysis of marital interactions involving alcoholic, depressed, and
      nondistressed men.
AB  - This study was based on the investigators' earlier work on alcoholism and the
      family and involved a comprehensive assessment of sequential patterns associated
      with the marital interactions of alcoholic, depressed, and nondistressed men. A
      total of 131 couples were assessed in a laboratory-based discussion of personally
      relevant problems. Videotaped observations were conducted during drinking and
      nondrinking sessions and were subsequently coded according to the Marital
      Interaction Coding System. Depressed couples were most distinguishable in terms
      of unique antecedent-consequent patterns, whereas alcoholic and nondistressed
      control couples were similar to one another and different from depressed couples.
      Results are discussed in regard to the extant literature on interpersonal
      theories of depression and alcoholism and in regard to future research needs.

PMID- 1430604
TI  - Expert judgments of hypnosis from subjective state reports.
AB  - Suggestibility was assessed in 60 college students after a traditional hypnotic
      induction, an alert induction, progressive relaxation training, or instruction in
      goal-directed imagery. Responsiveness to suggestion did not differ between
      groups. Subjects also generated open-ended reports of their states of awareness
      and of their experience of 3 hypnotic suggestions. A sample of these reports from
      24 moderately to highly suggestible subjects were evaluated by 18 experts in the
      field of hypnosis. Expert ratings of subjects' open-ended reports indicated that
      (a) traditional hypnotic inductions produce a state of consciousness that is
      indistinguishable from nonhypnotic relaxation training, (b) the subjective
      experience of hypnotic suggestions after imagination training is
      indistinguishable from that after hypnotic inductions, and (c) suggestibility is
      unrelated to state of consciousness as assessed by experts.

PMID- 1430605
TI  - Transient positive and negative experiences accompanying stage hypnosis.
AB  - Frequency of positive and negative experiences accompanying stage hypnosis was
      assessed in follow-up interviews with 22 participants of university-sponsored
      performances. Most subjects described their experience positively (relaxing,
      interesting, exciting, satisfying, illuminating, and pleasurable), but some
      described it negatively (confusing, silly, annoying, and frightening). Five
      subjects (22.7%) reported partial or complete amnesia; all were highly responsive
      to the stage hypnosis suggestions. One subject was completely unable to breach
      amnesia and felt annoyed and frightened. Five subjects (22.7%) believed the
      hypnotist had control over their behavior. Participants (n = 15) tested
      subsequently on the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (Weitzenhoffer
      & Hilgard, 1962) were mostly moderately to highly hypnotizable (M = 7.07), and
      the scores correlated significantly (r = .68) with the percentage of passed stage
      hypnosis suggestions.

PMID- 1430606
TI  - Relationship between dietary restraint, energy intake, physical activity, and
      body weight: a prospective analysis.
AB  - Dietary, activity, and body weight differences in high- and low-restrained eaters
      and the independent impact of dietary restraint on body weight change were
      evaluated in 287 adults (141 men, 146 women) followed over a 1-year period.
      Analyses of measures of energy intake, physical activity, and dietary restraint
      indicated that high-restrained eaters did not differ in physical activity
      compared to low-restrained eaters at baseline but were ingesting significantly
      fewer kcal/lb and a higher percentage of the diet from fat. Body mass was
      significantly greater in both high-restrained men and high-restrained women than
      in their low-restrained counterparts. Regression modeling procedures revealed
      that weight and body mass at baseline were related to weight gain in men. In
      contrast, weight gain in women was predicted by baseline weight and higher
      restraint scores. These results indicate that dietary restraint is associated
      with weight gain in women but not in men.

PMID- 1430607
TI  - Comparison of bulimics, obese binge eaters, social phobics, and individuals with
      panic disorder on comorbidity across DSM-III-R anxiety disorders.
AB  - Eighty-two women, presenting as normal-weight bulimics, obese binge eaters,
      social phobics, and individuals with panic disorder, were compared on anxiety,
      depression, and substance abuse. All were administered the Anxiety Disorder
      Interview Schedule-Revised and completed the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test,
      Drug Abuse Screening Test, and Self-Consciousness Scale. A striking proportion of
      eating disorder subjects were comorbid for one or more anxiety disorders, the
      most frequent diagnoses being generalized anxiety disorder and social phobia. The
      results suggest that the place of anxiety in bulimia nervosa goes beyond that
      discussed within the context of the anxiety reduction model. Conflicting
      comorbidity findings among this and prior investigations are noted, however, and
      discussed in terms of the issue of differential diagnosis between eating and
      anxiety disorders.

PMID- 1430608
TI  - Attentional cues in chronic schizophrenia: abnormal disengagement of attention.
AB  - Posner's (1980) reaction time (RT) paradigm was used to examine the engagement
      and disengagement operations of visual selective attention in patients with
      schizophrenia. In the 1st experiment, 14 medicated, chronic schizophrenic
      subjects (diagnosed by criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
      Mental Disorders; American Psychiatric Association, 1987) and 15 age-matched
      normal control subjects made a speeded response to a target preceded by a valid,
      an invalid, or no cue. Control subjects showed the expected advantage and
      disadvantage in RT for valid and invalid cues, which suggests intact engagement
      and disengagement operations. For schizophrenic patients, valid cues also
      enhanced RT, but invalid cues did not slow RT. Similar results were found in the
      2nd experiment. The failure of unpredictable, invalid cues to inhibit RT in
      chronic schizophrenia may be related to an abnormality in the disengagement
      operation of selective attention.

PMID- 1430609
TI  - Influence of rapport on hypnotically induced pseudomemory.
AB  - Three studies examined the influence of rapport on pseudomemory. Study 1 tested
      eight groups of 22 subjects in a 2 (level of susceptibility: high, low) x 2
      (state instruction: hypnosis, waking) x 2 (rapport: present, reduced) design,
      rapport being inhibited by the hypnotist criticizing subjects' performance.
      Pseudomemory was tested by a second experimenter who also criticized subjects.
      Study 2 varied level of susceptibility and rapport for 88 hypnotically instructed
      subjects where criticism was offered only by the second experimenter. Study 3
      analyzed effects among 44 highly susceptible hypnotic subjects where the second
      experimenter refrained from criticizing subjects. Data indicated a significant
      association between rapport with the hypnotist and pseudomemory in cued recall,
      strength of pseudomemory being appreciably lowered when negative hypnotist
      rapport was reinforced by the person testing pseudomemory.

PMID- 1430610
TI  - Importance of shared genes and shared environments for symptoms of depression in
      older adults.
AB  - The Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale was administered to 68
      identical and 161 fraternal twin pairs reared apart and 114 identical and 138
      fraternal pairs reared together to ascertain relative genetic and environmental
      contributions to individual differences in self-reported depressive symptoms.
      Intraclass correlations and model fitting indicated that genetic influences
      explained 16% of the variance in total depression scores and 19% for the
      Psychomotor Retardation and Somatic Complaints subscale, but heritability was
      minimal for the Depressed Mood and Well-Being subscales. Influence of family
      rearing context played a substantial role in explaining twin similarity, whereas
      unique life experiences accounted for the greatest proportion of variance.
      Significant age group differences were observed, with heritability greater in
      twins of 60 years of age or older than in twins under 60, especially for
      Psychomotor Retardation.

PMID- 1430612
TI  - Dissociative experiences, psychopathology and adjustment, and child and
      adolescent maltreatment in female college students.
AB  - Thirty-three female college students who scored in the upper 15% on the
      Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) were compared with 33 female students who
      scored below the mean on the DES on measures of psychopathology (Symptom
      Checklist-90), college adjustment (Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire),
      and child and adolescent maltreatment. Compared with controls, high-DES subjects
      reported more psychopathology, poorer college adjustment, and a greater extent of
      psychological, physical, and sexual maltreatment. On the basis of the
      Dissociative Disorders Interview Schedule, 2 high-DES subjects but none of the
      control subjects met criteria for a dissociative disorder (i.e., multiple
      personality and psychogenic amnesia). Despite the sensitivity of the DES, 8
      subjects who scored in the upper 2% of the population on the DES failed to meet
      criteria for a dissociative disorder.

PMID- 1430611
TI  - Monaural and binaural story recall by schizophrenic subjects.
AB  - P. Green and other investigators have reported that schizophrenic Ss have poorer
      recall of stories presented to both ears than to the single best ear (binaural
      deficit) and poorer recall of stories presented to the left ear than to the right
      ear (monaural asymmetry) than do normal control Ss. These studies are plagued by
      potential methodological problems, including differences in overall accuracy,
      which artifactually affect the difference scores, and scoring methods that are
      vulnerable to systematic bias. In this study, scores of schizophrenic, bipolar,
      and normal control Ss on the Auditory Comprehension Test were compared. Scoring
      bias was avoided by the use of blind scoring and a revised scoring manual, and
      artifactual effects of accuracy were considered in interpreting the results.
      Contrary to previous findings, the groups did not differ on either monaural
      asymmetry or binaural deficit.

PMID- 1430613
TI  - Covariation detection in treated and untreated spider phobics.
AB  - Twenty treated and 18 untreated spider phobics were exposed to a series of 72
      slides. Three different categories of slides were used: phobia-relevant slides
      (spiders), alternative fear-relevant slides (weapons), and neutral slides
      (flowers). Slides were randomly paired with either a shock, a tone, or nothing at
      all. Despite the absence of a systematic correlation between slides and outcomes,
      untreated phobics strongly overestimated the covariation between spider slides
      and shock. Treated phobics did not show a covariation bias, suggesting that such
      bias can be modulated by behavioral treatment. In addition, untreated subjects
      were more confident about their contingency estimates than were treated subjects.
      The present results fit with earlier studies.

PMID- 1430614
TI  - Discrepancy between self- and observer ratings of performance in social phobics.
AB  - Twenty-eight subjects meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
      Disorders (rev. 3rd ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1987) criteria for
      social phobia and without a comorbid affective disorder and 33 nonclinical
      controls were asked to present a brief, impromptu speech to a small audience.
      Speakers themselves, as well as members of the audience, rated each speaker on a
      public speaking questionnaire that included both specific items (e.g., voice
      shook) and global items (e.g., appeared confident). For global items, no
      significant difference was indicated between the two groups on observers' ratings
      of public speaking performance. However, social phobics rated their own
      performance worse than did nonclinical controls, and there was a significantly
      greater discrepancy between self and other ratings for social phobics than
      controls. Fear of negative evaluation was the only significant predictor of the
      self-other discrepancy on global items.

PMID- 1430616
TI  - Research and development in nursing.

PMID- 1430615
TI  - Medication status of participants in psychopathology research: selective review
      of current reporting practices.
AB  - The majority of Ss included in studies of psychopathology are typically receiving
      psychoactive medication. In view of concerns regarding the confounding effects of
      psychoactive medication, it appears that researchers should provide information
      regarding at least the drug status of the Ss studied. A review of the articles on
      adult psychopathology that appeared in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology during
      a 5-year period, however, revealed that nearly 50% of reports on Ss presumably
      receiving psychoactive medications failed to specify the medication status of
      those Ss. Few studies (15%) provided adequate information regarding the types and
      dosages of psychoactive drugs received by the Ss. It is argued that researchers
      should provide a full report of the psychoactive drugs received by research
      participants and, when participants are unmedicated, to indicate the reasons for
      drug-free status.

PMID- 1430617
TI  - The Gulf War: reaction and action in institutions for the aged in Israel.
AB  - In order to learn how geriatric centres were coping during the Gulf War (1991),
      questionnaires were distributed to 116 unit head nurses in 16 institutions in
      Israel. Additional information was obtained from the directors of nursing and
      national supervisors in a meeting 3 1/2 months after the cease-fire. Questions
      focused on organization of work, behaviour of staff, patients and their families,
      main problems, solutions and recommendations. Data showed a very high level of
      commitment by staff, flexibility, initiative and creativity in meeting the
      emotional, physical and safety needs of the aged. Stress level was highest in the
      'Scud' areas and among the aged who are mentally alert. Families visited less but
      increased contact by telephone. Management was supportive with guidance,
      transport, child care facilities, etc. They also provided beds and food for
      spouses of the aged residents. Major problems related to safety measures (sealing
      rooms, moving patients during attacks), physical exhaustion and emotional stress
      of staff, and reorganization of care programmes. Recommendations included
      development of a master plan for non-conventional attacks, preparation of
      buildings with structural improvements, recruitment and training of volunteers,
      clarification of roles of staff and education for them.

PMID- 1430618
TI  - The young pioneers: first baccalaureate nursing students in the People's Republic
      of China.
AB  - Nursing in the People's Republic of China, like elsewhere, has undergone
      monumental changes during the 20th century. This paper focuses on one of those
      changes by examining the professional socialization process of the first class
      from the first baccalaureate in nursing (BSN) programme in China since 1952.
      These data from this first BSN class are part of a larger study on professional
      socialization in which data were collected from four of the recently established
      11 BSN programmes in China. To put these data into a historical context, some
      highlights of Chinese nursing history are noted. These will help us to understand
      the present-day situation in this the world's most populous nation.

PMID- 1430619
TI  - Diagnostic reasoning among second-year nursing students.
AB  - This paper reports on a study investigating the relationship of nursing students'
      approaches to learning and processing of information, science content knowledge,
      ability in interpreting and organizing clinical data (nursing assessment), and
      logical reasoning ability with the accuracy and quality of the nursing diagnosis
      made in a simulated diagnostic reasoning task. One hundred and sixty-nine second
      year pre-service nursing students participated in the study. Results of path
      analyses indicated a set of pathways from surface approach to low-quality nursing
      diagnosis that reflected less competent diagnostic reasoning; and a second set
      from deep/achieving approach through content knowledge and logical reasoning to
      higher-quality nursing diagnosis that reflected more competent diagnostic
      reasoning. The implications of these findings for nurse education are discussed.

PMID- 1430620
TI  - The Case Management Model: an innovative approach to the delivery of patient
      care.
AB  - Because of trends in the health care environment, hospitals are restructuring to
      innovative patient care delivery systems. The Case Management Model, with its
      emphasis on quality patient care and cost containment, is gaining widespread
      recognition throughout Canada and the United States. In this paper, the Case
      Management Model is described in relation to nursing practice.

PMID- 1430621
TI  - Good nursing practice as perceived by clients: a starting point for the
      development of professional nursing.
AB  - This paper presents clients' experiences of health care and nursing services in
      the Finnish primary health care and hospital system. These are described to find
      evaluation criteria for good nursing care and to point out challenges for
      development of the nursing profession.

PMID- 1430622
TI  - Witnessing family violence: the children's experience.
AB  - A phenomenological study was conducted in order to describe the experience of
      children as they accompany their mothers who are leaving abusive relationships.
      Thirteen children were interviewed. The children describe their experience as
      having three components: living with violence, living in transition and living
      with Mom. Themes within these components are identified, and implications for
      nursing practice are discussed.

PMID- 1430624
TI  - Cardiovascular disease prevention: knowledge and attitudes of graduate nursing
      students.
AB  - Graduate nursing students were surveyed to determine the knowledge and attitudes
      of cardiovascular disease prevention. Questionnaires were self-administered to
      first-year graduate nursing students (n = 50) in a school of nursing prior to and
      following a physiology course with cardiovascular disease prevention content. In
      general, the results demonstrated that the respondents were least knowledgeable
      regarding the prevalence of smoking, the gender differences in high-density
      lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol levels, the influence of body weight on lipids and
      the recommended percentages of calories from dietary fat. A significant
      improvement in knowledge was noted after the course. Positive attitudes regarding
      the importance of cardiovascular disease prevention and the partnership between
      patients and clinicians necessary to manage risk were identified. These attitudes
      did not change significantly following the course. These results indicate that
      graduate education which emphasizes cardiovascular disease prevention increases
      knowledge. Coupled with positive attitudes and healthy personal lifestyle
      behaviours, knowledge of cardiovascular disease prevention may enhance the
      ability of nurses to integrate preventive standards into clinical practice and
      ultimately decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.

PMID- 1430623
TI  - The role of the nurse in high-quality patient care: a review of the literature.
AB  - A review of the literature reveals a range of the nurse's subroles within the
      service of nursing. Competence in psychomotor, cognitive and affective skills is
      required for performance within each of these subroles to achieve the delivery of
      high-quality nursing care.

PMID- 1430625
TI  - Characteristics of effective nursing interventions in the management of
      challenging behaviour.
AB  - A combination of semi-structured interviews and participant observation were used
      in order to investigate the interventions used by psychiatric nurses when faced
      with challenging behaviour. The study described 10 such categories of effective
      interventions: confirming messages, personal control, staff honesty, providing
      face-saving alternatives, setting limits, use of structure, facilitating
      expression, monitoring, timing and calming, and non-verbal skills. The report
      concludes by suggesting that these categories can be used to provide a structure
      for the analysis of critical incidents from a nursing perspective.

PMID- 1430626
TI  - Participation of informal caregivers in the hospital care of elderly patients and
      their evaluations of the care given: pilot study in three different hospitals.
AB  - This action research is an ongoing study which will last from 1991 to 1993. The
      main purpose of the study is to increase the participation of informal caregivers
      in the hospital care of elderly patients without decreasing the quality of care.
      The data reported here are from a pilot study. This study had three aims: (a) to
      test reliability and validity of the measure used, (b) to investigate the current
      participation of informal caregivers in the hospital care of elderly patients
      (aged over 75), and (c) to evaluate and compare the quality of care from both the
      patients' and the informal caregivers' point of view in three different
      hospitals. The measure of quality of care was developed on the basis of need
      theories, mainly those of Maslow and Alderfer. Patients and caregivers were also
      asked to rate the participation of the caregivers in the hospital care of elderly
      patients. Participation consisted of 18 activities of daily living. The pilot
      test with 18 elderly hospital patients and seven family members or significant
      others showed differences between the two groups in perception of care received.
      Statistically significant differences (P < 0.001) were found in the following
      categories: mainly social needs, psychic and spiritual needs and totals. The
      results supported earlier findings that elderly patients are satisfied with and
      do not criticize their care. The younger generation (i.e. their children) is more
      demanding and has precise perceptions about the care given. Relatives could be
      used more in planning, evaluation and even implementation of care; however, their
      current participation in patient hospital care is minimal.

PMID- 1430627
TI  - Confidence as a factor in chronic illness care.
AB  - Confidence is generally regarded as a positive quality which enhances personal
      coping and success. For those who are chronically ill and face a life of
      uncertainty, confidence becomes especially important. In a recent qualitative
      study examining chronically ill patients' perceptions of nursing care, confidence
      was found to be the grand essence which tied together all the informants'
      experiences with good nursing care. The informants entered the hospital with the
      expectation that the nurses would and could look after them. Observing and
      receiving good nursing care reinforced this confidence. In addition to this, the
      informants referred to confidence that was developed by the interest and value
      the nurses placed on the patient as an individual. Showing an interest in the
      patient as an individual gave the patient confidence in self-worth and in
      personal coping ability. These two sources of confidence combined to give the
      informants confidence in their futures. In the nursing literature the exploration
      of the concept of confidence is minimal. This paper discusses confidence as a
      factor in the care of the chronically ill using data from the study for
      illustration.

PMID- 1430628
TI  - Skin problems beneath the breasts of in-patients: the knowledge, opinions and
      practice of nurses.
AB  - A survey of knowledge and nursing practice in relation to sub-mammary skin
      problems was conducted among ward sisters and primary nurses in one district
      health authority. Respondents identified a number of characteristics as
      predisposing factors, with obesity and poor hygiene being mentioned most
      frequently. A very wide selection of nursing interventions was recommended, with
      nurses who mentioned pharmacologically active topical preparations reporting a
      significantly greater number of recurrences among patients than those who relied
      on less sophisticated regimes. Nurses expressed a variety of opinions about the
      effect that this condition has on patients, ranging from no effect at all to pain
      and discomfort. These findings highlight the lack of a coherent strategy for
      treating this problem and support the continuation of a research programme
      examining sub-mammary skin problems and the nursing response to them.

PMID- 1430629
TI  - Abbreviated instrument to measure hope: development and psychometric evaluation.
AB  - The purpose of this research was to develop and evaluate psychometrically an
      abbreviated instrument to assess hope in adults in clinical settings. The Herth
      Hope Index (HHI), a 12-item adapted version of the Herth Hope Scale (HHS), was
      tested with a convenience sample of 172 ill adults. Alpha coefficient was 0.97
      with a 2-week test-retest reliability of 0.91. Criterion-related validity was
      established by correlating the HHI with the parent HHS (r = 0.92), the
      Existential Well-Being Scale (r = 0.84) and the Nowotny Hope Scale (r = 0.81).
      Divergent validity with the Hopelessness Scale was established (r = -0.73).
      Construct validity was supported through the factorial isolation of three
      factors: (a) temporality and future; (b) positive readiness and expectancy; (c)
      interconnectedness. These three factors accounted for 41% of the total variance
      in the measure.

PMID- 1430631
TI  - Nursing: the hands and heart of science.

PMID- 1430630
TI  - Nurses' attitudes toward patients with AIDS and AIDS-related risk factors.
AB  - Three variables were experimentally manipulated by simulation measurement using
      six vignettes in a completely randomized, partial hierarchical, experimental
      design: medical diagnosis (AIDS v. non-AIDS), sexual orientation (heterosexual v.
      homosexual) and intravenous drug-use history (IVDU v. non-IVDU). Following each
      vignette, the same Prejudicial Evaluation Scale (PES) and Social Interaction
      Scale (SIS) were used to measure nurses' attitudes toward patients and their
      willingness to interact with patients. Vignette questionnaires were randomly
      assigned to 360 acute-care nurses. Although sexual orientation was found not to
      influence PES and SIS scores, an AIDS medical diagnosis and a history of
      intravenous drug use were found to increase nurses' negative attitudes toward
      patients significantly and reduce their willingness to interact with patients.
      Study findings did not vary according to nurses' age, academic preparation or
      previous practice experience with patients with AIDS.

PMID- 1430632
TI  - Patients' experience of technology at the bedside: intravenous infusion control
      devices.
AB  - Within health care systems, rapid and pervasive technological development is
      occurring with significant ramifications for both nurses and patients. In order
      to determine the patient's perception of the experience of clinical equipment at
      the bedside, an exploratory study of 150 hospitalized patients was undertaken.
      For this study an item of electronic clinical 'hardware', the infusion control
      device, used increasingly by nurses, was selected as an exemplar of bedside
      nursing technology. A positive patient response to the equipment and its
      management was found. The majority of respondents understood the reasons for the
      equipment's use, were not disturbed greatly by the alarms, had few concerns about
      the equipment and would welcome further use. A majority felt that the care they
      received was more patient centred than technology centred. Several
      recommendations for nursing practice follow from these findings.

PMID- 1430633
TI  - A view of the phenomenon of caring in nursing practice.
AB  - Care is regularly used as a suffix to nursing, in such well-known phrases as
      'total nursing care' and 'holistic nursing care'. While most care is provided by
      lay persons, there is little nursing research which focuses on the meaning of
      care, particularly in relation to the United Kingdom. This small-scale study
      investigates the meaning of care from the experience of six practising staff
      nurses in a British hospital and leads to a view of this phenomenon.
      Phenomenology was the chosen methodology, which facilitated the emergence of an
      essential structure of caring which incorporated four major categories described
      as 'being supportive', 'communicating', 'pressure' and 'caring ability'. It is
      suggested that, through gaining perspectives to enhance our understanding of the
      meaning of care, it will ultimately develop our understanding of nursing itself.

PMID- 1430634
TI  - Health promotion in primary care: taking account of the patient's point of view.
AB  - Some of the difficulties of putting health promotion into practice are
      considered. It is argued that, in a health promotion intervention aimed at
      lifestyle change, three questions need to be considered concerning the image, the
      meaning and the implementation of the programme.

PMID- 1430635
TI  - 'Scripts' for dying at home--displayed in nurses', patients' and relatives' talk.
AB  - Perceptions and expectations reflecting what constitutes a 'good' death that seem
      to exist in Western societies are explored and compared with those presented by
      five symptom control team nurses at their home visits to 54 terminally ill cancer
      patients. These perceptions and expectations are termed 'scripts' for dying and
      are derived from the nurses', patients' and relatives' audio-recorded
      conversations over a 3-month period. The elements of the 'scripts' used were
      identified as: (a) control of physical symptoms, (b) acceptance of cancer and its
      prognosis, (c) preservation of hope and 'will to live', (d) mobility and
      'fighting back', (e) enjoyment of life, (f) a peaceful death at home. How these
      components are determined from the conversations are presented and the responses
      of the patients to the nurses' 'scripts' are analysed. The dilemmas created by
      putting the 'scripts' into action for nurses, patients and relatives are
      discussed.

PMID- 1430636
TI  - Defining risk from the perspective of nurses in clinical roles.
AB  - Although the nursing literature suggests that nurses generally avoid risk, their
      willingness and ability to take risk are fundamental to their professional
      advancement, job satisfaction and patient advocacy. The definition of risk as it
      pertains in clinical practice, however, may not be synonymous with risk as
      defined in other fields. This study defines risk in nursing from the perspective
      of three registered nurses in clinical roles. Grounded theory methodology
      indicated that 11 risk categories comprised six core concepts. The latter formed
      the basis for the following: risk in clinical nursing practice is defined by
      uncomfortable and typically unavoidable role-related situations characterized by
      high unpredictability and negative or hostile overtones, dependency on others,
      exceedingly high performance expectations from self and others, unpleasant
      emotions, and health threats that extend beyond working hours. Findings of this
      study refute the notion that nurses avoid risks. Risk, ever present in the
      nurse's clinical practice and environment, requires strategies to minimize its
      negative impact.

PMID- 1430637
TI  - Familial inflammatory bowel disease in a paediatric population.
AB  - Familial aspects of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) were assessed as part of an
      age and sex matched case control study of 91 children with IBD and 131 controls.
      The prevalence of IBD in family members of the children was studied, the affected
      side (mother's side or father's side) of the family was documented and the type
      of inflammatory bowel disease was traced among relatives. Data were collected
      from children in out-patient clinics at a large urban tertiary-care facility. All
      family data were verified with the affected relatives and/or their physicians.
      The children with IBD (the cases) had significantly (P = 0.0000385) more IBD in
      their families than the controls. Among all children with IBD in their family,
      IBD was found significantly (P = 0.0073) more often on the mother's side of the
      family than on the father's side. Patterns of disease varied within families. A
      mixture of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease was found within families. The
      implications of the findings are discussed. Directions for prevention, screening,
      early intervention and further study are given.

PMID- 1430638
TI  - Giving and receiving: an empirically derived theory on health visiting practice.
AB  - The aim of this study was to uncover how experienced health visitors
      conceptualize and evaluate their health visiting work. The grounded theory
      approach to data collection and analysis was used to develop a beginning midrange
      substantive theory about health visiting practice. The beginning theory provides
      an explanation and understanding of how health visitors work with clients in the
      community during their day-to-day visiting practice. Data were gathered from 45
      experienced health visitors from 13 health authorities in the north-west of
      England by means of the conversational interview. The basic psychosocial problem
      uncovered in the data was health visitors' need to provide a service and clients'
      need to fulfil personal needs and goals. The unifying theme of giving and
      receiving integrated the major categories into the key analytic framework in this
      study. This key psychosocial process was the pattern of interaction between
      health visitors and clients, in which both parties control the interactions by
      regulating what they offer and accept from each other. Each party both
      selectively 'gives' and 'receives' in order to manage the health visitor-client
      encounters. What gets offered and how the offer is received and acted on is a
      complex process involving many factors related to the health visitor, the client,
      and the context in which the interaction takes place.

PMID- 1430639
TI  - Anxiety, accuracy and reflection: the limits of professional development.
AB  - Reflection is a key concept in the development and maintenance of nursing
      expertise in theory and practice, yet commentators have rarely examined
      difficulties associated with it. This paper describes the role of reflection in
      nursing and relates it to information-processing accounts of human memory. The
      issues raised by the role of memory in mediating reflection are discussed, in the
      context of an examination of the importance of accuracy in reflection-on
      practice. It is argued that anxiety is of particular importance in mediating
      accurate reflection. Whilst it is concluded that reflection is inherently flawed,
      a range of tactics to enhance it are explored, with particular emphasis on
      anxiety reduction and reduction of the burden of the memory task.

PMID- 1430640
TI  - Mothers and daughters: a powerful spell.
AB  - An unanticipated finding of a small exploratory study of the health of never
      married women in old age is discussed. Focused conversational interviews yielded
      evidence of the potent effect the mother-daughter relationship had in a group of
      women who had lived for all their adult lives in the parental home. Usually
      mothers had outlived fathers, and when they finally died daughters lost someone
      to whom they had been very close and at the same time had to cope with living
      alone for the first time in their lives. Three case histories, illustrating both
      strong positive and negative aspects of mother-daughter relationships are
      reported, and the psychological and sociological literature is explored.
      Parallels are also drawn with biographical and autobiographical literature about
      this type of relationship, including that of Florence Nightingale and her mother.
      Finally, some implications for nurses are considered and the special support
      needs of these women at bereavement and in old age are highlighted.

PMID- 1430642
TI  - Nursing models in a special hospital: cybernetics, hyperreality and beyond.
AB  - Two emerging themes that resulted from research carried out in a special hospital
      on the use of nursing models are identified. The first theme to emerge was the
      tendency of the subjects to perceive the models as concrete entities thus
      undergoing a process of reification. The second theme identified was the
      adherence to the models outside the contextual nature of the setting which
      limited their effectiveness. A theoretical framework in which to locate the
      results of the study is explored using cybernetic learning theory and the notion
      of hyperreality, using the works of Jean Baudrillard. A method for innovation and
      changing practice in the special hospital setting is suggested.

PMID- 1430641
TI  - Of sex and status: a study of the effects of gender and occupation on nurses'
      evaluations of nursing research.
AB  - Despite wide recognition that nursing must increase its research base, there
      still appears not only to be a shortfall in published nursing research but also a
      marked failure to implement research findings into clinical practice. One
      possible explanation for these problems is that nursing research may not be
      valued by peer professionals. To investigate this possibility, a study was
      designed to test the hypothesis that nurses would underrate the quality of papers
      they believed to have been produced by a nurse as opposed to a doctor, even when
      the status of the authors was randomly assigned to the papers. Thirty-one nurses
      were asked to rate two comparable papers on a number of criteria. Half the sample
      was told that the first paper had been written by a nurse and the second by a
      doctor; for the remainder of the sample, the order of authorship was reversed. A
      series of related t-tests was performed on the sample's evaluations in order to
      ascertain whether the status of the author affected perceptions of quality. No
      difference was found in the sample's judgement of overall quality, clarity of
      expression, expertise on the topic in question or contribution to current
      knowledge. However, significant differences were found in attributed grasp of
      research design and statistical analysis, with the nurse being judged as inferior
      on both (t = 1.71, d.f. = 30, P < 0.05; t = 1.72, d.f. = 30, P < 0.05
      respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1430643
TI  - Method slurring: the grounded theory/phenomenology example.
AB  - Increasingly, qualitative research methods are being embraced by nurse
      researchers because these approaches allow exploration of human experience.
      Failure to explicate qualitative methodologies is resulting in a body of nursing
      research that is either mislabelled or is classified broadly as qualitative and
      subject to charges that qualitative research lacks rigour. In this paper, the
      authors discuss the importance of specificity in methodology and distinguish
      between phenomenology and grounded theory, two frequently misused terms in the
      description of qualitative methodology.

PMID- 1430644
TI  - Nursing science in The Netherlands: the Utrecht contribution.
AB  - The two goals of a 5-year nursing science project at the State University of
      Utrecht were the establishment of graduate nursing science studies and a nursing
      research programme. The project formally started on 1 January 1987 and is now
      nearing completion. This paper builds on a paper previously published in the
      Journal of Advanced Nursing. It first describes the history of nursing science in
      The Netherlands and sets out to demonstrate how the Utrecht goals were achieved.

PMID- 1430645
TI  - Staff turnover among hospital nurses.
AB  - Nursing staff turnover remains a financial concern to public as well as private
      institutions, and it has an impact on staff morale and working practices.
      Evidence suggests that staff turnover could also have a detrimental effect on
      patient care. Numerous studies have examined the reasons why staff leave their
      jobs, but these have often produced conflicting findings and have frequently
      relied upon bivariate correlation or multiple regression techniques. The
      availability of analytical techniques such as structural modelling provides an
      opportunity to examine several aspects of turnover behaviour simultaneously, and
      overcome some of the methodological difficulties encountered by prior research.
      This study involved 221 female nurses working full-time in hospitals to examine
      aspects of the nursing turnover model. Using modelling techniques, this current
      study found job satisfaction and participation at work to be important variables
      in the turnover process. This is in keeping with other models of nursing
      turnover.

PMID- 1430646
TI  - The emerging role of the nurse teacher in Project 2000 programmes in England: a
      literature review.
AB  - This paper explores the literature on the role of the nurse teacher in the United
      Kingdom, in order to support a research study on the role of the nurse teacher as
      it emerges in Project 2000 programmes in England. Explicit within the reform of
      nurse education is a change in the role of the teacher. It is being influenced,
      first, by the creation of colleges of nursing and midwifery and their links to
      higher education, secondly, by the content and academic level of the course and,
      thirdly, by the supernumerary status of the student. Studies carried out on the
      activities nurse teachers undertake highlight the complex and multifaceted nature
      of the role. Excessive paper work, meetings and lack of autonomy are given as
      dissatisfying aspects of their work leaving only a small proportion of their time
      for classroom and clinical teaching. The literature suggests that the nurse
      teacher is required in Project 2000 to be a nurse, a teacher, a graduate in a
      specialist subject and clinically and academically credible. The study, which is
      mentioned briefly in this paper, will critically analyse the key components of
      the role of the nurse teacher as it emerges in the Project 2000 courses in
      England. The methodology and findings will be discussed in a later paper.

PMID- 1430647
TI  - Literary referees.

PMID- 1430648
TI  - From policy to privacy--a perilous passage.

PMID- 1430649
TI  - Patient outcomes research--nursing, an important component.

PMID- 1430650
TI  - Critical care--the cost of quality.

PMID- 1430651
TI  - A microcosm for learning.

PMID- 1430652
TI  - Are preceptors for orientation of new nurses effective?
AB  - The intent of this secondary analysis of a large data set was to provide
      empirical data on the benefits of preceptorship programs for orientation. Do
      nurses with preceptors have more satisfaction, social integration, and
      professionalism; less turnover; and better performance? The subjects were newly
      employed nurses, 177 were assigned to preceptors, and 98 did not have preceptors.
      The subjects completed questionnaires at three time periods: during the first few
      weeks on the job and at 6 and 12 months after employment. Data were analyzed by
      student's t test and chi square analysis. On average, nurses with preceptors and
      less education and experience and were more involved with family. They worked on
      units with sicker patients. Nurses with preceptors were more satisfied with
      social and psychological rewards initially and had more of a feeling of self
      regulation. Previously employed nurses with preceptors reported more social
      integration at 6 and 12 months. The study provides beginning evidence that
      preceptors are beneficial for nurses who have limited education and experience.

PMID- 1430653
TI  - On the way to scholarship: from master's to doctorate.
AB  - Progress in the discipline of nursing is predicated on the development of a
      community of scholars who have passion for substance. Nurse educators are
      challenged to develop programs and environments that stimulate and nurture
      scholarship. However, doctoral education that enhances scholarship encompasses
      more than coursework. Strategies for the development of scholarly doctoral
      education are discussed in this article.

PMID- 1430655
TI  - A statewide study of academic variables affecting performance of baccalaureate
      nursing graduates on licensure examination.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to validate, using a statewide sample, findings
      from two previous smaller studies investigating the relationships between
      admission selection variables and subsequent achievement in baccalaureate nursing
      programs and performance on the National Council Licensure Examination for
      Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Subjects for this study were 1,069 graduates of
      nine Iowa basic baccalaureate nursing programs. The analyses included three major
      components. The first addressed the relationship between admission selection
      variables and subsequent achievement in the nursing programs and performance on a
      standardized nursing achievement test (AssessTest) and the NCLEX-RN. The second
      component investigated the extent to which achievement in nursing courses
      predicted performance on the NCLEX-RN. In the third component a path analysis was
      used to formulate a causal model describing the relationships among the variables
      in the study. The results of the study suggest that students' prenursing grade
      point average and American College Testing scores predict their performance on
      the NCLEX-RN. Knowledge of performance predictors can both facilitate admission
      selection and the use of educational resources to develop nursing competence and
      promote success in obtaining licensure to practice.

PMID- 1430654
TI  - Differentiated practice: the evolution of professional nursing.
AB  - Differentiated practice identifies and uses three distinct nursing roles to
      create a comprehensive nursing care delivery system that meets client needs
      across the health care continuum. Clearly defined associate degree in nursing,
      bachelor's of science in nursing, and master's science in nursing competencies
      present career opportunities for professional nurses at the bedside providing,
      integrating, or managing client care as well as options in management, education,
      and regulation. An evolutionary paradigm shift required of all nurses is the
      awareness that each nurse is not the whole of nursing, but rather each nurse
      contributes to the whole of nursing. A nursing community comprised of
      differentiated roles that are mutually valued and well integrated will position
      nursing as a powerful force in meeting the diversity and complexity of health
      care needs in contemporary society.

PMID- 1430656
TI  - Success-failure on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered
      Nurses by nurse candidates from an accelerated baccalaureate nursing program.
AB  - Nine years of data from first-time nurse candidates taking the National Council
      Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) were examined to identify
      predictors of successful performance and determine probabilities of success.
      Using logistic regression, four statistical models at strategic time periods
      during an accelerated baccalaureate nursing program were tested to see when
      intervention might be initiated to influence student performance on the NCLEX-RN.
      By the end of the first semester the model could predict failure for 94 per cent
      of those who failed, but it was less consequential in correctly predicting
      success of those who passed. Significant variables placing nurse candidates at
      risk included their first-semester grade point average, sex, and whether they
      were foreign educated. By the end of the second semester, with each full letter
      grade increase in cumulative grade point average, nurse candidates had a 46 times
      better chance of passing the NCLEX-RN; American-educated nurse candidates had a
      4.5 times better chance of passing than their foreign-educated counterparts. At
      the end of the final semester, with each full letter grade increase on the final
      cumulative grade point average, nurse candidates had a 97 times greater
      likelihood of performing successfully on the NCLEX-RN.

PMID- 1430657
TI  - Natural law as a unifying ethic.
AB  - Natural law asserts that there is an objective moral order that human
      intelligence can understand and that societies are bound in conscience to follow.
      In 1772, George Mason appealed to natural law in denouncing a slavery statute in
      Virginia. This same ethic was called on to convict Nazi war criminals of crimes
      against humanity in 1948. In the last decade, natural law has enjoyed a
      resurgence in the medical biomedical ethics literature. It has appeared less
      frequently in the nursing literature and has been summarily dismissed when it has
      appeared. Only one nurse ethicist used natural law in discussing ethical issues
      (organ transplantation). Although further development of this philosophy is
      required, this ethic shows great promise as a guide to decision making in
      nursing.

PMID- 1430658
TI  - The social networks of bipolar affective disorder patients.
AB  - The social interaction parameters of a carefully delineated group of bipolar
      patients were compared to those of a random New Zealand community sample. The
      bipolar subjects had significantly lower scores for perceived availability and
      adequacy of both intimate and diffuse social relationships. Their mean scores did
      not differ from those of the subgroup in the random community survey who were
      classified as showing psychiatric morbidity, most of whom were depressed. Social
      interaction scores were negatively correlated with the bipolar patients' age and
      duration of illness. Those bipolar subjects with a predominance of manic episodes
      had lower mean values for their social interaction indices than those with more
      depressions. The results may suggest that the longer the illness continues, the
      greater is the impoverishment of the sufferer's social interaction patterns.
      Overall, manic episodes appeared to have a more deleterious effect on social
      relationships than depressive episodes.

PMID- 1430659
TI  - High-dose fluoxetine in the treatment of depressed patients not responsive to a
      standard dose of fluoxetine.
AB  - In a four-week, open label study of major depression, 15 patients who had failed
      to respond to a trial of fluoxetine 20 mg/day of 8-12 weeks duration were then
      treated with fluoxetine 40 mg/day for one week and then, if tolerated, with
      either 60 or 80 mg/day. The mean HAM-D-17 and CGIS scores of these 15 patients
      decreased significantly at the end of 4 weeks on a higher dosage of fluoxetine
      (60 or 80 mg/day) with respect to the beginning of the four-week study. No
      significant side-effects were noted.

PMID- 1430660
TI  - Folates and post partum depression.
AB  - Hypofolatemia can cause psychiatric disturbances of a depressive nature.
      Pregnancy and delivery are often associated with hypofolatemia. This study was
      conducted to determine if hypofolatemia at day 3 post partum is a risk factor for
      baby blues or post partum depression. To study this hypothesis, 131 post partum
      women were followed prospectively for the 3 months immediately following
      delivery. 19% were found to have 'baby blues', as defined by a score greater than
      20 on Pitt's scale (Pitt, 1968, J. Psychiatry 114, 1325-1335) and 12% had post
      partum depression as defined by a score greater than 7 on QD2A scale (Pichot et
      al., 1984, Rev. Psycholog. App. 34, 229-250, 323-340), within the three months
      post partum. No relationship was observed between the serum or erythrocyte folate
      levels on the third day following delivery and the maternal post partum
      depression scores. A statistically significant correlation between post partum
      depression and previous psychiatric disturbance was, however, observed.

PMID- 1430661
TI  - A psychosocial profile of women with premenstrual dysphoria.
AB  - Sixty women from the community were used in this study to identify a profile of
      women who experience premenstrual dysphoria. Women with prospectively confirmed
      premenstrual dysphoria (PMD +; N = 24) were compared to women with prospectively
      unconfirmed premenstrual dysphoria (PMD -; N = 15) and controls (PMD control; N =
      21). Over one menstrual cycle daily records of physical, emotional and
      behavioural symptoms were completed on the Daily Ratings Form. Other self report
      measures obtained were the Premenstrual Assessment Form, Rotter's Internal
      External Locus of Control, the Locke-Wallace Marital Adjustment Scale, and the
      State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. A psychiatric history was obtained during an
      interview. Analyses showed that premenstrually, PMD + and PMD - groups could be
      significantly differentiated from controls on reports of premenstrual dysphoric
      changes and levels of state and trait anxiety. Postmenstrually, they could be
      significantly differentiated from controls firstly, by history of affective
      disorder and locus of control and secondly, by premenstrual dysphoric changes.
      There were no significant differences between the PMD+ and PMD- women on most of
      the self report measures either at pre or post menstrual assessments. The present
      findings suggest that the characteristic profile of PMD+ and PMD- women is one of
      being symptomatic premenstrually in relation to dysphoric changes and levels of
      state and trait anxiety. Postmenstrually these symptoms appear to be superimposed
      on a background of a history of affective disorder and an external locus of
      control orientation.

PMID- 1430662
TI  - Suicides and parasuicides in a high-risk patient group on and off lithium long
      term medication.
AB  - 68 patients with affective disorders, and receiving lithium prophylaxis in a
      specialized lithium clinic were followed up for 8 years on average. Patients were
      selected for this study according to 2 criteria: They had been given lithium for
      at least 12 months, and they had attempted suicide at least once before onset of
      lithium prophylaxis. Outcome was analysed in terms of suicidal and parasuicidal
      behaviour. 55 patients took their lithium regularly, 13 discontinued or dropped
      the medication. One third of those patients having discontinued the medication
      died from suicide. Only one suicide occurred in patients with regular lithium
      intake and proven compliance during the last check before death. An impressive
      drop of parasuicides was observed in responders as well as in apparent non
      responders. In total, 11 of 13 patients showed suicidal or parasuicidal behaviour
      2 weeks-44 months after lithium discontinuation, which in about half of these
      cases took place on advice or with consent of the treating psychiatrist. It is
      concluded that lithium may have specific anti-suicidal properties, possibly
      related to its anti-aggressive effect, and that patients apparently not
      responding satisfactorily in terms of reduced number of episodes may still be
      protected against suicide or parasuicide.

PMID- 1430663
TI  - Is the tyramine test for depressive illness useful in elderly patients?
AB  - There were no significant differences in tyramine sulphate excretion following
      tyramine ingestion between elderly depressed, demented or control patient groups,
      in contrast with younger subjects where this test is a trait marker for unipolar
      endogenous depression. There are inherent problems in urine collection studies in
      the elderly and the results may have been influenced by the medication that
      elderly patients have to take for other disorders. This study suggests that the
      tyramine test is unlikely to be of clinical usefulness in the over 65 age group.

PMID- 1430664
TI  - Clinical correlates of response to DST. The Dexamethasone Suppression test in
      depression: a World Health Organisation collaborative study.
AB  - From 9 centres 293 patients took part in the WHO-collaborative study on
      Dexamethasone-Suppression-Test (DST) in depression to examine the relationship of
      psychopathological and psychiatric history information to cortisol-levels and
      suppression/non-suppression status. Differences between the centres were large
      and significant on nearly all of the measures. The predictor analyses generally
      suffered from numerically weak correlations with many variables correlating to
      sex and age. Therefore analyses of the data were adjusted for centre-, sex-, and
      age-influences. The best predicting features of cortisol were 'fitful, restless
      sleep', 'change of bodyweight' and 'affective disorders in blood relatives'. The
      last 2 items together with 'hypersomnia' and 'ideas of insufficiency' were the
      best predictors of suppression/nonsuppression status. However, statistical
      evidence did not seem to be strong enough to describe a typical symptom profile
      of a depressive cortisol suppressor or nonsuppressor.

PMID- 1430665
TI  - Puerperal psychoses: a clinical case study with follow-up.
AB  - Thirty cases of post-partum psychotic disorders occurred between 1973 and 1987
      and hospitalized at the Psychiatric Ward of Florence University were studied and
      followed up. A structured diagnostic interview was used, which explored DSM Ill-R
      diagnosis both for mood disorders and for psychotic features. The psychotic
      symptoms had started within 8 weeks of parturition in all cases. Only 36.7% of
      the patients showed no subsequent pathology after the puerperal symptoms. The
      diagnoses, both at the index episode and at the follow-up, revealed a great
      predominance of mood disorders and the absence of schizophrenia. The follow-up
      survey showed a greater proportion of bipolar disorders than it appeared at the
      puerperal onset of the disease. A high frequency of puerperal psychotic relapses
      has also occurred after subsequent deliveries during the follow-up period.

PMID- 1430667
TI  - Risk for affective disorder and alcohol and other drug abuse in the relatives of
      affectively ill adoptees.
AB  - We investigated the risk for substance abuse in the biological relatives of
      adoptees with affective illness, controlling for potential confounds, and
      additionally assessed risk by probands' and relatives' gender. Our sample
      consisted of 67 index adoptees with affective illness, matched control adoptees,
      and their biological and adoptive relatives. Both affective illness and substance
      abuse were more common in the biological relatives of affectively ill adoptees
      than in controls' relatives. Affective illness was more common than substance
      abuse among female index biological relatives, with the opposite pattern observed
      among male relatives.

PMID- 1430666
TI  - Single photon emission tomography with 99mTc-exametazime in major depression and
      the pattern of brain activity underlying the psychotic/neurotic continuum.
AB  - Forty patients with a major depressive episode were investigated at rest using
      Single Photon Emission Tomography (SPET or SPECT) with 99mTc-exametazime, an
      intravenous ligand taken into brain in proportion to regional cerebral blood
      flow, thereby providing an estimate of regional metabolism. All patients were
      unipolar and were rated on the Newcastle scale and with the 17-item Hamilton
      scale. They also completed a range of neuropsychological tests. They were
      compared with 20 control subjects matched for age, gender, premorbid intelligence
      and education. The uptake of 99mTc-exametazime was expressed for a range of
      anatomically defined regions of interest relative to calcarine/occipital cortex.
      The depressed group showed reduced uptake in the majority of cortical and sub
      cortical regions examined, most significantly in temporal, inferior frontal and
      parietal areas. Unexpectedly, there was a strong positive association between
      uptake and scores on the Newcastle scale, especially in cingulate areas and
      frontal cortex. After removing the variance attributable to the Newcastle
      ratings, however, there emerged the expected negative association between
      Hamilton scores and anterior tracer uptake. The associations between
      neuropsychological impairment and regional brain uptake of tracer in part
      reflected the pattern seen with the Newcastle scale: for example, impairment of
      memory function correlated with higher uptake into posterior cingulate areas. We
      propose that depressive illness may be characterised by two processes. One leads
      to an overall reduction in anterior neocortical function, perhaps related to
      symptom severity. The other mechanism is manifest as relatively increased
      function, most notably within cingulate and frontal areas of the cerebral cortex
      in association with psychotic symptoms. The findings offer new understanding of
      the brain states underlying depressive illness and a potential focus to
      subsequent neuropharmacological analysis.

PMID- 1430668
TI  - Depression and learning disabilities in children.
AB  - Occurrence of learning disabilities was determined in 30 inpatient children aged
      6-12 with major depressive disorder (MDD). Learning disabilities (LD) occurred
      seven times more often compared to community base rates (33% v 4.7%). While rates
      of comorbid diagnoses, severity of depression, and children's and parents'
      reports (DICA-C, DICA-P) did not differ between groups, teachers' reports (TRS,
      TRF) indicated increased classroom problems and poorer adaptive functioning in
      MDD/LD subjects (P < 0.0001).

PMID- 1430669
TI  - Diagnostic specificity of the dependent and self-critical personality dimensions
      in major depression.
AB  - Validational studies of self-critical and dependent personality dimensions as
      vulnerability factors for depression have been tested primarily with depressed
      samples, employing research designs devised to address state vs. trait and trait
      situational congruity issues. In this study we examined the diagnostic
      specificity to depression of these two personality dimensions, comparing Self
      Criticism and Dependency scores as measured by the Depressive Experiences
      Questionnaire (DEQ) in two samples of outpatients: (1) panic disorder with
      agoraphobia; and (2) non-psychotic, unipolar major depression. As hypothesized,
      the two groups differed on Self-Criticism, with the depressed group scoring
      higher, but no differences were found for Dependency. These findings were similar
      even when depressed mood was partialed out. These results complement a growing
      body of research associating Self-Criticism, as specifically measured by the DEQ,
      with depression.

PMID- 1430670
TI  - Imipramine and weight gain during the long-term treatment of recurrent
      depression.
AB  - The recently completed long-term maintenance trial of full-dose imipramine for
      recurrent unipolar disorder provided an opportunity to examine the extent to
      which such doses (200-300 mg daily) are associated with persistent and adverse
      side effects, particularly weight change. In 115 patients we monitored weight
      change during the three-year maintenance treatment phase to the point of trial
      completion, recurrence or termination. No differences were noted between
      individuals receiving active medication (average gain of 5.8 lbs. during an
      average treatment period of 725 days) versus those randomized to the 'no-drug'
      cells (average gain of 2.8 lbs. during an average treatment period of 422 days).
      Numerous other factors such as body mass index, previous weight gain and gender
      did not play a differential role in establishing why some individuals gained
      weight during long-term treatment of depression regardless of specific treatment.

PMID- 1430671
TI  - Diagnostic accuracy in adolescents of several depression rating scales extracted
      from a general purpose behavior checklist.
AB  - Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis of six depression scales
      extracted from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Youth Self-report (YSR) in
      a clinically referred sample of adolescents (N = 667) showed that their
      performance in discriminating between depressed and not depressed patients was
      comparable to other specifically designed depression rating scales (area under
      the ROC curves between 0.75 and 0.82). Performance was better for boys than for
      girls. These results suggest that specific depression self-report rating scales
      may be unnecessary in adolescents if CBCL or YSR data are available, and that
      self-reports are not more accurate than parent-reports in the identification of
      depression in this age group.

PMID- 1430672
TI  - The effect of cholesterol screening on college students.
AB  - This study was designed to determine the effect of cholesterol screening on
      college students' knowledge retention and self-reported behavior change. Students
      (N = 180, age M = 21.4 +/- 4.1 years) enrolled in a self-paced personal fitness
      course participated in a screening accompanied by two educational handouts and
      oral information from the technician. Six weeks later, subjects completed a
      questionnaire that revealed that 76% remembered their exact cholesterol level.
      Only 36%, however, remembered specifically why their cholesterol level was
      important, 22% remembered the three National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)
      categories and values, and only 36% could fully identify their correct NCEP
      follow-up. Chi-square analyses revealed no significant differences between
      expected and observed frequencies for gender or cholesterol category by cognitive
      information retention. Analyses did reveal more self-reported dietary and
      exercise changes for those testing above 200 mg/dL than for those below 200.
      Although college students may remember their cholesterol level after 6 weeks and
      may take some action if they are above the desirable level, the knowledge base
      established in a typical screening situation appears inadequate. Educational
      efforts accompanying most screenings should be improved, and some attention
      should be given to young adults who test at the high end of the desirable
      category.

PMID- 1430673
TI  - Medical students' exposure to formaldehyde in a gross anatomy dissection
      laboratory.
AB  - The authors studied 150 first-year medical students exposed to formaldehyde
      during the dissection of cadavers in a gross anatomy laboratory. As a reference
      group, they used 189 third- and fourth-year medical students matched for sex,
      ethnic group, and age. Environmental and personal samples were collected to
      determine the exposure to formaldehyde among the first-year students. The mean
      concentration of formaldehyde in parts per million (ppm) in the area was 0.50 ppm
      (range = 0.40-0.60 ppm) and the personal sample was 0.74 ppm (range = 0.41-1.20
      ppm). No significant differences were noted in the pre- and post-exposure mean
      FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 second) and FVC (forced vital capacity) among
      the 22 randomly selected exposed male and female subjects. Significant
      differences, however, were observed in the exposed group for symptoms of
      decreased ability to smell, eye irritation, throat irritation, and dry mouth in
      comparison with the reference group. These symptoms were also significantly
      related to the time and place of occurrence. Medical schools should take more
      concrete measures to reduce students' exposure to formaldehyde. Meanwhile,
      although it is not now the practice in most medical schools, students should have
      ready access to goggles and respirators when working in dissection laboratories.

PMID- 1430674
TI  - The history of sections in the American College Health Association.
AB  - The founders of the American College Health Association (ACHA) recognized the
      importance of regional groups (affiliates) and worked actively to foster their
      formation and continued existence. In 1932, D. F. Smiley, MD, described the
      concept of establishing ACHA regions and suggested combining institutional
      membership in both the national and regional organizations. Significant affiliate
      representation in the association's governance structure finally became a reality
      in 1987, when regional representatives became permanent members of the board of
      directors. Standing committees of the association were transformed into the
      present ACHA sections in 1957, and a new category for individual membership
      established for college health professionals interested in participating in
      educational activities of the new sections. In many ways, the changes in the
      association's governance that occurred in 1987 are reminiscent of the original
      structure of the 1920-1970 era, when the organization was much smaller and
      essentially an association of college health center directors.

PMID- 1430675
TI  - The impact of influenza vaccination on respiratory illness at a boarding school.
AB  - We studied the impact of influenza vaccine during an outbreak of influenza at a
      989-student boarding school in January to March, 1989. By February 6, 120 (17%)
      of 690 students completing survey questionnaires had been ill with fever and
      respiratory symptoms. Eighty-seven students had received influenza vaccine in the
      previous 18 months; these students had an attack rate half that of the
      unvaccinated students (9% v 19%; vaccine efficacy = 50%, confidence interval = 0%
      70%). We estimate that, if the entire student body had been vaccinated, influenza
      like illness could have been prevented in 162 students (16% of the school), and
      that preventing this illness could have avoided at least 482 student-days of
      missed classes, or approximately one student-day for each 1.8 additional doses of
      vaccine given. This study suggests that, when feasible, a broad influenza
      immunization policy for healthy students at residential schools should
      substantially decrease the disruption of school activities caused by influenza.

PMID- 1430676
TI  - Who should get influenza vaccine?

PMID- 1430677
TI  - Connotative meanings assigned to contraceptive options.
AB  - Healthy People 2000: National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives
      states that the reduction of unintended pregnancies is one of the primary health
      objectives for college-aged people. In addition, the reduction in rates of
      sexually transmitted diseases, with special emphasis on reducing the incidence of
      HIV infection, is an important objective for this population. One way of
      addressing these objectives is through promoting use of effective contraception
      methods. Attitudes toward a particular contraceptive option may play an important
      role in acceptance of, and predisposition toward, using a given method. The
      authors used semantic differential scaling to study the connotative meanings
      college students assigned to 13 contraceptive methods. They asked 751 students
      (mean age = 19.6 years) to rate each method of contraception, using 7-point
      scales composed of 15 bipolar adjective pairs. Scale internal consistency was
      estimated using Cronbach's alpha, and ranges were from .68 for douching to .92
      for oral contraceptives. Respondents' rank-ordered approval ratings of the 13
      options were as follows: oral contraceptives; abstinence; the condom; the
      diaphragm; the contraceptive sponge; female sterilization; rhythm; male
      sterilization; douching, the IUD, and vaginal suppositories (tied); spermicidal
      foam; and withdrawal. These results indicated general approval for methods that
      are effective in preventing conception. Semantic interpretation of selected
      contraceptive options differed by gender and race, but not by age. Implications
      for contraception education and future research issues are discussed.

PMID- 1430678
TI  - Gender-specific changes in students' sexual behaviors and attitudes at a
      southeastern university between 1973 and 1988.
AB  - This study investigated the gender-specific, self-reported sexual behaviors and
      attitudes of never-married college students attending a southeastern university
      in 1973 and 1988. Data were collected by means of a mailed questionnaire that
      remained essentially unchanged for both years. The authors found that both men
      and women reported an increase in heterosexual relationships that included sexual
      intercourse and a decrease in nonsexual relationships with the other gender. The
      majority of the students perceived themselves as adequately informed about
      sexuality and satisfied with their relationships, although the proportion of men
      who reported being satisfied with their relationships declined over the 15 years.
      The students indicated that sexuality education should focus primarily on
      information about AIDS and on preparation for marriage.

PMID- 1430679
TI  - Mechanism of benefit of combination thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial
      infarction: a quantitative angiographic and hematologic study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to lend insight into the mechanisms
      responsible for the beneficial effects of combination thrombolytic therapy.
      BACKGROUND: Combination thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction has
      been associated with less reocclusion and fewer in-hospital clinical events than
      has monotherapy. METHODS: Infarct-related quantitative coronary dimensions and
      hemostatic protein levels were evaluated in 287 patients with acute myocardial
      infarction during the early (90-min) and convalescent (7-day) phases after
      administration of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA),
      urokinase or combination rt-PA and urokinase. RESULTS: Minimal lumen diameter was
      similar in the 90-min and 7-day phases after treatment with rt-PA, urokinase and
      combination rt-PA and urokinase (0.72 +/- 0.45 mm, 0.62 +/- 0.53 mm and 0.75 +/-
      0.58 mm, respectively, at 90 min, p = 0.16; and 1.05 +/- 0.56 mm, 1.12 +/- 0.72
      mm and 0.94 +/- 0.54 mm, respectively, at 7 days, p = 0.22). In-hospital clinical
      event and reocclusion rates were less frequent in patients receiving combination
      therapy than in those receiving monotherapy (25% vs. 38% and 32% for rt-PA and
      urokinase, respectively, p = 0.084; and 3% vs. 13% and 9% for rt-PA and
      urokinase, respectively, p = 0.03), but these events were unrelated to early or
      late coronary dimensions. Patients receiving combination therapy or urokinase
      monotherapy had significantly higher peak fibrin degradation products (1,307 +/-
      860 and 1,285 +/- 898 micrograms/ml vs. 435 +/- 717 micrograms/ml, respectively,
      p < 0.0001) and lower nadir fibrinogen levels (0.85 +/- 1.00 and 0.75 +/- 0.53
      g/liter vs. 1.90 +/- 0.86 g/liter, respectively, p < 0.0001) than did those
      receiving rt-PA monotherapy. Peak fibrinogen degradation products indirectly
      correlated (p = 0.004) and baseline (p = 0.026) and nadir (p = 0.089) fibrinogen
      levels directly correlated with reocclusion. CONCLUSIONS: Lower in-hospital
      clinical event and reocclusion rates observed with combination thrombolytic
      therapy may relate to systemic hematologic factors rather than to the residual
      lumen obstruction after thrombolysis.

PMID- 1430680
TI  - Pathophysiology and prognostic significance of Holter-detected ST segment
      depression after myocardial infarction. The Tissue Plasminogen Activator: Toronto
      (TPAT) Study Group.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: We performed Holter monitoring on days 4 and 7 after acute myocardial
      infarction in 109 patients to assess whether ST segment shift would identify
      those with more severe coronary artery disease, left ventricular dysfunction and
      unfavorable prognosis. BACKGROUND: Silent myocardial ischemia is a frequent and
      prognostically significant event after acute myocardial infarction. However, the
      specific pathophysiologic mechanisms and the impact of thrombolytic therapy are
      uncertain. METHODS: In addition to Holter monitoring, patients underwent exercise
      testing, radionuclide angiography on days 1 and 9 and quantitative coronary
      angiography on day 9. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients (32%) had ST segment
      depression and had similar recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA)
      treatment assignment and a reduced cross-sectional area of the infarct-related
      artery (0.59 +/- 0.57 vs. 1.04 +/- 1.26 mm2, p < 0.05). Global left ventricular
      function improved from day 1 to day 9 in patients without (4% +/- 11%, p < 0.001)
      but not in those with (0% +/- 7%) ST segment depression. In-hospital event rates
      were similar; however, follow-up 18 +/- 11 months after hospital discharge
      revealed a greater frequency of death and recurrent myocardial infarction in
      patients with compared with those without ST segment depression (27% vs. 6%, p =
      0.03). CONCLUSIONS: After acute myocardial infarction, approximately one third of
      patients have ST segment depression on Holter monitoring, independent of the use
      of thrombolytic therapy. The unfavorable prognosis observed in these patients may
      be related to greater lumen obstruction in the infarct-related artery and lack of
      improvement in left ventricular function.

PMID- 1430681
TI  - Ischemic cardiomyopathy: endomyocardial biopsy and ventriculographic evaluation
      of patients with congestive heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy and coronary
      artery disease.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to define clinical and pathophysiologic
      similarities and differences between patients with ischemic and idiopathic
      dilated cardiomyopathy. BACKGROUND: Significant coronary artery disease in
      patients with new onset congestive heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy
      has important prognostic and therapeutic implications. METHODS: Clinical,
      histologic, ventriculographic and hemodynamic features of patients with dilated
      cardiomyopathy who underwent coronary angiography were reviewed. RESULTS:
      Patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (n = 21) compared with those with
      idiopathic cardiomyopathy (n = 40) had similar presenting symptoms, durations of
      illness, and coronary risk factor profiles, with the exception of a greater
      prevalence of cigarette smoking (71% vs. 39%, p = 0.028) and male gender (100%
      vs. 70%, p = 0.014). Endomyocardial biopsy specimens from patients with ischemic
      cardiomyopathy demonstrated a greater prevalence of replacement fibrosis (48% vs.
      8%, p = 0.001) and a lesser degree of histologically assessed myocyte hypertrophy
      (mean grade 0.5 +/- 0.7 vs. 1.3 +/- 1.3, p = 0.015). Although
      ventriculographically determined regional dyskinesia was present in both groups,
      there was a higher prevalence of two or more adjacent segments in the ischemic
      cardiomyopathy group (50% vs. 10%, p = 0.03). This ischemic group had hemodynamic
      variables associated with a worse prognosis: higher pulmonary artery wedge
      pressure (23 +/- 10 vs. 15 +/- 9 mm Hg, p = 0.006) and lower cardiac index (2.0
      +/- 0.5 vs. 2.3 +/- 0.5 liters/min per m2, p = 0.044). Also, in this group,
      patients had a mean of 2.6 +/- 0.7 diseased vessels; 15 (71%) of 21 patients had
      triple-vessel disease and 18 (86%) of 21 had at least one occluded or suboccluded
      artery. CONCLUSIONS: 1) Patients with ischemic and idiopathic cardiomyopathy may
      be clinically indistinguishable unless coronary angiography is performed. 2) A
      greater prevalence of replacement fibrosis and a lesser degree of myocardial
      hypertrophy in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy may account for the greater
      extent of hemodynamic decompensation observed at presentation.

PMID- 1430682
TI  - Relation between ventilation and carbon dioxide production in patients with
      chronic heart failure.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze the relation between ventilation
      and carbon dioxide production and the control of ventilation in patients with
      chronic heart failure. BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic heart failure exhibit an
      increased ventilatory response to exercise. Ventilation is closely linked to
      carbon dioxide production, producing a high correlation between the two
      variables. This relation is nonlinear at high levels of exercise. METHODS: The
      ventilation/carbon dioxide production ratio during exercise was examined in 29
      patients with chronic heart failure and 9 normal volunteers. RESULTS: In the
      patients with heart failure, there were three patterns: in the least severely
      affected patients, the pattern was similar to that of the normal subjects, with
      an initial decrease in the ventilation/carbon dioxide production ratio to a
      plateau maintained during exercise; in more severely affected patients, there was
      an increase in the ratio at the end of exercise, and in the most severely
      affected patients, the ratio increased from the outset of exercise. The
      ventilation/carbon dioxide relation is not adequately described by a straight
      line relation. CONCLUSIONS: The ventilation/carbon dioxide ratio is not fixed,
      and the changes that occur in this ratio reflect either a noncarbon dioxide
      driven ventilatory stimulus or an increase in ventilation-perfusion mismatch due
      to increased dead space ventilation. The different patterns of this ratio may
      provide clues to the pathophysiologic mechanisms of the excessive ventilation and
      breathlessness seen during exercise in chronic heart failure.

PMID- 1430683
TI  - Effects of time and previous acute rejection episodes on coronary vascular
      reserve in human heart transplant recipients.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study examined whether previous rejection episodes may have
      deleterious effects on coronary vascular reserve of heart transplant recipients
      months after transplantation. BACKGROUND: Coronary reserve has been demonstrated
      to be within the normal range in long-term transplant patients without previous
      episodes of rejection. Conversely, acute rejection is associated with a dramatic
      reduction of coronary reserve, which is rapidly restored after therapy. METHODS:
      Coronary flow velocity was measured by intracoronary Doppler catheter before and
      after a maximally vasodilating dose of intracoronary papaverine in 16 control
      subjects and in 59 transplant patients classified into three groups with respect
      to time after transplantation: 1 to 6 months (group 1, n = 17), 7 to 18 months
      (group 2, n = 22) and > 18 months (group 3, n = 20). Coronary vascular reserve
      was evaluated through peak/rest coronary flow velocity ratio and minimal coronary
      vascular resistance index. All patients had normal findings on left ventricular
      angiography and coronary arteriography and a normal left ventricular mass.
      RESULTS: Arterial pressure was normal in all groups. Heart rate in the three
      groups of transplant patients, mean aortic pressure in groups 1 and 2, left
      ventricular systolic pressure in group 2 and rate-pressure product in groups 1
      and 2 were higher than in control subjects. Average number of rejection episodes
      per patient was similar in the three groups of patients (group 1, 2.4 +/- 1.4;
      group 2, 2.5 +/- 1.9, and group 3, 2.1 +/- 1.3). Results showed no difference
      between each group of transplant patients and control subjects for peak/rest
      coronary flow velocity ratio (control subjects, 5.2 +/- 0.8; group 1, 5.3 +/-
      1.5; group 2, 4.9 +/- 1.2, and group 3, 4.4 +/- 1.6) and for minimal coronary
      vascular resistance index (control subjects, 0.18 +/- 0.03; group 1, 0.18 +/-
      0.04; group 2, 0.20 +/- 0.06, group 3, 0.23 +/- 0.11). In addition, patients with
      zero or one rejection episode had similar values of peak/rest coronary flow
      velocity ratio and minimal coronary vascular resistance index (4.3 +/- 1.3 and
      0.23 +/- 0.10, respectively, n = 22) as did those with one or two rejection
      episodes (5.1 +/- 1.5 and 0.19 +/- 0.07, respectively, n = 24), and those with
      four or more episodes (5.2 +/- 1.4 and 0.19 +/- 0.05, respectively, n = 13).
      CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that coronary vascular reserve remains within
      normal range and is independent from the number of previous episodes of rejection
      until late after transplantation in human heart transplant patients with
      angiographically normal coronary arteries.

PMID- 1430684
TI  - Excessive vasoconstriction in rheumatic mitral stenosis with modestly reduced
      ejection fraction.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The primary hypothesis examined was that underfilling due to inflow
      obstruction accounts for modestly depressed ejection performance in mitral
      stenosis. Having found little evidence to support this hypothesis, we sought to
      determine other factors that might differentiate patients with different levels
      of ejection performance. METHODS: Ventricular load and performance were compared
      in two groups of patients before and immediately after successful balloon
      valvuloplasty that was not complicated by mitral regurgitation: those in whom
      prevalvuloplasty ejection fraction was > or = 0.55 (group I, n = 10) and those in
      whom it was < 0.55 (group II, n = 11). RESULTS: Before valvuloplasty, mitral
      valve area was less in group II (0.65 cm2) than in group I (0.84 cm2, p = 0.02),
      but end-diastolic pressure (12 vs. 12 mm Hg in group I), end-diastolic wall
      stress (46 vs. 44 kdynes/cm2 in group I) and end-diastolic volume (152 vs. 150 ml
      in group I) were not less in group II, nor were these variables significantly
      reduced compared with those of a normal control group. In group II, end-systolic
      volume was larger (77 vs. 55 ml in group I, p = 0.001) and cardiac output was
      less (3.1 vs. 3.6 liters/min in group I, p = 0.03), possibly owing to higher
      systemic vascular resistance (2,438 vs. 1,921 dynes.s.cm-5 in group I, p = 0.05)
      and end-systolic wall stress (273 vs. 226 kdynes/cm2 in group I, p = 0.06),
      although mean arterial pressure in the two groups was similar (91 vs. 84 mm Hg in
      group I, p = 0.22). Group II patients also had higher values for pulmonary
      vascular resistance (712 vs. 269 dynes.s.cm-5 in group I, p = 0.03) and mean
      pulmonary artery pressure (47 vs. 29 mm Hg in group I, p = 0.02) despite similar
      values for mean left atrial pressure (20 vs. 18 mm Hg in group I, p = 0.35).
      After valvuloplasty, mitral valve area increased by 2.5- and 3-fold,
      respectively, in group I (to 2.1 cm2) and group II (to 2.0 cm2). Modest increases
      in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, end-diastolic stress and end
      diastolic volume (+9%) after valvuloplasty were statistically significant only
      for group II. End-systolic wall stress did not decline in either group II (281
      kdynes/cm2) or group I (230 kdynes/cm2), and ejection fraction failed to increase
      significantly (0.49 to 0.51 for group II and 0.62 to 0.61 for group I) after
      valvuloplasty. Contractile performance estimated with a preload-corrected
      ejection fraction-afterload relation was within or near normal limits in all 19
      patients in whom it was assessed. CONCLUSIONS: Excessive vasoconstriction may
      account for the higher afterload, lower ejection performance and lower cardiac
      output observed in a subset of patients with mitral stenosis because contractile
      dysfunction could not be detected and left ventricular filling--which was not
      subnormal despite severe inflow obstruction--improved only modestly after
      valvuloplasty.

PMID- 1430685
TI  - Effects of mitral regurgitation on pulmonary venous flow and left atrial
      pressure: an intraoperative transesophageal echocardiographic study.
AB  - OBJECTIVES AND BACKGROUND: Pulmonary venous flows recorded by pulsed wave Doppler
      transesophageal echocardiography examination can be used to assess the severity
      of mitral regurgitation. Pulmonary venous flows are also related to left atrial
      pressures; however, the determinants of these flows have yet to be characterized
      in the presence of mitral regurgitation. METHODS: We simultaneously recorded
      intraoperative pulmonary venous flows by transesophageal echocardiography and
      left atrial pressures by direct left atrial puncture in 16 patients with
      different grades of mitral regurgitation: 2+ (n = 5), 3+ (n = 4) and 4+ (n = 7).
      Pulmonary venous peak systolic and diastolic flow velocities and peak reversed
      systolic flow velocities were compared with left atrial pressure a and v waves, a
      x and v-y descent values and left atrial volumes. RESULTS: Pulmonary venous
      systolic to diastolic flow ratios correlated with decreases in left atrial
      pressure a/v ratios and with increases in the v waves of patients with higher
      grades of mitral regurgitation. Univariate analysis revealed that the best
      determinants of the pulmonary venous systolic to diastolic flow ratio were the
      left atrial pressure v wave (r = -0.76), the v-y descent value (r = -0.73) and
      the a/v ratio (r = 0.71). Lower correlations were found for left atrial end
      systolic (r = -0.48) and end-diastolic (r = -0.42) volumes. Reversed systolic
      flow was present in patients with 4+ mitral regurgitation, despite left atrial
      enlargement. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary venous flow can be used to assess the
      severity of mitral regurgitation and reflects the effects of mitral regurgitation
      severity on the left atrial pressure a and v waves.

PMID- 1430686
TI  - Evaluation of mitral leaflet motion by echocardiography and jet direction by
      Doppler color flow mapping to determine the mechanisms of mitral regurgitation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to assess the accuracy of two-dimensional and
      Doppler echocardiography in determining the mechanism of mitral regurgitation, as
      compared with direct inspection of the valve at operation. BACKGROUND: Valve
      repair for mitral regurgitation offers substantial advantages over valve
      replacement, but it is technically more demanding and requires understanding of
      the mechanism of dysfunction. METHODS: We studied 286 patients undergoing mitral
      valve repair. Intraoperative two-dimensional echocardiography was used to
      classify mitral leaflet motion as excessive, normal or restricted. Doppler color
      flow mapping was used to evaluate the direction and origin of the mitral
      regurgitant jet. Two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography were compared with
      intraoperative surgical determination of the mechanism of dysfunction, which also
      classified leaflet motion as excessive, normal or restricted. RESULTS: Two
      dimensional and Doppler echocardiography accurately diagnosed the mechanism of
      mitral regurgitation in 123 (93%) of 132 patients with posterior leaflet prolapse
      or flail, 30 (94%) of 32 patients with anterior leaflet prolapse or flail, 11
      (44%) of 25 patients with bileaflet prolapse or flail, 6 (75%) of 8 patients with
      papillary muscle elongation or rupture, 31 (91%) of 34 patients with restricted
      leaflet motion or rheumatic thickening, 21 (72%) of 29 patients with ventricular
      annular dilation and 8 (62%) of 13 patients with a leaflet perforation or cleft.
      Of 13 patients with two mechanisms of dysfunction by surgical inspection, two
      dimensional and Doppler echocardiography correctly diagnosed one of the two
      mechanisms in 12 patients (92%), and both mechanisms in 5 patients (38%).
      Overall, echocardiographic determination of leaflet motion and Doppler
      determination of jet direction accurately diagnosed the mechanism of dysfunction
      in 242 (85%) of 286 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Echocardiography before mitral
      valvuloplasty provides a dynamic appraisal of the mechanism of dysfunction,
      enabling the surgeon to systematically understand the dysfunction and
      successfully apply the correct procedures to eliminate mitral regurgitation
      without valve replacement.

PMID- 1430687
TI  - Value and limitations of Doppler echocardiographic determination of mitral valve
      area in Lutembacher syndrome.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to compare the Doppler pressure half-time, Doppler
      continuity equation and two-dimensional echocardiographic planimetric methods of
      estimating mitral valve area in Lutembacher syndrome. BACKGROUND: Fluid dynamics
      theory predicts that mitral pressure half-time varies inversely with mitral valve
      area and directly with net chamber compliance and the peak early diastolic
      transmitral gradient in pure mitral stenosis. The effects of an atrial shunt on
      these interrelations have not been investigated. METHODS: Correlation and
      agreement between mitral valve area estimates obtained by the three methods and
      that obtained by cardiac catheterization was ascertained in 11 patients with
      Lutembacher syndrome. RESULTS: Valve areas determined by planimetry and the
      continuity equation method correlated and agreed well with catheterization
      measurements (r = 0.83 and 0.81, respectively). The pressure half-time method
      consistently overestimated mitral valve area; the extent of overestimation was
      greater in patients with larger atrial shunts. The hemodynamic pressure half-time
      was independent of the mitral valve area, chamber compliance and the peak
      transmitral gradient. It was dependent on the magnitude of the atrial shunt,
      although the correlation obtained was only fair (r = 0.61). CONCLUSIONS: These
      findings suggest that the Doppler pressure half-time method is an inaccurate
      measure of mitral valve area whenever an atrial shunt coexists with mitral
      stenosis. Planimetry and the Doppler continuity equation methods yield accurate
      estimates of mitral valve area in Lutembacher syndrome.

PMID- 1430688
TI  - Protection against ischemia during prolonged balloon inflation by distal coronary
      perfusion with use of an autoperfusion catheter or Fluosol.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this report was to study the protective effects of
      passive and active distal coronary perfusion during prolonged balloon inflation.
      BACKGROUND: Prolonged balloon inflation has been proposed to improve immediate
      and long-term results of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, but it
      requires protection against myocardial ischemia. METHODS: A 30-min balloon
      occlusion of the left anterior descending artery was performed in three groups of
      closed chest anesthetized dogs: 1) control (no distal coronary perfusion, n =
      13), 2) passive distal coronary perfusion (autoperfusion catheter, n = 10), and
      3) active distal coronary perfusion (infusion of the perfluorochemical Fluosol at
      30 ml/min, n = 11). RESULTS: At 10 min of balloon inflation, echocardiographic
      wall motion indexes (scored from 1 [normal] to 5 [dyskinesia]) in the
      autoperfusion catheter and Fluosol groups (2.4 +/- 1.2 and 2.0 +/- 0.9,
      respectively) were significantly better than in the control group (3.6 +/- 0.4, p
      = 0.001), but at 25 min this improvement in wall motion had attenuated and became
      statistically insignificant when compared with values in the control group. Left
      ventricular end-diastolic pressure at peak inflation in the Fluosol group (19.5
      +/- 5.5 mm Hg) was higher than in the control (7.6 +/- 3.6) and autoperfusion
      catheter (5.3 +/- 1.4, p < or = 0.01) groups. Pathologic evidence of infarction
      by tetrazolium staining was seen in three control dogs and in none of the other
      groups (p = 0.07). Ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation were less frequent in
      the autoperfusion catheter group (p = 0.02). Three deaths were observed in the
      control dogs, two in the Fluosol group and none in the dogs with an autoperfusion
      catheter (p = NS). CONCLUSIONS: Passive (the autoperfusion balloon catheter) and
      active (Fluosol) distal coronary perfusion methods are comparable and better than
      no perfusion in protecting the myocardium against ischemia produced by prolonged
      coronary balloon inflation in an experimental canine model. This protection is
      transient, attenuating after 10 to 25 min, and partial because there was no
      significant difference in the incidence of myocardial infarction and death among
      groups, although the latter observations may be related to small sample size.

PMID- 1430689
TI  - Intracoronary ultrasound predictors of adverse outcomes after coronary artery
      interventions.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the association between
      qualitative and quantitative lesion characteristics as assessed by intracoronary
      ultrasound imaging and adverse outcomes after coronary artery interventions.
      BACKGROUND: Restenosis and other adverse outcomes after coronary artery
      interventions may be difficult to predict from clinical or angiographic data.
      Intracoronary ultrasound imaging provides additional data that could prove
      useful. METHODS: Immediately after successful coronary artery interventions
      (angiographic residual stenosis < or = 50%), 69 patients underwent intracoronary
      ultrasound imaging. Images were assessed qualitatively for plaque composition and
      topography and for dissection. Quantitative data included measurement of minimal
      lumen diameter, lumen area, plaque area and percent area stenosis at the
      treatment and adjacent reference sites. Adverse outcome was defined as death,
      coronary bypass surgery, myocardial infarction or angiographic restenosis.
      RESULTS: Of the 69 patients, 1 died, 3 had bypass surgery and 1 had a myocardial
      infarction before planned 6-month repeat catheterization. Two patients were lost
      to follow-up study. Of the remaining 62 patients, 56 (90%) agreed to follow-up
      catheterization and 25 (45%) of the 56 had restenosis. Thus, 30 patients had an
      adverse outcome and 37 had no adverse event. The incidence of dissection detected
      by ultrasound imaging after an intervention was significantly greater in patients
      with than in those without a subsequent adverse event (63% vs. 35%, p < 0.05).
      The severity of dissection also appeared to be related to outcome (p < 0.05).
      Other qualitative and quantitative variables were not significantly different
      between the two patient groups. CONCLUSIONS: Dissection, as assessed by
      intracoronary ultrasound imaging after a coronary artery intervention, can
      identify patients at increased risk of subsequent adverse events. Additional
      studies are warranted to explore whether such imaging may allow modification of
      interventional procedures to improve outcome.

PMID- 1430690
TI  - Mechanisms of spontaneous shift of surface electrocardiographic configuration
      during ventricular tachycardia.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine, with multichannel direct
      cardiac mapping techniques, the mechanisms of spontaneous shift of the QRS
      configuration in the surface electrocardiogram during episodes of ventricular
      tachycardia. BACKGROUND: Ventricular tachycardias demonstrating a spontaneous
      shift in their surface electrocardiographic (ECG) features are occasionally
      encountered. It is not known whether such changes in configuration are primarily
      due to a significant change in the tachycardia site of origin or represent
      alterations in patterns of endocardial and epicardial activation. Knowledge of
      these features would be helpful, particularly when ablative therapy is considered
      for the arrhythmias. METHODS: During map-directed cardiac surgery, episodes of
      ventricular tachycardia were mapped from 224 epicardial and endocardial sites.
      Episodes of pleomorphic tachycardia were identified and isochronal maps of
      endocardial and epicardial activation were constructed from representative beats
      before and after the change in configuration. RESULTS: From 52 consecutive
      patients who underwent detailed intraoperative mapping, 9 patients with
      pleomorphic ventricular tachycardia were identified in whom 14 episodes of
      spontaneous shift occurred. An analysis of the epicardial activation patterns
      revealed that the sites of earliest epicardial breakthrough showed significant
      alteration at the time of QRS shift in all occurrences. In 10 of these shift
      episodes, however, the sites of tachycardia origin, located on the endocardial
      surface, remained closely adjacent (< 2 cm apart). Although these sites of origin
      remained relatively constant, significant alterations in the patterns of
      endocardial activation were seen in most episodes. These included changes in the
      direction of propagation of the wave front of activation and shifts between
      monoregional and figure eight patterns of activation. CONCLUSIONS: In most
      episodes of pleomorphic ventricular tachycardia, the arrhythmia site of origin
      remains relatively constant. However, patterns of epicardial activation do
      undergo significant change and appear to be the major determinant of the QRS
      configuration on the surface ECG.

PMID- 1430691
TI  - Radiofrequency catheter ablation of incessant, medically resistant
      supraventricular tachycardia in infants and small children.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study retrospectively evaluates initial experience with
      radiofrequency catheter ablation in a group of seven infants and small children
      with a history of incessant, medically resistant supraventricular tachycardia.
      METHODS: Before attempted catheter ablation, all patients had had unsuccessful
      conventional medical therapy (with digoxin or propranolol, or both) and, in
      addition, each continued to have daily episodes of supraventricular tachycardia
      while taking amiodarone or a class IC antiarrhythmic agent alone or in
      combination. The average patient age was 10 months (range 1 to 27) and the
      average patient weight was 6 kg (range 3 to 13). Electrophysiologic diagnosis
      included reentrant supraventricular tachycardia in six patients and atrial
      ectopic tachycardia in one patient. RESULTS: These seven patients underwent a
      total of nine catheter ablation procedures. The atrial approach to ablation was
      employed in eight of the nine procedures. Overall, radiofrequency catheter
      ablation was totally successful in five of the seven patients, partially
      successful in one patient and unsuccessful in the remaining patient. The
      combination of radiofrequency catheter ablation and surgical ablation was
      successful in controlling tachycardia in all patients; with at least 5 months of
      follow-up study, no patient has had a recurrence of supraventricular tachycardia
      or reappearance of a delta wave. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical ablation of arrhythmogenic
      substrates in the pediatric age group, although rarely indicated, has been found
      in the past to be safe and effective. Our initial experience with radiofrequency
      catheter ablation in infants and small children demonstrates that this procedure
      is a promising nonpharmacologic therapeutic alternative to surgical ablation.

PMID- 1430692
TI  - Effects of quinidine on vascular resistance and sympathetic nerve activity in
      humans.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that
      intravenous quinidine, unlike procainamide, causes direct vasodilation and
      reflexly mediated increases in sympathetic nerve activity. BACKGROUND:
      Intravenous quinidine can cause significant hypotension. Animal experiments have
      suggested that quinidine blocks alpha-receptors and also relaxes vascular smooth
      muscle by a nonadrenergic mechanism. In a recent study we showed that intravenous
      procainamide causes peripheral vasodilation, hypotension and inhibition of
      sympathetic nerve activity in humans. Intraarterial procainamide, however, did
      not cause vasodilation. METHODS: Postganglionic muscle sympathetic nerve traffic
      was recorded from the peroneal nerve at the fibular head with tungsten
      microelectrodes, and forearm blood flow was measured with venous occlusion
      plethysmography. Central venous pressure was measured directly. The direct
      effects of quinidine on vascular resistance were determined with brachial artery
      quinidine infusions and measurement of ipsilateral forearm blood flow. RESULTS:
      In eight normal subjects intravenous quinidine (8 mg/kg body weight infused for
      27 min) decreased mean arterial pressure from 87 +/- 3 (mean +/- SE) to 83 +/- 3
      mm Hg, central venous pressure from 6.3 +/- 0.6 to 5.0 +/- 0.7 mm Hg and forearm
      vascular resistance from 32.2 +/- 5.5 to 25.3 +/- 4.7 U (all p < 0.05). Heart
      rate increased from 67 +/- 4 to 77 +/- 5 beats/min and muscle sympathetic nerve
      activity from 288 +/- 70 to 660 +/- 151 U/min (both p < 0.05). In five subjects
      intravenous nitroprusside that caused similar hemodynamic effects produced
      similar increases in sympathetic nerve activity. In eight subjects graded
      infusions of quinidine into the brachial artery (0.37, 0.74 and 1.48 mg/min)
      produced dose-dependent decreases in ipsilateral forearm vascular resistance and
      marked attenuation of forearm vasoconstriction caused by the cold pressor test.
      CONCLUSIONS: These data show that quinidine, unlike procainamide, causes
      vasodilation directly and, when given intravenously, is associated with
      baroreflex-mediated increases in sympathetic nerve activity.

PMID- 1430693
TI  - Myocardial washout of sonicated iopamidol reflects coronary blood flow in the
      absence of autoregulation.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate the relation between
      measurements derived from myocardial contrast echocardiography and coronary blood
      flow. BACKGROUND: Contrast echocardiography has the potential for measuring blood
      flow. METHODS: In six open chest anesthetized dogs, the left circumflex coronary
      artery was cannulated and perfused with blood drawn from the left femoral artery.
      While adenosine was infused into the circuit, circumflex flow was generated by a
      calibrated roller pump to the point of abolishing coronary autoregulation. At
      each of 25 levels of coronary blood flow, paired bolus injections of sonicated
      iopamidol were performed proximal to a mixing chamber. The perfused area of the
      left circumflex coronary artery was labeled by radioactive microspheres injected
      into the perfusion line. Two-dimensional echocardiographic images of the left
      ventricular short axis were digitized off-line, and myocardial videodensity was
      measured in the area perfused by the left circumflex coronary artery to generate
      time-intensity curves. RESULTS: The washout slope of curves showed a good
      correlation with coronary blood flow, ranging from 0.5 to 12.5 ml/min per g of
      tissue. This correlation was good both in individual dogs (correlation
      coefficient [r] ranging from 0.78 to 0.96) and in the group of animals as a whole
      (r = 0.85). Washout slope also showed a good correlation with coronary diastolic
      pressure (r = 0.80), which ranged from 23 to 114 mm Hg, suggesting a possible
      primary effect of pressure on contrast washout. However, coronary blood flow
      appeared to be a stronger predictor of washout slope (partial F = 26.5, p <
      0.001) than did perfusion pressure (partial F = 5.9, p < 0.05 by multiple
      regression). The injection to injection variability in myocardial washout slope
      appeared to be high (24%). The gamma variate fitting of curves did not improve
      the correlation with coronary flow (r = 0.78). CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial washout of
      sonicated iopamidol reflects coronary blood flow in a model in which coronary
      autoregulation is abolished.

PMID- 1430694
TI  - Comparison of left ventricular cryolesions created by liquid nitrogen and nitrous
      oxide.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to compare the cryosurgical lesions produced
      by liquid nitrogen (-196 degrees C) and nitrous oxide (-76 degrees C).
      BACKGROUND: Cryosurgical ablation is a useful method of arrhythmia surgery, but
      information on the dimensions of cardiac lesions produced by modifying cryoprobe
      temperature is limited. METHODS: We compared the dimensions, volumes and
      electrophysiologic effects of cryolesions created by a liquid nitrogen cryoprobe
      (Group I) and a nitrous oxide cryoprobe (Group II) on the left ventricular
      myocardium in the beating canine heart. Exposure time was compared at 1, 2, 3 and
      4 min. In each of 18 dogs, two to four lesions were created on the left ventricle
      and analyzed: 35 lesions created with use of the nitrous oxide cryoprobe and 30
      lesions created with the liquid nitrogen cryoprobe. Lesions were measured at the
      time of induced death 6 weeks postoperatively and assessed by tissue staining
      with the Masson trichrome technique. RESULTS: The volumes (mm3) of the
      cryolesions created by the liquid nitrogen cryoprobe were significantly larger (p
      < 0.05) than those of lesions created by nitrous oxide: 826 +/- 163 versus 493 +/
      197 at 1 min; 1,101 +/- 327 versus 666 +/- 185 at 2 min; 1,356 +/- 318 versus
      787 +/- 258 at 3 min and 1,735 +/- 534 versus 923 +/- 376 at 4 min. CONCLUSIONS:
      Decreasing the temperature of the cryoprobe by using liquid nitrogen increases
      the volume of the lesions. Programmed electrical stimulation before and 6 weeks
      after cryoablation indicated no arrhythmogenicity.

PMID- 1430695
TI  - Smooth muscle cell outgrowth from human atherosclerotic plaque: implications for
      the assessment of lesion biology.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the kinetics of
      smooth muscle cell outgrowth from in vitro explants of human atherosclerotic
      tissue is dependent on the nature of the atherosclerotic lesion in vivo.
      BACKGROUND: The use of techniques for percutaneous in vivo extraction of
      atherosclerotic plaque has provided the opportunity to study human atheroma
      derived smooth muscle cells in culture. However, because of cell selection and
      changes in phenotype, in vitro findings may not always reflect the biologic
      properties of the vessel wall, particularly if cells are in culture for prolonged
      periods. In contrast, studies with nonhuman cells have suggested that the rate at
      which cells grow out of tissue explants is closely related to the status of the
      cells in vivo. METHODS: Atherosclerotic tissue from 41 lesions, including primary
      plaques (from peripheral arteries and venous bypass conduits) and restenotic
      lesions (from peripheral arteries and venous conduits) were divided into a total
      of 1,596 fragments and placed in culture on fibronectin-coated wells. Explant
      outgrowth was scored over the ensuing 1 month to determine the prevalence and
      time course of smooth muscle cell outgrowth and the total cellular accumulation.
      RESULTS: Explant fragments from 40 (98%) of the 41 lesions yielded an outgrowth
      of smooth muscle cells, confirmed by immunocytochemistry. The mean proportion of
      adherent explant fragments yielding outgrowth, per lesion, was 69 +/- 4% and was
      higher in restenotic tissue (81 +/- 3%) than in primary tissue (56 +/- 6%, p <
      0.001). For primary lesions, initiation of outgrowth was half-maximal by 8.7 +/-
      0.4 days; for restenotic explants, initiation of outgrowth was considerably
      faster (half-maximal by 5.9 +/- 0.6 days, p < 0.001). Similarly, accumulation of
      smooth muscle cells around an explant was significantly greater for restenotic
      lesions (2,791 +/- 631 cells/explant) than for primary lesions (653 +/- 144
      cells/explant, p < 0.01). Labeling of first-passage cells with [3H]-thymidine
      indicated that cells from restenotic lesions had a 1.3-fold greater incorporation
      rate than did cells from primary lesions (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Smooth muscle
      cells may be reliably cultivated by explant outgrowth from a variety of human
      atherosclerotic plaque types obtained intraoperatively or percutaneously. The
      kinetics of outgrowth from restenotic tissue is distinctly different from that of
      outgrowth from primary tissue, suggesting a relation between the in vitro
      outgrowth behavior and the biology of the lesion in vivo. Assessment of smooth
      muscle cell outgrowth from human atherosclerotic plaque may thus represent a
      practical and reliable means to investigate the biologic behavior, including
      growth characteristics, of individual atherosclerotic lesions from human
      subjects. This technique may also offer a suitable assay system for evaluating
      therapies designed to inhibit lesion proliferation.

PMID- 1430696
TI  - ACC educational programs.

PMID- 1430697
TI  - F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose and cardiac metabolism.

PMID- 1430698
TI  - Ventricular hypertrophy, diuretic drugs and arrhythmias.

PMID- 1430699
TI  - Allergic contact reactions in health personnel.

PMID- 1430700
TI  - Immediate type of allergy in statis growers.
AB  - Three statis growers complaining of immediate allergic symptoms induced by
      harvesting statis in a plastic greenhouse were examined to clarify their allergic
      conditions. Distinct positive reactions in the intradermal test and nasal and eye
      provocation test to the statis extracts were shown in all three cases. High score
      of radioallergosorbent test (RAST) IgE and remarkable RAST inhibitory effects to
      the statis extracts were seen in these cases. The immunologic cross-reactivity
      between statis and chrysanthemum was absent in the RAST inhibition in the patient
      labeled case C who had complained of the same allergic symptoms when handling
      chrysanthemums in the off-season for harvesting statis. Those results indicated
      that the allergic conditions of the present cases were from an immediate type of
      allergy mediated by a specific IgE antibody to the statis extract.

PMID- 1430701
TI  - Blood eosinophil numbers and activity during 24 hours: effects of treatment with
      budesonide and bambuterol.
AB  - The effects of the inhaled corticosteroid budesonide and the oral long-acting
      beta-agonist bambuterol on circadian variation of blood eosinophil numbers, serum
      levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), serum eosinophil chemotactic
      activity (ECA), and serum neutrophil chemotactic activity (NCA) were studied in
      two groups of patients with allergic asthma. Group 1 (n = 8) had a circadian
      variation of peak expiratory flow (PEF) 15% or greater, and group 2 (n = 9) had a
      circadian PEF variation less than 15%. Both groups were randomized and crossover
      treated for 4 weeks with (A) 0.4 mg budesonide at 8 AM and 8 PM, (B) 20 mg
      bambuterol at 8 PM, and (C) placebo. At the end of each period blood eosinophil
      numbers, ECP, ECA, and NCA were measured during 24 hours at 4-hour intervals. No
      significant differences in the inflammatory parameters could be observed between
      the groups, although eosinophil numbers tended to be higher in group 1 than in
      group 2. Highest eosinophil numbers were observed at night. Budesonide reduced
      both eosinophil numbers and ECP levels, especially at night; bambuterol had no
      effect on both variables. No circadian variation or treatment effects were
      observed for ECA and NCA. This study suggests a role for the eosinophil in the
      nocturnal worsening of asthma, and it demonstrates that budesonide produces, in
      contrast to bambuterol, a reduction of (nocturnal) eosinophil numbers and
      activity.

PMID- 1430702
TI  - IgE and adenosine 5' triphosphate receptors on immature murine mast cells are
      functionally linked to signal transduction mechanisms.
AB  - Calcium mobilization in response to IgE-receptor cross-linking by antigen was
      assessed in immature murine mast cells cultured from bone marrow to determine
      whether the early expression of IgE receptors on such cells may be of functional
      significance. IgE receptors were expressed by approximately 30% of cells after 1
      week in culture and by an increased proportion at 2 and 3 weeks. The ability of a
      non-IgE-dependent stimulus, adenosine 5' triphosphate (ATP), to increase
      intracellular calcium in these cells was also tested. Calcium mobilization in
      large numbers of individual cells was monitored with use of a fluorimetric
      reagent and flow cytometry. Both antigen and ATP had significant effects on
      intracellular calcium in cells cultured for as little as 1 week with interleukin
      3, when few cells exhibited morphologic or functional characteristics of mast
      cells. Longer times in culture were associated with an increase in the proportion
      of cells responding to these stimuli with calcium mobilization, but not with a
      change in the magnitude of the response. We conclude that the early expression of
      IgE receptors during mast cell development may be functionally significant, since
      these receptors appear to be linked to cellular signal transduction mechanisms.
      The data additionally imply a possible role for ATP in mast cell development.

PMID- 1430703
TI  - The effect of IL-4 on human nasal mucosal responses.
AB  - Interleukin (IL)-4 causes the dose limiting sensation of nasal congestion when
      administered systematically at doses of 3 micrograms/kg or higher thrice daily to
      humans. This side effect was observed in a group of patients treated as part of
      an immunotherapy protocol for cancer management. To determine the source of this
      congestion, nasal secretions were collected prospectively in a group of patients
      at baseline and after provocation with normal saline, methacholine (which
      stimulates glandular secretion), and histamine (which causes increased vascular
      permeability). Nasal lavages obtained at baseline and after provocation were
      analyzed for the presence of these glandular and vascular proteins and
      inflammatory mediators. Washings and provocations were performed before IL-4
      administration, after 24 hours of IL-4 treatment, and after 3 days of treatment,
      at a time when nasal congestion was maximal. Compared with histamine challenge
      before IL-4 treatment, the secretion of the plasma proteins albumin and IgG were
      significantly decreased after 3 days of IL-4 treatment. IL-4 treatment had no
      apparent effect on methacholine-induced responses. Thus systemically administered
      IL-4 causes the subjective sensation of nasal congestion, increased histamine in
      nasal lavages, and the development of vascular unresponsiveness to histamine,
      without affecting parasympathetic responses to histamine. The relationships among
      increases in nasal lavage histamine, vascular unresponsiveness to histamine, and
      the sensation of nasal congestion are unclear.

PMID- 1430704
TI  - Induction of granule release by intracellular application of calcium and
      guanosine-5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) in human eosinophils.
AB  - The roles of Ca and G proteins in granule release from human eosinophils were
      examined by use of a patch-clamp technique in single cells. The morphologic
      changes and the release of eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) from single cells were
      simultaneously observed. In addition, the expression of small molecular weight
      guanine nucleotide binding protein (small G protein) mRNA (smg p25A [rab 3] and
      smg p21 [rab 1]) was investigated. The intracellular application of Ca, 10
      mumol/L, and guanosine-5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTP-gamma-S), 100 mumol/L,
      induced fusion of EPO containing granules with the surface membrane, which was
      associated with a marked increase in membrane capacitance. Ca alone caused a
      rapid granule release at an early stage of cell dialysis, but most granules still
      remained in a cluster. GTP-gamma-S alone caused a gradual degranulation. Northern
      blot analysis revealed the definite expression of smg p21 mRNA with no
      appreciable expression of smg p25A. These results provide direct evidence of
      granule fusion by intracellular application of Ca and GTP-gamma-S. In addition,
      Ca dependent proteins and G proteins act cooperatively in granule release, and
      these proteins likely regulate the different processes of degranulation.
      Furthermore, a protein, encoded by smg p21, may be involved in the granule
      release process in human eosinophils.

PMID- 1430705
TI  - Does forced air heating exacerbate asthma?
AB  - Asthma morbidity increases in the Canadian autumn coincident with the beginning
      of home heating. To test the hypothesis that forced air heating exacerbates
      asthma, 51 subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the intervention
      (off1-on2) group was instructed to keep their home forced air heating off from
      September 9 to 17 and then to set the thermostat to 22 degrees C from 8 PM to 8
      AM between September 18 and 25. The concurrent control (off1-off2) group was
      instructed to keep their forced air heating off during the entire study period.
      Forty-eight of the 51 subjects randomized recorded morning peak flows, asthma
      symptoms, and bronchodilator use during the study period. For the intervention
      group, results before compared with during home heating, respectively, were as
      follows: mean nocturnal awakenings 0.36 versus 0.36; any breathing difficulties
      an awakening 82% versus 73%; mean morning peak flows 406 lpm versus 409 lpm, a
      difference of 3.3% +/- 6.7% (SEM), p = 0.6. There was a 95% probability that the
      true change in peak flows with forced air was less than 2%. For the control
      group, the comparable results were as follows: mean nocturnal awakening 0.40
      versus 0.47; breathing difficulties on awakening 40% versus 47%; mean morning
      peak flows 400 lpm versus 399 lpm (p = 0.9). The commencement of forced air
      heating did not exacerbate asthma in this clinical population and is therefore
      unlikely to be an important problem for most people suffering from asthma.

PMID- 1430706
TI  - Effects of inhaled budesonide on serum markers of bone metabolism in children
      with asthma.
AB  - The effects of inhaled glucocorticoids on serum markers of bone formation were
      evaluated in asthmatic children. Serum total alkaline phosphatase (AP), bone
      alkaline phosphatase (BAP), osteocalcin, and the novel marker of bone formation,
      carboxypropeptide of type I procollagen (PICP), were measured. In the cross
      sectional part, long-term glucocorticoid users were compared with sodium
      cromoglycate (SCG) users. In the boys (n = 16), but not in the girls (n = 11),
      PICP was significantly lower in the glucocorticoid users than in the SCG users.
      PICP correlated positively with BAP (n = 54; groups combined, r = 0.29, p <
      0.05). In the longitudinal part, the effects of inhaled budesonide or SCG, both
      used for the first time, were evaluated before and after 1 and 5 months of
      treatment. The budesonide dose was 800 micrograms/m2/day for 1 month and
      thereafter half of that. The SCG dose was 30 mg/day throughout the study. Only
      during budesonide use did osteocalcin and PICP decrease, the median osteocalcin
      by 8% at 1 month (p < 0.05) and by 6% at 5 months (n = 15), and PICP by 5% at 1
      month (p < 0.05) and by 28% at 5 months (n = 7, p < 0.01). AP and BAP did not
      change significantly. Decreased PICP suggests decreased bone formation rate. PICP
      might be clinically useful as a marker of early adverse effects of
      glucocorticoids on bone.

PMID- 1430707
TI  - Passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in mouse skin is associated with local accumulation
      of interleukin-6 mRNA and immunoreactive interleukin-6 protein.
AB  - We used a BALB/c model of passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA), an IgE-mediated,
      mast cell-dependent reaction, to demonstrate the early production of the
      proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA and protein product. Northern
      blot analysis detects IL-6 mRNA 1, and 2 hours after antigen challenge
      (dinitrophenyl30-40 human serum albumin [DNP30-40-HSA]) and in situ hybridization
      reveals that it is primarily cells with round-to-oval nuclei within the dermis (1
      to 3 per high-power field) expressing IL-6 mRNA. Immunohistochemistry revealed
      perinuclear and cytoplasmic staining for immunoreactive IL-6 in mononuclear
      dermal cells and also cells within the basal keratinocyte layer. Injection of
      recombinant murine IL-6 (rmIL-6) either systemically or locally during
      antidinitrophenyl IgE skin sensitization resulted in increased vasopermeability
      at the PCA site after DNP30-40-HSA. However, this increased permeability was not
      associated with a change in the character of the cellular infiltrate at the PCA
      site 8 hours later. Although the specific role of IL-6 in the generation of the
      allergic response remains unknown, its detection during PCA unequivocally
      demonstrates that IL-6 be considered one of the mediators identified in
      inflammation that follows allergic reactions.

PMID- 1430708
TI  - Protective activity of inhaled nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs on bronchial
      responsiveness to ultrasonically nebulized water.
AB  - Relatively high doses of oral aspirin are needed to afford a significant
      protective effect against the bronchial obstructive reaction to ultrasonically
      nebulized distilled water (UNDW) in asthmatic patients. Sodium salicylate at
      similar doses and indomethacin at normal dose afford no protection. The present
      study was undertaken to assess the protective activity of these drugs taken by
      inhalation. Thirteen asthmatic patients performed two UNDW challenges 20 minutes
      and 24 hours after inhalation of 900 mg lysine acetylsalicylate (L-ASA) or
      placebo. The volume of UNDW causing a 20% fall in FEV1 (UNDW PD20) was calculated
      by linear interpolation on the dose-response curve. UNDW response after placebo
      was not significantly different from the preliminary test (PD20 4.3 +/- 0.7 and
      4.1 +/- 04 ml, respectively, mean +/- SE), whereas after L-ASA, UNDW PD20
      increased to 17 +/- 2.7 ml (p < 0.01 vs placebo) and remained significantly
      increased after 24 hours. In another group of 12 patients under the same
      experimental conditions, an equivalent dose of inhaled sodium salicylate caused
      no effect. Finally, in a third group of asthmatic patients pretreatment with
      inhaled indomethacin at two dose levels (6 patients, 25 mg; 10 patients, 50 mg)
      resulted in a significant dose-related protective effect. These findings indicate
      that inhaled indomethacin and especially L-ASA exert against UNDW-induced
      bronchoconstriction a potent protective effect, which appears to be mediated by
      inhibition of local prostaglandin synthesis in the airways. This fact could have
      therapeutic implications.

PMID- 1430709
TI  - The protective effect of low-dose inhaled fenoterol against methacholine and
      exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in asthma: a dose-response study.
AB  - We compared in a randomized, double-blind study the protective effect of low
      doses of fenoterol on the airway response to exercise during cold air breathing
      and an inhalation challenge with methacholine. In six asymptomatic asthmatic
      persons (mean age, 20.3 years) exercise and methacholine challenges were
      performed under control conditions and 15 minutes after the inhalation from a
      metered-dose inhaler of either placebo or 30, 50, 100, and 200 micrograms
      fenoterol, resulting in 12 separate study sessions within a 3-week period. Airway
      response was determined by measuring specific airway resistance (sRaw). Exercise
      tests were standardized by maintaining a constant respiratory heat exchange, with
      an average (range) of 1.28 (1.15 to 1.45) kcal/min. Methacholine was inhaled at
      increasing doses until sRaw had doubled (PD100sRaw). Mean postexertional increase
      of sRaw (SD) after control conditions, placebo, and 30, 50, 100, and 200
      micrograms fenoterol aerosol was 27.8 (6.9), 28.9 (10.0), 7.20 (2.7), 9.33 (3.8),
      5.57 (2.3), and 5.28 (1.6) cm H2O.s. Fenoterol aerosol was equally effective at
      all doses administered, whereas methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction was
      attenuated in a dose-dependent manner. From these observations we suggest that
      low-dose fenoterol protects against bronchoconstriction induced by exercise, a
      naturally occurring stimulus reflecting airway hyperresponsiveness.

PMID- 1430711
TI  - Adverse reaction to ocular cromolyn sodium.

PMID- 1430710
TI  - A possible role for adhesion molecules in asthma.

PMID- 1430712
TI  - A clinical approach to a patient with praziquantel hypersensitivity.

PMID- 1430713
TI  - Fat replacements: helpful or not?

PMID- 1430714
TI  - Bariatric Society seeks dietitian members, supports appropriate use of appetite
      suppressants.

PMID- 1430715
TI  - Obesity treatment requires flexibility.

PMID- 1430716
TI  - 'Happy meals' make happy patients.

PMID- 1430717
TI  - Profile of blacks employed in dietetics and nutrition.

PMID- 1430718
TI  - Comparison of body mass indexes and cutoff points for estimating the prevalence
      of overweight in Hispanic women.
AB  - The anthropometric standards used for estimating the prevalence of overweight
      among Hispanic groups are generally developed in other populations. Our purpose
      was to identify appropriate anthropometric indicators and cutoff points for
      Hispanic women. Data from the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
      HHANES (1982-1984) included 1,784 Mexican American, 479 Cuban American, and 750
      Puerto Rico women aged 25 to 74 years. The body mass indexes examined were
      weight/standing height1.5, weight/standing height2, weight/sitting height1.5, and
      weight/sitting height2. Appropriateness was based on correlation of the index
      with triceps and subscapular skinfold measurements and lack of association with
      standing or sitting height. The most appropriate indicator was weight/standing
      height2. To estimate overweight, the 85th percentiles for weight/standing height2
      were obtained from the 20- to 29-year-olds in HHANES and the second National
      Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II). For 10-year age intervals,
      the differences in proportions of women above those cutoff points were compared
      with a modified t test. The mean estimated prevalences of overweight were
      significantly higher with the NHANES II standard compared with the HHANES cutoff
      points (P < .05) for Mexican American women (43% vs 29%) and Puerto Rican women
      (40% vs 28%). They were slightly lower for the Cuban American women (36% vs 39%).
      Cutoff points are relative, not absolute, standards that must have biologic
      meaning. Before our results are used for assessing populations, the cutoff points
      should be tested for predictive validity with chronic disease rates.

PMID- 1430719
TI  - Determinants of weight gain in pregnant adolescents.
AB  - Maternal weight gain is the most important modifiable determinant of infant birth
      weight. Effective intervention requires an understanding of the factors that
      influence the amount of weight women gain during pregnancy. We studied the
      dietary, health, and social habits of 141 poor, black, 12- to 19-year-old
      prenatal patients to learn more about the determinants of weight gain among
      pregnant adolescents. The patients were divided into three weight gain groups:
      slow (n = 23): less than 0.28 kg/week; average (n = 87): 0.28-0.45 kg/week; and
      rapid (n = 31): more than 0.45 kg/week. The results of logistic regression
      analysis revealed two statistically significant predictors of slow weight gain:
      the consumption of fewer than three snacks per day and delayed (third trimester)
      enrollment in the Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children. By
      contrast, rapid gainers were more compliant with prenatal visits and reported
      more depressive symptoms and alcohol consumption than did other study subjects.
      We conclude that attention to these modifiable correlates of inadequate and
      excessive weight gain may enable dietitians and other health care providers to
      develop more effective strategies for promoting optimal weight gain among
      pregnant adolescents.

PMID- 1430720
TI  - Demographic and economic factors associated with dietary quality for adults in
      the 1987-88 Nationwide Food Consumption Survey.
AB  - Data for 5,884 adults (19 years of age and older) who participated in the 1987-88
      Nationwide Food Consumption Survey (1987-88 NFCS) were used to investigate
      demographic and economic factors associated with dietary quality. Although the
      low response rate for the 1987-88 NFCS has raised concerns about possible bias,
      it is appropriate to use this extensive data set for analyses that do not attempt
      to generalize the results to the US population as a whole. Two aspects of quality
      were calculated for the mean of the 3-day reported intakes: number of nutrients
      below two thirds of the 1989 Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) (low-intake
      nutrients) and percent of energy from fat. Few adults reported mean intakes that
      met suggested guidelines: 22% of diets were above two thirds of the RDA for all
      15 nutrients and 14% were below 30% fat, but only 2% met both criteria. Energy
      intake was a strong negative predictor of number of low-intake nutrients and a
      weak positive predictor of percent of energy from fat. Results of multivariate
      regression analyses identified few demographic or economic predictors of either
      the number of low-intake nutrients or percent of energy from fat. According to
      these data, diets of most adults do not conform to current dietary guidelines.
      Nutrition education efforts should be directed to all adults, and research should
      be undertaken to determine more effective ways to help adults improve their
      overall dietary quality.

PMID- 1430721
TI  - Development and preparation of lean meat products.
AB  - When the effect of food on human lipoprotein levels is tested, or when human
      consumption of dietary lipids must be controlled or limited, all food needs to be
      provided under controlled conditions to achieve consistent composition and
      sensory traits. It is especially important to control the composition of foods,
      particularly fat and fatty acid content. Because of the inherent biologic
      variability in the chemical composition of animal tissues (beef in particular),
      raw materials must be selected carefully and prepared under strict guidelines. In
      addition, chemical composition should be verified initially and during the
      production of the product to ensure the accuracy necessary for controlled dietary
      intake. Furthermore, the meat provided must be easy for the study subject to
      prepare, be of consistent serving size, and yet be highly palatable to maintain
      the subject's interest and participation. This article outlines the protocol for
      developing lean meat products for use in nutrition studies in which fat content
      must be controlled, especially those studies designed to examine the effect of
      fat content on human lipoproteins. Preliminary studies, procurement of raw
      materials, procedures for recipe selection, product preparation, and sampling
      procedures for verification of chemical composition are described. Our findings
      indicate that fat intake from beef, chicken, and fish can be controlled for use
      in nutrition studies.

PMID- 1430722
TI  - Nutrient composition and sensory attributes of cooked ground beef: effects of fat
      content, cooking method, and water rinsing.
AB  - Ground beef with 10%, 20%, and 30% fat was shaped into patties or crumbled and
      cooked by panfrying, panbroiling, or microwaving. After cooking, half of the
      crumbles were water rinsed. Samples were analyzed for yield, energy, moisture,
      protein, total lipid, cholesterol, iron, and zinc. In other experiments, cooked
      crumbled samples were analyzed for vitamin B-12 content and sensory qualities.
      Effects of cooking method on total lipid and cholesterol levels were generally
      small. Initial fat level significantly affected total lipid content in cooked
      ground beef; cooked samples with 10% initial fat contained slightly less total
      lipid than those with 20% or 30% initial fat. Rinsing with warm water
      significantly reduced fat and increased the moisture content of cooked ground
      beef crumbles. Protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B-12 were well retained during
      rinsing. We conclude that consumers can achieve a significant reduction in fat
      content, without substantial losses in protein, iron, zinc, or vitamin B-12, if
      they water rinse cooked ground beef crumbles. The flavor and texture of the
      cooked ground beef crumbles are altered somewhat by rinsing. Acceptance in mixed
      recipes was not determined.

PMID- 1430723
TI  - Consumption of a dehydrated ration for 31 days at moderate altitudes: status of
      zinc, copper, and vitamin B-6.
AB  - Intake of energy zinc, copper, and vitamin B-6 and indexes of zinc, copper and
      vitamin B-6 status were determined for eight men who consumed a high-carbohydrate
      dehydrated ration for 31 days of high activity at moderate altitudes (2,400 to
      4,300 m). Data were collected 2 months before exposure (PRE), four times during
      the month at moderate altitudes (ALT), and 1 month after return (RET). Mean (+/-
      standard error) energy intake was 2,725 +/- 215, 3,430 +/- 79, and 3,370 +/- 215
      kcal/day during PRE, ALT, and RET, respectively. Zinc and copper intakes averaged
      10.6 +/- 1.6 and 1.0 +/- 0.1 mg/day during PRE and increased significantly to
      16.9 +/- 0.7 and 3.5 +/- 0.1 mg/day during ALT; zinc and copper intakes were 15.5
      +/- 1.6 and 1.9 +/- 0.3 mg/day for RET, respectively. Similarly, vitamin B-6
      intake was significantly higher during ALT (PRE = 2.2 +/- 0.5 mg/day; ALT = 4.2
      +/- 0.4 mg/day; and RET = 2.6 +/- 0.4 mg/day) as compared with PRE and RET. No
      significant changes were noted for plasma zinc, copper, or their related proteins
      or plasma or erythrocyte pyridoxal-5'-phosphate. Finally, no changes in urinary
      excretion of zinc were observed. The results indicate that dehydrated rations
      provide zinc, copper, and vitamin B-6 in amounts above the Recommended Dietary
      Allowances. Such diets may be consumed for at least 1 month without compromising
      status for these nutrients.

PMID- 1430724
TI  - Participation in a worksite cholesterol education program in a university
      setting.
AB  - Three hundred ninety-six employees of a large northeastern university
      participated in a blood cholesterol screening and provided follow-up data about
      their participation in a videotape cholesterol education program. Ten percent of
      these employees watched the videotape program; these individuals were
      significantly more likely to be at high risk for cardiovascular disease than were
      persons who chose not to watch the videotape. Persons participating in the
      cholesterol education program significantly increased their nutrition knowledge
      and significantly decreased their fat intake compared with nonparticipants. The
      most important reason given for watching the videotape was "concern about my
      cholesterol level." Reasons given for not watching the videotape were that it was
      "not well advertised" or that it was shown "at an inconvenient time." Although
      all 98 employees at high risk for cardiovascular disease were referred to their
      physicians for diagnostic evaluation, one third of these employees reported not
      seeing their physicians. These findings indicate that worksite cholesterol
      screening and education programs can improve nutrition knowledge and dietary
      behavior; however, these programs should develop strategies to increase
      participation and should follow up physician referrals.

PMID- 1430725
TI  - Worksite nutrition education can lower total cholesterol levels and promote
      weight loss among police department employees.
AB  - Individuals who work in law enforcement careers are often subjected to stress
      that can result in health and emotional disorders. Many police departments have
      begun to offer wellness programs to support their employees. This pilot study
      designed and implemented a nutrition education component for an existing police
      department wellness program. Twenty-eight subjects completed the 12-month study
      that included nutrition counseling, seminars on nutrition and eating behaviors,
      and monitoring of weight and blood lipid levels. There was a significant group
      trend for decreased weight and lower total cholesterol levels. Results of the
      study led to the development of health policy standards for the Austin (Tex)
      Police Department. Wellness programs that involve registered dietitians can
      result in weight loss and lower cholesterol levels for employees in high-stress
      occupations as well as changes in departmental policy.

PMID- 1430726
TI  - Reimbursement for clinical nutrition services: a 10-year experience.
AB  - Charges for nutrition products and services grew more than 800% between 1980 and
      1990 at Children's Memorial Medical Center, Chicago, Ill. Three factors
      contributed to the growth in charges: distinguishing special services from those
      included in the bed charge, requiring rigorous documentation of services ordered
      and provided, and building administrative support for the program. Of the
      charges, 91% were related to nutrition support. The hospital converted 99% of the
      charges to private payers into actual revenue. The charge program provides the
      structure, discipline, and data to demonstrate the value of nutrition services
      for improving patient outcomes and may help sustain financial support even if the
      health care industry continues to move away from direct payment for services.
      Charging for nutrition products and services is a useful way for dietitians to
      document and be compensated for the value of their services in a hospital
      setting.

PMID- 1430727
TI  - Feeding strategy for dependent eaters.

PMID- 1430728
TI  - Comparative evaluation of four microcomputer nutrient analysis software packages
      using 24-hour dietary recalls of homeless children.

PMID- 1430729
TI  - Usefulness of various maternal skinfold measurements for predicting newborn birth
      weight.

PMID- 1430730
TI  - Caliper method vs bioelectrical impedance analysis for determining body fat in
      patients undergoing chronic dialysis and in healthy individuals.

PMID- 1430731
TI  - Kathleen Keen Zolber, PhD, RD, receives 1992 Copher Memorial Award.

PMID- 1430732
TI  - Setting the standards for passing the registration examinations.

PMID- 1430733
TI  - The Senate, obscenity, and the First Amendment.

PMID- 1430734
TI  - 1992--the year of the woman.

PMID- 1430735
TI  - Political pearls.

PMID- 1430736
TI  - Hormone replacement therapy: decision making in an age of uncertainty.
AB  - The burgeoning epidemic of breast cancer has led to further scrutiny of the
      relationship between it and estrogen replacement therapy. While, according to
      multiple analyses, the relative risk of breast cancer in estrogen users seems to
      be only slightly increased over 1.0, the risk is not evenly distributed among
      various populations of women. In clinical practice, doctors are not certain which
      of their patients are prone to develop breast cancer and which are not. Still,
      the physician confronts the need to make practical decisions about hormone
      administration. A decision tree is presented in this paper to facilitate the
      choice and to help the practitioner in reconciling two seemingly contradictory
      medical precepts.

PMID- 1430737
TI  - African-American women who always use condoms: attitudes, knowledge about AIDS,
      and sexual behavior.
AB  - Given the alarming increase in the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases
      (STDs), including AIDS, among African-American women, it is apparent that many
      people are engaging in sexual intercourse without using condoms. The current
      study examined the interrelationships among attitudes about condom use, knowledge
      about AIDS, sexual behavior, and drug use among 121 adult African-American women
      who varied in their intentions to use condoms: 21 (17%) were classified as Steady
      Users, 75 (62%) did not use condoms but they had High Intentions to, while 25
      (21%) did not use condoms and had Low Intentions to use them. Results indicate
      that the three groups did not differ in their overall knowledge about AIDS or
      their attitudes toward using condoms as contraceptives. Significant group
      differences were noted for other scales that assessed attitudes about condoms.
      Attitudes about the use of condoms were very similar for the Steady Users and the
      women in the High Intentions group. However, these two groups were significantly
      (p < .01) different in their belief that condoms are uncomfortable and interrupt
      sex. Women with Low Intentions to use condoms had significantly (p < .05) more
      intense angry reactions regarding the negotiation of condom use and significantly
      more negative attitudes about the use of condoms than women in the other groups.
      The three groups were not differentiated by drug use, previous treatment for
      STDs, or their perceived risk for being exposed to AIDS. The present study is
      cross-sectional in nature and future research using better methodology is needed
      to establish causal relationships.

PMID- 1430739
TI  - Seeing through the patient's eyes.

PMID- 1430740
TI  - The role of optometrists in dealing with patients suffering from visual
      impairments.

PMID- 1430738
TI  - Physicians and the treatment of domestic violence.

PMID- 1430741
TI  - Exploring the optometric application of expert computer systems.

PMID- 1430742
TI  - Vision problems at video display terminals: a survey of optometrists.
AB  - One thousand three hundred seven optometrists responded (25.3 percent response
      rate) to a mail questionnaire concerning VDT patients in their practice. On the
      average, 14.25 percent of optometric patients present with symptoms primarily
      associated with use of the VDT, or almost 10 million examinations annually when
      projected to the U.S. population. A majority (55.3 percent) reported that their
      VDT patients have symptoms that are different than other near point workers,
      especially as related to glare, lighting, unique viewing conditions and spectacle
      requirements, and the greater frequency and severity of symptoms. They judged
      that they were unable to arrive at a confident diagnosis and treatment plan for
      20.87 percent of VDT patients, which was significantly more than the 14.05
      percent for non-VDT patients. Uncorrected refractive errors, accommodative
      disorders, irritated eyes, binocular vision disorders, and spectacle design
      problems were the most frequently cited diagnoses. On the average, 39.3 percent
      of their VDT patients receive a special VDT prescription or spectacle design that
      is different than they would require for other daily activities. They judged that
      36.8 percent of the symptoms were related to visual environmental factors,
      primarily glare, lighting, screen resolution and work arrangement. The best way
      to resolve symptoms for VDT workers is to provide thorough vision examination and
      treatment in conjunction with diagnosis and treatment of visual environmental
      problems.

PMID- 1430743
TI  - Specialty differentials, limited license practitioners, and Medicare's new fee
      schedule.
AB  - The use of specialty differentials in the newly adopted Medicare fee schedule has
      been debated over the past 2 years. Arguments supporting the elimination of
      specialty differentials for optometrists and ophthalmologists are presented. The
      first recommendations by the Physician Payment Review Commission eliminating
      specialty differentials represent a victory for optometry in its efforts to
      achieve parity in the reimbursement of Medicare-covered services. Relative value
      units and practice costs to be used by the new Medicare fee schedule must be
      determined for optometry. Estimates of the model fee schedules for eye care
      procedures have been released by the Department of Health and Human Services.

PMID- 1430744
TI  - Visuo-spatial discrimination and mirror image letter reversals in reading.
AB  - This review compares visuo-spatial and linguistic mechanisms for discriminating
      between mirror image letters. The conclusion is drawn that both processes play a
      role in efficient reading, their relative contributions varying with reading
      experience and ability. It is shown that arguments used to reject visuo-spatial
      theories in mirror image letter reversals are flawed. Attention is drawn to the
      importance of visuo-spatial discrimination of mirror image letters, based on
      confident left/right body awareness, for beginning readers and for older children
      who are deficient in compensatory linguistic skills. When confused left/right
      body awareness is found in association with reversal problems, there is an
      indication to provide remediation that includes the promotion of mirror image
      letter discrimination based on confident left/right body awareness. Early
      intervention (pre-school and infants class) programs that teach left/right body
      awareness as a pre-reading skill are justified when the progress of beginning
      readers is facilitated and the need for remedial intervention is reduced in later
      years.

PMID- 1430745
TI  - Attitudes about women in optometry.
AB  - A survey was conducted to examine attitudes that affect women in optometry. Most
      respondents felt that women have greater difficulty than men entering private
      practice. On the other hand, the majority felt that female optometrists do not
      find it more difficult to be employed by other ODs, MDs, or to work in corporate
      settings, HMOs/health institutions, or academic settings. Examining the results
      of the survey can help establish programs of professional development that will
      enable women to practice in the environments that they find most suitable. In
      addition, an open and honest discussion of these issues can raise the sensitivity
      of the optometric community to these issues.

PMID- 1430746
TI  - Using the Wayne Saccadic Fixator to evaluate aspects of laterality skills in
      children.
AB  - The Wayne Saccadic Fixator has been used to evaluate various performance
      characteristics of a subject's eye-hand coordination, visual reaction times,
      peripheral awareness, and saccadic eye movement skills. The purpose of this
      investigation was twofold: first, to establish standard performance scores for
      normal achieving children using the Wayne Saccadic Fixator preprogrammed
      procedure #3. The procedure was structured to compare the scoring ability of a
      child's dominant and non-dominant hands. The second purpose was to determine if
      the instrument could be used to identify children who were diagnosed by other
      testing methods as having laterality/directionality deficits. The data collected
      indicated that there was a direct relationship between age and scoring ability on
      this Wayne Saccadic Fixator task. However, both the normal achieving students and
      the special education children scored equally well when using either their
      dominant or non-dominant hand. There appeared to be no significant difference in
      the mean scoring ability of children with a diagnosed laterality deficit and
      children with normal laterality/directionality skills.

PMID- 1430747
TI  - Visual disorders of higher cortical function.
AB  - Following stroke or other causes of brain damage, patients may demonstrate visual
      disorders of higher cortical function. These defects involve visual attention,
      oculomotor skills, visuospatial orientation and object recognition. It is
      important for optometrists to understand these conditions and consider their
      presence in individuals with persistent visual complaints despite a normal exam,
      or in patients who fail to respond to magnification in low vision rehabilitation.
      The diagnosis and management of these higher order visual disturbances are
      discussed.

PMID- 1430748
TI  - Pupillary dilation: an eye-opening problem.
AB  - Dilation of the pupil is a procedure with both clinical and legal ramifications.
      Optometrists must be familiar with the requirements of informed consent, which
      must be met when utilizing dilation on the 4-8 percent of patients with anterior
      chamber angles that are narrow enough to cause an angle closure. Optometrists
      also must recognize those circumstances under which pupillary dilation is
      necessary, both for symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. The correct drug
      regimen must be selected, whether it is for "routine" pupillary dilation or for a
      patient with a condition requiring a special drug regimen. Patients with dilated
      pupils must be appropriately managed, and failure to warn a patient of common and
      expected side effects may create liability if the failure to warn is the cause of
      injury. If complications--such as acute angle closure--occur, the optometrist
      must be prepared to manage the situation so as to minimize the risk of injury to
      the patient.

PMID- 1430749
TI  - The Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study.

PMID- 1430750
TI  - Affirmative action issues within optometry.

PMID- 1430751
TI  - Accommodative response during distance optometric test procedures.
AB  - The control of accommodation is an essential requirement during the clinical
      optometric assessment of distance vision. Accordingly, the aim of the present
      study was to examine the steady-state accommodative response during a number of
      conventional clinical procedures carried out at a viewing distance of 6m (20
      feet). Accommodation was measured subjectively to Snellen letters using a
      Hartinger coincidence optometer during distance viewing, simulated retinoscopy
      and following the introduction of cylindrical and prismatic lenses in 13 visually
      normal, young adults. No significant change in the mean accommodative response
      was induced by any of the techniques described, with subjects exhibiting a lead
      of accommodation of approximately 0.25D for all conditions. The results
      demonstrate the robustness of accommodation to apparently substantial changes in
      stimulus conditions.

PMID- 1430752
TI  - Frequency of certain urgent eye problems in an emergency room in Massachusetts.
AB  - The frequency and cost of emergency room care for certain ocular problems was
      surveyed. Superficial eye problems accounted for 2.67 percent of patients
      reporting to the emergency room, while 0.23 percent reported for penetrating
      injuries. Of the conditions surveyed, conjunctivitis was the most commonly
      presenting diagnosis. Abrasions and superficial foreign bodies were the next most
      common presentations. Together these three diagnoses accounted for nearly 75
      percent of all superficial eye problems seen in the emergency room. The cost of
      each emergency room visit averaged $132. This study has implications for health
      care managers and for legislatures contemplating expanding the scope of
      optometric practice.

PMID- 1430753
TI  - Penetrating injury from hammering with subtle ocular damage.
AB  - Penetrating ocular injuries are usually associated with major disruption of the
      globe and vision loss. On occasion, the signs and symptoms accompanying an
      intraocular foreign body can be subtle. Such a case is presented in this paper
      and hammer injuries as a cause of penetrating ocular injury are reviewed.

PMID- 1430754
TI  - Health care rationing in the United States: are we there yet?
AB  - Given the skyrocketing costs of health care in the United States, some experts
      propose official health care rationing as a solution to the crisis. Others
      maintain the position that health care is already being rationed because of cost,
      and always has been. This paper presents evidence supporting both viewpoints and,
      by exploring two definitions of "rationing," shows that they are not mutually
      exclusive. Practical applications to optometry as a health profession are
      mentioned.

PMID- 1430755
TI  - Increased occurrence of exfoliation in the male, Spanish American population of
      New Mexico.
AB  - Exfoliation syndrome was found to occur much more frequently in the male Spanish
      American population of New Mexico. This was based on a Veterans Administration
      Medical Center study in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The prevalence of exfoliation in
      the Spanish Americans was estimated to be from 3-6 percent and this is consistent
      with many other such studies performed in the United States and other countries.
      The Spanish American population is 5.8 times more likely to develop exfoliation
      than the non-Spanish American population of New Mexico. Exfoliation was found on
      such eye structures as the lens, iris, ciliary processes, posterior capsule,
      vitreous face, posterior corneal surface, and arterial chamber angle. Glaucoma
      capsulare was also studied and it was found that there was not a significant
      difference between the Spanish American and the non-Spanish American population
      for developing the condition. However, there was a strong association of glaucoma
      with the presence of exfoliation in both groups. Based on our results, patients
      with exfoliation are 22 times more likely to develop glaucoma than are their age
      matched controls. Also, 40 percent of the exfoliation patients had glaucoma
      compared with only 5 percent of the age-matched controls (p less than .001). The
      patients with glaucoma capsulare were found to have a more medically resistant
      type of glaucoma, which was consistent with other reports of this condition.
      There are two theories we propose for the existence of exfoliation in the Spanish
      American population of New Mexico. The first is a geographic climatic theory that
      relates exfoliation to greater solar radiation levels due to a high overall
      altitude and sunny weather in New Mexico.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1430756
TI  - Aiding the novice practitioner in contact lens selection.
AB  - A comprehensive study was performed to assist the new graduate and novice contact
      lens practitioner in the choice of the optimal lens for each case scenario, as
      well as provide guidance for inventory selection. The survey was distributed to
      the clinical staff at the State University of New York, State College of
      Optometry, in order to take advantage of the knowledge of the experienced contact
      lens fitter. There appear to be clinically significant relationships between lens
      characteristics and performance ratings.

PMID- 1430757
TI  - Paranoid character and the intolerance of indifference.
AB  - This paper suggests that aspects of paranoid character are structured around
      fantasies of magical and concrete connectedness to objects; these fantasies serve
      to avoid the terrors of object inconstancy. The authors describe how these
      fantasies are expressed in the psychoanalytic situation and explore their
      relation to common paranoid phenomena. The paranoid person must maintain these
      fantasies of connectedness at all cost or risk experiencing unbearable
      indifference between self and object. Paradoxically, the sacrifice of self and
      object boundaries inherent in these fantasies makes object constancy even more
      difficult to achieve because of the secondary defensive use of anger mobilized to
      protect the boundaries of the self.

PMID- 1430758
TI  - Psychoanalytic theory and its relation to clinical work.
AB  - Freud's shift to the fantasy theory of neurosogenesis defined the investigation
      of intrapsychic life as our fundamental theoretical purview. In assigning to
      inner experience a data base for scientific exploration, there is reflected a
      central epistemological innovation which must profoundly alter the way we view
      what is real. This paper considers some of the continuing clinical challenges and
      far-reaching implications posed by this shift to "psychic reality" as our core
      psychoanalytic theory.

PMID- 1430759
TI  - The concept of the therapeutic alliance.
AB  - Certain conceptual aspects of the therapeutic alliance are considered. Although
      therapeutic alliance, transference, and the real relation are intermingled and
      intertwined in the actuality of the analytic relationship, they remain
      distinguishable and open to differentiating analysis. The distinctions between
      the therapeutic alliance and transference, and between alliance and the real
      relation, are explored and their differences clarified, including the difference
      between therapeutic misalliances and transferences. Some of the component
      dimensions of the therapeutic alliance are explored, including empathy, the
      therapeutic framework, responsibility, authority, freedom, trust, autonomy,
      initiative, and ethical considerations including values and confidentiality.
      Further exploration of these and other dimensions of the therapeutic alliance is
      called for, especially the extension of these dimensions to their practical
      clinical application.

PMID- 1430760
TI  - Recurring thoughts on unconscious ego resistances.
AB  - Analysis of the unconscious ego resistances is one of those clinical concepts
      more honored in the breach than in the observance. This same point has been made
      periodically over the past fifty years. It has not been sufficiently realized
      that a true psychoanalytic understanding of resistance analysis could only begin
      with Freud's second theory of anxiety. Freud himself never fully embraced this
      theory, and clinical contributions since then have varied in their ability to use
      the techniques inherent in the second theory of anxiety. Recent contributions to
      the literature have not eliminated the espousal of theories of resistance based
      on earlier views of anxiety. Reasons cited for this include: the ambiguities in
      Freud's writing, the direction of the early ego theorists, and proclivities
      toward deeper interpretations.

PMID- 1430762
TI  - Connectivity and condensation in dreaming.
AB  - Converging developments in the cognitive- and neurosciences have brought Freud's
      hope of a bridge between psychoanalysis and psychophysiology nearer to hand. This
      paper concerns the relation between dream construction and memory in terms of
      these new developments. The neural network architecture of memory structures in
      the brain is described and illustrated with simple examples. We see how a network
      is connected and how connection weights vary with experience. The distributed
      representation stored by the network and its crucial properties for mental
      functioning are discussed. These concepts are used to explain how particular
      memories of past events are selected for inclusion in the dream. The properties
      of the neural network suggest that images of distinct past events are conflated
      at times during the selection process. The appearance of these conflated images
      may complicate the matching of day residues with representations of past events
      in the dream itself. Some likely implications for psychoanalytic theory are
      explored.

PMID- 1430761
TI  - The absence of the father.
AB  - The author discusses the role of the father in early development through the
      concept of triangulation. Three male patients are presented who seemed to lack
      images and memories of their fathers and experienced them as absent, despite
      their physical presence during childhood. In these men, the oedipal phase
      appeared skewed and a dyadic relationship with the mother dominated the material.
      They reported a lack of a sense of masculinity and a phobic concern about the
      dangers of male violence, along with feelings of specialness and grandiosity.
      Analytic data suggested that the image of an absent father reflected a process
      akin to splitting of the ego, in which the significance of the father was
      disavowed and the patients fantasized a special role with their mothers; via
      projection, the fathers reappeared as dangerous intruders. It is proposed that
      this structure derives from a specific developmental situation in which a
      disturbed parental relationship has impaired the father's position as a "third"
      in the early triangle. The child's sexual and aggressive tensions cannot be
      contained in his fantasies of the couple and must be projected outside. The
      absent father returns in the transference, where the analyst is reexperienced as
      useless and absent and as a threat to the specialness of the dyad, thereby
      recapitulating the predicament of the child.

PMID- 1430763
TI  - Acting up and physical illness: temporal patterns and emerging structure.
AB  - Many psychoanalytic writers have viewed acting out and somatization as alternate
      routes for the discharge of uncontained aggressive impulses in borderline
      patients. In order to investigate this empirically, we tracked the occurrence of
      two related behaviors--acting up and physical illness--over the course of one
      patient's long-term hospitalization. Daily scores on these variables were
      analyzed using a time series procedure. Results indicated that as treatment
      progressed, acting up and physical illness became more synchronized, and this
      occurred just prior to symptom remission. Material from psychotherapy suggested
      that these behavioral changes were associated with the patient's increased
      ability to verbalize aggressive impulses in the context of fantasy and memory.

PMID- 1430764
TI  - Psychoanalytic training today.
AB  - Psychoanalytic education in the United States faces multiple challenges as we
      enter the last decade of this century. (1) Changing interest and career path
      patterns for psychiatrists have resulted in fewer medical applications for
      psychoanalytic training. (2) Increased opportunities for full psychoanalytic
      training of nonphysicians have resulted in increased applications from highly
      skilled clinicians who often have more clinical experience than their medical
      colleagues. (3) Increased enrollment of women candidates has required rethinking
      of progression requirements, in light of their combined careers as professionals
      and mothers. (4) Independent institutes not accredited by the American
      Psychoanalytic Association compete for applicants while maintaining training
      standards that require less time and immersion in psychoanalytic theory and
      practice. (5) Economic factors increasingly influence the desirability of
      prolonged psychoanalytic training and the availability of suitable analysands for
      control analyses. (6) Evolution of theory and practice and the emergence of "new
      schools" of psychoanalytic thought have rendered the previous psychoanalytic
      landscape dominated by drive theory and ego psychology more multifaceted and less
      uniform. The American Psychoanalytic Association and its institutes attempt to
      understand these changing patterns and take them into consideration in the design
      and implementation of psychoanalytic training programs. Only one aspect of this
      complex situation will be described in this work, the current state of
      psychoanalytic training in the 28 institutes accredited by the American
      Psychoanalytic Association. Although the data available at this time leave
      unanswered many important questions about the philosophies that organize the
      content and emphases of the curriculum in different institutes, much has been
      learned about the overall structure of psychoanalytic training programs.

PMID- 1430765
TI  - Interactional paradigms and the self in psychoanalysis.

PMID- 1430766
TI  - On enactment.

PMID- 1430767
TI  - A possible hereditary factor in the Isakower phenomenon.

PMID- 1430768
TI  - Why did Freud drop the theme of group psychology?

PMID- 1430769
TI  - Psychoanalysis' resistance to new ideas.

PMID- 1430770
TI  - "Incest--see under Oedipus complex": the history of an error in psychoanalysis.
AB  - This paper is intended as a contribution to the understanding of errors in our
      field. The title refers to the index entries "incest" in several classic
      psychoanalytic texts. In a way that is analogous to the defenses utilized by
      survivors of incest, psychoanalysis has both known and not known, avowed and
      disavowed, the traumatic impact of actual incest. It is argued that
      psychoanalysis erred in (a) focusing too heavily on the implications of incest
      for the Oedipus complex instead of its implications for every stage of
      development, and (b) missing out on the full and detailed description of the
      clinical pictures of incest victims and of treatment issues, including
      transference and countertransference. The author presents an overview of the
      history prompted by Masson's original attack on Freud for abandoning the
      "seduction hypothesis." Topics covered are: Freud's early papers, the Freud
      Ferenczi controversy (1932), and the state of psychoanalytic awareness in the
      1960's of the importance of actual incest. Certain features of our field make it
      all too likely that new errors can be generated that may similarly take decades
      to recognize and undo. These include the politics of our discipline, and negative
      attitudes toward systematic gathering and assessment of evidence.

PMID- 1430771
TI  - Neutrality, interpretation, and therapeutic intent.
AB  - Neutrality is a central concept within the theory of psychoanalytic technique. We
      spell out the major controversies in which the concept has become embroiled, and
      provide a definition that we believe coincides with actual psychoanalytic
      practice. We discuss its merits and weaknesses, noting also the negative
      consequences of relying on older definitions. We relate neutrality to the
      interpretive process, indicating ways interpretation protects neutrality and is
      made more effective by it. We discuss the complex and controversial relation
      between neutrality and the analyst's therapeutic intent.

PMID- 1430772
TI  - In vivo evaluation of airway and pulmonary tissue response to inhaled
      methacholine in the rat.
AB  - The current study was designed to assess the methacholine dose-response behaviour
      of the airways and pulmonary parenchyma with the aid of alveolar capsules. The
      experiments were performed in eight adult female Wistar rats (155-250 g). The
      animals were anaesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (30 mg kg-1 i.p.) and
      mechanically ventilated. Measurements of tracheal (ptr) and alveolar (pA)
      pressures and the pressure change across the airway (p(aw)) were performed prior
      to and after exposing rats to aerosols generated from sequentially increasing
      concentrations of methacholine chloride solution (2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128 mg
      ml-1) through the breathing circuit. Baseline p(aw) and pA mean (+/- SD) values
      (6.44 +/- 2.06 and 8.25 +/- 3.44 cmH2O, respectively) were not statistically
      different (P = 0.220). The increases in ptr and pA were significant during the
      dose-response study (P = 0.001), whereas p(aw) was not increased. The increase in
      pA was significantly higher than that of p(aw) (P less than 0.001). The
      relationship between the mean (+/- SE) values of ptr and pA could be well
      described by a straight line (r = 0.990, P less than 0.001). There were also
      significant correlations based on regression equations between ptr and p(aw) (r =
      0.947, P less than 0.001) and pA and p(aw) (r = 0.913, P = 0.004). These findings
      suggest that the pulmonary tissue of rats is a major component responsible for
      the increase in lung impedance observed after methacholine challenge. In
      addition, airway and pulmonary parenchyma pressure changes were correlated,
      suggesting that both lung regions have a similar sensitivity to the agonist. Our
      results indicate that the response of peripheral tissues should be considered
      during bronchial challenge protocols in rats.

PMID- 1430773
TI  - Toxicology of carbaryl and aldicarb on brain and limb cultures of chick embryos.
AB  - A variety of carbamates have been developed since the 1960s for use as broad
      spectrum insecticides. An easy and inexpensive in vitro assay using chick-embryo
      derived cells was examined for its capability to screen and test the toxicity of
      these compounds. Chick embryo brain and limb bud cultures were treated with
      different concentrations of either carbaryl or aldicarb with or without
      activation (+/- S-9) for 5 days. Viability and cytotoxicity using the neutral red
      assay, and carbamate effects on cell migration and colony spread were measured. S
      9 decreased the effects of carbaryl and aldicarb on brain cell cytotoxicity at
      exposures of 15-60 ppm and 40-200 ppm, respectively, as indicated by increased
      concentrations of neutral red. Viability of brain cell cultures was not altered
      by aldicarb, but was decreased by carbaryl plus S-9 in concentrations of greater
      than 40 ppm. In limb cultures, carbaryl without S-9 was significantly toxic at 8
      25 ppm, but only concentrations of greater than 25 ppm of carbaryl plus S-9
      significantly affected cytotoxicity. In contrast, aldicarb without S-9 caused no
      effect on limb cell cytotoxicity at concentrations of 40-200 ppm, but aldicarb
      plus S-9 significantly reduced cellular cytotoxicity at concentrations of greater
      than 160 ppm. Carbaryl +/- S-9 decreased the spread of both brain and limb
      colonies; aldicarb +/- S-9 caused a significant increase in the spread of the
      brain but not limb colonies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1430774
TI  - The effect of a commercial 2,4-D formulation on chemical- and viral-induced tumor
      production in mice.
AB  - Male CD-1 mice were exposed to a commercial formulation of 2,4
      dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), the amine derivative, in the drinking water
      at concentrations ranging from 0 to 0.163% of the formulated product, equivalent
      to approximately 0-50 mg kg-1 day-1 2,4-D content. The effect of 2,4-D on urethan
      induced pulmonary adenoma formation was evaluated following a 105-day exposure.
      Urethan-induced sleeping times observed following an i.p. injection of urethan
      (1.5 mg g-1) after 3 weeks of 2,4-D exposure were not altered by 2,4-D,
      indicating that 2,4-D did not influence urethan elimination. Pulmonary adenoma
      production, which was evaluated 84 days after urethan injection, was enhanced by
      2,4-D exposure but had no effect on tumor size. The effect of 2,4-D on the
      incidence of spontaneous murine lymphocytic leukemia was evaluated during the 365
      day treatment period. Mortality associated with the leukemia virus was not
      altered by 2,4-D treatment. Exposure to this commercial 2,4-D product at
      moderately high levels of exposure may modify the development or expression of
      certain tumors in CD-1 mice. The mechanism of the co-carcinogenic or tumor
      promoting activity associated with 2,4-D exposure remains to be determined.

PMID- 1430775
TI  - Incidence of residual levels of organophosphorus insecticides in farm produce in
      the Region of Murcia, Spain. Comparison of intake in the 1985-86 and 1989
      campaigns.
AB  - We calculated the effective dietary exposure to 20 organophosphorus insecticides
      in a sample of residents of the Region of Murcia (Spain). Calculations were based
      on the contamination of 2310 specimens of citrus fruits, pitted and seedy fruits
      and vegetables collected in the 1985-86 and 1989 campaigns. A comparison of the
      results from the two campaigns showed that the mean annual insecticide ingestion
      determined from the mean consumption of each type of farm produce fell from 7.82
      mg to 5.55 mg over the 4-year period studied. The total annual ingestion of
      insecticides during the 1985-86 and 1989 campaigns was ca. 0.133 and 0.1 mg kg-1
      body weight; these values are well below the admissible annual ingestion of
      29.565 mg kg-1 body weight.

PMID- 1430776
TI  - Development and validation of a high-performance liquid chromatographic method
      for the determination of benzophenone-3 in rats.
AB  - A precise, accurate, selective and sensitive liquid chromatographic method for
      the determination of benzophenone-3 in rat biological fluids and different
      tissues has been developed. The minimum detection limit for benzophenone-3 was
      2.0 ng ml-1 and the retention time was 6.01 min. Standard curves for benzophenone
      3 were linear in a wide range of concentrations in methanol and different body
      fluids, ranging from 6.25 ng ml-1 to 100 micrograms ml-1. To detect benzophenone
      3 in rat whole blood after oral administration, HCl hydrolysis was required.
      Benzophenone-3 was found to produce a peak blood concentration 1 h after
      administration. Free benzophenone-3 in urine represented a very small percentage
      during the first 12 h after administration, while a higher concentration of the
      glucuronide conjugate was detected in the same time period.

PMID- 1430777
TI  - Mutagenicity studies on two triphenylmethane dyes, bromophenol blue and
      tetrabromophenol blue.
AB  - Bromophenol blue and tetrabromophenol blue are two triphenylmethane dyes.
      Triphenylmethane derivatives and their structurally related compounds, such as
      fluoresceins and xathenes, are widely used as industrial dyes for foods, drugs,
      cosmetics, textiles, printing inks or laboratory indicators. Since a number of
      these types of dyes have been reported to be genotoxic, safety concerns on these
      two dyes of interest have been raised. Consequently, a battery of genetic
      toxicology assays, including the Ames Salmonella/microsome assay, L5178Y TK+/-
      mouse lymphoma assay, mouse micronucleus test and mitotic recombination assay
      with yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain D5, has been performed on each of the
      two dyes. The results of the evaluations indicate that both bromophenol blue and
      tetrabromophenol blue were not active and can be considered non-genotoxic for the
      three genetic endpoints assessed (gene mutation, chromosome aberrations and
      primary DNA damage). Genetic activities in some structurally related compounds of
      these dyes have been reported but may be attributed to the presence of mutagenic
      impurities rather than the compound itself.

PMID- 1430778
TI  - The influence of fenarimol on DNA synthesis and mitotic activity in rat liver.
AB  - Fenarimol administered in one single oral dose of 125 or 62.5 mg kg-1 body wt.
      day-1, respectively, stimulated rat liver enlargement at a dose-independent rate.
      Three single doses of fenarimol produced dose-dependent liver growth, whereas
      five single doses caused no further increase in liver weight. This increase was
      accompanied by an increase in hepatic DNA synthesis and mitotic activity, with a
      peak on the first day after the beginning of the experiments. The increase in
      binuclear hepatocytes and signs of necrosis suggested that the hepatomitogenic
      effect reflected a compensatory hyperplasia. After both three and five single
      doses the hepatomitogenic effect was suppressed, as a result of tolerance
      development.

PMID- 1430779
TI  - Relationship between eye and skin irritation in rabbits using a series of textile
      fiber finishes.
AB  - A series of 76 fiber finishes, typically composed of blends of lubricants,
      emulsifiers, antistatic agents and fatty acid soaps, were tested in rabbits to
      determine both the eye and the skin irritation potential. Each finish was
      classified as being either non-, slightly, mildly, moderately or severely
      irritating to the target tissue during a 48-h post-treatment period. Seven (9.2%)
      of the finishes tested were severely irritating to both the skin and the eye; two
      (2.6%) were determined to be non-irritating to both tissues. While occasionally
      finishes produced equal degrees of damage resulting in similar irritancy
      classifications, seven (9.2%) finishes were found to be severely irritating to
      the skin without producing any irritation in the eye. Conversely, one finish was
      found to be a severe eye irritant without producing any skin irritation. The
      suggested use of the skin irritation data to predict the ocular reaction needs to
      be carefully examined, particularly with materials such as these fiber finishes.
      The prediction that a severe skin irritant is also a severe eye irritant was
      demonstrated to be in error with 8 of 75 (10.5%) of the finishes studied.
      Further, there is little predictive association between the skin and eye
      irritation for these compounds.

PMID- 1430780
TI  - Effects of nickel hydroxycarbonate on alveolar macrophage functions.
AB  - The metabolic effects of different concentrations of nickel hydroxycarbonate
      (NiHC) on guinea pig alveolar macrophages (GPAMs) were investigated. Exposure to
      high concentrations of NiHC (6.25 and 12.5 micrograms 10(-6) cells) led to cell
      vacuolization. Morphological changes were associated with a dramatic reduction in
      the steady-state level of cellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP), i.e. ATP levels
      were reduced by 35% (P less than 0.001) and 53% (P less than 0.01), respectively.
      Low concentrations of NiHC (0.0625 and 0.125 microgram 10(-6) cells) did not
      induce morphological changes but increased cellular ATP content by 19% (P less
      than 0.01) and 12% (P less than 0.05), respectively. Effects of NiHC (0.125 and
      6.25 micrograms 10(-6) cells) on cell oxidative metabolism were studied. The
      chemiluminescence was significantly increased (P less than 0.001) by the lower
      but not the higher concentration. A slight inhibition of total superoxide
      dismutase (P less than 0.05) and a decrease of catalase activity were
      demonstrated (P less than 0.05) for the high dose, while the low dose decreased
      the levels of reduced and total glutathione. In conclusion, the effects of NiHC
      on alveolar macrophages are characterized by an overproduction of free radicals
      for low concentrations and the depletion of cellular reserve energy, particularly
      ATP, for high concentrations.

PMID- 1430781
TI  - Preliminary report on the use of zinc in vivo to protect against nitrogen mustard
      toxicity in female Balb/cJ mice.
AB  - Previous studies with cultured normal human fibroblasts indicated that treatment
      of cells with zinc before exposure to an alkylating agent enhanced cell survival
      by seven- to ninefold. To establish whether a similar zinc-induced protective
      response could be elicited in vivo, we conducted a preliminary experiment in
      which Balb/cJ female mice were treated with zinc (2 mg kg-1 body weight) or
      saline by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection at 48, 36, 24 and 12 h before i.p.
      administration of the alkylating agent nitrogen mustard (4 mg kg-1 body weight).
      Of the animals that received saline before nitrogen mustard, 57% died as compared
      with only 20% in the group treated with zinc before administration of the
      alkylating agent. As was observed in the studies of cells in culture, the results
      described in this report may suggest the existence in Balb/cJ female mice of a
      zinc-mediated protective response against nitrogen mustard toxicity.

PMID- 1430782
TI  - Attempted use of zinc in vivo to protect against nitrogen mustard toxicity in
      tumor-free and in L1210 leukemia-bearing female B6D2F1 mice.
AB  - The use of alkylating agents in treating cancer is limited by their toxicity to
      both normal and tumor tissue. Early in vitro studies indicated that zinc might be
      effective in mitigating this toxicity to normal tissue. The present studies were
      done to determine the capability of zinc to induce in vivo a protective response
      to an alkylating agent without also contributing to mortality. Tumor-free and
      L1210 leukemia-bearing female B6D2F1 mice were treated with zinc before
      administration of the alkylating agent nitrogen mustard. Protocols for
      administration route and frequency as well as the chemical formulation of the
      zinc were varied. The effect of a phytate-free diet was studied. Two parameters
      were used to determine the effectiveness of zinc in protecting animals from the
      toxicity of nitrogen mustard: the number of tumor-free mice that survived and an
      increase in the median life span of the tumor-bearing mice. The zinc-induction
      protocols used in these studies provided a limited degree of protection against
      nitrogen mustard toxicity in tumor-free female mice, but in tumor-bearing animals
      the protective response elicited with the protocols examined did not provide an
      appreciable therapeutic benefit.

PMID- 1430783
TI  - Phosphoric acid/phosphates.

PMID- 1430784
TI  - Erythrocyte and tissue AChE inhibition.

PMID- 1430785
TI  - Indoor air quality.

PMID- 1430786
TI  - A novel non-radioactive method for detection of nucleoside analog phosphorylation
      by 5'-nucleotidase.
AB  - Cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase has been implicated in the phosphorylation of certain
      nucleosides of therapeutic interest. In vitro, IMP and GMP serve as the optimal
      phosphate donors for this nucleoside phosphotransferase reaction. Existing assays
      for nucleoside phosphorylation effected by 5'-nucleotidase require a radiolabeled
      nucleoside as the phosphate acceptor and separation of the substrate-nucleoside
      from product-nucleotide has been accomplished either by a filter binding method
      or HPLC. However, detection of the phosphorylation of unlabeled nucleoside by
      HPLC is difficult since the ultraviolet absorbance of the phosphate donor, IMP,
      frequently obscures the absorbance of newly formed nucleotide. The use of
      ribavirin 5'-phosphate (RMP, 1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide riboside 5
      monophosphate) as the phosphate donor obviates this difficulty since this
      triazole heterocycle does not significantly absorb at the wavelengths used to
      detect most nucleoside analogs. Using this procedure, a 5'-nucleotidase activity
      from the 100,000 x g supernatant fraction of human T-lymphoblasts deficient in
      adenosine kinase, hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase, and
      deoxycytidine kinase, was characterized with regard to structure-activity
      relationships for certain inosine and guanosine analogs.

PMID- 1430787
TI  - A simple assay for determination of iron release from ferritin in neuroblastoma
      cells.
AB  - A commercially available enzyme immunoassay was used to determine ferritin
      content and subsequently the loading and release of iron from ferritin in
      neuroblastoma cells. LS cells were incubated with 59Fe for 24 h, lysed, and the
      cytoplasmic ferritin was bound to monoclonal antibodies coupled to globules.
      After determination of the ferritin content the same globules with bound
      radioactive ferritin were measured in a gamma-counter. To illustrate the
      applicability of this test system, increased iron loading of cellular ferritin
      could be demonstrated in cycloheximide-treated cells; furthermore, release of
      iron was documented after incubation of LS cells with a combination of 6
      hydroxydopamine and ascorbate. The assay turned out to be a simple method for
      determination of changes in 59Fe content of ferritin in neuroblastoma cells.

PMID- 1430788
TI  - Assay of intracellular thymidylate synthetase activity and inhibition by 5-fluoro
      2'-deoxyuridine in lymphocytes.
AB  - Thymidylate synthetase catalyses the formation of thymidine monophosphate from
      deoxyuridine monophosphate. Purified thymidylate synthetase can be assayed
      radiochemically using labelled deoxyuridine monophosphate as substrate, but cells
      are impervious to deoxyuridine monophosphate and so intracellular thymidylate
      synthetase activity cannot be assayed in this way. In this paper we describe the
      assay of intracellular thymidylate synthetase activity in intact cells using
      labelled 2'-deoxyuridine. The assay showed linear kinetics with respect to time,
      concentration of 2'-deoxyuridine, and cell concentration. 5-fluoro-2'
      deoxyuridine inhibited intracellular thymidylate synthetase activity measured
      with this assay by 50% at 5 nM. Cell growth was inhibited by 50% at 6 nM 5-fluoro
      2'-deoxyuridine. The assay was specific for thymidylate synthetase and enabled
      measurement of thymidylate synthetase activity in situ in intact cells.

PMID- 1430789
TI  - Establishment of a multi-dose study of chondroitin sulfate iron colloid for
      evaluation of the reticuloendothelial system function.
AB  - The assay system of chondroitin sulfate iron colloid (CSFe) was established to
      evaluate the reticuloendothelial system (RES) function in individual rabbits. In
      the multi-dose study of CSFe, CSFe was repeatedly administered to each individual
      rabbit with increasing doses (0.6, 1.2, 2.4, 6.0 mg/kg) at set intervals. Blood
      samples were serially collected after injection of CSFe and the concentration of
      CSFe in serum was directly measured as an iron concentration by modifying the
      previously described assay method [1] to minimize the sample volume. The
      clearance rate of CSFe at each injected dose was computed by the least-squares
      method and the double-reciprocal plotting of the doses against the phagocytic
      velocities by the Lineweaver-Burk method was obtained in each rabbit. The maximum
      phagocytic velocity (Vmax) and the CSFe concentration producing 1/2 Vmax (Kp)
      obtained in ten rabbits were 0.129 +/- 0.025 mg/kg per min and 0.417 +/- 0.121
      mg/kg (mean +/- S.D.), respectively. The results obtained from this multi-dose
      study were comparable to our previous results obtained from the mean values of
      five groups given different doses [1]. The clearance rates of CSFe (0.6, 1.2, 6
      mg/kg) decreased after the co-injection of 80 mg/kg of carbon colloid. The
      calculated Vmax and Kp in 29 rabbits were 0.125 mg/kg per min and 1.167 mg/kg.
      The Kp was apparently greater than that of the control (Vmax = 0.128 mg/kg per
      min, Kp = 0.421 mg/kg). Carbon colloid (80 mg/kg) was injected to six rabbits
      after the completion of the first multi-dose study of CSFe and then the second
      multi-dose study of CSFe was repeated after 24 h. No differences were found in
      Vmax and Kp between the two studies as were in the control group (10 rabbits)
      where saline was injected instead of carbon colloid. These results indicated that
      carbon colloid (80 mg/kg) gives a competitive and reversible inhibition on the
      RES. This multi-dose study of CSFe may be applicable for a bed-side analysis of
      the RES function in a patient.

PMID- 1430790
TI  - Development of an antibody against a 170-kDa fragment of fibroin isolated from
      cocoon fibres of Bombyx mori.
AB  - A simple method for the isolation of denatured fragments of the fibroin protein
      from cocoon fibres by alkali solubilization is discussed. This 170-kDa antigen
      has been purified and used to raise the polyclonal antibody in rabbit. The
      specificity of this antibody to the purified cocoon protein has suggested strong
      immunoreactivity up to a titre of 1:5000 dilution of the antibody. Further, dot
      blot analysis with the tissue extracts from silk glands of different larval
      stages (3rd to 5th) reveals that this antibody reacts showing a stage-specific
      increase in the intensity of the colour, correlating well with the in-vivo
      expression of the silk protein. This study suggests the availability of a
      specific polyclonal antibody that detects the native fibroin with no
      crossreactivity with other tissue proteins.

PMID- 1430791
TI  - A new micromethod for mechano-chemical research.
AB  - A new micromethod to study activity of enzymes in crystalline and amorphous solid
      samples subjected to tension is described. Both static (up to 200%) and dynamic
      (with an amplitude up to 50% and frequency of 10(-3)-50 Hz) deformation may be
      applied to the sample during the activity measurement. Strain-induced changes in
      activity of thin (3-10 microns) needle-like strips (0.2-0.5 microns long), cut
      out of the microtome sections of cross-linked crystals of pancreatic
      carboxypeptidase A is measured in a droplet of substrate solution (with volume of
      10(-6)-10(-9) l) with a pH-microelectrode technique.

PMID- 1430792
TI  - Characterization of immobiline membranes for application in a multicompartment
      electrolyzer for protein purification.
AB  - The efficient use of preparative protein purification in a multicompartment
      electrolyzer with Immobiline membranes depends on the knowledge of membrane
      characteristics. For that purpose, an experimental investigation of the effects
      of ionic charges on the membrane characteristics has been carried out through the
      measurements of membrane swelling and conductance. We also investigated the
      effects on the electrolyzer behaviour of operating parameters such as the
      Immobiline concentration and the presence of ion-exchange membranes. Data show
      that polyacrylamide gel degree of swelling is strongly dependent upon the pH and
      the ionic strength of the bathing solution as well as on the type and molarity of
      charges incorporated in the gel. The conductance of supported Immobiline gels in
      contact with uni-univalent chloride solutions has been measured by means of a
      mercury cell. The membrane conductance is also influenced by the ionic strength
      of the equilibrium solution and the presence of weak ionizable groups in the gel
      matrix. This study has demonstrated the close link between electrochemical and
      electromechanical properties of Immobiline membranes.

PMID- 1430793
TI  - Decreased Coomassie brilliant blue colour yield with glycated proteins.
AB  - Collagen, myosin and albumin were incubated for 7 days at 20 degrees C with
      fructose, ribose or glyceraldehyde. For thus-formed glycated proteins, quantities
      were determined by the Conway microdiffusion technique and by the colorimetric
      method based on Coomassie brilliant blue G-250 colour yield. It was found that
      when albumin was glycated with increasing amounts of glyceraldehyde, the colour
      yield was decreased by 7-33%. In collagen, myosin and albumin incubated with 0.5
      mol/l fructose, 0.5 mol/l ribose or 0.1 mol/l glyceraldehyde, protein
      concentration was not changed, as proved by the Conway microdiffusion technique;
      the Coomassie brilliant blue G-250 colour yield was up to 50% lower, depending on
      the protein used, and was decreased much less when proteins were incubated with
      less sugar.

PMID- 1430794
TI  - Effect of chemical sympathectomy on scintigraphic gastric and small bowel transit
      in the rat.
AB  - Our aims were to measure gastric and small bowel transit of radiolabeled chow or
      liquids in rats and to assess the effect of pharmacologically induced chronic
      sympathectomy of at least 5 weeks duration. Three series of experiments were
      performed. In series I, four rats in each group underwent i.p. chloral hydrate
      anesthesia, tracheostomy with intubation and mechanical ventilation: they
      received by gavage 1.0 g rat chow dissolved in 1.5 ml saline labeled with 1.0 mCi
      99mTc-DTPA In series II, four rats in each group were anesthetized with only i.p.
      chloral hydrate and received 1.5 ml labeled saline. Rats were placed on a gamma
      camera for dynamic acquisition of 1-min images for 7 h in series I, and 4 h in
      series II. Activity was quantitated in stomach and cecum; gastric emptying was
      analyzed by the power exponential model. In series III, four rats in each group
      were studied for 1 h on gamma camera and sacrificed after 5 h. At the end of each
      study, the stomach, small bowel, cecum and colon were removed and radioactivity
      counted in each organ in a dose calibrator. Quantitation of radioactivity by
      gamma camera was highly accurate: labeled chow in the stomach at 7 h was
      identical by external camera and counting of the excised organ (linear regression
      slope = 1.01, r = 0.97, P less than 0.0001). Similar precision was observed with
      labeled liquids (slope = 0.93, r = 0.93, P = 0.001). Chow emptied slower than
      liquid in both groups (P = 0.048). Ileocecal movement of isotope occurred by
      bolus transfers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1430795
TI  - Structure of autonomic neuromuscular junctions in the sinus venosus of the toad.
AB  - The structure of cholinergic and adrenergic neuromuscular junctions in the sinus
      venosus of the toad, Bufo marinus, was determined by electron microscopy. From
      random sections of sinus venosus tissue it appeared that there were variable
      separations between cholinergic or adrenergic varicosities and the nearest sinus
      venosus muscle cell. However, when the structure of complete cholinergic and
      adrenergic varicosities was determined by examining serial electron micrographs,
      virtually all varicosities that lost their covering of Schwann cell were found to
      form an area of close apposition with an adjacent muscle cell. At the region of
      close apposition, the neuromuscular cleft was filled with a single layer of basal
      lamina to give a neuromuscular separation of about 70 nm. Synaptic vesicles
      within a varicosity were usually found to be concentrated towards the region of
      close apposition. These observations are discussed in relationship to the idea
      that when transmission occurs at these neuromuscular junctions the transmitters
      act on discrete pools of specialized subsynaptic receptors.

PMID- 1430796
TI  - Effect of L-threo-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine on muscle sympathetic nerve activity
      in humans.
AB  - To clarify the effect of L-threo-3,4-dihydroxyphenylserine (L-threo-DOPS), a
      precursor of norepinephrine (NE), the effect of this drug on
      microneurographically recorded muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSA) from the
      tibial nerve was analyzed in ten healthy male volunteers. A single dose of 600 mg
      of L-threo-DOPS was orally administered and the effect of this norepinephrine
      precursor on MSA at resting and at upright standing positions, as well as the MSA
      responsiveness to head-up tilting was examined by comparing the data obtained
      after administration of the drug with those obtained under control conditions.
      The plasma NE levels were determined in two subjects. The results were as
      follows: (1) resting MSA increased significantly 80 min after administration of L
      threo-DOPS and was accompanied by an increase in plasma NE levels; (2) standing
      MSA when treated with the drug was not significantly different from values
      obtained under control conditions; and (3) MSA responsiveness to orthostasis was
      reduced after L-threo-DOPS. We conclude from the activation of MSA by L-threo
      DOPS that this drug raised blood pressure not only through an increase in
      metabolized plasma NE levels, but also through the enhancement of MSA by
      activation of descending noradrenergic or adrenergic pathways proximal to the
      recording site of the sympathetic discharge.

PMID- 1430797
TI  - Differential effects of V2 vasopressin agonist and antagonists on blood pressure
      regulation in normotensive (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats.
AB  - The effects of arginine vasopressin analogs with V2 agonistic and antagonistic
      properties on blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were compared in conscious,
      spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive (WKY) rats under resting
      conditions and after administration of phenylephrine (Phe) and sodium
      nitroprusside (SN). In WKY rats, resting BP and HR were not significantly
      affected during intravenous (i.v.) infusion of dVDAVP, (V2 agonist; 200
      pg/kg/min), d(CH2)5 (D-Ile2,Abu4]AVP (V2 antagonist 1; weak V1 antagonist; V2/V1
      ratio = 29; 0.6 microgram/kg/min), d(CH2)5[D-Ile2,Ile4,AlaNH2]AVP (V2 antagonist
      2; very weak V1 antagonist; V2/V1 ratio = 83; 0.6 microgram/kg/min) and combined
      infusion of V2 agonist and V2 antagonist 2. Under resting conditions BP and HR
      were not affected in WKY by any of the treatments. In SHR rats BP and HR were
      significantly decreased by V2 antagonist 2 infused alone or in combination with
      V2 agonist. In WKY but not in SHR V2 agonist without and with prior V2 receptors
      blockade significantly augmented bradycardia associated with a maximum increase
      of the systolic blood pressure after Phe administration. Significant differences
      were found between SHR and WKY in SN-induced changes of HR and BP after
      administration of V2 agonist and antagonists. The results suggest that
      circulating vasopressin may modify the baroreflex by interaction with receptors
      which are stimulated by V2 agonist but are different from the classical V2
      receptors. The study supports evidence for differential effects of vasopressin
      analogs on blood pressure and blood pressure-heart rate relations in WKY and SHR.

PMID- 1430798
TI  - [Use of perfluorocarbon solutions in the surgical treatment of posterior luxation
      of the lens].
AB  - Posterior lens dislocations represent 20 to 40% of all lens dislocations. It can
      occur after trauma. Visual prognosis can be good, but most often there are
      complications such as glaucoma, retinal detachment and uveitis. A few years ago,
      surgery was difficult, and surgery was delayed until the development of specific
      complications. A new technique, using perfluorocarbon liquids (PFCL), should be
      recommended because it is simple, and constantly effective. After vitrectomy,
      perfluorodecalin is injected into the vitreous cavity. As PFCL have a density
      twice the density of water, it allows the lens to float on the surface of the
      PFCL, behind the iris. Lens extraction can be associated with trabeculectomy, and
      anterior chamber lens implantation. We present a prospective study of 6 cases
      operated according to this technique. Postoperative results were good: visual
      acuity was preserved and ocular tension was controlled in cases of preoperative
      hypertonia. We believe this technique can be recommended after posterior lens
      dislocation, to prevent complications and to preserve visual acuity.

PMID- 1430799
TI  - [Surgical treatment of strabismus by sagittal cutting of the oblique muscles.
      Apropos of 449 cases].
AB  - The theoretical proposals and the therapeutic approach described at the beginning
      of the sixties by Gobin concerning the treatment of incomitant strabismus have
      had such positive results as to convince many surgeons to adopt this methodology.
      The principal merit of Gobin's technique lies in evaluation of all aspects of the
      strabismus (horizontal, vertical and oblique) searching for the obstacles to
      ocular movements which cause alteration of binocular vision and removing them.
      According to the above criteria, we have operated 449 cases of incomitant
      strabismus due to sagittalization of the oblique muscles. The validity of this
      technique has been demonstrated by the results obtained in a single operation (a
      success rate of over 50%). With a second operation the success rate was increased
      to 70% (orthophoria, heterophoria and esthetic angle < 7 degrees).

PMID- 1430800
TI  - [Changes in the fundus in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Apropos of 23
      cases].
AB  - Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a fatal slow encephalitis. It is
      related to a chronic infection of the central nervous system by a defective
      measles virus. Among 41 patients with SSPE, 23 had ocular involvement. The
      ophthalmologic involvement preceded the onset of neurological signs in 4 cases,
      they were detected at first presentation in 9 cases, and they occurred in the
      course of the disease in 10 cases. The ocular involvement was bilateral in 19
      cases. Various ophthalmologic features were reported: retinitis (16 eyes),
      macular pigment disturbances (4 eyes), optical neuritis (33 eyes), visual agnosia
      (1 patient). The macular lesions were typical of the disease, but at the acute
      stage they were liable to be confused with toxoplasmosis. This complication of
      measles should disappear with the systematic vaccination of 12 month old
      children.

PMID- 1430801
TI  - [Intraocular absorption of cyclosporin A eyedrops].
AB  - A study was carried out on ocular and systemic absorption after topical
      application of 2% cyclosporin A in patients requiring corneal transplants,
      determining by polarized light immunofluorescence the levels of this drug in the
      cornea, aqueous humor and blood. Between 30 and 85 minutes after the last
      application, considerable levels of cyclosporin A were found in the explanted
      cornea (236 +/- 42 ng/mL). Relatively lower levels were found in the aqueous
      humor although there were significant differences between the patients who
      received a total topical dosage of 5 mg (16.92 +/- 6.86 ng/mL) and those who
      received 10 mg (25.06 +/- 9.13 ng/mL) over the same period of time. No
      analytically detectable levels were found in the plasma. We consider that
      topically administered cyclosporin A can reach immunosuppressive levels of
      activity in some ocular compartments thus eliminating the potential systemic
      effects resulting from its utilization by general administration.

PMID- 1430802
TI  - [Persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous. Middle-term results of vitrectomy].
AB  - In this study, the authors present a homogeneous series of seven children
      suffering from persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous, in its complete anterior
      and posterior form. These children were operated by pars plana lensectomy and
      vitrectomy. The surgical operation was beneficial in every case: not only were
      there no complications, but the operation also prevented progression towards
      neovascular glaucoma, vitreous hemorrhages and phtisis bulbi. In addition, one of
      the benefits of this technique was esthetic, with the disappearance of
      leucocoria, the occasional correction of strabismus and the reduction in
      microphthalmos. Visual recovery can be surprisingly good, in the absence of any
      associated retinal malformation.

PMID- 1430803
TI  - [Orbito-palpebral prosthesis retained by intraosseous implants].
AB  - The use of intraosseous implants, whose tolerance is continually improving,
      constitutes an important progress in the field of prosthetic rehabilitation. In
      particular, titanium implants largely resolve the problem of retention of
      craniofacial prostheses. Our experience, based on that of Swedish authors
      concerning the extra-oral use of intraosseous implants, was sufficiently
      convincing to adopt this effective technique in our patients candidates for
      prosthetic rehabilitation. The case of a patient rehabilitated by means of an
      orbito-palpebral prosthesis is presented after a brief biomechanical review and
      presentation of the technique. Our results, although preliminary, are very
      encouraging in terms of the technical aspects as well as patient comfort. A
      further study could reinforce our decision.

PMID- 1430804
TI  - [Giant peripheral tear of the retinal pigmented epithelium].
AB  - The authors present a case of gigantic tear of the retinal pigmented epithelium.
      This tear was situated in the middle periphery and seems to have appeared
      spontaneously together with a carotid-cavernous fistula. The functional outcome
      was favorable. The authors deal with the various possible patho-physiological
      mechanisms.

PMID- 1430805
TI  - [Serpiginous choroiditis].

PMID- 1430806
TI  - [Eye controlled microscope used in ophthalmic microsurgery].
AB  - This article presents a system of oculomotor control of the microscope used in
      ophthalmic microsurgery. An eye movement sensor has been integrated within the
      microscope lens. The information provided by this sensor is used to control the
      position of the microscope with no alteration of the surgeon's visual functions
      and no interference with his visual sensori-motor reflexes. Results have been
      obtained from laboratory experimentations as well as from a series of anterior
      and posterior segment surgical procedures. They demonstrate the high precision
      and sensitivity of the gaze control which can be used to compensate for the
      reduction of the field of vision resulting from the optical magnification of the
      microscope.

PMID- 1430807
TI  - [Questions to consultants. Anisometropia following surgery, apropos of a case].

PMID- 1430808
TI  - [Granuloma of the conjunctiva caused by synthetic fibers].
AB  - A five year old girl with pseudo-tumoral lesion of the inferior right fornix
      underwent surgical excision. Histology of the lesion showed a granulomatous giant
      cell inflammation surrounding foreign material, probably related to synthetic
      fabric fibers.

PMID- 1430810
TI  - [Monobloc PMMA lenses. Anteroposterior displacement of the implant as a function
      of the insertion diameter].
AB  - Data concerning the biomechanical properties of IOL are rare. A systematic study
      of these properties was performed in the "laboratoire de Mecanique des
      Structures" at the "Ecole Centrale de Nantes". The results of the anteroposterior
      displacement of the optical part of eleven posterior chamber lenses (all PMMA)
      which were subjected to a diameter reduction, are reported. The deplacement of
      the implants was very slight and the position of the posterior side was
      relatively anterior whatever the diameter of insertion. The clinical
      implications, especially concerning the posterior capsule, are discussed.

PMID- 1430809
TI  - [Is A29, B12 vasculitis caused by the Q fever agent? (Coxiella burnetii)].
AB  - The authors describe the first two cases, to their knowledge, of retinal
      vasculitis, associated with Q fever. The first case was a chronic infection
      induced by Coxiella burnetii associated with HLA group A29 and B12; in the second
      case, the phenotype was B12. The authors tried to determine whether this agent
      could be the "Birdshot chorioretinopathy" promoting factor. Several epidemiologic
      findings tend to prove that Q fever is not the only cause. On the other hand, its
      similarity with rickettsia, the fact that it is found in patients with
      vasculitis, suggest that it could be one of the initial causal factors.

PMID- 1430811
TI  - [Long-term results of successful surgical treatment of retinal detachment by
      vitrectomy and silicone oil injection. Effect of removal of the tamponade on
      further complications].
AB  - We present, with a minimal follow up of six months, the results of 118 silicone
      oil removals following successful treatment of retinal detachment by pars plana
      vitrectomy and silicone oil injection. A recurrent retinal detachment occurred in
      8.5% of cases, 13% of the 61 phakic eyes at the time of silicone oil removal
      maintained a clear lens, 29.6% of the eyes had a raised intraocular pressure and
      6.8% had a keratopathy. The visual acuity improved in 72.8% of eyes after
      silicone oil removal. The main reasons for a late decrease in visual acuity were
      recurrence of the detachment, hypertonia, chronic hypotonia and keratopathy. All
      the eyes with late complications after silicone oil removal had a clinically
      significant droplet dispersion in the anterior chamber. Only complete and early
      silicone oil removal seems to decrease the complication rate.

PMID- 1430812
TI  - [Posterior luxation of lens or implant: surgical treatment using a
      perfluorocarbon solution. Technique and results of 13 cases].
AB  - We used perfluorocarbon liquids in the management of 6 cases of posterior
      dislocation of the lens and 7 cases of (sub-) luxation of a posterior chamber
      intraocular lens (IOL). The perfluorocarbon liquid was injected into the vitreous
      cavity after complete vitrectomy, to bring back the lens or IOL to the posterior
      chamber where it can be easily removed. The main characteristics of
      perfluorocarbon liquids used in this indication are their high specific gravity
      and their good surface tension. Because of these two qualities, when injected in
      a vitrectomized eye, the perfluorocarbon liquid forms a bubble, filling the
      vitreous cavity from the posterior pole to the ora serrata with the dislocated
      lens or IOL floating on its surface. We found this technique to be helpful and
      quite atraumatic in this difficult surgical situation. Complications included
      regressive corneal edema in 6 cases and retinal dialysis with localized
      detachment in 3 cases.

PMID- 1430813
TI  - [Ocular prognosis in Behcet's disease].
AB  - The ocular prognosis of Behcet's disease was assessed in 31 French native
      patients with ocular involvement. The mean follow-up time was 6 years.
      Ophthalmologic manifestations revealed the disease in 61% of patients, and it was
      the first symptom in 29%. Two groups of patients could be identified: the minor
      forms (23%) which remained stable with colchicine alone and the severe forms
      (77%) which required steroid (32%) and/or immunosuppressive (45%) therapy. In the
      severe forms, 32 eyes were unchanged, 4 eyes showed improvement, and 12 eyes
      showed deterioration in visual acuity. Positivity of HLA B5, sex and complete
      form of the disease were not predictive factors of ocular involvement, or of its
      seriousness. At 6 years, 16% of the eyes (versus 14% at the beginning) had a
      visual acuity less than 1/10, and 71% (versus 74% at the beginning) had a visual
      acuity greater than 8/10. A close collaboration between ophthalmologists and
      internists allows a good visual prognosis in Behcet's disease.

PMID- 1430814
TI  - [Cicatricial ectropion and ichthyosis. Apropos of 4 cases].
AB  - Ichthyosis are dystrophic inheritance skin disorders with inconstant palpebral
      complications like cicatricial ectropion and lagophthalmos due to large skin
      retractions. The authors report two cases of cicatricial ectropion in two adults.
      For one of the two cases, it is the first description to our knowledge of
      cicatricial ectropion associated with ichthyosis vulgaris sex-linked. The
      authors, after a short description of physiopathology and of classification of
      the different types of ichthyosis describe the surgical treatment with skin
      grafts, with good results in the first post operative period only in two adults.
      The two newborns had good results with medical treatment only.

PMID- 1430815
TI  - [Large orbito-palpebral cavernous hemangioma].
AB  - Cavernous hemangiomas are benign vascular orbital lesions that exert a slowly
      progressive mass effect. They usually occur in adults. The authors report an
      unusual case of a large orbito-palpebral cavernous hemangioma with peculiar
      history and symptoms. The main clinical and radiological characteristics of this
      tumor are recalled together with the basis of surgical management.

PMID- 1430816
TI  - [Corneal cyst].
AB  - A 76-year old woman developed an intracorneal cyst following uncomplicated
      cataract surgery. Progressive enlargement led to partial visual loss. Following
      drainage of the cyst, cytopathologic examination showed epithelial cells. The
      cyst subsequently reformed and caused acute pupillary block. Repeat drainage and
      cryotherapy were performed. Vision was limited by corneal edema, and penetrating
      keratoplasty was performed.

PMID- 1430817
TI  - [Fluid-air exchange].

PMID- 1430818
TI  - [Questions to consultants. Treatment of adenovirus keratoconjunctivitis apropos
      of a case].

PMID- 1430819
TI  - Surgical lengthening of the Achilles tendon.

PMID- 1430820
TI  - Enlargement of the entire posterior aspect of the calcaneus: treatment with the
      Keck and Kelly calcaneal osteotomy.
AB  - Painful enlargement of the entire posterior aspect of the calcaneus can be
      difficult to effectively treat and must be differentiated from a classical
      Haglund's deformity. Clinical, radiographic, and surgical treatments of this
      deformity will be discussed. An illustrative case presentation is also included.

PMID- 1430821
TI  - First cuneiform closing abductory osteotomy for reduction of metatarsus primus
      adductus.
AB  - The closing subtraction osteotomy of the first cuneiform effectively reduces
      pronounced obliquity of the first metatarsal cuneiform joint and predictably
      reduces the intermetatarsal angle in patients with metatarsus primus adductus.
      This osteotomy is combined with other procedures in surgical realignment of the
      first ray. Cases best suited for this procedure must be selected carefully. The
      procedure involves resecting the existing bone block from the opposing surfaces
      of the first and second metatarsal bases and from the distal one half of the
      opposing surfaces of the first and second cuneiforms. A triangular-shaped wedge
      of bone is then resected from the midbody of the first cuneiform while retaining
      a medial hinge. Closure of the first cuneiform osteotomy should require only
      minimal pressure. Two threaded Steinman pins transfix the osteotomy site. The
      vascular cancellous bone of the first cuneiform assures adequate healing of the
      osteotomy site.

PMID- 1430822
TI  - A new method of repair for rupture of the Achilles tendon.
AB  - Rupture of the Achilles tendon requires prompt and appropriate treatment to
      prevent prolonged or permanent disability. Although the literature abounds with
      evidence supporting both conservative and surgical treatment, more recent studies
      report lower rerupture and complication rates with surgical repair. The
      development of ligament anchoring devices has led to new methods of repair for
      ligament and tendon injuries. A modification of the Lindholm technique that
      utilizes these devices is presented.

PMID- 1430823
TI  - A calcaneal fracture from a fall or a fall from a calcaneal fracture?
AB  - A case of a calcaneal avulsion fracture from a relatively minor traumatic
      incident is presented. The mechanism of calcaneal avulsion fractures is
      discussed. Special attention is given to the possibility of a pathologic
      fracture. The literature is reviewed and treatment is discussed.

PMID- 1430824
TI  - Forces on the first metatarsophalangeal joint: a pilot study.
AB  - The following is a pilot study designed to examine the forces in and around the
      first metatarsophalangeal joint during the contact phase of the normal gait
      cycle. The architecture of this study was designed to be simple, effective, and
      repeatable with minimal complications. This study used a force plate to examine
      ground reaction forces with the simultaneous use of a video tape recorder to
      provide overlapping images of the angular displacement of the proximal phalanx on
      the first metatarsophalangeal joint coinciding with these ground reaction forces.
      Peak ground reaction force was found to be 1.16 x body weight while the proximal
      phalanx was found to be maximally dorsiflexed just 0.09 seconds after the peak
      ground reaction force. The mean range of motion during this process was found to
      be 31.54 degrees.

PMID- 1430825
TI  - A modification of the Ellis Jones procedure for chronic peroneal subluxation.
AB  - The authors present a modification of the classic Ellis Jones procedure. The
      modification primarily involves the technique used for tenodesis of the
      transferred slip of Achilles tendon to the fibula. Advantages and disadvantages
      are discussed, as well as the results of 31 cases.

PMID- 1430826
TI  - Septic shock syndrome in the surgical wound care patient.
AB  - The occurrence of septic shock in lower extremity surgery is rare. Its early
      identification and treatment are vital to its outcome. The authors present a case
      history of septic shock occurring in the surgical wound care patient, discuss the
      pathophysiology of septic shock, and then consider diagnosis along with treatment
      options.

PMID- 1430827
TI  - Invasive melanoma of the hallux.
AB  - The authors present a classic case of superficial spreading melanoma. Superficial
      spreading melanoma is the most commonly acquired cutaneous malignant melanoma.
      Its true etiology is unknown. Superficial spreading melanoma may remain in the
      epidermis with peripheral extension (radial growth phase) for as long as 5 years
      before invading deeper tissue layers. Definitive diagnosis is established through
      biopsy. Treatment, following biopsy, involves wide radical excision, and possibly
      lymphadenectomy and combination chemotherapy depending on the extent of the
      pathology.

PMID- 1430829
TI  - Biofix absorbable system.

PMID- 1430828
TI  - Austin bunionectomy: postoperative MRI evaluation for avascular necrosis.
AB  - The authors used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate the formation rate
      of avascular necrosis following performance of 20 modified Austin bunionectomies.
      Five modified McBride bunionectomies without first metatarsal osteotomy were also
      performed as an MRI control. Results showed an avascular necrosis formation rate
      of 50%. The majority of the avascular necrosis areas were found dorsally within
      the cancellous bone substance of the first metatarsal head. These lesions, in all
      cases, did not cause any patient disability or result in any decline in the
      degree of patient satisfaction. The MRI positive avascular necrosis evaluations
      do suggest potential problem areas with the surgical technique that may be
      eliminated through further modification of the classic Austin bunionectomy
      procedure.

PMID- 1430830
TI  - Fifth metatarsal distal oblique wedge osteotomy utilizing cortical screw
      fixation.
AB  - A retrospective study of 26 tailor bunionectomies is presented. The use of an
      apical axis guide, reciprocal planing, and strict application of Association for
      Osteosynthesis principles offers ease of application, increased stability, and
      greater healing predictability than other techniques. Potential complications
      such as angular displacement, shortening, nonunion, and transfer lesions are
      minimized.

PMID- 1430831
TI  - The cytological and biochemical implications of periungual fibroma.
AB  - Periungual fibromas may be acquired lesions or they may be associated with
      tuberous sclerosis or von Recklinghausen's Disease. Such tumors are comparatively
      rare benign dermatological entities. Periungual fibromas associated with the
      posterior nail fold have a potential for inducing deforming nail deformity. Pain
      resulting from the growth is due to concentration of pressures which may be
      placed on the nail matrix and contiguous soft tissue structures. This is further
      complicated by compression developed within the toe box of the shoe. The
      preferred treatment in symptomatic cases is that of complete surgical excision of
      the entire lesion. The present study presents such a case, together with
      histopathological features of this type of growth, with special emphasis on the
      subcellular features of the neoplasm.

PMID- 1430832
TI  - A modification of the Regnauld procedure for hallux limitus.
AB  - Surgical correction of hallux limitus can be challenging to the foot surgeon. The
      procedures available to date are numerous. Satisfactory results require proper
      candidate selection, and other procedures must be weighted carefully. The
      Regnauld procedure has become an accepted technique in this extensive surgical
      armamentarium. This manuscript describes a means of fixation that eliminates many
      of the complications associated with the original nonfixed technique, and allows
      for early range of motion to be initiated.

PMID- 1430833
TI  - Chronic ankle instability and pain: a case report of a teenager with open
      epiphysis.
AB  - The author discusses the treatment of chronic ankle instability in a young child
      of 14 years of age. A procedure is described that avoids drilling of the fibula
      and disruption of the epiphyseal plate. An autogenous graft procedure is
      described.

PMID- 1430834
TI  - Acquired fibrokeratoma of the heel.
AB  - Acquired fibrokeratomas traditionally have been classified by both appearance and
      anatomical location. They are benign, solitary lesions that characteristically
      involve the digits of the hands and feet. The authors present a case with unusual
      involvement of the plantar surface of the heel.

PMID- 1430836
TI  - Classics in conventional radiography of the foot.
AB  - The authors display a variety of conditions that can be recognized using standard
      pedal radiographs. Letter markings on the enclosed x-rays denote the particular
      areas of interest. Brief descriptions of the pathologic conditions are also
      provided.

PMID- 1430835
TI  - Rigid internal fixation of the Austin/Chevron osteotomy with Herbert screw
      fixation: a retrospective study.
AB  - One of the adaptations of the Herbert bone screw (Zimmer Corp., Warsaw, Indiana)
      in podiatric surgery has been in the fixation of the Austin type osteotomy of the
      first metatarsal, to obtain rigid internal fixation. Technical difficulties in
      performing the procedure and complications have resulted in the development of
      several modifications of the original technique to better facilitate application
      of the Herbert screw. A brief review of the literature including history of
      distal metaphyseal osteotomies, and the uses of the Herbert screw is included.
      The purpose of this manuscript is to present utilization of the Herbert bone
      screw and modified jig in a modified Austin osteotomy, and to produce rigid
      internal fixation without the disadvantages of other internal fixation
      techniques.

PMID- 1430837
TI  - Phalangeal periosteal (juxtacortical)chondroma of the foot.
AB  - The author discusses a benign cartilaginous tumor involving the tubular bones,
      more frequently in the hand than the foot. Its rare occurrence in the second toe
      of an adult male is illustrated. Pain and swelling required excisional biopsy,
      whose diagnosis was aided by radiographic findings of calcification and cortical
      erosion.

PMID- 1430838
TI  - Modulation of pituitary gonadotropins and prolactin secretion by testosterone in
      vitro.
AB  - Investigations were undertaken to study the differential modulation of LH, FSH
      and PRL secretion by testosterone (T) using whole pituitary (PI) or pituitary
      hypothalamus coincubates (PHC) as in vitro constructs. PI and PHC from intact and
      castrated rats were incubated with or without T thrice, for 24 h each, (24 h x 3,
      total incubation period 72 h). The spent media was replenished every 24 h. At the
      end of 72 h, a few of the pituitary glands were challenged with 10 nM LHRH for 4
      h. The spent media and pituitary glands were analyzed for LH, FSH and PRL using
      specific RIAs. Incubation of PI or PHC from intact rats with T stimulated the
      release of LH and FSH but inhibited the release of PRL. T had no effect on the
      intrapituitary contents of LH but inhibited intrapituitary contents of FSH and
      PRL, as compared to controls incubated without T. Castration increased
      intrapituitary contents of LH and FSH with concomitant decrease in PRL levels.
      Incubation of PI or PHC from castrated rats with T inhibited intrapituitary
      contents of LH to intact pituitary levels, while PRL levels were further reduced
      instead of being ameliorated. It is concluded that PI or PHC can be used as
      convenient in vitro models to monitor the effect of castration or of T modulation
      of pituitary and hypothalamus functions. T does not affect the synthesis of LH at
      the gonadotroph level but facilitates the regulation of intracellular LH and FSH
      levels. It is postulated that T inhibits the synthesis of FSH/PRL at the
      gonadotroph/lactotroph levels.

PMID- 1430840
TI  - Use of granulosa-luteal cell culture to evaluate low and high clinical responses
      to menotropin stimulation.
AB  - The cause of a poor response to human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) remains
      unexplained. To determine whether aromatase activity of cultured granulosa cells
      obtained from relatively low estradiol (E2) responders (serum E2 < 1000 pg/ml) to
      hMG therapy differed from that of good responders (E2 > or = 1000 pg/ml), we
      prospectively compared serum E2 on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin
      administration to in vitro aromatase activity following a 72-h culture. Granulosa
      cells were obtained from seven women undergoing hMG therapy and oocyte
      aspiration. Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) was added to one-half of the
      cultures. Serum E2 was determined by radioimmunoassay, and aromatase activity was
      determined indirectly by measuring tritiated water formed by aromatization of 1
      beta [3H] androstenedione to estrogen in 1 h. In this study, luteinized granulosa
      cells from patients with a relatively low serum E2 produced less estrogen in
      cultures when compared to cells from higher responders (p < 0.01). Aromatase
      activity was not significantly increased by FSH in the relatively high
      responders, whereas FSH stimulated a significant increase in aromatase activity
      in cells from lower responders (p < 0.001). Our results indicate that the
      clinical response to hMG is at least partly due to the "quality" of granulosa
      cell aromatase activity. A clinically relevant "block" to FSH action may be
      present in vivo in low responders which can be reversed in culture by addition of
      FSH.

PMID- 1430839
TI  - Pituitary reserve after repeated administrations of releasing hormones in young
      and in elderly men: reproducibility on different days.
AB  - Combined testing of the pituitary gland by administration of GHRH, CRH, GnRH and
      TRH has been proposed for clinical studies, although some reports indicate that
      individual endocrine responses can be different when releasing hormones are used
      alone or in combination. Aims of this study were to evaluate: 1) the
      reproducibility of the combined test on different days; 2) the endocrine
      responses to the combined test applied twice at 3h and at 5h interval; 3)
      differences of endocrine responses in young and in elderly men. Six healthy young
      men (aged 25 to 35 yr) and 6 healthy elderly men (aged 65 to 75 yr) were
      evaluated: elderly men had lower testosterone, free T3, and somatomedin-c levels
      than young men, while 17 beta-estradiol and inhibin were not significantly
      different, all values being within normal laboratory limits. The 12 men were
      tested on day 1 with iv GHRH (50 micrograms) CRH (50 micrograms), GnRH (100
      micrograms) and TRH (200 micrograms) at 08:00h and again at 11:00h; on day 8, the
      same men were tested at 08:00h and again at 13:00h. At 08:00h, the endocrine
      responses were similar on day 1 and on day 8. The second GH (young and elderly
      men) and PRL (only young men) response was blunted on day 1, when the interval
      between two consecutive stimuli was 3h, but not on day 8, when the interval was
      5h. Elderly men differed from young men only for GH and for PRL release on day 1
      at 08:00h.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1430841
TI  - Changes in lymphoid organs of Ames dwarf mice after treatment with growth
      hormone, prolactin or ectopic pituitary transplants.
AB  - This study was performed to obtain more insight into the roles of PRL and GH in
      the control of immune functions in hereditary dwarf mice characterized by severe
      immunodeficiency. Adult female Ames dwarf mice (df/df) were injected daily for 10
      days with ovine PRL (oPRL), bovine GH (bGH), oPRL+bGH or were implanted with a
      normal pituitary under the kidney capsule for 5 days. Only the treatment with bGH
      resulted in significant increases in the gain of body weight, and in absolute and
      relative thymus and spleen weights. Treatment with oPRL alone did not affect body
      weight gain or thymus and spleen weights. Treatment with oPRL+bGH produced a
      significant increase in the gain of body weight and in absolute and relative
      spleen weight but these effects were smaller than those measured in dwarf mice
      treated with bGH alone. Only bGH therapy resulted in extensive recovery of the
      absolute number of lymphocytes in the thymus and spleen of dwarf mice, with the
      values in treated dwarf mice not significantly different from those found in
      normal non-dwarf females. However, when these values were corrected for body
      weight, both the splenic and the thymic indices exceeded the values found in
      normal mice. The absolute numbers of lymphocytes in the spleen were also
      increased by oPRL+bGH treatment, but did not reach the values found in normal
      mice; however, the splenic index exceeded the values found in normal animals.
      Surprisingly, the absolute and relative numbers of lymphocytes found in the
      thymus of dwarf mice under oPRL+bGH therapy were indistinguishable from those
      found in oPRL or vehicle treated dwarf mice.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1430843
TI  - Diencephalic idiopathic gliosis: an unusual hypothalamic syndrome of dermopathy,
      diarrhea and growth arrest.
AB  - This case report of a 16-year-old girl describes the association of chronic
      diarrhea and lower limb dermopathy with an unusual and widespread gliosis within
      hypothalamic and other diencephalic structures. This syndrome to our knowledge
      has not been previously reported. Hypothalamic disease was suggested during life
      by examination findings of sustained hypothermia, altered sleep-wake cycles and
      abnormal cortisol diurnal rhythms. Profound growth arrest from the age of 8 yr
      (growth velocity < 1.4cm/yr) despite normal levels of growth hormone and response
      to physiological stimuli were additional unusual features. Autopsy after sudden
      death at 16 yr showed extensive gliosis in hypothalamic and adjacent diencephalic
      structures with proportionately little neuronal loss--suggesting an unidentified
      stimulus to glial proliferation. In the absence of evidence of other organ
      dysfunction it is suggested that dermopathy and chronic diarrhea in this case may
      have an autonomic basis. The impaired tissue response to growth hormone could be
      due to chronic hypothermia or involvement of some other (unidentified)
      hypothalamic factor regulating growth velocity.

PMID- 1430842
TI  - Alterations in the concentrations and binding properties of sex steroid binding
      protein and corticosteroid-binding globulin in HIV+patients.
AB  - The abnormal concentrations of steroid hormones and free fatty acids in the
      plasma of HIV-infected subjects are associated with qualitative and quantitative
      alterations in two of the major steroid hormones carrier proteins, sex steroid
      binding protein (SBP) and corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG). The properties
      of SBP and CBG in the sera of two age-matched groups of 67 men healthy blood
      donors (controls) and 64 HIV+subjects: 11 CDC group II and III (ASY), 6 CDC group
      IVA and 47 groups IV C1+D (AIDS) were analyzed. The HIV+patients had SBP
      concentrations 39-51% above those of controls. The sera of AIDS patients had
      higher SBP association constants (Ka) for testosterone than did those of the II,
      III and IVA groups and controls. In contrast, the CBG concentrations in all the
      HIV+subjects were similar to those of the controls. However, the binding
      properties of HIV+CBG were abnormal: the Ka's for cortisol and 17 alpha
      hydroxyprogesterone binding were 50% below normal, while the number of binding
      sites was significantly higher. Such changes in these carrier proteins could
      result from conformational transitions; they may cause abnormal transfer of
      hormonal information and/or steroid hormones metabolism, thus modifying the
      impact of steroids on the immune response in HIV+subjects.

PMID- 1430845
TI  - DNA repair and Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - The accumulation of nonrepaired or misrepaired DNA lesions, induced by exogenous
      and/or endogenous DNA-damaging agents, has been postulated to be one of the major
      and fundamental causes of aging. The accumulation of DNA damage might lead to
      changes in the expression of genes important for cell survival and, as such,
      could be a relevant risk factor in the etiology of various age-related diseases,
      including neurodegenerative diseases. This review deals specifically with
      Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the proposed role of defective DNA repair in the
      etiology of this disease. The evidence that a genetic defect in some aspect of
      base excision repair is present in cells from AD patients is discussed. Based on
      the available data, it seems justified to conclude that in at least the familiar
      form of the disease such a DNA repair defect is present in fibroblast and
      lymphoid cells. The absence of sufficiently efficient DNA repair mechanisms,
      involved in the removal of small base damages in the brain, could result in the
      accumulation of misrepaired or nonrepaired DNA damage and might ultimately lead
      to the neuronal degeneration as observed in AD patients. In this respect, the
      existence of inherently imperfect DNA repair processes in longer-lived species,
      such as mammals, might be regarded as a trade-off between reproductive success
      and cellular maintenance and repair, which would lead to a high level of DNA
      damage and mutation at old age.

PMID- 1430846
TI  - Control of cell proliferation in senescent cells.

PMID- 1430844
TI  - The thymic education of developing T cells in self neuroendocrine principles.

PMID- 1430847
TI  - Effect of age on potassium- and tyramine-induced release of norepinephrine from
      cardiac synaptosomes in male F344 rats.
AB  - Potassium (K+)-induced norepinephrine (NE) release was examined in preparations
      of cardiac synaptosomes and sliced atria from 6-, 24-, and 26-mo-old male F344
      rats. Cardiac synaptosomes were prepared from rat hearts by collagenase digestion
      followed by homogenization in 0.32 M sucrose and centrifugation. The synaptosome
      preparations and the sliced atria were labeled with 3H-NE and then placed in a
      superfusion system. K(+)-induced net fractional release of NE from synaptosomes
      prepared from 24- and 26-mo-old rats (4.3% and 3.0%, respectively) was
      significantly reduced when compared to NE release from synaptosomes from 6-mo-old
      rats (5.2%). K(+)-induced NE release from sliced atria from 24-mo-old rats (4.7%)
      was also significantly reduced when compared to NE release from atria from 6-mo
      old rats (6.3%). Perfusion of cardiac synaptosomes with buffer prepared without
      calcium (CA++free, < 5 microM) reduced K(+)-induced release by 50% in all age
      groups studied. Perfusion with tyramine induced identical rates of NE release
      from cardiac synaptosomes prepared from 6- and 24-mo-old rats. These results
      confirm that depolarization-induced NE release from cardiac sympathetic nerves is
      reduced in the old male F344 rat.

PMID- 1430848
TI  - Adipocytes of old rats produce a decreased amount of differentiation factor for
      preadipocytes derived from adipose tissue islets.
AB  - Adipose tissue of young rats (3.5 mo) contains cell formations ("islets") that,
      in culture, give rise to a variety of preadipocytes, or islet-derived cells
      (IDCs), that undergo rapid morphologic differentiation into adipocytes. Such
      adipose conversion depends on a differentiation-promoting factor produced by the
      mature adipocytes also present in the cultures. Here we report that cultured IDCs
      from epididymal fat of senescent rats (20 +/- 3 mo) show decreased adipose
      conversion compared to IDCs from 3.5 mo rats at 3 days of culture (14.2% vs
      29.9%; p < .001). Both the number of co-cultured adipocytes and increased
      fragility with age were excluded as having a substantial role in explaining the
      decreased conversion. In order to determine whether the decrease differentiation
      of the IDCs of the old rats was intrinsic or due to reduced production of the
      differentiation factor by the old adipocytes, cross-over cultures of IDCs from
      young and old rats were grown in the presence of young or old adipocytes. When
      IDCs of old rats were cultured in the presence of young adipocytes, a significant
      twofold increase in differentiation was seen compared to old IDCs grown with old
      adipocytes (22.7% vs 10.3%; p < .001). This response was comparable to that of
      young IDCs grown with young adipocytes. Thus, old IDCs retain their ability to
      undergo extensive morphologic differentiation when appropriately stimulated.
      Reduced production of the differentiation-promoting factor by old adipocytes
      rather than the ability of IDCs to differentiate appears to be responsible for
      the decreased adipose conversion of IDCs seen in cultures of adipose tissue from
      senescent rats.

PMID- 1430849
TI  - Dietary restriction alters characteristics of glucose fuel use.
AB  - A longitudinal study of plasma glucose and insulin concentrations in ad libitum
      fed and dietary restricted male F344 rats was carried out. The life span diurnal
      pattern of plasma glucose concentration was such that through most of the day
      dietary restricted rats have significantly lower plasma glucose levels than ad
      libitum fed rats. Throughout the life span, dietary restricted rats maintain mean
      24-hour plasma glucose concentrations about 15% below those of ad libitum fed
      rats. Plasma insulin levels are maintained in dietary restricted rats at about
      50% of the levels in ad libitum fed rats. Although plasma glucose and insulin
      levels are lower, dietary restricted rats use glucose fuel at the same rate per
      unit of metabolic mass per day as rats fed ad libitum. While these findings are
      consistent with the glycation hypothesis of aging and with our hypothesis that
      dietary restriction retards the aging processes by altering the characteristics
      of fuel use, they do not establish the validity of either. It is possible that
      this effect of dietary restriction on carbohydrate metabolism plays no role in
      its antiaging action. Further studies are required to define the role of these
      altered characteristics of carbohydrate metabolism in the aging processes.

PMID- 1430850
TI  - Octogenarian subjects have low postprandial levels of chylomicron remnants: a
      possible explanation for protection against atherosclerosis.
AB  - Postprandial lipoprotein metabolism may play an important role in the development
      of atherosclerosis. It is widely believed that in healthy octogenarians, the
      atherogenic process occurs very slowly. In the present study, postprandial
      lipoprotein metabolism was examined in 14 octogenarian subjects (mean age, 84 +/-
      4.2 years) and 19 younger controls (mean age, 50 +/- 4.8 years) using the vitamin
      A-fat loading test, in which intestinally derived lipoproteins are specifically
      labeled with retinyl palmitate (RP). Results indicated that mean peak chylomicron
      remnant RP levels and the areas below the chylomicron remnant RP curve were
      significantly lower in the octogenarian group than in the controls (625 +/- 329
      vs 1321 +/- 688 micrograms/L and 3740 +/- 1078 vs 6162 +/- 1063 micrograms/L.h,
      respectively; p < .0001). No differences were found between the two groups in
      chylomicron RP levels or in lipolytic activity. The study suggests that
      octogenarians do not exhibit the decrease in chylomicron lipolysis that usually
      accompanies aging. In addition, these subjects have significantly lower levels of
      chylomicron remnants in the circulation. Since accumulation of these particles
      has been implicated in the development of atherogenesis, our findings may
      indicate a major mechanism of atherosclerosis prevention in healthy
      octogenarians.

PMID- 1430851
TI  - Effect of aging on circadian rhythm of atrial natriuretic peptide, plasma renin
      activity, and plasma aldosterone.
AB  - Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) shows a nychtohemeral fluctuation and an age
      related trend. The aim of this study was to explore the circadian rhythm of ANP
      as a function of age. Circadian rhythms of plasma renin activity (PRA),
      aldosterone (PA), and cortisol (PC) were explored as well. Twenty clinically
      healthy subjects, 10 young (20-25 yrs) and 10 elderly (65-75 yrs), were
      investigated, while recumbent, after synchronization to light-dark regimen and
      meal timing. Blood samples for RIA tests were collected six times during the 24
      hr span. The chronobiologic analysis in young subjects demonstrated a significant
      circadian rhythm for all the investigated variables with an acrophase-timing
      located at 16.48 for ANP, 4.44 for PRA, 5.32 for PA, and 7.12 for PC. In elderly
      subjects we documented an important increase of 24-hr mean plasma levels but not
      a statistically significant circadian rhythm for ANP, and a decrease in mean
      value of PRA which maintained, however, a significant periodic 24-hr oscillation
      in parallel with PA and PC. The results in young subjects reinforce the concept
      that ANP plays physiologically an inhibitory role on the phasic secretion of
      renin. The lack of the circadian rhythm for ANP along with the divergent changes
      in ANP and PRA 24-hr mean concentration of elderly subjects both suggest that ANP
      exerts with advancing age only a counterregulatory role on the tonic rather than
      the phasic release of renin.

PMID- 1430852
TI  - Functional status and clinical findings in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - We analyzed the association of clinical findings with impaired functional status,
      i.e., activities of daily living (ADLs), in a sample of 240 patients diagnosed
      with Alzheimer's disease by NINCDS/ADRDA or DSM-III-R criteria. Logistic
      regression models were used to determine independent predictors of both the
      number of ADL impairments and number of ADL impairments characterized as moderate
      to severe. Two psychiatric problems, behavioral disorders and apathy, as well as
      a history of hypertension were significantly associated with ADL impairment
      independent of age, sex, race, and cognitive impairment. Behavioral disorders and
      apathy were also significantly associated with moderate to severe ADL impairment,
      but hypertension was not significant at this level.

PMID- 1430853
TI  - Incidence of depression in long-term care settings.
AB  - A one-year longitudinal study examined incidence and persistence of depression
      among nursing home and congregate apartment residents. Of 868 persons interviewed
      at Time 1, 15.7% displayed research-diagnosed possible major depression, and
      16.5% displayed minor depressive symptoms. A follow-up interview a year later
      (T2; n = 448) yielded an incidence rate for possible major depression of 6.6%
      among persons with only minor or no depression in the previous year. For T1
      nondepressives (i.e., excluding minor depressives), the incidence of possible
      major depression was 5.6%, and of minor depression, 6.3%. More than 40% of T1
      possible major depressives showed no remission of symptoms a year later. In
      contrast, more than half of T1 minor depressives showed no depression at T2;
      however, another 16.2% appeared at follow-up to suffer possible major depression.
      Change in depression was associated with cognitive status, functional disability,
      and physical health. In general, persistence of depression was associated with
      greater decline, although patterns differed somewhat for the three functional
      indicators. Clinical and research implications of findings are discussed.

PMID- 1430854
TI  - Equations for predicting stature in white and black elderly individuals.
AB  - In an anthropometric nutritional assessment, elderly individuals are frequently
      unable to assume the positions needed for many measurements. This is especially
      true for stature, which is affected by mobility and skeletal deformities, and as
      a result measurements may be unreliable and inaccurate. An alternative is to use
      a surrogate value of stature. We developed predictive equations using data from
      elderly subjects in Cycle I of the National Health Examination Survey (NHES). The
      developed equations were cross-validated using two separate independent and more
      contemporary samples of elderly White men and women. The possible predictor
      variables were knee height and buttocks-knee length in the men and knee height
      and age in the women. For both the men and the women, the majority of the
      variance in stature was accounted for by knee height. Selected equation models
      were cross-validated, and a single equation was recommended for each elderly
      group that included knee height rather than buttocks-knee length as predictor
      variables. This selection was based upon the performance of the equations, and
      also upon the practical ease of collecting the possible predictor variables.
      Included with the recommended equations are the RMSEs and the standard error for
      predicting stature for an individual (SEI). The successful application of the
      recommended equations with two recent sets of elderly persons indicates the
      current utility of the recommended equations in White elderly Americans.

PMID- 1430855
TI  - Knee extensor and knee flexor strength: cross-sectional area ratios in young and
      elderly men.
AB  - The relationships between isometric and isokinetic-concentric knee extensor and
      knee flexor strength, and quadriceps and hamstring cross-sectional area (CSA)
      were determined in young (n = 13, M = 24.5y) and elderly (n = 12, M = 70.7y) men.
      Quadriceps and hamstring CSA was determined by computed tomography. Knee extensor
      and flexor strength at 0 degree/s and 120 degree/s was determined on a Kin-Com
      isokinetic dynamometer. Compared to the young men, elderly men had significantly
      smaller quadriceps muscles and were weaker (22-32%) in knee flexion and knee
      extension at both angular velocities. Strength:CSA ratios were similar at 0
      degree/s, but elderly men had decreased ratios for both extensors and flexors at
      120 degree/s. Correlations of knee extensor and flexor strength with muscle CSA
      were significant at both velocities in elderly men, but not at either velocity
      for the knee flexors in young men. The decrease in isometric strength in elderly
      men can be accounted for by their decrease in muscle CSA, but their decrease in
      isokinetic-concentric strength was greater than their loss of CSA. Further study
      is required to determine the reason for this nonproportional loss of isokinetic
      concentric strength.

PMID- 1430856
TI  - Attenuation of the cutaneous vasoconstrictor response to cold in elderly men.
AB  - This study tested the hypothesis that the cutaneous vasoconstrictor response to
      cold is reduced in elderly individuals. We measured laser Doppler flux (LDF) in
      the fingertip and blood cell velocity (CBV), via videodensitometry, in individual
      capillaries of the finger nailfold both before and during submersion of the
      contralateral arm in a 15 degrees C water bath. Subjects were 10 young (M = 25
      years) and 10 old (M = 71 years) male adults. During the first minute of cooling,
      both the young (Y) and old (O) groups experienced a significant (p < .004)
      decrease in LDF. Over the subsequent 4 minutes of cold stress, LDF remained
      significantly depressed in the Y group, whereas LDF returned to values not
      significantly different from pre-cooling control in the O subjects. During the
      cold stress, CBV significantly decreased in the Y (p < .03) subjects; however,
      the degree of change was much less than that of LDF (49% decrease in LDF versus
      14% decrease for CBV). In contrast to the Y subjects, the O group showed no
      significant change in CBV during cooling (p > .28). These results indicate that
      indirect cooling elicits a reflex decrease in cutaneous bloodflow, which is more
      pronounced in the deep vessels than in the superficial capillaries, and that
      these effects are attenuated with advancing age.

PMID- 1430857
TI  - Changes in grief and mental health of bereaved spouses of older suicides.
AB  - Comparisons are made of the impact of a suicide death on the surviving spouse (55
      years and older) with that of a natural death on spouse survivors and a married
      nonbereaved control group over a bereavement period of 2 1/2 years after death.
      Regardless of mode of death, the loss of a loved one is a difficult psychological
      trauma, accompanied by depression, confusion, and pervasive feelings of
      emptiness. Few differences in the impact of the deaths in the early months of
      bereavement were reported, but changes appeared over the course of the 2 1/2-year
      measurement period. Compared with natural death survivors, the process of
      bereavement was found to be more difficult for the survivors of a suicide death,
      whose severe depressive feelings do not seem to lessen significantly and whose
      feelings of mental health do not seem to improve until after the first year.
      Women, in general, report greater feelings than men of anxiety, tension, and
      apprehension, especially within the first 6 months. By the end of the observation
      period, most of the differences between the two bereaved groups have disappeared,
      and both report functioning adequately despite continuing feelings of sadness and
      loss.

PMID- 1430858
TI  - Pain, activity restriction, and symptoms of depression among community-residing
      elderly adults.
AB  - Relations among physical illness, functional disability, pain, and symptoms of
      depression were investigated in a sample of community-residing elderly
      outpatients. As expected, physical illness, functional disability, and pain were
      correlated with depressive symptomatology. It was further hypothesized that
      functional disability (but not physical illness per se) would attenuate the
      relation between depressed affect and pain. The data supported these predictions
      by showing that functional disability (but not physical illness) accounted for
      differences in reported pain between nondepressed subjects and those at risk for
      developing clinical depression. Additional analyses revealed that functional
      disability mediated relations between pain and depressed affect and also between
      illness and depressed affect. These results indicate that both pain and illness
      are important contributors to functional disability, which in turn contributes to
      symptoms of depression. Secondary analyses revealed that restriction of certain
      activities associated with physical mobility and independence were strong
      individual factors in attenuating the relation between pain and depressed affect.
      An important implication of this research is that neither pain nor activity
      restriction should be treated in isolation. Maximal effects are likely to be
      achieved when both are targeted simultaneously.

PMID- 1430859
TI  - Determinants of change in perceived health in a longitudinal study of older
      adults.
AB  - To determine the factors that are predictive of a negative decline in perceived
      health in a longitudinal study of 251 men and women aged 62 and older, we
      developed a "synthetic" cohort of individuals who experienced a decline in
      perceived health between two time points and a control cohort of those who did
      not. The longitudinal design of the study made it possible to evaluate the
      effects of "baseline" predictors, gathered prior to the time interval during
      which the reported change in perceived health occurred, in addition to measures
      assessed at the two time points between which the change in health was reported.
      Hierarchical logistic regression models were used to examine the effect of
      demographic, psychosocial, and illness measures on change in perceived health.
      These analyses revealed that increases in new illnesses, increased physician
      visits, and worsening of preexisting conditions (in subjects who had higher
      feelings of self-efficacy) were all associated with a decline in perceived
      health, after controlling for the effects of baseline illnesses and medication
      use. After accounting for these effects of changes in objective illness
      indicators, we found that changed psychosocial factors also predicted a decline
      in perceived health. Lower life satisfaction and higher depression at baseline
      were predictive of a later decline in perceived health. In addition, data
      collected at the third consecutive time point were evaluated to assess
      determinants of a sustained vs transient decline in perceived health. A sustained
      decline in perceived health was associated with increased depression and
      decreased self-efficacy.

PMID- 1430860
TI  - Self-recognition in Alzheimer's disease: a mirror and video study.
AB  - Twenty-nine subjects with Senile Dementia of the Alzheimer Type (SDAT) were
      tested for self-recognition when confronted with their reflection in a mirror and
      with a noncontingent video image. All subjects at stage 5 (moderately severe
      cognitive decline) on the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) showed self
      recognition in the mirror condition, whereas 25% of GDS stage 6 subjects (severe
      cognitive decline) did not self-recognize. Only seven subjects showed signs of
      self-recognition on video (six at GDS 5, one at GDS 6). The results confirm two
      hypotheses: the first, based on studies with infants, is that contingency cues in
      the mirror condition facilitate self-recognition; the second is that SDAT
      patients may show "regression" of at least some cognitive functions.

PMID- 1430861
TI  - A comparative analysis of functional status among Spanish- and English-speaking
      patients with dementia.
AB  - The assessment of functional capacity is regarded as an important part of a
      comprehensive diagnostic work-up for dementia. However, there is a paucity of
      data regarding comparative functional performance among different ethnic/cultural
      groups. In this study, we compared Spanish- and English-speaking dementia
      patients and normal controls on a comprehensive functional assessment battery
      administered within the clinical setting. Despite equivalent levels of cognitive
      impairment, Spanish-speaking dementia patients evidenced more difficulties on
      certain functional tasks relative to their English-speaking counterparts. On the
      other hand, Spanish- and English-speaking controls did not differ with regards to
      their functional performance. Results suggest that the extent of deterioration in
      specific functional subskills may be related to the degree to which they have
      been overlearned and practiced. Further, they indicate the potential utility of
      direct functional assessment in both Spanish- and English-speaking populations.

PMID- 1430862
TI  - Event-related potential correlates of repetition priming and stimulus
      classification in young, middle-aged, and older adults.
AB  - Electrophysiological and behavioral measures were concurrently recorded from
      young, middle-aged, and elderly subjects during two classification tasks that
      required different levels of processing. In both tasks, a portion of stimuli
      repeated after lags of 2, 8, and 32 intervening items following their first
      presentation, although these repetitions were incidental to the primary task. All
      three age groups showed similar patterns of behavioral and event-related
      potential (ERP) responses associated with stimulus classification and item
      repetition. ERPs to repeated words were characterized by greater positive
      amplitude relative to words at first presentation. Similarly, ERPs elicited by
      items in a primed category were more positive compared with unprimed items.
      Reaction times were faster to both repeated and primed items. Behavioral and ERP
      effects were more marked when subjects were required to discriminate items based
      on meaning rather than on orthography. This study supports previous behavioral
      evidence suggesting that processes associated with repetition priming and
      stimulus classification are preserved with age, and demonstrates that ERPs are
      responsive to repetition throughout the life cycle. Implications for the
      cognitive processes underlying repetition effects are also discussed.

PMID- 1430863
TI  - Effects of aging and schedules of knowledge of results on motor learning.
AB  - Little research has been conducted on aging and the learning of motor skills. In
      this study, we examined the effects of different schedules of knowledge of
      results (KR) on the acquisition and retention of a movement timing task by young
      adults (20-23 years) and older adults (60-82 years). The results indicated that
      there were differences between young and older adults in the accuracy and
      consistency of motor performance when KR was provided. Accuracy effects persisted
      during a retention interval when KR was no longer provided, although there were
      no differences in variability. There were no interactions of age with any of the
      KR-related variables. These findings suggest that the ability to process KR, and
      the effects of KR on motor learning, are similar in young and older adults. These
      findings are discussed in terms of age-related issues in movement control and
      learning processes.

PMID- 1430864
TI  - Antecedents and dimensions of religious involvement among older black adults.
AB  - This study proposed and tested a measurement model of religiosity among a sample
      of older (55 years of age and above) Black Americans. This model incorporates
      three correlated dimensions of religious involvement, termed organizational,
      nonorganizational, and subjective religiosity. Findings indicate that the
      proposed model provides a good fit to the data, is preferable to other
      alternative models, and exhibits convergent validity with respect to exogenous or
      antecedent variables (age, gender, marital status, income, education, urbanicity,
      and region) known to predict religious involvement. In addition, these
      antecedents exhibit stronger effects on subjective religiosity than on the two
      more behavioral dimensions of religiosity. Interpretation of these status-group
      differences in religiosity focuses on socialization experiences and social
      environment factors which may promote a religious world-view.

PMID- 1430865
TI  - Acculturation and psychological distress in three groups of elderly Hispanics.
AB  - The goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between acculturation and
      psychological distress in three groups of older adults who have immigrated from
      Mexico, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. Financial strain and social isolation are
      specified as intervening mechanisms that are thought to link acculturation with
      well-being in late life. Data from a recent nationwide survey of older Hispanics
      suggest that levels of psychological distress tend to vary across Hispanic groups
      and that these differences may be attributed in part to the complex interplay
      between educational attainment, language acculturation, financial strain, and
      social isolation.

PMID- 1430866
TI  - Family structure and changes in living arrangements among elderly nonmarried
      parents.
AB  - We used Longitudinal Study of Aging data to investigate change between 1984 and
      1986 in living arrangements of older nonmarried parents, focusing on transitions
      from living alone and living with children to living alone, with children, with
      others, and institutionalization. Predictors reflect opportunities for
      coresidence (number and gender of children), resources, needs, and (indirect
      measures of) attitudes. We find that those with more children are more likely to
      change from living alone to living with a child. However, number of children does
      not affect the odds of moving from living with a child to other arrangements
      (including institutionalization). Gender of children does not affect tendencies
      to begin coresidence, although there is slight evidence of more movement out of
      coresidence for those with sons. Findings are interpreted in terms of the
      influence of adult children's and parents' needs in determining coresidence.

PMID- 1430867
TI  - New cohorts of urban elders: are they in trouble?
AB  - Recent social and economic trends suggest that the health and welfare of elderly
      persons living in urban areas may have deteriorated during the past two decades.
      Two representative samples of noninstitutionalized urban persons aged 65 and over
      were interviewed, one in 1975 (n = 1598) and the other in 1987 (n = 1491).
      Cohorts of "young-old" (ages 65-76), "old-old" (ages 77-88), and "oldest-old"
      (ages 89-100) urban residents were compared at the two time points by
      multivariate analysis. Over the 12 years studied, the proportion of Blacks and
      poor persons rose, while the educational level improved. The young-old cohort of
      1987, in particular, reported more chronic illness, more psychological distress,
      more need for help with activities of daily living, more visits to physicians,
      and more need for additional medical care. We conclude that, between 1975 and
      1987, a new cohort of urban residents who were more impaired, disabled, and
      disadvantaged than their predecessors entered the young-old age group.

PMID- 1430868
TI  - Perceived health status and mortality among older men and women.
AB  - This article separately examines the relationship of perceived health status and
      mortality for the 1,599 men and 2,904 women self-respondents in the Longitudinal
      Study on Aging. Using hierarchical logistic regression, the zero-order
      relationships are decomposed by the serial introduction of demographic,
      socioeconomic, health status, and psychosocial factors. For men, only those in
      poor health are significantly more likely to die than those in excellent health
      (adjusted odds ratio = 1.754), all other things being equal. For women, those in
      fair or poor health are more likely to die than those in excellent health
      (adjusted odds ratios = 1.870 and 2.181, respectively), all other things being
      equal.

PMID- 1430869
TI  - Refusal rates in a longitudinal study of older people: implications for field
      methods.
AB  - Use of a carefully designed refusal conversion protocol at first follow-up in a
      longitudinal study of a representative sample of over 4,000 older people was
      investigated. Respondents who refused initially did not differ from respondents
      by age or gender but were more functionally independent, citing disinterest most
      frequently as the reason for refusal. The protocol was successful in convincing
      43 percent of these initial refusals to continue participation, but less
      successful with proxy respondents (27% converted). Most of the refusals that were
      converted were done by telephone at minimal cost. Results show that it is
      possible, given appropriate field methods, to retain the very old and disabled in
      longitudinal studies.

PMID- 1430870
TI  - Breast cancer screening in older women: overview.

PMID- 1430871
TI  - Breast cancer screening among older racial/ethnic minorities and whites: barriers
      to early detection.
AB  - Screening mammography for early detection of breast cancer has been shown to be
      an effective method for reducing mortality in older women. Based on the results
      from the 1987-88 National Health Interview Survey, older minority women have low
      prevalence rates of screening mammography. Among women aged 75 and older, 83.5%
      of Black women, 93.2% of Hispanic women, and 75.0% of White women have never had
      a mammogram. On the average, about 12% of minority women over the age of 65 have
      had a screening mammogram within the preceding year, compared with about 15% of
      White women. Among women 75 + years of age, Black and Hispanic women had markedly
      lower rates of clinical breast examination in the last year (23.4% and 20.5%
      respectively) as compared to White women (35.2%). The most common reason for not
      having a mammogram among Black women 65 years of age and older was that the
      doctor did not recommend a mammogram. For Hispanic and White women in this age
      group, the most common reason was that a mammogram was not needed or not
      necessary. Aggressive and creative breast cancer screening activities for
      minority aged 65 and older are clearly indicated.

PMID- 1430872
TI  - Physician-related barriers to breast cancer screening in older women.
AB  - Despite evidence that annual mammographic screening in women 50 years and older
      reduces mortality, surveys of physicians and patients have repeatedly
      demonstrated that annual screening mammography is not performed. The fundamental
      question addressed in this chapter is: If the assumption is made that the
      scientific evidence supports the use of mammography, what, then, are physician
      related barriers to mammographic screening of elderly women? Using a model that
      classifies barriers to implementing prevention protocols into three categories
      (predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors), literature is reviewed to help
      identify reasons for low mammographic screening rates, especially in elderly
      women. This article concludes with a discussion of strategies that may help
      overcome barriers to mammographic screening in elderly women.

PMID- 1430873
TI  - Breast cancer screening in older women: ethical issues.

PMID- 1430874
TI  - Breast cancer screening in older women: the family practice perspective.
AB  - This article reviews screening for breast cancer in older women from the
      perspective of the primary care physician. Although breast cancer is a leading
      cause of cancer in women, the diagnosis of breast cancer in an asymptomatic woman
      is an uncommon occurrence for the individual physician. Physician compliance with
      breast cancer screening recommendations is less than optimum: physicians report
      higher compliance in survey studies than is demonstrated by performance audits.
      The low yield of screening, cost concerns, concerns about the reliability of
      radiology reports, concerns about patient compliance, lack of time, and
      forgetfulness are reasons cited for poor provider compliance with screening
      recommendations. In general there is no reason not to recommend mammography for
      older women unless individual factors including biologic age, life expectancy,
      comorbidities, or patient preference appear to make screening not worthwhile. The
      decision to stop recommending mammography for an older woman should be made in
      conjunction with the patient.

PMID- 1430875
TI  - Breast cancer screening in older women: the geriatrician/internist perspective.
AB  - There are many issues of concern to internists and geriatricians as they face the
      prospect of implementing breast cancer screening programs for elderly women.
      Population heterogeneity and variations in comorbidity require individualization
      in order to maximize benefit. Decision making is complicated by family
      interactions, especially for patients with altered cognition. The time it takes
      to perform exams and discuss possibilities in a busy office practice may be
      inhibitory. Internists will want to see more definitive data on efficacy,
      specifically in women > age 70, but patients in this age cohort may actually rely
      on physicians' recommendations to a greater extent than younger cohorts.

PMID- 1430876
TI  - Breast cancer screening in older women: the consumer perspective.
AB  - Fear of cancer and weak support from physicians make it difficult to encourage
      women to have regular mammograms. An effective campaign of broad mammography
      screening should be aimed at both health professionals and women. Essential to
      this screening is a public policy that establishes public and private insurance
      coverage. Barriers, including high cost, must be eliminated. Effective
      organization can succeed in reaching more older women for screening. Rationing
      breast cancer screening, at a time when the incidence of breast cancer is
      increasing, violates fundamental beliefs in equality and justice. Proposals to
      limit or to expand screening require a defensible and supportable rationale.
      Health professionals should not decide for patients whether they should have a
      mammogram and what treatment is best. The physician should counsel and assist the
      patient or the surrogate to decide on an appropriate plan of care.

PMID- 1430877
TI  - Decision making and the principles of screening for breast cancer.
AB  - This position paper raises issues central to the screening process and how it
      relates to breast cancer in the elderly. These comments reflect neither a formal
      model developed specifically for breast cancer screening nor detailed data about
      this disease. Such information is available elsewhere in these Forum proceedings.
      Rather, this discussion develops the general principles of screening as they
      impact on breast cancer in elderly women.

PMID- 1430878
TI  - The biology of breast cancer in older women.
AB  - The incidence of breast cancer among women older than 65 years of age is 1.7
      times higher than the rate for women 45 to 64 years of age, and 10 times higher
      than for women younger than 45. In addition, the relative survival from breast
      cancer is decreased among elderly women. Although elderly women more frequently
      present with advanced breast cancer, the incidence of other poor prognostic
      factors generally associated with early disease recurrence and short survival is
      not increased among the elderly compared to younger women. Most breast tumors
      from elderly patients contain estrogen receptors and progesterone receptors and
      would be expected to respond to hormonal therapies, and most tumors have low
      proliferative rates which would be indicative of slow-growing, indolent tumors.
      Several studies have documented that elderly women often do not receive complete
      workups for definitive staging of their breast cancer, and that even after
      adjustment for comorbid conditions, elderly patients are less likely to receive
      optimal standard therapy for their disease.

PMID- 1430879
TI  - Comorbidity and functional status in older women with breast cancer: implications
      for screening, treatment, and prognosis.
AB  - This is a review of research on the effects of comorbidity and functional status
      on breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis in older women. The
      objective is to summarize results from recent studies and recommend directions
      for future research (a) to develop more precise guidelines for breast cancer
      screening, and (b) to identify and eliminate barriers preventing the attainment
      of those guidelines. Research is needed to determine more clearly how comorbidity
      and functioning affect screening practices and stage of disease at diagnosis.
      There is evidence that comorbidity explains, in part, why older women receive
      less invasive therapy. It is unknown, however, whether these treatment decisions
      improve quality or duration of survival. Although it is evident that comorbidity
      and disability adversely affect survival, research is needed to examine the
      etiology, course, and effects of specific combinations of conditions. Final
      recommendations include using the Established Populations for Epidemiologic
      Studies of the Elderly (EPESE) and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End
      Results (SEER) programs to address a number of these questions.

PMID- 1430880
TI  - Demographics (1950-1987) of breast cancer in birth cohorts of older women.
AB  - The effects of screening on breast cancer mortality, incidence, and prevalence
      were investigated using a general forecasting and simulation model. First, a
      biologically motivated model of disease incidence and mortality was fit to the
      breast cancer mortality experience of 15 U.S. White female birth cohorts followed
      for a 38-year period. The model assumed that breast cancer was the result of two
      different diseases. The first, or "premenopausal" disease, tends to have strong
      associations with the family history of disease and to be histologically more
      aggressive. The second, "postmenopausal" disease, occurs at more advanced ages,
      is apparently less strongly linked to family history, and is less aggressive with
      different histological characteristics (e.g., positive estrogen receptor status).
      Those results were used to forecast the effects of screening on the stage at
      diagnosis to simulate a screening program which reduced late-stage diagnoses by
      50%. This produced large reductions in breast cancer mortality--an impact larger
      for disease associated with late age of onset.

PMID- 1430881
TI  - Mammography for older women: who uses, who benefits?
AB  - In order to juxtapose the health, social, and behavioral factors associated with
      use of screening mammography with short-term mortality among elderly women, we
      analyzed the NHIS Cancer Epidemiology Supplemental Survey and the Longitudinal
      Study of Aging. After controlling for sociodemographic factors, having a usual
      source of care of and knowledge of screening guidelines, we found that a woman's
      health status is unrelated to having had a screening mammogram. Analyses of the
      LSOA, however, revealed that health factors were strongly related to 4-year
      mortality, particularly among women 75 and over. As it is unlikely that the
      subpopulation of older women who are at high risk of death within 4 years will
      benefit from a program of universal screening, outreach program messages and
      physician education programs should probably be designed to proactively recruit
      those most likely to benefit.

PMID- 1430882
TI  - Screening recommendations of the forum panel.

PMID- 1430883
TI  - Economic considerations in breast cancer screening of older women.
AB  - The incidence of breast cancer increases with age, tending to result in more
      favorable cost-effectiveness outcomes with more advanced age of the screened
      population. On the other hand, the decreased remaining life expectancy of older
      women can be expected to reduce the cost effectiveness of screening. To assess
      these competing factors, the cost effectiveness of a long-term breast cancer
      screening program was evaluated using a computerized simulation model. The cost
      per life year saved decreased when the 65-69 year age group was added to a
      program screening women aged 50-64. For older age groups, however, cost
      effectiveness became relatively less favorable. The cost per life year saved of
      screening the 80-84 year age group was 55% higher than for the 65-69 group.

PMID- 1430884
TI  - Screening mammography in women over age 65.
AB  - Routine screening by mammography and physical examination can detect breast
      cancers earlier at all ages. In women over age 65 the sensitivity of mammography
      is increased, and the positive predictive value for mammography is higher than in
      younger women. There are no direct data that can be used to determine at what age
      screening is no longer of value. This question must be evaluated on an individual
      basis and should take into account the quality of life and competing causes of
      death. The medical benefit from screening for a given individual should be
      considered separately from society's cost/benefit goal to reduce health care
      expenditures, because the two are likely to produce contradictory
      recommendations.

PMID- 1430885
TI  - Physical examination of the breasts in screening for breast cancer.
AB  - No currently available evidence from breast cancer screening studies provides
      strong justification for the implementation of screening in elderly females.
      Because it is an absence of evidence rather than negative evidence which
      pertains, it is concluded that if screening is introduced it should include both
      mammography and clinical examination of the breasts because the two complement
      one another. As well, stringent quality control procedures are required for both
      modalities. It is possible that clinical examination of the breasts performed by
      a nurse-examiner will enhance compliance with screening schedules.

PMID- 1430886
TI  - The efficacy of breast self-examination.
AB  - Literature related to the efficacy and to the definition and measurement of
      breast self-examination (BSE) is reviewed with particular attention to its
      relevance for women over 65. Overall, data on the efficacy of BSE suggest that it
      has a small but measurable impact on earlier detection of breast cancer as
      measured by clinical stage and tumor size and sometimes by pathological stage.
      The largest differences are between some BSE and no BSE. An analysis of BSE
      suggests that instructions could be simplified for older women in order to
      increase the reliability and acceptability of the examination. A research agenda
      is proposed which includes (a) testing BSE instructions tailored for older women,
      (b) studying the intervening steps between BSE and cancer diagnosis, (c) testing
      methods to increase acceptance by older women, and (d) investigating the
      relationship between BSE and earlier detection of breast cancer in older women.

PMID- 1430887
TI  - Supporting statements and rationale.

PMID- 1430888
TI  - Breast self-examination in women 65 and older.
AB  - Studies of breast self-examination (BSE) in older women have revealed
      deficiencies in both frequency and proficiency of practice. Current data from an
      ongoing study indicate that practice is sufficiently poor as to make the
      detection of lumps difficult. Interventions to increase frequency and
      proficiency, however, have been encouraging. Several studies are reporting
      significant improvement in practice following specific strategies. Barriers such
      as forgetting and embarrassment need to be addressed when attempting to increase
      frequency and proficiency. The efficiency of BSE cannot be adequately addressed
      until women are trained at a proficient level.

PMID- 1430889
TI  - Efficacy of screening for breast cancer in older women.
AB  - The effect of screening on mortality from breast cancer has been evaluated in
      four intervention (experimental) studies with random assignment, one intervention
      study with nonrandom assignment, three case-control studies, and one follow-up
      study. Each of these studies showed a beneficial effect of screening among women
      who were at least 45, 50, or 55 years old at entry, but there is almost no
      information available on the value of screening women more than 74 years old. The
      data are not helpful in choosing a screening interval within the range 12-33
      months, or in deciding whether to screen by mammography and palpation combined or
      by mammography alone. Additional issues in screening very old women are the delay
      before the effect of screening appears, the high mortality from causes other than
      breast cancer, and the effect of previous screening.

PMID- 1430890
TI  - Older women's participation in breast screening.
AB  - The incidence of breast cancer increases with age, but women's participation in
      breast screening decreases with age. National and regional surveys indicate a
      number of barriers. Women over age 65 are more likely to say they have never
      heard of mammograms, that they did not know they needed them, and that their
      doctors did not recommend them. In a study conducted at Fox Chase Cancer Center,
      in Philadelphia, participation in an HMO-sponsored breast screening program
      appeared to reverse the usual age-related decrease in mammography. If mammography
      utilization is to increase in women over age 65, physicians must offer
      unambiguous referrals to older women. In addition, health education interventions
      are needed to improve knowledge and beliefs of older women and their physicians.
      And, finally, strategies also are needed to enhance access. With the advent of
      Medicare coverage, payment will be less of a barrier. But other barriers remain.

PMID- 1430891
TI  - A qualitative study about breast cancer screening in older women: Implications
      for research.
AB  - Focus groups were used to explore a range of issues concerning breast cancer
      screening in elderly women and to contribute to defining a research agenda. Two
      groups consisted of women aged 65-75 and 75 and older, and one group consisted of
      primary care physicians. Predominant topic areas were women's awareness of breast
      cancer and screening information, attitudes and perceived barriers to screening
      (including those related to women themselves, to the health care system, and to
      physicians), issues related to relationships within the medical community, and
      opinions about and priorities for change.

PMID- 1430892
TI  - Culture, environment, and restraints: a conceptual model for research and
      practice.
AB  - 1. Despite its importance to the care of the elderly, little research has focused
      on the effects of the environment on health and well-being. 2. It is hypothesized
      that environmental factors, including cultural attitudes and beliefs of nursing
      home staff, contribute to restraint of nursing home residents. 3. Nurses can be
      instrumental in creating a nursing home culture that values a restraint-free
      environment.

PMID- 1430893
TI  - Reducing physical restraints: developing an educational program.
AB  - 1. Philosophical premises for an educational program aimed at restraint reduction
      include beliefs about quality of care, commitment to understanding the meaning of
      behavior, and desire to shift practice from control of behavior to individualized
      approaches to care. 2. If change is to occur, an educational program aimed at
      restraint reduction must recognize the potential contributions of all staff
      members, use an interactive teaching style, and promote discussion and problem
      solving. 3. Results of testing a Restraint Education Program suggested that
      altering staff beliefs and increasing knowledge produced a change in restraint
      practices, at least in the short term.

PMID- 1430894
TI  - A century of progress: today's strategies for responding to wandering behavior.
AB  - 1. In an effort to protect wanderers, nurses have overused physical restraints.
      Such practices have been reinforced by the potential for lawsuits charging
      negligence when wandering results in negative outcomes. 2. Wandering is movement
      changing over time and, thus, is a nonlinear ultradian rhythm, with locomoting
      and nonlocomoting phases. As a rhythm, an individual's wandering pattern is
      stable over a 1-week period. 3. Because most travel is direct, most ambulation,
      even for known wanderers, may not be wandering at all. Among inefficient travel
      patterns, lapping was the most frequently observed. 4. Behavior modification,
      grids, camouflage, and other environmental interventions are preferable to
      chemical or physical restraint in attempting to reduce unwanted or unsupervised
      exits by wanderers. These methods are not fail-proof, however, and do not replace
      careful supervision of wanderers by personnel.

PMID- 1430896
TI  - Falls in the nursing home: preventable or inevitable?
AB  - 1. Falls in the elderly are frequent occurrences and are usually a result of the
      complex interaction of environmental, physiological, and pathological variables.
      Fall-related injuries happen much less frequently. 2. Physical restraints have
      not been found effective in preventing falls and may be associated with increased
      risk of fall-related injury. 3. Because of the complex nature of falls in the
      elderly, fall prevention programs must emphasize the critical assessment of each
      resident's risks for falling with targeted interventions.

PMID- 1430895
TI  - Goal-directed care: caring for aggressive nursing home residents with dementia.
AB  - 1. Aggressive behavior in elders with dementia occurs most often during personal
      care. It is often a response to invasion of private space and may be prevented or
      reduced by interpersonal approaches that reflect a set of individualized goals
      for the resident. 2. Five resident goals for preventing or reducing aggressive
      behavior are to feel safe, to feel physically comfortable, to experience a sense
      of control, to experience optimal stress, and to experience pleasure. 3. These
      goals provide a framework for humane care that respects the personhood of the
      individual and minimizes the need for psychotropic medications and physical
      restraints.

PMID- 1430897
TI  - Restraint strategies: reducing restraints in Oregon's long-term care facilities.

PMID- 1430898
TI  - Methods to reduce restraints: process, outcomes, and future directions.

PMID- 1430899
TI  - Correlates of self-care among the independent elderly: self-concept affects well
      being.
AB  - There was a significant positive correlation between self-care and self-concept,
      suggesting that psychosocial interventions that enhance an older person's self
      concept may be expected to improve self-care and, conversely, that participation
      in self-care activities may be expected to strengthen self-concept. Although
      functional health status was not significantly correlated with self-care, it was
      related to self-concept, suggesting either that functional health has a role in
      maintaining self-concept among older persons or that self-concept positively
      contributes to functional health status. Self-concept and self-care can be
      enhanced in older persons by communicating respect and demonstrating caring
      behaviors, reinforcing health-promoting behaviors, encouraging activities of
      daily living that contribute to independence, and by avoiding a focus on self
      care deficits.

PMID- 1430900
TI  - An exploratory study: assessing the meaning in life among older adult clients.
AB  - Meaning in life has been intimately linked to health, but it has not been
      explored in an elderly population. The factors that elderly people perceive as
      being meaningful must be identified, as well as the extent to which they
      experience fulfillment of meaning in their lives. The majority of study
      participants indicated that relationships give meaning to their lives; however,
      nurses must individually assess clients regarding what is most meaningful to
      them. Clients without meaning or low levels of meaning need to be identified. As
      nurses become more aware of what is meaningful to older people, they can plan and
      carry out interventions based on interaction to support or improve areas
      meaningful to the older person.

PMID- 1430901
TI  - Skin problems: epidemiology of pressure ulcers in a skilled care facility.
AB  - The majority of nursing home residents have conditions that place them at risk
      for the development of pressure ulcers. Reported pressure ulcer prevalence rates
      range from 16% to 35%. Pressure ulcers are multifactorial in origin and
      necessitate ongoing vigilance by the entire health-care team. Associated risk
      factors include impairments of circulation, sensation, physical condition,
      nutrition, mobility, and activity. Stage I pressure ulcers frequently go
      unrecognized, yet their recognition is essential to prevent further damage.
      Comprehensive initial assessments of the skin and risk factors of pressure ulcer
      development at admission will allow for easier reassessment and comparison.

PMID- 1430902
TI  - Phantom of the nursing home.

PMID- 1430903
TI  - Diagnostic dilemma: cognitive impairment in the elderly.
AB  - Cognitive impairment is a significant health problem for the elderly and is
      associated with severe negative consequences: higher morbidity and mortality and
      a diminished capacity to care for self. The accurate diagnosis of acute
      confusion, dementia, and depression depends on the routine, systematic, and
      comprehensive assessment of cognition, best achieved through the use of a mental
      status questionnaire and a behavioral rating scale. Nonspecific clinical
      features, atypical and variable presentations of symptomatology, and the frequent
      coexistence of acute confusion, dementia, and depression make an accurate
      diagnosis of the specific form of cognitive impairment difficult. The primary
      cognition disorder in acute confusion is that of attention, memory with dementia,
      and mood with depression.

PMID- 1430904
TI  - [Rights and duties of the fetus. Pediatric contribution to the resolution of
      moral dilemmas in the prenatal medical practice].

PMID- 1430905
TI  - [Post-menopausal osteoporosis. Epidemiologic aspects].
AB  - The purpose of this study is to point out the epidemiological features concerning
      the frequency and seriousness of post-menopausal osteoporosis, and concerning
      screening and prevention of osteoporotic fractures. Osteoporosis is a condition
      very widespread, characterised by fragility fractures. It has been estimated that
      in France one million of women suffer from vertebral fractures. Osteoporosis can
      alter the quality of life in various ways. Its cost is high, representing 4
      billions francs a year in France only for hip fractures. The only preventive
      treatment that has been agreed on universally is oestrogen therapy. The fact that
      this treatment is not systematically recommended does not explain that only 8%
      among french menopausal women take oestrogen. The factors available at present to
      identify women at high risk of osteoporotic fractures are risk factors evaluated
      by clinical history, biological markers of bone formation and measurements of
      bone mass. None of these risk factors have enough sensibility and specificity to
      define accurately risks groups. Furthermore it is necessary to specify the
      effects of treatments associating oestrogens and progestogens prescribed in
      France, in particular effects on the risks of cardio-vascular diseases and breast
      cancer.

PMID- 1430906
TI  - [Breast cancer associated with pregnancy. Nine case reports. Review of the
      literature and current update].
AB  - The authors report nine personal cases in a review of the literature concerning
      cancers of the breast associated with pregnancy and lactation (until a year post
      partum). The diagnosis of the illness is reported to be difficult in pregnant
      women and it is necessary to use fully all the diagnostic procedures available
      and in particular cytology and histology. Surgery is urgent. It is classical
      practice to carry out a mastectomy with axillary clearance. Nevertheless more
      conservative treatments are now being suggested. The principal problem of therapy
      is linked to the effects of adjuvant therapy on the fetus be they radiotherapy or
      chemotherapy, particularly because it is very important that treatments should be
      thorough and start early in the pregnancy. The overall prognosis is bad because
      pregnancy seems above all to aggravate serious forms of the disease.

PMID- 1430907
TI  - [An original model of experimental endometriosis in the rabbit].
AB  - An attempt to create experimental endometriosis in the rabbit by the usual
      technique was tried on eight animals. It was disappointing. A new technique which
      is easier to carry out implanting endometrium was suggested. The results were
      evaluated in 57 animals. The technique proved to be easier and more reliable. The
      technique cannot be used unless the animal has been through puberty.

PMID- 1430908
TI  - [Prognostic value of preovulatory elevations of plasma progesterone during in
      vitro fertilization using LHRH agonists in a long protocol].
AB  - We retrospectively analyzed the prevalence and prognostic significance of plasma
      progesterone rises during in vitro fertilization (IVF) protocols including
      pituitary down-regulation by LHRH agonists in a long protocol and stimulation by
      hMG (n = 1,116: Group A) or pure FSH (n = 178: Group B). On the day of hCG
      injection, plasma progesterone level was in the 0.60-0.99 ng/ml range in 7.1% of
      group A patients and 6.2% of group B patients (NS) and above 1 ng/ml in
      respectively 4.0% and 3.4% of the cases (NS). On the same day, plasma
      progesterone was strongly correlated with plasma estradiol (r = 0.26 - p < 0.001
      in group A; r = 0.21 - p < 0.01 in group B). However, increased progesterone
      levels were not associated with changes in plasma LH levels, falls in plasma
      estradiol levels after hCG injection, or significant modifications in biological
      and clinical results of IVF. The cause of this pattern of progesterone rise
      remains to be elucidated.

PMID- 1430909
TI  - [Turner's syndrome and pregnancy in donor oocytes and in vitro fertilization.
      Three case reports].
AB  - It is extremely rare for pregnancy to occur spontaneously in a woman with a
      mosaic or non-mosaic karyotype 45 x 0. (Till now only 13 patients with a
      homogeneous x 0 karyotype have been reported out of 62 patients who between them
      have had 138 pregnancies). Furthermore these pregnancies have been plagued by a
      number of important complications or fetal malformations (21% have had chromosome
      anomalies). It is therefore clear that in vitro fertilization with donor oocytes
      is a tempting solution for these women. The authors having three personal cases
      try and point out the conditions under which this technique can be used. It is
      important to realise that from the age of 10 or 12 years these patients have to
      have hormone treatment in order to avoid hypoplasia and hypovascularization of
      the uterus. Those conditions explain why so many these women had premature
      labours and also suffer from pre-eclampsia. Caesarean section was often found to
      be necessary because of feto-pelvic disproportion.

PMID- 1430910
TI  - [Intramural pregnancy: a case report].
AB  - Implantation into the muscle wall is one of the rarer forms of ectopic pregnancy.
      We report an uncomplicated case which was discovered during therapeutic
      termination of pregnancy at 10 weeks. We point out how valuable the use of
      ultrasound during the operation is for making the diagnosis when suction does not
      provide adequate quantities of products.

PMID- 1430911
TI  - [Role of vaginal echography in the investigation of menorrhagia and metrorrhagia
      in the reproductive years].
AB  - Eighty non-menopausal patients who had troubles of menorrhagia or metrorrhagia
      who were neither pregnant nor had cervical pathology, were investigated first by
      vaginal ultrasound and then by hysteroscopy. In 43 of the cases a
      hysterosalpingogram had been carried out before hand. All patients had
      histological examination of tissues. The main pathological ultrasound features
      were clearly made out. Vaginal ultrasound, and the conditions under which the
      study was undertaken, gives much more information than hysterosalpingography and
      will be able in future to a greater extent, to replace conventional radiography.
      Vaginal ultrasound manages to achieve information about the endometrium and the
      uterine cavity almost equal to that obtained by hysteroscopy and furthermore it
      gives more precise information about the state of the myometrium. Vaginal
      ultrasound therefore seems to be an excellent first stage examination to
      investigate menstrual disturbances in reproductive life, and so long as it is
      carried out under good conditions will limit the indications for hysteroscopy and
      will be able to indicate when it is necessary to carry out simple exploratory
      hysteroscopy or operative hysteroscopy.

PMID- 1430912
TI  - [Technique and preliminary results in second-look laparoscopy in epithelial
      malignant ovarian tumors].
AB  - Second-look laparotomy is the usual mean of intraperitoneal evaluation in
      patients treated for ovarian carcinoma. We present a preliminary study of 33
      second-look. Thirteen of these procedures were performed by laparoscopy. Because
      of previous surgical history a specific technique is necessary including safety
      tests, cytologic evaluation after peritoneal washing, and biopsies of any
      abnormal peritoneal areas, original tumors sites and normal appearing peritoneum.
      In order to achieve the evaluation of the entire peritoneal cavity a complete
      bowel adhesiolysis is required. For trained laparoscopists the surgical
      complication rate is low. In this preliminary study we found that prognosis
      following negative second-look laparoscopy and second-look laparotomy are
      similar, suggesting that laparoscopy is a valuable alternative to laparotomy for
      second-look evaluation in ovarian cancer.

PMID- 1430913
TI  - [Prenatal screening for cysts of choroid plexus. Evolution and interpretation of
      30 cases].
AB  - The authors report thirty cases in which they diagnosed a cyst of the choroid
      plexus antenatally between the 18th and the 36th week of amenorrhoea (mean 21
      weeks). Choroid plexus cysts show up in some pictures as round or oval cysts
      clearly visible in the region of the choroid plexus. They appear in the lateral
      cerebral ventricles. They frequently occur between the 15th and 25th week of
      amenorrhoea (0.6 to 2.5% of pregnancies), unilaterally or bilaterally (46%)
      either on the right of left side and varying in size (3 to 20 mm). These
      characteristics do not influence the way they evolve. If a single choroid plexus
      cyst is found a control ultrasound should be carried out four weeks later. 96% of
      them have disappeared by the end of the second trimester; but if they do persist
      in the third trimester (4%) they are not necessarily pathological. On the other
      hand if a choroid plexus cyst is associated with some other morphological
      biometric abnormality antenatal chromosome testing should be carried out because
      trisomy 18 is more common in this situation (4.8%) than in the general
      population.

PMID- 1430914
TI  - [Cerebral hemorrhage in utero. Diagnosis and management. A case report].
AB  - The authors report a case of massive intracerebral haemorrhage which was
      diagnosed in utero by ultrasound. The ultrasound of the brain showed a total
      disorganisation of all known structures with the appearance of unhomogeneous
      zones spread across both hemispheres and including a large dilatation of the
      ventricles. Transcervical puncture of the fontanelle allowed the delivery of a
      stillborn child without other congenital abnormalities. CMV infection was thought
      to be the cause. A review of the literature shows that there are different ways
      of treating this conditions depending on the ultrasound appearances. The
      prognosis must be very guarded and depends on the aetiology.

PMID- 1430915
TI  - [Preliminary study on the variability of the fetal cerebral velocimetry in
      various vessels of the Circle of Willis].
AB  - The authors have tried to analyse in a small series, the possibility as well as
      the variability of blood flow velocity waveforms in the different vessels of the
      circle of willis using colour Doppler. Fourteen patients were assessed. The 14
      fetuses were of normal growth and/or had normal umbilical arterial blood flow
      velocity waveforms as well as normal uterine blood flow. The mean term at the
      time of examination was 23.8 +/- 2.9 standard deviation with the extremes going
      from 28.5 standard deviation to 40.5. The examinations were carried out using
      colour Doppler (Acuson) machine by the abdominal route with a 3.5-5 MHz bi
      frequency sound. The vessels that were explored were the middle cerebral artery
      (CM), posterior cerebral artery (CP), the internal carotid artery (CI), the
      anterior cerebral artery (CA) in the region of the circle of Willis. CM and CA
      were able to be recorded in 100% of the cases, CP and CI in 93% of cases (13 out
      of 14 cases). The difference between he mean index (D/S, D = residual velocity in
      the diastole, S = maximum velocity in the systole) in each of these vessels was
      not statistically significant. In 3 out of 16 measurements (19%) the CP index was
      considered to be pathological while the index in the other vessels was normal, or
      when a different form of measurement was carried out in the region of CP, it was
      normal. This was also the case once for CA, but never for CM or CI.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1430916
TI  - [Pregnancy after renal transplantation. 27 patients and review of the
      literature].
AB  - We report the course and outcome of 30 pregnancies in 27 renal transplant
      patients between 1970 and 1988. Delay between transplantation and pregnancy was
      7.3 +/- 4.8 years. There were 1 twin pregnancy and 3 successive pregnancies.
      Immunosuppressive regime was prednisone and azathioprine in 28 cases and
      cyclosporine in 2. Hypertension (33%), preterm delivery (74%) and premature
      rupture of the membranes (33%) were the main complication encountered. The
      cesarean section rate was 73%, mainly because of these complications. Twenty
      seven patients delivered of 31 healthy children. There was no congenital anomaly.
      Mean birth weight was 2.640 +/- 645 g. In utero growth retardation occurred in 7
      cases (23%). Pregnancy after renal transplantation is of good prognosis for both
      the mother and child but the course of pregnancy can be complicated by
      hypertension, preterm birth and growth retardation.

PMID- 1430917
TI  - [Pregnancy after hepatic transplantation. 17 pregnancies].
AB  - The number of orthotopic liver transplantations (OLT) is increasing and longterm
      survival is improving. More women recipients may choose to become pregnant. We
      report a one-center experience with the course and outcome of 17 pregnancies in
      17 liver transplant out of 675 OLT since 1985. 10 women delivered of 10 healthy
      infants at 38 +/- 1.5 week's gestation. There was no preterm delivery and the
      mean birth weight was 2.990 +/- 370 g, birth weight was adequate for gestational
      age in any case. Four cesarean sections were performed for obstetrical
      indications. No congenital anomalies occurred in the children. Hypertension
      occurred in 2 out of twelve patients and appeared as the main complication to
      deal with. There was one case with graft function impairment at 37 weeks'
      gestation. One uncomplicated pregnancy is ongoing at 29 weeks' gestation. There
      were 4 spontaneous and 2 therapeutic abortions for impaired liver function.
      Pregnancy is successful in a large proportion of these patients but must be
      planned and managed as high-risk situations by an obstetrician and a specialist
      of the liver transplant. Pregnancy should be advised against in patients with
      poor liver function or active viral infection; a 12 months interval from OLT to
      pregnancy is since to be the minimal requirement. Post-transplant
      immunosuppressive therapy consisted of azathioprine, corticosteroids and
      ciclosporin A, and was maintained throughout pregnancy. Genetic counselling
      should be provided when the primary liver disease is inherited. This being said,
      as shown by the results of our study and those reported in the literature,
      pregnancy is not only feasible but also successful in a large proportion of OLT
      recipients.

PMID- 1430918
TI  - [Pregnancy in the diabetic woman. Incidence of malformations, of macrosomia,
      update on obstetrical management].
AB  - Perinatal mortality for infants born to diabetic mothers has dropped in the years
      from the 1950's when it was 20% to less than 3% by the end of the 1980's. In
      spite of this considerable reduction which is due to careful observation and
      multidisciplinary management in this type of pregnancy, the congenital
      malformation rate is 4 times greater than with the general population (3%) and
      the rate of spontaneous abortions is double (13%). The caesarean section rate is
      5 times higher (18%). In bringing out a retrospective study we have attempted to
      analyse the endocrinological and obstetrical features of the cases.

PMID- 1430919
TI  - [Major sickle cell anemia and pregnancy. Systematic prophylactic transfusions. 13
      case reports].
AB  - The seriousness of sickle cell disease together with pregnancy has led doctors to
      look for therapies which have yet scarcely shown their worth. Systematic blood
      transfusions in pregnancy did seem to improve the prognosis for both mother and
      fetus. Prophylactic transfusion has made it possible for us to carry thirteen
      pregnancies to term. There was no mortality either of fetus or mother while the
      morbidity either of fetus or mother while the morbidity was significantly cut
      down to new pathologies which were easily treated. The absence of any side
      effects from the transfusions encourages us to contribute this treatment working
      together with a highly competent blood transfusion bank.

PMID- 1430920
TI  - [Breech extraction of the second twin with or without version by internal
      maneuvers].
AB  - A retrospective study was done to appraise the recent practice of breech
      extraction of the second twin (with or without internal version) in our unity.
      From January 1st, 1988 to April 30, 1991 23 patients with a twin gestation were
      delivered in our unity (0.5% of all deliveries). Nineteen patients (83%) were
      delivered vaginally. Each procedure was done by a resident under control of a
      senior obstetrician and in the presence of two midwives, a pediatrician, and an
      anesthesiologist. Ten patients having had a breech extraction (GE group) were
      studied, 13 patients were excluded for not having had a breech extraction. In the
      GE group the presentations were: 7 vertex/breech and 3 breech/breech. Mean Apgar
      scores of the second twin at 3 minutes were 8 in the GE group. These results
      suggest that breech extraction of the second twin is not a pernicious technique
      if done by trained operators with precise limits. These results need to be
      confirmed through a prospective randomized and comparative study.

PMID- 1430921
TI  - [Radical laparoscopic vaginal hysterectomy].

PMID- 1430922
TI  - [Complications of laparoscopic surgery].

PMID- 1430923
TI  - [Anaphylaxis after delivery: latex could be responsible].

PMID- 1430925
TI  - Endoscopic carpal tunnel release.
AB  - We have performed 149 consecutive one-portal and 152 consecutive two-portal
      endoscopic carpal tunnel release operations. Average time to cessation of
      preoperative symptoms was 15 days in both the one-portal and two-portal groups.
      The average time of return to work was 16 days in the one-portal group and 17
      days in the two-portal group. The complication rate in the one-portal group was
      6%, and in the two-portal group it was 5%. In our opinion, the one-portal release
      technique is much more difficult and inherently more dangerous than the two
      portal technique, and we recommend the latter for endoscopic carpal tunnel
      release.

PMID- 1430924
TI  - Endoscopic carpal tunnel release: a cadaveric study.
AB  - Five surgeons performed endoscopic (Dyonics) carpal tunnel releases on 24 fresh
      cadaver wrists. In 50% of the specimens, transection of the transverse carpal
      ligament was incomplete. The average amount of incomplete release was 31% (range,
      0% to 53%). Three types of incomplete release were noted: (1) release of Guyon's
      canal release--one, (2) incomplete distal ligament release--five, and (3)
      incomplete central or superficial release--six. Other technical errors were noted
      in nine of 24 specimens. There were no nerve lacerations. Endoscopic carpal
      tunnel release is either a technically demanding procedure, commonly results in
      incompletely released ligaments, or both. Proper training, followed by practice
      on several cadaver specimens before its clinical use, is recommended.

PMID- 1430926
TI  - Carpal arch alteration and related clinical status after endoscopic carpal tunnel
      release.
AB  - One hundred eight endoscopic carpal tunnel releases were performed by a
      modification of the technique described by Chow. Eighty-seven of the 108 cases
      were evaluated for quantitative postoperative widening of the transverse carpal
      arch. The average postoperative widening of the transverse carpal arch was 0.17
      cm (7%), with a range of 0 to 0.5 cm. Seventy percent of the patients showed 0%
      to 10% widening, 26% showed 10% to 20% widening, and 4% showed more than 20%
      widening of the transverse carpal arch. Preliminary findings show that 3 weeks
      after endoscopic carpal tunnel release, pinch strength was at 102% and grip
      strength at 86% of preoperative values. Six weeks after surgery, pinch strength
      was 106% and grip strength was 121% of preoperative values. The complication rate
      in this series was 3%. The transverse dimension of the carpal arch generally
      widens after endoscopic carpal tunnel release but to a lesser degree than has
      been reported for open carpal tunnel release. The rate of improvement of pinch
      and grip strength after endoscopic release is faster than that reported in the
      literature after open release.

PMID- 1430927
TI  - Dynamic changes of the transverse carpal arch during flexion-extension of the
      wrist: effects of sectioning the transverse carpal ligament.
AB  - The width of the carpal arch, represented in this study by the distance between
      the tips of two Kirschner wires--one inserted into the trapezium and another into
      the hook of the hamate--was measured with precision calipers in 21 patients with
      carpal tunnel syndrome, both before and after sectioning of the transverse carpal
      ligament and in different wrist positions. With the ligament intact, most of the
      wrists showed a decrease in the distance in both flexion and extension. The
      distance increased an average of 11% after sectioning of the transverse carpal
      ligament. The dynamic behavior of the carpal arch, however, was not substantially
      modified by this procedure.

PMID- 1430928
TI  - Results of treatment of severe carpal tunnel syndrome.
AB  - A retrospective study was undertaken to determine the efficacy of carpal tunnel
      decompression in patients with advanced carpal tunnel syndrome. The criteria for
      inclusion in this study were unobtainable median sensory-evoked response and
      absent or prolonged median motor distal latency. Fifteen hands in 13 patients met
      these criteria. All patients had symptoms, including pain, weakness, or decreased
      sensation. Postoperative follow-up averaged 27 months. Symptomatic improvement
      was obtained in 14 of the 15 hands, and sensory-evoked response improved in 13
      hands. Preoperative thenar atrophy was present in 10 of the 15 hands and was
      completely resolved in 2 of the 10 patients. These results indicate that carpal
      tunnel decompression is of benefit to patients with severe carpal tunnel
      syndrome. Long-standing symptoms, thenar atrophy, virtual anesthesia, and the
      absence of demonstrable sensory and motor-evoked responses are not
      contraindications to surgery.

PMID- 1430929
TI  - Fibroma of tendon sheath as a cause of carpal tunnel syndrome.

PMID- 1430930
TI  - An analysis of the flexor synovium in idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome: report
      of 625 cases.
AB  - This study was undertaken to determine the presence or absence of tenosynovitis
      in persons with idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome. Eight hundred thirty-five
      consecutive operations for carpal tunnel syndrome were retrospectively reviewed,
      and 625 cases of idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome were identified. Of these 96%
      (601) had a synovial tissue histologic diagnosis of benign fibrous tissue without
      inflammation, 4% (23) showed chronic inflammation, and 0.2% (1) revealed evidence
      of acute inflammation. We believe that tenosynovitis is not a part of the
      pathophysiologic process in chronic idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome. Further
      histologic analysis of the flexor synovium for pathologic changes other than
      inflammation is needed.

PMID- 1430931
TI  - Acute gout after carpal tunnel release.
AB  - A carpal tunnel release was performed on three patients with known gout of the
      lower extremity but not of the upper extremity. Each patient had a postoperative
      inflammatory reaction in a treated hand, and there was some suspicion of an
      infection in two patients. However, the inflammatory reaction resolved only when
      treated with a combination of anti-inflammatory and anti-gout medication.

PMID- 1430932
TI  - Variations in digital nerve anatomy.
AB  - One hundred digital nerves from 10 cadaver hands were dissected, and branching
      patterns were analyzed. Contrary to the traditional belief that the digital nerve
      predictably trifurcates at the distal interphalangeal crease, much variation
      exists. Terminal branching occurred distal to the crease in 60% of the thumb
      digital nerves and in 78% of the digital nerves supplying the other four digits.
      The number of terminal branches also varied from two to seven in the thumb and
      from two to five in the other four digits. No significant differences were seen
      in branching patterns between digits or between radial and ulnar sides. These
      findings are clinically relevant to the surgeon who is contemplating digital
      nerve repair.

PMID- 1430933
TI  - The superficial branch of the radial nerve: an anatomic study with surgical
      implications.
AB  - Twenty fresh cadaver extremities were dissected to delineate and quantify the
      course of the superficial branch of the radial nerve. This branch bifurcated from
      the radial nerve at the level of the lateral humeral epicondyle in eight
      specimens, and in all specimens the bifurcation was no more than 2.1 cm from the
      lateral epicondyle. It continued distally, deep to the brachioradialis and became
      subcutaneous a mean of 9.0 cm proximal to the radial styloid, traversing between
      the tendons of the brachioradialis and extensor carpi radialis longus. The
      superficial branch of the radial nerve branched a mean of 5.1 cm proximal to the
      radial styloid. Distally, at the level of the extensor retinaculum, the closest
      branches to the center of the first dorsal compartment and to Lister's tubercle
      were mean distances of 0.4 and 1.6 cm, respectively. In the hand, the superficial
      branch of the radial nerve most commonly supplied branches to the thumb, the
      index finger, and the dorsoradial aspect of the long finger. Knowledge of the
      course of the superficial branch of the radial nerve will help prevent injury
      during operative procedures on the radial side of the hand, wrist, and forearm
      and will aid in its localization in treatment of traumatic injuries or
      performance of nerve blocks in its distribution.

PMID- 1430934
TI  - A socioeconomic analysis of digital replantations resulting from home use of
      power tools.
AB  - Forty-seven digits in 21 patients who sustained partial or complete amputations
      from the home use of power tools were replanted or revascularized during a 1-year
      period. This represented 69% of the microvascular surgery performed for hand
      injuries during that year. The cost of repairing an average of 2.4 digits was
      $7000 (surgeon's fee) plus $697 per hour (operating room fee), as per fiscal year
      1987. Postoperative hospitalization averaged 15 days at a cost of $15,679. Hand
      rehabilitation averaged 8 months at a cost of $3348. Fifty-four percent of the
      patients had no insurance. Fourteen of 21 patients (67%) required at least one
      additional procedure. Two patients had to make a career change after the injury.
      The majority of patients with digital replantations were dissatisfied with the
      emotional costs and the number of subsequent operations. Lack of patient and
      family awareness of the length of the rehabilitative period was particularly
      evident.

PMID- 1430935
TI  - Maintenance of patency after vascular trauma by topical irrigation with a peptide
      homologous to the carboxy-terminus of the fibrinogen gamma chain.
AB  - Synthetic peptides with amino acid sequences homologous to the carboxy-terminal
      sequence of the gamma chain of human fibrinogen were evaluated for their capacity
      to inhibit thrombus development. A 21-residue peptide effectively inhibited
      surface-mediated fibrin clot propagation in vitro. Since this effect was
      localized to the surface, we proceeded with in vivo evaluation, using site
      specific topical application only. In a rat model of arterial trauma and
      microvascular repair, topical application of the 21-residue peptide significantly
      reduced the rate of thrombosis to 17%, as compared with a control rate of 83%; in
      comparison, a 12-residue homologue reduced the thrombosis rate only modestly to
      61%, which was not significant compared with the control rate. These results
      indicate the feasibility of antithrombotic therapy with topically applied agents,
      an approach that may obviate the use of systemic anticoagulation in extremity
      replantation surgery.

PMID- 1430936
TI  - Hemangiopericytoma of the hand: a literature review and case study.
AB  - We present a case of hemangiopericytoma of the hand. We also attempt to
      differentiate hemangiopericytoma from glomus tumor with a summary of the history
      and a comprehensive review of the literature demonstrating the malignant
      character of the neoplasm, and we offer some guidelines for treatment.

PMID- 1430937
TI  - Pellet embolus of the distal ulnar artery.

PMID- 1430938
TI  - Solitary osteochondroma limiting flexion of the proximal interphalangeal joint in
      an infant: a case report.

PMID- 1430939
TI  - Long-term functional results after pollicization for the congenitally deficient
      thumb.
AB  - This study objectively investigated the functional results of 28 index finger
      pollicizations for correction of congenital deficiency of the thumb. The results
      indicate that the average total active range of motion at the pollicized digit
      was 98 degrees, or approximately 50% that of a normal thumb. The average grip
      strength was 21% of standard values; lateral, tripod, and tip pinch strength
      values ranged from 22% to 26% of standard values. The pollicized digit was used
      in the manner of a normal thumb or in modified fashion in 84% of 14 defined
      activities, with increased use for handling large objects (92%) and less use for
      small objects (77%). The time required to perform activities averaged 22% longer
      than the standard for a normal hand. Patients with a radial club hand, a five
      finger hand, or a mirror hand on the affected extremity had significantly poorer
      results; however, patients without one of these associated conditions had near
      normal use of the pollicized digit, except for reduced strength. These results
      were not influenced by the age of the patient at the time of operation. This
      information should be helpful in counseling parents with children who are
      candidates for pollicization as to what functional results they might anticipate.

PMID- 1430940
TI  - Insecticide injection injuries to both hands: a case report.

PMID- 1430941
TI  - Melorheostosis of the hand: a report of two cases.
AB  - Two cases of melorheostosis of the hand are reported. Histopathologic examination
      confirmed the characteristic x-ray findings and excluded other skeletal
      dysplasias, such as osteopoikilosis and osteopathia striata.

PMID- 1430942
TI  - Osteochondritis dissecans of the head of the second metacarpal bone.

PMID- 1430943
TI  - A solitary osteochondroma of the capitate bone: a case report.

PMID- 1430944
TI  - Bilateral intraosseous ganglia of the lunate: a case report.
AB  - A rare case of bilateral intraosseous ganglia of the lunate is reported. The
      patient had had 7 months of pain in both wrists and a cystic lesion in both
      lunates. Curettage and bone grafting resulted in complete relief of pain.

PMID- 1430945
TI  - Avascular necrosis of the hamate: a case report with reference to the hamate
      blood supply.
AB  - Avascular necrosis of the hamate bone has not previously been reported. In this
      case the proximal fragment of the fractured hamate underwent avascular necrosis
      and prolonged healing. In an attempt to explain this sequela, angiography of the
      cadaver carpus followed by dissection of intact wrists and a study of enzyme
      cleaned hamates showed that their wedge-shaped proximal segments were mostly
      enveloped by a distal extension of the midcarpal joint cavity and thus totally
      dependent on intraosseous nutrition. Consequently, the segment is at risk when a
      fracture line transects the body proximal to the base of the wedge. Clinically,
      this condition resulted in persistent discomfort and limitations of motion. A
      postinjury bone scan of the wrist indicated avascular changes in the proximal
      third of the hamate, and a delayed union was followed by later revascularization
      and a more normal scan image.

PMID- 1430946
TI  - Avascular necrosis of the capitate: a case report.

PMID- 1430947
TI  - Metastatic basal cell carcinoma of the upper extremity.

PMID- 1430948
TI  - Parosteal lipoma of the proximal radius: a report of five cases.
AB  - Parosteal lipoma of the proximal radius is a benign, slow-growing tumor. It may
      cause compression of either the posterior interosseous or the superficial branch
      of the radial nerve. Surgical excision usually leads to complete recovery. Five
      cases of parosteal lipoma of the proximal radius are presented. X-ray films
      demonstrated a radiolucent mass in contact with the radius. Two patients had
      signs of posterior interosseous nerve compression, and two showed signs of
      superficial radial nerve compression. In one case the lipoma surrounded an
      exostosis arising from the proximal radius. The tumors were excised in four
      patients. The three patients with neurologic involvement recovered fully. One
      patient refused surgery, and posterior interosseous nerve paralysis developed.

PMID- 1430949
TI  - Efficacy of immobilization following aspiration of carpal and digital ganglions.
AB  - In a prospective study 69 carpal and digital ganglions were aspirated, multiply
      punctured, and digitally ruptured. Fifty percent of the wrists and digits were
      immobilized for 3 weeks and 50% were mobilized early. Follow-up was 1 year.
      Immobilization in our study did not significantly improve the results of
      treatment. During the course of the study, 51% of all ganglions did not recur.
      The outcome was successful in 52% of the wrists and digits that were immobilized
      and in 50% of those that were not. Forty-six percent of the dorsal carpal
      ganglions did not recur. Treatment was successful in 48% of dorsal carpal
      ganglions in which the wrists were immobilized and in 45% of those that were not.
      Similar percentages were found for palmar and digital ganglions. From our
      results, we conclude that immobilization does not significantly improve the
      successful treatment of ganglions over perforation and aspiration alone.

PMID- 1430950
TI  - The effect of elbow flexion and time of assessment on the measurement of grip
      strength in rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - Grip strength is one of the traditional outcome measures commonly used in
      rheumatoid arthritis trials. This study evaluated the degree of morning variation
      and the effect of elbow flexion in the assessment of grip strength in patients
      with rheumatoid arthritis. Grip strength was measured in 37 patients (1987
      American Rheumatism Association criteria) at 8, 10, and 12 AM with a
      sphygmomanometer cuff folded on itself, taped permanently, and inflated to 20 mm
      Hg, with the elbow flexed at 90 degrees. At 10 AM grip strength was also measured
      with the elbow flexed at 30 and 130 degrees. Mean values for grip strength at 8,
      10, and 12 AM were, respectively, 69, 79, and 83 mm Hg. Mean grip strength values
      with the elbow flexed at 30, 90, and 130 degrees were, respectively, 78, 79, and
      75 mm Hg. There was a statistically significant correlation between grip strength
      and morning stiffness, grip strength and hand function, and grip strength and
      number of active joints. In rheumatoid arthritis trials, grip strength should be
      assessed at the same time of the day. Elbow flexion does not play a role in grip
      strength measurement.

PMID- 1430951
TI  - Limited arthrodesis for the rheumatoid wrist.
AB  - Limited arthrodesis of the proximal carpal row to the radius, synovectomy of the
      extensor tendons and the wrist joint, and a Darrach procedure were carried out in
      25 unstable painful rheumatoid wrists that had ulnar shift and/or palmar
      subluxation of the carpus. The average follow-up period after the operation was 3
      years. Satisfactory results were obtained with relief of pain, improved forearm
      rotation, and increased grip strength. The average degree of extension and
      flexion was reduced, respectively, 70% and 54% at follow-up compared with the
      preoperative range. Postoperative x-ray films showed deterioration in the
      lunocapitate joint in 12 wrists; however, the wrists remained stable and
      painless.

PMID- 1430952
TI  - Rheumatoid wrists treated with synovectomy of the extensor tendons and the wrist
      joint combined with a Darrach procedure.
AB  - Forty-three rheumatoid wrists in 43 patients with bilateral wrist involvement
      were treated with synovectomy of the extensor tendons and wrist joint combined
      with a Darrach procedure in the period from 1966 to 1986. Clinical and radiologic
      assessment of the wrists was carried out after an average follow-up period of 11
      years, with comparison of the treated and the opposite untreated wrists. The
      authors confirmed what others have concluded regarding the operation: pain was
      generally decreased, forearm rotation increased, and wrist extension and palmar
      flexion changed little. Radiologically, carpal collapse and palmar carpal
      subluxation progressed nearly parallel to the opposite wrists, but ulnar carpal
      shift was much greater in the surgically treated wrists. Therefore it is
      suggested that some measure to prevent ulnar carpal shift, such as Clayton's
      tendon transfer or radiolunate arthrodesis, should be included in this operation.

PMID- 1430953
TI  - Biomechanical characteristics of extensor tendon suture techniques.
AB  - Despite their ease of exposure, extensor tendons can be difficult to handle and
      suture well. Compared with flexor repair, little is known about the various
      factors that affect the suturing of extensor tendons. The present study was
      designed to investigate several biomechanical parameters involved in extensor
      repair. All techniques studied shortened the tendon considerably and produced
      significant losses of flexion at the metacarpophalangeal and proximal
      interphalangeal joints. In addition, repairs achieved with all suture techniques
      were considerably weaker than those achieved when comparable techniques were used
      on flexor tendons. However, the Kleinert modification of the Bunnell technique
      provided the strongest sutures in extensor tendons, produced no gapping, caused
      the least worrisome loss of metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal
      flexion, and best approximated the results found in an idealized tendon
      shortening model.

PMID- 1430954
TI  - Tendon graft donor sites.
AB  - Each of 480 extremities from 120 cadavers was dissected. Particular attention was
      given to potential donors for tendon grafts. Both the palmaris longus and the
      extensor digiti minimi had an average length of 16 cm and an average width of 3
      mm. The extensor indicis tendon averaged 13 cm in length and 3 mm in width. The
      plantaris and second toe extensors averaged 35 cm in length and 2 to 2.5 mm in
      width. None of these measurements correlated well with age, sex, or hand or foot
      size. There was, however, a high correlation between right- and left-side
      measurements in each specimen, in spite of some degree of anatomic variation for
      all the tendons studied. The palmaris longus was missing in 25% of the upper
      extremities, and the plantaris in 19% of the lower extremities dissected.

PMID- 1430955
TI  - The correlation between controlled range of motion with dynamic traction and
      results after flexor tendon repair in zone II.
AB  - This prospective study investigated the extent to which the range of
      interphalangeal joint motion during early mobilization with dynamic traction
      influences the results after flexor tendon repair in zone II. The controlled
      interphalangeal joint range of motion within the splint was measured 3 weeks
      postoperatively in 51 digits (48 patients). The active range of motion was
      measured 4 weeks, 6 weeks, and 1 year postoperatively. Linear regression analysis
      showed that controlled interphalangeal range of motion had a significant effect
      on both early and late results. The results provide, for the first time, firm
      clinical evidence to support the rationale for early mobilization programs
      designed to maximize controlled interphalangeal joint range of motion.

PMID- 1430956
TI  - Distal interphalangeal joint arthrodesis: an analysis of complications.
AB  - One hundred thirty-nine patients underwent 181 arthrodeses of finger distal
      interphalangeal joints (144) and/or thumb interphalangeal joints (37). Techniques
      included (1) crossed Kirschner pins (111 joints), (2) interfragmentary wire and
      longitudinal Kirschner pin (43 joints), and (3) Herbert screw (27 joints). Each
      technique had a similar nonunion rate. There were 21 nonunions: 13 were pain
      free, 6 were successfully fused on the second attempt, 1 was painful (but the
      patient refused further surgery), and 1 was amputated. Inadequate bone stock,
      inadequate bone resection, premature pin removal, and infection appear to
      complicate the attainment of bony union. Twenty percent of the fusions had major
      complications (nonunion, malunion, deep infection, and osteomyelitis). Minor
      complications (dorsal skin necrosis, cold intolerance, proximal interphalangeal
      joint stiffness, paresthesias, superficial wound infection, and prominent
      hardware) occurred in 16% of the joints fused.

PMID- 1430957
TI  - Irreducible open dislocation of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the small
      finger.

PMID- 1430958
TI  - Intra-articular corticosteroid reduces joint stiffness after an experimental
      periarticular fracture.
AB  - Early care after surgery or trauma to the extremities often includes a period of
      immobilization. The resultant joint stiffness may require extensive
      rehabilitation and may permanently limit function of the limb. Posttraumatic
      joint stiffness is particularly vexing in the small joints. In an experimental
      model, we tested the effects of intra-articular corticosteroid injections on
      stiffness in a joint at risk of posttraumatic joint stiffness. Triamcinolone was
      injected into ankle joints of rabbits after distal tibial fractures. Three weeks
      after injury, joint stiffness increased 34% in ankles injected with the steroid.
      Stiffness in ankles injected with saline solution and in ankles treated with no
      injection increased 133% and 224%, respectively. Limb swelling and tibial
      torsional strength to failure were not significantly affected by either of the
      treatments.

PMID- 1430959
TI  - Severe contractures of the proximal interphalangeal joint in Dupuytren's disease:
      results of a prospective trial of operative correction and dynamic extension
      splinting.
AB  - In a prospective study, 23 proximal interphalangeal joints that were severely
      contracted (> or = 45 degrees) as a result of Dupuytren's disease underwent
      operative correction and 6 months of dynamic extension splinting. Proximal
      interphalangeal joint extension was measured preoperatively and postoperatively
      at 3-month intervals for 1 year and at 6-month intervals thereafter. Mean follow
      up was 2 years (minimum, 1 year). Overall, at 2 years, 44% improvement in
      proximal interphalangeal joint extension was noted. Mean improvement of 59% in
      proximal interphalangeal joint extension was noted in patients who complied with
      the postoperative dynamic extension splinting program. Patients who were
      noncomplaint demonstrated a 25% improvement in proximal interphalangeal joint
      extension. The difference in values between patients who were compliant and those
      who were not was statistically significant. Other factors--severity of
      contracture, digit involved, and the necessity for capsular release--were not
      significantly related to outcome. This study suggests that soft tissue responds
      to continuous dynamic extension stresses and can be remodeled over time.

PMID- 1430961
TI  - A technique for planning skin flaps in the hand.

PMID- 1430960
TI  - A safe, reliable method of carpal tunnel injection.
AB  - The injection of steroid preparations into the carpal canal is a recognized
      practice in the management of carpal tunnel syndrome. This procedure is
      associated with a risk of temporary or permanent damage to the median nerve. We
      present a new method of carpal tunnel injection based on anatomic dissections. We
      have used this technique successfully for more than 10 years, and there have been
      no cases of median nerve injury.

PMID- 1430962
TI  - Occupational disorders--the disease of the 1990s.

PMID- 1430963
TI  - Thoughts on the technique of carpal tunnel release.

PMID- 1430964
TI  - Endoscopic release of the carpal tunnel: a randomized prospective multicenter
      study.
AB  - A 10-center randomized prospective multicenter study of endoscopic release of the
      carpal tunnel was carried out. Surgery was performed with a new device for
      transecting the transverse carpal ligament while control hands were treated with
      conventional open surgery. There were 122 patients in the study; 25 had carpal
      tunnel surgery on both hands and 97 had surgery on one hand. Of the surgical
      procedures, 65 were in the control group and 82 were in the device group. The
      endoscopic device was coupled to a fiberoptic light and a video camera. A trigger
      activated blade was used to incise the transverse carpal ligament. After surgery,
      the best predictors of return to work and to activities of daily living were
      strength and tenderness variables. For patients in the device group with one
      affected hand, the median time for return to work was 21 1/2 days less than that
      for the control group. Two patients treated with the endoscopic device required
      reoperation by open surgical decompression; only one of these had incomplete
      release with the device. Two patients in the device group experienced transient
      ulnar neurapraxia.

PMID- 1430965
TI  - Endoscopic carpal tunnel release: an anatomic study of the two-incision method in
      human cadavers.
AB  - To determine the relationship of neurovascular structures to the sites of portal
      placement and transverse carpal ligament division during two-portal endoscopic
      carpal tunnel release, a study of 20 fresh cadaver specimens was carried out.
      Open dissection of the carpal tunnel after endoscopic surgery showed complete
      ligamentous release in 18 hands (90%). In 10 specimens, the procedure was
      performed as described by Chow. There was one partial transection of the
      superficial palmar arch (5%), and five specimens (50%) had complete divisions of
      the superficial palmar fascia with considerable pressure placed on the ulnar
      nerve at the wrist. A modified technique was used in 10 specimens in which the
      proximal incision was made in a more distal location and a distally based
      ligamentous flap was created. The superficial palmar arch and the distal edge of
      the transverse carpal ligament were visualized directly before passage of the
      trocar. No complications were noted with this method.

PMID- 1430966
TI  - Perfusion studies in cholera: methods and procedures.
AB  - This paper reviews the characteristics of perfusion techniques in the study of
      intestinal functions by specifically examining the methods and procedures of
      perfusion in patients with diarrhoea due to infection with V. cholerae 01.
      Because of abundant jejunal secretion of water and electrolytes in cholera,
      perfusion studies require special approaches with regard to patient preparation,
      use of tubing material, selection of markers, and rate of perfusion. A discussion
      on specific problems involved in marker perfusion techniques in cholera and on
      the interpretation of the results is followed by practical recommendations.

PMID- 1430967
TI  - Regulation of the SLT-1A toxin operon by a ferric uptake regulatory protein in
      toxinogenic strains of Shigella dysenteriae type 1.
AB  - The regulation of Shiga toxin expression in a clinical isolate of S. dysenteriae
      1 by the Fe-Fur (Iron-ferric uptake regulatory protein) repressor complex was
      investigated. The presence of an endogenous Fur repressor protein capable of
      binding to either a Fur binding consensus sequence or the regulatory region of
      SLT-1A was determined in toxinogenic strains of S. dysenteriae. Plasmid
      constructs bearing Fur binding sites fused to readily assayable reporter genes
      were used. Plasmid pSC27.1 contains a 21 bp synthetic oligonucleotide Fur protein
      binding consensus sequence located upstream to the gene for beta-galactosidase.
      Plasmid pSC105 contains the regulatory sequences of Shiga-like toxin-1A located
      upstream to the gene for alkaline phosphatase. In an analogous fashion to Shiga
      toxin regulation in S. dysenteriae 1, transformants bearing either pSC27.1 or
      pSC105 plasmid DNA were repressed in gene product expression when grown in
      minimal medium supplemented with iron. Conversely, transformants were de
      repressed when grown under iron limiting conditions. These data suggest the
      presence of Fe-Fur mediated regulation of toxinogenesis in clinical isolates of
      S. dysenteriae.

PMID- 1430968
TI  - Efficacy of norfloxacin for shigellosis: a double-blind randomised clinical
      trial.
AB  - In a double-blind, randomised, clinical trial on 122 adults with acute Shigella
      dysentery, 60 patients were treated with norfloxacin and 62 with nalidixic acid.
      Of these, 32 patients in the norfloxacin group and 28 patients in the nalidixic
      acid group had Shigella in their stool. Patients of the two treatment groups were
      clinically comparable on admission. No significant differences in clinical
      responses were observed in the two groups among the Shigella-positive cases,
      Shigella-negative cases and among the total cases. All isolates of Shigella were
      susceptible to norfloxacin, whereas 13.8% of the strains were resistant to
      nalidixic acid.

PMID- 1430969
TI  - Detection of specific anti-Giardia antibodies in the serodiagnosis of symptomatic
      giardiasis.
AB  - The roles of circulating anti-Giardia IgM and IgG antibodies were assayed by the
      Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using axenic Giardia lamblia whole
      trophozoites as antigen for routine serodiagnosis of Giardia infection. Detection
      of anti-Giardia IgM antibody was found to be useful in the early detection of
      symptomatic giardiasis, whereas IgG detection was not, since the latter could not
      discriminate between present infection and previous exposure. A mean optical
      density (OD) +/- 2 standard deviation (SD) value of 0.088 at 1:100 serum dilution
      was found optimal for the detection of anti-Giardia IgM antibodies as it
      completely separated out the acute Giardia cases from the Giardia-free controls.
      The same sera did not reveal any marked differences when tested for anti-Giardia
      IgG antibodies. Detection of IgM antibodies correlated with high sensitivity and
      specificity (96%) in an evaluation of a large number of sera collected from
      Giardia cases and controls.

PMID- 1430970
TI  - Antimicrobial susceptibility of Clostridium difficile strains isolated from
      hospitalised patients with acute diarrhoea.
AB  - The susceptibility of 43 Clostridium difficile strains to twelve antimicrobials
      was tested in vitro by agar dilution. All of the 43 strains were inhibited by low
      concentrations of metronidazole, penicillin G, tetracycline and ampicillin. The
      strains were highly resistant to gentamycin, trimethoprim, sulphamethoxazole,
      nalidixic acid, cycloserine, cefotaxime and uniformly sensitive to metronidazole
      and penicillin G whereas the activity of other antimicrobials are variable.

PMID- 1430971
TI  - Failure to isolate Yersinia enterocolitica from patients with diarrhoea in
      Singapore.
AB  - To determine the presence of Yersinia enterocolitica in Singapore, an attempt was
      made to isolate this organism from the stool samples of 6,619 patients with
      diarrhoea. No Y. enterocolitica was detected. The results suggest that Y.
      enterocolitica is not an important bacterial pathogen causing diarrhoeal disease
      in this region.

PMID- 1430972
TI  - Acute secretory travellers' diarrhoea caused by Vibrio cholerae non-01 which does
      not produce cholera-like or heat-stable enterotoxins.
AB  - An Australian tourist suffering from severe acute watery diarrhoea and
      dehydration due to Vibrio cholerae non-01 was studied. The V. cholerae strain
      isolated from the patient belonged to serovar 05. The organism did not produce
      any of the conventional enterotoxins including cholera-toxin (CT) or heat-stable
      toxins (NAG-ST) that are known to be associated with intestinal secretion. This
      report suggests that toxin(s) other than CT-like or NAG-ST may be involved in the
      pathogenesis of diarrhoea by some V. cholerae non-01 strains.

PMID- 1430973
TI  - A 1-year old girl with severe malnutrition, bloody-mucoid diarrhoea and fever.

PMID- 1430974
TI  - Bibliography on diarrhoeal diseases.

PMID- 1430975
TI  - Peer review organization payment denials: comparative analysis of emergency
      department and non-emergency-department admissions.
AB  - The Health Care Financing Administration has contracted with regional peer review
      organizations to review Medicare admissions and to deny payment for hospital
      admissions that fail to meet peer review organization criteria. The purpose of
      this study was to compare emergency department admissions with non-emergency
      department admissions with respect to rates of peer review organization denial
      and the reasons for those denials. All hospital Medicare admissions between
      January 1984 and April 1987 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were excluded
      if they received peer review organization pre-authorization prior to admission.
      The rest were classified by 1) source of admission (emergency department or non
      emergency department), 2) peer review organization decision, 3) reason for peer
      review organization denial, 4) whether the denial was appealed, 5) the results of
      appeal. Chi-square or Fisher's Exact Test analysis was performed, and P less than
      0.05 was considered to be significant. During the 40-month study period, there
      were 19,847 emergency department Medicare admissions and 19,752 non-emergency
      department Medicare admissions. Of the non-emergency-department admissions, 7887
      received pre-authorization. None of the emergency department admissions received
      pre-authorization. Of the 19,847 emergency department admissions, 433 (2.23%)
      were denied. Of these denials, 269 (60.7%) were appealed by the hospital; 136
      (50.5%) successfully. Of the 11,865 non-emergency department, non-pre-authorized
      admissions, 333 (2.81%) were denied. Of these denials, 174 (52.2%) were appealed,
      76 (43.6%) successfully. Overall, emergency department admissions were
      significantly less likely to receive peer review organization denial than non
      emergency-department, non-pre-authorized admissions (P less than 0.003).(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1430976
TI  - Respiratory rates in pediatric emergency patients.
AB  - Respiratory rates are routinely measured in pediatric emergency patients. The
      normal range has not been established, and commonly reported ranges seem lower
      than those encountered in clinical practice. This prospective study selected
      subjects from pediatric patients presenting for care to a suburban emergency
      department. All respiratory rates were measured for one full minute. Patients
      with complaints related to the cardiopulmonary system or with an elevated
      temperature were excluded. A total of 434 patients were entered into the study
      over a 3-month period of time. Ages ranged from 2 weeks to 18 years. Respiratory
      rates ranged from a high of 65 breaths/min in a 4-month-old to a low of 12
      breaths/min in a 14-year-old. Respiratory rate was inversely related to age, and
      there was a broad range in every age group. Our study shows that a normal
      respiratory rate is inversely related to age and is higher than noted in
      previously published studies. The wide range of "normal" pediatric respiratory
      rates makes identification of "abnormal" more difficult.

PMID- 1430977
TI  - Pain comparison of unbuffered versus buffered lidocaine in local wound
      infiltration.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to compare the pain of infiltration between
      unbuffered lidocaine and buffered lidocaine in a traumatic laceration. Solutions
      of unbuffered 1% lidocaine and buffered 1% lidocaine were randomly assigned to
      Site I or Site II of a single laceration for each subject, with the patient
      serving as self-control. Pain scores were recorded for each site, and an
      anesthetic preference was determined for each patient. It was found that buffered
      lidocaine had a preference ratio of 3.0 over unbuffered lidocaine (95% confidence
      interval, 1.86 to 4.84; P less than 0.0001). It was also found that Site I was
      preferred more often than Site II regardless of which medication was used. The
      conclusion is that buffered lidocaine is preferred over unbuffered lidocaine and
      that the order of injection is an important factor in trials that involve
      multiple sequential injections in the same patient.

PMID- 1430978
TI  - Insertion forces and risk of complications during cricothyroid cannulation.
AB  - Our purpose was to determine the forces required to insert several different
      styles of cricothyroid cannulas and to relate the magnitude of these forces and
      cannula design features to the incidence of complications during insertion. Tests
      were done on unembalmed cadavers and anesthetized dogs. Samples of 4 different
      commercial cricothyroid cannulas were tested. Each cannula type was tested in 5
      different cadavers and 10 different dogs. A lubricant was applied to the cannulas
      in half of the dogs tested. Major findings are 1) there is a linear correlation
      between insertion force and device diameter, 2) higher puncture force is
      associated with a greater incidence of complications, 3) posterior wall
      penetration occurs more frequently with a curved penetrating device, 4) using
      small pilot needles to guide insertion of large cannulas minimizes complications,
      and 5) lubricant is less effective for cannulas having abrupt diameter changes.
      These findings provide guidelines for design of safer cricothyroid cannulas.

PMID- 1430979
TI  - Accidental hypothermia with cardiac arrest: recovery following rewarming by
      cardiopulmonary bypass.
AB  - A 22-year-old man eventually had a good neurologic recovery following prolonged
      coma after extracorporeal rewarming from profound hypothermia (24 degrees C) due
      to exposure. The patient was in full arrest for 60 minutes prior to institution
      of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Total bypass time was 50 minutes.
      Cardiopulmonary bypass is the current rewarming method of choice for severe
      hypothermia associated with a persistent nonperfusing cardiac rhythm. CPB
      provides the most rapid core rewarming with the additional benefit of circulatory
      support during the period of cardiac instability.

PMID- 1430980
TI  - Xiphodynia: a report of three cases.
AB  - Xiphodynia is an uncommon musculoskeletal disorder that mimics a number of common
      abdominal and thoracic diseases. We report three cases of xiphodynia. The
      diagnosis is suggested when a given patient's chest or abdominal discomfort is
      completely or almost completely reproduced with light pressure on the xiphoid
      process. Local injection with an anesthetic-steroid combination is frequently
      curative. No more than 5 to 7 mL of solution should be injected, and results are
      variable when several trigger points are found on the anterior chest wall. Tack
      hammer deformity of the xiphoid, another cause of xiphoid pain, has been
      successfully treated with surgical excision.

PMID- 1430982
TI  - The sepsis workup for the febrile child.
AB  - The sick infant or toddler who presents with a high fever or suspected sepsis
      must have all possible sources for bacterial infection excluded by clinical
      evaluation or laboratory studies as quickly and safely as possible. The process
      is frightening and often painful for the child. The process can be difficult for
      the physician because of the smallness of anatomic structures in children and the
      infrequent performance of pediatric procedures by many emergency physicians. This
      article uses a case report to illustrate features of the sepsis workup. Methods
      and sites that have been used with the most frequent success are described and
      alternatives and pitfalls are listed.

PMID- 1430981
TI  - Wooden transnasal intracranial penetration: an unusual presentation.
AB  - A 2 1/2-year-old child presented to the emergency department with a wooden stick
      lodged firmly in her right nares. No nasal discharge or neurological
      abnormalities were noted at presentation. After plain radiographs failed to
      demonstrate any evidence of a foreign body, computed tomography (CT scan) was
      obtained that revealed a hypodense region in the right frontal lobe corresponding
      to the projected tract of the branch. The patient underwent a right frontal
      craniotomy with debridement of her contused right frontal lobe. She was
      discharged 8 days postoperatively without evidence of neurologic sequelae. This
      case illustrates an unusual presentation of intracranial penetration, with only
      six similar cases found in the literature. It also highlights the need for the
      emergency physician to be concerned about intracranial penetration when treating
      intranasal foreign bodies, particularly those of the nonmetallic type. The
      literature is reviewed regarding transnasal intracranial penetration by wooden
      foreign bodies.

PMID- 1430983
TI  - The diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in the emergency department; Part 1.
AB  - Despite major advances in treatment, the accurate diagnosis of acute myocardial
      infarction (AMI) in the emergency department (ED) remains a difficult clinical
      problem and is still mainly based on the history and interpretation of the
      electrocardiogram. Although the physician's clinical impression is a highly
      sensitive indicator for AMI, at least 4% of patients presenting to the ED with
      AMI may be mistakenly sent home. Although chest pain is the most common chief
      complaint, the clinical presentation can be extremely variable, particularly in
      the elderly. Complaints of sharp chest pain or chest wall tenderness should not
      be relied upon to exclude AMI. Radiation of chest pain is an important symptom.
      With careful analysis, the electrocardiogram may yield a higher diagnostic
      sensitivity than is commonly accepted.

PMID- 1430984
TI  - A disposable emergency wound treatment kit.
AB  - Biomechanical studies in our laboratory have provided a scientific basis for
      selecting surgical gloves and instruments, drugs, and dressings for traumatic
      wound treatment. This armamentarium has been incorporated into a disposable
      emergency wound treatment kit for use in the emergency department. Its upper tray
      is for wound cleansing, while its lower tray is used for wound closure. A
      clinical evaluation of the kit by emergency physicians was very favorable because
      it saved time, eliminating the need to search for and assemble the gloves,
      instruments, drugs, and dressings for wound treatment.

PMID- 1430985
TI  - Technical considerations in manual and instrument tying techniques.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to relate the two-hand (manual) and instrument tie
      techniques with the ultimate security of granny and square knots constructed in
      multifilament and monofilament nylon sutures. Instrument-tie technique
      constructed secure granny and square knots, which failed by breakage rather than
      slippage. Similarly, two-hand (manual) tie techniques constructed square knots,
      which achieved knot security, failing only by breakage. In contrast, knot
      security was not reliably achieved with granny knots constructed by the two-hand
      (manual) tie techniques, with the knots frequently failing by slippage.

PMID- 1430986
TI  - LSD overdose in an eight-month-old boy.

PMID- 1430987
TI  - A perspective on emergency medicine in the developing world.
AB  - The author spent 6 months as director of a major university hospital accident and
      emergency department in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A brief summary of this
      experience is provided, followed by a series of recommendations based on the
      experience that may provide some guidance in future efforts to establish
      emergency medicine in developing areas of the world.

PMID- 1430988
TI  - The emperor's new airway.

PMID- 1430989
TI  - Blood ethanol clearance rates.

PMID- 1430990
TI  - The English system.

PMID- 1430991
TI  - The reversal of the ischemic effects of epinephrine on a finger with local
      injections of phentolamine.

PMID- 1430992
TI  - Review of medical negligence cases: an essential part of residency programs.
AB  - Residency programs routinely review cases involving "morbidity and mortality." It
      would be a valuable experience to similarly review medical malpractice cases and
      the associated testimony by medical experts. When available, the cases reviewed
      in residency programs would be those in which faculty members at the same
      institution had testified. The faculty member in such cases would be intimately
      familiar with the case and able to share the knowledge necessary to take part in
      the legal process. This case review process would expose residents to the legal
      realities of medical practice, provide a forum for peer review of legal testimony
      by experts, and show residents how to participate in the legal system should the
      need arise.

PMID- 1430993
TI  - Objectives to direct the training of emergency medicine residents on off-service
      rotations; radiologic imaging 1: Plain films.
AB  - Interpretation of radiologic images is an essential skill for the emergency
      physician. This is the first of two sets of objectives for an off-service
      rotation in radiology. It covers the interpretation of plain films. The second
      series will address commonly used, but more sophisticated, imaging modalities
      including the use of contrast materials, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, computed
      tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. This set of objectives may be used to
      guide a one-month radiology rotation or serve as part of a teaching program
      integrated with didactic training and emergency department experience.

PMID- 1430994
TI  - Emergency department discharges against medical advice.
AB  - A retrospective chart review was performed on 52 consecutive discharges against
      medical advice (AMA) from an emergency department. The study's objective was to
      assess documentation of the medical record as well as the patients' perceptions
      of their experience. Sixty-seven percent of the charts reflected the competence
      of the patient. The physicians documented that the patients understood their
      diagnosis (36%), proposed treatment (44%), alternative therapy (2%), and the
      clinical consequences of refusal (57%). The discharge instructions included a
      referral to a physician 62% of the time. A post-visit survey contacting 46% of
      the group revealed that 82% of these respondents left because they didn't agree
      with the physician's management plan, although 70% of the patients were either
      "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with their interaction with the physician. These
      results suggest that more attention and better documentation needs to be directed
      to the patient who is leaving the emergency department against medical advice.

PMID- 1430996
TI  - Tuberculin skin testing of hospital employees during an outbreak of multidrug
      resistant tuberculosis in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients.

PMID- 1430995
TI  - A rose by any other name.

PMID- 1430997
TI  - Reduction of C difficile-associated diarrhea.

PMID- 1430998
TI  - Nosocomial pneumonia.

PMID- 1430999
TI  - A study of the etiologies and treatment of nosocomial pneumonia in a community
      based teaching hospital.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the frequency of the pathogens of nosocomial pneumonia in a
      community-based teaching hospital to the frequencies previously published, and to
      evaluate recommendations for the therapy of nosocomial pneumonia in this setting.
      DESIGN: Retrospective review of prospectively acquired data accrued during 9
      randomized single-blinded and 4 single-agent investigational antibiotic studies
      for the therapy of pneumonia in hospitalized patients between 1981 and 1989.
      SETTING: The study was performed at a university affiliated, community-based
      teaching Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. PATIENTS: Patients were
      hospitalized on the acute medical/surgical and intermediate medicine wards.
      Informed consent was obtained prior to enrolling patients into the respective
      antimicrobial studies. Pneumonia was documented radiographically and clinically
      for each patient. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-one episodes of nosocomial
      pneumonia were treated. Overall, 51% of pneumonias were caused by Streptococcus
      pneumoniae or Hemophilus influenzae with or without other organisms that were not
      gram-negative bacilli. Gram-negative bacilli, with or without other organisms,
      accounted for only 26% of all nosocomial pneumonias. Overall, monotherapy with a
      cephalosporin (usually a broad-spectrum agent) was equally efficacious compared
      with combination therapy (87% versus 81%, respectively). Cure rates for
      nosocomial pneumonias from gram-negative bacilli treated with these 2 therapies
      also were similar (70% versus 60%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In nontertiary
      care settings, gram-negative bacilli may cause fewer episodes of nosocomial
      pneumonia (26% in this study) than noted by previously published reports, which
      indicated that these organisms account for 50% of nosocomial pneumonias. Further,
      S pneumoniae and H influenzae may account etiologically for many of these
      nosocomial pneumonias. Monotherapy with an extended-spectrum cephalosporin may be
      more appropriate than combined treatment with a beta-lactam and an aminoglycoside
      in a nontertiary care setting, thereby reducing potential toxicity in an older,
      hospitalized patient population.

PMID- 1431000
TI  - Outbreak of surgical wound infections associated with total hip arthroplasty.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: Describe an outbreak of surgical wound infections associated with
      total hip arthroplasty; identify risk factors for surgical wound infection during
      the pre-outbreak and outbreak periods. SETTING: A 100-bed hospital. From May 1 to
      September 30, 1988, 7 of 15 patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty
      developed surgical wound infections from Staphylococcus aureus (5), Enterobacter
      cloacae (1), beta-hemolytic streptococci (1), enterococci (1), coagulase-negative
      staphylococci (1), and Escherichia coli (1) (attack rate = 46.7%). DESIGN:
      Retrospective cohort studies comparing surgical wound infection rates by patient-
      and procedure-related risk factors during the pre-outbreak and outbreak periods
      were conducted. Drop plate quantitative air culturing was conducted in 10
      consecutive total hip arthroplasties in the subsequent 6 months. RESULTS: Rates
      of surgical wound infection were surgically higher for arthroplasties in which no
      intraoperative prophylactic antimicrobials were given (44% versus 8%, relative
      risk [RR] = 5.4, p = .01), or in which the posterior approach (20% versus 3%, RR
      = 6.7, p = .04) or a specific prosthesis (39% versus 5%, RR = 6.3, p = 0.01) was
      used. The surgical wound infection rate was highest when one circulating nurse,
      Nurse A, assisted (47% versus 4%, RR = 12.8, p less than .001). Logistic
      regression analysis identified use of the posterior approach (RR = 1.8, p = .04)
      and Nurse A's participation (RR = 5.0, p less than .001) as independent risk
      factors for surgical wound infection. Interviews of the nursing supervisor
      indicated that Nurse A had recurrent dermatitis on her hands. During 6 months
      following Nurse A's reassignment, the rate declined significantly (from 7/15 to
      0/10, p = .01). Drop plate culturing yielded 2 to 10 colonies per plate of
      organisms that did not match outbreak organisms. CONCLUSIONS: Outbreaks
      associated with personnel generally involve only 1 species. In this outbreak,
      Nurse A (possibly because of her dermatitis), technique, the posterior approach,
      and/or other undetermined factors were the primary predictors of surgical wound
      infection.

PMID- 1431001
TI  - Infections and infection risks in home care settings.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To describe the characteristics of home healthcare clients with
      respect to infection risks and the presence of infections. DESIGN: Descriptive
      survey of client charts using a point prevalence design. SETTING: A private San
      Francisco, California, Bay area home care agency. PARTICIPANTS: A random sample
      of 175 clients (28%) was taken from the active client list for a single day;
      demographic data and clinical data from the last visit prior to the selection day
      were collected from each chart. RESULTS: The clients were predominantly elderly
      (mean = 68.6) with an average of 3.6 co-morbid conditions; 12% had an invasive
      device. Over 20% had an infection on the day surveyed. Five percent had an
      infection that occurred during home care delivery. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial
      proportion of home health clients have infections, and they represent persons
      with a number of the risks associated with infections. Guidelines for defining
      and monitoring infections in home care need to be developed. Hospital-based
      surveillance methods are not altogether appropriate in this setting; redesigning
      methods such as targeted surveillance, monitoring rehospitalization, or
      immunization practices are discussed as potential ways to measure quality of care
      in the home setting.

PMID- 1431003
TI  - An epidemiologic approach to quality improvement, quality assurance, and clinical
      research.

PMID- 1431002
TI  - Needlestick injury in hospital personnel: a multicenter survey from central
      Italy. The Latium Hepatitis B Prevention Group.
AB  - OBJECTIVES: To assess the rate of needlestick injury in hospital personnel in an
      Italian region. To identify risk factors potentially amendable to correction.
      DESIGN: Hospital workers undergoing hepatitis B prevaccination testing in 1985
      through 1986 were interviewed regarding needlestick injury in the previous year,
      job category, area of work, years of employment, and other pertinent information.
      SETTING: Of the 98 public hospitals of the Latium region, 68 participated in the
      survey: 32 of 55 with less than 200 beds, 20 of 25 with 200 to 300 beds, 11 of 13
      with 400 to 900 beds, and all of the 5 with more than 1,000 beds. PARTICIPANTS:
      All healthcare workers providing direct patient care or environmental services as
      well as student nurses were invited by the hospital directors to undergo
      hepatitis B prevaccination testing and vaccination, if eligible. RESULTS: Of
      30,226 hospital workers of the 68 participating hospitals, 20,055 were
      interviewed (66.3%): 47.7% of the 7,172 doctors, 71% of the 14,157 nurses, 55.9%
      of the 2,513 technicians, and 71.9% of the 6,384 ancillary workers. Needlestick
      injury was recalled by 29.3%; the rates were 54.9%, 35.3%, 33.8%, 26.5%, 18.7%,
      and 14.7% in surgeons, registered and unskilled nurses, physicians, ancillary
      workers, and technicians, respectively. The recalled injury rate was 39.7% and
      34.0% in surgical and intensive care areas; in infectious diseases, it was 16.7%.
      Rates were lower in hospitals with 200 to 300 beds (25.6%). The needlestick
      injury rate declined from 32% in those with less than 5 years of employment to
      28% in those with more than 20 years (p less than .01). Prevalence of HBV
      infection was higher in student nurses and young workers recalling a needlestick
      exposure (14.3% and 15.8%, respectively), versus 10.1% and 12.8% in those not
      exposed (p less than .01 and less than .05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS:
      Parenteral exposure to blood-borne infectious agents is a relevant risk among
      healthcare workers in our region, particularly in defined job categories and
      hospital areas (surgeons, nurses, surgical, and intensive care areas).
      Immunization and educational efforts should be made along with better designs of
      devices to reduce the risk of infection.

PMID- 1431004
TI  - The merits of confidence intervals relative to hypothesis testing.

PMID- 1431005
TI  - Persistent, unusual gram-negative bacteremia associated with arterial pressure
      monitoring in a pediatric intensive care unit.

PMID- 1431006
TI  - Introductory comments: a brief history of the development of paroxetine.
AB  - In the late 1960s research was begun to develop antidepressant agents that would
      be selective inhibitors of serotonin reuptake. The antidepressants then
      available, the tricyclic antidepressants, inhibited the reuptake not only of
      serotonin but also of other monoamines such as noradrenaline--and it is this
      activity, together with anticholinergic actions, that is responsible for many of
      the adverse effects such as cardiac toxicity. After much chemical research a
      family of antidepressants with similar pharmacological activity but disparate
      chemical structure was developed by several medicinal research laboratories.
      Because the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are chemically different they
      do not possess the common structural side-effect profile of the tricyclic
      antidepressants.

PMID- 1431007
TI  - A double-blind comparison of paroxetine and placebo in the treatment of depressed
      outpatients.
AB  - A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial was carried out to compare
      the efficacy and tolerability of paroxetine in outpatients with moderate to
      moderately severe depression without mania. Paroxetine was found to be an
      effective antidepressant drug when compared to placebo. For most of the measures
      of efficacy the benefit appeared after two weeks of therapy, but sleep was
      improved after one week. Patients taking paroxetine complained of more adverse
      effects than those on placebo; they were mainly gastrointestinal with nausea the
      most commonly reported.

PMID- 1431008
TI  - A double-blind comparison of paroxetine, imipramine and placebo in depressed
      outpatients.
AB  - Diagnostic criteria, random parallel placebo-controlled study design, and
      appropriate clinical assessment for both safety and efficacy are all among the
      essential requirements for the evaluation of a new antidepressant agent.
      Paroxetine and imipramine were compared for efficacy and safety in a large
      multicentre, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel design study
      in the USA. The study involved 717 outpatients with major depressive disorder;
      after a one-week washout period they were treated for 6 weeks, being assessed at
      weekly intervals. The results from all six participant centres combined showed
      that both active drugs were statistically superior to placebo by week 2 and that
      the antidepressant response was significant for both. Paroxetine was better
      tolerated than imipramine with fewer dropouts from side effects. This combined
      study clearly indicated that paroxetine was an effective and well-tolerated
      antidepressant.

PMID- 1431009
TI  - A double-blind multicentre study of paroxetine and amitriptyline in depressed
      outpatients. Italian Paroxetine Study Group.
AB  - A comparative double-blind study of paroxetine and amitriptyline in the treatment
      of depressed hospital outpatients was undertaken at 15 centres in Italy. Three
      hundred and nine patients of either sex were admitted to the study. The starting
      dose of paroxetine was 20 mg daily and of amitriptyline 75 mg daily in divided
      doses; at week 3 these doses could be increased at the investigators' discretion.
      Efficacy was measured on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and on Clinical
      Global Impression. Both treatment groups showed significant improvement at week 6
      with no significant between-group differences. Significantly fewer patients
      receiving paroxetine reported adverse events compared with those on amitriptyline
      (44% vs 62%; p < 0.01 in favour of paroxetine).

PMID- 1431011
TI  - Serotonin in affective disorders.
AB  - Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) is a signalling molecule within the central
      nervous system. Overall, the impression gained from biochemical, pharmacological,
      and neuroendocrine studies is that 5-HT synthesis or function is reduced in the
      brains of depressed patients. There is more direct evidence from animal studies
      and indirect evidence in man that drugs (and electroconvulsive therapy--ECT)
      which are efficacious in various facets of affective disorders have clear effects
      on 5-HT function. 5-HT function is complex. There are at least seven different 5
      HT receptor subtypes, several anatomically different 5-HT neuronal tracts
      emanating from the raphe nuclei in the pons/medulla and projecting widely
      throughout the brain and downwards into the spinal cord. There are fine
      mechanisms controlling almost every aspect of function in the 5-HT neurone and
      the action of 5-HT released from it. There is ample scope for 5-HT to influence
      many areas of the brain involved in psychological, cognitive, sensory, autonomic,
      neuroendocrine, and emotional function. Inhibition of reuptake by drugs selective
      for 5-HT, such as paroxetine, has important acute and chronic effects on 5-HT
      systems and function, and upon other neurotransmitter systems with which 5-HT
      interacts. It is of great interest that selective and non-selective monoamine
      uptake blocking agents, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, lithium and ECT, all affect
      5-HT function, albeit slightly differently, and that they should be efficacious
      in various aspects of affective illness.

PMID- 1431010
TI  - Paroxetine in the treatment of elderly depressed patients in general practice: a
      double-blind comparison with amitriptyline.
AB  - A total of 101 patients entered a double-blind, parallel-group study in general
      practice, comparing the efficacy and tolerability of paroxetine and amitriptyline
      in elderly depressed patients. All patients received placebo for 1 week followed
      by active therapy for a total of 6 weeks. Medication was randomly allocated, two
      thirds of the patients took paroxetine (20 mg daily) and one-third received
      amitriptyline (50 mg daily); this dose was increased to 30 mg and 100 mg,
      respectively, after 1 week. Of the patients who entered the placebo run-in, 90
      took active treatment and were evaluable on an intention-to-treat basis (56
      paroxetine, 32 amitriptyline). The mean age of the patients was 72 years.
      Significant reductions in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) from baseline
      to the end of treatment were seen for both groups (p < 0.01), with no difference
      between treatments. The HAMD score was reduced by half, or more, for 76% of
      patients taking paroxetine and 86% taking amitriptyline. Significant improvement
      was observed in the investigators' Clinical Global Impression (CGI) score for 57%
      of patients taking paroxetine and 52% on amitriptyline. Improvements after
      treatment were also observed in the Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire (LSEQ)
      scores. Significantly fewer patients taking paroxetine reported adverse events
      (34% vs 63% taking amitriptyline, p = 0.02). Those taking paroxetine experienced
      significantly fewer anticholinergic side effects (7% vs 25% taking amitriptyline,
      p = 0.04). Overall, this study confirmed the effectiveness of paroxetine as an
      antidepressant drug.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431012
TI  - Sleep and paroxetine: a comparison with mianserin in elderly depressed patients.
AB  - A total of 60 patients aged 65 years and over who were suffering from unipolar
      depression were entered into a double-blind 6-week comparative study of
      paroxetine and mianserin. Assessments of efficacy of treatment included the
      Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Clinical Global Impression, and the Leeds Sleep
      Evaluation Questionnaire. The results showed that the two drugs had equal and
      acceptable clinical efficacy. There was a similar overall incidence of
      spontaneously reported adverse events, but with clearly different profiles and a
      suggestion that mianserin was associated with more anticholinergic effects. In
      terms of sleep, the study provided evidence of a more beneficial effect from
      paroxetine.

PMID- 1431013
TI  - Cardiovascular effects of antidepressants: studies of paroxetine in healthy men
      and depressed patients.
AB  - The classical tricyclic antidepressant drugs effectively relieve the symptoms of
      depression, but they have the potential to be severely toxic to the
      cardiovascular system--including postural hypotension after therapeutic doses and
      lethal arrhythmias after overdosage. Paroxetine has been shown to be of similar
      efficacy to the tricyclic antidepressants but has lower cardiovascular toxicity
      in animal models and has no effects on heart rate, blood pressure or the
      electrocardiogram in healthy men receiving single 20-40 mg doses. The results of
      two contrasting studies in depressive patients and healthy men provide strong
      evidence that therapeutic doses of paroxetine lack any important haemodynamic or
      electrophysiological effects.

PMID- 1431014
TI  - A review of the psychomotor effects of paroxetine.
AB  - Studies on the behavioural effects of paroxetine on healthy young volunteers,
      elderly volunteers, and patients suffering from major depressive illness failed
      to show any evidence of detrimental effects on a battery of objective and
      subjective measures even when alcohol was taken. In contrast, the chosen verum,
      amitriptyline or lorazepam, produced significant impairment. The study on
      depressed patients showed improvement in cognitive functions among the paroxetine
      group from the start, whereas these functions were, initially, significantly
      impaired in the dothiepin group. Moreover, the Leeds Sleep Evaluation
      Questionnaire indicated that dothiepin produced, with respect to paroxetine, a
      significantly poorer quality of sleep.

PMID- 1431015
TI  - Paroxetine: an overview of dosage, tolerability, and safety.
AB  - Paroxetine is a new selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor which has been
      extensively evaluated as an antidepressant in clinical trials and a large
      computerized safety database has been accumulated. A comprehensive review of data
      on dosage supports the recommendation that 20 mg paroxetine daily is the optimal
      therapeutic dose for most patients. When compared to active controls--mainly
      tricyclic antidepressants--paroxetine was found to have a different adverse-event
      profile with fewer anticholinergic, cardiovascular and nervous system events but
      more gastrointestinal events, particularly nausea. However, these events were not
      severe and did not usually lead to discontinuation of treatment. The adverse
      events reported with paroxetine were most likely to occur early in the course of
      treatment and there was no evidence of any increase in events in the elderly or
      with longer-term treatment. Paroxetine was not associated with excess of death
      from any cause, suicides, suicide attempts or serious life-threatening events. No
      clinically significant drug-related abnormalities were reported in laboratory
      monitoring, including liver function tests, in short- or long-term use. Finally,
      and importantly for an antidepressant, paroxetine appears relatively safe in
      overdose.

PMID- 1431016
TI  - The anti-anxiety and anti-agitation effects of paroxetine in depressed patients.
AB  - A worldwide database was employed to assess the effect of paroxetine on symptoms
      of anxiety and agitation associated with depression. Data derived from the use of
      paroxetine (n = 2963), placebo (n = 554) and active control (n = 1151) in short
      term clinical trials were compared. Paroxetine and active control were
      significantly better than placebo in reducing psychic anxiety. However,
      paroxetine was superior to active control from week 2 onwards. Both paroxetine
      and active control had a beneficial effect on somatic anxiety, but this effect
      was seen earlier with active control. Neither paroxetine nor active control
      caused emergent (new) anxiety symptoms. Paroxetine had a more robust effect in
      reducing baseline symptoms of agitation when compared with active control, while
      both therapies protected from emergent (new) agitation, when compared with
      placebo. There was no difference between the three groups in the spontaneously
      reported adverse events indicative of increased arousal. The use of major and
      minor tranquillizers in the paroxetine and active control groups was similar.

PMID- 1431017
TI  - The advantages of paroxetine in different subgroups of depression.
AB  - Paroxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor that is now licensed in
      various countries in Europe. It has comparable efficacy with the reference
      tricyclic antidepressants and is well tolerated with few adverse effects which
      are usually mild, transient and do not appear to compromise treatment. Paroxetine
      has a number of advantages as an antidepressant; of particular interest is its
      ability to improve sleep early in treatment without daytime sedation or
      interference with psychomotor function. Paroxetine appears effective compared
      with placebo in different subgroups of depression: it is effective in both
      endogenous and reactive depression, as well as being effective in moderate and
      severe depression. Paroxetine appears particularly effective in treating the
      anxiety associated with depression and has been shown to have greater efficacy
      than imipramine. There is some evidence that the onset of antidepressant action
      occurs slightly earlier with paroxetine than with imipramine. As well as being
      effective in the acute episode, placebo-controlled, long-term data are available
      indicating paroxetine to be of value in the prevention of depressive relapse.

PMID- 1431018
TI  - Clinical pharmacokinetics of citalopram and other selective serotonergic reuptake
      inhibitors (SSRI).
AB  - The pharmacokinetics and clinical properties of clomipramine, the classic 5-HT
      uptake inhibiting antidepressant is well known. Within the last years, several
      new and more selective serotonin uptake inhibitors have been introduced in
      clinical practice, including trazodone, citalopram, paroxetine, femoxetine,
      fluvoxamine and fluoxetine. They differ by their chemical structure, and
      therefore, important differences can be expected with respect to their metabolism
      and kinetics in man. In this presentation, the following points will be
      addressed: Present knowledge about their metabolism and their kinetics, taking
      into account that most of them are racemates, whose clinical role is only
      partially understood, including that of the metabolites. It will further be
      examined whether they are candidates for a genetic polymorphism of metabolism of
      the debrisoquine-spartein-dextromethorphan type. This may e.g. be suspected for
      fluoxetine which interferes strongly with the metabolism of tricyclic
      antidepressants. Finally, data of the literature will be analysed about a
      possible relationship between the clinical efficacy of these drugs and their
      plasma levels, including those of their active metabolites.

PMID- 1431019
TI  - Serotonin, panic disorder and agoraphobia: short-term and long-term efficacy of
      citalopram in panic disorders.
AB  - A serotonin-anxiety connection has been widely recognized. In panic disorder
      (PD), however, most researchers have emphasized noradrenergic mechanisms.
      Serotonin related findings in PD, e.g. the documented antipanic potential of
      selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are reviewed, lending support
      for a serotonergic deficit contributing to the pathophysiology of PD. Since
      citalopram is the most selective SSRI described, it was chosen as a tool for
      testing whether the serotonin reuptake inhibition per se is responsible for this
      antipanic effect. Twenty patients with PD with or without agoraphobia (DSM-III-R
      criteria) were treated openly with citalopram and assessed with CAS, MADRS, SCL
      90 the Agoraphobia Scale, other self-ratings, and a panic diary. Thirteen of the
      17 patients completing 8 weeks of treatment were judged as responders. The
      response seemed similar to or better than that seen with other antidepressants.
      The response covered broad aspects of morbidity, e.g. anticipatory anxiety,
      agoraphobia and somatization. In the first week, a transient increase of panic
      related symptoms was observed. Sixteen of the patients were enrolled in a 15
      months' study of long-term maintenance treatment; 11 patients completed this
      phase. The gains were maintained during this follow-up, and further improvement
      was observed. Side-effects were similar to those of other SSRIs and mostly mild.
      For instance, weight-gain was not associated with citalopram treatment. The
      results support the hypothesis that serotonin reuptake inhibition is essential
      for the antipanic effect of antidepressants as well as for the initial
      paradoxical increase of anxiety often seen with these drugs. Thus, an initial
      deterioration, possibly due to transient decrease of serotonin transmission,
      turns to improvement when serotonergic potentiation has occurred.

PMID- 1431020
TI  - New aspects in the treatment of depression.
AB  - Because of the limitations in efficacy and safety of the older tricyclic
      antidepressants (TCA) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) a number of new
      approaches have been made in recent years to the treatment of depression to
      obtain more effective, more rapidly acting, better tolerated and safer drugs. One
      tactic has been to develop compounds with greater neuropharmacological
      selectivity in inhibiting the neuronal reuptake of 5-HT. Most of these are as
      effective as TCA but with fewer side-effects and greater safety. Another
      development has been 'reversible' MAOI which reduce the risk of interaction with
      tyramine-containing foods. For resistant depression the addition of lithium
      (and/or tryptophan) may be effective, possibly through promoting 5-HT
      neurotransmission. Continuous treatment with a selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor
      can reduce the relapse rate in patients with recurrent depression. Unfortunately,
      these new approaches, despite their advantages in terms of side-effects and
      safety, have thus far not proved to be more effective or faster acting than the
      standard TCA. That remains a challenge for the future.

PMID- 1431021
TI  - Citalopram in depression--meta-analysis of intended and unintended effects.
AB  - An updated qualitative meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials is presented.
      When compared to reference drugs, especially tricyclics, citalopram after 6 weeks
      of treatment showed a similar intended effect on the depression index of the
      Hamilton scale. However, on the sleep index of the scale citalopram was weaker
      than tricyclics. When compared to placebo, citalopram after 6 weeks of treatment
      showed to be significantly superior on the Hamilton scale and on the global
      assessment scales. Analysis of unintended effects showed that citalopram had
      fewer side-effects than tricyclics, especially of anticholinergic types. In
      conclusion, citalopram has been found to be a non-sedating antidepressant which
      is well accepted by the patients due to its lack of unintended effects.

PMID- 1431022
TI  - Potential indications for the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
AB  - The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) include fluoxetine,
      fluvoxamine, citalopram, paroxetine and sertraline. These medications may be
      effective for a variety of indications. The literature clearly supports their
      efficacy in some of these conditions in major depression. Data concerning their
      use in other areas is clearly preliminary but promising. These include reports of
      treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, atypical depression, panic disorder,
      premenstrual tension, eating disorders, substance use disorders, chronic pain,
      dementia, and personality disorders with aggressive or impulsive features. The
      variety of clinical uses for the SSRIs may compel re-examination of traditional
      diagnostic categories and theories of how antidepressants work.

PMID- 1431023
TI  - Treatment of depression in elderly patients with and without dementia disorders.
AB  - In two inter-Nordic multicenter controlled studies the effect of Citalopram on
      elderly patients with depression and emotional disturbances has been studied. One
      investigation included 98 patients in whom Alzheimer type dementia (AD/SDAT) and
      vascular dementia (VD) had been diagnosed, many of whom also had emotional
      disturbances. After four weeks treatment with Citalopram (10-30 mg/daily) there
      was significant improvement in confusion, irritability, anxiety, depressed mood
      and restlessness. No effect was seen on the intellectual capacity or motor
      performance measured. In the other study, which was a six weeks trial comparing
      Citalopram and placebo, elderly patients with a treatment-requiring depression
      were treated. Demented as well as non-demented patients were included. The
      Hamilton Depression Scale, the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale and The
      Clinical Global Impressions all recorded an effect of Citalopram superior to that
      of placebo. In both studies depressive symptoms as well as symptoms of agitation,
      anxiety, restlessness and irritability improved. Citalopram is therefore
      considered not only an antidepressive drug but also an emotional stabilizer. The
      drug was well tolerated by elderly often somatically ill patients. Side effects
      were few.

PMID- 1431024
TI  - Dose response relationship of citalopram 20 mg, citalopram 40 mg and placebo in
      the treatment of moderate and severe depression.

PMID- 1431026
TI  - Epidemiology of suicide.

PMID- 1431025
TI  - Citalopram 20 mg, citalopram 40 mg and placebo in the prevention of relapse of
      major depression.

PMID- 1431027
TI  - Toxicity of antidepressants: comparisons with fluoxetine.
AB  - Antidepressant drugs have been available for 30 years. Although effective and
      useful in restoring quality of life, the older drugs in particular have many
      unwanted properties. The anticholinergic effects of the tricyclic drugs are a
      major drawback, and the risk of interactions limits the usefulness of the
      monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Generally, newer drugs including fluoxetine
      have a more favourable adverse effect profile. Although a number of drugs produce
      rare but serious adverse effects, overdose toxicity is a matter of greater
      importance, especially in patients who are at risk of suicide. Toxicity indices,
      calculated from the number of deaths per million prescriptions for each drug,
      enable comparisons between drugs to be made. These show that several of the older
      tricyclic drugs have relatively high mortality in overdose. Many of the newer
      drugs including fluoxetine have a good record of safety in overdose, and this
      forms an important part of their risk-benefit profile.

PMID- 1431028
TI  - The provocation and prevention of suicide attempts.

PMID- 1431029
TI  - On bloodborne pathogens.

PMID- 1431030
TI  - National health care: Panacea or Pandora's box?

PMID- 1431031
TI  - IAFP leader dispels myths of family medicine. Interview by Bob Carlson.

PMID- 1431033
TI  - HIV/AIDS surveillance in Indiana.

PMID- 1431032
TI  - Vagueness of OSHA rules concerns physicians.

PMID- 1431034
TI  - Helping patients receive Social Security benefits.

PMID- 1431035
TI  - The Bethesda System and patient management strategies.

PMID- 1431036
TI  - Operative management of intra-abdominal infections.
AB  - Operation for intra-abdominal infection aims to prevent further contamination of
      the abdominal cavity, treat the underlying source of infection, and prevent
      residual or recurrent sepsis by cleaning the peritoneal cavity. Aggressive
      attempts at early diagnosis are warranted, even if laparotomy is occasionally
      required for diagnostic as well as therapeutic purposes. Conversely, the degree
      to which more aggressive methods of peritoneal debridement are helpful is the
      subject of great controversy that can be resolved only by prospective, randomized
      multicenter trials. Current standard treatment consists of closure, drainage, or
      excision of the source of contamination; intra-operative saline or antibiotic
      lavage of the peritoneal cavity; fascial closure; and secondary or delayed
      primary closure of the wound.

PMID- 1431037
TI  - Percutaneous versus open operative drainage of intra-abdominal abscesses.
AB  - This article has tried to provide some perspective on the results of surgical and
      percutaneous drainage of intra-abdominal abscesses and the impact of CT
      localization on the successful management of this problem. It is most likely that
      the recent decrease in mortality for intra-abdominal abscesses over the past
      decade is due to a variety of factors, including better antibiotics, more
      aggressive critical care, and earlier diagnosis and treatment of the
      intraabdominal problem. These factors combined to reduce the incidence of pre
      drainage organ failure and the degree of physiologic derangement of these
      patients at the time of their abscess drainage. Percutaneous drainage and
      surgical drainage techniques should not be considered competitive but rather
      complementary. If an abscess is accessible by percutaneous techniques, it is
      reasonable to consider a nonoperative approach to the problem. It is also clear
      that patients should respond promptly to whatever technique is employed to drain
      their intra-abdominal abscess. An improvement should be seen clinically within 24
      to 48 hours following drainage. Should improvement not be forthcoming, the
      patient must be aggressively re-evaluated with repeat CT and decisions made by
      the responsible surgeon in consultation with the radiologist as to the next
      appropriate course of action. As our review of the Wayne State University
      experience suggested, patients are never too sick for an appropriate operation.
      Although it appears that most abscesses can be successfully treated by
      percutaneous drainage, pancreatic abscesses with pancreatic necrosis should
      generally be treated by surgical debridement, usually accompanied by repeated
      explorations. In addition, splenectomy has not yet been replaced by percutaneous
      drainage of splenic abscesses.

PMID- 1431038
TI  - Antimicrobial therapy of intra-abdominal sepsis.
AB  - Intra-abdominal sepsis remains a highly morbid and lethal event despite the
      availability of potent antimicrobial agents and improvements in surgical
      management and intensive care. Appropriate management consists of source control,
      antimicrobial agents directed against both facultative gram-negative and
      anaerobic organisms, and physiologic and metabolic support. A variety of single
      and dual agent regimens are appropriate for initial therapy, as long as both
      aerobes and anaerobes are effectively targeted. Culture, Gram stain, and
      sensitivity testing may provide valuable information, especially when resistant
      organisms are encountered. Further studies to determine the relative efficacy of
      various agents need to be carefully designed both to avoid the pitfalls of
      previous studies and to provide useful and comparable data.

PMID- 1431039
TI  - Acute cholangitis.
AB  - Acute cholangitis is a clinical syndrome marked by fever, jaundice, and abdominal
      pain that develops because of stasis and infection in the biliary tract. Patients
      with cholangitis may present with symptoms ranging from a mild, recurrent illness
      to overwhelming sepsis. Increased age, malignant obstruction, and a rapidly
      progressive, systemic illness define a group of patients at increased risk.
      Patients who are delayed in diagnosis, present with septicemia, or fail to
      respond to conservative treatment still have substantial morbidity and death from
      cholangitis. Antibiotic therapy that includes coverage for anaerobes and gram
      negative, enteric organisms together with other supportive measures often
      resolves the acute episode, permitting elective diagnostic procedures prior to
      definitive treatment of biliary tract obstruction. Advances in endoscopic and
      transhepatic procedures have reduced the necessity for and risks associated with
      emergent operative biliary drainage.

PMID- 1431040
TI  - Infections complicating severe pancreatitis.
AB  - Infections accompanying severe pancreatitis are secondary and of three types:
      infected pancreatic necrosis, infected pseudocyst (including peripancreatic fluid
      collection), and pancreatic abscess. The first is an earlier, more morbid
      process, with antibiotics supportive and surgical debridement necessary. The
      latter two processes occur later in the course of pancreatitis and are less
      morbid. Antibiotics are supportive and invasive-nonsurgical drainage methods are
      possible. The decision for intervention is based first on clinical toxicity as
      determined by an overall assessment by the clinician. The presence of parenchymal
      necrosis is best determined by the dynamic bolus CT scan. The presence of
      infection is best determined by percutaneous CT-guided aspiration. Infected
      necrosis is fatal unless treated with operative intervention. A peripancreatic
      fluid collection, pseudocyst, or pancreatic abscess needs to be treated if
      symptomatic. If infected, as determined by CT-guided needle aspiration, then they
      should be drained. Radiologic or endoscopic invasive-nonsurgical methods are
      tried initially and then surgery is attempted if they fail. The nonsurgical
      methods are most successful with pancreatitis of a nonbiliary or a nonalcohol
      etiology.

PMID- 1431041
TI  - Antibiotic prophylaxis for scheduled operative procedures.
AB  - As a result of numerous trials during the past two decades addressing antibiotic
      prophylaxis for surgical procedures, it has been established that appropriately
      administered antibiotic prophylaxis reduces the risk of postoperative infection
      by about 50% when compared with comparable untreated patients. Antibiotics cannot
      completely eliminate all risk of infection, however, and will never be a
      substitute for good surgical practices.

PMID- 1431043
TI  - Wound infection surveillance.
AB  - Wound infection surveillance is the information-gathering arm of a wound
      infection control program. Wound infection control concerns prevention--not
      therapy--of an infrequent but expensive kind of surgical morbidity. Topics
      discussed in this article include the effectiveness of wound infection
      surveillance; turf issues; phenomenology; and the gathering, reporting,
      manipulating, and use of wound infection data.

PMID- 1431042
TI  - Antibiotic prophylaxis for injured patients.
AB  - Infection is the major cause of serious complication in injured patients. This
      article addresses antibiotic use in the injured patient and clarifies the
      limitations of antimicrobials in the prevention of infection.

PMID- 1431044
TI  - Nosocomial infection in the surgical intensive care unit.
AB  - The critically ill surgical patient is at high risk for the development of ICU
      acquired infection. Normal mucosal defenses are breached by surgical incisions or
      by intravascular devices, urinary catheters, and endotracheal tubes. The
      integrity of the gastrointestinal epithelium is compromised by the lack of
      enteral nutrition and episodes of hypoperfusion, resulting in translocation of
      normal or disturbed enteric flora. The indigenous microbial flora, an important
      component of normal host defenses against invasive infection, is disrupted
      through the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics or by poorly understood influences
      associated with critical illness. Systemic immunity is altered, and multiple
      abnormalities of specific and nonspecific immune function can be documented.
      Infections acquired within the ICU are commonly caused by endogenous organisms of
      low intrinsic pathogenicity, and the contribution of these infections to ICU
      outcome is controversial. Diagnosis is established by directed investigations,
      focusing on surgical sites and invasive devices. Therapy is primarily physical
      (drainage of infected collections or removal of contaminated devices), and
      antimicrobial therapy should employ narrow-spectrum agents guided by the results
      of Gram stain and culture. The prevention of ICU-acquired infection is based on
      timely and definitive surgical therapy, judicious use of invasive devices and
      antibiotics, and early enteral feeding. Infection-control measures aimed at
      endogenous reservoirs show some preliminary promise for certain subsets of
      patients, but remain, at present, experimental.

PMID- 1431045
TI  - Fungal sepsis.
AB  - Immunocompromise can result from trauma, burns, cancer, cancer chemotherapy, and
      immunosuppressive therapy. Immunocompromise increases the risk of invasive
      infection from opportunistic fungi. The key to successful management of these
      infections is early recognition, aggressive therapy, and when indicated, surgical
      therapy. This article describes the common opportunistic fungal infections
      aspergillosis, zygomycosis, and candidiasis, which may arise in surgical patients
      or which may require surgical intervention for diagnosis or therapy.

PMID- 1431046
TI  - Necrotizing soft-tissue infections.
AB  - Necrotizing soft-tissue infections have been widely recognized for over a
      century, but they remain a challenging problem in clinical infectious disease.
      Patterns of disease are clearly apparent, but most are polymicrobial and derive
      increased virulence from synergy between bacteria. Early recognition and prompt
      surgical drainage are the keys to successful treatment. Edema extending beyond
      the area of erythema, skin vesicles, crepitus or air in the subcutaneous tissues,
      and absence of lymphangitis and lymphadenitis are markers of necrotizing
      infections, particularly when they occur in patients with serious underlying
      disease. Empiric broad-spectrum antibiotics, prophylactic heparin, and
      nutritional therapy are important adjuncts to aggressive "stepwise" surgical
      debridement. A knowledge of patterns of disease can aid in fine-tuning treatment
      to decrease morbidity.

PMID- 1431047
TI  - Abscesses and deep space infections of the head and neck.
AB  - Abscesses and deep space infections of the head and neck continue to be
      encountered in clinical practice. Recognition of these processes requires careful
      physical examination, an adequate index of suspicion, and appropriate application
      of modern imaging techniques. The principles of management of abscesses are
      largely unchanged. Space infections must be drained. A specimen should always be
      submitted for bacteriologic evaluation to allow change in antimicrobial
      administration when patterns of resistance are identified. Fungal infection
      should be considered when rhinosinusitis develops in the hospitalized
      immunocompromised patient. Biopsy of abnormal tissue is the mainstay of diagnosis
      under these circumstances. Therapy frequently requires surgical debridement in
      addition to administration of antifungal chemotherapy.

PMID- 1431048
TI  - Diagnosis and treatment of biomaterial-associated vascular infections.
AB  - Management of biomaterial-associated vascular infections requires an
      understanding of pathogenetic mechanisms, risk factors, and microbiologic
      characteristics. Staphylococci sp., especially slime-producing strains of S.
      epidermidis are the prevalent pathogens. Experimental and clinical studies have
      indicated in situ replacement, particularly with an antibiotic-bonded prosthesis,
      as effective treatment for infections caused by coagulase-negative staphylococci.
      When sepsis is a presenting sign, prompt intervention, total excision of the
      prosthesis, and antibiotic administration are required.

PMID- 1431049
TI  - Infectious complications of blood transfusions.
AB  - The use of blood and blood products has revolutionized medical care over the last
      century. Without this capacity, many medical and surgical procedures would not be
      possible. The safety of these procedures is predicated, in part, on an
      appreciation of the complications of transfusions, including transmission of
      infectious disease. Assuring that patients are adequately protected from these
      hazards while providing the products that they need is the responsibility of both
      blood banks and practitioners.

PMID- 1431050
TI  - Surgical care of HIV-infected patients.
AB  - An increasing number of HIV-infected patients will require surgical therapy. The
      methods of diagnosis and therapeutic planning for HIV-infected patients are the
      same as for all other patients. Surgery should be advised if an operation is
      likely to have a positive effect on the patient's life. Most patients with AIDS
      with diseases for which surgical therapy is advantageous benefit from carefully
      chosen operations designed to solve specific problems.

PMID- 1431051
TI  - Immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopic analyses of alpha-amylase
      isozymes in human intrahepatic biliary epithelium and hepatocytes.
AB  - The expression and localization of the pancreatic and salivary isozymes of alpha
      amylase in the intrahepatic biliary epithelium and hepatocytes were examined by
      the immunohistochemical method with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies in 45
      normal autopsied human livers. Immunoelectron microscopic studies with the
      protein A-gold method were performed with the monoclonal antibodies (MAb) on
      seven of the livers. The intrahepatic biliary system was divided into large
      ducts, septal ducts, interlobular ducts, bile ductules, and peribiliary glands.
      Immunohistochemically, pancreatic isozyme was observed in the supranuclear
      cytoplasm of the epithelium of large ducts, septal ducts, and peribiliary glands
      in almost all livers. Interlobular ducts expressed pancreatic isozyme in only
      four (9%) livers. Bile ductules and hepatocytes were negative for pancreatic
      isozyme in all cases. Expression of salivary isozyme was observed in the
      supranuclear cytoplasm of the epithelium of large ducts, septal ducts,
      interlobular ducts, bile ductules, and peribiliary glands in almost all livers,
      although the expression in interlobular ducts and bile ductules was weak.
      Hepatocytes were weakly positive for salivary isozyme. Immunoelectron microscopy
      revealed that both pancreatic and salivary isozymes were located in the
      supranuclear cytoplasm of the epithelium of large ducts, septal ducts, and
      peribiliary glands, and that hepatocytes had no pancreatic isozyme but contained
      salivary isozyme. These data suggest that pancreatic and salivary isozymes of
      alpha-amylase are produced by the intrahepatic biliary epithelium and secreted
      into intrahepatic biliary lumens, and that they may play an important role in the
      physiology of the intrahepatic biliary tree and hepatic bile. It is also
      suggested that hepatocytes produce a small amount of salivary alpha-amylase that
      may be secreted into the biliary tree.

PMID- 1431052
TI  - Uptake of maternal immunoglobulins in the enterocytes of suckling piglets:
      improved detection with a streptavidin-biotin bridge gold technique.
AB  - In ungulates, intestinal absorption of maternal immunoglobulins from colostrum
      plays a vital role in the acquisition of passive immunity during early neonatal
      life. In the present study we used post-embedding colloidal gold labeling to
      examine the intracellular localization of IgG in the jejunal enterocytes of
      miniature piglets suckled for 2 hr. Quantitation of the immunolabeling revealed
      that the most sensitive technique for IgG detection was the streptavidin bridge
      gold technique. In this method, the LR White-embedded sections were labeled
      sequentially with biotinylated anti-porcine IgG, streptavidin, and biotinylated
      BSA conjugated to 10-nm colloidal gold. With this approach, we found the
      following sequence of maternal IgG accumulation: passage of IgG from colostrum
      through the brush border; binding to the apical plasma membrane; uptake in
      noncoated pits and invaginations; transport in endocytotic vesicles; and
      accumulation in granules in the apical cytoplasm.

PMID- 1431053
TI  - Electron microscopic detection of RNA sequences by non-radioactive in situ
      hybridization in the mollusk Lymnaea stagnalis.
AB  - The subcellular localization of mRNA sequences encoding neuropeptides in
      neuropeptidergic cells of the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis was investigated at
      the electron microscopic (EM) level by non-radioactive in situ hybridization.
      Various classes of probes specific for 28S rRNA and for the ovulation hormone
      (caudodorsal cell hormone; CDCH) mRNA were labeled with biotin or digoxigenin and
      were detected after hybridization with gold-labeled antibodies. Hybridizations
      were performed on ultra-thin sections of both Lowicryl-embedded and frozen
      cerebral ganglia, and a comparison demonstrated that most intense hybridization
      signals with an acceptable preservation of morphology were obtained with ultra
      thin cryosections. Addition of 0.1% glutaraldehyde to the formaldehyde fixative
      improved the morphology, but on Lowicryl sections this added fixative resulted in
      a decrease of label intensity. A variety of probes, including plasmids, PCR
      products, and oligonucleotides, were used and all provided good results, although
      the use of oligonucleotides on Lowicryl sections resulted in decreased gold
      labeling. The gold particles were found mainly associated with rough endoplasmic
      reticulum (RER) but were also observed in lysosomal structures. Finally, the in
      situ hybridization method presented in this study proved to be compatible with
      the immunocytochemical detection of the caudodorsal cell hormone, as demonstrated
      by double labeling experiments.

PMID- 1431054
TI  - Light microscopic immunohistochemical analysis of the distribution of group II
      phospholipase A2 in human digestive organs.
AB  - The light microscopic and immunohistochemical distribution of human Group II
      phospholipase A2 (M-PLA2) in digestive organs of both human fetus and adult, with
      a new monoclonal antibody (MAb) against M-PLA2, was investigated
      semiquantitatively. The immunoreactivity was distributed similarly in the adult
      and fetal epithelium of the esophagus, duodenum, and small intestine, and in the
      acinar, islet, and duct cells of the pancreas. The epithelium of adult
      gallbladder was immunoreactive. Paneth cells, especially the secretory apparatus,
      were strongly immunoreactive. Hepatic Kupffer cells and macrophages of the adult
      spleen were also immunoreactive. These results suggest that these cells contain
      secretory-type Group II PLA2, which may be involved in host defensive mechanisms,
      such as phagocytosis in human digestive organs. In the adult colon, the
      immunoreactivity was observed only in the ascending colon and was not found in
      the transverse, descending, sigmoid, or rectal colon. The immunoreactivity was
      not found in fetal colon. Similarly, immunoreactivity was found in hepatocytes
      and Kupffer cells of adult liver but not in fetal liver. By contrast, strong
      immunoreactivity was observed in the epithelium of the fetal stomach but not in
      adult stomach except in gastric neck cells. This suggests that the expression of
      M-PLA2 may be related to cell differentiation in particular organs.

PMID- 1431055
TI  - Membrane-associated carbonic anhydrase activity in the kidney of CA II-deficient
      mice.
AB  - Carbonic anhydrase II-deficient mice offer a possibility to study the
      localization along the nephron of membrane-associated carbonic anhydrase (CA)
      activity without interference from the cytoplasmic enzyme. We studied the
      localization of CA in kidneys from CA II-deficient and control mice by
      immunocytochemistry (CA II) and histochemistry. Cytoplasmic staining was found in
      convoluted proximal tubule, thick limb of Henle, and principal and intercalated
      cells of collecting duct in the control animals but was absent in the CA II
      deficient mice. In cells with cytoplasmic staining the cell nuclei were stained.
      Intense histochemical activity was associated with apical and basolateral
      membranes of convoluted proximal tubule, first part of thin limb, thick limb, and
      basolateral membranes of late distal tubule. In collecting ducts of control
      animals, the basolateral cell membranes of intercalated cells were the only
      clearly stained membranes. In CA II-deficient animals one type of intercalated
      cell was stained most intensely at the apical membranes and another only at the
      basolateral. We suggest that the former corresponds to Type A intercalated cells
      secreting H+ ions to the luminal side and the latter to Type B cells secreting H+
      ions to the basolateral side.

PMID- 1431056
TI  - Application of two-color immunofluorescence staining to demonstration of T-cells
      and HLA-DR-bearing cells in rheumatoid synovitis.
AB  - We studied the localization of T-cells and HLA-DR antigen-bearing (DR+) cells in
      rheumatoid synovitis by employing an improved two-color immunofluorescent
      staining (TCIF) technique. With this technique we have successfully identified
      DR+ activated T-cells in the inflammatory synovium. T-cells expressed HLA-DR
      antigen when they were in contact with DR+ antigen-presenting cells (APC). In
      addition, activated T-cells showed characteristic distribution within the
      synovium: they were found around high endothelial venules, within lymphoid
      follicles, and in hyperplastic synovial lining, suggesting their involvement in
      the development of rheumatoid synovial lesions via interaction with synovial DR+
      APC lineage cells. These findings may contribute to better understanding of the
      role of activated T-cells in the histogenesis of rheumatoid synovitis, a typical
      chronic inflammatory lesion.

PMID- 1431057
TI  - Demonstration of dopamine-immunoreactive cells in the proximal convoluted tubule
      of gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) kidney.
AB  - We investigated dopamine immunoreactivity in the kidney of gerbils (Meriones
      unguiculatus). For that purpose a sensitive and selective antibody against
      glutaraldehyde-conjugated dopamine was applied. Dopamine-immunoreactive cells
      were found in the epithelium of the proximal convoluted tubule, where these cells
      revealed a typical segment-like distribution pattern. Dopamine-immunoreactive
      precipitates were small and concentrated at the apical pole of the labeled cells.
      This study has directly identified dopamine as a constituent of certain cells of
      the proximal convoluted tubule in gerbils. The functional significance of
      dopamine in these cells is discussed in relation to the present view of renal
      dopaminergic actions.

PMID- 1431058
TI  - Intra- and extracellular localization of hyaluronic acid and proteoglycan
      constituents (chondroitin sulfate, keratan sulfate, and protein core) in
      articular cartilage of rabbit tibia.
AB  - To demonstrate the intra- and extracellular localization of hyaluronic acid (HA)
      in articular cartilage of the rabbit tibia, biotinylated HA binding region, which
      specifically binds to the HA molecule, was applied to the tissue. In comparison
      with the localization of HA, that of chondroitin sulfate (CS), keratan sulfate
      (KS), and the protein core (PC) of the proteoglycan was examined by
      immunohistochemistry. Strong positive staining for HA was detected in
      chondrocytes located in the transition between the superficial and middle zones
      of the tissue. Pre-treatment with chondroitinase ABC, keratanase II, or trypsin
      enhanced the stainability for HA in peri- and intercellular matrices.
      Immunohistochemistry with or without enzymatic pre-treatment demonstrated that
      immunoreactivity for CS, KS, and PC was distinctly discerned in chondrocytes and
      in the extracellular matrix located in the middle and deep zones. In particular,
      the immunoreactivity for KS and PC was augmented by pre-treatment with
      chondroitinase ABC not only in chondrocytes but in the extracellular matrix
      located in the middle and deep zones. Microbiochemical analysis corresponded well
      with histochemical and immunohistochemical results. These results suggest that HA
      is abundantly synthesized and secreted in chondrocytes located in the transition
      between the superficial and middle zones.

PMID- 1431059
TI  - Immunohistochemical localization of superoxide dismutases in fetal and neonatal
      rat tissues.
AB  - We investigated the developmental profile of copper-zinc and manganese superoxide
      dismutase (CuZnSOD and MnSOD) in tissue sections obtained from fetal (Day 12 to
      21 of gestation) and neonatal (Day 0 and 6) rats. Tissues were stained
      immunohistochemically with specific antisera against the respective rat SODs.
      There was a general trend towards richness of SODs in the epithelial linings and
      metabolically active sites, although differential distribution between the two
      SODs also existed. At Day 12 of gestation, immunoreactivity for both SODs was
      detected in the cardiomyocytes but not in other tissues. Hepatocytes expressed
      CuZnSOD at Day 14 and MnSOD at Day 17. By Day 18 CuZnSOD was detected in the
      epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, pancreatic
      islets, kidneys, and adrenals. These tissues exhibited MnSOD staining at Day 19.
      CuZnSOD occurred in the epithelia of the thyroid, thymus, and salivary glands at
      Day 19, while MnSOD was seen at Day 21. The increase in intensity of the staining
      for SODs occurred no later than postnatal Day 0, indicating that most tissues
      accumulated SODs during late gestation. Breathing atmospheric oxygen during early
      extrauterine life did not appreciably intensify the SOD staining. These results
      suggest that perinatal increase in SODs occurs as a general mechanism of
      preparation for birth.

PMID- 1431060
TI  - Complete penetration of antibodies into vibratome sections after glutaraldehyde
      fixation and ethanol treatment: light and electron microscopy for neuropeptides.
AB  - To develop a method for quantitative electron microscopic immunocytochemistry on
      neural tissue of CNS, we tested the extent to which ethanol treatment would
      improve the penetration of immunoreagents through vibratome sections fixed in
      high concentrations of glutaraldehyde without compromising ultrastructure.
      Transverse or sagittal vibratome sections (60-80 microns) of spinal cord perfused
      with 1% formaldehyde plus 1% or 2.5% glutaraldehyde were washed in 50% ethanol
      for 0-70 min and stained to reveal immunoreactivity for neuropeptide Y (NPY).
      Semi-thin (1 micron) or ultra-thin sections were used to assess the depth to
      which NPY nerve fibers in the dorsal horn were stained. Without ethanol washing,
      immunoreactive nerve fibers were visualized only in the surface 5-10 microns of
      transverse or sagittal vibratome sections. In transverse vibratome sections, NPY
      nerve fibers, which ran perpendicular to the cut surfaces of the sections, were
      entirely stained after a 30-min wash in 50% ethanol. The numbers of NPY
      immunoreactive varicosities and synapses were comparable at the surfaces and in
      the centers of the vibratome sections. In sagittal sections, where NPY nerve
      fibers ran parallel to the cut surfaces, fibers in the centers of vibratome
      sections could not be labeled even after 70 min in 50% ethanol. Substance P- and
      enkephalin (Enk)-immunoreactive nerve fibers could also be completely stained in
      transverse sections of spinal cord or medulla oblongata after 30-min exposure to
      ethanol. Ethanol washing had no significant deleterious effects on
      ultrastructure, although the amount of cytoplasmic matrix in neurons decreased
      with increasing exposure. These results indicate that washing with 50% ethanol
      for at least 30 min allows immunoreagents to penetrate completely through nerve
      fibers fixed with high concentrations of glutaraldehyde, as long as the fibers
      have cut ends at both surfaces of a vibratome section. This technique makes
      possible quantitative electron microscopic immunocytochemical studies and is
      proving a useful tool for defining synaptic connections in the CNS.

PMID- 1431061
TI  - Nerve-induced secretion of glycoconjugates from cat submandibular glands: a
      correlative study with lectin probes on tissues and saliva.
AB  - Horseradish peroxidase-conjugated lectins were used on tissue sections to
      localize the main secretory glycoproteins in cat submandibular glands and on
      Western blots to evaluate their movement into saliva with selective nerve
      stimulation. Central acinar cells bound lectins from Arachis hypogaea (PNA)
      specific for the terminal disaccharide Gal beta 1, 3GalNac, Griffonia simplifolia
      (GSA I-B4) specific for terminal alpha Gal, and Lotus tetragonolobus (LTA)
      specific for fucose. Lectins from Limax flavus (LFA) specific for sialic acid and
      Dolichos biflorus (DBA) specific for terminal alpha GalNac reacted preferentially
      with demilunar cells, whereas apical granules in striated ducts were recognized
      principally by LTA. Parasympathetic stimulation promoted the release of lectin
      reactive glycoconjugates from both central and demilunar cells. In contrast,
      sympathetic stimulation caused almost complete release of LTA-reactive granules
      in striated ducts and only moderate secretion from demilunar cells. Lectin blots
      of stimulated saliva discriminated many of the constituent bands, providing
      information about their glycosylation. Several bands were common to both
      parasympathetic and sympathetic saliva, and many bands gave wider ranges of
      lectin binding than anticipated from the histochemistry. The major component in
      parasympathetic saliva was a glycoconjugate of less than 12 KD which reacted with
      every lectin tested. Lectin blots of sympathetic saliva showed a prominent
      diffuse LTA-reactive band around 33 KD, which was attributed to tissue
      kallikrein. The identity and cellular origin of most bands in stimulated
      submandibular saliva are still unclear but the technique shows considerable
      promise for improving the recognition and characterization of individual
      glycoconjugates.

PMID- 1431062
TI  - Expression of the first calcitonin/CGRP gene in spontaneous and transplanted rat
      medullary thyroid carcinoma: a comparison of dot-blot analysis, in situ
      hybridization, and immunohistochemistry.
AB  - Calcitonin (CT) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) are encoded by a
      single gene, the CALC-I gene. They are expressed in the thyroid and in the
      nervous system by alternative splicing of the pre-messenger RNA derived from the
      CALC-I gene. In medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), a malignancy derived from the
      calcitonin-producing C-cells in the thyroid, production of calcitonin and CGRP is
      a common feature. We investigated the CT and CGRP production of four spontaneous
      MTCs transplanted three to four times and 14 MTC lines transplanted for several
      years in WAG/Rij rats, a strain with hereditary MTC. The expression of CT and
      CGRP in the spontaneous and in the transplanted tumors was studied by means of
      RNA in situ hybridization (RISH), dot-blot analysis, and immunohistochemistry. A
      down-regulation of CT production in transplanted compared with spontaneous tumors
      was observed, but an inverse relation between CT and CGRP mRNA content in both
      spontaneous and transplanted tumors was not observed. In this study, RISH proved
      to be as sensitive as dot-blot analysis to detect gene expression in tissue
      samples. The different approaches of analyzing the gene expression in tissue
      samples (the cellular localization of gene expression by ISH vs the analysis of
      an extract of a total tissue sample with dot-blot analysis) showed that each
      technique is equal in value and that they are complementary to each other.

PMID- 1431063
TI  - Nature and distribution of mineral-binding, keratan sulfate-containing
      glycoconjugates in rat and rabbit bone.
AB  - The presence of keratan sulfate (KS) and KS proteoglycans in bone has been
      demonstrated in birds and rabbits but comparison with other animal species has
      not been investigated. The nature and distribution of mineral-binding, KS
      containing glycoconjugates in rat and rabbit bone were investigated with a
      monoclonal antibody (MAb 5D4) specific for KS. Mineral-binding proteins were
      extracted from the mineralized bone with 0.4 M EDTA without guanidine-HCl (E
      extract). On Western blot analysis of SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, rat
      E-extract gave a weak 5D4-reactive band, M(r) 66,000-68,000, whereas rabbit E
      extract produced two major reactive populations of small and large molecular
      size; one population consisted of two closely spaced bands at M(r) 61,000-63,000
      and 66,000-68,000, and the other population consisted of one band at
      approximately M(r) 200,000. The identity of KS chains was further established by
      the sensitivity of these bands to keratanase II (Bacillus sp. Ks 36) and endo
      beta-galactosidase. Immunocytochemistry with MAb 5D4 showed that, in rat bone,
      staining associated with the mineral phase was limited to the walls of osteocytic
      lacunae and bone canaliculi, whereas the remainder of the mineralized matrix
      lacked staining. In contrast, in rabbit bone the staining was distributed over
      the entire portion of the mineralized matrix with focal accumulation of staining
      in the wall of the lacunocanalicular system. These results indicate that rat bone
      contains a mineral-binding, KS-containing glycoconjugate with preferential
      localization in the wall of the lacunocanalicular system, whereas rabbit bone
      contains at least two or possibly three types of KS-containing glycoconjugates
      distributed over the entire portion of the mineralized matrix.

PMID- 1431064
TI  - Fluorescence image cytometry of nuclear DNA content versus chromatin pattern: a
      comparative study of ten fluorochromes.
AB  - This study is intended to be the first step of an in situ exploration of the
      intranuclear DNA distribution by image cytometry (SAMBA) with several
      fluorochromes. The nuclear DNA content and the chromatin pattern, revealed by ten
      fluorochromes (HO, DAPI, MA, CMA3, OM, QM, AO, EB, PI, and 7-AMD), were analyzed
      on mouse hepatocytes fixed by the Boehm-Sprenger procedure optimal for preserving
      the chromatin pattern. The question was whether fluorochromes specific to DNA
      make it possible to accurately quantitate the total nuclear DNA content when the
      chromatin pattern is preserved. Only HO and MA were found to provide satisfactory
      quantitation of nuclear DNA content, as assumed by both a small CV and a 4c to 2c
      ratio equal to 2. PI, EB, 7-AMD, and OM provided higher CV values, although the
      4c to 2 c ratio was still equal to 2. QM, AO, CMA3, and DAPI provided non
      reproducible and non-stoichiometric nuclear DNA content measurements under the
      fixation conditions used. The intranuclear and the internuclear SD of the
      fluorescence intensities describing the fluorescence pattern of the 2c
      hepatocytes proved to vary according to both the basepair specificity and the
      binding mode of the fluorochromes. The results reported here argue in favor of an
      external binding of 7-AMD to DNA and an increased quantum yield of QM when bound
      to AT-rich DNA. For PI, EB, 7-AMD, and OM, the measured DNA content increased
      with the fluorescence distribution heterogeneity. This correlation was not
      observed with other fluorochromes and is suggested to result from decreased
      fluorochrome accessibility to DNA when the chromatin is condensed. This study
      demonstrates that under conditions that preserve chromatin organization, only HO
      for AT-rich DNA and MA for GC-rich DNA can be used, alone or in combination, to
      measure nuclear DNA content. With other fluorochromes, either the measured DNA
      content or the chromatin pattern is assessed in suboptimal conditions when
      fluorescent image cytometry is used.

PMID- 1431065
TI  - A new acrylic resin formulation: a useful tool for histological, ultrastructural,
      and immunocytochemical investigations.
AB  - We describe a new formulation for a hydrophilic resin, mostly composed of glycol
      methacrylate and hydroxypropyl methacrylate and here referred to as bioacryl,
      that allows the performance of morphological and immunohistochemical
      investigations at both light and electron microscopic levels. Immunolocalizations
      performed on bioacryl-embedded tissues are characterized by high specificity with
      virtually absent background staining. Finally, the new resin yields satisfactory
      fine-structural preservation, resulting in ultrastructural images of better
      quality than those obtained with Lowicryl K4M.

PMID- 1431066
TI  - Liver metallothionein in the lacrimal gland.

PMID- 1431067
TI  - Localization of heparan sulfate proteoglycan in basement membranes.

PMID- 1431068
TI  - Lesbian erotics: the utopian trope of Donne's "Sapho to Philaenis".
AB  - Famous for its self-assertive masculinity, John Donne's love poetry nonetheless
      includes a verse elegy which stands alone not only in his work but also in the
      entire literary production of the Renaissance for its celebration and defense of
      a passionate lesbian relation binding the two women of its title. No editorial
      grounds exist for denying Donne's authorship of "Sapho to Philaenis"; rather the
      interpretive task is to reconstitute the poem's significance in period terms. The
      task is complicated by Donne's penchant for flouting literary and social
      convention as he successively overturns Ovid's influential portrayal of Sappho as
      an aging voluptuary reclaimed for heterosexuality, the virulent homophobia of
      Renaissance humanists, and the coy idealizations and transient evocation given to
      lesbian affectivity by the very few Renaissance writers (including Shakespeare)
      who touched on the subject at all. When "Sapho to Philaenis" is set in the
      context of Donne's other love elegies in verse as productions by a young
      intellectual moving in sophisticated London circles and writing for a coterie
      audience, lesbianism looks like a master trope for positively resolving a dilemma
      that confounded Montaigne and many other authors of the age. Could the
      perfections of love and friendship be united in a relation of equality between
      two persons? Gender hierarchy and separate socialization precluded a heterosexual
      construction of any such equality in the Renaissance, and the greater opprobrium
      cast on male homosexuality in this era must have influenced Donne's decision to
      figure his equal lovers and friends as a lesbian couple. Yet the disclosive power
      of "Sapho to Philaenis" goes far beyond the entailments of a specific choice of
      poetic representation. Donne really undertakes to imagine the pleasures,
      sustenance, and ideological implications by which lesbianism, as a mode of loving
      and being, resists patriarchal disposition and diminution of women. Donne
      anticipates the advances of twentieth-century feminists (Colette, Kofman,
      Irigaray) as he poetically articulates possibilities and knowledge that were
      otherwise denied expression by Renaissance culture and its exponents.

PMID- 1431069
TI  - Sodomy and kingcraft in Urania and Antony and Cleopatra.
AB  - Despite his description of sodomy as a horrible crime that a king is "bound in
      conscience neuer to forgiue," James I pursued the affections of a string of young
      and handsome "favourites" on whom he lavished gifts, titles, and power. Relying
      on the evidence of the King's own letters and frank comments from his Puritan
      critics, most historians assume that his relations with some of these men were
      sexual. The King's friendship with Robert Carr (who was later made Earl of
      Somerset), coupled with his estrangement from Queen Anne, may have been an
      inspiration for at least two literary accounts of kingship confounded by sex:
      Lady Mary Wroth's Urania (1621) and Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra (1608).
      Wroth describes a duke who is made politically vulnerable by his love for a young
      man that leaves him "issue-les." The rise and fall of this disloyal companion
      closely resembles that of Somerset and would seem to indicate Wroth's belief that
      the King's relationship with the Earl was sexual. Antony and Cleopatra is in many
      ways a reflection of Jacobean court extravagance and decadence. Cleopatra,
      despite her sex, seems to fill the same role in political and sexual scandal as
      did Somerset; and Antony's vacillation between pleasure and duty recalls a
      certain Renaissance discourse on sodomy and "kingcraft".

PMID- 1431070
TI  - Not since Sappho: the erotic in poems of Katherine Philips and Aphra Behn.
AB  - The presentation of sexuality in poetry may be masked by the use of conventional
      literary devices that obscure as well as reveal the poems' erotic content.
      Traditional readings of Katherine Philips' and Aphra Behn's poetry have ignored
      or denied the lesbian aspects of their verse by dismissing them as asexual
      representations of well-known literary conventions. This paper argues for a
      recognition of the ways in which these poetic conventions present a complex and
      sophisticated lesbian sexuality and also comment on other taboo aspects of human
      sexual relations.

PMID- 1431071
TI  - Seeing sodomy: Fanny Hill's blinding vision.
AB  - One of the oddest and most erotic moments in Cleland's Fanny Hill occurs when
      Fanny is knocked "senseless" by a voyeuristic vision of two young men having anal
      intercourse. This sodomitical passage demonstrates a dominant culture's strong
      phobic attraction to a socially peripheral Other against which it defines itself.
      The passage also represents two types of transgression. On one level, it records
      an inversion of sex, gender, and class paradigms that structure bourgeois
      subjectivity. On another level, the passage also transgresses signification
      itself, exploding as well as inverting those paradigms, in a movement that
      recalls Barthes's distinction between the coded "studium" of the pornographic and
      the uncoded "punctum" of the erotic. This transgressive exemption from meaning
      might well be read, in a Barthesian sense, as true sexual enfranchisement in
      that, for Barthes, the liberation of sexuality requires the release of sexuality
      from meaning, and from transgression as meaning.

PMID- 1431072
TI  - The sodomitical muse: Fanny Hill and the rhetoric of crossdressing.
AB  - Cleland's Fanny Hill, banned for centuries largely as a result of a passage
      depicting male sodomy, has been the focus of several critical approaches since it
      was republished in the United States in 1963. Critical readings by Nancy K.
      Miller and Randolph Trumbach in particular indicate that Fanny's persona itself
      is a "drag" act. While asserting this, no critic has traced the textual
      complexity of this persona, which is apparent in Cleland's use of figurative
      language and is accessible through close reading only.

PMID- 1431073
TI  - "The voice of nature" in Gray's Elegy.
AB  - Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" commemorates a problematic
      sexuality that traditional readings of the poem's "melancholy" usually ignore. By
      reconsidering the poem in light of theories of abjection, this essay uncovers the
      powerful poetic expression of a sexuality at odds with mid-century culture and
      shows how the poet's awareness of his own homosexuality shaped the familiar
      features of the most popular poem of the eighteenth century.

PMID- 1431074
TI  - Tradition and the individual sodomite: Barnfield, Shakespeare, and subjective
      desire.
AB  - This article compares Shakespeare's sonnets with those written by Richard
      Barnfield in order to examine the possibility of homoerotic subjectivity in early
      Renaissance England. Social constructionist debates about sexual subjectivity
      have convincingly argued that "the homosexual"--the person defined by
      homosexuality--did not exist before the Enlightenment. The sequences of
      Shakespeare and Barnfield, both of which deal with homoerotic desire, suggest
      that homoerotic desire could indeed play a role in defining the individuated
      subject prior to the Enlightenment. However, the ways in which they use
      homoeroticism also suggest that subjectivity was defined in radically different
      ways during the period.

PMID- 1431075
TI  - Body, costume, and desire in Christopher Marlowe.
AB  - All the desired youths in Marlowe come clothed in favors, the tokens of older and
      richer men's yearning. These bribes and rewards, often feminine or effeminate
      ornaments, not only beautify the already gorgeous bodies of young men, but also
      label and augment their value and their power. The moment of virility's blooming,
      in adolescence, is seen as a time when boys can negotiate favorable terms of
      entry into the realms of manhood by the seductive use of their glamor. For their
      part, desirous men are distracted from the affairs and cares of state by their
      nostalgic encounters with girlish boys, at worst, to the extent that their own
      patriarchal power is compromised by sodomitic dalliance. Marlowe's involvement in
      these plots is iterative and committed.

PMID- 1431076
TI  - Verse letters to T.W. from John Donne: "By you my love is sent".
AB  - Relying on an audience of one for their impact, the verse letters of John Donne
      are closer to autobiography than anything else in his poetry. Among the most
      tender of these lyrics are the verse letters written to a young man named Thomas
      Woodward, whose older brother was one of Donne's closest friends. Using sexual
      metaphors, the poems reflect a homoerotic undercurrent and demonstrate affection
      that most readers of Donne associate only with his heterosexual love poems.

PMID- 1431077
TI  - "Masculine love," Renaissance writing, and the "new invention" of homosexuality.
AB  - Contrary to the dominant claim in gay studies now that homosexuality is a
      relatively new historical "invention," the Renaissance had a definite recognition
      of a distinct homosexuality, acknowledged at least by those who were willing to
      face and discuss the subject frankly. A key example of that awareness is the
      earlier term "masculine love," which seems to have been particularly prominent in
      the Renaissance as a language for a male homosexual orientation. Significant
      differences have clearly occurred in the homosexual situation over time, and
      homosexuality can never be discussed totally independent of historical and social
      conditions, but the "new-inventionism" currently prevailing in gay studies has
      serious problems of concept and method and needs careful examining.

PMID- 1431078
TI  - Femme on the streets, butch in the sheets? Lesbian sex-roles, dyadic adjustment,
      and sexual satisfaction.
AB  - Recent research suggests that butch-femme role playing in lesbian couples has
      diminished and been replaced with androgynous attitudes and behaviors. Are
      lesbians, however, able to maintain an androgynous approach when it comes to
      lovemaking? Or does the bedroom give way to the powerful influence of traditional
      gender-based norms for sexual behavior? What implications does the choice of sex
      roles have for relationship and sexual satisfaction in lesbian couples? The
      present study of 111 lesbians explores the relationship between sex-role self
      perceptions, sexual satisfaction, and sexual fulfillment. Findings indicate that
      lesbians perceive themselves as significantly more feminine when they are
      interacting sexually than their overall or global sex-role perception.
      Furthermore, lesbians who view themselves as either androgynous or feminine in a
      sexual context had the highest level of sexual satisfaction and dyadic adjustment
      among all four sex-role groups.

PMID- 1431079
TI  - Freud and sexual reorientation therapy.
AB  - Contrary to certain psychoanalytic interpretations, Freud himself generally
      resisted the possibility or desirability of sexual reorientation therapy. Yet his
      understanding of the origins and nature of homoeroticism does not suggest that
      conversion therapy is impossible. Although he did not believe homoeroticism to be
      an inherent impediment to human accomplishment and fulfillment neither did he see
      it as having the full value of heteroeroticism. For these reasons he did not
      altogether rule out the desirability or possibility of conversion therapy for
      some individuals even if he did not believe that it could be psychoanalysis alone
      that could redirect sexual orientation.

PMID- 1431080
TI  - Lesbianism and choice.
AB  - Why does it matter whether a woman can choose whether to be lesbian? I argue by
      illustration that, first of all, it does make good sense to see the option to be
      lesbian as genuine for women in a fairly common sort of circumstance; that
      recognizing the genuineness of this option, however, does not impute to such
      women major control over their lives; that choosing to be lesbian may actually
      narrow rather than expand one's present options; and that nevertheless it is
      important to acknowledge such choices for their potentialities, in community, to
      change the meaning of "lesbian" in liberatory ways.

PMID- 1431081
TI  - The gay pediatrician: a report.
AB  - Since no articles in the medical literature could be found dealing with the
      subject of the gay pediatrician, a complete bibliographic search was conducted in
      order to find information about gay health professionals. Using both manual and
      computerized methods of access to information in many data bases, much pertinent
      material was found. Reports were accessed which demonstrated that gay
      pediatricians most certainly exist and that, in addition to their standard role
      in pediatric and adolescent medicine, they have special and unique contributions
      to make to the care of our nation's 2.9 million gay youth. Gay pediatricians need
      to be accepted as valuable professionals by peers and by society. Whenever
      possible, gay pediatricians need to act as role models to our gay youth.
      Pediatricians who happen to be gay have much to contribute to medicine.

PMID- 1431082
TI  - Attitudes toward minorities: a comparison of homosexuals and the general
      population.
AB  - As a prelude to a media campaign to improve the public image of gays, a gay
      rights organization in Columbus, Ohio, constructed a questionnaire to assess
      perceptions of and attitudes toward gays and various other minority groups
      including blacks, Jews, women, communists, and recovering alcoholics. The
      questionnaire was administered to two samples in the central Ohio area: a sample
      of the greater Columbus population at large, and a sample of gays and lesbians.
      This article reports on the comparative findings from these two samples.

PMID- 1431083
TI  - Passing and social support among gay men.
AB  - One hundred sixty-six gay men responded to a questionnaire survey which asked
      them to describe their social networks and the extent to which they 'passed'
      (were assumed to be heterosexual) among network members. Most gay men were known
      as gay to most members of their networks; however, friends, siblings and persons
      close to respondents were more likely to be aware of their homosexuality than co
      workers, parents, and more distant relatives. Gay men were more satisfied with
      social support available from those who knew of their sexual orientation. The
      author concludes that passing has important and complex effects on the social
      networks of gay men.

PMID- 1431084
TI  - Adult responses to child behavior and attitudes toward fathering: gay and nongay
      fathers.
AB  - This study examines gay and nongay fathers' responses to instruments measuring
      parenting style and orientation to the fathering role. Fifty-three respondents
      (24 gay and 29 nongay fathers) completed two surveys, and responses to each were
      analyzed. Both groups of fathers were found to have a developmental orientation
      toward their role as fathers, and no discernible parenting style could be found
      to distinguish one group from the other. Thus, gay and nongay fathers were found
      to be more similar than different with regard to parenting styles and attitudes
      toward fathering. This finding supports previous work (Bigner & Jacobsen, 1989a,
      1989b) and expands the available knowledge based on the parenting styles of
      homosexual parents.

PMID- 1431085
TI  - Public endorsement of restrictions on three aspects of free expression by
      homosexuals: socio-demographic and trends analysis 1973-1988.
AB  - The willingness of the public to endorse proposals to remove gay-positive books
      from library shelves, to dismiss college teachers who are homosexuals, and to
      prohibit public speaking by homosexuals was examined. A socio-demographic
      analysis aggregating the entire period 1973 through 1988, and an analysis of
      trends over the period, were undertaken using data from the General Social
      Surveys. Responses to survey questions concerning homosexuals were compared with
      responses to similar questions concerning other unpopular groups, and to
      questions which called upon the respondent to make a moral judgment concerning
      homosexual relations. A significant decline over the period was found in the
      public's willingness to endorse restrictions on homosexuals, and on each of the
      other unpopular groups used for comparison. Level of education appeared to be a
      strong indicator of a more tolerant attitude. Paradoxically, negative moral
      attitudes toward homosexual relations did not decline. Bias in the wording of the
      General Social Surveys' questions concerning the moral dimension of homosexuality
      may have distorted these results, however. The public's moral attitude toward
      homosexual behavior does appear to be quite labile from year to year, suggesting
      that concerted efforts to educate the public on this subject can have an
      important and rapid effect.

PMID- 1431086
TI  - "Man's words" and manly comradeship: language, politics, and homosexuality in
      Walt Whitman's works.
AB  - Critical assessments of Walt Whitman's works either emphasize his sexual themes
      while ignoring his political ideas or they focus on the poet's politics but
      ignore his poetics of corporeality. Recent studies that do discuss both politics
      and sexuality in Whitman's works do not devote much attention if any to the
      poet's theory of language as it appears in his An American Primer. This essay
      explores the complex intersections among sexuality, politics, and language in
      Whitman's works, illustrating how the poet consistently correlated his
      linguistic, sexual, and political metaphors, constantly relating the health and
      the sexual potency of the male body with the power of language, the efficacy of
      literature, and the strength of the states in the United States. Underlying these
      multiple metaphors and poetic intentions is the poet's homosexual vision. It
      constitutes the basis of his linguistic theory, his hope of an ideal democratic
      union, and his plea for sexual equality. To Whitman, America needed male-to-male
      friendships to free it from materialistic vulgarities and to ensure its
      perpetuation.

PMID- 1431087
TI  - Visions and revisions of reality: reflections on sex, sexuality, gender, and
      gender variance.
AB  - Varying perceptions of gender, sex, and sexuality are investigated, using several
      examples, from the Pokot of East Africa to the Tewa Indians in New Mexico. The
      role that labels play in the acquisition of gender identity is also explored; and
      the influence of Cartesian dualism is challenged, suggesting a need to expand
      Euro-American conceptions of gender.

PMID- 1431088
TI  - The relationship of instrumentality and expressivity to sexual orientation in
      women.
AB  - The study reported here investigated the relationship between Instrumentality (I)
      and Expressivity (E) (two personality variables related to sex roles), sexual
      orientation, occupational level and marital status. The hypothesis was that women
      high in I and low in E may find traditional heterosexual relationships to be in
      conflict with their personality traits, and that a lesbian choice may offer a way
      of life more in keeping with such traits. The study used a sample of 159 women,
      and found that neither I nor E alone, nor I x E, could predict sexual
      orientation. A weak relationship was found between I and housewifery, such that
      women who were married with children and did not have a job outside the home tend
      to score lower on I. Expressivity bore no relationship to any of the variables.
      Women who were high on I and low on E were not more likely to be lesbian. The
      study concludes that there is no relationship between I, E, and sexual
      orientation; also that it is inappropriate to use housewives as a heterosexual
      comparison group for lesbian women.

PMID- 1431089
TI  - Are gay men artistic? A review of the literature.
AB  - There is a popular perception that gay men are artistic. Although art historians
      and others have documented the substantial contribution to art made by gay men,
      the existence of a unique gay sensibility remains controversial. Mental health
      practitioners who work with gay men have addressed aesthetic sensibility in the
      childhood of gay men, but not the role of art in their adult lives. A literature
      search on the relationship between homosexuality and artistic ability and/or
      achievement shows that there is little scientific data addressing this subject.
      Reasons for the lack of literature as well as suggestions for future research are
      offered.

PMID- 1431090
TI  - Researcher-participant relationships in journal reports on gay men and lesbian
      women.
AB  - To assess the ethical nature of research relationships between investigators and
      gay and lesbian participants we reviewed 351 reports on homosexuality in three
      major and 75 miscellaneous journals from 1974 to 1988. We found that authors
      rarely involved participants beyond the role of providing data, generally did not
      report conditions of consent, rarely reported feedback, and almost never
      indicated using data to promote social action. In addition, authors typically
      relied on the term "subjects" and on a depersonalized, decontextualized writing
      style. There were some differences among journals, over time, and among authors'
      disciplines. Male authors tended to study men exclusively, whereas female
      authors' relation to participants' gender was more varied. Believing that
      research with gay men and lesbian women should not detract from their
      emancipation, we offer some recommendations for research practice and report
      writing which are designed to better protect research participants and to produce
      more valid knowledge.

PMID- 1431091
TI  - Genetic nomenclature for loci controlling surface antigens of mouse hemopoietic
      cells.

PMID- 1431092
TI  - Tolerance to host minor histocompatibility antigens after allogenic bone marrow
      transplantation. Specific donor-host unresponsiveness is maintained by peripheral
      tolerizing cells.
AB  - The development of graft-host tolerance after allogeneic bone marrow (BM)
      transplantation is more demanding than the acquisition of self-tolerance because
      both donor-derived mature T cells and immature thymocytes encounter host Ag. The
      mechanism involved in tolerization of mature T cells, contained in unmanipulated
      BM, remains undefined. In previous experiments, we showed in vivo
      unresponsiveness to host minor histocompatibility Ag (MiHA) in immunocompetent
      chimeras obtained after MiHA-incompatible BM transplantation. In this study, we
      wanted to determine: first, what was the specificity of this graft-host
      unresponsiveness, and second, whether peripheral cells were involved in
      tolerization? LP recipients were irradiated (9, 5 Gy), injected with 10(7)
      undepleted BM cells from B10 donors and studied 100 to 150 days later. (B10-->LP)
      chimeras were immunized in vivo and restimulated in vitro with cells displaying
      one or multiple incompatible MiHA. In bulk culture experiments, chimeras
      demonstrated specific CTL unresponsiveness to host MiHA but responded normally to
      third party MiHA. In limiting dilution analysis conditions, chimeras showed a
      profound deficit, but not a complete absence of anti-host CTL precursor. Studies
      with congenic stimulators/targets showed that graft-host tolerance was induced
      against both immunodominant (e.g., H-3.2) and nonimmunodominant (e.g., H-8.2)
      MiHA although at the CTL precursor level, it was more complete against the
      former. Furthermore, chimera spleen cells inhibited the generation of CTL
      activity against host- and donor-type MiHA but not against third party Ag. This
      specific suppressor activity was not T cell dependent, and was mediated by
      radiosensitive cells that are not found in freshly explanted organs from normal
      mice. Taken together, our results suggest that peripheral tolerization can be a
      remarkably efficient process to maintain tolerance to MiHA after BM
      transplantation. Thus, peripheral tolerizing mechanisms may contribute not only
      to the induction of tolerance to Mls superantigens or to the product of
      transgenes (if expressed at high levels) but also to a wide array of MiHA.

PMID- 1431094
TI  - Effect of class I MHC binding peptides on recognition by natural killer cells.
AB  - NK cells can recognize and destroy a broad range of cells, including many tumor
      cells and virally infected cells, yet spare most normal cells. Identification of
      the target structure recognized by these cells has proved elusive. An attractive
      hypothesis is that, unlike B cells and T cells that recognize a specific foreign
      marker, NK cells respond to the absence of a "self" marker. Class I MHC molecules
      have been implicated as the self markers whose absence can trigger lysis. We show
      here that normal cells are lysed on incubation with IL-2-activated NK cells if
      peptides that can bind to the class I MHC molecules of the normal cells are also
      included in the assay, and speculate that this binding is somehow removing a self
      marker that normally protects a cell from lysis. NK cells were derived from
      splenocytes of young (5 to 8 wk old) athymic nude BALB/c (H-2d) or nude C57Bl/6
      (H-2b) mice incubated with 1000 U/ml rIL-2, and target cells were derived from
      splenocytes of normal BALB/c or C57Bl/6 mice incubated with Con A. Peptides were
      from xenogeneic, viral, self, and mutated self protein sequences and included
      sequences specific for Kd, Kb, Db, and Ld. All peptides increased lysability of
      those targets to which they could bind.

PMID- 1431093
TI  - Selective association between MHC class I-restricted T cell receptors, CDS, and
      activated tyrosine kinases on thymocytes undergoing positive selection.
AB  - Developing T cells undergo distinct selection processes that determine the TCR
      repertoire. Positive selection involves the differentiation of immature
      thymocytes capable of recognizing antigens complexed with self-MHC molecules to
      mature T cells. Besides the central role of TCR engagement by MHC in triggering
      selection; the interaction of CD8 and CD4 with MHC class I and class II,
      respectively; is thought to be important in regulating the selection process. To
      study potential mechanisms involved in positive selection of CD8+ cells, we have
      analyzed mice expressing a unique transgenic TCR. The transgenic receptor
      recognizes the HY male Ag in the context of the MHC class I molecule, H2-Db. We
      describe that CD8 and the TCR are selectively associated in thymocytes of mice
      expressing the restricting MHC, but not in thymocytes of mice expressing a
      nonrestricting MHC. pp56lck and pp59fyn, the tyrosine kinases associated with CD8
      and TCR, respectively, were found to be present in this complex in an activated
      form. No comparable TCR-CD4 complex formation was found in thymuses undergoing
      positive selection to CD8+ cells. The formation of a multimolecular complex
      between CD8 and TCR, in which pp56lck and pp59fyn are activated, may initiate
      specific signaling programs involved in the maturation of CD8+ cells.

PMID- 1431095
TI  - Induction of apoptosis by monoclonal antibody anti-APO-1 class switch variants is
      dependent on cross-linking of APO-1 cell surface antigens.
AB  - Apoptosis, programmed cell death, was previously shown to be induced by the mAb
      anti-APO-1 (IgG3, kappa) by binding to the APO-1 cell surface Ag, a new member of
      the nerve growth factor/TNF receptor superfamily. To investigate the role of the
      Ig H chain Fc regions we compared induction of apoptosis by the original mAb IgG3
      anti-APO-1 with anti-APO-1 F(ab')2 fragments and different anti-APO-1 isotypes
      (IgG1, IgG2b, IgG2a, and IgA) isolated by sequential sublining. We found that
      IgG3 was the most active isotype; IgG1, IgG2a, and IgA showed intermediate
      activity, and IgG2b and F(ab')2 were inactive. Cytotoxic activity of the inactive
      or less active antibody preparations was fully reconstituted by protein A, anti
      mouse Ig, or anti-mouse Ig F(ab')2, respectively. Thus, APO-1-mediated induction
      of apoptosis was dependent on efficient cross-linking of APO-1 cell surface Ag,
      indirectly augmented by anti-APO-1 Fc-Fc self-aggregation. Because of their
      different in vitro activity we selected IgG3-, IgG2b-, and IgA anti-APO-1 to test
      their antitumor activity against solid human B lymphoblastoid tumors in SCID
      mice. The isotypes showed a different serum half-life (IgG3: 9.2-10.4 days,
      IgG2b: 1.9-2.6 days, and IgA: 14.1-29.2 h) and a different initial tumor
      localization 4 h after i.p. injection (IgG3 around the blood vessels, IgG2b
      homogeneously, and IgA heterogeneously distributed in the tumor). All antibody
      preparations induced tumor regression by induction of apoptosis, even IgG2b anti
      APO-1 inactive in vitro without cross-linking. The activity of IgA anti-APO-1,
      which did not mediate complement-dependent cytotoxicity or antibody-dependent
      cellular cytotoxicity indicates that apoptosis may be used as the main if not the
      only mechanism of induction of tumor regression in vivo. As with in vitro, IgG3
      anti-APO-1 was the most effective isotype also in vivo. This result suggests that
      cross-linking of APO-1 on the tumor cell surface may also be required for tumor
      regression by apoptosis in vivo. Taken together, our data show that selective
      targeting of apoptosis to tumors may be an efficient antitumor mechanism.

PMID- 1431096
TI  - Basement membrane and its components on lymphocyte adhesion, migration, and
      proliferation.
AB  - During inflammation and recirculation, lymphocytes migrate into tissues by
      traversing the capillary endothelium, a process known as extravasation. After
      crossing the endothelial cells, lymphocytes come into contact with the basement
      membrane, which is a specialized layer of extracellular matrix containing
      predominantly laminin, collagen type IV, entactin, and heparan sulfate
      proteoglycans. In tissue invasion by inflammatory cells and metastatic tumor
      cells, the basement membrane serves as a substratum for cell adhesion and
      migration. However, the role of basement membrane in lymphocyte extravasation
      remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of basement membrane
      on lymphocyte adhesion, migration, and proliferation, using matrigel as a model
      for basement membrane. We observed that matrigel promotes both lymphocyte
      adhesion and migration, with entactin primarily responsible for promoting
      adhesion and laminin for promoting migration. In addition, activation of
      lymphocytes by anti-CD3 enhances their adhesion and migration on matrigel-coated
      substratum. We also observed that matrigel inhibits the proliferation of
      lymphocytes stimulated by Con A. Furthermore, we demonstrated that laminin is the
      matrigel component responsible for inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation. However,
      matrigel has no effect on the proliferation of lymphocytes stimulated by LPS.
      These results suggest that matrigel has different effects on lymphocyte
      subpopulations. In agreement with the results on proliferation, matrigel also
      inhibits the production of IL-2 by Con A-stimulated lymphocytes.

PMID- 1431097
TI  - Regulation of basal tyrosine phosphorylation of the B cell antigen receptor
      complex by the protein tyrosine phosphatase, CD45.
AB  - Signal transduction via the B cell AgR complex has recently been shown to be
      dependent on the activation of one or more protein tyrosine kinases. Similarly,
      it has been found that signal transduction requires the expression of the protein
      tyrosine phosphatase CD45. Thus, transduction of a signal after AgR cross-linking
      must involve the coordinate interaction of these two enzymatic activities. It is
      therefore logical to hypothesize that the competence of the B cell to respond to
      ligands that bind the AgR may be dependent on the maintenance of an equilibrium
      between the tyrosine phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of specific signal
      transduction components. We have demonstrated in the present study that in
      resting B cells, the basal level of AgR complex tyrosine phosphorylation is
      regulated by cellular protein tyrosine phosphatases. Treatment of cells with the
      protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, Na3VO4, resulted in rapid
      hyperphosphorylation of the receptor complex. Based on this observation,
      experiments were designed to examine the role of CD45 in regulation of AgR
      complex phosphorylation. Treatment of B cells with anti-CD45 mAb alone was found
      to have no effect on cytoskeletal association of CD45 or on its distribution
      within the membrane. Addition of a secondary cross-linking reagent, however,
      induced the association of CD45 with the cytoskeleton and caused capping.
      Subsequent studies demonstrated that increased tyrosine phosphorylation of the
      mIg-associated proteins MB-1 and B29 could be induced after incubating cells with
      anti-CD45 mAb and a secondary cross-linker, but not after the addition of anti
      CD45 mAb alone. Changes in tyrosine phosphorylation of MB-1 and B29 were found to
      correlate with the cytoskeletal association of CD45. Interestingly, although
      cross-linking CD45 induced alterations in its association with the cytoskeleton
      and in its distribution within the membrane, no significant change in the level
      of protein tyrosine phosphatase activity could be detected under these
      conditions. These findings support the possibility that ligand binding to CD45
      can induce biochemical and/or physical alterations in the molecule that
      presumably inhibit its ability to interact with specific substrates in the cell,
      thereby shifting the established equilibrium between tyrosine-specific
      phosphorylation and dephosphorylation.

PMID- 1431098
TI  - Unidirectional, heterologous desensitization of the pertussis toxin receptor by
      the CD3/TCR complex.
AB  - Prolonged exposure of many types of receptors to their cognate agonists can lead
      to a progressive lack of responsiveness. When this occurs after stimulation by
      the primary agonist for a given receptor it is termed homologous desensitization,
      and heterologous desensitization when to an agonist binding to a different type
      of receptor. Pertussis toxin (PTx) is a potent mitogen for human T lymphocytes.
      We have previously identified the human T cell PTx receptor (PTx-R) as a 43-kDa
      plasma membrane protein that, when stimulated, leads to the production of the
      intracellular second messengers, inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate, 1,2-sn
      diacylglycerol, and elevated cytosolic calcium. The PTx-R appears to require the
      co-expression of the CD3/TCR complex because mutant cells that lack the AgR, but
      express the PTx-R, fail to respond to PTx. In this report, we have investigated
      the relationship between these two receptor systems. Activation of the PTx-R with
      submaximal concentrations of PTx did not affect the ability of an anti-CD3
      antibody combined with rabbit anti-mIg to stimulate increases in intracellular
      free calcium concentration [Ca2+]i or diacylglycerol in human peripheral blood T
      cells. However, treatment with soluble anti-CD3 mAb, which lead to only a modest
      increase in [Ca2+]i, completely inhibited the effect of PTx. The cells were not
      refractory to further stimulation of the AgR because cross-linking with rabbit
      anti-mIg resulted in the standard maximal stimulation. This effect could be
      observed within 1 min of treatment with anti-CD3 mAb, and persisted for at least
      1 h. The effect was not caused by production of either diacylglycerol (leading to
      activation of PK-C) or an increase in [Ca2+]i by anti-CD3 mAb because the effect
      could not be mimicked by either phorbol esters or a calcium ionophore.
      Pretreatment of either resting T lymphoblasts or PBL with anti-CD3 mAb also
      prevented enhanced [3H]TdR incorporation stimulated by PTx. These observations
      suggest a model in which T cells can regulate amplification of a non-AgR
      stimulatory pathway by heterologous desensitization.

PMID- 1431099
TI  - Peripheral T cell receptor gamma delta variable gene repertoire maps to the T
      cell receptor loci and is influenced by positive selection.
AB  - Although the mechanisms that determine TCR-alpha beta V gene repertoire are well
      studied, the genetic influences involved in TCR-gamma delta repertoire
      development are unclear. Unlike the TCR-gamma delta populations that localize in
      epithelial tissues, the circulating peripheral TCR-gamma delta V region
      repertoire is quite diverse. Previous studies have shown that three TCR-gamma
      chains and at least six TCR-V delta genes are expressed by splenic TCR-gamma
      delta cells. However, the relative frequency of individual gamma delta subsets
      among genetically diverse mice has not been determined. Therefore, the repertoire
      of TCR-gamma delta cells was examined using anti-TCR V region specific mAb
      against V gamma 2 and V delta 4 on TCR-gamma delta + cells from total
      splenocytes. We found that there was a strain-specific variation in TCR-gamma
      delta usage. The frequency of V gamma 2 expression in different strains varied
      from 54 to 12%, and the frequency of V delta 4 expression in different strains
      varied from 38 to 10%. However, the level of V delta 4 and V gamma 2 expression
      for an individual strain was highly consistent from experiment to experiment. F1
      analysis between parental strains that differed in relative frequency of either V
      gamma 2+ or V delta 4+ cells revealed that high expression was genetically
      dominant, suggesting that positive selection events play a major role in the
      peripheral gamma delta repertoire. Variations in the levels of V gamma 2+ cells
      and V delta 4+ cells was not associated with Mls or MHC haplotype. Analysis of
      recombinant inbred strains revealed that high V delta 4 expression mapped to the
      TCR-gamma locus, while high V gamma 2 expression was influenced by the TCR-delta
      locus. Back-cross analysis confirmed that the TCR loci dominantly influenced the
      level of V delta 4+ cells and V gamma 2+ cells; however, there was clear evidence
      that multiple genes affect the TCR-gamma delta repertoire.

PMID- 1431100
TI  - The C/EBP family of transcriptional activators is functionally important for Ig
      VH promoter activity in vivo and in vitro.
AB  - We have examined the functional importance of binding sites for C/EBP family
      members (E sites), in two Ig VH promoters: VH1, a member of the S107 family, and
      BCL1, a member of the J558 family. Mutation of the E site in the VH1 promoter
      diminishes transcription in vivo to 59% of wild-type and transcription from the
      BCL1 promoter in vitro is inhibited to an average of 39% of wild-type by
      competition with E site oligonucleotides. Purified E site binding proteins from
      plasmacytoma cells stimulated BCL1 transcription in vitro 2.3-fold. Although five
      C/EBP family proteins are known which bind the E site, antibody ablation of
      DNA:protein complexes resolved by electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed
      that Ig/EBP-1 is the only E site binding protein detectable in early B cell
      lines; more mature B cells contain Ig/EBP-1 and NF-IL6. We also show by antibody
      depletion that Ig/EBP-1 activates the BCL1 promoter in vitro.

PMID- 1431101
TI  - EBV/C3d receptor (CR2) interacts by its intracytoplasmic carboxy-terminal domain
      and two distinct binding sites with the p53 anti-oncoprotein and the p68 calcium
      binding protein.
AB  - EBV/C3d receptor (CR2) interacts with the p53 anti-oncoprotein expressed in the
      human B lymphoma cells, Raji but not in normal B cells, and with the p68 calcium
      binding protein, expressed in normal B lymphocytes but not in transformed B
      lymphocytes. To characterize the CR2 domain interacting with these two
      intracellular proteins, we synthesized a 34-amino acid peptide, pep34,
      corresponding to its intracytoplasmic carboxy-terminal domain and analyzed its
      binding and antigenic properties. Binding of 125I-labeled p53 or 125I-labeled p68
      on immobilized pep34 was specific, additive, and totally inhibited by unlabeled
      p53 or p68, respectively, but not by unlabeled p68 or p53, respectively.
      Antigenic properties of pep34 were analyzed by immunizing rabbits with particle
      bound pep34. Polyclonal anti-pep34 Ab carried anti-CR2 specificities that
      recognized only the intracellular domain of CR2. In addition, anti-pep34 Ab also
      carried anti-p53 or anti-p68 specificities. Anti-p53 or anti-p68 specificities
      were not due to putative common structural or conformational antigenic
      determinants between the pep34 synthetic peptide and the p68 or p53 proteins.
      These anti-p53 and anti-p68 specificities were identified as anti-idiotypic anti
      CR2 Ab mimicking either p53 or p68 binding sites of CR2. These data clearly
      establish that despite its short length, the intracytoplasmic C-terminal tail of
      CR2 is involved in direct protein-protein interactions with the two intracellular
      regulatory proteins, p53 and p68. An additional feature of these data is the
      demonstration that particle-bound pep34 triggered "in vivo" anti-Id Ab restricted
      to either p53 or p68 specificities.

PMID- 1431102
TI  - A DNase I-hypersensitive site in the second intron of the murine IL-4 gene
      defines a mast cell-specific enhancer.
AB  - IL-4 is a potent immunoregulatory cytokine that exhibits extremely diverse
      effects on a number of target cells. Although IL-4 was originally described as a
      T cell-derived product, it is evident that cells of the basophil/mast cell
      lineage are also an important source of this cytokine. Based on their different
      tissue distribution, mast cell and T cell-derived IL-4 may have distinct effects
      on local immune responses. The physiologic production of IL-4 appears to be
      tightly regulated because most T and mast cells require activation to express
      significant levels of IL-4. In contrast, a majority of murine transformed mast
      cell lines constitutively express relatively high levels of IL-4. In this study,
      transformed mast cell lines were used as models to define cis acting sequences
      that regulate mast cell IL-4 transcription. Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase
      reporter gene constructs containing 6.3 kb of 5' IL-4 flanking sequence direct
      relatively low chloramphenicol acetyltransferase expression in these cells. These
      results indicated that additional sequences may be important in stimulating
      transcriptional activity of the IL-4 gene. Using DNAse I hypersensitive site
      analysis to define other potential IL-4 transcriptional regulatory regions, two
      sites were identified in the murine IL-4 gene that appear to be unique to IL-4
      expressing transformed mast cells. One site defines an intronic sequence that
      exhibits prototypic enhancer activity in several independently derived
      transformed mast cell lines. This enhancer is also active in stimulated, non
      transformed mast cells but not stimulated EL-4 T cells. Taken together, these
      data indicate that the IL-4 intronic sequence contains a mast cell specific
      enhancer that plays an essential role in the unregulated expression of IL-4 in
      transformed mast cells and may also be important in the inducible expression of
      IL-4 in normal mast cells.

PMID- 1431103
TI  - Molecular cloning of the murine IL-1 beta converting enzyme cDNA.
AB  - IL-1 beta is a potent modulator of immune and inflammatory responses. Murine IL-1
      beta is initially synthesized as an inactive 33-kDa pro-molecule that is
      activated by proteolytic cleavage between Asp-117 and Val-118 to generate the 17
      kDa mature IL-1 beta protein. This cleavage is catalyzed by a specific protease
      that has been designated the IL-1 beta converting enzyme (or IL-1 beta
      convertase). We have used a human IL-1 beta convertase cDNA to isolate murine
      convertase cDNA from a WEHI-3 library. These cDNA predicted that the murine
      convertase is a 402-residue protein. Overall, the murine convertase showed 71%
      nucleotide and 62% predicted amino acid sequence identity with the human
      convertase. Southern blot analysis of interspecific backcross mice indicated that
      the murine IL-1 beta convertase is encoded by a single copy gene located on
      murine chromosome 9. The murine convertase showed broad constitutive expression,
      being detected in mononuclear phagocyte and T lymphocyte cell lines as well as in
      spleen, heart, brain, and adrenal glands. The expression of the murine convertase
      in mononuclear phagocytes was up-regulated by treatment with LPS or rIFN-gamma.
      These studies establish that the IL-1 beta convertase is an evolutionarily
      conserved, widely expressed enzyme that can be regulated at a pretranslational
      level.

PMID- 1431104
TI  - Patterns of antibody specificity during the BALB/c immune response to hen
      eggwhite lysozyme.
AB  - We tested 49 BALB/c antilysozyme mAb from seven intervals during the immune
      response to lysozyme for patterns of specificity and avidity. We found that the
      antibody epitopes in composite covered at least 80% of the lysozyme surface, and
      their patterns of overlap suggest a continuum of potential antibody epitopes.
      Previously observed regional specificities, which emerged at different times in
      the immune response, were more discretely defined in late response antibodies,
      when the majority of mAb could be assigned to one of three functionally
      nonoverlapping complementation groups. The area covered by each antigenic region
      may be greater than an individual epitope, and may include multiple epitopes that
      overlap structurally and functionally to varying degrees. Connectivity between
      antigenic regions was seen in interactions among early and late stage antibodies,
      and among secondary stage mAb, but not among tertiary stage mAb from
      hyperimmunized mice. Patterns of overlap of early and late response antibodies
      suggest that the organization of antibody specificities change during the
      progression from primary to secondary to tertiary response. Over the same period
      in the response, the average relative avidity of IgG1 kappa mAb did not increase,
      suggesting that "affinity maturation" of serum antibodies reflects an increase in
      the number and diversity of antibodies, rather than an overall increase in the
      avidity of individual antibodies.

PMID- 1431105
TI  - Molecular characterization of the WC1 antigen expressed specifically on bovine
      CD4-CD8- gamma delta T lymphocytes.
AB  - Although gamma delta T lymphocytes were identified several years ago, the
      functional importance of these cells remains to be established. gamma delta T
      cells of ruminants are unique in two respects. First, they are present at much
      higher levels compared to man and rodents. Second, ruminant CD4-CD8- gamma delta
      T cells uniquely express a 220 kD surface Ag recognized by a panel of mAb,
      recently clustered as WC1. WC1 has been most extensively studied in sheep with
      the use of the mAb T19. Here, we report on the isolation of a full length cDNA
      clone, encoding the WC1 Ag, from a COS cell cDNA expression library prepared from
      a bovine gamma delta T cell line. The protein encoded by the pWC1 cDNA clone was
      reactive with the bovine mAb CC15 and IL.A29, and with T19. The cDNA clone
      consisted of 4475 bp and contained a single long open reading frame of 1436 amino
      acids. The pWC1 cDNA clone encoded a type 1 integral membrane protein with an
      extracellular domain consisting of 11 scavenger receptor cysteine-rich-repeats
      with homology to CD5 and CD6. Southern blotting suggested that the bovine genome
      contained multiple sequences highly related to the isolated WC1 cDNA.
      Furthermore, WC1-like sequences were present in the genomes of all mammals tested
      including mouse and man. The molecular characterization of the WC1 Ag as reported
      here provides a starting point for the definition of its role in gamma delta T
      cell biology.

PMID- 1431107
TI  - Retinoic acids inhibit activation-induced apoptosis in T cell hybridomas and
      thymocytes.
AB  - Apoptosis is induced in immature thymocytes and T cell hybridomas upon
      stimulation via the TCR/CD3 complex. This phenomenon appears to be related to
      negative selection of T cell clones in the thymus. In T cell hybridomas, it has
      been shown that glucocorticoids inhibit TCR/CD3-mediated apoptosis, whereas
      glucocorticoids alone induce apoptosis. All-trans-retinoic acid (RA) at 0.1 to 10
      microM also inhibited TCR/CD3-mediated apoptosis assessed by DNA fragmentation
      and cytolysis, but RA alone hardly induced apoptosis. RA enhanced the effects of
      glucocorticoids to induce apoptosis and to inhibit TCR/CD3-mediated apoptosis.
      TCR/CD3-mediated stimulation can be mimicked by the combination of ionomycin, a
      calcium ionophore, and PMA, an activator of protein kinase C, and the combination
      induced DNA fragmentation was also inhibited by RA. RA, however, failed to
      inhibit the combination-induced increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration or
      the combination-induced translocation of protein kinase C from the cytosolic
      fraction to the particulate fraction. Time course studies of RA addition into the
      culture indicated that a 3- to 6-h delay in the addition of RA did not reduce its
      inhibitory effect on anti-CD3-induced DNA fragmentation. These results suggest
      that RA interferes with the apoptotic process at some point after its initiation
      stage. It has been suggested that negative selection involves not only TCR/CD3
      mediated signals but also LFA-1-mediated signals. RA at 0.01 to 1 microM
      significantly inhibited the induction of thymocyte apoptosis by co-immobilized
      mAb to CD3 and LFA-1 molecules. RA by itself hardly induced apoptosis, but
      enhanced glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis. The results suggest that thymic
      selection might be influenced by RA at near-physiologic concentrations. The
      receptors of glucocorticoids and RA belong to the erbA oncogene-related steroid
      hormone receptor superfamily. Thyroid hormones and 1 alpha,25-dihydroxy vitamin
      D3, whose receptors also belong to the superfamily, failed to modulate apoptosis
      in both T cell hybridomas and thymocytes.

PMID- 1431106
TI  - Tumor necrosis factor-alpha-dependent production of reactive nitrogen
      intermediates mediates IFN-gamma plus IL-2-induced murine macrophage tumoricidal
      activity.
AB  - We have previously established that IFN-gamma plus IL-2 induces murine macrophage
      tumoricidal activity. The purpose of this study was to identify the effector
      molecules that account for the IFN-gamma plus IL-2-induced macrophage
      cytotoxicity against P815 mastocytoma cells. ANA-1 macrophages and normal
      thioglycollate-elicited mouse peritoneal macrophages produced little or no
      detectable nitrite (NO2-) after incubation with IFN-gamma alone or IL-2 alone;
      however, IL-2 synergized with IFN-gamma for the production of NO2-. IFN-gamma
      plus IL-2 did not induce NO2- production or tumoricidal activity in ANA-1
      macrophages that were cultured in medium devoid of L-arginine or in ANA-1
      macrophages that were incubated with NG-monomethyl-L-arginine. As observed
      previously with ANA-1 macrophage tumoricidal activity, IL-4 inhibited IFN-gamma
      plus IL-2-induced, but not IFN-gamma plus LPS-induced, NO2- production. IL-4 also
      selectively decreased the ability of IFN-gamma and/or IL-2 to augment TNF-alpha
      mRNA expression in ANA-1 macrophages. Lastly, incubation of ANA-1 macrophages
      with anti-TNF mAb selectively inhibited the ability of IFN-gamma plus IL-2 to
      induce NO2- production and tumoricidal activity. These results indicate that IFN
      gamma plus IL-2-induced tumoricidal activity is dependent upon the metabolism of
      L-arginine to reactive nitrogen intermediates, and they establish a role for TNF
      alpha as a required intermediate for IL-2-dependent NO2- production and
      tumoricidal activity.

PMID- 1431108
TI  - Role of IL-6, IL-2, and IL-4 in the in vitro induction of cytotoxic T cells.
AB  - The mode of IL-6-induced differentiation of Con A-stimulated CD4-CD8+ CTL-P was
      examined. Through application of neutralizing anti-IL-6, anti-IL-2, and anti-IL-4
      mAb it was shown that IL-6 is an "early acting" factor for development of
      accessory cell-depleted thymocytes. IL-2 and IL-4 are obligatory "late acting"
      factors for this process. In accordance IL-4, but not IL-6, induced active CTL
      from CD4-CD8+ CTL-P. The increase of CD4-CD8+ CTL originates at least partially
      from CD4+CD8+ cells differentiating to active CTL in vitro. CTL development was
      paralleled by an increase in CD4-CD8+ cells and by a distinct increase in [3H]TdR
      uptake on day 2 of cultivation. Our data suggest that IL-6 induces Th cells to
      produce IL-2 and IL-4, the mediators for final differentiation of CD4-CD8+ cells.

PMID- 1431109
TI  - Antibodies and reactive T cells against the malaria heat-shock protein Pf72/Hsp70
      1 and derived peptides in individuals continuously exposed to Plasmodium
      falciparum.
AB  - Pf72/Hsp70-1, a heat-shock protein of m.w. 72 kDa from Plasmodium falciparum is
      one of the Ag of interest to be included in a polyvalent vaccine against malaria.
      It is one of the major immunogens present in a fraction of purified blood stage
      parasites that elicited protection against experimental infection of Saimiri
      monkeys with blood stages of P. falciparum. It is present at all blood stages and
      one of its B cell epitopes is also detected on the surface of the infected
      hepatocyte. Moreover, Pf72 appears to be well conserved among different isolates
      of P. falciparum. We have examined the immune response against Pf72/Hsp70-1 in
      individuals from different age groups living in a holoendemic area (West Africa).
      The immune response against the native Ag (purified from schizonts and called
      Pf/Hsp70) was analyzed both at the humoral level by ELISA and at the cellular
      level by assessing in vitro proliferation and IFN-gamma production of PBMC. Of
      the individuals studied 52% had a statistically significant level of anti
      Pf/Hsp70 antibodies as compared with unexposed individuals. These positive
      individuals showed a heterogeneous distribution because significant levels of
      antibodies were found in 70% of the adults but in only 26% of the children. The
      presence of Pf/Hsp70-specific reactive T cells in the blood was detected in 32%
      of the individuals. The total anti-Pf/Hsp70 antibody level (IgG+IgM) appeared
      strongly age related and correlated positively with parasite exposure, whereas
      the T cell response failed to correlate either with the antibody level or with
      age. Moreover, PBMC of donors responded to the Pf/Hsp70 in a dissociated way,
      namely, by either T cell proliferation or IFN-gamma production. Ten synthetic
      peptides based on sequences found in the C-terminal part of Pf72/Hsp70-1 were
      further tested as potential T cell epitopes. The proliferative response of PBMC
      from individuals continuously exposed to the parasite showed that three peptides
      more frequently trigger significant T cell proliferation (in 21% to 27% of the
      individuals) and three others less frequently (10%). None of these peptides
      allowed detection of reactive T cells in PBMC of Europeans with no previous
      exposure to malaria. Some of the stimulating peptides are highly similar to human
      heat-shock Hsc and Hsp70 with large stretches of identical amino acids.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1431110
TI  - Selective expression of a major allergen and cytotoxin, Asp f I, in Aspergillus
      fumigatus. Implications for the immunopathogenesis of Aspergillus-related
      diseases.
AB  - Asp f I is a major 18-kDa Aspergillus fumigatus allergen and a member of the
      mitogillin family of cytotoxins. The nucleotide sequence of the Asp f I gene was
      determined by sequencing polymerase chain reaction products amplified from A.
      fumigatus spore DNA. The entire 678-bp DNA includes an 81-bp leader sequence,
      preceding the N-terminal alanine codon, a 52-bp intron, and a 444-bp open reading
      frame, encoding a 149-amino acid protein (M(r) 16,899), which is 99% homologous
      to mitogillin from Aspergillus restrictus. A mAb-based ELISA was used to compare
      Asp f I levels in spores, mycelia, and culture filtrate, and to determine the
      kinetics of allergen production. Disrupted hyphae or spore extracts had a 1000
      fold lower level of Asp f I than culture filtrate, suggesting that germination of
      spores and growth of the fungus are essential for allergen production. Asp f I
      levels in A. fumigatus and A. restrictus peaked at day 3 (0.87 to 12.1
      micrograms/ml), however, the allergen was not detected in Aspergillus flavus,
      Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus, and Aspergillus nidulans cultures (< 1.5
      ng/ml) on either days 3 or 8. Northern analysis confirmed that Asp f I mRNA was
      detected only in A. fumigatus and A. restrictus, but not in the other four
      Aspergillus spp. Asp f I-specific DNA was generated after polymerase chain
      reaction amplification of genomic mycelial DNA obtained from A. fumigatus and A.
      restrictus, but not from the other Aspergillus spp. The results show that Asp f I
      is selectively expressed in A. fumigatus, and suggest that this cytotoxin could
      be a specific virulence factor for A. fumigatus.

PMID- 1431111
TI  - Role of P2z purinergic receptors in ATP-mediated killing of tumor necrosis factor
      (TNF)-sensitive and TNF-resistant L929 fibroblasts.
AB  - Two closely related cell lines were characterized in their responses to
      extracellular ATP (ATPo): the fibroblast cell line L929 and a TNF-resistant
      variant L929/R. Both lines showed ATPo-activated increases in intracellular Ca2+,
      inward current, and sustained depolarization of the plasma membrane, cell
      responses compatible with activation of purinergic receptors of the P2y, P2x, or
      P2z subtype; however, only the L929/R variant was susceptible to ATPo-dependent
      early permeabilization of the plasma membrane to hydrophilic solutes of M(r)
      below 900, a response uniquely caused by the activation of P2z receptors. Both
      cell types were susceptible to the cytotoxic effect of ATPo, but killing of the
      L929/R variant required much shorter incubations in the presence of this
      nucleotide. Morphologic examination of ATPo-challenged L929 and L929/R cells
      showed that cell death occurred by two alternative mechanisms: colloido-osmotic
      lysis or apoptosis. Occurrence of apoptosis was confirmed by agarose gel analysis
      of cellular DNA. Although ATPo caused a fast mobilization of intracellular Ca2+,
      neither colloido-osmotic lysis nor apoptosis were Ca2+ dependent. Our results
      show that the L929/R variant, but not the L929 parental fibroblast cell line,
      expresses functional purinergic receptors of the P2z subtype. The presence of P2z
      receptors confers to L929/R cells enhanced susceptibility to ATPo-mediated
      cytotoxicity.

PMID- 1431112
TI  - Release of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor by alveolar
      macrophages in the lung of HIV-1-infected patients. A mechanism accounting for
      macrophage and neutrophil accumulation.
AB  - In this paper, the release of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor
      (GM-CSF) in the lung of patients with HIV-1 infection was evaluated. This
      cytokine has well recognized effects on granulocyte and macrophage growth and
      differentiation and plays some role in the mechanisms leading to the accumulation
      of alveolar macrophages (AM) in patients with interstitial lung disease.
      Detectable levels of GM-CSF (up to 10 pg/ml) were demonstrated in unconcentrated
      bronchoalveolar lavage fluid retrieved from HIV-1-seropositive patients, thus
      suggesting that the GM-CSF is released in vivo in the lung during HIV-1
      infection. A statistically significant correlation was demonstrated between the
      bronchoalveolar lavage concentrations of GM-CSF and the absolute numbers of AM
      and lung neutrophils. Cell-free supernatants obtained from unstimulated 24-h
      cultured AM isolated from HIV-1-infected patients contained discrete amounts of
      GM-CSF, as demonstrated by an immunoenzymatic assay. AM lost the capability of
      releasing GM-CSF after 72 h of culture, thus suggesting that the production of GM
      CSF is not constitutive in AM. After exposition of AM with LPS, the release of GM
      CSF and the expression of its mRNA significantly increased with respect to the
      baseline values; interestingly, the amount of GM-CSF released by LPS-stimulated
      AM was more than 10-fold higher in HIV-1-infected patients than in healthy
      subjects. As demonstrated by flow cytometry analysis, more than 70% of freshly
      isolated AM efficiently bound phycoerythrin-GM-CSF, thus indicating that they
      express the receptor for GM-CSF. Determination of AM in G1, S, and G2+M by flow
      cytometry showed that, after 48 h of culture with GM-CSF, 5.5 to 7% of AM entered
      the proliferative phase of the cell cycle. Taken together, these findings suggest
      that AM might represent an important source of GM-CSF production in HIV-1
      infection. In particular, the hypothesis is formulated that pulmonary
      opportunists might trigger AM to synthesize GM-CSF in situ. The local
      overproduction of this cytokine is likely to play a role in the pathogenic events
      leading to the local proliferation of AM and recruitment of neutrophils in AIDS
      associated interstitial lung disease.

PMID- 1431113
TI  - Redox status of cells influences constitutive or induced NF-kappa B translocation
      and HIV long terminal repeat activity in human T and monocytic cell lines.
AB  - We have tested the hypothesis that cellular activation events occurring in T
      lymphocytes and monocytes and mediated through translocation of the transcription
      factor NF-kappa B are dependent upon the constitutive redox status of these
      cells. We used phenolic, lipid-soluble, chain-breaking antioxidants (butylated
      hydroxyanisole (BHA), nordihydroquairetic acid, or alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E)
      to show that peroxyl radical scavenging in unstimulated and PMA- or TNF
      stimulated cells blocks the functions depending on NF-kappa B activation. BHA was
      found to suppress not only PMA- or TNF-induced, but also constitutive, HIV
      enhancer activity concomitant to an inhibition of NF-kappa B binding activity in
      both lymphoblastoid T (J.Jhan) and monocytic (U937) cell lines. This was also
      true for KBF (p50 homodimer) binding activity in U937 cells. Secretion of TNF,
      the product of another NF-kappa B-dependent gene, was abolished by BHA in PMA
      stimulated U937 cells. The anti-oxidative effect of BHA was accompanied by an
      increase in thiol, but not glutathione, content in stimulated and unstimulated T
      cell, whereas TNF stimulation itself barely modified the cellular thiol level.
      Oxidative stress obtained by the addition of H2O2 to the culture medium of J.Jhan
      or U937 cells could not by itself induce NF-kappa B activation. These
      observations suggest that TNF and PMA do not lead to NF-kappa B activation
      through induction of changes in the cell redox status. Rather, TNF and PMA can
      exert their effect only if cells are in an appropriate redox status, because
      prior modification toward reduction with BHA treatment prevents this activation.
      It appears that a basal redox equilibrium tending toward oxidation is a
      prerequisite for full activation of transduction pathways regulating the activity
      of NF-kappa B-dependent genes.

PMID- 1431114
TI  - A combined immunodeficiency with oligoclonal CD8+, V beta 3-expressing, cytotoxic
      T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood.
AB  - The diagnosis severe combined immunodeficiency was made in a male infant at the
      age of 18 wk. Known causes of severe combined immunodeficiency were excluded. The
      activity of total 5'-nucleotidase (E.C. 3.1.3.5) in the PBMC was found to be
      strongly decreased. Analysis of the peripheral blood revealed a lymphocytosis,
      mainly of CD8+ T cells. These lymphocytes expressed high levels of CD29, CD38,
      CD45RA, and MHC class II molecules but no CD25, CD26, CD27, or CD28 Ag. The cells
      proliferated poorly to all T cell stimulants tested and no helper activity for
      IgM secretion could be induced. In contrast to the poor proliferative responses,
      high levels of TCR-induced cytolytic activity, without lymphokine-activated
      killer-cell outgrowth, were induced by CD3 mAb. Analysis of TCR-beta gene
      rearrangements indicated that two clonal populations constituted the majority of
      the E-rosette+ peripheral blood fraction. Moreover, the vast majority of the CD8+
      cells were found to react with a mAb to V beta 3. Polymerase chain reaction on
      cDNA from peripheral blood cells with primers that amplify TCR V beta elements
      showed, in agreement with the fluorescence data, an overrepresentation of V beta
      3 but absence of usage of approximately 50% of the other V beta elements. Thus,
      in a severe combined immunodeficiency patient, CD8+ T cells with limited T cell
      receptor usage and restricted effector functions were found. The observed
      alterations in the 5'-nucleotidase levels may be secondary to the outgrowth of
      this population.

PMID- 1431115
TI  - Distinctive HLA-A,B antigens of black populations formed by interallelic
      conversion.
AB  - Alleles encoding five HLA-A and B Ag characteristic of black populations have
      been isolated and their nucleotide sequences determined. In each case, the
      "black" allele is similar to a "related" allele found in caucasoid populations.
      The primary differences between these pairs of alleles are localized clusters of
      nucleotide substitutions that change two to five residues of the Ag recognition
      site. The pattern of differences indicates that the pairs of black and caucasoid
      alleles diverged primarily as a result of interallelic conversion events.

PMID- 1431116
TI  - Idiotypic and antiidiotypic T and B lymphocytes in myasthenia gravis.
AB  - The prevalence of Id and anti-Id T and B cells as measured by their reactivities
      with two human mAb, one antiacetylcholine receptor mAb and one anti-Id mAb, was
      studied in 38 patients with myasthenia gravis and in 27 healthy individuals. Id
      and anti-Id T cells were estimated by enumerating the numbers of cells secreting
      IFN-gamma in response to 10 pg/ml of the human mAb. T cell stimulation, measured
      as numbers of IFN-gamma-secreting cells that exceeded the mean + 2 SD of
      controls, was induced by the Id mAb in 78.9% of the patients and in 7.4% of the
      controls, whereas the anti-Id mAb-stimulated T cells in 55.3% of the patients and
      in 3.7% of the controls. The mean value of the Id and anti-Id-reactive T cells in
      the patients was 18.3/10(5) and 10.1/10(5) PBMC, respectively. B cells secreting
      IgM antibodies binding to the human mAb were increased in patients with
      myasthenia gravis compared to healthy controls. Seventy-five percent of the
      patients and 12% of the controls had B cells secreting IgM antibodies binding to
      the Id mAb, although 89% of the patients and 16% of the controls had B cells
      secreting IgM antibodies binding to the anti-Id mAb. The mean value of B cells
      secreting IgM antibodies binding to Id or anti-Id mAb in the patients were 7.4
      cells/10(6) and 5.5 cells/10(6) PBMC, respectively. We conclude that Id and anti
      Id T and B cells are present in myasthenia gravis. These methods allow a
      quantitative estimation of T and B cells with defined specificities and thus a
      way of mapping the repertoire of lymphocytes.

PMID- 1431117
TI  - Freshly isolated, murine neonatal T cells produce IL-4 in response to anti-CD3
      stimulation.
AB  - In previous studies of chimeric animals, we found that fetal intrathymic T cell
      precursors give rise to phenotypically abnormal peripheral T cell populations.
      Because most peripheral T lymphocytes in newborn mice are the progeny of fetal T
      cell precursors, this result led to the hypothesis that neonatal and adult T
      cells differ in their functional capacities. To investigate this issue, the
      responses of neonatal and adult T cells to anti-CD3 antibody and TCR-independent
      stimulation were compared. When stimulated with soluble anti-CD3 antibody in the
      presence of adult accessory cells, neonatal T cell proliferation was markedly
      decreased compared with that of adult T cells. This reduction in proliferation
      was associated with both quantitative and qualitative differences in lymphokine
      production. At 48 h of stimulation with anti-CD3 antibody, neonatal T cells
      produced at least 10-fold less IL-2 than adult T cells. This apparently accounted
      for their reduced proliferation because the addition of exogenous IL-2 restored
      their proliferation to the levels achieved by adult T cells. In striking contrast
      to adult T cells, neonatal T cells secreted large amounts of IL-4 upon primary
      stimulation in vitro. The differences between neonatal and adult T cells in
      proliferation and lymphokine production were shown to be specific for CD3
      mediated stimulation. In the presence of phorbol ester and calcium ionophore,
      neonatal and adult T cells showed equivalent proliferation and IL-2 production.
      Under these conditions, IL-4 production by neonatal or adult T cells was
      essentially undetectable. Thus, in response to TCR-independent stimulation,
      freshly isolated neonatal and adult T cells show similar functional responses.
      However, when stimulation occurs via the CD3 components of the TCR, the responses
      of neonatal T cells resemble those of primed T cells from adult animals.

PMID- 1431118
TI  - Enhanced antigen presentation using human Fc gamma receptor (monocyte/macrophage)
      specific immunogens.
AB  - A major new challenge for vaccine development is to target APC such as monocytes
      and macrophages for efficient Ag processing and presentation. It has been shown
      that Fc gamma R-mediated uptake of Ag-antibody complexes can enhance Ag
      presentation by myeloid cells at least 100-fold, and directing Ag to Fc gamma R
      in mice brings about a substantial increase in the effectiveness of immunization
      while eliminating the requirement for adjuvant. It has not been determined which
      of the three subclasses of human Fc gamma R on myeloid cells (Fc gamma RI, Fc
      gamma RII, or Fc gamma RIII) function to enhance Ag presentation. We have
      targeted our Ag (TT) to each of the three subclasses of human Fc gamma R on
      monocytes using Fc gamma R subclass-specific mAb-TT conjugates, and have measured
      TT presentation by monitoring T cell proliferation in response to TT. In
      addition, we have examined enhanced Ag presentation mediated by a human IgG1
      (HIgG1) anti-TT mAb. All anti-Fc gamma R-TT conjugates enhanced Ag presentation.
      HIgG1 anti-TT, in monomeric form, enhanced Ag presentation through Fc gamma RI
      only. Anti-Fc gamma RI-Ag conjugates appear to be optimal for application as
      vaccines. They are monocyte/macrophage-specific, are very efficiently processed
      and presented, and enhance Ag presentation despite occupation of Fc gamma RI with
      HIgG.

PMID- 1431119
TI  - Evidence for a role for T cell receptors (TCR) in the effector phase of acute
      bone marrow graft rejection. TCR V beta 5 transgenic mice lack effector cells
      able to cause graft rejection.
AB  - Lethally irradiated mice reject within 24 h certain marrow grafts, a phenomenon
      called either allogeneic or hybrid resistance. The cells responsible for this
      rejection (NK1+ CD3+ cells (TNK) express Ag of NK cells as well as the TCR
      associated CD3 complex. This raises the question whether TCR participate in the
      function of these cells during graft rejection. By using flow cytometry it is
      shown that the majority of TNK cells expresses the TCR-alpha/beta chains and by
      using adoptive cell transfer assays evidence is presented that it is the TCR
      alpha/beta expressing cells that cause rejection. To explore whether any
      particular TCR chains have to be expressed on these cells, C57L mice were assayed
      and found to be responders suggesting that the V beta chains deleted in these
      mice are not obligatory. However, introduction of a specific TCR V beta 5 chain
      into C57BL/6 mice as a transgene leads to inability to transfer resistance. TNK
      cells of V beta 5 transgenic mice express the introduced gene suggesting that it
      is the transgenic TCR that is responsible for the lack of function. In assessing
      T cell functions in V beta 5 transgenic mice it is shown that although these mice
      generate CTL specific for H-2d targets there is a deficiency to recognize H-2Dd,
      i.e., of determinants presumed to be recognized in the acute rejection mechanism.
      Thus TNK cells and CTL share the inability to recognize H-2Dd epitopes due to
      expression of the V beta 5 transgene. The notion that TCR on TNK cells play a
      role in the acute rejection process makes it necessary to postulate a receptor
      selection mechanism for these cells.

PMID- 1431120
TI  - Gamma delta T cells assist alpha beta T cells in adoptive transfer of contact
      sensitivity.
AB  - Cutaneous immune responses to contact sensitizers such as picryl chloride or
      oxazolone, are classical manifestations of T cell-mediated immunity in vivo. In
      fact, the first documentation of T cell-mediated immunity was the ability to
      adoptively transfer contact sensitivity (CS) responses. Although it is now clear
      that Ag/MHC-restricted alpha beta TCR positive effector T cells are responsible
      for 24 to 48 h CS responses, other subsets of Thy-1+ cells in mice also
      participate in the elicitation of CS. Thus, Thy-1+, CD5+, CD3-, B220+, hapten
      specific, non-MHC-restricted early-acting cells are required to initiate CS
      responses by leading to local serotonin release, which allows for extravascular
      recruitment of the late-acting, alpha beta TCR+, CS effector T cells. This study
      describes another T cell population that is needed for the adoptive transfer of
      CS by alpha beta T cells. In vitro treatment of a mixture of CS effector cells
      with hamster mAb to gamma delta TCR, together with rabbit complement, or by
      panning on anti-hamster Ig-coated dishes, diminished substantially the subsequent
      transfer of CS reactivity without affecting either CS-initiating cells, or the
      later-acting, alpha beta TCR+ CS effector T cells. Immune cells treated with anti
      alpha beta TCR mAb, or recovered as adherent cells from petri dishes after anti
      gamma delta TCR panning (i.e., gamma delta TCR-enriched cells), reconstituted the
      ability of anti-gamma delta TCR-treated immune cells (i.e., alpha beta TCR
      enriched cells) to transfer 24-h CS responsiveness. The phenotype of the gamma
      delta T cells that assisted CS effector alpha beta T cells was: CD3+, CD4-, and
      CD8+. The gamma delta T cells that assisted alpha beta T cells were not Ag
      specific since anti-alpha beta-TCR-treated cells (gamma delta T-enriched) from
      picryl chloride immunized donors aided alpha beta T cells (anti-gamma delta TCR
      treated) from oxazolone-immunized donors, and conversely gamma delta T cells from
      oxazolone-immunized donors aided alpha beta T cells from picryl chloride
      immunized donors. Furthermore, the CS-regulating gamma delta T cells were not MHC
      restricted because gamma delta T cells from H2d or H2b donors could assist alpha
      beta T cells from H2k donors. It was concluded that a regulatory population of
      non-Ag specific, non-MHC-restricted gamma delta T cells was needed to assist
      immune effector, Ag/MHC-specific alpha beta T cells in the adoptive transfer of
      CS.

PMID- 1431121
TI  - Poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase partially contributes to target cell death triggered
      by cytolytic T lymphocytes.
AB  - We hypothesized that CTL-induced target cell (TC) death is partially due to
      processes that follow the DNA damage in target cells and include the activation
      of poly-ADP-ribose transferase (PADPRT) by DNA strand breaks. According to this
      model, the activated PADPRT is expected to deplete NAD, ATP, and to contribute to
      the TC death. We used inhibitors of PADPRT and a PADPRT-deficient cell mutant, as
      well as other nucleated TC and SRBC to test the role of PADPRT in CTL-induced
      cytotoxicity. It is found that inhibitors of PADPRT (3-aminobenzamide, benzamide
      (aromatic amides)) and nicotinamide all inhibit the CTL-mediated lysis of both Ag
      specific TC and of Ag-nonbearing TC. The effect of PADPRT inhibitors was not due
      to inhibition of the lethal hit delivery by CTL, because in parallel control
      experiments, the same inhibitors did not interfere with CTL-induced lysis of
      SRBC, cells that are devoid of nuclei and PADPRT. Moreover, the effect of
      inhibitors of PADPRT did not affect earlier stages of lethal hit delivery because
      3-aminobenzamide and benzamide did not interfere with CTL-induced DNA
      fragmentation in TC at concentration which protected TC lysis. Importantly, a
      PADPRT-deficient cell line was also much more resistant to CTL-induced lysis as
      tested in retargeting (4 and 8 h) assays; this was expected if activation of
      PADPRT is indeed involved in TC death. Control experiments reveal that the
      relative resistance of the PADPRT-deficient cell mutant to CTL-induced lysis was
      not related to its impaired ability to form conjugates and to trigger CTL (as
      tested in granule exocytosis assay). In addition, PADPRT-deficient cells were as
      susceptible to CTL-induced DNA fragmentation as were the control cells; yet, they
      were resistant to CTL-induced 51Cr-release. Control cells and PADPRT-deficient
      mutant were equally susceptible to antibody+C'-mediated lysis. Our data support
      the view that the activation of PADPRT can contribute to the CTL-induced
      cytolysis of some TC, but is not involved in lysis of other TC, as evidenced by
      the ability of CTL to efficiently lyse SRBC. These data suggest that there could
      be multiple molecular pathways of TC death in CTL-mediated cytotoxicity and the
      relative contribution of PADPRT and/or other enzymes will reflect the individual
      make-up of a particular TC.

PMID- 1431122
TI  - Expression of VLA-4 on thymocytes. Maturation stage-associated transition and its
      correlation with their capacity to adhere to thymic stromal cells.
AB  - The present study investigates the expression of VLA-4 on thymocytes at various
      stages of maturation and their capacity to adhere to thymic stromal cells. Whole
      thymocytes were stained with anti-CD4 and anti-CD8, as well as anti-VLA-4
      antibodies. Flow microfluorometric analyses revealed that a) most of CD4-8-
      (double negative DN) and CD4-8intermediate thymocyte populations expressed large
      amounts of VLA-4, b) the levels of VLA-4 were considerably and markedly reduced
      on CD4+8+ (double positive DP) and single positive (SP) (CD4+8- or CD4-8+)
      populations, respectively. This contrasted with an increase in the levels of LFA
      1 along with thymocyte maturation. DN, DP, and SP subsets were isolated and
      examined for their capacity to express VLA-4 and to adhere to fibronectin (FN)
      molecules as well as thymic stromal cells expressing FN. DN, DP, and SP subsets
      were confirmed to express the respective high, low, and very low levels of VLA-4,
      respectively. Approximately 70% of DN thymocytes became bound to FN-precoated
      culture plates, whereas 30 to 40% of DP and only 10 to 20% of SP cells adhered to
      FN. Similar patterns of adhesion were observed between these thymocyte subsets
      and thymic stromal monolayers. The binding of the DN subset to FN-plates or
      thymic stromal monolayers was inhibited only marginally by the RGDS peptide, but
      was efficiently inhibited by V10 peptide (cell-binding sequence that is located
      in the V region on FN and reacts with the VLA-4 integrin) or anti-VLA-4 antibody.
      Anti-VLA-4 antibody plus RGDS peptide strongly inhibited DN cell binding to FN
      coated plates and thymic stromal monolayers. These results indicate that i) VLA-4
      expressed on DN thymocytes functions as an important integrin for interacting
      with thymic stromal cells; ii) the expression level of this integrin decreases
      with the progress of thymocyte maturation, and iii) most of the mature thymocytes
      (SP) are rendered less adhesive to thymic stromal cells by reducing the level of
      VLA-4 expression.

PMID- 1431123
TI  - Cytokine pattern of Langerhans cells isolated from murine epidermal cell
      cultures.
AB  - In the present study we demonstrate that supernatants of highly enriched cultured
      Langerhans cells (cLC) display IL-1, IL-6, granulocyte/macrophage (GM)-CSF, and
      TNF-alpha, but no IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, and IFN-gamma activities. We further show
      that IL-6, GM-CSF, and TNF-alpha bioactivities can be specifically blocked in the
      presence of the respective neutralizing mAb. Concerning the IL-1 bioactivity, the
      combined use of anti-IL-1 alpha and anti-IL-1 beta mAb was needed to completely
      inhibit the proliferative response of the indicator cell line D10. One of the
      difficulties in studying the secretory potential of LC is that even highly
      enriched cLC are contaminated with keratinocytes (KC), which are known to be a
      rich source of cytokines. To overcome this problem we compared cytokine
      bioactivities in supernatants of cell cultures consisting of selected cLC:cKC
      ratios. These cell mixing experiments revealed that cLC are the major source of
      the IL-6 bioactivity, whereas IL-1, GM-CSF, and TNF-alpha are predominantly
      generated by cKC. In order to determine whether the cytokine bioactivities
      measured in supernatants of epidermal cell cultures are simply caused by an
      increased release or by de novo synthesis, we performed molecular biologic
      studies. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of cLC and cKC revealed that IL-1
      beta and IL-6 transcripts are virtually limited to cLC, whereas IL-1 alpha, GM
      CSF, and TNF-alpha messages are preferentially exhibited by cKC. mRNA coding for
      IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, and IFN-gamma could neither be amplified from cLC nor from cKC.
      Furthermore, the quantitative comparison of cytokine transcripts in cLC vs cKC
      using Northern blot analysis and mRNA detection on the single cell level using in
      situ hybridization confirmed that cLC generate IL-6, whereas cKC synthesize IL-1
      alpha and GM-CSF. Taken together our results demonstrate that cultured murine LC
      synthesize and secrete IL-1 beta and IL-6, cytokines known to be important
      accessory molecules in T cell activation.

PMID- 1431124
TI  - The presence in a mouse T cell line of a 97-kDa protein kinase C (PKC) with
      characteristics similar to known members of the novel PKC subgroup and its
      possible role in lymphocyte gene expression.
AB  - The receptor for tumor-promoting phorbol esters has been shown to be the
      Ca+2/phospholipid dependent enzyme protein kinase C (PKC). There are two major
      groups of PKC, the conventional PKC isotypes alpha, beta I, beta II, gamma) and
      the novel Ca+2-independent PKC (delta, epsilon, zeta, eta). Phorbol esters
      previously have been demonstrated to increase human IFN-gamma gene expression
      after treatment of a murine T cell line (Cl 9) that has been transfected with
      human IFN-gamma genomic DNA. In contrast, treatment with Ca+2 ionophore alone or
      in combination with phorbol ester did not enhance IFN-gamma production in a
      synergistic manner above the level obtained with phorbol ester treatment alone.
      To determine whether the lack of effect of Ca+2 ionophore is due to a defect in
      PKC, we compared the level of PKC autophosphorylation in the mouse T cell line
      (Cl 9), a mouse epidermal cell line (JB6), and purified rat brain PKC by in vitro
      kinase assays. The results demonstrate that instead of the expected 80-kDa
      autophosphorylated PKC band seen in purified rat brain PKC or mouse JB6 cell
      lysates, only a novel 97-kDa Ca+2-independent phosphoprotein was observed in Cl 9
      cells. To ascertain if there was any nucleic acid sequence similarity to PKC
      epsilon, we hybridized Cl 9 poly(A+) RNA with a cloned fragment of the PKC
      epsilon gene and observed two hybridizing RNA bands (4.4 and 4.0 kb). Our results
      suggest that the 97-kDa phosphoprotein is similar to, but not identical with, PKC
      epsilon and is the major PKC expressed in the Cl 9 murine T cell line. These data
      suggested that the 97-kDa PKC may be responsible for the induction of both the
      transfected human IFN-gamma gene and the endogenous murine IL-2R alpha-chain.

PMID- 1431125
TI  - Primary structure of cobra complement component C3.
AB  - Complement component C3 is a multifunctional protein known to interact
      specifically with more than 10 different plasma proteins or cell surface
      receptors. Cobra venom contains cobra venom factor, a structural analogue of C3
      that shares some properties with C3 (e.g., formation of a C3/C5 convertase) but
      differs in others (e.g., susceptibility to regulation by factors H and I). The
      elucidation of structural differences between C3 and cobra venom factor can be
      expected to help identify functionally important regions of C3 molecules. To that
      end we have undertaken the molecular cloning of both cobra C3 and cobra venom
      factor to take advantage of the unique biologic system where both proteins are
      produced by the same species. We report the primary structure of cobra C3 mRNA
      and the derived protein structure. Cobra C3 mRNA is 5211 bp in length. It
      contains an open reading frame of 4953 bp coding for a single pre-pro-C3
      molecule, consisting of a 22-amino acid signal sequence, a 633-amino acid beta
      chain (70 kDa), and a 992-amino acid alpha-chain (112 kDa) which is separated
      from the beta-chain by four arginine residues. There are no N-glycosylation sites
      in cobra C3. Cobra C3 exhibits approximately 58% nucleotide sequence identity
      with C3 from mammalian species. At the protein level, sequence identity is
      approximately 52% and sequence similarity approximately 71%. All 27 cysteine
      residues are highly conserved as are the C3 convertase cleavage site, the
      thioester site, and the factor B binding site. Cobra C3 also seems to have
      homologous binding sites for factor H and properdin, as well as a conserved
      sequence in the functionally important region of the C3a anaphylatoxin. The
      sequence homology at the CR2 and CR3 binding sites does not exceed the overall
      sequence homology. Accordingly, the existence of CR2 and CR3 binding sites can
      neither be deduced nor excluded.

PMID- 1431126
TI  - Cross-reactivity of IgM-secreting B cells from normal BALB/c mice.
AB  - Cross-reactive antibodies capable of binding to foreign and self Ag are present
      in the serum of normal newborn and adult animals. In our work, a chamber ELISA
      assay was used to quantitate the cross-reactivity of B cells actively secreting
      Ig in BALB/c mice of different ages. Individual lymphocytes were tested for the
      production of IgM antibodies capable of binding to a series of four unrelated Ag
      (DNA, TNP, actin, and OVA). Results indicate that nearly one-quarter of IgM
      secreting lymphocytes from 6-day-old animals were cross-reactive. This frequency
      was two- to fourfold higher than that found in adult mice. Very old animals,
      however, showed a selective increase in the cross-reactivity of anti-DNA (but not
      anti-TNP) secreting lymphocytes. Evidence from Ag inhibition experiments
      indicated that low concentrations of soluble Ag could block the binding of
      polyreactive antibodies, and that approximately one-half of "naturally" cross
      reactive B cells produced antibodies capable of binding to three or more
      unrelated Ag.

PMID- 1431127
TI  - Restricted IgH V gene usage in the response to the ese epitope on "Hi" sheep red
      blood cells.
AB  - We had previously shown that the in vitro antibody response to a single epitope
      (ese; extra sheep E Ag) present on some sheep E but absent from others could be
      monitored by assay of the plaque-forming cell response on both Lo3 and Hi SRBC.
      We had shown also that the response was seen only in certain strains of mice and
      that the gene(s) controlling the response mapped to the IgH V region of the IgH
      chain complex. An additional feature of the response is that it is only seen in
      vitro and is absent and, we hypothesize, is suppressed in vivo. The strain
      distribution of the response to the ese determinant suggested that the response
      may only use one V gene (or a small set of closely related V genes) that would be
      present in the responder strains and absent from the nonresponder strains. To
      test this hypothesis, we made hybridomas with specificity for the ese determinant
      and for the shared determinants. cDNA from these hybridomas were sequenced. All
      four anti-ese hybridomas were almost identical in V region sequence, but varied
      considerably in D and J segment usage, thus confirming the hypothesis that the
      ese response would be limited at the V segment. The four anti-ese hybridomas used
      two Vh J558 genes that differed only by one, or possibly two, nucleotide(s).
      Importantly, these genes are quite different from most other published J558
      sequences. The sequence is very similar to an unexpressed sequence from a C57Bl/6
      perinatal mouse and slightly less similar to two other Vhb sequences. It was
      quite similar to two sequences from autoantibodies, one an anti-DNA hybridoma
      antibody, BXW-14, isolated from an NZB x NZWF1 mouse, and the other, an NZB
      hybridoma, G8, with specificity for a mouse E Ag. We speculate that the Ig
      encoded by the V ese gene react with an autoantigen, that the B cells persist in
      the animal, but that the secretion of Ig is somehow suppressed.

PMID- 1431128
TI  - The anti-DNA-associated idiotype 8.12 is encoded by the V lambda II gene family
      and maps to the vicinity of L chain CDR1.
AB  - The 8.12 idiotype is an anti-DNA-associated Id present on lambda L chains that
      are expressed at high titers in 50% of patients with systemic lupus
      erythematosus. Since this Id can be present on as much as a third of a patient's
      anti-DNA antibodies and is found in renal glomeruli, 8.12 is thought to be a
      marker for a subset of pathogenic anti-DNA auto-antibodies. A molecular analysis
      of the 8.12 positive antibodies was designed to explore the genetic basis of this
      Id. Monoclonal human B cell lines were generated by transformation with EBV and
      lambda L chain-secreting lines were analyzed for Id expression and V region gene
      usage. In this panel of Ig lambda cell lines, the 8.12 idiotype is encoded
      exclusively by members of the V lambda II gene family. The sequences of several
      8.12+ and 8.12- V lambda II genes are reported here and are used to map the 8.12
      Id to the vicinity of CDR1, as well as to further characterize the large and
      polymorphic V lambda II gene family.

PMID- 1431129
TI  - CD4 changes conformation upon ligand binding.
AB  - Aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) has been shown to block the binding site for both
      HIV gp120 and mAb anti-Leu 3a on CD4. We have unexpectedly found that brief
      treatment with > or = 1 micrograms/ml ATA rapidly disengages another mAb, OKT4E,
      after it has been bound to CD4 on human PBL. OKT4E is specific for a
      discontinuous epitope overlapping the MHC class II-binding region in the N
      terminal CD4 domain. Interestingly, among 10 other mAb tested, only anti-Leu 8,
      specific for a leukocyte homing receptor is also quickly released from the cells
      by ATA treatment. Disengagement of the OKT4E mAb is also seen on a CD4-positive
      cell line (HPB-ALL) and with recombinant soluble CD4 (sCD4) bound to immobilized
      OKT4E. In all of these cases, disengagement is prevented if OKT4E is cross
      linked, or the Leu 3a site is blocked by the mAb, but not by gp120.
      Photobleaching fluorescence resonance energy transfer (pFRET) measurements
      suggest that OKT4E is released as an indirect consequence of ATA-evoked
      conformational changes of CD4. Similar changes were detected as a result of gp120
      binding to PBL. These data raise the possibility of a novel type of
      immunomodulation: induced disengagement of a bound ligand from its Ag.

PMID- 1431130
TI  - Biochemical specificity of H-2M3a. Stereospecificity and space-filling
      requirements at position 1 maintain N-formyl peptide binding.
AB  - The maternally transmitted Ag is a cell surface product of three gene products:
      1) H-2M3a (formerly Hmta), a class I MHC heavy chain; 2) beta 2-microglobulin;
      and 3) maternally transmitted factor (Mtf), the N-terminus of the mitochondrially
      encoded ND1 subunit of the reduced form of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide
      dehydrogenase. This class I molecule has been shown to be an N-formyl peptide
      receptor. Although the N-formyl moiety is necessary for binding to M3a, it is not
      sufficient. We proposed that the R group of the amino acid in position 1 plays a
      pivotal role in peptide binding to M3a. To test this hypothesis, analogues
      differing in size and stereospecificity of the R group were synthesized.
      Substitutions with other hydrophobic amino acids such as N-formyl phenylalanine
      and N-formyl valine had no significant effect on the ability of these Mtf alpha
      analogues to sensitize target cells (M3a, Mtf beta) to M3a, Mtf alpha-specific
      CTL. In contrast, the nonsubstituted, N-formylated, and N-acetylated glycyl
      analogues of Mtf beta bound equivalently to M3a in a peptide competition assay.
      Moreover, the alanine analogue bound in an N-formyl-dependent manner. To
      determine the limitations of the putative N-formyl pocket, peptide analogues were
      constructed incorporating D-isomer amino acids. When formylated D-alanine or D
      methionine replaced the native methionine, these peptide derivatives did not show
      significant binding to M3a. Therefore, the presence of a space-filling R group
      (greater than hydrogen) is necessary for an antigenic peptide to bind M3a in an N
      formyl-dependent manner. Additionally, the ability of M3a to discriminate between
      the optical forms of methionine and alanine demonstrates that this N-formyl
      pocket is stereospecific in its ability to bind peptide. Thus, we have defined
      three requirements for peptide binding to M3a: an N-formyl moiety at the amino
      terminus of the peptide, a space-filling R group at position 1 to maintain this N
      formyl specificity, and the correct stereoisomer of the first amino acid.

PMID- 1431131
TI  - Induction of protective immunity in mice using a 62-kDa recombinant fragment of a
      Schistosoma mansoni surface antigen.
AB  - Mice exposed to radiation-attenuated cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni are highly
      resistant to challenge infection, and sera from these mice can confer partial
      resistance when transferred to naive recipients. These sera recognize Ag present
      in schistosomular and adult worms, among them an Ag of 200 kDa. A cDNA encoding a
      62-kDa portion of this Ag was cloned; the deduced amino acid sequence of this
      cDNA clone shares homology with myosins of other species. To assess the
      immunoprophylactic potential, we carried out vaccination trials in mice using the
      recombinant polypeptide expressed as a fusion protein with beta-galactosidase
      presented in the form of proteosome complexes with the outer membrane protein of
      meningococcus. The level of protection achieved was 32%, and this level could be
      increased to 75% by removal of those amino acids included in the fusion protein
      that were derived from the vector to yield a polypeptide, designated rIrV-5. A
      similar level of protection was achieved when mice were immunized with the same
      dose of rIrV-5 in the form of protein complexes but without outer membrane
      protein, suggesting that protection did not require the use of adjuvant. However,
      at least three immunizations were necessary to achieve protection. Using mAb and
      sera from mice vaccinated with rIrV-5, we demonstrated that the native protein
      recognized by antibodies against rIrV-5 is a 200-kDa protein that is expressed on
      the surface of newly transformed schistosomula. The protection achieved with rIrV
      5 in mice encourages additional studies of its potential as a vaccine candidate
      for the prevention of schistosomiasis.

PMID- 1431132
TI  - Protection of mice and nude rats against toxoplasmosis by a multiple antigenic
      peptide construction derived from Toxoplasma gondii P30 antigen.
AB  - The first part of this work presents the sequence of the first 20 NH2 terminus
      residues obtained from P30, the major surface Ag of Toxoplasma gondii, purified
      by HPLC. A synthetic peptide (P30 48-67) has been prepared both in linear form
      and as a multiple antigenic peptide (MAP) construct. Immunization of mice and
      rats with the P30 48-67 MAP in the presence of IFA induces high levels of IgG
      antibodies that recognize both the linear peptide and the MAP construct in ELISA,
      and P30 in Western blots of NP-40-extracted tachyzoite Ag. Because these sera are
      negative in immunofluorescence assays with whole tachyzoites, it seems that IgG
      antibodies induced by P30 48-67 MAP, although recognizing the denatured
      structure, are unable to recognize the native protein. However, the protective
      effect of both constructs has then been studied in mice and nude rats. Whereas
      immunization of mice with the monomeric peptide does not confer any protection
      against oral infection with 1200 cysts of T. gondii 76K strain (mortality within
      11 days), 40% of mice immunized with the MAP construct survived up to 75 days
      after infection. Nude rats were passively transferred with 5 x 10(4) T
      lymphocytes from P30 48-67 MAP-immunized Fischer rats before infection with 5 x
      10(4) RH strain tachyzoites. They survived up to 40 days after infection and
      raised an intense IgG antibody response against P30, whereas nude rats
      transferred with control lymphocytes died within 21 days. This shows that
      immunization with P30 48-67 MAP also induces an efficient T cell immune response.
      The present work confirms the recently demonstrated role of P30 in protective
      immunity and shows the interest of peptide octameric constructions as inducers of
      partially protective immune responses in toxoplasmosis, as already demonstrated
      in schistosomiasis.

PMID- 1431133
TI  - Depletion of eosinophils by anti-IL-5 monoclonal antibody treatment of mice
      infected with Trichinella spiralis does not alter parasite burden or immunologic
      resistance to reinfection.
AB  - Mechanisms of parasite killing by eosinophils are widely studied and are often
      implicated in mediating resistance to parasitic infection, especially in
      conjunction with specific antibodies. Evidence for the eosinophil as an anti
      parasite killer cell in vivo is limited and may not justify the belief that
      eosinophils engage and/or kill infective helminths. We reexamined this question
      in a mouse model of trichinosis in which antisera to eosinophils were previously
      used to show the requirement for eosinophils in resistance to this nematode. The
      current studies used mAb to IL-5 to suppress eosinophil levels in CF1 mice
      infected with Trichinella spiralis. In mice given a primary infection and
      injected with an isotype control mAb or left untreated, the medullary and
      peripheral blood eosinophil numbers peaked at 3 wk postinfection (PI) and
      returned to baseline levels by 4 wk PI. Peripheral blood eosinophil numbers in
      infected mice injected with anti-IL-5 were maintained at levels below those of
      uninfected normal mice through 4 wk of infection. Histologically, there was a
      prominent eosinophil accumulation in infected, untreated, or control-mAb-treated
      mice associated with nurse cell complexes containing infective juveniles in
      skeletal muscle at 3 and 4 wk PI. This was largely eliminated in mice treated
      with anti-IL-5 mAb. However, the number of muscle stage juvenile worms recovered
      3 and 4 wk PI after acid pepsin digestion was unaffected by eosinophil depletion.
      Challenge infections, in which mice were infected at day 0 with 125 muscle stage
      worms and challenged at day 28 PI with 350 muscle stage worms, developed peak
      eosinophil numbers in bone marrow and peripheral blood 3 wk after primary
      infection and 2 wk after challenge infection in mice receiving either no
      treatment or control mAb. In challenged mice receiving anti-IL-5 mAb, medullary
      and peripheral blood eosinophil numbers remained at or below those of uninfected
      animals. Although all groups exhibited significant resistance measured as muscle
      stage worm burdens 56 days PI, eosinophil depletion did not affect resistance of
      muscle worm recovery. These results suggest that eosinophils are not essential in
      the control of T. spiralis in either primary or challenge infections of CF1 mice.
      This in vivo study illustrates the questionable value of in vitro killing assays
      to assign effector function to any single inflammatory cell type.

PMID- 1431134
TI  - The hamster immune response to tick-transmitted Borrelia burgdorferi differs from
      the response to needle-inoculated, cultured organisms.
AB  - The human immune response to natural infection with Borrelia burgdorferi appears
      to differ from that seen in small mammals infected by needle inoculation. In
      humans, antibody to outer surface proteins A and B (OspA and OspB) is not
      detectable until late in infection, but small mammals inoculated with B.
      burgdorferi produce early antibody to OspA and OspB. To investigate this
      disparity we compared the immune response in hamsters to B. burgdorferi after
      needle inoculation with cultured organisms or infected tick homogenates with the
      immune response after tick transmitted (natural) infection. We determined that
      the antibody response to OspA and OspB after natural infection of hamsters is
      similar to that seen in humans, and differs from the antibody response after
      hamster infection by needle inoculation. High titers of antibody to OspA and OspB
      were undetectable even 42 wk after bite by B. burgdorferi-infected ticks. The
      failure to produce antibody to OspA and OspB was not dependent on challenge dose,
      because animals inoculated by needle with low doses (1 x 10(5) to 1 x 10(6)
      cells) of B. burgdorferi produced antibody to OspA and OspB. A rapid but limited
      anti-41-kDa response was observed. One possible new Ag, 43 kDa (p43), was
      identified. The antibody response to p43 was independent of the route of
      inoculation. Our results suggest that the hamster immune response to tick
      transmitted Borrelia burgdorferi differs from the response to needle inoculated,
      cultured organisms.

PMID- 1431135
TI  - Monoclonal antibody to IFN-gamma modifies pulmonary inflammatory responses and
      abrogates immunity to Schistosoma mansoni in mice vaccinated with attenuated
      cercariae.
AB  - In C57Bl/6 mice vaccinated with a single dose of attenuated cercariae of
      Schistosoma mansoni, the major site of immune elimination of intact challenge
      parasites is the lungs. The effector mechanism involves the formation of focal
      inflammatory responses throughout the pulmonary tissues. These foci are rich in
      CD4+ T cells, believed to be memory:effector cells of the Th1 type. To
      investigate the role of IFN-gamma in these inflammatory responses, vaccinated
      mice were treated with neutralizing mAb. Administration on days 4, 8, 12, and 16
      post-challenge, the period over which elimination of challenge parasites takes
      place in the lungs, gave an average 89.5% abrogation of protective immunity.
      Analysis of pulmonary cell populations recovered by bronchoalveolar lavage from
      treated nonimmune mice at day 14 post-challenge revealed a sharp increase in
      pulmonary eosinophilia, relative to intact vaccinated and challenged animals. The
      inverse relationship between eosinophilia and protection suggests that
      eosinophils do not play a vital role in the immune effector mechanism in this
      model. Pulmonary foci of treated mice were larger, less compact, and of different
      cellular composition from those of control groups. They contained increased
      numbers of eosinophils, together with numerous multinucleated giant cells. The
      effects observed in the anti-IFN-gamma mAb-treated mice, together with the
      maintenance of MHC class II expression on alveolar macrophages in these animals,
      could all be explained by the production of IL-4 and other Th2 cytokines. Thus,
      neutralization of IFN-gamma during challenge responses may shift the Th balance
      towards domination by the Th2 subset.

PMID- 1431136
TI  - IL-4 influences IL-2 production and granulomatous inflammation in murine
      schistosomiasis mansoni.
AB  - In previous studies the dynamics of IL-2 production by splenic cells of
      Schistosoma mansoni infected mice was correlated with the intensity of hepatic
      granulomatous inflammation. To extend those observations, the present studies
      examined the role of IL-4 on the immune responsiveness of infected mice. The
      dynamics of IL-4 production by soluble egg Ag-stimulated splenic cells was
      similar to that of IL-2: minimal levels at the pre-oviposition or early worm egg
      deposition stages (4 to 6 wk) peak production coincident with maximal
      granulomatous response (8 wk) followed by a concurrent decline at the chronic
      stage (18 to 20 wk) in both parameters. Addition of murine rIL-4 to splenocyte
      cultures of acutely or chronically infected mice did not significantly enhance
      the soluble egg Ag-elicited proliferative response. Daily injections of rIL-4 (10
      to 1000 U) given for 14 days to groups of mice with acute infection, at the high
      dose-enhanced IL-2, but not IL-4, production. Similar treatment given to
      chronically infected mice did not augment diminished lymphokine production.
      Chronically infected mice treated with 10 to 1000 U of rIL-4 showed significantly
      enhanced liver granulomatous responses compared with untreated animals and the
      augmented granulomas contained more enlarged macrophages and connective tissue
      matrix. Repeated injections of anti-IL-4 mAb (11B11) given to acutely infected
      mice significantly suppressed splenic cell proliferation, IL-2 and IL-4
      production, and hepatic granulomatous inflammation. Similar treatment given to
      chronically infected mice also diminished the down-modulated granulomatous
      response. These data demonstrate that IL-4 plays an important role in the egg
      directed granulomatous response and participates in the regulation of Ag-specific
      lymphoproliferation, and IL-2 and IL-4 production during the course of the
      infection.

PMID- 1431137
TI  - Priming of human eosinophils by platelet-activating factor enhances the number of
      cells able to bind and respond to opsonized particles.
AB  - Addition of platelet-activating factor (PAF) to human eosinophils leads to the
      modulation of eosinophil responses. Earlier work from our laboratory has shown
      that the respiratory burst and homotypic aggregation response in these cells
      induced by opsonized particles (serum-treated zymosan, STZ), is strongly enhanced
      after pretreatment (priming) with PAF. In the present study we have investigated
      the effect of PAF on the binding of fluorescent STZ particles to human
      eosinophils. Addition of STZ to eosinophils isolated from the peripheral blood of
      normal donors results in an interaction of the STZ particles with only 30 to 40%
      of the cells. Treatment of the eosinophils with PAF (1 microM) for 2 min strongly
      enhanced the rate of particle binding and also doubled the percentage of
      eosinophils binding STZ. The effect of PAF priming is most likely mediated by a
      change in CR3, because it is reversed by mAb B2.12 blocking the iC3b binding site
      of CR3 and unaffected by mAb IV.3 blocking Fc gamma RII. This change is not an
      increase in cell surface expression of CR3, and it requires an active cellular
      metabolism to be maintained. The functional consequences of the effect of PAF on
      STZ binding were investigated in the nitro-blue tetrazolium dye slide test. PAF
      priming strongly enhanced the percentage of eosinophils producing oxygen radicals
      after STZ stimulation. Our findings indicate that the priming phenomenon observed
      in human eosinophils consists, at least in part, of a recruitment of cells able
      to interact with and to respond to opsonized particles.

PMID- 1431138
TI  - Plasminogen activator in granulocyte-macrophage-CSF transgenic mice.
AB  - The pattern of expression of urokinase type plasminogen activator (PA) in
      granulocyte-macrophage-CSF transgenic mice and their normal littermates was
      studied using RNAse protection assays and a plasminogen-dependent fibrinolytic
      assay for PA. Urokinase type PA mRNA was expressed at a high level in transgenic
      peritoneal cells and at a lower level in transgenic eye tissue and spleen, but
      not in equivalent tissue from the normal mice. Enzymically active PA was
      detectable in protein extracts from peritoneal cells taken from transgenic mice
      of less than 8 wk of age (young mice) but not from normals. Paradoxically,
      extracts from transgenic mice of more than 12 wk of age (old mice) showed little
      detectable PA activity despite continuing transcription in some mice of this age.
      The production of PA by peritoneal cells may be responsible for the spontaneous
      i.p. bleeding which is a feature of the transgenic mice and production in other
      tissues may help explain the local pathologic changes.

PMID- 1431139
TI  - Human endothelial cells are target for platelet-activating factor. II. Platelet
      activating factor induces platelet-activating factor synthesis in human umbilical
      vein endothelial cells.
AB  - Platelet-activating factor (PAF), a phospholipid mediator with broad and potent
      biologic activities, is synthesized by several inflammatory cells including
      endothelial cells (EC). PAF is also an effective stimulating agent for EC leading
      to increased cell permeability and adhesivity. We examined the synthesis of PAF
      in human umbilical cord vein EC after stimulation of EC with PAF or with its
      nonmetabolizable analog 1-O-alkyl-2-N-methyl-carbamyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine
      (C-PAF). PAF (1 to 100 nM) induced a dose- and time-dependent increase of PAF
      synthesis as detected by [3H]acetate incorporation into PAF fraction. Stimulation
      of PAF synthesis occurred via activation of the "remodeling pathway" as the 1-O
      alkyl-2-lyso-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (lyso-PAF):acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase
      was dose-dependently increased after PAF treatment. The de novo pathway of PAF
      synthesis was not activated under these conditions. C-PAF was able to mimic the
      effect of authentic PAF on [3H] acetate incorporation. The inactive metabolite
      lyso-PAF (100 nM) had no influence on PAF synthesis in EC. CV-3988, BN 52021, and
      WEB 2086, potent and specific antagonists of PAF suppressed PAF effects on the
      remodeling pathway completely. The PAF- and C-PAF-induced [3H]PAF remained 93%
      cell-associated and was not degraded up to 10 min after stimulation.
      Characterization of the [3H]acetate-labeled material co-migrating with authentic
      PAF revealed that a significant proportion (approximately 57%) was actually 1
      acyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. PAF-induced PAF synthesis might be an
      important mechanism for amplifying original PAF signals and potentiating adhesive
      interactions of circulating cells with the endothelium.

PMID- 1431140
TI  - Serum amyloid P component binds to histones and activates the classical
      complement pathway.
AB  - Two members of the pentraxin family of proteins, C-reactive protein (CRP) and
      serum amyloid P component (SAP), bind to chromatin and may be involved in the
      solubilization and clearance of nuclear material. Previous studies demonstrated
      that CRP binding to chromatin is mediated by histones. SAP differs from CRP in
      being able to bind to DNA, but SAP binding to histones has not been reported. CRP
      is an activator of the classical C pathway, and C-dependent cleavage of chromatin
      in the presence of CRP and serum has been shown. Oligomers of SAP have recently
      been found to bind to C1q and consume total C and C4, indicating that SAP can
      activate C as well. The present study examined CRP and SAP binding to histones H1
      and H2A and C activation after binding. SAP binding to histones H1 and H2A was
      observed as well as SAP binding to chromatin. In contrast to CRP, SAP binding to
      chromatin did not require H1. SAP partially inhibited CRP binding to chromatin
      and to H1. However, neither pentraxin inhibited binding of the other to H2A.
      Binding of either CRP or SAP to H2A activated C in SAP-depleted serum leading to
      the deposition of C4 and C3. C activation required C1q and produced C4d
      indicating that it occurred through the classical pathway. These findings
      demonstrate that CRP and SAP share histone as well as chromatin binding, and that
      both pentraxins can activate the classical C pathway after ligand binding.

PMID- 1431141
TI  - The proteoglycan decorin binds C1q and inhibits the activity of the C1 complex.
AB  - Decorin, a small collagen-binding dermatan sulfate proteoglycan, is widely
      distributed as a component of extracellular matrices. Using a solid phase binding
      assay, we showed that decorin bound C1q at physiologic pH and ionic strength. The
      interaction did not require divalent cations and was time and temperature
      dependent reaching equilibrium in 4 h at 37 degrees C. Binding was specific and
      saturable with an apparent dissociation constant of 7.6 x 10(-9) M. Decorin was
      shown to bind pepsin-derived fragments containing the collagenous domain of C1q
      and collagenase-derived fragments containing the globular domain of C1q. Because
      these fragments share a short sequence of amino acids, this finding suggests that
      decorin binds to a region of C1q located near the junction of the two domains.
      Competition studies using purified preparations of the decorin core protein and
      the glycosaminoglycan chains showed that only the former inhibited binding of
      decorin to C1q indicating that the interaction is mediated by the decorin core
      protein. Decorin was shown to inhibit the hemolytic activity of purified C1 as
      well as C1 in normal human serum. Approximately 50% inhibition was observed at a
      decorin concentration of 2 micrograms/ml. Inhibition was not observed if C1 was
      bound to Ag-complexed antibody. Furthermore, neither the core protein nor the
      glycosaminoglycan chain of decorin inhibited C1, indicating that the intact
      proteoglycan is necessary for functional activity.

PMID- 1431142
TI  - Evidence for cross-regulation of Fc gamma RIIIB (CD16) receptor-mediated
      signaling by Fc gamma RII (CD32) expressed on polymorphonuclear neutrophils.
AB  - Human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) express the low affinity receptors for
      the Fc domain of IgG (Fc gamma R), Fc gamma RII (CD32), and the glycosyl
      phosphatidylinositol-linked isoform of Fc gamma RIII (Fc gamma RIIIB, CD16) on
      their cell surface. Both of these receptors have been shown to be signal
      transducing molecules. However, the mechanisms involved in such signaling are not
      clearly understood. In this report, we investigated intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i)
      signals triggered in PMN by both the receptors using aggregated human IgG
      (AggIgG) and specific mAb to Fc gamma RII (KuFc79) and Fc gamma RIII (3G8) as
      ligands. Addition of AggIgG as well as cross-linking of mAb KuFc79 and 3G8 bound
      to PMN induced [Ca2+]i flux. However, preincubation of PMN with mAb KuFc79 (whole
      Ig or Fab fragments) in the absence of cross-linking abrogated the [Ca2+]i flux
      induced by AggIgG and mAb 3G8, indicating that Fc gamma RII receptor occupancy by
      mAb KuFc79 can block signals mediated by Fc gamma RIIIB. KuFc79-isotype-matched
      control mAb (MOPC 195) did not abolish the signals generated by AggIgG and mAb
      3G8. In addition, mAb KuFc79 did not abrogate [Ca2+]i responses elicited by the
      receptor for the chemotactic peptide FMLP indicating that modulation of signal
      transduction by Fc gamma RII-bound KuFc79 is selective for certain receptors.
      Immunofluorescence analysis of PMN initially treated with mAb KuFc79 followed by
      AggIgG showed that KuFc79 did not block the binding of AggIgG to PMN. Similarly,
      competitive binding studies revealed no stearic hindrance between mAb KuFc79
      bound to Fc gamma RII and mAb 3G8 bound to Fc gamma RIIIB. Thus, the ability of
      mAb KuFc79 to modulate signals induced by AggIgG and 3G8 strongly suggests that
      Fc gamma RII may regulate Fc gamma RIIIB signaling. While previous studies on Fc
      gamma RII revealed a requirement for cross-linking of the receptor to induce its
      effector functions, the present study shows that binding of mAb KuFc79 to Fc
      gamma RII itself, even in a univalent form, results in cross-regulation of Fc
      gamma RIIIB-triggered signals. Treatment of PMN with protein tyrosine kinase
      inhibitors, genistein and herbimycin A, abrogated the [Ca2+]i signals elicited by
      both mAb KuFc79 and 3G8. These results suggest that tyrosine kinase enzyme(s)
      associated with these receptors may be crucial for positive/negative signals
      triggered by Fc gamma RII and Fc gamma RIIIB.

PMID- 1431143
TI  - Intranasal immunization with liposomes containing IL-2 enhances bacterial
      polysaccharide antigen-specific pulmonary secretory antibody response.
AB  - Secretory IgA (sIgA) present at mucosal surfaces such as the lungs and intestine
      plays an important role in resistance to infection occurring at these anatomic
      sites. Because IL-2 and IL-4 can augment B cell proliferation and Ig production,
      we investigated possible adjuvant effects of these cytokines on bacterial
      polysaccharide-specific pulmonary sIgA generation. As shown in previous studies,
      intranasal immunization with liposomes containing bacterial polysaccharide from
      Aerobacter levanicum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa resulted in increased numbers of
      bacterial polysaccharide-specific pulmonary plasma cells and sIgA titers,
      compared with those found in unimmunized mice. Inclusion of IL-2, but not IL-4,
      into the intranasally administered liposomes further increased titers of
      bacterial polysaccharide specific sIgA and pulmonary plasma cells. Intranasal
      vaccination with liposomes containing bacterial polysaccharide and 10
      micrograms/kg IL-2 increased bacterial polysaccharide-specific pulmonary plasma
      cell numbers by more than 80-fold compared with the response in mice immunized
      with liposomes containing bacterial polysaccharide, but without IL-2. The
      percentage of pulmonary plasma cells producing antibody to polysaccharide from A.
      levanicum rose from 0.14% in mice intranasally immunized with liposomes
      containing only polysaccharide to 4.1% in animals vaccinated with liposomes
      containing polysaccharide and IL-2. Intranasal immunization with liposomes
      containing P. aeruginosa polysaccharide and IL-2 significantly reduced mortality
      from P. aeruginosa pneumonia. These results demonstrate that IL-2 has potent
      adjuvant effects on bacterial Ag-specific sIgA production in the lungs when
      included in intranasally administered liposomes.

PMID- 1431144
TI  - Effects of cytokines from activated immune cells on vascular cell growth and HIV
      1 gene expression. Implications for AIDS-Kaposi's sarcoma pathogenesis.
AB  - Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) arises more frequently in homosexual and bisexual men than
      in other groups of HIV-1 infected individuals. Clinico-epidemiologic data
      indicate that homosexuals often are infected with multiple microbial agents
      and/or subjected to other antigenic stimuli, preceding or accompanying HIV-1
      infection. Signs of immune activation, in fact, frequently have been detected in
      these individuals, and the onset of KS can precede any sign of immunodeficiency.
      These data have suggested that products from activated immune cells may affect
      the development of AIDS-KS. Here we report that conditioned media from activated
      or dysregulated T cells contain a variety of cytokines that promote the growth of
      spindle cells derived from KS lesions of AIDS patients (AIDS-KS cells) and induce
      normal vascular cells, potential cell progenitors of the AIDS-KS cells, to
      acquire features of the KS cell phenotype ("spindle" cell morphology and growth
      responsiveness to the mitogenic effect of extracellular HIV-1 Tat protein). The
      same conditioned media or cytokines promote HIV-1 gene expression and rescue
      defective HIV-1 proviruses, interrupting HIV-1 latency and increasing Tat
      production. The cellular and viral effects of cytokines are increased in an
      additive or synergistic manner by picomolar concentrations of extracellular Tat.
      These data suggest that cytokines produced by activated immune cells cooperate
      with HIV-1 infection in AIDS-KS pathogenesis.

PMID- 1431145
TI  - Influence of the Ig H chain locus on autoantibody production in autoimmune mice.
AB  - Autoimmune disease is influenced by multiple genes. In this study, we
      investigated the role of one genetic locus, Ig H chain. IgG2a antichromatin, anti
      ssDNA, and antihistone autoantibodies (autoAb) from (MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr x C57BL/6
      lpr/lpr), (Ighj/b); (C57BL/6-lpr/lpr x C57BL/6-lpr/lpr-Igha), (Ighb/a); and
      (MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr x MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr-Ighb), (Ighj/b) mice were determined using
      allotype-specific ELISA. Strikingly, antichromatin and antihistone antibodies
      (Ab) were comprised of significantly more b allotype than either a or j allotype
      in all cohorts of F1 mice examined. In mice that produced anti-Sm Ab, the b
      allotype was used preferentially for these autoAb as well. However, no allotype
      skewing was observed in IgG2a Ab directed against TNP or DNA, or for total IgG2a.
      An Igh recombinant locus was utilized to examine the genetic control of b
      allotype skewing in lpr mice and in chronic graft vs host disease. In both
      models, the VH region did not appear to be responsible for the preferential use
      of b allotype. These results indicate a contribution to autoimmunity by the Igh
      locus and raise the possibility that Ig allotype may influence autoimmune disease
      by its effect on the production of certain autoAb.

PMID- 1431146
TI  - The M20 IL-1 inhibitor. I. Purification by preparative isoelectric focusing in
      free solution.
AB  - An interleukin-1 (IL-1) inhibitor produced by the M20 myelomonocytic cell line
      has been shown to be active in various in vitro and in vivo IL-1 induced
      parameters. This inhibitor has been purified from the conditioned medium by gel
      filtration through a Sephacryl S-300 column or dye ligand chromatography on Affi
      Gel blue column, followed by isoelectric focusing in free solution in the pH
      range 3-5 using the Rotofor cell. When gel filtration by FPLC with the Superose
      12 column was used as the final step, the combined sequence of purification
      procedures resulted in a 1600-fold purification of the IL-1 inhibitor. The
      purified IL-1 inhibitor has a molecular weight of approximately 52 +/- 4 kDa and
      a pI of 4.15 +/- 0.1. By SDS-PAGE analysis the inhibitor preparation thus
      obtained showed the presence of two protein bands, while a few closely spaced
      protein bands were seen by analytical isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gels
      (pH 3-6). Some of these bands in PAGIF might correspond to different degrees of
      glycosylation of the inhibitory protein. Although the M20 IL-1 inhibitor has not
      yet been purified to homogeneity, it should be stressed that the procedures used,
      allowed us to remove the great majority of the proteins present in the medium in
      which the M20 cells were cultured, and to recover in satisfactory yield the
      inhibitor which we consider likely to be present in the conditioned medium in
      subnanomolar concentrations.

PMID- 1431148
TI  - A complement-dependent enzyme immunoassay (C-EIA) with increased sensitivity for
      IgM-rich rabbit sera.
AB  - An enzyme immunoassay involving activation of complement (C-EIA) was developed
      for rabbit polyclonal IgM antibodies against lipid A and lipopolysaccharide
      antigens. C-EIA was significantly higher in sensitivity for IgM-rich rabbit sera
      compared to EIA using anti-immunoglobulin secondary antibodies. Hence, C-EIA
      should be useful for the detection of weak IgM reactivities in rabbit sera,
      especially after short-time immunizations. Selective inhibition of both
      complement pathways indicated that C-EIA measures activation of the classical
      pathway.

PMID- 1431147
TI  - The M20 IL-1 inhibitor. II. Biological characterization.
AB  - Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is an important mediator in inflammation and immunological
      processes. The findings of native IL-1 inhibitors suggest a negative feedback
      mechanism to down-regulate IL-1 mediated acute inflammation. IL-1 inhibitors were
      also found elevated in disease states associated with high IL-1 levels. We have
      previously described one such IL-1 inhibitor derived from the human M20
      myelomonocytic cell line. In this paper we present several biological and
      biochemical characteristics of the M20 IL-1 inhibitor. Various in vitro
      activities of the inhibitor are described and its IL-1 specificity in these
      assays is demonstrated. Purification of the inhibitor was performed by DEAE-high
      performance liquid chromatography, isoelectric focusing, gel filtration and dye
      ligand chromatography column. This protein factor has a MW of 52 +/- 4 kDa and a
      pI of 4.15 +/- 0.1. The inhibitor has no cross-reactivity against a panel of
      known cytokines (IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-2, sIL-2R, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor
      (TNF), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)) and is distinct from the IL-1 receptor
      antagonist (IL-1ra). The purified IL-1 inhibitor was destroyed by trypsin, 2
      mercaptoethanol, sodium dodecyl sulfate and extremes in pH and in temperature.
      Only IL-1 induced (but not the IL-2, IL-6 or TNF induced) thymocyte proliferation
      and PGE2 production by fibroblasts were inhibited by the inhibitor, thus showing
      specificity to IL-1 in these assays.

PMID- 1431149
TI  - Capture ELISA for IgM antibodies against Plasmodium falciparum glutamate rich
      protein.
AB  - This report describes a novel mu chain capture ELISA for the detection of IgM
      antibodies against a Plasmodium falciparum antigen. A fragment of the 220 kDa P.
      falciparum glutamate rich protein containing amino acid residues 489-1271 was
      expressed in E. coli as a recombinant chimeric beta-galactosidase fusion protein
      and used as antigen after purification and biotinylation. Specific IgM antibodies
      were found in 51% (39/77) of sera from adult Liberians immune to malaria. The
      binding of IgM antibodies was specific for the malaria portion of the fusion
      protein and no cross-reactivity was found in sera from patients with IgM
      antibodies due to other diseases. Inhibition studies with a fusion protein
      containing amino acid residues 816-1134 (GLURP816-1134) representing the carboxy
      terminal repeat region suggested a different use of epitopes for IgM antibodies
      in different individuals.

PMID- 1431151
TI  - Removal of false-positive reactions from plasma in an enzyme immunoassay for
      bovine interferon-gamma.
AB  - A monoclonal antibody-based sandwich enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for bovine
      interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) has been developed and can be used in conjunction
      with a whole blood culture system to diagnose tuberculosis in cattle. During its
      development, normal bovine plasma samples were tested to establish background
      levels of circulatory IFN-gamma. Of 191 samples tested, 81 (42.4%) were positive
      (OD > 0.1) when tested undiluted in intact monoclonal antibody (IgG1)-coated
      wells compared to only 8 (4.2%) in F(ab')2-coated wells, which suggested non
      specific interference in the EIA rather than circulatory IFN-gamma. Reactivity of
      all remaining samples was removed by diluting plasmas 1/2 with 1% casein-PBS
      0.05% Tween 20 supplemented with an optimum amount (5%) of normal mouse serum
      (NMS). Serum pools derived from BALB/c, DBA/2, C3H/HeJ, CBA/CaH and Swiss, but
      not C57BL/6J, mice were found to inhibit equally the reactions of five strong
      false-positive bovine plasma samples but had no effect on the titre of IFN-gamma
      in the sample. Sera from other species tested were less effective. This suggests
      that the interfering factors possess a high degree of specificity, since the
      immunoglobulin heavy chain of IgG1 produced by all these five strains of mice are
      allotypically identical and different to IgG1 produced by C57BL/6J mice. The use
      of F(ab')2 antibody fragments to coat plate wells and sample diluent containing
      5% NMS has resulted in an EIA for bovine IFN-gamma that is virtually free from
      false-positive reactions, has a high degree of reproducibility and a sample
      detection limit equivalent to approximately 80 pg/ml recombinant bovine IFN
      gamma.

PMID- 1431150
TI  - A peroxidase-linked enzyme immunoassay for tumour necrosis factor alpha utilising
      alternative colorimetric or chemilumimetric substrates.
AB  - We present a double antibody immunoassay for tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF
      alpha) with a peroxidase dependent endpoint which can be detected by absorbance
      or chemiluminescence depending on the choice of substrate. The chemilumimetric
      and colorimetric assays have a detection threshold in human serum of 3.9 pg/ml
      and 7.8 pg/ml respectively and are able to recognise both rTNF alpha and natural
      TNF alpha. Concentrations of TNF beta, interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), IL-beta,
      IL-2, IL-3, IL-6 or interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) up to 5 ng/ml failed to show any
      cross-reactivity. The monoclonal antibody clone 5-2, used in the assays, did not
      neutralise rTNF alpha in the L929 bioassay. The assay was able to detect rTNF
      alpha in the presence of excess concentrations of both TNF alpha receptors (p55
      and p75). Removal of interference by rheumatoid factor was achieved by the
      absorbance of the polyclonal antiserum with mouse serum and the inclusion of 10(
      2) M dithiothreitol in the buffer containing the TNF alpha polyclonal antiserum.
      The assay will be useful for the quantitation of endogenous human TNF alpha in
      serum, other body fluids and culture supernatants, and can also be used to
      monitor levels of rTNF alpha in clinical trials.

PMID- 1431152
TI  - Analysis of glycoforms present in two mouse IgG2a monoclonal antibody
      preparations.
AB  - Lectins have been used for the determination of the oligosaccharide structures
      expressed by two monoclonal IgG antibodies, MN12 and RIV6. Dot blot experiments
      revealed the presence of terminal Fuc alpha (1-->6)GlcNAc, Gal beta (1-
      >3)GalNAc, Gal beta (1-->4)GlcNAc, Man alpha (1-->6, 1-->3)Man, NeuAc alpha (2-
      >6)Gal and NeuAc alpha (2-->6)GalNAc on both monoclonal antibodies. MN12 was
      shown to contain a carbohydrate moiety within the Fc region only. RIV6 contained
      carbohydrate moieties within both the Fc and Fab regions. Additional O-glycosidic
      linked carbohydrate chains were detected within the Fc region of both monoclonal
      antibodies. High mannose structures were also detected on both Mabs.

PMID- 1431153
TI  - An antibody capture bioassay (ACB) for DNase in human serum samples.
AB  - A novel assay for antibody captured bioactivity (ACB) has been developed to
      quantitate deoxyribonuclease I (DNase) in human serum samples. The procedure is
      simple, sensitive, reproducible and has a high throughput. Serum samples are
      diluted a minimum of 1/4 and assayed in 96-well microtiter plates coated with
      polyclonal antibodies specific to DNase. The serum is removed from the wells, the
      plates are washed and the antibody bound DNase is incubated at 37 degrees C with
      a DNA-methyl green substrate. The assay is sensitive to 0.8 ng/ml with a range to
      10 +/- 2 ng/ml, depending upon the time of incubation (48 +/- 2 h). The recovery
      of rhDNase spiked into human serum samples averaged 84.4% +/- 6.7% in sera
      diluted 1/4 and 97.8% +/- 7.2% at a 1/8 serum dilution. Intra-assay precision
      ranged from 3.0 to 7.5% coefficient of variation (% CV) and interassay precision
      ranged from 5.0 to 10.2% CV for spiked serum controls. Endogenous DNase
      concentrations in 27 normal human sera were found to range from < 2.0 to 11.4
      ng/ml. Endogenous DNase-like activity was found in Cynomolgus and Rhesus monkey
      sera; this activity diluted linearly and did not interfere with accurate
      quantitation of added rh DNase. No endogenous DNase-like activity could be
      detected in ten Sprague-Dawley rat sera. Bovine pancreatic DNase was found to
      have only very low cross-reactivity in this assay system. The ACB assay format
      can potentially be applied to the quantitation of other enzymes in serum and
      other biological samples.

PMID- 1431154
TI  - Flow cytometric analysis of transport activity in lymphocytes electroporated with
      a fluorescent organic anion dye.
AB  - Organic anion transport in polarized epithelia and macrophages has previously
      been studied by monitoring the efflux of fluorescent organic anion dyes from
      cells. We adapted this strategy to the study organic anion transport in
      lymphocytes. Cloned lymphoma cells and normal and activated human T cells were
      loaded with a membrane-impermeant, organic anion dye (Lucifer Yellow) by
      electroporation. Dye efflux in lymphocytes was rapid, energy-dependent, and
      inhibitable by organic anion transporter inhibitors. Dye efflux could not be
      attributed to the effects of electroporation. In addition, electroporated, dye
      loaded T helper cells retained the ability to properly respond to specific
      antigen. Thus, dye loss occurred in viable, functionally competent cells. These
      experiments demonstrate that electroporation is an effective means of loading
      cells with Lucifer Yellow, and that lymphocytes possess organic anion
      transporters that are functionally similar to those previously described for
      secretory epithelia and macrophages.

PMID- 1431155
TI  - Use of the lipid emulsion system and Salmonella typhimurium mitogen adjuvant to
      stimulate IgG production in chickens.
AB  - Chickens were immunized with the lipid emulsion system and Salmonella typhimurium
      mitogen adjuvant for fowl plus synthetic peptides corresponding to the divergent
      amino acid sequences at the carboxyl terminus of each of two different alpha
      tubulin isoforms from Arabidopsis thaliana. Antibodies were extracted from egg
      yolks and used in immunoblot assays to determine the time course of antibody
      production in two chickens. Specific immunoglobulin production increased 10-14
      days after the primary injection in both chickens and reached peak levels shortly
      thereafter. Booster injections helped maintain IgG production, which eventually
      dropped off after the final injection.

PMID- 1431156
TI  - A rapid and sensitive fluorometric microassay for determining cell mediated
      cytotoxicity to adherent growing cell lines.
AB  - In order to measure cell mediated cytotoxicity to adherent growing cell lines in
      vitro more rapidly and conveniently, a fluorometric microassay was developed and
      results were compared with those obtained by the 51Cr release assay. The
      fluorometric method is based on the hydrolysis of the fluorochrome 4
      methylumbelliferyl heptanoate (MUH) by intracellular esterases of viable cells.
      Melanoma cell monolayers were incubated with lymphokine activated killer (LAK)
      cells for 4 h at various effector: target (E:T) cell ratios (E:T = 16, 8, 4,
      2:1). Thereafter surviving adherent melanoma cells were stained with MUH for 30
      min and fluorescence was measured directly in a 96 well plate reader. For the
      calculation of LAK cell cytotoxicity fluorescence values were corrected for the
      number of nonspecifically detached tumor cells during the washes and the number
      of nonspecifically adherent LAK cells. Using identical target and effector cell
      preparations both assays showed a nearly proportional increase of percentage
      cytotoxicity with rising numbers of lymphocytes. Compared with the 51Cr release
      assay, however, higher cytotoxicity values were obtained with the fluorometric
      MUH microassay: 57% with MUH versus 26% with 51Cr and 39% versus 14% for cell
      lines StML-11 and SKMel-28, respectively (E:T ratio = 16:1). The higher
      cytotoxicity rates obtained with the fluorometric MUH microassay were not due to
      the additional 30 min staining with MUH or due to nonspecific hydrolysis of MUH
      by extracellular esterases released from damaged cells, as could be shown by a
      series of experiments. In conclusion, a simple and rapid fluorometric microassay
      has been developed showing reliable reproducibility and a higher sensitivity
      compared with the 51Cr release assay for the determination of cellular
      cytotoxicity to adherent growing cell lines, avoiding hazardous radioactive
      labels.

PMID- 1431157
TI  - An ELISA sandwich capture assay for recombinant fusion proteins containing
      glutathione-S-transferase.
AB  - A sandwich capture ELISA technique is presented for detection of recombinant
      proteins sharing a common affinity domain or reagents such as antibodies that
      bind to these proteins. An activated carrier protein (BSA) is modified with
      reduced glutathione (GT), forming an affinity capture reagent for glutathione-S
      transferase (GST) and recombinant fusion proteins bearing the GST moiety. GT-BSA
      is immobilized on microtiter plates, and a sandwich is formed consisting of the
      recombinant fusion protein, reactive antibodies, and detection antibodies. An
      example is given that demonstrates that this format yields equivalent results to
      a conventional ELISA test with a panel of newly diagnosed diabetic sera reacting
      with an islet cell autoantigen.

PMID- 1431158
TI  - Quantitation and phenotyping of T cell clones by flow cytometry.
AB  - In order to efficiently analyze large numbers of T cell clones, a method for
      analysis of small cell cultures by flow cytometry was developed. The aim was to
      assess cloning efficiency, growth rate and phenotype of T cell clones. The
      reliability of the flow cytometer for quantitation of cell populations was
      documented by repeated analysis of manually counted cell samples. In the
      concentration range from 3000 to 195,000 cells/ml, the correlation coefficient
      between counts obtained by the flow cytometer and manual cell counts was 0.999
      and within-assay coefficients of variation were below 4%. Cell cultures
      containing less than 200 cells were reliably quantified. The technique was
      applied for analysis of T cell clonings with different mitogens and in the
      presence of varying amounts of serum. To reduce time and labour, the cultures
      were analyzed only 10 days after cloning, when the clones contained less than
      100,000 cells. The sensitivity of the flow cytometer in the detection of
      immunolabeled cells made further expansion of cell cultures unnecessary, thus
      greatly reducing manual labour and experiment turnover time. The commonly used
      mitogens phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and the antibody OKT3 resulted in comparable
      cloning efficiencies and clone sizes. Human serum was essential for high cloning
      efficiency as well as for continued growth, and could not be substituted with an
      increased amount of fetal calf serum. When cloning with interleukin-2 at 20,000
      U/ml, two growing cell types were identified. The majority of the clones
      contained CD3+, CD4+, or CD8+ T cells. Ten out of 60 cultures however, contained
      cells with the CD3-16/56+ NK cell phenotype, indicating that the culture
      conditions stimulated proliferation of two different cell types. The described
      method can be applied for rational analysis of large numbers of minute cell
      cultures, in for example evaluation of different cloning conditions and
      estimation of precursor cell frequencies in limiting dilution analysis. The
      simultaneous phenotyping allows precursor cell analysis under conditions that
      stimulate growth of more than one cell type.

PMID- 1431159
TI  - Detection of intracellular interleukin-10 by flow cytometry.
AB  - Detection of cytokines is limited to measurements of the secreted molecule. To
      circumvent this problem we permeabilized the cell membrane with digitonin and
      localize cytokine expression using antibodies by flow cytometry. In this report
      we demonstrate that we can detect specific intracellular interleukin-10 (IL-10)
      in the HT-2 T cell line only after membrane permeabilization. With this technique
      intracellular cytokines are readily detectable.

PMID- 1431160
TI  - Blood B cell subpopulations. The effect of narrow versus wide forward scatter x
      side scatter gating.

PMID- 1431161
TI  - A microplate assay for the detection of oxidative products using 2',7'
      dichlorofluorescin-diacetate.
AB  - A fluorometric microplate assay was established for the detection of respiratory
      burst activity in phagocytic cells by assessing oxidation of 2',7'
      dichlorofluorescin-diacetate (DCFH-DA). This method is based on flow cytometric
      studies by Bass et al. (J. Immunol. 130 (1983) p. 1910) describing intracellular
      detection of DCFH oxidation due to the presence of hydrogen peroxides. In the
      present study we have adapted the assay for use in microtiter plates to determine
      the amount of extracellular reactive oxidative products. DCFH-DA, granulocytes
      and stimuli (phorbol myristate acetate, n-formyl-methionyl-leucylphenylalanine,
      concanavalin A) were added to microtiter plates and after incubation at 37
      degrees C, the development of fluorescence intensity was read in a fluorescence
      concentration analyzer (FCA, Baxter). Calibration of fluorescence units recorded
      by the FCA was achieved by comparison with defined amounts of fluorescent DCF.
      The change in measured fluorescence was linear with cell density over the range
      of 2 x 10(5)-1 x 10(6) cells/well. Cumulative DCF generation in individual wells
      could be recorded non-destructively at frequent intervals for time course
      measurements. Results from FCA measurements correlated perfectly with the FACS
      analysis of the same samples (r = 0.99). In conclusion, this assay can be useful
      for screening monoclonal antibodies recognizing cell surface structures possibly
      involved in signal transduction as well as for testing phagocytes for their
      capacity to release reactive oxidative intermediates.

PMID- 1431162
TI  - Direct visualisation and quantification of cellular cytotoxicity using two colour
      flourescence.
AB  - A fluorescence method is described for the evaluation of cell death induced by
      cellular cytolytic activity. A green fluorescent membrane dye, D275, was used to
      label various target cell lines and propidium iodide (PI) uptake was used to
      assay cell death. Natural killer (NK), lymphokine activated killer (LAK) as well
      as targeted T cell mediated cellular cytotoxicity were quantified using the
      fluorescence method and compared to results obtained with the 51chromium (51Cr)
      release assay. A good correlation was found after an assay period of 4-8 h
      indicating that the fluorescence method is a reliable alternative to the 51Cr
      release assay.

PMID- 1431163
TI  - Preparation of monoclonal mouse antibodies against two specific eu-melanin
      related compounds.
AB  - Two eu-melanin precursors, 6-hydroxy-5-methoxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (HMI2C)
      and 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHI2C) were synthesized and coupled to
      bovine serum albumin, hemocyanin and polylysine by the combined action of
      carbodiimide and succinimide. These indole-carrier conjugates served as antigens
      for the production of specific antibodies against DHI2C and HMI2C in BALB/c mice.
      The specificity of these antibodies was tested using a combination of affinity
      chromatography and ELISA procedures. Polyclonal mouse antibodies reacted with the
      indole-carrier conjugates, but not with the unbound indole compounds. Monoclonal
      antibodies from two hybridoma cell lines were obtained from a HMI2C-immunized
      mouse after a fusion with four subclonings. They reacted with free HMI2C and to a
      lesser extent with unbound DHI2C. One monoclonal showed 50% inhibition in the
      ELISA test at concentrations of 0.6 mumol.l-1 and 5 mumol.l-1 for HMI2C and
      DHI2C, respectively. These antibodies did not show any cross-reactivity with nine
      structurally related compounds and should be valuable reagents for the detection
      and quantification of HMI2C and other eu-melanin related compounds.

PMID- 1431164
TI  - Bispecific IgA/IgM antibodies and their use in enzyme immunoassay.
AB  - Two hybrid hybridomas secreting polymeric bispecific antibodies to human
      chorionic gonadotropin and calf intestinal alkaline phosphatase were produced by
      fusion of IgA- and IgM-secreting mouse hybridomas. Both hybrid antibodies were
      purified from ascitic fluid by size exclusion chromatography. An IgM-like
      fraction was shown to exhibit bispecific activity. Bispecificity was completely
      lost following mild reduction and alkylation. Both bispecific antibodies were
      used to develop a sensitive enzyme immunoassay for hCG.

PMID- 1431165
TI  - Chicken antibodies: a tool to avoid interference by complement activation in
      ELISA.
AB  - MicroELISA plates coated with mammalian IgG will activate the human complement
      system. It has been shown that this activation of the complement system may
      interfere in solid-phase immunometric assays, and that there is a difference
      between IgG from different species and between different IgG subclasses in their
      ability to activate the human complement system. We have studied the ability of
      mammalian IgG and avian IgG to activate the human complement system. We show that
      chicken IgG do not activate the human complement system, and chicken IgG can thus
      be used in solid-phase immunometric assays to reduce interference by complement
      activation.

PMID- 1431166
TI  - Sn-chlorin e6 antibacterial immunoconjugates. An in vitro and in vivo analysis.
AB  - Monoclonal antibody-Sn-chlorin e6 immunoconjugates were prepared by the site
      selective covalent modification of the monoclonal oligosaccharide moiety. By
      carefully controlling the reaction conditions and introducing triethanolamine
      groups as axial ligands of the Sn moiety, conjugates with in vivo biodistribution
      properties similar to underivatized IgG were prepared. By varying the reaction
      conditions, conjugates were reproducibly prepared with a range of photosensitizer
      to mAb molar ratios from 1.6 to 10. Based on a competitive inhibition
      radioimmunoassay, conjugates prepared by this method showed selectivity and
      binding affinity comparable to the unmodified antibody. The immunoconjugates had
      only slightly lower singlet oxygen yields than that observed with the Sn-chlorin
      e6 precursor indicating that negligible aggregation or structural modification of
      the chromophores occurred during the synthesis process. In vitro cell killing
      experiments demonstrated that all conjugates possessed significant cytotoxic
      activity. Biodistribution studies in mice showed that conjugates prepared with
      axial ligands had significant serum retention 24 h after injection while
      conjugates prepared without the triethanolamine ligand were much more rapidly
      cleared. In vivo specificity was demonstrated using rats infected with Fisher
      immunotype I P. aeruginosa at a site in the left posterior thigh muscle. Target
      to background ratios exceeded 60 at 120 h after conjugate injection of the
      specific immunoconjugate, compared to a ratio of only 6 for a non-specific mouse
      IgG conjugate. Biodistribution patterns at 120 h post injection indicate that the
      conjugates were both biologically active and structurally intact.

PMID- 1431167
TI  - Infection and injection drug use.

PMID- 1431168
TI  - Neonatal tetanus estimates of mortality derived from a cluster survey in northern
      Nigeria.
AB  - A two-stage cluster survey of deaths from neonatal tetanus (NNT) was carried out
      in Kano metropolis, Northern Nigeria in order to estimate the mortality from the
      disease. Estimates of mortality were obtained by three different methods which
      were compared. According to clinical diagnosis, mortality was 20.6/1000 live
      births while reports of 4-14 day deaths gave a figure of 11.4/1000 live-births.
      From information volunteered by informants, it appeared to be only 4.6/1000 live
      births. NNT accounted for 68% neonatal deaths. The sex-specific mortality rates
      were 23.4 and 17.9 per 1000 live-births for males and females respectively. There
      was, however, no significant association between sex and death from neonatal
      tetanus. The mortality for the first 6 months of recall period was 15.2/1000 live
      births and 24.2/1000 live-births for the last 6 months. There was also no
      significant association between recall period and death. In view of the markedly
      different estimates by the various methods of diagnosis, retrospective clinical
      diagnosis is suggested for community-based surveys of mortality related to
      neonatal tetanus.

PMID- 1431169
TI  - CSF findings in Lyme meningitis.
AB  - The results of cerebrospinal fluid examination in 59 cases of meningitis caused
      by Borrelia burgdorferi were analysed and compared with 73 non-Lyme meningitis
      cases. There was no statistically significant difference in the median cell count
      of 160 x 10(6)/l in the Lyme meningitis patients and the 150 x 10(6)/l in the non
      Lyme cases. The protein level was elevated in both patients groups to 0.9 g/l and
      0.8 g/l, respectively. The glucose level of 2.9 mmol/l (1.0-6.1) was, however,
      significantly (P = 0.005) lower in Lyme meningitis than the 3.3 mmol/l (1.6-5.4)
      in the non-Lyme cases. The most important observation of the study was the
      finding of a combination of pleocytosis, elevated protein (greater than 0.6 g/l)
      and low glucose levels (less than 2.1 mmol/l) (considered to be pathognostic for
      tuberculous meningitis) in six of 59 cases of Lyme meningitis.

PMID- 1431170
TI  - Cerebral abscess on Merseyside 1980-1988.
AB  - We report a retrospective study of 62 patients presenting to The Walton Centre
      for Neurology and Neurosurgery with cerebral abscess in the 8-year period between
      1980 and 1988. The study shows that while the incidence of cerebral abscess has
      not altered from the previous decade, aetiological factors have changed and major
      developments in the diagnosis and management of the condition have resulted in a
      marked reduction in the morbidity and mortality associated with brain abscess.

PMID- 1431171
TI  - Malaria therapy in 452 patients, with special reference to the use of quinine.
AB  - We investigated the efficacy and toxic potential of antimalarial therapy regimens
      in 452 malaria patients treated between 1980 and 1990. Drug regimens in 330 non
      immune travellers were compared with those of 122 semi-immunes with acute
      malaria; 71% patients acquired their infection in tropical Africa, and the 288
      Plasmodium falciparum infections were the most prevalent species. Because of
      increasing drug resistance or toxicity of chloroquine, pyrimethamine-sulfadoxine
      and even mefloquine, quinine proved to be the most effective antimalarial against
      P. falciparum and the only one which did not lead to recrudescences. These
      occurred in 10% patients after chloroquine and 6% after mefloquine. Cinchonism
      occurred in 25% of those treated with quinine, but it was fully reversible and
      never necessitated withdrawal of the drug. We conclude that quinine is highly
      effective in the treatment of P. falciparum infection and is mandatory if the
      clinical condition requires a fast-acting blood schizonticide, in cases of hyper
      parasitaemia and if multi-drug resistance occurs; its use should not be
      restricted by reversible side-effects such as cinchonism.

PMID- 1431172
TI  - An infectious disease day care unit--the first year.
AB  - Details are given of what is believed to be the first Day Care Unit in the U.K.
      for the diagnosis and treatment of infection and infectious diseases. The
      reaction of referring doctors and their patients has been favourable, cross
      infection in the home has not been a problem and some potentially life
      threatening infections have been diagnosed earlier than might otherwise have been
      the case. Capital and running costs were relatively small and the use of
      inpatient beds for infectious diseases became more efficient.

PMID- 1431173
TI  - Haemophilus influenzae type b purpura fulminans treated with hyperbaric oxygen.
AB  - We report the case of a 4-month-old child with purpura fulminans caused by
      Haemophilus influenzae type b. In addition to conventional therapy, she was
      treated with hyperbaric oxygen, and made a full recovery. Hyperbaric oxygen as an
      adjunct to other therapy in purpura fulminans is discussed.

PMID- 1431174
TI  - Fatal disseminated Scedosporium inflatum infection in a neutropenic
      immunocompromised patient.
AB  - Disseminated infection with the fungus Scedosporium inflatum in a neutropenic
      patient with non-Hodgkins lymphoma presented with the triad of muscle tenderness,
      papular skin lesions and fever, and progressed rapidly to a fatal outcome. This
      represents the first reported instance of fatal widely disseminated infection
      with this organism, and demonstrates that the triad of presenting clinical
      features, formerly reported to be pathognomic of systemic candidiasis, can no
      longer be regarded as specific for infection with a particular species of yeast
      or fungus.

PMID- 1431175
TI  - Recurrent post-infective Henoch-Schonlein syndrome: a genetic influence related
      to HLA B35?
AB  - The clinical features, laboratory findings, infection stimuli and HLA phenotypes
      of five young adults with recurrent episodes of Henoch-Schonlein syndrome (HSS)
      are reported. We define recurrences as the reappearance of the characteristic
      purpuric rash and associated symptoms more than 8 weeks after the onset of the
      original episode of purpura. All patients had documented evidence of a bacterial
      or viral infection before one or more of the relapses, the periods between which
      varied from 1 to 13 years. Four of our five patients possessed the HLA B35
      phenotype and two of these four patients were also HLA B18 antigen positive.
      Those with the HLA B35 haplotype had recurrent episodes of purpura with nephritis
      triggered by minor pharyngeal (viral or bacterial) infections. The HLA B35
      haplotype has a frequency of 4% in the indigenous Scottish population and has
      previously been linked with single episodes of the Henoch-Schonlein syndrome with
      nephritis in German, Slavic and French patients. It has not previously been
      related to recurrent episodes of the syndrome. We postulate that patients who are
      HLA B35 positive may be genetically more susceptible to recurrent episodes of HSS
      with nephritis, stimulated by a heterogeneous group of infective stimuli and
      resulting in a protracted illness with significant renal involvement.

PMID- 1431176
TI  - Metronidazole-resistant Bacteroides fragilis wound infection.
AB  - We report the isolation of metronidazole-resistant Bacteroides fragilis from a
      post-operative wound abscess in a 72-year-old woman who had not been treated with
      metronidazole during the preceding 9 months. The case illustrates the need for
      caution when identifying anaerobes on the basis of metronidazole sensitivity.

PMID- 1431177
TI  - Eradication of a multiple drug resistant Salmonella paratyphi A causing
      meningitis with ciprofloxacin.
AB  - A previously healthy breast-fed baby was admitted at 10 days of age to a hospital
      in the north of Pakistan with diarrhoea and fever. He was treated for suspected
      sepsis with intravenous cefotaxime and tobramycin. Cultures of blood and faeces
      at that time proved negative. At 12 days of age, seizures began and examination
      of CSF revealed evidence of pyogenic meningitis but bacteria were neither seen
      microscopically nor isolated in culture. Ceftazidime was substituted for
      cefotaxime and carbenicillin was given also. Since the baby's condition continued
      to deteriorate with persistent fever, vomiting and recurrent seizures, he was
      transferred to the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. Examination of CSF
      there confirmed the diagnosis of pyogenic meningitis and revealed Gram-negative
      bacteria. Cultures of CSF and faeces yielded Salmonella paratyphi A but the blood
      culture was negative. The isolate was found to be multiple antimicrobially
      resistant but sensitive to ciprofloxacin. Treatment with this drug was therefore
      started 3 days after the baby's admission to the Aga Khan Hospital. Within 36 h,
      improvement was observed. From then onwards, the baby made a progressive recovery
      and was healthy when seen at 7 months of age.

PMID- 1431178
TI  - Surveillance of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections in Scotland 1986-1991.
AB  - Mycoplasma pneumoniae is the second most common cause of community-acquired
      pneumonia. Infection is found worldwide and epidemics are said to occur in 4
      yearly cycles. In Scotland this pattern has been noted since 1982 and, in common
      with England and Wales as well probably as other parts of Europe, there is a
      current epidemic which began in the autumn of 1990. The disease has been noted
      predominantly in children and young adults, with lower respiratory tract
      infection as the most common manifestation. At present, diagnosis is based on a
      serological response and various tests are available for detecting both primary
      infection and reinfection. In view of the present epidemic, initial treatment of
      respiratory-tract infection, especially in children and young adults, should
      include adequate cover against Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

PMID- 1431179
TI  - Serodiagnosis of cryptosporidiosis in Italian HIV-positive patients by means of
      an oocyst soluble antigen in an ELISA.
AB  - A sensitive, specific, and reproducible ELISA which incorporated an oocyst
      soluble antigen was used in order to detect specific Cryptosporidium
      immunoglobulins G and M in Italian HIV-positive patients. The soluble antigen was
      prepared from purified oocysts collected from experimentally infected calves. The
      serum working dilution was established at 1 in 50. Of parasitologically positive
      and HIV-positive patients, 95% showed specific IgG or IgM or both in their serum.
      Of HIV-positive patients, some of whom had diarrhoea of uncertain aetiology,
      15.8% were found to have specific IgG. Both specific IgG and IgM were detected in
      the serum of an HIV-positive patient 1 year before the shedding of oocysts in the
      faeces. Sixteen (5.3%) of 300 presumed healthy people, positive for specific IgG,
      were all IgM-negative. Any significant cross-reactions with other parasitic
      infections were not observed. With a serum dilution greater than 1 in 25, only a
      low degree of positivity was observed with samples highly IgG-positive for
      Toxoplasma species. The ELISA showed a higher than expected prevalence of
      Cryptosporidium infection in Italian HIV-positive patients.

PMID- 1431180
TI  - Umbilical catheter-related resistant Klebsiella septicaemia in a pre-term infant
      successfully treated with imipenem via the catheter.

PMID- 1431181
TI  - A fatal case of pneumococcal cellulitis.

PMID- 1431182
TI  - [Retrospective study of urethral stricture in the Urology Service at the Ignace
      Deen Hospital. January 1985--October 1990].
AB  - The authors make an etiologic, epidemiologic and therapeutic analysis of 505
      urethral strictures treated over a 5 year period. They trig to find a prevention
      of such affection.

PMID- 1431183
TI  - [Complete urinary retention secondary to lumbosacral zona].
AB  - A case of complete urinary retention related to a HZV neurogenic bladder is
      reported. Different findings of the disease are discussed, e.g., urodynamics and
      physiopathology.

PMID- 1431184
TI  - [Endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Apropos of a case, review of the
      literature].
AB  - Endometrioid carcinoma of the prostate is an uncommon form of prostatic cancer.
      The authors present the case of a 77 year-old man and discuss the different
      particularities of this rare entity.

PMID- 1431185
TI  - [Therapeutic embolization of a renal angiomyolipoma associated with tuberous
      sclerosis].
AB  - The authors report about one case of bilateral renal angiomyolipoma, which is
      interesting because it is associated with tuberous sclerosis and was revealed by
      chronic anemia, and because of the treatment chosen, which consisted in the
      selective embolization of the neovessels. Follow-up at one year showed the
      reduction of the tumoral mass and the proper function of the remaining renal
      parenchyma.

PMID- 1431186
TI  - [Oncocytic tumors of the kidney apropos of 2 cases. Actualities in the
      preoperative diagnosis and therapeutic attitude].
AB  - The authors report two cases of renal oncocytoma treated by radical nephrectomy.
      There is still a controversy because the term oncocytoma is used for all tumors
      containing oncocytes, either true oncocytoma or adenocarcinoma with oncocytoma
      cells. The main problem is to distinguish, prior to surgery, between renal
      oncocytoma, a tumor with benign evolution, and renal adenocarcinoma with
      oncocytes, to offer conservative surgery for renal oncocytoma.

PMID- 1431187
TI  - [Morbidity of radical prostatectomy for localized cancer of the prostate. Apropos
      of 100 cases].
AB  - Adenocarcinoma of the prostate is the most frequent cancer of male over 60 years
      of age. Radical prostatectomy is one of the preferred modes of treatment for
      localized stages. Surgical morbidity decreases with experience and consists
      mainly in bleeding and rectal injury. Delayed morbidity comprises loss of
      erection, anastomosis stricture, incontinence. A retrospective study of 100
      patients is reported.

PMID- 1431188
TI  - [Calculation of prostatic volume by endorectal ultrasonography. A formula of
      surgical observation].
AB  - This study compares ultrasonographic prediction of prostatic volume and surgical
      exerese. A total of 200 prostates have been measured by the same echographist,
      operated upon by the same surgeon, and stratified for histology, surgical
      technique and weight. Adopting the general formula: Surgical volume = D1 x D2 x
      D3/x the surgical volume is calculated by a simplified and complete definition
      for a denominator giving the most accurate prediction. CONCLUSIONS: a. the glands
      of more than 60 cc could be calculated by the classical formula of ellipsoid pi x
      D1 x D2 x D3/6, simplified to D1 x D2 x D3/2, with a 21% standard deviation error
      from the surgical volume; b. medium-sized prostates (20-60 cc) could be
      calculated by the formula: D1 x D2 x D3/3 with a 21% standard deviation; c.
      prostates smaller than 20 cc, a series which included all reoperations for
      remnants or recurrence, could be calculated with the same proposed formula with a
      22% standard deviation, while the classical ellipsoid formula led to a 56%
      standard deviation error. No mathematical formula based only on three prostatic
      diameters is reliable to assess true parenchymal weight.

PMID- 1431189
TI  - [Kidney retransplantation: prognostic factors in a series of 84 cases].
AB  - Results are presented of a series of 84 patients receiving renal retransplants
      over the last 12 years. One year survival rate of patients and transplants was
      87.6% and 79.1% respectively, compared with 92.5% and 81.2% for the 783 first
      grafts performed during the same period. Positive prognostic features were the
      absence of sensitization, survival of the first transplant for more than 6
      months, and the inclusion of cyclosporin in the immunodepressive treatment.

PMID- 1431190
TI  - [Localized transrectal hyperthermia in the treatment of obstructive
      manifestations of prostatic adenoma. Review of the literature and personal
      experience].
AB  - For about the last 10 years, transrectal hyperthermia has been used to treat
      obstructive manifestations of adenoma of prostate. This procedure induces
      interstitial edema and acts preferentially on the fibrous elements of the
      prostate. Several therapeutic regimens have been used successively by different
      teams, after objective and subjective inclusion screening programmes. Results
      published up to the present show about 45% of objective responders (against 3% in
      a placebo group) with improvement sustained in 3 out of 4 cases. Morbidity rate
      (infection and urinary retention) was 3%. Data from a retrospective study of a
      series of personally treated patients was w used to determine those with the
      greatest chance of a successful outcome, even though this is never comparable
      with that of surgical treatment.

PMID- 1431191
TI  - [Treatment of urinary stress incontinence in women by percutaneous cervico
      cystopexy. Gitte's operation: contribution of intraoperative ultrasonography.
      Apropos of 47 patients].
AB  - Between March 1988 and February 1991, 47 patients with urinary stress
      incontinence (USI) were treated by Gittes' operation, suspension thread traction
      being determined by perioperative ultrasonography in 31 of these cases. All
      patients were re-examined on February 1992 after a mean follow-up of 26 months
      (range 12 to 24 mths). The global success rate (recovery and improvement) was
      assessed as 72% at 3 months and 56% at follow-up. Rated as a function of closure
      pressure (CP), the success rate at evaluation was 62% with normal CP, 42% with CP
      low for age, and 33% with CP < 30 cm H20. For the 31 patients with perioperative
      ultrasonography examination the success rate was 80% at 3 months and 70% at
      follow up. As a function of CP the rate was 83% at follow up with a normal CP,
      50% with a CP low for age, 37.5% with a CP < 30 cm H20. Although Gittes'
      operation is a simple, fairly non-aggressive intervention, results diverge widely
      from those obtained with "classical" techniques. Optimization of indications is
      essential, therefore, only patients with pure USI without hypotonia of the
      sphincter obtaining maximum benefit from the intervention, carried out preferably
      under perioperative by control ultrasonography.

PMID- 1431192
TI  - Rowatinex for the treatment of ureterolithiasis.
AB  - A prospective, randomized, double-blind study was performed on 87 patients with
      ureterolithiasis, assessing the effect of the essential oil preparation Rowatinex
      (Rowa Pharmaceuticals, Ireland) for the treatment of ureterolithiasis. Forty
      three patients were treated with Rowatinex and 44 patients with placebo. Despite
      the larger average diameter of calculi in the group of patients treated with
      Rowatinex, the overall stone expulsion rate was significantly higher in the
      Rowatinex group as compared to placebo: 81% and 59%, respectively (0.025 > p >
      0.01). This higher rate of stone expulsion is observed in patients with
      disappearance of pretreatment ureteral dilatation (when patients with expelled
      stones are excluded) (0.05 > p > 0.001). Seven patients in the Rowatinex group
      had mild to moderate gastrointestinal disturbances; no other significant side
      effects were noted during the treatment in either group. We conclude that early
      treatment with Rowatinex for patients with ureteral stones is indicated before
      other more aggressive measures are considered.

PMID- 1431193
TI  - Biotic and abiotic parameters associated with an epizootic of Coelomomyces
      punctatus in a larval population of the mosquito Anopheles quadrimaculatus.
AB  - Biotic and abiotic parameters associated with an epizootic of the fungus
      Coelomomyces punctatus in larval populations of the mosquito Anopheles
      quadrimaculatus were investigated for three mosquito breeding seasons (1986-1988)
      in two adjacent farm ponds in North Carolina. In the first pond, the prevalence
      of infected larvae averaged 42% (range 0-85%) for collections made weekly from
      May 1 to November 20, 1986, but larvae did not occur in this pond in 1987.
      Infection rates in the adjacent pond, sampled during the mosquito breeding
      seasons of 1987 and 1988, declined from 10.9% (range 0-27.5%) in 1987 to 2.5%
      (range 0-14.2%) in 1988. Correlation analyses between the number of female
      copepods and fungal infection rates in sentinel mosquitoes were significant (P <
      0.01) for Acanthocyclops robustus but insignificant for eight other species.
      Infections obtained in sentinel larvae placed in the ponds for 3 hr intervals
      indicated that C. punctatus infected larvae around sundown. Infection rates for
      field-collected larvae increased with the stage of larval development. However,
      experiments with sentinel larvae showed that early instars were more susceptible
      to infection than later instars, suggesting that the higher infection rates in
      late instars resulted from individual larvae being infected by two or more
      zygotes during larval development. Standard multiple regression analyses, used to
      determine the relationship between seasonal infection rates and water chemistry,
      weather variables, and the abundance of early and late instar larvae, showed that
      the abundance of late instars was the only independent variable common to linear
      models. The models only accounted for 20 and 9% of the variation in larval
      infection rates for 1987 and 1988, respectively. These results indicate that of
      the parameters examined, the seasonal abundance of the copepod, A. robustus, was
      the most important factor (or variable) correlated with the prevalence of
      mosquito infection.

PMID- 1431194
TI  - Evidence for the copepods Acanthocyclops robustus and Mesocyclops edax as
      competent intermediate hosts for Coelomomyces punctatus during an epizootic in a
      larval population of the mosquito Anopheles quadrimaculatus.
AB  - Field and laboratory experiments were conducted during an epizootic of
      Coelomomyces punctatus (Chytridiomycetes: Blastocladiales) in a population of the
      mosquito Anopheles quadrimaculatus in a North Carolina farm pond to examine the
      interactions of several potential copepod hosts with the mosquito and fungus. The
      diel vertical migratory behavior of the copepod species Acanthocyclops robustus,
      Eucyclops serrulatus, Macrocyclops albidus, and Mesocyclops edax were monitored
      in relation to infection rates in sentinel mosquito larvae. Mosquito infection
      occurred primarily around dusk, the same period during which A. robustus and E.
      serrulatus were most abundant near the surface of the pond. However, exposure of
      A. robustus, E. serrulatus, M. albidus, M. edax, Microcyclops varicans, and
      Paracyclops poppei to fungal meiospores in the laboratory showed that only A.
      robustus and M. edax were competent intermediate hosts for C. punctatus.
      Laboratory studies of the diel periodicity of gametangial dehiscence in A.
      robustus and M. edax infected with C. punctatus revealed that gamete release and
      zygote formation also occurred around dusk. The combined results of the
      laboratory and field studies on copepod abundance, susceptibility to infection,
      and periodicity of gametangial dehiscence suggest that A. robustus was the
      principal intermediate host for C. punctatus during the epizootic, though it is
      probable that M. edax also contributed importantly to the overall rate of larval
      infection.

PMID- 1431195
TI  - Influence of temperature on developmental parameters of the parasite/host system
      Edhazardia aedis (Microsporida: Amblyosporidae) and Aedes aegypti (Diptera:
      Culicidae).
AB  - Larvae of Aedes aegypti, transovarially infected with Edhazardia aedis, were
      reared between 20 and 36 degrees C to determine the influence of temperature on
      the development of the parasite and the infected host. Development of the
      parasite was evaluated based on spore yield and size. The predicted optimum
      temperature for maximum spore production of E. aedis in A. aegypti was 30.8
      degrees C. The results demonstrate that the E. aedis-A. aegypti system has a wide
      temperature tolerance; whereas spore yield will be lower at unfavorable
      temperatures, the host will remain infected. Additionally, spores were
      significantly smaller from individual reared at 34 degrees C than those reared at
      either 20 or 27 degrees C. Development of the infected host was evaluated based
      on pupal weight and time of pupation. Infected pupae were significantly larger
      than uninfected pupae. There was also a significant difference in the pupation
      rate between controls and infected A. aegypti larvae. Controls had a 50%
      cumulative pupation time (CPT50) of 65.7 degree days and infected individuals a
      CPT50 of 76.6 degree days.

PMID- 1431196
TI  - Expression of the high-affinity receptor for IgE (Fc epsilon RI) on human
      Langerhans cells: the end of a dogma.

PMID- 1431197
TI  - Effect of donor Langerhans cells on corneal graft rejection.
AB  - Unlike other cutaneous surfaces, the central portion of the corneal epithelium is
      typically devoid of Langerhans cells. The absence of Ia+ Langerhans cells in the
      central cornea is of more than casual interest and may explain the immunologic
      privilege that is characteristic of corneal allografts. The present communication
      summarizes previous studies that examined the role of corneal Langerhans cells in
      eliciting alloimmune responses and corneal graft rejection in rodents. Under
      normal circumstances, corneal allografts are poorly immunogenic when residing in
      the avascular ocular graft bed even though the graft displays large quantities of
      alloantigens. The afferent blockade of the immune response can be circumvented by
      donor-derived Langerhans cells that serve as potent immunogens for all categories
      of corneal allografts except grafts involving allodisparity only at class I major
      histocompatibility complex loci. Thus, the presence of donor-derived Langerhans
      cells exerts profound effects on the fate of corneal allografts.

PMID- 1431198
TI  - Langerhans cells, antigen presentation, and the diversity of responses to
      chemical allergens.
AB  - Respiratory and contact chemical allergens provoke differential immune responses
      in mice, stimulating preferentially T helper-2 (TH2) and TH1 cells, respectively.
      In an attempt to discover whether such differences are effected at the level of
      antigen handling and presentation we have examined the effect of topical exposure
      to trimellitic anhydride (TMA), a respiratory allergen, and 2,4
      dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB), a contact allergen, on Langerhans cell (LC) MHC
      class II (Ia) expression. Neither chemical caused a significant change in LC
      size. As measured by analytical flow cytometry, exposure to DNCB resulted in a
      time-dependent increase in LC Ia expression that exceeded 160% of control values
      within 24 h. Exposure to concentrations of TMA that caused an equivalent
      activation of draining lymph nodes failed to affect Ia expression by LC.
      Application of sodium lauryl sulfate at concentrations that caused edema also
      failed to influence LC Ia. These data demonstrate that TMA and DNCB exert
      differential effects on epidermal LC, possibly indicative of differences in
      antigen handling.

PMID- 1431199
TI  - Studies on human skin lymph containing Langerhans cells from sodium lauryl
      sulphate contact dermatitis.
AB  - Immunologic processes in diseased human skin have been extensively investigated,
      but little is known about the effect of skin diseases on human afferent skin
      lymph. Starting in the papillary dermis, the skin lymphatics drain the adjacent
      tissue in a one-way flow toward the regional lymph nodes. The composition of the
      afferent lymph, therefore, reflects the immunologic inflammatory processes in the
      drained tissue. To obtain afferent lymph to investigate its content, we inserted
      a cannula, by means of microsurgery, into a superficial peripheral lymph vessel
      draining a defined skin area. By manipulating the drained skin area and
      subsequent examination of the lymph we established an in vivo system for
      investigating the kinetics of lymph changes during the course of skin reactions.
      In lymph derived from a mild sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS)--induced contact
      dermatitis we could demonstrate an increase of both flow and cells. In
      particular, the number of Langerhans cells (LC) increased enormously during the
      course of the skin reaction. It, therefore, seems that a large increase in the
      migration of LC from the skin to the regional lymph nodes is a major feature of
      SLS-induced contact dermatitis, suggesting that LC may play a major role in the
      irritant contact dermatitis reaction.

PMID- 1431200
TI  - Human epidermal Langerhans cells express beta 1 integrins that mediate their
      adhesion to laminin and fibronectin.
AB  - Members of the beta 1 or very late antigen (VLA) integrin family represent the
      predominant class of integrin extracellular matrix receptors. Adhesion assays
      were developed for the identification of the beta 1 integrins involved in the
      adhesive interactions between Langerhans cells (which mainly express alpha 4 beta
      1, alpha 5 beta 1, and alpha 6 beta 1) and extracellular matrix proteins. For
      this purpose, binding assays were performed on fibronectin-, laminin-, collagen
      type IV-, and collagen type I-coated plates. 59% +/- 21% of Langerhans cells (LC)
      specifically attached to fibronectin. Using as inhibitory probes monoclonal
      antibodies against the beta 1, alpha 5, and alpha 3 chains and the synthetic
      peptide GRGDSP resulted in a decrease of 43%, 41%, 15%, and 42% respectively of
      LC binding to fibronectin. 76% +/- 20% of LC specifically adhered to laminin.
      Anti-alpha 6 monoclonal antibody potently inhibited this adhesion, which dropped
      to 36%, whereas the synthetic peptide GRGDSP was ineffective. A low number of LC
      adhered to type I and type IV collagen (13-15%). These results indicate that
      alpha 5 beta 1 and alpha 6 beta 1 were the major beta 1 integrins involved in LC
      adhesion to fibronectin and laminin. Ultrastructural cell morphology of adherent
      cells was examined and showed that LC were largely spread on laminin and became
      tightly bound to the substrate on a large portion of membrane. On fibronectin
      surface, the contact between LC and substrate was smaller, thus cells could
      conserve their general round aspect. Moreover, LC binding to fibronectin and
      laminin induced a significative decrease of the Birbeck granule number. The
      finding that LC attach to LM and FN in vitro suggests they exist similarly in
      vivo. By mediating a passage through basement membrane and migration throughout
      the fibronectin network of the dermis, alpha 5 beta 1 and alpha 6 beta 1 could
      contribute to the ability of LC to migrate into and out of the epidermis.

PMID- 1431201
TI  - Release of soluble Fc gamma RII/CD32 molecules by human Langerhans cells: a
      subtle balance between shedding and secretion?
AB  - Freshly isolated human Langerhans cells (LC) express two forms of Fc gamma RII: a
      membrane-associated form detected by monoclonal antibody (MoAb) anti-CD32, which
      recognize an extracytoplasmic epitope of the molecule, and a soluble secreted
      form, whose existence is suggested by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain
      reaction (RT-PCR) experiments. Indeed, RT-PCR performed on total LC RNA reveals
      the presence of two Fc gamma RIIA mRNA, one encoding the FC gamma RIIA with a
      transmembrane region (membranous form) and the other without this region (soluble
      form). Densitometry studies performed on the two PCR products reveal that the
      ratio between the membranous form and the soluble secreted form is about 1.5. LC
      maintained in culture for 24-48 h lose the major part of their membrane Fc gamma
      RII expression (shown by flow cytometry) and release soluble Fc gamma RII
      molecules (revealed by dot-blot assay), but maintain the same ratio of the two Fc
      gamma RIIA mRNA. The disappearance of the membrane-associated Fc gamma RII may be
      explained either by modification of its recycling pathway or by proteolytic
      cleavage of the receptor at the cell surface. Thus, soluble Fc gamma RII
      molecules generated during LC culture may result from proteolytic cleavage of the
      cell-surface receptor and/or secretion of a soluble form derived from the
      translation of an alternate spliced mRNA. Interestingly, addition of TNF-alpha
      (10 ng/ml) to the culture medium i) maintains the expression of the membranous
      form, which can be detected on the LC surface at the same level as on freshly
      isolated LC, and ii) reverses the ratio (to 0.6) of the two Fc gamma RII mRNA,
      the mRNA encoding the soluble form becoming predominant. Thus, TNF-alpha seems to
      modify the expression of the Fc gamma RII at the mRNA level, favoring the
      secretion of soluble Fc gamma RII molecules, and changes the fate of the
      membranous Fc gamma RII.

PMID- 1431202
TI  - Membrane ecto-ATPase on epidermal Langerhans cells.
AB  - Epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) possess a plasma membrane Mg(++)- or Ca(++)
      dependent ecto-ATPase (mATPase), the function of which is not known. On the other
      hand, extracellular ATP (ATPo) has been shown to cause a rapid increase in cell
      membrane permeability for selected cells, thus inducing the entry of exogenous
      substances, leading eventually to cell death. ATPo has also been shown to be a
      mediator of T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. We have observed human LC to be
      resistant to the permeabilizing effects of ATPo when compared to cultured human
      keratinocytes and J774 macrophages. In addition, our preliminary evidence in
      vitro suggests that mATPase on LC may provide protection against the lytic
      effects of ATPo. Finally, we propose that this latter mechanism may also operate
      in vivo.

PMID- 1431203
TI  - Characteristics of antigen-presenting cells involved in contact sensitization of
      normal and UV-irradiated mice.
AB  - Exposure of mice to ultraviolet (UV)-B (280-320 nm) radiation alters their immune
      response to contact-sensitizing haptens applied to UV-irradiated skin. Under
      these conditions, the contact-hypersensitivity response is reduced, and hapten
      specific suppressor T lymphocytes can be found in the spleen. Considerable
      evidence suggests that the epidermal Langerhans cell is one of the principal
      targets of this effect of UV irradiation that leads, ultimately, to suppressor
      cell formation. We are using a combination of cell-surface markers and light and
      electron microscopy to determine whether differences can be detected in the
      antigen-presenting cells involved in contact sensitization of normal and UV
      irradiated mice.

PMID- 1431205
TI  - Fc epsilon RI mediates IgE binding to human epidermal Langerhans cells.
AB  - In a recent series of experiments, we observed that epidermal Langerhans cells
      (LC) of healthy, non-atopic individuals have the capacity of specifically binding
      monomeric serum or myeloma IgE. IgE-binding to LC could neither be prevented by
      pre-incubation of the cryostat sections with monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) against
      either Fc epsilon RII/CD23 or Fc gamma RII/CD32 nor by the addition of excess
      amounts of lactose, but could be entirely abrogated by pre-incubation with the
      anti-Fc epsilon RI MoAb 15-1. A direct testing of the anti-Fc epsilon RI MoAb 15
      1 and 19-1 on cryostat sections in an indirect immuno-double-labeling technique
      showed that, in contrast to eight different anti-Fc epsilon RII/CD23 MoAb, these
      MoAb react with the majority of CD1a-bearing epidermal cells. At an
      ultrastructural level, 15-1 immunogold-labeling in the epidermis was confined to
      the surface of cells exhibiting Birbeck granules. In further experiments, we were
      able to amplify by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology transcripts for the
      alpha, beta, and gamma chains of Fc epsilon RI from LC-enriched epidermal cells
      and dermal cells, but not from LC-depleted epidermal cells. Transcripts for the
      mast cell enzyme tryptase were exclusively found in dermal cell-derived RNA
      preparations, thus excluding a contamination of the LC-enriched epidermal cell
      preparations by dermal mast cells. Collectively, these data show that epidermal
      LC, but not other epidermal cells, express Fc epsilon RI molecules.

PMID- 1431206
TI  - Development and function of dendritic cells in health and disease.
AB  - The life history of dendritic cells (DC) is now established from their origins
      from bone marrow stem cells, their distribution through blood to the tissues, and
      their movement via afferent lymph to lymph nodes for the initiation of immune
      responses. Bone-marrow stem cells, and occasional stem cells in peripheral blood
      (about 1 per 10(5) mononuclear cells), can give rise both to DC and macrophages
      (MO). In addition to stem cells in blood, after short-term culture of mononuclear
      cells, three major morphologic types of DC can be separated (types I-III), which
      probably represent the maturational pathway of this cell type; type II cells
      resemble tissue DC such as Langerhans cells and type III have a veiled morphology
      similar to that seen in cells of afferent lymph and in the interdigitating cells
      of the paracortex of lymph nodes. Functionally, DC cultured from peripheral blood
      are able to acquire large antigens and process them like Langerhans cells of the
      skin. They can also present antigens to stimulate primary T-cell responses, a
      property associated with lymph node DC. In tissues, DC appear to act as outposts
      of the immune system, acquire antigens, and, particularly in primary responses,
      carry the antigens to lymph nodes where they initiate T-cell responses. In
      secondary responses, activation of memory T cells in the periphery and the
      acquisition of antigen/antibody complexes by follicular dendritic cells of the
      lymph node follicles, which stimulate B cell memory, may be more important
      pathways for immune activation. DC may play a role in the development of many
      immunologic diseases including cancer, autoimmunity, and acquired
      immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

PMID- 1431204
TI  - Alpha IIB beta 3 integrin dissociation induced by EDTA results in formation of
      Birbeck granule-like structures in human blood platelets.
AB  - EDTA (5 mM at 37 degrees C and pH 7.4 for 30 min) induces morphologic changes in
      the platelet surface-connected canalicular system (SCCS), in particular the
      collapse of some portions of the canaliculi. These collapsed elements are made up
      of two parallel limiting membranes and a central irregular striated zone, a
      pentalaminar organization that clearly resembles that of Langerhans cell Birbeck
      granules (BG). Such BG-like structures are also seen between adjacent platelets
      in EDTA-treated platelet microaggregates. EDTA is known to induce an irreversible
      dissociation of the platelet membrane glycoprotein(GP)IIb-IIIa, the alpha IIb
      beta 3 platelet-specific intergrin, a calcium-dependent heterodimer that serves
      as an inducible receptor for fibrinogen and is essential for platelet
      aggregation. Hence, we looked for involvement of the GPIIb-IIIa in the formation
      of these BG-like modifications. We observed that these changes i) cannot be
      induced in type I Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, where the GPIIb-IIIa complexes are
      absent; ii) did not appear when human platelets were pre-incubated with MoAb anti
      GPIIb-IIIa complex, which protected GPIIb-IIIa from EDTA-induced dissociation;
      iii) appeared only at alkaline pH and 37 degrees C, which corresponds to the
      range of pH and temperature where EDTA can dissociate the GPIIb-IIIa complexes;
      iv) are accompanied by the dissappearance on fluorescence flow cytometry analysis
      of the heterodimer specific epitopes; and v) do not appear in rat platelets at pH
      7.4 where GPIIb-IIIa does not dissociate after EDTA treatment. Thus, the
      appearance of BG-like structures in the platelet SCCS is directly dependent on
      the EDTA-induced dissociation of the GPIIb-IIIa complexes. Furthermore, using
      gold-labeled MoAb concomitantly with the addition of EDTA, we observed that only
      GPIIb is present in the collapsed portions of the canaliculi. On Lowicryl thin
      sections essentially polyclonal antibodies to GPIIb labeled the central striated
      zone. All these observations lead us to suggest that homopolymers of GPIIb could
      be responsible for "zipping" of the SCCS and raise the question of the
      participation of a Langerhans cell integrin in the formation of Langerhans cell
      BG.

PMID- 1431207
TI  - Cytokine expression by epidermal cell subpopulations.
AB  - Epidermal cells (EC) are a rich source of cytokines that can regulate the
      function of cells in skin and in other tissues. To organize the array of data
      pertaining to cytokine expression by EC subpopulations, we have tabulated such
      data according to cell source, state of cell activation, and type of assay
      employed. This information forms a background for our own studies, in which
      reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to show that
      Langerhans cells (LC) are the principal source of mRNA for interleukin 1 beta and
      macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1 alpha) among unstimulated mouse
      EC.

PMID- 1431208
TI  - Differentiation of epidermal Langerhans cells in macrophage colony-stimulating
      factor-deficient mice homozygous for the osteopetrosis (op) mutation.
AB  - The osteopetrosis (op) mutation is within the gene for macrophage colony
      stimulating factor (M-CSF). Homozygotes (op/op) lack M-CSF activity and show
      abnormalities in the differentiation of osteoclasts and other cells within the
      macrophage lineage. The effect of the op mutation on the development of
      Langerhans cells (LC) was determined in order to assess differentiation of such
      cells in vivo in the absence of M-CSF. (C57BL/6J X C3HeB/FeJ)F2-op/op and +/?
      Littermate control mice were raised from +/? breeders obtained from the Jackson
      Laboratory. The mice were killed with ether anesthesia at 4 weeks after birth and
      skin specimens were excised and examined by immunohistochemistry using anti-mouse
      pan macrophage monoclonal antibodies (MoAb), F4/80 and BM8; anti-mouse LC MoAb,
      NLDC-145, M1-8, and MIDC8; and anti-mouse Ia MoAb, M5/114. In epidermal sheets,
      numbers of LC were counted. Histochemical staining of adenosine diphosphatase
      (ADPase) localization was also performed as a marker of LC. Epidermal LC from
      op/op mice showed reactivity with all these MoAb. Numbers of LC were slightly
      reduced, but the reduction was not significant statistically. The presence of
      Birbeck granules in LC of op/op mice was confirmed by electron microscopy but the
      cytoplasmic projection of LC was not prominent. From these results, it appears
      obvious that the development and differentiation of LC do not require M-CSF.

PMID- 1431209
TI  - Stimulation of Langerhans cell migration by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF
      alpha).
AB  - Following topical exposure of mice to skin-sensitizing chemicals, Langerhans
      cells (LC), many of which bear antigen, are stimulated to migrate via the
      afferent lymphatics to draining lymph nodes. Consistent with the acquisition of
      potent immunostimulatory activity, LC while in transit to lymph nodes, are
      subject to a functional and phenotypic maturation thought to be mediated by
      granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and possibly other
      epidermal cytokines. An interesting question is the nature of the stimulus that
      initiates the migration of LC from the epidermis. We have examined the influence
      of intradermal tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), another epidermal
      cytokine, on the accumulation of dendritic cells (DC) in draining lymph nodes.
      Murine, but not human, recombinant TNF-alpha caused a rapid and concentration
      dependent increase in the frequency of DC in draining nodes. The conclusion drawn
      is that local production of TNF-alpha provides one signal for LC migration during
      cutaneous immune and inflammatory responses.

PMID- 1431211
TI  - Polymorphism of the human genome: markers for genetic linkage analyses in
      heritable diseases of the skin.

PMID- 1431210
TI  - Migration of Langerhans cells from carcinogen-treated sheep skin.
AB  - To define the mechanism(s) of carcinogen depletion of Langerhans cells (LC) from
      skin, the migration of LC from the skin to the regional lymph node was examined
      in carcinogen-treated, antigen-treated, and control sheep. This was assessed by
      cannulation of afferent lymphatic vessels that drain the treated areas of skin or
      the efferent lymphatic draining the regional lymph node. Cells draining from test
      or control skin were continuously collected and enumerated by indirect
      immunofluorescence and flow cytometry using specific anti-CD1 monoclonal
      antibodies. There was a marked increase in the rate of LC migration in the 8 h
      following the application of the contact sensitizing antigen
      trinitrochlorobenzene (TNCB). The chemical carcinogen 7,12
      dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) triggered a tenfold-greater migration of LC
      compared with TNCB--with the peak response at 5 d. After DMBA treatment LC were
      also detected in the efferent lymph of the regional lymph node. It is concluded
      that the depletion of LC from carcinogen-treated skin is due to the increased LC
      migration and not carcinogen-induced cell death.

PMID- 1431213
TI  - Migration of Langerhans cells into the epidermis of human skin grafted into nude
      mice.
AB  - In a previous study, it was demonstrated that human Langerhans cells (LC) are
      preserved in human skin grafted onto a nude mouse. Moreover, although it was
      observed that mouse LC of the host invade skin grafts from allogeneic mouse or
      rat, they do not penetrate in human skin grafts. In most of the human skin
      equivalent systems produced in vitro, LC appear to be lost. The present study was
      designed to investigate whether the mouse LC will repopulate a human skin
      equivalent. For this purpose, two different systems of skin equivalent have been
      grafted into the nude mouse. They were composed of human keratinocytes deposited
      on dead human dermis, or on lattice composed of human fibroblasts embedded in
      type I collagen. At different times after grafting, the presence of LC in the
      transplants was assayed either by indirect immunofluorescence or by electron
      microscopy. Indirect immunofluorescence was performed on frozen sections or on
      epidermal sheets with anti-Ia, anti-HLA-DR, or OKT6 antibodies. It was observed
      that, at 2 months after grafting, Ia(+) HLA-DR(-) OKT6(-) cells are present in
      grafted human epidermis. Moreover, LC with typical Birbeck granules are also
      detected by electron microscopy. It could be concluded, from this study, that
      mouse LC can repopulate human epidermis devoid of human LC.

PMID- 1431212
TI  - Cytokine-stimulated human dermal microvascular endothelial cells produce
      interleukin 6--inhibition by hydrocortisone, dexamethasone, and calcitriol.
AB  - The effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), recombinant human tumor necrosis factor
      alpha (TNF), recombinant human interleukin 1-beta (IL-1 beta), and interferon
      gamma (IFN-gamma) on IL-6 production were determined by enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by Northern blot analysis in cultured human
      dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMEC). Unstimulated HDMEC did not
      produce significant amounts of IL-6, whereas lipopolysaccharide (LPS), TNF, and
      IL-1 beta were potent inducers of HDMEC-derived IL-6 production. Treatment with
      IFN-gamma had no effect. IL-1 beta stimulation resulted in pronounced IL-6
      production after 4 h, followed by complete downregulation at the transcriptional
      level after 24 h. In contrast, LPS and TNF induced prolonged stimulation of IL-6
      production by HDMEC as IL-6 mRNA transcripts were still detected after 24 h
      treatment and IL-6 protein was markedly increased at this timepoint. The effects
      of hydrocortisone, dexamethasone, calcitriol, acitretin, and cyclosporin A on TNF
      or IL-1 beta-induced IL-6 production by HDMEC were determined by ELISA. Both
      hydrocortisone and dexamethasone dose-dependently inhibited the cytokine-induced
      IL-6 production, whereas the inhibition by calcitriol was less pronounced. In
      contrast, acitretin and cyclosporine A had no influence on cytokine-induced HDMEC
      IL-6 production. These results disclose dermal endothelial cells as a major
      source for the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6, involved in the regulation of
      inflammatory skin processes. As IL-6 seems to play a key role in the pathogenesis
      of psoriasis, the beneficial effects of corticosteroids and calcitriol in this
      disease may partly be explained by their ability to inhibit HDMEC-derived IL-6
      production.

PMID- 1431214
TI  - Mapping of the trichohyalin gene: co-localization with the profilaggrin,
      involucrin, and loricrin genes.
AB  - The chromosomal location of the gene encoding the human hair follicle protein
      trichohyalin has been determined by in situ hybridization. The human gene has
      been localized to the region 1q21.1-1q23 (probably 1q21.3) using a sheep
      trichohyalin cDNA probe. The genes encoding three other epithelial proteins,
      namely, profilaggrin, involucrin, and loricrin, are also located in the same
      region of chromosome 1, which, together with their similar gene and protein
      structures, suggests that the four proteins form a novel superfamily of
      epithelial structural proteins.

PMID- 1431215
TI  - Anchoring fibrils, collagen VII, and neutral metalloproteases in recessive
      dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa inversa.
AB  - Structure of the anchoring fibrils, expression of collagen VII, and gelatinolytic
      activity in skin fibroblasts were assessed in six patients with epidermolysis
      bullosa dystrophica (EBD) inversa and in control groups consisting of probands
      with other EBD subtypes and healthy individuals. All six patients with EBD
      inversa, as well as the patients with generalized non-mutilating and localized
      EBD, showed positive staining with antibodies to collagen VII, the major
      anchoring fibril protein. Four patients with severe generalized mutilating EBD
      exhibited negative staining. Ultrastructurally, normal anchoring fibrils were
      demonstrable in uninvolved skin of patients with localized, inversa, and
      generalized non-mutilating subtypes. At the same time, a high degree of
      variability was observed in the amount and quality of anchoring fibrils in the
      various stages of lesional skin, including co-existence of normal and partially
      degraded anchoring fibrils. Of all 12 patients only one localized and two inversa
      cases showed an increased gelatinolytic activity in vitro. However, the high
      activity was associated with neither the severity of the disease nor the inversa
      subtype. In addition, intact collagen VII could be extracted from the dermis of
      one inversa patient. The present data show no correlation between increased in
      vitro gelatinolytic activity and abnormalities of the anchoring fibrils or
      collagen VII in skin of patients with recessive EBD, and therefore suggest
      molecular heterogeneity of the causative pathogenetic mechanisms.

PMID- 1431216
TI  - Characterization of biologic properties of wound fluid collected during early
      stages of wound healing.
AB  - The clinical effects of occlusive dressings on wound healing are well documented.
      However, the underlying biologic mechanisms associated with moist healing are not
      well understood. Experimental studies and clinical experience have shown enhanced
      eschar and clot removal, re-epithelialization, and collagen synthesis under
      occlusion, suggesting the possibility of elevated activities of proteinases and
      other effectors, e.g., growth factors, in the moist wound environment. To gain an
      insight into the biology of early wounds under occlusion, we have carried out
      biologic and biochemical analyses on fluids from occluded full- and partial
      thickness wounds. Metalloproteinase activities were detected in the wound fluid
      samples. When applied to cultured dermal fibroblasts, mitogenic activity was
      observed with fluids from full-thickness wounds. Wound fluid-stimulated
      accumulation of urokinase-type plasminogen activator by fibroblasts was also
      observed in a time-dependent manner. Stimulation of metalloproteinase
      accumulation by fibroblasts was also observed. We have further demonstrated the
      presence of platelet-derived growth factor-like and basic fibroblast growth
      factor-like factors in wound fluid by antibody neutralization of their biologic
      activities. Proteinase presence and proteinase stimulatory activity of wound
      fluid retained in the occluded wound may contribute to an enhanced proteolytic
      environment in these wounds in comparison to non-occluded "dry" wounds. The
      presence of growth factors and the potential abilities of proteinases to activate
      latent growth factors and generate chemotactic peptides through connective tissue
      breakdown may also contribute to the enhanced healing of occluded wounds.

PMID- 1431217
TI  - A novel monoclonal antibody to a distinct subset of cutaneous dendritic cells.
AB  - A monoclonal antibody was generated by immunizing rats with Langerhans cell (LC)
      enriched epidermal cells obtained from BALB/c mouse earskin after epicutaneous
      application of the contact sensitizer 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB). The
      antibody 4F7 detects in normal mouse skin, few dermal cells showing the
      morphologic, phenotypic, and functional properties of accessory dendritic cells,
      but lacking Birbeck granules. The capacity to stimulate allogenic T cells in the
      mixed leucocyte reaction resembles that of freshly isolated LCs. After DNFB
      application, an increased number of 4F7+ dendritic cells are found in the dermis
      and, in addition, some labeled dendritic cells occur in the epidermis. Some of
      the latter cells exhibit cytoplasmic Birbeck granules. Remarkably, there is no
      increase of the 4F7+ cells in the regional lymph nodes after DNFB treatment.
      These data suggest that the 4F7 antibody labels distinct dendritic cells of the
      mouse skin that are involved in the mediation of contact sensitization and
      probably represent immature LCs.

PMID- 1431218
TI  - Protein kinase C in normal human epidermal keratinocytes during proliferation and
      calcium-induced differentiation.
AB  - Recent evidence has implicated protein kinase C (PKC) in the etiology of
      hyperproliferative diseases such as psoriasis and non-melanoma skin cancer. In
      this study, PKC activity, immunoreactive protein, and phorbol ester-binding
      kinetics were examined in primary cultures of normal human epidermal
      keratinocytes (NHEK) in order to elucidate the relationship between PKC and NHEK
      proliferation and differentiation. NHEK were maintained in a proliferative phase
      in serum-free low-calcium (0.15 mM) medium, and then were exposed to high calcium
      (1.6 mM) in order to stimulate growth arrest and differentiation. Staurosporine
      was inhibitory to Ca(++)-induced differentiation. Scatchard analysis of phorbol
      binding indicated that exposure to high calcium for 24 h increased the number of
      binding sites (Bmax) by fivefold. In correlation with the ligand-binding results,
      PKC activity was extremely low in proliferating (low-calcium) NHEK compared to
      differentiating cells (high calcium). When assayed after 24, 48, and 72 h, high
      calcium induced tenfold or greater increases in Ca++/phospholipid-dependent
      phosphotransferase activity. Immunoblot analysis of NHEK PKC using antibodies
      directed against the hinge region of PKC alpha/beta also indicated that exposure
      to high calcium resulted in higher levels of immunoreactive protein. Therefore,
      PKC in NHEK appears to be upregulated under conditions of Ca(++)-induced growth
      arrest and differentiation. In addition, NHEK and other human skin cell
      particulate fractions contain a protein of approximately 116 kDa that is highly
      immunoreactive to an antibody to PKC alpha/beta, which coelutes from DEAE
      sephacel under the same buffer conditions as the 80-kDa PKC.

PMID- 1431219
TI  - Scanning electron microscopy of the epidermal lamina densa in normal human skin.
AB  - The lamina densa of normal human epidermis was exposed by treatment with 1 M
      sodium chloride and was examined by high-power scanning electron microscopy
      before and after trypsinization. Localization of type IV collagen in the lamina
      densa was also studied by transmission and scanning immunoelectron microscopy.
      Before trypsinization, the surface of the lamina densa consisted of microridges
      and microvalleys. The microridges varied in height and were connected with each
      other. They were arranged in a concentric fashion around the tips of the dermal
      microprojections. At a higher magnification, the surface of the lamina densa was
      composed of densely packed cobblestone-like structures approximately 7-15 nm in
      size, between which were interspaces 4-11 nm wide. These structures expressed
      type IV collagen. After trypsinization, the lamina densa was found to be composed
      of microfilaments approximately 10 nm thick showing beaded appearances. These
      microfilaments exhibited the same cobblestone-like structures as the lamina densa
      surface. Observation of the torn lamina densa demonstrated anchoring fibrils and
      oxytalan fibers that were attached to the lamina densa itself. Another kind of
      filament about 7 nm thick linked the anchoring fibrils and the oxytalan fibers.
      Beneath the lamina densa was a network of fibers about 40-50 nm thick, which was
      composed of collagen fibers and possibly also elaunin fibers. In conclusion, this
      study revealed the detailed surface ultrastructure of the epidermal lamina densa
      and its underlying filamentous elements.

PMID- 1431220
TI  - Fibronectin gene transcription is enhanced in abnormal wound healing.
AB  - Abnormal wound healing in susceptible individuals can result in the formation of
      keloids that have an elevated content of extracellular matrix material compared
      to normal scars. Keloid-derived fibroblasts exhibit as much as a four-fold
      increase in the rate of fibronectin biosynthesis compared to fibroblasts from
      normal dermis and normal scars. Altered biosynthesis is due to an increase in the
      steady-state level of fibronectin mRNA, and in this investigation we have
      identified the level of fibronectin gene expression that is responsible for this
      increase. The rate of fibronectin gene transcription was found to be increased as
      much as threefold in keloid fibroblasts when compared to normal fibroblasts.
      Other possible changes that could account for the elevated level of fibronectin
      mRNA in keloids, such as increased copy number of the fibronectin gene or
      decreased turnover of fibronectin mRNA were also examined. The possibility of
      altered gene dosage was eliminated because chromosome content, G-banding
      patterns, and fibronectin gene content of keloid fibroblasts were all found to be
      normal. Analysis of fibronectin mRNA degradation revealed a half-life of
      approximately 13 h, and the residual fibronectin mRNA was observed to remain full
      length during this time period in both keloid and normal fibroblasts. Thus,
      altered degradation of fibronectin mRNA is unlikely to contribute to
      overproduction of fibronectin in keloids. Increased translational competence of
      fibronectin mRNA in keloids was also eliminated as a contributing factor because
      fibronectin mRNA remaining after one half-life were equally available for
      translation in both cell types. Although stimulation of transcription may not
      entirely account for the increase in fibronectin biosynthesis in keloids, this
      mechanism is best able to account for the majority of the change.

PMID- 1431221
TI  - Comparative epidermal Langerhans cell migration studies in epidermal and
      epidermal/dermal equivalent grafts.
AB  - Immigration of Langerhans cell precursors from the peripheral blood to the skin
      was studied in human grafts placed on severe combined immunodeficient (SCID)
      mice. Monocyte fractions of human blood were injected intraperitoneally to SCID
      bearing either reconstituted (Langerhans cell free) epidermal sheets (E) or
      living skin equivalents (E/D) consisting of both epidermis and dermis. A range of
      immunocytochemical and ultrastructural markers was employed to monitor the
      colonization of the grafts, i.e., CD1a/c, Birbeck granules. In situ hybridization
      with probes against Alu sequences of human DNA were employed together with
      immunostaining for MHC class I mouse and human antigens to document graft
      survival. Although unequivocal LC were detected within E grafts, including both
      human (CD1a positive) and murine (NLDC-145 positive), no migration was achieved
      in the E/D situations.

PMID- 1431222
TI  - Inhibition of cutaneous contact hypersensitivity in the mouse with systemic or
      topical spiperone: topical application of spiperone produces local
      immunosuppression without inducing systemic neuroleptic effects.
AB  - We tested the ability of the neuroleptic agent spiperone (8-[3-(p
      fluorobenzoyl)propyl]-1-phenyl-1,3,8-triazaspiro-[4.5] decan-4- one) to influence
      the tissue swelling and leukocyte infiltration associated with T-cell--dependent
      immune responses, i.e., contact hypersensitivity reactions, in mice. Contact
      hypersensitivity reactions were elicited by applying the haptens oxazolone or
      dinitrofluorobenzene topically to one or both ears 5-8 d after epicutaneous
      sensitization. When spiperone was given subcutaneously at a dose of 30 or 150
      mg/kg, 1 h after challenge with oxazolone, cutaneous contact hypersensitivity to
      this hapten was significantly diminished. When applied topically in
      concentrations as low as 0.08% (w/w), preparations of spiperone significantly
      suppressed both the tissue swelling and the leukocyte infiltration associated
      with the elicitation phase of contact hypersensitivity. Topical treatment with
      spiperone also suppressed the sensitization phase of contact sensitivity.
      However, mice treated topically with spiperone, unlike those treated
      systemically, exhibited no drowsiness or other evidence of central nervous system
      effects. Spiperone expresses both serotonin and dopamine receptor antagonist
      activity. However, unlike spiperone, the chemically unrelated serotonin
      antagonists, trazadone and mianserin, and the dopamine receptor antagonist,
      haloperidol, were not effective in suppressing contact hypersensitivity. Our
      results indicate that spiperone can have immunosuppressive effects on contact
      hypersensitivity reactions in the mouse, even when applied topically in doses
      that lack neuroleptic effects, and that the mechanism of action of spiperone on
      the immune response may be independent of its serotonin or dopamine receptor
      blocking properties.

PMID- 1431223
TI  - Persistent immune tolerance to nickel and chromium by oral administration prior
      to cutaneous sensitization.
AB  - Oral administration of allergens, foreign proteins, or cell-bound antigens may
      induce systemic suppression of subsequent humoral and cell-mediated immune
      responses ("oral tolerance"). The induction of specific immune tolerance provides
      a potential strategy for treatment of T-cell-dependent immune diseases.
      Therefore, in depth studies into preconditions for optimal and persistent
      tolerance induction are mandatory. Here we report on such studies in a guinea pig
      model using the non-cross-reactive contact allergens nickel and chromium. Feeding
      per os of nickel sulfate or potassium dichromate did not trigger systemic TDTH
      effector functions. Instead, short feeding periods led to a dose-dependent, and
      metal-specific, suppression of subsequently induced allergic contact
      hypersensitivity. Administration of the allergens onto the oral mucosa was most
      effective in the induction of immune tolerance. When first sensitizing attempts
      were delayed until 1 year after feeding, the degree of unresponsiveness was
      reduced. In contrast, with cutaneous contacts starting shortly after the feeding
      period, tolerance was fully stable and undiminished for at least 2 years. Thus,
      in orally treated guinea pigs cutaneous contacts provide boosting tolerogenic
      signals, supporting the view that oral tolerance does not result from clonal
      deletion but from active antigen-specific immunosuppression. Indeed,
      unresponsiveness to cutaneous immunization could be transferred by lymphoid cells
      from fed guinea pigs in a metal-specific way.

PMID- 1431224
TI  - Composition of free long-chain (sphingoid) bases in stratum corneum of normal and
      pathologic human skin conditions.
AB  - The composition of molecular species of free long-chain bases (FLCB) isolated
      from stratum corneum of various human skin conditions was analyzed by the high
      performance liquid chromatographic and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometric
      methods. FLCB with carbon length ranging from 16 to 20 comprised about 0.3% of
      total lipids in stratum corneum of normal and pathologic skin conditions. Major
      FLCB included sphinganines and sphingenines with 18 to 20 carbons and some
      phytosphingosines such as t17:1, t18:1, t18:0, t20:1, and t20:0. Compared with
      stratum corneum of normal lower legs, molar percentages of FLCB having 18 carbons
      and those with 20 carbons were slightly higher and lower, respectively, in normal
      plantar epidermis, showing site-related differences in normal skin. Psoriatic
      scales and hyperkeratotic stratum corneum from clavus and plantar keratoderma
      contained increased levels of FLCB with 18 carbons and decreased levels of FLCB
      with 20 carbons. These findings may reflect abnormal keratinization in
      hyperkeratotic skin conditions.

PMID- 1431225
TI  - Proteoglycans synthesized by adult human epidermis in whole skin organ culture.
AB  - Adult human epidermis was cultured in whole skin organ culture under serum-free
      conditions in the presence of 35SO4. Proteoglycans (PG) comprised about 25% of
      the total (35SO4)-labeled material produced by epidermis. The rest of the
      incorporated activity displayed solubility characteristics typical of lipids. The
      molecular mass and the composition of the 35SO4-labeled epidermal PG and
      glycosaminoglycans (GAG) were studied using gel filtrations and agarose gel
      electrophoresis. The 35SO4-label of the epidermal PG was located in heparan
      sulfate (HS, approximately 75%) and chondroitin/dermatan sulfate (CS/DS, 25%),
      but not in keratan sulfate as determined by nitrous acid, chondroitinase AC II,
      chondroitinase ABC, and keratanase digestions, respectively. The molecular mass
      of the GAG chains was 10-40 kDa. The 35SO4-labeled PG were distributed between 60
      and 600 kDa in agarose gel electrophoresis, with the highest activity at 350 kDa.
      Smaller activity peaks occurred at 150 and 60 kDa. Digestion of the PG with
      heparitinase removed most of the activity at 350 and 150 kDa, whereas
      chondroitinase ABC removed that at 60 kDa. A small amount of activity migrating
      between 600 and 1000 kDa was not affected by any of the GAG-degrading enzymes.
      Pulse chase experiments showed that the epidermal PG had an average half life of
      24 h. The results thus demonstrate that human epidermis produces at least three
      different, rapidly metabolized PG. The PGs from 150 to 350 kDa contained heparan
      sulfate chains, whereas those at 60 kDa were chondroitin/dermatan sulfate PG.

PMID- 1431226
TI  - Presence of amelanotic melanocytes within the outer root sheath in senile white
      hair.
AB  - In order to determine whether amelanotic melanocytes are present in senile white
      hair, we attempted to detect tyrosinase mRNA and its protein using in situ
      hybridization and immunohistochemical staining. Specifically stained cells
      containing tyrosinase mRNA or its protein were detected by each technique in 7/23
      (30.4%) or 4/14 (28.6%) senile white hairs, respectively. These cells were
      located in the outer root sheath between the hair-bulb and the infundibulum.
      Silver staining was used to determine whether melanin was present within the
      outer root sheath of the senile white hair. Because none of the 21 white hairs
      tested showed specific staining within the outer root sheath, the absence of
      melanin was confirmed. Thus our results suggest the presence of amelanotic
      melanocytes within the outer root sheath of senile white hair.

PMID- 1431227
TI  - Induction of the 72-kD heat shock protein in xeroderma pigmentosum
      complementation group A fibroblasts.
AB  - In mammalian cells, 72-kD heat shock protein (HSP72) is the major stress
      inducible protein that is thought to play a protective role against the various
      environmental stresses. In order to know the induction mechanism of HSP72, we
      examined the HSP72 in DNA repair-deficient xeroderma pigmentosum group A
      fibroblasts (XP2OSSV) and normal fibroblasts (WI38VA13) by the indirect
      immunofluorescence method using a monoclonal antibody specific for the inducible
      72-kD protein. Heat-shock treatment of the same survival fraction (5% survival)
      induced HSP72 in xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) and normal cells. However, as
      compared with XP cells, normal cells showed the induction of HSP72 more rapidly
      and strongly. When XP and normal cells were irradiated with UVC at the same
      survival dose (10% survival), apparent induction of HSP72 was observed in both
      cell lines. In the case of UVC irradiation at the same dose (1.0 J/m2), though XP
      cells showed the induction of HSP72, HSP72 was not induced in normal cells. In
      both cell lines, heat-shock treatment caused more rapid induction of HSP72 than
      UV irradiation. These results suggest that the induction mechanism of HSP72 might
      be different between heat-shock treatment and UV irradiation. In addition, in the
      case of UV irradiation, the extent of DNA damage after DNA repair or the cell
      death might be involved in the induction of HSP72.

PMID- 1431228
TI  - Differential expression of calgranulin A and B in various epithelial cell lines
      and reconstructed epidermis.
AB  - The monoclonal antibody F12, raised against epidermal cells from a psoriatic
      lesion, decorated antigens highly expressed in psoriatic epidermis and in
      cultured normal human keratinocytes. In normal human skin, F12 reacted only with
      follicular keratinocytes. Characterization of the immunoprecipitated antigens by
      two-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed their identity with calgranulin A
      and B. A semiquantitative study with various established epithelial cell lines
      demonstrated that the expression of calgranulin A and B in hyperproliferative
      keratinocytes correlates with their potential to undergo terminal
      differentiation. In epidermis reconstructed in vitro, the antigen expression was
      stimulated by retinoids and suppressed under vitamin A starvation.

PMID- 1431229
TI  - Quantitative determination of EGF-R during epidermal wound healing.
AB  - Little is known about the intrinsic regulation of growth factors of cytokines
      during the normal epidermal wound-healing processes in skin. A simplified model
      of wounding (tape stripping to remove the stratum corneum) was used to study the
      role of epidermal growth factor receptors (EGF-R) in this process. Although the
      dynamics of EGF-R in epidermal wound healing have not been determined, the
      immunoreactive EGF-R that are present presumably play an active role. Prior
      studies show that 1) EGF-R are present in increased numbers in proliferative skin
      diseases; 2) a hypertrophic epidermis, closely resembling normal wound healing,
      is induced in mouse skin by EGF injections; and 3) exogenous topical EGF
      potentiates wound healing. The number of immunoreactive receptors as measured by
      an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and histologic methods increased
      prior to an increase in epidermal thickness, total protein, and DNA content. This
      early increase in the levels of EGF-R was followed by a sharp decline in EGF-R
      and subsequent decline in epidermal thickness (hypertrophy), total protein, and
      DNA levels. Alterations in the temporal sequence in these parameters indicate
      that the EGF-R-mediated signaling systems play an active role in epidermal wound
      repair.

PMID- 1431231
TI  - Keratinocyte migration is partially supported by the cell-binding domain of
      fibronectin and is RGDS-dependent.
AB  - Fibronectin (FN) plays a key role in cell attachment, embryonic development, and
      wound healing. In this respect, it is known that FN promotes keratinocyte
      migration. The aim of this study was to examine specific FN domains (120-kD cell
      binding fragment, 45-kD collagen fragment, and 40-kD heparin fragment) and a
      biologically active peptide within the molecule (RGDS) for their ability to
      influence human keratinocyte (HK) locomotion. HKs were plated on gold salts
      coated with different substrates (type IV collagen, FN with or without the RGDS
      peptide, and the three FN fragments). After 20 h, locomotion tracks were
      quantified by computer-assisted image analysis that determines the area of each
      microscopic field occupied by migration tracks, a so-called migration index (MI).
      MIs on type IV collagen and FN were 39.14 +/- 2.8% and 30 +/- 0.4%, respectively.
      The maximal MIs on the collagen-binding domain and heparin-binding domain of FN
      were similar to our negative controls (plastic and albumin): 3 +/- 1%. In
      contrast, the maximal MI on the cell-binding fragment of FN was 18.45 +/- 2.1%.
      The effect of the cell-binding domain on keratinocyte motility was found to be
      dose dependent. Moreover, we could specifically inhibit the FN-driven locomotion
      using the RGDS sequence contained in the cell-binding fragment. We did not
      observe a synergistic effect (i.e., a higher MI) when we added the three
      fragments in a same dish. These results suggest i) that the cell-binding fragment
      of FN partially supports HK locomotion, ii) that other untested FN domain(s)
      should act in synergy with the cell-binding fragment to promote keratinocyte
      locomotion, or alternatively iii) that the FN function of promoting cell
      migration resides within the FN cell-binding domain, but the proper presentation
      of this domain to the cell requires an intact, native FN molecule, and iv) that
      the RGDS sequence is essential for HK movement.

PMID- 1431230
TI  - Keloid fibroblasts exhibit an altered response to TGF-beta.
AB  - Treatment with transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) results in
      stimulation of total protein synthesis in normal dermal fibroblasts but not in
      keloid fibroblasts, suggesting that the TGF-beta regulatory program is altered in
      keloid fibroblasts. However, both keloid and normal fibroblasts treated with TGF
      beta 1 exhibit accelerated fibronectin biosynthesis, indicating that keloid cells
      can respond to TGF-beta 1. In the absence of serum, the TGF-beta 1-induced
      increase in fibronectin biosynthesis occurs more rapidly in keloid fibroblasts,
      also suggesting modification of this regulatory pathway. The TGF-beta 1-mediated
      increase in keloid fibronectin production is independent of the steroid
      regulatory pathway for fibronectin, which accelerates synthesis by means of a
      post-transcriptional mechanism. Thus, TGF-beta 1 stimulation of fibronectin
      production in keloid cells is likely to involve a transcriptional mechanism and
      keloid overproduction of extracellular matrix components may be due to an
      inherent modification of the TGF-beta regulatory program.

PMID- 1431232
TI  - Effects of immunomodulatory cytokines on the presentation of tumor-associated
      antigens by epidermal Langerhans cells.
AB  - The recognition and presentation of tumor-associated antigens by cutaneous
      antigen-presenting cells (APC) may play an important role in the establishment of
      effective defense mechanisms against newly emerging tumors in the skin. Recent
      data demonstrate the ability of I-A+ epidermal cells (Langerhans cells) to
      present tumor-associated antigens for the induction of protective tumor immunity
      and elicitation of delayed-type hypersensitivity against the murine spindle cell
      tumor, S1509a. Furthermore, the local cytokine microenvironment in the vicinity
      of a cutaneous neoplasm may regulate the ability of resident epidermal APC to
      initiate and/or to elicit protective immunity against incipient cutaneous
      neoplasms. This article summarizes the effects of granulocyte-macrophage/colony
      stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), tumor necrosis
      factor-alpha (TNF alpha), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta), and
      interferon-gamma (IFN gamma) on the modulation of antigen presentation by
      epidermal APC. Our data indicate that these cytokines significantly and
      differentially modify the ability of epidermal cells to present tumor-associated
      antigens and that their effects differ with regard to induction of primary
      immunity (sensitization) or elicitation of secondary immune responses.

PMID- 1431233
TI  - Workshop on pseudoxanthoma elasticum: molecular biology and pathology of the
      elastic fibers. Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 10,
      1992.

PMID- 1431234
TI  - Industry-funded dermatologic research within academia in the United States:
      fiscal and ethical considerations.

PMID- 1431235
TI  - Keratinocytes in vitiligo.

PMID- 1431237
TI  - Multiple endocytic pathways.

PMID- 1431236
TI  - Deleterious effects of cis-urocanic acid and UVB radiation on Langerhans cells
      and on induction of contact hypersensitivity are mediated by tumor necrosis
      factor-alpha.
AB  - Ultraviolet B (UVB) light disrupts epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) universally
      and impairs the induction of contact hypersensitivity (CH) to epicutaneously
      applied haptens in certain strains of mice. Similar effects are observed when
      tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) is injected intradermally (ID) in mice.
      Trans-urocanic acid (UCA), a photoreceptor for UVB radiation, is known to be
      immunosuppressive. To determine whether cis-UCA is important in the process by
      which UVB and/or TNF alpha act in the skin, cis-UCA was injected ID into C57BL/6,
      C3H/HeN, BALB/c, and C3H/HeJ mice. Whole mounts of epidermis were removed 5 h
      later and stained immunochemically with anti-Ia antibodies. Microscopy revealed
      that Ia-bearing LC had lost their dendrites, had rounded up, and were reduced in
      number in all strains examined. Moreover, when dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) was
      applied epicutaneously to the injected site, induction of CH was grossly
      impaired. When neutralizing anti-TNF alpha antibodies were administered
      intraperitoneally 2 h prior to ID injection of cis-UCA, the deleterious effects
      on LC and CH induction were largely reversed. These results indicate that the
      actions of cis-UCA on LC and on CH induction are very similar to those achieved
      by ID injections of TNF alpha and by cutaneous exposure to low-dose UVB. Because
      the effects of UVB radiation and cis-UCA are reversed by anti-TNF alpha
      antibodies, we propose that UVB radiation impairs the induction of CH in mice by
      converting trans-UCA to cis-UCA within the epidermis; cis-UCA in turn causes the
      local release of TNF alpha, which thwarts sensitization by its ability to alter
      the functional program of epidermal Langerhans cells, thereby preventing the
      induction of CH.

PMID- 1431238
TI  - IL-3 production as an in vitro marker of the genetically determined traits of UVB
      susceptibility and UVB resistance.
AB  - The capacity of low-dose ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation to disrupt epidermal
      Langerhans cell function and to prevent the induction of contact hypersensitivity
      (CH) is genetically determined in mice and men. In mice, Tnf alpha and Lps are
      the genetic loci at which reside alleles that dictate susceptibility and
      resistance to the deleterious effect of UVB radiation. Detection of the UVB
      susceptibility (UVB-S) and UVB-resistance (UVB-R) traits relies upon the in vivo
      end point of contact hypersensitivity, and is cumbersome, labor intensive, and
      time consuming. It has recently been reported that hapten-immune murine T cells
      can secrete interleukin-3 (IL-3) in vitro when exposed to hapten-derivatized
      syngeneic stimulator cells. To determine whether this assay might be useful in
      distinguishing UVB-R from UVB-S mice, panels of UVB-susceptible (C57BL/10,
      C3H/HeN) and UVB-resistant (A/J, BALB/c, C3H/HeJ) mice were sensitized
      epicutaneously with dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB). When challenged in vitro 6 d
      later with dinitrophenyl-derivatized stimulator cells, T cells from all strains
      proliferated and secreted IL-3. Moreover, T cells from UVB-R mice that were
      sensitized through UVB-treated skin also made copious amounts of IL-3. However, T
      cells from UVB-S mice whose abdominal skin had been UVB irradiated prior to
      epicutaneous application of DNFB failed to secrete IL-3 in vitro, although the
      cells did proliferate. We conclude that following application of a sensitizing
      dose of hapten to UVB-exposed skin of UVB-S mice a) hapten-specific T cells are
      selectively unable to secrete IL-3 in vitro in response to hapten stimulation,
      and b) this inability is a reliable marker of the UVB-S trait. The IL-3 assay may
      prove useful in elucidating the mechanism by which UVB-exposed Langerhans cells
      activate regulatory T cells, and in detecting the UVB-S and UVB-R traits in
      humans.

PMID- 1431239
TI  - Effects of the immunosuppressive dipeptide L-leucyl-L-leucine O-methyl ester on
      epidermal Langerhans cells.
AB  - Pretreatment of newborn human foreskin epidermal cells (EC) with L-leucyl-L
      leucine methyl ester (Leu-Leu-OME) was found to dramatically inhibit their
      ability to serve as alloantigen-presenting cells in a primary, one-way,
      allogeneic mixed epidermal cell-lymphocyte reaction (MECLR) without significantly
      affecting EC viability. The Leu-Leu-OME-induced MECLR inhibition could not be
      accounted for by a cytotoxic effect on epidermal Langerhans cells (LC), the class
      II major histocompatibility (MHC) antigen-bearing EC type that is fully
      responsible for alloantigen presentation in a primary allogeneic MECLR.
      Pretreatment with Leu-Leu-OME was found to inhibit the culture-induced increase
      in surface expression of HLA-DR molecules on LC. These findings suggest that in
      addition to its cytotoxic effect on cells containing high levels of dipeptidyl
      peptidase I, Leu-Leu-OME can also perturb alloantigen-presenting cells that are
      not killed by this agent by modulating HLA-D region antigen expression, perhaps
      through its capacity to neutralize acid compartments within cells. In addition,
      these studies support the notion that the culture-induced upregulation of class
      II MHC antigens on epidermal LC is functionally associated with the enhanced
      alloantigen-presenting capabilities that these cells display after short-term
      culture and suggest that newly synthesized class II antigens might be critical to
      the alloantigen-presenting cell capabilities of LC.

PMID- 1431240
TI  - Accessory function of human Langerhans cells in the primary allogeneic T-cell
      response.
AB  - Beyond antigen processing and presentation, antigen-presenting cells must convey
      additional signals that are necessary for T-cell activation and proliferation. In
      this study we analyzed the accessory function of human Langerhans cells (LC) in
      the primary T-cell response to alloantigens. We used paraformaldehyde-fixed LC
      suspensions to dissociate membrane-associated accessory structures from soluble
      activating factors. When freshly prepared LC-enriched (eLC, 8-20% LC) epidermal
      cell suspensions were fixed, normal allogeneic T cells failed to proliferate.
      This defect cannot be overcome by the addition of either interleukin (IL)-1
      and/or IL-6 during the mixed skin cell lymphocyte reaction (MSLR). By contrast,
      when eLC were first incubated for 3 d, and especially in the presence of
      interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) before fixation, they retained significant
      allostimulatory property that did not correlate with increased MHC class II
      antigen expression. Furthermore, we showed that once LC have been activated, IL
      1, but not IL-6, could serve as a co-stimulatory factor in the primary allogeneic
      T-cell response. In conclusion, the data suggest that human LC accessory function
      is not constitutive but requires an activation step, which can be provided by IFN
      gamma during LC-T-cell interaction.

PMID- 1431241
TI  - Infection of accessory dendritic cells by human immunodeficiency virus type 1.
AB  - Many details of the pathogenesis of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1
      remain to be elucidated. Details of how the virus gains entry via the mucosal
      surface upon sexual contact or during breast feeding remain obscure. The means by
      which the infection travels throughout the body as well as the nature of the
      major reservoirs of virus infection remains, for the most part, unknown. Recent
      studies raise the possibility that cells of the Langerhans/dendritic lineage play
      a central role in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection and
      pathogenesis. It has been known for several years that veiled dendritic cells in
      the circulation as well as skin Langerhans are infected in people with prolonged
      HIV-1 infections. More recently it has been found that a large burden of viral
      DNA sequences is found, not only in the circulating T-cell population, but also
      in a population that is defined as a non-T, non-B, non-monocyte/macrophage
      population rich in T-helper dendritic cells. Detailed analysis of infection of
      primary blood-derived T-helper dendritic cells by HIV-1 shows that such cells are
      the most susceptible cells in the blood to infection by this virus. The cells
      also produce much more virus per cell than do purified populations of other blood
      mononuclear cells. Moreover, primary blood-derived T-helper dendritic cells are
      not killed by infection by HIV-1. These cells are susceptible to lymphotropic,
      monocyte tropic, and primary isolates of HIV-1. The sensitivity of primary blood
      derived T-helper dendritic cells to infection by HIV-1 has been shown to be
      attributable to rapid uptake of virus particles as well as rapid synthesis of
      viral DNA. Subsequent steps of virus replication also occur more rapidly and more
      efficiently in populations of primary blood-derived T-helper dendritic cells than
      they do in purified preparations of blood-derived T cells and
      monocyte/macrophages. Studies with primates using the simian immunodeficiency
      virus (SIV) show that dendritic cells at the surface of sexual mucosa are rapidly
      infected upon exposure to high concentrations of the virus. SIV is also produced
      in abundance in Langerhans cells located at the surface of the sexual mucosa in
      animals infected for prolonged periods of time.

PMID- 1431242
TI  - In vitro HIV-1 entry and replication in Langerhans cells may clarify the HIV-1
      genome detection by PCR in epidermis of seropositive patients.
AB  - Being dendritic antigen-presenting cells in skin and mucous membrane, Langerhans
      cells (LC) occur in areas at risk for inoculation by human immunodeficiency virus
      (HIV), and the question whether LC act as a target, reservoir, or vector for
      transmission of HIV has given rise to much controversy. To address this question,
      we first analyzed the epidermal compartment of skin from patients seropositive
      for HIV DNA. Second, we tested the susceptibility of each cell type normally
      found in this compartment to in vitro infection by HIV-1. A non-denatured DNA was
      obtained from epidermal sheets after a thermochemical treatment of biopsies (0.5
      M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), pH 7.5 at 60 degrees C for 90 seconds).
      Optimization of amplification of viral genome was performed with three primer
      pairs derived from gag, env, and pol sequences. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
      products were analyzed by Southern blot. Viral genome was found in five of 11 HIV
      seropositive patients. To control the permissivity of epidermal cell population
      for HIV, cells isolated from the epidermal sheet of normal skin by trypsinization
      were co-cultured with HIV-1-carrying promonocytic cells (U937) and observed by
      electron microscopy. After 3-6 h of co-culture, numerous virions were either
      tightly bound or apparently engaged in the process of internalization through
      receptor-mediated endocytosis. At day 4 of co-culture, some infected LC appeared
      to release mature viral particles through bud formation. The in vitro HIV-1 entry
      and replication in LC may confirm the presence of the HIV-1 genome by PCR in
      epidermis of seropositive patients. The consequences of the permissivity of LC
      for HIV on the antigen-presenting function remain to be determined.

PMID- 1431243
TI  - Regulation of complement activity by vaccinia virus complement-control protein.
AB  - A major protein secreted by vaccinia virus-infected cells has structural
      similarity to the super-family of complement-control proteins. This vaccinia
      complement-control protein (VCP) was studied to determine how it regulates
      complement activation. VCP was bound by C4b and C3b and served as a cofactor with
      factor I in cleaving these two molecules. VCP inhibited the formation and
      accelerated the decay of the classical C3 convertase. It also accelerated decay
      of the alternative pathway convertase, although higher concentrations were
      apparently needed. In vitro, therefore, VCP interfered with the classical and
      alternative complement pathways at several steps. In vivo, this interference may
      increase the virulence of vaccinia virus by enabling it to escape attack by the
      host's complement system.

PMID- 1431244
TI  - Differential antibody responses to rubella virus infection in males and females.
AB  - Specificities of human rubella virus (RV)-specific IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies
      for RV structural proteins (envelope E1 and E2 and capsid) and an E1 domain
      represented by a synthetic peptide (BCH-178) were determined by immunoblot and
      ELISA techniques in sera from rubella-infected individuals. Sequential sera were
      obtained from 67 females and 32 males during acute and convalescent infection
      phases. Males and females had differences in all antibody classes, especially
      during the early acute infection phase. At no time during follow-up were IgA anti
      E2 antibodies detected in males, in contrast to the case in females.
      Significantly lower levels of IgG antibody directed to E2 were also observed in
      males. Males had earlier onset of E1-specific IgG and IgM antibodies with a
      greater proportion of total RV antibody response directed to E1 (IgG) or E1
      peptide (IgM). These differences suggest there are hormonal and genetic
      influences on immune recognition of RV proteins that may be related to the
      increased incidence of rubella-associated arthropathy in females.

PMID- 1431245
TI  - The role of double-stranded RNA in induction of the acute-phase response in an
      abortive influenza virus infection model.
AB  - The inducer of the acute-phase response in "flu-like" viral infections is not
      defined. The hypothesis that virus-associated double-stranded (ds) RNA serves
      this function was investigated by comparison of several acute-phase responses
      (fever and sleep patterns, white and nucleated red blood cell levels, serum
      antiviral activity and ceruloplasmin) induced by the synthetic dsRNA
      polyriboinosinic:polyribocytidylic acid (poly[rI:rC]) with those induced by
      influenza virus in rabbits. The capacity of either dsRNA or influenza virus to
      induce hyporesponsiveness with respect to these acute-phase parameters upon
      rechallenge with the same agent or cross-challenge 24 h later was also examined.
      Poly(rI:rC) induced only minimal hyporesponsiveness to itself but was a potent
      inducer of hyporesponsiveness to virus with respect to fever, sleep, leukograms,
      and antiviral activity. Therefore, poly(rI:rC) can substitute for virus in terms
      of induction of acute-phase hyporesponsiveness, suggesting that dsRNA of viral
      origin triggers the acute-phase response in this model of influenza.

PMID- 1431246
TI  - Clinical and laboratory comparison of botulism from toxin types A, B, and E in
      the United States, 1975-1988.
AB  - Cases of adult botulism (n = 309) were studied to identify clinical differences
      between toxin types and to evaluate the sensitivity of diagnostic laboratory
      testing. Patients with illness from type E toxin had the shortest incubation
      periods. Sporadic case-patients were more severely ill: 85% required intubation
      compared with only 42% in multiperson outbreaks. Of patients with type A
      botulism, 67% required intubation compared with 52% with type B and 39% with type
      E. Toxin testing was positive for 40%-44% of serum and stool specimens obtained
      within 3 days of toxin ingestion and for 15%-23% of specimens obtained
      thereafter, while 37% of stool specimens obtained > 3 days after toxin ingestion
      were positive by culture. Patients with type A botulism have more severe illness.
      In general, specimens obtained early are more likely to be positive by toxin
      assay, and stool cultures are more sensitive than toxin detection for specimens
      obtained later in the illness.

PMID- 1431247
TI  - Systemic and mucosal antibody responses to toxin A in patients infected with
      Clostridium difficile.
AB  - The systemic and mucosal humoral response to toxin A, the primary virulence
      factor of Clostridium difficile, was measured in sera and intestinal secretions
      from 21 patients with C. difficile diarrhea, 9 asymptomatic C. difficile fecal
      excretors, and 10 noncolonized control subjects. Toxin A-specific IgG was higher
      in convalescent sera of the patients with diarrhea (mean +/- SE, 990 +/- 260
      ng/mL) than in acute sera (620 +/- 150 ng/mL), in sera from asymptomatic
      excretors (410 +/- 140 ng/mL), or control subjects (320 +/- 50 ng/mL; P < .05
      convalescent vs. control). The pattern of toxin A-specific serum IgA and
      intestinal secretory IgA levels was similar to that of serum IgG in these groups.
      Neutralization of toxin A was demonstrated in 5 of 14 convalescent sera but only
      1 of 13 acute sera (P = .04). However, the presence of neutralizing activity was
      independent of the subsequent clinical response. Therefore, most patients
      convalescent from C. difficile diarrhea demonstrate systemic and mucosal
      antibodies to toxin A, but these antibodies following natural infection do not
      appear to alter the clinical course of C. difficile infection.

PMID- 1431248
TI  - Growth of Escherichia coli in human urine: role of salt tolerance and
      accumulation of glycine betaine.
AB  - Glycine betaine is a powerful osmoprotectant molecule present in the inner
      medulla of the kidney and excreted into urine. It may be responsible for the
      ability of Escherichia coli to grow in hypertonic urine. Also, strains of E. coli
      that cause urinary tract infections may be more salt-tolerant than strains from
      other sites. To explore these questions, 301 isolates from blood, urine, or stool
      and 12 representative enteric strains were examined. Tolerance varied from 0.1 to
      0.7 M NaCl (median, 0.5) in minimal medium. There were no significant differences
      in salt tolerance by site of isolation. A salt-sensitive enteric strain that
      responded poorly to glycine betaine and mutant strains lacking the ability to
      synthesize or transport glycine betaine did not grow well in hypertonic urine.
      Accumulation of glycine betaine appears to be a mechanism by which E. coli can
      adapt to external osmotic forces and grow in hypertonic urine.

PMID- 1431249
TI  - Antibodies against IgA1 protease are stimulated both by clinical disease and
      asymptomatic carriage of serogroup A Neisseria meningitidis.
AB  - IgA1 protease was purified from a strain of serogroup A Neisseria meningitidis
      subgroup IV-1, representative of bacteria that caused an epidemic of
      meningococcal meningitis in The Gambia in 1982-1983. ELISAs and immunoblot assays
      were done using this protease as antigen with paired acute- and convalescent
      phase sera from patients from that epidemic and from one in Finland caused by
      other serogroup A meningococci. Paired sera were also tested from healthy
      Gambians who were persistent nasopharyngeal carriers, persistent noncarriers, or
      persons who became carriers after the first serum sample was taken. The results
      correlated well between the two methods: Antibodies were stimulated by disease or
      acquisition of carriage, and they remained at a constant level upon continued
      carriage.

PMID- 1431250
TI  - Characterization of the serum antibody response to the capsular polysaccharide of
      Haemophilus influenzae type b in children with invasive infections.
AB  - The serum antibody response to the capsular polysaccharide of Haemophilus
      influenzae type b (Hib) was studied in 30 children aged 1 day-5 years with
      invasive Hib infections. From each child, serum was obtained 0-2 days, 5-11 days,
      1 month, and 6-12 months after onset of symptoms. Total antibodies were
      determined with RIA and isotypes with ELISA. Only 2 children had antibody levels
      above the estimated protective level (0.15 microgram/mL) in the first serum
      sample. The antibody response was age dependent with wide individual variations.
      Children > or = 2 years had increases in IgG, IgM, and IgA antibodies with
      predominance of IgG. The initial IgG response was IgG1 and IgG2 with predominance
      of IgG1. In the last serum sample, IgG1 antibodies had decreased while IgG2
      antibodies remained unchanged. Only 2 of 7 children < 1 year had a detectable
      antibody response. The correlation coefficient for total antibodies compared with
      the sum of IgG, IgM, and IgA was .88 (P < .0001) and for IgG compared with the
      sum of IgG1 and IgG2 was .97 (P < .0001).

PMID- 1431251
TI  - Changes in the distribution of Haemophilus influenzae type b clones associated
      with widespread infant vaccination in Finland.
AB  - Isolates from 646 consecutive Finnish Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
      patients with systemic disease, collected before and during large-scale
      vaccinations with Hib conjugate vaccines, were analyzed by major outer membrane
      protein (OMP) subtyping, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) serotyping, and biotyping (BT).
      Strains with OMP-BT-LPS combinations (clones) 1-I-1 and 1c-I-1 disappeared at the
      same rate as the disease they were associated with. A preferential decrease in
      the number of isolates of clone 1-II-1 was recorded, whereas the reduction in
      disease caused by strains of clone 1-II-9 occurred at a lower rate than expected.
      The latter clone occurred mainly in the most densely populated area of Finland.
      Strains belonging to all the common Hib clones were isolated from the 16 infants
      who acquired Hib disease despite being (partially) vaccinated. Thus, Hib clones
      disappeared during mass vaccination with conjugate vaccines, although at
      different rates.

PMID- 1431252
TI  - The spread of multiply resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae at a day care center in
      Ohio.
AB  - Streptococcus pneumoniae, type 23F, resistant to penicillin (MIC, 2
      micrograms/mL) and multiple other antimicrobic agents, was isolated from middle
      ear fluid of a child with otitis media attending a day care center in Ohio. To
      determine the extent of spread of this strain, nasopharyngeal culture surveys
      were done, and 52 carriers were identified among 250 children attending the index
      day care center. No carriers were found among 121 children at two other day care
      centers in the same urban area. Use of prophylactic doses of antibiotics (P <
      .001) and frequent use of antibiotics (P < 0.001) were risk factors for
      nasopharyngeal carriage. Carriers were more likely to have had frequent otitis
      media episodes (P < .02) and otitis media not responsive to antimicrobial therapy
      (P < .001). Strategies to limit the spread of highly resistant pneumococcal
      strains should include encouraging judicious use of antimicrobic agents and
      reevaluating indications for prophylactic use of antimicrobic agents.

PMID- 1431253
TI  - Recombinant murine interferon-gamma reversibly activates rat alveolar macrophages
      to kill Legionella pneumophila.
AB  - The interaction of interferon (IFN)-gamma, rat alveolar macrophages, and
      Legionella pneumophila was studied in vitro to define the effector cell potential
      of alveolar macrophages against an intracellular pathogen in a model in which the
      efficacy of IFN-gamma could be tested in vivo. Alveolar macrophages preincubated
      with IFN-gamma up-regulated Ia antigen and killed 0.5-4 logs of L. pneumophila
      over 4 days compared with 1-2 logs of bacterial growth in untreated cells. The
      bactericidal effect was dose dependent, evident over a wide range of bacterial
      inocula, and not suppressed by hydrocortisone. Preincubation with IFN-gamma was
      unnecessary and insufficient, as intracellular replication was reversed by
      exposure to IFN-gamma up to 48 h after infection, and neutralization of IFN-gamma
      after infection permitted bacterial growth. IFN-gamma thus converts alveolar
      macrophages from target cells to effector cells in host defense against L.
      pneumophila and may be of therapeutic benefit in legionellosis.

PMID- 1431254
TI  - Risk assessment and laboratory diagnosis of trichomoniasis in men.
AB  - Control of Trichomonas vaginalis is assuming higher priority because recent
      studies have suggested that trichomoniasis enhances susceptibility to human
      immunodeficiency virus infection and the risk for delivery of low-birth weight
      infants. In a cross-sectional study, 50 cases were identified among 447 men
      attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic. As previously reported,
      trichomoniasis was associated with nonchlamydial nongonococcal urethritis. Other
      risk factors included sexual contact with an infected woman or prior treatment
      for trichomoniasis or nongonococcal urethritis. Urethral and first-void urine
      cultures were positive in 80% and 68% of positive cases, respectively. When
      combined, these two cultures diagnosed 49 (98%) of 50 cases. These data suggest
      that criteria for selection of men for culture should include presence of
      nonchlamydial nongonococcal urethritis, recent exposure to trichomoniasis, or a
      history of trichomoniasis or nongonococcal urethritis. In addition, combining
      urethral and urine sediment cultures may prove accurate for evaluating T.
      vaginalis infection.

PMID- 1431255
TI  - Effectiveness of a human monoclonal anti-endotoxin antibody (HA-1A) in gram
      negative sepsis: relationship to endotoxin and cytokine levels.
AB  - Gram-negative sepsis is caused by endotoxin-induced release of tumor necrosis
      factor (TNF) and other cytokines. HA-1A is a human monoclonal antibody that binds
      specifically to endotoxin. HA-1A should prevent death in endotoxemic patients and
      reduce serum levels of TNF and interleukin-6 (IL-6). This hypothesis was tested
      in 82 septic patients who were randomly allocated to receive a single intravenous
      100-mg dose of HA-1A or placebo. Pretreatment endotoxemia was detected in 27
      patients (33%). Death occurred within 28 days of treatment in 8 (73%) of 11
      placebo recipients and in 5 (31%) of 16 HA-1A recipients (P = .02). The median
      decrease in serum TNF level 24 h after treatment was 12 ng/L in patients given HA
      1A and 0 ng/L in placebo recipients (n = 65; P = .04). For IL-6, this was 204
      ng/L in patients given HA-1A and 44 ng/L in placebo recipients (n = 67; P = .4).
      Thus, HA-1A reduces mortality in septic patients with endotoxemia and lowers
      serum TNF levels.

PMID- 1431256
TI  - Factors associated with invasive lung aspergillosis and the significance of
      positive Aspergillus culture after liver transplantation.
AB  - From January 1981 to December 1990, 2180 patients underwent orthotopic liver
      transplantation at the University of Pittsburgh. Thirty-two patients (1.5%) were
      identified with invasive aspergillosis (29 lung, 2 intraabdominal, 1 meningitis).
      Of 29 patients with invasive lung disease, only 23 (79%) had positive culture
      (Aspergillus fumigatus, 20; Aspergillus flavus, 3). Forty-eight variables were
      analyzed and compared in 23 patients with invasive disease with positive cultures
      and 9 patients with colonization only. The variables associated with pulmonary
      invasive disease, by univariate analysis, were surgical time (P = .03), presence
      of laparotomies (P = .02), higher creatinine level at time of Aspergillus
      isolation (P = .01), and use of OKT3 (P = .02). However, in a multivariate
      analysis, only the last two (creatinine, OKT3) were associated with invasive lung
      aspergillosis. Of 4 patients with positive abdominal wound culture, 2 had local
      invasive aspergillosis. Therefore, positive cultures of Aspergillus organisms
      from respiratory secretions and wound drainage may represent invasive disease and
      should not be ignored.

PMID- 1431257
TI  - High-dose mefloquine in the treatment of multidrug-resistant falciparum malaria.
AB  - The therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of a high-dose (25 mg/kg) mefloquine
      regimen (M25) and the currently recommended regimen of 15 mg/kg (M15) were
      compared in 199 patients with acute falciparum malaria in an area with
      deteriorating multidrug resistance on the Thai-Burmese border. The clinical and
      parasitologic responses were significantly more rapid with M25. The incidence of
      treatment failures by day 7-9 was 7% for M15 and 1% for M25 (P = .03) and had
      increased to 40% and 9%, respectively, by day 28 (P < .0001). Overall failure
      rates were highest in children (P = .02). Parasite clearance times were a good
      predictor of the therapeutic response; all patients with parasitemia persisting >
      5 days after treatment experienced subsequent recrudescence. Side effects were
      dose-related and included dizziness, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue.
      Although vomiting < 1 h after treatment was more likely in young children,
      children overall tolerated mefloquine better than adults, and men better than
      women. The optimum treatment dose of mefloquine in this area is 25 mg/kg.

PMID- 1431258
TI  - Immunotherapy of respiratory syncytial virus infection in cotton rats (Sigmodon
      fulviventer) using IgG in a small-particle aerosol.
AB  - To determine whether aerosolized IgG can be used effectively in the treatment of
      respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections, cotton rats were infected
      intranasally with RSV and treated 3 days later with human IgG containing anti-RSV
      antibodies delivered in a small-particle aerosol. Pulmonary histology and virus
      titers were determined 24 h after IgG treatment. A single 15-min exposure to
      aerosolized IgG did not exacerbate pulmonary pathology and effected a 50-fold
      reduction in pulmonary virus titer (2.95 vs. 4.67 log10 geometric mean pfu/g for
      untreated controls, P < .001), which was comparable to that effected by
      intranasally instilled IgG (50 mg/kg) (3.24 vs. 4.67 log10 geometric mean pfu/g
      for controls, P < .001). A 15-min exposure to aerosolized ribavirin (20 mg/mL)
      was not effective in reducing pulmonary virus. This study suggests that
      aerosolized IgG could be useful in the treatment of RSV lower respiratory tract
      infections and that it compares favorably with ribavirin.

PMID- 1431259
TI  - Cholera in Piura, Peru: a modern urban epidemic.
AB  - In late January 1991, epidemic cholera appeared in Peru. Within 2 months, 7922
      cases and 17 deaths occurred in Piura, a Peruvian city of 361,868. A hospital
      based culture survey showed that 79%-86% of diarrhea cases were cholera. High
      vibriocidal antibody titers were detected in 34% of the asymptomatic population.
      A study of 50 case-patients and 100 matched controls demonstrated that cholera
      was associated with drinking unboiled water (odds ratio [OR], 3.9; 95% confidence
      interval [CI], 1.7-8.9), drinking beverages from street vendors (OR, 14.6; CI,
      4.2-51.2), and eating food from street vendors (OR, 24.0; CI, 3.0-191). In a
      second study, patients were more likely than controls to consume beverages with
      ice (OR, 4.0; CI, 1.1-18.3). Ice was produced from municipal water. Municipal
      water samples revealed no or insufficient chlorination, and fecal coliform
      bacteria were detected in samples from 6 of 10 wells tested. With epidemic
      cholera spreading throughout Latin America, these findings emphasize the
      importance of safe municipal drinking water.

PMID- 1431260
TI  - Outbreak of cholera associated with crab brought from an area with epidemic
      disease.
AB  - From 31 March through 3 April 1991, 8 New Jersey residents developed severe,
      watery diarrhea after eating crabmeat brought back in the suitcase of a traveler
      to Ecuador. Stool cultures yielded toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1, serotype Inaba,
      biotype El Tor from 4 persons, and vibriocidal antibody titers were > or = 1:640
      in 7 persons, indicating recent infection with Vibrio cholerae O1. Eating crab
      was statistically associated with illness (P = .006); however, no leftover
      crabmeat was available for testing. All 8 patients fully recovered and no cases
      of secondary transmission were reported. This was the first reported incident of
      cholera in the continental United States associated with food transported from an
      area with epidemic disease. Discouraging the transport of perishable souvenir
      seafood may prevent further outbreaks.

PMID- 1431261
TI  - Controlled study of a new five-component acellular pertussis vaccine in adults
      and young children.
AB  - A new five-component acellular pertussis (AP) vaccine containing 10 micrograms of
      pertussis toxoid, 5 micrograms of filamentous hemagglutinin, 5 micrograms of
      combined agglutinogens 2 and 3, and 3 micrograms of pertactin was evaluated in
      adults and young children. AP vaccine was compared with saline placebo in 31
      adults, and AP vaccine combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (ADTP) was
      compared with whole cell DTP in 41 children, ages 16-20 months, who had received
      whole cell DTP during infancy. AP was mildly to moderately reactogenic in adults,
      with pain noted within 72 h and 5-8 days after immunization. ADTP was less
      reactogenic than DTP in children, with significantly decreased pain, redness,
      irritability, and fever and less use of acetaminophen reported. No late reactions
      were observed in any child. The multicomponent ADTP was immunogenic, with four
      fold or greater antibody rises to at least four pertussis antibody assays in all
      15 immunized adults. Pertussis-specific antibody responses in children who
      received ADTP and DTP were similar. The multicomponent ADTP vaccine is currently
      being studied in a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
      sponsored efficacy study in Sweden.

PMID- 1431262
TI  - Effect of catalase on regional cerebral blood flow and brain edema during the
      early phase of experimental pneumococcal meningitis.
AB  - Previous studies have demonstrated that the radical scavenger superoxide
      dismutase completely blocked the increase of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF),
      intracranial pressure (ICP), and brain water content during the early phase of
      experimental pneumococcal meningitis in the rat. To obtain information on the
      nature of the reactive oxygen species involved, the effect of catalase, a
      hydrogen peroxide scavenger, was tested. Rats injected intracisternally with live
      pneumococci were either untreated or received intravenous catalase. The increase
      of rCBF and brain water content in infected untreated rats was significantly
      attenuated by catalase 6 h after intracisternal challenge. ICP increased in both
      infected groups, with a trend toward lower ICP with catalase treatment.
      Cerebrospinal fluid white blood cell counts were not significantly different
      between infected groups. These results and previous experiments using superoxide
      dismutase suggest that the increase of rCBF, ICP, and brain water content is
      mainly caused by superoxide or superoxide reaction products.

PMID- 1431263
TI  - Association of genital infection with specific Chlamydia trachomatis serovars and
      race.
AB  - Black race is an important risk marker for Chlamydia trachomatis genital
      infection. To define whether C. trachomatis serovars differ by ethnic
      distribution, a panel of monoclonal antibodies was used to serotype 934 urethral
      and 581 cervical isolates from patients attending a sexually transmitted diseases
      clinic over 2 years. The overall serovar distribution in cervical and urethral
      infections was comparable, with B class serovars predominating. Significantly
      higher inclusion counts were observed both in younger women and in nonblacks
      regardless of serovar. Serovar D was less frequent among blacks at the urethral
      site (P = .001), while serovar Ia was more frequent in blacks at both sites
      (urethral, P < .001; cervical, P = .02). These associations remained significant
      after adjusting for age and number of inclusion-forming units by multivariate
      analysis. Thus, specific serovars may be associated with particular racial
      groups; either behavioral or biologic factors could explain these findings.

PMID- 1431264
TI  - A subpopulation of Treponema pallidum is resistant to phagocytosis: possible
      mechanism of persistence.
AB  - While untreated syphilis infection is characterized by spontaneous resolution of
      early lesions, a few organisms evade the host immune response and persist for
      many years. Macrophages are generally recognized as the effector cell responsible
      for bacterial clearance, and phagocytosis is enhanced by immune serum. This study
      examined the susceptibility of Treponema pallidum isolated at various stages of
      lesion resolution to opsonization and phagocytosis by macrophages in vitro.
      Findings suggest that the population of organisms remaining after the majority of
      bacteria have been cleared in vivo is resistant to phagocytosis. This may provide
      a mechanism for the persistence of T. pallidum in the face of an otherwise active
      immune response.

PMID- 1431265
TI  - Antigenicity of a protective recombinant filarial protein in human bancroftian
      filariasis.
AB  - A 92-kDa fusion protein that encodes amino acids 1-479 of a 62-kDa Brugia malayi
      antigen induces resistance to microfilariae in mice. The antigenicity of this
      recombinant protein was explored in asymptomatic residents of Wuchereria
      bancrofti-endemic areas of Papua New Guinea and Egypt. Unlike sera from
      individuals in nonendemic areas, sera from residents of endemic areas contained
      IgG3 antibodies (up to dilution 1:1280) reactive with the fusion protein. There
      was little or no recombinant antigen-specific IgG1, IgG2, IgG4, or IgE. The mean
      level of IgG3 antibodies to the amino acid 1-479 construct in sera of putatively
      "immune" adult Papua New Guineans and children in whom microfilaremia was < 4
      parasites/mL of blood was not significantly different (P < .05) from those with >
      1000 parasites/mL. These data indicate that the filarial antigen corresponding to
      the recombinant protein is highly immunogenic in naturally infected children and
      adults and that the isotype and magnitude of antibody reactivity with it do not
      correlate with the microfilaremic status of asymptomatic persons.

PMID- 1431266
TI  - Malnutrition and immunity.

PMID- 1431267
TI  - Smear-negative cerebral malaria due to mefloquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum
      acquired in the Amazon.

PMID- 1431268
TI  - Impaired humoral immunity is associated with development of methicillin-resistant
      Staphylococcus aureus infections after esophageal surgery.

PMID- 1431269
TI  - Type-specific anti-pneumococcal antibodies in a vaccinated patient with combined
      immunoglobulin A and IgG2 deficiency and invasive pneumococcal infections.

PMID- 1431270
TI  - Inhibition of the Salmonella typhi oral vaccine strain, Ty21a, by mefloquine and
      chloroquine.

PMID- 1431271
TI  - Seropositivity to Trypanosoma cruzi in blood donors in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

PMID- 1431272
TI  - Falciparum malaria modulates viremia in chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

PMID- 1431273
TI  - External morphology of the sperm of Hyalomma marginatum (Acarina: Ixodidae).
AB  - Mature sperm cells of the tick Hyalomma marginatum were studied by means of
      scanning electron microscopy. The cell tapering end is transformed into a
      hemispherical structure. The rest of the cell surface is covered by longitudinal
      cellular processes, at the tip of the tapering end of the sperm cell an
      invaginated acrosomal canal can be seen.

PMID- 1431274
TI  - Transplacental transfer of schistosomal antigens and antibodies.
AB  - Circulating S. mansoni soluble antigens (CSA) and antibodies (CAB) were
      investigated in sera of 32 S. mansoni-infected pregnant mothers, their 32
      newborns and 26 non-pregnant infected women. CSA levels in pregnant mothers and
      their newborns were significantly higher than in the 3rd group. Also, a
      significant positive correlation was detected between the CSA levels in sera from
      infected mothers and the cord blood of their newborns proving the transplacental
      transfer of these antigens. On the other hand, CAB levels were significantly
      higher in the 3rd group than in the mothers and their newborns and this could be
      explained by the immune complexes formation. No schistosome eggs or worms were
      detected in placentas and the possibility of congenital schistosomiasis was
      eliminated.

PMID- 1431275
TI  - Isospora solimanae sp. nov. from the Egyptian hoopoe (Upupa epops major).
AB  - Isospora solimanae (sp. nov.) is recorded for the first time infecting the
      Egyptian hoopoe (Upupa epops major). Unsporulated as well as sporulated oocysts
      were studied, photographed and compared with other isosporan infections of
      related birds. Site of infection and invasion limits were determined among
      naturally infected hoopoes and represented diagramatically. The rate of infection
      was congruent to 37.5%, and its severity considered to be non-pathogenic, since
      no remarkable lesions were observed. No extra-intestinal site of parasite
      development was recorded.

PMID- 1431276
TI  - Estimation of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in patients with cardiomyopathy.
AB  - The possible involvement of Toxoplasma gondii in the pathogenesis or as a
      complicating factor in patients with cardiomyopathy has been investigated by the
      serological detection of specific antibodies by IFAT. Fifty six serum samples
      were collected from patients who presented with dyspnoea on effort, pericardial
      pains, palpitations and oedema of lower limbs. They were investigated by Echo,
      ECG and epidemiological history, and diagnosed as dilated, ischaemic and
      restrictive cardiomyopathies and myocarditis. Forty serum samples from patients
      with valvular lesions were examined as a control group. Twelve out of 56 samples
      were positive at end titre of 1:16 (21.4%). Sera with positive titres were found
      to occur mostly in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy. All samples of the
      control group were negative.

PMID- 1431277
TI  - Cutaneous leishmaniasis as a possible predisposing factor for skin malignancy.
AB  - This paper reports a 13 year old Yemenian boy with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL.).
      The histopathological picture of the CL lesions showed marked dysplasia
      indicating premalignancy. The possibility that CL as one of the predisposing
      factors for skin malignancy was discussed.

PMID- 1431278
TI  - Dot-ELISA as a diagnostic test in hydatid disease.
AB  - Detection of circulating echinococcal antigens and antibodies were tried in 18
      patients with hydatid disease and 32 healthy blood donors as controls using dot
      ELISA. Hydatid cyst fluid antigen and anti-echinococcal hyperimmune rabbit sera
      were used for the detection of antibodies and antigens respectively. The results
      proved that this test is sensitive (88.9%), specific (96.9%) and rapid for
      detecting echinococcal antibodies. On the other hand, circulating antigens could
      be detected with 55.6% sensitivity. This low sensitivity was attributed to the
      small amounts of circulating antigens and/or immune complexes formation.

PMID- 1431279
TI  - Investigation of Sarcocystis as a causative agent in cardiac disease.
AB  - Sera from 56 cases with cardiomyopathy and myocarditis and 40 cases with
      different types of valvular diseases were tested, using the indirect fluorescent
      antibody test (IFAT) for the detection of antibodies to Sarcocystis. None of the
      cases showed specific reaction where the IFAT was negative at the cut off titre
      1:8 in all the cases.

PMID- 1431280
TI  - An acute case of infantile visceral leishmaniasis histopathological and
      histochemical studies.
AB  - Some histopathological and histochemical studies were carried out on the
      intestines of an acute case of infantile visceral leishmaniasis. Macrophages
      carrying amastigotes were seen mainly in the villous tips, mucin secretion inside
      the mucosal cells was mild, deposits of collagen and fibrin in the lamina propria
      were marked and the argentaffin cells were partially lost. The whole results were
      discussed.

PMID- 1431281
TI  - Studies on Eimeria species naturally infecting Gerbillus pyramidum (1) Exogenous
      stages.
AB  - Exogenous stages of two new Eimerian species, naturally infecting the Egyptian
      gerbil Gerbillus pyramidum were described and diagnosed in the present study. (1)
      The subspherical type of oocysts was 20 x 17 microns (length x width) in average.
      These are colourless and enveloped within an even double-layered oocyst wall.
      Sporulated oocysts containing four sporocysts each averaged in 10 x 8 microns,
      and a small spherical oocyst residual body was also observed. This type is termed
      Eimeria pyramidi after the species name of its host. (2) The second type of
      oocysts was elongated in shape measured congruent to 21 x 16 microns. These are
      colourless and enclosed within smooth double layered oocyst wall. Sporulated
      oocysts of this type were lacking oocyst residual bodies. This type is termed
      Eimeria gerbilli after the generic name of its host. Both types of described
      oocysts lack micropyle and polar cap.

PMID- 1431282
TI  - Assessment of left ventricular function by Doppler echocardiography in Egyptian
      bilharzial patients with or without pulmonary hypertension.
AB  - Forty-eight Egyptian bilharzial patients were selected for this study. Forty
      males and eight females. Their ages ranged from 12-60 years. All had
      hepatosplenomegaly with or without cardiopulmonary schistosomiasis. Also a group
      of ten subjects was chosen as a control group. After full clinical, laboratory
      and radiological examinations our subjects were subjected to: right cardiac
      catheterization, M-mode, two-dimensional as well as Doppler echocardiography. We
      found that the left ventricular geometry was distorted from its circular
      configuration as a result of right ventricular pressure overload as measured by
      the eccentricity index in bilharzial pulmonary hypertension. Also there were
      significant impairment of all Doppler echocardiographic parameters in those
      patients except time to E-peak (early diastolic flow velocity) and acceleration
      time of aortic flow (cm/sec2).

PMID- 1431283
TI  - Histopathological and histochemical studies on the sigmoidal and rectal tissues
      of hepatosplenic children with gastro-intestinal troubles.
AB  - Hepatosplenomegaly accompanied with different intestinal troubles is more or less
      a marked clinical manifestations in children. The histopathological and
      histochemical changes were studied in biopsied materials taken from the sigmoidal
      and rectal tissues of 49 children. These children had schistosomiasis mansoni
      (26), schistosomiasis and amoebiasis (4), schistosomiasis and tuberculosis (TB.)
      (2), amoebiasis (4), thalassemia (6), acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) (1),
      mucopolysaccharidosis (1) and bacillary dysentery (5). The pathological changes
      were erosion ulceration hyperplasia, atrophy, crypt-abscess and fibrosis (mucosa)
      and oedema, congestion, cellular infiltration (Lamina propria). The chemical
      changes were the mucin secretion, deposition of collagen and fibrin and activity
      of the argentaffin cells. Not all the disease agent had the same effect, but
      changes were marked mainly in children with S. mansoni and/or E. histolytica.

PMID- 1431284
TI  - Evaluation of different immunodiagnostic techniques for diagnosis of hydatidosis
      in Egypt.
AB  - In this study detection of the circulating hydatid antibodies was performed by
      three serological tests: Immunoelectrophoresis (IEP), Enzyme linked immunosorbent
      assay (ELISA) and Enzyme linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) technique. The
      antigen which was used in these tests was Echinococcus granulosus antigen free of
      host (camel) antigen by immunoaffinity chromatography. Most serum samples were
      pre-selected from the patients on the basis of clinical syndrome or past history
      of possible diagnosis of echinococcosis. In addition, physical aids to diagnosis,
      especially sonographic and plain X-ray examination have already been carried out.
      The hydatidosis group was subgrouped according to the site of the cysts in
      different organs. The surgical removal of hydatid cysts was taken as a sure
      diagnosis of hydatid disease. The outcome of comparison between the three
      serological tests in surgically confirmed cases, showed that ELISA technique is a
      good screening test (88.2% sensitivity, 88.8% specificity and 88.5% diagnostic
      efficacy) and EITB is a good confirmatory test (100% sensitivity, 100%
      specificity and 100% diagnostic efficacy).

PMID- 1431285
TI  - A study on experimental cryptosporidiosis.
AB  - Cryptosporidium oocysts were isolated from stools of infected patients diagnosed
      as cryptosporidiosis. Suckling Swiss albino mice were infected orally by these
      oocysts in a dose of 10(6) oocysts/mouse. Mice were divided into 9 groups
      according to the duration of infection 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 10, 15, 21 days
      postinfection, corresponding non infected control groups were included. Stools of
      infected mice were examined twice daily to determine; infection rate, prepatent
      period and intensity of infection. Mice were sacrificed according to the schedule
      and the whole intestine was isolated and processed for histopathological
      examination by H & E and modified Ziehl Nielsen stain, and histochemical
      examination for acid and alkaline phosphatase activity. The results revealed that
      the infection rate was 90% and prepatent period 3-5 days and the course of
      infection was 21 days. The maximum pathological changes were in the ileum. These
      changes were reversible.

PMID- 1431286
TI  - Characterization of Egyptian isolates of Trichomonas vaginalis I. Isoenzyme
      patterns.
AB  - Three T. vaginalis isolates from Egypt were compared for their isoenzyme
      electrophoretic patterns on cellulose acetate. The enzymes studied were: glucose
      6-dehydrogenase (G6PD); malate dehydrogenase (MDH); phosphoglucomutase (PGM);
      glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI); malic enzyme (ME); hexokinase (HK) and lactate
      dehydrogenase (LDH). The three isolates shared the same isoenzyme banding
      patterns of MDH; GPI; HK and LDH. Two of these isolates were similar in their
      banding patterns of G6PD, PGM and different from those of the third isolate. The
      latter was similar to one of the two isolates and different from the other in the
      ME isoenzyme patterns.

PMID- 1431287
TI  - Comparative studies on the production of invasive larvae of Steinernema feltiae
      Filipjev nematodes within insect host.
AB  - A comparative study has been made on the production of invasive larvae of
      Steinernema feltiae Filipjev within the cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis
      Boisduval and house fly Musca domestica Linnaeus. The results indicated that
      there is a positive correlation between the reproductive rate of invasive larvae
      and the initial dosages, host species and host stages. The reproductive rate of
      invasive larvae of Steinernema feltiae in Spodoptera littoralis imagos and
      caterpillars was higher than in M. domestica. At the pupal stages of M.
      domestica, no reproduction was obtained. Pupae were refractory to parasitism
      presumably owing to the effective protection afforded by the puparium. S. feltiae
      would be better adopted to live in S. littoralis than in M. domestica.

PMID- 1431288
TI  - Fine structure studies of microgametogenesis of Eimeria adenoeides (Eimeriidae,
      Sporozoa) infecting turkeys in Egypt.
AB  - The Ultrastructure of microgametogenesis of Eimeria adenoeides was studied in the
      intestinal epithelium of experimentally infected turkeys' Meleagris gallopavo
      gallopavo. Microgamonts were recognizable by the presence of peripherally
      arranged nuclei and the presence of two centrioles between each nucleus and the
      limiting membrane of the gamont. A nuclear spindle apparatus and an intranuclear
      centrocone directed toward the centriole were observed. Each young microgamont
      was surrounded by a very narrow parasitophorous vacuole which widened during
      development and contained a few intravacuolar folds. Differentiation of the
      microgamete began when elevations of the limiting membrane appeared above the
      centrioles. This event was accompanied by the segregation of nuclear content into
      a dense osmiophilic portion and an electron-pale portion. A gradual protrusion of
      the dense portion of the nucleus and developing flagella into the parasitophorous
      vacuole was proceeded. Microgametes had an anterior perforatorium, a dense
      elongate nucleus, with an anteriorly positioned mitochondrion in a small groove
      of the nucleus. Usually two flagella could be detected per each mature
      microgamete.

PMID- 1431289
TI  - Assessment of interleukin-1 activity of peritoneal macrophages in mice infected
      with Schistosoma mansoni before and after praziquantel administration.
AB  - This work was devoted to clarify the changes in interleukin-1 (IL-1) activity of
      peritoneal macrophages in mice experimentally infected with S. mansoni before and
      after praziquantel administration. A significant increase in (IL-1) activity
      after praziquantel administration was detected. These findings clarify the role
      of praziquantel in improving the immune state of the infected host.

PMID- 1431290
TI  - Ultrastructural features of the tegument of adult Cynodiplostomum azimi
      (Trematoda:Digenea) in experimentally infected albino rats.
AB  - The ultrastructure of the tegument of adult Cynodiplostomum azimi and the lesions
      caused by the worm at this host parasite interface in albino rats are described.
      The tegument consists of a syncytial distal cytoplasm (approx. 2.01-3.1 microns
      in thickness), bounded by an outer apical plasma membrane and an inner basal
      trilaminated lamina. The subtegumental cells (approx. 10.34 microns in length)
      are connected with the distal cytoplasm by means of cytoplasmic trabeculae. The
      morphology of the tegument appeared very variable. Large areas were formed of
      irregular folds, while other areas carried finger-like or papilla-form
      structures. Tegumental spines appear to have a crystalline lattice structure.
      Three morphologically distinct types of membrane-bound inclusion bodies were
      described in the tegumental/perikaryal complex. The electron-lucent elongate
      bodies (approx. 0.23 micron in length) were the predominant first type. The
      second was round-ovoid bodies (average length 0.12 micron) with a central core of
      electron-dense material. The third was electron-dense, rod-like in shape (0.28
      micron in length) and occurred occasionally. The majority of these inclusion
      bodies were oriented parallel to the tegumental surface. The host's mucosa at the
      parasite interface showed marked flattening and partial to complete loss of
      mucosal microvilli. Inflammatory cells, particularly eosinophils were observed at
      the host-parasite interface.

PMID- 1431291
TI  - Study of human and parasitic factors in relation to bancroftian filariasis in
      Egypt.
AB  - The Human Leucocytic Antigen (HLA) and the histochemical reaction of microfilaria
      were studied by using cytotoxicity test and microfilarial acid phosphatase
      activity respectively to evaluate the role of the genetic factors and the
      parasitic factor in the pathogenesis of filariasis. Statistical significant
      association was found between HLA-B7 and the susceptibility for retaining
      microfilariae in blood and the development of clinical manifestations of
      filariasis. Histochemical study reported more or less the same results obtained
      in Egypt in elsewhere.

PMID- 1431292
TI  - Some biological effects of Bayluscide on Physa acuta and Helisoma duryi.
AB  - The fecundity, viability and the size of egg-masses were studied in Physa acuta
      and Helisoma duryi snails treated with 1 ppm Bayluscide for two hours. Bayluscide
      application caused significant and highly significant reduction in the fecundity
      of both Physa acuta and Helisoma duryi. However, an increase in the fecundity was
      observed for both treated snails in few days after exposure. Moreover, Bayluscide
      did not lead to stoppage of egg laying at any day of experiment. Bayluscide
      caused a reduction in the viability of egg-masses produced by treated Physa acuta
      or Helisoma duryi snails since they produced higher numbers of abnormal eggs
      containing dead embryo. Moreover, application of 1 ppm Bayluscide for two hours
      against Physa acuta caused a decrease in the size of egg-masses produced by
      treated snails. This is expressed by the production of higher percentage of egg
      masses containing small numbers of eggs as compared with those masses produced by
      control snails.

PMID- 1431293
TI  - Histo- and immuno-pathological and electron microscopy studies of the splenic red
      pulps of schistosomiasis mansoni patients.
AB  - The histo- and immuno-pathological and electron microscopy (EM.) of the splenic
      red pulps studies were carried out for schistosomiasis mansoni patients and
      normal controls. The main pathological processes were interstitial haemorrhages,
      congestion, proliferation and hyperplasia of the red pulps of the schistosomiasis
      mansoni patients. The IgG showed marked reaction, moderate with IgA and mild with
      IgM. The E.M. showed an increase in the size of the different types of the
      reticular cells particularly those of the nuclear membrane with type II, nuclear
      degeneration, deposition of fibrin threads, marked fibrosis and phagocytosis and
      formation of pores at the sinusoidal basement membrane. It was concluded that
      these pathological processes and the alteration in the immunoregulatory system of
      the spleen of schistosomiasis mansoni patients reflect the role played and
      perpetrated in the development of splenomegaly.

PMID- 1431294
TI  - Immunological response to diphtheria/tetanus vaccine in Schistosomiasis mansoni
      patients.
AB  - The cellular and humoral immune responses of patients with S. mansoni infection
      were evaluated before and one month after each of two intramuscular doses of
      diphtheria/tetanus toxoid vaccine. Patients were divided into "responder" and
      "non-responder" groups based on anti-tetanus toxoid (anti-TT) IgG levels after
      vaccination. The specific anti-TT IgG1 response of the responder group was
      predominantly in the IgG, subclass. The lymphoproliferative response to PHA was
      also significantly higher in the responder group; this elevation was detectable
      before and after each vaccination. The responses to PWM and SPL were comparable
      in the two groups before vaccination, although the responder group had a higher
      response to SPL after vaccination. IgG antibodies for schistosome adult worm and
      egg antigens were significantly lower in the responder group prior to vaccination
      but not thereafter. Anti-diphtheria IgG antibodies were comparable in the two
      groups after vaccination at all times. Clinically, the non-responder patients had
      a higher incidence of splenomegaly (84.6% vs 44.8%) and were significantly older
      than the responder patients (mean 34.1 yrs vs 18.7 yrs). The cause for the
      reduced anti-tetanus IgG response in schistosomiasis patients is believed to be
      multifactorial. T cell or antigen presenting cell dysfunction, high levels of IgG
      antibodies specific for schistosome antigens, splenomegaly and age are factors
      that might lead to reduced anti-TT IgG response.

PMID- 1431295
TI  - Cyclosporin A in experimental trichinosis scanning electron microscopic study.
AB  - The surface morphology of adult and larvae of Trichinella spiralis after
      cyclosporin A treatment was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of
      fixed, dried and metal coated specimens. The earliest topographic changes
      revealed in adults after the drug treatment were in form of disorganization of
      the cuticle especially between the hypodermal pores which appeared somewhat
      thickened and irregular. Other changes were in form of bullae formation covering
      the whole width of the adult surface. Other specimens showed wrinkling of the
      outer layer that was seen later to peel off. In few worms layer outer was damaged
      releasing some of the internal organs. Smoothing of the cuticle with obliteration
      of the grooves between the cuticular ridges were observed as the earliest surface
      larval changes, ulcer formation which was deeply seated was seen in patchy areas
      in some specimens. The interaction between the parasite surface and the drug is
      of significant importance as this can throw light on the possibilities of its
      mode of action.

PMID- 1431296
TI  - Characterization of Egyptian isolates of Trichomonas vaginalis: I. Serotyping.
AB  - Antitrichomonal hyperimmune sera against T. vaginalis stocks isolated from
      Egyptian female patients were employed for serological differentiation of somatic
      and soluble antigens in the Ouchterlony gel double immunodiffusion technique. It
      was concluded that soluble trichomonal antigens present in association with
      living flagellates are stock--specific reacting with some, but not all the
      antitrichomonal hyperimmune sera, while those present in association with dead
      parasites are common antigens reacting with all the sera. Three stocks, E1, E2
      and E3 could be differentiated into two strains using their stock--specific
      antigens. The somatic antigens of six trichomonal stocks reacted with all the
      hyperimmune sera denoting common antigenic make up.

PMID- 1431297
TI  - Studies on flea fauna in El Fayoum Governorate, Egypt.
AB  - This paper dealt with the studies of flea fauna as collected on the rodent hosts
      over one year. The collected rodents (499) in a descending order of abundance in
      the collection were Rattus rattus, R. norvegicus, Mus musculus, Gerbillus
      pyramidum and Arvicanthis niloticus. The collected fleas in a descending order in
      the collection were X. cheopis, P. irritans, N. jasciatus, C. felis, L. segnis
      and E. gallinacea. The total flea index reached the maximum (0.76) in May and it
      was zero in December and January. The highest number of fleas was on R.
      norvegicus and A. niloticus and the lowest was on G. pyramidum. The highest
      number of rodents and their flea ectoparasites was during the Spring and the
      lowest was during Autumn. The medical importance of the collected fleas and the
      whole results were discussed.

PMID- 1431298
TI  - On the morphology of the oxyurid nematode Pharyngodon mamillatus (Linstow, 1897)
      from Chalcides ocellatus from Egypt.
AB  - The nematode P. mamillatus is described from the lizard Chalcides ocellatus
      (Forsk.) from Cairo, Egypt. The use of both light and scanning electron
      microscopy enabled the authors to report new morphological features of the worms,
      including the cuticular surface, lateral alae and male caudal structures.

PMID- 1431299
TI  - Studies on chronic liver diseases in patients with and without Toxoplasma latent
      infection.
AB  - Chronic liver diseases mainly due to schistosomiasis is a common clinical feature
      in Egypt. On the other hand, Toxoplasma latent infection is another common
      feature. In this paper, it was aimed to study the role of Toxoplasma latent
      infection in patients with chronic liver diseases mainly due to schistosomiasis.
      The latent Toxoplasma infection was measured by the positivity of IgG to ELISA
      and the negativity of IgM to DS-ELISA. The cellular immunity was assessed by the
      dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) skin test. The clinical and the laboratory studies
      showed that latent Toxoplasma infection had no marked effect on the progression
      of the chronic liver diseases.

PMID- 1431300
TI  - Ultrastructural study of the tegument of Cotugnia polyacantha and Killigrewia
      streptopelia inhabiting the dove Streptopelia senegalensis aegyptiaca.
AB  - The ultrastructure of the teguments of the cyclophyllidean cestodes Cotugnia
      polyacantha and Killigrewia streptopelia naturally infecting the dove
      Streptopelia senegalensis aegyptiaca, was studied using transmission electron
      microscopy. The two cestodes inhabit two distinct sites in the small intestine of
      the same bird. Observations revealed basic similarity between the two cestodes,
      though, marked differences between the tegument structure details of the two
      species regarding the structure and dimension of microtriches, types and
      distribution of vesicles among the regions of the tegumental/perikaryal complex,
      structure of subtegumental connective tissue and subtegumental muscle layer. The
      significance of these observations was discussed in possible relation to the
      different physico-chemical environments known to occur where each cestode
      resides.

PMID- 1431301
TI  - Ultrasonographic findings in the gall bladder in human fascioliasis.
AB  - This study included forty patients with incubating or open fascioliasis. All were
      subjected to repeated stool examination, serological and haematological study
      using IHAT in the former. Ultrasonography was done for upper abdomen stressing on
      gall bladder and assessing its function. Eighteen patients were diagnosed as
      incubating fascioliasis by positive IHAT, high eosinophilic count and negative
      stool examination for Fasciola eggs. No gall bladder changes could be detected by
      U.S. among those patients. Twenty two patients passed eggs in their stool were
      diagnosed as open Fasciola. Their gall bladder through U.S. revealed flukes in
      twelve of them. A weak gall bladder contractility was observed in 64% with open
      fascioliasis.

PMID- 1431302
TI  - The effect of scorpion envenomation on the different organs of albino mice.
AB  - The effect of sublethal doses of scorpion venom (Buthus quinquestriatus) on the
      hepatic vascular bed and hepatic parenchyma were studied. The main toxic effect
      of the venom was primarily on the vascular bed of the liver as manifested by
      dilatation of branches of the hepatic artery, portal vein together with
      intravascular thrombi and subcapsular haemorrhages. Apart from mild hydropic
      degeneration some cells of the hepatic parenchyma showed focal necrosis and
      Kupffer cells were frequently hypertrophied and contained pigment. In the lung,
      dilated thrombosed vessels were observed. In the kidney, the vessels showed the
      same changes. The epithelial and endothelial cells of the glomeruli appeared
      normal except for slight swelling with intact basement membrane. The tubular
      cells were swollen with increased granularity and attenuation of the tubular
      lumen, a picture compatible with hydropic degeneration. The possible mechanisms
      in inducing such lesions were discussed.

PMID- 1431303
TI  - Evaluation of insecticidal efficiency of certain new selective formulations
      against Musca domestica (L).
AB  - Five new selective formulations were tested for effectiveness, applicability and
      costs in controlling the housefly Musca domestica. The tested formulations are
      Alfacron SB, Alfacron 10 WP, Snip IRB (a.i. Azamethiphos, thiophosphorester),
      Baygon SB and Golden Marlin Results of laboratory studies revealed that Alfacron
      10 WP was the most potent compound against the adult fly (100% mortality was
      achieved after 20 min from exposure). Snip IRB ranked second with 100% mortality
      after 40 min, followed by Alfacron SB (50 min.) and Golden Malrin (60 min.). On
      the other hand Baygon SB did not show complete mortality of houseflies since its
      maximum mortality was 57.5% after 60 min. Laboratory tests also proved that
      moistening the fly prolonged the efficacy period of the three tested products
      from 3 to 6 weeks in case of Alfacron SB, from 4 to 7 weeks for Snip IRB and from
      7 to 9 weeks in case of Alfacron 10 WP.

PMID- 1431304
TI  - Comparative evaluation of antigens used in immunofluorescence (IFAT) antibody
      test for serodiagnosis of schistosomiasis.
AB  - The diagnostic value of antigens used in the IFAT for serodiagnosis of
      schistosomiasis has been evaluated. Cryosections of Schistosoma mansoni adults,
      formaline fixed cercariae and cryosections of infected liver, from gold hamster,
      which contained granuloma were used as antigens in this evaluation. The
      cryosections of adult worm were more reliable and more specific as an antigen for
      immunofluorescence (Diagnostic efficacy was 95.52%). The cercarial antigens gave
      the same results as the cryosection of adults. The IFAT using cryosection of
      infected liver contains granuloma was less reliable due to autofluorescence of
      eggs in the granuloma with negative sera (Diagnostic efficacy was 49.01).

PMID- 1431305
TI  - Definition of receptor binding domains in interferon-alpha.
AB  - Earlier studies from this laboratory had identified three regions in interferon
      alpha (IFN-alpha) that influence the active conformation of the molecule. These
      domains are associated with the amino acid residues 10-35, 78-107, and 123-166.
      In this report, we define these domains more accurately by identifying their
      critical clusters of amino acids. Using a panel of IFN-alpha 2a variants in
      antiviral, growth inhibitory, and receptor binding studies, we are able to show
      that these three domains, defined by residues 29-35, 78-95, and 123-140, are
      likely located on the surface of the molecule, with domains 29-35 and 123-140 in
      close spatial proximity. We conclude that the 29-35 and 123-140 domains are
      responsible for IFN-alpha receptor binding interactions and constitute receptor
      recognition sites in IFN-alpha. Extrapolating from our biological activity data,
      in the context of a number of predictive algorithms that provide insights into
      the hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, surface probability, and flexibility of amino
      acid clusters, we infer that the residues 29-35 influence the active
      configuration of IFN-alpha most significantly. This region likely represents a
      loop structure that is relatively rigid in configuration. The carboxy-terminally
      located strategic domain, 123-140, is comprised of two clusters of amino acid
      residues, one that forms part of a rigid alpha-helix, the other a more flexible
      loop structure. Similarly, the 78-95 domain comprises a portion of an alpha
      helical structure that is followed by a loop structure. Close examination of the
      amino acid sequences in all three regions among the different species of IFN
      alpha s and human IFN-beta indicate that the 29-35 and 123-140 domains are most
      highly conserved, yet some variance is apparent in the 78-95 domain. We propose
      that the 78-95 region influences species specificity among the murine and human
      IFN-alpha s and determines the differential specificity of action between human
      IFN-alpha and human IFN-beta.

PMID- 1431306
TI  - Interferon-alpha suppresses the capacity of T cells to help antibody production
      by human B cells.
AB  - This study was designed to analyze the effect of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) on
      the potential of T cells to help B-cell differentiation in vitro. Human splenic T
      cells preactivated via the T-cell receptor (TCR)/CD3 complex, as well as murine
      EL4 thymoma T cells preactivated with phorbol esters, stimulated human B cells
      via a species cross-reactive physical interaction to differentiate into antibody
      producing cells. If the human or murine T cells were activated in the presence of
      IFN-alpha, normal proliferation and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production occurred, but
      the cells did not acquire any B-cell helper potential. Therefore, IFN-alpha
      modulates the B-cell stimulatory potential of T cells by interfering with the T
      cell activation process. In contrast, IFN-alpha neither acted on B cells directly
      nor on already activated T cells, because it did not suppress B-cell
      differentiation induced by T cells preactivated in the absence of IFN-alpha. IFN
      alpha did not induce the production of inhibitory T-cell factor(s), since T cells
      preactivated in the presence of IFN-alpha did not inhibit the interaction of B
      cells with T cells optimally preactivated in the absence of IFN-alpha. Taken
      together the data indicate that IFN-alpha suppresses the potential of T cells to
      stimulate B-cell differentiation by interfering with the T-cell activation
      process, but acts neither on B cells directly nor on already activated T cells.

PMID- 1431307
TI  - Constitutive production of interferon-alpha 2 by a human B-lymphoblastoid cell
      line.
AB  - Human B-lymphoblastoid cell lines immortalized by Epstein-Barr virus
      constitutively produce low levels of acid-stable interferon (IFN) that differs in
      composition from IFN produced by the same cell type after virus induction. We use
      three approaches to study the constitutive IFN produced by the lymphoblastoid
      cell line, LuKII: (i) antiviral bioassays with a neutralizing monoclonal
      antibody; (ii) amino-terminal sequence analysis of the single protein obtained
      after purification of the IFN by immunoaffinity chromatography and reverse-phase
      HPLC; (iii) sequence analysis of cDNA clones obtained by screening a LuKII
      library with an IFN-alpha 2 probe. Our data show that more than 90% of the
      constitutive IFN results from expression of a single gene coding for IFN-alpha 2.
      The significance of these results is discussed.

PMID- 1431308
TI  - Different interactions of interferon-alpha subtypes at the surface of epithelial
      and lymphoid cells.
AB  - The interaction of different interferon (IFN)-alpha subtypes with different cell
      types was investigated using a unique monoclonal antibody (MAb), I-4-A. This MAb
      reacts in immunoassays equally with IFN-alpha 2b and IFN-alpha 4a, but does not
      inhibit the binding of IFN to cell receptors. 125I-labeled I-4-A reacted with IFN
      alpha 4a and IFN-alpha 2b bound to receptors on Daudi cells. However, in a
      "double assay" developed using Daudi cells to measure antiviral and
      antiproliferative activity, I-4-A neutralized both activities of IFN-alpha 4a,
      but neither of IFN-alpha 2b. Similarly, in studies on the activation of natural
      killer (NK) cells, I-4-A neutralized the effect of IFN-alpha 4a but not that of
      IFN-alpha 2b. In contrast, when cell lines other than lymphoid were studied,
      e.g., HEp 2 and WISH cells, I-4-A neutralized the antiviral activity of both IFN
      alpha subtypes. The neutralization of one IFN-alpha subtype but not another on
      lymphoid cells suggests a difference either in the receptor-bound form of the
      subtypes, or in subsequent interactions prerequisite for activation of these
      cells. Furthermore, the neutralization of a particular IFN subtype, alpha 2b, on
      epithelial-derived but not lymphoid cells suggests differences in the IFN
      receptor complex or the mechanisms of cell activation between these cell types.
      An implication from these studies is that some IFN-alpha subtypes can exert
      different functions on lymphoid and epithelial cells.

PMID- 1431309
TI  - The effects of interferon-gamma and bacterial lipopolysaccharide on CD14
      expression in human monocytes.
AB  - CD14 has been reported to be the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-LPS binding protein
      receptor. The effects of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) on CD14 expression have not
      been clearly established. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the
      effects of IFN-gamma alone and IFN-gamma followed by bacterial LPS on CD14
      expression. Human peripheral blood monocytes were isolated by counterflow
      centrifugal elutriation (CCE). Monocytes were cultured for 48 h with IFN-gamma
      alone or for 24 h with IFN-gamma followed by LPS for a second 24 h. IFN-gamma
      alone caused a down-regulation of CD14 expression, as assessed by flow cytometry,
      relative to CD14 expression in untreated monocytes. In addition, CD14 expression
      was even more significantly down-regulated after IFN-gamma pretreatment followed
      by either Prevotella intermedia or Salmonella typhimurium LPS. Likewise, the
      percentage of CD14+ monocytes decreased after IFN-gamma alone and even more
      dramatically after IFN-gamma treatment followed by either LPS. This study clearly
      demonstrated that IFN-gamma down-regulates CD14 expression and that LPS following
      IFN-gamma pretreatment potentiates this effect.

PMID- 1431310
TI  - Post-transcriptional regulation by interferon-alpha of epsilon-globin production
      in human erythroleukemia K-562 cells.
AB  - Treatment of human K-562 erythroleukemia cells with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha)
      resulted in a six-fold increase in the production of epsilon-globin, a component
      of embryonic hemoglobin, but in a two-fold or less augmentation of the production
      of other globin species. There was no comparable increase in the production of
      epsilon-globin mRNA following IFN treatment. We did, however, observe a shift in
      the cytoplasmic location of the epsilon-globin mRNA from the messenger
      ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) to the polysome fraction after IFN-alpha addition. No
      such shift was noted in the location of the mRNA for A gamma-globin, the major
      globin product of K-562 cells, which was always present in the polysome fraction.
      These results are significant with respect to the mechanisms of cellular
      regulation and differentiation induced by IFNs.

PMID- 1431311
TI  - Identification of a complex formed between nuclear proteins and the
      transcriptional enhancer of interferon-inducible genes that is present in the
      peripheral blood myeloid cells of CML but not normal individuals.
AB  - Interferon-alpha (INF-alpha) induces cytogenetic remissions in 20% of chronic
      myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients. To clarify the mechanisms through which this
      antiproliferative action of IFN is mediated in the CML cell, a modification of
      the mobility-shift assay was used to follow the formation of complexes between
      nuclear proteins and IFN-inducible transcriptional enhancers involved in
      mediating the cellular effects of IFN-alpha. These studies identified a complex
      that was present in the myeloid cells of 18/24 (75%) of chronic-phase CML
      patients tested whose cells contained 100% Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+)
      cells, while the proteins of none of the samples tested from normal peripheral
      blood samples and only 22% (2/9) of the CML patients in an IFN-induced major
      cytogenetic remission (less than 30% Ph+ cells) contained these complexes. These
      studies suggest that the mobility-shift assay detects changes in the CML myeloid
      cell that distinguish it from the normal myeloid cell.

PMID- 1431312
TI  - Double-blind randomized phase I study on the clinical tolerance and biological
      effects of natural and recombinant interferon-beta.
AB  - The clinical tolerance of and the effects recombinant human interferon-beta
      (rHuIFN-beta) obtained from mammalian cells (Chinese hamster ovary cells) exerts
      on 2',5'-oligoadenyl (2-5A) synthetase activity, human-Mx protein, neopterin,
      beta 2-microglobulin, interleukin-1 (IL-1) alpha and beta synthesis were compared
      to those of natural IFN-beta in 12 healthy volunteers. Each subject received a
      single i.m. injection of 6 x 10(6) IU rHuIFN-beta and natural IFN-beta according
      to a randomized double-blind cross-over study design. Both were well tolerated
      and provoked similar changes in clinical indices. Moreover, rHuIFN-beta and
      natural IFN-beta induced significant and similar increases in 2'-5' adenylates,
      human Mx protein, and neopterin levels, but neither modulated beta 2
      microglobulin, IL-1 alpha or beta synthesis. The sum of these findings indicates
      that rHuIFN-beta and natural IFN-beta are biologically equivalent. In view of
      these results, we are of the opinion that these two types of IFN are probably
      also therapeutically equivalent and, in consequence, that trials to evaluate the
      response of viral and neoplastic disease patients to rHuIFN-beta are fully
      justified.

PMID- 1431313
TI  - Human interferons-alpha inhibit the production of immunoglobulin M by secreting
      and nonsecreting lymphoblastoid cell lines.
AB  - It is well known that human lymphoblastoid interferon-alpha [HuIFN-alpha(ly)] may
      either increase or decrease antibody production by B cells, in vivo as well as in
      vitro, depending on the experimental conditions and the system used. We compare
      here the effect of HuIFN-alpha(ly) and human recombinant interferon-alpha (rHuIFN
      alpha) on immunoglobulin M (IgM) production by secreting and nonsecreting human B
      like lymphoblastoid cells, respectively, ST8246, and Daudi cells. Under our
      experimental conditions, Daudi cells were less sensitive to the antiproliferative
      effect of IFN than previously reported by other authors, and ST8246 cells were
      insensitive to this antiproliferative effect. In contrast, IgM production was
      profoundly affected in both cell lines. Thus, we could discriminate between the
      effect on cell growth from the effect on the immune response. Using high-pressure
      liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation, mu chains and monomeric and pentameric
      IgM were distinguished from cytosolic and membrane-associated fractions and from
      culture medium (extracellular IgM). Pentameric extracellular IgM and monomeric
      membrane IgM were diminished by HuIFN-alpha(ly) treatment, respectively, in
      ST8246 cells and in Daudi cells. We conclude that HuIFN-alpha(ly) induces
      regression of B-like lymphoblastoid cells toward a less mature phenotype.

PMID- 1431314
TI  - Induced and down-regulated proteins in the human cultured hairy cell leukemia
      line JOK-1 and the Burkitt's lymphoma cell line Daudi during incubation with
      interferon-alpha: a kinetic study.
AB  - To elucidate the mechanism of action of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha), the effect
      on cell proliferation and protein synthesis in the human hairy cell leukemia line
      JOK-1 and the Burkitt's lymphoma cell line Daudi were investigated. While Daudi
      cells were inhibited in proliferation and in total protein synthesis, no effect
      was seen on JOK-1 cells. However, high-resolution two-dimensional gel
      electrophoresis showed that four polypeptides were induced in JOK-1 cells after
      IFN-alpha incubation, while an additional 11 were induced and two down-regulated
      in Daudi cells. Kinetic studies revealed that the changes in JOK-1 cells were
      only temporary (within 8-16 h) and small to moderate in magnitude (less than four
      fold). In Daudi cells, the changes for two of these polypeptides were early
      (within 2 h), for most of them prolonged (at least 24 h), and for three of them
      of great magnitude (between 6- and 30-fold). Quantitative analytical assessments
      indicated that four IFN-alpha-inducible polypeptides, present in low amounts of
      untreated cells, were highly expressed only in sensitive Daudi cells upon IFN
      alpha treatment. This observation might indicate a role for these polypeptides in
      the inhibition of cell proliferation in Daudi cells. Furthermore, six of the
      other IFN-alpha-modulated polypeptides were synthesized constitutively in JOK-1
      cells at levels comparable to those achieved in IFN-alpha-treated Daudi
      cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431315
TI  - Interferon-alpha activates binding of nuclear factors to a sequence element in
      the c-fos proto-oncogene 5'-flanking region.
AB  - Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) can regulate the expression of the c-fos proto
      oncogene in different cell types. Here we show IFN-alpha-activated binding of
      murine and human fibroblast nuclear factors to a DNA sequence element located in
      the 5' upstream region (nucleotides -351/-337) of the c-fos gene. This element,
      like the conserved enhancer element, the IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE),
      that mediates transcriptional induction of IFN-alpha-inducible genes, also binds
      factors in response to platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and v-sis
      conditioned medium (SCM). The IFN-inducible ISRE shares an 8-bp stretch of
      sequence homology with the IFN-responsive c-fos SCM element, and competes
      efficiently for binding of factors to the SCM. Protein-DNA cross-linking
      experiments with the SCM binding site identified an IFN-modulated nuclear protein
      of approximately 98 kD. This protein does not appear to be involved in
      transcription activation, since IFN-alpha failed to stimulate c-fos transcription
      in nuclear run-off assays, or the c-fos promoter in transient transcription
      assays of 3T3 fibroblasts. Our data nonetheless suggest the c-fos promoter may be
      an early target for signal transduction triggered by IFN alpha-receptor
      interaction.

PMID- 1431316
TI  - Opposite sensitivity to the antiproliferative action of interferon-alpha and
      granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in monoblastic U937 cells.
AB  - Three variants of the human monoblastic cell line U937 with different degrees of
      sensitivity to the antiproliferative action of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha were
      examined for phenotypic differences. The highly IFN-sensitive variant U937-V
      expressed twice as many IFN-alpha binding sites as both its IFN-alpha-resistant
      derivative U937-VR and the cell line U937 exhibiting a 20-fold reduction in IFN
      alpha sensitivity as compared to U937-V cells. All three variants were IFN
      reactive with regard to induction of 2',5'-oligoadenylate (2-5A) synthetase
      activity and were similarly sensitive to the growth-inhibiting action of IFN
      gamma and tumor necrosis factor. Responsiveness to the antiproliferative effect
      of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), however, was
      confined to cell lines U937 and U937-VR. Although expressing a comparable number
      of GM-CSF receptors, the highly IFN-sensitive variant U937-V was refractory to GM
      CSF. Flow cytometry revealed a marked difference in the expression of the antigen
      CD11b which was detectable on 85% of cells of the U937-V line but only on
      approximately 25% of cells derived from the U937 and U937-VR lines. Results thus
      demonstrate opposite sensitivity of U937 cells to the growth-inhibiting action of
      IFN-alpha and GM-CSF, apparently dependent on the state of U937 differentiation
      as determined by expression of the CD11b antigen.

PMID- 1431317
TI  - Tandem repeat polymers of a critical region of the human interferon-beta promoter
      exhibit a marked constitutive activity and enhanced responsiveness to
      transcriptional regulators in transfected HeLa cells.
AB  - Multiple copy tandem repeats polymers of an authentic 30-bp region of the human
      interferon-beta (IFN-beta) promoter between positions-91 to -62 relative to the
      cap site or the hexanucleotide GAAAGT derived from this region, both acted as
      strong constitutive regulatory elements in transfected HeLa cells. Such polymers
      were unresponsive to treatment with IFN-alpha despite their considerable homology
      with the IFN-responsive elements of other genes but were highly responsive to
      treatment of HeLa cells with IFN-gamma. Virus induction of HeLa cells transfected
      with polymers of the 30-bp region linked to a CAT gene increased the activity of
      the reporter gene 500- to 2,000-fold over baseline levels. Treatment with IFN
      alpha prior to virus induction did not increase further CAT activity.
      Cotransfection of HeLa cells with the CAT gene under the control of a 12-element
      tandem repeat polymer of the human IFN-beta promoter and an expression vector for
      the IRF-1 transcriptional activator markedly increased CAT activity while
      cotransfection of HeLa cells with the IFN-beta construct together with an
      expression vector for the transcriptional regulator IRF-2 markedly decreased CAT
      activity relative to cells transfected with the IFN-beta polymer alone.

PMID- 1431318
TI  - Ultrastructural study of mouse dorsal root ganglion cultures infected long term
      with M. leprae.
AB  - Ultrastructural changes in the mouse dorsal root ganglion cultures infected long
      term with viable M.leprae were studied. Subtle cytomorphological changes and loss
      of neurites noted in the long-term infected cultures were correlated to early
      events in the nerve damage.

PMID- 1431319
TI  - Treatment of paucibacillary leprosy with a regimen containing rifampicin, dapsone
      and prothionamide.
AB  - Ninety paucibacillary leprosy patients having indeterminate (I), tuberculoid (TT)
      and borderline tuberculoid (BT) type of leprosy with bacterial index (BI) of less
      than two on the Ridley scale were treated with rifampicin (RFM) 600 mg once a
      month, dapsone (DDS) 100 mg daily and prothionamide (PTH) 250 mg daily. Treatment
      was stopped at the end of six months. The patients tolerated the drugs fairly
      well and in only two patients the drugs had to be stopped (in one due to jaundice
      and in the other due to gastric intolerance). About 6% of patients had early
      reactions which subsided with additional steroid therapy. The inactivity rate was
      60% at six months and this improved to 96% at 12 months. No cases of late
      reactions and relapses were encountered in the limited follow-up period of six
      months; and a longer follow-up is necessary for ascertaining the relapse rates.
      The preliminary results however suggest that the addition of prothionamide to the
      standard WHO paucibacillary regimen is well-tolerated with increased inactivity
      rate and fewer instances of late reactions.

PMID- 1431320
TI  - A comparative KAP study of leprosy patients and members of the community in
      Hlaing and Laung-Lon townships.
AB  - A KAP study was conducted in the peri-urban Hlaing and rural Laung-Lon Townships
      in Myanmar. It was found that both the leprosy patients as well as community
      members were still not sure about the cause of leprosy. Social stigma of leprosy
      encountered by patients needs to be addressed especially in peri-urban areas. It
      was also found that the patient's understanding of treatment regularity was still
      very unsatisfactory, for which health education measures needs to be introduced.

PMID- 1431321
TI  - Leprosy of the tongue.
AB  - Ten out of the twenty-five lepromatous leprosy patients studied showed clinical
      evidence of involvement of the tongue, and they presented with various symptoms
      like loss of taste, stiffness of tongue, bleeding, pain etc. Various types of
      lesions ranging from small nodule to granuloma formation, ulceration,
      macroglossia and fissured cracked tongue were noted. The tongue lesions were
      found to be related to the severity of leprosy.

PMID- 1431322
TI  - Correlation between inhibitory effect of quinolones and mycolic acid metabolism
      in mycobacteria.
AB  - Mycolic acids are important components having a significant role in maintaining
      the rigidity of mycobacterial cell wall. They could also be the barrier for
      penetration of certain drugs into the bacterial cell. A novel in vitro model
      system was established for assessing the effect of Ciproflaxacin on mycolic acid
      metabolism in pathogenic mycobacteria M. Kansasii (which has similar mycolic acid
      pattern to that from M. leprae) and the effect of norfloxacin in M.
      intracellulare. These test mycobacteria were exposed in their midlogarithmic
      phase of growth to 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 micrograms ml of ciprofloxacin and
      norfloxacin respectively for 1, 2 and 24 hours. Ciprofloxacin completely
      inhibited the synthesis of mycolates in M. kansasii at 3, 4 and 5 micrograms/ml;
      whereas norfloxacin exhibited its maximum inhibitory action on mycolic acids in
      M. intracellulare at 6 micrograms/ml for all the durations of exposure.
      Inhibition of mycolates directly correlated with bacterial viability which was
      estimated by colony forming units. The effect of quinolones on mycolic acid
      metabolism appears to be direct and not secondary to DNA gyrase. The results
      obtained from this study and our previous findings show that mycolic acid
      metabolism is affected by various groups of drugs, whose primary sites of
      activity may be different. The findings of the present study may have significant
      therapeutic implications in leprosy and other mycobacterial diseases.

PMID- 1431323
TI  - Observations on the cultivation of M. leprae and M. tuberculosis in medium 'V'
      and 'V 1'.
AB  - Skin scrapings from five different active sites were collected from 14 leprosy
      patients and inoculated into medium V. Skin scrapings from three leprosy patients
      were inoculated into medium V 1. All the cultures were incubated at 8-10 degrees
      C. M. tuberculosis H37Rv, pretreatment isolates and streptomycin resistant
      strains were inoculated into medium V, with and without antibiotics, and
      incubated at 8-10 degrees C as well as 37 degrees C. Smears were made from the M.
      leprae and M. tuberculosis cultures at 0 hours and at different time points. The
      number of bacilli in the smears were counted. There was no increase in the number
      of M. leprae or M. tuberculosis in any of the cultures.

PMID- 1431324
TI  - A project model for attempting integration of leprosy services with general
      health care services after the prevalence of the disease is reduced in the
      endemic districts on multidrug therapy for over five years.

PMID- 1431325
TI  - Leprosy immunopathogenesis and vaccine development.
AB  - The truly effective immunity against intracellular parasites, including
      mycobacteria, is mediated by monocyte/macrophages, and in the immunologically
      responding (resistant) host these phagocytes need minimal antigenic stimulus,
      specific or non-specific, to become activated and be microbicidal. T-cell
      mediated delayed hypersensitivity (DTH) causes tissue damage and destruction,
      which is particularly unwelcome in leprosy because of its nerve-damaging
      potential. Gamma interferon (INF-gamma), the terminal lymphokine of a DTH
      response, promotes mycobacterial survival and growth. There are T-cells (TH1
      subtypes) that produce DH response either independent of, or, only partly
      dependent on INF-gamma; this type of DH peaking at 24 hours appears similar to
      the Jones-Mote type rather than to the tuberculin type of DTH peaking at 48-72
      hours and is devoid of the necrotic component of tuberculin type of DTH. M.
      leprae antigens normally elicit this Jones-Mote type of DH. Suppressor T-cells
      are associated with a protective immune response, while helper T-cells mediating
      DTH are harmful. In view of this immunobiology, it would appear that pathogenic
      mycobacteria that generate a tuberculin type DTH response should not be used as
      immunogens in leprosy.

PMID- 1431326
TI  - Pattern of leprosy deformities among agricultural labourers in an endemic
      district: a pilot study.
AB  - A study of 1,338 leprosy affected agricultural labourers in an endemic district
      revealed that 12% had deformities. The patient's sex, type of disease, duration
      and educational status seemed to influence pattern of leprosy deformities. The
      patients continued working despite deformities in order to avoid financial
      dependence on their family members and loss of dignity.

PMID- 1431327
TI  - Phenobarbitone in the treatment of dapsone induced hyperbilirubinaemia.

PMID- 1431328
TI  - Leprosy in Albania.

PMID- 1431330
TI  - Experimental vs. natural plasmid gene transfer?

PMID- 1431329
TI  - Duration of MDT for paucibacillary leprosy.

PMID- 1431331
TI  - Child sponsorship programme to prevent dehabilitation.

PMID- 1431332
TI  - IAL--sponsored workshop on "Advances in laboratory techniques with reference to
      patient care in leprosy", Drug-Bhilai. Jan. 5th 1992.

PMID- 1431333
TI  - International Gandhi Award 1992.

PMID- 1431334
TI  - Introduction to the CEA family: structure, function and secretion.
AB  - Due to the phenomenal progress in the field of tumor immunology that took place
      during the last twenty years, we dispose today of highly specific and sensitive
      techniques and reagents like monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). In this context the
      discovery in human carcinomas of tumor-associated antigens, such as CEA, was of
      primary importance, especially since the latter was found to have clinical
      relevance as a tumor marker. Based on animal models, a new in vivo technology for
      the detection of tumors and metastases was developed in recent years, that uses
      anti-CEA MAbs, or fragments of them, coupled to radio-isotopes. This technique,
      called radio-immunodetection (RAID), also paved the way for immunotherapeutic
      procedures, where again CEA served as the target-antigen. This new technique
      holds great promise, provided the epitope-specificity of the MAbs is well
      controlled: it has been shown that CEA belongs to a large gene-family of at least
      22 members, which can be subdivided into two subgroups (i.e., the CEA- and the
      PSG-subgroup) and which in turn belongs to the immunoglobulin-supergene family.
      Great structural similarities render the distinction of the various cross
      reactive molecules by immunological means rather difficult.

PMID- 1431335
TI  - The CEA family: a system in transitional evolution?
AB  - The CEA family consists of two structurally and functionally distinct sub-groups;
      the group including CEA, NCA and CGM-6 which are cell surface-bound by
      phosphatidyl-inositol (PI) linkages, and the group of BGP splice variants which
      have trans-membrane and cytoplasmic domains. Although all CEA family members
      mediate intercellular adhesion in vitro, the PI-linked group show Ca++ and
      temperature independent adhesion whereas the BGP group show rapidly reversible
      Ca++ and temperature dependent adhesion. From the close alignment in cDNA
      nucleotide sequences between family members and between repeated domains in one
      family member, it is apparent that the CEA family is now rapidly evolving; in
      fact, analogs of only the trans-membrane BGP group have been found so far in the
      mouse. The addition of a new group of potent adhesion molecules to complex
      species at some time after the rodent radiation has strong evolutional
      implications, which are discussed.

PMID- 1431336
TI  - CEA and NCA expressed by colon carcinoma cells affect their interaction with and
      lysability by activated lymphocytes.
AB  - Heterogeneous lysability by interleukin-2 activated lymphocytes (LAK) and other
      immune effectors was observed in the human colon-carcinoma lines LoVo/Dx, LoVo/H
      and HT29. The tumor cells with high susceptibility to LAK (LoVo/Dx, HT29)
      expressed higher amounts of the adhesion molecules ICAMl, LFA3 and NCA/CEA than
      cells with low LAK sensitivity (LoVo/H). Monoclonal antibodies against these
      molecules caused a marked reduction of lysis by LAK of LoVo/Dx and HT29. A pool
      of these antibodies induced a nearly complete inhibition of the LAK lysis of both
      lines. Treatment of LoVo/Dx with differentiating agents (dimethylformamide and
      retinoic acid) led to a decreased expression of the adhesion molecules, including
      NCA, accompanied by increased resistance to LAK-mediated lysis. Moreover, the
      presence of CEA soluble antigen drastically inhibited the cytotoxic activity of
      LAK effectors against HT29 and LoVo/Dx cells, in a dose-dependent manner. These
      data indicate that sensitivity of colon-carcinoma cells to activated lymphocytes
      depends on the level of expression of adhesion molecules, including CEA and NCA.
      Given the role of CEA-related antigens in tumor/lymphocyte interaction, soluble
      CEA, frequently released by colon-carcinoma, may be involved in immunosuppressive
      effects induced in vivo by tumor cells.

PMID- 1431337
TI  - Immunohistology of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Specificity of reagents,
      choice of control tissues and practical application in surgical pathology.
AB  - Immunohistology of CEA has been used now for many years in research and in
      diagnostic applications. In this congress paper, the need for specificity checks,
      correct preservation and quality control of antibodies as well as the choice and
      preservation of control tissues will be discussed and, in addition, some aspects
      of the interpretation of CEA immunohistology in surgical pathology are
      illustrated, based upon prospectively collected data from a routine surgical
      pathology unit. An approach for collection and analysis is demonstrated and the
      diagnostic importance of CEA expression together with other antigens in the same
      tumor.

PMID- 1431338
TI  - External quality assurance of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) assay: main
      findings in six years' experience.
AB  - In 1984 we initiated a national external quality assessment (EQA) program
      (supported by the Italian National Research Council, CNR) for the CEA assay; at
      present, about 200 Italian laboratories are participating in the program. The
      laboratories assayed the quality control (QC) samples according to their routine
      procedures and returned the results together with the name of the method/kit they
      used. The collected results were computer-processed and reports were sent back to
      the participants. A significant reduction of the CVt (mean between-laboratory
      agreement) of the CEA assay was observed throughout the EQA survey (from 35% in
      1985 to 20-25% in the last cycles). In order to better clarify the differences in
      variability observed in the first QC cycles against the last ones, we used the
      ANOVA technique to evaluate the components of variability. The improvement in
      between-laboratory agreement was mainly due to the reduction of the between-kit
      component (from 30.5% to 15.2%), rather than to the smaller decrease observed for
      the within-kit variability (from 18.4% to 14.0%). The results reported for QC
      samples from different materials showed differences in the between-lab
      variability and substantial changes of the kit biases, thus suggesting a
      different specificity of the antibodies used in the various method/kits against
      different families of CEA molecules. Considerable uncertainty was also
      encountered in the clinical classification of low pathological samples, which
      seems mainly due to the variability in cut-off values used by the laboratories
      for the clinical assessment of the same analytical results. Our data indicate a
      progressive increase in the reliability of CEA determination during our study and
      confirm that EQA has improved the reliability of analysis carried out by the
      participating laboratories, thus stimulating the kit manufacturers to provide
      more reliable products.

PMID- 1431339
TI  - CEA serum levels in non-neoplastic disease.
AB  - Several non-neoplastic conditions, i.e., acute and chronic inflammations, benign
      tumors, renal or hepatic insufficiency, are associated with elevated plasma
      levels of Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA). Usually, CEA elevation in these
      pathologies is less than 10 ng/ml. CEA values in non-malignant disease can be
      affected by many factors, which can be classified into five main categories: a)
      tissular, b) physiological, c) metabolic, d) circulating and e) methodological
      factors. Synthesis, expression and release are the most important tissular
      factors. Among the metabolic ones liver, biliary and renal functions play a
      primary role in the determination of CEA concentrations. In addition, other
      factors such as the presence of circulating CEA-like substances, autoantibodies
      and immunocomplexes or the characteristics of the assay method can influence the
      diagnostic value of the CEA test. All these factors must be carefully considered
      when the marker is used in clinical practice.

PMID- 1431340
TI  - The role of serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in the management of patients
      with colorectal carcinoma: the experience of the Istituto Tumori of Milan.
AB  - CEA determination has attained an important role in the clinical management of
      patients with tumors of the colorectal tract. In this paper the experience of the
      Istituto Tumori of Milan is reviewed and the results are discussed. Three hundred
      and thirty-six patients were followed after curative resection of colorectal
      carcinoma. The follow-up period was 15 years, from January 1975 to December 1990
      (global follow-up 1358 years). In the course of follow-up 136 patients developed
      recurrent disease. The number of CEA determinations for each patient ranged from
      1 to 37 (mean 8, total 3330). CEA levels of presurgical patients were related to
      the clinical stage. Among patients who developed recurrences 61% showed an
      increase in CEA serum levels. In 200 patients with a negative follow-up we
      observed only 15 cases of false-positive results.

PMID- 1431341
TI  - CEA determination in the follow-up of extracolorectal neoplasms.
AB  - CEA was initially described as a tumor and organ specific colorectal antigen, but
      later found by more sensitive methods in other tumors (stomach, pancreas, lung,
      breast) and in minor amounts in inflammatory, normal adult and fetal organs of
      the gastrointestinal tract. The main clinical application of CEA concerns its
      pretherapeutic and serial determination as circulating antigen in serum and other
      body fluids by means of CEA-specific, commercially available test kits. By
      clinical studies a significant correlation has been proven between the
      pretherapeutic serum CEA level and tumor stages and prognosis. Moreover, serial
      CEA level changes have been shown a valuable monitor following operation or
      during radio/chemotherapy anticipating and reflecting the clinical course of
      disease. In combination with newly established tumor markers, the main clinical
      indication for CEA determination in addition to colorectal cancer concerns
      monitoring of patients with stomach (+CA 72-4), lung (+NSE/SCC) and breast cancer
      (+CA 15-3/MCA).

PMID- 1431342
TI  - Cost/effectiveness ratio of carcinoembryonic antigen--importance of adequacy of
      routine requests of tumor markers.
AB  - Since 1987 we have been evaluating the cost/effectiveness ratio of tumor markers
      using carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a leading indicator. Preliminary to the
      evaluation of cost/effectiveness ratio we verified the fitness of CEA requests to
      the proper clinical problems in order to identify any bias of cost due to
      inadequate CEA use. 2677 CEA orders were evaluated in 1987. The percentage of
      inadequate requests was very high (43%). Therefore, it seemed not advisable to
      carry out the evaluation of cost/effectiveness ratio, while educational actions
      (divulgation of informative material, service of telephone consultation) were
      addressed to the physicians of the geographic area of laboratory users. In 1991
      the adequacy of CEA requests was reevaluated. The percentage of inadequate
      requests on 2647 orders was 29.4%. This result, although not yet satisfactory,
      suggests that proper educational programs may probably improve the fitness of
      tumor marker requests to correct clinical problems. Additional educational
      actions are mandatory to further reduce the rate of inadequate tumor marker
      orders.

PMID- 1431343
TI  - Cancer imaging with CEA antibodies: historical and current perspectives.
AB  - This article reviews the history and status of cancer imaging with radiolabeled
      antibodies against carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Although CEA and many other
      cancer-associated antigens are not distinct for neoplasia, the quantitative
      increase of these markers in malignant tissues provides a sufficient differential
      for selective antibody targeting. Animal studies with xenografted human tumors
      provided the first evidence of the prospects of this technology, followed by
      initial clinical success with purified goat whole IgG antibodies to CEA, labeled
      with 131I and with the use of dual-isotope subtraction methods. Subsequently,
      improved and earlier imaging could be accomplished with monoclonal antibody
      fragments, which then would permit the use of shorter-lived radionuclides, such
      as 111In, 123I, and 99mTc. The preferred use of a monoclonal anti-CEA IgG Fab'
      fragment, labeled with 99mTc by a recently developed, simple and rapid kit, has
      enabled the detection of small lesions, including those in the liver, within 4 h
      of injection. By means of SPECT imaging, a high sensitivity and specificity for
      RAID could be achieved.

PMID- 1431344
TI  - Pilot, multicenter and prospective trials with an anti-CEA antibody.
AB  - In this paper we summarize the investigations performed by our group utilizing an
      anti-CEA monoclonal antibody (F023C5) labelled with different radionuclides in
      humans. Since 1983 radioimmunoscintigraphy (RIS) was performed on 51 patients
      with 64 localizations of colo-rectal carcinoma (pilot study). A multicenter
      clinical trial in a large number of patients (509 pts of which 284 with
      gastrointestinal cancer) was subsequently carried out in collaboration with ten
      nuclear medicine centres. High sensitivity and specificity values were obtained
      by these studies and many unsuspected lesions were recorded. In order to better
      define the clinical role of RIS, a prospective study was performed on 59 patients
      with suspected local relapses of colo-rectal cancer. A comparative evaluation of
      RIS, CT scan, US and MRI was done. RIS and MRI had the highest accuracy (86%)
      followed by CT scan (68%) and US (54%).

PMID- 1431345
TI  - Diagnostic applications and therapeutic approaches with different preparations of
      anti-CEA antibodies.
AB  - Various preparations of anti-CEA antibodies have shown to detect very sensitively
      CEA producing tumors. The development of human anti-mouse antibodies (HAMA)
      prevents from the widespread use of immunoscintigraphy (IS) in the follow-up of
      patients with colorectal carcinoma. It is, however, not yet clear if genetically
      reshaped antibodies will solve this problem and it is even less clear if this
      will change prognosis of these patients. There is certainly room for new
      therapeutic approaches in colorectal carcinoma. Radioimmunotherapy in combination
      with other techniques might advantageously complete surgery, chemotherapy and
      radiotherapy, but needs to be further developed.

PMID- 1431346
TI  - Anti-CEA and other antibodies in the study of gastrointestinal tumors.
AB  - Localization of gastrointestinal tumors by means of labeled monoclonal antibodies
      is a new, sensitive and suitable technique currently used in several centers.
      Encouraging results have been documented with several monoclonal antibodies by
      different authors. This article reviews our experience with
      radioimmunoscintigraphy in 59 patients with colorectal cancer in follow-up, using
      131I and 111In labeled B72.3, and in 16 patients with primary gastrointestinal
      tumors using 99mTc anti-CEA monoclonal antibody (type F023C5). The sensitivity of
      both B72.3 and anti-CEA was greater than 70% either for primary tumors and
      abdominal recurrences or distant metastases except hepatic ones. A significant
      gradient in antibody uptake was measured on surgical biopsies between tumors and
      normal tissues allowing a good in vivo contrast for gamma detection. We have
      defined the impact of some factors affecting in vivo tumor targeting. In fact,
      pharmacodynamics of MAbs, percentage of injected dose bound to tissues were
      measured, and in particular antigenic content in tumor nodules was quantified.
      Furthermore, the results of RIS were compared to those obtained by CT and other
      imaging modalities.

PMID- 1431347
TI  - Application of genetically-engineered anti-CEA antibodies for potential
      immunotherapy of colorectal cancer.
AB  - Hitherto anti-CEA monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), normally of mouse origin, have
      been used primarily for clinical diagnosis of colorectal cancer, either as a
      tumor marker in serum to monitor tumor recurrence, or latterly as a means to
      localize in vivo CEA-bearing tumors, and metastases in patients. In vivo
      diagnosis using mouse anti-CEA MAbs has so far had limited clinical utility
      because the antibodies elicit a strong anti-mouse immunoglobulin immune response
      on repeated administration in man. This problem has been addressed by the
      development of various strategies for "humanization" of mouse anti-CEA MAbs by
      genetic manipulation of immunoglobulin genes. Such humanized, engineered
      antibodies markedly attenuate the antigenic response directed against the MAb,
      such that safe, repeated administration to patients has become feasible. Such
      humanized anti-CEA antibodies can thus be radioactively-labelled and applied for
      in vivo monitoring and detection of recurrent malignant disease, or used for
      therapeutic strategies which similarly take advantage of the ability of the
      antibodies to target cytotoxic agents selectively to tumor cells. The application
      of these novel procedures for manipulating MAb structure presents entirely new
      opportunities for diagnosis and treatment of human colorectal cancer.

PMID- 1431348
TI  - Effectiveness of 6-month intermittent administration of natural human interferon
      alpha against non-A non-B chronic hepatitis.
AB  - Interferon (IFN) was administered intermittently for 6 months to the patients
      with non-A non-B chronic hepatitis (CHNANB), and the effectiveness of the
      treatment for improving the hepatic function was evaluated. Of 26 patients with
      CHNANB, 16 received intermittent IFN therapy (IFN group), and 10 were treated by
      conventional therapies without IFN (non-IFN group). All patients were observed
      for 1 year. IFN was administered once a day at 3 MU in principle (1 MU in some
      patients and 6 MU in 1 patient) daily for 1 week immediately after the beginning
      of the therapy and 3 times a week for the subsequent 6 months at the outpatient
      clinic. The patients were followed up for at least 6 months after completion of
      the treatment. In the IFN group, the serum GPT level normalized in 11 (68.8%) of
      the 16 patients 1 year after the beginning of the treatment. In these 11 patients
      (normalized group), HCV-RNA was negative or became negative in 3 of the 6
      patients in whom the serum HCV-RNA could be examined. Histological grades of
      inflammation in the liver were also markedly alleviated in the normalized group.
      The hepatic function did not normalize in any of the 10 patients in the non-IFN
      group. These findings indicate that IFN therapy is useful for CHNANB.

PMID- 1431349
TI  - [A study of enhancing effects of monocyte culture supernatant on
      polymorphonuclear neutrophils-chemiluminescence--comparison between normal
      controls and collagen disease patients].
AB  - Priming effect of monocyte culture supernatant on polymorphonuclear neutrophils
      (PMN)-chemiluminescence (CL) was studied in patients with systemic lupus
      erythematosus (n = 11) and mixed connective tissue disease (n = 4). In normal
      controls, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) induced PMN-CL was
      enhanced when PMN were previously incubated for 15 minutes with monocyte culture
      supernatant (MS) or T lymphocyte culture supernatant (TS) or T lymphocyte culture
      supernatant (TS). The enhancing effect of MS on PMN-CL was greater than that of
      TS. This enhancing effect of MS was inhibited by adding of dexamethasone (1
      microgram/ml) during the culture. Recombinant human TNF also enhanced PMN-CL as
      well as MS. When compared the enhancing effects of MS between patients and normal
      controls, that of patients under corticosteroid therapy (average prednisolone
      dose 39.5 mg/day) was reduced significantly. Thus, we concluded that the
      cytokines from monocyte contributed PMN phagocytosis of invading microorganisms,
      and that this monocyte-mediated PMN phagocytosis was suppressed partly by
      corticosteroids in collagen disease.

PMID- 1431350
TI  - [A study of nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus].
AB  - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most important
      microorganisms in nosocomial infection. The Hospital staff working in MRSA
      endemic wards are known to have MRSA in their nasal cavity. The nasal carriage of
      MRSA was detected in staff members and patients of two hospitals. In Niigata
      University Hospital, 10 out of 109 nurses and 8 out of 142 doctors were found to
      be MRSA carriers. On the other hand, in Nagaoka Red Cross Hospital, 25 out of 448
      nurses were found to be MRSA carriers, however, no carrier was found in 23
      doctors. These strains were also resistant to MCIPC, IPM, TFLX and OFLX, whereas
      they remained sensitive to VCM. The coagulase types of MRSA isolated from the
      hospital staff and patients were II, IV and VII, although those of Methicillin
      sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) consisted of all types. Elimination of nasal MRSA from
      the carriers was considered for avoiding hospital outbreaks caused by this
      potential pathogen. Forty hospital staff and 19 patients, in who's MRSA was found
      persisting in their nasal cavity, were treated by povidone iodine and
      chloramphenicol (CP) MRSA disappeared in 44% and 84% of the nasal carriers by
      povidone iodine and CP, respectively.

PMID- 1431352
TI  - [Biochemical analysis of lipopolysaccharides from respiratory pathogenic
      Branhamella catarrhalis strains and the role of anti-LPS antibodies in
      Branhamella respiratory infections].
AB  - We characterized lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) from respiratory pathogenic
      Branhamella catarrhalis (BC) strains, and evaluated the protective property of
      anti-BC LPS antibody in BC respiratory infections. LPSs from four strains of BC
      were lipooligosaccharide having no O-side chain and a M(r) of 3 KDa, as estimated
      by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). All of
      them produced different patterns, showing two to four bands on SDS-PAGE. We found
      high level of anti-BC IgG antibody in convalescent sera from a patient with BC
      respiratory tract infection by ELISA. This IgG antibody recognized BC LPSs on
      Western blots. Two respiratory pathogens of BC (strains; 87-122, 88-23) were
      tested in a bactericidal assay employing a convalescent sera. 87-122 strain was
      susceptible to antibody-dependent, complement-mediated killing, while 88-23
      strain was resistant. The killing of 87-122 strain was inhibited by addition of
      the homologous BC LPS to the convalescent sera in a dose-dependent manner. These
      data support that anti-BC LPS antibody may mediate complement-lysis of some
      strains of BC, and play a protective role in BC respiratory infections.

PMID- 1431351
TI  - [Study on lymphocyte-response in early stage of respiratory infection--a view
      point from experimental Klebsiella pneumoniae pneumonia].
AB  - This study was performed to demonstrate the early immuno-responses of lymphocytes
      in an experimental pneumonia with K. pneumoniae in mature mice (45 week-old)
      comparing with it in juvenile ones (4 week-old). Acute mice pneumonia was made by
      inhalation with K. pneumoniae DT-S strains into lung. Changes in lymphocytes
      including their subpopulation in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), peripheral
      blood, hilar lymphnodes and lung tissue were observed after the inhalation. In
      addition, lung tissue and hilar lymphnode were examined immunohistologically. The
      following results were obtained: 1. Total lymphocytes in BALF were more rapidly
      increased in the mature group than in the juvenile one. But there was no
      significant change in leukocyte count in peripheral blood between both groups. 2.
      Such a rapid increase in lymphocytes in BALF in mature group depended on L3T4
      Ly6c cells and L3T4-LFA 1 cells. These cells in juvenile group were not
      accumulated in BALF at initial phase of the infection. But in contrast, they were
      gradually increased in peripheral blood and in hilar lymphnode. There was
      significant time-differences in appearance of these cells in BALF between both
      groups. It might be, that L3T4-Ly6c cells and L3T4-LFA1 cells observed in BALF in
      mature animals were induced from bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) or
      small lymph tissue in alveolar interstitium, but in juvenile ones were originated
      in hilar lymphnode. 3. Changes in Ly2-Ly6c cell and Ly2-LFA1 cell were shown the
      same tendency changes in L3T4-Ly6c cell and L3T4-LFA1 cell. 4. Accumulation of
      B220:Ly5-LFA1 cell in BALF was not observed in significant difference between the
      mature group and in the juvenile one. 5. L3T4 cells were markedly accumulation in
      subcortex area of hilar lymphnode in the juvenile group, but they were only seen
      scattered in the mature group. 6. It can be concluded that active T lymphocyte
      begins to response in situ in the early stage of respiratory infection in the
      mature host and this finding is a characteristic lymphocyte response, that is
      never seen in the juvenile group.

PMID- 1431353
TI  - [Antigen detection in the murine models of systemic candidiasis].
AB  - We compared two latex agglutination tests for serum candidal antigen in murine
      models of systemic infection and gastrointestinal colonization. In the
      intravascular-infection model, mannan detection test was positive at 2 hours
      after inoculation, but Cand-Tec was less sensitive than mannan detection test in
      this model. In the gastrointestinal colonization model followed by systemic
      infection in neutropenic mice, the mannan antigen test became positive after 3
      weeks of colonization with increased number of Candida of the stool, and Cand-Tec
      became positive after 5 weeks in neutropenic mice.

PMID- 1431354
TI  - [Study on the bacteriological examination of sputum and bronchoscopy specimens
      from 31 cases with pneumonia due to Chlamydia psittaci].
AB  - We carried out the bacteriological examination of sputum and bronchoscopy
      specimens from 31 cases with pneumonia due to C. psittaci. The results obtained
      were as follows: 1. The positive culture of sputum and bronchoscopy specimens
      were 38.7% (12/31). 2. The organisms detected from them were 13 strains of gram
      negative bacilli, 2 of gram-positive cocci and one gram-positive bacillus. 3.
      Significant differences were observed in the white blood cell count between the
      cases of positive culture and those of normal upper respiratory tract flora (p
      less than 0.05). From the results we conclude that it would be better that we add
      the proper antimicrobial drugs to chlamydial antibiotics in the treatment of
      patients with leukocytosis.

PMID- 1431355
TI  - [Two cases of diffuse panbronchiolitis receiving long-term erythromycin (EM)
      therapy with acute exacerbation due to EM-resistant pneumococcus].
AB  - The first case was a 73-year-old woman with chief complaints of fever, cough,
      purulent sputum and dyspnea. EM therapy was begun in December 1983 due to a
      diagnosis of diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB). Subsequently, P. aeruginosa was
      persistently detected, while in February 1991 at the time of an acute
      exacerbation of the DPB P. aeruginosa and S. pneumoniae were detected by TTA. The
      second case was a 65-year-old man with chief complaints of fever, cough and
      purulent sputum. DPB was diagnosed and EM therapy was begun in December 1985. In
      January 1991, pneumonia developed, at the time when S. pneumoniae was detected by
      TTA. In both cases, rapid disappearance of S. pneumoniae from the sputum and
      alleviation of symptoms were obtained with carbapenem antibiotic administration.
      Both strains were resistant to EM, Tetracycline (TC), Minocycline (MINO) and
      Clindamycin (CLDM). Particularly, S. pneumoniae of case 2 showed low sensitivity
      to Ampicillin (ABPC), Cefotiam (CTM) and Cefoxitin (CFX) as well. These cases
      showed acute exacerbations due to EM-resistant pneumococcus during long-term
      therapy with EM, and are of interest in that they may shed light on the relation
      between long-term EM therapy and the emergence of resistant pneumococcus.

PMID- 1431357
TI  - [An outbreak of municipal water-associated food poisoning caused by Salmonella
      enteritidis].
AB  - An outbreak of municipal water-associated food poisoning by Salmonella
      Enteritidis occurred in Takatoh Town. Nagano prefecture during September 4 to 19,
      1989. The major symptoms observed in the 680 patients consisted of diarrhea
      (70.9%), abdominal pain (51.2%), fever (44.6%), headache (27.9%), nausea (5.9%)
      and vomiting (5.7%). In the outbreak, S. Enteritidis was the only suspected
      etiological agent isolated from both patients and municipal water supply. All of
      the 21 isolates were lysine decarboxylase activity negative. In other respects,
      the isolates conformed to the general characteristics of Salmonella. All of them
      were further characterized by phagovar 8 type, uniform drug susceptibilities and
      carrying 2.7 kb plasmid. Inspite of the evidence that the infection caused by a
      peculiar strain linked to the strain in municipal water supply used by the
      patients, it was impossible to determine the exact source of contamination in the
      water. The outbreak above seems to be the most large-scale among those of
      Salmonella found poisoning associated with drinking water in Japan.

PMID- 1431356
TI  - [Epidemiological and bacteriological study on gonococcal infections].
AB  - Epidemiological and bacteriological studies on Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated in
      Sapporo, Japan, in 1980 and 1991 performed and the following results were
      obtained. 1. The range of age in the patients infected with Neisseria gonorrhoeae
      tended to be younger than those in the whole country. 2. Male patients in the
      early 20s or younger with gonococcal urethritis were often infected by bon
      professional females but those in their late 20s or older were often infected
      from professional females, for example prostitutes and hostesses. 3. The rate of
      professional females who were positive to gonococci reached 17.4% and young
      females in their teens with cervicitis had the highest morbidity rate of
      gonococci than those in the older females. 4. The latent period in gonococcal
      infections tended to become longer gradually. 5. The isolation rate of
      penicillinase producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG) showed a peak of 23.9%
      (61/255) in 1985, but gradually declined thereafter and it was 3.7% (1/27) in
      1991. 6. An investigation on auxotype showed a decline of proto and Pro-strains
      and an increase of AHU-strains in non-PPNG. And most of the PPNG belonged to
      proto or Pro-strains. 7. With the relationship between auxotype and sensitivity
      to AMPC, AHU-strains were more sensitive than proto or Pro-strains.

PMID- 1431358
TI  - [Food poisoning caused by enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (O164:H-)--a case in
      which the causative agent was identified].
AB  - Food poisoning due to "Godofu (Sasayuki tofu)" as a main causative foodstuff
      which broke out on July 14, 1988. There were 670 out of 918 persons who ingested
      this food who became ill (incidence 73.0%). The main symptoms were diarrhea
      (93.4%), fever (77.5%), abdominal pain (64.5%), and vomiting (19.9%). A high
      degree of fever and watery diarrhea were characteristic of this poisoning. The
      average latent period was 35 hours with a range of one to 156. The O164:H-
      strains of enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) were detected from 22 of the 32
      fecal samples collected from the patients, five of ten samples collected from
      workers engaged in tofu making, and one sample of left-over Godofu. The virulence
      of EIEC strains isolated from the patients, workers, and left-over food was
      confirmed by invasion into HeLa and HEp-2 cells, Sereny test, and ELISA test to
      detect invasive plasmid-derived protein of the organism (conducted at Tokyo
      Metropolitan Research Laboratory of Public Health). These EIEC strains were
      sensitive (less than or equal to 0.19 to 6.25 micrograms/ml) to GM, ABPC, CBPC,
      CER, CET, NA, PB, MINO, TC and CP as well as KM and OFLX which were used for
      treatment. However, their susceptibility to FOM varied to some extent (6.25 to
      25.0 micrograms/ml) and one strain isolated from a tofu worker was resistant to
      MINO, TC, FOM and CP (25 to greater than or equal to 100 micrograms/ml). Since
      investigation revealed that Godofu was left at room temperature about 29 degrees
      C until ingested, we did a experiment to check the bacterial growth in Godofu
      under similar conditions at the time of outbreak.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1431359
TI  - [Mechanism of acquired resistance against Legionella--blastogenic responses of
      murine spleen lymphoid cells following the stimulation with Legionella antigens].
AB  - We have tried to characterize the blastogenic responses of murine spleen lymphoid
      cells from BALB/c mice immunized with Legionella pneumophila serogroup (SG) 1
      (Philadelphia 1 strain) and non-treated mice. Lymphoid cells from immunized mice
      showed stronger blastogenic responses following stimulation with concanavalin A
      or formalin-treated L. pneumophila SG1 whole cell antigen than those showed by
      lymphoid cells from non-treated mice. These cells from immunized mice also
      responded strongly when stimulated in vitro with other SGs of L. pneumophila,
      while these responded weakly when stimulated with other species of Legionella.
      Serum antibody titers of immunized mice against each SG of L. pneumophila were
      examined and the cross reactions were also recognized. However, the relatedness
      of serum antibody titers and the blastogenic responses against each serogroup of
      L. pneumophila was small. The epitopes recognized by the cellular immunity might
      be different in part from those recognized by serum antibodies, and
      investigations should be made on what the cellular immunity recognizes and how it
      works.

PMID- 1431360
TI  - Calculus pyonephrosis due to Candida albicans with special reference to
      serodiagnostic parameters.

PMID- 1431361
TI  - [Efficacy of levofloxacin on typhoid fever].

PMID- 1431362
TI  - [Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in first-voided urine sediments from male
      urethritis by polymerase chain reaction].
AB  - Chlamydia trachomatis was detected from first-voided urine sediments of 97 male
      patients with urethritis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Since urine and
      urinary sediments only treated with proteinase K inhibited DNA amplification by
      PCR, DNA was further purified by phenol extraction and concentrated. Two
      oligonucleotides based on sequences within the major outer membrane gene from C.
      trachomatis serovar L2 were used as primers. A DNA fragment of 242 bp specific
      for C. trachomatis was amplified by PCR and detected by agarose gel
      electrophoresis. The DNA fragment was amplified by PCR in all specimens of urine
      sediments from 50 patients with Chlamydiazyme-positive urethral swab. In 38
      specimens of urine sediments from 47 patients with Chlamydiazyme-negative
      urethral swab, PCR was negative. The overall coincidence rate between the PCR for
      detecting C. trachomatis in first-voided urine sediments and Clamydiazyme in
      urethral swab was 90.7% (88/97). Detection of C. trachomatis from first-voided
      urine sediments by PCR was considered to be noninvasive and useful for the
      diagnosis of male urethritis due to C. trachomatis.

PMID- 1431363
TI  - [Dose finding study of cefepime for chronic respiratory infections].
AB  - In order to determine the optimal dose of cefepime (CFPM) for respiratory tract
      infections, a dose finding study was conducted in patients with chronic
      respiratory tract infections, and the clinical properties of the drugs were
      compared with those of ceftazidime (CAZ). Each drug was administered by
      intravenous drip infusion at the dose of 2 g/day of CFPM, 4 g/day of CFPM or 2
      g/day of CAZ for 14 days. 1. The overall efficacy rates evaluated by the
      committee were 82.6% (19/23) for the CFPM 2 g/day group, 85.0% (17/20) for the 4
      g/day group and 79.3% (23/29) for the CAZ 2 g/day group, with no statistically
      significant difference among the three groups. 2. The overall efficacy rates
      evaluated by the attending physicians were 91.3% (21/23) for the CFPM 2 g/day
      group, 78.9% (15/19) for the CFPM 4 g/day group and 75.9% (22/29) for the CAZ 2
      g/day group, with no significant difference among the three groups. 3.
      Bacteriological eradication rates were 88.2% (15/17) for the CFPM 2 g/day group,
      68.8% (11/16) for the CFPM 4 g/day group and 63.2% (12/19) for the CAZ 2 g/day
      group, with no statistically significant difference among the three groups. 4.
      The incidences of adverse reactions were 3.8% (1/26) for the CFPM 2 g/day group,
      9.1% (2/22) for the CFPM 4 g/day group and 3.4% (1/29) for the CAZ 2 g/day group,
      with no significant difference among the three groups. The incidences of abnormal
      laboratory findings were 37.5% (9/24) for the CFPM 2 g/day group, 15.0% (3/20)
      for the CFPM 4 g/day group and 3.4% (1/29) for the CAZ 2 g/day group. There was a
      significant difference among the three groups. 5. Utility rates assessed by the
      committee were 81.8% (18/22) for the CFPM 2 g/day group, 76.2% (16/21) for the
      CFPM 4 g/day group and 75.9% (22/29) for the CAZ 2 g/day group. Utility rates
      assessed by attending physicians were 90.9% (20/22), 78.9% (15/19) and 72.4%
      (21/29), respectively. There was no significant difference among the three
      groups. From the above results, it is concluded that the optimal dosage of CFPM
      is 2 g/day for chronic respiratory tract infections.

PMID- 1431364
TI  - [A comparative study of cefepime for bacterial pneumonia].
AB  - The efficacy, safety and usefulness of cefepime (CFPM), a new cephem antibiotic,
      in bacterial pneumonia, were evaluated in a comparative study against ceftazidime
      (CAZ). Each drug was administered by intravenous drip infusion at a dose of 1.0 g
      (nominal potency) twice daily for 14 days, and the following results were
      obtained. 1. A total of 183 cases were enrolled in this study. Efficacy rates
      ("good" or better responses) as evaluated by the subcommittee were 90.3% (65/72)
      in the CFPM group and 94.0% (63/67) in the CAZ group, with no significant
      difference between the 2 groups. 2. Efficacy rates ("good" or better responses),
      as evaluated by attending physicians, (in the same bacterial pneumonia cases
      which were subjected to evaluation by the subcommittee) were 87.5% (63/72) in the
      CFPM group and 89.6% (60/67) in the CAZ group, with no significant difference
      between the 2 groups. 3. Bacteriologically, eradication rates were 96.9% (31/32)
      in the CFPM group and 96.7% (29/30) in the CAZ group with no significant
      difference between the 2 groups. 4. The incidence of side effects was 5.9% (5/85)
      in the CFPM group and 4.8% (4/84) in the CAZ group, with no significant
      difference between the 2 groups. No significant difference was also found between
      the 2 groups in the incidence of abnormal laboratory findings; 28.4% (23/81) of
      the case in the CFPM group and 34.1% (28/82) in the CAZ group. 5. As for overall
      usefulness of the drug in bacterial pneumonia cases, utility rates ("useful" or
      better evaluations) as evaluated by the subcommittee were 88.9% (64/72) in the
      CFPM group and 92.5% (62/67) in the CAZ group. The rates as evaluated by
      investigators (in cases judged as evaluable by the subcommittee) were 87.5%
      (63/72) and 85.1% (57/67), respectively. There were no significant differences
      between the 2 groups. These results indicated that CFPM is very useful for the
      treatment of bacterial pneumonia.

PMID- 1431366
TI  - [Growth inhibitory activity of clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
      against Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA and MSSA)].
AB  - Anti staphylococcal activity by clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was
      tested by the reversed agar plate and the filter paper stamp methods. Almost 40%
      of Pseudomonas aeruginosa inhibited the growth of both Methicillin resistant
      Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus
      (MSSA). Green pigment (Pyocyanin) produced strains showed a strong inhibitory
      effect against MRSA and MSSA respectively. But some other pigment (Yellow, Red)
      strains also showed anti staphylococcal activity. These data suggest the
      colonization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with anti staphylococcal activity may not
      be eradicated by the anti pseudomonic antibiotics.

PMID- 1431365
TI  - [A comparative study of cefepime for chronic respiratory tract infections].
AB  - The clinical efficacy, safety and usefulness of Cefepime (CFPM), a new cephem
      antibiotics, in chronic respiratory infections were evaluated in a comparative
      study against Ceftazidime (CAZ). Each drug was administered by intravenous drip
      infusion at a dose of 1.0 g (nominal potency), twice daily for 14 days, and the
      following results were obtained: 1. A total of 170 cases were enrolled in this
      study. Efficacy rates ("good" or better responses) as evaluated by the
      subcommittee were 86.2% (56/65) in the CFPM group and 84.5% (60/71) in the CAZ
      group, with no significant difference between the two groups. 2. Efficacy rates
      ("good" or better responses) as evaluated by attending physicians were 83.3%
      (55/66) in the CFPM group and 84.5% (60/71) in the CAZ group with no significant
      difference between the two groups. 3. Bacteriologically, eradication rates were
      83.3% (40/48) in the CFPM group and 88.2% (45/51) in the CAZ group, with no
      significant difference between the two groups. 4. Side effects occurred in none
      of the patients in the CAZ group and in 4 of the 66 patients in the CFPM group.
      There was a significant difference between the two groups (Fisher's test p =
      0.0489). The incidence of abnormal laboratory findings were 17.6% (12/68) in the
      CFPM group and 21.1% (16/76) in the CAZ group. There was no significant
      difference between the two groups. 5. The utility rates evaluated by the
      subcommittee were 81.8% (54/66) in the CFPM group and 84.5% (60/71) in the CAZ
      group with no significant difference between the two groups. Only in the
      incidence of side effects, there was a significant difference between the two
      groups (Fisher's test p = 0.0489), but there was no significant difference in
      other items of efficacy, safety and usefulness between the two groups. These
      results indicate that CFPM is useful for the treatment of chronic respiratory
      tract infections.

PMID- 1431367
TI  - [Effect of gentiana violet against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
      (MRSA)].
AB  - The bactericidal effect of gentiana violet against MRSA isolated from clinical
      specimens was studied both in vitro and in vivo. The results obtained are as
      follows: 1) Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of gentiana violet to MRSA
      was between 0.0025% and 0.08% and the MBC was not influenced even if 25% human
      whole serum exists in the medium. 2) The number of cells were 2.1 x 10(7) CFU/ml
      in medium which decreased to 5.4 x 10(4) CFU/ml within 5 min by existing 0.1%
      gentiana violet in the medium as the final concentration, and also decreased
      under 10(3) CFU/ml 15 min later. 3) Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of
      gentiana violet to MRSA was between 0.00015% and 0.00063%, and the inhibitory
      activity was not influenced even if gentiana violet was incubated with the
      bacteria in the medium for 72 hr at 37 degrees C. 4) By using an ointment
      containing 0.1% gentiana violet to 12 cases of patients with the MRSA infected
      skin lesions, MRSA was eliminated completely from the infected areas of the skin
      within 4 weeks. 5) The side effects of gentiana violet were not observed in all
      cases during the use of the ointment containing gentiana violet. It is suggested
      that gentiana violet may be one of the useful drugs for the treatment of the skin
      lesions infected with MRSA.

PMID- 1431368
TI  - [Clinical studies on the treatment of Campylobacter enteritis--emergence of
      quinolone-resistant Campylobacter jejuni after treatment with new quinolones].
AB  - In recent years, new quinolones such as ofloxacin (OFLX) and tosufloxacin (TFLX)
      have been frequently used in the treatment of bacterial enteritis caused by
      unknown organisms. The agent of first choice for the treatment of Campylobacter
      enteritis is one of the macrolides, but new quinolones are often administered
      accidentally to adult patients with Campylobacter enteritis. We have detected
      quinolone-resistant strains of Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) after the
      treatment of some patients with new quinolones, and accordingly we reviewed the
      treatment of Campylobacter enteritis. We experienced 178 adult patients with
      Campylobacter enteritis from January 1989 to November 1991 at our hospital. From
      them, we selected 52 patients (32 males and 20 females) in whom stool culture
      were performed both before and after treatment. The initially administered
      antimicrobial agent was a macrolide (rokitamycin, RKM) in 6 cases, a new
      quinolone in 22 cases, and kanamycin (KM) in 24 cases. The new quinolone used was
      OFLX in 17 cases, TFLX in 3 cases, and norfloxacin (NFLX) in 2 cases. Fifty-one
      of the 52 C. jejuni strains isolated before treatment were susceptible to OFLX
      and erythromycin (EM) according to antimicrobial disc susceptibility tests. C.
      jejuni was eradicated in all patients treated with RKM or KM. However, treatment
      failed to achieve bacteriological cure in 8/22 (36.4%) patients given new
      quinolones. In these patients, the strains of C. jejuni isolated before treatment
      were susceptible to OFLX, but the strains isolated after treatment were all
      resistant to OFLX according to disc susceptibility tests.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431369
TI  - [Shigella dysenteriae strains having a provisional serovar isolated from imported
      diarrheal cases in Tokyo].
AB  - Two bacterial strains (ME448 and ME474) isolated from stool cultures of imported
      cases in Tokyo in 1987 had typical biochemical characteristics of Shigella
      dysenteriae. The results of antigenic analyses showed that they were
      serologically identical to each other, but did not belong to any of the
      established Shigella serovars. These strains were positive for Sereny test in
      guinea pig eye and cell-invasion test in HeLa cells. The strains also had
      virulence-plasmid encoding outer membrane proteins, indicating that they were
      pathogenic. We then contacted the Centers for Disease Control in the United
      States and the Central Public Health Laboratory in the United Kingdom and
      arranged serological examinations of the strain ME448. From the results, the
      strain was confirmed to have provisional S. dysenteriae serovar E23507. Although
      the serovar had been isolated from a Swedish patient who developed diarrhea while
      in India, this is thought to be the first report of its isolation in Japan.

PMID- 1431370
TI  - [Clinical study of eradicated and resistant patients to treatment with ivermectin
      for strongyloidiasis].
AB  - We treated 70 patients with strongyloidiasis (41 males and 29 females) with
      ivermectin (IVM), and obtained the following results: 1. The eradication rates at
      1-2 months, 3-4 months and 5-6 months after treatment were 90.7% (49 of 54
      patients), 100.0% (47 of 47 patients) and 95.7% (45 of 47 patients),
      responsively. Twelve patients were resistant (non-responsive) to treatment. 2.
      When compared to patients whose parasites were completely eradicated, the
      resistant patients showed the following results: 1) Incidence of symptoms
      observed before treatment was significantly lower (50.0% vs. 84.5%). 2) Positive
      rate of anti-HTLV-I antibody was significantly higher (66.7% vs. 20.7%). 3) Blood
      eosinophil counts before treatment were significantly lower (266.6 +/- 117.2/mm3
      vs. 533.2 +/- 429.7/mm3). 4) Serum IgE levels before treatment were significantly
      lower (217.2 +/- 442.9 IU/ml vs. 1,076.8 +/- 2,108.0 IU/ml). 5) There were no
      significant differences in age, sex and dosage of ivermectin. 3. Comparing anti
      HTLV-I antibody positive and negative patients, the following results were
      obtained: 1) Eradicated patients; a) Eosinophils and IgE levels before and after
      the first administration of medicine in anti-HTLV-I antibody positive patients
      were significantly lower than those of negative patients. b) Gammaglobulin levels
      before treatment and after both administrations of the drug, IgG before therapy
      and OKT4/OKT8 after therapy were significantly higher than in anti-HTLV-I
      antibody positive patients. 2) Resistant patients; Eosinophils after treatment
      were significantly lower in anti-HTLV-I antibody negative patients than in
      positive patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431371
TI  - [Rapid diagnosis of influenza infection by PCR method--detection of influenza
      virus HA gene in throat swab].
AB  - We studied the detection of the HA gene of human influenza viruses in throat
      swabs obtained from the outbreaks of influenza in school children utilizing the
      polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Sensitivity and specificity of the PCR
      method was compared to conventional virus isolation using MDCK cells. Three pairs
      of primers for PCR in detecting the HA genes of AH1, AH3, and B influenza viruses
      showed both subtype and type specificity. The dilution experiments showed that
      influenza viruses, as few as 1.1-3.5 plaque-forming units per 50 microliters,
      were sufficient for the detection of HA genes by PCR method and the detection
      rate by PCR method was 2-3 fold higher than that by conventional method. Our
      results showed that the PCR method was a fast, sensitive and reliable method for
      the diagnosis of influenza infections.

PMID- 1431372
TI  - [Isolation of vero-cytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli from cattle and
      serotyping and toxin-typing of the isolated strains].
AB  - Two hundred and sixty-six piglets with diarrhea (from 4 farms), 73 healthy
      pregnant pig (from 2 farms), 27 calves with diarrhea (from 9 farms) and 47
      healthy milk cows (from 1 farm) were examined for Vero-cytotoxin-producing
      Escherichia coli (VTEC), and 52, 11, 15 and 67 strains of VTEC were isolated from
      17 piglets, 11 pregnant pigs, 6 calves and 23 milk cows, respectively. All VTEC
      strains from the piglets produced only VT2vp, while the strains from the healthy
      pigs did not produce VT2vp, but did VT1 and/or VT2. Most VTEC strains from calves
      and cows produced VT2vhb and some produced VT2 and VT1. Serotyping of the
      isolated strains showed that many strains from the piglets belonged either
      O139:H1, O141:H4 or O141:HUT, but the strains from the pigs were either R-form or
      O-untypable. Many strains from the calves and cows were serotyped into O116 or
      O113, but there were several R-form and O-untypable. From these results, it is
      suggested that VTEC strains, especially from the pregnant pigs, calves with
      diarrhea and healthy milk cows, which produced the same type of Verotoxins to
      that produced by human isolates, may become sources of human infections.

PMID- 1431373
TI  - [Dynamic process of colonization by Haemophilus influenzae in children--is H.
      influenzae normal flora in the throat?].
AB  - Eighty-seven oropharyngeal isolates of Haemophilus influenzae were obtained by
      two time cultures six months apart from a total of 288 children who attend a
      kindergarten. We analyzed the strains by comparing their serotypes, biotypes,
      beta-lactamase activity and by performing electrophoresis of outer membrane
      proteins on polyacrylamide gels. Only nineteen strains were not identical, the
      rest of the 68 strains were classified into 23 types. During 6 months at least 15
      types of strains lost from this group and 21 types of new strains were obtained.
      There were no children who had identical pairs of H. influenzae in their
      oropharynx during the 6 months. The classification of strains in oropharynx
      suggested that person-to-person transmission of nontypable H. influenzae can
      occur. We concluded that oropharyngeal colonization by nontypable H. influenzae
      is not a normal flora in children.

PMID- 1431374
TI  - [Study on local immune response in Escherichia coli-induced experimental urinary
      tract infection in mice--infiltration of Ia-positive cells, macrophages,
      neutrophils, T cells and B cells].
AB  - We studied the local immune response in a mouse experiment with acute ascending
      cystitis and pyelonephritis. The experimental infections were induced in BALB/c
      female mice by transurethral instillation of Escherichia coli O6. Immune response
      cells were stained, including Ia-positive cells, macrophages, neutrophils, T
      cells (CD4+ and CD8+) and B cells (IgA, IgM, IgG-positive B cell). They were
      stained by the immunohistochemical method (ABC method) using monoclonal
      antibodies against lineage specific antigens except for neutrophils that were
      readily identified by the standard hematoxylin-eosin. Even in the control mice
      having no evidence of the infection, mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)
      consisted of macrophages, Ia-positive cells and T cells that were sparingly found
      in the urinary tract tissue and renal parenchyma. Ia-positive cells, macrophages,
      neutrophils, T cells (CD4+, CD8+) and IgA positive B cells were significantly
      infiltrated in the bladder submucosa from 6 hours after bacterial inoculation.
      The infiltration of similar immune response cells was found in the submucosa of
      the renal pelvis, except for IgA positive B cells that appeared one day after the
      induction of the infection. In renal parenchyma, Ia-positive cells appeared at 6
      hours after introduction of the infection, followed by an infiltration of
      neutrophils, macrophages and T cells (CD4+, CD8+) at the first day, and IgA
      positive B cells at the third day. These results are summarized as follows. When
      microbes invaded the urinary tract tissue, a significant number of Ia-positive
      cells infiltrated, which were initially present in normal urinary tract tissue.
      Subsequently, neutrophils, macrophages and T cells (CD4+, CD8+) appeared in the
      lesion followed by a delayed occurrence of IgA positive B cells.

PMID- 1431375
TI  - Chlamydial epididymitis diagnosed by genetic detection of Chlamydia trachomatis
      from epididymal aspirate by polymerase chain reaction.

PMID- 1431376
TI  - [A case of pneumonia due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae accompanying high adenosine
      deaminase activity in pleural effusion].
AB  - We experienced a 5-year-old male case of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia
      accompanying Adenosine Deaminase (ADA) activity in pleural effusion. Chest
      roentgenograms revealed the infiltration in the left upper lung field and the
      left pleural effusion. In serum, the M. pneumoniae CF titer increased to 1:512.
      The pleural effusion was yellowish in color, with a specific gravity of 1.030,
      protein 3.7 g/dl, glucose 101 g/dl, and ADA 50 IU/l. Pleural effusion
      accompanying M. pneumoniae pneumonia is rare, and the high ADA activity in this
      case has been reported only in one other case. This is a report of a high
      activity of ADA in the pleural fluid by M. pneumoniae pneumonia.

PMID- 1431377
TI  - [A case of eosinophilic meningitis due to Angiostrongylus cantonensis].
AB  - We report a case of eosinophilic meningitis caused by Angiostrongylus
      cantonensis. This patient, a 50-year-old male, had been eating uncooked slugs for
      40 years. His chief complaints on admission were headache, fever and general
      fatigue. Neurological examination and CT findings were normal, but the CSF
      contained increased cells, most of which were eosinophilic cells. The presence of
      eosinophilic cells in the CSF is by itself abnormal. We therefore suspected
      eosinophilic meningitis and performed immunological tests. Since the gelatin
      particle method and immunological antigen antibody reaction were positive. We
      diagnosed the patient as having eosinophilic meningitis caused by Angiostrongylus
      cantonensis. There are only 27 reported cases of this disease in Japan, and most
      of them have been reported in Okinawa-Prefecture.

PMID- 1431378
TI  - [Detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in first-voided urine sediments from male
      urethritis patients by polymerase chain reaction].
AB  - Neisseria gonorrhoeae was detected from first-voided urine sediments of male
      patients with urethritis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Urine and urinary
      sediment were treated with proteinase K, and DNA was further purified by phenol
      extraction. Two oligonucleotides based on sequences within a ribosomal RNA gene
      from N. gonorrhoeae were used as primers for the PCR. A DNA fragment of 206 bp
      specific for N. gonorrhoeae was amplified by PCR and detected by agarose gel
      electrophoresis. In 19 specimens of urine sediments collected from 21 patients in
      whom N. gonorrhoeae was isolated from urethral swab by culture, 206 bp DNA
      fragment was amplified by PCR. In all specimens of urine sediments from 24
      patients in whom cultures for N. gonorrhoeae were negative, no DNA was amplified
      by the PCR. The overall coincidence rate between the PCR for detecting N.
      gonorrhoeae in first-voided urine sediments and culture in urethral swab was
      95.6% (43/45). PCR procedure for detection of pathogens from first-voided urine
      sediments would be noninvasive and would be applied for the diagnosis of
      gonococcal urethritis and chlamydial urethritis.

PMID- 1431379
TI  - A clinical study on patients with urinary tract infection due to coagulase
      negative staphylococci.
AB  - To assess the clinical significance of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) in
      patients with urinary tract infection (UTI), the clinical characteristics of a
      total of 117 patients (106 complicated UTI patients, 11 uncomplicated UTI
      patients) from whom CNS were isolated at urinary colony counts of 10(5) or more
      per ml were studied. Of the complicated UTI patients, 95 patients (89.6%)
      suffered from no symptoms while 11 (10.4%) had fever of 38 degrees C or greater,
      which was strongly suspected to be due to genitourinary tract infections. Six of
      these patients were managed by indwelling urinary catheters. On the other hand,
      all of the patients with uncomplicated UTI were young women and had typical
      symptoms of acute cystitis. These results suggest that CNS, which hitherto have
      been considered mere contaminants or benign colonization rather than true
      pathogens, can also cause complicated UTI requiring chemotherapy under certain
      conditions such as indwelling urinary catheterization and acute cystitis in
      sexually active women.

PMID- 1431380
TI  - [Vectors of Japanese spotted fever].
AB  - In the southeast coast of Shikoku, most of the Japanese spotted fever (JSF)
      patients were found to be infected with the rickettsial pathogen through bamboo
      plantation, and also the eschar was frequently noticed in skin inspection, so
      that it was clinically speculated to be caused by ticks. According to out field
      research, the tick fauna was very rich throughout that area, and it was
      permissible enough to determine ticks as the vectors, based on arising of anti-SF
      group rickettsiae (SFGR) antibody in mice inoculated with some tick emulsions,
      findings of rickettsiae reactive to patient sera or a species-specific monoclonal
      antibody to JSFR in the hemolymph cells of some ticks, and electron microscopical
      observations of SFGR in various internal organs including the salivary gland of
      ticks. Also the transovarial and transstadial transmission of SFGR in ticks were
      supposed. Our results suggest that common species (adult/nymph) of the genus
      Haemaphysalis may be the most related vectors to man, based on their dominances,
      SFGR-prevalences, behavior and incidences of infestation but also indicate that
      various genera and species should be kept as the potential vectors, in spite of
      JSFR isolation from a restricted species of ticks in the future.

PMID- 1431381
TI  - [Detection of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) markers in HBV carriers].
AB  - To investigate the prevalence and clinical features of hepatitis delta virus
      (HDV) superinfection in hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers, antibody to hepatitis
      delta antigen (anti-HD) was determined in the sera of 328 HBV carriers in Japan.
      1) Of the 328 HBV carriers, six (1.8%) were seropositive for anti-HD by enzyme
      linked immunosorbent assay. IgM-antibody to hepatitis delta antigen was detected
      in 2/6 patients with a high anti-HDV titer. None of the patients was positive for
      hepatitis dealt antigen. 2) HBV carriers with chronic liver disease had a greater
      frequency of seropositivity of anti-HD than asymptomatic HBV carriers. These data
      indicate that HDV superinfection may be an etiologic agent of chronic liver
      disease in HBV carriers.

PMID- 1431382
TI  - [Clinical study of albendazole therapy for strongyloidiasis].
AB  - We reported the efficacy of albendazole (ABZ) for the treatment of 27 patients
      with strongyloidiasis. Twenty-seven patients, 23 males and 4 females, received
      200 mg of ABZ one hour before breakfast and supper for 3 days and this treatment
      was repeated 2 weeks later. The following results were obtained: 1) The
      eradication rate at 2 weeks after the initial treatment was 70.4% (19 of 27
      patients) and 2 weeks after the second course was 66.7% (16 of 24 patients). 2)
      One patients (3.7%) complained of abdominal pain after the first treatment. Four
      patients (14.8%) complained of headache (n = 2), nausea (n = 1) and exanthema (n
      = 1) after the second treatment. But all symptoms were mild and required no
      treatment and subsided in a few days. 3) Positive rate of HTLV-1 antibody was
      45.8% in the patients. As described above, side effects occurred in some cases,
      although they were mild and transient. From these results, it can be concluded
      that on increased dose of ABZ could be much more favorable for the treatment of
      strongyloidiasis.

PMID- 1431383
TI  - Drug resistant plasmid of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae isolated from swine
      pleuropneumonia in Thailand.
AB  - Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, isolated from the pneumonic lung tissue of pigs,
      was resistant to streptomycin, sulfadiazine and tetracycline. This isolate, TA5,
      possessed 2 plasmids (pTA51 = 3.7 Kb, pTA52 = 6.2 Kb); one of the plasmids
      (pTA52) was coded for resistance to SM and SA. Another isolate of A.
      pleuropneumoniae, TA8, also possessed 2 plasmids (pTA81 = 3.7 Kb, pTA82 = 4.4
      Kb), with a plasmid (pTA82) coded for resistance to SM and SA. All 4 plasmids
      were not transmissible and small.

PMID- 1431385
TI  - [A survey of intestinal parasites of the foreign laborers (Indonesians and
      Filipinos) in Ishikawa Prefecture].
AB  - A survey of intestinal parasites was conducted on 198 foreign workers aged 19-27
      from Inodonesia and Philippines. They work for a private company in Ishikawa
      Prefecture as technical trainee. On the base of stool examination, 94 (71%) out
      of 133 Indonesians and 48 (74%) of 65 Filipinos had intestinal helminths and/or
      protozoan infections. The prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichura
      and Hookworm was 4.5, 64.1, 10.6%, respectively. In addition, the positive rate
      of the cyst of Entamoeba coli, Endolimax nana, Blastocystis hominis and Giardia
      lumblia was 11.1, 5.6, 4.5 and 2.0%, respectively. No E. histolytica was found;
      however, counter current immunoelectrophoresis revealed that one out of 112 sera
      possessed the antibody against the antigen of HK-9 strain of E. histolytica.
      Sixty-three cases of trichuriasis were treated with mebendazole at a dose of 200
      mg/day x 3 consecutive days. Re-examination revealed that 53 (85.5%) of them were
      cured.

PMID- 1431384
TI  - [An epidemiological study on Bordetella pertussis infection in Fukui Prefecture
      from 1986 to 1991--especially observation on the patients of culture-confirmed
      pertussis].
AB  - In order to clarify the epidemiological situation of whooping cough in Fukui
      prefecture, 478 nasopharyngeal swabs from patients with pertussis-like symptoms
      were submitted to bacterial isolation. Laboratory data of these patients with
      clinical informations at the departments of pediatrics of 6 hospitals in Fukui
      city from June 1986 to May 1991 were also examined in relation to the above
      bacterial isolation. The results observed in culture positive patients were as
      follows: 1) B. pertussis were isolated from 83 patients (41 men and 42 women). 2)
      Isolates were classified into 3 serotypes. Most dominant type was 1.3.6 (80
      strains, 96.4%), and followed by 1 (2 strains) and 1.4.5 (1 strain). 3) Most of
      the patients were non-vaccinees less than 3 years of age (69 of 83 (83.1%). This
      evidence suggested strongly that pertussis vaccine was highly effective to
      prevent pertussis. 4) The patients under 3 years of age whose leucocyte counts
      were > or = 15000/mm3 and lymphocyte rate to total leucocyte were > or = 70% in
      their peripheral blood at the time of nasopharyngeal swabs sampling were only
      49.3% (33 of 67). Therefore, diagnosis of pertussis by leucocyte findings alone
      were considered to be inadequate. 5) The area of the patient's residence covered
      7 regions of 8 health center districts in Fukui prefecture. The areal
      distribution of the number of patients from June 1986 to May 1991 was relatively
      proportional to the population of each district.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431386
TI  - [Studies on tsutsugamushi diseases in Gifu Prefecture. 5. Characterization of
      monoclonal antibodies to prototype strains of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi and
      immunological grouping of newly isolated strains using the antibodies].
AB  - We characterized 8 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to Karp, Kato, and Gilliam
      strains of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi, and analysed 17 isolates from patients with
      Tsutsugamushi disease using these MAbs. These were divided into 3 strain-specific
      (Kp/D11, Kt/2D9, and Gi/E4) and 5 cross-reactive MAbs (Kp/1F11, Kp/1C10, Kp/C6,
      Kt/3B2, and Kt/3C2). All MAbs recognized characteristic protein antigens using
      the indirect fluorescent-antibody test (IFA) and proteinase K treatment. Analysis
      by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting techniques revealed that
      Kato-specific MAb Kt/2D9 recognized a polypeptide with a molecular mass of 54
      kilodalton (kDa) of the homologous strain, and cross-reactive MAbs Kp/1F11,
      Kp/C6, and Kt/3B2 recognized those of 46-47 kDa, 46-47 KDa, and 60 kDa,
      respectively to the homologous and heterologous strains. MAbs Kp/1C10 which
      exhibited a high IFA titer against the Karp strain and only low titers against
      heterologous strains recognized only the 110 kDa polypeptide of the homologous
      strain. MAb Kt/3C2 which reacted with both Karp and Kato strains recognized a 54
      to 56 kDa polypeptide band of the two prototype strains as well as several other
      polypeptides, however, each molecular mass was present in only one of two
      strains. Testing by the plaque reduction technique showed another characteristic
      of MAb Kt/3C2 to neutralize both Karp and Kato Strains. Fourteen isolated strains
      from patients in the south and west regions of Gifu Prefecture, the Shimokoshi
      stain isolated in Niigata Prefecture, and Kawasaki and Kuroki stains isolated in
      Miyazaki Prefecture were examined for reactivities to 8 MAbs by IFA to classify
      their antigenicities. No isolated strains reacted with Karp-specific Kp/D11, Kato
      specific Kt/2D9, or Gilliam-specific Gi/E4.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431387
TI  - Drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus contamination in the ward environment.
AB  - A total of 282 strains of Staphylococcus were isolated from University Hospital
      ward environment from April 1991 to January 1992 and drug-susceptibility tests
      were performed. The main isolates were 84 strains of S. epidermidis (30%), 65
      strains of S. aureus (23%), and 58 strains of S. haemolyticus (21%). One hundred
      and thirty-six strains of all staphylococci (48%) and 13 of 65 strains of S.
      aureus (20%) were methicillin (DMPPC)-resistant. The DMPPC-resistant strains of
      S. aureus were multiple drug-resistant to three to seven antibiotics; ampicillin.
      cephaloridine, cephametazole, tetracycline, erythromycin, gentamicin, and
      methicillin, while the DMPPC-susceptible strains were resistant to less than two
      drugs. These results indicate that this routine testing, along with testing of
      the anterior nares of the medical staff, is necessary to prevent nosocomial
      transmission.

PMID- 1431388
TI  - [Etiology of pneumonia and host defense].
AB  - To investigate the relationship of efficacy of chemotherapy to host defense, we
      reviewed the clinical features, treatment and outcome in 648 patients with acute
      pneumonia (424 males and 224 females; mean age, 65 years) treated between 1984
      and 1989. Pneumonia complicated pulmonary disease in 336 patients (52%) and
      complicated systemic disease in 258 (40%). Pneumonia pathogens were diagnosed in
      346 patients (53%); the five major pathogens were S. pneumoniae (19%), H.
      influenzae (16%), S. aureus (14%), K. pneumoniae (14%) and P. aeruginosa (11%).
      The incidence of K. pneumoniae infection were decreased from 18% to 3.5% and that
      of S. aureus increased from 10.9% to 26.3% during the study period. The incidence
      of S. aureus and of P. aeruginosa infection was much higher in patients with
      nosocomial pneumonia, systemic disease, or serum protein concentration under 6.5
      g/dl. beta-lactamase antibiotics were administered to 70% of all patients, with
      an efficacy rate of 74.9% of after the first course of antibiotics therapy. The
      efficacy rate was decreased in patients with nosocomial pneumonia, systemic or
      pulmonary disease, or malnutrition. The data presented in this study indicate
      that the risk of pneumonia must be taken into careful consideration in patients
      with compromising complications.

PMID- 1431390
TI  - [A case of miliary tuberculosis presenting as fever and jaundice with hepatic
      failure looking like the course of fulminant hepatitis].
AB  - A 79-year-old male was admitted to the Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital with chief
      complaints of icterus and fever. A few weeks prior to admission, he developed
      fever and swelling of right side of the neck and was seen at a local hospital
      where an anti-inflammatory agent was prescribed. The fever subsided in a few
      days, but recurred together with development of icterus a few weeks later,
      precipitating this hospitalization. After admission, hepatic failure progressed
      rapidly, indicating a fulminant hepatitis. Renal failure also developed and he
      died. Autopsy revealed diffuse caseous necrosis with demonstration of acid-fast
      bacilli in the liver, as did in the spleen, kidney and bone marrow. This case
      epitomizes a subset of miliary tuberculosis in which the hepatic failure
      predominates the clinical presentation while lacking the ante-mortem chest X-ray
      features suggestive of pulmonary tuberculosis and post-mortem macroscopic changes
      indicative of tuberculosis.

PMID- 1431389
TI  - [Clinical evaluation of SD-8828 (antibody coated bacteria assay kit) in urinary
      tract infection].
AB  - Clinical usefulness of a newly developed assay kit for ACB (SD-8828) which
      detects urinary bacteria coating IgG was evaluated and compared to the enzyme
      antibody plate method. A total of 48 patients including 20 patients with acute
      simple cystitis and 28 patients with acute or chronic pyelonephritis, who were
      shown to have pyuria of at least 5 cells/HPF, bacteriuria of at least 10(4)
      CFU/ml were enrolled in this study. By enzyme antibody method. ABC was positive
      in 92.9% of patients with upper urinary tract infection and negative in 100% of
      patients with lower UTI, this difference being statistically significant (p <
      0.02). By SD-8828, 85% of positive coincidence rate and 100% of negative
      coincidence rate, compared to the enzyme antibody technique, was obtained. The
      overall coincidence rate was high (91.7%). This SD-8828, a new simple assay for
      ACB, which detects IgG alternating the plate method, may be used as a convenient
      method in clinical practice.

PMID- 1431391
TI  - [Dynamics of neutrophils in the gastric mucous layer of Helicobacter pylori
      associated chronic gastritis].

PMID- 1431392
TI  - [Treatment of typhoid fever with tosufloxacin].

PMID- 1431393
TI  - Ethics in dentistry.
AB  - In this article I would like to do two things: to discuss the foundations of
      ethical thinking in general, and to link this discussion to the particular
      concern of dentists. My argument is divided in three sections: Firstly, I shall
      attempt to define the term 'ethics' and briefly outline the context for the
      discussion of professional ethics. Secondly, I would like to draw attention to
      the categories and approaches in ethical thinking and also to the complexity of
      any adequate ethical reflection. In my third and final section I shall try to
      make a few suggestions in terms of how dentists could incorporate ethical
      thinking in their understanding of the dental profession.

PMID- 1431394
TI  - Tooth coloured inlays: state of the art.

PMID- 1431395
TI  - Late developing odontome in the lower premolar area--the enigmatic variations.

PMID- 1431396
TI  - The oral care of HIV positive patients at Berlin clinic.
AB  - Two final year dental students spent an elective period in the HIV clinic of the
      Dental Hospital of the Freie University of Berlin. The oral manifestations and
      management of 50 HIV patients were observed.

PMID- 1431397
TI  - Three years postgraduate programme in orthodontics: final report Erasmus project.
AB  - A new curriculum with a common content of 75%, leaving 25% for electives has been
      developed for a three year programme for specialty education in Orthodontics. The
      result is a joint effort of the original eight participants and invited
      professors from Italy and Eire as well as from five non-EC countries (Austria,
      Finland, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland). Unaminity among the 15 participants was
      reached on all essential matters and on the contents of the final report. The
      main objective of the programme has been defined and the different courses have
      been formulated in terms of goals to be accomplished in three levels of
      comprehension and by the minimal hours students must devote to each subject.
      Furthermore, procedures that should be mastered have been specified.

PMID- 1431398
TI  - [Mitral valve surgery for patients after undergoing percutaneous transvenous
      mitral commissurotomy (PTMC)--investigation on indication of PTMC based on the
      intraoperative findings].
AB  - Ten patients underwent open heart surgery for mitral valve after PTMC because of
      post PTMC MS (n = 4) and MR (n = 6) out of 150 patients undergoing PTMC in our
      hospital between June 1987 and October 1991. Intraoperative findings of 4
      patients with residual mitral stenosis included severe thickening, stiffening and
      calcification on anterior and posterior leaflets, commissures and subvalvular
      apparatus. Mitral valve repair was possible in 2 and mitral valve replacement
      (MVR) was necessary in the other 2. In all 6 cases who massive mitral
      regurgitation after PTMC, in repairable tears in the mitral leaflets necessitated
      MVR. Since in these cases changes in the leaflets were less severe than those of
      the commissures or subvalvular apparatus, surgical repair could have been
      possible if open mitral commissurotomy (OMC) was done primarily. Patients
      selection for PTMC versus OMC based on precise morphological evaluation of mitral
      valve would reduce occurrence of massive MR resulting in surgical replacement.

PMID- 1431399
TI  - [Left ventricular performance after patch reconstruction of the left ventricular
      wall for postinfarction left ventricular aneurysms].
AB  - Left ventricular performance in patients with a left ventricular aneurysm (LVA)
      treated with patch reconstruction is largely unknown. This study consisted of 15
      patients, 14 men and 1 woman, with the average age of 59 +/- 8.5 years. The
      resected area of LVA was 40 +/- 27 cm2. The area of the woven Dacron patch used
      for reconstruction was 57 +/- 19% of the resected area including the sewing rim.
      The EF (Ejection Fraction, 1/3FF (Filling Fraction) and PFR (Peak Filling Rate)
      were calculated by 99mTc equilibrium cardiac pool scintigraphic images. The A/R
      ratio (peak velocity during atrial kick phase/peak velocity during the rapid
      filling phase) was measured using Doppler echocardiography, at the mitral orifice
      level. These parameters were determined before and 1 to 2 months after the
      operation. The time course was followed for A/R ratios. The preoperative resting
      global EF was 0.28 +/- 0.14 (0.44 +/- 0.13 for the contractile area) and the EF
      during exercise was 0.31 +/- 0.14. Resting and exercise EFs improved
      significantly (p < 0.01) to 0.40 +/- 0.11 and 0.43 +/- 0.10 postoperatively. The
      1/3FF (%) and PFR (/sec) were low before operation (1/3FF, 11.3 +/- 8.3; PFR, 1.2
      +/- 0.47). Postoperatively, the 1/3FF rose to 14.8 +/- 9.3 and the PFR showed a
      significant (p < 0.05) increase to 1.6 +/- 0.6. The A/R ratio significantly (p <
      0.05) improved from preoperative 1.76 +/- 0.46 to 0.95 +/- 0.11 on the 3rd
      postoperative day. This improvement was maintained until the late postoperative
      period, with a value of 1.14 +/- 0.29 at month 16.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1431400
TI  - [Effects of open-heart surgery on renal function in patients with chronic renal
      failure--is hemodialysis during cardiopulmonary bypass really required?].
AB  - In 300 consecutive adult patients who underwent open-heart surgery in our
      department, 16 patients (ischemic heart disease in 8 patients, valvular heart
      disease in 7 and congenital heart disease in 1) were preoperatively complicated
      with chronic renal failure (CRF); creatinine clearance (Ccr) < 40 ml/min and
      serum creatinine (Scr) > 1.6 mg/dl. The effects of open-heart surgery on renal
      function were studied in these CRF patients who were divided into the following 3
      groups according to their preoperative Ccr values: Group 1 (6 patients), 30 < Ccr
      < 40 ml/min; Group 2 (5 patients), 20 < Ccr < 30 ml/min; and Group 3 (5 patients,
      4 of whom were on dialysis preoperatively), Ccr < 10 ml/min. In addition, Group C
      (38 patients, Ccr > 50 ml/min) was set up as normal controls. Instead of
      hemodialysis, the extracorporeal ultrafiltration method (ECUM) was employed for
      all patients during the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The Ccr in Group 1 showed
      the lowest value of 24.2 +/- 12.0 ml/min on postoperative day (POD) 0 which then
      recovered to the preoperative level on POD 1. This quick recovery of the Ccr in
      Group 1 was similar to that in Group C. In contrast, the Ccr in Group 2 showed
      the lowest value of 13.0 +/- 6.0 ml/min on POD 1, followed by a delayed recovery
      that did not reach the preoperative level until POD 5. The Ccr in Group 3 was
      quite low (< 5 ml/min) throughout the test period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1431401
TI  - [Surgical treatment of primary cardiac tumors].
AB  - Twenty patients with primary cardiac tumors were operated on during the past ten
      years. The age of 15 female and 5 male patients ranged from 17 to 73 years.
      Eighteen patients had myxomas, 16 of which located in the left atrium and 2 in
      the right atrium. Systemic embolism occurred in 8 patients, subsequently caused
      cerebral infarction in 4, ischemia of extremities in 2, myocardial infarction in
      1 and pulmonary infarction in 1. Emergency operation was performed in 5 patients
      because of severe congestive heart failure. In all cases, removal of myxoma was
      performed together with the excision of the wall to which the pedicle attached
      with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. One patient with pulmonary infarction
      underwent resection of the infarcted lung simultaneously. Only one patient with
      severe heart failure died of pulmonary insufficiency one month after the
      operation. Another patient with cerebral infarction underwent clipping of
      cerebral aneurysm which appeared later in the infarcted area. The 17 patients
      including the latter patient showed a good recovery and no local recurrence
      during the follow-up period of 1 to 120 months. Two patients had malignant
      tumors, which were malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the left atrium and
      leiomyosarcoma of the pulmonary artery, respectively. Both of these rare tumors
      were resected noncuratively and led to the death because of their local
      recurrence with distant metastasis, though they received adjuvant chemotherapy.
      The symptoms, complications, diagnoses, surgical treatment and outcome of the
      primary cardiac tumors are reviewed in this study.

PMID- 1431402
TI  - [The effects of protease inhibitor upon the ischemia-reperfusion injury].
AB  - The purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of protease inhibitor
      (Nafamostat mesilate: NM) upon myocardial protection. Hearts were subjected to 20
      min working control perfusion followed by 3 min cardioplegic infusion with the
      St. Thomas Cardioplegic Solution (ST) contained various concentrations of NM, and
      global ischemia for 33 min at 37 degrees C (Exp. 1) or 150 min at 20 degrees C
      (Exp. 2). Hearts were then converted to Langendorff reperfusion (the leakage of
      Creatine Kinase (CK) and Cathepsin B (Cat-B) ware measured) and 20 min working
      reperfusion. Various concentrations of NM added during Langendorff reperfusion
      (Exp. 3). During working perfusion cardiac functions (aortic flow (AoF), coronary
      flow (CoF), heart rate (HR), aortic pressure (AoP)) were measured, and expressed
      as the percent recovery of pre-ischemic control value. Post-ischemic recovery of
      AoF (%AoF) showed the bell-shaped dose-response curve, and the optimal dose was 3
      microM (Exp. 1) and 10 microM (Exp. 2) respectively. There was a significant (p <
      0.05) increase of %AoF in optimal dose compared with that in controls (64.2 +/-
      1.2% vs 52.3 +/- 2.5% in Exp. 1, 68.9 +/- 3.1% vs 54.1 +/- 1.4% in Exp. 2). These
      increase of functional recovery reflected in the values for CK and Cat-B leakage.
      The addition of NM in ST reduced CK and Cat-B leakage significantly in the
      concentration of 5 microM (in Exp. 1) and 10 microM (in Exp. 2) respectively. But
      the addition of NM in reperfusate did not reduced CK leakage
      significantly.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431403
TI  - [Late postoperative outcome of plastic operation versus valve replacement for
      mitral regurgitation].
AB  - Between January 1980 and August 1991, 99 patients underwent operation for mitral
      valve regurgitation (MR). The ages of the patients ranged from 12 to 67 years,
      (49.4 +/- 11.9 years), and there were 39 males and 60 females. Pathological cause
      of regurgitation, which was determined by intraoperative inspection and
      histological findings of excised leaflets, was rheumatic in 46, degenerative in
      38, infective endocarditis in 9, ischemic in 4 and unknown in 2 patients. Cardiac
      rhythm was atrial fibrillation in 73, normal sinus rhythm in 24 and junctional
      rhythm in 2 patients. Our principles for valve repair were (1) excision of
      responsible segment and repair for prolapsed leaflet due to torn chordae, (2)
      shortening of elongated chordae, (3) annuloplasty, and (4) repair of perforated
      leaflet. Finally, 19 patients endured plastic operation, and 80 patients
      underwent prosthetic valve replacement. The rate of plastic procedure was 62.5%
      (10/16) in degenerative MR with mural chordal lesions, 42.9% (3/7) in rheumatic
      MR without stenosis, 22.2% (2/9) in infective endocarditis and 100% (2/2) in MR
      with unknown etiology. Mitral valve repair was failed both in rheumatic MR
      associated with stenosis (39 patients) and in ischemic MR (4 patients). A ten
      year survival rate after operation was 92.2 +/- 3.1% in patients with valve
      replacement and 83.6 +/- 10.0% with valve repair (N.S.), and a proportion of
      event-free survival in patients with valve replacement was similar to valve. Late
      postoperative cardiac catheterization revealed decreased left ventricular volume
      indices and increased left ventricular end-systolic stress/volume ratio in both
      groups compared to preoperative values, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1431404
TI  - [The evaluation of pre and intraoperative factors influencing the false lumen
      after graft replacement surgery to the extended dissecting aneurysm].
AB  - We evaluated the residual false lumen of type I and IIIb dissecting aneurysm by
      CT, MRI and angiography postoperatively. The 19 patients with type I dissecting
      aneurysm were included eleven men and eight women, the average age was 55.8 +/-
      10.2 years old. The 20 patients with type IIIb dissecting aneurysm were included
      sixteen men and four women, the average age was 56.2 +/- 8.5 years old. The rate
      of distal patent false lumen was 52.6% of type I and 35% of type IIIb dissecting
      aneurysm after graft replacement surgery. In type I dissecting aneurysm, the rate
      of distal patent false lumen was 40% of acute stage vs 66.7% of chronic stage,
      66.7% of ascending and partial arch replacement vs 46.2% of ascending and total
      arch replacement, and 90% of graft inclusion technique vs 11.1% of graft
      exclusion technique. The distal patent false lumen was the lowest (12.5%) with
      type I dissecting aneurysm of ascending and total arch replacement using graft
      exclusion technique. In type IIIb dissecting aneurysm, the rate of patent false
      lumen was 66.7% of acute stage vs 29.4% of chronic stage, 30% of graft exclusion
      technique vs 40% of graft inclusion technique. The size of false lumen
      preoperatively were larger (11.1 +/- 4.5 cm2) in patients with distal patent
      false lumen than that (6.7 +/- 3.2 cm2) of in patients with distal occlusive
      false lumen.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431405
TI  - [Coronary artery bypass surgery in patients with severely impaired left
      ventricular function].
AB  - The efficacy and problem of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients
      with severely impaired left ventricular function (left ventricular ejection
      fraction < or = 30%) were assessed in 27 patients of whom 17 (group 1) underwent
      emergent CABG and 10 (group 2) elective between Jan 1984 to Aug 1990. As a whole,
      history of myocardial infarction (24/27, 88.9%), large left ventricular volume
      with reduced ejection fraction (LVEDVI 126.08 +/- 25.91 ml/m2, LVESVI 93.04 +/-
      21.02 ml/m2, LVEF 25.04 +/- 4.75%) and multiple vessel disease with at least one
      vessel total occlusion (20/27, 74.1%) were characteristically seen in these
      patients. The patients of group 1 were significantly older (mean 66.12 +/- 5.68
      vs 57.10 +/- 8.08, p < 0.01) and needed more frequent preoperative support with
      IABP (17/17 vs 4/10, p < 0.01). Using Thallium-201 scintigraphy, in 10 patients
      of group 1 and 9 of group 2, myocardial viability in the proposed bypass area was
      evaluated before operations. Average 2.37 +/- 0.79 grafts were placed and
      continuous retrograde cold blood cardioplegia via the coronary sinus was employed
      for myocardial protection. Two mitral annuloplasty (MAP) for ischemic mitral
      regurgitation and 2 cryoablation for the treatment of ventricular tachycardia
      were performed concomitantly. Operative mortality was 47.1% in group 1 and none
      in group 2 (p < 0.05). Two cases of MAP died, but two cases of cryoablation
      survived. Postoperative LVEF was improved significantly only in group 2 (p <
      0.05), but during the follow-up period of 7 months to 6 years, all 19 survivors
      expect one remains with NYHA class I or II.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431406
TI  - [Results of surgical repair by muscle flap closure for poststernotomy
      mediastinitis].
AB  - Between 1984 and 1991, 30 patients developed poststernotomy mediastinitis after
      cardiac or mediastinal operations. Sixteen of these patients were treated with
      debridement and open drainage or primary closure following mediastinal irrigation
      (drainage group). Fourteen patients were treated with debridement, and delayed or
      primary wound closure by the technique of pectoral or rectus abdominus muscle
      flap mobilization (muscle flap group). The purpose of this study was to compare
      the results of the different treatment of poststernotomy mediastinitis. Although
      the pre- and perioperative profile, complications and risk factors for
      mediastinal infection were the same, the mortality of muscle flap group was
      significantly lower than that of drainage group (Fisher exact probability test, p
      < 0.05). Pulmonary function of the patients who received muscle flap mobilization
      did not decrease from the function before surgery, despite the defect of sternal
      bony stabilization. We conclude that muscle flap mobilization may be a superior
      method as the treatment for poststernotomy mediastinitis after cardiac
      operations, and may not decrease respiratory function of the patients.

PMID- 1431407
TI  - [A case of thymoma with thymic cyst].
AB  - A 43-year-old man was pointed out an abnormal shadow on chest X-ray film. Chest
      CT showed a solid mass and a cyst at anterior superior mediastinum. Operation
      revealed a capsulated thymoma and a multilocular thymic cyst. PTH and CA19-9
      level in the cystic fluid was elevated. Histological examination demonstrated the
      clear separation of the mixed type thymoma and the thymic cyst. There were few
      reports for cases of thymoma with a thymic cyst.

PMID- 1431408
TI  - [A case of pulmonary rupture with primary pulmonary leiomyosarcoma--management by
      emergency surgical intervention].
AB  - We report a case of 18-year-old boy who was admitted to our hospital for
      hemoptysis and hemothorax caused by rupture in the pulmonary tissue. A tumoral
      mass was found protruding from the inferior aspect of the left lower lobe towards
      the diaphragma. A large hematoma was seen in the vicinity of the tumoral mass. An
      emergency left lower lobectomy was performed and the hematoma was removed. The
      tumor was yellow in color, soft and 7 cm in diameter. The histological diagnosis
      was that of primary pulmonary leiomyosarcoma. The resected lobe had a liver-like
      hard consistency due to extended infiltration of blood resulting from hemorrhages
      within the tissue located in and around the tumoral mass. Microscopically, the
      tumor was composed of the spindle-shaped cells with multinucleation along with
      some clear cell patterns. Recurrence of the tumor appeared six months after the
      operation, and a second resection of the recurrent leiomyosarcomatous tissue was
      performed. The patient is still alive for 1 year and 6 months after the first
      operation.

PMID- 1431409
TI  - [Acute aortic dissection in a patient with Marfan's syndrome and severe pectus
      excavatum--emergency surgical repairs of ascending aortic dissection and aortic
      regurgitation complicated by pectus excavatum in Marfan's syndrome].
AB  - A case of acute aortic dissection Stanford Type A occurring in a patient with
      Marfan's syndrome, complicated with aortic regurgitation and severe pectus
      excavatum, is reported with successful surgical correction. The patient was a 33
      year-old woman, who suffered from severe back pain riding to work. An emergency
      operation consisting of Cabrol's procedure for aortic dissection Stanford Type A
      and sternal turnover for pectus excavatum was performed simultaneously. Because
      of the postoperative mediastinal bleeding the implanted sterno-costal complex was
      removed on the second POD and the prosthetic sternum was reimplanted on the tenth
      POD. The two-stage operation seems preferable in such an emergency case to avoid
      postoperative bleeding and infection.

PMID- 1431410
TI  - [Clinical experience of a percutaneous ventricular support for profound heart
      failure following acute myocardial infarction--a case report].
AB  - Percutaneous biventricular support with centrifugal pump was applied to a 59-year
      old man with profound heart failure following acute myocardial infarction. Direct
      coronary angioplasty was performed under percutaneous cardiopulmonary support
      (PCPS). After angioplasty, he could not be weaned from PCPS under IABP. We used
      percutaneous left ventricular support (PLVS) with transseptal left atrial
      cannulation. PLVS could not maintain effective assist flow and he developed a
      cardiogenic shock again. PCPS was added to PLVS, and percutaneous biventricular
      support was started. Assist flow ranged 1.7-3.0 L/min in PLVS, and 1.7-2.0 L/min
      in PCPS, and total assist flow was 3.4 L/min. Pulsatile pressure was obtained by
      adding IABP. The patient was successfully weaned from PCPS in 26 hours and PLVS
      in 118 hours. Patient is alive and well one year after PLVS. Combination of PLVS
      and PCPS is an effective ventricular support system, being less invasive than
      conventional method with thoracotomy, and may be useful for profound heart
      failure.

PMID- 1431411
TI  - [Coronary artery bypass surgery in a patient with hypopituitarism].
AB  - Patients with hypopituitarism are prone to perioperative complications resulting
      from adrenal insufficiency or hypothyroidism. Coronary artery bypass grafting was
      performed safely in a 53-year-old woman with postinfarction unstable angina and
      hypopituitarism. Cortisol and thyroid hormone were administered to maintain
      normal adrenal and thyroid function during and after the operation.
      Hydrocortisone was administered intravenously the day before surgery and for 2
      weeks postoperatively and then was administered orally. Perioperative replacement
      thyroxine therapy was administered to avoid acute myocardial ischemia. Optimal
      thyroid replacement was achieved after surgery. No perioperative complications
      were seen. The patient remains free of angina with postoperative cortisol and
      thyroid hormone replacement therapy.

PMID- 1431412
TI  - [A case of complete circumferential aortic rupture due to blunt chest trauma].
AB  - A case of complete circumferential rupture of the thoracic aorta due to blunt
      chest trauma is presented. A 46-year-old woman was admitted after a traffic
      accident. The admission chest X-ray film demonstrated rib fractures and
      mediastinal widening. CT scanning and aortography were performed, but acute
      rupture of the aorta was not detected. Twelve days later, aortography was
      performed again and an aneurysm was noted at the aortic isthmus. Surgery was
      performed immediately and aorta was found to be completely disrupted for a length
      of 1 cm. A short segmental prosthesis was interposed between the two ends of the
      aorta under temporary bypass. Patients with aortic rupture due to blunt chest
      trauma are increasing, but only a few cases treated in the acute stage have been
      reported. To our knowledge, this is the 6th case of complete aortic disruption
      which has been treated successfully in the acute stage in Japan.

PMID- 1431413
TI  - [Development of constrictive pericarditis 20 years after closed mitral
      commissurotomy--a case report].
AB  - Pericardial constriction has emerged as an infrequent but well documented late
      complication of cardiac surgery. A rare case of constrictive pericarditis
      developed 20 years after closed mitral commissurotomy was observed. The patient
      had been treated for the poorly controlled ascites of unknown origin associated
      with crural edema and mild congestive liver cirrhosis. The long interval between
      the previous cardiac operation and the clinical manifestation of constriction
      made it difficult to establish the diagnosis. Extensive resection of the
      calcified pericardium through a median sternotomy with cardiopulmonary bypass
      standby relieved the ascites and crural edema.

PMID- 1431414
TI  - [A case of ascending aortic dissection after aortic valve replacement in
      congenital bicuspid aortic valve].
AB  - Congenital bicuspid aortic valve is a risk factor of aortic dissection, but the
      case is rare in Japan. Several reports described ascending aortic aneurysm after
      aortic valve replacement. In these reports, most of aneurysms were false
      aneurysm, but the cases of ascending aortic dissection were rare. In this case,
      dissecting aneurysm of the ascending aorta occurred 4 years after aortic valve
      replacement, which was performed with mechanical prosthesis because of infective
      endocarditis, and it was repaired successfully by the modified Cabrol's method.
      This case was congenital bicuspid aortic valve, and had already been complicated
      with moderate aortic dilatation in the ascending aorta. In patients of congenital
      bicuspid aortic valve with aortic dilatation, consideration of complete
      replacement of the ascending aorta with aortic valve replacement is important.

PMID- 1431415
TI  - [Recurrent thymic carcinoid tumor--report of a case and review of the
      literature].
AB  - A case is presented of a 48-year-old male patient with thymic carcinoid tumor who
      was operated on twice and followed for 12 years. The original tumor was removed
      in 1979, and a recurrent tumor was removed 4 years later. Multiple metastases to
      the lungs, pleura and lymph nodes of the neck were found in 1988; chemotherapy
      (BAPP) and radiation therapy were not effective, and there was subsequent
      subcutaneous invasion of the anterior chest. We also discuss the 153 cases of
      thymic carcinoid tumor reported in the Japanese literature in the Niigata
      Carcinoid Registry.

PMID- 1431416
TI  - [A case of aortitis syndrome treated by simultaneous procedure of Bentall's
      operation and aortic arch replacement].
AB  - The case is a 22-year-old man, in whom chest X-P pointed out aortic and cardiac
      shadow enlargements. Aortography revealed extensive aortic aneurysm involving the
      ascending, arch, and proximal descending portions of the aorta, accompanied with
      annulo-aortic ectasia, aortic regurgitation, and stenosis of the left common
      carotid and left subclavian arteries, suggesting lesions due to aortitis
      syndrome. For this case, Bentall's operation and replacement of the aortic arch
      and the proximal descending aorta were performed simultaneously, using
      hypothermic selective cerebral perfusion. Favorable postoperative course and
      absent neurological abnormality enabled the patient to return to his former
      social work. Steroid therapy has been continued up to the present, 5 years
      postoperatively, with neither recurrence of inflammation nor occurrence of
      cardiac murmur.

PMID- 1431417
TI  - [A successful operative case of congenital mitral stenosis associated with double
      outlet right ventricle, patent ductus arteriosus, persistent left superior vena
      cava and severe pulmonary hypertension in adult].
AB  - A 29-year-old woman, who was diagnosed as congenital mitral stenosis associated
      with DORV, PDA, PLSVC and severe pulmonary hypertension, was reported. The mitral
      valve, consisting of leaflet dysplasia, shortened and thickened chordae
      tendineae, obliteration of interchordal spaces, under-development of papillary
      muscle, and stenotic supravalvular membrane, was replaced with 25 SJM prosthesis.
      Simultaneously, patch closure of VSD and intrapulmonary direct closure of PDA was
      performed. Her postoperative course was uneventful and systolic pulmonary
      arterial pressure fell down from 95 mmHg to 56 mmHg. She is doing well after
      correction. To our knowledge, this is very rare corrective case with congenital
      mitral stenosis in adult to be reported in the literature in Japan.

PMID- 1431418
TI  - [Cellular schwannoma of the lung].
AB  - A case of cellular schwannoma of the lung in 31 years-old Japanese male is
      presented in this paper. Cellular schwannoma differs from classic schwannoma in
      several histologic features. In addition, it has often been misdiagnosed as
      malignancy, though White's follow-up study confirmed its benign nature. It
      usually originates from the retroperitoneum and posterior mediastinum. No case
      originating from the lung has been reported in the world literature. Cellular
      schwannoma has to be added to differential diagnosis of the lung tumors.

PMID- 1431419
TI  - [Thymic carcinoid tumor--report of 3 operative cases].
AB  - Three cases of thymic carcinoid were surgically treated in our hospital. All 3
      cases belonged to stage IVb (Masaoka's classification) because of anterior lymph
      nodes metastasis. A 44-year-old male patient died of multiple metastasis of bone
      and liver in 94 months after the operation. A 45-year-old female patient who had
      undergone operation 4 years ago, was re-operated on for recurrent carcinoid tumor
      but complete resection of the tumor could not be performed because of the
      tumorous invasion to superior vena cava, pericardium and costal bone. After the
      operation she has been treated by radiotherapy and any re-growth of the tumor has
      never been detected for 1 year. Another 50-year-old male patient who had been
      operated and treated by chemo-radiotherapy for thymic carcinoid before 50 months
      was diagnosed as recurrent tumor at left interpectoral lymph node. Radiotherapy
      is now preparing for this patient. 160 cases of thymic carcinoid reports in Japan
      were reviewed. 37 cases were stage IVb and 36 cases had supraclavicular or
      mediastinal lymph nodes metastasis. Those cases which had been underwent complete
      resection followed by radiotherapy seemed to have better prognosis. We conclude
      that patients of thymic carcinoid should be treated with complete resection
      including supraclavicular and mediastinal lymph nodes dissection, followed by
      radiotherapy.

PMID- 1431420
TI  - Alcohol can inhibit effect of IL-4 on activated murine B cells.
AB  - Ethanol addition to B lymphocytes in vitro inhibits antigen-induced antibody
      secretion and antigen-induced cell proliferation. We tested the hypothesis that
      ethanol can inhibit the effect of interleukins on B-cell proliferation by adding
      ethanol to in vitro functional assays for IL-2 and IL-4. Ethanol does not inhibit
      IL-2-induced B-cell differentiation, but it does inhibit IL-4-induced B-cell
      proliferation and IL-4-induced Ig class switching.

PMID- 1431421
TI  - Major histocompatibility complex-linked transport proteins and antigen
      processing.
AB  - The major histocompatibility complexes of mice, rats and humans each contain a
      pair of related genes, Tap-1 and Tap-2, that encode members of a large
      superfamily of proteins having similar structure and function. The TAP-1
      (previously called HAM1 in the mouse) and TAP-2 (HAM2) proteins each contain 6-8
      predicted membrane-spanning alpha helices, and a cytoplasmic domain containing a
      putative ATP-binding site. Recent evidence suggests that a functional TAP-1/TAP-2
      heterodimer is required for efficient presentation of antigens to CD8+ cytotoxic
      T cells. This heterodimer resides in the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum
      (ER), and probably functions to transport peptides (produced in the cytoplasm)
      into the ER lumen for binding to MHC class I molecules.

PMID- 1431422
TI  - Histocompatibility antigens and natural killer susceptibility.
AB  - The central question of the nature of the structure(s) involved in the
      recognition of targets by natural killer (NK) cells remains unresolved. Although
      NK-mediated cytotoxicity is not MHC-restricted, it has been suggested that these
      cells could recognize the targets more effectively in the absence of MHC class I
      antigens. In this paper we review the contradictory results obtained when
      studying the NK susceptibility of cell lines which constitutively express
      different levels of MHC antigens, or which have been induced to express MHC
      antigens by gene transfection or gamma-interferon treatment. Taken together, the
      results indicate that MHC antigens play a differential role in NK lysis depending
      on the nature of the target cells used; MHC class I antigens play a role in the
      NK resistance of cells from a hematopoietic lineage, but this does not extend to
      cells from other origins. The data reviewed also support the hypothesis that MHC
      class I antigens induced NK resistance by interfering with target structures, and
      that multiple NK molecules are involved in NK-mediated lysis as part of a
      possible advanced recognition system.

PMID- 1431423
TI  - Ocular tissue involvement in HIV infection: immunological and pathological
      aspects.
AB  - The CNS afflictions in AIDS are myriad and suggest a tropism of HIV to neural
      tissue. Ocular involvement is a frequent manifestation of the HIV infection,
      resulting in a high incidence of blindness within this patient population. Ocular
      lesions include cotton wool spots, presumably from HIV-induced microvasculopathy,
      retinal hemorrhage in cytomegalovirus retinitis and conjunctival Kaposi's
      sarcoma. These manifestations have been noted in up to 71% of AIDS patients. In
      fact, ocular disease is often the presenting symptom in an HIV-infected
      individual. Despite the high incidence of ocular involvement in AIDS patients,
      the etiology and pathogenesis of these manifestations are not well understood.
      The immunosuppressive action of HIV is the most likely primary cause for the
      development of ocular complications in AIDS. Here we review some of the important
      immunological and pathological features of AIDS affliction in the eye.

PMID- 1431425
TI  - IgG autoantibodies to C1q do not detectably influence complement activation in
      vivo and in vitro in systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - The influence of IgG antibodies to C1q (C1qAb) on activation of the classical
      pathway of the complement system was investigated in patients with systemic lupus
      erythematosus (SLE). In in vivo experiments, a prototype for immune complexes was
      administered intravenously to 14 patients and 9 healthy controls. Eight SLE
      patients had increased C1qAb titers. The increase of C3a levels, which was
      measured as a parameter of C1 activation, was significantly lower in SLE patients
      than in the healthy controls (p = 0.01). No correlation was found between C3a
      increases and C1qAb titers. In in vitro experiments the influence on C1
      activation of monomeric IgG isolated from serum of 11 SLE patients, 7 of whom had
      increased C1qAb titers, was measured in a C4 consumption assay. The presence of
      C1qAb did not influence C4 consumption. The results demonstrate that C1qAb do not
      influence C1 activation by immune complexes in SLE patients.

PMID- 1431426
TI  - Complement profile in primary biliary cirrhosis.
AB  - PBC is a chronic progressive liver disease of unknown etiology. Several
      abnormalities found in PBC support the hypothesis that it may be considered an
      autoimmune disease. Despite the complex and interesting relationship that exists
      between autoimmune disorders and the complement system, very few reports on the
      level of the serum complement component in PBC have been published, and most of
      these comprised only a few patients or analyzed only a scant number of the
      complement components. In the present study, sera of 73 PBC patients were
      analyzed for the levels of 10 complement components. It was found that the levels
      of most of the serum complement components, including C1q, C2, C3, C5, C7,
      properdin and factor B were significantly elevated in patients with PBC in
      comparison to healthy controls. The level of C4 was slightly lower than that of
      the normal controls (p = 0.019), while the levels of C6 and C8 were within the
      normal range. The number of PBC patients with serum levels of C4 and C6 < 60% of
      normal pooled serum was higher than in the respective control groups (6/69
      compared with 0/26 and 4/71 compared with 0/27, respectively). However, the
      difference was not statistically significant. Thus, our study shows alterations
      in the levels of most complement components in PBC, the reasons for which are
      discussed.

PMID- 1431424
TI  - Effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids on interleukin-2-dependent T cell growth.
AB  - Cellular membranes, in addition to serving as structural constituents of cells,
      also provide precursors for a number of chemical messengers involved in
      intracellular signal transduction. This includes the eicosanoids (prostaglandins
      and leukotrienes) and diacylglycerol, and activator of protein kinase C (PKC).
      Changes induced in the fatty acid profile of lymphocytes can influence vital
      metabolic processes in cells. Such changes, independent of the function of fatty
      acids as prostaglandin and leukotriene precursors, can alter the development and
      regulation of immune responses. In this report we study the effects of the
      polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) on proliferation and signal transduction in
      the interleukin-2 (IL-2)-dependent murine T cell line CTL.L-2. Culture of CTL.L-2
      cells in the presence of specific PUFA resulted in their incorporation into the
      cellular phospholipids. IL-2-induced proliferation of CTL.L-2 cells was markedly
      suppressed in a dose-dependent fashion by incubation in media supplemented with
      dihomogammalinolenic acid (an n-6 PUFA) slightly inhibited proliferation, while
      eicosapentaenoic acid (an n-3 PUFA) had no effect. Neither indomethacin (a
      cyclooxygenase inhibitor) nor nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA, a lipoxygenase
      inhibitor) reversed the effect of DGLA. In contrast, phorbol 12-myristate 13
      acetate (a phorbol ester and activator of PKC), blocked, in a dose-dependent
      manner, the antiproliferative effect of DGLA. This study presents evidence that
      PUFA alter signal transduction in cells in a manner which is separate from their
      function as eicosanoid precursors. The botanical lipid-derived DGLA has a potent
      suppressive effect on IL-2-driven T cell proliferation and may alter signal
      transduction by modification of second messenger or PKC activity.

PMID- 1431427
TI  - An unexpected growth pattern: considerations in management.
AB  - A case study spanning 16 years is presented. Routine treatment with serial
      extraction and an edgewise appliance for a Class I crowded occlusion began when
      the patient was 8 years old. By the time the patient was 17, his dentition had
      evolved, because of unanticipated growth, into a Class III malocclusion with
      complete-arch crossbite. The question of whether it is most appropriate to treat
      this patient in one or two surgical procedures is discussed, and some
      controversial aspects and concerns are presented.

PMID- 1431428
TI  - Lingual nerve injury associated with superior border wire fixation.
AB  - The sagittal ramus osteotomy of the mandible is the most frequently performed
      orthognathic surgical procedure. Stabilization of the osteotomy may be
      accomplished by rigid internal or wire fixation. This article illustrates lingual
      nerve injury following a bilateral sagittal ramus osteotomy of the mandible and
      fixation with a superior border wire. The etiology and surgical management of
      this injury are described.

PMID- 1431429
TI  - The Dentofacial Deformity Program of the University of Michigan: organization,
      analysis of data, and benefits of program.
AB  - The Dentofacial Deformity Program of the University of Michigan was established
      in 1984 to provide a consulting service for the diagnosis, treatment
      recommendations, and management of patients with dentofacial deformities. This
      program was designed as a service commitment for the patient, referring doctors,
      and the medical and dental communities. Educational and research aspects of the
      program provide benefits for orthodontic and oral and maxillofacial surgery
      graduate students, and the dental school faculty. The organization, data
      analysis, and education, research, and service benefits of this program are
      discussed.

PMID- 1431431
TI  - Simultaneous orthognathic and temporomandibular joint surgery: review of selected
      cases.
AB  - The pros and cons of, and treatment considerations for, simultaneous orthognathic
      and temporomandibular joint surgery are discussed. Several cases of patients
      treated with simultaneous orthognathic and temporomandibular joint surgery are
      presented.

PMID- 1431430
TI  - Surgical-orthodontic correction of mandibular deficiency: five-year follow-up.
AB  - Changes in dental and skeletal relationships at 5 years postsurgery were
      evaluated in a group of 35 patients whose mandibular deficiency had been
      corrected by the same surgeon, using sagittal split osteotomy of the mandibular
      ramus. From 1 to 5 years postsurgery, there was a small (0.9-mm) but
      statistically significant mean decrease in mandibular length (condylion to point
      B). In six patients, the decrease in mandibular length was 2 to 4 mm, and in two
      it was more than 4 mm, but only one of these individuals had more than a 2-mm
      increase in overjet. There was no mean change in overjet, but three patients had
      a 2 to 4-mm increase. Of these, one had 3.2 mm shortening of the mandible, one
      had 1.4 mm shortening of the mandible, and one had no change in mandibular length
      but repositioning of the incisors. Most patients had a deep overbite initially,
      and there was a tendency for the bite to deepen between the first and fifth years
      postoperatively, more as a result of extrusion of incisors than of mandibular
      rotation. Remodeling of the gonial angle area, with vertical and/or horizontal
      repositioning of gonion, was noted in more than half the subjects. It appears
      that morphologic changes related to continued skeletal remodeling, often
      compensated for by small changes in mandibular posture or tooth positions,
      continue after 1 year postsurgery for many patients.

PMID- 1431432
TI  - Densitometric evaluation of changes in the soft tissue of the chin and the lower
      lip during the treatment of Class III malocclusion.
AB  - The aim of this study was to use densitometry of lateral skull teleradiographs to
      evaluate the changes that occurred in the lower lip and chin after orthodontic or
      orthodontic-surgical treatment of Class III malocclusion. Forty teleradiographs
      from 20 patients with mandibular prognathism were made at the beginning and end
      of treatment. In ten of these patients the treatment was exclusively orthodontic
      with an edgewise appliance, and in another ten the treatment was orthodontic with
      a straight wire appliance combined with orthognathic and mentoplastic surgery. In
      the patients who were only treated orthodontically, a significant increase in
      density of the lower lip and the chin was found after treatment. This seemed to
      be related to an increase of muscular tension in these areas. Patients treated
      with orthognathic surgery and the straight wire appliance showed a decrease in
      density of the chin after treatment, but not of the lip. This can be interpreted
      as a consequence of muscular normalization after this procedure was accomplished.

PMID- 1431433
TI  - The reliability of computerized cephalometric soft tissue prediction following
      bimaxillary anterior subapical osteotomy.
AB  - The accuracy of predicting the results of orthodontic-surgical treatment
      following bimaxillary anterior subapical setback osteotomy was analyzed
      retrospectively. Comparisons of pretreatment prediction tracings of the lateral
      cephalograms with the 6-month postsurgical cephalograms of 38 patients showed
      that there was no statistically significant difference between the actual and
      predicted dentoalveolar setback in both arches. The computer-generated soft
      tissue predictions were generally accurate, with the exception of the horizontal
      position of the lower lip, which was underestimated, and, to a lesser extent, the
      vertical position of the upper lip, which was also underestimated. Computerized
      cephalometric prediction following bimaxillary anterior subapical osteotomy is
      sufficiently accurate to be of value to be used routinely in treatment planning
      for the horizontal upper lip prediction, but some modifications are advisable to
      obtain a more accurate horizontal lower lip prediction.

PMID- 1431435
TI  - [Analysis of DNA synthetic cells in endometrial carcinoma cases treated with
      progestogen].
AB  - It is well known that the proliferation of endometrial adenocarcinoma is
      inhibited by progestogens. We often use medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) as
      endocrine therapy for advanced endometrial carcinoma. In the present study, we
      administered 400-600mg of MPA/day on 14 days as a progestogen challenge test
      (PCT) to 37 cases of endometrial carcinoma. We analysed the variation in the
      percentage of S phase cells by flow cytometry and also conducted an
      immunohistochemistry analysis with anti-BrdU monoclonal antibody before and after
      the administration of MPA. The percentage of S phase cells in endometrial
      carcinoma tended to decrease with much greater variation after PCT than before.
      The percentage of BrdU positive cells tended to decrease after PCT. The cases
      with a good histological effect such as 1) basal vacuolization 2) clear staining
      cytoplasm 3) homogenus finding of cells and nucleus by PCT had a better prognosis
      than the cases with no histological effect due to PCT.

PMID- 1431434
TI  - [In vitro study on the effect of sex steroid and growth factor on growth and
      laminin, collagen IV, and tissue plasminogen activator production of normal
      endometrial cells and endometrial cancer cells in culture].
AB  - The mechanism of the invasion and proliferation of endometrial cancer is closely
      related to interactions between the endometrial glands and stroma. In this study,
      we examined the biological role of sex steroids (estradiol; E2, progesterone; P)
      and growth factors (epidermal growth factor; EGF, transforming growth factor
      beta; TGF-beta) on cell growth and laminin, collagen IV and tissue plasminogen
      activator (t-PA) production of normal endometrial cells and endometrial cancer
      cells in culture. Normal endometrial gland cells and stromal cells, and
      endometrial cancer cell lines (Ishikawa, OMC-2) were used. E2, P, EGF and TGF
      beta were added to the culture in physiological concentrations. The growth of
      normal endometrial gland cells was promoted by E2 and EGF, whereas that of
      Ishikawa cells and OMC-2 cells was promoted by EGF. E2 enhanced the effects of
      EGF in normal endometrial gland cells. The growth of normal endometrial stromal
      cells was not affected by them. OMC-2 was inhibited by anti-EGF receptor
      antibody. On the other hand, the production of laminin and collagen IV of these
      cultured cells was inhibited by EGF and promoted by TGF-beta, whereas that of t
      PA was promoted by EGF and inhibited by TGF-beta. These results suggest that the
      growth of normal endometrial gland cells with estrogen receptor (ER) is
      controlled by both E2 and EGF, whereas that of endometrial cancer cells is
      affected only by EGF, and those cells without ER depend particularly on the
      autocrine growth mechanism of EGF.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431436
TI  - [Assessment of pre-term uterine contractions by characterization of the power
      spectra of abdominal surface potentials (ASP)].
AB  - The prognosis of pre-term labor in the absence of complications such as PROM is
      dependent on the strength of the uterine contractions, which are dependent on the
      sensitivity of the myometrium, expressed in terms of bio-electric potentials. Our
      electromyography were obtained from pregnant ewes, and these were correlated with
      abdominal surface potentials (ASP) obtained from human volunteers, to see if
      impending premature labor could be detected and the prognosis predicted. 1) The
      EMG tracings obtained from pregnant ewes were submitted to a power spectrum
      analysis. 2) EMG tracings revealed an increase in power output with the advance
      of labor, but power spectra varied with the stage of labor. 3) Uterine
      contractions not leading to cervical ripening had a low power output with a low
      frequency range. 4) Ewes in true labor had EMG's at a high power output of low
      frequency waves. 5) Ewes in pre-term labor leading to cervical ripening had power
      outputs similar to ewes in true labor, but the power spectra of the former were
      wider in range. 6) ASP tracing revealed an increasing power output with
      increasing uterine contractile activity and power spectra correlated well with
      the EMGs obtained from ewes. In conclusion, since ASP findings were in good
      correlation with EMGs obtained directly from the myometrium, we hope that this
      method may be developed into a practical non-invasive method for detecting and
      assessing uterine contractions.

PMID- 1431437
TI  - [Analysis of HLA antigens and immunotherapy for infertile couples who failed to
      conceive after in vitro fertilization-embryo tubal replacement (IVF-ETR)].
AB  - The results of IVF-ETR strongly suggest the existence of implantation failure of
      unknown etiology. A selected group of 41 couples with long-standing infertility
      who had one or more failed IVF-ETR cycles were analysed for HLA antigen sharing,
      and 19 wives were immunized with their husband's purified lymphocytes just before
      the subsequent trial. Both the number and frequency of shared HLA antigens in
      these patients were significantly increased, compared with control couples of
      normal fertility (p < 0.05). After immunization, 7 patients (36.8%) conceived by
      IVF-ETR, and 5 (71.4%) delivered a healthy baby at term. The pregnant couples
      shared significantly fewer HLA antigens compared with those who failed to
      conserve (p < 0.05). Interestingly, the MLR blocking effect was enhanced in the
      pregnant group after immunization, suggesting the induction of blocking
      antibodies which are believed essential for the survival of the developing fetus.
      In contrast, the blocking effect was rather decreased in the nonpregnant group.
      These results implicate that HLA sharing and inadequate maternal anti-paternal
      immunity may be related to implantation failure, and immunotherapy can be used to
      potentiate the maternal immune response, leading to successful implantation in
      selected patients.

PMID- 1431438
TI  - [Influence of low calcium diet on the vascular response to angiotensin II in
      pregnant and non-pregnant rabbit vascular endothelium].
AB  - This study was conducted in order to evaluate the influence of low calcium intake
      on the vascular response to angiotensin II (A-II) in pregnant and non-pregnant
      rabbits. Both were fed on a regular and a low calcium diet, respectively, for a
      period of at least 25 days. By using the common iliac arterial rings of each of
      the rabbits, and further classifying the respective arterial rings into those
      with intact endothelium and those with denuded endothelium, the response to A-II
      in the rings was compared. A greater degree of refractoriness to A-II was
      observed in the intact endothelial rings than in the denuded rings regardless of
      the difference in calcium intake, in both pregnant and non-pregnant rabbits. The
      refractoriness was however, particularly remarkable in the pregnant arterial
      rings. Therefore refractoriness to A-II in arterial rings on a low calcium diet
      is higher than that in the rings on a regular calcium diet regardless of the
      presence of endothelial cells, in both pregnant and non-pregnant rabbits. It is
      clear that reduction in the calcium intake results in an increase in the response
      to A-II, which is caused by increased reactivity of the vascular smooth muscle
      layer.

PMID- 1431439
TI  - [Effect of gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (Gn-RHa) on steroidogenesis in
      human and rat ovaries].
AB  - The effects of Gn-RHa on rat granulosa cells and on human granulosa and luteal
      cells were examined. (I) In rat granulosa cells: 1) Gn-RHa inhibited the
      stimulating effect of PMSG on progesterone and estradiol production. 2) In a
      tracer experiment, Gn-RHa inhibited PMSG-stimulated progesterone production by
      stimulating 20 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone production. On the other hand, Gn-RHa
      inhibited estradiol production by inhibiting PMSG-stimulated aromatization. 3) On
      20 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity, it appears that Gn-RHa
      accelerates the maximum velocity and decreases the affinity of the enzyme to 20
      alpha-hydroxyprogesterone as the substrate. (II) In man: 1) In granulosa cells
      during the ovulatory phase, Gn-RHa inhibited PMSG-stimulated progesterone and
      estradiol production. 2) In luteal cells, Gn-RHa inhibited hCG-stimulated
      progesterone production. 3) The affinity of Gn-RH receptor in the corpus luteum
      was lower than that in rat ovaries. These results suggest that in the human ovary
      as well as in the rat ovary, Gn-RHa might have a direct effect on the development
      of the follicle.

PMID- 1431440
TI  - [Assessment of fetal lung maturity using newly developed immunological
      measurement of fetal pulmonary surfactant apoprotein-A in amniotic fluid].
AB  - The level of immunoreactive lung surfactant apoprotein A (SP-A) was determined
      with a newly developed one-step ELISA kit (TDR-20) in 217 samples obtained by
      transabdominal or transvaginal amniocentesis from 217 pregnant women with high
      risk pregnancy. The lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio (L/S ratio) by two-dimensional
      thin layer chromatography, disaturated phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) values, shake
      test and the stable microbubble method were done simultaneously to compare
      diagnostic reliability in estimating fetal lung maturity. Amniotic fluid SP-A
      levels increased with advancing gestational age and correlated well with the
      values obtained by the other methods. When the cut-off SP-A value for the
      assessment of lung maturity was set at 1,700ng/ml in the amniotic fluid obtained
      within 24h before delivery, the true-negative rate for RDS was 71% and the true
      positive rate for non-RDS was 83%. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were
      100%, 83% and 88%, respectively. These results are comparable with those for the
      L/S ratio, DSPC determination and the stable microbubble method, and were
      slightly better than those for the shake test. In conclusion, this newly
      developed ELISA kit for the measurement of amniotic fluid SP-A is more effective
      than other methods currently available for the evaluation of fetal lung maturity,
      when it is considered that it requires only 0.2ml of amniotic fluid and provides
      results in only 2h without technical difficulties.

PMID- 1431441
TI  - [Detection of tumor markers in uterine cancer (plasminogen activators,
      plasminogen activator inhibitors) using fibrin autography].

PMID- 1431443
TI  - [Laparoscopy-guided cystectomy of the ovarian cyst].

PMID- 1431442
TI  - [The elevated level of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in the umbilical cord
      plasma under with fetal distress].

PMID- 1431444
TI  - [Early amniocentesis-risk and laboratory evaluation].

PMID- 1431445
TI  - [Clinical and endocrine features of climacteric masked depression].

PMID- 1431446
TI  - [The malignant rhabdoid tumor in pregnancy and steroid receptors].

PMID- 1431447
TI  - [Serum level of hCG-like substance in the patients of choriocarcinoma can be
      suppressed by Buserelin-administration].

PMID- 1431448
TI  - [The study on the mechanism of sinusoidal fetal heart rate pattern by pulsed
      Doppler ultrasonographic examination].

PMID- 1431450
TI  - [Role of thrombosis and coronary vasospasm in etiology of myocardial infarction].

PMID- 1431449
TI  - [Therapy of myocardial infarction in Japan].

PMID- 1431451
TI  - [Myocardial reperfusion injuries and stunned myocardium].

PMID- 1431452
TI  - [Relationship between unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction].

PMID- 1431453
TI  - [Progress on diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction].

PMID- 1431454
TI  - [Limitation of ECG for diagnosis of myocardial infarction].

PMID- 1431455
TI  - [Progress on biochemical diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction].

PMID- 1431456
TI  - [Progress on diagnosis of severity of myocardial infarction].

PMID- 1431457
TI  - [Timing of emergency coronary angiography for diagnosis of acute myocardial
      infarction].

PMID- 1431458
TI  - [Diagnosis of myocardial infarction by percutaneous coronary angioscopy].

PMID- 1431459
TI  - [Diagnosis of myocardial infarction by PET scan].

PMID- 1431460
TI  - [Primary care of patients with myocardial infarction].

PMID- 1431461
TI  - [Clinical application of intravenous thrombolytic therapy in acute myocardial
      infarction].

PMID- 1431462
TI  - [PTCR, PTCA for the treatment in patients with acute myocardial infarction].

PMID- 1431463
TI  - [Rehabilitation of post-infarction patients].

PMID- 1431464
TI  - [Prevention of recurrence of myocardial infarction].

PMID- 1431465
TI  - [Thrombolytic therapy of myocardial infarction (discussion)].

PMID- 1431466
TI  - [A case of progressive spinal muscular atrophy with disorder of intestinal
      motility improved by administration of erythromycin].

PMID- 1431467
TI  - [A case of pure red cell aplasia with monoclonal gammopathy].

PMID- 1431468
TI  - [A case of recurrent syncope due to pulmonary embolism].

PMID- 1431469
TI  - [A case of pancreatic ascite with preoperative diagnosis of leaking pancreatic
      cyst].

PMID- 1431470
TI  - [A case of hepatitis due to measles virus].

PMID- 1431471
TI  - [Complications of long-term hemodialysis patients and the countermeasures].

PMID- 1431472
TI  - A computerised bronchoscopy database providing reporting and auditing facilities.
AB  - The bronchoscopy reporting and auditing procedure has been computerised using
      dBASE IV software on a portable microcomputer and printer system. Although
      entering the data into the computer tends to prolong the reporting procedure
      slightly, the additional effort is rewarded by a more comprehensive, attractive
      and accurately documented report; together with rapid access to correct clinical
      and medical audit statistics. The ease of access to the patient data is proving
      useful at clinical review meetings and in the production of quality assurance
      statistics of operator technique.

PMID- 1431473
TI  - A computerized system for acquisition and evaluation of polysomnographic
      recordings.
AB  - A computer system has been designed for acquisition and evaluation of
      polysomnographic recordings. The aim is to create a system running on a
      microcomputer emulating all functions of a conventional chart recorder and
      offering the advantage of making computer assisted evaluations. We have done 87
      investigations in the first year of operation and were fully satisfied by the
      performance of the system. The standard signals we recorded were SaO2, heart
      rate, respiratory effort, nasal and oral airflow and ECG, as well as EOG, EMG and
      EEG. Due to this new method, evaluation of the recording can be done in less time
      than with strip chart recordings and the use of hundreds of pages of paper per
      night can be avoided.

PMID- 1431474
TI  - Eight year's experience with automated anesthesia record keeping: lessons learned
      -new directions taken.
AB  - For the past eight years, an automated anesthesia record keeping system, COMANDAS
      (COMputerized ANesthesia Data Acquisition System) has been used in the
      cardiovascular operating rooms at Mayo Clinic. The automated anesthesia record is
      designed to match the traditional hand-written record and becomes part of the
      official medical record. COMANDAS is interfaced with the physiologic monitor and
      mass spectrometer in each OR, and a number of other computers within the Mayo
      Medical Center. Since the introduction of COMANDAS over 24,000 surgical
      procedures have been charted. The anesthesia record is more complete, consistent
      in organization, and legible when compared to a hand-written record. Recently, it
      was determined that the computers and peripherals that make up COMANDAS were
      wearing out and that the vendors would no longer support or replace the
      equipment. A process to find a replacement for COMANDAS was then begun. Although
      the cardiovascular anesthesia group was satisfied with the automated anesthesia
      record, there were a number of areas in which improvement was desired. A
      systematic evaluation of the system was begun with a survey of the users. The
      majority of those surveyed felt that COMANDAS was a useful system which made
      parts of their job easier. The user interface, method of manual data entry, time
      to produce the record and difficulty learning the system were the source of the
      greatest dissatisfaction. Artifacts, networking, interfacing with other devices
      and computers were also issues for the replacement system. Most commercial
      systems were found wanting in one or more areas of significance. The most
      practical solution appeared to be the modification of a currently available
      intensive care unit patient data management system.

PMID- 1431475
TI  - PADS (Patient Archiving and Documentation System): a computerized patient record
      with educational aspects.
AB  - Rapid acquisition and analysis of information in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
      setting is essential, even more so the documentation of the decision making
      process which has vital consequences for the lives of ICU patients. We describe
      an Ethernet based local area network (LAN) with clinical workstations (Macintosh
      fx, ci). Our Patient Archiving and Documentation System (PADS) represents a
      computerized patient record presently used in a university hospitals' ICU. Taking
      full advantage of the Macintosh based graphical user interface (GUI) our system
      enables nurses and doctors to perform the following tasks: admission, medical
      history taking, physical examination, generation of problem lists and follow up
      notes, access to laboratory data and reports, semiautomatic generation of a
      discharge summary including full word processor capabilities. Furthermore, the
      system offers rapid, consistent and complete automatic encoding of diagnoses
      following the International Classification of Disease (ICD; WHO, [1]). For
      educational purposes the user can also view disease entities or complications
      related to the diagnoses she/he encoded. The system has links to other
      educational programs such as cardiac auscultation. A MEDLINE literature search
      through a CD-ROM based system can be performed without exiting the system; also,
      CD-ROM based medical textbooks can be accessed as well. Commercially available
      Macintosh programs can be integrated in the system without existing the main
      program thus enabling users to customize their working environment. Additional
      options include automatic background monitoring of users learning behavior,
      analyses and graphical display of numerous epidemiological and health care
      related problems. Furthermore, we are in the process of integrating sound and
      digital video in our system. This system represents one in a line of modular
      departmental models which will eventually be integrated to form a decentralized
      Hospital Information System (HIS).

PMID- 1431476
TI  - Inform: conceptual modelling of intensive care information systems.
AB  - Intensive care of a patient requires heavy monitoring and versatile therapeutic
      actions. These produce a huge amount of patient information. A problem exists in
      managing this data and other information from all supporting activities creating
      a need for an automated information management system. To have a sound basis for
      future automated information systems in intensive care unit (ICU), a conceptual
      model is created to cover both the clinical and other activities of the ICU. The
      conceptual model consists of data flow diagrams and entity-relationship diagrams
      with underlying common data dictionary. A modern CASE tool is utilized to build
      the model. The work forms a part of AIM-INFORM project, which has a purpose to
      develop information management and decision support systems for high dependency
      environment.

PMID- 1431477
TI  - Microprocessor-based near real-time bedside blood chemistry monitor.
AB  - A microprocessor-based instrument which integrates the function of a volumetric
      infusion pump with a blood chemistry analyzer has been developed. Presently, the
      instrument is capable of measuring Na+, K+, Ca++ and pH within approximately 40
      sec at a frequency of up to every 2 min. The system is set up as an intravenous
      (IV) infusion pump with the addition of an array of disposable sensors placed at
      the distal end of the IV set. An isotonic IV solution is used to keep the site
      patent while also serving as a calibrant for the sensors. The instrument first
      calibrates the sensors, then withdraws approximately 0.6 ml of blood to come in
      contact with the sensors. Within approximately 15 sec, it displays the results,
      flushes the blood back into the patient and resumes normal infusion. There is no
      blood loss to the patient and no need to handle blood. The system was first
      validated with known aqueous controls and then used on-line in a variety of
      animal studies where dynamic fluctuation of electrolytes and pH occurred.
      Excellent correlation was found with off-line samples tested on conventional STAT
      analyzers. Some preliminary patient data is also presented.

PMID- 1431478
TI  - ECG of the month. Triad of doom? Atrioventricular and interventricular block.

PMID- 1431479
TI  - Primary immunodeficiencies.
AB  - Primary immunodeficiencies are rare immune system disorders that present with
      recurrent and chronic infections of the head and neck. Otitis media, sinusitis,
      and upper respiratory tract infections develop frequently and present in early
      childhood. The purpose of this report is to classify and define the primary
      immunodeficiencies as well as to examine the clinical manifestations, evaluation,
      and treatment of these disorders.

PMID- 1431480
TI  - Rapidly progressive crescentic glomerulonephritis associated with ANCA
      (incomplete or variant Wegener's granulomatosis)

PMID- 1431481
TI  - Measles vaccine for susceptible postpartum women.

PMID- 1431482
TI  - Assisting in the long term care needs of the person living with HIV.

PMID- 1431483
TI  - Living wills and orders not to resuscitate: what is the difference?
AB  - There is confusion about the meaning of living wills and orders not to
      resuscitate. Both are very important concepts which allow patients to control
      some of the decisions at the end of life. Living wills are valid until revoked,
      have the same meaning throughout Louisiana, and are implemented when a patient
      becomes incompetent and qualified (certified in writing as having a terminal and
      irreversible condition). Orders not to resuscitate are policy matters in each
      hospital, thus they vary throughout the state. They are implemented at the time
      of cardiac arrest.

PMID- 1431484
TI  - Evaluation of urinary incontinence in the elderly.
AB  - Urinary incontinence affects millions of elderly American men and women. This
      paper reviews the causes of urinary incontinence and the evaluation that can be
      easily accomplished as an outpatient with minimal expense and morbidity.

PMID- 1431485
TI  - The uses of simulation in anesthesiology training: a review of the current
      literature.
AB  - Can anesthesia simulation be used successfully in training to improve the
      abilities of anesthesiologists and so result in decreased morbidity and mortality
      due to human error? In this review, computer simulation is examined as a training
      technique to reduce human error during the administration of anesthesia and as a
      method for studying how anesthetic accidents occur. Simulation is used
      successfully in other fields, such as aviation pilot training. A discussion of
      what defines human error will enable understanding of how computer simulation may
      be used to reduce it. Simulation of the anesthesia environment has been only
      recently developed. At this time there are at least two simulators which have
      been developed for the anesthesia environment. The two simulations are different
      in that one is strictly computer based. One reproduces the anesthesia monitors
      using computer graphics. The other, the Comprehensive Anesthesia Simulation
      Environment (CASE) simulation, attempts to reproduce the entire operating room.
      These two available simulators are discussed. It is presently unknown whether or
      not the use of simulation in anesthesia training improves the quality of that
      training. However, simulators necessary to answer this question are either
      available now or will be in the near future.

PMID- 1431486
TI  - The mortality experience of Dow Chemical Louisiana Division employees, 1956-1986.
AB  - A major objective of the epidemiology department of the Dow Chemical Company is
      to report at periodic intervals the cause-specific mortality experience of its
      employees. This study analyzed the cause-specific mortality experience of 4,229
      male and female employees of the Louisiana Division who were employed for at
      least 1 year from 1956 through 1986. Regardless of the comparison population used
      to calculate expected numbers (United States, Louisiana, or the surrounding five
      parish area), fewer deaths were observed for all causes combined as well as for
      all malignant neoplasms, diseases of the circulatory system, and external causes
      of death.

PMID- 1431487
TI  - Of physicians and medical decisions concerning the end of life.

PMID- 1431488
TI  - ECG of the month. A cool-inary problem. Hypothermia.

PMID- 1431489
TI  - The hard-of-hearing patient in office practice.
AB  - The hard-of-hearing patient may represent difficult evaluation and management
      decisions. This article will serve as a review for the primary care physician.
      Included will be a description of the various types of hearing losses, their
      causes, evaluation, and treatment.

PMID- 1431491
TI  - Preoperative management of sickle cell patients.
AB  - During a 12-year period, 59 patients with sickle cell disease underwent a total
      of 73 operative procedures. There was a total of 30 non-sickle-cell-related and 7
      sickle-cell-related complications for an incidence of 41% and 10% respectively.
      There were no deaths. When complications were compared between patients that were
      transfused and those not transfused, there was no difference in the incidence of
      sickle-cell-related complications with an 8% incidence for the non-transfused
      group and 10% for the transfused group. A higher incidence of non-sickle-cell
      related complications (46% versus 32%) was noted in the transfused group, with
      atelectasis being the most common complication (p = .29). The type of transfusion
      therapy did not influence morbidity, since the complication rates in the simple
      and exchange transfusion groups were similar. In conclusion, our data indicate
      that routine preoperative blood transfusion does not appear to be beneficial in
      the surgical sickle cell patient, since preoperative blood transfusions did not
      reduce the incidence of sickle-cell-related complications.

PMID- 1431490
TI  - Aspiration pneumonia.

PMID- 1431492
TI  - Putting the 'manage' into managed care.
AB  - Managed care is part of our modern medical vocabulary just like Medicare and
      Medicaid were 20 years ago. Other areas of the country are significantly impacted
      by managed care. Now the concept of businesses and industries representing large
      numbers of patients and potential patients have become an integral component of
      nearly every physician in Louisiana. Most physicians are out of their "comfort
      zone" when contracts with managed care providers are discussed. This article
      provides guidelines for selecting and solving problems with managed care
      providers.

PMID- 1431493
TI  - Common human phobias.
AB  - The kernel of realistic fear present in the common phobias arises from
      phylogenetic as well as ontogenetic roots. A phobia's full development depends
      upon life experience, the role of the symbolization process in expressing
      personal conflict, and individual temperamental and familial factors.

PMID- 1431494
TI  - Interleukin-6: on target for disease and approaching the bedside.

PMID- 1431496
TI  - Dimer formation and desensitization of the epidermal growth factor receptor.

PMID- 1431495
TI  - Oncogene intervention into hematopoietic signaling.

PMID- 1431497
TI  - Alcohol consumption in the guinea pig is associated with reduced megakaryocyte
      deformability and platelet size.
AB  - Mild thrombocytopenia is common in alcoholic individuals. Ethanol appears to
      impair platelet production primarily by affecting the maturing megakaryocyte
      compartment. We recently showed that guinea pigs have an unusually large number
      of elongated platelet forms even under conditions of steady-state thrombopoiesis,
      and a portion of their mature (stage IV) megakaryocytes yield extremely long
      extensions on micropipette aspiration. This study evaluates the effect of a
      moderately low level of ethanol consumption by guinea pigs on platelet size and
      form and megakaryocyte deformability. Adult Duncan Hartley guinea pigs took
      ethanol 2.5% (vol/vol) ad libitum for 4 weeks under environmentally controlled
      conditions, never reaching detectable blood ethanol levels (< 0.01%); the
      platelet count fell 16%. Elongated platelet forms constituted 29% of the cardiac
      puncture platelets of control animals, but only 3% of the cardiac puncture
      platelets of animals given ethanol; discocytic platelets of ethanol-treated
      animals were also significantly smaller. Individual stage III and IV
      megakaryocytes were aspirated into 5 microns diameter micropipettes by stepwise
      increment in pressure from 10 to 200 cm water. The extensions drawn from
      megakaryocytes of ethanol-exposed animals were significantly shorter than the
      extensions from control megakaryocytes. Extremely long extensions over 50 microns
      in length were drawn from 21% of the control megakaryocytes but less than 1% of
      ethanol-exposed megakaryocytes. Moderately low level ethanol consumption was
      associated with reduced platelet count and size, along with rigidity of mature
      megakaryocytes in guinea pigs. Few ethanol-exposed megakaryocytes yielded
      extremely long cell extensions, nor were elongated platelet forms prevalent in
      the circulation of animals given ethanol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431498
TI  - Secretion of hyaluronic acid from synovial fibroblasts is enhanced by histamine:
      a newly observed metabolic effect of histamine.
AB  - We obtained evidence for the presence of histamine H1 and H2 receptors in normal
      synovial fibroblasts. Histamine enhanced proliferation of these synovial
      fibroblasts and stimulated the release of hyaluronic acid from these tissues. The
      molecular weight of hyaluronic acid decreased with this stimulation. The release
      of lower molecular weight hyaluronic acid from the synovium by histamine may be
      an important factor in joint disease.

PMID- 1431499
TI  - Serum proteins and acid-base equilibria: a follow-up.
AB  - A mathematic model that described the acid-base behavior of blood plasma has been
      revised to incorporate pK values of individual histidine residues on human serum
      albumin determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. With the insights
      derived from the model a method for evaluation of the strong ion difference has
      been developed. Thus if pH, PCO2, and the concentrations of serum albumin and
      phosphate are measured, all independent variables, which physically determine
      "acid-base balance" in plasma, can be quantified. New ways to evaluate
      "unidentified anions" in metabolic acidosis can be explored with this approach.

PMID- 1431500
TI  - Low blood glutathione levels in healthy aging adults.
AB  - The objective of this investigation was to test the hypothesis that blood
      glutathione levels are lower in aging human subjects as previously found in blood
      and tissues of standard rodent models of aging. Thus a study was conducted with
      39 men and 130 women, 20 to 94 years old, who were selected by the criteria of
      being ambulatory, healthy, and free from diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease,
      anemias, and cancer. The reference group was comprised of the 20- to 39-year-old
      subjects, whose blood glutathione levels were 547 +/- 53.5 micrograms/10(10)
      erythrocytes (mean +/- SD) for 40 individuals and defined the reference range
      (95% confidence limits) of 440 to 654. Based on the 440 micrograms/10(10)
      erythrocyte cutoff, the incidence of low blood glutathione content in the older
      subjects increased significantly, particularly in the 60- to 79-year-old group.
      Their glutathione levels were 452 +/- 86.8 micrograms/10(10) erythrocytes, 17%
      lower than the reference group (p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate an
      increased incidence of low glutathione levels in apparently healthy elderly
      subjects, who thus may be at risk because of a decreased capacity to maintain
      many metabolic and detoxification reactions mediated by glutathione.

PMID- 1431501
TI  - The contribution of factor V to the coagulant property of pleural fluid.
AB  - Intrapleural fibrin deposition commonly accompanies pleural injury and may
      contribute to the organization of exudative pleural effusions, which leads to
      lung entrapment. Previous investigators have observed an increase in procoagulant
      proteins in pleural effusions but very little thrombin formation. FVa is the
      protein cofactor in the prothrombinase complex that dramatically enhances the
      generation of thrombin from prothrombin by the serine protease fXa. The presence
      of fVa within the pleural space could influence fibrin formation and pleural
      scarification. We examined pleural fluids obtained from patients who had lung
      cancer, CHF, and empyema for the presence of fV/fVa. The fV antigen was increased
      in exudative pleural fluids, in comparison with transudates. However, the
      specific activity of fV antigen present in exudates was significantly less than
      that observed for the lower concentration of antigen present in transudate and
      could not be activated to the same degree by thrombin. Immunoblots of fV antigen
      in exudates indicated that fV was partially cleaved and inactivated by
      unidentified proteases. We conclude that although fV is present in pleural fluid,
      it may be present in a degraded form, which may partially account for a lack of
      thrombin-generating capacity in these pleural fluids. The presence of fV does not
      necessarily correlate with pleural loculation.

PMID- 1431502
TI  - Inhibition of the activation of Hageman factor (factor XII) by extracts of
      Schistosoma mansoni.
AB  - How intravascular helminth parasites evade host hemostatic defense mechanisms and
      survive within the circulating blood has not been adequately explained. Previous
      reports have described an inhibitor of the intrinsic clotting pathway in extracts
      of adult Schistosoma mansoni. Using a purified preparation of Hageman factor, we
      examined the ability of schistosome extracts and secretory products to inhibit
      the activation of human Hageman factor (factor XII) in an amidolytic assay. Both
      schistosome extracts and secretory products inhibited the activation of purified
      Hageman factor by more than 95%. Schistosome extracts inhibited activation of
      Hageman factor both by ellagic acid and by bovine sulfatides. In contrast,
      activated Hageman factor retained full activity in the presence of schistosome
      extracts as tested both on an amidolytic synthetic substrate and a natural
      substrate, plasma thromboplastin antecedent (factor XI). Our findings indicate
      that extracts and secretory products of adult Schistosoma mansoni contain a
      potent inhibitor of the activation of Hageman factor. Knowledge of a site at
      which schistosomes inhibit the intrinsic clotting pathway provides added insight
      into the mechanisms by which the parasites avoid the host hemostatic defense
      mechanisms.

PMID- 1431503
TI  - Respiratory epithelial carbohydrate levels of rats with gram-negative bacillary
      colonization.
AB  - One mechanism by which severe illness or stress might facilitate adherence and
      colonization of GNB to respiratory epithelium is by altering epithelial cell
      surface carbohydrates. To investigate this possibility we used radiolabeled
      lectins to quantitate carbohydrate levels on intact buccal and tracheal
      epithelium. A rat model of GNB colonization, in which renal infarction was
      performed to produce colonization, was used. Buccal and tracheal epithelial
      surface carbohydrate levels from normal rats and rats 48 hours after renal
      infarction were compared. Buccal and tracheal epithelium from the renal
      infarction animals had decreased amounts of sialic acid and fucose, and decreased
      levels of these sugars occurred at the same time that heavy oropharyngeal GNB
      colonization developed. Tracheas obtained from the infarcted animals bound three
      times more Type 1 piliated GNB than normal tracheas. Sialic acid and fucose
      levels are decreased early after stress, and we speculate that altered epithelial
      carbohydrates may predispose to GNB colonization by exposing binding sites for
      GNB.

PMID- 1431504
TI  - Effect of enhanced erythropoiesis on iron absorption.
AB  - To examine the influence of erythropoiesis on iron absorption, radioiron
      absorption tests were performed in normal subjects before and after a course of
      recombinant erythropoietin. The absorption of heme and nonheme iron from a
      standard meal was measured in nine subjects, and the absorption of a therapeutic
      dose of ferrous sulfate given with or without food was determined in an
      additional 11 subjects. The subcutaneous administration of 100 U recombinant
      human erythropoietin/kg body weight given on 10 successive days over a 2-week
      period induced a brisk increase in erythropoiesis and a sharp decrease in iron
      stores. With the standard meal, there was a modest increase in heme iron
      absorption from 47.0% to 58.6% (p < 0.05) and a dramatic five-fold rise in
      nonheme iron absorption from 5.9% to 31.8% (p < 0.001). The absorption of 50 mg
      iron as ferrous sulfate increased from 2.0% to 17.9% when given with food (p <
      0.001) and from 7.0% to 24.6% when given with water (p < 0.001). To assess the
      effect of erythropoiesis independently of the induced changes in iron status, the
      absorption data were adjusted to a common serum ferritin level. The relative
      increase in iron absorption was still significant for both dietary nonheme iron
      (ratio 2.51, p < 0.02) and ferrous sulfate given with food (ratio 2.99, p <
      0.01). It is concluded that the striking enhancement of iron absorption following
      regular erythropoietin administration in normal subjects is related to the
      combined effect of diminished iron stores and augmented erythropoiesis.

PMID- 1431505
TI  - Detection of properdin mRNA in human peripheral blood monocytes and spleen.
AB  - Properdin serves a critical role in the alternative pathway of complement by
      stabilizing the C3bBb complex. Early studies to determine the properdin sequence
      relied on amino acid sequencing of enzymatically cleaved properdin and only
      yielded partial sequence data. Recently Nolan et al. reported a properdin mRNA
      sequence obtained from the U937 myelomonocytic cell line. We sought to detect
      properdin mRNA in two normal human tissues and to compare those sequences with
      that obtained from the U937 cell line. Cytoplasmic RNA harvested from human
      spleen and peripheral blood monocytes served as a template for first strand
      synthesis. The cDNA was then used as a template for polymerase chain reaction. A
      properdin message was detected in both spleen and peripheral blood monocytes but
      not in peripheral blood neutrophils. The sequence was nearly identical to that
      obtained from the U937 cell line. These experiments demonstrate that peripheral
      blood may be used as a ready source for properdin mRNA and will faster studies to
      define the defect in properdin-deficient patients.

PMID- 1431506
TI  - Histologic studies of splenic megakaryocytes after bone marrow ablation with
      strontium 90.
AB  - We previously showed that purified strontium 90 produced sustained bone marrow
      ablation in mice, lowering platelet levels to less than 10% of normal 11 days
      after administration. Platelet levels later rose exclusively from splenic
      production and were maintained at a stable level (58% of normal) from 20 to 115
      days after injection. However, there was no change in the total number or ploidy
      distribution of splenic megakaryocytes, as immunologically detected by flow
      cytometry. To further study the characteristics of splenic thrombopoiesis after
      bone marrow ablation by 90Sr, we measured the frequency, cross-sectional area,
      and endomitotic figures of histologically recognizable megakaryocytes (as well as
      bare megakaryocyte nuclei) in mouse spleen sections. During the hematopoietic
      nadir 9 days after injection of yttrium 90-free 90Sr, the size (area) of
      megakaryocyte cross-sections (mean +/- SD, 1079.3 +/- 661.6 microns 2; normal,
      398.7 +/- 192.8 microns 2) was greater than for any other time studied, but
      megakaryocyte frequency (corrected for size) did not increase until day 16.
      Overall, splenic megakaryocytes in marrow-ablated mice 16 or more days after 90Sr
      injection showed substantial increases (p = 0.001 for both comparisons) in mean
      area (707.5 +/- 386.2 microns 2) and sectional frequency (mean +/- SEM, 4.52 +/-
      0.20 per 1.83 mm2; normal, 0.78 +/- 0.06 per 1.83 mm2). Megakaryocyte bare nuclei
      and endomitotic figures were also more numerous after 90Sr, injection, suggesting
      acceleration of megakaryocyte maturation and platelet production. The induction
      of splenic platelet production after bone marrow ablation is associated with
      increased size of recognizable megakaryocytes, despite lack of change in overall
      splenic megakaryocyte ploidy.

PMID- 1431507
TI  - Mitomycin C-induced colitis in rats: a new animal model of acute colonic
      inflammation implicating reactive oxygen species.
AB  - The mechanism of the tissue damage induced by colonic inflammation in ulcerative
      colitis is not established. We therefore developed and characterized a simple new
      rat model of acute colonic inflammation induced by a single systemic injection of
      mitomycin C. After an intraperitoneal injection of mitomycin-C, colon histologic
      examination revealed transient (3 to 14 days) diffuse, colonic inflammation and
      injury that, like human ulcerative colitis, was limited to the mucosal layer. The
      rest of the gastrointestinal tract was spared. Gut permeability, as measured by
      urinary excretion of orally administered lactulose and mannitol, was unchanged 3
      days after injection, when inflammation was already present; permeability was
      increased at 7 days, when inflammation was maximal. Mitomycin C did not produce
      inflammation in experimentally bypassed segments of small bowel despite the
      presence of colonic-type bacteria, suggesting that lack of intraluminal bacteria
      was not responsible for the absence of inflammation in the small intestine.
      Chemiluminescence, a means of estimating levels of reactive oxygen species, was
      greater in the intact, inflamed colon of mitomycin C-treated rats than in
      bypassed segments. Moreover, inflamed mucosal scrapings produced more in vitro
      luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence. Furthermore, the reactive oxygen species
      scavengers allopurinol, catalase, and WR-2721 decreased inflammation severity. We
      therefore conclude: (1) the mitomycin C-treated rat is a novel, easy to prepare
      animal model of acute inflammation of colonic mucosa, with morphologic
      similarities to the acute phase of ulcerative colitis in human beings; (2)
      increased gut permeability in mitomycin C-treated rats is the result, not the
      cause, of the inflammation; and (3) reactive oxygen species play an important
      role in colonic inflammation and tissue injury in this model, and possibly in
      human ulcerative colitis.

PMID- 1431508
TI  - Inhibition of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase by gossypol and bioflavonoids.
AB  - The enzyme 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11 beta-OHSD) oxidizes
      hydrocortisone to inactive cortisone in the kidney and is an important regulator
      of renal K+ clearance. Gossypol, in clinical trials as an antifertility drug for
      men in China, was associated with episodes of hypokalemia. To learn whether
      gossypol and other structurally similar compounds in plants can inhibit 11 beta
      OHSD activity, purified enzyme from rat liver and in human renal cortical
      microsomes was studied. Rat liver enzyme was inhibited by glycyrrhetinic acid >
      gossypol >> morin > quercetin >> rutin. Glycyrrhetinic acid, gossypol, and morin
      inhibited activity of the human kidney enzyme. Enzyme in microsomes from five
      human kidneys had an IC50 (S.D.) of 1.5 (1.2) mumol/L for glycyrrhetinic acid;
      enzyme in microsomes from six human kidneys had a 50% inhibitory doses of 147
      (25) mumol/L for gossypol. Our observations indicate that gossypol and other
      compounds in plants can inhibit 11 beta-OHSD activity and may thereby increase K+
      excretion.

PMID- 1431509
TI  - Does lead play a role in Paget's disease of bone? A hypothesis.

PMID- 1431510
TI  - Assessing response to thrombolytic therapy.

PMID- 1431511
TI  - Conservative or reconstructive microsurgery of the middle ear.

PMID- 1431512
TI  - Ear, nose and throat in Ancient Egypt.

PMID- 1431513
TI  - Vestibular neurectomy by the infralabyrinthine approach.
AB  - There are a variety of approaches for treating vertigo with selective vestibular
      neurectomy but each has definite limitations proving that no ideal technique is
      yet available. An original posterior-inferior approach to the internal auditory
      canal (infralabyrinthine approach) has been recently proposed. It attempts to
      overcome the limitations and to combine the advantages of the previous
      procedures. This report presents our preliminary results using this particular
      technique in the management of vestibular symptoms of Meniere's disease.

PMID- 1431514
TI  - The effect of epidural anaesthesia and size of spinal needle on post-operative
      hearing loss.
AB  - Forty-five patients who were to undergo elective urological operations were
      evaluated. In the pre-operative period and on the third or fourth post-operative
      day audiometry was performed. Epidural anaesthesia was performed in 15 cases,
      spinal anaesthesia was performed in 15 cases with 25 G needles, and in 15 cases
      with 22 G needles. No statistically significant hearing loss was observed in the
      post-operative period compared to preoperative period in the epidural anaesthesia
      group. In the post-operative period, the hearing loss observed in the 25 G-spinal
      anaesthesia group was significantly (P < 0.01) less than that seen in the 22 G
      group. None of the patients had headache after spinal anaesthesia. It was
      concluded that pure tone audiometry is a more sensitive indicator of
      cerebrospinal fluid leakage than post-operative headache.

PMID- 1431515
TI  - A conservative approach to the management of otitis media with effusion in cleft
      palate children.
AB  - Otitis media with effusion (OME) is almost universal in children born with a
      cleft palate. Early placement of a ventilation tube to alleviate hearing problems
      is common. A retrospective study has been carried out to assess whether the
      practice of tube placement only for definite clinical indications is successful
      in terms of subsequent hearing levels and speech and language development. This
      was assessed by a case note review, analysis of speech therapy data and by means
      of a special follow-up clinic. There was no difference in speech development
      between those treated with tube insertion for OME and those untreated.
      Audiological thresholds were worse in the treated group. A similar number in each
      group required regular speech therapy. More abnormal otological findings were
      present at follow up in those who had tubes inserted, some of these were directly
      attributable to the presence of tubes. A conservative management of OME in cleft
      palate children, with tube insertion for only definite clinical indications, is
      an appropriate management, and will lead to fewer otological complications of
      tube insertion.

PMID- 1431516
TI  - Surgery of the 'only hearing ear' with chronic ear disease.
AB  - The management of chronic ear disease affecting the only hearing ear is a
      controversial subject. The relative scarcity of literature on the subject
      prompted us to prepare a questionnaire which was sent to European and American
      otologists and to review 19 cases operated at the ENT Clinic of the University of
      Parma, Italy, and 16 cases operated at The Baptist Memorial Hospital, Memphis,
      U.S.A. Surgery of cholesteatoma involving the only hearing ear is advised by all
      the interviewed otologists without exception, even in the presence of a
      labyrinthine fistula. The cases from the University of Parma were managed as
      follows: a classic modified radical mastoidectomy was performed in 10 cases, a
      staged intact canal wall tympanoplasty was done in four cases, an open
      tympanoplasty in three and a radical mastoidectomy in the remaining two cases.
      The cases from The Baptist Memorial Hospital were managed with an intact canal
      wall tympanoplasty (ICWT) in nine and with an open procedure in seven cases. All
      the otologists interviewed agreed that surgery of the only hearing ear requires
      particular attention and experience, and should be performed with extreme care by
      a very experienced surgeon.

PMID- 1431517
TI  - Allergic aspergillus sinusitis with proptosis.
AB  - Allergic aspergillus sinusitis has recently been increasingly recognized. Five
      cases are discussed. All presented with proptosis, signs and symptoms of allergic
      rhinitis and radiological evidence of expansile masses with calcification and
      bony erosions involving multiple sinuses. Greenish cheesy material was seen at
      surgery. Histologically the lesions contained eosinophils, Charcot-Lyden crystals
      and fungal septate hyphae. Aspergillus fumigatus was grown from all cases.
      Surgical removal with drainage and aeration were performed. The follow-up period
      ranged between three to 18 months. Recurrence occurred in one patient. Allergic
      aspergillus sinusitis can mimic malignant disease and should be considered in the
      differential diagnosis of lesions involving multiple sinuses. It should also be
      considered in all cases of proptosis.

PMID- 1431518
TI  - Spontaneous pain in patients with maxillary sinus carcinoma in relation to T
      classification and direction of tumour spread.
AB  - Spontaneous pain was one of many complaints on initial examination of 845
      patients with maxillary sinus carcinoma. The pain was analysed; cheek, teeth,
      head and eye pain were compared with the T-classification and the anterior
      posterior direction of invasion. The incidence of the cheek, teeth, head and eye
      pain was 48, 39, 29 and 23 per cent respectively. The incidence of both the cheek
      and teeth pain was increased according to the advancement of T-classification and
      invasion towards the posterior. Head and eye pain was often referred. In the
      localized posterior group which tend to be diagnosed late, spontaneous pain
      occurred in 15 to 48 per cent of the patients. Maxillary sinus carcinoma should
      always be a differential diagnosis in patients with unclear cheek, teeth, head
      and eye pain. A careful investigation should be performed in order to diagnose
      malignant diseases as early as possible.

PMID- 1431519
TI  - Ethmoidal scleroma: endoscopic diagnosis and treatment.
AB  - Twenty patients with medically treated rhinoscleroma and residual ethmoidal
      manifestations were examined using CT scanning. Cases with positive radiological
      data of the ethmoids underwent diagnostic and therapeutic nasal endoscopy. It has
      been found that ethmoidal scleroma is not as rare a condition as was previously
      thought. The diagnostic and therapeutic value of nasal endoscopy in ethmoidal
      scleroma is discussed.

PMID- 1431520
TI  - Long-term effects of topical corticosteroids in the nose.
AB  - In a prospective study, biopsies were taken from the septal mucosa in 21 patients
      of whom 11 had been using topical nasal corticosteroids. In contrast to the
      effect of long-term treatment with corticosteroids in the skin, but in accordance
      with previous investigations of the nasal mucosa, no histopathological changes of
      significance were found, although the biopsies were taken from different sites.
      These findings do not suggest that topically corticosteroids are harmful to the
      nasal mucosa.

PMID- 1431521
TI  - Penetrating injuries to the oropharynx.
AB  - A review was made of 12 cases of penetrating injuries to the oropharynx seen at
      Musashino Red Cross Hospital during the period from 1984 to 1988, and their
      records were compared with those of past cases with similar injuries reported in
      a survey for the period between 1949 and 1959. Most of the patients were children
      under the age of four and were injured when they fell with a sharp-edged object
      in the mouth. Penetrating injuries to the oropharynx occasionally cause severe
      complications, including retropharyngeal abscess and mediastinitis. This type of
      injury should be called a 'pencil injury'.

PMID- 1431522
TI  - Guillotine and dissection tonsillectomy in children.
AB  - Tonsillectomy as an outpatient or same day-stay procedure is becoming
      increasingly popular. A retrospective study was performed on 1,049 children who
      underwent tonsillectomy and adenotonsillectomy either with guillotine or
      dissection with snare method. The dissection method was performed both under
      general anaesthesia and with local anaesthesia, but the guillotine method was
      performed only with local anaesthesia. Generally, bleeding control required no
      special intervention in the guillotine method but haemostasis was achieved by
      ligation and electrocauterization in one-third of the patients in the dissection
      group operated under general anaesthesia. The greatest percentage of haemorrhage
      in both methods occurred within the first four post-operative hours. There was a
      1.8 per cent incidence of severe reactive haemorrhage required surgical
      intervention in the dissection group operated under general anaesthesia, but
      there was no such case in the guillotine group. The results of this study show
      that in carefully selected children guillotine tonsillectomy with local
      anaesthesia is a safe, time saving and cost-effective procedure.

PMID- 1431523
TI  - Fibromatosis on the dorsum of the nose.
AB  - An extremely rare case of fibromatosis in a 25-year-old Indian male is reported.
      The clinical examination and pre-operative findings were suggestive of a benign
      neoplasm, probably of neurogenic origin. The mass was well circumscribed and
      could be shelled out en masse. Histopathological examination showed it to be
      fibromatosis. An external rhinoplasty approach enabled a complete wide excision
      to be performed without any resulting cosmetic defect.

PMID- 1431525
TI  - Adrenal suppression with intranasal betamethasone drops.
AB  - Intranasal betamethasone sodium phosphate drops (Betnesol) are frequently used to
      relieve nasal congestion due to polyposis. We report a case of significant
      hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal suppression secondary to the long-term use of
      intranasal betamethasone drops. This case emphasizes that the topical application
      of potent corticosteroids may produce systemic effects.

PMID- 1431524
TI  - Nasopharyngeal Corynebacterium ulcerans: a different diphtheria.
AB  - A case of toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans infection is presented. The
      diagnosis was delayed and no anti-toxin administered. A nasopharyngeal biopsy was
      complicated by severe haemorrhage necessitating a post nasal pack. A brief review
      of the pathology and treatment of Corynebacterium ulcerans is given.

PMID- 1431526
TI  - Use of the carbon dioxide laser with the Montgomery T-tube in the management of
      extensive subglottic stenosis.
AB  - Subglottic and tracheal stenosis frequently present difficulties in management.
      Two cases of subglottic stenosis occurring after prolonged endotracheal
      intubation are presented where the vertical length of complete obstruction by
      scar tissue was greater than 2.5 cm. One case was successfully managed by the use
      of the laser and immediate insertion of a stent. The other case still requires
      subglottic stenting, although an excellent lumen was established by laser
      vaporization of the stenosed segment.

PMID- 1431527
TI  - Cisplatin-albumin complex for treatment of cancer of the head and neck.
AB  - Many patients with cancer of the head and neck are unable to receive or continue
      treatment with cisplatin, which is nephrotoxic, because of poor renal function.
      We present here, however, the case of a patient who underwent conventional
      cisplatin therapy but who then had to be withdrawn from treatment because of
      renal toxicity despite having undergone partial remission. Treatment was then
      changed to cisplatin in the form of a cisplatin-albumin complex which is not
      nephrotoxic. The patient went on to a histologically confirmed complete response
      and we suggest that although the cisplatin-albumin complex may not be as
      effective as the conventional form of the drug it offers a possible form of
      treatment of patients with compromised renal function who could not otherwise be
      treated.

PMID- 1431528
TI  - An amalgam tattoo of the soft palate: a case report with energy dispersive X-ray
      analysis.
AB  - A pigmented lesion of the soft palate was excised to exclude melanoma. The
      histology suggested an amalgam tattoo which was confirmed on energy dispersive X
      ray analysis by the detection of silver and copper. This represents a very rare
      mimic of melanoma of the soft palate.

PMID- 1431529
TI  - Teratoma of the head and neck.

PMID- 1431530
TI  - Isolated bilateral paralysis of the soft palate in an adult.
AB  - A case of bilateral paralysis of the soft palate occurring in a 42-year-old
      patient is presented. Idiopathic paralysis of the soft palate as an isolated
      clinical entity was first described by Edin et al. 1976. Since then 22 similar
      cases have been reported, all in children and all unilateral. A search of the
      English language literature has not revealed a case of bilateral palatal palsy in
      an adult.

PMID- 1431531
TI  - Relapsing polychondritis--two cases with tracheal stenosis and inner ear
      involvement.
AB  - Relapsing polychondritis is a rare disease which often presents firstly to ear,
      nose and throat (ENT) departments. Its complications, respiratory,
      cardiovascular, renal and neurological are life-threatening; thus it is important
      to recognize the disease and its complications early. Treatment for relapsing
      polychondritis may have serious side-effects which should be taken into account
      when managing these patients. We report two young patients with relapsing
      polychondritis and their treatments; both had severe tracheal stenosis responding
      in one case to pharmacological and in the other to surgical intervention.

PMID- 1431532
TI  - Laryngo-tracheo-bronchopathia chondro-osteoplastica.
AB  - Two cases of laryngo-tracheo-bronchopathia chondro-osteoplastica (LTBCOP) are
      discussed regarding the pathogenesis of the disease. Our observations support the
      belief that chronic irritation of the perichondrium in the region of subglottis,
      trachea and bronchi plays an important role in the aetiology of this disease.

PMID- 1431533
TI  - Alternative methods of application of topical preparations in otitis externa.

PMID- 1431534
TI  - Alternative methods of application of topical preparations in otitis externa.

PMID- 1431536
TI  - Alternative methods of application of topical preparations in otitis externa.

PMID- 1431535
TI  - Alternative methods of application of topical preparations in otitis externa.

PMID- 1431537
TI  - The validity of distinguishing children with language and learning disabilities
      according to discrepancies with IQ: introduction to the special series.

PMID- 1431538
TI  - The validity of discrepancy criteria for identifying children with developmental
      language disorders.
AB  - Empirical data from two studies address the clinical validity of discrepancy
      criteria for identification of children with developmental language disorders
      (DLD). Study 1 involved 256 preschoolers clinically defined as DLD and meeting
      inclusionary criteria for normal hearing, intellectual, neurological, and
      psychiatric status. Application of alternative psychometrically derived
      discrepancy criteria identified only 40% to 60% of the clinically defined group
      as language disordered. Study 2 applied nonverbal IQ-language performance
      discrepancy criteria to 368 eight-year-old, randomly selected control subjects,
      resulting in over 45% of the controls being identified as DLD. Factors
      contributing to underidentification in Study 1 and over-identification in Study 2
      are discussed, raising questions regarding the validity of discrepancy criteria
      for identification of DLD children.

PMID- 1431539
TI  - The validity of discrepancy-based definitions of reading disabilities.
AB  - This study addressed the validity of distinguishing children with reading
      disabilities according to the presence or absence of discrepancies between
      intelligence test scores and academic achievement. Three definitions of reading
      disability were used to provide criteria for five groups of children who (a) met
      a discrepancy-based definition uncorrected for the correlation of IQ and
      achievement; (b) met a discrepancy-based definition correcting for the
      correlation of IQ and achievement; (c) met a low achievement definition with no
      IQ discrepancy; (d) met criteria a and b; and (e) met none of the criteria and
      had no reading disability. Comparison of these five groups on a set of 10
      neuropsychological tests corrected for correlations with IQ showed that group
      differences were small and accounted for little of the variability among groups.
      These results question the validity of segregating children with reading
      deficiencies according to discrepancies with IQ scores.

PMID- 1431540
TI  - The external validity of age- versus IQ-discrepancy definitions of reading
      disability: lessons from a twin study.
AB  - Recent research has raised the question of whether age- and IQ-discrepancy forms
      of reading disability (RD) are distinguishable in terms of either their
      underlying linguistic deficit or their response to treatment, thus threatening
      the external validity of the traditional distinction between specific reading
      retardation and reading backwardness. The present study pursued the external
      validity of this distinction in three domains: (a) genetic etiology, (b) sex
      ratio and clinical correlates, and (c) neuropsychological profiles. Each of these
      domains was explored in the RD (n = 640) and control (n = 436) twins
      participating in the Colorado Reading Project (514 males, 562 females, with an
      overall mean age of 12.42 years). Little evidence for external validity was found
      in terms of the clinical correlates of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder
      (ADHD), immune disorders, or handedness. Most importantly, there was no evidence
      of differential genetic etiology of the two phenotypes in this sample, in that
      deficits in both phenotypes were similarly heritable (h2g = .40 and .46 for age
      and IQ phenotypes, respectively) and the genetic correlation between them was
      high (rG = .88 to .96). However, the genetic and neuropsychological profile
      analyses did suggest that age- and IQ-discrepancy definitions of RD may relate
      differentially to component reading processes, such as phonological awareness and
      orthographic coding.

PMID- 1431541
TI  - Diagnosing dyslexia: IQ regression plus cut-points.

PMID- 1431542
TI  - Language abilities, reading acquisition, and developmental dyslexia: limitations
      and alternative views.

PMID- 1431543
TI  - Students' expectations about peer pressure to engage in misconduct.
AB  - Previous research suggests that students with learning disabilities may differ
      from other students in their expectations of how peers are likely to propose
      engaging in misconduct. This study followed up on these findings using a
      methodology that did not require the participants to produce their responses
      verbally. Participants were 74 students with learning disabilities (53 male, 21
      female) and 85 students without disabilities (40 male, 45 female) from high
      schools in three types of communities (urban, primarily black; urban, primarily
      Hispanic; suburban, primarily white). The students were presented with a series
      of pairs of statements that might be made by a teenager trying to entice a peer
      into misconduct and were asked to indicate which statement in each pair was the
      more persuasive. The results partially replicated the earlier research. The
      methodological and social implications of these results are discussed.

PMID- 1431544
TI  - Pedigree analysis of children with phonology disorders.
AB  - This study examined 87 pedigrees of individuals with histories of preschool
      phonology disorders. Results confirmed previous reports that speech and language
      disorders aggregate in families, with a higher incidence of males affected than
      females. Significantly more family members with dyslexia and learning
      disabilities, but not stuttering or hearing impairment, were found in pedigrees
      of individuals with phonology disorders than in pedigrees of nondisabled
      individuals. Probands with and without additional language problems did not
      differ in the incidence of affected family members. Nuclear family members
      demonstrated a higher incidence of disorders than when all family members were
      considered, with brothers of probands most often affected. Pedigrees of female
      probands had more affected members in their nuclear families than pedigrees of
      male probands.

PMID- 1431545
TI  - Tourette syndrome and learning disabilities.
AB  - We reviewed the records of 42 consecutive cases of children with Tourette
      Syndrome (TS) who had IQs above 70, and contrasted the reading, reading
      comprehension, math, and spelling quotients with IQ scores to determine how many
      would meet criteria for a learning disability. The mean IQ of the 35 males and 7
      females was 94.4 and was higher than the mean math score (82.8), spelling score
      (90.4), reading score (87.4), and reading comprehension score (85.3). Using a 1.5
      standard deviation discrepancy, 51% met criteria for learning disability in at
      least one academic area; 21% had a 2-standard-deviation discrepancy. Children
      with TS frequently have learning disabilities, and assessment of academic
      achievement should be a routine aspect in the evaluation of such children.

PMID- 1431546
TI  - Specific reading impairments--are they to be associated with emotional
      difficulties?
AB  - The assumption that specific learning disabilities are not causally related to
      emotional disturbances is crucial for the cognitive research approaches that
      endeavor to isolate specific malfunctioning cognitive-computational processes.
      Because there are conflicting data regarding the emotional status of subjects
      with learning difficulties, the purpose of this study was the evaluation of the
      emotional status of subjects with specific learning difficulties in comparison
      with that of subjects from several relevant control groups. The HSCL-90 profiles
      of 38 subjects suffering developmental dyslexia, 28 subjects with subjective
      complaints regarding general concentration and reading comprehension
      difficulties, and 23 psychiatric patients were compared with those of 44 skilled
      readers without any known emotional difficulties. All subjects were adolescents
      and young adults (age range = 15 to 23). A cluster analysis of subjects' HSCL-90
      profiles did not reveal any significant differences between subjects with
      dyslexia and control subjects. Both groups, on the other hand, were easily
      differentiated from psychiatric patients. Subjects with severe deficits in their
      ability to remember details of a text, and with subjective complaints regarding
      concentration difficulties, tended to generate emotional profiles that testify to
      a high level of anxiety. Although these subjects, as well as individuals with
      dyslexia, may be regarded at the functional level as inefficient readers, the two
      groups seem to clearly differ regarding the failure factors that underlie their
      phenotypic difficulties.

PMID- 1431547
TI  - Differences in arachidonic acid metabolism by human myelomonocytic cell lines.
AB  - The production of arachidonic acid metabolites by the HL60, ML3, and U937 human
      phagocyte cell lines was determined after incubation with interferon-gamma (IFN
      gamma, 500 U/ml) or vehicle for 4 days. Cells were prelabeled with tritiated
      arachidonic acid, [3H]AA, for 4 h, and media supernatants were analyzed by high
      performance liquid chromatography. None of the cell lines produced [3H]AA
      metabolites in large amounts during an unstimulated, basal release period (30 or
      60 min). In response to 10 microM calcium ionophore A23187 incubation (30 min),
      undifferentiated and IFN-gamma-differentiated HL60 cells formed both
      cyclooxygenase products (thromboxane and prostaglandins) and lipoxygenase
      products (leukotrienes and hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids). In contrast to the
      HL60 cells, IFN-gamma-differentiated U937 cells formed primarily cyclooxygenase
      products and undifferentiated and IFN-gamma-differentiated ML3 cells did not form
      any [3H]AA metabolites in response to A23187. These results indicate the need to
      be careful in selecting a cell line for use in a phagocyte assay system when
      cyclooxygenase and/or lipoxygenase products could influence the assay results.

PMID- 1431548
TI  - In vivo testing confirms a blunting of the human cell-mediated immune mechanism
      during space flight.
AB  - The cell-mediated immune (CMI) mechanism was evaluated in 10 space shuttle
      astronauts by measuring their delayed-type hypersensitivity response to seven
      common recall antigens. The Multitest CMI test system was used to administer
      antigens of tetanus, diphtheria, Streptococcus, Proteus, old tuberculin, Candida,
      and Trichophyton to the forearm 46 h before nominal mission termination; readings
      were conducted 2 h after landing. The mean number of reactions was reduced from
      4.5 preflight to 3.0 inflight, and the mean reaction score was reduced from 21.4
      to 13.7 mm inflight. The data presented suggest that the CMI system is still
      being degraded by space flight conditions on day 4 and that between day 5 and day
      10, the depression maximizes and the system begins to adjust to the new
      conditions. The relation of these in vivo findings to previously reported in
      vitro results is discussed.

PMID- 1431549
TI  - Steroidal nonspecific esterase metabolism of N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene:
      evidence for selective activation by the cellular reductant NADPH.
AB  - The significance of the nonspecific esterases of human mononuclear leukocytes
      (HMLs) in arylamine carcinogenesis is suggested by data showing that the
      metabolically formed hydroxamic acid derivative of 2-acetylaminofluorene, N
      hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene, is a substrate for this class of enzymes. A viable
      cell assay for the nonspecific esterases using alpha-naphthyl acetate as
      substrate is described, and data showing this activity to be sensitive to already
      known substrates for HML esterases as measured by three previously described
      assays are presented. All four assays of the same esterase activity are shown to
      be highly sensitive to up- and down-regulation by addition of NADPH or NADP to
      viable HML cultures. Selective activation of a purified rabbit nonspecific
      esterase by NADPH, but not by the other cellular reductants, NADH and
      glutathione, was demonstrated. Cytosols prepared from normal human tissue samples
      of liver, breast, colon, and brain were also activated by the presence of NADPH.
      These data do not indicate that steroidal nonspecific esterases are redox
      modulated by the presence of mixed disulfides in their structure. Instead, they
      support the direct and specific influence of NADPH as a widespread activator of
      esterase activity by a mechanism not yet understood.

PMID- 1431550
TI  - Increase in the rat blood leukocyte counts induced by PAF-acether is suppressed
      by general anesthesia.
AB  - Blood leukocyte count alterations induced by PAF-acether in anesthetized and
      nonanesthetized rats were investigated. Intravenous injection of increasing
      amounts of PAF-acether (1.5-8 micrograms/kg) in nonanesthetized animals induced
      dose-dependent hemoconcentration and leukocytosis. The former was apparent within
      10 min, peaked from 30 min to 1 h, and diminished thereafter. The leukocytosis
      was noted within 30 min, was maximal at 1 h, and was over 4 h after injection of
      PAF-acether (4 micrograms/kg). It was characterized by a marked increase in the
      blood neutrophil counts under conditions in which the number of lymphocytes,
      monocytes, and eosinophils remained unchanged. PAF-acether-induced leukocytosis
      occurred in parallel with a marked decrease in the number of bone marrow
      nucleated cells, suggesting that the latter phenomenon may determine the former
      one. Leukocytosis by PAF-acether was inhibited dose-dependently by specific PAF
      acether antagonists including BN 52021 (median effective dose ED50 = 4.99 mg/kg),
      WEB 2086 (ED50 = 4.59 mg/kg), and 48740 RP (ED50 = 9.02 mg/kg). General
      anesthesia by either pentobarbital, urethane, or ether inhalation, but not by
      ketamine, also impaired the PAF-acether-induced blood leukocytosis under
      conditions in which the hemoconcentration was not modified. In addition,
      pentobarbital-anesthetized rats did not have reduced bone marrow nucleated cell
      counts after PAF-acether stimulation. These findings are consistent with the
      assessment that PAF-acether-induced rat leukocytosis is accounted for by a bone
      marrow neutrophil mobilization process that is clearly suppressed in animals
      anesthetized by pentobarbital.

PMID- 1431551
TI  - Macrophage and lymphocyte functions are down-regulated in newborn rabbits.
AB  - We have developed an animal model for congenital syphilis. Treponema pallidum is
      injected intravenously into pregnant rabbits and fetuses are infected in utero.
      As a prelude to characterizing the immunologic consequences of fetal infection,
      it was necessary to expand on the baseline information about newborn rabbit
      immune capabilities. Studies were undertaken to determine splenic macrophage and
      T lymphocyte functions with emphasis on newer immunologic parameters. Newborns
      aged 2 weeks were compared to adults. Macrophage capabilities in newborn rabbits
      differed from those of their adult counterparts. These cells produced similar
      basal levels of interleukin 1 (IL-1) but failed to respond to the IL-1 stimulants
      of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or T. pallidum. Macrophages also exhibited diminished
      levels of la expression and increased levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)
      secretion. T lymphocyte functions were altered in newborn spleen preparations.
      Following concanavalin A (Con A) stimulation, interferon gamma production was
      half that of adults; in direct contrast, IL-2 production was twice that of
      adults. Con A-induced lymphocyte proliferation was markedly decreased in newborn
      preparations. This diminished response resulted from down-regulation rather than
      immaturity. When newborn splenic cells were stimulated with Con A in the presence
      of indomethacin, anti-transforming growth factor (anti-TGF), or exogenous IL-1/IL
      2, better proliferation resulted. PGE2, which is well established as a down
      regulator of newborn immune functions in human and mouse systems, also appears to
      play a role in suppressing newborn rabbit functions. TGF is a potent suppressor
      of a number of adult immunologic reactions. This is the first documentation of
      the potential role of this factor in down-regulating newborn immune capabilities.
      These findings provide a framework for future investigations of our congenital
      syphilis model.

PMID- 1431552
TI  - The up- and down-modulation of immunoglobulin G Fc receptors and complement
      receptors on activated human neutrophils depends on the nature of activator.
AB  - Human neutrophils were activated with soluble stimuli, formyl-methionyl-leucyl
      phenylalanine (fMLP) or ionophore A23187, and with opsonized particles, zymosan
      or Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry
      were used to assess the expression of Fc-gamma receptors (FcRI, FcRII, FcRIII)
      and complement receptors (CR1, CR3). The role of extracellular calcium and
      magnesium in the modulation of receptor expression was also examined. The low
      level expression of FcRI was not affected by any activator tested. fMLP and
      A23187 did not alter the expression of FcRII, whereas a significant, Ca(2+)- and
      Mg(2+)-independent down-modulation was observed upon activation with opsonized
      particles. All activators clearly decreased the surface expression of FcRIII in
      the presence of Ca2+ and Mg2+, probably as a consequence of shedding of the
      phosphatidylinositol-glycan-anchored receptor protein. The removal of calcium and
      magnesium blocked the shedding of FcRIII caused by soluble stimuli, whereas it
      retarded but did not abolish the fall in FcRIII expression when cells were
      incubated with opsonized particles. This fall was likely due to internalization
      of the receptor molecules while the shedding was blocked. A rapid increase in CR1
      and CR3 expression was seen upon activation with soluble stimuli. The change in
      CR1 expression was independent of extracellular Ca2+ and Mg2+. The increase in
      CR3 number required an influx of divalent cations. No total up-modulation of
      complement receptors occurred when neutrophils were activated with opsonized
      particles. However, the kinetic analysis revealed a temporary up-modulation that
      was followed by a down-modulation. The results indicate that the expression of
      both Fc-gamma and complement receptors on human neutrophils is changed upon
      activation and that the up- and down-modulation of these receptors depends on the
      nature of activator. We also suggest that in neutrophils the FcRIII down
      modulation is the result of both receptor shedding and internalization, while
      FcRII is down-modulated by receptor internalization.

PMID- 1431553
TI  - Chronic granulomatous disease with partial deficiency of cytochrome b558 and
      incomplete respiratory burst: variants of the X-linked, cytochrome b558-negative
      form of the disease.
AB  - Five male patients from four different families presented with a clinical record
      of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD): recurrent infections of the skin and/or
      respiratory tract with catalase-positive microorganisms, sometimes in combination
      with granulomata and/or abscesses in various organs. These patients differed from
      "classical" forms of the disease in that their neutrophils, although deficient in
      killing in vitro of Staphylococcus aureus, contained a decreased but measurable
      amount of cytochrome b558 (10-60% of normal on a heme basis), causing weak
      staining in the nitroblue tetrazolium dye test and a depressed respiratory burst
      after contact of the cells with fluid or particulate activators of the NADPH:O2
      oxidoreductase. In the cell-free activation system, the defect in the patients'
      cells was localized in the membrane fraction. In each of the four families, the
      cellular abnormalities showed an X-linked inheritance. Fusion experiments
      performed with the monocytes from these patients and those from patients with
      classical X-linked, cytochrome b558-negative (Xb(0)) or autosomal, cytochrome
      b558-positive (Ab+) CGD showed complementation of NADPH:O2 oxidoreductase
      activity in the latter but not in the former combination. Thus, the unusual CGD
      patients represent variant forms of Xb(0) CGD, with mutations in the gene coding
      for the beta subunit of cytochrome b558 that do not cause complete loss of this
      protein.

PMID- 1431554
TI  - Granule-associated flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) is responsible for
      eosinophil autofluorescence.
AB  - Unstained human eosinophils exhibit marked autofluorescence in comparison to
      other leukocytes due to a granule-associated fluorescent substance. Fluorescence
      spectroscopy of granule extracts reveals excitation maxima at approximately 380
      and approximately 450 nm with a single emission at approximately 520,
      characteristic of flavins. The fluorescent material from eosinophil granule
      extracts was characterized by fluorescence, high-performance liquid
      chromatographic, and enzymatic analyses. First, acidification to pH 2.6 resulted
      in increased fluorescence, indicative of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD).
      Second, because flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and riboflavin cannot be
      distinguished by acidification, high-performance liquid chromatography was
      performed and revealed a predominance of FAD and smaller amounts (< 15%) of both
      FMN and riboflavin. Third, the presence of FAD was clearly demonstrated by
      reconstitution of the activity of D-amino acid oxidase, a FAD-dependent enzyme,
      when granule extracts were added to the apoenzyme. Thus, we have identified FAD
      as the predominant fluorophore in eosinophil granules. The small amounts of FMN
      and riboflavin detected may result from the hydrolysis of FAD under the acidic
      conditions of granule extraction. Because fluorescent material is deposited onto
      target cells by eosinophils, it is possible that granule-associated flavoproteins
      may act as a source of hydrogen peroxide and/or superoxide, which, in conjunction
      with eosinophil peroxidase, could yield potent cytotoxic agents.

PMID- 1431555
TI  - Transcriptional inhibition of endotoxin-induced monokine synthesis following heat
      shock in murine peritoneal macrophages.
AB  - The role of heat shock proteins (HSP) during the inflammatory response has been
      controversial. The effect of heat shock (HS) on the synthesis of the monokines
      tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin 1 (IL-1) by endotoxin-stimulated
      thioglycollate-elicited peritoneal macrophages was investigated. HS was deemed to
      have affected macrophages if a 70 kD HSP appeared on SDS gels; identity of this
      protein as the highly conserved HSP70 was then confirmed by immunoprecipitation.
      Maximal increases in HSP70 were apparent 2-5 h after HS at 45 degrees C for 12
      min. Synthesis of HSP70 was no longer detected 24 h post HS. A reciprocal
      relationship between HSP70 and TNF was apparent in kinetic studies. TNF was not
      detected in culture supernatants if macrophages were endotoxin-stimulated 2 to 6
      h after HS; however, the same stimulation 24 h later induced significant TNF
      secretion. RNA analysis of HS and non-HS macrophage cultures demonstrated a 60
      fold reduction in TNF message in the HS macrophages 1 h after endotoxin
      stimulation. TNF mRNA levels remained depressed at 6 h while the HSP70 message
      had increased 30-fold. The ability of HS macrophages to ingest antibody-coated
      erythrocytes was not significantly affected following heat treatment. Macrophage
      response to HS can be said to inhibit transcription of inducible monokines while
      retaining other macrophage functions.

PMID- 1431556
TI  - Ovine mononuclear phagocytes in situ: identification by monoclonal antibodies and
      involvement in experimental pyogranulomas.
AB  - In order to characterize in situ the macrophages present in experimental
      pyogranulomas induced in lambs with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, a set of
      monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) was produced following immunization of BALB/c mice
      with alveolar macrophages from healthy sheep. Three MAbs were retained after two
      steps of screening using alveolar macrophages, peripheral blood lymphocytes, and
      polymorphonuclear leukocytes as target cells. Their reactivity was tested not
      only on macrophages in pyogranulomas but also on sections of various organs in
      steady-state conditions. One MAb, termed OM1, recognized the monocytes and the
      majority of cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system in lymphoid and nonlymphoid
      organs. The two other MAbs, OM2 and OM3, reacted with a subpopulation of alveolar
      macrophages and with other cell types in tissues, in particular with endothelial
      cells for the MAb OM2. On sections of experimental pyogranulomas that developed
      in lymph nodes draining the C. pseudotuberculosis-injected sites, MAb OM1 reacted
      with all the macrophages distributed in a palisade surrounding the necrotic
      center of the lesion from day 6 to day 28 postinoculation. The two other MAbs,
      OM2 and OM3, enabled two types of granulomas to be distinguished: one type was
      characterized by a large number of epithelioid cells stained by OM2; and the
      other was characterized by a few OM2-positive macrophages, whereas the OM3
      positive cells were more numerous. These results show that macrophages are
      predominant cells in pyogranulomas and suggest two different histological
      patterns in the evolution of pyogranulomas induced by C. pseudotuberculosis,
      according to the immunological status of the host.

PMID- 1431557
TI  - Effects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa rhamnolipids on human monocyte-derived
      macrophages.
AB  - Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a major opportunistic gram-negative pathogen, produces
      and secretes two heat-stable hemolytic glycolipids, a monorhamnolipid and a
      dirhamnolipid. In this paper a simplified method for the isolation of these
      rhamnolipids is described. The effect of these two rhamnolipids, both together
      and individually, on the viability and structural morphology of human monocyte
      derived macrophages (MDMs) was examined. These cells were found to be very
      susceptible to the cytolytic activity of the rhamnolipids, particularly the
      dirhamnolipid. The monorhamnolipid, although not as cytolytic as the
      dirhamnolipid, caused extensive blebbing of the MDM plasma membrane. Comparison
      studies with several detergents confirmed the different yet distinct detergent
      like activity of each rhamnolipid form. At sublethal doses, the rhamnolipids
      produced marked cellular distortions of the MDMs and inhibited the ability of
      these cells to bind and/or ingest preopsonized bacteria. The potential mechanism
      of action of these rhamnolipids on the MDM membranes is discussed, as well as the
      possible significance of these extracellular bacterial glycolipids as a virulence
      factor in the pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa.

PMID- 1431558
TI  - Direct evidence for release of pore-forming protein during NK cellular lysis.
AB  - In the present study, we have examined the exocytosis model for cellular lysis.
      Using monoclonal antibodies reactive with human pore-forming protein (PFP), we
      examined the localization of PFP at the interaction site of natural killer (NK)
      cells and the NK tumor targets K562 and Molt-4 as well as during antibody
      dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Following the interaction of effector-target
      cell contact, an increased frequency of PFP was detected on the effector surface,
      in the micro-environment, and on the target surface of the interaction site. This
      temporal deposition of PFP was paralleled by loss of target cell integrity and
      release of chromium. In addition, selective deposition of PFP was seen at the
      interaction site of the target cell compared to other target cell regions.
      Collectively, these results are consistent with the exocytosis model and further
      support the hypothesis that PFP is one of the secreted moieties involved in NK
      cellular cytotoxicity.

PMID- 1431559
TI  - Liposomes containing muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine (MTP-PE) are
      excellent adjuvants for induction of an immune response to protein and tumor
      antigens.
AB  - Liposomes containing the synthetic lipophilic analog of muramyl dipeptide,
      muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine (MTP-PE), were used as adjuvants for
      the induction of humoral and cellular immune responses following immunization
      with protein or tumor antigens. Cellular immune reactions, including delayed-type
      hypersensitivity and lymphoproliferation in vitro, were observed following
      immunization of mice with a mixture of antigen and liposome-MTP-PE. Immunization
      with murine melanoma K1735 cells, admixed with liposomal MTP-PE, induced a
      protective immune response as demonstrated by the rejection of transplanted tumor
      cells. Antibody production was also induced following immunization with protein
      antigens admixed with liposome-MTP-PE. The efficacy of adjuvant activity
      following immunization with antigens admixed with liposome-MTP-PE was equal to or
      better than that of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Moreover, liposome-MTP-PE
      did not have the toxic side effects associated with CFA. These data suggest that
      phospholipid liposomes containing MTP-PE are superior adjuvants and should
      receive consideration for vaccine therapy.

PMID- 1431560
TI  - Actin polymerization contributes to neutrophil chemotactic dysfunction following
      thermal injury.
AB  - The agent(s) and mechanism(s) responsible for suppression of neutrophil
      chemotaxis in association with major thermal injury have not been identified. We
      have proposed that the reduced random motility characterizing patients' cells may
      contribute to their generalized chemotactic dysfunction. Here we report that
      actin polymerization may be responsible for the loss of neutrophil motility
      associated with major thermal injury. Using a fluorescent ligand specific for
      polymerized or filamentous actin (NBD-phallacidin) in conjunction with flow
      cytometry, we have discovered that peripheral blood and exudate neutrophils from
      patients with major thermal injury contain increased levels of actin in a stably
      polymerized form. Because cyclic polymerization and depolymerization of actin is
      essential to cell motility, we suggest that actin polymerization may contribute
      in a major way to the attenuation of neutrophil random and chemotactic functions
      induced by major thermal injury.

PMID- 1431561
TI  - Infusion of zymosan-activated plasma affects neutrophils in peripheral blood and
      bone marrow in sheep.
AB  - Intravenous infusion of zymosan-activated plasma (ZAP) in sheep results in acute
      lung injury mediated in part by free radical release from stimulated neutrophils
      that are retained in increased numbers in the pulmonary microcirculation. ZAP
      infusion is also associated with long-term reduction in elicited superoxide anion
      generation from segmented neutrophils in the circulating and bone marrow pools
      for at least 24 h after the infusion. The purpose of our study was to investigate
      the effect of ZAP infusion on leukocyte counts and neutrophil granule-associated
      enzyme activity in the circulating and bone marrow pools. Cytochemical methods
      were used to characterize enzyme activity in primary granules (acid phosphatase
      and myeloperoxidase) and secondary granules (alkaline phosphatase). During the
      infusion period, neutrophil differential counts decreased less in venous blood
      than in matched arterial blood. Release from bone marrow stores was evident as
      increased numbers of circulating band neutrophils during and after the infusion.
      Neutrophils in venous and arterial blood smears were degranulated acutely during
      and 1-3 h after the infusion was stopped. Band and segmented neutrophils in bone
      marrow also appeared slightly degranulated 1-2 h after the infusion. In vitro
      experiments showed that band and segmented neutrophils in bone marrow
      degranulated in response to ZAP incubation. Immature polymorphonuclear leukocytes
      did not degranulate. Five to 24 h after ZAP infusion, enzyme activity in
      circulating and bone marrow neutrophils was at baseline levels, suggesting that
      new cells were being released into the circulating pool because degranulated
      neutrophils do not synthesize new granules. Another indication of a long-term
      effect in bone marrow were slight decreases in the percentage of immature
      polymorphonuclear leukocytes and band neutrophils and a significant decrease in
      the percentage of eosinophils, all of which coincided with a significant increase
      in the percentage of segmented neutrophils. Our results demonstrate that
      circulating complement anaphylatoxins affect neutrophils in bone marrow as well
      as the vascular space.

PMID- 1431562
TI  - Ontogenic development of macrophage subpopulations and Ia-positive dendritic
      cells in fetal and neonatal rat spleen.
AB  - Development, differentiation, and distribution of macrophage subpopulations and
      Ia+ dendritic cells in the fetal and neonatal rat spleen were investigated by
      means of double immunohistochemical staining and immunoelectron microscopy. To
      characterize these cell populations, a panel of anti-rat macrophage monoclonal
      antibodies (RM-1, ED2, ED3, TRPM-3, Ki-M2R) and an anti-rat Ia antibody (OX6)
      were used. In the fetal rat spleen, macrophages were first detected by RM-1 at
      fetal day 15. ED2+ and/or Ki-M2R+ macrophages appeared at fetal day 16. TRPM-3+
      and/or ED3+ macrophages appeared a day later. During the fetal and neonatal
      development, ED2+ and TRPM-3+ macrophages differentiated independently, maturing
      into red pulp macrophages and marginal metallophilic and marginal zone
      macrophages respectively. Intimate topographical relations were observed between
      ED2+ macrophages and hematopoietic cells and between TRPM-3+ macrophages and
      marginal zone lymphocytes. Ia+ cells were first observed around arterioles at
      fetal day 15. In the fetal and neonatal period, the number of Ia+ cells gradually
      increased, their shape became dendritic, and they matured into interdigitating
      cells in the inner periarteriolar lymphatic sheath. In ontogeny, Ia+ dendritic
      cells were not stained with ED2 or TRPM-3. These results suggest that ED2+
      macrophages, TRPM-3+ macrophages, and Ia+ dendritic cells are distinct cell lines
      that pursue independent developmental process in spleen ontogeny.

PMID- 1431563
TI  - Monocyte diapedesis through an in vitro vessel wall construct: inhibition with
      monoclonal antibodies to thrombospondin.
AB  - Human peripheral blood monocytes were examined for migration across an
      endothelial cell monolayer in an in vitro vessel wall construct. Few monocytes
      invaded in the absence of a chemotactic gradient, despite significant adhesion to
      the endothelial monolayer. However, the addition of zymosan-activated human
      plasma to the lower compartment, to create a chemotactic gradient across the
      vessel wall, resulted in significantly enhanced monocyte migration. Pretreatment
      of the monocytes with monoclonal antibodies to thrombospondin (TSP) dramatically
      inhibited monocyte diapedesis into the vessel wall. The same treatment inhibited
      monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells in two-dimensional monolayer cultures as
      well as in vessel wall constructs (no chemotactic gradient). Of interest,
      however, the monoclonal antibodies had no inhibitory effect on monocyte migration
      into collagen gels devoid of endothelial cells in response to the same
      chemotactic gradient, suggesting the importance of TSP in monocyte-endothelial
      cell interactions. Monoclonal antibodies to fibronectin and normal mouse
      immunoglobulin G did not inhibit migration in this model of a vessel wall.
      Furthermore, monoclonal antibodies to TSP showed no inhibition of human
      peripheral blood neutrophil migration. Previous studies have shown that monocytes
      synthesize TSP and express this moiety on their surface. The present data suggest
      that monocytes may utilize TSP to interact with endothelial cells lining the
      vessel wall during diapedesis.

PMID- 1431564
TI  - Activation of human monocyte chemiluminescence response by
      acylpoly(1,3)galactosides derived from Klebsiella pneumoniae.
AB  - The stimulating activity of several preparations isolated from a membrane
      proteoglycan of a nonencapsulated smooth strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp-MPG)
      on the oxidative burst of human blood monocytes was assessed by luminol-enhanced
      chemiluminescence (CL). Five Kp derivatives were studied: a 34-kd
      acylpoly(1,3)galactoside (APG), obtained by drastic alkaline hydrolysis and
      purified by chromatography; an APG preparation subjected to acid hydrolysis that
      removed the core part and all fatty acids, leaving intact the galactose chain of
      APG (GC-APG); an APG preparation subjected to mild oxidation (ox APG); a
      preparation obtained by mild alkaline hydrolysis of Kp-MPG, containing additional
      ester-linked C14 and C16 fatty acids bound to the APG molecule (EFA-APG); and a
      polymer of the latter compound, APG pol. EFA-APG directly stimulated monocyte CL,
      whereas Kp-MPG, APG pol, and the whole bacterial cells had little or no activity.
      APG itself and ox APG induced a weaker response than EFA-APG. Polymyxin B sulfate
      completely inhibited the CL response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) but
      not to EFA-APG. The stimulating action of EFA-APG on blood monocytes was
      dependent on the extracellular levels of both calcium and magnesium.
      Preincubation of monocytes with monoclonal antibody anti-Mac-1 directed against
      CD11b, the alpha chain of complement receptor type 3 (CR3; CD11b/CD18), strongly
      inhibited CL activation by EFA-APG and to a lesser extent CL activation by
      unopsonized zymosan and rough LPS. Altogether, these findings provide indirect
      evidence for the contribution of the CD11b/CD18 integrin in the functional
      interaction of EFA-APG with monocyte membranes. They demonstrate the role of
      fatty acids in the triggering of monocyte oxidative burst, while the
      polysaccharide chain itself does not contribute to induction of the CL response
      in this model. In keeping with the effects of EFA-APG and APG, we show that the
      monocyte CL response was triggered by bacterial LPS from the rough strain of
      Salmonella minnesota Re 595 and its lipid A, but not by LPS from smooth strains,
      again suggesting a critical role for the lipid moiety.

PMID- 1431566
TI  - Augmented expression and release of nonspecific cross-reacting antigens (NCAs),
      members of the CEA family, by human neutrophils during cell activation.
AB  - Nonspecific cross-reacting antigens (NCAs) are a group of human glycoproteins
      immunologically cross-reactive with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Our previous
      studies have shown that at least seven NCA glycoproteins different in molecular
      weight and antigenic reactivity, including a species corresponding to CD67, can
      be detected in neutrophil granulocytes. In the present paper, it is demonstrated
      that neutrophil activation induced with soluble stimulators, the calcium
      ionophore A23187, N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, and phorbol myristate
      acetate, results in augmented release and cell surface expression of NCAs. The
      NCA release was correlated with the discharge of azurophil granules but not with
      that of specific granules and was attributable to the release of NCA species of
      53 and 30 kd. The increased NCA expression on the cell surface was due to
      increments of the NCAs of 160, 100 (CD67), 95, 90, 30, and 26 kd. These results,
      together with the previous findings that the CEA family members can mediate
      intercellular adhesion and bind Escherichia coli in vitro, imply that the
      neutrophil NCAs participate in the functions of neutrophils such as phagocytosis,
      chemotaxis, and adherence.

PMID- 1431565
TI  - Isolation and characterization of macrophages from rat embryonic muscle culture.
AB  - We have previously described the wide distribution of resident macrophages in
      normal rat skeletal muscle. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of
      the macrophages that occur in rat embryo muscle cultures. We showed that cells of
      monocyte-macrophage lineage are present in primary muscle cultures of rat embryos
      (18 days in gestation) and that these cells form morphologically and
      phenotypically heterogeneous populations, based on their reaction with monoclonal
      antibodies ED1, ED2, ED3, and OX43. Constitutively Ia+ cells with dendritic
      appearance were also observed. Furthermore, we established the procedure for
      isolation of macrophages from the primary muscle cultures. The isolated cells,
      mostly ED1+, expressed class I and CD4 antigens and bore complement (C3)
      receptors on their surfaces. The fact that cell of monocyte-macrophage lineage
      occur in the embryonic muscle suggests that during embryogenesis these cells may
      enter the developing muscle and give rise to a population of tissue-associated
      macrophages.

PMID- 1431567
TI  - Activation of bovine neutrophils by Pasteurella haemolytica leukotoxin is calcium
      dependent.
AB  - In this study, we used the fluorescent probe Fluo-3 to show that an increase in
      cytosolic free calcium, [Ca2+]i, occurred when suspensions of bovine neutrophils
      were incubated with sublethal concentrations of P. haemolytica leukotoxin. This
      increase in [Ca2+]i was dependent on the concentration of leukotoxin present in
      the medium and, at a given concentration of leukotoxin, dependent on the external
      calcium concentration. The calcium channel blocker verapamil and the beta
      adrenergic antagonist propranolol inhibited leukotoxin-stimulated Ca2+ gain, as
      did a neutralizing antileukotoxin monoclonal antibody. As reported previously,
      incubation of bovine neutrophils with partially purified leukotoxin stimulated a
      vigorous luminol-dependent chemiluminescence response (LDCL). The present study
      shows that LDCL stimulation was dependent on the presence of extracellular
      calcium and was inhibited by the addition of verapamil and propranolol. These
      data indicate that bovine neutrophils exhibit a considerable increase in
      cytoplasmic free calcium when they are incubated with P. haemolytica leukotoxin
      in the presence of external calcium. They also provide evidence that an increased
      [Ca2+]i is required for functional activation of the bovine neutrophil oxidative
      burst by P. haemolytica leukotoxin.

PMID- 1431568
TI  - Cholesterol esterification rate in plasma depleted of very low and low density
      lipoproteins is controlled by the proportion of HDL2 and HDL3 subclasses: study
      in hypertensive and normal middle-aged and septuagenarian men.
AB  - The relationship between the fractional rate of cholesterol esterification
      (FERHDL) in very low density lipoprotein (VLDL)- and low density lipoprotein
      (LDL)-depleted plasma and the particle size distribution of high density
      lipoproteins (HDL) were studied in: a) a control group of 9 apparently healthy
      men (42 +/- 11 years); b) 15 septuagenarians (76 +/- 6 years) who had no clinical
      signs of coronary artery disease; and c) 32 outpatients with essential
      hypertension of different stages of severity (51 +/- 10 years). There were small
      differences between the groups with respect to their plasma total and HDL
      cholesterol and plasma triglyceride levels. However, there was a highly
      significant increase in FERHDL in patients with hypertension compared to control
      and older men. The HDL of hypertensive patients had a markedly increased relative
      content of HDL3b, while their HDL2b fraction was reduced by over 50% compared to
      the other groups. Overall, there was a strong positive correlation between FERHDL
      and HDL3b (r = 0.89; P less than 0.001) and a negative correlation between FERHDL
      and HDL2b (r = -0.61; P less than 0.001) and HDL3a (r = -0.77; P less than
      0.001). These findings confirm our previous conclusions that FERHDL reflects the
      relative HDL subclass distribution. In addition, we demonstrate that FERHDL is
      increased in hypertensive male subjects regardless of the stage of hypertension,
      i.e., whether or not organic lesions have already become manifest (stage III and
      stages I plus II, respectively).

PMID- 1431569
TI  - Increased serum apoA-IV concentrations in experimental uremic rats.
AB  - Normal histochemical analysis localizes apoA-IV within renal proximal tubules,
      which suggests that the kidney is a major catabolic site. In clinical renal
      failure and animal models of decreased renal function, low molecular weight
      proteins cannot be efficiently filtered through the glomerular basement membrane,
      and therefore they accumulate in plasma. In normal plasma, apoA-IV exists as both
      lipoprotein associated and lipoprotein-free, low molecular weight forms. To
      examine this further, uremic serum apolipoprotein and mRNA levels were examined
      in surgically 5/6 nephrectomized rats. Compared to sham-operated controls, uremic
      serum apoA-IV was elevated twofold and was distributed to a greater extent in the
      lipoprotein-free subfraction. Serum triglycerides were unchanged. Despite finding
      no correlation between serum apoA-IV and triglyceride levels (in either the d
      less than 1.006 g/ml or 1.006 less than d less than 1.019 g/ml fraction), serum
      apoA-IV was positively correlated with the renal function parameters of blood
      urea nitrogen (r = 0.949, P less than 0.001), creatinine (r = 0.952, P less than
      0.001), and uric acid (r = 0.903, P less than 0.001). In addition, the
      concentration of apoA-IV per milligram of renal homogenate protein in uremic rats
      was significantly higher than that of control rats, whereas there was no
      difference in the content of apoA-I between the two groups. ApoA-I, apoA-IV, and
      apoB mRNA levels in hepatic and in intestinal tissue were undistinguishable
      between the uremic and surgical sham rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431570
TI  - Thyroid hormone differentially augments biliary sterol secretion in the rat. I.
      The isolated-perfused liver model.
AB  - Thyroid hormone lowers serum cholesterol and alters sterol metabolic processes.
      This laboratory has previously reported increased biliary lipid secretion as an
      early effect of triiodothyronine (T3) in the rat. To evaluate whether the bile
      lipid action of T3 is a primary or secondary effect, the isolated-perfused rat
      liver model was used. Red blood cells in lipid-free buffer were used to perfuse
      livers of euthyroid and methimazole-hypothyroid rats, as well as hypothyroid rats
      given T3 at intervals before perfusion. Bile flow was maintained by taurocholate
      perfusion. Hypothyroid rats had elevated pre-perfusion serum cholesterol compared
      to euthyroid (107 +/- 4 vs. 65 +/- 2 mg/dl) and decreased biliary cholesterol
      (0.016 +/- 0.001 vs. 0.031 +/- 0.004 mumol/g liver/h) secretion. Serum
      cholesterol decreased to euthyroid levels by 18 h after T3, an effect that was
      prevented by bile duct ligation. Bile cholesterol secretion doubled by 18 h, and
      reached levels twice euthyroid by 42 h, while phospholipid secretion doubled to
      levels just above euthyroid. The fourfold increase in biliary cholesterol
      secretion occurred with lipid-free perfusion and unchanging bile acid uptake or
      output. It occurred without a fall in hepatic lipoprotein cholesterol secretion.
      Blockade of cholesterol synthesis with lovastatin failed to alter T3-augmented
      bile cholesterol secretion. We conclude that T3 induces biliary cholesterol
      secretion concomitantly with the fall in serum cholesterol. This augmented
      biliary secretion did not appear to depend upon lipoprotein uptake, increased
      bile acid transport, or cholesterol synthesis. It did not occur at the expense of
      hepatic lipoprotein secretion. Facilitated biliary lipid secretion may be a
      primary effect of T3.

PMID- 1431571
TI  - Thyroid hormone differentially augments biliary sterol secretion in the rat. II.
      The chronic bile fistula model.
AB  - To further define thyroid hormone effects on bile acid synthesis and biliary
      lipid secretion, studies were done in chronic bile fistula rats. Euthyroid and
      methimazole-hypothyroid rats, with and without triiodothyronine (T3) injection,
      had total bile diversion for timed bile collections. With interrupted
      enterohepatic circulation, cholesterol absorption is negligible and bile acid
      secretion equals bile acid synthesis rate. Hypothyroid rats had diminished levels
      of bile acid synthesis and biliary secretion of cholesterol and phospholipid.
      Single dose T3 injection produced a 13-fold increase in bile cholesterol
      secretion and a 3-fold increase in phospholipid secretion, both initiated 12 h
      after T3. Bile acid synthesis increased by 50%, but the increase did not begin
      until 24 h after T3. Neither hypothyroidism nor T3 treatment abolished diurnal
      rhythms of bile acid synthesis and biliary lipid secretion. Inhibition of
      cholesterol synthesis with lovastatin resulted in a persistent 33% decrease in
      bile acid synthesis in euthyroid and hypothyroid rats, while bile cholesterol
      secretion only transiently decreased. Inhibition of cholesterol synthesis did not
      alter T3-induced bile cholesterol secretion, with a 10-fold increase seen.
      However, bile acid synthesis was not stimulated by T3 in the presence of
      lovastatin. We conclude that facilitated bile acid synthesis and biliary
      cholesterol secretion are early effects of T3 and may account for the
      hypocholesterolemia of T3. Cholesterol synthesis does not appear to be required
      for the T3-induced bile cholesterol secretion.

PMID- 1431572
TI  - Role of the intestinal acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase activity in the
      hyperresponse of diabetic rats to dietary cholesterol.
AB  - Contrary to normal rats, diabetic rats are known to develop marked
      hypercholesterolemia when fed a cholesterol-enriched diet. The triggering factor
      involved in this hyperresponse has not been identified. With the aim of
      clarifying the role of the intestinal acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase
      (ACAT), we studied the effects of a high fat diet and the changes of intestinal
      ACAT activity during the early development of streptozotocin-diabetes in rats.
      Feeding diabetic rats with a diet enriched in cholesterol and saturated fat
      produced an increase in plasma and in tissue cholesterol as early as 3 days after
      streptozotocin injection in the absence of hyperphagia. Under these experimental
      conditions, treatment with insulin or with the ACAT inhibitor CL-277082
      significantly reduced the plasma cholesterol to levels measured in nondiabetic
      rats fed the same high fat diet. An increase in [14C]cholesterol in plasma very
      low density lipoprotein was observed after oral administration of labeled
      cholesterol to 3-day diabetic rats. In parallel experiments, the direct
      measurement of small intestine microsomal ACAT activity revealed an increase,
      averaging 288% in diabetic rats 3 days after diabetes induction. This change in
      ACAT activity occurred simultaneously with an increase in plasma glucagon and was
      normalized by insulin treatment. The induction of intestinal ACAT activity in
      diabetic rats, its modulation by insulin, and the hypocholesterolemic effects of
      insulin or CL-277082 treatment clearly indicate that ACAT activity plays a major
      role in the initiation of diabetes-associated hypercholesterolemia.

PMID- 1431573
TI  - Distribution of phosphatidylcholine molecular species between mixed micelles and
      phospholipid-cholesterol vesicles in human gallbladder bile: dependence on acyl
      chain length and unsaturation.
AB  - The partitioning of phosphatidylcholine (PC) molecular species between mixed
      micelles and vesicles was studied in each of seven human gallbladder biles. Biles
      were fractionated by Sephacryl S-300 SF gel filtration chromatography, and PC
      species in the micellar and vesicular fractions were quantitated by high
      performance liquid chromatography. Micelles were enriched in species containing
      unsaturated acyl groups (e.g., 16:1-18:2, 18:1-18:2, and 18:1-18:3); vesicles
      were enriched in more highly saturated species (e.g., 16:0-16:1, 16:0-18:1, and
      18:0-18:1). Separate multivariate analyses for each bile demonstrated that the
      distribution of PC species between vesicles and micelles was related to the
      degree of sn-1 and sn-2 unsaturation, and sn-1, but not sn-2, chain length. In
      addition, the tendency to partition into the micellar phase was particularly
      marked when unsaturation was present at both the sn-1 and sn-2 positions. When
      this interaction was included in the multivariate analyses, the regression models
      accounted for virtually all of the variation in PC partitioning (for each of the
      seven patients r2 = 0.92-0.98, P less than 0.03). These results suggest that the
      partitioning of PC species between micelles and vesicles is strictly determined
      by sn-1 chain length and the degree of unsaturation at both the sn-1 and sn-2
      positions. In light of recent reports that fatty acyl composition influences the
      cholesterol content of vesicles and micelles in model biles, these results raise
      the possibility that diet-induced alterations in the phospholipid species and the
      relative proportions of biliary lipid particles may influence the cholesterol
      carrying capacity of bile.

PMID- 1431574
TI  - Effect of dietary cis and trans fatty acids on serum lipoprotein[a] levels in
      humans.
AB  - Serum lipoprotein[a] (Lp[a]) is a strong risk factor for coronary heart disease.
      We therefore examined the effect of dietary fatty acid composition on serum Lp[a]
      levels in three strictly controlled experiments with healthy normocholesterolemic
      men and women. In Expt. I, 58 subjects consumed a control diet high in saturated
      fatty acids for 17 days. For the next 36 days, 6.5% of total energy intake from
      saturated fatty acids was replaced by monounsaturates plus polyunsaturates
      (monounsaturated fatty acid diet; n = 29) or by polyunsaturates alone
      (polyunsaturated fatty acid diet; n = 29). Both diets caused a slight,
      nonsignificant, increase in median Lp[a] levels, with no difference between
      diets. In Expt. II, 10% of energy from the cholesterol-raising saturated fatty
      acids (lauric, myristic, and palmitic acid) was replaced by oleic acid or by
      trans-monounsaturated fatty acids. Each of the 59 participants received each diet
      for 3 weeks in random order. The median level of Lp[a] was 26 mg/l on the
      saturated fatty acid diet; it increased to 32 mg/l (P less than 0.020) on the
      oleic acid diet and to 45 mg/l (P less than 0.001) on the trans-fatty acid diet.
      The difference in Lp[a] between the trans-fatty acid and the oleic acid diets was
      also highly significant (P less than 0.001). Expt. III involved 56 subjects; all
      received 8% of energy from stearic acid, from linoleic acid, or from trans
      monounsaturates, for 3 weeks each. All other nutrients were equal.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431575
TI  - Inhibitors of sterol synthesis. Chemical synthesis and spectral properties of 3
      beta-hydroxy-5 alpha-cholesta-8(14),24-dien-15-one, 3 beta,25-dihydroxy-5 alpha
      cholest-8(14)-en-15-one, and 3 beta,24-dihydroxy-5 alpha-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one
      and their effects on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity in
      CHO-K1 cells.
AB  - Side-chain functionalized delta 8(14)-15-ketosterols have been synthesized from 3
      beta-acetoxy-24-hydroxy-5 alpha-chol-8(14)-en-15-one (VI) as part of a program to
      prepare potential metabolites and analogs of 3 beta-hydroxy-5 alpha-cholest-8(14)
      en-15-one (I), a potent regulator of cholesterol metabolism. Oxidation of VI to
      the 24-aldehyde VII, followed by Wittig olefination with
      isopropyltriphenylphosphonium iodide gave 3 beta-acetoxy-5 alpha-cholesta
      8(14),24-dien-15-one (VIII), which was hydrolyzed to the free sterol IX.
      Oxymercuration of VIII followed by hydrolysis of the 3 beta-acetate gave 3
      beta,25-dihydroxy-5 alpha-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one (IV). Hydroboration-oxidation
      of VIII followed by hydrolysis of the 3 beta-acetate gave 3 beta,24-dihydroxy-5
      alpha-cholest-8(14)-en-15-one (V) as a 5:4 mixture of the 24R and 24S epimers. 1H
      and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) assignments and mass spectral
      fragmentation patterns, supported by high-resolution measurements, are presented
      for IV and its 3 beta-acetate, V, VII, VIII, and IX. Characterization of IV by
      NMR and of trimethylsilyl ethers of IV and V by gas chromatography-mass
      spectrometry was compatible with spectral data for samples of IV and V isolated
      previously after incubation of I with rat liver mitochondria in the presence of
      NADPH. Sterols IV, V, and IX were very potent in lowering of the level of 3
      hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity in Chinese hamster ovary
      cells; their potency was comparable to that of I.

PMID- 1431576
TI  - Hepatic apolipoprotein J is secreted as a lipoprotein.
AB  - Apolipoprotein J (apoJ) is a unique glycoprotein thought to be involved in a
      variety of physiological processes, including lipid transport, regulation of
      complement function, sperm maturation, programmed cell death, and membrane
      recycling. In the plasma, apoJ is associated with apoA-I in high and very high
      density lipoproteins. In this report we demonstrate that HepG2 human
      hepatocellular carcinoma cells secrete apoJ in association with a significant
      amount of lipid, providing unequivocal evidence that apoJ can transport lipids.
      The HepG2 cell line has provided important clues about the structural
      organization of nascent lipoprotein particles. HepG2 cell apoJ-containing
      lipoproteins are dense and heterogenous in size, ranging from 100 to 910 kDa.
      Plasma and HepG2 cell apoJ-lipoproteins differ in size distribution. Both have
      alpha 2 electrophoretic mobility, although their average mobilities differ within
      the alpha 2 region. In contrast to plasma apoJ-HDL which contain little
      triglyceride and which can associate with apoA-I, HepG2 cell apoJ-lipoproteins
      are rich in triglyceride and lack apoA-I. By implication, nascent apoJ
      lipoproteins undergo plasma remodeling that results in triglyceride depletion and
      apoA-I association. We propose that the metabolic consequences of this remodeling
      play an important role in lipid homeostasis in localized tissue environments,
      particularly where organs are isolated from the blood by cellular barriers such
      as in testis and brain. In such tissues, apoJ is expressed constitutively in high
      level compared to other lipid transport proteins.

PMID- 1431577
TI  - Physiologic mechanisms for reduced apolipoprotein A-I concentrations associated
      with low levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol in patients with normal
      plasma lipids.
AB  - Low plasma concentrations of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and
      apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) are major risk factors for coronary heart disease
      (CHD). Low HDL levels are common in patients with hypertriglyceridemia, but they
      also occur in those with normal plasma lipids; the latter include obese patients
      and cigarette smokers, though other patients with low HDL levels are neither
      obese nor smokers. The present study was designed to define metabolic causes of
      low apoA-I levels in normal-weight, normolipidemic patients. ApoA-I tracer
      studies were carried out in two groups of normolipidemic patients having low HDL
      levels to determine input rates and residence times for ApoA-I; these patients
      included 11 nonobese nonsmokers and 11 nonobese cigarette smokers. Their results
      were compared to those of 20 normal-weight, normolipidemic controls with normal
      HDL levels and 12 obese nonsmokers also having low HDL. In all three groups
      manifesting low HDL-cholesterol and low apoA-I levels, residence times for plasma
      apoA-I were reduced by approximately 30%, compared to control subjects with
      normal HDL levels. In contrast, average input rates for apoA-I were similar among
      the three low-HDL patients and control subjects. No differences in apoA-I
      kinetics were observed among any of the three groups with low apoA-I
      concentrations. Within each of the four groups of the study, however, input rates
      for apoA-I were highly correlated with plasma concentrations of apoA-I. Thus, for
      individuals with normal levels of plasma lipids, both residence times and input
      rates for apoA-I appeared to be important determinants of apoA-I levels.
      Residence times for apoA-I were reduced in almost all patients with low apoA-I
      levels, regardless of concomitant factors, whereas input rates were highly
      variable among individuals.

PMID- 1431578
TI  - Protocol for the study of the metabolism of retinyl esters in plasma lipoproteins
      during postprandial lipemia.
AB  - An efficient protocol is described for the study of the kinetics of retinyl
      esters in whole plasma and several lipoprotein fractions following the
      consumption of an oral fat load containing vitamin A (retinol). To allow for a
      more complete characterization of the kinetics of retinyl esters in different
      lipoprotein fractions, a simplified two-step ultracentrifugation procedure is
      reported for the efficient and reproducible isolation of triglyceride-rich
      chylomicrons from nonfasting subjects, VLDL-sized lipoprotein particles, and the
      triglyceride-poor lipoprotein fraction. The present method for the determination
      of retinyl esters is based on the direct application of the lipid fraction onto a
      normal phase HPLC column without requiring the lipid extract to be desiccated and
      resolubilized. All of the commonly occurring esters of retinol elute as a single
      peak with a retention time of 1.6-1.8 min followed by retinyl acetate (serving as
      the internal standard) and retinol with retention times of 2-2.5 min and 5-5.5
      min, respectively. With this system, a new sample can be processed every 10 min
      and a complete set of 60 samples from a typical oral fat load can analyzed in one
      working day with minimal technical interaction. By normalizing to the area under
      the internal standard to correct for variability in the injected volume, the
      coefficient of variability for the concentration retinyl esters within a single
      run is less than 5% and less than 10% between runs.

PMID- 1431579
TI  - Cryopreservation with sucrose maintains normal physical and biological properties
      of human plasma low density lipoproteins.
AB  - The ability to preserve low density lipoprotein (LDL) preparations frozen for
      weeks and months without changes in structure or biological properties is of
      potential use in long-term comparative studies of LDL. We demonstrate that freeze
      thawing of LDL causes marked alterations in its structure and biological
      behavior, and that such changes can be prevented by the addition of sucrose to
      the LDL solution prior to freezing. Freezing LDL at -70 degrees C in the absence
      of sucrose resulted in aggregation and fusion of particles as measured by
      electron microscopy, spectrophotometric absorption, and column gel filtration.
      This was associated with increased binding affinity of monoclonal antibodies at
      epitopes distant from the receptor binding region. Functional changes induced by
      freezing included 3- to 10-fold increases in binding at 4 degrees C and 37
      degrees C, and uptake of LDL in fibroblasts, attributable mainly to increases in
      nonspecific binding processes. Cryopreservation of LDL in 10% sucrose (w/v)
      completely prevented the structural and functional changes incurred after short
      term freezing, and LDL cryopreserved in sucrose for as long as 18 months
      displayed cell binding, uptake, and degradation very similar to that of freshly
      obtained LDL.

PMID- 1431580
TI  - Apolipoprotein B(Arg3500----Gln) allele specific polymerase chain reaction: large
      scale screening of pooled blood samples.
AB  - A two-step polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for the rapid detection of the
      apolipoprotein B(Arg3500----Gln) mutation in a mixture of pooled blood samples is
      described. In the first step PCR, a short gene fragment surrounding codon 3500 is
      amplified. Subsequently the reaction product is subjected to a second
      amplification in which a mutation-specific primer is used. A PCR product is
      generated only if the mutant sequence is present in the DNA pool. Individuals
      carrying the mutation can then be identified by PCR with mutagenic primers and
      MspI restriction typing, essentially as described by Hansen et al. (J. Lipid Res.
      1991. 32: 1229-1233).

PMID- 1431581
TI  - Cholesteryl ester storage disease: complex molecular effects of chronic
      lovastatin therapy.
AB  - To better characterize the in vivo effects of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme
      A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibition on human lipid metabolism, an adolescent male
      with cholesteryl ester storage disease (CESD) was treated chronically with
      lovastatin. Therapy was associated with decreased liver-spleen size, improved but
      not normal serum lipids, a 26% decrease in hepatic cholesteryl ester, a 12%
      decrease in unesterified hepatic cholesterol, and a fourfold increase in hepatic
      low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor protein. Hepatic mRNA levels for the LDL
      receptor and apolipoprotein (apo) B standardized to levels of hepatic gamma actin
      mRNA were unchanged with therapy. Kinetic studies revealed no change in the LDL
      fractional catabolic rate and a decrease in the LDL production rate. Size
      exclusion chromatography showed striking reductions in plasma very low density
      lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol and intermediate density lipoprotein (LDL)
      cholesterol but not LDL cholesterol with therapy. Mean LDL particle size and the
      LDL particle size range were increased by treatment. However, there was no
      difference in the ability of pretreatment or treatment LDL to bind to the LDL
      receptor on cultured cells consistent with previous studies in animals,
      indicating that lovastatin may alter LDL particles to impair interaction with the
      LDL receptor in vivo but not in vitro. Lovastatin therapy in CESD appears to be
      clinically beneficial and has complex effects on lipid metabolism that may
      include a dominant inhibitory effect on hepatic lipoprotein production,
      posttranscriptionally mediated induction of the LDL receptor, and alterations of
      LDL particles that interfere with their clearance by the LDL receptor in vivo.

PMID- 1431582
TI  - Plasma lipoprotein lipid and Lp[a] changes with substitution of elaidic acid for
      oleic acid in the diet.
AB  - The effect of additional dietary trans fatty acids (7% energy) on plasma lipids
      was assessed in a double-blind comparison of four separate diets: 1, enriched
      with butter fat (lauric-myristic-palmitic); 2, oleic acid-rich; 3, elaidic acid
      rich; 4, palmitic acid-rich. The total dietary period was 11 weeks and comprised
      normal foods plus specific fat supplements. In 27 mildly hypercholesterolemic
      men, total and LDL cholesterol were significantly lower during the 3-week oleic
      acid-rich diet, and were similar during the other three diets. For the four diets
      LDL cholesterol levels were in mg/dl: 1, 163; 2, 151; 3, 165; 4, 161. HDL
      cholesterol was significantly higher with the palmitic acid-rich diet, 42 mg/dl,
      compared with elaidic acid, 38 mg/dl, which in turn was not lower than with oleic
      acid, 38 mg/dl. Plasma elaidic acid concentration rose seven-fold with the trans
      fatty acid diet but did not increase the vulnerability of LDL to oxidative
      change. The elaidic acid-rich diet led to significant elevations in the level of
      Lp[a] compared to all the other test diets. The Lp[a] level increased to 296 +/-
      220 U/l in the elaidic acid-rich period from 235 +/- 182 (mean +/- SD) in the
      first ("butter") period (P less than 0.001) compared with 249 +/- 204 in the
      palmitic acid period (P less than 0.001) and 236 +/- 201 in the oleic acid period
      (NS).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431583
TI  - ApoB-75, a truncation of apolipoprotein B associated with familial
      hypobetalipoproteinemia: genetic and kinetic studies.
AB  - We have identified a mutation of apolipoprotein B (apoB) in a kindred with
      hypobetalipoproteinemia. Four affected members had plasma concentrations of total
      cholesterol of 115 +/- 14, low density lipoprotein (LDL)-C of 48 +/- 11, and apoB
      of 28 +/- 9 (mg/dl mean +/- SD). The values correspond to approximately 30% the
      values for unaffected relatives. Triglyceride and high density lipoprotein (HDL)
      C concentrations were 92 +/- 50 and 49 +/- 4, respectively, neither significantly
      different from unaffected relatives. Western blots of plasma apoB of affected
      subjects showed two major bands: apoB-100 and an apoB-75 (mol wt of approximately
      418,000). DNA sequencing of the appropriate polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
      amplified genomic DNA segment revealed a deletion of the cytidine at nucleotide
      position 10366, resulting in a premature stop codon at amino acid residue 3387.
      In apoB-75/apoB-100 heterozygotes, two LDL populations containing either apoB-75
      or apoB-100 could be distinguished from each other by gel permeation
      chromatography and by immunoblotting of nondenaturing gels using monoclonal
      antibodies B1B3 (epitope between apoB amino acid residues 3506-3635) and C1.4
      (epitope between residues 97-526). ApoB-75 LDL were smaller and more dense than
      apoB-100 LDL. To determine whether the low concentration of apoB-75 was due to
      its enhanced LDL-receptor-mediated removal, apoB-75 LDL were isolated from the
      proband's d 1.063-1.090 g/ml fraction (which contained most of the apoB-75 in his
      plasma) by chromatography on anti-apoB and anti-apoA-I immunoaffinity columns.
      The resulting pure apoB-75 LDL fraction interacted with the cells 1.5-fold more
      effectively than apoB-100 LDL (d 1.019-1.063 g/ml). To determine the physiologic
      mechanism responsible for the hypobetalipoproteinemia, in vivo kinetic studies
      were performed in two affected subjects, using endogenous labeling of apoB-75 and
      apoB-100 with [13C]leucine followed by multicompartmental kinetic analyses.
      Fractional catabolic rates of apoB-75 VLDL and LDL were 2- and 1.3-fold those of
      apoB-100 very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and LDL, respectively. Production
      rates of apoB-75 were approximately 30% of those for apoB-100. This differs from
      the behavior of apoB-89, a previously described variant, whose FCRs were also
      increased approximately 1.5-fold relative to apoB-100, but whose production rates
      were nearly identical to those of apoB-100. Thus, in contrast to the apoB-89
      mutation, the apoB-75 mutation imparts two physiologic defects to apoB-75
      lipoproteins that account for the hypobetalipoproteinemia, diminished production
      and increased catabolism.

PMID- 1431584
TI  - Chemiluminescent simultaneous determination of phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide
      and phosphatidylethanolamine hydroperoxide in the liver and brain of the rat.
AB  - The quantification of phospholipid hydroperoxides in biological tissues is
      important in order to know the degree of peroxidative damage of membrane lipids.
      For this purpose, optimal conditions for the chemiluminescent simultaneous assay
      of phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide (PCOOH) and phosphatidylethanolamine
      hydroperoxide (PEOOH) in rat liver and brain were determined. A chemiluminescence
      detection-high performance liquid chromatography (CL-HPLC) method that
      incorporates cytochrome c and luminol as a post-column hydroperoxide-specific
      luminescent reagent was used (Miyazawa et al. 1987. Anal. Lett. 20: 915-925;
      Miyazawa. 1989. Free Radical Biol. Med. 7: 209-217). An n-propylamine-bound
      silica column with hexane-2-propanol-methanol-water 5:7:2:1 (v/v/v/v) (flow rate
      1.0 ml/min) as eluant was used to determine both PCOOH and PEOOH, which were
      separated from each other and from other lipids and lipid-soluble antioxidants.
      High reproducibility and sensitivity as low as 10 pmol hydroperoxide-O2 were
      observed with a mixture of 10 micrograms/ml cytochrome c and 2 micrograms/ml
      luminol in 50 mM borate buffer (pH 10.0, flow rate 1.1 ml/min) as luminescent
      reagent and a post-column mixing joint temperature of 40 degrees C. Using the
      established analytical conditions, it was confirmed that both PCOOH (1324 +/- 122
      pmol/g liver, 114 +/- 18 pmol/g brain, mean +/- SD) and PEOOH (728 +/- 89 pmol/g
      liver, 349 +/- 60 pmol/g brain, mean +/- SD) are present in the liver and brain
      of Sprague-Dawley rats bred on a slightly modified AIN-76A semisynthetic diet for
      3 months. The phospholipid hydroperoxide content in the rat liver was shown to be
      affected by dietary oils, but not significantly affected in the brain.

PMID- 1431585
TI  - Improved preparation method for lysogangliosides.
AB  - Lyso-GM3 and -GM1 gangliosides were prepared from the corresponding N,N'
      dideacylated gangliosides using N-trifluoroacetylation at the sphingosine moiety,
      followed by N-acetylation and mild saponification. The blocking reaction was
      performed using a water-ether bilayer system at alkaline medium, in which the N
      trifluoroacetylation occurred predominantly at the lipid moiety. Through the
      procedure, lysoGM3 and lysoGM1 were obtained with higher yields from the
      corresponding dideacylated gangliosides than through the previous method using 9
      fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl chloride as a blocking group or of direct N-acetylation
      of it on liposomes containing starting ganglioside and other lipid. Chemical
      structures of the lysogangliosides and the synthetic intermediates were confirmed
      by the proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry and negative fast atom
      bombardment-mass spectrometry.

PMID- 1431586
TI  - A simple and rapid method for the preparation of apolipoproteins for
      electrophoresis.
AB  - A new method is described for the rapid preparation of apolipoproteins for
      polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It is suitable for all serum lipoproteins
      including chylomicrons. The procedure involves extraction with diethyl ether in
      the presence of trichloroacetic acid and sodium deoxycholate. The method gives an
      improved protein recovery, in particular with chylomicrons. In addition, samples
      do not require dialysis to remove salts (e.g., KBr) prior to processing; as a
      consequence, the procedure requires only 1 h. Due to this rapidity and the high
      yields, the procedure is superior to present methods utilizing ethanol-diethyl
      ether extraction.

PMID- 1431588
TI  - Computational sequence analysis revisited: new databases, software tools, and the
      research opportunities they engender.
AB  - The increasing quantity and complexity of sequences and structural data for
      proteins and nucleic acids create both problems and opportunities for biomedical
      researchers. Fortunately, a new generation of practical computer tools for data
      analysis and integrated information retrieval is emerging. Recent developments in
      fast database searching, multiple sequence alignment, and molecular modeling are
      discussed and windows-based, mouse-driven software for CD-ROM and network
      information retrieval are described. Each method is illustrated with a practical
      example pertinent to lipid research. In particular, the connection among
      cholesteryl ester transfer protein, bactericidal permeability-increasing protein,
      and lipopolysaccharide-binding proteins is determined; novel repetitive sequence
      motifs in mammalian farnesyltransferase subunits and related yeast
      prenyltransferases are derived; biochemical insights from a three-dimensional
      model of human apolipoprotein D based on two insect lipocalins are discussed; the
      relationship between apolipoprotein D and gross cystic disease fluid protein from
      human breast is reviewed; and prospects for modeling apolipoprotein E-related
      proteins are described. In addition, information on a number of general and
      special-purpose sequence, motif, and structural databases is included.

PMID- 1431587
TI  - Sitosterolemia.
AB  - Sitosterolemia is a rare inherited lipid storage disease characterized chemically
      by the accumulation of plant sterols and 5 alpha-saturated stanols in plasma and
      tissues. Very low cholesterol synthesis due to a deficiency of HMG-CoA reductase
      associated with increased intestinal plant sterol absorption and slow hepatic
      sterol removal are major biochemical features. Because cholesterol synthesis
      cannot up-regulate, bile acid malabsorption mobilizes body sterols for bile acid
      synthesis and dramatically lowers plasma and monocyte sterol concentrations and
      may halt the progression of the atherosclerotic process.

PMID- 1431589
TI  - Lipoprotein lipase in plasma after an oral fat load: relation to free fatty
      acids.
AB  - Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) releases fatty acids from triglyceride-rich lipoproteins
      for use in cellular metabolic reactions. How this hydrolysis, which occurs at the
      vascular endothelium, is regulated is poorly understood. A fatty acid feedback
      system has been proposed by which accumulation of fatty acids impedes LPL
      catalyzed hydrolysis and dissociates the enzyme from its endothelial binding
      sites. We examined this hypothesis in humans who were subjected to an oral fat
      tolerance test of a mixed-meal type. Plasma triglycerides, free fatty acids, and
      LPL activity were measured before and repeatedly during a 12-h period after
      intake of the fat load. Since soybean oil with a high content of linoleic fatty
      acid was the source of triglycerides, a distinction could be made between
      endogenous free fatty acids (FFA) and FFA derived directly from lipolysis of
      postprandial triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. Mean LPL activity was almost doubled
      (P less than 0.01) 6 h after intake of the oral fat load. The rise in LPL
      activity was accompanied by an increase of plasma triglycerides and linoleic free
      fatty acids (18:2 FFA), but not of total plasma FFA, which instead displayed a
      heterogeneous pattern with essentially unchanged mean levels. The postprandial
      response of LPL activity largely paralleled the postprandial responses of 18:2
      FFA and triglycerides. The highest degree of parallelism was seen between
      postprandial 18:2 FFA and LPL activity levels. Furthermore, the integrated
      response (area under the curve, AUC) for plasma measurements of LPL correlated
      with the AUC for 18:2 FFA (r = 0.40, P less than 0.05), but not with the AUC for
      plasma triglycerides (r = 0.21, ns). The high degree of parallelism and
      significant correlation between postprandial plasma LPL activity and 18:2 FFA
      support the hypothesis of fatty acid control of endothelial LPL during
      physiological conditions in humans.

PMID- 1431590
TI  - Calcium binding to phospholipid: structural study of calcium glycerophosphate.
AB  - To consider possible interaction of the phospholipid membrane with calcium ions,
      crystal structures of calcium dl-alpha- and beta-glycerophosphates (alpha- and
      beta-CaGs, respectively) were investigated by X-ray diffraction methods. After
      many attempts, relatively large single crystals of beta-CaG were prepared from
      the aqueous solution containing HCl, while crystals of CaHPO4.2H2O were obtained
      from alpha-CaG solution under the same crystallization conditions. The crystal
      structure of beta-CaG is orthorhombic with space group Pna2(1) and cell
      dimensions of a = 8.251(1), b = 13.038(3), c = 25.483 (10) A, V = 2741.5 (13) A3
      and Z = 16 [four molecules (A to D) in an asymmetric unit]. Molecules of A to D
      took, as a whole, similar extended conformations, although A and B were different
      from C and D in the orientation about a glycerol C-C bond. Four independent beta
      glycerophosphates commonly act as two types of bidentate ligands, where one is
      the coordination to the calcium ion by the glycerol O(1) and phosphate O(22)
      atoms, and the other by the phosphate O(22) and O(23) atoms, thus forming the
      calcium coordination of a distorted square plane, respectively. Each of four
      independent calcium ions forms the same coordination geometry of a distorted
      pentagonal bipyramid. Infinite double layers consisting of alternate A/B
      molecules and of alternative C/D ones and sandwiching calcium ions were arranged
      face-to-face along the b-direction and were piled up in the a-direction, thus
      forming the stacked bilayer unit with the thickness of d002 = 12.75 A. The
      elaborate networks of calcium coordinations and hydrogen bondings were formed
      among the layers and stabilized the crystal structure. Based on the structural
      parameters of the present beta-CaG crystal, a possible interaction model of
      phospholipid with calcium ions was proposed.

PMID- 1431591
TI  - Inhibition of lipoprotein lipase activity by synthetic peptides of apolipoprotein
      C-III.
AB  - In this study we have examined effects of synthetic polypeptide fragments of apoC
      III on the kinetic properties of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity. Based on the
      loss of 79% of LPL-inhibitory activity after CNBr cleavage at the N-terminal
      portion of apoC-III and a systematic search for synthetic peptides with LPL
      inhibitory activity spanning the apoC-III sequence, we concluded that the N
      terminal domain is the most important in the modulation of LPL activity. In
      addition, there are multiple attachment sites in apoC-III for its interaction
      with LPL and these sites reside in the hydrophilic sequences of apoC-III.
      Probably for this reason the intact apo-CIII exhibited higher inhibitory
      potential than its peptide components. Based on the deduced inhibition constants
      derived for the synthetic apoC-III1-79 we concluded that apoC-III is likely to
      exhibit a physiological role in regulating LPL activity since the derived
      dissociation constants for the LPL-apoC-III interaction are within the
      physiological concentration range of plasma apoC-III. In addition, as the
      synthetic apoC-III1-79 lacks the carbohydrate moiety, we also concluded that the
      presence of the oligosaccharide in native apoC-III is not essential for its
      inhibitory activity on LPL. The fact that the I50 (concentration for inhibition
      of LPL at 50% activity) decreases for apoC-III-1 when assayed in the presence of
      apoC-II indicated that the activator actually caused an increased affinity
      between LPL and apoC-III and demonstrated that apoC-III does not compete for the
      activator site of apoC-II.

PMID- 1431592
TI  - Apolipoproteins, membrane cholesterol domains, and the regulation of cholesterol
      efflux.
AB  - Published data related to both cell membrane biology and apolipoprotein structure
      are reviewed and used to formulate a new model describing the mechanisms of
      cholesterol efflux from cell plasma membrane to high density lipoprotein (HDL)
      particles. The central premise of this model is the existence of heterogenous
      domains of cholesterol within plasma membranes. We propose that cholesterol
      efflux from cell membranes is influenced by three factors: 1) the distribution of
      cholesterol between cholesterol-rich and cholesterol-poor membrane domains, 2)
      the diffusion of cholesterol molecules through the extracellular unstirred water
      layer, and 3) the transient interaction of segments of the amphipathic helix of
      the HDL apolipoprotein with cholesterol-poor membrane domains resulting in
      enhanced cholesterol efflux.

PMID- 1431593
TI  - Molecular basis of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation defects.
AB  - A dozen separate inherited disorders of mitochondrial fatty acid beta-oxidation
      have been described in humans. This represents about half of the potential sites
      for genetic error that can affect this important pathway of energy metabolism. As
      the characterization of these disorders at the clinical and biochemical levels
      has progressed rapidly, so has the delineation of the molecular defects that
      underlie them. The most commonly recognized disorder of beta-oxidation is medium
      chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency; a striking feature of this disorder is
      that there is a single point mutation that accounts for 90% of the variant
      alleles among patients with medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency.
      Molecular defects of other enzymes in the pathway have been identified, and it
      seems likely that a complete description of these defects at the molecular level
      is a realistic goal. In basic biological terms, such studies will lead to a
      better understanding of the genetic control exerted on this pathway. In clinical
      terms, they will lead to improved understanding of the molecular pathophysiology
      of these diseases and may well provide the necessary techniques to proceed with
      the screening of these disorders.

PMID- 1431594
TI  - Ionization and self-association of unconjugated bilirubin, determined by rapid
      solvent partition from chloroform, with further studies of bilirubin solubility.
AB  - Our studies of equilibrium solubilization of crystals of unconjugated bilirubin
      (UCB) in buffered aqueous NaCl (1988. J. Lipid Res. 29: 335-348) suggested that
      the two carboxylic pKa values were 6.8 and 9.3 and the solubility of UCB diacid
      was 0.1 microM. These data, however, were not ideal, due to possible effects of
      crystal size, metastability, 96-h incubation times with formation of polar
      derivatives, impurities in the bilirubin, and imprecision of analyses at low
      concentrations of UCB ([UCB]). In the present study, designed to determine the
      pKa values and self-association of UCB, these problems were minimized by solvent
      partition of UCB from solution in CHCl3 into buffered aqueous NaCl. There was no
      crystal phase. Equilibrium was attained rapidly (10 min); UCB and CHCl3 were
      highly purified; and accurate diazo assay of low [UCB] in the aqueous phase,
      [Bw], was achieved by concentrating the UCB through back-extraction into a small
      volume of CHCl3. By determining effects on partition rations of varying the [UCB]
      in the CHCl3 phase, [Bc], we could assess also the self-association of UCB
      species in the aqueous phase. Partition ratios (P = Bw/Bc) did not differ between
      initial and repeat extractions, indicating insignificant concentrations of polar
      UCB derivatives. Similar P ratios were obtained when equilibrium was approached
      from a supersaturated aqueous phase. At 21-25 degrees C, mu = 0.15, the data (n =
      76) fit the equation: log P = log Po + log[1 + 10(pH-A) + 10(2pH-B) + Bc.10(4pH
      D)]; the bracketed terms reflect P for H2Bo (diacid), HB- (monoanion), B=
      (dianion), and (B=)2 dimer, respectively. Computer-fitted values for constants
      (+/- SD) were: Po = P for H2Bo = 5.79 x 10(-5); A = pK1 = 8.12 +/- 0.23; B = pK1
      + pK2 = 16.56 +/- 0.10; pK2 = 8.44 +/- 0.33; D = pk22 + 2(pK1 + pK2) -log(2Po) =
      37.64 +/- 0.07, and k22 = 0.26 microM-1 [formation constant of (B=)2 dimer]. In
      ancillary studies, multiple cycles of direct dissolution of UCB crystals revealed
      a progressive decrease in aqueous solubility of UCB as fine crystals were
      removed; this effect was minimal in CHCl3. Unlike in water, moreover, varied UCB
      crystal forms had similar solubilities in CHCl3, with [Bc] = 1.14 mM at
      saturation. As determined from [Bc]sat.Po, the aqueous solubility of H2Bo was 66
      nM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1431595
TI  - HepG2 cell LDL receptor activity and the accumulation of apolipoprotein B and E
      in response to docosahexaenoic acid and cholesterol.
AB  - In the present study, the accumulation of apolipoproteins (apo) A-I, B, and E in
      culture medium was measured after 0, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h of incubation with 150
      microM docosahexaenoic acid complexed to 75 microM bovine serum albumin (BSA
      22:6), either in the presence or absence of 50 micrograms/ml cholesterol and 4
      micrograms/ml 25-hydroxycholesterol (C/25-OH). HepG2 cells incubated with BSA +
      C/25-OH for 24 h accumulated approximately 2.0-fold greater apoE and B as
      compared to BSA-treated cells. Moreover, HepG2 cell apoB accumulation after 24 h
      of BSA-22:6 treatment was approximately 2.0-fold greater than apoB accumulation
      from cells treated with BSA alone. When BSA-22:6 and C/25-OH were both included
      in the incubation, apoB accumulation was approximately 5.0-fold greater than BSA
      treated cells. Comparative studies using BSA-18:1 were carried out for 24 h and
      showed similar levels of apoA-I, B, and E accumulation in culture medium as
      compared to BSA-22:6-treated cells. In addition, apoA-I, B, and E mRNA abundance
      were found to be unaffected by type of fatty acid treatment or length of
      incubation, averaging 48.2 +/- 7.5, 222 +/- 33.6, and 17.1 +/- 0.7 pg
      mRNA/micrograms RNA (mean +/- SEM), respectively. As the accumulation of apoB and
      apoE in culture medium may be modified by HepG2 cell LDL receptor expression, LDL
      receptor mRNA abundance and LDL receptor activity were quantified at various
      times over the course of the study. By 6 h of BSA + C/25-OH treatment, LDL
      receptor mRNA was reduced approximately 2.3-fold, while receptor activity was
      reduced approximately 1.5-fold, as compared to BSA controls. In an experiment
      designed to determine uptake of HepG2 cell lipoproteins, 3H-labeled apoB
      containing lipoproteins derived from HepG2 cells were prepared. The 3H-labeled
      lipoproteins were 1.25-fold more likely to be removed from the media of HepG2
      cells treated with BSA than from cells treated with BSA + C/25-OH. From these
      results, we postulate that HepG2 cell LDL receptor activity mediates the removal
      of apoB, E-containing lipoproteins from culture medium and contributes to the
      lower accumulation of apoB and E observed in culture medium from cells treated
      with BSA as compared to cells treated with C/25-OH.

PMID- 1431596
TI  - Discrimination between forms of vitamin E by humans with and without genetic
      abnormalities of lipoprotein metabolism.
AB  - To study the mechanisms of discrimination between various forms of vitamin E,
      four normal subjects, one patient with lipoprotein lipase deficiency, and three
      patients with abnormal apolipoprotein B-100 production were given an oral dose
      containing three tocopherols labeled with differing amounts of deuterium
      (2R,4'R,8'R-alpha-(5,7-(C2H3)2)tocopheryl acetate (d6-RRR-alpha-tocopheryl
      acetate), 2S,4'R,8'R-alpha-5-(C2H3)tocopheryl acetate (d3-SRR-alpha-tocopheryl
      acetate), and 2R,4'R,8'R-gamma-(3,4-2H)tocopherol (d2-RRR-gamma-tocopherol). The
      tocopherol contents of plasma, red cells, and lipoproteins were measured up to 76
      h after the dose. In normal subjects all three tocopherols were absorbed and
      secreted in chylomicrons with equal efficiencies. Both d2-gamma- and d3-SRR-alpha
      tocopherols peaked at similar concentrations in the other lipoprotein fractions,
      then decreased similarly, but 2-4 times more rapidly than did d6-RRR-alpha
      tocopherol. A lipoprotein lipase-deficient patient and a patient with prolonged
      production of chylomicrons with absent apolipoprotein B-100 also demonstrated the
      lack of discrimination between tocopherols during absorption. Despite abnormal
      apolipoprotein B-100 production in two patients, the "VLDL" was preferentially
      enriched in d6-RRR-alpha-tocopherol. Our results show that there is no
      discrimination between the three tocopherols during absorption and secretion in
      chylomicrons, but subsequently there is a preferential enrichment of very low
      density lipoprotein (VLDL) with RRR-alpha-tocopherol. Catabolism of this VLDL
      results in the maintenance of plasma RRR-alpha-tocopherol concentrations.

PMID- 1431597
TI  - Effects of psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid on LDL-cholesterol and bile acid
      synthesis in hypercholesterolemic men.
AB  - The goal of the current study was to determine the mechanism of the
      hypocholesterolemic effect of psyllium using a randomized, double-blind,
      crossover design. Twenty males (age 44 +/- 4 yr, weight 79 +/- 10 kg) with
      moderate hypercholesterolemia (total 265 +/- 17 mg/dl, low density lipoprotein
      (LDL) 184 +/- 15 mg/dl) were studied at baseline (B) and after randomization to
      receive a 40-day course of 15 g/day of either psyllium (Ps) or placebo (Pl)
      (cellulose). After a washout period (11 +/- 2 days), subjects were crossed over
      to the other fiber treatment for an additional 40 days and restudied. Intestinal
      cholesterol absorption, cholesterol synthesis in isolated peripheral blood
      mononuclear cells, bile acid kinetics, gallbladder motility, and intestinal
      transit were measured at each study period. Psyllium lowered LDL cholesterol
      (x:184 (B), 169 (Ps), and 179 (Pl) mg/dl; Ps vs. B,Pl: P less than 0.004, P less
      than 0.02), decreased relative cholesterol absorption (x:51 (B), 45 (Ps), and 49
      (Pl) %; Ps vs. B,Pl: P less than 0.03, P less than 0.03), did not alter absolute
      cholesterol absorption, and increased the fractional turnover of both
      chenodeoxycholic acid (x:0.176 (B), 0.203 (Ps), and 0.170 (Pl) day-1; Ps vs.
      B,Pl: P less than 0.0001, P less than 0.01) and cholic acid (x:0.303 (B), 0.411
      (Ps), and 0.301 (Pl) d-1; Ps vs. B, Pl: P less than 0.006, P less than 0.002).
      Bile acid synthesis increased in subjects whose LDL cholesterol was lowered by
      more than 10% (Ps vs. B: 1304 +/- 489 vs 992 +/- 307 mumol/day, P less than
      0.006; Ps vs. PI: 1304 +/- 489 vs. 914 +/- 321 mumol/day, P less than 0.0002). We
      conclude that psyllium lowers LDL cholesterol primarily via stimulation of bile
      acid synthesis.

PMID- 1431598
TI  - Differing effects of cholesterol and taurocholate on steady state hepatic HMG-CoA
      reductase and cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activities and mRNA levels in the
      rat.
AB  - We investigated the effects of cholesterol, cholestyramine, and taurocholate
      feeding on steady state specific activities and mRNA levels of hepatic 3-hydroxy
      3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-CoA reductase and cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase in the
      rat. Interruption of the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids (cholestyramine
      feeding) increased total HMG-CoA reductase activity 5-fold. Cholesterol and
      taurocholate administration suppressed total microsomal HMG-CoA reductase
      activities 87% and 65%, respectively. HMG-CoA reductase mRNA levels increased 3
      fold with cholestyramine, did not decrease significantly with cholesterol
      feeding, but were markedly decreased after taurocholate treatment. Cholesterol 7
      alpha-hydroxylase activity increased 4-fold with cholestyramine and 29% during
      cholesterol feeding, but decreased 64% with taurocholate. Cholesterol 7 alpha
      hydroxylase mRNA levels rose 150% and 50% with cholestyramine and cholesterol
      feeding, respectively, but decreased 73% with taurocholate. The administration of
      cholesterol together with taurocholate prevented the decline in cholesterol 7
      alpha-hydroxylase mRNA levels, but inhibition of enzyme activity persisted (
      76%). Hepatic microsomal cholesterol concentrations increased 2-fold with
      cholesterol feeding but did not change with taurocholate or cholestyramine
      treatment. These results demonstrate that mRNA levels of HMG-CoA reductase are
      controlled by the hepatic taurocholate flux, whereas mRNA levels of cholesterol 7
      alpha-hydroxylase are controlled by the cholesterol substrate supply. These end
      products, cholesterol and bile acids, exert post-transcriptional regulation on
      HMG-CoA reductase and cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase, respectively.

PMID- 1431600
TI  - Preparation of lyso-GM1 (II3Neu5AcGgOse4-long chain bases) by a one-pot reaction.
AB  - A simple procedure is described for preparing lyso-GM1, a GM1 derivative that
      lacks the fatty acid moiety, starting from GM1 ganglioside using a one-pot
      reaction. Ganglioside deacylation was carried out in KOH/propan-1-ol in the
      absence of oxygen. The yield of lyso-GM1 under optimal conditions (6 h, 90
      degrees C, 0.2 N KOH, 1 mM GM1) was 54%. The chemical structure of lyso-GM1 was
      determined by 1H-NMR and FAB-MS analyses, thus proving that the acetamide groups
      of galactosamine and sialic acid units were not affected during the deacylation
      reaction.

PMID- 1431599
TI  - beta-Glucocerebrosidase activity in murine epidermis: characterization and
      localization in relation to differentiation.
AB  - The intercellular lipids of the stratum corneum, which are highly enriched in
      ceramides, are critical for the mammalian epidermal permeability barrier. During
      the terminal stages of epidermal differentiation, the glucosylceramide content is
      dramatically reduced, while the content of free ceramides increases. To
      investigate whether beta-glucocerebrosidase (beta-GlcCer'ase) could be
      responsible for this change in lipid content, we characterized its activity in
      murine epidermis, compared enzyme activity to other murine tissues, and localized
      beta-GlcCer'ase activity within the epidermis. Epidermal extracts demonstrated
      linear 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucose hydrolysis (to 3 h) with protein
      concentrations between 1 and 250 micrograms/ml. Whole epidermis contained
      comparable beta-glucosidase activity (9.1 +/- 0.4 nmol/min per mg DNA) to murine
      brain and liver, and 5-fold higher activity than spleen. Epidermal beta
      glucosidase activity was stimulated greater than 15-fold by sodium taurocholate
      at pH 5.6, and inhibited at acidic pH (3.5-4.0). Bromoconduritol B epoxide
      (greater than or equal to 1.0 microM), inhibited epidermal enzyme activity by
      greater than 75%, while activity in brain, liver, and spleen was only inhibited
      by 6, 17, and 14%, respectively. Moreover, beta-GlcCer'ase mRNA expression in
      murine epidermis exceeded levels in liver, brain, and spleen. Finally, beta
      GlcCer'ase activity was highest in the outer, more differentiated epidermal cell
      layers including the stratum corneum. In summary, mammalian epidermis contains an
      usually high percentage (approximately 75%) of beta-glucocerebrosidase activity,
      and the concentration of activity in the more differentiated cell layers may
      account for the replacement of glucosylceramide by ceramides in the outer
      epidermis.

PMID- 1431601
TI  - Galactosylceramide containing omega-amino-fatty acids: preparation,
      characterization, and sulfotransferase acceptor.
AB  - For preparation of an affinity ligand, an N-fatty acyl moiety of
      galactosylceramide (GalCer) was chemically replaced with omega-amino-fatty acid
      including amino-n-hexanoic acid or amino-n-dodecanoic acid to obtain omega
      aminoGalCer. For the synthesis of the compound, galactosylsphingosine (GalSph)
      was coupled with N-trifluoroacetyl omega-amino-fatty acid which was prepared by a
      reaction with S-ethyltrifluorothioacetate. After removal of the N-trifluoroacetyl
      group in a mild alkaline solution, in which an N-fatty acyl group was retained,
      aminoGalCer composed of an N-hexanoyl or an N-dodecanoyl group was obtained with
      an overall yield of 90%. Their chemical structures were confirmed by proton
      nuclear magnetic resonance and fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometries. These
      aminoGalCers and GalSph as well as immobilized aminoGalCer were sulfated by a
      glycolipid sulfotransferase from rat kidney. Furthermore, immobilized aminoGalCer
      on gel matrix was used for affinity chromatography of the sulfotransferase,
      resulting in an excellent increase in the purification (14,000-fold) with a
      recovery rate of 40%.

PMID- 1431602
TI  - Improved procedures for the determination of lipid phosphorus by malachite green.
AB  - We have developed two procedures for the measurement of lipid phosphorus based on
      interaction between phosphomolybdenum and malachite green. One method, the
      "micro" assay uses 50-200 microliters of HClO4 and has a sensitivity range of
      0.01-1.5 micrograms phosphorus. The second method, the "macro" assay, has a
      sensitivity range of 0.03-5.0 micrograms phosphorus with 100-500 microliters
      HClO4. Both assays are very reproducible with day to day standard deviations of
      less than 6% between triplicates irrespective of the HClO4 content used. At
      different concentrations of HClO4, each method was successfully used to determine
      the phosphorus content in phosphatidylethanolamine and sphingomyelin standards
      that covered the proposed sensitivity ranges. The increased range, sensitivity
      and greater volumes of HClO4 permitted in the procedures represent significant
      improvements over existing methods.

PMID- 1431603
TI  - [Circulating lupus coagulants. A paradox in vascular pathology].
AB  - Lupus anticoagulants (LA) are acquired inhibitors of coagulation related to the
      antiphospholipid antibodies. Paradoxically, these anticoagulants do not expose
      patients to the risk of hemorrhage but, on the contrary, to a thrombotic risk.
      The association in a patient of an antiphospholipid antibody and a clinical
      manifestation (thrombosis or equivalent) defines the antiphospholipid syndrome.
      This syndrome is termed primary or secondary according to whether it appears as
      an isolated disorder or is associated with an identified disease, frequently
      autoimmune (systemic lupus erythematous or lupus related syndrome). Clinical
      complications of LA are arterial or venous thrombosis at various sites. They are
      frequently recurrent, and deep venous thrombosis of leg, oculo-cerebral ischemic
      lesions and heart valve complications have all been well documented. Thrombosis
      of the microcirculation can cause tissue or organ disfunction, the most
      characteristic effect being repeated abortions. Laboratory demonstration of LA is
      difficult when the inhibitor is weak, and this should be completed by tests for
      other antiphospholipid antibodies. Clinical studies are necessary to assess the
      thrombotic risk of the LA in different clinical conditions and to evaluate the
      need and type of antithrombotic treatment. The LA are heterogeneous and only a
      small proportion of patients with LA will develop thrombosis. New tests capable
      of predicting the thrombotic risk, bases on the physiopathological mechanisms
      with which LA interfere in vivo, are currently being investigated.

PMID- 1431604
TI  - [Surgery of aneurysms of the abdominal aorta in 1992. Lessons of a decade].
AB  - Perioperative mortality of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) remains at a mean of
      3% in asymptomatic cases, 6% when symptomatic and 50% when ruptured while many
      patients with ruptured AAA die prior to surgery. This has changed little over the
      last decade. The causes of this stagnation are analyzed, strategic choices as a
      function of clinical situations, size of aneurysm, and associated lesions
      exposed, and means explored to improve the prognosis. Since the perioperative
      mortality rate appears incompressible, an improvement in the prognosis of AAA can
      be obtained only by a combined medical effort. This requires the more rapid
      recognition of prodromal symptoms of rupture, the detection of a larger number of
      asymptomatic AAA and improved postoperative life expectancy, already reasonable,
      by more rigorous vascular and cardiologic surveillance.

PMID- 1431605
TI  - [Duplex ultrasonography in the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis of the legs.
      Agreement between two operators].
AB  - The operator-dependent nature of venous Duplex-ultrasonography diagnosis of deep
      venous thrombosis (DVT) of the leg is the principal reproach applied to it and a
      reason for delaying use. The aim of the present study was to evaluate concordance
      between two operators, with rigorous application of the same methodology of
      exploration of the venous axes. The study included 82 patients under hospital
      care, randomly selected from among those referred for the first Duplex
      ultrasonography examination for DVT, and having accepted to undergo 2 consecutive
      explorations, one by each of the two operators. The two operators evaluated
      independently, for the 19 venous axes of the legs: 1: the interpretability of the
      examination, 2: the differential diagnosis between: absence of thrombus, presence
      of thrombus, nonconclusive examination, and 3: the score for the DVT extension.
      Evaluation of concordance of diagnosis was by Cohen's kappa coefficient,
      calculated on the positive diagnosis of DVT and the site of the most proximal
      thrombus. Extension scores were compared by calculation of the coefficient of
      correlation "r". Interpretability rates were 92% and 91% respectively for the two
      operators, 35 DVT being diagnosed in 27 patients by operator A and 36 DVT in 27
      patients by operator B. The kappa coefficient for diagnosis of DVT with
      localization in the affected leg was 0.90 [0.81-0.98]. It was 0.89 [0.73-1] for
      proximal lesions, 0.86 [0.74-0.97] for the lower leg level, and 0.79 for
      localization of the proximal extremity of the thrombus. Extension scores
      evaluated by the two operators were 2.88 and 3.14 respectively, with a
      coefficient of correlation between the extension scores of 0.96. The 5 diagnostic
      divergences concerned the lower leg level; the 2 localization discordances
      concerned: the frontier zones leg-lower popliteal, lower femoral-upper popliteal.
      Good concordance between results of the two operators using Duplex
      ultrasonography exploration was obtained even though the majority of the DVT were
      in the calf, a region known to be explored with difficulty. Overcoming the
      operator-dependent character of Duplex-ultrasonography by a rigorous exploratory
      methodology could make it the future reference examination for the diagnosis of
      DVT.

PMID- 1431606
TI  - [Use of an active clinical maneuver for diagnosis of popliteal artery
      entrapment].
AB  - Overall incidence rate of popliteal artery entrapment syndrome is certainly
      underestimated. The aim of this work was to test and to evaluate the interest of
      a clinical maneuver of active and repetitive ankle extensions in upright
      position, for the screening, the diagnosis and the follow-up of patients with
      popliteal artery entrapment. During a 3 year period, this maneuver was used in 10
      patients (16 popliteal artery entrapments) and in 50 age-matched controls. The
      results of the maneuver were compared to the results of functional vascular
      investigations. For all the patients the maneuver had to be stopped before 20
      movements whereas it could be continued up to 50 movements for all the controls.
      The maneuver was easy to perform, reliable and constant in its results. The
      earlier the maneuver was stopped the more critical was the trouble at functional
      vascular investigations. We believe that this maneuver is of great help for early
      diagnosis of popliteal artery entrapment, assessment of its severity and follow
      up treated patients. It could also help to detect athletes with asymptomatic
      popliteal entrapment.

PMID- 1431607
TI  - [Electric stimulation of the spinal cord in arterial diseases of the legs. A
      multicenter study of 244 patients].
AB  - From January 1985 through January 1990, 244 patients (168 males, 76 females, mean
      age: 69 +/- 14 years) received epidural spinal cord stimulation for the treatment
      of advanced, nonreconstructable, peripheral vascular disease of the lower limbs
      due to atherosclerosis in 180 patients, atherosclerosis and/or diabetes in 49,
      and thromboangiitis obliterans in 15 patients: previous surgery included 101
      bypass-grafts in 70 patients, 51% of which below the knee, and 117
      sympathectomies in 113 patients as the last resource in face of distal peripheral
      vascular disease of the lower limbs. Mean ankle-to brachial systolic pressure
      ratio was .31 +/- .34 on symptomatic limbs; due to pain and advanced disease,
      walking capacity was assessed in only 151 patients, either on treadmill in 25, or
      in a metered corridor in 126; angiogram of the lower limbs was performed in every
      patient unless one not older than three months was readily available; pain at
      rest was assessed after an analogical scale; partial transcutaneous oxygen
      tension was measured on the dorsum of the fore-foot of 77 symptomatic limbs
      (mean: 13.35 +/- 14 mmHg). According to clinical and functional evaluation, 18
      patients had exertional ischemia (group I), 87 had permanent ischemia with pain
      at rest and no tissue loss (group II), and 139 had chronic tissue loss (group
      III), including 93 ischemic ulcers (mean surface: 3.7 cm2, mean duration: 3.5
      months) in 88 patients, 27 limited gangrene, and 24 previous limited non-healing
      distal amputation. After temporary spinal cord stimulation at T12-L1 level (mean
      duration: 9 +/- 4 days) with a percutaneous quadripolar electrode lead had
      allowed for selection of responders, 212 patients received an implantable
      neurostimulator.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431608
TI  - Oscillometry of radial artery in acrocyanosis and cold sensitivity.
AB  - Acrocyanosis is reassessed on the basis of 34 new patients with diagnostic
      clinical features. The most useful tests are the skin temperature differences
      (STD) between wrist and end of fingers (or ankle and end of toes) and
      oscillometry over the radial and dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial arteries.
      Capillaroscopy of the conjunctival and nailfold vessels is useful in half the
      patients. Capillary resistance was not helpful. STD of 1.5 degrees C or more
      between skin of wrist or ankle and fingertip or toetip, is usually associated
      with more severe disease and capillary abnormalities on microscopy, and with
      reduced oscillometry (to 1 or less) over the radial arteries and dorsalis pedis
      and posterior tibial arteries. Reduced oscillometry is more associated with
      abnormalities than the other tests, and more than STD. The work of Mulvany and
      his colleagues suggests an explanation for the low oscillometry. Larger vessels
      than the arterioles and digital vessels can become resistance vessels in various
      circumstances. It is likely that the radial artery and vessels of similar
      diameter can temporarily act as resistance vessels in patients with acrocyanosis
      in a low temperature environment.

PMID- 1431609
TI  - [Ambulatory and hemodynamic treatment of venous insufficiency (CHIVA cure). Study
      of 96 patients operated on between June 1988 and June 1990].
AB  - 96 patients were treated in two years by Ambulatory and Hemodynamic Treatment of
      Varicose Veins (CHIVA cure), representing 131 legs that underwent surgery. 71
      patients (74%) representing 102 CHIVA cures in the long saphena territory were
      followed up, with a maximum of 28 months of follow-up. The CHIVA cure represents
      a new and interesting therapy: ambulatory, painless, it allows a very early
      resuming of normal life. The follow-up shows that the aesthetic and functional
      results are especially satisfying and seem to be steady. The CHIVA cure certainly
      neglects the histological and parietal aspects of venous incompetence but the
      treatment of the hemodynamic factor is effective. It can be applied on every type
      of varicose veins concerning the long saphena territory, provided that the deep
      venous system is normal. The interest of CHIVA cure concerning the short saphena
      territory remains to be demonstrated. Arteritic patients, patients with coronary
      arteries diseases, sportmen, young patients with a brief evolutive potential,
      especially women, are the best indications. The CHIVA cure is a reliable strategy
      in the short and medium term, offering excellent aesthetic and functional results
      that still have to be confirmed in the long term and or a large scale.

PMID- 1431610
TI  - [Results of ambulatory and hemodynamic treatment of venous insufficiency (CHIVA
      cure)].
AB  - From January 1987 to December 1988, 100 conservative and hemodynamic treatments
      of superficial venous insufficiency in great saphenous vein territory, have been
      done on 86 patients. They were 32 men, whose mean age was 53.7 years, and 54
      women, whose mean age was 44.5 years. Indication for surgery was mainly
      functional in 28 cases, esthetic in 26 cases, both in 25 cases and trophic
      problems in 21 cases. Ligation of the sapheno-femoral junction has been done in
      91 cases (62 clips, 9 clips and ligations, 11 ligations, 9 sutures). Distal
      interruption has been done above knee in 24 cases, below knee in 50 cases, and
      both in 16 cases. Early postoperative complications have been one septic
      collection of the groin, one hematoma of the groin, one durable contusion of the
      saphenous nerve, and 21 superficial venous thrombosis. There were six thrombosis
      of excluded branches, seven subtotal thrombosis of the saphenous and height
      partial thrombosis of the saphenous vein. Subtotal thrombosis of the saphenous
      vein were due either to a mistake in position of distal ligation in three cases,
      either to a too large saphenous vein in four cases. Five out of height partial
      thrombosis occurred on saphenous veins larger than ten millimeters. Follow up was
      obtained, in 1990, so that all patients had at least one year of follow-up. Seven
      patients have been lost for follow-up. Three patients had recurrence because of
      failure of the clip. An additional procedure was necessary in 30 patients.
      Functional results were correct in 89% of patients, and esthetical results in 68%
      of patients.

PMID- 1431611
TI  - [Chilblains].
AB  - Chilblains represents an idiopathic vascular cutaneous benign acral syndrome.
      Epidemiology and basic mechanisms remain hypothetic and the treatment is
      controversial. The patients exhibit pruritic, redness painful, burning acral
      patches or plaques on the toes and/or fingers. The disease is bilateral, youthful
      and influenced by exposure to cold. Spontaneous healing is common when spring
      arrives and relapse is frequent on the following winters. There is no systemic
      symptom and laboratory studies are normal. The physical examination is sufficient
      for diagnosis. Histologic examination shows vascular and perivascular capillary
      and venular lymphocyte infiltrates without necrosis nor leukocytoclasia. The
      differential diagnosis includes: lupus, cold urticaria, acrocyanosis,
      erythermalgia, vasculitis and the Blue Toe Syndrome. Treatment includes
      prophylactic measures against cold and calcium channel inhibiting drug. In more
      severe cases thyrocalcitonin and hemodilution might be helpful.

PMID- 1431612
TI  - [Interruption of the infra-renal inferior vena cava with azygos continuation.
      Case report].
AB  - The authors report a case of congenital interruption of the inferior vena cava
      with azygos continuation with a deep venous thrombosis of the left lower
      extremity. It is a rare congenital abnormality which is most of the time
      asymptomatic. However such an abnormality may be a problem in case of cardiac
      catheterization or thoracic surgery.

PMID- 1431613
TI  - [Acute thrombosis of the right renal vein. Two cases with coagulopathies].
AB  - We report two cases of renal vein thrombosis, unusual because of acute
      expression, right renal vein localization, absence of the usual renal or
      perirenal causes, surgical management and a never before reported etiology. In
      one case the thrombosis was secondary to primary antiphospholipid syndrome, in
      the other it was secondary to heparin associated thrombocythemia. In this case
      surgical management was performed during prostacyclin infusion.

PMID- 1431614
TI  - [Ambulatory and hemodynamic treatment of venous insufficiency (CHIVA cure).
      Report of an atypical case].
AB  - After a brief introduction describing the principle, strategy and tactics of
      hemodynamic treatment of venous insufficiency in ambulant patients, the following
      atypical case is described. Ms P., aged 38 years, presented a functional
      symptomatology including waking at night and was obliged to get out of bed.
      Varices were moderately visible but she asked for treatment for esthetic reasons.
      A future pregnancy was discounted. Clinical examination and the pulsed ultrasound
      Doppler cartogram showed incontinence of the internal perineal, opening from the
      genitofemoral fold and rejoining the summit of Jacomini's vein arch. The dorsal
      segment of Jacomini's vein was incontinent with a retrograde flux and rejoined an
      incontinent short saphenous continuing as a type III shunt. The cartogram
      obtained, the strategy decided and the intervention carried out on 19 June 1990
      are illustrated by photographs. At 4 month follow up and despite the heat wave of
      summer 1990, all functional signs had disappeared and a sufficiently esthetic
      result had been obtained. Unexpectedly, the patient announced that she was
      pregnant.

PMID- 1431615
TI  - Symmetry-breaking bifurcation: a possible mechanism for 2:1 frequency-locking in
      animal locomotion.
AB  - The generation and control of animal locomotion is believed to involve central
      pattern generators - networks of neurons which are capable of producing
      oscillatory behavior. In the present work, the quadrupedal locomotor central
      pattern generator is modelled as four distinct but symmetrically coupled non
      linear oscillators. We show that the typical patterns for two such networks of
      oscillators include 2:1 frequency-locked oscillations. These patterns, which
      arise through symmetry-breaking Hopf bifurcation, correspond in part to observed
      patterns of 2:1 frequency-locking of limb movements during electrically elicited
      locomotion of decerebrate and spinal quadrupeds. We briefly describe how our
      theoretical predictions could be tested experimentally.

PMID- 1431616
TI  - The "new" review of the literature.

PMID- 1431617
TI  - Evaluation of neck muscle strength with a modified sphygmomanometer dynamometer:
      reliability and validity.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Determine test-retest reliability, normative data and clinical
      validity of isometric muscle strength testing in the neck with a modified
      sphygmomanometer dynamometer (MSD). DESIGN: Analytic survey. Paired trials of
      various muscle strength tests were conducted on convenience samples of normal
      subjects and consecutive samples of symptomatic subjects. SETTING: Outpatient
      chiropractic research clinic. PATIENTS/SUBJECTS: For study 2, 40 normal male
      subjects, average age 25 +/- 2 yr, were studied for reliability and normative
      data. For study 3, 24 symptomatic patients, 12 males and 12 females, average age
      39 +/- 7 yr, were studied, 8 with "whiplash"-type injuries (average duration 22.5
      wk) and 16 with nontraumatic chronic neck pain (average duration 110 wk).
      INTERVENTION: No therapeutic intervention is reported. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:
      Pressure levels generated by subjects against a modified sphygmomanometer-type
      dynamometer as measured in kilopascals. RESULTS: Study 1. Repeated paired trials
      of a standardized weight column (20 lbs) produced a coefficient of variation of
      0.84% and virtually no difference between the means of the first vs. second
      trials. Study 2. High test-retest correlation coefficients were found for all
      ranges of motion (.79-.97). Right-to-left asymmetry in rotation and lateral
      flexion was within 6-8%. The flexion/extension ratio was .57:1, indicating that
      in normal subjects, flexion was approximately 40% lower than extension. Lower
      cutoffs were established as the mean--1 SD as follows (in kPa): flexion--3300,
      extension--5800, rotation--5200 and lateral flexion--6200. Coefficients of
      variation ranged from 25 to 29%. Study 3. Differences between paired trials were
      analyzed by intraclass coefficients, which were very high (.95-.99), and by
      percentages, which ranged from 4 to 10.4%, with an average of 7%, indicating a
      high degree of test-retest consistency. The mean values for all symptomatic
      subjects for flexion, extension, right rotation and right lateral bending were
      all well below the normal cutoff values as found in study 2. The
      flexion/extension ratio for whiplash subjects was 0.25:1.00, which is half of
      that of normal subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The MSD has been found to be a reliable
      instrument for the evaluation of isometric muscle strength in the neck in normal
      and symptomatic subjects. Normative values for absolute test levels, bilateral
      symmetry and flexion/extension ratios have been determined. A symptomatic group
      demonstrated significant deviations from these norms in the form of reduced
      strength levels and reduced flexion/extension ratios, while still maintaining
      very high levels of test-retest consistency and bilateral symmetry. The MSD
      appears very promising in the evaluation of neck-injured patients.

PMID- 1431618
TI  - A roentgenological evaluation of the relationship between segmental motion and
      malalignment in lateral bending.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A radiographic study was undertaken to determine the relationship
      between static vertebral malalignment and segmental lumbar motion in lateral
      bending. DESIGN: Survey. SETTING: Chiropractic college student health center and
      private chiropractic clinic. PARTICIPANTS: 249 subjects: 114 with low back pain,
      29 asymptomatic with no history and 106 asymptomatic with history. Of these, 194
      were freshman volunteers and 55 were new private clinic low back pain patients.
      INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Net lumbar segmental tilt and
      rotation in lateral bending: corrected and uncorrected for segmental malposition
      with the patient standing in the upright neutral position. RESULTS: There was
      moderate to good negative correlation of malalignment with segmental tilt motion
      and segmental motion asymmetry (r = -.42 to -.89, p less than .001). Correlation
      of malalignment with motion from the ideal neutral segmental position of perfect
      alignment was modest (r = .16-.42). A large variation in segmental motion was
      found for all segmental malalignments. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that
      malalignment is associated with segmental tilt motion in lateral bending,
      although large subject variability greatly compromises predictability on an
      individual basis. This study also indicates that segmental malposition may
      complicate the palpation of active range of motion. This is because the
      malalignment itself may facilitate a greater arc of segmental motion in the
      direction of comparative restriction in movement from the ideal neutral position
      to the extreme of lateral flexion.

PMID- 1431619
TI  - Stability of paraspinal tissue compliance in normal subjects.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The following studies were performed in order to evaluate the
      stability of paraspinal tissue compliance measurements. Tissue compliance is a
      measure of the consistency or firmness of soft tissue and is determined by a hand
      held tissue compliance meter. DESIGN: Descriptive and blinded time course
      intervention measurements. SETTING: All measurements were performed on subjects
      placed in the prone position on flat tables in a laboratory setting.
      PARTICIPANTS: Forty asymptomatic volunteer subjects. INTERVENTION: Tissue
      compliance measurements of the T6 and L3 paraspinal regions. MAIN OUTCOME
      MEASURE: Tissue compliance measurements recorded as millimeters of penetration of
      a metered probe. RESULTS: Data from this study indicate that paraspinal tissue
      compliance at the T6 and L3 regions does not change significantly over a 10-min
      interval, is not effected by the testing intervention and the number of abnormal
      left/right tissue compliance asymmetries is appropriate (5%) for a normal
      population of subjects. CONCLUSIONS: These findings tend to support the utility
      of tissue compliance as a possible tool for the evaluation of paraspinal soft
      tissue.

PMID- 1431621
TI  - Proximal tibiofibular joint dysfunction and chronic knee and low back pain.
AB  - This article reports a case of joint dysfunction of the proximal tibiofibular
      joint that produced knee, thigh and low back pain of 5 yr duration. An injury of
      a simple nature apparently caused the onset of symptoms. Manipulation of the
      proximal tibiofibular joint resulted in immediate and dramatic relief of
      symptoms. This case illustrates how a relatively minor incident can result in
      longstanding pain and disability. Examination and treatment procedures for the
      proximal tibiofibular joint dysfunction are described.

PMID- 1431620
TI  - Skin temperature assessment for neuromusculoskeletal abnormalities of the spinal
      column.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: A qualitative review of the scientific literature on thermographic
      instrumentation for detecting neuromusculoskeletal abnormalities of the spinal
      column was made. Electronic infrared instrumentation (telethermography), liquid
      crystal thermography and various hand-held devices were scrutinized in terms of
      reliability and comparison with other diagnostic tests (e.g., computed
      tomography, myelography, electromyography, magnetic resonance imaging). DATA
      SOURCES: A Medline literature search was performed from 1966 through 1990.
      English language material was retrieved using the following key words:
      thermography and spine, spinal injuries, cervical vertebrae, thoracic vertebrae,
      lumbar vertebrae, sacroiliac joint, lumbosacral region, back or neck. The Index
      to Chiropractic Literature was also reviewed. The categories of skin temperature
      and thermography were scrutinized. Chapters of texts and nonpublished works were
      not incorporated. STUDY SELECTION: Studies involving the comparison of
      thermographic findings with those of other tests were the primary focus of the
      review. Case reports, as well as the use of thermography as an outcome measure,
      were also studied. Interexaminer reliability studies are reported. DATA
      EXTRACTION: The study populations are characterized as well as binding
      procedures, if any. The authors' statistical work, if applicable, is presented
      and criticized. DATA SYNTHESIS: Relatively few reliability studies exist for
      thermography. Emphasis has been on validity studies that compare the results of
      the thermogram with other reference tests. There has been a general lack of high
      quality research design (e.g., blinding) throughout the thermographic literature
      base. The sensitivity of the various thermographic instrumentation has shown
      encouraging results, although this must be tempered with the generally poor
      design of many studies. Specificity, in contrast, has shown mixed results. The
      review indicated telethermography to be a sensitive diagnostic procedure for
      detecting abnormalities, such as disc protrusion, of the lumbar and cervical
      spine. Liquid crystal thermography effectiveness is difficult to determine due to
      the paucity of blinded investigations, although normative data for the cervical
      spine and upper extremities is present. Literature on the various hand-held
      instruments has revealed moderate levels of examiner reliability for infrared
      devices, with less information available for thermocouple instruments. Normative
      data for hand-held instruments is absent. CONCLUSION: Continued investigation is
      needed in the area of thermographic research in light of the paucity of blinded
      and/or controlled investigations. More sensitive neurophysiological and
      anatomical measures must be used when comparing the results from thermography.
      The lack of an available gold standard for comparing thermographic findings has
      been problematic. Future research should focus on thermography as a noninvasive
      outcome measure and interpreter reliability.

PMID- 1431623
TI  - The defense of Thomas Kuhn (and chiropractic).

PMID- 1431622
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging versus computed tomography scan: accurate diagnosis of
      soft tissue lesions.
AB  - Due to their cost effectiveness and accessibility, computed tomography (CT) scans
      are being utilized when magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appears to be the
      diagnostic technique of choice. Because of their availability, CT scans are still
      used for diagnosis of disc herniations. MRI may, however, be superior in its
      specificity. In taking into account the subjective complaint and orthopedic and
      neurological findings, a disk herniation can often be diagnosed without a CT scan
      or MRI. However, should the patient fail to respond to conservative care or show
      unusual symptoms, an MRI is indicated. This article discusses a case where MRI
      would be the imaging procedure of choice.

PMID- 1431624
TI  - The physics of spinal manipulation.

PMID- 1431625
TI  - A blinded randomized clinical trial of manual therapy and physiotherapy for
      chronic back and neck complaints physical outcome measures.

PMID- 1431626
TI  - Shades of straight: diversity among purists.

PMID- 1431627
TI  - Chiropractic adjustment in the management of visceral conditions: a critical
      appraisal.

PMID- 1431629
TI  - Journal citation tracking and journal indexing.

PMID- 1431628
TI  - Lumbar motion trends and correlation with low back pain. Part I. A.
      roentgenological evaluation of coupled lumbar motion in lateral bending.

PMID- 1431630
TI  - Proposal for establishing structure and process in the development of implicit
      chiropractic standards of care and practice guidelines.
AB  - With the advent of health care's "era of accountability", the chiropractic
      profession is now faced with generating implicit standards and guidelines for
      care or having it done for us by outside agencies. Already we see chiropractic
      groups in individual states and provinces being pressured into naive efforts of
      guideline development. Current knowledge and experience are available through
      recent health care literature that clearly defines the structure and process of
      guideline development and offers suggestions on how to measure outcomes of those
      processes. In addition, the United States Congress has directed a new federal
      agency to oversee this activity and monitor outcomes of quality improvement
      programs. The time has come for the chiropractic profession to define its exact
      role in health care delivery and develop implicit standards of care and practice
      guidelines. This sentinel effort should be managed by a commissioned body of
      empaneled experts that generally represent the academic and clinical chiropractic
      profession. A protocol for selection of these panelists and the panel chairperson
      needs to be developed and memorialized. Appropriate methodology (with
      definitions) needs to be developed for the process of standards/guideline
      development. Adherence to the accepted structure and process of guideline
      development will ensure the continuity of this dynamic process in the coming
      generations. This proposal offers a preliminary definition of the structure and
      process, including a "seed" policy statement and decision flow chart, specific to
      guideline development. Once the structure and process of guideline development
      for chiropractic are defined, the profession can then present this product to
      federal and state agencies, private sector health care purchasers, patient
      advocacy groups and other stakeholders of chiropractic care.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431631
TI  - Differentiation of active and latent trigger points by thermography.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This study tested whether two distinct thermographic patterns
      attributed to myofascial trigger points could distinguish between active and
      latent trigger points. DESIGN: A retrospective chart survey was undertaken with
      thermographic data divided into two groups: a) increased thermal emission only
      over the trigger point and b) over the area of pain referral. The criterion
      standard used in a blinded comparison was physical examination findings
      separating active from latent trigger points. SETTING: All cases were drawn from
      a private practice referral center for thermographic evaluation of neck and low
      back injuries. PATIENTS: A sample of 65 cases showing physical examination
      findings of trigger points was chosen from 229 consecutive motor vehicle accident
      case files. RESULTS: There was moderate agreement between the two methods of
      differentiating active from latent latent trigger points (Kappa = 0.44) with a
      specificity of 0.70 and a sensitivity of 0.74. When cases in which spinal
      segmental dysfunction were eliminated, the agreement increased (Kappa = 0.54)
      with specificity of 0.82 and sensitivity of 0.74. CONCLUSIONS: Thermography may
      be a useful tool in distinguishing active from latent trigger points, but the
      thermal imaging of spinal joint dysfunction may be a compounding factor.

PMID- 1431632
TI  - Line drawing analyses of static cervical X ray used in chiropractic.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: This review article identifies the chiropractic techniques used to
      assess the structure of the cervical spine as seen on the static cervical
      radiograph. DATA SOURCES: On-line search of MEDLINE, key words, radiograph and X
      ray in combination with cervical spine (vertebrae); the Chiropractic Research
      Archives Collection (CRAC); indexes published in the Journal of Chiropractic
      Research; conference proceedings from Annual Biomechanics Conference of the
      Spine, FCER sponsored conferences and Annual Upper Cervical Spine Conference;
      references identified from bibliographies of pertinent articles; a telephone poll
      of radiography/technique instructors at chiropractic colleges. STUDY SELECTION:
      Techniques that quantitatively assess relative alignment of skeletal structures
      or distortion of the spinal column. DATA EXTRACTION: Techniques were grouped
      according to the structures analyzed and the views used. DATA SYNTHESIS:
      Variables and artifacts that limit the reliability or validity of static cervical
      X ray line drawing analysis were identified and the techniques assessed for their
      reported reliability and validity. CONCLUSIONS: Reliability studies exist showing
      that inter- and intraexaminer reliability are sufficient to measure lateral and
      rotational displacements of C1 to within +/- 1 degree. This amount of error
      allows objective analysis of upper cervical X rays to detect changes in the
      angular positional relationships of radiographic images on the order of those
      already seen clinically. Methods of cervical analysis that use relative angular
      measures of skeletal positioning are best able to control the effects of
      radiographic distortion. The accuracy of the analysis methods has not been
      ascertained to establish the extent to which angular measurement of vertebral
      relationships actually reflect three-dimensional movement. It is not known how
      much of the changes that are seen in pre/post-radiograph sets are due to
      positioning changes of the patient between radiographic procedure, and how much
      are due to actual changes of skeletal relationships brought about by adjustment.

PMID- 1431633
TI  - Compression fractures in patients undergoing spinal manipulative therapy.
AB  - Increasing numbers of elderly patients are currently seeking chiropractic care.
      One condition commonly seen in the elderly is osteoporosis of the spine, which
      carries with it the risk of compression fractures. We present four cases in which
      patients were noted to have compression fractures following chiropractic
      adjustments. In each of these cases, serious questions are raised concerning the
      relationship between the adjustment and the occurrence of fracture. What is clear
      is that failure to diagnose a compression fracture, together with the application
      of adjustment into the area of fracture, can increase symptoms and prolong
      disability. It is recommended that patients with osteoporosis who have suffered a
      fall or injury be X rayed before treatment is given. In addition, special care
      should be exercised in elderly patients with osteoporosis.

PMID- 1431634
TI  - Quackery vs. accountability in the marketing of chiropractic.

PMID- 1431635
TI  - Chiropractic clinical teaching.

PMID- 1431636
TI  - Rotator cuff disease: current trends in orthopedic management.

PMID- 1431637
TI  - A meta-analysis of clinical trials of spinal manipulation.

PMID- 1431638
TI  - Digesting government's regulatory alphabet soup.
AB  - The impact of the governmental regulatory acronyms implemented during this year
      will prove to be very similar to how implementation of the Prospective Payment
      System (PPS) via DRGs affected hospitals a decade ago. Those hospitals that
      realized the dimensional shift in their industry and made prudent business
      decisions and adjustments have not only survived their era of payment reform but
      have also flourished. Those hospitals which did not recognize the regulatory
      changes, or chose to ignore the changes, have not succeeded, many paying the
      ultimate price of business failure. The impact on physicians will be quite
      similar. Physicians that adopt proven, sound, business principles and accept the
      absolute need to be informed and pro-active, will not only succeed, but they too,
      will flourish. Physicians who choose otherwise, quite frankly, risk practice
      failure. A few years ago, the American Hospital Association published what I
      believe is the ultimate statement of health care regulatory bureaucracy. The
      publication boasted 80 pages, containing more than 2,000 entries. Its title was
      Acronyms and Initialisms in Health Care Administration. With the addition of the
      regulatory acronyms implemented during 1992, the size of that publication has
      probably more than doubled by now. Being able to digest this regulatory alphabet
      soup has its benefits; not only will physicians feel more comfortable in their
      knowledge of being in regulatory compliance, it may also help physicians focus on
      the best methods of managing their practices and ultimately, their careers.

PMID- 1431639
TI  - Are patients predisposed to sue their physicians?

PMID- 1431640
TI  - U.S. Supreme Court reaffirms right to abortion while permitting some state
      regulation.

PMID- 1431641
TI  - Hospital Medical Staff Section--your access to action.

PMID- 1431642
TI  - Alcoholics anonymous and addicted health professionals: the Georgia experience.

PMID- 1431643
TI  - The changing face of primary hyperparathyroidism.
AB  - The introduction of multiphasic screening and the development of sensitive
      parathormone assays have changed the demography and clinical symptomatology of
      patients presenting with primary hyperparathyroidism. This retrospective review
      includes 158 patients operated on for primary hyperparathyroidism at the Medical
      College of Georgia from 1973-1987. Compared to the 46 patients managed prior to
      1973, the frequency of subclinical hyperparathyroidism has increased from 46% to
      64%. The median patient age has increased from 50 to 59 years. Recognition of
      primary hyperparathyroidism in a more geriatric population modifies indications
      for surgical intervention in subclinical disease. Osteoporosis, myalgias,
      fatigue, arthralgias, memory loss, or constipation occurred in 50% of patients.
      These complaints are frequent in normocalcemic elderly people. They represent
      disease, not normal aging. Their exacerbation by hypercalcemia should not go
      uncorrected if neck exploration can be tolerated by the patient.

PMID- 1431644
TI  - Child abuse by scalding.
AB  - Physical abuse of children by burning is a serious crime that leaves the youngest
      of our children with permanent physical and emotional scars. The victims tends to
      be less than 2 years of age. Burn-abused children usually suffer from a spectrum
      of physical, psychologic, and nutritional neglect. Burn abuse is costly in terms
      of pain, suffering and health care. Up to 15% of acutely injured children seen in
      emergency departments, admitted or not, have been abused. Burns were involved in
      up to 22% of physical abuse cases. Up to 26% of pediatric burn admissions were
      the result of abuse. The most common form of burn abuse in children requiring
      hospitalization is the scald. Physicians who treat children and burn patients
      should have a knowledge of the literature and clinical factors associated with
      pediatric burn abuse.

PMID- 1431645
TI  - Of thankfulness.

PMID- 1431646
TI  - Long term care insurance: a vital component to estate preservation.

PMID- 1431647
TI  - Rethinking credentialing: preventing economic credentialing, data bank problems,
      and other troubles.

PMID- 1431648
TI  - Reporting confirmed positive HIV tests: an update.

PMID- 1431649
TI  - Guidelines for the physician-patient relationship.

PMID- 1431650
TI  - Time management: what it is, how it's done.

PMID- 1431651
TI  - Crisis in health care delivery--rescuing medicine from the clutches of
      government.

PMID- 1431652
TI  - Grady Memorial Hospital centennial: history and development, 1892-1992.

PMID- 1431653
TI  - The real revolution in medicine.

PMID- 1431654
TI  - Bruxism, neck pain, and a history of child sexual abuse.

PMID- 1431655
TI  - Introduction: the principle of solidarity in health care policy.

PMID- 1431656
TI  - The Human Genome Project and the social contract: a law policy approach.
AB  - For the first time in history, genetics will enable science to completely
      identify each human as genetically unique. Will this knowledge reinforce the
      trend for more individual liberties or will it create a 'brave new world'? A law
      policy approach to the problems raised by the human genome project shows how far
      our democratic institutions are from being the proper forum to discuss such
      issues. Because of the fears and anxiety raised in the population, and also
      because of its wide implications on the everyday life, the human genome analysis
      more than any other project needs to succeed in setting up such a social
      assessment.

PMID- 1431657
TI  - The right to genetic information: some reflections on Dutch developments.
AB  - New developments in genetics are rapidly spreading over the Western World. The
      standards of clinical practice differ however according to local value- and
      health-care systems. In this article a short survey is given of Dutch
      developments in this field. An effort is made to explain the philosophical and
      ethical background of Dutch policy by concentrating on autonomy, responsibility
      and the right not to know.

PMID- 1431658
TI  - Right not to know or duty to know? Prenatal screening for polycystic renal
      disease.
AB  - New dimensions in different ethical scenarios following genetic information
      require new medical-ethical Action Guides for physician-patient interaction. This
      paper discusses the ambiguity in moral choice between a "right not to know" and
      "a duty to know", regarding parental decision-making pro or contra selective
      abortion following prenatal screening for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney
      disease (Potter III) and related public policy issues.

PMID- 1431659
TI  - Techno-thanatology: moral consequences of introducing brain criteria for death.
AB  - This paper is based on the hypothesis that the effort to establish new criteria
      for diagnosing human death, which has been taking place over the past twenty
      years or more, can be viewed as a paradigm case for the impact of scientific and
      technological progress on morality. This impact takes the form of three
      tendencies within the change in morality, which may be characterized as
      'denaturalization', 'functionalization' and 'homogenization'. The paper concludes
      with the view that these tendencies do not indicate a decline of morality, as
      feared by some authors, but rather a structural change.

PMID- 1431660
TI  - The medical exception: physicians, euthanasia and the Dutch criminal law.
AB  - The legalization of euthanasia, both in the Netherlands and in other countries is
      usually justified in reference to the right to autonomy of patients. Utilizing
      recent Dutch jurisprudence, this article intends to show that the judicial
      proceedings on euthanasia in the Netherlands have not so much enhanced the
      autonomy of patients, as the autonomy of the medical profession.

PMID- 1431661
TI  - Clinical ethics in assisting euthanasia: avoiding malpractice in drug
      application.
AB  - The debate on the ethical permissibility of euthanasia in medicine has a
      corollary in the ethical application of drugs. The overall moral limits of
      medical treatment apply evenly to the moral acceptability of the pharmacological
      aspect of the act of euthanasia. The pharmacological aspect of the act is of
      ethical importance not only for the person requesting an active ending of his or
      her life, but also for the grieving family.

PMID- 1431662
TI  - Criteria for death: self-determination and public policy.
AB  - 'Whole brain death' criteria have found support in Western cultures in regard to
      post-mortem organ donation and the termination of care for patients meeting these
      strict criteria. But they are of minimal use in Asian cultures and in the ethics
      of caring for the persistent vegetative patient. This paper introduces a formula
      for a global Uniform Determination of Death statute, based on the 'entire brain
      including brain stem' criteria as a default position, but allowing competent
      adults by means of advance directives to choose other criteria for determining
      death during the process of dying.

PMID- 1431663
TI  - Consensus and health policy in Hungary.

PMID- 1431664
TI  - Equity and solidarity: the context of health care in The Netherlands.
AB  - The current debate on health care resource allocation in the Netherlands is
      characterized by a social context in which two values are generally and
      traditionally accepted as being equally fundamental:solidarity and equity. We
      will present an outline of the distinctive features of the Dutch health care
      system, and analyze the present state of affairs in the resource allocation
      debate. The presuppositions of the political call for constraint and (renewed)
      government supervision and the role of the specific value context in recent
      proposals for reconstruction of the Dutch health care system will be evaluated.

PMID- 1431665
TI  - Principles, rules, duties, and babel: bioethics in the face of postmodernity.

PMID- 1431666
TI  - The method of 'principlism': a critique of the critique.
AB  - Several scholars have recently criticized the dominant emphasis upon mid-level
      principles in bioethics best exemplified by Beauchamp and Childress's Principles
      of Biomedical Ethics. In Part I of this essay, I assess the fairness and cogency
      of three broad criticisms raised against 'principlism' as an approach: (1) that
      principlism, as an exercise in applied ethics, is insufficiently attentive to the
      dialectical relations between ethical theory and mortal practice; (2) that
      principlism fails to offer a systematic account of the principles of non
      maleficence, beneficence, respect for autonomy, and justice; and (3) that
      principlism, as a version of moral pluralism, is fatally flawed by its
      theoretical agnosticism. While acknowledging that Beauchamp and Childress's
      reliance upon Ross's version of intuitionism is problematic, I conclude that the
      critics of principlism have failed to make a compelling case against its
      theoretical or practical adequacy as an ethical approach. In Part II, I assess
      the moral theory developed by Bernard Gert in Mortality: A New Justification of
      the Moral Rules, because Gert has recommended his approach as a systematic
      alternative to principlism. I judge Gert's theory to be seriously incomplete and,
      in contrast to principlism, unable to generate coherent conclusions about cases
      of active euthanasia and paternalism.

PMID- 1431667
TI  - Moving forward in bioethical theory: theories, cases, and specified principlism.
AB  - The field of bioethics has deployed different models of justification for
      particular moral judgments. The best known models are those of deductivism,
      casuistry, and principlism (under one, rather limited interpretation). Each of
      these models, however, has significant difficulties that are explored in this
      essay. An alternative model, suggested by the work of Henry Richardson, is
      presented. It is argued that specified principlism is the most promising model of
      justification in bioethics.

PMID- 1431668
TI  - Patients' duties.
AB  - This paper argues that patients' duties are derivable from the idea which
      typically grounds the idea of patients' rights: patient autonomy. The autonomous
      patient, joined in partnership with the health care professional, has self
      regarding obligations and obligations to others, including health care
      professionals. Patients' duties include, but are not limited to: a duty to be
      honest about why the patient seeks care; a duty to collect information on
      available treatments and likely side-effects; a duty for a patient who has an
      infectious condition to act on that information which can best prevent further
      transmission.

PMID- 1431669
TI  - Evaluation of the critical electron dose on the contractile activity of hydrated
      muscle fibers in the film-sealed environmental cell.
AB  - By using the film-sealed environmental cell (EC) having a liquid-injection
      function, we observed a contraction reaction of hydrated myofibrils isolated from
      crab muscle under the transmission electron microscope. Our purpose in this work
      was to evaluate the critical electron dose at which the hydrated fibers lose the
      contractile activity. The decision of whether the fibers contracted was done by
      the existence of contraction band after a contraction reaction. From the
      observations, it was concluded that its critical dose was 2 x 10(-4) C/cm2 or 12
      electrons/nm2 at a protein level.

PMID- 1431670
TI  - Scanning and transmission electron microscopic studies on the upper and lower
      surfaces of the frog skin epidermal cells.
AB  - We examined the fine structure of the upper and lower surfaces of stratified
      squamous epithelial cells in the skin of frogs (Hyla japonica). SEM revealed the
      upper surface of superficial cells covered with ramified microridges (type 3).
      The width of the microridges was 0.20-0.24 microns. Microridges found at the cell
      boundary were about 0.30 microns in width and a narrow furrow was seen between
      the two cells. The numerous oval disk-like structures (0.23 x 0.32 microns in
      diameter) covered the lower surface of these superficial cells. The upper surface
      of cells in the 2nd layer was covered with baculiform or ramified microridges
      (type 2 or 3). On the cell boundary, two linear microridges (0.23-0.27 microns in
      width) were parallelly arranged. The width of the microridges covering the upper
      cell surface was 0.09-0.10 microns. Microvilli-like processes with a height of
      0.32-0.37 microns were interspersed among the microridges. Their tip formed an
      oval plane (0.23 x 0.31 microns), which corresponded to the size of the disk-like
      structures on the lower surface of the superficial cells. Desmosomes were
      observed on the tip by TEM. These findings show that the disk-like structures on
      the lower surface of the superficial cells are the sites of binding with the
      microvilli-like processes on the upper surface of the 2nd layer cells. The disk
      like structures observed in the present study seem to be equivalent to the
      binding site on the upper surface of the surface cell layer of mammalian
      stratified squamous epithelium.

PMID- 1431671
TI  - Electron microscopic visualization of collagen aggregates without chemical
      staining.
AB  - Lateral, uni-directional aggregates of collagen, segment-long-spacing
      crystallites (SLS), were made by dialyzing collagen solutions against acetic acid
      containing ATP, and were examined by transmission electron microscopes without
      electron staining. There detected were at least 20 dark (electron dense) cross
      striations within SLS. The banding pattern was compared with the biochemical and
      biophysical properties of the amino acid side chains along the collagen molecule.
      The banding pattern of unstained SLS was mostly correlated with the
      intramolecular distribution of basic amino acid residues. Since basic amino acids
      have relatively large side chains, the distribution of mass (molecular weight of
      amino acids) along the molecule (local density profile) partially explained the
      cross-striation. Addition of fractions of molecular weight of ATP to basic
      residues made the local density profile much better correlate to the banding
      pattern. We conclude that the electron microscopic banding pattern of unstained
      SLS was generated by the local amount of material or local density profile along
      the collagen aggregates, which was enhanced by ATP bound to positively charged
      basic residues. The concept that the electron density correlates with the amount
      of material is fundamental in electron microscopy, and it has been proven with
      biological materials in this paper.

PMID- 1431672
TI  - Effect of hydrogen peroxide on mammalian chromatin: electron microscopic studies.
AB  - Chromatins purified from rat liver as well as from cultured Chinese hamster V79
      cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide in presence of iron in vitro. When
      examined in a transmission electron microscope, chromatins from both the sources
      were found to lose the native morphology. There were evidences of aggregation of
      the chromatin fibers. This could be due to DNA-protein and DNA interstrand
      crosslinking induced by Fenton reaction.

PMID- 1431673
TI  - Multivariate statistical analysis of electron micrographs of a mammalian
      transcription initiation complex.
AB  - We describe the appearance of the murine ribosomal protein (rp) L32 gene
      transcription initiation complex as determined by electron image analysis. Using
      a fractionated nuclear extract enriched for transcription factors necessary for
      rpL32 gene transcription in vitro and a DNA fragment containing the rpL32 gene
      promoter, the transcription initiation complex was prepared and viewed by
      standard transmission electron microscopy. Image analysis demonstrated that the
      complex was a multilobed structure.

PMID- 1431674
TI  - Chemical signalling systems: the rules of the game.

PMID- 1431675
TI  - Effects of basic fibroblast growth factor, transforming growth factor-beta and
      nerve growth factor on the secretory function of the bovine corpus luteum in
      vitro.
AB  - The effects were investigated of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF),
      transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and nerve growth factor (NGF) on the
      release of progesterone and oxytocin from the bovine corpus luteum (CL) at
      different stages of the oestrous cycle. A microdialysis system (MDS) of CL and a
      cell culture system with a reduced number of endothelial cells were used. In the
      MDS of CL from the mid-luteal stage (days 8-12 of the oestrous cycle), infusion
      with bFGF (0.1, 1, 10 and 100 ng/ml), TGF-beta (0.1, 1 and 10 ng/ml) and NGF
      (0.1, 1, 10 and 100 ng/ml) for 30 min induced significant acute effects on the
      release of progesterone. Both bFGF and NGF stimulated the release of progesterone
      during peptide infusion, TGF-beta and also bFGF in the period thereafter. This
      stimulation was dose-dependent during and after the infusion only for bFGF. This
      response pattern was observed at all luteal stages for the three growth factors,
      but bFGF was more stimulatory at the early (days 5-7) and mid-luteal stages
      during and after peptide infusion. The release of oxytocin was stimulated by bFGF
      in a dose-dependent manner. At the highest dose, bFGF, TGF-beta and NGF
      stimulated the release of oxytocin throughout all three luteal stages. When
      luteal cells were cultured with growth factors, only TGF-beta showed a dose
      dependent inhibition of both basal and LH-stimulated progesterone as well as
      oxytocin release (measured between 48 and 52 h of culture). NGF had an inhibitory
      effect only on the basal release of oxytocin. bFGF had no effect on the release
      of either hormone under continuous stimulation in cell culture. The results
      indicate that bFGF, TGF-beta and NGF act directly and acutely on the secretory
      function of bovine CL in the MDS but also have long-term effects as shown in cell
      culture. bFGF appears to be an important autocrine/paracrine regulator of CL
      function, since local expression of its mRNA, peptide synthesis and its mitogenic
      and non-mitogenic actions have now been confirmed. Endothelial cells from the CL
      have been identified as target cells for bFGF. Differences observed between the
      two systems might thus be attributed to the presence or absence of cell-to-cell
      contact and a reduced number of endothelial cells, as well as to the duration of
      peptide stimulation and medium changes every 24 h compared with the flow-through
      conditions in the MDS.

PMID- 1431676
TI  - Effects of tri-iodothyronine and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) on alkaline
      phosphatase activity, [3H]thymidine incorporation and IGF-I receptor mRNA in
      cultured rat epiphyseal chondrocytes.
AB  - The effects of tri-iodothyronine (T3) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) on
      [3H]thymidine incorporation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and IGF-I
      receptor mRNA levels were studied in rat epiphyseal chondrocytes cultured in
      monolayer. Chondrocytes from enzymatically digested rat tibia epiphyseal growth
      plates were seeded in monolayer culture and precultured for 7-14 days in Ham's F
      12 medium supplemented with 10% (v/v) newborn calf serum and 1% (v/v) of a serum
      substitute. After preculture the medium was changed to Ham's F-12 medium
      containing 1% (v/v) serum from hypophysectomized rats, and the effects of T3
      and/or IGF-I on DNA synthesis ([3H]thymidine incorporation), ALP activity (a late
      marker of differentiated epiphyseal chondrocytes) and IGF-I receptor mRNA levels
      were studied. ALP activity was increased by T3 in a dose-dependent manner with a
      maximal response at 10 micrograms T3/l (678 +/- 86% compared with control
      culture). The increase in ALP activity was accompanied by a concomitant decrease
      in [3H]thymidine incorporation (52 +/- 14% compared with control culture). Human
      GH (hGH; 50 micrograms/l) and IGF-I (25 micrograms/l) had no stimulatory effect
      on ALP activity. However IGF-I (10 micrograms/l) exerted an inhibition on the T3
      (10 micrograms/l)-induced increase in ALP activity (64 +/- 9% compared with T3
      treated culture). T3 (3 micrograms/l) inhibited the increase in [3H]thymidine
      incorporation caused by 25 micrograms IGF-I/l (51 +/- 13% compared with IGF-I
      treated culture). Furthermore, IGF-I receptor mRNA levels were increased by 10
      micrograms T3/l (137 +/- 4.2% compared with control culture) while no effect of
      hGH (50 micrograms/l) or IGF-I (25 micrograms/l) was demonstrated. Both T3 and
      IGF-I were shown to interact with epiphyseal chondrocytes and both substances
      seemed to affect cell proliferation and maturation and therefore longitudinal
      bone growth. Furthermore, the results indicated that IGF-I is important for
      proliferation of the cells while T3 initiates the terminal differentiation of
      epiphyseal chondrocytes.

PMID- 1431678
TI  - Carbachol increases intracellular free calcium concentrations in human granulosa
      lutein cells.
AB  - We investigated whether the stimulation of human granulosa-lutein cells with
      muscarinic and nicotinic receptor agonists can cause increases in intracellular
      free calcium (Ca2+), using Fura-2 microfluorimetry. The addition of carbachol (a
      non-selective muscarinic and nicotinic receptor agonist) to cultured human
      granulosa-lutein cells increased intracellular free Ca2+ levels. Concentrations
      as low as 10 nmol/l were effective. In contrast, nicotine did not evoke
      elevations of intracellular free Ca2+. Basal Ca2+ levels ranged around 70-140
      nmol/l and maximal, carbachol-induced peaks reached 1.1 mumol/l. The carbachol
      induced Ca2+ signal was abolished after preincubation of the cells with the
      muscarinic receptor antagonists quinuclidinyl benzilate or atropine, but it was
      not affected by removal of extracellular Ca2+. Further evidence for the
      involvement of intracellular Ca2+ stores is provided by experiments in the
      absence of extracellular Ca2+. While thapsigargin (a blocker of ATP-driven Ca2+
      uptake by intracellular stores) and ionomycin (an ionophore by which Ca2+ is
      released from intracellular stores) evoked small Ca2+ transients, cells
      pretreated with these agents did not respond to carbachol any more. These data
      suggest the presence of a functional muscarinic receptor on human granulosa
      lutein cells and imply the involvement of intracellular Ca2+ stores during the
      cellular response. These results also suggest the participation of the nervous
      system, acting through muscarinic receptors, in the control of the function of
      human granulosa-lutein cells.

PMID- 1431677
TI  - Glycyrrhizin induces mineralocorticoid activity through alterations in cortisol
      metabolism in the human kidney.
AB  - It has been suggested that the mineralocorticoid action of glycyrrhizin is caused
      by a defect in the conversion of cortisol to cortisone through inhibition of the
      enzyme 11 beta-dehydrogenase (11 beta-DH). We investigated the functional
      significance of the inhibition of this enzyme as a mechanism of the
      mineralocorticoid action of glycyrrhizin. Eighteen healthy volunteers were
      divided into three groups of six and treated as follows: (1) 225 mg
      glycyrrhizin/day, (2) 0.1 mg 9 alpha-fluorocortisol (FC)/day and (3) 225 mg
      glycyrrhizin and 1.5 mg dexamethasone/day, all of which were given for 7 days.
      The administration of glycyrrhizin or FC induced a similar mineralocorticoid
      effect; specifically, suppression of plasma renin activity, hypokalaemia and
      kaliuresis. During the concomitant administration of glycyrrhizin and
      dexamethasone, however, these mineralocorticoid effects were significantly
      attenuated. During the administration of glycyrrhizin, urinary excretion of
      cortisol increased without change in the plasma levels of cortisol, while both
      plasma level and urinary excretion of cortisone decreased. Changes in cortisol
      metabolism were not observed during the administration of FC. These results
      demonstrated the functional significance of the inhibition of 11 beta-DH in the
      mineralocorticoid activity of glycyrrhizin in man.

PMID- 1431679
TI  - Influence of ovarian steroids on myometrial sensitivity and tolerance to relaxin
      in the rat in vivo: lack of cross-tolerance between relaxin, salbutamol and
      cromakalim.
AB  - The influence of oestradiol benzoate and progesterone on uterine sensitivity and
      development of tolerance to relaxin was investigated in bilaterally
      ovariectomized non-pregnant rats in vivo. Bolus doses of relaxin (2-20
      micrograms/kg i.v.) produced rapid and reversible inhibition of uterine
      contractions in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with oestradiol benzoate or
      oestradiol benzoate plus progesterone significantly increased uterine sensitivity
      to relaxin over 48 h by 2.4- to 8.5-fold. Tolerance to relaxin developed during
      continuous infusion of the hormone at 20 micrograms/kg per h for 40 h. A 7.8- to
      17.4-fold reduction in sensitivity to relaxin was observed in relaxin-infused
      rats, whereas no change in sensitivity was observed in saline-infused rats.
      Infusion of relaxin at 50 micrograms/kg per h for 40 h produced a 131.8-fold
      reduction in uterine sensitivity to relaxin. The uterus remained tolerant to
      relaxin for up to 24 h after cessation of infusion. Treatment with oestradiol
      benzoate and/or progesterone did not influence the extent of tolerance
      development, but a more rapid recovery of uterine sensitivity to relaxin was
      observed in rats treated with oestradiol benzoate plus progesterone. Cross
      tolerance with other uterine relaxant drugs was measured to investigate possible
      common mechanisms of action and sites of tolerance between relaxin and a beta
      adrenoceptor agonist (salbutamol) and potassium channel openers (cromakalim and
      minoxidil sulphate). No cross-tolerance was observed between relaxin and
      salbutamol, or relaxin and cromakalim or minoxidil sulphate. Cross-tolerance
      between cromakalim and minoxidil sulphate was seen.

PMID- 1431680
TI  - Interaction between myometrial relaxants and oxytocin: a comparison between
      relaxin, cromakalim and salbutamol.
AB  - The influence of treatment with oestradiol on the effects of the uterine
      relaxants, relaxin, salbutamol (an agonist at beta 2-adrenoceptors) and
      cromakalim (a potassium channel opener) and their interactions with the uterine
      stimulant oxytocin were investigated in vivo in the ovariectomized rat.
      Oestradiol benzoate (0.4 micrograms/kg per day) significantly increased
      sensitivity to cromakalim as an inhibitor of spontaneous uterine contractions
      compared with vehicle-treated rats by approximately threefold. The same dose of
      oestradiol benzoate had no effect on uterine sensitivity to salbutamol. Previous
      studies have shown that this dose of oestradiol benzoate produces a twofold
      increase in uterine sensitivity to relaxin as an inhibitor of spontaneous
      contractions. Oestradiol influenced the ability of relaxin to inhibit oxytocin
      stimulated uterine contractions. In corn oil-treated rats, uterine responses to
      relaxin were markedly reduced during oxytocin infusion compared with responses to
      relaxin before oxytocin; the maximum obtainable response to relaxin was less than
      50% inhibition. In oestradiol-treated rats, uterine sensitivity to relaxin during
      oxytocin infusion was similar to that observed against spontaneous contractions.
      Cromakalim was able to inhibit uterine contractions during oxytocin infusion in
      both corn oil- and oestradiol-treated rats, uterine sensitivity to cromakalim
      being similar in the absence and presence of oxytocin for both hormone treatment
      groups. Salbutamol was also able to inhibit uterine contractions during oxytocin
      infusion in both corn oil- and oestradiol-treated rats. Oestradiol treatment
      increased the potency of salbutamol as an inhibitor of oxytocin-stimulated
      uterine contractions compared with corn oil treatment by 3.5-fold. The
      interaction of oestradiol and relaxin during late pregnancy may be important for
      attenuation of the myometrial response to stimulants.

PMID- 1431681
TI  - Relationship between the resting metabolic rate and hepatic metabolism in rats:
      effect of hyperthyroidism and fasting for 24 hours.
AB  - We have examined the relationship between the changes in resting metabolic rate
      (RMR) and those in hepatic metabolism induced by hyperthyroidism and fasting for
      24 h. We found that hyperthyroidism induced a significant increase in RMR, while
      fasting for 24 h reduced RMR in euthyroid but not in hyperthyroid rats. We have
      also measured oxygen consumption in isolated hepatocytes from euthyroid and
      hyperthyroid rats, fed or fasted for 24 h. Hyperthyroidism induced an increase in
      oxygen consumption in rat liver cells; fasting for 24 h increased respiratory
      rates in isolated liver cells from euthyroid but not from hyperthyroid rats. The
      findings showed that hyperthyroidism and fasting for 24 h have opposite effects
      on RMR but similar effects on hepatic metabolism. The results also indicated that
      the increase in RMR found in hyperthyroid rats is partly due to an increase in
      hepatic metabolism, while no correlation exists between variations in resting and
      hepatic metabolism induced by 24-h fasting.

PMID- 1431682
TI  - Specific binding sites for 125I-labelled epidermal growth factor in the ovine
      corpus luteum and human placenta.
AB  - Specific, high-affinity binding sites for radiolabelled mouse epidermal growth
      factor (mEGF) were demonstrated in homogenates and membranes of ovine corpora
      lutea. Subcellular fractionation on sucrose density gradients demonstrated that
      luteal EGF receptors were associated with fractions enriched in cell surface
      membrane markers. Binding of 125I-labelled mEGF to ovine luteal EGF receptors was
      dependent on the pH, temperature and duration of incubation, and on the
      concentration of metal ions present in the incubation medium. Unlabelled mEGF and
      human EGF (urogastrone) competed for the binding of radiolabelled mEGF to ovine
      luteal homogenates at low doses (half-maximal inhibition of binding (IC50) at 2-3
      nmol/l). Transforming growth factor-alpha also competed for mEGF-binding sites
      (IC50, 4-10 nmol/l), but a range of peptides, growth factors and protein hormones
      were ineffective at much higher concentrations. Concave Scatchard plots for 125I
      labelled EGF binding and Hill coefficients of < 1 for displacement radiolabelled
      EGF suggested negative co-operativity of binding sites, and dilution at
      equilibrium accelerated the rate of dissociation of 125I-labelled EGF from human
      placental (but not from ovine luteal) receptors. Specific EGF-binding sites were
      also demonstrated in rat and rabbit placental homogenates, and in luteal
      homogenates of the pig. Luteal concentrations of EGF receptors appeared to be
      reduced significantly during early pregnancy in both the pig and sheep.

PMID- 1431683
TI  - 11 beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in the rat ovary: high expression in the
      oocyte.
AB  - The enzyme 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11 beta-HSD) catalyses the
      conversion of physiological glucocorticoids to inactive products, thus modifying
      the access of glucocorticoids to glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors.
      Glucocorticoids may affect ovarian function both indirectly and via binding to
      ovarian receptors. We have demonstrated 11 beta-HSD bioactivity and mRNA
      expression in rat ovary in vitro. The enzyme was localized to oocytes and luteal
      bodies immunohistochemically using two antibodies raised against purified rat
      liver 11 beta-HSD. These data are supported by in-situ hybridization studies,
      which also localized 11 beta-HSD mRNA expression to oocytes and luteal bodies.
      The results suggest that 11 beta-HSD may modulate the effects of glucocorticoid
      on ovarian function.

PMID- 1431684
TI  - Growth hormone promotes early initiation of hepatocyte growth factor gene
      expression in the liver of hypophysectomized rats after partial hepatectomy.
AB  - GH accelerates hepatic regeneration in the rat. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a
      potent hepatocyte mitogen in vitro, is considered to be a major regulator of
      hepatic regeneration. In the present study, the effects of GH and insulin-like
      growth factor-I (IGF-I) on HGF gene expression in regenerating rat liver was
      investigated. In hypophysectomized rats treated with GH, hepatic HGF mRNA levels
      were increased 3 h after partial hepatectomy and reached peak levels after 5 h.
      In rats with intact pituitaries and in hypophysectomized rats not given GH
      treatment, HGF mRNA levels in liver were unchanged during the first 5 h following
      hepatectomy and reached peak levels after 10-18 h. DNA synthesis in the liver of
      GH-treated rats increased from low levels 10 h after hepatectomy to peak levels
      after 18 h. In rats without GH treatment the synthesis of DNA was still low 18 h
      after hepatectomy and was increased after 26 h. Treatment of hypophysectomized
      rats with IGF-I promoted increases in hepatic HGF mRNA levels and DNA synthesis
      3.5 h and 15 h after hepatectomy respectively. HGF mRNA levels were constantly
      lower after sham-hepatectomy than after partial hepatectomy. In summary, in
      hypophysectomized rats the responses of hepatic HGF gene expression and DNA
      synthesis to partial hepatectomy were both accelerated by treatment with GH or
      IGF-I.

PMID- 1431685
TI  - Activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis in the conscious
      rabbit by the pyrogen polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid is dependent on
      corticotrophin-releasing factor-41.
AB  - The pyrogenic interferon inducer polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C) was
      shown to activate the rabbit hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis in
      vivo. The immunoreactive cortisol response to Poly I:C (2.5 micrograms/kg) was
      shown to have a corticotrophin-releasing factor-41 (CRF-41)-dependent component
      which was abolished by peripheral immunoneutralization using an anti-CRF-41
      monoclonal antibody (KCHMB001; 2.5 mg/kg i.v.). Peripheral administration of the
      arginine vasopressin (AVP) V1 receptor antagonist ([deamino-Pen1, O-Me-Tyr2,
      Arg8]-vasopressin; 225 nmol/kg i.v.) had no effect on the response of
      immunoreactive cortisol to Poly I:C, suggesting that AVP was not involved in
      activation of the HPA axis. Poly I:C increased both body temperature and
      circulating immunoreactive prostaglandin E2; these responses were abolished by
      the cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor ketoprofen (3 mg/kg s.c.). The immunoreactive
      cortisol response to Poly I:C, however, remained after the administration of
      ketoprofen, indicating a prostaglandin (PG)-independent component. The
      immunoreactive cortisol levels in control, saline vehicle-treated, animals were
      reduced by both the CRF-41 receptor antagonist (alpha-helical CRF (9-41); 6.25
      nmol/kg i.v.) and ketoprofen (3 mg/kg s.c.) indicating that this basal state is
      dependent on both CRF-41 and PGs.

PMID- 1431686
TI  - Epidermal growth factor concentrations in pig tissues and body fluids measured
      using a homologous radioimmunoassay.
AB  - A homologous radioimmunoassay for the measurement of epidermal growth factor
      (EGF) levels in pig tissues and body fluids has been developed using an antiserum
      to recombinant porcine EGF. The assay is highly specific, showing no cross
      reactivity with a variety of other polypeptides including the structurally
      related protein, transforming growth factor-alpha. Furthermore, < 1% cross
      reactivity was observed with mouse EGF emphasizing the necessity for homologous
      assays for EGF measurement. Immunoreactive EGF was present in extracts of pig
      kidney and pancreas (3.44 +/- 0.43 and 0.76 +/- 0.13 (S.E.M.) pmol/g wet weight
      respectively), but was not detected in extracts of submaxillary gland or liver.
      Although immunoreactive EGF was not detectable in uterine, allantoic or ovarian
      follicular fluids, colostrum contained EGF at biologically active concentrations
      (0.84 +/- 0.15 nmol/l). Immunoreactive EGF was also present in pig urine, with
      similar concentrations in samples from male or female animals. In addition, pig
      urine inhibited the binding of 125I-labelled EGF to 3T3 fibroblasts and
      stimulated DNA synthesis in quiescent monolayers of these cells, indicating that
      the immunoreactive material in urine is biologically active. Quantitative
      comparisons of the data presented here with that published previously indicate
      considerable species variation in the EGF levels of various tissues and body
      fluids.

PMID- 1431687
TI  - Salivary insulin-like growth factor-I originates from local synthesis.
AB  - Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is a GH-dependent growth factor found in its
      highest concentrations in plasma. It is also measurable in saliva. The origins of
      salivary IGF-I concentrations were studied. Intracardial administration of
      Sprague-Dawley rats with 125I-labelled IGF-I and subsequent analysis of plasma
      and saliva samples by exclusion gel chromatography and SDS-PAGE, followed by
      autoradiography, demonstrated the apparent inability of IGF-I to cross from the
      plasma pool through to saliva. 125I-Labelled IGF-I was not chromatographed
      immediately before injection, resulting in administration of free iodide along
      with the iodinated peptide. This free iodide was demonstrable in saliva,
      indicating that movement of substances from plasma to saliva was measurable using
      the levels of 125I activity administered. Free iodide in saliva was not
      contributed to by 125I-labelled IGF-I degradation since 125I-labelled IGF-I was
      shown to be stable in saliva over 24 h. These data indicated that IGF-I in saliva
      is produced locally. Identification of a 4.7 kb IGF-I mRNA transcript in rat
      parotid salivary gland was consistent with IGF-I synthesis within that tissue.

PMID- 1431688
TI  - Fluid balance, electrolyte profiles and plasma parathyroid hormone concentrations
      in ewes treated with epidermal growth factor.
AB  - The infusion of low doses of epidermal growth factor (EGF) into lactating ewes
      stimulates water intake and urine volume. The plasma concentrations and daily
      output of various electrolytes in milk and urine are also affected. We have
      investigated this further by recording the effects of EGF infusion on fluid
      balance, electrolyte profiles and plasma concentrations of glucose and
      parathyroid hormone (PTH) in non-pregnant, non-lactating ewes. Twenty-four
      animals (n = 8 per group) received infusions of 100 ml saline/day into the
      jugular vein for 10 days (days 1-10) followed by EGF at a dose rate of either 1
      (low dose), 5 (medium dose) or 10 (high dose) micrograms/kg liveweight per day in
      100 ml saline for 5 days (days 11-15). All ewes then received an infusion of 100
      ml saline/day for 10 days (days 16-25). Most plasma and urine samples had
      undetectable concentrations of EGF-immunoreactive material during the periods of
      saline infusion. During EGF infusion, the highest amounts of EGF infusate
      excreted in urine were 1.6, 5.9 and 5.6% for ewes in low, medium and high dose
      groups respectively. Water intake increased by 17% (0.5 kg), 88% (2.5 kg) and 89%
      (2.3 kg) and urine volume increased by 29% (0.5 kg), 108% (2.2 kg) and 134% (2.1
      kg) for the three groups respectively. Fluid balance and feed intake were not
      affected by EGF infusion, but the output of faecal dry matter was reduced in ewes
      receiving the two higher doses of EGF. All levels of EGF resulted in
      hypocalcaemia, increased plasma PTH concentrations and hypermagnesaemia. There
      was no effect of EGF on plasma concentrations of K+ and glucose or on daily
      urinary excretion of K+ and Mg2+. The only response to the low dose was a reduced
      plasma concentration of Na+ and an increased daily urinary urate excretion. The
      two higher doses increased the daily urinary excretion of Na+, PO4(3-) and urate,
      but had no effect on the respective concentrations in plasma. Urinary Ca2+
      excretion was reduced only during infusion of the medium dose of EGF. The
      responses of most variables were similar during infusion of the medium and high
      doses of EGF. All three doses of EGF induced polydipsic and diuretic responses in
      ewes, and infusions of 5-10 micrograms EGF/kg liveweight per day affected renal
      excretion of Ca2+, Na+ and PO4(3-). We interpret the responses of the kidney and
      plasma PTH concentrations as a means of maintaining the homeostasis of plasma
      profiles of electrolytes.

PMID- 1431690
TI  - Intracanal placement of Ca(OH)2: a comparison of techniques.
AB  - Ten extracted human maxillary first molars were selected with a variety of root
      curvatures. The distofacial roots were resected and the mesiofacial canals were
      instrumented to a size #25 K file. Three techniques were used to introduce
      Ca(OH)2 paste into the instrumented canals. These techniques were evaluated for
      their ability to carry the Ca(OH)2 to working length and also to produce a dense
      fill. The Lentulo spiral was most effective in carrying the paste to working
      length. The Lentulo spiral also produced the highest quality fill. The Calasept
      injection system followed by a #25 finger plugger was the second most effective
      technique. Counterclockwise rotation of a #25 K file was the least effective of
      the techniques tested.

PMID- 1431689
TI  - Effect of different sealers on thermoplasticized Gutta-percha root canal
      obturations.
AB  - The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that the apical seal
      provided by thermoplasticized root canal obturations depends on the film
      thickness of the sealer used. The root canals of 120 maxillary cuspid teeth were
      instrumented and divided into six equal groups of 20 teeth. A thermoplasticized
      gutta-percha root canal obturator was used to make an impression of the
      lubricated canal and coated with a sealer cement before reseating. Five different
      sealer cements of known film thickness were studied. They were, in the decreasing
      order of film thickness, Roth's Type I Cement, Seal-apex, Lee Endofil, AH26, and
      Ketac-Cem. The control group that received no sealer was prepared as recommended
      by the manufacturer. The degree of microleakage was based on the depth of dye
      penetration from the apical end measured by two independent examiners. The data
      collected were analyzed by analysis of variance and Weibull distribution.
      Analysis of variance shows that the control group exhibited significantly higher
      dye penetration depth (p < 0.05) while there were no significant differences
      among the other five groups. Analysis by Weibull distribution function shows that
      Lee Endofil and AH26 exhibited a higher percentage of lower linear dye
      penetration values compared with other groups.

PMID- 1431691
TI  - Effects of Nd:YAG laser on apical seal of teeth after apicoectomy and retrofill.
AB  - The application of Nd:YAG laser to tooth surface can change its surface
      permeability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Nd:YAG
      laser on the permeability of dentin following apicoectomy and retrofill. Sixty
      single-rooted teeth were randomly assigned to six groups of 10 teeth each. The
      six groups were arranged in three pairs, experimental and control groups. The
      canals of teeth in pairs 1 and 2 were cleaned, shaped, obturated, and their
      apical 2 mm were resected. A class I preparation was prepared and filled with
      amalgam in each tooth in pair 1. The apical 2 mm of each tooth in pair 3 was
      removed, and a class I preparation was prepared and filled with amalgam. The
      apical surface of resected roots in half of the samples in each pair was lased
      twice by using Nd:YAG laser. The duration of lasing and the number of pulses were
      recorded for each tooth. After application of nail polish to the unoperated
      surface of each tooth, the teeth were placed in 0.5% methylene blue dye for 48 h.
      The amount of dye penetration in sagittal sections of each tooth was measured.
      The amount of dye penetration was significantly lower in lased roots than in
      nonlased ones (p < 0.05). Based on our results, it appears that application of
      Nd:YAG laser reduces the permeability of resected roots.

PMID- 1431692
TI  - Evaluation of internal sealing ability of three materials.
AB  - Thirty-six maxillary central incisors were prepared in a manner similar to
      nonvital bleaching procedures. They were examined with respect to the degree of
      procion green dye penetration of dentin with and without heating. Cavit, IRM, and
      zinc phosphate cement were used to evaluate their sealing ability. Cavit and IRM
      provided better internal sealing of the dentin than did zinc phosphate cement.

PMID- 1431693
TI  - Torsional testing of Canal Master U hand instruments.
AB  - Ten each of size 25, 30, 35, 40, and 45 Canal Master U hand instruments were
      tested for torsional failure and revolutions to failure. In addition, the point
      at which separation occurred was measured on the instrument shaft. An Instron
      1125 machine was used for all torsion testing. The mean torque failure value for
      size 25 and 35 Canal Master U instruments exceeded the ADA specification No. 28
      minimum values while sizes 30, 40, and 45 were below the ADA minimum average
      values. All Canal Master U averages for revolutions to failure exceeded the ADA
      minimums. Although size 25 was above the minimum average, due to a wide range of
      values, 5 of the 10 were below the ADA specification No. 28 values. The point of
      instrument separation was 0.325 to 1.575 mm behind the cutting head. Due to the
      structural design differences of endodontic files versus Canal Master U, it is
      suggested that an additional category of ADA specification be introduced for
      Canal Master endodontic instruments.

PMID- 1431694
TI  - The mental foramen: 3. Size and position on panoramic radiographs.
AB  - Panoramic radiographs were made of 75 dry, adult human mandibles. The size and
      position of the mental foramen in relation to the second premolar was determined.
      The mental foramen on panographic radiographs was slightly larger than reported
      on periapical radiographs. The average position of the foramen was mesial and
      below the radiographic apex of the tooth. Panoramic radiography may account for a
      distal shift of the foramen and a 23% increase in size of the mandibles examined.

PMID- 1431695
TI  - Long-term evaluation of surgically placed amalgam fillings.
AB  - The coauthors of this article had developed the clinical impression that whereas
      surgically placed amalgam fillings are successful on a short-term basis, the long
      term prognosis for these cases may not be nearly as favorable. In order to test
      this hypothesis, as many patients as could be contacted, either directly or
      indirectly, who had been treated before 1981 were evaluated. Excluded from this
      study were cases for which failure could be attributed to any reason other than
      failure from the amalgam reverse filling. Therefore, all cases included had to
      demonstrate periapical healing prior to ultimate breakdown. On this basis, 60 of
      104 teeth (57.7%) were considered to be successful and 44 teeth (42.3%) were
      determined to be failures.

PMID- 1431696
TI  - Periodontal changes following coronal/root perforation and formocresol pulpotomy.
AB  - A clinical case report is presented which describes the sequelae of an iatrogenic
      lateral crown/root perforation and a formocresol pulpotomy. The post-operative
      course of the initial therapy included significant hard and soft tissue
      destruction and eventual tooth loss. The possible implication of the role of
      formocresol is discussed.

PMID- 1431697
TI  - Assessment of evidence versus consensus or prejudice.

PMID- 1431699
TI  - The Epping jaundice outbreak: a 24 year follow up.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to trace 84 cases of jaundice that occurred
      following accidental ingestion of methylene dianiline (MDA) in Epping in 1965,
      and to look at long term health effects. DESIGN: The original case notes of the
      cases were used to identify the patients. Subsequent tracing procedures included
      local general practitioners, the Central NHS Registry, electoral rolls, and
      company records. SETTING: This was a community based survey. MAIN RESULTS: The
      health status of 68 (81%) of the group was established with 18 deaths. Of the 50
      cases known to be alive, 58% completed a health questionnaire. The causes of
      death were unremarkable except for one case of carcinoma of the biliary tract.
      Two surviving cases had suffered retinal pathology. Four other surviving cases
      had had a further, perhaps unrelated, episode of jaundice. CONCLUSIONS: Although
      the dose and route of administration in the epidemic differed from occupational
      exposure, this follow up study a generation on provides little, if any, evidence
      of long term health sequelae. Nevertheless, in the absence of well documented
      exposure and health effects data, such accidental poisonings with proven animal
      carcinogens warrant long term follow up. The identified cohort will be the
      subject of further study.

PMID- 1431698
TI  - Evaluating prognostic factors: implications for measurement of health care
      outcome.

PMID- 1431700
TI  - Auditing and improving notification and chemoprophylaxis in bacterial meningitis.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to audit, against agreed standards, the control of
      bacterial meningitis, in particular completeness of notification and
      appropriateness of distribution of chemoprophylaxis to contacts; and to implement
      appropriate changes and monitor their impact. DESIGN: The first phase involved
      determination, for the years 1983 and 1984, of completeness of notification by
      comparison with a comprehensive case register. Information about chemoprophylaxis
      was obtained from case notes, questionnaires to general practitioners and other
      records. The second phase involved introducing a programme of clinician education
      in the hospital with the poorest observed notification performance and re
      examining performance during 1988. Districtwide education regarding
      chemoprophylaxis was undertaken and the situation re-examined in 1988. SETTING:
      The study took place in Mid Glamorgan Health Authority (population 536,000), with
      four acute hospitals. POPULATION: Consisted of all the residents of Mid Glamorgan
      Health Authority. MAIN RESULTS: During the first phase of the audit only 28 out
      of 79 cases of bacterial meningitis were notified (35%). Performance in one
      hospital was significantly worse than in the other three. Chemoprophylaxis was
      distributed to 20 out of 26 (77%) cases of meningococcal meningitis but
      inappropriate drugs were used in four cases and prophylaxis was distributed more
      widely than is recommended in 10 cases. In the phase 2 re-examination, a
      significant improvement in notification was observed in the hospital where
      special measures were taken, with no change in a "control" hospital.
      Chemoprophylaxis improved throughout the District, although rifampicin continued
      to be distributed too widely. CONCLUSIONS: As a result of this audit, measurable
      improvements in both infectious disease notification and chemoprophylaxis
      practice were obtained by the education of clinicians. The study provides a good
      example of a completed audit cycle in public health medicine.

PMID- 1431701
TI  - Bacteriological survey of tuberculous lymphadenitis in southeast England, 1981
      1989.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to detect any changing trends in the nature and
      incidence of tuberculous lymphadenitis in southeast England and to determine
      whether there is any evidence for an increase in this disease that could be
      related to HIV infection. DESIGN: Mycobacteria isolated from patients with
      lymphadenitis in the years 1981 to 1989 were identified. Information was
      available on the age, sex, and ethnic origin of the patients and the anatomical
      site from which the mycobacterium was isolated. SETTING: The Public Health
      Laboratory Service Regional Tuberculosis Centre at Dulwich, which receives over
      95% of mycobacteria isolated in southeast England. MAIN RESULTS: From 1980 to
      1989, cultures were received from 1817 patients with mycobacterial lymphadenitis:
      1677 were M tuberculosis, 25 M bovis, 21 M africanum, and 94 were other
      (environmental) species. In comparison with a survey conducted in the same region
      in 1973-80, the number of ethnic Indian subcontinent patients with lymphadenitis
      due to M tuberculosis had dropped by 30% and the number of European patients had
      dropped by 43% and showed a continuing decline and a shift towards an older age
      group. By contrast, there was a 20% increase in the number of cases due to
      environmental mycobacteria. The number of species causing such infections had
      increased and a greater proportion of patients were adults. Three patients
      infected by environmental mycobacteria were known to be HIV positive.
      CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of lymphadentis due to M tuberculosis is declining but
      cases due to environmental mycobacteria are increasing, with a greater diversity
      of species and more adult patients. There is no conclusive evidence for an impact
      of HIV infection on the incidence and nature of mycobacterial lymphadenopathy in
      southeast England, but this cannot be ruled out.

PMID- 1431702
TI  - The Thule episode epidemiological follow up after the crash of a B-52 bomber in
      Greenland: registry linkage, mortality, hospital admissions.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVES: The aim was to explore the pattern of disease in staff
      associated with a bomber that crashed in 1968 when carrying nuclear bombs.
      DESIGN: The database was constructed from staff files of Danish workers employed
      from 1 April 1963 to 1 July 1971. Comparison was made between subsequent
      mortality and hospital admissions of workers employed during the clean up of the
      crashed bomber, and those employed outside this period. SETTING: The study
      involved workers employed at Thule US air base in Greenland. MAIN RESULTS: During
      1963-1971, 4322 staff were employed at the air base. Of these, 4265 (98.7%) were
      identified in 1987, among whom 1202 workers were employed during the clean up
      period. No differences were found in total mortality, or mortality from cancer,
      heart disease, or accidents, after allowing for differences in age, marital
      status, or length of employment, between those employed during the clean up
      period and those employed at other times. Similarly, no difference in hospital
      admissions between the two groups was found. CONCLUSIONS: No harmful effects on
      health due to the crash were found, as measured by mortality and hospital
      admissions.

PMID- 1431703
TI  - Symptomatology of children in contact with sea water contaminated with sewage.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to determine whether or not there was a measurable
      risk of ill health associated with contact with sea water for children between
      the ages of 6 and 11 years old. DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a prospective survey
      carried out on Blackpool beach. Parents of children between the ages of 6 and 11
      years were interviewed over a seven week period during July, August, and
      September, 1990. Respondents were followed up 10-14 d after the original
      interview by either telephone or post. Water samples were collected on each day
      of the survey. PARTICIPANTS: 939 interviews with parents or guardians were
      completed on the beach; 857 (91.9%) of these persons agreed to a follow up
      interview. The results of this study are based on 703 cases of matched data, of
      good quality, collected for each child on the beach and during a follow up
      interview. MAIN RESULTS: Non-compliance with the European Community
      microbiological imperative standards for recreational waters at Blackpool Tower
      and South Pier sampling sites, respectively, ranged between: 6% and 7% for total
      coliforms; 13% and 25% for faecal coliforms; 69% and 80% for faecal streptococci
      (Guide standard); 50% and 67% for salmonellae and 73% and 88% for enteroviruses.
      There was a significant overall increase in the mean number of symptoms reported
      for each child (p < 0.001). However, the prevalence of certain symptoms increased
      significantly only in those children who had been in contact with the water on
      the day of the beach interview. These symptoms included vomiting (p < 0.0009),
      diarrhoea (p < 0.0001), itchy skin (p < 0.0009), fever (p < 0.0013), lack of
      energy (p < 0.0007), and loss of appetite (p < 0.0227). None of the other
      variables investigated could account for the significant increase in the reported
      symptom experience of those children in contact with sea water contaminated with
      sewage. CONCLUSIONS: Children who come into contact with contaminated sea water
      are likely to develop symptoms as a result.

PMID- 1431704
TI  - The Small Area Health Statistics Unit: a national facility for investigating
      health around point sources of environmental pollution in the United Kingdom.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU) was established at
      the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in response to a
      recommendation of the enquiry into the increased incidence of childhood leukaemia
      near Sellafield, the nuclear reprocessing plant in West Cumbria. The aim of this
      paper was to describe the Unit's methods for the investigation of health around
      point sources of environmental pollution in the United Kingdom. DESIGN: Routine
      data currently including deaths and cancer registrations are held in a large
      national database which uses a post code based retrieval system to locate cases
      geographically and link them to the underlying census enumeration districts, and
      hence to their populations at risk. Main outcome measures were comparison of
      observed/expected ratios (based on national rates) within bands delineated by
      concentric circles around point sources of environmental pollution located
      anywhere in Britain. MAIN RESULTS: The system is illustrated by a study of
      mortality from mesothelioma and asbestosis near the Plymouth naval dockyards
      during 1981-87. Within a 3 km radius of the docks the mortality rate for
      mesothelioma was higher than the national rate by a factor of 8.4, and that for
      asbestosis was higher by a factor of 13.6. CONCLUSIONS: SAHSU is a new national
      facility which is rapidly able to provide rates of mortality and cancer incidence
      for arbitrary circles drawn around any point in Britain. The example around
      Plymouth of mesothelioma and asbestosis demonstrates the ability of the system to
      detect an unusual excess of disease in a small locality, although in this case
      the findings are likely to be related to occupational rather than environmental
      exposure.

PMID- 1431705
TI  - Screening infants for hearing loss--an economic evaluation.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to carry out an economic evaluation of the programme
      implemented in one district health authority for the screening of infants for
      hearing loss. DESIGN: The approach taken was a cost-effectiveness analysis using
      the methodology of decision analysis to model the options appraised: (1) the
      conventional screening policy was for a health visitor and colleague to screen at
      8-9 months, and at 10 months for each child to be seen again by a clinical
      medical officer for a developmental assessment plus hearing screen if necessary;
      (2) the alternative policy was for screening to take place at 10 months only if
      concern is expressed (or if there is a clinical indication) at the developmental
      assessment; the introduction of a "clue list" was considered; (3) the third
      option was no screening. MAIN RESULTS: The annual expected cost per unit output
      was pounds 20.57 for the conventional screening policy, between pounds 11.13 and
      pounds 11.23 for the alternative policy, and pounds 11.27 for the third option of
      no screening. Introducing the "clue list" under the alternative screening policy
      is likely to raise the cost per unit output, but the effects are uncertain.
      CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the alternative screening policy is more
      cost-effective than the conventional policy, but has little advantage over not
      screening at all. The effects of introducing a clue list need further
      investigation.

PMID- 1431706
TI  - Factors influencing childhood immunisation in an urban area of Brazil.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine the factors associated with incomplete
      vaccination in an urban area in Sao Paulo, Brazil; and to explore whether
      differences in vaccine coverage in the catchment area of health centres remain
      after the demographic constitution of the population in these areas is controlled
      for. DESIGN: The children were selected as controls for a case-control study. 455
      children were selected at random (but age matched) from the health centre
      registries. Data was collected from the health centre records and from home
      interviews. SETTING: All children were registered in FAISA, a municipal health
      service comprising a large network of health centres and hospitals. FAISA's
      services are free at the point of delivery, and over 85% of the city's children
      are registered. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were selected to represent, except in
      their age distribution, all children registered in the municipal health service.
      MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Information was collected on subjects' vaccine
      history, year of birth, sex, birth order and birth weight, and health centre of
      registration; their mothers' age, education, and marital status; and the family's
      income per capita and history of migration. Analysis was undertaken to identify
      risk factors for vaccination and whether the differential coverage in health
      centres' catchment areas remained after demographic characteristics of the
      population were controlled for. The high coverage for DPT and polio vaccines
      suggests that low overall coverage was not simply a result of mothers failing to
      bring children for vaccination. The variable that best predicted vaccine coverage
      was year of birth. Children born to immigrant mothers or into large families had
      lower vaccine uptake. The characteristics of children and their mothers did not
      account for the variation in vaccination coverage in catchment areas of different
      health centres. CONCLUSIONS: It is likely that in this area vaccination
      completeness was associated mainly with the health centre's ability to deliver
      vaccination to the target population.

PMID- 1431707
TI  - A case-control evaluation of the effect of breast cancer screening in the United
      Kingdom trial of early detection of breast cancer.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: The aim was to assess the extent to which selection bias affects a
      case-control study of breast cancer screening in which attenders and non
      attenders for screening are compared. DESIGN: There were two retrospective case
      control studies, one estimating the risk of death from breast cancer in women in
      the screening district relative to those in the comparison district (study A),
      the second estimating the relative risk for women who had ever been screened
      compared with women who had never been screened in the screening district alone
      (study B). For cases and controls in study B, the women's screening history was
      summarised for the time period from date of entry to diagnosis of the case, or
      the equivalent time from date of entry for the matched controls. For cases
      detected by screening, the screen at which cancer was detected was included in
      the screening history. SUBJECTS: Cases were deaths from breast cancer in women
      with disease diagnosed after entry to the trial, up to 31 December 1986 or a
      maximum of seven years from date of entry, in one of the screening districts
      (Guildford) and one of the comparison districts (Stoke) participating in the UK
      Trial of Early Detection of Breast Cancer: study A: 198 deaths in Guildford and
      Stoke; study B: 51 deaths in Guildford only. There were five age matched controls
      for each case, with length of follow up at least as great as the time from entry
      to death of the case. MAIN RESULTS: The estimate of the risk of death from breast
      cancer in the screening district relative to the comparison district from study A
      was 0.76, thus implying a reduction of 24% in the screening district, similar to
      that obtained from a cohort analysis of data from the two districts. In contrast,
      the relative risk in study B for ever v never screened women was 0.51, which,
      taking the 72% compliance into account, would result in a relative risk of 0.65
      for the screening district if there were no selection bias. The risk of breast
      cancer mortality in the never screened relative to the comparison district was
      1.13, despite the fact that incidence rates in the two populations were similar.
      This suggested that cancers in the never screened group had a particularly poor
      prognosis, contributing to selection bias. CONCLUSIONS: The possible existence of
      selection bias should lead to caution in interpretation of the results of case
      control studies of the effect of breast cancer screening on mortality.

PMID- 1431708
TI  - Influence of rural environment on diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of
      colorectal cancer.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: Several studies have shown that residential location (urban or
      rural) influences the incidence of colorectal cancer. The aim was to investigate
      the influence of rural environment on colorectal cancer history and survival in a
      well defined population. DESIGN: Patients with colorectal cancer diagnosed in the
      department of Calvados (France) were classified by place of residence
      (urban/rural) and information on clinical symptoms, tumour extension, treatment,
      and survival was collected. SETTING: The study was population based, in the
      department of Calvados in France. PATIENTS: During 1978-1984, 1445 colorectal
      cancers were collected by the Digestive Tract Cancer Registry of Calvados, 1047
      with an urban place of residence (544 males and 503 females) and 284 with a rural
      place of residence (134 males and 150 females). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In
      both sexes, rural patients with colorectal cancers were treated less frequently
      in a specialised health care centre (40.0%) than patients from an urban
      population (53.4%). The difference was mainly but not entirely explained by
      distance from the specialised health care centre. In females in the rural
      population, cancers were diagnosed more frequently at the stage of severe
      clinical symptoms (22.1%) and metastases (18.8%) than they were in the urban
      population (15.5% and 12.3%). In addition among females a rural environment
      appeared to confer a worse prognosis (relative risk = 1.3). CONCLUSIONS: Our
      findings suggest an inequality between rural and urban populations, especially
      for women. The loneliness of rural women leads to a delay in diagnosis and worse
      survival. In health education campaigns on colorectal cancer, efforts must be
      made to provide medical information to rural women in order to reduce the delay
      in diagnosis and improve survival.

PMID- 1431709
TI  - Coefficients of relationship by isonymy among registrations for five common
      cancers in Scottish males.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to assess the relative importance of genetic factors
      in carcinoma of the stomach, colon, rectum, prostate, and bladder in Scottish
      males. DESIGN: Cancer cases and controls were compared in terms of the
      coefficient of relationship by isonymy (Ri). SETTING: Surname distributions for
      cancer cases were derived from the Scottish Cancer Register for the years 1959
      85. Control distributions were derived from all births, marriages and deaths in
      Scotland for 1976. SUBJECTS: Analysis was carried out on a total of 60,933 cancer
      registrations and 101,836 births, marriages, and deaths over the 12 local
      government regions of Scotland. MAIN RESULTS: Comparisons of Ri within and
      between regions indicated that inherited susceptibility was of greatest
      importance in carcinoma of the prostate and colon, of intermediate importance in
      carcinoma of the rectum and stomach, and of minimal importance in carcinoma of
      the bladder. Familial aggregation of cancers was most pronounced in Highland,
      Tayside, and Borders Regions. For Highland, this appeared to be the result of
      region-specific familial influences, while Tayside and the Borders shared genetic
      factors contributing to cancer aetiology with neighbouring regions in south east
      Scotland. CONCLUSIONS: Surname analysis is a simple but useful tool for studying
      population genetic structure and its relationship to disease incidence.

PMID- 1431710
TI  - Projections of cervical cancer mortality and incidence in New Zealand: the
      possible impact of screening.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to estimate the likely burden of cervical cancer in
      New Zealand over the next two decades, according to whether cervical screening
      services are made more effective. DESIGN: The study was based on national
      mortality and incidence data for the periods 1954-87 and 1954-86, respectively.
      An age-period-cohort model was used to estimate the contributions of age, time
      period, and birth cohort effects to the occurrence of cervical cancer. Using age
      specific estimates of the future female population of New Zealand, projections of
      cervical cancer mortality and incidence until the year 2008 were derived from the
      model. Projections were made assuming either that screening services will not be
      improved, or that an immediate improvement in the organisation of screening will
      lead to a decline in period effects for incidence of 15% per five year time
      period (with a slightly delayed effect on mortality). It was also assumed either
      that the risk in new birth cohorts will be similar to that in recent cohorts, or
      that their risk will be halved as a result of changes in sexual behaviour (due to
      education about AIDS or other factors). Combining these assumptions produced four
      sets of estimates, reflecting a range of possible scenarios. SETTING: Both the
      data used and the projections obtained related to the entire population of New
      Zealand women. MAIN RESULTS: For both mortality and incidence, projections were
      made of age specific rates, cumulative rates, and absolute numbers of deaths or
      new cases. With the first assumption about new birth cohorts, it was estimated
      that both mortality and incidence rates will increase if screening services are
      are not improved. In absolute terms, the present 100 deaths per year could
      increase to about 148 deaths per year, while there could be a much larger
      increase in incidence from 235 per year to about 440 per year). With improved
      screening, there could be a reduction in age specific mortality rates and a
      modest decline in the number of deaths, while a reduction in incidence rates
      would be accompanied by about the same number of new cases as at present. In
      comparison with improvements in screening, changes in the underlying risk in new
      birth cohorts would have much smaller effects on the occurrence of cervical
      cancer over the next two decades. CONCLUSIONS: Plausible improvements in cervical
      screening are likely to be accompanied by only small changes in the burden of
      cervical cancer over the next two decades. If screening services are not
      improved, however, there will be striking increases in both mortality and
      incidence.

PMID- 1431712
TI  - Further evidence of benefits of a (non-randomised) breast cancer screening
      programme: the DOM project.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to demonstrate the benefits of breast cancer
      screening on mortality. DESIGN: The study was an evaluation of a breast cancer
      screening programme by means of different approaches: (1) a case-control study,
      breast cancer deaths being the cases; (2) comparing the numbers of breast cancer
      deaths in screened and unscreened women; (3) comparing breast cancer mortality
      before and after start of the programme; (4) comparing breast cancer mortality in
      different large cities; (5) comparing screening activity with mortality
      reduction. SETTING: The setting was a breast cancer screening programme in the
      city of Utrecht, the DOM project, for women aged 50-64 years old at intake, birth
      cohort 1911-1925. The programme started in 1974, and there were five screening
      rounds up to 1984. Participation rate in the first round was 72% (14,697 women).
      MAIN RESULTS: (1) Screening was protective against dying from breast cancer, odds
      ratio 0.52, with a stronger effect in older women and no evidence of confounding;
      (2) risk ratio of dying from breast cancer for women in the response group was
      the same as the odds ratio, 0.52; (3) breast cancer death rate after the start of
      the project was nearly 20% lower than before the project started; after
      correcting for women who could not have benefited from screening the reduction
      was 33%; (4) a rise in breast cancer mortality in birth cohort 1911-1925 seen in
      other large cities without a screening programme due to aging of the cohort was
      not seen in the city of Utrecht; (5) mortality reduction followed the screening
      activity with a time lag of approximately 5 years. CONCLUSIONS: Early diagnosis
      of breast cancer by mammography reduces breast cancer mortality in women 50-64
      years old at intake; different approaches to the evaluation of the project give
      different estimates of the screening effect, making clear that the effect depends
      on the intensity of the programme.

PMID- 1431711
TI  - Social class, marital status, and cancer of the uterine cervix in England and
      Wales, 1950-1983.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate whether trends in mortality from
      cancer of the cervix uteri by age, marital status, and social class are
      compatible with current beliefs about the epidemiology of the disease. DESIGN:
      Data on mortality from cancer of the cervix for single and married women by age
      and social class were obtained from the Registrar General's Decennial Supplements
      on occupational mortality for the years 1950-53, 1959-63, 1970-72, and 1979,
      1980, 1982, and 1983. Age standardised mortality rates were calculated directly
      by social class and marital status. SETTING: The data relate to all cases of
      carcinoma of the cervix reported in England and Wales in the years studied. MAIN
      RESULTS: There was a marked convergence of mortality between single and married
      women over the period within every social class grouping examined. The social
      class differential, however, remained essentially unchanged for both single and
      married women considered separately. CONCLUSIONS: Trends in mortality by marital
      status appear to reflect accurately the changes in the pattern of marriage and
      sexual behaviour that have taken place in the post-war period, whereas the
      patterns of other risk and protective factors such as screening explain these
      trends less well. In contrast, it seems likely that factors other than patterns
      of sexual behaviour and screening operate to maintain the social class
      differential in England and Wales.

PMID- 1431713
TI  - Contributions of incidence and case fatality to mortality from bladder cancer in
      the south Thames Regions.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to assess the individual contributions of incidence
      and case fatality to variations in bladder cancer mortality between districts in
      the South Thames Regions. DESIGN: The standardised mortality ratios for bladder
      cancer were calculated for the health districts in the South Thames Regions using
      data from the Thames Cancer Registry. The results were compared with the
      standardised registration ratios, used as a measurement of incidence, and
      survival hazard function, used as a measurement of case fatality. As one
      determinant of case fatality is the severity at presentation, mortality was also
      compared with the standardised proportion of cases with advanced disease at
      diagnosis. SETTING: The study took place in the 28 health districts in South East
      and South West Thames regional health authorities. SUBJECTS: Subjects were 3271
      cases of bladder cancer aged 15-74 years resident in one of the two South Thames
      regional health authorities at diagnosis and registered between 1982 and 1985.
      MAIN RESULTS: The standardised mortality ratios for the different districts
      varied from 62 to 139. The standardised registration ratios, the survival hazard
      functions adjusted for age and stage of disease at diagnosis, and the proportion
      of cases with severe disease at diagnosis were all independently and
      significantly related to the standardised mortality ratios in each district.
      CONCLUSIONS: Mortality from bladder cancer was significantly related to
      measurements of incidence, case fatality, and severity at presentation. These
      relations have implications for the health services. The incidence of disease may
      be modified through preventative measures, the case fatality through improved
      quality of care, and severity at presentation possibly through prompt management
      of patients with haematuria. Further studies are needed to investigate why these
      factors have high values in some districts.

PMID- 1431714
TI  - Racial differences in ill defined cancer mortality in the United States and in
      the District of Columbia.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine the epidemiology of unknown primary
      cancer mortality in the USA during 1979 to 1988 by age, sex, race, year, and
      geographical area. DESIGN: National (US) and state data were abstracted for
      deaths due to ill defined cancer (ICD-9 195.0 to 199.1) and all cancers combined
      (ICD-9 140.0-209.9). Age adjusted mortality rates were calculated using the 1980
      USA population as the standard, and standardised rate ratios were derived.
      National total cancer incidence data were obtained from the surveillance,
      epidemiology and end results (SEER) program, and age and sex specific relative
      (black/white) cancer incidence rates were derived and compared to relative
      (black/white) mortality rates for ill defined cancer. State and regional median
      family income levels were obtained from the 1980 census and compared to
      corresponding mortality rates. SETTING: This study used data for the US
      population, the 50 states, and the District of Columbia. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN
      RESULTS: During 1984-1988, ill defined cancers accounted for an average of 34,921
      deaths each year in the USA (13.7 per 100,000 population). The mortality rate due
      to ill defined cancers is greater among blacks (19.3 per 100,000) than whites
      (13.2 per 100,000) (RR = 1.5) and has not declined since 1979. There is
      considerable geographical variation in the ill defined cancer mortality rate.
      Thus among blacks the highest rates were clustered in the central states (23 per
      100,000) and the lowest rates were seen in the mountain and western states (17
      per 100,000). The District of Columbia had the highest overall rate (21.7 per
      100,000) when compared to all other states. The black/white relative mortality
      rate due to ill defined cancer was consistently greater than the black/white
      relative incidence of all cancers. CONCLUSIONS: Ill defined cancer mortality is
      the fourth leading site of cancer mortality in the USA, and accounts for 7.4% of
      cancer deaths annually. The large proportion of ill defined cancer deaths may
      have biased the accuracy of national and local cancer incidence and mortality
      statistics. The higher mortality of ill defined cancer among blacks is not
      explained by the higher overall cancer incidence among blacks and suggests the
      influence of socioeconomic or cultural barriers that may result in
      underutilisation of health services or substandard health care. Ill defined
      cancer mortality may be a sentinel indicator of deficiencies in the health care
      delivery system as well as a measure of progress against cancer.

PMID- 1431715
TI  - Adding years to life: effect of avoidable mortality on life expectancy at birth.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to determine the number of years that could be
      gained by preventing avoidable deaths. DESIGN: The study arose from the concept
      of avoidable causes of death and life expectancy at birth. Four abbreviated life
      tables were computed. The first included all causes of death; the second excluded
      all avoidable causes of death; the third and fourth excluded respectively primary
      and secondary avoidable causes of death. SETTING: Mortality and population data
      were taken from Mortality Statistics Offices in Valencia Region, Spain. MAIN
      RESULTS: Life expectancy at birth (LEB) was 75.7 years. After removing all
      avoidable deaths, LEB increased by 1.74 years. This improvement is attributed to
      avoidable deaths by primary prevention (1.09 years) and avoidable death by
      secondary prevention (0.37 year). CONCLUSIONS: According to these results the
      greatest improvement in LEB would be gained by primary prevention.

PMID- 1431716
TI  - Childhood blood pressure, body build, and birthweight: geographical associations
      with cardiovascular mortality.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine whether blood pressure, body build, and
      birthweight differ between areas of England and Wales with widely differing adult
      cardiovascular mortality rates. DESIGN: This was a cross sectional survey of
      children in five towns with exceptionally high and five towns with exceptionally
      low current adult cardiovascular mortality. SETTING: The study was a school based
      survey. SUBJECTS: 3842 children aged 5.0-7.5 years were selected by stratified
      random sampling of primary schools (response rate 76%). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN
      RESULTS: Blood pressure, pulse rate, height, and weight were measured and
      birthweight was assessed by maternal recall. Children in towns with high
      cardiovascular mortality rates were significantly shorter than those in towns
      with low cardiovascular mortality rates (mean difference 0.9 cm, 95% confidence
      interval 0.4 to 1.4 cm) and had slightly higher body mass indices (mean
      difference 0.12 kg/m2, 95% CI -0.03 to 0.27 kg/m2). Mean birthweights were
      slightly lower in high mortality towns (mean difference 34 g, 95% CI -10 to 78
      g), while the proportion of children with low birthweight (< 2500 g) (8.1%) was
      significantly higher than that in low mortality towns (5.5%) (p = 0.005). Mean
      differences in blood pressure between high and low mortality towns were small and
      non-significant, even after adjustment for height. The differences in height
      between high and low mortality towns were largely independent of social class.
      However, differences in mean birthweight were markedly reduced once social class
      was taken into account. CONCLUSIONS: No geographical relationship between
      childhood blood pressure and adult cardiovascular mortality was detected.
      Although it is possible that the differences in mean height and body mass index
      between towns with differing adult cardiovascular mortality may have implications
      for future patterns of health in these towns, the absence of marked differences
      in birthweight and blood pressure suggests that hypotheses proposing a direct
      relationship between intrauterine experience and adult cardiovascular mortality
      will have limited relevance to geographical variation in cardiovascular disease
      in this generation.

PMID- 1431717
TI  - Level of education, lifestyle, and morbidity in two groups of white collar
      workers.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine the relationship between level of
      education, lifestyle, and morbidity in two groups of male white collar workers,
      and to determine whether any differences found could be related to objective
      differences in working conditions. DESIGN: The study was a survey of a random
      sample of commercial travellers and a sample of men with sedentary occupations,
      representing two different groups of white collar workers. Survey interviews were
      conducted during the annual compulsory medical examination. Subjects were
      classified into three levels of education and differences according to level of
      education were studied in relation to 40 frequent health problems, lifestyle
      variables, body mass index, height, and working conditions. SUBJECTS: There were
      1364 men in the commercial traveller group, mean age 39.5 years, and 525 men in
      the sedentary group, mean age 36.2 years. There were 22 exclusions because of
      unclassifiable levels of education and four refused to be interviewed. SETTING:
      The study took place in 11 towns in France. MAIN RESULTS: When age was taken into
      account there were only minor differences in the prevalence of health disorders.
      Lifestyle variables and height were clearly related to the level of education.
      Observed differences could not be explained by constraints or declared
      difficulties in working conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in health practices
      related to level of education are observed even in groups that are relatively
      homogeneous socially. Lifestyle may be important as an intermediate determinant
      of health disorders among less educated people.

PMID- 1431718
TI  - Public health implications of dietary differences between social status and
      occupational category groups.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: As there is a social status gradient in chronic disease
      mortality in Australia, this study aimed to establish whether there were
      substantial differences among socioeconomically defined groups with respect to
      food choice and nutrient intake, in the context of risk of nutrition related
      chronic diseases. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: Cross sectional data were collected
      from a randomly selected population sample of 1500 urban Australian adults. Data
      were collected by postal questionnaire, which included an assessment of dietary
      intake and questions on sociodemographic details. Three measures of social
      position were collected: occupation, educational status, and income status.
      Occupation was interpreted both on a continuous, prestige scale, and also as
      categorical occupational groupings. MAIN RESULTS: The study achieved a 70%
      response rate. Higher social status was generally associated with healthier
      dietary intakes, with lower fat and refined sugar densities, and higher fibre
      densities, but also with higher alcohol density. No differences were found in
      salt, polyunsaturated fat, protein, or complex carbohydrate densities across
      groups. Food intake differences were also found between occupational status
      groups, with the upper social groups tending to consume more wholegrain cereal
      foods, low fat milk, and fruit, and less refined cereal foods, full cream milk,
      fried meat, meat products, and discretionary sugar; but also more cheese and meat
      dishes. CONCLUSIONS: Although this study did show statistically significant
      differences across social status groups in relation to nutrient and food intakes,
      these differences were small compared to the disparity between intakes of all
      groups and the recommended patterns of intake, and did not appear to be great
      enough to be a major explanatory variable in differences in disease risk across
      groups.

PMID- 1431719
TI  - Clustering of dietary variables and other lifestyle factors (Dutch Nutritional
      Surveillance System).
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate whether dietary factors cluster in a
      favourable or unfavourable way and to characterise the groups identified by
      lifestyle and sociodemographic variables. DESIGN AND SETTING: This cross
      sectional study was based on data of the 1987-1988 Dutch national food
      consumption survey (DNFCS), obtained from a panel by a stratified probability
      sample of the non-institutionalised Dutch population. PARTICIPANTS: 3781 adults
      (1802 males and 1979 females) of the DNFCS, aged 19 to 85 years, were studied.
      MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: To estimate dietary intake two day food records
      were used. Lifestyle factors were collected by structured questionnaire and
      sociodemographic variables were available from panel information. Cluster
      analysis was used to classify subjects into groups based on similarities in
      dietary variables. Subsequently, these groups were characterised by
      sociodemographic and lifestyle factors as well as by the consumption of food
      groups. Eight clusters were found. In comparison with the guidelines, the dietary
      quality in four clusters was poor. The cluster with the poorest dietary intake
      (high intake of fat, cholesterol, and alcohol; low intake of dietary fibre)
      showed on average a high consumption of animal products (except milk), fats and
      oils, snacks, and alcoholic beverages, and a low consumption of fruit, potatoes,
      vegetables, and sugar rich products. Smoking, body mass index, dietary regimen on
      own initiative, hours of sleep, gender, age, socioeconomic status, and day of the
      week were found to discriminate among the clusters. CONCLUSIONS: Cluster analysis
      resulted in substantial differences in mean nutrient intake and seems useful for
      dietary risk group identification. Undesirable lifestyle habits were interrelated
      in some clusters, but an exclusive lifestyle for health risk has not been found.

PMID- 1431720
TI  - Fair, and still a sun lover: risk of gallstone formation.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate the hypothesis that sunlight exposure
      leads to the development of gallstones in people with a sun sensitive skin.
      DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a case-control study among 206 white patients
      referred for an ultrasound examination of the gallbladder. Sunlight exposure and
      skin sensitivity were retrospectively assessed by a structured questionnaire. The
      questionnaire was taken before the outcome of the ultrasound examination was
      known, so that the patients and the interviewers were blind to the outcome. The
      main outcome measure was gallstones in the gallbladder detected by ultrasound.
      MAIN RESULTS: 87 patients had gallstones (cases), 119 had none (controls). In
      subjects with a skin sensitive for sun (Fitzpatrick skin type I) a positive
      attitude to sunbathing was associated with a higher risk of gallstones than a
      negative attitude. In subjects with an insensitive skin (skin type IV) no
      association was found. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms a hypothesis which was
      based upon metabolic research. However it is too early to upgrade the first "F"
      in the traditional adage that gallstone patients are "fair, fat, female, fertile
      and forty". Since both epidemiological and pathobiological evidence is scarce,
      the role of sun and/or (ultraviolet) light exposure and skin sensitivity in the
      aetiology of gallstones should be confirmed by further research.

PMID- 1431721
TI  - Channelling of controlled release formulation of ketoprofen (Oscorel) in patients
      with history of gastrointestinal problems.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to determine if a new controlled release formulation
      (Oscorel) of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) ketoprofen has been
      preferentially prescribed in patients with prior history of gastro-intestinal
      disturbances. DESIGN: The study was a pharmacy records based comparison of the
      rates of prior prescribing of drugs indicated for peptic ulcer treatment in first
      recipients of Oscorel in 1989 versus recipients of other NSAID products. SETTING:
      A representative panel of Dutch community pharmacies serving approximately
      425,000 people was used. MAIN RESULTS: Oscorel was launched in January 1989. Data
      on prescriptions dispensed in 1987-1988 to a total of 837 first users of Oscorel
      were analysed and compared with the dispensing history of a reference population
      including 30,787 patients who did not receive a prescription for Oscorel during
      1989. Compared to the reference population, first users of Oscorel included a
      greater proportion of females, of patients 75 years and older, of heavy users of
      NSAIDs, and of patients switching among different NSAIDs. A total of 24.1% of
      first users of Oscorel had received peptic ulcer therapy in 1987-1988, versus
      15.7% of the reference population. The rate ratio was 1.54, with 95% confidence
      interval of 1.36-1.74. Adjustment for stratifying variables caused only minor
      changes in the rate ratio, which remained stable on 1.5. CONCLUSIONS: Oscorel
      appears to have been channelled into use in patients with recognised risk factors
      for gastrointestinal toxicity. This preferential prescribing probably resulted
      from expectations and claims that this product has a lower risk of such toxicity.

PMID- 1431722
TI  - Changing incidence of peptic ulcer--facts or artefacts? A cohort study from
      Tromso.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to estimate the age and sex specific incidences of
      duodenal and gastric ulcers censored for death and migration. DESIGN: A
      population based cohort was followed seven years through records of x ray
      examinations, endoscopies, and operations in the only hospital serving the area.
      SETTING: The study was conducted in the municipality of Tromso, Northern Norway,
      where all men aged 20 to 54 years and women aged 20 to 49 years in 1980, a total
      of 21,440, were included. MAIN RESULTS: We found an incidence of 1.47 (95% CI
      1.21-1.76) and 0.88 (0.67-1.14) per 1000 person-years for gastric and 1.98 (1.69
      2.31) and 0.85 (0.64-1.11) for duodenal ulcers in men and women, respectively. A
      small and insignificant sex difference for gastric ulcer was noted. The duodenal
      preponderance in men was only recognised among the ulcers identified by x ray,
      not among ulcers diagnosed by endoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: This population based study
      has, in contrast to recent studies from other areas, revealed an unchanged high
      incidence of gastric and duodenal ulcer in both sexes. Compared to earlier
      studies from this area it indicates a preponderance of duodenal ulcers. The study
      also shows the impact of attendance rate, death, and migration, and of diagnostic
      methods on the incidence estimates. Ignoring these potential biases may lead to
      conclusions on peptic ulcer trends that reflect artefacts rather than real
      changes in peptic ulcer occurrence.

PMID- 1431723
TI  - Pulmonary function development in children with past history of asthma.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine whether or not the children with a past
      history of asthma but free from asthmatic attacks for several years show a
      different growth pattern in pulmonary function from control children. DESIGN: A
      community based cohort was surveyed three times during a four year follow up
      period. SETTING: Kashima district in Ibaraki prefecture, Japan. PARTICIPANTS: In
      1980, 441 primary school children between 113 and 124 months of age were enrolled
      as an initial cohort; 325 of these provided reliable results in each of the three
      surveys. MAIN RESULTS: A level and a slope of FVC, FEV1, Vmax50, and Vmax25 were
      calculated for each child, based on a general linear model analysis. Past
      histories of each child were determined from a standardised questionnaire. The
      children with a history of doctor diagnosed asthma showed a lower Vmax50 level (p
      < 0.005) and a lower level and slope of Vmax25 (p < 0.005, p < 0.01) than control
      children, even when only those who did not suffer from wheezing attacks during
      the follow up period were considered. CONCLUSIONS: Indices of peripheral airways
      function in children with an asthmatic history were reduced even if they had been
      in remission for several years. The difference in pulmonary function in
      comparison to control children might become greater at the time of the adolescent
      growth spurt.

PMID- 1431724
TI  - Impact of headache on sickness absence and utilisation of medical services: a
      Danish population study.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to study the extent and type of health service
      utilisation, medication habits, and sickness absence due to the primary
      headaches. DESIGN: This was a cross sectional epidemiological survey of headache
      disorders in a general population. Headache was diagnosed according to a
      structured interview and a neurological examination using the criteria of the
      International Headache Society. SETTING: A random sample of 25-64 year-old
      individuals was drawn from the Danish National Central Person Registry. All
      subjects were living in the Copenhagen County. PARTICIPANTS: 740 subjects
      participated (76% of the sample); 119 had migraine and 578 had tension type
      headache. MAIN RESULTS: Among subjects with migraine 56% had, at some time,
      consulted their general practitioner because of the migraine. The corresponding
      percentage among subjects with tension type headache was 16. One or more
      specialists had been consulted by 16% of migraine sufferers and by 4% of subjects
      with tension type headache. The consultation rates of chiropractors and
      physiotherapists were 5-8%. Hospital admissions and supplementary laboratory
      investigations due to headache were rare (< 3%). Half of the migraine sufferers
      and 83% of subjects with tension type headache in the previous year had managed
      with at least one type of drug in the current year. Acetylsalicylic acid
      preparations and paracetamol were the most commonly used analgesics. Prophylaxis
      of migraine was used by 7%. In the preceding year 43% of employed migraine
      sufferers and 12% of employed subjects with tension type headache had missed one
      or more days of work because of headache. Most common was 1-7 days off work. The
      total loss of workdays per year due to migraine in the general population was
      estimated at 270 days per 1000 persons. For tension type headache the
      corresponding figure was 820. Women were more likely to consult a practitioner
      than men, whereas no significant sex difference emerged as regards absenteeism
      from work. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of the headache disorders on work performance
      in the general population is substantial, and the disorders merit increased
      attention.

PMID- 1431725
TI  - The problem of diagnostic variability in general practice.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine the scale, source, and relevance of
      variation between general practices in respect of the rates with which patients
      consulted with illnesses falling in each of several diagnostic groups. DESIGN:
      This study involved a general practice morbidity survey conducted over two years,
      1970-72. All patients who consulted their general practitioners were identified
      and the number of these who consulted with diagnoses attributable to each of the
      18 main chapters of the International classification of diseases were counted.
      Patients who consulted for more than one diagnosis within a chapter were counted
      once only; those who consulted for one or more diagnoses in each of several
      chapters were counted once for each chapter. SETTING: This was a national survey
      involving general practitioners in England and Wales. SUBJECTS: The study
      involved 214,524 patients from 53 selected general practices (115 doctors) who
      were registered with their general practitioners for the whole of the year 1970
      71 and for whom their morbidity data had been linked with their social data from
      the 1971 census. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Using the numbers of patients on
      the practice lists as denominators, practice patient consulting rates (PPCR) were
      calculated for each practice and for each ICD chapter. Variability in chapter
      PPCR was examined by calculating coefficients of variation and, after allowance
      for random variation, coefficients of residual variation. There were large
      interpractice (doctor) variations in all chapter rates. These variations were
      only marginally attributable to: chance; different age, sex and social class
      mixes of practice populations; geographical locations; and practice organisation.
      The rates were, however, consistent from one year to the next for any one
      practice. Approximately half of the interpractice (doctor) diagnostic variability
      was associated with overall patient consulting behaviour. When the effects of
      this behaviour were discounted, any major residual diagnostic variability was
      confined largely to ICD chapters I-V, XVI, and XVII, ie, those chapters where
      aetiology forms the basis of classification. CONCLUSION: Variations in recorded
      diagnostic rates are mainly due to the consistent but idiosyncratic and selective
      exclusion by practitioners of some components from the total set which often
      coexist in a new diagnosis. Because of the scale of interpractice diagnostic
      variability, the use of algorithms and information technology is largely
      precluded from outcome studies, auditing procedures, and studies of practice work
      loads in general. However, (1) the consistency of any individual doctor's pattern
      of diagnostic recording from one year to another permits studies of trends; and
      (2) given a reasonable number of recording practices, the population mean
      practice consulting rates can be estimated with sufficient accuracy for many
      epidemiological research and administrative uses.

PMID- 1431726
TI  - Demographic characteristics and health behaviours of consenters to medical
      examination. Results from the Welsh Heart Health Survey.
AB  - STUDY OBJECTIVE: The aim was to compare the demographic characteristics and
      health related behaviours of people who consented to a medical examination as
      part of a population survey with those who did not. STUDY DESIGN: The study
      formed part of the (1985) Welsh Heart Health Survey, which comprised a three
      stage design involving household interview, self completion questionnaire, and
      medical examination. Subjects for medical examination were selected from
      responders to the questionnaire survey (67%). Sixty six per cent of this group
      consented to medical examination (n = 11,637). Odds ratio analysis techniques
      were used to compare consenters and non-consenters. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN
      RESULTS: The analysis was based on self reported information available from
      previously completed questionnaires, and from personal interviews. The study
      supported the findings of previous research indicating that consenters to medical
      examination are more likely to be from non-manual social groups, to be aged 25-44
      years, to be educated beyond school age, and to be married. Individuals with
      healthy lifestyle characteristics (diet, physical activity) were overrepresented
      among consenters. The only exception to this finding was in relation to excessive
      alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: These findings emphasise the importance of
      maximising response rates in all forms of social research including surveys with
      a clinical component. They also have methodological and analytical implications
      for the Welsh Heart Health Survey.

PMID- 1431727
TI  - Effect of fathers' age and birth order on occurrence of congenital heart disease.

PMID- 1431729
TI  - The influence of temperature on power output of scup red muscle during cyclical
      length changes.
AB  - To gain insight into how temperature affects locomotory performance, we measured
      power output of scup red muscle during oscillatory length changes at 10 degrees C
      and 20 degrees C. When we optimized work loop parameters, we found that maximum
      power was 27.9 W kg-1 at 20 degrees C and 12.8 W kg-1 at 10 degrees C, giving a
      Q10 of 2.29. Maximum power was generated at a higher oscillation frequency at 20
      degrees C (5 Hz) than at 10 degrees C (2.5 Hz), and the Q10 for power output at a
      given oscillation frequency ranged from about 1 at 1 Hz to about 5 at 7.5 Hz. An
      analysis of the results in terms of crossbridge kinetics suggests that the higher
      power output at 20 degrees C is associated with both a higher Vmax (i.e. more
      power per cycling crossbridge) and faster activation and relaxation (i.e. a
      greater number of cycling crossbridges). To obtain a more realistic understanding
      of the functional importance of temperature effects on muscle, we imposed on
      isolated muscle in vivo length changes and oscillation frequencies (measured
      during previous experiments on swimming scup) and the in vivo stimulus duty cycle
      (measured from electromyograms in this study). At 20 degrees C, muscle bundles
      tested under these in vivo conditions produced nearly maximal power, suggesting
      that the muscle works optimally during locomotion and, thus, important
      contractile parameters have been adjusted to produce maximum mechanical power at
      the oscillation frequencies and length changes needed during swimming. At 10
      degrees C, muscle bundles tested under in vivo conditions produced much less
      power than was obtained during the 'optimized' work loop experiments discussed
      above. Furthermore, although 'optimized' work loop experiments showed that
      maximum power output occurs at 2.5 Hz, scup do not appear to swim with such a low
      tailbeat frequency. Although the reason for these apparent discrepancies at 10
      degrees C are not known, it shows that simple extrapolation from isolated muscle
      to the whole animal, without knowledge of how the muscle is actually used in
      vivo, can be misleading.

PMID- 1431728
TI  - Calcium and potassium currents in leg motoneurons during postembryonic
      development in the hawkmoth Manduca sexta.
AB  - During insect metamorphosis the nervous system is reorganized to accommodate
      changes in behavior. In the hawkmoth, Manduca sexta, many identified larval
      motoneurons persist to innervate new adult muscles, while undergoing changes in
      dendritic morphology and synaptic connections. The thoracic leg motoneurons, for
      example, innervate different sets of muscles in the larva and adult and
      participate in distinct types of locomotor behavior in the two stages of life. To
      determine whether changes in the biophysical properties of these motoneurons
      accompany the structural and functional modifications that have been described,
      we used the whole-cell voltage-clamp technique to compare the Ca2+ and K+
      currents expressed by leg motoneurons isolated from the larval, pupal and adult
      stages of Manduca. After 24 h in culture, the somata of leg motoneurons isolated
      from all three stages expressed voltage-sensitive Ca2+ currents that could be
      blocked by Cd2+, Co2+ or Ni2+. The currents were larger with Ba2+ as the charge
      carrier. The Ca2+ current density was significantly lower in these motoneurons
      during the early pupal stage than in either the larva or adult. Similar
      experiments revealed both transient and sustained K+ currents in the leg
      motoneurons that could be blocked with Cs+. There was a significant decrease in
      the density of the transient, inactivating outward current in leg motoneurons
      isolated from the early pupal stage. Thus, the levels of some types of ionic
      currents are modulated during metamorphosis. These changes may be important for
      the developmental or behavioral changes that accompany metamorphosis.

PMID- 1431730
TI  - Constrained and flexible features of rhythmical hindlimb movements in chicks:
      kinematic profiles of walking, swimming and airstepping.
AB  - Although studies of walking have generated many of the principles for motor
      control, walking is but one of the many behaviors that an animal produces. This
      study investigates the relationships among the kinematic profiles of three
      behaviors in chicks: walking, swimming and airstepping. In addition to describing
      features of the hindlimb movements, such as retraction and protraction, we also
      examined the intra- and interjoint coordination patterns at the hip, knee and
      ankle. By using multiple levels of analysis, we identified some features that are
      common to all three behaviors, and therefore appear to be constrained, as well as
      some dissimilar or flexible features. Specifically, we show that resistance
      differentially affects the hip, knee and ankle joints. Our results also show that
      each joint plays a distinctive role in these behaviors. For example, we suggest
      that the hip stabilizes the hindlimb and regulates the rhythmicity of its
      movements. We also show that movement at the knee consistently precedes movement
      at the other joints in each behavior. Finally, differences in ankle movements are
      the key features that discriminate one behavior from another. Continuity among
      prenatal, perinatal and postnatal behaviors in chicks is discussed.

PMID- 1431731
TI  - Evidence that fin whales respond to the geomagnetic field during migration.
AB  - We challenge the hypothesis that fin whales use a magnetic sense to guide
      migration by testing for associations between geophysical parameters and the
      positions where fin whales were observed over the continental shelf off the
      northeastern United States. Monte Carlo simulations estimated the probability
      that the distribution of fin whale sighting was random with respect to bottom
      depth, bottom slope and the intensity and gradient of the geomagnetic field. The
      simulations demonstrated no overall association of sighting positions with any of
      these four geophysical parameters. Analysis of the data by season, however,
      demonstrated statistically reliable associations of sighting positions with areas
      of low geomagnetic intensity and gradient in winter and fall, respectively, but
      no association of sighting positions with bathymetric parameters in any season.
      An attempt to focus on migrating animals by excluding those observed feeding
      confirmed the associations of sighting positions with low geomagnetic intensity
      and gradient in winter and fall, respectively, and revealed additional
      associations with low geomagnetic gradients in winter and spring. These results
      are consistent with the hypothesis that fin whales, and perhaps other mysticete
      species, possess a magnetic sense that they use to guide migration.

PMID- 1431732
TI  - The dissociation of repetition priming and recognition memory in
      language/learning-disabled children.
AB  - Recent research has found that the performance of learning-disabled and non
      disabled children is dissociated on explicit and implicit tests of memory
      (Lorsbach & Worman, 1989). The current study further examined this phenomenon by
      comparing language/learning-disabled (L/LD) and nondisabled children (NLD) on
      tasks measuring primed picture-naming and item recognition. Included within the
      design of the experiment was the manipulation of both presentation format
      (pictures or words) and retention interval (immediate or 1 day). Children were
      initially presented with pictures and words. Performance was measured both
      immediately and following a 1-day retention interval on a picture naming task, an
      item recognition task, and a supplementary measure of memory for presentation
      format. The magnitude of facilitation associated with primed picture-naming was
      found to be independent of item recognition performance. In addition, the effects
      of population (L/LD and NLD) and retention interval (immediate test or 1 day)
      each produced dissociations between the magnitude of naming facilitation and item
      recognition performance. Results were discussed in terms of their implications
      for our understanding of the nature of memory difficulties in L/LD children.

PMID- 1431733
TI  - Whole words and decoding for short-term learning: comparisons on a "talking
      computer" system.
AB  - Low-and average-ability readers in first and second grade studied a list of 36
      words using a "talking-computer" system. The system highlighted and
      simultaneously pronounced orthographic units in the words when the children
      touched the words with a light pen. During two training sessions, the computer
      presented four groups of 9 words each, one group as whole words, one in syllabic
      units, one in subsyllabic units, and one as single grapheme-phoneme units. All
      children learned the least words with single grapheme-phoneme units, having had
      the greatest difficulty blending the units into words during training. The other
      presentation units did not differ significantly from each other for most students
      on post-testing. However, the low first-grade readers learned fewer words
      segmented and presented by subsyllables than by syllable or word units, but only
      for multisyllabic words. Monosyllabic words were blended and learned as easily
      with onset-rime segmentation as with whole word units, for all children.

PMID- 1431734
TI  - Perception of multidimensional stimuli: a differential-sensitivity account of
      cognitive processing and development.
AB  - A differential-sensitivity account of cognitive processing is described that
      emphasizes the development of perceptual sensitivity to object relations that are
      directly perceived. Four experiments are presented that investigate this account
      and compare it to the integrality-separability view of development and the view
      that younger children are nonselective in their processing of multidimensional
      stimuli. Results show that stimulus differences are more salient than identities
      (Expt. 1), younger as well as older children are highly selective in their
      perception and classify stimuli by separate dimensions (Expt. 2), differential
      sensitivity affects the perceived magnitude of stimulus differences (Expt. 3),
      and younger and older children perceive separate dimensions in speeded
      classifications (Expt. 4). The importance of considering individual patterns of
      responses in cognitive and developmental research is also demonstrated.

PMID- 1431735
TI  - Studies in space orientation. II. Perception of the upright with displaced visual
      fields and with body tilted.
AB  - To overcome certain disadvantages of the tilted-mirror situation as a technique
      for separating visual and postural determinants of the perceived upright, a new
      procedure was developed. The S was presented with a small tilted room, on the
      back wall of which was a rod which he had to adjust to the true upright. In a
      first test, judgments of the rod were obtained with body upright, and under three
      different conditions of the field: (a) The S, standing at a distance from the
      tilted scene, viewed it through a tube which restricted his view to the interior
      of the scene. (b) The S stood directly in front of the scene without a tube. (c)
      The S stood at a distance from the scene, without a tube, so that he saw not only
      the tilted scene but the outer upright room as well. Under all three conditions
      the perceived vertical and horizontal were displaced significantly in the
      direction of the axes of the tilted scene. When an outer upright field was
      present, as in the third condition, the effect of the tilted scene upon the
      perceived upright diminished. In another experiment, judgments of the rod were
      obtained with body tilted, both to the same side as the field and to the opposite
      side. It was found that tilting the body resulted in an increased tendency to
      accept the tilted field as a basis for judging the upright. Not only were the
      perceived vertical and horizontal displaced further in the direction of the
      tilted scene, but a number of Ss perceived the tilted scene as fully upright. In
      another experiment there was found a tendency for the tilted scene to right
      itself with prolonged observation. In some cases the righting was complete, so
      that at the end of the observation period, the tilted scene was perceived to be
      fully upright. Under all conditions, striking individual differences were found
      in the extent to which the perceived upright was affected by the surrounding
      tilted field. There is evidence of considerably consistency in a person's
      performance under the different conditions employed.

PMID- 1431736
TI  - Tolman's cognitive analyses: predecessors of current approaches in psychology.
AB  - Hindsight is always helpful. I hope that I have provided some appreciation of why
      the experiment by Tolman et al. (1946) is a classic and deserves to be included
      in this series. Evaluating the extent to which this particular experiment
      actually influenced the development of all of the endeavors described above is
      difficult, and I leave it to those individuals who have an interest in the
      history of science to draw the appropriate conclusions. Even without direct
      causality, the continued relevance of this experiment is striking. We might all
      wish that we have sufficient foresight to investigate significant problems in
      such a way that our own contributions are still considered important almost 50
      years after we make them.

PMID- 1431737
TI  - Studies in spatial learning. I. Orientation and the short-cut. 1946.
AB  - 1. The original rough formulation of the expectancy theory is difficult to
      distinguish from the alternative stimulus-response doctrines. Part of this
      difficulty results from the fact that implicit in this rough formulation, is a
      definition of the matrix "x expects a goal at location L," which makes it
      equivalent to the matrix "x runs down the practiced path," when certain
      conditions are fulfilled. Because of this difficulty, we have rejected this
      definition. 2. We have suggested instead a definition of the matrix "x expects a
      goal at location L" which makes it equivalent to the matrix "x runs down the path
      which points directly to the location L," when certain conditions are fulfilled.
      3. To determine whether rats will run down such a path, whenever the original
      path is blocked, we have run 56 female rats in a situation which conformed to
      these conditions. 4. Thirty-six percent of the rats chose the path which pointed
      directly towards the location of the goal. The remaining rats were distributed
      over the other paths in a chance fashion. 5. We have concluded (1) that rats do
      learn to expect goals in specific locations, (2) that there are important
      similarities between this behavior and human symbolic behavior, and (3) that
      these similarities justify our using the word 'expectation' as a name for the
      disposition to short-cut when the original patch is blocked.

PMID- 1431738
TI  - Textons, visual pop-out effects, and object recognition in infancy.
AB  - Five experiments were conducted to determine whether primitive perceptual
      features, or textons, which Julesz (1984) identified in studies of texture
      segregation with adults, also affect object recognition early in development.
      Three-month-old infants discriminated Ts and Ls composed of overlapping line
      segments from +s but not from each other in a delayed-recognition test after 24
      hr; however, Ts and Ls were discriminated from each other after only 1 hr. In a
      priming paradigm, Ts, Ls, and +s were discriminated from one another after 2
      weeks. In succeeding experiments, infants exhibited adultlike visual pop-out
      effects in both delayed recognition and priming paradigms, detecting an L in the
      midst of 6 +s and vice versa; these effects were symmetrical. The pop-out effects
      apparently resulted from parallel search: Infants failed to detect 3 Ls among 4
      +s. Clearly, some of the same primitive units that have been identified as the
      building blocks of adult visual perception underlie object recognition early in
      infancy.

PMID- 1431739
TI  - Structure and process in semantic memory: evidence from event-related brain
      potentials and reaction times.
AB  - Through scalp measurements of the electrical activity of the brain (event-related
      potentials, or ERPs) recorded while subjects verified the truth of sentences
      relating exemplars and categories (e.g., ALL DOGS ARE ANIMALS), inferences were
      made about aspects of semantic processing that were not directly reflected by
      overt responses. In particular, it is suggested that a negative ERP component
      that peaks about 400 ms after the onset of the sentence predicate (i.e., N400) is
      sensitive to structural aspects of semantic memory. The amplitude of this
      component was modulated by the relatedness of the subject and predicate terms, as
      well as the hierarchical level of both these terms, but was not sensitive to the
      truth value of a sentence.

PMID- 1431740
TI  - Optimizing the use of information: strategic control of activation of responses.
AB  - Recent studies indicate that subjects may respond to visual information during
      either an early parallel phase or a later focused phase and that the selection of
      the relevant phase is data driven. Using the noise-compatibility paradigm, we
      tested the hypothesis that this selection may also be strategic and context
      driven. At least part of the interference effect observed in this paradigm is due
      to response activation during the parallel-processing phase. We manipulated
      subjects' expectancies for compatible and incompatible noise in 4 experiments and
      effectively modulated the interference effect. The results suggest that
      expectancies about the relative utility of the information extracted during the
      parallel and focused phases determine which phase is used to activate responses.

PMID- 1431741
TI  - The role of spatial attention in visual word processing.
AB  - Subjects made lexical decisions on a target letter string presented above or
      below fixation. In Experiments 1 and 2, target location was cued 100 ms in
      advance of target onset. Responses were faster on validly than on invalidly cued
      trials. In Experiment 3, the target was sometimes accompanied by irrelevant
      stimuli on the other side of fixation; in such cases, responses were slowed (a
      spatial filtering effect). Both cuing and filtering effects on response time were
      additive with effects of word frequency and lexical status (words vs. nonwords).
      These findings are difficult to reconcile with claims that spatial attention is
      less involved in processing familiar words than in unfamiliar words and nonwords.
      The results can be reconciled with a late-selection locus of spatial attention
      only with difficulty, but are easily explained by early-selection models.

PMID- 1431742
TI  - Involuntary covert orienting is contingent on attentional control settings.
AB  - Four experiments tested a new hypothesis that involuntary attention shifts are
      contingent on the relationship between the properties of the eliciting event and
      the properties required for task performance. In a variant of the spatial cuing
      paradigm, the relation between cue property and the property useful in locating
      the target was systematically manipulated. In Experiment 1, invalid abrupt-onset
      precues produced costs for targets characterized by an abrupt onset but not for
      targets characterized by a discontinuity in color. In Experiment 2, invalid color
      precues produced greater costs for color targets than for abrupt-onset targets.
      Experiment 3 provided converging evidence for this pattern. Experiment 4
      investigated the boundary conditions and time course for attention shifts
      elicited by color discontinuities. The results of these experiments suggest that
      attention capture is contingent on attentional control settings induced by task
      demands.

PMID- 1431743
TI  - Asymmetry in visual search for targets defined by differences in movement speed.
AB  - Perception of motion speed was investigated with the visual search paradigm,
      using human Ss. When searching for a fast target among slow distractors, reaction
      time was minimally affected as the number of distractors was increased. In
      contrast, reaction time to detect a slow target among fast distractors was slow
      and linearly related to the number of distractors. The effect cannot be
      attributed to differences in temporal frequency, discriminability, or one type of
      representation that might result from spatiotemporal filtering. An alternative
      hypothesis that can account for the asymmetry is that speed detectors operate as
      high-pass filters in the velocity domain. This hypothesis is in agreement with
      results obtained in psychophysical studies on motion adaptation as well as data
      from single-cell recordings in nonhuman species.

PMID- 1431744
TI  - Making two responses to a single object: implications for the central attentional
      bottleneck.
AB  - Experiments with two stimuli and two responses have revealed a central
      attentional bottleneck and pointed to response selection as its primary locus;
      however, little has been said about the underlying reasons for this bottleneck.
      Here we explore these reasons. In the first three experiments, Ss made two
      separate responses to different aspects of the same object. Interference between
      selection of the responses persisted, ruling out the possibility that the dual
      task bottleneck is caused by the input to the response-selection mechanism being
      limited to one object at a time. The next four experiments examined what happens
      when two responses are made to the same attribute of a single object. These
      experiments show that only one response selection occurred. Hence, the central
      mechanism is not limited to picking one motor action at a time. Several possible
      theories about the nature of the bottleneck are discussed.

PMID- 1431745
TI  - Intertrial interval and sequential effects in magnitude scaling.
AB  - The intertrial interval (ITI) was varied within subjects in magnitude estimation
      and cross-modality matching experiments. Fits of a recently proposed time series
      regression model show that the influence of the previous stimulus intensity on
      the current response decreases when the ITI is increased. The results can be
      interpreted as showing that an assimilative or additive perceptual or memory
      effect decreases with an increase in ITI. Fits of an earlier model, on the other
      hand, suggest that the influence of the previous stimulus intensity increases
      with an increase in ITI, which is counter to expectations. The new regression
      model (a) provides a simple explanation for the counterintuitive results obtained
      with the earlier model, (b) shows that assimilation in perception or memory can
      appear as contrast, and (c) reduces to a simpler model for longer ITIs.

PMID- 1431746
TI  - Inverse duration effects in partial report.
AB  - In partial-report experiments, an array of stimuli is displayed briefly, followed
      by a probe indicating the items to be reported. When exposure duration of the
      array is increased, 2 contrasting outcomes have been found: Some experiments find
      that performance improves (direct-duration effect); others find that it
      deteriorates (inverse-duration effect). The objective here was to identify the
      reasons for the discrepant results. This was done by investigating the roles
      played by 5 factors that differed between the 2 sets of contrasting studies. An
      inverse-duration effect was obtained in each of 6 experiments; its magnitude was
      affected by retinal eccentricity and by the number of items denoted by the probe.
      The effect was independent of array configuration and of number of items in the
      array. The direct-duration effect was shown to arise from a confounding of
      exposure duration and brightness.

PMID- 1431747
TI  - A psychophysiological study of the use of partial information in stimulus
      response translation.
AB  - Ss performed a hybrid go/no-go reaction task in which colored letters were
      assigned in various ways to 4 finger responses, 2 on each hand. In addition to
      reaction time, psychophysiological measures were used to assess the duration of
      stimulus identification and the onset of central and peripheral motor activity.
      The results suggest that response selection can begin on the basis of 1 stimulus
      dimension (e.g., color), while the other dimension (e.g., letter form) has not
      yet been identified. Other results are discussed with regard to "selection for
      action" (Allport, 1987) and the importance of stimulus-response translation
      strategies in the use of partial information.

PMID- 1431749
TI  - Position-linked interference in forming simple visual groups.
AB  - Experiments with 2-element visual groups reveal a form of interference that has
      several interesting properties. Observers judged the orientation of an imaginary
      line formed by 2 pixels (the target) while attempting to ignore a third pixel
      (the noise). Noise interfered with performance, even when it was made distinct
      from the target in various ways. This interference was strongly position linked;
      a single equation described the interference pattern for many different target
      noise configurations. Maximum interference was observed not when the noise was
      closest to the target but when it was at a distance of half the separation
      between target pixels. Some initial findings were consistent with the idea that
      visual grouping reflects the operation of visual channels with Gabor-like
      receptive-field profiles. But subsequent results implicated processes that
      automatically construct visual boundaries.

PMID- 1431748
TI  - Effects of preliminary perceptual output on neuronal activity of the primary
      motor cortex.
AB  - Observations of single neurons in the primary motor cortex of 1 monkey provided
      evidence that preliminary perceptual information reaches the motor system before
      perceptual analysis is complete. Neurons were recorded during a task in which 1
      stimulus was assigned to a wrist flexion response and another was assigned to
      wrist extension. Two stimuli were assigned to a no-go response; each was visually
      similar to either the flexion or the extension stimulus. When a no-go stimulus
      was presented, neurons responded with weaker versions of the discharge patterns
      exhibited to the visually similar stimulus requiring a movement, suggesting that
      neurons receive partial perceptual information favoring that movement.
      Functionally separable neuronal populations were identified, and differences in
      the activations of these provide evidence about the functional effects of
      preliminary perceptual output on movement control processes.

PMID- 1431750
TI  - Do recognizable figures enjoy an advantage in binocular rivalry?
AB  - Five experiments examined whether recognizable stimuli predominate in binocular
      rivalry. It was found that a face predominated more than did a pattern equated
      for spatial frequency, luminance, and contrast; an objective reaction time
      procedure confirmed predominance of the face. The face was still liable to
      fragmentation as stimulus size increased. Observers tracked exclusive dominance
      of a picture of a camouflaged figure (a Dalmatian dog) prior to and then
      following discovery of the figure's presence; control observers received the same
      protocol with a scrambled version of the dog stimulus. Compared with control
      results, predominance of the dog picture was higher even before observers knew of
      the camouflaged figure. Inversion of the dog figure reduced its predominance.
      Binocular rivalry is sensitive to object-related, configural properties of a
      stimulus.

PMID- 1431751
TI  - Testing a semistochastic variant of the interactive activation model in different
      word recognition experiments.
AB  - A semistochastic variant of the interactive activation (IA) model of context
      effects in letter perception (McClelland & Rumelhart, 1981) was used to simulate
      response time distributions and means in different experiments investigating the
      effects of word frequency, neighborhood size and frequency, and orthographic
      priming in visual word recognition. The results provide evidence in favor of the
      connectivity assumption underlying the model but question the necessity of the
      interactivity assumption for simulating latencies in word recognition tasks.
      Together with those of a recent study by McClelland (1991), the present results
      suggest that 10 years after its appearance, the IA model's potential for testing
      hypotheses about the structure and dynamics of basic phenomena of human
      information processing in a variety of perceptual and cognitive tasks is not yet
      fully exploited.

PMID- 1431752
TI  - How do somersaulters land on their feet?
AB  - Body movements of trampolinists landing upright from forward somersaults, with
      eyes open and closed, were analyzed to test a theory of how braking and timing of
      actions are conjointly controlled. In regulating landing, rotation has to be
      slowed by extending the body so that it reaches the upright just as the feet hit
      the trampoline. Extending a theory of visual control of linear braking, it was
      hypothesized that upright landing is achieved by perceptually regulating body
      extension so as to keep the ratio angle of body to upright: rate of change of
      angle (the tau function of the angle) proportional to time-to-landing. The data
      support the hypothesis, indicate that vision improves precision of control, and
      argue further for the value of the tau function in the perceptual regulation of
      action.

PMID- 1431753
TI  - Selective reaching: evidence for action-centered attention.
AB  - Most studies of selective attention briefly present static 2-dimensional stimuli
      and require arbitrary responses such as verbal naming or a keypress. Many of our
      perceptual-motor interactions with the environment, however, require reaching
      directly toward an object while ignoring other objects in the scene. A series of
      experiments examines selective attention in the latter reaching situation.
      Effects previously observed in the traditional experimental procedures were
      obtained, suggesting that the models developed (which propose inhibitory
      mechanisms, e.g.) apply to ecologically valid situations. Attention accesses
      action-centered internal representations during such tasks.

PMID- 1431754
TI  - Visual space perception and visually directed action.
AB  - The results of two types of experiments are reported. In 1 type, Ss matched depth
      intervals on the ground plane that appeared equal to frontal intervals at the
      same distance. The depth intervals had to be made considerably larger than the
      frontal intervals to appear equal in length, with this physical inequality of
      equal-appearing intervals increasing with egocentric distance of the intervals (4
      m-12 m). In the other type of experiment, Ss viewed targets lying on the ground
      plane and then, with eyes closed, attempted either to walk directly to their
      locations or to point continuously toward them while walking along paths that
      passed off to the side. Performance was quite accurate in both motoric tasks,
      indicating that the distortion in the mapping from physical to visual space
      evident in the visual matching task does not manifest itself in the visually open
      loop motoric tasks.

PMID- 1431755
TI  - Adaptive modification of saccadic eye movements.
AB  - Experiments are reported in which the target for a saccadic eye movement was
      displaced during the saccade. Subjects adapted to the displacement by altering
      the amplitudes of subsequent saccades to compensate for it. Analysis of kinematic
      details of the saccade trajectories revealed that the adaptation did not arise
      from a simple remapping of perceived target locations. Instead, the adaptation
      appeared to be accomplished by a change in the gain of the saccadic system. The
      gain change arose primarily from a change in the magnitude of the force pulse for
      the saccade, not a change in the duration of the pulse. These results have
      implications for the mechanisms that underlie saccades in normal situations. In
      particular, people can separately adjust the magnitudes and durations of the
      force pulses used to produce saccades.

PMID- 1431756
TI  - Temporal patterning in cascade juggling.
AB  - A key variable in cascade juggling is the proportion of time that a juggler holds
      onto a juggled object during a hand cycle, that is, the time from catch to throw
      in relation to the time from catch to catch. Space-time constraints and
      principles of frequency locking suggest 3/4 as the primary ratio and 2/3 and 5/8
      as the most accessible options. In 5 experiments, object number, mass, and type
      (ball or scarf) were manipulated together with the frequency at which the objects
      were juggled. With 5 or 7 balls, the ratio was 3/4, independent of frequency.
      With 3 balls, the ratio decreased with frequency, with 3/4, 2/3, and 5/8 tending
      to predominate independently of the force variations induced by variation in
      object mass. With 3 scarves, ratios varied inversely with frequency and often
      exceeded 3/4. Implications for a dynamical theory of juggling were discussed with
      the issue of relative timing in coordination and the manipulation of task
      constraints as an experimental strategy.

PMID- 1431757
TI  - Rubbing your stomach while tapping your fingers: interference between motor
      planning and semantic judgments.
AB  - Previous research (Klatzky et al., 1989) shows that the time required to make
      sensible/nonsensible judgments about an action-object phrase (e.g., "rub your
      stomach") is reliably faster when the phrase is preceded by a cure representing a
      specific prototypical hand shape (vs. a neutral cue). The current experiments
      investigated the effects of preparing for an alternate task (finger tapping vs.
      syllable vocalization) on facilitatory priming of sensibility judgments.
      Preparation for finger tapping reduced the magnitude of the priming effect more
      than preparation for vocalization, suggesting that resources accessed during
      semantic processing of action-object phrases are also used during manual response
      preparation. The results support the existence of a system representing manual
      actions that is limited in the number of activities that can be represented at
      one time and that is not so general that it represents manual and vocal tract
      movements.

PMID- 1431758
TI  - Semantic congruity effects and theories of the comparison process.
AB  - Two experiments requiring comparisons of point locations on the line demonstrate
      that the magnitude of the response-time-based congruity effect parallels the form
      of the macro and the micro speed-accuracy trade-off function. This is predicted
      from the evidence accrual class of theories but is contrary to either the
      propositionally based semantic coding theory or the expectancy view. Very large
      accuracy-based congruity effects with comparisons of point locations in the plane
      are evident. Congruity effects arise because the duration of each evidence
      accrual is increased and the quality of the information is reduced as the
      distance of the stimulus representations from the instruction-activated reference
      point increases. This evidence accrual view is extended to account for the
      properties of perceptual and symbolic comparisons.

PMID- 1431759
TI  - Smoking cessation.

PMID- 1431760
TI  - Smoking cessation.

PMID- 1431761
TI  - Electrocardiogram interpretation.

PMID- 1431762
TI  - Giardiasis.

PMID- 1431763
TI  - Caring for victims of childhood sexual abuse.

PMID- 1431764
TI  - Family physicians and chiropractors: what's best for the patient?

PMID- 1431765
TI  - Low back pain: more than anatomy.

PMID- 1431766
TI  - Prevalence of lifetime sexual victimization among female patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: State and federal statistics describe a lower incidence of rape and
      child abuse than is suggested by community prevalence rates. Victims of sexual
      assault may experience numerous short-term and long-term effects on psychosocial
      and physical health. They tend to use medical services more than nonvictims and
      are also more likely to seek medical care than mental health services. This study
      seeks to determine the prevalence of sexual victimization in a family practice
      setting. METHODS: Women 18 years of age or older presenting to a combined family
      practice and university student health center for a routine Papanicolaou smear or
      a health maintenance visit voluntarily completed an anonymous sexual experiences
      questionnaire of 28 close-ended items. RESULTS: Of 416 consecutive women, 405
      agreed to participate. Of 147 family practice patients, 47.6% reported some type
      of contact sexual victimization during their lifetimes; 25.2% reported rape or
      attempted rape. Of 258 student health service patients, 57% had experienced
      contact sexual victimization, and 28.7% reported rape or attempted rape. Of those
      who reported unwanted sexual contact, 30% of the family practice patients felt
      they would not be comfortable discussing the experience with medical personnel,
      and 44.9% of the student health service patients would not feel comfortable doing
      so. CONCLUSIONS: Women with a history of unwanted sexual contact may be common in
      family practice and student health settings. Although treatment can be
      beneficial, many of these patients are not comfortable discussing their
      experiences with medical personnel. These findings suggest that there is
      potential benefit in obtaining a sexual victimization history as part of routine
      care, but further research will be necessary to assess the clinical benefit of
      such an approach.

PMID- 1431767
TI  - A comparison of the gastrointestinal side effects of two forms of erythromycin.
AB  - BACKGROUND: The gastrointestinal (GI) side effects of erythromycin frequently
      limit therapy and compliance. PCE Dispertab, a more expensive brand of
      erythromycin, has been promoted as a well-tolerated new dosage form; however, no
      studies compare its GI side effects with those of other forms of erythromycin. We
      compared erythromycin PCE (particles-in-tablet) with E.E.S. (erythromycin
      ethylsuccinate) to determine whether there is a difference in the incidence and
      severity of GI side effects. METHODS: This was a multicenter, prospective, single
      blind, randomized trial. Observers, but not participants, were blinded to the
      brand of erythromycin taken until after data analysis. We enrolled ambulatory
      patients who were at least 18 years old and weighed at least 90 lb for whom
      erythromycin had been prescribed at a dosage of 1.0 g/d. Subjects were given
      either the particles-in-tablet form, 333 mg three times daily, or the
      ethylsuccinate form, 400 mg four times daily, for 10 days and asked to report
      efficacy, compliance, and the frequency and severity of four GI symptoms
      (abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea) in a daily diary. RESULTS: There
      were no significant differences between the particles-in-tablet and
      ethylsuccinate forms in incidence of GI side effects (63% and 61%, respectively),
      average daily GI symptom severity score (0.62 and 0.68, respectively), and GI
      related discontinuations (8.5% and 8.2%, respectively). The incidence of moderate
      or severe nausea was 5% for the particles-in-tablet form and 25% for the
      ethylsuccinate form (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Although ethylsuccinate caused a
      higher incidence of moderate to severe nausea, there were no differences in the
      three main outcome measures: incidence of GI side effects, average daily GI
      symptom severity score, and GI-related discontinuations. Therefore, we support
      prescribing erythromycin ethylsuccinate as a first line of treatment because it
      costs less.

PMID- 1431769
TI  - Body mass and weight as indicators for cholesterol screening.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Universal screening of serum cholesterol levels in adults has been
      recommended but not achieved. We were interested in factors that affected
      screening rates, and whether obese patients were more likely to have elevated
      cholesterol levels than other patients in our practice. METHODS: A sequential
      sample of charts was reviewed for height, weight, race, sex, diagnosis of
      hypertension or diabetes, and evidence of cholesterol screening. RESULTS: Of 604
      adult patients, 32% had serum cholesterol measurements. No correlation was found
      between weight or body mass index and cholesterol levels. Patients with
      hypertension or diabetes were more frequently screened. Sex and race did not
      influence screening rates. CONCLUSIONS: In this population neither weight nor
      body mass index was associated with elevated serum cholesterol levels, suggesting
      that screening must be offered without regard to level of obesity in order to
      find those patients who will benefit from intervention.

PMID- 1431768
TI  - The many-voiced cultural story line of a case of diabetes mellitus.
AB  - An ethnographic approach is used to conduct and describe my research into a case
      of chronic illness and to assist the family physician's interventions. What at
      first appeared to be a frustrating, difficult-to-control case of diabetes
      mellitus was later revealed to be an intricate drama involving multiple voices
      and issues: marital, life stage, family, religious, occupational, regional,
      economic, and physician family-of-origin. Questions such as who has the disease?,
      what is the disease?, what keeps the disease going?, who is the patient?, and who
      is the clinician? are explored in the context of this case. The case was "solved"
      when the loss and sadness of aging was discovered and accepted during a cathartic
      session involving the diabetic patient, her husband, their family physician, and
      myself, a consultant.

PMID- 1431770
TI  - Contractual arrangements between residency programs and HMOs.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although one out of seven health maintenance organizations (HMOs) is
      directly involved in graduate medical education (GME), either as an accredited
      sponsoring organization or through a contractual agreement with an academic
      medical center or teaching hospital to serve as an ambulatory rotation site,
      relatively little is known about the extent to which HMOs have provider contracts
      with faculty or residents of GME programs. Such provider contracts are not
      agreements to collaborate on the education of residents, but rather contractual
      arrangements under which individual physicians or groups (who happen to be
      residents or faculty) agree to provide services to HMO enrollees in return for
      some form of compensation. METHODS: In 1990, the Group Health Association of
      America conducted a survey of a sample of residency training programs in family
      medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics to ascertain the extent to which (1)
      residents and faculty of residency training programs are participating physicians
      in HMOs; and (2) HMO enrollees are serving as the patient base for GME in
      ambulatory settings. RESULTS: Overall, 42% of the residency program respondents
      indicated that they contract with HMOs to provide services to enrollees. Nearly
      two thirds (64%) of family practice programs have provider contracts as compared
      with 28% of pediatrics programs and 24% of internal medicine programs. Provider
      contracts with independent practice associations are by far the most common,
      followed by group, network, and staff model contracts, in that order.
      CONCLUSIONS: It is apparent that provider contractual arrangements between HMOs
      and primary care residency programs are quite common, especially in the area of
      family practice. These contractual arrangements have probably resulted in a more
      predictable and stable patient revenue base for residency programs. The long-term
      effects on provider practice styles and the financing of graduate medical
      education are less clear.

PMID- 1431771
TI  - Family physicians, chiropractors, and back pain.
AB  - In this article, major aspects of back care provided to patients by family
      physicians and chiropractors are reviewed, and the recent guidelines on spinal
      manipulation therapy are discussed. These guidelines should be useful for family
      physicians wishing to refer patients to chiropractors.

PMID- 1431772
TI  - The computer-based medical record: current status.
AB  - At the turn of the century, neither hospitals nor physicians routinely kept
      clinical records. Since then, the medical record has gradually evolved. More
      recently, as society and medicine have become more complex and sophisticated,
      inadequacies of the paper medical record have become increasingly apparent. The
      computer-based medical record addresses many of the deficiencies of the paper
      record. Meanwhile, barriers to computer-based records have decreased; hardware
      has become more affordable, powerful, and compact, and software has been refined.
      Socially, the major payers for health care are demanding verification of the
      effectiveness and quality of care, information that involves data-intensive
      research. The electronic medical record promises to improve quality of care by
      providing point-of-care reminder and decision support tools as well as a database
      for substantiating the effectiveness of care. In conjunction with the growing
      integration of computers into all facets of life, government agencies, computer
      giants, and medical organizations are currently laying the groundwork for the
      development of standardized elements and formats for computer-based medical
      information systems. As part of the continuing evolution of the medical record,
      we foresee these forces culminating in the computerization of the clinical
      record. In this review, we briefly describe the developments that led us to this
      conclusion and describe computer-based clinical record systems in use in two
      family practice settings.

PMID- 1431773
TI  - Anterior shoulder dislocations.
AB  - The glenohumeral joint of the shoulder is the most commonly dislocated joint in
      the body. When dislocation occurs, it is usually anterior. The primary care
      physician usually sees the patient after reduction has been performed. Thus,
      treatment is directed at recovery of function and preventing recurrences. The
      prognosis and likelihood of recurrence in a first-time anterior dislocation
      depends on the mechanism of injury, treatment, rehabilitation, sex, age, and
      complications. Non-operative treatment after reduction usually involves
      immobilization and rehabilitation. Studies to date seem to indicate that age and
      activity level are more important factors for recurrence than length of
      immobilization. Traditionally, if there are recurrences after conservative
      treatment, then surgery is contemplated.

PMID- 1431774
TI  - Supraventricular tachycardia resistant to treatment in a pregnant woman.
AB  - Supraventricular tachycardia is relatively common in pregnancy, and is related to
      the normal physiologic changes of the cardiovascular system in the gravid state.
      When the arrhythmia is secondary to an ectopic atrial focus of automaticity, it
      can be particularly difficult to convert to a normal sinus rhythm with
      medications or DC cardioversion. A case of supraventricular tachycardia
      complicating a normal pregnancy and resistant to treatment is presented, with
      particular attention devoted to flecainide and propranolol, agents ultimately
      effective in this patient.

PMID- 1431775
TI  - Putting teeth into your physical exam. Part 2: Adults.

PMID- 1431776
TI  - Sulfoconjugation of steroids and the vascular pathway of communication in dogfish
      testis.
AB  - The zonal testis of the dogfish (Squalus acanthias) has proven advantageous to
      study biochemical changes in relation to stage of spermatogenesis, including
      information on steroidogenic enzymes and steroid receptors. To investigate
      whether sulfotransferase is part of a mechanism regulating the availability of
      biologically active hormone in close proximity to receptors, we measured in vitro
      conversion of [3H]estrone (E1) to sulfoconjugated metabolites in cytosolic
      subfractions of testes grossly dissected according to germ cell composition
      (premeiotic-PrM, meiotic-M, and postmeiotic-PoM stages). Assays were carried out
      in the presence of adenosine 3'-phosphate 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) at 22 degrees
      C and optimized for time (60 min) and protein (500 micrograms/ml). Michaelis
      Menten kinetics and saturation analysis gave the following reaction constants for
      [3H]E1: Km = 0.33 microM, Vmax = 2.5 pmol/min/mg; and for PAPS: Km = 33 microM,
      Vmax = 1.1 pmol/min/mg; competition studies carried out in the absence or
      presence of 1- or 5-fold excess radioinert steroids indicated that estrogen (E2 >
      E1) as well as androgens (T = DHEA > 5 alpha dihydrotestosterone, DHT) were
      effective inhibitors. Sulfotransferase activity was found to be stage-related,
      being highest in PoM regions (2.31 +/- 0.24 pmol/min/mg protein) when compared to
      M and PrM regions (1.22 +/- 0.22 and 1.28 +/- 0.21 pmol/min/mg protein,
      respectively). Sulfoconjugation and the intratesticular distribution of steroid
      sulfates were also measured in vivo by perfusion of the intact testis with
      [3H]androgen or -estrogen. The pathway of blood flow via the genital artery was
      epigonal organ-->PoM-->M-->PrM (mature-->immature). Perfused [3H]E2, T, and DHT
      were all extensively metabolized in a one-pass, 1 hr perfusion, less than 10% of
      perfused [3H] steroid being recovered from testicular tissues as unchanged
      steroid. In general, recovery of polar metabolites was greater than non-polar
      metabolites from all three substrates. Sequential hydrolysis with glucuronidase
      and glusulase indicated that sulfoconjugation is a minor component (< 20%) of
      several "inactivating" pathways, which include glucuronide conjugation, 17
      ketosteroid synthesis, and pathways leading to unidentified polar metabolites. No
      consistent stage-related distribution patterns were observed for any of the
      metabolite subfractions; however, total recovered radioactive steroid (polar plus
      non-polar) formed a decreasing concentration gradient from point of entry of
      perfusate (PoM region) to point of exit (PrM region). These data support the
      conclusion that access to receptors by steroid ligands may be controlled by a
      balance between activating and inactivating pathways.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400
      WORDS)

PMID- 1431777
TI  - Anti-P450lpr antiserum inhibits specific monooxygenase activities in LPR house
      fly microsomes.
AB  - Monooxygenase activity in microsomes from the LPR strain of house fly (Musca
      domestica L.) was inhibited by anti-P450lpr, and antiserum specific for house fly
      cytochrome P450lpr. Anti-P450lpr did not inhibit house fly cytochrome P450
      reductase or rat cytochrome P450 monooxygenase assays, consistent with specific
      inhibition of P450lpr. Anti-P450lpr inhibited the ability of cytochrome P450
      reductase to reduce carbon monoxide treated LPR microsomal cytochrome P450, up to
      49% of the total, showing that inhibition of cytochrome P450 reduction is the
      major mechanism of inhibition. Anti-P450lpr inhibited 98% of methoxyresorufin-O
      demethylase activity and all the benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase activity in LPR
      microsomes, but none of the pentoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase activity. The antiserum
      partially inhibited ethoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase and ethoxycoumarin-O-dealkylase
      activity. These results demonstrate that methoxyresourfin-O-demethylase activity
      and benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase activity are characteristic substrates for P450lpr
      activity in the LPR strain of house fly.

PMID- 1431778
TI  - Inhibitory role of sex steroid in the regulation of ovarian follicle-stimulating
      hormone receptors during pregnancy.
AB  - The present study was conducted to determine the role of sex steroids in the
      regulation of FSH receptors in pregnant rats. In the normal physiological
      condition, FSH bindings per unit ovarian weight (density of binding) and per 2
      ovaries (total binding) increased during days 14-21 gestation. Scatchard plot
      analyses of the binding suggested that the increase in FSH binding was due to an
      increase in the number of FSH-binding sites. The plasma FSH concentration in
      pregnant rats was stable during the receptor change. In contrast, the plasma
      estradiol-17 beta concentration continuously increased from gestation day 14 to
      21, and the testosterone level showed a large peak on gestation day 18. Estradiol
      17 beta (one silastic plate containing 13 mg crystal)-implanted pregnant rats
      during 14-21 days of gestation induced significant decreases in the total FSH
      binding and ovarian weight on gestation day 21. Estradiol administration
      increased the plasma estradiol level 2.3-fold but did not change the FSH level.
      Testosterone or 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, a nonaromatizable androgen, did not
      influence the binding level under the same dose treatment. In contrast,
      continuous treatment with aminoglutethimide (2 plates containing 20 mg crystal),
      an inhibitor of adrenocortical steroidogenesis, for 7 days significantly
      increased the total FSH binding without a significant change in the ovarian
      weight. The plasma titers of estradiol and testosterone in pregnant rats treated
      with aminoglutethimide were reduced by 37% and 51%, respectively.
      Aminoglutethimide did not influence plasma FSH levels. These results suggest that
      circulating estradiol acts as a negative factor in the regulation of ovarian FSH
      receptors, at least during the second half of pregnancy. Other factor(s) that is
      (are) independent of sex steroids and FSH may contribute to FSH receptor
      induction.

PMID- 1431779
TI  - Sex differences in adrenal function in the lizard Cnemidophorus sexlineatus: I.
      Seasonal variation in the field.
AB  - In order to document sex differences in adrenal function and how this relates to
      gonadal function during the period of seasonal activity, blood samples from male
      and female six-lined racerunners, Cnemidophorus sexlineatus, were taken
      immediately after capture in the field for determination of plasma corticosterone
      and gonadal steroid concentrations. Plasma testosterone and dihydrotestosterone
      levels for males, and 17 beta-estradiol and progesterone levels for females, were
      measured. Trends in the concentration of plasma corticosterone differed
      significantly between males and females. In males the highest concentrations of
      corticosterone were measured in late spring and the lowest concentrations were
      measured in late summer. Whereas half of the variation in corticosterone levels
      among males could be explained as seasonal change, less than 1% of the variation
      among females could be explained as seasonal change. In males plasma
      corticosterone and androgens exhibited similar seasonal decreases. Corticosterone
      levels for females were not correlated with progesterone or 17 beta-estradiol
      levels. Sex differences in seasonal variation in plasma corticosterone
      concentrations suggest that corticosterone may be involved in the different
      reproductive strategies and energy requirements of males and females during the
      seasonal period of activity.

PMID- 1431780
TI  - Sex differences in adrenal function in the lizard Cnemidophorus sexlineatus: II.
      Responses to acute stress in the laboratory.
AB  - Circulating concentrations of plasma corticosterone and gonadal steroids were
      measured in intact and gonadectomized male and female lizards (Cnemidophorus
      sexlineatus) following acute stress (handling) in the laboratory. There was a
      significant increase in plasma corticosterone after stress. Whereas intact
      females exhibited greater concentrations of corticosterone relative to intact
      males, ovariectomized females exhibited lower concentrations of corticosterone
      relative to castrated males. In addition to sex differences in corticosterone
      responses to gonadectomy, progesterone was elevated by stress in both intact and
      ovariectomized females but not in males. Corticosterone adjusted for castration
      and handling in males was negatively correlated with the plasma androgen level.
      The adrenal responsiveness of males to acute stress may be attenuated by
      androgens presumably secreted by the testis. Not only does adrenal function
      influence reproduction, but adrenal responses differ between males and females,
      and appear to be influenced by the gonadal axis. The sex differences in adrenal
      responses to stress likely reflect different reproductive strategies and
      nutritional requirements of males and females during the breeding season.

PMID- 1431781
TI  - Genetic and experimental studies on a new pigment mutant in Xenopus laevis.
AB  - White lethal (wl) is a recessive mutation affecting the differentiation of the
      three types of chromatophores in Xenopus laevis and eventually leading to the
      death of the mutants around stage 50. Melanophores appear at st. 33 but
      differentiate abnormally, remaining pale grey, and do not proliferate after st.
      41. The rare xanthophores present contain only a few differentiated pterinosomes,
      and the iridophores consist of noniridescent white dots. When the albino gene
      (ap) is combined with wl, melanophores do not differentiate. Reciprocal
      heterotopic and orthotopic trunk neural crest grafts have shown that the defect
      is intrinsic to the neural crest cells but is not due, in the case of
      melanophores, to a tyrosinase deficiency as revealed by the dopa reaction. The
      mode of action of the gene, the abnormal pattern, and lethality are discussed.

PMID- 1431782
TI  - Protein kinase C modulators influence meiosis kinetics but not fertilizability of
      mouse oocytes.
AB  - The role of protein kinase C (PKC) in the successive steps of mouse oocyte
      meiotic process was investigated. We have used either OAG, an analog of
      diacylglycerol, or mezerein, a nonphorbol ester diterpene, less tumor promoting
      than phorbol esters, as PKC activators, and staurosporine as PKC inhibitor.
      Cumulus-free oocytes were cultured in minimum essential medium with each of these
      PKC modulators and maturation stages were screened every two hours until the end
      of the process. Both PKC activators prevented GVBD at each tested dose for 4 hr
      (OAG) and 8 hr (mezerein), and decreased the frequencies of PB oocytes. The
      inhibitory effects of both activators were dose dependent and reversible. The
      addition of OAG to the culture medium after GVBD occurrence (i.e., after 4 hrs)
      did not affect PB extrusion whereas similar addition of mezerein significantly
      decreased the frequency of PB oocytes. Inhibition of PKC by staurosporine
      accelerated GVBD and increased the frequency of PB extrusion. When staurosporine
      was added after GVBD, PB extrusion occurred earlier but PB oocyte frequency was
      not increased. Fertilizability was not affected when oocyte maturation occurred
      in the presence of any of these substances despite the delay in maturation
      process. These results clearly indicate that the PKC pathway is involved in mouse
      oocyte meiotic process: activation of the enzyme would arrest meiotic process
      whereas its inhibition would participate in meiosis induction.

PMID- 1431783
TI  - Culture of postimplantation rat embryos in rabbit serum for the identification of
      the growth factor in fractionated rat serum.
AB  - The growth factor for postimplantation rat embryos was investigated on the basis
      of the serum species-specificity in supporting embryonic development in culture.
      We used rabbit serum as a basal medium for the culture of head-fold stage rat
      embryos, and examined the effects of various fractions of rat serum on their
      development. In rabbit serum alone, rat embryos developed poorly. With the rat
      serum ultrafiltrate of molecular weight (MW) < 300,000, embryonic development
      improved, but not with the ultrafiltrate of MW < 100,000. With dialyzed rat serum
      or the globulin fraction of rat serum, embryonic development improved, but the
      albumin fraction had no effect. It was concluded from these results that some
      macromolecular growth factor for cultured postimplantation rat embryos was
      present in the globulin fraction of rat serum. The molecular weight of this
      growth factor was estimated to be between 65,000 and 300,000. Rabbit serum was
      considered to be suitable as a medium for the identification of this growth
      factor.

PMID- 1431784
TI  - The ionophore-induced acrosome reaction differs structurally from the spontaneous
      acrosome reaction.
AB  - The ultrastructure of the spontaneous acrosome reaction in ram spermatozoa has
      been compared with that induced by the ionophore, A23187. The spontaneous event
      was dependent on incubation for 4 h, on the temperature, and on dilution. Apart
      from the more rapid occurrence of the ionophore-induced event, the mean diameter
      and distribution of vesicle size was also different. The ionophore-induced
      vesicles were larger, more irregular, and heterogeneous in size compared with
      those occurring in the spontaneous acrosome reaction (average diameter 84 nm vs.
      60 nm in the spontaneous acrosome reaction). These observations are interpreted
      in relation to capacitation.

PMID- 1431785
TI  - The role of hypoglossal sensory feedback during feeding in the marine toad, Bufo
      marinus.
AB  - Behavioral observations demonstrate that bilateral deafferentation of the
      hypoglossal nerves in the marine toad (Bufo marinus) prevents mouth opening
      during feeding. In the present study, we used high-speed videography,
      electromyography (EMG), deafferentation, muscle stimulation, and extracellular
      recordings from the trigeminal nerve to investigate the mechanism by which
      sensory feedback from the tongue controls the jaw muscles of toads. Our results
      show that sensory feedback from the tongue enters the brain through the
      hypoglossal nerve during normal feeding. This feedback appears to inhibit both
      tonic and phasic activity of the jaw levators. Hypoglossal feedback apparently
      functions to coordinate tongue protraction and mouth opening during feeding.
      Among anurans, the primitive condition is the absence of a highly protrusible
      tongue and the absence of a hypoglossal sensory feedback system. The hypoglossal
      feedback system evolved in parallel with the acquisition of a highly protrusible
      tongue in toads and their relatives.

PMID- 1431786
TI  - Assembly and disassembly of axonal microtubules of the toad Xenopus laevis under
      the effect of temperature.
AB  - In toads Xenopus laevis living at 11 degrees (winter), the microtubular density
      of 4-microns myelinated axons of lumbosacral nerves was assessed with the
      electron microscope. In controls, the density was 11.2 microtubules/microns2. In
      nerves incubated at 0 degrees, microtubules decreased following a simple
      exponential curve with a half time of 4.7 min (k = 0.149 min-1); residual
      microtubules were 4.5%. After rewarming, the full complement of microtubules
      reappeared within 60 min. In steady state, the microtubular density exhibited a
      linear relationship with temperature (range: 0-22 degrees; slope 0.94
      microtubules/microns 2 per degree; r, 0.96). After heating the nerve by 11
      degrees above the physiological temperature, microtubules increased by 83%,
      whereby the pool of unpolymerized tubulin was at least 2.7 mg/ml of axoplasm. A
      seasonal variation of the microtubular density was observed which accorded with
      the environmental temperature. The macroscopic kinetics of microtubule
      disassembly in the axoplasm is similar to that reported for purified tubulin but
      that of assembly is slower. Microtubules of peripheral axons of Xenopus are cold
      labile and vary during the annual cycle.

PMID- 1431787
TI  - Formation of the peripheral nervous system during tail regeneration in urodele
      amphibians: ultrastructural and immunohistochemical studies of the origin of the
      cells.
AB  - In the regenerating newt tail, epimorphic regeneration--which recapitulates
      morphologically normal embryonic development--proceeds along a rostrocaudal
      differentiation gradient. Innervation of the new myomeres results from the spinal
      roots of segments rostral to the amputation plane and from ventral roots emerging
      from the lateroventral region of the regenerating spinal cord, in which motor
      neurons are differentiating. Electron microscopy and an indirect
      immunofluorescence study with anti-glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) confirm
      that the ventrolateral part of the regenerated ependymal tube gives rise to cells
      of the ventral root sheath and the spinal ganglia. Anti-GFAP and anti
      neurofilament antibodies showed that ependymoglial cells and Schwann cells may
      play a role in neuronal pathfinding by helping guide and stabilize pioneering
      axons as they extend toward the myomeres. The carbohydrate epitope NC-1 is
      expressed in the spinal cord, in sheath cells of the spinal ganglia and in the
      non-myelin-forming Schwann cells of the peripheral nervous system. L1, a Ca++
      independent neural cell adhesion molecule, was detected in the axonal
      compartments of the regenerating spinal cord, on immature and/or non-myelin
      forming Schwann cells within the peripheral nervous system (PNS), and on nerve
      fibers within the regenerate. These immunohistochemical observations collectively
      support the hypothesis that Schwann cells already present in the blastema could
      be involved in organizing neural pathways.

PMID- 1431788
TI  - Pregnancy-associated murine protein-1 (PAMP-1) in wild rodents.
AB  - The presence of pregnancy-associated murine protein-1 (PAMP-1) in a number of
      wild rodent species was examined using tandem crossed immunoelectrophoresis and
      anti PAMP-1 antisera raised in rabbits. PAMP-1 is a protein present in female
      laboratory mice and rats; analogues were readily detected in the following
      species: Musculus domesticus, M. musculus, Apodemus sylvaticus, A. agrarius, A.
      flavicollis, and Microtus arvalus. Immunologically, cross-reacting proteins could
      not be detected in the laboratory hamster and laboratory guinea pig. Maternal
      PAMP-1 serum levels were recorded throughout pregnancy in the two species of
      house mouse: M. domesticus and M. musculus. Both proteins exhibited maximum
      concentration at day 11 of gestation. During early pregnancy, M. domesticus
      females had significantly higher serum levels than those of M. musculus females.

PMID- 1431789
TI  - Planning for discovery.

PMID- 1431790
TI  - Needed: redefinition of the hospital mission.

PMID- 1431791
TI  - Initial evaluation of the diving accident victim.
AB  - Diving accidents include air embolism and decompression sickness. Both require
      early stabilization and initiation of therapy before transfer to a definitive
      medical center for recompression therapy. Initial treatment consists of
      hydration, oxygen therapy and often steroids and antithrombosis therapy. Symptoms
      must be separated from other related conditions including myocardial infarction.

PMID- 1431792
TI  - Recreational scuba injuries.
AB  - Decompression illness, which includes decompression sickness and arterial gas
      embolism, can be a complex and difficult diagnostic dilemma. The signs and
      symptoms are not well known and mimic other illnesses which often results in
      delay when seeking medical evaluation. Additionally, most physicians are not
      exposed to diving medicine and may not recognize a decompression illness injury.
      The Divers Alert Network (DAN) offers information to the diving public and
      telephone consultation for physicians who require assistance in the evaluation of
      scuba divers and management of dive accident cases. Divers Alert Network also
      publishes the national annual report on scuba diving morbidity and mortality.
      Services provided without charge are sponsored by the DAN membership. This
      article introduces the physician to decompression illness and the basic care and
      treatment of the injured scuba diver.

PMID- 1431793
TI  - Pathophysiology and treatment of decompression sickness and gas embolism.
AB  - Decompression sickness and cerebral gas embolism can present as dramatic and
      profound sudden onset injuries in patients engaged in tunnel work and compressed
      gas diving, including scuba. The history and management of these illnesses span
      centuries. The pathophysiology relates to occurrence of gas bubbles in
      extrapulmonic sites. Decompression sickness is due to supersaturation of the
      tissue with dissolved gas and subsequent evolution of gas bubbles. Gas embolism
      results from the direct transit of molecular gas from a pulmonary or
      intravascular origin into the arterial circulation causing occlusion of a distal
      locus. Treatment relates to increasing hydrostatic pressure, thus maximizing the
      gradient for gas reabsorption and dissolution and subsequently gas excretion via
      the lungs.

PMID- 1431794
TI  - Treatment of near drowning.

PMID- 1431795
TI  - Bodies in water. Solving the puzzle.
AB  - The enigma produced by a body found in water is clarified only by a total
      circumstantial investigation correlated with autopsy findings. Multiple factors,
      human, equipment and environmental, must be considered before opinions are
      expressed. The conclusion that death is due to drowning does not address the true
      needs which are to determine why a victim got into difficulty and could not
      escape.

PMID- 1431796
TI  - How plastic is the central nervous system?
AB  - Ramon y Cajal expressed the fatalistic view in 1928, of the central nervous
      system's response to damage that "...once the development was ended, the fonts of
      growth and regeneration of the axons and dendrites dried up irrevocably. In adult
      centers, the nerve paths are something fixed, ended, immutable. Everything may
      die, nothing may regenerate." Recently, however, new techniques for studying the
      nervous system have led to a reversal of thought. It is now clear the central
      nervous system (CNS) is remarkably plastic. While neurons cannot be replaced once
      they are lost through traumatic damage, the action of neurotoxins or disease
      processes, remaining neurons are capable of a remarkable array of responses under
      the appropriate conditions. The lines of research that led to this new concept
      are briefly explored and also current directions being pursued to understand
      factors that control CNS plasticity.

PMID- 1431797
TI  - Beware the hand in the till.

PMID- 1431798
TI  - Bureaucratic utopia.

PMID- 1431799
TI  - Youth support card continues to help those in crisis.

PMID- 1431800
TI  - Expert scientific evidence under the adversarial system. A travesty of justice?
AB  - The procedures for providing courts with expert scientific evidence under the
      adversarial and inquisitorial systems are reviewed with special reference to the
      role of the Home Office as the principal purveyor of such evidence at English
      law. It is suggested that recent advances in technology must lead to increasing
      interdependence of the various disciplines involved and that the artificial
      separations which presently exist, notably between forensic pathology and
      science, are unsatisfactory. Attention is called to the situation in many
      European countries where medico-legal institutes provide the courts with
      comprehensive expert scientific services which are non-confrontational and which
      do not place experts in the position of appearing for one or other of the parties
      to an action.

PMID- 1431801
TI  - Premenstrual tension as mitigation in a criminal case.
AB  - A woman pleaded guilty to road traffic offences and was sentenced to be
      disqualified for holding or obtaining a driving licence for six months. Her
      appeal against that sentence was allowed on the basis that she was suffering from
      premenstrual tension at the time of the offences, and that the disqualification
      imposed was neither necessary nor appropriate.

PMID- 1431802
TI  - The psychology of the terrorist.

PMID- 1431804
TI  - Gating of O2-sensitive K+ channels of arterial chemoreceptor cells and kinetic
      modifications induced by low PO2.
AB  - We have studied the kinetic properties of the O2-sensitive K+ channels (KO2
      channels) of dissociated glomus cells from rabbit carotid bodies exposed to
      variable O2 tension (PO2). Experiments were done using single-channel and whole
      cell recording techniques. The major gating properties of KO2 channels in excised
      membrane patches can be explained by a minimal kinetic scheme that includes
      several closed states (C0 to C4), an open state (O), and two inactivated states
      (I0 and I1). At negative membrane potentials most channels are distributed
      between the left-most closed states (C0 and C1), but membrane depolarization
      displaces the equilibrium toward the open state. After opening, channels undergo
      reversible transitions to a short-living closed state (C4). These transitions
      configure a burst, which terminates by channels either returning to a closed
      state in the activation pathway (C3) or entering a reversible inactivated
      conformation (I0). Burst duration increases with membrane depolarization. During
      a maintained depolarization, KO2 channels make several bursts before ending at a
      nonreversible, absorbing, inactivated state (I1). On moderate depolarizations,
      KO2 channels inactivate very often from a closed state. Exposure to low PO2
      reversibly induces an increase in the first latency, a decrease in the number of
      bursts per trace, and a higher occurrence of closed-state inactivation. The open
      state and the transitions to adjacent closed or inactivated states seem to be
      unaltered by hypoxia. Thus, at low PO2 the number of channels that open in
      response to a depolarization decreases, and those channels that follow the
      activation pathway open more slowly and inactivate faster. At the macroscopic
      level, these changes are paralleled by a reduction in the peak current amplitude,
      slowing down of the activation kinetics, and acceleration of the inactivation
      time course. The effects of low PO2 can be explained by assuming that under this
      condition the closed state C0 is stabilized and the transitions to the absorbing
      inactivated state I1 are favored. The fact that hypoxia modifies kinetically
      defined conformational states of the channels suggests that O2 levels determine
      the structure of specific domains of the KO2 channel molecule. These results help
      to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the enhancement of the
      excitability of glomus cells in response to hypoxia.

PMID- 1431803
TI  - Mutations in M2 alter the selectivity of the mouse nicotinic acetylcholine
      receptor for organic and alkali metal cations.
AB  - We measured the permeability ratios (PX/PNa) of 3 wild-type, 1 hybrid, 2 subunit
      deficient, and 22 mutant nicotinic receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes for
      alkali metal and organic cations using shifts in the bi-ionic reversal potential
      of the macroscopic current. Mutations at three positions (2', 6', 10') in M2
      affected ion selectivity. Mutations at position 2' (alpha Thr244, beta Gly255,
      gamma Thr253, delta Ser258) near the intracellular end of M2 changed the organic
      cation permeability ratios as much as twofold and reduced PCs/PNa and PK/PNa by
      16-18%. Mutations at positions 6' and 10' increased the glycine ethyl ester/Na+
      and glycine methyl ester/Na+ permeability ratios. Two subunit alterations also
      affected selectivity: omission of the delta subunit reduced PCs/PNa by 16%, and
      substitution of Xenopus delta for mouse delta increased Pguanidinium/PNa more
      than twofold and reduced PCs/PNa by 34% and PLi/PNa by 20%. The wild-type mouse
      receptor displayed a surprising interaction with the primary ammonium cations;
      relative permeability peaked at a chain length equal to four carbons. Analysis of
      the organic permeability ratios for the wild-type mouse receptor shows that (a)
      the diameter of the narrowest part of the pore is 8.4 A; (b) the mouse receptor
      departs significantly from size selectivity for monovalent organic cations; and
      (c) lowering the temperature reduces Pguanidinium/PNa by 38% and
      Pbutylammonium/PNa more than twofold. The results reinforce present views that
      positions -1' and 2' are the narrowest part of the pore and suggest that
      positions 6' and 10' align some permeant organic cations in the pore in an
      interaction similar to that with channel blocker, QX-222.

PMID- 1431805
TI  - Flash photolysis of caged compounds in Limulus ventral photoreceptors.
AB  - Rapid concentration jumps of Ins(1,4,5)P3 or ATP were made inside Limulus ventral
      photoreceptors by flash photolysis of the parent caged compounds. In intact
      ventral photoreceptors, the photolysis flash evokes a maximum amplitude light
      activated current; therefore, a procedure was developed for uncoupling
      phototransduction by blocking two of the initial reactions in the cascade,
      rhodopsin excitation and G protein activation. Rhodopsin was inactivated by
      exposure to hydroxylamine and bright light. This procedure abolished the early
      receptor potential and reduced the quantum efficiency by 325 +/- 90-fold (mean +/
      SD). G protein activation was blocked by injection of guanosine-5'-O-(2
      thiodiphosphate) (GDP beta S). GDP beta S injection reduced the quantum
      efficiency by 1,881 +/- 1,153-fold (mean +/- SD). Together hydroxylamine exposure
      and GDP beta S injection reduced the quantum efficiency by 870,000 +/- 650,000
      fold (mean +/- SD). After the combined treatment, photoreceptors produced quantum
      bumps to light that was approximately 10(6) times brighter than the intensity
      that produced quantum bumps before treatment. Experiments were performed with
      caged compounds injected into photoreceptors in which phototransduction was
      largely uncoupled. Photolysis of one compound, myo-inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate
      P4(5)-1-(2-nitrophenyl)ethyl ester (caged IP3), increased the voltage clamp
      current in response to the flashlamp by more than twofold without changing the
      latency of the response. The effect was not seen with photolysis of either
      adenosine-5'-triphosphate P3-1-(2-nitrophenyl)ethyl ester (caged ATP) or caged
      IP3 in cells preloaded with either heparin or (1,2-bis-(o-amino-phenoxy)ethane-N
      N-N'-N' tetraacetic acid tetrapotassium salt (BAPTA). The results suggest that
      photoreleased IP3 releases calcium ions from intracellular stores and the
      resulting increase in [Ca2+]i enhances the amplification of the phototransduction
      cascade.

PMID- 1431806
TI  - Synthesis of the complete 200K polyprotein encoded by cowpea mosaic virus B-RNA
      in insect cells.
AB  - The coding sequence for the entire 200K polyprotein of cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV)
      B-RNA was expressed in insect cells by using baculovirus expression vectors. The
      200K polyprotein, which harbours all virus functions required for RNA
      replication, is completely cleaved into 170K and 32K products by the 24K protease
      activity contained within the polyprotein. Further processing of the 170K protein
      into CPMV-specific products of 60K, 84K, 87K, 110K and 112K occurred to a limited
      extent, similar to that observed in cowpea cells. Electron microscopy of insect
      cells in which the 200K protein was produced revealed the presence of membranous
      vesicles and electron-dense structures which were not seen in cells infected with
      wild-type baculovirus. Similar cytopathic structures develop in the cytoplasm of
      CPMV-infected cowpea cells and are thought to be the site of membrane-bound viral
      RNA replication. The electron-dense structures in insect cells could be
      preferentially labelled with several CPMV-specific antisera and Protein A-gold.
      Since electron-dense structures were not observed in cells in which the 170K
      protein only was produced, it seems that the 32K protein has a role in keeping
      the B-RNA-encoded proteins in these structures together. Membranous vesicles were
      also observed in insect cells in which the 60K protein only was produced. Use of
      specific antibodies and Protein A-gold showed that the 60K protein is associated
      with these vesicles, indicating that the 60K protein may induce the formation of
      vesicles. Although proteolytic processing of the 200K polyprotein and the
      induction of cytopathic structures indicate that the CPMV proteins produced in
      insect cells are functional, it has not been possible to demonstrate RNA
      polymerase activity in extracts of these cells using an oligo(U)-primed assay.
      The results indicate that in the assay an additional component is lacking and/or
      that the CPMV polymerase is not able to start RNA synthesis on an exogenous
      template.

PMID- 1431807
TI  - The complete nucleotide sequence of turnip mosaic potyvirus RNA.
AB  - The complete RNA genome of turnip mosaic potyvirus (TuMV) was amplified by seven
      consecutive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reactions and cloned into
      pUC9. The viral RNA is 9830 nucleotides long and contains a single open reading
      frame (ORF) of 9489 bases encoding a large polyprotein of 3863 amino acids with a
      calculated M(r) of 358,000. The non-coding region (NCR) preceding the ORF is 129
      nucleotides long and has a high AU content (70%). Its predicted secondary
      structure is characterized by a hairpin loop with a free energy loss of -69.9
      kJ/mol. The termination codon is followed by an AU-rich NCR of 209 bases,
      excluding the poly(A) tail. Seven potential nuclear inclusion a proteinase (NIa
      Pro) recognition heptapeptides are found in the polyprotein. Their sequences
      agree with consensus potyviral NIa-Pro cleavage sequences except for that at the
      6K-VPg site, which is characterized by a glutamic acid residue preceding the
      hydrolysed peptide bond. The TuMV proteins are similar to their corresponding
      potyviral proteins.

PMID- 1431808
TI  - The nucleotide sequence of the M RNA segment of tomato spotted wilt virus, a
      bunyavirus with two ambisense RNA segments.
AB  - The complete sequence of the tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) M RNA segment has
      been determined. The RNA is 4821 nucleotides long and has an ambisense coding
      strategy similar to that of the S RNA segment. The M RNA segment contains two
      open reading frames (ORFs), one in the viral sense which encodes a protein with a
      predicted size of 33.6K, and one in the viral complementary sense which encodes
      the precursor to the G1 and G2 glycoproteins, with a predicted size of 127.4K.
      Both ORFs are expressed via the synthesis of subgenomic mRNAs that possibly
      terminate at a stable hairpin structure, located in the intergenic region. The
      precursor for the glycoproteins contains a sequence motif (RGD) which is
      characteristic of cellular attachment domains. Significant sequence homology was
      found between the G1 glycoproteins of members of the genus Bunyavirus and a
      corresponding region in the glycoprotein precursor of TSWV, indicating a close
      evolutionary relationship between these viruses. With the elucidation of the M
      RNA sequence, the complete nucleotide sequence of TSWV has been determined. TSWV
      represents the first member of the Bunyaviridae shown to contain two ambisense
      RNA segments.

PMID- 1431809
TI  - Nucleotide sequence and transcriptional analysis of the polyhedrin gene of
      Spodoptera exigua nuclear polyhedrosis virus.
AB  - The nucleotide sequence of a 1.1 kbp fragment of the multiple nucleocapsid
      nuclear polyhedrosis virus (MNPV) of Spodoptera exigua (Se) containing the
      polyhedrin gene was determined. An open reading frame (ORF) of 738 nucleotides
      (nt) was detected. This ORF encoded a protein of 246 amino acids with a predicted
      M(r) of 29K. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences were compared with the
      sequences of eight other NPV polyhedrins. The SeMNPV polyhedrin protein was most
      closely related to S. frugiperda MNPV polyhedrin with differences in only five
      amino acids, and most distantly related to the Lymantria dispar MNPV polyhedrin.
      The size of the mRNA was approximately 1,000 nt, as determined by Northern blot
      analysis. Using primer extension assays and S1 nuclease mapping the
      transcriptional start and stop sites of the polyhedrin mRNA were located. The 5'
      regulatory sequence appeared to be 44 nt in length with the mRNA start site
      predominantly at the first A of the TAAG consensus start sequence. Two degenerate
      poly(A) signals were found immediately downstream of the translational stop
      signal. The transcriptional stop was located approximately 230 nt downstream from
      the translational stop signal, in an AT-rich sequence that appears to be common
      to all baculovirus polyhedrin genes. The SeMNPV polyhedrin mRNA does not appear
      to be polyadenylated.

PMID- 1431810
TI  - Fusion of influenza virus particles with liposomes: requirement for cholesterol
      and virus receptors to allow fusion with and lysis of neutral but not of
      negatively charged liposomes.
AB  - Influenza virus particles are able to fuse with liposomes composed of negatively
      charged or neutral phospholipids, as shown by using fluorochrome-labelled virions
      and fluorescence dequenching methods. Fusion with liposomes composed of only
      phosphatidylcholine (PC) was dependent on the presence of cholesterol (Chol),
      whereas fusion with liposomes containing negatively charged phospholipids, such
      as phosphatidylserine (PS), or of PC and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) occurred
      in the absence of Chol. Fusion of influenza virions with PC:Chol liposomes was
      observed at pH 5.0, but not at pH 7.4, whereas a low degree of fusion with
      negatively charged liposomes or those containing PE was observed at pH 7.4. In
      addition, non-fusogenic influenza virions or HA0 influenza virions fused with PS-
      or PE-containing liposomes, especially at pH 5.0. Influenza virus particles were
      also able to induce the release of the fluorochrome calcein from negatively
      charged calcein-loaded liposomes at pH 5.0, as well as at pH 7.4, but failed to
      do so with PC:Chol liposomes. Lysis of PC:Chol by influenza virions was dependent
      on the presence of virus receptors, namely gangliosides (sialoglycolipids), and
      was observed only at pH 5.0. The results show that fusion of influenza virions
      with negatively charged or PE-containing liposomes does not reflect the
      biological activity of the virus needed for penetration and infection of living
      cells. On the other hand, fusion with PC:Chol liposomes is probably due to the
      activity of the viral fusion protein, the haemagglutinin glycoprotein.

PMID- 1431811
TI  - Analysis of a 9.6 kb sequence from the 3' end of canine coronavirus genomic RNA.
AB  - We have analysed the organization of the 3' end of the genomic RNA of canine
      coronavirus (CCV), a virus which has a close antigenic relationship to
      transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), porcine respiratory coronavirus
      (PRCV) and feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV). Genomic RNA isolated from
      CCV strain Insavc-1-infected A72 cells was used to generate a cDNA library.
      Overlapping clones, spanning approximately 9.6 kb [from the 3' end of the
      polymerase gene, 1b, to the poly(A) tail] were identified. Sequencing and
      subsequent analyses revealed 10 open reading frames (ORFs). Three of these code
      for the major coronavirus structural polypeptides S, M and N; a fourth codes for
      a small membrane protein, SM, a putative homologue of the IBV structural
      polypeptide 3c, and five code for polypeptides, designated 1b, 3a, 4, 7a and 7b,
      homologous to putative non-structural polypeptides encoded in the TGEV or FIPV
      genomes. An extra ORF which had not hitherto been identified in this antigenic
      group of coronaviruses was designated 3x. Pairwise alignment of these ORFs with
      their counterparts in TGEV, PRCV and FIPV revealed high levels of identity and
      highlighted the close relationship between the members of this group of viruses.

PMID- 1431812
TI  - Open reading frames 1 and 2 of adenovirus region E4 are conserved between human
      serotypes 2 and 5.
AB  - The E4 region of human adenovirus type 2 is predicted to encode seven proteins as
      judged from its nucleotide sequence and the pattern of differential splicing of
      its transcript. Two of the open reading frames (ORFs), ORF1 and ORF2, had been
      identified as being disrupted in the recently published sequence of the related
      serotype 5 virus. These ORFs were resequenced and found to be intact in the wt300
      strain of adenovirus type 5.

PMID- 1431813
TI  - Sequences responsible for efficient replication of simian immunodeficiency virus
      SIVMND in cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage.
AB  - We determined the susceptibility of monocytic cell lines to infection with viral
      strains derived from two infectious clones of simian immunodeficiency virus
      isolated from a mandrill. One of the strains, which replicates poorly in T cell
      lines, was found to grow more rapidly than the other in these cells. The viral
      determinant for this property was genetically mapped within the env gene encoding
      a surface protein. Six amino acid substitutions identified appeared to be located
      outside of the domains corresponding to human immunodeficiency virus type 1 env
      functional domains such as the CD4-binding and V3 loop regions.

PMID- 1431815
TI  - Intracellular distribution of the 126K/183K and capsid proteins in cells infected
      by some tobamoviruses.
AB  - Leaves of plants infected by tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) strain U1, TMV strain M,
      tomato mosaic virus strain Dahlemense and tobacco mild green mosaic virus strain
      U2 were examined for the presence and intracellular distribution of their capsid
      and 126K/183K proteins by immunoblotting and immunogold electron microscopy. The
      bulk of the capsid protein was found in the virus bundles (crystals), although
      small amounts were found in the chloroplasts and nuclei of cells infected by some
      of these tobamoviruses. The 126K protein of TMV-U1 and -M was localized in the X
      bodies, whereas in cells infected by the other two viruses which induce no X
      bodies, the 126K protein was found to be associated with virus bundles.

PMID- 1431814
TI  - Genomic variability in the preS1 region and determination of routes of
      transmission of hepatitis B virus.
AB  - On the basis of published sequence data the preS1 attachment region of hepatitis
      B virus (HBV) appears to be highly variable. Using a novel method for rapid DNA
      sequencing by the polymerase chain reaction we screened 34 HBV DNA-positive sera
      for mutations in a variable part of the preS1 region of the HBV genome. The
      sequence data were used to analyse potential chains of infection, and strongly
      supported the expected routes of HBV transmission among patient groups.
      Furthermore, sequence comparisons permitted sub-genotyping of the viruses. In the
      22 cases of subtype adw, we found a very low number of point mutations. This
      shows that the attachment site of HBV is more highly conserved than that of other
      blood-transmissible viruses such as human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis C
      virus.

PMID- 1431816
TI  - Diffraction studies of the particles of two closteroviruses: heracleum latent
      virus and heracleum virus 6.
AB  - X-ray diffraction from oriented specimens of purified preparations of particles
      of heracleum latent closterovirus (HLV) showed that they have a helical
      arrangement of protein subunits, and that the structure repeats in five helical
      turns in which there are 5q +/- 1 protein subunits, where q is an integer. The
      pitch of the helix was estimated to be 3.26 (+/- 0.10) nm. Optical diffraction
      patterns from electron micrographs of HLV particles give an estimated pitch of
      3.3 (+/- 0.2) nm and show that the number of subunits in the repeat period is 5q
      1, where q has a value of 8 or 9. Optical diffraction from electron micrographs
      of particles of a second closterovirus, heracleum virus 6, shows that they too
      have a helical structure which repeats in five turns, in which there are 5q +/- 1
      protein subunits. The estimated pitch of the primary helix is 3.6 (+/- 0.2) nm,
      and the estimate of q is 9.

PMID- 1431817
TI  - Complete sequence of maize stripe virus RNA4 and mapping of its subgenomic RNAs.

PMID- 1431818
TI  - Respiratory syncytial virus detection by dot blot hybridization with a
      nonradioactive synthetic oligo deoxynucleotide probe.
AB  - A synthetic oligodeoxynucleotide corresponding to a region of the nucleocapside
      gene (N) of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), was used as a DNA probe to develop
      a nonradioactive hybridization assay for the detection of RSV. The probe was
      labeled by incorporation of biotin-7-dATP to the 3' end by a reaction catalyzed
      by terminal deoxynucleotydil transferase. The dot blot hybridization assay was
      found to be specific for RSV when tested against RSV isolates (subgroups A and B)
      obtained from cell cultures and isolates of adenovirus, reovirus, rotavirus, and
      pararotavirus. The assay detected both RSV subgroups (A and B) without
      significant differences. The dot blot hybridization assay using the
      nonradioactive probe led to similar results to indirect immunofluorescence (IFI)
      when tested against a panel of 64 clinical samples from nasopharyngeal secretions
      of infants with clinical symptoms of respiratory disease. This assay may provide
      the basis for a rapid, simple, and inexpensive method for routine RSV diagnosis.

PMID- 1431819
TI  - Toward a more culturally sensitive DSM-IV. Psychoreligious and psychospiritual
      problems.
AB  - In theory, research, and practice, mental health professionals have tended to
      ignore or pathologize the religious and spiritual dimensions of life. This
      represents a type of cultural insensitivity toward individuals who have religious
      and spiritual experiences in both Western and non-Western cultures. After
      documenting the "religiosity gap" between clinicians and patients, the authors
      review the role of theory, inadequate training, and biological primacy in
      fostering psychiatry's insensitivity. A new Z Code (formerly V Code) diagnostic
      category is proposed for DSM-IV: psychoreligious or psychospiritual problem.
      Examples of psychoreligious problems include loss or questioning of a firmly held
      faith, and conversion to a new faith. Examples of psychospiritual problems
      include near-death experiences and mystical experiences. Both types of problems
      are defined, and differential diagnostic issues are discussed. This new
      diagnostic category would: a) improve diagnostic assessments when religious and
      spiritual issues are involved; b) reduce iatrogenic harm from misdiagnosis of
      psychoreligious and psychospiritual problems; c) improve treatment of such
      problems by stimulating clinical research; and d) encourage clinical training
      centers to address the religious and spiritual dimensions of human existence.

PMID- 1431820
TI  - Neurobehavioral aspects of postconcussive symptoms after mild head injury.
AB  - The sequelae of severe closed head injury have received much attention in the
      literature, but the effects of mild closed head injury (MHI) are less well
      established. There is a subgroup of patients who complain of persisting
      postconcussive symptoms (PCS) beyond the first weeks of recovery. Although the
      symptoms generally develop in the absence of clear neurological abnormalities,
      the condition of PCS can be chronic and disabling. It has been assumed that PCS
      result from an interaction between organic and psychological factors.
      Differentiating between the effect of primary neurological injury and secondary
      psychosocial problems is often difficult for clinicians and engenders
      controversy. Neuropsychological, neurophysiological, and neuroimaging measures
      can be helpful in selecting patients at risk of developing PCS. Assessment of the
      level of cognitive functioning, individual susceptibility to stress, and
      environmental demands may be beneficial in treating symptomatic patients. It is
      true that the vague and aspecific nature of the postconcussion syndrome may have
      given rise to the controversy over this entity, but the many methodological
      inconsistencies in the experimental approaches to the syndrome have certainly
      enhanced the confusion about this issue. The ensuing controversy surrounding
      research on the outcome of MHI and the postconcussion syndrome reflects
      ambiguities in definition, inconsistencies in criteria for patient selection,
      variation in procedures for neurobehavioral assessment, and difficulty in
      obtaining follow-up data.

PMID- 1431821
TI  - Predicting the course of melancholic and nonmelancholic depression. A
      naturalistic comparison study.
AB  - We assessed improvement patterns and predictors of outcome over a 1-year period,
      in a sample of depressed patients receiving treatment from a specialized mood
      disorders unit. Patients with melancholia had a differential improvement pattern
      from the nonmelancholics in the first 20 weeks, but case rates and severity
      levels were comparable at 20 weeks and at 1 year. Only three variables (older age
      at first episode, less severe depression and extraversion) were predictors of
      improvement in both groups. Improvement was predicted by less psychomotor
      disturbance, absence of personality disorder, and higher social functioning in
      the melancholic patients. A reported absence of timidity and shyness in
      childhood, a briefer duration of depression, and receipt of individual
      psychotherapy predicted a better outcome in the nonmelancholic patients. Although
      significant predictors were few overall, the suggested differential relevance for
      most of the isolated predictors argues for outcome studies that examine
      melancholic and nonmelancholic depressive disorders separately.

PMID- 1431822
TI  - Emotion differentiation. A correlate of symptom severity in major depression.
AB  - The relationship of emotion differentiation to symptom severity in depression was
      investigated. The subjects were 25 patients diagnosed with unipolar major
      depression. Subjects were clinically assessed using the Schedule for Affective
      Disorders and Schizophrenia and the Hamilton rating scales for anxiety and
      depression. In addition, subjects completed a number of self-report measures of
      symptoms and attitudes. Twelve basic emotion terms were incorporated into free
      response attribute lists which subjects used to rate aspects of themselves and of
      other significant people in their lives. A clustering algorithm (HICLAS) was used
      to derive a social perception structure from this data for each subject. The
      differentiation of negative emotion within an individual's structure (NES) was
      measured by dividing the number of attribute categories containing negative
      emotions by the total number of categories in that person's structure. The
      results indicated that NES is a significant correlate of depressive
      symptomatology independent of self-esteem and other variables. Relatively
      undifferentiated emotion structure (low NES) was associated with significantly
      higher levels of depressive symptomatology.

PMID- 1431823
TI  - Bipolar II affective disorder in eating disorder inpatients.
AB  - We examined the association between affective disorders and eating disorders in
      22 eating disorder inpatients who were interviewed using the Schedule for
      Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Lifetime Version. The first series of 11
      were interviewed as part of an interrater reliability study; the second series,
      done as follow-up to the first, consisted of 11 consecutive admissions. Overall,
      there were 15 bulimics and seven anorexics. Nineteen patients had a major
      affective disorder, and 13 (59%) had bipolar II affective disorder. Bipolar II
      affective disorder appears to be a common finding in hospitalized patients with
      severe persistent eating disorders.

PMID- 1431824
TI  - The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale.
      Reliability, comparability, and predictive validity.
AB  - In a psychiatric rehabilitation study, 154 concurrent ratings were performed
      using the 30-item Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the 18-item
      Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). Although both instruments had excellent
      interrater reliability, the PANSS was consistently better: on the 18 symptom
      items the two instruments share, the PANSS had higher intraclass r's on 14; for
      the syndromes, the PANSS was higher than the BPRS on positive, negative, and
      total. Weighted Kappas comparing shared items revealed that most were not
      interchangeable, with only three coefficients in the excellent range. However,
      syndrome scale scores were very highly correlated and resulted in similar
      classification for negative schizophrenia. Ten of the 12 items of the PANSS not
      included in the BPRS had low zero-order correlations with BPRS items, which
      suggests that they measure symptoms distinct from those measured by the BPRS and
      should add to clinical predictive power. This proved true in our study of
      rehabilitation of patients with schizophrenia. PANSS symptom ratings explained up
      to 55% of the variance on seven measures of work performance, whereas the BPRS
      had lower predictive power on six of the seven measures. We concluded that the
      PANSS may be superior to the BPRS in clinical research on schizophrenia and that
      most BPRS items are not interchangeable with identically named PANSS items.

PMID- 1431825
TI  - An association between domestic violence and depression among Southeast Asian
      refugee women.

PMID- 1431826
TI  - Cognitive impairment and depression in mild multiple sclerosis.

PMID- 1431827
TI  - Phenobarbital exacerbation of self-injurious behavior.

PMID- 1431828
TI  - Delusional misidentification of Capgras: a case report from Oman.

PMID- 1431829
TI  - Naltrexone abuse potential.

PMID- 1431830
TI  - Personality characteristics and posttraumatic stress symptoms after a school
      shooting.

PMID- 1431831
TI  - Anxiety sensitivity distinguishes panic disorder from generalized anxiety
      disorder.

PMID- 1431833
TI  - Views on regeneration in the nervous system.

PMID- 1431832
TI  - Response to Ross and Joshi.

PMID- 1431834
TI  - GAP-43 as a plasticity protein in neuronal form and repair.
AB  - Neurons exhibit a remarkable plasticity of form, both during neural development
      and during the subsequent remodelling of synaptic connectivity. Here we review
      work on GAP-43 and G0, and focus upon the thesis that their interaction may endow
      neurons with such plasticity. We also present new data on the role of G proteins
      in neurite growth, and on the interaction of GAP-43 and actin. GAP-43 is a
      protein induced during periods of axonal extension and highly enriched on the
      inner surface of the growth cone membrane. Its membrane localization is primarily
      due to a short amino terminal sequence which is subject to palmitoylation.
      Binding to actin filaments may also assist in restricting the protein to specific
      cellular domains. Consistent with its role as a "plasticity protein," there is
      evidence that GAP-43 can directly alter cell shape and neurite extension, and
      several theses have been advanced for how it might do so. Two other prominent
      components of the growth cone membrane are the alpha and beta subunits of G0. GAP
      43 regulates their guanine nucleotide exchange, which is an unusual role for an
      intracellular protein. We speculate that GAP-43 may adjust the "set point" of
      responsiveness for G0 stimulation by receptors, thereby altering the neuronal
      propensity to growth, without actually causing growth. To begin to address how G
      protein activity affects axon growth, we have developed a means to introduce
      guanine nucleotide analogs into sympathetic neurons. Stimulation of G proteins
      with GTP-gamma-S retards axon growth, whereas GDP-beta-S enhances it. This is
      compatible with G protein registration of inhibitory signals.

PMID- 1431835
TI  - Consequences of slow Wallerian degeneration for regenerating motor and sensory
      axons.
AB  - The time course of Wallerian degeneration in the tibial and saphenous nerves was
      compared in Balb/c mice and mice of the C57BL/Ola strain (Lunn et al., 1989).
      Axons, particularly myelinated ones, in nerves of C57BL/Ola mice are very slow to
      degenerate, many still being present 3 weeks after axotomy. Nuclear numbers in
      the distal stump peak much later and do not reach the levels found in Balb/c
      mice; debris removal is very slow, and Schwann cell numbers only rise slightly
      above normal levels in the long term. Regeneration was investigated
      electrophysiologically and by electron microscopy (EM). Myelinated sensory axons
      regenerated slowly and incompletely compared with motor ones which were only
      slightly slowed after nerve crush (although they were significantly hindered
      after nerve section). Total myelinated axon numbers were still some 20% less than
      normal even after 200 days in sensory nerves. Even after all axons had
      degenerated in C57BL/Ola mice, regeneration rates of neither myelinated nor
      unmyelinated sensory axons reached those achieved in Balb/c mice. It is concluded
      that while regeneration can eventually proceed slowly when Wallerian degeneration
      is much delayed, the usual rapid time course of Wallerian degeneration is
      necessary if axons, particularly sensory ones, are to regenerate at optimal rates
      and to maximum extent. While local obstruction to axon growth probably impedes
      the early phase of regeneration in C57BL/Ola mice, it seems possible that a lack
      of adequate early signals affects regeneration permanently by minimizing the cell
      body reaction to injury.

PMID- 1431836
TI  - Trying to understand axonal regeneration in the CNS of fish.
AB  - In contrast to the situation in mammals and birds, neurons in the central nervous
      system (CNS) of fish--such as the retinal ganglion cells--are capable of
      regenerating their axons and restoring vision. Special properties of the glial
      cells and the neurons of the fish visual pathway appear to contribute to the
      success of axonal regeneration. The fish oligodendrocytes lack the axon growth
      inhibiting molecules that interfere with axonal extension in mammals. Instead,
      fish optic nerve oligodendrocytes support--at least in vitro--axonal elongation
      of fish as well as that of rat retinal axons. Moreover, the fish retinal ganglion
      cells re-express upon injury a set of growth-associated cell surface molecules
      and equip the regenerating axons throughout their path and up into their target,
      the tectum opticum with these molecules. This may indicate that the injured fish
      ganglion cells reactivate the cellular machinery necessary for axonal regrowth
      and pathfinding. Furthermore, the target itself provides positional marker
      molecules even in adult fish. These marker molecules are required to guide the
      regenerating axons back to their retinotopic home territory within the tectum.

PMID- 1431837
TI  - Specificity of a target cell-derived stop signal for afferent axonal growth.
AB  - With a novel model culture system in which afferents are co-cultured with
      purified populations of target neurons, we have demonstrated that a target cell
      within the central nervous system (CNS), the cerebellar granule neuron, poses a
      "stop-growing signal" for its appropriate afferents, the mossy fibers. To ask
      whether this stop signal is afferent specific, we co-cultured granule neurons
      with another cerebellar afferent system, the climbing fibers from the inferior
      olivary nuclei, which normally contact Purkinje neurons, and with retinal
      ganglion cell afferents, which never enter the cerebellum. Granule neurons do not
      pose a stop signal to either of these afferents. In contrast to pontine mossy
      afferents that grow well on laminin and showed reduced outgrowth on granule
      neurons, both olivary and retinal fibers displayed similar growth on laminin
      alone or on granule neurons. In addition, each afferent showed different degrees
      of fasciculation and growth cone morphology on laminin. Thus, the growth arrest
      signal sent by granule neurons is specifically recognized by their appropriate
      afferents. Moreover, these three types of afferents exhibit varying growth
      patterns on the same noncellular and cellular substrates, implicating distinct
      molecular characteristics of growth regulation for different classes of neurons
      that would contribute to specificity of synapse formation.

PMID- 1431838
TI  - Degeneration of photoreceptors in rhodopsin mutants of Drosophila.
AB  - Five different, well-characterized mutants of the R1-6 rhodopsin gene (ninaE),
      which corresponds to the rod opsin gene of vertebrates, have been examined
      morphologically as a function of age (up to 9 weeks) to determine whether or not
      the photoreceptors degenerate and to assess the pattern of degeneration.
      Structural deterioration of R1-6 photoreceptors with age has been found in all
      five mutants. The structural pattern of degeneration is similar in the five
      mutants, but the time course of degeneration is allele dependent and varies
      greatly among the five, with the strongest alleles causing the fastest
      degeneration. The degeneration appears to be independent of either the
      illumination cycle to which the animals are exposed or the presence of screening
      pigments in the eye. Although the degeneration first appears in R1-6
      photoreceptors, eventually R7/8 photoreceptors, which correspond to cones of
      vertebrates, are also affected. In many of these mutants, striking proliferations
      of membrane processes have been observed in the subrhabdomeric region of R1-6
      photoreceptors. It is hypothesized that (1) this accumulation of membranes may be
      caused by the failure of newly synthesized membranes that are inserted into the
      base of microvilli to be assembled into R1-6 rhabdomeres and (2) this failure may
      be caused by the extremely low concentration of normal R1-6 rhodopsin in the
      ninaE mutants.

PMID- 1431839
TI  - Dopamine and nicotine, but not serotonin, modulate the crustacean ventilatory
      pattern generator.
AB  - Dopamine (DA) causes a dose-dependent increase in the frequency of motor neuron
      bursts [virtual ventilation (fR)] produced by deafferented crab ventilatory
      pattern generators (CPGv). Domperidone, a D2-specific DA antagonist, by itself
      reversibly depresses fR and also blocks the stimulatory effects of DA. Serotonin
      (5HT) has no direct effects on this CPGv. Nicotine also causes dramatic dose
      dependent increases in the frequency of motor bursts from the CPGv. The action is
      triphasic, beginning with an initial reversal of burst pattern typical of
      reversed-mode ventilation, followed by a 2- to 3-min period of depression and
      then a long period of elevated burst rate. Acetylcholine chloride (ACh) alone is
      ineffective, but in the presence of eserine is moderately stimulatory. The
      inhibitory effects of nicotine are only partially blocked by curare. The
      excitatory action of nicotine is blocked by prior perfusion of domperidone, but
      not by SKF-83566.HCl, a D1-specific DA antagonist. SKF-83566 had no effects on
      the ongoing pattern of firing. These observations support the hypothesis that
      dopaminergic pathways are involved in the maintenance of the CPGv rhythm and that
      the acceleratory effects of nicotine may involve release of DA either directly or
      via stimulation of atypical ACh receptors at intraganglionic sites.

PMID- 1431840
TI  - Ipsilateral retinal projections into the tectum during regeneration of the optic
      nerve in the cichlid fish Haplochromis burtoni: a Dil study in fixed tissue.
AB  - Retinal projections were experimentally manipulated in a bony fish to reveal
      conditions under which considerably enlarged ipsilateral projections developed
      and persisted. Three experimental groups were studied: animals after unilateral
      enucleation, after unilateral nerve crush, and after enucleation and crush of the
      remaining optic nerve. At 29 days after unilateral enucleation alone, no enhanced
      ipsilateral projection had developed. After nerve crush, however, large numbers
      of retinal fibers regenerated into the ipsilateral tectum. Retrogradely filled,
      ipsilaterally projecting ganglion cells were distributed throughout the entire
      retina. After 15 days regenerating retinal fibers covered the entire ipsilateral
      tectum. At later stages the ipsilateral projection showed progressive reduction
      in coverage of the tectum. Combining enucleation with nerve crush led to an
      ipsilateral projection that covered the tectum at 28 days and later. In this
      experimental situation the development of an ipsilateral projection appears to be
      a two-step process: (1) Fibers are rerouted to the ipsilateral side at the
      diencephalon, and (2) ipsilateral fibers persist in the tectum only in the
      absence of a contralateral projection while they appear to be eliminated in the
      other cases.

PMID- 1431841
TI  - The development of ipsilateral retinal projections into the tectum in the cichlid
      fish Haplochromis burtoni: a Dil study in fixed tissue.
AB  - The normal development of the retinal projection was studied in a bony fish with
      Dil. Between 5.5 and 10 days postfertilization the contralateral retinal
      projection grows from the rostral pole of the tectum across its center. A maximum
      of 15 retinal fibers reaches the ipsilateral tectum. In 33-day-old juvenile
      animals, less than 15 ipsilateral fibers terminate in the entire tectum.
      Ipsilaterally projecting ganglion cells (maximal number = 20 cells) are scattered
      throughout the entire retina, and the location of ganglion cells in the retina
      and axonal terminations in the tectum display a large interindividual
      variability. This suggests that the small adult contingent of ipsilateral fibers
      in this bony fish develops without an initial exuberant ipsilateral retinal
      projection that is later pruned back.

PMID- 1431842
TI  - Transient expression of adheron molecules during chick retinal development.
AB  - Neuritogenesis and synapse formation are transient phenomena mediated in part by
      filopodial attachments (Tsui, Lankford, and Klein, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 82:8256
      8260 1985). The attachments can be labeled by antisera against adherons, adhesive
      microparticles isolated from cell culture media (Tsui, Schubert, and Klein, J.
      Cell Biol. 106:2095-2108 1988). Here, two monoclonal antibodies raised against
      adherons have been found to recognize transiently expressed membrane antigens of
      developing avian retina. Early in development, monoclonal antibody (mAb) AD1
      stained antigens that spanned the entire tissue. With time, immunoreactivity
      became restricted to optic fiber, ganglion cell, and inner plexiform layers.
      Immunoblots of embryonic day (E) 13 retina showed a broad band at 66-72 kD for
      particulate fractions and a fine band at 70 kD for soluble fractions. The
      particulate forms disappeared as retinas matured, but the soluble form did not.
      mAb AD2 initially labeled retina antigens of optic fiber, ganglion cell, and
      inner plexiform layers (IPL). Labeling in the plexiform layer showed discrete
      lamina. Immunoreactivity first appeared at E9, peaked at E15, and then
      disappeared shortly after hatching. In isolated cells, AD2 labeled small cell
      surface aggregates. Cytoarchitectural studies, using whole-mount transmission
      electron microscopy, showed AD2 antigen in cell surface microfilaments, including
      some that joined filopodia together. The adheron antigens recognized by mAbs AD1
      and AD2 thus were (1) topographically restricted; (2) associated with cell
      surfaces; and (3) developmentally down-regulated. This pattern suggests a role in
      developmentally transient cell surface phenomena, such as neurite extension or
      junction biogenesis.

PMID- 1431843
TI  - Modulation of growth of Aplysia neurons by an endogenous lectin.
AB  - We have purified and characterized a galactose-binding lectin from the gonads of
      the mollusk Aplysia californica that modulates neurite outgrowth from cultured
      Aplysia neurons. Agglutination of sheep red blood cells (RBC) by this lectin,
      termed Aplysia gonad lectin (AGL), is inhibited strongly by galactose and to a
      lesser extent by fucose. On SDS-PAGE, AGL appears as a single species with a
      molecular weight of 34 kD under reducing conditions, and 65 kD under nonreducing
      conditions. This suggests that AGL is a disulfide-linked dimer in its native
      state. Amino terminal sequence analysis of purified AGL indicates a similarity to
      another galactose-binding lectin, phytohemagglutinin-E (E-PHA), found in red
      kidney beans. By using polyclonal antibodies prepared against AGL, we have found
      that the lectin is present in the gonads and eggs but not in other tissues of
      adult Aplysia californica. We have examined biological actions of AGL on Aplysia
      neurons growing in primary cell culture. AGL affects several properties of these
      neurons. The addition of 100 nM AGL to cultured neurons enhances neurite
      outgrowth from the cell soma, resulting in a greater number of primary processes.
      In addition, AGL acts as a neurotrophic agent, increasing neurite viability in
      vitro. This trophic effect is not seen with concanavalin A (con A), another
      lectin known to affect several properties of cultured Aplysia neurons. The
      results are consistent with the suggestion that AGL may play a role in neuronal
      differentiation and/or maintenance of viability.

PMID- 1431844
TI  - Modification of the dystrophic phenotype after transient neonatal denervation:
      role of MHC isoforms.
AB  - While it recently has been demonstrated that it is possible to modify the
      phenotypic expression of murine dystrophy (dy/dy) (i.e., prevent myofiber loss)
      by subjecting the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle of 14-day-old dy/dy mice
      to transient neonatal denervation (Moschella and Ontell, 1987), the mechanism
      responsible for this phenomenon has not been determined. Since it has been
      suggested that the effects of dystrophy vary according to fiber type, the fiber
      type frequency in 100-day-old normal (+/+) and dy/dy EDL muscles subjected to
      transient neonatal denervation has been determined by immunohistochemical
      analysis of their myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition. This frequency has been
      compared with that found in the EDL muscles of 14- and 100-day-old unoperated +/+
      and dy/dy mice, in order to determine whether the reinnervation of transiently
      denervated neonatal muscle results in a preponderance of fibers of the type that
      might be spared dystrophic deterioration. In unoperated dy/dy muscle there is a
      progressive decrease in the frequency and in the absolute number of fibers that
      express MHC2B, with 100-day-old dy/dy muscles having approximately 32% of the
      number of myofibers fibers containing MHC2B as is found in age-matched +/+
      muscles. The number of fibers containing the other fast isoforms (MHC2A and
      MHC2X) is similar in +/+ and dy/dy muscles at this age, indicating that fibers
      with MHC2B are most affected by the dystrophic process. Reinnervation following
      transient neonatal denervation of both the +/+ and the dy/dy EDL muscles results
      in a similar decrease (approximately 62%) in the number of myofibers containing
      MHC2B and an increase in myofibers containing the other fast MHC isoforms (MHC2A
      and MHC2X). The selective effect of dy/dy on fibers containing MHC2B and the
      sparing of myofibers in transiently denervated dy/dy muscle (which contains a
      reduced frequency of fibers containing MHC2B) are consistent with, although not
      direct proof of, the hypothesis that alterations in the fiber type may play a
      role in the failure of myofibers in transiently denervated dy/dy muscles to
      undergo dystrophic deterioration. Evidence is presented suggesting that neurons
      that supply myofibers containing MHC2B may be at a selective disadvantage in
      their ability to reinnervate neonatally denervated muscles.

PMID- 1431845
TI  - Formation and preservation of cortical layers in slice cultures.
AB  - During cortical development, neurons generated at the same time in the
      ventricular zone migrate out into the cortical plate and form a cortical layer
      (Berry and Eayrs, 1963, Nature 197:984-985; Berry and Rogers, 1965, J. Anat.
      99:691-709). We have been studying both the formation and maintenance of cortical
      layers in slice cultures from rat cortex. The bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) method was
      used to label cortical neurons on their birthday in vivo. When slice cultures
      were prepared from animals at different embryonic and postnatal ages, all
      cortical layers that have already been established in vivo remained preserved for
      several weeks in vitro. In slice cultures prepared during migration in the
      cortex, cells continued to migrate towards the pial side of the cortical slice,
      however, migration ceased after about 1 week in culture. Thus, cortical cells
      reached their final laminar position only in slice cultures from postnatal
      animals, whereas in embryonic slice, migrating cells became scattered throughout
      the cortex. Previous studies demonstrated that radial glia fibers are the major
      substrate for migrating neurons (Rakic, 1972, J. Comp. Neurol. 145:61-84; Hatten
      and Mason, 1990, Experientia 46:907-916). Using antibodies directed against the
      intermediate filament Vimentin, radial glial cells were detected in all slice
      cultures where cell migration did occur. Comparable to the glia development in
      vivo, radial glial fibers disappeared and astrocytes containing the glia
      fibrillary-associated protein (GFAP) differentiated in slice cultures from
      postnatal cortex, after the neurons have completed their migration. In contrast,
      radial glial cells were detected over the whole culture period, and very few
      astrocytes differentiated in embryonic slices, where cortical neurons failed to
      finish their migration. The results of this study indicate that the local
      environment is sufficient to sustain the layered organization of the cortex and
      support the migration of cortical neurons. In addition, our results reveal a
      close relationship between cell migration and the developmental status of glial
      cells.

PMID- 1431846
TI  - A real-time analysis of growth cone-target cell interactions during the formation
      of stable contacts between hippocampal neurons in culture.
AB  - Mechanisms of cell-cell recognition and structural changes of growth cones (g.c.)
      and target membranes during contact formation are poorly understood. To examine
      these issues, we obtained a high magnification, real-time record of stable
      contact formation in cultured cells from the hippocampal CA1 area in the newborn
      rat. We used differential interference contrast (DIC) optics coupled to a video
      microscope for periods of over 24 h of continuous time-lapse recording. Our goal
      was to observe the sequential changes exhibited by afferent and target cells as
      they form a stable contact. Understanding the process of how stable contacts are
      made is important because such contacts are the first step in synapse formation.
      Four principal observations emerged from our study: (1) The target cell was
      receptive to a contact on a specific patch on its surface defined by the presence
      of lamellae and filopodia. This specific patch (named target site) was invariably
      present on the target cell surface before the time the growth cone arrived. (2)
      Stable adhesion between filopodia on the two cells initiated events leading to
      cell-cell contact formation. Specifically, the remaining filopodia on the growth
      cone and target cell were redirected toward the adhering filopodia, and the
      growth cone size decreased dramatically. (3) The axonal process then grew at a
      significantly accelerated rate (up to 50 times its baseline growth rate). (4) In
      addition, a number of observations were obtained on axonal turns towards the
      target cell, induction of target sites, and architectural remodelling of cells
      after the formation of a new contact. Our findings indicate that in this neuronal
      system, filopodia are the means used by cells to interact at stages prior to and
      during contact formation. We speculate that the molecules involved in cell
      recognition and the machinery that initiates contact formation are embedded in
      the fine structure of filopodia. Finally, our results provide possible clues as
      to some of the stages that may be involved in synapse formation in the mammalian
      central nervous system.

PMID- 1431847
TI  - Patterns of serotonin and SCP immunoreactivity during metamorphosis of the
      nervous system of the red abalone, Haliotis rufescens.
AB  - Larvae of the red abalone, Haliotis rufescens, rely on external chemical cues to
      trigger metamorphosis; thus, the timing of metamorphosis is dependent upon the
      larva's chance encounter with the appropriate substrate. We examined the effect
      of the timing of metamorphosis on the development of the central nervous system
      (CNS), concentrating on the pattern of serotonin and small cardioactive peptide-
      (SCP) immunopositive neurons in the cerebral ganglia. By 4 days postfertilization
      the cerebral ganglion has five pairs of serotonin-immunoreactive (IR) neurons,
      one pair of which (the V cells) innervate the velum. This complement of cells
      remains stable for as long as the larval stage persists but metamorphosis causes
      the rapid loss of the V cells. In the case of SCP-IR neurons, one pair is present
      prior to metamorphic competency, but as larvae continue to age in the absence of
      inducing cues, additional pairs are gradually added. Metamorphosis causes an
      acceleration in SCP-IR neuron addition. This separation of developmental patterns
      is well adapted for the inherent uncertainty of the timing of metamorphosis in
      abalone larvae.

PMID- 1431848
TI  - A specific brain tract guides follower growth cones in two regions of the
      zebrafish brain.
AB  - Neurons of the nucleus of the posterior commissure (nuc PC), an identifiable
      cluster of neurons in the embryonic zebrafish brain, project growth cones
      ventrally along the posterior commissure to the anterior tegmentum where the PC
      intersects two longitudinal tracts, the tract of the postoptic commissure (TPOC)
      and the medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF). Once at the intersection, nuc PC
      growth cones turn posteriorly onto the TPOC in the dorsal tegmentum and follow it
      to the hindbrain. Previously we showed that in the absence of the TPOC, nuc PC
      growth cones often extended along aberrant pathways suggesting that
      fasciculation, that is, contact with TPOC axons is an important factor in guiding
      growth cones along their normal pathway. However, a significant number of nuc PC
      growth cones also followed their normal pathway suggesting that cues associated
      with the dorsolateral tegmentum, independent of the TPOC, can also guide nuc PC
      growth cones. We have now confirmed using electron microscopy that nuc PC growth
      cones fasciculate with axons in the TPOC. In the absence of the TPOC, the nuc PC
      growth cones that extend along their normal pathway do so in contact with
      dorsolateral neuroepithelial cells. This suggests that cues associated with these
      cells can also guide the nuc PC growth cones. Furthermore, in the absence of the
      TPOC axons, these growth cones now inappropriately turn onto axons that normally
      intersect the TPOC near the border of the midbrain and hindbrain, that is, at a
      second intersection of tracts. This suggests that fasciculation with TPOC axons
      may also guide nuc PC growth cones in this second region of the brain.

PMID- 1431849
TI  - Hormone accumulation in song regions of the canary brain.
AB  - [3H]Testosterone (T) was injected into male and female canaries (Serinus
      canarius), a species in which females are able to sing but do so more rarely and
      more simply than males. Autoradiographic analysis revealed that males and females
      have equal proportions of cells labeled by T or its metabolites in four song
      control nuclei: the high vocal center (HVC), the lateral portion of the
      magnocellular nucleus of the anterior neostriatum (IMAN), the robust nucleus of
      the archistriatum (RA), and the hypoglossal motor nucleus (nXII). Labeled cells
      were also observed in both sexes in the medial portion of MAN, and in
      hypothalamic nuclei. In both sexes, labeled cells in HVC, IMAN, RA, and nXII were
      larger than unlabeled cells. There were no sex differences in the size of either
      labeled or unlabeled cells in these song nuclei. The density of labeled cells per
      unit volume of tissue did not differ between the sexes in any song nucleus
      analyzed. However, because males have larger HVC and RA than females, males have
      a greater total number of hormone-sensitive cells in these regions than do
      females. Comparison of these results with measures of hormone accumulation in
      zebra finches and tropical duetting wrens suggests that the complexity of song
      that a bird can produce is correlated with the total number of hormone-sensitive
      cells in song nuclei.

PMID- 1431850
TI  - An antigen present in the Drosophila central nervous system only during embryonic
      and metamorphic stages.
AB  - We report here about an antigen that is expressed in the central nervous system
      (CNS) of Drosophila only during the embryonic and metamorphic stages. In
      Drosophila, axonogenesis and synaptogenesis occur twice during the development:
      first in the embryonic and second in the metamorphic stages. We generated
      monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) in order to obtain molecular probes for analyzing
      axonogenesis or synaptogenesis in the CNS on the assumption that good candidates
      for molecules responsible for such phenomena must be present in the neuropil
      during those stages exclusively. As a result, we found MAb 66B2 whose intense
      immunoreactivity in the neuropil of the CNS was observed exclusively in the
      embryo and pupa, and not in the larva and adult. Immunoblot analyses showed that
      MAb 66B2 binds specifically to a protein with an apparent molecular weight of 350
      K and neutral pI in the prepupal CNS. A significant amount of the antigen was
      isolated in forms that were soluble without detergent. Results of
      immunohistochemistry with MAb 66B2 in a primary culture of embryos showed that
      some live cells in the ganglion-like cluster were stained, and that neuronal cell
      bodies and neurites emanating from there were negative. These results strongly
      suggest that the 66B2 antigen observed in the CNS is an extracellular matrix
      component secreted from nonneuronal cells. These developmental changes in the
      66B2 immunoreactivity in the CNS presumably reflect dynamic changes of an
      extracellular matrix in the CNS that are accompanied by axonogenesis or
      synaptogenesis.

PMID- 1431851
TI  - Electric organ morphology of Sternopygus macrurus, a wave-type, weakly electric
      fish with a sexually dimorphic EOD.
AB  - In several species of electric fish with a sex difference in their pulse-type
      electric organ discharge (EOD), the action potential-generating cells of the
      electric organ (electrocytes) of males are larger and more invaginated compared
      to females. Androgen treatment of females and juveniles produces a longer
      duration EOD pulse that mimics the mature male EOD, with a concurrent increase in
      electrocyte size and/or membrane infolding. In Sternopygus macrurus, which
      generates a wave-type EOD, androgen also increases EOD pulse duration. To
      investigate possible morphological correlates of hormone-dependent changes in EOD
      in Sternopygus, we examined electric organs from both fish collected in the
      field, and untreated and androgen-treated specimens in the laboratory. The
      electrocytes are cigar shaped, with prominent papillae on the posterior,
      innervated end. Electrocytes of field-caught specimens were significantly larger
      in all parameters than were electrocytes of specimens maintained in the
      laboratory. EOD pulse duration and frequency were highly correlated, and were
      significantly different between the sexes in sexually mature fish. Nevertheless,
      no sex difference in electrocyte morphology was observed, nor did any parameters
      of electrocyte morphology correlate with EOD pulse duration or frequency.
      Further, whereas androgen treatment significantly lowered EOD frequency and
      broadened EOD pulse duration, there was no difference in electrocyte morphology
      between hormone-treated and control groups. Thus, in contrast to results from
      studies on both mormyrid and gymnotiform pulse fish, electrocyte morphology is
      not correlated with EOD waveform characteristics in the gymnotiform wave-type
      fish Sternopygus. The data, therefore, suggest that sex differences in EOD are
      dependent on changes in active electrical properties of electrocyte membranes.

PMID- 1431852
TI  - Wetland management strategies that enhance waterfowl habitats can also control
      mosquitoes.
AB  - Two studies in California wetlands and a third in Minnesota wetlands indicate
      that management practices designed to enhance habitat quality for waterfowl can
      concurrently reduce mosquito problems. In a seasonally flooded pickleweed wetland
      in Suisun Marsh, Solano Co., CA, we demonstrated that reducing plant-cover by 50%
      increased benthic densities of chironomid midge and dytiscid beetle larvae; these
      insects can be important in waterfowl diets. This manipulation also concentrated
      Aedes melanimon and Culiseta inornata mosquito larvae along wetland perimeters;
      thus, the need for control measures was greatly restricted spatially. A study in
      9 experimental ponds in Suisun Marsh demonstrated that higher water levels could
      enhance populations of the macroinvertebrates important in waterfowl diets;
      general macroinvertebrate densities were higher at 60 cm depths than 20 cm or 40
      cm depths. In contrast, Cs. inornata densities were lowest at 60 cm depths and
      highest at 20 cm depths. A study conducted in a perennial-water cattail wetland
      in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN, demonstrated that a temporary water-level drawdown,
      designed to enhance waterfowl habitat quality of perennial-water wetlands, also
      reduced densities of Coquillettidia perturbans mosquito larvae. These mosquitoes
      disappeared immediately after the drawdown, but even after water depths were
      restored to pre-drawdown levels, significant numbers did not reappear until 4
      years post-drawdown. Studies in 202 other Minnesota wetlands also demonstrated
      the susceptibility of Cq. perturbans populations to drawdown, but the impact of
      drawdown was greater in stands of emergent cattail than in floating cattail.

PMID- 1431853
TI  - Efficacy of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis against larvae of the
      southern buffalo gnat, Cnephia pecuarum (Diptera: Simuliidae), and the influence
      of water temperature.
AB  - Susceptibility of southern buffalo gnat larvae to Bacillus thuringiensis var.
      israelensis (B.t.i.) was studied during 1986-88. Tests were conducted using
      Vectobac 12AS in a mini-gutter aquatic bioassay system. Mini-gutter tests using a
      4.5 ppm B.t.i. concentration and a 10 min exposure period confirmed a positive
      correlation between water temperature and B.t.i. effectiveness. Significantly
      lower larval mortality occurred as water temperature decreased below 9 degrees C,
      indicating that proper timing of B.t.i. application is essential to maximize
      larval control. Even with this temperature limitation, larval control using
      B.t.i. should provide an economically effective means of preventing outbreaks of
      the southern buffalo gnat.

PMID- 1431854
TI  - Effect of per os Edhazardia aedis (Microsporida: Amblyosporidae) infection on
      Aedes aegypti mortality and body size.
AB  - Infection with Edhazardia aedis uninucleate spores had less effect on Aedes
      aegypti larval mortality and adult body size than did larval diet. Larval
      mortality averaged 60-81% in starved larvae and 2-16% in well-fed larvae. No
      significant amounts of larval mortality could consistently be attributed to
      exposure to the parasite at dosages of 1.5 x 10(3) or 1.5 x 10(5) spores/ml.
      Infection rates in adults surviving exposure to the parasites as larvae ranged
      from 30 to 59%. Infected adults had significantly smaller body sizes than
      uninfected adults or controls. Storage of spores in water reduced infectivity
      gradually over the course of 36 h. By 48 h, the spores were not able to infect
      mosquito larvae. Spore infectivity was eliminated by drying.

PMID- 1431855
TI  - Penetration of ultra-low volume applied insecticide into dwellings for dengue
      vector control.
AB  - Determinations on the penetration of ultra-low volume applied insecticide into
      dwellings was accomplished with a model house in Frederick, MD, USA, and native
      houses in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Results from the model house tests
      show that aerosol droplets, with a volume median diameter of 4 microns,
      penetrated and remained suspended in low recesses of the building during the
      first 2 min after spraying. Similar results were found with tests in Santo
      Domingo, where man-made or natural obstructions were determined to be critical
      factors in aerosol penetration.

PMID- 1431856
TI  - Fate of Bacillus sphaericus and Bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis in the
      aquatic environment.
AB  - Bacillus sphaericus spores were suspended in bottles of filtered (0.45 microns)
      freshwater and seawater under various conditions of temperature, pH and salinity.
      Heat resistant culturable counts (spores) slowly decreased with time. Spores
      suspended in dialysis bags submerged in a freshwater pond or in flowing seawater
      underwent a more rapid drop in heat resistant spore counts than did spores held
      in bottles. Thus, laboratory studies may overestimate spore longevity in the
      environment. Spore settling rate was related to the nature of particulate
      material in the water column. Paraspores (or perhaps spores and toxin) of B.
      thuringiensis serovar israelensis (B.t.i.) had a greater tendency to adhere to
      and settle with suspended sediment and fine particulates than did paraspores of
      B. sphaericus. These observations may at least partially explain the greater
      persistence of B. sphaericus larvicidal activity in field tests than that of
      B.t.i..

PMID- 1431857
TI  - Reduction of mortality rates of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis aqueous
      suspensions due to freezing and thawing.
AB  - When studying the behavior (carry, dispersion, persistence) of Bacillus
      thuringiensis var. israelensis (B.t.i.) formulations used in the treatment of
      rivers or streams for black fly control, a large number of samples containing
      small quantities of B.t.i. are required for proper analysis. Freezing is a useful
      procedure to prevent enzymatic alteration or bacterial growth in samples before
      bioassays are to be performed. Using Aedes atropalpus neonate larvae, we studied
      the effect of freezing and thawing of B.t.i. aqueous suspensions by looking at
      mortality response parameters such as the slope and the LC50 of the probit
      regression. Initial concentration values of 1, 5, 10 and 20 mg/liter at the
      moment of freezing of the B.t.i. suspensions did not significantly affect
      toxicity. The number of freeze-thaw cycles greatly increased the LC50 values
      without much change to the slope of the log-probit regressions. We derived an
      equation that allowed us to compensate for the loss of toxicity of a given B.t.i.
      sample, knowing the number of freeze-thaw cycles.

PMID- 1431858
TI  - Blood-feeding of Culex mosquitoes in an urban environment.
AB  - The modified capillary tube precipitin test was used to identify blood meal
      sources of Culex quinquefasciatus emerging from sewage ditches in East Baton
      Rouge Parish, Louisiana. Canines were the primary hosts, but Passeriformes and
      humans were also suitable blood meal sources. The percentage of Cx.
      quinquefasciatus feeding on these 3 hosts fluctuated with the habitat and the
      season.

PMID- 1431859
TI  - Influence of moonlight on light trap catches of the malaria vector Anopheles
      nuneztovari in Venezuela.
AB  - A significant effect (P = 0.002) of moonlight on light trap catches of Anopheles
      nuneztovari females was observed during a longitudinal study in western
      Venezuela. The catch with no moon was 1.86 times larger than with full moon.
      Nevertheless, moonlight does not seem to have any effect on the composition of
      adult mosquito population since the difference in the parous rate of females
      collected during full moon and during no moon was not significant (P greater than
      0.05).

PMID- 1431860
TI  - Distribution and control of Chironomus riparius (Diptera: Chironomidae) in a
      polluted creek.
AB  - Mass emergences of adult Chironomus riparius have been regularly occurring in
      late February near residential areas adjacent to a creek receiving municipal
      sewage effluent located in Lexington, Kentucky. Prior to attempting control of
      this chironomid, the larval distribution of this species in the creek was
      investigated. Although large numbers of larvae were being produced in this creek,
      the greatest larval density occurred downstream from an adjacent horse "muck"
      pile and an adjacent landfill. Application of Vectobac-6AS reduced larval density
      in these areas but Vectobac-G did not.

PMID- 1431861
TI  - An episode of resistance to permethrin in larvae of Simulium squamosum (Diptera:
      Simuliidae) from Cameroon, after 3 1/2 years of control.
AB  - Because of the biting nuisance from females of Simulium squamosum, a 30 km
      section of the Sanaga River (Cameroon) was treated since 1987 with permethrin for
      the control of larval populations. In 1990, resistance to permethrin occurred in
      a small proportion of the larvae, with a resulting 2-4x increase of the LC95 for
      dead larvae (moribund larvae considered as live). In 1991, after a 6-month
      interruption of the treatments, susceptibility to permethrin returned to the
      initial level, and was similar to the susceptibility of S. squamosum larvae from
      a non-treated section of the Sanaga. In the context of a small-scale control
      program, resistance to permethrin can be reversible, and it can be avoided by
      rotation with other types of insecticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis serovar,
      israelensis.

PMID- 1431862
TI  - New self-marking device for dispersal studies of black flies (Diptera:
      Simuliidae).
AB  - An effective and inexpensive device is described for marking newly emerged black
      flies with fluorescent dust. Survival of marked adults of Simulium venustum s.l.
      and Stegopterna mutata s.l. did not differ significantly from unmarked
      individuals over a 5-day period. Marked individuals were attracted to human hosts
      in landing biting tests, and the portions of the self-marking trap lying just
      above the water surface did not appear to significantly hamper black fly
      emergence success.

PMID- 1431863
TI  - Degradation of malathion in thermally generated aerosols.
AB  - The degradation of malathion, undiluted and diluted with No. 2 fuel oil, in
      thermally generated aerosol clouds was examined at selected temperatures ranging
      from 121 to 566 degrees C. Undiluted malathion residues decreased from 1.76 to
      0.21 micrograms/ml over this range of temperatures. Malathion diluted with fuel
      oil decreased from 0.14 to 0.02 microgram/ml as the temperature was increased 288
      to 510 degrees C.

PMID- 1431864
TI  - Variation in Aedes aegypti larval indices over a one year period in a
      neighborhood of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico.
AB  - Surveys for Aedes aegypti larvae were conducted to provide an estimate of the
      magnitude and timing of seasonal variations in larval indices in one colonia in
      Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, and to assess how the proportion of disposable and non
      disposable containers as larval production sites varies. Breteau indices exceeded
      200 during the months of July and August, and disposable containers were
      important year-round larval production sites.

PMID- 1431865
TI  - Distributional records from the U.S. Air Force ovitrapping program--1991.
AB  - During 1991, ovitrapping was conducted by 37 U.S. Air Force installations.
      Sixteen installations were positive for Aedes albopictus. The number (449) and
      percent (21.5%) of Ae. albopictus-positive ovipaddles was almost 4 times that of
      the previous year. The collections of Ae. albopictus at Columbus Air Force Base
      (AFB), MS, and Shaw AFB, SC, are new records for Lowndes and Sumter counties,
      respectively. Nine installations were positive for Ae. aegypti; 21 were positive
      for Ae. triseriatus.

PMID- 1431866
TI  - Are cytokines pathogenic factors in the physiologic and metabolic sequelae of
      spinal cord injury?

PMID- 1431867
TI  - Clinical and pharmacokinetic aspects of high dose oral baclofen therapy.
AB  - Baclofen is a centrally acting muscle relaxant used for treatment of spasticity.
      Some patients, to experience adequate symptomatic relief, require dosages of
      baclofen that significantly exceed the conventional 80 mg daily maximum advocated
      by the 1992 Physicians' Desk Reference. In this pilot study of baclofen kinetics
      and dynamics in eleven patients, the safety and efficacy of high dose baclofen
      was confirmed. The data suggest that the pharmacokinetics of high dose baclofen
      may vary from those described previously. Time-to-peak plasma levels and plasma
      half-lives were noted to be substantially longer than prior reports indicate.
      Baclofen blood levels were observed to rise gradually over time in some patients
      on a stable dosing regimen, probably a result of impaired renal clearance. These
      findings may indicate that a change in pattern of prescription is warranted and
      that a reliable and practical measurement of systemic baclofen levels has a
      useful role in clinical practice, particularly for the patient with neurogenic
      bladder and potential renal insufficiency.

PMID- 1431868
TI  - Drug use and abuse in an urban veteran spinal cord injured population.
AB  - Substance abuse in the spinal cord injured (SCI) population has been addressed in
      a few controlled studies. These reports have led to the belief that many SCI
      patients were illicit drug users prior to their injury and that their drug abuse
      was a contributing cause of their accidents. One large study determined from
      answers obtained on a questionnaire that drug abuse, other than alcohol, was
      prevalent among injured veterans. Our study uses urine toxicology to determine
      the frequency of drug use and abuse, excluding alcohol, in 72 inpatients and 81
      outpatients associated with an urban Veterans Affairs Medical Center. In a
      blinded experiment, urinary concentrations of opiates, barbiturates,
      amphetamines, methadone, benzodiazepines, and cocaine were determined with Syva
      reagents on an Abbott VP. Urinary cannabinoids were determined using Abbott TDX
      and the FPIA method. The use of illicit (unprescribed) drugs was surprisingly low
      (< or = 13 percent) for an urban medical center. Outpatient cannabinoid abuse was
      significantly more frequent than inpatient usage (p < 0.01). Barbiturates were
      not found in any patient. Benzodiazepines were taken most commonly (29 percent).
      Since benzodiazepine usage is the direct result of physician prescription, wide
      spread usage of this agent is avoidable. Physicians should pay attention to the
      probable deleterious consequences of benzodiazepine addiction related to
      depressive effects on the central nervous system caused by its chronic use.

PMID- 1431869
TI  - Bipolar latissimus dorsi transposition and functional neuromuscular stimulation
      to restore elbow flexion in an individual with C4 quadriplegia and C5
      denervation.
AB  - A bipolar latissimus dorsi transposition was performed on a 17-year-old male
      patient with a C4 spinal cord injury and complete peripheral denervation at C5.
      Electrical stimulation of the paralyzed but excitable latissimus dorsi provided
      elbow flexion that could not be achieved with the paralyzed and denervated elbow
      flexors. The muscle was attached from the coracoid to the ulna allowing the elbow
      to be flexed with the forearm and wrist maintained in the neutral position.
      Following a 6-week immobilization period, the transposed muscle was exercised
      daily with intramuscular stimulation to increase both strength and endurance. By
      the fourth month after surgery, the subject could control elbow flexion
      proportionally with contralateral shoulder elevation using a shoulder position
      transducer. Functionally, the subject was able to use the neuroprosthetic system
      to bring his hand to his mouth and feed himself with the aid of a universal cuff
      and a support to stabilize the shoulder.

PMID- 1431870
TI  - Heterotopic ossification of the extensor tendons in the hand associated with
      traumatic spinal cord injury.
AB  - Heterotopic ossification (HO) occurs in spinal cord injury (SCI), most frequently
      in the large joints such as hips, shoulders, knees, and elbows. It always occurs
      below the level of neurologic lesion. In the upper extremities, HO associated
      with SCI usually involves the flexor side of the involved joint. HO has only been
      reported once to involve the hands and rarely develops parallel to the long
      bones. We present a 44-year-old male with C5 traumatic SCI who developed HO
      involving the extensor tendons of one hand. The HO was discovered four months
      after the SCI and involved the extensor sheaths of the second, third, and fourth
      digits, from the metacarpal-phalangeal joint to the proximal inter-phalangeal
      joint. The patient had been improving neurologically with poor to fair extension
      of the right wrist allowing for tenodesis finger flexion, but with the onset of
      HO he lost some functional grasp. Diagnosis, possible etiology, and treatment
      (including options of radiation therapy and surgery) are discussed.

PMID- 1431871
TI  - Osteoporosis in spinal cord injury: using an index of mobility and its
      relationship to bone density.
AB  - This study was undertaken to improve quantification of the extent of osteoporosis
      that accompanies spinal cord injuries (SCI) of various types, using single photon
      densitometry. In this study, we evaluated subjects with complete and incomplete
      SCI to determine whether there is a correlation between mobility and bone
      density. We created an index to rank the various levels of mobility among SCI
      subjects. Mobility index parameters ranged from 1, for complete immobility, to 9,
      for the full mobility of the uninjured control population. Incomplete SCI
      subjects (motor and/or sensory) ranked from 2 to 8 on the mobility scale. We also
      attempted to define clearly the mechanism of osteoporosis in those with
      predominantly unilateral SCI (Brown-Sequard syndrome). Using single photon
      absorptiometry (SPA), we found a strong correlation between our mobility index
      and observed bone density. These observations clearly show that osteoporosis is
      affected by the subject's level of physical activity. These observations also
      support the hypothesis that SCI individuals benefit from efforts to maintain a
      standing posture with some regularity. This effort to improve bone density slows
      the development of osteoporosis, a process that results in physical impairments
      in the SCI population.

PMID- 1431872
TI  - Care and treatment of spinal cord injury patients.

PMID- 1431873
TI  - Uptake of selenotrisulfides of glutathione and cysteine by brush border membranes
      from rat intestines.
AB  - The uptake of selenodiglutathione and selenodicysteine was compared to that of
      selenite by brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) prepared from rat intestinal
      tracts. It was found that it is critical to maintain a pH of 6.0 or below to
      prevent the spontaneous breakdown of these compounds. When conducted at pH 6.0,
      the uptake of selenodiglutathione and selenodicysteine was more than ten times
      faster than for selenite selenium. Ligated intestinal loop studies were conducted
      to determine if similar results would be obtained in vivo. In comparison to
      selenite, selenium absorption was enhanced 68% and the transfer to the body
      increased 2.4-fold when selenium as selenodiglutathione was placed in the ileum.
      The absorption of selenium as selenodicysteine was increased by 57% and the
      transfer doubled in comparison to selenite when placed in the ileum. Thus, the
      stimulated absorption of selenite by glutathione or cysteine appears to be
      through the formation of complexes with these compounds.

PMID- 1431874
TI  - Cytotoxic activity of platinum (II) complexes with tri-n-butylphosphine. Crystal
      structure of the dinuclear hydrazine-bridged complex, cis,cis-[PtCl(PBu3n)2(mu
      N2H4)PtCl(PBu3n) 2] (ClO4)2.2CHCl3.
AB  - A series of platinum(II) tri-n-butylphosphine complexes having the formulas cis
      [PtCl2L2], NEt4[PtCl3L], [PtCl(en)L]Cl, [Pt(en)L2](ClO4)2, sym-trans-[Pt2Cl4L2],
      [Pt2Cl2L4](ClO4)2, trans,trans-[PtCl2L(mu-N2H4)PtCl2L] trans,trans-[PtCl2L(mu
      en)PtCl2L], and cis,cis-[PtClL2(mu-N2H4)PtClL2](ClO4)2 (L = tri-n-butylphosphine;
      en = ethylenediamine) have been synthesized and their cytotoxic activity in vitro
      and in vivo has been studied. The solution behavior of the novel dinuclear
      diamine-bridged platinum(II) complexes has been investigated by means of UV and
      31P NMR spectroscopy. For the ionic hydrazine compound cis,cis-[PtClL2(mu
      N2H4)PtClL2](ClO4)2, an x-ray structure determination is reported. Crystal data:
      space group P2(1)/a, a = 17.803(1), b = 18.888(3), c = 12.506(3) A, beta =
      107.97(2) degrees, Z = 2, R = 0.052, RW = 0.058. The platinum coordination is
      approximately square-planar, with the bond lengths Pt-Cl = 2.358(5), Pt-N =
      2.15(1), Pt-P(trans to Cl) = 2.260(5), and Pt-P(trans to N) = 2.262(6) A. All
      investigated compounds were cytotoxic in vitro against L1210 cells and showed no
      cross-resistance to cisplatin. On the other hand, no antitumor activity was
      observed vs L1210 leucemia in DBA2 mice.

PMID- 1431875
TI  - Synthesis, characterization, and antiinflammatory activity of naproxen complexes
      with rare earth (III).
AB  - RE(III) complexes of Naproxen(HNap) have been synthesized and characterized by
      elemental analyses, conductance measurements, solubilities, thermal analysis,
      infrared, proton magnetic resonance, and electronic spectral data. The elemental
      analyses reveal the presence of 1:3 (metal:ligand) stoichiometry and the IR
      spectra suggest the carboxylate group of HNap functions, as a bridging ligand to
      coordinate to RE(III) ions. The electronic spectra recorded in solid exhibit only
      slight shifts in visible regions, on which beta, delta and b1/2 of covalent
      parameters have been calculated. Formalin-induced rat paw edema and croton oil
      induced rat ear edema inflammatory models were chosen to examine the
      antiinflammatory activity of Nd(III) complex, which ascertained enhanced
      antiinflammatory activity relative to the ligand.

PMID- 1431876
TI  - Synthesis and biological studies of new lipid-soluble cisplatin analogues
      entrapped in liposomes.
AB  - A series of highly lipophilic platinum(II) complexes of the type cis
      [(RNH2)2PtX2] have been synthesized, where R = ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl,
      cyclopropyl, cyclopentyl, or neopentyl and X = either long-chain carboxylate,
      such as decanoate (C10), laurate (C12), myristate (C14), heptadecanoate (C17),
      stearate (C18), nonadecanoate (C19), or 2,2,3,3
      tetramethylcyclopropylcarboxylate, or branched-chain carboxylate, such as
      neopentanoate, neohexanoate, neoheptanoate, neononanoate, or neodecanoate. These
      complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, and 13C and 195Pt
      NMR spectroscopic techniques. The platinum complexes were entrapped in
      multilamellar vesicles composed of dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and
      dimyristoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DMPG) at a 7:3 molar ratio and tested for
      antitumor activity. The entrapment efficiency of liposomal platinum (L-Pt)
      complexes ranged from 60 to 100%. The percentage of T/C obtained after a single
      i.p. injection of the optimal dose of L-Pt complexes tested against L1210
      leukemia ranged from 90 to 125%. These L-Pt preparations did not show significant
      antitumor activity in mice.

PMID- 1431877
TI  - New perspectives on the structure and function of transferrins.
AB  - Structure-function relationships for transferrins are discussed in the light of
      recent X-ray crystal structure determinations. A common folding pattern into two
      lobes, each comprising two domains is adopted; this allows the tight, but
      reversible binding of iron. Uptake and release of iron involve substantial domain
      movements which open and close the binding clefts. The iron binding sites are
      similar and the key role of the CO3(2-) anion bound with each Fe3+ can now be
      understood; structural differences near the iron binding sites suggest reasons
      for the different binding properties of serum transferrin and lactoferrin. The
      glycan moieties do not appear to affect the protein structure or metal binding
      properties; they are not clearly seen in the X-ray analyses but have been
      modelled. The accommodation of different metals and anions is illustrated by the
      crystal structures of Cu2+ and oxalate-substituted lactoferrins; Al3+ binding is
      of particular interest. New results on transferrin-receptor interactions with
      transferrin, and melanotransferrin and an invertebrate transferrin (both of which
      have defective C-terminal binding sites), emphasize possible functional
      differences between the two lobes. The availability of site-specific mutants of
      both transferrin and lactoferrin now offers the opportunity to probe the
      structural determinants of iron binding, iron release, and receptor binding.

PMID- 1431878
TI  - Structure, function, and evolution of ferritins.
AB  - The ferritins of animals and plants and the bacterioferritins (BFRs) have a
      common iron-storage function in spite of differences in cytological location and
      biosynthetic regulation. The plant ferritins and BFRs are more similar to the H
      chains of mammals than to mammalian L chains, with respect to primary structure
      and conservation of ferroxidase center residues. Hence they probably arose from a
      common H-type ancestor. The recent discovery in E. coli of a second type of iron
      storage protein (FTN) resembling ferritin H chains raises the question of what
      the relative roles of these two proteins are in this organism. Mammalian L
      ferritins lack ferroxidase centers and form a distinct group. Comparison of the
      three-dimensional structures of mammalian and invertebrate ferritins, as well as
      computer modeling of plant ferritins and of BFR, indicate a well conserved
      molecular framework. The characterisation of numerous ferritin homopolymer
      variants has allowed the identification of some of the residues involved in iron
      uptake and an investigation of some of the functional differences between
      mammalian H and L chains.

PMID- 1431879
TI  - Haem binding to ferritin and possible mechanisms of physiological iron uptake and
      release by ferritin.
AB  - Haem binding to horse spleen ferritin and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterioferritin
      has been studied by spectroscopic methods. A maximum of 16 haems per ferritin
      molecule, and 24 haems per bacterioferritin molecule, has been shown to bind. The
      influence of the bound haem on the rate of reductive iron release has been
      investigated. With a range of reductants and in the absence of haem the rate of
      release varied with the reductant, but in the presence of haem the rate was both
      independent of the reductant and faster than with any of the reductants alone.
      This indicates the rate-limiting step for iron release in the absence of haem was
      electron-transfer across the protein shell. Based on the results obtained with
      the in vitro assay system and from a consideration of data currently in the
      literature, plausible schemes for ferritin and bacterioferritin iron uptake and
      release are described.

PMID- 1431880
TI  - Coordination of cellular iron metabolism by post-transcriptional gene regulation.
AB  - Maintenance of cellular iron homeostasis demands the coordination of iron uptake,
      intracellular storage, and utilization. Recent investigations suggest that a
      single genetic regulatory system orchestrates the expression of proteins with
      central importance for all three aspects of cellular iron metabolism at the level
      of mRNA stability and translation. Two components of this regulatory system have
      been defined: a cis-acting mRNA sequence/structure motif called "iron-responsive
      element" (IRE) and a specific trans-acting cytoplasmic binding protein, here
      referred to as "IRE-binding protein" (IRE-BP). As an early event in the
      regulatory cascade, cellular iron deprivation induces the IRE-binding activity of
      IRE-BP, whereas binding activity is reduced in iron-replete cells. IRE-BP is
      highly homologous to the iron-sulphur (Fe-S) protein aconitase which strongly
      suggests that IRE-BP is an Fe-S protein itself. Control over IRE-BP activity by
      the cellular iron status is exerted post-translationally and likely involves
      changes between (4Fe-4S) and (3Fe-4S) states of the postulated IRE-BP Fe-S
      cluster. In addition, post-translational regulation of IRE-BP activity via heme
      has been proposed. Subsequent to its activation, IRE-BP binds with high affinity
      to single IREs contained in the 5' untranslated regions (UTRs) of ferritin and
      erythroid 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase (eALAS) mRNAs. The binding represses
      translation of these proteins involved in iron storage and utilization,
      respectively. In contrast, iron uptake is largely regulated via multiple IREs in
      the 3' UTR of transferrin receptor (TfR) mRNA. TfR-IREs are required for the iron
      sensitive control of TfR mRNA stability. IRE-BP binding stabilizes TfR gene
      transcripts against as yet undefined ribonucleases. As a result of these
      regulatory interactions, iron starvation induces the expression of TfR, thereby
      increasing iron uptake, and represses the synthesis of proteins involved in iron
      storage and utilization. As cellular iron levels rise, the homeostatic balance is
      maintained by lowering iron uptake and increasing iron storage in ferritin.

PMID- 1431881
TI  - Structural requirements for high efficiency endocytosis of the human transferrin
      receptor.
AB  - Wild-type and mutant human transferrin receptors (TR) have been expressed in
      chicken embryo fibroblasts using a helper-independent retroviral vector. By
      functional studies of the mutant TRs, we have identified the tetrapeptide
      sequence, YXRF, in the cytoplasmic tail of the receptor as the internalization
      signal required for high efficiency endocytosis and shown that transplanted
      internalization signals from the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and the
      cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor (Man-6-PR) are able to promote
      rapid internalization of the human TR. A six-residue LDLR signal, FDNPVY, is
      required for activity in TR, whereas a four-residue Man-6-PR signal, YSKV, is
      sufficient. These data indicate that internalization signals are interchangeable
      self-determined structural motifs and that signals from type I membrane proteins
      are active in a type II receptor. Putative internalization signals in the
      cytoplasmic tails of other receptors and membrane proteins can be identified
      based on the sequence patterns of the LDLR, Man-6-PR, and TR signals. Two such
      putative four-residue internalization signals, one from the poly-Ig receptor and
      one from the asialoglycoprotein receptor, were tested for activity by
      transplantation into TR and were found to promote high efficiency
      internalization. These results suggest that an exposed tight turn is the
      conformational motif for high efficiency endocytosis.

PMID- 1431883
TI  - Iron-mediated DNA damage: sensitive detection of DNA strand breakage catalyzed by
      iron.
AB  - Oxidative DNA damage is involved in mutagenesis, carcinogenesis, aging, radiation
      effects, and the action of several anticancer drugs. Accumulated evidence
      indicates that iron may play an important role in those processes. We studied the
      in vitro effect of low concentrations of Fe(II) alone or Fe(III) in the presence
      of reducing agents on supercoiled plasmid DNA. The assay, based on the relaxation
      and linearization of supercoiled DNA, is simple yet sensitive and quantitative.
      Iron mediated the production of single and double strand breaks in supercoiled
      DNA. Iron chelators, free radical scavengers, and enzymes of the oxygen reduction
      pathways modulated the DNA damage. Fe(III)-nitrilotriacetate (NTA) plus either
      H2O2, L-ascorbate, or L-cysteine produced single and double strand breaks as a
      function of reductant concentration. A combination of 0.1 microM Fe(III)-NTA and
      100 microM L-ascorbate induced detectable DNA strand breaks after 30 min at 24
      degrees C. Whereas superoxide dismutase was inhibitory only in systems containing
      H2O2 as reductant, catalase inhibited DNA breakage in all the iron-mediated
      systems studied. The effect of scavengers and enzymes indicates that H2O2 and .OH
      are involved in the DNA damaging process. These reactions may account for the
      toxicity and carcinogenicity associated with iron overload.

PMID- 1431882
TI  - Ferritin synthesis on polyribosomes attached to the endoplasmic reticulum.
AB  - The evidence that ferritin is synthesized both on free polyribosomes and on
      polyribosomes attached to the endoplasmic reticulum is reviewed. Evidence that
      some ferritin is secreted from cells after synthesis on bound polyribosomes was
      found to be inconclusive.

PMID- 1431885
TI  - Brain iron homeostasis.
AB  - The anatomical and cellular distribution of non-haem iron, ferritin, transferrin,
      and the transferrin receptor have been studied in postmortem human brain and
      these studies, together with data on the uptake and transport of labeled iron, by
      the rat brain, have been used to elucidate the role of iron and other metal ions
      in certain neurological disorders. High levels of non-haem iron, mainly in the
      form of ferritin, are found in the extrapyramidal system, associated
      predominantly with glial cells. In contrast to non-haem iron, the density of
      transferrin receptors is highest in cortical and brainstem structures and appears
      to relate to the iron requirement of neurones for mitochondrial respiratory
      activity. Transferrin is synthesized within the brain by oligodendrocytes and the
      choroid plexus, and is present in neurones, consistent with receptor mediated
      uptake. The uptake of iron into the brain appears to be by a two-stage process
      involving initial deposition of iron in the brain capillary endothelium by serum
      transferrin, and subsequent transfer of iron to brain-derived transferrin and
      transport within the brain to sites with a high transferrin receptor density. A
      second, as yet unidentified mechanism, may be involved in the transfer of iron
      from neurones possessing transferrin receptors to sites of storage in glial cells
      in the extrapyramidal system. The distribution of iron and the transferrin
      receptor may be of relevance to iron-induced free radical formation and selective
      neuronal vulnerability in neurodegenerative disorders.

PMID- 1431884
TI  - Ferric iron reduction and iron assimilation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
AB  - We have used the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism to study the
      role of ferric iron reduction in eucaryotic iron uptake. S. cerevisiae is able to
      utilize ferric chelates as an iron source by reducing the ferric iron to the
      ferrous form, which is subsequently internalized by the cells. A gene (FRE1) was
      identified which encodes a protein required for both ferric iron reduction and
      efficient ferric iron assimilation, thus linking these two activities. The
      predicted FRE1 protein appears to be a membrane protein and shows homology to the
      beta-subunit of the human respiratory burst oxidase. These data suggest that FRE1
      is a structural component of the ferric reductase. Subcellular fractionation
      studies showed that the ferric reductase activity of isolated plasma membranes
      did not reflect the activity of the intact cells, implying that cellular
      integrity was necessary for function of the major S. cerevisiae ferric reductase.
      An NADPH-dependent plasma membrane ferric reductase was partially purified from
      plasma membranes. Preliminary evidence suggests that the cell surface ferric
      reductase may, in addition to mediating cellular iron uptake, help modulate the
      intracellular redox potential of the yeast cell.

PMID- 1431887
TI  - The interactions of zinc, nickel, and cadmium with Xenopus transcription factor
      IIIA, assessed by equilibrium dialysis.
AB  - Transcription factor IIIA (TFIIIA) was isolated from Xenopus ovary and treated
      with 1,10-phenanthroline to remove zinc. The interactions of apoTFIIIA with Zn2+,
      Ni2+, and Cd2+ were studied by equilibrium dialysis under anaerobic conditions
      (pH 7.0, 25 degrees C), using 65ZnCl2, 63NiCl2, and 109CdCl2 as the radioligands.
      The data for binding of Zn2+, Ni2+, and Cd2+ to apoTFIIIA were best-fitted by a
      model with two classes of binding sites. For Zn2+, the apparent dissociation
      constants (KdlZn and Kd2Zn) for the high- and low-affinity sites were 1.0 x 10(
      8) and 2.6 x 10(-5) M; the apparent binding capacities of the two classes were
      0.8 +/- 0.5 and 9.6 +/- 0.3 g-atoms of Zn/mol; the Hill coefficient was 1.18,
      consistent with positive cooperativity of Zn-binding sites. For Ni2+, the
      apparent KdlNi and Kd2Ni values were 2.3 x 10(-5) and 5.2 x 10(-4) M; the
      apparent binding capacities were 2.3 +/- 0.6 and 8.6 +/- 0.6 g-atoms of Ni/mol;
      the Hill coefficient was 1.20, consistent with positive cooperativity of Ni
      binding sites. For Cd2+, the apparent KdlCd and Kd2Cd values were 2.8 x 10(-6)
      and 1.6 x 10(-4) M; the apparent binding capacities were 0.9 +/- 0.3 and 2.4 +/-
      0.5 g-atoms of Cd/mol; the Hill coefficient was 0.53, consistent with negative
      cooperativity or heterogeneity of Cd-binding sites. This study has the following
      significance: First, it helps to resolve a controversy about the zinc content of
      purified TFIIIA. Second, it shows that the KdlZn of apoTFIIIA is less than the
      reported KdZn of thionein, consistent with the hypothesis that thionein modulates
      gene expression by competing with TFIIIA and other Zn-finger proteins for
      intracellular Zn2+ stores. Third, it confirms previous indirect evidence that the
      affinity of apoTFIIIA for Zn2+ is much greater than for Cd2+, and that the
      affinity for Cd2+ is greater than for Ni2+.

PMID- 1431886
TI  - The antimalarial effect of iron chelators: studies in animal models and in humans
      with mild falciparum malaria.
AB  - In this study we explore the antimalarial effects of 3-hydroxypyridin-4-ones (CP
      compounds), a family of bidentate orally effective iron chelators in experimental
      animal systems in vivo and in vitro, and examine whether the iron chelator
      deferoxamine (DF) is active against human infection with P. falciparum. There was
      direct relation between lipid solubility of the CP compounds, which would
      facilitate membrane transit, and their in vivo antimalarial action, suggesting
      direct intracellular iron chelation as the most likely explantation for the
      antimalarial effect of iron chelators. Results of the double-blind, placebo
      controlled trial of DF in humans with asymptomatic parasitemia provided
      unequivocal evidence that this iron-chelating agent has antimalarial activity.
      Depriving the parasite of a metabolically important source of iron may represent
      a novel approach to antimalarial drug development. DF is a relatively ineffective
      intraerythrocytic chelator, and our data indicate that other orally effective
      iron chelators may have superior antimalarial activity in vivo. A systematic
      screening of available iron chelating drugs may result in the identification of
      potentially useful antimalarial compounds.

PMID- 1431888
TI  - Conversion in the peptides coating cadmium:sulfide crystallites in Candida
      glabrata.
AB  - Cultures of Candida glabrata treated with CdCl2 form intracellular Cd(II)
      complexes that evolve with the time of culturing. Initially, glutathione (gamma
      ECG) appears to be the major buffering component. One type of Cd(II)-glutathione
      complex exists as a cadmium:sulfide (CdS) crystallite coated with glutathione. A
      time dependent change in the coating of the CdS particles occurs with a decrease
      in the (gamma ECG) content and a corresponding increase in the abundance of
      (gamma EC)nG peptides with (gamma EC)2G becoming the predominant peptide. The des
      Gly variant (gamma EC)2 appears in significant concentration only in late
      cultures. The evolution in isopeptide coating appears to be dependent on the
      sulfide content of the CdS particles. Cellular conditions that enhance the
      generation of sulfide ions facilitate the conversion from gamma ECG to (gamma
      EC)2G.

PMID- 1431890
TI  - Stimulatory effects of exogenous thyroid hormone and growth hormone on sn
      glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in the genetic-hypothyroid mutant
      mouse cerebellum: restricted to the second 20 days of postnatal life.
AB  - We recently reported that by postnatal day 40 the activity of sn-glycerol-3
      phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) was significantly depressed in the cerebellum of
      genetic-hypothyroid mutant mice. This mutant mouse-GPDH combination was used in
      the present study to define the critical time period during which thyroid hormone
      (T4) and growth hormone (GH) are essential for maturation of Bergmann glial
      cells. Our findings are that (a) induction of GPDH activity in the Bergmann glial
      cell is dependent on T4, (b) T4 is most effective when administered during the
      second 20 days of postnatal life, (c) the effect of GH on GPDH activity is
      complementary to or synergistic with that of T4, and (d) Bergmann glial cells and
      radial glial fibers of the mutant mice contain immunoreactive GPDH following
      various hormonal treatments. These results suggest that T4 is indispensable for
      the maturation of Bergmann glial cells.

PMID- 1431889
TI  - K-252 compounds: modulators of neurotrophin signal transduction.
AB  - K-252 compounds, which share a common polyaromatic aglycon structure, are rather
      general and potent inhibitors of various protein kinases, including protein
      kinase C and tyrosine-specific protein kinases, and possibly act by interfering
      at or near the ATP binding site. However, chemical modifications in their sugar
      moiety can result in high specificity of the inhibitory action and, furthermore,
      can induce other stimulatory and inhibitory effects on nerve cells. These
      compounds are of particular interest because, in intact cells, they inhibit the
      actions of NGF and other neurotrophins without diminishing comparable actions of
      other growth factors. This effect seems to reflect a direct inhibitory action on
      trk neurotrophin receptor proteins. At concentrations lower than those necessary
      to inhibit neurotrophin actions, K-252a and K-252b have been shown to potentiate
      the stimulatory effects of NT-3 on different neurons in culture and on PC12
      cells. The structural requirements for this effect seem to be different from
      those for the inhibition of neurotrophin actions. These findings raise the
      possibility of development of compounds of high selectivity, able to inhibit or
      potentiate the transduction mechanisms of individual neurotrophins, and identify
      K-252a and K-252b as lead compounds for the development of such selective
      molecules. Specific inhibitors and stimulators of neurotrophins would be valuable
      tools to investigate biological functions of the neurotrophins in vitro and in
      vivo. Furthermore, it is possible that, in the future, highly selective drugs
      with agonistic or antagonistic actions on neurotrophin mechanisms could become
      therapeutically useful in the treatment of neurological disease and injury.

PMID- 1431891
TI  - Distribution of free methylarginines in rat tissues and in the bovine brain.
AB  - A sensitive and specific method for determining three forms of methylarginine,
      i.e., NG-monomethylarginine, NG,NG-dimethylarginine, and NG,N'G-dimethylarginine,
      in mammalian tissues was developed. After partial purification by ion-exchange
      chromatography, the methylarginines were derivatized to phenylthiocarbamyl
      compounds and quantitatively determined using HPLC with a reverse-phase C18
      column. In rat organs, the highest concentrations of methylarginines were
      observed in the spleen. In rat brain, cerebellum and olfactory bulb contained
      large amounts of NG-monomethylarginine and NG,NG-dimethylarginine. A detailed
      study of the distribution of methylarginines in the bovine brain was also made,
      and the concentration of NG,N'G-dimethylarginine was almost the same in all
      regions. The cerebellar gray matter, hippocampus, and hypothalamus contained
      large amounts of methylarginines. The distribution of methylarginines seems to
      parallel the distribution of nitric oxide synthase, which is known to be
      inhibited by NG-monomethylarginine. This may indicate that methylarginines play
      some role in controlling nitric oxide synthase activity.

PMID- 1431892
TI  - A casein kinase-like kinase phosphorylates beta-tubulin and may be a microtubule
      associated protein.
AB  - The hypothesis that casein kinase II (CKII) is a microtubule-associated protein
      kinase was investigated using a neuronal cell line and bovine brain. Heparin, an
      inhibitor of CKII, inhibited the phosphorylation of a PC12 cytosolic protein
      whose molecular weight was similar to that of beta-tubulin. Partially purified
      PC12 CKII was immunoreactive to an antibody directed against bovine CKII and was
      able to phosphorylate purified beta-tubulin in a heparin-inhibitable manner when
      the concentration of tubulin was less than 50 micrograms/ml. To better determine
      if CKII is a microtubule-associated protein kinase, bovine brain tubulin was
      chromatographed on FPLC Mono Q and phosphocellulose columns. Several tubulin
      casein kinase (TCK) activities were apparent. All TCK activities phosphorylated
      tubulin and casein, but none was able to phosphorylate the CKII-specific
      synthetic peptide RRREEETEEE. One of these TCK fractions was immunoreactive to
      the antibody directed against CKII, and this antibody labeled a 50-kDa molecular
      mass band that had a molecular mass distinctly different from those of the
      subunits of CKII. Thus, we suggest that a CKII-like protein, but not CKII, might
      be a microtubule-associated protein.

PMID- 1431894
TI  - Relationship between platelet monoamine oxidase B activity and alleles at the
      MAOB locus.
AB  - Genetic variations in monoamine oxidase (MAO)-B activity have been proposed to
      have a contributory role in several neurologic and psychiatric diseases.
      Variations in activity could affect rates of degradation of exogenous amines,
      including toxins, precursors of toxins (like 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6
      tetrahydropyridine), or false transmitters, and of endogenous amines, such as
      neurotransmitters. In this study a highly polymorphic (GT)n repeat element was
      used to mark alleles at the MAOB locus. The MAOB allele status and levels of
      platelet MAO-B activity were determined for 41 control males. No correlation was
      noted between specific alleles and levels of MAO-B activity in this sample set.
      This suggests that the structural gene for MAOB is not usually the primary
      determinant of activity levels in platelets.

PMID- 1431893
TI  - Inhibition of phosphorylation of synapsin I and other synaptosomal proteins by
      beta-bungarotoxin, a phospholipase A2 neurotoxin.
AB  - Some snake venom neurotoxins, such as beta-bungarotoxin (beta-BuTX), which
      possess relatively low phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity, act presynaptically to
      alter acetylcholine (ACh) release both in the periphery and in the CNS. In
      investigating the mechanism of this action, we found that beta-BuTX (5 and 15 nM)
      inhibited phosphorylation, in both resting and depolarized synaptosomes, of a
      wide range of proteins, including synapsin I. Naja naja atra PLA2, which has
      higher PLA2 activity, also inhibited phosphorylation but was less potent than
      beta-BuTX. At 1 nM, beta-BuTX and N. n. atra PLA2 inhibited phosphorylation of
      synapsin I only in depolarized synaptosomes. Synaptosomal ATP levels were not
      affected by 5 or 15 nM beta-BuTX or by 5 nM N. n. atra PLA2. Limited proteolysis,
      using Staphylococcus aureus V-8 protease, indicated that beta-BuTX inhibited
      phosphorylation of synapsin I in both the head and the tail regions. The
      inhibition of phosphorylation was not antagonized by nordihydroguaiaretic acid or
      indomethacin, suggesting that arachidonic acid derivatives do not mediate this
      inhibition. Furthermore, inhibition of phosphorylation by beta-BuTX and N. n.
      atra PLA2 was not altered in the presence of the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic
      acid, suggesting that stimulation of phosphatase activity is not responsible for
      this inhibition. Inhibition of protein phosphorylation by PLA2 neurotoxins and
      enzymes may be associated with an inhibition of ACh release.

PMID- 1431895
TI  - Nicotinylalanine increases the formation of kynurenic acid in the brain and
      antagonizes convulsions.
AB  - Kynurenic acid (KYNA) was quantified in the extracellular spaces of the rat
      hippocampus using microdialysis and HPLC (fluorimetric detection) to study the
      possible role of this tryptophan metabolite in the modulation of the function of
      the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. Addition of probenecid (1 mM), which is
      an inhibitor of the organic acid transport system, to the Ringer's solution
      perfusing the dialysis probe increased the KYNA concentration in the dialysate
      from 10.4 +/- 0.9 to 48 +/- 6 nM. Addition of 2 mM aminooxyacetic acid, a
      nonspecific inhibitor of KYNA synthesis, reduced this concentration by 50%. These
      data suggest that KYNA is continuously synthesized in the rat hippocampus.
      Nicotinylalanine (NAL), 200-400 mg/kg i.p., an analogue of kynurenine that is
      able to direct the flow of tryptophan metabolites toward the synthesis of KYNA,
      significantly increased the KYNA concentration in the hippocampal dialysate and
      significantly potentiated the effect of tryptophan on the accumulation of KYNA in
      the brain and other organs. This increase resulted in pharmacological actions
      compatible with an antagonism of the NMDA receptors. In fact, NAL antagonized
      sound-induced seizures and prevented death in DBA/2 mice. Pretreatment of the
      mice with D-serine (100 micrograms intracerebroventricularly), a glycine agonist
      and a competitive antagonist of KYNA, completely prevented the anticonvulsive
      action of NAL. These data suggest that changes in the extracellular concentration
      of KYNA in the brain are associated with a modulation of NMDA receptor function.

PMID- 1431896
TI  - Stimulation of phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis by brain-derived neurotrophic
      factor and neurotrophin-3 in rat cerebral cortical neurons developing in culture.
AB  - Phosphatidylinositol (PI) breakdown represents a powerful system participating in
      the transduction mechanism of some neurotransmitters and growth factors and
      producing two second messengers, diacylglycerol and inositol trisphosphate. The
      transformation of PC12 neuroblastoma cells into neuron-like cells induced by
      nerve growth factor (NGF) is preceded by a rapid stimulation of PI breakdown;
      however, it was not known whether PI breakdown mediates actions of other members
      of the neurotrophin family. The present study analyzed the effects of NGF, brain
      derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) on PI breakdown in
      primary cultures of embryonic rat brain cells. Cultures were grown for 7 days; PI
      was then labeled by incubating cultures with myo-[3H]inositol, which then were
      exposed acutely to growth factors. BDNF and NT-3, but not NGF, elevated the
      levels of labeled inositol phosphates within 10-15 min after addition to the
      cultures in a dose-dependent manner. ED50 values for BDNF and NT-3 were 12.4 and
      64.5 ng/ml, respectively. Comparable effects were found in cultures of cortical,
      striatal, and septal cells. The actions of BDNF and NT-3 probably reflect actions
      on neurons, because no effects were seen in cultures of nonneuronal cells. In
      contrast, basic fibroblast growth factor induced a marked stimulation of PI
      breakdown in cultures of nonneuronal cells. K252b, which selectively blocks
      neurotrophin actions by inhibiting trk-type receptor proteins, prevented the PI
      breakdown mediated by BDNF and NT-3. The findings suggest that rapid and specific
      induction of PI breakdown is involved in the signal transduction of BDNF and NT
      3, and they provide evidence that cortical neurons are functionally responsive to
      BDNF and NT-3 during development.

PMID- 1431897
TI  - Nicotinic agonists, phorbol esters, and growth factors activate two extracellular
      signal-regulated kinases, ERK1 and ERK2, in bovine chromaffin cells.
AB  - Treatment of bovine chromaffin cells with nicotinic agonists, phorbol esters, and
      growth factors increases protein kinase activity toward microtubule-associated
      protein-2 and myelin basic protein (MBP) in vitro. To characterize the kinases
      that are activated by these agents, we separated chromaffin cell proteins by
      electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels into which MBP had
      been incorporated, allowed the proteins to renature, and then assayed MBP kinase
      activity by incubating the gels with [gamma-32P]ATP. Chromaffin cells contain a
      family of kinases that phosphorylate MBP in vitro. Two of these kinases, of M(r)
      46,000 and 42,000 (PK46 and PK42), were activated by treatment of the cells with
      dimethylphenylpiperazinium (DMPP), phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu), or insulin
      like growth factor I (IGF-I). Activation of PK46 and PK42 by DMPP was dependent
      on extracellular Ca2+, whereas the effects of PDBu and IGF-I were Ca2+
      independent. Down-regulation of protein kinase C by incubation of the cells with
      PDBu abolished the activation of PK46 and PK42 by DMPP, PDBu, and IGF-I.
      Staurosporine, a protein kinase C inhibitor, prevented the activation of PK46 and
      PK42 by DMPP and PDBu but did not block the activation of these kinases by IGF-I.
      Immunoblotting experiments with antiphosphotyrosine (anti-PTyr) antibodies
      demonstrated that agents that increased the kinase activities of PK46 and PK42
      also increased the apparent PTyr content of M(r) 46,000 and 42,000 proteins. PK46
      and PK42 comigrated with proteins that reacted with antibodies against
      extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs). Thus, PK46 and PK42 appear to be
      the bovine homologues of ERK1 and ERK2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431898
TI  - Extracellular brain glucose levels reflect local neuronal activity: a
      microdialysis study in awake, freely moving rats.
AB  - The relationship between brain extracellular glucose levels and neuronal activity
      was evaluated using microdialysis in awake, freely moving rats. The sodium
      channel blocker tetrodotoxin and the depolarizing agent veratridine were
      administered through the dialysis probe to provoke local changes in neuronal
      activity. The extracellular glucose content was significantly increased in the
      presence of tetrodotoxin and decreased sharply following veratridine application.
      The systemic injection of a general anaesthetic, chloral hydrate, led to a large
      and prolonged increase in extracellular glucose levels. The brain extracellular
      glucose concentration was estimated by comparing dialysate glucose efflux over a
      range of inlet glucose concentrations. A mean value of 0.47 mM was obtained in
      five animals. The results are discussed in terms of the coupling between brain
      glucose supply and metabolism. The changes observed in extracellular glucose
      levels under various conditions suggest that supply and utilization may be less
      tightly linked in the awake rat than has previously been postulated.

PMID- 1431899
TI  - Recovery of cholinergic phenotype in the injured rat neostriatum: roles for
      endogenous and exogenous nerve growth factor.
AB  - Polyclonal antibodies against recombinant human nerve growth factor (rhNGF)
      potently inhibited PC12 neurite outgrowth, blocked high-affinity 125I-rhNGF
      binding but not its receptor, and cross-reacted with rat, mouse, and human nerve
      growth factor (NGF) but not with brain-derived neurotrophic factor, neurotrophin
      3, ciliary neurotrophic factor, insulin-like growth factor, epidermal growth
      factor, or activin A. Immunocytochemistry revealed many NGF-positive neurons in
      the rat neostriatum. The NGF-positive neurons disappeared by 3 days after
      mechanical injury to the neostriatum and were replaced by intensely NGF- and
      glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytes. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent
      assay measurements revealed that the NGF content of the injured striatum was
      elevated by eightfold 3 days postinjury and by twofold 2 weeks later. The high
      affinity choline uptake (HACU) into cholinergic nerve terminals was decreased by
      23% at 2 and 4 weeks postinjury, yet choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity in
      these neurons was unchanged at 2 weeks and decreased by 14% at 4 weeks. Daily
      infusion of 1 microgram of rhNGF into the injury area did not alter the loss of
      HACU. However, this treatment elevated ChAT activity by 23-29% above intact
      neostriatal levels and by 53-65% relative to HACU at both survival times. Thus,
      lesion-induced increases in NGF levels within astrocytes are associated with
      maintenance of striatal ChAT activity at normal levels following cholinergic
      injury, even with decreases in HACU. Pharmacologic doses of rhNGF can further
      augment ChAT activity in damaged cholinergic neurons, showing the usefulness of
      exogenous NGF even when endogenous NGF is elevated in response to injury.

PMID- 1431900
TI  - Ethanol and excitotoxicity in cultured cortical neurons: differential sensitivity
      of N-methyl-D-aspartate and sodium nitroprusside toxicity.
AB  - Neural injury due to ischemia and related insults is thought to involve the
      action of excitatory amino acids at N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, which results
      in the influx of extracellular Ca2+ and the generation of nitric oxide. Because
      ethanol inhibits physiologic responses to excitatory amino acids, we examined its
      effect on toxicity induced by N-methyl-D-aspartate and by the nitric oxide donor
      sodium nitroprusside in neuron-enriched cultures prepared from rat cerebral
      cortex. Both N-methyl-D-aspartate and sodium nitroprusside were cytotoxic, as
      measured by the release of lactate dehydrogenase and by microfluorescent
      determination of cell viability. Ethanol (3-1,000 mM) protected cultures from N
      methyl-D-aspartate but not sodium nitroprusside toxicity, and the ability of a
      series of n-alkanols to reproduce the effect of ethanol was related to carbon
      chain length. Neuroprotection by ethanol was accompanied by a decrease in the N
      methyl-D-aspartate-evoked elevation of free intracellular Ca2+ and did not appear
      to involve gamma-aminobutyric acid- or cyclic GMP-mediated mechanisms. These
      findings suggest that ethanol inhibits excitotoxicity at an early step in the N
      methyl-D-aspartate signaling pathway, probably by reducing Ca2+ influx, and not
      by interfering with the action of nitric oxide.

PMID- 1431901
TI  - Carboxypeptidase M in brain and peripheral nerves.
AB  - Carboxypeptidase M (CPM), a plasma membrane-bound enzyme, cleaves C-terminal
      basic amino acids with a neutral pH optimum. We studied its distribution in
      human, baboon, and dog brain and in dog peripheral nerves. Areas were dissected,
      homogenized, centrifuged, and assayed for activity with dansyl-Ala-Arg. The
      corpus callosum and the pyramidal and optic tract were especially rich in CPM,
      whereas basal ganglia and cortex had low activity. The identity of the basic
      carboxypeptidase activity with CPM was shown by similarities in subcellular
      localization, membrane attachment, substrate hydrolysis, inhibition by a specific
      basic carboxypeptidase inhibitor, and cross-reaction with anti-human CPM
      antiserum. This antiserum immunoprecipitated an average of 85% of the activity in
      human and baboon brain and approximately 66% in dog brain. CPM co-purified with
      myelin extracted from the brain. Consistent with results obtained in placenta and
      cultured kidney cells, CPM in the brain appears to be membrane-bound via a
      phosphatidylinositol glycan anchor. In the peripheral nerves, the specific
      activity in dog sciatic nerve and in vagus was high (98 and 149 nmol/h/mg of
      protein, respectively). In immunohistochemical studies, glia in the brain, which
      appear to be oligodendrocytes or astrocytes, and the outer aspects of myelin
      sheaths and Schwann cells in sciatic and vagus nerves were stained. We conclude
      that in some areas of the CNS and the PNS, CPM is closely associated with myelin
      and myelin-forming cells. Northern blot analysis revealed the presence of mRNA
      coding for CPM in the brain, showing that the enzyme is indeed synthesized there.

PMID- 1431902
TI  - Role of thapsigargin-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ pools in secretion induced by
      muscarinic agonists in porcine adrenal chromaffin cells.
AB  - The role of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3]-sensitive Ca2+ pools in
      secretion, induced by muscarinic agonists in porcine adrenal chromaffin cells,
      was studied. Activation of muscarinic receptors, as in other species, was found
      to increase inositol phosphate production including that of Ins(1,4,5)P3.
      Treatment of cells with thapsigargin, which is known to deplete Ins(1,4,5)P3
      sensitive Ca2+ pools, eliminated the initial transient component of increases in
      the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]in) induced by the muscarinic
      agonist, methacholine, in both the presence and the absence of extracellular
      Ca2+. Thapsigargin treatment also decreased methacholine-induced secretion by
      about 30% in the presence of extracellular Ca2+ and essentially eliminated
      secretion that occurred independently of extracellular Ca2+ (which was about 30%
      of the secretory response that occurred in the presence of extracellular Ca2+).
      Thapsigargin itself had no effect on inositol phosphate production. These results
      indicate that about 30% of muscarinic agonist-induced secretion is mediated by
      the release of Ca2+ from Ins(1,4,5)P3- and thapsigargin-sensitive intracellular
      Ca2+ pools. These results also suggest that Ca2+ influx activated by muscarinic
      agonists is not due to depletion of intracellular Ca2+ pools, as prior depletion
      of these pools had no effect on the portion of the methacholine-induced secretory
      response and [Ca2+]in signal that was dependent on extracellular Ca2+.

PMID- 1431903
TI  - Extracellular striatal concentrations of endogenous 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine in
      the absence of a decarboxylase inhibitor: a dynamic index of dopamine synthesis
      in vivo.
AB  - Basal levels of endogenous 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) were detected by
      HPLC coupled with coulometric detection in dialysates from freely moving rats
      implanted 48-72 h earlier with transversal dialysis fibers in the dorsal caudate.
      Because decarboxylase inhibitor is absent in the Ringer's solution, this method
      allows monitoring of basal output of dopamine (DA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic
      acid, as well as DOPA. Extracellular DOPA concentrations were reduced by the
      tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor alpha-methylparatyrosine (200 mg/kg, i.p.) and by
      the dopaminergic agonist apomorphine (0.25 mg/kg, s.c.). The dopaminergic
      antagonist haloperidol (0.2 mg/kg, s.c.) stimulated DOPA output by about 60% over
      basal values. Gamma-Butyrolactone, at doses of 700 mg/kg, i.p., which are known
      to block dopaminergic neuronal firing and which reduce DA release, stimulated
      DOPA output maximally by 130% over basal values. Tetrodotoxin, which blocks DA
      release by blocking voltage-dependent Na+ channels, increased DOPA output
      maximally by 100% over basal values. The results indicate that basal DOPA can be
      detected and monitored in the extracellular fluid of the caudate of freely moving
      rats by transcerebral dialysis and can be taken as a dynamic index of DA
      synthesis in pharmacological conditions.

PMID- 1431904
TI  - Effects of electroconvulsive shock on tetrahydrobiopterin and GTP-cyclohydrolase
      activity in the brain and adrenal gland of the rat.
AB  - The effects of a single and repeated electroconvulsive shock (ECS) (300 mA, 0.2
      s) on tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) levels and GTP-cyclohydrolase activity in the
      brain and adrenal glands of rats were examined. Twenty-four hours after the last
      ECS treatment (one/day for 7 days), biopterin levels were significantly elevated
      in the locus coeruleus, hippocampus, frontal cortex, hypothalamus, ventral
      tegmental area, and adrenal gland. There were no changes in biopterin levels
      after a single application of ECS. GTP-cyclohydrolase activity was significantly
      increased in the locus coeruleus, frontal cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and
      adrenal gland 24 h after repeated ECS and remained elevated in certain tissues up
      to 8 days after the last treatment. Kinetic analysis of adrenal and locus
      coeruleus GTP-cyclohydrolase 1 day after 7 days of ECS showed significant changes
      in both Km and Vmax values. These data suggest that the long-term increases in
      BH4 levels and GTP-cyclohydrolase activity after repeated ECS may play a part in
      the mediation of the antidepressant effects of ECS.

PMID- 1431905
TI  - Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor enhances phosphatidylcholine hydrolysis via
      phospholipase D in bovine chromaffin cells in culture.
AB  - Although it is well-established that inositol-containing lipids serve as
      precursors of intracellular second messenger molecules in chromaffin cells, we
      describe some findings that show the formation of diacylglycerol from
      phosphatidylcholine in response to agonist-mediated stimulation. Stimulation of
      chromaffin cells by acetylcholine produced a high turnover of
      phosphatidylcholine, as suggested by the release of [3H]choline derived from [3H]
      phosphatidylcholine in experiments performed with [3H]choline chloride-prelabeled
      cells. An enhanced breakdown of phosphatidylcholine was also inferred from the
      finding of an increased formation of [3H]diacylglycerol in chromaffin cells
      prelabeled with [3H]glycerol. The diacylglycerol mass that accumulated after
      stimulation showed a distinct temporal course and seemed to exceed the mass that
      has been reported to be derived from phosphatidylinositol. In keeping with the
      purported origin from phosphatidylcholine, diacylglycerol showed a high content
      in [3H]oleate molecular species. Phospholipase D activity measurements and
      experiments performed in the presence of propranolol (an inhibitor of
      phosphatidic acid:phosphohydrolase) suggested that phosphatidylcholine is
      hydrolyzed by a phospholipase D activity, producing phosphatidic acid, which is
      subsequently degraded to diacylglycerol, rather than by a phospholipase C.
      Incubation of chromaffin cells in the presence of atropine before addition of
      acetylcholine showed complete inhibition of the increased formation of [3H]
      diacylglycerol, whereas d-tubocurarine failed to do so. Taken together, these
      results suggest that acetylcholine activates phosphatidylcholine breakdown and
      diacylglycerol formation in chromaffin cells via a muscarinic-type receptor.

PMID- 1431907
TI  - Possible regulation of caffeine-induced intracellular Ca2+ mobilization by
      intracellular free Na+.
AB  - To gain some understanding of the regulatory mechanism involved in caffeine
      induced Ca2+ release in adrenal chromaffin cells, we took advantage of the
      paradoxical observation that removal of divalent cations potentiated the
      secretory response to caffeine. We measured the concentration of cytosolic free
      Ca2+ ([Ca]in) in isolated cat chromaffin cells, by fura-2 microfluorometry, to
      see whether there was any correlation between the secretory response and the rise
      in [Ca]in. The caffeine-induced [Ca]in rise and catecholamine secretion were
      increased by treatment of cells with a divalent cation-deficient solution. These
      potentiated responses were strongly inhibited either by pretreatment with
      ryanodine, by the reduction of the external Na+ concentration, or by the addition
      of Ca2+ channel blockers. Removal of divalent cations caused a large rise in the
      cytosolic free Na+ concentration ([Na]in), which was measured using SBFI
      microfluorometry. This rise in [Na]in was reduced either by adding Ca2+ channel
      blockers or by reducing the external Na+ concentration. These results show a good
      correlation between caffeine-induced Ca2+ release and [Na]in at the time of
      stimulation, suggesting that caffeine-induced Ca2+ release is regulated by
      [Na]in.

PMID- 1431906
TI  - Regulation of carboxypeptidase E by membrane depolarization in PC12
      pheochromocytoma cells: comparison with mRNAs encoding other peptide- and
      catecholamine-biosynthetic enzymes.
AB  - PC12 cells, a rat pheochromocytoma cell line, have been found to express
      carboxypeptidase E (CPE) enzymatic activity and CPE, furin, and peptidylglycine
      alpha-amidating monooxygenase (PAM) mRNAs. PC12 cells secrete CPE activity in
      response to depolarization induced by 50 mM KCl. Short-term (1- to 3-h)
      treatments of PC12 cells with KCl stimulates the secretion of CPE but does not
      appear to stimulate the synthesis of new CPE protein, based on the measurement of
      CPE activity and incorporation of [35S]-Met into CPE. Also, CPE mRNA is not
      altered by 2-h treatments with KCl. In contrast, prolonged treatment (24-48 h) of
      PC12 cells with 50 mM KCl continues to stimulate the secretion of CPE activity,
      without altering the cellular level of CPE. Levels of CPE mRNA are significantly
      elevated after long-term treatment of the cells with KCl, with increases of 35%
      after 5 h and 55-75% after 24 to 72 h of treatment. The level of PAM mRNA is also
      elevated approximately 70% after 24 h of stimulation with KCl. In contrast, the
      mRNA levels of furin and dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) do not change on
      treatment of PC12 cells with KCl. These findings indicate that long-term
      depolarization, which leads to a prolonged stimulation of PC12 cells to secrete
      CPE, also stimulates the synthesis of CPE and PAM but not furin or DBH.

PMID- 1431908
TI  - Alteration of neuroblastoma ganglioside metabolism by retinoic acid.
AB  - Cellular differentiation is often associated with striking changes in ganglioside
      metabolism. Because retinoic acid causes cellular differentiation in vitro, we
      have characterized its effect on ganglioside synthesis and shedding by LAN-5
      human neuroblastoma cells. Three major observations were made: (a) 20 microM
      retinoic acid caused a marked (twofold) increase in cellular ganglioside content,
      with a slight relative enhancement in GD1a and GT1b synthesis, (b) ganglioside
      shedding increased in parallel with increased cellular ganglioside content, and
      also, unexpectedly, (c) retinoic acid caused a quantitatively similar increase in
      content of cell membrane phospholipids, which are also shed. We conclude that
      enhanced ganglioside synthesis and shedding by retinoic acid are part of a
      previously undescribed generalized stimulatory effect on membrane lipid
      metabolism.

PMID- 1431909
TI  - Specific irreversible monoamine oxidase B inhibitors stimulate gene expression of
      aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase in PC12 cells.
AB  - The effect of some selective monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors on aromatic L
      amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) gene expression in PC12 cells has been examined.
      Irreversible MAO B inhibitors [(-)-deprenyl, pargyline, and MDL 72,974A]
      stimulated AADC gene expression, whereas a selective irreversible MAO A inhibitor
      (clorgyline) and a reversible MAO B inhibitor (Ro 19-6327) had no effect. Because
      there is no apparent MAO B activity in PC12 cells, it is postulated that there is
      a novel site of action for these MAO B inhibitors and that the pharmacological
      profile of this site matches that of neuroprotective MAO B inhibitors. Finally,
      it is suggested that the stimulation of AADC gene expression may be relevant to
      the antiparkinsonian effects of MAO B inhibitors.

PMID- 1431910
TI  - An alternative secretase cleavage produces soluble Alzheimer amyloid precursor
      protein containing a potentially amyloidogenic sequence.
AB  - Cell culture studies have shown that the Alzheimer amyloid precursor protein
      (APP) is secreted after full-length APP is cleaved by a putative secretase at the
      Lys16-Leu17 bond (secretase cleavage I) of the amyloid peptide sequence. Because
      this cleavage event is incompatible with amyloid production, it has been assumed
      that secreted APP cannot serve as a precursor of the amyloid depositions observed
      in Alzheimer's disease. Here we show that in neuronally differentiated PC12 cells
      and human kidney 293 cell cultures a portion of the secreted extracytoplasmic APP
      reacted specifically with both a monoclonal antibody recognizing amyloid protein
      residues Leu17-Val24 and a polyclonal antiserum directed against amyloid protein
      residues Ala21-Lys28. Furthermore, this APP failed to react with antisera
      recognizing the cytoplasmic domain of the full-length protein. These data
      indicate the presence of an alternative APP secretase cleavage site (secretase
      cleavage II), C-terminal to the predominant secretase cleavage I. Depending on
      the exact location of cleavage site II, potentially amyloidogenic secreted APP
      species may be produced.

PMID- 1431911
TI  - Lithium enhances accumulation of [3H]inositol radioactivity and mass of second
      messenger inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in monkey cerebral cortex slices.
AB  - We previously reported that lithium, in the presence of acetylcholine, increased
      accumulations of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,3,4,5
      tetrakisphosphate in brain cortex slices from the guinea pig, rabbit, rat, and
      mouse. In the mouse and rat, the Li(+)-induced increases required supplementation
      of the medium with inositol. This probably relates to the following facts: (a)
      Brain cortices of the mouse and rat contain in vivo concentrations of inositol
      half of that of the guinea pig. (b) Incubated rat brain cortex slices are
      depleted of inositol by 80%. (c) The slices require 10 mM inositol
      supplementation to restore in vivo concentrations. We now show that in monkey
      brain cortex slices, therapeutic concentrations of Li+ increase accumulation of
      inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. The inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate level is not
      increased. Neither inositol nor an agonist is required. The same effects are seen
      whether inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate is quantified by the [3H]inositol
      prelabeling technique or by mass assay, although mass includes a pool of inositol
      1,4,5-trisphosphate that is metabolically inactive. Thus, in a therapeutically
      relevant model for humans, Li+ increases inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate levels in
      brain cortex slices, as was previously seen in lower mammals at non-rate-limiting
      concentrations of inositol.

PMID- 1431913
TI  - Factors influencing survivorship of the femoral component after primary low
      friction hip arthroplasty.
AB  - Two hundred sixty-seven consecutive primary low-friction arthroplasties, followed
      for 5-18 years after surgery, were studied to assess the factors influencing
      survivorship of the femoral component, using the Kaplan-Meier method. The end
      point of survivorship was defined radiographically in two ways: incipient failure
      (subsidence of the femoral component of > or = 2 mm) and definite failure
      (progressive change of position). Twenty-two femoral components developed
      incipient failure, and twelve of these advanced to definite failure. A canal
      filling ratio of the stem of > or = 75%, cement extent distal to the stem tip of
      > or = 1 cm, use of an intramedullary bone plug, and an exaggerated valgus
      alignment of the stem correlated positively with survivorship of the femoral
      component. Calcar resorption and atrophy of the femoral cortex after surgery were
      associated with aseptic loosening of the femoral component.

PMID- 1431912
TI  - Metabotropic excitatory amino acid receptor activation stimulates phospholipase D
      in hippocampal slices.
AB  - Metabotropic excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptors are coupled to effector
      systems through G proteins. Because various G protein-coupled receptors stimulate
      the hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine by phospholipase D (PLD), we examined the
      possibility that metabotropic EAA receptors exist that are coupled to the
      activation of PLD. We found that the selective metabotropic glutamate receptor
      (mGluR) agonists 1S,3R-amino-1,3-cyclopentanedicarboxylic acid (ACPD) and 1S,3S
      ACPD, but not the inactive isomer, 1R,3S-ACPD, induce a concentration-dependent
      increase in PLD activity in hippocampal slices. Selective ionotropic glutamate
      receptor (iGluR) antagonists did not block 1S,3R-ACPD-induced PLD stimulation.
      Furthermore, although selective iGluR agonists did not activate this response,
      the nonselective mGluR-iGluR agonists, ibotenate and quisqualate, caused
      significant increases in PLD activity (all in the presence of iGluR antagonists).
      L-2-Amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid, which blocks the mGluR that is coupled to
      phosphoinositide hydrolysis in various brain regions, activates PLD to the same
      extent as the active isomers of ACPD. These data suggest that metabotropic EAA
      receptors exist in hippocampus that are coupled to PLD activation and are
      pharmacologically distinct from phosphoinositide hydrolysis-coupled mGluRs.

PMID- 1431914
TI  - Total hip arthroplasty in active golfers.
AB  - Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is commonly performed in an older population, for
      whom gold is often the only form of exercise. Members of the Hip Society do not
      feel that golfers have increased rates of complications after THA when compared
      to nongolfers and permit their patients to play gold with a THA. Most golfers
      will see their handicaps increase after total joint arthroplasty, although this
      does not appear to be a function of drive length. Most golfers with a successful
      primary total joint arthroplasty will not have pain while playing golf but will
      likely experience a mild ache in the hip region after playing. Hybrid and
      uncemented primary THAs appear to have lower rates of radiographic loosening in
      active golfers when compared to cemented THAs. However, symptoms of pain while
      playing or after playing do not differ among these groups, despite this
      radiographic difference.

PMID- 1431915
TI  - Survivorship of cemented total hip arthroplasty in patients 50 years of age or
      younger.
AB  - One hundred fifty-six Charnley low-friction arthroplasties performed in patients
      50 years of age or younger are reviewed. Excluding sepsis, survivorship analysis
      showed a 12% probability of mechanical failure at 10 years. The detailed clinical
      and radiological results of 130 hips with a 3-16-year follow-up period are
      presented. Revision surgery was required in 14 hips (10.8%), for the following
      reasons: sepsis (2.3%), loose sockets (2.3%), loose stems (5.4%), and stem
      fracture (0.8%). Evidence of radiological loosening indicative of pending failure
      was present in 14 hips (12.0%). At 10 years the predicted failure rate of the
      surviving hips was 12%.

PMID- 1431916
TI  - Clinical and radiographic analysis of the uncemented LSF total hip arthroplasty.
AB  - Forty-nine consecutive uncemented porous-coated LSF total hip prostheses were
      implanted in 41 patients and studied prospectively. Clinical rating as described
      by Harris was performed preoperatively, at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively,
      and annually thereafter. Anteroposterior and lateral radiographs were obtained
      preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, at 6 and 12 months, and annually
      thereafter. At the most recent follow-up visit, patients were evaluated
      clinically and radiographically utilizing the format recently recommended by the
      Hip Society. A patient satisfaction questionnaire was also completed. The follow
      up period averaged 37 months (range, 24-48 months). Preoperative hip scores
      averaged 38 (range, 18-68) and improved to 93 at the most recent follow-up visit
      (range, 76-100). The incidence of mild pain was 14% at 1 year and 4% at 2 years
      or more. The incidence of limp was 16% slight and 8% moderate at 1 year, and 12%
      slight and 2% moderate at 2 years or more. Surgical fit was objectively graded as
      excellent in 61%, good in 33%, and poor in 6%. The authors were unable to
      correlate surgical fit with clinical scores or radiographic findings. According
      to radiographic criteria, all components were judged to be stable and 86% were
      judged to demonstrate objective signs of osseointegration. Patient satisfaction
      with the procedure was 100%. All patients stated that the procedure increased
      their function and decreased their pain and need for medication. Compared to a
      normal hip, in terms of symptoms and function, the patients rated their
      postoperative hip at 85% (range, 50-100%). Compared to their level of activity
      before their hip was symptomatic, they rated their current activity level as 83%
      (range, 50-100%).

PMID- 1431917
TI  - Influential factors in cemented acetabular cup loosening.
AB  - To delineate further the cause of acetabular loosening in a group of 238 total
      hip arthroplasties performed between 1980 and 1982, the authors subjected those
      total hip arthroplasties to a multifactorial analysis utilizing the log normal
      model. Data collected on each patient consisted of age, sex, weight at the time
      of surgery, diagnosis, cement thickness between zones 1 and 2 and between zones 2
      and 3, polyethylene thickness, lateral tilt, and metal backing of the acetabular
      components. The acetabulum was considered a failure by radiographic loosening
      with migration greater than 5 mm, revision in patients younger than 60 years of
      age (P = 0.154), or when the acetabular cup was metal-backed (P = .001).

PMID- 1431918
TI  - Cementless hip arthroplasty in diastrophic dysplasia.
AB  - Diastrophic dysplasia results in severe disproportionate growth failure,
      generalized joint dysplasia, and early osteoarthrosis of the hips. A total hip
      arthroplasty is often necessary in patients afflicted with diastrophic dysplasia
      by time they reach early middle age. During 1983-1988, total hip arthroplasties
      were performed on six women and four men (15 hips) with diastrophic dysplasia at
      the Orthopaedic Hospital of the Invalid Foundation. The mean age of the patients
      at the time of operation was 37 years and the mean height was 133 cm. A Lord
      endoprosthesis was used in nine hips and a Biomet endoprosthesis in six.
      Cementless fixation was used in all cases. Autogenous bone grafting to the
      acetabulum was performed in six hips. Simultaneous corrective osteotomy of the
      proximal femur and transposition of the greater trochanter was performed in three
      cases. Soft tissue release and tenotomies were performed in 10 hips. The average
      follow-up period was 5 years. Overall clinical results were good, with marked
      relief of pain and improvement of hip joint mobility. Aseptic loosening of the
      acetabular component was noted in two hips. As for complications, two femoral
      nerve paresis and two perioperative fractures of the proximal femur occurred,
      which all healed.

PMID- 1431919
TI  - Measurement of acetabular component migration using two-dimensional radiography.
AB  - The relationships between apparent acetabular component migration, choice of
      anatomic landmarks, and changes in rotation of the pelvis were determined by
      examining radiographs of a pelvic model in multiple projections. The minimum
      apparent migration associated with transverse and longitudinal rotation of 5
      degrees from neutral was 2 mm. The least apparent migration was noted when the
      teardrop was used as the principal anatomic landmark. Determination of component
      migration in clinical studies from serial radiographs involves a minimum
      projection and magnification error of 2 mm.

PMID- 1431920
TI  - Cementless total hip arthroplasty using a porous-coated prosthesis for bone
      ingrowth fixation. 3 1/2-year follow-up.
AB  - The clinical and radiologic results of a consecutive series of 59 patients (69
      hips) who had primary total hip arthroplasty using cementless prostheses was
      studied. Harris-Galante acetabular and femoral prostheses, which have a porous
      fiber-metal mesh coating intended to encourage bone ingrowth fixation, were used
      in all cases. Two femoral components were revised during the follow-up period,
      one for aseptic loosening and the other for late septic loosening. In the
      remaining 67 hips, the average Harris hip score rose from a preoperative 52 to 94
      at the last follow-up examination (average follow-up period, 44 months). Eighty
      eight percent of these hips had an excellent result (Harris hip score of 90 or
      more). Radiologic analysis demonstrated that all the acetabular components were
      stable. Eighty-three percent of the femoral components appeared to have stable
      bone ingrowth fixation, five components (7%) had stable fibrous ingrowth, and
      seven (10%) were unstable. Parallel radiodense lines were seen around the smooth
      portion of the stem in 93% of hips, but this finding appeared to have no clinical
      importance. Significant stress shielding of the proximal femur was seen in 16% of
      hips. Endosteal lysis of the distal femur occurred in 22% of hips, including
      large lesions in two patients who will require future revision surgery because of
      femoral diaphysis weakening. Femoral lysis was not associated with hip or thigh
      pain and was most common in young, male patients who had high activity
      levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1431921
TI  - In vitro study of initial stability of a conical collared femoral component.
AB  - This in vitro experimental study compared the initial stability of an uncemented
      conical collared femoral component to that of the same component with the collar
      removed. The two configurations examined simulated joint resultant forces
      encountered in single leg stance and stair climbing. For the simulated single leg
      stance loads, the data do not allow any inferences about relative component
      stability. With the exception of one collarless control, all micromotion for
      single leg stance loading was under 150 microns, measured approximately 1.5 cm
      below the resection line. For scaled stair-climbing loads, however, the conical
      collared component group was significantly more stable than the collarless
      control group in transverse (primarily rotational) micromotion. The overall
      average measured transverse motion for the collarless control group was more than
      3.7 times greater than that of the conical collar group at scaled stair-climbing
      loads. The two conical collared components loaded to full peak stair-climbing
      load (2,100 N) exhibited micromotion under 160 microns. The results suggest that
      the conical collar may improve stability of an uncemented prosthesis under loads
      that include an out-of-plane (rotational) component.

PMID- 1431922
TI  - Use of an antibiotic impregnated polymethyl methacrylate intramedullary spacer
      for complicated revision total hip arthroplasty.
AB  - Revision total hip arthroplasty is frequently necessary in the presence of
      significant proximal femoral bone loss, periprosthetic fracture, or infection. In
      these situations, optimal reconstruction may sometimes warrant the use of special
      implants, including bone grafts. The emergent presentation of these cases or
      unexpected findings at the time of surgery can preclude the use of these
      treatment options. In cases of periprosthetic sepsis, delayed reimplantation may
      be the most successful approach to eradicate infection. In seven of these
      complicated revision total hip arthroplasties, the authors used an antibiotic
      impregnated intramedullary polymethyl methacrylate spacer with delayed prosthetic
      reimplantation to allow for the use of these methods. Benefits of this technique
      include uncompromised radiographic evaluation of the proximal femur for design of
      a custom implant, if needed, stabilization of the proximal femur facilitating
      early mobilization of the patient in the case of periprosthetic fracture, and
      local delivery of antibiotics to the wound in the case of infection. The author's
      ability to reconstruct these total hip arthroplasties complicated by bone
      deficiency, fracture, and sepsis, was significantly improved with this use of
      this technique.

PMID- 1431923
TI  - Preoperative planning for total hip arthroplasty. Quantitating its utility and
      precision.
AB  - This study evaluated the usefulness and accuracy of preoperative planning for
      cemented and cementless total hip arthroplasty (THA). The authors conducted a
      prospective study of 110 consecutive primary cases in which surgeons recorded the
      preoperative plan and what occurred in each case. Measured variables included
      estimated magnification, acetabular cup and femoral stem size, planned
      lengthening, and anticipated problems. Preoperative estimates of magnification
      frequently differed from actual magnification, and in 17% of cases it affected
      choice of implant size. Preoperative bone morphology did not correlate with type
      of femoral stem fixation. Implant sizing was predicted from the preoperative plan
      for 62% of acetabular cups, 78% of cemented stems, and 42% of the cementless
      stems. Leg-length equalization was a goal in only 70% of cases. Anticipated
      problems focused on anatomic variations, but intraoperative problems involved
      technique and equipment. The authors conclude that surgeons need better methods
      to estimate magnification and bone morphology from preoperative radiographs.
      Preoperative planning may not reduce intraoperative complications, which can
      arise from unanticipated technique and equipment mishaps.

PMID- 1431924
TI  - A new femoral cement restrictor.
AB  - The authors report on the clinical trial of a new femoral cement restrictor for
      use during hip arthroplasty. Instrumentation and technique are described. The
      restrictor has three components made of high-density polyethylene that fit one
      inside the other and is available in small, medium, and large sizes. The
      advantages of this new restrictor are ease of use and secure fixation in the
      femoral canal when deployed. Because of its inherent strength and design, small
      particles do not break off during insertion. The apex of the restrictor points
      proximally and is cupped. This helps in centralizing the stem. It also assists in
      obtaining good cement pressurization as it does not distally migrate in the
      femoral canal when pressurization is attempted. Also, no cement escapes distally
      beyond it. Furthermore, should revision surgery be required, the restrictor can
      be easily removed without the need for windowing the femoral cortex.

PMID- 1431925
TI  - Intramedullary plugs in total hip arthroplasty. A comparative study.
AB  - The quality of cement packing was radiographically evaluated using three
      different types of intramedullary plugs in 77 total hip arthroplasties. The
      Thackray polyethylene plug (38 mm, disc-shaped), with its large and flexible
      diameter, was best able to seal the femoral canal and produced significantly
      better cement packing compared to both the autologous bone plug and the Richard
      polyethylene plug (18.5 mm, bullet-shaped).

PMID- 1431926
TI  - Surgical management of gonarthrosis in patients with poliomyelitis.
AB  - The authors reviewed nine cases of degenerative disease of the knee in patients
      with a history of poliomyelitis. All patients were treated with a cemented total
      knee arthroplasty. The average follow-up period was 6.8 years (range, 6 months to
      13 years), and the average follow-up knee score using the Hospital for Special
      Surgery rating scale was 70. Three of the patients required revision total knee
      arthroplasty to a more constrained implant. Pain relief was predictably very good
      and knee stability was initially improved. However, many of the patients suffered
      a decline in ambulatory ability with time.

PMID- 1431927
TI  - Lateral patellar release in knee arthroplasty. Effect on wound healing.
AB  - A prospective study analyzing the effects of intraoperative lateral patellar
      release for patellar instability in total condylar knee arthroplasty demonstrated
      that lateral release was successful in preventing postoperative patellar
      instability. Division of the superolateral geniculate vessels resulted in an
      increased incidence of wound discoloration (P < .01) and superficial wound
      infection (P < .05). Perioperative transcutaneous measurement of the skin oxygen
      tension demonstrated an objective reduction in lateral wound edge skin viability
      following lateral release (P < .02). A lower threshold for performing lateral
      patellar release is necessary. To preserve the viability of the lateral skin
      edge, lateral release should be performed using the intracapsular approach with
      preservation of the superolateral geniculate vessels.

PMID- 1431928
TI  - The effect of central stem and stem length on micromovement of the tibial tray.
AB  - The effects of a central stem and its length on cementless tibial tray
      micromovement were investigated using preserved cadaver tibial specimens. For
      axial loading tests, cyclical compressive loads ranging 50-1000 N were applied to
      the anterolateral portion of the implanted tray. With subsidence on the loaded
      side and lift-off on the contralateral side, micromotions on both sides and
      bending of the tray were measured. The three groups consisted of a stemless
      group, a 7.5 cm (short) central stem group, and a 15 cm (long) central stem
      group. For shear loading tests, shear loads ranging 20-250 N were applied to the
      central portion of the posterior rim of the tray anteriorly for 1,000 cycles.
      Displacement values for subsidence and micromotion were measured on the medial
      and lateral side of the trays and compared for each group. For axial tests, the
      long stem minimized subsidence and lift-off (P < .05) when compared to the
      stemless group. Although the short stem also tended to prevent contralateral lift
      off, no significant difference was shown when compared to the stemless group.
      However for shear loading, both central stem lengths significantly reduced
      subsidence and micromotion (P < .05). The authors conclude that the tibial tray
      with a long stem can achieve better initiation fixation of the implant to bone
      when compared to the short stem and no stem groups.

PMID- 1431929
TI  - Severe metallosis due to abnormal abrasion of the femoral head in a dual bearing
      hip prosthesis. A case report.
AB  - The authors report on a patient with a case of severe metallosis due to an
      abnormal abrasion of the femoral head. A primary arthroplasty was performed using
      a dual bearing hip prosthesis with acetabular bone grafting by ceramic screws. At
      the time of the revision surgery the synovia was black, and an analysis using a
      scanning electron microscope and scanning electron microscope-electron probe
      micro-analyzer revealed numerous small particles of small alumina ceramic on the
      inner surface of the bearing insert of high-density polyethylene. These
      particles, which came from the broken ceramic screws due to proximal migration of
      the prosthesis, scraped the femoral head away. A line and area analysis of the
      black synovia revealed that the synovia contained metal particles of a cobalt
      chromium alloy as well as a cobalt ion. The patient's serum showed elevated
      concentrations of cobalt, chromium, and molybdenum that dramatically reduced 2
      months after the revision surgery.

PMID- 1431930
TI  - Ankle pain following total knee arthroplasty. A case report.
AB  - The authors present their experience with four cases of ankle pain occurring in
      the immediate postoperative period after total knee arthroplasty. In a 40-month
      period, the authors performed 87 total knee arthroplasties. In the first 28
      cases, an extramedullary alignment rod was used and there were no instances of
      ankle pain (0%). In the next 30 cases, an intramedullary alignment rod was
      employed and there were three cases of moderate to severe ankle pain (10%). In
      the last 29 cases, the medullary canal was decompressed, irrigated, and aspirated
      prior to insertion of the alignment rod. In this group there was only one case of
      mild ankle discomfort (3.5%). An extensive investigation was made into one of the
      cases in which the intramedullary alignment rod was used but the canal was not
      aspirated. Information from this case investigation, observation of the three
      subsequent cases, and the notation of a decrease in the incidence of ankle pain
      once aspiration was routinely used are reported. The unproven hypothesis that
      ankle pain may result from compression of the marrow contents into the bone
      interstices is presented for consideration. Three of the four cases of ankle pain
      reported here were spontaneously resolved within 9 months after surgery.

PMID- 1431931
TI  - Late disassembly of a modular acetabular component. A case report.
AB  - Disassembly of metal-backed acetabular components used for total hip arthroplasty
      is becoming more common in both preassembled and modular designs. This
      complication is usually associated with a dislocation of the femoral component or
      other radiographic evidence of dissociation. A case of late disassembly of the
      acetabular component without dislocation or radiographic evidence is presented.
      The authors believe this complication should be considered, along with infection
      and aseptic loosening, in all cases of late development of pain following total
      hip arthroplasty.

PMID- 1431932
TI  - Antitumor agents, 129. Tannins and related compounds as selective cytotoxic
      agents.
AB  - Fifty-seven tannins and related compounds, including gallotannins, ellagitannins,
      and condensed and complex tannins, were evaluated for their cytotoxicities
      against human tumor cell lines, including malignant melanoma, lung carcinoma,
      ileocecal adenocarcinoma, epidermoid carcinoma, malignant melanoma, and
      medulloblastoma cell lines. Among them, chebulagic acid [1], geraniin [2],
      sanguiin H-11 [3], 4,5-di-O-galloylquinic acid [12], 1,3,4,5-tetra-O
      galloylquinic acid [15], 1(beta)-O-galloylpedunculagin [24], furosin [29],
      castalagin [38], sanguiin H-2 [34], vescalagin [39], grandinin [40],
      phyllyraeoidin A [42], (-)-epicatechin 3-O-gallate [50], cinnamtannin B2 [55],
      and acutissimin A [56] exhibited moderate selective cytotoxicity against PRMI
      7951 melanoma cells with ED50 values in the range of 0.1-0.8 microgram/ml.
      Selective cytotoxicities against the melanoma cells were also observed for
      strictinin [22], pedunculagin [23], eugeniin [25], elaeocarpusin [28],
      punicacortein C [37], casuarinin [41], sanguiin H-6 [43], procyanidin B-2 3,3'-di
      O-gallate [51], procyanidin C-1 3,3',3"-tri-O-gallate [52], and cinnamtannin B1
      [54] with ED50 values of 1-4 micrograms/ml. All of the tannins were found to be
      inactive (greater than 10 micrograms/ml) against lung carcinoma (A-549),
      ileocecal adenocarcinoma (HCT-8), epidermoid carcinoma of nasopharnyx (KB), and
      medulloblastoma (TE-671) tumor cells.

PMID- 1431933
TI  - A bioassay for inhibition of serotonin release from bovine platelets.
AB  - A bioassay was developed to study agents capable of inhibiting the release of
      serotonin from bovine blood platelets. It is a simple, inexpensive, and
      reproducible high-throughput bioassay suitable for quality control of feverfew,
      Tanacetum parthenium, a crude drug with proven migraine prophylactic activity
      that is being considered for governmental registration and regulation. The
      bioassay, which requires no experimental animals or human subjects, was used to
      assess the in vitro activity of T. parthenium samples grown from seed obtained
      from 10 different regions of Europe. The activity was found to vary significantly
      within and between samples, with no geographical correlation. Serotonin release
      inhibition was shown to be significantly correlated with the content of the
      germacranolide sesquiterpene lactone, parthenolide, although other sesquiterpene
      lactones from this plant and other members of the Asteraceae were also shown to
      be active. The activities of six other species of Tanacetum, as well as of
      Artemisia absinthium (wormwood) and Zingiber officinale (ginger), and two
      commercial drugs for migraine prophylaxis, verapamil hydrochloride and
      propranolol hydrochloride, were also assessed. The relevance of the bovine
      platelet serotonin release inhibition bioassay to antimigraine research is
      discussed.

PMID- 1431934
TI  - New bioactive metabolites from a freshwater isolate of the fungus
      Kirschsteiniothelia sp.
AB  - The new cytotoxic naphthoquinone dimer kirschsteinin [5], two new chlorinated
      diphenyl ethers 8 and 9, three known naphthoquinone derivatives 1, 2, and 7, a
      monoacetyl derivative of 2, and the (-)-enantiomer of O-methylasparvenone [4],
      have been isolated from a previously undescribed species of Kirschsteiniothelia.
      The structures of these compounds were assigned primarily by nmr studies and by
      spectral comparisons.

PMID- 1431935
TI  - Molluscicidal acridone alkaloids from Angostura paniculata: isolation,
      structures, and synthesis.
AB  - Two novel acridone alkaloids, cuspanine [1] and cusculine [2], were isolated from
      the CH2Cl2 extract of the leaves of Angostura paniculata (Rutaceae). Their
      structures were established as 1-hydroxy-2,3,5,6-tetramethoxy-9-acridone for 1
      and 1,2,3,5,6-pentamethoxy-9-acridone for 2 by means of spectroscopic studies, in
      particular nmr. These structural assignments were confirmed by synthesis, using a
      direct metallation method as a key reaction. Both alkaloids exhibited moderate
      molluscicidal activity against an aquatic snail, Biomphalaria glabrata, and
      cytotoxicity against several types of carcinoma cell lines.

PMID- 1431937
TI  - Stereoselective synthesis and antimalarial activity of alpha-artelinic acid from
      artemisinin.
AB  - alpha-Artelinic acid [8], a potent, stable, and water-soluble antimalarial agent,
      has been synthesized from artemisinin [1], the sesquiterpene lactone endoperoxide
      isolated from Artemisia annua. The blood schizontocidal antimalarial activity of
      alpha-artelinic acid evaluated against Plasmodium knowlesi is also reported.

PMID- 1431936
TI  - (+)-4 beta-hydroxyhernandulcin, a new sweet sesquiterpene from the leaves and
      flowers of Lippia dulcis.
AB  - From the leaves and flowers of Lippia dulcis collected in Panama, a new sweet
      sesquiterpene identified as (+)-4 beta-hydroxyhernandulcin [2] was isolated,
      accompanied by (+)-hernandulcin [1], (-)-epihernandulcin [3] (a novel natural
      product), and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one [4]. Acteoside (verbascoside) [5], a known
      bitter phenylpropanoid glycoside, was isolated from the flowers of L. dulcis. The
      structure of (+)-4 beta-hydroxyhernandulcin was established by interpretation of
      its spectral data.

PMID- 1431938
TI  - Vasoconstrictor activity of 8-O-acetylharpagide from Ajuga reptans.
AB  - The traditional therapeutic indications for the use of Ajuga reptans (Labiatae)
      have been investigated. The H2O-soluble part of a crude and partially purified
      MeOH extract and two isolated iridoids (8-O-acetylharpagide and harpagide), were
      tested for a biological activity on isolated smooth muscle preparations from
      guinea pig.

PMID- 1431939
TI  - A new acylated N-glycosyl lactam from Aristolochia contorta.
AB  - A new acylated glycoside isolated from the roots of Aristolochia contorta
      (Aristolochiaceae), has been characterized as aristolactam N-(6'-trans-p
      coumaroyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside [2]. Aristolactam-N-beta-D-glucopyanoside [1]
      was also isolated from the same source. Compound 2 showed relatively significant
      antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, based on disc diffusion
      and dilution methods.

PMID- 1431940
TI  - Brominated polyacetylenic acids from the marine sponge Xestospongia muta:
      inhibitors of HIV protease.
AB  - The EtOAc extract of the sponge Xestospongia muta collected in Colombus Island,
      Bahamas, yielded eleven straight-chain unsaturated, polyacetylenic, brominated
      acids, seven of which were identified on the basis of spectral data, including
      the unknown acids 2-7. These acetylenic acids are the first known examples that
      have been shown to inhibit HIV protease, a critical enzyme in the replication of
      human immunodeficiency virus.

PMID- 1431941
TI  - The enzymatic decomposition of salicin and its derivatives obtained from
      Salicaceae species.
AB  - The enzymatic catalysis of the decomposition of Salicaceae phenolic glucosides
      was tested using almond beta-glucosidase and rabbit and porcine liver esterases.
      The beta-glucosidase catalyzed the complete hydrolysis of salicin and salicortin,
      yielding saligenin and glucose. Salicortin also produced (+)-6-hydroxycyclohexen
      2-one (6-HCH). The acylglucosides were not decomposed by the beta-glucosidase.
      Both esterases catalyzed the decomposition of tremulacin, salicortin, and 2'-O
      acetylsalicortin, releasing tremuloidin, salicin, and 2'-O-acetylsalicin as the
      main products, accompanied by 6-HCH and catechol. Tremuloidin and 2'-O
      acetylsalicin were quite stable under the esterase hydrolysis, and salicin was
      not decomposed at all.

PMID- 1431942
TI  - New cytotoxic scalarane sesterterpenes from the Dictyoceratid sponge
      Strepsichordaia lendenfeldi.
AB  - Nine sesterterpenes 1-9 have been isolated from a Dictyoceratid sponge,
      Strepsichordaia lendenfeldi, collected on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.
      Seven of these compounds are new, one [4] had been reported previously as a
      semisynthetic product, and one [5] had been isolated previously from
      Carteriospongia foliascens. Unambiguous 13C- and 1H-nmr assignments have been
      made for 1 based on extensive 1D and 2D high field nmr experiments, which enabled
      13C-nmr assignments to be made for 2-9. Significant growth inhibitory effects
      with tested cancer cell lines are reported for compounds 1-8.

PMID- 1431943
TI  - Characterization of silkworm chlorophyll metabolites as an active photosensitizer
      for photodynamic therapy.
AB  - Silkworm excreta containing chlorophyll metabolites have long been used for their
      medicinal activities in the Far East. The major chlorophyll derivative (CpD)
      fraction in the Me2CO extract from the silkworm excreta exhibits strong
      photodynamic action on mice and human tumor cells in vitro. The main CpD
      component was isolated, purified, and subjected to extensive structural and
      characterization studies to assess its photodynamic therapeutic activity.
      According to the spectral analyses, the structure of the major unknown CpD was
      determined to be 10-hydroxypheophytin a [1]. The CpD component possessed a high
      quantum efficiency (50%) for the photosensitized production of singlet molecular
      oxygen, thus providing a molecular basis for its photodynamic therapeutic
      efficiency. A further advantage is that the "photooxidation/degradation"
      product(s) from this CpD retains all the characteristics of a photodynamic
      sensitizer.

PMID- 1431944
TI  - New phenolic glucosides from the leaves of Eurya tigang.
AB  - Three new compounds, 6'-O-coumaroyl-1'-O-[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl]-beta-D
      glucopyra nos ide [1] (eutigoside A), 6'-O-coumaroyl-1'-O-[2-(1-hydroxy-4-oxo-2,5
      cyclohexadien-1- yl)ethyl]-beta-D-glucopyranoside [2] (eutigoside B), and 6'-O
      cinnamoyl-1'-O-[2-(1-hydroxy-4-oxo-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-yl)eth yl]- beta-D
      glucopyranoside [3] (eutigoside C) have been isolated from the leaves of Eurya
      tigang, along with other known compounds (afzelin, quercitrin, p-coumaric acid,
      methyl-alpha-D-fructofuranoside, isorengyol, and euryanoside). Their structures
      were determined by chemical and spectroscopic methods (uv, ir, ms, 1H-1H COSY,
      and 1H-13C COSY).

PMID- 1431945
TI  - Further bioactive acetylenic compounds from the Caribbean sponge Cribrochalina
      vasculum.
AB  - In addition to the known 3-hydroxydocosa-(4E, 15E)-dien-1-yne [1], 3-hydroxy-16
      methyleicos-(4E)-en-1-yne [2], and 3-hydroxy-19-methyleicos-(4E)-en-1-yne [3],
      the lipophilic extract of the Caribbean sponge Cribrochalina vasculum was shown
      to contain four new bioactive acetylene metabolites, (3R)-hydroxy-14-methyldocos
      (4E)-en-1-yne [4], (3R)-hydroxy-16-methyleicos-1-yne [7], (3R)-hydroxy-19
      methyleicos-1-yne [8], and docosa-(3E, 15Z)-dien-1-yne [9], whose structures were
      elucidated on the basis of chemical and spectral studies. The previously
      unassigned chirality at C-3 of the known compounds 1-3 has been also established
      as R.

PMID- 1431946
TI  - Displacement activity of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids at striatal 3H-SCH 23390
      and 3H-raclopride binding sites.
AB  - Fifteen bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BBIQ) with one ether bridge
      (thaligrisine [1], berbamunine [2], dimethylgrisabine [3], pampulhamine [4], and
      methyl-dauricine [5]), with two ether bridges (homoaromoline, isotetrandrine, and
      obaberine), with one ether bridge and one biphenyl bridge (oxandrine,
      dimethylpseudoxandrine, pseudoxandrine, and antioquine) or secoderivatives
      (secoobaberine, secoantioquine, and secolucidine), were tested for their ability
      to displace 3H-raclopride or 3H-SCH 23390 from their specific dopaminergic
      binding sites to rat striatal membranes. The most active compounds were found in
      the group of BBIQs with one ether bridge. Inactive or weakly active compounds
      were found in this group of BBIQs with one ether bridge and in the other groups.
      Analysis of tridimensional representations indicates that the differnt activities
      among the BBIQs with one ether bridge could be related to strong differences
      between the spatial occupancy of these compounds according to their
      stereochemistry.

PMID- 1431947
TI  - Linear diterpenes from the Caribbean sponge Myrmekioderma styx.
AB  - Four new oxygenated diterpenes 1-4 were isolated from the Caribbean sponge
      Myrmekioderma styx. The structures of these compounds were deduced by ms, uv, ir,
      1H- and 13C-nmr, 1H-1H COSY, XHCORR, and COLOC experiments. Compounds 1-4 are
      lethal to brine shrimp (Artemia salina).

PMID- 1431948
TI  - The ocular manifestations of multiple sclerosis. 2. Abnormalities of eye
      movements.

PMID- 1431949
TI  - Clinically isolated lesions of the type seen in multiple sclerosis: a cognitive,
      psychiatric, and MRI follow up study.
AB  - There is a dearth of longitudinal studies on psychometric and psychiatric change
      in multiple sclerosis (MS) particularly on the evolution of these abnormalities
      early in the disease process. A 4 1/2 year follow up study documenting magnetic
      resonance imaging (MRI), psychometric, and psychiatric abnormalities was
      undertaken in a group of 48 patients with clinically isolated lesions--for
      example, optic neuritis--which are frequently the harbinger of MS. At follow up
      about half the subjects had developed clinically definite MS, with memory
      deficits becoming apparent. Deficits in attention documented at initial
      assessment were present but unchanged in those subjects who still had a
      clinically isolated lesion status. However, after MS was categorised into a
      relapsing-remitting or chronic progressive course, patients with a chronic
      progressive course were found to have significantly deteriorated with regard to
      auditory attention tasks. T1 relaxation times in apparently normal white matter
      correlated with certain indices of cognitive impairment. In developing a model to
      explain the pathogenesis of intellectual and emotional change in MS, the
      interaction of organic, psychological, and social factors needs to be emphasised.

PMID- 1431950
TI  - Multiple sclerosis in the Cambridge health district of east Anglia.
AB  - A survey of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the Cambridge Health District has
      identified 374 cases in a population of 288,410, giving a prevalence of 130 per
      100,000. A total of 322 cases (86%) had either clinically definite or probable
      multiple sclerosis on 1 July 1990 (112 per 100,000) and 52 cases (14%) had
      suspected multiple sclerosis (18 per 100,000.) The incidence during 1989-91 was
      5.94 per 100,000 per year. The prevalence figure is higher than in recent surveys
      from other southern parts of the United Kingdom, but correction for the age and
      sex characteristics of the at risk population eliminates these differences. The
      overall prevalence of multiple sclerosis is probably between 108 and 120 per
      100,000 in the southern United Kingdom.

PMID- 1431951
TI  - Familial multiple sclerosis: MRI findings in clinically affected and unaffected
      siblings.
AB  - Subclinical demyelinating lesions may occur in the brains of asymptomatic
      individuals, and the first-degree relatives of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients
      are at particular risk. Clinical and MRI examinations were performed in nine
      sibships from families with two or more cases of MS. These included 14 patients
      with clinically definite MS, three patients with clinically probable MS, and 27
      asymptomatic siblings. Systematic criteria were applied to MRI interpretations to
      increase their specificity for MS. Thirteen (76%) of the 17 patients with MS
      showed lesions suggesting MS. Lesions were also found in six (38%) of the 16
      asymptomatic siblings under age 50 and in eight (73%) of the 11 over age 50.
      Judged by stringent criteria, the lesions of only three (11%) of the 27
      asymptomatic siblings were considered to be due to demyelination. The results
      demonstrate the occurrence of subclinical demyelination in asymptomatic siblings
      of MS patients and stress the importance of clinical follow up and MRI studies of
      the first-degree relatives when classifying them as healthy in family studies.

PMID- 1431952
TI  - Postictal switch in blood flow distribution and temporal lobe seizures.
AB  - The ictal increase of regional cerebral blood flow has yet to be fully utilised
      in the investigation of focal seizures. Although single photon emission
      tomography (SPECT) is being increasingly used in the localisation of epileptic
      foci, the evolution and time courses of the peri-ictal perfusion changes have yet
      to be clarified. We performed serial SPECT studies in the interictal, ictal and
      immediate postictal states in 12 patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy
      to define the patterns and duration of peri-ictal cerebral blood flow changes.
      Visual analysis showed a constant pattern of unilateral global increases in
      temporal lobe perfusion during seizures which suddenly switched to a pattern of
      relative mesial temporal (hippocampal) hyperperfusion and lateral temporal
      hypoperfusion in the immediate postictal period. Quantitative analysis confirmed
      the visual assessment. Lateral temporal cortex ictal/normal side to side ratios
      were increased by mean 35.1% (95% confidence interval 21.8% to 48.4%) more in the
      ictal studies than in the interictal studies and mesial temporal cortex ratios
      increased by mean 30.8% (22.4% to 39.2%). In the postictal state, however,
      lateral temporal ratios were reduced by mean 7.7% (-15.8% to 0.4%) compared with
      interictal values, whereas mesial temporal perfusion was maintained compared with
      the interictal studies. These observations provide critical information for
      interpreting scans which can be used in the localisation of epileptic foci. This
      postictal switch in blood flow patterns may reflect the underlying metabolic
      processes of neuronal activation and recovery and have implications for
      understanding the neurobiology of human epileptic seizures.

PMID- 1431953
TI  - Central nervous system lesions in von Hippel-Lindau syndrome.
AB  - CNS manifestations were studied in 97 gene carriers of von Hippel-Lindau syndrome
      (HLS). Haemangioblastomas of the CNS were found in 43 patients (44%), 23 females
      and 20 males. The mean age at diagnosis was 39 years (12-73 years). A total of 93
      haemangioblastomas were detected of which 74% were intracranial and 26% were
      located in the spinal cord; 75% were predominantly cystic and 25% presented as
      solid lesions. Multiple lesions were found in 42% of HLS-associated
      haemangioblastomas, but in none of 51 patients with CNS haemangioblastoma without
      HLS. Haemangioblastoma was the cause of death in 82% of patients with HLS.
      Although microsurgery has considerably improved post-operative results,
      multifocal tumour development and recurrence remain a serious problem in the
      clinical management of HLS gene carriers.

PMID- 1431954
TI  - The anatomy lesson of Dr Joan Deyman, by Rembrandt (1606-69).

PMID- 1431955
TI  - Neurogenic effects on the palatopharyngeal muscle in patients with obstructive
      sleep apnoea: a muscle biopsy study.
AB  - Muscle biopsies from the palatopharyngeal muscle of eight patients with
      obstructive sleep apnoea were performed during uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. Control
      biopsies were performed during tonsillectomy in seven control patients with no
      history of symptoms suggesting obstructive sleep apnoea. The diagnosis was based
      on the patient's history and a whole night recording of arterial oxygen
      saturation and respiration movements. The mean number of oxygen desaturations >
      or = 4% per sleeping hour was 39 (range 7-80) in patients with obstructive sleep
      apnoea. In the control patients the occurrence of muscle fibre type and size
      relation between type I and type II fibres were comparable to what is found in
      the quadriceps femoris muscle, but the mean size of the fibres was < 25% of what
      is found in limb muscles. All biopsies from patients with obstructive sleep
      apnoea showed abnormalities. Atrophy with a fascicular distribution, increased
      number of angulated atrophic fibres, a twin or multiple peak distribution of the
      fibre size spectra, and an abnormal distribution of fibre types in many muscle
      fascicles corresponding to "type grouping" all points to a neurogenic alteration.
      This neurogenic lesion may be a primary phenomenon or secondary to the trauma of
      repetitive and prolonged stretching of the pharyngeal structures during apnoeas.
      A disturbance of the function of the dilating muscles of the upper airway may be
      important in causing the abnormal airway collapse seen in obstructive sleep
      apnoea.

PMID- 1431956
TI  - Lesions of basal ganglia due to disulfiram neurotoxicity.
AB  - Three cases of disulfiram induced Parkinsonism and frontal lobe-like syndrome
      associated with bilateral lesions of the lentiform nuclei on CT scan are
      reported. Symptoms developed either after an acute high dose of disulfiram (one
      case) or after several days to weeks of disulfiram treatment (two cases) and
      persisted over several years in two patients. These observations suggest that
      basal ganglia are one of the major targets of disulfiram neurotoxicity. The
      mechanisms of the lesions of basal ganglia may involve carbon disulfide toxicity.

PMID- 1431957
TI  - Thalamocortical diaschisis: positron emission tomography in humans.
AB  - To investigate further the relations between cortical energy metabolism and
      neuropsychological impairment after unilateral thalamic lesion, 55 patients
      underwent positron emission tomography studies of either cortical oxygen
      consumption or glucose utilisation, including eight repeat studies, at times
      ranging from 4 days to 98 months after the onset of the lesion [stroke (n = 44)
      or stereotaxic VL-Vim thalamotomy performed for movement disorders (n = 11)].
      Patients with thalamotomy were also studied preoperatively and the surgery
      induced a significant fall in cortical metabolism on both sides (more so
      ipsilaterally); post-operatively the magnitude of the ipsilateral cortex
      hypometabolism was positively correlated to the severity of global
      neuropsychological impairment; similar but less significant findings were
      obtained for the ipsilateral/contralateral cortical metabolic asymmetry. With
      respect to the whole patient sample, the cortical metabolic asymmetry was
      initially pronounced, with subsequent monoexponential recovery, in the
      cognitively impaired study group, but it was only mild and showed no meaningful
      trend for recovery in the cognitively unaffected study group; yet even soon (< 3
      months) after thalamic lesion there was a noticeable overlap of individual
      asymmetry values among the two study groups. These results lend further support
      to the view that the neuropsychological impairment that frequently follows
      unilateral thalamic lesions is reflected in a depression of synaptic activity in
      both the overlying and the contralateral cerebral cortices. For individual
      patients, this study also illustrates the potentially misleading nature of the
      measured cortical metabolic asymmetry with respect to neuropsychological status,
      especially at late times after lesion, in part because side to side metabolic
      ratios do not reflect bilateral changes.

PMID- 1431958
TI  - Cerebral symptoms after whiplash injury of the neck: a prospective clinical and
      neuropsychological study of whiplash injury.
AB  - Twenty one unselected patients with an acute whiplash injury of the neck had
      neurological and neuropsychological assessment, cervical x rays, EEG, BAEP, MRI,
      and an otoneurological examination within two weeks of the injury. Subjectively,
      13 patients reported concentration deficits, 18 reported sleep disturbances, 9
      had symptoms of depression, and 7 female patients told of menstrual
      irregularities. Neuropsychological examination revealed significantly lower
      performance in tests related to attention and concentration compared to sex, age
      and educational matched control subjects. Otoneurological examination showed
      abnormalities in 9 of 17 whiplash subjects. EEG showed questionable changes in 8
      of 18 recordings. MRI and BAEP were normal in all patients. Repeat
      neuropsychological testing in 15 patients at three months showed that attention
      deficits had improved but were still shown in 12 of 14 and the concentration
      deficits in 8 of 13 patients. At one year all patients had returned to work, 16
      to full and 5 to part time employment. In 4, cognitive dysfunction remained the
      only significant problem. These findings are discussed as being compatible with
      possible damage to basal frontal and upper brain stem structures after whiplash
      injury of the neck.

PMID- 1431959
TI  - Delayed radiation necrosis of the central nervous system in patients irradiated
      for pituitary tumours.
AB  - Four cases of delayed radiation necrosis involving the CNS were found in a group
      of 46 patients irradiated for pituitary tumours over a six year period. This
      occurred in three of 11 patients with Cushing's disease representing an incidence
      of 27% in this group. There were no cases among 11 patients with acromegaly or
      among seven with prolactinomas. One case (6%) was found in the 17 patients with
      chromophobe adenomas. Standard doses of radiation were delivered to these
      patients and the findings support suggestions that the metabolic disturbances of
      Cushing's disease may reduce tolerance to radiation. Our results and a literature
      review indicate that if radiotherapy is used to treat Cushing's disease, the
      total dose should be less than 50 Gy at 2 Gy per day fractionation.

PMID- 1431960
TI  - Heterogeneity in Alzheimer's disease: progression rate segregated by distinct
      neuropsychological and cerebral metabolic profiles.
AB  - In an attempt to define possible subgroups of Alzheimer's disease, 21 patients
      satisfying current clinical diagnostic criteria for this disorder were divided on
      the basis of progression rates of symptoms. Thirteen patients with relatively
      rapid intellectual deterioration did not differ from eight patients showing slow
      progression with respect to global intellectual performance, sex, or age at onset
      of symptoms. Neuropsychological testing revealed that although the two groups
      were indistinguishable in verbal or visuospatial functions associated with the
      parietotemporal cortex, the more rapidly deteriorating group had significantly
      greater impairment in executive functions attributed to the frontal lobe. PET
      scans showed equivalent reductions in glucose metabolism in the parietotemporal
      cortex, but patients with relatively fast progression had significantly greater
      hypometabolism frontally. These results suggest an association between relatively
      severe frontal lobe involvement and a rapid clinical course that might have
      important implications for the development of treatment strategies for patients
      with Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1431961
TI  - SPECT findings in Parkinson's disease associated with dementia.
AB  - Dementia in Parkinson's disease is thought to be attributable not only to
      subcortical lesions but also to cortical alterations, especially frontal lobe
      dysfunction. To evaluate cortical function, the regional cerebral blood flow
      (rCBF) was estimated of 13 demented and 13 non-demented age matched patients with
      Parkinson's disease compared with that of 10 age matched controls using I-123
      iodoamphetamine single photon emission tomography (IMP-SPECT). The rCBF of the
      nondemented Parkinson's patients showed no significant differences from that of
      the control subjects. In the demented patients, the bilateral frontal and
      parietal and left temporal regional blood flow was significantly less than in the
      controls. Four demented patients showed isolated frontal hypoperfusion, 8 showed
      fronto-parietal hypoperfusion, and 1 showed isolated parietal hypoperfusion.
      Frontal hypoperfusion was therefore present in 12 of the 13 demented patients,
      and this finding agrees with the frontal lobe dysfunction hypothesis. Parietal
      rCBF had a significant positive correlation with cortical functions such as
      calculation and language ability in the MMSE scores. The parietal and temporal
      reduction in rCBF probably reflects the presence of Alzheimer pathology, cortical
      Lewy body disease, or both.

PMID- 1431962
TI  - Focal transcranial magnetic stimulation and response bias in a forced-choice
      task.
AB  - The effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation were studied on the performance
      of a warned, forced-choice response time task by normal adults. The task
      consisted of extension of the index finger in response to the click produced by
      the discharge of the magnetic coil (go-signal). The subjects were asked to choose
      the right or left finger only after the go-signal was delivered. Single magnetic
      stimuli were delivered to the prefrontal or motor area, and in the control
      situation, away from the head. Magnetic stimulation affected hand preference only
      when it was delivered to the motor area. With stimulation of this area, subjects
      more often chose the hand contralateral to the site stimulated with response
      times that were mainly less than 200 ms. With longer response times (between 200
      and 1100 ms), magnetic stimulation had no effect on hand preference regardless of
      the site stimulated. Stimulation of prefrontal areas yielded results similar to
      the control situation. These results suggest that response bias in this paradigm
      is caused by an effect of magnetic stimulation on neural structures within, or
      closely related to, the motor areas of the brain. Although the response bias was
      clear and predictable, the subjects were unaware of its existence. It is possible
      to influence endogenous processes of movement preparation externally without
      disrupting the conscious perception of volition.

PMID- 1431963
TI  - Atrophy of medial temporal lobes on MRI in "probable" Alzheimer's disease and
      normal ageing: diagnostic value and neuropsychological correlates.
AB  - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has shown a great reduction in medial temporal
      lobe and hippocampal volume of patients with Alzheimer's disease as compared to
      controls. Quantitative volumetric measurements are not yet available for routine
      clinical use. We investigated whether visual assessment of medial temporal lobe
      atrophy (MTA) on plain MRI films could distinguish patients with Alzheimer's
      disease (n = 21) from age matched controls (n = 21). The degree of MTA was
      ascertained with a ranking procedure and validated by linear measurements of the
      medial temporal lobe including the hippocampal formation and surrounding spaces
      occupied by cerebrospinal fluid. Patients with Alzheimer's disease showed a
      significantly higher degree of subjectively assessed MTA than controls (p =
      0.0005). Linear measurements correlated highly with subjective assessment of MTA
      and also showed significant differences between groups. Ventricular indices did
      not differ significantly between groups. In Alzheimer's disease patients the
      degree of MTA correlated significantly with scores on the mini-mental state
      examination and memory tests, but poorly with mental speed tests. This study
      shows that MTA may be assessed quickly and easily with plain MRI films. MTA shown
      on MRI strongly supports the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, is
      related to memory function, and seems to occur earlier in the disease process
      than does generalised brain atrophy.

PMID- 1431964
TI  - Hospital arrival time after onset of stroke.
AB  - To estimate the proportion of patients with stroke likely to be eligible for a
      trial of anticoagulant treatment for acute ischaemic stroke, the interval between
      onset of symptoms and arrival at hospital was analysed prospectively. Of 773
      patients with stroke admitted in one year, 63% arrived at hospital within 12
      hours, 76% within 24 hours, and 85% within 48 hours of ictus. The arrival time
      varied significantly with stroke subtype. Patients with intracerebral haemorrhage
      tended to arrive earlier than those with cerebral infarct, who arrived sooner
      than those with lacunar infarct. The results suggest that about half of all
      patients with ischaemic stroke in Hong Kong would present within 12 hours of
      ictus, in time for inclusion in a therapeutic trial.

PMID- 1431965
TI  - Delayed postexertional headache, intracranial hypotension and racket sports.

PMID- 1431966
TI  - Chronic inflammatory polyneuropathy associated with nephropathy and antifactor
      VIII antibody: improvement with intravenous immunoglobulin.

PMID- 1431967
TI  - Acute stage Bell's palsy and narrowing of the palpebral fissure caused by
      drooping of the eyebrow and the upper eyelid.

PMID- 1431968
TI  - Familial recurrent cranial nerve palsy.

PMID- 1431969
TI  - Transient amnesia heralding brain stem infarction.

PMID- 1431970
TI  - MRI in monitoring the treatment of multiple sclerosis: concerted action
      guidelines.

PMID- 1431971
TI  - The prognosis of primary intracerebral tumours presenting with epilepsy: the
      outcome of medical and surgical management.

PMID- 1431972
TI  - Extracranial vertebral artery dissection.

PMID- 1431973
TI  - Late onset globoid cell leukodystrophy.

PMID- 1431974
TI  - Aseptic meningitis associated with high dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy.

PMID- 1431975
TI  - (99mTc)-HM-PAO SPECT and dementia in Parkinson's disease.

PMID- 1431976
TI  - The brain in schizophrenia.

PMID- 1431977
TI  - Angiostrongylus cantonensis abscess in the brain; what do we learn?

PMID- 1431978
TI  - Hand-held myometry.

PMID- 1431979
TI  - Paroxysmal kinesigenic choreoathetosis.

PMID- 1431980
TI  - Actively and passively evoked P3 latency of event-related potentials in
      Parkinson's disease.
AB  - Event-related potentials (ERPs) generated during the performance of visual
      discrimination tasks were studied in 31 patients with Parkinson's disease, 9
      patients with Alzheimer's disease, and 37 normal control subjects. Actively and
      passively evoked P3 components (P3b and P3a) were respectively identified as the
      components of the P3 response to infrequent target stimuli and infrequent non
      target stimuli. Both the P3a and P3b latencies were significantly prolonged by
      normal aging. Nine of the Parkinson's disease patients showed a P3b latency above
      the 95% confidence limit of the age-adjusted regression line based on the normal
      controls, while only on patient had a prolonged P3a latency. In 6 patients with
      demented Parkinson's disease, the P3b latency was significantly longer than in 15
      age-equivalent normal subjects, although no significant difference was found in
      the P3a latency. On the other hand, patients with Alzheimer's disease showed
      significant prolongation of both the P3a and P3b latencies compared to the normal
      controls. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in P3a latency between
      patients with demented Parkinson's disease and those with Alzheimer's disease.
      These results suggest that the automatic processing stage associated with P3a may
      be less impaired than the attention-controlled processing reflected by P3b in
      patients with Parkinson's disease, and also indicate that there may be some
      differences in the changes of cognitive processing caused by Parkinson's disease
      and Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1431981
TI  - The epidemiology of multiple sclerosis: the Iceland model. Onset-adjusted
      prevalence rate and other methodological considerations.
AB  - The epidemiology of multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by the fact that
      there is an uneven distribution of the disease throughout the world. The two most
      commonly used indices of its frequency are the incidence and prevalence rates.
      The incidence rate reflects, to a great extent, the influence of environmental
      factors in triggering the clinical manifestations of the disease, if it is based
      upon the actual date of the initiation of symptoms, rather than the date of
      diagnosis. The prevalence rate is currently based on the date of diagnosis and
      includes all MS patients who are alive on a particular date, without regard to
      their ethnic origin, the site and the duration of residence or any other factors
      that may have influenced the acquisition of the disease. We propose that in order
      to make the concept of the prevalence rate possibly more meaningful, the term
      should refer, retrospectively, to all patients whose symptoms eventually led to
      the diagnosis of MS, even though the diagnosis was not yet established on an
      earlier prevalence day. In addition, only patients of the same ethnic background
      who have spent their prepuberal years in the geographical area under study should
      be included. We are calling this measure the onset-adjusted prevalence rate.
      Another problem encountered in epidemiological studies of MS relates to the
      common practice of adjusting prevalence data obtained for age and sex in one area
      to what is referred to as a "standard" American (or world) population, groups of
      great ethnic and age diversity. It is also curious that in many studies the bases
      for comparison of populations are census data obtained many years previously. We
      suggest that age and sex adjustment should be applied only to similar ethnic
      groups born and raised under different environmental conditions. We believe that
      data obtained by calculating an onset-adjusted prevalence rate restricted to a
      homogeneous group of patients sharing the same environment during the prepuberal
      years may provide valuable etiological clues.

PMID- 1431982
TI  - Cerebral microcirculatory changes during and following transient ventricular
      tachycardia in cats.
AB  - Although reduced cerebral perfusion is believed to be the cause of syncope due to
      cardiac arrhythmias, investigations on the cerebral microcirculation during
      cardiac arrhythmias have been rare. We therefore studied the effects of transient
      ventricular tachycardia on the local cerebral blood volume and blood flow.
      Experimental ventricular tachycardia was induced in cats by electrically
      stimulating the ventricle of the heart at a rate of 300/min for 1 min. Using our
      photoelectric method, the local cerebral blood volume, mean transit time of
      blood, and cerebral blood flow in the parieto-temporal region were measured
      during and for 3 h after ventricular tachycardia. Transient ventricular
      tachycardia of as short as 1 min caused cerebral ischemia with a blood flow
      reduction of approximately 30%. This was considered to be due to reduced blood
      pressure plus transient autonomic dysfunction, or dysautoregulation, during the
      ventricular tachycardia. Mild and transient reactive hyperemia occurred
      immediately after termination of the dysrhythmia, but continuous reductions of
      cerebral blood flow were observed thereafter for 3 h. This delayed hypoperfusion
      is attributable to either vasoconstriction of the large resistance vessels or
      changes in the hemorheological properties of the blood caused by cerebral
      ischemia. Ventricular tachycardia of the type reported has significant and long
      lasting effects on the cerebral microcirculation.

PMID- 1431983
TI  - Autopsy report of primary CNS B-cell lymphoma indistinguishable from multiple
      sclerosis: diagnosis with the immunoglobulin gene rearrangements analysis.
AB  - We report a case of primary CNS B-cell lymphoma indistinguishable from multiple
      sclerosis (MS). MRI of the head showed the spontaneous disappearance of the white
      matter lesions and the progressive cerebral atrophy. The brain biopsy failed to
      make a diagnosis of CNS lymphoma but rather suggested MS. Although the primary
      CNS lymphoma was suspected at autopsy, the immunohistochemical study showed the
      CNS-infiltrating lymphoid cells comprising both T-cells and B-cells. Analysis of
      the immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor gene rearrangements first provided
      evidence of primary CNS B-cell lymphoma.

PMID- 1431984
TI  - Corticospinal conduction studied with magnetic double stimulation in the intact
      human.
AB  - A group of 8 healthy normal subjects (24-36 years old, mean age 29 years) were
      investigated. Transcranial magnetic double stimulation of the motor cortex was
      carried out at different interstimulus intervals. With both stimuli
      suprathreshold, an attenuation of the test response was found at interstimulus
      intervals of less than 200 msec (target relaxed or contracted). The manifestation
      of this attenuation correlated with central signs in 31 patients with multiple
      sclerosis. This phenomenon is (at least at longer intervals) probably not a
      result of the refractory spinal motoneuron pool, but of a supraspinal inhibitory
      mechanism or lack of corticospinal drive caused otherwise. At interstimulus
      intervals between 10 and 30 msec, the test response increases significantly
      (magnetic double stimulation 10% suprathreshold, target relaxed). This result is
      also seen with voluntary muscle contraction and with vibration applied to a
      relaxed target muscle. The facilitatory effect is probably caused by slowly
      conducted corticospinal volleys enabling summation, with descending impulses
      generated by the test stimulus. With the conditioning stimulus subthreshold and
      target muscle relaxed an intracortical inhibition of the test response could be
      confirmed at short interstimulus intervals.

PMID- 1431985
TI  - An insert mutation in the chromosome 20 amyloid precursor gene in a Gerstmann
      Straussler-Scheinker family.
AB  - We report the finding of an insert mutation in the chromosome 20 amyloid
      precursor gene in a family with neuropathologically-verified, experimentally
      transmitted Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS). The insert consisted
      of 8 extra copies of a repeating octapeptide coding sequence in the region
      between codons 51 and 91; it was identified in the proband and a presently
      unaffected at-risk niece by full sequencing of the open reading frame, and was
      visualized electrophoretically in the proband and 6 of 12 at-risk relatives.
      Although affected members in this French-Breton family have shown a variety of
      clinical profiles, including durations of illness that ranged from 3 months to 13
      years, all autopsied cases (including the patient with the shortest illness) have
      had the distinctive multicentric amyloid plaques that define GSS as a nosologic
      entity.

PMID- 1431986
TI  - Increased striatal 18F-dopa uptake and normal glucose metabolism in idiopathic
      dystonia syndrome.
AB  - Striatal 18F-Dopa uptake and glucose metabolism were studied by positron emission
      tomography with 6-L-[18F]fluorodopa and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose, respectively, in
      8 patients with idiopathic dystonia. Patients with abnormal findings on the brain
      CT and MRI were excluded from this study. The clinical diagnosis consisted of
      torsion dystonia in 3 patients, focal dystonia limited in the arm in 3 and
      cervical dystonia (spasmodic torticollis) in 2. The 18F-Dopa uptake, corrected by
      nonspecific retention in the cerebellum, at 120 min post-administration was
      evaluated, and increased 18F-Dopa uptake in the putamen and in the caudate head
      was observed in the patients with idiopathic dystonia compared to the normal
      controls. The striatal glucose metabolism in the patients with idiopathic
      dystonia showed no difference with the normal controls. These findings suggest
      that pathogenetic mechanism of idiopathic dystonia involves increased presynaptic
      activity of the dopaminergic system in the striatum.

PMID- 1431987
TI  - Endoneurial blood supply to peripheral nerves is not uniform.
AB  - Peripheral nerves are not uniformly susceptible to the effects of ischemia in
      human and experimental ischemic neuropathies. Since endoneurial blood flow is
      directly proportional to the number of endoneurial capillaries, we studied
      endoneurial capillary density at multiple levels of the peripheral nerves of
      normal rats. Capillary density was lowest in the sciatic and proximal tibial
      nerves and significantly higher in dorsal and ventral roots and distal tibial and
      plantar nerves. Endoneurial capillary density corresponds to the hierarchy of
      susceptibility to ischemic nerve damage in human and experimental ischemic
      neuropathies. These findings suggest that susceptibility of peripheral nerves to
      ischemia is determined, at least in part, by the density of endoneurial
      capillaries.

PMID- 1431988
TI  - Regeneration after free muscle grafting in normal and dystrophic (mdx) mice.
AB  - Soleus muscles from C57BL/10 and mdx mice were isotransplanted to induce a cycle
      of degeneration/regeneration. Sixty days post-surgery, transplanted and
      contralateral soleus muscles were removed for mechanical and biochemical
      analyses. The regeneration which occurs after transplantation, induces in both
      mdx and C57BL/10 soleus muscles a decrease in maximal isometric force, together
      with an increase of the velocity of contraction. This increase in velocity is
      accompanied by the expression of typically fast-type myosin heavy chains. Thus
      degeneration/regeneration of both mdx and normal mice are very similar, causing a
      shift towards physiologically 'faster' muscle. Previous physiological and
      biochemical studies of mdx muscles have shown that mdx muscle is shifted towards
      'slower' muscle compared to normal mice. One explanation of these findings was
      that the degeneration/regeneration cycles inherent in dystrophin-deficient mdx
      muscle causes a shift towards 'slow'. Our results argue against this hypothesis:
      degeneration/regeneration in both normal and mdx mice causes a shift towards
      'fast'.

PMID- 1431990
TI  - Use of single strand conformation polymorphism analysis to detect point mutations
      in human mitochondrial DNA.
AB  - Myoclonus epilepsy with ragged-red fibers (MERRF) has been shown to be associated
      with a specific point mutation at the nucleotide 8344 in the tRNA(Lys) gene of
      mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). We screened 6 patients with clinically diagnosed MERRF
      and 1 patient with ocular myopathy for point mutations in the tRNA(Lys) gene,
      using single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis, which can detect
      even a 1-basepair difference between 2 DNA sequences. Using SSCP and consequent
      DNA sequencing, we identified the known MERRF mutation in 4 out of 6 MERRF
      patients, as well as in 1 patient with a new clinical phenotype associated with
      this mutation: progressive external ophthalmoplegia, muscle weakness and a
      lipoma, but no myoclonus or epilepsy. Two of the patients with clinical MERRF had
      neither the MERRF-mutation nor any other mutations in the tRNA(Lys) gene. Using
      SSCP analysis, we also detected a new polymorphism in 1 patient. Thus, SSCP
      analysis can be applied to search effectively and rapidly for point mutations or
      polymorphisms in mitochondrial DNA.

PMID- 1431989
TI  - Dilating cardiomyopathy as the expression of Xp21 Becker type muscular dystrophy.
AB  - A 35-year-old man with severe progressive dilating cardiomyopathy and no clinical
      signs of muscle disease underwent muscular investigations because of markedly
      increased serum creatine kinase. Muscle biopsy demonstrated Becker type muscular
      dystrophy with dystrophin of low molecular weight. Genetic analysis showed a
      deletion spanning from exon 45 to exon 46 in the Xp21 region. Xp21 Becker type
      muscular dystrophy must be considered in the differential diagnosis of dilating
      cardiomyopathy.

PMID- 1431991
TI  - Intracerebral haemorrhage in Sneddon's syndrome.

PMID- 1431992
TI  - Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) or bubble provoked positional
      vertigo?

PMID- 1431993
TI  - Reply to Arnason: "Multiple sclerosis: additional thoughts.

PMID- 1431994
TI  - Distribution of calbindin and parvalbumin in the developing somatosensory cortex
      and its primordium in the rat: an immunocytochemical study.
AB  - Immunocytochemical techniques were used to analyze the distribution of the
      calcium-binding proteins calbindin and parvalbumin during the pre- and postnatal
      development of the rat somatosensory cortex. Calbindin occurs in most early
      differentiated neurons that form the primordial plexiform layer at embryonic day
      14. This expression in transient; during the perinatal period, calbindin becomes
      immunologically undetectable within the structures derived from the primordial
      plexiform layer, i.e., the prospective layers I and VIb. Immunoreactive neurons
      are also absent from adult layers I and VIb. Calbindin is also detected in a
      second population of neurons which, from embryonic day 18 onwards, distributes
      diffusely within the cortical plate. Some neurons of this population show
      morphological traits of immaturity, while others show complete dendritic
      arborization. The definitive pattern of distribution of calbindin-immunoreactive
      neurons is achieved by postnatal day 22. Infragranular layers contain intensely
      immunoreactive cells whose numerical density decreases during postnatal
      development, whereas in supragranular layers similar neurons are interspersed
      among numerous faintly-stained neurons. Parvalbumin is detected for the first
      time at postnatal day 6, within a small group of neurons located in cortical
      layer V, and extends afterwards through the whole thickness of the cerebral
      cortex. At this same postnatal stage, groups of immunoreactive puncta are also
      found in layer IV of the somatosensory cortex; these puncta increase in density
      progressively and, at embryonic day 13, immunoreactive cells appear also grouped
      at this level. At this postnatal age, parvalbumin immunostaining delineates the
      somatosensory map in cortical layer IV. From this stage to adulthood, the number
      of immunoreactive neurons increases in the whole thickness of the somatosensory
      cortex. Barrels in layer IV become less distinct as immunoreactive cells and
      processes invade the septa. Layer IV in the adult somatosensory cortex appears
      more densely populated by parvalbumin immunoreactive neurons and puncta than in
      the surrounding areas.

PMID- 1431996
TI  - Ultrastructural localization of calcium in mechanoreceptors of the oral mucosa.
AB  - Cytochemical localization of Ca2+ in Meissner corpuscles and Merkel cell-neurite
      complexes in the palatine mucosa of the Mongolian gerbil was studied by a
      combined oxalate antimonate-microwave irradiation procedure. The reaction
      products obtained were identified as calcium antimonate by EGTA solubility and X
      ray microanalysis. Meissner corpuscles in the normal palatine rugae could be
      roughly classified into three types by amount and localization of Ca2+. Type I
      corpuscles were characterized by a high Ca2+ content in both the terminal
      axoplasm and caveolae of the lamellar plates, type II, by a low Ca2+ content in
      the terminal axoplasm and a high Ca2+ content in the lamellar cytoplasm. Type III
      corpuscles showed intermediate characteristics. Palatine rugae stimulated
      mechanically during fixation contained an increased number of type I corpuscles.
      On the other hand, two patterns were distinguished in the distribution of Ca2+ in
      Merkel cells in palatine rugae fixed under normal conditions. One showed abundant
      Ca2+ dispersed throughout the cell, while in the other, Ca2+ was specifically
      localized in the Golgi apparatus and mitochondria. Similar distribution patterns
      also were observed in palatine rugae that had received mechanical stimulus during
      fixation. Axon terminals of most Merkel cell-neurite complexes in normal palatine
      rugae were poor in axoplasmic Ca2+, whereas those in most Merkel cell-neurite
      complexes in mechanically stimulated palatine rugae contained abundant Ca2+ in
      their axoplasm.

PMID- 1431995
TI  - The distribution of clones of neurons in the rat somatosensory cortex.
AB  - We have labelled clones of neurons in the cerebral cortex of rats by introducing
      a retroviral vector, called BAG, into the cerebral vesicles of embryos in utero.
      BAG encodes the enzyme beta-galactosidase, which acts as a histochemical marker
      for the subsequent identification of clones derived from infected precursor
      cells. We have studied the distribution of neuronal clones in the rat
      somatosensory cortex, and have asked whether clonally-related neurons were
      dispersed randomly. We have discovered that they are not. Rather, clones disperse
      predominantly such that the earliest progeny of ventricular zone cell are found
      posterolateral to later generated cells. This distribution fits with what would
      be expected were neurons dispersed passively in accordance with the lateral to
      medial cortical neurogenic gradient.

PMID- 1431997
TI  - Influence of an endogenous lectin substrate on cultured dorsal root ganglion
      cells.
AB  - Dorsal root ganglion neurons normally contain a 14,500 molecular weight lactose
      binding lectin, designated L-14. Although this lectin is developmentally
      regulated, and is localized to specific neurons as well as to specific areas of
      the rat spinal cord, its function in the nervous system is not known. In an
      effort to study the possible role of this lectin on peripheral neurons, they were
      dissociated and grown on substrates consisting of either L-14 or laminin, a
      molecule known to support neurite outgrowth. In contrast to the random
      distribution and fine neurites displayed by neurons on laminin, those growing on
      L-14 formed large aggregates with highly fasciculated neurite bundles.
      Experiments using plant lectins with sugar-binding specificity similar to that of
      L-14, as well as another endogenous rat lectin not present in neurons, resulted
      in essentially no neuronal attachment or neurite outgrowth. In addition, the
      effects induced by L-14 were not blocked by high concentrations of competing
      sugars, suggesting that it interacts with neurons by a domain distinct from its
      carbohydrate-binding site.

PMID- 1431998
TI  - Topography of opsin within disk and plasma membranes revealed by a rapid-freeze
      deep-etch technique.
AB  - Rod outer segments in fresh rat retinas were examined by a rapid-freeze, deep
      etch technique to explore how membrane proteins are organized at the
      macromolecular level. Cross-fractures revealed that intradiscal membranes are
      adherent to each other except at the rim. When an isolated fresh retina was
      incubated in a hypotonic solution for a few minutes, the interdiscal space was
      expanded and the cytoplasmic surface of the disk membrane was found to be covered
      with protrusions except at the rim. A few particles were scattered among the
      protrusions and were attached to the cytoplasmic surface. Since the distribution
      density of the cytoplasmic surface protrusions was similar to that of the P-face
      particles, which are known to reflect opsins, the protrusions were considered to
      be portions of opsins extending into the cytoplasm. The intradiscal surfaces in
      chemically-fixed retinas were rather smooth and were labelled with anti-opsin
      antibodies and wheat germ agglutinin. The true surfaces of the plasma membrane
      were found to be similar in fine structure to those of the disk. A model of the
      macromolecular organization of rod outer segments is proposed on the basis of
      these observations. The model shows apposed opsins within a disk membrane
      adhering to one another except at the rim. These opsins, as well as those in the
      plasma membrane, are minimally exposed to the extracellular surface, but protrude
      deeply into the cytoplasm.

PMID- 1431999
TI  - Electron microscopic immunocytochemistry of GAP-43 within proximal and
      chronically denervated distal stumps of transected peripheral nerve.
AB  - Growth-associated protein, GAP-43 was initially described as a neuron-specific
      molecule thought to play a critical role in axonal growth and regeneration.
      However, it is also expressed in vitro in certain CNS glia, Schwann cell
      precursors and non-myelinating Schwann cells. In this paper, we report the
      subcellular localization of GAP-43 in vivo in chronically-denervated Schwann
      cells in the distal stumps of previously transected rat sciatic nerve. We have
      used a progressive lowering of temperature method combined with the non-polar
      acrylic resin Lowicryl HM20 and a post-embedding labelling regime to visualize
      the distribution of GAP-43, S-100 (marker for Schwann cells), RT97 and NF68
      (markers for different subunits of the neurofilament molecule). We report that
      (1) the smallest calibre regrowing axons were GAP-43-positive, sometimes NF68
      positive but always RT97-negative; (2) regenerating myelinated axons and larger
      unmyelinated axons (> 0.7 microns diameter) were NF68-positive, RT97-positive but
      GAP-43-negative; (3) cytoplasmic processes within Schwann cell basal lamina tubes
      in the distal stumps were S-100-positive, GAP-43-positive but RT97- and NF68
      negative. The similar localization of GAP-43 within regrowing axons and
      denervated Schwann cells suggests that GAP-43 may function similarly in both
      situations, and may thus be involved in motility and/or elongation of axons and
      Schwann cells during regeneration.

PMID- 1432000
TI  - "Rainbow Reviews". V: Recent publications of the National Center for Health
      Statistics.

PMID- 1432001
TI  - A comparative contrast of clinimetric and psychometric methods for constructing
      indexes and rating scales.

PMID- 1432002
TI  - An assessment of the usefulness of demographic data provided by surrogate
      respondents in a case-control study of Parkinson's disease.
AB  - This study, based upon data from 40 non-demented Parkinson's disease cases and
      101 community controls, and similar data provided by either the spouse (n = 110)
      or an adult child (n = 31) of each index subject, attempted to assess the
      usefulness of various demographic data provided by the surrogate respondents for
      the index subjects. The data were collected by personal interview using a
      structured questionnaire specifically developed for this study. Ninety-one
      percent of the index subjects and their surrogates provided information on the
      annual family income and 98% provided other demographic information. The analysis
      was done by three groups: the case-surrogates, the control-surrogates and the
      combined index subject-surrogates, and within each group by the two types of
      surrogates for the index subjects: the spouse vs adult child. The overall percent
      agreement between the index subjects and their surrogates varied from moderate
      for annual family income (54.1%), to good for educational level (61.6%) and to
      excellent for ethnic origin (82.6%), for age +/- 1 year (97.9%) and for marital
      status (100.0%). No significant differences in agreement were found for any of
      these demographic variables either between the case-surrogate group and the
      control-surrogate group, or between the spouse surrogates and the child
      surrogates. These findings suggest that spouses and adult children can provide
      valid information and are equally reliable informants concerning the demographic
      characteristics of index subjects in a case-control study of Parkinson's disease
      and, possibly, of other diseases.

PMID- 1432003
TI  - Diagnostic tools in Lyme borreliosis: clinical history compared with serology.
AB  - The occurrence of a history of clinical Lyme borreliosis and the prevalence of
      positive antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi were studied in 431 Dutch hunters.
      The majority of the hunters (336 or 78%) did not report any complaints and had no
      positive IgG antibodies to B. burgdorferi. Sixty-five hunters (15.1%) had no
      clinical manifestations but did not have positive antibodies to B. burgdorferi.
      Only 1.9% of the population studied had had past symptoms of definite or probable
      Lyme borreliosis. Likelihood ratios were high (21.3) for the recognition of
      erythema migrans, but much lower for tick bites (3.6) or positive IgG Lyme
      serology (3.5). Clinical history turned out to be a more powerful diagnostic tool
      than Lyme serology.

PMID- 1432004
TI  - The logistic modeling of interobserver agreement.
AB  - An approach to the logistic modeling of interobserver agreement is described that
      allows for the estimation of a commonly employed measure of agreement. The
      dependent variable is defined to be 1 if the two raters agree, and 0 otherwise.
      Covariates may be included in the regression equation in order to obtain adjusted
      or subgroup-specific estimates of percent agreement. As an empirical example,
      logistic models were fitted to data from a validation study of the agreement
      between interview information and physician records on the history of post
      menopausal estrogen use, from a case-control study of breast cancer conducted on
      Oahu, Hawaii. Variables found to be related to agreement in previous univariate
      analyses were examined as covariates in the logistic model. The directly
      calculated estimates of percent agreement agreed well with the modeled estimates
      derived from the regression coefficients. Thus, the logistic model may provide a
      useful alternative to existing methods for the description of interobserver
      agreement.

PMID- 1432005
TI  - Using college alumni populations in epidemiologic research: the UNC Alumni Heart
      Study.
AB  - The UNC Alumni Heart Study (UNCAHS) is a prospective study of the role of
      psychosocial factors, in particular hostility, in the development of coronary
      heart disease. The target population is composed of persons who completed the
      Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory while attending the University of
      North Carolina in the mid-1960s. Logistic regression analyses were used to
      determine whether hostility, demographic and other variables were significant
      determinants of the subjects' locatability and participation. It was found that
      MMPI hostility scores at initial testing were unrelated to either potential or
      actual locatability or participation. Thus there is no evidence that hostility is
      the source of selection bias in the UNCAHS. Selection into the study was
      predicted by age, sex, degree status and variables concerned with the conditions
      under which the MMPI was administered. It is concluded that follow-up studies of
      college cohorts may have study-specific sources of selection bias.

PMID- 1432006
TI  - Meta-analysis adjusting for compliance: the example of screening for breast
      cancer.
AB  - Randomized controlled trials are usually analysed by the group to which the
      patient was randomized, i.e. by "intention-to-treat", regardless of the degree of
      compliance. However, the "explanatory" effect, i.e. the effect that would occur
      if we had 100% compliance, is often of interest. This "explanatory" effect is
      diluted by poor compliance, and hence meta-analyses should ideally avoid both the
      heterogeneity of effect due to variation in compliance rates among studies, and
      the undeserved weight given to trials with poor compliance. Newcombe's
      deattenuation method, which adjusts estimates for the degree of compliance, is
      extended and applied to a meta-analysis of the five reported randomized
      controlled trials of mammographic screening. Compliance with screening varied
      across studies: from 61 to 93% assigned to screening had one or more mammograms.
      The adjusted estimate of the reduction in breast cancer mortality at 9 years
      follow-up is 0.37 (95% confidence interval: 0.21, 0.49).

PMID- 1432007
TI  - Intrauterine growth retardation and blood pressure at age seven and eighteen.
AB  - The association between intrauterine growth retardation and blood pressure in
      middle childhood and early adulthood was examined. At age 7, after adjusting for
      sex and weight, the differences between normal children and those who had
      experienced intrauterine growth delay were 0.9 mmHg (95% CI -0.1 to 2.2) for
      systolic and 0 mmHg (-1.7 to 2.0) for diastolic blood pressure respectively. The
      differences between the blood pressures of intrauterine growth retarded infants
      with an appropriate ponderal index and those with a low ponderal index were 4.4
      mmHg (-0.9 to 7.9) for systolic, and 3.8 mmHg (0.2 to 7.3) for diastolic blood
      pressure respectively. At age 18 the differences were much less pronounced. The
      association between blood pressure and the placental weight was also examined.
      The evidence from this sample lends weak support to the findings of other studies
      which suggest that there is an association between factors occurring before or
      around the time of birth and blood pressure in later life.

PMID- 1432008
TI  - Oxygen as a cause of blindness in premature infants: "autopsy" of a decade of
      errors in clinical epidemiologic research.
AB  - Several intellectual "autopsies" have recently reviewed errors in clinical
      epidemiologic studies of causation, such as the original claim that amyl nitrite
      "poppers" caused AIDS. The current autopsy was done to determine why it took more
      than a decade--1942 to 1954--to end an iatrogenic epidemic in which high-dose
      oxygen therapy led to retrolental fibroplasia (RLF) in premature infants,
      blinding about 10,000 of them. The autopsy revealed a museum of diverse
      intellectual pathology. When first noted, RLF was regarded as neither a new
      disease nor a postnatal effect. In early investigations, the ophthalmologists did
      not establish explicit criteria for diagnosis and confused RLF with malformations
      previously seen in full-term infants. Because the patients were not referred
      until months after birth, the ophthalmologists assumed that the lesion, which
      resembled an embryologic structure, must have occurred prenatally. Other events
      suggesting a prenatal cause for RLF were its strong statistical associations with
      fetal anomalies, multiple gestations, and maternal infections. Although these
      events were also associated with prematurity, it was ignored when the RLF cases
      were compared with controls who were mainly full-term infants. The postnatal
      timing of RLF was eventually recognized when investigators did cohort studies in
      premature infants and found that RLF could develop in eyes that were normal at
      birth. As the search for a cause turned to events occurring after birth,
      statistical associations were produced for agents such as light, vitamins, iron,
      vitamin E deficiency, and hypoadrenalism. Each study had its own methodologic
      flaws: controls were missing for light; co-maneuvers were ignored for vitamins
      and iron; objective diagnosis was not used for vitamin E deficiency; and the
      research on hypoadrenalism contained biases in susceptibility and detection as
      well as problems of a competing outcome event. When the role of oxygen
      administration was first considered, the statistical association with RLF was
      stronger for vitamin- and iron-therapy than for oxygen. In addition, many
      investigators were dissuaded by contradictory evidence from institutions in which
      RLF was either absent despite high-dose oxygen or persistent despite reduced
      dosage. The contradictory evidence was later regarded as erroneous because of
      unsatisfactory delivery systems for the oxygen or failure to check the actual
      oxygen concentrations. An alternative explanatory hypothesis, rejecting the role
      of high-dose and long-duration oxygen, was the idea that RLF was due to "relative
      hypoxia", produced by overly rapid weaning from oxygen therapy rather than the
      duration of oxygen treatment itself.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432009
TI  - Diagnostic problems with meningococcal disease in general practice.
AB  - Based on general practitioners' referral letters and hospital records, we made a
      retrospective analysis of a cohort of 177 consecutive cases of meningococcal
      disease that occurred during a period of 10 years in the County of North Jutland,
      Denmark. The analysis concerned diagnostic problems in general practice,
      prognosis, pre-hospital antibiotic treatment and its effect on subsequent
      cultures, and degree of obligatory notification. The referring doctor suspected
      meningococcal disease/central nervous infection in 123 patients (69.5%). Neck
      stiffness and petechiae were related to a correct referral diagnosis, in contrast
      to the occurrence of a non-petechial rash. The presence of disseminated
      intravascular coagulation was associated with the mortality rate, which was
      0.062. The therapeutic recommendations of the Danish Health Authorities were
      followed in only 25 of the 98 patients who fulfilled the criteria for pre
      hospital parenteral antibiotic treatment. Pre-hospital antibiotic treatment was
      related to negative culture of spinal fluid or blood. Seven of the 177 patients
      were not notified according to the rules. Difficulties in pre-hospital diagnosis
      seem not to influence the lethal course of the disease.

PMID- 1432010
TI  - Quality of life and functional health of primary care patients.
AB  - Quality of life and functional health were measured cross-sectionally for 314
      adult ambulatory primary care patients in a rural clinic and found to be much
      better for patients with low severity of illness who required no confinement to
      home because of health problems, than for patients with high severity of illness
      who required confinement. Severity of illness was the strongest predictor for
      patient-reported physical health function and for patient quality of life when
      assessed by the health provider. Confinement was the strongest predictor for
      patient quality of life when assessed by the patient. There was very little
      agreement between patient-assessed and provider-assessed quality of life. Family
      stress was the strongest predictor of function in terms of mental health, social
      health, general health, self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. These data suggest
      that clinicians should direct increased attention to patient-assessed quality of
      life, patient-reported functional health status, and psychosocial factors such as
      family stress in an effort to improve medical outcomes.

PMID- 1432011
TI  - Functional ability of community dwelling elderly. Criterion-related validity of a
      new measure of functional ability.
AB  - Criterion-related validity of a new measure of functional ability was conducted
      according to a causal model based on conceptual models employed in the area of
      rehabilitative and geriatric medicine. The criteria variables included concurrent
      diagnosed diseases, global self-rated health, drug consumption and general
      practitioner (GP) consultations. The measure of functional ability was developed
      with the intention of achieving a high degree of discrimination among a group of
      community dwelling elderly. Data were derived from a sample survey of 70-year-old
      men and women conducted in 1984 in the county of Copenhagen (Denmark). Altogether
      366 men and 368 women participated in each of the two phases of the study--a
      comprehensive medical examination at the county hospital at Glostrup followed by
      a home visit conducted by an occupational therapist 1-2 weeks later. The analysis
      included four different unidimensional index scales of functional ability divided
      into two types, with reduced speed and tiredness as subdimensions. The two scale
      types were mobility function and lower limb function. Early losses of ability
      together with global self-rated health were treated as outcome measures of
      diagnosed chronic diseases. At the same time these outcome measures together with
      diagnosed diseases were considered to predict drug consumption and GP
      consultations. It was shown that functional ability as measured by the new index
      scales were strongly influenced by diagnosed diseases: arteriostenosis and
      osteoarthrosis in lower extremities, obesity, shoulder impairments and bronchitis
      among women, and glucose intolerance, arteriostenosis in lower extremities and
      shoulder impairments among men. Global self-rated health was strongly associated
      with the new functional ability rating system. Early losses of ability but not
      self-rated health was a strong predictor for drug consumption and frequent
      contacts with GP. It is concluded that the new measure of functional ability is
      suitable for health studies of community dwelling elderly, in particular as a
      summary statement of the individual's health status.

PMID- 1432013
TI  - Modelling result-specific likelihood ratios.

PMID- 1432012
TI  - Glucose tolerance and the risk of cardiovascular disease: the Zutphen Study.
AB  - The impact of glucose tolerance on the incidence of ischemic heart disease (IHD),
      cerebrovascular disease (CVA), and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) was
      investigated in the Zutphen Study. In 1970 a complete oral glucose tolerance test
      (GTT) was carried out on 400 normoglycemic men aged 50-70 yr. A morbidity follow
      up was completed in 1985. With GTT classified as the dichotomous variable using
      the median value of the area under the curve, elevated risks for IHD (RR = 1.6, p
      < 0.05), fatal IHD (RR = 2.3, p < 0.01), and CVA (RR = 1.9, p < 0.10) were
      observed, adjusted for potential confounders. No association with PAD was found.
      Also the risk among non-insulin-dependent diabetics (n = 46) was assessed. These
      men were clinically diagnosed between 1960 and 1985, median year of diagnosis
      being 1973, at age 61 yr. Compared with 230 matched non-diabetics increased risks
      were observed for fatal IHD (p = 0.05), CVA (p = 0.10) as well as PAD (p = 0.05).
      Thus an elevated risk for IHD, and possibly CVA, may have been found with lower
      levels of glucose than assumed previously, suggesting a continuous risk gradient.
      For PAD the relations with glucose tolerance are more complex.

PMID- 1432014
TI  - Rising mortality due to Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a
      manifestation of the competitive nature of human mortality.
AB  - Over the past 15 yr, a marked increase in crude mortality rates from Parkinson's
      disease (PD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has occurred in the U.S.
      This is often attributed to as yet undefined environmental factors. The
      deterministic risk of general mortality and mortality due to PD, ALS, ischemic
      heart disease (IHD), and stroke for the years 1963, 1977, and 1986 in the U.S.,
      as defined by the method of longitudinal Gompertzian analysis, were calculated
      and compared. When the rise in PD and ALS mortality is viewed from the
      perspective of deterministic and competitive mortality dynamics, it becomes
      evident that the major force increasing mortality from these two neurologic
      diseases is the declining mortality from IHD and stroke. Consequently, there is
      no need to invoke intrinsic etiologic alterations in the environment to account
      for the observed increases in PD and ALS mortality. Recognition of the
      competitive nature of human mortality illustrates the inherent risk of making
      etiopathogenic conclusions based upon single disease mortality data.

PMID- 1432015
TI  - Interobserver variability in medical record review: an epidemiological study of
      asthma.
AB  - Interobserver variability during the data collection for a large retrospective
      study of asthma was assessed. After extensive training by three physician
      investigators, two nurses collected study data from existing medical records
      using an explicit protocol. At four time intervals, samples of records already
      abstracted by one nurse were reviewed and re-abstracted by another nurse assigned
      to the project. The unweighted kappa coefficient was used to evaluate observer
      reliability. Most of the kappa coefficients were > or = 0.6, suggesting good to
      excellent agreement. Agreement was highest for demographic, clinical and
      medication variables, while judgement variables had the lowest kappa
      coefficients. The well known dependence of kappa on the prevalence of the
      variable studied was evident in these data. We strongly recommend periodic
      monitoring of observer reliability in any study using more than one individual to
      collect data to ensure reliable data collection.

PMID- 1432016
TI  - Risk of kidney cancer in analgesics users.
AB  - The risk of kidney cancer was examined in a cohort of people discharged from
      Danish hospitals from 1977-1987 with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis,
      osteoarthrosis or backpain. These individuals are presumably more or less regular
      users of mild analgesics. A total of 155,554 people were identified. The risk of
      cancer of the urinary tract was slightly increased [relative risk (RR) = 1.31],
      almost exclusively because of an increased risk of renal cell carcinoma (RR =
      1.40). The relative risk was higher in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis than
      among individuals with osteoarthrosis or backpain, and higher among women than
      men. Although this study lacks information on the actual analgesics consumption
      of the individual, and various biases may be present, these findings offer little
      support to the concern that increased analgesics use raises the risk of kidney
      cancer.

PMID- 1432017
TI  - Alcohol and epithelial ovarian cancer.
AB  - The relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of epithelial ovarian
      cancer was analysed using data from a case-control study of 801 histologically
      confirmed epithelial ovarian cancers and 2114 controls in hospital for acute, non
      neoplastic, gynecological, or hormone-related conditions, admitted to a network
      of teaching and general hospitals in the greater Milan area, northern Italy, i.e.
      a region with comparatively frequent alcohol consumption by women. Compared to
      alcohol abstainers, the multivariate relative risks (RRs) were 1.0 [95%
      confidence interval (CI), 0.7 to 1.4] for less than one, 1.1. (95% CI 0.9 to 1.6)
      for one to two, 1.2 (95% CI 1.0 to 1.5) for two to three and 1.3 (95% CI 0.9 to
      1.8) for three or more drinks per day. A significant direct trend in risk with
      dose emerged. This finding chiefly derived from an association between ovarian
      cancer risk and consumption of wine (which accounts for over 90% of alcohol
      intake in this female population). Although no significant interaction between
      the effect of alcohol consumption and various women's characteristics emerged,
      there was a hint that the adverse influence of alcohol consumption is more marked
      in middle-age and less educated women. Thus, the results of this study suggest
      that relatively elevated alcohol intake (of the order of 40 g per day or more)
      may cause a modest increase of epithelial ovarian cancer risk.

PMID- 1432018
TI  - Coffee drinking and the risk of adenomatous polyps.

PMID- 1432019
TI  - Smoking and coronary disease in women.

PMID- 1432020
TI  - Chance-corrected sensitivity and specificity for three-zone diagnostic tests.

PMID- 1432021
TI  - Trends in the utilization of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the United
      States, 1986-1990.
AB  - National estimates of NSAID utilization were obtained from two databases
      available from IMS America. These data illustrate that in contrast to the rapid
      rise in NSAID prescriptions from 1973 (27.5 million) to 1983 (66.7 million),
      NSAID prescriptions have recently been remarkably stable. Over the same time
      period, a 46 fold increase in the use of gastro-protective and/or anti-ulcer
      drugs concomitantly with NSAID was demonstrated. It is hypothesized that the
      stabilization of NSAID prescription usage coupled with the dramatic increase in
      usage of concomitant anti-ulcer and gastro-protective agents has occurred due to
      physician awareness of the increased relative risk for adverse gastrointestinal
      events among NSAID users compared to non-users.

PMID- 1432022
TI  - The role of diagnostic inconsistency in changing rates of occurrence for coronary
      heart disease.
AB  - The ante-mortem (in vivo) and post-mortem diagnoses of coronary heart disease
      (CHD) were compared in necropsies at a university hospital for 1965, 1975, and
      1985. The secular trends showed gradually rising proportions in both true
      positive and false negative ante-mortem diagnoses. Both types of change in
      diagnostic error would progressively lower the counted numbers of CHD in official
      vital statistics. With suitable statistical corrections, the occurrence rates of
      CHD in Connecticut became much higher and showed less dramatic trends in secular
      decline. The results indicate that major improvements in accuracy are needed
      before vital statistics data are accepted at face value and analyzed for biologic
      explanations of the changing numbers.

PMID- 1432024
TI  - Some observations on the variation in height coefficients in prediction equations
      for forced vital capacity.
AB  - Intercept and height coefficients in prediction equations for forced vital
      capacity (FVC) are highly correlated and highly variable, due in part to the
      small coefficient of variation of height (4%). This degree of imprecision and
      relationship was observed among the coefficients of a set of 26 unrelated
      published prediction equations, and appeared to dominate any systematic
      differences between them in methodology and technique. The findings indicate that
      care needs to be taken when using equations for predicting the FVC of people at
      the extremes of height. They also demonstrate the need for careful planning in
      the design of studies intended for the compilation of prediction equations,
      including provision for sufficient numbers of observations. Support is also given
      to the use of a composite formula based on the averaging of many individual
      prediction equations. The results are applicable to other similar and commonly
      used lung function equations (e.g. that for forced expiratory volume in 1 second,
      FEV1) that employ height as a predictor variable.

PMID- 1432023
TI  - Decision making during serious illness: what role do patients really want to
      play?
AB  - Two surveys were conducted to determine what roles people actually want to assume
      in selecting cancer treatments. 436 newly diagnosed cancer patients and 482
      members of the general public participated. Preferences were elicited using two
      card sort procedures, each of which described five potential roles in decision
      making. Findings suggested that the impact of being diagnosed with a life
      threatening illness may influence preferences to participate. The majority (59%)
      of patients wanted physicians to make treatment decisions on their behalf, but
      64% of the public thought they would want to select their own treatment if they
      developed cancer. Most patients (51%) and members of the public (46%) wanted
      their physician and family to share responsibility for decision making if they
      were too ill to participate. Sociodemographic variables accounted for only 15% of
      variance in preferences. These variables are not particularly useful in making
      predictions about which groups want more or less active roles in medical decision
      making.

PMID- 1432025
TI  - A prospective study of familial aggregation of blood pressure in young children.
AB  - In a prospective study, we evaluated familial aggregation of blood pressure in a
      sample of 175 normotensive families with children 3 to 6 yr old. Systolic and
      diastolic blood pressure measurements of parents and children were correlated at
      1, 2, and 3 yr intervals. Spearman rank-order correlation coefficients between
      parents and children were significant for mother-son pairs. In particular, mother
      son blood pressure correlation coefficients were significant for systolic blood
      pressure across all 3 yr and for diastolic blood pressure during yr 2. Further
      analyses were performed adjusting for body mass index (BMI), age, physical
      activity, sodium intake, potassium intake, and parental smoking status, and
      alcohol use. The Spearman correlation coefficients for mother-son pairs remained
      significant for yr 1 and 3 after adjusting for these blood pressure correlates.
      These results are consistent with cross-sectional studies and suggest that both
      genetic and environmental contributions to blood pressure status are important in
      young children.

PMID- 1432026
TI  - Precision of blood cholesterol measurement and high blood cholesterol case
      finding and treatment.
AB  - Imprecise blood cholesterol measurement can be expected to adversely affect large
      scale efforts to detect and treat high blood cholesterol. Using protocols
      specified by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP), we used computer
      simulation techniques to quantify the effects of blood cholesterol measurement
      variability on misclassification rates, costs, effectiveness, and cost
      effectiveness of high blood cholesterol case-finding and treatment. At the time
      of initial case-finding, increased measurement variability was associated with a
      moderate decrease in the proportions assigned to a treatment state and in the
      positive predictive value of such an assignment. After 10 years of continual case
      finding and treatment, measurement variability dramatically affected proportions
      assigned to drug treatment and diminished the percent on drugs with blood
      cholesterol levels truly above NCEP cutpoints. Extreme variability in blood
      cholesterol measurement increased per capita costs by 14-18% and diminished cost
      effectiveness by at least 11-12%. The adverse effects of measurement variability
      on cost-effectiveness were much more pronounced if adjustments to life-expectancy
      were made to recognize the lower quality of life associated with drug treatment.
      Misclassification rates can be decreased and cost-effectiveness improved by
      performing repeated measurements of blood cholesterol before increasing intensity
      of treatment. Improvement in the precision of measurement are especially
      beneficial for low-risk individuals.

PMID- 1432027
TI  - Within-subject diastolic blood pressure variability: implications for risk
      assessment and screening.
AB  - Because of variability in diastolic blood pressure within an individual, repeated
      measurements increase precision in assessing an individual's underlying mean
      pressure and so also aid risk classification. Data from a cohort of 11,299 middle
      aged men is used to model the variability in diastolic pressure between annual
      measurements. A simple model with pressure normally distributed about an
      underlying mean with standard deviation increasing with level fits the data very
      well. In modelling risk of cardiovascular mortality, a strong association is
      found with observed diastolic pressure level but not to trends in or variability
      between observed values. The effect of regression dilution is clear with the risk
      relationship appearing greater as one uses the mean of an increasing number of
      measurements. A method of adjusting for this regression dilution is described so
      giving an estimate of the relationship with underlying mean diastolic pressure.
      Using this survival model and the model for blood pressure variability, a method
      is presented for estimating both underlying mean pressure and absolute risk of
      cardiovascular disease given a sequence of blood pressure measurements from
      screening. This allows a sequential strategy for determining whether (a)
      antihypertensive intervention is desirable, (b) no further screening is
      necessary, or (c) further screening would aid the assessment, and emphasizes the
      need to consider blood pressure in the context of multiple risk factors.

PMID- 1432028
TI  - Twenty year trends in hospital discharges for asthma among members of a health
      maintenance organization.
AB  - We examined trends in hospitalizations for asthma from 1967 to 1987 among members
      of a large health maintenance organization. During this time asthma discharges
      increased significantly among children, and especially among boys under the age
      of 5 years. Ninety-five percent of the increase in discharges among boys was
      explained by a corresponding increase in the number of boys who were
      hospitalized. Increased readmissions did not account for the rise. Changes in the
      International Classification of Diseases coding of asthma and diagnostic shift by
      physicians accounted for only part of the increase. A decline in hospitalizations
      since 1984 may reflect changes in the management of asthma in the emergency room
      and not a decline in severe asthma episodes.

PMID- 1432029
TI  - The 56 kd platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-related protein is phosphorylated
      and the most stable form in human glioma cells.
AB  - We report herein the presence of a 56 kd platelet derived growth factor (PDGF)
      related protein as a phosphorylated form in human glioma cells. The
      phosphorylation of the 56 kd form was found to be the longest of all PDGF-related
      proteins. By Western blotting using a monoclonal anti-PDGF B-chain, the 80 kd, 56
      kd, 40 kd, 28 kd and 17 kd PDGF-related proteins were detected, while after
      treatment among the nitrocellulose membrane transblotted cell extracts with
      alkaline phosphatase, 40 kd was the most densely observed while the 56 kd and 80
      kd PDGF-related proteins were also detected. In a 32P flush labeling study, it
      was revealed that PDGF-related proteins incorporated with 32P were detected at
      28, 32, 35, 40, 56 and 80 kd but the 17 kd monomer was not labeled. Among the
      labeled PDGF-related proteins, the 56 kd PDGF-related protein alone remained
      intracellularly for at least 16 hours. These results indicated that the PDGF
      related proteins in human glioma cells are synthesized in a phosphorylated form
      and partly remain in a 56 kd phosphorylated form intracellularly. The 56 kd form
      may thus be the most stable form and likely has a substantial biological effect.

PMID- 1432030
TI  - Effect of intracarotid infusion of etoposide with angiotensin II-induced
      hypertension on the blood-brain barrier and the brain tissue.
AB  - This study investigated the effects of the intracarotid infusion of etoposide in
      combination with angiotensin II (AT II)-induced hypertension on the blood-brain
      barrier (BBB) and brain tissue in rats. Eighty rats were divided into five
      groups: Group 1, intravenous infusion of AT II to increase arterial blood
      pressure; Group 2, intracarotid infusion of etoposide at 22.5 mg/m2 for 10
      minutes; Group 3, intracarotid infusion of etoposide at 75.0 mg/m2 for 10
      minutes; Group 4, intracarotid infusion of etoposide at 75.0 mg/m2 for 20
      minutes; Group 5, intracarotid infusion of etoposide at 75.0 mg/m2 for 10 minutes
      with AT II-induced hypertension. Evans blue staining of the brain was used as a
      monitor of BBB disruption. Mean arterial blood pressure over the experimental
      period in Group 1 increased from 86.3 +/- 1.3 mmHg (mean +/- SEM) to 139.0 +/-
      2.4 mmHg, and Group 5 from 85.9 +/- 1.8 mmHg to 137.3 +/- 2.4 mmHg. None of the
      animals in Group 1 and 2 showed any obvious neurological change, while all the
      animals in Group 3, 4 and 5 exhibited diminished activity as their sole
      neurological change throughout the course of the experiment. Slight evidence of
      BBB disruption was seen in only 25% of the animals in Group 1. Significant BBB
      disruption was found in the animals in Group 2, 3, 4 and 5. No histological
      change was observed in any animal in Group 1 and 2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1432031
TI  - Temporal trends among childhood brain tumor biopsies. The Childhood Brain Tumor
      Consortium.
AB  - We sought temporal trends in the demographic, clinical, histologic feature,
      diagnostic class, and quality of life data over the interval 1930-1979 in the
      Childhood Brain Tumor Consortium database. The proportion of children younger
      than eight years old declined from 72% to 55% and the proportion of those older
      than ten more than doubled from 12% to 27%. The relative frequency of tumors in
      the supratentorial compartment increased significantly, while infratentorial
      tumors decreased. We found significant declines in supratentorial ependymomas and
      pilocytic astrocytomas. Similarly, some infratentorial tumors, especially
      ependymomas, decreased and brain stem tumors increased. Infratentorial
      medulloblastoma (primitive neuroectodermal tumor) increased significantly. Some
      individual histologic features which are markers of anaplasia increased in
      frequency in both supratentorial and infratentorial tumors. There was a
      significant increase in biopsies that contained nonneoplastic neural tissue in
      addition to tumor for both compartments and among supratentorial tumors there was
      a marked increase in the proportion of cases containing an indistinct neural
      tissue boundary. The probability of postoperative death declined, but the
      probability of survival five or ten years after surgery did not improve
      significantly for children who had tumors in either compartment. Among children
      who survived five years after the initial craniotomy, the proportion who had
      significant long term deficits increased. Most of this increase occurred in the
      last decade (1970-79). In this decade, the proportion of children for whom no
      deficits were reported five years following operation was 4% if they had a
      supratentorial tumor and 27% if they had an infratentorial tumor. The proportions
      of children alive five years following first surgery who had arachnoidal
      metastases increased significantly for infratentorial tumors.

PMID- 1432033
TI  - The role of radiotherapy in the treatment of subtotally resected benign
      meningiomas.
AB  - Thirty-six patients with benign meningioma were treated for primary or recurrent
      disease by subtotal resection and external beam irradiation from 1968-1986 at
      Massachusetts General Hospital. Comparison is made with 79 patients treated by
      subtotal surgery alone from 1962-1980. Progression-free survival for 17 patients
      irradiated after initial incomplete surgery was 88% at 8 years compared with 48%
      for similar patients treated by surgery alone (p = 0.057). 16 patients
      incompletely resected at time of first recurrence were irradiated and 78% were
      progression-free at 8 years while 11% of a similar group treated by surgery alone
      were progression free (p = 0.001). Long term overall survival was high and
      similar in both control and study groups. Two patients were irradiated at second
      recurrence and 1 patient at third recurrence. Twenty-five patients were treated
      with photons alone and have a median follow-up of 57 months, 6 patients have
      recurred at doses 45-60 Gy. Eleven patients were treated with combined 10 MV
      photons and 160 MV protons utilizing 3-D treatment planning. These patients have
      been followed for a median of 53 months and none have failed to date. Eight of 11
      received 54-60.4 Gy and 3/11 greater than 64.48 Gy. Sex, age, pathology grade and
      score, surgery and timing of radiation therapy were not associated with
      significant differences in failure patterns within the irradiated study group (p
      less than 0.1). Complications have been seen in 6 irradiated patients.

PMID- 1432034
TI  - Low grade gliomas: comparison of intraoperative ultrasound characteristics with
      preoperative imaging studies.
AB  - Thirty-three patients with low grade gliomas were evaluated with preoperative
      computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR) and intraoperative ultrasound
      (IOUS). Six patients had undergone previous surgical exploration. Tumor borders
      were marked with cortical letters and corresponding depths calculated. Resection
      of tumor corresponded to these ultrasound dimensions. The histology of biopsy
      specimens from tumor and ultrasound determined margins was studied on formalin
      fixed permanent sections using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and
      immunocytochemistry (GFAP). Tumors were all seen on preoperative MR studies and
      most commonly showed a decreased T1 and increased T2 signal. Seven tumors showed
      variable enhancement with gadolinium. On CT two tumors were not seen, twenty
      three tumors were hypodense and eight hyperdense. Three tumors showed variable CT
      contrast enhancement. All tumors were hyperechoic on ultrasound. Twenty-five
      (75%) tumors were well defined with distinct margins compared to adjacent brain.
      Eight tumors had poorly defined borders on ultrasound; five (62%) of these
      lesions had previously undergone surgery. Eight tumors invaded functional brain
      identified by stimulation mapping techniques (e.g., speech cortex), thus limiting
      the resection. Five resections were limited because of involvement of important
      anatomical structures (e.g., corpus callosum). Of the remaining 20 tumors,
      seventeen (85%) had ultrasound defined margins that were histologically free of
      solid tumor (normal brain or sparse atypical cells only). Low grade gliomas are
      readily identified and their margins well defined by intraoperative ultrasound
      regardless of preoperative imaging patterns. The results suggest that IOUS may
      enhance intraoperative delineation and extent of resection for low grade gliomas.

PMID- 1432035
TI  - Growth of human acoustic neuromas, neurofibromas and schwannomas in the subrenal
      capsule and sciatic nerve of the nude mouse.
AB  - To develop a reproducible in vivo model for the growth of human acoustic neuromas
      and neurofibromas, we implanted tumor specimens (6 acoustic neuromas; 4
      neurofibromas; 3 schwannomas arising in skin and soft tissues) from 13 different
      patients into the subrenal capsules of 67 nude mice and sciatic nerves of 64 nude
      mide. The animals were anesthetized and the tumors were microscopically
      implanted. Serial tumor volumes were determined at intervals up to 2 months by
      reopening the incision and directly measuring the tumor size with a micrometer.
      The percentages of acoustic neuromas that survived or grew were 57.1% in the
      subrenal capsule and 88.9% in the sciatic nerves; the percentages of
      neurofibromas that survived and grew were 50% in the subrenal capsule and 70% in
      the sciatic nerves; and the percentages of schwannomas that survived and grew
      were 57.1% in the subrenal capsule and 94.1% in the sciatic nerve. Tumors in the
      sciatic nerve also survived and grew for a longer period than those in the
      subrenal capsules. Tumor enlargement and stability correlated with
      neovascularity. At 1 or 2 months after engraftment, the tumors showed histologic
      appearances similar to the original tumors and immunohistochemical analysis of
      cryostat sections demonstrated staining of the tumors, but not the host mouse
      tissues for human beta 2-microglobulin, a species-specific marker. Furthermore,
      analysis of genomic DNA from implanted tumors revealed its human origin. We
      conclude that human acoustic neuromas, neurofibromas and schwannomas are readily
      grown in two sites in nude mice and that they retain their morphologic features
      and genomic identities. These tumors grow better and more consistently in the
      sciatic nerve than in the subrenal capsule. These are useful model systems for
      studying tumor growth and cellular modulation.

PMID- 1432032
TI  - Treatment of recurrent metastatic medulloblastoma with intensive chemotherapy and
      allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
AB  - We report here the first known case of a patient with recurrent metastatic
      medulloblastoma to achieve long-term disease-free survival following treatment
      with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. A 27 year old white male with
      recurrent metastatic medulloblastoma involving lymph nodes, bone and bone marrow
      was treated with multi-agent chemotherapy followed by allogeneic bone marrow
      transplantation from an HLA-identical sibling donor. Morbidity was acceptable
      with moderate to severe mucositis in the immediate post transplant period and
      clinical grade I graft versus host disease of the skin controlled with modest
      doses of corticosteroids. The patient continues in unmaintained complete
      remission in excess of 28 months with a performance status of 100%. Allogeneic
      marrow transplantation following cytoreductive salvage chemotherapy is an
      aggressive strategy that may offer an improved likelihood of disease eradication
      and ultimate cure for poor prognosis patients with recurrent metastatic
      medulloblastoma.

PMID- 1432036
TI  - Extraneural metastases in ependymoma.
AB  - Ependymomas, glial neoplasms usually arising in the posterior fossa or spinal
      cord, rarely metastasize outside the central nervous system. We have reviewed all
      81 ependymomas evaluated at MSKCC between 1956-1989. Five (6.2%) had extraneural
      metastases (ENM). The primary tumor was in spinal cord in 3 patients and the
      cerebral hemisphere in 2. Two tumors were histologically anaplastic; 3 were
      histologically benign. The 5 patients were 3, 3, 3.5, 16 and 37 years old. Time
      from initial diagnosis to development of ENM was 0, 15, 35, 40, and 288 months.
      At the time of ENM the primary tumor was progressing in 4/5 patients. Prior
      therapy had included resection plus radiation therapy (RT) (1), RT plus
      chemotherapy (1), resection plus RT plus chemotherapy (2). One patient had not
      received prior therapy because ENM were present at diagnosis. The sites of ENM
      included lung and thoracic lymph nodes (2), pleura and peritoneum (2), and liver
      (1). Both patients with peritoneal ENM had had ventriculoperitoneal shunts. ENM
      did not correlate with histologic grade, age, or degree of surgical resection.
      When patients with ependymoma develop signs or symptoms of systemic disease such
      as abdominal pain, cough, or adenopathy, ENM should be considered.

PMID- 1432037
TI  - A case of treatment-related leukoencephalopathy: sequential MRI, CT and PET
      findings.
AB  - A case of treatment-related leukoencephalopathy is presented. A patient with
      medulloblastoma was postoperatively treated with craniospinal axis irradiation.
      One month after irradiation, weekly intrathecal administration of methotrexate
      was performed 4 times to treat cerebrospinal fluid dissemination of the tumor.
      Two months after the initiation of intrathecal chemotherapy, the patient became
      somnolent and developed decerebrate posturing. Magnetic resonance imaging showed
      diffuse leukoencephalopathy. Positron emission tomography revealed a diffuse
      decrease in glucose uptake in the deep white matter. Auditory evoked potential
      also showed diffuse abnormalities, not only in the cerebrum, but also in the
      brain stem. High dose intravenous leucovorin rescue was attempted without any
      neurologic improvement.

PMID- 1432038
TI  - Chemotherapy with vincristine (VCR) and etoposide (VP-16) in children with low
      grade astrocytoma.
AB  - Twenty patients, aged 6 months to 20 years, with low-grade astrocytoma (LGA)
      participated in a chemotherapy trial of vincristine (VCR) and etoposide (VP-16).
      Fourteen children had recurrent progressive disease at entry on study. Prior
      treatment consisted of surgical resection alone (6), surgical resection and
      irradiation (4), surgical resection, irradiation and chemotherapy (2), surgery
      and chemotherapy (1), and irradiation and chemotherapy (1). Six patients were
      treated at initial diagnosis of LGA because they were less than 5 years old (5)
      or for a second primary tumor (1). Four recurrent patients and 3 newly diagnosed
      patients underwent surgical debulking of their tumors immediately prior to study
      entry. Tumors were located in the optic nerve/chiasm/hypothalamus (8), brain
      stem/cerebellum (4), cerebral hemispheres (3), midline structures (3), and spinal
      cord (2). The treatment plan administered in an out-patient setting consisted of
      weekly VCR 1.5 mg/m2 for 7 to 8 weeks and VP-16 100 mg/m2 for 5 days repeated
      every 6 weeks for a total of 18 months of therapy. Responses were evaluated by
      computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Of the 20 patients, 1
      exhibited a partial response maintained for 12+ months, 3 exhibited minor
      responses maintained for a period of 10+ to 35 months, and 11 maintained stable
      disease for 10 to 42 months. Of the 11 patients with stable disease, 2 were
      withdrawn early from the study without further therapy. Five of the 20 patients
      developed progressive disease; for 4 of these 5, this occurred during the first
      course of therapy. Subsequently, these 5 died due to tumor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432039
TI  - Intrathecal ACNU treatment of B16 melanoma leptomeningeal metastasis in a new
      athymic rat model.
AB  - To evaluate new cytotoxic drugs for intrathecal treatment we developed an
      experimental model of leptomeningeal metastasis by intracisternal injection of
      10(4) B16-F10 melanoma cells in nude rats. One hour in vitro incubation with 20
      micrograms/ml ACNU (area under the drug concentration-time curve = 1200
      microgramsxmin/ml) induced a 4-log kill of B16 melanoma cells. A single or
      repeated non-toxic dose of 1 mg/kg was injected into the cisterna magna of rats
      inoculated with tumor (area under the drug concentration-time curve assuming an
      even cerebrospinal fluid distribution greater than 7000 microgramsxmin/ml).
      Median survival free of symptoms was 16 days (range 14-27) for controls (n = 9)
      and 18 days (range 17-23) for rats treated with ACNU on day 4 (n = 9). Animals
      treated both on day 2 and 8 (n = 8) developed symptoms on day 21 (range 13-35).
      Neurological symptoms and neuropathological examination in animals with increased
      survival indicated local suppression of tumor growth in the cisterna magna but
      increased spinal seeding and mass growth. From these results and the available
      pharmacokinetic data on ACNU it is concluded that bolus injection of ACNU-
      although locally effective--is not a sufficient treatment of widespread
      leptomeningeal metastasis. An increased therapeutic efficacy might be achieved by
      ventriculolumbar perfusion.

PMID- 1432040
TI  - A motor area rostral to the supplementary motor area (presupplementary motor
      area) in the monkey: neuronal activity during a learned motor task.
AB  - 1. The rostromesial agranular frontal cortex of macaque monkey (Macaca fuscata),
      traditionally defined as the supplementary motor area (SMA), was studied using
      various physiological techniques to delineate two different areas rostrocaudally.
      2. Field and unitary responses to electrical stimulation of the primary motor
      cortex were distinct in the caudal part, but minimal or absent in the rostral
      part. Intracortical microstimulation readily evoked limb or orofacial movements
      in the caudal part, but only infrequently in the rostral part. Neuronal responses
      to visual stimuli prevailed in the rostral part, but somatosensory responses were
      rare. The opposite was true in the caudal part. 3. The rostral part, roughly
      corresponding to area 6a beta, was operationally defined as the presupplementary
      motor area (pre-SMA). The caudal part was redefined as the SMA proper. 4. Single
      cell activity in the pre-SMA was quantitatively compared with that in the SMA
      proper in relation to a trained motor task. 5. Phasic responses to visual cue
      signals indicating the direction of forthcoming arm-reaching movement were more
      abundant in the pre-SMA. 6. Activity changes during the preparatory period, which
      lasted until the occurrence of the trigger signal for the reaching movement, were
      more frequent in the pre-SMA. 7. Phasic, movement-related activity was more
      frequent in the SMA, and its onset was often time locked to the movement onset.
      In the pre-SMA, the occurrences of response time locked to the movement-trigger
      signal were more frequent than in the SMA. 8. Among neurons in both areas,
      directional selectivity was found in all the cue, preparatory, and movement
      related responses.

PMID- 1432041
TI  - Action of brain stem reticular afferents on lagged and nonlagged cells in the cat
      lateral geniculate nucleus.
AB  - 1. The A-laminae of the cat lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) contain two distinct
      groups of relay neurons: lagged and nonlagged cells. The groups differ in the
      pattern, timing, and amplitude of response to flashing spots. At spot onset,
      nonlagged cells discharge at short latency with an excitatory transient; in
      lagged cells this transient is supplanted by an inhibitory dip and a delayed
      latency to discharge. At spot offset, lagged cell discharge decays more slowly
      than in nonlagged cells. Here we have investigated the facilitatory influence of
      the brain stem reticular formation on the response properties of lagged X-cells
      (XL) and nonlagged X- and Y-cells (XN and YN). We were particularly interested in
      whether the inhibitory dip and sluggish response of lagged cells could be
      reversed during brain stem activation and the cells induced to respond like
      nonlagged cells. The peribrachial region (PB) of the pontine reticular formation
      was stimulated electrically with the use of 1,100-ms-long pulse trains that were
      paired with flashing spot stimuli. 2. Stimulation of PB led to an increase in the
      amplitude of visually evoked discharge in lagged and nonlagged cells. Compared
      with their response to spot stimulation alone, the average PB-evoked increase in
      mean discharge rate was greater than 50% in both groups. The mean discharge rate
      during PB plus spot stimulation was somewhat higher for XN-cells than for YN- and
      XL-cells, reflecting the relatively higher discharge rate among XN-cells during
      spot stimulation alone. 3. Two measures of response timing characterize lagged
      and nonlagged cells: latency to half-maximal discharge at spot onset (half rise)
      and latency to half-minimal discharge at spot offset (half fall). Among XN- and
      YN-cells, PB stimulation had no significant effect on these two latencies; among
      XL-cells, both latencies were reduced by 43 and 35%, respectively, on average. 4.
      During spot stimulation alone, all lagged cells were distinguishable from all
      nonlagged cells in having half-rise and half-fall latencies greater than 60 ms.
      Despite the reduction among XL-cells in these 2 latencies during PB stimulation,
      all but 2 of the 40 XL-cells maintained laggedlike latencies. The majority (95%)
      of XL-cells remained unambiguously lagged on these measures during brain stem
      stimulation. 5. During spot stimulation alone, 30 of 40 XL-cells tested displayed
      a prominent and often long-lasting inhibitory dip in discharge starting
      approximately 45 ms after spot onset. During PB stimulation only three cells lost
      the dip.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432042
TI  - GABAergic inhibition of neuronal activity in the primate motor and premotor
      cortex during voluntary movement.
AB  - 1. The functional role of GABAergic inhibition in neuronal activity in the
      forearm-hand area of the motor cortex and the postarcuate premotor cortex was
      studied while monkeys pressed and released a lever in response to a visual cue.
      gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), its agonist muscimol (MUS), and its antagonist
      bicuculline methiodide (BMI), as well as acetylcholine, noradrenaline, and sodium
      glutamate, were applied iontophoretically to isolated single neurons whose
      activity was recorded via glass micropipettes that contained carbon fibers. 2.
      The activity from single neurons recorded in the motor and premotor cortex showed
      changes during the press or release of the lever by movement of the contralateral
      wrist. Discharge of most of the movement-related neurons (greater than 90%) was
      decreased or completely suppressed by iontophoretically applied GABA or MUS. 3.
      The activity of the movement-related neurons increased after application of BMI.
      In 70% of neurons tested, the activity during application of BMI was specifically
      enhanced at or near the phase of their peaks of activity, with or without a
      noticeable elevation in background activity. 4. About 10% of the neurons that had
      been unidirectional (i.e., neurons that showed a change in activity at either the
      lever-press or lever-release phase) became bidirectional (i.e., they showed
      changes in activity at both phases) when GABA transmission was blocked by the
      application of BMI. Bidirectional neurons also showed a reduction in the value of
      the directionality index. 5. One-half of the silent neurons, which had not shown
      any activity during either the lever-release or the lever-press phase, became
      active during the movement phases that followed application of BMI. 6. Most of
      the cortical neurons in layers II-VI in the motor area were found to be subject
      to GABAergic inhibition during voluntary movement. 7. We conclude that GABAergic
      inhibition plays a role in regulating the population of task-related neurons, and
      the levels of the task-related activity. GABAergic inhibition also improves
      directionality index in the motor cortex neurons to control the activity of
      target muscles.

PMID- 1432043
TI  - Parallel processing in rabbit first (SI) and second (SII) somatosensory cortical
      areas: effects of reversible inactivation by cooling of SI on responses in SII.
AB  - 1. Previous observations on the effect of ablation or inactivation of the primary
      somatosensory cortex (SI) on the responses of neurons within the second
      somatosensory area (SII) to tactile stimuli point to profound differences between
      monkeys and certain other mammals in the organization of thalamocortical systems.
      In the cat, for example, tactile information appears to be conveyed in parallel
      from the thalamus to both SI and SII, whereas, in macaque and marmoset monkeys,
      it is conveyed in a serial (or hierarchical) scheme from the thalamus to SI and
      thence to SII. The present study examined the responses of individual SII neurons
      during reversible, cooling-induced inactivation of SI in another nonprimate
      placental mammal, the rabbit, to obtain further evidence on whether the above
      differences might reflect a fundamental distinction between simian primates and
      other mammalian species. 2. When the temperature at the face of a silver cooling
      block over the forepaw and hindpaw regions of SI was lowered to 5-13 degrees C,
      the SI surface potentials evoked by brief tactile stimuli were abolished
      (indicative of SI inactivation), whereas SII potentials remained intact. 3. The
      responses of 25 SII neurons to controlled tactile stimuli (consisting of 1- to
      1.5-s trains of vibration or rectangular mechanical pulses) were studied before,
      during, and after inactivation of SI. The effects on the spontaneous activity of
      a further three SII neurons that lacked identified receptive fields were also
      studied. 4. The response or activity levels of 26 of the 28 SII neurons examined
      (93%) were unaffected by SI inactivation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432044
TI  - Relationship between receptive and dendritic field size of amacrine cells in the
      rabbit retina.
AB  - 1. Intracellular recordings were obtained from 40 amacrine cells in the isolated,
      superfused retina eyecup of the rabbit. Cells were subsequently labeled with
      horseradish peroxidase for morphological identification. Many of these cells
      displayed dendritic morphology consistent with that of amacrine cells described
      in prior anatomic studies, including starburst, A17, AII, and DAPI-3 cells. 2.
      The center receptive field of amacrine cells was measured with a 50- or 95
      microns-wide, 6.0-mm-long rectangular slit of light that was displaced along its
      minor axis (parallel to the visual streak) in increments as small as 3 microns.
      The extent of the receptive field was calculated as the total distance over which
      the displaced slit could evoke a center response. Area summation of amacrine
      cells was measured with concentric spots of light with increasing diameters
      centered over the cell. 3. For a single amacrine cell, the receptive field size
      was comparable to the extent of its dendritic arbor. For the total population of
      amacrine cells, there was a strong, linear relationship between receptive field
      and dendritic field size. The receptive fields were, on average, 27% larger than
      the corresponding dendritic arbors, but this discrepancy can be accounted for
      entirely by tissue shrinkage associated with histological processing and a small
      imprecision of the light stimuli. Area summation measurements were consistent
      with those of receptive fields and were also related linearly to the dendritic
      field size of cells. 4. These findings indicate that even when the slit of light
      was placed at the distal edges of the dendritic arbor, synaptic inputs activated
      there were propagated effectively to the soma and recorded by microelectrodes
      placed there. In addition, amacrine cells were capable of summating synaptic
      inputs distributed throughout the entire arbor. 5. These results are inconsistent
      with the findings of prior computational modeling studies of passive, dendritic
      current flow in A17 and starburst amacrine cells that synaptic inputs on distal
      dendritic branches are isolated electrically from the soma and that these
      branches form autonomous, functional subunits. 6. The majority of amacrine cells
      encountered displayed light-evoked and/or spontaneous action potentials. These
      action potentials often took the form of high-amplitude somatic and low-amplitude
      dendritic spikes. On average, spiking amacrine cells showed considerably larger
      dendritic fields than nonspiking amacrine cells. In fact, all amacrine cells with
      arbors greater than 436 microns, which formed 45% of the total population,
      displayed spike activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432045
TI  - Some properties of receptive fields of olfactory mitral/tufted cells in the frog.
AB  - 1. Different regions of the frog's olfactory epithelium were stimulated with nine
      glass micropipettes either individually or simultaneously in different
      combinations. The stimulus was a positive electrical pulse (4 s) consisting of a
      progressive increase, a plateau, and a progressive decrease in current intensity.
      Extra- and intracellular recordings were made from olfactory bulb mitral/tufted
      cells. Some of these cells were identified by intracellular injection of Lucifer
      yellow. 2. The action potential response patterns of mitral/tufted cells during
      the different phases of the stimulation were coded according to whether the
      activity was increased or decreased compared with its spontaneous level just
      before stimulation. Neural responses were classified into 11 types: individual
      neurons responded with different response types to stimuli delivered at different
      epithelial sites. On the basis of these response types, it was found that neurons
      could be classified into two groups. All response types in one group included an
      initial phase of increased discharge (excitation), whereas all types in the other
      group included an initial phase of decreased activity (suppression). Neurons that
      displayed response types belonging to one group never displayed those of the
      other group. It was thus concluded that a given neuron responded either always
      with an increased activity or always with a decreased activity, whatever the
      location of the stimulus. 3. The receptive field of a mitral/tufted cell appeared
      to be homogenous and not divided into areas of different properties, at least
      under the present experimental conditions. The extent of a receptive field was
      estimated by determining the number of effective epithelial sites (where an
      electrical stimulus evoked a response from a bulbar neuron).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432046
TI  - Expression of the mRNAs for the Kv3.1 potassium channel gene in the adult and
      developing rat brain.
AB  - 1. The gene for a mammalian Shaw K+ channel has recently been cloned and has been
      shown, by alternative splicing, to give rise to two different transcripts, Kv3.1
      alpha and Kv3.1 beta. To determine whether these channels are associated with
      specific types of neurons and to determine whether or not the alternately spliced
      K+ channel variants are differentially expressed, we used ribonuclease (RNase)
      protection assays and in situ hybridization histochemistry to localize the
      specific subsets of neurons containing Kv3.1 alpha and Kv3.1 beta mRNAs in the
      adult and developing rat brain. 2. In situ hybridization histochemistry revealed
      a heterogeneous expression pattern of Kv3.1 alpha mRNA in the adult rat brain.
      Highest Kv3.1 alpha mRNA levels were expressed in the cerebellum. High levels of
      hybridization were also detected in the globus pallidus, subthalamus, and
      substantia nigra reticulata. Many thalamic nuclei, but in particular the
      reticular thalamic nucleus, hybridized well to Kv3.1 alpha-specific probes. A
      subpopulation of cells in the cortex and hippocampus, which by their distribution
      and number may represent interneurons, were also found to contain high levels of
      Kv3.1 alpha mRNA. In the brain stem, many nuclei, including the inferior
      colliculus and the cochlear and vestibular nuclei, also express Kv3.1 alpha mRNA.
      Low or undetectable levels of Kv3.1 alpha mRNA were found in the caudate-putamen,
      olfactory tubercle, amygdala, and hypothalamus. 3. Kv3.1 beta mRNA was also
      detected in the adult rat brain by both RNase protection assays and by in situ
      hybridization experiments. Although the beta splice variant is expressed at lower
      levels than the alpha species, the overall expression pattern for both mRNAs is
      similar, indicating that both splice variants co-expressed in the same neurons.
      4. The expression of Kv3.1 alpha and Kv3.1 beta transcripts was examined
      throughout development. Kv3.1 alpha mRNA is detected as early as embryonic day 17
      and then increases gradually until approximately postnatal day 10, when there is
      a large increase in the amount of Kv3.1 alpha mRNA. Interestingly, the expression
      of Kv3.1 beta mRNA only increases gradually during the developmental time frame
      examined. Densitometric measurements indicated that Kv3.1 alpha is the
      predominant splice variant found in neurons of the adult brain, whereas Kv3.1
      beta appears to be the predominant species in embryonic and perinatal neurons. 5.
      Most of the neurons that express the Kv3.1 transcripts have been characterized
      electrophysiologically to have narrow action potentials and display high
      frequency firing rates with little or no spike adaptation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432047
TI  - ATP-gated current in dissociated rat nucleus solitarii neurons.
AB  - 1. The excitatory response of extracellularly applied ATP was investigated in
      freshly dissociated rat nucleus tractus solitarii neurons under whole-cell
      configuration using the "concentration-clamp" technique. 2. At a holding
      potential of -70 mV, 100 microM ATP evoked inward current that was slowly
      desensitized in the continuous presence of ATP. The ATP-gated current increased
      in a concentration-dependent manner over the concentration range between 10
      microM and 1 mM. The half-maximum concentration was 31 microM and the Hill
      coefficient was 1.2. 3. The potency of ATP analogues for the purinergic receptor
      was in the order of ATP = 2-methylthio-ATP much greater than ADP greater than
      alpha,beta-methylene ATP. Neither adenosine nor AMP evoked any responses. The
      order was consistent with a P2y receptor subtype. 4. The current-voltage
      relationship for the 100 microM ATP response showed a clear inward rectification
      at positive potentials beyond -50 mV. The reversal potential of the ATP-gated
      current was +13 mV. 5. The time constants of activation and inactivation of the
      ATP-gated current solution were dependent on the extracellular ATP concentration,
      and both kinetics became faster at higher ATP concentrations. 6. The ATP-gated
      current was also elicited in an external solution containing Ca2+ as a permeable
      cation. The inactivation kinetics in an external solution containing 75 mM Ca2+
      were faster than those in an external solution with 150 mM Na+. 7. Calculated
      relative permeability ratios were PNa/PCs = 1.64 ([Na+]o = 30-150 mM), PCa/PCs =
      2.17 ([Ca2+]o = 2 mM). Anions were not measurably permeable in this preparation.

PMID- 1432048
TI  - Dendritic origin of late events in optical recordings from salamander olfactory
      bulb.
AB  - 1. Optical recordings of membrane-potential changes were used to characterize the
      origin and properties of the electrical signals from the dendritic level in
      slices of the salamander olfactory bulb. 2. The optical events were correlated
      with field-potential waves recorded simultaneously. Both responses exhibited
      patterns similar to those found in other species. 3. Orthodromic stimulation
      evoked a compound action potential in the olfactory nerve fibers, followed by two
      additional principal waves (N1 and N2). These field-potential waves reflected
      excitatory postsynaptic potentials at the primary mitral/tufted and granule cell
      dendrites, respectively. 4. Extrinsic optical signals from horizontal slices
      stained with the pyrazo-oxonal dye RH-155 showed a characteristic sequence of
      depolarizing and hyperpolarizing events. All of the signals exhibited a
      wavelength dependence expected for this dye and were abolished in the presence of
      high K+ in the bath. 5. According to their time courses, depolarizing responses
      under normal recording conditions were divided into two components, fast and
      slow. Orthodromic stimuli evoked a fast presynaptic response that represents
      synchronous compound action potentials from olfactory nerve fibers. At
      subglomerular levels, additional fast responses could often be recorded at the
      peri/subglomerular level and in the mitral/tufted somata region. These
      postsynaptic responses partially coincided with the rising phase of a different
      depolarizing signal, a slow component characterized by its prolonged time course.
      6. With orthodromic stimulation, this slow signal attained its largest amplitude
      in the zone between the glomeruli and the superficial part of the external
      plexiform layer (EPL). Antidromic stimuli evoked a signal with some similarities
      to the one evoked orthodromically, but originating in deeper EPL regions. 7. Slow
      components were characterized by their Ca dependence. Low Ca2+ medium, or calcium
      channel blockers, suppressed this optical component, whether evoked
      orthodromically, antidromically, or by direct stimulation. In addition, Ba2+ (2.5
      3.6 mM) in the bath did not abolish these responses, suggesting that they do not
      reflect a glial depolarization in response to elevated extracellular K+
      concentration ([K+]o). 8. Locally applied stimuli next to the glomerular layer
      elicited these signals in 5-10 microM tetrodotoxin (TTX) or in low extracellular
      Na+ concentration ([Na+]o) medium, but antidromic or orthodromic stimuli failed
      to evoke the response under these conditions. The sizes of the responses to local
      stimuli remained constant, but an increase in their duration was observed in
      either TTX or low [Na+]o. 9. gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) and baclofen reduced
      the size of the slow components in a dose-dependent manner.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432049
TI  - Acoustic reflex frequency selectivity in single stapedius motoneurons of the cat.
AB  - 1. The sound frequency selectivities of single stapedius motoneurons were
      investigated in ketamine anesthetized and in decerebrate cats by recording from
      axons in the small nerve fascicles entering the stapedius muscle. 2. Stapedius
      motoneuron tuning curves (TCs) were very broad, similar to the tuning of the
      overall acoustic reflexes as determined by electromyographic recordings. The
      lowest thresholds were usually for sound frequencies between 1 and 2 kHz,
      although many TCs also had a second sensitive region in the 6- to 12-kHz range.
      The broad tuning of stapedius motoneurons implies that inputs derived from
      different cochlear frequency regions (which are narrowly tuned) must converge at
      a point central to the stapedius motoneuron outputs, possibly at the motoneuron
      somata. 3. There were only small differences in tuning among the four previously
      described groups of stapedius motoneurons categorized by sensitivity to
      ipsilateral and contralateral sound. The gradation in high-frequency versus low
      frequency sensitivity across motoneurons suggests there are not distinct
      subgroups of stapedius motoneurons, based on their TCs. 4. The thresholds and
      shapes of stapedius motoneuron TCs support the hypothesis that the stapedius
      acoustic reflex is triggered by summed activity of low-spontaneous-rate auditory
      nerve fibers with both low and high characteristic frequencies (CFs). Excitation
      of high-CF auditory nerve fibers by sound in their TC "tails" is probably an
      important factor in eliciting the reflex. 5. In general, the most sensitive
      frequency for stapedius motoneurons is higher than the frequency at which
      stapedius contractions produce the greatest attenuation of middle ear
      transmission. We argue that this is true because the main function of the
      stapedius acoustic reflex is to reduce the masking of responses to high-frequency
      sounds produced by low-frequency sounds.

PMID- 1432050
TI  - Responses of neurons in the gracile nucleus of cats to innocuous and noxious
      stimuli: basic characterization and antidromic activation from the thalamus.
AB  - 1. Responses to innocuous and noxious mechanical and thermal stimuli were
      recorded from 90 neurons in the gracile nucleus of anesthetized cats. Cells were
      tested by antidromic activation for projections to the contralateral ventrobasal
      thalamus. 2. Cells were characterized broadly by their responses to mechanical
      stimuli as 1) responding only to tapping (16%), 2) fast-adapting to low-intensity
      mechanical stimuli (33%), or 3) slowly adapting (51%; most with a fast-adapting
      component to their responses). All fast-adapting cells and those slowly adapting
      cells that were tested with noxious heat were further categorized on the basis of
      their patterns of firing and responses to stimuli. These plus the tap-responsive
      cells comprised a more restricted sample of 76 categorized cells. 3. Many (22)
      slowly adapting cells responded to noxious heat (69% of tested slowly adapting
      cells; 29% of all categorized cells), either on the first application (9 cells)
      or after sensitization (13 cells), indicating input originating in nociceptors.
      Nearly all of these (21) responded more to intense pressure than to innocuous
      pressure. The majority of slowly adapting cells not responsive to noxious heat (5
      of 8) or not tested with it (8 of 12) also responded more to intense than to
      innocuous pressure, suggesting possible input originating in nociceptors. Most
      cells that responded to noxious heat also had both rapidly and slowly adapting
      responses with low thresholds. Many were recorded in the range of the cluster
      region of the gracile nucleus. 4. Cells antidromically activated from the
      thalamus projected to the rostral part of the ventral posterior lateral nucleus,
      regardless of their physiological category, and included many with nociceptive
      input. Latencies of antidromic activation were shorter at more caudal locations
      in the gracile nucleus, indicating higher conduction velocities to the thalamus.
      Responses of antidromically activated cells to low-intensity phasic stimuli
      tended to be greater than those of cells not antidromically activated. 5.
      Background activity of the neurons was low, most firing at less than one spike/s.
      Antidromically activated cells had higher background activity than cells not
      antidromically activated. 6. The results indicate a greater proportion and more
      widespread distribution of cells with nociceptive input in the cat gracile
      nucleus than has been previously recognized. Many of these projected to the
      ventrobasal thalamus, showing that information originating in nociceptors can
      reach the thalamus through a dorsal column-medial lemniscal pathway in cats.

PMID- 1432051
TI  - Metabotropic glutamate receptor-mediated suppression of L-type calcium current in
      acutely isolated neocortical neurons.
AB  - 1. The effects of metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) stimulation on whole
      cell Ca2+ currents were studied in pyramidal neurons isolated from the dorsal
      frontoparietal neocortex of rat. The selective mGluR agonist cis-(+/-)-1
      aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid [trans-ACPD (100 microM)] suppressed the
      peak high-threshold Ca2+ current by 21 +/- 1.7% (mean +/- SE) in 40 of 43 cells
      from 10- to 21-day-old rats. Consistent with previous findings for mGluR,
      glutamate, quisqualate, and ibotenate [but not alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4
      isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)] reduced the Ca2+ currents, and the responses were
      not blocked by the ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists 6-cyano-7-nitro
      quinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) and DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV). EC50S
      for Ca2+ current suppression were 29 nM for quisqualate, 2.3 microM for
      glutamate, and 13 microM for trans-ACPD. 2. The low-threshold Ca2+ current was
      not modulated by trans-ACPD. The component of the high-threshold CA2+ current
      suppressed by mGluR was determined by pharmacology; the responses were not
      affected by omega-conotoxin GVIA but were occluded by the dihydropyridine Ca2+
      antagonist nifedipine. Ca2+ tail currents prolonged by the dihydropyridine Ca2+
      agonist (+)-SDZ 202-79] were suppressed by mGluR stimulation in parallel with the
      peak current. These findings strongly suggest that L-type Ca2+ channels are
      modulated by mGluR. 3. In neurons dialyzed with 100 microM guanosine 5'-(gamma
      thio)triphosphate (GTP-gamma-S), Ca2+ current suppression was elicited by the
      first application of trans-ACPD (in 5 of 6 cells), but not by subsequent
      applications. Responses in neurons dialyzed with 2 mM guanosine 5'-(beta
      thio)diphosphate (GDP-beta-S) were significantly smaller than controls. The
      results are consistent with mGluR acting via linkage to a G protein. 4. The
      responses to mGluR agonists were smaller when the external Ca2+ was replaced by
      Ba2+, indicating that some part of the mechanism underlying the current
      suppression is Ca2+ dependent. Because mGluR stimulates phosphoinositide turnover
      and release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores in other types of neurons, the
      possibility of released Ca2+ mediating inactivation of Ca2+ channels was
      considered. However, the Ca2+ current suppression was not attenuated by strong
      intracellular Ca2+ buffering [20 mM bis-(o-aminophenoxy)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic
      acid (BAPTA)], by dialysis with 100 microM inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3), or
      by external application of 1 microM thapsigargin. 5. We conclude that in
      neocortical neurons, one action of mGluR is to suppress the component of high
      threshold Ca2+ current conducted by L-type Ca2+ channels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432052
TI  - Sensory processing and corollary discharge effects in the mormyromast regions of
      the mormyrid electrosensory lobe. I. Field potentials, cellular activity in
      associated structures.
AB  - 1. This is the first of a series of papers on the electrosensory lobe and closely
      associated structures in electric fish of the family Mormyridae. The study
      describes the neuronal responses to sensory stimuli and to corollary discharge
      signals associated with the motor command that drives the electric organ
      discharge (EOD). The study is focused on the regions of the electrosensory lobe
      where primary afferent fibers from mormyromast electroreceptors terminate. 2.
      This first paper of the series describes the field potentials in the caudal lobe
      of the cerebellum and in the electrosensory lobe. It also describes the different
      types of unit activity in the caudal lobe of the cerebellum. Granule cells of the
      caudal lobe of the cerebellum provide the parallel fibers for most of the
      molecular layer of the electrosensory lobe. Determination of the input and
      responses of these cells is therefore an important part of the effort to
      understand the electrosensory lobe. 3. Corollary discharge field potentials
      evoked by the EOD motor command are very prominent in the caudal lobe of the
      cerebellum and in the electrosensory lobe. The potentials indicate that corollary
      discharge excitation affects first the granule cells of the caudal lobe and then,
      a few milliseconds later, the deeper cellular layers of the electrosensory lobe.
      The prominence and complexity of the field potentials indicate that corollary
      discharge signals have an important and varied role in the processing of
      electrosensory information by the mormyrid electrosensory lobe. 4. The field
      potentials evoked by electrosensory stimuli suggest that direct primary afferent
      excitation is limited to the granule and intermediate layers of the
      electrosensory lobe, as is indicated also by anatomic studies. 5. Proprioceptive
      units are the most common type of unit recorded in the granule cell region of the
      caudal lobe of the cerebellum (eminentia granularis posterior). These units have
      a regular discharge rate that changes tonically in response to slight bending of
      the trunk, bending of the tail, or bending of individual fins. Proprioceptive
      input will have a strong effect on the molecular layer of the electrosensory lobe
      and will thus modulate the responses of electrosensory lobe cells to
      electrosensory stimuli. Such proprioceptive input to the electrosensory lobe
      would allow the expected effects of body position changes to be accounted for in
      the processing of electrosensory information. 6. Units with stereotyped, short
      latency corollary discharge bursts to the EOD motor command were the next most
      common type of unit in the eminentia granularis posterior. These corollary
      discharge units were not affected by sensory stimuli.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400
      WORDS)

PMID- 1432053
TI  - Sensory processing and corollary discharge effects in mormyromast regions of
      mormyrid electrosensory lobe. II. Cell types and corollary discharge plasticity.
AB  - 1. This is the second of a series of papers on the electrosensory lobe and
      closely associated structures in electric fish of the family Mormyridae. The
      focus of the study is on the regions of the electrosensory lobe where primary
      afferent fibers from mormyromast electroreceptors terminate. 2. This second paper
      examines the responses of single cells in the mormyromast regions of the
      electrosensory lobe to electrosensory stimuli and to corollary discharge signals
      associated with the motor command that drives the electric organ to discharge.
      All recordings were extracellular. 3. Two major types of cells were identified: I
      cells, which were inhibited by electrosensory stimuli in the center of their
      receptive fields; and E cells, which were excited by such stimuli. 4. I cells and
      E cells shared a number of common features. Both types could have small receptive
      fields limited to only a few electroreceptors (3-5), and both types were markedly
      affected by the corollary discharge of the electric organ discharge (EOD) motor
      command. Cells of both types also showed clear plasticity in their responses to
      the corollary discharge or to the corollary discharge plus a stimulus. 5. I cells
      could be subdivided into three subtypes, I1, I2, and I3, on the basis of
      corollary discharge responses in the absence of sensory stimuli. I1 and I2 cells
      showed consistent corollary discharge bursts with little or no additional
      activity beyond the duration of the burst. The corollary discharge bursts of I1
      cells were more stereotyped and of shorter latency than those of I2 cells. I3
      cells had more spontaneous activity than I1 or I2 cells and minimal cells had
      more spontaneous activity than I1 or I2 cells and minimal corollary discharge
      responses in the absence of sensory stimuli. Field potentials indicated that all
      three subtypes of I cells were recorded in or near the ganglion layer of the
      electrosensory lobe. 6. Corollary discharge responses were plastic and depended
      on recent pairing of a sensory stimulus with the EOD motor command. Such
      plasticity was clearer in I2 and I3 cells than in I1 cells. Inhibitory sensory
      stimuli were paired with the EOD motor command for periods of a few seconds to
      several minutes. Such pairing resulted in a marked enhancement of the corollary
      discharge response in I2 cells, as shown by examining the effect of the motor
      command after turning off the stimulus. In I3 cells, such pairing resulted in a
      clear corollary burst to the command at the time of the previously paired
      inhibition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432054
TI  - Influence of velocity and direction of surface-parallel cutaneous stimuli on
      responses of mechanoreceptors in feline hairy skin.
AB  - 1. The responses of cutaneous mechanoreceptors in feline hairy skin were examined
      in vivo with systematic variations in the velocity and direction of stimulus
      motion across the receptive fields (RF). The mechanoreceptor classes studied were
      guard hair afferents, field afferents, down hair afferents, and slowly adapting
      type I (SAI) mechanoreceptors. A camel's hair brush, moved by a high-precision
      motor, provided surface-parallel stimulation at velocities ranging from 0.4 to
      100 cm/s. The stimulating device and protocols were similar to those previously
      used to evaluate human perception, thus allowing direct comparison of the two
      sets of data. 2. Each mechanoreceptor produced highly reliable mean firing rates
      with repeated stimulation. All mechanoreceptors showed a growth in evoked
      activity with increased stimulus velocity. With few exceptions, the relationship
      between brush velocity and mean firing rate was well described by a power
      function throughout the range of velocities tested. The exponents of these power
      functions, reflecting the degree of velocity dependency for each mechanoreceptor,
      were largest for the field type 1 units (F1) and guard hair type 1 units (G1). 3.
      The capacity of the mechanoreceptors to discriminate velocity was examined in the
      context of signal detection theory. For each unit, a velocity discriminability
      estimate (velocity delta'e) was calculated for responses to 5 versus 10 cm/s
      brushing and 10 versus 20 cm/s. The G1 and F1 units exhibited the largest
      velocity delta'e values, which were comparable to human velocity discriminability
      (d'e) values. Thus these data show the quantitative parallel between the velocity
      discriminability of G1 and F1 mechanoreceptors and of human perception similarly
      tested. 4. Most mechanoreceptors generated different response rates with stimuli
      moving in opposing directions (in the proximal-distal axis of the hindlimb).
      However, no mechanoreceptor class showed a consistently preferred direction of
      movement. A directional delta'e value was calculated for each mechanoreceptor at
      each stimulus velocity. These values were quite variable, even within a single
      mechanoreceptor class. In general, a mechanoreceptor's directional delta'e value
      either 1) decreased with increasing velocity or 2) remained constant across
      velocities. The way in which human directional discriminability varies with
      stimulus velocity did not parallel the way in which mechanoreceptor's directional
      delta'e values varied with the same range of stimulus velocities. 5. Some
      mechanoreceptors were tested with both the standardized brush, which was smaller
      than most mechanoreceptors' RFs, and a much larger brush, which was at least
      twice the size of the mechanoreceptors' RFs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432055
TI  - Mechanisms of gastric rhythm generation in the isolated stomatogastric ganglion
      of spiny lobsters: bursting pacemaker potentials, synaptic interactions, and
      muscarinic modulation.
AB  - 1. The gastric central pattern generator (CPG), located in the stomatogastric
      ganglion (STG) of the spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus), is nonrhythmic when
      deprived of neuromodulatory inputs from anterior ganglia. Leaving these inputs
      intact in vitro can sustain a gastric rhythm but also introduces numerous,
      uncontrolled and largely unknown modulatory and synaptic influences that greatly
      complicate analysis of this CPG. 2. Here we induced gastric rhythms in the
      isolated STG, by superfusing a specific modulator, the muscarinic agonist,
      pilocarpine. Muscarinic agents sustain vigorous gastric rhythms in the isolated
      STG. Our aim was to analyze the pattern-generating functions of the restricted
      gastric circuit, free of complicating influences from other ganglia, and under
      specific (muscarinic) modulation. 3. We used combinations of multiple cell
      hyperpolarizations, photodeletions, and synaptic blockade by picrotoxin to assess
      the pattern-generating role of individual gastric neurons and to study the
      activity of subcircuits. 4. Four identified gastric neurons [lateral gastric
      (LG), dorsal gastric (DG), 2 electrically coupled lateral posterior gastric
      (2LPGs)] acted as pattern-generating cells. They showed bursting pacemaker
      potentials (BPPs), i.e., plateau (or driver) potentials that underlay bursts of
      axonal spikes and slow, interburst depolarizing potentials that underlay
      repetitive burst activity. LG and DG, at least, became conditional bursters, able
      to burst repetitively because of intrinsic oscillations. The other gastric
      neurons behaved mainly as follower cells and derived their rhythmic bursting from
      synaptic coupling to the pattern-generator cells and from their own intrinsic
      (but nonoscillatory) properties. 5. The pattern-generating neurons form a novel
      "kernel" circuit that works by the cooperative interaction of cellular properties
      and synaptic connectivity. 6. This study constitutes the first complete and fully
      consistent analysis of pattern generation in the gastric network of the isolated
      STG. These mechanisms pertain to muscarinic rhythms in particular but also, we
      suggest, to gastric rhythm generation and CPG function in general. We suggest
      that 1) rhythmicity normally depends on the induction of bursty membrane
      properties in at least some component neurons; 2) different subcircuits can
      produce rhythmic patterns and may be activated by different modulators; and 3)
      the gastric network shares several important "building blocks" with CPGs that
      have been analyzed in other systems. 7. Muscarinic inputs are implicated as an
      important gastric regulator. We compare these responses with the reported
      modulatory actions of the anterior pyloric modulator (AMP), an identified,
      putatively cholinergic input interneuron that may act via muscarinic mechanisms.

PMID- 1432056
TI  - Changes in motor responses induced by cerebellar stimulation during classical
      forelimb flexion conditioning in cat.
AB  - 1. The ability of somaesthetic sensory inputs to produce structural changes in
      the connectivities of the central nervous structures involved in motor activity
      was tested with an alpha type of classical conditioning in chronically prepared
      adult cats. Repetitive sensory stimulation was applied at constant intervals
      after the activation of the motor circuits originating in the neurons or efferent
      axons of the cerebellar nuclei. A conditional stimulation (CS) applied to
      interpositus neurons was consistently paired with an unconditional stimulation
      (UCS) applied to the dorsal skin of the forelimb extremity to induce associative
      sensorimotor conditioning. The sites at which the conditional and unconditional
      stimuli were applied set up a simplified sensorimotor circuit including pathways
      transmitting both these stimuli and others mediating the expression of the
      conditioned responses. 2. To test the changes resulting from the conditioning,
      electrodes were implanted into the various relay structures on the cerebellar
      efferent pathways (ventrolateral nucleus motor cortex). The forelimb motor
      responses elicited by stimulating these relay structures were recorded with a
      potentiometer placed at the elbow joint. The angular displacement (amplitude) and
      latency of the responses and the percentage response rates were systematically
      quantified throughout the conditioning procedure and at test sessions carried out
      after the daily conditioning routines. 3. It was observed that daily repetition
      of paired CS-UCS led to an increase in the response rates and amplitudes of the
      forelimb flexions, which already began to occur very slightly on the first 4 or 5
      days in response to the alpha conditioning, whereas the CS when applied alone
      failed to produce any changes in this initial response. Likewise, after the
      acquisition phase, repeated presentation of either the CS alone or the CS
      preceded by the UCS led to the extinction of the conditioned response, thus
      indicating that the observed changes were of an associative nature and that they
      depended on interactions between the motor and sensory inputs occurring somewhere
      in the CNS. In fact, the effects of conditioning were not generalized, but
      involved only a circumscribed circuit originating in the cerebellar neurons
      stimulated by the CS, which were activated concomitantly with the sensory
      pathways. 4. The conditioned response amplitudes were enhanced by 2.5-3 times
      their initial value. This enhancement persisted at the end of acquisition or
      after several days of consolidation, even when the paired CS-UCS sessions were
      interrupted for a period of 15 days to 2 mo.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432057
TI  - Mechanical response of frog saccular hair bundles to the aminoglycoside block of
      mechanoelectrical transduction.
AB  - 1. Deflections of the mechanosensory hair bundles on frog saccular hair cells
      were measured interferometrically, with submillisecond temporal and submicrometer
      spatial resolution, and with subnanometer displacement sensitivity. 2. The
      direction of the initial bundle deflection (toward the taller stereocilia) in
      response to a sudden application of aminoglycoside antibiotics shows that the
      mechanosensory channels are blocked in their mechanically open state. 3. The
      magnitude of the initial deflection is consistent with published data on the
      gating swing as derived from the gating compliance. 4. A delayed relaxation and
      frequently a reversal of the initial deflection were observed and are attributed
      to the previously reported mechanical adaptation mechanism, which is at least
      partially controlled by the influx of Ca2+ through the transduction channels. 5.
      Increases of low-frequency spontaneous motion were found at intermediate blocker
      concentrations. They can be well accounted for by the fluctuating force exerted
      on the bundle by the random binding and unbinding of blocker molecules. 6. The
      mechanical response of the hair bundle to aminoglycosides may be related to their
      acute and specific ototoxicity.

PMID- 1432058
TI  - Control of elevator muscle activity during simulated chewing with varying food
      resistance in humans.
AB  - 1. During chewing, a small part of the observed muscle activity is needed for the
      basic open-close movements of the mandible, and much additional muscle activity
      (AMA) is needed to overcome the resistance of the food. In chewing cycles in
      which a counteracting force is expected, the AMA is mainly generated by
      peripheral induction with a latency of approximately 23 ms. It was investigated
      whether an open-loop or closed-loop mechanism is involved in the control of the
      AMA in these cycles. 2. Subjects made rhythmic open-close movements at their
      natural chewing frequency controlled by a metronome. Food resistance was
      simulated by an external force, acting on the jaw in a downward direction during
      part of the closing movement. Sequences of cycles with a force were unexpectedly
      alternated with sequences of cycles with a different force. The force changed
      from 19 to 0 N and vice versa, and from 25 to 6 N and vice versa. Jaw movement
      and surface electromyogram of the masseter, temporalis, and suprahyoid muscles on
      both sides were recorded during cycles before and after the transition from one
      force condition to another. 3. The movement trajectory and AMA of the second and
      following cycles with a new force appeared to be similar. Thus adaptation to the
      changed circumstances occurred within two open-close cycles. 4. In the first
      cycle with 0 or 6 N in the 19----0 N and 25----6 N experiments respectively, a
      large part of the AMA had disappeared. The AMA in this cycle started to differ
      from the AMA in the previous cycle approximately 23 ms after the moment the force
      in this cycle started to differ from the previous cycle. 5. In the first cycle
      with 19 or 25 N in the reverse experiments, the AMA increased 120-136 ms after
      the moment the force in this cycle started to differ from the previous cycle. 6.
      During the closing phase of each open-close cycle, no muscle activity of the
      suprahyoid muscles was observed; thus co-contraction with the elevator muscles
      did not occur. 7. It was concluded that the AMA is under control of a closed-loop
      mechanism with a latency of approximately 23 ms. However, the reflex output has a
      maximum, depending on information about the food resistance gained in previous
      cycles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432059
TI  - Neuronal activity in monkey striatum related to the expectation of predictable
      environmental events.
AB  - 1. This study investigated neuronal activity in the striatum preceding
      predictable environmental events and behavioral reactions. Monkeys performed in a
      delayed go-nogo task that included separate time periods during which animals
      expected signals of behavioral significance, prepared for execution or inhibition
      of arm reaching movements, and expected the delivery of reward. In the task,
      animals were instructed by a green light cue to perform an arm reaching movement
      when a trigger stimulus came on approximately 3 s later (go situation). Movement
      was withheld after the same trigger light when the instruction cue had been red
      (nogo situation). Liquid reward was delivered on correct performance in both
      situations. 2. A total of 1,173 neurons were studied in the striatum (caudate
      nucleus and putamen) of 3 animals, of which 615 (52%) showed some change in
      activity during task performance. This report describes how the activity of 193
      task-related neurons increased in advance of at least 1 component of the task,
      namely the instruction cue, the trigger stimulus, or the delivery of liquid
      reward. These neurons were found in dorsal and anterior parts of caudate and
      putamen and were slightly more frequent in the proximity of the internal capsule.
      3. The activity of 16 neurons increased in both go and nogo trials before the
      onset of the instruction and subsided shortly after this signal. These
      activations may be related to the expectation of the instruction as the first
      signal in each trial. 4. The activity of 15 neurons increased between the
      instruction and the trigger stimulus in both go and nogo trials. These
      activations may be related to the expectation of the trigger stimulus independent
      of an arm movement. Further 56 neurons showed sustained activations only when the
      instruction requested a movement reaction. Activations were absent in trials in
      which the movement was withheld. Twenty-one of these neurons were tested with 2
      different movement targets, 5 of which showed activity related to the direction
      of movement. These activations may be related to the preparation of movement or
      expectation of the specific movement triggering signal. The activity of an
      additional 20 neurons was unmodulated before the trigger stimulus in movement
      trials but increased in the interval between the no-movement instruction and the
      trigger stimulus for withholding the movement. These activations may be related
      to the preparation of movement inhibition as specific nogo reaction.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432060
TI  - Activity-induced elevations of intracellular calcium concentration in pyramidal
      and nonpyramidal cells of the CA3 region of rat hippocampal slice cultures.
AB  - 1. Depolarization-induced elevations of intracellular calcium concentration
      ([Ca2+]i) were examined in slice-cultured hippocampal pyramidal and nonpyramidal
      cells of the CA3 region by combined intracellular and multisite fura-2 recording
      techniques. 2. In pyramidal cells, spiking activity induced by depolarizing
      current pulses (200-800 ms) induced transient elevations of somatic as well as of
      proximal dendritic [Ca2+]i. The calcium signals from the proximal dendrites were
      larger in amplitude and decayed much faster than those from the soma.
      Depolarization of presumed interneurons induced comparable somatic and dendritic
      calcium transients, which decayed faster than those observed in pyramidal cell
      somata. 3. The calcium transients of pyramidal cells, but not those of
      nonpyramidal cells, were associated with a slow afterhyperpolarization (sAHP),
      whose time course was correlated with that of the somatic calcium signal. We
      conclude that the lack of a sAHP in non-pyramidal cells cannot be explained by
      the absence of an efficient rise in [Ca2+]i but rather by the absence of the
      potassium conductance underlying the sAHP in pyramidal cells.

PMID- 1432061
TI  - Effective synaptic current can be estimated from measurements of neuronal
      discharge.
AB  - 1. The basic question of how motoneurons transform synaptic inputs into spike
      train outputs remains unresolved, despite detailed knowledge of their morphology,
      electrophysiology, and synaptic connectivity. We have approached this problem by
      making measurements of a synaptic input under steady-state conditions and
      combining them with quantitative assessments of their effects on the discharge
      rates of cat spinal motoneurons. 2. We used a modified voltage-clamp technique to
      measure the steady-state effective synaptic currents (IN) produced by rubrospinal
      input to cat triceps surae motoneurons. In the same motoneurons we measured the
      slope of the firing rate-injected current (f-i) relation in the primary range. We
      then reactivated the rubrospinal input during steady, repetitive firing to assess
      its effect on motoneuron discharge rate. 3. We found that changes in the steady
      state discharge rate of a motoneuron produced by this synaptic input could be
      described simply as the product of the net effective synaptic current measured at
      the soma and the slope of the motoneuron's f-i relation. This expression
      essentially redefines synaptic efficacy in terms of a cell's basic input-output
      function. Further, measurements of effective synaptic current simplify the task
      of estimating synaptic efficacy, because detailed knowledge of neither the
      electrotonic architecture of the postsynaptic cell nor of the locations of the
      presynaptic boutons is required.

PMID- 1432062
TI  - Primate premotor cortex: dissociation of visuomotor from sensory signals.
AB  - 1. If we assume adequate control for attention, memory, and stimulus location, a
      bona fide sensory response would be unaffected by whether a visuospatial stimulus
      instructs (1) one limb movement versus another or (2) limb movement versus a
      shift in spatial attention or memory. Two behavioral methods tested whether
      apparently sensory responses in the monkey's premotor cortex are strictly that,
      or, alternatively, whether they reflect the action instructed by a stimulus. 2.
      When an identical stimulus leads to two different responses, phasic discharge
      after a visuospatial stimulus is significantly, often dramatically, affected by
      the response. Similarly, premotor cortex neurons discharge more after a stimulus
      instructs a limb movement than after the same stimulus instructs a shift in
      spatial attention or memory. Thus, for the majority of premotor cortex neurons,
      the hypothesis that phasic poststimulus activity modulation represents a sensory
      response can be rejected.

PMID- 1432063
TI  - Bursting and tonic discharges in two classes of reticular thalamic neurons.
AB  - 1. Two types of cat reticular (RE) thalamic cells were disclosed by means of
      intracellular recordings under urethan anesthesia. The RE neurons were identified
      by their typical depolarizing spindle oscillations in response to synchronous
      stimulation of the internal capsule. 2. In type I neurons (n = 41), depolarizing
      current pulses induced tonic firing at the resting or slightly depolarized
      membrane potential (Vm) and triggered high-frequency spike bursts at a Vm more
      negative than -75 mV. As well, these cells discharged rebound bursts at the break
      of a hyperpolarizing current pulse. Internal capsule stimulation elicited spindle
      sequences made off by depolarizing waves giving rise to spike bursts. 3. Type II
      cells (n = 9) did not discharge spike bursts to large depolarizing current pulses
      even when the Vm reached -100 mV, nor did they fire rebound bursts after long
      lasting hyperpolarizing current pulses or spike bursts riding on the rhythmic
      depolarizing components of spindle sequences. 4. Compared with type I cells, type
      II cells showed less frequency accommodation during tonic firing. The latter
      neuronal class discharged at high frequencies (40 Hz) with slight DC
      depolarization, approximately 8-10 Hz at the resting Vm, and no underlying
      synaptic or subthreshold oscillatory events could be detected when the firing was
      blocked by DC hyperpolarization. 5. The presence of two cell classes in the RE
      nucleus challenges the common view that this nucleus consists of a single
      neuronal class. We suggest that a different set of conductances is present in
      type II RE neurons, thus preventing the low-threshold Ca2+ current from
      dominating the behavior of these cells.

PMID- 1432064
TI  - Responses of single facial taste fibers in the channel catfish, Ictalurus
      punctatus, to amino acids.
AB  - 1. Amino acids and nucleotides stimulate taste receptors of teleosts. In this
      report, responses to these compounds of 105 facial taste fibers (79 fully
      characterized) that innervate maxillary barbel taste buds of the channel catfish
      (Ictalurus punctatus) were analyzed. 2. The fully characterized facial taste
      fibers that responded to amino acids (n = 68) were generally poorly responsive to
      nucleotides and related substances (NRS), whereas the fibers responsive to NRS (n
      = 11) were poorly responsive to amino acids. Spike discharge of the amino acid
      responsive fibers to the most potent amino acid stimulus tested per fiber
      increased 44-fold from a mean spontaneous activity of 2.1 +/- 3.5 to 92.1 +/-
      42.4 (SD) spikes/3 s. Spike activity of the NRS-responsive fibers to NRS
      increased 11.5-fold from a mean spontaneous activity of 3.4 +/- 5.9 to 39.1 +/-
      27.4 spikes/3 s. There was no significant difference between the spontaneous
      rates, but stimulus evoked spike rates for the amino acid-responsive fibers were
      significantly greater (P < 0.05; Mann-Whitney test) than those for the NRS
      responsive fibers. 3. Hierarchical cluster analysis based on the 3-s response
      time identified three major groups of neurons. The identified clusters comprised
      neurons that were highly responsive to either L-alanine (i.e., Ala cluster; n =
      39), L-arginine (i.e., Arg cluster; n = 29), or NRS (NRS cluster; n = 11). Fibers
      comprising the Arg cluster were more narrowly tuned than those within the Ala
      cluster. This report further characterizes the responses to amino acids of the
      individual facial taste fibers comprising the Ala and Arg clusters. 4.
      Subclusters were evident within both of the amino acid-responsive clusters. The
      Arg cluster was divisible into two subclusters dependent on the response to 1 mM
      L-proline. Twelve neurons that were significantly (P < 0.05; Mann-Whitney test)
      more responsive to L-proline than the remaining 17 neurons within the Arg cluster
      formed the Arg/Pro subcluster; these latter 17 neurons comprised the Arg
      subcluster. However, there was no significant difference (Mann-Whitney test) in
      the response to L-arginine between fibers within either subcluster across four
      different response times analyzed. Fibers within the Ala cluster were generally
      poorly responsive to L-proline. Four alanine subclusters were suggested on the
      basis of their relative responses to L-alanine, D-alanine, L-arginine, and the
      NRS; however, of the 39 fibers comprising the alanine cluster, two alanine
      subclusters comprised only two fibers each, and the third subcluster consisted of
      four fibers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432065
TI  - Intravenous morphine-induced activation of vagal afferents: peripheral, spinal,
      and CNS substrates mediating inhibition of spinal nociception and cardiovascular
      responses.
AB  - 1. Intravenous administration of 1.0 mg/kg of morphine produces inhibition of the
      nociceptive tail-flick (TF) reflex, hypotension, and bradycardia in the
      pentobarbital-anesthetized rat. The present experiments examined peripheral,
      spinal, and supraspinal relays for inhibition of the TF reflex and cardiovascular
      responses produced by morphine (1.0 mg/kg iv) in the pentobarbital-anesthetized
      rat using 1) bilateral cervical vagotomy, 2) spinal cold block or mechanical
      lesions of the dorsolateral funiculi (DLFs), or 3) nonselective local anesthesia
      or soma-selective lesions of specific CNS regions. Intravenous morphine-induced
      inhibition of responses of unidentified, ascending, and spinothalamic tract (STT)
      lumbosacral spinal dorsal horn neurons to noxious heating of the hindpaw were
      also examined in intact and bilateral cervical vagotomized rats. 2. Bilateral
      cervical vagotomy significantly attenuated inhibition of the TF reflex and
      bradycardia produced by intravenous administration of morphine. Bilateral
      cervical vagogtomy changed the normal depressor response produced by morphine
      into a sustained pressor response. Inhibition of the TF reflex in intact rats was
      not due to changes in tail temperature. 3. Spinal cold block significantly
      attenuated inhibition of the TF reflex, the depressor response, and the
      bradycardia produced by intravenous administration of morphine. However,
      bilateral mechanical transections of the DLFs failed to significantly affect
      either inhibition of the TF reflex or cardiovascular responses produced by this
      dose of intravenous morphine. 4. Microinjection of either lidocaine or ibotenic
      acid into the nuclei tracti solitarii (NTS), rostromedial medulla (RMM), or
      ventrolateral pontine tegmentum (VLPT) attenuated morphine-induced inhibition of
      the TF reflex. Similar microinjections into either the periaqueductal gray (PAG)
      or the dorsolateral pons (DLP) failed to affect morphine-induced inhibition of
      the TF reflex. 5. Microinjection of either lidocaine or ibotenic acid into the
      NTS, RMM, VLPT, DLP, or rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) attenuated the
      depressor response produced by morphine, although baseline arterial blood
      pressure (ABP) was affected by ibotenic acid microinjections in the DLP. In all
      these cases, the microinjections failed to reveal a sustained pressor response as
      was observed with bilateral cervical vagotomy. Similar microinjections into the
      PAG failed to affect the depressor response produced by morphine. 6. The
      lidocaine and ibotenic acid microinjection treatments also showed that the
      bradycardic response produced by morphine depends on the integrity of the NTS,
      RMM, RVLM, and possibly the DLP, but not the PAG or VLPT.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432066
TI  - Influence of synaptic identity on single-Ia-afferent connectivity and EPSP
      amplitude in the adult cat: homonymous versus heteronymous connections.
AB  - 1. This study makes use of the pattern of synaptic connections between
      motoneurons and Ia afferents of triceps surae muscles in the cat to test the
      relative importance of synaptic identity, neuronal size, and neuronal topography
      as determinants of Ia-afferent connectivity and excitatory postsynaptic potential
      (EPSP) amplitude. 2. The synaptic actions of single-Ia medial gastrocnemius (MG)
      afferents were measured by intracellular recording in MG and lateral
      gastrocnemius (LG) motoneurons. The spike-triggered averaging technique was used
      to measure EPSPs generated by homonymous or heteronymous Ia afferents and
      motoneurons, i.e., neurons supplying the same or different muscles, respectively.
      In agreement with earlier studies, the pooled sample showed that the number of
      functional connections and the size of EPSPs were both significantly greater for
      homonymous than for heteronymous neurons. 3. Afferent conduction velocity,
      motoneuron conduction velocity, rheobase current, and position of the motoneuron
      relative to the spinal cord afferent entry were all correlated with EPSP
      amplitude, but the amplitude difference between homonymous and heteronymous
      connections remained significant after the statistical removal analysis of
      covariance (ANCOVA) of the contribution of these variables. Stepwise multiple
      regression analysis showed that synaptic identity explained the greatest fraction
      of the variance in EPSP amplitude (9%), with significant but smaller fractions
      accounted for by rheobase current or motoneuron conduction velocity. 4. In a
      separate experiment, the monosynaptic affects from both homonymous and
      heteronymous single-Ia afferents were examined in each of 88 MG or LG
      motoneurons. The single-Ia afferents used in this portion of the study were
      sampled from both MG and LG muscles and selected for similar conduction
      velocities and spinal cord entry points.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432067
TI  - Differential sensitivity to bradykinin of esophageal distension-sensitive
      mechanoreceptors in vagal and sympathetic afferents of the opossum.
AB  - 1. Single-unit activity was recorded from afferent fibers in the cervical vagus
      and thoracic sympathetic nerves in the opossum. Seventy-six fibers that responded
      to balloon distension (100 mmHg for 10 s) of the smooth muscle portion of the
      esophagus were selected for further study. 2. Forty-nine distension-sensitive
      afferents were identified in the vagus nerve. The stimulus response function
      (SRF) of 41 fibers behaved as "low-threshold mechanoreceptors" (LTM), with mean
      threshold value of 0.29 +/- 0.17 mmHg and saturation pressure of 50-70 mmHg. All
      fibers demonstrated background activity, with a mean rate of 8.83 +/- 0.93 imp/s
      (range 0.5-31.25). 3. Twenty-seven distension-sensitive afferents were identified
      in the thoracic sympathetic chain (T6-T8) and splanchnic nerve. The SRF study
      revealed two types of fibers: 1) a wide-dynamic-range mechanonociceptor (WDRMN)
      with a mean response threshold of 3.43 +/- 0.90 mmHg (n = 15) and 2) a "high
      threshold mechanonociceptor" (HTMN) with a mean response threshold of 34.93 +/-
      2.70 mmHg (n = 12). The mean background activities of WDRMN and HTMN fibers were
      0.5 +/- 0.13 and 0.20 +/- 0.08 imp/s, respectively. Both of these fibers had
      saturation pressures of > 120 mmHg. 4. The conduction velocities were measured in
      14 LTM, 10 WDRMN, and seven HTMN fibers. The mean conduction velocity of LTM
      fibers was 5.03 +/- 1.35 m/s (range 0.97-18.00), with five unmyelinated "C"
      fibers (< 2.5 m/s) and nine A-delta fibers (> 2.5 m/s). The mean conduction
      velocity of WDRMN fibers was 3.64 +/- 0.84 m/s (range 1.10-8.25), consisting of
      five C-fibers and five A-delta fibers. The mean conduction velocity of HTMN
      fibers was 6.22 +/- 2.35 m/s (range 1.73-24.66); three fibers were unmyelinated C
      fibers, and four fibers were A-delta fibers. 5. The sensitivity to bradykinin
      (BK) administered systemically (1-300 micrograms/kg) was tested in LTM (n = 34),
      WDRMN (n = 15), and HTMN (n = 8) fibers. Twenty-six (66%) LTM fibers responded to
      BK, and eight (34%) fibers were insensitive to BK. All 15 WDRMN and eight HTMN
      fibers tested responded to BK. 6. Tachyphylaxis to repeated application of BK was
      tested in all three classes of fibers. The vagal LTM fibers did not exhibit
      tachyphylaxis when BK was given at an intervals of 10 min. The sympathetic WDRMN
      and HTMN fibers demonstrated partial tachyphylaxis when BK was injected at 10-min
      intervals, but not when BK was injected at 20-min intervals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432068
TI  - Force response of rat soleus muscle to variable-frequency train stimulation.
AB  - 1. The purpose of this study was to study the effects of a high-frequency burst
      of pulses at the onset of a subtetanic train of pulses on the force output of the
      rat soleus muscle. 2. The soleus muscle was studied in eight rats deeply
      anesthetized with urethan. The effects of two-, three-, or four-pulse bursts at
      the onset of subtetanic trains containing a total of 12 pulses were studied in
      detail. 3. The results showed that two-pulse bursts at the onset of the train
      produced approximately 20% augmentation in average force and nearly a 50%
      reduction in the time required to reach a targeted level of force, compared with
      a comparable 12-pulse subtetanic constant-frequency train; three- or four- pulse
      bursts produced progressively less additional improvement. In contrast, the two
      pulse bursts produced approximately 13% increase in the force-time integral
      (Area), the three-pulse burst did not significantly further increase the Area
      gain, and the use of four-pulse bursts markedly decreased the gain in Area. 4.
      For all three bursts, the observed force augmentation rapidly declined over the
      12-pulse trains. Extrapolation beyond the actual data suggested that the force
      augmentation should last for between approximately 16 and 19 interpulse
      intervals. 5. To describe the characteristics of the contractile response of the
      muscle that explains or predicts the amount of force augmentation seen, we made
      three measurements of the response to the burst of pulses: 1) the peak force
      produced by the initial burst of pulses (PeakBURST), 2) the force at the time of
      arrival of the pulse that followed the burst (CatchBURST), and 3) the rise in
      force produced by the pulse that followed the burst (PotBURST). Of these three
      measurements, the CatchBURST was the best predictor of the force augmentation
      seen. 6. The present results showed 1) the importance of the stimulation pattern
      on the force output of skeletal muscle; 2) that the force-frequency relationship
      is multivalued, with force depending on both the stimulation history and
      stimulation frequency; and 3) that a relatively simple discharge strategy, where
      each train of pulses begins with one or two brief interpulse interval durations,
      will produce the maximum force from the muscle and result in a predictable force
      frequency relationship.

PMID- 1432069
TI  - Modulation of IK,Ca by phorbol ester-mediated activation of PKC in pleural
      sensory neurons of Aplysia.
AB  - 1. The electrophysiological properties of the sensory neurons that mediate
      withdrawal reflexes in Aplysia are modulated by a number of second messengers.
      For example, the second messengers adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)
      and arachidonic acid modulate the S-K+ current (IK,S) and the calcium-activated
      K+ current (IK,Ca). Recent evidence suggests that protein kinase C (PKC) may also
      be an important regulator of cellular plasticity. In the present study we
      examined the possibility that IK,Ca was modulated by the activation of PKC in the
      pleural sensory neurons. 2. In voltage-clamped sensory neurons the application of
      phorbol esters, such as phorbol dibutyrate (PDBu), phorbol myristate (PMA), and
      phorbol diacetate (PDAc), which activate PKC, caused a dose-dependent increase in
      a voltage-dependent current with properties that resembled IK,Ca. The inactive
      isomer of phorbol ester, 4 alpha-phorbol, was without effect. 3. This phorbol
      ester-sensitive current had the kinetics and pharmacological sensitivity of
      IK,Ca. The current developed slowly during step depolarizations, showed little
      inactivation, and was activated at membrane potentials greater than approximately
      0 mV. In addition, the current modulated by phorbol esters was blocked by a
      concentration of tetraethylammonium (TEA) that blocks a component of IK,Ca in the
      sensory neurons. 4. IK,Ca, which was activated directly by the iontophoretic
      injection of Ca2+, was also enhanced by PDBu. Moreover, the enhancement of Ca(2+)
      elicited responses by PDBu persisted after Ca2+ influx was blocked by cobalt.
      These results indicate that at least one component of the modulation of IK,Ca by
      PDBu was independent of the modulation of voltage-dependent Ca2+
      channels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432070
TI  - Two-tone suppression in the basilar membrane of the cochlea: mechanical basis of
      auditory-nerve rate suppression.
AB  - 1. The vibratory response to two-tone stimuli was measured in the basilar
      membrane of the chinchilla cochlea by means of the Mossbauer technique or laser
      velocimetry. Measurements were made at sites with characteristic frequency (CF,
      the frequency at which an auditory structure is most sensitive) of 7-10 kHz,
      located approximately 3.5 mm from the oval window. 2. Two-tone suppression
      (reduction in the response to one tone due to the presence of another) was
      demonstrated for CF probe tones and suppressor tones with frequencies both higher
      and lower than CF, at moderately low stimulus levels, including probe-suppressor
      combinations for which responses to the suppressor were lower than responses to
      the probe tone alone. 3. For a fixed suppressor tone, suppression magnitude
      decreased as a function of increasing probe intensity. 4. The magnitude of
      suppression increased monotonically with suppressor intensity. 5. The rate of
      growth of suppression magnitude with suppressor intensity was higher for
      suppressors in the region below CF than for those in the region above CF. 6. For
      low-frequency suppressor tones, suppression magnitude varied periodically,
      attaining one or two maxima within each period of the suppressor tone. 7.
      Suppression was frequency tuned: for either above-CF or below-CF suppressor
      tones, suppression magnitude reached a maximum for probe frequencies near CF. 8.
      Cochlear damage or death diminished or abolished suppression. There was a clear
      positive correlation between magnitude of suppression and basilar-membrane
      sensitivity for responses to CF tones. 9. Suppression tended to be accompanied by
      small phase lags in responses to CF probe tones. 10. Because all of the features
      of two-tone suppression at the basilar membrane match qualitatively (and,
      generally, also quantitatively) the features of two-tone rate suppression in
      auditory-nerve fibers, it is concluded that neural two-tone rate suppression
      originates in mechanical phenomena at the basilar membrane. 11. Because the
      lability of mechanical suppression parallels the loss of sensitivity and
      frequency tuning due to outer hair cell dysfunction, the present findings suggest
      that mechanical two-tone suppression arises from an interaction between the outer
      hair cells and the basilar membrane.

PMID- 1432071
TI  - Parallel distributed network characteristics of the DSCT.
AB  - 1. We examined the functional organization of the dorsal spinocerebellar tract
      (DSCT) and found that it is similar to that of a parallel distributed network
      having widespread connectivity among parallel elements. The prevailing view is
      that the DSCT provides receptor-specific information to the cerebellum regarding
      muscle and cutaneous inputs from the hindlimbs, but that view does not consider
      the convergent inputs to DSCT neurons from multimodal polysynaptic pathways. 2.
      Spontaneously active DSCT neurons respond to peripheral stimulation with changes
      in their firing probability. We characterized the temporal patterns of
      poststimulus excitability changes for a large number of neurons using principal
      component analysis. The response of each neuron was represented by a response
      vector in three-dimensional principal component space, in which similar vectors
      represent responses having a similar waveform for their poststimulus activity
      patterns. 3. We compared the responses of large populations of DSCT units to two
      types of stimuli: small (3-8 deg) passive rotations of the foot at the ankle of
      an intact limb (234 cells) and stretch or contraction of an isolated muscle group
      (gastrocnemius-soleus, 168 cells). Most of the cells tested had significant
      responses (P < 0.05) to both types of stimuli (40-78% responded to muscle
      stimulation and 88% to foot rotation), and they exhibited similar patterns of
      poststimulus activity. Long-lasting inhibitory responses and excitatory responses
      with a range of peak times (< 10- > 60 ms) were prevalent in all cases. The
      population response to each stimulus was characterized by the relative incidence
      of response types among the units in a representative sample of the population.
      4. The time course of excitability changes induced in DSCT cells by the stimuli
      could have been determined primarily by the presynaptic circuitry or by
      postsynaptic factors intrinsic to the DSCT cells. The evidence presented suggests
      that the selection of response waveforms and their distribution among the DSCT
      cells was determined presynaptically. We found that individual cells were capable
      of diverse responses to different stimuli. 5. Sample groups of 7-30 cells were
      selected at random and also on the basis of the similarity of their responses to
      one type of stimulus. The distributions of response types among the cells of the
      sample groups were compared to the distributions for the entire population
      recorded for each stimulus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432072
TI  - Physiological properties of primate lumbar motoneurons.
AB  - 1. Intracellular recordings were obtained from 149 motoneurons innervating
      triceps surae (n = 109) and more distal muscles (n = 40) in 14 pentobarbital
      anesthetized monkeys (Macaca nemestrina). The variables evaluated were resting
      membrane potential, action potential amplitude, conduction velocity (CV), input
      resistance (RN), membrane time constant (tau m), electrotonic length (L), whole
      cell capacitance (Ctot), long current pulse threshold (rheobase), short current
      pulse threshold (Ishort), afterhyperpolarization (AHP) maximum amplitude
      (AHPmax), AHP duration (AHPdur), time to half maximum AHP amplitude (AHP t1/2),
      depolarization from resting potential to elicit action potential (Vdep), and
      threshold voltage for action potential discharge (Vthr). 2. Mean values +/- SD
      for the entire sample of motoneurons are as follows: resting membrane potential 
      67 +/- 6 mV; action potential amplitude 75 +/- 7 mV; CV 71 +/- 6 m/s; RN 1.0 +/-
      0.5 M omega; tau m 4.4 +/- 1.5 ms; L 1.4 +/- 0.2 lambda; Ctot 7.1 +/- 1.8 nF;
      rheobase 13 +/- 7 nA; Ishort 29 +/- 14 nA; AHPmax 3.5 +/- 1.3 mV; AHPdur 77 +/-
      26 ms; AHP t 1/2 21 +/- 7 ms; Vdep 11 +/- 4 mV; and Vthr -56 +/- 5 mV. CV is
      lower in soleus than in either medial or lateral gastrocnemius motoneurons, and
      RN is lower and tau m is longer in soleus than in lateral gastrocnemius
      motoneurons. 3. RN is higher in motoneurons with longer tau m and slower CV. A
      linear relationship exists between log(CV) and log(1/RN) with a slope of 1.8-2.2
      (depending on the action potential amplitude acceptance criteria used),
      suggesting that membrane resistivity (Rm) does not vary systematically with cell
      size. 4. Rheobase is higher in motoneurons with lower RN, longer tau m, shorter
      AHP time course, and higher CV. Ishort and normalized rheobase (i.e.,
      rheobase/Ctot) vary similarly with these motoneuron properties, except that
      Ishort is independent of tau m and normalized rheobase is independent of CV. 5.
      Vthr tends to be more depolarized in motoneurons with large Ctot, but the
      relationship is sufficiently weak so that any systematic variation in Vthr
      according to cell size probably contributes only minimally to recruitment order.
      Vthr does not vary systematically with CV, AHP time course, RN, or tau m. 6.
      Quantitative differences between macaque and cat triceps surae motoneurons are
      apparent in CV, which is slower in macaque than in cat, and to a lesser extent in
      tau m and RN, which are lower in macaque than in cat.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400
      WORDS)

PMID- 1432073
TI  - Kinetic properties of a transient outward current in rat neocortical neurons.
AB  - 1. Whole-cell patch-clamp techniques were used to record outward currents in
      embryonic rat neocortical neurons maintained in culture. In the presence of
      tetrodotoxin and cadmium, depolarization evoked an outward current with a complex
      waveform. This outward current consisted of an initial fast transient component
      and a late, slowly inactivating component. 2. The two outward current components
      could be separated pharmacologically with the use of tetraethylammonium (TEA) and
      4-aminopyridine (4-AP). TEA (20 mM) applied extracellularly completely blocked
      the late component, unmasking a fast transient outward current (TOC). 4-AP (5 mM)
      applied extracellularly blocked the early component while reducing the late
      component by 27.8 +/- 9.7% (mean +/- SE). 3. The TOC activated after a short
      delay and rose rapidly to a peak. The time to peak was voltage dependent and
      decreased with depolarization. In the presence of 200 microM extracellular
      cadmium, activation threshold was around -25 mV, and current amplitude increased
      with depolarization. The voltage-conductance relationship was well fitted by the
      use of the Boltzmann equation with a Vm of +19 mV for half activation and a slope
      factor of +6 mV. 4. On sustained depolarization the TOC rapidly inactivated and
      decayed to baseline within 500-600 ms. The decay phase followed a single
      exponential time course with a time constant of 55-65 ms. The decay time was most
      rapid at potentials from +5 to +20 mV and increased slightly with further
      depolarization. 5. Steady-state inactivation of the TOC, in the presence of
      cadmium, was complete near -10 mV and was totally relieved at potentials more
      negative than -75 mV. With the use of the Boltzmann equation, a Vm of -34 mV for
      half inactivation and a slope factor of -8.6 mV were found. 6. Recovery of the
      TOC from steady-state inactivation followed a single exponential time course and
      was voltage dependent. When the membrane potential was held at -84 mV during the
      conditioning pulse, the time constant of recovery was 17 ms, increasing to 45.2
      and 58.1 ms at holding potentials of -64 and -44 mV, respectively. Holding at
      potentials more negative than -84 mV produced no further change in the recovery
      time course. 7. The presence of 200 microM external cadmium altered the TOC
      activation and inactivation curves. Removal of cadmium produced a -16-mV shift in
      the Vm for half activation and a -25-mV shift in the inactivation curve. This
      sensitivity to cadmium is higher than that reported in other systems.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432074
TI  - Binaural interaction in the lateral superior olive: time difference sensitivity
      studied in mouse brain slice.
AB  - 1. The sensitivity of lateral superior olive (LSO) neurons to interaural time
      differences was examined in an in vitro brain slice preparation. Brain slices,
      400-500 microns, were taken through the superior olivary complex of C57 BL/6J
      mice and were maintained in an oxygenated saline solution for single-unit
      recording. Both extracellular and intracellular recordings were made with glass
      pipettes filled with 4 M potassium acetate. Responses were elicited by applying
      current pulses to the trapezoid body through bipolar stimulating electrodes
      located ipsilateral or contralateral to the olivary complex. Binaural
      interactions were studied by manipulating the timing and intensity of paired
      ipsilateral and contralateral pulses. 2. In extracellular recordings, stimulation
      of the ipsilateral trapezoid body usually elicited a single action potential,
      whereas stimulation of the contralateral trapezoid body failed to produce a spike
      response. Bilateral stimulation resulted in the complete suppression of the
      evoked spike, indicating the presence of a contralateral inhibitory effect. The
      degree of inhibition depended on the interpulse interval between ipsilateral and
      contralateral stimulation. With sufficiently large ipsilateral lead times, the
      probability of eliciting an extracellular spike was 1.0. As the interpulse
      interval was gradually shifted to reduce the ipsilateral lead time, the response
      probability precipitously dropped to 0.0. Most neurons could be completely
      suppressed by simultaneous stimulation. The dynamic range, defined as the range
      of interpulse intervals over which response probability changed from 0.9 to 0.1,
      was between 125 and 225 microseconds for most cells tested. 3. With increasing
      contralateral lead times, the extracellularly recorded spike was eventually
      released from inhibition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432075
TI  - Axonal cross-excitation in nerve-end neuromas: comparison of A- and C-fibers.
AB  - 1. We recorded from single afferent axons ending in chronic sciatic nerve end
      neuromas in rats with the use of the teased-fiber method. Axons were sought that
      had ongoing impulse discharge originating in the neuroma. 2. Recording from
      myelinated (A-) fibers, tetanic stimulation of neighboring axons (50 Hz, 5 or 10
      s, intensity adequate to drive A-fibers) caused an increase, and sometimes a
      decrease, in the rate of ongoing discharge in 68% of the fibers tested. In
      addition, some initially silent neuroma A-fibers (1.4%) were activated in this
      way. Both A beta and A delta fibers responded, although the likelihood of
      response was greater in A beta fibers. We call this form of interfiber cross
      excitation "crossed afterdischarge." 3. In contrast to A-fibers, crossed
      afterdischarge was evoked with these stimulation parameters in < or = 5% of the
      spontaneously active unmyelinated (C-) fibers sampled. No initially silent C
      fibers were activated. 4. C-fibers remained largely insensitive to cross
      excitation by neighboring axons even when the strength of stimulus pulses was
      increased so as to include neighboring A + C-fibers. 5. The difference between A-
      and C-fibers could not be accounted for on the basis of the maturity of the
      neuroma, rate and pattern of ongoing discharge, or use of Flaxedil paralysis. 6.
      The difference between A- and C-fibers is discussed in terms of two alternative
      mechanisms that may underlie crossed afterdischarge: mediation by a
      neurotransmitter(s) in a nonsynaptic mode, and mutual K+ depolarization.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432077
TI  - Evidence of input from lagged cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus to simple
      cells in cortical area 17 of the cat.
AB  - 1. The visual cortex receives several types of afferents from the lateral
      geniculate nucleus (LGN) of the thalamus. In the cat, previous work studied the
      ON/OFF and X/Y distinctions, investigating their convergence and segregation in
      cortex. Here we pursue the lagged/nonlagged dichotomy as it applies to simple
      cells in area 17. Lagged and nonlagged cells in the A-layers of the LGN can be
      distinguished by the timing of their responses to sinusoidally luminance
      modulated stimuli. We therefore used similar stimuli in cortex to search for
      signs of lagged and nonlagged inputs to cortical cells. 2. Line-weighting
      functions were obtained from 37 simple cells. A bar was presented at a series of
      positions across the receptive field, with the luminance of the bar modulated
      sinusoidally at a series of temporal frequencies. First harmonic response
      amplitude and phase values for each position were plotted as a function of
      temporal frequency. Linear regression on the phase versus temporal frequency data
      provided estimates of latency (slope) and absolute phase (intercept) for each
      receptive-field position tested. These two parameters were previously shown to
      distinguish between lagged and nonlagged LGN cells. Lagged cells generally have
      latencies > 100 ms and absolute phase lags; nonlagged cells have latencies < 100
      ms and absolute phase leads. With the use of these criteria, we classified
      responses at discrete positions inside cortical receptive fields as lagged-like
      and nonlagged-like. 3. Both lagged-like and nonlagged-like responses were
      observed. The majority of cortical cells had only or nearly only nonlagged-like
      zones. In 15 of the 37 cells, however, the receptive field consisted of > or =
      20% lagged-like zones. For eight of these cells, lagged-like responses
      predominated. 4. The distribution of latency and absolute phase across the sample
      of cortical simple cell receptive fields resembled the distribution for LGN
      cells. The resemblance was especially striking when only cells in or adjacent to
      geniculate recipient layers were considered. Absolute phase lags were almost
      uniformly associated with long latencies. Absolute phase leads were generally
      associated with short latencies, although cortical cells responded with long
      latencies and absolute phase leads slightly more often than LGN cells. 5. Cells
      in which a high percentage of lagged-like responses were observed had a
      restricted laminar localization, with all but two being found in layer 4B or 5A.
      Cells with predominantly nonlagged-like responses were found in all layers. 6.
      Lagged-like zones can not be easily explained as a result of stimulating
      combinations of nonlagged inputs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432076
TI  - Calcium transients in cerebellar Purkinje neurons evoked by intracellular
      stimulation.
AB  - 1. Purkinje cells in thin slices from the guinea pig cerebellum were injected
      with fura-2 and high-speed sequences of fluorescence images from the cell body
      and entire dendritic tree were made while simultaneously recording somatic
      membrane potential during evoked and spontaneous electrical activity. The changes
      in fluorescence were interpreted in terms of changes in [Ca2+]i. 2. Individual
      calcium action potentials were usually accompanied by transient increases in
      [Ca2+]i all over the dendritic field. During evoked or spontaneous bursts of
      calcium spikes, [Ca2+]i increased more rapidly and to higher concentrations in
      fine dendrites than in thicker dendrites. At the end of a burst [Ca2+]i declined
      faster in thin dendrites than in thicker ones. These variations are most easily
      understood as deriving from the difference in surface-to-volume ratio of the two
      kinds of dendrites. 3. During bursts of calcium action potentials [Ca2+]i
      increases sometimes occurred only in individual dendritic branches, but always
      including the fine dendrites of that particular branch, showing that calcium
      action potentials can be regenerative in restrictive parts of the dendritic field
      without involving the soma or dendritic shaft. 4. Plateau or subthreshold
      potential changes evoked in the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX) caused small,
      widespread increases in [Ca2+]i. The amplitude of these changes was much less
      than the increase corresponding to spike bursts. The distribution of these
      plateau Ca signals in thick and thin dendrites was similar to Ca spike-evoked
      signals, suggesting that the Ca conductances underlying these two potentials are
      the same or are distributed similarly in the dendrites. 5. Significant increases
      in [Ca2+]i in the soma were recorded during bursts of sodium-dependent action
      potentials in normal Ringer. Although much of this increase is due to calcium
      entry through calcium channels, some of this increase could be due to calcium
      entry through sodium channels.

PMID- 1432078
TI  - Strong heat stimulation sensitizes the heat response as well as the bradykinin
      response of visceral polymodal receptors.
AB  - 1. Hyperalgesia after thermal injury is a common phenomenon, but its mechanism is
      poorly understood. As a step toward understanding the mechanism for heat
      sensitization, we searched conditions that would induce sensitization
      consistently and studied changes in polymodal receptors in their responses to
      heat (45 and 48 degrees C) and to bradykinin. Experiments were conducted in
      vitro, with the use of testis-superior spermatic nerve preparations excised from
      anesthetized dogs. 2. Stimulation at 55 degrees C for 30 s induced clear
      augmentation of the responses to stimulations at 45 and 48 degrees C when tested
      within 10 min in 22 out of 24 testicular polymodal units. In the remaining two
      units, weak or delayed augmenting tendencies were observed. The response to
      stimulation at 45 degrees C increased from 0.28 +/- 0.08 to 2.99 +/- 0.46 (SE)
      imp/s, whereas at 48 degrees C it increased from 1.08 +/- 0.16 to 4.60 +/- 0.63
      imp/s (P < 0.001, n = 24). A low-level ongoing discharge appeared in about one
      half of the units studied. 3. Despite frequent rinsing of the receptive field,
      augmentation of the heat response observed after stimulation at 55 degrees C
      continued for up to approximately 3 h. 4. The response to bradykinin (94 nM) was
      also potentiated: the net mean discharge rate (NMDR) during a 1-min application
      period of bradykinin as well as the total number of impulses induced by one
      bradykinin application significantly increased from 0.91 +/- 0.27 to 1.97 +/-
      0.32 imp/s and from 213.9 +/- 42.3 to 433.5 +/- 58.7 impulses, respectively (P <
      0.001, n = 15).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432079
TI  - Neural interaction in cat primary auditory cortex. Dependence on recording depth,
      electrode separation, and age.
AB  - 1. Neural activity was recorded with two independent electrodes separated by 0.5
      2 mm, aligned in parallel, and advanced perpendicular to the surface of the cat
      auditory cortex. For smaller separations a solid-state multielectrode array with
      interelectrode distances of 125 microns was used. The difference in recording
      depths for the two independently movable electrodes was never more than 100
      microns; the electrode contacts of the multielectrode array were at the same
      depth. Thus the correlation studies dominantly explored horizontal interactions.
      2. Out of 995 neuron pairs recorded, 478 represented pairs of single units,
      whereas the other pairs were contaminated with 5-10% misclassified spikes. Only
      the single-unit pairs were further analyzed. Of those pairs, 338 showed a clear
      correlation peak, and in 329 of these the peak heights were exceeding the Z > 4
      significance level (P < 0.0001). Two hundred fifty-two of the significant
      correlograms (53% of total) could be attributed to common input; the remaining
      (16% of total) were indicative of unilateral excitation. For the 181 single
      electrode pairs the percentage of unilateral excitation pairs (42%) was about the
      same as the percentage of common input pairs (38%). For the 297 dual-electrode
      pairs all but one of the 184 significant correlations were indicative of common
      input. No correlograms indicative of inhibition were found. 3. The correlograms
      with clear peaks were classified into three types: narrow (n = 40), mixed (n =
      77), and broad (n = 221). Narrow and mixed types were with two exceptions found
      only for single-electrode pairs; broad types were found for single- and dual
      electrode pairs. Narrow-type correlograms were in majority of the unilateral
      excitation type. Correlograms were calculated both for 1-ms binwidths (50-ms
      lead/lag time) and for 10-ms binwidth (500-ms lead/lag time). The correlograms
      were characterized by four parameters; the half width of the central peak, the
      peak correlation coefficient, the association index, and for unilateral
      excitation cases also by the effectiveness. 4. Across all three correlogram types
      the half width of the correlation peaks was significantly smaller for single
      electrode pairs (mean, 27 ms) than for dual-electrode pairs (mean, 42 ms). For
      broad-type correlograms only, the mean half widths were not significantly
      different between single- and dual-electrode pairs. 5. The correlation
      coefficients (1-ms bin correlograms) were significantly larger for single
      electrode pairs (mean, 0.038) than for dual-electrode pairs (mean, 0.011). The
      same was found for the 10-ms binwidth correlograms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400
      WORDS)

PMID- 1432081
TI  - Acuity-sensitivity trade-offs of X and Y cells in the cat lateral geniculate
      complex: role of the medial interlaminar nucleus in scotopic vision.
AB  - 1. The cat medial interlaminar nucleus (MIN) receives inputs almost exclusively
      from tapetal retina, suggesting that the MIN has a special role in dim-light
      vision. In this study we compared the sensitivities of cells in the MIN with
      those in layers A and magnocellular C of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGNd),
      using drifting sinusoidal gratings to determine contrast thresholds as a function
      of spatial frequency and retinal adaptation level over the entire scotopic range.
      2. About one-half of the cells recorded in the MIN and layer A had brisk
      responses that could be nulled by properly positioned, counterphased sinusoidal
      gratings, and were classified as X cells. The rest of the cells in the MIN and
      layer A, as well as all cells recorded in layer C, were Y cells. 3. MIN cells had
      higher contrast sensitivity than layer A cells for low spatial frequencies (0.15
      cycles/deg and below) over a wide range of adaptation levels, both overall and
      for separate comparisons within X or Y cells. Layer C Y cells were intermediate
      in sensitivity between MIN and layer A Y cells. For low spatial frequencies, Y
      cells as a group were more sensitive than X cells, whereas the reverse was true
      for high spatial frequencies. 4. These data enable one to determine the lowest
      adaptation level at which stimuli of a given contrast can be detected for a given
      structure. At the lowest spatial frequencies, the MIN can function at adaptation
      levels approximately 1 log unit below layer A, averaged over all stimulus
      contrasts. In contrast, the tapetum lowers luminance threshold by at most 0.16
      log unit. 5. For scotopic conditions and eccentricities within 15 degrees of the
      area centralis, contrast sensitivity decreases with eccentricity for low spatial
      frequencies and remains flat or slightly increases for high spatial frequencies.
      This relationship, which is opposite to that found for photopic vision, is
      strongest for MIN Y cells. 6. These data support the hypothesis that the retinal
      conflict between sensitivity and acuity is ameliorated in the CNS through
      separate thalamic relays with different degrees of afferent convergence. MIN
      cells have higher luminance sensitivity than layer A cells, but at the expense of
      acuity. Layer C appears to occupy an intermediate position in this trade-off.

PMID- 1432080
TI  - Ca(2+)-independent and Ca(2+)-dependent stimulation of quantal neurosecretion in
      avian ciliary ganglion neurons.
AB  - 1. Although it is generally agreed that Ca2+ couples depolarization to the
      release of neurotransmitters, hypertonic saline and ethanol (ETOH) evoke
      neurosecretion independent of extracellular Ca2+. One possible explanation is
      that these agents release Ca2+ from an intracellular store that then stimulates
      Ca(2+)-dependent neurosecretion. An alternative explanation is that these agents
      act independently of Ca2+. 2. This work extends previous observations on the
      action of ETOH and hypertonic solutions (HOSM) on neurons to include effects on
      [Ca2+]i. We have looked for Ca(2+)-independent or -dependent neurosecretion
      evoked by these agents in parasympathetic postganglionic neurons dissociated from
      chick ciliary ganglia and maintained in tissue culture. The change in
      concentration of free Ca2+ in the micromolar range inside neurons ([Ca2+]i) was
      measured with indo-1 with the use of a Meridian ACAS 470 laser scanning
      microspectrophotometer. 3. Elevated concentration of extracellular KCl increased
      [Ca2+]i and the frequency of quantal events. Also, a twofold increase in osmotic
      pressure (HOSM) produced a similar increase in quantal release and a significant
      rise in [Ca2+]i; however, the Ca2+ appeared to come from intracellular stores. 4.
      In contrast, ETOH stimulated quantal neurosecretion without a measurable change
      in [Ca2+]i. It appears the alcohol exerts its influence on some stage in the
      process of exocytosis that is distal to or independent of the site of Ca2+
      action. 5. The effects of high [KCl]o and osmotic pressure were occlusive. This
      is explained in part by the observation that hypertonicity reduced Ca2+ current,
      but an action on Ca2+ stores is also likely.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432082
TI  - Dynamics and efficacy of saccade-facilitated vergence eye movements in monkeys.
AB  - 1. Four macaque monkeys were trained to fixate visual targets. Eye movements were
      recorded binocularly using the search coil technique. Saccades, vergence
      movements, and combinations of the two were elicited by training the monkeys to
      alternate the gaze between real visual targets that differed in viewing distance
      and eccentricity with respect to the monkeys' heads. 2. When they shifted the
      gaze between targets that were at different viewing distances, the monkeys made
      vergence eye movements. For targets placed along the midsagittal plane, the
      monkeys often made binocularly symmetric vergence movements. The peak speed of
      symmetric divergence movements increased linearly with vergence amplitude by 5.7
      deg/s per degree of vergence. The peak speed of symmetric convergence movements
      increased linearly with vergence amplitude by 7.9 deg/s per degree of vergence.
      3. For gaze shifts between targets placed eccentrically with respect to the
      midsagittal plane and at different viewing distances, the monkeys made saccades
      in combination with vergence eye movements. When a saccade occurred during a
      vergence movement, peak vergence eye speed increased abruptly and reached a peak
      that was proportional to the speed of the saccade. For four monkeys, peak
      divergence speed ranged from 242 to 315 deg/s and peak convergence speed ranged
      from 257 to 340 deg/s for 16-deg vergence and 20-deg saccadic eye movements. 4.
      For gaze shifts between far targets at the same viewing distance but different
      eccentricities, saccadic eye movements were transiently disjunctive even though
      there was no vergence requirement. Initially, the eyes diverged and then
      converged to restore fixation to the correct depth plane. Divergence was followed
      by convergence regardless of the direction of the saccade. 5. The presence of
      transient saccade-related disjunctive eye movements suggested that the abrupt
      increase in peak vergence speed during combined saccadic and vergence eye
      movements was produced by the linear addition of a vergence eye movement and the
      saccade-related transients. Consistent with this hypothesis, the rate of change
      in peak vergence speed during various-sized saccades between far targets (no
      vergence required) was similar to the rate of change in peak vergence speed
      during combined saccadic and vergence movements. However, the peak vergence
      speeds during the combined movements were higher than predicted by the linear
      addition hypothesis, suggesting the presence of an additional mechanism. 6. The
      saccade-related increase in peak vergence speed during combined saccades and
      vergences led to a significant decrease in the amount of time required to
      complete vergence movements.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432083
TI  - Proportional enlargement of motor units after partial denervation of cat triceps
      surae muscles.
AB  - 1. To determine the capacity of motoneurons to increase their motor unit (MU)
      size by collateral sprouting and to assess this capacity in relation to the size
      of the motor nerve, we partially denervated soleus, lateral gastrocnemius (LG),
      and medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles in adult and neonatal cats. Isometric force
      and extracellular nerve potentials were recorded from > or = 7% of the remaining
      MUs, 2.5-18 mo later. S1 or L7 roots were sectioned unilaterally and the number
      of remaining MUs was quantified by use of charge and force measurements. 2. The
      mean unit force increased inversely with MU number in partially denervated
      muscles, but the increase was less than predicted for extensive denervations (>
      or = 90%). The same enlargement of MU size occurred whether muscles were
      partially denervated in neonatal or adult animals. 3. The force distribution of
      MUs in partially denervated muscles was similar to normal but was shifted to
      larger force values in direct proportion to the extent of partial denervation
      (PD). All MUs increased in size by the same factor to preserve the normal force
      distribution. 4. Normal size relationships among force, contractile speed, and
      axon potential amplitude were observed for MUs in partially denervated muscles.
      Because changes in muscle fiber size could not account for the increase in unit
      force, these data show that increase in MU size, with respect to unit force and
      innervation ratio (muscle fibers per motoneuron), is proportional to the size of
      the motor nerve. 5. Enlargement of MU size in partially denervated muscles did
      not have a retrograde effect on nerve fiber caliber because axon potential
      amplitude and conduction velocity were not changed after PD. 6. Under conditions
      of extensive PD (> 85%), regenerated nerves from the cut spinal root reinnervated
      the gastrocnemius muscles. It is likely that nerves supplied muscle fibers that
      were not innervated by sprouts from nerves in the uncut root as well as
      displacing sprouts from terminals in extensively enlarged MUs. 7. We conclude
      that all motoneurons within a motor pool compensate for partial nerve injuries by
      collateral sprouting and that enlargement of MU size is a function of motor nerve
      size, consistent with Henneman's size principle.

PMID- 1432084
TI  - Role of inferior temporal neurons in visual memory. I. Temporal encoding of
      information about visual images, recalled images, and behavioral context.
AB  - 1. Lesions of the inferior temporal (IT) cortex selectively hamper monkeys in
      tasks requiring visual memory. A system that recognizes images must be able to
      encode a current stimulus, recall the code of a previous stimulus, compare the
      codes of the two stimuli, and make a decision on the basis of the outcome of the
      comparison. Therefore, IT neurons must be involved in at least one of these
      processes. To determine the specific role of IT neurons in visual memory, we
      measured the information conveyed in the neuronal responses about current
      patterns, recalled patterns, and behavioral context. 2. Two monkeys were trained
      to perform a sequential matching task using a set of 32 black and white Walsh
      patterns. In the course of an experiment, each pattern was presented repeatedly
      in sample, match, and nonmatch behavioral contexts. While the monkeys were
      performing the task, we recorded the activity of 76 neurons from area TE of IT.
      The neuronal responses to the stimuli were converted to spike density functions,
      and the resultant waveforms were quantified using their principal components. The
      relationships between the responses and the stimuli were studied using analysis
      of variance and information theory. 3. The analysis of variance was applied to
      the neuronal response waveforms using the context (sample, match, or nonmatch)
      and the patterns of the stimuli as independent variables and the spike count or
      the coefficients of the principal components as the dependent variables. We found
      that the waveforms of most neurons were significantly modulated by both the
      pattern and the context of the stimulus presentation. 4. We also analyzed the
      stimulus-response relationships using information theory. The input codes were
      based on the pattern and context of the stimuli, and the output codes were based
      on the spike count or the principal components of the responses. The neuronal
      response waveforms were found to convey significant amounts of information about
      both the pattern and context of the stimuli. Transmitted information was greatest
      when the response of a neuron was interpreted as a message about the combination
      of pattern and context. Nevertheless, there was information about context
      independent of pattern and vice versa. 5. We also used information theory to
      determine whether the neuronal responses to the second, or test, stimulus
      conveyed information about the pattern of the first, or sample, stimulus. The
      input codes were based on the patterns of the sample stimuli, and the output
      codes were based on the responses to the nonmatch test stimuli.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432085
TI  - Role of inferior temporal neurons in visual memory. II. Multiplying temporal
      waveforms related to vision and memory.
AB  - 1. In the companion paper we reported on the activity of neurons in the inferior
      temporal (IT) cortex during a sequential pattern matching task. In this task a
      sample stimulus was followed by a test stimulus that was either a match or a
      nonmatch. Many of the neurons encoded information about the patterns of both
      current and previous stimuli in the temporal modulation of their responses. 2. A
      simple information processing model of visual memory can be formed with just four
      steps: 1) encode the current stimulus; 2) recall the code of a remembered
      stimulus; 3) compare the two codes; 4) and decide whether they are similar or
      different. The analysis presented in the first paper suggested that some IT
      neurons were performing the comparison step of visual memory. 3. We propose that
      IT neurons participate in the comparison of temporal waveforms related to vision
      and memory by multiplying them together. This product could form the basis of a
      crosscorrelation-based comparison. 4. We tested our hypothesis by fitting a
      simple multiplicative model to data from IT neurons. The model generated
      waveforms in separate memory and visual channels. The waveforms arising from the
      two channels were then multiplied on a point by point basis to yield the output
      waveform. The model was fitted to the actual neuronal data by a gradient descent
      method to find the best fit waveforms that also had the lowest total energy. 5.
      The multiplicative model fit the neuronal responses quite well. The
      multiplicative model made consistently better predictions of the actual response
      waveforms than did an additive model. Furthermore, the fit was better when the
      actual relationship between the responses and the sample and test stimuli were
      preserved than when that relationship was randomized. 6. We infer from the
      superior fit of the multiplicative model that IT neurons are multiplying
      temporally modulated waveforms arising from separate visual and memory systems in
      the comparison step of visual memory.

PMID- 1432086
TI  - Electrophysiology of the mammillary complex in vitro. II. Medial mammillary
      neurons.
AB  - 1. The electrophysiological properties of guinea pig medial mammillary body (MMB)
      neurons were studied using an in vitro slice preparation. 2. The neurons (n = 80)
      had an average resting potential of -57 +/- 5.5 (SD) mV, an input resistance of
      176 +/- 83 M omega, and a spike amplitude of 58 +/- 15.7 mV. Most of the neurons
      were silent at rest (n = 52), but some fired spontaneous single spikes (n = 16)
      or spike bursts (n = 14). 3. The main electrophysiological characteristic of MMB
      neurons was the ability to generate Ca(2+)-dependent regenerative events, which
      resulted in very robust burst responses. However, this regenerative event was not
      the same for all neurons, ranging from typical low-threshold Ca2+ spikes (LTSs)
      to intermediate-threshold plateau potentials (ITPs). 4. The ITPs were distinct
      from the LTSs in that they lasted > or = 100 ms and were not inactivated at
      membrane potentials at or positive to -55 mV. 5. Some cells with a prominent ITP
      and no LTS (n = 36) displayed repetitive, usually rhythmic, bursting (n = 14).
      This ITP could be powerful enough to maintain rhythmic membrane potential
      oscillations after pharmacological block of Na+ conductances. 6. A group of 32
      MMB neurons displayed complex bursting that was generated by activation of both
      LTSs and ITPs. This was established on the basis of their distinct time- and
      voltage-dependent characteristics. In a group of neurons (n = 14), the burst
      responses were exclusively generated by an LTS; however, a Ca(2+)-dependent
      plateau potential contributed to the generation of rebound-triggered oscillatory
      firing. 7. In addition to the Ca(2+)-dependent LTS and/or ITP, MMB neurons always
      displayed high-threshold Ca2+ spikes after reduction of K+ conductances with
      tetraethylammonium. 8. MMB neurons display one of the richer varieties of voltage
      dependent Ca2+ conductances so far encountered in mammalian CNS. We propose that
      the very prominent endogenous bursting and oscillatory properties of MB neurons
      allow this nuclear complex to function as an oscillatory relay for the
      transmission of low-frequency rhythmic activities throughout the limbic circuit.

PMID- 1432087
TI  - Visual response latencies in striate cortex of the macaque monkey.
AB  - 1. Many lines of evidence suggest that signals relayed by the magnocellular and
      parvocellular subdivisions of the primate lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN)
      maintain their segregation in cortical processing. We have examined two response
      properties of units in the striate cortex of macaque monkeys, latency and
      transience, with the goal of assessing whether they might be used to infer
      specific geniculate contributions. Recordings were made from 298 isolated units
      and 1,129 multiunit sites in the striate cortex in four monkeys. Excitotoxin
      lesions that selectively affected one or the other LGN subdivision were made in
      three animals to demonstrate directly the magnocellular and parvocellular
      contributions. An additional 435 single units and 551 multiunit sites were
      recorded after the ablations. 2. Most units in striate cortex had visual response
      latencies in the range of 30-50 ms under the stimulus conditions used. The
      earliest neuronal responses in striate cortex differed appreciably between
      individuals. The shortest latency recorded in the four animals ranged from 20 to
      31 ms. Comparable values were obtained from both single unit and multiunit sites.
      After lesions were made in the magnocellular subdivision of the LGN in two
      animals, the shortest response latencies were 7 and 10 ms later than before the
      ablations. A larger lesion in the parvocellular subdivision of another animal
      produced no such shift. Thus it appears that the first 7-10 ms of cortical
      activation can be attributed to activation relayed by the magnocellular layers of
      the LGN. 3. The units with the shortest latencies were all found in layers 4C or
      6 and their responses were among the most transient in striate cortex.
      Furthermore, their responses all showed a pronounced periodicity at a frequency
      of 50-100 Hz. This periodicity was stimulus locked, and the responses of all
      short-latency units oscillated in phase. 4. An index of response transience was
      computed for the units recorded in striate cortex. The distribution of this index
      was unimodal and gave no suggestion of distinct contributions from the geniculate
      subdivisions. Magnocellular and the parvocellular lesions affected the overall
      transience of responses in striate cortex. The changes, however, were very small;
      extremely transient responses and extremely sustained responses survived both
      types of lesions. 5. A characteristic profile was observed in the response
      latencies in superficial layers. Latencies appeared to increase monotonically
      from layer 4 toward the surface of cortex, with the most superficial neurons not
      becoming active until 15 ms after responses were observed in layer 4C.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432088
TI  - Flow of excitation within rat barrel cortex on striking a single vibrissa.
AB  - 1. Extracellular spike recordings were made from single cells in various layers
      of barrel cortex in adult rats anesthetized with urethan. Response magnitude and
      latency differences to brief 1.14 degrees deflections of mystacial vibrissae of
      center (principal) and surround receptive-field vibrissae were measured. Latency
      differences for pairs of cells in the same penetration to stimulation of the
      principal vibrissa were also collected. In separate experiments the domains of
      layer IV cells were mapped for their influence by a single vibrissa and their
      latencies to this vibrissa were recorded. In all experiments precise locations of
      layer IV cells in each penetration were identified using dye-lesioning and
      cytochrome oxidase staining of tangential sections. 2. The results suggest that
      principal vibrissa data are relayed radially in a column of neurons before
      parallel relay to adjacent columns. To the principal vibrissa, layers IV and Vb
      neurons discharged earliest, with layers II and III on average 2 and 3 ms later,
      respectively. Serial relay from layers IV to III to II was suggested to be the
      most common event. Although layer Va cells fired next, a single-column
      organization is not suggested for them because differences in latency or response
      magnitude to their principal and immediate surround vibrissae were not
      significant. Layer II, III and IV cells showed no statistical difference in
      latency to the nearest surround vibrissa but fired significantly later than to
      their principal input. 3. Because, from our previous studies, surround receptive
      fields of barrel cells in rat S1 cortex appear to be constructed intracortically,
      these data suggest a parallel column-column relay for their construction.
      Horizontal relay between barrels occurred first within the septae between
      barrels. Mean intracortical transmission velocities were calculated at
      approximately 0.05 m/s for column-column information transfer.

PMID- 1432089
TI  - Interpretation of time constant and electrotonic length estimates in
      multicylinder or branched neuronal structures.
AB  - 1. We have investigated the theoretical and practical problems associated with
      the interpretation of time constants and the estimation of electrotonic length
      with equivalent cylinder formulas for neurons best represented as multiple
      cylinders or branched structures. Two analytic methods were used to compute the
      time constants and coefficients of passive voltage transients (and time constants
      of current transients under voltage clamp). One method, suitable for simple
      geometries, involves analytic solutions to boundary value problems. The other,
      suitable for neurons of any geometric complexity, is an algebraic approach based
      on compartmental models. Neither of these methods requires the simulation of
      transients. 2. We computed the time constants and coefficients of voltage
      transients for several hypothetical neurons and also for a spinal motoneuron
      whose morphology was characterized from serial reconstructions. These time
      constants and coefficients were used to generate voltage transients. Then
      exponential peeling, nonlinear regression, and transform methods were applied to
      these transients to test how well these procedures estimate the underlying time
      constants and coefficients. 3. For a serially reconstructed motoneuron with 732
      compartments, we found that the theoretical and peeled tau 0 values were nearly
      equal, but the theoretical tau 1 was much larger than the peeled tau 1. The
      theoretical tau 1 could not be peeled because it was associated with a
      coefficient, C1, that had a very small value. In fact, there were 156 time
      constants between 1.0 and 6.0 ms, most of which had very small coefficients; none
      had a coefficient larger than 2% of the signal. The peeled value of tau 1 (called
      tau 1 peel) can be viewed as some sort of a weighted average of the time
      constants having the largest coefficients. 4. We studied simple hypothetical
      neurons to determine what interpretation could be applied to the multitude of
      theoretical time constants. We found that after tau 0, there was a group of time
      constants associated with eigenfunctions that were odd (or approximately odd)
      functions with respect to the soma. These time constants could be interpreted as
      "equalizing" time constants along particular paths between different pairs of
      dendritic terminals in the neuron. After this group of time constants, there was
      one that we call tau even because it was associated with an eigen-function that
      was approximately even with respect to the soma. This tau even could be
      interpreted as an equalizing time constant for charge equalization between
      proximal membrane (soma and proximal dendrites) and distal membrane (including
      all distal dendrites).4=

PMID- 1432090
TI  - Electrotonic length estimates in neurons with dendritic tapering or somatic
      shunt.
AB  - 1. Compartmental models were used to compute the time constants and coefficients
      of voltage and current transients in hypothetical neurons having tapering
      dendrites or soma shunt and in a serially reconstructed motoneuron with soma
      shunt. These time constants and coefficients were used in equivalent cylinder
      formulas for the electrotonic length, L, of a cell to assess the magnitude of the
      errors that result when the equivalent cylinder formulas are applied to neurons
      with dendritic tapering or soma shunt. 2. Of all the formulas for a cylinder
      (with sealed ends), the most commonly used formula, which we call L tau 0/tau 1
      (the formula uses the current-clamp time constants tau 0 and tau 1), was the most
      robust estimator of L in structures that tapered linearly. When the diameter at
      the end of the cylinder was no less than 20% of the initial diameter, L tau 0/tau
      1 underestimated the actual L by at most 10%. 3. The equivalent cylinder formulas
      for a cylinder were applied to neurons modeled as a cylinder with a shunted soma
      at one end. The formula for L based solely on voltage-clamp time constants gave
      an exact estimate of L. However, the second voltage-clamp time constant cannot be
      reliably obtained experimentally for neurons studied thus far. Of the remaining
      formulas, L tau 0/tau 1 was again the most robust estimator of L. This formula
      overestimated L with the size of the overestimates depending on beta, rho beta =
      1, and the actual L of the cylinder, where beta is the soma shunt factor, and rho
      beta = 1 is the dendritic-to-somatic conductance ratio when beta = 1 (no shunt).
      When the actual L was 0.5 and the soma shunt was large, this formula
      overestimated L by two- to threefold, but when the actual L was 1.5, the
      overestimate was only 10-15% regardless of the size of the shunt. 4. In neurons
      modeled as two cylinders with soma shunt, the L tau 0/tau 1 value computed with
      the actual tau 0 and tau 1 values overestimated the average L by two to six times
      when soma shunt was large. However, the L tau 0/tau 1 estimates computed with tau
      0 and tau 1 values estimated with the exponential fitting program DISCRETE from
      voltage transients computed for these neuron models were never this large because
      of inherent problems in estimating closely spaced time constants from
      data.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432091
TI  - Estimating the electrotonic structure of neurons with compartmental models.
AB  - 1. A procedure based on compartmental modeling called the "constrained inverse
      computation" was developed for estimating the electrotonic structure of neurons.
      With the constrained inverse computation, a set of N electrotonic parameters are
      estimated iteratively with use of a Newton-Raphson algorithm given values of N
      parameters that can be measured or estimated from experimental data. 2. The
      constrained inverse computation is illustrated by several applications to the
      basic example of a neuron represented as one cylinder coupled to a soma. The
      number of unknown parameters estimated was different (ranging from 2 to 6) when
      different sets of constraints were chosen. The unknowns were chosen from the
      following: dendritic membrane resistivity Rmd, soma membrane resistivity Rms,
      intracellular resistivity Ri, membrane capacity Cm, dendritic membrane area AD,
      soma membrane area As, electrotonic length L, and resistivity-free length, rfl
      (rfl = 2l/d1/2 where l and d are length and diameter of the cylinder). The values
      of the unknown parameters were estimated from the values of an equal number of
      known parameters, which were chosen from the following: the time constants and
      coefficients of a voltage transient tau 0, tau 1, ..., C0, C1, ..., voltage-clamp
      time constants tau vc1, tau vc2, ..., and input resistance RN. Note that
      initially, morphological data were treated as unknown, rather than known. 3. When
      complete morphology was not known, parameters from voltage and current
      transients, combined with the input resistance were not sufficient to completely
      specify the electrotonic structure of the neuron. For a neuron represented as a
      cylinder coupled to a soma, there were an infinite number of combinations of Rmd,
      Rms, Ri, Cm, AS, AD, and L that could be fitted to the same voltage and current
      transients and input resistance. 4. One reason for the nonuniqueness when
      complete morphology was not specified is that the Ri estimate is intrinsically
      bound to the morphology. Ri enters the inverse computation only in the
      calculation of the electrotonic length of a compartment. The electrotonic length
      of a compartment is l[4 Ri/(dRmd)]1/2, where l and d are the length and diameter
      of the compartment. Without complete morphology, the inverse computation cannot
      distinguish between a change in d or l and a change in Ri. Even when morphology
      is known, the accuracy of the Ri estimate obtained by any fitting procedure is
      affected by systematic errors in length and diameter measurements (i.e., tissue
      shrinkage); the Ri estimate is inversely proportional to the length measurement
      and proportional to the square root of the diameter measurement.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432092
TI  - Role of metabotropic glutamate (ACPD) receptors at the parallel fiber-Purkinje
      cell synapse.
AB  - 1. The role of metabotropic glutamate receptors at the parallel fiber (PF)
      Purkinje cell synapse in cerebellum was studied by examining the actions of the
      active stereoisomer (1S,3R)-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid [1S,3R-ACPD
      (25-50 microM)] on fura-2-loaded, patch-clamped rat Purkinje cells in thin
      slices. 2. The bath application of 1S,3R-ACPD evoked a direct post-synaptic
      depolarization that readily desensitized during prolonged (> 1 min) applications
      of the drug. This depolarizing response to 1S,3R-ACPD differed from the slow
      depolarization to 1S,3R-ACPD observed in cortical neurons mediated via closure of
      potassium channels in that it was not associated with an obvious change in
      membrane conductance and was not blocked by external barium. Similarly, slow
      inward rectifier currents were not affected during the 1S,3R-ACPD-induced
      depolarization. 3. The direct depolarization induced by 1S,3R-ACPD was not
      mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) or (RS)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4
      isoxazolepropionic acid kainate (AMPA)-KA excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptor
      subtypes, because the response was not blocked in the presence of antagonists of
      these receptors. 4. The EAA antagonist L-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid, which
      blocks 1S,3R-ACPD-induced inositide synthesis in other cell types, had no effect
      on the depolarizing response. 5. Fura-2 measurements of somatic [Ca2+]i revealed
      that [Ca2+]i was not elevated during the 1S,3R-ACPD-induced depolarization unless
      the cell fired calcium-dependent action potentials. 6. In addition to the direct
      depolarization induced by 1S,3R-ACPD, the amplitude of PF-evoked excitatory
      postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) was profoundly and reversibly reduced. This
      effect was observed in all cells regardless of whether a direct depolarization
      was produced by 1S,3R-ACPD. This reduction of the PF EPSP generally preceded the
      onset of depolarizing responses, did not desensitize during prolonged
      applications of 1S,3R-ACPD, and was reversible. 7. The reversible reduction of
      the PF EPSP by 1S,3R-ACPD was not related to a postsynaptic blocking action of
      the drug, because responses of Purkinje cells to AMPA, an agonist of the EAA
      receptor subtype mediating the EPSP, were reversibly potentiated in the presence
      of 1S,3R-ACPD. 8. The nitric oxide synthesis promoter sodium nitroprusside (1-3
      nM) had no effect on the amplitude of PF EPSP or the membrane properties of
      Purkinje cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432093
TI  - Dorsal raphe neurons: synchronous discharge with the theta rhythm of the
      hippocampus in the freely behaving rat.
AB  - 1. Single-unit activity of 30 dorsal raphe (DR) neurons was recorded along with
      the cortical and hippocampal electroencephalogram and neck muscle electromyogram
      in freely behaving rats during sleep-waking states. 2. On the basis of firing
      rates, DR cells were divided into slow-firing (S-cells), fast firing (F-cells),
      and very fast firing (FF-cells) units. The S-cells (8 units) fired at rates of <
      10 Hz, the F-cells (11 units) at 10-40 Hz, and the FF-cells (11 units) at 55-70
      Hz. 3. The activity of 17 of 30 DR units was correlated with the theta rhythm of
      the hippocampus. They included both slow and rapidly firing DR neurons. These
      cells typically fired irregularly (single spikes or short-duration bursts of
      activity) during non-theta states of quiet waking and slow-wave sleep. With the
      change of behavioral state to awake-moving or rapid eye movement sleep, the
      activity of these units switched to a regular bursting pattern synchronous with
      the hippocampal theta rhythm. Seven of these 17 units were classified as theta
      rhythmic cells on the basis of the tight phase-locking of their discharge to the
      hippocampal theta rhythm. The remaining 10 units were classified as theta
      modulated cells on the basis of a smaller but significant coherence between unit
      discharge and the theta rhythm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432094
TI  - Sexual dimorphism in the vertebrate nervous system.

PMID- 1432095
TI  - Alteration of long-lasting structural and functional effects of kainic acid in
      the hippocampus by brief treatment with phenobarbital.
AB  - Kainic acid, an analog of the excitatory amino acid L-glutamate, induces acute
      hyperexcitability and permanent structural alterations in the hippocampal
      formation of the adult rat. Administration of kainic acid is followed by acute
      seizures in hippocampal pathways, neuronal loss in CA3 and the hilus of the
      dentate gyrus, and reorganization of the synaptic connections of the mossy fiber
      pathway. Rats with these hippocampal structural alterations have increased
      susceptibility to kindling. To evaluate the role of the acute seizures and
      associated hippocampal structural alterations in the development of this long
      lasting susceptibility, rats that received intraventricular kainic acid were
      cotreated with phenobarbital (60 mg/kg, s.c., once daily). Treatment with this
      dose for 5 d after administration of kainic acid suppressed acute seizure
      activity, protected against excitotoxic damage in the dentate gyrus, reduced
      mossy fiber sprouting, and completely abolished the increased susceptibility to
      kindling associated with kainic acid. Brief treatment with phenobarbital modified
      the pattern of damage and synaptic reorganization in the dentate gyrus in
      response to seizure-induced injury, and altered the long-lasting functional
      effects associated with hippocampal damage. As phenobarbital treatment did not
      protect against neuronal damage in CA3 or other regions of the hippocampus, the
      circuitry of the dentate gyrus was implicated as a locus of cellular alterations
      that influenced the development of kindling. These observations are evidence that
      pharmacological intervention can prevent the development of epilepsy in
      association with acquired structural lesions, and suggest that pharmacological
      modification of cellular responses to injury can favorably alter long-term
      functional effects of CNS damage.

PMID- 1432096
TI  - Temporal and harmonic combination-sensitive neurons in the zebra finch's HVc.
AB  - Song learning shapes the response properties of auditory neurons in the song
      system to become highly selective for the individual bird's own ("autogenous")
      song. The auditory representation of autogenous song is achieved in part by
      neurons that exhibit facilitated responses to combinations of components of song.
      To understand the circuits that underlie these complex properties, the
      combination sensitivity of single units in the hyperstriatum ventrale, pars
      caudale (HVc) of urethane-anesthetized zebra finches was studied. Some neurons
      exhibited nonlinear temporal summation, spectral summation, or both. The majority
      of these neurons exhibited low spontaneous rates and phasic responses. Most
      combination-sensitive neurons required highly accurate copies of sounds derived
      from the autogenous song and responded weakly to tone bursts, combinations of
      simple stimuli, or conspecific songs. Temporal combination-sensitive (TCS)
      neurons required either two or more segments of a single syllable, or two or more
      syllables of the autogenous song, to elicit a facilitated, excitatory response.
      TCS neurons integrated auditory input over periods ranging from 80 to 350 msec,
      although this represents a lower limit. Harmonic combination-sensitive (HCS)
      neurons required combinations of two harmonics with particular frequency and
      temporal characteristics that were similar to autogenous song syllables. Both TCS
      and HCS neurons responded much more weakly when the dynamical spectral features
      of the autogenous song or syllables were modified than when the dynamical
      amplitude (waveform) features of the songs were modified. These results suggest
      that understanding the temporal dynamics of auditory responses in HVc may provide
      insight into neuronal circuits modified by song learning.

PMID- 1432097
TI  - Posttetanic potentiation at the crayfish neuromuscular junction is dependent on
      both intracellular calcium and sodium ion accumulation.
AB  - The fluorescent indicator fura-2 was used to measure cytoplasmic calcium in
      presynaptic terminals in the crayfish Procambarus clarkii under conditions that
      raise intracellular sodium to examine whether sodium can elevate intracellular
      calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) or prolong its efflux and thus influence the
      magnitude and duration of posttetanic potentiation (PTP). Sodium was elevated in
      presynaptic terminals at rest by either (1) injection of sodium into the
      excitatory axon, (2) application of veratridine to open sodium channels, or (3)
      addition of ouabain to block Na/K exchange, with [Ca2+]i increasing by either
      430, 400, or 180 nM, respectively. Intracellular calcium concentration increased
      only when external calcium was present, indicating that calcium influx occurred
      through Na/Ca exchange. Additionally, ouabain enhanced excitatory junctional
      potentials (EJPs) eightfold. Elevation of sodium using a high-frequency
      stimulation in zero-calcium Ringer's did not elevate [Ca2+]i during the train or
      immediately afterward when calcium-containing Ringer's was re-introduced. This
      indicates that a physiological sodium load does not release calcium from internal
      stores or reverse Na/Ca exchange to levels where [Ca2+]i accumulation is
      detectable. We examined the ability of sodium to interfere with calcium efflux
      from presynaptic terminals by loading boutons with both sodium and calcium or
      calcium alone using high-potassium depolarization. Elevation of internal sodium
      slowed calcium efflux from the terminal (12.3 min) compared to calcium removal
      without a sodium load (4.0 min). When sodium loading was increased during a
      tetanus by application of ouabain, the time constants for decay of EJP
      potentiation, 17.3 min, and for [Ca2+]i, 35 min, were longer than control values,
      4.4 min and 5.8 min, respectively. In addition, using lithium to inhibit the
      efflux of calcium by Na/Ca exchange following a PTP-inducing train also
      lengthened the decay of [Ca2+]i to 15.7 min. Intracellular sodium accumulation in
      presynaptic terminals slows the efflux of calcium through Na/Ca exchange, and may
      therefore augment and prolong PTP.

PMID- 1432098
TI  - Cell-specific expression of high levels of human S100 beta in transgenic mouse
      brain is dependent on gene dosage.
AB  - The beta-subunit of S100 protein (S100 beta) is highly conserved in the mammalian
      brain. The gene coding for human S100 beta has been mapped to chromosome 21. In
      order to study the consequences of overexpression of the S100 beta gene,
      transgenic mice were generated by microinjection of a 17.3 kilobase human genomic
      fragment containing the three exons and the transcription control elements of the
      human S100 beta gene. Mice from four transgenic lines carried approximately 10
      100 transgene copies. Northern blotting demonstrated a tissue-specific and gene
      dose-dependent expression of human S100 beta mRNA in mouse brain. Increased
      expression of S100 beta mRNA was correlated with an increased production of S100
      beta protein. Examination of brain sections by in situ hybridization and
      immunocytochemistry indicated that S100 beta was localized globally to
      astrocytes, as well as to discrete neurons in the mesencephalic and motor
      trigeminal, facial, and lemniscus nuclei in both normal and transgenic mice. In
      peripheral tissues, human S100 beta was expressed at 10-50-fold lower levels than
      in brain. The strict gene dosage dependence and cell specificity of transgene
      expression suggest the presence of a locus control region (LCR) in the human S100
      beta gene. The mice tolerated 10-100-fold higher than normal levels of S100 beta
      gene expression in brain without any gross physical or behavioral abnormalities.
      The high-level expression and cell specificity of the S100 beta promoter/LCR
      suggest that it may provide a valuable tool to direct the expression of other
      transgenic products to specific cell types in the CNS.

PMID- 1432099
TI  - Increases in extracellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens by cocaine are
      inversely related to basal levels: effects of acute and repeated administration.
AB  - Repeated administration of cocaine enhances several of the behavioral and
      neurochemical responses to subsequent cocaine injections, an effect that has been
      attributed, in part, to decreased somatodendritic autoreceptor sensitivity of
      mesocorticolimbic dopamine (DA) neurons. Such changes in autoregulation may not
      only modify the direct effects of cocaine on extracellular DA levels but also
      result in tonically increased basal DA release in the terminal areas of the
      mesocorticolimbic DA system. The present study was therefore designed to
      investigate the effects of repeated cocaine administration on basal extracellular
      DA concentrations in the nucleus accumbens (NAC) using in vivo microdialysis
      procedures in halothane-anesthetized rats. We subsequently examined the
      relationship between basal DA levels and the increase in extracellular DA
      produced by an acute injection of cocaine, and determined whether this
      relationship was altered by prior, repeated exposure to cocaine. Rats received
      one daily intraperitoneal injection of cocaine (30 mg/kg) or its vehicle (saline)
      for 10 consecutive days. On days 1, 3, or 7 after termination of the repeated
      cocaine treatment, extracellular DA levels in the NAC were determined under basal
      conditions and following a single intraperitoneal cocaine challenge injection (10
      mg/kg) in separate groups of rats. Repeated cocaine administration produced a
      substantial increase in basal DA release in the NAC that was most prominent on
      day 1 post-cocaine (mean +/- SEM: 10.7 +/- 2.55 nM vs 3.55 +/- 0.56 nM) but was
      no longer apparent on day 7 post-cocaine. Higher extracellular DA levels were
      also observed after cocaine challenge in rats that received repeated cocaine
      treatments. Similar to the increase in basal release, this effect was most
      pronounced on day 1 post-cocaine (23.6 +/- 4.36 nM vs 12.61 +/- 1.76 nM) but did
      not persist through day 7 post-cocaine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432100
TI  - Simulated motion enhances neuronal selectivity for a sound localization cue in
      background noise.
AB  - In nature, sound sources move and signals are accompanied by background noise.
      Noting that motion helps the perception of visual stimuli, we tested whether
      motion similarly facilitates the detection of acoustic targets, at the neuronal
      level. Auditory neurons in the central nucleus of the barn owl's inferior
      colliculus (ICc), due to their selectivity for interaural phase difference (delta
      phi), are sharply tuned to the azimuth of sound sources and are arrayed to form a
      topographic map of delta phi. While recording from single ICc neurons, we
      presented tones that simulated either moving or stationary sound sources with and
      without background noise. We found that the tuning of cells in the ICc for delta
      phi was sharper for stimuli that simulated motion than for those that simulated
      stationary targets. The neurons signaled the presence of a tone obscured by noise
      better if the tone moved than if the tone remained stationary. The resistance to
      noise observed with moving stimuli could not be reproduced with the temporal
      modulation of the stimulus amplitude, suggesting that a change of position over
      time was required.

PMID- 1432101
TI  - Brain-derived neurotrophic factor administration protects basal forebrain
      cholinergic but not nigral dopaminergic neurons from degenerative changes after
      axotomy in the adult rat brain.
AB  - Cell culture studies with dissociated primary cultures from embryonic rat brain
      revealed that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) promotes the developmental
      differentiation of both basal forebrain cholinergic and mesencephalic
      dopaminergic neurons. These studies suggested that, in the adult brain, BDNF may
      be able to protect cholinergic and dopaminergic neurons from degenerative changes
      induced by axotomy, similar to the known protective action of NGF in cholinergic
      neurons. Testing this hypothesis, we found that intraventricular administration
      of recombinant human BDNF (rhBDNF) to adult rats with transections of the fimbria
      significantly reduces axotomy-induced degenerative changes of the cholinergic
      cells in the basal forebrain. No such effect was seen on the dopaminergic neurons
      of the ventral mesencephalon after transection of their axons ascending in the
      medial forebrain bundle. Injected in equal amounts, rhBDNF and recombinant human
      NGF had quantitatively different effects on the cholinergic neurons. BDNF
      sustained only part of the population of cholinergic neurons affected by the
      lesion, whereas the entire population was protected by NGF treatment.

PMID- 1432102
TI  - Disruption of classical eyelid conditioning after cerebellar lesions: damage to a
      memory trace system or a simple performance deficit?
AB  - Over the past 10 years, a number of laboratories have reported that classically
      conditioned skeletal muscle responses, such as conditioned nictitating
      membrane/eyelid responses, are critically dependent on activity in the
      cerebellum. For example, unilateral lesions of the cerebellar interpositus
      nucleus have been shown to prevent acquisition and abolish retention of the
      conditioned eyelid response on the side ipsilateral to the lesions without
      affecting conditioned responding (CR) on the contralateral side. Also, recording
      studies involving the interpositus nucleus have consistently revealed patterns of
      neuronal discharge that predict execution of the CR. The lesion and recording
      studies have generally been cited as evidence that plasticity in the cerebellum
      is critically involved in the learning and memory of classically conditioned
      responses. This interpretation was recently challenged by Welsh and Harvey
      (1989a), who claimed that cerebellar lesions simply produced a performance
      deficit and speculated that the role of the cerebellum was not in learning and
      memory processes associated with the CR but only in performance of the eye blink
      response. Presented here are three experiments that provide additional strong
      evidence for a critical role of the cerebellum in the learning and memory of the
      Pavlovian CR. These experiments include (1) demonstrations of complete and
      permanent CR abolition after appropriate interpositus lesions, (2) a failure to
      find systematic or persisting decrements in the unconditioned response amplitude
      (i.e., the eye blink reflex) after appropriate interpositus lesion, and (3)
      observations of differential effects on the CR and unconditioned response after
      lesions were placed in populations of motoneurons responsible for executing the
      eye blink response. These data are discussed in the context of performance versus
      learning issues; evidence presented here rules out the possibility that
      interpositus lesion abolition of the eye blink CR is simply due to lesion effects
      on performance.

PMID- 1432103
TI  - Open-channel block of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) responses by memantine:
      therapeutic advantage against NMDA receptor-mediated neurotoxicity.
AB  - Excessive activation of NMDA receptors is thought to mediate the calcium
      dependent neurotoxicity associated with hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, trauma,
      epilepsy, and several neurodegenerative diseases. For this reason, various NMDA
      antagonists have been investigated for their therapeutic potential in these
      diseases, but heretofore none have proven to be both effective and safe. In the
      present study, memantine, an adamantane derivative similar to the antiviral drug
      amantadine, is shown to block the channels activated by NMDA receptor
      stimulation. From whole-cell and single-channel recording experiments, the
      mechanism of action of memantine is deduced to be open-channel block, similar to
      MK-801; however, unlike MK-801, memantine is well tolerated clinically. Compared
      to MK-801, memantine's safety may be related to its faster kinetics of action
      with rapid blocking and unblocking rates at low micromolar concentrations.
      Furthermore, at these levels memantine is an uncompetitive antagonist and should
      theoretically allow near-normal physiological NMDA activity throughout the brain
      even in the face of pathologically high focal concentrations of glutamate. These
      pharmacological properties confer upon memantine a therapeutic advantage against
      NMDA receptor-mediated neurotoxicity with few side effects compared with other
      organic NMDA open-channel blockers. Moreover, memantine is increasingly effective
      against escalating levels of glutamate, such as those observed during a stroke.
      Low micromolar concentrations of memantine, levels known to be tolerated by
      patients receiving the drug for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, prevent
      NMDA receptor-mediated neurotoxicity in cultures of rat cortical and retinal
      ganglion cell neurons; memantine also appears to be both safe and effective in a
      rat stroke model. These results suggest that memantine has considerable
      therapeutic potential for the myriad of clinical entities associated with NMDA
      receptor-mediated neurotoxicity.

PMID- 1432104
TI  - Promoter organization and activity of human monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B
      genes.
AB  - Monoamine oxidase A and B (MAO A and B) play important roles in the metabolism of
      biogenic and dietary amines and are encoded by two genes derived from a common
      ancestral gene. The promoter regions for human MAO A and B genes have been
      characterized using a series of 5' flanking sequences linked to a human growth
      hormone reporter gene. When these constructs were transfected into NIH3T3, SHSY
      5Y, and COS7 cells, the maximal promoter activity for MAO A was found in a 0.14
      kilobase (kb) PvuII/DraII fragment (A0.14) and in a 0.15 kb PstI/NaeI fragment
      (B0.15) for MAO B. Both fragments are GC-rich, contain potential Sp1 binding
      sites, and are in the region where the MAO A and B 5' flanking sequences share
      the highest identity (approximately 60%). However, the organization of the
      transcription elements is distinctly different between these two promoters.
      Fragment A0.14 consists of three Sp1 elements, all in reversed orientations, and
      lacks a TATA box. Two of the Sp1 sites are located within the downstream 90 base
      pair (bp) direct repeat, and the third is located at the 3' end of the upstream
      90 bp direct repeat. Fragment B0.15 contains an Sp1-CACCC-Sp1-TATA structure;
      deletion of any of these elements reduced promoter activity. Additional Sp1
      sites, CACCC elements, CCAAT boxes, and direct repeats (four 30 bp direct repeats
      in MAO A and two 29 bp direct repeats in MAO B) are found in farther-upstream
      sequences of both genes (1.27 kb for MAO A and mostly in 0.2 kb for MAO B).
      Inclusion of these sequences decreased promoter activity. The different promoter
      organization of MAO A and B genes provides the basis for their different tissue-
      and cell-specific expression.

PMID- 1432105
TI  - Hormonal regulation of motor unit size and synaptic strength during synapse
      elimination in the rat levator ani muscle.
AB  - Previous anatomical studies suggest that androgen regulates synapse elimination
      in the androgen-sensitive levator ani(LA) muscle of the rat. Androgen treatment
      beginning on postnatal day 7 (P7) prevents some of the normal loss of multiaxonal
      innervation in this muscle. The present study used physiological techniques to
      measure the number and size of LA motor units during the synapse elimination
      period in muscles from normals, and castrates treated with either testosterone
      propionate or oil. The number of increments in LA twitch tension as nerve
      stimulation intensity increased, a measure of the number of motor units, was the
      same at the end (P28) of synapse elimination as near the beginning (P7) of this
      process. This result indicates that motoneuronal cell death does not contribute
      to synapse elimination in the LA. Moreover, androgen during this period did not
      influence the number of LA motor units. In contrast, between P7 and P28, there
      was a dramatic decline in the size of LA motor units, as indicated by a decrease
      in the percentage of twitch or tetanus tension of individual motor units relative
      to the maximal twitch or tetanus tension of the whole muscle. In addition,
      androgen treatment of castrated males during this period prevented some of the
      normal decline in the size of LA motor units. Estimates of the number of inputs
      per LA muscle fiber derived from the number of LA motor units and their average
      size indicate that androgen maintains polyneuronal innervation in the LA muscle.
      This finding supports previous anatomical studies suggesting that androgen can
      prevent synapse elimination in this muscle. The strength of LA synapses was also
      examined by measuring the tetanus: twitch ratio of individual motor units and by
      measuring the safety margin of LA synapses. Both measurements indicated that the
      average strength of LA synapses increases during synapse elimination. Moreover,
      androgen appeared to spare synapses from elimination without increasing their
      strength, since androgen-treated muscles generally had larger motor units but the
      same mean tetanus:twitch ratio and safety margins as untreated LA muscles except
      at P28, when synapses in androgen-treated LA muscles had appreciably lower safety
      margins than normal. These results suggest that androgen regulates synapse
      elimination through a mechanism(s) independent of synaptic strength.

PMID- 1432106
TI  - Fos-defined activity in rat brainstem following centripetal acceleration.
AB  - To identify rat brainstem nuclei involved in the initial, short-term response to
      a change in gravito-inertial force, adult Long-Evans rats were rotated in the
      horizontal plane for 90 min in complete darkness after they were eccentrically
      positioned off the axis of rotation (off-axis) causing a centripetal acceleration
      of 2 g. Neural activation was defined by the brainstem distribution of the c-fos
      primary response gene protein, Fos, using immunohistochemistry. The Fos labeling
      in off-axis animals was compared with that of control animals who were rotated on
      the axis of rotation (on-axis) with no centripetal acceleration, or who were
      restrained but not rotated. In the off-axis animals there was a significant
      labeling of neurons: in the inferior, medial, and y-group subnuclei of the
      vestibular complex; in subnuclei of the inferior olive, especially the
      dorsomedial cell column; in midbrain nuclei, including the interstitial nucleus
      of Cajal, nucleus of Darkschewitsch, Edinger-Westphal nucleus, and dorsolateral
      periaqueductal gray; in autonomic centers including the solitary nucleus, area
      postrema, and locus coeruleus; and in reticular nuclei including the lateral
      reticular nucleus and the lateral parabrachial nucleus. Also, there was greater
      Fos expression in the dorsomedial cell column, the principal inferior olive
      subnuclei, inferior vestibular nucleus, the dorsolateral central gray, and the
      locus coeruleus in animals who had their heads restrained compared to animals
      whose heads were not restrained. As one control, the vestibular neuroepithelium
      was destroyed by injecting sodium arsanilate into the middle ear, bilaterally.
      This resulted in a complete lack of Fos labeling in the vestibular nuclei and the
      inferior olive, and a significant reduction in labeling in other nuclei in the
      off-axis condition, indicating that these nuclei have a significant labyrinth
      sensitive component to their Fos labeling. The data indicate that several novel
      brainstem regions, including the dorsomedial cell column of the inferior olive
      and the periaqueductal gray, as well as more traditional brainstem nuclei
      including vestibular and oculomotor related nuclei, respond to otolith activation
      during a sustained centripetal acceleration.

PMID- 1432107
TI  - Muscarinic potentiation of IK in hippocampal neurons: electrophysiological
      characterization of the signal transduction pathway.
AB  - Central cholinergic (muscarinic) systems play an important role in learning and
      memory. In mammalian central neurons, muscarinic stimulation depresses several
      voltage-activated K+ currents and modulates synaptic transmission. Using whole
      cell voltage-clamp recordings in hippocampal CA1 neurons of rat brain slices, we
      report that activation of muscarinic receptors potentiates a voltage-activated,
      sustained K+ current (IK-type). This potentiation of IK is mediated by activation
      of protein kinase C and involves a G-protein-linked, intracellular Ca(2+)
      dependent process. This underlying second messenger pathway may prove to be
      important in the mediation of other previously reported muscarinic neuronal
      actions.

PMID- 1432108
TI  - Spatiotemporal sensitivity following lesions of area 18 in the cat.
AB  - The contribution of cat area 18 to spatiotemporal sensitivity and to motion
      processing was assessed in cats with unilateral ibotenic acid lesions placed in
      physiologically identified portions of area 18. The lesions were centered in the
      representation of the lower right visual field, about 10 degrees from the
      vertical meridian. In one of the animals, the lesion invaded a small portion of
      area 19. We measured detectability of various spatiotemporal stimuli placed
      within the lesioned and intact portions of the visual field, while monitoring eye
      position with a scleral search coil. We found a loss of sensitivity to gratings
      of low and intermediate spatial frequency, within the ablated portion of the
      visual field. The sensitivity loss was 0.6-1.0 log units at low and intermediate
      spatial frequencies, and decreased at higher frequencies with the resolution
      limits remaining intact. The loss extended over a range of temporal frequencies
      for both drifting gratings and grating modulated in counterphase. We also found
      that within the lesioned hemifield, the cats were unable to discriminate between
      rightward and leftward motion even at the highest contrasts. These results
      demonstrate that area 18 plays an important role in detecting drifting low- and
      intermediate-spatial-frequency targets and is likely to represent a critical
      stage in the cortical processing of motion signals.

PMID- 1432109
TI  - Inhibitory influence of the dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus on binaural
      responses in the rat's inferior colliculus.
AB  - The contribution of the dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus (DNLL) to
      binaural processing was examined by recording single-unit activity in the rat's
      inferior colliculus before, during, and after a reversible block of the
      excitatory activity in DNLL by local injection of kynurenic acid. Recordings were
      made from the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus with glass micropipettes
      filled with 3 M sodium acetate. Kynurenic acid (2 mM in Locke's solution) was
      injected into the DNLL through one side of a double-barreled glass pipette. The
      other side of the pipette was filled with Locke's solution for making control
      injections and recording neural activity. Pressure injection of 0.7-2.0
      microliter of kynurenic acid resulted in the complete cessation of tone-evoked
      responses in DNLL for periods of 45 min to 1 hr. Tone bursts were delivered
      separately to the two ears through headphones fitted to the external auditory
      meatus. Binaural responses in the inferior colliculus were determined by
      comparing the effects of monaural and binaural stimulation. Attention was focused
      on neurons that were excited by contralateral stimulation and inhibited by
      ipsilateral stimulation. Interaural intensity difference (IID) functions were
      generated by holding contralateral sound pressure constant at 10 dB above
      threshold while increasing ipsilateral sound pressure level. Prior to kynurenic
      acid injection, ipsilateral stimulation caused a pronounced suppression of
      contralaterally evoked single-unit activity. Unilateral injection of kynurenic
      acid into DNLL reduced the strength of binaural suppression in the contralateral
      inferior colliculus. In every cell tested, the IID curve in inferior colliculus
      was shifted following contralateral DNLL injection. The IID curve returned to
      normal after recovery of neural activity in DNLL. In contrast, no effect was seen
      in the inferior colliculus ipsilateral to the kynurenic acid injection. The
      injection of Locke's solution into DNLL had no effect on IID curves in the
      inferior colliculus. These data suggest that the DNLL plays a role in binaural
      processing through an inhibitory influence on responses in the contralateral
      inferior colliculus.

PMID- 1432110
TI  - A multipotent EGF-responsive striatal embryonic progenitor cell produces neurons
      and astrocytes.
AB  - The mitogenic actions of epidermal growth factor (EGF) were examined in low
      density, dissociated cultures of embryonic day 14 mouse striatal primordia, under
      serum-free defined conditions. EGF induced the proliferation of single progenitor
      cells that began to divide between 5 and 7 d in vitro, and after 13 d in vitro
      had formed a cluster of undifferentiated cells that expressed nestin, an
      intermediate filament present in neuroepithelial stem cells. In the continued
      presence of EGF, cells migrated from the proliferating core and differentiated
      into neurons and astrocytes. The actions of EGF were mimicked by the homolog
      transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha), but not by NGF, basic fibroblast
      growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, or TGF beta. In EGF-generated
      cultures, cells with neuronal morphology contained immunoreactivity for GABA,
      substance P, and methionine-enkephalin, three neurotransmitters of the adult
      striatum. Amplification of embryonic day 14 striatal mRNA by using reverse
      transcription/PCR revealed mRNAs for EGF, TGF alpha, and the EGF receptor. These
      findings suggest that EGF and/or TGF alpha may act on a multipotent progenitor
      cell in the striatum to generate both neurons and astrocytes.

PMID- 1432111
TI  - Clinical semiology of common cervicobrachial neuralgia. Data from 50 hospital
      cases.
AB  - Common cervicobrachial neuralgia is less frequent than sciatica and its
      aetiological profile is more varied: men and women are equally affected,
      triggering factors or previous history are less often found and patients with
      anxiety or depression are relatively numerous. Clinically, signs of C7 lesion are
      present in half the patients. Acroparesthesias are frequent and may be the
      initial signs. Nocturnal pain is present in 50% of the cases. Signs of
      neurological deficit are rare, except for abolition of a reflex. The association
      of cervicobrachial neuralgia with tendinitis of the upper limb or algodystrophy
      of the shoulder is too frequent to be fortuitous. Left to itself, the syndrome
      usually lasts several months and sometimes one year. Recurrences are rare. The
      most frequent sequela is a painful neck.

PMID- 1432112
TI  - Cervicobrachial neuralgia: diagnostic problems in neurology.
AB  - A population of 205 patients hospitalized for evaluation of cervicobrachial pain
      was retrospectively studied. Four aetiological groups were individualized: common
      cervicobrachial neuralgia (CBN) due to nucleus pulposus herniation or
      spondylarthrosis (119 cases); inflammatory radicular lesion (39 cases); CBN
      reflecting lesions of the cervicobrachial plexus or the spine (23 cases) and pain
      of undetermined origin (22 cases). The semiological characteristics of these four
      groups are discussed.

PMID- 1432113
TI  - Neurophysiological explorations in cervicobrachial neuralgia.
AB  - The various electrophysiological techniques which can be used in cervicobrachial
      neuralgia and their respective advantages and limitations are described. Beside
      the conventional electromyography and electrostimulation techniques, the
      indications for radicular motor and somesthetic evoked potentials are discussed.

PMID- 1432114
TI  - Plain radiography in the evaluation of cervicobrachial neuralgia.
AB  - Standard radiography is indispensable to the initial evaluation of
      cervicobrachial neuralgia. Its main purpose is not to detect a nucleus pulposus
      herniation or a spondylarthrosis responsible for the neuralgia, but to exclude a
      possible malignancy. In some cases standard radiography points out to a less
      frequent cause, such as constitutional stenosis of intervertebral foramina not
      necessarily associated with a narrow vertebral canal.

PMID- 1432115
TI  - CT, myelography and CT-myelography in the evaluation of common cervicobrachial
      neuralgia.
AB  - The CT technique used to explore intervertebral discs and foramina is described,
      as are the CT signs of nucleus pulposus (NP) herniation and cervical degenerative
      lesions. CT with intravenous contrast injection is the most efficient and easiest
      method to diagnose a radicular compression of discal or degenerative origin. The
      advent of high-resolution contrast CT will probably make obsolete the use of
      contrast media. CT measures the width of the vertebral canal, but it does not
      evaluate the repercussions on the spinal cord of compression caused by NP
      herniation or osteophytosis: only CT-myelography or, better, MRI can make this
      evaluation. Conventional CT scans are sometimes inadequate when exploration is
      hampered by superimposition of the shoulders (C6-C7 and more often C7-T1), when
      the scanner is of poor quality or when it is misused. Myelography and CT
      myelography can then be utilized to resolve the problem posed by C7 or C8
      cervicobrachial neuralgia (CBN). CT makes it possible to exclude most of the
      causes of non-discal CBN in the extradural spaces (e.g. bone tumour, neurinoma,
      vertebral vascular malformation, paravertebral expansive process, apical lung
      tumour). The search for an intradural cause (extra- or intramedullary tumour)
      rests on myelography, CT-myelography and MRI.

PMID- 1432116
TI  - MRI and cervicobrachial neuralgia.
AB  - Recent improvements in magnetic resonance imaging techniques have altered our
      choices in the exploration of cervicobrachial neuralgia (CBN). The use of high
      field machines, new acquisition sequences and paramagnetic contrast media has
      increased the sensitivity and specificity of the MRI method in the detection of
      degenerative lesions responsible for CBN. These new techniques are essentially
      based on gradient-echo sequences can be acquired in two or three dimensions, and
      each of them has its own advantages and drawbacks, but their performance is
      sufficient for MRI to be now considered a reliable and non-traumatic exploratory
      method for CBN. Performed after standard radiography, MRI tends to be the first
      choice examination in the preoperative evaluation of cervical radiculopathies and
      myelopathies.

PMID- 1432117
TI  - Medical treatment of common cervicobrachial neuralgia.

PMID- 1432118
TI  - Treatment of cervicobrachial neuralgia in orthopaedic medicine.
AB  - Orthopaedic and physiotherapeutic treatments must necessarily complete the
      medicinal treatment of common cervicobrachial neuralgia. Rest in a posture that
      suppresses or attenuates the disc-nerve root conflict is mandatory. The use of
      physical agents (ultrasounds, short waves), rehabilitation, local injections,
      vertebral tractions and manipulations depends on the results of clinical
      examination. Every anatomico-clinical lesion detected has indications that guide
      the therapeutic approach. Close supervision of these treatments is indispensable
      to modify their rhythm and intensity or to stop them.

PMID- 1432119
TI  - Results of surgical treatment for cervicobrachial neuralgia. A retrospective
      study of 122 patients with long-term follow-up.
AB  - Surgical nerve root decompression is rarely needed in the treatment of
      cervicobrachial neuralgia. In patients with prolonged and resistant pain or
      neurological deficits, or when signs of associated spinal cord suffering have
      been found, various surgical procedures can be used, but is most cases the disco
      arthro-radicular conflict can be solved by the anterior approach with or without
      bone graft. This review of long-term results in a series of 122 patients operated
      upon and re-examined more than 3 years later shows that the radicular symptoms
      were relieved in 95% of the cases. Evaluation of anatomical results did not
      reveal any instability or aggravation of discarthrosis at the site of surgery.
      However, in 30% of the cases disc degeneration was increased in the over- and
      underlying levels but without recurrence of clinical symptoms; 4% of the patients
      in this series were reoperated upon for this aggravated or de novo disc disease.
      The authors underline the importance of a thorough radioanatomical examination
      not only to decide whether or not a "soft hernia" or an arthrotic hypertrophy
      should be operated, but also to evaluate the extent of the decompressive
      operation to be performed.

PMID- 1432120
TI  - Automated percutaneous nucleotomy in the treatment of cervicobrachial neuralgia
      due to disc herniation.
AB  - Forty-five patients suffering from cervicobrachial neuralgia resistant to medical
      treatment were treated by automated percutaneous nucleotomy according to the
      technique used by Onik et al. in the lumbar segment of the spine. Good results
      were obtained with this technique in 85% of the patients. This figure is similar
      to that reported for nucleorthesis without the risk of calcification mentioned in
      the literature.

PMID- 1432121
TI  - The radiologist and common cervicobrachial neuralgia.
AB  - The neuroradiological methods used for the diagnosis of common cervicobrachial
      neuralgia are not the same in all medical centres and hospitals, one of the main
      reasons for this lack of unanimity being differences in organization and
      availability of equipment. However, the modern diagnostic approach should include
      magnetic resonance as first examination. MRI is the most informative and the
      least hazardous of all exploratory methods, and it detects or excludes a much
      greater number of causes than any other radiological technique. False-negative
      results, as well as late, incomplete or wrong diagnosis are therefore reduced to
      the minimum. False-positive results can be avoided by a good knowledge of the
      physiological incidence of uncodiscarthrosis with age.

PMID- 1432122
TI  - M. Stephen Mahaley, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., 1932-1992.

PMID- 1432123
TI  - Linear accelerator radiosurgery for arteriovenous malformations.
AB  - Between May, 1988, and August, 1991, 80 patients with arteriovenous malformations
      (AVM's) were treated radiosurgically at the University of Florida. A mean dose of
      1650 cGy was directed to the periphery of the lesion, which almost always
      corresponded to the 80% isodose line. The mean lesion diameter was 23 mm. Seventy
      six patients were treated with one isocenter. Angiography, performed at 1 year
      after radiosurgery in 41 of the 48 eligible patients, revealed an overall
      complete thrombosis rate of 39%. The 1-year thrombosis rate was highest in those
      patients with relatively small AVM's. Angiography was performed at 2 years
      posttreatment in 21 of the 25 eligible patients, demonstrating an overall
      complete thrombosis rate of 81%. This incidence did not correlate with lesion
      size: that is, large lesions (up to 35 mm in diameter) seemed just as likely to
      thrombose. Two patients (2.5%) experienced hemorrhage at some time after
      radiosurgical treatment, and both recovered. Two patients (2.5%) have sustained
      mild, but permanent, radiation-induced neurological complications.

PMID- 1432124
TI  - Superselective intra-arterial infusion of papaverine for the treatment of
      cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.
AB  - This report describes the successful treatment of cerebral vasospasm after
      subarachnoid hemorrhage with superselective intra-arterial infusion of papaverine
      hydrochloride. Thirty-seven vascular territories in 10 patients with symptomatic
      vasospasm were treated according to the following protocol. Percutaneous
      transluminal angioplasty was performed in two steps. First, a silicone balloon
      was used for dilation of the internal carotid artery and the proximal portions of
      the middle cerebral artery. A silicone leak balloon or Tracker-18 catheter was
      then introduced into or just proximal to the site of vasospasm not accessible to
      the angioplasty balloon catheter for superselective infusion of 0.2% papaverine.
      Thirty-four of 37 vascular territories were successfully dilated, and eight of 10
      patients showed improvement in neurological function after the procedure. There
      were no serious side effects due to infusion of papaverine. It is essential to
      infuse the papaverine just proximal to the spastic vessels in order to deliver
      sufficient concentration of drug, and infusion should be carried out as early as
      possible before the artery loses its ability to return to a normal luminal size.
      Superselective intraarterial infusion of papaverine is an alternative method of
      treatment for symptomatic vasospasm.

PMID- 1432125
TI  - Treatment of cerebral vasospasm with intra-arterial papaverine.
AB  - Cerebral vasospasm continues to be the leading treatable cause of morbidity and
      mortality following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. In this preliminary
      anecdotal series of 12 patients who were candidates for balloon angioplasty,
      vasospasm was treated instead with intra-arterial papaverine. Eight patients had
      marked angiographic reversal of the arterial narrowing following papaverine
      infusion, four of whom showed dramatic reversal of profound neurological
      deficits. Two patients deteriorated clinically 5 days after the initially
      successful papaverine infusions. In both, repeat angiography demonstrated severe
      recurrent vasospasm, which was partially reversed with a second intra-arterial
      papaverine treatment. Two patients developed focal neurological deficits during
      papaverine infusion, which resolved spontaneously over several hours after
      cessation of the intra-arterial infusion. Arterial narrowing in the posterior
      circulation and middle cerebral artery distribution appeared to be more
      responsive to papaverine infusion than was spasm in the anterior cerebral
      arteries. The infusion of 300 mg of papaverine over 1 hour seemed to be an
      adequate and safe dose to effect these angiographic and clinical improvements.

PMID- 1432126
TI  - The treatment of associated intracranial aneurysms and arteriovenous
      malformations.
AB  - Cerebral arterial aneurysm associated with arteriovenous malformation (AVM) has
      been described with a variable incidence, averaging 10% of AVM cases. The present
      series includes 39 patients with this association, derived from a total of 400
      patients with AVM's evaluated and treated since 1970. The aneurysms are
      classified into four major groups, each carrying particular therapeutic
      implications. Optimum treatment of these lesions is based in part on a knowledge
      of the hemodynamic alterations associated with the AVM's. In most of these cases,
      the symptomatic lesion was treated first; occasionally, when feasible, both
      lesions were treated during the same operation. All patients had some form of
      treatment, either surgical or endovascular, directed to at least one of the two
      types of lesions. All symptomatic lesions were treated and all ruptured aneurysms
      were obliterated. There were no deaths in this series.

PMID- 1432127
TI  - Transpedicular screw-rod fixation of the lumbar spine: operative technique and
      outcome in 104 cases.
AB  - A total of 104 patients underwent transpedicular spinal instrumentation using the
      Cotrel-Dubousset (71 cases) or the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital (33) screw-rod
      system. Surgery was performed for lumbar vertebral column instability secondary
      to fractures (28 cases), spondylolisthesis (29), tumors (four), vertebral
      osteomyelitis (two), or postoperative causes (41). Pseudoarthrodesis due to
      failure of a prior fusion was present in 37 cases. The 55 men and 49 women (mean
      age 47 years, range 18 to 87 years) all presented with severe back pain. Signs or
      symptoms of neural compression were noted in 96 patients. Surgery consisted of
      neural decompression, internal fixation, and autogenous iliac bone grafting.
      Spondylolistheses were fused in situ, without reduction; otherwise, major spinal
      deformities were corrected. A total of 516 pedicle screws were placed. The mean
      extent of fusion was 2.7 motion segments (range one to six motion segments). A
      96% fusion rate was obtained with a mean follow-up period of 20 months. There
      were no operative deaths. Major complications included one spinal epidural
      hematoma, three isolated nerve root deficits (two transient, one permanent), and
      three wound infections (two deep, one superficial). Instrument failure eventually
      developed in 18 patients; nine were asymptomatic with a solid fusion and did not
      require further treatment and the other nine were symptomatic or had a
      pseudoarthrosis and required operative revision. Pedicle screw-rod fixation
      offers biomechanical advantages compared to other forms of internal fixation for
      the lumbar spine. It enables short-segment fixation with preservation of lumbar
      lordosis and adjacent normal motion segments. This technique provides a highly
      successful method to obtain arthrodesis, even with prior pseudoarthrosis.

PMID- 1432128
TI  - Syrinx shunt to posterior fossa cisterns (syringocisternostomy) for bypassing
      obstructions of upper cervical theca.
AB  - Syrinx shunts to the spinal subarachnoid space are likely to fail if the
      cerebrospinal fluid pathways rostral to the syrinx are blocked. To bypass
      obstructions at or below the level of the foramen magnum, a technique was
      developed for shunting the syrinx to the posterior fossa cisterns, termed
      "syringocisternostomy." Syrinxes were shunted to the cisterna magna in two
      patients with spinal arachnoiditis and to the cerebellopontine angle cistern in
      four patients with Chiari I malformations. There was symptomatic improvement and
      collapse of the syrinx in each case, with no complications or recurrences over a
      follow-up interval of 14 to 27 months (average 20.3 months). The surgical
      technique and results of treatment are described.

PMID- 1432129
TI  - Shunt implantation: reducing the incidence of shunt infection.
AB  - Shunt infection remains the foremost problem of shunt implantation after
      mechanical malfunctions. Diversionary cerebrospinal fluid shunt implantation has
      a high complication rate, with 5% to 15% of such shunts becoming infected. Of
      these infections, 70% are diagnosed within 1 month after surgery and more than
      90% within 6 months. Shunt infection in the vast majority of cases is therefore a
      complication of shunt surgery. The authors review their experience with shunt
      implantation during two time periods. From January, 1978, to December, 1982, 302
      children with hydrocephalus underwent 606 operations. Among these children, 47
      (15.56%) developed a proven shunt infection, with an incidence of infection per
      procedure of 7.75%. As a result of this study, a new protocol for shunt
      procedures involving modifications in the immediate pre-, intra-, and
      postoperative management of children undergoing shunt implantation was initiated.
      With this new protocol, 600 children underwent a total of 1197 procedures between
      January, 1983, and December, 1990. The incidence of shunt infection decreased
      dramatically, with two infections (0.33%) in 600 patients and a per-procedure
      rate of 0.17%. The overall annual risk of a shunt infection in the pediatric
      neurosurgical unit is currently 1.04%.

PMID- 1432130
TI  - Outcome following hindbrain decompression of symptomatic Chiari malformations in
      children previously treated with myelomeningocele closure and shunts.
AB  - Between 1975 and 1989, 25 children treated with myelomeningocele closure and
      shunting for hydrocephalus at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh developed
      progressive lower brain-stem dysfunction from their Chiari malformation.
      Retrospective univariate and multivariate analyses of these cases were undertaken
      to assess the relationship between preoperative clinical factors and
      postoperative outcome. Since earlier reports have suggested that neonates with
      symptomatic Chiari malformations show a less favorable response than older
      children to craniocervical decompression, particular attention was directed at
      examining the effect of age on preoperative symptoms and postoperative outcome.
      Patients were subdivided by age into two groups, namely: 13 patients who became
      symptomatic before 2 months of age (neonatal group) and 12 older infants and
      children who developed initial symptoms between 6 months and 10 years of age.
      Once symptoms developed, patients in both groups deteriorated progressively until
      brain-stem decompression was performed. The mode of presentation and the rate and
      extent of neurological deterioration differed substantially in the two groups.
      Whereas the neonates typically showed rapid neurological deterioration and often
      manifested profound brain-stem dysfunction within a period of several days, the
      older patients experienced a more insidious symptom progression and rarely
      demonstrated the severe degree of impairment seen in the neonates. All patients
      underwent suboccipital craniectomy, cervical laminectomy, and dural
      decompression. A shunt from the fourth ventricle and/or syrinx to the
      subarachnoid space was placed in those with significant syringomyelia. Following
      surgery, 17 patients had complete or nearly complete resolution of all signs of
      brain-stem compression, three had mild to moderate residual deficits, and five
      showed no improvement. Outcome correlated closely with the preoperative
      neurological status. In particular, the presence of bilateral vocal cord
      paralysis was associated with a poor response to surgery (p < 0.001 on both
      univariate and multivariate analyses). Of the six patients (all neonates) who
      progressed to complete bilateral vocal cord paralysis before surgery, only one
      improved. In contrast, all patients with less profound but nonetheless severe
      deficits recovered function postoperatively. Although the neonates as a group had
      a poorer outcome than did the older patients (p = 0.02 on univariate analysis),
      this in large part reflected their more severe preoperative impairments; neonates
      who still had some preservation of vocal cord function before surgery
      subsequently did as well as the older patients. Accordingly, age did not prove to
      be an independent prognostic factor on multivariate analysis. Taken together,
      these results indicate that, in most patients with symptomatic Chiari II
      malformations (including neonates), neurological deficits are potentially
      reversible if hindbrain decompression is performed expeditiously.

PMID- 1432131
TI  - Cerebral hemicorticectomy for epilepsy.
AB  - Hemicorticectomy resulted in total or near-total control of seizures in 10 of 11
      children with chronic epilepsy. During a median follow-up period of 5.5 years,
      there have been no deaths or delayed complications. The surgical outcome after
      hemicorticectomy compares favorably with that of more extensive surgical
      procedures, yet is associated with significantly less risk. The technique for
      hemicorticectomy is described and illustrated.

PMID- 1432132
TI  - Surgical management of symptomatic pineal cysts.
AB  - The authors present a series of six patients with large symptomatic benign pineal
      cysts and review the 27 patients previously reported in the literature. Patients
      with symptomatic pineal cysts most often present with one of three syndromes: 1)
      paroxysmal headache with gaze paresis; 2) chronic headache, gaze paresis,
      papilledema, and hydrocephalus; or 3) pineal apoplexy with acute hydrocephalus.
      Surgical intervention with radical cyst removal is the treatment of choice for
      all symptomatic pineal cysts. Complete cyst removal is desirable; however,
      radical subtotal resection is appropriate if the cyst cannot be easily separated
      from the quadrigeminal plate. Ventricular shunting should be reserved for
      patients with persistent hydrocephalus after cyst resection.

PMID- 1432133
TI  - Extracranial complications of severe head injury.
AB  - In order to define the role of intracranial and extracranial complications in
      determining outcome from severe head injury, 734 patients from the Traumatic Coma
      Data Bank were analyzed. Nine classes of intracranial and 13 classes of
      extracranial complications occurring within the first 14 days after admission
      were analyzed, while controlling for age, admission Glasgow Coma Scale motor
      score, early hypoxia or hypotension, and severe extracranial trauma. Outcome for
      survivors was based on the last recorded Glasgow Outcome Scale score, obtained a
      median of 521 days after injury. Intracranial complications did not significantly
      alter outcome for the study group. Of the extracranial complications, pulmonary,
      cardiovascular, coagulation, and electrolyte disorders occurred most frequently
      at 2 to 4 days. Infections developed later, peaking at 5 to 11 days.
      Gastrointestinal, renal, and hepatic complications followed no specific time
      course. Electrolyte abnormalities were the most frequent occurrence (59% of
      patients) but did not alter outcome. Pulmonary infections (41%), shock (29%,
      systemic blood pressure < or = 90 mm Hg for 30 minutes or more), coagulopathy
      (19%), and septicemia (10%) were significant independent predictors of an
      unfavorable outcome. Backward-elimination, stepwise logistic regression modeling
      indicated that the estimated reduction of unfavorable outcome was 2.9% for the
      elimination of pneumonia, 3.1% for coagulation disturbances, 1.5% for septicemia,
      and 9.3% for shock. These data suggest that extracranial complications are highly
      influential in determining the outcome from severe head injury and that
      significant improvements in outcome in a sizeable proportion of patients could be
      accomplished by improving the ability to prevent or reverse pneumonia,
      hypotension, coagulopathy, and sepsis.

PMID- 1432134
TI  - Unruptured aneurysms and postoperative volume expansion.
AB  - After a ruptured aneurysm has been clipped in patients with multiple aneurysms,
      the question often arises whether to use volume expansion and/or hypertensive
      treatment to prevent delayed cerebral ischemia (vasospasm). There is
      understandable concern regarding the possible rupture of unprotected aneurysms
      under additional hemodynamic stress. In a series of 199 patients with aneurysmal
      subarachnoid hemorrhage who underwent early surgery, 31 were left with one or
      more unprotected aneurysms postoperatively. All patients were treated with
      prophylactic volume expansion based on a previously reported protocol. Mean
      central venous pressure during treatment was 10.3 cm H2O and mean arterial blood
      pressure 141/76 mm Hg; volume expansion was continued for 7 to 10 days. Eight
      patients developed symptoms of delayed cerebral ischemia and required additional
      volume expansion and induced hypertension. After institution of hypertension,
      four of these patients experienced a reversal of their symptoms, while four
      others developed cerebral infarcts. One patient died from massive cerebral
      infarction following vasospasm refractory to all measures. No patient suffered
      rupture of an unprotected aneurysm during hypervolemic treatment. It is concluded
      that the benefit of prophylactic hypervolemic hypertension in postoperative
      aneurysm patients warrants its use even in patients with unprotected aneurysms.

PMID- 1432135
TI  - Effects of intermittent reperfusion during temporal focal ischemia.
AB  - There is controversy regarding the role of intermittent reperfusion employed as a
      cerebroprotective measure when temporary arterial occlusion is necessary during
      repair of difficult aneurysms. The intraluminal suture middle cerebral artery
      (MCA) occlusion technique was used in 23 Wistar rats under barbiturate anesthesia
      to induce 60, 90, or 120 minutes of uninterrupted MCA occlusion. The total
      infarcted areas obtained were compared to those occurring in 27 animals subjected
      to identical cumulative ischemic periods but with 5 minutes of reperfusion after
      every 10-minute ischemic period. The mean total infarcted areas in the groups
      with 60-minute (1.8 +/- 0.89 sq mm), 90-minute (1.08 +/- 1.02 sq mm), and 120
      minute (8.72 +/- 5.89 sq mm) intermittent reperfusion were significantly smaller
      than those occurring in the 60-minute (12.02 +/- 3.10 sq mm), 90-minute (11.54 +/
      2.68 sq mm), or 120-minute (30.43 +/- 6.51 sq mm) control groups, respectively
      (p < 0.05). Furthermore, there was no difference in the occurrence of blood-brain
      barrier breakdown, intraparenchymal hemorrhage, hemispheric edema, or seizures
      between control and intermittent reperfusion groups. The results support the
      hypothesis that intermittent reperfusion is beneficial if vessel occlusion is
      required during aneurysm repair.

PMID- 1432136
TI  - Regional metabolism in experimental brain tumors in cats: relationship with
      acid/base, water, and electrolyte homeostasis.
AB  - Experimental brain tumors were produced in cats by xenotransplantation of the rat
      glioma clone F98 into the white matter of the left hemisphere. One to 4 weeks
      after implantation, local adenosine triphosphate (ATP), glucose, lactate, and
      tissue pH were measured via imaging techniques in cryostat sections passing
      through the center of the tumor and correlated with changes in water and
      electrolyte content. The tumors exhibited a heterogeneous metabolic pattern, with
      a tendency for ATP to decrease and lactate to increase during tumor development.
      Tissue pH was above 7.5 in tumors with high ATP content but it sharply declined
      at low ATP levels. In peritumoral edema, ATP also decreased and lactate increased
      but, in contrast to tumor tissue, pH became more alkaline. Metabolic changes were
      associated with edema formation, as evidenced by the rise in water and sodium
      content. There was a distinct difference between tumor tissue and peritumoral
      edema: in tumor tissue, pH declined with increasing water content, whereas in
      peritumoral edema it increased. These observations are interpreted as follows: 1)
      in tumor tissue, "lactacidosis" and ATP depletion are attributed to disturbances
      in blood flow, resulting in metabolic failure and the intracellular "cytotoxic"
      accumulation of water; 2) in peritumoral edema, "lactalkalosis" is the result of
      an efflux of (alkaline) lactate salts from the tumor into the expanded
      extracellular compartment, and the decrease in ATP is the volumetric effect of
      extracellular "vasogenic" edema fluid and not the result of cellular energy
      failure. These findings are of importance for the interpretation of volume
      selective magnetic resonance spectroscopy and may contribute to the establishment
      of spectroscopic criteria for the evaluation of therapeutical interventions.

PMID- 1432137
TI  - Variability of the territories of the major cerebral arteries.
AB  - Recent morphological and functional studies on the circle of Willis suggest that
      the areas of supply of the six major cerebral arteries show a considerable
      variation in distribution, in contrast to the relatively consistent pattern
      generally accepted; therefore, the cortical and intracerebral distribution of the
      territories of these arteries was investigated in 25 unfixed human brains
      obtained at routine autopsy. The six major cerebral arteries were simultaneously
      injected under the same pressure with different-colored Araldite F mixtures under
      standardized conditions to obtain the most realistic territorial distribution.
      The cortical boundaries were examined and recorded in relation to the cerebral
      gyri and sulci, and the territories of the anterior, middle, and posterior
      cerebral arteries were analyzed and compared. The intracerebral distribution of
      these territories was investigated after the injected brains were cut in parallel
      slices. The variability of the territories of these arteries was much larger than
      generally described in the literature. Twenty-six variations in the territory of
      the anterior cerebral artery, 17 variations in the area of the middle cerebral
      artery, and 22 variations in the area of the posterior cerebral artery were found
      in the cortex of 50 hemispheres. Intracerebrally, the anterior, middle, and
      posterior cerebral arteries contributed in varying degrees to the blood supply of
      the lobar white matter, the internal capsule, the caudate nucleus, and the
      lentiform nucleus. The large variation in the area in which the cortical and
      intracerebral boundaries between these territories was located was demonstrated
      by illustrating the minimum and maximum extent of each. The results are compared
      with prior findings, and their implications for both experimental model studies
      and clinical practice are discussed.

PMID- 1432138
TI  - Angioplasty for basilar artery atherosclerosis. Case report.
AB  - A case is presented of severe atherosclerosis of the basilar artery, successfully
      treated with percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty. Crescendo daily
      transient ischemic attacks consisted of alternating hemiplegia and were
      refractory to medical management, including anticoagulation therapy. The clinical
      course, endovascular treatment, and results are described. Prior published
      experiences with this condition are reviewed.

PMID- 1432139
TI  - Acute cauda equina syndrome from a ruptured aneurysm in the sacral canal. Case
      report.
AB  - The case is presented of a young woman with acute cauda equina syndrome from a
      ruptured aneurysm in the sacral canal. The lesion was associated with
      pathological enlargement of the lateral sacral arteries bilaterally, which
      presumably occurred to provide cross-pelvic collateral flow in response to the
      diversion of the right internal iliac artery for renal transplantation. The
      patient presented with signs and symptoms of spontaneous spinal epidural
      hemorrhage. The radiographic features of this lesion are described. In addition
      to angiography and partial embolization of the vascular supply, contrast-enhanced
      high-resolution computerized tomography was essential in the diagnosis and
      treatment of this unique aneurysm.

PMID- 1432140
TI  - Bilateral morning glory syndrome associated with sphenoid encephalocele. Case
      report.
AB  - Morning glory syndrome is a congenital anomaly of the optic disc in which the
      disc is enlarged and excavated, with white glial tissue in the center. A case is
      presented of morning glory syndrome associated with sphenoid encephalocele,
      median cleft lip, and agenesis of the corpus callosum. A 22-day-old boy was
      referred to the Wakayama Medical College Hospital for management of dyspnea due
      to a soft-tissue mass in the oral cavity. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a
      mass extending through a bone defect in the sphenoid region and into the oral
      cavity. Surgical repair was attempted through a bifrontal craniotomy. A bone
      defect was identified in the sphenoid plate, through which the arachnoid membrane
      was connected to the oral cavity. Both optic nerves were elongated and adhered to
      the encephalocele. The wall of the meningocele was compressed digitally through
      the oral cavity and sutured to the dura mater of the bone defect. The operative
      findings suggest that a basal encephalocele protruding from a bone defect in the
      sphenoid plate may disturb the normal development of the optic nerve.

PMID- 1432142
TI  - A two-step supraorbital approach to lesions of the orbital apex. Technical note.
AB  - A two-step supraorbital approach to lesions of the orbital apex is described.
      This technique is easy and allows a satisfactory exposure of the region. In
      addition, the reconstruction resulting from the procedure is anatomically
      perfect. The authors report the operative results obtained in 20 patients and
      compare this two-step supraorbital procedure with similar surgical techniques
      described previously.

PMID- 1432141
TI  - Transaqueductal migration of a neurocysticercus cyst. Case report.
AB  - The clearly documented transaqueductal migration of a solitary intraventricular
      neurocysticercus cyst is described. The cyst was fortuitously demonstrated on
      magnetic resonance imaging during migration through the aqueduct. The
      radiological appearance and clinical significance of this condition are
      discussed.

PMID- 1432143
TI  - Development of neurosurgery at the University of Michigan.
AB  - The University of Michigan Medical School was founded in 1847, 30 years after the
      university itself. The first hospital in Ann Arbor was a 20-bed unit converted
      from a private house, that admitted only charity patients. The second University
      Hospital was built in 1925. The Section of Neurosurgery was founded by Dr. Max
      Peet, who was followed by Drs. Kahn and Schneider as section heads.

PMID- 1432144
TI  - The death of Henry II of France.
AB  - On June 30, 1559, King Henry II of France (1519-1559), against the advice of his
      court ministers, participated in a fateful joust. The wooden lance of his younger
      opponent pierced the King's headgear, shattered into fragments, and penetrated
      his right orbit and temple. The King survived for 11 days following the mortal
      wound and was treated by two of the most distinguished physicians of the
      Renaissance: Ambroise Pare (1510-1590), the master surgeon, and Andreas Vesalius
      (1514-1564), the great anatomist. The unfortunate event, the nature of the
      injury, and the medical consultation between these eminent physicians should all
      be of interest to neurosurgeons. The historical consequences of this event are
      briefly reviewed.

PMID- 1432145
TI  - Contamination of jugular bulb venous oxygen measurements.

PMID- 1432146
TI  - Breaks in Mayfield head holder.

PMID- 1432147
TI  - Maintenance of Mayfield head rest.

PMID- 1432148
TI  - Risks of laser discolysis.

PMID- 1432149
TI  - Dual-isotope brain SPECT imaging with technetium-99m and iodine-123: clinical
      validation using xenon-133 SPECT.
AB  - Our phantom studies indicate that the energy resolution (9.7% FWHM) of a new
      three-headed single-photon tomograph (PRISM-3000) separates the distribution of
      99mTc from 123I for 10% asymmetric or 15% or 10% centered 99mTc windows when
      combined with a 10% asymmetric 123I window. This technique is now applied to the
      simultaneous measurement of resting rCBF and changes induced by vasodilation (1 g
      acetazolamide) in 10 subjects with cerebrovascular disease. Resting and
      vasodilated 133Xe SPECT images were obtained first. Within 48 hr, 99mTc HMPAO was
      given at rest, acetazolamide injected, and after 20 min either [123I] IMP or
      [123I] HIPDM was administered. Subjects were scanned for 99mTc and 123I
      simultaneously using 10% asymmetric windows. Regression analyses demonstrated a
      linear relationship between 133Xe SPECT and dual-isotope SPECT measurements of
      lesion-to-cerebellum ratios in baseline (r = 0.92), vasodilated (r = 0.86) and
      rest-minus-vasodilated data (r = 0.85). Technetium-99m and 123I images obtained
      through dual-isotope imaging are by definition in perfect anatomic registration.

PMID- 1432150
TI  - The role of sestamibi scintigraphy in the radioisotopic assessment of myocardial
      viability.
AB  - The relationship between sestamibi uptake as a marker of myocardial viability and
      postrevascularization function recovery is still to be defined. We studied 14
      patients (13 males, 1 female, mean age 55 +/- 7 yr, range 35 to 64 yr) with
      sestamibi scintigraphy, quantitative coronary angiography and two-dimensional
      echocardiography. Sestamibi uptake was quantified from planar images and
      expressed as percent of maximal activity in each projection using a 13-segment
      model. All defects were subgrouped on the basis of the severity of reduction in
      sestamibi uptake; the limit of viability was set at 2.5 s.d. below the normal
      uptake (55%). Echocardiography was analyzed using a score index ranging from 1
      (normokinesis) to 4 (dyskinesis) and a corresponding regional model. Before
      revascularization, 42 segments were grouped as normal (coronary stenosis < 50%
      and normal function, Group 1); of the remaining 140 segments related to > 50%
      coronary stenosis, 67 had normal wall motion (Group 2) and 73 showed regional
      dyssynergies (Group 3). Sestamibi percent activity was high in Group 1 and
      significantly reduced in both Group 2 and 3 segments. Pre- and
      postrevascularization echocardiography was compared in all patients. Sestamibi
      sensitivity and specificity in the detection of postrevascularization recovery of
      function was 83% and 71%, respectively; positive predictive accuracy was 79%. The
      presence of a severe defect identified most of those segments with wall motion
      abnormalities that did not recover following coronary revascularization; however,
      sestamibi overestimated rest perfusion defects in 25% of territories supplied by
      stenotic coronary arteries that had normal wall motion at rest. Sestamibi appears
      to be primarily a perfusion agent that can provide limited information regarding
      viability.

PMID- 1432151
TI  - PET-fluorodeoxyglucose of cranial and spinal neuromas.
AB  - Five patients with eighth nerve, one with ninth nerve and one with cervical
      neuromas were studied with PET and [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). Four of the
      patients had had surgery prior to the PET study, and six patients had subsequent
      surgery. All tumors were well-visualized on the PET images. Only one patient with
      bilateral acoustic neuroma exhibited tumor recurrence or growth after the PET
      study; these two lesions showed the highest FDG uptakes in the PET studies (tumor
      to-cerebellum ratio of 0.93-0.98). All other tumors were relatively hypometabolic
      (tumor-cerebellum ratios of 0.43-0.65) and showed no tumor growth or recurrence
      during follow-up periods ranging from 5 to 8 yr. These results suggest that PET
      FDG may be of value in the evaluation of cranial and spinal schwannomas.

PMID- 1432153
TI  - Go with the flow--but how far?

PMID- 1432152
TI  - Can dynamic krypton-81m imaging separate regional ventilation and volume?
AB  - This study explores the assumption that 81mKr static images represent regional
      ventilation. Dynamic acquisition of 81mKr ventilation images permits creation of
      time-activity curves and the possible separation of the confounding influences of
      ventilation and volume. By using a two-compartment gas mixing lung phantom, the
      results demonstrate that both total and tidal 81mKr are closely related to
      regional ventilation. In 61 children and 15 adult volunteers, there was good
      agreement between fractional ventilation assessed by total and tidal 81mKr. The
      dynamic steady-state ventilation image can be analyzed to separate tidally
      exchanged and resident 81mKr. This may allow regional ventilation to be
      distinguished from regional volume.

PMID- 1432154
TI  - Brain SPECT in neonates following extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: evaluation
      of technique and preliminary results.
AB  - Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life-saving procedure in neonates
      with refractory respiratory failure that has been used at our institution since
      1985. In an attempt to study its clinical value, regional cerebral blood flow
      (rCBF) alterations were measured using SPECT and 99mTc-HMPAO in 13 newborns
      following ECMO. Eight infants were studied after ECMO with reanastomosis of the
      right common carotid artery (RCCA), two with the permanent ligation of the RCCA,
      and three after veno-venous ECMO. Brain SPECT was technically satisfactory in all
      newborns using a triple-head SPECT system. Altered rCBF was found in 7 of 13
      infants. In five newborns, there was a decrease in rCBF within the ipsilateral
      hemisphere, and in one infant, contralateral hemisphere was involved. In one
      infant, there was bilateral hemispheric involvement. The infant underwent
      cardiopulmonary resuscitation prior to ECMO and exhibited clinical features of
      hypoxicischemic encephalopathy at the time of SPECT. Only 2 of 13 newborns
      demonstrated morphologic changes on neuroimaging modalities such as cranial
      ultrasonography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Our study
      demonstrates that: (1) functional brain imaging is feasible in neonates after
      ECMO; (2) SPECT has potential for demonstrating rCBF deficits not detectable by
      neuroanatomic imaging modalities; and (3) SPECT has potential clinical value in
      long-term follow-up of neurodevelopmental outcome after ECMO.

PMID- 1432155
TI  - Human pharmacokinetics and radiopharmacological studies of the myocardial
      perfusion agent: technetium (2-carbomethoxy-2-isocyano-propane)6+.
AB  - The myocardial perfusion agent technetium (2-carbomethoxy-2-isocyano-propane)6+
      (99mTc-CPI) is unique from other cationic technetium isonitrile complexes in that
      it exhibits moderate washout from the heart and rapid hepatobiliary clearance in
      animal models and human volunteers. Dynamic imaging and HPLC analysis were
      performed in humans and guinea pigs to outline the pharmacological basis of its
      pharmacokinetics. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the terminal ester groups in blood was
      found to occur at a moderate rate producing new species that have been shown not
      to accumulate in heart tissue. However, after extraction by the heart, liver or
      kidneys, the 99mTc-CPI complex undergoes metabolism at a much slower rate than
      observed in the blood. Differences in hydrolysis rate and products obtained
      indicate separate mechanisms of hydrolysis occurring in blood and other organs.
      It is proposed that the heart washout occurring after hydrolysis produces a
      neutral compound which is no longer retained by the negative cytosolic and
      mitochondrial membrane potentials in myocardial tissue.

PMID- 1432156
TI  - Specific and nonspecific immunoassays to detect HAMA after administration of
      indium-111-labeled OV-TL 3 F(ab')2 monoclonal antibody to patients with ovarian
      cancer.
AB  - The development of human anti-mouse antibodies (HAMA) may cause problems in
      radioimmunotargeting studies, but may also improve survival of patients. To
      identify the presence of HAMA in blood samples from patients intravenously
      injected with 1 mg of 111In-labeled OV-TL3-F(ab')2, we developed three specific
      OV-TL 3-based HAMA assays and tested these along with two commercially available
      nonspecific HAMA assays (Sorin and Immunomedics). The specific assays were
      positive for HAMA with 10 postinjection serum samples from 7 patients. Eight of
      the 10 samples were also HAMA positive with one or both nonspecific HAMA assays.
      Conflicting results were observed with half the number of samples. The two
      nonspecific assays also reacted positively with another 11 serum samples from 5
      patients including their preinjection samples. Despite some contradictory
      results, the nonspecific HAMA assays identify both pre-existent and Mab-induced
      HAMA, whereas the specific OV-TL3-based HAMA assays identify specific immune
      responses occurring after the OV-TL 3 injection.

PMID- 1432157
TI  - Dynamic SPECT imaging of dopamine D2 receptors in human subjects with iodine-123
      IBZM.
AB  - We studied the uptake, distribution, metabolism and washout of the dopamine D2
      receptor ligand [123I]IBZM in healthy subjects (n = 12) with dynamic brain SPECT.
      The highest radioactivity level was detected in the striatum. Operationally
      defined striatal "specific" uptake peaked at 69 min postinjection of radioligand
      and showed a gradual decline of 15% per hour thereafter. "Specific" uptake at
      maximal counts represented 53% of the total striatal radioactivity. Two subjects
      received haloperidol (20 micrograms/kg i.v.) 80 min postinjection of radioligand.
      Haloperidol caused a 2.6-fold increase in the rate of washout of specific
      striatal activity in comparison to that in the 10 control subjects and was
      consistent with drug-induced displacement of radioligand from the dopamine D2
      receptor. Two classes of metabolites were detected in plasma and urine: a polar
      fraction, not extracted by ethyl acetate, and a nonpolar, extractable fraction
      consisting of parent compound and two compounds having shorter retention times on
      reversed-phase HPLC. Greater than half the plasma parent was metabolized within
      10-15 min after administration. The volume of distribution, estimated from the
      peak arterial plasma concentration at 50-75 sec, was 7.7-10.2 l; the free
      (nonprotein bound) fraction of [123I]IBZM after in vitro incubation with blood or
      plasma was 4.4% +/- 0.4%. These results suggest that [123I]IBZM exhibits uptake
      in brain regions with high D2 receptor density and shows a relatively stable
      washout during which drugs affecting dopaminergic transmission may be
      administered.

PMID- 1432158
TI  - Intratumoral distribution of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose in vivo: high
      accumulation in macrophages and granulation tissues studied by
      microautoradiography.
AB  - While 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) is a useful tumor imaging agent,
      its intratumoral distribution has not been described well at the cellular level.
      In order to demonstrate cellular localization of [18F]FDG and 2-deoxy-D
      [3H]glucose (3H-DG) uptake by the tumor in vivo, C3H/He mice transplanted
      subcutaneously with FM3A tumors were studied 1 hr after intravenous injection of
      [18F]FDG or 3H-DG using micro- and macro-autoradiography. Fluorine-18-FDG and 3H
      DG showed the same distribution pattern in the tumor with both autoradiographic
      methods. The newly formed granulation tissue around the tumor and macrophages,
      which were massively infiltrating the marginal areas surrounding necrotic area of
      the tumor showed a higher uptake of [18F]FDG than the viable tumor cells. A
      maximum of 29% of the glucose utilization was derived from nontumor tissue in
      this tumor. The comparison of double-tracer autoradiographic distribution
      patterns of [18F]FDG and [6-3H]-thymidine showed the differences and the
      similarities between glucose utilization and the DNA synthesis. Whole
      proliferating tissue metabolizes [18F] FDG but not vice versa. High accumulation
      of [18F]FDG in the tumor is believed to represent high metabolic activity of the
      viable tumor cells. Our results showed that one should consider not only the
      tumor cells proper but also the non-neoplastic cellular elements, which appear in
      association with growth or necrosis of the tumor cells, for precise analysis of
      [18F]FDG uptake in tumor-bearing subjects, especially after anti-neoplastic
      treatment.

PMID- 1432159
TI  - Metabolic design of combination therapy: use of enhanced fluorodeoxyglucose
      uptake caused by chemotherapy.
AB  - In order to quantify effects of an experimental chemotherapy, MCF7 cells were
      studied with 14C-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and high-performance liquid
      chromatography (HPLC). Uptake measurements were performed 1 and 4 hr after the
      end of a therapy with hexadecylphosphocholine (HPC). A dose- and time-dependent
      increase of the FDG uptake after therapy was observed, with a maximum at 1 hr
      after therapy. These data were used to develop a new metabolic design of
      combination treatment. Several time-dose combinations of HPC and deoxyglucose
      (DOG) were analyzed for their effects on growth inhibition. The combinations
      using DOG in the period of pronounced enhancement of FDG uptake (1 hr after HPC
      treatment) were found to be the most effective with an improvement of up to 520%
      in growth inhibition. This metabolic design of combination treatment may also be
      applied in vivo, and PET can be used to optimize the time and dose schedule of
      the modified treatment protocol.

PMID- 1432160
TI  - Comparison of technetium-99m-glucarate and thallium-201 for the identification of
      acute myocardial infarction in rats.
AB  - The scintigraphic identification of acute severe ischemic myocardial injury
      requires a marker that localizes rapidly and specifically in zones of damaged
      myocardium. Technetium-99m-glucarate, a six-carbon dicarboxylic acid, which
      behaves in vivo somewhat like fructose, was recently described as a marker of
      severe acute ischemic injury with necrosis. This study was performed to determine
      the interval between the onset of myocardial ischemia and initial uptake and the
      duration of a positive scan in experimental animals. Serial injections and images
      were recorded over 10 days following ligation of the left anterior descending
      coronary artery of the rat. The distribution of 99mTc-glucarate was compared to
      that of regional myocardial perfusion monitored with 201TI. The findings on
      radionuclide imaging were compared to histologic changes in the myocardium.
      Sequential pinhole images of both radionuclides were collected at 3 hr, 24 hr, 72
      hr and 7-10 days following ligation. Ten rats had normal 201TI distributions, no
      uptake of glucarate and no evidence of infarction by TTC staining at autopsy.
      Twenty-one rats had either 201TI lesions or evidence of infarction at autopsy. In
      17 of these rats, significant acute 99mTc-glucarate uptake was noted, decreasing
      at 24 hr, and was not seen at 72 hr or 7-10 days. The extent of perfusion
      abnormality was greatest at 3 hr in most animals; the lesion decreased in four
      (33%), increased in one (8%) and remained stable in the remainder. These data
      suggest that 99mTc-glucarate may be a useful marker of acute myocardial injury.

PMID- 1432161
TI  - Imaging of cardiac transplantation rejection in primates using two new antimyosin
      agents.
AB  - Indium-111-labeled monoclonal antimyosin Fab has been used to image myocardial
      infarction, myocarditis and cardiac transplant rejection with localization in
      myocytes that have suffered irreversible loss of cell membrane integrity.
      Technical factors potentially limiting clinical usefulness of 111In antimyosin
      include dosimetry (72 hr half-life of 111In), slow blood clearance of antibody
      proteins delaying optimal imaging to 24 to 48 hr postinjection and nontarget
      organ uptake. Therefore, two new antimyosin imaging agents experimentally shown
      to potentially improve dosimetry, shorten time from injection to imaging or
      decrease nonspecific cell binding were evaluated in a primate cardiac transplant
      model. The two agents evaluated were polylysine 111In-antimyosin (0.023 mg Fab
      modified with a 3.3 kd polymer of polylysine and labeled with 111In) and 99mTc
      antimyosin (0.5 mg Fab' antimyosin labeled using the RP-1 ligand technique). A
      total of eight baboons were studied: three with heterotopic (cervical)
      xenographs, three with orthotopic allographs and two control animals. Each animal
      was injected first with 12-23 mCi of 99mTc-RP-1 antimyosin and 5-16 hr after
      completion of imaging, was injected with 0.72-1.88 mCi of 111In-polylysine
      antimyosin (PIs) and reimaged 12-48 hr later. The imaging results were compared
      to the histology of the animals. Biexponential curves were fit to the blood
      sample data and rate constants were determined and expressed as T1/2 values.
      There were no significant differences between the two agents in either the early
      fast components or the late slow components. On planar imaging, there was blood
      pool activity at 10-12 hr postinjection of both agents, but by 16-24 hr
      postinjection, blood pool was negligible on the 111In-PIs scans. Both agents were
      concentrated in the rejected cardiac tissue. The slow blood-pool clearance
      combined with the 6 hr half-life of 99mTc-RP-1 AMA make this agent less promising
      for detection of diffuse myocardial uptake than 111In Fab modified with
      polylysine.

PMID- 1432162
TI  - Experimental and clinical analysis of the characteristics of a chimeric
      monoclonal antibody, MOv18, reactive with an ovarian cancer-associated antigen.
AB  - Monoclonal antibody (Mab) MOv18 preferentially reacts with gynecological
      carcinomas. We have analyzed the characteristics of murine MOv18 (m-MOv18) and
      chimeric MOv18 (c-MOv18). We found no differences in affinity and binding to
      IGROV1 cells between c-MOv18 as IgG and F(ab')2 fragments and m-MOv18. In nude
      mice bearing IGROV1 xenografts, maximum tumor uptake 6-15 hr after i.v. injection
      of radiolabeled m-MOv18 IgG, c-MOv18 IgG, c-MOv18 F(ab')2 and a control IgG, 2C7,
      was 10%, 11%, 3% and 4.5% of the injected dose/g (%ID/g), respectively. M- and c
      MOv18 IgG retained this level for several days, while c-MOv18 F(ab')2 and 2C7
      cleared rapidly from the tumor. Uptake in normal tissues was low, with the
      exception of high uptake in kidneys for c-MOv18 F(ab')2. Tumor/blood ratios for c
      MOv18 F(ab')2 were sixfold higher than for IgG. Radiation absorbed doses to tumor
      tissue delivered by 10 microCi iodinated m-MOv18 IgG, c-MOv18 IgG and c-MOv18
      F(ab')2 were 39 cGy, 49 cGy and 5 cGy, respectively. A cocktail of 125I-c-MOv18
      IgG and 131I-c-MOv18 F(ab')2 injected i.v. into an ovarian cancer patient,
      localized specifically in the tumor. Ovarian cancer tissue samples obtained 2
      days postinjection showed a mean uptake of 1.2 x 10(-3) and 2.7 x 10(-3) %ID/g
      for c-MOv18 IgG and c-MOv18 F(ab')2, respectively. Results from these in vitro
      and in vivo experiments indicate that c-MOv18 has promise as a Mab for clinical
      use.

PMID- 1432163
TI  - Pretargeted immunoscintigraphy: effect of hapten valency on murine tumor uptake.
AB  - A method of radioimmunoscintigraphy using bivalent "Janus" haptens with an
      apparent enhanced affinity ("avidity") for the antibody is described. Janus with
      50 micrograms pretargeted Mab WC3A11 resulted in significantly higher murine
      tumor concentrations (approximately 7%/g) compared to monovalent haptens
      (approximately 1.4%/g, p < 0.001), and the same high tumor-to-background ratios
      (approximately 3/1). Janus was synthesized by coupling two molecules of BABE
      together with a 1,4 butanedithiol linker. Janus itself was rapidly excreted
      (T1/2b = 42 min) by the kidneys and did not concentrate in any other organs or
      tissues. Three-step pretargeted immunoscintigraphy (binder, chaser, tracer) with
      111In- or 67Ga-Co(III) Janus produced excellent mouse tumor images in 3 hr with
      high tumor-to-background ratios. The use of short-lived tracers, such as 99mTc
      and 68Ga, with a T1/2p of hours to image antibodies that localize slowly over
      several days in vivo is accessible with this new technology.

PMID- 1432164
TI  - Abnormal intracerebral thallium localization in a bacterial brain abscess.
AB  - A 56-yr-old man with a prior history of renal cell carcinoma had moderately
      intense abnormal localization of 201Tl-chloride in a solitary brain lesion which
      was discovered to be a bacterial abscess. The organisms isolated by culture
      included Actinomycosis odontolyticus, Peptostreptococcus and Hemophilus
      aphrophilus. Because of the clinical presentation, MRI characteristics and
      thallium scintigraphic findings, the lesion had been felt to represent either a
      primary or a metastatic neoplasm. This case illustrates the need for caution in
      the interpretation of thallium brain scintigram.

PMID- 1432166
TI  - An autonomously functioning thyroid carcinoma associated with euthyroid Graves'
      disease.
AB  - A 39-yr-old man with an autonomously functioning thyroid carcinoma is presented.
      Only 17 similar cases have been reported in the literature. The patient had
      unilateral Graves' ophthalmopathy. He was euthyroid as reflected by normal TSH
      concentration, whereas the results of a T3 suppression test established the
      presence of autonomous thyroid function. A thyroid scan with (123)I revealed a
      hot nodule corresponding to the location of a papillary carcinoma and remained
      substantially unchanged after T3 administration. The hyperfunction of the
      carcinoma itself was clearly confirmed by the intense concentration of (131)I
      within the tumor on microautoradiograms. While a hot nodule on radioiodine scan
      is unlikely to be malignant, the possibility of carcinoma should not be
      overlooked.

PMID- 1432165
TI  - PET scanning of iodine-124-3F9 as an approach to tumor dosimetry during treatment
      planning for radioimmunotherapy in a child with neuroblastoma.
AB  - A patient with advanced neuroblastoma who had failed chemotherapy presented with
      a large abdominal mass and virtually total bone marrow replacement by tumor on
      repeated marrow biopsies. She was considered a candidate for a Phase I 131I-3F8
      radioimmunotherapy trial, (MSKCC 89-141A). As a potential aid to treatment
      planning, a test dose of 124I-3F8 was injected and the patient was imaged over
      the 72 hr postinjection using two BGO based PET scanners of different designs.
      Time activity curves were obtained, and the cumulated activity concentration of
      radiolabeled 3F8 in tumor was determined. Based on MIRD, an estimated radiation
      absorbed dose for 131I-3F8 was 7.55 rad/mCi, in the most antibody avid lesions.
      Because of low uptake and unfavorable dosimetry in some bulky tumor sites, it was
      decided not to treat the patient with radiolabeled antibody. Positron emission
      tomography of 124I-labeled antibodies can be used to measure cumulated activity
      or residence time in tumor for more accurate estimates of radiation absorbed
      tumor dose from radioiodinated antibodies and can help guide management decisions
      in patients who are candidates for radioimmunotherapy.

PMID- 1432167
TI  - Indium-111-leukocyte and gallium-67 imaging in acute sarcoidosis: report of two
      patients.
AB  - Two young women with acute sarcoidosis underwent (111)In-labeled autologous
      leukocyte imaging because of persistent fevers. Images of one of the women
      demonstrated faint thoracic lymph node uptake of labeled cells, but no discrete
      focus suggestive of infection was seen. Images of the second woman were normal.
      Gallium-67 imaging, performed 48 hr after the leukocyte studies, revealed
      multiple areas of abnormal radiotracer accumulation corresponding to regions of
      active sarcoid in both women. These cases suggest that leukocyte imaging is not
      useful for assessing the extent of disease in patients with sarcoidosis. This
      technique may be valuable, however, in excluding superimposed infection in these
      individuals.

PMID- 1432168
TI  - Dual-isotope brain SPECT imaging with technetium-99m and iodine-123: validation
      by phantom studies.
AB  - Phantom studies were employed to determine whether the enhanced energy resolution
      (9.7% FWHM) of a new high-resolution, three-headed single-photon emission
      computed tomograph might permit the simultaneous acquisition of 99mTc and (123)I.
      Various window widths (15% and 10%) and positions (centered and asymmetric to the
      photopeak) were used to examine cross-contamination between these two isotopes.
      Brain phantom experiments using a 15% centered 99mTc window in conjunction with a
      10% asymmetric (123)I window (upper half of the (123)I photopeak) demonstrated
      that approximately 95% of observed counts were derived from the isotope of
      interest. Shifting the (123)I window from asymmetric to centered resulted in a
      significant increase in contamination of the (123)I window. Shifting the 99mTc
      window from centered to asymmetric did not significantly alter image quality for
      99mTc. Separate experiments employing vials with varying isotope concentrations
      demonstrated that quantitative recovery from mixed 99mTc and (123)I sources was
      equivalent to that from matched single-isotope sources (r2 > or = to 0.90).

PMID- 1432169
TI  - Ventilation perfusion lung scanning in the evaluation of right-to-left shunting.

PMID- 1432170
TI  - Prognostic value of captopril renal scintigraphy in renovascular hypertension.
AB  - This study evaluates the prognostic value of captopril renal scintigraphy in
      hypertensive patients undergoing renal artery revascularization. Preoperative
      studies of 51 patients were correlated with blood pressure results at 6- and 12
      mo follow-up. Captopril-renal scintigraphy was carried out 1 hr after oral
      administration of 50 mg of captopril, using either 220 MBq of 99mTc-DTPA or 74
      MBq of 99mTc-MAG3, followed by a baseline study in case of abnormal results.
      Evidence of amelioration or normalization in relation to captopril study was
      considered predictive of blood pressure control following treatment. Blood
      pressure response was favorable in 37 patients, but failed to show any
      improvement in 14. The scintigraphic test was positive in 33 patients (15 cured,
      17 improved, 1 failed) and negative in 18 (3 cured, 2 improved, 13 failed).
      Sensitivity and specificity for renovascular hypertension was 86.5% and 93%,
      respectively. For blood pressure cure and improvement, the test had positive and
      negative predictive values of 97% and 72%, respectively. A positive preoperative
      captopril renal scintigraphic result is a strong predictor of hypertension
      curability by renal artery revascularization.

PMID- 1432171
TI  - Captopril renal scintigraphy--a way to distinguish functional from anatomic renal
      artery stenosis.

PMID- 1432172
TI  - The "well tempered" diuretic renogram: a standard method to examine the
      asymptomatic neonate with hydronephrosis or hydroureteronephrosis. A report from
      combined meetings of The Society for Fetal Urology and members of The Pediatric
      Nuclear Medicine Council--The Society of Nuclear Medicine.
AB  - Perinatal hydronephrosis (HN) and hydroureteronephrosis (HUN) are recognized more
      frequently as the routine use of prenatal ultrasonography increases. The decision
      making process for those instances of urinary tract dilatation that require
      surgical correction and those that do not is based in part on the findings of
      diuresis renography. The methodology for performing this test has differed among
      nuclear medicine practitioners and the surgical findings are occasionally
      discrepant from the diuretic renogram interpretation. Consequently, the Society
      of Fetal Urology (SFU) and the Pediatric Nuclear Medicine Council (PNMC) of the
      Society of Nuclear Medicine met to develop by consensus a more uniform
      methodology. A standard method has been agreed upon for the following facets of
      diuretic renography: patient preparation (hydration and bladder catheterization),
      diuresis renography technique (radiopharmaceutical used, patient position during
      examination, data acquisition parameters, diuretic pharmaceutical and dosage,
      time of injection and regions of interest to monitor diuretic effect), and data
      analysis (percent differential renal function, curve pattern analysis and methods
      of measuring diuretic response). Pooled diuresis renogram data are being
      collected for analysis for correlation with surgical results and clinical
      outcomes to determine the most appropriate information to be derived from the
      diuretic renogram in neonates with HN and HUN.

PMID- 1432173
TI  - Diffuse abdominal uptake of technetium-99m-methylene diphosphonate in a patient
      on continuous ambulatory dialysis during bone scintigraphy.
AB  - Extra-skeletal uptake of bone seeking radiopharmaceuticals has been documented by
      scintigraphy. We present a case of diffuse uptake of 99mTc-methylene
      diphosphonate (MDP) in the abdomen of a patient while undergoing continuous
      ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) who had no symptoms or findings referable
      to the abdomen. We hypothesized that the 99mTc-MDP crossed the peritoneal
      membrane across a concentration gradient. An in-vitro simulation confirms that
      99mTc-MDP will cross a semi-permeable membrane. Diffuse uptake of 99mTc-MDP may
      be a normal variant in patients on CAPD who have no signs or symptoms of
      peritonitis.

PMID- 1432174
TI  - Clarification of traditional bases for ethics.

PMID- 1432175
TI  - First-pass versus gated equilibrium radioangiography.

PMID- 1432176
TI  - Large bolus radionuclide esophageal transit may predict response to esophageal
      dilatation in achalasia.

PMID- 1432177
TI  - Technical considerations in the handling of a cadaver having received radioiodine
      prior to death.

PMID- 1432178
TI  - Acupuncture and radioactive pathways of hypodermically injected technetium-99m.

PMID- 1432179
TI  - Scientists report surprise findings of thyroid cancer following Chernobyl.

PMID- 1432180
TI  - Congress begins support of the National Biomedical Tracer Facility.

PMID- 1432181
TI  - Blues approve indications for PET.

PMID- 1432182
TI  - The SNM Manpower Survey report.

PMID- 1432183
TI  - Revising your manuscript.

PMID- 1432184
TI  - Feeling refreshed: helping RNs return to the work force.
AB  - In light of the nursing shortage, many hospitals are turning to refresher courses
      to meet staffing needs. To be successful, the course must be designed to meet the
      needs of both the participant and the hospital. Although the exact structure of
      the course will vary by institution, this article details steps taken at one
      hospital to help registered nurses return to nursing.

PMID- 1432185
TI  - A new clinical educator role: bridging the education-practice gap.
AB  - A new clinical educator role implemented at Georgetown University Hospital is
      described in this article. Nurses in this role assume dual responsibilities for
      nursing staff development and clinical supervision of baccalaureate nursing
      students. These clinical educators have joint appointments in the Department of
      Nursing and the School of Nursing. This role helps to bridge the education
      practice gap and encourages a more efficient use of nursing resources.

PMID- 1432186
TI  - Assertiveness training: does it make a difference?
AB  - The impact of assertiveness training on job-related functioning has not been
      evaluated. This study, conducted in a tertiary care psychiatric facility,
      assessed whether assertiveness training changed nurses' perceptions of
      assertiveness, attitudes toward power, functioning within the nursing team, and
      functioning within the multidisciplinary team. This article describes a four-part
      assertiveness training course that was found to significantly affect feelings of
      assertiveness.

PMID- 1432187
TI  - Teaching the nurse to teach with health information videos.
AB  - Using health information videos is a common way to teach hospitalized patients.
      This article describes a study of medical and surgical patients in an acute care
      hospital. In Phase I, patients' frequency of Patient Health Information
      Television use and their knowledge of programs and scheduling were evaluated.
      Phase 2 identified patients' learning after viewing selected programs. In Phase
      I, frequency of use, peak viewer time, and viewer encouragement strategies were
      revealed. In Phase II, the efficacy of televised patient education was
      documented. Results indicate that nursing staff development educators should
      teach nurses how to work with this educational medium.

PMID- 1432188
TI  - A hierarchical approach to unit-based nursing orientation.
AB  - Using a hierarchical approach to orientation is a means to address the needs of
      both the orientee and the institution. The Hierarchical Orientation Model,
      described in this article, focuses on the development of skills in patient
      assessment and management and on organization sensitivity and integration. The
      model is based on adult learning principles that include building on previous
      knowledge and self-paced learning. Although developed for a tertiary pediatric
      hospital, the Hierarchical Orientation Model can be applied to other settings.

PMID- 1432189
TI  - Opioid analgesics: nurses' knowledge of doses and psychological dependence.
AB  - Lack of education of health professionals, including nurses, is frequently cited
      as a major reason for undertreatment of pain. Very recent surveys have revealed
      an urgent need for basic and continuing nursing education to address this
      problem. For example, little time is spent on the topic of pain in many
      baccalaureate nursing programs, nursing textbooks lack correct information about
      opioid addiction, and most practicing nurses currently do not possess knowledge
      about opioid analgesics that would enable them to administer opioids effectively.
      The authors report on a survey of 1,781 practicing nurses' specific knowledge
      deficits regarding opioid analgesics and propose some solutions.

PMID- 1432190
TI  - Critical Care Blitz Weekend: fun for all.

PMID- 1432191
TI  - Innovative staff development approaches for NCLEX-RN success.
AB  - NCLEX-RN Licensure success is achievable when the institution provides
      administrative support, has a committed staff development department, and
      allocates necessary resources and support services. This program was designed and
      delivered in a cost-effective manner. The candidates attended the on-site review
      course and tutoring sessions before their assigned work time. The tutoring
      sessions offered by the staff development instructors were held during their
      regularly scheduled hours. The consultant's fee for the on-site review course was
      $200 per eligible candidate, for a total of $7,600. Specifically, employers and
      staff development departments must take a strong role not only in acclimating
      newly graduated and foreign-educated nurses to the professional environment, but
      also in helping to prepare them for the NCLEX-RN Licensure Examination. Thus,
      staff development educators can effectively ensure that their institutions will
      not lose valuable registered nurses.

PMID- 1432192
TI  - Inservice day benefits staff.

PMID- 1432193
TI  - Strategy implementation, evaluation and control.

PMID- 1432194
TI  - Effect of Orem's model on nurse attitudes and charting behavior.
AB  - This article describes a program evaluation that examines the effect of Orem's
      self-care nursing model on the attitudes of nurses and on charting behavior.
      Implementing Orem's model increased staff nurse satisfaction with nursing and
      enhanced nurses' perception of the value of patient teaching.

PMID- 1432195
TI  - Helping new graduates succeed at the NCLEX-RN experience: evaluation of an
      anxiety-reducing workshop.
AB  - A descriptive, longitudinal study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of
      a 2-day workshop designed to reduce the anxiety levels of new graduates
      participating in the NCLEX-RN examination. A hospital nurse administrator, in
      collaboration with nurse educators, provided a multimodal in-service program.
      "Test wiseness," or test-taking strategies, and exercises related to physical and
      emotional well-being, were included for three groups of new graduates. Using
      Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale to collect data, reduction in anxiety after the
      workshop and at the completion of the NCLEX-RN experience was identified. All
      participants in the program passed the NCLEX-RN examination.

PMID- 1432196
TI  - Characteristics of critical care nursing internship programs.
AB  - Development of programs to prepare new graduate nurses to work in critical care
      units has been a priority for nurse educators for many years. Despite the
      presence of many such internship programs, little data are available about the
      characteristics of such programs. Results of this study suggest that the
      development of internship programs designed to prepare new graduate nurses in
      critical care nursing continues to be a priority. The standards used by these
      programs are individualized and are often reflective of the unique needs of the
      institution. Costs of these programs are quite high. Recommendations for future
      directions based upon the results of the study are offered.

PMID- 1432197
TI  - Mouth-to-mask resuscitation in the hospital: perceived problems of staff and
      variations in technique.
AB  - Mouth-to-mask resuscitation is used by many hospitals to implement "Universal
      Infection Precautions" and is now mandatory for health care Basic Cardiac Life
      Support (BCLS) courses nationwide. In the past, mouth-to-mask resuscitation was
      not routinely performed in hospital settings, and was optional in health care
      BCLS courses. This study suggests needed changes in mouth-to-mask resuscitation
      training and use. These findings can be used by nurse educators who are
      frequently responsible for implementing and evaluating BCLS programs.

PMID- 1432198
TI  - Team building for the staff development department.
AB  - Development of effective teamwork is a deliberate process. The leader assumes a
      major role in this process. The payoff for team building begins with the
      increased professional growth of members that may ultimately result in improved
      overall organizational effectiveness. This article describes the major roles a
      leader plays in helping groups become teams.

PMID- 1432199
TI  - Planning a peer review program.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to provide a basis for the planning and subsequent
      implementation of a peer review program, concomitant to exploring the perceptions
      of registered nurses regarding initiating a peer review program in a small
      midwestern hospital. The study findings indicated that registered nurses liked
      the peer review process, perceived peer review as helping their professional
      growth, and indicated a strong desire for education and in-service. Based on the
      study results, planning and recommendations for further implementation are
      discussed.

PMID- 1432200
TI  - New instructor orientation: a formalized process.

PMID- 1432201
TI  - Needs assessment.

PMID- 1432202
TI  - AONE's perspective on healthcare reform.

PMID- 1432203
TI  - Nurse administrators in job transition: managing the exit.

PMID- 1432204
TI  - Legal and ethical issues in HIV testing, Part 1.
AB  - HIV antibody testing presents multiple and complex legal and ethical issues.
      Nurse executives must be knowledgeable about these issues and their potential
      impact on administrative practice. In this two-part series, the author presents
      legal and ethical issues related to testing. Part 1 focuses on the AIDS epidemic,
      the ELISA test, informed consent, confidentiality, and mandatory vs. voluntary
      testing.

PMID- 1432205
TI  - Contract management. Filling the void created by CNE vacancies.
AB  - Contract management can provide interim chief nurse executives (CNEs) during the
      search process for a permanent executive. Experienced and effective, interim
      nursing executives can communicate to all audiences, prepare the organization for
      the next permanent nursing executive, and their presence avoids problems that
      arise during a long recruitment period. Typically, interim nursing executives
      find that working through contract management is a rewarding and challenging
      experience.

PMID- 1432206
TI  - Developing home care standards you can count on ... and cost on!
AB  - Cost management is a six-step process that begins with identifying important
      activities of patient care, identifying desired outcomes of patient care, and the
      most predictable and efficient process to be used to ensure outcome
      accomplishment. The more caregivers and managers understand the cost-benefit
      connection between patient care and resource costs, the easier it will be for
      them to manage (rather than be a victim of) quality, productivity, and
      profitability.

PMID- 1432207
TI  - Nursing: asset or liability.

PMID- 1432208
TI  - Designing roles for assistive personnel in a rural hospital.
AB  - The role development of assistive personnel has become more important in rural
      hospitals because of the limited professional nursing supply. St. Mary's Hospital
      has fostered interdepartmental collaboration to reallocate duties to personnel
      who are best qualified to perform them. The dyad model, uniquely tailored to this
      hospital's needs, has resulted in the more efficient and effective use of
      personnel.

PMID- 1432209
TI  - Teleconferencing. Home health administrators and educators enhance graduate
      education.
AB  - In light of the current condition of university budgets, enhancing graduate
      education can be a challenge for nurse educators. One effective and inexpensive
      strategy is teleconferencing. This strategy allows graduate students to network
      with nurse leaders nationwide without the expense of travel. Teleconferencing
      could also be adapted in other areas to bring service and educational
      professionals together.

PMID- 1432210
TI  - Demystifying the intensive care unit.

PMID- 1432211
TI  - Operating room productivity. An evaluation format.
AB  - Operating room (OR) directors are frequently faced with the challenge of
      explaining or justifying OR productivity and the OR staffing budget. This
      justification may occur annually in conjunction with their budget submission or
      when consultants are employed to evaluate and improve OR productivity. Whatever
      the circumstance, a simple step-by-step format that helps physicians and
      administrators understand the impact of productivity on the nursing budget can be
      most useful. The authors present a format that was successfully used at a Boston
      teaching hospital.

PMID- 1432212
TI  - A strategy for growth in home care. The clinical nurse specialist.
AB  - One of the most challenging problems that faces today's home healthcare providers
      is how to deliver quality care within the constraints imposed by changing
      population, limited resources, and regulations. This problem is particularly
      apparent to those who provide rural healthcare. Use of the clinical nurse
      specialist can promote quality care while facilitating the development and
      expansion of home health services.

PMID- 1432213
TI  - HIV treatment costs staggering.

PMID- 1432214
TI  - Nursing research in the VA system. A consortium approach.
AB  - Five Veterans' Administration Medical Centers formed a consortium to promote
      nursing research. Consortium arrangements focusing on research are reviewed based
      on the literature, the consortium's experience, and a survey of 171 VA
      facilities. Consortiums are suggested for multisite facilities, such as city,
      state, proprietary, and religious hospital systems, to increase the quality and
      quantity of nursing research where institutional mechanisms for overcoming the
      difficulties of meeting and sharing information are already in place.

PMID- 1432215
TI  - Optimizing nursing information systems.
AB  - Financial, billing, and admission/discharge/transfer software applications have
      been available for years. Many administrators are purchasing systems to obtain
      automation to support nursing needs. However, administrators cannot rely on
      internal experience or software vendors to design their systems because not many
      have been operational long enough to have been sufficiently tested. In this
      article, the author provides a background of current functionality available, how
      clinical applications can interface for efficient documentation, and a strategy
      for developing the design of a new system.

PMID- 1432216
TI  - Employment and functional impairment affect caregivers.

PMID- 1432217
TI  - Discharge planning: collaboration between the community and the acute care
      hospital.

PMID- 1432218
TI  - Premium pay cuts agency costs.

PMID- 1432219
TI  - The nurse practitioner in tertiary care.

PMID- 1432221
TI  - The handwriting on the wall. Warning signs of impending job loss.
AB  - Can nurse executives read the handwriting on the wall when they or another nurse
      executive are facing a forced resignation or termination? What are the warning
      signs of an eroding job position, including the relationship between the chief
      nurse executive and the chief executive officer? How much time does a nurse
      executive typically have in the job once the warning signs begin to show? The
      authors discuss these questions and specific tactics and strategies suggested by
      warning signs.

PMID- 1432220
TI  - The nurse case manager: focus, selection, preparation, and measurement.

PMID- 1432222
TI  - A new look for quality in home care.
AB  - The management of quality is being transformed in healthcare. Continuous
      improvement is a cornerstone to this new look at quality. However, no continuous
      quality program will succeed without incorporating the values and wants of the
      consumer of care and the end point they want to reach. This article presents an
      overview of the values to consider and the way to define outcomes.

PMID- 1432224
TI  - 'Conspiracy' surrounds HIV exposure.

PMID- 1432223
TI  - Community-hospital partnerships. The Quick Response Team.
AB  - The Quick Response Team project was an intervention designed and implemented by
      the Capital Regional District Care Program in partnership with the Greater
      Victoria Hospital Society. The aim was to address the health needs of frail
      elderly with multiple social, emotional, physical, and medical problems who were
      at risk for a custodial admission to acute care. The result was an innovation in
      organizational and program development that required human, material, and
      financial resource management to maintain client safety, well being and
      satisfaction, avert admissions to acute care, and identify new and relevant
      directions for community healthcare.

PMID- 1432225
TI  - Implementation of a national nursing standards program.
AB  - At an annual nursing management conference of a multisystem hospital management
      firm, nursing executives expressed a need for developing nursing care standards.
      Because many of the hospitals were small or rural, they lacked some of the
      resources needed to develop such a program individually. Pooling resources so
      that all could benefit was an innovative and sensible approach. The authors
      describe the project that resulted in the development of a nation-wide standards
      program involving nearly 50 hospitals.

PMID- 1432226
TI  - The Omaha System. A research-based model for decision making.
AB  - This article describes the value, diversity, and potential benefits of the Omaha
      System in generalizing and manipulating client, clinical, and financial data. The
      authors provide examples of its utility for day-to-day and long-range clinical
      and financial decision making in home and public health agencies, colleges of
      nursing, and ambulatory care centers throughout the United States and Canada.

PMID- 1432227
TI  - Work restructuring: after the decision is made.

PMID- 1432228
TI  - Work environment factors influencing burnout among third shift nurses.

PMID- 1432229
TI  - Milestone Action Plans. Empowering nurses to manage care.
AB  - Confronted by continuing financial losses that could not be simply staunched by
      further reductions in the operations budget, a medical center implemented an
      innovative cost-cutting program that offered quick results and simplicity of
      design while assuring quality patient care. The authors describe the initiative
      known as Clinical Resource Management (CRM), which unites the expertise of
      physicians, nurses, and other care providers in a collaborative approach.

PMID- 1432230
TI  - Characteristics of nursing practice models.
AB  - Are there differences among the nursing practice dimensions of the three major
      nursing practice models--team nursing, case management, and total patient care?
      The author, whose study found few differences, discusses reasons for the
      similarity among models and suggests approaches to designing future nursing
      practice models.

PMID- 1432231
TI  - Job conflict resolution styles of nurses.

PMID- 1432232
TI  - And the search goes on: the administrative vacancy.

PMID- 1432233
TI  - Home infusion therapy fact sheet.

PMID- 1432234
TI  - Improving morale among nurses: ideas for administrators.

PMID- 1432235
TI  - Trends in nursing administration graduate education.

PMID- 1432236
TI  - Are dwindling resources affecting the education of nurse administrators?

PMID- 1432237
TI  - Collaboration in labor relations. A model for success.
AB  - Proliferation of bargaining units in currently unionized organizations will
      create new challenges and complexities for nurse executives. Although the
      literature abounds with strategies to prevent unionization, little had been
      presented on establishing and maintaining effective relations with bargaining
      units. The authors focus on currently unionized nursing practice environments and
      present a model for facilitating positive, cooperative relations between unions,
      the nursing profession, and the healthcare organization.

PMID- 1432238
TI  - Fiscal and clinical evaluation of patient care. A case management model for the
      future.
AB  - The cost of healthcare within the United States continues to climb as does the
      number of individuals who have limited access to the healthcare system. By the
      year 2000, healthcare costs are predicted to comprise 15% of the gross national
      product. Over the last 10 years, the number of Americans who do not have
      financial protection from medical costs has risen dramatically. Presently, an
      estimated 35 million individuals have no insurance or other coverage.

PMID- 1432239
TI  - Effects of policy manual reorganization on user proficiency.
AB  - This study compared the proficiency of nurses who located policies in a
      traditional, alphabetically arranged policy manual vs. a reorganized, indexed
      manual. Nurses were asked to locate policy statements that would resolve issues
      presented in three vignettes that were typical of the decisions nurses must
      regularly make. Answers were scored as correct or incorrect; time to respond and
      search strategies were also recorded. Data analyses show the overall superiority
      of the reorganized, indexed manual.

PMID- 1432240
TI  - Demonstrating excellence in home care through Joint Commission accreditation.
AB  - Nurse administrators responsible for developing and managing home care delivery
      systems need to understand the eligibility criteria for accreditation, key
      components of the standards, survey, and accreditation decision process, and
      directions for the future including external recognition of accreditation and the
      use of an indicator monitoring system. The authors highlight the major components
      and benefits of the home care accreditation program of the Joint Commission on
      Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, as well as how the nurse administrator
      may use accreditation as a valuable management tool.

PMID- 1432241
TI  - Female nurse executives. Finally, at an advantage?
AB  - Discrimination, subtle and overt, from socialization and institutional forces,
      continues to keep nurse executives, most of whom are women, out of chief
      executive officer (CEO) positions. However, because of the women's movement,
      changing organizational forces, and shifting demographics, more nurse executives
      are likely to move into the ranks of CEOs. The authors explore the issues of
      managerial discrimination and indicate strategies that are beginning to open
      doors to female nurse executives who desire CEO positions.

PMID- 1432242
TI  - Inner-city safety for home care providers.
AB  - For home health agencies to continue serving the elderly and the chronically ill
      in urban areas, providers must be protected from drugs, weapons, and violence--no
      easy task in today's environment. What recourse do agencies have short of
      refusing service? The author discusses what is required to assure safety for
      providers in the community and for agencies to meet their values, fulfill their
      missions, and keep healthcare affordable.

PMID- 1432243
TI  - Obtaining services for HIV-positive patients.
AB  - Services needed for HIV-positive persons and the availability of these services
      were reported in the July/August 1990 issue of JONA. This article includes
      further information from the original study--an analysis of the factors in each
      reporting hospital and community that enabled or barred the development of
      services for HIV-positive persons. This information offers strategies to nurse
      executives for obtaining services in their own settings.

PMID- 1432244
TI  - Recognizing excellence. Giving your AWE.
AB  - Nursing and hospital administrators have several methods of recognizing
      individual achievements. We developed an awards program to recognize excellence
      for an entire nursing unit. Our Award of Excellence uses rating factors to
      measure one unit against another. In a much heralded quarterly reception,
      strongly supported, funded, and attended by senior executives, the staff on the
      winning unit are complimented for their accomplishment. This program has reduced
      overtime, while improving productivity and quality of care.

PMID- 1432245
TI  - Nurse-managed primary care. Tapping the rural community power base.
AB  - Involving community members into plans and projects is especially salient in
      initiating and maintaining nurse-managed centers. Nowhere is community
      involvement more crucial than in establishing a nursing practice in an isolated
      rural setting. The authors share their first-hand experiences in community
      interaction in establishing the state-funded health center.

PMID- 1432247
TI  - Addressing substance abuse within nursing.

PMID- 1432246
TI  - Establishing an alternate level of care unit.
AB  - Timely discharge of patients is a major concern of hospitals due to the
      significant impact of reimbursement constraints. This presents special challenges
      for hospitals and their staff, who care for an increasing number of elderly
      patients who do not require acute care, but are waiting for placement in extended
      care facilities. The authors describe development and economic impact of an
      alternate level of care unit, that provides an integrated program of services to
      address the needs of this patient population.

PMID- 1432248
TI  - Energy expenditure and requirements in aging humans.
AB  - Although physical activity is frequently recommended for the elderly individual,
      its influence on energy intake and energy expenditure is unclear. The use of
      indirect calorimetry techniques and stable isotopes make it possible to examine
      the effects of physical activity on total daily energy expenditure and its
      components. In this review, the influence of physical activity on adaptive
      changes in energy intake, daily energy expenditure, resting metabolic rate and
      the energy expenditure of physical activity during nonexercising time was
      examined. Recent findings show that moderate physical activity can increase
      resting metabolic rate and energy intake in the elderly. Vigorous exercise,
      however, did not increase total daily energy expenditure because of a
      compensatory decline in physical activity during nonexercising time. These
      findings should prompt investigators to re-examine the influence of different
      levels of endurance exercise on total daily energy expenditure in an attempt to
      maximize the energy expending properties of physical exercise in older persons. A
      second objective was to examine the current status of methodology to predict
      energy requirements in older persons. Current recommendations for energy lack
      specificity and have not considered the influence of physical activity and body
      composition. Energy needs of older persons need to be re-examined based on the
      measurement of total daily energy expenditure. It will then be important to
      identify biological markers of total daily energy expenditure that take into
      account the variation in physical activity and body composition.

PMID- 1432249
TI  - Protective effect of ascorbic acid on the breakdown of proteins exposed to
      hydrogen peroxide in chicken skeletal muscle.
AB  - Ascorbic acid is believed to protect cells from oxidative damage by reacting with
      oxygen-derived free radicals. We investigated whether ascorbic acid would affect
      the rate of breakdown of skeletal muscle proteins in extracts exposed to hydrogen
      peroxide. Ascorbic acid (20 mmol/L) alone had little or no effect on the rate of
      ATP-independent or ATP-dependent breakdown of proteins in chicken skeletal
      muscle. Pretreatment of chicken skeletal muscle extracts with 10 mmol/L H2O2
      resulted in a complete loss of ATP-dependent proteolysis and a significant
      increase (14- to 15-fold) in the rate of ATP-independent protein breakdown.
      Ascorbic acid (20 mmol/L) did not prevent H2O2 (10 mmol/L) from inactivating the
      ATP-dependent proteolytic pathway in skeletal muscle. However, ascorbic acid (20
      mmol/L) prevented the H2O2-induced increase in the ATP-independent proteolysis of
      endogenous muscle proteins. Ascorbic acid also slowed the rate of hydrolysis of
      exogenously added [3H]superoxide dismutase exposed to H2O2 and inhibited the
      enhanced degradation of [3H]lysozyme and H2O2-treated [3H]superoxide dismutase by
      the proteolytic systems exposed to H2O2. Thus ascorbic acid seems to inhibit the
      H2O2-induced increase in ATP-independent proteolysis 1) by preventing damage to
      proteins by H2O2 resulting in a decreased supply of substrates for the ATP
      independent degradative system and 2) by preventing activation of the proteolytic
      enzymes that participate in the energy-independent degradation of H2O2-treated
      proteins.

PMID- 1432250
TI  - Rat hepatic coenzyme A is redistributed in response to mitochondrial acyl
      coenzyme A accumulation.
AB  - Coenzyme A without an acyl-thioester (CoASH) is required for numerous cellular
      reactions, and sequestration of CoASH as acyl-CoAs may impair metabolic function.
      Increased total CoA protects the cell from acyl-CoA accumulation, and enhanced
      CoA biosynthesis may represent a compensatory response in metabolic disease. To
      test the hypothesis that cellular CoA is redistributed from the cytosol to the
      mitochondria in response to mitochondrial acyl-CoA accretion, the subcellular
      distribution of hepatic CoA was determined by differential centrifugation and
      measurement of the mitochondrial marker enzyme citrate synthase. Liver from
      control, clofibrate-treated and hydroxycobalamin[c-lactam] (HCCL)-treated rats
      were used. Clofibrate increased total hepatic CoA concentration 2.2-fold, whereas
      HCCL (which causes inhibition of L-methylmalonyl-CoA mutase and consequent
      propionyl- and methylmalonyl-CoA accumulation) increased it threefold. However,
      clofibrate did not affect the percentage of total CoA in the mitochondria
      (control: 44 +/- 3%, clofibrate: 49 +/- 5%), and HCCL-treatment induced a marked
      redistribution of CoA into the mitochondria (HCCL: 78 +/- 8%). Redistribution of
      total CoA was also induced acutely by incubation of hepatocytes from control rats
      with 10 mmol/L propionate. Thus, redistribution of the cellular CoA pool can help
      maintain CoASH availability as mitochondrial acyl-CoA accumulation occurs and may
      be an important compensatory response to metabolic injury.

PMID- 1432251
TI  - Copper-marginal and copper-deficient diets decrease aortic prostacyclin
      production and copper-dependent superoxide dismutase activity, and increase
      aortic lipid peroxidation in rats.
AB  - Agonist challenged aortic prostacyclin production was examined in copper
      adequate, -marginal and -deficient rats fed AIN-based diets providing 6.7, 1.7
      and 0.8 micrograms Cu/g, respectively. Aortic rings were incubated in Krebs
      Henseleit salts, 10 mmol/L HEPES buffer, pH 7.4, 95%:5% O2:CO2, 37 degrees C, and
      equilibrated for 1 h. Equilibrated rings were challenged with buffer (basal),
      273.0 nmol/L thrombin and angiotensin II at 84.6 pmol/L and 846.0 pmol/L.
      Prostacyclin production, determined at 10 minutes by RIA as 6-keto prostaglandin
      F1 alpha, in basal and 84.6 pmol/L angiotensin II ring incubations was
      significantly reduced by 28 to 48% in copper-deficient rats. With thrombin or
      846.0 pmol/L angiotensin II prostacyclin production was significantly reduced by
      18 to 55% in copper-marginal and copper-deficient rats. Copper-dependent
      superoxide dismutase activity was significantly depressed by 30 and 57% in aortae
      of copper-marginal and copper-deficient rats. Lipid peroxidation, estimated by
      the thiobarbituric acid test, was significantly increased by 85% in copper
      deficient rats, with a nonsignificant 40% increase in aortae from copper-marginal
      rats. The results suggest that the decreases in aortic prostacyclin production in
      aortae from both copper-deficient and copper-marginal rats are associated, in a
      dose-dependent manner, with copper-dependent superoxide dismutase depression and
      increases in aortic lipid peroxidation.

PMID- 1432252
TI  - Plasma esterase-1 (ES-1) activity in rats is influenced by the amount and type of
      dietary fat, and butyryl cholinesterase activity by the type of dietary fat.
AB  - In previous work, we studied, under conditions of ad libitum food consumption,
      the effect of amount and type of dietary fat on plasma esterase-1 (ES-1) and
      butyryl cholinesterase activity in rats. This was done by the isoenergetic
      replacement of dietary fat by carbohydrates or by another fat source. The
      observed change in enzyme activity could theoretically be determined by either
      the dietary omission or the addition or by the combination. In the present work,
      we studied under restricted feeding conditions the effect of supplemental energy
      in various forms to determine the effect of the supplement alone. Supplemental
      coconut fat, but not isoenergetic amounts of either glucose or casein, raised
      plasma ES-1 activity. None of these supplements influenced butyryl cholinesterase
      activity. In a second experiment, we demonstrated that the ES-1 enhancing effect
      of supplemental coconut fat also occurred with fish oil, whereas the stimulatory
      effects of olive oil and corn oil were less pronounced. Supplemental fish oil,
      but not the three other fats, significantly reduced the depression in butyryl
      cholinesterase activity. Plasma cholesterol concentration was negatively
      associated with butyryl cholinesterase activity, but was not related to ES-1
      activity. The two esterases were not correlated with plasma triglyceride
      concentration. We conclude that both the amount and type of fat in the diet of
      rats have specific influences on plasma ES-1 activity and that butyryl
      cholinesterase activity is affected by the type of fat.

PMID- 1432253
TI  - Copper and selenium deficiencies do not enhance the cardiotoxicity in rats due to
      chronic doxorubicin treatment.
AB  - This study tests the hypothesis that Cu and Se deficiencies enhance doxorubicin
      induced cardiotoxicity and anemia. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 48) were fed Cu
      and Se-adequate (+Cu+Se), Cu-deficient (-Cu), Se-deficient (-Se) or Cu and Se
      deficient (-Cu-Se) diets for 5.5 wk. Doxorubicin (4 mg/kg body wt) or saline was
      administered once weekly for the last 4 wk of the study. Copper deficiency was
      confirmed by 79% lower liver Cu, 67% lower liver Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase
      (Cu,Zn SOD) activity and 76% lower erythrocyte Cu,Zn SOD activity. Selenium
      deficiency was confirmed by 90% lower liver glutathione peroxidase activity. Rats
      fed the -Cu diet had greater reductions in hematocrit than did those fed the +Cu
      diet after administration of doxorubicin. Doxorubicin, Cu deficiency and Se
      deficiency all produced electrocardiographic abnormalities and ultrastructural
      anatomical lesions. However, the dietary deficiencies did not enhance doxorubicin
      induced cardiotoxicity. Doxorubicin, but not Cu or Se deficiency, raised lipid
      peroxidation 16% in liver (P < 0.01) and 18% in heart (not significant). These
      data suggest that the cardiomyopathies caused by doxorubicin and Cu and Se
      deficiencies have some similarities, but cardiac changes may be related to
      mechanisms other than lipid peroxidation.

PMID- 1432255
TI  - Uptake of lycopene and its geometrical isomers is greater from heat-processed
      than from unprocessed tomato juice in humans.
AB  - Lycopene and beta-carotene are the most abundant carotenoids in human blood and
      tissues. Although lacking provitamin A activity, lycopene may be biologically
      active by contributing to the antioxidative defense system of the organism. We
      studied the uptake of lycopene from processed (boiled with 1% corn oil for 1 h)
      and unprocessed tomato juice in humans. Lycopene concentrations in human serum
      increased only when processed tomato juice was consumed. Lycopene uptake varied
      with individuals, but peak serum concentrations were always reached between 24
      and 48 h. The carotenoid was eliminated from serum with a half-life of 2-3 d. The
      increase in peak serum concentrations was dose-dependent but not linear with the
      dose. Repeated doses led to a continual rise of lycopene in human serum. Of the
      different geometrical isomers (all-trans, 9-cis and 13-cis), the cis isomers
      seemed to be somewhat better absorbed than the all-trans form.

PMID- 1432254
TI  - Modified eggs are compatible with a diet that reduces serum cholesterol
      concentrations in humans.
AB  - The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) guidelines recommend dietary
      restriction of fat and cholesterol to reduce high circulating cholesterol
      concentrations in adult Americans. Thus, diet counselors recommend consumption of
      fewer than four egg yolks per week. The present protocol was designed to
      determine whether the efficacy of an NCEP diet would be reduced by the
      incorporation of 12 modified eggs per week, and whether the resulting low fat,
      high cholesterol diet would increase serum lipid concentrations in adults with
      initial undesirably high (5.17-7.76 mmol/L) concentrations of serum total
      cholesterol. Feeding a controlled ration to laying hens produced modified eggs
      that consistently contained more vitamin E and iodine, and more unsaturated fat,
      than generic eggs. Subjects were randomly assigned to and NCEP diet including
      either no whole eggs or 12 whole study eggs a week. Ninety-eight subjects
      completed the parallel study. Subjects in both groups significantly reduced their
      serum total, LDL and HDL cholesterol (P < 0.001 for total and LDL cholesterol, P
      < 0.02 for HDL cholesterol) over the 6 wk of study. No significant differences
      were found between diet groups. We conclude that the study eggs did not adversely
      affect measured lipid concentrations when added to a low fat diet that favorably
      alters lipid profiles in hypercholesterolemic subjects.

PMID- 1432256
TI  - Contribution of skin to whole-body protein synthesis in rats at different stages
      of maturity.
AB  - This study assessed whole-body and tissue protein metabolism and the contribution
      of skin to whole-body protein synthesis during the post-weaning development of
      rats. Protein fractional synthesis rate was measured in muscle, skin and the
      whole body of 70-, 160-, 315- and 586-g rats by use of a continuous infusion of L
      [U-14C]lysine. Rates of protein synthesis were then calculated, based on the
      tissue free and protein-bound lysine specific radioactivity at the end of the
      infusion. The fractional protein synthesis rate declined progressively in the
      skin (from 19.6 to 8.0%/d), in muscle (from 18.9 to 4.8%/d) and in whole body
      (from 25.0 to 8.5%/d) throughout post-weaning development. Absolute synthesis
      rates [g/(d.100 g body wt)] of whole-body and muscle proteins decreased by 54 and
      50%, respectively. On the other hand, the amount of skin protein synthesized per
      100 g body wt was 35% greater in 160-g and 315-g rats than in 70-g and 586-g
      rats. The absolute synthesis rate of muscle proteins as a percentage of whole
      body protein synthesis remained fairly constant at a value close to 24%, whereas
      the skin contribution to whole-body protein synthesis increased from 12% in 70-g
      rats to 26% in 586-g rats.

PMID- 1432257
TI  - Comparison of measured carbon dioxide production with that obtained by the
      isotope dilution technique in neonatal pigs: observations on site of infusion.
AB  - Fifteen newborn pigs (1.5 kg) were used to estimate CO2 "production" over a 5-h
      experiment. In each piglet, the average expired air CO2 irreversible loss rate
      measured over 15-min intervals was compared with an estimate of CO2 "produced" by
      a continuous infusion of NaH14CO3 into either the aortic artery (seven pigs) or
      the portal vein (eight pigs). The specific radioactivity (Bq/mumol) of the
      expired CO2 taken over consecutive 15-min intervals during the 5-h period was
      fitted to an exponential model to predict the specific radioactivity at steady
      state. This specific radioactivity was used to calculate the total CO2
      irreversible loss rate and to correct for the difference in tracer infused in
      relation to tracer excreted at 5 h (76 to 78%). The estimated CO2 "produced"
      tended to be higher (P < 0.12) when the aortal rather than the portal infusion
      site was used [571 vs. 498 mumol/(min.kg0.75)]. The isotope dilution technique
      significantly (P < 0.05) overestimated the expired air CO2 regardless of whether
      the aortal [571 vs. 469 mumol/(min.kg0.75)] or portal [498 vs. 447
      mumol/(min.kg0.75)] routes of infusion were used.

PMID- 1432258
TI  - Evaluation of [1-14C]-medium-chain fatty acid oxidation by neonatal piglets using
      continuous-infusion radiotracer kinetic methodology.
AB  - In vivo oxidation rates of systemically infused medium-chain fatty acids were
      evaluated using neonatal pigs. Unanesthetized piglets (1.6 kg, n = 20) were
      housed in respiration chambers for total collection of expired CO2 and were
      continuously infused with [1-14C]-7:0, 8:0, 9:0 or 10:0 fatty acids via a central
      catheter. The fatty acids were administered at rates of 25, 50 or 100 mumol/min
      for 5 h and provided 74 kBq of 14C per h. Total expired CO2 was collected over
      consecutive 15-min intervals for determination of the amount and specific
      radioactivity of expired CO2. Portal blood samples were drawn from umbilical vein
      catheters for determination of 3-hydroxy-butyrate and plasma fatty acid
      concentrations. Infusion and oxidation rates (mmol/min) were multiplied by the
      molar ATP yield for each fatty acid (i.e., 52, 61, 69 and 78 mmol ATP/mmol fatty
      acid for 7:0 through 10:0, respectively) to adjust for differences in molar
      energy content of the various fatty acids. Expressed in this way, fatty acid
      oxidation rate was proportional to the rate of infusion and accounted for 63% of
      that infused. The various fatty acids were oxidized equally well, regardless of
      chain length, and satisfied up to 60 to 70% of the animals' energy requirements,
      depending on the rate of infusion. These data are discussed in relation to
      previous work from our laboratory that has shown significant effects of fatty
      acid chain length on utilization of orally administered medium-chain triglyceride
      supplements.

PMID- 1432259
TI  - Lipid peroxidation products are elevated in fish oil diets even in the presence
      of added antioxidants.
AB  - Purified corn and fish oil diets with different types and concentrations of
      antioxidants were evaluated for oxidation products. In addition, a determination
      of different organ and carcass oxidation product levels was performed. Peroxide
      value and thiobarbituric acid assays were performed on the diets immediately
      after mixing (0 h) and 24, 48 and 72 h after being fed to mice. The AIN
      recommended level of antioxidant addition (butylated hydroxytoluene, 0.02 g/100 g
      oil) and even the addition of 100 times this level (2 g/100 g oil), although
      decreasing the level of oxidation products, failed to totally prevent oxidative
      deterioration in diets high in fish oil. Furthermore, other antioxidants added in
      excess to the fish oil diets also failed to completely suppress oxidative
      deterioration of the diets and, in addition, when fed daily to mice for a period
      of 4 wk, caused an accumulation of lipid peroxidation products in certain organs
      (e.g., heart, skeletal muscle, mammary glands) and in the carcass. These results
      provide evidence that in the preparation of fish oil diets, the addition of
      antioxidants at the AIN-recommended level, or even levels substantially higher,
      does not completely suppress oxidative deterioration of experimental diets.

PMID- 1432260
TI  - Dietary sucrose enhances insulin secretion of aging Fischer 344 rats.
AB  - Male Fischer 344 rats, ages 6, 12 and 26 mo, were fed a diet containing either
      sucrose or cornstarch (66% by weight) for 4 mo. The effects of age and dietary
      sucrose on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion were evaluated in whole perfused
      pancreases and isolated islets of Langerhans, and by intra-arterial glucose
      administration. In addition, glucose responsiveness of beta-cells was measured by
      following the rate of glucose oxidation in isolated islets. There was no
      significant effect of age on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion of whole
      perfused pancreases and islets of Langerhans. There was, however, a significant
      main effect of sucrose feeding on insulin secretion. That is, whole perfused
      pancreases and islets of Langerhans isolated from rats fed sucrose vs. starch
      diets secreted more insulin in response to glucose. This effect was most
      pronounced in the 26-mo-old rats. In general, islet glucose oxidation rates, and
      responses to the in vivo glucose, did not differ among the groups. We conclude
      that alterations in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion with age more closely
      reflect changes in diet rather than aging per se.

PMID- 1432261
TI  - Uptake of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate in isolated rat liver mitochondria is carrier
      mediated.
AB  - We have characterized the uptake of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate into isolated rat
      liver mitochondria. Uptake of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate
      and folic acid was linear for the first 2 min of incubation. 5
      Methyltetrahydrofolate and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate were accumulated in
      mitochondria to 3.7- and 4.3-fold, respectively. 5-Formyltetrahydrofolate
      transport showed a pH optimum at 5.5 and was saturable with an apparent Km = 2.80
      mumol.L-1 and Vmax = 3.49 pmol.min-1.mg protein-1. Uptake of 5
      formyltetrahydrofolate was inhibited by the structural analog 5
      methyltetrahydrofolate and, to a much lesser extent, folic acid and methotrexate.
      Uptake was not inhibited by various substrates of known mitochondrial
      transporters, e.g., succinate, malate, citrate, glutamate and phosphate, nor was
      uptake inhibited by the sulfhydryl reagent, N-ethylmaleimide. Uptake was not
      stimulated by preloading of mitochondria with malate or aspartate. Uptake of 5
      formyltetrahydrofolate was not affected by the proton ionophore carbonyl cyanide
      4-trifluoromethoxyphenyl-hydrazone nor by collapsing the electrical gradient with
      valinomycin. These results indicate that 5-formyltetrahydrofolate uptake into
      mitochondria via a carrier-mediated system specific for the reduced, naturally
      occurring folates. The folates, once in the mitochondria, may be converted to the
      polyglutamylated forms, which will not readily diffuse out of the mitochondria.

PMID- 1432262
TI  - Increasing intake of soybean protein or casein, but not cod meal, reduces
      nephrocalcinosis in female rats.
AB  - Female weanling rats were fed diets with soybean protein, casein or cod meal at
      171, 342 or 513 mmol nitrogen/100 g for 3 wk. The diets were isonitrogenous and
      balanced for fat, cholesterol, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Cod meal
      feeding at 171 and 342 mmol nitrogen/100 g diet produced lower kidney calcium
      concentrations than the feeding of either soybean protein or casein. Increasing
      protein intakes were associated with reduced kidney calcium concentrations in the
      rats fed either soybean protein or casein but not in those fed cod meal. The anti
      nephrocalcinogenic effect of increasing intakes of soybean protein may relate to
      the lowering of urinary phosphorus concentration. Increasing intakes of casein
      probably inhibited nephrocalcinogenesis by lowering urinary pH and raising
      urinary magnesium concentration. Increasing cod meal concentrations in the diet
      lowered urinary pH and raised urinary magnesium and calcium concentrations, but
      the effects on nephrocalcinogenesis of these changes probably counteracted each
      other.

PMID- 1432263
TI  - Endogenous allantoin excretion in response to changes in protein supply in sheep.
AB  - Endogenous allantoin derives from the breakdown of tissue nucleic acids. This
      study examined the effect of changes in protein supply on endogenous allantoin
      excretion by sheep. The animals were nourished by infusions of volatile fatty
      acids into the rumen and casein into the abomasum, thus avoiding ruminal
      microbial fermentation (i.e., no supply of exogenous nucleic acids). While a
      constant energy supply was maintained, the protein supply was altered in one of
      two ways: 1) changed from 0 to 3000 mg casein-N/kg metabolic weight (W0.75) per
      day in progressive steps; or 2) completely removed from an initial constant level
      [500 mg N/(kg W0.75.d)]. With the first alteration, endogenous allantoin
      excretion was not directly affected by the daily N input or N retention, but was
      linearly correlated with the cumulative N retention. With the second alteration,
      allantoin excretion increased (35-145%) on the first day after removal of the
      protein supply and then fell to a level equivalent to, or lower than, that before
      protein removal. The results suggest that the changes in endogenous allantoin
      excretion may reflect remodeling of the metabolic state of the animal during
      periods when protein supply fluctuates.

PMID- 1432265
TI  - Dietary casein and soybean protein affect the concentrations of serum
      cholesterol, triglyceride and free amino acids in rats.
AB  - This work was undertaken to investigate the concentrations of free amino acids in
      blood after food was withheld from growing, male Wistar rats fed cholesterol
      free, low fat (1 g corn oil/100 g) diets with casein or soybean protein for 2 wk.
      A diet containing 22.5 or 23.5 g/100 g of soybean protein was hypocholesterolemic
      compared with a diet containing 20.0 g casein/100 g diet. A comparison of serum
      amino acids in soybean protein-fed vs. casein-fed rats showed that, whereas
      concentrations of many amino acids were lower in the soybean protein-fed rats
      compared with the casein-fed groups, glycine was the only amino acid having a
      higher concentration. Further, alanine was significantly lower in the soybean
      protein-fed rats compared with the casein-fed rats, and the protein-induced
      differences in glycine and alanine concentrations of unfed rats were
      reproducible. When diets containing 15.0% casein or 30.0% soybean protein, a
      casein diet supplemented with glycine and a soybean protein diet supplemented
      with methionine were compared, the changes in serum glycine and alanine
      correlated with the changes in serum cholesterol. Concentrations of several amino
      acids, particularly valine, leucine and tyrosine, also changed when serum
      cholesterol concentrations varied, but these effects could not be explained by
      our experiments. The results suggest that a change in serum concentration of
      glycine and alanine of unfed rats may be related to the change in serum
      cholesterol concentration.

PMID- 1432264
TI  - Altered zinc metabolism occurs in murine lethal milk syndrome.
AB  - The lethal milk (lm) mutation in mice causes Zn deficiency in pups nursed by lm
      dams. To examine tissue Zn distribution and Zn transport to milk and pups, 65Zn
      was administered to lactating normal and lm dams. Transport of 65Zn to milk of lm
      dams was approximately 50% of that transported to milk of normal dams. The lower
      milk 65Zn resulted in significantly less 65Zn uptake by tissues of the nursing
      pups. The decrease in 65Zn transport to the milk was accompanied by a significant
      increase in 65Zn uptake and metallothionein mRNA levels in kidney of the lm dams.
      The elevated Zn uptake and metallothionein expression was tissue specific and
      could be a reflection of altered zinc transport from mammary gland to milk.
      Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western transfer of mammary gland proteins
      from lm dams showed that a 30-kDa protein bound more 65Zn in vitro compared with
      proteins from normal mammary gland. Normal pups nursed by dams of the lm genotype
      had down-regulated metallothionein expression due to Zn deficiency. The genetic
      defect in lm mice decreases Zn transport to milk, thus explaining the neonatal Zn
      deficiency seen in normal mice fostered by lm dams. The greater metallothionein
      expression in dams of the lm genotype could be a secondary manifestation of
      altered tissue zinc distribution or a primary effect on a metallothionein
      regulatory mechanism.

PMID- 1432266
TI  - Fat intake and clofibrate administration have interrelated effects on liver
      cholesterol concentration and serum butyryl cholinesterase activity in rats.
AB  - Rats were fed for 15 d purified diets with different amounts of coconut fat, and
      with or without clofibrate. Fat was added at the expense of an isoenergetic
      amount of glucose. The hypolipidemic action of clofibrate was not influenced by
      the amount of fat in the diet. Clofibrate did not affect liver cholesterol
      concentration in rats fed the low fat diet, but it counteracted the rise in liver
      cholesterol seen in rats fed the high fat diet. This could relate to the observed
      raised intestinal clofibrate-hydrolyzing activity of rats fed the high fat diet,
      because hydrolysis of clofibrate gives rise to its biologically active form. In
      rats fed the low fat diet, but not in those fed the high fat diet, clofibrate
      raised the activity of serum esterase-1, which (unlike esterase-2) does not
      hydrolyze clofibrate. Possibly, the dramatic stimulatory effect of fat feeding on
      serum esterase-1 activity had overruled any influence of clofibrate. Clofibrate
      elevated serum butyryl cholinesterase activity, with this effect being amplified
      by fat feeding. High levels of dietary fat in the absence of dietary clofibrate
      did not alter serum butyryl cholinesterase activity. Clofibrate did not change
      butyryl cholinesterase and esterase-1 activities in small intestine. The high fat
      diet caused slightly higher levels of butyryl cholinesterase activity in small
      intestine, but markedly raised intestinal esterase-1 activity. This study shows
      that certain effects of clofibrate and a high fat diet are interrelated.

PMID- 1432267
TI  - Structure of dietary pectin, iron bioavailability and hemoglobin repletion in
      anemic rats.
AB  - The effects of the degree of esterification (DE) and the molecular weight (MW) of
      pectins on iron bioavailability were investigated in anemic rats. The pectins
      prepared differed (in DE and MW, respectively) as follows: P-A (73%, 860,000), P
      B (75%, 89,000), P-C (22%, 1,260,000) and P-D (24%, 114,000). Rats were fed an
      iron-deficient diet (8 mg Fe/kg diet) for 14 d. The anemic rats were then fed a
      ferrous sulfate-supplemented basal diet (47 mg Fe/kg diet) or the basal diet
      containing one of the pectins (80 g/kg diet) for 10 d. None of the pectins used
      caused any significant reduction in the bioavailability of ferrous sulfate.
      Addition of pectin P-B to the diet resulted in significantly greater iron
      repletion. Compared with control rats fed with ad libitum access or pair-fed,
      rats fed P-B showed higher (P < 0.05) hemoglobin regeneration efficiency,
      hematocrit, serum iron concentration, and transferrin saturation, and lower
      unsaturated iron-binding capacity and total iron-binding capacity. Pectins P-A
      and P-D also slightly improved the hematological indices compared with P-C and
      control. The observed effects were dependent on the physicochemical properties of
      each pectin as determined by its MW and DE.

PMID- 1432268
TI  - A longitudinal study of nurses' attitudes toward caring for patients with AIDS in
      Erie County.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to examine nurses' attitudes toward caring for
      patients with AIDS in a longitudinal context. Results of the 1990 survey were
      compared with those of a survey conducted in 1986 for the purpose of examining
      changes in attitudes over time. Findings indicated that there were no significant
      differences between the 1986 and 1990 scores on the attitude scales. The results
      of the study indicated that many nurses still have fears and concerns about
      caring for patients with AIDS.

PMID- 1432269
TI  - American nursing: 100 years of conflicting ideas and ideals.
AB  - Based on historical research about nursing sponsors, actors, activities,
      preparation, and location of work, this paper identifies divisive themes that
      have recurred in American nursing throughout its history. The conflictive areas
      discussed are: ideals, gender, the search for status and the use of exclusion,
      the merger of training and practice, and the differences between ordinary nurses
      and nursing leaders.

PMID- 1432270
TI  - Theory construction and development.

PMID- 1432271
TI  - Survey of nursing research in NYS: XIV.

PMID- 1432272
TI  - What is nursing research: evolving approaches to methods and content.
AB  - In addressing what constitutes nursing research in the 1990s, approaches to
      conducting nursing research and examples of studies are discussed in the context
      of historical forces. The early studies were characteristically educational in
      focus and quantitative by design. Nursing research has come a long way in regard
      to foci of the questions asked, diversity of approaches to knowledge development,
      and sophistication of research methods. Three approaches are described to
      illustrate the diversity in nursing research: quantitative, qualitative, and
      triangulation.

PMID- 1432273
TI  - Perinatal outcome for women in prison.
AB  - Pregnancy outcome for 233 women in prison was reviewed. This group of patients
      presented with multiple perinatal high-risk factors: history of illicit drug use
      (71%), smoking (70%), and obstetrical (27%), medical (21%), nutritional (20%),
      and infectious complications (20%). Maternal morbidity was uncommon and the
      overall cesarean section rate for all prisoners was 16%. There was 1 stillbirth
      and 236 live-born infants, all of whom were discharged in good health.
      Prematurity (3%) and delivery of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) (8%) infants was
      less common among 187 women who received adequate prenatal care than in 46
      prisoners with poor or late prenatal care (prematurity 20% and SGA 28%). Good
      perinatal outcome for women in prison can be achieved if comprehensive prenatal
      care is available.

PMID- 1432274
TI  - Thromboxane synthetase inhibition produces maternal and fetal vasodilation during
      ovine pregnancy-induced hypertension: a Doppler flow velocimetric study.
AB  - Changes in maternal and fetal umbilical arterial vasoreactivity during ovine
      pregnancy-induced hypertension and following intravenous administration of CGS
      12970 [3-methyl-2-(3-pyridyl)-1-indoleoctanoic acid] were assessed. Continuous
      wave Doppler flow velocimetry was used to assess vascular reactivity during
      normotensive baseline, during ovine pregnancy-induced hypertension triggered by a
      72-hour fast, and following thromboxane synthetase inhibition with CGS 12970.
      Uterine and umbilical arterial systolic/diastolic flow ratios increased
      significantly with the onset of sustained hypertension. After thromboxane
      synthetase inhibition, uterine and umbilical artery systolic/diastolic flow
      ratios were not different from baseline, and maternal blood pressure had returned
      to baseline values. These data indicate that thromboxane produces maternal and
      fetal vasoconstriction during ovine pregnancy-induced hypertension. Furthermore,
      these data provide strong evidence that thromboxane synthetase inhibition allows
      vasodilation, resulting in improved maternal and fetal condition.

PMID- 1432275
TI  - Is cord blood erythropoietin a marker of intrapartum hypoxia?
AB  - A sensitive assay was used to compare the biological activity of cord serum
      erythropoietin in two groups of infants born with or without labor-induced
      hypoxia. The mean cord serum erythropoietin activity in 161 infants delivered
      after vaginal labor was 116 +/- 36 mU/mL, and was indistinguishable from that
      observed in 23 infants delivered by preplanned, elective cesarean section, 114 +/
      12 mU/mL (P = .75). The bioassay measured effective erythropoietin activity,
      including the contribution of potentiators in serum. These results indicate that
      duration and intensity of labor are insufficient to cause a significant increase
      in effective erythropoietin activity.

PMID- 1432276
TI  - Perinatal toxicology screening.
AB  - Accurate identification of substance abusing mothers and their infants is
      critical for appropriate medical management as well as the collection of accurate
      information on the effects of illicit drug use on perinatal morbidity, mortality,
      and long-term neurobehavioral outcome in the infants. This study examines the
      differences found using two methods for urine toxicology screening at the time of
      obstetrical admission to the hospital. The institution of universal screening
      identified significantly more women than were previously identified through the
      use of a risk-directed protocol (P less than .0001). Women identified using
      either protocol were significantly more likely than toxicology-negative women to
      have had poor prenatal care and to have smoked and used alcohol during pregnancy
      (P less than .001). In the population studied, the multiple criteria needed to
      accurately identify mothers with positive-toxicology screens would also include
      screening over one half of the toxicology-negative mothers.

PMID- 1432277
TI  - Congenital complete heart block associated with maternal anti-Ro antibody: a case
      report.
AB  - The presence of anti-Ro antibody in maternal serum is a serologic marker for
      increased risk of the development of congenital complete heart block in the
      fetus. Current etiology and evaluation of these mothers and their fetuses are
      examined. A case report is presented.

PMID- 1432278
TI  - Sudden fetal death in women with well-controlled, intensively monitored
      gestational diabetes.
AB  - An intensive antepartum monitoring system for women with gestational diabetes
      mellitus was evaluated over a 5-year period. Early diagnosis and liberal
      treatment with insulin was concomitantly followed with non-stress testing: weekly
      from 28 to 34 weeks' gestation and semi-weekly thereafter. Despite maternal
      euglycemia and satisfactory antepartum assessment, three fetal deaths occurred
      within 72 hours of reassuring fetal monitoring. Additionally, 24 (7%) fetuses
      were delivered on the basis of a low biophysical profile score (less than 6) at
      term. The stillbirth rate for women with gestational diabetes was 7.7/1000,
      whereas the stillbirth rate for nondiabetic low-risk patients was 4.8/1000. Women
      with gestational diabetes continue to be in a high-risk category for antepartum
      fetal death, requiring intensive monitoring with consideration for timely
      delivery.

PMID- 1432279
TI  - Transient hyperammonemia of the newborn: a vascular complication of prematurity?
AB  - Transient hyperammonemia of the newborn is an overwhelming disease manifested by
      hyperammonemic coma in ill premature infants. A summary of evidence is presented
      supporting the hypothesis that this syndrome is a vascular complication caused by
      shunting of blood away from the portal circulation of the liver into the systemic
      circulation with subsequent lack of ammonia removal. Alternative, nontraditional
      approaches of investigation and therapy targeting the hepatic portal circulation
      should be explored in patients with transient hyperammonemia of the newborn.

PMID- 1432280
TI  - Waxing and waning hyperinflation in congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation of
      the lung.
AB  - This report describes a newborn with respiratory distress, waxing and waning left
      lung hyperinflation, and pulmonary hemorrhage. This atypical presentation of
      congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung has not been previously
      reported, posed a major diagnostic problem, and delayed potentially lifesaving
      surgery.

PMID- 1432281
TI  - Limitations in the usefulness of urine latex particle agglutination tests and
      hematologic measurements in diagnosing neonatal sepsis during the first week of
      life.
AB  - We present findings regarding the usefulness of urine latex particle
      agglutination (LPA) testing for group B streptococcus (GBS) antigen, as well as
      hematologic values, in diagnosing sepsis during the 1st week of life. Of 475
      inborn neonates evaluated, 27 (5.7%) had confirmed sepsis, 47 (9.9%) had
      indeterminate findings precluding further classification, and 401 (84.4%) were
      not septic. We examined the following: (1) total white blood cell count (WBC);
      (2) total polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs); (3) total immature PMNs; (4)
      immature to total (I:T) neutrophil ratio; (5) immature to mature (I:M) neutrophil
      ratio; (6) platelet count; (7) a 6-point hematologic score based on the preceding
      values; and (8) urine LPA for GBS. The positive predictive values of the six
      hematologic values, as well as the hematologic score, were disappointingly low.
      Using higher I:T ratios (greater than or equal to 0.30 or 0.40) marginally
      increased the positive predictive values. More than 60% of our ill, nonseptic
      neonates had I:T ratios greater than or equal to 0.20. Of 15 infants with culture
      proven systemic (blood or cerebrospinal fluid) GBS infection who were tested with
      urine LPA for GBS antigen, only 4 had positive results. Nineteen infants had
      positive urine LPAs with concomitant negative blood cultures. Urine cultures were
      obtained from 18 of these infants. No organisms were isolated from any of these
      specimens. The mothers of 7 of the infants with positive LPAs and negative blood
      cultures had received intrapartum antibiotics. Of the remaining 12 infants, the
      urine LPA was repeated in 8 and results were negative in each case.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432282
TI  - Effects of dexamethasone on pulmonary function following extubation.
AB  - Dexamethasone is often given to intubated neonates to facilitate successful
      extubation. To study the effects of dexamethasone on pulmonary function
      immediately following extubation, we conducted a randomized, blinded, placebo
      controlled trial in 51 infants. All infants had been intubated for a minimum of 3
      days but no more than 30 days. Mean weight at extubation was 2.41 kg in treated
      infants, 2.25 kg in control infants. When infants were deemed ready for
      extubation, dexamethasone 0.5 mg/kg/dose or an equal volume of normal saline was
      given in three doses 8 hours apart. The final dose was given 1 hour before
      extubation. Esophageal pressure, air flow integrated to tidal volume (Vt),
      respiratory rate, and heart rate were measured before extubation, immediately
      following extubation, and every 20 minutes for 80 minutes. Total pulmonary
      resistance (RTP), dynamic lung compliance (CL), and minute ventilation (VE) were
      calculated. Forty-two infants completed the study; 19 infants received
      dexamethasone and 23 received placebo. There was no difference between the two
      groups in gestational age, weight at study, or length of intubation. Vt, RTP, VE,
      and CL were not significantly different between the two groups over time;
      however, RTP increased over time in the placebo group. Heart rate was
      significantly lower in the dexamethasone group. We conclude that dexamethasone
      appears to have limited effect on pulmonary function immediately following
      extubation in the population studied. Further studies should evaluate the drug
      effect beginning at least 1 hour after extubation.

PMID- 1432283
TI  - Magnetic resonance imaging in full-term infants with repetitive focal seizures.
AB  - We report two full-term infants who developed repetitive focal seizures within
      the first 48 hours of life. Neither infant had predisposing factors and there
      were no abnormalities on a computed tomography (CT) scan performed on day 2 of
      life. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed during the second week of life
      showed a focal hemorrhagic infarction in both patients. We conclude that either
      an MRI or a contrast-enhanced CT scan should be obtained within 1 week in
      patients in whom the initial imaging technique failed to reveal a focal lesion,
      at which time a cerebral infarction can be diagnosed with greater sensitivity.

PMID- 1432284
TI  - Emotion in women undergoing amniocentesis in the second trimester of pregnancy.
AB  - A descriptive study was conducted to determine the emotions of women at three
      points during the amniocentesis process. A volunteer convenience sample of 60
      women who were undergoing a first amniocentesis in the second trimester of
      pregnancy participated in the study. Participants completed a demographic and an
      amniocentesis information survey upon entry into the study. An emotion scale was
      administered at three specific times. Results showed that positive emotions
      increased significantly as the process unfolded. Some negative emotions decreased
      over time. Correlation of the information score and the emotion score
      demonstrated no significant relationship between these variables.

PMID- 1432285
TI  - The loss of a dream. Perinatal loss or an unexpected pregnancy outcome.

PMID- 1432286
TI  - The high-risk infant environment. Part 2. The role of caregiving and the social
      environment.
AB  - Neonatal intensive care units are essential for the successful care of very
      immature and sick infants. The technology of NICUs has contributed significantly
      to the reduction of neonatal mortality and improvement of neonatal outcome. While
      the outcome for high-risk neonates has vastly improved over the past three
      decades, a number of infants sustain injuries and complications that result in
      long-term disabilities. It is now clear that some of the long-term problems of
      high-risk infants are a result of the environment and care practices and are not
      attributable to the original disease or condition that necessitated intensive
      care. There is accumulating evidence that environmental factors and care
      practices can interact with disease processes in ways that can increase
      morbidity, and possibly mortality. In addition to developmental and behavioral
      problems, there is growing evidence of effects on visual function and perhaps
      other sensory systems. Many of the environmental and care factors may cause delay
      in recovery and increase NICU time or unnecessary discomfort, yet not produce
      long-term disabilities or problems, as currently assessed. Many of the potential
      behavioral and developmental problems, as well as many of the potential problems
      with visual, auditory, and other modes of sensory discrimination, are not
      included in the usual follow-up assessments. The absence of data or the
      limitations of existing studies are not a cause for comfort or the assumption
      that the environment and care practices are safe or not harmful.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432287
TI  - Effects of transcutaneous monitor electrode heat on skin servo-controlled
      environments.
AB  - This study tested the hypotheses that (1) the heat generated by a transcutaneous
      monitor electrode is sufficient to decrease skin servo-controlled radiant warmer
      heat output when it is positioned next to the operating skin servo-thermistor,
      and (2) the decrease in radiant warmer heat output is enough to lower body
      temperatures or cause a heat-conserving response in a baby. Seventeen newborns
      less than or equal to 5 days old, gestational age 29 to 40 weeks, cared for under
      radiant warmers were studied before and for 30 minutes after juxtaposition of the
      transcutaneous monitor electrode and the skin servo-controlled thermistor. Mean
      radiant warmer heat output, measured as watt-hours/5 minute periods, decreased
      for the first 15 minutes after movement, mainly in the infants cared for under an
      older model radiant warmer. Mean skin temperature and foot temperature decreased,
      and esophageal-foot temperature gradient increased for those under the older
      model radiant warmer. Despite differences in the gestational age of the infants
      under the older compared with the newer model radiant warmer, multiple regression
      analysis indicated a significant effect of the model of radiant warmer on the
      results. Many factors can influence the proper functioning of servo-controlled
      heating systems, including the type of electronic logic and extraneous sources of
      heat. These factors require more study, and should be considered in the
      evaluation of thermal control problems.

PMID- 1432288
TI  - Sudden deterioration of intubated newborn: four steps to the differential
      diagnosis and initial management.
AB  - This paper provides guidelines to determine the differential diagnosis and
      treatment of sudden deterioration of an endotracheally intubated newborn infant.
      Since such an event is most often secondary to a mechanical problem, simple
      adjustment of the ventilator in response to blood gas analysis will only rarely
      be sufficient to stabilize the infant. The proposed algorithm integrates history,
      physical examination, investigations, and therapeutic intervention (of which
      manual ventilation is the keystone). We hope that such an algorithm may help
      training physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists to minimize the risk for
      the infant as well as the time required to provide an efficient resuscitation.
      This algorithm may be used both in the neonatal intensive care unit and in the
      delivery room as a complement to the recommendations of the American Heart
      Association, in case of poor response to the resuscitation. Modifications to this
      protocol should be allowed according to specific characteristics of each infant
      and to the equipment available.

PMID- 1432289
TI  - Decreased fetal movement with abnormal nonstress test preceding fetal death.

PMID- 1432290
TI  - Topics in neonatal nutrition. Early ileostomy closure to prevent chronic salt and
      water losses in infants.

PMID- 1432291
TI  - An interesting case presentation: a possible new route for perinatal acquisition
      of Chlamydia.
AB  - Chlamydia trachomatis is currently the most common sexually transmitted disease
      in the United States. The prevalence in pregnant women ranges between 2% and 47%.
      It is well known that C trachomatis can be transmitted from the genital tract of
      an infected mother to her newborn infant, causing conjunctivitis or pneumonia or
      both, along with their longstanding complications. A review of the literature
      failed to show, however, conclusive evidence of transmission of infection to the
      newborn infant when the infant was born by cesarean section with intact amniotic
      membranes. We present a case of a young black woman with a history of chlamydia
      cervicitis during pregnancy whose infant was delivered by cesarean section
      because of failure to progress. She gave birth to a healthy term infant who
      developed ophthalmia neonatorum on the 3rd day of life. Examinations of
      conjunctival scrapings with direct fluorescent staining (chlamydia MicroTrak)
      performed on the 1st and 3rd day of life were positive. The initial test was
      performed because of the maternal history. The infant was mildly symptomatic at
      the time the study was repeated for confirmation. Our findings strongly suggest
      the possibility of either transmembrane or transplacental route of infection in
      the pathogenesis of neonatal chlamydia infection. Further study is needed to
      confirm this possibility.

PMID- 1432292
TI  - Legionella pneumophila in a preterm infant. A case report.

PMID- 1432293
TI  - Hypoplastic left heart syndrome: access to medical care.

PMID- 1432294
TI  - The effectiveness of preemployment drug screening in the prediction of employment
      outcome.
AB  - Studies of adverse employment outcomes associated with positive preemployment
      drug screens have tracked employees for only about 1 year. Changes in drug use
      after hire may invalidate the predictions of employment outcome in later years
      which are essential for cost-benefit analyses. This blinded, prospective cohort
      study tracks absence, industrial accidents, occupational injuries, discipline,
      and turnover in 2537 screened employees through an average of 2 years. Marijuana
      positive urines predicted increased turnover, accidents, injuries, discipline,
      and absence, but these risks appeared lower in the second year than the first.
      Cocaine-positive urines predicted increased turnover, accidents, injuries,
      discipline, and absence at levels not consistently different than the first year.
      Cost-benefit analyses of drug screening project employment risks throughout
      employees' careers. This study raises the possibility that elevated risks may
      decrease after the first year.

PMID- 1432295
TI  - An investigation of a workplace cluster of Bell's palsy.
AB  - We undertook a study to confirm the existence of an apparent cluster of Bell's
      palsy in an industrial plant ("W4"), and to test etiologic hypotheses regarding
      chemical exposures, immune suppression, and infectious etiologies. Cases were
      enumerated by questionnaire. Employees with a history of Bell's palsy ("cases")
      were invited to participate in a study that included medical history, T cell
      studies, viral and Lyme disease serologies, and blink reflex studies. Thirty
      three unaffected volunteers from W4 and 32 from a comparison building were also
      tested. Extensive environmental studies were carried out in W4, evaluating
      infectious, chemical, and radiation exposures. The lifetime incidence of self
      reported Bell's palsy was 11.6/10,000 person-years (P-Y) in W4 and 2.4
      cases/10,000 P-Y in the comparison building (RR = 4.8, P < .05); the comparison
      rate was similar to that reported in previous population studies. When restricted
      to cases occurring after the onset of work, the W4 incidence was 29.2
      cases/10,000 P-Y, compared to 4.8 cases/10,000 P-Y in the comparison building (RR
      = 6.1, P < .05). The cases and noncases did not differ with respect to clinical
      histories or infectious disease titers. The W4 noncases had small but significant
      decreases in T lymphocyte (1974 +/- 86 vs 2291 +/- 103) and CD4 (1083 +/- 318 vs
      1459 +/- 494) counts compared to the remote noncases. The cases had significantly
      prolonged RR1, LR1, and LFC values compared to both groups of noncases. No
      medical or environmental factors were identified that could explain an excess of
      disease.

PMID- 1432296
TI  - Factors associated with adherence to breast cancer screening among working women.
AB  - This study identified sociodemographic, knowledge, attitude, and social influence
      correlates of obtaining mammograms among employed women age 40 and over.
      Telephone interviews were conducted with 798 women who worked at 39 different
      work sites. Eighty-four percent of respondents had ever had a mammogram, and 72%
      had had one at the recommended interval for their age group. The only personal
      characteristic that was associated with past mammography use was having a co
      worker, friend, or relative with a history of breast cancer. Logistic regression
      analyses indicated that a doctor's advice to have a mammogram, knowledge of
      screening guidelines, knowing someone with breast cancer, and the beliefs that
      mammography is effective and that mammography is necessary in the absence of
      symptoms were associated independently with past use of mammography. Three
      factors contributed independently to explaining adherence to mammography
      guidelines: younger age, knowledge of guidelines for one's own age group, and the
      belief that breast cancer is curable. The findings suggest that emphasizing the
      recommended guidelines, the need for and benefits of mammography in educational
      programs, and offering low-cost or free mammography at the workplace, can further
      increase appropriate utilization among working women.

PMID- 1432297
TI  - Use of PCB blood levels to assess potential exposure following an electrical
      transformer explosion.
AB  - Following the explosion of a transformer, passersby, building occupants, and
      cleanup personnel had potential exposure to the transformer dielectric fluid
      containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). As part of a medical evaluation,
      blood serum was analyzed for PCBs, and the concentrations found were similar to
      that of a regional comparison group (median 4.0 ng/mL or parts per billion, range
      1-10, n = 60). Some workers employed by the utility company that owned the
      transformer had potential exposure to PCBs in the past. This positive comparison
      group had significantly higher serum PCB concentrations, related to known direct
      contact (median 5.0, mean 14 ng/mL, 1-187, n = 25) or not (median 4.0, mean 11
      ng/mL, 2-72, n = 17). Therefore, in this investigation, elevation of serum PCB
      levels could be related to past contact during work with transformers, but not to
      potential short-term exposure at the time of a transfer explosion.

PMID- 1432298
TI  - Occupational reintegration of long-term cancer survivors.
AB  - To determine the long-term psychosocial consequences of cancer related to work, a
      postal survey was conducted among 849 long-term survivors of cancer in the
      southwest Netherlands. Forty-four percent of the responders who worked at the
      time of the diagnosis of cancer returned to their job, 24% of them part-time.
      Fourteen percent experienced impediments at work after return. Absenteeism in
      this group does not differ from that in the year prior to the moment of
      diagnosis. There is a small decrease in promotional and financial prospects.

PMID- 1432299
TI  - Comparison of mother's occupation and industry from the birth certificate and a
      self-administered questionnaire.
AB  - Maternal occupations recorded on birth certificates are a potential data source
      for evaluation of reproductive hazards, but may not accurately identify jobs held
      during the sensitive first trimester. Mothers' occupation and industry during 1
      month before and 3 months after conception were reported on 1,760 mailed
      questionnaires. These were compared to mothers' most recent occupation and
      industry recorded on birth certificates. Overall, 72% of occupations and 77% of
      industries reported on the birth certificate agreed with that recorded on the
      questionnaire. Agreement was similar for mothers of normal and malformed infants.
      Among those that did not agree, 344 (75%) disagreed on the mother's employment
      status during the periconceptional period, rather than the actual occupation. For
      surveillance and hypothesis-generation using birth certificate data, it is
      important to obtain a correct description of whether the mother held a job
      outside the home during sensitive periods of her pregnancy.

PMID- 1432300
TI  - Mushroom worker's lung. Detection of antibodies against Shii-take (Lentinus
      edodes) spore antigens in Shii-take workers.
AB  - Indoor cultivation of the edible mushroom Shii-take (Lentinus edodes) regularly
      leads to symptoms of mushroom worker's lung (MWL) in workers. An immunologic test
      is described allowing detection of IgG type antibodies against Shii-take spore
      antigens. It was found that MWL patients employed in Shii-take picking (n = 5)
      have significantly increased antibody titres against Shii-take spore antigens.
      Different control groups, viz, MWL patients employed in the cultivation of the
      white button mushroom Agaricus bisporus (n = 14) and of the oyster mushroom
      Pleurotus spp (n = 3), patients with Bechterew's syndrome (n = 7), sarcoidosis (n
      = 7), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 9), and healthy controls were found in the same
      range of low titres. The use of protective masks during picking reduced
      complaints of the workers (n = 14). However, their antibody titres increased with
      duration of employment despite the protection.

PMID- 1432301
TI  - Streptococcus suis meningitis. A severe noncompensated occupational disease.
AB  - Meningitis caused by Streptococcus suis type 2, a rare disease first recognized
      in 1968 (108 cases worldwide in 1989), is contracted by occupational exposure to
      pigs and often results in very severe disabilities (definitive deafness and
      ataxia in 50% of cases). We report the case of an employee in a rendering plant
      whose initial symptom was deafness. A detailed analysis of medical and veterinary
      literature is provided concerning the epidemiology of the disease, the clinical
      forms in man, bacteriological diagnosis and the role of the pig as healthy
      carrier. It is recommended that this occupational disease be officially
      recognized for compensation in France.

PMID- 1432302
TI  - Cognitive dysfunction in a patient with long-term occupational exposure to
      ethylene oxide. Role of ethylene oxide as a causal factor.
AB  - This case illustrates a comprehensive approach to assessing causality in a woman
      with apparent cognitive dysfunction, as measured by neuropsychological testing,
      and a 10-year history of occupational exposure to ethylene oxide. The analysis
      included a multidisciplinary examination of the patient, which took place several
      years after the termination of her exposure. In addition, all of the patient's
      prior medical and psychiatric records were reviewed, as were the records of her
      employer to ascertain her exposure history. Our evaluation revealed a pattern of
      neuropsychological findings not consistent with nervous system damage secondary
      to an organic effect of ethylene oxide. A more likely causal hypothesis is
      adopted: the patient's apparent cognitive dysfunction had a psychiatric etiology.
      This case also illustrates the potential impact of a patient's involvement in
      legal proceedings related to claims of neurocognitive dysfunction.

PMID- 1432303
TI  - Authors' commentary. EtO is associated with cognitive dysfunction.

PMID- 1432304
TI  - Risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome in industry: blaming the victim?

PMID- 1432305
TI  - Arm pain in the workplace.

PMID- 1432306
TI  - Work coding.

PMID- 1432307
TI  - Micro-architecture and composition of artery walls: relationship to location,
      diameter and the distribution of mechanical stress.
AB  - PURPOSE: We reviewed the structural basis of the mechanical properties of the
      arterial wall, in order to establish a coherent micro-anatomical basis for the
      differences in compliance among different arteries and a framework for assessing
      changes in the mechanical properties of specific individual arteries in relation
      to changing physical stresses. DATA IDENTIFICATION: The data and concepts
      presented here were derived from both earlier and ongoing work. Features that
      assure stability and integrity in relation to blood flow (wall shear stress) and
      pressure (mural tensile stress) were examined. Particular attention was paid to
      the morphogenetic and biosynthetic means by which arteries adapt to normal or
      abnormal modifications of these forces, particularly in relation to growth,
      location in the arterial tree and geometric configuration. RESULTS AND
      CONCLUSIONS: Thickness, composition and architecture of the artery wall,
      including thickness and composition of the intima, are normally determined by the
      stresses imposed by pressure and flow. Vessel radius is closely associated with
      flow, so that a normal baseline level of mean shear stress of about 15 dyn/cm2 is
      maintained or restored. Wall thickness and composition are determined by wall
      tension in relation to pressure and radius. Baseline levels of tensile stress
      differ with location but appear to be similar for homologous vessels. Changes in
      flow that modify the radius also modify wall tension. Changes in wall thickness
      and composition are likely to cause changes in compliance, due to altered flow
      and/or pressure patterns; these changes in compliance may be adaptive rather than
      destructive. Changes in the compliance of specific arteries over time may be used
      to evaluate the progression and severity of the conditions underlying these
      changes.

PMID- 1432308
TI  - Dynamic non-invasive measurements of arterial diameter and wall thickness.
AB  - AIM: Non-invasive measurements of arterial diameter and wall thickness are
      critical in characterizing the onset and development of vascular disease. A
      precise dynamic method was proposed and tested for this purpose. DESIGN: A non
      invasive method of measuring the variations in diameter and thickness of human
      arteries throughout the cardiac cycle was developed, using a high-precision
      ultrasonic echo-tracking system. An adaptive filtering technique was used to
      suppress artefacts caused by the layered tissue structure of the vessel wall.
      RESULTS: Based on decorrelation of microstructure noise, this technique improved
      the detectability of the wall interfaces, which allowed a determination of
      thickness and diameter. The accuracy and reproducibility of the method were
      tested by measurements of plastic films with known thicknesses. The discrepancies
      between standard micrometer and pulse-echo measurement were consistently less
      than 5 microns for film thicknesses ranging from 220 to 800 microns. The
      difference between two successive measurements was less than 2 microns. The
      identity of the measured vascular interfaces was checked in two ways. First,
      experiments on fixed bovine carotid arteries showed that the identified echogenic
      interfaces corresponded to the actual anatomical structure, as obtained by
      acoustic microscopy. Second, the radial artery thickness and diameter were
      extrapolated to obtain the change in wall volume over one cardiac cycle. The
      volume was found to be nearly constant, indicating incompressibility. CONCLUSION:
      This method will make it possible to obtain new information on atherogenesis and
      other vascular diseases.

PMID- 1432309
TI  - First- and third-order models for determining arterial compliance.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Engineering models of the arterial vasculature have been used to
      describe vascular properties of resistance and compliance. These approaches have
      used either Fourier frequency analysis, based on transmission line equations, or
      time domain analysis of the circuit equations describing modified Windkessel
      models of the vasculature. DESIGN: A third-order, four-element modified
      Windkessel model can reproduce arterial pressure waveforms, including both
      exponential and oscillatory pressure decays observed during the diastolic portion
      of the cardiac cycle. METHOD: A method to determine both capacitive and
      oscillatory compliance of the arterial vasculature was developed, and the effect
      of these compliance properties on the blood pressure waveform was examined.

PMID- 1432310
TI  - Incompressibility of the human arterial wall: an in vitro ultrasound study.
AB  - AIM: The assumption that the arterial wall behaves like incompressible material
      simplifies the analysis of arterial wall elasticity. Experimental evidence for
      the incompressibility assumption has been obtained directly by volume
      displacement and radiological methods. Recent developments in ultrasound
      technology have made it possible to take direct, high-resolution measurements of
      the internal diameter and wall thickness of an artery and thus calculate the
      cross-sectional area of the arterial wall. The objective of this study was to
      determine the cross-sectional area of the arterial wall in vitro at different
      levels of strain in order to demonstrate the incompressibility assumption.
      METHODS: Two different types of fresh, human, medium-sized arteries were studied,
      the internal mammary artery, and a less elastic and more muscular artery, the
      radial artery. The internal diameter and wall thickness were measured with an
      ultrasonic echo-tracking device (NIUS 1; Asulab, Neuchatel, Switzerland) over 1
      min steps of increasing intra-arterial pressure (0, 50, 100, 150 and 175 mmHg).
      RESULTS: The cross-sectional area of the arterial wall of the radial and internal
      mammary artery remained unchanged under different levels of strain. CONCLUSION:
      Since the artery length remained constant during the pressure increases, the lack
      of change in the cross-sectional area of the arterial wall suggests that the
      arterial wall of human medium-sized arteries is essentially incompressible.

PMID- 1432311
TI  - Non-invasive measurements of arterial compliance in hypertensive compared with
      normotensive adults.
AB  - AIM: To determine differences in arterial compliance attributable to
      hypertension. METHODS: Since measurements of arterial compliance have tended to
      vary in the past according to the method used, a new technique comprising carotid
      ultrasound and simultaneous, calibrated, carotid pressure waveform measurements
      was tested in 43 hypertensives and 43 control subjects matched for age, gender
      and body size. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in compliance among the
      hypertensive patients, as estimated by the elastic modulus and the ratio of
      stroke volume to pulse pressure. However, when the non-linearity of the pressure
      volume relationship and the impact of distending pressure were taken into
      account, by the arterial stiffness index and by the increase in arterial wall
      thickness associated with hypertension by Young's modulus, there were no
      significant differences in arterial compliance between the two groups.

PMID- 1432312
TI  - Conclusions on the measurement of arterial wall thickness: anatomic, physiologic
      and methodologic considerations.
AB  - AIM: To discuss the use of new ultrasonic techniques that make it possible to
      visualize elastic (carotid) and muscular (radial) capacitance arteries non
      invasively. RESULTS OF DATA REVIEW: Measurements of carotid wall thickness and
      the detection of atheromas are related to arterial pressure, to other risk
      factors and to the risk of subsequent complications. The use of high-frequency
      ultrasound (7.5-10 MHz), measurements of far wall thicknesses in areas free of
      atheromas at end-diastole (by ECG gating or pressure waveform recording) and
      descriptions of the size and characteristics of atherosclerotic plaques allow a
      non-invasive assessment of vascular hypertrophy and atherosclerosis in
      hypertensive patients. CONCLUSIONS: Careful attention to methodologic and
      physiologic factors is needed to provide accurate information about the anatomy
      of the dynamically pulsating arterial tree.

PMID- 1432313
TI  - Introduction to large artery properties as a target for risk reduction by
      antihypertensive therapy.
AB  - AIM: To review the effect of antihypertensive drugs on pulsatile stress and shear
      stress. RESULTS OF DATA REVIEW: Mortality and morbidity in hypertension are
      better correlated with systolic than diastolic blood pressure, indicating a
      pulsatile stress effect. Distensibility and compliance are large artery
      properties and important determinants of pulsatile stress. beta-Blockers with
      vasodilating properties, several selective beta 1-blockers, angiotensin
      converting enzyme inhibitors and calcium antagonists are first-line
      antihypertensive drugs that improve these properties of large arteries. The
      impact of shear stress on the ill effects associated with hypertension is not
      clear. CONCLUSION: Some but not all classes of antihypertensive drugs can improve
      large artery properties, and thereby alleviate pulsatile stress.

PMID- 1432314
TI  - Physiological and pharmacological changes in the carotid artery pressure-volume
      curve in situ in rats.
AB  - AIM: To measure the mechanical properties of the rat carotid artery as affected
      by physiological and pharmacological changes. METHODS: We used an in situ
      measurement method that did not affect the anatomy, vascularization or
      innervation of the carotid artery, in normotensive and in spontaneously
      hypertensive rats (SHR), to evaluate the effects of ageing, hypertension and
      acute or chronic drug-induced vasorelaxation. RESULTS: The compliance-pressure
      curve was characterized, under baseline conditions, by two phases, an ascending
      component in the lower pressure ranges and a descending component in the higher
      pressure ranges. In younger or older normotensive rats the maximum value of
      carotid compliance was observed for values of transmural pressure that
      approximated those of the operating mean blood pressure. For any given value of
      transmural pressure, carotid compliance was lower in the hypertensive rats,
      whether younger (3 months) or older (18 months), than in normotensive rats. This
      finding was particularly striking for transmural pressures below 125 mmHg, and
      held true even after the administration of potassium cyanide. Consequently, the
      reduced compliance in the hypertensive rats was attributed predominantly to
      structural changes in the arterial wall. Moreover, in the hypertensive rats there
      was a dissociation between the operating arterial blood pressure level and the
      maximum value of carotid arterial compliance. Thus in young SHR, whereas the
      operating systemic blood pressure was shifted toward higher values (> 175 mmHg),
      the maximum value of carotid compliance was observed for pressure levels close to
      125 mmHg. This dissociation was more pronounced in older SHR (mean blood pressure
      200 mmHg; maximum compliance 75 mmHg). CONCLUSIONS: The acute administration of
      vasodilators or of potassium cyanide induces relaxation of vascular smooth muscle
      and increases compliance for distension pressures of up to 125 mmHg. Since the
      drugs had no effects on arterial compliance at higher pressure levels, we
      conclude that in SHR acute vasorelaxation can increase operating compliance only
      if blood pressure is reduced. In contrast, chronic treatment with vasodilating
      agents is able to increase compliance even for higher blood pressure levels.
      Therefore, we suggest that chronic treatment can improve the elastic properties
      of the arterial wall through changes in the arterial wall structure.

PMID- 1432315
TI  - Sodium, large arteries and diuretic compounds in hypertension.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Clinical and experimental data have shown that different
      antihypertensive drugs do not cause similar changes in arterial compliance for an
      equipotent blood pressure reduction. There are no clear data on the effects of
      sodium and diuretics on the visco-elastic properties of the hypertensive arterial
      wall. DATA ANALYSIS: Cross-sectional epidemiological studies suggest that for
      given values of age and blood pressure, pulse wave velocity is lower in the
      presence than in the absence of a low sodium intake. Longitudinal studies
      indicate that in hypertensive subjects, a low sodium intake is associated with a
      larger brachial artery diameter than that seen with a high sodium intake. In
      hypertension in the elderly and in severe hypertension with end-stage renal
      disease, a sodium overload reduces arterial compliance and distensibility
      independently of blood pressure changes. In animal studies, the diuretic
      compounds cycletanine and indapamide increase systemic and carotid compliance
      independently of blood pressure changes. In contrast, in a crossover study in
      hypertensive subjects, the diuretic agent hydrochlorothiazide did not change
      arterial compliance and pulse wave velocity while the calcium entry-blocker
      felodipine did improve these hemodynamic parameters. CONCLUSION: The studies
      reviewed indicate that sodium may act on the arterial wall independently of blood
      pressure changes. the contribution made by counter-regulatory mechanisms, which
      may be related to the renin-angiotensin and the sympathetic nervous systems,
      might explain the differences between the clinical and the experimental changes
      observed with diuretic compounds.

PMID- 1432316
TI  - Drug-induced changes in mechanics and structure of cerebral arterioles.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cerebral arterioles in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats
      (SHRSP) undergo remodeling with a reduction in external diameter, paradoxically
      becoming more distensible, despite hypertrophy of the vessel wall. HYPOTHESIS:
      Two concepts have been proposed. (1) Remodeling of cerebral arterioles is an
      important mechanism, in addition to hypertrophy, of encroachment on the vascular
      lumen in SHRSP. (2) Increases in arteriolar distensibility partly compensate
      cerebral arterioles for other factors, such as hypertrophy and remodeling, which
      reduce the dilator capacity of these arterioles in chronic hypertension.
      EVIDENCE: Recently, we have studied the effects of reducing blood pressure by
      drug treatment or carotid clipping on hypertrophy and remodeling of cerebral
      arterioles in SHRSP. Our findings suggest that (1) pulse pressure may be a more
      important stimulus than mean pressure for hypertrophy of cerebral blood vessels
      and (2) remodeling of cerebral arterioles may occur independently of hypertrophy.
      CONCLUSION: Treatment that effectively prevents vascular hypertrophy during
      chronic hypertension may not be effective in preventing remodeling, and may
      therefore fail to restore cerebral vascular function to normal.

PMID- 1432317
TI  - Cardiac and vascular effects of chronic angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition
      at subantihypertensive doses.
AB  - AIM: We performed two sets of experiments in order to prevent or to regress
      cardiac and vascular hypertrophy, using antihypertensive and subantihypertensive
      doses of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor zabicipril. METHODS AND
      RESULTS: Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) begin to develop hypertension at
      less than 4 weeks of age and reach stable hypertension levels after 12-14 weeks.
      The blood pressure increase is accompanied by the development of cardiac and
      vascular hypertrophy. Treatment of SHR in utero and up to the age of 20 weeks
      with an antihypertensive dose of zabicipril (1 mg/kg per day) not only prevented
      the development of high blood pressure but also the development of cardiac and
      vascular hypertrophy. This effect was demonstrated by a significant decrease in
      left ventricular weight and the number of smooth muscle cell layers in the
      vascular media, media thickness and the media:lumen ratio in mesenteric arteries.
      In contrast, antihypertensive treatment with the Ca2+ antagonist verapamil (100
      mg/kg per day) and the subantihypertensive dose of zabicipril (0.01 mg/kg per
      day) did not affect the development of cardiac and vascular hypertrophy. We found
      a significant increase in the length and surface density of myocardial
      capillaries after treatment with zabicipril at 1 mg/kg per day, indicating that
      the capillary density had improved and therefore that the oxygen supply of the
      heart was improved. Similar findings were observed with the low dose of
      zabicipril in SHR, although these rats had high blood pressure and cardiac and
      vascular hypertrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of adult SHR for 16 weeks with
      zabicipril at 1 mg/kg per day completely normalized their blood pressure levels.
      This effect was accompanied by a regression of left ventricular but not of
      vascular hypertrophy. Treatment with an antihypertensive dose of verapamil or
      with a subantihypertensive dose of zabicipril had no effect on cardiac and
      vascular hypertrophy.

PMID- 1432318
TI  - Clinical relevance of distal arterial compliance.
AB  - AIM: To calculate the compliance of resistance vessels. METHODS: Pressure-flow
      data (plethysmographic and sphygmomanometric) were obtained non-invasively from
      six normal and six hypertensive subjects, and the results were compared with
      similar data obtained previously from large blood vessels. The parameter used to
      represent compliance was extensibility (E), defined as the percentage change in
      radius for a given change in pressure. RESULTS: The hand vessels of hypertensive
      subjects (E = 0.126 +/- 0.034/mmHg) were significantly stiffer (P < 0.02) than
      those of the normotensive subjects (E = 0.272 +/- 0.047/mmHg); and the values of
      E for the resistance vessels were larger than those for the large arteries.

PMID- 1432319
TI  - Assessment of the arterial distension waveform using Doppler signal processing.
AB  - AIM: To determine the distension waveform of an artery. METHODS: Ultrasound
      signals returned by moving structures were processed by pulsed Doppler in order
      to detect the displacement of the signals with respect to the transducer as a
      continuous function of time. The results of two sample volumes combined, one
      located at the anterior and the other at the posterior wall of an artery, yielded
      the distension waveform of the artery. The distance between the sample volumes in
      combination with the distension from diastole to systole provided the local
      distensibility and compliance coefficients. To prevent any part of the structure
      under observation from moving outside the sample volume, the position of the
      sample volume was adjusted according to the displacement detected. A disadvantage
      with this method is that the phase interference of closely spaced structures,
      i.e. layers of the arterial wall, and the readjustment of the sample volume
      position may cause artifacts but these can be effectively suppressed by proper
      processing. CONCLUSIONS: The phase delay between two distension waveforms
      assessed simultaneously at a known distance can provide the local pulse wave
      velocity. Subsequently, the Moens-Korteweg relationship, expressing the
      relationship between pulse wave velocity and the distensibility coefficient, can
      be used to estimate the distensibility coefficient without measuring the local
      pulse pressure. The techniques, however, need further evaluation.

PMID- 1432320
TI  - Non-invasive method for the assessment of non-linear elastic properties and
      stress of forearm arteries in vivo.
AB  - AIM: To propose a method for obtaining non-invasive highly accurate measurements
      of arterial diameter, thickness and pressure at a single location on a peripheral
      arm artery, and use this data to estimate the status of the arterial wall.
      METHODS: Diameter and thickness were measured with an A-mode ultrasonic echo
      tracking device, with a precision of close to 1 micron. Pressure was measured
      with a photoplethysmograph at the finger level. A simple hemodynamic model was
      used to estimate, from the measured pressure pulse, the pressure waveform at the
      diameter-measuring site. RESULTS: The collected data made it possible to assess
      (1) the elastic response of the artery, through the compliance and
      distensibility, (2) the loading conditions, through the average stress-diameter
      curve and (3) the elastic properties of the wall material, through the
      incremental modulus of elasticity. CONCLUSION: This information can be used to
      assess the overall status of the arterial wall.

PMID- 1432321
TI  - In vitro assessment of diameter-pressure relationship in carotid arteries from
      normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To compare the mechanical properties of carotid arteries from
      normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats. DESIGN: The pressure-diameter
      relationships of carotid arteries from nine normotensive adult Wistar-Kyoto (WKY)
      and nine spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were measured in vitro under
      control conditions and after poisoning the smooth muscle cells with potassium
      cyanide. METHODS: Changes in diameter due to changes in transmural pressure were
      determined with an ultrasonic dimensiometer (12 MHz). The diameter values were
      determined from the transit times of the pair of echoes given by the proximal and
      distal walls. The carotid artery was submitted to stepwise increases in pressure
      of 25 mmHg, from 0 to 200 mmHg; each pressure level was maintained for 5 min
      before the arterial diameter was recorded. RESULTS: The carotid artery pressure
      diameter relationship was a sigmoid curve in both strains. At the same level of
      pressure, the diameter of the carotid artery from SHR was significantly larger
      than that from normotensive rats (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the diameter values
      measured at the operating mean arterial pressure (roughly 100 mmHg for WKY rats
      and 150 mmHg for SHR) were markedly different (P < 0.001). In both strains, the
      diameter under passive conditions (with potassium cyanide) was significantly
      larger than that measured under control conditions (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS:
      Carotid arteries from SHR were significantly stiffer than those from WKY rats.
      Due to the pressure-dependency of the arterial wall stiffness, the increased
      arterial stiffness reported in hypertensive rats in vivo is related to an
      increase in distending arterial pressure and also to a significant reduction in
      the intrinsic compliance of the arterial wall.

PMID- 1432322
TI  - Introduction to arterial compliance and function.

PMID- 1432323
TI  - Inhomogeneities in arterial wall properties under normal and pathological
      conditions.
AB  - AIM: To determine whether there are inhomogeneities in arterial wall
      distensibility with age and hypertension. BACKGROUND: It has been known for some
      years that arteries lose their elasticity with increasing age and that they are
      less distensible in subjects with established and borderline hypertension than in
      age-matched controls. RESULTS OF DATA ANALYSIS: In the carotid artery changes in
      arterial wall properties are not homogeneously distributed along the bifurcation.
      Both in older subjects and in those with borderline hypertension the loss of
      distensibility is most pronounced in the carotid artery bulb, while in borderline
      hypertensives the proximal part of the bulb, where the baroreceptors are
      predominantly located, is more affected than other parts of the bulb. The loss of
      distensibility in the bulb may explain the diminished baroreceptor sensitivity
      observed in older subjects. The pronounced involvement of the proximal part of
      the bulb in the decreased distensibility in borderline hypertensives suggests
      that local stiffening, probably leading to disturbed baroreceptor sensitivity,
      may contribute to the development of hypertension in these patients. The pattern
      of inhomogeneities in wall distensibility in borderline hypertensives at a
      relatively young age (average 38 years) is similar to that seen in older
      normotensive subjects (average age 57 years), supporting the idea that arteries
      age faster in hypertensives than in normotensives. CONCLUSION: In management of
      the borderline hypertensive patient, consideration should be given to preventing
      early ageing of the arterial wall rather than following arterial blood pressure.

PMID- 1432324
TI  - Variability in arterial diameter and compliance: compliance modulation reserve.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Some antihypertensive drugs are known to increase arterial compliance
      in hypertensives; how far compliance can be increased is unknown. DESIGN: We
      studied eight mildly hypertensive patients to determine how far radial artery
      compliance can be acutely increased, i.e. the extent of the compliance modulation
      reserve. METHODS: We evaluated radial artery compliance by a new technique,
      assessing it throughout the cardiac cycle before and after the intra-arterial
      infusion of a vasodilator agent (papaverine). RESULTS: Before papaverine,
      compliance decreased progressively through diastolic to systolic blood pressure
      values. This was the case also during the papaverine infusion. However, over the
      full systolo-diastolic pressure range, compliance was increased by about 40% with
      papaverine. CONCLUSIONS: In hypertensive subjects radial artery compliance can be
      markedly increased on a acute basis, indicating that those antihypertensive drugs
      that improve compliance have a considerable reserve to act upon.

PMID- 1432325
TI  - Relationship between low-frequency oscillations of blood pressure and changes in
      arterial diameter.
AB  - AIM: To study spontaneous variations in radial artery compliance. METHODS:
      Compliance was evaluated non-invasively by an echo-tracking system, and
      variations in sympathovagal tone were analysed by a spectral analysis of
      continuous blood pressure recordings using a Fast Fourier algorithm. We studied
      23 healthy volunteers, aged 25 +/- 4 years (mean +/- SD), at rest, on two
      occasions at least one day apart (5 +/- 3 days). RESULTS: There were no
      significant differences between the means of the arterial compliance measurements
      and those of the corresponding spectral analysis. However, the magnitude of
      change in the low-frequency periods (4-66 mHz) was significantly related (P less
      than 0.01) to a significant and inverse change in compliance for the same level
      of blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: While it is possible to use spectral analysis to
      measure the effect of autonomic nervous regulation on radial artery properties,
      low-frequency periods cannot be safely ascribed to sympathetic effects alone.
      Other effects must also be taken into account in measurements of radial artery
      distensibility.

PMID- 1432326
TI  - Effects of diurnal variability and exercise training on properties of large
      arteries.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To examine the diurnal variability in arterial distensibility and
      compliance and to study the effects of exercise training on these large artery
      properties. DESIGN: Vessel wall properties of the elastic common carotid and
      muscular brachial arteries were measured non-invasively with a vessel wall
      movement detector system in 12 healthy volunteers. Properties of the common
      carotid, the femoral and the brachial arteries were studied in 15 sedentary males
      in comparison with 15 male cyclists. RESULTS: Diurnal changes in the carotid and
      brachial arteries were similar. Blood pressure decreased at night while arterial
      diameter increased. Distensibility decreased and compliance was preserved at
      night. The vessel wall properties of the carotid artery did not differ between
      the sedentary males and the cyclists, but the femoral and brachial arteries were
      more elastic in the cyclists. The diameter of the femoral artery was larger in
      the cyclists. CONCLUSIONS: We found a diurnal pattern in changes in diameter and
      distensibility of elastic and muscular large arteries. Compliance, the buffering
      capacity of larger arteries, was preserved at night. The supplying femoral artery
      was larger and more distensible in cyclists. Exercise training did not affect the
      elastic carotid artery, but improved vessel wall properties of the brachial, and
      maybe also of other, muscular large arteries.

PMID- 1432327
TI  - Changes in arterial compliance induced by physical training in hammer-throwers.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Physical training induces multiple changes in the cardiovascular
      system which allow an increased performance along with increased oxygen
      consumption. The present study was designed to investigate whether the changes
      include an increase in arterial compliance. METHODS AND DESIGN: In six
      normotensive right-handed hammer-throwers (aged 21.3 +/- 1.8 years, mean +/- SE)
      we measured radial artery diameter continuously via a new non-invasive echo
      tracking device, and beat-to-beat blood pressure. Arterial compliance was
      calculated by an arctangent model. In each subject measurements were made from
      both the left and the right arm. The data were compared with those obtained in
      six age-matched normotensive controls. RESULTS: Compared to the controls, the
      hammer-throwers had similar blood pressure, a lower heart rate and plasma
      norepinephrine and a higher left ventricular mass index and radial artery
      diameter. In the athletes, right radial artery compliance was significantly
      greater than either right or left radial artery compliance in the sedentary
      subjects (+61 and 63%, P < 0.05). It was also significantly greater than
      contralateral radial artery compliance (+53 +/- 8%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:
      Physical training is accompanied by an increase in arterial compliance. In our
      hammer-throwers this increase was mainly evident in the more highly trained arm,
      suggesting that local mechanisms are involved in this phenomenon.

PMID- 1432328
TI  - Effect of mental stress on the tone of a medium-sized muscular artery.
AB  - AIM: We studied the effects of mental stress on the tone of the radial artery, a
      medium-sized muscular artery. METHODS: Using an A-mode echo-tracking device
      coupled to a photoplethysmograph, we took continuous measurements of the radial
      artery diameter, heart rate and finger arterial pressure in six healthy young
      volunteers. RESULTS: Under mental stress, the heart rate increased from 63 +/- 4
      to 74 +/- 4 beats/min (mean +/- SEM, P < 0.01) and systolic pressure from 123 +/-
      5 to 140 +/- 6 mmHg (P < 0.05). No consistent modification in the arterial
      diameter was observed at this time. CONCLUSION: The activation of sympathetic
      nerve activity induced by mental stress does not cause a significant contraction
      in the radial artery.

PMID- 1432329
TI  - Abnormalities of vascular compliance in hypertension, aging and heart failure.
AB  - AIM: Diastolic arterial pulse wave analysis and a modified Windkessel model were
      used to evaluate the vascular response to hypertension, heart failure and aging.
      RESULTS: Compared to age-matched normal subjects, arterial compliance was reduced
      in patients with hypertension and heart failure, particularly in the vessels that
      contribute to resonances or oscillations in the pulse wave. In elderly subjects,
      the capacitive function of the arteries and compliance of the smaller arteries
      that contribute to oscillations were both reduced. CONCLUSION: These small-vessel
      structural or functional abnormalities may serve as a marker for disease and for
      the response to therapy.

PMID- 1432331
TI  - Estimating the elastic modulus of non-atherosclerotic elastic arteries.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Non-invasive measurements of the diameter and wall thickness of
      arteries in vivo, combined with recordings of pressure, permit the assessment of
      some mechanical aspects of arteries in vivo. However, arteries are anisotropic
      cylinders with complex elastic properties which can only be determined by a
      detailed evaluation. Many of the parameters required to calculate the anisotropic
      circumferential elastic modulus cannot be obtained in patients in vivo, or can be
      obtained only with difficulty. AIMS: Experiments were performed to assess the
      true anisotropic circumferential elastic modulus, and to find simpler methods of
      estimation. METHODS: One hundred and twenty dog carotid arteries were mounted in
      vitro and were extended to four lengths, 120, 130, 160 and 180% of the retracted
      length. The different lengths were applied in random order. The vessels were
      pressurized in steps while the longitudinal force and vessel diameter were
      measured. When a reproducible mechanical behavior was observed, the pressure,
      diameter and longitudinal force were recorded. These values were used to
      calculate the longitudinal elastic modulus, the circumferential-longitudinal
      Poisson's ratio and the true anisotropic circumferential elastic modulus with
      respect to the dimensions of the fully unloaded vessel. A number of simpler
      expressions were then evaluated for their value as approximations of the true
      anisotropic modulus. RESULTS: Excellent estimates were obtained with a variety of
      expressions. CONCLUSIONS: These methods may be useful for non-invasive
      assessments of the elastic properties of non-atherosclerotic arteries in
      patients.

PMID- 1432330
TI  - Arterial dilatory reserve in congestive heart failure.
AB  - AIM: The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are abnormalities
      in flow-mediated large vessel relaxation in patients with congestive heart
      failure (CHF). METHODS: The radial arterial diameter and flow responses upon the
      release of 10 min of forearm arterial occlusion (reactive hyperemia) were
      measured with ultrasound and Doppler devices. RESULTS: In patients with CHF there
      was a 26% reduction in peak blood flow (P = 0.09) compared to age-matched
      controls. However, the increase in arterial diameter that followed the peak blood
      flow was reduced by 49% in CHF (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The causes of the
      abnormal flow-mediated large artery relaxation in CHF are unclear; both
      structural and endothelial abnormalities may contribute.

PMID- 1432332
TI  - Introduction to wave reflection, wave travel and changes with modification of
      geometric and physical parameters.

PMID- 1432333
TI  - Determinants of isolated systolic hypertension in the elderly.
AB  - AIM: To study the determinants (or mechanisms) of isolated systolic hypertension
      in the elderly. METHODS: Pulsatile blood pressure and flow (multisensor catheter)
      were measured in the ascending aorta and impedance spectra were calculated in 18
      subjects undergoing cardiac catheterization. Nine subjects (mean +/- SEM age 58
      +/- 1.4 years) had increased aortic systolic (166 +/- 2.3 mmHg, P < 0.001), mean
      (116 +/- 2.1 mmHg, P < 0.02) and pulse blood pressure (83 +/- 2.1 mmHg, P <
      0.001) and normal diastolic blood pressure (84 +/- 2.0 mmHg, NS) and constituted
      the isolated systolic hypertension group. The other nine age-matched (58 +/- 1.1
      years) subjects had normal aortic systolic and diastolic blood pressure and
      constituted the normotensive control group. RESULTS: Both static (peripheral
      vascular resistance) and dynamic (characteristic impedance and wave reflection)
      components of left ventricular external load (aortic input impedance) were
      elevated in the isolated systolic hypertensives compared to the normotensive
      subjects; peripheral vascular resistance was 44% higher (P < 0.001),
      characteristic impedance (index of aortic stiffness) was 107% higher (P < 0.001),
      the first harmonic of impedance moduli (index of wave reflection) was 57% higher
      (P < 0.004) and the first impedance moduli minimum was shifted to a higher
      frequency (from 3.4 +/- 0.2 Hz to 4.2 +/- 0.13 Hz, P < 0.008) in the group with
      isolated systolic hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: The changes in impedance spectra in
      the isolated systolic hypertensives indicate that the cross-sectional area of the
      peripheral vascular bed was reduced and that the aorta and large arteries were
      stiffer, producing an increased pulse wave velocity and an early return of pulse
      wave reflection in systole. The marked increase in arterial stiffness in isolated
      systolic hypertension offset the increase in diastolic blood pressure that would
      have been expected from an increase in peripheral vascular resistance alone, and
      early return of the reflected pressure wave augmented aortic pressure throughout
      systole and accounted for the large increase observed in systolic and pulse
      pressure in the aorta.

PMID- 1432334
TI  - Arterial compliance and distensibility in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
AB  - AIM: These studies were undertaken in intact spontaneously hypertensive rats
      (SHR) to assess whether the elastic behavior of conduit arteries changes as a
      function of age. METHODS: We studied 16-week-old (n = 10) and 36-week-old (n =
      10) SHR under fluothane anesthesia. Diameter-, compliance-, and distensibility
      pressure curves were established non-invasively for the carotid artery by means
      of a high-precision ultrasonic echo-tracking device. Intra-arterial pressure was
      monitored simultaneously in the contralateral carotid artery. RESULTS: Mean blood
      pressure was 197 +/- 6 and 185 +/- 3 mmHg (mean +/- SEM) in the younger and older
      SHR, respectively. No significant difference was observed between the two groups
      of rats in the diameter-, compliance- and distensibility-pressure curves.
      CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the elastic behavior of elastic arteries
      is not necessarily altered with aging in rats with genetic hypertension.

PMID- 1432335
TI  - Ageing and wave reflection.
AB  - AIM: To determine the effects of wave reflection on the increase in arterial
      pressure that occurs with age and its association with concomitant changes in
      both the magnitude and contour of the arterial pressure pulse. RESULTS OF DATA
      SURVEY: While age-related changes in mean pressure are similar in central and
      peripheral arteries, changes in pulse pressure and pulse waveform features are
      different. Because of the specific architectural, geometrical and elastic
      properties of the arterial vasculature, wave reflection plays an important role
      in determining peak pressure, the value usually specified as systolic pressure.
      While the late systolic increase usually determines peak systolic pressure in the
      central aorta, it is not necessarily related to the peak pressure in the
      periphery. Peak pressure depends on the timing and intensity of wave reflection,
      which is a function of the state of the peripheral microvasculature and the
      elastic properties of the large conduit arteries. Ageing causes changes in both
      the terminal and central vasculature, so that the intensity of the wave
      reflection and the transmission properties of arteries affect the arterial pulse
      to different degrees. Therefore, age-related changes that are observed in the
      central pressure pulse are different from those observed in the pulse when
      measured in a limb. Thus the contribution of wave reflection to the determination
      of peak arterial pressure is not the same at all locations. CONCLUSIONS: These
      findings have profound implications for therapeutic strategies aimed at altering
      systolic pressure and for a proper assessment of the alteration in cardiac load
      that occurs with age or with antihypertensive therapy, when measurements are
      taken in a limb.

PMID- 1432336
TI  - Opposing effects of ageing on distal and proximal large arteries in
      hypertensives.
AB  - AIM: Hypertension has been reported to accelerate the alterations in large
      arteries induced by ageing. Distal large arteries have been poorly investigated
      in contrast to proximal large arteries. The objectives of this cross-sectional
      study were (1) to compare the storage capacity of different arterial sites in
      normotensive subjects or hypertensive patients; and (2) to compare the different
      arterial sites with respect to the effects of ageing on storage capacity, in
      normotensives and in hypertensives. METHODS: Two recently developed ultrasonic
      echo-tracking devices, offering a high resolution for the assessment of internal
      arterial diameter and its systolo-diastolic variations, were used to measure end
      diastolic diameter, absolute (change at end-systole minus change at end-diastole)
      and relative (absolute change divided by change at end-diastole) changes in
      diameter with stroke and the absolute change in cross-sectional area (3.14 x the
      end-diastolic diameter x half the absolute stroke change in diameter) at the site
      of the common carotid artery, the abdominal aorta, the common femoral artery, the
      brachial artery and the radial artery in 50 untreated essential hypertensive
      patients and 32 normotensive subjects. RESULTS: In both groups, the end-diastolic
      diameter increased with age for the common carotid artery and the abdominal aorta
      but not for the common femoral, brachial or radial arteries. In the
      normotensives, the relative stroke change in diameter was negatively correlated
      with age for the common carotid artery (P < 0.001) and the abdominal aorta (P <
      0.001), and not correlated for the common femoral, brachial and radial arteries.
      In hypertensives, the relative stroke change in diameter was negatively
      correlated with age for the common carotid artery (P < 0.05) and the abdominal
      aorta (P < 0.05), positively correlated with age for the common femoral (P <
      0.05) and the radial arteries (P < 0.05) and not correlated for the brachial
      artery. Similar results were observed for the relationships between the absolute
      change in cross-sectional area and age. CONCLUSIONS: In hypertensives,
      enlargement of the proximal large arteries offsets the decrease in the relative
      stroke change in diameter and maintains an adequate storage capacity. It thus
      appears that ageing exerts opposing effects on central elastic large arteries and
      distal muscular medium-sized arteries.

PMID- 1432337
TI  - Body height as a determinant of carotid pulse contour in humans.
AB  - AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of body height on arterial
      wave reflections and the carotid pulse pressure contour in humans. METHODS: In 85
      men, the carotid pulse wave and arterial wave reflections were determined from
      the common carotid artery pulse contour as recorded by applanation tonometry
      using a Millar micromanometer-tipped probe. The arterial wave reflection was
      calculated as the ratio of the height of the late systolic peak to the total
      height of the carotid pulse wave. The reflected wave was timed from the foot of
      the pressure wave to the foot of the late systolic peak. RESULTS: Multiple
      regression analysis showed that body height and aortic pulse wave velocity were
      the principal determinants of travel time of the reflected wave and of arterial
      wave reflections (P < 0.0001), short stature being associated with a short travel
      time and increased reflections (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Body height is a
      determinant of arterial wave reflections and peak systolic blood pressure in
      humans.

PMID- 1432338
TI  - Pharmacological potential for reversing the ill effects of ageing and of arterial
      hypertension on central aortic systolic pressure.
AB  - CARDIOVASCULAR RISK: Systolic arterial pressure is an important risk factor for
      future cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. PULSATILE LOAD: The aortic
      systolic pressure with which the heart interacts is determined by pulsatile
      vascular load. In particular, wave reflections from peripheral sites affect peak
      central aortic systolic pressure but not brachial systolic pressure. DRUG
      POTENTIAL: Drugs that reduce wave reflection and hence reduce the pulsatile
      vascular load in addition to reducing peripheral resistance have the potential to
      reduce target organ damage to a greater extent than drugs that reduce mean
      pressure and resistance alone.

PMID- 1432339
TI  - Contrast detection in luminance and chromatic noise.
AB  - We measured detection thresholds for a vertically oriented 1.2-cycle-per-degree
      sine-wave grating embedded in spatiotemporal broadband noise. Noise and signal
      were modulated in different directions in color space around an equal-energy
      white point. When signal and noise were modulated in the same direction, we
      observed a linear relationship between noise spectral density and signal energy
      at threshold. The slope of this function was the same whether the modulation was
      along a luminance axis or a red-green axis. If the signal was on one axis and the
      noise was on the other, no masking was observed. These results support the notion
      of two independent and equally efficient mechanisms tuned to these directions. We
      then measured threshold elevations for masks with both chromatic and luminance
      components. When signal and noise were modulated along the same line (for
      example, bright red and dark green), thresholds were elevated. When we inverted
      the phase of the chromatic component of the noise relative to the luminance
      component (bright green and dark red), the masking effect disappeared, even
      though the amount of noise in the putative luminance and chromatic mechanisms was
      exactly the same as before. This implies that detection performance is limited by
      mechanisms sensitive to both luminance and chromatic contrast signals. We
      characterized these mechanisms by their spectral tuning curves.

PMID- 1432340
TI  - Analysis of visual modulation sensitivity. V. Faster visual response for G- than
      for R-cone pathway?
AB  - To determine the linear, unadapted responses of the cone pathways, we have
      measured the critical fusion frequency (CFF) for green (555-nm) and red (642-nm)
      flicker as a function of retinal illuminance. Both functions obeyed the Ferry
      Porter law (CFF proportional to log illuminance) to high accuracy over a > or = 5
      log-unit range. In both foveola and periphery the CFF/illuminance functions were
      significantly steeper for green light than for red light. The peripheral 555-nm
      function had an average slope 1.26 times the average slope of the 642-nm
      function. An additive model of flicker detection could not account for the
      observed differences in slope. A threshold independence model, in which detection
      is based on the most sensitive mechanism, accurately fits the data. Whichever
      model is assumed, the presence of different slopes for the two wavelength flicker
      conditions strongly implies that the R- and G-cone pathways have different
      temporal properties. The occurrence of steeper CFF/illuminance slopes in response
      to green light implies that the linear (near-CFF) response of the G-cone pathways
      in inherently faster than that of the R-cone pathways at both retinal loci. These
      differences in R- and G-cone-mediated temporal properties complicate the
      fundamental concept of luminance and invalidate it for precise application over
      the full illuminance range.

PMID- 1432341
TI  - Linear models of surface and illuminant spectra.
AB  - We describe procedures for creating efficient spectral representations for color.
      The representations generalize conventional tristimulus representations, which
      are based on the peripheral encoding by the human eye. We use low-dimensional
      linear models to approximate the spectral properties of surfaces and illuminants
      with respect to a collection of sensing devices. We choose the linear-model basis
      functions by minimizing the error in approximating sensor responses for
      collections of surfaces and illuminants. These linear models offer some
      conceptual simplifications for applications such as printer calibration; they
      also perform substantially better than principal-components approximations for
      computer-graphics applications.

PMID- 1432342
TI  - Enamel management during orthodontic treatment.

PMID- 1432344
TI  - A manpower study of orthodontic specialists for the State of Indiana: a
      preliminary report.
AB  - To develop current manpower data and project the future need for orthodontic
      specialists, a survey questionnaire was mailed to Indiana orthodontists (90
      percent response). In addition, a telephone survey of orthodontic receptionists
      was conducted during the same time period (95 percent response). In general,
      orthodontists perceived a lower state of business than did their staffs. About 77
      orthodontists are expected to retire by the year 2010. Based on maintaining the
      adjusted potential patient-to-orthodontist ratio (increasing adult and declining
      children in the population), it was projected that only about 66 (86 percent) of
      the retirees require replacement. To maintain manpower at eight percent fewer
      orthodontists than are currently in practice, three to four new orthodontists per
      year will be needed in Indiana over the next two decades.

PMID- 1432343
TI  - Orthodontic decalcification management with microabrasion.
AB  - Patient home care during orthodontic treatment is often less than ideal. For
      those patients who routinely let plaque accumulate around orthodontic appliances,
      there can be white or stained areas of decalcification around the bonded
      appliances. Management of this esthetic problem can be accomplished in several
      ways depending on the severity of the defect. This paper describes the very
      conservative technique of microabrasion which works well in removing superficial
      markings caused by decalcification. In a sample of 98 decalcified teeth from 20
      patients with orthodontic decalcifications and various other unesthetic stains,
      microabrasion removed most or all of the disfiguring marks on 78.5 percent of the
      teeth evaluated. At least some improvement was noted 96.9 percent of the time.
      These results were statistically significant (P > .01). It seems appropriate to
      employ this technique prior to initiating more aggressive cosmetic dentistry such
      as resin bonding, Class V restorations, or labial veneers.

PMID- 1432345
TI  - One hundred years of orthodontics.

PMID- 1432346
TI  - Control of orthodontic pain.
AB  - Orthodontics is an elective dental procedure generally believed to involve pain.
      In certain individuals, the pain caused by orthodontic tooth movement can be a
      major negative component of the entire therapy. Clinicians who are aware of this
      fact can attempt to prevent pain rather than ameliorate it once it is present and
      help make the experience a more positive one for the patient. Orthodontic forces
      should be kept at suitable levels and care taken to prevent trauma due to
      hyperocclusion. In procedures suspected to cause significant painful stimuli
      (such as forcing bands on unseparated teeth, removal of fixed expanders, initial
      placement of archwires, or lingual arches), or in particularly sensitive
      patients, the use of analgesics may be indicated. These agents should be taken
      prior to the procedure and for a minimum of 24 hours following the procedure.
      Acetaminophen is recommended in young children, while nonsteroidal anti
      inflammatory agents are indicated in older patients.

PMID- 1432347
TI  - Influence of lower lip support on recording of vertical dimension in edentulous
      patients.
AB  - The purpose of this investigation was to assess the influence of differences in
      design of the occlusion rim on recorded vertical dimension in complete denture
      therapy. Edentulous patients were studied with an opto-electronic method when the
      vertical dimension of rest was established with and without labial support of the
      occlusion rim. As no significant differences were found, the results did not
      support the hypothesis that the contour of the lip support will influence the
      recorded physiological rest position. However, a significant difference between
      intra and extraoral placement of the point of measurement was found.

PMID- 1432348
TI  - Influence of porcelain material and composite luting resin on microleakage of
      porcelain laminate veneers.
AB  - The microleakage beneath porcelain laminate veneers was investigated. The
      restoration margins were located according to the preparations made below or
      above CEJ of extracted maxillary central incisors. Vitadur N and Microbond
      porcelain materials were used to prepare laminate veneers. A light cured
      composite resin (Porcelite) and a light- and chemical-cured composite resin
      (Porcelite Dual Cure) were used as luting agents. The bonded specimens were
      thermocycled and by employing the standard dye penetration technique, the leakage
      was scored from cervical and incisal margins. Significantly greater microleakage
      was recorded at the dentine composite resin interfaces than at the
      enamel/composite interfaces. Statistically insignificant differences were
      observed with the use of the four cement/porcelain combinations studied.

PMID- 1432349
TI  - Swallowing activity of lip muscles in patients with a complete upper and a
      partial lower denture.
AB  - In 30 partially edentulous subjects provided with an immediate complete upper and
      a partial lower free-end denture the lip activity in swallowing was studied
      before and after denture treatment and during a 2-year period of denture wearing.
      Electromyographic recordings of the right side upper and lower orbicularis oris,
      mentalis and anterior temporal muscles were obtained during swallowing saliva and
      during swallowing of water with and without the dentures in the mouth. In the
      different types of swallows recorded, the lower lip and mentalis muscles showed
      much stronger activity than the upper lip and anterior temporal muscles and also
      initiated the swallowing activity. No significant changes in mean voltages of the
      swallowing activity were observed during the 2-year observation period. On the
      other hand, the durations of the swallows showed marked increases after 1 year of
      denture use, when no further rebasings of the complete upper denture had been
      made.

PMID- 1432350
TI  - Effects of nickel-chrome dental alloys used in dentistry on saliva and serum
      nickel levels, peripheral T-lymphocytes and some other blood parameters.
AB  - Epidemiological investigations have shown that nickel is a potent sensitivity
      producing agent. However, it is not known if intra-oral use of nickel-chrome
      alloys can cause any sensitization reaction. The purpose of this study was to
      determine if nickel-chrome alloys used in dentistry influence nickel levels in
      saliva and serum and whether there were associated changes of some blood
      parameters such as lymphocyte, T-lymphocyte, neutrophil, eosinophil, basophil and
      monocyte. The study was performed on 10 patients all of whom had no medical and
      dental history of using nickel containing drugs or restorations. Four unit fixed
      partial prostheses containing 22.97% nickel and 22.65% chrome were constructed
      and worn by the patients. Blood and unstimulated whole saliva samples were taken
      from the patients before insertion of the prostheses and then 1 month and 6
      months post-insertion. Hematocrit determinations, total and differential
      leucocyte count, total T-lymphocyte counts and serum nickel concentrations were
      determined from the blood samples and salivary nickel concentrations from the
      saliva samples. It was found that there were no significant changes in
      circulating T-lymphocyte and monocyte population but a decrease was found in
      circulating eosinophil and an increase in circulating neutrophil and basophil
      populations.

PMID- 1432351
TI  - Signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint dysfunction in a Saudi Arabian
      population.
AB  - The signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint dysfunction present in 219
      Saudi Arabians attending a dental clinic for routine dental treatment are
      described. Joint sounds (36%) and muscle tenderness to palpation (34%) were
      common findings. Of the subjects examined, 31% reported suffering from frequent
      headaches. The study demonstrated a high incidence of signs and symptoms of
      temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Findings were similar to those of a previous
      study of an investigation in a bedouin community in Western Egypt (Abdel-Hakim,
      1983).

PMID- 1432352
TI  - Analysis of a central maxillary incisor by using a three-dimensional finite
      element method.
AB  - An attempt is made for determining the stress distribution in a maxillary central
      incisor by using a three-dimensional finite element model. The tooth is assumed
      isotropic, homogeneous, elastic and unsymmetrical. A load of 450N, 26 degrees to
      the longitudinal axis is applied on the incisal margin of the tooth. The
      distribution of compressive, tensile and shear stresses were plotted for the
      whole tooth structure. It is found that cracks or fractures occur under the given
      load.

PMID- 1432353
TI  - Effect of metal strengthener's surface roughness on fracture resistance of
      acrylic denture base material.
AB  - The aim of this study was to clarify the effect of the surface roughness of
      various metal wires on the fracture resistance of the acrylic test specimens. The
      number of test groups compared were 16, and there were 30 test specimens in each
      group. The investigation showed that the surface roughening of the metal wires
      used to reinforce acrylic resin denture base material increased the fracture
      resistance of the test specimens. The best results were achieved by sandblasting.
      The differences in resistance were also statistically significant.

PMID- 1432354
TI  - The masticatory pattern as an adjunct for diagnosis and treatment.
AB  - The sagitally-viewed masticatory pattern was investigated in 125 dentate
      patients. In 25 patients, the phenomenon of an incisal guided phase during
      mastication was observed. Clinical examination of these cases revealed slight to
      severe incisal attrition or various degrees of flaring. The hypothesis that the
      incisal guided phase contributes to this phenomenon and should therefore be taken
      into consideration during treatment is put forward.

PMID- 1432355
TI  - Methodological observations on positive and negative work (teeth grinding) by
      human jaw muscles.
AB  - Through electrognathography and surface electromyography of the right and left
      masseter muscle (MM), this methodologic study examined the excentric
      (lengthening) and concentric (shortening) contractions of brief (2000 ms)
      voluntary teeth grinding performed through canine as well as group function of
      the opposing teeth. We inferred that the most anterior and superior portions of
      the right and left MM were lengthened and shortened by at least 4.23 mm (right
      MM) and 4.82 mm (left MM). For the negative work efforts (excentric contractions)
      of canine function, the tensions of the ipsilateral MM ranged from 10 to 20% MVC
      and those of the contralateral MM from 4 to 14% MVC. For the positive work
      efforts (concentric contractions) of canine function, the tensions of the
      ipsilateral MM ranged from 11 to 44% MVC and those of the contralateral MM from
      20 to 41% MVC. A comparison between canine and group function showed that the
      negative as well as positive work efforts of group function exceeded those of
      canine function.

PMID- 1432356
TI  - A comparative study of two methods for the orientation of the occlusal plane and
      the determination of the vertical dimension of occlusion in edentulous patients.
AB  - The aim of this study was to compare two methods used to orientate the occlusal
      plane (OP) and to determine the vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO). In method
      A the VDO was established by means of the rest position, the minimal speaking
      distance, and the patient's profile. Method B used a newly developed registration
      pin assembly. The VDO was registered using a silicone occlusion rim and the
      swallowing technique. The results were compared to the values of the new
      dentures. Three standardized lateral radiographs were taken at the VDO obtained
      with methods A, B, and at that of the final dentures. On each radiograph the
      orientation of the OP to the Camper plane and the VDO were measured by two
      investigators independently. The results indicated no statistically significant
      differences between the mean VDO with method A and B compared with the new
      dentures (P greater than 0.05). With both methods it was not possible to
      orientate the OP parallel to the Camper plane. None of the occlusal planes of the
      new dentures were parallel either. Their OP diverged on average by 7 degrees
      dorso-caudally. The time spent with method B to orient the OP and to determine
      the VDO was significantly lower than with method A (17-50 min).

PMID- 1432357
TI  - Frequency analysis of electromyographic signals in mandibular elevators at
      maximum clench level.
AB  - Power spectral analysis of electromyogram (ENG) was used to investigate the
      relationship between mean power frequency (MPF) and sustained contraction time.
      Surface EMG activity was recorded from masseter and anterior temporal muscles on
      both sides for seven healthy subjects while clenching at intercuspal position in
      maximum potential level of these muscles. A visual sense feedback of EMG
      potential was used to control clenching level. According to linear regression
      analysis, there was a negative correlation between MPF of EMG and sustained
      contraction time. The results indicate that the slope of MPF versus contraction
      time may be used for detecting muscular fatigue in the stomatognathic system.

PMID- 1432358
TI  - Chemically humanized murine monoclonal antibody against a cell nuclear antigen:
      usefulness in autoimmune diagnostics.
AB  - The cellular nuclear antigen SS-B/La is known to be a major antigenic target to
      an autoantibody in patients with Sjogren's syndrome and systemic lupus
      erythematosus. It is useful to detect an anti-SS-B/La antibody from patients'
      sera in a clinical point of view. We purified SS-B/La from rabbit thymus acetone
      powder by affinity chromatography with a murine anti-SS-B/La monoclonal antibody
      (1C3-H7). An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method, in which SS-B/La was used
      to coat a plate, was also successfully established. It is difficult to obtain a
      large volume of patient's serum with high antibody titer and high specificity as
      a positive control. We investigated whether or not a positive control from human
      could be replaced by a murine monoclonal antibody to SS-B/La. The 1C3-H7 was
      conjugated with a human IgG Fc' fragment using N-gamma
      maleimidobutyryloxysuccinimide as a cross-linker. The chemically humanized murine
      monoclonal antibody (1C3-Fc') was recognized by antiserum specific for human IgG
      Fc fragment. 1C3-Fc' reacted to SS-B/La but not to other antigens. Furthermore,
      the titration curve of this conjugate ran parallel with those of patients' sera
      specific for SS-B/La. It is concluded that a chemically humanized murine
      monoclonal antibody is useful as a positive control in place of a human patient's
      serum.

PMID- 1432359
TI  - Simultaneous expression of type I procollagen mRNA and albumin in cirrhotic human
      liver.
AB  - The gene expression of human type I procollagen was investigated in cirrhotic
      human liver by using in situ hybridization with nonradioactive DNA probes. Using
      in situ hybridization can provide direct evidence for the cell type capable for
      type I collagen synthesis in tissues. T-T dimerized DNA probes were used and DNAs
      hybridized in situ were detected immunohistochemically using specific antibodies
      against T-T dimer. The data demonstrated that type I collagen is synthesized in
      hepatocytes and stellate cells in pseudolobules and in fibroblasts in Glissons
      capsules in cirrhotic human livers. We indicated hepatocytes morphologically and
      functionally by using immunohistochemical localization of albumin, which was used
      as a marker of hepatocyte, since albumin is synthesized exclusively by
      hepatocytes.

PMID- 1432360
TI  - Comparison of various methods for the enumeration of blood cells in urine.
AB  - This study compared the use of conventional urine microscopy, the KOVA system,
      Neubauer hemacytometry, and the Yellow IRIS for the determination of white blood
      cell (WBC) and red blood cell (RBC) counts in urine samples. Both KOVA WBC and
      RBC counts correlated better with the IRIS counts than with conventional
      microscopy. KOVA WBC counts correlated with Neubauer hemacytometry to the same
      degree as they did with IRIS WBC counts. The RBC count correlation was fairly
      similar between KOVA, hemacytometry, and the conventional method. It was
      concluded that the KOVA system is a suitable replacement for conventional urine
      microscopy.

PMID- 1432361
TI  - A homogeneous assay system of aspartate aminotransferase iso-enzymes using
      proteases and application for clinical evaluation of myocardial infarction.
AB  - We designed a rapid, homogeneous assay for human aspartate aminotransferase (AST)
      isoenzymes, by a selective proteolysis of soluble AST (s-AST), using chymotrypsin
      and protease 401. The linearity of mitochondrial (m-AST) was elongated up to 4000
      U/l. m-AST values from the human liver, and determined by a homogeneous assay
      using protease 401 or chymotrypsin, were relative to those obtained using an
      immunoprecipitation method. In perioperative patients or those with an acute
      myocardial infarction, the peaks of s-AST and m-AST values were noted 13 h and at
      57 h after ictus, respectively, whereas the peak of ratio between was seen 6 h
      after ictus. In the case of Budd-Chiari syndrome, the maximum levels of the two
      AST activities were evident 14 days after hospitalization and the peak of ratio
      between them was seen after 7 days. We propose that this homogeneous assay can
      serve as a diagnostic tool for early phase detection of myocardial infarction and
      of Budd-Chiari syndrome.

PMID- 1432362
TI  - Influence of biological variations and sample handling on measured
      microalbuminuria in diabetic patients.
AB  - Five immunochemical assays for determining low concentrations of albumin were
      investigated. These were a radioimmunoassay (RIA); turbidimetric immunoassays
      (TIA) both according to end-point measuring principle on a Cobas Fara and Hitachi
      717 analysers, and according to kinetic measuring principle on a Turbitimer
      instrument; and a nephelometric immunoassay (NIA). All achieved the analytical
      goal necessary for optimal patient care. The correlations between the albumin
      concentrations measured with the different techniques were very good. In vitro
      glycation of albumin did not influence albumin concentrations measured by the
      five assays. Urine albumin excretion measured over 3 consecutive days showed
      considerable day-to-day variation. This was highest for spot-urine specimens and
      significantly lower for 24 h and timed-overnight samples. Variation of storage
      temperature (room temperature, 4 degrees C, -20 degrees C), time (up till 3
      months), and pH (within the range pH 5-8) of the urine samples did not change
      significantly the measured albumin concentrations. Different sample preparations
      (vortex-mixing, centrifugation, and thawing) had no influence on the measured
      albumin concentration. In conclusion, a maximum standardization of the collection
      of timed-overnight urine samples for screening and 24 h urine samples for
      confirmation of microalbuminuria during 3 consecutive days is more crucial than
      the choice of the immunological technique.

PMID- 1432363
TI  - Enzyme immunoassay for specific analysis of pancreatic stone proteins in human
      pancreatic juice.
AB  - In order to study the concentration of pancreatic stone protein (PSP) in human
      pancreatic juice, we investigated the influence of the insoluble form of PSP-S1
      converted from PSP-S2-5 on PSP determination and the assay method for PSP-S1
      precipitate after solubilizing PSP-S1. When bovine trypsin was added to
      pancreatic juice, PSP-S1 was converted from PSP-S2-5 and precipitated about 45
      85% after 1 h. The precipitated PSP-S1 was dissolved in 0.1 M sodium acetate
      buffer, pH 4.0, and the concentration was measured by the enzyme immunoassay,
      with similar reactivity to PSP-S1 and PSP-S2-5. The proposed method can offer
      accurate and specific analysis of the PSP level in pancreatic juice. The results
      of the fractionation of pancreatic juice and duodenal juice on Mono S cation
      exchange chromatography suggested that the major component of PSP was PSP-S2-5 in
      pancreatic juice and PSP-S1 in duodenal juice.

PMID- 1432364
TI  - Automated microparticle enzyme immunoassay for neural thread protein in
      cerebrospinal fluid from Alzheimer's disease patients.
AB  - An automated microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA) with the IMx analyzer for
      the detection of neural thread protein (NTP) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from
      Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients was developed. This assay uses monoclonal
      antibodies produced against the purified pancreatic form of the protein. The
      assay employs one monoclonal antibody covalently coupled to the microparticle to
      capture immunoreactive material in CSF or brain tissue. The second monoclonal
      antibody was conjugated to alkaline phosphatase and serves as detection antibody.
      The assay provides results in approximately 45 minutes with a sensitivity of 60
      pg/ml (3 fmoles/ml). The titration curve of both normal and AD CSF resulted in a
      linear relationship with respect to the volume of CSF used. A similar
      relationship was observed when normal and AD brain tissue extracts were serially
      diluted. The molecular weight of NTP in CSF was approximately 20 kD as determined
      by gel filtration method under non-denaturing conditions. The recovery for
      pancreatic thread protein (PTP) spiked in either normal or AD CSF was 104% and
      108%, respectively. Intra-, inter-, and total assay CVs (coefficient of
      variation) for controls were less than 2.9%, 3.3% and 3.0%, respectively. This
      assay will provide a useful tool in the study of the Alzheimer's disease and may
      help research in diagnosis and prognosis of Alzheimer's disease and related
      disorders.

PMID- 1432365
TI  - A flexible, efficient, checkerboard immunoblot system for the detection and
      semiquantitation of specific antinuclear antibodies.
AB  - In this paper an uncomplicated method for the simultaneous detection and
      semiquantitation of 11 of the 12 commonly studied antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in
      a single run is described. This new application of checkerboard immunoblotting
      (CBIB) is based upon available technology and employs purified antigens which can
      be either purchased or produced in-house. CBIB requires no electronic instrument,
      can be formatted to meet the needs of the user, is rapidly performed, and has
      acceptable labor and materials costs. Data on the use of the method to examine
      available reference antisera is presented. CBIB has also proven practical for the
      clinical study of 18 sera, at two dilutions per membrane, for each set of
      specific antinuclear antibodies, also at two or more dilutions.

PMID- 1432366
TI  - Comparison of two automated nephelometers.
AB  - The intercalibration precision and linearity were determined for two
      representative analytes, apolipoprotein A1 (apo A1) and immunoglobulin G (IgG),
      on the Beckman Array and the Behring Nephelometer 100 (BN-100). For two of nine
      samples analyzed, poor precision was observed for IgG with the Array. The poor
      precision for these two samples is attributed to large systematic shifts. A
      statistical non-linearity was observed for apo A1 with the BN-100, but this non
      linearity does not exclude use of this assay for clinical diagnosis. Method
      comparisons were done for 12 analytes: apo A1, apo B, IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE, C3, C4,
      albumin, C-reactive protein, alpha-1-antitrypsin, and ceruloplasmin. These
      comparisons showed proportional biases of > 10% for seven of 12 analytes.
      Furthermore, correlation coefficients were < 0.96 for seven of 12 analytes. We
      conclude that comparing results obtained from the two different nephelometers is
      of only limited value for the individual patient.

PMID- 1432367
TI  - Streptomyces: a superior source for cholesterol oxidase used in serum cholesterol
      assay.
AB  - The present study compared three cholesterol oxidase sources (Nocardia,
      Streptomyces, and Pseudomonas sps.) for serum cholesterol assay. We found
      cholesterol oxidase isolated from Streptomyces was superior than those isolated
      from Nocardia and Pseudomonas sps. Performances of the reagent contained
      Streptomyces cholesterol oxidase was excellent and comparable to the performances
      obtained from reagent contained Nocardia cholesterol oxidase. Moreover, the
      reagent containing Streptomyces cholesterol oxidase had the lowest cost and had
      the longest shelf-life ($U.S. 0.17/mL, 10 weeks) compared to the reagent
      contained Nocardia ($U.S. 0.50/mL, 8 weeks) or Pseudomonas ($U.S. 0.20/mL, 6
      weeks) cholesterol oxidase.

PMID- 1432368
TI  - Immunoelectron microscopic localization of antigens which react with islet cell
      cytoplasmic antibodies within human pancreatic beta cells.
AB  - The presence of circulating autoantibody to islet cell cytoplasm is considered to
      be an important marker of Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus. In the
      present study using islet cell cytoplasmic antibody positive patient sera as the
      first antibody, we studied the intracellular distribution of its antigen at the
      electron microscopic level using the pre-embedding immunoperoxidase method.
      Specific immunoreactivity was found in the membranes of beta cell-secretory
      granules and cytoplasmic membranes. This result is compatible with the
      interpretation that the antigen(s) on the membranes of beta cell secretory
      granules is (are) the target of islet cell cytoplasmic antibody.

PMID- 1432369
TI  - Single point quantification of antibody by ELISA without need of a reference
      curve.
AB  - A new method for the quantification of antibodies in the enzyme-linked
      immunosorbent assay is described. This procedure replaces titer determinations
      based on end-point dilution of the antibody under investigation. Here, the sample
      is tested in a single dilution and the optical density (OD) obtained is used in
      the equation log10 titer = alpha.OD beta. The titer can then be calculated by
      inserting into the formula the values for the constants alpha and beta, which are
      specified by the manufacturer for each separate batch of kit reagents. This so
      called alpha-method saves time and reagents while providing results which are
      equal to the titration method in accuracy and superior in precision. The alpha
      method is also a simpler and reliable alternative to the use of standard or
      reference curves for the quantification of the antibodies in I.U./ml.

PMID- 1432371
TI  - Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 165th meeting. 9-11 July 1992.
      Abstracts.

PMID- 1432370
TI  - Clinical significance of soluble interleukin 2 receptor for monitoring the
      diseases associated with activated lymphocytes and viral infections.

PMID- 1432372
TI  - Application of quality of life measures in health care delivery.

PMID- 1432374
TI  - Quality of life. Special issue.

PMID- 1432373
TI  - Quality of life in developing countries.

PMID- 1432375
TI  - Health policy and the quality of life.

PMID- 1432376
TI  - Quality of life across age and family stage.
AB  - It is clear that the quality of life of the individual is intertwined with that
      of his or her family. Therefore, health care professionals and other
      professionals who work with families facing terminal illness must (1) identify
      those factors that put the patient and the family at risk of suffering further
      disruption of psychosocial quality of life and (2) seek out whatever resources
      are necessary to help the patient and the family improve their quality of life.
      Families with young children are more dependent on external resources than are
      other families, and they place more strains on the spouse caregiver. If these
      resources are not available, parents are less able to handle crucial
      developmental family matters. Clinicians who are aware of this deficit are better
      able to recognize role performance problems and help families obtain the external
      resources. Secondly, families who have relied on ascribed roles before the parent
      fell ill are at greater risk of psychosocial dysfunction: they lack appropriate
      ways to deal with role reallocation in order to make the best use of their
      talents. Professionals who are sensitive to this can help families adapt to role
      changes. A third area that places families at risk is poor spousal communication.
      Good communication patterns appear to facilitate adjustment to both terminal
      illness and bereavement (4,6). Professionals trained in family and social therapy
      are equipped to help family members develop effective communication, which can in
      turn help them prioritize tasks, seek outside resources when needed, and
      negotiate role assignments.

PMID- 1432378
TI  - Quality of life for families in the management of home care patients with
      advanced cancer.

PMID- 1432377
TI  - Quality of life: the family and Alzheimer's disease.
AB  - AD possesses unique features that make caregiving particularly burdensome. The
      quality of life of the caregiver is inevitably affected, but there are many
      intervening variables such as the strength of the existing relationship and the
      presence of a social support system that can mediate the outcome. Health
      professionals can play a vital role by providing a continuous source of advice,
      support, and help to assist the caregiver in the difficult task of tending a
      loved one during this long and stressful illness.

PMID- 1432379
TI  - Photoinduced cutaneous inflammatory response by psoralens.
AB  - Our studies describe the inflammatory response in rabbit skin induced by topical
      application of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) and UVA-visible irradiation (320-700
      nm). Increase in vascular permeability (iVP) and accumulation of
      polymorphonuclear leucocytes (aPMN) at the test sites were quantitated using 125I
      albumin and 51Cr-labelled PMNs respectively. Erythema was graded visually. 8-MOP
      cream was applied topically and irradiated. The erythemal response, aPMN and iVP
      at the test sites were quantitated at 6, 24, 48 and 72 h post-irradiation. The
      iVP and aPMN were maximal at 24 h; the erythemal response was the same at 24-48
      h. The responses were dependent on 8-MOP concentration and irradiation dose.
      Topical application of 200 micrograms 8-MOP cream followed by irradiation for 2 h
      (9.4 J cm-2) produced 3-7 times iVP, 2-4 times aPMN and intense erythema at the
      test sites after 24 h. Neither aPMN nor iVP was detected before 6 h and erythemal
      response was not observable up to 16 h after irradiation. The aPMN and iVP
      gradually subsided in 72 h, although the erythemal response was still present.
      The repeated exposure of 8-MOP-treated sites for three consecutive days 24 h
      apart did not produce appreciable iVP or aPMN at 72 h or 24 h after the last
      exposure; however, erythema persisted. The 8-MOP-treated sites previously exposed
      for three consecutive days on reapplication of 8-MOP cream plus irradiation
      showed significantly less response compared with non-pretreated sites. Our
      results suggest that the erythemal response is not directly related to either iVP
      or aPMN.

PMID- 1432381
TI  - Ultraweak photons emitted by cells: biophotons.

PMID- 1432380
TI  - Biological implications of aerobically obtained riboflavin-sensitized
      photoproducts of tryptophan.

PMID- 1432382
TI  - Synthesis of psoralens and analogues.
AB  - This review presents briefly the various classical syntheses of psoralens and
      angelicins which generally start from preformed suitably substituted coumarin or
      benzofuran derivatives. However, the discovery of the photocyclo-C-4 addition of
      psoralens to pyrimidine bases prompted new developments in this area. In
      particular, improved synthesis of psoralens and substituted angelicins, and
      synthesis of new analogues such as furochromenes, pyridopsoralens, pyrano
      benzopyrandiones, dioxinocoumarins and aza-psoralens were described recently.
      This review focuses on the chemical syntheses of these various compounds.

PMID- 1432383
TI  - The evolution of photochemotherapy with psoralens and UVA (PUVA): 2000 BC to 1992
      AD.
AB  - The therapeutic uses of naturally occurring psoralens in modern-day medicine (8
      methoxypsoralen (8-MOP), 5-methoxypsoralen (5-MOP), 4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen, and
      a few other synthetic psoralens) have evolved through five stages of development.
      (1) In the historical period (2000 BC to 1930 AD), the pigment-stimulating
      properties of naturally occurring plants containing psoralens were described
      anecdotally. (2) The second period (1930-1960) dealing with the chemistry of
      psoralens involved extraction, identification of their structure, synthesis, and
      the relationship between chemical structure and their photoreactivity and pigment
      stimulating properties. The treatment of vitiligo with oral and topical 8-MOP
      became popular. (3) In the third period (1960-1974), we witnessed a new beginning
      and the growth of basic science studies and clinical investigations into various
      biological properties of psoralens including action spectrum studies, mutagenesis
      and carcinogenesis studies, in vitro and in vivo photoreactivity studies of
      various psoralens with DNA, RNA, proteins, and pharmacological and toxicological
      studies in vitiligo patients undergoing long-term therapy for repigmentation. (4)
      The fourth period (1974-1988) is recognized as the period of photochemotherapy
      and the development of the science of photomedicine which established the
      therapeutic effectiveness of psoralens in combination with newly developed UV
      irradiation systems that emitted high-intensity UVA radiation in the treatment of
      severe psoriasis, mycosis fungoides, and over 16 other skin diseases. The
      effectiveness of PUVA (psoralen + UVA) was confirmed by well controlled clinical
      trials in thousands of patients, both in the USA and in European countries.
      Combination therapy with oral retinoids and PUVA contributed to greater
      effectiveness and long-term safety of psoralen photochemotherapy. (5) In the
      fifth period (1989 and beyond), psoralens are now emerging as
      photochemoprotective agents against non-melanoma skin cancers and as immunologic
      modifiers in the management of certain patients with disorders of circulating T
      cells using new techniques of photopheresis. In the final analysis, perhaps the
      application of pharmacological and therapeutic concepts and principles of using
      psoralens in combination with UVA has contributed to the development of a new
      science of photomedicine in which the interaction between basic scientists,
      photobiologists, and physicians has produced both basic and new clinical
      knowledge for the care and control of human suffering.

PMID- 1432384
TI  - New aspects of the repair and genotoxicity of psoralen photoinduced lesions in
      DNA.
AB  - Several approaches are described aiming at a better understanding of the
      genotoxicity of psoralen photoinduced lesions in DNA. Psoralens can photoinduce
      different types of photolesions including 3,4- and 4',5'-monoadducts and
      interstrand cross-links, oxidative damage (in the case of 3-carbethoxypsoralen (3
      CPs)) and even pyrimidine dimers (in the case of 7-methylpyrido(3,4-c)psoralen
      (MePyPs)). The characterization and detection of different types of lesions has
      been essential for the analysis of their possible contributions to genotoxicity.
      For example, oxidative damage photoinduced by 3-CPs can be detected by the
      formamidopyrimidine glycosylase (FPG) protein. Furthermore, it is shown how the
      presence of MePyPs induced monoadducts may interfere with the photoreactivation
      of concomitantly induced pyrimidine dimers, how the ratio of monoadducts and
      interstrand cross-links (CL) affects the occurrence of double-strand breaks
      during the repair of photolesions and genotoxicity. In vitro treatment of yeast
      plasmids, followed by transformation, also indicates that the repair of
      photoadducts on exogenous DNA differs for 8-methoxy-psoralen (8-MOP) induced mono
      and diadducts and for monoadducts alone. The recombinational rad52 dependent
      pathway is not needed for the repair of 8-MOP induced monoadducts. The results
      obtained suggest that the genotoxic effects of psoralens are conditioned by the
      nature, number, ratio and sequence distribution of the photolesions induced in
      DNA.

PMID- 1432385
TI  - Recent advances in the synthesis and structure determination of site specifically
      psoralen-modified DNA oligonucleotides.
AB  - We have developed novel methods for the preparation of multimicromole quantities
      of extremely pure, uniquely photoadducted psoralen-DNA cross-links, furan-side
      monoadducted DNA and pyrone-side monoadducts. Psoralen cross-linked and furan
      side monoadducted DNA were produced by employing high intensity argon ion and
      krypton ion lasers as light sources. Pyrone-side monoadducts were prepared by
      base-catalyzed photoreversal of psoralen cross-links. The various psoralen
      adducted DNA oligomers were efficiently purified by high performance liquid
      chromatography. These methods have permitted us to synthesize 4 mumol each of a
      self-complementary 8-mer d(GCGTACGC) 4'-(hydroxymethyl)-4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen
      (HMT) furan-side monoadduct and HMT cross-link. Preliminary nuclear magnetic
      resonance (NMR) data on the HMT cross-linked 8-mer d(GCGTACGC) have been obtained
      which confirmed the presence of the diadducted psoralen at the unique 5'TpA3'
      site. NMR data obtained from the 8-mer furan-side monoadduct revealed that the
      psoralen molecule is intercalated into the DNA double helix. Preliminary crystals
      of 8-mer cross-linked DNA molecule have been grown. Conditions for the growth of
      X-ray diffraction-quality crystals and the further analysis of these crystals are
      now in progress.

PMID- 1432386
TI  - Benzoangelicins: new monofunctional DNA photobinding agents.
AB  - 4,6-Dimethylbenzoangelicin, obtained by fusing a benzene ring at the furan side
      of 4,6-dimethylangelicin, was studied in terms of crystal structure and
      interactions with DNA in both ground and excited states. 4,6
      Dimethylbenzoangelicin has a planar structure and forms a molecular complex with
      DNA, undergoing intercalation inside the double helix. Under UVA irradiation, it
      photoconjugates covalently with the macromolecule, showing a DNA photobinding
      rate slightly lower than that of 8-methoxypsoralen, involving however only its
      3,4 double bond, i.e. behaving as a pure monofunctional agent. The parameters of
      dark binding and photobinding were determined, and two C4 cycloadducts with
      thymine were isolated and characterized.

PMID- 1432387
TI  - Synthesis and photobiological activity of new methylpsoralen derivatives.
AB  - The synthesis and the photobiological activity of two new derivatives of psoralen
      (3,4'-dimethylpsoralen and 3,4',8-trimethylpsoralen) has been described. They are
      congeners of the monofunctional linear furocoumarin 3,4'-dimethyl-8
      methoxypsoralen. Both compounds bind very efficiently to DNA, the extent of this
      process being modulated by the nature of substituents at position 8. The number
      of photolesions is linearly related to adenine-thymine content of the nucleic
      acid which indicates lack of specificity for particular sequences of the nucleic
      acid. The structural arrangement of DNA (single stranded, double stranded,
      nucleosomes and chromatin) plays an additional role in affecting the photobinding
      process. Unlike their 8-methoxy congener the new derivatives cross-link DNA to a
      substantial extent. Their photobiological properties, including erythema
      formation, reflect very closely those of 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP). The
      conclusion can be drawn that 3,4'-dimethyl-8-MOP represents a unique derivative
      in its family.

PMID- 1432388
TI  - Current perspectives of singlet oxygen detection in biological environments.
AB  - There is widespread acceptance that singlet oxygen is a key intermediate on one
      of the pathways leading to the phenomenon of photodynamic action. However, the
      identification of this moiety within a particular biological system and the
      determination of a direct link between its presence and a particular photodynamic
      effect is a goal which photobiologists have hitherto failed to achieve. The aim
      of this review is to assess the problems associated with such a goal and methods
      whereby they might be overcome. Initially the general photochemical and
      environmental factors which govern the ability of a photosensitizer to promote
      photodynamic action via the intermediacy of singlet oxygen are introduced and the
      fundamental parameters defining the formation, decay and reactivity of this
      species summarized. The experimental requirements for relating a particular
      photodynamic effect to singlet oxygen intermediacy are then analysed and the
      intrinsic properties of singlet oxygen which will influence this goal are
      discussed. Having concluded that the singlet oxygen detection method of choice
      for this purpose is that in which the IR emission at 1269 nm of this molecule is
      monitored, the advantages and disadvantages of pulsed and continuous wave
      photoexcitation of cellular systems are analysed. It becomes evident that, no
      matter what the future improvements in instrumentation are likely to be, the
      inherent natures of singlet oxygen and the biological system lead to a kinetic
      situation which will preclude a successful time-resolved solution to this
      problem. In contrast, experimentation with continuous wave systems holds out
      significant hope for the future. In particular, the use of phase modulation
      techniques to overcome background emission problems, the enhancement of
      photosensitizer optical densities as a consequence of higher extinction
      coefficients and/or improved photosensitizer delivery systems and the use of high
      power lasers and/or improved light delivery systems can, at least in principle,
      lead to the solution of the problem addressed herein.

PMID- 1432389
TI  - Photobleaching of 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran by novel phthalocyanine dye
      derivatives.
AB  - As part of a wider programme to identify novel photosensitizers for photodynamic
      therapy, the ability of a number of phthalocyanine dyes, including some novel
      copper phthalocyanine derivatives with a range of water solubilities, to produce
      potentially cytotoxic species in solution was examined. The experiments were
      performed in dimethylformamide using 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPIBF) as the
      scavenger. The study revealed that all the dyes tested produced DPIBF
      photobleaching on illumination in vitro, but with widely different (greater than
      12x) rates. The possible correlation of DPIBF photobleaching rates with a number
      of the dyes' properties is discussed.

PMID- 1432390
TI  - Photodynamic properties of naphthosulfobenzoporphyrazines, novel asymmetric,
      amphiphilic phthalocyanine derivatives.
AB  - Metallo naphthosulfobenzoporphyrazines sulfonated to different degrees (M-NSBP)
      were prepared, and their potential as photosensitizers for the photodynamic
      therapy (PDT) of cancer was evaluated. M-NSBP can be viewed as hybrid molecules
      between sulfophthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines resulting in distinct
      differences in the absorption spectra between the mono-through tetrasulfonated
      derivatives. This feature greatly facilited their purification. Using V-79
      Chinese hamster cells in vitro, the disulfonated derivatives were found slightly
      more photoactive than the hydrophilic trisulfonated derivatives while the
      monosulfonated derivative was inactive, in spite of a sixfold higher cell uptake.
      In the case of the di- and trisulfonated derivatives, differences in
      phototoxicity correlated well with their relative cell uptake. Substitution of Al
      for Zn had little effect on the extent of phototoxicity of the M-NSBP. In vitro
      PDT of the EMT-6 cells after in vivo dye administration, revealed a similar
      potency for direct cell killing between the di- and trisulfonated AlOH-NSBP,
      while the monosulfonated analog was inactive. PDT with the amphiphilic
      disulfonated AlOH-NSBP on the EMT-6 mammary tumor in BALB/c mice induced a
      significant tumor response, while the monosulfonated derivative was much less
      active.

PMID- 1432391
TI  - Light-induced fluorescence spectroscopy of adenomas, adenocarcinomas and non
      neoplastic mucosa in human colon. I. In vitro measurements.
AB  - In an attempt to evaluate whether induced fluorescence could be exploited to
      discriminate neoplastic from non-neoplastic tissue, fluorescence spectroscopy was
      performed at 450-800 nm on 83 biopsy specimens of colonic mucosa. Measurements
      showed that fluorescence spectra of adenoma, adenocarcinoma and non-neoplastic
      mucosa manifest dissimilar patterns. Nine variables, whose photophysical and/or
      biological bases need further investigation, were derived from the spectra.
      Discriminant functions between the groups of lesions were determined by using a
      stepwise discriminant analysis. The diagnostic test had a sensitivity of 80.6%
      and 88.2%, and a specificity of 90.5% and 95.2% in discriminating neoplastic from
      non-neoplastic mucosa and adenoma from non-neoplastic mucosa respectively. These
      results suggest that fluorescence spectroscopy has the potential to improve
      endoscopic diagnosis of premalignant and malignant lesions of colonic mucosa.

PMID- 1432392
TI  - Inactivation and mutation induction in Saccharomyces cerevisiae exposed to
      simulated sunlight: evaluation of action spectra.
AB  - The effectiveness of polychromatic light irradiation was investigated for haploid
      yeast cells. Inactivation and mutation induction were measured in both a RAD
      wildtype strain and an excision-repair defective strain. The behaviour of
      vegetative "wet" cells was compared to that of dehydrated cells. The aim of the
      study was to assess the interaction of UVC with other wavelengths in cells of
      different states of humidity. The irradiation procedure was therefore carried out
      using a solar simulator either with full spectrum or with a UVC-blocking filter
      (modified sunlight) added. The results were analysed on the basis of separately
      determined action spectra. The summation of the efficiency of individual
      wavelengths was compared to the values obtained from polychromatic irradiation.
      It is shown that the effects caused by the whole-spectrum irradiation in wet
      cells can be predicted sufficiently from the calculation, while dried wildtype
      cells exhibit higher mutation rates. Thus it can be assumed that drying-specific
      damage leads to lethal and mutagenic lesions which are processed in different
      ways, causing a synergistic behaviour in mutation induction. Irradiation of
      vegetative cells with modified sunlight (UVC-) results in less inactivation and
      lower mutation rates than were calculated. From these results it can be concluded
      that this antagonistic behaviour is caused by the interaction of near-UV
      photoproducts.

PMID- 1432393
TI  - UVA- and UVB-induced changes in collagen and fibronectin biosynthesis in the skin
      of hairless mice.
AB  - The modifications induced in hairless mouse skin by chronic UV irradiation were
      investigated. Skin explant cultures were used to study UVA- and UVB-induced
      changes occurring in interstitial collagen (type I and type III) and fibronectin
      biosynthesis. To study the long-term effects, albino hairless mice were
      irradiated with UVA radiation alone from two sources with different spectral
      qualities or with UVB. UVA and UVB radiation produced a significant increase in
      the ratio of type III to type I collagen (more than 100% for UVA-irradiated skin
      and about 60% for UVB-irradiated skin) accompanied by a significantly increased
      fibronectin biosynthesis (50% or more in all irradiated groups). Irradiation with
      either UVA or UVB alone had no significant effect on the total collagen synthesis
      and resulted in only a slight decrease in the total collagen content of the skin
      determined as hydroxyproline. This decrease was significant only in the case of
      the group irradiated with UVA (xenon) (decrease of 25%, expressed as micrograms
      of hydroxyproline per milligram wet weight). A significant decrease in collagen
      hydroxylation (expressed as radioactive hydroxyproline/radioactive hydroxyproline
      plus proline in neosynthesized collagen) was observed of about 50% in skin
      irradiated with UVA (xenon) but not in UVB-treated skin. Several of the above
      modifications (increased fibronectin biosynthesis, increased collagen type III to
      type I ratio) correspond to the modifications observed during the aging of non
      irradiated hairless mice. Therefore it appears that UV irradiation accelerates
      the modifications of extracellular matrix biosynthesis observed during aging.

PMID- 1432394
TI  - The role of low-density lipoprotein in the biodistribution of photosensitizing
      agents.

PMID- 1432395
TI  - Photodynamic inactivation of Gram-negative bacteria: problems and possible
      solutions.

PMID- 1432396
TI  - Photochemistry of nucleic acids in cells.
AB  - A survey of the recent aspects of the main photoreactions induced by far-UV
      radiation in cellular DNA is reported. This mostly includes the formation of
      cyclobutadipyrimidines, pyrimidine(6-4)pyrimidone photoadducts and related Dewar
      valence isomers in various eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, as monitored by
      using either specific or more general assays. Information is also provided on
      mechanistic aspects regarding the formation of 5,6-dihydro-5-(alpha-thyminyl)
      thymine, the so-called "spore photoproduct" within far-UV-irradiated bacterial
      spores. The second major topic of the review deals with the effects of near-UV
      radiation and visible light on cellular DNA which are mostly mediated by
      photosensitizers. The main photoreactions of furocoumarins with DNA, one major
      class of photosensitizers used in the phototherapy of skin diseases, involve a [2
      + 2] cycloaddition to the thymine bases according to an oxygen-independent
      mechanism. In contrast a second type of photosensitized reaction which appears to
      play a major role in the genotoxic effects of both near-UV and visible light
      requires the presence of oxygen. The photodynamic effects which are mediated by
      either still unidentified endogenous photosensitizers or defined exogenous
      photosensitizers lead to the formation of a wide spectrum of DNA modifications
      including base damage, oligonucleotide strand breaks and DNA-protein cross-links.

PMID- 1432397
TI  - Effect of light on calcium transport in bull sperm cells.
AB  - The effect of light on calcium transport was studied. Bull sperm cells were
      irradiated with an He-Ne (630 mm) laser and a 780 nm diode laser at various
      energy doses, and 45Ca2+ uptake was measured by the filtration technique. It was
      found that there is an accelerated Ca2+ transport in the irradiated cells, which
      means that laser light can stimulate Ca2+ exchange through the cell membrane.
      This may cause transient changes in the cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration which, in
      spermatozoa, has a regulatory role in control of motility and acrosome reaction,
      and in other cells can trigger mitosis.

PMID- 1432398
TI  - An animal model for extracorporeal photochemotherapy based on contact
      hypersensitivity.
AB  - Recently, photopheresis was introduced as a specific immune suppressor in several
      T cell mediated disorders. In order to study photopheresis, animal models are
      indispensable. This report describes an easy to handle model for this purpose. It
      concerns the Wistar-derived rat with contact hypersensitivity (CHS), also a T
      cell mediated disorder that has already been studied extensively in several other
      fields of research. After subsequent exposure to 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP) and
      ultraviolet A radiation (UVA), white blood cells from CHS rats were intravenously
      injected into other syngeneic rats suffering from the same disorder. This
      treatment appears to be very efficacious in suppressing the immunological
      response against the applied contact allergen, 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB).
      Cells subsequently exposed to UVA and 8-MOP did not have any effect.

PMID- 1432399
TI  - Sunscreens retain their efficacy on human skin for up to 8 h after application.

PMID- 1432400
TI  - Substance abuse and B-cluster disorders. I: Understanding the dual diagnosis
      patient.
AB  - The patient population that presents with both a B-cluster personality disorder
      and substance abuse is a challenge to professionals in both the mental health and
      substance abuse treatment fields. The coexistence of both disorders is not
      uncommon and is frequently encountered in substance abuse treatment, social
      welfare, and mental health settings. The complexity of the clinical picture for
      these patients and their greater resistance to treatment severely taxes the
      practitioner's skills. Even without a clear understanding of the primary
      causative pathology, effective treatment modes based on a recognition of the
      interactive and interdependent nature of the two disorders can be developed. Part
      I of this two-part article presents the characteristics and clinical features of
      the population as well as a model for understanding some of the motivating
      principles behind the patient's conduct, feelings, thoughts. This is followed by
      guidelines for the clinician's attitude, desired characteristics, and role in
      dealing with this population. Part II presents guidelines for the treatment of
      this patient population.

PMID- 1432401
TI  - Substance abuse and B-cluster disorders. II: Treatment recommendations.
AB  - Part I of this two-part article described the characteristics and clinical
      features of the patient population that presents with both a B-cluster
      personality disorder and substance abuse. It also included guidelines for the
      clinician. Part II presents further recommendations for the treatment of this
      population, taking into account how the combination of these disorders manifests
      itself. The treatment approach should be kept simple and easy for patients to
      understand and should promote their ability to think rationally about the effect
      of their emotions on their behavior and its outcomes. A firm structure is
      critical to compensate for the lack of internal control of these patients and to
      prevent the manipulation that results from their view of the instrumentality of
      others. Denial, resistance, countertransference, and relapse to addictive
      behaviors are all potential barriers that are often encountered when attempting
      to treat this population. Group therapy with this population presents unique
      challenges to the clinician. As with individual therapy, a firm structure is
      imperative, with the clinician in charge of process and content.

PMID- 1432402
TI  - Risk and reciprocity: HIV and the injection drug user.
AB  - Injecting practices of illicit drug users in San Antonio, Texas, were studied by
      means of informal field interviews and participant observation. The methods
      injection drug users (IDUs) employed to obtain drugs seemed to affect their HIV
      risk behaviors. Many of the methods involve reciprocal exchanges between a person
      who has drugs and a person who wants drugs. The exchanges frequently occur in the
      context of asymmetrical social interactions. The person with the drugs usually
      occupies the dominant role in the interaction and determines the needle hygiene
      for both parties. Analysis of the decision-making process of IDUs indicates that
      the party in the dominant role may choose not to disinfect a syringe for a
      variety of reasons. An understanding of the subcultural rules that govern these
      interactions may provide valuable clues to researchers or educators who are
      designing interventions aimed at reducing HIV risk behaviors among IDUs. This
      research suggests that for IDUs in subordinate roles, education alone may be
      insufficient to produce behavior changes necessary to eliminate risk of HIV
      infection.

PMID- 1432403
TI  - The disease controversy and psychotherapy with alcoholics.
AB  - This article discusses conducting psychotherapy with alcoholics in light of the
      controversy about whether alcoholism is a disease. The belief that alcoholism is
      a disease forces many clinicians to offer abstinence from alcohol as the only
      option for alcoholics who seek treatment. From this perspective, the alcoholic
      must be helped to accept the idea that he or she has a disease and that to
      recover from this problem, drinking must stop. Others maintain that alcoholism
      may not be a disease and view alcoholic drinking as maladaptive behavior. From
      this vantage point, helping the patient to control or to moderate drinking might
      be considered. These two distinct paradigms lead to divergent treatment goals,
      which leaves the clinician in a quandary about how best to treat an individual
      who experiences a drinking problem. To resolve this dilemma, it is suggested that
      the clinician who works with alcoholics entertain a multiplicity of perspectives
      and should not be blinded by any one paradigm. While control of alcohol intake
      must take place if such patients are to improve their functioning, the author
      argues that recovery can occur either by abstinence or through moderating
      drinking.

PMID- 1432404
TI  - "Living with the dirty secret": problems of disclosure for methadone maintenance
      clients.
AB  - This article focuses on the management of stigma by methadone maintenance
      patients. It explores (1) the consequences of this persistent stigma, which
      necessitates the need for secrecy, (2) the adaptations made in order to
      successfully "pass as normal," and (3) the contexts in which methadone-maintained
      individuals decide to disclose their stigmatized status. The data reported and
      analyzed were gathered between 1980 and 1989 during a series of studies funded by
      the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The three studies--"Women on Methadone,"
      "Getting Off Methadone," and "Alameda County Methadone Study"--utilized
      qualitative, in-depth interviews and ethnographic sampling techniques, primarily
      chain referral sampling. After ten years of interviewing women and men in various
      stages of their methadone maintenance careers, recurring themes emerged, one of
      which was that being a methadone patient is a marginal identity; not quite
      junkie, not quite conventional. Clients' efforts to manage this stigmatized
      identity were often shrouded in anguish and secrecy. Methadone patients were in a
      kind of identity limbo; a holding pattern between two extremely different social
      worlds. They were trying to effect an identity transformation; however, in many
      circumstances they were still associated with and defined by their "dirty
      secret."

PMID- 1432405
TI  - Smoked cocaine: patterns of use and pulmonary consequences.
AB  - This article offers a perspective on the use of volatilized alkaloidal cocaine in
      its freebase and crack forms and on the pulmonary consequences of such use. The
      inhalational route of administration of freebase and crack cocaine exposes the
      lung to their combustion products, raising concern about possible adverse
      pulmonary effects. A brief historical review of cocaine and its methods of use
      precedes the presentation of data concerning current modes and patterns of use
      and some pulmonary complications of crack and freebase use. Results from a
      systematic study of a large sample of cocaine users document a high frequency of
      occurrence of acute respiratory symptoms in temporal association with cocaine
      smoking. No relationship was detected between the prevalence of acute pulmonary
      symptoms and identifiable aspects of techniques of cocaine administration. These
      results suggest that the respiratory consequences of alkaloidal cocaine are most
      likely attributable to the inhaled cocaine itself, rather than to variable
      characteristics of usage.

PMID- 1432406
TI  - An overview of cocaethylene, an alcohol-derived, psychoactive, cocaine
      metabolite.
AB  - Cocaethylene is a psychoactive ethyl homologue of cocaine, and is formed
      exclusively during the coadministration of cocaine and alcohol. Not a natural
      alkaloid of the coca leaf, cocaethylene can be identified in the urine, blood,
      hair, and neurological and liver tissue samples of individuals who have consumed
      both cocaine and alcohol. With a pharmacologic profile similar to cocaine, it can
      block the dopamine transporter on dopaminergic presynaptic nerve terminals in the
      brain. It increases dopamine synaptic content, provoking enhanced postsynaptic
      receptor stimulation, resulting in euphoria, reinforcement, and self
      administration. Equipotent to cocaine with regard to dopamine transporter
      affinity, cocaethylene appears to be far less potent than cocaine with regard to
      serotonin transporter binding. Lacking the serotonergic-related inhibitory
      mechanism, cocaethylene appears to be more euphorigenic and rewarding than
      cocaine. Synthesized and administered cocaethylene has a behavioral stimulation
      profile similar to cocaine. Cocaethylene has been shown to be less potent and
      equipotent to cocaine, and alcohol plus cocaine produces more stimulatory
      locomotor behavior in mice than either drug alone. Equipotent to cocaine with
      regard to primate reinforcement and self-administration, cocaethylene can
      substitute for cocaine in drug discrimination studies, and can produce
      stimulation of operant conditioning in rats. With regard to lethality,
      cocaethylene has been shown to be more potent than cocaine in mice and rats. The
      combination of cocaine and alcohol appears to exert more cardiovascular toxicity
      than either drug alone in humans. Alcohol appears to potentiate cocaine
      hepatotoxicity in both humans and mice.

PMID- 1432407
TI  - Treatment of acute, adverse psychedelic reactions: "I've tripped and I can't get
      down".
AB  - The resurgence of the use of LSD by a young, inexperienced population increases
      the likelihood of the occurrence of adverse psychedelic reactions. While the
      treatment of choice remains supportive, nonjudgmental talkdown, intramuscular
      lorazepam and haloperidol offer invaluable and specific adjuncts to care.

PMID- 1432408
TI  - Methadone maintenance treatment: impact of its politics on staff and patients.

PMID- 1432409
TI  - Technology versus privacy: prescription accountability in the health care
      delivery system.

PMID- 1432410
TI  - Drug prescribing and the loss of liberty.

PMID- 1432411
TI  - Marathon therapy: treating female rape survivors in a therapeutic community.

PMID- 1432412
TI  - Selecting diagnostic tests to identify febrile infants less than 3 months of age
      as being at low risk for serious bacterial infection: a scientific overview.
AB  - PURPOSE: To select diagnostic tests that confidently identify febrile infants
      less than 3 months of age seen at an outpatient facility as being at low risk for
      serious bacterial infection (SBI). DATA IDENTIFICATION: An English-language
      literature search employing MEDLINE (1966 to 1991), Science Citation Index (1977
      to 1991) using key citations, bibliographic reviews of primary research and
      review articles, and correspondence with authors of recent articles. STUDY
      SELECTION: After independent review by two observers, 10 of 333 originally
      identified titles were selected on the basis of prespecified selection criteria.
      DATA EXTRACTION: Two observers independently assessed studies by using explicit
      methodologic criteria for evaluating the quality of studies dealing with
      diagnostic tests. One reviewer extracted all the data from the articles; the
      second reviewer checked these data for accuracy. RESULTS OF DATA ANALYSIS: On the
      basis of prespecified criteria, results were pooled from two studies that used
      the Rochester criteria, had high methodologic validity, and did not have
      significant heterogeneity (p = 0.32, Breslow-Day test), to give an estimate of
      the best negative likelihood ratio (95% confidence interval) for SBI = 0.03; 0 to
      0.23). CONCLUSION: The negative likelihood ratio of 0.03 allowed us to conclude
      that after the Rochester criteria for low risk of SBI have been satisfied, the
      probability of SBI in a febrile infant less than 3 months of age drops from a
      baseline rate of 7% (or 1 in 14 infants) to 0.2% (or 1 in 500). An expectant
      approach in these low-risk infants is therefore a reasonable choice.

PMID- 1432413
TI  - Defining the population of human immunodeficiency virus-infected children at risk
      for Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare infection.
AB  - We reviewed the 22 cases of Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI) infection
      that occurred among 196 human immunodeficiency virus-infected children seen at
      the National Cancer Institute Pediatric Branch from December 1986 through April
      1991, and an additional 65 charts from children with cultures negative for MAI.
      All patients with proven MAI were receiving antiretroviral therapy with
      zidovudine, dideoxyinosine, or a combination of zidovudine and dideoxycytidine.
      All patients had disseminated MAI infection, except one adolescent who had only
      evidence of localized lymphadenitis. All cases of MAI but one were diagnosed
      before death. The overall incidence of MAI was 11% in our patients but increased
      to 24% in patients whose absolute CD4 cell counts were < 100 cells/mm3. Symptoms
      most commonly associated with MAI infection included recurrent fever (86% of
      patients), weight loss or failure to thrive (64%), neutropenia (55%), night
      sweats (32%), and abdominal pain (27%). Children infected with MAI had a mean CD4
      percentage of 2% (range, 0% to 7%) and a mean absolute CD4 count of 12 cells/mm3
      (range, 0 to 48 cells/mm3), significantly lower than in the remainder of the
      clinic population or the group of children with cultures negative for MAI. Of 20
      patients with MAI infection who were tested, 10 had measurable p24 antigen with a
      mean value 939 pg/ml (range, 77 to 3270 pg/ml) compared with 19 of 59 patients
      without MAI infection in whom the mean positive value was 413 pg/ml. There was no
      difference in survival time between those children with documented MAI infection
      (median survival time, 45.5 weeks) and those with similarly low CD4 counts and
      cultures negative for MAI (median survival time, 50.4 weeks). Future improvements
      in therapeutic options may make screening of pediatric human immunodeficiency
      virus-infected patients with low CD4 counts a reasonable plan.

PMID- 1432414
TI  - Vasodilatory response of the coronary arteries after Kawasaki disease: evaluation
      by intracoronary injection of isosorbide dinitrate.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To determine coronary artery diameter change before and after an
      intracoronary infusion of isosorbide dinitrate in patients who have had Kawasaki
      disease, we performed coronary angiography in 188 such patients. PATIENTS AND
      METHODS: Four patient groups were studied. Groups 1 to 3 consisted of patients
      with Kawasaki disease: group 1 (the "normal" group; n = 65) had no coronary
      artery lesions; patients in group 2 had regression to normal of a coronary artery
      aneurysm after Kawasaki disease and were divided, according to the time since
      onset, into two subgroups, group 2-a (n = 20) being at an early stage after
      regression to normal (followed for 1.7 +/- 0.7 years) and group 2-b (n = 34)
      being at a later stage after regression (followed for 8.7 +/- 2.9 years); and
      group 3 (the "abnormal" group; n = 25) had persistent coronary artery aneurysm or
      stenosis or both. Group 4, the control group (n = 44), consisted of patients
      without Kawasaki disease who had congenital heart disease with normal coronary
      arteries. The coronary artery diameter change was calculated by the following
      formula: Percentage of change = (Diameter after infusion - Diameter before
      infusion)/Diameter before infusion x 100. RESULTS: The percentages of change in
      the coronary artery diameter after isosorbide dinitrate infusion were 16.2% +/-
      13.4% (normal group), 11.3% +/- 7.2% (early-regression group), 7.8% +/- 8.3%
      (late-regression group), 6.8% +/- 7.8% (abnormal group), and 15.2% +/- 11.8%
      (control group). In the abnormal group, there was significantly poorer dilation
      than in the control and normal groups. The late-regression group also had
      significantly less change in diameter than did the control and normal groups (p <
      0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest (1) that the coronary artery after
      Kawasaki disease becomes stiff not only in patients with persistent abnormal
      lesions but also in those with regressed aneurysms and (2) that stiffness of the
      coronary artery may be a risk factor for atherosclerosis.

PMID- 1432415
TI  - Outcome of coronary artery aneurysms after Kawasaki disease.
AB  - From 1974 through 1991, a total of 583 children with Kawasaki disease were seen
      at the Hospital for Sick Children, in Toronto, of whom 80 (13.7%) had coronary
      artery involvement. There were 55 boys and 25 girls, whose mean age at onset was
      2.9 +/- 2.5 years, followed for a mean period of 4.0 +/- 3.6 years. Giant
      aneurysms (maximum diameter > or = 8 mm) were found in 22 children, moderate
      sized aneurysms (> or = 4 to < 8 mm) in 44, and dilation lesions (< 4 mm) in 14.
      Myocardial infarction occurred in 9 (1.5%), all of whom had giant aneurysms. The
      persistence rate for aneurysms was 72% at 1 year and 41% at 5 years of follow-up.
      In multivariate analysis, the regression of an aneurysm was significantly related
      to the severity of coronary artery lesions, initial treatment, and gender.
      Although > 80% of small or moderate-sized aneurysms regressed within 5 years,
      giant aneurysms did not regress during the follow-up period. In patients who
      received immune globulin therapy, coronary lesions tended to resolve more rapidly
      than in those treated with salicylate therapy alone, because 91% of the lesions
      in the former were small or moderate. These findings suggest that the severity of
      coronary artery involvement during the initial stages of Kawasaki disease
      influences the regression of these lesions, and that immune globulin treatment
      may improve outcome by reducing the incidence of severe lesions.

PMID- 1432416
TI  - Independent effects of lead exposure and iron deficiency anemia on developmental
      outcome at age 2 years.
AB  - For a prospective study of lead exposure, iron status, and infant development, we
      recruited infants living in a smelter town and a non-lead-exposed town in Kosovo,
      Yugoslavia. Among 392 infants assessed at age 2 years, the mean Mental
      Development Index (MDI), Bayley Scales of Infant Development, was 105.2. At age 2
      years, geometric mean blood lead concentrations were 35.5 and 8.4 micrograms/dl,
      respectively, among infants from the exposed and nonexposed towns. After
      controlling for variables associated with MDI, we found significant independent
      associations for both blood lead and hemoglobin concentrations. For example, a
      rise in blood lead concentration at age 2 years from 10 to 30 micrograms/dl was
      associated with an estimated 2.5 point decrement in MDI (p = 0.03); statistically
      nonsignificant decrements were associated with blood lead levels measured at
      birth and at 6, 12, and 18 months of age. A decrease in hemoglobin concentration
      at 18 months of age from 12 to 10 gm/dl was associated with an estimated 3.4
      point decrement in MDI (p = 0.02); the latter association was present in both
      towns, suggesting that it was due to iron deficiency anemia independent of lead
      exposure. The findings suggest that the brain is vulnerable to the effects of
      both lead exposure and anemia before 2 years of age. On a global basis, the
      developmental consequences of anemia may exceed those of lead exposure.

PMID- 1432417
TI  - Responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia in infants of substance-abusing mothers.
AB  - Because infants of substance-abusing mothers (ISAM) have an increased risk of
      sudden infant death syndrome and have abnormal sleeping ventilatory patterns, we
      studied the effects of mild hypoxia during quiet sleep on ventilatory pattern,
      heart rate, and arousal in 23 healthy ISAM (mean +/- SEM: 9.0 +/- 0.49 weeks of
      age) and 15 healthy, similarly aged, control infants. Hypercapnic challenges were
      performed in six ISAM and eight control subjects. Hypoxic arousal responses were
      elicited by rapidly decreasing inspired oxygen tension to 80 mm Hg for 3 minutes
      or until arousal occurred. Failure to arouse to hypoxia occurred in the majority
      of infants in both groups. All infants had a fall in end-tidal carbon dioxide
      tension during hypoxia, suggesting that each had a hypoxic ventilatory response.
      However, the fall in end-tidal carbon dioxide tension was significantly less in
      the ISAM (mean +/- SEM: -4.0 +/- 0.3 vs -8.0 +/- 1.0 mm Hg), suggesting blunted
      ventilatory responses to hypoxia. Periodic breathing occurred during 9.5% of
      hypoxic challenges in control infants compared with 37% in ISAM (p = 0.056).
      Heart rates were significantly higher in the ISAM before, during, and after
      hypoxic challenges. Hypercapnic challenges (inspired carbon dioxide tension of 60
      mm Hg for a maximum of 3 minutes) resulted in arousal in all infants; however,
      ISAM required a significantly longer exposure to hypercapnia before arousal (mean
      +/- SEM; 116 +/- 7.8 vs 79 +/- 13.9 seconds; p < 0.02). We conclude that ISAM
      have an impaired repertoire of protective responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia
      during sleep, and that this may play a role in their increased risk for sudden
      infant death syndrome.

PMID- 1432418
TI  - Long-term neurologic consequences of nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in
      infants.
AB  - A review of the clinical findings in six infants with nutritional vitamin B12
      deficiency seen during the last 10 years was undertaken and an attempt made to
      obtain long-term neurologic follow-up. There was a consistent clinical pattern in
      vitamin B12-deficient infants; irritability, anorexia, and failure to thrive were
      associated with marked developmental regression and poor brain growth. Two of the
      four patients who qualified for long-term review had a poor intellectual outcome.
      Although early response to treatment is satisfying, the long-term consequences of
      nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in infants emphasize the need for prevention
      or early recognition of this syndrome.

PMID- 1432420
TI  - Upper gastrointestinal tract motility in children with progressive muscular
      dystrophy.
AB  - Gastric emptying was evaluated in 15 children (mean age, 8.0 years) with
      progressive muscular dystrophy to detect early gastrointestinal smooth muscle
      involvement; 10 of the children also underwent esophageal manometry. Clinical
      evidence of skeletal muscle dysfunction was minimal in 14 of the 15 patients; 10
      of them had no gastrointestinal symptoms. Gastric emptying studies were performed
      by using 500 muCi of technetium 99m-sulfur colloid bound to a scrambled egg, and
      scintigraphic measurements were made continuously for 60 to 90 minutes. Gastric
      emptying studies and manometric tracings were compared with those from 11
      children (mean age, 8.4 years) without gastrointestinal or muscular disorders.
      Mean (+/- SD) percentage retention of gastric isotope was significantly greater
      in patients with muscular dystrophy than in control subjects. No differences were
      found between the two groups in distal esophageal motility or in upper and lower
      esophageal sphincter pressures or relaxation. Contraction amplitudes in the upper
      portion of the esophagus, however, were significantly lower in patients with
      myopathy than in control subjects. These data suggest that dysfunction of smooth
      muscle of the upper gastrointestinal tract is detectable in children with
      muscular dystrophy early in the course of the disease, even when gastrointestinal
      symptoms are absent and skeletal muscle symptoms are minimal.

PMID- 1432419
TI  - Hypercalciuria in children with renal glycosuria: evidence of dual renal tubular
      reabsorptive defects.
AB  - During the past 5 years, we have identified idiopathic hypercalciuria in five of
      seven patients referred for evaluation of renal glycosuria between 1985 and 1991.
      The children, all boys, ranged in age from 6 to 12 years. Endocrine function was
      normal, and none of the patients had hyperparathyroidism, hypercalcemia, renal
      tubular acidosis, or other secondary causes of hypercalciuria. The
      calcium/creatinine ratio in a fasting urine specimen was elevated in all five
      children who had hypercalciuria, with a mean value (+/- SD) of 0.34 +/- 0.06
      (normal, < 0.2). In one child who had renal colic with spontaneous passage of
      gravel-like material, the idiopathic hypercalciuria persisted after 1 week on a
      diet containing 2000 mg of sodium and 300 mg of calcium. On the basis of studies
      that examined the site along the nephron responsible for hypercalciuria in rats
      with streptozocin-induced diabetes, we speculate that in children with renal
      glycosuria, there is defective reabsorption of glucose and calcium in the
      straight portion of the proximal tubule or in the collecting duct. It is likely
      that a similar mechanism accounts for the idiopathic hypercalciuria in children
      with diabetes mellitus.

PMID- 1432421
TI  - Hyperammonemia-hyperornithinemia-homocitrullinuria syndrome: neurologic,
      ophthalmologic, and neuropsychologic examination of six patients.
AB  - We report the clinical, electrophysiologic, ophthalmologic, and neuropsychologic
      features of six patients with hyperammonemia-hyperornithinemia-homocitrullinuria
      syndrome, an inborn error of ornithine metabolism. Pyramidal signs, decreased
      vibration sense, bucco-facio-lingual dyspraxia, and learning difficulties or
      subnormal intelligence were found in the majority. Anomalies of peripheral nerve
      conduction velocity and of evoked potentials were common, and one patient had
      markedly abnormal white matter images on cranial magnetic resonance imaging. One
      patient had retinal depigmentation and chorioretinal thinning. The clinical
      severity varied greatly among patients; in general, the three younger patients
      had less neurologic and intellectual impairment than did the three older
      patients. Only two of our patients have had episodes of symptomatic
      hyperammonemia. We conclude that hyperammonemia-hyperornithinemia
      homocitrullinuria syndrome can be associated with widespread manifestations in
      the central and peripheral nervous systems. Although the control of
      hyperammonemia is an essential element in the treatment of these patients, the
      relationship of hyperammonemia to the chronic neuropsychologic problems of these
      patients is unclear.

PMID- 1432422
TI  - Long-term issues in Kawasaki disease.

PMID- 1432423
TI  - Arcanobacterium haemolyticum in children with presumed streptococcal
      pharyngotonsillitis or scarlet fever.
AB  - Arcanobacterium haemolyticum was cultured from pharyngeal specimens obtained from
      12 of 129 children with pharyngotonsillitis, some of whom had a scarlatiniform
      rash. This organism should be considered to be a cause of infections that are
      clinically similar to those caused by beta-hemolytic streptococci.

PMID- 1432424
TI  - Soft tissue swelling and acute skull fractures.
AB  - To determine whether soft tissue swelling, as identified by computed tomography,
      invariably accompanies acute calvarial fracture, the computed tomography scans of
      35 children aged 3 months to 8 years with acute skull fractures were evaluated.
      Bone window settings revealed at least 4 mm of soft tissue swelling in all
      instances. We conclude that a skull fracture without overlying soft tissue
      swelling demonstrable by computed tomography is probably inconsistent with an
      acute injury.

PMID- 1432425
TI  - Pancreatitis heralding Kawasaki disease.
AB  - A 5 1/2 year-old boy was hospitalized with clinical and laboratory evidence of
      pancreatitis. Four days later the classic signs and symptoms of Kawasaki disease
      developed. This case suggests that Kawasaki disease should be included in the
      differential diagnosis of acute pancreatitis in children.

PMID- 1432426
TI  - Autoantibody production after cardiopulmonary bypass with special reference to
      postpericardiotomy syndrome.
AB  - A prospective study of children undergoing open heart surgery with
      cardiopulmonary bypass showed that many of them produced autoantibodies. No
      association was found between these antibodies, including anticardiolipin
      antibodies, and the occurrence of postpericardiotomy syndrome.

PMID- 1432427
TI  - Benign acute myositis associated with rotavirus gastroenteritis.
AB  - Acute myositis developed concomitantly with gastroenteritis in a 2-year-old girl.
      She had temporary pain and swelling of the calf muscles and transient marked
      elevation of serum creatine kinase values. Rotavirus antigen was detected in
      stool by latex agglutination, and there was seroconversion of complement-fixation
      antibody to rotavirus.

PMID- 1432428
TI  - Variability of clinical presentation in fumarate hydratase deficiency.
AB  - A 5-year-old girl with a previous diagnosis of cerebral palsy, nonprogressive
      psychomotor retardation, and hypotonia was found to excrete excessive fumaric
      acid in urine. Fumarate hydratase activity in skin fibroblasts was 10% of the
      control value. This case underscores the clinical heterogeneity of neurometabolic
      disorders and the importance of organic acid analysis in the diagnosis of static
      encephalopathy.

PMID- 1432429
TI  - Charting infant distress: an aid to defining colic.
AB  - The value of a 24-hour distress diary, previously validated against a voice
      activated audiotape record, was investigated in 30 infants with colic and 30
      control infants. The infants with colic had significantly more distress behavior
      (300.0 minutes vs 102.5 minutes; p < 0.001), although overlap of duration of
      distress was noted. On the basis of a clinical definition of colic--total
      distress lasting 180 minutes in a 24-hour period--the diary had a sensitivity of
      77% and a specificity of 87%. The sensitivity of the chart was confirmed in a
      separate study of another 90 infants with colic.

PMID- 1432430
TI  - Effect of liposomal content of lipid emulsions on plasma lipid concentrations in
      low birth weight infants receiving parenteral nutrition.
AB  - We studied the effects of phospholipid liposomes present in intravenously
      administered lipid emulsions on plasma lipid levels in preterm infants given 10%
      and 20% lipid emulsions. Twenty premature infants (birth weight 1454 +/- 54 gm)
      on a parenteral nutrition regimen received up to 4 gm triglycerides per kilogram
      per day in a 20% lipid emulsion for 2 weeks, and then received the 10% emulsion
      at 2 gm triglycerides per kilogram per day, which delivered the same total
      phospholipid load but twice the amount of liposomes. Triglyceride, total
      cholesterol, and phospholipid concentrations increased significantly when the
      infants were given 2 gm triglycerides per kilogram per day in the 10% emulsion
      rather than 4 gm/kg per day in the 20% emulsion (44 +/- 4 to 57 +/- 5 mg/dl, 134
      +/- 6 to 162 +/- 9 mg/dl, and 204 +/- 8 to 251 +/- 10 mg/dl, respectively).
      Lipoprotein analysis indicated the presence of lipoprotein X-like particles in
      the low-density lipoprotein fraction and an increase of the intermediate-density
      lipoprotein fraction in infants who received the 10% emulsion. The presence of
      excess phospholipids in the 10% emulsion was associated with greater plasma lipid
      alterations. Therefore the use of 20% rather than 10% emulsion allows for more
      efficient triglyceride clearance, even at a higher triglyceride intake.
      Administration of emulsions that are relatively poor in phospholipid liposomes
      may allow delivery of > 2 gm triglycerides per kilogram per day to low birth
      weight infants.

PMID- 1432431
TI  - Role of delayed feeding and of feeding increments in necrotizing enterocolitis.
AB  - In spite of a number of studies on necrotizing enterocolitis, there remains
      controversy concerning prevention regimens, especially with regard to enteral
      alimentation. This report is of a matched case-control study of the relationship
      of necrotizing enterocolitis to timing of first feeding, size of feeding volumes
      and increments, and a risk factor index in 59 case patients with necrotizing
      enterocolitis and 59 matched control patients. Comparison with control patients
      showed that case patients were fed earlier, received full-strength formula
      sooner, and received larger feeding volumes and increments. More highly stressed
      infants, as measured by the risk index, were more vulnerable to larger feeding
      increments. Among case patients there was significant correlation of age at first
      feeding and age at diagnosis (p < 0.0001) even after control for birth weight and
      risk index score, indicating that delayed feeding was related to delayed onset of
      disease. These analyses support the theory that earlier, more rapid feeding
      places stressed infants at greater risk for the development of necrotizing
      enterocolitis, and that infants with more severe respiratory problems are more
      vulnerable to such feeding practices.

PMID- 1432432
TI  - Effect of dopamine on failure of indomethacin to close the patent ductus
      arteriosus.
AB  - To test the hypotheses that administering dopamine before and concurrently with
      indomethacin therapy would (1) increase successful ductal closure rate, (2) act
      by maintaining a diuresis, and (3) prevent oliguria or high serum creatinine
      concentrations, we conducted a randomized, controlled trial in infants whose
      gestational age was <36 weeks and who had hemodynamically significant ductus
      arteriosus. Thirty-six infants were selected to receive a continuous infusion of
      either placebo or dopamine at either a low dosage of 2 micrograms/kg per minute
      or a higher dosage of 5 micrograms/kg per minute, beginning 6 hours before the
      use of indomethacin and continuing until 12 hours after the third dose of
      indomethacin. A total of 12 patients were selected to receive placebo, 14 were
      selected to receive "low dopamine," and 10 were selected to receive "high
      dopamine." The three groups were similar in their initial characteristics. Serum
      creatinine concentrations, urine output, and fractional excretion of sodium were
      not different in the three groups after indomethacin treatment. Two patients
      receiving placebo required a second course of indomethacin compared with four
      patients in the low-dopamine group and one in the high-dopamine group. The
      proportion of failures of medical treatment was not statistically different among
      the three groups. We conclude that concomitant dopamine therapy neither decreases
      the failure rate in indomethacin-treated infants nor reduces the magnitude of the
      indomethacin-induced oliguria.

PMID- 1432433
TI  - Risk factors for early intraventricular hemorrhage in low birth weight infants.
AB  - Because earlier studies suggested that preterm infants with germinal matrix
      hemorrhage or intraventricular hemorrhage or both (GMH/IVH) present within the
      first 12 postnatal hours are at greatest risk for the development of high-grade
      hemorrhage and neurodevelopmental disability, we examined the risk factors for
      this insult among 229 neonates of 600 to 1250 gm birth weight in a multicenter
      study. All had echoencephalography (ECHO) within the first 11 hours and serially
      for the next 20 days; risk factor data were collected prospectively. Forty-three
      infants had GMH/IVH within the first 5 to 11 hours (mean age at ECHO 7.7 hours):
      18 GMH and 21 grade II, 1 grade III, and 3 grade IV IVH. One hundred eighty-six
      infants did not have GMH/IVH at a mean age of 7.9 hours. Both groups of infants
      were similar in birth weight, gestational age, maternal risk factors, cord pH
      values, and surfactant therapy before ECHO. The group with early IVH had more
      vertex presentations than the group without early IVH (79% vs 55%, p = 0.043),
      less maternal tocolytic use (42% vs 60%, p = 0.029), and more vaginal deliveries
      (67% vs 44%, p = 0.005). In the first 21 days, severe IVH developed in 12 infants
      with early IVH and in 6 infants without early IVH (p < 0.001). There were more
      neonatal deaths (16% vs 6%, p = 0.035) and more deaths at any time during the
      primary hospitalization (23% vs 9%, p = 0.010) among the early IVH group than
      among the group without early IVH. Multivariate analysis indicated that the mode
      of delivery, fetal presentation, and birth weight were important and independent
      prognostic indicators of IVH.

PMID- 1432434
TI  - Renal function in very low birth weight infants: normal maturity reached during
      early childhood.
AB  - Development of glomerular and tubular renal function is delayed in preterm
      infants. To study the pattern of maturation during infancy and childhood, we re
      evaluated renal function in 22 very low birth weight infants--in 14 of the
      infants at 18 months postconceptional age (9 months corrected age) and in the
      remaining 8 infants at 8 years of age. The glomerular filtration rate remained
      lower at 9 months corrected age than in term infants of the same postconceptional
      age: 82 +/- 23 versus 125 +/- 18 ml/min per 1.73 m2 (p < 0.001). At 8 years of
      age the glomerular filtration rate did not differ from that of healthy control
      subjects. Effective renal plasma flow, filtration fraction, albumin excretion,
      maximal concentrating ability, and kidney size determined by ultrasonography were
      all normal at 8 years of age. We conclude that renal function, which is markedly
      reduced during the neonatal period in very low birth weight infants, reaches
      normal maturity by 8 years of age but not by 9 months corrected age.

PMID- 1432435
TI  - Cognitive and behavioral deficits in nonhuman primates associated with very early
      embryonic binge exposures to ethanol.
AB  - This study was undertaken to evaluate teratogenesis associated with early weekly
      ethanol exposure followed by later gestational abstinence. Ethanol, 1.8 gm/kg,
      was orally administered weekly to gravid nonhuman primates (Macaca nemestrina)
      for the first 3, 6, or the entire 24 weeks of pregnancy. Control animals received
      weekly sucrose solution as did the 3- and 6-week cohort animals in subsequent
      weeks. Thirty-five viable infants were assessed for growth, malformations, and
      behavioral and cognitive dysfunction. Animals in the 6-week and 24-week cohorts
      were uniformly abnormal in behavior and inconsistently abnormal in physical
      development relative to the control animals. Animals in the 3-week cohort were
      equivocally normal. These results demonstrate ethanol's capacity to produce
      behavioral teratogenesis (brain dysfunction) in isolation from physical anomalies
      in the rest of the body. The results strongly suggest that binge drinking in the
      first 6 to 8 weeks of pregnancy (a period when women may not know that they are
      pregnant), followed by later gestational abstinence, is as dangerous to the fetus
      as exposure throughout gestation.

PMID- 1432436
TI  - Effect of therapy with a new glucocorticoid, deflazacort, on linear growth and
      growth hormone secretion after renal transplantation.
AB  - Deflazacort is an oxazoline compound derived from prednisolone with similar
      antiinflammatory effects but fewer side effects. We studied changes in kidney
      function, growth velocity, weight/height ratio, and growth hormone secretion
      before and a year after substitution of deflazacort for methylprednisone in nine
      patients aged 9 to 15 years, 4 years after renal transplantation; all were in
      Tanner pubertal stage 1. Methylprednisone (mean +/- SEM: 0.2 +/- 0.02 mg/kg per
      day) was replaced by deflazacort (0.3 +/- 0.03 mg/kg per day) for a mean period
      of 15 months. Serum creatinine and calculated creatinine clearance did not change
      significantly during deflazacort treatment. Growth velocity increased from 1.5 +/
      0.3 to 3.2 +/- 0.5 cm/yr (p < 0.005) in the nine patients. Weight/height ratio
      decreased from 28.4% +/- 8.5% to 16% +/- 6.7% (p < 0.005). Cushingoid appearance
      decreased in all patients. Mean spontaneous growth hormone secretion increased
      from 2.5 +/- 0.4 to 4.4 +/- 1.2 ng/ml (p < 0.05). Our findings indicate that
      immunosuppressive treatment with deflazacort is as effective as methylprednisone
      and is associated with fewer side effects.

PMID- 1432437
TI  - Low recovery in vivo of highly purified factor VIII in patients with hemophilia.
AB  - To assess whether the response and recovery of highly purified factor VIII
      products approach the levels predicted by use of manufacturers' suggestions, we
      studied response in vivo and percentage of recovery in boys and men with
      hemophilia after infusion of 50 IU of an immunoaffinity-purified factor VIII
      preparation (Hemofil M) per kilogram of body weight. We also studied dose
      response and percentage of recovery in the same boys after infusion of a factor
      VII concentrate prepared by solvent detergent treatment and gel filtration (Koate
      HP). For boys the difference between mean peak factor VIII response with Hemofil
      M (1.02% +/- 0.07%) and the response with Koate-HP (1.21% +/- 0.10%) was not
      significant (p = 0.10), but the response of both products was considerably less
      than the predicted response of 2.0%. The response to Hemofil M in men (1.38% +/-
      0.12%) was significantly better than the response in boys (p = 0.004) but, again,
      fell short of the anticipated response of 2.0%. In boys the percentage of
      recovery of Hemofil M was 38.4% +/- 2.1%, compared with Koate-HP recovery, which
      was 47.0% +/- 3.6% (p = 0.034). The percentage of recovery in men was 47.5% +/-
      2.8%. The better response observed in men appears to be, in part, a function of
      larger body size. We conclude that peak factor VIII response and recovery in boys
      and men who receive highly purified factor VIII concentrates are lower than those
      predicted by use of current prescribing recommendations.

PMID- 1432438
TI  - Effect of add-on amantadine therapy for refractory absence epilepsy.
AB  - Amantadine hydrochloride was administered as an add-on drug to four children with
      refractory absence epilepsy, resulting in complete resolution of absence episodes
      within 1 week. All patients remained free of symptoms for 27 to 36 months without
      adverse effects related to this drug. An attempt to discontinue the use of this
      medication in three children resulted in a prompt relapse. The suggestion that
      amantadine may be an effective drug in the treatment of refractory absence
      epilepsy, should be tested in a double-blind, controlled study.

PMID- 1432439
TI  - Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of erythropoietin during therapy in an
      infant with renal failure.
AB  - We treated an infant with anemia and chronic renal failure with recombinant human
      erythropoietin (300 to 750 U/kg subcutaneously per week) and iron (6 mg/kg
      enterally) from 1 to 4 months of age. A suboptimal pharmacodynamic response was
      seen at the lower dose. This may have been due to developmental erythropoietin
      pharmacokinetic differences, that is, relatively greater neonatal plasma
      clearance and steady-state volume of distribution compared with those in adults.

PMID- 1432440
TI  - Unforgettable patients.

PMID- 1432441
TI  - Unforgettable patients.

PMID- 1432442
TI  - Congenital nasal stenosis in newborn infants.

PMID- 1432443
TI  - Criteria for exclusion of serious bacterial infections in young infants.

PMID- 1432444
TI  - Moebius syndrome in an infant exposed in utero to benzodiazepines.

PMID- 1432445
TI  - Serum valproate concentrations and control of seizures.

PMID- 1432446
TI  - Risk of acyclovir therapy in pregnant adolescent.

PMID- 1432447
TI  - Detection of ingested foreign bodies with a metal detector.

PMID- 1432448
TI  - Neurologic abnormalities in sickle cell disease: role of meperidine.

PMID- 1432449
TI  - The insufficiency of single point diffusive air flow integrity testing.

PMID- 1432450
TI  - Presentation: Basel International Congress. Advanced technologies for
      Manufacturing of Aseptic & Terminally Sterilized Pharmaceuticals &
      Biopharmaceuticals.

PMID- 1432451
TI  - Improved direct epifluorescent filter technique for rapid bioburden control in
      intravenous solutions.
AB  - Epifluorescence microscopy of the microcolonies obtained after filtration of a
      deliberately contaminated intravenous solution, was used for the rapid detection
      and enumeration of the bacteria. The technique is adequate for the test of low
      volume solution (with low contamination). Also it allows one to detect a single
      colony forming unit (c.f.u.)/mL, with great correlation between fluorescence
      counts and pour plate colony counts; the morphology of microcolonies is typical
      for most of the microorganisms and it allows a primoidentification (for a trained
      analyst).

PMID- 1432452
TI  - A novel method of determination of protein stability.
AB  - A novel method of determination of protein stability is described, which involves
      interfacial shear rheology of adsorbed protein layers. This technique provides
      information on the structural-mechanical properties of the adsorbed protein
      layers which can be related to: the rate of interfacial adsorption, interfacial
      interactions, and conformational changes in the adsorbed layers. The interfacial
      shear rheology of the blood proteins, bovine serum albumin and human
      immunoglobulin G was investigated. The air/aqueous and oil/aqueous interfaces
      were studied and the interfacial rheological activity of BSA was shown to be
      similar at three hydrophobic interfaces: air, squalene and mineral oil. The
      kinetics of interfacial film formation was shown to be time dependent, and aging
      effects were detected in both interfacial and bulk molecules. The absolute
      interfacial elasticity values decreased as the temperature increased. The protein
      solutions exhibited no interfacial rheological activity in the presence of the
      small surfactant molecules, Tween 80 and lecithin, under the conditions studied.

PMID- 1432453
TI  - Validation of automated systems--system definition.
AB  - A Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) Committee on Software Validation was formed
      about three years ago to address some of the issues associated with validating
      automated systems, particularly where all, or part, of the automated system is
      supplied by outside vendors. A Technical Report that describes a process which
      emphasizes system definition, a comprehensive system specification, system
      qualification and ongoing evaluation will issue later this year. The concepts
      described in this document will be consistent with the PMA's System Development
      Life Cycle approach which is commonly used for computer system validation. The
      following article has been developed from the System Definition section of this
      PDA Technical Report.

PMID- 1432454
TI  - The role of the effective concentration in interpreting hemolysis data.
AB  - Problems inherent in traditional methods of determining the hemolytic activity of
      parenteral compounds are discussed. Data taken from a study which closely models
      the conditions present for an intravenous injection are re-examined. An equation
      is given which combines several variables into a single parameter, the effective
      concentration. A strong relationship is found between the effective concentration
      of the compound of interest and the hemolysis produced.

PMID- 1432455
TI  - "Points to consider" in the validation of equipment cleaning procedures.
AB  - Cleaning validation has received increasing attention by the FDA in recent
      inspections, yet very little has been published regarding practices within the
      pharmaceutical industry. This presentation will review several of aspects of the
      validation of equipment cleaning procedures. A significant portion of the
      presentation is derived from round table discussions the author has led over the
      last several years on this subject. Specific areas to be defined include:
      sampling methods, analytical methods, physical parameters, and of greatest
      interest, the selection of acceptance criteria. The presentation also includes
      some additional perspectives on the subject of cleaning validation developed by
      the author which may prove useful to the practitioner.

PMID- 1432457
TI  - Industrial perspective on validation of tangential flow filtration in
      biopharmaceutical applications. Technical Report No. 15. Parenteral Drug
      Association. Biotechnology Task Force on Purification and Scale-up.
AB  - Validation of tangential flow filtration is required to ensure the process
      delivers a product of consistent quality, safety, and efficacy. A thorough and
      sound validation program not only satisfies regulatory requirements, but also
      provides a valuable source of information which facilitates development of future
      processes, training of production personnel, and trouble shooting for the
      validated process. Validation of TFF shares many common elements with validation
      of other traditional operations and equipment. Existing personnel and procedures
      should be readily adapted to execute the TFF validation protocols. IQ's and OQ's
      will most likely follow familiar formats. In performance qualification, key areas
      needing attention include: assessment of compatibles, testing of parameters
      affecting membrane retention and selectivity, cleaning, sanitization, and
      membrane lifetime. Finally, the hallmark of a sound validation program is the
      quality of its scientific approach and its congruence with the definition of
      validation contained in the 1987 guidelines (6).

PMID- 1432456
TI  - Reduction of bioavailability of aluminium in neonatal parenteral nutrition
      solutions by prior complexation in the dosage form.
AB  - Aluminium (Al ) is abundant in our environment and is a contaminant of
      electrolyte solutions used in the manufacture of Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN)
      solutions administered to neonates, who are unable to tolerate oral feeding.
      Previous studies by McHalsky et al. (1) have shown concern over the levels of
      aluminium in parenteral products, and there are special considerations needed
      with regard to neonatal TPN solutions, (2). It is felt that neurotoxicology and
      abnormalities of bone histology may be seen with aluminium deposition in the
      tissues. In the present study it was shown that the average aluminium
      contamination in TPN solutions was in the order of 205 micrograms/L. It is well
      documented that aluminium is chelated successfully in dialysis solutions by
      desferrioxamine (DFO), Allain et al. (3). Using an AA spectrophotometer equipped
      with a graphite furnace, the average amount of aluminium in compounded neonatal
      TPN solutions was determined. Equimolar amounts of DFO to aluminium were added to
      various neonatal TPN formulations, and the physical stability of each solution
      was determined using microscopic and electronic particle counting analysis. This
      study suggests that aluminium can be irreversibly chelated with DFO and stable
      TPN solutions can be prepared.

PMID- 1432458
TI  - Hepatic fibrogenesis and its modulation by growth factors.

PMID- 1432459
TI  - Specialty lipids for infant nutrition. I. Milks and formulas.

PMID- 1432460
TI  - Does the fecal flora of breast-fed infants limit gastroenteritis?

PMID- 1432461
TI  - Volatile fatty acids, lactic acid, and pH in the stools of breast-fed and bottle
      fed infants.
AB  - We measured fecal pH, volatile fatty acids (VFA), and lactic acid concentrations
      in 67 healthy infants ranging in age from 1 to 5 months. The babies were divided
      into five groups according to their diet: group 1: human milk, with subgroups of
      1 month of age (n = 8), and 2-5 months (n = 12); group 2: formula milk, with
      subgroups of 1 month of age (n = 9) and 2-5 months (n = 10); group 3: cow's milk,
      one group of 2-5 months of age (n = 12); group 4: human milk supplemented with
      formula milk, 2-5 months of age (n = 8); and group 5: human milk supplemented
      with cow's milk, 2-5 months of age (n = 8). Fecal VFA concentration and pH of
      bottle-fed infants (groups 2 and 3) were significantly higher and lactic acid
      concentrations significantly lower than those of the breast-fed group. Groups 4
      and 5 showed significantly higher pH and propionic acid concentration, and lower
      lactic acid concentration than Group 1 did. There were no significant differences
      in the data on pH, VFA, and lactic acid concentrations between the feces of
      formula and cow's milk groups. On the other hand, the addition of formula or
      cow's milk to the human milk was sufficient to alter the profile of VFA, the pH,
      and the lactic acid concentration of breast-fed infants stools. Low pH, low VFA,
      and high lactic acid concentrations make the colonic content of breast-fed babies
      an environment favorable for Bifidobacteria growth, and this is probably the main
      protective factor against gastrointestinal infections.

PMID- 1432462
TI  - Efficient assimilation of lactose carbon in premature infants.
AB  - Previous studies have shown that there is minimal fecal excretion of carbohydrate
      energy in premature infants with high breath H2 concentrations, implying that the
      colon plays an important role in salvaging lactose energy. The present study
      extends this work by using a stable isotope method for serial assessment of
      lactose carbon excretion. Thus, in nine premature infants (30-32 weeks of
      gestation and 11-36 days of age), we conducted 23 longitudinal studies of breath
      hydrogen concentration and the cumulative fecal excretion of 13C derived from a
      single dose of [D-1-13C]lactose. The ranges of values (mean +/- SD) for breath
      hydrogen concentration and lactose absorption were respectively 4-440 ppm/5% CO2
      (92 +/- 100) and 82-100% tracer dose (98.4 +/- 3.9). In 21 studies, lactose
      carbon excretion was less than 2% of the dose. There was a significant
      correlation between postnatal age and breath hydrogen concentration (R = 0.48; p
      = 0.02). These studies suggest that colonic fermentation activity is adequate for
      efficient colonic salvage of lactose even during the second week of life.

PMID- 1432463
TI  - Developmental changes in lactase-phlorizin hydrolase precursor isoforms in the
      rat.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to determine whether the developmental decline in
      lactase specific activity (mumol/min/g protein) in the rat was associated with
      (a) changes in the relative quantities of immunoisolated precursor and mature
      forms of the enzyme purified by SDS-PAGE and/or (b) immunohistologic changes in
      the jejunal mucosa. We studied 10- and 16-day-old suckling rat pups, 22-day-old
      weaned rat pups, and adult female rats (nongravid, pregnant, and lactating).
      Lactase activity was three- to fourfold higher in 10-day-old pups than in adult
      rats. Lactase activity was 27% greater in lactating compared with nongravid or
      pregnant rats. Three molecular forms of the enzyme that migrated identically in
      all animals were observed on SDS-polyacrylamide gels stained with Coomassie blue:
      140-kDa (mature brush border form), 200-kDa, and 220-kDa (apparent precursor
      forms). There was a striking difference in the proportions of the three
      polypeptides at different ages that was unrelated to animal status, i.e.,
      pregnant or lactating. As the animals aged, the relative amount of the 140-kDa
      band declined from 86 +/- 1.1% of the total immunoprecipitated lactase in 10-day
      old suckling pups to 68 +/- 0.7% in adults. Simultaneously, the relative
      concentration of the 200-kDa band rose from 1.7 +/- 0.4% in the 10-day-old to 19
      +/- 0.6% in adults. The relative concentration of the 220-kDa polypeptide did not
      change as a function of age.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432464
TI  - Iron absorption and incorporation into red blood cells by very low birth weight
      infants: studies with the stable isotope 58Fe.
AB  - Measurements of iron absorption and incorporation into RBCs were obtained with
      the stable isotope 58Fe, administered as a reference dose, in 11 premature
      infants with birth weights between 780 and 1,520 g and gestational ages between
      24 and 33 weeks. Each study included a timed stool and urine collection,
      nasogastric tube administration of a single dose of about 228 micrograms of
      58Fe/kg of body weight (as FeSO4, with 10 mg/kg of vitamin C) between feedings,
      and blood samples before 58Fe (day 1) and then 2 weeks (day 15) later.
      Gastrointestinal absorption of the 58Fe dose as measured by fecal isotope balance
      was 41.6 +/- 17.6% (mean +/- SD). However, only 12.0 +/- 9.6% of the 58Fe dose
      (28.7 +/- 22.3% of the absorbed 58Fe dose) was incorporated into RBCs on day 15.
      58Fe absorption and 58Fe incorporation into RBCs on day 15 were significantly
      correlated with the hemoglobin concentration and reticulocyte count on day 1.
      Transfusion history did not affect 58Fe absorption or 58Fe incorporation into
      RBCs. We conclude that concurrent measurement of 58Fe absorption with fecal
      monitoring and of 58Fe incorporation into RBCs permits a better understanding of
      the fate of iron ingested by premature infants than either measurement alone.

PMID- 1432465
TI  - Surfactant-like material in the antral gastric mucosa of children.
AB  - It has been proposed that the hydrophobicity of the gastric mucosa is due to
      surfactant-like material (SLM), mainly composed of phospholipid, adsorbed to the
      mucosal surface. Biochemical and physiological studies have been performed in
      different mammals but morphological data on children are lacking. In the present
      work, the presence of SLM on the antral gastric mucosa of children has been
      studied by electron microscopy. The results demonstrate that SLM is present and
      shows two different forms, lamellar bodies and lamellar layers. In the mucosae
      without endoscopic, histologic, and ultrastructural alterations we have found SLM
      when the tannic acid method has been used but not when the tissue has been fixed
      only in glutaraldehyde. Our results suggest that in children with ultrastructural
      alterations of the epithelium, the amount of gastric SLM is increased in respect
      to children with a normal mucosa and that the amount of SLM on the surface of the
      gastric antral mucosa is modified in pathologic conditions.

PMID- 1432466
TI  - Low bone mineral content in summer-born compared with winter-born infants.
AB  - Possible seasonal differences in newborn bone mineral content (BMC) have not been
      studied. Adult studies show seasonal variations with lower BMC in winter versus
      summer. Assuming that BMC variations may relate in part to vitamin D status, we
      hypothesized that newborn BMC would be lower in winter than summer. BMC of one
      third distal radius was measured in 55 healthy term newborns using a single beam
      photon absorptiometer [coefficient of variation (CV) for phantom standard 2.1%].
      Infants were enrolled during summer (July-September, 1988) and winter (January
      March, 1989) for a longitudinal nutrition study. Contrary to our hypothesis,
      there was a 12% lower BMC in summer versus winter (mean +/- SD 75.94 +/- 17.42
      vs. 86.55 +/- 17.54 mg/cm, respectively; p = 0.035). The difference remained
      significant after controlling for possible race and gender effects (p = 0.02). We
      conclude that BMC is lower in summer- compared with winter-born infants. Since
      any seasonal effects on fetal bone are presumably related to effects through the
      mother, we speculate that if maternal vitamin D status influences fetal bone
      mineralization, the effect (possible sunshine deprivation in winter) may operate
      especially in early pregnancy, thus resulting in lower BMC, evident at birth in
      summer.

PMID- 1432467
TI  - Impact of zinc supplementation on intestinal permeability in Bangladeshi children
      with acute diarrhoea and persistent diarrhoea syndrome.
AB  - Zinc has been shown to enhance intestinal mucosal repair in patients suffering
      from acrodermatitis enteropathica; but the impact on mucosal integrity during
      acute (AD) or persistent (PD) diarrhoea is unknown. One hundred eleven children
      with AD and 190 with PD aged between 3 and 24 months received, randomly and blind
      to the investigators, either an elemental zinc supplement of 5 mg/kg body wt/day
      or placebo in multivitamin syrup for 2 weeks while intestinal permeability and,
      biochemical and anthropometric markers were serially monitored. The permeability
      test was administered as an oral dose of 5 g lactulose/l g mannitol in a 20-ml
      solution followed by a 5-h urine collection. The ratio of the urinary probe
      sugars was correlated to clinical, biochemical, and microbiological parameters.
      At presentation, lactulose excretion was increased and mannitol excretion
      decreased in both AD and PD as compared with age-matched asymptomatic children.
      The lactulose/mannitol ratio (L/M) was higher in subjects with mucosal invasive
      pathogens (rotavirus and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli) compared with
      children excreting Vibrio cholera and enterotoxigenic E. coli. Two-week zinc
      supplementation significantly reduced lactulose excretion in both AD and PD,
      whereas the change in mannitol excretion and L/M was similar between study groups
      in both studies. Changes in lactulose excretion were significantly influenced by
      zinc supplementation in children with E. coli, Shigella sp., and Campylobacter
      jejuni stool isolates. The greatest reduction in total lactulose excretion was
      seen in supplemented children who on presentation were lighter (wt/age less than
      80%), thinner (wt/ht less than 85%), and undernourished [middle upper arm
      circumference (MUAC) less than 12.5 cm] or with hypozincaemia (less than 14
      mumol/L).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432468
TI  - Gastric emptying using three different formulas in infants with gastroesophageal
      reflux.
AB  - The role of delayed gastric emptying (GE) in the pathogenesis of gastroesophageal
      reflux (GER) in infants is controversial at present. GE has been shown to be
      altered by the composition and osmolality of the feedings. This prospective study
      was undertaken to assess the changes in the GE and the percentage of time GER was
      detected by scintigraphy using three different formulas on consecutive days in
      infants with GER. Twenty-eight infants under 1 year of age diagnosed to have GER
      by extended intraesophageal pH monitoring (pH being less than 4.0 for greater
      than 5% of the duration of the test), underwent scintigraphy on three consecutive
      days using the same volume per single feeding of a casein-predominant, soy, or a
      whey-hydrolysate formula in a randomized order. The formulas were isocaloric.
      Gastric emptying and percentage of GER into the esophagus were estimated for 60
      min following these feedings. Mean GER percent during the study was 20.39, 17.68,
      and 16.34 on casein-predominant, soy, and whey-hydrolysate formulas,
      respectively, and was not significantly different. Mean values of GE were 39.7%,
      44.6%, and 48.5% on casein, soy, and whey formula, respectively. No significant
      difference in GE was also observed between casein-predominant and soy formula.
      However, a significant difference was observed (p less than 0.05) on GE between
      casein-predominant and whey-hydrolysate feedings. Our data suggest that formula
      selection may be important in the treatment of conditions associated with delayed
      gastric emptying.

PMID- 1432469
TI  - ELISA method for quantitative measurement of IgA and IgG specific anti-gliadin
      antibodies.
AB  - In this study we describe the application of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
      (ELISA) for the measurement of anti-alpha-gliadin antibodies (AGA) in absolute
      units (microgram protein/ml). Enriched samples of IgA and IgG AGA were obtained
      by means of protein A chromatography after immunoaffinity purification of pooled
      sera from untreated celiac patients. No cross-reactivity with other food antigens
      (beta-lactalbumin, soya proteins, ovalbumin) was detected. The quantitative
      evaluation of protein content in IgA and IgG AGA samples obtained by
      immunoaffinity chromatography, was performed by means of ELISA sandwich method
      using a reference curve obtained with pure standard human immunoglobulins. Scalar
      concentrations of purified IgA and IgG were then used to obtain a reference
      standard curve by means of an ELISA method. Such standard curve was utilized for
      titrating AGA in 214 sample sera. The minimal detectable concentration of IgA and
      IgG AGA was 0.02 micrograms/ml. The reproducibility of within- and between-assay
      resulted very good for IgA-AGA and acceptable for IgG-AGA. The method here
      described seems to be satisfactory not only for quantitative diagnostic purposes
      in routine screenings but also in epidemiological studies. Moreover, it can
      constitute a suitable way to solve practical problems of quality control of AGA
      ELISA assay.

PMID- 1432471
TI  - Adverse food reactions.

PMID- 1432470
TI  - Postnatal development of liver and exocrine pancreas in polycythemic newborn
      infants.
AB  - In 35 newborn infants appropriate for gestational age the influence of neonatal
      polycythemia (venous hematocrit greater than 60% measured between the second and
      fourth hour of life) on development of enterohepatic circulation of bile acids,
      activities of pancreatic enzymes in duodenal juice, and the effects of
      hemodilution were studied during the second week of life. A significant
      correlation was found between the initial hematocrit and both the bile acid
      concentration in serum and lipase and trypsin activity in duodenal juice. Of 35
      infants, 10 were not treated with hemodilution due to asymptomatic polycythemia;
      they had the highest concentration of serum bile acids associated with the lowest
      lipase and trypsin activity in duodenal juice. However, the 25 infants treated
      with hemodilution also showed serum bile acid concentrations and lipase and
      trypsin activity in duodenal juice out of the normal range when compared to
      normocythemic infants. These data indicate that, during the first days of life,
      polycythemia results in a delayed postnatal development of enterohepatic
      circulation of bile acids and exocrine pancreas functions independently from the
      occurrence of clinical symptoms. Thus, it can be concluded that, on the first day
      of life, all polycythemic infants should be treated with hemodilution. Moreover,
      the nutritional management of these infants must also account for the limited
      functional capacity of the gastrointestinal tract.

PMID- 1432472
TI  - Rice-induced anaphylactoid reaction.

PMID- 1432473
TI  - Neonatal hemochromatosis: report of successful orthotopic liver transplantation.

PMID- 1432474
TI  - Atypical genital involvement in a child with Crohn's disease.

PMID- 1432475
TI  - Nutritional therapy for ulcerative colitis?

PMID- 1432476
TI  - Somatostatin and the pancreas.

PMID- 1432477
TI  - Defining the functions of cholecystokinin.

PMID- 1432478
TI  - Retrovirus infection of enterocytes: do they or don't they?

PMID- 1432479
TI  - Theory-driven research in pediatric psychology: a little bit on why and how.
AB  - Introduces a Special Issue, covering two published issues (5 and 6) of this
      journal, on theory-driven research in pediatric psychology. A rationale for
      conducting research from a conceptual basis is presented. It is emphasized that
      science is primarily an intellectual activity, demonstrated in the form of theory
      building, testing, and reformulation. Furthermore, it is argued theory serves as
      a planning and communication aide for scientific pursuit. The process and
      components of theory-driven research are then highlighted. Theoretical
      constructs, theoretical and empirical definitions of constructs, and the use of
      variables are discussed. A definition of scientific theory is offered. Theory
      testing is distinguished from post hoc theorizing. Differences in the scope of
      theories are noted. Connections between theory and hypothesis testing and
      research design are addressed, especially for nonexperimental or correlational
      research.

PMID- 1432480
TI  - A longitudinal analysis of adherence and health status in childhood diabetes.
AB  - Applied structural equation modeling to a longitudinal data set of 193 youngsters
      with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus assessed on two occasions, an average of
      1.65 years apart. Six adherence constructs, Injection, Exercise, Diet Type,
      Testing-Eating Frequency, Calories Consumed, and Concentrated Sweets, were
      quantified from 24-hr recall interviews conducted with mother and child. Glycemic
      control was indexed by glycosylated hemoglobin (HA1C); lipid metabolism was
      indexed by fasting triglyceride levels (TRIG). The relationship of each adherence
      construct to metabolic control was tested separately. Patient age and disease
      duration served as exogenous variables in all models. Testing-Eating Frequency
      was associated with HA1C and Injection was associated with TRIG; in both cases
      better adherence was associated with better metabolic control. However, the
      standardized regression weights and variance accounted for were small. Patient
      age was a predictor of both adherence and metabolic control; older youngsters
      were less adherent and were in worse metabolic control. Inspection of models for
      younger versus older children suggested that age-homogeneous models improved
      prediction, but adherence and metabolic control linkages remained weak.
      Suggestions for refining the model are provided.

PMID- 1432481
TI  - Comparing social learning and family systems correlates of adaptation in youths
      with IDDM.
AB  - Evaluated social learning and family systems theoretical models to determine (a)
      whether illness-specific family relations (based on social learning theory) and
      general family behaviors (based on family systems theory) relate uniquely to the
      youths' illness-specific and psychosocial adaptation, and (b) whether these types
      of family relations covary or whether they represent distinct aspects of family
      functioning. Participants included 95 youths with insulin-dependent diabetes
      mellitus (IDDM) and their parents. Positive and supportive family relations
      (illness-specific family support, general family affection, general family
      adaptability) as well as conflictual and nonsupportive relations (i.e., illness
      specific family nonsupport, general family conflict) were assessed. Results
      suggest that both illness-specific and general family relations uniquely predict
      the youths' dietary adherence and general psychosocial adaptation. Because
      illness-specific and general family relations also covary, broad-based models
      that include both types of family functioning seem warranted.

PMID- 1432482
TI  - Stress, coping, and family functioning in the psychological adjustment of mothers
      of children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis.
AB  - Assessed the role of illness parameters, demographic parameters, and hypothesized
      psychosocial/mediational processes in the psychological adjustment of 68 mothers
      of children and adolescents (7-17 years of age) with cystic fibrosis. Together
      the illness and demographic parameters accounted for only 13-15% of the variance
      in maternal adjustment. However, the hypothesized mediational processes accounted
      for 35-40% increment in the variance in maternal adjustment. More specifically,
      maternal adjustment was associated with lower levels of perceived daily stress,
      less use of palliative coping methods, and family functioning characterized by
      high levels of supportiveness.

PMID- 1432483
TI  - Stress, appraisal, and coping in mothers of disabled and nondisabled children.
AB  - The cognitive-behavioral model of stress and coping provided the framework for
      this study of mothers of physically disabled children (n = 69) and mothers of
      nondisabled children (n = 63). The first aim was to test for differences between
      groups in responses to stressful parenting events. As hypothesized, mothers of
      disabled children reported higher levels of depressive symptomatology.
      Differences in psychological distress and health status approached significance.
      The second aim was to explore the mediating influences of coping strategies and
      cognitive appraisals. As predicted, emotion-focused coping was related to
      increased psychological distress in mothers of disabled children whereas problem
      focused coping was associated with decreased distress. Both relationships were
      significant even after controlling for differences in type of parenting stressor.
      Hierarchical regressions showed that 58 and 25% of the variance in psychological
      distress was explained by the independent variables; however, the predictors were
      different for the two groups of mothers. Factors that may explain the
      differential effectiveness of coping and appraisal, and clinical implications of
      this study are discussed.

PMID- 1432484
TI  - Social class and parenting children with mild and moderate mental retardation.
AB  - Based on Kohn's (1977) and Gecas' (1979) theories of social class and parenting
      values, the role of socioeconomic status (SES) as a determinant of parenting
      attitudes and behaviors and as a moderator of problems associated with raising
      children with handicaps was evaluated among 171 families raising a child with
      mild or moderate mental retardation. Self-report measures assessed mothers' and
      fathers' attitudes regarding control, independence, and closeness within the
      family, and parental and family problems. Supportive, aversive, and controlling
      parent-child interactions were observed in the home. As expected, higher SES was
      associated with parental attitudes and behaviors related to fostering independent
      initiative in the family, and lower SES parents exhibited relatively more
      controlling and negative behaviors. However, regardless of SES, controlling
      parental behaviors also were responsive to the level of functioning of the child
      with mental retardation. Consistent with an hypothesis about violations of SES
      related values, negative and controlling interactions with the child were more
      highly correlated with the parents' reports of parental and family problems for
      upper SES as opposed to lower SES parents. Several models of SES and family
      adaptation are discussed.

PMID- 1432485
TI  - Applying stigma theory to epilepsy: a test of a conceptual model.
AB  - Tested a theoretical model that sought to explain the association of stigma to
      self-esteem among adolescents with epilepsy. The model depicted hypothesized
      relationships among several characteristics of epilepsy (seizure type, seizure
      frequency, and duration of epilepsy), perceived stigma, management of disclosure,
      and self-esteem. Subjects were 64 adolescents 12 to 20 years old with idiopathic
      epilepsy. In a hierarchical multiple regression analysis, variables were entered
      into the equation in the order specified a priori by the model. Results showed
      that the data supported some hypotheses tested in the model: (a) Seizure type and
      seizure frequency predicted low self-esteem, and (b) the belief that epilepsy is
      stigmatizing predicted low self-esteem. However, several relationships of major
      theoretical significance were not realized. Explanations for why some aspects of
      stigma theory were not supported by the data are offered.

PMID- 1432486
TI  - Inhibitory effect of melanin on the interaction of Fonsecaea pedrosoi with
      mammalian cells in vitro.
AB  - Conidial forms of Fonsecaea pedrosoi, grown under conditions where melanin was or
      was not synthesized, were allowed to interact with normal and cytochalasin
      treated macrophages. Melanin-free conidia were more infective to the macrophages.
      Treatment of macrophages with either cytochalasin B or D before the interaction
      decreased, but did not totally prevent their infection by the fungi. This
      inhibitory effect was higher (approximately 90%) if F. pedrosoi was grown under
      conditions where melanin was not synthesized. When melanin-containing conidia
      were used, the inhibitory effect of the cytochalasin on the infection was lower
      (approximately 50%). At least two mechanisms of infection of the host cell were
      observed: typical phagocytosis and another process in which the fungi played a
      more active role. Infection by F.pedrosoi was also observed in the non
      professional phagocytic MDCK epithelial cell line. Two types of cytoplasmic
      vacuoles which contained parasites were seen in thin sections of host cells
      infected with F.pedrosoi: a 'tight' type and a 'loose' type. At least 200 conidia
      containing vacuoles were analysed by transmission electron microscopy. The
      'tight' type was observed in 75% of the vacuoles of non-treated macrophages,
      suggesting an association with classical phagocytosis. On the other hand, the
      'loose' type vacuole was seen in 75% of the vacuoles present in cytochalasin
      treated macrophages and seemed to be related to induced phagocytosis or active
      penetration by the fungi.

PMID- 1432487
TI  - Determination of plasma (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan: a new diagnostic aid to deep
      mycosis.
AB  - We present additional evidence that plasma from patients with deep-seated mycoses
      contains (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan. Digestion of such samples with endo-(1-->3)-beta
      D-glucanase completely abolished the ability of the plasma to activate factor-G,
      a horseshoe crab coagulation enzyme that is extremely sensitive to this
      polysaccharide. Measurement of plasma (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan is a promising method
      for the diagnosis of deep-seated mycoses and for monitoring the response of these
      infections to antifungal therapy.

PMID- 1432488
TI  - Immunoblotting analysis of sera from patients with candidal vaginitis and healthy
      females.
AB  - Antigenic components of Candida albicans were extracted from whole cells with a
      buffer containing SDS and 2-mercaptoethanol, and separated by SDS-polyacrylamide
      gel electrophoresis. The components reactive with IgG, IgA, IgM and IgE
      antibodies in sera from patients with (14 subjects) and without (15 subjects) C.
      albicans in the vagina, and from healthy females (34 subjects), were investigated
      by immunoblotting using immunoglobulin class-specific antibodies. Many components
      reacted with IgG and IgA in all sera tested; the major antigens that reacted
      strongly with the sera were 67, 62, 29 and 25 kDa components. Several components
      were observed which reacted with IgM in 63% of the sera; the 67, 62 and 25 kDa
      components that reacted with IgG and IgA also reacted with IgM. No components
      reacting with IgE were detected in any of the sera. No striking differences in
      antibody binding profiles to whole cell antigens were detected among the C.
      albicans positive and negative patients or the healthy subjects. On the other
      hand, IgG against extracellular proteinase was more frequently detected in the C.
      albicans positive patients than in the C. albicans negative group or the healthy
      subjects. This may suggest that vaginal infection with C. albicans contributes to
      a rise in anti-proteinase antibody levels.

PMID- 1432489
TI  - Microsporum gypseum complex in man and animals.
AB  - Twenty-eight strains of the Microsporum gypseum complex isolated from humans and
      animals were studied. The perfect form was found for 25 of the isolates.
      Nannizzia incurvata was the species most frequently involved in human pathology,
      while Nannizzia gypsea was most frequently found on animal lesions. Nannizzia
      fulva was rarely involved pathologically and Nannizzia corniculata was not
      isolated during this study. It is surprising to note that this species was not
      found even though most of our strains (22/28) came from Africa. Reliable methods
      are not available for differentiating among the anamorphs, which are commonly
      called M. gypseum, Microsporum fulvum or Microsporum boullardii. The Sabouraud
      medium conventionally used for medical mycology makes almost no distinction among
      them. We found that the species could be easily distinguished by colonial and
      microscopic features when grown on Takashio medium. When strains are atypical,
      sexual reproduction remains the reference technique but, in most cases, Takashio
      medium makes it possible to avoid this long drawn-out procedure.

PMID- 1432490
TI  - Cryptococcal peritonitis in a CAPD patient.
AB  - A 50-year-old diabetic woman with end-stage renal disease, who had been on
      continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis for 8 months, developed peritonitis
      caused by Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans. The patient was completely
      asymptomatic and infection was confirmed by detection of budding yeast cells in
      Gram-stained smears of turbid peritoneal fluid. The infection was cleared after
      intravenous fluconazole with delayed removal of the catheter. Fluconazole may be
      a suitable alternative drug in treating cryptococcal peritonitis.

PMID- 1432491
TI  - Activation of human complement system in paracoccidioidomycosis.
AB  - Plasma samples of 14 patients with paracoccidioidomycosis were analysed for
      components that represent activation of the complement system. Most patients
      (12/13) showed significant titres of complement-fixing antibodies and 14/14 had
      increased C4d/C4 ratios. There was no conclusive correlation between these two
      immunological indices, however. Factor B values of patients were similar to
      normal donors and fragment Ba was not detected in any of the patients. These
      results indicate a classical complement pathway activation in the plasma of
      patients with paracoccidioidomycosis.

PMID- 1432492
TI  - A microfermentation test for the rapid identification of yeasts.
AB  - The accuracy and speed of a microfermentation test (MFT), developed as a
      supplementary aid to other yeast identification systems, were compared with the
      conventional fermentation method in identifying 15 yeast species. The MFT
      significantly reduced the incubation period required to obtain a definitive
      identification. The method is easy to perform and the media and space
      requirements are minimal.

PMID- 1432493
TI  - Re-evaluation of the synonymy between Keratinomyces ceretanicus and Trichophyton
      ajelloi.
AB  - In 1987, Keratinomyces ceretanicus was reduced to synonymy with Trichophyton
      ajelloi based on mating between the putative ex-type culture, ATCC 58594, and
      minus mating strains of Arthroderma uncinatum. Although we confirm that ATCC
      58594 produces fertile ascomata when mated with A. uncinatum, we demonstrate that
      this strain is not representative of the type of K. ceretanicus and conclude that
      K. ceretanicus should be maintained as a separate taxon.

PMID- 1432494
TI  - Burns associated with the use of microwave ovens.
AB  - This article reviews published reports of conventional and radiation burns
      associated with the use of microwave ovens. Conventional food burns can result
      from the ingestion of microwave heated food because consumers may overlook the
      differential temperature gradients within foods and between the food and the
      container. There are reports of accidental radiation injury associated with the
      use of microwave ovens, but they are difficult to evaluate because these reports
      lack definitive clinical data and verification of the actual radiation exposures.
      Only one study has provided useful insight into the clinical features of
      microwave radiation burns compared to conventional burns.

PMID- 1432495
TI  - Founder Samuel V. Abraham, MD--remembering his vision.

PMID- 1432496
TI  - Endophthalmitis following pediatric intraocular surgery for congenital cataracts
      and congenital glaucoma.
AB  - The incidence of endophthalmitis following pediatric anterior segment surgery is
      currently unknown. The paucity of reports of this entity has led some observers
      to recommend simultaneous bilateral surgery for congenital cataracts or glaucoma.
      In this study, we surveyed over 500 pediatric ophthalmologists and glaucoma
      specialists concerning their knowledge of, or involvement with, endophthalmitis
      following pediatric intraocular surgery. Seventeen cases of endophthalmitis were
      documented to occur out of 24,000 reported surgical cases. This results in an
      incidence estimate of 0.071%, or 7 cases per 10,000, which is similar to that
      recently reported following adult extracapsular cataract extraction. The presence
      of infection was diagnosed by the 3rd postoperative day in 82% of cases. An
      organism was documented by culture in 65% of cases. The organism was gram
      positive in all cases. Visual outcome was generally poor with 65% having no light
      perception. The presence of possible concurrent risk factors for postoperative
      endophthalmitis, including nasolacrimal duct obstruction and upper respiratory
      infection, was noted in 8 of the 17 cases.

PMID- 1432497
TI  - Congenital double elevator palsy: vertical saccadic velocity utilizing the
      scleral search coil technique.
AB  - Four patients with congenital double elevator palsy were studied who had
      clinically brisk elevation of the affected eye from downgaze to the midline
      position of rest, but severely limited or absent elevation above primary
      position. Forced duction tests were negative and Bell's phenomenon was present
      preoperatively in all patients. To clarify why upgaze saccades clinically seemed
      intact below but not above midline, vertical saccadic velocities were measured
      using the scleral search coil technique. The tracings of three cases suggest
      sufficient superior rectus function to generate a normal upward saccadic
      trajectory. A supranuclear lesion is the most likely etiology of the inability to
      elevate the eye well above primary position in these three patients. In a fourth
      patient, the reduced ability to elevate the affected eye above primary position
      is caused by a superior rectus paresis with decreased upward saccadic velocities.
      We suggest at least three distinct groups of patients present clinically as
      double elevator palsy: primary inferior rectus restriction, primary superior
      rectus paresis or palsy, and congenital supranuclear elevation deficiency.

PMID- 1432498
TI  - Surgery in the prism adaptation study: accuracy and dose response. Prism
      Adaptation Study Research Group.
AB  - Three hundred twenty-two patients underwent strabismus surgery for acquired
      esotropia according to a rigid protocol in the Prism Adaptation Study (PAS). This
      report describes the PAS surgical technique and the methods used to evaluate and
      assure adherence to the surgical protocol. We present analyses of the
      discrepancies between the amount of recession surgery planned by the surgeon and
      the amount of recession estimated by the masked graders from documentary
      photographs. In 74% of patients, the total discrepancy (combined from both medial
      rectus operations) was 1 mm or less. There was a distinct trend for masked
      graders to estimate larger recession amounts than were dictated by the protocol
      and claimed to be done by the surgeon. In 24% of patients, the masked graders
      estimated that the recession was more than 1 mm greater than that claimed by the
      surgeon, while in 2%, the graders estimated that the surgery was more than 1 mm
      less than planned. Of the 74 patients for whom the graders' estimated total
      recession was more than 1 mm greater than the amount planned by the surgeon, 88%
      were successful. Of the six patients for whom the graders' estimated total
      recession was more than 1 mm less than the amount planned by the surgeon, five
      (83%) were successful. We propose new surgical tables for patients with acquired
      esotropia. Enhanced amounts of recession appear to be necessary to decrease the
      rate of undercorrection for each group of patients.

PMID- 1432499
TI  - A mydriatic eye-drop combination without systemic effects for premature infants:
      a prospective double-blind study.
AB  - Eye drops used for diagnostic mydriasis may produce systemic side effects in
      preterm infants. Studies on the pupil dilating and systemic effect of various
      mydriatic agents yielded conflicting results. We conducted a prospective
      randomized double-blind study on the systemic effect of two mydriatic eye-drop
      combinations. Thirty-nine preterm infants were randomly assigned to two groups.
      An eye-drop combination of 2.5% phenylephrine and 0.5% tropicamide (group D) was
      compared with the combination of 0.5% cyclopentolate and 0.5% tropicamide (group
      F). Either eye-drop combination was followed by 0.5% tropicamide given 20 minutes
      later. Heart rate (HR) and the systolic, mean, and diastolic blood pressure (BP)
      were recorded before and after eye-drop instillation and after ophthalmoscopy. A
      control session with NaCl eye drops was added for each infant. A significant
      increase of BP and HR peak values was observed within 7 to 10 minutes after the
      cyclopentolate/tropicamide combination only. On the other hand, the mydriatic
      effect of the phenylephrine/tropicamide combination was significantly superior to
      that of the cyclopentolate/tropicamide combination. We recommend the combination
      of 2.5% phenylephrine and 0.5% tropicamide to achieve a sufficient diagnostic
      mydriasis without systemic side effects in preterm infants.

PMID- 1432500
TI  - Hypertropia following trochlear trauma.
AB  - Hypertropia following trauma to the trochlea is rare. The more widely recognized
      response of the trochlea to trauma is hypotropia or acquired Brown syndrome. We
      observed three cases of hypertropia following penetrating trauma to the trochlea.
      Each had computerized tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging to assist in
      the understanding of the mechanism of the observed superior oblique dysfunction.
      The clinical course of these cases was variable. Awareness of the damaged
      trochlea's capacity to respond as a hypertropic as well as a hypotropic syndrome
      will allow for improved management of these unusual patients.

PMID- 1432501
TI  - Intraoperative succinylcholine and the postoperative eye alignment.
AB  - In 99 patients undergoing strabismus surgery, an intravenous bolus of
      succinylcholine (Sch) was given after completion of the strabismus procedure.
      Reliable data were obtained in 53 patients. The interlimbal distance measured at
      60 seconds after injection (VR60) was compared to the interlimbal distance at 1
      and 6 weeks postoperatively, to evaluate the correlation between the drug-induced
      eye position under anesthesia and the awake-eye alignment postoperatively.
      Correlations were highest in patients undergoing symmetric recessions of the
      medial or lateral recti in primary horizontal strabismus. Confidence intervals of
      0.8 to 1.2 were noted for both the esotropia and exotropia groups. Two patients
      experienced Sch-related complications of masseter spasm and prolonged apnea.
      Although infrequent, the potential gravity of the complications from Sch use and
      the currently enjoyed high rate of success in primary strabismus surgery suggest
      that these formulas not be used clinically. Nonetheless, the high correlations
      between the drug-induced and awake ocular position provide further support to the
      premise that the Sch sensitive fibers provide an important motor component to the
      awake eye position.

PMID- 1432502
TI  - Ocular torsion-direct measurement with indirect ophthalmoscope and protractor.
AB  - Objective measurement of the optic nerve head (ONH)-foveal angle, representing
      the torsional status of 40 eyes in 20 normal patients, was performed by fundus
      photography and compared to a method utilizing an indirect ophthalmoscope and
      protractor described herein. Photography established a mean ONH-foveal angle of
      7.03 degrees (SD 2.94 degrees). Comparison with the indirect/protractor method
      revealed a mean difference of 1.10 degrees (SD 0.99) with a range of 0 degrees to
      4 degrees between methods. The indirect/protractor method seems to provide a
      rapid, inexpensive, and accurate method of determining the degree of ocular
      torsion when compared to the fundus photograph method which requires greater
      patient cooperation and investment in time and equipment. The ONH-foveal angle
      varies widely among normal individuals (0 degrees to 16 degrees). Variation
      between left and right eyes of the same individual was not significant (1.15
      degrees, SD 1.39 degrees), and if greater than 4 degrees, probably represents
      cyclovertical muscle dysfunction or restrictive orbitopathy. The converse,
      however, may not always be true as individuals with less than 4 degrees
      difference between eyes may have cyclovertical muscle imbalance.

PMID- 1432503
TI  - Atropine cycloplegia: how many instillations does one need?
AB  - Atropine is accepted generally as the most efficient cycloplegic agent. Although
      it is considered a relatively safe drug, toxic local and systemic side effects do
      occur. The recommended regimen for atropine cycloplegia has been 7 to 10
      applications within 3 to 4 days. We compared the cycloplegic effect of four
      instillations of atropine drops to the effect of eight instillations. The results
      showed that the cycloplegia obtained after eight instillations was not greater
      than after four instillations.

PMID- 1432504
TI  - Sclerocornea and interstitial deletion of the short arm of chromosome 6--(46XY
      del[6] [p22 p24]).
AB  - The interstitial deletion of the short arm of chromosome (6)--46 XY del (6)
      (p22.3 p24) is unrecorded. The ophthalmic findings in a dysmorphic infant
      included peripheral sclerocornea and epicanthal folds with upslanting palpebral
      fissures. We present a short review of sclerocornea and the ophthalmic findings
      of infants with anomalies of chromosome 6. Our findings provide further evidence
      that genes influencing the development of the anterior segment are located on the
      distal portion of the short arm of chromosome 6.

PMID- 1432505
TI  - Ocular findings of incontinentia pigmenti in a male infant with Klinefelter
      syndrome.
AB  - A male infant with Klinefelter karyotype (47, XXY) manifested both the typical
      dermatologic findings of the X-linked dominant disorder incontinentia pigmenti
      (Bloch-Sulzberger syndrome) and ocular findings including retinal pigmentary
      changes, peripheral retinal avascularity, and preretinal fibrovascular
      proliferation. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of incontinentia
      pigmenti with this specific abnormal genotype manifesting ocular findings.

PMID- 1432506
TI  - Oculocutaneous albinism: variable expressivity of nystagmus in a sibship.
AB  - Traditionally, the diagnosis of ocular or oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is based
      on a constellation of features including the presence of nystagmus associated
      with iris transillumination defects, hypopigmentation of the fundus, and
      hypoplasia of the fovea and optic nerve head. Nystagmus is the most frequent
      ocular sign for the ascertainment of albinism particularly in individuals who
      have lightly-pigmented parents. We report two siblings, a male and female, with
      minimal, if any, pigmentation of skin and hair, iris transillumination defects,
      blond fundi, and hypoplasia of the foveae and optic nerve heads who were
      discordant for nystagmus; the diagnosis of OCA was based on the clinical
      findings. These siblings presumably have the same genetic hypopigmentation defect
      and demonstrate that nystagmus is not a consistent finding in OCA and may not be
      an absolute criterion for diagnosis.

PMID- 1432507
TI  - Pseudo-slipped muscle due to perioperative inflammatory palsy.

PMID- 1432508
TI  - Corneal erosions and encephalopathy following exposure to "Rhino-Caps".

PMID- 1432509
TI  - Congenital ptosis.

PMID- 1432510
TI  - Samuel Victor Abraham, 1899-1992.

PMID- 1432511
TI  - Changes in eyelid position accompanying vertical rectus muscle surgery and
      prevention of lower lid retraction with adjustable surgery.
AB  - Whether or not eyelid position changes are caused by vertical rectus muscle
      surgery is controversial and poorly understood. We reviewed pre- and
      postoperative photographs of patients who underwent recession or resection of one
      or more vertical rectus muscles in a 10-year period. A change in eyelid position
      occurred frequently with vertical rectus muscle surgery. With superior rectus
      recession, 91% of the patients developed upper lid retraction. With inferior
      rectus recession, 94% of patients developed lower lid retraction. With inferior
      rectus resection, every patient developed lower lid advancement with accompanying
      flattening. We describe an adjustable surgical technique to prevent lower lid
      retraction associated with inferior rectus recession. The technique involves a
      separate adjustable suspension of the lower eyelid retractors from the inferior
      rectus insertion at the time of strabismus surgery. The lid position can then be
      adjusted separately at the time of muscle adjustment. After an average 2 1/2
      month follow up, no statistically significant lid retraction could be measured in
      six patients who underwent the adjustable lid suspension, while statistically
      significant retraction (P < .01) developed in a group of nine patients who had
      inferior rectus recession alone. This technique did not limit the success of the
      strabismus surgery.

PMID- 1432512
TI  - Recognized scleral perforation during eye muscle surgery: incidence and sequelae.
AB  - Inadvertent perforation of the sclera is a widely recognized complication of eye
      muscle surgery. In the 1960s and 1970s, it was estimated to occur in 9% to 12% of
      patients operated. Fortunately, dreaded vision-threatening sequelae have been
      much less common. To better define the occurrence and sequelae of this
      complication, we sent a questionnaire to all 342 members of the American
      Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Scleral perforations,
      defined to include known retinal damage, occurred in 728 of nearly 554,000 eye
      muscle procedures performed by 223 surgeons. Perforations were two times more
      common with residents or fellows operating. They occurred not only during muscle
      reattachment (633 cases), but also during muscle disinsertion (24 cases), muscle
      dissection (6 cases), passage of traction sutures beneath the lateral rectus (5
      cases), and preplacement of muscle sutures (5 cases). Many other perforations may
      have been unrecognized and uncounted. Visual loss was uncommon, occurring in only
      nine patients. Fourteen retinal detachments included four cases with partial and
      two with total loss of vision. Only three cases of endophthalmitis occurred, one
      resulting in partial visual loss and two in total visual loss. Techniques
      suggested by respondent surgeons to avoid perforations are discussed.

PMID- 1432513
TI  - The surgical treatment of traumatic Brown syndrome.
AB  - We present the results of surgical treatment in 13 patients who attended
      Moorfields Eye Hospital with traumatic Brown syndrome between 1975 and 1990. The
      average age was 34 years (range, 18 to 46 years), and in 12 cases the cause was a
      road traffic accident. Diplopia was the indication for surgery in all cases. Most
      patients had two surgical procedures; but in two patients, three were required.
      The outcome was assessed both subjectively and objectively. Objective assessment
      was by analysis of the preoperative and postoperative fields of binocular single
      vision and Hess charts which were available for 11 patients. The Hess charts were
      analyzed using a new scoring system. At final follow up, subjective improvement
      had occurred in 7 patients, 3 patients reported no improvement, and 3 patients
      thought their symptoms were worse. The field of binocular single vision improved
      in 8 patients and was worse in 3 patients. The Hess chart improved in 8 patients
      and was worse in 3 patients. The management of this difficult condition is
      discussed.

PMID- 1432514
TI  - Synthetic polypeptide sleeve for strabismus surgery.
AB  - A synthetic polypentapeptide sleeve was placed around the superior rectus muscle
      of five New Zealand white rabbits in hopes of preventing postoperative fibrous
      scarring. Two forms of the polypentapeptide were used. No significant
      inflammation or scarring occurred with either form of the polypentapeptide when
      compared to controls. One form elicited a fibrous membrane surrounding the sleeve
      within 2 weeks. The other elicited no such reaction after 2 months. The latter
      form of the polypentapeptide may be useful in preventing scarring following
      strabismus surgery.

PMID- 1432515
TI  - Hypertensive retinopathy: a cause of decreased visual acuity in children.
AB  - Hypertensive retinopathy may present atypically in children. Delays in diagnosis
      may result in permanent visual loss, as demonstrated in three cases we saw.

PMID- 1432516
TI  - Levodopa and childhood amblyopia.
AB  - A pilot study was undertaken to address the tolerance and efficacy of
      levodopa/carbidopa treatment for amblyopia in older amblyopic children who failed
      to respond to conventional occlusion therapy. Five amblyopic children, between
      the ages of 7 and 12 years, and two normal adults were given between 100 mg/25 mg
      and 400 mg/100 mg of levodopa/carbidopa, respectively, depending on body weight.
      A symptoms questionnaire was completed, with temperature, respiration, heart
      rate, and blood pressure taken periodically to assess tolerance. Blood samples
      were taken, via a heparin well, to assess the pharmacokinetics of levodopa,
      dopamine, noradrenaline, and DOPAC. Snellen visual acuity, contrast sensitivity,
      stereo acuity, and pattern VERs were measured periodically to assess efficacy.
      The results revealed a high prevalence of side effects including emesis and
      nausea (four of seven subjects). Pharmacokinetics revealed that maximum serum
      levels of levodopa occurred 30 minutes to 1 hour after drug ingestion and
      decreased by 50% after 2 to 4 hours. One hour after drug ingestion, Snellen
      visual acuity temporarily improved from an average of 20/159 to 20/83 in the
      amblyopic eyes. Contrast sensitivity and pattern VERs (10-minute checks)
      temporarily improved in both dominant and amblyopic eyes, whereas visual function
      remained stable in normal eyes. The improvements in visual function started to
      decrease 5 hours after drug ingestion. The results are discussed in the context
      of developing a therapeutic trial of levodopa/carbidopa for childhood amblyopia.

PMID- 1432517
TI  - Refractive error changes following strabismus surgery.
AB  - Several uncontrolled, retrospective studies have suggested that permanent changes
      in refractive error can be seen following strabismus surgery. We prospectively
      enrolled 68 patients undergoing strabismus surgery for evaluation of pre- and
      postoperative cycloplegic refraction. In addition, the adult patients had
      computerized corneal topography recorded using the Corneal Modeling System,
      (Computed Anatomy, Inc, New York, NY). Pre- and postoperative refractions were
      compared using spherical equivalent and meridional equivalent (90- and 180-degree
      meridian). We found no significant change in the spherical equivalent between the
      pre- and postoperative measurements. However, a significant increase in the
      astigmatic power at 180 degrees (meridional equivalent at 180 degrees) was
      detected in both pediatric and adult patients. We did not observe any qualitative
      change in the corneal topography pre- and postoperatively. The change in
      astigmatic power at 180 degrees is equivalent to additional plus-cylinder
      correction at 90 degrees and was persistent throughout the 4-month postoperative
      period.

PMID- 1432518
TI  - Visual hand display (VHD) as an introductory procedure for measuring vision in
      infants and young children with visual impairment.
AB  - We developed the Visual Hand Display (VHD) to measure vision in visually impaired
      infants and young children. The VHD is a circular fabric mitten, which is held
      easily by inserting the hand between the two surfaces. Black-and-white stripes
      are attached to one surface, 25, 15, 10, 4, and 2 mm per stripe. The VHD acuity
      is determined by the shortest test distance and the smallest stripes that the
      patient can detect. The VHD acuities were compared with preferential looking (PL)
      staircase acuities in 130 patients (53 males, 77 females; age range, 2 to 13
      years; median, 21.0 months). Of these, 107 (82.3%) had various degrees of
      retinopathy of prematurity. The correlation between the VHD and the PL acuities
      was high (R2 = 0.849). PL acuities were better than the VHD acuities in 98/130
      patients (75.4%), with an average difference of 0.51 (SD = 0.70) octave. The
      visual acuity differences were more pronounced in subjects with slight visual
      impairment and much less in subjects with severe visual impairment. The VHD seems
      to be an effective introductory method to evaluate visual acuity in severely
      visually impaired infants and young children. This method also would be effective
      with severely mentally and physically disabled patients who cannot undergo PL
      testing.

PMID- 1432520
TI  - Stage I intraoperative adjustment of eye muscle surgery under general anesthesia.

PMID- 1432519
TI  - Frosted branch angiitis: the role of systemic corticosteroids.

PMID- 1432521
TI  - A technique for removing thorns from the cornea.

PMID- 1432522
TI  - Use of the laser pointer in facilitating measurement of visual acuity in young
      children.

PMID- 1432523
TI  - Is the phakic eye normal in monocular pediatric aphakia?
AB  - This retrospective review of 97 pediatric patients who underwent monocular
      surgery for congenital or developmental cataracts studied the incidence of
      abnormalities in the contralateral phakic eye. Fifty-nine percent of patients had
      a normal phakic eye. However, 40 patients showed at least one abnormality in the
      phakic eye: reduced vision (21%), nystagmus (19%), cataract (15%), iris
      heterochromia (9%), myopia (6%), microphthalmos (6%), pupillary miosis (2%),
      congenital glaucoma (2%), optic nerve abnormality (2%), aniridia (1%), and
      corneal opacity (1%). Not all abnormalities were detected at the time of
      diagnosis of the contralateral cataract. The more significant findings of reduced
      vision and nystagmus in the phakic eye were usually detected postoperatively,
      often several months after the optimum time for treatment of pediatric cataracts.
      We suggest that monocular cataract surgery not be delayed. This will allow the
      best vision to be obtained for the aphakic eye, as the "sound eye" may not always
      be normal in monocular pediatric aphakia.

PMID- 1432524
TI  - An evaluation of abdominal staging procedures performed in pediatric patients
      with advanced Hodgkin's disease: a report from the Childrens Cancer Study Group.
AB  - Forty-nine children and adolescents underwent staging laparotomy in the course of
      a cooperative group (CCG) study of advanced Hodgkin's disease (HD). The purpose
      of the study was to evaluate the toxicity of a regimen of 12 cycles of
      doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and imidazole carboxamide (ABVD) plus 2,100
      cGy regional irradiation in patients with stage III-IV disease. Review of the
      biopsies and specimens from these 49 laparotomies identified distinct patterns of
      abdominal involvement and permitted an evaluation of the importance of different
      aspects of the staging procedure and an assessment of the value of non-invasive
      techniques in determining the extent of abdominal disease. The major observations
      from these studies were: (1) computed tomography (CT) and gallium 67 scans (GA)
      were specific (few false positives), but not sensitive, indicators of abdominal
      disease; (2) negative findings at laparotomy in 29 patients permitted a
      contraction of the abdominal radiation fields with no subsequent abdominal
      recurrence in these patients; (3) in five patients, stage IV status was
      established only by laparotomy and open hepatic biopsy; (4) all patients with
      lower abdominal or pelvic involvement also had upper abdominal node or splenic
      involvement; (5) involvement of splenic hilar nodes was a sensitive predictor of
      splenic involvement; (6) disease in the inferior paraaortic nodes accurately
      predicted the presence of more distal disease, ie, in the iliac or pelvic node
      groups; and (7) in a limited experience, transposition of the ovaries protected
      ovarian function from the effects of pelvic irradiation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432525
TI  - Broviac central venous catheters inserted via the saphenous or femoral vein in
      the NICU under local anesthesia.
AB  - We present our experience with 92 Broviac central venous catheters inserted into
      84 infants over a 31-month period. Our technique specifies placement in the
      neonatal intensive care unit under local anesthesia, with insertion to the
      inferior vena caval-atrial junction via the saphenous or femoral vein, with a
      subcutaneous tunnel to an exist site on the anterior thigh. We conclude this
      technique to be safe, efficient, convenient, cost-effective, and minimally
      uncomfortable to the infant, with no increase in morbidity or mortality in
      comparison to previously described methods.

PMID- 1432526
TI  - Proximal and distal cannulation of the internal jugular vein for ECMO in a
      primate.
AB  - Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is lifesaving for infants with severe
      respiratory distress but is complicated by severe intracranial hemorrhage in 10%
      to 30% of patients. Intracranial venous hypertension, as a result of ligation of
      the internal jugular vein (IJV), has been hypothesized as a contributing factor
      to cerebral edema and subsequent hemorrhage. Accessory cephalad IJV cannulation
      may serve as a means of additional venous drainage to the pump as well as
      protection against intracranial venous hypertension. Proximal and distal
      cannulation of the IJV were studied in a primate model. The parameters monitored
      included sagittal sinus, right and left ventricular pressures as well as venous
      pressure in the ECMO circuit. The cephalad venous cannula was clamped and
      unclamped at 30-minute intervals. There was no significant difference in sagittal
      sinus or intracranial pressures during periods of cephalad cannula clamping or
      unclamping. Venous return was augmented when the cephalad cannula was unclamped.
      Cephalad cannulation has no demonstrable protective effect on intracranial,
      subarachnoid or venous pressures but does improve venous return to the ECMO
      circuit. It is concluded that cephalad venous cannulation is not necessary in all
      cases and should be reserved for those patients requiring additional venous
      drainage to support pump flow.

PMID- 1432527
TI  - Congenital diaphragmatic hernia in an era of delayed repair after medical and/or
      extracorporeal membrane oxygenation stabilization: a prognostic and management
      classification.
AB  - In November 1987 we began to practice delayed repair of acutely symptomatic
      congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) following medical and/or extracorporeal
      membrane oxygenation (ECMO) stabilization. We reviewed 23 consecutive patients
      with CDH symptomatic at birth treated over the ensuing 2 1/2 years. The mean age
      at admission, age at repair, and interval from admission to repair were 4.9,
      37.0, and 32.6 hours, respectively. Overall survival was 52% (12/23). ECMO was
      used in 14 patients with 7 survivors (50%); 4 of these patients underwent repair
      prior to ECMO and 10 while on ECMO. The patients were retrospectively grouped
      into three classes based on postductal arterial blood gas (ABG) response to
      conventional medical management: class A (n = 8), able to achieve and sustain
      adequate oxygenation (PO2 greater than 60 mm Hg) and hyperventilation (PCO2 less
      than 40 mm Hg); class B (n = 10), unable to sustain adequate oxygenation (PO2
      less than 60 mm Hg) but able to be hyperventilated (PCO2 less than 40 mm Hg); and
      class C (n = 5), unable to be oxygenated (PO2 less than 60 mm Hg) or
      hyperventilated (PCO2 greater than 40 mm Hg). The interval from admission to
      repair was 13.6, 53.5, and 25.4 hours for classes A, B, and C, respectively. Two
      class A (25%), nine class B (90%), and three class C patients (60%) were placed
      on ECMO. Survival rates were 88%, 50%, and 0% for classes A, B, and C,
      respectively. We propose the following management protocol. Class A patients are
      stable and can be repaired at any convenient point after admission without
      prerepair ECMO; few will need it afterward.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432528
TI  - Major surgical intervention during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
AB  - Of 135 patients treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) between
      January 1987 and December 1989, 19 (14.0%) patients underwent surgical procedures
      while on ECMO. Thirteen (68%) patients had operations related to hemorrhage,
      including cannula site (6), mediastinal (1), hemoperitoneum (3), and hemothorax
      (3). Six of 13 patients required repetitive operations for bleeding; 4 of 6 died.
      Six (35%) patients had operations for congenital pathology including patent
      ductus (PDA) ligation (2), repair of transposition of the great vessels (2),
      repair of coarctation (1), and repair of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (3). One
      patient had multiple simultaneous procedures performed. Of these 6 patients, 4
      were decannulated immediately and 2 were decannulated within 28 hours following
      surgery without any bleeding complications. Fifteen of 19 patients were operated
      on in the neonatal intensive care unit. The 4 remaining patients required
      transport on ECMO to the surgical suite. Thirteen of the 19 patients requiring
      surgical intervention on ECMO survived. In the 13 survivors, the mean time to
      decannulation postoperative was 45 hours, and in those that died it was 90 hours.
      Our experience suggests that surgical intervention while on ECMO is technically
      feasible with the best results achieved when rapid discontinuation of ECMO can be
      accomplished postoperatively. Due to this fact major surgical intervention should
      be postponed if possible until near the conclusion of the ECMO therapy.

PMID- 1432529
TI  - Elevated levels of endotoxin, oxygen-derived free radicals, and cytokines during
      extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
AB  - It has been demonstrated that the initiation of extracorporeal membrane
      oxygenation (ECMO) is associated with an increase in the circulating plasma
      levels of inflammatory mediators. We have expanded the study of these substances
      to include measurements of complement activation, prostaglandin production,
      endotoxin appearance, oxygen-derived free radical generation, and cytokine
      release before, during, and after ECMO. A reproducible second phase of complement
      activity and prostaglandin synthesis was associated with the appearance of
      detectable circulating endotoxin (0.04 U/mL pre-ECMO to 0.07 U/mL at 36 hours, P
      less than .05). Oxygen-derived free radical activity also increased (2 ng/mL to 3
      ng/mL at 36 hours, P less than .05), as did plasma levels of tumor necrosis
      factor (40 pg/mL to 70 pg/mL at 36 hours, nonsurvivor group: P less than .05).
      Interleukin-1 was elevated above normal, but there were no significant variations
      noted during the time period studied. Small amounts of interleukin-6 were also
      detected in the occasional patient. None of these mediators differed
      significantly between survivors and nonsurvivors. These data indicate that ECMO
      is associated with a previously undescribed, endotoxin-related, generalized
      inflammatory state after 36 hours of support. The pulmonary, renal, and cardiac
      dysfunctions documented with prolonged bypass can all be related to a classic
      sepsis syndrome.

PMID- 1432530
TI  - Biliovenous fistula in children after blunt liver trauma: proposal for a simple
      surgical treatment.
AB  - Biliovenous fistula (BVF) with subsequent leakage of bile into the venous system
      is a rare but serious complication of blunt liver trauma. Nine cases have been
      reported since 1975. Surgical therapy is indicated; however, there are still
      controversies as to which operative method should be applied. Based on experience
      gained in adult surgery, resection of the BVF together with necrotic liver tissue
      is also recommended in children. We describe both an organ-saving and technically
      simple method that was applied in two male patients, 2 and 10 years old,
      respectively, suffering from BVF. After debridement and tamponade of a necrotic
      cavity of the liver, drainage was carried out. This prevented bilious leak into
      the venous system. Based on the case history of these two patients, management of
      BVF fistula will be described. Pathophysiology of bilhemia and the drainage
      effect will be discussed in light of a review of the literature.

PMID- 1432531
TI  - Splenic autotransplantation provides protection against fatal sepsis in young but
      not in old rats.
AB  - Splenectomy increases the risk of contracting infections with high mortality.
      Thus, splenic tissue should be repaired orthotopically whenever possible. If all
      attempts fail, splenic autotransplantation might be a suitable method for splenic
      salvage. The protective function of such transplants in adults has been
      questioned, leading to a decreased frequency of splenic autotransplantations.
      However, the regeneration of splenic tissue is better in the young organism than
      in the old, suggesting that the protection provided by regenerated splenic tissue
      might be more reliable in children than in adults. In addition, children are at a
      higher risk in the case of overwhelming postsplenectomy sepsis. The protection
      warranted by regenerated splenic tissue after autotransplantation at different
      ages was examined using a highly standardized animal model. Sham operation,
      splenectomy, and splenic autotransplantation were performed on adult, weanling,
      and newborn rats, and Streptococcus pneumoniae was applied intranasally 9 months
      after the operation. After pneumococcal challenge about 80% of the splenectomized
      animals in the different age groups died of infection, whereas only 20% of the
      sham operated rats died. Regenerated splenic tissue resulting from splenic
      autotransplantation performed on adult or weanling rats demonstrated no
      protective function. However, in newborn rats with transplanted splenic tissue,
      both survival rate and survival time were increased significantly. Determination
      of lymphocyte subsets in the blood did not allow the protective role of splenic
      transplants to be predicted. This study indicates that disappointing results of
      splenic autotransplantation in adult patients should not lead to false pessimism
      about the role of this operation in children.

PMID- 1432532
TI  - Correlation between extrinsic nerve fibers and synapses in the muscle layers of
      bowels affected by Hirschsprung's disease.
AB  - The aim of this study is to clarify any correlation between nerve terminals
      (synapses) and proliferating extrinsic nerve fibers in the muscle layers of
      bowels affected by Hirschsprung's disease (HD). Synapses and extrinsic nerve
      fibers in the muscle layers of bowels of 10 patients with HD and 8 comparable
      controls were labeled with monoclonal antibody (MAb) 171B5 and
      acetylcholinesterase (AChE), respectively. In the control a rich and even
      distribution of synapses, representing neuromuscular junctions, was seen in the
      muscle layers, together with dense clusters of synapses in the adjacent myenteric
      plexuses; proliferation of extrinsic nerve fibers was not seen. In the
      transitional oligoganglionic segment of HD, many synapses were present in the
      myenteric plexus, but a few synapses in the muscle layers; there was a gradual
      increase of extrinsic nerve fibers from proximal to distal. In the narrow
      aganglionic segment very few synapses were seen in the muscle layers;
      proliferating nerve fibers and bundles were prominent. We conclude that the
      muscle layers of bowels affected by HD were almost denervated despite presence of
      intrinsic nervous elements in the oligoganglionic segment and proliferating
      extrinsic nerve fibers in the aganglionic segment.

PMID- 1432533
TI  - Meconium ileus-like condition in Chinese neonates.
AB  - Between January 1985 and May 1990, 16 neonates were treated for meconium ileus
      (MI) at this hospital. All babies were born to Chinese couples. Seven of them
      were premature, but none of them weighed less than 1,000 g. Eight patients
      underwent operations either because of mistaken diagnosis, as ileal atresia or
      long-segment Hirschsprung's disease, or because of complicated MI, including two
      meconium peritonitis and one associated with ileal atresia. Gastrograffin enema
      was successful in management of eight uncomplicated MI. The albumin content in
      the meconium of the last nine cases, including four complicated cases, ranged
      from 9.2 to 93.3 mg/g dry meconium. Usually, albumin is not present in normal
      meconium. All cases received sweat test, which were negative. Three patients died
      in the follow-up period. Sepsis of unknown origin, multiple congenital anomalies,
      and severe metabolic problems were the causes of death. The other 13 patients are
      doing well. They have exhibited no pulmonary or digestive problems during their
      follow-up period, which ranged from 11 months to 5 years. They are healthy and
      receive regular diets. Growth and development are appropriate for their age
      groups.

PMID- 1432534
TI  - Colonoscopic polypectomy in children.
AB  - Between January 1984 and July 1990, a total of 129 colonoscopic snare
      polypectomies were performed during 77 sessions on 74 patients aged 2 to 12
      years. Bleeding per rectum (mean duration, 10 months) was the chief presenting
      symptom and was present in all of these patients. In 89% of patients polypectomy
      was carried out without using general anesthesia. Ninety-six percent of patients
      had juvenile polyps. Two patients had familial polyposis coli and one patient had
      a solitary adenomatous polyp. The majority (98; 80%) of the polyps were located
      in the rectosigmoid region. Four patients developed complications, one needing
      emergency operation. There were no deaths in the series. It is concluded that
      colonoscopic snare polypectomy is a simple, effective, and safe procedure for
      treating colorectal polyps in children.

PMID- 1432535
TI  - Tracheoesophageal fistula associated with perforated Meckel's diverticulum.
AB  - Neonates with esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) may present
      with respiratory distress. Intubation and mechanical ventilation may force air
      from the tracheobronchial tree, through a distal fistula and into the
      gastrointestinal tract. We present a newborn with TEF who became moribund during
      mechanical ventilation. High ventilator pressures transmitted via the TEF caused
      over distention of the gastrointestinal tract and perforation of a Meckel's
      diverticulum.

PMID- 1432536
TI  - Congenital diaphragmatic hernia presenting due to gastrointestinal complications.
AB  - Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) presents beyond the first hours of life in
      10% to 20% of cases. Presenting symptoms may be quite nonspecific, and are often
      gastrointestinal rather than respiratory in origin. We have recently had
      experience with five such cases, one in a newborn and four in older children. All
      presented with symptoms related to gastrointestinal complications of their
      diaphragmatic defect. In the newborn, gastric perforation had occurred, a
      complication of this anomaly not previously reported. The chest radiograph showed
      loops of bowel in the chest in all cases, allowing correct preoperative
      diagnoses. Urgent operative intervention was undertaken in each case with good
      results and no long-term morbidity. The risk of intestinal strangulation in the
      late-presenting CDH patient warrants emergent surgical management, which should
      be rewarded by uniform survival with few complications. Although preoperative
      stabilization may decrease the severity of pulmonary vasospasm in the newborn
      with respiratory failure, delay may increase the risk of bowel infarction in the
      older child presenting with gastrointestinal symptoms.

PMID- 1432537
TI  - Granulomatous peritonitis by ascaris.
AB  - The granulomatous peritonitis by ascaris (GPA) is a rare complication of
      intestinal ascariasis due to the perforation of the digestive tract by the adult
      worm, which deposits its ova in free peritoneum; therefore, provoking an intense
      granulomatous inflammatory reaction. We report a case of an 8-year-old boy with
      GPA, emphasizing the clinical and diagnostical aspects and the therapeutics
      procedures.

PMID- 1432538
TI  - Retroperitoneal alimentary tract duplications detected in utero.
AB  - The prenatal diagnosis of numerous congenital anomalies has become routine. The
      prenatal diagnosis of cystic lesions of the retroperitoneum can be due to a
      variety of renal, gastrointestinal, or adrenal lesions. This finding demands
      aggressive postnatal follow-up to rule out the possibility of cystic adrenal
      neuroblastoma. We report the first cases of retroperitoneal cystic masses
      diagnosed in utero that ultimately proved to be enteric duplications. Therefore,
      the differential diagnosis of cystic masses of the retroperitoneum found
      prenatally should be expanded to include enteric duplication cysts.

PMID- 1432539
TI  - Intussusception and intestinal perforations caused by multiple trichobezoars.

PMID- 1432540
TI  - Necrosis of the ileum in a diabetic adolescent.
AB  - A 17-year-old boy with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus developed ketoacidosis
      and transitory shock. After resolution of his metabolic imbalance, he developed
      an acute abdomen prompting exploratory surgery. A section of necrotic ileum was
      found and resected.

PMID- 1432541
TI  - Tubular duplication of the hindgut with genitourinary anomalies.
AB  - Hindgut duplication including the colon and rectum as well as the genital and
      urinary organs are extremely rare. Only a few cases are noted in the medical
      literature. In this report, a newborn with exstrophy of the urinary bladder,
      double vagina and uterus, double anus, and complete duplication of rectum and
      colon with malrotation is presented.

PMID- 1432542
TI  - Single-system cecoureterocele.
AB  - A rare case of single system cecoureterocele associated with ipsilateral
      dysplastic kidney in a 4-year-old girl is reported. The preoperative radiological
      and endoscopic investigations identified ureterocele but not its cecal extension.
      The latter was diagnosed only during the transvesical surgery. Complete cure of
      her symptoms was achieved following staged procedures comprising of right
      ipsilateral nephroureterectomy followed by combined transvesical and
      transurethral deroofing of the cecoureterocele, excision of ureteric stump and
      its extension in the bladder and repair of the detrusor. This is the second case
      report in English language literature of single-system cecoureterocele.

PMID- 1432543
TI  - Removal of a multicystic half of a horseshoe kidney: significance of preoperative
      evaluation in identifying abnormal surgical anatomy.
AB  - A rare case of multicystic dysplasia in half of a horseshoe kidney is presented.
      Proper evaluation led to a modified surgical approach necessary for adequate
      exposure, division of the isthmus, and removal of the diseased component.
      Considerations applicable to the treatment of multicystic dysplasia and renal
      fusion are discussed. The surgical anatomy of horseshoe kidney is reviewed.

PMID- 1432544
TI  - Case of a testis prolapsed through a skin defect in the upper scrotum.

PMID- 1432545
TI  - Lymphatic vessel dysplasias.

PMID- 1432547
TI  - Diagnosing inguinal hernia.

PMID- 1432546
TI  - Muscle-sparing lateral thoracotomy has much to recommend it in neonates.

PMID- 1432548
TI  - Congenital lumbar hernia.

PMID- 1432549
TI  - Prepregnancy care and prevention of birth defects.
AB  - Birth defects and disturbances in growth and development need an increasing
      attention in perinatal medicine. It is remarkable that so little attention has
      been paid to the pathogenesis of malformations in the literature in an approach
      to find aspects of prevention. Primary prevention of birth defects is an
      important public health issue as malformations have important consequences both
      for society and the individuals concerned. Prepregnancy care as a logical
      precursor to antenatal care, offers risk-assessment, advice and occasionally
      treatment before pregnancy, in order to avoid congenital malformations. It is
      therefore that we started a research program with emphasis on primary prevention
      of congenital malformations. In this respect medication, maternal nutritional
      status, diabetes mellitus and neural tube defects are discussed.

PMID- 1432550
TI  - Vibro-acoustic stimulation in high-risk pregnancies; maternal perception of fetal
      movements, fetal heart rate and fetal outcome.
AB  - Maternal perception of fetal movement in response to vibro-acoustic stimulation
      was compared with antenatal fetal heart rate monitoring as a test of fetal well
      being in a population of gravidae with high-risk pregnancies (n = 517), admitted
      to the high-risk ward at Danderyd Hospital, Karolinska Institutet; a total of
      2,015 tests were performed. The sensitivity and the specificity of the test
      compared to the fetal heart rate tracing was 81% and 89% respectively. If the
      test was performed within 24 hours of delivery, its predictive value for fetal
      asphyxia (i.e. a 5-minute Apgar score < 7) was 14% (7/49). Ten per cent of the
      patients felt no fetal movement in response to stimulation (irrespective of
      gestational age). In five cases where fetal heart rate tracings were
      pathological, stimulation nonetheless produced fetal movement and fetal outcome
      was good. Pathological heart rate tracings and no fetal movement in response to
      stimulation were present in 30 cases (out of 251 with no fetal movements at
      stimulation), in seven of which the infants had 5-minute Apgar scores < 7.
      Although many patients underwent repeated vibro-acoustic stimulation, there was
      no evidence of fetal habituation to the test. On 24 occasions (i.e. 1.2%), the
      patient denied vibro-acoustic stimulation, mostly because of previous discomfort
      due to vigorous fetal response. Where resources are limited, maternal perception
      of fetal movements in response to vibro-acoustic stimulation might be a useful
      alternative for preliminary screening of high-risk pregnancies.

PMID- 1432551
TI  - Acoustic stimulation as a diagnostic test: comparison with oxytocin challenge
      test.
AB  - The usefulness of an acoustic stimulation test as a marker of fetal well-being
      was evaluated in a randomized controlled study of 121 pregnant women exhibiting a
      non-reactive fetal non-stress test at term. The women were randomly divided into
      two groups; those in the first group (n = 62) underwent an acoustic stimulation
      test immediately prior to an oxytocin challenge test, while those in the second
      (n = 59) underwent an oxytocin challenge test only. Fetal response to the
      acoustic stimulation was non-reactive in 22.5% of the women tested in the first
      group. The incidence of abnormal oxytocin challenge test among the women who were
      previously subjected to an acoustic stimulation was somewhat lower than among
      those who did not (14.5% vs. 23.7%), but the difference was not significant. In
      the prediction of an abnormal oxytocin challenge test, a non-reactive acoustic
      stimulation test had a sensitivity of 100%, a positive predictive value of 64%
      and a specificity of 91%. As a single test for the prediction of fetal distress
      in labor (n = 62), the acoustic stimulation test had a specificity and a positive
      predictive value similar to those of the oxytocin challenge test (n = 121), and
      its sensitivity was even higher (88% vs. 71%). We conclude that the acoustic
      stimulation test is at least as reliable as the oxytocin challenge test in the
      evaluation of fetal well-being in women exhibiting a non-reactive non-stress test
      at term.

PMID- 1432552
TI  - Disseminated herpes simplex infection in a twin: the role of the "stat" autopsy
      in immediate therapeutic intervention for survival of multiple birth neonates.
AB  - Multiple birth neonates are unique in sharing similar intrauterine, and commonly
      the extrauterine, environments. The development of an infectious disease in one
      infant during the perinatal period assumes special significance in this setting,
      and the other siblings are often at high risk for a similar disease. Under these
      circumstances it is important to make a rapid etiologic diagnosis to provide
      appropriate therapeutic intervention. The immediate, or "stat", autopsy is a
      diagnostic modality involving the use of multiple procedures for the rapid
      diagnosis of perinatal infection which may be lifesaving in the setting of
      multiple birth neonates. This report describes the use of the "stat" autopsy to
      diagnose a fatal case of disseminated herpes simplex infection in a twin, which
      lead to the immediate treatment of the surviving sibling with appropriate
      antiviral medication.

PMID- 1432553
TI  - The effect of prenatal administration of dexamethasone and ritodrine on cord
      blood cortisol and glucose concentrations in premature infants with respiratory
      distress syndrome.
AB  - The influence of maternal dexamethasone and ritodrine administration during
      pregnancy on cord blood cortisol and capillary serum glucose concentrations and
      on the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) was studied in 30
      premature infants (gestational age 27-36 weeks), and compared with a matched
      control group of 37 premature infants where no such medications were
      administered. RDS occurred less often in the treated group of infants (13.3%)
      than in the controls (35.1%, p < 0.01). The healthy treated infants had a
      significantly lower mean umbilical cord plasma cortisol concentration (5.5 +/-
      1.8 ug/dl, mean +/- SD) than that observed in the controls (11.2 +/- 3.9 ug/dl, p
      < 0.01). Mean cord plasma cortisol concentrations increased with duration of
      pregnancy. No significant difference in the capillary serum glucose at 30 minutes
      post-delivery was found between the healthy, RDS, treated and non-treated
      infants. No adverse effects of steroid and ritodrine therapy were observed.

PMID- 1432554
TI  - Oro-naso-pharyngeal suction at birth: effects on respiratory adaptation of normal
      term vaginally born infants.
AB  - The effect of oro-naso-pharyngeal suction at birth on pulmonary mechanics is
      described in a random assigned controlled study of 40 normal term vaginally born
      infants. Twenty cases had their oro-naso-pharynx suctioned immediately after
      birth (S Group), whereas 20 were not suctioned in the neonatal period (NS Group).
      A computerized pneumotachographic system (MECVENT) was used for the assessment of
      respiratory mechanics (Dynamic Compliance (C. Dyn.) and Total Pulmonary
      Resistance (R) in inspiration and expiration at 10, 30 and 120 minutes after
      birth. In both groups the C. Dyn increased during the study period whereas the R
      decreased, mainly in the initial 30 minutes. No significant differences were
      observed between S and NS groups for any of the parameters of respiratory
      mechanics. The results obtained in this study provide no physiological basis to
      recommend routine airway suction at birth in normal, term, vaginally born
      infants.

PMID- 1432555
TI  - Umbilical artery blood flow velocity waveforms in twin pregnancies.
AB  - To detect discordant fetal growth in twin pregnancies and assess a possible role
      for Doppler ultrasound measurements of blood flow velocity waveforms in umbilical
      arteries in such cases, 32 twin pregnancies were examined on 125 occasions. The
      last examination was within 14 days of delivery. There was postpartum death of
      one pair of twins with the twin transfusion syndrome. Birthweight was appropriate
      for gestational age in 15 twin pairs, both infants were small for gestational age
      (SGA) in 5, and one of the infants was SGA in 12 twin pairs. The correlation
      coefficient of RI difference at the last examination and percentage birth weight
      difference in twin pairs was 0.68. Cutoff points for the delta RI and weight
      difference were established. The sensitivity of delta RI (0.1) was 77.8%;
      specificity, 95.8%; positive predictive value, 87.5%; and negative predictive
      value, 92.0%.

PMID- 1432556
TI  - Severe localised pulmonary interstitial emphysema--decompression by selective
      bronchial intubation.
AB  - We report three infants (26-28 weeks gestational age) in whom selective bronchial
      intubation was associated with successful decompression of severe localised
      pulmonary interstitial emphysema, uniquely in two cases this involved intubation
      of the left main bronchus. Pulmonary interstitial emphysema did not recur despite
      maintenance of selective intubation for only 48 hours or less in all three cases.

PMID- 1432557
TI  - Intestinal obstruction and perforation following sucralfate administration in a
      very low birth weight infant.
AB  - A case of intestinal obstruction and perforation following sucralfate
      administration in a very low birth weight infant is reported. Potential adverse
      effects of using sucralfate for prophylaxis of stress ulcer in premature babies
      are discussed.

PMID- 1432558
TI  - Reliability and validity of the Coolidge Axis II Inventory: a new inventory for
      the assessment of personality disorders.
AB  - This group of studies describes the development of a 200 item, self-report, 4
      point true-false inventory (Coolidge Axis II Inventory [CATI]) to assess
      personality disorders according to the criteria established in the Diagnostic and
      Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., rev. [DSM-III-R]; American
      Psychiatric Association, 1987). The 13 personality disorder scales of the CATI
      had a mean test-retest reliability of .90 and a median internal consistency
      (Cronbach's alpha) of .76. There was a 50% concordance rate with clinician's
      diagnosis for 24 personality disordered patients. The median concurrent validity
      (raw score sums) between the CATI and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II
      for the 13 personality disorder scales was .58. Preliminary studies also support
      the reliability and validity of Depression, Anxiety, and Brain Dysfunction
      scales.

PMID- 1432559
TI  - Classification of adult attachment: an integrative taxonomy from attachment and
      psychoanalytic theories.
AB  - Developmental and psychoanalytic theorists have focused increasingly on
      empirically determined early childhood antecedents of adult attachments, with
      several resulting taxonomic models. This article suggests a theoretically based
      and clinically based model of attachment consistent with both psychoanalytic and
      attachment theories, resulting in an integrative taxonomy of four adult
      attachment styles: dependent, avoidant, hostile, and resistant-ambivalent. These
      styles reflect behavioral manifestations of dependence and anger, as derived from
      the interaction of primitive relational drives, defenses, and interpersonal
      experience. In addition to theoretical construction, brief clinical examples are
      presented to facilitate discussion of the model.

PMID- 1432560
TI  - The evaluation of truthfulness in alleged sex offenders' self-reports: 16PF and
      MMPI validity scales.
AB  - The evaluation of response bias (i.e., minimization or exaggeration) is central
      to forensic psychological evaluations. Yet few studies have assessed forensic
      samples to investigate the ability of psychological tests to detect response
      bias. We studied the relationship between the Sixteen Personality Factors
      Questionnaire (16PF) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
      validity scales for 65 alleged sex offenders and assessed the effects of
      different cutoff scores for the 16PF validity scales. Results indicate consistent
      significant correlations between the validity scales of the 16PF and the MMPI for
      measures of minimization and exaggeration. use of a priori cutoff scores resulted
      in the classification of our sample in proportions parallel to those found in
      previous research for the 16PF Fake-Good scale but not the Fake-Bad scale. Our
      results indicate that 16PF validity scales are useful, but interpretations must
      take into account different base rates of response bias between sex offenders and
      the general population.

PMID- 1432561
TI  - The Rorschach test for predicting suicide among depressed adolescent inpatients.
AB  - With the decreasing length of psychiatric hospitalizations, identification of
      test indicators of suicide risk becomes critically important. This Rorschach
      study was designed to model a clinical decision-making scenario concerning
      adolescent suicide risk. Using Psychiatric Evaluation Form (PEF) scores, we
      selected a sample of 25 severely depressed and suicidal adolescents; 26 severely
      depressed, not suicidal adolescents; and 28 not suicidal, not depressed
      adolescent inpatients at The Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital. A Rorschach Index
      using the Exner (1986) Comprehensive System for scoring was developed to predict
      group membership. Four of six of the features on this index selected 64% of
      suicidal subjects. This constellation included traditional affective variables
      (vista responses, color-shading blends, color dominated responses, and morbid
      content) as well as measures of cognitive distortion (inaccurately perceived
      human movement responses [M-] and special scores). We discuss the implications of
      these findings for the diagnosis and treatment of the suicidal adolescent.

PMID- 1432562
TI  - Personality in panic disorder with agoraphobia: a Rorschach study.
AB  - In this study, we tested several hypotheses derived from self psychology
      (Diamond, 1987) regarding personality features of patients suffering from panic
      disorder and agoraphobia (PDA). PDA patients are thought to suffer from a deficit
      in negative affect-regulating capacity, surrounded by defenses such as avoidance,
      repression, denial, and reaction formation against dependency needs. These
      defenses are thought to lead to a greatly impoverished affective life. The
      Rorschach Comprehensive System was used to assess the personality features of
      avoidance, restricted affective life, and reaction formation against dependency
      needs. We found evidence for the presence of a highly avoidant information
      processing style (86% of protocols had lambda [L] greater than .99) and a
      constricted affective life (low weighted sum color [WSumC] and low affective
      ratio [Afr]). Our results were consistent with the hypothesis of reaction
      formation against dependency needs (low food content [Fd]). Findings are
      discussed in light of studies that found a high incidence of avoidant personality
      disorder in PDA patients.

PMID- 1432563
TI  - The response of African Americans to the Rorschach: a review of the research.
AB  - Studies exploring the performance of African Americans on the Rorschach were
      reviewed. The review revealed the limited number of studies done in this area of
      study, as well as the fact that the research paradigm for all of this research
      has been limited to comparing the Rorschach performance of African Americans to
      that of Whites. However, no one has offered a rationale for such a research
      paradigm. Without a scientific reason to expect personality to be a function of
      race, another research design was recommended, one that explores the effect of a
      variety of aspects of living conditions on the development of the personality of
      African Americans.

PMID- 1432564
TI  - Toward the clarification of the construct of depersonalization and its
      association with affective and cognitive dysfunctions.
AB  - Little consensus or systematic research exists regarding the symptoms that
      constitute depersonalization and its association with affective and perceptual
      dysfunctions. A scale was constructed to measure depersonalization experiences
      reported in the literature and four items representing psychotic symptoms. Five
      factors representing different types of depersonalization emerged:
      Inauthenticity, Self-Negation, Self-Objectification, Derealization, and Body
      Detachment. Based on the factors, scales were constructed; these scales have
      internal consistency ranging from .78 to .84. Each of these factor scales was
      factorially distinguishable from psychosis and correlated between .48 and .58
      with the Jackson and Messick (1972) Feelings of Unreality Scale, suggesting
      divergent and convergent validity. Inauthenticity, the most frequent and
      pervasive form of depersonalization experience, was best predicted by a cognitive
      style featuring intense, critical examination of self and others. In contrast,
      Self-Objectification was best predicted by thought disorganization and perceptual
      distortion and was experienced somewhat infrequently by relatively few subjects.
      All forms of depersonalization were associated with depression, except
      Inauthenticity.

PMID- 1432565
TI  - Some reflections on the meaning of psychodiagnosis. 1971.

PMID- 1432566
TI  - Hypotensive effect of a phosphorus-containing novel angiotensin converting enzyme
      inhibitor, (S)-1-[6-amino-2[[hydroxy(4-phenylbutyl)phosphinyl] oxy]-1-oxohexyl]-L
      proline (SQ 29,852) in conscious hypertensive dogs.
AB  - The hypotensive efficacy of (S)-1-[6-amino-2[[hydroxy(4-phenylbutyl)
      phosphinyl]oxy]-1-oxohexyl]-L-proline (SQ 29,852), a phosphorus-containing novel
      angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) was examined in conscious two
      kidney, one-clip Goldblatt hypertensive dogs. The acute hypotensive effect of SQ
      29 852 was compared with that of captopril or enalapril at 3 mg/kg, p.o., for
      each, and the potencies were ranked as follows, enalapril greater than SQ 29,852
      greater than captopril. On the other hand, the hypotension caused by repetitive
      dosing with SQ 29,852 (3 mg/kg, p.o./d for 7 d followed by another 7-d treatment
      with 10 mg/kg, p.o./d) was somewhat more marked than that by enalapril at the
      same dosage. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) increased in all the animals given
      enalapril, while that in all of the SQ 29,852-treated animals did not increase.
      These results indicate that SQ 29,852 is a potent, and long-lasting ACEI with a
      possible low incidence of side effects.

PMID- 1432567
TI  - Activation of the complement system by (1----3)-beta-D-glucans having different
      degrees of branching and different ultrastructures.
AB  - Activation of the alternative (APC) and classical (CPC) pathways of complement by
      fungal (1----3)-beta-D-glucans having different degrees of branching (DB) and
      different conformations were examined by using human serum and plasma. The
      glucans used in this study were curdlan (no branch; 0/1), grifolan (one branch in
      every third main chain unit; 1/3), schizophyllan (1/3), SSG (1/2), and OL-2(2/3).
      Triple or single helix conformer of these glucans were prepared by heating at 150
      degrees C or dissolution in sodium hydroxide. Activation of APC by these glucans
      were dependent on incubation time, concentration, molecular weight, and DB.
      Interestingly, the triple helix conformer of all glucans tested activated APC
      stronger than a single helix one. The activity of branched glucans in plasma was
      weaker than those in serum. On the other hand, in the case of CPC, a single helix
      conformer activated CPC stronger than a triple helix one, and the activity was
      dependent on DB. Activation of CPC by a single helix conformer was thought to be
      dependent on the binding of beta-glucan to immunoglobulin in serum, because the
      complex was clearly detected by gel permeation chromatography only in the case of
      single helix one. From these results, it appears that the different conformers
      were recognized by the host complement systems in different ways. (1----3)-beta-D
      Glucan is one of the major constituents of fungal cell wall and is thought to be
      clearly recognized by the host immune systems.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432568
TI  - Clinical management of boric acid ingestion: pharmacokinetic assessment of
      efficacy of hemodialysis for treatment of acute boric acid poisoning.
AB  - Seven hours after suicidal ingestion of about 21 g of boric acid, a 26-year-old
      female admitted to our hospital in a state of slightly impaired consciousness,
      with frequent vomiting, shivering, fever and skin flush. Immediately, gastric
      lavage, followed by administration of activated charcoal and laxative (MgSO4),
      was performed. In order to ensure her urination, fluid infusion therapy was
      conducted with the aid of diuretics (furosemide). Since the serum concentrations
      of boric acid was very high, hemodialysis was carried out twice during the first
      39 h. She responded well to the above mentioned treatment and was discharged 12 d
      post-admission without any sequelae. The concentrations of boric acid in serum
      and urine were measured in appropriate intervals with our modified Miyamoto's
      method, and the pharmacokinetics of boric acid were analyzed. The concentration
      of boric acid in serum and urine at the beginning of treatment was 465
      micrograms/ml and 3.40 mg/ml, respectively. The half-life of boric acid in serum
      was 13.46 h, whereas it was shortened to 3.76 h during hemodialysis. The total
      body clearance was 0.99 l/h, while it increased to 3.53 l/h by hemodialysis. The
      additional removal of boric acid by hemodialysis was estimated to be about 5 g.
      It was concluded that the hemodialysis was very useful in the treatment of boric
      acid poisoning, because it accelerated the elimination of boric acid about four
      times faster than with conventional treatment.

PMID- 1432569
TI  - Brain and cerebrospinal fluid distributions of metoprolol in rats.
AB  - The distribution of metoprolol tartrate (MPL) into the brain and cerebrospinal
      fluid (CSF) from plasma was determined at 2 different steady-state plasma
      concentrations (2 and 20 nmol/ml) and following intravenous bolus administration
      (100 nmol/kg) in rats. Under steady-state condition, no difference in the brain
      and CSF distributions of MPL was observed between 2 different plasma MPL
      concentrations, and the value of brain- or CSF-to-plasma partition coefficients
      were 5.7 and 1.5, respectively. Following intravenous administration, MPL
      distributed into CSF very rapidly and its initial uptake phase was not detected.
      On the other hand, MPL distribution into the brain was relatively slow with the
      uptake phase. Thus, the brain uptake of MPL from the plasma was
      pharmacokinetically analyzed using a modified 2-compartment model and
      deconvolution method, whereas the CSF distribution of MPL was not adequate for
      kinetic analysis because of the lack of uptake phase. The analysis of brain
      uptake of MPL by both compartment model and deconvolution gave the same results
      and the calculated brain Kp value of MPL was almost comparable with that of
      observed Kp value under steady-state plasma concentration. The distribution of
      MPL into CSF was considered mainly depending on the pH difference between the
      plasma and CSF, and the mutual transfer of MPL between CSF and the brain tissue
      was considered to be negligible from an in vitro study.

PMID- 1432570
TI  - Inducible resistance to a 16-membered macrolide, mycinamicin, in Staphylococcus
      aureus resistant to 14-membered macrolides and streptogramin B antibiotics.
AB  - Staphylococcus aureus 8325(pEP2104), a transductant derived from S. aureus PM2104
      isolated clinically in Hungary (L. Janosi, and E. Ban, Acta Microbiol. Acad. Sci.
      Hung., 29: 187-200, 1982), exhibited an inducible resistance to the 14-membered
      macrolides [erythromycin (EM) and oleandomycin (OL)] and streptogramin B (MKM-B)
      antibiotics, but not to the 16-membered macrolides and lincosamides. This
      resistance was referred to as PMS-resistance phenotype (L. Janosi, Y. Nakajima,
      and H. Hashimoto, Microbiol. Immunol., 34: 723-735, 1990). In addition to EM, OL,
      and MKM-B, however, the strain was recently and first observed to have inducible
      resistance to mycinamicin, a 16-membered ring macrolide. Thereby, we propose that
      the reference stated just above as PMS-resistance has to be extended to such 16
      membered macrolides as mycinamicin. An optimum concentration of erythromycin or
      oleandomycin for induction of PMS-resistance was 1.35 mu g/ml in the strain
      8325(pEP2104). The concentration was about 30 times as great as that (0.05 mu
      g/ml) required for induction of well-known co-resistance to macrolide-lincosamide
      streptogramin B antibiotics in S. aureus ISP447.

PMID- 1432571
TI  - Food restriction enhances melatonin effects on the pituitary-gonadal axis in
      female rats.
AB  - The effects of melatonin (25 micrograms s.c. daily in the late afternoon for 10
      days) on the ovarian morphometry and the gonadotropin secretion were investigated
      in food-restricted rats and rats fed ad libitum. In food-restricted rats
      melatonin produced the significant decrease of the surface area of the ovary and
      of zona granulosa. Moreover, melatonin treatment of food-restricted rats resulted
      in significant diminishment of the relative areas of Graafian follicles and zona
      granulosa estimated in relation to the ovary cross-sectional surface area. On the
      other hand, melatonin did not produce significant alterations of the morphometric
      indices of the ovary in rats fed ad libitum. Melatonin administration was found
      to inhibit the effects of gonadoliberin on gonadotropin release in food
      restricted but not in normally-fed rats. These findings suggest that food
      restriction sensitizes the pituitary-ovarian axis to antigonadotropic melatonin
      action.

PMID- 1432572
TI  - Melatonin inhibits mammary gland development in female mice.
AB  - The objective of this study was to determine whether melatonin (aMT) influences
      the postnatal development of the mammary gland parenchyma in female mice from the
      time of weaning to adulthood. Twenty-one-day-old female BALBc mice were treated
      with daily subcutaneous injections of aMT (200 micrograms) or diluent, 3 hr
      before the onset of darkness (photoperiod LD 12:12). At 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13
      weeks of age, batches of 20 animals (ten controls and ten aMT-treated) were
      sacrificed and the second pair of mammary glands were dissected to evaluate their
      degree of development. Melatonin decreased body weight gain from 2 weeks before
      until 2 weeks after the onset of puberty. Treatment with aMT also resulted in a
      lower DNA content and smaller area of the mammary gland from the time of puberty
      until the end of the study. In aMT-treated mice the phase of highly positive
      allometric growth began 2 weeks later, but ended at the same time as in controls
      (11th week of life). Finally, aMT decreased the development of terminal, lateral,
      and alveolar buds while it increased the number of terminal ducts per gland. We
      conclude that pharmacological doses of aMT (1) reduce body weight gain at the
      peripuberal age; (2) partially inhibit postnatal mammary gland development by
      reducing the number of epithelial structures representing sites of growth and
      increasing that of structures representing the final state of ductal growth in
      virgin animals; (3) delay the onset of the shorten the phase of rapid mammary
      growth occurring in early postpuberal age.

PMID- 1432573
TI  - Regulation of the androgen receptors in the harderian gland of the male Syrian
      hamster: influence of photoperiod, castration, and chronic melatonin treatment.
AB  - Male Syrian hamsters that were exposed for 8 weeks to short photoperiod (LD
      10:14) or treated with melatonin in the late afternoon under long photoperiod
      conditions (LD 14:10) had a significantly higher content of androgen receptors in
      the Lipidex-purified soluble fractions isolated from the Harderian glands as
      compared to the long photoperiod (LD 14:10) exposed controls. Simultaneous
      computer-assisted analyses of all series of saturation and competition
      experiments revealed that the numerical value of the apparent Kd, as determined
      by using the synthetic androgen R-1881 (methyltrienolone), was not different
      between the experimental groups, and ranged from 0.050 to 0.067 nM. Of the
      principal natural androgens, testosterone (T) was most potent in inhibiting
      methyltrienolone binding to the receptor (Ki values from 0.33 to 0.55 nM), and 5
      alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and delta 4-androstenedione (AD) were less
      effective (Ki values between 1 and 1.9 nM). In the hypothalami and pituitaries of
      the same animals, used in parallel control assays, DHT was twice as potent as T.
      Short-term castration (24 hr post-orchidectomy) did not result in significant
      changes in the receptor binding characteristics. Following 8 weeks exposure to a
      long photoperiod (LD 14:10) the Bmax values demonstrated a four-fold increase in
      castrated animals (179 fmoles/mg protein vs. 47 fmoles/mg protein) over intact
      controls. The relative binding affinity of the major androgens under these
      conditions remained unchanged, with the exception of AD, where a five-fold
      increase in the numerical Ki values (decrease in the binding affinity) was
      recorded (Ki = 9.6 nM).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432575
TI  - Interruption of nocturnal pineal melatonin synthesis in spontaneous recrudescent
      Djungarian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus).
AB  - The duration of nighttime synthesis of the pineal hormone melatonin is believed
      to determine the breeding season in many mammalian species. Hamsters exposed to
      short days undergo gonadal involution followed by a return to normal function,
      suggesting a developed insensitivity to regressive photoperiods. This
      recrudescence may be due to either exhaustion of the pineal or to target
      desensitization. Both theories have been tested previously but failed to explain
      this phenomenon. We performed an experiment in the Djungarian hamster (Phodopus
      sungorus), a well-characterized photosensitive species with a type C melatonin
      pattern (prolonged peak during majority of dark phase), in an attempt to resolve
      this issue. Among age-matched male hamsters exposed to short days for either 16
      weeks (involuted) or 38 weeks (spontaneous recrudescent), marked phase
      differences in diurnal pineal melatonin rhythms were observed. Furthermore, in
      recrudescent hamsters the melatonin pattern was divided into two parts, possibly
      no longer recognizable as a typical short-day rhythm.

PMID- 1432574
TI  - Seasonal variations in pineal 5-methoxytryptophol (5-ML) concentrations and in
      the daily pattern of pineal 5-ML and melatonin in the desert rodent Jaculus
      orientalis: effect of prolonged illumination during the night.
AB  - Seasonal variations in daytime pineal 5-methoxytryptophol (5-ML) and in the daily
      pattern of both pineal 5-ML and melatonin concentrations were measured by
      radioimmunoassay in male and female jerboas, Jaculus orientalis. Pineal 5-ML
      content was found to be low in winter and spring and showed a short but marked
      increase in summer. A clear daily rhythm was present in pineal 5-ML in September,
      with high concentrations during daytime and low concentrations during nighttime.
      In May there was a considerable drop in the daytime values and a marked decrease
      in the amplitude of the rhythm, while in December the daily rhythm completely
      disappeared. On the contrary, a clear daily rhythm was observed for pineal
      melatonin in September, December, and May with high values during nighttime and
      low values during daytime; no differences in the amplitude of the rhythm could be
      observed. Illumination during early night prevented both the nocturnal decrease
      of 5-ML and the increase of melatonin in September; in May illumination had no
      clear effect on 5-ML, while it prevented the normal increase of melatonin. These
      results suggest a possible desynchronization between the regulation of 5-ML and
      melatonin synthesis and release, and stress the complexity of the mechanisms
      involved in the environmental synchronization of seasonal functions.

PMID- 1432576
TI  - A phase-dependent delay of the chick pineal rhythm in rate of thymidine
      incorporation by brief exposure to ouabain.
AB  - Cultured chick pineal glands show a persistent rhythm in the rate of cumulative
      incorporation of thymidine into DNA [Wainwright and Wainwright, 1989]. In this
      study we have examined the effects of a pulse-exposure to ouabain in the dark on
      the first day of culture upon thymidine incorporation during the second and third
      days of culture in the dark with ouabain-free medium. The phase of the rhythm in
      rate of thymidine incorporation was delayed by a 4-hr exposure to 100 microM
      ouabain commencing in the final hour of the photoperiod, but not by a 2-hr
      exposure or by 10 microM ouabain. This effect was phase-dependent and not seen
      when exposure to ouabain began earlier in the photoperiod. The phase delay caused
      by ouabain was not due to a persistent direct inhibition of the process of
      thymidine incorporation. The phase-shift due to exposure to ouabain was
      superimposed on a phase delay caused by renewal of culture medium 4 hr after
      explanting the glands into culture.

PMID- 1432577
TI  - A new biodegradable elastin-fibrin material; its use in urological, digestive and
      cardiovascular surgery.
AB  - A new original artificial connective matrix mainly made of elastin and fibrin
      like product is used to reinforce damaged tissues and to close and restore a loss
      of substance in several domains of surgery: all sites in the digestive system and
      urinary tract; besides, it can substitute for the pericardium in iterative heart
      operations. In all cases, the original tissue is restored ad integrum while the
      biodegradable material disappears completely, without any complications.

PMID- 1432578
TI  - Polymeric membranes for silicon based (bio)sensors.
AB  - During the last decade, chemical and biochemical sensor research has benefited
      from the availability of new technologies and materials. New embodiments of
      classical devices have resulted from the use of e.g., solid state technology for
      the realization of the transducers. In this paper we describe several examples of
      membrane deposition techniques used in connection with planar, silicon based
      electrochemical transducers. Casting and electrochemical deposition of glucose
      oxidase containing membranes are described for the fabrication of glucose enzyme
      electrodes. Photolithographic patterning of polyacrylamide hydrogel and of
      siloxane based gas permeable membrane is used for the realization of an
      amperometric oxygen sensor and an ISFET-based pCO2 device. The last example is
      that of a free-chlorine sensor for which the photolithographic patterning of the
      polyHEMA hydrogel layer is described.

PMID- 1432579
TI  - Effect of pretreatment with epoxy compounds on the mechanical properties of
      bovine pericardial bioprosthetic materials.
AB  - Early failures of bovine pericardial heart valves are due to leaflet perforation,
      tearing and calcification. Since glutaraldehyde fixation has been shown to
      produce marked changes in leaflet mechanics and has been linked to development of
      calcification, bovine pericardium fixed with the four hydrophilic epoxy
      formulations and their mechanical properties are studied in this paper. We
      measured the thicknesses, shrinkage temperatures, stress relaxations and stress
      strain curves of bovine pericardiums after different treatments with (1) non
      treatment (fresh), (2) glutaraldehyde (GA), (3) epoxy compounds followed by the
      posttreatment with GA (EP 1#, EP 2#), and (4) epoxy compounds (EP 3# and EP 4#).
      Results of this study showed that the hydrophilic epoxy compounds are good
      crosslinking agents. There are no significant differences of shrinkage
      temperature and ultimate tensile stress among all tissue samples pretreated with
      GA, EP 1# and EP 2#. However, the stress relaxations of tissue-samples pretreated
      with epoxy compounds followed by the posttreatment with GA (EP 1# and EP 2#) are
      significantly slower than that pretreated with GA, and the strains at fracture of
      EP 1# and EP 2# are also significantly larger than that of GA or epoxy compounds.
      These facts show that the bovine pericardium pretreated with the epoxy compound
      followed by the posttreatment with GA (EP 1# and EP 2#) possesses greater
      tenacity and potential durability in dynamic stress.

PMID- 1432580
TI  - Bioactive polymers 55. Synthesis and characterization of a macromolecular drug
      based on 5-acetylamino-2-sulfamoyl-1,3,4-thiodiazole.
AB  - The paper studies the coupling reaction by covalent bonding of acetylamino-2
      sulfamoyl-1,3,4-thiodiazole (AcAA) on the poly(acrylic acid-costyrene) copolymer
      (PAcA-S) in homogeneous system, in the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC)
      as activator. The influence of some factors on coupling efficiency (the
      drug/support ratio, time, volume of solvent), as well as the mathematical model
      correlating the amount of coupled drug with these parameters is established.
      Maximum amounts of drug (28%) are chemically bound when employing maximum values
      of the parameters mentioned (i.e., AcAA/PAcA-S ratio = 2 mole/mole; time = 50 h;
      THF volume = 60 ml). Physicochemical and spectral analyses evidence the existence
      of some chemical bonds of the -CO-NH-SO2-type between the macromolecular support
      and the drug. In vivo tests have demonstrated the gradual hydrolysis of the
      chemical bonds as well as the release of the drug, due to the diuretic effect
      produced.

PMID- 1432581
TI  - Nursing in child psychiatric milieus: Part I: What nurses do.
AB  - Because of the reduced length of inpatient hospitalization and the increasing
      emphasis on biopsychiatric treatments, milieu psychiatry is in decline. However,
      certain aspects of the therapeutic milieu are essential to the operation of child
      inpatient units. Children with acute psychiatric illness need a safe, structured,
      and supportive environment. Nurses are the professional group responsible for
      instituting and maintaining this type of environment, yet their specific
      functions are vaguely stated and often intuitively derived. A useful way to
      delineate and describe what nurses do is to organize nursing behaviors into five
      therapeutic processes: (a) safety, (b) structure, (c) support, (d) involvement,
      and (e) validation. By delineating essential milieu dimensions in this way, the
      form and purpose of nursing interventions are clarified.

PMID- 1432582
TI  - Nursing in child psychiatric milieus: Part II: Mapping conceptual footholds.
AB  - In the first part of this paper, child inpatient nursing practice was organized
      into five therapeutic processes (safety, structure, support, involvement and
      validation). Using this organization of nursing care, three specific practice
      question are now addressed. One, how will nursing blend their traditional
      psychosocial orientation with biological psychiatry? Two, how might nurses best
      respond to the pressure to reduce the length of hospitalization yet still
      effectively intervene with troubled children? Three, does the traditional milieu
      therapy model have clinical utility for child inpatient nurses in the 1990's. It
      is suggested that nursing practice is best supported by multiple midrange
      theories which clarify children's behavior and give theoretical support to
      specific nursing interventions.

PMID- 1432583
TI  - The effect of a bereavement group experience on bereaved children's and
      adolescents' affective and somatic distress.
AB  - Losing loved ones through death is a common experience for children. Children
      living in urban centers may be at greater risk for death of family members as a
      result of increased daily stress and poverty. Children who experience permanent
      loss of family members without support to grieve are at greater risk for mental
      health problems. Manifestations of grief that frequently occur in children are
      psychosomatic complaints and affective distress. This study investigates the
      prevalence of loss by death among two groups of inner city youths, and the impact
      of a bereavement group experience on subjects' affective distress and somatic
      complaints. A significant difference was found between pretest and post-test
      scores on somatic complaints for the elementary school aged group.

PMID- 1432584
TI  - Multiple family therapy for adolescents: a case illustration.
AB  - Psychiatric hospitalization of adolescents is on the rise, with the concurrent
      trend toward shorter stays and increased need for expedient, effective treatment
      modalities. Involving families or troubled adolescents in all phases of treatment
      is believed to be essential and aids both in successful reintegration of the
      patient into the community and prevention of relapse. Psychiatric nurses can
      practice innovative therapies to meet the needs of hospitalized adolescents and
      their families. Clinical observations have shown multiple family therapy for
      adolescents to be a valuable component of care.

PMID- 1432585
TI  - Impressions of the National Hearing on Severe Mental Illness and Homelessness.

PMID- 1432586
TI  - Preparing to parent the adolescent: a theoretical overview.
AB  - Early adolescence (ages 11-14 years) occurs at the time most parents are in
      middle adulthood. The tasks of both early adolescent and middle adulthood stages
      are numerous and complex. As a societal unit, the family is challenged to meet
      one another's needs for cohesion, adaptability, and satisfaction. Family
      communication and the family's ability to resolve conflicts are proposed as
      facilitating factors to meet these challenges.

PMID- 1432587
TI  - Nurses develop a plan for research on child and adolescent mental disorders.

PMID- 1432588
TI  - Sibling incest: a descriptive study of family dynamics.
AB  - This study investigates the characteristics of families in which a member was
      identified as a victim of sibling incest. Four agencies in a southeastern city
      provided a convenience sample of 14 family case records from November 1986
      through April 1988 for review. Sixteen children were identified as victims of
      sibling incest, including three boys and 13 girls between the ages of 2 and 10
      years (mean = 6.75 years). Perpetrators included 1 girl and 14 boys between the
      ages of 13 and 17 years (mean = 15.06 years). The incestuous relationship had a
      major impact on families, especially the children. Many offenders and victims, in
      addition to experiencing emotional, school, and legal problems, were removed from
      their homes.

PMID- 1432589
TI  - [Translocation mechanism of presecretory protein across the cytoplasmic membrane
      of Escherichia coli].
AB  - Translocation of presecretory proteins across the cytoplasmic membrane of
      Escherichia coli requires several Sec proteins and two kinds of energies,
      adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and a proton motive force. In vitro assay system
      established for the analysis of protein translocation revealed that ATP and the
      proton motive force play different roles in protein translocation. SecA, a
      peripheral membrane protein, was shown to be essential for in vitro protein
      translocation. SecE and SecY, both of which are integral membrane proteins, were
      purified from E. coli cells overproducing these proteins, and reconstituted into
      proteoliposomes. The reconstituted proteoliposomes exhibited protein
      translocation activity in the presence of ATP and SecA, indicating that SecE and
      SecY as well as SecA are indispensable components of protein translocation
      machinery. In this paper, the molecular mechanism of protein translocation across
      the membrane of E. coli is discussed based on the recent data obtained by both in
      vitro and reconstitution systems.

PMID- 1432590
TI  - [Structural alterations of the N-linked sugar chains of glycoproteins produced by
      tumor cells and their clinical application].
AB  - Enrichment of complex type N-linked sugar chains containing the Gal beta 1---
      4GlcNAc beta 1----6(Gal beta 1----4GlcNAc beta 1----2)Man group was found to be
      the structural background of Warren-Glick phenomenon. This alteration is induced
      by enhanced expression of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V in malignant cells.
      The phenomenon is positively correlated with the tumorigenicity and the potency
      of blood-borne metastasis of tumor cells. Further investigation of the surface
      sugar chains of lectin mutants of mouse B16 melanoma revealed that the occurrence
      of sialylated tetraantennary sugar chains is essential for the metastasis of
      tumor cells.

PMID- 1432591
TI  - [Hypoglycemic activity of polysaccharide fraction from rhizome of Rehmannia
      glutinosa Libosch. f. hueichingensis Hsiao and the effect on carbohydrate
      metabolism in normal mouse liver].
AB  - The ethanol precipitate fraction (RG-WP) obtained from the hot water extract from
      rhizome of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. f. hueichingensis Hsiao is mainly
      composed of pectin-like polysaccharide, and exhibited hypoglycemic activity in
      normal and streptozotocin-induced mice by intraperitoneal administration of the
      fraction. The results obtained after chemical modification and proteinase
      treatments of RG-WP suggest that the activity exists in the polysaccharide
      moiety. Furthermore, the effect of RG-WP on the activities of enzymes responsible
      for the glucose metabolism in the liver of normal mouse was studied to elucidate
      the mechanism of the hypoglycemic activity. Administration of RG-WP to normal
      mice significantly increased the activities of hepatic glucokinase and glucose-6
      phosphatase dehydrogenase, but decreased those of hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase
      and phosphofructokinase. RG-WP stimulated the secretion of insulin and reduced
      the glycogen content in the liver of normal mouse.

PMID- 1432592
TI  - [Crystal morphological and habit investigations of crystalline drugs. I.
      Phenytoin].
AB  - Crystal morphology and crystal habit of phenytoin crystals were studied by the
      immersion method using a polarizing microscope. Several kinds of phenytoin
      materials, which had been confirmed to be lying on the same orientation by
      measuring key refractive indices, were photographed under crossed polars. The
      relationship between the patterns of retardation colors and the shapes of the
      phenytoin crystals were analyzed quantitatively using the chart indicating the
      relation of thickness to retardation colors, and concurrently several necessary
      facial angles were measured. On the basis of these results as well as edge angles
      measured under a microscope a stereographic projection was drawn finally, and an
      orthorhombic symmetry, an axial ratio and some facial angles were determined.
      Several kinds of crystal habits observed from the photographs were drawn by the
      classic crystallographic habit drawing method using the stereographic projection.

PMID- 1432593
TI  - [Preparation of phenyl treated packing materials for high-performance liquid
      chromatography: evaluation by retention behaviour of carbamazepine and
      diphenylhydantoin].
AB  - The retention behavior and selectivity of 30 kinds of phenyl-modified porous
      glasses and silicas, prepared from solutions of phenyldimethylchlorosilane,
      diphenylmethylchlorosilane or triphenylchlorosilane in xylene, were studied by
      high-performance liquid chromatography using carbamazepine and diphenylhydantoin
      as model compounds. From the elemental data for carbon, the maximum number of
      bonded phenyl groups per gram (mean pore diameter, 15 nm, specific surface area,
      217 m2/g, pore volume, 0.85 ml/g) on the diphenyl-bonded glass surface was
      calculated to be 0.159 x 10(21). Using various acetonitrile-0.01 M potassium
      dihydrogen phosphate mixtures as eluents, carbamazepine and diphenylnydantoin
      were separated on all the gels studied, but the degrees of resolution of the two
      compounds were different. With an increase in specific surface area on the
      glasses or silicas, the k' values of the solute increased.

PMID- 1432594
TI  - [Determination of the main metabolite (desethyl KBT-3022) of a new antiplatelet
      agent, KBT-3022 in plasma by gas chromatography].
AB  - A highly sensitive, accurate and reproducible gas chromatographic method for the
      determination of a main metabolite, 2-[4,5-bis(4-methoxy-phenyl)thiazol-2-yl]
      pyrrol-ylacetic acid (desethyl KBT-3022) of a new antiplatelet agent, ethyl 2
      [4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)thiazol-2-yl]pyrrol-1-ylacetate (KBT-3022), in the human
      or dog plasma has been developed. Desethyl KBT-3022 in the plasma was extracted
      with a mixture of n-hexane and dichloromethane (1:1), and was derivatized using
      pentafluorobenzyl bromide. The obtained pentafluorobenzyl derivative of desethyl
      KBT-3022 in the plasma was separated by high-performance liquid chromatography.
      After the separation, the pentafluorobenzyl derivative of desethyl KBT-3022 was
      detected by gas chromatography. Gas chromatography was performed with a Ultra 1
      column (12 m x 0.22 mm i.d., film thickness 0.33 microns), using an electron
      capture detector. 2-[2-(4,5-Bis(4-methoxyphenyl)thiazol-2-yl)pyrrol-l
      yl]propionic acid was used as an internal standard. The detection limit of
      desethyl KBT-3022 in the plasma was 0.2 ng/ml. The coefficients of variation were
      below 5.3%. This method was applied to the determination of the plasma
      concentration of desethyl KBT-3022 after oral administration of KBT-3022 to dogs.

PMID- 1432595
TI  - [Elucidation of biosynthetic process and regulation mechanism of bioactive
      peptides and their receptors].
AB  - To elucidate the mechanism of proinsulin induction by glucose, we determined the
      amount of proinsulin messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), the subcellular
      distribution of proinsulin mRNA and the transcriptional activity of proinsulin
      gene in isolated pancreatic islets of rat. From these results, we concluded that
      the stimulation of proinsulin synthesis was mainly regulated at the translational
      level. To elucidate the primary structure of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)
      precursor, we determined the nucleotide sequence of VIP complementary
      deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA). The entire amino acid sequence of the VIP precursor
      indicates that the precursor protein contains not only VIP but also PHI-like
      peptide. We also found that the induction of pro-VIP synthesis was achieved by
      enhancing the transcription rate of VIP gene. We also isolated fibroblast growth
      factor (FGF) receptor cDNA. The nucleotide sequence of FGF receptor cDNA
      indicates that the receptor is a transmembrane protein that contains
      extracellular immunoglobulin-like domains and an intracellular tyrosine kinase
      domain. We also found that the receptor had two isoforms of the extracellular
      domains and that the expression of the isoforms was regulated tissue
      specifically.

PMID- 1432596
TI  - [Prostaglandins: synthetic and pharmacological studies and development].
AB  - The therapeutic use of prostaglandins (PGs) which contain various biological
      activities and are unstable was successfully achieved. PGs were produced in a
      large scale according to the Corey method and could be stabilized by the
      formation of a clathrate compound with cyclodextrin, which enabled the production
      of marketable form of highly pure PGs. Diligence in the development of native PGs
      and their structural analogs for human therapy resulted in the following six
      drugs now being on the market in Japan: PGF2 alpha as the first drug of PGs in
      the world which induces labor; PGE2 as an orally active labor inducing drug; PGE1
      for the treatment of peripheral vascular diseases; gemeprost for therapeutic
      abortion in the middle-term; ornoprostil, as an oral anti-ulcer agent; limaprost
      for the treatment of peripheral vascular diseases as an oral agent.

PMID- 1432597
TI  - [Syntheses and central depressant activity in mice of uracil derivatives. Studies
      on development of new sedative-hypnotics. II].
AB  - Fifteen kinds of uracil derivatives, which were substituted with functional
      groups such as benzyl (Bn), methoxymethyl (MOM), n-propyl (Pr) or allyl (A) group
      at the N1 and/or N3 position of uracil, were synthesized. Sedative-hypnotic
      activity, pentobarbital (PB)-induced sleep prolongation and acute toxicity as
      indices of their pharmacological activities were evaluated using mice.
      Spontaneous activities of mice treated with N1-benzyluracil (N1-BnU, 7), N3
      benzyluracil (N3-BnU, 8), N1,N3-dibenzyluracil (DBnU, 9), N1-benzyl-N3
      allyluracil (BnAU, 14) and N1-allyl-N3-benzyluracil (ABnU, 15) were measured. Ten
      kinds of uracil derivatives showed hypnotic activity. ED50's values of ABnU (15)
      and N1-propyl-N3-benzyluracil (PrBnU, 13) were 155 and 172 mg/kg, i.p.,
      respectively. Those effects were more potent than that of barbital (179 mg/kg,
      i.p.) Ten kinds of uracil derivatives tested significantly prolonged the PB
      induced sleeping time. N3-BnU (8) increased the spontaneous activity of mice at a
      dose of 80 mg/kg, i.p., while ABnU (15) depressed the spontaneous activity at a
      dose of 160 mg/kg, i.p. The other compounds did not show any significant effect
      on the spontaneous activity of mice. LD50's values of ABnU (15), PrBnU (13) and
      N1-methoxy-methyl-N3-benzyluracil (MOMBnU, 11) were 199, 229 and 363 mg/kg, i.p.,
      respectively. LD50's values of the other derivatives were more than 480 mg/kg,
      i.p. These results indicate that the benzyl group at the N3 position of uracil is
      important for exhibiting sedative-hypnotic activity of uracil derivatives, and
      that ABnU (15) has the most potent central depressant activity among the uracil
      derivatives tested.

PMID- 1432598
TI  - [Studies on zwitter-ionization of drugs. I. Synthesis and pharmacological
      activities of N-alkylcarboxylic acid derivatives of 4-(2-chlorodibenz
      [b,f][1,4]oxazepin-11-yl)piperazine, 4-(2-chlorodibenzo[b, f]-[1,4]thiazepin-11
      yl)piperazine, and 4-(11H-dibenz-[b,e]azepin-6-yl)piperazine].
AB  - The piperazine N-alkylcarboxylic acids of 2-chlorodibenz[b,f][1,4] oxazepine
      (3a), 2-chlorodibenzo[b,f] [1,4] thiazepine (3b), and dipenz[b,e] azepine (3c)
      from the corresponding piperazines (1a-c, R1 = H) were synthesized via the
      piperazine N-alkylcarboxylates (2a-c). The pharmacological activities of the
      piperazine N-alkylcarboxylic acids (3a-c) were evaluated. Compared with the
      parent compounds (1a-c), 3a-c (n = 1-5) showed weak inhibitory activities on the
      uptake of noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) into hypothalamus vesicles
      and moderate antagonistic actions to 5-HT2 and H1 in several tissues.

PMID- 1432600
TI  - [Elucidation on abnormal behavior of glycyrrhizin salts in high performance
      liquid chromatography determination for quasi-drug products].
AB  - Glycyrrhizinates such as monoammonium and dipotassium glycyrrhizinates which are
      extracted from licorice, converted to easily water-soluble salts and refined have
      been formulated in many quasi-drug products as an anti-inflammatory agent. A
      quantitative analysis of glycyrrhizinates in quasi-drug products has usually and
      successfully been carried out by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
      However, a slightly higher value than the actual content has sometimes been
      observed in daily analysis. As the result of our various studies to investigate
      these phenomena, we finally found that a minor constituent in commercial
      glycyrrhizinates, which was identified as monomethyl glycyrrhizinate, was
      hydrolyzed after they were formulated in quasi-drug products and converted to
      glycyrrhizin which in turn was determined by HPLC as a higher value.

PMID- 1432599
TI  - [Pharmacological study on kefir--a fermented milk product in Caucasus. I. On
      antitumor activity (1)].
AB  - The antitumor activity of kefir (YK-1), a fermented milk product in Caucasus, was
      investigated. YK-1 at oral doses of 100 or 500 mg/kg inhibited the proliferation
      of solid tumor of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma transplanted subcutaneously in mice.
      YK-1 did not show an inhibitory effect on the ear swelling induced contact
      dermatitis caused by picryl chloride (PC-CD). However, YK-1 inhibited the
      immunosuppression in Ehrlich carcinoma-bearing mice and with the frozen and dried
      ascites of the tumor-bearing mice containing immunosuppressive substances (EC
      sup) in PC-CD-induced mice. And also, YK-1 activated the immunosuppressive
      activity of spleen cells of mouse treated with EC-sup. These results suggest that
      YK-1 may have antitumor activity against Ehrlich carcinoma and activate the
      immunosuppression with it.

PMID- 1432601
TI  - [Disposition analysis by fast inverse Laplace transform (FILT)].
AB  - A curve fitting program, MULTI (FILT), in which an algorithm of fast inverse
      Laplace transform is incorporated, was introduced into the area of drug
      disposition. The reliance of MULTI (FILT) was verified by the Monte Carlo
      simulation based on compartment models. MULTI (FILT) was applied to the analysis
      of the local dispositions of drugs through the liver, including the construction
      of new dispersion model, the effect of albumin in perfusate, and the effect of
      perfusion rate. The elimination in the lung and the enterohepatic circulation
      were also evaluated using MULTI (FILT) in a simple manner.

PMID- 1432602
TI  - [Stability studies on 6-amidino-2-naphthyl 4-[(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2
      yl)amino]benzoate dimethanesulfonate (FUT-187) in aqueous solution].
AB  - FUT-187 (I), 6-amidino-2-naphthyl 4-[(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)amino]
      benzoate dimethanesulfonate, is a new synthesized proteinase inhibitor.
      Decomposition kinetics and photoreactivity of I in aqueous solution were studied.
      In aqueous solution, I was hydrolyzed to its moieties, [4-(4,5-dihydro-1H
      imidazol-2-yl)amino]benzoic acid (IABA) and 6-amidino-2-naphthol (AN). The
      hydrolysis followed a pseudo-first order reaction. I was stable under acidic
      condition between pH 2 and pH 3 and decomposed by irradiation from xenon light to
      form IABA, AN and compound II. The structure of II was studied by nuclear
      magnetic resonance, infrared, mass and ultraviolet spectra and identification
      tests. It was shown that II was 6-amidino-2-hydroxy-1-naphthyl[4-(4,5-dihydro-1H
      imidazol-2-yl)amino]- phenyl ketone, benzophenone derivative, produced by
      photorearrangement reaction of I.

PMID- 1432603
TI  - [Application of the limulus amebocyte lysate test to measurement of endotoxin in
      therapeutic human plasma protein fraction. Comparison with the rabbit pyrogen
      test].
AB  - We applied the limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) test to the detection of bacterial
      endotoxins in therapeutic human plasma protein fraction (PPF) and compared the
      LAL-test with the rabbit pyrogen test. Two endotoxin-specific LAL-reagents were
      used for the colorimetric method and turbidimetric kinetic method. The amounts of
      added endotoxin to the PPF were correctly estimated by either method. The results
      of four independent assays for the 53 samples of PPF corresponded well with each
      other (correlation coefficient: 0.851-0.959, regression coefficient: 0.898
      1.151). The amounts of endotoxin in the PPF estimated by the LAL-test
      significantly correlated with the rise of body temperature in rabbits
      (correlation coefficient: 0.547-0.642, and 0.911-0.934 for the endotoxin added
      samples). These results suggest that the LAL-test could be used as an alternative
      method for the rabbit pyrogen test to PPF.

PMID- 1432605
TI  - [Structures of isomers of ursodeoxycholic acid: 3 beta,7 alpha- and 3 beta,7 beta
      dihydroxy-5 beta-cholan-24-oic acids].
AB  - Isomers of ursodeoxycholic acid, 3 beta,7 alpha- and 3 beta,7 beta-dihydroxy-5
      beta-cholan-24-oic acids (3 beta 7 alpha U and 3 beta 7 beta U) crystallize in
      the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) containing one molecule and in the
      monoclinic group P2(1) containing two independent molecules in an asymmetric
      unit. The cell dimensions are a = 28.032(17), b = 9.973(5), c = 8.049(6) A for 3
      beta 7 alpha U, and a = 11.771(8), b = 27.999(12), c = 6.637(2) A, beta =
      90.78(6) degrees for 3 beta 7 beta U, respectively. Both structures were solved
      by the direct method and refined to the residual values of 0.065 (3 beta 7 alpha
      U) and 0.059 (3 beta 7 beta U). The conformations of the D rings of each molecule
      are different from each other: 3 beta 7 alpha U intermediate, 3 beta 7 beta U (A
      and B) half-chair form. In the crystal, 3 beta 7 alpha U molecules are connected
      by a hydrogen bond extended nearly parallel to the bc plane and 3 beta 7 beta U
      molecules are connected by the helical hydrogen bond system or by the zigzag one
      parallel to the ac plane.

PMID- 1432604
TI  - [Studies on early stage changes of peroxide lipid in isoproterenol-induced
      myocardial injury].
AB  - The amount of peroxide lipid in vivo in the early stage of the experimental model
      of myocardial infarction in a rat induced by the administration of isoproterenol
      (Isp) was measured as the value of malonic dialdehyde (MDA). The model of
      myocardial infarction was made by giving 75 mg/kg of Isp to the rat weighing 270
      +/- 10 g. After the administration of Isp, the amounts of lipid in the serum and
      in the myocardial tissue were measured, and a blood chemistry test (glutamic
      oxaloacetic dehydrogenase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase,
      free fatty acid, creatine kinase) was simultaneously carried out on the serum.
      The value of the amount of peroxide lipid in the serum began to elevate 3 h after
      the administration of Isp and reached a maximum value at 6 h. The value of the
      amount of peroxide lipid in the tissue began to elevate 30 min after the
      administration and reached a maximum at 3 h. Each blood chemistry disclosed the
      elevation 30 min after the administration. As mentioned above, the production of
      peroxide lipid in vivo on the myocardial disorder in the early stage after the
      administration of Isp and the biochemical changes showed a significant
      correlation. From these results it is suggested that the myocardial disorder
      induced by the administration of Isp has already developed at 30 min after the
      administration.

PMID- 1432606
TI  - [Antimutagenic activities of hexane extracts of the fruit extract and the kernels
      of Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc].
AB  - Antimutagenic activities of hexane extracts obtained from the fruit extract (UE)
      and the Kernels (KE) of P. mume were examined. These extracts showed inhibitory
      activities to known mutagens, 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)acrylamide,
      benzo[alpha]pyrene and aflatoxin B1 in the Ames assay using Salmonella
      typhimurium TA100 and TA98 strains. The UE and KE fractions were then separated
      by silicic acid column chromatography with a stepwise elution method using ether
      hexane. The location of the active substances in the fractions was also
      determined by thin-layer chromatography. Consequently, it was found that the
      effective substances for the desmutagenicity were fatty acids, and identified by
      gas liquid chromatography, mainly as oleic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid
      in UE, and mainly as oleic acid and linoleic acid in KE, respectively.

PMID- 1432607
TI  - [Preparation of water-soluble hydronaphthoquinone derivatives and its application
      to the determination of hydrogen peroxide in clinical chemistry].
AB  - Several 1-alkoxy-2,3-dichloro-4-hydroxynaphthalene derivatives were prepared.
      These compounds were oxidized by hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a
      peroxidase to give 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone, which then reacted with
      various alkyl benzoylacetates to develop blue coloration with absorption maximum
      at greater than 600 nm. The color development reaction can be applied to the
      determination of appropriate serum constituents such as cholesterol.

PMID- 1432608
TI  - Radical-induced oxidation of oxahydrindene (hexahydrobenzofuran) portion of 22,23
      dihydroavermectin B1a: identification of autooxidation products.
AB  - Three products resulting from free-radical-induced oxidation of the oxahydrindene
      portion of 22,23-dihydroavermectin B1a (H2B1a) are 5-oxo-H2B1a, 8a-oxo-H2B1a, and
      5,8a-bisoxo-H2B1a. The last of these compounds has not been reported previously.

PMID- 1432609
TI  - In vitro and in vivo anticalcification effects of novel
      bishydroxyiminophosphonates.
AB  - Some geminal bisphosphonates are used clinically for a number of important bone-
      and/or calcium-related diseases; however, side effects and lack of selectivity
      impede their wide use. This work reports the synthesis and evaluation of
      bishydroxyiminophosphonates (e.g., adipoyl- and suberoylbisphosphonate dioximes).
      These compounds significantly inhibited hydroxyapatite formation and dissolution
      in vitro and the calcification of bioprosthetic tissue implanted subdermally in
      rats. The compounds reported in this paper are less active than the structurally
      related bisacylphosphonates. The results of this work indicate that the
      introduction of oxime groups adjacent to the phosphonic function in long-chain
      bisphosphonates confers calcium interaction capabilities and that complete
      ionizability of a bisphosphonate may enhance its biological activity.

PMID- 1432610
TI  - Steady-state pharmacokinetics of haloperidol and reduced haloperidol in
      schizophrenic patients: analysis of factors determining their concentrations in
      hair.
AB  - Profiles of the steady-state concentrations of haloperidol (HL) and its major
      metabolite, reduced haloperidol (RHL), in plasma versus time were determined in
      10 Japanese patients whose schizophrenic symptoms were clinically controlled by
      fixed, oral maintenance doses (4-30 mg/day, three times a day) for greater than 4
      months. These data were used to determine the pharmacokinetic factor(s) that
      correlate best with HL and RHL concentrations in hair. The concentrations of HL
      and RHL in plasma or hair were simultaneously measured by high-performance liquid
      chromatography with an electrochemical detector. The observed values of minimal
      and maximal concentrations in plasma (Cmin and Cmax, respectively) varied widely
      among patients: 3.0-22.9 and 6.2-32.7 ng/mL for HL and 2.8-21.4 and 5.7-33.3
      ng/ml for RHL, respectively. The ratio of the area under the plasma concentration
      time curve (AUC) of RHL for 1 day to that of HL also ranged widely from 0.39 to
      1.99 (1.04 +/- 0.48, mean +/- standard deviation). When the concentration of HL
      or RHL in hair was compared with the daily dose of HL and respective AUC, Cmax,
      or trough concentration in the plasma in the morning, the parameter that best
      correlated with the concentration of HL in hair was AUC. The concentration of RHL
      in hair correlated with all three parameters, but the correlation with AUC was
      better than that with Cmax. Therefore, the concentrations of these substances in
      hair were considered to be representative of their mean amounts in the body.

PMID- 1432611
TI  - Effect of impurities on estradiol crystallization in a sustained-release implant.
AB  - During the development of a silicone rubber implant for the delivery of estradiol
      17-beta some batches of implants made from a certain lot of commercial estradiol
      inexplicably developed surface crystals of estradiol after several days of
      storage. An impurity profile was obtained for 28 lots of estradiol by a newly
      developed HPLC method. One or more impurities may have had a role in the
      spontaneous crystal growth on the surface of the implants, because the one lot of
      estradiol that initially had surface crystals on aging produced acceptable
      implants after multiple recrystallizations. Attempts to isolate suspected
      impurities for characterization were unsuccessful. During the manufacture of the
      implants, temperatures sufficient to melt the estradiol (mp, 173-179 degrees C)
      were used. It was expected that, upon implant cooling, melted impure estradiol
      would form a thermodynamically more active (i.e., noncrystalline) physical form.
      This metastable form could have migrated to the implant surface, where ambient
      conditions favored crystallization. Because melted estradiol of a higher purity
      tended to crystallize more readily, it was less likely to form a glass upon
      cooling. The phenomenon of surface crystallization was limited to one lot of
      estradiol with the highest level of impurities. Data from differential scanning
      calorimetry studies supported this conclusion.

PMID- 1432612
TI  - Cholinergic agents: effect of methyl substitution in a series of arecoline
      derivatives on binding to muscarinic acetylcholine receptors.
AB  - Arecoline, arecaidine, and a series of derivatives, differing by the presence or
      absence of methyl groups at positions on the periphery of the molecule, were
      prepared, and their binding to muscarinic acetylcholine receptors was tested. On
      the basis of this study, muscarinic agonism for arecoline series is governed by
      strict structure-activity relationships, as previously observed for other agonist
      series. Only minor changes in nitrogen substitution were tolerated in the present
      series of arecoline derivatives.

PMID- 1432614
TI  - Pharmacokinetics and the effect of probenecid on the renal excretion mechanism of
      diprophylline.
AB  - The mechanism of renal excretion of diprophylline (DPP) and the effect of
      probenecid on the active transport of DPP in renal tubules were investigated in
      rats. The concentration of DPP in plasma increased in proportion to the doses of
      10, 30, and 60 mg/kg. The pharmacokinetic parameters and the urinary excretion of
      DPP did not change significantly with the dose. These findings indicate that DPP
      possesses dose-independent pharmacokinetics. Pharmacokinetic parameters for
      tubular secretion of DPP, as determined by a single-injection renal clearance
      method, were 21.25 micrograms/mL for the Michaelis-Menten constant and 102.38
      micrograms/min for maximum velocity. Coadministration of probenecid decreased the
      total body clearance of DPP but did not change in the steady-state volume of
      distribution of DPP. The effect of probenecid concentration on the steady-state
      renal clearance of DPP was evaluated by continuously infusing probenecid at
      various rates. The renal clearance of DPP decreased as the probenecid
      concentration increased, a result indicating that probenecid inhibits the tubular
      secretion of DPP. However, probenecid did not inhibit the renal secretion of DPP
      completely, probably because of the existence of probenecid-insensitive transport
      systems for DPP in the renal proximal tubule. The Michaelis-Menten constant,
      maximum velocity, and glomerular filtration rate, as calculated with the
      competitive inhibition model for renal clearance of DPP, correlated well with
      estimated values after a single intravenous administration, as described earlier.
      The competitive inhibition constant of probenecid was 15.86 micrograms/mL.

PMID- 1432613
TI  - Application of a pharmacokinetic model with multiple enterohepatic cycles to a
      new inotropic drug after infusion and oral administration.
AB  - A pharmacokinetic model with multiple, unequal, enterohepatic recirculations was
      developed to fit the experimental data of a new inotropic drug after intravenous
      infusion and oral administration. Optimized model parameters were used to derive
      theoretical values of the area under the curves of concentration versus time that
      were in good agreement with the experimental values.

PMID- 1432615
TI  - Racemization and intramolecular nucleophilic substitution reactions of ibutilide.
AB  - The kinetics and mechanisms of the racemization and cyclization reactions of
      ibutilide are described. The cyclization reaction yields a bell-shaped rate-pH
      curve consistent with a change in rate-determining step. It is hypothesized that
      the hydroxyl group leaves to form a carbocation intermediate; this is followed by
      nucleophilic attack by the amine. This mechanism is supported by kinetic
      analysis, aniline trapping of carbocation intermediate, and observation of all
      four stereo-isomers of the resulting quaternary ammonium compound. Whereas
      racemization can also progress through the carbocation intermediate, a direct SN2
      mechanism appears to be the major route for the racemization reaction.

PMID- 1432616
TI  - Pharmacokinetic analysis of maprotiline and its demethylated metabolite in serum
      and brain of rats after acute and chronic oral administration of maprotiline.
AB  - Compartmental model analysis by simultaneous curve fitting was used to ascertain
      the pharmacokinetic relationship between maprotiline (MAP) and its demethylated
      metabolite desmethylmaprotiline (DMAP) in the serum and brain of rats after
      single or multiple oral administrations of MAP. The extent of bioavailability and
      the fraction metabolized to DMAP after acute oral administration were 0.202 and
      0.065, respectively, indicating first-pass metabolism of MAP. Although the
      estimated transfer rate constants to and from the brain (k(in) and k(out)) of MAP
      were higher than those of DMAP, the k(in):k(out) ratio for MAP was similar to
      that for DMAP. These findings indicate the equivalent ability of MAP and DMAP to
      penetrate into the brain after acute oral administration. The estimated values of
      bioavailability and fraction metabolized to DMAP increased 2.6 and 1.7 times,
      respectively, after chronic administration of MAP. These findings are
      attributable to inhibited distribution in tissue. The k(in) and k(out) values of
      MAP decreased, whereas those of DMAP showed no marked change. Therefore, the
      k(in):k(out) ratio for MAP decreased, whereas that for DMAP did not change. These
      results suggest that the permeability of MAP into the brain might be affected and
      that of DMAP is not modified by chronic administration of MAP.

PMID- 1432617
TI  - Determination of pivaloylcarnitine in human plasma and urine by high-performance
      liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.
AB  - A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed for the
      determination of pivaloylcarnitine, one of the major metabolites of
      pivaloyloxymethyl (+)-(6R,7R)-7-[(Z)-2-(2-amino-4-thiazolyl)-2- pentenamido]-3
      carbamoyloxymethyl-8-oxo-5-thia-1-azabicyclo[4.2.0] oct-2- ene-2-carboxylate
      hydrochloride hydrate (S-1108), an oral cephem antibiotic, in human plasma and
      urine. Fluorescence detection was done with 3-bromomethyl-6,7-dimethoxy-1-methyl
      2(1H)-quinoxalinone as the labeling reagent. Pivaloylcarnitine and
      cyclopropylacetylcarnitine, the internal standard, were selectively fractionated
      from plasma or urine on a disposable cation-exchange column. Derivatization was
      completed in 20 min at 40 degrees C in the presence of N,N'-diisopropylethylamine
      as the catalyst. A column-switching device was used to remove the excess reagent
      for HPLC analysis. The recovery of pivaloylcarnitine was greater than 98%, and
      average within-day and between-day coefficients of variation were less than 5% at
      concentration ranges of 0.05-2 micrograms/mL for plasma and 5-500 micrograms/mL
      for urine. Detection limits were 0.02 micrograms/mL for plasma and 1
      micrograms/mL for urine. The urinary recovery of pivaloylcarnitine was 94% after
      the administration of S-1108, a result that suggested that S-1108 was almost
      quantitatively converted to pivalic acid and then conjugated with carnitine.

PMID- 1432618
TI  - Pharmacokinetic profile of glycyrrhizin in healthy volunteers by a new high
      performance liquid chromatographic method.
AB  - An improved high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the
      quantification of glycyrrhizin and its metabolites in human plasma. The improved
      method was selective and made it possible to determine precisely glycyrrhizin at
      levels as low as 500 ng/mL. The pharmacokinetic behavior of glycyrrhizin and its
      metabolites after oral and intravenous administration of glycyrrhizin to normal
      subjects was investigated. After oral administration of glycyrrhizin (100 mg) to
      three normal subjects, the major metabolite of glycyrrhizin (glycyrrhetic acid)
      appeared in plasma (less than 200 ng/mL), but glycyrrhizin was not found. On the
      other hand, glycyrrhizin was found in urine, and the amount excreted was 1.1-2.5%
      of the dose. This finding suggests that glycyrrhizin is partly absorbed in the
      intact form from the gastrointestinal tract. The concentration of glycyrrhizin in
      plasma after intravenous administration of glycyrrhizin (40, 80, and 120 mg)
      showed biexponential profiles during the 24-h period after administration of each
      dose. The glycyrrhizin metabolites, glycyrrhetic acid and glycyrrhetic acid-3-O
      glucuronide, were not detected in either plasma or urine. The terminal half-life
      of glycyrrhizin, the apparent volume of the central compartment, the steady-state
      distribution volume, and the total body clearance in three dosing experiments
      were 2.7-4.8 h, 37-64 mL/kg, 59-98 mL/kg, and 16-25 mL/kg/h, respectively.
      Glycyrrhizin was not detected in plasma after oral administration of the usual
      therapeutic dose of glycyrrhizin, and no dose dependency of the drug was observed
      in the dose range of 40-120 mg.

PMID- 1432620
TI  - Principles and criteria in the development and optimization of topical
      therapeutic products.

PMID- 1432619
TI  - Pharmacokinetic analysis of ester prodrugs of valproic acid.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of five monoester prodrugs of valproic acid (VPA) were
      investigated: propyl valproate (P-VPA), butyl valproate (B-VPA), isobutyl
      valproate (IB-VPA), isoamyl valproate (IA-VPA), and hexyl valproate (H-VPA). In
      addition, the anticonvulsant activity of these compounds was evaluated and
      compared with that of VPA and valpromide (VPD). The pharmacokinetics of VPA and
      its five ester derivatives were determined after intravenous administration of
      equivalent doses (400 mg of VPA) to six dogs. The five ester prodrugs of VPA were
      biotransformed to VPA; the biotransformation was complete for P-VPA, B-VPA, and H
      VPA but was only partial for IB-VPA and IA-VPA. Because of the rapid conversion
      of the prodrugs to the parent drug, levels of VPA in plasma after administration
      of the prodrugs peaked at 6-26 min after dosing and did not yield an in vivo
      sustained-release dosage profile. Of the five ester prodrugs of VPA, only P-VPA
      demonstrated anticonvulsant activity. P-VPA also was less neurotoxic than VPA and
      VPD; therefore, it has a better protective index.

PMID- 1432621
TI  - Molecular connectivity: treatment of the electronic structure of amino acids.
AB  - A molecular connectivity model of atomic charges on the second-row atoms in alpha
      amino acids is discussed. A correlation was found between the valence delta
      (delta v) index from molecular connectivity theory and the charges on atoms that
      belong to the same class, whereas different classes of carbon atoms had the same
      slopes on the Q versus sigma v matrix, where Q is the calculated charge
      distribution. A similar correlation was found for nucleotide bases.

PMID- 1432622
TI  - Electrochemical determination of partition coefficients of drugs.
AB  - An electrochemical method for the determination of partition coefficients of
      drugs that can exist as ions in aqueous solutions is presented. The method
      involves cyclic voltammetry at the polarizable interface between two immiscible
      electrolyte solutions. Because n-octanol is an unsuitable solvent for
      electrochemical purposes, 1,2-dichloroethane, which has electronic properties
      similar to those of n-octanol, was used in the measurements. The values obtained
      could be correlated with the values for n-octanol-water partition taken from the
      literature by an approach based on the linear solvation relationship: log P1 = a
      log P2 + b; in this relationship, a and b are constants and P1 and P2 correspond
      to the two different organic and aqueous phase partition equilibria. Furthermore,
      aqueous diffusion coefficients of drugs were determined from voltammograms.

PMID- 1432623
TI  - Formation of a tablet: a site and bond percolation phenomenon.
AB  - The concepts of percolation theory are used to elucidate the formation of a
      tablet by compression of particulate matter. The process of compaction can be
      considered as a combination of site and bond percolation phenomena. Because of
      effects of different particle size and shape of the particles in a powder bed and
      effects of brittle fracture and plastic flow, moisture content of the powder, and
      finite size of the tablet, no sharp percolation thresholds are expected. Thus, it
      is interesting to test the validity of the fundamental equation of percolation
      theory: the power law X = S(p - pc)q, where X is the system property, S is the
      scaling factor, p is the site occupation or bond formation probability, and q is
      the critical exponent. This model is, in certain cases, only rigorously valid
      close to the percolation threshold (range, [+/- 0.1 pc]). Combination of the
      Heckel equation with an equation derived earlier for the properties (X) of
      tensile strength (sigma t) and deformation hardness (P) yields a power law with q
      = 1, S'(sigma t) = sigma tmax/(1 - pc), and S(P) = Pmax/(1 - pc). With respect to
      the simplifying assumptions made, the power law agrees well with the experimental
      results obtained. Substantial improvements in the interpretation of the
      compression-compaction process are possible with these findings, and some
      interpretations differ from previous ones in earlier publications.

PMID- 1432625
TI  - Kinetics of transdermal penetration of an organic ion pair: physostigmine
      salicylate.
AB  - Physostigmine salicylate was delivered from a series of solvents consisting of
      isopropyl myristate, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), and their mixtures across
      dermatomed human skin. The apparent steady-state fluxes over the time range of
      the test, obtained separately for physostigmine and its corresponding salicylate,
      indicate a consistent trend toward higher values for the salicylate in the series
      tested. The ratios of salicylate fluxes to physostigmine fluxes ranged from 1.1
      to 3.34, the higher ratios being obtained at a volume fraction of IPA exceeding
      0.7. Ionization of the ion pair at the pH of the hydrated stratum corneum
      immediately after its partitioning into the membrane, followed by differential
      diffusion of the species across the membrane, is consistent with the kinetics of
      penetration. It is proposed that the apparent volume of distribution of
      physostigmine is larger than that of salicylate and, hence, a smaller
      concentration difference across the diffusion barrier exists for physostigmine.
      This hypothesis can explain the lower flux of physostigmine to conform to Fick's
      first law of diffusion and the assumption of equal molar transfer to the skin of
      both species. The hypothesis implies that if steady state appears to have been
      reached for the faster migrating salicylate over the time range tested then the
      apparent steady state of physostigmine is not a true one. Increasing the
      salicylate content in one of the donor solutions by eight times over that of
      physostigmine decreased the saturation concentration of physostigmine but not in
      its flux. Increasing the physostigmine content by 6.5 times over that of
      salicylate in the same donor solution did not change either the flux or the
      salicylate concentration but decreased the permeability coefficient of
      physostigmine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432624
TI  - Relationship of film properties to drug release from monolithic films containing
      adjuvants.
AB  - The rate of drug release from a polymeric matrix system was influenced by the
      physical and chemical properties of the monolithic films. The model drugs,
      salicylic acid and chlorpheniramine maleate, and two poly(methyl methacrylate)
      copolymers of different permeabilities (Eudragit RL and Eudragit RS), with and
      without additional adjuvants, were used to form monolithic matrix films for
      controlled drug release. Adjuvants, including polyethylene glycols (PEG 400 and
      PEG 8000) and poly(vinylpyrrolidones) (PVP-K15 and PVP-K90), were incorporated
      into films of Eudragit RL PM and Eudragit RS PM. The moisture permeation
      constant, glass transition temperature (Tg), tensile strength, and drug release
      profiles were determined for each acrylic resin slab to correlate the
      physicochemical and physicomechanical film properties to observed drug release.
      Faster rates of drug diffusion were observed with the addition of PEG 400 to the
      films, because of its plasticizing effect and the resultant increased moisture
      permeability of the matrix. An exception existed with the Eudragit RL PM film
      containing salicylic acid where drug-polymer interactions inhibited drug
      diffusion. The small changes in moisture permeability, Tg, and tensile strength
      observed with incorporation of the PVPs had an insignificant influence on the
      dissolution results for salicylic acid from Eudragit RS PM films. Increases in
      the tensile strength and Tg after addition of PVP to the Eudragit RS PM matrix
      support the observed decreased rate of diffusion for chlorpheniramine maleate.
      The pores formed by migration of the hydrophilic adjuvants from the films altered
      the diffusion kinetics of the matrix, compared with that of the nonporous
      polymer, when only the antihistamine was present.

PMID- 1432627
TI  - A time hierarchy-based model for kinetics of drug disposition and its use in
      quantitative structure-activity relationships.
AB  - By using the time hierarchy of the processes determining the fate of drugs in
      biosystems (absorption, transport, distribution, protein binding, and
      elimination), a one-compartment open model is formulated at a subcellular level
      for the disposition phase of pharmacokinetics. The resulting disposition function
      describes the kinetics of the intracellular disposition of drugs as determined by
      their hydrophobicity, acidity or basicity, affinity to proteins, and rate
      parameters of elimination. Structure-activity relationships, based on the
      function with incorporated extrathermodynamic relations, fit the literature data
      well (fixed-time bioactivity-hydrophobicity profiles, kinetics of microbial
      degradation of organic compounds, and kinetics of analgesic effects of fentanyl
      derivatives in rats). Application of the approach, creating a basis for the
      construction of model-based quantitative structure-time-activity relationship, to
      biosystems of varying complexity is discussed.

PMID- 1432626
TI  - Transdermal drug delivery systems of albuterol: in vitro and in vivo studies.
AB  - In vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted with double- and single-layer
      albuterol transdermal pads designed for once-a-day application. In the in vitro
      experiments, dissolution of albuterol from pads and permeation of albuterol
      through hairless mouse skin were monitored. In the in vivo experiments, pads were
      applied to the chest area of four female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulata), and an
      albuterol aqueous solution was injected into the saphenous vein of the same
      animals in a crossover design. The amount lost from pads applied to monkeys was
      monitored by analysis of pad residue. Blood samples were withdrawn at regular
      intervals and analyzed by a high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence
      method. Skin irritation due to the pad was measured by a modified Draize score
      test. The amounts released from the two formulations were similar. The amount
      released was, however, dependent on the technique used and decreased in the
      following manner: pad dissolution greater than in vivo amount lost from pads
      applied to monkeys greater than in vitro permeation through hairless mouse skin.
      The pharmacokinetic parameters determined after intravenous and transdermal
      administration were as follows: terminal half-life, 2.26 +/- 0.45 h; apparent
      volume of distribution, 1935 +/- 37.2 mL.kg-1; and total body clearance, 612.0 +/
      118 mL.h-1.kg-1. The average concentrations in serum after application of single
      and double-layer pads were 44.60 +/- 16.40 and 62.50 +/- 8.00 ng/mL,
      respectively. Further, the amount lost from pads applied to monkeys correlated
      with the respective amount absorbed in monkeys, as calculated from the average
      concentration in serum and clearance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432628
TI  - Solid-state structure of orphenadrine hydrochloride and conformational
      comparisons with diphenhydramine hydrochloride and nefopam hydrochloride.
AB  - The solid-state structure of (+-)-orphenadrine hydrochloride [(CH3)2NCH2CH2OCH(o
      CH3C6H4)(Ph).HCl], a skeletal muscle relaxant drug, was determined by single
      crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Orphenadrine hydrochloride gave crystals
      belonging to the monoclinic P2(1)/n space group, and at low temperature (92 K),
      the following parameters were found: a = 6.923 (4), b = 7.508 (5), c = 33.22 (3)
      A, V = 1720 (3) A3, Z = 4, R(F) = 0.109, and Rw(F) = 0.131. Data were collected
      from poor crystalline material because of the low volume of the needle-shaped
      crystals (0.025 x 0.025 x 0.15 mm3). A molecular mechanics model was calculated
      by using an input structure based on atomic coordinates of the
      crystallographically determined molecular structure. The resulting molecular
      mechanics model and the structure determined by X-ray crystallography have the
      same molecular conformation. Whereas both solid-state (+-)-orphenadrine
      hydrochloride and diphenhydramine hydrochloride [(CH3)2NCH2CH2OCH(Ph)2.HCl] have
      synclinal N-C-C-O and antiperiplanar NC-C-O-CAr2 torsion angles, the former has a
      helical arrangement for Ar2CH, as expected, and the phenyl rings in the latter
      are disposed in a nonhelical, "open-book" arrangement.

PMID- 1432629
TI  - A compartment model for percutaneous absorption: compatibility of lag time and
      steady-state flux with diffusion model.
AB  - The lag times and steady-state flux predicted by a specific case of the
      compartment model, which was recently proposed to generate finite-dose
      percutaneous permeation pharmacokinetics, are compared with those predicted by
      the diffusion model. When the intercompartmental transfer rate constants are
      defined so that the three statistical moments of the compartmental model (the
      mean residence times of a drug in the vehicle and that in the skin and the
      variance of residence time in the vehicle) are identical to those in the
      diffusion model, the lag times and steady-state flux values predicted by the two
      models are the same.

PMID- 1432630
TI  - A theoretical analysis of a new drug delivery system: a cylindrical device with a
      vertical opening on its surface.
AB  - A theoretical analysis of a proposed drug delivery device is presented. The
      device is of cylindrical shape with an opening on its side surface. Analytical
      expressions for the temporal variations in the amount of drug released and the
      size of the unreleased portion of the device are derived. The result of numerical
      simulation reveals that an approximately zero-order mechanism can be obtained,
      provided that the device is designed appropriately. The applicability of the
      analytical expressions derived is justified by examining the release of sodium
      salicylate embedded in polyethylene. The present work is a generalization of
      analyses suggested previously for some similar devices.

PMID- 1432631
TI  - Lecithin organogel as matrix for transdermal transport of drugs.
AB  - Organogels obtained by adding small amounts of water to a solution of lecithin in
      organic solvents were studied as matrices for the transdermal transport of drugs.
      Gels obtained from isopropyl palmitate and cyclooctane were used (molar ratios of
      water to lecithin of 3 and 12, respectively). Preliminarily histological studies
      showed that the gels have no harmful effect when applied to the skin for
      prolonged periods. Data relative to the stability of the organogels with time are
      also presented. Scopolamine and broxaterol were used as model drugs, and the
      transdermal experiments were done with a Franz diffusion cell and human skin
      obtained from plastic surgery. The transport rate of scopolamine obtained with
      the lecithin gels was about one order of magnitude higher than that obtained with
      an aqueous solution of the drug at the same concentration. In contrast, the
      transport rates of scopolamine obtained with the microemulsion solution prior to
      gelation (molar ratio of water to lecithin, 0) were not different from those
      obtained with the gel. The same variations in transport rates were observed for
      broxaterol, in which case the flux through the skin was directly proportional to
      the concentration of drug in the gel. At a concentration of broxaterol of 75
      mg/mL in the donor gel, the flux was 47 micrograms.h-1.cm-2. Because preliminary
      results showed that transdermal transport is successful with amino acids and
      peptides also, it is concluded that lecithin gels may be efficient vehicles for
      the transdermal transport of various drugs.

PMID- 1432632
TI  - Rate-limiting steps in oral absorption of a leucotriene D4 antagonist in the
      beagle dog.
AB  - Oral administration of a leucotriene D4 antagonist drug (1) in the Beagle dog at
      doses of 2, 20, 100, 300, and 800 mg/kg resulted in dose-dependent
      bioavailability values (4-50%). To understand the dose dependence of the
      absorption of 1 in the dog, initial rates of absorption of 1, which were
      estimated from Loo-Riegelman analysis of the concentration in blood data, were
      analyzed in terms of dissolution and absorption rates. From the Loo-Riegelman
      plots, the initial rates of absorption of 1 were estimated as 8.2, 41.9, 41.1,
      76.1, and 72.8 micrograms.mL-1.h-1, respectively, for the doses given earlier.
      These data, which indicate leveling of the initial absorption rates at high
      doses, were consistent with an absorption model in which the dissolution rate is
      the rate-controlling step in the intestinal absorption of 1 at doses less than
      100 mg/kg. The powder dissolution rate of 1 in 17 mM bile salt solution was
      estimated as 14 and 700 micrograms.mL-1.h-1 for amounts of 1 equivalent to the
      amounts given to dogs at 2- and 100-mg/kg doses, respectively. After
      consideration of the volume of distribution and the volume of intestinal fluid in
      the dog, the value of the initial dissolution rate was much lower than the
      initial absorption rates at the 2-mg/kg dose. Oral administration of 1 at 2 mg/kg
      in a 3% polysorbate 80 solution enhanced both the rate and the extent of
      absorption of the compound. These results confirm the validity of the conclusion
      that the intestinal absorption of 1 is limited by dissolution rate at low doses.

PMID- 1432634
TI  - Variability of inversion of (R)-flurbiprofen in different species.
AB  - The anti-inflammatory activity of 2-arylpropionic acids like flurbiprofen appears
      to be due to the S enantiomers only. A unique characteristic of the metabolism of
      this class of drugs is inversion of configuration. The present study examines
      whether chiral inversion occurs after administration of the optically pure
      flurbiprofen enantiomers to various species (i.e., dogs, guinea pigs, rats, and
      gerbils). Concentrations of the enantiomers in plasma were analyzed by a
      stereoselective high-performance liquid chromatographic assay with a chiral alpha
      1-acid glycoprotein column. Pharmacokinetic parameters of the flurbiprofen
      enantiomers were evaluated with a two-compartment computer model. Inversion of
      (R)-flurbiprofen to its optical antipode occurred to a variable extent in the dog
      [fraction inverted (Fi) = 0.39; n = 3] and the guinea pig (Fi = 1.00; n = 3) and
      to a much lower extent in the rat (Fi = 0.02; n = 3) and the gerbil (Fi = 0.05; n
      = 3). After intravenous administration of (S)-flurbiprofen to dogs, guinea pigs,
      rats, and gerbils, (R)-flurbiprofen was not detected in plasma (limit of
      quantification was 0.05 microgram/100 microL of plasma).

PMID- 1432633
TI  - Epithelial transport of drugs in cell culture. VII: Effects of pharmaceutical
      surfactant excipients and bile acids on transepithelial permeability in
      monolayers of human intestinal epithelial (Caco-2) cells.
AB  - The effects of anionic (sodium dodecyl sulfate and sodium dioctyl sufosuccinate)
      and nonionic (polysorbate 80 and polyoxyl 40 hydrogenated castor oil) synthetic
      surfactants and bile acids (sodium taurocholate, sodium taurodeoxycholate, and
      sodium taurodihydrofusidate) on epithelial integrity were studied in monolayers
      of human intestinal epithelial (Caco-2) cells grown on microporous polycarbonate
      filters. The effects of the surfactants on intracellular enzyme activity, cell
      monolayer permeability, and morphology were studied. The effects on permeability
      were studied by two methods: measurements of transport of marker molecules
      (mannitol and polyethylene glycol) and measurements of transepithelial electrical
      resistance. All surfactants demonstrated concentration-dependent effects on
      intracellular enzyme activities, permeability, and morphology. The effects of the
      anionic surfactants were more pronounced than those of the nonionic surfactants.
      The effects on transepithelial electrical resistance correlated with
      intracellular dehydrogenase activity. Fluxes of marker molecules were the most
      sensitive measure of epithelial integrity. The results indicate that the
      hydrophilic marker molecules permeate the epithelial monolayers through different
      pathways at different concentrations of the surfactants. The effects of the
      surfactants were reversible at intermediate concentrations, even though the
      morphology of the monolayers had changed. The results agree with published data
      obtained with experimental animals and indicate that Caco-2 cells can be used to
      study the concentration-dependent effects of surfactants and other pharmaceutical
      additives on intestinal epithelial permeability.

PMID- 1432635
TI  - Synthesis and anti-inflammatory activity of fluorinated phenyl styryl ketones and
      N-phenyl-5-substituted aryl-3-p-(fluorophenyl) pyrazolins and pyrazoles.
AB  - Various N-phenyl-5-substituted aryl-3-p-(fluorophenyl) pyrazolins and pyrazoles
      were synthesized by cyclization of the corresponding 4-(fluorophenyl) styryl and
      4-(fluorophenyl) dibromostyryl ketones. These compounds were characterized by
      elemental analysis and UV, infrared, and nuclear magnetic spectral data. All
      substituted p-(fluorophenyl) styryl ketones [250 mg/kg orally (po)] possessed
      anti-inflammatory activity, as reflected by their ability to provide protection
      (51-70%) against carrageenin-induced edema in rat paw. Indomethacin (10 mg/kg,
      po) and dehydrozingerone (70 mg/kg, po), used as standard reference drugs,
      provided 97 and 60% protection, respectively. All compounds (0.20 mM) showed
      ability to denature bovine serum albumin, as observed in in vitro inhibition
      studies. Inhibition ranged from 7 to 59% for substituted p-(fluorophenyl) styryl
      ketones and from 12 to 21% for pyrazoles. No correlation was found between the
      anti-inflammatory activity of p-(fluorophenyl) styryl ketones or substituted
      pyrazoles and their effectiveness at inhibiting bovine serum albumin
      denaturation. The low toxicity of p-(fluorophenyl) styryl ketones was reflected
      by the dose that was lethal in 50% of the cases tested (2000-2500 mg/kg).

PMID- 1432636
TI  - Simultaneous spectrophotometric determination in solid phase of aspirin and its
      impurity salicylic acid in pharmaceutical formulations.
AB  - We report the simultaneous determination of aspirin and its hydrolysis product,
      salicylic acid, in solid phase by fluorescence spectrophotometry. Aspirin is
      often the most labile component in a combination-type analgesic compound.
      Therefore, its stability is often the initial concern in any formulation
      screening program. Preliminary screening of a large number of potential
      formulations can be arduous, because most current methods of analysis generally
      consist of several steps: extractions or column separations followed by UV,
      colorimetric, or gas-liquid chromatographic assays. The method proposed here is
      quite suited to large numbers of assays because it is not time consuming, it is
      straightforward, and it is not subject to interference from the substances
      present in the pharmaceutical formulations. In addition, the method is
      nondestructive, not dependent on the sampling procedure, and, above all, quite
      sensitive.

PMID- 1432637
TI  - Preparation of neurotensin analogue-containing poly(dl-lactic acid) microspheres
      formed by oil-in-water solvent evaporation.
AB  - This report describes the preparation of injectable microspheres containing a
      neurotensin analogue (NA), which is a hexapeptide with neurotensin activity. NA,
      a hydrophilic drug, was successfully entrapped into poly(dl-lactic acid)
      microspheres prepared by a novel oil-in-water solvent evaporation method. The
      preparation method was investigated with regard to the partition of NA into the
      oily phase and the rapid phase separation of the polymer. Successful entrapment
      was achieved with the following conditions: (1) an alkaline water phase, (2)
      addition of fatty acid salt in the oily phase, and (3) addition of a water
      miscible solvent in the oily phase. Under these conditions, NA was completely
      entrapped into the microspheres at poly(dl-lactic acid):NA molar ratios of
      greater than 3.

PMID- 1432638
TI  - Preparation and evaluation of Eudragit gels. IV: Rectal gel preparations for
      sustained release and avoidance of first-pass metabolism of propentofylline.
AB  - Formulations of a high-viscosity acrylic resin gel (Eudispert hv) containing
      propentofylline, a new cerebral microcirculation-improving agent, were prepared
      and tested for avoidance of the first-pass metabolism of propentofylline through
      the liver and for sustained release of propentofylline. The absolute
      bioavailability of propentofylline after oral administration was only 4% in
      rabbits. The relative bioavailabilities of propentofylline from polyethylene
      glycol (M(r), 2000) and Witepsol H-15 suppositories were approximately 8- and 16
      fold, respectively, compared with oral administration. Furthermore, the absolute
      bioavailability of propentofylline from Eudispert hv hydrogel and xerogel
      preparations was approximately 100%. The results indicate that, in principle,
      drug loss caused by first-pass metabolism may be avoided completely by placing
      Eudispert hv hydrogel and xerogel formulations in the lower part of the rectum
      for long periods.

PMID- 1432639
TI  - Acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of maltosyl-beta-cyclodextrin.
AB  - Maltosyl-beta-cyclodextrin was hydrolyzed via two pathways in acidic solution:
      (1) ring opening to give noncyclic oligosaccharides and (2) cleavage of maltose
      in the branched residue to give glucosyl-beta-CyD and glucose. Ring opening was
      approximately 2-3 times faster than maltose cleavage because of the multiple
      hydrolysis sites of the beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CyD) ring (seven glycosidic
      linkages) compared with only one reaction site of the maltose residue in the
      branch. Values of the enthalpy and entropy of activation of the hydrolyses were
      positive and in the range reported for maltose, a result indicating that the
      hydrolyses proceeded according to the A-1 mechanism (i.e., unimolecular
      decomposition). The alpha-1,6-glycosidic bond of branched beta-CyDs connecting
      beta-CyD and branched sugar moieties resisted hydrolysis; this property is a
      potential pharmaceutical advantage because the parent beta-CyD, which has low
      aqueous solubility, would not precipitate after hydrolysis.

PMID- 1432640
TI  - Reversible adsorption of nicotinic acid onto charcoal in vitro.
AB  - The effects of various factors on the adsorption of nicotinic acid onto and
      desorption from activated charcoal were investigated in vitro. The affinity of
      nicotinic acid for charcoal was poor both in acidic and neutral media. Adsorption
      increased with increasing charcoal:drug ratios and decreasing incubation
      volume:charcoal ratios. Desorption of nicotinic acid from dried drug-charcoal
      complexes was investigated in a Sartorius dissolution apparatus. The rate of the
      rapid, initial desorption depended on the pH and the amounts of charcoal and
      drug. As equilibrium was reached in the dissolution chamber, the release rate of
      nicotinic acid decreased slowly, depending mainly on the flow of the medium.
      Thus, nicotinic acid preadsorbed onto charcoal was released in a sustained manner
      under "continuous flow" conditions. However, because of the poor affinity for
      nicotinic acid, charcoal may not be a suitable matrix for sustained release of
      nicotinic acid.

PMID- 1432641
TI  - Polarographic study of the photodecomposition of nimodipine.
AB  - Nimodipine, a calcium antagonist belonging to the dihydropyridine family,
      produces a well-defined polarographic peak due to the four-electron reduction of
      the nitro group. This peak was used to track the photodecomposition of nimodipine
      induced by UV light and daylight. Nimodipine was modified by UV irradiation with
      degradation following first-order kinetics. A degradation rate constant of 0.099
      min-1, with a half-life of 7.78 min, for UV irradiation without a filter was
      obtained. Furthermore, a quantum yield of 1.32 x 10(-3) molecules/quantum
      absorbed was measured with a chemical actinometer. The UV degradation product,
      which was isolated and identified, showed that irradiation of nimodipine causes
      oxidation of the dihydropyridine ring and transmutation of the nitro group in the
      nitrobenzene moiety.

PMID- 1432642
TI  - Pharmacodynamic system analysis of the biophase level predictor and the
      transduction function.
AB  - This work deals with the pharmacodynamic problem of relating a drug effect E(t)
      to an observable pharmacokinetic (PK) predictor variable r(t), which may be a
      venous and/or arterial drug level, some other PK variable, or a drug infusion
      scheme. It is proposed that the relationship between E(t) and r(t) may, in many
      cases, be appropriately modeled as E(t) = N(F(r(t))) [for practical analysis
      reasons, F(r(t)) is denoted the biophase level, cb(t), the operator F() is
      accordingly denoted the biophase level predictor (BLP), and N() is denoted the
      transduction function (TF)]. This work proposes a method for determining the two
      fundamental components, BLP and TF, that define the E(t)-r(t) relationship. The
      BLP is determined by a hysteresis minimization (HM) technique with the following
      features: (1) the method considers errors in both HM variables; (2) the method is
      suitable for dealing with the important case in which the predictor variable is a
      drug infusion scheme; (3) the approach is noncompartmental in contrast to the
      effect-compartment approaches and it does not require a specific structured
      modeling of the cb(t)-r(t) relationship when dealing with drugs with linear PKs
      in a general operational sense; and (4) the method makes use of a dimensionless
      transformation of the hysteresis variable that eliminates numerical scaling
      problems so that a complex penalty function optimization approach can be avoided.
      The TF is determined by a cross validation procedure in conjunction with the BLP
      determined by HM. The method is demonstrated using pharmacodynamic data for
      several drugs, considering both concentration-based and drug input-based r(t)
      values. The significance of the information obtained from the determined BLP and
      TF is discussed, including the concepts of equilibration dynamics and
      overloading. The limitations and potential problems of the methodology are
      discussed.

PMID- 1432643
TI  - Stereoselective pharmacokinetics of a novel uricosuric antihypertensive diuretic
      in rats: pharmacokinetic interaction between enantiomers.
AB  - 5-Dimethylsulfamoyl-6,7-dichloro-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-2-carboxyli c acid (DBCA),
      a promising uricosuric, diuretic, and antihypertensive agent, was administered
      intravenously to rats. The levels of DBCA in plasma and the areas under the curve
      of concentration versus time (AUC values) of the S(-)-enantiomer were higher than
      those of the R(+)-enantiomer. Total body clearance was significantly greater for
      the R(+)-enantiomer. This stereoselective elimination was due to a difference in
      the nonrenal clearance, which seemed to reflect hepatic metabolism or biliary
      excretion. Hepatic metabolism seemed more likely because AUC and the amount of
      urinary excretion of the N-monodemethylated metabolite of DBCA were greater for
      the R(+)-enantiomer. The plasma had higher free fractions of the S(-)-enantiomer,
      a result suggesting that this enantiomer is distributed more readily to the
      tissues, including the liver. This result indicates that protein binding was not
      responsible for the stereoselective metabolism of (R)-(+)-DBCA. Although there
      was no difference in the renal clearances of the enantiomers, the renal clearance
      of free (R)-(+)-DBCA exceeded that of the S(-)-enantiomer, a result indicating
      the preferential excretion of the R(+)-enantiomer into the urine. Comparison of
      the pharmacokinetics of individual enantiomers after intravenous administration
      of each enantiomer or its racemate showed that the enantiomers interact with one
      another; dosing with racemate delayed the elimination of each enantiomer because
      of mutual inhibition of hepatic metabolism and renal excretion for (R)-(+)-DBCA
      and of renal excretion for (S)-(-)-DBCA.

PMID- 1432644
TI  - Effects of chronic ethanol ingestion on tissue elimination-phase kinetics of
      procainamide in rats.
AB  - The effects of chronic ethanol ingestion on the pharmacokinetics of procainamide
      in various tissues were studied. Ethanol-treated rats received ethanol at 4
      g/kg/day for an initial 7 days and then at 8 g/kg/day for the subsequent 21 days;
      control rats received isocaloric sucrose. After a single intravenous dose, the
      semilogarithmic procainamide concentration-time profiles observed in hearts and
      kidneys of both groups of rats were similar to the previously reported
      biexponential profiles of procainamide concentration in blood. This finding
      indicates a rapid distribution equilibrium of drug in both blood and these highly
      perfused tissues. The profiles of drug concentration in thigh muscle and fat of
      both groups of rats exhibited a drug-uptake phase during the initial 25-min
      period followed by a monoexponential decline in drug concentration. For all
      tissues, the slopes (beta values) of the curves of the drug concentration versus
      time were calculated on the basis of elimination-phase data, except for fat of
      control rats where the predominant elimination phase was not discernible. The
      beta values in hearts and thigh muscles of ethanol-treated rats were
      significantly higher than those in the corresponding tissues of control rats.
      These results are evaluated in light of previously reported effects of the same
      ethanol treatment on the distribution pharmacokinetics and the steady-state
      partition coefficients of the drug in these tissues. Possible mechanisms are
      proposed to account for these effects on the basis of the known diverse effects
      of chronic ethanol ingestion on the cellular compositions of individual organs
      and tissues.

PMID- 1432645
TI  - Use of scavenging oxygen-derived free radicals to protect the rat against aspirin
      and ethanol-induced erosive gastritis.
AB  - Oxygen-derived free radicals are cytotoxic and produce tissue damage. The effect
      of the radical scavengers allopurinol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on aspirin-
      and ethanol-induced acute gastric mucosal injury was studied in the rat.
      Orogastric instillation of aspirin at 200 mg/kg produced, after 4 h, gastric
      mucosal injury in 30% of rats without pyloric ligation [score, 3.1 +/- 0.8 mm2,
      mean +/- standard error of the mean (SEM); n = 10] and in 80% of rats with this
      ligation (score, 10.4 +/- 1.2 mm2, mean +/- SEM; n = 10). Gavage with 1 mL of 2
      or 5% allopurinol or DMSO at 24 h before and again just before aspirin
      administration completely protected rats with or without pyloric ligation against
      injury. Orogastric instillation of ethanol (1 mL of a 40% solution) produced,
      after 1 h, gastric mucosal injury in all rats with or without pyloric ligation
      (24.1 +/- 1.7 and 14.1 +/- 1.3 mm2, respectively, mean +/- SEM; n = 10). Gavage
      with 1 mL of 5% allopurinol or DMSO at 24 h before and again just before ethanol
      administration completely protected rats with or without pyloric ligation against
      injury. Protection against the aspirin- and ethanol-induced injury was not
      associated with any significant effect on the H+ output. The results suggest that
      oxygen-derived free radicals are directly implicated in the mechanism of aspirin-
      and ethanol-induced acute gastric mucosal injury and that scavenging these free
      radicals protects against injury by maintaining the integrity of the gastric
      mucosa.

PMID- 1432646
TI  - Measurement of haloperidol in human breast milk by high-performance liquid
      chromatography.
AB  - A high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the assay of
      haloperidol in human breast milk. The method involves rapid extraction of
      haloperidol and chromatography with a reversed-phase C18 column and a mobile
      phase of phosphate buffer (pH 4.0):acetonitrile (70:30, v/v). Moperone was used
      as the internal standard. Haloperidol and moperone were detected with ultraviolet
      detection at 254 nm. The sensitivity was 5 ng/mL of milk, and the standard curve
      was linear in the concentration range 5-250 ng/mL. The average interassay
      coefficient of variation for samples with drug in the concentration range 25-125
      ng/mL was less than 8.8%. The absolute recovery of haloperidol by the method was
      greater than 94.4%. No interference with endogenous substances in human milk was
      observed. The method was used to determine haloperidol levels in breast milk from
      patients undergoing chronic haloperidol treatment.

PMID- 1432647
TI  - Isolation and biological evaluation of potential cancer chemopreventive agents
      from ambrette musk residue.
AB  - Two nitroaromatic compounds, 1-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-3,5-dimethyl-2,4
      dinitrobenzene (1) and 1-[4-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-2,6-dimethyl-3,5
      dinitrophenyl]ethanone or musk ketone (2), were isolated from ambrette musk
      residue, which is widely used in the food and cosmetics industry. The ability of
      1 and 2 to induce increased activity of the detoxifying enzyme glutathione S
      transferase was tested in A/J mice. Enzyme induction in the cytosols of liver,
      forestomach, lung, colon, and small intestinal mucosa was determined. Biological
      evaluation revealed that both compounds exhibit high activity as glutathione S
      transferase inducers in liver and small intestinal mucosa. The effects of 1 and 2
      on the levels of acid-soluble sulfhydryl in the five mouse tissues were also
      determined. Both compounds slightly elevated sulfhydryl levels in the small
      intestinal mucosa but significantly decreased the sulfhydryl levels in the other
      tissues. Because the ability of anticarcinogenic compounds to induce an increase
      in the detoxifying enzyme activity correlates with their tumor inhibitory
      activity, 1 and 2 may be potential cancer chemopreventive agents.

PMID- 1432648
TI  - A new method for the estimation of the aqueous solubility of organic compounds.
AB  - Using a semiempirical quantum chemical method (AM1), various properties (dipole
      moment, charge distribution, geometrical parameters, etc.) of 331 compounds were
      calculated. Various linear functions of these properties and their combinations
      were fitted to reproduce experimental aqueous solubilities. An 18-parameter
      function was derived that is reasonably simple, yet appears to be able to
      describe the aqueous solubilities of a wide range of organic compounds. The
      parameter set is essentially the one used in a recent similar study of octanol
      water partition coefficients. The derived equation has important predictive
      value.

PMID- 1432649
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of glycyrrhizin after intravenous administration to rats.
AB  - A simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed to study
      the pharmacokinetics of glycyrrhizin in the rat after bolus intravenous
      administration at a dose of 20, 50, or 100 mg/kg. The decline in the
      concentration of glycyrrhizin in plasma was generally biexponential at each dose,
      but the terminal disposition became much slower as the dose was increased. A
      greater-than-proportional increase in the glycyrrhizin concentration in plasma
      was observed with an increase in the dose, a result suggesting a dose-dependent
      glycyrrhizin disposition. The disposition of drug in plasma at each dose fitted
      well to a two-compartment pharmacokinetic model. The apparent total body
      clearance decreased significantly with increases in the dose. On the other hand,
      the apparent distribution volume after intravenous administration was unaffected
      by the dose. The results indicate that the pharmacokinetics of glycyrrhizin is
      nonlinear.

PMID- 1432650
TI  - Synthesis and anti-inflammatory activity of 3-(benzylideneamino)coumarins in
      rodents.
AB  - A series of substituted 3-(benzylideneamino) coumarins was synthesized and
      evaluated for anti-inflammatory activity against carrageenan-induced edema in
      rats. Halogenated derivatives 4g and 4c, at oral doses of 100 mg/kg, showed 75
      and 60% antiedmatous activity, respectively (phenylbutazone antiedematous
      activity, 58%). The analgesic activity of 4g and 4c, based on inhibition of
      acetic acid-induced writhing in mice (67 and 62%, respectively, at oral doses of
      100 mg/kg) was comparable with that of aspirin (58%). However, these derivatives
      were devoid of antipyretic activity and showed low activity against adjuvant
      induced arthritis.

PMID- 1432651
TI  - Warfarin sodium. Practitioner beware.
AB  - The use of warfarin sodium in the US has increased dramatically over the last 40
      years. Warfarin sodium or Coumadin is the most popular oral anticoagulant used in
      the US. The podiatric physician frequently encounters patients taking this agent
      and therefore needs to understand its potential impact. This article will
      familiarize the reader with the history, pharmacology, clinical applications,
      side effects, and frequent drug interactions encountered with warfarin sodium.

PMID- 1432652
TI  - Rotational scarf (Z) osteotomy bunionectomy for correction of high
      intermetatarsal angles.
AB  - A modification of the scarf osteotomy bunionectomy is described. The modification
      involves a change in the movement of the osseous fragments from lateral
      transposition to lateral rotation of the metatarsal head fragment around a
      stationary axis at the metatarsal base. Rotation of the distal fragment in this
      manner allows greater than 50% transposition and, therefore, higher
      intermetatarsal angle corrections can be obtained as compared to a
      transpositional scarf osteotomy. The configuration of the scarf osteotomy is more
      stable to the stress of weightbearing than the closing base wedge osteotomy, and
      this modification can provide a useful alternative to closing base wedge
      osteotomy for the correction of severe hallux valgus deformity.

PMID- 1432653
TI  - Treatment of lower extremity infections in diabetics.
AB  - The infected diabetic lower extremity has enjoyed a surge in popularity in the
      medical literature. There have been numerous papers outlining classification
      systems for ulcer depth, surgical approaches, and microbiology. Discussions on
      antibiotic use have usually been directed toward therapy of the "diabetic foot
      infections" as a group, without regard to differences in severity and location of
      these infections. These infections can vary from the most superficial of
      processes to a severe life- and limb-threatening sepsis. The author presents a
      review of the processes involved in the diabetic lower extremity infection and
      suggests a classification system for selection of empiric antibiotic therapy
      based on the severity of the infection.

PMID- 1432654
TI  - Effect of rearfoot posts in reducing forefoot forces. A single-subject design.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a semirigid foot
      orthosis with a varus wedge on forefoot vertical forces in a 24-year-old female
      with a compensated rearfoot varus deformity. The results of this study indicate
      that the use of total contact semirigid foot orthoses reduces the forefoot force
      time integral during walking, whether a rearfoot varus wedge was or was not used.
      The authors recommend that total contact construction of the foot orthoses be
      considered when a reduction of the forces acting on the forefoot is the goal of
      treatment.

PMID- 1432655
TI  - Current diagnostic and radiographic assessment of tendo Achillis rupture.
AB  - The literature is replete with current clinical evaluation techniques of tendo
      Achillis rupture. An overview of the etiologies, diagnosis, radiographic
      evaluation, and treatment modes, either surgical or conservative, is presented
      with a brief description of two lesser known techniques: the knee flexion
      examination and needle test.

PMID- 1432656
TI  - Onychia of a macronychia in congenital aphalangia.

PMID- 1432658
TI  - Kaposi's sarcoma of the foot. A case presentation.

PMID- 1432657
TI  - Ciprofloxacin in the treatment of Mycobacterium fortuitum infection of the
      peroneal tendons. A case report.
AB  - In the case reported, M. fortuitum was sensitive in vitro to amikacin,
      erythromycin, tobramycin, and ciprofloxacin. Because the patient did not respond
      to long-term therapy with amikacin and erythromycin, an experimental antibiotic,
      ciprofloxacin, was tried. Only after extensive surgical debridement and 2 1/2
      months of oral ciprofloxacin therapy was the infection eradicated and wound
      healing obtained. The authors conclude that a wound that has reopened, but
      remains indolent, exudes a clear, serous drainage and responds poorly to
      antibiotics should suggest a possible mycobacterial infection. Combination
      antibiotic therapy is recommended because of the high rate of relapse and
      development of resistance to drugs. Extensive surgical debridement of all
      infected tissue remains the primary treatment. The therapeutic value of
      ciprofloxacin and other newer antibiotics in the treatment of mycobacterial
      infection is promising.

PMID- 1432659
TI  - Management of complications associated with an excision of a lipoma from the
      ankle.
AB  - This case study demonstrates the following: close proximity of lipoma to
      underlined skin can compromise circulation; the size of the lipoma and the
      resulting redundant skin after the incision can lead to fluid development and
      impede the healing process; and a patient who is noncompliant and stands or walks
      excessively after the excision of a lipoma can cause buildup of a hematoma, which
      can compromise the incision site. Lipomas associated with the foot or ankle are
      rarely symptomatic. When they do cause pain and are surgically treated, possible
      complications because of their size and location must be considered. Finally,
      these complications could have been avoided if the redundant skin had been
      excised and a Penrose drain inserted to eliminate excess fluid buildup. Also,
      better communication should have been maintained with the patient during the
      entire postoperative course.

PMID- 1432660
TI  - Podiatric literature.

PMID- 1432661
TI  - Combined surgery for glaucoma and cataract.

PMID- 1432662
TI  - Loop memory of posterior chamber intraocular lenses of various sizes, designs,
      and loop materials.
AB  - Looped intraocular lenses (IOLs) fixate by exerting centripetal pressure on the
      ocular tissues. The ability of the flexible loops to maintain pressure depends on
      their rigidity (i.e., resistance to flexion) and their "memory" (i.e., ability to
      restore original configuration after a long period of compression). We studied
      the memory of 30 different posterior chamber IOLs, with loops made of
      polypropylene (PP) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), of various diameters,
      styles, and designs. The lenses were inserted into plastic wells, 9.5 mm in
      diameter, and immersed in water (37 degrees C) for one month. They were then
      placed on an open plate and allowed to re-expand for one month. Loop memory was
      calculated as the difference in diameter between the initial (pretest)
      measurement and measurements taken during the compression and release periods.
      The results showed that short (12.0 to 12.5 mm) IOLs had relatively better memory
      than longer (13.5 to 14.0 mm) IOLs. Those with PP loops expanded more and for
      longer periods than those comparable size and design with PMMA loops. One-piece,
      all-PMMA lenses exhibited the best loop memory. These lenses have the high
      rigidity of the PMMA material and the good memory of the design. Thus, the total
      IOL diameter can be reduced to 12.0 mm while providing long-term constant
      pressure on the capsular bag to maintain stable fixation.

PMID- 1432663
TI  - Comparison of shape recovery ratios in various intraocular lens haptics.
AB  - Since understanding the mechanical properties of intraocular lens (IOL) haptic
      materials can minimize decentration after surgery, we have examined shape
      recovery ratios of various intraocular lens haptics (polypropylene [PP],
      polyvinylidene fluoride [PVDF], extruded poly(methyl methacrylate) [PMMA])
      currently on the market under conditions that approximate clinical use. The
      results using various Ascon lens-holding forceps and compression tests, during
      which the lenses were held in a cylindrical holder for seven days, one month, and
      three months, indicated that PVDF haptics had better shape recovery capability
      than PP and extruded three-piece PMMA haptics.

PMID- 1432664
TI  - Aqueous humor analysis after Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy with the laser flare-cell
      meter.
AB  - Using the laser flare-cell meter (Kowa FC-1000), we conducted a prospective study
      analyzing the effect of Nd:YAG posterior capsulotomy on the quantity of aqueous
      particles, aqueous flare, and intraocular pressure in 65 eyes (58 patients).
      Aqueous particles increased at six hours, followed by flare rise which was
      significant at 18 hours after capsulotomy. Only 22 eyes (34%) had a significant
      flare rise over prelaser values. Anti-inflammatory therapy was necessary in only
      one patient. The mean intraocular pressure value did not rise significantly after
      capsulotomy. Acute intraocular hypertension (AIOHT) (> 7 mm Hg increase) occurred
      between three and six hours after laser therapy in 12 patients (19%), was related
      in time to particle rise, and always responded to a single dose of acetazolamide.
      Acute intraocular hypertension was strongly correlated with elevated aqueous
      particles (P < .0001) and somewhat correlated with flare rise (P < .036), but was
      not correlated with the intraocular lens position (bag or sulcus fixation). Our
      findings strongly suggest that trabecular meshwork clogging by debris generated
      by the capsulotomy is the mechanism at the origin of AIOHT.

PMID- 1432665
TI  - Effect of preoperative YAG laser anterior capsulotomy on the incidence of
      posterior capsule opacification: ten year follow-up.
AB  - One hundred twenty-two patients, who were followed for ten years, had bilateral
      extracapsular cataract surgery with implantation of J-looped posterior chamber
      lenses between 1980 and 1981. On the first eye an anterior capsulotomy was
      performed with a pico-second YAG laser 12 to 20 hours before surgery; on the
      second eye a capsulotomy was performed manually at the time of surgery. Four of
      the eyes (3.27%) with laser capsulotomies had opacified posterior capsules after
      ten years; 61 of the eyes (50.00%) with manual capsulotomies had opacified
      capsules that had to be opened with a YAG laser.

PMID- 1432666
TI  - Effect of neodymium:YAG laser photodisruption on intraocular lenses in vitro.
AB  - Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) based intraocular lenses (IOLs) such as
      injection-molded PMMA and lathe-cut PMMA IOLs and soft IOLs such as silicone and
      poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate)(polyHEMA) IOLs were tested for vulnerability to
      Nd:YAG laser photodisruption. The laser beam was focused on the posterior surface
      and inside of the IOLs in balanced salt solution. Cracks and central defects with
      radiating fractures were observed in PMMA IOLs; blistered lesions and localized
      pits were observed in silicone and polyHEMA IOLs, respectively. A molten edge
      surrounding the large hole, which was an indication of the thermal effect of the
      laser, was observed in the injection-molded PMMA while only a minute lesion was
      found in the polyHEMA IOL which contained 38% water. The size of the superficial
      damage of the IOL increased as the power of laser irradiation increased and PMMA
      IOLs showed greater damage than soft IOLs (P < .05).

PMID- 1432667
TI  - Antiplatelet therapy and cataract surgery.
AB  - To gain information about patients who continue antiplatelet therapy while having
      cataract surgery, we performed a prospective, nonrandomized study. Twenty-four of
      60 phacoemulsification procedures were performed on patients who were receiving
      medications with antiplatelet activity prior to surgery and who continued to
      receive the medications for the duration of the study. The remaining 36
      procedures were performed on patients who received no medications with
      antiplatelet activity prior to surgery. One patient in the antiplatelet therapy
      group had a limited peribulbar hemorrhage, and one patient not receiving
      antiplatelet therapy had a postoperative hyphema. Postoperative subconjunctival
      hemorrhages were more common in the antiplatelet therapy group (P = .001). No
      patient in the antiplatelet therapy group had late postoperative complications.
      No differences in postoperative visual acuity or intraocular pressure were
      observed between the groups. Our results demonstrate that phacoemulsification and
      posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation can be performed without serious
      complications in some patients who continue to use antiplatelet therapy. However,
      our sample sizes were too small to determine whether such therapy is associated
      with any increased risk of rare but serious hemorrhagic complications.

PMID- 1432668
TI  - Fluorescent viscoelastic enhancement.
AB  - By inserting an Erreger 485 exciter filter into the operating microscope,
      translucent yellow Healon (sodium hyaluronate) transforms into a brilliant opaque
      green viscoelastic. We have developed this technique and termed it "fluorescent
      viscoelastic enhancement." Using the technique, we demonstrated that the time
      required to remove Healon from the anterior chamber after intraocular lens
      insertion varies. Healon is usually aspirated quickly, in less than 17 seconds.
      Otherwise it traps behind the intraocular lens and requires more time for
      irrigation/aspiration (I/A) and manipulation of the I/A tip. Fluorescent
      viscoelastic enhancement minimized I/A time, reducing excess turbulence and
      manipulation in the anterior chamber, and thus may reduce corneal endothelial
      cell loss. This study also demonstrated that fluorescent viscoelastic enhancement
      prevented postoperative intraocular pressure rise, compared to the conventional
      removal of clear Healon. Fluorescent viscoelastic enhancement assures the surgeon
      that a large amount of Healon is not left behind.

PMID- 1432669
TI  - Visual outcome following complicated extracapsular cataract extraction.
AB  - In a prospective study of 1,597 consecutive extracapsular cataract extractions
      (ECCE), we review 49 cases complicated by capsular or zonular rupture with or
      without vitreous loss. The ECCEs were divided into two groups depending on the
      type of intraocular lens (IOL) implanted. In Group A, whose patients received an
      anterior chamber lens, we found a significantly (P < .05, t-test) worse
      postoperative visual acuity than in Group B whose patients received a posterior
      chamber lens. We therefore suggest that in the presence of a capsular tear and
      vitreous loss, one should try to implant a posterior chamber lens rather than an
      anterior chamber lens to obtain as good a visual acuity as possible.

PMID- 1432670
TI  - Combined trabeculectomy, cataract extraction, and foldable lens implantation.
AB  - The efficacy of foldable silicone intraocular lenses in combined
      glaucoma/cataract surgery was retrospectively analyzed in 19 consecutive
      operations. Preoperatively all patients were receiving medical treatment for
      glaucoma; 21% had intraocular pressures above 21 mm Hg despite the medical
      therapy. Postoperatively, reduction of intraocular pressure to 21 mm Hg or less
      was achieved in 84% of eyes, with 58% requiring no antiglaucoma medications. Mean
      improvement of Snellen visual acuity was 4.9 lines; 84% of eyes achieved a final
      acuity of 20/40 or better. Median follow-up was 59 weeks (range 25 to 88 weeks).
      Thirteen eyes (68%) had a filtration bleb present when last examined. These
      preliminary results suggest that foldable silicone IOLs are an effective
      alternative to poly(methyl methacrylate) lenses in combined glaucoma/cataract
      surgery.

PMID- 1432671
TI  - Incidence of postoperative posterior capsular opacification with types of senile
      cataracts.
AB  - The most frequent postoperative complication in extracapsular cataract surgery is
      opacification of the posterior capsule. The purpose of this study was to
      correlate the frequency of capsular opacification with each kind of senile
      cataract. A total of 566 eyes with cataracts were studied. They had been operated
      on between 1980 and 1990 using the extracapsular, intercapsular, and
      phacoemulsification techniques. Our results confirm that senile complete
      cataracts (mature cataracts) had a significantly lower tendency to produce
      postoperative capsular opacification than other cataract types (nuclear,
      cortical, posterior subcapsular).

PMID- 1432672
TI  - Panoramic specular microscopy of lens epithelial cells in the postoperative
      pseudophakic eye.
AB  - Using the Konan-Keeler specular microscope, panoramic specular microscopy
      covering almost one quadrant of the anterior capsule was performed. Regional
      changes in the retained lens epithelial cells were recorded and compared
      simultaneously. The nearer the rim of the anterior capsular opening, the greater
      the decrease of cell density, increase of average cell size, and variety of cell
      size. The results indicate that the first postoperative changes in lens
      epithelial cells following phacoemulsification with subsequent capsular bag
      intraocular lens implantation occur in the area close to the anterior capsular
      opening, with subsequent changes in peripheral areas.

PMID- 1432673
TI  - Refractive bifocal intraocular lens and pupillary diameter.
AB  - To assess the relationship between pupillary diameter and focusing for distance
      and near vision with the refractive bifocal intraocular lens (IOL), we studied
      visual acuity for far and near distance, near point, and depth of focus with
      normal pupillary movements and after pharmacological miosis and mydriasis
      (pilocarpine 2% and phenylephrine 10% eyedrops, respectively) in 20 patients
      implanted with an IOLAB refractive bifocal IOL. Pharmacological miosis and
      mydriasis did not change far and near visual acuity values from the values with
      normal pupillary diameter. After pharmacological miosis, the near point position
      and the width of the depth of focus were unchanged. After pharmacological
      mydriasis, near point distance was unchanged but depth of focus dropped in a
      statistically significant manner (P < .01). We concluded that the pupillary
      diameter alone cannot produce distance or near vision focusing. The choice
      depends on the brain's preference. Pupillary diameter increases the quality of
      vision through the blur circles mechanism.

PMID- 1432674
TI  - In vitro adhesion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus to surface
      passivated poly(methyl methacrylate) intraocular lenses.
AB  - Bacterial attachment to intraocular lenses (IOLs) can be a cause of infectious
      endophthalmitis following cataract surgery. In this study, Pseudomonas aeruginosa
      and Staphylococcus aureus adhered in vitro to untreated poly(methyl methacrylate)
      (PMMA) and to surface passivated PMMA lenses. The IOLs were placed in bacterial
      suspensions (1 x 10(7) cfu/ml) in vitro. Significantly fewer S. aureus attached
      (P < .05) to the normal PMMA IOLs (4,535 +/- [SD] 3,052 bacteria/mm2) and to
      passivated PMMA IOLs (8,720 +/- 10,040 bacteria/mm2) than did P. aeruginosa
      (normal PMMA: 67,808 +/- 45,070 bacteria/mm2, passivated PMMA: 85,795 +/- 70,647
      bacteria/mm2). The differences in bacterial attachment to surface passivated IOLs
      and to untreated PMMA lenses were not significant.

PMID- 1432676
TI  - Optical testing and inspection methodology for modern intraocular lenses.
AB  - A method of in vitro optical performance evaluation of intraocular lenses (IOLs)
      is discussed. The IOLs are tested in the eye cell, which is designed to be
      optically equivalent to the theoretical eye model. The eye cell is a combination
      of a wet cell and the optical element (the "conjugation lens") that converges a
      beam of light, similar to the action of the cornea in the theoretical eye model.
      The eye cell is designed so the spatial frequency scale (modulation transfer
      frequency [MTF] testing), expressed in terms of line pairs per millimeter (linear
      scale), equals the scale produced by the theoretical eye model. The most common
      way to express spatial frequencies in visual science is in line pairs per degree
      or cycles per degree (angular scale). The problem with in vitro testing is that
      the corresponding angular scale varies with the dioptric power of the conjugation
      lens. This paper provides a simple method of mapping the angular scale of the eye
      cell onto the theoretical eye model, allowing a comparison with clinical results
      as well as with MTFs measured in different eye cells. All corresponding formula
      for calculating the eye cell optical characteristics are provided.

PMID- 1432675
TI  - Cellular reaction following cataract surgery with implantation of the heparin
      surface-modified intraocular lens in rabbits with experimental uveitis.
AB  - The inflammatory response after cataract surgery and intraocular lens (IOL)
      implantation was studied in rabbits with endotoxin-induced uveitis. On days 1, 3,
      7, 14, and 30 postoperatively the rabbits were sacrificed and the number of white
      blood cells in the aqueous humor and cellular deposits on the IOLs were
      estimated. On days 14 and 30 the rabbits also had slitlamp examination to study
      the clinical outcome of the surgery. At day 1 after lens extraction and IOL
      implantation, the number of white blood cells in the aqueous humor was
      significantly lower (P < .05) in eyes with heparin-surface-modified (HSM) IOLs
      (795.2 +/- 262.9; mean +/- SEM) than in eyes with poly(methyl methacrylate)
      (PMMA) lenses (1386.5 +/- 247.9). No differences were seen at day 3, 7, 14, or 30
      postoperatively. The choice of IOL material had no effect on the amount of cell
      deposits on the IOL surface or on clinical parameters such as anterior synechias,
      posterior synechias, fibrosis, and posterior capsular opacification. There was a
      trend toward a greater number of cellular deposits on the PMMA lenses, but this
      was not statistically significant. This study provides further evidence of
      improved biocompatibility of the HSM PMMA lens, as demonstrated by a decreased
      acute inflammatory response.

PMID- 1432677
TI  - Down slope sculpting.
AB  - A method of sculpting and fracturing that greatly enhances the efficiency and
      safety of in-situ nuclear fracturing (nucleofractis) techniques is presented. By
      nudging the nucleus of the lens inferiorly, sculpting can be accomplished very
      deep in the upper part of the lens to facilitate early and efficient fracturing.
      The benefits, advantages, and safety of this "down slope" sculpting technique are
      described.

PMID- 1432678
TI  - Simplified insertion technique for the SI-26NB intraocular lens.
AB  - Inserting the 13 mm SI-26NB intraocular lens is a challenging task complicated by
      the need to tuck the modified C-configuration haptics within a folded optic. This
      step causes undue stress on the haptic and may result in asymmetrical distortion
      and subsequent decentration. Excluding this step simplifies the technique, as
      well as decreases the degree of acute angle stress on the haptic as it is passed
      through the scleral tunnel.

PMID- 1432679
TI  - Mechanics of capsulorhexis.
AB  - Continuous (central, circular) curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC), first introduced
      by Gimbel and Neuhann, has become increasingly popular, especially for
      endolenticular phacoemulsification with intracapsular intraocular lens
      implantation. The principles of simple mechanics are used to facilitate teaching
      the procedure and to reduce the incidence of complications. A safe and simple
      method of performing CCC based on these principles is described.

PMID- 1432680
TI  - Consultation section. Increasing and significant difficulty with reading and
      driving at night.

PMID- 1432681
TI  - Effect of captopril and the nonpeptide angiotensin II antagonists, SK&F 108566
      and EXP3174, on renal function in dogs with a renal artery stenosis.
AB  - Treatment with an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor can result in
      acute renal failure in patients with a renal artery stenosis. In the present
      study the effects of the selective nonpeptide angiotensin II antagonists, SK&F
      108566 ((E)-alpha-[[2-Butyl-1-[(4-carboxyphenyl)methyl]-1H-imidazol-5-yl]
      methylene]-2-thiophenepropanoic acid) and EXP3174 (2-n-Butyl-4-chloro-1-[(2'-(1H
      tetrazol-5-yl)-biphenyl-4-yl) methyl]imidazole-5-carboxylic acid hydrochloride)
      (the active metabolite of DuP 753, losartan) were compared with the ACE
      inhibitor, captopril, in the anesthetized dog which had been uninephrectomized
      and the remaining renal artery clamped to reduce renal blood flow (RBF) by
      approximately 50%. All three agents resulted in dose-dependent reductions in mean
      arterial pressure (MAP), glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and RBF. The maximum
      responses to captopril and SK&F 108566 were similar with MAP, RBF and GFR all
      decreasing approximately 30%. EXP3174 also resulted in decreases in GFR and RBF
      of approximately 30%; however, there was a smaller (approximately 17%) decrease
      in MAP. The data indicate that the possible bradykinin enhancing activity of ACE
      inhibitors may not provide any moderating activity of ACE inhibitor-induced
      reduction in GFR observed in dogs with a renal artery stenosis.

PMID- 1432682
TI  - Effect of FR121196, a novel cognitive enhancer, on the memory impairment of rats
      in passive avoidance and radial arm maze tasks.
AB  - Passive avoidance performance was impaired in young rats by scopolamine (1.0
      mg/kg) or by nucleus basalis magnocellularis lesions and in aged rats (24-26
      months old). FR121196[N-(4-acetyl-1-piperazinyl)-4-fluorobenzenesulfonamide+ ++],
      a newly introduced cognitive enhancer, ameliorated the failure in memory
      retention with bell-shaped dose-response curves in doses ranging from 0.1 to 10
      mg/kg. Similar dose-response curves also were obtained with methamphetamine (0.1
      10 mg/kg), whereas physostigmine (0.01-1.0 mg/kg) attenuated the amnesia in
      scopolamine-treated rats, but hardly affected that in nucleus basalis
      magnocellularis-lesioned or aged rats. In radial arm maze tasks, behavioral
      indices of spatial memory, such as first correct choices and number of errors,
      were impaired by an injection of scopolamine (0.5 mg/kg) or by lesions of the
      medial septum or fimbria-fornix. FR121196 ameliorated the scopolamine-induced
      memory deficit with a bell-shaped dose-response curve, whereas methamphetamine
      had the opposite effect. These two drugs had little effect on memory deficits
      brought about by medial septum or fimbria-fornix lesioning, whereas physostigmine
      ameliorated these deficits in scopolamine-treated and medial septum-lesioned
      rats, but not in fimbria-fornix-lesioned rats. Behavioral studies using Animex
      demonstrated that FR121196, in contrast with methamphetamine, does not increase
      locomotor activities in rats up to a dose of 10 mg/kg. These results are
      discussed in relation to the cholinergic and dopaminergic mechanisms of memory.

PMID- 1432683
TI  - L-dopa induces opposing effects on pain in intact rats: (-)-sulpiride, SCH 23390
      or alpha-methyl-DL-p-tyrosine methylester hydrochloride reveals profound
      hyperalgesia in large antinociceptive doses.
AB  - The present study shows that during the time course of the action of single
      doses, L-dopa induces multiphasic opposing effects on pain, recorded as
      vocalization during the presentation of electrical stimulation applied to the
      tail of normal rats. This indicates that two or more functional systems
      contribute to produce the net response. A small dose (15 mg/kg) of L-dopa
      facilitates pain slightly, whereas larger doses (100-200 mg/kg) can produce an
      antinociceptive effect following an initial hyperalgesia. Moreover, profound
      hyperalgesia is revealed by either dopamine (DA) D1 and D2 receptor blockade by
      means of SCH 23390 [R-(+)-7-chloro-8-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetra
      hydro-1H- 3-benzazepine hydrochloride] or (-)-sulpiride, respectively, as well as
      after a reduction of the presynaptic synthesis of catecholamines after
      pretreatment of the animals with the tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor alpha-methyl
      DL-p-tyrosine (alpha-MPT). The enhancement of L-dopa's hyperalgesic effect after
      SCH 23390 treatment is maximal already at the onset of the effects, whereas (-)
      sulpiride or alpha-methyl-DL-p-tyrosine precipitates the hyperalgesia after a
      certain temporal delay during defined phases of the time course of the effects of
      large L-dopa doses. The D1 receptor agonist (+)-SKF 38393 potentiates both the
      hyperalgesic and antinociceptive effects of 100 mg/kg of L-dopa. It is suggested
      that L-dopa's net effect on pain is modulated from concentration-dependent,
      opposing effector systems involving both DA stimulatory and inhibitory receptor
      mechanisms. At high dosing, activation of D2 receptors enhancing DA functional
      activity produces an antinociceptive response that normally outweighs the
      hyperalgesia, but this effect becomes dissociable with inhibition of central DA
      activity.

PMID- 1432684
TI  - Effects of chronic treatment with ethanol on the development of cross-tolerance
      to other alcohols and pentobarbital.
AB  - The development of cross-tolerance to various alcohols and pentobarbital was
      examined in ethanol (EtOH)-treated mice. Chronic EtOH treatment (dosage rising in
      steps from 3.5-4.5 g/kg i.p. daily during a 23-day period) produced tolerance to
      its hypnotic effect. Such tolerance was seen as a reduction in the duration of
      loss of righting reflex (LRR), as well as higher blood EtOH levels at the offset
      of LRR, in EtOH-treated mice as compared to saline-treated controls. Cross
      tolerance was shown by shifts in dose-response curves for the LRR induced by n
      propanol and t-butanol. Such treatment, however, did not confer functional cross
      tolerance to n-butanol and pentobarbital. Because n-butanol and pentobarbital are
      more lipid-soluble, whereas EtOH, n-propanol and t-butanol have low degrees of
      lipid solubility, the development of cross-tolerance among these sedative
      hypnotic drugs might be related to their relative degrees of lipid solubility.

PMID- 1432685
TI  - 5-Hydroxytryptamine 1a receptor agonists block prepulse inhibition of acoustic
      startle reflex.
AB  - Presentation of a nonstartling stimulus (prepulse) 100 msec before a startle
      eliciting auditory stimulus (pulse) reduces startle reflex amplitude in mammals.
      Prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle reflex is smaller in schizophrenics than
      in nonschizophrenics, a phenomenon that has been hypothesized to reflect
      sensorimotor gating deficits underlying schizophrenic psychosis. Five 5
      hydroxytryptamine1a (5-HT1a, serotonin) receptor agonists: 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n
      propylamino) tetraline (8-OHDPAT), 5-methoxydimethyltryptamine, buspirone,
      gepirone and ipsapirone, were tested for effects on prepulse inhibition and
      startle reflex amplitude in rats. All five agents reduced prepulse inhibition at
      doses that had no effect on startle reflex amplitude or motor activity. Reduction
      of prepulse inhibition by 8-OHDPAT was antagonized by (-)propranolol, a 5-HT1a
      receptor antagonist, and partially by haloperidol, a dopamine D2 receptor
      antagonist, but not by ketanserin or methysergide, 5-HT2 receptor antagonists. 8
      OHDPAT did not reduce prepulse inhibition in subjects pretreated with reserpine
      or tetrabenazine to deplete neuronal amines, but interpretation of this result is
      complicated because reserpine and tetrabenazine given alone reduced prepulse
      inhibition. The results indicate that 5-HT1a receptor agonists block prepulse
      inhibition of acoustic startle reflex, possibly via dopaminergic mechanisms.

PMID- 1432686
TI  - Tolerance to the cataleptic effect of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor
      antagonists in pigeons: cross-tolerance between PCP-like compounds and
      competitive NMDA antagonists.
AB  - The effects of chronic administration of phencyclidine (PCP) or CGS 19755 (cis-4
      phosphonomethyl-2-piperidine-carboxylic acid) on the cataleptic effects of N
      methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists were studied in pigeons. PCP, a
      channel blocker of the NMDA receptor complex, or CGS 19755, a competitive NMDA
      antagonist, was administered i.m. to separate groups of pigeons each day.
      Tolerance developed to the cataleptic effects in both PCP- and CGS 19755-treated
      pigeons. PCP tolerance was characterized initially by 5-fold rightward shift and,
      with an increased chronic PCP dose, a complete downward shift of the PCP dose
      effect curve. CGS 19755 tolerance was indicated by a 10-fold rightward shift of
      its dose-cataleptic effect curve. Cross-tolerance was obtained from PCP to other
      PCP-like compounds including dizocilpine (MK 801), ketamine, dextrorphan, 1-(2
      thienyl)-cyclohexyl-piperidine and [(+)-SKF 10047] [(+)-N-allyl-normetazocine] as
      well as to the competitive NMDA antagonist, CGS 19755. Cross-tolerance also
      developed from CGS 19755 to another competitive NMDA antagonist, CGP 40116 [D-(E)
      2-amino-4-methyl-5-phosphono-3-pentenoic acid] as well as to PCP-like compounds.
      The pharmacological selectivity of tolerance was evident because there was equal
      sensitivity to etomidate or pentobarbital in tolerant and nontolerant pigeons.
      The symmetric cross-tolerance between PCP-like compounds and competitive NMDA
      antagonists suggests the cataleptic effects of the two classes of NMDA
      antagonists are probably mediated via a similar mechanism of inhibition of
      neurotransmission at the NMDA excitatory synapse.

PMID- 1432687
TI  - Prolonged stimulation of bovine adrenal chromaffin cells with arachidonic acid
      and prostaglandin E2 increases expression of the proenkephalin gene and the
      secretion of [Met5]-enkephalin.
AB  - The effects of long-term exposure of bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin (BAMC)
      cells to arachidonic acid (AA) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) on [Met5]-enkephalin
      (ME) secretion and expression of the proenkephalin A (proENK) gene were studied.
      Treatment with various concentrations of AA or PGE2 for 24 hr increased the
      secretion of ME in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. At high
      concentrations (10-100 microM), but not low (1-3 microM), AA significantly
      increased ME secretion by 1 hr. In contrast, the onset time for increase of ME
      secretion by PGE2 was 3 hr after exposure. The magnitude of increase in ME
      secretion in the presence of AA or PGE2 continued to increase with time. However,
      intracellular ME levels in AA- or PGE2-treated cells were not significantly
      different from that of controls, indicating that elevated levels of ME secretion
      into the media may be a result of increased biosynthesis of ME. In addition, AA
      or PGE2 increased proENK mRNA level in a concentration- and time-dependent
      manner. The onset time for the increase in proENK mRNA in response to PGE2 was 6
      hr after exposure. The treatment of BAMC cells with 20 microM cycloheximide (a
      protein synthesis inhibitor) inhibited both the increased secretion of ME and
      proENK mRNA level induced by AA and PGE2 in a time-dependent manner, indicating
      that the delayed secretion of ME and the increase in proENK mRNA level induced by
      AA and PGE2 require protein synthesis. Indomethacin (a cyclooxygenase inhibitor,
      10 microM) effectively inhibited AA-induced responses, whereas 10 microM
      nordihydroguaiaretic acid (a lipoxygenase inhibitor) was inactive.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432688
TI  - Effects of in vivo and in vitro administration of morphine sulfate upon rhesus
      macaque polymorphonuclear cell phagocytosis and chemotaxis.
AB  - The effects of morphine administration were evaluated upon the polymorphonuclear
      (PMN) cell activities of rhesus macaques. Sixteen animals were used in the study.
      Seven macaques were treated with saline and nine animals were administered
      morphine in the form of morphine sulfate, following a control period of saline
      injections. The dosage regime was initiated at 1 mg of morphine sulfate per kg of
      b.wt., 3 times daily, with incremental steps to a stable dose of 5 mg/kg, 3 times
      daily. PMN cells prepared from morphine-treated animals showed a marked,
      transient reduction in their ability to kill ingested yeast blastospores,
      although the ingestive capacity of the PMN cells was not impaired. PMN cells
      prepared from three of the nine morphine-treated animals showed a transient
      reduction in chemotaxis toward a complement-derived chemotactic factor. In vitro
      studies on PMN cells prepared from morphine-naive animals suggested that the
      killing activity and the chemotaxis of the cells were reduced by treatment with
      50 pM morphine sulfate, but not with 50 fmol of morphine sulfate.

PMID- 1432689
TI  - Platelet-activating factor stimulates arachidonic acid release and enhances
      thromboxane B2 production in intact fetal rat brain ex vivo.
AB  - The ability of brain preparations from 20-day-old rat fetuses to synthesize
      eicosanoids in the presence of platelet activating factor (PAF) was investigated.
      A rise (49%) in thromboxane B2 (TxB2; the stable thromboxane A2 metabolite) was
      observed after 30 min in the presence of 0.6 microM PAF. Repetitive
      administration of PAF did not rise TxB2 production above a certain level,
      suggesting desensitization. 1-O-alkyl, sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (lyso-PAF) at
      0.6 microM had no effect, whereas selective PAF antagonists, i.e., BN52021,
      BN50739 and BN50727, or indomethacin, a general cyclooxygenase inhibitor, blocked
      completely TxB2 synthesis. The calcium ionophore A23187 (10 microM) stimulated
      production of TxB2, prostaglandin E2 and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha
      eicosanoids, whereas extracellular calcium deprivation did not impair eicosanoid
      release. The effects of PAF and A23187 on TxB2 synthesis were not additive and
      were not dependent on extracellular calcium. Chelation of intracellular Ca++ by
      Fluo-3/AM reduced production of TxB2 and prostaglandin E2 eicosanoids. Fluo-3/AM
      also blocked effectively PAF-dependent TxB2 release, indicating that production
      of TxB2 was almost entirely dependent on free intracellular calcium levels. PAF
      dependent changes in brain phospholipids, prelabeled with [3H]arachidonic acid,
      were examined. One hour after in vivo injection of the isotope, fetal brains were
      removed and incubated in vitro for 30 min with carbamyl-PAF. Radioactivity in
      arachidonic acid and diglyceride fractions increased (35% and 30%, respectively),
      whereas radioactivity in phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and
      phosphatidylinositol decreased. BN50726 antagonist abolished the effect of PAF.
      The radioactivity in poly-phosphoinositides was diminished (30-40% decrease)
      after PAF addition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432690
TI  - Effects of various serotonin receptor subtype-selective antagonists alone and on
      m-chlorophenylpiperazine-induced neuroendocrine changes in rats.
AB  - Administration of m-chlorophenylpiperazine [m-CPP, a serotonin (5-HT) agonist] to
      rats increases plasma concentrations of prolactin and corticosterone.
      Pretreatment with various doses of ritanserin (5-HT1C/5-HT2 antagonist), ICS 205
      930 and MDL-72222 (5-HT3 antagonists), iodocyanopindolol or CG361A (beta
      adrenoceptor antagonists) and spiperone (5-HT1A/5-HT2 antagonist) did not
      attenuate m-CPP-induced increases in plasma concentrations of prolactin. In
      contrast, pretreatment with various doses of metergoline (5-HT1/5-HT2
      antagonist), propranolol (beta adrenoceptor antagonist that also has binding
      affinity for 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B and 5-HT1C sites), mesulergine and mianserin (5
      HT1C/5-HT2 antagonists) attenuated m-CPP-induced increases in plasma prolactin.
      On the other hand, m-CPP-induced increases in corticosterone concentrations were
      attenuated only by pretreatment with a low dose of mianserin and a high dose of
      spiperone. When administered without m-CPP, metergoline, mesulergine, ritanserin,
      ICS 205-930 and high doses of mianserin, spiperone and propranolol increased
      plasma corticosterone secretion. On the other hand, none of the antagonists used
      in the present study, except spiperone, had any significant effect on plasma
      prolactin secretion. These findings suggest that m-CPP-induced prolactin
      secretion is mediated by stimulation of 5-HT1C receptors while corticosterone
      secretion may be mediated either by an antagonistic effect at 5-HT3 receptor
      subtype or by nonserotonergic mechanisms. Alternatively, enhancement of
      corticosterone secretion by the 5-HT antagonists when administered alone may be
      responsible for their failure to block m-CPP-induced corticosterone
      secretion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432691
TI  - Functional analysis of brain dopamine systems in a genetic mouse model of Lesch
      Nyhan syndrome.
AB  - The Lesch-Nyhan syndrome is a neurogenetic disorder caused by congenital
      deficiency of the purine salvage enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine
      phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT). The disorder is characterized by prominent
      neurobehavioral abnormalities which appear to result in part from dysfunction of
      striatal dopamine systems. HPRT-deficient (HPRT-) mutant strains of mice have
      been produced as animal models for this syndrome, but these animals exhibit none
      of the neurobehavioral abnormalities seen in Lesch-Nyhan patients. The present
      studies describe the behavioral responses of three strains of mice carrying one
      of two mutations in the HPRT gene to agents which interact with brain dopamine
      systems. HPRT- mice are more sensitive than age- and sex-matched littermates to
      the motor-activating properties of dopamine-releasing agents (amphetamine,
      amfonelic acid and methylphenidate), but not dopamine uptake inhibitors (GBR
      12909 and nomifensine). The enhanced sensitivity of the HPRT- mice to the
      dopamine-releasing agents is not caused by dopamine receptor supersensitivity,
      because the HPRT- mice do not show enhanced motor responses to the direct D1/D2
      dopamine receptor agonist apomorphine or to the selective D1 dopamine receptor
      agonist SKF 38393. The function of regulatory dopamine autoreceptors, as assessed
      by suppression of spontaneous motor activity by low doses of R(-)
      propylnorapomorphine, also appears normal in the HPRT- mice. Biochemical analysis
      shows that the HPRT- mice have significantly lower levels of dopamine (-45%), but
      normal levels of tyrosine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, homovanillic acid and
      3-methoxytyramine in the caudoputamen. In contrast to the deficit in caudoputamen
      dopamine, no deficits were noted in the accumbens of the HPRT- mice. These
      results indicate the existence of an inherent abnormality in the dopamine systems
      in the brains of HPRT- mice, despite their apparently normal spontaneous
      behavior.

PMID- 1432692
TI  - Motor impairments after methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity in the rat.
AB  - Methamphetamine is a psychomotor stimulant which, given in high doses, produces
      neurodegenerative changes in the dopamine and serotonin systems. This study was
      designed to assess motoric deficits in the rat following a high-dose regimen of
      methamphetamine. Long-Evans male rats received either four injections of saline
      or methamphetamine (12.5 mg/kg, every 2 hr), a dose sufficient to produce 45 and
      36% reductions in striatal dopamine and serotonin, respectively. Before
      treatment, subjects were trained to perform one of the following motor tasks: one
      way active avoidance, inhibitory avoidance, rotorod or the balance beam. After
      recovery, performance under base-line and drug challenge conditions revealed that
      methamphetamine treatment caused significant deficits in active avoidance
      performance (24% increase in response latency) and balance beam performance (2-
      to 3-fold increase in footfalls), but had no effect on inhibitory avoidance or
      rotorod performance. Administration of l-dopa (100 mg/kg) significantly improved
      the methamphetamine-treated subjects' performance on the balance beam, but had no
      effect on the control subjects' performance. The methamphetamine-treated subjects
      exhibited a significant decrease in sensitivity to the effects of fenfluramine in
      comparison to the controls on both the rotorod and active avoidance tasks. We
      conclude that high-dose methamphetamine treatment produces long-lasting motor
      deficits associated with chronic reductions of striatal dopamine and serotonin.
      These data and the utility of the motor tasks are discussed in reference to a
      laboratory model of Parkinson's disease.

PMID- 1432693
TI  - Interactions between zinc and spermidine on the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor
      complex: clues to the mechanism of action of 1,10-bis(guanidino)decane and
      pentamidine.
AB  - This study investigated the mechanism of action of two novel, noncompetitive
      antagonists of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor using [3H]dizocilpine
      binding to rat brain membranes. Pentamidine and 1,10(bisguanidino)decane (BG10)
      inhibited [3H]dizocilpine binding in the concentration range of 1 to 100 microM,
      as did Zn++ and the competitive polyamine antagonist arcaine. The action of each
      of these agents was sensitive to the addition of spermidine to the assay.
      However, only arcaine interacted with spermidine in a competitive fashion.
      Spermidine decreased the apparent affinity of Zn++ and also increased the Hill
      slope of the Zn++ inhibition curves. BG10 and pentamidine inhibition of
      [3H]dizocilpine binding was less sensitive to spermidine. Calcium had similar
      effects to spermidine on the inhibition of [3H]dizocilpine binding by Zn++,
      arcaine, pentamidine and GB10, but was less potent than spermidine. Treating
      membranes with diethylpyrocarbonate, a histidine-modifying reagent, decreased the
      apparent affinity of Zn++ by more than 4-fold while having very modest effects on
      the actions of BG10, pentamidine and arcaine. In addition, Zn++ failed to slow
      the dissociation of [3H]dizocilpine in diethylpyrocarbonate-treated tissue,
      whereas the action of BG10 and pentamidine was qualitatively unaffected. These
      data show that the effects of BG10 and pentamidine on the NMDA receptor are
      complex and may involve more than one binding site for each drug. In addition,
      this study shows that the action of Zn++ on the NMDA receptor is modulated by
      polyamines. Finally, the mechanism of action of pentamidine and BG10 cannot be
      attributed to an action at the Zn++ recognition site.

PMID- 1432694
TI  - Amiloride-sensitive lithium reabsorption in rats: a micropuncture study.
AB  - It has been suggested that in sodium-restricted rats lithium is being reabsorbed
      in the collecting tubule, and that such reabsorption can be prevented by
      amiloride. We studied these options in rats by means of cortical micropuncture.
      Indeed, an important fraction of the filtered lithium (10.5%) was reabsorbed
      beyond the early distal tubule in sodium-restricted rats. Amiloride infusion
      abolished this reabsorption. The dosage used did not affect the reabsorption of
      water, sodium and lithium in the proximal tubule, and also did not change the
      reabsorption of water and sodium in the loop segment. However, the reabsorption
      of lithium in this segment tended to be higher during amiloride (P = .06), and
      the delivery of lithium to the early distal puncture site was significantly less
      (26.1 +/- 1.2%) than in the control rats (31.4 +/- 1.8%, P < .05). The reason for
      this apparent increase in lithium reabsorption in the loop segment is not clear.
      Interestingly, amiloride increased urine flow and decreased urine osmolality. The
      mechanism underlying this effect needs further exploration. We conclude that in
      sodium-restricted rats lithium reabsorption beyond the early distal tubule level
      occurs. Lithium clearance data therefore underestimate end-proximal delivery
      under these conditions. Lithium reabsorption beyond the early distal tubule can
      be prevented by amiloride treatment. However, because amiloride may stimulate
      lithium reabsorption further upstream, lithium clearance data obtained during
      amiloride infusion may still underestimate end-proximal delivery of water and
      sodium.

PMID- 1432695
TI  - Potentiation of adriamycin toxicity by ethanol in perfused rat liver.
AB  - Adriamycin, which has a quinone nucleus, damages periportal regions of the lobule
      in perfused rat liver in an oxygen-dependent manner, presumably by redox cycling.
      Because redox cycling requires reducing equivalents, we investigated whether
      ethanol, which generates NADH via alcohol dehydrogenase, would increase
      hepatotoxicity due to concentrations of adriamycin which by themselves were not
      toxic in perfused rat liver. Perfusion with adriamycin (100 microM) alone did not
      significantly alter oxygen uptake or cell death evaluated by release of lactate
      dehydrogenase or uptake of trypan blue. In contrast, oxygen uptake due to
      adriamycin was increased about 35 mumol/g/hr and lactate dehydrogenase release
      was elevated to values around 240 U/g/hr in the presence of ethanol (10 mM). As
      expected, ethanol increased NADH fluorescence detected from the liver surface due
      to reduction of NAD+ in a concentration-dependent manner (half-maximal effect =
      ca. 1 mM). The increase in NADH fluorescence due to ethanol and the stimulation
      of oxygen uptake due to adriamycin had similar dependencies on ethanol
      concentration. Upon infusion of adriamycin, oxygen uptake increased concomitantly
      with a decrease in NADH fluorescence, most likely due to utilization of NADH. The
      half-maximal change in both processes also occurred with concentrations of
      ethanol around 1 mM. Furthermore, methylpyrazole (4 mM), an alcohol dehydrogenase
      inhibitor, prevented the increase in NADH fluorescence due to ethanol as well as
      the stimulation of oxygen uptake due to adriamycin in the presence of ethanol.
      Ethylhexanol, another agent which increased NADH, also potentiated oxygen uptake
      due to adriamycin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432696
TI  - An experimental paradigm for investigating the role of endogenous adenosine/A1
      receptor interactions in vivo.
AB  - The purpose of the present study was to develop a pharmacological method for
      determining in the rat in vivo whether endogenous adenosine participates in a
      given process via activation of A1 adenosine receptors. In anesthetized rats, A1
      receptors were activated by infusing the highly selective A1 receptor agonist N6
      cyclopentyladenosine, and A2 receptors were stimulated by infusing the highly
      selective A2 receptor agonist CGS21680C. The bradycardic response to N6
      cyclopentyladenosine and the hypotensive response to CGS21680C were used to
      assess A1 receptor and A2 receptor activation, respectively. After control
      responses to these purinergic agonists were elicited, animals were given
      infusions for several hours of either vehicle or one of six dosage levels of
      FK453 (a potent, selective, nonxanthine A1 receptor antagonist), one of three
      dosage levels of FR113452 (the S-enantiomer of FK453) or one of seven dosage
      levels of DPCPX (a potent, selective, xanthine A1 receptor antagonist).
      Antagonists were infused for > 4 hr, and at various times during the infusions,
      bradycardic and hypotensive responses to N6-cyclopentyladenosine and CGS21680C,
      respectively, were reassessed. Both FK453 and DPCPX were highly potent A1
      receptor antagonists in vivo, and complete inhibition of bradycardic responses to
      N6-cyclopentyladenosine were obtained with 3 and 1 micrograms/kg/min,
      respectively. FR113452 was a very weak antagonist and only slightly reduced
      bradycardic responses to N6-cyclopentyladenosine at 100 micrograms/kg/min. In
      vivo FK453 and DPCPX were > 300 and 1000 times selective for the A1 receptor,
      respectively, compared with the A2 receptor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432697
TI  - Decreased plasma cholinesterase activity enhances cocaine toxicity in mice.
AB  - The illicit use of cocaine continues in epidemic proportions. Despite the
      incidence of life-threatening complications from cocaine use, little is known of
      the individual determinants of cocaine toxicity. In vitro analysis demonstrating
      that cocaine is poorly metabolized by the serum of patients with low plasma
      cholinesterase (PCh) activity (succinylcholine sensitivity) led to the hypothesis
      that altered PCh activity might modulate cocaine toxicity. An in vivo mouse model
      was created to test this theory. Mice were pretreated s.c. with either parathion
      [a mixed plasma and red blood cell cholinesterase (RBCCh) inhibitor],
      tetraisopropyl pyrophosphoramide (a selective PCh inhibitor) or placebo, and
      cholinesterase activity was determined at 24 hr. Incremental doses of i.p.
      cocaine were administered in a controlled and blinded fashion, and lethality was
      observed. Ten mg/kg s.c. parathion produced a mean suppression of 68 +/- 9 and 61
      +/- 8% of PCh and RBCCh activity, respectively. One mg/kg s.c. tetraisopropyl
      pyrophosphoramide produced a mean suppression of 78 +/- 3 and 9 +/- 8% of PCh and
      RBCCh activity, respectively. Each pretreatment produced a statistically
      significant increase in cocaine lethality throughout the dose-response curve. Our
      results suggest that PCh activity is an important determinant of cocaine
      toxicity. This effect appears to be independent of either RBCCh activity or
      manifestations of organophosphate intoxication.

PMID- 1432698
TI  - Propylbenzilylcholine mustard has greater specificity for muscarinic m2 receptors
      than for m3 receptors present in cerebellar granule cell culture from rat.
AB  - Both muscarinic m2 receptors that inhibit adenylyl cyclase and m3 receptors that
      stimulate the hydrolysis of inositol phospholipids are expressed in cerebellar
      granule cells. In order to determine whether a reserve population of either of
      these receptors is present in this cell culture, the irreversible muscarinic
      receptor antagonist, propylbenzilylcholine mustard (PBCM), was used at different
      concentrations to bind various proportions of available muscarinic receptors.
      After pretreating the cell cultures with low concentrations of PBCM (< 1 nM), the
      muscarinic m2 receptor-mediated response decreased. Higher concentrations of PBCM
      (1-3 nM) were needed to reduce the muscarinic m3 receptor-mediated response.
      These results suggested that either a reserve population of muscarinic m3
      receptors is present or that PBCM shows greater specificity for muscarinic m2
      receptors. Because the muscarinic m2 receptor is a 66 kDa protein, whereas the
      muscarinic m3 receptor is a 92 kDa protein, these receptors can be separated by
      sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after being labeled
      with [3H]PBCM. PBCM appears to specifically bind the 66 kDa m2 receptor at
      concentrations lower than those required to bind to the 92 kDa m3 receptor. A
      linear correlation was found between the increased binding of [3H]PBCM to each
      receptor and the proportional loss of that receptor-mediated response. Thus, a
      reserve population of either muscarinic m2 or m3 receptors does not appear to
      exist in cerebellar granule cells. These studies also show that PBCM has greater
      affinity for the muscarinic m2 receptor than the muscarinic m3 receptor.

PMID- 1432699
TI  - Cardiovascular responses to cocaine are initially mediated by the central nervous
      system in rats.
AB  - Cocaine produces a pressor response reportedly resulting from both potentiation
      of peripheral catecholamine activity and a centrally mediated sympathoexcitation.
      In the present study we sought to differentiate the central nervous system and
      peripheral contributions to the hemodynamic effects of cocaine. In conscious
      rats, cocaine (5 mg/kg i.v.) produced a pressor response with two distinct
      components consisting of a brief, substantial increase in mean arterial pressure
      (MAP) associated with hindquarters and mesenteric vasoconstriction followed by a
      sustained, modest response associated with mesenteric vasoconstriction and
      bradycardia. Pentolinium (7.5 mg/kg i.v.) or adrenal demedullation attenuated the
      peak increase in MAP by attenuating increases in mesenteric and hindquarters
      vascular resistance, but did not affect the sustained increase in MAP. Methyl
      atropine (0.5 or 1 mg/kg i.v.) pretreatment reduced the cocaine-induced increase
      in systemic vascular resistance and enhanced the hindquarters vasodilation during
      the sustained MAP response. In contrast, adrenal demedullation abolished the
      hindquarters vasodilation. The bradycardic response was prevented by pentolinium
      and reduced by methyl atropine. Sympathetic nerve activity was reduced
      dramatically after cocaine or procaine administration for several minutes in
      conscious and in chloralose-anesthetized rats. In several anesthetized rats, the
      sympathoinhibition was preceded by a brief (3-8 sec) increase in renal
      sympathetic nerve activity. Procaine or cocaine produced little change in
      cortical cerebral blood flow as estimated by using a laser Doppler flowmeter.
      These data suggest that cocaine produces an initial, brief centrally mediated
      sympathoexcitation, but the sustained, modest pressor response is dependent upon
      peripheral actions that are diminished by baroreflex activation.

PMID- 1432700
TI  - Polymorphism of dextromethorphan metabolism: relationships between phenotype,
      genotype and response to the administration of encainide in humans.
AB  - The polymorphism of dextromethorphan and encainide metabolism is genetically
      determined and is related to the activity of hepatic CYP2D6. In order to examine
      the relations between CYP2D6 phenotype, genotype and the electrocardiographic
      response to the oral administration of encainide, 110 healthy subjects were
      studied. Metabolic ratios were calculated in urine after oral administration of
      40 mg of dextromethorphan and in plasma obtained 2.5 h after oral administration
      of 50 mg of encainide. Encainide-induced electrocardiographic changes were
      measured 2.5 h after oral administration of the drug. Genotype was determined in
      52 subjects. Results showed that phenotype, either extensive or poor metabolizer,
      for CYP2D6-dependent metabolism could be identified from the dextromethorphan
      metabolic ratio calculated in urine, from the encainide metabolic ratio
      calculated in plasma and from the genotype. However, despite the fact that the
      changes in atrioventricular (PR) and intraventricular (QRS) conduction times
      produced by encainide were different in extensive and poor metabolizer subjects
      and correlated with CYP2D6 activity, the electrocardiographic response was never
      100% specific and sensitive for the identification of either phenotype. Moreover,
      genotypic identification of heterozygous and homozygous extensive metabolizer
      subjects did not predict CYP2D6 activity, as determined by dextromethorphan and
      encainide metabolic ratios, or encainide response, as determined by
      intraventricular and atrioventricular changes. Thus, CYP2D6 activity does not
      fully predict the electrocardiographic effects of encainide, and genotype, as
      determined in our study, cannot replace the determination of metabolic ratio in
      predicting CYP2D6 activity and encainide response in extensive metabolizer
      subjects.

PMID- 1432701
TI  - Effect of pinacidil on the membrane electrical activity of guinea pig detrusor
      muscle.
AB  - The effects of pinacidil on the guinea pig detrusor smooth muscle membrane were
      studied to investigate the electrophysiological mechanisms by which this drug
      relaxes smooth muscle tissue and, thus, might be of value in the treatment of
      detrusor instability. Pinacidil (> or = 3 x 10(-7) M) hyperpolarized the membrane
      in a concentration-dependent manner, with a reduction in spontaneous spike
      discharges. The membrane hyperpolarization induced by pinacidil was consistently
      associated with an increase in membrane ionic conductance. Glybenclamide (10(-6)
      M) completely inhibited the membrane hyperpolarization induced by pinacidil (up
      to 10(-5) M). Membrane hyperpolarization with pinacidil was consistently greater
      in a low-K+ solution, and it decreased in the presence of a high-K+ solution,
      compared with that measured in normal Krebs solution. Pinacidil consistently
      suppressed carbachol-induced depolarization of the membrane, with a reduction in
      the frequency of spontaneous action potentials. Glybenclamide (10(-6) M) did not
      inhibit the effect of pinacidil on increased action potential frequency induced
      by carbachol but blocked the membrane hyperpolarization induced by pinacidil (10(
      5) M). In addition, the amplitude and maximum velocity of depolarization of
      carbachol- and current-induced action potentials were significantly decreased by
      pinacidil in the presence of glybenclamide. These results suggest that pinacidil
      blocks action potential generation in detrusor smooth muscle by inducing membrane
      hyperpolarization secondary to an increase in K+ permeability. Pinacidil, at high
      concentrations (> or = 10(-5) M), might block action potentials by inhibiting the
      voltage-sensitive Ca++ influx independently of hyperpolarization of the membrane.
      These mechanisms might be of benefit therapeutically in relaxation of unstable
      detrusor contractions.

PMID- 1432702
TI  - Ontogeny of N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced current in cultured hippocampal neurons.
AB  - The ontogeny of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of glutamatergic
      receptor/ion channel was studied by examining whole cell currents evoked by NMDA
      in cultured hippocampal neurons 1 to 30 days after plating of cells from 18- to
      20-day-gestation rat fetuses. We observed a maturation-dependent increase in
      conductance, compatible with an increased density of NMDA receptors, which is in
      agreement with previous binding data. The whole cell currents evoked by NMDA (10
      100 microM) in the presence of glycine (1-100 microM) had two components that
      contributed to the peak amplitude. The first was a rapidly decaying current (fast
      component) and the second a slowly decaying current (slow component), their ratio
      depending upon glycine concentration. The EC50 values for glycine were 1.8 and
      0.3 microM for the fast and slow components of the current, respectively. The
      quantitative analysis of these components indicated the existence of two distinct
      glycine sites, which differ in their affinity for glycine. The fast component
      originates from the action of glycine at the site with lower affinity. Moreover,
      the ratio of the fast to the slow component was also dependent on the time lapsed
      after plating of the fetal hippocampal neurons. The slow component became more
      predominant and the fast component less predominant along with cell maturation in
      culture, a phenomenon which reflects a change in the ratio of high- to low
      affinity glycine binding sites. In addition, studies on Zn2+ gave further
      evidence of a change in the NMDA receptor/channel properties related to
      maturation of the cultured neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432703
TI  - Developmental change of the inhibition by lead of NMDA-activated currents in
      cultured hippocampal neurons.
AB  - The inhibition of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-activated current in cultured fetal
      rat hippocampal neurons by Pb2+ was investigated at various stages of cell
      development. Pb2+ selectively inhibited NMDA currents recorded from young
      cultured neurons. In the first week of culture, Pb2+ showed the most prominent
      inhibition, which was gradually attenuated in the following weeks. Pb2+'s action
      was selective for NMDA- as opposed to either kainate- or quisqualate-induced
      currents. The current-voltage relationship for NMDA-induced currents in the
      presence of Pb2+ revealed that the effect of this cation was voltage-independent,
      which suggested that the site of interaction of Pb2+ with the NMDA
      receptor/channel is located outside the membrane electric field. Single channel
      studies showed that Pb2+ reduced the frequency but not the lifetime of the NMDA
      activated single channel currents. Further evaluation of the mechanism of action
      of Pb2+ on the NMDA receptor demonstrated that this cation is a noncompetitive
      antagonist of both NMDA and glycine. We have demonstrated that the NMDA-induced
      whole cell currents change along with cell development, and the effects of Pb2+
      are also dependent upon age of culture. The NMDA-induced currents in cultured rat
      hippocampal neurons had two components, one that decayed rapidly and another that
      decayed slowly. The fast component was clearly observed at concentrations of
      glycine higher than 1 microM, whereas the slow component reached its maximum
      amplitude at the glycine concentration of 1 microM. Moreover, the rapidly
      decaying component of NMDA-evoked whole cell currents was predominant in young
      cultured neurons, and its contribution to the total current was reduced in old
      cultured neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432704
TI  - Biotin delivery to brain with a covalent conjugate of avidin and a monoclonal
      antibody to the transferrin receptor.
AB  - The OX26 mouse monoclonal antibody to the rat transferrin receptor undergoes
      transcytosis through the brain capillary endothelial wall, which makes up the
      blood-brain barrier (BBB) in vivo, owing to high concentrations of transferrin
      receptor on the BBB. This property allows the OX26 antibody to serve as a brain
      drug transport vector. To simplify coupling of therapeutics to the OX26 antibody,
      the present studies examine the use of the avidin/biotin system to promote
      coupling of biotin and biotinylated drugs to brain transport vectors. The OX26
      antibody was affinity purified from ascites fluid and was covalently coupled via
      a thioether linkage to avidin, and the conjugate was purified to homogeneity by
      gel filtration fast protein liquid chromatography. The biotin binding capacity of
      the avidin-OX26 conjugate was measured, and 2.3 biotin binding sites per avidin
      OX26 (1:1) conjugate were detected. Transcytosis through the BBB of [3H]biotin
      bound to either unconjugated avidin or to the avidin-OX26 conjugate was measured
      with an internal carotid artery perfusion/capillary depletion technique.
      [3H]Biotin bound to the avidin-OX26 conjugate was transported through the BBB at
      rates that equaled the rate of transcytosis of the unconjugated OX26 antibody.
      The clearance from plasma of [3H]biotin bound to the avidin-OX26 conjugate
      approximated the rate of clearance of the unconjugated OX26 antibody, and not the
      rate of clearance of [3H]biotin bound to avidin, which was cleared from plasma at
      much faster rates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432705
TI  - GTP-binding protein involvement in membrane currents evoked by carbachol and
      histamine in guinea-pig ileal muscle.
AB  - 1. Single smooth muscle cells obtained by enzymic dispersion of the longitudinal
      muscle layer of guinea-pig ileum were used for recording membrane currents under
      whole-cell voltage clamp in response to carbachol (100 microM, unless otherwise
      stated) or histamine (100 microM) applied extracellularly. 2. At a holding
      potential of 0 mV, a transient outward current was evoked by carbachol and
      histamine. Responses to the two agonists were very similar in size and time
      course to the current response to caffeine (10 mM). The response to carbachol was
      virtually absent in the presence of histamine, and vice versa. Caffeine was
      without effect in the presence of either of these agonists. Inclusion of EGTA (10
      or 20 mM) in the pipette abolished the responses to carbachol, histamine and
      caffeine. Thus, the outward current responses were considered to represent
      opening of Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels in response to a massive release of Ca2+
      from the same stores by these three agents. 3. An inward current was evoked by
      carbachol and histamine, but not by caffeine at a holding potential of -40 mV,
      which was considered to represent opening of cationic channels. The carbachol
      induced inward current was much longer in duration and larger in size than the
      histamine-induced inward current. 4. Inclusion of GDP beta S (2 mM) in the
      pipette abolished the inward and outward current responses to histamine, but
      inhibited only part of those to carbachol. 5. When the holding potential was held
      at 0 mV with inclusion of GTP gamma S (0.1-1 mM) in the pipette, spontaneous
      transient outward currents appeared immediately after break-through but
      disappeared a few minutes later. Under these conditions, caffeine (10 mM) was
      almost without effect, suggesting that GTP gamma S had released Ca2+ stores. When
      the holding potential was held at -40 mV and GTP gamma S (0.1 or 0.2 mM) was
      present in the pipette, an inward current developed a few minutes after break
      through. During the GTP gamma S-induced inward current, application of carbachol
      or histamine produced no further inward current. However, when 0.01 mM-GTP gamma
      S was included in the pipette solution, carbachol- and histamine-induced inward
      currents were potentiated. 6. Pretreated with 2-5 micrograms/ml pertussis toxin
      (PTX) did not change noticeably the outward current responses to carbachol and
      histamine, but abolished or markedly reduced the inward current
      responses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432706
TI  - Mitochondrial function in type I cells isolated from rabbit arterial
      chemoreceptors.
AB  - 1. In this, and the accompanying paper (Duchen & Biscoe, 1992), we test the
      hypothesis that the oxygen sensitivity of mitochondrial electron transport forms
      a basis for transduction in the carotid body, the primary peripheral arterial
      oxygen sensor. We here describe for isolated type I cells the changes in
      autofluorescence of mitochondrial NAD(P)H that accompany changes in PO2. 2.
      NAD(P)H autofluorescence (excitation, 340-360 nm; emission peak, 450 nm)
      increased with anoxia, reflecting a rise in the NAD(P)H/NAD(P) ratio. Graded
      increases in autofluorescence were seen in response to graded decreases in PO2,
      suggesting that mitochondrial function is progressively altered below a PO2 of
      about 60 mmHg. 3. A mitochondrial origin for the NAD(P)H autofluorescence was
      suggested by the mutual exclusion of the responses to anoxia and cyanide. 4.
      Oxidized flavoproteins fluoresce when excited at 450 nm with an emission peak at
      550 nm. The small signals obtained under these conditions increased with
      uncoupler and showed a graded decrease with falling PO2 reflecting a rise in the
      FADH/FAD ratio. 5. Hypoxia raises [Ca2+]i. The hypoxia-induced changes in
      mitochondrial function were not secondary to this rise. A brief K(+)-induced
      depolarization leads to a transient increase in [Ca2+]i. At the same time there
      is a rapid decrease in NAD(P)H autofluorescence followed by an increase that far
      outlasts the rise in [Ca2+]i. This delayed increase in autofluorescence was
      smaller than was the increase with anoxia, even though K(+)-induced
      depolarization raised [Ca2+]i more than does anoxia. In Ca(2+)-free solutions the
      depolarization-induced changes were abolished, while those associated with
      hypoxia were maintained. 6. The changes of autofluorescence with K(+)-induced
      depolarization appear to reflect (i) oxidation of NAD(P)H by stimulation of
      respiration following mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and (ii) reduction of NAD(P) by
      the Ca(2+)-dependent activation of mitochondrial dehydrogenases. This activation
      could last several minutes following only 100 ms depolarization, while the
      changes accompanying hypoxia closely followed the time course of the change in
      PO2. 7. In similarly isolated rat or mouse chromaffin cells and mouse dorsal root
      ganglion neurons under identical conditions, no measurable change in
      autofluorescence or in [Ca2+]i was seen until the PO2 fell below about 5 mmHg. 8.
      Carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxy-phenylhydrazone (FCCP) increases O2
      consumption, oxidizing mitochondrial NADH and hence decreasing autofluorescence,
      (delta FFCCP). Blockade of electron transport by anoxia or CN- decreases O2
      consumption, increasing mitochondrial NADH/NAD and autofluorescence (delta FCN).
      The fractional change in autofluorescence with FCCP, delta FFCCP/delta
      FFCCP+FCN), is thus a measure of resting O2 consumption.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432707
TI  - All-or-nothing Ca2+ mobilization from the intracellular stores of single
      histamine-stimulated HeLa cells.
AB  - 1. Histamine-stimulated mobilization of intracellular Ca2+ stores was monitored
      in intact and permeabilized populations of HeLa cells using both the fluorescent
      Ca2+ indicator Fura-2 and 45Ca2+ measurements. Digital video imaging of Fura-2
      loaded cells was used to measure the intracellular calcium concentration
      ([Ca2+]i) of single cells. 2. In populations of HeLa cells, histamine caused a
      concentration-dependent increase in cytoplasmic [Ca2+]. The initial transient
      increase was independent of extracellular Ca2+ (Ca2+o) and was followed by a
      sustained increase that was abolished by removal of Ca2+o. 3. In Ca(2+)-free
      medium ([Ca2+]o < 1 microM), a maximal histamine concentration (25 microM) caused
      a transient increase in [Ca2+]i, and a subsequent challenge with histamine failed
      to evoke a further response indicating that the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate
      (InsP3)-sensitive Ca2+ stores had been completely emptied. Lower concentrations
      of histamine (0.5-10 microM) caused smaller, concentration-dependent increases in
      [Ca2+]i that were also transient. After exposure to these low histamine
      concentrations, where [Ca2+]i returned to baseline within 2 min, addition of a
      higher histamine concentration evoked a further increase in [Ca2+]i. The second
      increase in [Ca2+]i was inversely proportional to the increase caused by the
      first exposure to histamine, indicating that Ca2+ released in the initial
      response was not substantially resequestered into histamine-sensitive stores. 4.
      Single HeLa cells challenged with low concentrations of histamine in Ca(2+)-free
      medium responded with transient increases in [Ca2+]i, but individual cells
      differed in their sensitivity with 51% of cells responding to 1 microM, and 98%
      responding to 25 microM-histamine. 5. When single cells in Ca(2+)-free medium
      were challenged with stepwise increases in histamine concentration, they
      responded to each step with a transient [Ca2+]i increase after which [Ca2+]i
      returned to baseline within 1 min. Prolonging the interval between histamine
      additions by up to 25 min did not affect the [Ca2+]i increase evoked by a
      subsequent histamine addition. 6. Unidirectional 45Ca2+ efflux from saponin
      permeabilized HeLa cells showed that, under conditions that prevented Ca2+
      resequestration, submaximal concentrations of InsP3 rapidly emptied only a
      fraction of the InsP3-sensitive Ca2+ stores. The failure of low InsP3
      concentrations to fully mobilize the InsP3-sensitive Ca2+ stores was not a
      consequence of InsP3 degradation. 7. We conclude that within single HeLa cells,
      intracellular Ca2+ stores are heterogeneous in their sensitivity to InsP3, and
      the fraction of Ca2+ stores mobilized by InsP3 increases as the InsP3
      concentration increases.

PMID- 1432708
TI  - A caffeine- and ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ store in bullfrog sympathetic neurones
      modulates effects of Ca2+ entry on [Ca2+]i.
AB  - 1. We studied how in changes in cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i)
      produced by voltage-dependent Ca2+ entry are influenced by a caffeine-sensitive
      Ca2+ store in bullfrog sympathetic neurones. Ca2+ influx was elicited by K+
      depolarization and the store was manipulated with either caffeine or ryanodine.
      2. For a time after discharging the store with caffeine and switching to a
      caffeine-free medium: (a) [Ca2+]i was depressed by up to 40-50 nM below the
      resting level, (b) caffeine responsiveness was diminished, and (c) brief K+
      applications elicited [Ca2+]i responses with slower onset and faster recovery
      than controls. These effects were more pronounced as the conditioning caffeine
      concentration was increased over the range 1-30 mM. 3. [Ca2+]i, caffeine and K+
      responsiveness recovered in parallel with a half-time of approximately 2 min.
      Recovery required external Ca2+ and was speeded by increasing the availability of
      cytosolic Ca2+, suggesting that it reflected replenishment of the store at the
      expense of cytosolic Ca2+. 4. During recovery, Ca2+ entry stimulated by
      depolarization had the least effect on [Ca2+]i when the store was filling most
      rapidly. This suggests that the effect of Ca2+ entry on [Ca2+]i is modified, at
      least in part, because some of the Ca2+ which enters the cytosol during
      stimulation is taken up by the store as it refills. 5. Further experiments were
      carried out to investigate whether the store can also release Ca2+ in response to
      stimulated Ca2+ entry. In the continued presence of caffeine at a low
      concentration (1 mM), high K+ elicited a faster and larger [Ca2+]i response
      compared to controls; at higher concentrations of caffeine (10 and 30 mM)
      responses were depressed. 6. Ryanodine (1 microM) reduced the rate at which
      [Ca2+]i increased with Ca2+ entry, but not to the degree observed after
      discharging the store. At this concentration, ryanodine completely blocked
      responses to caffeine but had no detectable effect on Ca2+ channel current or the
      steady [Ca2+]i level achieved during depolarization. 7. We propose that,
      depending on its Ca2+ content, the caffeine-sensitive store can either attenuate
      or potentiate responses to depolarization. When depleted and in the process of
      refilling, the store reduces the impact of Ca2+ entry as some of the Ca2+
      entering the cytosol during stimulation is captured by the store.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432709
TI  - Calcium requirements for secretion in bovine chromaffin cells.
AB  - 1. Measurements of membrane capacitance and intracellular Ca2+ concentration,
      [Ca2+]i, were used to examine the Ca2+ dependence of secretion in single adrenal
      chromaffin cells. 2. Intracellular dialysis of Ca2+, through a patch pipette,
      promoted secretion; the rate of secretion increased monotonically as [Ca2+]i was
      elevated, while the total amount of secretion reached a maximum at 1.5 microM
      Ca2+ and declined at high [Ca2+]i. 3. Release of Ca2+ from internal stores, using
      bradykinin or ionomycin, transiently elevated [Ca2+]i and the rate of secretion.
      4. Considering responses to both Ca2+ dialysis and release from internal stores,
      it appears that the rate of secretion increases over a range of [Ca2+]i levels
      above 0.2 microM and saturates at concentrations greater than 10 microM, if at
      all. Secretion appears to have a Hill coefficient for Ca2+ of about 2. At [Ca2+]i
      greater than 1-2 microM, prolonged elevation of [Ca2+]i, via dialysis, produced
      lower rates of secretion than transient elevation of [Ca2+]i caused by release
      from internal stores. This may have been caused by a depletion of readily
      releasable chromaffin granules during prolonged elevation of [Ca2+]i. 5. Brief
      depolarizing pulses produced transient rises in both [Ca2+]i and the rate of
      secretion. The ability of these pulses to evoke secretion 'washed out' during
      prolonged intracellular dialysis, due to both reduced Ca2+ influx and a
      diminished ability of the cell to secrete in response to a given Ca2+ load. 6.
      The kinetics of the secretory response depended upon the size of the
      depolarization-induced Ca2+ load; small rises in [Ca2+]i increased membrane
      capacitance only during the depolarization, while larger rises in [Ca2+]i
      produced increases both during and following the depolarization. The secretory
      responses that outlasted the depolarization appeared to be due to persistent
      elevation of [Ca2+]i. Secretory responses were sometimes followed by a slower
      decline in membrane capacitance, probably due to endocytosis of membrane. 7.
      Comparison of the rates of secretion measured during depolarization to those
      produced by Ca2+ dialysis or release from internal stores suggests that [Ca2+]i
      at secretory sites can exceed 10 microM during depolarization. The spatially
      averaged measurements of [Ca2+]i indicate much smaller levels of [Ca2+]i; thus,
      there must be pronounced spatial gradients of [Ca2+]i during depolarization.

PMID- 1432710
TI  - Synaptic interaction between medullary respiratory neurones during apneusis
      induced by NMDA-receptor blockade in cat.
AB  - 1. Termination of inspiration is an essential component of respiratory rhythm
      generation and its perturbation can result in apneusis, i.e. significant
      prolongation of mechanisms, we studied the postsynaptic events in respiratory
      neurones during apneustic respiratory periods, and compared them to normal
      respiratory cycles. 2. Experiments were performed in pentobarbitone
      anaesthetized, paralysed, thoracotomized cats ventilated with a constant volume
      or a cycle-triggered constant pressure pump. Apneusis, separated by normal
      cycles, was induced as follows: the animal was ventilated by a cycle-triggered
      pump that normally inflated the lungs during the inspiratory burst of phrenic
      nerve discharge. The NMDA-receptor blocker MK-801 [(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H
      dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5, 10-iminemaleate] (0.3-0.7 mg/kg) was administered
      intravenously, and, for designated breaths, inflation of the lungs was withheld
      during neural inspiration. 3. Membrane potential trajectories of forty-one late
      expiratory (E-2) and eight postinspiratory (PI) neurones of the caudal ventral
      respiratory group were analysed before and/or after MK-801 administration, during
      normal and apneustic periods. 4. Before MK-801 administration, withholding lung
      inflation caused modest (10-20%) lengthening of the inspiratory period; after MK
      801 administration, withholding inflation caused apneusis. Provided that the
      lungs were inflated during the inspiratory phase, the temporal pattern of phrenic
      nerve, recurrent laryngeal nerve and membrane potential trajectories of E-2 and
      PI neurones were not significantly altered by MK-801. Apneusis following NMDA
      receptor blockade produced consistent changes in the synaptic activation patterns
      of E-2 neurones. In particular, the slow late inspiratory-related depolarization
      pattern of E-2 neurones was consistently retarded during apneustic inspiratory
      phases when compared to normal inspiratory phases. This was due to continuation
      of Cl(-)-mediated synaptic inhibition of E-2 neurones. Superior laryngeal nerve
      stimulation stopped apneusis and sustained membrane hyperpolarization of E-2
      neurones similar to lung inflation. 5. During the plateau phase of apneusis,
      correlated 10-20 Hz oscillations could be observed in the integrated phrenic and
      recurrent laryngeal nerve activities as well as in the membrane potential of E-2
      neurones. 6. We conclude that: (i) the prolonged inhibition of E-2 neurones
      during apneusis is indicative of the process responsible for the prolongation of
      the inspiratory phase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432711
TI  - Pulsatile release of acetylcholine by nerve terminals (synaptosomes) isolated
      from Torpedo electric organ.
AB  - 1. Electrophysiological detection of acetylcholine (ACh) release by synaptosomes
      from the electric organ of Torpedo was searched for by laying the isolated nerve
      terminals on a culture of Xenopus embryonic muscle cells (myocytes), and by
      recording the ACh-induced inward currents in the myocytes. 2. Whole-cell
      recording in one of the myocytes revealed rapid inward currents that where
      generated soon after synaptosome application. These pulsatile events strongly
      resembled those occurring normally during the early phase of synaptogenesis after
      nerve-muscle contact in Xenopus cell cultures. They were called spontaneous
      synaptic currents (SSCs). 3. The SSCs produced by the synaptosomes had a rapid
      time course, with mean time-to-peak and half-decay times of 2.6 +/- 0.4 ms and
      6.0 +/- 1.1 ms, respectively. Most events had a falling phase that could be
      fitted with a single exponential. The mean time constant of decay was 6.2 +/- 1.1
      ms. More than half of the SSCs (approximately 60%) constituted a rather
      homogenous population in which the time-to-peak versus amplitude showed a
      positive relationship, the smallest events displaying a shorter time course. The
      rest of the SSCs had a more variable and slower time course. Such events are also
      observed in young and mature junctions in situ. 4. The amplitudes of SSCs had a
      wide distribution which was skewed towards the smallest values. The mean
      amplitude was 65.2 +/- 16.1 pA. 5. During the minutes following an application of
      synaptosomes, the frequency of the SSCs tended to decrease, but their mean
      amplitude remained constant. Such behaviour could be reproduced during several
      successive additions of synaptosomes while recording in the same myocyte. 6. Just
      after synaptosome application, the SSCs were superposed to a noisy inward current
      that lasted for 20-60 s. Noise analysis of this current gave the values of 0.7 +/
      0.1 pA for the mean amplitude of the elementary event, and 4.7 +/- 0.2 ms for
      its mean duration, values that compare well with those reported for the
      activation of frog embryonic nicotinic receptor. This suggests that the noisy
      current was due to ACh molecules set free by synaptosomes which were either
      damaged or which released ACh at some distance. This view was strengthened by
      biochemical analysis of ACh release by synaptosomes in vitro. 7. Tubocurarine
      reversibly abolished the appearance of both the noise and the synaptosome
      generated SSCs, showing that these currents were due to the action of
      ACh.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432712
TI  - Relative mitochondrial membrane potential and [Ca2+]i in type I cells isolated
      from the rabbit carotid body.
AB  - 1. In the accompanying paper (Duchen & Biscoe, 1992) we have described graded
      changes in autofluorescence derived from mitochondrial NAD(P)H in type I cells of
      the carotid body in response to changes of PO2 over a physiologically significant
      range. These observations suggest that mitochondrial function in these cells is
      unusually sensitive to oxygen and could play a role in oxygen sensing. We have
      now explored further the relationships between hypoxia, mitochondrial membrane
      potential (delta psi m) and [Ca2+]i. 2. The fluorescence of Rhodamine 123 (Rh
      123) accumulated within mitochondria is quenched by delta psi m. Mitochondrial
      depolarization thus increases the fluorescence signal. Blockade of electron
      transport (CN-, anoxia, rotenone) and uncoupling agents (e.g. carbonyl cyanide p
      trifluoromethoxy-phenylhydrazone; FCCP) increased fluorescence by up to 80-120%,
      while fluorescence was reduced by blockade of the F0 proton channel of the
      mitochondrial ATP synthase complex (oligomycin). 3. delta psi m depolarized
      rapidly with anoxia, and was usually completely dissipated within 1-2 min. The
      depolarization of delta psi m with anoxia (or CN-) and repolarization on
      reoxygenation both followed a time course well characterized as the sum of two
      exponential processes. Oligomycin (0.2-2 micrograms/ml) hyperpolarized delta psi
      m and abolished the slower components of both the depolarization with anoxia and
      of the subsequent repolarization. These data (i) illustrate the role of the F1-F0
      ATP synthetase in slowing the rate of dissipation of delta psi m on cessation of
      electron transport, (ii) confirm blockade of the ATP synthetase by oligomycin at
      these concentrations, and (iii) indicate significant accumulation of
      intramitochondrial ADP during 1-2 min of anoxia. 4. Depolarization of delta psi m
      was graded with graded changes in PO2 below about 60 mmHg. The stimulus-response
      curves thus constructed strongly resemble those for [Ca2+]i and NAD(P)H with PO2.
      The change in delta psi m closely followed changes in PO2 with time. 5. The rate
      of rise of [Ca2+]i in response to anoxia is strongly temperature sensitive. The
      rate of depolarization of delta psi m with anoxia similarly increased at least
      two- to fivefold on warming from 22 to 36 degrees C. The change with FCCP was not
      significantly altered by temperature. 6. These data show that the mitochondrial
      membrane potential changes over a physiological range of PO2 values in type I
      cells. This contrasts with the behaviour in dissociated chromaffin cells and
      sensory neurons, in which no change was measurable until the PO2 fell close to
      zero.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432713
TI  - Alveolar epithelial permeability in baboons: histamine and capsaicin.
AB  - 1. We investigated if changes in alveolar epithelial permeability could be
      initiated by various doses of the irritant capsaicin through stimulation of
      pulmonary afferent nerves either directly, or indirectly through the release of
      an intermediate cell mediator, and whether mediation of permeability involved
      histamine H1 and/or H2 receptors. 2. Alveolar epithelial permeability was
      indicated by the clearance of peripherally deposited 99mTc-DTPA (technetium-99m
      diethylenetriamine pentaacetate) aerosol in baboons. Aerosol challenge
      experiments were performed twice with histamine (32 mg/ml), once each with
      capsaicin (10(-6), 10(-5), 10(-4) and 10(-3) M), and once each with histamine (32
      mg/ml) preceded by H1 (terfenadine) and H2 (ranitidine) antagonists alone and
      combined. 3. Mean half-time for 99mTc-DTPA clearance was 66 +/- 4 min. After
      histamine, it decreased to 41 +/- 5 min (P < 0.05), and after capsaicin it was 70
      +/- 5 min (combined doses). Pretreatment with the H1 and H2 antagonists, either
      separately or in combination, did not consistently inhibit increases in 99mTc
      DTPA permeability. 4. Capsaicin caused tachypnoea only at 10(-3) M (P < 0.05).
      Inhibition of histamine-induced tachypnoea required both antagonists (P < 0.05)
      suggesting the existence of a population of peripheral sensory neurons possessing
      H1 and H2 receptors. Changes in permeability were unrelated to the changes in
      respiratory frequency. Thus, neither the mechanisms that stimulate respiratory
      frequency, nor the respiratory frequency per se, were responsible for increased
      alveolar epithelial permeability. 5. Capsaicin did not change epithelial
      permeability at doses that cause capsaicin-sensitive C fibre stimulation as
      delineated by increases in respiratory frequency. Nor does C fibre stimulation,
      induced by mediators released from pulmonary cells activated by low doses of
      capsaicin, increase epithelial permeability. These data suggest that in the
      primate, histamine increases epithelial permeability to small solutes by a
      mechanism independent of the activation of capsaicin-sensitive C fibres and
      capsaicin-initiated release of cell mediators. 6. These findings do not support a
      role for C fibre activation in regulating epithelial permeability of small
      solutes.

PMID- 1432714
TI  - Regulation by second messengers of the slowly activating, voltage-dependent
      potassium current expressed in Xenopus oocytes.
AB  - 1. Voltage-clamp recordings of membrane current were made from Xenopus oocytes
      that had been injected with RNA which had been transcribed in vitro from a cloned
      complementary DNA. 2. Depolarization from -80 mV evoked outward potassium
      currents that developed very slowly. At -20 mV the time constant for activation
      was about 50 s, and at +40 mV about 6 s. 3. The potassium current was increased
      by the calcium ionophore A23187 or by intracellular injection of inositol 1,4,5
      trisphosphate (IP3), each of which should increase the intracellular calcium
      concentration ([Ca2+]i). The current was decreased by injection of BAPTA (1,2
      bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid). The current was also
      reduced by phorbol esters; this effect was blocked by staurosporine. 4. In
      oocytes that had also been injected with RNA encoding the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5
      HT2) receptor, 5-HT increased the potassium current. After caffeine pretreatment,
      to block the release of intracellular calcium, 5-HT decreased the current; this
      decrease was prevented by staurosporine. 5. It is concluded that the slowly
      activating, voltage-dependent potassium current expressed in Xenopus oocytes is
      increased by increases in [Ca2+]i and is decreased by activation of protein
      kinase C. Stimulation of 5-HT2 receptors can have both these effects, but the
      former normally predominates.

PMID- 1432715
TI  - Co-ordination of pumping in isolated bovine lymphatic vessels.
AB  - 1. Segments of bovine mesenteric lymphatic of varying diameter taken from
      different parts of the lymphatic tree were cut to 20 mm in length and set up so
      that measurements could be made of spontaneous isometric contractions. 2. There
      was considerable variability in frequency of spontaneous contractions but this
      was independent of resting tension. There was no significant correlation between
      lymphatic diameter and inherent frequency of contraction. 3. Isolated segments of
      bovine mesenteric lymphatic 70-80 mm in length were cannulated and set up in a
      three-compartment organ bath which allowed independent temperature control in
      each compartment. Pressure was recorded at inflow and outflow ends and
      experiments were video recorded. 4. Contractile activity was normally initiated
      at the end of the lymphatic maintained at the higher temperature and the
      contractile wave was propagated along the length of the vessel. 5. Propagation
      could occur either in the direction of valve orientation (orthograde) or
      retrogradely. The volume of fluid pumped was not significantly affected by the
      direction of propagation. 6. Perfusion of the central compartment with Krebs
      solution at 0-2 degrees C disrupted normal propagation and allowed the two parts
      of the lymphatic to contract at different frequencies although the two parts
      maintained an approximately 2:1 ratio. 7. Perfusion of the central compartment
      with 10 mM-heptanol also disrupted normal propagation but the rates on either
      side of the partition bore no harmonic relationship to one another. 8. These
      results suggest that relatively short segments of lymph duct have the ability to
      contract spontaneously and that their inherent frequencies are not determined by
      their position in the lymphatic tree. The results are consistent with the
      existence of electrical coupling along the lymphatic's length and they suggest
      that over distances of at least 80 mm independent pacemakers are capable of
      mutual entrainment at a frequency representing a compromise between the fastest
      and slowest components.

PMID- 1432716
TI  - Basal Ca2+ and the oscillation of Ca2+ in caffeine-treated bullfrog sympathetic
      neurones.
AB  - 1. Effects of caffeine on the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in
      single bullfrog sympathetic neurones in excised tissue were studied by recording
      Fura-2 fluorescence excited at 340, 361 or 380 nm and taking their ratios
      (R340/380 or R361/380). 2. Caffeine (3-10 mM) produced oscillation of [Ca2+]i and
      an 'apparent' decrease in the basal level of [Ca2+]i during a period between
      phasic rises. The mechanism of the latter effect was analysed in relation to the
      mechanism of the former. 3. Caffeine (3-10 mM) increased Fura-2 fluorescence in a
      range of excitation wavelength from 330 to 390 nm. The ratios of fluorescences,
      R340/380 and R361/380, however, were not significantly affected by caffeine.
      These results suggest that the 'apparent' reduction in the basal [Ca2+]i seen as
      a decrease in R340/380 or R361/380 results from a true decrease in [Ca2+]i. 4.
      Caffeine-induced decrease in [Ca2+]i persisted for every period between phasic
      rises of [Ca2+]i during [Ca2+]i oscillation, and after the blockade of [Ca2+]i
      oscillation by ryanodine. The decrease in the latter condition lasted for more
      than 20 min. 5. The decrease in the basal [Ca2+]i depended on the external Ca2+
      concentration and was not mimicked by the action of cyclic nucleotides. 6.
      Possible mechanisms underlying the decrease in the basal [Ca2+]i produced by
      caffeine (effects on Ca2+ transport at the cell or Ca(2+)-storing organelle
      membrane) and their significance in relation to the [Ca2+]i oscillation were
      discussed.

PMID- 1432717
TI  - Independent control of human finger-tip forces at individual digits during
      precision lifting.
AB  - 1. Subjects lifted an object with two parallel vertical grip surfaces and a low
      centre of gravity using the precision grip between the tips of the thumb and
      index finger. The friction between the object and the digits was varied
      independently at each digit by changing the contact surfaces between lifts. 2.
      With equal frictional conditions at the two grip surfaces, the finger-tip forces
      were about equal at the two digits, i.e. similar vertical lifting forces and grip
      forces were used. With different frictions, the digit touching the most slippery
      surface exerted less vertical lifting force than the digit in contact with the
      rougher surface. Thus, the safety margins against slips were similar at the two
      digits whether they made contact with surfaces of similar or different friction.
      3. During digital nerve block, large and variable safety margins were employed,
      i.e. the finger-tip forces did not reflect the surface conditions. Slips occurred
      more frequently than under normal conditions (14% of all trials with nerve block,
      <5% during normal conditions), and they only occasionally elicited compensatory
      adjustments of the finger-tip forces and then at prolonged latencies. 4. The
      partitioning of the vertical lifting force between the digits was thus dependent
      on digital afferent inputs and resulted from active automatic regulation and not
      just from the mechanics of the task. 5. The safety margin employed at a
      particular digit was mainly determined by the frictional conditions encountered
      by the digit, and to a lesser degree by the surface condition at the same digit
      in the previous lift (anticipatory control), but was barely influenced by the
      surface condition at the other digit. 6. It was concluded that the finger-tip
      forces were independently controlled for each digit according to a 'non-slip
      strategy'. The findings suggest that the force distribution among the digits
      represents a digit-specific lower-level neural control establishing a stable
      grasp. This control relies on digit-specific afferent inputs and somatosensory
      memory information. It is apparently subordinated to a higher-level control that
      is related to the total vertical lifting and normal forces required by the
      lifting task and the relevant physical properties of the manipulated object.

PMID- 1432718
TI  - A study of glycogen depletion and the fibre-type composition of cat skeleto
      fusimotor units.
AB  - 1. We have used the glycogen-depletion technique, combined with myofibrillar
      ATPase (mATPase) staining for muscle fibre type, to study the fibre-type
      composition of four skeleto-fusimotor (beta) units in cat peroneus tertius,
      namely, one beta dynamic (beta d) unit and three beta static (beta s) units. 2.
      Depletion of glycogen was observed in serial cross-sections of thirty-four beta
      unit extrafusal muscle fibres of various types traced from origin to insertion.
      No fibre was depleted of glycogen throughout its length; depletion was restricted
      to a number of zones, usually about five. Oxidative (type I) and oxidative
      glycolytic (type IIA) fibres were depleted for a significantly greater proportion
      of their total length than glycolytic IIB fibres. 3. The fibre-type composition
      of the beta d unit was determined by tracing its fibres from end to end. The
      muscle unit consisted of one intrafusal bag1 fibre and ninety-three extrafusal
      muscle fibres comprising seventy-six type I fibres, eleven IIC fibres, and six
      fibres that changed from IIC to I during the course of their length (IIC/I
      fibres). The extrafusal fibre-type composition was thus 81.7% I plus 18.3% IIC
      and IIC/I. 4. The three beta s units (beta s1, beta s2, beta s3) were all fast
      contracting and fatigued rapidly. Identification of their extrafusal fibre types,
      made in 1 mm2 areas sampled from different parts of each unit, gave mixed
      compositions as follows: beta s1, IIB + 6.7% IIA; beta s2, IIB + 5.8% IIA; beta
      s3, IIB + 29.9% IIA. The intrafusal component of each unit included either one or
      two long chain fibres. 5. In a discussion of the results, the fact that the
      continuous stimulation of extrafusal muscle fibres does not deplete them of
      glycogen throughout their length is examined in relation to the work of others
      who have assumed that it did. With regard to the finding of mixed extrafusal
      fibre types in the beta units, a distinction is drawn between minimal (around 5%)
      and moderate mixing. It is suggested that minimal mixing may occur in any motor
      unit as the outcome of endplate degeneration with foreign replacement, but that
      moderate mixing indicates an on-going process of conversion from one fibre type
      to another which in the adult may prove to occur only among beta units.

PMID- 1432719
TI  - Single C nociceptor responses and psychophysical parameters of evoked pain:
      effect of rate of rise of heat stimuli in humans.
AB  - 1. Effects of rate of rise of temperature stimuli applied to skin on (i) unitary
      receptor threshold and frequency response often single C nociceptors, and (ii) on
      magnitude and reaction times of evoked pain were studied in fifteen healthy human
      volunteers. 2. Temperature ramps of 32 to 45 or 47 degrees C were applied at
      three consistent rates of rise to receptive fields of C nociceptors in dorsum of
      foot (n = 9) or hand (n = 1). For rates of rise of 0.3, 2.0 and 6.0 degrees C/s,
      mean receptor threshold for heat was remarkably uniform: 41.5 +/- 0.57, 41.5 +/-
      0.61 and 41.9 +/- 0.71 degrees C respectively. 3. The mean discharge rate of the
      ten cutaneous C nociceptors increased with rate of rise of temperature stimuli:
      1.22 +/- 0.13, 4.57 +/- 0.49 and 13.45 +/- 0.71 impulses/s, respectively, for
      stimulus temperature rates of 0.3, 2.0 and 6.0 degrees C/s. 4. Magnitude
      estimates of pain for thirteen subjects also increased with rate of rise of
      temperature stimuli. Mean normalized magnitude estimates of heat pain were: 11.8
      +/- 1.55, 15.1 +/- 0.84 and 28.0 +/- 1.87 for stimulus rates of rise of 0.3, 2.0
      and 6.0 degrees C/s, respectively. 5. Results of simultaneous recordings of
      reaction time for pain and of C nociceptor responses to heat ramps given at 2.0
      degrees C/s, in three subjects, indicate that under those circumstances heat pain
      messages are exclusively mediated by C nociceptors.

PMID- 1432720
TI  - The minimal inhibitory synaptic currents evoked in neonatal rat motoneurones.
AB  - 1. Tight-seal whole-cell recordings were made from lumbar motoneurones visually
      identified in thin slices of neonatal rat spinal cord. The inhibitory
      postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) were evoked by extracellular stimulation of a
      neighbouring internuncial neurone in the presence of glutamate receptor
      antagonists. 2. Glycinergic IPSCs were recorded in the presence of bicuculline.
      The IPSCs appeared in an all-or-none manner as the graded stimulus intensity
      exceeded a certain threshold. Their latencies showed a unimodal distribution with
      a mean of 0.81 ms at 37 degrees C. Thus, the observed IPSCs are suggested to be
      monosynaptically evoked unitary IPSCs. The mean conductance of unitary IPSCs was
      2.9 +/- 1.2 nS (+/- S.D.). 3. When the external Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]o) was
      reduced, the number of failures in response to stimulation increased, thereby
      reducing the mean amplitude of IPSCs. The mean amplitude of IPSCs was linearly
      related to the [Ca2+]o (0.35-1.4 mM) with a mean slope of 3.1 +/- 0.67 on double
      logarithmic co-ordinates. 4. The amplitude of individual IPSCs decreased with
      decrease in [Ca2+]o. However, below 0.7 mM [Ca2+]o, the mean amplitude of IPSCs
      (excluding failures) reached a steady minimum level. The mean conductance of
      these IPSCs measured in 0.5 mM [Ca2+]o was 657 +/- 281 pS. 5. The minimal IPSCs
      had a coefficient of variation of 0.50 +/- 0.13. No clear correlation was
      observed between the rise time and the amplitude of minimal IPSCs evoked in
      individual motoneurones, indicating that the amplitude variability is not due to
      the different synaptic locations. 6. Spontaneous miniature IPSCs were recorded
      from motoneurones in the presence of tetrodotoxin. The miniature IPSCs had a mean
      conductance of 739 +/- 278 pS, being comparable to the minimal evoked IPSCs. 7.
      Under various internal and external Cl- concentration, the reversal potential of
      the IPSCs (EIPSC) approximately coincided with the Cl- equilibrium potential. A
      730-fold change in the potassium concentration gradient across the membrane did
      not affect the EIPSC. The permeability ratio of K+ to Cl- (Pk/PCl) was less than
      0.05. 8. It is concluded that the IPSCs are carried almost exclusively by Cl- and
      that the minimal evoked IPSCs represent the quantal response of the transmitter.

PMID- 1432721
TI  - Serotonin regulates the phase of the rat suprachiasmatic circadian pacemaker in
      vitro only during the subjective day.
AB  - 1. The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus is the primary pacemaker
      for circadian rhythms in mammals. The 24 h pacemaker is endogenous to the SCN and
      persists for multiple cycles in the suprachiasmatic brain slice. 2. While
      serotonin is not endogenous to the SCN, a major midbrain hypothalamic afferent
      pathway is serotonergic. Within this tract the dorsal raphe nucleus sends direct
      projections to the ventrolateral portions of the SCN. We investigated a possible
      regulatory role for serotonin in the mammalian circadian system by examining its
      effect, when applied at projection sites, on the circadian rhythm of neuronal
      activity in rat SCN in vitro. 3. Eight-week-old male rats from our inbred colony,
      housed on a 12 h light: 12 h dark schedule, were used. Hypothalamic brain slices
      containing the paired SCN were prepared in the day and maintained in glucose and
      bicarbonate-supplemented balanced salt solution for up to 53 h. 4. A 10(-11) ml
      drop of 10(-6) M-serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) creatinine sulphate
      complex) in medium was applied to the ventrolateral portion of one of the SCN for
      5 min on the first day in vitro. The effect of the treatment at each of seven
      time points across the circadian cycle was examined. The rhythm of spontaneous
      neuronal activity was recorded extracellularly on the second and third days in
      vitro. Phase shifts were determined by comparing the time-of-peak of neuronal
      activity in serotonin- vs. media-treated slices. 5. Application of serotonin
      during the subjective day induced significant advances in the phase of the
      electrical activity rhythm (n = 11). The most sensitive time of treatment was CT
      7 (circadian time 7 is 7 h after 'lights on' in the animal colony), when a 7.0 +/
      0.1 h phase advance was observed (n = 3). This phase advance was perpetuated on
      day 3 in vitro without decrement. Serotonin treatment during the subjective night
      had no effect on the timing of the electrical activity rhythm (n = 9). 6. The
      specificity of the serotonin-induced phase change was assessed by treating slices
      in the same manner with a microdrop of serotonergic agonists, 5
      carboxamidotryptamine, that targets the 5-HT1 class of receptors, or 8-hydroxy
      dipropylaminotetralin (8-OH DPAT), that acts on the 5-HT1A receptor
      subtype.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432723
TI  - Interface shear stresses during ambulation with a below-knee prosthetic limb.
AB  - Shear stresses on a residual limb in a prosthetic socket are considered
      clinically to contribute to tissue breakdown in below-knee amputees. When applied
      simultaneously with normal stresses, they can cause injury within the skin or can
      generate an abrasion on the surface. To gain insight into shear stresses and
      parameters that affect them, interface stresses were recorded on below-knee
      amputee subjects during walking trials. On the tibial flares, resultant shear
      ranged from 5.6 kPa to 39.0 kPa, while on the posterior surface it ranged from
      5.0 kPa to 40.7 kPa. During stance phase, anterior resultant shears on a socket
      were directed toward the apex while posterior resultant shears were directed
      downward approximately perpendicular to the ground. Waveform shapes were usually
      double-peaked, with the first peak at 25% to 40% into stance phase and the second
      peak at 65% to 85% into stance. Application of these results to residual limb
      tissue mechanics and prosthetic design is discussed.

PMID- 1432722
TI  - Transient chloride binding as a contributory factor to corneal stromal swelling
      in the ox.
AB  - 1. Investigations were made of the cation exchange capacity of fresh isolated ox
      corneal stroma (Q, units: mequiv fixed stromal charge/kg stromal fluid) at pH 7.4
      over a variety of stomal hydrations (H, units: kg stromal fluid/kg dry tissue)
      both above and below the physiological hydration of 3.2, whilst the stromas were
      immersed in a variety of sodium chloride solutions (range 5-1000 mM). 2. At any
      particular salt concentration, the product QH (dry tissue exchange capacity,
      units: mequiv/kg dry tissue) appeared constant, over all the hydrations
      investigated. 3. Dry tissue exchange capacity (QH) varied, however, when the
      bathing salt concentration was altered. It varied between 55 mequiv/kg dry tissue
      (e.g. Q = 17 mequiv at H = 3.2) in 5 mM-NaCl to 240 mequiv/kg dry tissue (e.g. Q
      = 75 mequiv/l at H = 3.2) in 1000 mM-NaCl. 4. The variation of stromal exchange
      capacity in NaCl solutions of different concentrations was similar when detected
      by three independent procedures: stromal gel pressure measurements, intrastromal
      sodium ion distributions, and intrastromal electrical potentials. 5. Intrastromal
      chloride ion distributions were anomalous. Total chloride (measured by radio
      isotopes) was consistently higher than that predicted by Donnan theory. 6. The
      data were consistent with Elliott's hypothesis that a fraction of intrastromal
      chloride ions bind to the corneal stromal matrix and in so doing contribute to
      the fixed negative charge of the stroma. 7. Our observations may be explained by
      a model of the cation exchange capacity of ox cornea which has two types of
      components. On is (at constant pH) invariant, and has a dry tissue exchange
      capacity of about 50 mequiv/kg dry tissue, and is probably generated by the
      sulphonic and carboxylic acid groups of the glycosaminoglycans. The other is
      explained by supposing it to consist of a chloride binding ligand which exhibits
      first order binding, is half occupied at ambient chloride concentrations of 300
      mM, and has a total capacity of 240 mequiv/kg dry tissue. 8. Partial stromal
      extraction with 4 M-guanidine HCl indicated that the chloride binding ligand is
      not associated with the collagen molecules in the corneal stromal fibrils. 9. It
      is suggested that such a stromal chloride ion binding ligand would help to
      stabilize the hydration and transparency of the living cornea when it is exposed
      to environments of varying tonicity (such as in river or sea bathing).

PMID- 1432724
TI  - Comparative effects of posture on pressure and shear at the body-seat interface.
AB  - This study considers the effects of seated posture and body orientation on the
      pressure-distribution and surface shear (tangential) forces acting at the body
      seat interface. Nine postures typically assumed by wheel-chair users were
      studied. Comparisons were made within and between two study groups, made up of 12
      subjects with spinal cord injuries (SCI) and 10 nondisabled subjects. Both
      interface pressure and the surface shear were measured simultaneously in each of
      nine reproducible, seated postures. The same seat cushion was used for all
      trials. The Oxford Pressure Monitor, a pneumatic cell device, was used to measure
      and record the interface pressures. Instrumentation for measuring and recording
      the surface shear force was constructed specifically for the study. Analysis
      consisted of statistically comparing changes in pressure values and shear forces
      derived from eight sitting postures with reference to values recorded in a
      defined neutral sitting posture. The pressure-distribution findings suggest that
      in the postures studied SCI subjects have maximum pressures that are higher than
      nondisabled subjects in all postures, ranging from 6% to 46% depending on the
      posture. Maximum pressures can be reduced by postural changes: forward flexion to
      50 degrees, -9%; backrest recline to 120 degrees, -12%; and, full body tilt, 
      11%. On average, the SCI group members have peak pressure gradients (PPG) that
      are 1.5 to 2.5 greater than the nondisabled group. The maximum reduction in PPG
      occurred at backrest recline of 120 degrees, -18%. Tangential shear force acts at
      the body-seat interface in all nine postures studied. Extrapolation of results
      suggests that full-body tilt to approximately 25 degrees reduces the surface
      shear force to near zero. In contrast, a backrest-only recline of 20 degrees
      causes a 25% increase in the surface shear force. These results suggest that
      caution must be taken when using nondisabled subjects as surrogates for people
      with SCI because of the inherent differences between the groups. Also,
      researchers and clinicians should recognize that posture and body orientation in
      space are additional variables that can have a profound effect on the interaction
      between a seated person and his or her supporting surface.

PMID- 1432725
TI  - A manufacturing system for contoured foam cushions.
AB  - The design, application and evaluation of a specialized, personal computer-based
      manufacturing system for contouring foam cushions is presented. The topics
      discussed include both the hardware configuration and the software design. The
      target applications of this device are local or centralized fabrication of custom
      contoured seat cushions. Although the technologies used for the development and
      implementation of this system are not new, using a personal-computer-based (PC)
      controller in place of a stand-alone numerically controlled (NC) motion
      controller significantly reduced the cost associated with this component. Further
      reductions in cost resulted from an optimization of the mechanical configuration
      for the dedicated task of carving foam cushions.

PMID- 1432726
TI  - Application of a programmable dual-channel adaptive electrical stimulation system
      for the control and analysis of gait.
AB  - A dual-channel electrical stimulation system with a stimulator and a
      programmer/stride analyzer was designed for clinical rehabilitation of gait and
      for subsequent daily use as an orthotic aid. The stimulator, with controls to
      adjust amplitude only (50 mA), adapts chosen stimulation sequences to the walking
      rate of a patient. Pulse duration (50-500 microseconds), frequency (5-120 Hz),
      shape (symmetrical biphasic, monophasic), stimulation sequences (16 stride
      segments) and their cycle (2-12 sec), and right/left foot-switch choices are
      selected for each patient and programmed into a separate unit. The programming
      unit also statistically processes the foot-switch data collected by the
      stimulator. The device was evaluated with regard to the programmable parameters,
      effectiveness during gait, and feasibility in clinical use. It was applied to 11
      stroke patients and 10 brain injury patients during gait, stimulating 22
      combinations of peroneal nerve and hamstring, quadriceps, triceps brachii, and
      gluteus maximus muscles. Forces on both feet, equinovarus, knee extension and
      hyperextension, elbow flexion, and hip extension were corrected. Selection of the
      stimulation sequences, their adaptation, range of pulse duration, and valid
      statistics were verified. Improved forces and joint angles were recorded together
      with significant changes in the stride time, length, and velocity by the
      stimulation.

PMID- 1432727
TI  - An examination of direct selection typing rate and accuracy for persons with high
      level spinal cord injury using QWERTY and default on-screen keyboards.
AB  - A single-subject rapid alternating treatment design with replication was used to
      compare the efficiency of two keyboard layouts, QWERTY and default, for persons
      with high-level spinal cord injury. The LIAISON system and proportional-drive
      chin controller provided computer access/writing to four subjects. Three
      efficiency characteristics were examined: keystrokes per minute, keystroke
      accuracy, and keystroke corrections. Baseline sessions were followed by 10 to 12
      alternating treatment sessions for all subjects. Each alternating treatment
      session involved six text entry trials--three text entry trials using the QWERTY
      keyboard layout and three using the default keyboard layout. Four follow-up
      sessions were completed for each subject using the default keyboard
      configuration. Data analysis revealed that the default keyboard layout provided
      greater keystrokes per minute for two of the subjects. The keystroke accuracy was
      between 98% and 100% for all subjects on both keyboard layouts. The findings of
      this investigation revealed no clinically significant difference in typing
      performance across the two keyboard layouts for the participating subjects. The
      results also indicate that previous experience with a keyboard configuration is
      an important factor in determining performance. A possible treatment interaction
      or carryover effect between the two keyboard configurations was noted and has
      implications for the type of single-subject design used in future investigations.

PMID- 1432728
TI  - A human factors approach to adapted access device prescription and customization.
AB  - Adapted access device prescription and customization is often a lengthy and
      cumbersome process. To date, few objective procedures are available to assist in
      the prescription process. Rather, clinician and client rely on a trial-and-error
      approach that is often severely constrained by the size of their adaptive device
      collection as well as the extent of clinical expertise. Furthermore, the large
      number of available options and lack of information delineating the mechanical
      and physical characteristics of these devices means that therapists must take
      time away from direct clinical contact to probe each adaptation in detail. There
      is available in the human factors domain a body of literature that is highly
      relevant to adapted access. Of particular interest are the studies that have
      addressed issues related to the suitability of standard and alternative input
      devices in terms of task productivity (via improvements in input speed, accuracy,
      and endurance), and their ability to minimize the risk of acute and chronic work
      related dysfunction. This paper aims to consider the relevance of human factors
      research for physically disabled individuals. Three human factors issues--digit
      travel, digit loading, and device positioning--have been selected as
      representative of factors important in the configuration of adapted access
      devices.

PMID- 1432729
TI  - Automated fabrication of mobility aids (AFMA): below-knee CASD/CAM testing and
      evaluation program results.
AB  - In 1988 the Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Research and
      Development Service, under the directorship of Margaret J. Giannini, M.D., began
      a nationally directed computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing
      (CAD/CAM) research program for the Automated Fabrication of Mobility Aids (AFMA).
      Under this program CAD/CAM research and development centers were established at
      the Prosthetics Research Study in Seattle, WA; at Northwestern University and the
      VA Lakeside Medical Center in Chicago, IL; and at the VA Medical Center and New
      York University Medical Center in New York, NY. These three centers conducted a
      collaborative program: (a) to introduce CAD/CAM technologies to prosthetists,
      physicians, therapists, and rehabilitation health care professionals in the
      United States; (b) to evaluate the feasibility of using CAD/CAM systems in
      clinical prosthetics settings; (c) to test and evaluate the University College
      London-Bioengineering Center's and the University of British Columbia-Medical
      Engineering Resource Unit's respective systems for the computer-aided design and
      computer-aided manufacture of prosthetic sockets (CASD/CAM) for below-knee
      amputees; and, (d) to obtain quantitative data for refinement of the CASD/CAM
      systems tested, and for the development of new, enhanced, more efficacious, and
      expedient systems.

PMID- 1432730
TI  - Comparison of signal-to-noise ratio of myoelectric filters for prosthesis
      control.
AB  - A comparison of signal-to-noise ratios and rise times was performed on several
      myoelectric filters used for muscle-force estimation and prosthesis control.
      Linear, averaging, and adaptive filters were compared using single as well as
      multiple electrode pairs (spatial filtering). The filters were matched for having
      the same rise time (0-95%) and the signal-to-noise ratios were measured off-line
      using the same myoelectric signal recording. The linear filter was a low-pass
      filter with a time constant of 80 ms. The averaging filter had an averaging time
      of 250 ms. The adaptive filter was the same as is used in the Utah Artificial
      Arm. The adaptive filter varied its time constant according to the rate of change
      of the signal mean. If the rate was high, the time constant was set low. If the
      rate was low, the time constant was set high. Spatial filtering is where the
      myoelectric signals from four cutaneous sites over the same muscle were summed,
      that is, spatially filtered, and the resultant signal was smoothed by the linear,
      averaging, or adaptive filter. Significant improvement in the signal-to-noise
      ratio has been shown over conventional linear or averaging filters when using
      spatial and adaptive filtering, both when used separately and when used together.

PMID- 1432731
TI  - Cementoblastoma and osteoblastoma: a comparison of histologic features.
AB  - Three cases of cementoblastoma (CB) and three cases of osteoblastoma (OB) were
      histologically compared. The aim of the study was to investigate whether CB and
      OB are different in other aspects than being connected with a tooth. CB cases
      were the following: maxillary lesions in a 23-year-old woman and a 22-yr-old man
      and a mandibular lesion in a 28-yr-old man. In one case the tumor was fused to
      the roots of two teeth. Of the OB cases, one occurred in the mandible of a 27-yr
      old man, one in the ankle of a 19-yr-old male and one in the thoracic vertebrae
      of a 27-yr-old man. Histologically, CB and OB had the same appearance including
      peripheral spiculae rimmed by swollen blasts. This histologic similarity between
      OB and CB indicates that the diagnosis CB should not be made unless the lesion is
      connected with a tooth.

PMID- 1432732
TI  - Enamel ultrastructure in pigmented hypomaturation amelogenesis imperfecta.
AB  - Hypomaturation amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) is a hereditary condition of enamel
      that is presumed to result from defects during the maturation stage of enamel
      development. This study characterized the enamel ultrastructure and enamel
      crystallite morphology, as well as the distribution of organic material in enamel
      affected with pigmented hypomaturation AI. Enamel exhibiting autosomal recessive
      pigmented hypomaturation AI was sectioned or fractured and examined using light
      microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.
      Enamel samples were treated with 30% NaOCl or 8 M urea to remove organic
      components and determine the effect of deproteinization on crystallite
      morphology. These were compared with untreated normal enamel samples. The enamel
      crystallites in hypomaturation AI exhibited considerable variability in size and
      morphology. Examination of deproteinized tissue indicated that the AI
      crystallites had a thick coating, presumably of organic or partially mineralized
      material, which was not visible in normal enamel. The results of this
      investigation provide further evidence that hypomaturation AI is associated with
      the retention of organic material that is most probably enamel protein. Enamel
      protein retention is likely to be involved in the inhibition of normal
      crystallite growth resulting in the morphological crystallite abnormalities
      associated with this disorder.

PMID- 1432733
TI  - Growth hormone regulates nucleolar organizer regions during odontogenesis in the
      rat.
AB  - Nucleolar organizers are major sites of ribosomal RNA synthesis and provide an
      index of transcriptional activity. In order to further define growth hormone
      actions on nucleolar organizer regions in tooth forming cells, hypophysectomized
      rats treated with growth hormone for 4 and 24 h, hypophysectomized and sham
      operated animals were used. After demineralization and standard paraffin
      embedding, longitudinal sections of maxillary incisors were stained by a silver
      stain technique to reveal nucleolar organizer regions. The area of these regions
      per nucleus was measured using a modified microdensitometer. Analyses of variance
      of the resulting data showed that preameloblasts and preodontoblasts have greater
      silver stained nucleolar organizer region values than ameloblasts and
      odontoblasts. Hypophysectomy reduced and growth hormone partly restored the level
      of nucleolar organizer regions in preameloblasts and preodontoblasts, but not in
      mature ameloblasts or odontoblasts. In the case of the younger preameloblasts and
      preodontoblasts, the effect of growth hormone was seen within 4 h of growth
      hormone injection. In conclusion, rRNA synthesis, as revealed by the specific
      silver staining of nucleolar organizer regions in tooth forming cells, appears to
      be regulated by growth hormone over a relatively short time frame.

PMID- 1432735
TI  - Expression of p53 mutant nuclear phosphoprotein in oral carcinoma and potentially
      malignant oral lesions.
AB  - An immunohistochemical study of primary oral squamous cell carcinomas (n = 37)
      with a monoclonal antibody (PAb 1801) specific to p53 antioncogene product
      demonstrated nuclear overexpression of the mutant protein in 35% of cases. Those
      positive included carcinomas without deep invasion suggesting that p53 mutation
      may occur in the early stages of progression of a malignancy. This is supported
      by the observation that mutant protein was detectable in limited amounts in 2
      cases of oral mucosal dysplasia (n = 12). None of the normal or reactive oral
      mucosal tissues (n = 17) were positive for p53. The presence or absence of p53
      was not correlated with the site of the lesion or its degree of differentiation.
      Our data suggest that p53 gene mutations are commonly involved in oral cancer but
      are neither sufficient nor necessary for the development of malignancy.
      Nevertheless, as this mutation is the commonest genetic change described so far
      in cancers in white caucasoids, it is possible that its presence can be used as a
      marker of risk in a high proportion of malignant and potentially malignant oral
      lesions.

PMID- 1432736
TI  - Major recurrent oral ulcers in AIDS: report of three cases.
AB  - We report the cases of three AIDS patients who developed major recurrent oral
      ulcers with severe odynophagia and weight loss. The patients were treated
      successfully with systemic steroids. Within the first week of prednisone therapy
      (40 mg/day), the symptoms improved and the lesions entirely healed. We suggest,
      on the bases of recent literature, that superantigens and the cytokine network
      could be involved and they should be considered in the immunopathogenic
      mechanisms of this type of ulcers.

PMID- 1432734
TI  - Odontogenic myxoma: histochemical and ultrastructural study.
AB  - Three cases of odontogenic myxoma are presented, two of which were located in the
      mandible and one in the maxilla. All cases demonstrated similar morphology by
      light microscopy. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated positive reaction with
      antibodies to vimentin and actin, and negative reaction to antibody to S-100
      protein. A 127-day-old human tooth bud was used as a control. The ultrastructural
      features performed on Case 3, when combined with the immunohistochemical findings
      suggest that the cells comprising odontogenic myxoma are of myofibroblastic
      origin.

PMID- 1432737
TI  - Ehlers Danlos syndrome type I with novel dental features.
AB  - The clinical, radiographic and histologic findings are described in two cases of
      Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Type I with novel dental features. Defective
      dentinogenesis principally affecting the mandibular incisors result in aplasia or
      hypoplasia of root development predisposing to localized periodontal disease. A
      striking radiographic appearance with a bulbous enlargement of the roots together
      with pulp stones is seen in other teeth. 'Giant channels' and vascular inclusions
      resembling 'intermediate cementum' are prominent within this area. No evidence of
      Type III procollagen or collagen was detected with indirect immunofluorescence.
      It is suggested that an inherited collagen abnormality in a component common to
      dentin, skin, ligament and tendon probably explains both EDS I and the dentin
      dysplasia.

PMID- 1432738
TI  - Infantile osteopetrosis: a case report on dental findings.
AB  - In this paper we have described the case of a 7-yr-old Moroccan osteopetrotic
      boy, who had received a bone marrow transplant (BMT). He was transplanted from
      his older brother and, despite immunosuppressive therapy, developed chronic graft
      versus-host disease and was placed on corticotherapy. Seven months after the bone
      marrow transplant, graft versus host disease (GVHD) was stabilized, but
      corticotherapy had inhibited growth. There was evidence of normalizing bone, his
      hearing was better but he had not recovered vision. Dental findings before the
      bone marrow transplant revealed some missing teeth, failure of teeth to erupt and
      decayed teeth but no enamel hypoplasia. The patient had developed one carious
      lesion on one unerupted tooth: bacteria seem to have found a way through the
      gubernaculum dentale. The scanning electronmicrographs showed decayed tooth and
      tissues fitted into each other. Since the bone marrow transplant, no tooth has
      erupted. We think that, in this case, failure of tooth eruption would be the sign
      of osteopetrosis.

PMID- 1432739
TI  - Hypophosphatasia: a family study involving a case diagnosed from gingival
      crevicular fluid.
AB  - Hypophosphatasia is an inherited disorder characterized by defective
      mineralization of the skeletal and dental structures of the body and deficient
      liver/bone/kidney alkaline phosphatase (L/B/K ALP) activity. There has been a
      tremendous advance in our knowledge of this condition over the last decade due to
      the advent of highly specific DNA probes and novel microanalytic techniques. The
      purpose of this paper is threefold: to review the dental aspects of current
      literature about this rare condition; to present a case (and family study) that
      was diagnosed in a 5-yr-old boy from 0.14 microliters of gingival crevicular
      fluid, using a new ultrasensitive chemiluminescent assay for the enzyme alkaline
      phosphatase; and to provide strong evidence for an autosomal dominant mode of
      inheritance.

PMID- 1432740
TI  - Student voice.

PMID- 1432742
TI  - Developing a nursing care plan for the depressed elderly patient.

PMID- 1432741
TI  - Practical nursing: a proud history; a promising future.

PMID- 1432744
TI  - Helping the patient and their family understand depression.

PMID- 1432743
TI  - Therapeutic advances in ulcerative colitis.
AB  - Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory condition that requires individualized and
      innovative therapy for each patient depending on the symptoms, location,
      severity, and chronicity of the disease. It is most often a chronic illness that
      requires modification in treatment as the stage of the disease changes. Systemic
      and rectal aminosalicylates (sulfasalazine, mesalamine, olsalazine and
      corticosteroids) remain the most useful therapeutic agents. Rectally administered
      mesalamine and the forms of oral mesalamine appear to have significant advantage
      over sulfasalazine dosage forms. Future clinical usage and scientific study will
      determine the place of these newer agents among other medical therapies and the
      surgical management of ulcerative colitis.

PMID- 1432745
TI  - New clinical trial for prevention of yeast infections in HIV infected women.

PMID- 1432746
TI  - Legal briefs.

PMID- 1432747
TI  - LPN, business woman speaks at convention luncheon.

PMID- 1432748
TI  - Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

PMID- 1432749
TI  - A personal journey through the abyss of depression.

PMID- 1432750
TI  - An unpredictable result from a torus palatinus removal and its treatment: a
      clinical report.

PMID- 1432751
TI  - Implant rehabilitation in Erdheim-Chester disease: a clinical report.
AB  - Successful osseointegration of endosseous titanium implants is thought to be
      dependent upon close apposition of bone to the implant surface. The integration
      of implants in this patient was achieved despite the lipid-laden histiocytic
      infiltration of the bone marrow. Presumably, enough unaffected stromal cells were
      present to allow sufficient bone formation for osseointegration of the implant
      fixtures. This result invites speculation regarding both the mechanism of
      osseointegration and the minimum surface area of bone-implant interface necessary
      for achieving and maintaining osseointegration of titanium implants. This patient
      is periodically examined to determine if the loaded fixtures will remain
      clinically immobile for a prolonged period.

PMID- 1432752
TI  - Physical properties and repair bond strength of direct and indirect composite
      resins.
AB  - Use of composite resins now includes indirect curing methods. Surface chemistry,
      repair bond strength, plus location of failure and five physical properties of
      two direct and three indirect composite resins were determined. There were
      statistically significant differences in flexural strength of materials and in
      hardness values. Repair bond strength failures were not significantly different;
      failures occurred primarily at the interface. Multiple internal reflection
      spectroscopy confirmed the presence of unpolymerized material after cure in all
      products. Indirect cure of the direct composite resin increased the degree of
      cure.

PMID- 1432753
TI  - Light-cured resin for post patterns.
AB  - A method of using light-cured acrylic resin as an alternative to the use of
      chemically-cured acrylic resins with elastomeric impressions for direct post
      patterns is presented. The GC Unifast LC acrylic resin is a powder/liquid type
      resin cured by exposure to visible light. The polymerization process has four
      stages before final curing: slurry, stringy, dough-like (plastic), and rubber
      like (elastic). Advantages over current direct and indirect procedures include
      ease of manipulation of the material and no change in laboratory handling
      procedures. While in the dough-like state, the material can be contoured. In the
      rubber-like state, it is flexible to disengage from minor undercut areas.

PMID- 1432754
TI  - Effect of core materials on stress distribution of posts.
AB  - Severely damaged endodontically treated teeth require the use of a post and core
      for the retention of the restoration. The choice of material for a post and core
      and their stress-producing characteristics must be considered by the clinician.
      Two-dimensional photoelastic analysis of birefringent models was used to
      investigate the influence of different core materials on the stress distribution
      of nonthreaded cylindrical posts. Cast posts and cores and prefabricated posts
      with amalgam and composite resin cores were compared with posts without cores at
      installation and under two loading conditions. The findings indicate a
      significant difference between posts with and without cores. It appears that the
      stiffer core materials can shift the load from the apex to the coronal region.

PMID- 1432755
TI  - Effects of posts on dentin stress distribution in pulpless teeth.
AB  - A finite element analysis was carried out to study the roles of posts in reducing
      dentin stress in pulpless teeth. Two-dimensional plane strain models of the
      midlabiolingual section of a human maxillary central incisor were first analyzed.
      The results showed that the gold alloy post reduced maximal dentin stress by as
      much as 30%. However, the integrity of the dentin was compromised and the effects
      of the post were likely to be exaggerated in such models. In an effort to correct
      for these problems, plane stress models with side plates and axisymmetric models
      were analyzed. Posts were found to reduce maximal dentin stress by only 3% to 8%
      when the teeth were subjected to masticatory and traumatic loadings in these
      latter models. Although posts reduced maximal dentin stress by as much as 20%
      when the teeth were loaded vertically, teeth such as incisors and canines
      normally are not subjected to vertical loadings. Thus the reinforcement effects
      of posts seem to be doubtful in these teeth.

PMID- 1432756
TI  - Root fracture in endodontically treated teeth related to post selection and crown
      design.
AB  - Standardized plastic analogues simulating an endodontically treated maxillary
      central incisor root were used to investigate the resistance to root fracture in
      endodontically treated teeth. Three different post and core systems were used:
      (1) cast post and core, (2) Para-Post Plus post, and (3) Flexi-Post post. The
      core build-up material selected in this study was Ketac Silver material, after
      which a crown preparation was made on each analogue. Two types of preparations
      were used: a wide chamfer margin (butt-joint) and a wide chamfer margin with a
      1.0 mm circumferential bevel. An overcasting was fabricated and was permanently
      cemented on each preparation. Assemblies were subjected to an increasing lingual
      oblique force until fracture occurred. Results were tabulated using the analysis
      of variance (F test) and Student's t test. Beveled preparations with a
      concomitant final restoration provided a significant increased resistance to root
      fracture. Furthermore, vertical fracture occurred twice as often with nonbeveled
      preparations.

PMID- 1432757
TI  - The retentive and stress distributing properties of split threaded endodontic
      dowels.
AB  - A threaded, parallel-sided endodontic dowel that has a longitudinal split was
      tested to determine its retention and stress distribution properties.
      Photoelastic stress analysis revealed high installation stresses unless the
      dowels were counterrotated. Axial loading created stresses at the threads, with
      elevated coronal and apical stresses. Even higher coronal stresses were recorded
      with inclined loads, and shorter dowels generated greater stresses than longer
      dowels. The retentive values were generally lower than those in comparable
      studies.

PMID- 1432758
TI  - Evaluation of the fracture resistance of a wrought post compared with completely
      cast post and cores.
AB  - The intraradicular fracture of a post and core presents a difficult and often
      unrestorable situation. Attempts to prevent this problem involved the use of
      materials with increased physical properties. The use of a preformed wrought post
      with a core cast to it may provide a more fracture-resistant foundation. This
      investigation compared a commercially available noble alloy-wrought post that had
      a gold core cast to it with completely cast specimens from three different
      alloys. A standard pattern was designed to simulate a post and core that would be
      used in a tooth of limited length and canal space. Patterns were cast and fixed
      to custom holding devices. Each specimen was subjected to a shearing force until
      catastrophic failure in a universal testing machine. Significant differences were
      noted among the groups.

PMID- 1432759
TI  - Cement luting thickness beneath porcelain veneers made on platinum foil.
AB  - Porcelain laminate veneers were made using a platinum foil matrix and were
      subsequently cemented to mandibular anterior Cymel teeth. Cement film thickness
      was measured in six predetermined locations. Repeated measures analysis of
      variance and single degree of freedom contrasts delineated a significant
      difference between marginal openings at the incisal edge where foil is folded and
      in four of the other vertical areas (132 versus 74.1 microns). Marginal cement
      film thickness of veneers made on platinum foil is less than that reported for
      veneers made on a refractory investment.

PMID- 1432760
TI  - An evaluation of smear layer with various desensitizing agents after tooth
      preparation.
AB  - According to hydrodynamics, any agent blocking the dentinal tubules reduces the
      flow of fluids and diminishes hypersensitivity. The properties of the
      desensitizing agents that sponsor tubular occlusion and the barrier efficiency
      resulting from the interaction of the smear layer with test materials were
      examined with the scanning electron microscope and energy-dispersive x-ray
      microanalysis. Selected dentinal desensitizing was accomplished with burnishing
      procedures, cavity varnish, calcium hydroxide, and topical fluoride. Subjective
      evaluations were also recorded clinically after tooth preparation. This
      investigation indicated that the smear layer did not protect against zinc
      phosphate cement, and that cavity varnish prevented the formation of the smear
      plugs. The smear layer and plugs were basically composed of calcium and
      phosphorus, the major ingredients of dentin.

PMID- 1432761
TI  - Mechanical properties of heat-treated composite resin restorative materials.
AB  - Clinical methods for heat treating composite resin restorations have been
      developed. In this investigation, the effect of heat treatments on the diametral
      tensile strength of composite resin was determined. The composite resin
      restorative materials were selected according to the manufacturers' suggested use
      for anterior or posterior teeth, filler particle composition, and light-cured or
      chemical polymerization. Samples were prepared according to American Dental
      Association specification No. 27, and heat treatments were accomplished with a
      Coltene DI 500 oven for curing at approximately 120 degrees C for 7 minutes. Heat
      treatment substantially increased the diametral tensile strength tested, with the
      exception of the anterior hybrid particle (p less than 0.05). Composite resins
      with fine-particle inorganic fillers were significantly stronger than hybrid and
      microfilled composite resins.

PMID- 1432762
TI  - Properties of test metal ceramic titanium alloys.
AB  - Four test alloys were prepared using a high frequency centrifugal casting machine
      and a ceramic crucible for the development of titanium bonding alloys that can be
      cast in the ordinary atmosphere. Of these alloys, 10.06% Ti, 78.79% Ni, 9.02% Pd,
      1.77% Sn and 9.91% Ti, 78.56% Ni, 9.07% Pd, 1.86% Sn, 0.65% Ir could be cast by
      the conventional high frequency centrifugal method; however, 89.18% Ti, 8.75% Ni,
      1.03% Pd, 0.28% Sn and 89.81% Ti, 8.15% Ni, 1.01% Pd, 0.18% Sn, 0.67% Ir could be
      cast only by the argon are melting method. The alloys 10.06% Ti, 78.95% Ni, 9.02%
      Pd, 1.77% Sn and 9.91% Ti, 78.56% Ni, 9.07% Pd, 1.86% Sn, 0.65% Ir showed
      excellent physical and mechanical properties and bonding strengths, surpassing
      those of the commercial alloys TPW and Unimetal. Concerning the elution of
      component elements, the amounts of titanium eluted from these alloys were far
      smaller than those from pure titanium or a Ti-6Al-4V alloy, and nickel elution,
      which has become an issue in relation to metal allergy, was almost nil in
      contrast to Unimetal (Ni-Cr alloy). The alloy 9.91% Ti, 78.56% Ni, 9.07% Pd,
      1.86% Sn, 0.65% Ir showed properties that indicated its favorable use as an alloy
      for the bonding of dental porcelain.

PMID- 1432763
TI  - Use of plastic bar molded casting in the modification of variably expanding
      investment to compensate for casting shrinkage of nickel-chromium alloy.
AB  - Trial plastic bar molded castings were compared for accuracy with cast crowns by
      means of a nickel-chromium alloy, which was used to establish the liquid density
      of variably expanding investments. The plastic bars were invested to evaluate the
      change of expansion rate in a wide range of six liquid densities from 0% to 100%,
      and the distances between the sections were measured before and after casting.
      Wax crowns were cast to obtain a more detailed relation around 0% expansion at
      seven liquid densities, and the gaps between the base of the die and the margin
      of the crown were measured before and after casting. The expansion rates of both
      castings were calculated and thus were proportional to the liquid density; both
      regression curves indicated high correlation coefficients. As a result of the
      statistics of the Student's t-test, the difference between the two methods was
      not significant. The trial plastic bar was useful in establishing the variably
      expanding investment for precise casting of artificial crowns.

PMID- 1432764
TI  - A mathematic model of occlusal adjustment.
AB  - A mathematic algorithm was developed to calculate mandibular repositioning
      resulting from occlusal equilibration. A formula to determine the amount of tooth
      reduction necessary for the adjustment also was derived.

PMID- 1432765
TI  - Effect of seating force on film thickness of new adhesive luting agents.
AB  - This study examined the effect of seating force on the film thickness of new
      adhesive luting agents. The method was in compliance with American National
      Standards/American Dental Association Specification No. 8 for zinc phosphate
      cement. The materials tested were zinc phosphate cement, glass ionomer cement,
      polycarboxylate cement, and a resinous cement with a dentinal bonding agent. All
      materials were manipulated exactly as described in the manufacturer's
      instructions, and an electronic gauge with an accuracy of 0.5 micron was used.
      Each class of material was measured 10 times at six different seating forces.
      Analysis of variance and multiple comparisons testing disclosed that the seating
      force and class of material strongly influenced the film thicknesses of luting
      agents. A mathematical model describing the response of zinc phosphate cement
      within the range tested was reported.

PMID- 1432766
TI  - Effect of surface roughness and cement space on crown retention.
AB  - The effects of varying luting agent space and internal surface roughness with
      different types of cores and cements were studied. One hundred eighty amalgam and
      180 composite cores were cemented into standardized stainless steel retainers.
      Cores and retainers were divided into 12 groups according to core type, core
      diameter, and retainer roughness. Each group was further subdivided according to
      cement, A: zinc phosphate (ZOP); B: resin; and C: glass ionomer cement (GIC).
      Subgroups were divided into thermal-cycled and nonthermal-cycled groups. Thermal
      cycling was at 5 degrees to 55 degrees C, repeated 500 times. Cores were
      separated from their retainers with a compression rod in an Instron testing
      machine at a crosshead speed of 0.02 cm/minute. Results were as follows: Amalgam
      cores were most retentive. Resin and ZOP cements were equally retentive with
      amalgam cores, but GIC was less retentive. Resin cores cemented with resin cement
      were more than twice as retentive than those cemented with ZOP or GIC cements.
      Retainers with rough internal surfaces were most retentive. A reduced cement
      space between core and retainer was most retentive. Thermal cycling reduced
      retention.

PMID- 1432767
TI  - Image analysis and occlusion.
AB  - This study was designed to investigate the measurement of the occlusal contact
      area (surface) using commercially available equipment and computer programs for
      image processing and analysis. A stable occlusal record was made using an
      addition curing silicone rubber putty and was placed on a light source onto which
      a video camera was focused. This image was digitized and standard thickness
      records were used to calibrate the appropriate threshold for measurement of
      contact and near contact surfaces. Differences between individuals and within
      individuals with and without their partial dentures are large. This method has
      the potential to be a powerful tool in the study of occlusion.

PMID- 1432768
TI  - Comparison of load transfer by maxillary distal extension removable partial
      dentures with a spring-loaded plunger attachment and I-bar retainer.
AB  - This study photoelastically compared the stress distribution characteristics of
      two maxillary bilateral distal-extension removable partial denture designs, one
      using I-bar retention and the other using a semiprecision spring-loaded plunger
      attachment. Each prosthesis was subjected to vertical and horizontal extension
      base loads. Comparisons were made from photographic recordings of isochromatic
      fringe distributions. The two retention designs produced comparable stresses with
      splinting of abutments for the plunger attachment. The attachment-retained
      prosthesis proved less stable with some loadings. Stress patterns followed three
      trajectories in the maxilla. A basis for stress distribution comparisons to other
      maxillary removable partial denture attachments is established.

PMID- 1432769
TI  - One-appointment construction of an immediate transitional complete denture using
      visible light-cured resin.
AB  - A technique is described for construction of an immediate transitional complete
      denture in one appointment using self-curing tooth color and visible light-cured
      resins. Conventional immediate denture therapy may be too prolonged for medically
      or physically compromised patients. This alternative treatment reduces
      laboratory, dentist, and patient time, thereby providing a fast and economical
      service.

PMID- 1432770
TI  - Treatment of edentulous maxillae with osseointegrated implants.
AB  - Edentulous maxillae can be restored with implant supported fixed restorations
      containing denture teeth on a metal framework, implant-retained removable overlay
      prostheses, or porcelain fused-to-metal fixed prostheses. Esthetics and hygiene
      access are two important factors in determining the restoration best suited for
      each patient. Treatment planning considerations and treatment procedures for the
      various techniques are discussed.

PMID- 1432771
TI  - Comparative implant research in dogs: a prosthodontic model.
AB  - One-hundred twenty endosteal dental implants were inserted bilaterally in the
      mandibles of 30 adult mongrel dogs after bilateral extraction of all premolars.
      The 120 implants were evenly divided into one- and two-stage systems and included
      ceramic and titanium cylindrical root-form implants and titanium blade implants.
      The research design of this investigation divided the 30 animals into 10 groups
      of three dogs. This article describes an animal model that is useful in
      evaluating dental implant designs and compares the results with those from
      humans. In particular, this article delineates the prosthodontic approach
      appropriate for this model using one- and two-stage titanium implants. Rexillium
      alloy fixed prostheses were placed on 32 endosteal implants and 16 natural
      mandibular molar teeth. The implants and prosthetic components of the Sterio-Oss
      implant system were used. All prostheses are functional with minimal maintenance.
      To date, after 1-year of follow-up, none of the implants have been lost and none
      of the fixed prostheses have required recementation or maintenance other than
      normal hygiene. Histologic and survival data as well as results with other
      implant systems will be presented in other reports.

PMID- 1432772
TI  - Effects of osseointegrated implants on psychological and social well-being: a
      literature review.
AB  - This article considers three research topics on the social and psychologic
      aspects of osseointegrated implants. First, the motivations of patients who enter
      therapy are described. Second, research studies on the psychologic effects of
      dental implants are critically examined. Although these studies provide
      consistent evidence in support of osseointegrated implants, there are many issues
      that make interpretation of results problematic. Finally, some suggestions for
      future research are made.

PMID- 1432773
TI  - Effects of environmental factors on maxillofacial elastomers: Part II--Report of
      survey.
AB  - Part II of a four-part report presents an international survey that was conducted
      to determine the most frequently used materials in the fabrication of facial and
      somatoprostheses. The survey also solicited information about advantages and
      disadvantages, methods of coloring, and the perceived properties of an "ideal"
      material. The results of the survey indicated that the majority of
      prosthodontists and prosthetists are using room temperature-vulcanized silicone
      products, intrinsically colored with dry earth pigments or artist's pigments. The
      need for further research in materials for external prostheses was clearly
      indicated.

PMID- 1432774
TI  - The mandibular swing-lock complete denture for patients with microstomia.
AB  - Regardless of cause, the treatment of an edentulous patient with microstomia is
      difficult and often ingenious. Prosthodontic treatment modalities previously
      described are reviewed. A new type of prosthesis, the collapsible mandibular
      swing-lock complete denture, is introduced. The prosthesis incorporates a cast
      cobalt-chromium framework with a lingual hinge and a conventional labial swing
      lock. This combination allows the prosthesis to be collapsible while maintaining
      structural durability. Advantages include ease of insertion and removal while
      providing maximum coverage for support, retention, and stability. A stepwise
      technique for the clinical and laboratory phases is described.

PMID- 1432775
TI  - A multivariate study of patients with temporomandibular joint disorder, atypical
      facial pain, and dental pain.
AB  - The multifactorial nature of oral and facial pain was investigated by the
      collection of clinical and psychologic data from 312 patients with either dental
      pain, temporomandibular joint disorder, or atypical facial pain. Significant
      differences between the groups in gender and age distribution, muscle and joint
      pain, radiographic joint changes, number of remaining teeth, pain duration, and
      aspects of the patients' perception of pain were evident. In addition,
      discriminant function analysis clearly differentiated between the three groups on
      the basis of both clinical and psychologic variables, emphasizing the
      multifactorial nature of oral and facial pain.

PMID- 1432776
TI  - Comparison of four different methods of evaluation on axially corrected tomograms
      of the condyle/fossa relationship.
AB  - One hundred temporomandibular joints of 50 dry skulls were used to determine
      whether there was a statistically significantly difference among four different
      techniques that were employed to assess the condyle/fossa relationship on axially
      corrected tomograms. A two-way analysis of variance was performed and the results
      indicated that: (1) a highly significant difference in the condyle/fossa
      relationship existed (p = 0.002) among the various skulls and (2) no significant
      difference existed between the four techniques employed to assess the
      condyle/fossa relationship (p = 1).

PMID- 1432777
TI  - Evaluation of variables associated with the transverse horizontal axis.
AB  - The effect of transverse horizontal axis deviations on the vertical and
      horizontal orientation of maxillary and mandibular members was investigated on a
      laboratory articulator model. Twelve axis deviations (+30, +25, +20, +15, +10,
      +5, -5, -10, -15, -20, -25, and -30 mm groups) within a 55 mm dimension model
      were evaluated. Three trials at each transverse horizontal axis deviation
      demonstrated significant changes in maxillomandibular orientation after mounting
      the mandibular member with a standardized intermember mounting record. A linear
      regression analysis produced an equation for predictive interpolation of anterior
      posterior shift as a result of axis deviations from +30 to -30 mm.

PMID- 1432778
TI  - Spacer made from a visible light-cured resin for processing denture soft liners.
AB  - When soft lining materials are used in complete dentures it is important to
      control their thickness and increase the probability of their staying in the
      denture base. A spacer made of light-curing denture base material makes it
      possible to do both of these things. The denture base resin is packed against the
      hard light-cured spacer and can be partially cured. The cured spacer will not
      flow or be displaced and can be easily removed to allow an even space for packing
      the soft lining material.

PMID- 1432779
TI  - A flasking technique for microwave processing of silicone prostheses.
AB  - Polyvinylchloride plumbing parts provide a readily available source of material
      to use in making facial prostheses. Inexpensive pipe fittings (end cap
      attachments and closet flanges) can be combined to provide a durable container
      for stone molds that can be tightened in a strong curing press. The entire unit
      can be cured in a microwave oven in 30 minutes.

PMID- 1432780
TI  - Making a coping for an esthetic veneer crown.
AB  - Esthetic veneer crowns should be waxed to full contour before the veneer surface
      is cut back. This procedure ensures that patterns and metal copings will have the
      proper contours. A technique is described for making a coping that has an ideal
      thickness of 0.3 to 0.5 mm, that is stable, and that is unlikely to fracture.

PMID- 1432781
TI  - A soft tissue simulated cast for implant prosthesis.
AB  - A master cast that simulates the mucosa around implant fixtures and abutments
      facilitates implant prosthesis fabrication. It is helpful if this simulation is
      not altered during laboratory procedures. A technique is described for a master
      cast that includes a removable mucosal component. This technique can be applied
      when either implant or abutment analogs are positioned in the cast.

PMID- 1432782
TI  - Making a provisional crown under a clasp of an existing removable partial
      denture.

PMID- 1432783
TI  - Protecting the finish of stone dies during trimming.
AB  - This procedure is quick, easy, and inexpensive. It prevents damage to the die
      during trimming and does not alter the integrity of the die.

PMID- 1432784
TI  - Mixing irreversible hydrocolloid with no bubbles or hassles.

PMID- 1432785
TI  - Use of a maxillary tray to make an alginate impression for patients with large
      bilateral mandibular tori.

PMID- 1432786
TI  - Duplication of interim speech aid for definitive impression tray fabrication.
AB  - A wax tray is stable and easily relieved if overextended. Unusual tray undercuts
      or angles needed for the partial resection patient need not be eliminated before
      the impression procedure. Relief of these undercuts is necessary with acrylic
      resin trays to ensure separation from the final stone cast. Because the wax tray
      is separated easily from the prosthesis during the boil-out, it is not necessary
      to "burn" or grind acrylic resin from the framework. The tray shape is duplicated
      from the existing interim prosthesis on the nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal
      side. An arbitrarily shaped acrylic resin tray may be grossly overextended and
      require time-consuming clinical adjustments. An underextended tray on the
      nasopharyngeal side will not carry or support the impression material around or
      through the residual soft palate remnant. A tray that closely approximates the
      final prosthesis will allow use of a tissue conditioner final impression without
      need for border molding (Fig. 2). Duplicating the oropharyngeal side of the
      interim speech aid duplicates the previously established plane that is compatible
      with the tongue. The author has used this technique successfully for eight total
      and five partial soft palate resections. A cleft palate speech aid prosthesis has
      also been made with this technique.

PMID- 1432787
TI  - A modeling hot knife used to remove palates from waxed trial dentures.

PMID- 1432788
TI  - An alternate method of packing casts for transport.

PMID- 1432789
TI  - Interim treatment of a patient with eroded maxillary dentition: a clinical
      report.

PMID- 1432791
TI  - Polyvinyl siloxane impression materials: a review of properties and techniques.
AB  - Polyvinyl siloxane impression materials have been shown to have excellent
      properties as impression materials; however, they are sensitive to manipulative
      variables. Several methods of using very high viscosity (putty) materials to form
      "trays" to obtain uniform bulk of the wash impression are described, and the
      disadvantages of each of these techniques is pointed out. It is recommended that
      for best results acrylic resin custom trays should be used routinely. The
      interaction of polyvinyl siloxane materials with latex products is also discussed
      and problems that this inhibition can cause are stated. Suggestions to avoid this
      interaction are outlined. One of the disadvantages of the impression materials is
      that it has a relatively short working time. Refrigerating the material will
      increase working time without affecting accuracy.

PMID- 1432790
TI  - An experimental porcelain repair system evaluated under controlled clinical
      conditions.
AB  - Twenty metal ceramic crowns on upper premolars in 12 patients were purposely
      fractured before seating with temporary cement. The fractured crowns were
      repaired in situ with an experimental porcelain repair system. The initial
      results were satisfactory both esthetically and functionally. However, only 50%
      of the repairs were intact by the end of the 12-month follow-up period. The
      system is considered to be suitable only for intermediate repairs of metal
      ceramic crowns that are in occlusal contact.

PMID- 1432792
TI  - Effect of fluoride varnish on the retentive strength of provisional crowns luted
      with various temporary cements.
AB  - The retention of temporary crowns was studied with the use of a fluoride varnish
      (Duraphat) combined with various temporary cements. The mixture of Duraphat
      varnish and cement improved retention, with the exception of Opotow cement.
      Applying Duraphat varnish to the tooth surface before cementation enhanced the
      retentive strength of Tempbond, weakened the retention of Freegenol, but had no
      effect on Opotow cement. A "transfer effect" was observed, inasmuch as the
      Duraphat varnish encouraged adherence of the cement to the tooth structure rather
      than to the temporary crown.

PMID- 1432793
TI  - Use of luting agents with an implant system: Part I.
AB  - When removal of the provisionally cemented superstructure from a cemented
      abutment becomes necessary, the retentive strengths of the abutment/fixture and
      superstructure/abutment luting agents become important considerations. This study
      compared the retentive strengths of castings cemented to machined titanium
      implant abutments and to a human premolar with three provisional luting agents.
      Also tested were the retentive strengths of cast noble metal implant abutments
      cemented into titanium fixtures with three permanent luting agents both dry and
      after storage in 0.9% physiologic saline for 30 days at 37 degrees C. No
      significant differences (alpha < 0.05) were noted in retentive values between the
      cemented castings on the titanium abutments and the natural tooth. The Temp Bond
      zinc oxide-eugenol luting agent exhibited a lower mean retentive strength than
      the IRM reinforced zinc oxide-eugenol and Life calcium hydroxide luting agents.
      Ketac Cem glass-ionomer cemented abutments that were stored in saline exhibited a
      significantly higher mean retentive strength than abutments cemented with either
      Core Paste or Resiment resin luting agents. On the basis of results from this
      study, it may be concluded that superstructures provisionally cemented with Temp
      Bond, IRM, or Life luting agents may be removed from implant abutments without
      disturbing the abutment/fixture or implant bond.

PMID- 1432794
TI  - Change in occlusal height resulting from placement of pit and fissure sealants.
AB  - This in-vitro study was done to identify the amount of change in occlusal height
      resulting from standard sealant application technique and to determine whether
      this change was uniform for both a filled and an unfilled sealant material.
      Twelve dental hygienists experienced in sealant technique each applied 10 filled
      sealants and 10 unfilled sealants in standardized artificial teeth mounted in a
      dentiform and mannikin setup in a dental unit. The teeth were measured with a
      digital caliper before and after sealant placement. Measurements were from a
      predetermined point at the apical area of the teeth to the depth of the central
      fossa. For the sample of 240 teeth, the mean sealant thickness was 0.43 +/- 0.20
      mm. When the data for the filled and unfilled sealants were examined separately,
      the means were 0.47 +/- 0.23 mm and 0.38 +/- 0.16 mm, respectively. A t-test
      indicated a significant difference at p < 0.001. Analysis of variance revealed
      significant interoperator differences in sealant thickness (p < 0.01).

PMID- 1432796
TI  - Epinephrine absorption from commercial gingival retraction cords in clinical
      patients.
AB  - Absorption of epinephrine from commercial gingival retraction cords was measured
      in vivo under clinical conditions. The amount of epinephrine absorbed was
      estimated by measurement with fluorospectrophotometry of the amount of dl
      epinephrine remaining in the cords after they were removed and subtracting this
      value from the dl-epinephrine concentration in matching control cords. All cords
      lost substantial amounts of epinephrine while in the sulcus, with individual
      losses ranging from 64% to 94%. An average 71 micrograms of l-epinephrine was
      absorbed per inch of two-ply cord, and extreme variability in the dl-epinephrine
      concentration for individual segments of commercial cord was noted. In addition,
      the cords did not contain the concentration of epinephrine (500 micrograms/inch)
      listed on the package label but instead had a mean dl-epinephrine concentration
      of 225.5 micrograms/inch.

PMID- 1432795
TI  - Alterations in human enamel surface morphology following vital bleaching.
AB  - Extracted intact human teeth (n = 4) were treated for 30 days by three protocols:
      Home 1 (Proxigel, n = 4) for 8 hours daily, Home 2 (White & Bright, n = 4) for 24
      hours with 3 minutes of stannous fluoride gel, or an Office protocol (n = 4)
      using 30% hydrogen peroxide (Superoxol) warmed by a high-intensity light while
      the controls remained untreated. "Home" bleaching agents contain approximately
      10% carbamide peroxide. After treatment, the coronal surfaces were examined with
      a scanning electron microscope (SEM) at 2000 power magnification, and the surface
      topography was measured by a profilometer. The SEM photomicrographs of the
      controls and office-treated groups were similar to previously reported
      descriptions, while the home bleached surfaces appeared similar to each other.
      Profilometric analysis was used to examine surface roughness and surface
      waviness. Mean surface roughness in microns was: control, 1.9; Home 1, 0.6; Home
      2, 0.9; and Office, 0.6. Surface waviness was ranked control > office > Home 1 =
      Home 2. Enamel surface alterations were evident after the three bleaching
      methods. The differences between the office and home-treated surfaces were
      unrelated to the pH of the bleaching agents.

PMID- 1432797
TI  - Postcementation marginal fit of a new ceramic foil crown system.
AB  - The in vitro marginal fit of a new foil crown was investigated. Ten standardized
      polycarbonate master dies filled with 30 wt% carbon having a 90-degree butt joint
      margin were used to evaluate the marginal fit of Sunrise porcelain foil crowns.
      The crown specimens were made on stone dies and treated with three coats of die
      spacer. After fabrication, they were adjusted, cemented with zinc phosphate
      cement to their respective master dies with 5 kg loading for 10 minutes and
      stored in water. A Gaertner traveling microscope was used to measure the marginal
      fit of each specimen. Readings were recorded at five locations randomly marked
      but equally dividing the margin on each crown, and the overall mean for the
      crowns was then calculated. The results from the 50 areas revealed a mean
      marginal discrepancy of 25.3 microns, and this compared favorably with the
      discrepancies reported for other ceramic crown systems.

PMID- 1432798
TI  - Transitional use of a tube/sleeve dowel on endodontically treated canines.
AB  - This technique affords a simplified alternative to more complicated and expensive
      treatment of periodontically compromised teeth. It provides the patient with an
      extended-term prosthesis attached to a single or multiple retained canine. A
      disadvantage of this technique is that poor hygiene may result in caries or
      further periodontal breakdown. The internal liner of the cemented tube/sleeve
      will accumulate food particles if the patient does not keep the prosthesis in
      place during all times of food ingestion and does not periodically irrigate the
      internal tube/sleeve.

PMID- 1432799
TI  - The effects of cold treatment on the physical properties of stainless steel and
      titanium alloy endodontic posts and instruments.
AB  - This study determined whether cold treatment at -96 degrees C affected the
      mechanical properties of different compositions and sizes of Flexi-Post systems,
      various sizes of dental reamers, and external wrenches. The experiment was
      divided into eight groups. The four control groups were untreated and consisted
      of (1) 50 stainless steel posts, (2) 40 titanium posts, (3) 50 stainless steel
      reamers, and (4) 10 stainless steel external wrenches. The four experimental
      groups were cold treated once and twice and included (1) 100 stainless steel
      posts, (2) 80 titanium posts, (3) 100 stainless steel reamers, and (4) 20
      stainless steel external wrenches. The bending or breaking forces were tested on
      a universal testing machine. Stainless steel Flexi-Post dowels, stainless steel
      reamers, and external wrenches all showed a significant (ANOVA) (p < 0.05)
      increase in strength as a result of the single and double cold treatment.
      Titanium posts showed no strength increase following a single cold treatment,
      while they were weakened by a double cold treatment.

PMID- 1432800
TI  - Influence of circadian periodicity on reproducibility of centric relation records
      for edentulous patients.
AB  - Complete dentures were made for 30 edentulous patients. The patients were divided
      into three groups and the dentures were remounted twice on the same day in a
      Vericheck instrument. The dentures for 10 patients were remounted twice in the
      morning (AM group), for 10 patients twice in the afternoon (PM group), and for 10
      patients once in the morning and again in the afternoon (AM-PM group). Changes in
      position between the interocclusal records were measured on both the right and
      left horizontal X and Y axes and the sagittal Y and Z axes. No significant
      changes were noted when horizontal versus sagittal or right versus left positions
      were compared, but significant changes were noted between the AM versus AM-PM
      time groups, and between the PM versus AM-PM time groups.

PMID- 1432801
TI  - Load transfer by a maxillary distal-extension removable partial denture with cap
      and ring extracoronal attachments.
AB  - This study photoelastically compared the stress distribution characteristics of
      maxillary, bilateral, distal-extension removable partial dentures retained by
      light and heavy ERA extracoronal attachments. One prosthesis included supporting
      rests and the other had no rests. Both designs were tested with and without
      abutment splinting. The most favorable stress distributions were obtained with
      light retention elements, supporting rests, and splinting of the abutments. In
      this configuration the attachment prosthesis compared favorably in stress
      distribution with the maxillary I-bar retained removable partial denture in a
      previous study that used a comparable maxillae model.

PMID- 1432802
TI  - Force-deformation properties of artificial and natural foods for testing chewing
      efficiency.
AB  - The force-deformation characteristics of two artificial test foods (Optosil and
      Optocal) for measurements of food comminution during mastication were
      investigated in a bite simulator and compared with those of carrots and peanuts.
      The influence of cusp geometry was evaluated by use of a flat plate and three
      cusp forms. The forces at the yield point were lower for Optocal than for Optosil
      artificial test food. The forces needed for Optocal overlapped those needed for
      carrots and peanuts. The natural foods showed more variation in the force and
      percentage of deformation at the yield point than the artificial foods. The
      artificial foods reflected the differences in cusp form better than did the
      natural foods. The use of artificial foods fulfills a need for standardization
      and warrants consideration in studies of mastication.

PMID- 1432803
TI  - The effect of removable partial denture framework design on gingival
      inflammation: a clinical model.
AB  - A clinical trial using the experimental gingivitis model developed for
      periodontal clinical research was performed to evaluate the effect of a removable
      partial denture mandibular major connector design on the surrounding gingival
      tissues. A comparison of the state of health of adjacent gingival tissues was
      made between the linguoplate (control) and cingulum bar (test) major connectors.
      Clinical parameters were recorded in a single-blind crossover experimental
      gingivitis trial. Subjects were brought to a level of optimal gingival health and
      then randomly assigned to use one framework design while refraining from any oral
      hygiene. Measurements were made at 7-day intervals for 21 days. The subjects were
      returned to optimal oral health and repeated the experimental period with the
      alternate design. Results showed a greater increase in mean gingival inflammation
      with the control than with the test removable partial denture, suggesting that
      the cingulum bar has fewer detrimental effects on gingival tissues than the
      linguoplate major connector. Results of this study suggest that the experimental
      gingivitis model can be a useful and valid system for studying the potential
      effects of a removable partial denture design on surrounding oral tissues.

PMID- 1432804
TI  - In vitro evaluation of Candida albicans adherence to soft denture-lining
      materials.
AB  - The adherence of Candida albicans to seven commercial soft denture-lining
      materials was studied in vitro with BCA protein assay reagent. A good correlation
      was observed between the amount of protein in yeast cells and the number of
      yeasts (r = 0.993, p < 0.01), and it was revealed that the adherence of C.
      albicans to bare surfaces of these soft denture-lining materials correlated well
      with their relative hydrophobic properties (r = 0.905, p < 0.01); thus there was
      consistency with the thermodynamic theory. These results combined corroborated
      the accuracy of this method. To know the effect of pellicle on fungal adherence,
      the adherence of C. albicans to saliva-coated samples was examined. It was
      revealed that neither the amount of protein adsorbed by substrates nor the
      adherence of yeast to saliva-coated substrates correlated with the relative
      hydrophobic properties of these samples, suggesting that factors other than
      hydrophobic interaction play an important role in the adherence of C. albicans to
      pellicle-coated soft liners and tissue conditioners.

PMID- 1432805
TI  - Generic terminology for endosseous implant prosthodontics.
AB  - Implant dentistry has become an integral treatment modality in the restoration of
      the complete and partially edentulous patient. Most practitioners have been
      educated by manufacturer-sponsored courses oriented to the use of a specific
      implant system. The ever-increasing number of implant systems has made the names
      of many implant components product-unique and confusing. Fortunately, a
      prosthetic continuity exists between most implant systems. A generic terminology
      for endosseous root-form prosthodontics is presented that allows effective
      communication between members of the profession.

PMID- 1432806
TI  - The three-dimensional bone interface of an osseointegrated implant: a method for
      study.
AB  - To clarify the three-dimensional bone structure around a plasma-sprayed
      hydroxyapatite-coated endosseous dental implant, bone contact with the implant at
      75 microns intervals was evaluated. Based on digitized data, three-dimensional
      graphics of the bone around the implant was clearly shown. These graphics provide
      adequate information on the bone-implant interface and also suggest development
      of a realistic finite element model.

PMID- 1432807
TI  - Cantilever rests: an alternative to the unsupported distal cantilever of
      osseointegrated implant-supported prostheses for the edentulous mandible.
AB  - Mandibular prostheses supported by implants placed between the mandibular
      foramina restrict the length of the distally cantilevered components to minimize
      torque-related stress to the supporting implants. Additional posterior implants
      used as abutments with rigid attachments better distribute occlusal forces and
      reduce cantilever torque to the anterior implants. Because of the phenomenon of
      mandibular flexure, these posterior implants could be subjected to stress-induced
      microdamage to the bone-implant interface. The use of posterior abutments for
      support of the cantilever without connection reduces the potential hazard of
      stress-induced microdamage.

PMID- 1432808
TI  - Effects of environmental factors on maxillofacial elastomers: Part IV--Optical
      properties.
AB  - The optical properties of four currently used and two recently introduced
      maxillofacial prosthetic materials were evaluated after the materials were
      subjected to the following seven environmental variables: natural weathering;
      normal aging; two types of adhesives; two types of cleaning agents; and
      cosmetics. Optical density and color changes were evaluated. The currently used
      silicones Silastic 4-4210 and Silastic 4-4515, Medical Adhesive type A material,
      and polyurethane all showed more changes in color and optical density than the
      newly introduced silicone A-102 material.

PMID- 1432809
TI  - New diagnostic and therapeutic mechanical device.
AB  - A new device is described that may be used (1) diagnostically to determine the
      relationship of the occlusion to tenderness in the lateral pterygoid and other
      muscles of mastication; (2) to relieve ischemic muscle tenderness; (3) to assist
      in the reduction of articular clicks; and (4) as a positioning device for the
      registration of physiologic interocclusal relations. The rationale for the causal
      relationship between the occlusion and lateral pterygoid muscle tenderness is
      explained.

PMID- 1432810
TI  - Biomechanical model of the human mandible: a hypothesis involving stabilizing
      activity of the superior belly of lateral pterygoid muscle.
AB  - A new biomechanical analog for the human mandible is proposed. The biomechanics
      of the human mandible can be explained by a simple support model, where muscular
      forces are produced by the masseter, medial pterygoid, temporal, and superior
      lateral pterygoid muscle components, and reaction forces are produced by the
      occlusal surfaces and condyle. All forces are resolved into components orthogonal
      and parallel to the temporal articular plane (articular eminence). In this model,
      one component of muscular forces is parallel to the temporal articular plane. The
      influence of the inclination of the occlusal plane, the inclination of the
      temporal articular plane, the position of the resultant of the occlusal
      reactions, and the relative contribution of the different jaw elevator muscles on
      the parallel and orthogonal components are evaluated according to a computer
      model of the system. The muscular force parallel to the temporal articular plane
      may be produced by the superior lateral pterygoid muscle, which during clenching
      acts as a stabilizer of the mandibular condyle to prevent posterior dislocation
      and compression of nonarticular tissues.

PMID- 1432811
TI  - Color stability of long-term soft denture liners.
AB  - The use of resilient denture liners in complete denture construction has become
      increasingly popular for providing comfort for denture wearers. The primary
      disadvantage of these materials is that the physical and mechanical properties
      change rapidly with time in a service environment. The purpose of this study is
      to evaluate the color stability of five commercially available soft denture
      liners as a function of accelerated aging. Color measurements were made before
      aging with a colorimeter and data processor. The samples were then weathered for
      100 hours in an accelerated aging chamber in the presence of a xenon ultraviolet
      visible-light source, an intermittent water spray at 110 degrees F, and 90%
      humidity. After aging, color measurements were made again and color differences
      (delta E) were calculated. Results were statistically tested with analysis of
      variance and Scheffe intervals were calculated at 0.96. It was concluded that
      accelerated aging can be used to evaluate color stability of soft denture liners.

PMID- 1432813
TI  - Making an instrument for smoothing the detailed occlusal anatomy of a wax
      pattern.
AB  - A smooth wax pattern is imperative to reduce the polishing time of the subsequent
      casting. The detailed occlusal anatomy is often the most difficult portion of the
      wax pattern to smooth. This article describes a procedure for making a device
      that can be used to smooth the detailed anatomy of a wax pattern. It also
      describes how to use the device.

PMID- 1432812
TI  - The facial soft tissue profile of the southern Chinese: prosthodontic
      considerations.
AB  - A simple photographic setup was established to produce standardized life-sized
      black and white prints of Southern Chinese adults. Facial soft tissue profile
      analysis was performed on 28 men and 31 women aged 19 to 30, dentate Chinese,
      having class I occlusion and originating from Guangdong province. The facial
      profile values studied included the profile convexity, the interlabial contour,
      the nasolabial contour, the columella and upper lip inclination angles to the
      true horizontal, and the relative positions of upper and lower lips from the
      Esthetic plane. Data obtained were compared with those from previous Caucasian
      studies and other accepted empirical values. The lower third of the face
      presented the greatest ethnic difference: the interlabial contour was more convex
      and the upper and lower lips were more protrusive among the Southern Chinese. The
      widely-used standard of a right-angled nasolabial contour proved to be applicable
      among the Southern Chinese adult males. However, a more obtuse nasolabial angle,
      almost 100 degrees, occurred among the women.

PMID- 1432814
TI  - Adhesion properties of resilient lining materials bonded to light-cured denture
      resins.
AB  - This study compared the adhesive strength of three resilient denture lining
      materials with different chemical compositions when bonded to visible light-cured
      (VLC) denture base resin. Shear adhesive strength was evaluated using a simple
      overlap-joint model. Three different bonding agents were used and the effect of
      water on the bonding strength was evaluated by a series of samples tested after
      storage for 4 months. The findings showed that all of the lining materials were
      acceptable for clinical use but that water storage reduced their bond strength to
      VLC resin.

PMID- 1432815
TI  - Special matrix for use with glass ionomer in restoring molars with Class V root
      surface lesions.
AB  - A simple method of making a custom matrix for molar root lesions has been
      described. The matrix provides anatomic form to the restoration and reduces the
      chairside time required to contour and finish the restoration.

PMID- 1432816
TI  - A noncontaminating visual aid and indicator for porcelain additions to
      ceramometal restorations.

PMID- 1432817
TI  - An atraumatic denture base design for a tooth-bound mandibular removable partial
      denture.
AB  - This technique applies accepted fixed prosthodontic pontic design to the denture
      base design of a tooth-bound removable partial denture. Patient feedback
      emphasizes the comfort and lack of bulk of the prosthesis compared with a
      removable partial denture of conventional design placed simultaneously.

PMID- 1432818
TI  - A laminating procedure for thermoformed mouthguards.

PMID- 1432819
TI  - Multiple custom anterior guide tables made from a single stock incisal table.

PMID- 1432820
TI  - Easy control of thermoplastic border molding materials.

PMID- 1432821
TI  - Removal of a fractured implant hygiene insert.

PMID- 1432822
TI  - The mesial rest I-bar clasp.

PMID- 1432823
TI  - Dilemma of scientific knowledge versus clinical management of temporomandibular
      disorders.

PMID- 1432824
TI  - Evaluation of marginal adaptation of all-ceramic crowns and metal ceramic crowns.

PMID- 1432825
TI  - Urinary tract infection--a dangerous and unrecognised forerunner of systemic
      sepsis.

PMID- 1432826
TI  - Use of nitroglycerin ointment to prevent hypertensive response during
      electroconvulsive therapy--a study of 50 cases.
AB  - Fifty patients of either sex, aged between 20 and 60 years undergoing
      electroconvulsive therapy were included in our study. Each patient was used as
      his/her own control. We observed the cardiovascular changes without nitroglycerin
      ointment in the first sitting and in the next sitting with the application of 2
      inches of 2% nitroglycerin ointment 45 min before the electroconvulsive therapy.
      Arterial blood pressure and heart rate increase during electroconvulsive therapy
      can be effectively attenuated by application of 2 inches of 2% nitroglycerin
      ointment 45 min before the electroconvulsive therapy (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01
      resp.). This may be especially beneficial for patients who are at increased risk
      of myocardial ischemia and stroke.

PMID- 1432827
TI  - Evaluation of two methods employed for cervical ripening.
AB  - The study evaluates breast stimulation and oxytocin infusion as methods for
      cervical ripening in patients where an obstetric indication for induction of
      labour exists. Forty patients with a Bishop score of 5 or 6 were randomly
      selected for either breast stimulation or oxytocin infusion. In a similar group
      of 20 cases, no method was employed. The Bishop score improved in 41.2% of cases
      where breast stimulation was used as compared to 75% where an oxytocin infusion
      was given. Three foetal deaths in the breast stimulation group brought the study
      to a stop after 17 cases. Cervical ripening with an oxytocin infusion drip
      appears to be a better method since infusion dosage can be precisely controlled
      making the technique more predictable and reliable. Though breast stimulation is
      effective in ripening the cervix, it may be used only in cases of intrauterine
      foetal death as it may otherwise adversely affect foetal outcome.

PMID- 1432828
TI  - Analysis of 105 uninodular goitres.
AB  - Data on 105 solitary thyroid nodules, confirmed at surgery to be solitary, is
      presented. Six (5.7%) were malignant, 4 papillary and 2 follicular. The
      sensitivity and the specificity of 131I radionuclide thyroid scan (n = 90) were
      100% and 24% respectively. Similarly, the sensitivity and specificity of fine
      needle aspiration cytology (n = 65) was 75% and 100% respectively. In both
      instances, the "gold standard" was the histopathology of the surgically removed
      nodule. In order to avoid unnecessary surgery, without missing malignancy, we
      would recommend the combination of radionuclide thyroid scan and FNAC for
      investigation of solitary thyroid nodules.

PMID- 1432829
TI  - Significance of negative hysteroscopic view in abnormal uterine bleeding.
AB  - Ninety six cases of abnormal uterine bleeding were evaluated by both panoramic
      hysteroscopy and dilatation and curettage. The indications for hysteroscopy
      included postmenopausal bleeding, infertility with abnormal bleeding, abnormal
      bleeding and suspected leiomyoma with bleeding. Twenty three patients had
      abnormal hysteroscopy findings. Hysteroscopy diagnosed endometrial polyp and
      submucus leiomyoma with 100% accuracy. In 17 cases, the results of hysteroscopy
      and curettage were in agreement and hysteroscopy revealed more information than
      curettage in 6 cases. Among the remaining 73 cases with 'negative' hysteroscopic
      view, an abnormality was detected by tissue sampling in only 2 patients. The
      specificity and positive predictive value of hysteroscopy is 100%. The
      sensitivity of hysteroscopy was greater (92%) than that of curettage (76%) and
      the negative predictive value of hysteroscopy was 2.8%. Thus, panoramic
      hysteroscopy may prove to be superior to curettage in making an accurate
      diagnosis of intrauterine pathology.

PMID- 1432830
TI  - Hyperferritinemia in pregnancy induced hypertension and eclampsia.
AB  - A study of serum iron and ferritin levels in Indian women with pregnancy induced
      hypertension (PIH) (mild/severe) and eclampsia compared with controls of similar
      gestational ages, revealed that mean serum iron was elevated slightly in PIH and
      significantly in eclampsia as compared to controls. Mean ferritin levels were
      significantly elevated both in PIH and eclampsia as compared to controls
      indicating that ferritin measurement in PIH and eclampsia would not reflect iron
      nutritional status. Lack of significant changes in liver enzymes and in
      hemoconcentration in PIH and eclampsia indicate that liver damage and altered
      hemodynamics only play a partial role in causing hyperferritinemia. Possible role
      of placental ferritin, being released as a result of placental damage in these
      conditions seems to be an area needing further research.

PMID- 1432831
TI  - Temporary intravascular shunts for peripheral vascular trauma.
AB  - Polyvinylchloride (PVC) disposable endotracheal suction catheters were
      successfully used as temporary intravascular shunts in 5 patients of popliteal
      artery trauma. These simple shunts should be used routinely in such conditions to
      immediately re-establish blood supply to the ischaemic limb particularly in
      patients of polytrauma where systemic anticoagulation is contraindicated. This
      avoids the inherent delay prior to vascular repair and reduces the incidence of
      irreversible ischemia.

PMID- 1432832
TI  - A comparison of three media for isolation of Nocardia species from clinical
      specimens.
AB  - The study was carried out to compare the efficacy of three media namely Modified
      Thayer Martin medium, McClung's carbon free broth with paraffin bait and paraffin
      agar in isolating Nocardia species from clinical specimens. Two hundred and
      seventy six clinical specimens from 245 cases were studied which included cases
      of bronchopulmonary and systemic infections and cases of mycetoma. Paraffin agar
      was found to be an inexpensive and selective medium for isolation of Nocardia
      species when compared with Modified Thayer Martin medium and paraffin bait
      techniques.

PMID- 1432833
TI  - Detection of serum antitrichomonal antibodies in urogenital trichomoniasis by
      immunofluorescence.
AB  - Trichomonas vaginalis is a frequently encountered genital pathogen in both males
      and females. In females, vaginitis due to this parasite is one of the most common
      manifestation. The indirect fluorescent technique (IFA) test was carried out to
      detect antitrichomonal antibodies in 370 female patients using whole cell
      antigen. Seventy one (19.18%) gave positive reaction for either of the class IgG,
      IgM and IgA antibodies. The level of the IgG class antibodies was found to be
      higher i.e. 58 (81.69%) than IgM 11 (15.27%) antibodies, which may be suggestive
      of past infection or a prolonged manifestation by the organisms.

PMID- 1432834
TI  - Endovascular treatment of cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

PMID- 1432835
TI  - Leiomyoma of the female urethra.

PMID- 1432836
TI  - Adenocarcinoma of the colon in a child.
AB  - A rare case of a 10 year old boy presenting with history of lower GI bleeding for
      one year and acute intestinal obstruction was diagnosed as adenocarcinoma of the
      colon on exploration. One year follow-up after radical colectomy did not show any
      recurrence.

PMID- 1432838
TI  - Non-A non-B hepatitis induced aplastic anemia.

PMID- 1432837
TI  - Benign neonatal pneumoperitoneum--an enigma.
AB  - A case of neonatal pneumoperitoneum in absence of a bowel perforation or
      intrathoracic pathology has been reported. The cause of such a rare manifestation
      remains to be established.

PMID- 1432839
TI  - Radionuclide assessment of peritoneovenous shunt patency.
AB  - Denver shunt patency can be easily assessed by sequential scintigraphy with a
      Gamma camera after an intraperitoneal injection of 99mTc sulphur colloid. If the
      shunt is patent, the tracer will be seen throughout the shunt upto it's opening
      into the right atrium. The following case report illustrates the application and
      usefulness of this procedure.

PMID- 1432840
TI  - Anaesthetic management in removal of a huge ovarian cyst.
AB  - A patient with a huge ovarian cyst weighing 38 kg was operated successfully with
      utmost care to avoid all possible intra and postoperative complications. The same
      has been presented and the salient features of management have been discussed.

PMID- 1432841
TI  - Solitary retroperitoneal angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia.
AB  - The fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and ultrasound radiologic features of
      a solitary retroperitoneal angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia (AFLNH),
      hyaline vascular type are described. Based on a combination of the two, this
      diagnosis can be suggested in the differential diagnosis of a retroperitoneal
      mass.

PMID- 1432842
TI  - Posterior midline cervical fetal cystic hygroma.
AB  - Posterior midline cervical cystic hygromas (PMC) are frequently found associated
      with chromosomal aberrations and usually do not survive. The present report
      illustrates diagnosis of this condition by sonography in an 18 weeks old fetus
      and an amniocentesis revealed 45 x0 karyotype and increased concentration of
      alpha-fetoproteins. Pregnancy was terminated in view of Turner's syndrome. The
      etiology and natural history of the condition is reviewed.

PMID- 1432843
TI  - Amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenic purpura.

PMID- 1432844
TI  - Paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenic processing of facially displayed affect.
AB  - It was proposed that differences between paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenics
      in the processing of affective information may reflect underlying differences in
      their schema for emotion-laden information. Performances of 14 paranoid
      schizophrenics, 13 nonparanoid schizophrenics, and 15 matched controls were
      compared on a facial affect judgment task, and a matched control task comprising
      geometric figures largely devoid of emotional information. Subjects were required
      to rate friendliness, select an emotion label, and subsequently to remember the
      stimuli. Nonparanoids were deficient in overall labeling of facial affect,
      suggesting a weak cognitive schema for emotional information. The paranoids were
      particularly more accurate than the nonparanoids at labeling the negative facial
      affects, suggesting well-developed negative emotional aspects in their cognitive
      schema. Unexpectedly, nonparanoids relative to paranoids displayed a greater
      memory deficit in the recognition of geometric figures than in the recognition of
      faces. The nonparanoid deficit suggests these subjects may have poorly organized
      schema for remembering less structured nonverbal information. The findings
      support the idea of fundamental cognitive processing differences between paranoid
      and nonparanoid schizophrenia.

PMID- 1432845
TI  - A clinical and biological validation of the DSM-III melancholia diagnosis in men:
      results of pattern recognition methods.
AB  - Pattern recognition methods were carried out on a sample of 80 depressed men,
      assessed by means of 14 items relevant to depressive symptomatology of the
      Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R. 1985 edition (SCID). A cluster
      analysis generated two classes, which were described as a vital (n = 35) and a
      nonvital cluster (n = 45). Vital depressives were characterized by psychomotor
      disorders, loss of energy, cognitive disturbances, a distinct quality of mood,
      early morning awakening and nonreactivity (the "vital" symptoms). Our findings
      support the descriptive validity of the DSM-III melancholia diagnostic category,
      although the DSM-III criteria are too conservative and include nonrelevant
      symptoms (e.g., diurnal variation, anorexia-weight loss) whilst excluding some
      important items (e.g., loss of energy, cognitive disorders). Vital depressed men
      were significantly older, more severely depressed and they exhibited biological
      disturbances (abnormal dexamethasone suppression test, lower basal thyroid
      secreting hormone) as opposed to nonvital depressives. There are several
      arguments to support the possibility that both clusters constitute relevant
      stages in the overall severity of illness continuum, whilst showing qualitative
      differences with regard to the vital symptoms. In other words, both clusters are
      continuous categories within the overall severity of illness continuum and form
      discrete categories with regard to the vital symptoms. By merging the dimensional
      and categorical hypotheses, we were able to construct a new integrated threshold
      model: unipolar depression in men is probably a homogeneous disease with
      reference to overall severity of illness, but--as severity increases--vital
      symptoms emerge, grouping together into a distinct profile, i.e., vital
      depression.

PMID- 1432846
TI  - The relationship of personality to mood and anxiety states: a dimensional
      approach.
AB  - This study evaluates the relationship of personality to mood and anxiety states
      in a sample of 50 psychiatric out patients. In order to overcome arbitrariness
      inherent in categorical diagnoses of affective, personality and anxiety
      disorders, we use a dimensional approach to personality, mood and anxiety.
      According to our results, mood and anxiety states affect personality domains
      differentially. Namely, relatively large portions of personality and behavior,
      such as higher-order traits of novelty seeking and reward dependence, seem
      independent from mood and anxiety states. In contrast, the higher-order dimension
      of harm avoidance and its corresponding lower-order traits reflect changes in
      mood and anxiety to a much greater extent. Both the likelihood that large
      portions of personality may be independent from current mood and the likelihood
      that some precisely delineated personality domains tend to change simultaneously
      with current mood may improve our understanding of the relationship of
      personality to emotionality and affective disorders.

PMID- 1432847
TI  - Distribution of peripheral lymphocytes in Alzheimer patients and controls.
AB  - Deficient immunoregulation has been postulated to play a role in the pathogenesis
      of Alzheimer's dementia. Recently, lymphopenia was reported to be more prevalent
      in Alzheimer patients than in control subjects. In addition, a decreasing number
      of total lymphocytes was found to be significantly correlated with increasing
      severity of dementia. In an attempt to replicate these findings, we studied 55
      Alzheimer patients and 41 healthy controls of comparable age and gender, but
      found no significant difference in the distribution of total lymphocytes between
      these groups. Furthermore, total lymphocytes were not significantly correlated
      with dementia severity. Our findings, therefore, do not lend further support to
      an immune hypothesis for Alzheimer's dementia.

PMID- 1432848
TI  - Perception of breath components by the tropical bont tick, Amblyomma variegatum
      Fabricius (Ixodidae). II. Sulfide-receptors.
AB  - Wall-pore sensilla in the capsule of Haller's organ on foreleg tarsi of the tick,
      Amblyomma variegatum, show multicellular responses upon stimulation with human
      and bovine breath. Filtering breath through charcoal removes the stimulant for
      some of these receptors. Analysis by gas chromatography coupled with olfactory
      sensillum electrophysiological recordings indicates that an ethanol extract of
      the breath components trapped on charcoal contains a major stimulant eluting at
      the same retention time as H2S. Two types of H2S-sensitive receptors have been
      identified. They are housed in separate sensilla, and are called sulfide-receptor
      1 and 2. Although, both receptor types are characterized by a high sensitivity to
      H2S with an estimated threshold of ca. 0.1 ppb and a response range covering 5-6
      log orders of magnitude, their overall response to sulfides and mercaptans is
      nevertheless dissimilar. The type 1 receptor fires slightly more upon
      stimulations with H2S than type 2, whereas ethylmercaptan induces a stronger
      response from type 2, and dimethyl sulfide activates only receptor 2. In a
      bioassay, H2S tested at concentrations of ca. 0.02 ppm and 1 ppm equally arouses
      60% of resting ticks. Two-thirds of these ticks quest the air with their first
      pair of legs, and the remainder start active search. By contrast, H2S at ca. 1
      ppm in a mixture with CO2 severely diminishes the locomotor stimulating effect of
      CO2.

PMID- 1432849
TI  - Focusing and accommodation in the brown kiwi (Apteryx australis).
AB  - Brown kiwis are an endangered species of nocturnal, flightless birds which are
      native to New Zealand. The resting focus of two specimens has previously been
      studied by retinoscopy in a zoo while the birds were restrained by their keeper
      (Sivak and Howland 1987). Those birds appeared to be hyperopic (farsighted) by 2
      7 D. In this study, examination with infrared photorefraction of the focusing of
      two unrestrained, feeding birds showed that they could focus objects at infinity
      and objects in their immediate environment and that they had modest powers of
      accommodation. Measurements on two 6 month old kiwi chicks showed their corneal
      radius of curvature to be between 2.90 and 3.00 mm (117 D and 101 D in power).

PMID- 1432850
TI  - Temporal analysis of adaptation in moth (Trichoplusia ni) pheromone receptor
      neurons.
AB  - The temporal pattern of response in chemoreceptor neurons reflects both the
      temporal distribution of stimuli and the timing of signal transduction, action
      potential generation and propagation. Here we analyze the temporal
      characteristics of the responses elicited in pheromone receptor neurons by
      computer-controlled rectangular pulses of odorant. Extracellular recordings from
      the HS sensilla trichodea on the antenna of male Trichoplusia ni reveal the
      activity of two neurons: the "A" neuron, which responds to the major component of
      the female pheromone blend, (Z)7-dodecenyl acetate and the "B" neuron, which
      responds to (Z)7-dodecenol. "B" neurons were divided into two classes (HR, LR),
      based on the magnitude and temporal pattern of their response to (Z)7-dodecenol.
      Most "A" and HR "B" neurons responded to rectangular pulses of various durations
      (0.1-40 s) with an initial phasic burst (approximately 100 ms), followed by a
      slowly declining tonic component. At moderate and elevated pheromone doses,
      prolonged stimulation resulted in significant reductions in the tonic response
      levels (adaptation); stimuli of increasing duration effected greater adaptation.
      Most LR "B" neurons lacked a phasic response component and showed virtually no
      adaptation with prolonged stimulation. Pheromone receptor neurons may differ in
      both their spectral and temporal response properties which may provide the animal
      with additional sensory information for blend discrimination and spatial
      orientation in complex natural pheromone plumes. The potential functional value
      of adaptation in the moth pheromone communication system is discussed.

PMID- 1432851
TI  - Changes in brain amine levels associated with the morphological and behavioural
      development of the worker honeybee.
AB  - Changes in biogenic amine levels associated with the morphological and
      behavioural development of the worker honeybee are examined. A significant
      increase in amine levels in the head of the honeybee is associated with
      transition from the larval to pupal stage. Adult emergence is also accompanied by
      a significant increase in 5-HT levels in the brain, but no significant change in
      brain dopamine (DA) levels. NADA (N-acetyldopamine) levels increase during larval
      and pupal development, but in contrast to both DA and 5-HT, drop significantly
      during the transition from pupa to adult. Levels of DA in the brain of nectar and
      pollen forager bees, presumed to be among the oldest adults sampled, were found
      to be significantly higher than in nurses, undertakers or food storers. These
      results suggest that an age-dependent change in amine levels occurs in the brain
      of the worker bee. In the optic lobes, levels of DA and 5-HT were found to be
      significantly higher in pollen forager bees than in all other behavioural groups.
      Significant differences in amine levels in the optic lobes of nectar foragers and
      pollen foragers indicate that some differences in amine levels occur independent
      of worker age. The functional significance of differences in brain amine levels
      and whether or not biogenic amines play a direct role in the control of honeybee
      behaviour has yet to be established.

PMID- 1432852
TI  - Synaptic interactions among neurons that coordinate swimmeret and abdominal
      movements in the crayfish.
AB  - 1. Many interneurons in the crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) abdominal nervous
      system influence two behaviors, abdominal positioning and swimmeret movements.
      Such neurons are referred to as dual output cells. Other neurons which influence
      either one behavior or the other are single output cells. 2. Extensive synaptic
      interactions were observed between both dual and single output neurons involved
      in the control of abdominal positioning and swimmeret movements. Over 60% of all
      neuron pairs examined displayed interactions. Pairs of agonist neurons displayed
      excitatory interactions, while pairs of antagonists had inhibitory interactions.
      This pattern of interaction was observed in about 75% of interactive neuron pairs
      whether abdominal positioning or swimmeret outputs were considered. 3. Evidence
      for both serial and parallel connectivity, as well as, reciprocal or looping
      connections was observed. Looping connections can be found both between the
      abdominal positioning and swimmeret systems and within each system. 4. Most
      (28/34) single output neurons were not presynaptic to dual output neurons. No
      single output neurons were found to excite dual output neurons to spiking,
      although inhibitory interactions and weak excitations were observed. 5. Abdominal
      positioning inhibitors displayed properties consistent with a role in mediating
      some of the coordination between the swimmeret and abdominal positioning systems.
      6. None of the dual output neurons examined influenced the swimmeret motoneurons
      directly.

PMID- 1432853
TI  - Characteristics of dynamic postural reactions in the locust hindleg.
AB  - The use of the locust (Schistocerca americana) hindleg in postural control was
      examined in animals that stood on a repeatedly swayed vertical substrate.
      Myograms were recorded from leg muscles and the angle of the femoro-tibial joint
      was monitored photographically. Two discrete strategies were observed; in
      compensatory reactions the hindleg was held in place, while in "flexion"
      reactions, the leg was moved, most often to complete flexion of the femoro-tibial
      joint. Tightly coupled, rhythmic bursting occurred in the flexor and levator
      muscles of the leg during compensatory reactions. Bursting was initiated
      repeatedly when the substrate was being pulled away from the animal. Bursting was
      correlated with subsequent decreases in the rate of change of the femoro-tibial
      joint angle. Compensatory and "flexion" reactions occurred preferentially in
      different ranges of joint angles: most often, compensatory reactions occurred in
      the mid-range, while "flexion" reactions were elicited in the extremes of joint
      angle. These differences may be due to the mechanical advantages of the tibial
      muscles and the leg may be moved to full flexion because of a locking mechanism
      of the flexor muscle tendon. These reactions are compared with known reflexes of
      hindleg proprioceptors and contrasted with similar responses of vertebrates.

PMID- 1432854
TI  - Motion analysis of leg joints associated with escape turns of the cockroach,
      Periplaneta americana.
AB  - Considerable information is now available on the neural organization of the
      escape system of the American cockroach. To relate these data to the behavior, we
      need detailed information on the movements made at the principle leg joints that
      produce the turn. We used motion analysis of high speed video records to acquire
      such information. Records from both free ranging and tethered animals were
      analyzed. 1. We analyzed individual joint movements using a tethered preparation.
      Stimuli from 4 different angles around the animal were used. For all wind angles,
      the femur-tibia (FT) joint on the mesothoracic leg that is ipsilateral to the
      wind source extended while the contralateral mesothoracic FT joint flexed. This
      moved both of these legs laterally toward the wind source. In freely moving
      animals the FT movements provide forces that turn the animal away from the wind
      source. 2. The ipsilateral mesothoracic coxa-femur (CF) joint extended for all
      wind angles. The contralateral mesothoracic CF joint extended in response to most
      winds from the rear, but switched to flexion in response to wind from the side
      and front. As a result of these joint movements, rear wind resulted in rearward
      movements of the contralateral mesothoracic leg, while side and front wind
      resulted in more forward movements of that leg. 3. The CF and FT joints for both
      ipsilateral and contralateral metathoracic legs extended to wind from the rear
      and switched to flexion as the wind was placed at more anterior positions around
      the animal. In freely moving animals, extension of these joints would push the
      animal forward. Flexion would pull the animal backward. 4. Several of the joints
      showed correlations between rate of movement and initial joint angle. That is,
      joints that were already flexed at the onset of stimulation tended to move at a
      faster rate to a final position than joints that started at a more extended
      position. 5. Metathoracic FT and CF joints showed a high degree of positive
      correlation during the escape movements. Indeed, many curves showing movement of
      metathoracic FT and CF joints with time were virtually identical.

PMID- 1432855
TI  - Intersegmental interneurons serving larval and pupal mechanosensory reflexes in
      the moth Manduca sexta.
AB  - 1. Intersegmental interneurons (INs) that participate in the larval bending
      reflex and the pupal gin trap closure reflex were identified in the isolated
      ventral nerve cord of Manduca sexta. INs 305, 504, and 703 show qualitatively
      different responses in the pupa than in the larva to electrical stimulation of
      sensory neurons that are retained during the larval-pupal transition to serve
      both reflexes. Action potentials produced by current injected into the 3
      interneurons excite motor neurons that are directly involved in the larval and
      pupal reflexes. The excitation of the motor neurons is not associated with EPSPs
      at a fixed latency following action potentials in the interneurons, and thus
      there do not seem to be direct synaptic connections between the interneurons and
      the motor neurons. 2. IN 305 (Fig. 2) has a lateral soma, processes in most of
      the dorsal neuropil ipsilateral to the soma, and a crossing neurite that gives
      rise to a single contralateral descending axon. IN 305 is excited by stimulation
      of the sensory nerve ipsilateral to its soma in the larva and the pupa.
      Stimulation of the sensory nerve contralateral to its soma produces an inhibitory
      response in the larva, but a mixed excitatory/inhibitory response to the
      identical stimulus in the pupa. 3. IN 504 (Fig. 3) has a lateral soma, processes
      throughout most of the neuropil ipsilateral to the soma, and a crossing neurite
      that bifurcates to give rise to a process extending to the caudal limit of the
      neuropil and an ascending axon. IN 504 is excited by stimulation of the sensory
      nerve ipsilateral to its soma in both larvae and pupae, while the response to
      stimulation of the sensory nerve contralateral to its soma is inhibitory in the
      larva but mixed (excitatory/inhibitory) in the pupa. 4. IN 703 has a large antero
      lateral soma, a neurite that extends across to the contralateral side giving rise
      to processes located primarily dorsally in both ipsilateral and contralateral
      neuropils, and two axons that ascend and descend in the connectives contralateral
      to the soma (Fig. 4). IN 703 responds to stimulation of the sensory nerves on
      either side of the ganglion, but the form of the response changes during the
      larval-pupal transition. In the larva, the response consists of very phasic (0-2
      spikes) excitation, but in the pupa there is a prolonged excitation that greatly
      outlasts the stimulus (Fig. 6).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432856
TI  - Xenopus exhibits seasonal variation in retinotectal latency but not tecto-isthmo
      tectal latency.
AB  - 1. The tectum of Xenopus receives visuotopic input from both eyes. The
      contralateral eye's projection reaches the tectum directly, via the optic nerve.
      The ipsilateral eye's projection reaches the tectum indirectly, via the nucleus
      isthmi and isthmo-tectal projection. 2. Because of the multi-synaptic nature of
      the ipsilateral pathway, there is an inherent delay between the time that
      information from the contralateral eye reaches the tectum and the time that
      information from the ipsilateral eye arrives at the tectum. The length of the
      intertectal delay is a function of the latencies of the contralateral and
      ipsilateral pathways. 3. The length of this intertectal delay has functional, as
      well as developmental, implications with regard to the role of N-methyl-D
      aspartate receptors in tectal cell activity and development of orderly synaptic
      connections. 4. We have found that the latencies of the contralateral and
      ipsilateral pathways exhibit a seasonal variation, increasing during the winter
      months. The increases of both latencies during the winter were of similar
      magnitude, indicating that there were no significant changes in intertectal
      delay. The seasonal alteration in contralateral latency was not affected by dark
      rearing and was affected to only a minor extent by a week-long alteration of
      ambient temperature.

PMID- 1432857
TI  - Interneurons of the subesophageal ganglion of Sarcophaga bullata responding to
      gustatory and mechanosensory stimuli.
AB  - Intracellular recordings were made from interneurons in the subesophageal
      ganglion (SEG) of Sarcophaga bullata while stimulating the labellar lobes with
      solutions of sucrose, NaCl and with distilled water. Neurons that responded to
      sucrose did not respond to NaCl and vice versa, while sucrose-sensitive neurons
      often responded weakly to water. Several of the recorded neurons were filled with
      Lucifer Yellow, and their morphology was reconstructed. Most showed extensive
      arborizations within the SEG, suggesting that they were local interneurons
      involved in the early stages of gustatory processing. Some of the filled neurons
      had extensive projections to the brain, in addition to arborizations in the SEG.
      This is the first published record of gustatory interneurons in the higher flies.

PMID- 1432858
TI  - Midbrain auditory sensitivity in the spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer):
      correlations with behavioral studies.
AB  - 1. We derived audiograms from recordings of multiunit activity in the torus
      semicircularis of 10 males and 6 females of the spring peeper from central
      Missouri, USA. We used free-field stimulation with tone bursts that had temporal
      properties similar to typical advertisement calls and that ranged in frequency
      from 500-6000 Hz. 2. Audiograms from different electrode positions in the same
      animal had the same general shape. There was no evidence of tonotopy. 3.
      Audiograms showed two regions of maximal sensitivity: a low-frequency region (500
      700 Hz); and a high-frequency region (2000-4000 Hz). Absolute thresholds and
      frequencies of maximum sensitivity varied considerably from individual to
      individual. 4. Audiograms derived from all individuals of each sex indicated that
      in the high-frequency region, corresponding to the frequency range of
      advertisement calls, males were more broadly tuned than females. However, tuning
      in both sexes was relatively weak, and the data predict relatively little
      selectivity in behavioral responses over the entire range of variation in
      frequency of the advertisement call in local populations. 5. The results are
      discussed in terms of behavioral experiments with both males and females from the
      same populations in central Missouri. We show that merely summarizing the
      audiograms based on estimates of minimum thresholds of a population or species
      may mask significant individual differences in tuning. Moreover, most behavioral
      studies are conducted at playback levels considerably above threshold. For these
      reasons, behavioral selectivity is not always accurately predicted by inspection
      of "average" audiograms.

PMID- 1432859
TI  - Does reactivity testing in the laboratory reflect blood pressure changes
      elsewhere?
AB  - This study examines whether reactivity testing in a laboratory setting might
      identify individuals whose blood pressure (BP) fluctuates excessively outside of
      the laboratory. Eighty-eight normotensive and untreated hypertensive patients
      were studied. Patients' BPs were obtained repeatedly on two separate screening
      occasions. They were subsequently admitted to a research ward, and 4 days later
      their BPs were measured at resting baseline and in response to a series of
      stressful tasks. Blood pressure declined by 14/11 mm Hg +/- 1.2/1.1 mm Hg (SE)
      from screening to the in-patient resting baseline. The four stressful tasks all
      led to increases in BP over the in-patient resting baseline level. Individuals
      with increased amounts of task-induced reactivity in the laboratory were also
      more likely to be those whose BP declined the most from out-patient screening to
      hospitalized baseline. The average correlation between the drop in BP associated
      with hospitalization and the BP reactivity to each stressor task was r = 0.33 for
      systolic BP (p < 0.01) and r = 0.24 for diastolic BP (p < 0.05). Reactivity
      responses in a laboratory setting may convey information about blood pressure
      fluctuation in the real world.

PMID- 1432860
TI  - Negative affect and the experience of chronic pain.
AB  - Although it is clear from previous research that pain is associated with negative
      affect, the relative contribution of specific affective dimensions, e.g.
      depression, anxiety and anger, to the subjective experience of chronic pain is
      unclear. The literature is also mixed concerning the relative importance of state
      versus trait influences in the experience of chronic pain. The present study
      analyzed the ability of anxiety, anger, and depression (as measured by the State
      Trait Personality Inventory, State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, and the Beck
      Depression Inventory, respectively) to predict self-report of clinical pain as
      indicated by the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) in a sample of 60 chronic pain
      patients. The results of stepwise regression analyses consistently demonstrated
      that the state measures were more strongly related to MPQ pain ratings than trait
      measures. These data suggest support for the hypothesis that chronic pain
      adversely impacts mood rather than the opposing hypothesis that negative mood is
      a predisposing factor in the development of chronic pain. Furthermore, different
      aspects of the state emotional experience were found to be related to different
      components of pain report. The results of this study also suggest that
      attributional processes could be an important component of the relationship
      between negative mood and the experience of pain.

PMID- 1432861
TI  - Psychological factors in patients with non-specific abdominal pain acutely
      admitted to a general surgical ward.
AB  - Non-specific abdominal pain is the commonest reason for acute admission to a
      general surgical ward. The present study assessed the importance of specific
      symptom patterns, psychological and behavioural factors in a group of acute
      admissions and compared patients with appendicitis with those with no specific
      diagnosis. Psychiatric symptoms were no more prominent than in subjects with
      appendicitis as measured by psychological rating scales. Patients with non
      specific abdominal pain had a poor symptomatic prognosis with continuing use of
      medical services. NSAP is best seen as a behavioural syndrome with repeated
      consultation over a long period before and after the index admission for both
      abdominal and other non specific symptoms.

PMID- 1432862
TI  - Factors which provoke post-infarction depression: results from the post
      infarction late potential study (PILP).
AB  - Symptoms of depression in the majority of patients immediately following acute
      myocardial infarctions (AMI) resolve rapidly; they are an adjustment reaction.
      However, in a group of 552 male patients there were 80 (14.5%) patients with
      persistent major depressive symptoms during a finite period after AMI. Infarction
      size was assessed by maximum creatine kinase levels, the QRS-complex and the
      occurrence of late potentials. These measures did not correlate with the degree
      of depressed moods in these groups. An arrhythmic event in the early
      hospitalization phase, a recurrent infarction, dyspnoea, and persistent angina
      pectoris before the AMI were significantly related to more profound degrees of
      depression. Patients who reported serious life-events in the last 2 yr before
      AMI, or who suffered from exhaustion and fatigue in the prehospital phase were
      subject to significantly higher levels of depression. A prodromal phase prior to
      hospitalization free of bodily symptoms and the use of denial were related to low
      levels of depression. The logistic regression model incorporating all univariate
      significant variables revealed that symptoms of exhaustion and fatigue prior to
      AMI had the strongest independent correlation with post AMI depression.

PMID- 1432864
TI  - Childhood asthma: paternal critical attitude and father-child interaction.
AB  - The study investigated paternal critical attitude (CA) and negative father-child
      communication in families with an asthmatic child and in controls. Twenty-seven
      children with bronchial asthma (6-13 yr) and 23 healthy children with their
      fathers participated in the project. Fathers were asked to describe their child
      (Five Minute Speech Sample; FMSS). Additionally, father and child discussed a
      mutual problem (Problem Discussion; PD). Tape recordings were taken. Critical
      attitude (CA) was assessed from the fathers' responses during the FMSS. Negative
      verbal behavior during PD was coded for father and child. During the FMSS,
      significantly more fathers of the asthmatic children than of the controls showed
      CA. During the PD, fathers of the asthmatic children made significantly more
      critical remarks than their controls. Significantly more long sequences of
      negative verbal communication occurred in father-child dyads with an asthmatic
      child than in the control dyads. No significant relationship was found between
      either the fathers' attitudes or amount of negative verbal communication and the
      children's severity of asthma, compliance, or IgE status.

PMID- 1432863
TI  - Symptoms, anxiety and handicap in dizzy patients: development of the vertigo
      symptom scale.
AB  - Questionnaires assessing symptoms, anxiety and handicap were completed by 127
      vertiginous patients. Factor analysis identified four distinct symptom clusters
      which formed the basis for the construction of scales quantifying the number and
      frequency of symptoms of: (a) vertigo (of long and short duration); (b) autonomic
      sensations and anxiety arousal; and (c) somatization. Scores on the vertigo
      severity scale were significantly related to clinical diagnosis and had near-zero
      correlations with measures of anxiety. Vertigo severity, autonomic signs and
      depressed mood each independently contributed to variance in handicap, taking
      precedence over the relationship between handicap and trait and state anxiety.
      Our findings suggest that the familiar association between anxiety and vertigo
      may be mediated principally by autonomic symptomatology arising as a result of
      somatopsychic and psychosomatic processes.

PMID- 1432865
TI  - The outcome of unexplained dyspepsia. A questionnaire follow-up study of patients
      after endoscopy.
AB  - Ninety-three consecutive patients referred to a gastroenterology unit with
      unexplained dyspeptic symptoms were sent a postal questionnaire 6-12 months after
      endoscopy. It inquired into their current physical symptoms and subjective
      improvement since investigation, satisfaction with treatment, past history and
      current psychological well-being. A comparison group of 47 patients with peptic
      disease were similarly surveyed. Those with unexplained dyspepsia reported more
      current physical symptoms, more dissatisfaction with their treatment and less
      subjective improvement than those with peptic disease. The two groups were
      similar in terms of psychological distress but previous consultation for
      abdominal and other somatic complaints were more common in those with unexplained
      dyspepsia. The implications for management of dyspeptic patients are discussed.

PMID- 1432866
TI  - Helping parents and children with epilepsy cope successfully: the outcome of a
      group programme for parents.
AB  - This paper describes a study to determine the effectiveness of a group programme
      for parents designed to reduce the psychosocial morbidity among children with
      epilepsy and their families. The participants were the parents of 108 children
      attending the seizure clinic at a children's hospital. The first part of the
      project had shown that half of the children and their families had considerable
      morbidity. Despite the high rate of psychosocial morbidity among these children
      and their families, only 35% of the parents expressed an interest in
      participation in the intervention programme, with only 12% attending any
      meetings. The latter were mainly the small number of parents whose children had
      severe intractable epilepsy as well as educational and family problems. Many
      parents did, however, request more information about epilepsy and for the
      provision of a counselling service. The latter is likely to be most beneficial in
      the months following diagnosis.

PMID- 1432867
TI  - The effects of suggestion on airways of asthmatic subjects breathing room air as
      a suggested bronchoconstrictor and bronchodilator.
AB  - Thirty-three asthmatic subjects were told they were receiving, alternately, an
      inhaled bronchoconstrictor and inhaled bronchodilator, although they actually
      were only breathing room air. No subjects showed suggestion-produced effects on
      FEV1, although two (of the 19 on whom FEF50 was measured) showed effects of
      greater than 20% on measures of maximal midexpiratory flow. The incidence of the
      effect is smaller than reported previously, possibly because some subjects in
      previous studies inhaled saline, a mild bronchoconstrictor, and reversal of
      effect was not required for classification as a reactor. Higher percentages of
      subjects in this study showed decreased MMEF in response to the
      'bronchoconstrictor', but this appeared to reflect fatigue rather than suggestion
      effects. However, the fact that the effect occurred in a relatively non-effort
      dependent measure suggests that real changes occurred in bronchial caliber, not
      just in test effort. Suggestion had a significant effect on perception of
      bronchial changes, but the correlation between actual and perceived changes was
      minimal. There was an increase in FVC prior to administration of the
      'bronchoconstrictor', possibly reflecting a preparatory response to the expected
      drug. Correlations among self-report variables suggested the existence of three
      personality dimensions among our population related to suggestion and asthma:
      cognitive susceptibility to suggestion of bronchial change; feeling of physical
      vulnerability; and anxiety. However, there was no significant relationship
      between airway response to suggested changes and hypnotic susceptibility, as
      measured by the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility.

PMID- 1432868
TI  - Exhaustion, psychological stressors in the work environment, and acute myocardial
      infarction in adult men.
AB  - In a case-control study in adult men from The Netherlands, the associations of
      work stressors with both exhaustion prior to first acute myocardial infarction
      (AMI) and with first AMI itself were explored. The 133 AMI-cases reported more
      exhaustion, work stressors, and smoking than the controls (i.e. 133 neighborhood
      controls and 192 hospital controls). After controlling for smoking, exhaustion
      constituted a firm risk indicator for first AMI; it was also positively
      associated with work stressors, in particular conflicts at work. Work stressors
      that may disrupt one's occupational career, and increased responsibility (in
      younger AMI-cases), were directly associated with elevated risk for first AMI.
      Conflicts at work were conducive to first AMI through their associations with
      exhaustion.

PMID- 1432869
TI  - Perception of family and work environments in women with premenstrual syndrome.
AB  - Seventy-three women with a prospectively confirmed diagnosis of Premenstrual
      Syndrome (PMS) were compared to 50 routine gynaecological care non-PMS controls
      on measures of social climate/environmental stress. Tests administered included
      the Family Environment Scale (FES), Work Environment Scale (WES), Spielberger
      State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).
      The PMS group scored significantly higher on amount of conflict in their families
      as well as on emphasis on ethical and religious values but lower on direct
      emotional expressiveness within the family, intellectual-cultural orientation,
      and active-recreational orientation as compared to controls. Furthermore, the PMS
      group perceived having more work pressure, less autonomy on the job, and less
      variety in their work than controls. Overall, psychological distress was not
      associated with increased environmental stress either in the PMS or control
      groups.

PMID- 1432870
TI  - Courses for horses.

PMID- 1432871
TI  - Black looks ... at 'isms'.

PMID- 1432873
TI  - Smoking: its influence on survival and cause of death.
AB  - Smoking is strongly associated with age-specific death rates for a number of
      diseases. Increased age-specific death rates for a disease may imply either more
      deaths from the disease with increased absolute lifetime risk, or earlier deaths,
      without increased absolute lifetime risk. The British doctor smoking data are re
      analysed using lifetable methods for survival, cumulative mortality and the
      disease-specific cumulative mortality. The most significant effect of smoking is
      on survival: life shortening amounts to three years for light smokers, five for
      moderate smokers, and eight for heavy smokers, compared with those who never
      smoked. Smoking increases the absolute number of deaths from some causes,
      including lung cancer; for other causes, including ischaemic heart disease, it
      brings forward death without increasing the absolute number of deaths. The
      smoking associations with more or earlier death have implications for research
      into the mechanisms of disease causation, for health promotion, for rational
      health-care planning, and for social policy.

PMID- 1432872
TI  - Smoking and the young. Summary of a report of a working party of the Royal
      College of Physicians.

PMID- 1432874
TI  - Twenty-four-hour blood pressure in junior medical staff.
AB  - Circadian variations in blood pressure in junior medical staff were compared
      during routine working days and days receiving medical emergencies. The overnight
      work commitment of junior medical staff when receiving medical emergencies causes
      a loss in the normal circadian blood pressure rhythm, with overnight blood
      pressure falling 10/11 mmHg less than on routine working days. This supports the
      hypothesis that circadian blood-pressure changes are activity related rather than
      dependent upon hormonal variation. Long-term health effects of abolishing such
      normal circadian rhythms are not known.

PMID- 1432875
TI  - Instructors--a weak link in resuscitation training.
AB  - One explanation for the well documented poor basic resuscitation skills of health
      care professionals is that these skills are not acquired during initial training.
      The first aim of our study was to assess the basic life-support skills of
      trainers teaching basic resuscitation. The second aim was to examine the
      relationship between the trainers' confidence and actual skill. We found that
      practical basic life-support skills prior to the two-day training course were
      poor. They were still inadequate after training. Assessments before and after the
      course showed significant positive correlation between confidence at performing
      basic life-support and actual skill. There is an urgent need for formal
      instructor training in the UK. The training programme should be evaluated, as
      should the performance of both trainers and trainees, to ensure that all have
      acquired the requisite skills.

PMID- 1432876
TI  - Do cytokines play a role in systemic lupus erythematosus?
AB  - Excessive production of pathogenic autoantibodies is one of the hallmarks of
      systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The mechanisms that underlie this excessive
      production are still unclear. Although there is considerable evidence to suggest
      that both T-cells and B-cells play an important role in the aetiology of SLE,
      convincing abnormalities at the T-cell receptor or immunoglobulin gene loci have
      not been demonstrated. In this regard, because cytokines play a pivotal role in
      the inflammatory response, a defect in the immunoregulation of B-cells by
      cytokines should be considered as a potential contender in disease aetiology. The
      hypothesis proposed here is that multiple cytokine-mediated defects are present
      in individuals with lupus and that both cytokine production and the response of B
      cells to cytokines may be defective.

PMID- 1432877
TI  - Resuscitation status of the elderly.
AB  - Resuscitation of patients in hospital following cardiopulmonary arrest is a
      standard procedure. Such intervention is not always appropriate, and this article
      examines some of the issues involved in making the decision not to resuscitate,
      with particular reference to elderly patients. The effectiveness and possible
      adverse effects of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the elderly are
      considered, along with ethical aspects of the problem such as how to discuss the
      pros and cons with the patient and relatives.

PMID- 1432878
TI  - The MD thesis in the training of a consultant physician.
AB  - A postal survey was carried out among the 94 consultant physicians of the South
      Western region (83% response rate) to ascertain their attitudes to the tradition
      of obtaining an MD by thesis as part of a physician's training. Most felt that
      the practice was questionable, and only half felt that it made an important
      contribution. For some, doing an MD had been a painful experience, even a waste
      of time. Having an MD impressed selection committees, but did not appear to alter
      the length of training nor the probability of obtaining a consultant post in a
      teaching hospital. We suggest that the MD is of limited value in judging a junior
      doctor's suitability to be a consultant physician.

PMID- 1432879
TI  - Formal appraisal of junior medical staff.

PMID- 1432880
TI  - Generic substitution--another form of alternative medicine.

PMID- 1432881
TI  - Choices in health care. A review of a report by the government Committee on
      Choices in Health Care. Ministry of Welfare, Health and Cultural Affairs, The
      Netherlands, 1992.

PMID- 1432882
TI  - Health in the Czech Republic.

PMID- 1432884
TI  - Decision logic in medical practice. The Milroy Lecture 1992.

PMID- 1432883
TI  - Vitamin D metabolism in renal disease. Sir Michael Perrin Lecture 1991.

PMID- 1432885
TI  - Rehabilitation of the elderly in the 21st century. The F. E. Williams Lecture
      1992.

PMID- 1432887
TI  - The Hong Kong Academy of Medicine.
AB  - The Hong Kong Academy of Medicine is being founded this year. This brief article
      gives something of the background, structure and function of the Academy.

PMID- 1432886
TI  - Genetics in the reformed health service. Changes for the better?
AB  - The practical value of medical genetics, in particular the development of
      molecular genetics complemented by clinical diagnosis and counselling, is widely
      recognised. There is strong independent support from government and patient
      organisations for augmenting genetics services in all health regions; this
      support gives much reason for optimism. But there appears to be a hiatus
      following the reform of the Health Service: no genetics centre has, as yet,
      adequate resources and there has been no increase in clinical genetic manpower in
      the last two years. Even worse, Wales and at least one English region have
      devolved genetic services to districts, which appears to be contrary to
      government policy for genetic services. These factors have inevitably limited the
      implementation of many opportunities for improved patient care and the prevention
      of genetic disease. However, medical geneticists, assisted by the Royal College
      of Physicians and others, want to respond positively to the changes in the Health
      Service. Recommendations are made for strategies which promise to maintain
      integrated regional clinical and laboratory services and to achieve well
      evaluated developments.

PMID- 1432888
TI  - Per capita payments for clinical trials.

PMID- 1432889
TI  - In pursuit of a dubious principle.

PMID- 1432890
TI  - So, what is a clinical oncologist?

PMID- 1432891
TI  - So, what is a clinical oncologist?

PMID- 1432892
TI  - So, what is a clinical oncologist?

PMID- 1432893
TI  - Diagonal earlobe creases.

PMID- 1432894
TI  - Management of GI haemorrhage.

PMID- 1432895
TI  - GI bleeding and rheumatologists.

PMID- 1432896
TI  - Management of upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage.

PMID- 1432897
TI  - Who's for CPR?

PMID- 1432899
TI  - The Brown Kelly-Paterson not Plummer-Vinson syndrome.

PMID- 1432898
TI  - Completing 'interim discharge letter'.

PMID- 1432900
TI  - Anemia of chronic renal failure in dogs.
AB  - Seventeen dogs with chronic renal failure (CRF) were studied to evaluate the
      incidence, type, and etiology of anemia in CRF. A nonregenerative, normochromic,
      normocytic anemia was seen in 12 of 17 dogs (70.6%). There was a direct
      correlation between the degree of anemia and the extent of CRF as assessed by
      serum creatinine concentrations (P = .0386, r = .50923). Erythrocyte
      concentrations of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) were significantly increased in
      anemic animals and showed a close correlation to the degree of anemia. The high
      DPG concentrations may compensate for the anemia by decreasing the hemoglobin
      oxygen affinity and thereby facilitating tissue oxygenation at low hematocrits.
      Serum concentrations of erythropoietin (Epo) were in the low to normal range,
      despite mild to moderate anemia, documenting a deficiency of Epo in dogs with
      CRF. The nonregenerative nature of the anemia supports impaired hematopoiesis as
      a significant etiologic factor. Other factors, such as increases in serum
      parathyroid hormone and phosphorus, were not found to correlate significantly
      with the degree of anemia, although there were significant differences between
      their concentrations in anemic compared with non-anemic dogs. There was no change
      in erythrocyte osmotic fragility with uremia. The documentation of a
      nonregenerative, normochromic, normocytic anemia, with failure of an appropriate
      increase in Epo production, supports the therapeutic use of Epo in the management
      of the anemia seen in CRF in the dog.

PMID- 1432901
TI  - Hematologic toxicosis associated with doxorubicin administration in cats.
AB  - The hematologic toxicity of doxorubicin, 30 mg/m2 body surface area (BSA) every
      21 days to a cumulative dose of 300 mg/m2, was evaluated in six cats. Complete
      blood and platelet counts were performed daily during the first treatment cycle.
      They were monitored before treatment for all remaining cycles, and at the average
      neutrophil nadir (day 8) starting with cycle 4. Significant poikilocytosis
      developed after the first treatment and remained throughout the study, although
      anemia did not occur. No other red blood cell abnormalities were seen. Platelet
      counts remained within the reference range throughout the first treatment cycle,
      but mild thrombocytopenia (88,000-288,000/uL) was found in 11.3% of subsequent
      complete blood counts (CBCs). Thrombocytosis was seen in 30.9% of CBCs.
      Neutropenia did not occur during the first treatment cycle although neutrophil
      counts did decrease, with the nadir occurring between days 8 and 11. All
      neutrophil counts returned to pretreatment values by day 14. Neutropenia was
      documented after 14 of 46 (30.4%) doxorubicin treatments, and was associated with
      fever in 5 cats (10.9%). All fevers responded to oral antibiotic therapy.
      Neutropenia that lasted more than 14 days developed in two cats, necessitating
      dosage reduction to 25 mg/m2 BSA. At the dose used in this study, doxorubicin
      administration was associated with acceptable hematologic toxicosis in most cats.

PMID- 1432902
TI  - Lymphedema. Etiopathogenesis.

PMID- 1432903
TI  - Hyperkalemic atrial standstill in neonatal calf diarrhea.
AB  - Hyperkalemia has been associated with cardiac abnormalities and muscular
      disorders. Hyperkalemia is a common problem associated with the acid-base and
      electrolyte disturbances that occur in neonatal calves having acute diarrhea.
      Occasional calves with acute neonatal diarrhea, metabolic acidosis, and
      hyperkalemia have cardiac rate or rhythm abnormalities. Bradycardia observed in
      three such calves was found to represent atrial standstill and was attributed to
      hyperkalemia.

PMID- 1432904
TI  - Specialty of oncology certifying examination.

PMID- 1432905
TI  - Single-drug chemotherapy of canine transmissible venereal tumor with
      cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, or vincristine.

PMID- 1432906
TI  - Low presented 1992 Kirk Award.

PMID- 1432907
TI  - [High-resolution MRI of the carpal tunnel. Anatomical correlations].
AB  - This anatomical study of the carpal tunnel compares magnetic resonance imaging
      sections and adult and fetal anatomical sections. The MRI studies were carried
      out in 12 normal controls. The use of an experimental high resolution module
      allows achieving as high a degree of spatial resolution as 0.13 mm2. The
      comparison of MR images with anatomical sections allows a very accurate analysis
      of the contents of the carpal tunnel, especially of the median nerve, of the
      flexor tendons and of the flexor retinaculum.

PMID- 1432908
TI  - [Evaluation of osteodensitometry. Report of the National Agency for the
      Development of Medical Evaluation].
AB  - The progress made in recent years in the field of bone densitometry, particularly
      concerning dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, has resulted in the development of
      reliable techniques of bone mineral density measurement, especially for
      measurements in the lumbar spine on anteroposterior views and in the forearm.
      However, technical improvements are still necessary and concern the
      standardisation of equipment, measurements in the femur, on lateral views of the
      lumbar spine and on the whole body, and the definition of normal curves. The
      value of these measurements must be examined in the light of the epidemiological
      context of osteoporosis and its current and future cost to the community. They
      must be evaluated in relation to two pathological situations: osteoporosis and
      osteopenia. Osteoporosis is a disease characterised by the development of
      fractures due to bone fragility. It is accompanied by a reduction in bone density
      and other abnormalities of bone architecture and metabolism, without any
      disturbance of mineralisation. It is responsible for pain, a functional handicap
      which alters the patient's quality of life. Osteopenia corresponds to an
      abnormally low bone density. It is accompanied by an increased risk of fractures.
      Although it remains asymptomatic, therapeutic intervention may nevertheless be
      justified. The threshold of therapeutic intervention depends on the degree of
      bone loss, the patient's age, other associated risk factors and the benefit-risk
      ratio of the drug used. In all forms of vertebral osteoporosis, the essential
      conditions for the diagnosis are a decreased vertebral bone density and
      deformation of a vertebral body.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432909
TI  - [X-ray computed tomography of the facial sinuses. Results in 198 patients with
      chronic sinusitis].
AB  - The CT studies of 198 consecutive patients with chronic sinusitis were reviewed
      retrospectively. CT was normal in 47 patients (23.7%). In 151 patients one or
      many cavities showed abnormalities. In 69 cases (34.9%), the lesions affected one
      or two sinuses, in 35 cases (17.7%) three to six cavities were abnormal, whereas
      in 47 cases (23.7%), more than six cavities were abnormal. In 87 cases (57.6%),
      lesions were observed both in large cavities and ethmoid cells, whereas they were
      selectively localized in large cavities in 55 cases (36.4%), or in ethmoid cells
      in 9 cases (6%). Abnormalities were observed in the maxillary sinus in 137
      patients (69.2%), in the ethmoid in 96 patients (48.5%), in the frontal sinus in
      51 patients (25.8%), and in the sphenoid sinus in 28 patients (14.1%). The most
      frequent abnormality was hypertrophic mucosa, which was visible in 275 cavities.
      These results were compared with date of the literature.

PMID- 1432910
TI  - [Latero-cervical septate cystic lesions in adults].
AB  - Laterocervical septated lesions are infrequent in adults, and their etiological
      diagnosis is difficult. The authors report about four cases in which an
      exploration with imaging and an anatomical control were performed. Two etiologies
      are specially interesting, either because of their remarkable features with
      imaging (cystic lymphangioma) or because they require formal identification
      (metastatic adenopathy from thyroid or ovarian papillary carcinomas). While
      modern imaging can confirm the diagnosis, and sometimes define the treatment
      (cystic lymphangioma), the surgical exeresis of such lesions remains imperative
      in all cases of atypical appearances, in order to avoid leaving a prevailing
      lymph node metastasis unrecognized.

PMID- 1432911
TI  - [Extrapleural hematoma].
AB  - The authors report a case of a voluminous extra-pleural hematoma in relation to a
      fracture of the body of the eleventh thoracic vertebra on a 74 year-old man after
      craniothoracic injury. Thoracic CT Scan showed a homogeneous posterior parietal
      mass of tissue density (40 HU) outlined by a fatty lining associated with a
      fracture of the eleventh thoracic vertebra. This allowed a modification in the
      diagnosis of a hemothorax established previously on conventional radiography. The
      authors insist on the gravity of this affection when the volume of the hematoma
      is important. But this is very rare (6 cases out of which 5 were autopsic
      findings). If present it requise an urgent surgical treatment without forgetting
      the fiability of CT Scan which relies on putting into evidence the pleural lining
      sign.

PMID- 1432912
TI  - [Sezary syndrome with rapidly progressing pulmonary lymphoma in a child].
AB  - A 7 year old boy with a prior history of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
      developed Sezary syndrome or cutaneous lymphoma of T-lymphocytes (CLTL). His
      course was rapidly progressive and fatal with the primary manifestation being
      pulmonary lymphoma. This patient is one of the youngest with CLTL to manifest
      extracutaneous involvement.

PMID- 1432913
TI  - Color velocity imaging.

PMID- 1432914
TI  - [Overview of radiology in Romania].

PMID- 1432915
TI  - [Liability in imaging. The practice of a test with a diagnostic purpose].

PMID- 1432916
TI  - Dentists, drugs, and decisions: introduction to Part I--Therapeutic drugs.
AB  - Numerous dental therapeutic agents or drugs are available over the counter or
      with prescription for patient use at home or in a professional office. Knowledge
      of the processes by which these agents are evaluated for safety and efficacy by
      the FDA and ADA is necessary for dental professionals to make intelligent
      decisions concerning their use. Several examples of problems with drug/cosmetic
      evaluations are cited.

PMID- 1432917
TI  - FDA regulation of OTC oral health care drug products.
AB  - The history of the involvement of the Food and Drug Administration in the
      regulation of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs is reviewed. The development of
      monographs containing standards for drugs, the function of the advisory panels,
      and the classification of dental drug products are explained. Examples of
      ingredients in each category are given. The current opinion of the FDA concerning
      antiplaque and antigingivitis claims is also discussed.

PMID- 1432918
TI  - FDA's new drug evaluation process: a general overview.
AB  - A general overview of the FDA new-drug evaluation process is presented with
      special emphasis on the regulatory requirements as outlined in the federal Food,
      Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the interpretive New Drug Regulations. Included is a
      description of the administrative/scientific makeup and functions of the new-drug
      evaluation divisions within the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Some
      specifics relating to the investigative development of anticaries and
      plaque/gingivitis new drug products are discussed.

PMID- 1432919
TI  - The how and why of the ADA's evaluation program for dental therapeutic products.
AB  - Since 1930, the Council on Dental Therapeutics of the American Dental Association
      has been evaluating dental drug products for safety and efficacy through its
      Acceptance Program. To date, numerous products have been evaluated, and many
      hundreds have received the council's seal of acceptance. Acceptance criteria are
      rigorous, and the council relies on expert consultants to evaluate the supporting
      data. There are no manufacturer fees involved with the Acceptance Program. When a
      product has been awarded the seal, it means that adequate data have been
      submitted, and that the product is safe and does what it says it will do. This
      paper describes, in detail, how the Acceptance Program works.

PMID- 1432920
TI  - ADA dental product evaluation: case history.
AB  - The ADA Acceptance Programs entail a rigorous evaluation of products and offer
      clear benefits to manufacturers, dental professionals, and consumers alike. This
      paper outlines the implications of the ADA product-evaluation programs for each
      of these three constituencies and concludes that while there may be an occasional
      downside from the manufacturer's standpoint, their net effect is to provide
      assurances that products are safe, efficacious, and promoted properly.

PMID- 1432921
TI  - Professionally applied and prescribed fluoride products.
AB  - The US regulatory process relative to the marketing of sodium fluoride dietary
      supplements and professionally applied topical fluorides is examined with regard
      to interactions of ADA, NIH, academia, and the FDA, as well as resultant effects
      on industry, practitioners, and patients. Restrictions on noncaries use of
      fluoride limit commercial claims, but not professional practice. Prenatal
      fluoride supplements are still unapproved. Finally, the effects of generic
      competition and the regulatory process on costs, sales, quality of professional
      fluoride products and on new product research are discussed.

PMID- 1432922
TI  - How the FDA and the ADA affect development of prescription drugs for oral care.
AB  - The patient-consumer, the health professional, and the producer are all essential
      in the world of prescription drugs for oral care. Also essential are the Food and
      Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Dental Association (ADA). The FDA is
      charged with reviewing new-drug applications in the United States and approving
      those drugs that are proved safe and effective. The FDA also controls
      prescription-drug advertising and promotion. The ADA applies professional
      standards in judging all submitted dental drugs. Those drugs accepted by ADA's
      Council on Dental Therapeutics may display the ADA seal in labeling and
      advertising. All advertising for accepted products must be cleared by the ADA. An
      example of a prescription drug approved by the FDA and accepted by the ADA is
      0.12 percent chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse (Peridex). This drug followed the
      FDA's investigational-drug (IND) regulations before final approval as a treatment
      for gingivitis.

PMID- 1432923
TI  - Statistical vs clinical significance in product testing: can they be designed to
      satisfy equivalence?
AB  - Statistical issues associated with demonstrating significance between treatment
      groups (efficacy or superiority) and nonsignificance (equivalence) are presented
      and discussed. Methodologies for demonstrating efficacy of a product are proposed
      and contrasted, incorporating clinical and statistical criteria, with emphasis on
      situations in which placebo groups are precluded from the study design.
      Distinctions are drawn between study designs for demonstrating superiority and
      those for equivalence, including the determination of sample sizes needed for the
      different approaches. The "at least as good as" criterion is proposed as a
      reasonable alternative to that of equivalence in active control equivalence
      studies for demonstrating that dental product modifications or new products are
      efficacious.

PMID- 1432924
TI  - Dentists' uncertainties about materials and devices: an introduction to the
      problem.
AB  - Questions concerning evaluation of dental materials and devices by the FDA and
      ADA are raised. Examples of several products are discussed.

PMID- 1432925
TI  - FDA regulation of dental devices: past, present, and future.
AB  - The organization of the Food and Drug Administration as related to dental devices
      is described. The classification according to safety and efficacy of devices is
      described and examples are given. The process of submitting a Premarket
      Notification [(510(k)] for class I and II devices, a Premarket Approval (PMA) for
      class III devices and an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) are described.
      The clinician is told how to report problems with medical devices.

PMID- 1432926
TI  - The how and why of the ADA's evaluation of dental materials, instruments, and
      equipment.

PMID- 1432928
TI  - FDA and ADA evaluation of dental implants.
AB  - The FDA classification of endosseous dental implants (EDI) is reviewed. Factors
      impacting the long-term efficacy of dental implants and the guidelines for
      development of EDI are enumerated. The role of the ADA in evaluation of EDIs is
      also discussed. Recommendations for development of performance criteria and
      reporting format are made.

PMID- 1432927
TI  - Interactions as seen by an industry representative among the FDA, the ADA, and
      industry in preparing a restorative material for market.
AB  - The regulation of a restorative material in the international and the American
      markets is discussed. The 510(k) process of approval by the Food and Drug
      Administration allows marketing of safe, effective, and improved materials in the
      shortest time at the lowest cost. The American Dental Association contributes to
      developing consensus performance standards in the United States. Acceptance of
      International Standards Organization standards is discussed.

PMID- 1432929
TI  - Effect of regulatory and professional guidelines on the development and marketing
      of a dental device: case history.
AB  - The FDA encourages organizations such as the ADA to develop voluntary standards
      for drugs and dental devices. The landmark process of gaining ADA approval of an
      oral irrigator as the first therapeutic device is described. The process was time
      consuming and expensive, and obligates the manufacturer to submit all future
      marketing and advertising claims for ADA review. The ADA should continue to
      ensure standardized guidelines for all product categories. Education of the
      dental profession and the consumer concerning the significance of the ADA seal of
      approval is encouraged.

PMID- 1432930
TI  - A practitioner's view.

PMID- 1432931
TI  - What do consumers want?
AB  - A consumers' advocate discusses the needs of the consumer in evaluating dental
      products. Although commending the roles of the FDA and ADA in evaluating
      products, numerous questions are raised and recommendations made concerning
      advertising claims.

PMID- 1432932
TI  - A researcher's view.
AB  - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), by ensuring that the health care products
      used by Americans are both safe and effective, provides an essential regulatory
      function. With respect to the regulation of dental drug products, this researcher
      perceives that the FDA has not changed or modified its position on a number of
      issues to reflect new scientific information. Reasons for this inflexibility
      include the size and ponderousness of the agency, inadequate staff with dental
      expertise, and a failure to keep current with new dental research findings. The
      FDA must solve these problems if it wishes to regulate intelligently. The
      acceptance and certification programs of the American Dental Association ensure
      that products offered to the profession and the public that bear its seal of
      acceptance are safe and effective. The ADA's Council on Dental Therapeutics has a
      long history of staying current on issues in dental research and public health
      and regularly seeks consultation from eminently qualified experts. Overall, it
      has done an excellent job over the years in conducting an important voluntary
      regulatory program. Both the FDA and the ADA benefit and help protect the oral
      health of the public.

PMID- 1432933
TI  - Ethical perspectives on the FDA and ADA evaluation of dental products.
AB  - Contemporary bioethics is concerned with qualitative decisions rather than
      quantitative decisions. Several examples are discussed including the role of
      patients as decision makers in their treatment and in their assignment within
      clinical trial groups.

PMID- 1432934
TI  - FDA and ADA evaluation of dental products--implications for dentists and their
      patients: a view from the practitioner.
AB  - A general practitioner discusses the problems clinicians encounter in trying to
      evaluate dental materials and devices. Numerous examples are given. The FDA and
      ADA should provide more information to dentists concerning their role in
      monitoring dental products.

PMID- 1432935
TI  - The regulatory process for dental devices: a researcher's view.
AB  - Comments from the three previous speakers ranged from moderate satisfaction to
      strong dissatisfaction with the regulatory process. Three different types of
      research are identified that seem to predict the ease of compliance with the
      510(k) process. No one expressed satisfaction with the PMA application. It seems
      that current evaluation procedures inhibit the developing and marketing of new
      devices, but foster only enhancements to existing devices. The development of new
      evaluation methods is advocated to provide fast, inexpensive, but rigorous
      assessment of the clinical safety and treatment value of new devices.

PMID- 1432936
TI  - Legal and regulatory developments of the 1990s in oral care products: learning
      from what has come before.
AB  - The development of oral care products has occurred faster than congressional
      enactments regulating these products. Terms such as "cosmetic, drug, and new
      drug" are defined. A history of scientific publications and common acceptance by
      experts is necessary for the FDA to categorize a product as "generally recognized
      as safe and effective" (GRASE). The FDA classification process of the numerous
      over-the-counter drugs into a few categories, each of which required a three-part
      approval process, is not complete. Delays in the FDA's OTC review resulted in an
      "OTC moratorium," which allows new products to enter the market at the owner's
      risk. The relative risks and benefits of marketing an oral care product with or
      without an approved New Drug Application are discussed. Increased resources at
      the FDA are recommended to expedite fairness to manufacturers and to eliminate
      inappropriate oral care products from the market.

PMID- 1432937
TI  - The view and responsibility of the advertising agency toward advertising claims.
AB  - Health care advertising agencies must create communication that is simultaneously
      creative, scientifically accurate, relevant, within fair balance, simple,
      motivating, within approved labeling, and approvable by the client, the dental
      profession, and regulatory bodies. The advertising must also stimulate sales of
      the product being advertised. Subjective decisions concerning these requirements
      place the agency and its client at risk for financial losses and embarrassment.

PMID- 1432938
TI  - Legal implications of using drugs and devices in the dental office.
AB  - Choosing dental products that are FDA and/or ADA approved is a wise choice
      concerning their safety and efficacy for approved uses. However, the dentist must
      show that the product was indicated by a particular patient's needs. Uses of
      approved dental products in nonapproved ways or use of nonapproved products may
      be considered as negligence in some malpractice actions, but allowed under
      standards of reasonableness in other situations. The dentist must be able to
      justify decisions on a scientific basis. Legal ramifications of various decisions
      made in the context of difficult prescription choices are discussed.

PMID- 1432939
TI  - Recommendations.

PMID- 1432940
TI  - Influences of castration and testosterone on spring to summer changes in release
      of luteinizing-hormone-releasing hormone in rabbits.
AB  - Push-pull cannulae were implanted toward the tuberal region of the hypothalamus
      in ten intact New Zealand male rabbits. In the first experiment, rabbits were
      perfused at different times after castration: 5-10 days (n = 10), 22-31 days (n =
      9) and 50-64 days (n = 8). The release, mean amplitude and mean frequency of
      luteinizing-hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) signals from 37 perfusions in ten
      animals were analysed in intact rabbits and at different times after castration.
      No significant changes in release of LHRH and in amplitude were observed, but the
      frequency was significantly higher 22-31 days after castration than in intact
      rabbits (intact: 0.86 +/- 0.12; castrated: 1.20 +/- 0.13 pulses h-1, P < 0.035; n
      = 9). In Expt 2, testosterone and placebo Silastic capsules were implanted in the
      castrated rabbits. Perfusions were performed in the following four periods,
      defined by season and time after testosterone and placebo implants: (i) spring;
      before implants, (ii) late spring; 0-2 weeks after implants, (iii) summer
      solstice; 2-4 weeks after implants and (iv) summer; 4-6 weeks after implants.
      Castrated rabbits were perfused during spring; castrated rabbits with
      testosterone capsule implants were perfused during late spring, around summer
      solstice and in summer and castrated rabbits with placebo implants were perfused
      during periods (iii) and (iv). Castrated animals with placebo implants showed no
      significant changes in mean LHRH release and amplitude, although the frequency
      was significantly higher around the summer solstice period than in castrated
      rabbits perfused in the spring. In castrated rabbits with testosterone implants
      LHRH release was significantly higher in late spring than around the summer
      solstice and in the summer. In addition, the concentrations of LHRH in late
      spring were significantly higher than those of intact and castrated animals. In
      contrast, mean LHRH amplitude and frequency did not change. Mean amount of LHRH
      released and amplitude in castrated rabbits with testosterone implants were
      significantly lower around the summer solstice than in late spring or summer and
      compared with intact animals around summer solstice and in castrated rabbits in
      early spring. These data demonstrate that there were no significant changes in
      the mean amplitude and release of LHRH after castration from 5 and up to 64 days
      in rabbits with hypothalamic push-pull cannulae, in contrast to the well
      established dramatic effect of castration on gonadotrophin concentrations.
      However, there was a small, but significant, increase in the mean frequency of
      LHRH pulses 22-31 days after castration compared with values from intact
      rabbits.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432941
TI  - Binding and action of insulin-like growth factors and insulin in bovine luteal
      tissue during the oestrous cycle.
AB  - The effect of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and insulin on the release of
      progesterone and oxytocin from bovine corpus luteum was investigated at early
      (days 5-7), mid- (days 8-12) and late (days 15-18) luteal phases of the oestrous
      cycle in an in vitro microdialysis system. The expression of specific receptors
      was evaluated in bovine corpora lutea of the respective luteal stages. A 30 min
      infusion of IGF-1, IGF-2 (1.3, 13 and 130 nmol l-1) or insulin (13, 130 and 1300
      nmol l-1) caused a stimulation of the release of progesterone (P < 0.05). IGF-1
      was most effective in releasing progesterone. Oxytocin release from corpora lutea
      was stimulated by insulin at all doses tested (13-1300 nmol l-1), whereas the
      IGFs were only effective at the highest dose (130 nmol l-1) applied. The high
      doses of IGFs (130 nmol l-1) and insulin (1300 nmol l-1) stimulated the release
      of progesterone and oxytocin throughout the luteal phase (P < 0.05). For all
      three peptides, greatest stimulation was seen during the late luteal phase (days
      15-18 of the oestrous cycle) with the peak of progesterone release directly
      related to peptide infusion (P < 0.05). In addition, IGF-1 stimulated total
      release of progesterone (units in 4 h) after the beginning of the stimulation
      during this phase (P < 0.05). IGF-1 caused a gradual increase of progesterone
      even beyond the time of peptide perfusion, whereas IGF-2 and insulin stimulated
      progesterone release only during the peptide perfusion. Distinct receptors for
      IGF-1 and IGF-2 were present in corpora lutea membrane preparations at all stages
      investigated. Specific binding for insulin was also seen in all stages of the
      cycle without any cycle-dependent changes in the amount of binding. The
      displacement of labelled insulin by unlabelled IGF-1 and IGF-2 did not show the
      rank of order that has been described as typical for insulin receptors (i.e.
      insulin > IGF-1 > IGF-2), but comparable binding affinities were observed for the
      three unlabelled ligands. Specific binding of IGF-2 was markedly higher than that
      of IGF-1 or insulin throughout the cycle (1.9- and 4.9-fold higher compared with
      IGF-1 and insulin, respectively). Receptor specificity did not change during
      luteal development. Binding affinity and capacity of IGF-1 receptor was constant
      throughout the oestrous cycle. Specific IGF-2 binding increased and showed a
      positive co-operativity towards the end of the cycle. Specific binding of insulin
      was not significantly different in the three luteal stages examined.

PMID- 1432942
TI  - Properties of proteins binding plasma progesterone in pregnant Cape porcupines
      (Hystrix africaeaustralis).
AB  - The properties of progesterone-binding proteins in plasma of pregnant Cape
      porcupines were investigated using radiolabelled progesterone and either
      progesterone or cortisol as competing ligands as well as native plasma and heated
      (60 degrees C for 30 min) plasma. The results demonstrated that plasma from
      pregnant porcupines contains corticosteroid-binding globulin, but that it
      constitutes a significant portion of plasma progesterone-binding proteins only
      during the early stages of pregnancy. Corticosteroid-binding globulin of
      porcupines appears to be as heat labile as that of guinea-pigs. Concentrations of
      progesterone-binding proteins in plasma increased during pregnancy to reach
      concentrations at the eleventh week that were 25 times higher than those of
      progesterone; concentrations increased significantly (r2 = 0.88) with the
      increase in progesterone concentration. The results indicate that plasma
      progesterone-binding proteins in Cape porcupines (Old World hystricomorph) are
      similar in composition to those in guinea-pigs (New World hystricomorph).

PMID- 1432943
TI  - Characterization of epidermal growth factor receptor in testis, epididymis and
      vas deferens of non-human primates.
AB  - The presence of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in testis, epididymis
      and vas deferens of monkeys was demonstrated using a polyclonal antibody (RK2)
      raised against a peptide-specific sequence of the intracellular domain of the
      human EGFR. Immunoblotting of membrane preparations revealed a specific band at
      approximately 170 kDa corresponding to those of controls, A431 and monkey liver
      cells. Cryostat sections were stained by biotin-streptavidin peroxidase
      immunocytochemistry. The liver showed positive staining along the basolateral
      membranes of the hepatocytes lining the sinusoids. The testis showed positive
      staining indicating the presence of EGFR in Leydig cells, Sertoli cells and
      peritubular cells. In the epididymis, immunostaining of the EGFR was observed on
      both the basolateral and the luminal borders of the epididymal epithelium.
      Immunofluorescence studies revealed a similar pattern of EGFR distribution in the
      epididymis and indicated that the luminal immunostaining was vesicular. In the
      vas deferens, positive immunostaining was detected in a pattern very similar to
      that observed in the epididymis. There was no positive staining in the
      interstitium of the epididymis or in the smooth muscle cell layers of the vas
      deferens. The sections of all tissues treated with pre-immune serum were
      negative. These results suggest that EGF in the primate testis may act at the
      level of somatic cells. In addition, the basolateral and luminal EGFR staining in
      the epididymis and vas deferens suggest that these cells respond to an EGF, or
      EGF-like, source both at the basal, luminal or at both sides of the cells, or
      that these tissues serve as sites of EGF transcytosis across the epithelium.

PMID- 1432944
TI  - Rapid transport of seminal immunoglobulin to distal parts of the female
      reproductive tract in rabbits.
AB  - Bucks immunized with the bacteriophage-cloning vector fd-tet display strong
      humoral seminal immunity of 1.5 x 10(6) fd-tet neutralizing units (nu) ml-1. We
      used this model to study the distribution of seminal immunoglobulin in the female
      reproductive tract after copulation and artificial insemination. In contrast to
      artificial insemination, significant (P < 0.01) amounts (147 nu ml-1, i.e. about
      1.25 x 10(-4) input ejaculate) of neutralizing activity reached the uterus within
      20 min of a single copulation, which is evidence for rapid transport of seminal
      plasma to distal parts of the tract. Oviducts were also quickly impregnated with
      antibodies to fd-tet, which persist in the distal compartments for at least 24 h.

PMID- 1432945
TI  - Immunohistochemical localization of basic fibroblast growth factor within the
      mouse uterus.
AB  - Uterine samples were either rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen or placed in
      Bouin's fixative. A commercial primary polyclonal antibody made in rabbits
      against human recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was used. Western
      blot analysis indicated that the antibody was specific for bFGF and did not react
      with acidic FGF. The primary antibody was followed by either goat anti-rabbit
      immunoglobulin G (IgG) conjugated to the fluorescent phycobiliprotein tracer
      phycoerythrin or biotinylated goat anti-rabbit IgG and a biotin-avidin-peroxidase
      complex. Specificity controls using adjacent sections were carried out by (i)
      substituting normal rabbit sera for the primary antisera, (ii) omitting the
      primary antisera or (iii) extracting sections with NaCl (2 mol l-1) prior to the
      immunochemical procedures. No binding of the antibody was observed with any of
      the specificity control sections. The connective tissue stroma and the basal
      lamina associated with uterine glandular and surface epithelial layers were
      positive for bFGF. Localization was not observed within surface or glandular
      epithelial cells. The basal lamina and endothelial cells associated with blood
      vessels within the uterus and the smooth muscle cells of the myometrium were
      positive for bFGF. There were no differences in uterine localization patterns or
      intensity during the oestrous cycle or after ovariectomy and steroid hormone
      supplementation. These studies demonstrate the specific localization of bFGF
      within the mouse uterus.

PMID- 1432946
TI  - Role of photoperiod in reproductive maturation and peripubertal hormone
      concentrations in male collared lemmings (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus).
AB  - Onset of sexual maturation was determined in weanling male collared lemmings
      exposed to one of three experimental regimens of different photoperiods before
      and after weaning. Animals gestated in photoperiods of either 16 h light:8 h dark
      or 8 h light:16 h dark. Those from 16 h light:8 h dark were transferred at 19
      days of age to either 20 h light:4 h dark or 8 h light:16 h dark; those gestated
      under 8 h light: 16 h dark remained in that photoperiod throughout the
      experiment. After exposure for 15, 20, 25 or 30 days to the postweaning
      photoperiod, animals were killed and the following parameters assessed: body
      weight, testes weight, seminal vesicle weight, the presence or absence of
      epididymal spermatozoa and serum concentrations of prolactin, testosterone and
      corticosterone. All parameters except serum testosterone were significantly
      influenced by photoperiod. Animals housed under 8 h light:16 h dark had
      significantly greater body weights than those housed under 20 h light:4 h dark, a
      response that differs from that reported for other arvicoline rodents. The group
      gestated on 16 h light:8 h dark and transferred on day 19 to 8 h light:16 h dark
      had lower testes and seminal vesicle weights than the other two groups, and
      mature spermatozoa in the epididymides appeared 5 days later than in the 20 h
      light:4 h dark group. Serum prolactin was largely undetectable in animals from
      both 8 h light:16 h dark groups, but all males housed in 20 h light:4 h dark had
      2.0-15.0 ng prolactin ml-1. Concentration of serum corticosterone was higher in
      animals weaned into long photoperiod, and decreased with age. These data indicate
      that weanling male D. groenlandicus are reproductively photoresponsive, but use a
      decrease in photoperiod, not static short-photoperiod exposure, to alter the rate
      of development. Prolactin was largely undetectable in animals exposed to short
      photoperiod, indicating that high concentrations of this hormone are not
      important for maturation. Low prolactin concentrations in animals in short
      photoperiods may mediate the annual moult to white pelage. The short-photoperiod
      mediated decrease in corticosterone may play a role in seasonal changes in body
      weight and composition.

PMID- 1432947
TI  - Modulation of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone in circulation
      by interactions between endogenous opioids and oestradiol during the peripubertal
      period of heifers.
AB  - The aim of this study was to determine whether the decline in oestradiol
      inhibition of circulating luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating
      hormone (FSH) during the peripubertal period of heifers is associated with a
      change in opioid modulation of LH and FSH secretion. Opioid inhibition of LH
      secretion was determined by response to administration of the opioid antagonist
      naloxone. Prepubertal heifers (403 days old) were left as intact controls,
      ovariectomized or ovariectomized and chronically administered oestradiol. Control
      heifers were used to determine time of puberty. Three weeks after ovariectomy,
      four doses of naloxone (0.13-0.75 mg kg-1 body weight) or saline were
      administered to heifers in the treatment groups in a latin square design (one
      dose per day). Blood samples were collected at intervals of 10 min for 2 h before
      and 2 h after administration of naloxone. This procedure was repeated four times
      at intervals of 3 weeks during the time intact control heifers were attaining
      puberty. All doses of naloxone induced a similar increase in concentration of
      serum LH within a bleeding period. During the initial bleeding period (before
      puberty in control heifers), administration of naloxone induced an increase in LH
      concentration, but the response was greater for heifers in the ovariectomized and
      oestradiol treated than in the ovariectomized group. At the end of the study when
      control heifers had attained puberty (high concentrations of progesterone
      indicated corpus luteum function), only heifers in the ovariectomized and
      oestradiol treated group responded to naloxone. Opioid inhibition of LH appeared
      to decline in heifers during the time control heifers were attaining puberty.
      Heifers in the ovariectomized group responded to naloxone at the time of
      administration with an increase in FSH, but FSH did not respond to naloxone at
      any other time. Administration of naloxone did not alter secretion of FSH in
      ovariectomized heifers. These results suggest that opioid neuropeptides and
      oestradiol are involved in regulating circulating concentrations of LH and
      possibly FSH during the peripubertal period. Opioid inhibition of gonadotrophin
      secretion appeared to decline during the peripubertal period but was still
      present in ovariectomized heifers treated with oestradiol after the time when age
      matched control heifers had attained puberty. We conclude that opioid inhibition
      is important in regulating LH and FSH in circulation in heifers during the
      peripubertal period. However, opioids continue to be involved in regulation of
      circulating concentrations of LH after puberty.

PMID- 1432948
TI  - The effect of pre-ovulatory anaesthesia on ovulation in laparoscopically
      inseminated domestic cats.
AB  - Laparoscopic intrauterine artificial insemination (AI) of electroejaculated
      spermatozoa was used to compare embryo development and conception rates in
      domestic cats inseminated either before or after ovulation. Females were given a
      single (100 iu) injection of pregnant mares' serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) followed
      by either 75 or 100 iu human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) 80 h later. Cats were
      anaesthetized (injectable ketamine HCl/acepromazine plus gaseous halothane) 25-50
      h after administration of hCG for laparoscopic assessment of ovarian activity and
      for transabdominal AI into the proximal aspect of the uterine lumen. At the time
      of AI, 23 cats were pre-ovulatory (25-33 h after hCG injection) and 30 were post
      ovulatory (31-50 h after hCG injection). Pre-ovulatory females produced 10.5 +/-
      1.1 follicles and no corpora lutea compared with 1.9 +/- 0.5 follicles and 7.5 +/
      0.9 corpora lutea for the post-ovulatory group (P < 0.05). Six days later, the
      ovaries of nine pre-ovulatory and 12 post-ovulatory females were re-examined and
      the reproductive tracts flushed. On this day, pre-ovulatory cats produced fewer
      corpora lutea (2.8 +/- 1.5; P < 0.05) and embryos (0.4 +/- 0.3; P < 0.05) than
      post-ovulatory females (18.9 +/- 3.3 corpora lutea; 4.6 +/- 1.2 embryos). Two of
      the 14 cats (14.3%) inseminated before ovulation and not flushed became pregnant
      compared with 9 of 18 cats (50.0%) inseminated after ovulation and up to 41 h
      after hCG injection (P < 0.05). These results indicate that ovulation in cats is
      compromised by pre-ovulatory ketamine HCl/acepromazine/halothane or laparoscopy
      or by both and that electroejaculated spermatozoa deposited by laparoscopy in
      utero, after ovulation, result in a relatively high incidence of pregnancy.
      Because ovulation usually occurs 25-27 h after injection of hCG, the lifespan for
      fertilization of the ovulated ovum appears to be at least 14 h in vivo in cats.

PMID- 1432949
TI  - Vitrification of bovine blastocysts obtained by in vitro culture of oocytes
      matured and fertilized in vitro.
AB  - Two experiments were conducted to assess the viability of bovine blastocysts
      obtained by in vitro fertilization of oocytes matured in vitro (IVM-IVF) and
      cryopreserved by vitrification. In Expt 1, the optimal concentrations of glycerol
      and 1,2-propanediol in the basic medium (modified TCM199) for cooling and warming
      without formation of ice crystals were determined by plunging the solution into
      liquid nitrogen and then warming it in a water bath at 15 degrees C; when both
      glycerol and 1,2-propanediol were present in the solution (> 45% v/v),
      vitrification of the medium was observed. In Expt 2, IVM-IVF blastocysts were
      equilibrated to the mixture of glycerol and 1,2-propanediol (0% to 45%) at 15
      degrees C in a stepwise manner as follows: (i) in one step, for 18 min to the
      final vitrification solution; (ii) in two steps, for 8 min in the first step and
      10 min in the second step; (iii) in four steps, for 4 min in the first three
      steps and 6 min in the last step; (iv) in eight steps, for 2 min in each step,
      but 4 min in the last step; and (v) in 16 steps, for 1 min in each step, but 3
      min in the last step. After removal of cryoprotectants, the blastocysts were
      cultured for 24 h in vitro. The survival rates for the embryos equilibrated in 1,
      2, 4, 8 and 16 step(s) were 56, 89, 100, 100 and 100%, respectively. The
      blastocysts equilibrated in 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 steps were vitrified by plunging
      the straws containing them into liquid N2, thawed and cultured in vitro.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432950
TI  - Changes in the hypothalamic-hypophyseal axis of mares in relation to the winter
      solstice.
AB  - In mares, the amount of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is low in the
      hypothalamus during seasonal anoestrus, but by early spring, concentrations of
      GnRH are high. The timing of this response was characterized more precisely by
      determining concentrations of GnRH in hypothalamic tissue collected immediately
      before and at various times after the winter solstice (22 December 1986).
      Ovaries, pituitary gland, hypothalamus and a blood sample were collected from six
      groups of mares (6-12 mares per group) at death, 1 week before day of the winter
      solstice and 1, 2, 3 and 12 weeks afterwards. No significant changes in weight of
      the anterior pituitary gland or concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) and
      follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were observed in the anterior pituitary gland
      (P > 0.1). Mean diameter of the largest follicle, number of follicles > or = 20
      mm in diameter and concentrations of LH and FSH in serum remained unchanged for
      weeks -1 to +3 (P < 0.05), then increased significantly by week 12 (P < 0.001).
      Content and concentration of GnRH in the median eminence was low at -1 week,
      increased gradually (P < 0.05) to a maximum by +1 week, then decreased gradually
      (P < 0.05) to low values at 12 weeks. Means (+/- SEM) for -1, +1 and +12 weeks
      were 33.5 +/- 5.5, 117.7 +/- 18.6 and 29.8 +/- 3.7 ng GnRH, respectively. Mean
      content of GnRH in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus showed a reciprocal
      pattern.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432951
TI  - Uptake of exogenous DNA by mammalian spermatozoa: specific localization of DNA on
      sperm heads.
AB  - When mouse spermatozoa were briefly exposed in culture to radioactively labelled
      DNA (pSV2CAT plasmid), radioactivity could be detected by high-resolution
      autoradiography on the surface and within the nucleus of the spermatozoa.
      Spermatozoa from other mammalian species (boar, bull, man) could also bind
      foreign DNA. With the exclusion of human spermatozoa, which in most experiments
      showed very low labelling values, labelling percentages (evaluated by light
      microscope autoradiography) ranged between 39 and 78%. In all four species the
      DNA-binding ability was mainly confined to a specific region of the sperm head
      (equatorial segment and postacrosomal region), and the sperm-DNA association
      kinetics were rapid (maximum values were reached within 20-40 min). The data also
      indicate that factor(s) in seminal plasma might protect spermatozoa from
      accidental transfection by foreign DNA that may be present in the genital tracts
      from bacterial or viral sources.

PMID- 1432953
TI  - Effects of glucose, glutamine, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and oxygen tension
      on the concentration of reactive oxygen species and on development of the mouse
      preimplantation embryo in vitro.
AB  - Analysis over the first 48 h of development in vitro from the one-cell stage to
      the early four-cell stage indicated that (i) ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
      (EDTA) exerts the major beneficial effect on culture to the blastocyst stage of
      F1 and MF1 embryos, (ii) glutamine assists development of MF1, but not F1,
      embryos to the blastocyst stage and probably functions as part of a metabolic
      response to oxidative damage to mitochondria and (iii) exposure to glucose at
      some time during early cleavage is essential for full development to blastocysts.
      None of the culture conditions examined affected significantly the increase in
      concentration of reactive oxygen species in late two-cell embryos in vitro,
      although F1 embryos in vitro often had lower peroxide concentrations than MF1
      embryos. A decline in oxygen tension from 20 to 50% had no consistent effect on
      culture to the blastocyst stage or production of reactive oxygen species.
      Aminooxyacetate, an inhibitor of transaminase activity, prevented non-blocking
      embryos from developing beyond G2 of the second cell cycle. It is concluded that
      the chelation of transitional metals provides the most effective method of
      overcoming the block to development in vitro.

PMID- 1432954
TI  - Changes of progesterone content of rat uterine flushings in relation to serum
      concentrations of progesterone during the oestrous cycle.
AB  - Uterine fluid was collected from four-day cyclic rats at each stage of the
      oestrous cycle and assayed for progesterone and protein content. Progesterone was
      determined by radioimmunoassay either after ethanol (or 2.5% NaOH) denaturation
      of proteins from uterine flushings ('total' progesterone) or without protein
      denaturation ('ether-extractable' progesterone). The amount of 'ether
      extractable' progesterone in the lumen was constant from metoestrus to pro
      oestrus (340 pg per uterus) but lower in oestrus (200 pg per uterus). However,
      'total' progesterone content of uterine fluid was subject to cyclic variations
      and was highest in dioestrus (890 pg per uterus) and lowest in oestrus (350 pg
      per uterus), in contrast to serum progesterone which is lowest in dioestrus and
      highest in oestrus. Protein content of uterine flushings peaked to 780 micrograms
      per uterus in pro-oestrus then fell to about 140 micrograms per uterus until the
      end of the oestrous cycle. Changes in protein content of the lumen were followed
      by qualitative variations since the mean amount of 'bound' progesterone ('total'
      progesterone minus 'ether-extractable' progesterone) released per milligram of
      denatured lumen protein rose from 1.8 pmol in pro-oestrus to 18.2 pmol in
      dioestrus. The changes of luminal 'bound' progesterone during the oestrous cycle
      suggest that progesterone binding to luminal proteins could be an important
      modulator of progesterone action in rat uterus. Moreover, the variations in
      progesterone content of the lumen, irrespective of serum progesterone
      concentrations, are consistent with the hypothesis that progesterone synthesis
      occurs in the uterus.

PMID- 1432955
TI  - Effect of macrophages on proliferation of granulosa cells in the ovary in rats.
AB  - The effect of macrophages on proliferation of granulosa cells was examined in
      gonadotrophin-primed immature female rats. The mouse anti-rat macrophage
      monoclonal antibodies TRPM-2 and TRPM-3 were used and macrophages were observed
      in the granulosa layer and antrum of follicles and in corpora lutea and stroma
      around follicles. There was no difference in distribution between TRPM-2-positive
      cells and TRPM-3-positive cells. Macrophages with some cytoplasmic vacuoles of
      various sizes were also demonstrated in growing follicles. The average ratios of
      macrophages to granulosa cells in preantral, antral and mature follicles were
      0.008, 0.007 and 0.002, respectively. Labelling with [3H]thymidine of granulosa
      cells cultured with peritoneal macrophages was significantly greater and the
      labelling index peaked to 25.0% when the ratio of macrophages to granulosa cells
      was 0.01, compared with the value of 14.2% when the granulosa cells were cultured
      alone. This ratio of macrophages to granulosa cells was similar to that in the
      preantral and antral follicles in vivo. These results suggest that macrophages
      participate in promoting proliferation of granulosa cells as local mediators in
      growing follicles.

PMID- 1432952
TI  - Anti-ovary antibodies after attempts at human in vitro fertilization induced by
      follicular puncture rather than hormonal stimulation.
AB  - Anti-ovary antibodies (AOA) have been detected in serum samples of women
      undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). High concentrations of these antibodies
      have been found in women who have had several IVF attempts and they appear to
      correlate with reduced chances of pregnancy. In this paper, AOA were assayed
      sequentially in a series of 140 IVF candidates to investigate the respective
      roles of hormonal stimulation and follicular puncture in inducing the autoimmune
      response. Serum was obtained 8 days after the beginning of ovarian human
      menopausal gonadotrophin (hMG) stimulation, then 15 days after follicular
      puncture. Significantly higher concentrations of IgG (P < 0.0001) AOA were
      observed in the second series of samples than in the first, suggesting that
      ovarian trauma and not hormonal stimulation is responsible for triggering
      antibody production. In the whole group, there was a negative correlation between
      IgM levels after puncture and oocyte numbers (P < 0.05). Among 'immune-responder'
      women, the concentrations of IgA AOA (P = 0.01) in the first sample, and of IgG
      (P = 0.01) or IgA AOA (P < 0.05) in the second, correlated with fewer oocytes
      after stimulation. There was no variation in the mean concentrations of AOA in
      women who achieved pregnancy.

PMID- 1432956
TI  - Quantitative fluorometry of abnormal mouse sperm nuclei.
AB  - An extensive quantitative analysis of deformed mouse spermatozoa was undertaken.
      Improvements over previous studies included the isolation and purification of
      sperm nuclei, a multifaceted analytical approach using several fluorochromes and
      the analysis of individual nuclei classified into shape categories. Malformed
      sperm nuclei in BALB/c mice could not be distinguished from normal ones in terms
      of total and basic proteins, sulfhydryl and disulfide group concentration, DNA
      concentration and chromatin organization. The shape of sperm nuclei is therefore
      probably determined by the manner in which the internal biochemical components
      are assembled.

PMID- 1432957
TI  - Lack of effect of relaxin on oxytocin output from the porcine neural lobe in
      vitro or in lactating sows in vivo.
AB  - Oxytocin was measured in incubates and perifusates of neurosecretosomes prepared
      from sow neural lobes (n = 50) and in incubates of isolated neural lobes (n = 5).
      In none of these preparations was oxytocin output affected by exposure to
      purified porcine relaxin (at concentrations up to 10(-7) mol l-1). Moreover, in
      lactating sows (n = 9), 6-10 days post partum, the administration of porcine
      relaxin (1.5 or 3.0 mg) intravenously, immediately before a suckling episode, did
      not affect the plasma oxytocin profile compared with saline treatments (within
      sow) nor did it alter suckling behaviour or the weight gain of the litter. In all
      sows, a spike (25-75 pg ml-1) of oxytocin was measured during milk ejection
      coincident with suckling. These results suggest that porcine relaxin does not
      affect oxytocin release in suckling sows in contrast to reported findings in
      rats. The data also support the view that porcine relaxin could be used at
      farrowing without adverse effects on suckling.

PMID- 1432958
TI  - Relationship between the onset of oestrus, the preovulatory surge in luteinizing
      hormone and ovulation following oestrous synchronization and superovulation of
      farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus).
AB  - The timing of ovulation relative to the onset of oestrus and the preovulatory
      surge in luteinizing hormone (LH) was studied in red deer following treatments to
      synchronize oestrus and induce either a monovulatory or superovulatory response.
      Mature hinds (n = 36) were allocated randomly to two mating groups (n = 16 + 20),
      with respective treatments staggered by 4 weeks during the 1990 rut (March
      April). Each hind was treated with an intravaginal controlled internal drug
      releasing (CIDR)-type S device for 14 days. Treatments to induce a monovulatory
      response included CIDR device alone (treatment A; n = 4 + 8) and additional
      injection of 200 iu pregnant mares' serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) at device removal
      (treatment B; n = 4 + 4). Treatments to induce a superovulatory response included
      injections of 200 iu PMSG and 0.5 units ovine follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)
      at about time of removal of CIDR devices (treatment C; n = 4 + 4) and further
      treatment with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue 18 h after removal
      of CIDR devices (treatment D; n = 4 + 4). The hinds were run with crayon
      harnessed stags from insertion of CIDR devices (12 March or 9 April) and blood
      samples were taken every second day to determine plasma progesterone. Further
      blood samples were collected for determination of plasma LH and progesterone via
      indwelling jugular cannulae every 2 h for 72 h from removal of CIDR devices.
      Hinds were allocated randomly to an initial ovarian examination by laparoscopy at
      either 16 or 20 h (A and B), or 12 or 16 h (C and D) after the onset of oestrus,
      with laparoscopy repeated at intervals of 8 h until either ovulation was recorded
      (A and B), or for four successive occasions (C and D). All hinds received
      cloprostenol injections 15 days after device removal. A total of 28 hinds (78%)
      exhibited oestrus and a preovulatory LH surge, with mean (+/- SEM) times to onset
      of oestrus of 44.6 +/- 1.0 h (A; n = 7), 37.4 +/- 2.0 h (B; n = 7), 16.3 +/- 1.7
      h (C; n = 6) or 14.0 +/- 1.7 h (D; n = 8). Failure to exhibit oestrus or LH surge
      was most prevalent among hinds in treatment A early in the rut.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1432959
TI  - Cytogenetic analysis of reconstituted one-cell mouse embryos derived from nuclear
      transfer of fetal male germ cells.
AB  - Micromanipulation techniques were used to produce reconstituted one-cell mouse
      embryos after the fusion of fetal male germ cells 15.5 day post coitum with
      enucleated secondary oocytes. At this stage of development, male fetal germ cells
      are arrested at G1 of mitotic interphase. Two distinct populations of germ cells,
      differing in size and ploidy, were isolated from the genital ridge of a mid-term
      fetus. Oocytes that had received male germ cells from the population of smaller
      (mononuclear) germ cells developed as diploid one-cell reconstituted embryos.
      When the same procedures were used to produce reconstituted one-cell embryos
      using male fetal germ cells from a population of larger (multinucleate) cells,
      they exhibited ploidy of either 4x, 6x or 8x at metaphase of the first cell
      division. Although most reconstituted embryos (90 and 96%) developed to the two
      cell stage, the proportion of embryos receiving small germ cells developed to
      blastocysts was much higher (62%) than that receiving large germ cells (4%).
      These studies indicate that not all fetal germ cells are diploid before the onset
      of meiosis and have identified procedures to produce reconstituted embryos from
      fetal germ cells that do not carry genome or chromosome anomalies.

PMID- 1432960
TI  - Reduction in endometrial neutrophils in proximity to implanting rat blastocysts.
AB  - An antiserum to rat neutrophils was raised and used to follow the distribution of
      endometrial neutrophils during the peri-implantation period. Uteri from four
      pregnant and four pseudopregnant rats killed at 14:00, 17:00, 20:30 and 23:00 h
      on day 5 of pregnancy and 09:00 h on day 6 were sectioned. Four sections from
      each of four implantation sites and four intersites from each rat were
      immunostained. There was wide variability among rats in the number of endometrial
      neutrophils, but a nested analysis of variance showed significantly fewer
      neutrophils at implantation sites than at intersites from 20:30 h onwards. This
      difference was primarily due to the presence of more neutrophils in intersite
      regions of the endometrium. The results from this study do not support a role for
      neutrophils in the implantation-associated increase in microvascular permeability
      or decidualization in rats.

PMID- 1432961
TI  - Effect of fibronectin on early embryo development in cows.
AB  - Two-cell bovine embryos produced in vitro were cultured in serum-free medium
      containing the soluble glycoprotein fibronectin (50 micrograms ml-1) to study the
      function of the extracellular matrix in early development. Some of the embryos
      (48/164, 29.3%), developed beyond the 16-cell stage compared with none of the 179
      controls. Fibronectin at lower (5 micrograms ml-1) or higher (300 micrograms ml
      1) concentrations did not promote embryo development (0/89 and 0/82,
      respectively). Indirect immunofluorescence demonstrated the presence of both
      fibronectin and its receptor on the surface of eight-cell embryo blastomeres, and
      biotinylated fibronectin demonstrated that exogenous fibronectin could cross the
      zona pellucida. These results, demonstrating the successful culture of bovine
      embryos in serum-free medium, support the hypothesis that the extracellular
      matrix, specifically fibronectin, plays a role in early development of bovine
      embryos.

PMID- 1432962
TI  - Fetal viability and fetal growth after prolonged uterine contractions induced by
      progesterone withdrawal in late pregnancy in rats.
AB  - The hypothesis that sustained uterine contractile activity is the direct cause of
      fetal death after progesterone withdrawal in late pregnancy in rats was
      investigated. Pregnant rats were subjected to progesterone withdrawal on day 15
      of pregnancy by injecting 2 mg mifepristone (RU 486) kg-1 or by ovariectomy with
      oestradiol replacement (200 ng day-1). Uterine contractile activity (force and
      frequency) at 4 h, but not at 2 h, in rats injected with mifepristone was
      significantly higher than in rats injected with vehicle. The contractile activity
      in mifepristone-treated rats remained higher than in control rats, at 12, 24 and
      48 h. Fetal viability 36 h after mifepristone injection, when uterine
      contractions had lasted for 32 h, was not significantly different from fetal
      viability in rats injected with vehicle, but at 42 h after mifepristone
      injection, fetal viability was significantly reduced. In ovariectomized rats,
      uterine contractile activity at 12, 24, 36 and 48 h, but not at 8 h, was
      significantly greater than in ovariectomized rats with progesterone replacement
      (4 mg day-1). Fetal viability at 42 h after the operation, when uterine
      contractions had lasted for 30 h, was not significantly reduced, but it was
      significantly reduced at 48 h. When ovariectomized rats had been left to develop
      uterine contractions for a period before progesterone was injected, deprivation
      of progesterone and prolonged uterine contractions for about 30 h did not reduce
      fetal viability or fetal growth determined on day 18, but it did so 3 days later,
      on day 21. Administration of 5 mg isoxuprine kg-1 twice a day, which suppressed
      uterine contractions, improved fetal viability in ovariectomized rats at the
      earlier stage, but not at the later stage. Nevertheless, isoxuprine did improve
      fetal growth at the later stage in these ovariectomized rats. It is concluded
      that increased uterine contractile activity sustained for 32 h or less does not
      reduce fetal viability, but longer periods of contraction may be the cause of
      fetal death.

PMID- 1432963
TI  - Involvement of interleukin 2 receptors in conceptus-derived suppression of T and
      B cell proliferation in horses.
AB  - The mechanism by which a horse conceptus-derived immunosuppressive factor (HCS)
      of M(r) > 100,000 inhibits lymphocyte proliferation was investigated. The factor
      was obtained from the culture supernatants of 20-day-old horse conceptuses;
      activity, identified by reduced uptake of [3H]thymidine by mitogen-stimulated
      lymphocytes, was greatest (P < 0.01) in cultures stimulated by mitogen from
      pokeweed. HCS also suppressed cell proliferation stimulated by
      phytohaemagglutinin (P < 0.01), but had no effect on lipopolysaccharide
      stimulated cells (P > 0.05). Data from a fluorescence-activated cell sorter
      indicated that supplementation with HCS reduced the number of T cells in
      phytohaemagglutinin-stimulated cultures and suppressed proliferation of T and B
      cells in pokeweed-mitogen-stimulated cultures compared with controls. Cell
      proliferation was greater (P < 0.01) in cultures supplemented with HCS 24 h after
      stimulation than in those treated at the start of stimulation, and was even
      greater (P < 0.01) when cells were treated 48 h after stimulation. The removal of
      HCS from treated lymphocyte cultures resulted in complete recovery of cell
      responsiveness, and stimulated proliferation of treated cells did not differ (P >
      0.05) from that of control cells. The addition of stimulated equine lymphocyte
      supernatant to cultures supplemented with HCS did not significantly increase (P >
      0.05) cell proliferation in response to pokeweed mitogen. Addition of recombinant
      human interleukin 2 (rIL-2) to HCS-treated cultures did not alter the suppressive
      activity of HCS, although cell proliferation was greater in cultures supplemented
      with rIL-2 than in controls (P < 0.01). HCS inhibition of IL-2 receptor (IL-2R)
      function was investigated using an IL-2-dependent murine cytolytic T lymphocyte
      cell line; the fraction of HCS of M(r) > 100,000 had no effect (P > 0.05) on
      proliferation of IL-2-dependent murine cytolytic T lymphocyte cells induced by
      rIL-2. Together, these data suggest that HCS suppresses proliferation of T
      lymphocytes during the early stages of cell activation by inhibiting IL-2R
      interaction and that this suppression interferes with interactions between T
      cells and B cells, thereby also indirectly inhibiting proliferation of B cells.
      The potent immunosuppressive capacity of HCS may be one factor responsible for
      inhibiting cell-mediated fetal allograft rejection during pregnancy.

PMID- 1432964
TI  - Androgenic control of polyamine concentrations in rat epididymis.
AB  - Unilateral orchidectomy resulted in a significant decrease in tissue content of
      putrescine and polyamines. However, no differences were detected when the results
      were expressed in terms of ng g-1 tissue. At 48 h after bilateral orchidectomy, a
      significant decrease in putrescine content was observed, but spermidine and
      spermine content were unaffected. The observed decrease in putrescine was
      prevented by treatment with testosterone propionate, but neither spermidine nor
      spermine were affected. Bilateral orchidectomy resulted in a significant decrease
      in the tissue content of putrescine, spermidine and spermine after 7 days.
      Treatment with testosterone propionate increased the content of putrescine,
      spermidine and spermine in the epididymis by about 200%, 92% and 34%,
      respectively. When results were expressed as nmol g-1, a significant decrease
      after castration in putrescine and spermidine, but not in spermine, was observed.
      Treatment with testosterone propionate restored putrescine concentration, but had
      no effect on spermidine and spermine concentrations. In castrated rats treated
      with testosterone propionate, the anti-androgen flutamide abolished the effect of
      the androgen on putrescine and spermidine content, but there was no effect on
      spermine. Acetylputrescine was not detected in the epididymis, while
      acetylpolyamines were detected at much lower concentrations than polyamines.
      After bilateral orchidectomy there was a decrease in the tissue content of all
      acetylpolyamines and an increase in their tissue concentration. The effect of
      castration on acetylpolyamine content was reversed by testosterone propionate
      treatment. We conclude that an active synthesis of polyamines occurs in the rat
      epididymis, and that this process depends upon the androgen environment.
      Regulation of ornithine decarboxylase activity appears to be the main step that
      is controlled by androgens.

PMID- 1432965
TI  - Increase in testosterone sensitivity induced by constant light in relation to
      melatonin injections in rats.
AB  - In this experiment we investigated whether the lack of the nocturnal melatonin
      peak under constant light would cause an increase in testosterone sensitivity.
      Castrated rats were kept under periodic or constant light for one week. They
      received a daily injection of vehicle, testosterone propionate (125 micrograms),
      melatonin (50 micrograms) or testosterone plus melatonin (125 micrograms + 50
      micrograms). Serum and pituitary gonadotrophins and pineal melatonin were
      measured at the end of the experiment. Under constant light, testosterone
      injections reduced the serum luteinizing hormone concentration in castrated rats
      to that in intact rats, but, under periodic light, the decrease was smaller.
      Melatonin did not reverse the stronger effect of testosterone under constant
      light. The serum melatonin peak produced by the exogenous melatonin injection had
      a higher amplitude, shorter duration and earlier appearance than the
      physiological melatonin peak. Exogenous melatonin did not modify the
      physiological melatonin secretion, measured either as serum melatonin
      concentration or pineal melatonin content on the consecutive day. We conclude
      that the increase in testosterone negative feedback sensitivity of castrated rats
      under constant light was not due to the absence of the nocturnal melatonin pulse.

PMID- 1432966
TI  - Evidence for an intrinsic control of myometrial contractile periodicity in sheep
      during pregnancy.
AB  - Reduction in concentration of prostaglandins in plasma by administration of
      sodium meclofenamate to pregnant sheep failed to alter the frequency or duration
      of electromyographic activity bursts or the response to oxytocin of myometrial
      tissue transplanted to the omentum. However, a significant (P < 0.05) delay (8.6
      +/- 3.8 versus 1.3 +/- 0.3 min) in the myometrial response to oxytocin was
      observed when the hormone was administered 1 min after a spontaneous burst of
      electromyographic activity compared with 15 min after a burst, indicating a
      period of refractoriness. Similarly, the myometrial threshold for electrical
      stimulation was higher at 10-25% of the interval between contractions than close
      to the expected time of the next contraction. Stimulation of the myometrium at
      intervals of 30 s revealed a cycling of the electrical stimulation threshold:
      significantly higher voltages were required to elicit responses between
      spontaneous bursts of electromyographic activity (18.0 +/- 2.2 V) than during
      bursts (11.3 +/- 1.6 V). In contrast, there was no voltage differential in
      animals close to labour (< 24 h). These data provide no evidence to support a
      role for prostaglandins in the generation of contractions during pregnancy, but
      suggest that periodicity of contractions is associated with inherent changes in
      myometrial responsiveness to stimulation, which could occur as a result of a
      cycling of the resting membrane potential.

PMID- 1432967
TI  - Effect of treatment with methylprednisolone on duration of pseudopregnancy and on
      macrophages and T lymphocytes in rabbit corpora lutea.
AB  - The potential role of macrophages and T lymphocytes in the destruction of the
      corpus luteum at the end of the luteal phase was investigated by treating
      pseudopregnant rabbits with the immunosuppressant glucocorticoid
      methylprednisolone. Eleven specific pathogen-free New Zealand White rabbits were
      injected with pregnant mares' serum gonadotrophin (40 iu, i.m.), followed 2 days
      later by human chorionic gonadotrophin (40 iu, i.v.) to stimulate ovulation. The
      following day (day 1 of pseudo-pregnancy) all animals had an oestradiol-filled
      Silastic capsule implanted s.c., to ensure that oestradiol, the luteotrophic
      hormone in this species, would not be limiting. From day 10 of pseudopregnancy,
      three animals were injected with a low dose of methylprednisolone (2 mg kg-1 per
      day) until day 20. Three other animals were injected with a higher dose of
      methylprednisolone (20 mg kg-1 per day) from day 13 of pseudopregnancy until day
      19. Five animals served as control, vehicle-injected animals. Blood samples were
      taken at intervals and assayed for progesterone. Immunofluorescence was used to
      stain luteal tissue for macrophages, T lymphocytes and class II antigens, and
      positive cells were counted under high-power magnification. Methylprednisolone
      treatment reduced (by about 70%), but did not eliminate, the macrophages in the
      regressing corpora lutea. In contrast, the high dose of methylprednisolone
      essentially eliminated T lymphocytes, and reduced (by about 90%) the number of
      cells expressing class II antigen in the luteal tissue. Despite the effects of
      methylprednisolone on these cells, serum progesterone profiles were not altered
      by treatment with methylprednisolone, and pseudopregnancy was of normal
      duration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432968
TI  - Seasonal testosterone pattern in Hawaiian monk seals (Monachus schauinslandi).
AB  - Blood samples from four captive male Hawaiian monk seals were collected at
      intervals of one month for one year for testosterone assay. Plasma testosterone
      concentrations, measured by radioimmunoassay, revealed a clear seasonal pattern.
      The lowest mean testosterone concentration (0.09 +/- 0.04 ng ml-1) occurred in
      January, and the highest (1.78 +/- 0.40 ng ml-1) in June. The seasonal occurrence
      of births and of injuries related to mating in wild populations of Hawaiian monk
      seals showed a distinct association with the period of high testosterone. This
      study supports other data that indicate that the Hawaiian monk seal is a seasonal
      breeder and is reproductively active for longer than monachine seals that live in
      higher latitudes.

PMID- 1432969
TI  - Ca(2+)-related changes in the mouse sperm capacitation state: a possible role for
      Ca(2+)-ATPase.
AB  - Mammalian spermatozoa require extracellular Ca2+, some of which must be
      internalized, to undergo complete capacitation. At a critical threshold, a rise
      in intracellular Ca2+ will trigger acrosomal exocytosis. We used
      chlortetracycline (CTC) fluorescence patterns to assess changes in the
      capacitation state of mouse spermatozoa after incubation under various conditions
      that would affect their intracellular Ca2+ concentrations. Under standard
      conditions with 1.80 mmol CaCl2l-1 known to support capacitation within 120 min
      and subsequent fertilization in vitro, a rise in the number of capacitated,
      acrosome-intact cells (B pattern) was observed over the first 60 min, followed by
      a decline. A detectable increase in capacitated, acrosome-reacted cells (AR
      pattern) coincided with the maximum of B pattern cells and a continued rise was
      observed over the following 60 min. With incubation in 3.60 mmol Ca2+l-1, the
      rise in AR cells began at 30 min, suggesting that this treatment accelerates
      capacitation. Introduction of ionophore A23187 at 15 min to cells in standard
      Ca2+ produced a similar but even more rapid response, with a maximum in B pattern
      cells and a noticeable rise in AR cells within 10 min. Thus ionophore-treated
      cells proceed through capacitation, but do so very quickly. However, ionophore in
      the presence of 90 mumol Ca2+l-1 could promote transition from the uncapacitated
      F pattern to the capacitated B pattern, but could not trigger acrosomal
      exocytosis, indicating that the latter requires high extracellular Ca2+. After
      preincubation in Ca(2+)-deficient medium, most cells exhibited the uncapacitated
      F pattern and the introduction of millimolar Ca2+ altered this distribution only
      slowly, over a period of 50 min. In contrast, preincubation in 90 mumol Ca2+l-1
      resulted in a minority of F pattern cells and, within 10 min of millimolar Ca2+
      introduction, a significant increase in AR cells was observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1432970
TI  - Experimental induction of luteal cyclicity in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus).
AB  - Concentrations of progesterone and luteinizing hormone in plasma were analysed
      for two consecutive years in samples from nonpregnant female roe deer. Three
      animals were treated with monthly prostaglandin injections (325 micrograms
      cloprostenol) from October 1989 to April 1990 and from October 1990 to March
      1991, and three were kept as controls. In control animals, a small increase in
      progesterone concentrations in July 1990 occurred at the same time as the
      commencement of the rut in other husbanded roe deer. In prostaglandin-treated
      animals, progesterone concentration was high at the time of the rut and remained
      so until late February 1990. After the next rut (August 1990), progesterone
      concentration remained high until March 1991. Between October and February-March,
      injections of prostaglandins induced dramatic, but temporary (lasting 72 h),
      decreases in plasma progesterone concentrations, indicating luteal regression and
      subsequent ovulation. We infer that roe deer can ovulate repeatedly and should
      therefore not be regarded as an obligate monoestrous species.

PMID- 1432971
TI  - Stimulation of immunoreactive inhibin production by preimplantation embryos
      during early pregnancy in the marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus).
AB  - The role of the embryo in promoting increased plasma concentrations of
      immunoreactive inhibin after conception in the marmoset monkey was determined by
      flushing embryos from the uterus between days 5 and 9 after ovulation
      (implantation commences on days 11-12). Blood samples were taken from each animal
      (three times a week) after ovulation until the end of the luteal phase. Plasma
      inhibin concentrations were measured using a radioimmunoassay based on antisera
      against a synthetic fragment of the alpha-subunit of human inhibin. When embryos
      were flushed on days 5 and 6 (n = 6) after ovulation inhibin concentrations did
      not exceed 250 ng ml-1 for the duration of the luteal phase. In contrast when
      embryos were flushed on days 7 (n = 4), 8 (n = 4) and 9 (n = 3) maximum
      concentrations of inhibin always exceeded 250 ng ml-1, reaching > 400 ng ml-1
      when embryos were flushed on days 8 and 9. Inhibin concentrations remained high
      for the duration of the luteal phase, which varied in length between 20 and 32
      days. Significantly (P < 0.01) higher mean plasma concentrations of
      immunoreactive inhibin were first recorded on days 7-8 after ovulation in animals
      that had embryos flushed on days 7, 8 and 9 compared with concentrations in
      animals that had embryos flushed on days 5 and 6. Inhibin could not be detected
      in the medium of embryos cultured for up to 2 weeks.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1432972
TI  - Intracellular free Ca2+ concentration in fowl spermatozoa and its relationship to
      motility and respiration in spermatozoa.
AB  - The ability of fowl spermatozoa to accumulate and de-esterify the intracellular
      fluorescent Ca2+ indicator fura-2 was established. The cytosolic Ca2+
      concentrations, measured by this technique, did not change after the addition of
      1 mmol EGTA l-1. Subsequently, addition of the calcium ionophore A23187 caused a
      reduction in cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations, presumably by efflux of Ca2+ from the
      spermatozoa. Intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations were then significantly
      increased by the addition of 1 mmol CaCl2 l-1. The motility of demembranated
      spermatozoa gradually decreased after the addition of EGTA alone or EGTA with
      A23187, but was instantly restored by the addition of CaCl2 in the presence of
      both EGTA and A23187. Unlike demembranated spermatozoa, intact spermatozoa
      maintained their motility, even after the addition of EGTA, but their motility
      was reduced by the addition of A23187 in the presence of EGTA. The addition of
      A23187 also reduced the rate of oxygen consumption, but not the ATP
      concentrations in intact spermatozoa. These results demonstrate that the motility
      and respiration of fowl spermatozoa are strongly influenced by their
      intracellular Ca2+ concentrations.

PMID- 1432973
TI  - How does transferrin overcome the in vitro block to development of the mouse
      preimplantation embryo?
AB  - Transferrin promotes development of mouse embryos through the two-cell block in
      vitro. Uptake of transferrin into blastocysts was shown to occur by both receptor
      mediated and nonspecific pathways, but neither pathway was used to a detectable
      extent by embryos before the eight-cell stage. Conversely, the dialysis of
      culture medium, non-permissive for development through the two-cell block,
      against a solution of transferrin rendered it capable of supporting development.
      It was therefore concluded that transferrin exerts its supportive effect on
      development in vitro via its chelating effects.

PMID- 1432974
TI  - Role of monoclonal antibody J-23 in inducing acrosome reactions in capacitated
      mouse spermatozoa.
AB  - A monoclonal antibody (J-23) to the 15 kDa component on the sperm head, the
      acceptor, which functions in zona binding, was shown to induce the acrosome
      reaction in capacitated cells, but not in fresh cells. The antibody recognized
      its epitope in the acrosomal cap region of fresh spermatozoa and in the
      equatorial region on washed and capacitated spermatozoa. However, equatorial
      expression did not depend on the acrosome reaction, since washing fresh
      spermatozoa increased the percentage with equatorial fluorescence, but did not
      increase the percentage with reacted acrosomes. The data indicate that the
      acrosome reaction can be induced in capacitated spermatozoa in the absence of
      zona glycoproteins.

PMID- 1432975
TI  - Biosynthesis of platelet-activating factor by two-cell mouse embryos.
AB  - Incubation of two-cell mouse embryos with a range of radiolabelled compounds
      resulted in the incorporation of label into platelet-activating factor (PAF; 1-O
      alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) in the culture media. The
      demonstration that known precursors ([1-14C]hexadecanol, [1-3H]hexadecanol, 1-O
      [alkyl-1'2'-3H]lyso-PAF, 1-O-[alkyl-1'2'-3H]acetyl-glycerol and [methyl
      3H]choline chloride) were incorporated into PAF showed that embryo-derived PAF
      biosynthesis occurred via pathways present in other PAF-producing cells. The
      enzyme responsible for the formation of the ether linkage of the PAF molecule,
      alkyl-dihydroxyacetone-phosphate synthase, was present in the preimplantation
      embryo as [1-3H]hexadecanol was incorporated into PAF. Incorporation of label
      from alkylacetyl-glycerol and choline chloride into lyso-PAF was also observed,
      suggesting a role for lyso-PAF in the metabolism of embryo-derived PAF.
      Incubation of embryos with each of three [14C]carbohydrate energy substrates
      resulted in the incorporation of label into PAF in culture media, indicating that
      the composition of embryo culture media is important in the synthesis of PAF
      precursors. Incorporation of label from [2-14C]pyruvate was greatest and is
      consistent with the suggestion that pyruvate is the major energy source at the
      two-cell stage of development. L-[U-14C]Lactate was also incorporated into embryo
      derived PAF, but the mean amount incorporated relative to the concentration of
      labelled substrate in the medium was 40 times less. The incorporation of D-[U
      14C]glucose into PAF was 2405 times less than that from pyruvate, relative to the
      concentration in the medium.

PMID- 1432976
TI  - Effect of sperm penetration in vitro on completion of first meiosis by bovine
      oocytes arrested at various stages in culture.
AB  - Bovine oocytes cultured for 12-20 h in TC-199 were incubated for 24 h in
      fertilization medium, Brackett and Oliphant medium with bovine serum albumin (10
      mg ml-1), caffeine (5 mmoll-1) and heparin (10 micrograms ml-1), with or without
      frozen-thawed spermatozoa. High penetration rates (93-96%) and significantly (P <
      0.001) higher maturation rates were obtained in oocytes incubated with (93-100%)
      than without (62-72%) spermatozoa. However, when oocytes at the germinal vesicle
      stage were cultured for 44 h fertilization medium, maturation of oocytes to
      metaphase II was reduced. However, all oocytes that were first cultured for 20 h
      and further for 24 h with spermatozoa were penetrated and 40% of the penetrated
      oocytes reached metaphase II. All of the remaining oocytes that did not mature
      arrested at the stages of condensed germinal vesicle (39%) or prometaphase I
      (22%). These results indicate that oocytes at metaphase I at and after sperm
      penetration are stimulated by sperm penetration to complete maturation.

PMID- 1432977
TI  - Long-term contraceptive efficacy of vaccine of ovine follicle-stimulating hormone
      in male bonnet monkeys (Macaca radiata).
AB  - A group of ten healthy fertile adult male bonnet monkeys were actively immunized
      using procedures acceptable for human use with pure follicle-stimulating hormone
      (oFSH) isolated from sheep pituitaries. The vaccine elicited an immunogenic
      response in all ten monkeys; the antibody-binding capacity, determined by
      Scatchard analysis, varied from 3 to 18 micrograms oFSH ml-1, the binding
      affinity ranging from 0.13 to 2.0 x 10(10) mol-1. A substantial population of
      antibodies against oFSH crossreacted with 125I-labelled human (h) FSH, used here
      as a representative ligand of primate FSH. The bioneutralization activity of the
      antisera assessed by a specific bioassay in vitro, when the antibody titre was
      high, was 6.9 +/- 0.18 micrograms hFSH ml-1. Immunization for 4.7-5.7 years did
      not affect the health and libido of the animals. Concentration of testosterone in
      serum remained normal throughout the study, but, within 150 days of immunization,
      there was a marked decrease (75-100%) in the number of spermatozoa in seminal
      ejaculates. Oligospermic status interspersed with azoospermia was maintained by
      periodic boosting. The fertility of these animals was monitored between 6 months
      and 2 years after primary immunization. All the ten animals proved infertile in
      repeated mating experiments with females of proven fertility. After stopping
      booster injections, nine of ten animals regained fertility, but the time taken
      for this depended upon the rate of decline of antibody titres. Re-boosting these
      monkeys with 100 micrograms oFSH after confirming that recovery had occurred
      revealed prompt increases in antibody titres followed once again by onset of
      oligo-azoospermia and infertility, underscoring the specificity of immunization
      effect. The immunized monkeys, apart from being acutely oligospermic, ejaculated
      spermatozoa that were markedly deficient in key acrosomal enzymes, such as
      acrosin and hyaluronidase, and motility as well as in their ability to penetrate
      a gel in vitro, suggesting that the infertility observed was due to gross
      reductions in the numbers of spermatozoa that could effectively interact with the
      oocyte and cause successful fertilization.

PMID- 1432979
TI  - Uterine surface temperature changes caused by electrosurgical endometrial
      coagulation.
AB  - To assess the risk for transmural thermal injury to abdominal viscera during
      electrosurgical ablation of the endometrium, thermocouples were laparoscopically
      directed to the surface of the uterus at the time of endometrial ablation. A 2-
      or 5-mm ball, or a barrel electrode directed through a urologic resectoscope was
      placed in the cornual area, and current varying from 50 to 150 W of unmodulated
      ("cutting") or modulated ("coag") current was applied for five seconds without
      moving the electrode. The resultant temperature rise of the uterine serosa did
      not exceed 6 degrees C.

PMID- 1432978
TI  - The contribution of singletons, twins and triplets to low birth weight, infant
      mortality and handicap in the United States.
AB  - Among multiple gestations the magnitude of neonatal mortality, morbidity and
      postneonatal handicap is unknown. Although the proportion of multiple births has
      risen dramatically during the past decade, the proportion of total births in the
      United States is relatively small. The vast majority of multiples are low birth
      weight (LBW) or very low birth weight (VLBW), conditions that magnify both short
      term and long-term risks. In this study, the risks for infant mortality and for
      postneonatal morbidity and handicap have been calculated from race-, plurality-
      and birth weight-specific mortality rates from the National Infant Mortality
      Surveillance (NIMS) Project and birth weight-specific postneonatal handicap rates
      from the Office of Technology Assessment report Healthy Children in proportion to
      the 1988 U.S. birth cohort. U.S. health objectives for the year 2000 for race
      specific birth weight and infant mortality rates were used for comparison.
      Compared with that of singletons, twins' and triplets' relative risks for LBW are
      10.3 and 18.8, respectively. Their relative risks for VLBW are 9.6 and 32.7.
      Compared with singletons, twins and triplets have relative risks for infant
      mortality of 6.6 and 19.4, respectively. For twins and triplets, postneonatal
      survivors' relative risks for severe handicap are 1.7 and 2.9 while those for
      overall handicap are 1.4 and 2.0, respectively. Recommendations for optimizing
      pregnancy outcomes in multiple gestations include liberalized weight gains,
      reduced physical effort and early, comprehensive prenatal care.

PMID- 1432980
TI  - Pelviscopy/laparoscopy and its complications in Germany, 1949-1988.
AB  - The fourth German pelviscopy/laparoscopy statistical report includes survey data
      on a total of 219,314 laparoscopies from 354 clinics and 40,892 laparoscopies
      from 161 private practices. Clinics' response rate was 44.7%; 98.9% of them
      reported performing laparoscopies; and the number of serious complications
      requiring laparotomy or control laparoscopy was 492 (2.2/1,000). For private
      practices, the comparable figures were 66%, 90.8% and 123 (3/1,000),
      respectively. Compared with data from the third laparoscopy statistical survey,
      the data show a slight increase in serious complications, most of which were
      mechanical lesions of blood vessels in the abdominal wall or in the mesosalpinx,
      followed by mechanical lesions of the intestine. As shown by the previous survey,
      16.5% of the complications were burns. For tubal sterilization, bipolar
      techniques were still predominant; approximately equal numbers of departments
      used this method, with or without subsequent transsection of the tubes.
      Endocoagulation by the method of Semm was the second most popular procedure; the
      use of clips and rings was of little significance. Monopolar high-frequency (HF)
      current was still used with transsection by 4.1% of clinics (4.7% of private
      practices) and without transsection by 2.5% (5.3%). Sterilization failure rates
      remained the same as those previously reported (4.6/1,000 in clinics, 5.3/1,000
      in private practices); the highest rates were observed after the use of monopolar
      HF techniques. Sixty-six percent of the clinics and 41% of the private practices
      reported their intention to increase the use of endoscopic operational methods.

PMID- 1432981
TI  - Preoperative therapy in preparation for endometrial ablation.
AB  - In order to improve the success of endometrial ablation for uncontrolled uterine
      bleeding, a variety of preoperative agents were utilized. Patients were given
      either no preparation, progestins, danazol or leuprolide acetate depot as
      preoperative therapy to determine the best way to increase the incidence of
      amenorrhea and to decrease the failure rates. The lowest rates were achieved with
      danazol or no preparation, with amenorrhea rates of 41 and 43%, respectively. The
      highest rates were obtained with the use of either progestins or leuprolide
      acetate depot, 61 and 67%, respectively. Progestin use was discontinued early in
      the study because of side effects, resulting in numbers too low for accurate
      comparison. We concluded that the use of leuprolide acetate depot in a single
      dose regimen resulted in the highest amenorrhea rates, with minimal or no side
      effects.

PMID- 1432982
TI  - Endometrial ablation in women with abnormal uterine bleeding aged fifty and over.
AB  - Endometrial ablation, rapidly becoming a standard operation for the management of
      abnormal uterine bleeding, is usually performed for patients between ages 35 and
      45. This study reports on the results of resectoscopic endometrial ablation for
      26 patients aged 50 and older, followed from 7 to 43 months (average follow-up
      period, 21 months). Seventeen of the patients were menopausal at the time of the
      procedure or became menopausal during the follow-up period, with 13 on combined
      estrogen and progestin therapy and 4 on unopposed estrogen (because of progestin
      intolerance). Twenty-three of the 26 patients (88%) are amenorrheic, one
      premenopausal patient has normal periods and none have failed. The fear of hiding
      glandular tissue that subsequently becomes malignant is discussed and believed to
      be highly unlikely to occur.

PMID- 1432983
TI  - Sonographic assessment of late proliferative phase endometrium during ovulation
      induction.
AB  - Late proliferative phase endometrium was assessed sonographically in 400 patients
      undergoing ovulation monitoring or stimulation. Endometrial evaluation was
      classified in relation to its widest diameter (quantity) and by the presence or
      absence of a double-layered (outer echogenic/inner hypoechoic) pattern (quality).
      No patient conceived if the endometrium was totally echogenic and less than 8 mm
      in diameter. All patients who conceived had an endometrium that was double
      layered or greater than 9 mm in diameter. Positive, double-layered patterns
      correlated with correction of hormonal aberrations such as hypoestrogenism,
      hyperprolactinemia or hyperandrogenism. Such a positive pattern was also
      accomplished after discontinuation of clomiphene citrate in certain low-body
      weight/low-body fat women and administration of human menopausal gonadotropins to
      those patients. Application of the principles described to ensure the development
      of an adequate, double-layered (follicular phase) endometrium at midcycle were
      found to coincide with a higher incidence of pregnancy and viable gestation.

PMID- 1432984
TI  - Mechanical preparation of the endometrium prior to endometrial ablation.
AB  - Of 143 women who underwent endometrial ablation between May 1986 and August 1991,
      16 also had repeat procedures. Medical preparation of the endometrial lining
      (danazol, leuprolide acetate, or nafarelin acetate) was used in 109 patients;
      mechanical preparation in the form of suction curettage, in 28 patients; and no
      preparation, in 6 postmenopausal patients. Evaluation of the results following
      endometrial ablation showed that the results in mechanically prepared patients
      were comparable to those in patients receiving traditional medical preparation;
      thus mechanical preparation can make the procedure simpler, enhance patient
      compliance, and reduce side effects considerably.

PMID- 1432985
TI  - Laparoscopic en bloc resection for treatment of the obliterated cul-de-sac in
      endometriosis.
AB  - In endometriosis patients with obliteration of the cul-de-sac, laparoscopic en
      block resection of the uterosacral ligaments, posterior cervix, cul-de-sac, and
      bowel wall efficiently removes invasive disease.

PMID- 1432986
TI  - Myomectomy after selective preoperative treatment with a gonadotropin releasing
      hormone analog.
AB  - In 1988 and 1989, 67 women (mean age, 36.7 years) underwent myomectomy to remove
      uterine fibroids; selection of the procedure was based on the presence of
      symptoms and the patient's desire to avoid hysterectomy. For 8 weeks before
      myomectomy, 48 patients with a uterine size greater than or equal to 16 weeks'
      gestation received the gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) analog leuprolide
      acetate, 0.5 mg self-administered daily by subcutaneous injection or 3.75 mg as
      the depot form every 28 days by intramuscular injection; the remaining 19
      patients were used for a comparison. In the leuprolide-treated patients, the mean
      uterine size and mean number of fibroids removed per patient were significantly
      higher, and the mean postoperative hemoglobin concentration was significantly
      lower than in the non-leuprolide-treated group. The mean estimated blood loss and
      mean length of hospital stay were equivalent for the two groups. Eight patients
      (12%), all but one in the leuprolide-treated group, developed postoperative
      complications, primarily infections that were treated successfully with
      antibiotics; one patient, the only one undergoing a repeat myomectomy,
      experienced pelvic hematoma, infection and pelvic thrombophlebitis. There were no
      significant adverse reactions attributable to leuprolide administration.

PMID- 1432988
TI  - Intracervical prostaglandin E2 gel. Safety for outpatient cervical ripening
      before induction of labor.
AB  - Cervical ripening prior to induction of labor is often necessary for medical
      complications of pregnancy. We proposed to prospectively determine the safety of
      administering prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) gel intracervically in an outpatient
      setting. Four hundred forty-six patients underwent 515 gel procedures as
      outpatients. Trained perinatal nurses placed 0.5 mg of PGE2, prepared in a
      standard methylcellulose base, in the intracervical canal. The PGE2 dose was
      administered every two hours for a total of three doses if labor did not start.
      The patient was sent home two hours after the last dose if she was not in active
      labor. Labor started in 90 patients (20%) during the gel procedure; they were
      admitted to the labor-and-delivery unit. The remaining patients were discharged.
      Eighty-eight patients (20%) were later admitted in active labor prior to
      scheduled induction. One patient (0.02%) was found to have occasional prolonged
      decelerations on admission and underwent a cesarean section two hours after
      admission; the Apgar scores were 8 and 9 and the arterial pH, 7.21.
      Hyperstimulation with excessive intrauterine activity caused significant
      deceleration of the fetal heart rate in four patients (0.8%), two of whom
      required transfer to the labor-and-delivery unit but none of whom needed a
      cesarean section for fetal distress. PGE2 gel can be administered safely
      intracervically as an outpatient procedure by trained perinatal nurses.

PMID- 1432987
TI  - Calcium requirements and the diets of women and children. A review of dairy
      resources.
AB  - This review concerns the role of calcium in nutrition and health and its relation
      to the changing American diet. The ideal dietary calcium intakes for women and
      children represent the United States Department of Agriculture's most recent
      recommended dietary allowances. Both calcium and total nutrient composition of
      cow, goat and human milk differ. Goat milk has special utility in the treatment
      of childhood allergy.

PMID- 1432989
TI  - Significance of intrapartum amniotic fluid volume in the presence of nuchal
      cords.
AB  - Among 70 women delivering infants with nuchal cords, there was a significantly
      higher incidence of meconium passage and severe variable fetal heart rate
      decelerations/fetal bradycardia in those who had intrapartum oligohydramnios, as
      defined by an amniotic fluid index less than or equal to 5.0 cm. Oligohydramnios
      in the presence of nuchal cord entanglement might represent an increased risk of
      ominous intrapartum fetal heart rate patterns.

PMID- 1432990
TI  - 3 alpha-Androstanediol and 3 alpha-androstanediol glucuronide. Maternal and
      umbilical cord plasma concentrations in normal pregnancy.
AB  - Concentrations of 3 alpha-androstanediol (A) and 3 alpha-androstanediol
      glucuronide (AG) were measured with a radioimmunoassay in pregnancy plasma
      samples collected from the mother in the first trimester (first, n = 18) and
      second trimester (second, n = 20) and at term (n = 14). At term, along with the
      maternal samples, matching cord plasma samples were also obtained (n = 14).
      Throughout pregnancy the levels of A and AG were significantly higher than in
      normally menstruating women. Although the total concentration of A and AG did not
      change significantly throughout pregnancy, the levels of A in the second and at
      term were significantly higher than in the first. In contrast, AG concentrations
      in the second were significantly lower than in the first and at term. As compared
      to the maternal concentrations at term, the cord levels of AG and A plus AG were
      not significantly different. However, the levels of A in the cord were
      significantly lower than those in the maternal circulation at term. Significant
      correlations were observed between the term maternal and cord levels of AG and A
      plus AG. No sex-related differences in the plasma levels of A and AG were noted.
      The results show that levels of A and AG increase significantly in the first
      trimester and remain elevated throughout pregnancy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
      WORDS)

PMID- 1432991
TI  - Influence of triphasic oral contraceptives on blood rheology and hemostatic and
      metabolic patterns in young women. Results of a three-year study.
AB  - Long-term (three-year) variations in clinical, hemorheologic, hemostatic and
      blood lipid parameters were evaluated in 20 young healthy women taking a
      triphasic oral contraceptive. Body weight, arterial blood pressure, whole blood,
      plasma and serum viscosity, erythrocyte deformability, fibrinogen, fibronectin,
      alpha-2 macroglobulin, Von Willebrand factor antigen, triglycerides,
      nonesterified fatty acids, total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol, very
      low density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein and apolipoprotein B levels
      remained unchanged throughout the study. However, high density lipoprotein
      cholesterol, high density lipoprotein and apolipoprotein A1 serum concentrations
      increased significantly during treatment. Long-term use of the triphasic oral
      contraceptive does not seem to adversely affect the blood rheology pattern or
      vascular endothelium function, which are the main factors responsible for the
      development of thromboembolic complications.

PMID- 1432992
TI  - Maternal coagulation inhibitors and the effects of cesarean delivery.
AB  - Maternal hypercoagulability in normal pregnancy results from significant
      increases in blood factors that promote thrombosis or decreases in factors that
      inhibit thrombosis, such as antithrombin III (AT-III) and proteins C and S. The
      precise role of these factors in puerperal hemostasis is not clear. In 10 normal,
      pregnant women at term undergoing scheduled repeat cesarean section, the percent
      activities of AT-III, proteins C and S, and C4b-binding protein were determined
      in peripheral venous blood preoperatively and in samples of uterine venous blood
      before the uterine incision was made and 5 and 15 minutes after placental
      delivery using the Laurell Rocket electroimmunodiffusion technique. The mean
      percent activities of AT-III (73%), protein S (81%) and C4b-binding protein (85%)
      were lower than those in nonpregnant controls, were similar in peripheral and
      uterine venous blood and were unchanged after placental delivery. These data
      suggest that such factors may not play an important role in acute uteroplacental
      hemostasis during normal pregnancy.

PMID- 1432993
TI  - Characteristics of indigent women with ruptured and unruptured tubal pregnancies.
AB  - The diagnosis of tubal pregnancy, whether ruptured or unruptured, often requires
      a surgical procedure, such as laparoscopy or laparotomy, for confirmation. We
      compared women with ruptured and unruptured tubal pregnancies to determine
      whether the clinical presentations, morbidity and surgical complications in the
      two groups were significantly different. We compared the demographic
      characteristics, clinical presentations, laboratory findings, morbidity and
      complications from surgical management in the two groups. Women with ruptured
      tubal pregnancies had a higher incidence of abdominal pain lasting less than 24
      hours, adnexal tenderness and positive culdocentesis from hemoperitoneum as
      compared to women with unruptured tubal gestations. Abnormal uterine bleeding was
      observed less frequently in women with ruptured tubal pregnancies as compared to
      women with unruptured ones despite similar gestational ages at presentation. All
      the patients with a tubal pregnancy were managed surgically. The morbidity and
      surgical complication rates in the two groups were not significantly different.

PMID- 1432994
TI  - Persistence of a normal pregnancy after an early luteectomy. A report of two
      cases.
AB  - Two cases occurred of early luteectomy/left cystectomy. In one case it resulted
      from a hemorrhagic corpus luteum at four weeks' gestation. In the second case it
      resulted from a left adnexectomy at five weeks from torsion of the adnexa.
      Histologic analysis defined the lesions as a hemorrhagic corpus luteum and
      necrotic ovary, respectively. Despite the lack of a corpus luteum and the absence
      of hormonal replacement therapy, both pregnancies developed normally, in the
      first case for 7 weeks, until it was terminated on the patient's request, and in
      the second case until 38 weeks, when a normal infant was delivered by cesarean
      section.

PMID- 1432995
TI  - Type II congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung with a mediastinal
      shift. A case report.
AB  - We report a case of an early (22-week) prenatal diagnosis of type II congenital
      cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung complicated by a mediastinal shift.
      Detailed ultrasound examination of the fetus, including fetal Doppler velocimetry
      and echocardiography, and diagnostic amniocentesis were normal. There was a
      gradual, spontaneous resolution of the mediastinal shift and improvement in the
      lung lesions. The intrapartum and early neonatal clinical courses were
      uneventful.

PMID- 1432996
TI  - T cell targetted immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies in rheumatoid
      arthritis.

PMID- 1432997
TI  - Does prolactin have a role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus?

PMID- 1432998
TI  - Pristane induced arthritis in mice. IV. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies
      directed against lymphocyte subsets.
AB  - Pristane induced arthritis (PIA), a seropositive experimental disease model in
      mice, was used to investigate the influence of immunotherapy with monoclonal
      antibodies against lymphocyte subsets. Treatment with L3T4, a monoclonal antibody
      specific for murine CD4+ T cells, significantly reduced the incidence of pristane
      arthritis, and delayed the disease onset. Monoclonal antibody to Lyt2, the murine
      CD8+ T cell marker, significantly reduced the levels of rheumatoid factor in
      pristane injected animals compared with controls, but did not influence the
      clinical course of PIA. Our experiments demonstrate the ability of anti-CD4
      antibodies to modify the course of PIA, and provide support for the hypothesis
      that CD4+ T lymphocytes have an important role in the pathogenesis of this
      experimental autoimmune arthritis.

PMID- 1432999
TI  - Cyclosporine and chloroquine synergistically inhibit the interferon-gamma
      production by CD4 positive and CD8 positive synovial T cell clones derived from a
      patient with rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate synergistic interaction between cyclosporine (Cy) and
      chloroquine (Chl) in an in vitro system, with regard to interferon-gamma (IFN)
      production by OKT3 activated T cell clones. METHODS: CD4+ and CD8+ T cell clones,
      derived from synovial tissue of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were
      activated with plastic coated OKT3 monoclonal antibody in the presence or absence
      of various concentrations of Cy, Chl and their combinations. After 24 h of
      incubation the supernatants were assayed for IFN by ELISA: RESULTS: Cy as well as
      Chl were able to completely inhibit in a concentration dependent fashion the IFN
      production by CD4+ and CD8+ T cell clones. Combinations of Cy and Chl, which in
      themselves give minor inhibition of IFN production, were able to inhibit in a
      synergistically enhanced fashion the production of IFN by these clones. The
      synergy was formally proven by the construction of isoboles. This synergy was
      most pronounced when drug concentrations were used which individually gave minor
      inhibition of IFN production. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the results of our in
      vitro experiments may give rise to further investigation of the promising
      combination of Cy and Chl in the treatment of RA.

PMID- 1433000
TI  - Cyclosporine A for the treatment of necrotizing scleritis and corneal melting in
      patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - Two of the ocular complications of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), necrotizing
      scleritis and keratolysis, have been associated with poor response to standard
      ocular therapy, and thus poor ocular outcome. We describe 6 patients with active
      ocular disease and active RA who failed to respond to disease modifying agents or
      immunosuppressive therapy and whose ocular and arthritic disease subsequently
      responded to cyclosporine A. Drug related complications were consistent with
      those reported for patients receiving similar doses for RA.

PMID- 1433001
TI  - Interleukin 2 receptor membrane bound and in soluble form in the aqueous humor
      and peripheral blood of patients with acute untreated uveitis.
AB  - Uveitis is a manifestation of various chronic inflammatory arthritic conditions.
      There are considerable data implicating abnormalities of immune function in the
      etiopathogenesis of uveitis. We evaluated the percentage of cells expressing
      interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor (membrane bound) and the levels of soluble IL-2 in
      the blood and aqueous humor of patients in various rheumatic diseases and acute
      untreated uveitis. Our findings showed increased IL-2 receptors (IL-2R) and
      soluble IL-2 receptors on the aqueous humor of patients with uveitis when
      compared to healthy controls. These results suggest an immunoregulatory role of
      IL-2R in acute uveitis and raises the possibility that its detection may be
      useful in management.

PMID- 1433002
TI  - Recurrence of cervical spine instability in rheumatoid arthritis following
      previous fusion: can disease progression be prevented by early surgery?
AB  - In a retrospective study, 110 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had cervical
      spine fusion were evaluated for recurrence of cervical spine instability and
      resultant need for further surgery. Recurrence of cervical instability was
      correlated with initial radiographic abnormality, primary surgical procedure and
      interval between the 2 surgeries. There were 55 patients who had atlantoaxial
      subluxation (AAS) and required C1-C2 fusion as primary surgery. Three of these
      patients (5.5%) developed subaxial subluxation (SAS) and had a second procedure
      after a mean interval of 9 years. Twenty-two patients had AAS with superior
      migration of the odontoid (AAS-SMO) and had initial surgery of occiput-C3 fusion.
      Eight of these patients (36%) developed SAS and had a second surgery after a mean
      interval of 2.6 years. Of the 19 patients with primary radiographic deformity of
      SAS, one required further surgery for subluxation of an adjacent superior
      vertebra after a period of 6 years. Fourteen patients had combined deformity of
      AAS-SMO-SAS, and one required further surgery for SAS after an interval of 22
      months. Recurrence of cervical instability following a previous fusion occurred
      in 15% of these 110 patients. It was seen in 5.5% of patients with initial
      deformity of AAS vs 36% of patients with AAS-SMO. No patients with C1-C2 fusion
      for AAS progressed to develop superior migration of the odontoid. We conclude
      that early C1-C2 fusion for AAS before development of SMO decreases the risk of
      further progression of cervical spine instability. The pattern of progression of
      cervical spine involvement, as discussed in the literature, is reviewed.

PMID- 1433003
TI  - 99mTc human immunoglobulin scintigraphy--a reliable method to detect joint
      activity in rheumatoid arthritis.
AB  - The ability of 99mtechnetium labelled nonspecific, polyclonal human
      immunoglobulin G (99mTc-IgG) scintigraphy to depict and quantify synovial
      inflammation was studied in 30 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). All
      patients were injected with 350 MBq 99mTc-IgG and imaging was performed 4 h
      later. This resulted in excellent images of inflamed synovium. Scores for 99mTc
      IgG joint scintigraphy correlated highly with scores for joint swelling and C
      reactive protein levels, weakly with pain scores and not with radiographic scores
      of joint destruction. These results suggest that 99mTc-IgG joint scintigraphy may
      provide an objective test to detect synovitis and measure the activity of the
      disease.

PMID- 1433005
TI  - Anti-dsDNA antibodies in laboratory workers handling blood from patients with
      systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - The presence of antinuclear antibodies was determined in female laboratory
      workers with varying degrees of exposure to blood from patients with systemic
      lupus erythematosus (SLE). Subjects recruited from SLE research laboratories and
      a membership roster provided by the American Society for Medical Technology were
      classified according to self-reported frequency of handling blood from patients
      with SLE into high and low exposure groups. Employment and medical history were
      obtained by questionnaire from each study subject and their sera were tested for
      antibodies to double stranded DNA, single stranded DNA, and synthetic
      polynucleotide poly(dA-dC).poly(dG-dT) by ELISA. Analysis of the results using an
      independent t test showed the mean optical density for anti-dsDNA was higher in
      the high exposure group (mean = 0.010) than in the low exposure group (mean =
      0.005, p = 0.016). There were no significant differences found between the 2
      groups for anti-ssDNA or anti-poly(dA-dC).poly(dG-dT), but the means for both
      anti-dsDNA and anti-poly(dA-dC).poly(dG-dT) were higher in the laboratory workers
      than in an unexposed nonlaboratory group of women (p less than 0.001). Our
      results are provocative for they lend support to the hypothesis that a
      transmissible agent capable of causing autoantibody formation may exist in blood
      from patients with SLE.

PMID- 1433004
TI  - Antinuclear antibodies heralding the onset of systemic lupus erythematosus.
AB  - On the basis of record linkage with the Social Security Institution's population
      register, 16 specimens from healthy subjects who subsequently developed systemic
      lupus erythematosus or mixed connective tissue disease could be traced from
      stored sera collected in connection with nationwide maternity welfare program in
      Finland. The sera were tested for antinuclear antibodies (ANA) using an
      immunofluorescence technique. Ten of the 16 specimens were positive. Eight of 11
      cases were positive when the interval from taking the blood specimen to the onset
      of the first symptoms of disease was 2 years or less and 2 of 5 cases were
      positive when the interval was over 3 years. Eighteen of 21 sera with established
      disease and 5 of 85 control sera from the same serum collection were positive.
      Thus, ANA as detected by a sensitive technique frequently precede the onset of
      disease indicating that they are not a secondary manifestation of inflammation or
      tissue destruction.

PMID- 1433006
TI  - Light microscopy of dried saliva in the evaluation of xerostomia of the sicca
      syndrome. A preliminary report.
AB  - Dried, freshly produced saliva from 21 patients with xerostomia related to the
      sicca syndrome [15 with primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS), 3 with rheumatoid
      arthritis (RA) and secondary Sjogren's syndrome (sSS), and 3 with Sjogren's
      syndrome (SS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)] and 21 age and sex matched
      controls, was examined by light microscopy. A typical fern-like pattern was
      demonstrated by the crystallized mucus of the healthy individuals. In contrast,
      much thicker, shorter, irregular and densely arranged branches of crystallized
      mucus, sometimes giving a reindeer horn appearance, were observed in the
      patients' saliva. Given the lack of a reliable clinical measure for the objective
      evaluation of xerostomia, light salivary microscopy, simple and easy as it is,
      may fill this deficit, if its sensitivity and specificity are documented.

PMID- 1433007
TI  - A family study of the antiphospholipid syndrome associated with other autoimmune
      diseases.
AB  - Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an entity characterized by recurrent
      thrombotic events and may occur spontaneously or in the context of systemic lupus
      erythematosus (SLE). We describe an English Canadian family in whom the
      propositus, a woman with Graves' disease and SLE, was found to have a lupus
      anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibody (aCL). A brother with deep vein
      thrombosis, pulmonary emboli, bilateral adrenal hemorrhage and thrombocytopenia,
      circulating anticoagulant and aCL had a positive antinuclear antibody and Coombs'
      test, but no other features of SLE. Fourteen members of 3 generations of this
      family underwent clinical assessments, serological testing and HLA typing. The
      propositus' mother had a family history of autoimmune thyroid disease and the
      father had aCL, but was asymptomatic. The thyroid disease and the SLE were
      associated with HLA-B8, DR3 haplotype. The aCL and the anticoagulant were
      associated with HLA-B60, DR4 haplotype. Both these haplotypes were present in the
      propositus. Among the other 4 carriers of the haplotype B60, DR4, 3 demonstrated
      significant titers of aCL. Our findings support the reported association between
      APS and the HLA haplotype DR4 in patients of English descent with SLE.

PMID- 1433008
TI  - Antiphospholipid antibodies require beta 2-glycoprotein I (apolipoprotein H) as
      cofactor.
AB  - IgG was isolated from 9 patients with high levels of anticardiolipin antibodies
      (aCL). The standard ELISA was modified, using gelatin to postcoat ELISA plates
      and as diluent. Under these conditions, 8/9 samples of IgG bound to cardiolipin
      only in the presence of a cofactor, found in fetal calf serum and normal human
      serum (NHS). beta 2-glycoprotein I (apolipoprotein H) was at least as effective
      as NHS as a cofactor for 7/9 IgG samples. Our studies confirm that for some aCL
      detected in conventional assays, the antibody will react with cardiolipin only if
      beta 2-glycoprotein I is present.

PMID- 1433009
TI  - Color chart assisted diagnosis of Raynaud's phenomenon in an unselected hospital
      employee population.
AB  - The prevalence of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) in 750 subjects was assessed by
      questionnaire, clinical interview, and use of a chart of color photographs taken
      of hands during attacks of RP. Eighty-three of 600 women (13.8%) and 7 of 150 men
      (4.7%) reported cold induced digital color changes on the questionnaire, 76 women
      (12.7%) and 6 men (4%) were diagnosed as having RP at an independent clinical
      interview, and 3 women could not be assessed using the color chart because of
      defective color perception. Fifty-four of the remaining 597 women (9%) and 6 of
      150 men (4%) were diagnosed as having RP when a positive response to both chart
      and questionnaire was required. The color chart should be useful in lessening the
      frequency of false-positive responses and in standardizing the diagnosis for
      epidemiological surveys.

PMID- 1433010
TI  - Tuberculous arthritis in the course of connective tissue disease: report of 4
      cases.
AB  - We describe 4 female patients with diverse connective tissue diseases who
      developed tuberculous arthritis concurrently with their underlying disease, in
      the absence of lung involvement. Throughout, diagnosis was delayed but later
      confirmed by detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in synovial membrane
      culture. Two patients died of unrelated causes, while the other 2 recovered with
      chronic joint sequelae. Despite the rarity of this association, M. tuberculosis
      infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic mono or
      oligoarthritis in patients with connective tissue diseases.

PMID- 1433011
TI  - Hyperferritinemia in adult onset Still's disease and the hemophagocytic syndrome.
AB  - Increments in serum ferritin levels in adult onset Still's disease (AOSD) were
      reported to be higher than one could expect for a simple inflammatory state. When
      we analyzed the scores of 40 patients with various severe inflammatory diseases
      aside from AOSD, we recorded no serum ferritin values higher than 3,300 ng/ml (N
      less than 200 ng/ml). In 3 of 10 consecutive patients with AOSD, the ferritin
      levels were higher than 3,500. Among these 3 patients, one case had a ferritin
      value of 3,600 ng/ml and bone marrow aspirate showed a marked hyperplasia of
      mature appearing histiocytes, and the 2 other patients (serum ferritin levels of
      65,000 ng/ml and 250,000 ng/ml) displayed the features of a hemophagocytic
      syndrome. In 2 patients with normal or mildly increased levels of ferritin, the
      bone marrow examination was normal. We suggest that very high serum ferritin
      levels encountered in AOSD reflect the presence of histiocytic hyperactivity that
      sometimes leads to a hemophagocytic syndrome.

PMID- 1433012
TI  - Biochemical clues to a fibromyalgia-depression link: imipramine binding in
      patients with fibromyalgia or depression and in healthy controls.
AB  - Both fibromyalgia and depression may be related to disturbed serotonin
      metabolism, and an association between the 2 disorders has been postulated. We
      measured 3H-imipramine binding (IB), a biochemical indicator of serotonin uptake,
      pretreatment, in 10 nondepressed women with fibromyalgia, 14 subjects with major
      depression, and 10 volunteer controls. Our objective was to determine if IB in
      the 2 patient groups differed and in the same direction from the control values.
      Compared with depressed women, IB was significantly lower both in the women with
      fibromyalgia and in the men with depression. However, no women with fibromyalgia
      or men with depression had IB levels that were significantly different from
      control women and men. There was a trend for higher IB levels in depressed
      compared to control women.

PMID- 1433013
TI  - Effects of tiaprofenic acid and acetylsalicylic acid on human articular
      chondrocytes in 3-dimensional culture.
AB  - Two nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID: acetylsalicylic acid, ASA, and
      tiaprofenic acid, TA) were tested on differentiated human chondrocytes cultivated
      in clusters. DNA synthesis was depressed by ASA at therapeutic concentrations.
      The amount of proteoglycans in culture medium was decreased by ASA, whereas type
      II collagen was not modified. By contrast, TA did not affect chondroformative
      processes in chondrocytes. Both NSAID were potent inhibitors of prostaglandin E2
      (PGE2) synthesis, TA being more efficient than ASA. From these experiments, we
      conclude that TA and ASA inhibit PGE2 synthesis; TA did not depress
      chondroformative variables in human cartilage in vitro, while ASA induced a
      decrease of DNA and proteoglycan syntheses.

PMID- 1433014
TI  - Fibronectin fragments in osteoarthritic synovial fluid.
AB  - Fibronectin is an adhesive multifunctional glycoprotein found in the
      extracellular matrix of most types of cells and that exerts growth factor,
      differentiative and chemotactic activities toward many types of cells, including
      those cells found in knee joint tissue. Since fibronectin levels in the synovial
      fluid (SF) and on the cartilage surface of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) have
      been shown to be greatly increased over normal levels and since protease levels
      are also enhanced in diseased cartilage, we have investigated the presence of
      fibronectin fragments in the SF of patients with OA. We report that
      concentrations of at least 1 microM of 100 to 200 kDa fragments were found in all
      OA fluids examined. Since we have recently shown that fibronectin fragments can
      cause cartilage to release metalloproteinases, resulting in severe proteoglycan
      depletion, and others have shown that fragments also enhance metalloproteinase
      expression in synovial fibroblasts, the presence of these fragments suggests
      pathologic consequences in arthritis.

PMID- 1433015
TI  - Comparison of the acute inflammation induced by calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate,
      apatite and mixed crystals in the rat air pouch model of a synovial space.
AB  - Pure monoclinic or triclinic calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystals,
      apatite crystals or mixtures of these crystals were injected into the synovial
      like space created by the rat air pouch to compare the acute inflammation induced
      by these crystals. Fluids were withdrawn 6 h after injection and examined for
      leukocyte counts, protease, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and tumor necrosis factor
      (TNF) levels. CPPD crystals (especially monoclinic CPPD) induced higher numbers
      of leukocytes, and more protease, PGE2 and TNF than apatite. CPPD seemed to play
      a predominant role in the acute inflammation induced by mixed crystals.

PMID- 1433016
TI  - The philatelic rheumatologist.
AB  - Many postage stamps illustrate themes, persons, or topics with rheumatologic
      connections. Examples include scientists from related disciplines, victims of
      rheumatic diseases, drugs used for arthritis, and stamps commemorating events
      such as World Rheumatism Year. A brief orientation to postage stamps and
      philately is given, and a small collection of rheumatologically related stamps is
      illustrated.

PMID- 1433017
TI  - Association of methotrexate, rheumatoid arthritis and lymphoma: report of 2 cases
      and literature review.
AB  - We describe 2 Caucasian men with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who developed non
      Hodgkin's lymphoma of identical histological type during treatment with low dose
      oral weekly methotrexate (MTX). Both patients had longstanding RA and had been
      treated with MTX for over 2 years at time of tumor diagnosis; neither had
      secondary Sjogren's syndrome. The oncogenic potential of MTX and RA arthritis is
      reviewed.

PMID- 1433018
TI  - Massive intrahepatic hemorrhage following routine liver biopsy in a patient with
      rheumatoid arthritis treated with methotrexate.
AB  - Massive intrahepatic hemorrhage occurred in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis
      (RA) after a routine liver biopsy done to assess possible methotrexate (MTX)
      hepatotoxicity. Major complications of liver biopsy occur about once in every 600
      biopsies, and mortality from liver biopsy has been reported. Life threatening
      hepatic toxicity occurs rarely during low dose MTX administration, and it is
      unclear whether routine liver biopsies identify patients at high risk for these
      complications. Until the relative risks of liver biopsy and serious MTX liver
      toxicity are better defined, the use of routine liver biopsies should be
      recommended only after careful consideration of potential procedural
      complications in patients with RA treated with MTX.

PMID- 1433019
TI  - Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura complicating systemic lupus erythematosus.
      Case report and literature review from the plasmapheresis era.
AB  - Although thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) has been described in patients
      with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the relationship between these 2
      diseases is controversial. We recently treated a patient with longstanding SLE
      who developed TTP. The patient responded to therapy with aggressive
      plasmapheresis. Review of the literature revealed that TTP may occur in the
      setting of either active or inactive SLE. Survival in SLE associated TTP
      correlated with the use of plasma therapy (plasma infusion or plasmapheresis)
      rather than with the activity of the underlying autoimmune disease. We conclude
      that TTP and SLE represent distinct clinical entities that may occur together in
      an immunologically predisposed host. The use of plasma therapy appears to have
      had a significant impact on survival in these patients.

PMID- 1433021
TI  - Seven Achilles tendinitis including 3 complicated by rupture during
      fluoroquinolone therapy.
AB  - We describe 7 Achilles tendinitis occurring during fluoroquinolone treatment.
      Antibiotic agents used were pefloxacin and ofloxacin. In 3 cases the course was
      complicated by rupture of the tendon, one of which is histologically documented.
      The toxic effects of quinolones on tendon is discussed.

PMID- 1433020
TI  - Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in systemic lupus erythematosus and
      antiphospholipid antibodies: effective treatment with plasma exchange and
      immunosuppression.
AB  - We describe 2 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with neurological
      complications and thrombocytopenia, who, upon further investigation, were found
      to have thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. While neither patient responded to
      treatment with corticosteroids, both responded to plasma exchange and intravenous
      cyclophosphamide. This highlights the need to carefully consider this diagnosis
      in patients with SLE presenting with neurological complications and
      thrombocytopenia.

PMID- 1433022
TI  - Cerebral aneurysm in relapsing polychondritis.
AB  - A 51-year-old woman with relapsing polychondritis involving auricular and nasal
      cartilage, hearing loss, vasculitic skin lesions and a cerebral aneurysm of the
      posterior cerebral artery is described. Cerebral aneurysm is a rare manifestation
      of relapsing polychondritis which to our knowledge has not yet been described.

PMID- 1433023
TI  - Recurrent episodes of pseudoseptic arthritis in rheumatoid arthritis: response to
      D-penicillamine and methotrexate.

PMID- 1433024
TI  - The coexistence of classic RA and AIDS.

PMID- 1433025
TI  - Nailfold capillary density as a possible indicator of pulmonary capillary loss in
      SLE but not in mixed connective tissue disease.

PMID- 1433026
TI  - Intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy in Still's disease.

PMID- 1433027
TI  - Arthritis mutilans associated with cutaneous T cell lymphoma.

PMID- 1433028
TI  - Wegener's legacy.

PMID- 1433029
TI  - Familial Mediterranean fever in children.

PMID- 1433030
TI  - Amyloidosis in pediatric rheumatic diseases.

PMID- 1433031
TI  - Lightning and electrical injury.

PMID- 1433032
TI  - The challenge of unexplained diseases: migraine.

PMID- 1433033
TI  - Of ethics and education: strategies for curriculum development.

PMID- 1433034
TI  - The two faces of medical education: Flexner and Osler revisited.

PMID- 1433035
TI  - Endotracheal intubation skills of medical students.
AB  - The ability and confidence of clinical medical students to insert endotracheal
      tubes correctly and quickly and to recognize oesophageal misplacement was
      evaluated. Ten (33%) of the medical students intubated the trachea correctly at
      their first attempt but 14 (47%) incorrectly identified the position of the
      endotracheal tube. However, recognition improved by their second and third
      attempts (70% and 80% respectively). Ninety-three percent of students intubated
      correctly on their third attempt. Although medical students can obtain better
      results at correct tube placement with repeated attempts under optimum conditions
      -a practice effect--and do better at recognizing correct tube placement there is
      still a persistent failure to recognize endotracheal tube misplacement, ie
      oesophageal intubation. It is the ability to recognize oesophageal intubation
      promptly that is a life-saving skill. This essential skill should be taught
      during the introductory anaesthesia programme through the use of clinical
      patients.

PMID- 1433036
TI  - Emotional distress in doctors: sources, effects and help sought.
AB  - All doctors in a London Teaching Hospital were sent a self-administered,
      anonymous questionnaire, to study past episodes of emotional distress. We
      inquired about frequency of past and current emotional distress, sources of
      distress, effects on work and home life, type of help sought and perceived
      outcome of that help. Of 320 doctors, 210 (66%) responded. One hundred and forty
      one (68%) reported previous episodes of moderate or severe emotional distress.
      Logistic regression revealed that distress was significantly more common in
      younger doctors and in women. Many respondents reported work problems as causing
      their distress and work was frequently adversely affected by episodes of
      distress. Professional help was rarely sought; non-professional help was from
      family and friends. Current emotional distress was related to a history of past
      distress, especially among the most junior doctors. We conclude that past
      emotional distress is reported by most doctors, with work pressures an important
      contributing factor. Doctors do not appear to use available sources of
      professional help. Our findings confirm that doctors have difficulty disclosing
      psychological problems. Specific programmes aimed at prevention and management of
      distress in doctors need to be initiated and evaluated.

PMID- 1433038
TI  - A pilot study of the effect upon multiple sclerosis of the menopause, hormone
      replacement therapy and the menstrual cycle.
AB  - A questionnaire enquiring about changes in severity of symptoms of multiple
      sclerosis with the menstrual cycle, menopause and use of hormone replacement
      therapy was answered retrospectively by 11 premenopausal and 19 postmenopausal
      women. Eighty-two per cent of menopausal women reported an increase in severity
      premenstrually. Of the postmenopausal women 54% reported a worsening of symptoms
      with the menopause, and 75% of those who had tried hormone replacement therapy
      reported an improvement. The results of this pilot study indicate the need for
      further research to clarify the effects of the menopause and hormone replacement
      therapy upon multiple sclerosis.

PMID- 1433037
TI  - Sudden death in epilepsy: an avoidable outcome?
AB  - In a retrospective survey of mortality among the first 1000 unselected patients
      referred to the Epilepsy Research Unit at the Western Infirmary in Glasgow
      between 1985 and 1990, a total of 18 deaths were identified. Three patients had
      committed suicide and one each had died of status epilepticus in hospital, a
      subdural haematoma and a myocardial infarction. The remaining 12 deaths (67%)
      were sudden (median age 32 years; range 22-68 years). Poor seizure control and
      poor compliance with antiepileptic drug therapy were recorded in only three (25%)
      of these patients. There was a change in antiepileptic drug regimen in five (28%)
      in the month before death. Only two (17%) underwent postmortem examination. In
      nine of the 12 patients dying suddenly, the primary cause of death was not listed
      as epilepsy but as asphyxia (3), aspiration (2) and one each of ischaemic heart
      disease, myocardial infarction, asystole and drowning (in the bath). 'Status
      epilepticus' was assumed to have been responsible for the other three deaths, two
      of which were unwitnessed. Sudden death in people with epilepsy is an entity of
      great concern. Appropriate death certification and mandatory postmortem
      examination are essential to provide a truer picture of this neglected
      phenomenon.

PMID- 1433039
TI  - Eye tests in the elderly: factors associated with attendance and diagnostic yield
      in non-attenders.
AB  - Patients aged 60-75 years registered with one inner city general practice were
      sent a questionnaire asking when they last received an eye check by an
      optometrist. Of the 193 (77%) who responded, 110 (59%) had attended in the last 2
      years, and 138 (74%) in the last 3 years. Males and those with mobility problems
      were less likely to have had their eyes checked. Seventy-seven previous non
      attenders were offered an appointment with an optometrist and this was accepted
      by 34 (44%). These individuals showed a high level of ophthalmic morbidity.
      Discussion of optometric checks should be included in general practice health
      checks and the elderly surveillance programme.

PMID- 1433040
TI  - Beyond music: auditory temporary threshold shift in rock musicians after a heavy
      metal concert.
AB  - Audiometry was undertaken before and within half an hour following a heavy metal
      concert to assess evidence of noise damage. Of the four members tested, one
      member wore an ear defender in his right ear during the period of noise exposure.
      All unprotected ears showed a temporary threshold shift which was maximum in the
      lower frequencies. There was some evidence that early noise damage had occurred
      with a dip at 6 kHz. The role of music as noise and its potential to damage the
      cochlea are discussed.

PMID- 1433041
TI  - Hypnoanalgesia for chronic pain: the response to multiple inductions at one
      session and to separate single inductions.
AB  - Serial hypnotic inductions conveying the same analgesic message produce a
      progressively longer response in an increasing number of patients. The resulting
      analgesia appears to be independent of the spacing of inductions--whether given
      at a single session or on separate occasions--and to depend upon their number.
      However, multiple inductions at a single session save time. Elimination of pain
      can be achieved, by either approach, for a year or more in up to 70% of patients.

PMID- 1433042
TI  - Diagnosis and management of renal angioma.
AB  - Five patients with symptomatic renal angiomata are described. All presented with
      heavy haematuria and unilateral ureteric obstruction without evidence of a mass
      distorting the renal architecture. Renal angiomata are most easily diagnosed by
      selective renal angiography. They may be treated by intraarterial embolization,
      avoiding the need for major ablative surgery.

PMID- 1433043
TI  - Europe and the tropics--how benevolence can lead to disaster.

PMID- 1433044
TI  - The speech defect of Moses.

PMID- 1433045
TI  - Pseudocyst or tumour? An amylase-producing leiomyosarcoma.

PMID- 1433046
TI  - Oesophago-gastrectomy for Marie-Bamberger syndrome.

PMID- 1433047
TI  - Lienocolonic fistula following splenic abscess.

PMID- 1433048
TI  - Central lumbar disc prolapse following chiropractic manipulation: a call for
      audit of 'alternative practice'.

PMID- 1433049
TI  - Serum sickness and purpura following intravenous streptokinase.

PMID- 1433050
TI  - Partial cardiopulmonary bypass for the treatment of profound accidental
      hypothermic circulatory collapse.

PMID- 1433051
TI  - Cerebral abscess due to Clostridium septicum.

PMID- 1433052
TI  - Cardiac injury and electrocution.

PMID- 1433053
TI  - Fluctuations in perceived energy and mood among patients with chronic fatigue
      syndrome.

PMID- 1433054
TI  - Helping the police with their enquiries.

PMID- 1433055
TI  - The aging driver.

PMID- 1433056
TI  - The measurement of fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.

PMID- 1433057
TI  - Diurnal changes in perceptions of energy and mood.
AB  - Data from five separate groups of volunteers show that diurnal variation in
      perceptions of physical and mental energy ('vigour') can be simply measured by
      the use of visual analogue scales. In all five groups, perceptions of vigour were
      significantly higher in the morning than at other times of day. In three groups
      where energy levels were measured six times daily the values achieved between
      10.00 h and 12.00 h were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those recorded on
      rising or retiring. Some evidence was also found for the existence of high energy
      levels in the evening (particularly among the undergraduates) and for an
      'afternoon dip' in energy in about 20% of subjects. Higher levels of positive
      affect were also found in the morning and levels recorded between 10.00 h and
      12.00 h were significantly greater than those on rising or retiring, (P < 0.01).
      However, no similar diurnal variation was observed for negative affect. The
      difference may be due to the fact that positive affect has a distinct
      'biological' component contributing to perceptions of energy, whilst negative
      affect depends more on features in the individual's environment, which show no
      consistent diurnal pattern.

PMID- 1433058
TI  - Dementia and driving.
AB  - Many European countries test cars, but not their drivers, as they age. There is
      evidence to suggest that human factors are more important than vehicular factors
      as causes of motor crashes. The elderly also are involved in more accidents per
      distance travelled than middle-aged drivers. As the UK relies on self
      certification of health by drivers over the age of 70 years, we examined the
      driving practices of patients with dementia attending a Memory Clinic. Nearly one
      fifth of 329 patients with documented dementia continued to drive after the onset
      of dementia, and impaired driving ability was noted in two-thirds of these. Their
      families experienced great difficulty in persuading patients to stop driving, and
      had to invoke outside help in many cases. Neuropsychological tests did not help
      to identify those who drove badly while activity of daily living scores were
      related to driving ability. These findings suggest that many patients with
      dementia drive in an unsafe fashion after the onset of the illness. The present
      system of self-certification of health by the elderly for driver-licensing
      purposes needs to be reassessed.

PMID- 1433060
TI  - 'I thought it would go away': patient denial in breast cancer.
AB  - A significant proportion of patients with cancer present late to the doctor. The
      characteristics of these patients and the reasons behind their delaying behaviour
      is poorly understood. In this study a group of 30 women with breast cancer who
      delayed their presentation were compared with a randomly selected group with the
      same disease. The women who presented late did not appear to fit into any
      particular socio-demographic category, but examination of their histories
      revealed widespread denial of illness and a diversity of beliefs and behaviour.

PMID- 1433059
TI  - Laxative induced diarrhoea--a neglected diagnosis.
AB  - A laxative screening service was established and offered to gastroenterologists
      in hospitals covering the West and Central belt of Scotland. The prevalence of
      laxative induced diarrhoea was assessed in two populations and was found to be 4%
      in new patients presenting to a gastroenterology clinic with diarrhoea and 20% in
      patients already under investigation of chronic idiopathic diarrhoea. A high rate
      of missed diagnosis of laxative induced diarrhoea (71%) and a low request rate
      (eight per annum) confirm the low clinical awareness of this diagnosis. We found
      potential savings of 80% of the cost of investigations subsequently ordered which
      could have been avoided by performing laxative screens on all patients presenting
      with diarrhoea. The introduction of such a screening policy is recommended as a
      cost-effective measure.

PMID- 1433061
TI  - The Ring total knee replacement--a comparison of survivorship.
AB  - Long term results of joint replacement are frequently expressed as survivorship;
      it therefore becomes increasingly important to have the ability to make valid
      comparisons between survivorship tables in order to determine accurately the
      statistical significance of published differences. We present a statistical
      method for direct comparison of survivorship tables. We have applied this
      technique to evaluate the survivorship of the unconstrained, uncemented Ring
      total knee replacement first implanted in 1975 and compare this to
      contemporaneous constrained prostheses. There is a significant improvement in
      survival, which suggests a beneficial long-term effect on the bone/implant
      interface of this changing design concept.

PMID- 1433062
TI  - An audit of university education in trauma and orthopaedic surgery in Great
      Britain.
AB  - An audit of undergraduate trauma and orthopaedic surgery teaching was carried out
      in 24 of the 27 medical schools in Great Britain and major differences were found
      between the medical schools. The range of time spent in teaching trauma and
      orthopaedic surgery for undergraduates varied from 3 weeks to 12 weeks and in
      five out of 27 medical schools trauma and orthopaedic surgery tuition was split
      between various years of the clinical curriculum. In some schools there were 30
      students on a firm and in others only one. The opportunity for undergraduates to
      give feedback to their teachers, the use of objective assessment at the end of
      such an appointment by the teachers, varied between medical schools. To avoid
      some of these very basic differences between our medical schools, the teaching of
      clinical subjects to undergraduates in medicine should be reviewed nationally and
      minimum standards set.

PMID- 1433063
TI  - Cigarette smoking and its relationship to inflammatory bowel disease: a review.

PMID- 1433064
TI  - The Biddenden Maids: a curious chapter in the history of conjoined twins.

PMID- 1433065
TI  - PET imaging and cognition in schizophrenia.

PMID- 1433066
TI  - Cerebral blood flow and mental processes in schizophrenia.
AB  - The patterns of cerebral blood flow associated with three syndromes of
      schizophrenic symptoms are compared with the loci of cerebral activation in
      normal subjects during the performance of mental processes implicated in the
      three syndromes. The psychomotor poverty syndrome, which has been shown to
      involve a diminished ability to generate words, is associated with decreased
      perfusion of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex at a locus which is activated in
      normal subjects during the internal generation of words. The disorganization
      syndrome, which has been shown to involve impaired suppression of inappropriate
      responses (eg in the Stroop test), is associated with increased perfusion of the
      right anterior cingulate gyrus at a location activated in normal subjects
      performing the Stroop test. The reality distortion syndrome, which evidence
      suggests arises from disordered internal monitoring of activity, is associated
      with increased perfusion in the medial temporal lobe at a locus activated in
      normal subjects during the internal monitoring of eye movements.

PMID- 1433067
TI  - Abnormalities of cerebral structure in schizophrenia on magnetic resonance
      imaging: interpretation in relation to the neurodevelopmental hypothesis.
AB  - The nature of abnormalities of cerebral structure evident in schizophrenia on
      magnetic resonance imaging is considered in relation to the neurodevelopmental
      hypothesis of the disorder. While schizophrenic patients showed increased
      ventricular volume, the extent of increase with age was comparable with that
      evident in controls and was unrelated to duration of illness. Conversely,
      cortical atrophy was evident only in patients, and this increased markedly with
      age and duration of illness. Such findings could be suggestive of two distinct
      pathophysiological processes in schizophrenia, but a schema for their
      reconciliation with the neurodevelopmental hypothesis is elaborated.

PMID- 1433068
TI  - PET imaging in Alzheimer's disease.

PMID- 1433069
TI  - Squamous cell carcinoma complicating lichen planus of the lip.

PMID- 1433070
TI  - Squamous cell carcinoma arising in rhinophyma.

PMID- 1433071
TI  - A case of malignant epithelioid schwannoma arising on the face.

PMID- 1433072
TI  - Association of migrainous headaches with Gasserian ganglial ablation.

PMID- 1433073
TI  - Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in the elderly: two case reports.

PMID- 1433075
TI  - Clinical trial results: whose responsibility?

PMID- 1433074
TI  - Monitoring of triplet pregnancy during labour.

PMID- 1433076
TI  - Asymptomatic hypothyroidism and hypercholesterolaemia.

PMID- 1433077
TI  - Successful treatment of neonatal purpura fulminans with epoprostenol.

PMID- 1433078
TI  - Career blight following operating theatre injuries.

PMID- 1433079
TI  - Surgical audit and mortality review.

PMID- 1433081
TI  - An alternative weekend on call.

PMID- 1433080
TI  - What's in a name?

PMID- 1433082
TI  - Mind your language.

PMID- 1433083
TI  - Vaginal fistulae.

PMID- 1433084
TI  - Vesico-vaginal and recto-vaginal fistulae.
AB  - A personal series of 716 patients with vesico-vaginal and/or recto-vaginal
      fistulae is presented. Five hundred and seventy-eight patients were managed in
      Africa, mainly at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, while 138 were kindly
      referred to me from various parts of Britain. The main cause of such fistulae in
      the developing world is pressure necrosis from obstructed labour. In the
      developed world the aetiology is surgery, malignancy, radiotherapy or a
      combination of these. Other causes include neglected foreign bodies, coital
      injury and local treatment by an unqualified practitioner. A vesico-vaginal
      fistula alone was present in 78.8%, a recto-vaginal fistula alone in 4.3%, while
      16.9% of patients had both a vesico-vaginal and a recto-vaginal fistula. Six
      hundred and six (84.6%) patients were cured at the first attempt at repair, 45
      (6.3%) failed and 65 (9.1%) had stress incontinence.

PMID- 1433085
TI  - The spectrum of brittle diabetes.
AB  - A group of 42 severely brittle insulin dependent diabetic patients were studied,
      and compared with a similar number of 'stable' diabetic patients. Brittle
      diabetics were predominantly female (86% v 45%, P < 0.01), were of younger age
      (mean +/- SD 27.9 +/- 12.8 years v 40.1 +/- 13.6 years, P < 0.001), and of
      shorter duration of diabetes (13.7 +/- 9.4 years v 19.6 +/- 11.2 years, P <
      0.01). Control as measured by glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1) was poorer (13.7 +/
      3.1% v 10.1 +/- 1.5%, P < 0.001), and daily insulin dose higher (98 +/- 81 u v
      47 +/- 14 u, P << 0.001). There was no difference in diabetic complication rates,
      but psychosocial disturbances (74% v 17%) and factitious instability (40% v 2%)
      were highly significantly more common amongst brittle patients. Examination of
      patterns of admission revealed most brittle diabetics to have hyperglycaemic
      problems (70%), mainly due to recurrent ketoacidosis (52%). Recurrent
      hypoglycaemia accounted for 12% of the group, and only 5/42 patients (12%) had
      mixed forms of instability. Brittle diabetes is thus characterized by young age
      and female sex, and usually manifests itself as recurrent ketoacidosis or other
      forms of hyperglycaemic instability. Psychosocial problems and factitious
      metabolic decompensation are common.

PMID- 1433086
TI  - Infective endocarditis in a district general hospital.
AB  - Thirty-three cases of infective endocarditis presenting during a 6.5 year period
      to a district general hospital were analysed retrospectively. The annual
      incidence was 22 cases per million population. Twenty-two cases had pre-existing
      cardiac disease, mainly valvular disease-usually rheumatic (nine cases) and
      prosthetic valves (10 cases). Recognizable precipitants such as recent surgery
      were uncommon. Two cases presented after deliberate drug overdose possibly due to
      depression exacerbated by systemic disease. Symptoms were usually non-specific.
      All but two cases had murmurs and most were pyrexial. Splinter haemorrhages and
      clubbing were seen in about 20% of cases. Viridans-type streptococci were the
      commonest infecting organisms (14 cases). Staphylococcal infection (six cases)
      was confined to intravenous drug abusers and patients with prosthetic valves.
      Five cases were culture negative. Cardiac failure was present in 13 cases at
      presentation and developed in seven others during treatment. Acute valve
      replacement was necessary in eight cases, and late replacement in three. Renal
      impairment (plasma urea > 8 mmol/l and/or plasma creatinine > 120 mumol/l)
      occurred in 19 cases during the course of their illness. Embolic phenomena
      occurred in 12 patients and mostly involved the central nervous system. In the 8
      fatal cases, the cause of death was cardiac failure in six, cerebrovascular
      accident in one, and myocardial infarction in one. Four of the six patients who
      subsequently died of cardiac failure had been referred for surgery. Both those
      who were not referred had coexisting medical problems. Factors associated with
      increased mortality were age, male sex, cardiac failure (P < 0.01), renal
      impairment (P < 0.05), and embolic phenomena (P < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT
      250 WORDS)

PMID- 1433087
TI  - Long term use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation at Newcastle Pain
      Relief Clinic.
AB  - This retrospective study of long-term use of transcutaneous electrical nerve
      stimulation (TENS) at Newcastle Pain Relief Clinic indicates that TENS has been a
      successful analgesic treatment for 58.6% of 1582 patients attending the clinic
      over a period of 10 years. A wide range of pain conditions were found to respond
      to TENS and many patients continued to use the treatment for several years. Most
      patients not responding to TENS (during a home trial) returned stimulators at the
      first follow-up appointment. Thus TENS should be considered as a simple, safe and
      reusable first line treatment for many pain conditions.

PMID- 1433088
TI  - Critical ischaemia of the upper limb.
AB  - Fifty-seven patients who presented to the Royal Surrey County Hospital,
      Guildford, with critical upper limb ischaemia between 1980 and 1989 were studied.
      Only 13 patients had emboli, while 23 presented with arteritis, seven involving
      large vessels and 16 with small vessel disease. Other causes included nine
      patients with trauma, six with atherosclerosis (of whom five were women), and
      four with vascular complications of thoracic outlet obstruction. Single examples
      of ischaemia due to radiation fibrosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation
      were also seen. Critical ischaemia of the upper limb remains an uncommon yet
      challenging problem. The review demonstrates that total limb arteriography should
      be performed in all patients, except the minority who present with direct
      arterial trauma or classical emboli.

PMID- 1433089
TI  - Renal conservation in the management of bilateral renal tumours.
AB  - We report five patients with bilateral tumours and review their management which
      include many of the therapeutic options that are available.

PMID- 1433090
TI  - Why 100 patients failed to keep an outpatient appointment-audit in a dermatology
      department.
AB  - Failure to keep outpatient appointments is common at all clinics and various
      explanations may be offered. One hundred attending patients who had failed to
      keep their previous dermatology clinic appointment were asked the reason for
      their non-attendance. Many and varied reasons were given but illness (28%), and
      problems related to appointments (33%) were prominent. They were also asked how
      they had obtained a further appointment. Stricter follow-up of non-attenders by
      the hospital including informing the GP, and subsequent GP action if necessary,
      may improve attendance figures.

PMID- 1433091
TI  - Bringing about change: the introduction of secure units.
AB  - The introduction of regional secure units into the NHS was studied as one example
      of the diffusion of patient care innovations. As well as the general history of
      secure units events in four Regions were studied in detail for the period from
      1974 up to mid-1983. It is concluded that secure units became gradually more
      acceptable over time as (i) the need for such units was recognized, (ii) the
      climate of opinion changed in psychiatric hospitals from seeing secure units as a
      retrograde step, following the acceptance of more open door policies, to seeing
      secure units as a prestige development which might safeguard the future of a
      particular hospital, (iii) government loosened the definitions of what secure
      units should be and how they should operate so that there was more room for
      different regions to assess their own needs. Regions which were able to move
      relatively fast on secure unit development were those where there was already a
      'product champion' present to promote the ideas, usually a forensic psychiatrist,
      and where there was also managerial support and designated responsibility for
      secure unit development at local and regional level. It is concluded that while
      public reaction was a hindrance it did not slow down secure unit development as
      much as might have been expected.

PMID- 1433092
TI  - Annie--a management and resource problem: discussion paper.

PMID- 1433093
TI  - Progress with a recombinant whooping cough vaccine: a review.

PMID- 1433095
TI  - Premier Chirurgien du Roi: the life of Ambroise Pare (1510-1590)

PMID- 1433096
TI  - Pancreatic pseudocyst due to fractured pancreas.

PMID- 1433094
TI  - Excitatory events associated with propofol anaesthesia: a review.

PMID- 1433097
TI  - Budd-Chiari syndrome in association with polycystic disease of the liver and
      kidneys.

PMID- 1433098
TI  - Choledochal cyst in adulthood.

PMID- 1433100
TI  - Peerless haemangiomata.

PMID- 1433099
TI  - Brave biopsy.

PMID- 1433101
TI  - Bone marrow necrosis and disseminated intravascular coagulation in disseminated
      carcinoma.

PMID- 1433102
TI  - Pituitary surgery and inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion.

PMID- 1433103
TI  - Treatment of tumour-induced hypoglycaemia with human growth hormone.

PMID- 1433104
TI  - Polarization of art and science.

PMID- 1433105
TI  - Subtotal colectomy following marathon running in a female patient.

PMID- 1433106
TI  - Crohn's disease of the vulva.

PMID- 1433107
TI  - Gut fermentation.

PMID- 1433108
TI  - What is the best dosage schedule for patients?

PMID- 1433109
TI  - Sarcoidosis and acute leukaemia.

PMID- 1433111
TI  - Another look at holistic medicine.

PMID- 1433110
TI  - Use of emergency ambulance service.

PMID- 1433112
TI  - Reactions to food additives.

PMID- 1433113
TI  - Diet and coronary heart disease: why blame fat?

PMID- 1433114
TI  - Spasmodic torticollis.

PMID- 1433115
TI  - Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody and the gastroenterologist.

PMID- 1433116
TI  - The portrayal of the physician in non-medical literature-resentment,
      confrontation, litigation.

PMID- 1433117
TI  - Botulinum toxin treatment of spasmodic torticollis.
AB  - We reviewed the efficacy and adverse effects of repeated botulinum toxin
      injections into hyperactive neck muscles of 107 successive patients with
      spasmodic torticollis. They received 510 injection treatments over a median
      period of 15 months (range 3-42 months). One patient failed to benefit at all,
      but 101 (95%) patients reported considerable (moderate or excellent) benefit from
      at least one treatment. On a global subjective response rating, 93% of 429
      treatments resulted in some improvement and 76% in moderate or excellent
      improvement. Pain reduction followed 89% of 190 treatments with moderate or
      excellent reduction after 66%. Median duration of benefit was 9 weeks. All
      torticollis types responded equally well and injections into two (or more)
      involved neck muscles were more effective than injection into a single muscle.
      The most frequent adverse effect was dysphagia, occurring after 44% of all
      treatments, but this was severe after only 2%. Antibodies to botulinum toxin were
      detected in the serum of three out of the five patients in whom loss of treatment
      efficacy occurred. We conclude that botulinum toxin treatment is the most
      effective available therapy for spasmodic torticollis and practical advice is
      provided for anyone wishing to set up the technique.

PMID- 1433118
TI  - Ceftazidime versus aminoglycoside and (ureido)penicillin combination in the
      empirical treatment of serious infection.
AB  - Urgent treatment of serious infections with broad spectrum antibiotics usually
      starts before bacteriological evidence of the infective organism(s) becomes
      available. In this study 471 patients with a clinical diagnosis of sepsis were
      treated empirically with ceftazidime (CAZ) monotherapy (249 patients), or with an
      aminoglycoside+(ureido)penicillin combination (AG+PEN) (222 patients) to
      establish clinical outcome and bacteriological response. Up to 72 h post
      treatment 94.5% of patients in the CAZ group and 93.8% in the AG+PEN group were
      treated successfully (treatment difference 0.7%, P < 0.01, 95% confidence
      interval -3.8%, 5.2%); 2-4 weeks after treatment neither regimen proved
      clinically superior. The differences in bacteriological response up to 72 h, and
      at 2-4 weeks after treatment, were 5.6% and 12.4% in favour of CAZ, however,
      these were not statistically significant. Overall, 56 patients reported 72
      adverse events in the CAZ group, compared with 33 patients reporting 41 adverse
      events in the AG+PEN group. Deaths, 40 on CAZ and 21 on AG+PEN, were mainly
      related to their underlying condition. The two regimens were shown to be
      clinically equivalent in seriously ill patients treated empirically.

PMID- 1433119
TI  - Nitrous oxide-oxygen analgesia: the performance of the MC mask delivery system.
AB  - Nitrous oxide administration via an oxygen facemask such as the Mary Catterall
      (MC) is an accepted technique for supplementing regional anaesthesia. This study
      assessed the range of nitrous oxide and oxygen concentrations delivered to the
      trachea using a mechanical lung model. The inspired concentrations of these two
      gases were determined by the total fresh gas inflow rates, their concentrations
      in the fresh gas mixture and the peak inspiratory flow rate of the analogue lung.
      A 1:1 nitrous oxide-oxygen mixture in the fresh gas with an inflow rate of 4-6
      l/min is recommended to ensure adequate oxygen delivery into the trachea as well
      as achieving the therapeutic concentrations of nitrous oxide (20-30%).

PMID- 1433120
TI  - Monospot and VP1 tests in chronic fatigue syndrome and major depression.
AB  - Thirty-four patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) were compared with
      controls with DSM-III-R major depression on the Monospot and VP1 antigen tests.
      There was no significant difference in the numbers initially VP1 positive in the
      groups (11/34 and 7/34 positive in the chronic fatigue and major depression group
      respectively). Four CFS but no depressed patients were Monospot positive
      initially. No patient was both Monospot and VP1 positive. Patients positive on
      the tests were offered a repeat 6 months later. Eight of the 11 VP1 positive
      patients in the CFS group were retested and four remained positive, but none of
      the four depressed patients retested remained positive. No patient retested
      remained Monospot positive. The Monospot and VP1 tests appear to have little
      discriminating ability between these groups as screening tests and their
      predictive validity is unclear.

PMID- 1433121
TI  - Aerobic exercise in the adjunctive treatment of depression: a randomized
      controlled trial.
AB  - Two clinical trials have been conducted in a sample of depressed patients to
      determine whether the addition of an aerobic exercise programme to their usual
      treatment improved outcome after 12 weeks. In the first trial, an aerobic
      exercise group had a superior outcome compared with a control group in terms of
      trait anxiety and a standard psychiatric interview. A second trial was then
      conducted to compare an aerobic exercise programme with low intensity exercise.
      Both groups showed improvement but there were no significant differences between
      the groups. In neither trial was there any correlation between the extent of
      change in the subjects' physical fitness due to aerobic exercise and the extent
      of the improvement of psychiatric scores.

PMID- 1433122
TI  - Management of hypopharyngeal carcinoma: a 6-year review.
AB  - A retrospective review of 16 consecutive cases of squamous carcinoma of the
      hypopharynx treated by pharyngo-laryngo-oesophagectomy (PLO) and gastric
      transposition with a thoracotomy as part of the surgical technique is presented.
      An operative mortality of 6% and a hospital mortality of 12% occurred. Other
      complications are discussed. No significant morbidity or mortality occurred as a
      result of the thoracotomy. A comparison is made with the extra-thoracic technique
      of gastric transposition.

PMID- 1433124
TI  - The unfolded shape of the brain.

PMID- 1433123
TI  - Acrokeratosis paraneoplastica of Bazex.
AB  - Bazex disease is one of the rarer cutaneous paraneoplastic syndromes. It is
      characterized by psoriasiform changes on the digits, and in some patients spread
      to the ears, nose and in later stages to the limbs and trunk. The associated
      malignancy is typically a squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive
      tract. We review the literature regarding acrokeratosis paraneoplastica of Bazex
      and report three cases which illustrate both the typical and some of the less
      common changes that are seen in the condition.

PMID- 1433125
TI  - Should we ban the mercury thermometer? Discussion paper.

PMID- 1433126
TI  - Empirical use of exclusion diets in chronic disorders: discussion paper.

PMID- 1433127
TI  - Food allergy--fact or fiction: a review.
AB  - Food sensitivity is a common condition presenting with various clinical syndromes
      including migraine, urticaria, gluten enteropathy, Crohn's disease and irritable
      bowel syndrome. It is a heterogeneous condition affecting different organ systems
      and is also aetiologically diverse with subgroups due to allergy, pharmacological
      reactions, enzyme deficiencies and psychological causes. Clinical acceptance of
      food sensitivity has been delayed by the use of dubious diagnostic techniques by
      a minority of practitioners and the lack of laboratory diagnostic tests, but
      several double blind studies have now fully validated the existence of food
      sensitivity syndromes. More widespread recognition of food sensitivity would be
      cost effective for the National Health Service.

PMID- 1433128
TI  - Sir Frederick Treves: surgeon, author and medical historian.

PMID- 1433129
TI  - Brodie's tracheostomy.

PMID- 1433130
TI  - Ureteric and duodenal obstruction due to inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms.

PMID- 1433131
TI  - Extensive and unusual Mongolian blue spots in a child with GM1 gangliosidosis
      type one.

PMID- 1433132
TI  - Association between pyoderma gangrenosum and ulcerative colitis.

PMID- 1433133
TI  - Tracheal compression by a cervico-mediastinal haematoma.

PMID- 1433135
TI  - Granular cell tumour: an underdiagnosed cause of multifocal subcutaneous
      swellings.

PMID- 1433134
TI  - Adrenal apoplexy after coronary artery bypass surgery leading to Addisonian
      crisis.

PMID- 1433136
TI  - Persistent diplopia following streptococcus suis type 2 meningitis.

PMID- 1433137
TI  - Premier Chirugien du Roi: the life of Ambroise Pare.

PMID- 1433138
TI  - Ultrasound and the Alvarado score.

PMID- 1433139
TI  - Folklore of warts.

PMID- 1433140
TI  - Transcultural medical encounters.

PMID- 1433141
TI  - Does atmospheric nitrous oxide (N2O) affect the perception of energy and mood?

PMID- 1433142
TI  - Healthcare workers and hepatitis B.

PMID- 1433143
TI  - Chronic fatigue syndrome and heterogeneity.

PMID- 1433144
TI  - Fluctuations in perceived energy and mood among patients with chronic fatigue
      syndrome.

PMID- 1433145
TI  - Dietary habits of school-children in Bahrain.
AB  - A multistage stratified sampling procedure was used to select 1673 Bahraini
      school children (871 boys and 802 girls) to study their food habits. The results
      revealed that breakfast was more often skipped than lunch and supper by both
      sexes. Significant differences in the food consumption between boys and girls
      were noticed at morning snack; beef burgers, liver and egg sandwiches were more
      consumed by boys, while girls preferred carbonated beverages, cheese,
      uncarbonated canned drinks and broad beans. The foods consumed at lunch were very
      similar to those of the adult population in Bahrain. However, the percentage of
      fresh fruits consumed at lunch was almost double by girls (31.9%) than boys
      (17.1%). Corn-puffs, carbonated beverages, chocolates, uncarbonated canned drinks
      and fruits were the main foods consumed at afternoon snack. Boys were more likely
      to consume tea, meat, eggs, cheese and rice at supper, while girls preferred
      cheese, corn-puffs and carbonated beverages. Age has also a significant influence
      on dietary habits. The consumption of bread at breakfast decreased with age while
      the consumption of carbonated beverages at morning snack increased remarkably
      with age. In general the meal and snack patterns of school children vary
      considerably with age and sex.

PMID- 1433146
TI  - Fish mongers and public awareness on fish-food hygiene in Nigeria.
AB  - Sale of fish is a thriving business in Nigeria because of the high demand for
      fish. However, there is lack of public awareness on the need for fish hygiene by
      fish mongers and consumers. This paper discusses the issue of hygiene as it
      affects a fish shop environment, insects and pests of fish, preservation,
      handling, transportation, packaging, fish marketing and distribution. Suggestions
      on improving fish food hygiene and strategies for establishing fish guidelines
      and inspections are highlighted.

PMID- 1433147
TI  - Suspected synergism between consanguinity and familial aggregation in type 2
      diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia.
AB  - A retrospective study of 210 cases of diabetes was carried out at King Khalid
      University Hospital diabetes clinic to delineate etiologic factors in non-insulin
      dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Standardised detailed questionnaires were
      administered to both cases and controls and the information sought included
      general demographics, dietary patterns, anthropometric values, family history,
      consanguinity and familial aggregation of Diabetes Mellitus (DM). Familial
      aggregation yielded an odds ratio of 6:2 which suggests a causal association with
      DM. A synergistic effect of familial aggregation was observed which needs to be
      further explored in future studies.

PMID- 1433148
TI  - Cerebral neurocysticercosis--case report and review.

PMID- 1433149
TI  - Sampling in epidemiological research: a case study of the prevalence of
      brucellosis in Saudi Arabia.
AB  - The superficial description in biomedical journals of sampling methods used in
      epidemiological studies of the prevalence of some diseases can be attributed to
      shallow knowledge of basic sampling techniques. The population of interest in
      most community surveys is usually very large and resources and time available
      limited, so that researchers have little or no choice but to study a sample of
      the population. One of the basic principles of sampling is the avoidance of bias,
      guaranteed by taking a random sample. But the term 'random sample' has often been
      misinterpreted as synonymous with 'haphazard sample', taking a sample without a
      definite pattern. It is re-emphasised that a random sample is a probability
      sample that gives every unit in the population a known probability of being
      selected in the sample. The procedures for taking a random sample for a
      nationwide study in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are not easy because of the
      structure of the population, and therefore require more complex sampling methods
      like the stratified cluster sampling. It is also necessary in a stratified sample
      to calculate estimated persons affected by a condition for each selected subgroup
      of the population before obtaining the overall prevalence rate. A proper
      understanding and use of appropriate sampling techniques is most likely to result
      in the most desired representative sample, and guarantees that some underlying
      assumptions for inferential statistics will be satisfied.

PMID- 1433150
TI  - Children and the citizens charter.

PMID- 1433151
TI  - The challenge of menopause education in isolation.

PMID- 1433152
TI  - Assessment and evaluation of the International Water Decade.
AB  - The International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade (1981-90) has ended
      without reaching its declared goal of providing all people with safe drinking
      water and proper sanitation. The effect of drinking water and sanitation on
      health has been established, and the 2 components have been included in the World
      Health Organization (WHO) global campaign for Health For All by the year 2000,
      and in the global Primary Health Care programme. The assessment of the
      achievements has been based on coverage rates expressed in percentage. The
      findings were computerised. High population growth rates in the developing
      countries hampered and reduced the coverage. Other hindering factors included the
      lack of appropriate technology, the preference of the small privileged urban
      areas over the vast rural areas, the lack of the simultaneous approach in the
      development of water and sanitation and poor involvement of health education in
      the activities of the Water Decade. The water and sanitation development
      activities of the last decade have to be carried forward and continued during the
      present decade, in a different approach and alternative methods.

PMID- 1433153
TI  - Food hygiene and the caterer (conference July 1991): training staff in food
      hygiene.

PMID- 1433154
TI  - Dignity, risks and responsibility in residential homes for elderly people.

PMID- 1433155
TI  - Risks, dignity & responsibility in residential homes for the elderly: privacy and
      protection--are they in conflict?

PMID- 1433156
TI  - Risks, dignity & responsibility in residential homes for the elderly: the legal
      framework.

PMID- 1433158
TI  - Public health in the United States.

PMID- 1433157
TI  - Risks, dignity & responsibility in residential homes for the elderly: freedom or
      restraint.

PMID- 1433159
TI  - Equal blood pressure levels carry different risks in different risk factor
      combinations.
AB  - It is well known that combinations of risk factors result in higher risk than
      their mere sum. The present paper describes, in quantitative terms, the
      differences between risks pertaining to equal blood pressure elevations at
      different constellations with other risk factors (smoking and
      hypercholesterolaemia). From the practical point of view, this concept of
      'constellation risk' convincingly underscores the need for controlling, in
      hypertensive patients, coexisting hypercholesterolaemia and smoking. Also, at
      equal blood pressure elevations, smoking and hypercholesterolaemic patients are
      in greater need of antihypertensive medication. This applies in particular to the
      range of mild hypertension, where individual decisions have to be taken whether
      to initiate drug treatment.

PMID- 1433161
TI  - Reproducibility of measurements of blood pressure in a tropical environment.
AB  - The reproducibility of measurements of the blood pressure of 65 adult male
      Gambians was investigated to assess the role that replication of measurements may
      have in epidemiological studies in a tropical environment. Observations were made
      at approximately seven week intervals over a period of 15 months and measurements
      were repeated three times on each occasion a subject was seen. The magnitude of
      the variation of an individual subject's BP between occasions, and between
      readings on the same occasion, was comparable with those which have been observed
      in studies in developed countries in temperate climates. The variation between
      occasions was greater than that between readings on the same occasion. There was
      a significant fall in systolic pressure between the first and third occasions,
      and a more gradual fall in diastolic pressure. The observations suggest that an
      individual subject's BP level would be better characterized by making a second
      reading on another occasion than by making three or more readings on the same
      occasion. These results have implications for the design of epidemiological
      studies and for the diagnosis of hypertension in the tropics.

PMID- 1433160
TI  - Haemodynamic contributions to post-exercise hypotension in young adults with
      hypertension and rapid resting heart rates.
AB  - The haemodynamic effects of 45 min of treadmill exercise (at 70% of resting heart
      rate reserve) were determined in 5 young adults with hypertension and rapid
      resting heart rates (greater than 90 beats/min in clinic) and were compared with
      those of 5 age-matched normotensive subjects. Blood pressure was lower after
      exercise in the hypertensive, but not the normotensive subjects. Mean cardiac
      output before exercise was similar in the two groups, and fell from 6.8 +/- 0.6
      before to 5.4 +/- 0.6 l/min 60 min after exercise in the hypertensive group (P
      less than 0.01). Total peripheral resistance tended to be higher at this time.
      Neither variable was affected by prior exercise in the normotensive group. The
      depressor effects of prior exercise on mean arterial pressure (-8.6 +/- 1.0 vs. 
      1.4 +/- 2.5 mmHg; P less than 0.04) and cardiac output (-1.4 +/- 0.3 vs. -0.1 +/-
      0.1 l/min; P less than 0.005) and the increase in total peripheral resistance
      (+3.0 +/- 1.2 vs. 0.0 +/- 1.0 Units; P less than 0.05) were greater in the
      hypertensive group. Thus, the post-exercise hypotension in this selected group of
      young hypertensive subjects with rapid resting heart rates was mediated by a
      decrease in cardiac output and stroke volume disproportionate to the fall in
      blood pressure, suggesting sustained compromise of their cardiac performance
      after acute exercise.

PMID- 1433162
TI  - Demographic, life style and anthropometric correlates of blood pressure of
      Nigerian urban civil servants, factory and plantation workers.
AB  - Demographic, life style and anthropometric correlates of blood pressure were
      analysed in 5,200 civil servants, factory and plantation workers living in an
      urban setting in the South Eastern part of Nigeria. The subjects were 4,382 men
      (84.2%) and 818 (15.8%) women. The prevalence of hypertension, using the WHO
      criteria among the workers was 8.1%, and was lower in women than men, 3.5% and
      8.9% respectively. Only 19.6% of the hypertensive population knew that they had
      hypertension, whilst 29.4% of the total population under study gave a positive
      family history of hypertension. The blood pressure and the prevalence of
      hypertension rose with age, number of children in the family, salary scale and
      with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. The prevalence of hypertension was
      higher in medium and heavy drinkers than the non-drinkers and light drinkers. The
      prevalence was also higher in medium and heavy smokers. Multiple regression
      analysis showed a significant positive relation between the systolic blood
      pressure and sex, age, marital status, number of children in the family, salary
      scale, tobacco consumption and weight (P less than 001). On the other hand,
      occupation (P less than 01) educational qualification (P less than 001), support
      system (P less than 03) and height (P less than 001) had significant negative
      relationships with systolic blood pressure. There was also a significant positive
      relation between the diastolic blood pressure and number of children in the
      family (P less than 002) and salary scale (P less than 001). It is suggested that
      hypertension screening and treatment should be incorporated in the primary health
      care programmes of African communities.

PMID- 1433163
TI  - Feasibility of a long-term low-sodium diet in mild hypertension.
AB  - The present study set out to assess the feasibility of long-term moderate dietary
      sodium restriction in patients with mild hypertension in general practice. After
      screening and a run-in phase of 6-8 weeks, a total of 77 previously undiagnosed
      mildly hypertensive patients were identified. Half of them were randomized to
      receive a few simple dietary instructions from their general practitioners in
      order to reduce salt usage; the others were randomized to receive no advice. The
      patients were followed up for 12 months with quarterly visits. A total of 56
      patients (72.7%) completed the study, 26 on a low-sodium diet (LD) and 30 on
      their usual diet (UD). At each visit in the diet phase, patients provided 24h
      urine, which was analysed for volume and sodium concentration in order to assess
      their sodium intake. Blood pressure, heart the rate and body weight were
      recorded. The mean urinary sodium excretion for all diet phase visits overlapped
      in the two groups (177.0 +/- 32.9 vs. 169.3 +/- 49.4 mEq/24h respectively in the
      LD and UD groups). Nevertheless the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures
      for all diet phase visits were significantly lower in the LD than in UD group
      (144.2 +/- 11.1/91.6 +/- 6.4 and 148.0 +/- 13.7/95.6 +/- 4.7 mmHg respectively, P
      less than 0.01). Our data suggest that it is not feasible at present to reduce
      sodium intake in mild hypertensives with simple and inexpensive dietary
      instructions, the only ones suitable for widespread application in general
      practice.

PMID- 1433164
TI  - Urinary salt titrator stick: a useful and quick estimate of dietary sodium
      intake?
AB  - Repeated measures of urinary salt excretion are the best compromise between
      reliability and convenience for estimating dietary salt intake. In order to
      assess the accuracy of the Uropaper urinary salt titrator stick (giving discrete
      readings of 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 or 14 g/l of NaCl), 312 urine samples were analysed
      both with the stick and with an ion-selective electrode. There was a good stick
      electrode correlation in all the 312 samples (r = 0.84). With a tolerance of +/-
      1 g/l, the percentages of correct estimations dropped from 82% to 33% with
      increasing concentrations of NaCl in the urinary sample. For NaCl concentrations
      greater than 8 g/l (137 mmol/l) the error in the stick measurement consisted
      almost exclusively of overestimation of the electrode readings. These results
      were unaffected by the concentration of urinary potassium. No discrepancies were
      found among three different readers. This stick is easy to use and measures, with
      reasonable accuracy, low urinary NaCl concentrations. It could be useful for self
      monitoring during low NaCl diets.

PMID- 1433165
TI  - Blood pressure and urinary cations in a Chinese population.
AB  - The prevalence of hypertension and the relationship between blood pressure, age,
      body mass index (BMI) and urinary cations from casual urine specimens were
      examined in 1,513 Chinese employees of a public utility company and non-medical
      personnel of a district hospital. The prevalence of hypertension, defined as
      systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 or a diastolic blood
      pressure greater than or equal to 90 mmHg, or a past history of hypertension, was
      17% in men and 5% in women. After excluding subjects who were on antihypertensive
      medication, age, body mass index, and urinary sodium/potassium ratio were
      independently and positively associated with blood pressure, while urinary
      potassium/creatinine ratio was inversely related to blood pressure. No
      association with urinary sodium or sodium/creatinine ratio was found. Higher mean
      blood pressure in men was accompanied by lower urinary potassium/creatinine and
      potassium concentration and higher sodium/potassium ratio, even though men had
      the same mean BMI when compared with women. A difference in potassium intake
      between the sexes may partly account for this finding. We conclude that in this
      Chinese population, whose dietary intake is more influenced by the West compared
      with Chinese in the Peoples' Republic of China, age and BMI are important
      determinants of blood pressure, together with potassium intake as reflected by
      urinary potassium excretion. No association of blood pressure with sodium
      excretion was demonstrated.

PMID- 1433166
TI  - Blood pressure and 40 month mortality in elderly Chinese subjects aged 70 years
      and over.
AB  - The association between blood pressure and 4 year mortality was examined in a
      cohort of 970 Chinese subjects aged 70 years and above. After adjusting for age,
      sex, body mass index, smoking habit, place of residence, and the presence of
      heart or chronic lung diseases, a U-shaped association between blood pressure and
      mortality was observed, the risks of mortality among subjects in the extreme
      quartiles being twice as high as those in the middle quartiles. Subjects with the
      lowest systolic blood pressure quartile also had a higher risk of developing
      functional limitations.

PMID- 1433168
TI  - Complete spontaneous remission of cough induced by ACE inhibitors during chronic
      therapy in hypertensive patients.
AB  - The files of 172 consecutive hypertensive patients who received captopril or
      enalapril have been reviewed and the patients questioned on the development of
      chronic dry cough, persisting for at least two months. Forty patients had cough
      that was attributed to the drugs. Thirteen of them discontinued the drugs because
      of this adverse effect. In 15 of the 27 patients (55%) who continued receiving
      ACE inhibitors (7 males, 8 females, aged 65.4 +/- 9.9 years) the cough had
      spontaneously disappeared after 3.9 +/- 1.9 months of continued unaltered
      administration of these drugs and without any treatment aimed against this
      symptom. All patients were followed for at least four months after disappearance
      of cough, without recurrences. This finding may discourage withdrawal of ACE
      inhibitors from many patients who develop cough. Continuation of ACE inhibitors
      for at least several months, despite cough, (if the cough is not too severe) is
      probably justifiable.

PMID- 1433167
TI  - ACE inhibition in diabetic patients: effect on pressor responsiveness to
      noradrenaline.
AB  - The pressor responsiveness to noradrenaline was assessed before and after four
      weeks of treatment with enalapril (20 mg/day) in eight mild-to-moderate essential
      hypertensives, in eight normotensive type II diabetics and in eight mild-to
      moderate hypertensive type II diabetic patients. The ACE inhibitor interfered to
      the same extent with the renin-angiotensin system and did not alter noradrenaline
      kinetics in the three groups of patients, but significantly reduced the arterial
      responsiveness only in non-diabetic subjects. It is suggested that factors, such
      as an exaggerated sodium retention, might determine the lack of effect of
      enalapril in diabetic patients.

PMID- 1433169
TI  - Alfred Burger Award address. A half century in medicinal chemistry with major
      emphasis on pain-relieving drugs and their antagonists.

PMID- 1433170
TI  - Hypocholesterolemic activity of synthetic and natural tocotrienols.
AB  - Tocotrienols are farnesylated benzopyran natural products that exhibit
      hypocholesterolemic activity in vitro and in vivo. The mechanism of their
      hypolipidemic action involves posttranscriptional suppression of HMG-CoA
      reductase by a process distinct from other known inhibitors of cholesterol
      biosynthesis. An efficient synthetic route to tocotrienols and their isolation
      from palm oil distillate using an improved procedure is presented. gamma
      Tocotrienol exhibits a 30-fold greater activity toward cholesterol biosynthesis
      inhibition compared to alpha-tocotrienol in HepG2 cells in vitro. The synthetic
      (racemic) and natural (chiral) tocotrienols exhibit nearly identical cholesterol
      biosynthesis inhibition and HMG-CoA reductase suppression properties as
      demonstrated in vitro and in vivo.

PMID- 1433171
TI  - Synthesis and biological activity of trans(+-)-N-methyl-2-(3-pyridyl)-2
      tetrahydrothiopyrancarbothioamide 1-oxide (RP 49356) and analogues: a new class
      of potassium channel opener.
AB  - The synthesis and biological activity of trans-(+-)-N-methyl-2-(3-pyridyl)-2
      tetrahydrothiopyrancarbothioamid+ ++ e 1-oxide (8a, RP 49356) and analogues is
      reported. These compounds constitute a new structural class of K(+)-channel
      opener. The effects of changes in pyridyl group, thioamide, and thiane ring on in
      vitro K(+)-channel opening reactivity are discussed. A 3-pyridyl or 3-quinolyl
      group, a small N-alkyl thioamide function, and a thiane oxide ring, in which the
      sulfoxide is in a trans relationship to the thioamide, are preferred for
      activity. Selected compounds were tested intravenously in the normotensive
      anaesthetized rat for hypotensive effects, and the activities reflect their in
      vitro K(+)-channel opening activity. This led to further evaluation of compound
      8a and the selection of the (-)-enantiomer 8b (RP 52891) for development as an
      antihypertensive and antianginal agent.

PMID- 1433172
TI  - 1-(2-Aminoethyl)-3-methyl-8,9-dihydropyrano[3,2-e]indole: a rotationally
      restricted phenolic analog of the neurotransmitter serotonin and agonist
      selective for serotonin (5-HT2-type) receptors.
AB  - A series of rotationally restricted phenolic analogs of the neurotransmitter
      serotonin has been synthesized with the 5-hydroxyindole portion of serotonin
      replaced by a dihydropyrano[3,2-e]-indole (1, 3, 4, and 5) and a
      dihydropyrano[2,3-f]indole (2). The receptor binding profile of these compounds
      has been studied and compared to the natural substrate serotonin. The
      dihydropyrano[3,2-e]indole derivatives (1, 3, 4, and 5) possess lower affinity
      for 5-HT1 receptors but equal or greater affinity for 5-HT2 receptors. Like
      serotonin, these compounds dose-dependently stimulated phosphatidylinositol
      turnover in rat brain slices. Moreover, the response to 1-(2-aminoethyl)-3-methyl
      8,9-dihydropyrano[3,2-]indole (5, CP-132,484) and 1-(2-aminoethyl)-8,9
      dihydropyrano[3,2-e]indole (4) is selectively antagonized by 5-HT2 receptor
      antagonists establishing these tryptamines as selective 5-HT2 receptor agonists.
      The high affinity and potency of 5 for 5-HT2 receptors suggests that the C5
      hydroxy group in serotonin can function as a hydrogen bond acceptor in a 5-HT2
      receptor with a directionality of interaction which is down and away from C6 in
      serotonin (Figure 5). Furthermore, the potent affinity of these compounds for 5
      HT2 receptors coupled with their poor affinity for 5-HT1 receptors indicates that
      the aminoethyl side chain of serotonin adopts significantly different
      conformations in 5-HT1 versus 5-HT2 receptors.

PMID- 1433173
TI  - Antiallergic and cytoprotective activity of new N-phenylbenzamido acid
      derivatives.
AB  - A series of new N-phenylbenzamido acid derivatives was synthesized and evaluated
      for their ability to inhibit the IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in
      the rat (PCA), as well as for their capacity to inhibit gastric mucosal damage
      induced by the oral administration of absolute alcohol in the rat. Some of these
      new derivatives exhibit potent antiallergic and cytoprotective activity, 20-80
      times higher than that of the reference, disodium cromoglycate (DSCG). Structure
      activity relationships are discussed. The antiallergic activity of one of the
      more potent compounds of this series, i.e. 4-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-N-[4-(1H-tetrazol
      5-yl)phenyl]benzamide (compound 44, CR 2039) was further evaluated in vivo. This
      compound antagonizes the bronchoconstriction induced by aerosolized ovalbumin in
      both anesthetized and conscious IgE sensitized guinea pigs with ID50 of 3.7
      mg/animal (tracheal insufflation) and 20 mg/kg (im). Further cytoprotective
      effects were evaluated in gastric ulcer models induced by the acute oral
      administration of hypertonic sodium chloride solution or by acetic acid and by
      the subchronic administration of glucose in fasted animals. In the models used
      experimentally CR 2039 is effective, whereas DSCG seems to be devoid of any
      protective activity. Such a potent antiallergic and mucosal protectant could
      provide a new potential agent in the therapy of atopic allergic diseases.

PMID- 1433174
TI  - N1-hydroxylated derivatives of chlorpropamide and its analogs as inhibitors of
      aldehyde dehydrogenase in vivo.
AB  - Certain (arylsulfonyl)urea hypoglycemic drugs exemplified by chlorpropamide (CP)
      are known to interact pharmacologically with alcohol (ethanol) to elicit a
      chlorpropamide-alcohol flushing (CPAF) reaction that is reminiscent of the
      disulfiram-ethanol reaction (DER). In the present structure-activity study,
      designed to elucidate the mechanism of inhibition of aldehyde dehydrogenase
      (AlDH) by CP, we discovered that the N1-methoxy derivative of CP 2a was a potent
      inhibitor of AlDH in vivo similar in activity to that of the N1-ethyl derivative
      2b. Both 2a and 2b can release n-propyl isocyanate, a known inhibitor of AlDH,
      nonenzymatically. However, (arylsulfonyl)carbamates that are structurally
      analogous to 2a were also active inhibitors of AlDH, whereas the corresponding
      (arylsulfonyl)carbamate analogs of 2b were uniformly without activity. We propose
      a mechanism of bioactivation of 2a and its analogs that involves initial O
      demethylation followed by disproportionation and solvolysis of the intermediate
      formed to release nitroxyl, the putative inhibitor of AlDH.

PMID- 1433175
TI  - Prodrugs of nitroxyl as inhibitors of aldehyde dehydrogenase.
AB  - In the preceding paper, analogs of chlorpropamide with an OMe substituent on the
      sulfonamide nitrogen were shown to inhibit aldehyde dehydrogenase (AlDH), and it
      was postulated that these compounds were bioactivated by O-demethylation to
      release nitroxyl (HN = O, nitrosyl hydride), which is an inhibitor of AlDH.
      Further evidence for the production of nitroxyl from compounds with O-acyl
      instead of OMe on the sulfonamide nitrogen is now presented. Thus, nitrous oxide
      (N2O), the end product of nitroxyl dimerization and disproportionation, was found
      to be generated on alkaline or enzymatic hydrolysis of N,O-diacylated N
      hydroxyarylsulfonamides. Since the latter compounds strongly inhibit yeast AlDH
      in vitro after bioactivation by an esterase intrinsic to this enzyme, nitroxyl
      generated from these compounds must be the common intermediate that inhibits
      AlDH.

PMID- 1433176
TI  - Truncated, branched, and/or cyclic analogues of neuropeptide Y: importance of the
      pancreatic peptide fold in the design of specific Y2 receptor ligands.
AB  - Truncated, branched, and/or cyclic neuropeptide Y (NPY) analogues were tested for
      their ability to bind to the neuroblastoma cells, SK-N-MC (Y1 receptor) and SK-N
      BE(2) (Y2 receptor). The design of such analogues was inspired by models of NPY
      based on the crystal structure of avian pancreatic polypeptide. The minimum
      length of the backbone was investigated using the following truncated analogues
      [binding affinity (nM) for Y1 and Y2 receptor subtypes respectively are given in
      parentheses]: des-AA10-17[D-Ala9]NPY (100, 0.9), des-AA7-23[D-Ala6]NPY (> 1000,
      1.2), des-AA4-26[D-Ala3]NPY (> 1000, 120), cyclo(7,20)-des-AA10-17[Glu7,D- Ala9,D
      Dpr20]NPY (100, nd), cyclo(2,27)-des-AA7-23[Glu2,D-Ala6,D-Dpr27]NPY (> 1000,
      3.6), cyclo(2,30)- des-AA7-23[Glu2,D-Ala6,-D-Dpr30]NPY (> 1000, nd), cyclo(1,30)
      des-AA4-26[Glu1,D-Ala3,D-Dpr30]NPY (> 1000, > 1000). A new family of branched NPY
      analogues corresponding to the partial deletion of the polyproline helix with
      conservation of the N-terminus was also examined: des-AA7-23[(Ac-NPY14-22)
      epsilon-D-Lys6]NPY (> 1000, 2.1), des-AA7-23[(Ac-NPY7-22)-epsilon-D-Lys6]NPY (>
      1000, 5.1), des-AA7-23-[(Ac-LEALEG-NPY14-22)-epsilon-D-Lys6]NPY (> 1000, 4.8).
      Finally, the role played by the flexible tail (residues 32-36) was studied with
      the following cyclic analogues: cyclo(30,34)-[Lys30,Glu34]NPY18-36 (> 1000, 360),
      cyclo(30,34)-[Orn30,Gly34]NPY18-36 (> 1000, 950), cyclo(30,34)-[Dpr30,Glu34]NPY18
      36 (> 1000, 590), cyclo(33,36)-[Lys33,Glu36]NPY (> 1000, > 1000), cyclo(33,36)
      [Lys33,Glu36]NPY18-36 (> 1000, > 1000). These results suggest that the Y1
      receptor is highly discriminatory since deletion of residues 10-17, shown to have
      little effect on Y2 binding affinity, reduces Y1 affinity 50-fold. Bridging sites
      and constructs have been identified that may serve as useful leads in the design
      of more potent and selective analogues. We have identified two positions (9 and
      6) where the introduction of a D amino acid is not detrimental to binding
      affinity. Whether this modification leads to the stabilization of a yet
      unidentified turn compatible with high Y2 receptor affinity will have to be
      determined by spectroscopic methods. Finally, stabilizing a putative alpha
      helical conformation of the C-terminal heptapeptide of NPY18-36 has a deleterious
      effect on the Y1 and Y2 receptors.

PMID- 1433177
TI  - Synthesis and antitumor activity of 3- and 5-hydroxy-4-methylpyridine-2
      carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazones.
AB  - To develop an alpha-(N)-heterocyclic carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone with
      clinical utility as an anticancer agent, two analogues, 3-hydroxy-4
      methylpyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (3-HMP) and 5-hydroxy-4
      methylpyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (5-HMP), of 5-hydroxypyridine-2
      carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (5-HP) have been designed and synthesized by two
      different methods. 3-HMP and 5-HMP both showed better antitumor activity than
      their respective parent compounds, 3-hydroxypyridine-2-carboxaldehyde
      thiosemicarbazone and 5-HP, in mice bearing the L1210 leukemia.

PMID- 1433178
TI  - Synthesis and antitumor activity of amino derivatives of pyridine-2
      carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone.
AB  - Various substituted pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazones (12 compounds)
      have been synthesized and evaluated for antineoplastic activity in mice bearing
      the L1210 leukemia. Oxidation of 3-nitro-2-picoline,5-nitro-2-picoline,3-nitro
      2,4-lutidine, and 5-nitro-2,4-lutidine with selenium dioxide was employed to
      generate the corresponding pyridine-2-carboxaldehydes, which were then converted
      to cyclic ethylene acetals and subsequently reduced to amino and hydroxyamino
      derivatives by catalytic hydrogenation. Condensation of nitro aldehydes and
      acetals with thiosemicarbazide afforded the respective thiosemicarbazones.
      Acetylation of the amino acetals and alkylsulfonation of the 5-amino acetal,
      followed by condensation with thiosemicarbazide was employed to yield amide
      thiosemicarbazones. The most active compounds synthesized were 3-aminopyridine-2
      carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone and 3-amino-4-methylpyridine-2-carboxaldehyde
      thiosemicarbazone which produced against the L1210 leukemia, % T/C values of 246
      and 255, and 40% 60-day long-term survivors at two daily doses of 40 mg/kg and 10
      mg/kg, respectively, for six consecutive days.

PMID- 1433179
TI  - 5,10-Methylenetetrahydro-5-deazafolic acid and analogues: synthesis and
      biological activities.
AB  - The synthesis of 5,10-methylene-5-deazatetrahydrofolic acid (2), a stable, rigid
      analogue of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate (1), is reported as a potential
      inhibitor of thymidylate synthase. The target compound was obtained by a Fisher
      indole type cyclization of the hydrazone 16 from 2-amino-6-hydrazino-4
      oxopyrimidine (10) and diethyl N-[4-(3-formyl-1-pyrrolyl)benzoyl]-L-glutamate
      (15) followed by catalytic reduction of the product 17. Similarly, modification
      of the Fisher-indole type cyclization of the appropriate hydrazone precursors 11
      and 12 afforded the nonclassical analogues 3-amino-7,8,9-trimethyl-2H
      pyrrolo[3',4':4,5]pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-1- one (4) and 3-amino-8-benzyl-7,9
      dimethyl-2H-pyrrolo[3',4':4,5]pyrido [2,3-d]pyrimidin-1-one (5), respectively.
      The target compound 2, its aromatic precursor 18, and the nonclassical analogue 4
      were evaluated as inhibitors of the growth of Manca human lymphoma cells and also
      as inhibitors of human dihydrofolate reductase, human thymidylate synthase,
      glycinamide ribonucleotide formyltransferase, and aminoimidazole carboxamide
      ribonucleotide formyltransferase. Compound 18 showed weak inhibition of lymphoma
      cell growth (IC50 = 42 microM) and of AICAR formylTF (IC50 = 17 microM).
      Compounds 2 and 4 did not inhibit lymphoma cell growth or thymidylate synthase.
      The inactivity of 2 was attributed to its lack of flexibility leading to its
      inability to bind to thymidylate synthase.

PMID- 1433180
TI  - Antimitotic agents: structure-activity studies with some pyridine derivatives.
AB  - Antitumor activity in mice was observed for the oxime of the previously reported
      ethyl [6-amino-4-[(1-methyl-2-phenyl-2-oxoethyl)amino]-5-nitropyridin -2-yl]
      carbamate (8) and several related compounds. These compounds are precursors of
      the active ethyl pyrido[3,4-b]pyrazin-7-ylcarbamates (e.g., 4), which are potent
      antimitotic agents. In the 5-nitropyridine series overall biological activity was
      reduced by replacement of the oxime moiety with a keto or alcohol group and by
      replacement of the 1-methyl group of the side chain with hydrogen. Reduction of
      the nitro group of the 5-nitropyridines containing an alcohol in the side chain
      to the corresponding 5-aminopyridines increased biological activity. Preliminary
      studies showed that the 5-nitropyridine oximes were considerably less potent than
      the pyridopyrazines as antimitotic agents and that the former are apparently not
      converted to the latter in vivo. The inhibition of the incorporation of
      pyrimidine nucleosides into DNA and RNA was identified as another possible mode
      of action of the 5-nitropyridine oximes.

PMID- 1433181
TI  - Novel 1,2,4-oxadiazoles and 1,2,4-thiadiazoles as dual 5-lipoxygenase and
      cyclooxygenase inhibitors.
AB  - A series of 1,2,4-oxadiazoles and 1,2,4-thiadiazoles containing a 2,6-di-tert
      butylphenol substituent were prepared and evaluated as dual inhibitors of 5
      lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase in rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-1) cells. Several
      of these compounds show oral efficacy in the rat carrageenan footpad edema (CFE)
      and mycobacterium footpad edema (MFE) antiinflammatory models, without
      concomitant gastric ulceration. Structure-activity relationships are discussed.
      The best compounds (ID40 values in MFE of 3-8 mg/kg po) contain guanidine-derived
      substituents on the heterocyclic ring.

PMID- 1433182
TI  - Conformational analysis of the aromatase inhibitor 3-ethyl-3-(4
      pyridyl)piperidine-2,6-dione (rogletimide) and discovery of potent 5-alkyl
      derivatives.
AB  - Analysis of the proton NMR spectra of 3-ethyl-3-(4-pyridyl)piperidine-2,6-dione
      (rogletimide, 1) shows that it exists in solution with the aromatic ring in an
      axial position; the same conformation was found for aminoglutethimide. Excess
      lithium diisopropylamide treatment of 1 formed a dianion which methylated at C-5.
      The major product with the methyl group trans to the pyridyl ring retained this
      ring in an axial position and had higher aromatase inhibitory potency than 1. The
      minor diastereoisomer with an equatorial pyridyl ring had low potency. Upon
      elongating the alkyl chain, particularly high inhibitory activity was found for
      the major product isomer having a C-5 octyl, coinciding with the high activity in
      C-3 and N-1 octyl derivatives of 1, but there was only a small difference in the
      activity between the enantiomers of 5-octyl-1 and activity was reduced rather
      than increased when octyl also replaced ethyl at C-3. The results partially
      support a previously described model comparing binding of androstenedione to
      aromatase in as much as an axial pyridyl ring is needed to mimic the axial C-19
      methyl group of the steroid and bind to the heme component of the enzyme, but for
      the derivatives bearing a C-5 octyl, the function of the glutarimide ring seems
      to be simply as a spacer between the hydrophobic chain and the pyridyl ring.

PMID- 1433183
TI  - Aliphatic propargylamines: potent, selective, irreversible monoamine oxidase B
      inhibitors.
AB  - A series of aliphatic propargylamine derivatives has been synthesized. Some of
      them possess highly potent, irreversible, selective, inhibitory activity toward
      monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B). The potency of the inhibitors is related to chain
      length and substitution of a hydrogen on the terminal carbon of the aliphatic
      chain. MAO inhibitory activity as assessed in vitro increased as the aliphatic
      carbon chain length increased. Substitution of a hydrogen by hydroxyl, carboxyl,
      or carbethoxyl groups at the aliphatic chain terminal or replacement of the
      methyl group on the nitrogen atom by an ethyl group considerably reduced the
      inhibitory activity. Stereospecific effects were observed with the R-(-)
      enantiomer being 20-fold more active than the S-(+)-enantiomer. Inhibitors with
      relatively short carbon chain lengths (i.e. four to six carbons) were found to be
      more potent than those with longer chains in inhibiting brain MAO-B activity in
      vivo especially after oral administration. Chronic administration of low doses of
      the aliphatic propargylamines caused a slight cumulative inhibition of MAO-A
      activity in the mouse brain. These MAO-B inhibitors appear to be nontoxic, and
      they do not possess an amphetamine-like moiety in their structure as is the case
      for deprenyl. We expect that these aliphatic propargylamines may be useful in the
      treatment in certain neuropsychiatric disorders.

PMID- 1433184
TI  - Discovery of a novel class of orally active, non-peptide angiotensin II
      antagonists.

PMID- 1433185
TI  - (R)-2-(3-mercapto-2(S)-methyl-1-oxo-propoxy)-3-(methylthio)propanoic acid, the
      first ultra-short-acting angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor.

PMID- 1433186
TI  - Special issue dedicated to Ralph F. Hirschmann.

PMID- 1433187
TI  - A general method for the preparation of internally quenched fluorogenic protease
      substrates using solid-phase peptide synthesis.
AB  - A general scheme for obtaining a fluorescent donor/acceptor peptide substrate via
      solid-phase synthesis methodology is presented. The key feature of this method is
      the design of a glutamic acid derivative that has been modified on the carboxyl
      side chain with a 5-[(2'-aminoethyl)-amino]naphthelenesulfonic acid (EDANS) to
      create a fluorescent donor moiety that can be incorporated near the C-terminus of
      the peptide substrate. The corresponding fluorescent acceptor group containing a
      4-[[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]azo]benzoic acid (DABCYL) can then be attached to the
      resin-bound peptide at the N-terminus while all side-chain groups are still fully
      protected. Substrates for renin and HIV proteinase are synthesized as examples.

PMID- 1433188
TI  - Inhibition of human leukocyte elastase. 4. Selection of a substituted
      cephalosporin (L-658,758) as a topical aerosol.
AB  - Human leukocyte elastase (HLE) is a serine protease which has been implicated as
      a causative agent in several pulmonary diseases. The continued modification of
      our previously reported cephalosporin-based HLE inhibitors has led to the
      identification of a series of C-2 amides with potent, topical activity in an in
      vivo hamster lung hemorrhage model. While the most potent in vitro HLE inhibition
      had previously been obtained with lipophilic ester derivatives, it was found that
      the less active, but more polar and stable, amide derivatives were much more
      effective in vivo. The development of the structure--activity relations for
      optimization of these activities is discussed. These results led to the selection
      of 3-(acetoxymethyl)-2-[(2(S)-carboxypyrrolidino)carbonyl]-7 alpha-methoxy-8-oxo
      5-thia-1-azabicyclo[4.2.0]oct-2-ene, 5,5-dioxide (3, L-658,758) as a selective,
      potent, time-dependent HLE inhibitor suitable for formulation as a topical
      aerosol drug for possible clinical use.

PMID- 1433189
TI  - Orally active beta-lactam inhibitors of human leukocyte elastase-1. Activity of
      3,3-diethyl-2-azetidinones.
AB  - A thorough analysis of the mechanism of inhibition of human leukocyte elastase
      (HLE) by a monocyclic beta-lactam and the mechanism of beta-lactam hydrolysis led
      to the preparation of potent and highly stable inhibitors of HLE. This work led
      to the identification of 4-[(4-carboxyphenyl)-oxy]-3,3-diethyl-1-
      [[(phenylmethyl)amino]carbonyl]-2-azetidinone (2) as the first orally active
      inhibitor of human leukocyte elastase (HLE). Analogs of 2 with different
      substituents on the urea N were synthesized and evaluated for their activity in
      vitro against HLE as well as in vivo in a hamster lung hemorrhage model.
      Compounds with a methyl or a methoxy group in the para position of the benzene
      ring were very potent in both assays. The results are discussed on the basis of
      the proposed model for the binding of this class of inhibitors to HLE and a
      possible mechanism of inhibition is presented.

PMID- 1433190
TI  - Highly potent, orally active diester macrocyclic human renin inhibitors.
AB  - Replacing one amide bond in macrocyclic renin inhibitors of the general structure
      1 and 2 with an ester linkage gave glutamate-derived inhibitors 3 and serine
      derived inhibitors 4. While this oxygen-for-nitrogen exchange had little effect
      on potency in the glutamate series, potency was dramatically increased in the
      serine series. In this series, the 14-membered ring compounds proved to be more
      potent than the corresponding 13-membered ring derivatives. Substitution of the
      ring at the position corresponding to P2' generally increased potency. The
      absolute configuration at this center was shown to be R for the 4
      morpholinomethyl derivative (4o), both by asymmetric synthesis and X-ray
      crystallography. Replacing the "Boc-Phe" moiety of inhibitor 4o with a variety of
      substituents led to subnanomolar inhibitors, one of which (the "3(S)
      quinuclidinyl-Phe" derivative 33) lowered blood pressure 20 mmHg and completely
      inhibited plasma renin activity for 6 h in sodium-depleted rhesus monkeys. This
      compound proved to have limited bioavailability (1% in rats) due to cleavage of
      the serine ester bond and rapid hepatic extraction.

PMID- 1433191
TI  - Analogs of Ac-CCK-7 incorporating dipeptide mimics in place of Met28-Gly29.
AB  - A series of analogs of Ac-CCK-7 [Ac-Tyr(SO3H)-Met28-Gly29-Trp-Met-Asp- Phe-NH2,
      (1)] were prepared in which the Met28-Gly29 dipeptide was replaced by omega
      aminoalkanoic acids. Compounds were assessed in binding assays using homogenated
      rat pancreatic membranes and bovine striatum as the source of CCK-A and CCK-B
      receptors, respectively, and for anorectic activity after intraperitoneal
      administration to rats. The analog incorporating 4-aminobutanoic acid (5) was
      only 8 times less potent than 1 in the pancreatic binding assay, was more potent
      in the striatal binding assay, and was more potent than 1 in reducing food intake
      in rats. Using a bioactive cyclic analog of Ac-CCK-7 as a template, several rigid
      spacers were designed and tested as substitutes for the Met28-Gly29 dipeptide.
      The analogs incorporating 3-aminobenzoic acid (20) and (1S)-trans-2
      aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acid (26) proved highly effective in the binding
      assays and as anorectic agents. We hypothesize that for stimulation of CCK-A
      receptors, the main function of the N-terminal tripeptide of Ac-CCK-7 is to
      orient the tyrosine sulfate with respect to Trp30 and that the bioactive
      arrangement of these elements lies among those which are readily available to
      both 20 and 26. NOESY and distance-constrained molecular dynamics experiments
      carried out on 20 and 26 identified conformations in which the relative
      orientation of the tyrosine hydroxide and the alpha-carbon atom of tryptophan
      were similar, providing the basis for further drug design efforts.

PMID- 1433192
TI  - New hydroxyethylamine HIV protease inhibitors that suppress viral replication.
AB  - The synthesis of analogues of AcSerLeuAsn[Phe-HEA-Pro]IleValOMe (1, JG-365; where
      HEA stands for the hydroxyethylamine unit 2), a tight-binding inhibitor of HIVP,
      are reported. Systematic modification of the P3 and P3' regions of the inhibitors
      has led to smaller HIVP inhibitors that inhibit viral replication in HIV-infected
      and SIV-infected cell cultures. Six aliphatic and/or aromatic derivatives were
      prepared by replacing residues in the P3 regions of BocLeuAsn[Phe-HEA
      Pro]IleValOMe. Aromatic side chains at P3 gave better inhibitors than aliphatic
      side chains. The better inhibitors in this series contained a beta
      naphthylalanine or a biphenyl unit at P3. A second series of HIVP inhibitors were
      obtained by converting the P3 group into acyl groups. CbzAsn[Phe-HEA
      Pro]IlePheOMe and Qua-Asn-[Phe-HEA-Pro]-Ile-Phe-OMe (where Qua = quinolin-2
      ylcarbonyl) are potent HIVP inhibitors with Ki values equal to 1.0 and 0.1 nM,
      respectively. The inhibition constants were determined by using the continuous
      fluorometric assay developed by Toth and Marshall. The activities of the protease
      inhibitors for inhibition of SIV replication were determined in vitro using CEM x
      174 cells. Inhibition of HIV infection was determined essentially as reported by
      Pauwels and co-workers. The anti-HIV assay was carried out in culture using CEM
      cells (a CD4+ lymphocyte line) infected with virus strain HTLV-IIIb with a
      multiplicity of infection of 0.1. Several analogues inhibited the cytopathic
      effect at concentrations of 0.1-0.8 microgram/mL. These results establish that
      good inhibitors of HIV protease that inhibit viral replication in infected
      lymphocytes in in vitro cell assays can be obtained from JG-365 when the AcSerLeu
      unit is replaced by aromatic acyl derivatives.

PMID- 1433193
TI  - 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors. 9. The synthesis and
      biological evaluation of novel simvastatin analogs.
AB  - Substitution of hydroxy and hydroxyalkyl functionality at C-7 of the
      hexahydronaphthalene nucleus of simvastatin has provided novel analogs. The
      synthetic strategy employed epoxidation or Lewis acid-catalyzed aldol reaction of
      the 8-keto silyl enol ether as a key reactive intermediate. These analogs were
      evaluated as potential hypocholesterolemic agents via initial determination of
      their ability to inhibit HMG-CoA reductase in vitro. Oral activity of these
      compounds was determined in an acute rat model and a three-week study in
      cholestyramine-primed dogs. Compounds were identified that possessed in vitro and
      in vivo activity comparable to that of simvastatin.

PMID- 1433195
TI  - Imidazole-5-acrylic acids: potent nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor antagonists
      designed using a novel peptide pharmacophore model.
AB  - A series of novel nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor antagonists containing a
      substituted (E)-acrylic acid has been developed. The overlay of 1, an imidazole-5
      acetic acid found in the patent literature, on a novel pharmacophore model of AII
      suggested that extension of the acid side chain and attachment of a second aryl
      residue to mimic the C-terminal phenylalanine region of AII would lead to
      increased activity. A study of extended acid side chains at C-5 of the imidazole
      nucleus led to the discovery of the (E)-acrylic acid 5 as a promising starting
      point for further exploration. As predicted by the modeling, substitution of a
      benzyl group on the acrylic acid side chain to mimic the phenylalanine gave
      increased potency. An extensive study of the SAR of the newly introduced aromatic
      ring revealed that electron-rich heteroaryl rings provided improved activity,
      most notably in the in vivo rat models. Compound 40, (E)-3-[2-butyl-1- [(2
      chlorophenyl)methyl]imidazol-5-yl]-2-[(2-thienyl)methyl]-2- propenoic acid, has
      been shown to be a potent, competitive, and orally active small molecule AT-1
      receptor antagonist. It exhibits a 2 orders of magnitude increase in binding
      affinity and a 10-fold improvement in in vivo potency as compared to compound 1
      and represents an important milestone in the development of even more potent
      nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor antagonists.

PMID- 1433194
TI  - 4-substituted thiophene- and furan-2-sulfonamides as topical carbonic anhydrase
      inhibitors.
AB  - A series of 4-substituted thiophene- and furan-2-sulfonamides was prepared and
      was found to possess nanomolar-level potency for inhibition of human carbonic
      anhydrase II in vitro. Selected examples from this group were further evaluated
      for their potential to act as topically effective ocular hypotensive agents in
      the ocular normotensive albino rabbit and the ocular alpha-chymotrypsinized
      rabbit. Solubility studies in water and pH 7.4 buffer were carried out to
      estimate the ability of compounds to be formulated in solution. The sensitization
      potential of key representative structures was determined by in vitro glutathione
      reactivity studies and guinea pig maximization testing.

PMID- 1433196
TI  - Synthesis and biological activity of 13-epi-avermectins: potent anthelmintic
      agents with an increased margin of safety.
AB  - Chemical conversion of the potent anthelmintic natural products avermectin B1 (1)
      and avermectin B2 (3) to the corresponding 13-epi analogs (15 and 9) is
      described. The novel analogs retain the full potency of the natural products but
      are substantially safer.

PMID- 1433197
TI  - Affinity probes for the avermectin binding proteins.
AB  - The design and synthesis of a series of avermectin affinity probes used in the
      identification and purification of the avermectin binding proteins is described.
      These modified avermectins fall into two design classes: ligands to covalently
      modify specific avermectin binding proteins [an 125I-labeled aryl azide
      photoprobe (15) and a tritiated aziridine analog (6)] and ligands for affinity
      chromatography applications [three biotinylated compounds (10, 12, and 13) and
      one resin-bound derivative (9)]. The binding affinities of these compounds for
      the Caenorhabditis elegans avermectin binding protein is presented as well as
      their biological activities against C. elegans and Artemia salina.

PMID- 1433198
TI  - Differences in hydration and association of helical Boc-Val-Ala-Leu-Aib-Val-Ala
      Leu-(Val-Ala-Leu-Aib)2-OMe.xH2O in two crystalline polymorphs.
AB  - The 15-residue apolar peptide, Boc-Val-Ala-Leu-Aib-Val-Ala-Leu-(Val-Ala-Leu-Aib)2
      OMe has been crystallized from 2-propanol-water (form I). The crystal parameters
      for I are as follows: C74H133N15O18.2H2O, space group P2(1), a = 9.185 (6) A, b =
      47.410 (3) A, c = 10.325 (9) A, beta = 91.47 (2) degrees, Z = 2, R = 6.3% for
      4532 reflections observed > 3 sigma (F), resolution 0.94 A. The structure is
      almost completely alpha-helical with eleven 5-->1 hydrogen bonds and one 4-->1
      hydrogen bond near the N-terminus. The structure has been compared with a
      polymorph (form II) obtained from methanol-water (Karle, I. L.; Flippen-Anderson,
      J. L.; Uma, K.; Sukumar, M.; Balaram, P., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1990, 112, 9350
      9356). The two forms differ in the extent of hydration; form I contains two water
      molecules in the head-to-tail region of helical columns, while form II is more
      extensively solvated, with the equivalent of 7.5 water molecules. The three
      dimensional packing of helices is completely parallel in I and antiparallel in
      II.

PMID- 1433199
TI  - Stabilization of the N-terminal residues of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone
      agonists and the effect on pharmacokinetics.
AB  - To stabilize leuprolide (1) against chymotrypsin and intestinal degradation
      several agonists of LHRH (2-12), modified at position 1, 2, or 3 and/or
      containing N-alpha-methyl at positions 1, 2, or 4, were synthesized by SPPS.
      These agonists were tested in vitro for (a) rat pituitary LHRH receptor binding,
      (b) LH release from rat pituitary cells, (c) stability against chymotrypsin, and
      (d) stability against rat intestinal degradation. The clearances of the compounds
      in the rat were determined using a RIA. Complete stabilization against
      chymotrypsin (t1/2) and lumenal degradation (T1/2) was achieved with substitution
      of NMe-Ser4 in leuprolide; however, with an increase in clearance. Substitution
      with 1-Nal3 increased both t1/2 and T1/2, while substitution with NAc-Sar1
      increased only T1/2. [NAcSar1,NMeSer4,D-Trp6,Pro9NHEt]LHRH (12), the doubly
      stabilized analogue, was tested in the rat by both iv and id administrations, and
      its bioavailabilities were measured. No significant improvement in id absorption
      over leuprolide was observed.

PMID- 1433200
TI  - Potent V2/V1a vasopressin antagonists with C-terminal ethylenediamine-linked
      retro-amino acids.
AB  - We report the solid-phase synthesis and antagonistic potencies of 25 analogues (1
      25) of [1-(beta-mercapto-beta,beta-pentamethylenepropionic acid),2-O-ethyl-D
      tyrosine,4-valine]arginine-vasopressin (d(CH2)5D-Tyr(Et)2-VAVP) (A) and of the
      related Ile4 (D) and [D-Phe2,Ile4] (E) analogues, potent antagonists of the
      antidiuretic (V2-receptor) and of the vasopressor (V1a-receptor) responses to
      arginine-vasopressin (AVP). Six of these peptides (1, 13, 17, 19, 21, and 23)
      have the Pro-Arg-Gly-NH2 tripeptide side chain fully or partially replaced or
      extended by ethylenediamine (Eda). The remaining 19 peptides have L- or D-amino
      acids retrolinked to these six C-terminal Eda peptides. Peptides 1, 13, 17, and
      19 all have the ring structure of (A). Their side-chain structures are as
      follows: 1, Eda; 13, Pro-Eda; 17, Pro-Arg-Eda; 19, Arg-Gly-Eda. Peptide 21 is the
      Pro-Arg-Eda analogue of D; peptide 23 is the Pro-Arg-Gly-Eda analogue of E.
      Peptide 2 is the retro-Arg analogue of 1. Its side-chain structure is Eda<--Arg.
      Peptides 3-6 are analogues of 2 which have the D-Tyr-(Et)2 residue replaced by L
      Tyr(Et)2 (3), D-Phe2 (4), D-Ile2 (5), or D-Leu2 (6), respectively. Peptides 7-12
      are analogues of 2 which have the C-terminal retro-Arg replaced in retrofashion
      by D-Arg (7), Gly (8), Orn (9), D-Orn (10), D-Lys (11), or Arg-Arg (12). Peptides
      14-16 have D-Orn (14), D-Lys (15), and D-Arg (16) retrosubstituted to peptide 13.
      Peptides 18, 20, and 22 are the retro-Arg-substituted analogues of 17, 19, and
      21, respectively. Peptides 24 and 25 have Val and D-Val in retrolinkage with 23,
      respectively. All 25 peptides were examined for agonistic and antagonistic
      potencies in AVP V2/V1a assays. With the exception of peptides 5 and 6, all
      exhibit potent anti-V1a antagonism, with anti-V1a pA2 values in the range 7.64
      8.33.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1433201
TI  - Growth hormone-releasing factor analogs with hydrophobic residues at position 19.
      Effects on growth hormone releasing activity in vitro and in vivo, stability in
      blood plasma in vitro, and secondary structure.
AB  - To test the hypothesis that replacing Ala19 in growth hormone-releasing factor
      (GRF) with more hydrophobic residues will increase growth hormone releasing
      activity, four GRF analogs were prepared and tested. The molecules were made by
      substituting Val, Ile, or Leu at position 19 of [Thr2,Ala15,Leu27]bGRF(1-29)NH2.
      The compounds were evaluated for growth hormone (GH) releasing activity in vitro
      (rat anterior pituitary cells) and in vivo (steers). Additionally, their half
      life in vitro was determined in bovine plasma, and their secondary structure was
      examined by circular dichroism. In pituitary cells, peptides with substitutions
      at position 19 had the following potencies: Ala (native), 0.37; Val, 1.16; Ile,
      0.37; Leu, 0.043. When assayed in steers as a single iv bolus, over a 2-h period,
      the compounds gave the following integrated GH response: Ala, 2.75; Val, 2.67;
      Ile, 2.57; Leu, 1.55. Only the Leu analog was statistically different from the
      other three (p = 0.05). In bovine plasma, the half-lives (hours) were as follows:
      Ala, 4.9; Val, 6.6; Ile, 12.3; Leu, 14.7. In phosphate buffer the compounds were
      calculated to have the following percent helical content: Ala, 26; Val, 21; Ile,
      27; Leu, 32. For these analogs, helicity in aqueous buffer is inversely related
      to their in vitro activity. Using a linear multiple regression model, the plasma
      half-life of the analogs positively correlated (r2 = 0.999) with both the
      hydrophobicity of the residue at position 19 and the helicity of the analog.
      Although the Val analog had both increased inherent activity and increased plasma
      stability in vitro compared to the Ala analog, in this study we were unable to
      demonstrate an increase in activity in vivo. The in vivo GH releasing activity of
      the analogs was not simply related to a combination of their intrinsic GH
      releasing activity and their in vitro plasma half-life. This suggests that in
      vivo additional factors are moderating the expression of activity.

PMID- 1433202
TI  - Enzymatic semisynthesis of a superpotent analog of human growth hormone-releasing
      factor.
AB  - A superpotent analog of human growth hormone-releasing factor, [desNH2Tyr1,D
      Ala2,Ala15]-GRF(1-29)-NH2 (4), was prepared from the precursor, [Ala15,29]-GRF(4
      29)-OH (1), by a two-step enzymatic semisynthesis. The amidated C-terminus,
      essential for high biological potency, was obtained via a carboxypeptidase Y
      catalyzed exchange of Ala29-OH for Arg29-NH2 to produce [Ala15]-GRF(4-29)-NH2
      (2). The N-terminal desNH2Tyr-D-Ala moiety, which greatly increases in vivo
      duration of action, was then incorporated by V8 protease-catalyzed condensation
      of segment 2 with desNH2Tyr-D-Ala-Asp(OH)-OR [R = CH3CH2- (3a) or 4-NO2C6H4CH2
      (3b)]. The main focus of this report was to develop conditions to use the V8
      protease-catalyzed coupling while avoiding a competing cleavage of the
      proteolytically-sensitive Asp25-Ile26 bond in GRF. Conversion of 2 to 4 in
      couplings employing the alpha-ethyl ester of the acyl component 3a was limited to
      about 60% by competing proteolysis at Asp25-Ile26. This system was adequate for
      preparing, isolating, and fully characterizing the target analog 4 and
      identifying the side products. The 4-nitrobenzyl ester 3b proved to be a superior
      substrate, resulting in 90% conversion of 2 to 4 with no detectable loss to
      proteolysis and requiring significantly lesser amounts of catalyst. These results
      demonstrate that enzymatic semisynthesis of a biologically-active peptide amide
      which contains unnatural amino acids at the N-terminus can be achieved from a
      biosynthetic precursor in good yield and purity.

PMID- 1433203
TI  - Investigation of conformational specificity at GPIIb/IIIa: evaluation of
      conformationally constrained RGD peptides.
AB  - RGD-containing proteins and peptides are known to bind to the platelet GPIIb/IIIa
      receptor and inhibit platelet aggregation. That a conformational component to the
      specificity exists is suggested by significantly lower activity of linear RGD
      analogs relative to closely related cyclic peptides and small proteins containing
      the RGD sequence. Recently, conformations for a suite of RGD containing cyclic
      peptides have been defined by NMR-based methods and, for one molecule, by X-ray
      diffraction. We report here the NMR-based conformational analysis of an
      additional cyclic peptide, cyclo(Pro-Arg-Gly-Asp-D-Pro-Gly), and compare the
      conformational variations in the suite of peptides and related analogs.
      Biological activity data for these peptides shows a preference of the platelet
      GPIIb/IIIa receptor for one conformation of the RGD sequence, but suggests its
      ability to bind a second, distinct conformation.

PMID- 1433204
TI  - Design and synthesis of a C7 mimetic for the predicted gamma-turn conformation
      found in several constrained RGD antagonists.

PMID- 1433205
TI  - 4-Oxospiro[benzopyran-2,4'-piperidines] as class III antiarrhythmic agents.
      Pharmacological studies on 3,4-dihydro-1'-[2-(benzofurazan-5-yl)- ethyl]-6
      methanesulfonamidospiro[(2H)-1-benzopyran-2,4'-piperidin]-4-on e (L-691,121).

PMID- 1433206
TI  - N-substituted pyrazino[2,3-c][1,2,6]thiadiazine 2,2-dioxides. A new class of
      diuretics.
AB  - The synthesis and evaluation of a new class of diuretic agents derived from the
      pyrazino[2,3-c][1,2,6]thiadiazine 2,2-dioxide ring system are described.
      Preliminary structure-activity relationships indicate that the nature and
      location of the substituents at different positions of the heterocycle are
      crucial for activity. Thus, a novel synthetic methodology has been developed to
      selectively introduce the desired substituents at different positions. From the
      study of the pharmacological properties (dose-response curves, duration of
      action, and acute toxicity) of the most active compounds, 4-amino-1,7-diethyl-6
      methylpyrazino[2,3-c][1,2,6]thiadiazine++ + 2,2-dioxide (9) was selected for
      further investigation. Compound 9 (C10H15N5O2S) crystallizes in space group P21/a
      with unit cell dimensions a = 16.482 (1), b = 9.3484 (3), c = 8.333 (3) A, beta =
      103.003 (3) degrees, Z = 4.

PMID- 1433207
TI  - 6-Hydroxy-3-n-propyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine and analogs: new
      centrally acting 5-HT1A receptor agonists.
AB  - The ring-closed phenylethylamine analogue 6-hydroxy-3-n-propyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro
      1H-3-benzazepine (1) is a 5-HT1A receptor agonist of moderate potency, according
      to both in vivo biochemical data and in vitro binding data. The active compounds
      of this series also induce the 5-HT behavioral syndrome. Molecular modeling
      studies were performed with molecular mechanics calculations, and a tentative
      explanation for the relatively low potency of these serotonergic benzazepines is
      provided.

PMID- 1433208
TI  - Synthesis and biological evaluation of 5'-sulfamoylated purinyl carbocyclic
      nucleosides.
AB  - The first series of 5'-sulfamoylated carbocyclic purinyl nucleosides was
      synthesized and tested for antitumor and antibacterial activities. The target
      compounds were formed by reacting the 2',3'-acetonide-protected carbocyclic
      nucleosides with sulfamoyl chloride, followed by deprotection. The agents were
      tested for cytotoxic activity against P388 mouse leukemia cells. Two compounds,
      5'-sulfamoyl carbocyclic adenosine (2) and 5-sulfamoyl-8-aza carbocyclic
      adenosine (6) exhibited IC50 values as low as 62 and 15 nM, respectively. These
      analogs inhibited protein biosynthesis and slowed down DNA and RNA biosyntheses
      in the P388 cells. None of the target molecules were as potent against
      Escherichia coli as they were against the tumor cells. Also, in cell-free
      systems, agents 2 and 6 were more effective inhibitors of protein synthesis in
      rabbit reticulocyte lysate than in E. coli. These new carbocyclic derivatives
      appear to be somewhat selective for eukaryotic over prokaryotic cells in
      affecting translation.

PMID- 1433210
TI  - New nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor antagonists. 2. Synthesis, biological
      properties, and structure-activity relationships of 2-alkyl-4
      (biphenylylmethoxy)quinoline derivatives.
AB  - A novel series of nonpeptidic angiotensin II (AII) receptor antagonists is
      reported, derived from linkage of the biphenylcarboxylic acid or
      biphenylyltetrazole moiety found in previously described antagonists via a
      methyleneoxy chain to the 4-position of a 2-alkyl quinoline. When evaluated in an
      in vitro binding assay using a guinea pig adrenal membrane preparation, compounds
      in this series generally gave IC50 values in the range 0.01-1 microM. Structure
      activity studies showed the quinoline nitrogen atom and a short alkyl chain at
      the quinoline 2-position to be essential for receptor binding. On intravenous
      administration in a normotensive rat model, the more potent compounds inhibited
      the AII-induced pressor response with ED50 values in the range 0.1-2.0 mg/kg. One
      of the compounds, 2-ethyl-4-[[2'-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)biphenyl-4
      yl]methoxy]quinoline (5g), demonstrated good oral activity in two rat models. At
      doses in the range 1-10 mg/kg in AII-infused, normotensive rats, the compound
      exhibited a dose-related inhibition of the pressor response with a good duration
      of action at the higher doses. In a renal hypertensive rat model, compound 5g
      showed a rapid and sustained lowering of blood pressure at a dose of 5 mg/kg. On
      the basis of its profile, this compound, designated ICI D8731, has been selected
      for clinical evaluation.

PMID- 1433209
TI  - Novel functional M1 selective muscarinic agonists. 2. Synthesis and structure
      activity relationships of 3-pyrazinyl-1,2,5,6-tetrahydro-1-methylpyridines.
      Construction of a molecular model for the M1 pharmacophore.
AB  - A series of 3-(3-substituted-pyrazinyl)-1,2,5,6-tetrahydro-1-methylpyridines were
      synthesized and found to have high affinity for central muscarinic receptors. The
      ability of some of these compounds to inhibit the electrically stimulated twitch
      of the guinea pig vas deferens indicated that the compounds were M1 agonists. M1
      agonist activity was related to the length of the side chain attached to the
      pyrazine ring, with maximal activity being obtained with the hexyloxy side chain.
      The (hexyloxy)pyrazine 3f lacked M2 agonist activity as it failed to affect the
      guinea pig atria and was also relatively devoid of M3 agonist activity as
      determined by its lack of tremorogenic and sialogogic effects in mice. A
      comparison of the M1 agonist efficacy of these pyrazines and related 1,2,5
      thiadiazoles and 1,2,5-oxadiazoles suggested that M1 efficacy was related to the
      magnitude of electrostatic potential located over the nitrogens of the respective
      heterocycles. The heteroatom directly attached to the 3 position of the pyrazine
      or 1,2,5-thiadiazole heterocycle markedly influenced the M1 efficacy of the
      compounds by determining the energetically favorably conformers for rotation
      about the bond connecting the tetrahydropyridyl ring and the heterocycle. A three
      dimensional model for the M1-activating pharmacophore was proposed based on
      computational studies and the model of the muscarinic pharmacophore proposed by
      Schulman.

PMID- 1433211
TI  - Synthesis and antibacterial activity of a series of basic amides of teicoplanin
      and deglucoteicoplanin with polyamines.
AB  - Basic carboxamides of teicoplanin A2 (CTA) and its aglycon (TD) are prepared by
      condensation of the 63-carboxyl function of these antibiotics with linear or
      branched polyamines. The antimicrobial activities of some of the resulting
      compounds were better than those of the unmodified antibiotics. The presence of
      more than one basic group in the amidic chain enhanced the in vitro activity of
      some TD-amides against Gram-negative bacteria; two of these derivatives were also
      effective in vivo against Escherichia coli septicemia in the mouse. Among the CTA
      derivatives, the amide with spermine showed some unexpected in vitro activity
      against Gram-negatives. Both CTA- and TD-amides with polyamines are very soluble
      in water over a wide range of pH and are very hydrophilic.

PMID- 1433212
TI  - Synthesis, chemical, and biological properties of vinylogous hydroxamic acids:
      dual inhibitors of 5-lipoxygenase and IL-1 biosynthesis.
AB  - Vinylogous hydroxamic acids (3-(N-hydroxy-N-alkylamino)-2-propen-1-ones, VHA)
      were prepared as antiinflammatory agents. The synthesis, chemical properties, and
      in vitro biological activities of these relatively unexplored compounds are
      described. The VHAs were prepared by condensation of the appropriate N
      substituted hydroxylamine with any of the three reagents: a 1,3-dicarbonyl
      compound (method A); a vinylogous amide (method B); or an alkynone (method C).
      The VHAs exist as one or more tautomers in solution with the relative proportions
      of each being dependent upon the structure of the VHA, solvent, and pH. VHAs
      undergo some of the typical reactions of hydroxamic acids as well as those of
      vinylogous amides. VHAs are active as inhibitors of 5-lipoxygenase and of IL-1
      biosynthesis in vitro, which do not inhibit other enzymes of the arachidonic acid
      cascade. They have been shown by ESR studies to bring about inhibition of soybean
      type 1 15-lipoxygenase by reduction of the active site iron.

PMID- 1433214
TI  - Inhibition of hog liver folylpolyglutamate synthetase by 5-substituted 5,8
      dideaza analogues of folic acid bearing a terminal L-ornithine residue.
AB  - Five new N alpha-(5,8-dideazapteroyl)-L-ornithines have been prepared using
      multistep synthetic sequences. These include N alpha-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-5,8
      dideazapteroyl]-L-ornithine, 3, as well as N alpha-[5-(trifluoromethyl)-5,8
      dideazaisopteroyl]-L-ornithine, 4, and its 5-fluoro and 5-chloro analogues. Both
      of the compounds containing a 5-(trifluoromethyl) group (3 and 4) were found to
      be excellent inhibitors of homogeneous hog liver folylpolyglutamate synthetase,
      having Ki values in the same range as N alpha-(5-chloro-5,8-dideazapteroyl)-L
      ornithine, 2, (approximately 10 nM). However, the bridge-reversed isomer of 2 was
      60-fold less inhibitory than 2.

PMID- 1433213
TI  - Copyrine alkaloids: synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, and
      antimycotic/antimycobacterial activity of A- and B-ring-functionalized
      sampangines.
AB  - Several A- and B-ring-substituted sampangines were synthesized and evaluated for
      antifungal and antimycobacterial activity against AIDS-related opportunistic
      infection pathogens. Electrophilic halogenation provided a channel for structural
      elaboration of the sampangine B-ring at position 4, while the synthesis of A-ring
      3-substituted sampangines and benzo[4,5]sampangine (24) were achieved from the
      corresponding functionalized cleistopholines. Two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy
      was used to rigorously characterize the A- and B-ring substituent patterns.
      Structure-activity relationship studies revealed the activity of the sampangines
      was enhanced by the presence of a substituent at position 3 or by a 4,5-benzo
      group.

PMID- 1433215
TI  - (Pyridylcyanomethyl)piperazines as orally active PAF antagonists.
AB  - A series of (pyridylcyanomethyl)piperazines was prepared and evaluated for PAF
      antagonist activity. Compounds were tested in vitro in a PAF-induced platelet
      aggregation assay and in vivo in a PAF-induced hypotension test in normotensive
      rats. Oral activity was ascertained through a PAF-induced mortality test in mice.
      The main structure-activity trends of the series were established. Activity was
      mainly found in four skeletons: 1-acyl-4-(3-pyridylcyanomethyl)piperazine, 1-acyl
      4-(4-pyridylcyanomethyl)piperazine, 1-acyl-4-(3-pyridylcyanomethyl)piperidine,
      and 1-acyl-4-cyano-4-(3-pyridylamino)piperidine. The acyl substituents,
      diphenylacetyl and 3,3-diphenylpropionyl, provided the most active compounds, and
      the introduction of an amine or hydroxy group in the 3,3-diphenylpropionyl
      substituent led to further improvement in oral activity. As a result, three of
      the most active compounds (100, 114, and 115) have been selected for further
      pharmacological development.

PMID- 1433216
TI  - Synthesis and evaluation of 3-substituted 17-methylmorphinan analogs as potential
      anticonvulsant agents.
AB  - Dextromethorphan (1,(+)-3-methoxy-17-methylmorphinan) demonstrates anticonvulsant
      activity in a variety of in vitro and in vivo models of convulsive action. It is
      well known that 1 is metabolized to its phenolic derivative dextrorphan (2) and
      this metabolite is also a potent anticonvulsant. A series of (+)-3-substituted-17
      methylmorphinans, which are structurally similar to 1 but are either not expected
      to be metabolized to 2 or might do so at a reduced rate, as compared to 1, were
      prepared. Three analogs, 5 ((+)-3-amino-17-methylmorphinan), 14 ((+)-3-ethoxy-17
      methylmorphinan), and 15 ((+)-3-(2-propoxy)-17-methylmorphinan) were found to
      possess potent anticonvulsant activity with full efficacy (ED50 25, 5.6, and 3.9
      mg/kg, sc, respectively) in the rat supramaximal electroshock (MES) test. Binding
      potencies of these compounds to receptor sites labeled with [3H]dextromethorphan
      ([3H]1), in rat brain and guinea pig brain subcellular fractions, and
      [3H]thienylcyclohexylpiperidine (TCP) and [3H]glycine in rat brain, were
      determined. Most of the analogs displaced [3H]1 from its binding sites, with
      compounds 14 (IC50 0.42 microM) and 15 (IC50 0.88 microM) having equivalent
      potencies to 1 (IC50 0.59 microM), in rat brain, and no appreciable activity at
      the [3H]TCP or [3H]glycine-labeled sites. Compound 5 did not bind with
      appreciable activity to the [3H]1 site, in rat brain, but did bind to the [3H]TCP
      site with lower potency than the parent 1 (IC50 7.8 and 2.0 microM,
      respectively). The mechanism of anticonvulsant action of these agents is not
      clear although it appears that interaction at the [3H]1 sites may be involved.

PMID- 1433218
TI  - Guanidinophenyl-substituted enol lactones as selective, mechanism-based
      inhibitors of trypsin-like serine proteases.
AB  - We have synthesized four guanidinophenyl-substituted protio enol and iodo enol
      lactones (3-(4-guanidinophenyl)-6-methylidenetetrahydro-2-pyranone (1), 3-(4
      guanidinophenyl)-6-(E)-(iodomethylidene)tetrahydro-2-pyran one (2), 4-(4
      guanidinophenyl)-6-methylidenetetrahydro-2-pyranone+ ++ (3), and 4-(4
      guanidinophenyl)-6-(E)-(iodomethylidene)tetrahydro-2-pyran one (4)) and tested
      them for inhibitory activity against some trypsin-like enzymes, namely trypsin,
      urokinase, tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasmin, and thrombin, as well as
      alpha-chymotrypsin and human neutrophil elastase (HNE). The beta-aryl-substituted
      protio lactone 3 was a potent alternate substrate inhibitor of trypsin and
      urokinase. The alpha-aryl-substituted iodo lactone 2 was a permanent inactivator
      of urokinase, plasmin, t-PA, thrombin, and alpha-chymotrypsin, exhibiting a
      relatively high specificity for the former two enzymes. In general, these
      compounds showed a preference for inactivating trypsin-like enzymes over alpha
      chymotrypsin and HNE. Also, within the class of trypsin-like enzymes, there was
      generally good selectivity of inhibition.

PMID- 1433217
TI  - Synthesis and biological activity of N6-(p-sulfophenyl)alkyl and N6-sulfoalkyl
      derivatives of adenosine: water-soluble and peripherally selective adenosine
      agonists.
AB  - A series of N6-(p-sulfophenyl)alkyl and N6-sulfoalkyl derivatives of adenosine
      was synthesized, revealing that N6-(p-sulfophenyl)adenosine (10b) is a moderately
      potent (Ki vs [3H]PIA in rat cortical membranes was 74nM) and A1-selective (120
      fold) adenosine agonist, of exceptional aqueous solubility of > 1.5 g/mL
      (approximately 3 M). Compound 10b was very potent in inhibiting synaptic
      potentials in gerbil hippocampal slices with an IC50 of 63 nM. At a dose of 0.1
      mg/kg ip in rats, 10b inhibited lipolysis (a peripheral A1 effect) by 85% after 1
      h. This in vivo effect was reversed using the peripherally selective A1
      antagonist 1,3-dipropyl-8-[p-(carboxyethynyl)phenyl]xanthine (BW1433). The same
      dose of 10b in NIH Swiss mice (ip) was nearly inactive in locomotor depression,
      an effect that has been shown to be centrally mediated when elicited by lower
      doses of other potent adenosine agonists, such as N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA)
      (Nikodijevic et al. FEBS Lett. 1990, 261, 67). HPLC studies of biodistribution of
      a closely related and less potent homologue, N6-[4-(p-sulfophenyl)butyl]adenosine
      indicated that a 25 mg/kg ip dose in mice resulted in a plasma concentration
      after 30 min of 0.46 micrograms/mL and no detectable drug in the brain (detection
      limit < 0.1% of plasma level). Although 10b at doses > 0.1 mg/kg in mice
      depressed locomotor activity, this depression was unlike the effects of CHA and
      was reversible by BW1433. These data suggest that 10b is a potent adenosine
      agonist in vivo and shows poor CNS penetration.

PMID- 1433219
TI  - Synthesis of novel MPTP analogs as potential monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B)
      inhibitors.
AB  - The nigrostriatal toxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetahydropyridine (MPTP) is an
      excellent substrate and a weak inactivator of the flavoenzyme monoamine oxidase B
      (MAO-B). In an attempt to develop novel mechanism-based inactivators of MAO-B, we
      have synthesized analogs of MPTP bearing a variety of functional groups at either
      the N or the C(4) position and have examined their interactions with a purified
      MAO-B preparation isolated from beef liver. The substituents selected include
      allyl, propargyl, ethenyl, ethynyl, and cyclobutyl, that is, functionalities
      which were considered potential sources of enzyme generated electrophilic or
      radical intermediates that might alkylate and inactivate the enzyme. None of the
      C(4)-substituted compounds displayed significant enzyme inhibitor properties
      although some proved to be good substrates. In the N-substituted MPTP series only
      the 4-phenyl-1-propargyl analog was a good inhibitor. The time- and concentration
      dependent inhibition of MAO-B displayed by this compound is consistent with a
      mechanism-based inactivation pathway and the catalytic mechanism currently held
      for monoamine oxidases. The results of these studies provide additional insights
      into the steric features of the active site of MAO-B and predict that the area in
      which the C(4) substituent of the tetrahydropyridine ring resides lacks a
      reactive nucleophilic group.

PMID- 1433220
TI  - Adenosine deaminase inhibitors. Synthesis and biological evaluation of C1' and
      nor-C1' derivatives of (+)-erythro-9-(2(S)-hydroxy-3(R)-nonyl)adenine.
AB  - The synthesis of various chiral derivatives of (+)-erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3
      nonyl)adenine, (+)-EHNA, from (2S,3R)-3-amino-1,2-O-isopropylidene-1,2-nonanediol
      by condensation with 5-amino-4,6-dichloropyrimidine is described. The compounds
      synthesized were C1'- and nor-C1'-(+)-EHNA derivatives. When tested with calf
      spleen ADA, C1'-OH- and nor-C1'-(+)-EHNA had comparable inhibitory activity that
      was 1 order of magnitude lower than that of (+)-EHNA. Potency was reduced further
      in nor-C1' derivatives.

PMID- 1433221
TI  - Synthesis and conformational properties of the lanthionine-bridged opioid peptide
      [D-AlaL2,AlaL5]enkephalin as determined by NMR and computer simulations.
AB  - We report the synthesis and conformational analysis by means of NMR and computer
      simulations of a novel opioid peptide with the sequence [formula: see text],
      which we write as [formula: see text], abbreviated [D-AlaL2,L-AlaL5]EA, where
      AlaL denotes each of the lanthionine amino acid ends linked by a monosulfide
      bridge and EA indicates enkephalinamide. Data from 2D NMR (HOHAHA and ROESY)
      provide short-range NOEs that are used as constraints in molecular modeling;
      measurement of coupling constants shows that chi 1 (D-AlaL2) is predominantly in
      either the t or g- conformation, and temperature coefficient data suggest the
      participation of the AlaL5 amide proton in an intramolecular hydrogen bond. The
      use of NOE and hydrogen-bond constraints in a distance-geometry program yields a
      large number of initial conformations compatible with the data. Energy
      minimization of these structures using CHARMM results in three families of
      backbone ring conformations, labled A1, A2, and B. The torsion chi 1 in D-AlaL2
      remains close to trans for all three conformations. Molecular dynamics in vacuo
      at 300 K show that these three families of conformers interconvert, with
      concerted shifts in two of the three torsions psi(Phe), phi(AlaL5), and
      chi(AlaL5). The [D-AlaL2,L-AlaL5]EA is superactive in the guinea pig ileum (GPI)
      and mouse vas deferens (MVD) in vitro tests and also in the rat hot plate test in
      vivo. At the same time, this analog with a constrained 13-membered ring shows
      virtually no selectivity with a ratio IC50 (MVD)/IC50 (GPI) of 0.882.

PMID- 1433222
TI  - Fluoronaphthyridines and -quinolones as antibacterial agents. 5. Synthesis and
      antimicrobial activity of chiral 1-tert-butyl-6-fluoro-7-substituted
      naphthyridones.
AB  - A series of novel 7-substituted-1-tert-butyl-6-fluoronaphthyridone-3- carboxylic
      acids has been prepared. These derivatives are characterized by chiral
      aminopyrrolidine substituents at the 7 position. In this paper we report the full
      details of the asymmetric synthesis of this series of compounds. Structure
      activity relationship studies indicate that the absolute stereochemistry at the
      asymmetric centers of the pyrrolidine ring is critical for maintaining good
      activity. Compounds 60 and 61 (3-amino-4-methylpyrrolidine enantiomers) were
      selected for preclinical evaluation.

PMID- 1433223
TI  - Isobenzofurans as conformationally constrained miconazole analogues with improved
      antifungal potency.
AB  - A series of halogen-substituted isobenzofuran analogues was synthesized, which
      represented conformationally constrained analogues of miconazole (1). In vitro
      and in vivo topical antifungal activity against both dermatophytes and Candida
      species varied widely, but 13c proved to be significantly superior to both 1 and
      clotrimazole against a vaginal Candida infection in hamsters, while 13b was
      significantly more active than 1 against a a topical Trichophyton infection in
      guinea pigs. None of the compounds were orally active. When the most direct
      analogue of 1 proved to be among the least active, a molecular modeling study was
      done using 1, the two active analogues 13b and 13c, and the inactive analogue
      13a. All four compounds possessed skeletally similar conformations either at or
      energetically readily accessible from the global minimum energy conformations.
      This common conformation of the inactive analogue 13a, however, occupies unique
      molecular volume space associated with two chlorine atoms, which must also
      present unique electrostatic properties at the receptor. The conformation
      activity relationships discussed may contribute toward deduction of additional
      structural requirements for pharmacophore optimization and more efficacious
      antifungal drugs.

PMID- 1433224
TI  - Structure-activity studies on benzhydrol-containing nipecotic acid and guvacine
      derivatives as potent, orally-active inhibitors of GABA uptake.
AB  - The introduction of lipophilic groups onto the ring nitrogen of nipecotic acid
      and guvacine, two known GABA uptake inhibitors, afforded potent, orally-active
      anticonvulsant drugs. A series of compounds is reported which explores the
      structure-activity relationships (SAR) in this series. Among the areas explored:
      side-chain SAR (aromatic-, heterocyclic-, and tricyclic-containing side chains)
      and modifications to the tetrahydropyridine ring. The benzhydrol ether-containing
      side chains afforded the most potent compounds with several exhibiting in vitro
      IC50 values for GABA uptake of < 1 microM (including 5, Table I; 37, 43, Table
      IV; and 44, Table V). Compound 44 was selected for extensive evaluation and
      subsequently progressed to Phase 1 clinical trials with severe adverse effects
      seen after single dose administration to humans.

PMID- 1433225
TI  - Analogs of CCK incorporating conformationally constrained replacements for Asp32.

PMID- 1433226
TI  - The mapping of a gene for craniosynostosis: evidence for linkage of the Saethre
      Chotzen syndrome to distal chromosome 7p.
AB  - Craniosynostosis or premature closure of the cranial sutures is a common
      abnormality occurring in about 1 in 2500 children. There is evidence of mendelian
      inheritance in some 20% of cases. Published reports of patients with structural
      alterations of the short arm of chromosome 7 have suggested that two or more
      genes for craniosynostosis may be situated in this region. The Saethre-Chotzen
      syndrome (acrocephalosyndactyly type III) is one of the most common autosomal
      dominant craniosynostosis syndromes. Results of molecular genetic linkage studies
      provide evidence for localisation of the gene responsible to distal chromosome
      7p.

PMID- 1433227
TI  - Screening and genetic counselling for relatives of patients with breast cancer in
      a family cancer clinic.
AB  - Family history is the major risk factor in the aetiology of breast cancer. Breast
      screening is currently available to women from the age of 50 to 64 through the
      National Breast Screening Programme. There is, however, an equivalent risk of
      developing breast cancer below 50 for first degree relatives of women diagnosed
      with breast cancer premenopausally. We have estimated the risk of breast cancer
      for relatives of women affected at different ages and used these to establish a
      family cancer clinic offering breast screening based on individual risk. In three
      years we have seen 851 patients. Compliance for annual radiology was in excess of
      83% over this period and of five cancers detected one had a lump at presentation,
      two developed interval breast lumps, and two were asymptomatic.

PMID- 1433228
TI  - A non-isotopic in situ hybridisation study of the chromosomal origin of 15
      supernumerary marker chromosomes in man.
AB  - Fifteen patients presenting with mosaic or non-mosaic karyotypes containing a
      distamycin-DAPI negative de novo or familial supernumerary marker chromosome were
      studied with non-isotopic in situ hybridisation using a library of alphoid
      centromere specific and satellite II/III probes. The in situ hybridisation
      studies showed that seven markers were derived from satellited autosomes (three
      chromosome 13/21, two chromosome 14, two chromosome 22), six from non-satellited
      autosomes (two chromosome 4, one chromosome 12, one chromosome 16, two chromosome
      19), and one from the Y chromosome. One non-mosaic marker was negative for all
      the alphoid and satellite II/III probes used.

PMID- 1433229
TI  - Ring chromosome 13: lack of distinct syndromes based on different breakpoints on
      13q.
AB  - A stillborn male child with anencephaly and multiple malformations was found to
      have the karyotype 46,XY,r(13) (p11q21.1). The breakpoint at 13q21.1, determined
      by high resolution banding, is the most proximal breakpoint ever reported in
      patients with ring chromosome 13. In situ hybridisation with the probe L1.26
      confirmed the derivation from chromosome 13 and DNA polymorphism analysis showed
      maternal origin of the ring chromosome. Our results, together with a review of
      previous reports of cases with ring chromosome 13 with identified breakpoints,
      could neither support the theory of distinct clinical syndromes based on
      different breakpoints on 13q nor correlate the severity of symptoms with
      instability of the ring.

PMID- 1433230
TI  - Extravillus dividing fetal cells at CVS: evidence of their erythroblastic origin.
AB  - Cytological and cytogenetic studies were performed on nucleated fetal cells
      present in chorionic villus transport medium. The erythroblastic origin of these
      cells was shown. Fetal erythroblasts in spontaneous mitosis were frequently
      observed; chromosome counts were obtained from them but poor quality often
      prevented banded analysis. Cytogenetic study of erythroblast metaphases can be
      useful as an additional diagnostic aid in cases of mosaicism with aneuploid cell
      lines.

PMID- 1433232
TI  - Recognition of thalidomide defects.

PMID- 1433231
TI  - The gene for hereditary multiple exostoses does not map to the Langer-Giedion
      region (8q23-q24).
AB  - Hereditary multiple exostoses is a dominantly inherited skeletal disorder which
      alters enchondral bone during growth and is characterised by exostoses of the
      juxta-epiphyseal regions. Using polymorphic DNA probes, we have been able to
      exclude the disease gene from close proximity to the 8q24.1 region where a
      dominant syndrome with multiple exostoses, the trichorhinophalangeal syndrome
      type II (TRP II, Langer-Giedion syndrome, MIM 15025), has been previously
      localised (pairwise linkage Z = -8.96 at theta = 0 with probe L48 at locus
      D8S51). Multipoint linkage analysis using probes L48, L24, and L1 consistently
      excluded the HME gene from a large area of the distal long arm of chromosome 8,
      spanning the smallest region of overlap assigned to the TRP II gene. These
      studies support the clinical view that HME and TRP II are distinct entities.

PMID- 1433233
TI  - Postgraduate teaching in clinical genetics in the United Kingdom.

PMID- 1433234
TI  - The OEIS complex (omphalocele-exstrophy-imperforate anus-spinal defects):
      recurrence in sibs.
AB  - The OEIS complex comprises a combination of defects including omphalocele,
      exstrophy of the cloaca, imperforate anus, and spinal defects. It may represent
      the most severe manifestation of a spectrum of birth defects, the exstrophy
      epispadias sequence. The OEIS complex affects 1 in 200,000 to 400,000 pregnancies
      and is of unknown cause. The purpose of the current report is to document the
      occurrence of OEIS in sibs from separate pregnancies and suggest that some cases
      may have a genetic basis.

PMID- 1433235
TI  - Lethal olivopontoneocerebellar hypoplasia with dysmorphic features in sibs.
AB  - This report describes the clinical and neuropathological features in male and
      female sibs who died shortly after birth as a result of frequent convulsions and
      lack of spontaneous respiratory effect. Both sibs had a prominent occiput with
      mild contractures and the female also had overlapping fingers and rockerbottom
      feet. The genetic and neuropathological findings were consistent with a diagnosis
      of an autosomal recessive form of olivopontoneocerebellar hypoplasia/atrophy.

PMID- 1433236
TI  - A new X linked syndrome with mental retardation and craniofacial dysmorphism?
AB  - We present a syndrome manifested in two half brothers and their two maternal
      aunts which is characterised in the two boys by severe mental retardation and
      craniofacial dysmorphism (broad, coarse features and marked plagiocephaly with
      flattened occiput), and in the aunts merely by moderate mental retardation
      without dysmorphic features. The brothers do not seem to fall into any previously
      described X linked syndrome with mental retardation.

PMID- 1433237
TI  - Partial trisomy for 5q and monosomy for 12p in a liveborn child as a result of a
      complex five breakpoint chromosome rearrangement in a parent.
AB  - A balanced complex chromosome rearrangement (CCR) involving four chromosomes is
      very rare and may lead to different types of aneuploid germ cells. We report a
      liveborn child with multiple congenital anomalies and an apparently balanced
      translocation, t(11;12). High resolution chromosome analysis in the mother showed
      a CCR involving chromosomes 5, 11, 12, and 16. In situ hybridisation showed that
      this CCR was the result of a five break rearrangement, and that the derivative
      chromosome 12 consisted of parts of chromosomes 5, 11, and 12. From this it could
      be deduced that the karyotype of the child was not balanced, but resulted in
      partial trisomy for 5q and partial monosomy for 12p. The clinical findings in the
      child were compatible with partial trisomy for 5q.

PMID- 1433238
TI  - A male with trisomy 9 mosaicism and maternal uniparental disomy for chromosome 9
      in the euploid cell line.
AB  - We describe a 17 year old male with a low level of trisomy 9 mosaicism. Maternal
      uniparental chromosome 9 disomy in the euploid cell line was shown to have arisen
      after postzygotic loss of the paternal chromosome 9 from the trisomic cell line
      by cytogenetic and molecular analysis. This is believed to be the first report of
      uniparental disomy for chromosome 9. In four of the 11 reported cases of mosaic
      trisomy 9 syndrome, including our patient, a maternally derived pericentric
      inversion of the heterochromatic area of chromosome 9 has been present in
      duplicate in the trisomic cell line. This may have implications for the
      counselling of patients with this common chromosomal variant.

PMID- 1433239
TI  - Trisomy 15 mosaicism in an IVF fetus.
AB  - Prenatal diagnosis of an IVF pregnancy in a woman aged 41 years showed a fetus
      mosaic for trisomy 15. The fetus had dysmorphic features, hypoplastic adrenal
      glands, and an accessory spleen. Both IVF and advanced maternal age would seem to
      increase the risk of trisomy 15.

PMID- 1433240
TI  - De novo t(X;21)(q28;q11) in a girl with phenotypic features of Williams-Beuren
      syndrome.
AB  - We describe a female infant with mental retardation and some of the phenotypic
      features of Williams-Beuren syndrome. Chromosome analysis showed
      t(X;21)(q28;q11). Diagnosis, inactivation of the X chromosome, and possible
      involvement of the translocation breakpoints in the pathogenesis of this syndrome
      are discussed.

PMID- 1433241
TI  - Premature chromosome condensation in a child with trisomy 21.

PMID- 1433242
TI  - Familial postaxial acrofacial dysostosis syndrome.

PMID- 1433243
TI  - Linkage disequilibrium between D16S94 and the locus for adult polycystic kidney
      disease (PKD1)

PMID- 1433244
TI  - Patent ductus arteriosus in four generations of a family.

PMID- 1433245
TI  - Computer modelling of brain cortex excitation by magnetic field pulses.
AB  - In spite of many clinical and experimental applications, the technique of
      transcranial magnetic stimulation still presents obscure aspects. This especially
      concerns safety parameters and the exact characterization of the current induced
      by a single magnetic pulse. The model proposed consists of an equivalent electric
      network derived by Maxwell's equations and applied to discretized magnetic
      resonance imaging of a normal subject. This model allows accurate prediction of
      current distribution, charge per phase and dissipated energy.

PMID- 1433246
TI  - Cardiac cycle phase uncertainty: another source of error in indirect blood
      pressure measurement.
AB  - Cardiac cycle phase uncertainty causes a small error in indirect estimation of
      arterial blood pressure by sphygmomanometry. A simple analysis yields a
      statistical description of the error and a rule for its reduction: correct bias
      by adding to the systolic estimate and subtracting from the diastolic estimate
      one-half of the per-cardiac-cycle cuff deflation decrement. If several
      measurements are taken, the least-square estimate is approximately the arithmetic
      mean of the greatest and least of the bias corrected estimates.

PMID- 1433247
TI  - Oxford Optronix MPM 3S: a clinical assessment of a microvascular perfusion
      monitor.
AB  - The Oxford Optronix MPM 3S is a new microvascular perfusion monitor which is
      promoted as a device for use in the operating theatre. It uses a semiconductor
      laser diode and applies the Doppler principle to derive a semi-quantitative
      estimation of microvascular flow. We assessed this instrument with eight healthy
      volunteers who each performed eight different orthostatic arm manoeuvres while
      forearm skin blood flow was monitored. The different manoeuvres caused
      statistically significant changes in the instrument's reading which generally
      were consistent with expected changes in blood flow. The monitor also was
      assessed in the theatre environment with four anaesthetized patients. It proved
      easy to use, and was not subject to electrical interference from other equipment
      including short-wave diathermy. The major practical limitation of the technique
      is the semi-quantitative nature of the measurement. The instrument appears to
      have potential clinical uses in plastic and vascular surgery.

PMID- 1433248
TI  - A proposed new paracentesis electrode for the measurement of foetal auditory
      brain stem response: a preliminary report.
AB  - A proposed new electrode for measurement of foetal auditory brain stem response
      (ABR) is presented, the structure of which resembles a syringe needle. It can be
      placed subdermally in the head of the guinea pig foetus through the wall of the
      maternal abdomen. In the anterior end of the electrode a special device similar
      to a hook is situated. The device may be controlled from outside the maternal
      abdomen. In comparison with the placement of electrodes through the surgical
      incision, its placement is simple and injury to tissue is relatively small. It is
      not only firmly fixed in the subcutaneous tissue of the foetus to satisfy the
      need for the measurement of foetal ABR, but is easily removed from the foetus. To
      our knowledge no other similar electrode has been reported.

PMID- 1433249
TI  - Rehabilitation engineering and leprosy in Nepal: a personal view.
AB  - Green Pastures Hospital is a specialist leprosy hospital in Pokhara, Nepal. As
      part of its service it offers a range of appliances aimed to assist in the
      rehabilitation of patients. This paper outlines the different orthoses and
      prostheses made at the Orthopaedic Appliances Centre in the hospital, their
      various indications and some of the benefits and problems associated with their
      use. Specific reference is made to the requirements related to local conditions
      and customs. The terrain, communications, facilities and materials available in
      Nepal make the work of the few rehabilitation engineers in the country somewhat
      different from that of those in the West. Some of these differences are
      described, drawing out contrasts in technical requirements of appliances and in
      organizational structures in the field of rehabilitation in the UK and Nepal.

PMID- 1433250
TI  - Prospects for expanding the use of beta-lactamase inhibitors.

PMID- 1433251
TI  - Sharing of virulence-associated properties at the phenotypic and genetic levels
      between enteropathogenic Escherichia coli and Hafnia alvei.
AB  - Seven strains of Hafnia alvei isolated from diarrhoeal stools of children
      resembled enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) in that they produced
      attaching-effacing (AE) lesions in rabbit ileal loops and fluorescent actin
      staining in infected HEp-2 cells. In addition, a DNA probe from a chromosomal
      gene required by EPEC to produce AE lesions, hybridised to chromosomal DNA from
      all seven H. alvei strains. These findings indicate that there is a sharing of
      virulence-associated properties at the phenotypic and genetic levels by H. alvei
      and EPEC. H. alvei strains with these properties should be considered
      diarrhoeagenic.

PMID- 1433252
TI  - A 15-year study of the role of Aeromonas spp. in gastroenteritis in hospitalised
      children.
AB  - During a 15-year period, 146 strains of Aeromonas spp. were isolated from 32810
      faecal specimens from 13,820 hospitalised patients up to 13 years of age. These
      isolates constituted 4% of all the pathogenic bacterial strains cultured. For the
      years 1978-1988, the files of children with gastro-enteritis revealed 81 whose
      faeces yielded Aeromonas spp. Most of them (94%) were < 3 years of age, 78% < 1
      year old. The peak incidence was at 2-6 months, involving severe morbidity
      including dehydration and vomiting with acidaemia and azotaemia; the mean
      duration of illness and length of hospitalisation at this age were longer than at
      other ages. Bloody diarrhoea was found in 7% of the children. Almost all the
      strains of Aeromonas were resistant to ampicillin. We conclude that Aeromonas
      spp. are of aetiological significance in gastro-enteritis in small children;
      culture for this pathogen should be routine in the bacteriological examination of
      faeces.

PMID- 1433253
TI  - Differentiated Caco-2 cells as a model for enteric invasion by Campylobacter
      jejuni and C. coli.
AB  - A collection of 44 Campylobacter isolates (37 C. jejuni and seven C. coli) from
      children with colitis (21 strains) or watery diarrhoea (23 strains) was analysed
      for toxin production, association with HeLa cells, and invasion of differentiated
      Caco-2 cell cultures. There was no obvious association of clinical symptoms with
      species, biotype or enterotoxin production. All colitis strains and most of the
      isolates from watery diarrhoea were cytotoxic for Chinese hamster ovary cells.
      Measurements of bacterial association indices with HeLa cells varied with time,
      and were considered to be unreliable for discriminating between isolates from the
      two diagnostic groups. Statistically significant differences were observed
      between the two groups (all colitis strains and 65% of strains from non
      inflammatory diarrhoea) with respect to invasion of both HeLa and Caco-2 cell
      monolayers. However, among the strains from non-inflammatory diarrhoea that did
      invade, numbers of internalised bacteria were similar to the range observed for
      colitis strains. Of the colitis strains, 86% were able to transcytose through
      polarised Caco-2 monolayers grown on filters, compared with 48% of isolates from
      non-inflammatory disease. We propose the use of Caco-2 cells as a model for
      studying invasion of intestinal epithelia by C. jejuni and C. coli.

PMID- 1433254
TI  - Mononuclear cell response in the liver of mice infected with hepatotoxigenic
      Campylobacter jejuni.
AB  - Intragastric inoculation with hepatotoxigenic strains of Campylobacter jejuni led
      to the death of mice during the late phase of infection. Histological study
      disclosed a massive infiltration of mononuclear cells in the liver, mimicking
      intrahepatic hypersensitivity. Neither enterotoxigenic nor enteroinvasive
      Escherichia coli induced such a lesion. However, the same histopathological
      change was induced by injecting the hepatotoxic factor of hepatotoxigenic C.
      jejuni intravenously on two occasions separated by 14 days. Neither a single
      injection of an increased dose of the hepatotoxic factor nor two injections, the
      second of which was heat-inactivated, induced this change. Pre-treatment with
      rabbit antibody to the hepatotoxic factor inhibited the development of the
      hepatic lesion. These results suggest that C. jejuni-induced hepatic lesions in
      mice may be caused, at least in part, by the active moiety of the hepatotoxic
      factor. The possible mechanisms by which the toxic factor induces hepatitis as a
      consequence of hypersensitivity are discussed in relation to Guillain-Barre
      syndrome and Reiter's syndrome associated with C. jejuni enteritis.

PMID- 1433255
TI  - A biphasic system for primary isolation of mycobacteria compared to solid medium
      and broth culture.
AB  - A biphasic culture system, the MB Check, was compared with conventional culture
      on Lowenstein-Jensen egg (LJ) solid medium and with Bactec broth culture for
      primary isolation of mycobacteria from clinical samples. A total of 104
      mycobacterial isolates was detected from 985 samples examined by the three
      methods. The most sensitive primary isolation was with LJ culture and MB Check;
      these methods detected 93% and 87% of all positive cultures, respectively. MB
      Check allowed a somewhat more rapid detection than LJ culture. The presence of
      atypical mycobacteria was demonstrated most rapidly with the Bactec system.

PMID- 1433256
TI  - Detection of bacterial interaction with lactoferrin by an enzyme-linked ligand
      binding assay (ELBA).
AB  - An enzyme-linked ligand binding assay (ELBA) was devised to measure the
      interaction between bacteria and human (H) or bovine (B) lactoferrin (Lf) linked
      to horseradish peroxidase. Reagents were calibrated for optimum colour
      development with o-phenylenediamine as chromophore and organisms that were either
      positive or negative in a radioisotope-labelled ligand binding assay (RLBA) with
      125I-Lf. Good correlation of Lf binding (r = 0.89) was found between ELBA and
      RLBA with 169 randomly selected strains of Escherichia coli. A semi-quantitative
      scoring system for ELBA, corresponding to a similar system for RLBA, was
      established and shown to be valid for 517 strains from seven species of bacterial
      pathogens. ELBA was used to measure bacterial Lf binding-saturation and
      displacement kinetics and shown to be comparable with RLBA. ELBA may be a
      suitable method for examining the binding of Lf to bacteria without the need for
      radioactive isotopes.

PMID- 1433257
TI  - Yeast-specific DNA probes and their application for the detection of Candida
      albicans.
AB  - Two DNA fragments cloned from the genome of Candida albicans ATCC 10261 may be
      useful in the rapid diagnosis of disseminated candidosis. One sequence (probe
      EOB1) was specific for C. albicans (positive hybridisation with 45 strains
      tested). The second sequence (probe EOB2) detected C. albicans, as well as five
      other pathogenic Candida spp. and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but did not react
      with human or bacterial DNA. Both probes were repetitive sequences in the genome
      of C. albicans. Probe EOB1 was used to detect, without DNA amplification, 500 C.
      albicans yeast cells in 1 ml of human blood.

PMID- 1433258
TI  - Nosocomial infection with Clostridium difficile investigated by pyrolysis mass
      spectrometry.
AB  - Fifty-eight isolates of Clostridium difficile from two distinct outbreaks were
      examined for inter-strain similarity by pyrolysis mass spectrometry (PMS). The
      first outbreak began on a geriatric acute unit and spread to a long stay
      geriatric facility. PMS analysis showed that most isolates from both sites were
      indistinguishable. Isolates obtained in the preceding year from the long stay
      facility were found to be closely similar to these outbreak isolates. In the
      second, smaller outbreak on a female medical ward in another general hospital,
      PMS again showed that a single strain was probably responsible. Representative
      isolates from these two different outbreaks were shown to be distinct. The
      ability to compare rapidly large numbers of isolates of C. difficile makes PMS
      attractive for initial screening in suspected outbreaks, providing important
      information for outbreak management and allowing conventional typing methods to
      be concentrated on relevant isolates.

PMID- 1433259
TI  - Diagnosis of typhus infection with Rickettsia tsutsugamushi by polymerase chain
      reaction.
AB  - Two sets of oligonucleotide primers were used to amplify the genomic DNA of
      Rickettsia tsutsugamushi, the causative agent of scrub typhus (tsutsugamushi
      disease), by the polymerase chain reaction. Each set of primers amplified 538-bp
      and 109-bp products, representing part of a gene encoding a possible major 58-kDa
      immunogenic protein, from whole genomic DNA extracted from R. tsutsugamushi
      strains Karp, Kato, Gilliam, Kuroki and Kawasaki. No amplification was observed
      from R. sibirica, R. rickettsii, mouse and human genomic DNA. DNA amplification
      was observed from crude lysates of peripheral whole blood, tissue homogenates and
      paraffin-embedded skin biopsy sections obtained from patients with scrub typhus
      disease. Southern blot analysis demonstrated the specificity of the amplified DNA
      fragments following hybridisation with a DNA probe generated from R.
      tsutsugamushi strain Karp. By means of this procedure, a rapid and sensitive
      diagnosis of scrub typhus disease can be made during the acute stage of this
      infection.

PMID- 1433260
TI  - A formalin inactivated whole SIVmac vaccine in Ribi adjuvant protects against
      homologous and heterologous SIV challenge.
AB  - Eight monkeys were immunized at 0, 4, 9, and 18 weeks with a total of 2 mg of
      formalin inactivated SIVmac vaccine with Ribi adjuvant. Two weeks after the last
      booster four immunized monkeys and two controls were challenged with 10 MID50 of
      live homologous virus SIVmac, and the remaining four vaccinated animals along
      with two controls were challenged with the heterologous SIVsm strain. All eight
      vaccinated monkeys resisted the virus challenge, whereas all controls became
      infected. Three months after the first challenge the monkeys were rechallenged
      with the same virus strain, without further boosting. Two of four vaccinated
      monkeys were still resistant to the homologous SIV strain, and three of four
      monkeys were resistant to the heterologous SIVsm strain. This study demonstrates
      vaccine induced cross-protection between SIV strains.

PMID- 1433261
TI  - Are gamma delta T cells important for the elimination of virus-infected cells?
AB  - Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) gamma delta T cells were identified using a
      monoclonal antibody. The relative representation of gamma delta T lymphocytes in
      the peripheral blood, lymph nodes, and spleen resembles that of Homo sapiens. The
      analysis of function and specificity revealed further significant similarities
      between the simian and human gamma delta T-cell systems. Since both human and
      monkey gamma delta T lymphocytes can effectively lyse cells infected with
      immunodeficiency viruses, it is possible that the primate gamma delta T-cell
      systems contribute to antiviral immunosurveillance.

PMID- 1433262
TI  - Evaluation of protective efficacy of recombinant subunit vaccines against simian
      immunodeficiency virus infection of macaques.
AB  - Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) was used as a model to study the protective
      efficacy of an immunization regimen currently being evaluated as candidate
      vaccines against HIV in human subjects. Four Macaca fascicularis were first
      immunized with recombinant vaccinia virus expressing the envelope glycoprotein
      gp160 of SIVmne and then boosted with subunit gp160. Both cell-mediated and
      humoral immune responses against SIV, including neutralizing antibodies, were
      elicited. The macaques were shown to be protected from a homologous virus
      infection as determined by serology, lymphocyte cocultivation, polymerase chain
      reactions and in vivo transmission analyses. Four unimmunized control animals
      were readily infected. However, viremia in infected control animals could
      decrease substantially following the initial phase of infection so that
      persistent infection might not be readily detectable.

PMID- 1433264
TI  - The impetus for tracking nonhuman primate AIDS vaccine/live virus challenge
      studies.

PMID- 1433263
TI  - Comparison of protection from homologous cell-free vs cell-associated SIV
      challenge afforded by inactivated whole SIV vaccines.
AB  - This study attempted to determine if SIV vaccines could protect against challenge
      with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from an SIV infected rhesus
      monkey. Mature Macaca mulatta were vaccinated four times with formalin
      inactivated SIVmac32H administered in MDP adjuvant (n = 8) or SIVmac32H ISCOM
      vaccine (n = 8). Controls included animals vaccinated with measles virus in MDP
      adjuvant (n = 4) or ISCOM (n = 4) preparations. Of each group, half were
      challenged intravenously (IV) with ten MID50 of the cell-free SIVmac32H (11-88)
      SIV stock and half were challenged with ten MID50 of PBMCs from the SIVmac32H
      infected macaque 1XC. All SIV vaccinated animals challenged with the 11-88 cell
      free stock of SIVmac32H were protected, whereas only half of the SIV vaccinated
      monkeys receiving the same infectious dose of the 1XC cell stock were protected.

PMID- 1433266
TI  - Nonhuman Primate Models for AIDS IV, 9th Annual Symposium. Seattle, November 6-9,
      1991.

PMID- 1433265
TI  - Worldwide survey of AIDS vaccine challenge studies in nonhuman primates: vaccines
      associated with active and passive immune protection from live virus challenge.
AB  - An AIDS Vaccine Surveillance System (AVSS) was designed and implemented to track
      the rapidly growing international database supporting the development of
      promising AIDS vaccines. Both preclinical nonhuman primate (NHP) and clinical
      human trials are tracked by the AVSS. This report presents summary data generated
      from the AVSS on the NHP AIDS vaccine/live virus challenge studies only. Summary
      data on more than 100 preclinical HIV/SIV vaccines are presented within the
      framework of 1) 13 arbitrary Vaccine Types, 2) studies grouped by animal model
      (i.e., chimpanzee/HIV-1, and macaque/SIV, HIV-2), and 3) immunization approach
      (i.e., active and passive). Systematic and timely presentations of these summary
      data, both here and in future reports, aim to promote a clearer understanding of
      both earlier and more recent preclinical AIDS vaccine developments.

PMID- 1433267
TI  - Protection against SIV infection in macaques by immunization with inactivated
      virus from the BK28 molecular clone, but not with BK28-derived recombinant env
      and gag proteins.
AB  - Vaccination of cynomolgus macaques with beta-propiolactone inactivated SIVmacBK28
      in Freund's adjuvant induced low but detectable levels of anti-SIV envelope (env)
      antibodies and T-cell responses and protected against challenge with the 32H
      isolate of SIVmac251 grown in C8166 cells. In contrast, purified recombinant SIV
      env and gag proteins derived from BK28 formulated in Syntex adjuvant generated
      consistent and long-lived cellular and humoral immune responses to SIV env, but
      failed to protect against infection with the 32H virus. Thus, protection against
      a heterogeneous challenge stock is possible by immunization with a molecularly
      cloned virus, but not with recombinant proteins from the same molecular origin.
      High levels of anti-cell antibodies induced by the whole virus vaccine, but not
      by recombinant proteins, may have contributed to the protection observed.

PMID- 1433268
TI  - Mechanism of genital transmission of SIV: a hypothesis based on transmission
      studies and the location of SIV in the genital tract of chronically infected
      female rhesus macaques.
AB  - To understand the biologic processes involved in transmission of HIV, we examined
      the genital tracts of chronically infected female macaques and localized SIV
      infected cells. SIV was found in the genital tract of 12 of 16 animals and SIV
      infected cells were located in the cervix and vagina. Inoculation of cell-free
      SIV into the blind vaginal pouch of hysterectomized macaques resulted in systemic
      infection. We propose a hypothesis to explain the early events in the genital
      transmission of SIV.

PMID- 1433269
TI  - Simian immunodeficiency virus vectors: replication and pseudotyping.
AB  - We studied a single round of replication of Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)
      through the use of a replication defective vector that expresses the hygromycin
      resistance gene. It was possible to pseudotype SIV particles by complementation
      with the env gene from a murine amphotropic retrovirus. Moreover, SIV RNA was
      packaged and propagated by core particles of the heterologous lentivirus, HIV-1.
      These results indicate that coinfection of cells with SIV and other retroviruses
      could lead to infection of new cell types in nature.

PMID- 1433270
TI  - Detection of simian immunodeficiency virus DNA in macrophages from infected
      rhesus macaques.
AB  - We have examined the frequency of infection of monocyte-derived and alveolar
      macrophages isolated from rhesus macaques inoculated with simian immunodeficiency
      virus (SIVmac) utilizing a semiquantitative PCR methodology. Animals were
      inoculated with either pathogenic (SIVmac239) or nonpathogenic (SIVmac1A11)
      molecularly cloned viruses of SIVmac, or with uncloned pathogenic SIVmacBIOL. The
      frequency of SIV DNA in macrophages was highest early after infection and at
      terminal stages of disease, whereas during the asymptomatic period, SIV DNA was
      present at very low levels in macrophages.

PMID- 1433271
TI  - Characterization of group specific antibodies in primates: studies with SIV
      envelope in macaques.
AB  - Sera from SIV-infected macaques were found to contain antibodies that reacted
      with conformation-dependent, group-specific determinants on the SIV envelope
      protein gp130. These conformation-dependent antibodies exhibited virus
      neutralizing activity; their presence was associated with protection in vaccine
      studies. The properties of these antibodies are quite similar to those that have
      been identified in sera from HIV-infected human subjects. These data suggest that
      the SIV envelope gp130 remains a candidate for subunit vaccine studies.

PMID- 1433272
TI  - Vaccination of pregnant cynomolgus monkeys with whole formalin-inactivated
      SIVmac251.
AB  - Five pregnant (two to three and one-half months) Macaca fascicularis
      seroconverted following immunization with sucrose-gradient purified and formalin
      inactivated whole simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVmac251). No untoward effects
      on fetal maturation were observed during the immunization of the mothers.
      Antibodies to SIVmac251 (also those with in vitro neutralizing activity) were
      passively transferred to the offspring but disappeared within two to six months
      after birth. Antibodies to env glycoprotein (gp130) lasted longer than those
      against viral gag proteins (p26,p60).

PMID- 1433273
TI  - Efficacy of live-attenuated and whole-inactivated simian immunodeficiency virus
      vaccines against vaginal challenge with virulent SIV.
AB  - The ability of two vaccine preparations (UV-psoralen inactivated SIV administered
      intramuscularly and live-attenuated SIV inoculated intravaginally) to prevent
      genital transmission of virulent SIV in rhesus macaques was tested. Two of six
      whole-inactivated SIV vaccinated macaques, three of five live-attenuated SIV
      vaccinated macaques, and four of six controls became persistently infected after
      two separate intravaginal inoculations with a 50% animal infectious dose of
      virulent SIV. No association was observed between levels of SIV-specific
      antibodies in serum or vaginal secretions prior to challenge and subsequent
      infection with virulent SIV.

PMID- 1433274
TI  - Identification of an essential histidine residue at the active site of the
      tonoplast malate carrier in Catharanthus roseus cells.
AB  - The involvement of a histidyl residue in the binding or translocation step was
      investigated in the malate carrier at the tonoplast of Catharanthus roseus cells.
      The transport rate was strongly stimulated when the pH of the incubation medium
      was decreased from pH 7.0 to 5.0. The histidine-specific reagent
      diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) efficiently inhibited the activity of the malate
      carrier. Inhibition developed rapidly and was completed after 5 min at a
      concentration of 2 mM DEPC. The original substrate, malate, partially protected
      the carrier from inactivation by DEPC. Other organic acids (citrate, quinate)
      which are known to affect the malate transport of isolated vacuoles or tonoplast
      vesicles also showed protective properties. Inhibition of malate transport on
      tonoplast vesicles can also be achieved by photooxidation in the presence of the
      dye Rose Bengal. Malate also proved to protect against inactivation. The results
      strongly support the notion that a histidyl residue(s) is involved either in the
      binding or translocation of malate and that the protonation of the histidyl
      residue is essential to provide a high rate of malate transport.

PMID- 1433275
TI  - Effects of Ca2+ and other divalent cations on K(+)-evoked force production of
      slow muscle fibers from Rana esculenta and Rana pipiens.
AB  - Slow muscle fibers were dissected from cruralis muscles of Rana esculenta and
      Rana pipiens. Isometric contractures were evoked by application of K(+)-rich
      Ringer's containing Ca2+, Ni2+, Co2+, Mn2+ or Mg2+. High (7.2 mmol/liter)
      external Ca2+ concentration raised, 0 Ca2+ lowered the K+ threshold. Replacing
      Ca2+ by Ni2+ or Co2+ had an effect similar to that of high Ca2+ Ringer's. In Mg2+
      Ringer's the K+ concentration-response curve was flattened. These effects were
      observed already after short exposure times in both species of slow fibers. When
      Ca2+ was removed for long periods of time the slow fibers of R. esculenta lost
      their contractile response to application of high K+ concentrations much more
      quickly than those of R. pipiens, while the response to caffeine (20 mmol/liter)
      was maintained. Upon read-mission of Ca2+ contractile ability was quickly
      restored in the slow fibers of both R. esculenta and R. pipiens, but the effects
      of Ni2+ (or Co2+, Mn2+ and Mg2+) were much larger in R. esculenta than in R.
      pipiens slow fibers. It is concluded that divalent cations have two different
      sites of action in slow muscle fibers. K+ threshold seems to be affected through
      binding to sites at the membrane surface; these sites bind Ni2+ and Co2+ more
      firmly than Ca2+. The second site is presumably the voltage sensor in the
      transverse tubular membrane, which controls force production, and where Ca2+ is
      the most effective species of the divalent cations examined.

PMID- 1433276
TI  - Excitation-contraction coupling in a pre-vertebrate twitch muscle: the myotomes
      of Branchiostoma lanceolatum.
AB  - The segmented trunk muscle (myotome muscle) of the lancelet (Branchiostoma
      lanceolatum), a pre-vertebrate chordate, was studied in order to gain information
      regarding the evolution of excitation-contraction (EC) coupling. Myotome membrane
      vesicles could be separated on isopycnic sucrose gradients into two main
      fractions, probably comprising solitary microsomes and diads of plasma membrane
      and sarcoplasmic reticulum, respectively. Both fractions bound the
      dihydropyridine PN 200/110 and the phenylalkylamine (-)D888 (devapamil) while
      specific ryanodine binding was observed in the diad preparation only.
      Pharmacological effects on Ca2+ currents measured under voltage-clamp conditions
      in single myotome fibers included a weak block by the dihydropyridine nifedipine
      and a shift of the voltage dependences of inactivation and restoration to more
      negative potentials by (-)D888. After blocking the Ca2+ current by cadmium in
      voltage-clamped single fibers, the contractile response persisted and a rapid
      intramembrane charge movement could be demonstrated. Both responses exhibited a
      voltage sensitivity very similar to the one of the voltage-activated Ca2+
      channels. Our biochemical and electrophysiological results indicate that the EC
      coupling mechanism of the protochordate myotome cell is similar to that of the
      vertebrate skeletal muscle fiber: Intracellular Ca2+ release, presumably taking
      place via the ryanodine receptor complex, is under control of the cell membrane
      potential. The sarcolemmal Ca2+ channels might serve as voltage sensors for this
      process.

PMID- 1433277
TI  - ATP-sensitive K+ conductance in pancreatic zymogen granules: block by glyburide
      and activation by diazoxide.
AB  - The properties of transporters (or channels) for monovalent cations in the
      membrane of isolated pancreatic zymogen granules were characterized with an assay
      measuring bulk cation influx driven by a proton diffusion potential. The proton
      diffusion potential was generated by suspending granules in an isotonic
      monovalent cation/acetate solution and increasing the proton conductance of the
      membrane with a protonophore. Monovalent cation conductance had the sequence Rb+
      > K+ > NA+ > Cs+ > LI+ > N-methyl glucamine+. The conductance could be inhibited
      by Ca2+, Mg2+, Ba2+, and pharmacological agents such as quinine, quinidine,
      glyburide and tolbutamide, but not by 5 mM tetra-ethyl ammonium or 5 mM 4
      aminopyridine, when applied to the cytosolic surface of the granule membrane.
      Over 50% of K+ conductance could be inhibited by millimolar concentrations of ATP
      or MgATP. The inhibition by MgATP, but not by ATP itself, was reversed by the K+
      channel opener diazoxide. The inhibitory effect is probably by a noncovalent
      interaction since it could be mimicked by nonhydrolyzable analogs of ATP and by
      ADP. The reversal of MgATP inhibition by diazoxide may be mediated by
      phosphorylation since it was not affected by dilution, and was blocked by the
      protein kinase inhibitor H7. The properties of the K+ conductance of pancreatic
      zymogen granule membranes are similar to those of ATP-sensitive K+ channels found
      in the plasma membrane of insulin-secreting islet cells, neurons, muscle, and
      renal cells.

PMID- 1433279
TI  - Elevation of cytosolic [Ca2+] due to intracellular Ca2+ release retards carbachol
      stimulation of divalent cation entry in rat parotid gland acinar cells.
AB  - This study examines the activation of divalent cation entry into rat parotid
      gland acinar cells by using Mn2+ as a Ca2+ surrogate cation. Following muscarinic
      cholinergic stimulation of dispersed parotid acini with carbachol (10 microM),
      the onset of internal Ca2+ release (cytosolic [Ca2+], [Ca2+]i, increase) and the
      stimulation of Mn2+ entry (increase in fura2 quenching) are not simultaneously
      detected. [Ca2+]i elevation, due to intracellular release, is detected almost
      immediately following carbachol addition and peak [Ca2+]i increase occurs at 6.0
      +/- 0.8 sec. However, there is an interval (apparent lag) between carbachol
      addition and the detection of stimulated Mn2+ entry. This apparent lag is
      decreased from 26 +/- 3.1 sec to 9.2 +/- 1.5 sec when external Mn2+ ([Mn2+]0) is
      increased from 12.5 to 500 microM. It is not decreased further with increase in
      [Mn2+]0 from 500 microM to 1 mM (9.8 +/- 2.1 sec), although both intracellular
      free Mn2+ and [Mn2+-fura2]/[fura2] increase. Thus, at [Mn2+]0 < 500 microM, the
      observed lag time is partially due to a limitation in the magnitude of Mn2+
      entry. Furthermore, neither peak [Ca2+]i nor the time required to reach peak
      [Ca2+]i is significantly altered by [Mn2+]0 (12.5 microM to 1 mM). At every
      [Mn2+]0 tested (i.e., 12.5 microM-1 mM), the apparent lag is significantly
      greater than the time required to reach peak [Ca2+]i. However, when carbachol
      stimulation of the [Ca2+]i increase is attenuated by loading the acini with the
      Ca2+ chelator, 2-bis(O-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetate (BAPTA), there
      is no detectable lag in carbachol stimulation of Mn2+ entry (with 1 mM [Mn2+]0).
      Importantly, in BAPTA-loaded acini, carbachol stimulates Mn2+ entry via depletion
      of the internal Ca2+ pool and not via direct activation of other divalent cation
      entry mechanisms. Based on these results, we suggest that the apparent lag in the
      detection of carbachol stimulation of Mn2+ entry into parotid acinar cells is due
      to a retardation of Mn2+ entry by the initial increase in [Ca2+]i, due to
      internal release, which most likely occurs proximate to the site of divalent
      cation entry.

PMID- 1433278
TI  - Comparison of the properties of the ATP-sensitive K+ channels of pancreatic beta
      cells of lean and obese (ob/ob) C57BL/6J mice.
AB  - Cultures of pancreatic islet cells from obese and lean mice of the C57BL/6J
      strain were established and their secretory response to glucose stimulation was
      measured. Insulin secretion (as % of total cellular insulin content) from the
      cells of the obese mouse cultures was significantly higher than from lean mouse
      cells. The properties of the glucose- and ATP-sensitive potassium channels
      present in these cultured beta-cells were compared using the cell-attached and
      the inside-out configurations of the patch-clamp technique. The channels of both
      types of mouse were indistinguishable in terms of conductance, ionic selectivity,
      kinetic behavior, voltage dependence or sensitivity to glucose, ATP and ADP. It
      is concluded that the depolarized state and the hypersecretory response of obese
      mouse beta-cells are not related to an altered behavior of their ATP-sensitive
      potassium channels.

PMID- 1433280
TI  - Two sites for adenine-nucleotide regulation of ATP-sensitive potassium channels
      in mouse pancreatic beta-cells and HIT cells.
AB  - ATP-inhibited potassium channels (K(ATP)) were studied in excised, inside-out
      patches from cultured adult mouse pancreatic beta-cells and HIT cells. In the
      absence of ATP, ADP opened K(ATP) channels at concentrations as low as 10 microM
      and as high as 500 microM, with maximal activation between 10 and 100 microM ADP
      in mouse beta-cell membrane patches. At concentrations greater than 500 microM,
      ADP inhibited K(ATP) channels while 10 mM virtually abolished channel activity.
      HIT cell channels had a similar biphasic response to ADP except that more than 1
      mM ADP was required for inhibition. The channel opening effect of ADP required
      magnesium while channel inhibition did not. Using creatine/creatine phosphate
      solutions with creatine phosphokinase to fix ATP and ADP concentrations, we found
      substantially different K(ATP)-channel activity with solutions having the same
      ATP/ADP ratio but different absolute total nucleotide levels. To account for ATP
      ADP competition, we propose a new model of channel-nucleotide interactions with
      two kinds of ADP binding sites regulating the channel. One site specifically
      binds MgADP and increases channel opening. The other, the previously described
      ATP site, binds either ATP or ADP and decreases channel opening. This model very
      closely fits the ADP concentration-response curve and, when incorporated into a
      model of beta-cell membrane potential, increasing ADP in the 10 and 100 microM
      range is predicted to compete very effectively with millimolar levels of ATP to
      hyperpolarize beta-cells. The results suggest that (i) K(ATP)-channel activity is
      not well predicted by the "ATP/ADP ratio," and (ii) ADP is a plausible regulator
      of K(ATP) channels even if its free cytoplasmic concentration is in the 10-100
      microM range as suggested by biochemical studies.

PMID- 1433281
TI  - Subunit requirements for Torpedo AChR channel expression: a specific role for the
      delta-subunit in voltage-dependent gating.
AB  - This study examines the subunit requirement for Torpedo acetylcholine receptor
      (AChR) channel expression and the influence of non-alpha-subunit deletions on
      single AChR-channel currents. Xenopus oocytes injected with subunit combinations
      deficient in single non-alpha-subunit mRNA transcripts display the following
      order of ACh sensitivity: beta-less > gamma-less > delta-less. Oocytes injected
      with only the alpha-subunit and one non-alpha-subunit display the order: alpha
      delta > alpha gamma > alpha beta. These sequences indicate the effectiveness of
      non-alpha-subunit substitution is delta > gamma > beta. Single AChR-channel
      currents measured in oocytes deficient in either beta or gamma display
      conductance and voltage-sensitive burst kinetics similar to the wild-type
      channel. In contrast, the delta-less combination express channels with burst
      kinetics that are relatively faster and voltage insensitive. These results
      indicate that either a specific structural domain in the delta-subunit or its
      specific interactions with the alpha-subunit contribute to the voltage-dependent
      gating of the Torpedo AChR channel.

PMID- 1433282
TI  - Inhibition of ileal brush-border chloride conductance by specific antibody.
AB  - Antibody raised in mice was used in attempting to identify proteins responsible
      for the conductive chloride transport that can be measured in porcine ileal brush
      border membrane vesicles. Ileal brush-border membrane vesicle protein from pig
      was separated into five different molecular mass fractions by preparative SDS
      polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis. Separated protein fractions were used to
      immunize mice. Antibody was screened for reactivity with antigen by Western
      blotting, and for effects on conductive chloride transport in ileal brush border
      membrane vesicles. Immunization with brush-border protein from fraction I
      proteins (> 110 kDa) produced polyclonal antisera which specifically inhibited
      the conductive component of chloride uptake by ileal brush border vesicle
      preparations. Western blotting of the antigen showed the presence of several
      protein species of molecular mass > 100 kDa that were recognized by immune serum.
      Spleen cells from a mouse producing antiserum that inhibited conductive chloride
      transport were fused with a myeloma cell line. The resulting hybridoma colonies
      produced antibody that reacted with at least seven distinct protein bands by
      Western blot assay and inhibited chloride conductance in brush-border membrane
      vesicles.

PMID- 1433283
TI  - Kinetic control of 5 S RNA gene transcription.
AB  - We have determined that the differential transcription of somatic and oocyte-type
      5 S RNA genes in a Xenopus laevis oocyte extract is a consequence of vastly
      different rates of stable complex assembly. Somatic-type 5 S RNA genes sequester
      a limiting transcription factor much more rapidly than oocyte-type 5 S RNA genes.
      Once formed, however, transcription complexes on both types of genes are stable,
      and are transcribed at nearly equivalent rates. The relative rates of stable
      transcription complex assembly are strongly dependent on the concentration of
      Mg2+. Kinetic differences in transcription complex assembly provides a key
      distinguishing feature between these two genes which may be used in the selective
      repression of oocyte-type 5 S RNA genes during the early development of Xenopus,
      and may also be utilized in other systems of regulated gene expression.

PMID- 1433284
TI  - Characterization of assembly intermediates of NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase
      (complex I) accumulated in Neurospora mitochondria by gene disruption.
AB  - NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase, the respiratory chain complex I of mitochondria,
      is an assembly of some 25 nuclear-encoded and 7 mitochondrially encoded subunits.
      The complex has an overall L-shaped structure formed by a peripheral arm and an
      elongated membrane arm. The peripheral arm containing one FMN and at least three
      iron-sulphur clusters constitutes the NADH dehydrogenase segment of the electron
      pathway. The membrane arm with at least one iron-sulphur cluster constitutes the
      ubiquinone reducing segment. We are studying the assembly of the complex in
      Neurospora crassa. By disrupting the gene of a nuclear-encoded subunit of the
      membrane arm a mutant was generated that cannot form complex I. The mutant rather
      pre-assembles the peripheral arm with all redox groups and the ability to
      catalyse NADH oxidation by artificial electron acceptors. The final assembly of
      the membrane arm is blocked in the mutant leading to accumulation of
      complementary assembly intermediates. One intermediate is associated with a
      protein that is not present in the fully assembled complex I. The results
      demonstrate that the two arms of complex I are assembled independently on
      separate pathways, and gave a first insight into the assembly pathway of the
      membrane arm. It is also shown for the first time that the obligate aerobic
      fungus N. crassa can grow and respire without an intact complex I. Gene
      replacement in this fungus is therefore a tool for investigation of this complex.

PMID- 1433285
TI  - Structural basis for the destabilization of F-actin by phosphate release
      following ATP hydrolysis.
AB  - The role of ATP hydrolysis in actin polymerization has been a puzzle, since it is
      known that polymer formation is possible without the ATPase activity and that the
      ATPase lags behind polymerization. We have used beryllium fluoride and G-ADP
      actin monomers to form F-ADP-BeF3- filaments that are a stable analog for either
      the ATP or the ADP-P(i) state. Electron microscopy and computed three-dimensional
      reconstruction have been used to compare this state to control actin, F-ADP,
      polymerized from G-ATP. We find, at a high degree of statistical significance,
      that subdomain-2 of the actin protomer in the ADP-BeF3- state is in a
      conformation very similar to that found in the atomic model for F-actin of Holmes
      and co-workers, but becomes disordered after the release of the phosphate. This
      breaks one of the longitudinal bonds in the filament, consistent with biochemical
      observations that phosphate release destabilizes F-actin. We have also found that
      lithium, which reduces the dissociation rate constant of actin filaments, induces
      a structural state indistinguishable from that of ADP-BeF3-. Further, in all
      states about ten C-terminal residues are displaced from the above mentioned
      model, but that the fit of the rest of the monomer is in excellent agreement,
      supporting the uniqueness of the solution they found and precluding a
      significantly different arrangement of the actin monomer in the filament.

PMID- 1433286
TI  - Inhibition of bacteriophage lambda development by the klaA gene of broad-host
      range plasmid RK2.
AB  - The kil-kor regulon of broad-host-range plasmid RK2 is an unusual array of eight
      co-regulated operons that express at least 21 genes, including the plasmid
      replication initiator gene. Some of the operons were first identified as kil loci
      because uncontrolled expression in the absence of certain kor regulatory genes
      leads to death of the host cells. The functions of kilA, C and E are unknown,
      although co-regulation with the replication initiator gene suggests that they may
      have importance in the maintenance or host range of the plasmid. Here we report
      studies on the function of klaA, the first of three host-lethal genes in the kilA
      operon. We found that lambda pklaA-1, a lambda phage containing the klaA gene, is
      unable to form plaques unless the host expresses the KorA and KorB repressors
      needed to regulate transcription from the klaA promoter. The failure to form
      plaques depends on the klaA gene product and results from the inability of
      infected cells to produce viable phage particles. Transcription of early, delayed
      early and late genes or processing of lambda DNA are not affected by klaA
      overexpression, while cell lysis, lambda DNA replication and production of
      functional phage heads are reduced. However, the failure to produce viable phage
      is best explained by the inability to synthesize lambda tails. The finding that
      klaA strongly inhibits a specific morphogenetic step in the assembly of lambda
      phage particles has significance with respect to the function of klaA on plasmid
      RK2.

PMID- 1433287
TI  - Adenovirus VARNA1 gene B block promoter element sequences required for
      transcription and for interaction with transcription factors.
AB  - We constructed mutants with a deletion of either half of the 18 base-pair B block
      palindrome in the VARNA1 gene, mutants with different intra-palindromic spacings,
      a complete set of mutants with single base substitutions, and mutants with double
      and triple base substitutions in the palindrome. The transcription efficiencies
      of these mutants were determined in human KB cell-free cytoplasmic S100 extracts.
      The relative competing strength of each mutant, as determined by a sequential
      competition experiment, was used to assess each mutant's ability to sequester
      factors into formation of a stable preinitiation complex. The ability of each
      mutant to assemble transcriptionally active preinitiation complexes was also
      determined by direct transcription of the isolated complexes. Finally, the
      ability of each mutant to interact with the transcription factor(s) TFIIIC and
      form a distinct gel-resolved complex was also determined. From the results of the
      above assays, we concluded that the two seemingly identical halves of the
      palindrome did not contribute equally to transcription, or to assembly of the
      functional preinitiation complex, nor to interaction with TFIIIC. The anterior
      half (B1) of the B block palindrome, which is proximal to the A block promoter
      element, played a stronger role in transcription and in assembly of the
      functional preinitiation complex than the posterior half (B2) of the palindrome.
      Consistent with this observation, the point mutations in four base-pairs, GTTC,
      from +60 to +63 in the anterior half of the B block palindrome, has the most
      severe effect on transcription. In contrast, we showed that the central sequence
      and the posterior half (B2) played a stronger role than the anterior half (B1) of
      the B block palindrome in the interaction of the promoter with TFIIIC. This was
      corroborated by the observation that base substitutions in the central four base
      pair sequence of the palindrome, TCGA, from +62 to +65, had the most severe
      effect on interaction with TFIIIC, and that mutations in most of the sequences in
      the posterior half of the B block palindrome had more drastic effects than
      mutations in the anterior half of the palindrome in this interaction.
      Furthermore, the spacing between the two halves of the B block palindrome had a
      drastic effect on the overall transcription efficiency and the interaction of the
      promoter with TFIIIC, suggesting that the interaction between the two halves of
      the B block palindrome is not only essential, but also synergistic for the
      interaction with TFIIIC as well as the assembly of a transcriptionally active
      preinitiation complex and efficient transcription.

PMID- 1433288
TI  - Molecular genetic analysis of bacteriophage P22 gene 3 product, a protein
      involved in the initiation of headful DNA packaging.
AB  - Bacteriophage P22 DNA packaging events occur in processive series on concatemeric
      phage DNA molecules. At the point where such series initiate, the DNA is
      recognized at a site called pac, and most molecular left ends are generated
      within six short regions called end sites, which are present in a 120 base-pair
      region surrounding the pac site. The bacteriophage P22 genes 2 and 3 proteins are
      required for successful generation of these ends and DNA packaging during progeny
      virion assembly. Mutants lacking the 162-amino-acid gene 3 protein replicate DNA
      and assemble functional procapsids. In this report we describe the nucleotide
      changes and DNA packaging phenotypes of a number of missense mutations of gene 3,
      which give the phage a higher than normal frequency of generalized transduction.
      In cells infected by these mutants, more packaging events initiate on the host
      chromosome than in wild-type infections, so the mutations are thought to affect
      the specificity of packaging initiation. In addition to having this phenotype,
      these mutations affect the process of phage DNA packaging in detectable ways.
      They may: (1) alter the target site specificity for packaging; (2) make target
      site recognition more promiscuous; (3) affect end site utilization; (4) alter the
      pac site; and (5) cause apparent random DNA packaging series initiation on phage
      DNA.

PMID- 1433289
TI  - Nuclear magnetic resonance solution structure of the alpha-neurotoxin from the
      black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis polylepis).
AB  - The three-dimensional structure in solution of the alpha-neurotoxin from the
      black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis polylepis) has been determined by nuclear
      magnetic resonance spectroscopy. A high quality structure for this 60-residue
      protein was obtained from 656 NOE distance constraints and 143 dihedral angle
      constraints, using the distance geometry program DIANA for the structure
      calculation and AMBER for restrained energy minimization. For a group of 20
      conformers used to represent the solution structure, the average root-mean-square
      deviation value calculated for the polypeptide backbone heavy atoms relative to
      the mean structure was 0.45 A. The protein consists of a core region from which
      three finger-like loops extend outwards. It includes a short, two-stranded
      antiparallel beta-sheet of residues 1-5 and 13-17, a three-stranded antiparallel
      beta-sheet involving residues 23-31, 34-42 and 51-55, and four disulfide bridges
      in the core region. There is also extensive non-regular hydrogen bonding between
      the carboxy-terminal tail of the polypeptide chain and the rest of the core
      region. Comparison with the crystal structure of erabutoxin-b indicates that the
      structure of alpha-neurotoxin is quite similar to other neurotoxin structures,
      but that local structural differences are seen in regions thought to be important
      for binding of neurotoxins to the acetylcholine receptor. For two regions of the
      alpha-neurotoxin structure there is evidence for an equilibrium between multiple
      conformations, which might be related to conformational rearrangements upon
      binding to the receptor. Overall, the alpha-neurotoxin presents itself as a
      protein with a stable core and flexible surface areas that interact with the
      acetylcholine receptor in such a way that high affinity binding is achieved by
      conformational rearrangements of the deformable regions of the neurotoxin
      structure.

PMID- 1433290
TI  - X-ray analysis of substrate analogs in the ricin A-chain active site.
AB  - Ricin A-chain is an N-glycosidase that hydrolyzes the adenine ring from a
      specific adenosine of rRNA. Formycin monophosphate (FMP) and adenyl(3'-
      >5')guanosine (ApG) were bound to ricin A-chain and their structures elucidated
      by X-ray crystallography. The formycin ring stacks between tyrosines 80 and 123
      and at least four hydrogen bonds are made to the adenine moiety. A residue
      invariant in this enzyme class, Arg180, appears to hydrogen bond to N-3 of the
      susceptible adenine. Three hypothetical models for binding a true hexanucleotide
      substrate, CGAGAG, are proposed. They incorporate adenine binding, shown by
      crystallography, but also include geometry likely to favor catalysis. For
      example, efforts have been made to orient the ribose ring in a way that allows
      solvent attack and oxycarbonium stabilization by the enzyme. The favored model is
      a simple perturbation of the tetraloop structure determined by nuclear magnetic
      resonance for similar polynucleotides. The model is attractive in that specific
      roles are defined for conserved protein residues. A mechanism of action is
      proposed. It invokes oxycarbonium ion stabilization on ribose by Glu177 in the
      transition state. Arg180 stabilizes anion development on the leaving adenine by
      protonation at N-3 and may activate a trapped water molecule that is the ultimate
      nucleophile in the depurination.

PMID- 1433291
TI  - Three-dimensional solution structure of an insulin dimer. A study of the B9(Asp)
      mutant of human insulin using nuclear magnetic resonance, distance geometry and
      restrained molecular dynamics.
AB  - The solution structure of the B9(Asp) mutant of human insulin has been determined
      by two-dimensional 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Thirty structures
      were calculated by distance geometry from 451 interproton distance restraints
      based on intra-residue, sequential and long-range nuclear Overhauser enhancement
      data, 17 restraints on phi torsional angles obtained from 3JH alpha HN coupling
      constants, and the restraints from 17 hydrogen bonds, and the three disulphide
      bridges. The distance geometry structures were optimized using restrained
      molecular dynamics (RMD) and energy minimization. The average root-mean-square
      deviation for the best 20 RMD refined structures is 2.26 A for the backbone and
      3.14 A for all atoms if the less well-defined N and C-terminal residues are
      excluded. The helical regions are better defined, with root-mean-square deviation
      values of 1.11 A for the backbone and 2.03 A for all atoms. The data analysis and
      the calculations show that B9(Asp) insulin, in water solution at the applied pH
      (1.8 to 1.9), is a well-defined dimer with no detectable difference between the
      two monomers. The association of the two monomers in the solution dimer is
      relatively loose as compared with the crystal dimer. The overall secondary and
      tertiary structures of the monomers in the 2Zn crystal hexamer is found to be
      preserved. The conformation-averaged NMR structures obtained for the monomer is
      close to the structure of molecule 1 in the hexamer of the 2Zn insulin crystal.
      However, minor, but significant deviations from this structure, as well as from
      the structure of monomeric insulin in solution, exist and are ascribed to the
      absence of the hexamer and crystal packing forces, and to the presence of monomer
      monomer interactions, respectively. Thus, the monomer in the solution dimer shows
      a conformation similar to that of the crystal monomer in molecular regions close
      to the monomer-monomer interface, whereas it assumes a conformation similar to
      that of the solution structure of monomeric insulin in other regions, suggesting
      that B9(Asp) insulin adopts a monomer-like conformation when this is not
      inconsistent with the monomer-monomer arrangement in the dimer.

PMID- 1433292
TI  - Domain structure and domain-domain interactions in the carboxy-terminal heparin
      binding region of fibronectin.
AB  - The domain structures and stabilities of fragments isolated from the so-called
      'hep 2' region of plasma fibronectin have been investigated by differential
      scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fluorescence spectroscopy. The 30 kDa hep-2A
      fragment contains three type III modules (III12 to III14), whereas the 40 kDa hep
      2B fragment contains four such modules (III12 to III15). Melting of these
      fragments at neutral pH was irreversible and accompanied by rapid aggregation. In
      contrast, melting was completely reversible in 50 mM-glycine at pH 2.7, where DSC
      measurements revealed the presence of three independently folded domains in 30kDa
      hep-2A and four in 40 kDa hep-2B. That each domain represented a single module
      was confirmed by measurements with four single-module subfragments, all of which
      melted reversibly, even at neutral pH. At neutral pH in the presence of 6 M-urea,
      30 kDa hep-2A melted reversibly in a sharp peak from which only two transitions
      could be resolved by deconvolution. Only the larger of these was stabilized by
      heparin and was assigned to modules III13 and III14. Upon isolation, module III13
      melted at lower temperature than in the parent fragment where it is stabilized
      through an interaction with module III14. We conclude that all type III modules
      in the hep-2 region of fibronectin constitute independently folded domains.
      Modules III13 and III14 form a highly co-operative structure through functionally
      significant interactions that can be disrupted with acid or sufficient
      concentrations of urea or guanidinium chloride.

PMID- 1433293
TI  - Structure of native and apo carbonic anhydrase II and structure of some of its
      anion-ligand complexes.
AB  - In order to obtain a better structural framework for understanding the catalytic
      mechanism of carbonic anhydrase, a number of inhibitor complexes of the enzyme
      were investigated crystallographically. The three-dimensional structure of free
      human carbonic anhydrase II was refined at pH 7.8 (1.54 A resolution) and at pH
      6.0 (1.67 A resolution). The structure around the zinc ion was identical at both
      pH values. The structure of the zinc-free enzyme was virtually identical with
      that of the native enzyme, apart from a water molecule that had moved 0.9 A to
      fill the space that would be occupied by the zinc ion. The complexes with the
      anionic inhibitors bisulfite and formate were also studied at neutral pH.
      Bisulfite binds with one of its oxygen atoms, presumably protonized, to the zinc
      ion and replaces the zinc water. Formate, lacking a hydroxyl group, is bound with
      its oxygen atoms not far away from the position of the non-protonized oxygen
      atoms of the bisulfite complex, i.e. at hydrogen bond distance from Thr199 N and
      at a position between the zinc ion and the hydrophobic part of the active site.
      The result of these and other studies have implications for our view of the
      catalytic function of the enzyme, since virtually all inhibitors share some
      features with substrate, product or expected transition states. A reaction scheme
      where electrophilic activation of carbon dioxide plays an important role in the
      hydration reaction is presented. In the reverse direction, the protonized oxygen
      of the bicarbonate is forced upon the zinc ion, thereby facilitating cleavage of
      the carbon-oxygen bond. This is achieved by the combined action of the anionic
      binding site, which binds carboxyl groups, the side-chain of threonine 199, which
      discriminates between hydrogen bond donors and acceptors, and hydrophobic
      interaction between substrate and the active site cavity. The required proton
      transfer between the zinc water and His64 can take place through water molecules
      292 and 318.

PMID- 1433294
TI  - Binding of the dye congo red to the amyloid protein pig insulin reveals a novel
      homology amongst amyloid-forming peptide sequences.
AB  - The three-dimensional structure has been determined of a complex of the dye Congo
      Red, a specific stain for amyloid deposits, bound to the amyloid protein insulin.
      One dye molecule intercalates between two globular insulin molecules at an
      interface formed by a pair of anti-parallel beta-strands. This result, together
      with analysis of the primary sequences of other amyloidogenic proteins and
      peptides suggests that this mode of dye-binding to amyloid could be general.
      Moreover, the structure of this dye-binding interface between protein molecules
      provides an insight into the polymerization of amyloidogenic proteins into
      amyloid fibres. Thus the detailed characterization, at a resolution of 2.5 A, of
      the dye binding site in insulin could form a basis for the design of agents
      targeted against a variety of amyloid deposits.

PMID- 1433295
TI  - Conformational and thermodynamic properties of supercoiled DNA.
AB  - We used Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the conformational and
      thermodynamic properties of DNA molecules with physiological levels of
      supercoiling. Three parameters determine the properties of DNA in this model:
      Kuhn statistical length, torsional rigidity and effective double-helix diameter.
      The chains in the simulation resemble strongly those observed by electron
      microscopy and have the conformation of an interwound superhelix whose axis is
      often branched. We compared the geometry of simulated chains with that determined
      experimentally by electron microscopy and by topological methods. We found a very
      close agreement between the Monte Carlo and experimental values for writhe,
      superhelix axis length and the number of superhelical turns. The computed number
      of superhelix branches was found to be dependent on superhelix density, DNA chain
      length and double-helix diameter. We investigated the thermodynamics of
      supercoiling and found that at low superhelix density the entropic contribution
      to superhelix free energy is negligible, whereas at high superhelix density, the
      entropic and enthalpic contributions are nearly equal. We calculated the effect
      of supercoiling on the spatial distribution of DNA segments. The probability that
      a pair of DNA sites separated along the chain contour by at least 50 nm are
      juxtaposed is about two orders of magnitude greater in supercoiled DNA than in
      relaxed DNA. This increase in the effective local concentration of DNA is not
      strongly dependent on the contour separation between the sites. We discuss the
      implications of this enhancement of site juxtaposition by supercoiling in the
      context of protein-DNA interactions involving multiple DNA-binding sites.

PMID- 1433296
TI  - Stability of a model beta-sheet in water.
AB  - We have used molecular dynamics simulations to determine the stability in water
      of a model beta-sheet formed by two alanine dipeptide molecules with two
      intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the closely spaced antiparallel arrangement. In
      this paper we describe our computations of the binding free energy of the model
      sheet and a portion of the free energy surface as a function of a reaction co
      ordinate for sheet formation. We used the free energy surface to identify stable
      conformations along the reaction co-ordinate. To determine whether or not the
      model sheet with two hydrogen bonds is more stable than a single amide hydrogen
      bond in water, we compared the results of the present calculations to results
      from our earlier study of linear hydrogen bond formation between two formamide
      molecules (the formamide "dimer"). The free energy surfaces for the sheet and
      formamide dimer each have two minima corresponding to locally stable hydrogen
      bonded and solvent-separated configurations. The binding free energies of the
      model sheet and the formamide dimer are -5.5 and -0.34 kcal/mol, respectively.
      Thus, the model sheet with two hydrogen bonds is quite stable while the simple
      amide hydrogen bond is only marginally stable. To understand the relative
      stabilities of the model sheet and formamide dimer in terms of solute-solute and
      solute-water interactions, we decomposed the free energy differences between
      hydrogen-bonded and solvent-separated conformations into energetic and entropic
      contributions. The changes in the peptide-peptide energy and the entropy are
      roughly twice as large for the sheet as they are for the formamide dimer. The
      magnitude of the peptide-water energy difference for the sheet is less than twice
      (by about 3.5 kcal/mol) that for the formamide dimer, and this accounts for the
      stability of the sheet. The presence of the side-chains and/or blocking groups
      apparently prevents the amide groups in the sheet from being solvated as
      favorably in the separated arrangement as in the formamide dimer, where the amide
      groups are completely exposed to the solvent.

PMID- 1433297
TI  - Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the complex between a mouse Fab
      fragment and a single IgG-binding domain from streptococcal protein G.
AB  - The Fab fragment of a mouse immunoglobulin G1, complexed with a single IgG
      binding domain from streptococcal protein G, has been crystallized in a form
      suitable for analysis by X-ray diffraction. The needle-shaped crystals were grown
      from polyethylene glycol 4000 using vapour diffusion methods and diffract to 2.3
      A resolution. The space group is P2(1)2(1)2(1) (a = 64.5 A, b = 70.5 A and c =
      120.1 A), with one Fab-protein G domain complex in the asymmetric unit. Solution
      of the three-dimensional structure of the complex will permit a detailed analysis
      of the molecular interactions between protein G and the Fab portion of IgG.

PMID- 1433298
TI  - Crystallization and preliminary X-ray investigation of bovine liver mitochondrial
      aldehyde dehydrogenase.
AB  - Aldehyde dehydrogenase from bovine liver mitochondria has been crystallized using
      the sitting drop method of vapor diffusion at 22 degrees C. The crystals formed
      from solutions containing, 40 mM-sodium citrate, 1 mM-NAD+ and 21% to 24%
      polyethylene glycol 3400 (pH 5.3 to 5.5). X-ray diffraction data collected from
      these crystals indicate that the crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group
      P2(1)2(1)2(1) with cell dimensions of a = 153.7 A, b = 159.37 A and c = 101.45 A.
      The crystals diffract to at least 2.9 A and a tetramer may comprise the
      asymmetric unit.

PMID- 1433299
TI  - Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the 3
      phosphoglycerate kinase from Bacillus stearothermophilus.
AB  - As part of a programme investigating the molecular basis of thermal stability in
      proteins we have isolated and characterized the thermally stable 3
      phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) from Bacillus stearothermophilus NCA 1503. The B.
      stearothermophilus PGK has been crystallized in a form suitable for X-ray
      diffraction analysis. Crystals which diffract to greater than 1.8 A resolution
      have been grown in the presence of the nucleotide substrate, MgATP, using
      polyethylene glycol (PEG 600) as a precipitant. The best crystals have been
      obtained using "seeding" techniques and are monoclinic, space group P2(1), with
      cell dimensions a = 40.5 A, b = 74.0 A, c = 68.5 A and beta = 99.8 degrees.

PMID- 1433300
TI  - Crystallization and initial crystallographic results for pepstatin A inhibited
      bovine cathepsin D.
AB  - Cathepsin D was purified from bovine liver by a method using two pepstatin A
      affinity columns. The eluted protein was combined with pepstatin A and the
      complex crystallized from 15% polyethylene glycol 8000 at pH 5.9. The crystals
      diffract to a resolution of 3.0 A and have space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with unit
      cell dimensions a = 74.8 A, b = 76.0 A, c = 157.7 A. There are two molecules in
      the asymmetric unit. The structure was solved by molecular replacement using a
      pepsin search model and both molecules showed clearly interpretable density in
      the position expected for pepstatin A in a preliminary difference map. The
      refined model has r.m.s. deviations from ideal bond lengths and angles of 0.014 A
      and 3.2 degrees, respectively, and a crystallographic R factor of 17%.

PMID- 1433301
TI  - Complete nucleotide sequence and structural organization of rat cardiac troponin
      T gene. A single gene generates embryonic and adult isoforms via developmentally
      regulated alternative splicing.
AB  - We have previously demonstrated that rat cardiac troponin T (TnT) is expressed as
      two different isoforms during development, the larger, more acidic embryonic
      isoform and the smaller, more basic adult isoform, which appear to be generated
      from a common transcript of the cardiac TnT gene by alternative RNA splicing. In
      this study, Southern blot analysis confirmed the existence of a single copy of
      cardiac TnT gene in the rat genome. For investigation of the molecular mechanism
      of isoform switch and the control of this gene expression in myocardial
      development, several overlapping genomic clones were isolated from a rat genomic
      library. Complete nucleotide sequences were determined from these genomic clones
      and revealed a 19,186 base-pair DNA fragment containing 16 exons of rat cardiac
      TnT gene. Its DNA sequence and exon organization appeared to differ from that of
      the rat fast skeletal muscle TnT gene or chicken cardiac TnT gene. Comparison of
      genomic and cDNA clones also confirmed that the cardiac TnT isoform switching was
      due to the inclusion or exclusion of exon 4 during RNA processing. Sequence
      analysis allowed us to further identify the other alternatively spliced exon
      containing only nine nucleotides in size (exon 12). The inclusion and complete or
      partial exclusion of this exon may be responsible for generating three classes of
      mRNAs detected by our cDNA clones. The functional significance of this variation
      in TnT isoforms remained unknown, but its splicing pattern did not appear to link
      to the developmental changes. The 5' upstream structure was very similar to that
      in chicken cardiac TnT gene but differed from that in the rat fast skeletal
      muscle TnT gene, suggesting a similar regulatory mechanism for mammalian and
      avian cardiac TnT expression.

PMID- 1433302
TI  - Mutagenicity of a unique apurinic/apyrimidinic site in mammalian cells.
AB  - Abasic sites are common DNA lesions produced either spontaneously or as a
      consequence of the action of some genotoxic agent. The mutagenic properties of a
      unique abasic site replicated in mammalian cells have been studied using a
      shuttle vector. A plasmid, able to replicate both in mammalian cells and in
      bacteria, carrying a unique abasic site chemically synthesized has been
      constructed. After replication in mammalian cells, plasmid DNA was recovered and
      used to transform bacteria. Mutants were screened without selection pressure by
      differential hybridization with a labelled oligonucleotide and their DNA was
      sequenced. A mutation frequency ranging from 1% to 3% was found, depending on the
      base originally inserted during the vector construction, opposite the abasic
      site. All the sequenced mutants correspond to single base-pair substitutions
      targeted at the abasic site. We observed a deficit in guanine incorporation
      opposite the abasic site, while the three other bases were incorporated with a
      similar efficiency. The mutational potency of abasic sites was observed without
      any voluntary preconditioning treatment of mammalian cells in order to induce
      "SOS" like conditions.

PMID- 1433303
TI  - Stimulation of the phage lambda pL promoter by integration host factor requires
      the carboxy terminus of the alpha-subunit of RNA polymerase.
AB  - Escherichia coli integration host factor (IHF) binds with high affinity to two
      tandem IHF consensus sequences located upstream from the pL promoter of
      bacteriophage lambda. IHF was shown to stimulate transcription initiation from
      the pL promoter by increasing close complex formation (KB). We show here, by the
      use of reconstituted mutant RNA polymerases, that the C-terminal portion of the
      alpha subunit of RNA polymerase plays an essential role in the stimulation of
      transcription by IHF. Our results are in agreement with the hypothesis that IHF,
      like the cAMP-CRP activator, increases the affinity of RNA polymerase to the
      promoter by protein-protein interaction.

PMID- 1433304
TI  - Amino acid preferences of small proteins. Implications for protein stability and
      evolution.
AB  - The dependence of amino acid frequency on sequence length has been examined for
      the 20 natural amino acids using a set of 2275 protein sequences with little
      sequence identity. As expected, the frequency of cysteine increases dramatically
      for sequences shorter than 100 amino acids with a length-dependence that
      corresponds to an average of two Cys per sequence independent of length.
      Surprisingly dramatic changes were also observed for the frequencies of arginine,
      lysine, aspartic acid, and glutamic acid: Arg and Lys frequencies increase for
      short sequences whereas Asp and Glu frequencies decrease. These changes do not
      appear to be due to an over-abundance of DNA- and membrane-binding proteins in
      the database and may, therefore, be related to protein stability. Possible
      stabilizing mechanisms include increased hydrogen bonding by Arg and increased
      hydrophobic stabilization due to the amphiphilic character of Arg and Lys. These
      observations suggest that amino acid composition played an important role in the
      evolution of small proteins.

PMID- 1433305
TI  - Positive and negative effects of DNA bending on activation of transcription from
      a distant site.
AB  - Transcription of the Escherichia coli glnHPQ operon, which encodes components of
      the high-affinity glutamine transport system, is activated by nitrogen regulator
      I (NRI)-phosphate in response to nitrogen limitation. NRI-phosphate binds to
      sites upstream from the sigma 54-dependent glnHp2 promoter and activates
      transcription by catalyzing the isomerization of the closed sigma 54-RNA
      polymerase promoter complex to an open complex. On linear DNA, the initiation of
      glnHp2 transcription requires in addition to NRI-phosphate the presence of
      integration host factor (IHF), which binds to a site located between the NRI
      binding sites and the promoter. On supercoiled DNA, IHF does not play an
      essential role, but enhances the activation of transcription by NRI-phosphate. We
      found that at a mutant glnHp2 promoter with increased affinity for sigma 54-RNA
      polymerase, the initiation of transcription can be activated equally well by NRI
      phosphate in the presence or absence of IHF. Binding of IHF to its site does not
      increase the binding of sigma 54-RNA polymerase to the glnHp2 promoter; instead,
      our data suggest that IHF bends the DNA to align the activator with the closed
      sigma 54-RNA polymerase promoter complex to facilitate the interactions that
      result in open complex formation. In the absence of IHF, NRI-phosphate can
      activate transcription whether its binding sites are on the same face of the DNA
      helix as the sigma 54-RNA polymerase or on the opposite face. IHF enhances
      transcription when the three proteins are located on the same face of the helix,
      but strongly inhibits transcription when any one of the proteins is located on
      the opposite face.

PMID- 1433306
TI  - Skeletal development in Xenopus laevis (Anura: Pipidae).
AB  - Postembryonic skeletal development of the pipid frog Xenopus laevis is described
      from cleared-and-stained whole-mount specimens and sectioned material
      representing Nieuwkoop and Faber developmental Stages 46-65, plus postmetamorphic
      individuals up to 6 months old. An assessment of variation of skeletogenesis
      within a single population of larvae and comparison with earlier studies revealed
      that the timing, but not the sequence, of skeletal development in X. laevis is
      more variable than previously reported and poorly correlated with the development
      of external morphology. Examination of chondrocranial development indicates that
      the rostral cartilages of X. laevis are homologous with the suprarostral
      cartilages of non-pipoid anurans, and suggests that the peculiar chondrocranium
      of this taxon is derived from a more generalized pattern typical of non-pipoid
      frogs. Derived features of skeletal development not previously reported for X.
      laevis include 1) bipartite formation of the palatoquadrate; 2) precocious
      formation of the adult mandible; 3) origin of the angulosplenial from two centers
      of ossification; 4) complete erosion of the orbital cartilage during the later
      stages of metamorphosis; 5) development of the sphenethmoid as a membrane, rather
      than an endochondral bone; and 6) a pattern of timing of ossification that more
      closely coincides with that of the pelobatid frog Spea than that recorded for
      neobatrachian species.

PMID- 1433307
TI  - The ear in subterranean insectivora and rodentia in comparison with ground
      dwelling representatives. I. Sound conducting system of the middle ear.
AB  - Compared to acoustically unspecialized mammals (soricids and murids), the middle
      ear of subterranean insectivores and rodents (twelve species of six families
      examined) was clearly distinguished and characterized by many common features:
      rather round and relatively larger eardrum without a pars flaccida; reduced
      gonial; loose or no connection between the malleus and the tympanic bone; reduced
      and straightened transversal part of the malleus; enlarged incus; increased and
      rather flat incudo-mallear joint; rather parallel position of the mallear
      manubrium and incudal crus longum in some species (and their fusion in
      bathyergids); reduced or even missing middle ear muscles. Convergent occurrence
      of these structural features in taxa of different origin and their generally
      derived character suggest that they cannot be categorized as degenerative. The
      form of the stapes can be considered as a non-adaptive trait; it was taxon
      specific yet remarkably polymorphous in some species and exhibited no convergent
      features among subterranean mammals. Structural retrogression resulting in a
      columella-like stapes was observed in some species lacking the stapedial artery.
      The stapedial base was relatively larger than in unspecialized mammals. The
      subterranean mammals did not exhibit conspicuously enlarged eardrums as would be
      required for sensitive tuning to low frequencies. It is, however, argued that
      while selective pressures in the subterranean ecotope promoted hearing of low
      frequencies, hearing sensitivity did not have to be enhanced.

PMID- 1433308
TI  - The functional morphology of xenarthrous vertebrae in the armadillo Dasypus
      novemcinctus (Mammalia, Xenarthra).
AB  - In order to assess the mechanical properties of xenarthrous vertebrae, and to
      evaluate the role of xenarthrae as fossorial adaptations, in vitro bending tests
      were performed on posterior thoracic and lumbar vertebral segments excised from
      specimens of the armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus and the opossum Didelphis
      virginiana, the latter being used to represent the primitive mammalian condition.
      The columns of the two species were subjected to dorsal, ventral, and lateral
      bending, as well as torsion, in order to determine their stiffness in each of
      these directions. During these tests, bone strains in the centra of selected
      vertebrae were determined using rosette strain gages. Overall stiffness of the
      armadillo backbone at physiologically relevant displacement levels was
      significantly higher than that of the opossum for both dorsal and lateral
      bending. The two species also exhibited significant differences in angular
      displacement of individual vertebrae and in vertebral strain magnitudes and
      orientations in these two directions. No significant differences were observed
      when the columns of the two species were subjected to torsion or to ventral
      bending. Our results suggest that some, but not all, of the mechanical
      differences between the two species are due to the presence of xenarthrae. For
      example, removal of the xenarthrae from selected vertebrae (L2-L4) changes strain
      orientation and shear, but not strain magnitudes. Comparisons with functional
      data from other digging mammals indicate that the modified mechanical properties
      of the Dasypus column are consistent with an interpretation of xenarthrae as
      digging adaptations and lend support to the idea that the order Xenarthra
      represents an early offshoot of placental mammals specialized for fossoriality.

PMID- 1433309
TI  - Ultrastructural changes in guinea pig endometrial cells during the estrous cycle.
AB  - In the guinea pig, the estrous cycle is characterized by a constant measurable
      level of plasma progesterone with two peaks: the first one associated with the
      peak of plasma estradiol-17 beta occurring at proestrus and the second, during
      diestrus, more pronounced at the time at which the level of estradiol-17 beta is
      undetectable. The progesterone receptor content is the highest on day 1 and the
      lowest on day 10 of the estrous cycle, which lasts 16.3 +/- 1.5 days (n = 37;
      mean +/- SD). There is a positive correlation between the plasma level of
      estradiol-17 beta and the progesterone receptors detected immunocytochemically in
      both endometrial epithelial and stromal cells. The general morphology of the
      endometrium during proestrus and estrus is consistent with an estrogenic
      stimulation, i.e., a smooth and regular surface of the endometrium and the
      presence of numerous microvilli on the cell surface. However, a moderate
      secretory activity also occurs in proestrus and estrus. During postestrus, the
      glandular cells display an increase in characteristic secretory features which
      parallels the rise of progesterone in the plasma.

PMID- 1433310
TI  - Comparison between the effects of 2-3 butanedione monoxime (BDM) and calcium
      chloride on myocardial oxygen consumption.
AB  - The agent 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) has been reported to reduce the
      sensitivity of myofilament force development to calcium ions, without affecting
      the calcium transient in myocardium. One would predict, therefore, that BDM
      should reduce the contractile state of the heart without reducing the amount of
      oxygen that is consumed to fuel the process of excitation-contraction coupling.
      The purpose of the present experiment was to test this hypothesis using
      isovolumically contracting, isolated, blood perfused canine hearts during beta
      blockade induced by continuous intra-coronary infusion of propranolol (1 mg/h).
      Contractile state was increased in seven hearts by CaCl2 infusion. Subsequently,
      while the CaCl2 infusion was continued at the highest rate, contractile state was
      reduced by BDM infusion. At each contractile state, we measured the left
      ventricular end-systolic pressure-volume relation (ESPVR), the relation between
      myocardial oxygen consumption and its mechanical correlate, pressure-volume area
      (MVO2 vs PVA), and the duration of the LV pressure waveform. Contractile state
      was quantified by interpolated developed pressure at a reference ventricular
      volume of 25 ml (P25). BDM infusion (0.5-7 mM) caused a dose-dependent reduction
      in contractile state (50% reduction in P25 at 2.4 +/- 0.3 mM), and a dose
      independent increase in coronary blood flow. Furthermore, BDM significantly
      reduced the duration of the pressure waveform up to 40% at the highest rate of
      BDM infusion compared to the pressure waveform duration measured at maximum CaCl2
      infusion. We observed a direct relationship between MVO2 of the mechanically
      unloaded heart and contractility; this relation was unaffected by BDM infusion (P
      > 0.3). The slope of the MVO2-PVA relation decreased with increases in
      contractile state, but this decrease was unaffected by BDM (P > or = 0.4). We
      conclude that in the isolated canine heart, BDM does not act energetically as
      expected for a myofibrillar calcium desensitizing agent.

PMID- 1433311
TI  - Myoglobin supported oxygen consumption in isolated rat hearts under dysoxic
      conditions.
AB  - Oxygen consumption was assessed in contracting, isolated rat hearts subjected to
      Langendorff perfusion. Initially, hearts were perfused with Krebs-Henseleit
      bicarbonate medium (KHB). Some hearts were treated with a 10 min pulse of medium
      containing 0.05 mM phenylhydrazine to oxidize approximately 78% of myoglobin to a
      state incapable of binding oxygen. Stepwise reduction in input PO2 resulted in a
      decline in oxygen consumption (MO2) in control and treated hearts.
      Phenylhydrazine treatment had no effect upon MO2 in hearts perfused with medium
      having a PO2 of about 585 mmHg or higher. However, at an input PO2 of
      approximately 370 mmHg, MO2 was decreased to 60% of the level at an input PO2 of
      710 mmHg in untreated hearts and significantly lower to 32% of initial level in
      myoglobin blocked hearts. In subsequent experiments, hearts were perfused with
      KHB containing human red blood cells (RBCs) to elevate the oxygen content of the
      perfusate. The addition of RBCs to medium having a PO2 of approximately 140 mmHg
      resulted in enhancement of MO2 and maintenance of performance. But the
      preparations were considered to be dysoxic since MO2 with RBCs in the medium (PO2
      approximately 140 mmHg) was lower than under perfusion with KHB (PO2
      approximately 710 mmHg). This should however not detract from the utility of the
      model in elucidating myoglobin function under oxygen limiting conditions. At an
      input PO2 of 140 mmHg hearts treated with phenylhydrazine to impede myoglobin
      function had a significantly lower MO2 and viability than untreated
      hearts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1433312
TI  - Effect of food restriction on the phosphocreatine energy shuttle components in
      rat heart.
AB  - Malnutrition has been associated with changes in cardiac metabolism and
      performance. We have previously reported a diabetic-type cardiomyopathy
      associated with chronic food restriction and weight loss. Because the creatine
      phosphocreatine-creatine kinase system is important in the contractile process,
      we studied the components of this system in rats fed a food-restricted diet (33%
      of control animal intake). After 4 weeks of food restriction, total creatine
      kinase (CK) activities were reduced by 28% in ventricles and by 38% in atria. The
      CK isoenzymes in the heart were not equally affected. The BB isoenzyme was
      decreased by 77% and 78%, the MB isoenzyme by 45% and 43%, the MM isoenzyme by
      22% and 19% and CKmito by 16% and 15% in ventricles and atria, respectively. In
      contrast, brain CK activity which is predominantly the BB isoenzyme, was slightly
      higher in the food-restricted than in control rats. Further studies on
      ventricular tissue from food-restricted rats revealed a 27% decline in
      myofibrillar CR activity and a 58% decline in myofibrillar ATPase activity.
      Phosphocreatine and creatine concentrations were not changed by food restriction,
      however, ATP was decreased by 23% in ventricles from rats on the restricted diet.
      Cardiac mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation was also impaired. State 3
      respiration with alpha-ketoglutarate was reduced 20% in the food-restricted
      heart. These changes are compared to those which we previously observed in the
      diabetic rat heart and the significance of these findings is discussed.

PMID- 1433313
TI  - Oxidative metabolism and mechanical function in reperfused neonatal pig heart.
AB  - Oxidative metabolism in reperfused neonatal myocardium has not been
      characterized. A blood-perfused isovolumic heart preparation was used to quantify
      metabolic and mechanical responses of the neonatal left ventricle to global
      normothermic ischemia and reperfusion. Hearts from piglets aged 2-7 days were
      subjected to either 2 hrs of total ischemia at 37 degrees C followed by 1 hr of
      reperfusion or 3 hrs of perfusion alone; glucose and palmitate oxidation were
      measured in separate experiments by incorporation of the appropriate [14C]
      labeled substrate into the perfusate. In the pre-ischemic period, glucose,
      palmitate, and lactate contributed 10%, 41%, and 36%, respectively, to oxidative
      metabolism. After 2 hrs of total normothermic ischemia, oxidation of exogenous
      glucose was 165% and 229% of control values at 30 and 60 minutes of reperfusion,
      respectively; palmitate oxidation was 110% and 143% of control values at these
      times. Despite increased glucose oxidation, palmitate oxidation accounted for 69%
      of myocardial oxygen consumption after 1 hr of reperfusion, with glucose
      responsible for 25%. Lactate use was minimal during reperfusion. Reperfusion was
      accompanied by rapid and parallel recovery of oxygen utilization, mechanical
      function, and high-energy phosphates. The neonatal piglet heart demonstrates
      significant metabolic and mechanical tolerance to prolonged ischemia. Although
      glucose utilization increased markedly, palmitate was the primary substrate for
      energy production in the post-ischemic neonatal heart.

PMID- 1433314
TI  - Action potentials and potassium currents in rat ventricular muscle during
      experimental diabetes.
AB  - Time course of the surface electrical activity was studied in left ventricular
      trabeculae of Wistar rats made diabetic using streptozotocin. The action
      potentials were recorded in Tyrode's solution at 32 degrees C, their duration
      considerably increased in diabetes. By the 8th week, the prolongation was 64% at
      25% of repolarization; 112% at 50% and 118% at 75%. Insulin treatment reduced the
      prolongation of the action potentials although a complete restoration was not
      achieved. 0.1 mM La3+ moderately shortened the electrical activity both in
      control and in diabetic trabeculae. Three mM 4-aminopyridine made the time course
      of control action potentials very similar to the diabetic ones while the action
      potentials from the diabetic animals were prolonged further to a smaller extent.
      Whole-cell clamp experiments in isolated ventricular myocytes (20-23 degrees C)
      showed a considerable decrease and a somewhat accelerated inactivation of the
      transient outward current (Ito) in diabetes. The steady-state inactivation and
      the rate of recovery from inactivation of Ito did not change. No alterations in
      the magnitude and voltage dependence of inward rectifier (IK1) were found around
      the resting membrane potential. The diabetes-related suppression of Ito explains
      the decreased repolarization rate of action potentials.

PMID- 1433315
TI  - Triacylglycerol metabolism in hypoxic, glucose-deprived rat cardiomyocytes.
AB  - We have recently shown that a triacylglycerol (TG)-fatty acid cycle is operating
      in rat myocardial cells incubated in a hypoxic, glucose-containing incubation
      medium (Myrmel et al., 1991a). In the present study we investigated whether this
      cycle occurred in hypoxic, glucose-deprived myocytes, and whether high TG levels
      would increase TG-fatty acid cycling and thereby energy consumption. Myocytes
      with elevated contents of TG were obtained from the hearts of streptozotocin
      induced diabetic rats (diabetic myocytes) and from normal rat myocytes prepared
      in the presence of oleic acid (TG-loaded myocytes). The TG content of diabetic
      and TG-loaded myocytes prior to hypoxic incubations was more than two times
      higher (P < 0.05) than that of their respective controls (123.8 +/- 20.6 and
      125.3 +/- 12.7 vs 56.8 +/- 6.0 and 58.6 +/- 9.4 nmol/10(6) cells, mean +/- S.E.,
      n = 7). Only diabetic and TG-loaded myocytes expressed marked reductions in TG
      content during glucose free incubations. There were no differences in TG-fatty
      acid cycling between the various myocyte groups, calculated as the difference
      between glycerol output and the concomitant decrease in TG (range: 36.7 +/- 8.1-
      48.9 +/- 9.7 nmol TG/10(6) cells.2h). Apparently, the cycle was continuous
      throughout the whole incubation period despite falling ATP levels, contracture
      (rounding up) of myocytes, as well as cessation of glycogenolysis after about 40
      min incubation. The cellular content of glycerol-3-phosphate, known to control TG
      fatty acid cycling, increased continuously and to the same extent throughout the
      2 h incubation period. Futile energy consumption associated with TG-fatty acid
      cycling, amounted to approximately 30% of total cellular energy consumption for
      the whole incubation period. In conclusion, hypoxic glucose deprived rat myocytes
      show TG-fatty-acid cycling, even after cessation of glycogenolysis. The extent of
      cycling, and thus the energy cost associated with it, was not influenced by the
      initial level of TG in the myocytes. We propose that glycerol-3-phosphate needed
      to fuel the TG-fatty acid cycle after exhaustion of the glycolytic supply is
      derived from phospholipid degradation.

PMID- 1433316
TI  - The protective role of heat stress in the ischaemic and reperfused rabbit
      myocardium.
AB  - Cells subjected to increases in temperature induce the expression of several
      proteins known as heat shock or stress proteins. This process enhances the cell's
      ability to overcome the effects of further stress. In this respect, the effects
      of heat stress have been reported to protect the hearts of rats following
      ischaemia and reperfusion. We have confirmed and extended this observation, not
      only using different indices of myocardial injury but also in another species,
      namely the rabbit. Animals were anaesthetized and the body temperature raised to
      42 degrees C for a 15-min period. Controls were treated in the same way but
      without heating. Twenty-four hours later the rabbits were re-anaesthetized and
      the hearts removed for either heat stress protein analysis or perfusion with
      Krebs buffer using an isolated perfused heart apparatus. Hearts were subjected to
      60 min of low flow (1 ml/min) ischaemia followed by 30 min of reperfusion. All
      hearts subjected to heat stress showed an enhanced recovery of function upon
      reperfusion as measured by improvements in developed pressure (27.3 +/- 3.6 vs
      16.3 +/- 3.0 mmHg) and diastolic pressure (37.3 +/- 7.4 vs 54.7 +/- 3.1 mmHg). In
      addition, creatine kinase release, associated with reperfusion, was significantly
      reduced in the heat-stressed hearts (532 +/- 102 vs 1138 +/- 73 mU/min/g wet wt).
      Myocardial accumulation and release of oxidized glutathione, an index of
      oxidative stress, was significantly reduced in the heat-stressed group (0.003 +/-
      0.003 vs 0.376 +/- 0.113 nmol/min/g wet wt). The improved metabolic status of the
      reperfused heat-stressed hearts was further demonstrated by a significant
      conservation in the levels of ATP (6.1 +/- 0.9 vs 2.8 +/- 0.8 mumol/g dry wt) and
      CP (36.9 +/- 6.4 vs 16.4 +/- 5.1 mumol/g dry wt). Finally, isolated mitochondrial
      function in terms of respiratory control index (RCI) was maintained in the heat
      stressed hearts (9.2 +/- 0.9 vs 5.7 +/- 0.2) and overloading with calcium was
      reduced. These data extend the hypothesis that heat stress protects the heart
      following ischaemia and reperfusion in this in vitro model, in a way as yet
      undetermined.

PMID- 1433317
TI  - Effects of duration of ischaemia during preconditioning on mechanical function,
      enzyme release and energy production in the isolated working rat heart.
AB  - Repeated brief episodes of ischaemia "precondition" the myocardium and protect it
      during a subsequent period of sustained ischaemia. We subjected isolated rat
      hearts to sustained ischaemia with or without reperfusion after different
      schedules of preconditioning. We demonstrated that preconditioning with three 5
      min periods of ischaemia separated by 10 min periods of reperfusion permits
      better functional recovery than preconditioning with three 2 min ischaemic
      periods separated by 10 min of reperfusion. Preconditioned hearts had creatine
      phosphate and adenine nucleotide levels comparable to those in the aerobically
      perfused controls, and showed good functional recovery. Although the mechanisms
      by which preconditioning protects the heart from subsequent ischaemic damage are
      unclear, we speculate that preservation of mitochondrial function and oxidative
      energy production is involved.

PMID- 1433318
TI  - PEG-SOD and myocardial antioxidant status during ischaemia and reperfusion: dose
      response studies in the isolated blood perfused rabbit heart.
AB  - We have previously shown that the polyethylene glycol conjugated superoxide
      dismutase (SOD), which has a plasma half-life of more than 24 h, protects the
      blood perfused rabbit heart against injury during ischaemia and reperfusion.
      However, the profile for the dose-dependency of protection was bell-shaped with
      loss of efficacy below 6000 and above 30,000 U/kg. In the present study, isolated
      rabbit hearts, perfused with blood from support rabbits, were subjected to a 2
      min infusion with St Thomas' Hospital cardioplegic solution followed by 60 min of
      global ischaemia (37 degrees C) and 60 min of reperfusion. PEG-SOD was
      administered 1 h or 12-24 h before ischaemia. We assessed the effect of PEG-SOD
      on ischaemia- and reperfusion-induced changes in: (i) the tissue content of
      reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and malondialdehyde (MDA)
      and (ii) the activity of CuZn-SOD, Mn-SOD and glutathione peroxidase and
      reductase (GPD and GRD). Ischaemia and reperfusion reduced tissue GSH content by
      70% and increased GSSG content by 400% (from their fresh aerobic values of 13.1.9
      and 0.09 +/- 0.01 nmol/mg protein, respectively). PEG-SOD, given intravenously at
      various doses to donor and support rabbits 1 h or 12-24 h before ischaemia,
      protected against these changes with a bell-shaped dose-response relationship.
      Thus, with 0, 3000, 6000, 12,000, 30,000 and 60,000 U/kg, GSH content was 4.1 +/-
      0.4, 4.8 +/- 0.4, 8.5 +/- 0.5, 12.3 +/- 1.6, 12.3 +/- 1.6 and 5.0 +/- 0.5 nmol/mg
      protein in the 1 h pretreatment group and 4.1 +/- 0.4, 4.2 +/- 0.5, 10.4 +/- 1.5,
      11.2 +/- 1.1, 11.4 +/- 0.7 and 4.7 +/- 0.6 nmol/mg protein in the 12-24 h
      pretreatment group (means +/- S.E.M.). For GSSG the corresponding values were
      0.36 +/- 0.04, 0.34 +/- 0.03, 0.12 +/- 0.01, 0.12 +/- 0.01, 0.11 +/- 0.01 and
      0.41 +/- 0.03 nmol/mg protein for the 1 h group and 0.36 +/- 0.04, 0.35 +/- 0.02,
      0.15 +/- 0.01, 0.12 +/- 0.01, 0.11 +/- 0.01 and 0.34 +/- 0.02 nmol/mg protein for
      the 12-24 h group. Ischaemia and reperfusion had no effect on tissue MDA content
      or CuZn-SOD, GDP and GRD activity, and in general, PEG-SOD also lacked
      significant effect on any of these variables at any dose studied. However, Mn-SOD
      activity was severely reduced by ischaemia and reperfusion (from 42 +/- 7 U/mg
      protein in fresh aerobic controls to 6 +/- 1 U/mg protein at the end of
      reperfusion).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1433319
TI  - Iron-catalyzed reactions cause lipid peroxidation in the intact heart.
AB  - The chemical targets and mechanisms of iron-catalyzed oxidative injury in
      myocardium are poorly understood. Oxygen metabolites, in the presence of iron,
      can initiate free-radical chain reactions in unsaturated membrane lipids,
      generating lipid peroxides and causing membrane injury. We examined whether
      exposure to iron-catalyzed oxidative injury would increase myocardial lipid
      peroxide levels as injury evolved in the intact heart. Isolated, buffer perfused
      rabbit hearts were exposed for 30 min to 100 uM Fe2+/500 uM ADP and 10 uM H2O2
      (IRON group, n = 5), saline vehicle (CON group, n = 6) or 500 uM ADP and 10 uM
      H2O2 without iron (ADP, n = 5). Lipid peroxides were measured in cytosol and
      membrane fractions by a new method, using the lipid peroxide-induced oxidation of
      exogenous GSH to GSSG, catalyzed by the enzyme glutathione peroxidase. The
      results indicated that iron-catalyzed lipid peroxidation occurs in the intact
      heart during chemically-mediated oxidative injury.

PMID- 1433320
TI  - Stimulation of DNA synthesis by PDGF in the newt cardiac myocyte.
AB  - The adult newt cardiac ventricular myocyte has been successfully placed in cell
      culture and has been shown to undergo in vitro DNA synthesis. Although several
      growth factors have been reported to increase DNA synthesis in cardiac myocytes
      in vitro, PDGF has not been reported to do so, but has been shown to be active in
      other systems. Ventricles were removed from the adult red-spotted newt and were
      enzymatically and mechanically dissociated in a solution containing trypsin and
      collagenase. Cells were preplated on to plastic to remove non-myocytes. Myocytes
      were then plated onto laminin. Groups of myocytes were fed control medium and
      medium containing porcine PDGF. Myocytes were given 1 microCi/ml of tritiated
      thymidine 6 or 24 h before fixation. Control myocytes showed a peak DNA synthesis
      at 12-14 days in culture. One ng/ml of PDGF increased DNA synthesis significantly
      to 22% above control. Myocytes responded to PDGF with significantly increased DNA
      synthesis in about 12 h. PDGF did not induce earlier DNA synthesis, but increased
      synthesis at all days of culture tested. These results indicate that PDGF acts
      upon cardiac myocytes, increasing their DNA synthesis.

PMID- 1433321
TI  - Effects of sympathetic innervation on size of myocytes in embryonic rat heart
      cultured in oculo.
AB  - Embryonic rat myocardium cultured in the anterior eye chamber of an adult rat
      increases in mass and differentiates into mature myocardium by most morphological
      criteria [1]. When sympathetic innervation of grafted heart tissue was prevented
      by superior cervical ganglionectomy (SCGx), growth of the grafts was severely
      compromised. The present study used morphometric methods to examine the
      contribution of myocyte size to the differential growth of grafts in
      sympathetically denervated and intact eye chambers. For this purpose, atria or
      ventricles from 12-day gestation rat hearts were grafted into sympathetically
      denervated and intact eye chambers of male host rats. Tissue was harvested after
      either 2 or 8 weeks in oculo. Myocyte diameter and the ratio of cytoplasmic area
      to nuclear area increased between 2 and 8 weeks in oculo in both atrial and
      ventricular grafts. In these unloaded heart grafts, estimated myocyte size did
      not differ between atrial and ventricular myocytes. Grafts into sympathetically
      innervated and denervated eye chambers did not differ in myocyte diameter or in
      the ratio of cytoplasmic to nuclear area, suggesting that myocyte size cannot
      explain the smaller mass of grafts in sympathetically denervated eye chambers.
      Thus, it is likely that other factors such as myocyte proliferation, myocyte
      survival or altered tissue composition underlie the lesser growth of grafts not
      innervated by sympathetic nerves.

PMID- 1433322
TI  - Positive and negative inotropic effects of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate:
      relationship to PKC-dependence and changes in [Ca2+]i.
AB  - The present study examined the concentration-dependent effects of phorbol 12
      myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a PKC-activating phorbol ester, on contractile force
      and [Ca2+]i in guinea-pig hearts and isolated cardiac myocytes, respectively.
      Contractile force was measured using isolated Langendorff-perfused hearts while
      [Ca2+]i was measured independently in isolated cardiac myocytes loaded with fura2
      AM. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, as well as another PKC-activating phorbol,
      phorbol dibutyrate (PDBu), and two non-PKC-activating phorbols, alpha-phorbol
      didecanoate (alpha PDD) and 4 alpha-phorbol, exerted time- and concentration
      dependent effects on contractility. A significant positive inotropic response was
      observed with either PMA (10(-12) M; 5-15 min of perfusion) or PDBu (10(-12) M; 5
      min of perfusion). In contrast, 10(-10) M PMA caused a significant negative
      inotropic effect following 30 min of perfusion while 10(-8) M PMA produced a
      significant negative inotropic effect which occurred earlier (10 min) and was
      sustained throughout the 30 min perfusion period. A similar negative inotropic
      effect was seen with 10(-8) M of either PDBu or alpha PDD. In addition, 4 alpha
      phorbol (10(-8) M) exerted a modest, but significant negative inotropic effect
      following 25 and 30 min of perfusion. Both concentration-dependent increases and
      decreases of +dF/dt and -dF/dt were observed in the presence of PMA. In addition,
      both PMA and PDBu caused a concentration-dependent increase in coronary perfusion
      pressure. The positive inotropic responses and coronary perfusion pressure
      effects elicited by PMA and PDBu were largely prevented by the addition of the
      PKC inhibitors H7 (6 nM) or HAG (10 nM); however, these drugs were without effect
      on the negative inotropic response to higher concentrations of both PKC
      activating (PMA, PDBu) and non-PKC-activating (alpha PDD, 4 alpha-phorbol)
      phorbol compounds. The lowest concentration of either PMA or PDBu (10(-12) M)
      increased the 340/380 fluorescence ratio of isolated cardiac myocytes loaded with
      fura2-AM on a time scale similar to that at which the positive inotropic response
      was seen in the whole heart. However, in contrast to results in the isolated
      heart, PDBu elicited a greater and sustained increase in the fluorescence ratio
      measured in isolated cardiac myocytes. The higher concentration of either PMA or
      PDBu (10(-8) M), resulted in a decrease in the 340/380 ratio.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1433323
TI  - Human fetal heart development after mid-term: morphometry and ultrastructural
      study.
AB  - A total of 44 normally developed human fetal hearts aged from 17 to 40 weeks
      gestation were provided for routine ultrastructural and morphometric studies. For
      morphometric analysis, the maximal thicknesses of the anterior, lateral and
      posterior wall of both ventricles and that of interventricular septum were
      measured and the left-to-right thickness ratios calculated. The cross-sectional
      areas of both ventricles in the plane of the greatest heart diameter were
      measured with computerized image analysis system. Data were analyzed using linear
      regression and one-way analysis of variance. Myofibril formation occurred by
      attachment of thin filaments into amorphous Z materials which were presented in
      sarcolemmal plaques, sarcoplasmic condensations, desmosomes and in Z lines. From
      these Z centers, myofibrils radiated many directions and branched and anastomosed
      with further development. This pattern of myofibrillar development continued
      throughout the whole fetal period. A transverse tubule system was clearly evident
      in later fetal development. It occurred by invagination of sarcolemma into
      myocardial cells and formation of subsarcolemmal caveolae. Mitochondria, well
      developed Golgi complexes, glycogen granules and well-developed microvessels were
      found throughout the whole fetal period. Binucleated myocytes appeared by 32
      weeks gestation and this suggests that myocyte hyperplasia may cease before birth
      in humans. The growth of both ventricular walls, the interventricular septum and
      that of both ventricular cross-sectional areas showed linear regression, and the
      left-to-right wall thickness ratios were nearly constant. Also, there were no
      differences in morphometric data between the left and right ventricles. In
      conclusion, development of the myocyte is an ongoing process which may be
      continued in the post-natal period in humans, and our statistical results do not
      support the theory of the right ventricular dominance during the fetal period.

PMID- 1433324
TI  - Lysophosphatidylcholine-induced Ca(2+)-overload in isolated cardiomyocytes and
      effect of cytoprotective drugs.
AB  - It has been previously demonstrated that lysophosphatides accumulate rapidly in
      ischaemic tissue, and may play a key role in the genesis of ischaemia-reperfusion
      injury. The present study investigated the effects of exogenously added
      lysophosphatidylcholine (1-20 microM) on single isolated cardiomyocytes from
      adult rabbit hearts. Quiescent cells exposed to > or = 8 microM
      lysophosphatidylcholine dose-dependently displayed irreversible hypercontraction,
      whereas after 60 min at 3 microM lysophosphatidylcholine, most cells remained rod
      shaped (87.2 +/- 2.0%, mean +/- S.E.M.). However, when combined with electrical
      field stimulation (1 Hz), exposure to 3 microM lysophosphatidylcholine resulted
      in irreversible hypercontracture of most cells after 60 min: only 27.5 +/- 7.5%
      of the cells remained rod-shaped. Contracture depended upon the presence of
      extracellular Ca2+, and coincided with a significant rise in the median
      intracellular free Ca2+ level from 72.2 to 352.1 nM (P = 0.0001), suggesting
      intracellular Ca(2+)-overload. Pretreatment with 10(-6) M flunarizine or R 56865
      significantly reduced the fraction of damaged cells when exposed to 3 microM
      lysophosphatidylcholine and electrical stimulation: 78.3 +/- 12.2% and 56.3 +/-
      13.1% respectively of the cells remained rod-shaped. No protection was observed
      when quiescent cells were exposed to 10 microM lysophosphatidylcholine.
      Cytochemical localization of Ca2+ showed that lysophosphatidylcholine induced a
      loss of sarcolemma-bound Ca2+ precipitate and an accumulation of Ca2+ clusters in
      mitochondria of damaged cells in a dose and time dependent way. These results
      suggest that lysophosphatidylcholine induces functional and structural damage
      (Ca(2+)-overload) in isolated cardiomyocytes and that this can be prevented by
      cytoprotective drugs.

PMID- 1433326
TI  - Female veterans seek answers: Vietnam cancer risks in question.

PMID- 1433325
TI  - Cardiomyocytes express albumin binding proteins.
AB  - We investigated whether cardiomyocytes express specific albumin binding proteins
      (ABP) which may function in the dissociation of fatty acids from their non
      covalent complexes with albumin. The experiments were performed on rat neonatal
      cardiomyocytes (freshly isolated and up to 3 days in culture) and on an enriched
      sarcolemmal fraction isolated from adult rabbit ventricular myocardium. Three
      types of experiments were conducted: (a) identification of ABP on electroblots of
      cardiomyocytes and sarcolemmal extracts reacted with [125I]-bovine serum albumin
      ([125I]Alb); (b) kinetic assays of [125I]Alb interaction with cardiomyocytes (at
      37 degrees C), and with a sarcolemmal fraction (at 4 degrees C); (c) affinity
      isolation of ABP from solubilized radioiodinated sarcolemmal proteins interacted
      with an albumin-agarose matrix. The investigation showed that: first, two pairs
      of polypeptides (ABP of M(r) 18 and 31 kDa) in either cardiomyocytes or
      sarcolemmal fraction reacted on electroblots with [125I]Alb; second, the binding
      of the latter to cardiomyocytes was saturable and competed by unlabeled albumin:
      50 microM albumin reduced by approximately 90% the binding of radiolabeled
      albumin. The sarcolemmal fraction bound [125I]Alb with a Kd of 3.66 x 10(-7) M.
      Thirdly, among the sarcolemmal proteins retained by the albumin-agarose matrix
      (18 and 31 kDa), the most prominent was the lower band (approximately 16 kDa) of
      the 18 kDa pair of ABP. The observations revealed that albumin interacts with
      relatively high affinity with specific binding sites on cardiomyocyte sarcolemma.
      This interaction may be a recognition step for subsequent fatty acid dissociation
      and translocation.

PMID- 1433327
TI  - Recombinant molecules may mean improved toxin therapies.

PMID- 1433328
TI  - RAC approves gene protocol for adult twins with AIDS.

PMID- 1433329
TI  - "User-friendly" cancer statistics review features new format.

PMID- 1433330
TI  - Primary care doctors are first defense against cancer.

PMID- 1433331
TI  - 102nd Congress adjourns; session included cancer issues.

PMID- 1433332
TI  - Meeting highlights: adjuvant therapy for primary breast cancer.

PMID- 1433333
TI  - Risk factors for fatal colon cancer in a large prospective study.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Diet, physical activity, obesity, aspirin use, and family history may
      all modify the risk of colon cancer, but few epidemiologic studies are large
      enough to examine these factors simultaneously. PURPOSE: We prospectively
      assessed the relationship of diet and other factors to risk of fatal colon
      cancer. METHODS: Using data from Cancer Prevention Study II--an ongoing
      prospective mortality study--we studied 764,343 adults who, in 1982, completed a
      questionnaire on diet and other risk factors and did not report cancer or other
      major illness. We assessed mortality through August 1988 and identified 1150
      deaths from colon cancer (611 men and 539 women). Multivariate analyses were used
      to compare these case patients with 5746 matched control subjects drawn from the
      cohort. RESULTS: Risk of fatal colon cancer decreased with more frequent
      consumption of vegetables and high-fiber grains (P for trend = .031 in men and
      .0012 in women). The relative risk (RR) for the highest versus lowest quintile of
      vegetable intake was 0.76 in men (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.57-1.02) and
      0.62 in women (95% CI = 0.45-0.86). Dietary consumption of vegetables and grains
      and regular use of aspirin were the only factors having an independent and
      statistically significant association with fatal colon cancer. Participants who
      consumed the least vegetables and grains and no aspirin had a higher risk
      compared with those who consumed the most vegetables and used aspirin 16 or more
      times per month. For men in the former category, the RR was 2.4 (95% CI = 1.1
      5.3); for women, it was 2.9 (95% CI = 1.3-6.7). Weaker associations were seen for
      physical inactivity, obesity, total dietary fat, and family history. No
      associations were seen with consumption of red meat or total or saturated fat in
      either sex, but this finding must be interpreted cautiously. CONCLUSIONS: These
      findings support recommendations that increased consumption of vegetables and
      grains may reduce the risk of fatal colon cancer. Regular use of low doses of
      aspirin may prove to be an important supplemental measure.

PMID- 1433334
TI  - Cancer incidence and survival among American Indians registered for Indian health
      service care in Montana, 1982-1987.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Cancer incidence and cancer survival estimates in American Indians
      are quite limited. PURPOSE: Our purpose was to estimate cancer incidence and
      survival in American Indians who were registered for Indian Health Service (IHS)
      care in Montana. METHODS: We linked databases from the IHS and the Montana
      Central Tumor Registry (MCTR) to ascertain cases for the time period from January
      1, 1982, through December 31, 1987. To calculate survival rates, we used a
      relative survival method that incorporated age-specific risks for noncancer
      deaths among American Indians. RESULTS: We identified 344 cases that were
      compatible with the National Cancer Institute (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and
      End Results Program) surveillance definition of cancer. Of these cases, 249 (72%)
      were listed in both the MCTR and the IHS databases; 56 (16%) and 39 (11%) were
      listed in only the MCTR or the IHS database, respectively. Compared with the
      overall cancer incidence in U.S. White men, the overall cancer incidence in
      Montana American Indian men was markedly lower, as was the incidence for
      colorectal and bladder cancers and for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The overall cancer
      incidence for Montana American Indian women differed less markedly, however, from
      the overall incidence in U.S. White women. Compared with the cancer incidence in
      U.S. White women, the incidence in Montana American Indian women was
      significantly higher for cervical cancer but was significantly lower for
      colorectal, breast, and uterine cancers. Survival rates from cancer were also
      examined for the first time in this population. For those sites examined, the
      survival rates were much lower in Montana American Indians than in U.S. Whites.
      CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that it is feasible to develop state-specific cancer
      incidence and survival estimates for American Indians in at least some states in
      different regions of the United States. Collaboration between the IHS and a state
      tumor registry is likely to improve the case ascertainment achieved by either
      agency alone.

PMID- 1433335
TI  - ERCC1 and ERCC2 expression in malignant tissues from ovarian cancer patients.
AB  - BACKGROUND: ERCC1 and ERCC2 are human DNA repair genes that are associated with
      in vitro resistance to selected DNA-damaging agents. PURPOSE: Fresh tumor tissues
      from 26 patients with ovarian cancer were analyzed for the RNA levels of
      expression of these genes to determine possible clinical relevance. METHODS:
      Tumor tissues were harvested from patients immediately before they entered a
      cisplatin- or carboplatin-based treatment protocol. Clinical response was
      assessed by standard criteria. Gene expression level was assessed by slot blot
      analysis, using beta-actin as a control. Relative expression levels were
      determined by comparing each tumor sample with a Chinese hamster ovary cell line
      that had a stable transfection of the human ERCC1 gene. RESULTS: Patients who
      were clinically resistant to platinum-based therapy had a 2.6-fold higher
      expression level of ERCC1 in their tumor tissue than did patients who responded
      to that therapy (P = .015). Results obtained by slot blot analysis were
      qualitatively confirmed by polymerase chain reaction analysis. Relative levels of
      expression of ERCC2 did not differ significantly between responders and
      nonresponders. CONCLUSION: We conclude that ERCC1 expression levels in human
      tumor tissue may have a role in clinical resistance to platinum compounds. These
      data appear to be consistent with the assertion that ERCC1 serves as an excision
      nuclease, whereas ERCC2 serves as a helicase.

PMID- 1433336
TI  - Comparative sensitivity of cells from human tumors and derivative tumor
      xenografts to radiation and heat treatments.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Human tumor xenografts in athymic mice are often used to study the
      efficacy of cancer treatments, but it is not known whether the xenografts
      accurately reflect the treatment responsiveness of the original tumors. PURPOSE:
      To assess the validity of tumor xenografts as specific models of neoplastic
      disease, a soft-agar colony assay was used to compare the sensitivity of cells
      from surgical tumor specimens and derivative xenograft lines to various radiation
      and heat treatments in vitro. METHODS: Xenograft lines were established from
      melanomas and from carcinomas of the bladder, breast, cervix, and colon. Single
      cell suspensions from the original tumors and the corresponding tumor xenografts
      were subjected to treatments that measured inherent radiation sensitivity, split
      dose radiation repair capacity, low-dose-rate radiation sensitivity, inherent
      heat sensitivity, capacity for development of thermotolerance, and sensitivity to
      step-down heating (treatment at 43.5 degrees C followed by treatment at 41.5
      degrees C). Cell survival curves were plotted for each treatment, and a two
      tailed Student's t test was used to search for statistically significant
      correlations between the curves. RESULTS: Although cells from different surgical
      tumor specimens varied widely in their sensitivity to radiation and heat
      treatments, there was always a statistically significant correlation (P < .05)
      between the sensitivity of cells from the surgical specimens and the
      corresponding tumor xenografts. CONCLUSIONS: These observations strongly suggest
      that intrinsic properties of human tumor cells generally are retained during
      serial heterotransplantation. Thus, human tumor xenograft lines may be valuable
      tools in studies aimed at identifying cellular properties of importance for the
      clinical treatment sensitivity of human cancer. This does not necessarily mean,
      however, that the treatment responsiveness of the xenografts in vivo mirrors the
      clinical treatment responsiveness of the tumors in patients.

PMID- 1433337
TI  - DNA typing.

PMID- 1433338
TI  - Chemotherapy.

PMID- 1433339
TI  - Chemical exposure, ras oncogene activation, and acute myeloid leukemia.

PMID- 1433340
TI  - Chernobyl has no early effect on childhood leukemia.

PMID- 1433341
TI  - Old genes settle dispute over saber-tooth cat's clan.

PMID- 1433342
TI  - Survey says leading firms support mammography.

PMID- 1433343
TI  - Cancer drugs secure speedy approval in Canada.

PMID- 1433344
TI  - ras oncogene activation and occupational exposures in acute myeloid leukemia.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic studies of acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs) show small
      increases in risk of disease associated with certain occupations and chemical
      exposures. PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine whether the presence of
      mutationally activated ras oncogenes in AML are associated with occupational and
      chemical exposures. METHODS: We interviewed 62 patients with newly diagnosed AML
      (or their next-of-kin), all of whom were enrolled in a national multicenter
      clinical trial, and 630 healthy control subjects. DNA extracted from patients'
      pretreatment bone marrow samples was amplified by using the polymerase chain
      reaction and probed with allele-specific oligonucleotides for activating point
      mutations at the 12th, 13th, and 61st codons of three protooncogenes: H-ras (also
      known as HRAS), K-ras (also known as KRAS2), and N-ras (also known as NRAS).
      RESULTS: Patients with ras mutation-positive AML had a higher frequency (six of
      10 patients) of working 5 or more years in an a priori high-risk occupation than
      did patients with ras mutation-negative AML (eight of 52; odds ratio [OR] = 6.8;
      95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3-36). Patients with ras mutation-positive AML
      were more likely than patients with ras mutation-negative AML to have breathed
      chemical vapor on the job (OR = 9.1; 95% CI = 1.3-64) or to have had skin contact
      with chemicals (OR = 6.9; 95% CI = 1.3-37). When ras-positive patients were
      compared with healthy control subjects, the ORs for occupation and occupational
      exposures remained elevated, while patients with ras mutation-negative AML showed
      no increased risk when compared with control subjects. CONCLUSION: Activation of
      ras proto-oncogenes may identify an etiologic subgroup of AML caused by
      occupation and chemical exposure. IMPLICATION: Disease etiology may be better
      understood if epidemiologic measures of exposure are integrated with molecular
      assays of the genetic defects responsible for cancer initiation and promotion.

PMID- 1433345
TI  - Simultaneous high-resolution measurement of adenosine triphosphate levels and
      blood flow in the hamster amelanotic melanoma A-Mel-3.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Some studies suggest that nutritional blood flow and intratumor
      levels of high-energy phosphates such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) affect
      tumor response to treatment. Reports of intratumor variabilities have shown that
      distribution of high-energy phosphates within experimental and human tumors is
      not uniform, and this variability may be related to differences in blood flow in
      different regions of the tumor. However, previous studies provide no insight into
      the intratumor relationship of these parameters. PURPOSE: To study the intratumor
      relationship between blood flow and ATP concentration, we have developed a method
      that allows simultaneous quantitation of the two variables almost at a cellular
      level at adjacent sites. In addition, this technique, which uses digital image
      processing and analysis, facilitates regional high-resolution measurements of
      blood flow and ATP concentrations in relation to histology. METHODS: We examined
      tissue samples cut in consecutive order from one representative hamster A-Mel-3
      amelanotic melanoma. Specimens from the same tumor were analyzed for histological
      features, blood flow (measured autoradiographically by the use of [4-N-methyl
      14C]iodoantipyrine), and ATP content (measured by a quantitative substrate
      induced bioluminescence reaction, using single-photon imaging). The data on the
      three parameters were stored as digitized images, which were later transformed to
      reach geometric congruency. The relationship between blood flow and ATP was
      examined by nonlinear regression and correlation analyses. RESULTS: Regional
      distribution of blood flow was highly correlated with distribution of ATP within
      the A-Mel-3 tumor. For images of the tumor using measuring fields of
      approximately 20 tumor cells, the coefficient of correlation was .92 (P < .001).
      The relationship between the two parameters was described by a second-order
      function. At low blood flow values, small differences in blood flow were
      associated with large changes in levels of ATP, whereas at high blood flow
      values, differences in blood flow were associated with much smaller changes in
      ATP levels. CONCLUSION: This high-resolution technique may have applications in
      future studies investigating the relationship between tumor cell metabolism and
      regional blood flow and in studies aimed at identifying the locoregional target
      of various cancer therapies.

PMID- 1433346
TI  - Current serum levels of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in phenoxy acid
      herbicide applicators and characterization of historical levels.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Workers who sprayed phenoxy acid herbicides, especially those who
      sprayed before 1975, may have been exposed to significant amounts of 2,3,7,8
      tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a potent animal carcinogen present in
      herbicide preparations as a contaminant. PURPOSE: The aims of this study were (a)
      to determine serum levels of TCDD in a representative sample of workers
      occupationally exposed to the agent during the spraying of phenoxy acid
      herbicides; (b) to compare serum levels in workers exposed before 1965, when
      concentrations in herbicide products were unregulated and high, with levels in
      workers exposed after 1974, when concentrations were lower as a result of
      government regulations worldwide; and (c) to examine the correlation, if any,
      between serum levels and duration of employment in spraying. METHODS: Thirty
      seven subjects were randomly selected from a group of 654 men who had sprayed the
      herbicides 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) and 2,4
      dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in Australia for at least 12 months. The
      workers were classified as follows: eight who sprayed only before 1965, nine who
      sprayed only during the period after 1964 and before 1975, and 20 who sprayed
      during the period after 1974 and before 1991. Serum from the workers was analyzed
      for TCDD by high-resolution gas chromatography and high-resolution mass
      spectrometry at a detection limit of 0.6 parts per trillion (ppt) on a lipid
      weight basis. In addition, rates of exposure to TCDD were estimated, as were TCDD
      serum concentrations at termination of employment and intensity of herbicide use.
      RESULTS: Only one worker, with a serum TCDD level of 34 ppt, had a serum level
      higher than the maximum level of 26 ppt reported for the general population.
      Assuming a half-life of 7.1 years, we estimated the mean exposure rates to be
      2.7, 2.3, and 0.06 ppt/mo for the three epochs, respectively. We found the
      highest serum level of TCDD at the time of cessation of employment to be 329 ppt.
      Calendar period and intensity of use of 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D were statistically
      significant determinants of rate of exposure to TCDD, but 2,4-D was associated
      with exposure rate only for the pre-1975 periods. Estimated rates prior to 1965
      were more than an order of magnitude higher than those after 1974. CONCLUSION:
      The highest estimated exposure rate was 20.7 ppt/mo, which suggests that some
      sprayers may have been exposed to levels comparable with those that produce
      cancer in laboratory animals.

PMID- 1433347
TI  - Effects of verapamil on the acute toxicity of doxorubicin in vivo.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Studies indicating that verapamil substantially enhances doxorubicin
      levels in certain drug-resistant tumor cells have led to the use of verapamil in
      combination with doxorubicin in animal and clinical studies of multidrug
      resistant tumors. These studies have shown this drug combination to be associated
      with severe toxic effects. It is important to determine whether verapamil
      modulates the dose-limiting and potentially lethal cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin
      and to elucidate possible mechanisms. PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to
      evaluate the in vivo effects of verapamil on (a) doxorubicin-stimulated cardiac
      lipid peroxidation and cardiac damage, (b) doxorubicin-induced animal mortality,
      and (c) biodistribution of doxorubicin to the heart. METHODS: Male (BALB/c x
      DBA/2)F1 mice were treated with a high dose of doxorubicin (15 mg/kg, injected
      intraperitoneally), verapamil (25 mg/kg, injected intraperitoneally), or
      combinations of the two. Lipid peroxidation was determined using the 2
      thiobarbituric acid assay for malonaldehyde. Light microscopy was used for
      histopathologic examination of cardiac tissue. A fluorometric assay procedure was
      employed to determine doxorubicin levels in the heart. RESULTS: Verapamil was an
      effective inhibitor of peroxidative damage to myocardial lipids following a high
      dose of doxorubicin (15 mg/kg, injected intraperitoneally). However, mice treated
      with verapamil and doxorubicin had a lower survival rate and a higher initial
      peak concentration of doxorubicin in the heart than those treated with
      doxorubicin alone. They also demonstrated a higher incidence and severity of
      degenerative changes in cardiac tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that
      verapamil effectively inhibits doxorubicin-mediated lipid peroxidation in vivo
      but that cardiac lipid peroxidation is not the major limiting mechanism
      underlying doxorubicin-induced toxicity. A possible explanation for the excess
      mortality and cardiac injury in mice treated with verapamil plus doxorubicin is
      that verapamil alters the pharmacokinetics of doxorubicin. IMPLICATIONS: Further
      studies are necessary for development of safer protocols and/or drug combinations
      to treat multidrug-resistant tumors. We are currently studying treatment of tumor
      bearing animals with a cumulative dosage regimen of doxorubicin in the presence
      and absence of verapamil.

PMID- 1433348
TI  - Re: Dietary fat and postmenopausal breast cancer.

PMID- 1433349
TI  - Tetrahydrobiopterin biosynthesis inhibition for diminishing nitric oxide
      production in cytokine-mediated septic shock.

PMID- 1433350
TI  - Tobacco metabolite may predict cancer risk.

PMID- 1433351
TI  - WHO trying to slow tobacco-related deaths in developing countries.

PMID- 1433352
TI  - NCI still has "designs" on food chemical research.

PMID- 1433353
TI  - Breast cancer prevention trial under scrutiny (again)

PMID- 1433355
TI  - Dermatologists warn nation of increased skin cancer risk.

PMID- 1433354
TI  - Problems and progress with Pap smear screening reviewed.

PMID- 1433356
TI  - National Cancer Institute's evaluation of unconventional cancer treatments.

PMID- 1433357
TI  - Pharmacokinetics of the cardioprotector ADR-529 (ICRF-187) in escalating doses
      combined with fixed-dose doxorubicin.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Although doxorubicin is an anticancer agent with a wide spectrum of
      activity, therapy with this anthracycline must often be discontinued at a time of
      benefit to the patient because of the drug's cumulative cardiotoxicity. ICRF-187
      (ADR-529, dexrazoxane) is a bisdioxopiperazine compound that protects against
      cardiac toxicity induced by doxorubicin. PURPOSE: Our objectives in this study
      were to determine the maximum tolerated dose of ADR-529 (which uses a different
      vehicle than ICRF-187) when given with a fixed doxorubicin dose and to determine
      whether ADR-529 alters doxorubicin pharmacokinetics. METHODS: Twenty-five
      patients were treated with doxorubicin (60 mg/m2) preceded by administration of
      ADR-529 in escalating dosages (i.e., 60, 300, 600, 750, and 900 mg/m2) to groups
      of three to nine patients. ADR-529 was administered over a 15-minute period
      beginning 30 minutes before doxorubicin treatment; the protocol was repeated
      every 3 weeks. Blood was sampled frequently for drug levels, which were
      determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography with fluorescence (doxorubicin)
      and electrochemical detection (ADR-529). RESULTS: Dose-limiting neutropenia
      occurred in four of six previously treated patients at an ADR-529 dose of 600
      mg/m2; the dose ratio of ADR-529 to doxorubicin was 10:1. For three additional
      patients with better Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status and a
      maximum of one prior chemotherapy regimen, 600 mg/m2 was tolerated, but grade 3
      or 4 neutropenia occurred in four of six patients who received an ADR-529 dose of
      900 mg/m2 and in three of four patients at a dose of 750 mg/m2. Doxorubicin's
      estimated terminal half-life was 39.5 +/- 18.3 (mean +/- SD) hours; the area
      under the curve for plasma concentration of drug x time (AUC) was 1.74 +/- 0.40
      (micrograms/microL) x hour. Total-body clearance was 598 +/- 142 microL/m2 per
      minute (N = 20), and it did not vary with ADR-529 dose. Estimated distribution
      and elimination phase half-lives for plasma ADR-529 were 0.46 +/- 0.30 hours and
      4.16 +/- 2.94 hours, respectively. Total-body clearance was 111 +/- 87 microL/m2
      per minute (N = 18); AUC was linear (r2 = .92), and the clearance rate was
      constant (r2 = .18) from 60 to 900 mg/m2. CONCLUSIONS: Myelotoxicity was dose
      limiting for ADR-529 at 600-750 mg/m2 when given with a fixed dose of doxorubicin
      at 60 mg/m2 (dose ratios of ADR-529 to doxorubicin ranged from 10:1 to 12.5:1).
      When used in combination, ADR-529 did not perturb doxorubicin's distribution,
      metabolism, or excretion; therefore, other mechanisms of cardioprotection must be
      involved. IMPLICATIONS: We recommend that an ADR-529 dose of 600 mg/m2 be given
      with single-agent doxorubicin at a dose of 60 mg/m2 in future studies.

PMID- 1433359
TI  - Individual variation in the activation and inactivation of metabolic pathways of
      cyclophosphamide.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Carboxyphosphamide is an inactive metabolite of cyclophosphamide,
      which is a widely used antineoplastic drug. Deficiencies in the production of
      this metabolite have been reported. Such deficiencies would have important
      consequences for therapeutic and toxic effects of oxazaphosphorines like
      cyclophosphamide. PURPOSE: This study further investigates the variability in
      cyclophosphamide metabolism and carboxyphosphamide recovery in urine. METHODS:
      The 24-hour urinary metabolic profile of cyclophosphamide was investigated in 17
      Turkish patients receiving doses of 100-1080 mg orally or by short intravenous
      infusion. Urine samples were assayed quantitatively for cyclophosphamide and its
      principal metabolites (phosphoramide mustard, 4-ketocyclophosphamide,
      carboxyphosphamide, and dechloroethylcyclophosphamide) with combined thin-layer
      chromatography-photography-densitometry. The amount of each metabolite excreted
      in 24 hours was expressed as a percentage of the dose. RESULTS: Recovery of drug
      and metabolites varied greatly among individuals (range, 0.01%-13.56% of dose).
      In particular, the amount of carboxyphosphamide varied over a thousandfold range
      and was undetectable in urine from four patients. The patients were classified by
      phenotype as demonstrating low or high carboxylation. Those with low
      carboxylation excreted less than 0.2% of the cyclophosphamide dose as
      carboxyphosphamide, while those with high carboxylation excreted 0.8%-13.6%
      (median, 1.81%). No association was observed between carboxylation phenotype and
      patient age, sex, disease, or concomitant therapy, although the three lifetime
      nonsmokers all showed poor carboxylation. No correlation was observed between the
      percent of dose excreted as any of the other metabolites and that excreted as
      carboxyphosphamide. There was a statistically significant inverse correlation
      between the combined recovery of carboxyphosphamide and phosphoramide mustard and
      the dose of prednisolone administered. CONCLUSIONS: These data confirm an earlier
      observation of a phenotypic deficiency of carboxyphosphamide excretion in British
      patients treated with cyclophosphamide. This deficiency may arise from a
      polymorphism in the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase. Carboxylation phenotype may
      have important implications for both the therapeutic effect and toxicity of
      cyclophosphamide.

PMID- 1433358
TI  - Effects of folate deficiency and supplementation on methylnitrosourea-induced rat
      mammary tumors.
AB  - BACKGROUND: There are metabolic and epidemiologic data consistent with the
      hypothesis that folate deficiency increases the likelihood of cancer. Conversely,
      it is also known that folate is necessary for cancer growth, but few experiments
      in laboratory animals have evaluated the effects of folate deficiency on the
      development of chemically induced cancers. PURPOSE: Our purpose was to determine
      the effects of nutritional folate deficiency in female Fischer 344 rats on
      initiation and early promotion of methylnitrosourea (MNU)-induced mammary cancer.
      METHODS: Rats (age, 27 days) were fed a folic acid-deficient diet (AIN-76A)
      supplemented with glycine and succinylsulfathiazole [FA(0)]; the FA(0) diet
      supplemented with 2 or 40 mg of folic acid per kilogram [FA(2) or FA(40),
      respectively]; or the FA(0) diet supplemented with 20 mg of folinic acid per
      kilogram [FL(20)]. At 57 days of age, each diet-treated group (30 rats in each
      group) received MNU (50 mg/kg) by intravenous injection. Immediately after MNU
      treatment, all animals were fed the AIN-76A complete diet containing 2 mg of
      folic acid per kilogram. Control groups were fed the AIN-76A complete diet
      throughout the entire experiment. RESULTS: After 4 weeks, folate deficiency, but
      not anemia or growth suppression, was documented by lower folate levels in plasma
      and red blood cells in the group receiving the FA(0) diet. Cancer multiplicity
      (i.e., number of mammary cancers per number of tumor-bearing animals) at 180 days
      after MNU injection was 1.32, 1.90, 2.14, and 2.73 mammary cancers per tumor
      bearing animal in the FA(0), FA(2), FA(40), and FL(20) groups, respectively; the
      value in the FA(0) group was statistically significant compared with the values
      in the other groups. The time required for 50% of the rats to develop palpable
      mammary cancer was 170, 142, 100, and 85 days, respectively. The value of 170
      days for the FA(0) group was statistically significant compared with the values
      of 100 and 85 days. Mammary cancer incidence was 63%, 70%, 72%, and 73%,
      respectively; these percentages were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS:
      Folate deficiency suppresses and folate supplementation enhances initiation or
      early promotion of MNU-induced mammary cancer in rats, even when the folate
      deficient rats do not have anemia or growth suppression. IMPLICATION: Since the
      rat is relatively resistant to folate deficiency anemia, other animal models
      should be used to test the effect of folate nutriture on carcinogenesis.

PMID- 1433360
TI  - Concordance of hospital cancer registry- and physician-collected data for
      patients with melanoma.

PMID- 1433362
TI  - Unproven therapies in the treatment of cancer.

PMID- 1433361
TI  - T lymphocytes bearing gamma/delta-type T-cell receptor in thymic tumor tissues.

PMID- 1433363
TI  - The t(14;18) translocation in Hodgkin's disease.

PMID- 1433364
TI  - Growing number of biological therapies head toward clinical trials.

PMID- 1433365
TI  - Women's health research expected to remain a priority.

PMID- 1433366
TI  - Parents versus therapists: study seeks best coaches for children with cancer.

PMID- 1433367
TI  - Chromosomal abnormalities in patients with Hodgkin's disease: evidence for
      frequent involvement of the 14q chromosomal region but infrequent bcl-2 gene
      rearrangement in Reed-Sternberg cells.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Rearrangements of the bcl-2 gene (also known as BCL2) have been
      detected in up to 40% of cases of Hodgkin's disease, and it has been speculated
      that such rearrangements may have a role in the pathogenesis of Hodgkin's
      disease. PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were (a) to assess the frequency of
      clonal chromosomal abnormalities in Hodgkin's disease, (b) to identify recurrent
      changes, (c) to determine whether the bcl-2 gene rearrangement was present in
      Reed-Sternberg cells (the neoplastic cells of Hodgkin's disease) and their
      variants, and (d) to analyze whether the presence of t(14;18) translocations in
      Reed-Sternberg cells explains the observed bcl-2 gene rearrangements in Hodgkin's
      disease. METHODS: A cytogenetic study was performed on biopsy specimens from 28
      consecutive untreated patients with Hodgkin's disease. The same patients were
      analyzed for bcl-2 gene rearrangement by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
      technique. To ascertain whether the abnormal karyotypes were present in and
      restricted to Reed-Sternberg cells, we also performed in situ hybridization with
      chromosome-specific probes. RESULTS: Abnormal metaphases were identified in 23 of
      the 28 patients. In 11 patients, the chromosome 14q region was abnormal; in six
      of these patients, there was involvement of the 14q32 region that comprises the
      gene encoding for heavy-chain immunoglobulin. Only one patient had a t(14;18)
      translocation, whereas almost 40% of these 28 patients showed bcl-2 gene
      rearrangements by a PCR method. The in situ hybridization method showed that the
      abnormal karyotype was present in and restricted to Reed-Sternberg cells.
      CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the majority of cases of Hodgkin's disease contain
      a clonal population with an abnormal karyotype, comprising the Reed-Sternberg
      cells. The q32 region of chromosome 14 is frequently involved, but a t(14;18)
      translocation is extremely infrequent. The occurrence of a bcl-2 gene
      rearrangement in Hodgkin's disease most likely results from the presence of
      sporadic, small bystander B lymphocytes that carry the translocation and that
      also can be frequently detected in reactive lymphoid tissue such as tonsils.
      Also, a range of different chromosomal translocations may provide growth or
      survival advantages to Reed-Sternberg cells.

PMID- 1433368
TI  - Clonal origin of epithelial ovarian carcinoma: analysis by loss of
      heterozygosity, p53 mutation, and X-chromosome inactivation.
AB  - BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that multiple sites of epithelial ovarian
      carcinoma on the peritoneal surface reflect polyclonal disease arising from
      multiple primary tumors in the peritoneal mesothelium, rather than monoclonal
      disease spread by metastases from one primary ovarian cancer. PURPOSE: The
      purpose of this study was to investigate whether ovarian cancer has a monoclonal
      or polyclonal origin. METHODS: DNA specimens were obtained from peripheral blood
      lymphocytes (normal DNA) and from multiple tumor deposits of 17 women with
      epithelial ovarian carcinoma: primary tumors, metastatic deposits, and ascites.
      The clonal origin of each tumor was determined by performing (a) analysis to
      detect loss of heterozygosity at five loci on chromosomes 5, 11, 13, and 17; (b)
      sequencing of exons 5-8 of the p53 gene; and (c) X-chromosome inactivation
      analysis of the phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) gene. RESULTS: In 15 of the 17
      cases analyzed, there was clear evidence of monoclonal origin. The probability
      that the genetic events documented in these 15 cases occurred as independent
      events in each tumor deposit ranged from 2.5 x 10(-1) to 3.7 x 10(-16). In two
      cases, the pattern of allelic deletion and p53 gene mutation was compatible with
      either a monoclonal origin or origin from two primary ovarian tumors.
      CONCLUSIONS: The results did not support the hypothesis that ovarian cancer is a
      multifocal, polyclonal disease. Instead, the data suggest that sporadic
      epithelial ovarian carcinoma has either a monoclonal or a dual primary origin.
      IMPLICATIONS: These findings have important implications for understanding of the
      natural history of ovarian cancer and for clinical strategies aimed at prevention
      and early detection. Further studies will be required to determine the clonal
      origin of familial hereditary ovarian cancer.

PMID- 1433369
TI  - Antitumor activity and clinical pharmacology of sulofenur in ovarian cancer.
AB  - BACKGROUND: Sulofenur is a diarylsulfonylurea with demonstrated antitumor
      activity in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer refractory to
      standard chemotherapy. The dose-limiting toxic effects observed in phase I
      clinical trials have been anemia and methemoglobinemia, resulting in cyanosis.
      PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to further define the response rate,
      toxic effects, and pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of sulofenur in patients
      with advanced ovarian cancer. METHODS: We conducted a phase II trial of sulofenur
      at a dose of 800 mg/m2 per day in 35 patients with stage III or IV ovarian cancer
      refractory to standard chemotherapy. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics were
      analyzed by comparing sulofenur parent and metabolite plasma levels with
      methemoglobin levels. RESULTS: Partial responses lasting 6.5-18 weeks occurred in
      four (15%; 95% confidence interval = 4%-35%) of the 26 patients assessable for
      response. In addition, 42% (11) of the assessable patients had prolonged stable
      disease (median, 20 weeks). The first nine patients received sulofenur as a daily
      oral dose for 14 days, with a 21-day treatment cycle. However, they developed
      substantial anemia and methemoglobinemia. As a result, the next 26 patients
      received sulofenur daily for 5 days followed by 2 days of rest for 3 consecutive
      weeks, with a 28-day treatment cycle (5/2-day schedule). Preclinical models
      predicted that 2 days of rest would decrease toxicity while maintaining antitumor
      activity. Patients treated with the 5/2-day schedule had relatively less severe
      anemia and methemoglobinemia and needed fewer red blood cell transfusions (31%
      versus 78% of patients), but 31% still required dose reductions because of these
      toxic effects. The hydroxy and keto metabolites of sulofenur had prolonged plasma
      half-lives relative to the parent compound, and the difference was statistically
      significant. In addition, the correlations of metabolite concentrations with
      methemoglobin levels were higher than the correlation of sulofenur concentrations
      with methemoglobin levels, and those differences were statistically significant.
      CONCLUSION: We conclude that sulofenur has modest clinical activity in heavily
      pretreated patients with ovarian cancer. IMPLICATIONS: The toxic effects of
      anemia and methemoglobinemia may limit the ultimate clinical utility of
      diarylsulfonylureas until less toxic derivatives with alternate metabolic
      pathways can be identified.

PMID- 1433370
TI  - Plasminogen activator and its inhibitor in cancer patients treated with tumor
      necrosis factor.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We noted the presence of plasma fibrin degradation products in
      patients treated with recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in a phase I
      trial. PURPOSE: To further define this observation, we investigated the effects
      of TNF on the fibrinolytic system in patients entered in the same trial. METHODS:
      In the 14 patients studied, fibrinolytic parameters were measured by analyzing
      blood samples for tissue plasminogen activator and inhibitor at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6,
      and 18-24 hours after initiation of TNF treatment. We used a chromogenic
      substrate method to determine activity of plasminogen activator and its inhibitor
      and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine levels of antigen
      (tissue-type plasminogen activator). Molecular weight was determined by
      zymographic assay. RESULTS: TNF treatment was associated with tissue-type
      plasminogen activator induction within 1 hour of TNF initiation. The plasminogen
      activator produced was consistent with tissue-type plasminogen activator derived
      from endothelium as evidenced by molecular weight analysis and ELISA. Moreover,
      induction of plasminogen activator inhibitor occurred following the release of
      tissue-type plasminogen activator, and our data suggest a dose-response effect
      for TNF. At high doses (i.e., 200 and 240 micrograms/m2), there was a more rapid
      and prolonged release of plasminogen activator inhibitor, which had an inverse
      relationship with the level of antigenic tissue-type plasminogen activator.
      Zymographic analysis showed urokinase-type plasminogen activator activity in 13
      of 14 patients. In three patients, simultaneous measurements of white blood cells
      and tissue-type plasminogen activator revealed a temporal association between the
      TNF-associated rapid granulocytopenia at 30 minutes after TNF initiation and
      release of tissue-type plasminogen activator antigen. CONCLUSIONS: The results
      suggest a positive association between TNF and rapid induction of plasminogen
      activator activity that is consistent with an endothelial product. It is possible
      that, at high doses, TNF may interact directly with vascular endothelium, leading
      to rapid and prolonged production of plasminogen activator inhibitor. There was a
      dose-response effect between TNF and release of tissue-type plasminogen
      activator. The release of tissue-type plasminogen activator was preceded by
      granulocytopenia, which may indicate an association between a proposed TNF
      induced granulocyte-endothelial interaction in vivo and release of tissue-type
      plasminogen activator. IMPLICATIONS: These findings demonstrating the effects of
      TNF on the fibrinolytic system can be analyzed further in experimental systems to
      determine the implications for use of this agent as a biological response
      modifier in cancer therapy.

PMID- 1433371
TI  - Decreased catabolism of fluorouracil in peripheral blood mononuclear cells during
      combination therapy with fluorouracil, leucovorin, and interferon alpha-2a.
AB  - BACKGROUND: We previously reported that recombinant interferon alpha-2a (IFN
      alpha-2a) therapy was associated with a dose-dependent decrease in fluorouracil
      (5-FU) clearance. PURPOSE: In this study, we used peripheral blood mononuclear
      cells (PBMCs), which are responsive to IFNs, as surrogate tissue to determine
      whether the change in clearance might be explained by decrease in 5-FU catabolism
      during IFN alpha-2a therapy. METHODS: The study population consisted of 45
      patients with adenocarcinoma arising in the gastrointestinal tract. Thirty-seven
      patients received therapy containing IFN alpha-2a at a median dose of 5 million
      U/m2 per day (range, 1.7-7.5 million U/m2 per day) starting on day 1 and
      continuing through either day 7 or day 14 in conjunction with intravenous high
      dose leucovorin (LV) followed by bolus 5-FU on days 2-6. Eight patients received
      the same schedule of 5-FU and LV daily for 5 days without IFN alpha-2a but with
      granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor starting on day 6 and ending at
      least 3 days prior to the start of the next cycle. Peripheral blood was collected
      during 70 cycles on days 1, 2, and 4 prior to the daily treatment with IFN alpha
      2a + 5-FU+LV and during 19 cycles on days 1 and 4 prior to the daily treatment
      with 5-FU+LV without IFN alpha-2a. In a given patient cycle, matched samples were
      drawn at approximately the same time of day. PBMCs were isolated, and the intact
      cells were exposed to 4 microM [3H]5-FU, and the formation of
      [3H]dihydrofluorouracil was determined by reverse-phase high-performance liquid
      chromatography. RESULTS: In 47 matched patient cycles from IFN alpha-2a + 5-FU+LV
      treated patients in which samples were available on days 1, 2, and 4, 5-FU
      catabolism decreased by 20% (P2 = .03) and 41% (P2 = .0001) from the baseline
      catabolic rate (2.5 +/- 0.2 pmol/min per 10(6) cells [mean +/- SE]) on days 2 and
      4, respectively. Using information from all paired samples, the mean change from
      baseline on day 2 was -0.4 +/- 0.2 pmol/min per 10(6) cells (n = 54; P2 = .05),
      and the change from baseline on day 4 was -1.3 +/- 0.3 pmol/min per 10(6) cells
      (n = 63; P2 = .0001). In contrast, changes in 5-FU catabolism were not evident in
      the PBMCs of the reference population receiving 5-FU+LV without IFN alpha-2a.
      CONCLUSIONS: The magnitude of the change in 5-FU catabolism is similar to the
      magnitude of the decrease in 5-FU clearance in our previous study. These
      observations suggest that changes in 5-FU catabolism during therapy with IFN
      alpha-2a, 5-FU, and LV may account for the decreased 5-FU clearance.

PMID- 1433373
TI  - Serum interleukin-6 levels in metastatic renal cell cancer: correlation with
      survival but not an independent prognostic indicator.

PMID- 1433372
TI  - Can thymidine kinase levels in breast tumors predict disease recurrence?
AB  - BACKGROUND: Our previous study of thymidine kinase (TK) levels in the serum of
      breast cancer patients demonstrated a statistically significant positive
      correlation with cancer stage. In postsurgical follow-up studies of 20 patients
      with primary breast cancer, total serum TK levels rose with disease recurrence
      and continued to rise with disease progression but decreased with treatment
      response. PURPOSE: This study was designed to examine whether TK levels in
      primary breast tumors can be used to predict recurrence and to establish the
      relationship between TK levels and estrogen receptor (ER) status and recurrence.
      METHODS: Eighty-six patients with breast cancer were entered in this study.
      Tumors were assessed for ER status and TK levels, and the patients had follow-up
      for recurrence over a period of 41 months. By calculating the percent of TK
      activity in the presence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or cytidine triphosphate
      (CTP), we estimated the relative contributions of TK isozymes TK1 and TK2 to
      total TK activity. RESULTS: Total TK (TK1 plus TK2) levels in tumors were
      significantly (P < .001) elevated in patients who subsequently had recurrence
      compared with levels in those who did not. Calculations of the percent of TK
      activity in the presence of ATP or CTP showed that this elevation was due to
      increased TK1 isozyme levels. ER-negative (ER-) patients had significantly (P <
      .001) increased TK1 levels relative to those in ER-positive (ER+) patients. ER-
      patients with recurrence had significantly (P < .001) elevated total tumor TK
      levels compared with levels in those who did not have recurrence, and calculation
      of percent of TK activity with ATP or CTP indicated elevated TK1 levels. A
      similar pattern of increased levels of total tumor TK and TK1 was observed in ER+
      patients with recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that total tumor TK
      levels were significantly higher in breast cancer patients who subsequently had
      recurrence than levels in those who did not. This finding appears to be largely
      caused by higher levels of TK1. IMPLICATIONS: Higher TK1 levels in tumors in
      patients who subsequently had disease recurrence almost certainly indicate a high
      rate of proliferation in such tumors at the time of excision. It appears that TK
      is a potentially useful marker in the management of breast cancer. With
      measurement of levels of TK, particularly TK1, in breast tumors and serum, it may
      be possible to predict recurrence of breast cancer.

PMID- 1433374
TI  - Oral etoposide in treatment of advanced refractory sarcomas.

PMID- 1433375
TI  - Immunosuppression by chronic exposure to N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in mice.
AB  - Immunosuppression of humoral and cellular responses following chronic oral
      exposure to 1, 5, 10, and 20 ppm N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) was examined in CD
      1 mice. Monitoring of cumulative mortality and the incidence of peritoneal
      ascites in animals showed an NDMA dose-related mortality and hepatotoxicity. No
      visible changes in immunological parameters were noted at the 1 ppm NDMA dose.
      Immunosuppression of immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody response by NDMA to sheep
      red blood cells (SRBC) was time-related, dose-related, and could be reversed
      within 30 d by removal of the chemical from the drinking water. Cellular immune
      response, monitored by allogeneic stimulation of cells in mixed lymphocyte
      reaction (MLR), was markedly suppressed by 10 and 20 ppm NDMA. Thus, chronic
      exposure to NDMA, except for the low-hepatotoxic doses of nitrosamine, resulted
      in a marked and persistent immunosuppression of cellular and humoral responses in
      CD-1 mice. In conclusion, chronic exposure to the hepatotoxic (ascite-inducing)
      doses of NDMA suppressed humoral and cellular immunity. The persistent
      immunosuppression could be reversed after the removal of NDMA from the drinking
      water. Although no direct NDMA-related cancer was reported in humans, our data
      point to a potential epigenetic carcinogenicity of nitrosamines due to chronic
      immunosuppression.

PMID- 1433376
TI  - Metal levels in regrown feathers: assessment of contamination on the wintering
      and breeding grounds in the same individuals.
AB  - Birds are useful indicators of environmental contamination because they are
      relatively large, conspicuous, top predators in food chains. However,
      concentrations of contaminants in a bird's tissues reflect the bird's exposure
      over wide temporal and spatial scales. Birds are most useful as monitors of
      exposure when these scales are known. In this paper we report concentrations of
      lead, cadmium, mercury, and selenium in breast feathers of common terns (Sterna
      hirundo) and roseate terns (S. dougallii) trapped during incubation at breeding
      colonies in New York and Massachusetts. Terns arrived on the breeding grounds
      with breast feathers grown on their wintering grounds, and regrew certain
      feathers that were plucked for analysis. The regrown feathers were themselves
      plucked, and both sets of feathers were analyzed. For roseate terns at Cedar
      Beach and common terns at both sites there was a significant increase in mercury
      levels in the feathers grown on the breeding grounds compared to those grown on
      the wintering ground. The differences in mercury were far greater at Bird Island
      than at Cedar Beach. Selenium levels at Cedar Beach were higher for the regrown
      feathers than the initial feathers for roseate terns, but not for common terns.
      Lead and cadmium levels were not significantly different at either site for
      either species. These results suggest that terns are exposed to significantly
      higher levels of mercury in the northeastern United States than they are in the
      wintering grounds in South America.

PMID- 1433377
TI  - Biochemical toxicology and disposition of Therminol 66 heat transfer fluid after
      inhalation or after dietary administration to male Sprague-Dawley rats.
AB  - The objectives of this study were to determine the disposition of Therminol 66 in
      rats and to determine the effects of this heat-transfer fluid on liver and kidney
      microsomal drug-metabolizing enzymes. Therminol 66 was administered to male
      Sprague-Dawley rats at various doses as either a single oral administration at 0,
      100, or 300 mg/kg, or as a single 6-h inhalation exposure at 0 or 350 mg/m3.
      Animals were killed 48 h after gavage or after termination of inhalation
      exposure. Additional groups of animals were exposed to Therminol 66 via the diet
      at 0, 100, 500, or 5000 ppm for 14 d, or via repeated inhalation exposure at 0,
      25, 250, or 1200 mg/m3 for 6 h/d for 14 d. These exposure scenarios represent
      approximately equivalent doses of Therminol 66 by the different routes of
      administration. No change in body weight was observed after acute oral or
      inhalation exposure, and little change in body weight was observed in animals
      administered Therminol 66 via the diet except at the highest dose. There was no
      change in kidney weight, and liver weights were increased only at the higher
      doses of Therminol 66. The body weight gain of animals exposed to Therminol 66
      via inhalation decreased in a dose-dependent manner over the 2-wk exposure
      period. Results from the disposition study indicated that Therminol 66 did not
      appear to accumulate in the tissues examined and did not appear to be extensively
      absorbed after a single oral dose of 300 mg/kg. The whole-body elimination half
      life was approximately 14 h and occurred primarily via the feces. There was no
      significant induction of hepatic aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activity
      after single oral or inhalation exposures to Therminol 66. Ethoxycoumarin O
      deethylase (ECOD) was significantly induced only in animals exposed to 350 mg/m3
      via inhalation. Repeated dietary and inhalation exposures resulted in AHH and
      ECOD induction only at the highest doses, and the kidney appeared to be less
      sensitive than the liver. Animals exposed via inhalation demonstrated a greater
      hepatic inductive effect than did animals exposed via the diet, which may be due
      to absorption differences.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1433378
TI  - Contrasting respirable quartz and kaolin retention of lecithin surfactant and
      expression of membranolytic activity following phospholipase A2 digestion.
AB  - Respirable-sized quartz, a well-established fibrogenic mineral dust, is compared
      with kaolin in erythrocyte hemolysis assays after treatment with saline
      dispersion of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine, a primary phospholipid component
      of pulmonary surfactant. Both dusts are rendered inactive after treatment, but
      the membranolytic activity is partly to fully restored after treatment with
      phospholipase A2, an enzyme normally associated with cellular plasma membranes
      and lysosomes. Phospholipid-coated dusts were incubated for periods of 2-72 h at
      a series of applied enzyme concentrations, and the adsorbed lipid species and
      hemolytic activity were quantitated at each time for both dusts. Surfactant was
      lost more readily from quartz than from kaolin, with consequent more rapid
      restoration of mineral surface hemolytic activity for quartz. Interactions of
      surfactant and mineral surface functional groups responsible for the mineral
      specific rate differences, and implications for determining the mineral surface
      bioavailability of silica and silicate dusts, are discussed.

PMID- 1433379
TI  - Distribution of iodine into blood components of the Sprague-Dawley rat differs
      with the chemical form administered.
AB  - It has been reported previously that radioactivity derived from iodine
      distributes differently in the Sprague-Dawley rat depending on the chemical form
      administered (Thrall and Bull, 1990). In the present communication we report the
      differential distribution of radioactivity derived from iodine (I2) and iodide (I
      ) into blood components. Twice as much radioiodine is in the form of I- in the
      plasma of animals treated with 125I- compared to 125I2-treated rats. No I2 could
      be detected in the plasma. With an increase in dose, increasing amounts of
      radioactivity derived from 125I2-treated animals distribute to whole blood
      compared to equivalent doses of 125I-, reaching a maxima at a dose of 15.8 mumol
      I/kg body weight. Most of the radioactivity derived from I2 associates with serum
      proteins and lipids, in particular with albumin and cholesteryl iodide. These
      data indicate a differential distribution of radioactivity depending on whether
      it is administered as iodide or iodine. This is inconsistent with the commonly
      held view that iodine (I2) is reduced to iodide (I-) before it is absorbed
      systemically from the gastrointestinal tract.

PMID- 1433380
TI  - Induction of transient airway hyperresponsiveness by exposure to 4 ppm nitrogen
      dioxide in guinea pigs.
AB  - In the present study, we investigated (1) whether airway responsiveness to
      inhaled histamine-aerosol could be induced during 7-d exposure of guinea pigs to
      4 ppm NO2 and, if so, (2) whether thromboxane A2 may be involved in such
      increase. Female Hartley guinea pigs were divided into 6 groups (n = 15/group).
      Three groups were exposed to filtered air and the other 3 groups were exposed to
      NO2 for 1, 3, or 7 d (24 h/d). Baseline specific airway resistance (SRaw0) did
      not change significantly after exposure to 4 ppm NO2 or air. Airway
      responsiveness was determined 1 wk before the beginning of exposure and on the
      day of termination of the exposure. Prior to exposure to NO2, the EC200His, the
      concentrations of inhaled histamine necessary to double SRawNaCl (SRaw after
      inhalation of 0.9% NaCl), were 1.07 +/- 0.20, 1.30 +/- 0.20, and 1.01 +/- 0.18 mM
      for the 3 groups later given NO2 for 1, 3, and 7 d, respectively. Following
      exposure to NO2 for 1, 3, or 7 d, EC200His values were 1.42 +/- 0.25, 0.66 +/-
      0.10 (p < .05), and 1.05 +/- 0.22 mM, respectively. These results show that 7-d
      exposure to 4 ppm NO2 induced a significant increase in airway responsiveness on
      d 3. Exposure to air had no significant effect on the airway responsiveness. This
      transient hyperresponsiveness was inhibited by a specific inhibitor of
      thromboxane synthetase, OKY 046. These results indicated that (1) a lower
      concentration (4 ppm) of NO2 than that previously reported can induce transient
      hyperresponsiveness in guinea pigs during appropriate long-term exposure, and (2)
      thromboxane A2 may play an important role in this transient airway
      hyperresponsiveness.

PMID- 1433381
TI  - Voltage-dependent potassium currents in cultured trout oligodendrocytes.
AB  - Ionic currents were recorded in cultured oligodendrocytes from the brain of trout
      using the whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique. Outward currents
      were evoked at membrane potentials more positive than -40 mV, which could be
      separated into two components according to their kinetic parameters and their
      sensitivity to the holding potential: a fast inactivating current which was
      completely suppressed by 4-aminopyridine and reduced by tetraethylammonium and a
      slow steady-state conductance which was similarly sensitive to both potassium
      channel blockers. The current reversal potential was close to the potassium
      equilibrium potential. In contrast to mammalian oligodendrocytes but in
      similarity with cultured Schwann cells, trout oligodendrocytes did not exhibit
      any inwardly rectifying currents at hyperpolarized membrane potentials.

PMID- 1433382
TI  - Novel stage in the oligodendrocyte lineage defined by reactivity of progenitors
      with R-mAb prior to O1 anti-galactocerebroside.
AB  - The developmentally regulated appearance of surface immuno-reactivity of
      proligodendroblasts [oligodendrocyte progenitors reacting with monoclonal
      antibodies A007 and O4, but not anti-galactocerebroside (GalC), i.e.,
      A007/O4+GalC-] to monoclonal antibodies R-mAb and O1 was studied both in culture
      and in vivo. In both cases staining with R-mAb shortly preceded that with O1;
      that is, a transient population of R-mAb+O1- cells was observed. R-mAb-O1+ cells
      were not detected. Differential staining with R-mAb and O1 was also noted at the
      subcellular level. In younger cultures in which R-mAb+ cells were first acquiring
      O1 immunoreactivity, many of these cells were stained by O1 only on the cell
      bodies and proximal portions of the processes, whereas in contrast R-mAb stained
      the whole cell, including the distal portions of the processes. Only in older,
      more mature R-mAb+ cells did O1 also stain the distal portions of processes. The
      expression of reactivity to R-mAb and O1 was compared to the proliferative
      capacity of the cells. Proliferation [assessed by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)
      incorporation] of both R-mAb+ and O1+ cells was negligible both in culture and in
      vivo. However, treatment of cells in culture with 10 ng/ml basic fibroblast
      growth factor resulted in an enhancement of proliferation of the R-mAb+ cells.
      Within the proliferating R-mAb+BrdU+ population, 80% of the cells were O1- (i.e.,
      anti-galactocerebroside negative). These events occur during a critical period of
      development when A007/O4+ proligodendroblasts begin to become post-mitotic and
      express surface galactocerebroside.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1433383
TI  - Two-site enzyme immunoassay for beta NGF applied to human patient sera.
AB  - Nerve growth factor (NGF) supports sympathetic and sensory neurons in the
      peripheral nervous system and serves functions in the development and maintenance
      of cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain. NGF distribution can be studied
      with the use of a sensitive two-site enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The monoclonal
      antibody 27/21 to mouse NGF was recently shown to effectively block the activity
      of both recombinant human NGF and native mouse NGF, and a two-site EIA using
      monoclonal antibody 27/21 was optimized. We have now applied this assay to
      examine NGF levels in normal human serum and serum from Parkinson, Alzheimer, and
      Huntington patients. To further test the specificity of conjugate binding,
      dilutions of the human sera were preincubated with an excess of monoclonal NGF
      antibody 27/21 in solution. With this strategy it was possible to completely
      block the signal obtained using the two-site EIA. Furthermore, we show that
      recombinant BDNF and NT-3 do not cross-react with monoclonal antibody 27/21 under
      our conditions. We found low levels of specific NGF immunoreactivity in normal
      human sera (0.4 +/- 0.1 ng/ml). Significantly lower levels of NGF were found in
      sera from patients with Parkinson's and Huntington's disease whereas sera from
      Alzheimer patients showed only slight reductions in the NGF level. Two patients
      who had received intracerebral NGF infusions (one with Parkinson's and other with
      Alzheimer's disease) showed significantly elevated serum levels of NGF during the
      period of infusion. Due to an inhibitory activity in human serum, it was
      impossible to demonstrate the low levels of NGF activity in the human serum
      samples using explanted embryonic sympathetic ganglia, even after concentration
      by pressure dialysis. Thus, the serum levels are below the limit to evoke a
      response in NGF-sensitive neurons and thus to expect any physiological effect.
      Nevertheless, the levels measured may be used as indicators in clinical
      conditions such as Parkinson's and Huntington's disease.

PMID- 1433384
TI  - Cell proliferation and protooncogene induction in oligodendroglial progenitors.
AB  - Cell proliferation and the expression of the protooncogenes c-fos and c-jun have
      been examined in the primary cultures of oligodendroglial (OL) progenitor cells
      in response to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), serum, insulin, insulin
      like growth factor-I (IGF-I), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and
      fibroblast growth factor (FGF). Combined [3H]thymidine autoradiography and
      immunocytochemistry was used to assess the mitogenic response of O4 (an
      oligodendrocyte-specific marker)-positive OL progenitors. In addition, the rate
      of DNA synthesis was measured by the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into acid
      precipitable material. It was found that all of the agents tested stimulated DNA
      synthesis in OL progenitors and induced a rapid increase in c-fos and c-jun
      protooncogene expression. The induction of c-fos gene expression and DNA
      synthesis in response to PMA was completely blocked by 1-(5-isoquinolinyl
      sulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H-7), a potent inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC),
      thereby suggesting a role for PKC in the control of c-fos expression and cell
      proliferation in OL progenitors.

PMID- 1433385
TI  - Microtubule-associated protein tau is required for axonal neurite elaboration by
      neuroblastoma cells.
AB  - NB2a/d1 neuroblastoma cells constitutively express multiple isoforms of the
      microtubule-associated protein tau and incorporate this protein into the axonal
      neurites elaborated during serum deprivation. To examine whether or not tau
      played an essential role in axonal outgrowth, cells cultured in serum-free medium
      were treated at 24 h intervals with antisense- and sense-oriented cDNA
      oligonucleotides (25 or 36 mers that span or are upstream of tau initiation
      codon) and were simultaneously serum deprived. Oligonucleotide uptake was
      confirmed by determination of intracellular levels of radiolabeled
      oligonucleotides. Treatment for 48 h with tau antisense oligonucleotides
      reversibly inhibited the expression of tau and the number of neurite-bearing
      cells compared with treatment with sense oligonucleotides. By contrast, tubulin
      expression was not affected. When cells were treated with antisense
      oligonucleotide simultaneously with serum deprivation, the initial outgrowth of
      neurites was unaffected, but continued neurite elongation was prevented. By
      contrast, neurite outgrowth at 4 h was inhibited when cells were pretreated with
      tau antisense 24 h before serum deprivation. Furthermore, intracellular delivery
      of anti-tau antiserum prevented neurite outgrowth and, in cells that had
      previously been deprived of serum for 24 h, induced retraction of existing
      neurites. These findings indicate that both the initiation and the continued
      outgrowth of neurites are dependent on tau and that pre-existing cytoplasmic
      pools of tau can mediate initial neuritogenesis.

PMID- 1433386
TI  - EAE cerebrospinal fluid augments in vitro phagocytosis and metabolism of CNS
      myelin by macrophages.
AB  - Previous studies from this laboratory have shown that CNS myelin is phagocytized
      and metabolized by cultured rat macrophages to a much larger extent when myelin
      is pretreated with serum containing antibodies to myelin constituents than when
      it is left untreated or pretreated with non-specific serum. In this study the
      effect of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from rabbits with experimental allergic
      encephalomyelitis (EAE) in promoting myelin phagocytosis was examined. Fourteen
      rabbits were immunized with purified myelin in Freund's complete adjuvant, seven
      of which developed clinical EAE symptoms. Serum and CSF were collected from EAE
      and control rabbits, and the CSF was centrifuged to remove cells. Sera and CSF
      from these rabbits and from Freund's adjuvant-immunized controls and untreated
      controls were measured for IgG content by radial diffusion assay, their myelin
      antibody characteristics were analyzed by immunoblots, and the ability of these
      serum and CSF samples to promote myelin phagocytosis when used for myelin
      opsonization was examined. The ability of a CSF sample to enhance radioactive
      myelin uptake and phagocytosis by cultured macrophages as measured by the
      appearance of radioactive cholesterol ester was linearly proportional to its
      total IgG titer, and correlated approximately both with clinical symptoms of the
      animal and the presence of antibody against the myelin constituents myelin basic
      protein, proteolipid protein, and galactocerebroside. The cholesterol
      esterification activities of EAE sera correlated to a lesser extent with IgG
      levels and clinical symptoms.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1433387
TI  - The morphological localization and biochemical characterization of a synapsin I
      like antigen in the nervous system of Aplysia californica.
AB  - Synapsins are a well-characterized class of phosphoproteins found at synapses in
      the mammalian nervous system. One member of this family, synapsin I, has been
      extensively studied and shown to associate in a phosphorylation-dependent manner
      with both small synaptic vesicles and cytoskeletal elements. Though the
      characteristics of synapsin I suggest an important function in synaptic
      transmission, its definitive role is still in question. In an effort to find a
      model system in which to test directly the function of synapsin I, we have looked
      in the nervous system of the marine mollusc Aplysia californica for synapsin I
      like antigens (SILA). Light microscope immunocytochemical studies using
      polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to bovine brain synapsin I demonstrate
      Aplysia SILA in neuronal somata, in the neuropil, and at some identified
      synapses. Though SILA were exclusively associated with neuronal structures in
      Aplysia, the pattern of staining suggested that they are not present at all
      synaptic terminals. This interpretation was corroborated by ultrastructural
      studies in which SILA were present at some synaptic terminals but absent, or in
      low abundance, in adjacent terminals. In axons, SILA were associated with
      vesicles of 120-150 nm diameter, as well as with filamentous structures.
      Biochemical studies identified small amounts of SILA of 40 and 50 kD molecular
      weight that are recognized by several antibodies to mammalian synapsin I, and are
      acid extractable, collagenase-sensitive phosphoproteins; these are criteria used
      to define synapsin I homologues in other species. Our studies indicate that SILA
      are present in neurons in Aplysia californica but suggested that they represent
      only a small percentage of the total protein within the nervous system.

PMID- 1433388
TI  - Enhanced permeabilities of cationized-bovine serum albumins at the blood-nerve
      and blood-brain barriers in awake rats.
AB  - Permeability-surface area products (PAs) of the blood-nerve barrier (BNB) and
      blood-brain barrier (BBB) to 125I-labeled native bovine serum albumin (nBSA, pI
      approximately 4), and to 2 cationized albumins (cBSA) of differing pI (pI
      approximately 8 and 11), were quantitatively determined in awake rats, using an
      i.v. bolus injection technique. Mean PAs of the BNB and BBB to 125I-nBSA, after a
      circulation time of up to 120 min, were (0.17 +/- 0.23) and (0.09 +/- 0.05) x 10(
      5) ml/s.g. wet wt, respectively (n = 12 rats), and were not significantly
      different from 0 (P greater than 0.05). Mean PAs of the BNB and BBB to 125I-cBSA
      (pI approximately 8), after circulation time of 12 min, were (1.9 +/- 0.1) and
      (1.7 +/- 0.1) x 10(-5) ml/s.g wet wt, respectively (n = 8). Significant greater
      PAs, at both the BNB and BBB to 125I-cBSA (pI approximately 11) [(8.2 +/- 1.8)
      and (3.0 +/- 0.6) x 10(-5) ml/s.g wet wt, respectively (n = 12)], than both PA's
      of nBSA and cBSA (pI approximately 8) were found. The accumulation of 125I-cBSA
      in epi-perineurial tissues also was higher than that of 125I-nBSA, and was
      related to the degree of cationization. Our results indicate that, as at the BBB,
      the transfer of cationized serum albumin is enhanced over that of native albumin
      at the BNB of the mammalian peripheral nerve.

PMID- 1433389
TI  - Immunocompetent cell markers in human fetal astrocytes and neurons in culture.
AB  - During the past few years, evidence has accumulated that interaction with
      peripheral immune cells as well as immunoregulatory functions in the central
      nervous system (CNS) can be played by several types of brain resident cells.
      Since very little information is available in man, however, we investigated the
      presence of markers so far considered typical of immunocompetent cells in in
      vitro cultures of human fetal brain. Immunocytochemistry at the light, scanning,
      and transmission electron microscopic levels revealed positivity for a very
      restricted range of macrophage antigens in astrocytes, which, however, were
      incapable of phagocytosis. In particular, expression of the major
      histocompatibility complex-class II antigen HLA-DR was observed in the cytoplasm
      and on the cell surface of GFA-P+ astrocytes and increased with time in culture
      and cell passages. Among the T-lymphocyte markers tested, Thy.1 and CD4 were
      positive. Both neurons and astrocytes carried Thy.1 from early cell passages.
      Noteworthy was the presence of CD4, which serves as the receptor for AIDS virus,
      in neurons from the first 2 weeks, whereas astrocytes became positive after only
      4-6 weeks. Even if most staining was in the cytoplasm, some was exposed on cell
      surface. Astrocytes were found positive for the B-lymphocyte marker CD21, the
      cellular receptor for Epstein-Barr virus, whereas CD24 was detected in both
      neurons and astrocytes. Both antigens are related to B-cell proliferation.
      Results are in favour of the hypothesis of human brain cells being actively
      involved in CNS immunological events.

PMID- 1433390
TI  - Nerve growth factor receptor gene expression in human peripheral blood
      lymphocytes in aging.
AB  - Nerve growth factor (NGF) has a modulating effect on immune function, which may
      occur as a consequence of binding to the NGF receptor (NGF-R). To determine if
      mRNA for the gene coding for p75NGFR (low affinity NGF-R) is present in
      lymphocytes, Northern blot analysis of mRNA from human peripheral blood
      lymphocytes (PBL) and purified T lymphocytes was initiated using cDNA probe for
      human p75NGFR. p75NGFR mRNA was present in PBL and T lymphocytes, and the mRNA in
      response to phytohemagglutinin stimulation showed maximum levels at 14 hr of
      stimulation. p75NGFR mRNA content when analyzed in PBL and T cells from
      volunteers of various ages showed that p75NGFR mRNA expression does not change
      with the age of the cell donor.

PMID- 1433391
TI  - Effect of dark rearing on the volume of visual cortex (areas 17 and 18) and
      number of visual cortical cells in young kittens.
AB  - The surface area, total volume, and total number of neurons of areas 17 and 18 in
      one hemisphere of dark-reared (DR), dark-reared and light-exposed (DRL), and
      normally reared (NR) kittens were studied at the age of 6 weeks. The thickness of
      the visual cortex was lower by 13% and 11% (area 17) and by 17% and 16% (area 18)
      in DR and DRL groups, respectively, when compared with similar cortical areas in
      NR kittens. The surface area values of area 17 were nearly the same in DR and DRL
      kittens, both being, however, 37% smaller than in NR animals. The surface area of
      area 18 was significantly smaller than that of area 17 in each group, and was
      also lower in DR (by 27%) and DRL (by 21%) groups when compared with the NR
      group. As a consequence of dark rearing, the numerical density of cortical
      neurons in area 17 amounted to about double of the value observed in normally
      reared kittens and was also significantly higher in area 18. The numerical
      density of nerve cells of DRL kittens fell between the DR and NR groups. The
      total cortical volume of area 17 was similar in DR and DRL groups but it was by
      46% (DR) and by 44% (DRL) smaller than in NR kittens. In each experimental group,
      the total volume of area 18 was significantly smaller than that of area 17. The
      cortical volume of area 18 was also smaller than in the NR group by 39% and 34%
      in DR and DRL groups, respectively. In DR and NR kittens, the total numbers of
      neurons in areas 17 (DR = 26.4 million, NR = 25.7 million) and 18 (DR = 8.5
      million, NR = 9.0 million) were essentially similar. In the DRL groups a
      significantly smaller number of cortical neurons was found both in area 17 (21.5
      million) and in area 18 (6.8 million). It is concluded that, in spite of
      considerable differences in the cortical thickness, surface area, numerical
      density, and total cortical volume, the absolute numbers of neurons in area 17
      and 18 of visually deprived (DR) and NR kittens do not differ at 6 weeks of age.
      The main deficit in cortical organization following dark rearing, therefore,
      appears to be confined mainly to the neuropil, as a result of an underdevelopment
      of neuronal processes and of depressed synaptic organization.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED
      AT 400 WORDS)

PMID- 1433392
TI  - Guidelines for trauma care fellowships. American Association for the Surgery of
      Trauma and the Committee on Trauma of the American College of Surgeons.

PMID- 1433393
TI  - The effect of the new trauma DRGs on reimbursement.
AB  - Reimbursement for trauma care based on prospective payment has not been
      satisfactory. The Health Care Financing Administration introduced four new
      Multiple Significant Trauma (MST) DRGs in 1991 with the intention of covering
      patients who have had at least two body sites injured. To determine the effect if
      any on reimbursement, a sample of patients who were assigned the new DRGs over a
      5-month period were analyzed. The analysis compared the calculated reimbursement
      for these 49 patients based on their total accumulated charges, DRG weights, and
      the average Medicare dollar blend along with the additional weight factor
      specific for the study facility. This analysis was compared with an additional
      analysis determining the reimbursement performed on the same patient sample but
      with DRG weights determined from DRGs derived from the 1989 DRG GROUPER/FINDER.
      During the 5-month study period, 5.5% of the patients discharged from the
      hospital has sustained at least one injury covered by ICD-9-CM codes. Of these,
      49 (3.9%) were classified into one of the four new MST DRGs. The majority of
      patients were male (75.5%), the mean age was 31.8 years, and the total charges
      accumulated were $1,809,192.23. The calculated DRG-based reimbursement was
      $1,183,495.40, or 65.5% of the total charges. In the second part of the study,
      using the DRGs available in 1989 for the same sample of patients, the DRG-based
      reimbursement was $691,437.72, or only 38.2% of the accumulated charges.(ABSTRACT
      TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1433394
TI  - Invalidation of the APACHE II scoring system for patients with acute trauma.
AB  - The APACHE II scoring system has been promulgated as a useful tool in the
      assessment of the severity of injury and prognosis for acutely ill patients. The
      physiologic basis for stratification is weighted toward older patients with
      chronic medical conditions. Recently, the APACHE II system has been proposed as a
      method for determining diagnosis related group (DRG) reimbursement for individual
      trauma patients. The present study applied the APACHE II scoring system to 280
      patients with blunt or penetrating trauma who had documented systolic blood
      pressure < 90 mm Hg. Fifty-seven (20%) died of their injuries within the first 24
      hours. APACHE II scores were recorded both in the emergency room (ED) and at 24
      hours following admission. Injury Severity Scores (ISS), Revised Trauma Scores
      (RTS), and TRISSCAN were calculated. The APACHE II (n = 223) recorded at 24 hours
      (2.5 +/- 0.2) was significantly less than that recorded in the ED (6.6 +/- 0.3, p
      < 0.05, Mann-Whitney analysis). Using regression analysis, there was no
      correlation between APACHE II and ISS if recorded in the ED (r2 = 0.06) or 24
      hours following admission (r2 = 0.08). APACHE II also demonstrated a poor
      correlation with the length of hospital stay (r2 = 0.03 [ED], = 0.19 [24 hours]).
      Whereas APACHE II may be helpful in defining severity of disease among patients
      with acute-on-chronic medical conditions, the classification lacks an anatomic
      component, which is essential to assess the magnitude of acute injury in patients
      who are typically otherwise healthy.

PMID- 1433395
TI  - The management of gunshot wounds to the face.
AB  - Treatment principles for penetrating neck trauma are well described yet few exist
      for facial injuries. To help delineate these issues, we viewed our recent
      experience with gunshot wounds to the face. Since 1986 we have treated 100
      patients with such injuries. Their mean age was 28.9 years (range, 12-77 years).
      There were 89 male patients and 11 female patients. Ninety-six patients were
      considered stable on initial examination. Yet 35 patients required urgent airway
      control in the ED; only two needed a surgical airway. Emergency angiography was
      performed in 37 patients; 19 vascular injuries were identified. Eleven required
      therapy for vascular injuries, five by neck exploration and six by embolization.
      In 15 patients the trajectory suggested an intracranial injury, i.e., across the
      base of the skull. Although 14 of 16 patients were awake and alert at
      examination, head CT scans demonstrated serious intracranial pathologic processes
      in 9 patients. Sixty-seven patients sustained bony injury, 19 patients a
      significant nonvascular soft-tissue injury, and 38 patients a significant
      neurologic injury (26 peripheral, one spinal and 20 cerebral injuries).
      Ultimately, 44% of all patients required some surgical treatment and 25% had a
      complication from their injury. Six patients died, three of CNS injury, one of
      exsanguination, and two of sepsis. The bony, soft tissue, nervous, and vascular
      anatomy make the management of gunshot wounds to the face challenging. Although
      initially stable, many patients require early airway control and urgent work-up
      for vascular and intracranial injuries. Early subspecialty input is helpful in
      delineating the often complex injury pattern and planning an optimal management
      strategy.

PMID- 1433396
TI  - Utilization of trauma-related deaths for organ and tissue harvesting.
AB  - A randomized retrospective analysis of patients who suffered trauma-related
      deaths over 36 months (May 1987-April 1990) was performed to study their
      utilization as candidates for organ and tissue harvesting. There were a total of
      108 patients: 79 males, 29 females. The average age was 46.2 years; 38 (36%) of
      these patients were 65 years of age or older. Over 50% of fatalities were the
      result of motor vehicle crashes. There were 61 potential tissue donors. Forty
      three were lost without documentation of a request for organ procurement. There
      were 23 patients with potentially salvageable organs: one candidate was lost
      without documentation of a request for organ procurement. Twenty-eight (26%) of
      the patients had support withdrawn; 16 were 65 years old or older. Brain death
      protocol was instituted in 17 (20%); organs were obtained from 70% of these
      patients. Reasons for failure of procurement after request by a physician
      included family refusal in seven cases, cardiopulmonary arrest during brain death
      protocol in two cases, and religious bias in one candidate. Twelve patients were
      organ donors: 10 patients were tissue donors. We conclude that the greatest
      source of underutilization lies in the failure to request tissue for harvesting,
      since there were no isolated tissue donors. Pertinent information should be more
      widely distributed to physicians regarding candidacy for tissue donation. Further
      consideration of the adequacy of organs or tissue in relation to the candidates'
      age should be given, since patients aged 65 years and older can be a significant
      source of potential donor candidates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1433397
TI  - Could the oxygen cost of breathing be used to optimize the application of
      pressure support ventilation?
AB  - Pressure support ventilation (PSV) is a new ventilator modality that augments
      spontaneous inspiratory pressure with selected levels of positive airway
      pressure. There is presently considerable interest in its use in the management
      of critically ill, ventilator-dependent patients. The optimal method for
      application has not yet been established. This study investigated the effects of
      PSV on the oxygen cost of breathing (OCOB), a clinically applicable technique for
      quantitating the work of breathing. The OCOB and other bedside variables of
      pulmonary function were measured during PSV in ventilator-dependent patients
      where weaning was limited by an inability to sustain respiratory work. Nine
      studies were performed in 8 patients in the surgical intensive care unit. The
      OCOB, tidal volume (VT), respiratory rate (RR), and minute ventilation (VE) were
      measured at various levels of pressure support. The OCOB was calculated from the
      difference in oxygen consumption (VO2) during mechanical and spontaneous
      ventilation both at CPAP and with PSV. With increasing levels of PSV, the OCOB
      was observed to steadily decrease from 22% to 8% (p < 0.001). There were also
      statistically significant increases in VT and decreases in RR. VE appeared not to
      be influenced. The results of this study suggest that the bedside measurement of
      the OCOB may be an accurate, simple, and reproducible method of titrating the
      level of applied pressure support in order to optimize respiratory work.

PMID- 1433398
TI  - Continuous pulse oximetry and the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism in critically
      ill trauma patients.
AB  - The diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) may be difficult to establish in trauma
      patients, particularly those who are unresponsive or mechanically ventilated.
      Based on a prior retrospective study, we hypothesized that patients monitored by
      continuous pulse oximetry who experienced a 10% or greater sudden sustained drop
      in arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) without a change in static lung compliance
      (Cst) were most likely to have had a PE. We followed SaO2 in 972 patients
      admitted to our trauma ICU during the 18-month period ending in December 1990.
      Forty-eight patients (5%) with SaO2 changes, but no Cst changes, were evaluated
      for suspected PE using pulmonary arteriography (PA). Of these, 21 (44%) had a
      positive PA study. All patients with a positive PA had either clear chest
      roentgenograms or no change in underlying pulmonary pathologic processes. Of the
      remainder, 26 had evidence of a new pathologic entity on chest roentgenograms and
      only one patient had a SaO2 decrease, no change in Cst, and a negative PA. All
      mechanically ventilated trauma patients should have SaO2 monitored continuously.
      Patients with a > 10% drop in Sao2 with no change in Cst and no new
      roentgenographic chest findings should undergo PA. Based on our experience, this
      approach would yield a sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of 100%,
      99.9%, and 95%, respectively, for the diagnosis of clinically significant PE.

PMID- 1433399
TI  - Venous injuries of the lower extremities and pelvis: repair versus ligation.
AB  - Many surgeons advocate repair of venous injuries to prevent the sequelae of
      venous ligation. Since 1986, we have treated 74 patients with 79 venous injuries
      of the lower extremity or pelvis. There were 68 men and six women with a mean age
      of 29.2 years (range, 16-62 years). The mechanisms of injury were gunshot wounds
      in 61 patients, stab wounds in 11 patients, and shotgun wounds and blunt trauma
      in one patient each. Forty-eight injuries were treated by ligation; 31 injuries
      were treated by repair. Repairs included two interposition grafts, eight end-to
      end repairs, 16 venorrhaphies, and five vein patches. In addition, we developed a
      venous injury staging system (VIS), which ranged from grade I (less than 50%
      laceration) to grade IV (complete interruption with soft-tissue injury). Patient
      age, mechanism, location of injury, associated injuries, and incidence of
      arterial injury were not different between the patients treated by ligation and
      those treated by repair. Patients treated with venous ligation had a greater VIS
      (mean, 3.45 vs. 2.0), a greater incidence of shock (71% vs. 39%), and higher
      transfusion requirements (9.23 vs. 4.82 units). Postoperative morbidity rates
      were identical, however. There was no increase in the need for fasciotomy in
      patients treated with venous ligation. Eighty-six percent of the patients treated
      by ligation were totally free of edema at discharge. The others had only mild
      edema that did not interfere with daily activities at discharge and follow-up.
      Ligation is a safe alternative to repair in patients with injuries to the lower
      extremities or pelvis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1433400
TI  - Trauma center closures: a national assessment.
AB  - A 1990 national survey of 66 closed trauma centers across 14 states was conducted
      to ascertain the factors that prompted closure. Data from 44 facilities, or 67%
      of the centers identified, indicate that inadequate financing and physician
      participation were commonplace. The findings support the work of other
      investigators and demonstrate that uncompensated care, inadequate reimbursement,
      high operating costs, and lack of physician support all adversely affect trauma
      care in both urban and suburban settings.

PMID- 1433401
TI  - On-scene helicopter transport of patients with multiple injuries--comparison of a
      German and an American system.
AB  - Hospital-based helicopter services from a German (GER) and an American (AMR)
      university-affiliated trauma center were reviewed. All patients with multiple
      injuries transported via helicopter from the scene to the trauma centers during a
      1-year period were included. The patients were comparable regarding mechanism of
      injury, age, flight times, mean ISS, ISS distribution, and number of severe
      injuries per body region (patients with AIS score > 3 for head, thorax, and
      abdomen). Overall mortality was 21 of 221 (9.5%) for GER and 21 of 186 (11.3%)
      for AMR (NS). Survivor-based TRISS analysis yielded Z statistics of +2.459 for
      GER (p < 0.025) and +1.049 for AMR (NS). M statistics were 0.89 for GER, 0.874
      for AMR; the W statistic +1.35 for GER. There were nine unexpected survivors (Ps
      < 0.50) for GER and six for AMR. There was a significantly higher (p < 0.01)
      number of early deaths (< 6 hours) in AMR (12; ISS = 56) than in GER (four; ISS =
      64). Analysis of the prehospital data demonstrated significant differences in the
      mean volume of IV fluids infused: 1800 mL, GER; 825 mL, AMR (p < 0.05); rate of
      intubation: 82 of 221 (37.1%) GER; 24 of 186 (13.4%) AMR (p < 0.001); and
      thoracic decompressions: 20 of 221 (9.1%) GER; 1 of 186 (0.5%) AMR (p < 0.001).
      Prehospital care in the GER system is directed on scene by a trauma surgeon
      member of the flight crew compared with a nurse/paramedic team with remote
      medical control in the AMR system.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1433402
TI  - Initial and subsequent hospital costs of firearm injuries.
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To provide economic, epidemiologic, and clinical data on initial and
      subsequent hospitalizations for firearm injuries. DESIGN: Nonconcurrent
      prospective study; data obtained by medical records review. SETTING: Public
      university teaching hospital, designated a level I trauma center. SUBJECTS: Two
      hundred fifty persons first hospitalized for firearm injuries at UC Davis Medical
      Center, Sacramento, between January 1, 1984, and June 30, 1985, and followed by
      medical records review to June 30, 1989. RESULTS: The aggregate hospital charge
      for 250 firearm injuries, exclusive of professional fees, was $3,745,496, of
      which 80% was borne directly or indirectly by public funds. The charge for
      initial hospitalizations was $3,297,506. Mean and median initial charges per case
      were $13,190 and $5,996 respectively; range, $787-$494,152. The five patients
      with charges over $100,000 accounted for 33% of all charges; 36% of all patient
      days were attributable to the eight patients with hospitalizations lasting more
      than 30 days. Thirty-one patients were rehospitalized a total of 71 times;
      charges for rehospitalization totaled $447,990. Three fourths of all charges
      resulted from handgun injuries. CONCLUSIONS: The costs for hospital treatment of
      firearm injuries are substantial. Avoiding prolonged hospitalization may be
      helpful in controlling these costs, but will be difficult to achieve. Primary
      prevention of firearm injuries may be the most effective cost-control measure.

PMID- 1433403
TI  - Differential effects of cyclo-oxygenase and thromboxane synthetase inhibition on
      ventilation-perfusion relationships in acid aspiration-induced acute lung injury.
AB  - Cyclo-oxygenase metabolites are important regulators of pulmonary vascular and
      airway tone and may act to regulate ventilation-perfusion (VA/Q) relationships.
      Hypoxemia that follows aspiration of gastric acid is associated with increased
      venous admixture, and plasma levels of thromboxane (TX) B2 and 6-keto-PGF2 alpha
      are increased after experimental acid-induced acute lung injury. The present
      study was designed to determine the effects of cyclo-oxygenase metabolites on
      VA/Q relationships in canine acid aspiration. Eighteen anesthetized dogs received
      0.2 mL/kg 0.1 N HCl intratracheally; six were pretreated with ibuprofen (IBU), a
      cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor, 12.5 mg/kg IV, and six other dogs received OKY-046
      (OKY), a TX synthetase inhibitor, 0.5 mg/kg IV. The remaining six animals (ACID)
      served as controls. Continuous distributions of ventilation and perfusion were
      evaluated with the multiple inert gas elimination technique. Within 30 minutes,
      acid injury resulted in significant (p < 0.05) decreases in PaO2 from baseline
      values by 44.7 +/- 5.4 and 47.6 +/- 4.8 mm Hg in the ACID and OKY groups,
      respectively. Although decreased, the change in PaO2 of 21.0 +/- 4.8 mm Hg in IBU
      animals was significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated in comparison with the other
      groups. Ibuprofen increased pulmonary vascular resistance, attenuated perfusion
      to shunt and low VA/Q areas, and reduced ventilation to unperfused areas for the
      first 2 hours after acid injury (all p < 0.05), whereas OKY exacerbated hypoxemia
      and VA/Q inequality.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1433404
TI  - Lethal Staphylococcus aureus-induced shock in primates: prevention of death with
      anti-TNF antibody.
AB  - A successful experimental treatment for gram-positive sepsis to our knowledge has
      not been achieved. The objectives of this study were to develop a nonhuman
      primate model of lethal gram-positive sepsis employing the micro-organism
      Staphylococcus aureus and to determine the efficacy of treatment using monoclonal
      antibody (MAb) to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF). The antibody was
      administered intravenously, 15 mg/kg, 30 minutes after the beginning of a 2-hour
      infusion of S. aureus, 4 x 10(10) colony forming units/kilogram. The baboons
      infused with S. aureus demonstrated the release of the cytokines TNF and
      interleukin-6 (IL-6), but endotoxin was not observed in the plasma at any time.
      Treatment with antibody to TNF abolished the rise in serum TNF levels and reduced
      the increased levels of IL-6. Treatment with MAb to TNF prevented multiple organ
      failure and achieved permanent (> 7 day) survival of all baboons.

PMID- 1433405
TI  - Pulmonary damage after intramedullary femoral nailing in traumatized sheep--is
      there an effect from different nailing methods?
AB  - Stabilization of femoral shaft fractures is a controversial issue in the
      management of patients with multiple trauma. Intramedullary nailing usually is
      preferred primarily; in recent years, however, pulmonary complications (e.g.,
      ARDS) have been reported that were attributed to the reaming procedure. To study
      the effects of different nailing methods in a model of severe trauma, hemorrhagic
      shock and lung contusion were created at day 1 in sheep prepared by the method
      described by Staub. After recuperation (day 3) the animals in the study group
      (group 1) underwent intramedullary nailing of a closed femur without prior
      reaming; group 2 was treated with reaming and nailing according to AO standards.
      The reaming procedure led to an acute increase of pulmonary arterial pressure
      only in group 2 (19.8 +/- 2.1 to 31.0 +/- 4.6 mm Hg). Pulmonary triglyceride
      levels increased at parallel time points from 18.27 +/- 2.3 to 33.04 +/- 7.37
      mg/dL only in group 2. Stimulatory capacity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes
      (PMNL) increased in the study group and decreased in controls (group 1: 2.652 +/-
      0.23 x 10(6) cpm to 3.387 +/- 1.34 x 10(6) cpm; group 2: 2.699 +/- 0.34 x 10(6)
      cpm to 2.460 +/- 0.187 x 10(6) cpm). Intramedullary nailing caused an increase of
      lung capillary permeability in both groups; in the study group less damage was
      seen (group 1: 0.390 +/- 0.0006 to 0.354 +/- 0.011; group 2: 0.391 +/- 0.0004 to
      0.336 +/- 0.015; p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1433406
TI  - Cost and complications during in-hospital transport of critically ill patients: a
      prospective cohort study.
AB  - We prospectively studied transport of a group of 100 surgery/trauma patients and
      a matched control group in the ICU. APACHE II scores for the two groups were 23
      +/- 6 and 20 +/- 8. During transport both groups had ECG, heart rate, blood
      pressure, and oxygen saturation continuously monitored. We also determined the
      cost and results of transport for those patients requiring diagnostic testing.
      There were six diagnostic tests performed: CT scan of the abdomen (39%), CT scan
      of the head (31%), CT scan of the chest (8%), CT scan of the cervical spine (4%),
      angiography (14%), and tomography (4%). Average transport time was 74 +/- 16
      minutes with a range of 20-225 minutes. Physiologic changes defined as a BP +/-
      20 mm Hg, heart rate +/- 20 beats/min, respiratory rate +/- 5 breaths/min, or
      oxygen saturation +/- 5% for 5 minutes duration occurred in 66% of transported
      patients and 60% of ICU patients. There were no differences in arterial blood gas
      levels before and during transport. In 39% of transports, the results of
      diagnostic testing produced a change in patient management within 48 hours.
      Abdominal CT scanning and angiography were associated with the highest percentage
      of tests leading to a management change (51% and 57%). The average charge to the
      patient was $612.00 and the average cost to the hospital $452.00. Our results
      suggest that while physiologic changes are frequent during transport, they are
      also frequent in ICU patients as a consequence of the severity of
      illness.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1433407
TI  - An evaluation of provider-related and disease-related morbidity in a level I
      university trauma service: directions for quality improvement.
AB  - As the number of preventable trauma-related deaths plateaus as a result of trauma
      system development, new directions for quality improvement in trauma care must
      come from analyzing morbidity with standardized methods to establish thresholds
      for provider-related and disease-specific complications. To establish such
      thresholds and determine priorities for improvements in quality all trauma
      patients who died, who were admitted to the ICU or OR, who were hospitalized for
      more than 3 days, or who were interfacility transfers to an academic trauma
      service, were concurrently evaluated for 1 year. All complication events were
      defined, reviewed, tabulated, and classified using 135 categories of
      complications. These categories were subdivided into provider-specific and
      disease-specific complications. Provider-related complications were classified as
      justified or unjustified to allow identification of events with a potential for
      improvement. A total of 1108 patients were admitted (mean ISS, 17); there were 97
      deaths. Three potentially preventable deaths were identified, 857 complication
      events were identified, and 285 provider-related complications were responsible
      for errors with potential for improvement in 59 events (21%). Disease-specific
      morbidity was primarily related to infection; pneumonia accounted for 36% of all
      infectious complications and systemic infection for only 8.6% of infectious
      complications. Organ failure and other major systemic complications occurred in
      2%-8% of patients. This type of analysis forms the basis on which to determine
      thresholds of provider-specific and disease-specific morbidity in a trauma
      hospital and serves as a guide to direct efforts toward continuous quality
      improvement.

PMID- 1433408
TI  - A study of recovery in trauma patients.
AB  - Although the majority of trauma patients are discharged home rather than to a
      rehabilitation facility, the timeliness of their return to function (RTF) has
      received little study. The present prospective study attempted to identify those
      factors that would predict delayed RTF. The study group consisted of patients
      admitted to a level I trauma center for at least 24 hours, who were of working
      age (18-64 years), who passed a cognitive screening examination, and who were
      discharged home. Demographic data and psychological profiles were collected on
      all participants. Patients were followed by telephone at approximately 1 1/2, 3,
      and 6 months after discharge. Five hundred seventy patients were entered into the
      study; complete follow-up data were available for 441. Statistical methods were
      modeled after survival analysis using a proportional hazards multiple regression
      to identify variables prognostic of RTF time. This type analysis is independent
      of time, providing a "risk" of RTF at any point in time after the injury. It also
      allowed the calculation a relative hazards ratio (RHR), which quantifies the
      impact of a prognostic variable on RTF time. Injury Severity Score (ISS) and age
      were found to be associated with RTF (p < 0.0001 for each). After correcting for
      ISS and age, five additional factors were found to be associated with RTF. Higher
      educational level and living in a non-family household were associated with
      faster RTF. Less than 100% income replacement by disability income, pre-injury
      hostility, and litigation related to the injury were associated with slower RTF.
      There were a number of other demographic, work-related, and psychosocial factors
      that were not related with RTF.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1433409
TI  - Management of trauma and emergency surgery in space.
AB  - Trauma may cause morbidity or mortality in expeditionary spaceflight settings.
      Physiologic and mechanical changes related to microgravity may increase
      susceptibility to and complicate the management of injuries in spaceflight.
      Limited surgical experience in microgravity suggests that special apparatuses and
      techniques will be needed to maintain the stability of patients, surgeons, and
      equipment, and to control fluids. A prototype microgravity surgical workstation
      and suction unit and modifications of standard procedures were devised to address
      these needs. Using these devices and methods and selected surgical supplies
      during repeated 25-second intervals of microgravity generated by parabolic arc
      flight, the "ABCs" of trauma management, limb traction and immobilization, and
      minor surgical procedures were performed in flight and problems were identified.
      Convincing "qualification" of spaceflight surgical equipment and protocols will
      require evaluations in continuous microgravity. As on Earth, the major
      determinant of emergency surgical care in spaceflight may be the presence or
      absence of a well-trained surgeon.

PMID- 1433411
TI  - Sagittal liver transection--an injury from improperly worn shoulder harness
      seatbelts: a report of two cases.
AB  - We have identified two cases which exemplify the typical injury caused by the
      under-the-arm placement of a shoulder harness (without the associated lap belt)
      in frontal collisions, namely, fatal liver laceration in the sagittal plane.
      Trauma care personnel should be alert for this type of rapidly fatal abdominal
      injury that occurs even in low-speed impacts. A prominent warning label on these
      belts regarding proper placement and the need for use of the associated lap belt
      may be appropriate.

PMID- 1433410
TI  - Duplex ultrasonography versus arteriography in the diagnosis of arterial injury:
      an experimental study.
AB  - Duplex ultrasonography (DUS) and arteriography (ART) were evaluated using an
      experimental model of arterial trauma in order to determine the accuracy of DUS
      compared with ART and to define the characteristic ultrasonographic features of
      arterial injuries. Occlusions (n = 19), blunt injuries (n = 24), lacerations (n =
      25), arteriovenous fistulae (n = 13), or no injuries (sham, n = 19) were
      surgically created in the femoral and carotid arteries of 25 dogs. Following
      closure of the incisions, DUS was performed and interpreted by a staff vascular
      surgeon without knowledge of the presence or type of injury. Biplane selective
      ART was evaluated by an independent staff radiologist. Although DUS and ART were
      equally accurate in evaluating arterial injuries, DUS was more sensitive (90.1%
      +/- 3.3% versus 80.2% +/- 4.4%, p = 0.002) and better at identifying lacerated
      arteries (p = 0.01). However, ART had greater specificity (94.7% +/- 5.1% versus
      68.4% +/- 10.7%, p = 0.04) and was more accurate for identifying normal arteries
      (p = 0.04). The validity of DUS increased in the latter half of the study, thus
      demonstrating a learning curve. Duplex ultrasonography was a more sensitive
      screening modality than ART for evaluating arterial injuries in our experimental
      model, thereby supporting its use in clinical trials to evaluate its accuracy,
      reliability, and cost effectiveness in the trauma setting. Furthermore,
      management decisions can be based on the specific type of injury, pathologic
      condition of the arterial wall, and hemodynamic factors identified by DUS.
      Clinically occult arterial injuries can be followed by repeat DUS to define the
      natural history of these injuries.

PMID- 1433412
TI  - Profound hypothermic circulatory arrest.

PMID- 1433413
TI  - Pelvic suspension for the management of complicated perineal wounds.

PMID- 1433414
TI  - Wound infections after tornadoes.

PMID- 1433415
TI  - War in Croatia.

PMID- 1433416
TI  - Nonsurgical management of liver injuries.

PMID- 1433417
TI  - Effect of chronic hypoxia on fibronectin in plasma, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid
      and liver of rats.
AB  - The present study was undertaken to measure fibronectin (FN) concentration in
      plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) with an enzyme linked
      immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method, to observe the distribution of FN in liver
      with an immunohistochemical stain method and to investigate the effect of chronic
      normobaric hypoxia on them in experimental rats. The results showed that chronic
      hypoxia caused a significant decrease in plasma FN concentration while BALF FN
      concentration and the distribution of FN in the liver were not significantly
      affected, suggesting that the change in FN in the lower respiratory tract can not
      be reflected by the change in plasma FN concentration and that the decrease in
      plasma FN concentration can not be attributed to the change in liver FN
      secretion. The decrease in plasma FN concentration may lead to a decrease in the
      defence ability of the body and may contribute to the development of
      hypercoagulability observed in some patients with chronic hypoxia.

PMID- 1433419
TI  - Effects of dietary oils on pulmonary vascular reactivity and chronic hypoxic
      pulmonary hypertension in rats.
AB  - The effects of dietary oils on pulmonary vasoreactivity and chronic hypoxic
      pulmonary hypertension were assessed in rats fed on soybean oil (SO), pig oil
      (PO), soybean oil plus pig oil (SP) or a regular diet (HC) started two months
      before the onset of chronic normobaric hypoxia (10 +/- 0.5% O2 ventilation, 8 h
      per day, for 14 days). The mean pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary
      vasoreactivity to acute hypoxia were higher in the SO group than in the PO, SP
      and HC groups. Hypertrophy of the right ventricle in the SO group was more
      serious as well. Blood viscosity and hematocrit were augmented by chronic hypoxic
      in SO, PO, PS and HC groups, but no significant differences were found among
      them. The findings suggest that dietary soybean oil can potentiate hypoxic
      pulmonary vasoconstriction, and thereby promote the development of pulmonary
      hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy.

PMID- 1433418
TI  - Analysis of the biocompatibility of magnetic porous tricalcium phosphate ceramics
      in rat femurs.
AB  - A new biomaterial, magnetic porous tricalcium phosphate ceramics (MPTCP), may be
      used for repairing defects in bones as a substitute for bone grafting. This study
      was designed to examine its biocompatibility and the systemic toxicity. The
      ceramic sections, approximately 15.3 mg, were implanted into both proximal femurs
      of 10 male and 10 female albino SW rats. An equal number of male and female
      animals served as sham-operated controls. Implantation of MPTCP ceramics in rat
      femurs had no deleterious effects on body weight, organ/body weight ratio, and on
      blood, liver and kidney functions. Plasma levels of inorganic phosphorus were
      significantly elevated in rats implanted with MPTCP ceramics. Alkaline
      phosphatase values in plasma in the experimental group were equal to those in the
      control group. Photomicrographs, radiographs and scanning electron
      photomicrographs of the rat femurs implanted with MPTCP ceramics demonstrated
      excellent bone association with implants and growth of some new bone into MPTCP
      ceramics. In conclusion, MPTCP ceramics are biocompatible and suitable for the
      reconstruction of bones.

PMID- 1433420
TI  - Prognostic significance of DNA flow cytometry in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
AB  - A series of cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) were studied by morphology and
      flow cytometry. The DNA analysis was performed by applying a trypsin digestion
      method to archival paraffin-embedded samples. DNA aneuploid tumors constituted
      47.4% of the total cases, and the frequency in the intermediate and the high
      malignant grade groups (51.9%, 76.8%) were significantly higher than that of the
      low grade group (17.6%; P less than 0.05). The S phase fraction (SPF) increased
      significantly with a high histological malignant grade (P less than 0.005). The
      mean SPF values of the low, intermediate and high grade lymphomas were 6.5 (0.6
      18.8)%, 13.5 (3.2-37.3)% and 23.4 (4.4-41.4)%, respectively. Differences in
      ploidy status were not associated with survival rate. The survival rate of the
      cases with high SPF value in all cases of our series and low grade group of NHLs
      tended to become lower (P = 0.1 and 0.08, respectively). These results suggest
      that the flow cytometric analysis of DNA content should be a useful means for
      prediction of prognosis in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

PMID- 1433421
TI  - Effect of cigarette smoking on hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction and its
      relation to animal species and period of smoking.
AB  - The alteration in hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) induced by cigarette
      smoking was studied in Wistar rats, piglets and in humans. The percentage change
      of pulmonary vascular resistance (delta PVR%) and the amplitude of the systolic
      wave in impedance pneumorheogram (delta H%) were used to estimate the strength of
      HPV. It was observed that immediately after acute cigarette smoking, HPV in rats
      increased (delta PVR% from 55.0 +/- 15.6% to 102.3 +/- 12.4%), which is mainly
      mediated by leukotrienes (LTs); whereas HPV in piglets decreased (delta PVR% from
      65.2 +/- 12.5% to 55.9 +/- 9.8%), which is mainly mediated by beta-adrenergic
      receptors, and HPV in humans also increased (delta H% from 20.6 +/- 2.6% to 31.1
      +/- 4.1%), in which prostaglandins and leukotrienes may play the role of
      mediators. However, after one-month cigarette smoking, the HPV in rats fell
      significantly (delta PVR% 11.4 +/- 1.6%). An increase in synthesis of
      vasodilative prostaglandins and a decrease in leukotrienes synthesis may be the
      contributing factors to this alteration in HPV.

PMID- 1433422
TI  - The chelating-resin modified electrode and its application in the detection of
      copper in human samples.
AB  - A new kind of carbon paste electrodes modified by chelating resin was prepared
      for detection of trace amount of copper in human hair. As the ion exchange
      between chelating resin and cupric ions and the coordination reaction on the
      modified electrode take place at the same time, this method has high sensitivity
      and good selectivity. The detection limit is 6 x 10(-9) mol/L. The average
      percentage of recovered copper is 108 +/- 8.3% and the variant coefficient (CV)
      7.7%.

PMID- 1433423
TI  - A comparative study of the effects of cadmium on microsomal mixed-function
      oxidase activities between kidney cortex and liver.
AB  - The effects of cadmium and phenobarbital (PB) administration on the activities of
      microsomal mixed-function oxidase (MFO) in rat kidney cortex and liver were
      studied. Five indices, including cytochrome P-450 contents, aniline hydroxylase,
      NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, aminopyrine N-demethylase and 7-ethoxycoumarin O
      deethylase activities, were assayed. By comparison, it was found that PB could
      induce MFO activities in kidney cortex microsomes and liver microsomes, both
      hepatic and renal microsomal MFO were decreased by the ip injection of CdCl2, and
      Cd2+ could markedly decrease the phenobarbital induction to hepatic and renal
      microsomal MFO activities with the exception of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase in
      kidney cortex microsomes.

PMID- 1433424
TI  - Association between allotypes of complement components C2, BF, C4 of HLA class
      III and cerebral stroke.
AB  - Allotypes of C2, BF and C4 in 58 patients with cerebral stroke (CS) and 110
      normal control individuals in Guangzhou district were determined. The results
      show that there is a significant association between BF*F and CS.

PMID- 1433425
TI  - A study of calcium ion-selective PVC membrane electrode based on neutral carrier
      N,n,n',n'-tetracyclo-3-oxapentanediamide (correction of oxapetanediamide).
AB  - A calcium ion-selective PVC membrane electrode based on neutral carrier n,n,n',n'
      tetracyclohexyl-3-oxapetanediamide, using di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate as the
      plasticizer and potassium tetrakis (4-chlorophenyl) borate as the additive is
      reported in this paper. The ion selective membrane consists of 1 wt% of the Ca2+
      selective ligand, 65 wt% of the plasticizer, 1 wt% of the additive and 33 wt% of
      poly (vinyl chloride) powder. The electrode has the linear response range of 2.0
      x 10(-7)-10(-1) mol/L with the Nernstian slope of 28 mV/decade at 25 degrees C
      and the detection limit of 2.0 x 10(-8) mol/L. The response time of the calcium
      ion-selective electrode is as the concentration of calcium ion is rapidly shifted
      from 10(-5) to 10(-4) mol/L. The potential stability and reproducibility are
      good. The free calcium in blood serum was determined by the calcium ion-selective
      electrode with satisfactory results.

PMID- 1433426
TI  - The preadministration of activated charcoal and aspirin absorption.
AB  - There is little information describing the effects of activated charcoal
      preadministration on drug absorption. This study was undertaken to determine the
      effect of activated charcoal preadministration at two different times on aspirin
      absorption. Fifteen volunteer subjects completed three study phases: 1) 975 mg
      aspirin alone, 2) 975 mg aspirin 30 min after 10 g activated charcoal, and 3) 975
      mg aspirin 60 min after 10 g activated charcoal. Urine was collected for 48 h
      after the initiation of each study phase, and total aspirin recovery determined
      by HPLC. The aspirin recovery was 88.8% +/- 4.5% for the control phase, and 84.8%
      +/- 9.4% (Phase 1) and 85.8% +/- 12.6% (Phase 2) for the activated charcoal
      treatments (p > 0.05). These results suggest that activated charcoal administered
      30 and 60 min prior to drug ingestion has little effect on drug absorption.
      Further studies of the effect of charcoal preadministration on the absorption of
      other drugs may provide useful information regarding factors important in
      determining activated charcoal efficacy.

PMID- 1433427
TI  - Ethylene glycol poisoning: experiences from an epidemic in Sweden.
AB  - In 1987 two lethal adult cases of accidental ethylene glycol poisoning were given
      spectacular attention in the Swedish mass media. This resulted in an epidemic of
      intentional ethylene glycol poisonings. In addition to six cases related to
      alcohol abuse, another 30 severe suicidal poisonings were reported to the Swedish
      Poison Information Centre in five months. The clinical course and outcome in
      these 36 severe cases are reviewed. The primary clinical manifestations were
      metabolic acidosis, CNS disturbances and kidney damage with circulatory failure
      in the most severe cases. Mortality was 17%. Fragmentation of the normal
      striation in heart cells was found in two of the fatal cases and severe brain
      damage in all fatal poisonings. The degree of acidosis but not the serum ethylene
      glycol level correlated with both kidney damage and outcome. Treatment included
      ethanol, correction of the metabolic acidosis and dialysis. Four patients with
      serum ethylene glycol concentrations of 10-20 mmol/L (620-1240 mg/L) but with no
      or minimal metabolic acidosis were treated with ethanol alone; none of these
      patients developed renal damage.

PMID- 1433428
TI  - Acute intoxication by endosulfan.
AB  - The authors report six patients with acute endosulfan intoxication. The symptoms
      of nausea, vomiting, headache, and dizziness began 2.7 +/- 0.5 h after ingestion;
      in four cases the patients had been hospitalized but were asymptomatic. All had
      severe metabolic acidosis with high anion gap and hyperglycemia; five of six had
      decreased blood platelets. Three patients had pulmonary aspiration, and five
      required mechanical ventilation. The one fatality followed acute renal failure,
      disseminated intravascular coagulation, thrombi in the pulmonary arteries and
      aorta, and cardiogenic shock. In this patient the blood endosulfan was 2.85 mg/L
      versus a mean of 0.48 mg/L in the survivors.

PMID- 1433429
TI  - The effects of histamine administered in fish samples to healthy volunteers.
AB  - The effects of histamine administered in samples of fish to eight healthy
      volunteers (4 females and 4 males), aged 21-30 years, were studied. The subjects
      were given 0, 45 and 90 mg of histamine that had been metabolized from histidine
      by photobacteria in the fish and 90 mg of histamine added to fresh fish, for
      breakfast. The subjects were observed during 6 h after breakfast. Special
      attention was paid to clinical symptoms, blood pressure and ECG. The pH of the
      gastric contents was recorded continuously from 5 min before to 6 h after the
      meal. Blood samples to measure the histamine concentration were taken at
      intervals during 24 h after breakfast. Two of the subjects showed effects (facial
      flushing, headache) that could be attributed to the ingestion of histamine. No
      significant changes were observed in the blood pressure and ECG. The pH of the
      gastric fluids did not decrease significantly. The histamine concentration in
      plasma correlated closely with the histamine dose ingested (p < 0.001, r =
      0.996). The Cmax of the dose of 90 mg did not differ statistically significant
      from the Cmax of the dose of 90 mg histamine added to unspoiled fish.

PMID- 1433430
TI  - Review of parenteral sulfite reactions.
AB  - Sulfiting agents are commonly used in parenteral emergency drugs, including
      epinephrine, dexamethasone, dobutamine, dopamine, norepinephrine, phenylephrine,
      procainamide, and physostigmine. Published anaphylactic or asthmatic reactions
      have been associated with sulfited local anesthetics, gentamicin, metoclopramide,
      doxycycline, and vitamin B complex. The reactions differ from those caused by
      foods, in that they have a rapid onset, have no predilection for steroid
      dependent asthmatics, and do not always coincide with a positive oral challenge.
      The mechanism is unknown, but may involve a dose-related reaction with disulfide
      bonds on sympathetic and parasympathetic receptor membranes. Patients with a
      history of positive oral challenge to 5-10 mg of sulfite may be at increased risk
      of developing a reaction to parenteral sulfites. Despite documentation of
      sensitivity, sulfites should not be withheld from patients experiencing a life
      threatening emergency. Non-sulfited alternatives are often available, and should
      be used preferentially.

PMID- 1433432
TI  - Seizure with hyponatremia in a child prescribed desmopressin for nocturnal
      enuresis.
AB  - We report a case of hyponatremia associated with a grand mal seizure in a 28
      month-old child after intra-nasal desmopressin administration for high fluid
      intake with nocturnal enuresis. In view of the temporary symptomatic action and
      the seriousness of certain side-effects of desmopressin we recommend that
      desmopressin be used with caution in childhood enuresis.

PMID- 1433431
TI  - Cocaine exposure in utero: perinatal development and neonatal manifestations-
      review.
AB  - The question of whether cocaine exposure in utero increases the risk of major
      structural malformations remains controversial. Most animal studies have
      demonstrated that cocaine can have a teratogenic effect. The ultimate association
      between cocaine exposure and fetal development must be inferred from human data.
      The relative effects of cocaine exposure, exposure to other illicit drugs and
      alcohol and deficient prenatal care are difficult to assess. Little specific
      information is available about the amount, duration, and timing of cocaine use
      during the nine months of pregnancy. Unlike the case with many other teratogens,
      cocaine exposure at any point in pregnancy can result in some abnormality. The
      extent of damage and the organ involved depend on the particular stage of
      morphogenesis. A large scale prospective human study is needed to confirm the
      suggested teratogenic effects. Since it involves an illicit drug such a study is
      obviously difficult to perform.

PMID- 1433433
TI  - Fatal systemic poisoning after skin exposure to monochloroacetic acid.
AB  - Little information is available on the toxicity of monochloroacetic acid. We
      report the case of a 38 year-old man who was splashed with an 80%
      monochloroacetic acid solution on 25-30% of his body surface. In addition to
      epidermal and superficial dermal burns, features of systemic poisoning occurred
      within a few hours including disorientation, agitation, cardiac failure and coma.
      He later developed severe metabolic acidosis, rhabdomyolysis, renal insufficiency
      and cerebral edema, and died due to uncal herniation on d 8. The 4 h post
      exposure plasma monochloroacetic acid concentration was 33 mg/L confirming skin
      absorption. In addition to its corrosive action, monochloroacetic acid probably
      blocks the tricarboxylic acid cycle (Kreb's cycle) and may also react with
      sulfhydryl groups in enzymes, causing severe tissue damage in energy-rich organs.

PMID- 1433434
TI  - The changes of gasoline compounds in blood in a case of gasoline intoxication.
AB  - A 44 year-old man, found in his gasoline vapor filled car, died of multiple organ
      failure on d 9. Blood samples from d 2-7 were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass
      spectrometry. The estimated half-lives of gasoline, toluene, ethylbenzene, m,p
      xylene, and o-xylene were 16.9, 21.4, 27.5, 32.8, and 25.8 h respectively. The
      estimated initial gasoline concentration in blood was 247 micrograms/ml.

PMID- 1433435
TI  - Clinical evaluation of workers handling melamine formaldehyde resin.

PMID- 1433436
TI  - Meprobamate intoxication: rare and difficult to find.

PMID- 1433437
TI  - Cerebral edema from valproate?

PMID- 1433438
TI  - Improvement of sexual behavior in aged rats by p-chlorophenylalanine and
      methysergide.
AB  - The effects of methysergide, a serotonin antagonist, and p-chlorophenylalanine
      (PCPA), a serotonin synthesis blocker on the sexual behavior of intact old male
      rats at 19-23 months of age and female rats at 17-18 months of age were studied.
      Female rats with prolonged vaginal cornification and a lordosis quotient (LQ) of
      less than 50%, and male rats displaying no ejaculation were selected as
      experimental animals. The receptivity of aged female rats, but not the approach
      behavior to males nor proceptivity was improved by PCPA or methysergide. The LQ
      of intact aged female rats in non-exit tests was improved by the i.p.
      administration of 50 mg/kg B.W. of PCPA 2 to 4 hours prior to the sexual behavior
      test or 3 mg/kg B.W. of methysergide 4 hours prior to the test. Total mount
      frequency and mount latency of intact aged male rats were improved by the
      administration of methysergide (3 mg/kg B.W.), while total mount frequency and
      intromission latency were improved by the administration of PCPA (20 mg/kg B.W.
      for 4 days). The present results together with the finding from our previous
      study suggest that the increase of serotonin (5-HT) activity per se plays an
      important role in the decline of receptivity of aged female rats and the
      copulatory activity of aged male rats.

PMID- 1433439
TI  - Molecular characterization of R-plasmids pST1 and pST2 from Salmonella
      typhimurium S24.
AB  - Salmonella typhimurium S24 was isolated in September 1986 at Kaohsiung Medical
      College Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, from a patient suffering from
      gastroenteritis during an outbreak of salmonellosis. Two conjugative R-plasmids
      have been isolated from Escherichia coli K-12 14R525, which was mated with S.
      typhimurium S24. The two R-plasmids found in S. typhimurium S24 belong to two
      different incompatibility (Inc) groups: the 130-kilobase IncFI plasmid pST1 and
      the 56-kb IncN plasmid pST2. These two R-plasmids of pST1 and pST2 together
      mediate resistance to multiple antibiotics in S. typhimurium S24. By DNA probes
      hybridization, plasmid pST1 was shown to carry an enteric type II chloramphenicol
      acetyltransferase (CAT) gene, a class C tetracycline resistance (TetR) gene and a
      type III dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene, all of which confer resistance to
      chloramphenicol, tetracycline, and trimethoprim respectively. A Richmond's type
      III beta-lactamase gene was located on each plasmid of pST1 and pST2. beta
      lactamases specified by both plasmids pST1 and pST2 conferred high level
      resistance to amoxicillin, carbenicillin, piperacillin, sulbenicillin,
      ticarcillin in addition to ampicillin. A novel aminoglycoside 6'-N
      acetyltransferase [AAC(6')] was demonstrated on plasmid pST2. This AAC(6') enzyme
      modified kanamycin, amikacin, dibekacin, tobramycin, gentamicin, netilmicin,
      sisomicin, butirosin and ribostamycin.

PMID- 1433440
TI  - Carcinoma of the external auditory canal and middle ear.
AB  - Fifty-three patients with carcinoma arising in the external auditory canal and/or
      middle ear seen at Veterans General Hospitals, Taipei and Taichung in the period
      between January 1970 and December 1988 were retrospectively reviewed. There were
      49 males and 4 females. Their ages ranged from 5 to 80 years, the average being
      58 and the median 59 years. In 10 patients the primary site of the tumor was
      located in the middle ear, in 32 patients it was the external auditory canal, and
      in the remaining 11, both areas. The most common cancer which occurred in this
      area was the squamous cell type, accounting for 85% of our cases. The majority of
      patients had an otorrhea history with duration from 6 months to more than 40
      years. Nine patients received surgery alone, 8 irradiation alone, 31 a
      combination of surgery and radiotherapy. Initial complete regression of the tumor
      was noted in 100% of the combined therapy group. This was better than surgery
      (56%) or irradiation alone (60%). Bleeding and infection caused by surgery, and
      osteonecrosis caused by radiation were the most frequent and severe
      complications. The actual 5-year survival rate was 33%. Life table analysis
      showed that only the extent of the disease affected survival significantly. The 5
      year survival rates were 23% and 51% for advanced and early stages respectively
      (p < 0.05). Combined therapy resulted in better local control and survival than
      operation or radiotherapy alone, but the benefit did not reach a significant
      level (p = 0.09).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PMID- 1433441
TI  - [Interdigestive and postprandial pancreatic exocrine secretion and
      cholecystokinin release in dogs].
AB  - Interdigestive and postprandial pancreatic exocrine secretion and cholecystokinin
      (CCK) release were investigated in 5 mongrel dogs with chronic gastric and
      pancreatic fistulas in this study. The rapidly exaggerated postprandial
      pancreatic exocrine secretions were shown to be directly correlated to the rapid
      CCK release after meal. Corresponding to the previous studies, in the
      interdigestive state, pancreatic exocrine secretion showed cyclic changes which
      would be abolished by intravenous administration of atropine sulfate. However, we
      failed to demonstrate any significant correlation between plasma CCK levels and
      periodic pancreatic exocrine secretions during the interdigestive state through
      CCK radioimmunoassay. Furthermore, intravenous administration of atropine sulfate
      did not change the plasma CCK levels significantly in the interdigestive state.
      Having reviewed the literature, we thought that the periodic pancreatic exocrine
      secretion during the interdigestive state might be related to motilin release and
      cholinergic enteropancreatic reflex.

PMID- 1433442
TI  - [Pattern shift visual evoked potentials in diabetes mellitus].
AB  - Functional exploration of the optic pathways with pattern shift visual evoked
      potentials (PSVEP) has been rapidly accepted as a non-invasive method of
      investigation of diabetics. For this article, we conducted the PSVEPs study on 46
      cases of NIDDM and 13 cases of IDDM. The peak latency, interpeak latency and
      evoked amplitude of P100 were analyzed in each case. For further correlation, the
      motor and sensory nerve conduction velocities of the median nerve, blood sugar,
      serum HbA1c, and duration of DM were measured simultaneously. Two nondiabetic
      control groups which matched the age and sex of the NIDDM and IDDM groups were
      used for comparison. In the IDDM group, the results showed prolongation of all
      peak and interpeak latencies (IPL) except the peak latency of N75 on the right
      side. The P100 amplitude was reduced as compared with the age-matched young
      control group. The interocular P100 latency difference (ILD) was not
      statistically significant between the IDDM group and the age-matched control
      group. The results of the NIDDM group revealed prolongation of all peak latencies
      and IPLs. The P100 amplitude and ILD showed no statistically significant
      difference between NIDDM and the age-matched control group. The prolongation of N
      75 peak latency exhibited a linear correlation with duration, HbA1c and median
      nerve SNCV.

PMID- 1433443
TI  - [Surgical management of blunt liver trauma].
AB  - From 1986 to 1990, 46 patients with blunt liver trauma were hospitalized and
      operated on in Kuang Tien General Hospital. Included were 33 males and 13 females
      with a mean age of 31 years (range: 2 to 62). The mean duration of the follow-up
      was 43 months. We classified the severity of liver injury with the liver injury
      scale which was published by the Organ Injury Scaling (O. I. S.) Committee of the
      American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (A. A. S. T.) in 1989. According
      to the operative findings, the liver injury of the 46 cases were classified as
      follows: grade I 4 cases, grade II 18 cases, grade III 16 cases, grade IV 2
      cases, grade V 4 cases, and grade VI 2 cases. Among the patients, 4 cases were
      treated with drainage. Four cases underwent simple repair. Twenty-seven cases
      were treated with repair and drainage. Three cases underwent debridement and
      selective ligation of bleeding vessels. Four cases underwent partial resection of
      liver, and 3 cases required repair of the inferior vena cava. One case was packed
      with gauze for hemostasis. The mortality rate was 15.2%, and the morbidity rate
      30.3%. The most frequent postoperative complications related to the hepatic
      injury in the patients who survived the initial operation were wound infection
      (8.7%), intra-abdominal abscesses (6.5%), pancreatitis (6.5%), pulmonary
      infection (4.3%), and small bowel obstruction (4.3%).

PMID- 1433444
TI  - Familial spontaneous pneumothorax-report of seven cases in two families.
AB  - Spontaneous pneumothorax usually occurs sporadically in healthy young adults, who
      tend to be tall and thin. The usual cause is rupture of small subpleural bullae
      found in the apex of the upper lobe. Familial spontaneous pneumothorax is a rare
      condition. With a review of the English literature from 1921 to 1991, only 59
      families with 135 cases have been reported. A genetic background has been
      suggested, but the actual mode of inheritance is still unknown. Relationships
      between the HLA haplotype A2B40, the alpha1-antitrypsin phenotype and the
      occurrence of spontaneous pneumothorax have been proposed, but are still
      controversial. We present 7 patients in 2 families with 13 episodes of
      spontaneous pneumothorax. Neither congenital defect, alpha1-antitrypsin
      deficiency nor the described A2B40 HLA haplotype could be found in our patients.
      We propose that there are no such factors existed in these patients. Further
      study is required to determine if any genetic marker is linked to familial
      spontaneous pneumothorax.

PMID- 1433445
TI  - One result of marketing: breastfeeding is the exception in infant feeding.

PMID- 1433446
TI  - Field validation of the Tallstick in marginal communities in Nicaragua.
AB  - The Tallstick is a new, simplified anthropometric field tool which allows
      immediate visual interpretation of height-for-age. This tool was field tested in
      community-based programmes in Managua, Nicaragua, and the rural community of Los
      Zarzales, screening 1004 children aged 0-60 months for nutritional stunting.
      Overall sensitivity and specificity analysis comparing HAZ scores and Tallstick
      results revealed that the Tallstick correctly identified 83-85 per cent of
      severely stunted children (HAZ < -2.5) and two-thirds of those with HAZ of -2 and
      below. It also had good positive predictive value for the mildly stunted. As a
      screening tool for low weight-for-age, the Tallstick performed better than arm
      circumference. The best of the community volunteers trained with the Tallstick
      could use it as well as their trainers. Progressive stunting was found in the 280
      children in the sample who did not receive any form of milk. The advantages of
      the Tallstick for community-level screening and the importance of sustained
      linear growth are discussed.

PMID- 1433447
TI  - Deletion analysis of DMD/BMD children in Singapore using multiplex polymerase
      chain reaction (PCR) technique.
AB  - Twenty-three children suffering from Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD)
      in Singapore were analysed using the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
      technique. Deletions were found in 14 cases. One rare case of total deletion of
      all nine exons was observed. This is the first DMD/BMD deletion analysis on South
      East Asian children. This technique for screening deletions was informative in 61
      per cent of the local cases and would be useful for rapid diagnosis of deletion
      cases of DMD/BMD.

PMID- 1433448
TI  - Breastfeeding promotion in Kenya: changes in health worker knowledge, attitudes
      and practices, 1982-89.
AB  - In 1982, a study of health worker knowledge, attitudes and practices with respect
      to breastfeeding was undertaken in Kenya. A breastfeeding promotion campaign
      ensued, in which training of health workers was a major component. In 1989, the
      impact of this campaign was evaluated through a survey examining changes in
      health worker knowledge, attitudes and practices. The survey showed that
      considerable improvements in knowledge and substantial improvements in hospital
      practices have occurred, although none of these could be attributed to any single
      element of the breastfeeding promotion programme. Particularly undesirable
      practices which were common in 1982, such as separation of mother and baby,
      formula feeding and use of bottles have virtually disappeared from Kenyan
      hospitals. Recommendations regarding future programme directions are made.

PMID- 1433449
TI  - Rutter's Behaviour Scale (B2) for children (Teacher's Scale): validation and
      standardization for use on Nigerian children.
AB  - Nigerian teachers were asked to place the children in their classes in either of
      two groups: Group I, comprising children of normal behaviour, and Group II,
      children who, in their opinion, had significant behavioural problems. Validity of
      the teachers' grouping was confirmed, using as reference measure the findings
      from traditional psychological assessment of the children. The teachers then
      completed the Rutter Child Behaviour Questionnaire (Teachers' Scale) for the same
      children. The children's scores on the Rutter Scale were matched against the
      teacher's grouping, the aim being to identify the Rutter Score that separates the
      children into two 'behaviour' groups that agree most closely with the teachers'
      own grouping. Results show that this was achieved at the Rutter Score of 10 (k =
      0.66). Children scoring 10 or more on the Rutter scale appeared mostly in Group
      II, while those scoring less than 10 were mostly in Group I. Rutter's scale was
      also found to be a highly valid instrument for identifying Nigerian children with
      behavioural problems. It is recommended that Nigerian children scoring > or = 10
      on Rutter's Behaviour Questionnaire (Teacher's Scale), should be regarded as
      children with behavioural disorder. This is one point higher than the score of >
      or = 9 recommended for British children.

PMID- 1433450
TI  - Detecting malnutrition at age 6-12 months: international comparisons of arm
      circumference v. standard anthropometry.
AB  - Growth faltering, which may herald protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) usually
      begins between ages 6 and 12 months. However, arm circumference (AC or MUAC) has
      mainly been used to screen for PEM between 12 and 60 months of age, when AC is
      age-independent. This study of 378 infants aged 6-12 months in Pakistan, Nepal,
      Sierra Leone, and Papua New Guinea showed that a cut-off 12.5 cm AC selects
      infants < 80 per cent weight-for-age (WA) with 76 per cent sensitivity and 90 per
      cent specificity. Of the 378 infants studied 131 (35 per cent) had WA < 80 per
      cent and 126 (33 per cent) had AC < 12.5 cm. Weight-for-length agreed less well
      with AC. The inter-regional prevalence range of AC < 12.5 cm was 29-40 per cent,
      while the WA < 80 per cent range was 27-45 per cent. When AC is plotted against
      age, a flat 'plateau' (slope = 0.04) shows age-independence between 6 and 12
      months in these 378; this contrasts to the 10 per cent AC increase in European
      reference populations. Because this AC plateau parallels the WA plateau seen
      between 6 and 12 months of age in most developing nations, AC < 12.5 cm may
      provide a simple and valid screening test for early PEM in this crucial age
      bracket. Conformatory studies elsewhere are indicated.

PMID- 1433452
TI  - Women's work in agriculture and child nutrition in Tanzania.
AB  - This paper examines the food related work that women are doing, and the possible
      effect on child feeding and nutritional status. Women's participation in food
      production may have positive as well as negative consequences for child
      nutrition. On the one hand, it may augment the total amount of food procured,
      while on the other, it may give women less time for child care and feeding. The
      data show that women are using less time in cooking and children are fed less
      often during the peak labour seasons. However, a profound and conclusive negative
      effect of mother's agricultural work on child nutritional status could not be
      shown. This finding is explained by various compensatory mechanisms employed by
      the mothers which may buffer the negative effect of the women's time constraints.
      The norm of feeding children at the maximum only three times a day was seen as
      the major contributing factor to child malnutrition. According to the women, this
      feeding frequency was seen as the maximum possible taking into account their
      heavy work in agricultural production.

PMID- 1433451
TI  - Use of hepatitis B vaccine alone or in combination with hepatitis B
      immunoglobulin for immunoprophylaxis of perinatal hepatitis B infection.
AB  - The efficacy of hepatitis B vaccine alone or in combination with immunoglobulin
      in neonates born to HBsAG positive mothers was investigated. Twenty-four infants
      were given three doses (at 0, 1, 2 months) of the vaccine alone, while 27 infants
      were given hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and three doses of the vaccine.
      Fifty-eight infants born to HBsAg positive mothers who did not agree for
      vaccination or could not come for follow-up constituted the control group. The
      overall seroprotection rates (anti-HBS levels > or = 10 IU/l) were almost similar
      in both the groups at 6 months (81 and 76 per cent, respectively). However, the
      seroprotection rates in babies born to HBeAg positive mothers were better with
      combination of HBIG and vaccine (71 v. 57 per cent, respectively). It was also
      observed that seroprotection rates in babies born to anti-HBe positive mothers
      were even better (100 and 90 per cent in vaccine alone and combination group,
      respectively). No chronic carrier was detected in babies born to anti-HBe
      positive mothers.

PMID- 1433453
TI  - Prenatal growth curves corrected for certain genetic and environmental factors.
AB  - Factor analysis for non-orthogonal data was done to assess the straight and
      interaction effects of certain genetic and environmental factors on birth weight.
      While the interaction effects did not assume any significance, straight effects
      of gestational age, parity, mother's weight, and sex were significant in
      influencing the birth weight. Mother's height and socio-economic status of the
      family had no significant effect on birth weight. Step-up multiple regression
      analysis showed that contribution to the total variance explained (R2 x 100 =
      29.7 per cent) in birth weight was about 15, 7, 5, and 2 per cent, respectively,
      from gestational age, parity, mother's weight, and sex of the baby. Correction of
      the mean weight curve was done by successive graphic approximation method and
      residuals were further minimized.

PMID- 1433454
TI  - Gastric residuals in preterm babies.
AB  - The gastric residual (GR) volume was measured in 50 healthy preterm babies, 38
      appropriate-for-dates (AFD), and 12 small-for-dates (SFD) with gestational age of
      28-36 weeks. The mean basal 4-hour gastric residual (B4 GR) volume was 2.8 +/-
      0.63 ml in parenterally fed babies. There was a marked decrease in the residuals
      from 20.7 +/- 15.2 per cent (mean +/- SD) on day 4 to 8.6 +/- 4.3 per cent on day
      7 (P < 0.001). Of the 27 infants fed with expressed breastmilk (EBM), mean GR was
      24.4 +/- 10.2 per cent in supine and 12.8 +/- 4.3 per cent in prone position (P <
      0.01). Twenty-one babies nursed in the prone position showed a mean GR volume of
      12.8 +/- 4.3 per cent with EBM and 13.6 +/- 2.7 per cent with milk formula. No
      difference was noted in the gastric residuals of AFD v. SFD babies. No linear
      correlation was found between increase in abdominal girth and GR. However, if the
      increase in abdominal girth was at least 2 cm or more, a GR of 23 per cent or
      more was observed. This should be taken as warnings to reduce or withhold oral
      feeds.

PMID- 1433455
TI  - Beyond rehydration therapy: non-dehydration deaths from diarrhoea in children
      with malnutrition.

PMID- 1433456
TI  - Pitfalls in the diagnosis of malaria: a-parasitaemic severe malaria.

PMID- 1433457
TI  - Unchecked commercialization of ORS--a road to disaster?

PMID- 1433458
TI  - RUHSA--a model Primary Health Care Programme.

PMID- 1433459
TI  - Appraisal and peer review.

PMID- 1433460
TI  - Vertical jumping height and horizontal overhead throwing velocity in young male
      athletes.
AB  - The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of calendar and skeletal
      age, anthropometric dimensions, training history and their interactions on
      vertical jumping height and horizontal overhead throwing velocity in a cross
      section of 318 young male athletes (age range 9-16 years) participating in cross
      country skiing (n = 70), basketball (n = 40), apparatus gymnastics (n = 19), ice
      hockey (n = 50), track and field (n = 89) and wrestling (n = 50). Vertical
      jumping height was measured with four different loads held on the shoulders and
      then interpolated for loads representing 0 and 40% body mass. Horizontal overhead
      throwing velocity using both hands was determined for seven balls of different
      weights and then interpolated for weights representing 1 and 5% body mass. Both
      vertical jumping height and overhead throwing velocity were found to increase (P
      < 0.01) from the skeletally youngest to the oldest cohort when the effects of
      body height and mass were controlled. The inter-event comparisons did not reveal
      statistically significant differences in respect of vertical jumping height. Also
      in the overhead throwing tests, the inter-event differences were small, although
      the analysis of variance revealed statistically significant (P < 0.001)
      differences for the skeletal age cohorts of 13 and 14 years. While the quantity
      of training had no effect on vertical jumping height, it explained the results in
      the overhead throwing test. The effects of training on vertical jumping and
      horizontal overhead throwing among adolescent athletes were considered to be
      small, while maturational processes and anthropometric development followed by
      increase in calendar age were deemed to be of greater importance.

PMID- 1433461
TI  - Ventilation and blood lactate increase exponentially during incremental exercise.
AB  - This study examined whether the ventilatory (V) compensation for metabolic
      acidosis with increasing O2 uptake (VO2) and CO2 output (VCO2) might be more in
      accord with the theoretical expectation of a progressive acceleration of proton
      production from carbohydrate oxidation rather than a sudden onset of blood
      lactate (BLa) accumulation. The interrelationships between V, VO2, VCO2 and BLa
      concentration, [BLa], were investigated in 10 endurance-trained male cyclists
      during incremental (120 +/- 15 W min-1) exercise tests to exhaustion. Regression
      analyses on the V, VCO2 and [BLa] vs VO2 data revealed that all were better
      fitted by continuous Y = A.exp.[B.VO2] + C rate laws than by threshold linear
      rate equations (P < 0.0001). Plots of V vs VCO2 and [BLa] were also non-linear.
      Ventilation increased as an exponential V = 27 +/- 4.exp.[0.37 +/- 0.03.VCO2]
      function of VCO2 and as a hyperbolic function of [BLa]. In opposition to the
      'anaerobic (lactate) threshold' hypothesis, we suggest these data are more
      readily explained by a continuous development of acidosis, rather than a sudden
      onset of BLa accumulation, during progressive exercise.

PMID- 1433462
TI  - Morphological proportionality in elite age group North American divers.
AB  - The purpose of this investigation was to describe the morphological parameters
      that characterize elite age group divers. Comparisons are made to normative age
      group data from the Coquitlam Growth Study and the constancy of important
      characteristics from age group to age group is examined. Data were collected on
      27 male and 28 female elite divers who participated in the 1990 North American
      Age Group Diving Championships. Body build, body composition and skinfold
      corrected diameters were determined from 36 anthropometric parameters and
      analysed by ANOVA, t-test and Phantom z-scores procedures. All age groups except
      the 14- to 15-year-old males were significantly (P < or = 0.05) shorter than
      their norms but recorded higher androgyny index values. The estimated relative
      muscle mass increased significantly (P < or = 0.05) with age for males at all
      ages (40.8-46.3%). The 16- to 18-year-old females had a significantly (P < or =
      0.05) larger relative muscle component compared to the younger age groups (40.1
      38.4%). When normalized for height, active tissue development of the extremities
      was comparable between the sexes except in the forearm. The results indicate that
      at all age levels short stature is an important characteristic for divers.
      Analysis of regional active tissue development provides further insight into
      sport-specific prerequisites for success at elite levels.

PMID- 1433463
TI  - The biomechanics of the discus throw: a review.
AB  - This review provides an evaluation of published scientific literature (mostly
      that in English or German) which has reported quantitative data relating to the
      biomechanics of the discus throw. This is done by considering the two stages of
      the throw--the launch (the movements in the circle) and the discus flight. To
      ascertain the optimal release characteristics of the discus to maximize the
      distance thrown, the results of those studies which have addressed this problem
      by simulating the flight of the discus are evaluated. To assess the merit of this
      literature, a detailed evaluation of studies of the aerodynamics of discus flight
      is also undertaken in this review. These results are compared with measured
      release conditions from filmed discus throws. The greater part of the review
      seeks to establish the technique of the thrower within the circle necessary to
      achieve an optimum release. Thus, the discus throwing technique is discussed in
      relation to the results of cinematographic data, and the extremely limited number
      of force platform and electromyographic studies. An evaluation of experimental
      procedures and the reporting of experimental errors, particularly for the
      cinematographic studies, is included. Consideration is also given to some of the
      more descriptive, coaching literature where points are raised which serve to
      highlight important biomechanical aspects of throwing technique. It is concluded
      that not enough relevant and reliable biomechanical data currently exist to
      answer many of the important questions about the technique of the discus throw,
      and some future research directions to help overcome this are recommended.

PMID- 1433464
TI  - The "twin peak" sign: reliable evidence of dichorionic twinning.
AB  - In twin pregnancies with a single placental zone, the presence of a triangular
      projection of placental tissue beyond the chorionic surface, extending between
      the layers of the intertwin membrane, has provided reliable evidence that there
      are two fused placentas (dichorionic, diamniotic) rather than a single shared
      placenta (monochorionic, diamniotic). This observation, dubbed the "twin peak"
      sign, was identified in 15 twin pregnancies, all proven to be dichorionic at
      birth, and in five triplet pregnancies, all proven to be trichorionic. This
      finding is produced by proliferating chorionic villi growing into the potential
      space between the two layers of chorion in the intertwin membrane. The single
      chorion of a monoplacental twin pregnancy serves as an intact barrier, preventing
      villi from growing between the two amniotic layers. A decision sequence
      incorporating the use of the twin peak sign is described for determining the type
      of twinning that has occurred.

PMID- 1433465
TI  - The variable appearances of fetal gallstones.
AB  - Only four cases of fetal gallstones have been reported previously, which implies
      that this condition is rare. Gallstones in children have been reported more
      frequently, and it may be that some of these are present in fetal life. Over a 12
      month period in this department, seven cases of gallstones or sludge were seen
      within the fetal gallbladder. The variable appearances of fetal cholelithiasis
      are described and the possible causes discussed. Fetal gallstones may not be as
      rare as indicated by the paucity of cases in the literature.

PMID- 1433466
TI  - The choroid plexus pseudocyst: sonographic identification and characterization.
AB  - Amniocentesis has been advocated by some authors when fetal choroid plexus cysts
      are discovered, because of their reported association with karyotype
      abnormalities. We have noted an oval hypoechoic structure projecting into the
      adjacent choroid plexus, which simulates a cyst when imaged across its short
      axis, in 39 of 50 consecutive fetuses. This presumably normal structure or
      pseudocyst may represent the corpus striatum. Knowledge of its existence and
      benign nature will help avoid diagnostic errors and unnecessary amniocenteses.

PMID- 1433467
TI  - Sonographic diagnosis of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis.
AB  - Twenty-five consecutive sonographic examinations performed at Flinders Medical
      Centre for possible infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) were analyzed
      retrospectively. The results and a pyloric muscle index calculated by a formula
      using length, diameter, muscle thickness, and body weight were compared with the
      clinical outcome (surgery or conservative management). In the children without
      IHPS, the calculated pyloric muscle index was less than 0.2, whereas in infants
      with proven pyloric stenosis, the index was greater than 0.2 (P < 0.001). This
      result suggested that the published index upper limit of > 0.4 to 0.46 was not
      valid in our institution. Pyloric length to muscle thickness ratio was also found
      to predict IHPS. A simplified index, including only length and muscle thickness,
      is proposed, whereby length (mm) plus 3.64 times thickness (mm), when greater
      than 25, implies IHPS.

PMID- 1433468
TI  - Postmenopausal tubo-ovarian abscess: sonographic considerations and clinical
      significance.

PMID- 1433469
TI  - Umbilical cord prolapse through a transverse uterine synechia.

PMID- 1433470
TI  - Ultrasonographic and color Doppler imaging of hemorrhagic epididymitis in Henoch
      Schonlein purpura.

PMID- 1433471
TI  - The value of Doppler flow analysis in the prenatal diagnosis of amniotic sheets.

PMID- 1433472
TI  - Color flow-guided repair of axillary artery pseudoaneurysm.

PMID- 1433473
TI  - Morantel tartrate release from a long-acting intraruminal device in cattle:
      pharmacokinetics and gastrointestinal distribution.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics and gastrointestinal distribution of morantel tartrate
      release from a sustained release trilaminate bolus in cattle were investigated
      over a 98-day period post-treatment. Six Holstein calves (125-150 kg) had
      permanent indwelling fistulae surgically inserted into the rumen, abomasum and
      terminal ileum. Samples of jugular blood, feces and ruminal, abomasal and ileal
      fluids were taken on days -3, 1, 4, 7, 10, 14 and weekly up to 98 days post-bolus
      administration. Morantel tartrate concentrations were measured by HPLC after
      extraction and clean-up. Morantel was not detected in plasma at any time after
      bolus administration. High concentrations of morantel tartrate were found in
      ruminal, abomasal and ileal fluids and feces over 98 days post-treatment. The
      morantel peak concentration (Cmax) was achieved at Day 1 post-administration in
      each of these compartments. The steady-state morantel concentration (Css) was
      achieved at approximately 10 days post-treatment and maintained for 91-98 days
      post-treatment in these gastrointestinal compartments. The morantel Cmax, Css,
      area under the zero (AUC) and first moment (AUMC) of the concentration-time curve
      were significantly higher (P less than 0.01) in feces than in other compartments.
      The in vivo drug release profile of this device has been determined. Steady-state
      concentrations for from 91 to 98 days have been confirmed.

PMID- 1433474
TI  - Rifampin disposition in the horse: effects of age and method of oral
      administration.
AB  - The effects of time and method of administration of rifampin with respect to
      feeding were evaluated in five mature horses. There was a significant (P less
      than or equal to 0.05) delay in time of maximum serum concentration and an
      apparent but not significant decrease in oral absorption when rifampin was given
      as a top dressing on grain as compared with administration in corn syrup 2 h
      before or 2 h after feeding. Although there were no differences between
      administration before or after feeding, administration 2 h prior to feeding was
      selected as the method of choice for future experiments. The effects of age on
      rifampin disposition were subsequently examined using this method of
      administration in six, 1-week old foals. Rifampin (10 mg/kg) was given at
      increasing age from 1 through 10 weeks and the pharmacokinetic disposition
      parameters compared. There were significant differences in the slope of the
      elimination phase (beta) and area under the curve (AUC) at 1 week through 6 weeks
      compared with 10 weeks or with values in the five mature horses.

PMID- 1433475
TI  - Pharmacokinetics and intramuscular bioavailability of amikacin in chickens
      following single and multiple dosing.
AB  - The pharmacokinetics of amikacin were studied in healthy mature female chickens
      (n = 6). Single doses of amikacin were injected as an i.v. bolus (10 mg/kg) and
      i.m. (20 mg/kg) into the same birds with a 30-day rest period between treatments.
      Amikacin was determined by the fluorescence polarization immunoassay method. The
      i.v. pharmacokinetics could be described by a two-compartment model with a t1/2
      alpha of 0.150 +/- 0.064 h and a t1/2 beta of 1.44 +/- 0.34 h. The total body
      clearance was 0.109 +/- 0.017 1/h/kg and the volume of distribution at steady
      state was 0.193 +/- 0.060 l/kg. Following a single i.m. injection, the peak
      plasma concentration (Cmax) was 50.79 +/- 4.05 micrograms/ml and occurred at 0.50
      +/- 0.26 h. The i.m. extent of absorption was 91.2 +/- 17.6%. Simultaneous
      modeling of i.v. and i.m. results provided estimates of an absorption half-life
      of 0.480 +/- 0.158 h. The i.m. pharmacokinetics after repeated administration
      were studied following the tenth dose (20 mg/kg, every 8 h). The Cssmax was 38.58
      +/- 6.96 micrograms/ml and occurred at 0.79 +/- 0.37 h, and the biological half
      life of amikacin was 1.86 +/- 0.47 h. The multiple dosing yielded peak
      concentrations of 39 micrograms/ml and trough concentrations of 3.26
      micrograms/ml. Based on these data, the recommended amikacin dosage in chickens
      is 20 mg/kg body weight every 8 h.

PMID- 1433476
TI  - Formulation and (bio)availability problems of drug formulations in birds.
AB  - Most drugs used for the treatment of birds are not formulated for birds.
      Therefore the availability of drugs for birds and their administration routes
      largely depend on formulations available for man, mammals and to some extent
      poultry. The problems with the application of existing formulations, the drug
      concentrations and the many different avian species are discussed. The desire of
      the avian veterinarian for the combination of several active compounds presents
      special problems. This again requires extra data on the interactions in galenic,
      pharmaceutic, pharmacokinetic and dynamic phases, which are generally not readily
      available.

PMID- 1433478
TI  - Bioavailability and bioequivalence of veterinary drug dosage forms, with
      particular reference to horses: an overview.
AB  - The route of administration and formulation of the dosage form affect the
      bioavailability (rate and extent of absorption) of a drug and may thereby
      influence the intensity and duration of the pharmacological effect. Location of
      injection site may affect the plasma concentration profile of drugs administered
      as aqueous suspensions or sustained release parenteral preparations (procaine
      penicillin G). When absorption influences the rate of elimination ('flip-flop'
      phenomenon), the apparent half-life of the drug will be increased (cefazolin
      sodium, i.m.; meclofenamic acid, p.o.). Absorption generally approximates a first
      order process and either the absorption half-life or the mean absorption time
      (statistical moment term) will provide an estimate of the rate of absorption. The
      method of corresponding areas is the usual technique employed in estimating the
      extent of absorption (systemic availability). Inherent in this technique is the
      assumption that clearance of the drug remains unchanged. In horses, the time of
      feeding relative to oral dosing has been shown to affect systemic availability
      (rifampin, trimethoprim) and pattern of absorption (phenylbutazone). Oral paste
      formulations (trimethoprim-sulphadiazine, ivermectin) are convenient to
      administer, allow precision in dosage compared with powders or granules added to
      feed, and could provide sustained release. Assessment of bioequivalence is based
      on relative bioavailability, using a reference dosage form, together with a
      measure of the uncertainty (variance) of the estimate. Bioequivalence relies on
      the concept that preparations of a drug which provide essentially equivalent
      plasma concentration profiles should produce the same therapeutic effect.

PMID- 1433477
TI  - Bioavailability and bioinequivalence of drug formulations in small animals.
AB  - Differences in bioavailability of many drugs from their various dosage forms have
      been shown to be relatively common in human medicine. Although comparable
      bioavailability ('bioequivalence') is though to ensure comparable clinical
      effectiveness and safety ('therapeutic equivalence'), the relationship between
      bioinequivalence and therapeutic inequivalence is less clear. Thus the prevalence
      of clinically important differences in bioavailability is unknown. While similar
      concerns have arisen about drug products used in small animal practice, there
      have been few investigations and some earlier reports are incomplete. However,
      there are indications of bioinequivalence with enteral formulations of
      ampicillin, aspirin, chloramphenicol, digoxin, mitotane, oxytetracycline,
      penicillin V and theophylline. Other studies have suggested bioequivalence with
      enteral formulations of chloramphenicol, digoxin, phenytoin, oxytetracycline and
      thyroxine. Limited data for injectable preparations showed bioinequivalence with
      chloramphenicol and possibly oxytetracycline. There is no reason to expect
      formulation-related bioinequivalence to be less prevalent in veterinary than in
      human medicine. Indeed, it may be more common in veterinary practice because
      other potential influences on bioavailability (food, diseases, other drugs, etc.)
      are frequently ignored, and cheaper generic products are often favoured for
      economic reasons.

PMID- 1433479
TI  - Effect of inhalation anaesthetics on total respiratory resistance in conscious
      ponies.
AB  - Total respiratory resistance was measured rapidly and non-invasively in 6
      conscious ponies before and after they inhaled approximately 25% of the minimal
      anaesthetic concentration (0.25 MAC) of either enflurane, halothane, or
      isoflurane, over a 10 min period. The forced random noise (FRN) method was used
      to measure the impedance over the frequency range of 5 to 40 Hz and its real
      part, the resistance, was extracted from these impedance measurements. At the
      concentrations used, halothane appeared to have no effect on the total
      respiratory resistance; enflurane and isoflurane seemed to increase it but the
      changes were not statistically significant.

PMID- 1433480
TI  - Prescribing of drugs for food-producing animals in Norway. Information about
      withdrawal times.
AB  - The prescribing of drugs for food-producing animals in Norway was investigated
      with special emphasis on written information given about withdrawal times. The
      study was designed as a cross-sectional prescription survey. Of 1518
      prescriptions for food-producing animals, it was concluded that 1224 of the
      prescriptions were for drugs requiring withdrawal times for meat, milk or eggs.
      Of these 1224 prescriptions, 82.8% were for veterinary preparations, 6.6% were
      for human preparations and 10.6% were for other drugs. For 20.8% of the
      prescriptions, information about withdrawal time(s) was missing. For
      prescriptions for veterinary preparations this figure was 5.9%, and for
      prescriptions for human preparations and other drugs 95.1% and 90.8%,
      respectively. For veterinary preparations approved for the intended species, as
      many as 99.2% gave information about withdrawal times on the drug container
      label. Lack of information about withdrawal times might give rise to drug
      residues in food for human consumption and thus pose a potential hazard to human
      health.

PMID- 1433481
TI  - Effect of erythromycin on L-threonine transport in rabbit jejunum in vitro.
AB  - Several antibiotics characterized by different molecular structures are known to
      affect some intestinal activities. Some of them have been described as inhibitors
      of the intestinal sugar and amino acid transport with different mechanisms.
      Erythromycin (EM) is a macrolide antibiotic acting as a motilin agonist and thus
      stimulating the gastrointestinal motor activity. Since several substances which
      increase the motor activity of the gastrointestinal tract may produce effects on
      the intestinal absorption of nutrients, the present study has been carried out to
      determine whether erythromycin affects the L-threonine intestinal absorption. The
      results obtained indicate that erythromycin diminishes the L-threonine intestinal
      transport, probably at the mucosal border level. Two groups of experiments
      carried out, with Na(+)-deprived medium and ouabain-enriched medium, might
      indicate that erythromycin action could be due to either a direct or an indirect
      action on the Na(+)-dependent L-threonine transport located in the brush border.